Demonic Cultivator In Zombie World(121-130) (Patreon)

Chapter 121: Honored to Serve Seniors!

The Situ Clan was one of the Foundation Establishment clans under the banner of the Heaven Burning Sect. A Foundation Establishment clan, as the name suggests, always had Foundation Establishment cultivators presiding over it.

Should a day come when there were no Foundation Establishment cultivators, they would be demoted to a Qi Refining clan. Conversely, successfully condensing a Golden Core would elevate them to a Golden Core clan.

Chu Xuan found it somewhat surprising that the Situ Clan had once been a Golden Core clan!

However, over time, their talent had dwindled, and three hundred years ago, they had already degraded into a Foundation Establishment clan.

Even though the Situ Clan was no longer a Golden Core clan, they still possessed the arrogance and haughtiness to justify their position as the rulers of this land. Most of the cultivators in the Golden Lake Market were from the Yu Kingdom.

With the Heavenly Seal Sect gone, those roaming cultivators and minor sect cultivators had no choice but to rely on the Heaven Burning Sect. As a foundational clan under the Heaven Burning Sect, the Situ Clan naturally stood above them!

"The former Golden Core clan must have had profound foundations. Perhaps they possess the condensation core technique and body refining arts that I seek. However, they are unlikely to willingly hand over their treasures to me; I will have to take matters into my own hands."

Chu Xuan sighed lightly. If the Situ Clan were willing to offer up their treasures voluntarily, why increase the cycle of killing unnecessarily?

"But before taking action, I must first investigate the strength and foundations of the Situ Clan; I cannot afford to waste time and Spiritual Qi on a fruitless endeavor. My time is precious."

Chu Xuan continued to stroll through the Golden Lake Market. The stalls set up by Qi Refining cultivators naturally did not catch his eye. However, he still bought some spirit plant seeds as supplements.

Afterward, Chu Xuan left the Golden Lake Market. There was too little intelligence to be gained from this market.

He needed to go to larger markets where Foundation Establishment cultivators frequented. However, not long after Chu Xuan left the Golden Lake Market, he sensed someone tracking him.

"Interesting, I've actually been targeted by a bandit cultivator."

Chu Xuan couldn't help but smile. A bandit cultivator, one who lived by robbery, was also a demonic cultivator.

"And yet, this great demonic cultivator of mine has been seen as a fat target by a little demonic cultivator."

Chu Xuan continued on his way, unhurried, until he arrived at a secluded grove of trees, where he finally stopped.

A cold chuckle came from behind him.

"So this is the burial ground you've chosen for yourself; it's quite secluded."

Chu Xuan turned towards the sound and saw a middle-aged cultivator with a lean figure. The man's face showed a ferocious gleam, clearly regarding Chu Xuan as a lamb to be slaughtered.

Chu Xuan smiled faintly, "You intend to rob me?"

The bandit cultivator chuckled, "I've been searching for targets for several days, and among them, you caught my eye the most. You bought spirit plant seeds; it seems you're a farmer! I've killed plenty of farmers. Heh heh, these cultivators are timid and weak, with low strength. Even if the loot is meager, it's still meat on the bone. Mosquito meat is meat after all. Heh heh heh, don't struggle in vain. I'm at the fifth level of Qi Refining; you can't possibly be my match."

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue in amusement. It seemed that in the future, he mustn't appear too ordinary, lest he attract the attention of bandit cultivators.

He raised his hand, and with a swift motion, pinched a plump little insect between his fingers. The insect's sharp mouthparts writhed as if capable of devouring everything.

With a soft pop, Chu Xuan exerted a slight pressure and burst the little bug. Spiritual Qi enveloped his palm, preventing any of the insect's fluids from touching him.

He chuckled lightly, "Is this your tactic? A Gu, a Brain-Eating Bug?"

The bandit cultivator's face paled, and he immediately turned to flee. His secretly released Brain-Eating Bug had been effortlessly caught by the other's bare hand!

He had robbed many cultivators before and could easily tell who was strong and who was weak. This man was definitely not as weak as he appeared, a mere early stage of Qi Refining—likely a much higher stage!

However, no sooner had the bandit taken his first step than he collapsed to the ground with a thud, his mouth filled with dirt and weeds. He tried to stand, only to find himself utterly weak and limp, like a strong man who had wandered into a den of female demons and had been thoroughly drained.

He instantly realized what had happened—he was poisoned!

Footsteps approached. The fat sheep he had eyed was now standing beside him.

Chu Xuan's eyes flickered with a purple hue as he activated his Soul-Capturing Gaze and began to interrogate.

"Name."

"Yan Peng."

"Level."

"Qi Refining, Sixth Level."

Chu Xuan smiled. This fellow had just boasted of being at the Fifth Level of Qi Refining—a lie, evidently meant to keep an edge up his sleeve, guarding against his 'fat sheep' also being more than he appeared.

Little did this bandit realize, the supposed fat sheep was not in the early stage of Qi Refining, nor the late stage, but... the latter stage of Foundation Establishment.

Chu Xuan continued his interrogation, asking about everything except embarrassingly juvenile indiscretions. He eyed the man with keen interest, "Impressive, you even have a small group."

This person was previously a demonic cultivator from the territories of Imperial Spirit Mountain. During the war between the Heavenly Seal Sect and the native sects of Wu Province, he had migrated to Wu Province, hoping to profit from the chaos of the conflict.

A few demonic cultivators banded together for warmth, founding a small group known as the "Golden Lake Gang" near the shores of the lake. They engaged in activities like selling information, ambushing cultivators, acting as enforcers, and performing blood sacrifices of mortals.

Recently, some unexplained blood pearls in various markets across Wu Province were traced back to small demonic groups like theirs. They moved like the wind and could easily disperse and reassemble, making it difficult for the Heavenly Seal Sect to capture them.

Yan Peng, being the highest in cultivation level, had always been the leader of this small group. This made Chu Xuan consider Yan Peng's potential utility. Gathering intelligence in disguise himself carried risks—what if he encountered a Golden Core, especially one who recognized him?

Yan Peng, with his intelligence, strength, and control over a small group, was an ideal source of information.

Without much ado, Chu Xuan took out two Gu worm eggs and activated them with Spiritual Qi before smacking them into Yan Peng's mouth. By then, the latter was gradually recovering from the effects of the Soul-Capturing Gaze.

Moments later, in a panic, Yan Peng looked at Chu Xuan, continuously kowtowing and pleading, "Senior! Senior! Please spare me! It was mere greed that led me to offend you! Consider me as nothing, just let me go!"

Chu Xuan smiled, "I need someone to serve me, and you seem suitable."

Yan Peng paused, then quickly groveled, "It's my honor to serve you, Senior! Whatever your command, just instruct! I, Song Fei, will move heaven and earth to fulfill your tasks, even if it means climbing mountains of blades or descending into seas of fire!"

Chu Xuan smirked, "You're called Yan Peng."

Yan Peng awkwardly laughed, "Yes, yes, my name is Yan Peng—oh, look at my poor memory!"

His eyes darted about as he thought, as long as he could secure a way out, he would agree to anything—after all, he could always run; legs were attached to his body!

Chu Xuan chuckled, "I've fed you a Five Organs Gu."

Yan Peng's color drained from his face. As a seasoned demonic cultivator, he was well-acquainted with various Gu worms. The Five Organs Gu was particularly suited for controlling subordinates.

Chapter 122: Well, That's Rather Embarrassing

The Five Organs Gu swims within the cultivator's organs. Not only does it typically not harm the cultivator, but it also nourishes and strengthens them.

However, once the master of the Gu remotely activates it, the Five Organs Gu will start to devour the organs frenziedly until it has completely consumed the cultivator's innards!

The Five Organs Gu is exceedingly costly. Were it not for a shortage of funds, Yan Peng himself had planned to use it to firmly control the demonic cultivators of the Golden Lake Gang. To be honest, Yan Peng was somewhat skeptical, wondering if the other party was deceiving him.

Chu Xuan chuckled, "Don't believe it? Let me have it bite you as a test."

He snapped his fingers. Immediately, Yan Peng felt an intense pain inside his body, as if he had been bitten. The pain was so severe that he rolled on the ground, curling up like a red-hot shrimp.

Yan Peng cried out in agony, "I believe! I believe!"

He quickly accepted his fate, murmuring, "From now on, you are my master. Whatever you want me to do, just command me!"

Chu Xuan smiled slightly, "My demands are not complex, just gather intelligence for me. The information I most need now is regarding the Situ Family. I want to know the strength and foundations of the Situ Family, and nothing must be omitted."

After stating this, Chu Xuan casually added, "Don't try to dissolve the Five Organs Gu, because besides it, I've also implanted another Gu in your brain. I won't say its name, to spare you the constant worry and prevent it from hindering your work."

Yan Peng shivered. The other person was no fat sheep. He was a far more terrifying demon!

Yan Peng managed a strained smile, "Master, rest assured, I will serve you diligently!"

Chu Xuan tossed him three pieces of a link stone.

"Crush a piece when you have important intelligence, and I will find you."

Yan Peng was full of questions. How would they exchange intelligence? Where would they meet? These details were not specified, but he dared not ask, fearing to irritate his new master.

Chu Xuan waved him off, "Go now, do your work well, and you'll reap the benefits in the future."

Yan Peng's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, "Yes!"

He hurriedly got up and scurried away, clearly motivated.

Chu Xuan, as usual, took several detours to ensure no one was following him before heading north back to his previous cave dwelling.

Outside Golden Lake Market, within a small fishing village, four demonic cultivators of the Golden Lake Gang convened.

Naturally, their leader was the lean middle-aged cultivator, Yan Peng. The other three were a stubble-faced man, a glamorous female cultivator, and an old bald man.

The stubble-faced man spoke in a deep voice, "Boss, why did you suddenly summon us? Is something urgent?"

Yan Peng cleared his throat and solemnly declared, "Brothers, we're about to prosper! Today, I encountered a senior demonic cultivator! He took us under his wing and wants us to work for him!

He even promised me that once the task is done, advancing to the late Qi Condensation stage won't be a problem for all of us. If our aptitudes are good enough, we might even glimpse the path to Foundation Establishment!"

After hearing this, the stubble-faced man, glamorous female, and old bald man widened their eyes in astonishment.

As Qi Refining cultivators with average aptitude and no background, they had chosen the path of demonic cultivation. Now, a senior demonic cultivator was willing to mentor them. This was a tremendous opportunity!

However, amidst their joy, the three immediately grew wary.

The glamorous female cultivator spoke seriously, "Boss, could this be a deception? Maybe he's using us as fodder."

"Yeah, demonic cultivators are ruthless! I would know, being one myself," the stubble-faced man muttered disdainfully.

The old bald man nodded in agreement.

Yan Peng smiled faintly, "Don't worry. The senior cultivator doesn't intend for us to charge into battle. He just wants us to gather intelligence. Our current focus is on the Situ Family!"

The three cultivators' eyes lit up. Gathering intelligence was something they excelled at!

"How about it, are you in?" Yan Peng smiled.

"We're in!" The three replied simultaneously.

Yan Peng laughed heartily, "Good! This determination is what we need. Once this is done, we'll live comfortably without any worries!"

"Yes!"

...

"I obtained information about the Situ Family through Yan Peng. If the Situ Family is destroyed, it may attract some attention from the Heaven Burning Sect.

There's a chance someone could trace it back to me through Yan Peng. As a precaution, after the task is completed, I should send them to the Temple of Five Organs. Bao should enjoy feasting on live humans. They should have the resolve to selflessly dedicate themselves. If not, I'll help them find it."

Chu Xuan stroked his chin, already planning the rewards for Yan Peng and his group. He hoped they wouldn't be moved to tears by it.

Well, that would be rather embarrassing.

Chu Xuan returned to the array to continue his cultivation.

...

In the blink of an eye, Chu Xuan had been cultivating on Blue Star for ten months.

With his diligent efforts, all his auxiliary cultivation techniques had made significant progress:

- Turtle Breath Technique: Reached the second level.

- Body Protecting Golden Wheel Decree: Reached the second level.

- Boiling Blood True Technique: First level.

- Soul Refining Technique: Third level.

However, his main cultivation technique, the Blood Evil Demon Refining Scripture, progressed slowly. It was still at the eighth level.

Chu Xuan also found a place to stimulate the Corpse Tide with ultrasonic waves to replenish the Blood Refining Corpse Fire.

This peaceful life didn't last long.

Chu Xuan's heart stirred as he took out the link stone and noticed a new crack on it.

"It seems we've obtained important intelligence about the Situ Family."

...

Golden Lake Market.

Yan Peng, clad in a light blue daoist robe, swaggered along the middle of the road behind the Situ family cultivators. Accompanying him in similar attire were four others. The cultivators on either side sneered at their arrogant demeanor.

The Situ family cultivators were notably fewer in number. To manage the various districts and industries, Situ family cultivators were constantly reassigned, and manpower was becoming scarce. Therefore, they had to recruit local cultivators for their use.

Upon learning of this, Yan Peng promptly applied under a false identity. Given his formidable strength, he swiftly passed the scrutiny and became an enforcement cultivator in Golden Lake Market.

Leading the enforcement team was Situ Cui, an elderly woman in the late stage of Qi Refinement from the Situ family.

Through discreet investigations, Yan Peng discovered that she was fond of alcohol and harbored dissatisfaction towards the main branch of the Situ family, being from a collateral branch herself.

Using alcohol as a pretext, he approached the elder cultivator and won her favor.

Taking advantage of her drunken state, he continuously gleaned various information about the Situ family from her.

During this period, he truly uncovered many secrets of the Situ family!

Thus, he promptly crushed a piece of the link stone.

However... where was that senior demonic cultivator? Why hadn't they arrived yet?

Just as Yan Peng was pondering this, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his internal organs and collapsed on the spot.

Situ Cui, the captain of the enforcement team with her snowy white hair, was alarmed and quickly helped Yan Peng up.

"Little Pengpeng, what's wrong?" Situ Cui asked with concern.

Yan Peng waved his hand, "Miss Cui, I'm fine. It should be due to excessive cultivation. I just need to rest for a while."

Situ Cui breathed a sigh of relief, casually instructed two people, and imperiously said, "You two, help Little Pengpeng back to rest and then return to the team."

"Yes."

Chapter 123: Chu Xuan's Taboo

Moments later, Yan Peng lay in the enforcement team's dwelling.

Situ Cui, utilizing her privileges, had assigned him to a room saturated with dense Spiritual Qi.

The two enforcement team members departed together.

Shortly thereafter, a voice resonated beside the bed.

"You are quite astute to have recognized my presence."

Yan Peng opened his eyes and immediately saw a nondescript black-robed cultivator standing by the bed—the very senior demonic cultivator!

He quickly got out of bed, knelt on one knee, and spoke softly, "Yan Peng, at your service, Master! The Master had the Five Organs Gu bite me lightly, so I knew it was you."

He paused, then continued with flattery, "As for my cleverness, it is merely trivial compared to your profound wisdom!"

Chu Xuan waved his hand dismissively, "Tell me, what have you found out?"

Yan Peng relayed the intelligence he had pried from Situ Cui and the additional information the other three from Golden Lake Gang had gathered through different channels.

Chu Xuan's expression turned peculiar, "That Situ Cui, she must be around seventy years old?"

Yan Peng blushed slightly, "Actually... I have a taste for such."

Chu Xuan nodded, showing respect and blessings.

He casually tossed a large blood pearl over, "Well done. After the task is completed, wait for me in the small grove where we first met. I will grant you more."

Yan Peng, holding the larger, purer, and more polished blood pearl, was filled with awe.

So large!

So pure!

Is this the great demon?

Indeed, he had chosen the right person to follow!

Thinking of the sumptuous life ahead, and reaching the pinnacle of his existence, Yan Peng's whole body trembled uncontrollably!

When he regained his senses, the senior demonic cultivator had already vanished without a trace.

...

Elsewhere.

Chu Xuan was already heading south aboard the Green Shadow Shuttle.

From Yan Peng, he had gathered extensive intelligence on the Situ family.

The Situ family indeed possessed a superior body cultivation technique!

The realm of body cultivation differed from that of Qi cultivation.

There were no distinctions like Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, or Golden Core.

Instead, it was Body Cultivation First Layer, Second Layer, Third Layer... endless!

If one must make a comparison, the first ten layers of Body Cultivation were akin to the Qi Refining stage, and the eleventh to twentieth layers comparable to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Subsequent realms followed this pattern.

The levels of body cultivation techniques were classified into four categories: low, medium, high, and top.

The Situ family's superior body cultivation technique, known as the "Giant Elephant Refining Technique," was said to be a fragment of an ancient method.

But that was merely hearsay, without factual evidence.

Nowadays, with the decline of body cultivation and the prominence of Qi cultivation, the "Giant Elephant Refining Technique" was seldom practiced and gradually forgotten.

As for the Condensation Core techniques, the Situ family did possess one, but it was only a mid-grade technique.

Of course, a mid-grade Condensation Core technique delivered to one's doorstep should not be refused.

Chu Xuan always treated every selflessly devoted individual equitably.

...

Plain City.

Disciples from the Extreme Yin Cave migrated and established this city among mortals, which has now become one of the largest cities within thousands of miles.

A rather ordinary young man walked along the main street of Plain City.

Before long, he arrived at a luxurious and imposing mansion.

The plaque above the mansion's entrance was emblazoned with one gilded word: Situ!

"So this is the Situ family. Quite magnificent," the young man marveled.

He was Chu Xuan.

According to the intelligence obtained by Yan Peng, the Situ family's main headquarters were located here in Plain City.

Initially, Chu Xuan was somewhat skeptical.

He had thought this place was merely a branch.

However, after walking around Plain City and hearing discussions about the Situ family, he learned that the Situ family had indeed relocated their entire clan to Wu Province Plain City in the Yue Kingdom.

It turned out that the Situ family had been marginalized by other Foundation Establishment families in the Yue Kingdom.

Upon learning that the Heaven Burning Sect had effortlessly conquered Wu Province from Yu Province and half of Jin Province, the Situ family made a ruthless decision to relocate their entire clan.

There were few large cities in Wu Province, and most of the current cities were established by the Heavenly Seal Sect after their conquest of Wu Province.

Among these cities, Plain City stood out in terms of both size and population.

Therefore, the Situ family selected this place as their headquarters.

In other words, the accumulated heritage of a Foundation Establishment family spanning hundreds of years was now concentrated here.

At the main entrance of the Situ family, there was not only a large gate but also two smaller side gates.

However, before Chu Xuan could step forward to enter through the main gate, the side gate immediately swung open.

A stretcher covered with white cloth was hurriedly carried out and rushed towards the city outskirts.

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue in wonder.

He had already heard about this incident from the people in the city.

It was said that the third Miss Situ of the Situ family was beautiful and voluptuous but arrogant and tyrannical.

She particularly enjoyed forcefully taking handsome young men as her concubines.

However, once she discovered that their physical attributes did not match her expectations after a few uses, she would immediately castrate them.

If the castration caused the young man to scream in agony, she would personally kill him.

As a result, every few days, corpses could be seen being carried out of the Situ family and dumped into a mass grave outside the city.

At first, Chu Xuan didn't quite believe it.

After all, hearing was not the same as seeing.

But now, he believed it.

Chu Xuan strode swiftly towards the main gate of the Situ family.

The two servants frowned, stepped forward, and attempted to stop Chu Xuan.

Frowning, Chu Xuan pointed at the two of them, "You two dared to step forth with your left foot first, violating my taboo—prepare to die!"

With that, the Yin Evil Ghost Claw suddenly struck out, crushing the heads of the two servants.

Bang!

The Yin Evil Demon Claw smashed down ferociously, instantly sending the main gate flying and embedding it forcefully into the screen wall.

This sudden, enormous commotion caused all the servants and maids within the Situ family's courtyard to stare in shock.

"What's going on? You've disturbed me at a crucial moment!" exclaimed a bewitching young girl, clad in scant attire. She stormed out, her long, muscular legs propelling her forward, a blood-dripping sword in her hand.

Without a doubt, this was Miss Situ, the third daughter of the family.

Chu Xuan pointed at Miss Situ, his brow furrowed, "Why did you step out with your right foot first? You too have violated my taboo—you must die!"

Bang!

The Yin Evil Demon Claw struck again.

Miss Situ's beautiful head was crushed in an instant.

Her headless body thudded to the ground.

The servants and maids turned pale.

This was the family head's most doted upon daughter!

Dead, just like that?!

"Ahh!" screamed a maid, sprinting away.

The other servants and maids also snapped out of their shock and turned to flee.

Chu Xuan shook his head, "Loud screaming violates my taboo—you must die!"

He deployed the Blood Beehive.

A swarm of warrior bees burst forth.

Wherever they passed, limbs and bodies were torn asunder.

Boom!

A flying sword blasted through the screen wall, hurtling straight toward Chu Xuan.

Unfazed, Chu Xuan let his Mystical Iron Shield materialize, easily blocking the strike.

"Who are you! Without any grievance, why do you slay my daughter unprovoked?" shouted a refined and handsome middle-aged man, his anger blazing as he pointed at Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan deeply frowned, "Pointing at my nose also violates my taboo—you must die!"

The Yin Evil Demon Claw struck again.

In an instant, it crushed the head of the Situ family patriarch as well.

Chapter 124: Extermination of An Entire Family

At this moment, a deep and vigorous voice accompanied by footsteps echoed from the main hall.

"Friend... Who exactly are you? Are you an assassin hired by another clan? Or a demonic cultivator seeking wealth and treasures?

If you are an assassin taking a commission, I, Situ Xiong, am willing to offer double the reward! If it's spirit stones or treasures you seek, I will offer them without hesitation!

I simply ask that you leave immediately. Everything that happened today can be treated as if it never occurred! I pledge a vow of no revenge!"

Following the voice, Chu Xuan saw an imposing white-haired old man walking slowly towards him.

This person was the ancestor of the Situ family, a mid-Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, Situ Xiong.

Situ Xiong could immediately tell that this person was extremely powerful.

The phrase "you must die for violating my taboo" was merely rhetoric.

Without any hesitation, Situ Xiong intended to reconcile with this formidable opponent.

In the world of cultivating families, as long as there was a Foundation Establishment stage elder like him, the family could flourish again in another twenty or thirty years.

The deaths of a few young Situ family members below him were inconsequential.

Chu Xuan was somewhat surprised by Situ Xiong's words.

He had killed so many members of the Situ family, yet the other party didn't even bat an eye.

Instead, he was offering him spirit stones, treasures, and double the reward, saying that today's events could be forgotten.

This wouldn't do.

If things remained this calm, how could he continue to kill?

Seeing Chu Xuan's expression, Situ Xiong tilted his head, pondered seriously, and then said, "Surrendering without fighting is also violating my taboo; you must die!"

Situ Xiong's expression instantly turned dark.

"Are you determined to fight to the death? I truly don't understand why you insist on fighting!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Situ Xiong stomped fiercely on the ground, his body suddenly shooting forward like a cannonball.

In mid-air, Spiritual Qi condensed into a fiery red giant sword full of high temperature and explosive aura, slashing down aggressively!

Immediately after, he infused Spiritual Qi and simultaneously threw out three magic talismans.

The three talismans instantly burned up, transforming into the souls of three demonic beasts: the Tiger Soul, Wolf Soul, and Boar Soul, all attacking Chu Xuan together.

Chu Xuan reached out and the Yin Evil Demon Claw suddenly appeared.

In an instant, it caught the fiery red giant sword that the opponent had fiercely swung.

There was a crisp sound.

The fiery red giant sword was instantly crushed!

It exploded into countless sparks of flames, dispersing in the air.

At the same moment, the souls of the three demonic beasts also rushed towards him.

Chu Xuan's waist bore an ancient bell that suddenly trembled with vibrations. Out of nowhere, a vast bell enveloped him, and behind his head, three layers of golden wheels of merit rose, slowly turning, framing him as if he were a living Buddha among mortals.

The souls of three demonic beasts crashed against the surface of the bell of merit, then, under the infinite power of merit, they screamed pitifully as they turned to ash.

Situ Xiong's face suddenly changed color. The formidable figure before him was clearly a brigand, a thief who plundered and murdered. Why then did he possess three layers of the merit wheels in his mind?

He had heard that even the abbot Yuanhong of the Golden Dragon Temple had only two! Could it be that this marauder was actually a Buddhist monk blessed with immeasurable merit? Impossible!

In the instant Situ Xiong was struck with shock, Chu Xuan advanced, closing the distance between them.

With a precise strike of his Demon Claw, he scooped out Situ Xiong's spiritual core and seized his storage bag.

A simple palm strike then thunderously imprinted on his chest, unleashing an orange-yellow fire that exploded violently.

Boom!

In just a moment, the flames completely engulfed Situ Xiong. He managed only a final scream before his flesh and bones were utterly consumed by the Corpse Refining Blood Fire.

Using a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator as fuel, the intensity of the Corpse Refining Blood Fire increased slightly.

"Over to you," Chu Xuan instructed the Queen Bee, then strode purposefully towards the main hall of the Situ family.

Such a cultivator's household would surely possess secret doors, tunnels, and chambers to hide their family treasures.

However, after searching up, down, and all around—nearly digging three feet into the ground—Chu Xuan found no such chamber.

He then slapped his forehead in realization. "That Situ Xiong, a man clearly of the most selfish sort, must have carried the family treasures on his person!"

Immediately, Chu Xuan examined Situ Xiong's storage bag.

Indeed! Small spiritual stones, medium spiritual stones, magical tools, pills, talismans, formations, cultivation techniques, secret methods, and classic texts—treasures piled up like a small mountain, dazzling his eyes.

"Excellent! Everything's here, I'll look through them at home," Chu Xuan chuckled with satisfaction.

Seeing that there was no one left alive in the Situ household, and nothing of use remained, he changed his appearance and left through the back door, quickly disappearing without a trace.

Chu Xuan's entrance into the Situ household had already attracted the attention of many in the city.

However, the screams and sounds of spell deterred the common folk from venturing inside. Only some scattered cultivators watched from a distance, eyes shifting, tempted to act.

After Chu Xuan had fled thousands of miles away, some finally mustered the courage to enter the Situ house. What they found was a scene of utter disarray, no trace of life, not even a drop of blood— as if someone had meticulously licked every inch of the ground clean. Clearly, a powerful figure had bloodily purged the Situ household.

Situ Xiong, the ancestral figure of the Situ family and a formidable mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, had scarcely caused a ripple.

The scattered cultivators could not help but feel grateful towards the powerful figure. Had it not been for this strong figure's intervention to annihilate the Situ family, they would never have had the opportunity to step foot inside.

Someone took the lead, and the scattered cultivators surged into the Situ residence. Each had suffered under the Situ family's tyranny at one time or another and now sought to claim their share of the spoils.

However, they miscalculated. Even after rummaging through the Situ household and digging three feet into the ground, they found not a single so-called treasure.

Not even a small spiritual stone could be found! The cultivators' faces twisted with indignation. It seemed the senior had bullied them excessively! How could he feast on the meat and not leave even a drop of soup for them?

...

A day later.

In the secluded woods outside Golden Lake Market, Yan Peng and his three subordinates waited with excitement and anticipation. They had already received news of the Situ family's downfall.

They knew, without a doubt, it was the work of that demonic cultivator senior! A Foundation Establishment family, once even a Golden Core family, had been obliterated in the blink of an eye!

Yan Peng's face was split with a grin. His three companions could hardly keep their mouths shut from smiling. The four of them chatted about everything under the sun, their conversation filled with aspirations for the future.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew through. The four blinked and found that the previously empty ground now bore a dark-clothed figure. Yan Peng and his group, thrilled, quickly gathered together. They bowed respectfully towards Chu Xuan, "Mas—"

Snap! The Yin Evil Claw struck. The heads of all four were crushed simultaneously. Their storage bags were collected, and their corpses nonchalantly placed into the Tower.

"Time to go home, it's blind box time again," Chu Xuan remarked, turning to leave.

Chapter 125: No demonic cultivator could possibly possess merit

Haotai Hotel rooftop.

Chu Xuan rubbed his hands together eagerly, flipping open the book in front of him, "Giant Elephant Body Refining Technique."

The first page of "Giant Elephant Body Refining Technique" was filled with praises for the Golden Core ancestor Situ Jie, highlighting his life's achievements.

Between the lines, Chu Xuan could discern the trajectory of Situ Jie's life. Born with only a medium-grade water spirit root and no family backing, Situ Jie rose from a mere Qi refining cultivator. For survival, he chose to simultaneously refine Qi and body, supplementing with gu worms and corpse puppets.

It was unclear where he obtained the body refining resources, but his body refining realm advanced rapidly. With formidable body refining strength, he sought the rare treasures needed for Qi refining.

Thus, his Qi refining realm also progressed in tandem, creating a cycle of advancement that eventually established him as a powerhouse of the Golden Core stage.

Situ Jie fell during an external campaign by the Heaven Burning Sect, but his body was never recovered. Many descendants of the Situ family believed that their ancestor had not perished but had escaped the battlefield to heal elsewhere. They anticipated that one day Situ Jie would return like lightning, restoring the supreme glory of the Golden Core family.

Chu Xuan paid little attention to Situ Jie and continued flipping through the pages. After a brief scan, he revealed a look of astonishment.

"Truly worthy of a high-grade body refinement technique, to achieve such miraculous effects!"

The "Giant Elephant Body Refining Technique" viewed the human body as an aggregation of 360 million micro-particles. Its ultimate goal was to fully develop each micro-particle into a giant elephant micro-particle.

Each micro-particle contained the strength of a giant elephant. With this technique mastered, every movement and gesture would harness the power of 360 million giant elephants!

The physical body would rival that of a medium-grade magic treasure, impervious to ordinary poisons.

To practice this technique, one must constantly visualize the roaring image of giant elephants. Awakening the strength of one micro-particle marked entry into the first level of body refinement. Ten micro-particles opened the second level, and a hundred micro-particles opened the third level, and so forth.

However, not even the Golden Core powerhouse Situ Jie managed to fully develop all 360 million micro-particles throughout his entire body.

As one progressed further, the daily requirement for life essence intake became increasingly terrifying. Even for a Golden Core cultivator like Situ Jie, supplying the daily consumption of "Giant Elephant Body Refining Technique" was uncertain.

Thus, his body refinement realm eventually reached a standstill.

"A headache for Golden Core powerhouses, but not a concern for me," Chu Xuan chuckled.

Flesh rich in life essence? That's the one thing I have in abundance!

Chu Xuan immediately sat cross-legged, fixing his gaze on the first page of the tome, depicting a roaring giant elephant, and began his visualization.

Visualization, crudely put, is not unlike daydreaming. However, while daydreaming involves emptying the mind entirely, visualization requires clearing the mind of all but one focused image—the roaring giant elephant.

Initially, it might be difficult to capture even a fraction of the essence of the giant elephant, but as one's realm improves, so too does the integration with the giant elephant, until every movement embodies the essence of this majestic beast. Achieving this signifies an advancement into a profound realm.

At the start, capturing just a fraction of the elephant's essence is enough to be considered as having entered the doorway of this technique.

"The title page states that a beginner needs at least six months of deep contemplation to successfully capture this essence, with daily intake of flesh not to be interrupted. Situ Jie, who had a natural aptitude for body refinement, managed to capture it within a month."

Chu Xuan was curious about how long it would take him, given his own dedicated efforts.

He focused intently on the image of the roaring giant elephant. In a blink, all distractions vanished, leaving only the ancient elephant, whose roar shook the heavens, before him. Beneath this titanic figure, he felt like a mere ant.

Roar!

The sound of the elephant's roar seemed to shatter his soul. In an instant, Chu Xuan found himself back in his original position, as if nothing had happened. He frowned, took a few steps, and moved about.

For some reason, he noticed an added ferocity and terror in his movements, reminiscent of ancient beasts.

Chu Xuan blinked in surprise, "Is it done? Just like that? This Giant Elephant Roar visualization isn't that difficult…"

"I must credit my remarkable aptitude in this area," he remarked, impressed with himself. It was definitely his unique advantage in body refinement, unrelated to any merits.

Then, Chu Xuan began consuming blood-food. Casually, he stuffed soft chunks of meat into his mouth, swallowing them whole.

As the cube released primal Psionic energy, the meat was restored in the blink of an eye. With such rapid supplementation, it only took three days for Chu Xuan to achieve the first level of body refinement.

He could feel his physical body becoming somewhat stronger, though the change wasn't pronounced. It seemed that several more levels would need to be attained to see a significant transformation.

"Continue cultivating! With two or three more years, I should reach the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. If no better core condensation method appears, I might as well focus on body refinement. Cultivate while searching."

Since there was a chance to pursue a superior core condensation method, he certainly wouldn't miss it.

Chu Xuan calmed his mind and continued his cultivation.

The downfall of the Situ Clan sent ripples of unease through the other cultivation families in Yue Kingdom, who were preparing to migrate north.

Even though the Situ Clan had weakened with only one Foundation Establishment patriarch remaining, it had once been a Golden Core family.

As the saying goes, a camel starved to death is still larger than a horse. How could such a lineage be wiped out?

Yet, undeniable was the truth they had to believe. The news reached the Heaven Burning Sect, prompting them to dispatch a team led by two Foundation Establishment cultivators to investigate.

It was their own cultivation family that had inexplicably vanished, and some form of response was necessary. Despite their efforts, only scattered clues emerged from the investigation.

In the ruins of the Situ Clan estate in Pingyuan City, the two Heaven Burning Sect cultivators, a robust man named Luo Feiyong and a charming young woman named Shang Yue, sat contemplating the findings.

Furrowing his brow, Luo Feiyong said, "One rogue cultivator claimed the assailant justified killing the gatekeepers for stepping out with their left foot first, and slaughtered the maid in the courtyard for screaming too loudly. Acting without restraint, it must be a demonic cultivator."

Shang Yue whispered, "Another rogue cultivator reported seeing golden light soaring within the mansion, accompanied by faint Buddhist chants and layers of Buddha's radiance..."

Luo Feiyong looked astonished. "Buddha's radiance? That conflicts with demonic cultivation."

Shang Yue nodded in agreement, "Indeed. Whoever destroyed the Situ Clan couldn't possibly possess any merit."

Luo Feiyong's voice deepened, "In that case... it must have been the work of the Golden Dragon Temple. Within the borders of Yu Kingdom, they are the only Buddhist sect."

Shang Yue stood up promptly, "Then we must report this immediately. Further investigation will likely yield no additional results. We can state that it was the monks of the Golden Dragon Temple who slaughtered the Situ Clan. This blame should be placed squarely on their shoulders."

Luo Feiyong nodded, "I share your sentiment."

With a tacit understanding, the two swiftly departed, reporting the incident to the Heaven Burning Sect.

Chapter 126: Extravagant Auction

Time flew like a shuttle.

Chu Xuan sat in meditation within the Soul Gathering and Evil Cultivation Formation for two and a half years before barely stepping into the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

The process took longer than he had anticipated. As for his physical cultivation, it had reached the eleventh level, which was equivalent to the strength of a cultivator at the first level of Foundation Establishment.

Although it seemed slow at a glance, the progress was actually astoundingly fast. Without the original energy cubes providing an endless intake of flesh, such rapid advancement to the eleventh level of body refinement in just two and a half years would have been impossible.

"Hmm? New intelligence?" Chu Xuan thought. "Now that I've reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, it's time to return and see what changes have taken place in Wu Province."

Upon noticing cracks in the motherstone, Chu Xuan used the blood mirror to traverse to Mystic Azure Realm.

...

Wu Province, White Water City.

This city was located three thousand li south of Plain City and was controlled by another cultivation family under the Heaven Burning Sect—the Huang Family.

The Huang Family treated the cultivators from the Yu Kingdom slightly better than the Situ Family had, but they still regarded Yu Kingdom cultivators as inferior to those from the Yue Kingdom.

Perhaps learning from the fall of the Situ Family, the Huangs also intended to relocate and seek development in Wu Province.

However, they did not move en masse but instead established a branch in White Water City, relocating some side-branch cultivators. Their actions were very cautious, which somewhat displeased Chu Xuan.

"How can they only move halfway? How am I supposed to pay them a visit like this?"

Disguised as an elderly man with white hair, Chu Xuan entered White Water City.

Soon after, he met with his informant in a house—Huang An, a mid-stage Qi Refining elder from a side branch of the Huang Family.

Chu Xuan obtained all his information about the Huangs from this elder.

Originally, Chu Xuan planned to use Yan Peng as a future source of intelligence.

However, after obtaining information about the Situ Family through Yan Peng and then annihilating them, he worried that someone might trace his whereabouts through Yan Peng. To eliminate future threats, he decided to dispose of Yan Peng.

As for Huang An, his story was somewhat peculiar. In his youth, Huang An had a serendipitous encounter and acquired a secret technique for sensing qi. Although he couldn't directly see cultivation levels, he could detect the merits and demerits on a person.

Chu Xuan had been walking through White Water City recently, gathering intelligence on the Huang Family in hopes of discovering a superior core condensation method.

Coincidentally, Huang An detected the dense aura of merit surrounding Chu Xuan and concluded that Chu Xuan must be a formidable figure.

Without a second thought, Huang An pledged allegiance to Chu Xuan, willing to serve him loyally in hopes that Chu Xuan would obliterate the Huang Family.

He sought revenge for his gifted grandson who, despite his talent, had been ostracized by the main branch of the Huang Family and died in resentment.

Chu Xuan was somewhat wary of such a readily offered subordinate.

However, after Huang An willingly ingested a Five Organs Gu and remained steadfast in his loyalty, Chu Xuan began to regard him with a measure of respect.

"Old servant has seen the master," Huang An said respectfully.

Chu Xuan waved a hand dismissively, "Speak, what intelligence have you gathered?"

Huang An reported the information in detail.

After a moment, Chu Xuan nodded in understanding, his expression unreadable, yet his heart tinged with sorrow.

The intelligence brought by Huang An pertained to the underground relics in the Misty Mountains.

A month ago in Mystic Azure time, the dark mists that had long enveloped the underground relics finally dissipated.

Only three Golden Core cultivators emerged alive, all from the Divine Star Sect. This likely meant that Wan Wuying had perished.

As for those like Xu Ming, whose powers did not compare to those of Golden Core cultivators, there was no need to say more.

However, Han Liuyun, who was known for his caution, might have survived.

After a brief moment of sorrow, Chu Xuan pondered an important question. What about the Golden Core techniques?

How would he continue his cultivation?

"Oh, master, could you not survive a bit longer? Give me the Golden Core techniques before you die," he muttered internally.

Chu Xuan casually asked, "What about the whereabouts of the top-tier core condensation methods? None?"

Huang An shook his head, "Apologies, master. Top-tier core condensation methods are exceedingly rare. Despite my best efforts, I could not locate any. However, I did find two high-grade core condensation methods that meet your requirements."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly, "Not bad."

Perhaps he had underestimated the rarity of the top-tier methods. He had only just reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment and was still far from completely saturating his Spiritual Qi.

He would continue to search, but if no other way presented itself, he would have to settle for a high-grade core condensation method.

Huang An hesitated, seeming to have more to say.

Chu Xuan casually asked, "What else do you wish to say?"

Huang An spoke respectfully, "Old servant has heard another piece of news, though I cannot be certain it contains what you seek."

Chu Xuan gestured for him to continue.

Huang An explained earnestly, "A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the main branch of the Huang family, named Huang Wuyang, who serves the Heaven Burning Sect, recently returned from a battle against the Heavenly Seal Sect, bringing back many treasures. He arrived in White Water City a few days ago.

Huang Wuyang plans to hold a small auction here, selling these treasures, with at least ten Foundation Establishment stage cultivators expected to attend. I speculate that among these items, there might be something you need."

Chu Xuan's eyes lit up. This could be it. The treasures seized from the Heavenly Seal Sect by a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like Huang Wuyang might very well include the core condensation method he sought. It was worth investigating.

Chu Xuan asked, "Do you have the intelligence on Huang Wuyang and the attendees?"

Huang An respectfully replied, "Old servant has gathered it for you."

With that, he handed over a small note to Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, "Good." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I've been mindful of your situation."

Huang An solemnly responded, "Master, your strength is formidable, and annihilating the Huang Family is just a casual act for you. This old servant can wait. Right now, I still need to use the Huang Family to gather intelligence for you. There's no rush to bring down the Huang Family too soon. If there's ever a need for me in the future, the old servant will always be at your service."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly, "Very well."

e had already obtained a lot of information from Huang An. The loyalty of this old cultivator was beyond doubt. If useful now, he could certainly be used again in the future.

In the blink of an eye, Chu Xuan disappeared without a trace. Huang An, seeming unperturbed, continued his daily work.

When encountering members of the main branch of the Huang Family, he would even humbly lower his head and smile.

No one knew that beneath the facade of this kindly-looking old man lay a seething rage capable of reducing the entire Huang Family to ashes, and it was only growing stronger.

...

A day later, at night.

Jade Tower, White Water City

This tower was a famous place in White Water City, known for its extravagant auctions.

The small-scale auction hosted by Huang Wuyang was held underground at Jade Tower. It was an intimate affair, attended almost exclusively by acquaintances. It was difficult for outsiders to obtain invitations.

Naturally, Chu Xuan couldn't secure an invitation. His solution was rather direct and brutal. According to the information provided by Huang An, he ambushed and killed another Foundation Establishment stage clan head from the Lv Family on the way, took his face to make a human skin mask, and effortlessly infiltrated the small-scale auction.

The clan head from the Lv Family was at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, known for his aloof and taciturn nature, and had some grievances with other Foundation Establishment cultivators. Chu Xuan simply sat down boldly, imperceptibly observing the other attendees.

Who to kill first, who to kill later. Who to curse, who to poison. All these calculations were running through his mind.

Chapter 127: Auction Begins

In the dimly lit room filled with the muted sounds of Foundation Establishment cultivators mingling, the conversation nearby turned into a fervent discussion about recent tumultuous events, notably the demise of the Situ family.

"Have you heard about the Situ family's ordeal, Master Liu?"

"Yes, I've heard. The entire Situ family was wiped out by a brutal assailant—thousands perished without a single survivor."

"It's been revealed by the upper sects that it was the work of a demonic monk from the Golden Dragon Temple in Yu Kingdom! They say someone witnessed bursts of Buddha's light emanating from the Situ estate!"

"What? Those bald monks did it? Ha, I knew it! They preach about laying down the butcher's knife to become Buddhas on the spot, but behind the scenes, they commit such acts!"

"Heh, no worries, Gloden Dragon Temple won't last much longer! The upper sect initially planned to move against the Mystical Sound Palace and Imperial Spirit Mountain, but they've changed their plans last minute to strike Gloden Dragon Temple first!"

"Ha! Whether true or not, Gloden Dragon Temple can't refute it!"

The cultivators around Chu Xuan were eagerly exchanging whispers about the big events.

Chu Xuan could only suppress a chuckle hearing how the blame had been conveniently shifted onto Gloden Dragon Temple.

'Well, that suits me fine. Golden Dragon Temple is no saint anyway. The things Huikong did... I know all about them.'

"Hey, do you think that demonic monk might target another cultivating family?"

"That demonic monk acts without any limits; ruthless in pursuit of wealth. It wouldn't be surprising if he came after our families too."

"We were forced to migrate north by the upper sect... Hopefully, that monk doesn't find us. If even a late-stage cultivator like Situ Xiong fell to him, I stand no chance."

"Why worry! If our families unite, forming a defensive triangle, what's there to fear from one monk?"

"Exactly! If that monk dares to strike, he won't return alive!"

The family heads, righteous indignation swelling within them, seemed as if they had already dealt with the demonic monk. Their conversation was interrupted by a series of coughs as a handsome and imposing figure strode confidently into the room.

All eyes turned towards the newcomer as they quickly stood up.

"Senior brother Huang!"

"Fellow Daoist Huang!"

Most of these Foundation Establishment cultivators were those who felt they had reached their potential and left the Heaven Burning Sect to establish their own cultivating families.

Unlike them, Huang Wuyang still served within the Heaven Burning Sect and at just over forty years old, he was brimming with potential. If fortune favored him, he might even advance to the Golden Core stage, elevating the Huang family from a mere Foundation Establishment to a Golden Core lineage!

Of course, a family that occasionally produces a Golden Core cultivator isn't considered particularly strong compared to those where each generation has Golden Core cultivators.

However, enduring Golden Core families in the Yue Kingdom are few, and among these Foundation Establishment families, the Huang family's potential to ascend was enough to overshadow them for at least three hundred years.

This was enough reason for them to curry favor with Huang Wuyang.

Huang Wuyang chuckled lightly, bowing to the crowd. "A pleasure, a pleasure. Huang has the honor of meeting you all."

His gaze swept across the assembly, briefly crossing paths with the silent Chu Xuan, prompting him to smile imperceptibly.

Lv Xiu. The head of the Lv Clan, once his senior brother. Adorned with myriad glories. An injury sustained on an expedition damaged his foundation, compelling him to leave the sect with melancholy and establish a sect of his own in cultivation.

As a result, Lv Xiu underwent a profound transformation, becoming the reclusive figure he was known as today.

However, Huang Wuyang was a man of dignity; he never sought to humiliate Lv Xiu, as that would demean himself. Merely a glance at Lv Xiu was sufficient to evoke a strong sense of superiority within him.

Chu Xuan naturally noticed Huang Wuyang's gaze. Huang An approached his tasks with utmost seriousness, presenting intelligence reports in meticulous detail, including Huang Wuyang's interpersonal relationships within the Heaven Burning Sect.

He naturally understood the enmity between Huang Wuyang and Lv Xiu. His amusement was subtle. Beneath this facade, the Lv senior brother known to Huang Wuyang was nowhere to be found.

The Lord of the Liu Family, with silver-white temples, chuckled lightly. "Junior Brother Huang has also arrived. Shall we commence this small-scale auction?"

Huang Wuyang laughed heartily. "Not yet. I have invited a fellow Daoist to join us. She intends to auction various treasures she holds."

With these words, the cultivators present were quite astonished.

Someone else is coming? Do we know her?

Seeing the perplexity in the eyes of the crowd, Huang Wuyang smiled faintly. "She is not an acquaintance of yours, but she is of mine. However, I'm sure none of you would mind..."

Before he could finish his sentence, there came a knock at the door.

Huang Wuyang smiled faintly. "She has arrived."

He walked over and personally opened the door.

"Junior sister Cao, you've finally arrived!" he exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

Following his gaze, everyone saw a graceful and slender woman.

Cao...

The crowd was momentarily stunned, then recalled the renowned prodigy of the Heaven Burning Sect.

"Cao Zijin!"

"It's actually Cao Zijin?!"

"Isn't she the highly regarded closed-door disciple of the sect master?!"

Foundation Establishment cultivators were astounded.

Huang Wuyang had actually invited Cao Zijin to join them.

What an immense honor it must be!

Though Huang Wuyang was also a genius among geniuses, his aptitude clearly paled in comparison to Cao Zijin's.

Huang Wuyang achieved Foundation Establishment at the age of forty, whereas Cao Zijin, at thirty, had already reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment!

Even the Nascent Soul ancestor of the Heaven Burning Sect had praised her highly, predicting that Cao Zijin would soon step onto the path of Golden Core. Perhaps she might even glimpse the way to Nascent Soul in the future!

The cultivators immediately voiced their excitement, eager to make an impression in front of this future Golden Core cultivator.

Huang Wuyang observed the shocked expressions of the cultivators and felt a sense of satisfaction. This was the person he had invited!

Facing the enthusiastic Foundation Establishment cultivators, Cao Zijin responded calmly. She scanned the room and finally took a seat at the front.

As she was about to sit down, she noticed Chu Xuan. His face, somewhat familiar yet also unfamiliar, caught her off guard.

She awkwardly smiled, "Senior brother Lv, you're here too."

In the past, Lv Xiu had been both her and Huang Wuyang's senior brother. The sect leader had even intended for her to become Dao companions with Lv Xiu.

Chu Xuan remained silent as if completely unaware of Cao Zijin sitting beside him.

Seeing his lack of response, Cao Zijin's smile stiffened slightly. There was a hint of coldness in her beautiful eyes as she turned her head away.

To put it nicely, he was her senior brother from the past. Less kindly, he was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator with damaged prospects and a dim future. Yet he dared to show her attitude.

Little did she know, Chu Xuan's mind was preoccupied with thoughts of prodigies and precious treasures. He was also contemplating how to deal with this Heaven Burning Sect prodigy as soon as possible. The strongest opponents had to be dealt with first to minimize unforeseen circumstances.

Huang Wuyang clapped his hands satisfactorily and smiled, "Everyone, now that we're all here, let's officially begin this small-scale auction!"

...

Chapter 128: Total Annihilation

Soon, Huang Wuyang's small-scale auction, which he presided over, officially began. Various magic tools and techniques were displayed one by one before the audience.

Chu Xuan remained composed and silent throughout.

As time passed second by second, Master Liu suddenly covered his forehead, frowning. "Feeling a bit dizzy..."

He struggled to stand up, but his hands suddenly went limp, and with a loud crash, he fell to the ground. Hastily grabbing the arm of the nearby patriarch to help himself up, he found the figure withered and emaciated. With a light tug, it turned out to be just a piece of human skin!

The flesh and organs inside had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a skeletal frame!

The nearby patriarch was horrified and tried to stand up, only to find that his legs were completely unresponsive, preventing him from rising.

This horrifying scene immediately shocked the Foundation Establishment cultivators.

What's happening?! Someone is attacking without honor!

Huang Wuyang and Cao Zijin also sensed that something was amiss. They immediately activated their Spiritual Qi, intending to cast defensive spells.

However, the flow of their Spiritual Qi became unexpectedly sluggish, as if their meridians were filled with mud, severely hindering their ability to mobilize it.

"This..."

Cao Zijin was astonished. With her innate superior root and Pure Metal Spiritual Body, she had been meticulously cultivated by the Heaven Burning Sect's sect master since childhood and had never encountered such a situation before.

With his vast combat experience, Huang Wuyang immediately suspected they were under attack. He roared in anger, activating a secret technique to force the activation of his defensive spells.

In the blink of an eye, a large number of bees surged out from the darkness, rushing towards the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had fallen in disarray.

Three burly, dark figures suddenly shot out and charged towards Huang Wuyang.

Eerie demon claws surged forward, aiming for Cao Zijin's head.

Clang!

Cao Zijin made no sudden movements, but a magic tool suddenly rose from her, revealing a mirror exuding a sharp golden aura, which blocked the attack in front of her.

Chu Xuan, who had long planned the attack with his Yin Evil claw, was blocked by the mirror.

However, Chu Xuan's other prepared attack had already swooped toward the back of Cao Zijin's head.

It was the Evil Soul Chain!

The black serpent-like Chain suddenly lunged down, entwining Cao Zijin's delicate and fair neck in an instant.

Within moments, Cao Zijin found it difficult to breathe. She struggled to tap her chest once, and a talisman emerged from it, shimmering with layers of fiery light, almost shaking off the Chain.

Chu Xuan could see at a glance that the talisman was at least a high-grade Foundation Establishment talisman, the most precious defensive talisman.

Clearly, it was the life-saving trump card given to this prodigy by the Heaven Burning Sect.

As the Chain loosened, Cao Zijin swiftly produced two magic talismans, which instantly transformed into a Serpent Soul and a Hound Soul. With one on each side, they fiercely attacked Chu Xuan.

Cao Zijin, though a hothouse flower sheltered from battle, possessed innate combat intuition. From the direction where those gu worms, corpse puppets, and spells emerged, she immediately deduced that her former senior brother, Lv Xiu, was behind this assault.

"Lv Xiu, why are you attacking me!" she shouted angrily, pointing at Chu Xuan's nose. "Even if the sect owes you something, you shouldn't strike at fellow sect members!"

Chu Xuan sneered coldly, "You dare to point at me and violate my taboos—death awaits!"

Upon hearing this, the cultivators present immediately turned pale.

"Violate my taboos...!" That phrase sounded a little familiar.

Wait... Isn't this what the demonic monk who slaughtered the Situ family said?!

Chu Xuan casually tossed the Merit Bell, causing it to resonate instantly. In the blink of an eye, it condensed into a colossal clock shimmering with Buddha light above his head, enveloping his entire body.

Before the Serpent Soul and Hound Soul could reach him, they wailed and turned to ashes under the towering Buddha light.

Huang Wuyang, Cao Zijin, and the others witnessed the three rotating Merit Wheels behind Chu Xuan's head, shocked beyond measure.

Huang Wuyang immediately shouted, "You are indeed the demonic monk who exterminated the Situ family!"

"Huikong, haven't eaten yet?" Chu Xuan sneered coldly.

The Soul Huikong immediately appeared, emitting a piercing scream that assaulted their souls. It knew all too well that any underhanded tricks would result in a severe beating from its master!

This piercing scream, sweeping through their minds, felt like a thousand-pound hammer.

Cao Zijin's soul was far inferior to Chu Xuan's, leaving her mind temporarily blank and unable to continue thinking, let alone casting spells. Her speech function was temporarily lost as well.

Chu Xuan waved his large hand.

The Myriad Souls Banner suddenly vibrated, and within moments, tens of thousands of fierce ghosts surged out.

During the battle at the Science City, the Myriad Souls Banner had absorbed a large number of souls, almost overflowing.

Of course, Chu Xuan had no need for these weak souls; what he needed were powerful ghosts who had survived countless battles!

Under his command, these souls fought within the Myriad Souls Banner.

The deceased souls would become nourishment for those who survived the constant battles. As they underwent continuous slaughter, these souls gradually transformed.

Ultimately, over twenty thousand powerful ghosts emerged.

Similar to corpse puppets, these ghosts were divided into ranks such as Ghost Soldier, Ghost General, Ghost Commander, and Ghost King, ranging from the fourth to sixth levels. They were comparable to mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

They surged forward in an instant.

Even though the Hound Soul was equivalent to an early Foundation Establishment demonic beast, it was torn to shreds within moments!

The ferocious ghosts did not slow their advance, charging directly at Cao Zijin. They devoured her life soul bite by bite in the blink of an eye.

Those few ghosts that consumed the majority of Cao Zijin's life soul visibly grew stronger at an astonishing rate. It was highly likely that a Ghost General would be born from them. The prodigy of the Heaven Burning Sect quickly became nothing more than a lifeless corpse.

As for Huang Wuyang, he was relentlessly attacked by the three corpse generals in the form of Long, Hu, and Bao, and was literally riddled with holes. His flesh was devoured by the three corpses, and his life soul was captured and taken into the Myriad Souls Banner.

The remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators had already been poisoned by the dust secretly released by Chu Xuan. Facing the assault of soldier bees and venomous bees, they had no ability to defend themselves. Most had already perished by the time Chu Xuan was fighting Cao Zijin.

Now with Huang Wuyang dead, the remaining cultivators also died in utter despair. They could never have imagined that merely attending a small auction would lead to such an unprovoked disaster.

"Clean everything up meticulously, leave not a single piece of flesh behind," Chu Xuan casually ordered. "Ah, and take all the poison powder with you; we can't let anyone guess what poison I used."

Soon, the room was left in complete disarray, but without a trace of blood or flesh. The worker bees were thorough in their cleanup, not even leaving a single drop of blood.

Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, changed his appearance, and left the Green Jade Building from another direction. He didn't expect much from the storage bags of the Foundation Establishment cultivators, but the ones belonging to Huang Wuyang and Cao Zijin were sure to keep him pleased for a long time.

"I hope they contain what I need. If not, I'll just have to visit a few more cultivation families to demand what I want," he mused. "And if they're not prepared to share their family's heritage willingly, it'll mean more fighting and killing. Ah, what a hassle."

Chu Xuan smacked his lips and, mounting the Green Shadow Shuttle, quickly disappeared into the dark night.

Chapter 129: The Thunder Python Core Condensation Technique! The Netherworld Soul Core Technique!

Chu Xuan sat cross-legged within the Array, methodically opening the storage bags of these Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Just as he had anticipated, these cultivators, though at the Foundation Establishment stage, did not possess many treasures.

It seemed they differed from Situ Xiong, having left their valuables with their clans rather than carrying them personally—a pity indeed.

Chu Xuan rubbed his hands together in anticipation, first opening the storage bags of Huang Wuyang and Cao Zijin.

Excluding the spirit stones, superior magic tools, and other common treasures from Huang Wuyang's bag, as well as the spoils from the Heavenly Seal Sect, there lay a small vial of Earth Mother Spirit Liquid and the demonic core of a Blazing Fire Bear.

"He aspired to pursue the orthodox path of the complete Golden Core," Chu Xuan mused with a smile.

The Earth Mother Spirit Liquid was indeed a heavenly material and earthly treasure necessary for the complete consolidation of the Golden Core, speeding the process significantly.

The Blazing Fire Bear's demonic core was quite commendable, albeit incompatible with his Thunder Spiritual Root. Nevertheless, this demonic core might yet be traded for a different type of beast core in the future—not an entirely fruitless find.

However, it was Cao Zijin's storage bag that brought Chu Xuan a tremendous surprise. This woman, lauded even by the Nascent Soul ancestors of the Heaven Burning Sect, possessed treasures surpassing even those of Duan Feipeng.

Setting aside the spirit stones, magic tools, pills, and talismans for a moment, Chu Xuan was most captivated by one particular item she possessed—a top-grade core condensation secret technique!

Chu Xuan cradled the thin ancient tome, his face breaking into a gratified smile.

"The Thunder Python Core Condensation Technique!" he exclaimed. "Using the demonic core of a Thunder Python to condense a beastly Golden Core."

He felt deeply thankful to Huang Wuyang. Without Huang's invitation to Cao Zijin for the small auction, it might have taken him years more to find such a superior core condensation technique.

Chu Xuan grew reflective as he continued perusing the treasures in Cao Zijin's storage bag.

Moments later, he stumbled upon something unexpected.

"What is this?" Chu Xuan picked up an ancient jade slip, deep in thought. The slip was engraved with a few characters: "The Netherworld Soul Core Technique!"

Chu Xuan was taken aback. What was this? It seemed to bear some connection to the Nether Dao Sect. Pressing the jade slip to his brow, a flood of information surged into his mind.

In the blink of an eye, he had comprehended the Netherworld Soul Core Technique."

"It's actually a method for condensing a second Golden Core?" he pondered in astonishment.

Chu Xuan was astounded. A second Golden Core! Such a thing was unheard of! The Misty Mountains, situated on the border between Tong Province and Wu Province, had long been occupied by the Heaven Burning Sect, along with the Ghost Palace under their control.

Chu Xuan surmised that this technique was likely obtained by the Heaven Burning Sect from some ancient ruins and had eventually been bestowed upon Cao Zijin by the sect master himself.

The original intention was likely for Cao Zijin to comprehend this technique and condense a second Golden Core. Unexpectedly, Cao Zijin met an untimely demise, and the technique had fallen into his hands!

"So, this second Golden Core is not situated within the Qi Sea but resides within the soul itself…" he realized. "At its core, this is a secret technique to enhance the soul! Once the Soul Core is refined, the soul would quintuple in strength, far surpassing the effects of the Soul Refining Technique by manifold!"

Chu Xuan was overjoyed.

Seeing the conditions required to condense the Netherworld Soul Core only widened his smile. "One must condense the Netherworld Dao Base on a battlefield where over a million have perished. Then, using the souls of a hundred thousand living beings to condense the Netherworld Soul Core."

Neither of these were challenging to achieve. Blue Star was overrun with zombies. Just activating the ultrasonic feeder would draw swarms of zombies from all directions, making a hundred thousand living souls easily obtainable.

However, finding a battlefield where over a million had perished was more challenging on Blue Star, where battlefields typically harbored intense shades of resentment and the aura of strife.

Such malevolent energies, fermenting over time, would become increasingly formidable, not something that could be artificially created by merely gathering and killing a large number of zombies.

Nevertheless, if Blue Star proved lacking, the Mystic Azure Realm would certainly have what was needed.

The mortal realms of Yu, Yue, and Yan, all controlled by immortal sects, were perpetually at war. Mortals were not spared from these conflicts. Their emperors and generals, unable to cultivate immortality but desiring to leave a legacy or receive the sects' rewards to prolong life, would invariably seek to conquer vast territories.

War was inevitable. Chu Xuan was not worried about the intensity being insufficient. Once the conflict erupted, there would always be those lurking in the shadows, fanning the flames, making the war escalate.

Plenty were those who posed as righteous on the surface but followed the demonic path in secrecy. The larger the scale of the mortal wars, the more they stood to gain.

Chu Xuan made a mental note of this. He would instruct Huang An to keep an eye on these developments in secret. The condensation of the Netherworld Soul Core would thus be expedited. He planned to first condense the Netherworld Soul Core.

In doing so, his soul would be on par with a Golden Core cultivator, making him a pseudo-Golden Core cultivator in strength. With such power, finding the Thunder Python's demonic core would be much simpler.

Then, using the "Thunder Python Core Condensation Technique" to condense the Beast Golden Core would follow. …

The Heaven Burning Mountain Range.

This was where the gates of the Heaven Burning Sect stood.

Within the grand hall of the sect, where matters of great importance were deliberated, Luo Feiyong and Shang Yue knelt uneasily below.

The sect master, Zhao Dingyan, sat cross-legged on a cushion, his expression fluctuating between stormy and calm. He felt as if his heart was bleeding.

Cao Zijin was dead.

Huang Wuyang was dead.

All the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had attended the small auction were dead.

"What have you found?" Zhao Dingyan inhaled deeply, his voice grave.

Luo Feiyong respectfully reported, "Honorable Sect Master, many mortals near the Jade Tower in White Water City witnessed it. They heard intense fighting sounds from underground. After they approached, they saw a strong Buddhist light and heard lingering Buddhist chants."

Shang Yue added, "We both believe that it must have been that demon monk from Golden Dragon Temple who infiltrated the auction and cruelly slaughtered senior brother Huang, junior sister Cao, and the other eighteen."

Zhao Dingyan, consumed by rage, chuckled bitterly. "Excellent! A mere monk from Golden Dragon Temple dares to kill the prodigies of our Heaven Burning Sect and slay eighteen of our Foundation Establishment cultivators!

This enmity is irreconcilable! Issue my order immediately, summon all Golden Core elders of the sect to the grand hall! The Heaven Burning Sect shall revenge!"

Luo Feiyong and Shang Yue nodded respectfully, "Yes!" They then quickly withdrew.

...

Three days later.

Using the massacre of Cao Zijin and the eighteen Foundation Establishment cultivators by the monk from the Golden Dragon Temple as a pretext, the Heaven Burning Sect launched a sudden assault on the Golden Dragon Temple.

The sect's cultivators, previously stationed at the boundaries of the Mysterious Sound Palace and the Imperial Spirit Mountain, were all redeployed towards Golden Dragon Temple.

Understanding the principle that "the lips perish, the teeth grow cold," both the Mysterious Sound Palace and Imperial Spirit Mountain immediately entered the fray to alleviate the pressure on the Golden Dragon Temple.

The Divine Star Sect, long-time rivals of the Heaven Burning Sect, also joined the war, though their contribution of cultivators was minimal, almost as if they were merely going through the motions, seemingly waiting for something.

Chapter 130: Heading to the Battlefield

Affected by the conflict among cultivators, the mortal armies of the Yue Kingdom also invaded the Yu Kingdom, engaging in arson, killing, and looting. The mortals of the Yu and Yue Kingdoms thus began a protracted mortal war. Those demonic cultivators lurking in the shadows all began to fan the flames, intensifying the conflict.

Chu Xuan gleaned the current state of affairs from the intelligence gathered by Huang An. "The Divine Star Sect and the Heaven Burning Sect have ancient enmity, yet they are holding back. They must have a hidden agenda."

Chu Xuan shook his head repeatedly. "If I'm not mistaken, the Hundred Refinements Sect of Yan Kingdom is also finding it hard to resist joining. In that case, you may as well have a good fight. I'll run first."

...

Misty Mountains.

The Divine Star Sect had long since withdrawn from this place. The Heaven Burning Sect had taken control of the underground ruins here.

As a former branch of the Nether Dao Sect, the Heaven Burning Sect naturally knew what these underground ruins were. Hence, they attached great importance to this location.

The Heaven Burning Sect dispatched numerous mortal craftsmen to construct forts above the Ghost Palace and set up defensive formations. They also stationed a Golden Core expert, five Foundation Establishment cultivators, and nearly a hundred Qi Refining cultivators here, forbidding anyone from approaching.

However, at this moment, these cultivators were nowhere to be seen. They had vanished as if evaporated.

A figure shrouded in a faint black aura walked out from the fort, greedily breathing in the fresh air. Behind him, an endless stream of bloody Qi rushed into his body.

"It's been five hundred years, and I have returned," he murmured.

The cool moonlight filtered through the dark branches, illuminating his face.

This face was familiar to Chu Xuan. It belonged to Han Liuyun, the most deeply concealed among the Heavenly Seal Trio.

However, the current Han Liuyun seemed to be just a husk. His soul had long been replaced by another.

"Five hundred years... What has become of the Southern Wilderness cultivation world?" he pondered aloud. "Those old bastards should still be alive. Don't die. Please don't die. Your Nascent Souls are mine. Not a single one can be missing."

He sneered coldly. His body was enveloped in black Qi, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the darkness.

...

"On the prodigy of the Nether Dao Sect, Shang Tianjue, possessing a top-grade ice spiritual root, Ninth Level Golden Core, intending to embark on the path to Nascent Soul..."

"After the disappearance of the ancestral land of the Nether Dao Sect, Shang Tianjue also mysteriously vanished..."

"Witnesses among cultivators reported that Shang Tianjue's last appearance was at the Ghost Palace of the Nether Dao Sect..."

On the rooftop of a high building, Chu Xuan perused the scrolls in his hands, deep in thought. This document originated from Cao Zijin's storage pouch. Chu Xuan had always been interested in the history of the Nether Dao Sect, hence his reading during leisure times.

"Hmm? Zombies are coming?" Chu Xuan glanced down and noticed that zombies were already swarming in.

He smiled faintly.

He had already instructed Black Blade to find an ultrasonic generator for him. Despite the widespread ruins, these scientific instruments could still be salvaged from the debris. Searching on his own would undoubtedly waste a lot of time. However, with the entire company of Black Blade searching for him, efficiency was naturally high.

Five days prior, Wang Gangjian and others reverently delivered four ultrasonic generators to Chu Xuan. He selected the finest among them, coupled with a diesel generator, and ascended to the rooftop of a towering building. He had already activated the generator, casting the feeding ultrasonic waves into the air.

In moments of ennui, he turned the pages of an ancient tome.

Roars erupted below. Swarms of zombies converged in growing numbers—groups of three or five, dozens, hundreds, thousands—until by afternoon, over a hundred thousand had amassed beneath the building. Among them were zombies of superior strength and agility, possessed of unique talents.

Without hesitation, Chu Xuan activated the array.

Thunderous booms resonated as the dreadful Corpse Refining Blood Fire spontaneously arose from the earth, engulfing all in its path. Even level six or seven zombies stood no chance against it, quickly reduced to wails as they became fuel for the Fire.

This formation, known as the "Corpse Refining Blood Fire Array," was specifically designed to generate this fearsome fire.

Chu Xuan's reserves of Corpse Refining Blood Fire were amassing steadily, ample enough to be used in battle without reservation.

His continued accumulation was driven by a passage within the Blood Evil Demon Refining Scripture, suggesting that if one gathered sufficient Corpse Refining Blood Fire, it might be transformed into the even more potent Blood Evil Yin Fire.

While the former harmed only the body, the latter could devastate both body and soul. Though rarely achieved, Chu Xuan was determined to attempt it, given his unique position to funnel endless "fuel" into the Corpse Refining Blood Fire.

"More and more of the Fire accumulates; surely, it shall one day give rise to the Blood Evil Yin Fire," Chu Xuan mused with a smile.

Soon, the hundred thousand zombies were completely consumed by the Corpse Refining Blood Fire. With a casual gesture, Chu Xuan collected the fire.

He then produced a large soul banner and harvested the hundred thousand living souls. This banner was not the Myriad Souls Banner but the Great Souls Banner, a low-grade magic tool.

It merely possessed the capability to capture ordinary living souls and wandering spirits. Specifically prepared for this purpose, the banner was crucial; had the souls been gathered into the Myriad Souls Banner, they would have been torn asunder by powerful vengeful spirits within days.

Thus, one of the conditions for condensing the Netherworld Soul Core was met.

"Excellent, it seems Huang An has succeeded once again," Chu Xuan noted as he observed a crack forming in the mother stone, his eyes brightening with anticipation.

White Water City.

Huang An bowed respectfully to Chu Xuan, "Master, this humble servant has found the locations you sought."

"There are three in total. The first is the Yinma Plains battlefield. Half a month ago, Yue and Yu engaged in war there, with several demon cultivators exacerbating the conflict, leading to the deployment of over two million mortal soldiers from both sides. It has now become a place steeped in deep resentment."

"The second is the White Water River battlefield. It is an ancient battlefield where Yan and Yu clashed two hundred years ago, resulting in the deaths of a million soldiers."

"The third is the Loulan battlefield in the Endless Desert. It was once a tug-of-war between Yu and Yue, with both sides battling for over a decade and deploying three million troops. However, it is now firmly controlled by the Heaven Burning Sect, making access difficult."

Huang An handed over a page from a book. Chu Xuan took it and examined the detailed information of these three battlefields. He nodded in satisfaction, "Well done."

Huang An continued, "Master, the demonic beast cores of fire, wood, and thunder attributes that you instructed me to find have also shown some progress. If you wish, I can procure them for you now."

Chu Xuan waved his hand dismissively, "Leave it for now."

He did not directly mention his need for the thunder attribute python's demonic beast core but rather added fire and wood attributes to obfuscate.

He believed in the loyalty of Huang An. The actions of this elder cultivator were sufficient to warrant a hundredfold punishment from the Huang family.

His only concern was if someone discovered an issue with Huang An and used soul-searching methods to investigate him.

After a moment of thought, Chu Xuan flicked a large blood pearl over and handed Huang An a medium-grade attack magic tool and a high-grade defense magic tool.

Huang An was greatly shaken. His nose twitched, eyes turning red. He knelt down directly, bowing deeply to Chu Xuan.

"Thank you so much for your reward! This old servant understands your intentions and will be even more careful in serving you in the future."

Chu Xuan smiled and nodded, "Very well."

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared without a trace.

Leaving White Water City, Chu Xuan headed straight for the Yinma Plains battlefield.