Demonic Cultivator(231-237) (Patreon)

Chapter 231: The Chase and the Transmission

In Heavenly Sword City, Pill Pavilion had just opened its doors for the day when He Ze arrived early at the shop rented by Chu Xuan. However, this time, he didn't see Chu Xuan, who usually arrived earlier than him.

"That's strange, Senior He is always here before me; why isn't he here today?" He Ze found this unusual but didn't dwell on it too much. Instead, he busied himself with cleaning the shop, receiving respectful nods from the cultivators passing by. Everyone knew that He Ze was now under the wing of a Nascent Soul powerhouse, a true case of a sparrow transforming into a phoenix!

As the minutes and hours passed, there was still no sign of Chu Xuan, even by midday. Puzzled, He Ze hurried to Chu Xuan's cave dwelling and sent a voice transmission talisman inside. Almost immediately, another voice transmission talisman flew out and landed in his palm.

He Ze listened to the message: "Out hunting ancient beasts, won't return to the city for now, don't worry. If there are any changes in the city, use the voice transmission jade to inform me."

Scratching his head, He Ze turned and left, a bit confused.

...

The following afternoon, a large contingent of Reincarnation Divine Sect cultivators mobilized, and Heavenly Sword City was suddenly sealed off without any warning. The cultivators inside the city were panic-stricken, unsure of what was happening.

Even though cultivators from the Majestic Sword Sect, including Ximen Changqing, were very cooperative, Leng Hanshuang searched Heavenly Sword City thoroughly for five days. She turned it upside down, even to the point where the earthworms sleeping underground might have been uncovered, yet she found nothing significant.

This news naturally reached Chu Xuan through He Ze's transmissions. "They really came for me," Chu Xuan mused. "However, it's not True Master Tiancang who's acting, but one of his disciples..."

Chu Xuan pondered this development. It seemed that if he could just avoid capture during this period, he might be able to return to Heavenly Sword City eventually.

At the city lord's mansion, Ximen Changqing cheerfully brewed tea for Leng Hanshuang. "Holy Maiden, there is no need to hurry. Senior Tiancang has already said that the person is extremely skilled at hiding and certainly won't be found within just a few days."

"Heavenly Sword City is now sealed, and everyone entering or leaving must register. It's only a matter of time before this person is caught. Why not enjoy some of my Ku Mao Feng tea in the meantime?" he offered, trying to ease the tension with a touch of hospitality.

Leng Hanshuang couldn't help but shake her head. "I don't care for tea."

Ximen Changqing was not offended, merely smiling. "This tea is difficult to cultivate, and it is quite rare. Since the Holy Maiden does not partake, I shall drink it myself."

Suddenly, Leng Hanshuang spoke up, "I recall there is an alchemist named He Liang in the city. Where is he now?"

Ximen Changqing chuckled, "Fellow daoist He has been in secluded cultivation for four years, achieving the Nascent Soul realm. Currently, he is hunting ancient beasts outside the city, amassing contributions."

"I suppose he plans to return home in glory after advancing to a higher realm—a common practice among cultivators." He saw nothing amiss with Chu Xuan's actions.

"By the way, this Ku Mao Feng tea was a gift from fellow daoist He," Ximen Changqing added with a smile.

Leng Hanshuang calmly stated, "Uncle Master Tiancang cherishes talent, and he intends to take He Liang as his disciple. Please, fellow daoist Ximen, ask He Liang to return to the city."

Ximen Changqing's action of sipping tea stiffened. "Uncle Master Tiancang... to take fellow daoist He as a disciple? Ha-ha-ha, that truly would be a great fortune for fellow daoist He. If that's the case, I shall send him a voice transmission to share this excellent news."

Leng Hanshuang fixed her gaze on Ximen Changqing's eyes. "Surely such good news should be delivered in person to be most surprising, right?"

Ximen Changqing lowered his eyes, a flash of coldness passing through them, but when he raised his head again, his expression was warm. "Understood, worthy of being the Holy Maiden, indeed thoughtful. In that case, I will send a voice transmission to fellow daoist He, asking him to return."

Leng Hanshuang smiled slightly. "Very well, transmit your message here, and let me listen."

Ximen Changqing, still smiling, took out the voice transmission jade. "Fellow daoist He, are you still hunting ancient beasts outside? Why not return and drink some tea? I recently acquired a packet of Mountain Clouds tea, said to be like descending into the clouds of heaven. I haven't opened it yet, waiting for your return to share it."

Having spoken, he put away the voice transmission jade and looked towards Leng Hanshuang.

"Holy Maiden, were my words appropriate?"

Leng Hanshuang nodded. "Quite appropriate."

"Please, Fellow Daoist Ximen, join us when the time comes. To be accepted as a disciple by a mighty divine cultivator like Uncle Master Tiancang is an immense honor."

Ximen Changqing, still smiling, responded, "Yes, yes, Holy Maiden, rest assured, I will be present."

Only after Leng Hanshuang had left the city lord's mansion did Ximen Changqing's expression gradually turn cold.

Leng Hanshuang had nearly forced him to send the voice transmission to He Liang, insisting that it be done immediately—quite aggressively.

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, did he not have any dignity?

Ximen Changqing gave a self-mocking smile. The other was a Holy Maiden from a sixth-tier cultivation sect.

How could he, a mere third-level Nascent Soul cultivator, compare?

Dignity. Indeed, there was none.

Ximen Changqing sipped his tea. "Bitter... truly bitter... Why does sweetness never come? I wish to stay out of conflicts, yet I'm always drawn in. Now, I might even lose someone to share tea with. He Liang, no matter who you are, I hope you can discern the subtleties in my words..."

Inside a cave outside Heavenly Sword City, Chu Xuan appeared once again. He surfaced every few days to receive voice transmissions from He Ze. From these messages, he learned that Leng Hanshuang had been searching Heavenly Sword City for several days—not for the Taotie Tree Seed, but for the killer of Yun Zhongyu. Chu Xuan pondered briefly, then connected the dots.

"The Taotie Tree Seed is far on Blue Star, and with a Nascent Soul cultivator's divination power, it's indeed impossible to pinpoint its location," he thought. "But the moment the formation on the blood jade pendant vanished, True Master Tiancang must have discovered that Yun Zhongyu's killer was in Heavenly Sword City. That's why Leng Hanshuang came to Heavenly Sword City to search for the murderer."

Just then, Chu Xuan received another message, surprisingly from Ximen Changqing. After listening to Ximen Changqing's words, Chu Xuan furrowed his brows.

"An invitation to drink tea? It sounds like something Ximen Changqing would say, yet not quite."

After becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator, Chu Xuan had often shared tea with Ximen Changqing and was familiar with his speaking habits. Ximen Changqing would not describe tea as "a packet" nor invite someone to "drink tea"—he always used the term "enjoy tea."

Most importantly, given Ximen Changqing's obsession with fine teas, if he had really acquired one of the Reincarnation Divine Sect's ten famous teas, he would not wait to drink it with Chu Xuan. Instead, he would likely hide it away to savor it himself first.

"There's deceit here. Ximen Changqing is trying to discreetly send me a message. Who could force a Nascent Soul cultivator to convey a message in such a manner?"

Immediately, a face came to mind—Leng Hanshuang, the Holy Maiden of the Reincarnation Divine Sect. It must be her! Chu Xuan could even imagine her sitting next to Ximen Changqing, listening as he sent the transmission.

"Heavenly Sword City is to be avoided."

With a shake of his head, Chu Xuan returned to Blue Star.

Chapter 232: The extraterritorial battlefield is about to collapse?

Ten days had passed. Within the city lord's mansion in Heavenly Sword City, Ximen Changqing paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in concern.

Recently, a large number of spatial rifts had appeared, some alarmingly close to Heavenly Sword City. The number of ancient beasts appearing at night had also multiplied several times. Mysteriously, a large flock of Dark Falcons had almost crashed into the city during the night. None of these were good omens.

In the past, extraterritorial battlefields on the brink of collapse would see a surge in ancient beasts and numerous spatial rifts appear. Just recently, he had received news that his own direct disciple, Wu Shang, had nearly perished in a sudden spatial rift, losing a leg in the process.

"Elder, the Holy Maiden is waiting for you in the main hall," whispered a disciple from the Majestic Sword Sect.

Ximen Changqing's frown deepened. Why was that woman here again? He composed himself and put on a smile as he entered the hall, "I greet the Holy Maiden."

Leng Hanshuang's expression was as cold as frost, "Fellow daoist Ximen, I need you to tell me why He Liang has not yet returned. Have you secretly sent him another message?"

Ximen Changqing's brow furrowed deeper, "Holy Maiden, you must not make reckless accusations. I sent the message to fellow daoist He as you requested and have not sent another in these ten days. You may verify this. What exactly do you intend by urgently summoning fellow daoist He back? Could it be that you mean to harm him?"

Leng Hanshuang took a deep breath, "Fine, then send another message to He Liang. This matter cannot be delayed any longer."

Ximen Changqing replied calmly, "Certainly, but first I have a question for the Holy Maiden." With a wave of his hand, the doors of the great hall thunderously shut.

"Is this extraterritorial battlefield about to collapse? Why has the upper sect not announced anything? Why are the teleportation formations still strictly guarded, allowing no one to enter or exit? Do the lives of us lower sect cultivators not matter in the eyes of the upper sect?" Ximen Changqing asked seriously.

Leng Hanshuang stared into Ximen Changqing's eyes and replied coldly, "The teleportation formation will eventually be opened, and everyone will be able to leave alive. Rest assured, the Reincarnation Divine Sect is not like the demonic Heaven Shaking Divine Sect; we value every cultivator's life."

Ximen Changqing's expression eased slightly.

Leng Hanshuang continued, "Please, fellow daoist Ximen, send the message once more. As soon as I bring He Liang to the Reincarnation Tower and present him to Uncle Master Tiancang as a disciple, I will leave."

"Very well," Ximen Changqing nodded and, as before, sent another voice transmission.

Leng Hanshuang suddenly asked, "Could you teach me how to use the voice transmission jade?"

Ximen Changqing took a deep breath but maintained a smiling face, "Of course."

Leng Hanshuang took the voice transmission jade and left immediately. Ximen Changqing watched her departing figure, his expression turning icy cold. If he had the chance, he truly wished to personally eliminate this arrogant Holy Maiden.

Unfortunately, his own strength did not permit it, and her status prevented any direct confrontation. "Who could possibly control her?" he wondered. "Perhaps only Situ Kong, the Holy Son of the Reincarnation Divine Sect, could manage that."

Shaking his head, Ximen Changqing began preparations to evacuate the extraterritorial battlefield.

...

On the desolate plains of the extraterritorial battlefield, Leng Hanshuang swiftly moved with two cultivators from the Reincarnation Divine Sect. She held a voice transmission jade in her hand, from which a tender green sprout had emerged. The sprout had just one leaf, which pointed eastward—the direction Leng Hanshuang was heading.

"My master gave me this Divine Guide. I never thought it would be used in such a place," she mused. "This He Liang must have sensed something and does not wish to go to the Reincarnation Tower. Hmph, it's not up to you whether you go or not."

Leng Hanshuang commanded in a low voice, "Speed up."

"Yes!" The two Nascent Soul cultivators behind her accelerated at once.

At that moment, Chu Xuan swiftly moved across the plains, passing ruins and rubble. The cave he had previously chosen had developed several spatial rifts, necessitating a change to a new hideout.

"With things proceeding this way, the collapse of the extraterritorial battlefield is imminent," he thought. "And due to the loss of the Taotie Tree Seed, the teleportation arrays are still guarded by cultivators from the Reincarnation Divine Sect, with no one allowed to enter or leave freely."

Chu Xuan's brows furrowed deeply. He had unintentionally acquired the Taotie Tree Seed, never anticipating it would lead to such consequences. It truly was a hot potato.

Now, he needed to find a new cave near a teleportation array to hide. After all, as the battlefield was about to collapse, the cultivators would surely be evacuated. He could blend in with the crowd and possibly slip through unnoticed.

"Hm? Someone's coming?" Chu Xuan suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his back. He glanced over his shoulder. On the distant horizon, three figures appeared, quickly approaching him.

Chu Xuan, without hesitation, activated the Mahayana Swift Escape. After consuming some of his accumulated merit, his speed surged dramatically.

"Hmm?" Leng Hanshuang noticed Chu Xuan's swift attempt to flee. She immediately growled, "Chase! We cannot let He Liang escape!"

The three pursuers increased their speed at that moment.

As a Holy Maiden of the Reincarnation Divine Sect, Leng Hanshuang was equipped with exceptional techniques, magical treasures, and spells.

The two Nascent Soul early-stage cultivators accompanying her were disciples assigned by a Deity Transformation Ancestor. Although they were only at the early stage of Nascent Soul, their abilities were still remarkable.

The trio quickly closed in on Chu Xuan. His Mahayana Swift Escape, a Golden Core stage escape technique, allowed him to match the speed of a False Soul stage cultivator once he consumed his merit.

However, it couldn't compare to a Nascent Soul stage escape technique. It was only a matter of time before they caught up to him.

Chu Xuan's expression turned icy as he noticed a cave nearby. Without hesitation, he dove into it. Whatever dangers the cave held seemed preferable to the relentless pursuit of three Nascent Soul cultivators behind him.

Seeing Chu Xuan plunge into the cave, Leng Hanshuang's brows furrowed. She wanted to follow, but the two Nascent Soul cultivators stopped her.

"Holy Maiden, the cave is extremely dangerous. It would be best for someone of your esteemed stature not to venture too deeply. Leave it to us," they advised.

After a moment's consideration, Leng Hanshuang nodded. "Then I'll leave it to you. Make sure to capture him alive."

"Yes!" The two Nascent Soul cultivators immediately entered the cave.

The cave was pitch-dark. Chu Xuan, who had previously only lingered around the outskirts of caves while collecting ancient beast carcasses, could sense a profound terror lurking deep within.

Not just Nascent Soul cultivators, but even Deity Transformation cultivators could perish if they strayed too deeply. Yet, with his pursuers close behind and unable to escape to Blue Star through the Blood Mirror, he had no choice but to take this desperate measure.

However, Chu Xuan did not venture deep into the cave. Shortly after entering, he sharply turned and hid around a corner. He took several deep breaths and employed the Abyssal Return Method to suppress his aura as much as possible. But having used too much spiritual qi just before, it was difficult to stabilize his aura quickly.

"He Liang! Uncle Master Tiancang values your talents and wishes to take you as his disciple. Do not miss this opportunity!"

"He Liang, why run upon seeing us? How can you miss such a tremendous opportunity?"

Voices called out from the entrance of the cave.

Chapter 233: Why Must You Force Me?

Hearing their words, Chu Xuan couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

Value talent? Take as a disciple? A great opportunity? Their minds were indeed corrupted!

True Master Tiancang, that devourer of men who spared no bones, would never truly value anyone's talent. If he naively believed such words and went to the Reincarnation Tower, he was certain it would lead to his utter doom.

"These two are very close; the distance is minimal, and I can only slightly conceal my aura, not completely hide it," Chu Xuan thought to himself. "If they keep advancing, they are bound to discover me… Now, I must strike like thunder!"

In one hand, Chu Xuan held the corpse tower, and in the other, the ghost tower. Power surged through his right arm as if thunder roared through his veins and bones.

The two Nascent Soul cultivators continued to move forward. The taller cultivator sensed something and silently gestured towards the right side of his stout companion, who nodded silently. Spiritual qi surged within him, his palms reversed in preparation. The frost spell slowly took form.

In the next instant, the stout cultivator suddenly expended a burst of Nascent Soul essence to teleport. His frost sword pierced directly through the rock wall.

Crash!

The rock wall shattered to pieces. However, instead of the figure they expected, there was only a small, lifeless corpse puppet at the original spot.

The stout cultivator's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately turned around. Just then, he saw a dark figure burst from the shadows, swinging a natal ghost weapon straight into the mind of the tall cultivator!

The tall cultivator didn't even have time to scream. His eyes bulged out, and he died instantly.

The stout cultivator was horrified and roared, channeling his spiritual qi, "Holy Maiden, run! He has a Ghost King!" With that, he energized his body's spiritual qi into a giant shield to protect himself.

However, the anticipated attack did not come. Instead, the man-snake Ghost King merely sneered.

Behind him, a chilling voice sounded. "I'm right behind you."

Boom!

A fist, harder than steel and as fast as lightning, shot out. The punch, roaring with a terrifying force that seemed capable of crushing everything, struck fiercely.

The stout cultivator's body automatically radiated a protective light as his natal magic treasure surfaced to fend off the attack. With a loud clang, under the devastating force of the punch, the magic treasure shattered into pieces. The punch continued unabated, crushing the stout cultivator's skull into fragments.

Chu Xuan swiftly collected the remnants of the two cultivators, sorting their possessions with a flick of his hand. In an instant, he consumed more merit to activate the Mahayana Swift Escape, propelling himself deeper into the cave.

He had heard her—Leng Hanshuang had entered the cave. Her Nascent Soul stage escape technique was undoubtedly superior to his. Every second now was incredibly precious!

"Damn it...!"

Moments later, Leng Hanshuang arrived at the scene. Only a pool of blood remained; the corpses of the two Nascent Soul cultivators had vanished. Unable to deduce the attacker's methods from the condition of the bodies, her only clue was the presence of a Ghost King.

"Why would a mere alchemist like He Liang possess a Ghost King? Something is definitely not right here," she thought. "Could he be connected to Huikong, who killed Yun Zhongyu and also had two Ghost Kings?"

Leng Hanshuang's brows furrowed deeply. She felt she was on the verge of unraveling something, but the threads of thought were too tangled to make sense just yet. "He values his life; he wouldn't dare venture deep into the cave. Capturing him will solve everything."

Her plan was straightforward: capture him and extract his memories. That would resolve all uncertainties.

She moved swiftly through the dark cave. As she ventured deeper, the dormant Nether Crocodiles became more numerous. At first, she could quickly dispatch them without stirring others, but eventually, even she could not advance without disturbing a swarm of them.

"Where has this damned man hidden himself?" Leng Hanshuang's expression turned increasingly impatient. She unleashed a blast of frost, freezing several Nether Crocodiles in front of her into ice sculptures. Their life force was extinguished in an instant.

In the shadowy corner, Chu Xuan silently observed the movements of the Reincarnation Divine Sect's Holy Maiden, weighing his options on how to handle her. He had two choices: one, to keep hiding until she lost patience and left on her own; or two, to strike out, aiming to kill or capture her.

"This Holy Maiden of the Reincarnation Divine Sect must have numerous trump cards, possibly even treasures bestowed by an Astral Projection Ancestor. Killing her would surely be difficult," he reasoned. "Even if I managed to kill her by chance, the Reincarnation Divine Sect would definitely be alerted. They would then likely tighten security at the teleportation formations, making my escape impossible. Rather than taking aggressive action, it might be wiser to wait quietly."

Chu Xuan solidified his decision and remained motionless. Although he commanded two Ghost Kings, a Corpse King, and had the strength of the thirty-first layer of body refinement, facing a Holy Maiden with numerous resources at her disposal, he estimated only a sixty to seventy percent chance of victory. Engaging in a battle without certain victory was not a risk worth taking.

However, while he intended to remain hidden, Leng Hanshuang was not about to give him that chance.

"He Liang! Come out! Come out now!" Leng Hanshuang bellowed in rage, casting spells indiscriminately. She had lost her temper completely. What she had thought would be a simple task—capturing someone to vent her frustration—had resulted in the death of her personal guards.

The Divine Guide, a treasure given by her ancestor, was being wasted here. If she failed to capture him, how could she face returning without success?

Her unrestrained attacks quickly stirred the environment. Thunderous noises echoed through the cave, reaching far and wide.

Shhhh...

The sound of awakening Nether Crocodiles filled the air. Their crimson eyes snapped open and converged toward the source of the noise.

The rustling of numerous Nether Crocodiles moving rapidly reached Chu Xuan's ears, and his expression changed drastically.

"This madwoman! To force me out, she's willing to disturb the Nether Crocodiles sleeping in this cave!" He realized. She might even draw out the Dark Falcons and Dark Devouring Worms from deeper within.

This could potentially lead to a situation where they both perished.

No, not a mutual destruction.

Chu Xuan quickly regained his composure. As a Holy Maiden, Leng Hanshuang undoubtedly had life-saving measures at her disposal. Her confidence in stirring up the ancient beasts was a testament to that. Faced with a horde of ancient beasts, he knew he couldn't linger without being forced out. What should he do?

Could he escape using the Blood Mirror?

Crack!

Suddenly, a section of the rock wall in front of Chu Xuan silently vanished. His scalp tingled. Spatial rifts! More and more spatial rifts were appearing. Indeed, disturbing a large number of ancient beasts was leading to an increase in spatial rifts, which would ultimately trigger the collapse of the extraterritorial battlefield.

He must not use the Blood Mirror to leave from here. If he did, he would never be able to return to this world of cultivation for the rest of his life!

The only option left was to kill Leng Hanshuang, burst out of the cave, and escape the battlefield via the teleportation formation.

Chu Xuan took a deep breath. His gaze turned icy.

"I've never liked conflict. Why must you force me?"

Chapter 234: This Man Is a Body Cultivator!

As Chu Xuan watched the silhouette recklessly casting spells, he held his breath and inched closer. He knew well the means he had to combat a Nascent Soul cultivator. His spells, fueled by Spiritual Qi, were merely at the Golden Core level and thus relatively ineffective.

The methods capable of inflicting real damage on Leng Hanshuang would undoubtedly be his two Ghost Kings, Two Arms and Four Arms, and Hu, the Corpse King, along with his thirty-first layer physical cultivation realm and the devastating physical technique, the Great Extinguishing Thunder Fist. These techniques needed close-range execution to be most effective.

Thus, Chu Xuan needed to close the distance between them rapidly to unleash his lethal attack effectively. When he got within twenty zhang of Leng Hanshuang, she suddenly focused her gaze, shouting, "Found you!"

In an instant, the frost in her hands transformed into an ice spear, hurtling straight toward Chu Xuan's position.

Chu Xuan's expression shifted slightly. Without hesitation, he expended Nascent Soul essence to teleport instantly. With a whoosh, he covered the twenty-zhang distance, dodging the attack and appearing less than three zhang away from Leng Hanshuang.

Two imposing shadows burst from his body, rushing towards Leng Hanshuang from both sides. Five lifebound ghost weapons, irrational and relentless, smashed down upon her.

Leng Hanshuang, without delay, activated a top-grade defensive magic treasure. A Frost Mirror appeared before her.

Boom!

A crack sounded, and spiderweb-like fractures appeared on the surface of the Frost Mirror. Another crack followed, and a nondescript pendant around Leng Hanshuang's neck also showed several fractures.

Her expression immediately soured. This pendant, a Soul Protection Charm given by her ancestor to ward off psychic attacks, was incredibly precious and difficult to craft.

She hadn't expected to underestimate her opponent's strength so gravely that even her Soul Protection Charm had suffered significant damage.

Chu Xuan also frowned deeply. This Leng Hanshuang indeed possessed numerous magic treasures. In just the blink of an eye, two top-grade magic treasures had appeared, including one that was extremely valuable for protecting the soul.

"Two Ghost Kings, you must be Huikong, the one who killed Yun Zhongyu," Leng Hanshuang said with a cold laugh. "I've had such a hard time finding you! Ice Sun Crossbow!"

As she spoke, she waved her hands, and three streaks of light flew out from her storage bag, positioning themselves around her.

Chu Xuan focused intently as he recognized the three menacing giant crossbows before him, which held no bolts but arrows formed entirely of concentrated Spiritual Qi.

He wanted to move, but the crossbows seemed to have a life of their own, locking onto his body with deadly precision, ready to launch their frosty bolts at any moment.

This was not the end of his troubles. Leng Hanshuang slapped her storage bag again, revealing a small bottle in her palm.

"Yin Frost Bottle!" she shouted. With a burst, chilling air sprayed from the bottle, quickly enveloping the surroundings. Each breath Chu Xuan took was like inhaling knives, slicing through his lungs.

Leng Hanshuang smirked and slapped her storage bag once more, producing a long whip in her hand. This whip, wrapped in icy threads, emitted a bone-chilling coldness. Merely looking at it longer seemed to freeze both flesh and soul.

"Cold Sky Whip!" she announced, manipulating it as if it were an extension of her arm. It moved like a lively ice serpent, swift and fierce.

Chu Xuan was forced to repeatedly expend his Nascent Soul essence to dodge the Cold Sky Whip's attacks, his expression growing increasingly grim. Indeed, the Holy Maiden of a sixth-tier cultivation sect was formidable.

Ice Sun Crossbow! Yin Frost Bottle! Cold Sky Whip! Each item she produced was a magic treasure, and the bottle that spread the cold, with its radiant flow of light, was likely a top-grade magic treasure. The whip, intertwined with icy threads, was terrifying, likely Leng Hanshuang's lifebound magic treasure.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

The Ice Sun Crossbows continuously fired their bolts. Crack, crack, crack! The Cold Sky Whip kept lashing out.

Chu Xuan was exhausted from dodging. Fortunately, his Nascent Soul had been bathed in the Heavenly Dao Dew, making it comparable to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator's, which allowed him to have enough Nascent Soul essence to perform multiple teleports.

Leng Hanshuang continued to control her magic treasures from a distance, occasionally using a defensive magic treasure to block attacks from the two Ghost Kings. She seemed to manage quite effortlessly.

Clearly, her spiritual soul was also exceptionally strong, capable of multitasking to the extent that she could simultaneously operate four magic treasures.

As Chu Xuan deftly dodged the attacks, his hands, hidden within his sleeves, silently scattered some substances around.

Leng Hanshuang, observing Chu Xuan's frequent use of instantaneous teleportation, was somewhat taken aback. His Nascent Soul appeared extraordinarily potent, capable of executing numerous teleports in such a short span. Even with her own formidable Nascent Soul, she questioned whether she could manage such a reckless use of energy.

"Once I capture you, I must search your soul to discover your origins!" Leng Hanshuang thought to herself, gazing down at Chu Xuan with a cold smirk, confident of her impending victory.

However, just a hundred breaths later, a massive Nether Crocodile suddenly attacked from behind. Leng Hanshuang was prepared and immediately conjured a spell to counter. But unexpectedly, she found her Spiritual Qi moving sluggishly, and the spell she intended to cast faltered.

As the Nether Crocodile closed in, her expression darkened, and she had no choice but to slap down a Gold Thunder Talisman. The talisman erupted with golden lightning, obliterating the creature into pieces.

"What is happening...?" Leng Hanshuang was both shocked and furious. Why had her Spiritual Qi suddenly become difficult to manipulate? Could she have been poisoned?

More roars indicated the approach of additional Nether Crocodiles.

"Damn it...!" With her Spiritual Qi still not flowing properly, Leng Hanshuang resorted to using more talismans. Gold Thunder, Purple Ice, Black Vine — various Nascent Soul-level talismans were slapped down in rapid succession, like a torrential downpour.

Just then, a streak of black light shot towards her. "Dark Falcon!" she identified. Leng Hanshuang reached for another talisman, only to realize she had exhausted her Nascent Soul-level talismans. She screamed and attempted to dodge, but her movements were slightly too slow. The Sombre Falcon struck directly through her shoulder, leaving a gaping wound.

With a muffled grunt, Leng Hanshuang staggered backward, retreating continuously. Only then did her Spiritual Qi finally coalesce into a spell.

Boom!

The ice spear erupted with force, shattering the Sombre Falcon into icy fragments.

"Damn it! Truly damnable!" Leng Hanshuang's face twisted with rage.

"It's my turn now!"

At that moment, a chilling voice echoed from behind her. It was Chu Xuan, who had silently and seamlessly closed the distance during the commotion.

"Great Extinguishing Thunder Fist!"

Chu Xuan suddenly unleashed his punch. The force of the punch surged like a dragon, carrying with it the fury of a long-brewing storm. As his fist moved forward, the air itself seemed to roar under its burden, like thunder cracking the sky.

Leng Hanshuang's pupils contracted sharply. With her experience, she could immediately tell—this was a strike potent enough to threaten a Nascent Soul cultivator. This man was a body cultivator!

Chapter 235: You Cannot Kill Me!

Caught off guard, Leng Hanshuang could only retract the Cold Sky Whip. Her lifebound magic treasure instantly coiled in front of her like a giant python, ready to block the incoming attack.

Boom!

Chu Xuan's Great Extinguishing Thunder Fist struck. Leng Hanshuang felt an indescribable force crash into her, the sound of her magic treasure cracking ringing in her ears. A sweet taste involuntarily rose in her throat, a clear sign that her lifebound magic treasure had been damaged, and she too had sustained injuries.

The force of the punch pushed her back continuously until she slammed into the cave wall, halting her retreat. Behind her, a swarm of Nether Crocodiles converged, relentlessly biting and gnawing at her back.

In a blink, her robe was torn, and her once smooth, pale back was now a gruesome mess of blood and flesh.

Leng Hanshuang screamed in agony. For the first time in her 232 years of cultivation, she felt the threat of death. This feeling was entirely new to her, igniting a towering rage within her. As a Holy Maiden of the Reincarnation Divine Sect, she had never been subjected to such treatment.

No cultivator had ever withstood her attacks; everywhere she went within the sect's domain, all cultivators showed her the utmost respect. Even a Deity Transformation cultivator like True Master Tiancang addressed her as 'Holy Maiden.'

Now, she found herself cornered by an unknown minor cultivator, even facing the threat of death.

"Ice Sun Crossbows! Fire at will!" Leng Hanshuang shouted furiously.

The three Ice Sun Crossbows suddenly unleashed a powerful burst of icy light. Clearly, she was overtaxing the magic treasures, launching a desperate and powerful attack.

Chu Xuan, however, didn't even turn around. Instead, he forcefully raised his fists, unleashing the Great Extinguishing Thunder Fist repeatedly like raindrops.

Thud, thud, thud!

The Cold Sky Whip emitted sounds of distress under the overwhelming force. Cracks appeared one after another. The immense power of his fists transmitted through the whip, striking Leng Hanshuang directly. Her chest compressed under the impact, sinking inward grotesquely.

"Face your demise!" Leng Hanshuang bellowed in fury.

She had realized the truth. This person had not used any Nascent Soul stage spells from beginning to end. Clearly, he had only recently ascended to the Nascent Soul stage and had not had the time to switch his techniques and spells.

As for why his Nascent Soul was so formidable, she could not fathom, guessing that perhaps he had consumed some exceedingly rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

Just as the frosty giant arrow was about to strike, a robust shadow suddenly burst forth from Chu Xuan's body, charging straight toward the piercing cold light.

Boom!

The giant arrow pierced through the robust figure's body, but it got stuck inside and did not continue its trajectory.

A painful roar erupted.

Leng Hanshuang focused her gaze and felt her boiling blood nearly freeze. It was a Corpse King! No wonder this man dared to attack her!

This cultivator possessed an exceptionally strong Nascent Soul, was a body cultivator, and commanded two Ghost Kings and a Corpse King! With such combat prowess, it was no wonder he could slay Yun Zhongyu!

"Die!" Chu Xuan roared.

Despite his skin splitting and flesh bursting from exerting too much force, he continued to unleash punches without pause.

This time, Leng Hanshuang truly sensed the approach of death. Her pupils shrank to their limits.

"You cannot kill me!" Leng Hanshuang shrieked.

Chu Xuan instantly felt as if his soul was pricked by needles. At that moment, he realized she must have employed a soul technique. Had his own soul not been formidable, he might have been frozen in place for a long time.

"Life-Death Mystic Ice!"

Seizing the moment, Leng Hanshuang forced Chu Xuan back, and, with a fierce shout, the mystic ice that emitted chilling cold burst forth from her delicate chest. In the blink of an eye, the mystic ice spread over her entire body, and she was swiftly encased within it.

Chu Xuan frowned deeply and threw a powerful punch.

Bang!

The rebounding force made him stagger back. He looked down to see his hands split open, blood flowing freely. Yet this so-called Life-Death Mystic Ice bore not even a single crack.

"Truly tough," Chu Xuan muttered with a deep frown.

He realized that after the Life-Death Mystic Ice had enveloped Leng Hanshuang, her aura had dropped to its lowest. She must have lost consciousness.

"This must be the final safeguard given to her by the Reincarnation Sect's Astral Projection Patriarch. With the emergence of the Life-Death Mystic Ice, the Reincarnation Sect surely knows by now and will come to retrieve Leng Hanshuang."

Chu Xuan's mind whirred into action. In an instant, he made the swiftest decision—throwing Leng Hanshuang into the Blood Mirror!

He flashed past, returning to Blue Star, and found a spot within a hundred-mile radius devoid of any water source. There, he rapidly set up twenty-three killing formations. Although they were merely Golden Core stage formations, their sheer number was sufficient to fend off enemies.

After setting up the formations, he placed an abundance of Yin Thunder Seeds around the perimeter—over twenty thousand of them. Still feeling it was not enough, he commanded the three corpse generals to guard the area at all times.

"Hu, I leave this place to you," Chu Xuan instructed.

Despite a gaping hole in its chest and an ice arrow that hadn't yet melted lodged in it, Hu nodded vigorously and responded with a resounding roar.

Satisfied, Chu Xuan returned to the extraterritorial battlefield. He glanced at the surrounding caverns.

As expected, more spatial rifts were appearing. Some mini nether crocodiles, with their ferocious faces, charged at him only to be swallowed by the suddenly appearing spatial rifts.

Chu Xuan's scalp tingled. He could feel the rifts surging towards him like a tidal wave.

"Run!"

He quickly retrieved the three Ice Sun Crossbows and immediately activated the Mahayana Swift Escape, not caring about the depletion of his merit. Escaping at top speed was now of utmost importance.

Meanwhile, more and more spatial rifts appeared across various locations. In cities like Righteous Dao, Heavenly Sword, Majestic Sword, and Celestial Sound, cultivators were walking down the streets one moment and the next, they were headless or missing parts of their bodies.

Some shops that were there one moment disappeared completely the next. Large patches of ground and city walls vanished without warning.

Cultivators everywhere began to panic. Some took advantage of the chaos to commit murders and robberies. Screams, roars, and cries of grief filled the extraterritorial battlefield.

In Heavenly Sword City, Ximen Changqing looked upon the chaotic city with a deep frown. Wu Shang and Xun Zhao, along with other cultivators from the Majestic Sword Sect, gathered around him.

"Have you gathered everything?" he asked.

"Everything's ready," Wu Shang and Xun Zhao replied in unison.

"Let's leave immediately. Head to our Majestic Sword Sect's teleportation formation," Ximen Changqing commanded sternly.

"Yes."

This scene was replicated in Righteous Dao City, Majestic City, Celestial Sound City, and others. Almost all Nascent Soul cultivators had anticipated the collapse and had prepared accordingly.

Only those at the lower levels, the early Golden Core cultivators, were still unaware of what was happening and merely followed the crowds in an attempt to escape. Many were silently swallowed by the spatial rifts during their flight.

Chapter 236: Return to Mystic Azure Star

Chu Xuan burst forth from the cave and immediately headed towards the nearest teleportation array, his destination already clearly in mind. It was the teleportation array leading to Mystic Azure Star. Hence, Chu Xuan discarded all his disguises, revealing his true appearance.

On his way to the Mystic Azure teleportation array, he saw throngs of cultivators rushing towards it, each one eager not to be even a step behind the others. Yet, spatial rifts could form randomly without any warning, and if a small rift appeared, one might only sustain minor injuries.

However, a large rift could swallow a person whole. The terrifying prospect of running alongside someone one moment and then seeing them vanish the next was profoundly unsettling, giving one a chilling reminder of their own mortality.

Chu Xuan also witnessed a Nascent Soul cultivator, who had been leading the charge, get swallowed by a spatial rift in the blink of an eye—a stark and abrupt separation.

However, Chu Xuan found himself strangely spared from frequent rift occurrences. Even when rifts did appear, he was quick to spot and avoid them.

He noticed that several monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple and sword cultivators from the Majestic Sword Sect were also making their way to the Mystic Azure teleportation array, and they too encountered fewer spatial rifts. Clearly, one's personal merit seemed to play a role in reducing the frequency of such rifts around them.

Thus, Chu Xuan's pace quickened, and he gradually caught up with the crowd. He had no desire to be at the forefront nor linger at the back; blending into the crowd was optimal.

The Mystic Azure teleportation array was not far now. Within less than two hours, he had merged with the crowd and reached the array. However, it was already heavily guarded by cultivators from the Reincarnation Divine Sect.

Despite the pressing crowd, the Reincarnation Divine Sect's cultivators showed no sign of yielding. The cultivators were stopped as effectively as a tidal wave by a sluice gate.

Chu Xuan looked towards the clustered Reincarnation Divine Sect cultivators and discreetly moved to the back of the crowd. The blockade of the teleportation array was to secure the coveted Taotie Seed. Now that even their Saint Child was gone, the Reincarnation Divine Sect was bound to investigate thoroughly.

Under normal circumstances, no cultivator would be allowed to leave, but with the extraterrestrial battlefield on the brink of collapse, the pressure might become unbearable for the Reincarnation Divine Sect cultivators, eventually forcing them to open a path. For now, Chu Xuan's task was simply to wait.

A Nascent Soul cultivator from the Reincarnation Divine Sect surged his Spiritual Qi, his voice spreading far and wide.

"Divine Sect orders! A precious treasure has been lost on this battlefield; the teleportation array allows entry but no exit! Everyone stay where you are! Do not move!"

Initially, the cultivators, intimidated by the authority of the Reincarnation Divine Sect, dared not stir. However, as spatial rifts began to appear amidst the crowd, the increasing threat of death set them on edge. The crowd grew restless, and even the Reincarnation Divine Sect's cultivators felt a tingle of fear watching the agitated masses.

"Look behind! Behind!" someone suddenly shouted, drawing attention to changes occurring at their rear.

Many cultivators turned to see the ground in the distance inexplicably collapsing—not merely collapsing, but vanishing as if a higher being had taken a bite out of the earth. The rifts were spreading toward the teleportation array, and soon, swallowing everyone was merely a matter of time.

Seeing this, the cultivators' scalps tingled with horror. They glared angrily at the Reincarnation Divine Sect's cultivators.

"Why won't you let us use the teleportation array?"

"The extraterrestrial battlefield is collapsing! Let us leave!"

"How can your sect commit such demonic acts? Please, make way!"

"If you don't let us leave, none of us will survive!"

The number of cultivators converging towards the Mystic Azure teleportation array continued to increase, now numbering over three hundred, while the Reincarnation Divine Sect had only ten cultivators, with just one being a Nascent Soul.

In a direct conflict, they would be overwhelmingly outnumbered. The strategy of encircling yet leaving an escape was to avoid pushing someone into desperate, feral retaliation.

Now, every minute of delay could cost lives, and no one wanted to be the next to die. Blocking the teleportation array in these dire times turned these desperate cultivators into wild beasts, not caring if their adversaries were upper sect cultivators. Anyone in their way was seen as a direct threat to their survival and had to be dealt with.

Moreover, the Reincarnation Divine Sect cultivators guarding the site also had to consider their own lives. The leading Nascent Soul cultivator's expression changed several times before he finally gritted his teeth. With a grand wave of his hand, he commanded, "Retreat!"

A Golden Core cultivator by his side whispered, "But if the higher-ups inquire..."

"To hell with that! The battlefield is gone, the treasure is certainly gone; they can't blame us!"

With a roar, the Nascent Soul cultivator sprinted into the teleportation array first, followed swiftly by his fellow Golden Core cultivators. With the guards gone, the other cultivators quickly followed suit.

Chu Xuan blended in and stepped through the teleportation array. He was soon enveloped in a light screen he hadn't felt in a long time. His senses whirled, surrounded by bizarre, kaleidoscopic visions. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing on solid ground, surrounded by a lush, primeval forest with no sign of human life.

Suddenly, someone shoved him from behind, cursing under their breath.

With a cold snort, Chu Xuan released the formidable aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator, causing the surrounding cultivators to pale and hastily make way. The Golden Core cultivator who had pushed him was overwhelmed with fear and quickly knelt to beg for mercy.

Chu Xuan snorted again, lightly tapped the ground, and swiftly drifted into the nearby dense forest, disappearing from sight.

This place was certainly Mystic Azure Star, but he was unsure which region he was in. Mystic Azure Star was divided into five major continents: Central, Southern Wilderness, Northern Cold, Western Land, and Eastern Border. He needed to find some cultivators to ask which region he was currently in.

Chu Xuan's figure moved rapidly through the primeval forest. Soon, he found a reason to smile. He had come upon a Golden Core demonic cultivator slaughtering a mortal city.

The Myriad Souls Banner hovered above the city, drawing in numerous souls. Chu Xuan shook his head as he observed the scene; only interested in souls and not in flesh—it was truly wasteful. This demonic cultivator was inefficient. A good demonic cultivator should make full use of people.

Chu Xuan swiftly approached. The Golden Core demonic cultivator, sensing the presence of a Nascent Soul powerhouse, instinctively wanted to flee. But in the blink of an eye, Chu Xuan appeared right before him. The demonic cultivator, sweating profusely, bowed deeply.

"Senior…"

"Don't be afraid, I just want to ask you a few questions," Chu Xuan said casually.

The handsome Golden Core demonic cultivator breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Chu Xuan was a righteous Nascent Soul powerhouse from a prestigious sect.

However, Chu Xuan's easygoing manner indicated he wasn't concerned with the demonic cultivator's actions.

"Senior, please ask, I shall spare no detail..." the Golden Core demonic cultivator bowed, respectfully beginning to speak.

He hadn't finished his sentence when Chu Xuan slapped him on the head. "I don't like to ask and answer questions; I prefer to see for myself—it's more efficient."

Chapter 237: Icy Fire?

Atop a high mountain, within a cave that had originally been the dwelling of a nest of late-stage Golden Core pythons. Because Hu was injured and in urgent need of a tonic, Chu Xuan thought it fitting to offer the pythons as sacrifices to the gastric temple and then used a gust of wind to cleanse the cave of any impurities before settling down temporarily.

He had thoroughly examined the memories of the Golden Core demonic cultivator named Lin Fan, a member of the Myriad Souls Sect, a fourth-tier cultivation sect located in the Northern Cold, where the highest achievable realm for a cultivator was that of the Nascent Soul.

Due to the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace retreating to Central, restrictions were loosened, and the demonic cultivators' widespread slaughter of mortals ensued to enhance the realms. Lin Fan was tasked by his master to replenish the Myriad Souls Banner.

Chu Xuan discovered that Lin Fan's relationship with his master was not that of a typical disciple and teacher but rather more akin to that of a servant to a master. The true master of the Myriad Souls Sect was the Nascent Soul ancestor known as the Myriad Souls Elder.

Once disciples of the sect reached the Golden Core stage, the Myriad Souls Elder would place a restriction on their spirit, enslaving them to do his bidding.

Chu Xuan learned of this restriction while searching Lin Fan's memories. He chose not to break the restriction but instead threw Lin Fan's living soul into the Sky-Shielding Umbrella and wrapped it with his own divine consciousness.

In this way, Lin Fan was not dead, the restriction remained intact, and the Myriad Souls Elder would not detect any changes in Lin Fan.

With a simple gesture, Chu Xuan easily altered his appearance to match that of Lin Fan, the Golden Core cultivator from the Myriad Souls Sect.

The distance between Northern Cold and Southern Wilderness was vast, not easily traversed even by a Nascent Soul cultivator. Therefore, he would have to remain in the Northern Cold for an extended period. Assuming Lin Fan's identity was perfectly suitable for his needs.

"From now on, I am Lin Fan," Chu Xuan said with a slight smile. The mask worn for too long was no burden; he always remembered who he truly was. "Let's return to the Myriad Souls Sect."

"The Myriad Souls Elder still has some conscience; his Golden Core cultivators get to rest for a year after completing each mission," he mused. "The souls in Lin Fan's Myriad Souls Banner are sufficient; it's time to go back."

Chu Xuan, assuming Lin Fan's identity, took out the lower-grade flying magic treasure and flew towards the Myriad Souls Sect, located in the Northern Cold cultivation realm, within the borders of the Wu Kingdom and the Yin Soul Mountain Range.

Besides the Myriad Souls Sect, there were two other demonic sects within the Wu Kingdom. The orthodox sects outside the Wu Kingdom frequently launched attacks, forcing the three sects within to band together for mutual support.

Soon, Chu Xuan arrived at Dark Evil Peak in the Yin Soul Mountain Range, the very peak that had been awarded to Lin Fan upon his advancement to Golden Core. As soon as he landed, a large number of mortals were already waiting to serve him.

Following Lin Fan's usual habits, Chu Xuan immediately ordered these mortals to prepare exquisite delicacies. He then proceeded to the main peak of the Yin Soul Mountain Range, Myriad Souls Peak, to meet with the Myriad Souls Elder.

However, just as Lin Fan's memories indicated, he did not get to see the Myriad Souls Elder but only managed to kneel outside his stone chamber. Respectfully, Chu Xuan announced, "Master, your disciple has returned. The task you assigned has been completed; this time, six hundred thousand mortal souls have been collected."

An aged voice echoed from within the stone chamber, "Fan'er, well done. However, it has been three years since your breakthrough to the Golden Core stage, and you are still only at the first level. What kind of progress is this?

If you do not cultivate diligently, how can you hope to achieve longevity? I have always taught you to be diligent and steadfast, shunning laziness and negligence, only then can you achieve greatness! I will give you one more year of rest; make sure to cultivate well!"

Chu Xuan inwardly sneered. Cultivate more? More cultivation likely meant more dangerous assignments. Lin Fan was aware of this and had deliberately delayed for three years while secretly gathering the necessary techniques and elixirs for body refinement. Unfortunately for Lin Fan, he had encountered Chu Xuan.

"Master's teachings are correct; your disciple has learned his lesson," Chu Xuan bowed respectfully.

"Go then."

...

Returning to Dark Evil Peak, thousands of mortal servants had already prepared a feast under the guidance of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Lin Fan was known for his indulgence in gastronomy—a habit he had not shed even after becoming a Golden Core cultivator. Having quirks was common among cultivators, and Lin Fan's penchant for food was hardly noteworthy.

Now that Chu Xuan was assuming this identity, he naturally had to act in a manner consistent with the character. "Excellent," he remarked as he devoured the table full of spiritual food, nodding in genuine approval.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator, grinning widely, said, "Thank you for your praise, Elder Lin!"

Chu Xuan nodded.

This cultivator, named Zhu Jie, was a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator who did not focus on combat but specialized in cooking spiritual food. It was for this reason that he had been brought here by Lin Fan to serve as his personal chef.

Zhu Jie's culinary skills were indeed impressive. The taste of the spiritual food was far from the bland and flavorless fare at the Infinite Sect and had a hint of modern industrial sophistication to it.

After finishing the spiritual food, Chu Xuan stood up and instructed, "I shall be entering seclusion. Let no one disturb me."

"Yes! I, Zhu Jie, swear to defend Dark Evil Peak to the death!" Zhu Jie pounded his chest with great reverence, like a drum.

Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Originally, Zhu Jie was merely an outer disciple with a modest spiritual root. Without his culinary skills, he wouldn't have even reached the late Qi Refining stage, let alone the Foundation Establishment. His entire cultivation base was granted by Lin Fan, to whom he was unwaveringly loyal—a fact that Chu Xuan did not doubt.

Inside the cultivation chamber, Chu Xuan inspected everything and, as usual, set up the array. Only then did he use the Blood Mirror to return to Blue Star. Back on Blue Star, the oppressive sensation that weighed on him like Mount Tai finally vanished.

"What a terrible place that extraterrestrial battlefield is; I'm never going back!" Chu Xuan muttered to himself.

However, he then clicked his tongue, remembering that he might need to return there in the future if he had a chance to advance to the Deity Transformation phase and needed to find divine objects for transformation.

"Cough cough, let's focus on breaking the Life-Death Mystic Ice first," he decided. Commanding the Imperial Sky Mirror, Chu Xuan quickly flew towards the northwestern part of the Han Country's imperial territory, over a vast desert.

At the center of this desert lay the enormous block of Life-Death Mystic Ice, surrounded by more than twenty arrays. Long, Hu and Bao were guarding the site. Upon seeing Chu Xuan arrive, they immediately ceased their wrestling and bowed respectfully.

Hu, with the highest cultivation among them and standing at the forefront, respectfully reported, "Master, there has been no activity from the Life-Death Mystic Ice during this period."

Chu Xuan observed the large, still unhealed hole in Hu's chest with a pang of sympathy. "Does it still hurt?" he asked.

Hu shook his head, "Not much. Eating more flesh and blood should help."

Chu Xuan nodded, "Eat as much as you need. As long as your wounds heal, it's worth it."

Tears unexpectedly welled up in Hu's eyes as it knelt down, "Thank you, Master!"

Chu Xuan nodded slightly and then approached the Life-Death Mystic Ice. Since it was ice, applying flames should certainly melt it; it was just a matter of time. Moments later, as Chu Xuan watched the fiercely burning Corpse Refining Blood Fire, he began to smile.

"Icy fire?"