Demonic Cultivator In Zombie World(131-139) (Patreon)

Chapter 131: Condense the Netherworld Dao Foundation

The vast expanses of Wu Province were comprised of deep mountains and valleys.

Scattered like pearls among them were the cities of the human tribes.

Chu Xuan used these cities as references to locate the three battlefields.

He had once visited the Plains City, which lay closer to Jin Province in the west.

To its southeast lay the White Water City.

Yinma Plain was situated in the central region of Wu Province.

Chu Xuan headed southward.

Half a day later, he arrived at Yinma Plain.

Upon arrival, he marveled at the sight.

Yinma Plain had witnessed the deaths of countless mortals; from above, one could see the rising miasma of resentment and Evil Qi.

The five righteous sects of the Yu Kingdom had long been unable to control the Yin Evil Qi in various locales.

Such a battlefield, heavy with resentment and malevolence, naturally attracted many demonic cultivators.

To them, it was as if a mouse had stumbled into a rice barrel.

However, the battlefield was vast, and the demonic cultivators were few.

Thus, each tacitly claimed a territory without dispute.

Furthermore, Qi Refining demonic cultivators occupied the periphery of the battlefield.

Those at the Foundation Establishment stage were within the inner circle.

Like wells and rivers, they did not interfere with each other.

Chu Xuan, exuding the aura of Foundation Establishment, advanced unchallenged.

He soon reached the inner circle of the battlefield.

Before long, he noticed a skirmish ahead.

At first glance, it seemed a group was ganging up on three individuals.

Upon closer inspection.

It was indeed a female cultivator controlling five corpse puppets, besieging three cultivators!

The female cultivator handled them with ease.

The three cultivators struggled to break through but could not penetrate the defenses of the corpse puppets.

Chu Xuan glanced over and couldn't help but smile.

Interesting.

This female cultivator was his former junior sister, Li Xiaoman.

She was one of the few heirs of the Corpse Puppet Sect.

Xu Ming once invited her to explore the Ghost Palace for treasures, but she declined.

At that time, Chu Xuan thought Xu Ming was a fool, while Li Xiaoman knew how to seek fortune and avoid disaster.

Indeed, she had survived.

In the blink of an eye, two early Foundation Establishment cultivators fell at the hands of the corpse puppets.

The last one stood alone, hard-pressed to support himself, and was personally captured by Li Xiaoman with her Yin Evil Demon Claw, knocked out on the spot.

It seemed she intended to capture him alive, to refine a powerful corpse general.

Chu Xuan had no desire to reveal himself in her presence.

Wan Wuying was dead.

The Extreme Yin Cave was in name only.

He and Li Xiaoman were only named senior brother and junior sister, without the substance of that relationship.

There was no need to meet and reminisce.

"Who's there?" Li Xiaoman was on high alert, scanning her surroundings.

Chu Xuan disguised his voice to sound like an old man, "Young lady, this place is now claimed by this old man. Leave."

A surge of late Foundation Establishment energy vibrated through the area immediately.

Startled, Li Xiaoman, with the Foundation Establishment cultivator in tow, quickly retreated, saying, "Senior, please proceed, I shall not contend."

She affixed a Swift Travel Talisman to herself, and in the blink of an eye, she had vanished without a trace, fearing Chu Xuan might pursue her.

Chu Xuan chuckled.

She was a smart one.

Such cleverness is what allows one to survive the longest.

Unfortunately, Li Xiaoman's talents were mediocre.

Unless she stumbled upon a great fortune, she would likely never touch the path of the Golden Core.

Chu Xuan swept through the inner circle of the battlefield, his late Foundation Establishment aura unabashedly emanating.

Wherever he passed, other Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators fled at the sight of him.

Soon, he was the only one left.

He sought out the place where the aura of Yin Evil was the strongest, and with the Chain, he created a large pit and buried himself inside it.

Around him, he set up powerful mist and defensive formations.

He then sat down in meditation, harnessing the resentment of a million lost souls to condense his Netherworld Dao Foundation!

Humming vibrations filled the air as the massive Evil Qi, as if drawn by a force, surged toward the center of the battlefield.

In the blink of an eye, a massive vortex of energy formed, resembling a terrifying specter devouring the malevolence.

In fact, this was the cunning aspect of the Netherworld Secret Core technique.

The step of condensing the Netherworld Dao Foundation was disguised to appear as if a malevolent ghost was absorbing the resentful energies, thus deterring many curious cultivators.

Malevolent spirits and wandering ghosts, alike, had no physical form, yet their offensive capabilities were formidable.

And they struck directly at the soul!

Few Foundation Establishment cultivators could withstand such an attack.

The demonic cultivators, scattered throughout the Yinma Plain battlefield, felt a chill run down their spines upon seeing the massive, sky-reaching vortex of malevolent energy.

One by one, they fled towards the outskirts of the battlefield.

Demonic cultivators are adept at seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages.

At the slightest hint of trouble, they fled faster than anyone.

After all, there were plenty of mortal battlefields.

At most, the scale of deathly mortal energies could not compare to this place.

It was better to go elsewhere to draw upon the Yin Evil Qi.

Why linger here, fraught with danger and risking their lives?

Soon, the Yinma Plain battlefield was deserted.

Only some crows and vultures dared to swoop down and feast on the rotting flesh.

Meanwhile, at the center of the battlefield, Chu Xuan was frenziedly absorbing the Evil Qi.

Beneath his crown chakra, an inch down, his Netherworld Dao Foundation gradually took shape.

One day, two days, three days...

Time passed day by day.

Until a month later, the cold, secluded Netherworld Dao Foundation was finally fully formed.

At this moment, Chu Xuan's spirit surged, doubling in strength.

The entire Yinma Plain was within his perception!

He suddenly opened his eyes, his expression one of delight.

The Netherworld Dao Foundation was established, and a hundred thousand souls were gathered.

It was time to return to Blue Star to condense the Netherworld Soul Core!

He immediately piloted the Green Shadow Shuttle to a safe location, and from there, he used the Blood Mirror to return to Blue Star.

...

On the rooftop of the luxurious Haotai Hotel, with the ocean's expanse as his backdrop, Chu Xuan took out the Myriad Souls Banner and slowly released the hundred thousand souls.

These souls had almost no aggressiveness and simply stood still, looking blank and foolish.

Chu Xuan then proceeded to follow the method of the Netherworld Soul Core, activating his Netherworld Dao Foundation to absorb these souls.

One, two, three...

The souls, unable to resist, became part of the Netherworld Dao Foundation.

After absorbing over a hundred souls, he felt a throbbing pain in his mind.

He had to stop and completely refine these souls.

What followed was a repetitive process.

Absorb, refine, rest, then absorb again, refine again, and rest again...

In the path of cultivation, time is inconsequential.

The days spent condensing the Netherworld Soul Core passed exceedingly fast.

In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.

Half of the hundred thousand souls collected by Chu Xuan were gone.

The Netherworld Dao Foundation was gradually transforming towards the form of a smooth, round core.

Meanwhile, back at the Yinma Plain battlefield.

A figure, flying without aid, arrived above the battlefield.

Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators needed magic tools to fly.

Only those at the Golden Core level and above could fly unaided.

The demonic cultivators below, upon seeing this figure, were immediately shocked and hurriedly fled.

A Golden Core powerhouse had arrived, and whether for good or ill, fleeing was the best response!

If it was a righteous powerhouse, they would surely annihilate these demonic cultivators.

If it was a demonic grandmaster, the outcome could be even worse, perhaps casually using them to make blood pills or soul pills.

"Hmph."

A cold snort resonated from the sky, sounding like thunder.

In an instant, all the fleeing demonic cultivators exploded into a mist of blood.

Chapter 132: It Would Be Best for You to Serve Me

The figure descended slowly, landing in the center of the battlefield where a huge pit was conspicuously present. Previously, many demonic cultivators had gathered around this pit.

The visage of this figure was that of Han Liuyun, but the soul housed within his body was named Shang Tianjue.

"This battlefield wasn't formed recently, was it? Yet, a cultivator has already claimed it before me. To think that someone other than those from my Nether Dao Sect dares to absorb the resentful energies of such a vast battlefield!"

Shang Tianjue furrowed his brows. He did not ponder further nor linger, instead, he immediately rushed to the next battlefield.

His time was precious.

Although he had devoured the Golden Cores, spirits, and flesh of numerous Golden Core cultivators in the Ghost Palace, he had only just returned to his peak state from years past.

To strive for the Nascent Soul Path, he needed to absorb the resentful energies of a battlefield where over a million had perished.

"I wonder who dared to absorb the Yin Evil Qi before me. If I find out who it is, I'll make sure they meet their master in the netherworld."

With a cold snort, Shang Tianjue departed from the place.

...

In Blue Star.

There was not a hint of breeze around Chu Xuan, yet his robes billowed as if caught in the wind.

An indescribable aura enveloped him, making it seem as though he sat there and yet appeared as if he was hundreds of meters away.

In the next instant, he suddenly seemed very close.

The three corpses scratched their heads, unable to comprehend the changes in their master.

Hum!

At one moment, a wild wind suddenly swept around Chu Xuan.

He abruptly opened his eyes.

His aura surged at that instant, far surpassing the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

"Netherworld Soul Core, complete!"

Chu Xuan was overjoyed.

Now, he was no longer a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, nor could he be considered a Golden Core cultivator.

He was something akin to a pseudo-Golden Core.

Even so, he was now capable of completely overwhelming a cultivator at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

Even if more than a dozen such cultivators attacked him simultaneously, they would be like playthings in his hands!

"My spirit... it's overwhelming! Is this the Sea of Spiritual Sense? I haven't officially become a Golden Core cultivator yet, but my Sea of Spiritual Sense has already been prematurely formed."

Chu Xuan felt the changes occurring within and outside his body, marveling at the transformation.

Typically, only upon condensing a Golden Core would one's Sea of Spiritual Sense and spiritual sense be born simultaneously.

The so-called Sea of Spiritual Sense, to put it simply, is the dwelling place of the soul. Before its formation, the soul merely resides within the brain.

Moreover, without the Sea of Spiritual Sense, manipulating magic tools or telekinetically moving objects could only be accomplished through the extension of the soul's sense.

This sense lacks offensive and defensive capabilities, having only the effect of controlling external objects.

But now, with the Sea of Spiritual Sense, this sense can be forged into a spiritual sense.

Thus, the spiritual sense can become a barrier protecting the soul.

Furthermore, after being tempered by secret techniques of spiritual sense, it can possess both offensive and defensive capabilities.

This makes the soul much more secure.

Chu Xuan extended his spiritual sense outside his body, playfully manipulating this and that.

He felt the novelty of a child with a new toy.

"Secret techniques of spiritual sense are possessions of Golden Core cultivators and are probably expensive. Currently, I have no means to acquire such techniques."

Chu Xuan tested the uses of his spiritual sense, then retracted it back into his body.

As for the secret techniques, there would naturally be those selflessly devoted who would deliver them to his doorstep in the future.

Now, he had plenty of cultivation methods to master, so he wasn't in a hurry to acquire the secret techniques of spiritual sense.

"The Hundred Refinement Sect, the Heaven Burning Sect, and the Yu Kingdom's sects are probably at their wits' end by now. Let's see how far they have progressed. I also need someone to help me collect Thunder Python cores."

Chu Xuan contemplated and entered the Blood Mirror.

...

In central Wu Province.

Chu Xuan piloted the Green Shadow Shuttle northward for a while and soon spotted two Qi Refining demonic cultivators stealthily slaughtering a mortal village, obviously intending to practice blood cultivation.

"Just the two of you."

With a gesture, Chu Xuan's Demon Claw shot out, capturing the two in an instant.

The surviving villagers, who had been utterly despairing and believed they were doomed, suddenly found that a more powerful immortal had passed by and captured the two demons!

They immediately felt a deep gratitude towards Chu Xuan.

"Thank you, immortal master!"

"Thank you for rescuing us in our time of need!"

At that moment, their savior, the immortal who had saved them from dire straits, had already crushed the heads of the two demonic cultivators and casually thrown them into the Tower.

"The current situation has somewhat exceeded my expectations. Fighting back and forth, it has actually resulted in a three-way stand-off?"

The memories extracted from these two demonic cultivators left Chu Xuan quite astonished.

Chu Xuan, with a smile creeping across his face, reflected on the current turmoil.

Indeed, chaos such as this was a playground for demonic cultivators.

The tripartite power struggle among the Hundred Refinements Sect, Divine Star Sect, and the Heaven Burning Sect had led to a no-man's land at the borders of their territories, where demonic cultivators roamed rampant.

In such areas, whole mortal towns were often slaughtered.

"There's a small sect nearby called Black Dragon Mountain. Currently, it's been taken over by three Foundation Establishment cultivators. The Heaven Burning Sect, too preoccupied to care, turns a blind eye..."

This was a stroke of good fortune for Chu Xuan, who had been looking for someone to help him find the Thunder Python demon core.

He was confident these junior cultivators would soon realize their role in serving him.

...

In the council hall of Black Dragon Mountain.

Three Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered together.

The gaunt old man chuckled wickedly, "...I say, we should go for a big score next! How about a blood sacrifice of an entire mortal city?"

The bearded brute slammed his hand on the table, "Great! I like it! The nearby White Water City is poorly defended; it's the perfect target!"

The calm, pale-faced young man interjected, "No, the Heaven Burning Sect is currently consolidating their rule. It's best not to draw their attention. I think we should strike within the Yu Kingdom's borders. The Divine Star Sect is busy eliminating the remnants of the Mystical Sound Palace and Imperial Spirit Mountain. The loss or gain of one or two mortal cities won't catch their notice."

The gaunt old man and the bearded brute both gave thumbs up, "Excellent! We'll follow your plan!"

Just then, a voice unexpectedly rang out.

"No, no. I think it would be best for you to serve me."

Chapter 133: Quick to Anger is No Virtue

The voice came so unexpectedly that the three were startled. They turned towards the source of the sound, only to find no one there. It was as if a ghost had spoken.

The bearded man bellowed in anger, "Who's there! Who's playing tricks?!"

Suddenly, a sinister demonic claw materialized.

With a loud pop, his head was crushed, and his headless body instantly fell to the ground, splashing the gaunt old man's face with blood.

"Quick to anger is no virtue, you are not suited to serve me," came the calm voice again.

The gaunt old man's eyes widened in shock, and a hint of fear flashed through the young man's eyes as they finally saw who was speaking.

It was a refined-looking middle-aged man, who at first glance appeared unremarkable. Yet, it was he who had effortlessly crushed a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Taking a deep breath, the gaunt old man asked in a grave tone, "Who are you, sir, and why do you come to Black Dragon Mountain to kill our vice sect leader unprovoked?"

As he spoke, his hand subtly moved, directing a swarm of gu insects along the ground towards the refined middle-aged man.

However, before the insects could get close, a crimson streak of blood flashed around the middle-aged man.

The streak was like lightning, and the ground-crawling insects were instantly crushed into a mess of exploded corpses.

The gaunt old man immediately suffered backlash, spewing blood and staring at the middle-aged man in shock.

"And you, what will you use against me?" the middle-aged man turned to the pale-faced young man.

Without hesitation, the young man knelt on one knee, "Song Junjie, willing to serve you, senior!"

Seeing this, the gaunt old man quickly crawled over as well, "Qian Tang, also willing to serve you, senior!"

The refined middle-aged man smiled and flicked two insect eggs towards them, "Eat these yourselves."

After a moment's hesitation, they both swallowed the eggs. Given that the three were of similar strength and the bearded man was easily crushed by this middle-aged individual, it was clear that his cultivation was likely at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. They stood no chance against him.

In this situation, obedience was their only option.

The refined middle-aged man was, of course, Chu Xuan. He practiced the Blood Evil Demon Refining Scripture, and any Golden Core cultivator could tell he was once a cultivator from the Extremely Yin Cave simply with their spiritual sense. Given his unique identity, it was natural for him not to align with any particular faction.

Black Dragon Mountain, conveniently located in a lawless area, was perfect to be under his control for personal use.

Qian Tang spoke respectfully, "May I ask how we should address you, senior?"

Before Qian Tang could finish, Song Junjie interrupted, "What senior? We should call him master."

"Master, what do you require of us? Please command us!"

Chu Xuan's smile was tinged with amusement. Song Junjie was indeed clever. He was calm in crisis, letting others act first to test the waters. Now recognizing Chu Xuan's strength, he did not hesitate to address him as master.

Chu Xuan spoke lightly, "First, I want you to gather intelligence, big or small, every detail must be reported to me.

Second, I need you to collect demonic cores from various Foundation Establishment stage serpentine demonic beasts."

From now on, Black Dragon Mountain must act discreetly and avoid drawing attention from major sects. Only the two of you are aware of today's events."

Song Junjie and Qian Tang exchanged a glance and nodded respectfully, "Yes!"

In the blink of an eye, Chu Xuan disappeared. The oppressive weight that had loomed over them like Mount Tai vanished.

They looked at the bloodstains left by the bearded man, still shaken. Moments ago, they had been discussing which city to massacre. In a blink, their companion was dead.

If they had not caught the eye of that powerful individual, they might have ended up like the bearded man.

Qian Tang managed a wry smile, "Brother Song, what should we do now?"

He had only wanted to take advantage of the three-way stand-off to carve out a share for himself in this chaotic situation. Yet before he could enjoy any respite, a significant burden had been placed upon their shoulders!

Song Junjie's eyes flickered, "I do not know either. We can only take it one step at a time and, for now, follow his orders."

He dared not say more, fearing their new master might still be listening.

Inside a cave halfway up Black Dragon Mountain, Chu Xuan withdrew his spiritual sense and chuckled.

Song Junjie was right; he had not left. Black Dragon Mountain was not extensive, and with his current spiritual strength, a slight extension of his spiritual sense could envelop the entire area...

"Detestable, is there no way to replenish our meat supplies?" Chu Xuan lamented softly as he gazed at the chunks of meat, which were significantly smaller than before.

Since returning from Black Dragon Mountain, he had spent two additional years cultivating in the Blue Star, focusing solely on physical refinement.

As a result, his physical realm soared, reaching the twentieth layer of body refinement. However, advancing further to the twenty-first layer required an even more terrifying amount of meat daily.

Even the regeneration speed of the meat blocks, enhanced with Psionic Cubes, couldn't keep up with Chu Xuan's consumption rate. He was forced to pause his cultivation for several days, waiting for the meat to grow back before he could continue. This was intolerable. Far too slow.

"No news from Black Blade; they probably haven't found any more Psionic Cubes," Chu Xuan shook his head. He had instructed Wang Gangjian and the others early on to search for more objects like Psionic Cubes.

The agents of Black Blade were diligently searching, yet to no avail. It seemed that in the vast lands of the Han Country, the only Psionic Cube was the one accidentally discovered deep within a mine in Science City.

"There might be Psionic Cubes in other nations of Blue Star," he mused. "But I can't afford to search aimlessly like a headless fly; it would be too time-consuming. The task of gathering intelligence must still be left to Black Blade."

Chu Xuan pondered deeply. Today, Wang Gangjian, Wang Yong, Tang Jinchuan, and Song Dayi of Black Blade had become the absolute core.

With his assistance, the four were able to devour Psionic cores unscrupulously, their levels skyrocketing to the eighth level of superhuman. Wang Gangjian, the leader of Black Blade, had even advanced to the ninth level.

However, the concentration of Psionics in the atmosphere of Blue Star continued to rise. Compared to when Chu Xuan first arrived, it had increased at least fiftyfold.

Now, superhumans were ubiquitous, and extraordinary beings could be found everywhere. First and second level superhumans could no longer make a mark. Only fourth level superhumans were qualified to protect a region, and seventh level ones had the power to establish major forces. Wang Gangjian and his peers were merely ahead of other superhumans.

But even a ninth level superhuman was nothing in Chu Xuan's eyes. With the power of a pseudo-Golden Core and the aid of a flying magic tool, Chu Xuan could soar through the skies unimpeded.

But asking Black Blade's operatives to traverse oceans in search of traces of other Psionic Cubes was, perhaps, a bit challenging.

Chapter 134: Non-Aggression Pact

It is well-known that the behemoths dwelling in the oceans are far larger and more terrifying than those on land. Even with his current physical strength, Chu Xuan doubted whether he could withstand the crushing pressure of thousands of tons of seawater to delve into the deepest trenches of Blue Star.

Chu Xuan surmised that he needed to advance his physical cultivation further, breaking through to the twenty-first layer, to qualify for deep-sea exploration. If such was his predicament, naturally, he could not expect the operatives of Black Blade to venture into the oceanic depths.

Ah, the limitations of his subordinates were indeed a source of great frustration.

"Perhaps, my approach is flawed," he pondered. "If humans struggle to traverse the vast seas, what about the zombies?"

This thought invigorated Chu Xuan. With a flicker, he teleported to the farm where the Zombie Empress was energetically competing with the Zombie Matriarch.

Although they were mother and daughter from one perspective, such familial bonds were non-existent among zombies.

Competing with me for blood pearls? Then, you are not a daughter but a foe!

The arrival of Chu Xuan instilled immense fear in the Zombie Empress. It harbored a deep-seated fear of this human, despite being regularly fed blood pearls, elevating its Psionic level to the seventh rank. Yet, its fear remained profound.

"I need you to produce a new type of zombie," Chu Xuan commanded from above, looking down. "One that can swim in water and send messages from afar."

The Zombie Empress's eyes widened in panic. Such a demand... I cannot fulfill!

Seeing its reaction, Chu Xuan furrowed his brow. "You can't do it? Then, perhaps you are of no use to me..."

"Roar! Roar, roar, roar!" In desperation, the Zombie Empress bellowed as if to shout incessantly: I can do it; I must be able to do it!

Not far off, the Zombie Matriarch also roared, as if responding to Chu Xuan's challenge.

"Very well, whoever among you first creates such a zombie will claim these three large blood pearls," Chu Xuan announced calmly, displaying three large, lustrous blood pearls.

At the sight of the large blood pearls, both the Zombie Empress and the Zombie Matriarch were frenzied. So, there were larger blood pearls above the smaller ones! They had to succeed!

Chu Xuan observed the zombies' burning determination and smiled satisfactorily. This was exactly what he wanted. The energy concentration in the large blood pearls far surpassed that of the smaller ones—akin to the relief of air conditioning in summer or a heater in winter.

Chu Xuan's motivation proved effective. Within just two days, the Zombie Empress had delivered a perfect solution.

Chu Xuan gazed at the peculiar life form before him, his expression one of astonishment.

At first glance, this creation seemed to have no relation to zombies because it was essentially a small flesh boat. Inside, one could see mutated spines and ribs, as well as dark blue-black veins covering the entire body.

The hands and feet had mutated into paddles, yet the bow prominently featured a head with its mouth agape, reminding Chu Xuan that this indeed was a modified zombie.

The Zombie Empress roared with high spirits, eagerly explaining the new product's capabilities to Chu Xuan. To him, however, it was merely a series of expressive roars.

"Hu, come here and listen. Then, explain it to me," Chu Xuan said as he massaged his temples, summoning Hu.

"Yes, master!" Hu nodded vigorously. After years of effort, Hu had mastered most common words, albeit still somewhat stilted and disjointed. But to Chu Xuan, it was more than enough for everyday communication.

Moments later, Hu respectfully spoke, "Master, it says this thing is called a 'Corpse Boat.' It can sustain itself while sailing... by catching fish or mimicking rotting flesh to attract and catch birds. It can also store meat on board to eat when hungry."

"Because it was produced by the Zombie Empress, it has a...," Hu struggled for the right word until Chu Xuan interjected, "Connection."

"Yes, yes, connection," Hu exhaled in relief.

Chu Xuan nodded, pleased. It really was quite impressive. The Zombie Empress roared proudly a few times.

At that moment, the Zombie Matriarch also began to call out. Curious, Chu Xuan walked over and laughed at what he saw. The Zombie Matriarch had also produced a new breed of zombie, but it had taken a different approach.

Parasitic Seed.

These zombies were only the size of a fist, but despite their small size, they were fully formed. They did not need to hunt for fish themselves; they merely needed to parasitize large marine creatures and could travel wherever their hosts went, thereby spreading the Parasitic Seed across various parts of the ocean.

This strategy was clearly more random—where they ended up was left to chance.

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. Both the Zombie Empress and the Zombie Matriarch had accomplished their tasks admirably. They had broken through the conventional barriers of their kind, transcended the confines of their previous forms, and positioned their products to revolutionize their ecological niche—a dimensional strike, one might say. In plain terms, they had done a splendid job!

Chu Xuan flicked his fingers, distributing the large blood pearls to both the Zombie Empress and the Zombie Matriarch. As they swallowed the pearls, they exhibited expressions of deep intoxication, like newborn creatures savoring the first nourishment provided by their mother.

Soon, the first batches of Corpse Boats and Parasitic Seeds were released into the ocean. They would serve as the vanguard, gathering various types of intelligence from other nations on Blue Star for Chu Xuan.

Meanwhile, the immortal cultivation world of the Yu, Yan, and Yue three kingdoms was experiencing minor changes.

Song Junjie and Qian Tang reported that just five days ago, the Hundred Refinements Sect and the Heaven Burning Sect had reached a non-aggression pact.

Chu Xuan remained unperturbed upon hearing this news. Recently, the Divine Star Sect leveraged the power of the Hundred Refinements Sect to annihilate the Mystical Sound Palace and Imperial Spirit Mountain, repelling the Heaven Burning Sect and unifying the immortal cultivation world of the Yue Kingdom.

Ideally, the Divine Star Sect could have played both sides between the Hundred Refinements and Heaven Burning Sects, using one against the other to grow into a force capable of contending with either sect. However, disputes over territory had soured relations with the Hundred Refinements Sect.

The purpose of this non-aggression pact between the Hundred Refinements Sect and Heaven Burning Sect?

Clearly, it was aimed against the Divine Star Sect. Chu Xuan surmised that the Divine Star Sect's days were numbered. This was advantageous; chaotic situations were always favored by demonic cultivators.

As expected, within just a month in Mystic Azure time, Song Junjie and Qian Tang relayed continuous updates about the fall of the Divine Star Sect, almost providing a live broadcast for Chu Xuan.

It began with the Hundred Refinements Sect and the Heaven Burning Sect launching a coordinated attack overnight. Within a few days, they penetrated deep into the heart of the Divine Star Sect.

Then, within the Divine Star Sect, two Golden Core cultivators originally from the Mystical Sound Palace and Imperial Spirit Mountain betrayed at a critical moment, severely damaging the Golden Core elder who guarded the sect's protective formation. The sect's protective formation crumbled without being attacked. Sect Master Mo Huanshan and other Golden Core cultivators fell in battle.

The Nascent Soul ancestor of the Divine Star Sect fled for over ten days but was eventually caught and executed by the ancestors of the Hundred Refinements and Heaven Burning Sects. Even his Nascent Soul was extracted.

After dividing the numerous treasures of the Divine Star Sect, the Hundred Refinements Sect and Heaven Burning Sect tactfully withdrew their forces simultaneously, turning the core region formerly occupied by the Divine Star Sect into a buffer zone between them.

Thus, the tripartite balance was ended, and the immortal cultivation world of the three kingdoms entered a state of North-South duality.

Chapter 135: Distribution of Forces

Time flew swiftly on Blue Star, and another two years had passed.

"The southern region of the immortal cultivation world is so vast..." Chu Xuan mused as he lay on a plush velvet lounge chair, flipping through the texts collected by Song Junjie and Qian Tang. "Yan, Yue, and Yu countries together cover an area of a million square miles, which is only about one-third of the Southern Wilderness."

"North of these three countries lies the Myriad Islands Lake, which occupies the remaining two-thirds of the Southern Wilderness. This 'lake' is more akin to an inland sea, it seems."

Despite being a Golden Core cultivator, capable of flight, crossing the Southern Wilderness was still a time-consuming endeavor. No wonder the major sects are so intensely competitive within this confined area. They simply cannot fly out.

"Fortunately, I don't have to get involved in their petty squabbles." Chu Xuan chuckled lightly.

With Blue Star as his backyard, he only needed to obtain techniques and texts from the Southern Wilderness to be satisfied. Most of his resources could be sourced directly from Blue Star—a truly inexhaustible supply, far from the strife of war.

How splendid!

According to the intelligence from Song Junjie and Qian Tang, the chaos within the Southern Wilderness of the cultivation world persisted.

Neither the Hundred Refinements Sect nor the Heaven Burning Sect was able to completely destroy the other.

The intentionally vacant middle zone had now become rooted with twenty to thirty smaller sects, including many established by demonic cultivators.

Naturally, no one openly claimed to be a demonic cultivator; they all professed to be orthodox cultivators, denouncing their enemies as heretics and deviants.

Due to the inability of the Hundred Refinements and Heaven Burning Sects to effectively control this area, these smaller sects had thrived unchecked.

Recently, following consultation with Chu Xuan, Song Junjie and Qian Tang also relocated their sect to this area. They were previously situated at the boundary between the Heaven Burning Sect and the now-defunct Divine Star Sect.

With the collapse of the Divine Star Sect, their location was naturally assumed under the control of the Heaven Burning Sect. To avoid being purged by the Heaven Burning Sect, they had to move.

This lawless area suited them perfectly.

Chu Xuan rubbed his temples, feeling a bit melancholic. In two years, he had barely managed to advance his physical cultivation to the twenty-third level.

The supply of meat was simply insufficient, severely impacting his cultivation pace. When would he find another Psionic Cube?

Just then, Bao dashed over excitedly, waving his arms and legs, seemingly eager to say something. Hu, who always stood by Chu Xuan's side, frowned at Bao's impudence and scolded, "Swallow the meat in your mouth before you speak."

Bao paused, chewed a few more times, swallowed, and then grinned sheepishly before roaring excitedly.

After listening, Hu said joyfully, "Master, there's news from the Zombie Empress. She encountered a fishing boat from the Sunzi country in the Eastern Sea and sensed the fluctuations of primal Psionic energy!"

Chu Xuan's interest was piqued.

Excellent! Finally, a trace of primal Psionic energy!

Over the past two years residing on Blue Star, Chu Xuan had grown familiar with the overall situation of the planet.

After the Psionic burst, governments worldwide had nearly collapsed, with the Han country suffering the worst fate.

Under mysterious circumstances, on the same day the Psionic burst occurred, the auxiliary capital was obliterated by an explosion that created a crater over ten kilometers in diameter.

At that time, the emperor, along with numerous concubines, princes, princesses, and ministers who were summering in the capital, perished—none of the imperial direct lineage survived.

The empire's imperial and regional armies fell into disarray, each fragmenting and aligning with various new leaders. Some regional forces invaded smaller countries to the south or southwest, establishing dominance there.

Other continents also witnessed the survival of powerful forces, such as:

- The Sunzi country, renowned for its craftsmanship.

- The Arctic Forces, noted for their formidable military prowess and resilience against the cold.

- The Free Alliance, thriving in commerce and trade.

- The Holy Light Theocracy, founded on religious principles.

- The regional powerhouse, the Harsha Dynasty, among others.

These formidable powers had established their unique superhuman systems and were actively exploring other regions.

Chu Xuan was not yet fully aware of the specifics of other forces' superhuman systems, but intelligence from the Corpse Boats and Parasitic Seed suggested that Sunzi's superhumans, much like those in the Han country, had awakened psionic abilities.

They had integrated ancient mysterious arts and physical techniques to form a distinct superhuman system comprising psychic medium and warrior. The former excelled in ranged attacks and summoning, while the latter specialized in close combat.

Geographically, Sunzi was close to Han, separated only by a sea. Nowadays, people dared not venture into the deep sea, sticking to navigation along the continental shelf, which considerably extended travel times. This was why Black Blade found it challenging to gather intelligence from Sunzi.

"Let's go and see for ourselves," Chu Xuan declared, sweeping his hand to beckon Hu and Bao, and they quickly reached the farm.

The Zombie Empress roared excitedly upon their arrival. Chu Xuan frowned, annoyed, "Keep it down, why so loud? Hu, you listen."

Subdued, the Zombie Empress lowered her voice, and Hu relayed the message after listening: "The Corpse Boat was captured by a warrior aboard a Sunzi fishing boat. Before its destruction, it sensed faint primal Psionic fluctuations."

Chu Xuan spread out a map and circled the East Sea. Since the fishing boats from Sunzi would only dare to navigate close to the continental shelf, all he needed to do was follow it to locate them. His gaze sharpened, "We leave immediately!"

In the blink of an eye, Chu Xuan was aboard his Azure Shadow Shuttle, vanishing into the vast sky.

Back at the Black Blade base, Wang Gangjian and the others watched the streak of blue light pass by, their faces filled with longing. They knew it was the trail of an immortal traveling through the sky. How they wished to one day soar through the heavens as freely as the immortals...

Above the East Sea, vast expanses of azure waves stretched endlessly. A large fishing vessel carefully navigated along the continental shelf.

Sunzi, an island nation surrounded by sea, frequently faced attacks from mutated marine creatures.

Additionally, given its small area, the number of extraordinary beings and high-level zombies was naturally limited. The proverbial cake was only so big, yet many were hungry for a slice.

These factors compelled them to accelerate their expansion into other regions, including the neighboring Han country. They were willing to pay any price to set foot on land and escape the perilous sea.

This fishing vessel, supported by the Sunzi government, was headed towards the Han country. The ship was a mixed bag of characters.

Some were powerful superhumans with government backing, tasked with maintaining order on board.

Their ranks included individuals of the fourth level and above, with the strongest even reaching the fifth level. Most, however, were first or second level.

If they remained in Sunzi country, they would likely never acquire enough Psionic cores to advance their Psionic levels throughout their lives.

Their only chance was to smoothly reach the Han country, step onto that ancient and unfamiliar land, and try their luck.

Chapter 136: It's No Big Deal

Inside the cabin of the fishing vessel was a slender, almost gaunt youth. Looking back at the now invisible islands of Sunzi, a mocking sneer flickered in his eyes.

"The rebels must still be searching for me," he thought. "None would guess that I've already secretly boarded this fishing vessel. If Sunzi has no place for me, then I will rise in the Han country! When I return, I will push them into the abyss and personally kill the great general who betrayed the imperial family."

In the youth's eyes flickered the flames of revenge. The damned general, once the most relied upon minister of the Sunzi royal family, had secretly become a ninth level superhuman.

Leveraging the royal family's trust, he seized power and stormed the palace overnight. That night was etched into the youth's memory forever—his father, mother, brothers, and sisters all fell to the sword and flames.

Whenever he recalled those scenes, his heart felt as though it was being ruthlessly squeezed by an invisible hand, a wrenching pain tearing through him.

Suddenly, exclamations erupted from the deck outside.

"The great general above! There's someone flying in the sky!"

"By the grace of the Sun! Could that be the legendary god?!"

"He's flying towards us!"

Startled, the youth looked through the cabin window toward the deck and saw a figure in black, standing atop a beam of blue light, hovering in the sky above the heads of the superhumans.

The youth's eyes widened. superhumans with the talent for flight were rare and usually limited to short, low-altitude flights. Here in the open sea, from where could this person have taken off? How could he sustain flight for so long?

One of the superhumans on deck pointed at the azure light, growling warily, "Which country's superhuman are you? Come down here!"

The figure in black hovering on the azure light was naturally Chu Xuan. Hearing this, he couldn't help but laugh. "It seems I've found the right vessel; this is indeed a fishing boat from Sunzi."

The language spoken by that superhuman was not of the Han, but a tongue Chu Xuan had never heard before.

"He's from the Han country, shoot him down!"

"He's the enemy!"

Several government superhumans emitted low growls as they converged from all directions. Among them, one took advantage of Chu Xuan's back turned towards him and launched a sudden attack.

A peculiar talisman slipped from his grasp, hurtling towards Chu Xuan's back.

However, in an instant, Chu Xuan caught the talisman with a single hand. He glanced at it, a smile of interest playing on his lips. The talisman was marked with complex, vivid red patterns.

At first glance, it bore a resemblance to traditional talismans, yet upon closer inspection, it was incredibly crude, akin to child's play. Presumably, this was a talisman used by the psychic medium of Sunzi.

"You… you…" The superhuman was visibly shocked, having not expected Chu Xuan to so effortlessly catch his long-planned sneak attack. His face was a picture of astonishment.

"Dare to ambush your superior, you deserve death!" A roar erupted.

A towering, dark figure swiftly streaked past. When the onlookers turned their gaze back, they were met with a headless corpse—the head had been twisted off single-handedly by a massive man!

"Exterminate them all; no need to waste provisions," Chu Xuan said casually, waving his hand dismissively.

"Yes!" Hu bellowed in response, darting out alongside Long and Bao. Wherever they passed, limbs and bodies were strewn about, quickly giving rise to a gruesome storm of blood and carnage.

Chu Xuan, walking as if in a leisurely stroll, headed towards the ship's cabin. He expanded his spiritual sense to fill every corner of the fishing vessel. He could feel the fluctuations of primal Psionic energy within the cabin, though they were not as intense as the Psionic Cube he had encountered before; they felt significantly weakened.

The youth swallowed nervously and instantly activated his talent. His speed surged to the extreme, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached the bottom-most layer of the cabin, hiding amidst a pile of disordered cargo. In his mind, he chanted, "You can't see me, you can't see me…"

Chu Xuan uttered a light "hmm," intrigued.

The youth who was emitting primal energy had managed to reach the lowest level of the cabin in the blink of an eye. Was that his talent? An ability for high-speed movement?

With a light step, Chu Xuan moved across the deck, one moment stationary, the next several meters away. The cabin was bustling as many Sunzi natives surged out. Hidden among them, warriors and psychic mediums seized the opportunity to launch stealth attacks.

However, reaching Chu Xuan proved to be a formidable challenge. As he passed, those who attempted ambushes clutched their throats, blood streaming from their mouths, collapsing one after another. Soon, he reached the very bottom of the cabin.

"No need to hide, come out," Chu Xuan called out casually, looking at a large pile of barrels. Rustling sounds emerged from within, and a young man, his face marked with fear, crawled out to face Chu Xuan. Surprisingly, he spoke in fluent Han dialect. "My mother was from Han; please, do not kill me."

Chu Xuan's smile was enigmatic. "Whether I kill you or not is irrelevant. What were you fiddling with behind your back?"

Startled, the youth's expression quickly turned ferocious. He abruptly pulled out his hands, launching two talismans through the air.

Mid-flight, the talismans burst into flames and instantly transformed into two ferocious, green-faced ghosts, one attacking from the left, the other from the right, lunging towards Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow, amused. The talismans appeared to have effects similar to the Tiger Soul and Wolf Soul talismans.

Yet, such attacks hardly necessitated any magical defense from him. Before the ghosts could even reach him, a radiant halo of Buddhist light emerged spontaneously around him, and a wheel of merit slowly revolved behind his head, casting him in the semblance of a descending Buddha, a saintly figure suspended in the air.

The ghastly apparitions collided with him and immediately burned into wisps of blue smoke with a pitiful wail.

The youth watched, dumbfounded. Those talismans were his strongest assets for this journey, and yet they failed to penetrate Chu Xuan's defenses.

Sunzi had its share of Buddhist temples. So, he recognized at once that this was indeed the light of Buddha. How could such a deadly man possess such profound Buddhist radiance? Could Buddha truly bless such a person?

No more thoughts were necessary, nor could they form, as Chu Xuan had already employed a soul-searching technique.

Within minutes, he saw the entirety of the youth's life laid bare before him. The youth collapsed, his eyes vacant, his expression blank.

Chu Xuan arched an eyebrow in surprise. He had inadvertently captured the eighth prince of Sunzi, the sole survivor of the imperial family after the general's rebellion and massacre. Had he unknowingly extinguished the last flicker of Sunzi's royal bloodline?

"Hss... it's no big deal, eradicated just like that," Chu Xuan murmured, stroking his chin nonchalantly.

Chapter 137: Strong Measures Must Be Taken!

The youth, now reduced to a state of stupefaction, was known as Chuan Deyou. Chuan, a surname of the Sunzi royal family, and Deyou his given name.

After perusing his memories, Chu Xuan discovered that the young man had never come into contact with a Psionic Cube.

Yet, there lingered a faint aura about him, an aura that was gradually fading. This suggested that from a young age, Deyou had grown up alongside a Psionic Cube, though the cube might have transformed its form of existence.

"It seems then, the most likely location for the Psionic Cube would be... the Sunzi Imperial Palace!"

A light of realization sparked in Chu Xuan's eyes. It seemed a visit to Sunzi was inevitable. Well, he thought, let it be a journey then.

Chu Xuan returned to the deck, which by now had become a true ship of death. Not a soul survived. Every resource from their bodies would be utilized to perfection.

The diligent worker bees would carve the flesh into small chunks, consuming it and through multiple processes, regurgitate it as blood honey. The souls would be captured by the Myriad Souls Banner, serving as nourishment for malevolent spirits.

As for the bones... well, sometimes the corpse puppets found them particularly appealing.

Chu Xuan recalled the corpse puppets and the blood bees back into their respective Tower and Beehive. He then boarded the Azure Shadow Shuttle and continued towards Sunzi.

The kingdom was approximately a thousand kilometers from the Han country. With the speed of his Green Shadow Shuttle, it would take only two hours to reach Sunzi.

...

Sunzi, Sun City.

This city was the oldest in Sunzi, unmatched in its antiquity. Just a glance upward would reveal the snow-capped Mount Sun.

However, no one considered it a serene peak; it was, in reality, a dormant volcano. Many believed that one day it would bring destruction to Sunzi.

At the heart of Sun City lay the Imperial Palace of Sunzi, home to the unbroken line of the Sunzi Imperial Family for thousands of years, a family revered by the people of Sunzi. Many believed the royal family to be divine, the beloved children of the great deity Sun, which justified their unbroken lineage.

However, not long ago, the general launched a rebellion and annihilated the royal family.

Since then, the general moved into the palace. This act stirred massive upheaval throughout Sunzi.

Loyal royalists frequently attacked the new government regime, and while many publicly remained silent, there was widespread, simmering hatred toward the general, believed to inevitably invite divine retribution from the Sun.

Even if heavenly punishment had not yet arrived, it would surely descend upon the government one day. Some even whispered that the missing eighth prince would one day return to cast the sinful government into an abyss with no end.

At this very moment, atop the highest point of the imperial palace, a burly man stood bare-chested on the balcony, hands clasped behind his back.

Since annihilating the Sunzi royal family, he had resided at the pinnacle of the palace, as if to suppress the spirits of the thousands of wronged souls of the royal lineage. He was the government general, Gui Yongren.

Below the royal family of Sunzi were four major families: Gui, Long, Yu, and Hong.

Yu family had always been a staunch royalist and had been secretly eliminated by him before his coup. Their power and territories were swiftly consumed by the Gui, Long, and Hong families.

"Why do you stand here every day, Great General?" A woman, similarly unclothed, approached Gui Yongren from behind, her laughter tinkling lightly.

Gui Yongren responded calmly, "I am waiting for news."

The woman nibbled on his earlobe, her breath as sweet as an orchid, "Waiting for that missing eighth prince of the Sunzi royal family?"

Gui Yongren shook his head with a smile, "No. That eighth prince, short-sighted and unstable, even if he did escape, he is no match for me. I am waiting for news from Hong. I want to know why the Sunzi royal family had access to Psionics before the burst. That is what I am most curious about."

As Gui Yongren was about to continue, something caught his eye—a streak of azure light across the sky.

"Hmm? What is that?" he furrowed his brows.

The woman followed his gaze and gasped upon seeing a dark figure atop the azure light. "There's someone up there!"

Gui Yongren's eyes widened in recognition. Indeed, it was a person!

"Immediately send word to Long and Hong family, have them come here!" he commanded with a grave tone. "A big guy has come to the palace."

"Yes," the woman nodded.

…

Within the Sunzi Imperial Palace, Chu Xuan strode purposefully in a specific direction. Before setting out, he had brought the Psionic Cube with him.

These unique artifacts seemed to possess a strange attraction to one another, instinctively seeking to merge.

Chu Xuan didn't even need to sense the direction; the Psionic Cube was guiding him.

"Who goes there! Who permitted you entry into the palace!" a guard shouted fiercely.

Without hesitation, Chu Xuan breezed past them. The guards, roaring in anger, attempted to intercept him but found their bodies suddenly weak, collapsing to the ground in a heap, silenced in an instant. Those who tried to stop Chu Xuan all met the same fate.

Soon, he arrived at the palace's rear garden, adorned with intricately designed rockeries and an artificial lake.

"It's here," Chu Xuan's eyes brightened as he sensed the familiar aura.

"Who are you, and why do you trespass in our palace?" a cold voice called out ahead.

Chu Xuan looked up to see a man nearly three meters tall approaching with large strides, his physique reminiscent of a small giant. The man's muscles were impressively defined as if he had been sculpting them from a young age.

Sunzi language was not difficult. With Chu Xuan's intellect and wisdom, he had grasped most of it after hearing it just a few times. Hence, he understood the man's words clearly.

This muscular giant was the strongest warrior of the Hong family, Hong Jian. His brow furrowed as he sized up the black-clad youth.

For some reason, he sensed an extremely dangerous aura around this stranger, even more daunting than the general, Gui Yongren.

Was it a misperception? Or intuition? Hong Jian did not know. However, one does not truly know the strength of an opponent until they clash.

Hong Jian, an eighth level superhuman, considered himself among the mightiest in the world. Even if the stranger before him was formidable, surely he could spar a few rounds with him?

Chu Xuan, observing Hong Jian's robust form, couldn't help but chuckle, "Had it been when I first arrived on this planet, a body like yours would have been the perfect material for crafting a corpse puppet."

"Now, however…" Before he could finish, Hu blurted out eagerly, "Master, Hu wishes to fight!"

Chu Xuan chuckled, resigned, "Let the feast begin."

"Yes!" Hu charged forward. The master seemed interested in this man's physique—a new corpse puppet could mean a shift in his master's affections. This was no mere rivalry. Strong measures had to be taken!

Chapter 138: Four-Armed Vajra

Before Hong Jian could react, Hu's towering and muscular form had already dashed forward.

With a thunderous crash, Hong Jian's head burst open like a watermelon, his blood and brain matter mixing with fragments of his skull, scattering wildly.

Some bone fragments even embedded deeply into the stone pavement, a testament to the terrifying force of Hu's punch.

Nearby, Long Meiji, who had hurriedly arrived upon receiving orders from Gui Yongren, witnessed the scene and her eyes widened in shock.

Hong Jian was a powerhouse focused on physical prowess. Even before the global spread of Psionics, he was renowned as Sunzi's most celebrated judo master and strongman.

After the Psionic burst, his innate talents catapulted him to the status of the strongest warrior in Sunzi. In terms of physical strength, even Gui Yongren, a ninth-level superhuman, was slightly inferior to him.

And yet, what kind of monster was this dark, hulking man who could shatter Hong Jian's skull with a single punch?

Long Meiji halted in her tracks, swallowing hard. "Aren't you coming over? Why have you stopped?"

Chu Xuan turned around, addressing the voluptuous woman several hundred meters away with a faint smile.

Without hesitation, Long Meiji turned and fled. Chu Xuan chuckled lightly. "Bao, take care of her."

With a monstrous laugh, Bao's figure vanished in the blink of an eye and reappeared right in front of Long Meiji, startling her as she swallowed yet another gulp of fear.

Her speed, which she had always prided herself on, enhanced by two speed-boosting spirit companions, was supposed to be her strong suit. Yet, she had been caught up.

Long Meiji knew that fleeing was no longer an option. Only by fighting could she possibly survive.

"Giant Fireball!" she bellowed, forming hand seals swiftly, and released a massive fireball that almost completely enveloped Bao.

This was her innate talent—control over fire. Though many possessed this type of ability, she had developed hers to an unprecedented level. With just a thought, she could alter the fire's size and shape, even shaping it into vivid forms like firebirds or firewolves to attack her enemies.

But not content with just that, Long Meiji immediately channeled more Psionic energy into four talismans, sealing off all directions around Bao to trap him completely.

"Such measures should make it foolproof..." Long Meiji sighed in relief, thinking she had played her final card. The man before her couldn't possibly escape and would have to withstand her attack directly, giving her a chance to escape...

Suddenly, she felt a chilling sensation in her chest. Looking down, she found a blade wreathed in cold flames piercing through her ample bosom. "Wasn't he... supposed to be sealed by me..."

In her final moments, confusion flooded her mind. Why had her meticulously crafted talismans failed to restrain this enemy?

She couldn't have known that Bao possessed an innate ability called Shadow Step. Unlike spells learned by cultivators, the innate abilities of a corpse puppet didn't require casting, gestures, or even the consumption of Spiritual Qi, and could be activated in the blink of an eye.

Long Meiji's talismans had only just been deployed and were still mid-air when Bao used Shadow Walk, appearing behind her. What she saw was merely an afterimage left by his high-speed movement.

With a roar, Bao grabbed Long Meiji's body and triumphantly returned to Chu Xuan's side.

At this moment, Gui Yongren, surrounded by a host of psychic mediums and warriors, faced Chu Xuan from a distance. His gaze immediately fell on the headless corpse of Hong Jian, causing his pupils to shrink in shock. Bao dragged over Long Meiji's body as well.

In that instant, a deep terror swelled within Gui Yongren. What kind of formidable foe had suddenly appeared before him in the palace?

Gui Yongren steeled himself and said gravely, "Friend, what exactly do you seek in my palace? Speak freely. Whatever you desire, I can provide."

Chu Xuan shook his head, "It seems you still fail to recognize the disparity between our strengths. Song Junjie understands the times better than you."

Seeing the situation turning against him, Gui Yongren let out a low growl, his body emitting an endless surge of dark energy.

In an instant, it formed a grotesque and ferocious ghost with two heads and four arms, each arm wielding a powerful weapon: a ring-headed sword, a vajra, a steel mallet, and a trident.

Gui Yongren tossed a small orb to the ghost, which it swallowed immediately, appearing quite satisfied.

"This is Sunzi's strongest spirit, the Four-Armed Vajra, a ninth-level entity!" Gui Yongren declared. "Friend, you must be aware of the Four-Armed Vajra's terror. Let's each take a step back, and the vast sky and sea can be our witness. Everything that happened today can be erased!"

Chu Xuan cast a glance at the so-called strongest spirit, the Four-Armed Vajra, and a look of surprise flickered across his face.

Interesting. This "spirit" was essentially a fierce ghost, but its potential far exceeded those within the Myriad Souls Banner.

Many ghosts, even after consuming numerous living souls and evolving into ghost generals or kings, might not possess even a single lifebound ghost artifact.

Yet, this ghost not only wielded lifebound ghost artifacts but brandished four from the outset—a clear sign of its value for cultivation.

Given sufficient living souls, its potential was boundless.

With this thought, Chu Xuan's smile widened. He plucked a living soul from the Myriad Souls Banner and tossed it in front of him. "Want to eat?"

The Four-Armed Vajra's eyes widened. It had never encountered such pure soul energy. Even when it hunted humans on its own, it could never extract the living souls completely and had to consume them bit by bit. This living soul was like a lavish feast laid out before it.

However, the Four-Armed Vajra merely inhaled deeply a few times, then put on a defiant expression, as if determined not to be swayed.

Chu Xuan's smile grew as he effortlessly drew out ten more living souls from the Great Souls Banner and casually threw out a fierce ghost as well.

The ghost bared its teeth, ready to attack, but Chu Xuan restrained it, leaving it to stand confusedly in place.

Chu Xuan casually proposed, "Follow me, and you can feast on living souls every day to your heart's content." He then pointed at the bewildered ghost, adding, "And you can become as strong as this ghost."

The Four-Armed Vajra's eyes bulged. The enemy was using such sweet temptations to corrupt it. How could this be allowed? Was it truly resistant enough to withstand such corruption? Of course not!

Chapter 139: The Long-Lost Father?

The Four-Armed Vajra roared a few times before swiftly turning to face Gui Yongren. The four weapons it wielded were abruptly raised.

Gui Yongren's eyes widened, and he instinctively stepped back, "You... you can't attack me!" He protested, "We have a contract! We are partners!"

A scream suddenly pierced the air.

The Four-Armed Vajra launched into a furious assault. Gui Yongren's soul was struck heavily and was soon gasping for survival.

Only then did the Four-Armed Vajra casually trot over to Chu Xuan's side, squatting at his feet, looking up at him with a demeanor of a devoted dog.

Hu watched this display with displeasure.

"Another competitor for favor," he thought.

Chu Xuan's lips curled upwards, "Well done, you deserve a reward!"

He extended his hand and forcefully patted the top of Gui Yongren's head. In the blink of an eye, he had extracted the general's living soul.

The Four-Armed Vajra, seizing the opportunity, leapt forward and tore Gui Yongren's soul into several pieces, stuffing them into its mouth and savoring each bite.

Chu Xuan surveyed the surroundings. There were still some psychic mediums and warriors around, but they all stood there, dazed.

It was inconceivable to them that their omnipotent and invincible general had been betrayed by his own spirit and had his soul forcefully extracted by this formidable stranger.

"Keeping them is just a waste of provisions; kill them all," Chu Xuan waved his hand nonchalantly. The three corpse generals immediately sprang into action, while the Four-Armed Vajra also laughed maniacally and plunged into the crowd. Screams filled every inch of the palace.

Moments later, the palace was laid to waste; every superhuman had been consumed by the blood bees, soon to be part of the blood honey.

The living souls were extracted by Chu Xuan and thrown into the Myriad Soul Banner. He planned to use the Myriad Soul Banner specifically for storing living souls, serving as food for the Four-Armed Vajra and other fierce ghosts.

Soon, the Four-Armed Vajra voluntarily approached Chu Xuan. Without much effort, Chu Xuan planted a psychic imprint in its mind, ensuring it could never escape his control for all eternity.

Seeing the appeasing expression on the Four-Armed Vajra, Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle. He suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Gui Yongren.

After all the effort to negotiate an equal contract with the Four-Armed Vajra, it had been swayed by mere sweeteners in an instant, devoured Gui Yongren's living soul, and obediently entered into a master-servant contract with Chu Xuan.

Fortuitously, Gui Yongren had already perished. Otherwise, witnessing this scene would have been worse than death itself.

At that moment, the Four-Armed Vajra suddenly leaped up, gesticulating wildly as he danced.

Of course, Chu Xuan could not comprehend the vividly expressive body language.

Without a word, he communicated directly with the Four-Armed Vajra through telepathy.

"Do you mean to say there is another malevolent spirit like you beneath Mount Sun?"

Chu Xuan eyed the Four-Armed Vajra, his face a mask of surprise.

This was indeed fortuitous. Such a spirit of exceptional talent should not be buried in obscurity!

However, the Psionic Cube must be found first.

Chu Xuan gazed towards the artificial hill.

With a mere thought, the Evil Soul Chain tore through the air.

In an instant, the hill was smashed to smithereens. Countless fragments flew in all directions.

This artificial hill, constructed of cement, was exceedingly sturdy. It was also covered with various mosses and small green plants. Rarely would anyone smash such a structure.

Moreover, this was the imperial garden's rear. It was even less likely for someone to harbor malevolent thoughts towards the artificial hill.

If not for Chu Xuan's actions, it might have remained undiscovered for centuries that something was hidden within this hill.

Chu Xuan's spiritual sense swept forth.

With a gesture, he grasped a piece of cement in his palm.

With a casual rub, the hard cement crumbled into ash in a moment.

Revealed before Chu Xuan was another corner of the Psionic Cube. It too emitted a strong primal Psionic energy.

Chu Xuan retrieved another piece of the Psionic Cube from his storage bag. Instinctively, the two pieces merged together.

In the blink of an eye, a larger, yet still incomplete Psionic Cube appeared before him.

It was perhaps only a third of the original size. But the primal Psionic energy it emitted was now far greater than before.

The surging vitality within it, even from merely a few breaths, quickened one's blood flow.

"Excellent, excellent."

Chu Xuan's face broke into a satisfied smile. His goal for this journey was finally achieved.

Casually, he stuffed the Psionic Cube into a piece of zombie flesh. The zombie flesh immediately expanded at a visible rate, ultimately becoming a perfectly square block of flesh.

"Let us go to Mount Sun," declared Chu Xuan, securing his corpse puppet and the swarm of blood bees, and immediately took flight towards the dormant volcano.

Mount Sun, a slumbering active volcano, bore a deceptive beauty with its snow-covered surface, beneath which boiled magma at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1200 degrees Celsius.

The malevolent spirit would naturally not reside within the lava. In fact, there was a mountain path leading directly to a cavern beneath Mount Sun, a route disclosed by the Four-Armed Vajra.

Before long, Chu Xuan arrived beneath the cavern and discovered an ancient, decaying shrine. Before he could speak, the Four-Armed Vajra leapt out from the Myriad Souls Banner, clamoring loudly towards the darkened shrine.

"What's all this noise? Don't you know I'm trying to sleep? Eh? Four-Arms, is that you? Did you come to complain about not getting enough to eat at Gui Yongren's place? I told you when I divined last time, that guy was a penniless, short-lived ghost. How could you ever be satisfied following him? Just so you know, I don't have many soul beads here either, I can spare you just one. Wait, wait, wait, your sudden visit is suspicious, let me divine something first..."

A figure swiftly darted out, talking incessantly to the Four-Armed Vajra, but upon noticing something amiss, quickly pulled out a water dish to commence divination.

However, mid-divination, it caught sight of Chu Xuan standing not far off, and its expression turned to one of bewilderment.

Chu Xuan then saw clearly. It too was a malevolent spirit. Humanoid in appearance, but its legs were replaced by a serpent's tail, distinctly bizarre.

The Four-Armed Vajra continued to animate and passionately recount everything that had happened. The serpent-like malevolent spirit looked towards Chu Xuan in astonishment, then down at the divination results in the water dish, and went pale with shock.

Before the Four-Armed Vajra could speak again, it dashed in a blur towards Chu Xuan.

"Are you not the long-lost father I've been searching for all these years? Father! From now on, I, Two Arms, shall follow you!"

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue. He had thought to discipline this creature first, carrot and stick. Instead, the spirit immediately prostrated itself, a turn of events that was indeed quite unexpected.