Demonic Cultivator(252-260) (Patreon)

Chapter 252: Is There Any Way to Make Them Take Action?

"After this, the Myriad Souls Sect will be under my control," Chu Xuan declared with a slight smile upon returning to Black Devil Peak. He had originally planned to rest and recuperate within the Myriad Souls Sect.

If the elders of the sect, including the Myriad Souls Elder, had not pressed him too urgently, he would have continued to mingle under the guise of Lin Fan. Now, having personally intervened and planted a Gu insect in the Myriad Souls Elder, it was an act of desperation.

"Xiao Tianjiao died in the Yin Soul Mountain Range; I hope the Golden Phoenix Sect won't be furiously instigating a righteous-demonic great war." Chu Xuan mused, "Otherwise, peace will once again elude me."

He shook his head, pondering another matter. "In this life, when will I truly be free and unfettered? Endless trifles assault me one after another, leaving me breathless and unable to escape."

Months passed in the blink of an eye. Chu Xuan had received information about the movements of the Golden Phoenix Sect from the Myriad Souls Elder. The situation with the Golden Phoenix Sect was… there was no movement at all.

Not a stir. The disappearance of a genius like Xiao Tianjiao seemed not to have incited the rage of the Nascent Soul ancestors of the Golden Phoenix Sect. The anticipated great war between righteous and demonic forces had also not erupted.

Only a few righteous Golden Core cultivators, who had been friends with Xiao Tianjiao, stormed into the territory of the Three Demonic Sects of Wu Country, wreaked havoc, and then returned.

This affair seemed to have been mysteriously suppressed. The reasons were unknown.

"Master, how do you view this situation?" the Myriad Souls Elder asked humbly, "Are those righteous cultivators harboring some ill intentions?"

Chu Xuan pondered for a moment, "Perhaps they are constrained by other matters. Have your spies keep a closer watch on the righteous side."

"Yes," the Myriad Souls Elder nodded repeatedly.

...

Soul Star.

Since the envisioned great war between righteousness and demonism had not erupted, Chu Xuan once again turned his attention to this planet. He needed to swiftly bring Soul Star under his control and completely transform it into his personal sanctuary.

His physical body remained on Blue Star, cultivating the "Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll" and the "Thousand Refinement Dragon Elephant Technique" to enhance his Qi cultivation and physical realm. Simultaneously, he multitasked, managing a portion of his soul to oversee the forces he had amassed on Soul Star.

Leaving aside the two Ghost Kings for now, the number of Ghost Commanders under him had already exceeded a thousand. As for the Ghost Generals, their numbers had reached over a million.

This strength was already sufficient to obliterate the openly declared power of both the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction. However, the true capabilities of the Slaughter King and the Greedy King remained unknown.

Chu Xuan immediately calmed his mind and began to review the intelligence reports sent back by Soul One and the three others. As he expected, the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction were at each other's throats, nearly driving each other mad.

Almost every inch of Soul Star was ablaze with the fires of war. Every moment, countless souls perished. At least a billion specters and great specters had died, including over a thousand specter kings.

The hatred between these two factions had reached a peak during this period. Chu Xuan's subordinates seized this opportunity to strike from both sides, attacking cities of the Slaughter Faction at times, and cutting off the teams of the Husbandry Faction at others.

They suppressed whichever side gained the upper hand, thus aiding the other, always cunningly maintaining a balance of power between the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction through manipulative means.

Overall, given their prowess in slaughter, the Slaughter Faction generally maintained the upper hand. Even so, the Slaughter King and the Greedy King showed no signs of appearing, as if the life-and-death struggles of their subordinates had nothing to do with them, perhaps even taking pleasure in the chaos.

"These two kings delaying their appearance signifies a severe lack of intelligence," Chu Xuan muttered, his brow furrowed with concern. "Could these two be disciples of the Tao of Survival?"

Upon further reflection, Chu Xuan began to understand why the two kings had yet to make their move. Both the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction were internally divided into numerous factions. It was a landscape of competing peaks.

The ongoing war between the two factions served to weaken the insubordinate Ghost Kings under them, aligning well with the interests of the two great kings. It seemed likely that, without ever having met, the two kings had silently reached an understanding.

"What then can be done to compel them to take action?" Chu Xuan pondered deeply, his brow knotted in thought.

At that moment, a piece of intelligence flashed through his mind. He looked over it, somewhat surprised. This was a message from Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, about the Ascendant Faction.

Previously, Chu Xuan had saved Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, allowing them to change their appearances and assume the identities of Long Yuan and He Qing of the Dragonfly Squad, to infiltrate back into the Ascendant Faction.

Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, diligent and dependable, regularly sent back intelligence on the Ascendant Faction. Chu Xuan had initially intervened in the Ascendant Faction casually, without much interest in their reports.

Seeing the intelligence from the Ascendant Faction once more, Chu Xuan suddenly became alert. "The queen believes that the strife between the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction is an opportunity for the Ascendant Faction to rise. Having bided their time, they are now prepared to seize a major city from the Husbandry Faction." Chu Xuan perused this report with a keen interest and chuckled with intrigue.

"The Ascendant Faction!" Chu Xuan exclaimed. "It is precisely this Ascendant Faction! No matter how fiercely the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction fight, it remains an internal matter of the soul clans. But if the Ascendant Faction were to suddenly rise and their strength surge significantly, it would certainly alarm the Slaughter King and the Greedy King. If the Ascendant Faction becomes strong enough that even the specter king under their command cannot handle them, and if they even threaten their so-called palaces, then the Slaughter King and the Greedy King would definitely be compelled to appear!"

Chu Xuan stroked his hands together, pleased with his strategizing. Now, the only thing needed was to take complete control of the Ascendant Faction, making it a tool under his command.

...

In an underground city, Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan sat opposite each other, eating their meal. Around them, the other eight members of the Dragonfly Squad were also dining. The food produced in the underground city was not lavish, but it was sufficient to fill their stomachs.

Yun Qi remained silent. Even Ma Nanshan, usually talkative, was quiet. This was because, not long before, the queen had issued an order, deciding to take advantage of the conflict between the two factions to surface and seize resources!

Compared to the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction, the Ascendant Faction still had a slight gap in strength. To snatch chestnuts from the fire, they would inevitably have to endure the pain of being scorched by the flames. It was likely that many would die because of the queen's order.

At that moment, a message flashed through the minds of both Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan. After a brief moment of astonishment, they exchanged glances, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes. They did not speak, but simultaneously nodded in understanding, all unspoken between them.

They trusted that with their master's strength, he could easily take control of the Ascendant Faction. As for what their master planned to do after taking control of the Ascendant Faction, they did not know, nor did they wish to know.

They were, after all, supposed to be dead, their lives saved by him. They were merely to execute his commands. Even if he ordered them to commit suicide, they would not ask a single question and would willingly embrace death.

"Leader, we have hope now," Ma Nanshan said with a smile.

"Yes," Yun Qi also smiled, feeling for the first time that the unappetizing worm porridge tasted delicious.

Chapter 253: Is This What You Call Casually Providing Manpower?!

A few days later, all but one squad stationed to guard the underground city were mobilized by the Ascendant Faction. Their singular target was the nearest city of the Slaughter Faction, known as "Grey Leaf City," a mid-sized city.

It was currently under siege by the Husbandry Faction. Positioned outside the core region of the Slaughter Faction, Grey Leaf City faced frequent attacks and was beyond the reach of immediate reinforcement from other Slaughter Faction soul clans. Despite this, the city's defenders had held out for three months.

The Husbandry Faction maintained their exhausting assault tactics—launching fierce attacks for a few days before needing to rest. This pattern allowed the defenders of Grey Leaf City brief respite.

Atop a low mountain peak, Yun Qi and his team had already taken their positions. They had twenty squads, a total of two hundred people, all of whom were great soul masters, equivalent to the soul clan's great specters.

Naturally, this force was not enough to take a city. Their goal was not to occupy the city but to seize resources amidst the ongoing conflict between the Slaughter and Husbandry Factions.

Although the Slaughter Faction delighted in killing, they also needed to nurture some soul beasts for sustenance. By capturing these soul beasts, the Ascendant Faction could continue to survive a bit longer.

"The eastern and northern walls of Grey Leaf City have already been breached by the Husbandry Faction; their main assault is now on the northern wall," Yun Qi explained. "We will take this opportunity to sneak in through the eastern wall. Do not engage any soul clans directly along the way; head straight for the livestock area."

"We need to capture the soul beasts, but also pay attention to the methods of nurturing them and the seeds of superior soul beasts," Yun Qi instructed as he looked at the captains of the other five squads.

"Understood," they nodded earnestly.

"Ding Heng, your squad will take this direction," Yun Qi directed.

"Bai Xin, your squad will lie in ambush here to counter any potential enemy forces," he continued.

Yun Qi surveyed the group, swiftly assigning tasks to each squad. A subtle, unusual gleam flickered through his eyes. Under the identity of Long Yuan, captain of the Dragonfly Squad, he was highly trusted by the queen. His orders were followed, but that did not mean these followers would side with him if he ever opposed the queen. Some squads were staunch supporters of the queen, obeying Yun Qi solely because of his favored status.

Thus, Yun Qi thoughtfully and kindly assigned the most dangerous tasks to these loyal squads. Other squads, harboring grievances against the queen, were given relatively safe assignments. This way, he could weed out dissenters, ensuring that when the time came to rally the Ascendant Faction, its members would unite under his call.

Everything he did was meticulously aimed at flawlessly executing the master's orders. How else could he demonstrate his own value?

At Yun Qi's command, all squads of the Ascendant Faction moved stealthily toward Grey Leaf City as planned. The continuous bombardment between the two soul clans at the northern wall sent shockwaves across the city, their soul techniques clashing and exploding in the air, audible even outside the city walls.

With the Slaughter Faction's forces concentrated on the northern defense, the Ascendant squads made an unimpeded entry through the eastern wall and proceeded with their assigned tasks. Their mission was highly successful: not only did they capture a substantial number of tame soul beasts, but they also obtained several soul beast seeds for future breeding.

However, just as they burst out and attempted to retreat along their original path, they found themselves surrounded. The Husbandry Faction's soul clans had filled the exterior, and turning back, they saw a massive contingent of Slaughter Faction soul clans emerging from within the city.

Specter Kings from both factions appeared soon after, sealing any possible escape for the Ascenders. The faces of all the Ascenders paled in that instant.

A Specter King from the Husbandry Faction cackled, "How laughable, these chickens of the Ascendant Faction trying to fish in troubled waters."

A Specter King from the Slaughter Faction sneered, "Do you even need to say it? Kill the Ascenders first! Attack!"

Although the internal strife between the Nurturing and Slaughter Factions was a soul clan matter, the Ascenders, being outsiders from another star, were a common enemy. Upon discovering the Ascenders' presence, it was natural for both factions to unite temporarily to eliminate these "easy targets."

Yun Qi shouted, "Form up and face the enemy!" He knew his master would appear, but he could not be sure exactly when. Until then, they had to rely on themselves.

The battle erupted instantly. The Ascendant squads found themselves attacked from both sides. However, these were warriors who had survived countless battles; they understood the importance of conserving their strength.

As the first group of Ascenders exhausted their soul power, they immediately retreated to the center to recuperate, allowing the second wave to take over the defense. This rotation continued, ensuring their lines were not broken and even managing to kill several great specters.

The faces of both Specter Kings darkened with annoyance. "Enough of this nuisance, I'll handle it myself!" growled the Slaughter Faction Specter King. His soul power coalesced into a giant spear and he launched it with a mighty thrust. The terrifying force of the attack was felt by everyone.

Yun Qi, at the forefront, felt the breath of death envelop him. Just at that critical moment, two figures descended from the sky, plunging directly into the fray. With a clang, they effortlessly blocked the giant spear. In the next instant, they hurled their own trident with ferocious force.

The Slaughter Faction's Ghost King was momentarily stunned before the trident pierced straight through his body. Simultaneously, cries of battle erupted from the outskirts as the Husbandry Faction's soul clans were swiftly decimated.

By the time the Ascenders could grasp the situation, the soul clans from both factions lay defeated on the ground. They found themselves surrounded by a group of soul clans they had never seen before.

At the forefront were an imposing four-armed soul clan and a serpentine soul clan, both radiating incredibly fearsome auras, powerful as mountains, seemingly capable of crushing them effortlessly.

The Ascenders looked warily at these powerful new soul clans, while Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, on the other hand, revealed expressions of joy.

They had arrived!

Welcoming the king's troops!

Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan looked around, but their master was nowhere to be seen. The four-armed figure stepped forward, and as the Ascenders watched uncertainly, he chuckled, "Yun Qi, Ma Nanshan, father says you've done well. You will be granted a troop to take full control of the Ascendant Faction. Your task now is to continue encroaching on Slaughter Faction territory. Do you understand?"

Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan?

The Ascenders were astounded. Weren't they the captain and vice-captain of the Dark Cloud Squad? Hadn't they supposedly died on a mission long ago?

Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan dropped to one knee in unison, declaring reverently, "Yes! We will follow the master's commands, take control of the Ascendant Faction, and fight for our master!"

The Ascenders were even more shocked.

Wait a minute. Aren't you two supposed to be Long Yuan and He Qing? How did you become Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan?

And especially He Qing, who was known to be a woman! How could she be a man?

Several male Ascenders suddenly changed their expressions. They had all pursued He Qing multiple times!

Four Arms nodded and casually pointed, "I'll just give you some manpower for now. You, you, you, and you, from now on, you follow Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan." He waved his hand carelessly.

Instantly, fifty Ghost Commanders and five thousand Ghost Generals assembled beside Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan. Ghost Commanders are equivalent to Specter Kings, and Ghost Generals are equivalent to Great Specters.

At that moment, Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan came to control fifty Specter Kings and five thousand Great Specters—a significant military force on Soul Star!

The Ascendant spectators were left dumbfounded.

You call this casually giving some manpower?!

Chapter 254: The Queen Is Seriously Ill, Speaking Nonsense Now!

Chu Xuan was very pleased with Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan's performance. Both possessed not only strong soul power but also clever minds, making them ideal candidates to nurture. Since he could not permanently reside on Soul Star, he would definitely need a proxy to manage affairs on his behalf.

"The news of the Ascendant Faction's rise has been deliberately spread," Chu Xuan murmured, stroking his chin. He eagerly anticipated the moment when the two great kings would intervene.

...

In the underground city, Yun Qi and the other Ascenders returned to the palace. The queen, now old and wrinkled, yet still diminutive in stature, eagerly greeted them.

"Captain Long! How was the harvest this time?" the queen asked excitedly.

Yun Qi knelt on one knee, "The harvest was significant. We captured over a thousand soul beasts and acquired a large number of high-quality soul beast seeds."

The queen nodded solemnly, "Good! Very good! I have always said that the conflict between the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction is an excellent opportunity for the Ascendant Faction to rise. In time, we could stand equal to these two major factions and become the third great faction on Soul Star. Just wait a little longer, and we might even defeat the Slaughter and Husbandry Factions and rebuild our world!"

Her face flushed with excitement, and her eyes gleamed with the vision of ruling supreme. She took a deep breath and her gaze became frenzied, "Captain Long! By my command, continue to attack Slaughter Faction cities! Our next target is Black Tree City! I give you one year to organize a thousand great soul master troop!"

The Ascenders exchanged glances.

A year? A thousand great soul masters? They couldn't even muster a thousand soul masters in ten years, let alone one. Was the queen losing her mind?

After the battle at Grey Leaf City, nearly all of her staunch supporters were dead. The few that remained couldn't make much of a difference. The Ascenders standing here were already weary of the queen. Previously, they had been cautious because of her loyal supporters, but now they had a new backing.

Seeing the Ascenders not responding, the queen's expression turned sour. "Why are you all hesitating? Captain Long, do you have something difficult to say?"

Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan looked up at the queen. Yun Qi calmly stated, "Your Majesty, I am not Captain Long Yuan."

The queen was stunned. "Long Yuan, what madness is this? If you are not Long Yuan, who else could you be?"

"I am Yun Qi, captain of the Dark Cloud Squad," Yun Qi clarified.

Ma Nanshan grinned, "And I am Ma Nanshan. The very Ma Nanshan who was ordered by the queen to be executed by the Dragonfly Squad."

The queen was left speechless as Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan wiped away their facial disguises, revealing their true identities. The sight of those familiar faces struck terror into her heart as if she were seeing the dead rise from hell to claim her life.

Yun Qi stated calmly, "The queen's orders are mistaken; the Dark Cloud Squad refuses to comply."

Ma Nanshan followed suit, and soon, other members of the Ascendant Faction echoed their sentiment:

"The queen's orders are mistaken! The Hundred Leaves Squad refuses to comply!"

"The queen's orders are mistaken! The Black Bird Squad refuses to comply!"

"The queen's orders are mistaken!..."

Each declaration was like a dagger to the queen's heart. At that moment, she felt as if the whole world was distancing itself from her.

Yun Qi, expressionless, declared, "The queen's mind is impaired. The Dark Cloud Squad has decided to respectfully ask the queen to retire to her chambers to rest."

"Does anyone object?" he asked.

Ma Nanshan was the first to respond, "No objections!"

The rest of the Ascenders quickly agreed, "No objections!"

Yun Qi, looking at the queen whom he had once served so loyally, said calmly, "Please, my queen."

The queen took a half step back, but then sneered, "I am still the monarch of the Ascendant Faction! Don't forget, I still command a powerful force!" With those words, she slammed a button under the armrest of her throne.

Suddenly, the ground shook, and behind the throne, layers of figures emerged. Upon closer inspection, these were all ghosts!

Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan recognized many of the figures. These were the pure soul people of Soul Star, the logistics staff who had served the Ascenders. Their souls had always been under the queen's control, and now she was unleashing them as a powerful force.

The queen cackled, "Take action! Why don't you move? Is it because these faces are familiar, and you can't bear to do it?"

Yun Qi clapped his hands lightly. Instantly, an overwhelming aura descended from the sky. In the blink of an eye, the modest palace was filled with ghosts, with dozens of them standing behind Yun Qi, towering and potent, their soul power robust. They had reached the level of Specter Kings!

The queen's eyes widened, and she was left utterly speechless, "This... this is..."

Yun Qi calmly declared, "They are just the ghosts of Soul Star's people, why hesitate?"

At his command, "Attack!" the Ghost Commanders and Ghost Generals sprang into action. The ghosts were swiftly torn into shreds and devoured in whole by the commanders and generals. In the blink of an eye, the queen found herself utterly alone.

The queen, eyes red with madness, shrieked at Yun Qi, "Yun Qi... Yun Qi... I will kill you... I will devour you!"

Ma Nanshan quickly stepped forward, "The queen is seriously ill; she is now speaking nonsense!" He called for assistance, "Someone, please escort the queen to her chambers immediately!"

Several Ascenders, who had formed bonds with them, promptly stepped forward and carried the queen away, her limbs flailing.

Yun Qi nodded slightly to Ma Nanshan in appreciation. The Ascenders present understood the situation and bowed respectfully to Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan.

Ma Nanshan then declared, "With the queen indisposed due to illness, the Ascendant Faction needs a new leader. I propose the creation of a general's position to command all Ascendant squads, with Yun Qi as our General."

"Under the General, we can establish positions like Vice General, Flank General, and Quartermaster, to be decided later by the Ascenders," he added.

Yun Qi nodded in agreement, "Good idea."

The Ascenders exchanged glances, their eyes flickering with understanding. Each of them was a powerhouse from their respective planets, selected for their strength and determination. Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan had been the strongest among them even before their supposed "deaths." Now, having "returned from the dead" and effectively sidelined the queen while commanding a powerful host of ghosts, they knew what needed to be done.

In unison, the Ascenders bowed, "We acknowledge General Yun!"

Yun Qi nodded slightly and began placing trusted individuals in various positions. The Ascendant Faction also had assets outside the palace, guarded by Ascenders who were staunch supporters of the queen. These assets needed to be reclaimed.

Once the Ascendant Faction was completely under control, Yun Qi planned to lead the troops granted by his master in a decisive strike!

Chapter 255: The Strange Land

In the realm of Soul Star, ten years had swiftly passed.

Chu Xuan received a battle report from Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, and a smile spread across his face. Throughout these years, he had continuously infused fresh blood into the Ascendant Faction, expanding its ranks.

The number of Ghost Commanders and Ghost Generals had increased significantly, enhancing their strength. Whenever they attacked a city, victory was almost guaranteed by sheer force.

Yet, Yun Qi remained methodical and cautious, never overextending, denying the Soul Clan any chance for a counterattack. Chu Xuan greatly appreciated such steadiness and prudence.

"Excellent," he mused, "In ten years, pushing forward unopposed, we've devoured a third of the Slaughter Faction's territory and half of that held by the Husbandry Faction! Now, the Ascendant Faction surpasses the Husbandry Faction in strength! With such prowess, we should be able to force the Slaughter King and the Greedy King to take action."

Chu Xuan chuckled, instructing them to keep monitoring for any new developments.

...

In the Greedy King's Palace

Hun Shang paced anxiously in front of a massive golden gate, awaiting the king's response. After a long while, the gate cracked open slightly, and a large head peeked out. Hun Shang hurried forward. "What did the Great King say?" he inquired.

The King's attendant spoke arrogantly, "The Great King says, 'The mere Ascendant Faction is but a minor itch, a trivial annoyance.'"

Hun Shang frowned deeply. "A minor itch? They've swallowed half our territory! The souls of the Slaughter Faction are in complete disarray! How can the Great King remain sequestered within the palace!"

The attendant, shocked, retorted, "You—a mere Specter King—dare to criticize the Great King?!"

Realizing his impudence, Hun Shang grew uneasy. Just then, a deep, muffled voice echoed from within the palace, and the attendant suddenly said, "The Great King summons you."

Startled but solemn, Hun Shang stepped through the narrow opening into the palace. Inside, the darkness was profound, obscuring his vision. He could barely make out a dark throne emitting a faint black glow, seemingly occupied by a corpulent, bloated figure.

Hun Shang bowed deeply. "Hun Shang, at your service, Great King."

The Greedy King, without acknowledging his greeting, muttered to himself, "A seventh-level Specter King? Good, you'll serve well as my avatar abroad. How did the Ascendant Faction become so formidable? Curious, I must investigate this..."

Without warning, a beam of black light struck Hun Shang's head, causing his eyes to roll wildly. When he regained clarity, his gaze had become profoundly inscrutable.

"Great King, your servant takes his leave," Hun Shang said with a strange chuckle. Now, he was not just Hun Shang; he was Hun Tan, the Greedy King.

...

Having left the Greedy King's palace, Hun Tan headed straight for the territories of the Ascendant Faction.

"Before the Ascendant Faction rose to power, the cities of my Husbandry Faction were repeatedly struck by mysterious attacks," he mused. "Although Hun Shang and Hun Bao suggested these might have been assaults by the Slaughter Faction, it seemed improbable. This implies that even before the rise of the Ascendant Faction, a powerful force was already at work on Soul Star."

Reflecting on the past, "Moonlight City was once Yellow Stone City, and before that, it was Torrential Flow City..." Hun Tan thought and made straight for Torrential Flow City.

Soon after, he arrived at what was now Torrential Flow City, previously a small town under the Slaughter Faction, mysteriously destroyed and later occupied and expanded by the Husbandry Faction into a major city.

Hun Tan unleashed his soul power, activating a technique known as "Exploring Mystic Waves," which allowed him to detect all living creatures, spirits, and geographical features over a large area. This super-level soul technique, developed by his original form, was so advanced that neither Specter Kings nor Soul Kings could sense its activation.

"What's that place?"

Suddenly, Hun Tan noticed an abyss in the southeast that seemed to swallow all the probing waves of his technique. His interest piqued, he flew towards it immediately. As he approached, he noticed something amiss.

A fog began to appear, thin at first but soon thickening to the point where he could not see his hand before his face. Still, he could feel the sparse, warm rays of light falling from the sky, obscured mostly by the rising fog.

"Sunlight! Despite the sky of Soul Star being eternally shrouded by the spirits of the wronged, obscuring the sunlight and causing the death of plants and barrenness of the land," he pondered.

"What has happened here that sunlight penetrates this gloom?" Shocked, Hun Tan felt as if his understanding of the world was crumbling. He steadied his spirit, suddenly feeling a profound sense of peculiarity. He suspected that the origin of all the chaos might very well be here.

As Hun Tan continued forward, the air grew distinctly colder, and the wails of spirits surrounded him. In the blink of an eye, a ghost, its form a stark, icy white, lunged towards him.

The ghost that lunged at Hun Tan was merely a common specter, low in rank. With a casual flick of his soul power, he shattered the ghost into fragments and absorbed it effortlessly.

However, as he ventured deeper, the number of frost-bound specters he encountered increased, as did their strength. Yet, even the stronger ones failed to challenge him significantly. His body harbored half the power of his original form along with various super soul techniques it had mastered.

Suddenly, the obscuring fog vanished, revealing a vast and dim world before him. Countless specters imbued with the power of frost roared, fought, and perished here. Their bodies contained a frosty power so intense it seemed capable of freezing everything. The ghosts slain in battle became nourishment for the victors, each fight making a specter stronger.

Hun Tan was astounded as he witnessed a specter devour others and forcibly ascend to the ranks of a great specter.

A gust of wind howled as two powerful ghosts, each leading their followers, clashed in combat. The leaders were as potent as specter kings! Looking around, Hun Tan realized that ghosts of Specter King caliber were not rare here but were numerous, very numerous indeed.

Observing the endless battles among the specters, a strong desire to fight surged within him. He yearned to battle, to devour, to grow stronger.

"What place is this? Why are all these specters engaged in endless battle... And why am I also affected?" Hun Tan was amazed.

This place could influence even him! It was important to note that the consciousness within Hun Shang's body was no longer Hun Shang but him, Hun Tan, the Greedy King—a true Great Specter King, superior to ordinary specter kings.

This strange land, capable of influencing even a Great Specter King, was truly bizarre!

Chapter 256: The Power of the Ice Soul Array

Upon seeing the bizarre hybrid spirit, Hun Tan was astounded. The upper body of a human merged with the tail of a serpent—such a hybrid soul clan member he had never encountered before.

"Are you a Soul Star product?" Hun Tan asked cautiously.

The serpent spirit, holding a divination disk, laughed heartily, "I'm called Two Arms! I'd love to chat, but you'll have to meet my father first." With that, he charged forward.

Hun Tan, ever vigilant, quickly retreated while channeling his soul power into a giant bow and arrow, launching it fiercely at Two Arms. The serpent dodged swiftly, the arrow barely missing his shoulder.

Two Arms, slightly angered, remarked, "Attacking on first meeting, you're no good fellow! Now it's my turn!" He grabbed his divination disk and, without another word, hurled it toward Hun Tan.

Hun Tan tried to dodge, but it seemed as though the divination disk had locked onto him from all directions. His only option was to block the attack. He shouted fiercely, summoning three massive shields in front of him, hoping to fend off the disk.

However, the disk shattered the shields in an instant and struck Hun Tan directly, causing severe damage and intense pain, almost knocking him unconscious.

When he awoke, he found himself no longer in the same place. A formidable soul figure loomed over him. The serpent spirit with the divination disk now stood half a step behind, showing utmost respect. Such deference clearly indicated the high status of this soul figure.

Surprisingly, this soul's essence wasn't particularly strong—merely that of an eighth-level specter king. Hun Tan was puzzled by the respect the serpent spirit showed this individual.

"Who are you…" Hun Tan asked, confused.

Chu Xuan, observing him thoughtfully, was aware of the intensity of the Ice Soul Array—a combination of the Yellow Springs Soul Refining Array and the Extreme Cold Ice Crystal Formation.

This made the erosion of the spirits' wills much more severe. Some spirits with decent potential caught Chu Xuan's eye, and he marked them with a divine imprint to maintain their clarity of mind.

Furthermore, as long as they were within the array, they were influenced to fight relentlessly until death, becoming nourishment for other spirits. Yet, this outsider had resisted the Ice Soul Array's influence for an unusually long time, sparking Chu Xuan's interest.

"Specter kings are equivalent to Ghost Commanders," Chu Xuan mused. "Normally, they would struggle to break free from the influence of the Ice Soul Array. Unless this specter king is extraordinary, possessing an exceptionally strong will."

With a deft twist of his eyes, Hun Tan addressed the imposing figure with respect, "I am Hun Tan, a specter king of the Husbandry Faction, and a close confidant of the Great King of the Husbandry Faction. I have strayed into this place by mistake, and I beg you to spare my life. If there is anything you wish to know, I will share without reservation."

Chu Xuan chuckled and, with a swift slap, struck Hun Tan on the head. "You promise to tell all, yet you do not pledge to tell only the truth. Who can say whether your words are sincere? I prefer to see for myself." He prepared to activate a soul-searching technique.

Hun Tan, powerless to resist, was instantly subdued. However, a black light suddenly burst forth from within him, attempting to escape.

Chu Xuan's eyes narrowed as his spiritual sense surged from the sea of his soul, forming a palm, which he launched at the fleeing black light.

Despite the black light's speed, the Sky-Tearing Cold Palm was faster. In the blink of an eye, Chu Xuan had grasped the black light in his hand, which then transformed into a grotesque, bloated human face. The face exhaled a cloud of dark mist, catching Chu Xuan off guard and momentarily clouding his senses.

Still, Chu Xuan's soul, refined through the heavenly dew of the Dao and extraordinarily solid, quickly recovered from the confusion.

"You think to devour me? Watch as I devour you!" The face cackled menacingly and charged towards Chu Xuan's soul body, colliding with it and causing havoc inside.

Two Arms watched anxiously, exclaiming, "Father! Are you alright?"

Chu Xuan displayed a curious expression. "It's fine, just wait on the side." Initially, this fragment of his soul was only a tenth of his original self. After consuming numerous specter kings, it had grown to approximately a third of his original soul's strength.

The essence of his soul was extraordinarily robust. To compare, if the soul body of a specter king was like tofu, then his was like diamond.

The soul creature attempting to devour him was in for a challenge. As it used its soul technique to try and swallow Chu Xuan whole, it felt like biting into rock. With a crack, its teeth shattered.

"This hard?!" the face exclaimed in shock.

Seizing the moment of surprise, Chu Xuan reconjured the Sky-Tearing Cold Palm, capturing the face firmly. Attempting to tear it apart with the palm, Chu Xuan found the opponent's soul surprisingly tough—obnoxious and hard, like a stone in a latrine.

Now firmly under control, the black light face had no chance to resist any further, caught tightly in the unyielding grip of the Sky-Tearing Cold Palm.

The face, contorted into a strange smile, taunted, "You don't look like a soul from the Slaughter Faction, nor do you seem to belong to the Husbandry Faction."

"You can't kill me; you can only trap me. Instead of this, it's better for both of us if you let me go," it cajoled. "What do you desire? Territory? Wealth? Food? Status? Whatever you want, I can provide."

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow, "Are you the Greedy King of the Husbandry Faction?"

The face cackled, revealing its identity, "Indeed, I am the Greedy King!"

Upon this confirmation, Chu Xuan showed a mix of respect and surprise, "To meet the Greedy King himself! I did not expect this, my apologies for the disrespect."

Seeing Chu Xuan's sudden change from haughtiness to deference, the face burst into laughter. All spirits on Soul Star feared the names of the Greedy King and the Slaughter King, and this soul was no exception.

However, Chu Xuan quickly added, "But, I've heard the Greedy King possesses unmatched soul power. You seem too small; are you really the Greedy King?"

The face sneered, "Do you think a large soul body equates to strong soul power? Wrong, very wrong! My soul has undergone a refinement. Moreover, this is not my entire soul, just a part of it."

Chu Xuan smiled, "I see."

As he spoke, he enveloped the black light with his own soul body, effectively isolating the Greedy King's main body from his avatar. The face, now both shocked and confused, questioned, "What are you doing?"

Without a word, Chu Xuan initiated the soul-searching technique. Since a soul contains memories, he could extract information directly from it. The face let out a brief scream, then its eyes turned white as it fell into a stupor, appearing almost catatonic.

Chapter 257: The Ascension of Chu Xuan

Moments later, Chu Xuan pondered thoughtfully. He had unraveled the entirety of the situation.

Not long ago, Hun Shang had met with the Greedy King, who had embedded half of his soul into Hun Shang to control him. Tracing his path from Moonlight City through Yellow Stone to Torrential Flow City, Hun Tan eventually stumbled upon this formation site.

"So this is the true strength of the Greedy King," Chu Xuan mused. The power of half of Hun Tan's soul was roughly equivalent to a first-level Nascent Soul cultivator. Fully intact, Hun Tan could match a third-level Nascent Soul cultivator at most. With his current power, Chu Xuan could easily overpower Hun Tan, sweeping through the opposition with ease.

However, what truly delighted him were the super soul techniques in Hun Tan's memory:

-Exploring Mystic Waves: This technique could detect all living beings and terrain over a wide area.

-Great Inner Furnace Refining Method: An advanced version of the Inner Furnace Refining Method, with faster devouring speeds.

-Great Devouring Palm: An enhanced version of the devouring palm, capable of absorbing the soul bodies of opponents during battle.

-Triple True Shield: Instantly conjures three layers of soul shields, offering a formidable defense.

Chu Xuan marveled at the ingenuity. Even though Hun Tan was merely a native of Soul Star, his intelligence and strength were noteworthy. He had managed to create soul techniques comparable to the spiritual sense secrets of the Nascent Soul period.

"All of these are worth cultivating," Chu Xuan smiled to himself. He had not only acquired half of Hun Tan's soul but also four Nascent Soul period spiritual sense secrets for free—a significant gain.

"Hun Tan has lost half of his soul and his power has greatly diminished; this is the perfect time to strike at his weakest," Chu Xuan thought. "Additionally, I must be wary of his last resort..."

Having reviewed Hun Tan's memories, Chu Xuan knew both the extent of his abilities and his ultimate tricks. After a moment's consideration, he sent a message to Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, instructing them to abandon their cautious approach and advance directly on the Husbandry Faction's palace.

Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, upon receiving the order, did not even pause to rest but immediately led their ghost commanders and ghost generals to press forward.

"Two Arms, send another batch of specters to the Ascendant Faction. We need more numbers, stronger ones," Chu Xuan commanded.

"Yes! I'll see to it immediately!" Two Arms responded respectfully.

Chu Xuan then settled down to refine the black soul mass within him. Though the soul was tough, with time, it would inevitably be refined. Meanwhile, he also multitasked, starting to adapt these four super soul techniques into spiritual sense secrets. While soul techniques and spiritual sense secrets might share similar goals, there were differences that required his personal touch to perfect.

...

In the dimly lit hall of the Greedy King's Palace, the corpulent figure on the throne abruptly stood, his eyes blazing with a sharp intensity.

"Such a pure soul!" he exclaimed. "Though his soul is not as strong as my main body, its purity far surpasses mine! This soul must have a special talent to refine to such purity. I must find him and devour him!"

Hun Tan laughed sinisterly. Stationed in the palace for so long, his aim had always been to ascend to higher realms. Now, a breakthrough opportunity had presented itself, and he could not let it pass.

As for the avatar that had lost contact with his main body, he was unconcerned. Though the avatar possessed only half of his soul power, it retained all the soul techniques he had cultivated, especially the Triple True Shield which had made his soul body exceptionally tough. He was confident that not even the most determined efforts could consume even a part of his avatar, not to mention that he held a deadly trump card—unforeseen by anyone.

Once he entered the misty area, the avatar would naturally reintegrate with the main body.

He mused coldly, "This farce should end now." With that, the Greedy King's Palace sank back into darkness.

...

Several days later, the Ascendant Faction's army, led by Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan, relentlessly marched forward, storming directly towards the Greedy King's Palace.

With Two Arms anchoring the force, their advance was unstoppable, sweeping through defenses as if they were mere brushwood. Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan were so elated that they laughed in their sleep, having never fought such a profitable battle in their lives. The troops were plentiful, exceeding all expectations.

Surprisingly, upon breaching the Greedy King's Palace, they found no trace of the infamous Greedy King himself. It was as if he had evaporated, completely disappearing from sight. Rumors swirled—some said he had fled; others claimed he had taken his own life.

Regardless, with the Greedy King gone, the Husbandry Faction was left headless, reduced to fighting amongst themselves. The Ascendant Faction naturally took over the Greedy King's Palace. However, the Husbandry Faction's territories were vast, and it would take considerable time to extinguish all remaining resistance.

Additionally, the Slaughter Faction's souls seized the opportunity to cross the border and snatch benefits, compelling Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan to spread their forces thin to quell these threats.

Just when the soul clans thought the conflict was drawing to a close, and Soul Star was on the brink of a new balance of power between the Slaughter Faction and the Ascendant Faction, the Slaughter King personally led a formidable force of one hundred specter kings southward, cutting through Ascendant Faction cities directly towards the Ice Soul Array near Torrential Flow City.

This elite force was unstoppable. The Ascendant defenders could only watch helplessly as the Slaughter King's forces tore through their defenses, advancing furiously toward their strategic heartland...

 Chapter 258: I'm sorry, I've already devoured it

Outside the Ice Soul Array, the Slaughter King, Hun Tu, gazed into the fog-enshrouded area before him with a mix of unfamiliarity and recognition. Although Hun Tu had never been to this place, Hun Tan had—and had even left behind an avatar here.

Years ago, a fierce battle had ensued between Hun Tu and Hun Tan. Hun Tu was skilled in combat and slaughter, while Hun Tan excelled in devouring and assimilation.

Although Hun Tu won that battle, Hun Tan managed to erode part of his soul into Hun Tu's body. Over the years, Hun Tu had become but a shell; inside him dwelt the consciousness of Hun Tan. In essence, Hun Tu had long since become another avatar of Hun Tan—this was the source of Hun Tan's unwavering confidence.

With a loud command, "Charge! The enemy is within!" the hundred specter kings under his command didn't hesitate to plunge into battle. These specter kings were the elite of Hun Tu's forces—loyal and formidable. At Hun Tu's command, they would not even blink an eye before sacrificing themselves.

With these specter kings clearing the path, the Slaughter King advanced, easily overpowering any spirits that dared stand in his way. Soon, he found himself once again facing Chu Xuan.

"Your serpent spirit ally is still in the Greedy King's Palace," Hun Tu sneered. "Your forces are scattered across the land, suppressing the remnants of the Husbandry Faction. You are unprotected."

Hun Tan, looking at the spirit before him, smirked coldly. "Do you recognize me?"

Chu Xuan smiled back, "Of course, Slaughter King Hun Tu."

Hun Tan's eerie laugh echoed, "No, I am not just Hun Tu; I am also Hun Tan. The avatar I once left with you—I've come to reclaim it. And I will devour you as well."

His face lit up with a twisted delight, "You should feel honored, for you will serve as a stepping stone on my path to evolution!"

Hun Tan towered menacingly over Chu Xuan, suddenly unleashing his Great Devouring Palm. From the center of his palm surged a force intent on consumption.

Chu Xuan responded with a cold smirk and a step back as a massive shadow burst forth from behind him. Four giant arms wielding unique ghostly artifacts swung ferociously at Hun Tan.

With a visage grim and fanged, it was none other than the Ghost King Four Arms.

Hun Tan, taken aback, quickly retracted his Great Devouring Palm and summoned the Triple True Shield in defense.

But the impact of the ghostly artifacts was overwhelming; the shields shattered in an instant, and the continued assault pummeled Hun Tan's chest, sending him flying.

As he tumbled backward, the image of the formidable Four Arms haunted his gaze, shock evident in his eyes.

Besides the serpent spirit, this fog-enshrouded area hid another powerful specter—this four-armed being—whose might even surpassed the serpent's.

"Is this four-armed specter also one of his minions?" Hun Tan wondered in dismay.

"Attack!" he barked. The hundred specter kings under his command surged forward to shield him.

Four Arms, like a whirlwind, stormed through the ranks, his artifacts smashing down relentlessly. Touches were wounds; contacts were fatal. The once-dominant specter kings now appeared as fragile as common beasts.

Despite their vulnerability, these fiercely loyal specter kings charged fearlessly towards their doom.

Meanwhile, Hun Tan used this brief respite to launch another assault on Chu Xuan, reigniting his Great Devouring Palm with full force. He knew his window was closing rapidly.

His only chance to tip the scales was to eliminate this peculiar spirit and reclaim his other half. Chu Xuan, wearing a cryptic smile, responded, "You want to take back your half? I'm sorry, I've already devoured it."

With those words, he suddenly concentrated his consciousness, and in the blink of an eye, he too manifested a Great Devouring Palm, striking towards Hun Tan.

Hun Tan's eyes widened in disbelief. The Great Devouring Palm was his creation, a secret technique known only to him. How had this spirit learned it?

The clash of the Great Devouring Palms created a vortex of terrifying absorption power. As Hun Tan and Chu Xuan's palms met, their soul bodies began to rapidly transform into one another's substance.

Moments later, Hun Tan, in horror, realized his Great Devouring Palm couldn't match Chu Xuan's.

Chu Xuan's body then shifted, his entire form morphing into a massive hand—the pinnacle of the Great Devouring Palm.

"Soul and Hand as One."

Hun Tan was utterly shocked. This was the highest realm of the Great Devouring Palm he had envisioned but never achieved despite over a century of practice. To see his stolen technique not only mastered but also surpassed by this enigmatic soul was too much for him to bear.

"It's time to end this," came Chu Xuan's calm voice from within the giant hand.

The next moment, the colossal palm smashed down overwhelmingly.

Hun Tan's pupils shrunk to pinpoints as he desperately tried to flee, only to realize he couldn't escape the immense scope of the Great Devouring Palm.

With a thunderous crash, the giant hand easily captured Hun Tan, crushing his soul body to a dim shadow of its former self. The essence within Hun Tan was steadily drained and siphoned into Chu Xuan.

"Please... I'll tell you whatever you want to know..." Hun Tan pleaded weakly.

Chu Xuan offered a slight smile, "Thank you, but no need." He promptly activated a soul-searching technique, swiftly rifling through Hun Tan's memories. "It's a pity... after Hun Tan assimilated Hun Tu, the memories were lost. I had hoped to obtain Slaughter Faction's superior soul techniques from Hun Tu."

Chu Xuan felt a tinge of regret. The Slaughter Faction specialized in the art of killing, and if he could adapt their superior soul techniques into Nascent Soul stage spiritual sense secrets, their effectiveness would be unmatched.

While the Great Devouring Palm was formidable in overpowering weaker opponents, it still fell short compared to the Sky-Tearing Cold Palm, except in its ability to forcibly devour an opponent's consciousness during combat—a feature Chu Xuan greatly appreciated.

With Hun Tan's demise, the morale of the Slaughter Faction's specter kings plummeted. Soon, they were methodically slain by Four Arms.

Interestingly, the picky Four Arms didn't consume any of the fallen, instead tossing them to the specters within the Ice Soul Array.

"You...," Chu Xuan couldn't help but laugh ruefully. "How will you grow stronger if you don't feed?"

With the fall of the Greedy King and the Slaughter King, large-scale conflicts on Soul Star came to an end. The remnants of the Slaughter Faction and the Husbandry Faction continued their desperate resistance in various locations, but under Chu Xuan's orders, Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan led a formidable force of ghosts to quell these holdouts, ensuring it was only a matter of time before peace was restored.

Following the eradication of the two major factions, some survivors from the underground tried to attach themselves to the Ascendant Faction. Knowing their true nature, Yun Qi and Ma Nanshan secretly executed these opportunists, thus securing complete control over Soul Star.

Under Chu Xuan's guidance, they formed an organization called the "Soul Hall," which took charge of all affairs on Soul Star. Military forces were banned in all cities, except for a powerful ghost army retained by the Soul Hall itself.

The primary mission of the Soul Hall was the research and development of various soul techniques—offensive, defensive, and specialized—making any useful soul technique a subject of study.

Consequently, Soul Star transformed into Chu Xuan's personal domain, serving both as a supply of ghosts and a testing ground for new soul techniques.

...

Blue Star.

Chu Xuan toyed with a piece of a blood mirror in his hand, smiling. Having fully secured control over Soul Star, he and his ghost minions, guided by his own senses, had discovered this long-sealed blood mirror in a desolate plain. At first glance, the fragment seemed like nothing more than a piece of ordinary glass.

"How can I integrate this fragment back into the blood mirror without any cracks or defects?" Chu Xuan pondered. Without hesitation, he placed the fragment on the surface of the blood mirror.

The next moment, a surge of blood light emerged, so intense that it even dazzled Chu Xuan. When his vision cleared, the fragment had vanished, and the blood mirror had grown slightly larger.

The integration of the blood mirror fragment was not by setting but by merging.

Just as Chu Xuan reached out to pick up the blood mirror, it suddenly flew toward his forehead. Startled, he tried to dodge, but no matter what he did, he couldn't escape it. A bone-deep pain then struck him, and Chu Xuan found himself unable to resist, falling unconscious.

Chapter 259: Whoever it is, come forth!

After a while, Chu Xuan finally awoke leisurely. He touched his brow and found not a single scar.

"Where is the Blood Mirror?"

Chu Xuan was astonished. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the Blood Mirror had sunk to the bottom of his sea of consciousness. He stirred his spiritual sense and lightly touched the Blood Mirror.

A wave of ancient, profound thoughts flooded his mind. Only then did he learn the true name of the Blood Mirror.

"Mirror of the Myriad Realms..." Chu Xuan savored the name.

He also discovered that with a mere thought, he could effortlessly traverse among the various planets within the Mirror of the Myriad Realms—far simpler and swifter than before.

"Before I found this shard, it had always been external. Now, it has merged into my body of its own accord." Chu Xuan pondered, "Could it be that only now does the Mirror of the Myriad Realms truly recognize me as its master?"

His spiritual sense lightly touched the Mirror of the Myriad Realms. Immediately, three scenes appeared on its surface. The first was Blue Star, overrun by zombies and ravaged by monstrous beasts.

The second was Soul Star, haunted by ghosts and wailing spirits—both planets Chu Xuan had previously encountered.

The third scene, however, took Chu Xuan by surprise. It showed a cavern crisscrossed with pathways, within which busy insects scurried tirelessly up and down, much like industrious ants at work.

"What planet is this?" Chu Xuan mused.

He decided to first send his spiritual sense there to scout the path. Chu Xuan held his breath and concentrated, extending a strand of spiritual sense into it. After a long while, he opened his eyes. It was pitch dark here, with scant light. He tried to extend his spiritual sense further but found it confined to just around one zhang nearby. He strained to survey his surroundings.

At last, some details became visible. He was in a rocky cavern. Not far from him, on a stone bed, lay a skeleton. Looking down, he indeed saw a shard of the Mirror of the Myriad Realms, piled together with a heap of unidentifiable objects.

Chu Xuan thought hard for a while, and suddenly, an epiphany struck him.

"A powerful elder, having gone mad from cultivation, died here in this cave, leaving behind his legacy. Centuries later, a fortunate soul is knocked off a cliff by villains, not only survives the fall but also lands in this cave, thereby inheriting the elder's legacy and treasures… Isn't this just the trope of gaining fortuitous encounters by falling off a cliff?"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but laugh and cry at the irony. What a plot twist!

Yet, instead of being the fortunate one who finds the treasure, he had become the treasure itself!

Chu Xuan stirred his spiritual sense, attempting to move the shard of the Mirror of the Myriad Realms, but found himself utterly incapable of even the slightest shift.

His spiritual sense was clearly far more suppressed in this realm. "It seems I can only wait for that destined fortunate one," Chu Xuan sighed in resignation.

This was hardly a favorable predicament. A year? A decade? A century? If the fortunate one delayed, he would simply have to wait. Wouldn't that be a waste of the powers of the Mirror of the Myriad Realms?

But no matter how much he pondered, Chu Xuan could devise no solution.

"For now, I can only maintain the status quo. Whoever it is, just someone, anyone! Even if it's not a person, let a rat come and carry me away!"

Chu Xuan sighed softly, withdrawing his spiritual sense.

...

Blue Star.

"Having consumed so much flesh and blood of the Nether Crocodile, the progress of my physical body is quite remarkable," Chu Xuan noted as he roasted a piece of Nether Crocodile meat, liberally seasoned with cumin and chili powder, and devoured it greedily.

He felt the strength of his body, refined to the thirty-third level, and nodded in satisfaction. His physical body, spiritual Qi, and soul were advancing in unison. His body was at the thirty-third level of physical refinement.

His spiritual Qi was at the third layer of the Nascent Soul stage. His soul, though unmeasurable, was clearly far superior to that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, having been bathed in the heavenly dew.

"Eh... merit clouds?" Chu Xuan suddenly looked up at the sky, somewhat sentimental. Having slain so many zombies and slaughtered numerous spirits, his merit had finally achieved a breakthrough.

In the sky, the multicolored clouds coalesced into the forms of mythical beasts like the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, roaring and bellowing through the heavens, yet not inducing fear but rather soothing the mind, immensely serene.

Moments later, the clouds transformed into a magnificent tapestry depicting thousands of mountains and rivers, embracing all creation.

Chu Xuan's inner merit reflected against the heavenly clouds, instantly condensing a four-layered golden wheel of merit behind him!

Then, from the horizon, countless golden petals drifted down, eventually forming a quietly spinning golden lotus descending towards Chu Xuan.

The Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus!

Chu Xuan was astounded. He had only heard of a sixth-level cultivation sect called "Heavenly Dragon Holy Temple," whose Ancestor, sacrificing two thousand years of lifespan, saved an entire mortal cultivation star, earning this divine reward of the Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus. He had never imagined that he, too, might receive one.

Chu Xuan opened his arms to welcome the Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus. Upon introspecting, he discovered the Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus had come to rest beneath the seat of his Nascent Soul, spinning quietly. With each rotation of the Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus, a strand of golden light merged into the body of the Nascent Soul.

"The Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus, an incomparable treasure that enhances the Nascent Soul..." Chu Xuan mused, gazing at the sacred, luminous flower. "Upon fully integrating with a Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus, the Nascent Soul's size will increase, and both the total essence and recovery speed of the Nascent Soul will be significantly improved. After consuming the Nascent Soul's essence, the power, range, and scope of spells will greatly intensify!"

"One could say that every aspect related to the Nascent Soul will receive an all-encompassing enhancement!" Chu Xuan admired the Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus in awe.

As a demon path cultivator whose roots were deeply entrenched in righteous deeds, he had ventured far on the path of virtue. If the ancestral grandmasters of the demon path were to see him now, they might very well spit blood in agitation.

After a long while, the colorful clouds vanished without a trace, and so did Chu Xuan. Members of Black Blade, who had witnessed this phenomenon, were equally stunned. For them, such a celestial spectacle was a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

...

Mystic Azure Star, Norther Cold.

Within the Myriad Souls Sect at Black Devil Peak, Chu Xuan appeared in his cultivation chamber. Though he had devoted most of his energies to Soul Star recently, he still kept an eye on the activities of Myriad Souls Sect and the surrounding orthodox sects from time to time.

The news from Myriad Souls Elder always indicated that there was little disturbance in the northern cultivation world.

However, Chu Xuan felt as though a storm was brewing beneath the surface, gathering strength. He couldn't pinpoint why he felt this way—perhaps it was a premonition given by his accrued virtue.

Zhu Jie tapped lightly on the stone door of the cultivation chamber, saying respectfully, "Elder, Elder Zhong Yan and Elder Bai Jinkun have come to visit. Would you like to see them?"

Chu Xuan frowned. Zhong Yan, the woman involved with Myriad Souls Elder? And Bai Jinkun too. Hadn't he told them not to disturb him?

"No," Chu Xuan shook his head.

Zhu Jie smiled wryly, "Elder Zhong has already been here twice. She's still in the main hall, insisting that she won't leave unless you appear."

Chu Xuan's frown deepened. What madness had overtaken this woman? "Very well, lead me to the main hall," he said, striding out of the cultivation chamber.

Chapter 260: I Thought It Was a Major Issue, But It Turns Out to Be Such a Trifle?

In the grand hall of Black Devil Peak, Zhong Yan sat on a rosewood chair, sipping spiritual tea, her eyebrows deeply furrowed in concern over some matter. Bai Jinkun, on the other hand, dared not sit nor even drink the tea, pacing back and forth instead.

Zhong Yan frowned. "Senior brother, stop pacing; you're making me dizzy. Sit down."

Bai Jinkun shook his head. "No, I cannot sit, I must not sit."

Zhong Yan looked puzzled. "Why? What's stopping you from sitting? This is Black Devil Peak, not the main peak where our master resides."

Bai Jinkun forced a smile and couldn't help but advise, "Junior sister, I've said it before, just leave now. Do not start a feud with Lin... junior brother Lin over this matter."

Zhong Yan massaged her temples. "I just wanted to swap some of my holdings for those of Junior brother Lin . How is that picking a fight? Besides, Lin Fan's power is far below ours, so what if we do confront him?"

Zhong Yan snorted coldly. "I still want to ask why, after visiting twice in person, he refuses to even see me! Does he really think I would care about any so-called fraternal bonds?"

At this point, a cold light flashed in Zhong Yan's eyes. Clearly, being snubbed twice had greatly irritated her.

Bai Jinkun stood beside her, speechless. He dared not say more, for that Nascent Soul grandmaster had warned them not to reveal anything on that night. The only request was for them to leave him in peace.

"Oh, senior... I'm not deliberately disturbing your peace; I've already tried to dissuade her several times, to no avail—it's like preaching to the damned dead," Bai Jinkun sighed inwardly.

Just then, footsteps echoed at the entrance of the hall. Zhong Yan looked up to see a figure walking into the hall, as handsome as a jade sculpture and as elegant as a refined scholar—it was her junior brother Lin Fan.

When she first met Lin Fan years ago, she thought he had a fine appearance and might become a cultivation partner, elevating each other.

But over the years, Lin Fan's cultivation progress was pitifully slow, and she had long surpassed him, abandoning any other aspirations concerning him.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Bai and Sister Zhong," Chu Xuan said with a smile. Zhong Yan snorted, her tone neither warm nor cold.

"Junior brother Lin, you certainly know how to show courtesy in person. But counting this visit, I have come to see you three times now. I want to ask you, why do you continue to refuse to meet? Making me face a closed door?"

Listening to her tone, Bai Jinkun couldn't help but close his eyes. It was too embarrassing to watch.

Chu Xuan smiled gently, "I was indeed at a critical point in my cultivation and couldn't leave. I ask for senior sister's forgiveness."

His demeanor took Zhong Yan by surprise. It felt as though her forceful punch had landed on a soft, yielding cushion.

"Senior sister and senior brother have visited three times; it must be important," Chu Xuan remarked, glancing at Bai Jinkun.

Bai Jinkun felt a shiver run down his spine under that gaze and quickly waved his hands, "I'm not here for myself. It's Zhong Yan who wanted to come. I advised her not to disturb Junior brother Lin over such trivial matters, but she wouldn't listen."

Zhong Yan looked at Bai Jinkun, bewildered. What did this mean? The strongest under the tutelage of the Myriad Souls Elder was showing such deference to the weakest among them, Lin Fan.

The words he had chosen seemed designed to distance himself from any involvement with her. It was as though he didn't want to have anything to do with her at all. Zhong Yan couldn't figure out why but decided not to dwell on it.

"Junior brother Lin, let me get straight to the point," Zhong Yan said. "There's an iron ore mine on the western slopes of the Yin Soul Mountains that belongs to me. I know you own the Yin Wood Manor, and I'd like to swap it with you." Zhong Yan stared into Chu Xuan's eyes, "That's all I'm here for."

Chu Xuan frowned upon hearing this. Just as Zhong Yan thought he might refuse, Chu Xuan spoke, "I thought it was something major; turns out it's such a minor matter? If senior sister wishes to trade, then let's trade. I have no objections."

Zhong Yan was dumbfounded. Just like that? Yin Wood Manor was more profitable than her iron ore mine. She had calculated that the manor could bring Lin Fan at least a thousand small spiritual stones in pure profit each year.

Over a few years, that would accumulate to a significant sum. She had thought she'd have to argue persuasively to convince him. But her good junior brother had agreed so readily, leaving her prepared arguments unused.

"Coordinate the specifics with Zhu Jie. I need to return to my cultivation. Unless there's anything else urgent, please do not disturb me again," Chu Xuan smiled. Zhong Yan wanted to speak, but after a moment of thought, she couldn't find the words. In the end, all she managed was a grudging "Hmm."

After a pause, Bai Jinkun said, "Junior brother, there are some matters I'd like to discuss privately with you."

Chu Xuan nodded, "Of course."

Zhong Yan eyed them suspiciously but since Bai Jinkun wished to speak privately, she left without further comment.

Soon, only Chu Xuan and Bai Jinkun remained in the grand hall.

Bai Jinkun fell to one knee with a thump, speaking with reverence, "Senior, I failed to dissuade Zhong Yan, allowing her to disturb your peace. I deserve to die, please punish me."

He was acutely aware of the dynamics at play. This Nascent Soul cultivator had control over Myriad Souls Elder, who in turn controlled them, the Golden Core cultivators, through restrictions. He didn't even qualify to call this Nascent Soul cultivator his master, only daring to address him as 'Senior'.

Chu Xuan responded calmly, "No harm done, you tried your best."

Bai Jinkun spoke softly, "I could kill her tonight. What do you think, Elder?"

Chu Xuan shook his head, "Better less trouble than more, let her live."

"Yes, yes, Senior indeed possesses great magnanimity," Bai Jinkun nodded vigorously.

"Do you know why she wants to trade properties with me?" Chu Xuan suddenly asked.

Bai Jinkun replied in a low voice, "To the west of the Yin Soul Mountains lies the Original Yang Sect. Recently, Original Yang Sect has launched several attacks on the Yin Soul Mountains, killing many, including a Golden Core cultivator."

"Original Yang Sect has always been the vanguard for the Golden Phoenix Sect. Whenever a major conflict between righteous and demonic forces erupts in the North Cold, it starts with these vanguards of the Golden Phoenix Sect. They intentionally let some righteous cultivators die, and then Golden Phoenix Sect uses the excuse of exorcising demons to ignite a war."

Bai Jinkun's voice grew even lower, "Zhong Yan's iron mine is located on the western foothills of the Yin Soul Mountains and has already been attacked twice by the Original Yang Sect. Although she repelled the attacks both times, even killing several Foundation Establishment cultivators from Original Yang Sect, she doesn't want any more trouble and plans to abandon the property..."

Chu Xuan smiled wryly, "So she chose me, thinking I was the weakest Golden Core cultivator in Myriad Souls Sect."

Bai Jinkun gave an embarrassed smile, "Yes... after much thought, she picked an easy target... Moreover, she really does covet your Yin Wood Manor."

Chu Xuan said indifferently, "I don't want to be bothered with such trivial matters. Go and report today's events to Wan Hun, let him handle Zhong Yan. Also, keep me informed of any movements by the righteous sects immediately."

"Yes, I will serve you with utmost dedication, to the death!" Bai Jinkun nodded respectfully.