OBS Chapter 1409 Re-examining Tiannan!
Chapter 1409 Re-examining Tiannan!
Chapter 1409 Returning to Tiannan!
"Break for me!!!" Wan Tianming was terrified, his eyes bloodshot. He frantically channeled his magic power, unleashing several magical treasures to bombard the surrounding protective net of light. However, the net of light was incredibly tough, and the flowing runes neutralized the attacks, leaving only ripples.
In the instant he was imprisoned and his mind went blank, Qin Hao made his move!
His eyes flashed with ferocity, his muscles bulged and jutted out, his skin was instantly covered with a solid golden luster, and his bones crackled and popped! The physical power of the second peak level of the Heavenly Demon Art erupted with a roar!
With a single step, the void beneath his feet shattered! Qin Hao's figure appeared in front of the imprisoned Wan Tianming as if by teleportation. A fist covered in dark gold scales, carrying the terrifying power to crush mountains, slammed down towards Wan Tianming's head without any fancy moves! Pure physical strength tore through the air, emitting a piercing explosion!
"Heavenly Demon Art?! No—!" Wan Tianming was terrified and could only hastily summon his natal magic weapon—a golden flying sword—to block in front of him, while frantically activating his protective spiritual light.
"clang!!!"
Amidst the deafening clang of metal clashing, the golden flying sword let out a mournful cry as it was forcefully smashed away by Qin Hao's fist, its spiritual light dimming! Wan Tianming's protective spiritual light shattered instantly, as if made of paper!
boom!
Qin Hao's fist slammed hard into Wan Tianming's hastily raised arm to block!
"Crack!" A tooth-grinding sound of bone breaking rang out! Wan Tianming's arm twisted and deformed instantly, and the excruciating pain made him let out a shrill scream.
Qin Hao pressed his advantage relentlessly, his fists, elbows, knees, shoulders... every part of his body became a terrifying weapon, bombarding Wan Tianming like a storm!
Each strike contained the terrifying power of the Heaven-Supporting Demon Art, combined with the profound magic power of the mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, causing Wan Tianming's protective magic treasures to wail and their spiritual light to dissipate, and the sound of bones breaking could not be heard incessantly!
Under the suppression of the Supreme Divine Forbidden Array, Wan Tianming was like a giant elephant stuck in the mud, struggling to move and unable to effectively dodge or counterattack. He could only rely on his powerful magic and a few protective magic treasures to barely hold on.
Qin Hao's mind stirred again, and the Myriad Talisman Treasure Record floating to his side shone brightly. Several giant Gengjin halberds reappeared, like a golden torrent, and together with Qin Hao's close-range frenzied attacks, they swept towards Wan Tianming from all directions!
puff!puff!
Under the restraint and interference of the giant talisman halberd and the fierce attack of Qin Hao's physical body, which was strong enough to withstand ancient treasures, Wan Tianming finally revealed a fatal flaw! A golden light transformed from a sky-splitting armor-piercing blade, as cunning as a venomous snake, pierced through the gap in his defense and slashed hard in his back!
"Ugh!" Wan Tianming's body trembled violently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, his protective aura completely collapsing! Before he could catch his breath, Qin Hao's dark golden fist, imbued with the power of Asura Sacred Fire, fell like a meteor, carrying the will to incinerate everything, and slammed heavily onto his head!
boom! ! !
A muffled thud, like a ripe watermelon being smashed! Red and white splattered everywhere, mixed with the black smoke from the burning water!
A tiny Nascent Soul figure, identical in appearance to Wan Tianming and filled with terror and despair, instantly emerged from the blood mist that exploded from its head. Enveloped in dense golden light, it was about to use the Nascent Soul teleportation technique to escape!
"Condensing Light Mirror! Freeze!" Qin Hao was prepared. An ancient mirror was already suspended above his head. The mirror surface shone brightly, and a condensed white beam of light shot out instantly, accurately covering the Nascent Soul that had just escaped!
"Ah—!" Wan Tianming's nascent soul let out an extremely shrill scream, frozen in mid-air by the white pillar of light, like a mosquito solidified in amber, unable to move at all!
"Fellow Daoist Zhang! Spare me! Spare me! I don't want the Void Heaven Cauldron anymore! I can give you everything from the Myriad Laws Sect! Just spare my life! I am willing to serve you as my master and swear a blood oath against my inner demons!" Wan Tianming's nascent soul was terrified and let out a sharp cry for mercy.
Qin Hao's eyes were cold and unwavering. He knew this fiend's nature all too well; releasing him would bring endless trouble.
"Slay!" Qin Hao uttered a single word.
The Sky-Splitting Armor-Piercing Blade, suspended to the side, emitted a clear and melodious tremor, transforming into a golden thread of death that instantly pierced through the Nascent Soul figure that had been firmly immobilized by the Condensing Light Mirror!
"No—!!!" Wan Tianming's desperate roar came to an abrupt halt.
puff!
The tiny Nascent Soul, as fragile as glass, shattered under the overwhelming Geng Metal Qi, turning into scattered specks of spiritual light that vanished completely into the world! Wan Tianming, the peak mid-Nascent Soul cultivator and the sect master of the Myriad Laws Sect, was thus annihilated, body and soul!
With a blank expression, Qin Hao waved his hand, collecting Wan Tianming's abandoned storage bag and several badly damaged ancient treasures. He then deactivated the Tai Miao Divine Restriction Array and recalled the magical artifacts.
In the distance, Yuan Yao flew over with Yan Li, her eyes filled with undisguised shock as she looked at the wreckage floating on the sea and the dissipated spiritual light. To slay a peak mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator so cleanly and efficiently—such strength might even be enough to put up a fight against the legendary four late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.
"Clean up the battlefield," Qin Hao instructed the two women, then sat down cross-legged, took out a pill and swallowed it to restore his depleted mana.
Time passed in a stifling silence. The lava trench, still shrouded in the aftermath of the great battle, was even more deathly still, with even the monstrous beasts keeping their distance. Only the muffled roar of the underwater volcano and the sound of waves crashing against the reefs could be heard.
Several hours later, just as Qin Hao was about to run out of patience after taking the second pill, a sudden change occurred!
The underwater volcano, which had been spewing steam and bubbles, suddenly began to tremble violently! A terrifying force, dozens of times stronger than before, was brewing and erupting on the seabed!
Rumble——! ! !
It was as if a giant dragon was writhing on the seabed! The seabed shook violently, and huge cracks spread out! Accompanied by a deafening roar, an extremely hot, dark red column of magma, mixed with countless seabed rocks and dense blackish-gray gas, burst through the sea surface like an angry, monstrous dragon, soaring straight into the sky!
The sea surface instantly boiled and churned! Towering waves, mixed with scalding seawater and steam, swept wildly in all directions! The intense heat instantly boiled the surrounding waters, and countless marine creatures that couldn't escape were instantly cooked and vaporized!
Amidst this devastating volcanic eruption, an indescribable, chilling, and deathly aura suddenly emanated from the depths of the erupting crater! This aura was completely out of place with the violent heat of the volcanic eruption, yet it spread rapidly like a leech.
Immediately afterwards, Qin Hao, Yuan Yao, and Yan Li's pupils contracted simultaneously!
Amidst the gushing lava and thick smoke, a dense, opaque, gray-black mist, seemingly capable of swallowing all light, silently spread out like a living thing!
At first, the fog was only a small patch, but it seemed to have a life of its own, rapidly expanding and spreading. Wherever it passed, light was distorted and dimmed, sound was swallowed up, and even the energy of a violent volcanic eruption was silently absorbed and annihilated!
Ghost fog!
The entrance to the underworld!
It has finally appeared! Accompanied by this earth-shattering underwater volcanic eruption, it is like a gateway to the deepest hell, slowly opening!
"Now! Put on the armor I've given you!"
Without hesitation, he steered the Black Dragon Boat, transforming into a streak of black light, and plunged headlong into the gray-black ghost mist that exuded endless cold and deathly silence!
The three figures were instantly swallowed up by the thick, gray-black mist and disappeared.
……
Thump~~~
The heavy thud echoed clearly in the deathly silence. The moment Qin Hao's body touched the cold, hard ground, his core muscles engaged, and with a clean, effortless somersault, he stood firmly upright like a javelin.
Almost as soon as he stood up, a foul gust of wind accompanied by a low growl rushed up behind him! A ferocious monster with a leopard's head, red scales, exposed fangs, and eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light, its sharp claws aimed straight for Qin Hao's back with a whistling sound.
Qin Hao didn't even turn around. The Sky-Splitting Armor-Piercing Blade in his right hand seemed to be an extension of his arm as he thrust it back with precision. The blade tip gleamed with a cold metallic luster, piercing through the relatively soft neck of the Red Scale Beast without any resistance.
With a soft "plop," foul-smelling blood spurted out. The roar of the red-scaled beast abruptly ceased, its massive body crashing to the ground, twitching a few times before falling silent.
However, this was only the beginning. Deeper into the fog, more eerie green eyes lit up, and low roars rose and fell like a ghostly chorus.
In an instant, more than a dozen monsters with leopard heads and red scales surrounded him from all directions. They were clearly driven mad by the death of their companion and the smell of fresh flesh and blood. Their claws dug into the ground, and their scales scraped together, making a teeth-grinding sound. They formed a small encirclement, trapping Qin Hao in the center.
Faced with this siege that would have driven an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator to despair, Qin Hao showed no sign of panic. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Noisy." He muttered, and then suddenly moved!
There were no dazzling magical lights, only pure physical strength and exquisite martial arts skills. His footwork was as elusive as a ghost, each step perfectly avoiding several attacking claws.
The Sky-Splitting Armor-Piercing Blade in his hand transformed into a silver thread of death, each swing accompanied by a piercing whistling sound and the muffled thud of flesh being torn apart.
"Swoosh!" The head of a red-scaled beast flew high into the air.
"Crack!" The other end of the spine was easily severed by the blade.
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!" Blades flashed, and the hearts of the three monsters were pierced almost simultaneously.
In just a few breaths, more than a dozen ferocious red-scaled beasts were all killed, their limbs and severed bodies scattered all over the ground, dark red blood soaking the cold ground, and a strong smell of blood permeating the air.
Qin Hao sheathed his sword and stood still, his breathing steady, not a single drop of blood staining his clothes. These Yin beasts, feared throughout the Netherworld, were like clay chickens and earthen dogs before him, utterly vulnerable.
Having dealt with the immediate trouble, Qin Hao immediately looked around warily. As far as the eye could see, there was a gray sky, seemingly forever shrouded in a layer of lingering dust. Beneath his feet lay barren, dark gray earth, and in the distance, the outlines of jagged, rocky mountains were faintly visible. A cold, deathly atmosphere permeated the air, making one feel oppressed from the bottom of their heart.
The divine sense here is like being trapped in a quagmire, severely suppressed.
Qin Hao frowned slightly as he couldn't find Yuan Yao and the other two women around.
"It seems that the entrance to this Netherworld is also randomly teleported."
However, he was not worried about the safety of Yuan Yao and Yan Li. He had made preparations before coming here. Not only did he have the two women practice body-refining techniques suitable for women's physiques, but he also used a lot of rare materials to personally craft two close-fitting soft armors for them.
Moreover, before entering the ghostly mist, he had already given the Soul-Crying Beast to Yuan Yao. The Soul-Crying Beast is naturally able to subdue ghosts and spirits, and in this dark land, devouring ghostly beasts is its forte, making its combat power sufficient to handle most dangers.
After a moment's hesitation, Qin Hao took out a warm and lustrous jade pendant from his wide sleeves.
The jade pendant is shaped like a yin-yang symbol, cool to the touch, and made of neither gold nor jade. At this moment, in the lower left corner of the pendant, two tiny red dots are flashing steadily like heartbeats. The two red dots are not far apart and are slowly moving closer to each other!
"This Yin-Yang Jade is truly extraordinary. Even in this Yin-Yang Land, which isolates the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and suppresses divine sense, it can still clearly display directions." A hint of satisfaction flashed in Qin Hao's eyes. This was one of the auxiliary ancient treasures he had carefully selected from the Star Palace's secret vault, and its positioning ability far surpassed that of ordinary sensing magical artifacts.
Putting away the Yin-Yang Jade again and casually flicking the blood off the Sky-Splitting Armor-Piercing Blade, Qin Hao locked his gaze on the direction where the red dots were converging, and like an arrow released from a bow, he sped towards his target.
Along the way, no fewer than a hundred Yin Beasts died under Qin Hao's blade, and he also accumulated a considerable amount of Yin Beast Crystals.
Besides these Yin beasts, Qin Hao also caught glimpses of some indigenous villages in the distance. These villages were mostly simple, built of stone and unknown animal bones, exuding an aura of primitiveness and struggle for survival. Occasionally, he could see the figures of ragged, terrified cultivators; their eyes were dim, and they bore wounds, clearly unfortunate souls accidentally swept into this place by the ghostly mist. Facing the wary or desperate gazes cast upon these mortals and cultivators struggling in their desperate situation, Qin Hao remained indifferent, his steps unwavering.
With the precise guidance of the Yin-Yang Jade and his own formidable speed, Qin Hao spotted two familiar figures and a small beast jumping around excitedly in the distance just half a day later.
"Master!" Yanli, with her sharp eyes, was the first to spot Qin Hao rushing towards them and exclaimed in surprise.
"Master!" Yuan Yao breathed a sigh of relief, her beautiful eyes revealing a look of reassurance.
"Squeak squeak squeak~~~ Squeak squeak!" The most excited of all was the Soul-Crying Beast. Upon seeing Qin Hao, it immediately let out a series of cheerful cries. Its small figure darted up from Yuan Yao's shoulder like lightning, and in a few leaps, it landed on Qin Hao's shoulder. Its fluffy head affectionately rubbed against his cheek, its little paws gesturing incessantly, and it chirped excitedly as if telling a story.
Yanli covered her mouth and chuckled, explaining, "After we were teleported to the ground, we encountered quite a few Yin Beasts attacking us. Tihun was incredibly powerful; those Yin Beasts seemed to have an innate fear of it. As soon as it pounced, it would sniff out the essence of those Yin Beasts with a single sniff, easily sucking it away and swallowing it, even chewing on the beast crystals as snacks. Along the way, it must have swallowed the essence of at least a hundred Yin Beasts. I think it's become addicted to it; its body is overflowing with energy."
"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Qin Hao's eyes flashed, and he carefully examined the Crying Soul Beast on his shoulder. Sure enough, the little guy's originally gray-black fur seemed to have become even shinier, and its small body seemed to contain an energy fluctuation that was much stronger than before, and its little eyes were shining brightly.
"Devouring the essence of Yin spirits is its natural talent, and this Yin Netherworld is an excellent 'hunting ground' for it."
His gaze swept across the gloomy, desolate land, a cold smile curving his lips: "Since that's the case, let's clean up the Yin Beasts in this area. It will not only satisfy the wailing souls but also allow us to collect beast crystals—a win-win situation."
These words seemed to foreshadow an impending catastrophe for the lurking beasts deep within the Netherworld. The days that followed were undoubtedly a nightmare for the beast hordes in this region.
Qin Hao, Yuan Yao, Yan Li, and a Crying Soul Beast that thrived in its element and whose combat power soared, formed a highly efficient "purge team".
They advanced through this vast and desolate land like a comb. Wherever they went, the lairs of the Yin Beasts were destroyed, and hordes of them were slaughtered. The sounds of battle and the pungent stench of blood even attracted the attention of some powerful beings deeper within. However, when these beings sensed the terrifying, primordial power emanating from Qin Hao, and the aura of the Howling Soul Beast that sent shivers down their very souls, they wisely chose to retreat.
Along the way, Qin Hao and his group passed through several villages. With Qin Hao's formidable strength, he obtained some items from the cultivators' belongings preserved in these villages, and also obtained the talisman techniques and spirit-summoning talismans of the Heavenly Talisman Sect from a village chief.
Although he couldn't use magic to draw talismans here, the "intelligent brain" integrated into Qin Hao's mind was completely unaffected. With a slight thought, the intelligent brain's powerful scanning and analysis capabilities instantly activated, meticulously scanning and inputting every detail of the Heavenly Talisman Sect's talisman techniques and spirit-summoning talismans from the jade slip into its vast database. Immediately afterward, the intelligent brain began high-speed calculations and deductions.
"Beep... The Tianfu Sect's talisman inheritance has been collected and archived in 'Talisman System Library - Branch Schools - Tianfu Sect'."
"Beep... Target talisman 'Spirit Summoning Talisman' structure analysis complete, core rune chain locked, energy sealing circuit modeling successful..."
"Beep... Based on existing databases, material property databases, and energy simulation systems, initiating reverse engineering of the 'Spirit Summoning Talisman' manufacturing process..."
"Beep... Deduction complete! Complete 'Spirit Summoning Talisman' crafting plan (optimized version) obtained, with a predicted success rate increase of 12.7%. Plan saved."
After resting for several days and replenishing their supplies of dried meat and water, Qin Hao, along with Yuan Yao and Yan Li, set off towards Storm Mountain.
The closer you get to Stormwind Mountain, the more pronounced the invisible pressure of the eerie winds in the air becomes, and the more powerful and bizarre the eerie beasts you encounter become, including some that can spew corrosive poisonous mists or contain mental shocks.
However, these Yin Beasts were merely a continuous source of nourishment for the Crying Soul Beast! The quantity and quality of the Yin Beast essences it devoured reached an astonishing level. Finally, after being besieged by several powerful Yin Beasts, the Crying Soul Beast unleashed its full power, devouring the essence of one of the leaders, and its body suddenly erupted with a strong grayish-white light!
The light lasted for several breaths before slowly fading. Looking again at the Soul-Crying Beast on their shoulders, Qin Hao and the other two were slightly surprised. The little creature's appearance had undergone a significant change: its originally greenish-blue fur had now become as shiny as silver threads, each strand crystalline and shimmering with a metallic luster.
Its size seemed to have increased as well, and its once somewhat childish round eyes had become sharp and bright. A faint golden vertical line appeared on its forehead, and an aura far more powerful than before, even carrying a hint of primordial majesty, emanated from its small body.
"Squeak!" The Soul-Crying Beast cried out excitedly, seemingly very satisfied with its transformation. It tentatively waved its little paw, creating a sharp whistling sound.
"Good heavens, is this considered a bloodline advancement?" Qin Hao stroked its shimmering silver fur, and the Soul-Crying Beast squinted its eyes in enjoyment.
After months of trekking and fighting, they finally reached the foot of Storm Mountain. Looking up, the entire mountain soared into the dark clouds, its slopes steep and jagged, with jagged rocks jutting out. At its summit, a raging gale perpetually shrouded the area, howling like ghosts and wolves, whipping up clouds of gray-black sand and gravel, creating a deathly forbidden zone. Even Qin Hao could feel the terrifying tearing power contained within that gale.
After a short rest, Qin Hao and his group began their ascent. Every step was exceptionally difficult, as they not only had to contend with the increasingly strong gravity but also constantly resist the chilling winds that felt like countless tiny blades cutting into their bodies.
After overcoming numerous hardships, we finally reached the summit platform of Stormwind Mountain. The fierce winds here were relatively calmer, but the pure yin energy permeating the air was so dense that it was almost impossible to dissipate, forming a thin, grayish-black mist. Standing here, it felt as if we were in the mouth of the deepest hell, and we could feel the chilling pulse emanating from the depths of the earth beneath our feet.
Qin Hao was observing the environment on the mountaintop, contemplating the best time to leave, when he suddenly noticed that Yuan Yao beside him had her brows furrowed and her expression somewhat dazed, as if she was trying her best to sense something.
Yuan Yao's eyes held a mixture of disbelief, surprise, and confusion. She carefully organized her thoughts, "Master... the environment here! The pure Yin energy on this mountaintop, I feel... I feel it resonates extremely strongly with the 'Mysterious Yin Demon Refining Technique' I cultivate! Although I still can't mobilize any magic power, I can clearly feel... the bottleneck in my pseudo-infant stage... has loosened!!"
"What?!" Yanli exclaimed in surprise, "Junior sister, you mean... after we get out and recover our mana, you'll be confident in breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage?"
Yuan Yao nodded vigorously, her pretty face filled with excitement and anticipation: "Yes, Senior Sister! This feeling is incredibly strong! It's as if the environment here is perfectly suited to my physique and cultivation method, and it's helping me cleanse and refine my foundation. As long as I leave this place and my magical power returns, I'm 90% confident that I can break through in one fell swoop!"
Listening to the two women's conversation and seeing the even brighter light in Yuan Yao's eyes, Qin Hao smiled with satisfaction. This was precisely one of the core reasons he had brought Yuan Yao and the other woman into this dangerous place!
The Netherworld, a place of extreme yin and cold, is filled with pure Netherworld yin energy. For Yuan Yao, who possesses the Heavenly Yin Body and specializes in ghostly cultivation techniques, it is a dreamlike paradise. Even if she cannot cultivate here, simply being in such an environment will subtly nourish and refine her body and the essence of her cultivation techniques, like placing a piece of unpolished jade in a spiritual spring to nurture it. Once freed from its shackles, it will surely shine with dazzling brilliance.
Qin Hao had actually considered having Yuan Yao and Yan Li cultivate the "Yin Yang Reincarnation Technique" and use the cover of the storm in the Yin Ming Land to sneak into the legendary Spirit Realm.
In the original story, Yuan Yao's golden core shattered, and Yan Li even lost her physical body, leaving them with no other choice but to cultivate the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Technique. But now everything is different. With him, and with the resources and protection he provides, Yuan Yao's Heavenly Yin Body has enormous potential. As long as she proceeds step by step, it's not impossible for her to reach the Nascent Soul stage in the future.
As for Yanli, although her aptitude is slightly inferior, Qin Hao is confident that guaranteeing her a Nascent Soul Dao Fruit and a thousand years of carefree life is absolutely no problem. Why make her abandon her human form and embark on that unknown and painful path of ghost cultivation?
A few months later.
Qin Hao and his two companions had been meditating atop Storm Peak for several months. During this time, the Soul-Crying Beast secretly slipped down the mountain several times to "have an extra meal," and its silver fur became even shinier. Yuan Yao, on the other hand, immersed herself daily in the nourishment of the pure Yin energy, and her aura became increasingly solid and harmonious, ready to soar into the sky once she left this place.
On this day, the seemingly unchanging, deathly wind on the mountaintop suddenly became violent without warning!
The sound of the wind was no longer a simple whistling, but became sharp and chaotic, as if countless vengeful ghosts were crying and howling at the same time.
The gray "curtain" in the sky twisted and tumbled violently, like boiling porridge.
"They're here!" Qin Hao suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing like lightning as he stared intently at the eye of the storm.
At the center of the raging, chaotic yin wind, space seemed to be being violently torn apart by an invisible giant hand! The gray-black air currents spun wildly, emitting a deafening roar.
Gradually, in the center of the vortex, a blinding light suddenly flashed!
The heavens have truly cracked open! A long, twisted spatial rift, its edges flickering with unstable arcs of electricity, slowly opened at the top of Storm Mountain!
Inside the rift, the darkness of the underworld was replaced by a chilling, profound scene of turbulent void, along with faint spatial fluctuations belonging to the normal world!
"Now!" Qin Hao shouted, grabbing Yuan Yao with one hand and Yan Li with the other.
The Soul-Crying Beast leaped onto Qin Hao's shoulder and clung to him tightly.
The moment Qin Hao saw the crack stabilize, he stomped his foot, and the hard rock instantly cracked! The three of them leaped towards the gap that had torn the sky apart like three arrows released from a bow!
……
A few days later, it was noon.
Above a vast, boundless sea, the water has a peculiar turbidity.
Suddenly, without warning, huge waves surged up in the center of this silent sea. Then, a thick, inky black mist, like an underwater volcano erupting, surged out from the depths of the sea and quickly spread, instantly covering an area of hundreds of feet in radius. Light was swallowed up and the temperature plummeted.
Within the swirling ghostly mist, three figures, slightly disheveled but with a sudden surge of power, burst forth like beasts breaking free of their cages! They were Qin Hao, Yuan Yao, and Yan Li!
The moment they burst out of the ghostly mist, the invisible force that had suppressed their magical power for months, like shackles, suddenly vanished! The long-lost spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged into their limbs and bones like a flood bursting its banks.
"Whoosh—!" Qin Hao stood in mid-air and took a deep breath. The long-awaited sea breeze, rich in spiritual energy, rushed into his lungs, causing every pore on his body to open up. His long-dormant nascent soul danced joyfully in his dantian, and his vast magical power, like a sleeping dragon awakening, instantly filled his entire body. The powerful spiritual pressure spread uncontrollably, creating ripples on the calm sea surface.
The feeling of regaining power and taking control of oneself is indescribably wonderful.
Yuan Yao and Yan Li felt the same way. Yuan Yao felt the nascent infant inside her becoming more active under the pure spiritual energy, almost bursting out of its cocoon, and her face was filled with excitement.
Yanli's face was filled with the joy of escaping death.
Qin Hao looked around, sensing the thin but familiar spiritual energy in the air. His gaze drifted to the distant horizon, and he murmured to himself, his voice soft yet carrying a certainty born of experience: "This should be the Boundless Sea. Tiannan... I'm back!"
Without lingering, he sent out a beam of dark light from his storage bracelet, which rapidly grew larger in the air and transformed into a flying boat that shimmered with dark green light.
"Go!" Qin Hao activated his magic power, and the Ink Dragon Boat emitted a deep hum, transforming into a streak of black light that tore through the sky at an astonishing speed.
This flight lasted a full two months. During that time, they traversed the vast, boundless sea, crossed scattered islands and deserted, desolate coastlines. Finally, in Qin Hao's divine sense, a clearly outlined coastline with lush vegetation appeared in the distance. Upon approaching, they encountered a group of local fishermen mending their fishing nets on the shore.
Qin Hao pressed down on the flying boat, concealed his aura, and stepped forward to inquire. The fishermen, seeing the immortal master descend from the sky, were filled with fear and trepidation. From them, he learned that this place belonged to a country called "Xi Kingdom".
After leaving the coast of Greece, Qin Hao and his beautiful companion enjoyed a leisurely trip, without rushing on their way.
For the next year, Qin Hao, along with Yuan Yao and Yan Li, traveled south from Xi Kingdom. Sometimes they flew at low altitudes, overlooking the magnificent mountains and rivers; sometimes they landed in ordinary towns, tasting local delicacies and experiencing the everyday life of the people; and sometimes they ventured deep into famous mountains and rivers, searching for rare spiritual flowers and herbs.
Yuan Yao and Yan Li, like birds released from their cages, fully enjoyed this rare moment of leisure and freedom.
……
Northern Liang Kingdom, Luoyun Mountain Range.
The once glorious cultivation world of Yue Kingdom has long since faded into history. Since the massive invasion of the six demonic sects, the sudden betrayal of Spirit Beast Mountain, acting as an inside agent, and its return to the Spirit Control Sect, the defenses of Golden Drum Plain have completely collapsed. The allied forces of the seven sects of Yue Kingdom suffered a crushing defeat and were utterly routed. Ultimately, the surviving six sects were forced to abandon their homeland, which they had cultivated for thousands of years, and flee north in disarray.
It was truly a case of "when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter." The once-united alliance proved incredibly fragile on their desperate escape. They endured countless hardships and suffered heavy losses before finally shaking off the pursuit of the Six Demonic Sects and fleeing to the relatively remote territory of the Northern Liang Kingdom, which borders the Xi Kingdom.
However, having escaped the tiger's den, they entered the wolf's lair. Although the cultivation world of the Northern Liang Kingdom wasn't top-tier, it still possessed its own structure and power. The six sects of the Yue Kingdom, these disheveled "outsiders," with their remnants, faced an unimaginable challenge in establishing themselves in this unfamiliar land, rebuilding their sects, and vying for the already limited cultivation resources.
Initially, the six sects attempted to separate and each search for mountains with still viable spiritual veins, trying to restore their respective lineages. However, reality quickly dealt them a heavy blow.
The local cultivation families and sects of the Northern Liang Kingdom showed extreme rejection and hostility towards these "outsiders." Their attempts to seize resource points were suppressed, their recruitment of disciples was obstructed, and their expeditions were besieged... In a short period of time, all sects suffered losses to varying degrees, especially the already weakened Huadaowu and Tianquebao sects, which were hit even harder.
The harsh reality made the six factions realize that if they continued to disperse, they would only be defeated one by one by the local forces of the Northern Liang Kingdom, and eventually be completely annihilated.
Left with no other choice, they had to band together again for survival. After a fierce argument and a struggle for interests, the six factions finally settled down in the mountain range within the Northern Liang Kingdom, which had the richest spiritual energy and was also quite vast.
Although they nominally retained their respective banners and their mountain gates were set up on different peaks of the mountain range, in reality they could only huddle together on this one mountain range, sharing limited spiritual vein resources and living a meager existence.
The sect's prestige, the disciples' treatment, and the resources for cultivation have all been greatly reduced.
Among the six factions that banded together for mutual support, the balance of power has quietly shifted. The Hidden Moon Sect, as the former largest sect in the Yue Kingdom, has the deepest foundation. During its retreat, it preserved most of its elite forces in a relatively orderly manner. In particular, Nangong Wan of the Hidden Moon Sect successfully formed her Nascent Soul recently, giving the Hidden Moon Sect overwhelming strength and influence within the six-faction alliance.
Naturally, the best and most spiritually abundant main peaks of the Luoyun Mountains were occupied by the Yanyue Sect. The Yanyue Sect would monopolize more than half of the profits from the spirit stone mines and herb gardens jointly mined by all six sects! The other five sects could only share the remaining portion.
Huangfeng Valley, on the other hand, suffered heavy losses and a tarnished reputation because of the "sacrifice the pawns to save the king" strategy employed by Patriarch Linghu at a critical moment. He abandoned most of his lower-ranking disciples and some of his assets to concentrate his efforts on protecting the core disciples and resources during their retreat. In the end, he managed to preserve the core structure and a sliver of vitality of the sect.
As for the four sects of Huadaowu, Tianquebao, Jujianmen, and Qingxumen, their situation was extremely difficult. They suffered the most heavy losses in the pursuit by the six demonic sects, with many Core Formation cultivators perishing and less than one in ten Foundation Establishment disciples surviving.
The situation is particularly dire for the Qingxu Sect. They were ambushed during their retreat, resulting in the annihilation of many of their mid-Foundation Establishment disciples and the loss of several Core Formation cultivators! Now, apart from the nearly deceased Nascent Soul Grand Elder Qingyunzi, who is barely holding on to the sect, there are only two Core Formation elders left. The entire sect is practically an empty shell, teetering on the brink of collapse.
Everyone knew this fragile balance couldn't last long. The pillar of the Qingxu Sect—Ancestor Qingyunzi—had less than ten years left to live!
This is an unspoken secret among the sect's higher-ups. Once this sole Nascent Soul cultivator passes away, Qingxu Sect will instantly fall from being one of the six nominal sects to a minor, insignificant sect.
At that time, not to mention the local forces of Beiliang who are eyeing it covetously from the outside, even the other five factions that fled from Yue Kingdom will inevitably set their greedy eyes on Qingxu Sect, the softest "fat piece of meat," in order to compete for the already scarce cultivation resources.
Being swallowed up and divided up was almost a foreseeable tragic end for the Qingxu Sect.
Qingxu Gate, Council Hall.
The atmosphere was as heavy as lead, making it hard to breathe. There were only three people in the hall.
Seated at the head of the table was an old man with white hair and beard, a withered face, and a breath as faint as a candle flickering in the wind. He was Qingyunzi, the only Nascent Soul cultivator of the Qingxu Sect.
His cloudy eyes gazed at the clouds drifting past the window, filled with weariness and helplessness. To his left and right sat the two remaining Core Formation elders of the Qingxu Sect: one was a middle-aged Taoist with a square face and a calm demeanor, whose Taoist name was Xuanchengzi; the other was an old woman with gray hair and a worried expression, whose Taoist name was Jingyun Shita.
“…cough cough…” Qingyunzi coughed twice, breaking the silence. His voice was hoarse and aged: “Xuancheng, Jingyun, the reason I have summoned you today is to discuss matters concerning my passing away. Cough cough… I’m afraid my frail body won’t last much longer.”
Xuan Chengzi and Abbess Jingyun exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing a deep sense of sorrow and helplessness.
Xuan Chengzi stood up, cupped his hands, and said in a heavy voice, "Uncle-Master... you know best the current state of the sect. Junior Sister Jingyun and I have been working tirelessly to increase revenue and cut costs, but... it's just a drop in the ocean. Without a Nascent Soul cultivator to oversee things, our Qingxu Sect... is practically extinct."
Master Jingyun also sighed, "Yes, Grandmaster Uncle. The Six Sects Alliance may seem like a unified entity, but in reality, the Hidden Moon Sect is the only dominant force. Once you pass away, the first target will undoubtedly be our Qingxu Sect! At that time, our pitiful share of spirit stone mines, herb gardens, and this mountain with its sparse spiritual energy... I'm afraid we won't be able to keep them. The future of our disciples is bleak."
The three fell silent again. Discuss? What could they possibly discuss? Any plan couldn't escape the coldest, cruelest reality: in the cultivation world, the strong prey on the weak, and strength reigns supreme!
Sects without Nascent Soul cultivators to oversee them are lambs to the slaughter in the competition for resources.
With Qingyunzi around, Qingxu Sect can barely maintain the empty title of "one of the six sects" and receive a meager share of resources. Once Qingyunzi is gone, this empty title will be shattered instantly.
The only thing they could think of was to completely submit to a certain sect, such as Huangfeng Valley? But with Qingxu Sect's limited resources, they might not even be interested, not to mention that they would offend the most powerful sect, Yanyue Sect, for this.
Or should they dismiss the disciples and preserve the lineage? That would truly sever the Qingxu Sect's lineage. Either choice would mean the end of the Qingxu Sect's millennia-old foundation in their hands.
This sense of despair, like a cold, venomous snake, gnaws at the heart of everyone.
Just when the three were at their wits' end, and the hall was filled with an almost suffocating atmosphere of despair—
A loud, steady voice completely ignored the protective array of Qingxu Sect and resounded clearly throughout the entire mountain range.
"Who is in charge of the Qingxu Sect now? Show yourself at once!"