The Demonic Cultivator In Zombie World(151-154) (Patreon)

Chapter 151: The Kingdom of Loulan

The Heaven Burning Sect and Hundred Refinements Sect had temporarily ceased hostilities, dispatching a vast number of cultivators to cast a net of heaven and earth, all to find Shang Tianjue and Shang Xingchen.

However, the Nether Dao Sect's Ghost Palace was located within the Heaven Burning Sect's territory. In this regard, the Heaven Burning Sect clearly held some advantages.

The Hundred Refinements Sect had attempted multiple times to infiltrate the Ghost Palace to uncover its secrets, only to be repelled each time by the Heaven Burning Sect's Golden Core cultivators.

In the Southern Wildness of the cultivation world, a month blinked by, while on Blue Star, ten months had already passed.

When Chu Xuan returned to the array in Two Dragons City, he was startled to find the ground covered with Yin Thunder, each emitting an aura capable of annihilating everything.

The wandering souls within the grand array dared not approach, fearing that a mere touch of the Yin Thunder would reduce them to ashes.

Chu Xuan's face lit up with joy as he quickly brought out a large water jar and collected the Yin Thunder one by one. If placed within a storage bag, the Yin Thunder would obliterate all his treasures to dust. Hence, they must be contained in a vessel.

This large jar had been crafted by a refiner from the Hundred Refinements Sect; its contents were not water but rather a paste of colored glaze. The entire jar was completely non-conductive, allowing the safe storage of Yin Thunder.

"Now I can begin my cultivation!" he exclaimed. "I have long coveted the spells of the 'Yin Thunder Evil Technique'."

Chu Xuan smiled.

The "Yin Thunder Evil Technique" comprised nine levels, each corresponding to the nine levels of the Golden Core.

Chu Xuan placed special emphasis on mastering the first, fifth, eighth, and ninth levels of the technique—Yin Thunder Seed, Yin Thunder Ghost Hand, Fierce Thunder Finger, and Yin Evil Thunder Shadow.

The Yin Thunder Seed involved condensing Yin Thunder into pellets, stored indefinitely within the dantian. In battle, hundreds of Yin Thunder Seeds could explode forth, and even the strongest Golden Core would fall!

The Yin Thunder Ghost Hand, similar in power to the Blood Evil Demon Claw, was a formidable control spell.

The Fierce Thunder Finger, an attack spell, offered low consumption and high speed. Once unleashed, the endless barrage left enemies powerless to resist.

The Yin Evil Thunder Shadow, formed from the soul and Yin Thunder, approximately matched sixty percent of the caster's strength. Typically concealed within shadows, it harbored a soul fragment, allowing it to combat foes autonomously.

Chu Xuan had set his sights on the "Yin Thunder Evil Technique," particularly for the spell known as the Yin Thunder Seed. Other cultivators, limited by their resources, could not amass a significant number of these seeds.

But Chu Xuan was different. With the Reverse Thunder Transformation Array and the Soul-Capturing Evil-Nurturing Array at his disposal, Yin Thunder was limitless. As long as he stored enough Yin Thunder Seeds in his dantian, he could even slay Nascent Souls!

As for the other spells recorded in the "Yin Thunder Evil Technique," some were of little practical use—merely auxiliary spells without offensive or defensive capabilities.

"The only thing I need to do now is cultivate as quickly as possible. The preliminary technique 'Mysterious Demise Technique' has been mastered, and there are no further obstacles!"

Chu Xuan felt exhilarated. Ten months had been more than sufficient for him to master this foundational cultivation technique.

"Let's begin!"

As Chu Xuan absorbed the Yin Thunder, he accelerated his practice of the "Yin Thunder Evil Technique." With his ultimate-level Thunder Spiritual Root and relentless perseverance, it took him only two months to grasp the basics of the technique and master the "Yin Thunder Seed."

From that day on, his dantian housed numerous thumb-sized purple-black thunderballs. The number of Yin Thunder Seeds grew daily.

After cultivating the "Yin Thunder Evil Technique" up to the fifth level in one go, Chu Xuan's dantian contained over a thousand Yin Thunder Seeds!

"It's done!"

Chu Xuan was overjoyed. A thousand Yin Thunder Seeds, if released all at once, could even kill a ninth-level Golden Core cultivator on the spot. Even against a first-level Nascent Soul, he might be able to seize the chance to escape. If he had ten thousand Yin Thunder Seeds, even a Nascent Soul might pale in fear and turn to flee.

"Let's go to the Southern Wilderness."

With a sigh, Chu Xuan ceased his cultivation and departed immediately.

...

Beneath the Boundless Desert lay a massive ancient battlefield. This site was once the ancient kingdom of Loulan, ruled by a Nascent Soul cultivator, the King of Loulan.

The Blazing Flame Sect coveted Loulan's mineral resources and mobilized en masse, reaching the gates of Loulan's royal city within a month.

The Nascent Soul ancestor of the Blazing Flame Sect personally took action, intending to capture the King of Loulan and assimilate him into his soul fire.

In his dying moments, the King of Loulan sacrificed the corpses of all Loulan's cultivators and mortals, triggering a terrifying explosion of corpses.

The Nascent Soul ancestor of the Blazing Flame Sect was severely injured, with only his Nascent Soul escaping, while the rest of the Golden Cores perished on the spot.

After this battle, the Blazing Flame Sect was left weakened and was subsequently dismantled by other sects. Ultimately, the Heaven Burning Sect emerged victorious, unifying the territory and becoming the sole hegemon of Yue Country.

However, the kingdom of Loulan had become a haunted ancient battlefield, home to lingering spirits and fierce ghosts. Few cultivators dared approach it. Even demonic cultivators, though bold and cautious, only skirted the edges and never ventured deep.

The Heaven Burning Sect had initially stationed cultivators around the Loulan ancient battlefield to prevent demonic cultivators from sneaking in.

But now, in their quest to find Shang Tianjue and Shang Xingchen, too many cultivators had been reassigned. Only two old Foundation Establishment cultivators remained to guard the place, both of whom were nearing the end of their lives and hardly took their duties seriously, frequently rushing home to instruct their descendants. The site's defenses had long been virtually non-existent.

At this moment, in the deepest part of the Loulan ancient battlefield, a figure sat cross-legged, his body seemingly a black hole.

All the resentful spirits and fierce ghosts on the battlefield were irresistibly drawn towards him. They desperately tried to flee, but were quickly crushed by the aura emanating from his body and assimilated as nourishment into his form.

The lingering spirit of the King of Loulan had been crushed and absorbed by this man upon his arrival at the battlefield.

Above his head, a Golden Core spun lazily, completely covered in frost and studded with sharp spikes, lending it an especially sinister appearance.

He had been sitting there for an unknown length of time. At a certain moment, cracks began to appear on the surface of the Golden Core, spreading like a spider web until they completely enveloped it.

With a crisp crack, the Golden Core shattered.

From within, a small figure emitting a faint glow leapt out.

"Nascent Soul, achieved!" the man exhaled a breath of turbid air.

The faint light of the Nascent Soul illuminated his face, revealing a cold and ruthless visage, starkly different from the appearance of the Nascent Soul, which looked even more brutal and unrestrained, radiating an air of tyranny as if he were the supreme being between heaven and earth.

This face belonged to Han Liuyun, but the soul within was that of Shang Tianjue. The Nascent Soul naturally resembled the true face of Shang Tianjue.

The majestic aura of the Nascent Soul surged forth, threatening to sweep across all directions, powerful enough to resonate for thousands of miles and cause cultivators everywhere to bow in reverence.

Shang Tianjue stared at this sweeping, invisible aura and coldly commanded, "Come back."

The invisible fluctuations halted abruptly, then swiftly rolled back at high speed, quickly returning inside Shang Tianjue.

Not a trace of the Nascent Soul's aura leaked out.

"Shang Xingchen, my brother, I have stepped onto the path of the Nascent Soul. Do not disappoint me."

Shang Tianjue raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the void towards the Central Continent.

Chapter 152: The Remnant of the Nether Dao Sect

Three Peaks Mountain.

This mountain range lay within the former dominion of the Mystical Sound Palace. Compared to other areas, the Spiritual Qi here was sparse. At the foot of the mountain, there were only some mortal hunters who made their living by hunting wild beasts.

It was precisely because of this that it was chosen as the meeting place by the Hidden Mountain Gathering.

When Chu Xuan arrived, he found that not everyone had gathered yet. Two were missing.

Jian Yitong still maintained his handsome, youthful appearance, flirtatiously exchanging glances with the voluptuous female cultivator known as "Snow Grease" from last time.

Black Chess patiently waited for an hour before saying, "Flying Fish and Rainstorm, these two fellow daoists have not arrived. Let's not wait any longer; we'll start the gathering now."

Their absence could mean many things. Perhaps they were at a critical point in their cultivation and couldn't make it, or maybe they were seriously injured or even dead. Chu Xuan didn't care.

This transaction was as uninteresting as the last. The truly useful treasures were beyond his means; his spirit stones were insufficient to purchase them. Most of the items were useful to others but useless to Chu Xuan.

When it was Chu Xuan's turn, he presented three types of poison: Qi-Binding Dust, Qi-Wounding Smoke, and Soul Numbing Incense.

Qi-Binding Dust had been brought out before. Qi-Wounding Smoke was a byproduct Chu Xuan had inadvertently created while researching a poison that would contaminate Spiritual Qi and harm Golden Cores.

This substance was formless, with only a faint scent. Once inhaled, it increased the Spiritual Qi consumption with each circulation. The more one circulated their Qi, the more it consumed, silently depleting an opponent's Spiritual Qi without them noticing.

Soul Numbing Incense was another type of poison. Also invisible, it had a rich and potent fragrance. After inhalation, it could numb the soul, significantly reducing the sensitivity with which one could control their magic treasures, thereby providing an advantage in combat.

The moment these three poisons were introduced, they caught the attention of the other Golden Core cultivators.

"Heartless, I want a bottle of the Soul Numbing Incense!" Jian Yitong immediately declared.

Black Chess, Sky Stone, and others also arranged private transactions with Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. This would certainly boost his coffers. Watching the treasures being traded, which he could neither afford nor seize, felt rather frustrating.

"Information about Shang Tianjue's whereabouts," stated the middle-aged cultivator known by the code name "Deep Sea" calmly.

All eyes turned sharply towards him. Both the Heaven Burning Sect and the Hundred Refinements Sect, under the orders of their respective Nascent Soul ancestors, were searching for Shang Tianjue and Shang Xingchen.

Of course, the majority of cultivators were unaware of their true objectives. Likely, only the dozen participants at the Hidden Mountain Gathering knew about the bounty and rewards offered by the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace.

"This piece of information is valuable. I want five thousand small spiritual stones," Deep Sea raised a finger.

"I'm listening," Black Chess immediately threw a low-grade storage bag towards him.

"I want to hear it too."

"I'm listening as well."

In the blink of an eye, everyone had thrown five thousand small spiritual stones towards him.

Deep Sea then continued, "Between Yue Country and Yu Country, in the Boundless Desert, there's an ancient battlefield of Loulan.

Just a few days ago, the malevolent energy of resentment at the site dissipated, and the lingering spirit of the King of Loulan vanished without a trace.

The Heaven Burning Sect has already sent people to investigate and found traces of the cultivation of the 'Nether Reverse Immortal Art'."

Chu Xuan listened thoughtfully. The 'Nether Reverse Immortal Art' was clearly a technique from the Nether Dao Sect. This meant that a cultivator from the Nether Dao Sect had recently been practicing there!

This was significant news. It could be either Shang Tianjue or Shang Xingchen, though it was also possible that it was a diversion meant to mislead the Heaven Burning Sect.

Such tactics had been used before and were not unheard of, even within the territory of the Hundred Refinements Sect. Chu Xuan had heard such stories more than once from Song Junjie and Qian Tang.

After Deep Sea finished sharing his information, the trade continued. When it was White Water's turn, he smiled lightly, "Information—I know where a remnant of the Nether Dao Sect is. By tracking the techniques they cultivate, we can find Shang Tianjue hidden in the Southern Wilderness."

This statement piqued the interest of all the cultivators present. Compared to Deep Sea's information, White Water's was evidently more useful. Deep Sea merely indicated that someone had practiced in the ancient battlefield of Loulan, likely from the Nether Dao Sect.

However, White Water's information could potentially lead directly to Shang Tianjue!

"Starting bid is thirty thousand small spiritual stones," White Water said with a smile.

This news was clearly unique, not to be shared like other pieces of information. The attending cultivators immediately began to bid.

"I bid thirty-two thousand small spiritual stones," declared Flying Fish sternly.

"Thirty-three thousand," Jian Yitong, who went by the alias "Righteous," also joined in.

"I bid thirty-five thousand," Snow Grease raised the bid.

"Forty thousand small spiritual stones. Let's not fight over this, everyone," Black Chess chuckled.

Chu Xuan also made a symbolic bid, but he had no intention of securing the information; it was merely a casual addition on his part.

He still believed that a genius who had escaped a deadly catastrophe five hundred years ago would not be easy to find. Trying to locate Shang Tianjue through such means would likely provoke his retaliation, which could be fatal.

Eventually, the information was acquired by Deep Sea for fifty-one thousand small spiritual stones.

"Black Chess, I'm leaving first," Deep Sea said in a deep voice.

"Of course, fellow daoist, please go ahead," Black Chess replied with a smile.

Having spent such a considerable sum on the information, Deep Sea was naturally eager to leave rather than waste more time here.

Chu Xuan watched his departing figure, contemplative. He had some guesses about Deep Sea's identity; it was very likely that he was a cultivator from the Heaven Burning Sect. The information Deep Sea had previously shared seemed to support this conjecture.

After Deep Sea's departure, the trading session became much duller. The cultivators seemed distracted. Not long afterward, the Golden Core Gathering officially ended, and all the Golden Core cultivators dispersed.

Chu Xuan didn't delay. After making several detours to shake off any potential followers and disposing of his disguise, he returned to Black Dragon Mountain.

...

In Wu Province, Yun Family Village.

This small mountain village comprised only twenty to thirty households. The villagers lived a simple life: they worked from sunrise to sunset, day after day, year after year.

There was a famous doctor in the village, whom everyone called Doctor Jiang.

Doctor Jiang and his family had moved to Yun Family Village at some unspecified time. It seemed that since their arrival, the number of snakes, insects, rats, and ants in the vicinity had markedly decreased.

Sixty years had passed since Doctor Jiang, who had moved here, had died of illness. His son, however, had inherited his medical skills and had earned himself the reputation of being the young Doctor Jiang.

On this day, life in Yun Family Village continued as peacefully as ever. A villager who had been bitten by a poisonous insect came to the young Doctor Jiang's house seeking treatment.

A beautiful woman with a slightly protruding belly came out and smiled, "Ah, it's Uncle from next door. Please wait a moment, my husband is preparing some medicine."

As soon as she finished speaking, a middle-aged man came out. He frowned and said, "An insect bite is a serious matter; it must be treated immediately. How can we delay? Please follow me."

Chapter 153: The Might of Shang Tianjue

The elderly villager with dark, aged skin staggered, nearly falling. However, the young Doctor Jiang was quick to react, swiftly steadying him.

The villager, grateful, was about to speak when suddenly a thumb-sized red insect crawled out of his mouth. In an instant, the insect violently exploded.

The intense explosion engulfed the house and the surrounding three or four buildings in fierce flames.

Boom!

The horrific blast swept through the area, scattering debris and splinters everywhere. The nearby villagers were stunned.

Buzz!

At that moment, an immensely powerful presence descended from the sky, pressing down on everyone like a great mountain. The villagers looked towards the horizon and were astonished to see four figures standing on beams of light, hovering in mid-air.

"Immortals! We did not know immortals were visiting; forgive us for not greeting you from afar!"

The villagers were utterly terrified and immediately fell to their knees in worship. However, the four figures remained silent, their gazes fixed on the chaotic ruins left by the explosion.

"I've hidden here for sixty years, wanting nothing more than to live as a mortal... why... why must you come to find me! You killed my wife! You killed my child!"

A voice emerged from the ruins.

Debris, bricks, and wooden beams were blasted away by a surge of Spiritual Qi.

Doctor Jiang stood unharmed amid the destruction, his eyes cold and filled with deep resentment as he looked up at the four Golden Core cultivators from the Heaven Burning Sect.

The leader of the Heaven Burning Sect Golden Core cultivators, however, did not respond to his accusations but instead spoke on his own accord.

"Mo Ming, a Golden Core cultivator of the Nether Dao Sect, a close aide of the Overlord Shang Tianjue. After the collapse of the Nether Dao Sect, he vanished.

That Fireburn Insect just now also contained a Rot Soul Insect, specifically designed to counteract the technique you practice. Your strength has already been greatly diminished."

After finishing his statement, he calmly said, "Mo Ming, come with us."

Whoosh!

The four figures moved at once, closing in rapidly. Although Mo Ming was powerful, he was outnumbered; in the blink of an eye, he was subdued by the four.

"Who… who told you I was here! Who told you the weakness of my technique!"

Mo Ming, covered in blood, roared like a maddened beast. The four Golden Core cultivators remained silent.

A talisman struck Mo Ming, silencing him as he sank into a forced calm. In the blink of an eye, the four figures vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the chaos of Yun Family Village.

...

White Water River.

This great river, majestic and vast, originated in Yan Country, grew in strength through Yu Country, and finally surged eastward into the vast ocean.

Many years ago, during a succession crisis in Yu Country, the ruler of Yan Country attempted to annex it. The then Grand General of Yu Country chose to fight halfway across the White Water River.

A brutal melee ensued. Ultimately, Yan Country was repelled, and Yu Country was also severely weakened. Both sides left hundreds of thousands of corpses along the White Water River and withdrew.

Since then, the White Water River Battlefield was born. Perhaps due to the dense malevolent energy, the waters flowing past this site also carried an intense chill.

At this moment, a figure sat meditating at the center of the White Water River Battlefield. The rolling river flowed swiftly beneath him. He floated above the water, undisturbed, the calm belying the storm within.

He was Shang Tianjue. He had been waiting for a long time again.

"Heaven Burning Sect must have captured Mo Ming by now. I'll wait here. I hope they don't take too long and waste my time."

Shang Tianjue remained composed.

Three days later, layered figures appeared on the horizon. An overwhelming aura descended from the sky as if to erase the entire battlefield from existence.

"They have finally arrived."

Shang Tianjue opened his eyes, a glint of cold light flashing within them.

An elderly man with graying temples and a hunched figure had appeared before him at some unknown moment.

"Shang Tianjue, it really is your aura," the old man said calmly.

"Old dog, you're still alive, that's great," Shang Tianjue smiled.

Shentu Jin's eyes darkened instantly. "Old dog." It had been many years since he had heard such a derogatory term. Except for Shang Tianjue, no one dared to address him that way.

Nearby, five Golden Core cultivators from the Heaven Burning Sect hovered in mid-air. Hearing Shang Tianjue's voice, their pupils shrank.

Such aggressiveness. So this was Shang Tianjue, the "Overlord"?

"Ignorant child, I shall teach you how to respect your elders!" Shentu Jin growled, his hand striking downwards fiercely.

A gigantic hand, some five zhangs in height and of a dull yellow hue, rose from the ground, aiming to grasp Shang Tianjue.

"Five hundred years have passed, and you are still weak," Shang Tianjue sneered.

With a fierce stomp, the rushing river water instantly froze. The gigantic earthen hand was also covered in frost. Before it could even reach Shang Tianjue, it burst violently into pieces, dissipating into Spiritual Qi.

Shentu Jin's eyes widened slightly. He sensed something amiss. His attack, although not at full strength, had possessed fifty percent of his power. How could Shang Tianjue so easily break it?

Could it be...

Shentu Jin bellowed and conjured a small tower, his magic treasure. "Earth Spirit Tower, slay him!" The magic treasure swelled in size upon catching the wind, quickly growing to over thirty feet tall as it loomed over Shang Tianjue.

"A mere top-grade magic treasure…" Shang Tianjue scoffed. He watched the descending Earth Spirit Tower and hurled a powerful punch at it.

With a loud bang, the tower shattered into pieces!

Shentu Jin spat out a mouthful of blood, his shock profound. "Your physical cultivation level…!"

He pointed a finger, and his lifebound magic treasure immediately flew out to protect him. But he realized that Shang Tianjue's figure had already disappeared from its original spot.

Suddenly, screams echoed from behind him.

Shentu Jin whirled around to see that the five Golden Core cultivators had exploded into five clouds of blood mist twinkling with golden threads. The blood mist condensed, eventually forming a pill of flowing blood and golden light, which Shang Tianjue swallowed in one gulp.

"Five Golden Cores, not too shabby," Shang Tianjue's complexion glowed with a flush of vitality. He turned to Shentu Jin with a cold smile, "Old dog, I have long coveted your Nascent Soul."

Shentu Jin felt a chill crawl up his scalp. He realized it now—Shang Tianjue had ascended to the Nascent Soul realm! He had grossly underestimated his opponent's level.

His mind raced with this revelation, quickly coming to the conclusion that he had likely fallen into Shang Tianjue's trap. This was not a case of the lion fighting the rabbit but rather the predator feigning a pig to devour the tiger.

Without a second thought, Shentu Jin employed an escape technique, turning to flee. In his early days when he first entered the Golden Core realm, Shang Tianjue was already formidable enough to make all other Golden Cores in his sect cower.

Now, as a Nascent Soul, he could easily grind even a well-known Nascent Soul cultivator like him into the dirt!

Shang Tianjue's peerless talent was something Shentu Jin, once a Nascent Soul ancestor of the Nether Dao Sect, knew better than anyone else.

"Thinking of running? Too late!"

Shang Tianjue's chilling voice suddenly rang out from behind. Before Shentu Jin could react, he shockingly found that his heart had already been pierced through by a powerful hand.

Chapter 154: Hundred Refinements Sect Declares Submission

In an instant, Shentu Jin was terrified out of his wits. Without hesitation, his Nascent Soul left his body, abandoning the physical form and fleeing towards the distance.

The Nascent Soul had many marvelous uses, with one of the most important being the ability to teleport by consuming its essence, reaching any location within the span of the spiritual sense in an instant.

"Waiting for your Nascent Soul to leave the body was exactly what I planned," Shang Tianjue sneered ominously.

In the next moment, he teleported directly in front of Shentu Jin's Nascent Soul. The Nascent Soul, still concerned about what was behind, did not notice the large hand already reaching for it.

"Ahh!" the Nascent Soul cried out in agony.

Shang Tianjue grasped it fiercely, casually kneading it before tossing it into his mouth. The cultivation methods of the Nether Dao Sect emphasized ruthlessness and dominance. Golden Cores and Nascent Souls were consumed directly, no additional processing needed. Such raw consumption was considered the best in terms of nutritional value.

After swallowing Shentu Jin's Nascent Soul, Shang Tianjue casually scooped up Shentu Jin's remains along with his storage bag and then headed straight for the Heaven Burning Sect's main gates.

...

Black Dragon Mountain.

The elder, Jian Yitong, personally visited to deliver significant news to Chu Xuan. "Fellow Daoist He, the Nascent Soul ancestor of the Heaven Burning Sect, Shentu Jin, has perished, and his sect was bloodily purged by Shang Tianjue alone. From top to bottom, not a single one was spared... it was too tragic."

Jian Yitong trembled as he spoke. Truly, the title of Overlord was well-deserved. What a ferocious man.

The headquarters of the Heaven Burning Sect, which included three Golden Core cultivators, over eighty Foundation Establishment cultivators, and more than a thousand Qi Refining disciples, were all turned into blood mist and devoured by Shang Tianjue.

Only those Golden Core elders and their disciples who had established their own dwellings outside were spared.

Chu Xuan listened, clicking his tongue in amazement at the sheer brutality of it all.

The Nether Dao Sect's methods were indeed tyrannical. They didn't use any cauldrons or alchemical apparatus; instead, they directly refined people into blood pills and soul pills for consumption.

No wonder the sect was once feared by many smaller sects. When the sect fell, it was these smaller sects that kicked them while they were down and fanned the flames.

Jian Yitong sighed lightly, "That Shang Tianjue will likely make his way to our Hundred Refinements Sect next. If that truly happens, how shall we respond, fellow daoist He?"

Chu Xuan responded with righteous fervor, "I, He Liang, have received great kindness from the Hundred Refinements Sect; naturally, I cannot abandon the sect! In life, I am a person of the Hundred Refinements Sect; in death, I will be its ghost!"

Jian Yitong smacked his lips and said, "Alright, fellow daoist He, I understand. I'll be taking my leave now."

Chu Xuan watched Jian Yitong depart, a smile crossing his face. This old man was a cunning sort, very clear-headed.

"Just as I expected, that Shang Tianjue is no easy adversary," he mused. "A well-known Nascent Soul ancestor was slain by him, and the Heaven Burning Sect was obliterated overnight… Shang Tianjue is definitely a Nascent Soul cultivator, not to be trifled with. If he doesn't come looking for me, all the better. But if he does, then it's time to flee."

The concepts of sect loyalty or deep master-disciple bonds never existed in Chu Xuan's dictionary. He felt no psychological burden about it—ready to flee at a moment's notice.

With treasures like the Blood Mirror to preserve his life, survival was his utmost priority. If worse came to worst, he could seclude himself in the Blue Star to cultivate for decades or even a century to reach the Nascent Soul realm. Then, returning to the cultivation world, he'd rise again as a formidable force.

As for the disciples at Black Dragon Mountain, they could scatter to the winds when the time came. Still, he could wait a bit. Even if he had to flee, he'd need to gather necessary resources first.

A few days later, Chu Xuan received unexpected news that even he found surprising. The Hundred Refinements Sect had actually submitted to Shang Tianjue. This news, issued by a Nascent Soul ancestor of the Hundred Refinements Sect, reached every Golden Core elder's token.

Upon receiving this news, Chu Xuan's first reaction wasn't joy but concern. This meant that the entire Hundred Refinements Sect was now tied to Shang Tianjue's chariot.

Sooner or later, Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, the absolute dominator of the Mystic Azure Star, would learn of this, and then the Hundred Refinements Sect would have to face their towering wrath.

"However... until Feather Transformation Heaven Palace makes a move, we are safe for now," Chu Xuan considered. "With Heaven Burning Sect destroyed, there's still one thing I can do…"

Remembering an old man, he immediately activated his Imperial Sky Mirror, soaring southward…

Beneath the banner of the Heaven Burning Sect were two branches of the Huang family.

One, burgeoning with Golden Cores, was a bona fide Golden Core lineage.

The other had only sporadically produced Golden Cores, and for several centuries now, had not seen a new one, relegating them to a mere Foundation Establishment family.

There was scant interaction between the two Huang clans. Yet, the founders from centuries ago were two brothers.

Chu Xuan had hesitated to strike immediately, wary of this connection. Eliminating this Foundation Establishment family could likely provoke inquiries from the Golden Core lineage. Should such scrutiny trace back to him, the costs would outweigh the gains.

Now, with the Heaven Burning Sect no more, all the cultivating families were thrown into utter disarray. The time had come to fulfill the vows once made.

Moments later, at the Huang residence, corpse puppets roared and blood bees buzzed. The grounds were strewn with the slaughtered scions of the Huang family.

Huang An stood amidst the crowd, his rage of decades finally erupting. With corpse puppets bolstering his assault, he carved a path of carnage, unstoppable.

"You harmed my grandson! You deserve to die! My grandson was a prodigy! He was destined to become a great Foundation Establishment cultivator! You damnable members of the direct line!"

Huang An bellowed, his sword descending. The direct descendant of the Huang family before him was cleaved into a mound of flesh.

"Uncle! I am not of the direct line, I am also from a collateral branch! Spare my life! Spare my life, please!"

The young man by his side was utterly terrified, retreating continuously.

But the fire in Huang An's eyes did not wane, "You are of the collateral branch, but you are a dog of the direct line! I have thoroughly investigated; my grandson was harmed abroad, and it was you who added fuel to the flames! You envied his talent! You deserve death even more!"

The sword fell, and blood sprayed wildly!

Chu Xuan stood aloft, taking in everything below.

Huang An was universally acknowledged as an honest, simple man. Diligent, earnest, and meticulous in all his endeavors. But such a man, once provoked, could wreak disastrous consequences.

Moments later, Huang An returned to Chu Xuan's side. His emotions had stabilized, Only his hands still trembled.

Huang An began to laugh. His smile was complex, tinged with resignation and resentment, profoundly intricate.

"Master, your servant's wish has been fulfilled. If you no longer have need of me, I shall take poison and end my remaining days."

Huang An spoke with deep respect.

Chu Xuan's gaze drifted into the distance, deep in thought.

Huang An's life or death hung on his decision. Yet, such a loyal servant as Huang An had become a rarity. He was quite useful.

Chu Xuan had no desire to dispose of him so hastily. He flicked his finger lightly. A mid-grade storage bag fell into Huang An's hands.

"The contents are now yours. Though you are too old to build your foundation normally, you could do so through demonic means. When I need you again, I will appear."

With that, Chu Xuan vanished.

Clutching the storage bag, Huang An's hands trembled uncontrollably.

He kowtowed on the spot, solemnly saying, "Master's grace, your servant will never forget for as long as I live!"