Demonic Cultivator(189-203) (Patreon)

Chapter 189: The Way of a High Buddhist Monk

Time flew swiftly. Before long, another year had passed on the extraterritorial battlefield. Chu Xuan, as usual, shuttled between the Blue Star and Soul Star.

The Blue Star was primarily for cultivating his "Yin Thunder Evil Technique" and crafting Yin Thunder Seeds, while the Soul Star was for clearing the strongholds of the Slaughter and Husbandry Factions and gathering more soul techniques.

However, Soul Star proved to be far more vast than Chu Xuan had anticipated. Blindly slaughtering through it, he wondered how long it might take to find the soul techniques he sought.

Chu Xuan planned to establish his own network on Soul Star, similar to the Black Blade organization on Blue Star, to gather intelligence and locate soul techniques for him. But just as he began to entertain this idea, a stir arose from the extraterritorial battlefield.

A powerful light surged into the sky from the Great Chasm, located six hundred li north of Righteous Dao City. Many cultivators were nearby, clearing ancient beast carcasses when the phenomenon occurred.

Upon witnessing this, several old cultivators, whose life limits were nearing, gritted their teeth and descended into the Great Chasm first.

Within hours, a Nascent Soul cultivator from Righteous Dao City, two False Soul cultivators, a Nascent Soul cultivator from Lei Family City, and numerous curious Golden Cores arrived at the chasm.

However, none dared to venture in rashly; instead, they waited at the edge of the chasm.

Ultimately, they saw an old cultivator tremble his way out from the bottom of the Great Chasm, carrying a bottle of Deity Nurturing Elixir and a Soul Breaking Spike.

The Deity Nurturing Elixir, a divine item that could increase the chances of a Nascent Soul cultivator achieving Deity Transformation, and the Soul Breaking Spike, a Nascent Soul artifact that could enhance a Golden Core cultivator's chances of breaking through to Nascent Soul—both items were exceedingly coveted treasures for Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators alike!

Seeing the hungry gazes of so many cultivators, the old man did not hesitate to hand over the Deity Nurturing Elixir and Soul Breaking Spike to the Nascent Soul elder of the Lei family, thereby securing the Lei family's protection.

From the old cultivator, everyone learned that an ancient cave dwelling had appeared at the bottom of the Great Chasm, likely belonging to a Deity Transformation powerhouse.

The news spread like wildfire, and the cultivators in Righteous Dao City went mad rushing toward the Great Chasm. Such a cave dwelling might not only contain divine items like the Deity Nurturing Elixir or the Soul Breaking Spike but perhaps even lesser but still valuable spiritual items.

The Path to Nascent Soul—a goal for which countless Golden Core cultivators would risk their lives. It wasn't that they were unaware of the dangers; rather, they felt compelled to take the risk.

Chu Xuan pondered for a moment, then decided to set aside his endeavors on Soul Star and return to the extraterritorial battlefield.

He wasn't interested in seeking out the rare treasures. The appearance of this Deity Transformation powerhouse's cave dwelling could lead to numerous cultivator deaths and attract many ancient beasts. As a high Buddhist monk dedicated to the salvation of all beings, it was his duty to aid those who had died tragically or those who might yet die.

Seeking no personal gain, coveting no treasures—such was the way of a high Buddhist monk.

...

"Fellow daoist Huikong, I presume you're aware of the situation at the Great Chasm?" Duan Que cut straight to the chase during his visit.

Chu Xuan nodded with a smile, "Indeed, I am aware. Is Benefactor Duan considering entering to seek a Nascent Soul opportunity?"

Duan Que shook his head repeatedly, his bald head gleaming under the light of the cave's luminous pearls, resembling a bright bulb. "You jest, Master. I am aware of my limits—bullying early-stage Golden Cores is feasible, but I struggle against mid-stage ones.

I have over a hundred more years to enjoy; there's no need to throw my life away recklessly. If I went to the Great Chasm, it's highly likely I wouldn't return, and some lucky fellow might end up with my modest possessions. Who knows, even my corpse might not meet a good end."

He chuckled, and Chu Xuan touched his nose. Duan Que's words seemed to be referring to himself, but the man clearly knew his limitations.

Indeed, the cave dwelling of a Deity Transformation powerhouse was an exceptional opportunity, but one needed to have both the fate to find it and the fate to return.

"So what brings Benefactor Duan to my door today?" Chu Xuan asked with a smile.

Duan Que spoke in a low voice, "Now that cultivators from various cities, including Feather Transformation City, Majestic Sword City, and Celestial Sound City, are converging, there will surely be a struggle for the qualifications to enter the cave dwelling."

"Heh, now is the perfect time for business," Duan Que grinned. "I may not be much, but with the backing of the Duan family, I have some channels for doing business."

Chu Xuan instantly understood. Duan Que was looking to make some profit—a wise move at such a time. Everyone would be desperately trying to enhance their capabilities. Defensive magic treasures, healing elixirs, life-saving talismans, even demonic pills and magic charms, were in high demand.

He himself was planning to make a substantial profit from the situation. Unfortunately, he wasn't skilled in alchemy or talisman crafting, only in basic weapon forging and array setting. Otherwise, he would surely make a fortune.

Chu Xuan smiled, "Indeed, I have some items I plan to sell."

Duan Que's eyes lit up, "The location is on the temporary market on the west side of Righteous Dao City. It opens every morning and closes at dusk. I hope you will grace it with your presence, Master. However, the market is a mix of all sorts of cultivators, so you must be careful not to attract the attention of demonic cultivators."

Chu Xuan nodded in thanks, "Thank you for the reminder, Benefactor Duan."

Worried about demonic cultivators targeting the Black Heart Old Devil? He would actually welcome such encounters.

Chu Xuan arrived at the western edge of Righteous Dao City and discovered an area filled with temporarily erected stalls.

Numerous cultivators cloaked in capes populated the shelters, their faces almost completely concealed. No one wanted to reveal their identity.

Some did show their faces, but they were likely disguised, given they were there to buy life-saving secrets. Being recognized could lead to trouble once they entered the Deity Transformation cave.

Many of those present possessed superb skills in disguise, so much so that Chu Xuan almost failed to see through them.

"Cultivators from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, disciples of the Majestic Sword Sect, monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple... quite the gathering," Chu Xuan remarked with a chuckle.

He casually found a spot with fewer people and set up his stall. An elder cultivator nearby showed a menacing look. "Fellow daoist, this spot..."

It was clear he did not want Chu Xuan next to him. Chu Xuan glanced at him, sensing the man's late-stage Golden Core cultivation.

"This place... has some dust. Allow me to clean it for you first," the elder said, quickly sweeping away the dirt and shifting his fierce expression to a sycophantic smile.

Chu Xuan gave him a look and pulled out a small stool to sit on. The man's face stiffened in realization. Why hadn't he thought to bring a stool himself? He had overlooked it!

Chu Xuan spread out a cloth and neatly arranged various items from his abundant collection of storage bags. Although he was not skilled in pill concoction or talisman crafting, the sheer volume of healing pills and defensive talismans he laid out was staggering. Despite their low grade, the quantity was vast, leaving the elder cultivator beside him dumbfounded.

"My heavens..." he muttered under his breath.

Soon, Chu Xuan's stall attracted a large crowd of cultivators.

"How much for the Great Rejuvenation Pill? I'll take it!"

"Three of these Python Spirit Talismans for me!"

"Got any mid-grade defensive magic treasures? I need one!"

However, besides these eager buyers, Chu Xuan noticed several cultivators eyeing his wares with greed, clearly contemplating theft.

"I'll take this Vine Talisman, and since I'm a bit short today, here's one small spiritual stone for it," one burly man declared, throwing down a stone and reaching out with a large, hairy hand to grab the talisman.

Chu Xuan let out a cold laugh, not even needing to move.

A powerful hand clamped down on the presumptuous one like a vise, firmly catching the would-be thief in the act.

Chapter 190: The Way of Business

With a crisp snap, immense force burst forth, instantly twisting and breaking the burly hand covered in black hair. A pained scream erupted suddenly, drawing the attention of the surrounding cultivators. They then realized that the one who had broken the hand was a formidable and vicious corpse puppet.

"Isn't that Kou Mang the Black Wind Ghost? This guy is notorious for murdering and looting around Lei Family City!"

"I recognize him too, he killed a good friend of mine!"

"If I'm not mistaken, Kou Mang is a sixth-level Golden Core cultivator, and also skilled in physical cultivation. Though not highly advanced in bodily cultivation, his physical strength should surpass most Golden Core cultivators, how could he..."

"Unless that's a sixth-level Corpse Commander!"

The onlookers gasped in shock. A Corpse Commander, and at least a sixth-level one at that!

"Spare me! Please, spare my life!" Kou Mang immediately pleaded for mercy, tears and snot streaming down his face.

Chu Xuan's expression remained unchanged, while another muscular hand of the Hu's swiftly grabbed Kou Mang's head.

The next moment, under Kou Mang's horrified gaze, his head was crushed with a crunch, like a ripe persimmon hitting the ground, splattering everywhere.

The nearby cultivators' faces changed rapidly, each hastily using their Spiritual Qi to shield themselves from the splatter.

Kou Mang, a robber with a notorious reputation, was easily crushed to death. Those cultivators who had been lurking in the crowd, harboring intentions of making a move, suddenly restrained their impulses. It was clear this was a formidable figure not to be trifled with.

After eliminating Kou Mang, who had been the first to strike, the atmosphere significantly improved. Few dared to haggle anymore. Whatever price Chu Xuan quoted, they would grimace but accept.

Chu Xuan felt quite pleased. Doing business should indeed be this way, eliminating the wasteful back-and-forth of bargaining. This way, both the vendor profits and the customers get what they need—a win-win situation!

By noon, Chu Xuan had sold off all the items he no longer needed. The spiritual stones he had expended to set up the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Array were replenished once more.

After selling all his goods, Chu Xuan began to wander around the market. With Hu present, those cultivators harboring malicious intentions dared not speak up. Even the vendors did not dare to overcharge, fearing to provoke Chu Xuan and meet the same fate as Kou Mang.

Consequently, Chu Xuan managed to acquire some valuable bodily cultivation techniques, consciousness secrets, and poison scriptures. This sparked an idea in him.

Blue Star, abundant in Psionic energy and diverse in supernatural creatures, was highly conducive for physical cultivation. If the superhumans there practiced these bodily cultivation methods, perhaps remarkable effects could be achieved.

He had always struggled to find bodily cultivation techniques beyond the fortieth level. Perhaps Blue Star might produce a naturally gifted cultivator who could overcome this hurdle for him.

Chu Xuan believed that with sufficient merit, creating a follow-up method on one's own was merely a matter of having the fortune favor the mind.

However, his merit had not yet reached the level where he could do as he pleased, and it was also sporadically effective.

Currently, his merit seemed abundant but in reality, it only slightly extended his lifespan and increased the success rate of pill concoction and artifact refinement.

As for the consciousness secrets, the same principle applied. Chu Xuan planned to let the people of Soul Star try to combine two or more consciousness secrets to complement each other and form a superior method.

Alternatively, they could modify some powerful but side-effect-laden consciousness secrets for the better. All these were possibilities worth exploring.

…

After three consecutive days, the cultivators at the temporary market came to recognize the man with a plethora of healing pills and life-preserving talismans.

Several robbers like Kou Mang the brigand had tried to attack him but were easily crushed by the Corpse Commander by his side, without even a chance to resist. Many assessed the situation and dared not act rashly.

Initially, only those cultivators who considered themselves weak came to buy his goods.

However, as time passed, many realized that he had an abundance of items for sale. If they didn't buy and others did, wouldn't they be at a significant disadvantage?

Thus, they felt compelled to purchase as well.

Chu Xuan's extensive sale of life-preserving items indirectly intensified the upcoming battles among the cultivators.

By the end of the third day, most cultivators were equipped with a couple of healing pills and several defensive talismans, and their spiritual stones were nearly depleted.

Many speculated that this formidable seller might not return, considering the dynamics of supply and demand. If the demand decreased, or if there was no demand at all, then even if the seller dropped his prices, it likely wouldn't attract buyers.

On the fourth day, Chu Xuan returned to his usual stall, greeted by the same old cultivator with a sycophantic smile, who was already perched on a small stool.

Seeing Chu Xuan reappear, the old man expressed surprise and whispered, "Fellow daoist, why have you come to set up your stall again today? Do you still have pills and talismans to sell? But I'm afraid you might not fetch high prices today."

Chu Xuan smiled, "Why is that?"

The old cultivator explained his logic, "No one's buying anymore, so naturally, you can't sell anything."

Chu Xuan laughed heartily, "What if I bring out even better goods? How would you handle that?"

With that said, he casually spread out his wares. A vast array of pills and talismans, all of superior quality compared to the previous days, covered the stall.

Among them were some nefarious pills that consumed life span to enhance Spiritual Qi and demonic talismans that contained the souls of beasts—clearly superior life-preserving items.

The old cultivator's eyes widened, and he could only utter, "Holy moly... I've learned something... This way of selling is simply unbeatable!"

He looked at Chu Xuan as if seeing a god of wealth.

In no time, a large crowd of cultivators swarmed Chu Xuan's stall once more, their gaze towards him altered.

Why hadn't this man displayed these items during the first three days? Why wait until they had nearly spent all their spiritual stones? That's too wicked!

Chu Xuan beamed, "Come, come, come, I have demonic pills and talismans, all fairly priced, no deception here!"

These items were essentially spoils of war he had collected, making for a business venture with pure profit. No matter how much he sold, it was all gain.

Now, with these items displayed, the order of the market was thoroughly disrupted. There were always people with some spiritual stones left, and naturally, they bought the demonic pills and talismans from his stall. Their purchases forced others to gather funds to buy as well.

Soon, with the Deity Transformation cave about to open, every cultivator was a competitor. The strength of an opponent meant weakness for oneself! Any cultivator with a bit of sense could not sit by and let this happen.

They had to buy—even if it meant swallowing their pride.

However, some grouped together, aiming to show their fangs at Chu Xuan. One of them raised an arm and shouted, "Everyone! We must resist such a dishonest merchant! We cannot let this unscrupulous businessman take our spiritual stones!"

This statement garnered immediate support.

"That's right! We must resist!"

"Unscrupulous merchant, return our spiritual stones!"

"Enough talk, let's band together and take down this cheat!"

Chu Xuan gestured casually. Long and Bao, each standing to one side of Hu, radiated an aura of ferocity only slightly less intense than Hu's. Clearly, they were also Corpse Commanders.

The entire crowd of cultivators fell into a dead silence.

Chapter 191: A Cup of Tea, A Book, An Entire Day

Three Corpse Commanders!

Their strength was in no way inferior to a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. Coupled with the stall owner himself, who also exuded the aura of a late-stage Golden Core, this was an adversary not to be provoked.

Some cultivators choose the path of beast tamers, subduing spirit pets to fight for them. However, when spirit pets face truly terrifying enemies, they might flee the battlefield.

Corpse puppets, in most cases, fight fearlessly to the death. Once given an order by their master, they attack like mad dogs, never relenting until the enemy is dead.

Of course, if there is a shortage of meat or they encounter a stronger corpse puppet or ghost, even one's own corpse puppets might flee. Generally, corpse puppets are far more ferocious, loyal, and fearless than spirit pets!

No one dared to provoke someone who could summon three Corpse Commanders on a whim.

Chu Xuan spoke calmly, "Who was it just now that wanted to kill me? Step forward."

With a swish, the cultivators instinctively stepped back, singling out the unfortunate instigator.

The cultivator's face turned pale in an instant. "Senior, please hear me out, I..."

"I'm not interested," Chu Xuan stated flatly.

The cultivator clenched his teeth and immediately tried to flee using an escape technique. Bao suddenly vanished. When he reappeared, a dagger flickering with ghostly flames was already plunged into the cultivator's back.

Chu Xuan casually collected the body, tossing it into the Corpse Nurturing Tower, while nonchalantly clipping the storage bag to his waist. The entire process was smooth and undisputed.

His actions left no doubt about his identity—a true demonic cultivator!

Silence still dominated the scene that one could hear a pin drop.

"Let's not be so tense. I came here to do business, not to kill," Chu Xuan said with a chuckle.

Only then did the cultivators manage an awkward smile and begin approaching to buy his goods. However, their gaze towards Chu Xuan was filled with newfound respect and fear.

Every Golden Core cultivator there silently cautioned themselves never to provoke this formidable figure.

The old cultivator next to Chu Xuan watched him and murmured, "So that's it... Real strength is the true essence of doing business."

The tightly sought-after demonic pills and talismans were quickly sold out. Even though Chu Xuan's prices were steep, the cultivators had no choice but to grit their teeth and tighten their belts to make the purchases.

Before noon had even arrived, Chu Xuan's stall was completely sold out. He promptly closed up shop, gathered his three corpse puppets and swiftly departed.

"Follow him."

Several shadows darted through the crowd, coldly fixating on Chu Xuan's retreating figure and chasing after him.

Chu Xuan caught a glimpse of them from the corner of his eye and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. He had anticipated that unveiling so many demonic pills and talismans and tending to three corpse puppets would attract certain individuals' attention.

The Majestic Sword Sect and the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, both proponents of accumulating virtue, believed that rearing corpse puppets necessitated the slaughter of numerous mortals, certainly accruing vast amounts of bad karma.

If they could eliminate Chu Xuan, the demonic cultivator, his amassed evil deeds would convert into their virtue. Killing a deeply wicked demonic cultivator could yield more virtue than saving hundreds of thousands of mortals!

It was likely that the cultivators from these two sects would relish the opportunity to eradicate him.

"I'm not playing this game with you," Chu Xuan muttered as he retracted his three corpse puppets into the Corpse Nurturing Tower. He then expended some of his merit to activate the Mahayana Swift Escape, a technique that instantly boosted his escape speed to the extreme, disappearing into the vast wilderness in a blink.

The three pursuing monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple were dumbfounded.

"What kind of speed is that? Is that even possible for a Golden Core stage cultivator?"

The leading monk, Yuanming from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, his expression grim, ordered, "Have all the junior brothers in the city come out and join the search for this demon."

"He carries immense evil deeds and surely cannot enter the city. He must have a hideout somewhere outside," he continued, "Focus the search on nearby caves and caverns!"

The two monks beside him nodded immediately, "Yes!"

As other cultivators looked on bewildered, about eight Golden Core monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple surged out of Righteous Dao City, seeking traces of the demonic cultivator. They also enlisted numerous other Golden Core cultivators, hoping they could assist in the search.

Since Yuanming was an honorary elder sponsored by the Duan family, the Duan family's cultivators naturally participated as well. Soon, a vast net was cast, thoroughly searching every inch of land within a hundred li of Righteous Dao City.

Duan Que, too, was one of the Duan family's cultivators dispatched to hunt the demonic cultivator. However, he understood the true essence of the task at hand. Finding a shaded spot, he settled down with a cup of tea and a book, content to spend the entire day there.

"Hmm... to think they would duel in such a posture, even managing to fight atop an alchemy furnace in the alchemy room..."

"Sss... one is never too old to learn!" he exclaimed.

At that moment, footsteps approached.

"Benefactor Duan, why are you reading here? Oh, is that an erotic painting?"

Duan Que looked up. He coughed discreetly and subtly tucked away the book illustrated with images of men and women fighting.

Then, with feigned surprise, he exclaimed, "Master Huikong, is that you?"

By this time, Chu Xuan had already reassumed his identity as Huikong, the high monk from the Golden Dragon Temple. He smiled and said, "This humble monk has been out clearing ancient beast carcasses, and this morning I found only about a dozen Nether Crocodile corpses."

Duan Que chuckled, "Nether Crocodile bodies are tough, making them difficult to kill. Their carcasses aren't commonly found on the surface; one must venture into caverns to find them."

Chu Xuan nodded, "I see, I have learned something new today."

Duan Que glanced around and whispered, "Master Huikong, you should return to the city. The Celestial Sound Zen Temple is currently searching for a demonic cultivator, and I'm concerned you might draw their attention."

As he spoke, Duan Que stood up decisively. "Let me escort you back; I worry that Yuanming might target you. After all, there are eight monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple outside right now, and if they intend to do something, no one would dare to stop them."

Chu Xuan looked at Duan Que with a hint of surprise. This man's actions were somewhat unexpected. Was he really going to escort him all the way back to Righteous Dao City?

"Such kindness is deeply appreciated," Chu Xuan intoned a Buddhist chant and pressed his palms together in thanks.

"It's nothing," Duan Que replied with an embarrassed smile. "I've always felt regret that the Duan family didn't take you in as an honorary elder."

Together, they headed toward the city. As they approached, however, they unexpectedly came upon two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple who were killing two cultivators. In the blink of an eye, the two cultivators were fatally wounded, their lives extinguished. The monks even spat on their corpses afterward.

"Hmph, demonic cultivators, they all deserve to die!"

Duan Que recognized one of the monks—it was none other than Yuanming. His heart sank. But now that they had been spotted, there was nothing to do but greet them.

Duan Que cheerily called out, "Master Yuanming, what a pleasant coincidence to meet you here."

Yuanming nodded slightly, his gaze shifting past Duan Que to land on Chu Xuan. He recognized Chu Xuan of course. Heretics were even more despised than heretical cultists. From the first day Chu Xuan arrived in Righteous Dao City from Mystic Azure Star's Golden Dragon Temple, Yuanming had known about him.

"Huikong? I've long admired your reputation," Yuanming said, twirling the twin moon ringed sabers in his hands, his smile ambiguous. "How about a spar with this humble monk?"

Chapter 192: Duan Fengxian

Duan Que's expression shifted rapidly. He had always known that the Celestial Sound Zen Temple held disdain for heterodox Buddhist practices, but he hadn't expected them to escalate to such an extent—to the point of drawing blades immediately.

Gritting his teeth, Duan Que stepped between Yuanming and Chu Xuan.

"Master Yuanming, in these troubled times, it is better to avoid additional conflicts," Duan Que advised. "Moreover, both Master Huikong and yourself are endowed with considerable virtue…"

Yuanming's smile was ambiguous, and Chu Xuan remained silent, his hands secretly readying a spell. If Yuanming insisted on a confrontation, Chu Xuan would not hesitate to send them both to meet the Celestial Sound Buddha in the Western Paradise.

Of course, killing them would certainly blow his cover, making it impossible to remain in Righteous Dao City or assist the cultivators entering the Deity Transformation Cave in collecting corpses. Unless absolutely necessary, Chu Xuan would not initiate a fight. He was acutely aware of where his true interests lay.

The standoff continued, and just as Duan Que began to sweat from his forehead, Yuanming sheathed his ringed sabers and turned to leave. "You should feel fortunate; your virtue has saved your life today."

The two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple gradually moved away and eventually disappeared from sight. Duan Que finally exhaled in relief. The tension had been so high he feared they might start fighting right then and there.

Duan Que managed a helpless smile. "Master Huikong, the Celestial Sound Zen Temple is known for its domineering ways; please don't take it personally."

Chu Xuan smiled and brought his hands together in a prayer gesture. "The Golden Dragon Temple promotes forming good connections; how could I possibly blame them?"

Duan Que sensed there was something deeper in Chu Xuan's words but couldn't pinpoint what it was, so he let the matter drop.

Chu Xuan watched the now-vanished figures of the two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, his expression as still as an ancient well. The first he would slay when the time came would be this Yuanming and the monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple.

Chu Xuan and Duan Que returned to Righteous Dao City. Duan Que still had duties to fulfill and soon left the city again. However, given his somewhat lax attitude towards his duties, he would likely find another cool spot to continue exploring the hundred fighting postures of naked men and women.

The monks from Celestial Sound Zen Temple and the Duan family continued their search outside for the demonic cultivator. It was common knowledge that a demonic cultivator, steeped in evil deeds, could not enter Righteous Dao City; the very act of trying would expose and eliminate him. They were convinced that the egregiously wicked demonic cultivator must still be outside the city.

Yet, despite scouring the land within a two-hundred-li radius of Righteous Dao City, disturbing many Nether Crocodiles in their caves in the process, they still could not find any trace of the demonic cultivator.

"This scoundrel really is cunning."

After listening to the reports from his junior brothers, Yuanming scoffed coldly.

"Senior brother, what do we do now? Should we continue the search?" one of the monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple inquired.

After a moment's thought, Yuanming responded, "At dawn tomorrow, secure the temporary market. Keep a close watch on everyone. The demonic cultivator might not show up himself, but it's possible he might send someone else to sell his goods on his behalf. Anyone selling demonic pills or talismans must be detained for questioning."

"Yes!" his subordinates replied.

Of course, they were mistaken. The demonic cultivator they assumed was hiding in a cave outside the city, steeped in evil deeds, had already nonchalantly walked into Righteous Dao City.

Back in his dwelling after his return, Chu Xuan immediately traveled to Blue Star, summoning the core leadership of Black Blade. He distributed several inferior physical cultivation techniques among them.

These techniques varied; some specialized in defense, others in offense, some in speed, and others focused on vitality maintenance. He intentionally withheld the advancements of these techniques, distributing only enough to reach the tenth level of body refinement.

Superhumans on Blue Star had been stuck at level nine for a long time, with all seeking ways to ascend to higher echelons but never finding the right path. Chu Xuan's gifts were like opening doors to a new world for them.

Black Blade initiated a massive body refinement campaign. It wouldn't be long before these physical cultivation methods would spread across Blue Star. Eventually, Blue Star might transform into a planet dominated by muscle-bound giants.

Among billions of humans, Chu Xuan believed there would be one or two extraordinarily talented individuals who might deduce the further stages of these physical cultivation methods. By then, he would personally teach them more advanced techniques.

...

As various powers converged, the atmosphere in Righteous Dao City grew increasingly tense. The five forces—Majestic Sword City, Celestial Sound City, Feather Transformation City, Lei Family City, and Righteous Dao City—had all gathered, making the already crowded city even more chaotic. Fights and killings occurred frequently.

But on this day, the discussions about who would enter the cave finally bore fruit. Chu Xuan did not know who had made concessions and who had taken the lead. Like Duan Que, he stood atop the city walls, watching as a throng of cultivators entered the Great Chasm.

Leading the charge were the Nascent Soul cultivators from the five major forces, followed by a not insignificant number of False Soul cultivators—about ten. Behind them were numerous Golden Core cultivators, some from sects and others family retainers.

As for those lesser Golden Core cultivators from smaller sects, sorry, there was no place for you. Just wait outside. After we've had our fill, maybe we'll leave you some scraps!

However, the five major forces did not mobilize all their resources. Each faction kept two late-stage Golden Core cultivators outside to oversee things, guarding against any unforeseen circumstances.

In the end, only those within the circle had a share of this cake. As for those outside the circle, they were left to their fate.

Chu Xuan and Duan Que, having seen enough, decided to head back to their dwelling. However, just as they were descending from the city walls, they encountered Xiao Fengxian. Accompanying him was a striking figure.

Chu Xuan took a moment to remember—she was the woman he had seen earlier with a companion named Liu Zhuo, named Jin Chan. Now, however, Jin Chan was affectionately entwined with Xiao Fengxian, and there was no sign of Liu Zhuo.

Xiao Fengxian, noticing Chu Xuan and Duan Que, wrapped his arm around Jin Chan's slender waist and laughed heartily, "Fellow daoist Huikong, why didn't you venture into the Deity Transformation cave?"

Duan Que, seeing him approach, felt somewhat awkward. Chu Xuan smiled, "My abilities are modest, so I chose not to take the risk."

Xiao Fengxian chuckled lightly, "What a pity, that is a cave of a Deity Transformation powerhouse. Surely there are treasures like the Spirit Breaking Spike, and yet you aren't tempted?"

Chu Xuan gave a non-committal smile, "Aren't you also absent from the cave, fellow daoist?"

Shaking his head, Xiao Fengxian corrected him, "Fellow daoist Huikong, you are mistaken about one thing—I no longer bear the surname Xiao."

Chu Xuan blinked in surprise. Xiao Fengxian declared solemnly, "I have been adopted as a righteous son by the patriarch, and from now on, my name is Duan Fengxian!"

Chu Xuan glanced at Duan Que, who responded with a wry smile and nodded. He whispered to Chu Xuan, "I don't know what got into our patriarch's head, but he insisted on adopting Xiao Fengxian as his righteous son."

After a brief pause, Duan Que added in a low voice, "Our patriarch has a penchant for handsome men…"

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue. So that was it. Quite the play indeed.

Xiao Fengxian, still smiling, advised, "Gentlemen, it's not a good habit to communicate telepathically in front of others. I might not hear it, but it's best not to do so."

He then looked at Duan Que, "Right, my great nephew?"

Duan Que managed another forced smile, "Yes, greetings, sixteenth uncle."

Given the family rankings, Xiao Fengxian, now equated to the Duan family head Duan Cang, indeed held the position of his uncle.

Chapter 193: Ghost King Overate?

Chu Xuan and Duan Que continued their stroll within the city.

With many cultivators having ventured into the Deity Transformation cave, Righteous Dao City felt markedly desolate. The streets were mostly populated by early-stage Golden Core cultivators, with mid-stage ones rare to see.

A cultivator at the sixth level of Golden Core could easily dominate all others in Righteous Dao City, much like the proverbial king of the mountain when no tiger is around.

"Is that Wan Wuying? He's here too."

Chu Xuan's gaze fleetingly caught a familiar figure hurrying past—it was his former master and now senior brother, Wan Wuying.

Chu Xuan was surprised to see him not entering the cave; Wan Wuying had once dared to venture into the Ghost Palace of the Nether Dao Sect. Why would he hesitate now at a Deity Transformation cave?

However, after spotting Zhao Wuya and Huang Yuanwu, Chu Xuan roughly guessed their intentions. His senior brother clearly preferred to wait it out and reap the benefits later. Chu Xuan's motivation was different; he sincerely wanted to collect the corpses of those cultivators.

As for how Wan Wuying managed to sneak into Righteous Dao City, Chu Xuan wasn't particularly curious. If Wan Wuying couldn't even infiltrate a city like Righteous Dao, that would be the real surprise. A Golden Core demonic cultivator who couldn't even alter his aura was truly a disgrace.

"Now, we wait." Chu Xuan mused. "The five major powers must have contingencies in place. I hope their moves provide me with some surprises."

His main reliance now was on Four Arms, his four-armed ghost king. Although only a first-level ghost king, Four Arms wielded four lifebound ghost weapons and could easily kill any False Soul cultivator.

Even a real Nascent Soul cultivator, if only at the early stage, was no match for him and would be utterly overwhelmed. Unless he encountered a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, he was in a position of clear dominance.

This realization made Chu Xuan suddenly more alert. He had already investigated: the Nascent Soul cultivators from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, Majestic Sword Sect, Celestial Sound Zen Temple, as well as the patriarchs from the Duan and Lei families, were all at the early stage of Nascent Soul. The higher-stage Nascent Soul cultivators seemed to be in more perilous outer realms, not this one. But that was just based on the information at hand.

What if there were mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators lurking in the shadows? What if some of these early-stage cultivators advanced to mid-stage in the heat of battle?

No, Four Arms's level had to be elevated.

"The struggle for the treasures within the Deity Transformation Cave would take at least two to three months to resolve, right?" Chu Xuan pondered. "While we wait, it's time to enhance Four Arms's level. Let Four Arms suffer the hardships; I'll bear the infamy."

Chu Xuan promptly used his usual method, cutting away one-tenth of his soul, and with the Sky-Shielding Umbrella, he headed towards Soul Star…

As soon as Chu Xuan appeared, Two Arms hurried over, exclaiming, "Father! You're finally here!"

His excitement was palpable as he continued, "Father, I've divined using the divination plate that I am about to become a Ghost King. Are you here to help me achieve that? I am fully prepared to ascend to the rank of Ghost King!"

Chu Xuan cleared his throat, "That's not quite why I'm here. I came to boost Four Arms's level."

Advancing from a Ghost Commander to a Ghost King required a massive amount of ghost souls. To elevate from a first-level Ghost King to a second-level required roughly seventy percent of the ghost souls needed for the initial ascension. Chu Xuan had already calculated how to allocate these resources efficiently.

The excitement on Two Arms's face momentarily stiffened. Chu Xuan painted a pie picture for him, suggesting that he would certainly become a Ghost King eventually, but there was no rush—it was better for Two Arms to continue his efforts for now.

After a moment, Chu Xuan casually asked, "Has anything significant happened recently?"

Two Arms shook his head, "No, the Soul Clan of the Slaughter Faction hasn't dared to approach recently. Though, about a month ago, a group from the Husbandry Faction tried to capture members of the Ascendant Faction and inadvertently discovered our formation. They thought they could feast here. I couldn't tolerate that and turned them into the feast instead."

Chu Xuan nodded, "Any movements from the Ascendant Faction?"

Two Arms nodded, "The Dark Cloud Squad visited once, bringing quite a few things and again earnestly hoped I would join the Ascendant Faction. I rejected them on the spot."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. Two Arms had reported before that the Ascendant Faction had tried to make contact multiple times. The first couple of times, they hadn't brought any offerings. It seemed they had learned their lesson this time and delivered the goods directly.

Chu Xuan casually inquired, "What did they bring?"

Two Arms brought out the items, "Several soul techniques and some peculiar fruits that are quite tasty, good as snacks. They call these fruits 'Infant Soul Fruits.'"

Chu Xuan glanced at them. These so-called Infant Soul Fruits carried a heavy Yin Qi, beneficial for ghost soldiers and generals, but had minimal effect on ghost commanders.

For a Ghost King, relying on these fruits for strength was less effective than absorbing the Yin Evil Qi from the environment.

"These fruits are good. Plant some in the formation; perhaps their quality might improve," Chu Xuan commented nonchalantly.

"Yes," Two Arms nodded.

Chu Xuan glanced over the soul techniques, shaking his head repeatedly. They were all mid-level soul techniques, not a single high-level technique among them. Even these mid-level techniques were inferior to the Slaughter Faction's mid-level technique, the Spiraling Devour.

They were mostly trivial in Chu Xuan's eyes, hardly worth his attention. He wondered whether the Ascendant Faction truly lacked valuable offerings, or if they were holding back their best items, unwilling to part with them.

"Four Arms, it's feeding time."

With a snap of his fingers, Chu Xuan summoned Four Arms from the Umbrella of Obscuration. The ghost king dove straight into the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Formation. After several days, Four Arms belched loudly, sticking half its head out of the formation with half a ghostly hand still in its mouth.

It whimpered pitifully.

Two Arms scratched his head, "Dad, Four Arms says it's too full."

Chu Xuan scoffed, "Even if it's full, it must eat."

"How can a Ghost King be too full to eat? Is that reasonable?" he added sternly.

Four Arms looked even more aggrieved but had no choice but to burrow back into the formation and continue devouring spirits. For the first time, it felt that eating could also be a torment.

While Four Arms was busy "eating," Chu Xuan took Two Arms for a stroll around the area. The landscape of Soul Star remained unchanged; devoid of any greenery, it was a land of pitch-black desolation. Every hundred kilometers or so, there was nothing but ruins that spoke of past glories. These remnants, like dead giants unable to decay, inherently repelled onlookers.

"I think this place should be renamed to Dark Soul Star," Chu Xuan mused internally.

...

In the City of Light.

Within a spacious palace, the petite queen of the Ascendant Faction paced back and forth, a hint of irritation in her eyes.

"Why does that man continually refuse to join the Ascendant Faction?" she wondered aloud. "Is it because the offerings I made were insufficient? I've already given him everything except high-level soul techniques and large Infant Soul Fruits. He thinks too highly of himself..."

With a cold huff, the queen dismissed the thought. The individual's soul strength was comparable to a Soul King but wasn't an actual Soul King. If he were a true Soul King, she would have sent people with high-level soul techniques and large Infant Soul Fruits without a second thought.

Chapter 194: Good Brothers Should Overeat Together!

At that moment, a maid approached the queen, bowing respectfully, "My queen, everything has been handled. We can evacuate now."The queen nodded, "Then let's go."

Shortly thereafter, the queen, her guards, and three Ascendant Faction squads quietly left, heading to another underground city. The other residents of the Ascendant Faction were abandoned there.

Among those evacuating were Yun Qi, Zhao Sheng, and Ma Nanshan. Yun Qi, looking back at the underground city where he had lived for over a decade, couldn't help but sigh.

Zhao Sheng commented calmly, "Captain, I remember you had the same expression when we evacuated from Dawn City last time."

Yun Qi gave a bitter smile. It was hard to accept. "People are made of flesh and blood."

He sighed, "I know their memories are backed up by the queen and can be regenerated in the new underground city with sufficient resources, but still..."

Ma Nanshan patted his shoulder, "Captain Yun, life is full of departures and farewells. I've experienced this many times on Pegasus Star."

"Not to mention the tyrannical Golden Horse Empire on Pegasus Star, which killed my father, two uncles, my older brother, my second brother..." Ma Nanshan said determinedly, "As long as we maintain a vengeful heart, we can rise again! The sacrifices made by the Ascendant Faction today will be repaid a hundredfold on the Slaughter Faction tomorrow!"

Yun Qi shivered, "What happened to the royal family of the Golden Horse Empire?"

Ma Nanshan waved his hand, "Of course, I wiped them out. That cruel and unjust royal family deserved to die! The Golden Horse Empire is now gone, broken into several federations."

Suddenly remembering something, Ma Nanshan quickly asked, "Captain Yun, you said you're also from Pegasus Star, what did you used to do?"

Yun Qi coughed, "I was..."

Zhao Sheng glanced at him and took over, "Captain Yun used to be part of a small merchant family in the Golden Horse Empire, dealing in horses."

Ma Nanshan was surprised and promptly gave a thumbs up, "Dealing in horses? That's a big business! And what about you, Zhao Sheng?"

Zhao Sheng thought for a moment, "I... dealt in horse feed."

Ma Nanshan clicked his tongue in admiration, "Both of you come from good families! Not like me, starting life as a prisoner's son."

Yun Qi and Zhao Sheng exchanged a look and silently shut their mouths. Perhaps it was best not to discuss Pegasus Star with Ma Nanshan anymore. The more they said, the more mistakes could be made.

Yun Qi smacked his lips, thankful he was just an easy-going minor prince of the Golden Horse Empire and not a direct royal. Otherwise, considering Ma Nanshan's recent remark, they might have ended up in a serious disagreement.

"By the way... why are we evacuating this time?" Ma Nanshan scratched his head. "I was just eating when suddenly we had to leave."

Zhao Sheng replied calmly, "A scout from the Slaughter Faction discovered the City of Light. He is under the command of the Black Crow Spectre King. Without a doubt, the Black Crow Spectre King and his spectre followers must be on their way to the City of Light now."

Ma Nanshan nodded in realization, "Then it's definitely time to run."

Although he had only recently arrived at the City of Light, he understood that the Ascendant Faction was no match for the Slaughter Faction in terms of power. Retreating was clearly the best strategy for the moment.

On the surface, Chu Xuan and Two Arms were idly wandering when they suddenly noticed a large, dark cloud approaching from the distance. Upon closer inspection, this was no ordinary cloud but a massive swarm of spirits!

The leader of the spirits, notably larger and more menacing than the others, originally headed east but shifted course upon spotting Chu Xuan and Two Arms.

The leading spirit's eyes lit up, and it immediately led its followers straight towards Chu Xuan. Two Arms exclaimed with excitement, "Father, judging by its size, that leading spirit must be a Spectre King!"

Chu Xuan's interest was piqued. A Spectre King, a being second only to the Great Spectre King, was roughly equivalent to the soul level of an early-stage Golden Core cultivator. If Two Arms could devour one, his level might surge significantly.

"It seems the Ghost King foretold by your divination came true," Chu Xuan said with a smile, his spirit bolstered.

At that moment, the swarm of ghostly spirits, like locusts, rapidly closed in. The leading Spectre King cackled loudly, "I never expected to encounter such a substantial soul here. Good! Devouring you will allow me to ascend to a third-level Spectre King!"

"My minions, attack!" commanded the Spectre King, waving his hand.

The horde of spirits swarmed forward, seemingly intent on tearing Chu Xuan to shreds instantly. Facing the overwhelming assault, Chu Xuan simply smiled faintly. His consciousness suddenly coalesced into a Spiraling Devour.

Whirring!

The invisible spiral drilled forward, instantly shredding all spirits in its path. Their souls were quickly absorbed by the spiral, nourishing Chu Xuan's own spirit. The influx of cold, foreign souls gave him an almost ethereal sensation.

He clicked his tongue in amazement. The Spiraling Devour was truly formidable, an undervalued mid-level soul technique. If he had to rate it, Chu Xuan would consider it the strongest technique just below the high-level soul techniques.

Seeing this, the Ghost King's expression darkened. "How do you know this technique? Are you also a Spectre King from our Slaughter Faction? I am the Black Crow Spectre King!" he declared. "Who are you? State your name!"

Chu Xuan chuckled dismissively and casually said, "Two Arms, he's yours."

Two Arms grinned broadly, "Got it!" He immediately lunged towards the Black Crow Spectre King, his soul body swelling rapidly during the charge. In the blink of an eye, he matched the Black Crow Spectre King in stature.

The Black Crow Spectre King's eyes widened in shock. Two Spectre Kings?! He quickly deployed a defensive soul technique, forming hard walls around him. He shouted, "We are both Spectre Kings of the Slaughter Faction! There's no need to fight! We are all children of the Great Slaughter King!"

Two Arms chuckled sinisterly, "My father and I are not children of any Great Slaughter King. You've got the wrong idea." He flung his divination plate, which instantly expanded and hurtled towards the Black Crow Spectre King.

Bang!

The first strike shattered one of the walls. The second not only broke through another wall but also punched a massive hole in the Black Crow Spectre King's chest. The third blow smashed him into pieces.

The remnants of the Black Crow Spectre King tried to flee, but the spoon on the divination plate flew out and pinned him to the ground on the spot.

As Two Arms loomed closer, mouth agape, the Black Crow Spectre King screamed in terror, "Don't... don't come any closer!"

Howl!

With one gulp, Two Arms swallowed him whole. He methodically devoured the remaining parts of the Black Crow Spectre King, leaving nothing behind in mere moments.

Chu Xuan scanned with his spiritual sense and noticed that Two Arms was showing signs of advancing to a Ghost King. He nodded in satisfaction, gathered Two Arms, and returned to the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Array, throwing him back into it.

Four Arms cried tears of joy.

Finally, someone to share the burden of eating. Good brothers should overeat together!

Chapter 195: Time to Send You to The West

Months later, Chu Xuan looked at the two Ghost Kings by his side and smiled with satisfaction. While others struggled daily to find souls to sustain their ghosts, he had an entire planet's worth of spirits at his disposal.

Having a planet as a resource for spirits was indeed luxurious. Even if the quality of these spirits was slightly inferior, their sheer quantity was more than sufficient. Moreover, ordinary spirits were akin to ghost soldiers, stronger spirits to ghost generals, and spectre kings were like ghost commanders. The quality wasn't that far off.

"Very well, with two Ghost Kings at hand, even mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators are no match for me," Chu Xuan mused. "It's time to return to the extraterritorial battlefield."

...

Back in Righteous Dao City, as Chu Xuan emerged from his third-tier cave dwelling and strolled around, he sensed an odd atmosphere.

"Huh? The mood in the city is a bit eerie."

His brow furrowed. He noticed several unfamiliar Golden Core cultivators in black and white robes who didn't seem to belong to any known faction.

"Unfamiliar faces..." Chu Xuan shook his head and contacted Duan Que via spiritual message.

Soon, Duan Que replied, "Fellow daoist Huikong, I am on the third floor of the Cloudy Tea House in a private room. Let's meet and talk."

Moments later, Chu Xuan met with Duan Que at the tea house. Upon seeing him, Duan Que sighed heavily.

"What's happened?" Chu Xuan asked, puzzled by his friend's demeanor.

Duan Que spoke in a hushed tone, "Fellow daoist Huikong, you've seen those strangers in black and white robes outside, right?"

"I have. Which faction do they belong to?" Chu Xuan inquired.

Duan Que gave a bitter smile. "They're from the Reincarnation Divine Church..."

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow in surprise. The Reincarnation Divine Church was a sixth-tier cultivation sect, a powerhouse. Why would they stoop to scrambling for resources with smaller sects?

However, Chu Xuan quickly understood. Although a sixth-tier sect, the Reincarnation Divine Church also had many cultivators stuck at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages.

Naturally, the emergence of a divine cave with resources capable of advancement like Deity Nurturing Elixir and Soul Breaking Spike would attract their attention.

However, since the Reincarnation Divine Church was a higher-tier sect than the likes of Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, the Majestic Sword Sect, and the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, their cultivators would undoubtedly be more powerful. The direct involvement of the Reincarnation Divine Church's cultivators seemed like an act of bullying the weak.

"Have you ever encountered any of the Reincarnation Divine Church's Nascent Soul cultivators, Benefactor Duan?" Chu Xuan asked casually.

Duan Que nodded, "Yes, I've met one named Yun Zhongyu. He is a prodigy among the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Reincarnation Divine Church, achieving Golden Core at the age of one hundred twenty and Nascent Soul at three hundred. His future is boundless. The other cultivators from the Reincarnation Divine Church generally maintain some dignity and do not compete with fifth-level sects for resources."

As he spoke, Duan Que couldn't help but let out a wry smile, "However, this Yun Zhongyu is notorious for using all means at his disposal. He has ventured into the hazardous battlefields more than once, seizing resources from lower-level sects."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. The extraterritorial battlefields were divided into hazardous, perilous, and extreme levels based on the danger they presented.

Only Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators were permitted into hazardous battlefields to clear out ancient beast remnants. Deity Transformation beings were forbidden entry as their overwhelming power could destabilize these battlefields, potentially leading to their premature collapse.

The rest of the Reincarnation Divine Church's cultivators, relying on their status, had never descended to the hazardous realms to claim their share of the spoils. Yun Zhongyu's willingness to shed his pride, coupled with his impressive talent, explained his rapid advancement in cultivation.

"As for those Golden Core cultivators of the Reincarnation Divine Church, most are followers of Yun Zhongyu, all eager to partake in the treasures of the Deity Transformation being's cave," Duan Que continued with a long sigh. "It seems they prefer to wait and capitalize on others' efforts."

Duan Que sighed again, his concern apparent. "I wonder how our Duan family cultivators are faring inside the cave. The situation inside the city has been communicated to them via spiritual message. It remains to be seen if they can hear it."

Most caves of Deity Transformation powers possessed the ability to block sound, Chu Xuan reasoned. Those inside would likely learn of the happenings in Righteous Dao City only after exiting, by which time it might be too late.

Yun Zhongyu, with his disregard for face, attacking lower-level sects in a perilous realm, would unlikely waste words. More likely, he would exterminate all who emerged from the cave and claim all treasures for himself.

Fortunate for himself, Chu Xuan mused, to possess two ghost kings equivalent in power to Nascent Soul cultivators. Otherwise, with his mere eighth layer Golden Core cultivation, he would stand no chance in the upcoming opportunities.

The backing of two resource-rich planets truly made a formidable edge.

As Duan Que took a sip of tea, he suddenly remembered something and lowered his voice again, "Fellow daoist Huikong, I've heard that the two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple stationed in the city are investigating you. They might be planning to make a move soon."

Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle.

'Well, I haven't even made my move yet, and here they are, delivering themselves to my doorstep.'

"Dragon Buddha above, this humble monk harbors no enmity with any soul, yet the Celestial Sound Zen Temple presses upon us so fiercely... should there be no other choice, I have to, alas, break my vow of non-violence."

Chu Xuan clasped his hands in prayer, chanting the sacred Buddha's name solemnly.

Duan Que raised an eyebrow, "Fellow daoist Huikong, can you really overcome them?"

With a face full of devout confidence, Chu Xuan proclaimed, "The Dragon Buddha worshiped at my Golden Dragon Temple surpasses the Celestial Sound Buddha in might. I believe that when the time comes, the Dragon Buddha will surely aid me!"

Duan Que smacked his lips thoughtfully and pulled a demon charm from his storage bag, placing it into Chu Xuan's palm. With seriousness, he said, "Fellow daoist Huikong, I don't have many friends, but you are certainly one. I don't have much to offer for protection; this was bought from a demonic cultivator's stall. I'll give you one Though the charm is sinister, it's merely a tool. The sin lies with the maker, not the user. Do not worry, Fellow Daoist Huikong."

Chu Xuan's eyebrows twitched. Suddenly, he remembered the year Liu Zhenxiong had also secretly handed him a demon charm. At this moment, it felt just like that time.

Chu Xuan sighed softly, "Thank you."

With that, he rose and departed.

Watching his retreating figure, Duan Que felt a sudden enigma enveloping the monk from the Golden Dragon Temple.

What was Huikong sighing about in that instant? Was it because of the demon charm he had handed over? Or something else?

Duan Que couldn't tell.

...

In the city of Righteous Dao, another month passed.

The treasures buried deep within the Great Chasm glowed for several days without dispersing. It seemed that the Deity Transformation cave was about to open again.

Chu Xuan, as usual, roamed the city. He had been wandering for many days now, wary lest the monks from Celestial Sound Zen Temple would not make a move. Such direct baiting tactics finally proved irresistible.

In a narrow alley, Chu Xuan suddenly noticed a figure clad in a monk's robe ahead. Looking behind, another robed figure blocked his path.

"Huikong of the Golden Dragon Temple, it's time to send you to the west—permanently!"

The two figures sneered in unison.

Chu Xuan smiled. A smile so broad, it filled the alley.

Chapter 196: It Was You Who Forced Me

Chu Xuan suddenly burst into laughter, startling the two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple.

Yuanzhi sneered, "Laughing at the brink of death, what's so funny?"

Yuanyi let out a sinister chuckle, "He must know he's doomed. Might as well laugh a bit more before dying!"

Both monks looked at Chu Xuan as if he were already a dead man.

"Huikong, it's unfortunate that you worship the Dragon Buddha—our Celestial Sound Zen Temple has always despised foreign Buddhas!" Yuanzhi scoffed.

Without hesitation, the two monks attacked Chu Xuan simultaneously from front and back.

Yuanzhi swung a steel ring aimed directly at Chu Xuan's head, while Yuanyi threw a monk's knife, piercing Chu Xuan's heart!

In their minds, Huikong, who was only at the early stages of Golden Core cultivation, stood no chance against them.

Fending off one magical treasure was plausible, but two was sheer folly!

"Dragon Buddha above! Today, even I must break my vow of non-killing," Chu Xuan sighed deeply. "It was you who forced my hand."

With those words, he gestured with his hand, and a colossal umbrella that obscured the sky suddenly appeared.

A dark four-arm shadow burst forth from under the umbrella.

Clang, clang!

The two magic treasures fell to the ground, their light completely extinguished.

Yuanzhi and Yuanyi hadn't even recovered from their shock when a trident and a ring pommel saber viciously slashed toward them. In an instant, their souls were pierced and shattered!

The four-arms figure opened its massive mouth and devoured their souls right there.

The expression on its face was complex.

So delicious. But no more could be eaten.

With a casual gesture, Chu Xuan collected the corpses into the corpse tower, securing his storage bag at his waist.

When he emerged from the alley once more, he had transformed back into Huikong, the high monk of the Golden Dragon Temple, revered for his boundless merit.

"The Dragon Buddha is truly awesome," Chu Xuan intoned, a slight smile on his face.

Now that the monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple had acted against him, it signaled that the opening of the Deity Transformation cave was imminent. The ultimate chaos was about to descend!

Within the city, many were probably waiting for that moment to arrive.

Several days later, at night, the ground suddenly began to tremble violently. The disturbance was so pronounced that even the cultivators within the Righteous Dao City felt it clearly. The city's defensive array shook fiercely, nearly sustaining damage.

All the cultivators ascended to the city walls, gazing in the direction of the Great Chasm. Indeed, there was a radiance shooting into the sky from that direction, illuminating the surroundings as if it were daylight. On the dark land in the distance, numerous shadows writhed, seemingly alerted by the noise and swiftly approaching.

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue. It truly was a case of misfortunes never coming singly. The Deity Transformation cave had opened during the night. Swarms of Nether Crocodiles were already rushing towards them. This night was destined to be one of death.

Most Golden Core cultivators lacked the means to deal with the Nether Crocodiles. If surrounded by a large number of these beasts, they were likely headed for certain death.

However, Chu Xuan was different. His Yin Thunder Seeds could inflict damage on the Nether Crocodiles. A massive barrage of these bombs could blast open a path.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Several figures suddenly flew out of the Righteous Dao City, heading towards the Great Chasm. Shortly afterward, another dozen figures followed. Those daring to leave the city at night were either Nascent Soul cultivators or extremely confident Golden Core cultivators.

Chu Xuan glanced over and noticed that the leaders were clad in black and white Daoist robes, clearly cultivators from the Reincarnation Divine Church like Yun Zhongyu.

The second group to leave the city were monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple and cultivators from the Majestic Sword Sect, evidently going to rendezvous with their comrades.

Disguised, Chu Xuan mingled with the third group of cultivators leaving the city, quietly slipping out.

Moments later, at the Great Chasm.

The cultivators occupied various positions, looking down upon the dark chasm from high vantage points. The spot claimed by Yun Zhongyu and other Reincarnation Divine Church cultivators was prime, offering an unobstructed view of the entrance to the Deity Transformation cave. Should anyone emerge from the cave, they could spot them immediately and contest for the treasures.

No one else dared to stand close to Yun Zhongyu and the other Nascent Soul cultivators.

Chu Xuan did not approach Yun Zhongyu either. Instead, he found a remote spot to observe the Great Chasm from a distance, waiting quietly. In such a massive melee, victory did not necessarily belong to those who stood closest or struck fastest. It depended on who could hold out the longest.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Time dripped away second by second. Each breath now seemed exceedingly prolonged. Every cultivator clenched their magic treasures tightly, their eyes fixed on the dark abyss of the Great Chasm.

For many, this was their only chance. Missing it might mean never having another shot at reaching the Nascent Soul stage—a step that could extend one's life by five hundred years. After all, isn't the pursuit of cultivation about seeking eternal life, to exist as long as the heavens?

Boom!

At a certain moment, the dark entrance to the Deity Transformation cave suddenly burst open! A figure who had been waiting for a long time dashed out, his face brimming with joy, clearly having reaped a great harvest within the cave.

However, just as he took a few steps from the entrance, a chilly green light shot out from inside, piercing his heart in an instant.

Another figure from within the cave swiftly advanced, snatching the fallen cultivator's storage bag and preparing to use an escape technique to flee. But as he looked up, he saw figures looming on both sides of the Great Chasm. A chill ran down his spine.

"I'll take the treasures, and you can leave your life behind!" a cold voice called out.

A massive hand slammed down with a thunderous crash, reducing the man to a pulp. His storage bag was then pulled through the air, landing in the hands of Yun Zhongyu.

When a Nascent Soul powerhouse strikes, it is overwhelmingly domineering—one blow was all it took to obliterate a Golden Core cultivator!

The surrounding Golden Core cultivators, who had been hoping to pick up any leftovers, trembled with fear, not daring to even glance at Yun Zhongyu.

Chu Xuan remained patient, continuing to wait. The initial Golden Core cultivators to emerge from the cave were merely the beginning. The real spectacle involved the Nascent Soul cultivators from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, Majestic Sword Sect, and Celestial Sound Zen Temple, as well as elder ancestors from the Duan, Lei, Bai, and Qin families, including some pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivators. They were the formidable ones likely to have secured the most valuable treasures within the cave.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Another seven or eight Golden Core cultivators burst out of the cave in quick succession. Yun Zhongyu managed to kill only two of them. The other five, likely anticipating an ambush outside, had used a costly blood escape technique the moment they emerged, quickly creating distance.

Cultivators who had been waiting along the sides of the Great Chasm immediately charged to intercept them.

Bang, bang, bang!

Magic treasures clanged chaotically. Spells flew wildly in all directions. This dark night turned as lively as a bustling marketplace.

"Uncle master, shouldn't we deal with those people?" a disciple of the Reincarnation Divine Church asked quietly.

Yun Zhongyu responded indifferently, "No need to bother with those minor pests. It's the items from those Nascent Soul cultivators that I truly need."

"Yes," the disciples of the Reincarnation Divine Church nodded gravely, continuing to wait.

Whoosh! Suddenly, a thick bolt of lightning streaked out from the cave, followed by several smaller bolts. It was the Lei family's Nascent Soul elder and their Golden Core cultivators!

Yun Zhongyu's eyes brightened, "Attack now!"

Chapter 197: The Elixir Indeed Has a Predestined Connection with Our Buddha

Yun Zhongyu didn't hesitate and swiftly dashed forward. With a wave of his hand, a vast expanse of vapor condensed into a colossal water dragon that roared toward the Lei family's elder.

The elder, having anticipated an ambush outside the cave, scoffed coldly and promptly activated his defensive magic. Layers of sharp metallic energy formed a huge shield before him.

However, when the water dragon struck the shield, the immense force caused the elder's expression to change drastically.

Boom!

The shield of sharp metal was utterly shattered on impact. Although the water dragon had spent two-thirds of its strength, the remaining third slammed solidly into the Lei family elder. A flash of light at his chest shattered with a crack, and his body was flung into the dark night.

Yun Zhongyu snorted coldly, leaving a command as he pursued further, "Handle them here. Leave none of the Golden Core cultivators from the five great powers alive."

"Yes!" responded the Golden Core cultivators of the Reincarnation Divine Church in unison.

In the deep darkness of the night, flashes of light from the battle between Nascent Soul cultivators flickered.

The Lei family elder grunted painfully, his voice filled with disbelief, "Yun Zhongyu! You, a Nascent Soul elder of the Reincarnation Divine Church, dare to stoop to such a lower level battlefield. Aren't you ashamed?"

Yun Zhongyu replied with a cold laugh, "Ashamed? When I achieve Deity Transformation, who will dare utter a single word against me?"

Boom, boom, boom!

Powerful spells clashed fiercely. From the intensity, it was clear that the Lei family elder had tapped into the essence of his Nascent Soul. Once one resorts to using the Nascent Soul's essence, it means a fight to the death!

At that moment, several more figures shot out of the cave, and their escape speeds extremely fast, obviously Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Shangguan Hao! Wei Ji! Hand over the Deity Nurturing Elixir to me!" demanded Duan Xiu, the elder ancestor of the Duan family, his expression dark, "I saw it first!"

"Esteemed benefactors," interjected a high monk from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, Miaoxin, his eyes reflecting a compassionate demeanor, "the Deity Nurturing Elixir, a spirit item for Deity Transformation, has a predestined connection with our monastery. Those without this destiny should not take it away."

Wei Ji, a Nascent Soul cultivator from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, let out a sinister chuckle, "The Deity Nurturing Elixir is for those who find it; I merely took my share."

"Shangguan Hao took much more; go after him," he pointed out as he headed east, while Shangguan Hao went west.

Duan Xiu and Miaoxin exchanged glances, each pursuing their chosen targets with resolve.

Suddenly, two pseudo-Nascent Soul stage cultivators burst out: Bai Changyuan from the Bai family and Qin Huan from the Qin family. Both were covered in wounds, their robes stained with blood.

Qin Huan, his fury peaking, roared, "Bai Changyuan, you've killed my descendants. I swear to annihilate your entire lineage!"

With that, he fled towards the Righteous Dao City.

Bai Changyuan let out a cold laugh, "Qin Huan, it's either your demise or mine today! The fall of the Qin family begins tonight!" He promptly gave chase.

The two continued to fight as they retreated into the deep night, moving away from the main battle.

Meanwhile, the Golden Core cultivators who had emerged from the Deity Transformation cave were now entangled in fierce combat with those stationed on the sides of the Great Chasm.

The scene was utter chaos. Friendships turned sour, brothers became enemies, and even fathers and sons were pitted against each other. Under the influence of their desires, the true nature of people unraveled layer by layer, like an onion, fully exposed to everyone.

Chu Xuan remained uninvolved in the direct conflict. He lingered on the edge of the Great Chasm, seizing any opportunity to intervene—but not to mediate. His interventions were physical, directly tossing offenders into his Corpse Nurturing Tower after a brief altercation.

From this scavenging, Chu Xuan managed to secure seven storage bags, though their contents were mediocre. These individuals had probably not ventured deep into the cave and had hurried out as soon as it reopened.

"It seems I need to intervene in a Nascent Soul fight to find anything worthwhile," Chu Xuan thought, turning his attention to Bai Changyuan and Qin Huan.

He noticed something odd about the duo. They appeared to be fighting fiercely, but in reality, they were merely putting on a show—fighting while retreating, seemingly eager to return to the Righteous Dao City.

Chu Xuan wasn't the only one to notice. Yuanming of the Celestial Sound Zen Temple also sensed something amiss and quickly communicated his suspicions to the high monk Miaoxin.

Miaoxin pondered briefly, then abandoned his pursuit of the elusive Wei Ji, turning instead to chase after Bai Changyuan and Qin Huan. Compared to other Nascent Soul cultivators, these two Pseudo-Infants seemed easier targets.

During their earlier skirmish within the cave, he had felt that their behavior was suspicious. They seemed to be engaged in a deadly battle, blood flying and secret techniques frequently deployed, yet there was no clear outcome.

Initially, Miaoxin thought it might just be a trivial skirmish. Now, he suspected that the duo might have obtained a significant treasure and were staging their fights as a retreat strategy.

If they managed to return to the city and utilize its defensive formations, it would be too late to intervene.

As Miaoxin propelled himself with his fastest escape technique toward Bai Changyuan and Qin Huan, the latter two were in the midst of a revealing conversation.

"Heh heh, no one would guess that we're just putting on a show," Bai Changyuan chuckled softly.

Qin Huan shook his head, cautioning, "We should still be careful. Our constant fighting in the cave might have drawn some attention."

Bai Changyuan nodded in agreement, then expressed with a sigh, "The real treasure of the Deity Transformation cave isn't the Deity Nurturing Elixir or the Soul-Breaking Spike, but these two pieces of miraculous jade!"

"If I'm not mistaken, once fully refined, they will surely form an innate spirit body!" he speculated.

Qin Huan also nodded somberly, "Indeed, with this jade, our families will surely be able to nurture a Nascent Soul cultivator in the future."

"Our family's revitalization is in sight!" The two exchanged a look, seeing the joy in each other's eyes. They were both near the end of their lifespans and had reached the limits of their potential. Such treasures would naturally not be wasted on themselves—that would be a squander.

If used on a family descendant with excellent spiritual roots, within three hundred years, they could definitely cultivate a Nascent Soul cultivator. Even in death, they would rest easy knowing this.

Their reason for cooperating was simple. Their competitors were all Nascent Soul cultivators, and there were surely others lying in wait outside the cave. As mere False Nascent Soul, their chances of escaping with the miraculous jade were slim. Thus, deception was their chosen strategy, planned even before entering the cave.

While they were pleased with their plan, a voice suddenly interrupted their satisfaction.

"Why are esteemed cultivators so joyful? Might you share your joy with this humble monk? Could it be that you have something on you that is destined for our Celestial Sound Zen Temple?"

Miaoxin emerged from the misty darkness, appearing before them.

His muscular physique made his loose kasaya look like a tight garment. Bai Changyuan and Qin Huan, who had been laughing moments before, suddenly turned pale with shock. They couldn't believe that their act had been seen through.

"This monk senses that the esteemed cultivators indeed possess something destined for our Buddha," Miaoxin said, his smile broadening. "Please leave it behind. The Buddha is merciful; it won't be painful."

As his words faded, two shadows suddenly swept from his body. His kasaya, like a dark cloud, enveloped Bai Changyuan while thirty-six prayer beads, like steel balls charged with lightning, targeted Qin Huan's vital points. Unseen on the ground, additional shadows crept stealthily forward, adding to the ambush.

Chapter 198: My Virtue is Immense

Moments later, Bai Changyuan's eyes bulged grotesquely like those of a goldfish, and he died, blood streaming from all his orifices.

Qin Huan's chest was pierced by Miaoxin's fist, blood pouring out like a fountain. Clutching at Miaoxin's fist, blood spewed from his mouth as he gasped, "Monks of the Celestial Sound Zen Temple... why... do you also harbor ghosts..."

Miaoxin casually tore off Qin Huan's arm, his expression unchanging, "I am not harboring ghosts; I am liberating them. If I do not, demonic cultivators will eventually discover this being and capture it, and a formidable demon would then arise in this world. My actions are righteous and meritorious."

Thud.

Qin Huan's lifeless body hit the ground, and his soul was cleanly devoured by the ghost infant cultivated by Miaoxin.

"Return," Miaoxin commanded casually.

The ferocious ghost infant seemed eager to consume more, almost as if it wanted to break free from his control.

Miaoxin's brows furrowed as he murmured an incantation under his breath. The ghost infant immediately began to squeal miserably, but ultimately, it obediently returned to his sleeve.

"Good child, there will be more souls for you to consume shortly, be patient," Miaoxin said, his rough fingers gently caressing the ghost infant's head.

Suddenly, the ghost infant fixed its gaze in a specific direction. Miaoxin raised his thick eyebrows and turned around, "Who's there? Why skulk in the shadows?"

A figure emerged from the darkness—Chu Xuan.

He observed the ghost infant in Miaoxin's sleeve and smiled slightly, "Huikong from the Golden Dragon Temple, I have long admired Master Miaoxin's renown."

Miaoxin sized up Chu Xuan and said flatly, "Golden Dragon Temple? I remember now, you are the one Yuanming mentioned."

Chu Xuan smiled faintly.

Miaoxin remained calm, "You not only don't flee but also show yourself before me. What makes you so confident?"

Chu Xuan laughed heartily, "No particular reason, I just wish to request something from Master Miaoxin."

"What is it?" Miaoxin asked.

"Your life."

As the words fell, the two struck out at the same time.

The sounds fell from Miaoxin's mouth, forming intricate Sanskrit Buddha characters. This is a unique method of the Celestial Sound Zen Temple.

Miaoxin was uncertain of how long Chu Xuan had been watching from the shadows. He had utilized his kasaya and prayer beads earlier, leaving his sound wave magic as the yet unseen technique.

However, he was not overly concerned about Huikong; as Yuanming had informed him, Huikong of the Golden Dragon Temple was merely a minor Golden Core cultivator.

Besides a layer of merit wheel, he seemed unremarkable. Miaoxin thought he could spare Huikong's life temporarily, erasing his merits before eventually executing him, thereby reducing the backlash of negative karma he would face. The Celestial Sound Zen Temple had numerous methods to silently diminish one's merits.

As the sound waves burst forth, the ghost infant also suddenly swept out, aiming for Chu Xuan's groin like a bat skimming the ground.

However, as it neared Chu Xuan's feet, a ferocious and strong hand suddenly appeared, grabbing the ghost infant by the throat. With a fierce tear, the ghost infant was ripped in two, then stuffed into a gaping maw, and chewed with satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the sonic wave attack Miaoxin had launched had not yet reached Chu Xuan, as it was intercepted by four sinister ghost artifacts.

Miaoxin stared, disbelieving, "Two Ghost Kings!"

Wasn't Huikong supposed to be a Golden Core monk like him? How could he possibly have nurtured two Ghost Kings? Wasn't he afraid of being devoured by them?

"Kill," Chu Xuan said nonchalantly.

"Woof woof!" responded the four-armed ghost king.

"Alright!" replied the two-armed one.

The two Ghost Kings swiftly moved into action, while a total of five ghost instruments hammered down on Miaoxin.

Miaoxin's pupils shrank. Instinctively, he deployed a defensive spell. A golden shield formed of light suddenly appeared but was instantly shattered by the ghost instruments' assault.

Even though his merits had the power to counteract yin evil spirits, they could not withstand a full-force attack from two Ghost Kings, especially when combined with five lifebound ghost artifacts.

Crack!

The golden light shattered, and Miaoxin was blown back, blood spraying in mid-air. Filled with terror, he hesitated no further and attempted to flee using his Nascent Soul, which sparkled with golden light and was surrounded by a merit wheel.

"Thinking of escaping?" Chu Xuan scoffed coldly.

He pointed his finger, and Four Arms and Two Arms charged fiercely toward Miaoxin.

As the two ghost kings swiftly blocked Miaoxin's Nascent Soul from escaping, the little soul pleaded in panic, "Don't kill me, I have accrued a lot of merit, killing me will bring you great karmic retribution!"

Chu Xuan scoffed, "My merits are slightly greater than yours, I fear no retribution."

With a crisp snap, the Nascent Soul was torn in two, each half gulped down by Four Arms and Two Arms ghost kings. Two Arms seemed to relish the feast, while Four Arms ate with some reluctance.

Chu Xuan frowned as he watched.

"Damn it. Even eating a Nascent Soul seems to distress you. What use are you!" He thought, deciding to keep using them for now, nonetheless.

Casually, Chu Xuan collected Miaoxin's corpse into his Corpse Nurturing Tower and took the storage bag, preparing to vanish from the scene.

"Huh? More from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple coming? Perfect, I'll send them all to meet their Buddha."

Chu Xuan sneered as Yuanming and two other monks arrived, having heard Miaoxin's distress call and coming to assist their uncle master. However, upon arriving, they found only signs of a battle and bloodstains—neither Miaoxin nor Bai Changyuan and Qin Huan were anywhere to be seen.

"What are you looking at?" a voice suddenly rang out behind them.

Yuanming and his companions whirled around to face the newcomer—an unexpected figure. Huikong from the Golden Dragon Temple!

Yuanming's brow furrowed instinctively. Something felt very off. The other two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, however, didn't share this feeling and looked at Chu Xuan with derision.

"Golden Dragon Temple's Huikong? You're still alive?" one taunted.

"Pfft, looks like you've been hiding in the cave all this time, avoiding Yuanzhi and Yuanyi's attack," the other mocked.

"Now you've walked right into our arms. You're really seeking death," they jeered. "That thing you worship, what's it called, the Dragon Buddha? We'll send you to meet him!"

The unease in Yuanming's heart deepened. He couldn't help but ask, "Where's our uncle master?"

Chu Xuan grinned broadly, lifting the Corpse Nurturing Tower, "He's inside, waiting for you."

Yuanming's heart raced, and he instinctively stepped back. "Junior brothers, retreat! Something's wrong with this one!"

But as he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye, he saw a massive ghostly shadow yank the souls right out of his junior brothers' bodies!

Yuanming tried to flee, only to feel himself becoming ethereal. Looking down, he saw a grotesque, bald figure standing on the ground—it was his own body! His last thought vanished as he too was swiftly turned into hundreds of pieces and consumed by Two Arms.

After slaying Miaoxin and Yuanming among others, Chu Xuan felt no backlash of negative karma. Upon introspecting, he found his three layers of merit wheels still intact. "It seems the merit wheels don't just add up; they multiply exponentially... Killing two with a single layer of merit wheels is nothing to me."

Chu Xuan smacked his lips. He recalled Four Arms and the Two Arms, disappearing back into the dark night.

The hunt was far from over.

Chapter 199: Acquired Miraculous Jade

The deaths of Miaoxin, Yuanming, and others did not cause even a ripple in the long, dark night. After all, in such pitch darkness, who could see anything? How could anyone know that a Nascent Soul cultivator had fallen?

At most, someone might suddenly realize, "Huh? Why have the people from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple suddenly disappeared?"

Meanwhile, other battles continued elsewhere.

Duan Xiu, the elder of the Duan family, pursued Shangguan Hao but ended up severely injured by him and was forced to flee. Hindered by a group of Nether Crocodiles, Shangguan Hao also had to give up the chase.

Miaoxin had initially pursued Wei Ji but then chose to chase Bai Changyuan and Qin Huan instead, a decision that ultimately led to his death by Chu Xuan's hand.

Wei Ji, after making a full circle, returned to the vicinity of the Great Chasm, now harboring thoughts against Yun Zhongyu. Though he had not seen Yun Zhongyu before, he recognized the black and white Daoist robes of the Reincarnation Divine Church.

Combining this with Yun Zhongyu's notorious reputation, Wei Ji could guess who was so brazen as to scavenge resources on such a dangerous battlefield.

"The Reincarnation Divine Church... they'll eventually target our Feather Transformation Heaven Palace anyway, might as well find an opportunity to kill him now," Wei Ji thought, his eyes gleaming cruelly as he watched two figures fighting in the distance.

He had learned from various cultivators in this extramundane battlefield about Spirit Feather True Master secretly hoarding the Turbid World Blue Lotus. The Reincarnation Divine Church had a reputation for ruthlessly killing a powerful Deity Transformation being just like that.

This ruthlessness deeply unsettled Wei Ji, who suspected that the Reincarnation Divine Church might already be covertly instigating lesser sects against the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace. For this reason, he wanted to strike first.

Yun Zhongyu was exceptionally talented and had experienced many fortuitous encounters. If Wei Ji could kill him and seize his treasures, his own prospects would be immensely bright.

However, after watching Yun Zhongyu battle Lei Mingyang, the elder from the Lei family, for just a short while, Wei Ji's expression changed. Yun Zhongyu's capabilities were formidable.

Lei Mingyang, a well-known Nascent Soul cultivator, was constantly under pressure from Yun Zhongyu. If not for Lei Mingyang's abundant life-saving treasures, he would probably have already been slain by Yun Zhongyu.

Swallowing hard, Wei Ji's initial ambition faded completely.

Plop!

As Lei Mingyang's Nascent Soul fled in terror, abandoning both his storage bag and body, Wei Ji's thoughts cleared completely. Having fought with Lei Mingyang inside the cave, he knew they were evenly matched.

"Perhaps I should find someone else to challenge."

Wei Ji gave a resigned smile as he began searching for Miaoxin, Bai Changyuan, and Qin Huan. Unbeknownst to him, all three had already perished.

"Hmph, these people are indeed cunning," he muttered to himself.

In the meantime, Yun Zhongyu casually dissipated the magic in his hand. His recent clash with Lei Mingyang had been immense, drawing many spectators. Naturally, many hoped to see both warriors grievously wounded, ready to swoop in and scavenge.

However, seeing Yun Zhongyu emerge almost unscathed and severely wound Lei Mingyang, forcing him to abandon his treasures and flee as a Nascent Soul, the onlookers swiftly curbed their greed. After all, a tiger at its peak and a dying tiger are entirely different prospects.

Catching Lei Mingyang's fleeing Nascent Soul might prove useful, but Yun Zhongyu dismissed the thought as he scanned Lei Mingyang's storage bag with his spiritual sense and was profoundly disappointed.

Others had misunderstood his goal; he was not after the Deity Nurturing Elixir. Being only at the mid-stage of Nascent Soul, he was still far from the late stage, with at least a hundred years left to slowly seek out the items necessary for Deity Transformation.

What he sought was the "Acquired Miraculous Jade" within the cave. Long before the cave's emergence, he had received intelligence about it and, after several covert verifications, had confirmed its existence.

The cave's master was a prodigious Deity Transformation cultivator from the Reincarnation Divine Church, two thousand years ago—a notorious renegade responsible for countless slaughters.

His greatest achievement was this Acquired Miraculous Jade. Essentially, he had extracted the innate spirit bodies from numerous uniquely talented cultivators and attempted to embed them in various spiritual objects of heaven and earth. Most of these attempts failed, but a few succeeded, resulting in the creation of the miraculous jade.

This formidable cultivator confided only in his closest junior brother, who was Yun Zhongyu's master, the revered True Master Tiancang.

After the cultivator's unexpected death in a conflict between the Reincarnation Divine Church and the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, the knowledge of the jade's existence became obscured.

True Master Tiancang, along with Yun Zhongyu, had searched for the cave on extramundane battlefields for many years, never succeeding in finding it. Over the years, True Master Tiancang had all but forgotten about it, but Yun Zhongyu still vividly remembered.

Unexpectedly, he discovered that the cave was hidden in this battlefield!

Why was the Acquired Miraculous Jade unparalleled in the world? If one's spiritual roots were compatible, refining and absorbing the jade could grant a corresponding postnatal spirit body. Even if the fit wasn't perfect, one might still acquire a weakened version of the postnatal spirit body!

Yun Zhongyu was indeed among the elite talents within the Reincarnation Divine Church, but he was not without peers. Above him, there were two others, known as the "Reincarnation Holy Children," a man and a woman who were the true chosen of the heavens.

In fifty years, the next selection for Holy Children would take place. To ascend to the ranks of the Holy Children, Yun Zhongyu knew he had to employ every method at his disposal. The postnatal spirit body represented the quickest and best strategy he could conceive.

"In this desperate hour, I must resort to this tactic," Yun Zhongyu clenched his teeth. He had secretly extracted the soul and blood of the prodigious cultivator's descendant, refining it into a special magic treasure.

His master had told him that when the prodigious cultivator had created the Acquired Miraculous Jade, he had also mixed his own essence blood into it.

Now that the cave had opened, someone must have acquired the Miraculous Jade. Using the descendant's blood soul as a guide might lead him to its whereabouts!

Yun Zhongyu produced a blood-red disc. On its surface was a pitch-black, blood-stained needle. Upon closer inspection, the needle was evidently crafted from polished white bone.

Wrapped around it were strands of essence blood and countless souls of the wronged. These were the souls and essence blood of three hundred sixty-two descendants of the prodigy.

"Seek!"

Yun Zhongyu formed an ancient seal with his hands and struck the blood-red disc. The needle immediately began to spin wildly, soon pointing in a specific direction.

Overjoyed, Yun Zhongyu swiftly dashed off, his intuition confirmed. Someone had indeed found the Acquired Miraculous Jade and taken it out!

In a blink, Yun Zhongyu had crossed to the other side of the Great Chasm. Wherever he passed, cultivators changed color and hurriedly dodged aside.

But Yun Zhongyu would not let anyone obstruct his path. Any cultivator standing in his way was instantly reduced to a pulp, their storage bags securely fastened to his waist as he passed.

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

The blood-red disc vibrated more intensely, amplifying Yun Zhongyu's joy. This meant he was very close to the person in possession of the jade.

"Who is it? Who?" Yun Zhongyu lifted the blood-red disc and scanned around. His gaze followed the needle's direction, ultimately fixing on a monk.

Chapter 200: A Good Place for You to Depart

The moment Yun Zhongyu saw Chu Xuan, Chu Xuan also spotted him.

"Die!"

Yun Zhongyu wasted no time, immediately activating a spell. A giant hand formed from condensed vapor lunged toward Chu Xuan.

In Yun Zhongyu's perception, his opponent was merely an early-stage Golden Core cultivator—an easy kill.

Chu Xuan's instincts screamed a warning. He recognized his opponent at first glance and was astonished that Yun Zhongyu would attack without a word. This efficiency was what surprised him most.

Faced with the swiftly approaching giant hand, Chu Xuan did not hesitate. He expended some of his accumulated merit to cast the Mahayana Swift Escape.

In an instant, his body vanished from the spot, reappearing more than ten zhang away. The water vapor hand grasped at empty air.

Yun Zhongyu's expression turned to one of surprise. In that instant, the monk had burst forth with a speed that rivaled even early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. This person indeed harbored secrets!

Interest piqued, Yun Zhongyu immediately gave chase. The surrounding cultivators were astounded to see a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Reincarnation Divine Church pursuing a Golden Core monk. Could there be some hidden secret? Their curiosity piqued, many turned their eyes toward the chase.

Yet, even as they watched, they knew full well the likely outcome. If Yun Zhongyu aimed to kill someone, that person was as good as dead. Even the Lei family's patriarch had only managed to escape by abandoning his Nascent Soul and storage bag. How could a mere Golden Core cultivator withstand Yun Zhongyu's formidable ferocity?

Wei Ji, having circled the area, felt frustrated. What had happened to Miaoxin, Bai Changyuan, and Qin Huan? It was as if they had evaporated. Surely they couldn't have escaped back to the Righteous Dao City?

As Wei Ji pondered, he suddenly noticed Yun Zhongyu pursuing a monk. Raising an eyebrow, he too followed from a distance.

Shangguan Hao, who was also roaming the outskirts of the battlefield, hunting those Golden Core cultivators who had acquired treasures, noticed and followed as well.

Wan Wuying, Zhao Wuya, and Huang Yuanwu, hidden among the crowd, also observed this scene.

Zhao Wuya whispered, "I know of this monk; he calls himself Huikong, from the Golden Dragon Temple."

Wan Wuying was somewhat astonished, "Golden Dragon Temple... Huikong?"

He recalled being trapped by the Divine Star Sect's leader in the Misty Manor, where he was regularly bled to nourish fierce ghosts.

Huikong was the monk dispatched by the Golden Dragon Temple to guard the Misty Manor. Wasn't he already slain by Chu Xuan? How could he appear on the extraterritorial battlefield?

"It must be a false name, perhaps a Golden Core cultivator from the Southern Wilderness," Huang Yuanwu frowned, even he was not quite convinced by his own words.

They knew nearly all the Golden Core cultivators from the Southern Wilds. How could there still be someone who came to the extramundane battlefield claiming to be Huikong?

Wan Wuying's mind entertained a guess, but he dared not confirm it. After a moment of thought, he said earnestly, "The identity of this Huikong is a mystery. He's being pursued by Yun Zhongyu and faces a slim chance of survival. Let's not get involved."

Despite his suspicions, he was unwilling to gamble. They were merely Golden Core cultivators themselves; how could they possibly match a mid-stage Nascent Soul like Yun Zhongyu? They could only hope that this "Huikong" would find his own luck.

Zhao Wuya and Huang Yuanwu nodded repeatedly, fully aware of their own limits. Engaging in matters beyond their capabilities was something they were keen to avoid.

Chu Xuan and Yun Zhongyu continued to fight as they retreated, quickly moving into a desolate wasteland. Yun Zhongyu did not wish to reveal his trump cards, and neither did Chu Xuan.

Observing a tide of Nether Crocodiles approaching like a flood, Yun Zhongyu scoffed. "Do you plan to use the Nether Crocodiles to escape? You may not realize that for a Nascent Soul cultivator, Nether Crocodiles are hardly a challenge; they just require a bit more effort."

His spiritual sense was exceptionally strong, and he feared not the Nether Crocodiles. Even surrounded by hundreds of thousands, he could easily slaughter his way out.

Chu Xuan chuckled, "No, I've merely chosen a good place for your departure."

Yun Zhongyu was momentarily taken aback, then burst into laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. He, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, being threatened by a mere Golden Core monk was preposterous.

This little monk is audacious.

"Die then."

Yun Zhongyu's smile vanished as he gestured with his hand. The sky filled with water vapor, condensing into countless enormous droplets that descended like a deluge.

The Sky Ice Rain, a spell he had long been famous for, inflicted widespread damage. Even an opponent employing the essence of Nascent Soul might not escape. This sky of ice rain was meant not only to annihilate the Golden Core monk before him but also to kill a large group of Nether Crocodiles.

However, to his surprise, the monk's figure blurred once again. When he reappeared, he had astonishingly moved out of the ice rain's coverage, closing the distance to within twenty zhang!

"This level of evasion technique surpasses even False Nascent Soul cultivators. An ordinary Golden Core cultivator could not possibly master it—it must be a profoundly draining secret technique. Why can he use it repeatedly in such a short span?"

Yun Zhongyu was stunned. Yet, he instinctively unleashed a long sword wrapped in frost, slashing down in a deadly arc.

Chu Xuan extended his hand, summoning a string of purple beads that suddenly flew out and unfurled, intercepting the frosty sword's strike.

Clang!

The icy long sword chopped down. The string of beads wailed mournfully as they scattered across the ground, some even cleaved in two by the sword. But that had been enough. The distance between Chu Xuan and Yun Zhongyu had now closed to just five zhang—a perfect range for close-quarters combat.

Chu Xuan suddenly thrust out a punch.

Boom!

His fist honed through thirty layers of physical refinement, tore through the air, aiming straight for Yun Zhongyu's face. Yun Zhongyu quickly raised a defensive spell to block it.

Bang!

The defensive spell dimmed rapidly under the impact. He was taken aback. No wonder this man was so confident—he was a rare physical cultivator! And judging by his form, he must be at a high level of body refinement, possibly even at the thirtieth layer!

"Foolish move," Yun Zhongyu sneered. "Being so close, I can use my soul art to end your life in a single strike!"

Yun Zhongyu's spiritual sense formed an invisible giant hand, crashing towards Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan simply grinned. "Being this close, you've no chance to escape."

He gestured, and suddenly, an umbrella that could cover the sky appeared above him. Two enormous ghostly shadows burst forth, and five natal ghost artifacts viciously struck down.

Yun Zhongyu's soul attack was instantly blocked by the second ghostly figure's intervention. The figure merely grunted and staggered back a few zhang.

Meanwhile, the four ghost instruments wielded by the first figure smashed solidly onto Yun Zhongyu amidst his shocked gaze.

Bang!

A sound of unbearable pressure at the spiritual level immediately echoed in Yun Zhongyu's mind. His brain felt as if it were being trampled by countless giant elephants. Dizzy and unable to think clearly, his only coherent thought was an expletive.

'Damn! This Golden Core junior has actually summoned two Ghost Kings! Looks like I'm about to capsize in the gutter!'

Chapter 201: Merit Reversal! Sin Karma Saber!

Yun Zhongyu endured the severe pain in his head and spat out a large mouthful of Nascent Soul essence. His spiritual hand, grown vast in the wind, positioned itself defiantly before him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The four ghost artifacts were blocked by the spiritual hand. The spiritual hand struck fiercely once more, forcing Four Arms to retreat several zhang.

However, the spiritual hand dimmed on the spot and dissipated into nothingness.

Chu Xuan couldn't help but shake his head. The true prowess of a Nascent Soul cultivator lies in their Nascent Soul essence. Using Nascent Soul essence can unreasonably enhance the power of one's spells.

Yun Zhongyu had expended some of his Nascent Soul essence in his earlier duel with Lei Mingyang. And yet, he could still release such a significant amount. He truly is a prodigious figure from the Reincarnation Divine Sect.

Taking advantage of this brief respite to catch his breath, Yun Zhongyu immediately activated a golden rope, which whipped towards Chu Xuan, attempting to entangle him.

The Ghost King was indeed formidable. But killing the one who controlled the Ghost King would naturally break the control over the twin Ghost Kings.

From the corner of his eye, Yun Zhongyu glimpsed the twin Ghost Kings, his eyes glinting with greed.

Ghosts possessing life-bound ghost artifacts were rare. And this four-armed Ghost King had four life-bound ghost artifacts—truly a rarity in the world. If he could seize them, his power would surely soar.

As for the objections that other cultivators within the Reincarnation Divine Sect might have...

What a joke. The distinction between righteous and demonic is but a thought away. Would he care about that?

Thus, Yun Zhongyu's attack on Chu Xuan was not with an aggressive magic treasure but a controlling one. He aimed to dominate Chu Xuan's spirit. To force him to relinquish the soul marks of the twin Ghost Kings, allowing himself to take control!

Seeing that Yun Zhongyu had thrown a golden rope, Chu Xuan already had a plan in mind. He quickly guessed Yun Zhongyu's intentions.

Chu Xuan sneered. He commanded his Two Arms to position itself in front of him. Meanwhile, he expended his merit to use the Mahayana Swift Escape, swiftly retreating.

In an instant, he dodged the golden rope. At the same time, his left hand, hidden in his sleeve, casually swept through the air. It seemed to scatter something stealthily.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The two exchanged several more blows.

Chu Xuan threw out a multitude of demonic talismans. Various spirits like wolf, tiger, and snake souls swarmed around Yun Zhongyu, biting chaotically.

Yun Zhongyu was exasperated. Although these were only Golden Core period spectral souls, their numbers were overwhelming. He had just crushed one when more fearless spectral souls charged at him.

In less than a hundred breaths' time, this fellow had thrown out a hundred talismans! Such things weren't easy to make. How could the opponent throw them as if they cost nothing?

Moreover, in the gaps between throwing talismans, he hurled numerous other Golden Core period charms, such as the Earth Prison Charm, the Five Thunder Charm, and others.

While their controlling effects were weak and their power not great, they were like mosquito bites. An occasional sting here and there was enough to drive him mad.

Yun Zhongyu was immensely annoyed. He felt this person was like a slippery snake. Weak, yet always out of grasp. And he had to worry about being bitten by the snake's venomous fangs.

In that case...

He could only give up on controlling the twin Ghost Kings.

Time for a decisive strike!

"Kill!"

Chu Xuan bellowed.

Two Arms maneuvered the battlefield, once again deploying its merits. This was, after all, a Ghost King, and Yun Zhongyu dared not clash directly. He immediately tapped into the nearly depleted spiritual sense within his sea of awareness, trying to employ a secret spiritual technique for self-protection.

But suddenly, he found that the flow of his spiritual sense became obstructed. It felt as if something was clogging his meridians.

Yun Zhongyu's face changed abruptly.

Poisoned! When had he been poisoned?!

Chu Xuan, noticing his subtly changed expression, immediately laughed.

During their earlier clash, he had been secretly spreading poison powder while carefully holding his breath. He had spread a total of twenty-two types of poison powder.

Three were highly toxic, eight were slow-acting, five damaged the soul, and six harmed the body, most had no effect.

Unexpectedly, it was the "Mind Corrupting Dust" that had attached to the spiritual sense and entered the body, slowing the flow of the spiritual sense!

Yun Zhongyu was indeed a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. His resistance to poison was too strong.

Chu Xuan resolved to delve deeper into the art of poisoning in the future. Aiming to develop more potent poisons. In the high-stakes exchange between experts, victory often hinged on a single breath.

Due to this momentary slowdown, Yun Zhongyu failed to instantly cast his spiritual secret technique. The waiting Four Arms seized the opportunity, closed in, and launched a relentless assault!

A ring pommel saber, a vajra mace, a steel hammer, and a trident spear incessantly greeted Yun Zhongyu.

Yun Zhongyu was a step slow every step of the way, always on the receiving end of blows. His sea of awareness kept trembling. His spirit was in grave danger.

Deep within his heart, Yun Zhongyu finally sensed the terrifying specter of death. Previously, he thought the worst outcome would be a minor setback, but he could still defeat this Golden Core junior.

Now, however, he felt a genuine threat to his life—an unbelievable turn of events! If he hesitated to use his trump card, he was certain to die. He had a strong premonition.

"Damn it... Truly damned! How could I be forced to this extent!" Yun Zhongyu roared.

His body suddenly erupted in dazzling golden light, and a wheel of merit gold began spinning rapidly behind his head. In that moment, the surrounding darkness was illuminated as if it were broad daylight, drawing the gazes of many cultivators toward him.

"Merit Reversal! Sin Karma Saber!"

Yun Zhongyu bellowed as he suddenly spat out a palm-sized dagger. This was his life-bound magic treasure, the Sin Karma Saber. Apart from two saints in the Reincarnation Divine Sect, very few could force him to deploy this treasure.

The merit wheel behind Yun Zhongyu spun wildly in reverse at this moment. Instantly, it transformed into raging karmic flames, burning fiercely. Yun Zhongyu was immediately enveloped by a robust force of sinister karma as if an invisible blade was cutting down his fortune—heralding disaster and reducing his lifespan.

Wei Ji, Shangguan Hao, and others watched Yun Zhongyu in shock. Any cultivator aiming for a higher realm would consciously or unconsciously accumulate merit. Merit brought many benefits, most importantly, it could lessen the power of heavenly tribulations—tribulations that were far from trivial.

From breaking the Golden Core to form the Nascent Soul, facing the Nascent Soul tribulation, the Deity Transformation tribulation, the Astral Projection tribulation, and so on—surviving these meant becoming a great power, living freely for hundreds to thousands of years. Failing meant becoming dust, with one's body and path utterly destroyed!

It was not surprising for Yun Zhongyu, a prodigy of the Reincarnation Divine Sect, to possess a layer of merit wheel. But being driven to this extent, to reluctantly reverse his merit into karma, all to kill his opponent, was extraordinary.

The reversal of merit into sinister karma significantly increased its power. As long as the opponent's merit was not superior to his own, even if only slightly stronger, they couldn't withstand this terrifying attack of sinister karma—they would be instantly annihilated!

"Die!"

Yun Zhongyu's face was fierce as he vowed to slay Chu Xuan along with the twin Ghost Kings.

Two Arms's expression grew serious, positioning itself in front of Chu Xuan.

"Father, if I die, please take care of the Four Arms. He's quite troublesome. Used to be greedy, now he vomits every day..."

Four Arms barked a few times and also charged in front of Chu Xuan. The four life-bound ghost artifacts were deployed, intently focusing on the suddenly approaching Sin Karma Saber.

Chu Xuan watched the oncoming Sin Karma Saber, merely offering a slight smile.

Chapter 202: The Power of Three Layers of Merit Wheel!

"Two Arms, Four Arms, step back," Chu Xuan said calmly.

"Father…" Two Arms exclaimed in shock.

"Woof?" Four Arms appeared confused.

Chu Xuan waved his hand, "Step back."

Two Arms and Four Arms then moved aside.

Chu Xuan stood with his chest open, his brow completely exposed. The Sin Karma Saber could now pierce through his forehead without any hindrance!

At this moment, Yun Zhongyu's complexion was ashen. He even felt as though the world around him was rejecting his presence. Seeing Chu Xuan letting the twin Ghost Kings step aside, calmly facing the incoming Sin Karma Saber, his expression turned to one of bafflement.

The fate of the Ghost Kings was tied to this man. Should he die, the Ghost Kings would also perish. Could this man be so compassionate as to not want the Ghost Kings to suffer in his stead?

Impossible…What was amiss here?

Nearby, Wei Ji, Shangguan Hao, and other cultivators who witnessed this scene were also filled with shock and confusion.

"What the…?"

Could it be that this man thought he was doomed and thus chose to face his death with composure?

Wan Wuying also witnessed this scene, merely sighing lightly.

When you provoke someone you shouldn't have, this is the consequence… My good junior brother, when I step onto the Nascent Soul path, I will place a flower on your grave in the future.

Just as everyone thought Chu Xuan was certainly doomed—Three layers of merit wheels suddenly appeared behind Chu Xuan's head!

They spun continuously, resembling blooming lotuses. Fragrances filled the air! Golden flowers fell chaotically! Heavenly chants resonated! All divine beasts roared in unison!

He appeared both divine and saintly!

All sorts of miraculous visions surrounded Chu Xuan, appearing and vanishing intermittently, making him seem like a banished immortal stepping down to earth!

People's eyes were wide with disbelief. They couldn't believe what they were witnessing.

Ding!

The Sin Karma Saber hadn't even touched Chu Xuan yet. Its fierce karmic flames were swiftly extinguished under the illumination of the merit wheels, quickly turning into an ordinary little dagger. It clattered to the ground with a tap.

Yun Zhongyu's face, which had just regained a bit of color, instantly drained of all blood. His strongest move, borne from reversing his merit, was this?

"One, two, three… three layers of merit wheels…"

Shangguan Hao tremulously extended three fingers, afraid of counting wrong. He counted his fingers again earnestly. Only then was he certain. It was indeed three layers of merit wheels.

Mother, have you seen this... I've never seen a triple-layer merit wheel in my life

Wei Ji was utterly shocked, almost feeling the urge to speak to his long-deceased mother about what he was witnessing.

Wan Wuying had almost turned to leave when a glimpse of the cascading golden light from the corner of his eye nearly made his eyes pop out. Such formidable merit could not possibly belong to his junior brother. It seemed he had been mistaken...

Chu Xuan looked down at Yun Zhongyu, whose face had turned deathly pale as if he was a sovereign gazing down upon him.

"Your life, I'll take it now."

Two Arms and Four Arms rushed forward suddenly.

With a snap, they directly extracted Yun Zhongyu's Nascent Soul from his body. His physical body and storage bag naturally went where they belonged.

Chu Xuan looked around and saw that most of the cultivators were staring at him as if they had seen a ghost.

Without saying much, Chu Xuan retracted his merit wheels and ran. He had noticed that a group of Nether Crocodiles in the distance seemed to have caught a whiff of something enticing and were accelerating their pace toward him. Among them were some unusually large Nether Crocodiles.

The reason was unclear.

"Holy crap! So many Nether Crocodiles! Run!"

"My god, look at those flying in the sky, those are Dark Falcons!"

"There weren't this many Nether Crocodiles just now!"

"Look over there, there are more ancient beasts, looks like different species!"

The cultivators looked at the approaching swarm of ancient beasts like a tidal wave, their scalps tingling.

Usually, only Nether Crocodiles roamed outside. How come now even more terrifying Dark Falcons and Dark Devouring Moths had appeared? These ancient beasts were not known to show up before!

The cultivators stopped fighting and ran madly toward the Righteous Dao City. The treasures within the Deity Transformation cave were enticing. But one had to be alive to claim them! Right now, the swarm of ancient beasts was the most terrifying foe.

Screams echoed through the night. The cultivators looked back and saw nothing. They could only see points of cold light under the moonlight. Those were the tough shells of Nether Crocodiles and other ancient beasts.

In another direction, the booming sound of Chu Xuan using Yin Thunder Seeds to blast open a path was relentless. No matter how many Nether Crocodiles there were, they feared explosions!

Chu Xuan had roughly guessed that perhaps the Yin Thunder Seeds harbored the ability to wound the spirit, which was why they could kill Nether Crocodiles. If they only damaged the body, they wouldn't be very effective against Nether Crocodiles.

Chu Xuan naturally wouldn't return to the Righteous Dao City. He had slain Yun Zhongyu in full view of everyone. The Reincarnation Divine Sect would certainly investigate this matter thoroughly. Going to the city would be like walking into a trap.

For now, he only needed to break out of the encirclement of Nether Crocodiles, find a cave, and then directly return to Blue Star.

As Chu Xuan fought, he began to sense something amiss. Not only were the ground-crawling Nether Crocodiles appearing in front of him, but also the sky-soaring Dark Falcons, and even the tiny, unforeseeable Dark Devouring Moths!

These latter two types of ancient beasts had not been seen in perilous battlefields for a long time. Why had they suddenly appeared today?

"It seems that after I displayed the three layers of merit wheels, these ancient beasts went mad and accelerated toward me," Chu Xuan pondered. "Could it be that they are attracted to merit, wanting to devour creatures imbued with it?"

Chu Xuan shook his head repeatedly. The origins of the ancient beasts in the extraterritorial battlefields were unknown. They harbored too many secrets. Unable to figure out the answer, he decided it was best not to dwell on it.

Looking ahead at the swarming mass of Nether Crocodiles, Chu Xuan decisively threw out ten thousand Yin Thunder Seeds.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A large number of Nether Crocodiles were annihilated. By the time they regrouped and surged forward again, the figure that had stood there had vanished as if evaporated from the face of the earth.

...

Blue Star.

Several days later.

Chu Xuan lay on a plush velvet lounge chair, completely relaxing his body and mind. Fighting was too exhausting. This kind of life suited him better.

"I, Chu Xuan, have never liked fighting and killing," he mused, having rested for several days.

Eventually, Chu Xuan began to examine the spoils of his recent battles. In his hand, he held an ordinary-looking small dagger. This was Yun Zhongyu's Sin Karma Saber, a high-grade offensive magic treasure.

Typically, magic treasures were used by Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators, with Golden Core cultivators using low to mid-grade magic treasures, and Nascent Soul cultivators using high to top-grade ones.

Although the Sin Karma Saber was just a high-grade offensive magic treasure, its ability to reverse merit and ignite boundless karmic flames allowed it to compete with top-grade offensive magic treasures!

Yun Zhongyu had relied on this dagger to defeat many cultivators of the same realm, which had led to his continuous fortunate encounters and rapid rise.

"However, I didn't expect that these two seemingly ordinary pieces of jade actually contain acquired spiritual bodies," Chu Xuan mused, his thoughts manifesting two irregular pieces of jade in his palm. The twisted lines within the jade were the manifestations of the acquired spiritual bodies.

Had it not been for the records in Yun Zhongyu's storage bag about these extraordinary jades, Chu Xuan might have mistaken them for ordinary stones and left them gathering dust in a corner of his storage bag.

"Let's see what kind of acquired spiritual body you can grant me!" Chu Xuan said, curiosity coloring his tone.

Chapter 203: True Blood Elixir Body and Yin Wood Spiritual Body

The two pieces of acquired jade were indiscernible in their properties. Their surfaces bore no labels, and their exact nature could only be determined through personal experimentation.

Chu Xuan, not one to overthink, picked up a blood-red piece of jade. He wrapped the jade in spiritual Qi and began the slow process of refining it.

The refining was exceedingly slow. After two days, only a strand of the jade had been processed, transforming into a strange power that merged into Chu Xuan's body. At that moment, Chu Xuan shuddered as if his body was rejecting this foreign substance.

"Don't reject it, this is good stuff!" Chu Xuan gritted his teeth, forcefully suppressing his body's instinctive rejection. Managing his spiritual Qi to both refine the jade and suppress his body's reactions was enormously draining.

Chu Xuan, who had cultivated his Beast Golden Core using the "Thunder Python Golden Core Technique," possessed an amount of spiritual Qi that surpassed most Golden Core cultivators.

Yet, even his reserves were proving insufficient. Casually, he slapped his hand down, popping a Qi Restoration Pill into his mouth. It dissolved, its potent medicine swiftly replenishing his depleted spiritual Qi.

Days passed, and in the tranquility of Blue Star, Chu Xuan was the undisputed sovereign. No one could disturb his peace, which was precisely why he had chosen this location for his refining.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. The acquired jade floating before Chu Xuan had faded to nearly invisible. With a light crack, it shattered, falling to the ground as a pile of jade remnants. The acquired spiritual body, refined through secret methods, had fully integrated into Chu Xuan's system.

Chu Xuan carefully sensed the changes within his body. After a long time, he reopened his eyes, a flash of joy crossing his face.

"True Blood Elixir Body! Who would have thought it would be a top-grade spiritual body?"

Chu Xuan marveled. The grading of spiritual bodies was similar to that of spiritual roots, categorized as inferior, common, superior, ultimate, earthly, and heavenly grades.

Chu Xuan's own previously created Evil Wood Spiritual Body was a common spiritual body. He had not expected that absorbing the acquired jade would grant him an ultimate-grade spiritual body.

Chu Xuan had heard about the True Blood Elixir Body long before. It was one of the ultimate spiritual bodies most suitable for the path of alchemy. Whenever he added his own essence blood to any elixir he crafted, the potency of the elixir would increase.

With the True Blood Elixir Body, Chu Xuan could refine elixirs on his own in the future without needing to hire others, and perhaps he could even refine for others.

For many cultivators, obtaining alchemy recipes was an expensive endeavor, requiring purchase. Yet, when hiring an alchemist, they had to provide the recipe, materials, and spiritual stones.

In this way, alchemists could read numerous recipes without any cost to themselves and profit handsomely. Well, if after crafting the elixirs they disposed of their clients, the profits would be even greater.

In the future, when Chu Xuan progressed from breaking his Golden Core to forming his Nascent Soul, he would inevitably need to craft his own elixirs. His proficiency in alchemy wasn't as stellar as in formation setting or artifact refining. He couldn't even produce a high-grade Heaven Patching Pill on his own and had to entrust others, staying watchful beside them during the process to prevent poisoning. Now, able to refine elixirs himself, he no longer needed to worry about such matters.

Chu Xuan looked pleased and turned his attention to the second piece of acquired jade, which appeared dull and ordinary. "So plain," he mused. "Feels like it might be a low-grade spiritual body; I wonder if it'll conflict... Should I absorb it?"

Rubbing his chin in thought, Chu Xuan considered that possessing multiple spiritual bodies could be good or bad, depending on the situation. If the spiritual bodies did not conflict and could complement and balance each other, their combined effect could be greater than the sum of their parts. That would indeed be beneficial. However, conflicting spiritual bodies could pose a problem, pulling in different directions and causing internal strife.

Chu Xuan did not possess the secret techniques of the Reincarnation Divine Sect's heavenly prodigies, which could extract an acquired spiritual body once integrated. His only option would be to expend great effort suppressing one of the spiritual bodies, carrying it like a burden each day—a truly uncomfortable prospect.

After a moment of consideration, Chu Xuan decided to absorb it. "Invincible merit, now it's your time to shine!" he declared.

Taking a deep breath, he began refining the second piece of acquired jade. This time, it did not take a month to refine. Within just five days, he had completely absorbed the jade.

Chu Xuan carefully sensed the changes within his body, and after a moment, a smile of satisfaction spread across his face.

"The Evil Wood Spiritual Body has upgraded! It's actually become a superior-grade Yin Wood Spiritual Body."

Chu Xuan exhaled in relief. As long as the change was not for the worse or resulted in a conflict between spiritual bodies, it was a positive outcome. Although he lacked a wood spiritual root and didn't need to absorb wood spiritual Qi, the Yin Wood Spiritual Body could still accelerate the absorption of Yin Qi, which also enhanced his refinement of Yin Thunder, providing a significant boost.

Chu Xuan smiled faintly, reflecting on his triple-layer merit wheels. "Though not abundant, they always prove useful at critical moments."

Suddenly, his attention was drawn to the fine jade remnants at his feet. Among the debris, he noticed a tiny bead that would have been easy to miss without a closer look.

"What's this?" Chu Xuan picked up the bead and examined it closely, finding its hardness extraordinary. Even with all his strength, he couldn't leave the slightest mark on its surface.

"Blood sacrifice?" he wondered, applying his essence blood, but there was no reaction.

"Spiritual imprint?"

Next, he used his spiritual sense, which finally elicited a response. A flood of information entered his mind. After a while, Chu Xuan rubbed his temples, his expression a mix of joy and concern.

"I never expected it to be this..."

Contained within the bead was a secret technique left by that Nascent Soul prodigy, specifically for extracting acquired spiritual bodies—the method was straightforwardly named "Body Seizing Technique."

Chu Xuan felt that the naming skills of the Nascent Soul prodigy, known as True Master Tianqing, were on par with his—both appreciated the simplicity and eschewed fancy names for their techniques.

The Body Seizing Technique was indeed a valuable find. In the future, Chu Xuan could search for spiritual bodies that suited him and eventually fuse them into a supremely powerful spiritual body. Of course, this was the ideal scenario.

The reality was that True Master Tianqing had only allowed Chu Xuan to see part of the Body Seizing Technique. The rest was sealed, accessible only by applying a drop of essence blood from True Master Tiancang. True Master Tianqing had mentioned that he had confided only in True Master Tiancang about the matter of the acquired jade. If anything untoward happened to him, it would likely be True Master Tiancang's doing. He wanted future cultivators to eliminate True Master Tiancang.

"Big brother… senior…" Chu Xuan couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and helplessness. "True Master Tiancang is a Nascent Soul powerhouse; even with my two Ghost Kings, I couldn't possibly challenge such a formidable cultivator..."

True Master Tianqing's approach was indeed cunning, showing just enough to tantalize. It was like a mischievous kitten scratching at Chu Xuan's heart, always just out of reach, causing an itch he couldn't scratch.

"However, while I can't kill True Master Tiancang myself, perhaps I can leverage this situation," Chu Xuan pondered thoughtfully. "All I need is a single drop of True Master Tiancang's essence blood to unlock the rest."