Demonic Cultivator(268-279) (Patreon)

Chapter 268: The Five Ghosts Life-Seizing Method, Heavenly Yin Gu Corpse Technique

Taking advantage of the night, Chu Xuan returned to Black Devil Peak. His first task was to inspect the storage bags of the Nascent Soul cultivators. However, the foundations of these cultivators were far below his expectations—pitifully so. One might have mistaken them for Golden Core cultivators masquerading as Nascent Soul cultivators.

Aside from Jin Zhao, the combined contents of the other five Nascent Soul cultivators' storage bags weren't particularly impressive, merely expanding Chu Xuan's reserves of spirit stones a bit, which would be convenient for setting up future formations.

Their magic treasures and spells did not particularly impress Chu Xuan; some Nascent Soul cultivators were even using Golden Core-level spells, which was not surprising given they were only at the first layer of the Nascent Soul stage.

"Ah, this person's storage bag..."

Chu Xuan examined Jin Zhao's storage bag, and he was genuinely surprised. This person had a substantial reserve of spirit stones, talismans, and medicinal pills. Some talismans and pills clearly did not originate from the Northern Cold.

"There's also a map of the Corpse Yin Sect's grand formation. It seems he indeed had support from a higher power."

Suddenly remembering something, Chu Xuan quickly found Shangguan Hao's storage bag and after a brief comparison, he understood.

"These are talismans and pills from the Majestic Sword Sect; the style is exactly the same."

Chu Xuan stroked his chin, thoughtful. The Majestic Sword Sect would certainly not assist a fourth-tier sect on Mystic Azure Star without reason. It must have been the Reincarnation Divine Church that ordered the Majestic Sword Sect to intervene.

This was quite intriguing. The Feather Transformation Heaven Palace was the overlord of Mystic Azure Star and closer to the Golden Phoenix Sect. Why didn't the Reincarnation Divine Church order them to assist the Golden Phoenix Sect but instead directed the Majestic Sword Sect to help?

Could it be that the Reincarnation Divine Church no longer trusted Feather Transformation Heaven Palace?

"Feather Transformation Heaven Palace's Spirit Feather True Person was once single-handedly suppressed by an Astral Projection ancestor from the Reincarnation Divine Church. Perhaps because of this, Feather Transformation Heaven Palace might harbor resentment towards the Reincarnation Divine Church."

Recalling a past incident, Chu Xuan suddenly saw things more clearly. The Northern Cold, Southern Wilderness, Eastern Border, and Western Land all had sects intervening to enforce unity—likely at the behest of the Reincarnation Divine Church.

He had yet to see any movements from the Heaven Shaking Divine Church. However, Chu Xuan felt that the Heaven Shaking Divine Church would probably directly approach Feather Transformation Heaven Palace.

With this, the situation became clear.

"I disrupted the Northern Cold's unified front. This matter will surely attract the attention of certain individuals. Presumably, someone will soon come knocking, right?"

Chu Xuan chuckled lightly.

The Heaven Shaking Divine Sect would certainly not miss this opportunity.

"This 'Five Ghosts Life-Seizing Method' is quite remarkable; it uses one's lifespan to refine Life Ghosts, which not only enhance the power of spells but also allow the Life Ghosts to plunder others' lifespan to nourish oneself."

He found a jade slip containing the technique in the corner of Jin Zhao's storage bag and nodded in satisfaction.

"It's time to refine a corpse puppet; Jin Zhao practiced body-refining techniques in his lifetime, which are perfect for creating a corpse puppet."

Chu Xuan retrieved Jin Zhao's corpse from the Corpse Preservation Tower.

In his earlier days of modest cultivation, he used living bodies for corpse refinement.

Such practices imbued deep resentments, and the resulting corpse puppets were naturally more formidable.

But now, as a Nascent Soul great cultivator, he no longer needed to use living bodies.

Jin Zhao's corpse was an excellent material for corpse refinement.

"Now, I have quite a few corpse refining techniques at hand, and there's no shortage of Nascent Soul cultivators' corpses. It's the perfect time to choose a unique method and experiment."

Several corpse-refining techniques flashed through Chu Xuan's mind.

He eventually settled on a technique called the Heavenly Yin Gu Corpse Technique. He had obtained this method after slaying Leng Hanshuang and looting her storage bag, likely a trophy from Leng's victories over demonic cultivators.

This technique creatively combined gu worms with corpse puppets. The resulting corpse puppet, also known as a Gu Corpse, was indeed formidable.

However, the demonic predecessor who created this technique had only initiated it in part. Due to limited knowledge of gu worms, he hadn't fully perfected it.

Chu Xuan was undeterred. He was well-versed in both gu worms and corpse puppets and saw this as an opportunity for further trials.

With plenty of Nascent Soul corpses available, even a few failures were acceptable. But a successful creation of a gu corpse was what truly excited him.

"Unwittingly, I find myself as enthused as when I was buried in my studies of esoteric arts at the Infinite Sect."

Chu Xuan chuckled softly, then connected with the Mirror through his thoughts and returned to the Blue Star, burying himself in the study of the Heavenly Yin Gu Corpse Technique.

...

Several days later.

The disappearance of Nascent Soul cultivators like Jin Zhao, Ling Su, and Luo Hua was finally noticed by the righteous sects. Golden Core cultivators frantically sent messages to their masters.

These messages, however, vanished like stones sinking into the ocean, without any response. Nascent Soul cultivators were like stabilizing pins in the sea. They also represented the pinnacle of combat power.

Once the Nascent Soul cultivators were gone, collapse was only a matter of time.

On the side of the Three Demonic Sects of the Wu Country, Zheng Ji, Guan Tong, and Wan Hun also noticed the anomalies and began to launch probing attacks.

They worried whether the righteous alliance was playing a novel strategy, focusing on a disappearance. Just waiting for them to take the bait.

Chu Xuan paid little heed to the aggressive advances of the Three Demonic Sects. In any case, it was only a matter of time before he could flatten them. He was still focused on refining the gu corpse. The first two gu corpses he attempted to create had failed.

Either the gu worms devoured the corpse puppet, or the compatibility between the gu worms and the corpse puppet was so poor that the powerful physical body of the corpse puppet ended up killing the gu worms.

A perfect fusion of gu worms and corpse puppet had yet to occur.

"No good..."

Chu Xuan sighed softly. The gu worms he possessed now were almost obsolete.

The Blood Bee Queen was still decent. Its offspring—soldier bees, poison bees, fire bees, and hidden bees—were somewhat useful.

As for the Blood Steel Wire, Qi Sea Seed, and Thought Nurturer, their provided enhancements were now minimal. If there was no transformation, they would inevitably be phased out in the future.

"The path of gu worms is not superficial..."

Chu Xuan gave a wry smile. His previous thoughts had indeed been somewhat arrogant.

The 'Heavenly Yin Gu Corpse Technique,' which even a Demonic Cultivator in the Deity Transformation stage had not been able to fully improve, how could he perfect it?

"Enough, I shall use the 'Vajra Corpse Refining Technique' to refine Jin Zhao into a corpse puppet for now."

Chu Xuan followed the previous procedures, quickly preparing the corpse-refining elixir, and then submerged Jin Zhao's corpse in it.

His earlier experiments with the 'Heavenly Yin Gu Corpse Technique' had used the corpses of other Nascent Soul cultivators.

Jin Zhao's body was particularly robust and rare, which was why he had kept it.

Chu Xuan's thoughts shifted, and he extended his spiritual sense into that third world. As expected, he was still inside that dimly lit cave dwelling.

During this period, he had often cast his gaze there, but unfortunately, as years went by day after day, the fated lucky one had never arrived.

"Huh? What's that noise?"

Chu Xuan suddenly heard a rustling sound. He projected his spiritual sense and looked toward the nearby area.

There he startlingly discovered a peculiarly shaped... creature.

This creature was no bigger than a potato, had six slender legs, was covered in a reddish-brown hard shell, yet it also bore gray fur and a slender tail.

It looked remarkably like...

"A cockamouse?!"

Chu Xuan was astounded. The little thing was quite uniquely formed.

Chu Xuan was actually pleased. His calls had finally been answered.

"Little fellow, come here, there's something tasty for you!"

Chu Xuan extended his spiritual sense, trying his best to produce some sounds.

Chapter 269: Doomsday for the Cockamouse!

Unfortunately, Chu Xuan's spiritual sense was heavily suppressed here. Even though his spiritual sense was exceptionally strong, he could not teleport objects through the air. Creating any sound was also exceedingly difficult.

Over this period, Chu Xuan had periodically focused his spiritual sense here, partly with the intention of tempering it. The suppression of spiritual sense in this place was, in fact, a form of refinement.

Over time, his spiritual sense would become increasingly resilient. There weren't many methods for tempering spiritual sense, and even fewer were safe. Chu Xuan always knew how to seize opportunities.

After a while, the creature resembling a cockamouse remained distant from the shards of the Mirror. It merely wandered around the area and then disappeared from Chu Xuan's spiritual range.

"Damn it!"

Chu Xuan cursed under his breath.

This had been a rare opportunity! To date, his understanding of this world was still nil!

After a good while longer, the cockamouse did not reappear. Chu Xuan resigned himself to quietly tempering his spiritual sense.

One day, two days, three days...

The day and night cycles here were surely different from those on Blue Star. Chu Xuan's concept of day and night was based on Blue Star's cycle. He noticed that every few days, the cockamouse would come out to roam for a while.

It seemed to be patrolling its territory. Once, he even spotted two cockamouse appearing together. Chu Xuan surmised that this cave must be the domain of a group of cockamouse.

Nearby, there was likely a nest of cockamouse. Their repeated appearances were solely in search of food.

"Let's wait a bit longer..."

Chu Xuan sighed resignedly, casting aside his distractions to continue tempering his spiritual sense.

...

On Mystic Azure Star, in the Northern Cold, atop a high mountain.

A figure clad in black overlooked the collapsing battlefront of the Righteous Alliance, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Interesting, I thought the Northern Cold had no more moves to play, but these Nascent Soul cultivators disappeared overnight. Without a doubt, the Three Demon Sects of Wu Country will soon unite the Northern Cold..."

The man in black nodded in satisfaction.

"Of the Three Demon Sects, the Corpse Yin Sect is the strongest, followed by the Poison Gu Sect, and the weakest is the Myriad Souls Sect..."

His mind was filled with information about Jin Zhao, Zheng Ji, Guan Tong, Wan Hun, and others.

"Jin Zhao, Ling Su, Luo Hua, and the others disappearing overnight must mean they have perished. Whoever killed these six early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators must be at least a mid-stage Nascent Soul. And surely a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator of considerable strength.

Zheng Ji and the others might have hidden their true powers; I must visit them personally to ascertain the truth. That mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator is certainly worth recruiting."

After pondering for a moment, the man in black vanished in the blink of an eye...

Several days later, Chu Xuan received a message from the Myriad Souls Elder. A mysterious Nascent Soul cultivator had visited, gifting numerous Nascent Soul stage pills and talismans, yet he demanded nothing in return. He left as freely as he had arrived.

He also mentioned that this stranger had appeared at both the Corpse Yin Sect and the Poison Gu Sect, delivering similar gifts without any demands.

This behavior baffled Zheng Ji, Guan Tong, and the Myriad Souls Elder. Every gift that came without a price was secretly marked with one.

These pills and talismans were useful to them, yet they dared not use them. Free lunches didn't exist in their world—a lesson well understood by Nascent Soul cultivators.

Intrigued by this news, Chu Xuan felt a spark of interest. His network of information was broader than that of the Myriad Souls and the others. After some thought, he could guess the identity of this person.

"Golden Phoenix Sect is backed by the Majestic Sword Sect, which in turn is supported by the Reincarnation Divine Church. It's the Reincarnation Divine Church supporting Golden Phoenix Sect to unify Northern Cold. Now that the Righteous Alliance in Northern Cold is crumbling, it's only a matter of time before the demonic paths unify the region. The one seeking me out now is likely from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect. They're probably trying to figure out who eliminated the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Righteous Alliance."

Chu Xuan chuckled lightly.

He couldn't remain hidden forever. However, it was not the time to step into the limelight.

"Whoever he is, let him be troubled. I still have my own battle of wits and bravery with the cockamouse."

Chu Xuan then refocused on that unknown world. He worked hard to temper his spiritual sense, striving to make any noise he could to attract the attention of the cockamouse.

"There it is again!"

Chu Xuan heard the rustling sound and was instantly delighted. He urgently tried to stir his spiritual sense, managing to make the shards of the Mirror shake slightly.

Clang!

The sound, particularly jarring in the quiet cave, startled the cockamouse into hiding.

Chu Xuan was not surprised; he continued to wait patiently.

After a while, the two cockamouse cautiously approached to inspect the situation with the Mirror shards.

From Chu Xuan's perspective, he could clearly see their fur and hard shells. He could only describe them as uniquely ugly...

Moments later, one of the cockamouse picked up a shard of the Mirror and scampered toward a dark corner.

Chu Xuan was thrilled, "Finally, they've picked me up!"

Swoosh!

The cockamouse was fast. It agilely moved among the broken stones and quickly entered a dimly lit nest. As it delved deeper, more and more cockamouse appeared around it.

"Wait a moment..."

Chu Xuan sensed something amiss. Continuing like this, he would only delve deeper into a sunless plight.

Surrounded entirely by cockamouse!

"A miscalculation..."

Chu Xuan immediately vibrated his spiritual sense, trying to shake the Mirror shard from the stubborn grip of the cockamouse.

However, the creature clamped its teeth tightly. No matter how Chu Xuan vibrated, even as its incisors wobbled, the mouse refused to let go.

After a while, the cockamouse tossed the Mirror shard into a pile of debris and then turned to leave.

Chu Xuan surveyed his surroundings. Everywhere were rotting garbage and unknown metallic minerals, along with some shimmering small objects. Presumably, the cockamouse had been attracted by the gleam of the Mirror shard, which is why it had carried it over.

"Damn it."

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue in frustration. Since embarking on the path of cultivation, this was the first time he felt like he had shot himself in the foot.

"I'll eradicate all cockamouses someday!"

Chu Xuan bared his teeth in a grimace, feeling animosity toward a species for the first time.

In the following days, he saw a constant stream of cockamouse coming and going, his chances of revealing himself to others dwindling ever further. He continued to temper his spiritual sense.

Chu Xuan even started to wonder if this unknown world was devoid of any humanoid intelligent life.

Just as Chu Xuan was about to reluctantly withdraw, a deafening rumble echoed.

Crash!

Rocks were suddenly smashed apart.

The cockamouse's nest was exposed to the sunlight. The cockamouse immediately scattered in all directions.

A monstrous insect with a fierce appearance extended its mouthparts, greedily devouring, sweeping the area clean of cockamouse.

The cave where the pile of debris containing the Mirror shard was located also became exposed.

A large hand reached in. A voice filled with surprise followed, but to Chu Xuan, it sounded no different from birdsong, completely unintelligible. He couldn't understand a single word.

Regardless, Chu Xuan was overjoyed.

Damn it, he had finally encountered living beings!

Chapter 270: I'm Your Golden Ticket!

With the aid of the light, Chu Xuan could clearly see the appearance of the speaker. It was a fair-skinned, somewhat short adolescent dressed in brown leather attire. His vital areas were protected by hard gray shells.

On his waist hung a small basket woven from vines, filled with a few cockamouse. The creature indulging in a feast appeared to be a centipede, albeit much larger and more menacing than any ordinary centipede.

Chu Xuan watched as the young boy rummaged through the pile of debris in the cockamouse's cave. Each time he pulled something out, he let out sounds of surprise until his finger touched the Mirror shard and was pricked, causing him to retract his hand with a yelp of surprise. The feasting centipede, alerted by the noise, hurried over to the boy's side.

Chu Xuan's heart skipped a beat as he observed the situation with the Mirror shard. He saw a drop of the boy's blood rolling on the mirror's surface, but it quickly rolled off to the side and seeped into the soil. He breathed a sigh of relief.

That was a close call.

He thought he might witness a blood oath of ownership. That would have been truly troublesome. He would become like a genie trapped in a lamp, having to look after this kid for a lifetime.

The boy, wrapping his palm with a piece of tattered fur, pulled out a heap of items, including the Mirror of the Myriad Realms shard.

Finally, Chu Xuan saw the light of day, though he quickly realized there was no actual sky above—just a dark stone dome. The so-called "sunlight" was merely the glow from luminescent mushrooms growing on the rock walls.

The boy scrutinized the Mirror shard for a long while, muttering to himself. Suddenly, he picked up the shard, intending to throw the object that had hurt him far away. But after a moment's hesitation, he decided to pocket it instead.

Chu Xuan cursed under his breath.

If the boy had really thrown the shard away, he might have had to endure decades more in the dark! Fortunately, that didn't happen.

Don't do anything foolish! I'm your golden ticket!

Though Chu Xuan was now tucked inside the boy's pocket, his spiritual sense could still extend out from the Mirror shard, allowing him to observe the surroundings within a one-zhang radius.

Indeed, as Chu Xuan had expected, the adolescent continued his destruction of the cockamouse nest. He scrutinized each mouse he captured, eventually selecting only two to place in his vine-woven basket; the rest were fed to the voracious centipede.

Suddenly, following the trail of the cockamouse, the boy stumbled upon the previously mentioned cave. He rushed in, his expression one of shocked delight as he rifled through the bone fragments scattered about, which bore peculiar markings resembling script.

The boy was utterly engrossed in the bones for quite some time before coming to his senses. He then carefully packed the bone pieces into a soft leather pouch, securing it close to his body.

Chu Xuan observed the boy's actions thoughtfully, wondering if these might be the secrets to an unparalleled martial art.

The boy grunted softly, and the centipede, which had been busy hunting the remaining cockamouse, swiftly returned to his side. Together, they retraced their steps through the damp, narrow underground passages.

After twists and turns, they finally emerged into a larger cave, prompting Chu Xuan to wonder about the supposed "sunlight" he had anticipated.

"Where is the sun?"

Chu Xuan was perplexed. From one cave to another, from a smaller one to a larger one—was this a world of caves?

As they moved forward, the path became much smoother, and even torches quietly burning along the sides appeared.

After a while, as human voices grew louder and the boy quickened his pace, a small settlement emerged before Chu Xuan. The villagers bustled about, busy with their tasks.

Although the boy appeared short in stature, compared to many others in the village, he seemed relatively tall. Chu Xuan surmised that the inhabitants here might naturally be smaller.

Soon, the boy returned to a house built of red bricks—an uncommon sight in this village where most homes were rudimentary stone structures.

However, with limited information at hand, Chu Xuan felt it was best to observe and wait for events to unfold. The boy had already locked the door and secured the windows with a copper rod behind the door.

Once these precautions were taken, he removed the bone fragments and held them like treasures, reading intently. His excitement occasionally made him jump a little, muttering cryptic syllables under his breath.

Chu Xuan, despite not understanding the language of this world, listened patiently. As a Nascent Soul cultivator, he knew that with enough exposure, he could gradually begin to understand the language.

Over the course of ten days living with the boy, Chu Xuan observed his daily routine: attending classes in the tribe's communal area by day and studying the bone fragments at night. The boy sustained himself on bland meat porridge and water from a jar.

The giant centipede lay quietly beside the bed, occasionally reaching into the vine basket to consume a cockamouse, showing a surprising amount of docility.

...

In the spacious and brightly lit red brick chamber, over thirty adolescents sat in their designated spots, buzzing with animated discussions in small groups. The boy was among them, yet isolated, dozing off alone in a corner.

After a while, a tall, white-haired elder strode into the chamber. A handsome young man promptly stood up, greeting, "Master Zhu!"

Following his lead, the other students chorused, "Master Zhu!"

The elder surveyed the room sternly. "Did you all review the material I assigned yesterday?"

"We did!" the students responded in unison.

The elder grunted and asked, "Which medium-sized and large tribes does our Fire Ant Tribe belong to? Lie Fei, answer this."

A boy quickly responded, "Our Fire Ant Tribe is a small tribe, part of the medium-sized Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe. The Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe belongs to the large Holy Ant Tribe."

The elder nodded in approval. "Good."

He continued, "What are the various levels of Insect Masters? Lie Jia, your answer."

A girl timidly stood up and said, "The ranks of Insect Masters are named after minerals."

"The lowest is Bronze level, followed by Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each level is further divided into low, medium, and high tiers. Above Diamond level is the unique title of Honored Insect Master, bestowed only upon those long-renowned and highly accomplished, by royal decree."

Chapter 271: This Old Man Must Lend a Hand

The elder nodded with satisfaction, "Very good, you remember clearly."

With a blush, Lie Jia smiled sheepishly before sitting down.

The elder surveyed the room and continued, "In ten days, you shall all open your Insect Orifices. Who can tell me the function of these Insect Orifices?"

His gaze landed on a drowsy youth in the corner, and he couldn't help but show a stern expression.

"Xiao Huo! Answer this!"

The youth snapped to attention, standing up straight. He stammered, unsure of what the elder had asked.

The surrounding youths looked on with amusement.

Chu Xuan, facepalmed inside the cloth bag on his chest.

Staying up all night pondering the scriptures left by the ancestors, and now caught dozing off by the teacher!

That day, the youth who broke the nest of roaches and rats and retrieved the fragments of the Mirror was named Xiao Huo.

During this time, Chu Xuan listened to Xiao Huo's monologues and gradually came to understand the language and script of this world. Only then could he comprehend the conversations between the elder and the youths.

A handsome young man sneered, "Xiao Huo, you can't even answer such a simple question? I think you shouldn't sit with us anymore; you're embarrassing."

The elder frowned, "Lie Yong, have you forgotten what I said on the first day of class? Do not speak ill of your clansmen!"

The young man was unapologetic but apologized to the elder, "Lie Yong is aware of his mistake."

The elder turned again to Xiao Huo, his expression severe but his voice reminding, "Xiao Huo, let me ask you once more! What is the function of the Insect Orifices!"

Xiao Huo finally caught on and hurriedly said, "The Insect Orifices are innate talents we are born with. The more Insect Orifices one has, the more yao insects one can tame. One must have at least one Insect Orifice to qualify as an Insect Master."

The elder snorted coldly, his face a mix of frustration and disappointment, "Good that you know! The chief sent me to impart lessons in the hopes that the sons of the Fire Ant Tribe would cultivate diligently and achieve greatness! Xiao Huo, if I catch you sleeping in class again, don't bother coming back!"

Xiao Huo shivered, nodding repeatedly, "Master Zhu, I understand my error."

The elder shifted his gaze away and continued, "What Xiao Huo just mentioned is only half right. Over the years, only half of those who turn fifteen manage to open their Insect Orifices. Those who have opened their Insect Orifices establish a soul contract with the Yao insects, ensuring the insects will never betray them. Without an Insect Orifice, one can still tame yao insects, but they might betray their master in the future."

The elder added, "Some without Insect Orifices also seek to form soul contracts with yao insects, ultimately leading to a perverse path of becoming one with the insects. You must never follow in their footsteps!"

"Yes!" The youths responded in unison.

The elder cleared his throat, "Today's lecture is on the strengths and weaknesses of the Fire Ants, a crucial lesson that will greatly aid you in future battles. Listen well!"

…

At dusk, the class concluded.

The youths dispersed from the classroom.

Flanked by several peers, Lie Yong passed by Xiao Huo, giving him a sidelong glance and speaking indifferently, "Those who belittle themselves will inevitably be belittled by others. Xiao Huo, how can you aspire to become an Insect Master if you indulge in such self-neglect and sleep through class? Do not tarnish the renown your father once held!"

The other youths snickered as well. No one had ever dared to doze off during class. Anyone bold enough to do so would typically be expelled from the classroom by the elder on the spot.

"If it weren't for Xiao Huo's father being a Silver Insect Master, Master Zhu wouldn't have spared him any face and would have already driven him out of the classroom."

"Indeed, but Xiao Huo's father, Xiao Yan, has been missing for many years. I think he no longer deserves such favorable treatment."

"Xiao Huo alone resides in a red-brick house... Does he deserve it?"

The youths murmured about Xiao Huo, making sure he could overhear them.

Xiao Huo clenched his fists, remaining silent, and slowly walked home. Once home, he collapsed onto his bed.

Moments later, he retrieved a red carapace from beneath his pillow and gazed at it for a long time.

"Father... can I truly inherit your talent and open an Insect Orifice? To possess three Insect Orifices is to be a child of heaven, a height I dare not even hope for. Even two Orifices are a mark of genius, beyond my aspirations. I only hope to open one Orifice and not disgrace your name. I have yet to avenge you... I must become an Insect Master!"

A fierce determination burned in Xiao Huo's eyes.

But the fire of determination flickered out after mere moments, "The number of Orifices one can open is predestined. Father told me when I was young that my talent was mediocre at best, predicting that half an Orifice might be my limit... Ah... it is fate... I should continue studying the Grey Earth Worm Cultivation Method left by the ancient elder."

He sighed softly, gently stroked the giant insect's head beside him, fed it a cockamouse, and continued reading the bone script.

Chu Xuan heard Xiao Huo's self-pitying mutter and shook his head.

If one cannot believe in oneself, how can others be expected to believe?

He pondered his observations of this time, reflecting on this cave world where wild and poisonous bugs were known as "yao insects."

This world had small, medium, and large tribes, and tribal nations, forming a hierarchy of power. There was a hierarchy of Insect Masters from Bronze to Diamond and even titled ranks.

He was certain that this cave world must also possess a highly developed system for cultivating yao insects. If he could gain access to it, perhaps he could make great strides in the art of Gu cultivation.

"But Xiao Huo is too weak. Accessing this world's knowledge on cultivating yao insects through him is still very challenging. This old man must lend a hand."

Chu Xuan smiled helplessly.

"Insect Orifices... are the qualifications for an Insect Master's cultivation. The more Orifices one has, the more yao insects one can control, the faster these insects enhance, and in turn, the more they nourish the Insect Master."

At first glance, this concept resembles the spiritual roots of cultivators. Yet upon closer reflection, it's markedly different.

Unlike the somewhat ethereal spiritual roots, it more closely resembles a special organ developed through a cultivator's acquired practices.

Take, for example, the Tome of Blood Worms inside Chu Xuan's body, specifically condensed for nurturing Gu insects.

Could it be that the organs condensed by cultivators through their techniques are equivalent to the innate talents of these people? If so, imparting the "Tome of Blood Worms" to Xiao Huo might indeed be useful.

Chu Xuan immediately began to adapt the "Tome of Blood Worms" according to the physiological structure of humans in this world. He had already scanned Xiao Huo's body with his spiritual sense.

He discovered that the people of this cave world had physical structures different from those of ordinary humans on Mystic Azure, Blue Star, and the soul beings of Soul Star.

Appropriate modifications were necessary. Otherwise, the technique would be useless. It might even produce adverse effects.

The "Tome of Blood Worms" is merely a Foundation Establishment stage technique. Thus, it only took him a day to successfully modify it.

Chapter 272: A Technique More Suited for Cave Dwellers' Constitutions

"Alright, this is a technique more suited for the constitution of cave dwellers; start cultivating it diligently," Chu Xuan said with a nod of satisfaction.

He activated his spiritual sense, causing the fragments of the Mirror to tremble.

At that moment, Xiao Huo was perusing bone scripts. Suddenly, he felt something vibrating in his embrace. He hurriedly opened it to find that it was the mirror shard making a noise.

"Eh... this thing... I had planned to polish it up and sell it for some money... Could there be something unusual about it?"

Xiao Huo looked bewildered.

Chu Xuan was speechless upon hearing this.

So, you brought the mirror shard back just to make some money?

"Words are appearing on it?"

Xiao Huo, puzzled, was about to set the mirror shard down. Suddenly, he noticed lines of text emerging on it.

"The Orifice Opening Scripture..."

Xiao Huo read carefully, greatly astonished. This thing could actually open an Insect Orifice! Although it was only one, it was still extraordinary.

Xiao Huo had never heard of such a miraculous book existing in the world.

"The cultivation method left by the ancient elder concerns the Grey Earth Worm. The Grey Earth Worm is easy to obtain, and if truly cultivated, it could become a significant aid to me. But this 'Orifice Opening Scripture' seems far more useful..."

Xiao Huo hesitated between the two.

Seeing his indecisive expression, Chu Xuan couldn't help but shake his head internally.

Hesitation does not befit a cultivator.

The Grey Earth Worm is what the cave dwellers call those insect-like creatures resembling cockamouse. Compared to the Grey Earth Worm cultivation method, isn't the choice obvious? The Orifice Opening Scripture is far more important!

After much deliberation, Xiao Huo finally chose the Orifice Opening Scripture. However, the scripture had appeared only once on the surface of the Mirror shard.

Xiao Huo had hardly memorized any of it. His face colored with anxiety, "What am I to do? I didn't remember it."

With no other choice, Chu Xuan had to condense his spiritual sense into text and make the Orifice Opening Scripture appear once again on the surface of the mirror shard.

Xiao Huo was overjoyed, "This mirror shard is pretty good!"

He hurriedly began to memorize.

"Condensing text with spiritual sense is a delicate task. I can only do it twice a day," Chu Xuan shook his head, retracting his spiritual sense.

He had a very poor impression of Xiao Huo, but now he had no choice but to begrudgingly display the Orifice Opening Scripture to him again and again.

A Nascent Soul great cultivator reduced to menial labor, how utterly frustrating. Even more exasperating was Xiao Huo's mediocre aptitude.

The Orifice Opening Scripture had appeared twice, and this person had only memorized a quarter of it. The rest would have to be displayed by Chu Xuan using his spiritual sense the next day.

"Why isn't he a super genius?"

Chu Xuan sighed wistfully. To think that expanding and strengthening his position in this cave world, obtaining extensive methods of cultivating yao insects, could be so challenging.

"Well, let's observe him a bit longer. If he really is hopeless, I'll find an opportunity to switch hosts."

Chu Xuan shook his head and fell silent.

...

In a blink, Chu Xuan redirected his attention, collecting some ice soul to continue cultivating the Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll.

In his spare time, he consumed the flesh of the Nether Crocodile to cultivate the "Thousand Refinements Dragon Elephant Technique."

Soon, ten days passed. Though the cave world lacked a natural day-night cycle, it had a system of bells and drums decreed from above. The cave dwellers called them "Morning Bells and Evening Drums."

The bell signified morning. The drum signified dusk.

Chu Xuan estimated that these corresponded to around seven in the morning and seven in the evening.

At this moment, the youths of the Fire Ant Tribe gathered in the tribe's square, quietly waiting.

A middle-aged man with graying temples and an imposing presence strode up to the youths.

The youths showed respect, chorusing, "We greet the Chieftain!"

The Chieftain surveyed the group and nodded slightly.

He waved his hand, "The importance of opening an Insect Orifice goes without saying, so I'll spare you any superfluous speech. I will say just this: anyone who can open one Insect Orifice will receive the tribe's full support, with all resources prioritized for their use. Those who open two Insect Orifices will be declared Holy Sons of the tribe, enjoying the finest treatment!"

The Chieftain spoke sternly, "Remember the name of Lie Teng, your predecessor! He is your role model!"

With these words, the gathered youths were visibly inspired. They had long heard of what the Chieftain now confirmed. Many among them were ordinary civilians within the tribe.

Without notable lineage or talent, their only path was to open an Insect Orifice at fifteen. Opening just one Orifice and receiving seven to eight years of nurturing would at least make them a Bronze Insect Master.

That would make them a pillar of the tribe! And if one could open two Orifices, that was even more impressive. Within ten years, they would surely become Silver Insect Masters. And likely future chieftains to wield authority over the Fire Ant Tribe!

The chieftain of the Fire Ant Tribe, Lie Xiu, was a Silver Insect Master. The Fire Ant Tribe had only ever produced one Gold Insect Master, who had been recruited by the Devouring Thunder Ant Tribe fifty years ago. This was the very Lie Teng that Chieftain Lie Xiu had just mentioned. Within the tribe, Lie Teng's name was often used to inspire the younger members to strive for greatness.

Among the crowd, Xiao Huo clenched his fists, his eyes brimming with aspiration.

Chu Xuan, always keeping an eye on the happenings in the cave world, absorbed every word of the chieftain's speech.

"Let's get on with it already. So much unnecessary talk," he muttered, shaking his head. Lie Xiu took a deep breath and announced loudly, "Bring forth the Fire Ant bronze statue!"

No sooner had he spoken than four robust men appeared, carrying a massive bronze statue. The statue, over three meters in length and half a meter high, depicted a fierce and terrifying giant ant. Flames seemed to emerge from the ant's feet and its mouth spewed fire, lending it a lifelike appearance.

Chu Xuan gazed thoughtfully at the Fire Ant bronze statue. It was too close for him to discern its internal structure from his perspective, but he could tell that the statue was quite unusual. It appeared to contain the essence or spirit of a Yao insect.

"It must be an artifact crafted by the powers of this cave world, using secret methods to assess the Insect Orifice aptitude," Chu Xuan surmised.

At that moment, Lie Xiu called out, "Those who are to open their Insect Orifices, come forward one by one and place your palm on the surface of the statue."

After speaking, he stepped aside to join the tribe's elders. He signaled to the Sixth Elder, a slightly younger-looking figure among them, who stepped forward and stood beside the statue.

"Yes!" The youths responded solemnly and quickly formed a line.

The first youth approached, taking a deep breath before hesitantly pressing his palm against the statue.

The Fire Ant bronze statue flickered several times. Light surged into the youth's body and, after a moment, returned back into the statue, culminating in a dim, lackluster point of light at the head of the statue.

The Sixth Elder glanced at it and stated calmly, "Chen Bai, no Insect Orifice, not qualified. Move to the left."

The youth seemed as if his very spirit had been drained in an instant, walking dazedly to the left of the statue.

Chapter 273: Two Insect Orifices

The second youth hurried forward, pressing his palm onto the statue with an excited expression. Like before, the Fire Ant bronze statue flickered several times. Ultimately, a dimly lit point appeared at the statue's head.

The Sixth Elder nodded, "Lie Luan, half an Insect Orifice, barely qualified. Move to the right."

The young man was overjoyed, bowing repeatedly to the chieftain and the elders before moving to the left.

"Half an Insect Orifice counts? Perhaps there are some secret methods that can expand an Insect Orifice, though only slightly. If there's no Insect Orifice at all, there's nothing that can be done."

Chu Xuan watched the proceedings with deep interest. A foreign yet self-consistent cultivation system was indeed intriguing.

Above, Lie Xiu sat with the elders, casually observing the youths while chatting.

"Elder Lie Feng, your child Lie Fei is doing well, one Insect Orifice, and the second one almost reaching half," Lie Xiu commented with a smile to an elderly man beside him.

The other elders congratulated Lie Feng, who smiled proudly yet humbly replied, "The boy is naturally ambitious, fortunate to have opened one Insect Orifice. If he had none, I fear he might despair."

He added, "I think Elder Lie Wu's Lie Yong is very likely to open two Insect Orifices."

The other elders agreed, "Yes, Lie Yong dared to touch Yao insects when he was just born, dug up Grey Earth Worm nests at five, and tamed two Grey Earth Worms by himself at ten. He's bound to open two Insect Orifices!"

"Besides Lie Wu's Lie Yong, the chieftain's Lie Jia also shows incredible talent at such a young age."

"Ah, let's hope there are several children with two Insect Orifices this time. It's been ten years since we last saw one."

The elders continued their intermittent chat, each discussing the children they favored.

Hearing their conversation, Lie Xiu's expression dimmed. Yes, the Fire Ant Tribe hadn't seen a child with two Insect Orifices for ten consecutive years. If this trend continues, the tribe might face a leadership gap.

The surrounding smaller tribes were already eyeing the fertile cave territories controlled by the Fire Ant Tribe with covetous intent. Should the Fire Ant Tribe show any sign of weakness, these tribes would undoubtedly press their advantage.

After a while, an excited shout erupted from the crowd. The Sixth Elder exclaimed, "Lie Yong, two Insect Orifices! Plus half an Orifice! Very good, very good!"

All eyes turned to see two bright spots shining intensely on the Fire Ant bronze statue, and a third spot halfway lit.

The handsome young Lie Yong immediately displayed a smug look. The other youths looked on with envy.

The elders all congratulated Elder Lie Hei effusively. "Congratulations to Elder Lie Hei! With this, the resurgence of our Fire Ant Tribe is hopeful! A possessor of two Insect Orifices is destined to advance to the rank of a Silver Insect Master! Lie Yong will surely take over the mantle of chieftain!"

Lie Hei laughed triumphantly, glancing sideways at Chieftain Lie Xiu with a gleam in his eye.

Lie Xiu, however, showed little reaction to Lie Hei's provocation. He had watched Lie Yong grow up; it would have been more surprising if he hadn't opened two Insect Orifices.

Yet, it was unfortunate that following Lie Yong, four consecutive individuals were found without any Insect Orifices, casting a shadow over the elders' moods.

Suddenly, Elder Lie Feng spoke up, "Xiao Huo is promising; he tamed a Black-Back Worm at five. He's definitely capable of opening two Orifices, perhaps even standing shoulder to shoulder with Lie Yong."

Lie Hei scoffed, "Xiao Huo? That boy was caught sleeping in Master Zhu's class just a few days ago! Ever since his father disappeared, he's become increasingly arrogant. I think it's high time his privileges were revoked!"

Lie Xiu frowned, "Elder Lie Hei, your words are rather biased. Xiao Huo has always been diligent. It's his excessive training that leads to fatigue."

The other elders blinked but echoed Lie Hei's sentiments, "Elder Lie Hei is right. Xiao Huo shows such disrespect even to Master Zhu, clearly, he has given up on himself."

"I think it's a waste for such a child to live in a red-brick house. It would be better given to the family of the Sixth Elder."

"That's inappropriate to say..."

Lie Xiu's expression darkened upon hearing these comments. It was clear that many of the elders supported Elder Lie Hei, disregarding him as the chieftain.

Lie Hei glanced at Lie Xiu, a cold smile in his heart, while Lie Xiu sighed internally and remained silent.

Nearly everyone in the Fire Ant Tribe bore the surname Lie. Those of other surnames were mostly later additions to the tribe.

Xiao Huo's father, Xiao Yan, was a Silver Insect Master who had been recruited by Lie Xiu sixteen years ago, bringing Xiao Huo into the Fire Ant Tribe.

Xiao Yan, a loner by nature and not good at making friends, had not only failed to make friends within the tribe but had also offended many.

Later, Xiao Yan went missing during a mission after being ambushed by the young chieftain of the High-Legged Spider Tribe.

Typically, even if a Silver Insect Master died in battle, his offspring would receive the best treatment until they opened their Insect Orifices.

However, due to Xiao Yan's background, Xiao Huo was not well-regarded within the Fire Ant Tribe, and his treatment significantly declined.

Only Lie Xiu had covertly helped Xiao Huo on several occasions. The red-brick house was one of the few benefits he had preserved for Xiao Huo.

Elders Lie Feng and Lie Hei, who both had poor relations with Xiao Yan, clearly intended to sabotage Xiao Huo by speaking out.

"Xiao Huo... if you can open two Insect Orifices, I will definitely support you with all my might," Lie Xiu thought, sighing inwardly.

Lie Xiu let out a long sigh from the depths of his heart.

At that moment, Xiao Huo had already stood before the statue of the Fire Ant. He hesitated for a long while before finally placing his palm upon it.

A strange surge of energy poured out from the statue, flooding into his body. In no time at all, the energy returned to the statue.

Chu Xuan, whose divine sense was very near to the statue, also felt the flow of this energy.

"It resembles the spell used when selecting spiritual roots," he mused. "The method is surprisingly similar. If my true form were here, the outcome could easily be altered. But now, with only a fraction of my divine sense, heavily suppressed, I can do nothing."

Chu Xuan couldn’t help but shake his head. He, too, could not change the results of the Fire Ant statue’s testing. Ultimately, it was up to Xiao Huo’s fate to decide how many Insect Orifices he would open.

Still, Xiao Huo had been pushing himself to the limit, tirelessly cultivating the "Orifice Opening Scripture." At the very least, he could gain one more Insect Orifice.

At that moment, a sudden brilliance gathered atop the Fire Ant statue, eventually forming two dazzling light points.

A third point of light glimmered faintly.

The Elder nodded in approval. "Xiao Huo, two Insect Orifices. Very good. Stand to the right."

Lie Xiu sprang to his feet, laughing heartily. "Good! Xiao Huo, you have not disgraced your father’s illustrious name!"

The expressions of Elder Lie Hei and Lie Feng, however, were grim, as if they had bitten into a fly.

This boy... he had actually opened two Insect Orifice?

The handsome youth, Liao Yong, upon hearing the news, narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Xiao Huo from a distance, as though seeing him in a new light.

As for his entourage, they were now mentally shaken, fear creeping into their hearts. They dreaded that Xiao Huo, having been nurtured as the future holy son of the tribe, might one day come after them.

Xiao Huo stood before the Fire Ant statue, his heart brimming with excitement.

"Two Insect Orifices! Two Insect Orifices!” he thought, overjoyed. “I’ve truly opened two Insect Orifices!”

He could hardly hold back the tears. It had been so hard, so incredibly hard!

"Indeed, it has been no easy feat," Chu Xuan muttered. "If this brat had failed to open the second Insect Orifice, all my efforts would have been in vain." He clicked his tongue in appreciation.

Chapter 274: Don't Carry the Name of My Black Devil Peak Outdoors

After Xiao Huo successfully opened two Insect Orifices, he immediately received substantial support from the Fire Ant Tribe. The treatment for someone with two Insect Orifices was nearly equivalent to that of a Silver Insect Master. However, since Xiao Huo already resided in a red-brick house, he didn't need to relocate.

Chieftain Lie Xiu personally selected several capable women to prepare Xiao Huo's daily meals and attend to his domestic needs, ensuring his basic living expenses were fully covered by the tribe.

Thus, Xiao Huo no longer needed to hunt Grey Earth Worms for money or consume the poorly flavored meat porridge. He could now dedicate more time to cultivation.

Additionally, Master Zhu held daily classes for the youths who had opened their Insect Orifices, imparting various kinds of knowledge. Chu Xuan watched Xiao Huo getting on the right track and nodded in satisfaction.

Xiao Huo had become the tribe's cherished Holy Son, and his status had risen dramatically. He would undoubtedly gain access to more methods of cultivating yao insects in the future, which was of utmost interest to Chu Xuan.

"This Grey Earth Worm cultivation method is too simplistic for my needs," Chu Xuan thought, dismissing the technique that he had mastered in just five days.

Grey Earth Worms, the most common and numerous Iron-level Yao insects in the cave world, had a very low upper limit. In a large nest, among tens of thousands of Grey Earth Worms, at most one might reach the Bronze level, with the rest remaining at the Iron level.

However, the cultivation method allowed for elevating the Grey Earth Worms from the lowest Iron level up to the Silver level. Yao insects began at the Iron level and could ascend to Bronze, Silver, Gold, and higher levels.

In the vast cave world, Iron-level Yao insects were the most abundant and weakest. Even taming Iron-level yao insects wouldn't significantly enhance one's power, leading to the dismissal of the Iron Insect Master rank by cultivators.

Chu Xuan had not yet encountered higher-level Yao insects and thus couldn't assess their true capabilities. However, it was evident that a small tribe's chieftain possessing the strength of a Silver Insect Master indicated that Silver-level Yao insects were not rare.

"Xiao Huo's first Yao insect is an Iron-level Black-Back Worm," Chu Xuan noted. "With his two Insect Orifices, he will definitely be able to form a contract with another insect, likely a Fire Ant, which shares characteristics with the Fire Bee. If I could obtain the Fire Ant cultivation method, it might actually be of some use to me."

Seeing Xiao Huo deep in blissful sleep, Chu Xuan withdrew his attention.

As Chu Xuan emerged from his cultivation chamber with a swift stride, Zhu Jie, who had been waiting outside, promptly rose to greet him. "Elder! You have finally finished your retreat!"

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. "Prepare some food."

"Yes! Right away!" Zhu Jie responded respectfully and hurried off. Moments later, a long table laden with sixty exquisite dishes was set before Chu Xuan, showcasing Zhu Jie's culinary talent with a spread that included both hot and cold, meat and vegetarian options.

As Chu Xuan feasted heartily, he inquired about the current affairs in Northern Cold. Zhu Jie, animated with excitement, replied, "While you were in seclusion, our Wu Kingdom's three sects have been completely victorious! For some unknown reason, all the Nascent Soul cultivators of the righteous sects have mysteriously disappeared, leaving their Golden Core cultivators no match for us. Just a few days ago, our three Nascent Soul ancestors jointly shattered the grand formation of the Golden Phoenix Sect. It won't be long before we cleanse all the righteous dao in Northern Cold!"

Grinning, Zhu Jie added, "At that point, Northern Cold will be under the complete control of our three sects!"

Chu Xuan, picking up a thin slice of translucent meat, continued eating and asked, "How are my senior brothers and sisters faring now?"

"They're all busy plundering treasures outside; it's been a long time since any of them returned," Zhu Jie hurriedly replied. "I heard that Elder Cao Mo and Elder Bai Jinkun have amassed the most loot, living quite luxuriously."

Zhu Jie looked up tentatively, "Elder, why don't you go out and seize some treasures too? Isn't this the perfect time to wipe them out? So many righteous cultivators would make excellent vessels for soul extraction."

Chu Xuan chuckled lightly, "I'd rather not get involved in that mess. It's better to avoid conflicts with my fellow seniors."

"By the way, did any of the disciples from Black Devil Peak go out?" he asked.

Zhu Jie gave a troubled smile and eventually nodded, "Yes, Wang Hu and a few others couldn't hold back and went out together to grab some treasures."

Chu Xuan said indifferently, "It doesn't matter, just as long as they don't carry the name of Black Devil Peak outdoors."

He deliberately avoided competing for spoils to avoid unnecessary trouble. Less is more, and if his subordinates brought trouble his way by slaughtering indiscriminately under the name of Black Devil Peak, he would deal with both the trouble and the troublemakers decisively.

"Rest assured, you have always taught Wang Hu and the others this way; they naturally wouldn't act under the name of Black Devil Peak," Zhu Jie assured, nodding.

Chu Xuan said nothing more but continued to eat while perusing messages from Myriad Souls about the ongoing conflicts in Northern Cold. The unification of Northern Cold seemed merely a matter of time, and so far, nothing seemed amiss.

In the still of the night, a shadowy figure approached the Yin Soul Mountain Range, arriving at the foot of Black Devil Peak. She gazed at the ominously dark mountain with a venomous glint in her eyes. Extending her hand, she drew a cultivator's soul from the large Soul Banner she carried.

"Is that Lin Fan on Black Devil Peak?" she inquired of the quivering soul.

"Yes, he has been in seclusion there for a long time, not stepping out even once," the soul responded fearfully.

"Good." The woman sneered coldly and crushed the cultivator's soul between her fingers.

She swiftly approached the entrance to Black Devil Peak. The area was protected by an array that only allowed entry to those with a Black Devil Peak token. Effortlessly, she produced a token and entered the peak.

The sparse moonlight illuminated her face, revealing a sharp and sinister visage, somewhat reminiscent of Ma Zouri from Original Yang Sect, a false soul-stage cultivator.

This woman was Ma Feiyue, a Nascent Soul cultivator of the Ma family who had reached the Nascent Soul stage two hundred years ago and was recruited by the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace.

Recently, she had learned that her youngest son, Ma Zouri, who had been left behind in Northern Cold, had been slain by demonic cultivators. Enraged by the news, she spoke to herself, "Myriad Souls Elder, Zheng Ji, and Guan Tong are all busy fighting over territories. The mountain gates of the three demonic sects of the Wu Kingdom are terribly unguarded. Lin Fan... I'll start with you!

How dare your subordinates exterminate my family's descendants? I will massacre Black Devil Peak, capture your soul, and make it accompany my descendant in death! After slaughtering Black Devil Peak, I will destroy the Myriad Souls Sect next. I want Zheng Ji and the others to realize there are some people you cannot provoke! There are some people you cannot kill!"

Her aura surged instantly, reaching the third level of the Nascent Soul stage.

Chapter 275: You Want to Leave?

The overwhelming Nascent Soul aura descended upon Black Devil Peak like a mountainous presence. The patrolling cultivators immediately fell to their knees, the very thought of resistance slipping away from them.

As Ma Feiyue passed by, a mere flick of her fingers caused the heads of these cultivators to burst instantly—as if crushed by an invisible, mighty hand. Wherever she went, a trail of dismembered bodies followed. Not a single cultivator survived.

Yet, someone, in their dying moments, managed to sound the alarm. The loud clanging of the bell echoed piercingly through Black Devil Peak, waking every sleeping cultivator and mortal on the mountain.

Though Lin Fan was known as the least impressive among the Golden Core disciples under the elder of the Myriad Souls Sect, Black Devil Peak housed over a hundred cultivators, including Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators. Including the mortals serving these cultivators, the population reached at least five thousand.

A man and a woman clutching a child were attempting to flee when they burst out of their dwelling, only to see the sinister figure of a woman standing before them—behind her, two headless corpses lay in a pool of blood that stained the stone path red.

The man and woman turned ashen and immediately fell to their knees, begging for mercy. "Immortal, please spare us! We are but ordinary mortals..."

Ma Feiyue sneered. "Mortals? Mortals serving the demon are not innocents; they are deserving of death!"

With a single grasp, the man and woman were horrifically crushed together by an indescribable force, instantly turning into a grotesque mash of flesh and bone, unrecognizable as human. Even their bones were pulverized.

With a thud, this mass of flesh fell before the child, making a sickening sound.

The child, only five years old, could not comprehend why his parents were suddenly reduced to a pulp. Tears streamed down his face as he began to wail.

Ma Feiyue, seeing the child's loud cries, frowned in annoyance. "Crying? I despise crying the most."

With a fierce slap, the child, who had been crying just a moment ago, was now smashed into the stone pavement, perfectly flush with the ground.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Ma Feiyue's cold laughter echoed as her form, ghostlike, surged forward with devastating speed. With a mere wave of her hand, the ground seemed to rupture as an entire area of mortals' dwellings collapsed, burying those inside under rubble and debris before they could even think to escape.

At the summit's grand hall, Zhu Jie, roused by the thunderous noise, sleepily stumbled out of bed. As he pushed open the door, he was met with the sight of a woman bathed in moonlight slowly approaching. Despite being alone, her presence was suffocating, like the immense pressure of an ocean weighing down upon him.

Instinctively filled with dread, Zhu Jie didn't hesitate to crush a talisman stone—a protective measure given to him by Chu Xuan.

"Who are you! How dare you barge into the grand hall of Black Devil Peak!" Zhu Jie managed to shout, gasping for air.

Ma Feiyue sneered, "A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator dares to roar at a Nascent Soul?" She unleashed her aura forcefully.

With a thud, Zhu Jie was forced to his knees, not by choice but overwhelmed by the vast gap in their power. He screamed in agony as the intense pressure was so great that his thigh bones shattered through his knees, embedding deeply into the floor of the grand hall. Blood quickly pooled around him.

Ma Feiyue's expression remained indifferent. "Such an unpleasant scream." With a slight lift of her hand, she violently squeezed.

With a grotesque sound, Zhu Jie's head burst, just like those of the other cultivators on Black Devil Peak, and his screams abruptly ceased.

Ma Feiyue strode towards the cultivation chamber. The chamber's door, thick and carved with arrays, would have been a formidable barrier to any Golden Core cultivator. But to a Nascent Soul like her, it was as fragile as tofu. With a single palm strike, she blasted the stone door apart, shattering the array engraved upon it.

As the dust settled, she was confronted not with the interior of the chamber but a swirling, dense fog that seemed almost alive with hidden lethality.

Ma Feiyue frowned. Another array? Who layers an array within an array? This Lin Fan, does his paranoia know no bounds?

Without hesitation, she launched a powerful palm strike, conjuring a giant wind-formed hand that slammed into the roiling fog. Her attack meant to dispel the mist, felt like it had hit cotton—her force completely neutralized.

Ma Feiyue let out a light gasp, bewildered by the ineffectiveness of her repeated palm strikes into the swirling fog. Despite her continuous assault, the mist swallowed all her efforts like drops of water in the sea. After a short while, sweat began to bead on her forehead. Something was amiss.

She had hammered the array with twenty powerful strikes, depleting two-thirds of her Spiritual Qi, yet the fog showed no signs of dissipating. Even the finest Golden Core period array should not withstand more than a few hits from a Nascent Soul cultivator like herself—unless, Ma Feiyue realized with a jolt, "This is a Nascent Soul period array?"

"But that's impossible! How could a mere Golden Core early-stage cultivator possess a Nascent Soul period array?" Ma Feiyue's mind raced with confusion and suspicion.

She decided to retreat.

"Killed my people, destroyed my home, and now you want to leave?"

A chilling voice suddenly echoed, causing Ma Feiyue to feel as if a snake had slithered up her back. Her hair stood on end. Without a second thought, she instinctively activated a defensive spell.

"Wind Wall!"

A barrier of swirling wind formed in front of her.

However, she soon realized with horror that the danger was coming from beneath her.

Boom!

A terrifying ice spike shattered the ground beneath her feet, catapulting her into the air. Her defensive spells proved useless against it.

Ma Feiyue spat out a mouthful of blood while mid-air, her anger and shock palpable. This was no Golden Core cultivator's power; her assailant was another Nascent Soul cultivator!

In an instant, the giant ice spike exploded, scattering palm-sized shards at astonishing speeds throughout the small cultivation chamber. The shards were lethally fast, slicing through anything they touched.

The cultivation chamber was now filled with a bone-chilling coldness, infused with dense Yin Qi that froze the soul. The wounds Ma Feiyue sustained were penetrated by icy Spiritual Qi, weaving through her flesh like burrowing maggots, making her body stiff and numb.

"Die!" The icy voice came again from within the mist.

Suddenly, two beams of cold light shot out from the fog, aiming straight for Ma Feiyue's forehead and heart.

For the first time, Ma Feiyue felt the genuine threat of death. She screamed, not hesitating to eject her Nascent Soul, and even burned her Nascent Soul's essence to teleport instantaneously, desperate to escape.

A sinister chuckle sounded from the mist, "You cannot escape!"

Whoosh!

A figure darted out with incredible speed, catching up to the fleeing Nascent Soul in an instant. A large hand grasped it tightly.

At that moment, Ma Feiyue experienced true despair.

Chapter 276: If Chu Xuan Says He Must Kill, Then He Must Kill

Emerging from the cultivation chamber, Chu Xuan was met with the sight of corpses strewn across Black Devil Peak, his expression turning exceedingly grim. He had never anticipated such an event.

A Nascent Soul cultivator, abandoning all decency, had sneaked into Yin Soul Mountain Range, planning to exploit the absence of Myriad Souls Elder, who was out claiming territories, to massacre the entire sect, starting with Black Devil Peak where he resided. What had he done to deserve this?

Chu Xuan clenched his fists and, in a fit of rage, burst Ma Feiyue's head. Such audacity! How was he supposed to continue pretending to be Lin Fan under these circumstances?

"Black Devil Peak slaughtered top to bottom... How is a mere early-stage Golden Core cultivator like me supposed to escape the assassination of a Nascent Soul cultivator?" he pondered. "If things get too tricky… I'll just say I was in closed-door cultivation, actually out gaining experience, and only returned to find Black Devil Peak in such a tragic state."

Chu Xuan sighed deeply. All he wanted was to cultivate in peace. Why must trouble always find its way to him?

He lowered his head, directing his attention to the Nascent Soul in his palm, and began the soul-searching technique. "Let's see why you decided to target my Black Devil Peak."

Moments later, Chu Xuan massaged his temples and withdrew his gaze, murmuring, "As I suspected. Zhong Yan and her subordinates, blinded by rage, slaughtered the Ma family's mortal kin and even claimed to be from Myriad Souls Sect's Black Devil Peak. Wang Hu and the others, foolishly joining Zhong Yan in her looting, ended up being exploited. No wonder Ma Feiyue rushed here from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace for vengeance."

His expression was icy. Previously, Zhong Yan had mismanaged Black Devil Peak's assets, exchanging goods for inferior. He had tolerated it to avoid blowing his cover; after all, the assets at Yin Wood Estate didn't interest him. But now, his people had not only killed, but they had also placed the blame squarely on him, attracting a Nascent Soul-level massacre.

Immediately, Chu Xuan contacted Myriad Souls, instructing him to bring Zhong Yan back. He then sat down cross-legged and began to meticulously comb through Ma Feiyue's memories. Coming from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, her mind might contain valuable intelligence.

"After the demise of Spirit Feather True Master, Zhao Kai, his principal disciple, took the reins of Feather Transformation Heaven Palace. I had assumed these people would harbor resentment towards the Reincarnation Divine Church; surprisingly, their support for it only intensified."

Chu Xuan scoffed as he read. Their revered master had been slain by the higher sect, yet not only did they bear no grudge, but their devotion seemed to have deepened.

Upon reflection, this was understandable. If the higher sect could dispatch their master, they certainly held power over them as well. Their increased devotion was likely a show of loyalty, a bid to secure their own safety.

Chu Xuan mused thoughtfully, "Zhao Kai represents the faction of the loyalists, and Ma Feiyue is one of its Nascent Soul cultivators. However, within Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, there are other Nascent Soul cultivators who have long been at odds with Zhao Kai."

"Ah, and there's a familiar face... Wei Ji," Chu Xuan chuckled softly. He began to understand.

No wonder Feather Transformation Heaven Palace had remained reclusive within Central Continent. They were torn between supporting the Reincarnation Divine Church and the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect.

"Whether it's the Reincarnation Divine Church or Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, effectively ruling over Mystic Azure Star requires the support of a powerful faction. For both parties, Feather Transformation Heaven Palace is evidently the prime candidate. They have likely both tried to sway the palace with threats and temptations. It's only natural for there to be divisions within its ranks due to this."

Chu Xuan lightly tapped the steps, his thoughts flowing. Given that Feather Transformation Heaven Palace had not fully aligned with either side, it suggested that they might intervene to balance the forces across various regions.

After all, even though the Reincarnation Divine Church and Heaven Shaking Divine Sect are powerful sixth-level cultivation sects, their reach is limited.

On Mystic Azure Star, Feather Transformation Heaven Palace holds undeniable sway. If it suits their interests, they advance; if not, they suppress.

"Keeping my identity hidden was indeed wise," Chu Xuan nodded to himself. "With the demonic sects of Northern Cold currently in prominence, they might draw the wary eye of Feather Transformation Heaven Palace."

Chu Xuan shook his head. For the time being, it was best to continue keeping a low profile. There was no rush to act until the situation became clearer.

At midnight, two figures appeared side by side in the sky.

It was Myriad Souls and Zhong Yan. Zhong Yan clung to Myriad Souls Elder's waist, her breath fragrant like orchids. Yet Myriad Souls Elder remained unmoved.

"Master... Why have you summoned me back so suddenly?" Zhong Yan inquired. "Bai Jinkun, He Peng, and Wan Ying are all out there seizing treasures. If I delay, I'll miss out on much."

"Could it be that Master intends to compensate me?" Zhong Yan giggled.

Myriad Souls Elder pointed ahead. "We're here."

Zhong Yan looked forward, startled. Black Devil Peak? Why come to Black Devil Peak? Wait, why does this place reek so strongly of blood?

Zhong Yan was utterly astonished. "What has happened at Black Devil Peak?"

She beheld the carnage around her, her eyes widening in shock. Soon after, Myriad Souls Elder and Zhong Yan alighted at the summit of Black Devil Peak. Chu Xuan had been waiting there for some time.

"Junior brother Lin, what has happened here? Could it be that the remnants of the righteous path have invaded?" Zhong Yan asked, puzzled.

Chu Xuan stood silently with his hands clasped behind his back.

Myriad Souls Elder spoke respectfully, "Master, I have brought her back. Whether to kill or to mutilate, the decision is yours."

Zhong Yan's eyes widened in shock. "Master! What are you saying? Did you just call him 'master'?"

Chu Xuan responded indifferently, "Zhong Yan, it's one thing to seize treasures, but it's quite another to commit murder under the name of Black Devil Peak. I was meant to remain uninvolved, but today's events are entirely your doing."

Zhong Yan swallowed hard, recalling Bai Jinkun's expression during their last transaction and considering Myriad Souls Elder's reference to Lin Fan. It suddenly dawned on her that Lin Fan... might not be the same Lin Fan he used to be!

With a nervous laugh, Zhong Yan said, "Junior brother... I didn't mean to. Please forgive your sister this once. I'll kneel for you." As she spoke, she knelt without hesitation.

Chu Xuan glanced at her sideways, "I had no intention of killing you; sparing your life might have been useful. Now it seems, you'd better be on your way. Myriad Souls Elder, she's yours."

With that, he turned his back, not sparing them another glance.

Myriad Souls Elder sighed deeply, looking at Zhong Yan with a tinge of regret. But ultimately, he nodded, "Yes."

Ever since the day Nascent Soul cultivators like Jin Zhao, Ling Su, and Luo Hua had mysteriously disappeared, Myriad Souls's fear of Chu Xuan had peaked. He had thought Chu Xuan's prowess was enough to contend only with Jin Zhao, merely shifting the odds from seventy-thirty to sixty-forty.

But it turned out to be a clean sweep!

Myriad Souls realized he would never escape Chu Xuan's control in this lifetime. He had actually quite enjoyed Zhong Yan's verbal finesse.

But now, if Chu Xuan said she must be killed, then he must kill. There was no second option.

Chapter 277: I Was Only Being Polite

Zhong Yan's pupils suddenly contracted. "Master! Do not listen to him! Spare my life! Master, from now on I will avoid trouble, Master..."

Before she could finish, Myriad Souls Elder's spiritual consciousness condensed into a long needle and ruthlessly stabbed into her sea of consciousness. Then he stirred fiercely.

In the blink of an eye, a Golden Core cultivator perished.

To her death, Zhong Yan could not understand why Lin Fan, who appeared harmless and easily bullied, had become the master of Myriad Souls Elder.

At Lin Fan's command, she had to die. Without even a sliver of room for negotiation.

Myriad Souls Elder knelt down halfway, speaking softly, "Master, I did not expect Zhong Yan to be so arrogant, causing such trouble for you. It is a great mistake, please punish me."

Chu Xuan said indifferently, "You are not at fault, it is only that good words fail to persuade a doomed soul."

Myriad Souls Elder asked, "May I ask, Master, do you plan to reveal yourself or continue to hide your identity?"

Chu Xuan responded calmly, "The situation is unclear, and the state of affairs is uncertain."

Myriad Souls Elder immediately understood Chu Xuan's intent. "I understand, I will cover up today's events for you."

Chu Xuan nodded. "Good that you understand."

Myriad Souls Elder's eyes showed reverence as he turned to leave.

Chu Xuan watched his departing figure, his expression as calm as an ancient well. How Myriad Souls Elder would cover up today's events did not concern him. After all, there were always ways to keep others from suspecting.

"It's just a pity, no one will make me exquisite delicacies anymore."

Seeing that Zhu Jie had also been decapitated, Chu Xuan could not help but sigh softly.

This man was still loyal; he should not become fodder for a corpse puppet. Let's give him a proper burial.

With a casual gesture, corpse puppets and ghosts flew out, moving bodies and cleaning bloodstains on the Black Devil Peak.

Soon, Black Devil Peak appeared rejuvenated.

Yet, those who had died could not return.

...

More than ten days passed.

Myriad Souls Elder specially brought some Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators to Black Devil Peak, and also moved many mortals there.

Black Devil Peak had become lively once again.

Chu Xuan was indifferent to all this.

However, to fit the identity of Lin Fan, these were necessary covers.

Myriad Souls Elder was thoughtful, and he was glad for the peace.

On this day, Myriad Souls Elder sent a new message to Chu Xuan. Upon hearing Myriad Souls Elder's report, Chu Xuan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Now that the Northern Cold had been unified, naturally, the division of the spoils was on the agenda. Just this morning, Zheng Ji, Guan Tong, and Myriad Souls Elder were in the grand hall of the Corpse Yin Sect discussing how to divide the lands of Northern Cold.

Given the strength of the three sects—with the Corpse Yin Sect being the strongest, the Poison Gu Sect the second, and Myriad Souls Sect the weakest—the division proposed by Zheng Ji, although slightly favoring the Corpse Yin Sect, was reluctantly acceptable to both Guan Tong and Myriad Souls Elder.

However, during the meeting, Guan Tong proposed taking advantage of the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace's current weakened state to try and seize some of the lands of Central Continent and to observe the reaction of the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace.

Central Continent, known for its spiritual richness and abundant resources, had always been coveted by all sects. Yet, the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, as the ruler of Mystic Azure Star, had stood unchallenged in the Central Continent ever since it defeated the Nether Dao Sect. Now, the palace resembled a wounded lion, and everyone was eager to see just how severe its injuries were.

Guan Tong's suggestion was immediately vetoed by Zheng Ji and Myriad Souls Elder. Neither wished to complicate matters further. Guan Tong, driven by his greed, could not reach an agreement with the others and left in a huff.

Myriad Souls Elder's message to Chu Xuan was regarding this matter.

"The Poison Gu Sect is far too greedy," he commented. "He even dares to covet Central Continent."

Chu Xuan pondered for a moment and then chuckled lightly, "His greed is indeed a good thing. It gives us a chance to assess the current situation of the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace."

Chu Xuan noted this but did not take it too seriously. Instead, he turned his attention back to the cave world because Xiao Huo was about to acquire the Fire Ant Cultivation Method.

...

In the cave world, Xiao Huo, dressed in silken garments interwoven with gold—a material both light and suitable for all seasons, a vast improvement over his rough insect hide clothing—was served by two healthy attendants. After his morning routine and breakfast, he awaited at home.

Today, the chieftain would take him and other youths who had opened their Insect Orifice to receive the Wisdom of Insects. After this, he would gain the Fire Ant Cultivation Method and be given a Fire Ant egg of his own, his second yao insect.

Named after the "Fire Ants," the Fire Ant Cultivation Method was undoubtedly the best. Refined through countless practices by insect masters, it was nearly flawless. Of course, the Fire Ant tribe had other insect cultivation methods as well, such as the Black Backed Centipede Method, among others.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound of knocking echoed. "Is Holy Son Xiao Huo here? I am Chen Peng, an aide to the chieftain."

Xiao Huo sprang to his feet, exclaiming excitedly, "I am here! I am ready!"

The robust attendants who had been waiting by his side immediately opened the door. A middle-aged man stood outside. Seeing Xiao Huo's visibly joyous demeanor, he couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

Should someone destined for great deeds so readily display their emotions on their face?

Yet, he still bowed respectfully, fulfilling his duty towards a tribal holy son.

"Holy Son, please follow me," Chen Peng said in a grave tone.

"Very well! Lead the way, please," Xiao Huo nodded.

Before leaving, he gently patted his chest. Hidden within a layer of his garment, in a soft leather pouch, was a shard of a mirror. Without the 'Orifice Opening Scripture' that appeared on this mirror shard, he could never have opened his second Insect Orifice, nor would he have become a tribal holy son enjoying such privileges. He dared not tell anyone about this, keeping it close to his body.

Moments later, Xiao Huo arrived at the tribal grand hall. This hall was not normally open and was only used during major tribal ceremonies or sacrificial rites.

Now, Chieftain Lie Xiu and the elders were already seated in the front row. Upon Xiao Huo's arrival, other youths also started to gather. Those who had once looked down on Xiao Huo were now timid, avoiding eye contact, fearful that he might recall their past disdain.

Seeing their nervous expressions, Xiao Huo, though silent, couldn't help but show a smug smile on his face. Back then, you ignored me, and now, you can't even reach me!

"Please sit here," Chen Peng led Xiao Huo to the second row.

Xiao Huo looked beside him to find another tribal saint, Lie Yong, who was already seated. Lie Yong saw Xiao Huo sit down and gave him a lukewarm nod, without much conversation.

Boom, boom, boom.

The grand doors of the hall closed.

Only then did Chieftain Lie Xiu stand up. "Bring forth the statue of the Fire Ant!"

Several robust men lifted the statue once again.

Lie Xiu smiled and said, "Step forward one by one and listen to the Wisdom of Insects."

He looked around the circle. "Who will go first?"

The youths looked at each other hesitantly, none daring to stand.

Lie Yong glanced at the excited Xiao Huo. "Xiao Huo, why don't you go first?"

Elated, Xiao Huo responded, "Okay, I'll go first!"

With that, he immediately stood up and walked towards the statue.

Lie Yong's face was expressionless.

I was only being polite. And you took it seriously? My background is stronger than yours, my talents fiercer; it should have been me to go first, by all accounts.

Chapter 278: Dealing with an oblivious host was truly a challenge!

Chieftain Lie Xiu, Second Elder Lie Feng, and Fifth Elder Lie Hei observed Xiao Huo's demeanor, each displaying a distinct expression. Lie Feng and Lie Hei scoffed coldly, while Lie Xiu frowned slightly and shook his head.

Yet, after some thought, he did not dwell on the matter too much. After all, it was the nature of the young not to be astute or perceptive of hidden meanings.

At that moment, Xiao Huo had already approached the Fire Ant statue. He bowed deeply to Lie Xiu and the others before placing his hand on the statue. Lie Xiu smiled faintly—at least the boy had manners.

The instant Xiao Huo's palm touched the Fire Ant statue, a glimmer of spiritual light surged from within, traveling up his arm and into his mind. Xiao Huo felt as though a multitude of insect-like whispers filled his head.

Accompanied by these sounds, a torrent of text rushed in, causing an intense pain in his head. Thus, the Fire Ant Cultivation Method was completely instilled into Xiao Huo's mind.

Chu Xuan, observing from afar, nodded slightly. This method of directly imprinting knowledge into the mind was evidently quicker and more memorable than studying from bone scripts. Such techniques existed in the world of cultivation as well.

However, the drawback was also clear—it could lead to rigid thinking. The Fire Ant Cultivation Method received by Xiao Huo and others all stemmed from a talented predecessor, presumably the legendary Golden Insect Master, Lie Teng.

Lie Teng's insights might not represent everyone's experience. Some might have developed unique insights that could have taken the Fire Ant Cultivation Method in a different direction. Such potential insights might be completely stifled by this mode of transmission.

"Go back and rest," Lie Xiu waved his hand, and two robust attendants came forward to help Xiao Huo back to his seat.

After Xiao Huo's return, Lie Yong immediately stepped forward to receive the Wisdom of Insects. Despite facing the same pain, Lie Yong's resolve was evidently stronger than Xiao Huo's. He gritted his teeth and endured without assistance, walking back to his seat on his own.

Lie Xiu looked at him approvingly and nodded, "Well done."

Following that, other young men and women like Lie Jia and Lie Fei approached the statue to listen to the Wisdom of Insects. This continued until noon when the ritual finally concluded.

"The Fire Ant eggs are ready; each of you may come and take one," announced Lie Xiu. He clapped his hands, and immediately, three robust attendants brought forward three large wooden platters adorned with exquisite patterns.

In the cave world, where minerals were abundant but wood was scarce, wood was extremely valuable. The use of beautifully crafted wooden platters to hold the Fire Ant eggs demonstrated the tribe's emphasis on this event.

By now, Xiao Huo and the others had recovered from their pain. He scanned the area, noting there were sixteen ant eggs in total. Each was the size of a palm, radiating a deep red hue and seemingly emitting heat.

Chu Xuan, accustomed to scanning with his spiritual sense, suddenly took notice. "Hmm, this ant egg is extraordinary." He observed that one of the eggs gleamed with a brilliant gold-red hue, unlike the others. He immediately activated his spiritual sense, vibrating the shard of the Mirror, attempting to signal Xiao Huo to choose that particular egg.

However, Xiao Huo, feeling the vibration of the mirror shard, tensed up instead, clutching at his chest tightly.

Lie Xiu noticed his movement and asked with concern, "What's the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"

Xiao Huo shook his head, "A little."

"Then pick an egg and go rest," Lie Xiu said with a smile. "It's normal to feel a bit unwell after listening to the Wisdom of Insects. Just eat well and rest."

"Yes," Xiao Huo replied.

Without overthinking, Xiao Huo grabbed an egg at random and turned to leave. The one with the gold-red interior, however, was taken by Lie Yong.

Chu Xuan rolled his eyes.

Dealing with an oblivious host was truly a challenge!

...

That night, Xiao Huo eagerly began cultivating the Fire Ant egg.

"The cultivation method states that Fire Ant eggs need a high-temperature environment to hatch," he noted. "Luckily, the tribe has already delivered fire stones, and I can now start constructing an incubation basin. If all goes well, it should hatch in three days, and then I'll need the servants to quickly prepare the daily insect feed..."

As Xiao Huo muttered the Fire Ant Cultivation Method to himself and busied his hands, Chu Xuan listened to his continuous chatter, the complete Fire Ant Cultivation Method quickly forming in his mind. After a while, he nodded repeatedly.

"Not bad, not bad, this Fire Ant Cultivation Method is indeed quite ingenious," he mused. "This method allows the Fire Ants to develop independent thinking, separate from the queen. This recipe is quite valuable!"

A spark of inspiration flashed through Chu Xuan's mind. Suddenly, he thought that perhaps he could experiment with Fire Bees. Ants and bees share similar social structures. Since the Fire Ant tribe successfully used this cultivation method for Fire Ants, he could potentially apply it to cultivate Fire Bees as well...

Blue Star.

Upon Chu Xuan's thought, the queen bee delivered a Fire Bee egg to him. He fetched several fire-attributed spiritual items from his storage bag. These items shared the common property of creating a relatively high-temperature environment around them.

However, Chu Xuan was well aware that the Fire Bee egg was only a first-transformation Gu. Thus, he chose only foundation-level spiritual items for the task, knowing that too high a temperature might instantly destroy the egg.

"As for the recipe... I don't have the materials from the cave world here, but I can substitute them with medicinal properties and theories. It's not hard to complete the recipe," he thought. Excitement flickered across Chu Xuan's face. Indeed, coming to this cave world had not been a mistake.

"It's just a pity that the starting point is so low. If I had been picked up directly by the higher-ups of a large tribe or even a tribal nation, I could have immediately obtained numerous Yao insect cultivation methods."

"I might even control the insect masters of an entire nation, tailoring cultivation methods specifically for them, like for Blood Steel Wire or the Blood Bee Queen," he pondered, shaking his head.

A low starting point was no obstacle; it could always be compensated for. If the host does not strive, then this old man will strive on his behalf, ready to switch hosts if necessary. With enough audacity, he could switch twice in a day!

...

Black Devil Peak.

Chu Xuan stepped out of his cultivation room, deep in thought. "I need someone I can trust. Firstly, to gather intelligence. This would corroborate the information provided by Myriad Souls Elder, ensuring he does not betray me. Secondly, to collect materials."

The Fire Bee cultivation requires many materials, and he cannot afford to waste time collecting them himself. Such tasks cannot be entrusted to just anyone.

He thought hard and considered Wan Wuying. Compared to others within the Myriad Souls Sect, he certainly trusted Wan Wuying more. Moreover, currently controlled by Myriad Souls Elder and utterly despondent, if Chu Xuan were to extend a hand, it would surely be remembered for a lifetime by Wan Wuying.

Chapter 279: Meeting with Wan Wuying again

With this in mind, Chu Xuan immediately sent a message to Myriad Souls Elder, instructing him to bring Wan Wuying to Black Devil Peak.

At that moment, Myriad Souls Elder was outside; upon hearing Chu Xuan's transmission, he promptly nodded in agreement.

However, he still asked, "Master, has Wan Wuying offended you? Do you wish to kill him? He is right beside me now; shall I kill him and send you the body?"

Chu Xuan replied, "...I want him alive! And you, come along as well."

"Yes, yes, yes," Myriad Souls Elder dared not disobey.

By dusk, Myriad Souls Elder arrived at Black Devil Peak with Wan Wuying. This was Chu Xuan's second encounter with Wan Wuying.

Now, Wan Wuying looked much leaner than before. The first time they met in the Myriad Souls Sect, Wan Wuying had the ambition to assault the Nascent Soul path in his eyes. But now, those eyes were dimmed and tired, clearly weary of being manipulated.

"Junior brother Lin," Wan Wuying greeted Chu Xuan with a bow. He looked puzzledly at Myriad Souls Elder, seemingly questioning why he was brought to Black Devil Peak. Myriad Souls Elder ignored him and turned to Chu Xuan, bowing, "Master, I have brought him; your will be done, whether to kill or flay."

Chu Xuan grimaced. Am I really seen as someone who must exact vengeance in your eyes?

Hearing this, Wan Wuying was stupefied.

What have I done to deserve death or dismemberment? Wait, what did you call him? Master?

Stunned, Wan Wuying looked up at Lin Fan again, reassessing the early-stage Golden Core junior brother as if seeing him for the first time.

Chu Xuan commanded calmly, "Remove the restrictions within his soul."

Myriad Souls Elder hesitated for a moment but carried out the order. Moments later, Wan Wuying felt as if a massive weight pressing deep within his soul had suddenly vanished. The relief was so profound that he almost cried out in joy.

"You may go about your business," Chu Xuan dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, subordinate withdrawing," Myriad Souls Elder bowed and left. His mind was filled with questions, but he dared not ask any. After all, this was the formidable figure who had made well-known righteous cultivators like Jin Zhao, Ling Su, and Luo Hua disappear overnight.

After Myriad Souls Elder departed, Wan Wuying knelt on one knee, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, senior, for your assistance! I have no way to repay you and am willing to serve you! I will spare no effort, even at the cost of my life!"

Chu Xuan chuckled softly.

Wan Wuying was indeed a clever man. He appreciated dealing with smart people—there was no need to overthink things. However, Chu Xuan had no intention of revealing his true identity to Wan Wuying.

Soul-searching techniques existed in both the demonic and righteous paths. If Wan Wuying were captured and his soul searched, Chu Xuan's identity would be exposed entirely. His rapid rise would inevitably draw outside suspicion, inviting unnecessary trouble.

"I need someone to work for me," Chu Xuan said calmly. "But rest assured, as long as you handle matters well, I can grant you anything you desire. Even Nascent Soul spiritual items."

Back then, he had acquired a considerable number of Nascent Soul spiritual items, more than he could use. They would serve perfectly as bait to entice Wan Wuying.

With that, Chu Xuan stretched out his hand and a Soul Breaking Spike appeared in his palm. He let it glimmer before Wan Wuying's eyes for a moment before withdrawing it.

Seeing this, Wan Wuying's heart surged with joy, and he immediately bowed low. "This subordinate is willing to serve, senior!"

His remaining lifespan was limited, and his only hope was to set foot on the Nascent Soul path. He had thought himself doomed to a life of futility.

Yet, this senior not only helped him break free from Myriad Souls Elder's restrictions but also promised him Nascent Soul spiritual items. It ignited a blazing flame of hope in his long-darkened heart!

"I want you to report on the situation in Northern Cold to me at regular intervals," Chu Xuan continued calmly.

He flicked out a jade slip inscribed with his spiritual sense. "Additionally, take time to gather these materials for me."

Wan Wuying accepted the jade slip respectfully, bowing deeply. "This subordinate will fulfill your command!"

Chu Xuan then flicked out a small insect egg. "Swallow this. It's merely a necessary measure."

Wan Wuying had anticipated this step and showed no surprise. Without hesitation, he swallowed the egg in one gulp.

Chu Xuan smiled. "Wan Wuying, I trust you. Go now."

Wan Wuying turned and left.

Flying through the air for a good while, he suddenly jolted awake.

Wan Wuying?! Hadn't he used the false name Wan Ying when joining the Myriad Souls Sect?

This person actually knew his real name!

'He… he knows who I am!'

Astonishment filled Wan Wuying, but no matter how hard he thought, he could not recall ever knowing a Nascent Soul master of such caliber.

"Forget it… He must have his reasons for not revealing himself to me. I'll just serve him well. As long as I can obtain Nascent Soul spiritual items…"

Wan Wuying threw back his head and laughed aloud, a sense of liberation rising from deep within his heart.

Chu Xuan watched Wan Wuying's departing figure, his expression as still as a deep, undisturbed well.

Wan Wuying had once been his master, his senior brother, and was now a subordinate under his control through the Hidden Bee. Yet, given a second chance, he would not hesitate to do the same. He could not place his hopes on the loyalty within Wan Wuying's heart.

For demonic cultivators, loyalty was but a beautiful lie. As long as the benefits were enticing enough, there was no one in this world who couldn't betray—even himself.

"Let's continue cultivating."

With a flicker of his figure, Chu Xuan returned to the newly reconstructed cultivation chamber.

His mind connected with the Mirror of the Myriad Realms, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived at Blue Star.

The Ice Soul Formation had not yet fully formed. The production of Ice Souls was still relatively low. Even with his Earth-grade Ice Spirit Root and Ice Soul Spiritual Body, his cultivation speed for the Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll was not particularly fast.

Of course, compared to the average Nascent Soul cultivator, it was already astoundingly rapid. However, thanks to the Psionic Cube, the supply of Nether Crocodile flesh had remained sufficient, allowing his physical cultivation to skyrocket. He had now reached the peak of the thirty-fourth level of body refinement.

He estimated that with a bit more effort and meat consumption, he could break through to the thirty-fifth level within five years.

...

Blue Star, five years later.

Chu Xuan's physical cultivation smoothly broke through to the thirty-fifth level. On Blue Star, a casual punch from him could now trigger a minor earthquake, shattering hills into dust.

Yet, after stepping into the thirty-fifth level of body refinement, Chu Xuan encountered a small problem. The Nether Crocodile flesh that had once fueled his growth could no longer be said to be highly effective—its impact was now negligible.

"This is supposed to be the flesh of an ancient beast, and yet, I've reached a point where it has become almost useless," Chu Xuan lamented, rubbing his forehead. He had thought that the Nether Crocodile flesh would suffice until he reached the fortieth level of body refinement.

No wonder body refinement cultivators had gradually fallen out of favor. With this insatiable, gluttonous appetite, what sect could afford to sustain them? The precious resources required to nurture a single body cultivator could easily support ten Qi Refining cultivators!

"It's a pity I couldn't capture a few Dark Falcons back on the battlefield of the outer realm."

The Dark Falcon's strength surpassed that of the Nether Crocodile and was undoubtedly a more powerful ancient beast, whose flesh would surely contain greater life force and energy.

Chu Xuan rubbed his temples thoughtfully. Acquiring high-quality flesh had become an urgent priority. Even a small portion would suffice. With the Psionic Cube, he could propagate and mature it, ensuring a steady supply.

"I must keep an eye out for rare demonic beasts in the future. Just assign this task to Myriad Souls and Wan Wuying," he mused.