Demonic Cultivator(348-358) (Patreon)

Chapter 348: New Task

Bao rolled on the ground, its movements resembling those of a wriggling pupa.

"It's coming out... it's coming out!"

It shouted loudly. Golden sword qi surged up and down within its body.

The next moment, two streaks of Yang Metal Sword Qi shot out simultaneously! After expelling these two sword qii, Bao gradually calmed down.

Chu Xuan was stunned. It took him a long while before he murmured, "Seems like it's truly up and down..."

"Master! So delicious, I want more!"

Bao darted over to Chu Xuan, its eyes gleaming with greed.

Chu Xuan tossed a handful of refined iron from his storage bag.

Bao swiftly devoured it with a single gulp.

Crisp, crunchy.

The hard refined iron seemed to transform into the crisp texture of an apple in its mouth.

One bite, and it was a satisfying crunch!

"Fight each other. Let me see just how strong Bao has become."

Chu Xuan waved his hand. Hu, who had been watching from the side, immediately rushed forward upon receiving the order.

"Bao, I'm coming!"

Hu cracked its knuckles, then charged with a single powerful stride. Its massive fist was ruthlessly aimed at Bao's skull.

"Hehehe!"

Bao finished swallowing the last of the refined iron, and then immediately turned around to retaliate.

Clang!

The two corpse kings clashed, and the sound of metal striking metal rang out continuously. Dust flew everywhere. The ground creaked under the tremendous pressure.

"Roar!"

In the heat of the battle, Bao instinctively opened its mouth and expelled a streak of Yang Metal Sword Qi.

The Yang Metal Sword Qi moved at lightning speed.

Hu couldn't dodge in time. Its shoulder was instantly pierced by the sword qi.

Whoosh!

The entire left arm was severed in a single strike!

Chu Xuan's expression changed slightly, and he was about to step forward to check on Hu. But Hu, with an unflinching expression, seized the moment when Bao released its sword qi, and swung its right hand like a blade, aiming for Bao's neck!

Clang!

The strike landed, and Bao immediately collapsed, falling into a deep, infant-like sleep.

Hu stepped forward, picked up its severed left arm from the ground, and reattached it. From the wound, thin strands of blood began to emerge, resembling ropes, stitching the severed parts back together.

In the blink of an eye, the injury was nearly gone, leaving behind no trace.

Chu Xuan was both surprised and intrigued.

"Hu, what method is this?"

Hu knelt on one knee respectfully.

"Master, this is the Blood Fury True Art's Blood-Refining Thread technique."

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow in astonishment. When he took Duan Feipeng's supreme Thunder Spirit Root, he had casually stuffed his own medium-grade Wood Spirit Root into Hu's body.

Since then, Hu's intelligence had grown by leaps and bounds, to the point where it was indistinguishable from a human being.

Moreover, Hu possessed the ability to learn acquired techniques. A long time ago, Chu Xuan had casually tossed a few cultivation methods for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment at Hu, letting it study them. Over time, he had forgotten all about it.

To his surprise, Hu had indeed mastered them. The Blood Fury True Art was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivation method.

It used blood as a medium, and all the spells cast through it were related to blood. The Blood-Refining Thread was the perfect technique for reattaching severed limbs.

"Are there any other spells?" Chu Xuan asked.

Hu shook its head in an innocent manner.

"Master has given many techniques, and Hu has gone through them all. I felt that the Blood Fury True Art resonated the most with me, so I focused on it. However, Hu's aptitude is average, and I've only managed to reach the third layer of the Blood Fury True Art, learning just the Blood-Refining Thread technique."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. It was just a medium-grade Wood Spirit Root. The compatibility between the root and the technique wasn't very high. The fact that Hu had managed to reach the third layer of the Blood Fury True Art showed it had been working hard.

Chu Xuan didn't intend to criticize it for that.

"Keep up the good work. I believe in you." He encouraged.

"Thank you, Master!" Hu said, deeply moved.

A month later, on the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, in Heaven-Six City.

As usual, Chu Xuan returned with enough blood crystals. Since Han Yirensheng was stationed at the large spirit stone mine near Heaven-Three City, it was not her who would inspect the blood crystals this time, but another Nascent Soul cultivator from the Majestic Sword Sect, Yang Feixiong.

Chu Xuan had initially expected Yang Feixiong to make things difficult for him, but to his surprise, after a quick glance, Yang Feixiong simply waved his hand, indicating the blood crystals were completely acceptable.

Chu Xuan was somewhat astonished.

"Senior Brother Yang, aren't you going to inspect them more carefully?"

Yang Feixiong shook his head, "Oh, we're all from the same sect, why would I make things difficult for you?"

Afterward, he added, "Don't blame me, Junior Brother Gao. Before, I had no choice but to stand by and do nothing. Han Yiren's background was too terrifying. That Deity Transformation elder from her sect? We really couldn't afford to offend him. Now, though, Han Yiren is dead. Why should I still worry about her?"

As he said this, Yang Feixiong's tone actually seemed somewhat relieved.

Chu Xuan was taken aback.

"Dead?"

I hadn't even gotten a chance to bring her into the Heavenly Corpse Tower or under the Sky-Shielding Umbrella yet. How could she have died so suddenly?

"Yang Senior Brother, do you know how she died?" Chu Xuan asked curiously. Who had taken her head?

Yang Feixiong lowered his voice and said, "I heard that the large spirit stone mine she and Yang Yuze were guarding was attacked by demon cultivators. I don't know how many they sent, but when Senior Brother Ximen led a rescue, the mine had already been taken over by the demon cultivators, and we had to retreat."

Yang Feixiong muttered, "That mine clearly had a Nascent Soul-level formation. Even if the demon cultivators outnumbered us, we should've been able to hold out for two or three days. How did they manage to take it so quickly?"

Chu Xuan thought for a moment and nodded. These mines and herb gardens were treasures, and it wasn't uncommon for them to change hands between the two sects. The formation being quickly breached wasn't surprising either.

As long as the other side had breaking talismans, any formation could be pierced. It was just a pity that he couldn't send Han Yiren away himself. That would have been much more satisfying.

"Senior Brother Ximen has issued new tasks, follow me inside." Yang Feixiong waved, signaling him to follow.

A moment later, in Ximen Changqing's house.

Chu Xuan, Luo Yan, and Yang Feixiong sat across from each other.

There was another unfamiliar Nascent Soul cultivator present. With his gleaming bald head and muscular frame, it was clear that he was a Nascent Soul martial monk from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple.

Ximen Changqing smiled, "Let me introduce this fellow daoist. This is Master Miaoyong from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple. Currently, the Celestial Sound Zen Temple and the Majestic Sword Sect are in similar situations, so we must work together."

Luo Yan and Yang Feixiong nodded in agreement. Chu Xuan also nodded along.

Master Miaoyong clasped his hands together and recited a Buddhist chant, "Greetings, the three donors. We will work together from now on. Miaoyong is just a Nascent Soul Fourth Layer monk, so please, the three donors, take care of me."

Ximen Changqing smiled, "We are all working for the upper sect, and rank doesn't matter. Here are the tasks assigned to me by the upper sect. You four can choose for yourselves."

As before, Chu Xuan picked the task of slaying ancient beasts.

Miaoyong, Luo Yan, and Yang Feixiong chose tasks that were more difficult and offered better rewards.

Chu Xuan noticed that while Ximen Changqing's smile appeared warm and friendly, there was something hidden behind it.

Chapter 349: Bizarre Situation

A month later, on the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Chu Xuan returned to Heaven-Six City as usual, prepared to bring the blood crystals to Yang Feixiong. This time, he had deliberately left numerous superficial wounds on his body. At first glance, they looked severe, but a gentle touch revealed they were only surface injuries.

Of course, the story he would tell was that these were wounds inflicted by ancient beasts. After all, he was only a Nascent Soul First Layer cultivator, a mere beginner. How could he have slain a thousand Nether Crocodiles without suffering some injuries?

However, when he returned to the city, he discovered that Yang Feixiong was missing. The only person waiting for him was Luo Yan, who looked slightly sorrowful.

"Where is Senior Brother Yang?" Chu Xuan asked.

Luo Yan shook his head. "He's dead. We took on a task to attack an herb garden but were ambushed by demon cultivators. I only managed to retrieve half of his body and buried him hastily."

Chu Xuan sighed deeply. "Life and death are unpredictable. Senior Brother Luo, my condolences."

Luo Yan glanced at the storage pouch that Chu Xuan handed over but didn't examine it closely. He waved his hand. "Enough. Let's go see Senior Brother Ximen."

A moment later, in Ximen Changqing's room.

Chu Xuan, Luo Yan, and Miaoyong sat in their respective seats.

Chu Xuan, being the weakest in terms of cultivation, sat at the furthest back.

Ximen Changqing's expression was solemn. "Everyone, the upper sect has assigned us an important task."

Seeing his serious demeanor, the three of them immediately became tense.

Ximen Changqing spoke with authority, "The upper sect wants us to set up a formation one hundred miles east of Heaven-Six City. We need to station a Nascent Soul cultivator and three Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beasts there to await further orders.

As long as we guard it for one month, those three Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beasts will be considered rewards, and we can take them with us afterward. Additionally, before we leave, we'll receive twenty large spirit stones, a bottle of Nascent Soul healing pills, and three Heavenly Thunder Talismans."

With that, he took out a storage pouch. "Everything is in here."

Upon hearing this, Luo Yan and Miaoyong's breathing quickened. Not to mention the other rewards, just the three Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beasts alone were enough to make them fight for it.

Luo Yan was getting older. At this point, he only wanted to accumulate resources for his family's descendants. Most of his magic treasures could only be used by Nascent Soul cultivators, so his descendants couldn't use them.

But puppet beasts were different. As long as there were enough spirit stones, they could be activated. Even if he only brought back one of those Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beasts, it could serve as the foundation for his family.

From then on, if enemies attacked, he could summon the puppet beasts to defend. With that, as long as nothing major went wrong, his family would have more than enough strength to sustain itself until the next Nascent Soul cultivator emerged.

Miaoyong's thoughts were different from Luo Yan's. Miaoyong was still in his prime, with a long lifespan ahead of him. But he, too, needed Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beasts as his trump card. After all, who would ever complain about having too few trump cards?

Chu Xuan, while not particularly interested in these things, still put on a very eager expression, as if he really wanted it. He had long since understood the importance of playing the part well, and this was one of those moments.

Ximen Changqing's gaze moved between Miaoyong and Luo Yan before finally resting on Miaoyong.

"Miaoyong Master, this task is of great importance, so I'll leave it to you," Ximen Changqing said I and Junior Brothers Luo and Gao will remain in Heaven-Six City to handle other matters."

Miaoyong raised his voice, "Alright! Thank you, Senior Brother Ximen! I will complete this task for the sect!"

Ximen Changqing smiled gently. "Junior Brothers Luo and Gao, you two may pick other tasks."

As usual, Chu Xuan intended to select a task involving ancient beast slaying. However, this time he discovered that such tasks were no longer available. Moreover, the other tasks had become rather strange.

While the rewards were substantial, the difficulty had also increased significantly. Given Gao Xuan's current cultivation, the only task he could take was one with a high risk and a low reward.

Everything else was either low-reward but incredibly tedious tasks, or simply impractical for him to attempt.

Chu Xuan, puzzled, asked, "Senior Brother Ximen, why are there no tasks involving ancient beasts? The number of Nether Crocodiles outside Heaven-Six City is still quite large."

Ximen Changqing smiled. "Junior Brother Gao, you might not be aware, but the sect has shifted its focus. While ancient beasts threaten both us and the demon cultivators, we only need to ensure that the area around the city does not become overrun with them, forming a beast tide. There is no longer any need to actively clear the ancient beasts."

Chu Xuan nodded thoughtfully, "I understand now. But I am still too weak, Senior Brother Ximen. What task should I take?"

Ximen Changqing pointed to a task and smiled. "This one looks good. Does Junior Brother Gao have any interest?"

Chu Xuan furrowed his brow. The task in question was to guard a medium-level spiritual stone mine located near Heaven-Four City. That was right on the frontlines where righteous and demonic cultivators clashed. To go there was essentially asking for trouble.

With a sigh, Chu Xuan said, "Senior Brother Ximen, I... I fear I'm not capable of handling such a task."

Ximen Changqing became more serious. "This task offers the reward of five Nascent Soul late-stage puppet beasts. As your senior brother, I will give you an additional Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast. Although this one is somewhat damaged, if you can find the appropriate metals, you can repair it and restore it to its peak condition. Junior Brother Gao, what do you think?"

At that moment, Luo Yan, hearing the details, seemed rather moved. "Senior Brother, why don't I go instead?"

Ximen Changqing shook his head. "This task would be too easy for you, Junior Brother Luo. Currently, there is a shortage of manpower in Heaven-Six City. We must make use of everyone's strengths."

Ximen Changqing turned back to Chu Xuan and asked again, "Junior Brother Gao, would you be willing to take on this task?"

Chu Xuan showed a thoughtful expression on his face. But deep down, a sense of unease suddenly rose within him. Something didn't feel right.

In his memory, Ximen Changqing wasn't someone who would just give away a Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast so easily. Even a heavily damaged puppet beast could be repaired by a puppeteer and still be powerful enough to battle Nascent Soul cultivators. For him to just give it away like this didn't seem to fit Ximen Changqing's usual style.

At that moment, Chu Xuan suddenly thought of Han Yirian and Yang Feixiong. Both had accepted missions from Ximen Changqing and not long after, both had died. The missions were lucrative, but they didn't have the chance to enjoy the rewards.

A bold guess began to form in Chu Xuan's mind.

"I'm still too weak and may not be able to handle it. This task is better suited for Senior Brother Luo."

After a long pause, Chu Xuan finally spoke up, rejecting Ximen Changqing's offer.

Ximen Changqing's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't show any other signs of displeasure. He sighed softly. "What a pity, this task is just a bit challenging for you..."

Luo Yan, however, was eager and immediately accepted the task.

The next day.

Luo Yan and Miaoyong set off in opposite directions, heading to their respective mission locations. Chu Xuan stayed behind in the city, as he had taken on a task to repair a puppet beast.

This type of task was precise and intricate, making it unsuitable for lower-level cultivators in the city. However, the reward was quite low, so it wasn't a popular choice. Thus, it had been left to Chu Xuan.

Chapter 350: Something was off about Ximen Changqing

In the southern district of Heaven-Six City, Chu Xuan arrived in front of a massive warehouse. Guarding the entrance of the warehouse were two puppet spear soldiers. Their spears crossed to block the entrance.

Chu Xuan displayed his Nascent Soul cultivator token from the Majestic Sword Sect. The puppet spear soldiers creaked as they retracted their spears, immediately allowing him to pass. Chu Xuan pushed open the large door and stepped into the warehouse.

As the lights on the four walls of the warehouse illuminated, the scene inside came into full view. The warehouse was filled with all kinds of puppets. There were human-shaped puppets, as well as puppet beasts. Some were lightly damaged, while others were severely harmed. If someone were to enter without lighting the room, the sight of these dark figures might frighten them greatly.

Chu Xuan waved his hand. The warehouse door closed again behind him. He had already noticed this task to repair puppets. However, the rewards for the task were too low, and it was quite time-consuming, so he had been too lazy to care about it. But now, in order to avoid falling into whatever trap Ximen Changqing might be setting, he could only reluctantly take on the task.

In truth, the task was simple. It involved using the divine sense jade slip issued by the Reincarnation Sect as a guide to repair the puppets with minor damage. It was essentially like following an instruction manual. As long as one followed the instructions, there was little chance of error.

However, for cultivators who had no experience with puppets, it would definitely take a lot of time. This was true regardless of cultivation level. The only advantage of high-level cultivators was that their divine sense was strong enough to maintain the repairs for a long time. Low-level cultivators, on the other hand, often run out of energy before even finishing repairing a single puppet.

Of course, for those puppets that were severely damaged, only skilled puppeteers could repair them.

Chu Xuan was quite interested in the puppet arts. He felt that there were similarities between puppets and corpse puppets. So, sitting down to repair them didn't feel tiring at all. In fact, he found it rather enjoyable.

One hour later—Clack, clack.

Footsteps sounded. The door slowly opened and closed again.

Chu Xuan looked up and saw that the person entering the warehouse was none other than Ximen Changqing. He couldn't help but be slightly surprised. Ximen Changqing was quite powerful. And given his obvious possession of several Nascent Soul-tier puppets, Chu Xuan wasn't sure of his full capabilities yet. Before understanding the man's true strength, he wouldn't act rashly.

"Senior Brother Ximen, what brings you here?" Chu Xuan asked with a smile.

Ximen Changqing gave him a scrutinizing look, then suddenly said, "Junior Brother Gao, as disciples of the Majestic Sword Sect, we are men of the righteous path in life, and we should be righteous spirits in death."

He paused, his gaze becoming more serious. "No matter what happens, we must never do anything that goes against the principles of the righteous path."

Chu Xuan nodded repeatedly, "Senior Brother is absolutely right."

Ximen Changqing continued to stare at him, his eyes filled with meaning, "Do you know, Junior Brother Gao, what is acceptable to do and what is not? Do you have your own line in your heart?"

Chu Xuan nodded solemnly, "Of course, I do!"

Ximen Changqing then moved closer to Chu Xuan. At that moment, Chu Xuan's palm subconsciously curled into a defensive position. If Ximen Changqing tried to attack, he was ready to retaliate with the full force of his 38th level body refinement. But to his surprise, Ximen Changqing stopped three zhang away, then turned his back, placing his hands behind him.

"Junior Brother Gao," Ximen Changqing began, his tone quieter, "Though there are things we must not do, there are times when, for the sake of survival, we must do them. We are born into this world, and many things are unavoidable. You, just like me, must sometimes make choices we never wish to make."

Chu Xuan's heart remained calm, but he deliberately put on an expression of fear.

"Senior Brother..." he said, his voice a little shaky. He had a hunch about what Ximen Changqing was about to say.

Suddenly, Ximen Changqing spun around sharply, his voice rising.

"Then why did you kill Feng Qian of the Crimson Flame Hall?"

Feng Qian was the Nascent Soul cultivator whom Gao Xuan had slain and turned into a Yang Metal Sword Corpse.

Chu Xuan feigned shock, his face changing expressions several times. He perfectly mimicked the look of someone whose secret had just been exposed. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and said, "Senior Brother... how did you know?"

Ximen Changqing tossed a mid-grade magic treasure onto the ground. He spoke calmly, "This magic treasure is the one most commonly used by cultivators of the Crimson Flame Hall. I once saw Feng Qian using it, so when I saw this one, I recognized it immediately."

Chu Xuan looked downcast for a moment, before finally admitting, "Yes, it was me who killed Feng Qian. I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit, Senior Brother."

Although Feng Qian and he were from different sects—Feng Qian from the Crimson Flame Hall, and Chu Xuan from the Majestic Sword Sect—at this moment they were allies of the righteous path, united against the demonic cultivators of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect.

And yet, during this crucial battle between the righteous and the demonic, he had killed one of his own allies. If the Reincarnation Sect ever found out about this, they would no doubt impose severe punishment.

An eerie silence filled the warehouse. The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, Ximen Changqing's voice broke the quiet.

"Gao Xuan, Gao Xuan! How could you do such a thing, after all the attention I've given you?! You, a cultivator of the righteous path, no matter the circumstances, should always strive to rise above, to be courageous, to make progress! How could you fall to such a low point?"

Chu Xuan was taken aback, "Senior Brother..."

Ximen Changqing's voice softened as he stepped closer, speaking gently, "Junior Brother Gao, as I mentioned earlier, many things in life are forced upon us. We are both disciples of the Majestic Sword Sect, brothers in the same sect. How could I punish you for something like this?"

He took another step forward, his tone warm and reassuring.

"Feng Qian is already dead. Why should I punish you for the actions of a dead man?" He continued in a softer voice, "I discovered this magic treasure by chance today and decided to help cover it up. Otherwise, the cultivators of the Crimson Flame Hall might have found it. You still have Feng Qian's belongings, don't you? Leave it to your Senior Brother to handle it. Whatever you need, just ask, and I will provide it."

Chu Xuan was deeply moved by these words, and his emotions stirred. "Senior Brother..." he began.

Ximen Changqing took out a storage bag and directly handed it to Chu Xuan.

"Here, inside you'll find a complete Nascent Soul-level puppet beast, fifty large spirit stones, two thousand medium-grade spiritual stones, and two water mirror talismans. Consider it a gift from your Senior Brother!"

Chu Xuan was taken aback. "Such valuable items? I can't accept this!"

But Ximen Changqing was insistent. He pressed the bag into Chu Xuan's hands.

"Take it! I'm giving it to you, so accept it! I've seen how Han Yiren bullies you, and it pains me deeply. But I'm afraid of her family's Deity Transformation Elder and couldn't intervene. I feel deeply ashamed as your Senior Brother. You can consider this as me trying to make amends for the damage to my own Dao heart."

Chu Xuan's face showed great emotion, and he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Senior Brother! I, Gao Xuan, will forever remember your kindness!"

Ximen Changqing nodded slightly. "If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, come to me."

With that, he turned and strode out of the warehouse. Chu Xuan stood there for a while, watching Ximen Changqing's retreating figure. Slowly, a smile crept onto his face. He knew Ximen Changqing had been secretly following him.

The mid-grade magic treasure of Feng Qian was something he had deliberately taken out. He had acted as if he was getting rid of evidence. As he expected, Ximen Changqing had seen it, and now he had a hold over Chu Xuan.

In reality, Chu Xuan had handed him that leverage on purpose. It was a test to gauge Ximen Changqing's true intentions. And as he had guessed, something was off about Ximen Changqing.

Chapter 351: Honestly Meeting

Chu Xuan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Han Yiren and Yang Feixiong's deaths are most likely closely related to Ximen Changqing. From his behavior during the day, he probably wanted to kill me as well, but I refused the task and stayed in the city, so he couldn't make a move. I intentionally left a clue, handing him leverage. It seems to have played right into his hands. Now that he has something on me, he hasn't reported it but instead gave me treasures, clearly with another plan in mind. Perhaps he intends to use the leverage to control me, forcing me to do things for him."

A smile crept onto Chu Xuan's face.

"Desire is a good thing. It's the people with no desires that are truly frightening. At least I can see now that although Ximen Changqing is from the Majestic Sword Sect Sect, he's no longer aligned with the righteous path. As for what exactly he is up to, I'll just have to keep watching."

In the following days, Chu Xuan adhered to a regular routine. He spent most of his time in the warehouse, repairing the damaged puppets. Perhaps because puppets shared a commonality with corpse puppets, his understanding of puppetry improved by leaps and bounds. At first, he was clumsy and slow, but after just ten days, he was already able to swiftly repair lightly damaged puppets. He estimated that in another month or two, he'd be able to repair moderately damaged ones as well.

Looking at the freshly repaired puppet in front of him, Chu Xuan smiled with satisfaction. "I guess I'm somewhat of a half-baked puppeteer now?" He chuckled softly.

Just then, footsteps echoed from outside.

"Ancestor Gao! Something big has happened! Ancestor Ximen asked me to summon you!"

A voice called urgently from the door.

For Foundation Establishment cultivators, Nascent Soul cultivators were considered ancestors.

Hearing the message, Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle.

'Ximen Changqing, you're moving quickly, but this might draw the attention of the Deity Transformation cultivators.'

"Alright, I'll be right there."

With that, Chu Xuan strode out of the warehouse, heading directly to Ximen Changqing's residence. Soon, he arrived and saw Ximen Changqing, who appeared serious and tense.

"Junior Brother Gao, something major has happened," Ximen Changqing said gravely "Heaven-Four City and Heaven-Five City have both fallen in the past three days! Also, your Senior Brother Luo has died!"

Chu Xuan was stunned. "Fallen so quickly? Senior Brother Luo is dead? How did he die?"

Ximen Changqing's voice grew darker. "We don't know. It's very likely they used a large number of forbidden-breaking talismans. When Fellow Daoist Bai from the Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion and I arrived, that medium spiritual stone mine had already been destroyed by the demonic cultivators. Not a single spiritual stone was left."

Chu Xuan's shock deepened. "Demonic cultivators are truly despicable! To fight against us, they're even willing to use forbidden-breaking talismans!"

The Reincarnation Divine Sect had gained the upper hand largely due to their use of puppets. To control puppets, they required a vast amount of spiritual stones. Even when not in use, these stones had to be consumed for maintenance. For the Reincarnation Divine Sect, spiritual stone mines were incredibly important.

Chu Xuan then asked, "What about Master Miaoyong from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple? How is he? Does he need rescue?"

Ximen Changqing lowered his voice. "That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. Our sect has given us orders to kill Miaoyong!"

Chu Xuan was taken aback. "Kill him? He's a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator, I'm no match for him."

Ximen Changqing spoke again in a low voice. "I'll go with you!"

Chu Xuan shook his head. "But I don't want to go."

Ximen Changqing frowned. "Junior Brother Gao, I still haven't spoken about the matter of you killing Feng Qian. Now, when I need you to do something, why are you hesitating?"

Chu Xuan smiled faintly. "What has Master Miaoyong done to warrant a kill order from the Reincarnation Divine Sect? As for taking me with you, I suspect you want to use me as a human shield."

Ximen Changqing's smile faltered, and he immediately swung a palm toward Chu Xuan's head. However, he suddenly realized that his hand wasn't moving.

After a moment of careful observation, he realized the truth. It wasn't that his hand wasn't moving—it was simply moving too slowly. His brain had already issued the command, yet his hand remained still, as if someone else were controlling his body.

"You poisoned me?!" Ximen Changqing's face shifted through several emotions.

Chu Xuan smiled. "We're even now, aren't we? You've set up your own puppets in the dark as well. The poison I used is called the Broken Mind Powder. After some modifications, it's far stronger now."

Ximen Changqing took several deep breaths and slowly withdrew his hand. For a long while, he stared at Chu Xuan, before suddenly smiling. "Gao Xuan wouldn't have such a sophisticated poison technique. Who are you?"

Chu Xuan smiled, "I once spent some time in Heavenly Sword City and made some progress in pill refining. I'm sure Fellow Daoist Ximen had your disciples investigate my background. You, Fellow Daoist Ximen, once sent me a few veiled words, advising me to leave that extraterritorial battlefield. I still remember that advice."

Ximen Changqing was stunned for a moment, then after deep thought, he suddenly realized and exclaimed in disbelief, "He Liang!"

Chu Xuan nodded. "Indeed, it's me."

Ximen Changqing looked at Chu Xuan for a long time before sighing, "I didn't expect you to still be alive. True Master Tiancang went to Mystic Azure Star later on. I thought you would have been killed by him."

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. True Master Tiancang had been to Mystic Azure Star? He must have been cultivating on Blue Star at that time, no wonder he hadn't known about it.

Cough cough...

"So, can you cure the poison for me?" Ximen Changqing said helplessly.

Chu Xuan flicked a white pill towards him.

Without hesitation, Ximen Changqing caught it and swallowed it, saying, "I trust you."

Chu Xuan smiled without speaking. It wasn't until several dozen breaths later that Ximen Changqing began to feel his body returning to normal. He sighed deeply, "I never expected we'd meet again like this. Come, Fellow Daoist He, please take a seat!"

The two of them sat down, both silent for a while. Eventually, Ximen Changqing couldn't hold back any longer, forcing out a bitter laugh, "Fellow Daoist He, why don't you speak?"

Chu Xuan smiled, "It's you, Fellow Daoist Ximen, who plans to defect to the demonic path. It's not that I'm the one switching to the righteous path. I'm not in a hurry, so why should I speak first?"

Ximen Changqing couldn't help but smile wryly. This He Liang was indeed no pushover. He had seen through everything at a glance.

"I haven't completely joined the demonic path, though. Right now, I'm just sitting on the fence," Ximen Changqing said with a grin. "I'll help whoever wins."

Chu Xuan casually replied, "Han Yiren, Yang Feixiong, Luo Yan—those were all your doing, weren't they?"

Ximen Changqing nodded, "Yes, I sold their information to the demonic cultivators."

"Then, this time, you want me to join you in killing Miaoyong. Is it because you want to use me as a human shield?" Chu Xuan casually remarked.

Ximen Changqing chuckled awkwardly, "It's not that I want to use you as a human shield... I really do consider you one of my own."

Chu Xuan rolled his eyes inwardly.

You think I'll believe that?

Ximen Changqing cleared his throat a few times. "As for Miaoyong, the Reincarnation Divine Sect really did order his death."

"Oh? Why?" Chu Xuan asked in surprise. "He's a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator. Why would the Reincarnation Divine Sect not want him? Isn't this the time when we need all the help we can get?"

Ximen Changqing's face turned serious. "That formation he's involved with has a huge problem! If that formation succeeds, we might all become sacrificial pawns for the Reincarnation Divine Sect's last-ditch effort!"

Chapter 352: Riot of the Nether Beasts

Ximen Changqing spoke in a low voice, "When the Heavenly River True Master from the Reincarnation Divine Sect gave me this formation, I sensed something was wrong with it. I have a basic understanding of formations, so I specifically copied the formation and kept it in my divine sense jade slip to study it over time. Only a few days ago did I realize that the formation's purpose is to absorb Spiritual Qi! Whether it takes a year or just three months, the formation will drain all the Spiritual Qi within a radius of five thousand miles."

Chu Xuan frowned. "What's the point of that?"

Ximen Changqing's expression grew more serious. "This kind of formation isn't unique. Every city's outskirts has one of these formations. The Heavenly Metal Battlefield isn't very large. If these Deity Transformation-level formations are allowed to absorb Spiritual Qi unchecked, they will eventually drain all the Spiritual Qi from the entire battlefield.

All of us cultivators will end up in an environment devoid of Spiritual Qi. Over time, our internal Spiritual Qi will start to dissipate to maintain balance. And if we run out of spirit stones, our cultivation will decline. All our centuries of hard work will be for nothing! I will be forced to completely turn to the demonic path. Fellow Daoist He should understand this situation now."

Ximen Changqing laughed bitterly, his expression full of despair.

Chu Xuan thought for a moment. "Is it possible for me to take a look at that divine sense jade slip?"

"Of course."

Ximen Changqing slapped his storage bag and took out a divine sense jade slip, handing it over to Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan placed it against his forehead, quickly examining the formation within. His brows furrowed as he observed the formation's layout. Although he wasn't a Nascent Soul-level formation master, he had set up many formations before. Even if he hadn't personally practiced with them, he had seen enough to be able to deduce the general purpose of this one.

After a moment, Chu Xuan returned the jade slip to Ximen Changqing, his voice steady. "This is serious. We need to inform the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect immediately."

Ximen Changqing nodded eagerly. "Exactly! The Reincarnation Divine Sect has treated me unjustly, so I will return the favor."

He sighed deeply, his voice tinged with a sense of helplessness. "All I want now is to preserve my life."

Chu Xuan seemed to be thinking deeply, then glanced at Ximen Changqing with a knowing look. "So, about Miaoyong..."

Ximen Changqing coughed awkwardly. "In order to gain the trust of the demonic sect, I need to prove my loyalty. By killing Miaoyong and seizing the formation, the demonic sect will have no choice but to trust me."

Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle. "This is easy. Who are you selling information to? Take me to meet him."

Ximen Changqing scratched his head. "Fellow Daoist He... with all due respect, it seems you're not well-known in the demonic sect. If I bring you there, will they even recognize you?"

Chu Xuan smiled lightly. "Just tell me who it is, and I'll handle the rest."

Ximen Changqing spoke in a low voice. "Shang Xingchen."

Chu Xuan chuckled softly. "In that case, no problem. He'll recognize me. Just set up the time."

Ximen Changqing nodded and was about to speak when suddenly the ground trembled violently. It felt as though countless gigantic elephants were trampling the earth, rushing from far to near, causing the entire city to shake.

Both men's expressions changed. They immediately flew out of the house and onto the city wall of Heaven-Six City.

Several Nascent Soul cultivators from the Red Flame Temple and Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion also sensed the disturbance. They hurriedly emerged from their respective buildings and joined the others at the city wall.

Chu Xuan's gaze swept across the pitch-black sky. He immediately noticed numerous dark shapes skimming across the ground, moving rapidly toward them. In the sky above, there were even faster black figures, leaving a trail of sonic booms as they sped toward Heaven-Six City.

"Nether Crocodiles! Dark Nether Hawks!"

The cultivators were stunned, unable to believe their eyes. Such a dense swarm of ancient beasts clearly indicated that the number of creatures was at least over a million. But, they had been clearing out the Nether Crocodiles around this area every month. How could such a massive horde of ancient beasts suddenly appear, with no warning, and be on the verge of attacking Heaven-Six City?

A Nascent Soul cultivator from Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion took out a transmission jade slip, listened for a moment, and then shouted, "Heaven-Seven City is also under attack by the beast horde!"

A cultivator from Red Flame Temple quickly added, "Heaven-Eight City is facing the same situation!"

Everyone's faces turned grim. It was clear now: this was no ordinary beast horde. It was a massive-scale attack. Hoping for reinforcements from other cities was futile.

Ximen Changqing shouted, "Fellow Daoist Bai, Fellow Daoist Xiao, I propose we activate the city's defensive formation immediately!"

Bai Cangsong from Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion and Xiao Xian from Red Flame Temple nodded without hesitation. "Agreed!"

Soon, a fiery light barrier began to rise from the center of Heaven-Six City, enveloping the entire city. Once the Dark Nether Hawks collided with the barrier, they would be reduced to ash within ten breaths. The Nether Crocodiles, weaker than the hawks, would die even faster. Their flesh and energy would also feed the formation, strengthening its power.

The firelight shimmered and rippled across the surface of the barrier. However... the sheer number of ancient beasts was overwhelming. Even if the creatures were like moths to the flame, once the number of moths became too large, the fire would eventually be extinguished.

Ximen Changqing, Bai Cangsong, and Xiao Xian exchanged a glance, immediately making a decision.

"Fellow Daoists," Ximen Changqing called out, "the city's defensive formation requires spiritual stones to activate. If we run out, these ancient beasts will break through the city's defenses. We can still meditate to recover our Spiritual Qi for now. While we are within the formation, let's focus on using our spells to kill the beasts!"

The Nascent Soul cultivators immediately responded with a unified voice, and one by one, various spells were unleashed. Flames, ice spikes, wooden vines, golden swords, water waves, wind blades...

Though the Nether Crocodiles had tough hides that could effectively negate the power of Spiritual Qi-based spells, these were Nascent Soul-level cultivators, and their spells were far more powerful than those of Golden Core cultivators. With each spell cast, dozens of the Nether Crocodiles were instantly obliterated, and over a hundred more were wounded.

Chu Xuan was among the crowd, also casting his spells. However, he refrained from using his demonic arts and instead relied on neutral spells, ones that could not be easily classified as either righteous or evil.

"How ironic. We were just about to seek out Miaoyong, and seize the formation, and now these ancient beasts appear without warning. And they're attacking all the cities at once..."

Chu Xuan's brows furrowed as he considered the situation. Since the Reincarnation Divine Sect was willing to use the method of draining all Spiritual Qi from Heavenly Metal Battlefield in a desperate last-ditch effort, it was not difficult to imagine them employing even more sinister means—such as waking up the ancient beasts.

After sending several Nether Crocodiles flying, Chu Xuan suddenly realized something. With such a massive number of ancient beasts surrounding the city, the cultivators would be unable to leave the city in the short term. In that case, the formation would be successfully activated! The Spiritual Qi in Heavenly Metal Battlefield would inevitably be drained!

This situation seemed irreversible. The Reincarnation Divine Sect, which had been on the verge of collapse, was now gaining the upper hand. And the ones benefiting most from all this? Clearly, it was the Reincarnation Divine Sect itself.

"How ruthless..." Chu Xuan muttered to himself. "For the sake of victory, they don't even care about their own people."

He shook his head. If Heavenly Metal Battlefield really became a barren wasteland devoid of Spiritual Qi, even the mighty Deity Transformation cultivators would see their realms drop significantly. Nascent Soul? Golden Core? Foundation Establishment? All were at risk. It all depended on how long the process would take.

However, for Chu Xuan, this was not such a big concern. He could always return to Blue Star whenever he needed to. What truly worried him now was the potential collapse of Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Chapter 353: Activation of Formation

Deity Transformation cultivators were the only ones capable of crossing star systems without relying on external methods. Even Nascent Soul cultivators had to rely on flying ships to travel from one cultivation star to another.

If Heavenly Metal Battlefield truly collapsed, Chu Xuan's coordinates here would be lost in the vastness of the starry void. He had no idea if there were any other cultivation stars nearby.

What if there were no cultivation stars within hundreds of thousands, millions, or even billions of miles? Wouldn't he be forever lost in the void? That was definitely not a result Chu Xuan wanted.

"Right now, I can only take it step by step. This must be the work of that old man Wen Lingtian."

A cold glint flashed in Chu Xuan's eyes. To be suddenly thrust into a life-threatening situation was no small matter. Anyone in his shoes would be equally displeased.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Spiritual Qi-based spells continuously bombarded the ancient beasts outside the city. After a period of relentless bombardment, the ancient beasts still showed no signs of retreating.

A few Nascent Soul cultivators from the first and second levels of Nascent Soul began to feel their Spiritual Qi depleting and had no choice but to sit down and meditate to recover.

Nascent Soul cultivators of the first and second levels didn't want to use large spirit stones to restore their Qi. With the formation still active, they hoped to rely on the natural Spiritual Qi of the world to recover slowly. However, as they meditated, they soon realized something was wrong.

"Strange… why does the Spiritual Qi in the world feel a bit thinner?"

"I feel it too. My recovery speed seems slower than before."

"It should just be a normal fluctuation in the Spiritual Qi. It will recover slowly."

The cultivators murmured among themselves, not giving the matter much thought.

Chu Xuan and Ximen Changqing exchanged a glance, both raising an eyebrow.

Ximen Changqing whispered via voice transmission, "Looks like the formation has activated. Oddly enough, when the Heavenly River True Master assigned me this task, he clearly said the activation would be five days later."

Chu Xuan thought for a moment. "Perhaps he gave you a false timeline. The true activation time was given to Miaoyong, the one who holds the array plate."

Ximen Changqing's expression froze. Upon further reflection, he realized that this was very likely the case. To prevent anyone from detecting the flaw in the formation and potentially betraying him, Heavenly River True Master had likely provided a false timeline. The real timeline had been kept hidden.

"Let's just hold on through this wave for now." Chu Xuan said, then continued casting spells toward the beasts outside the city.

The battle lasted for five days and four nights. Many Nascent Soul cultivators had completely drained their Spiritual Qi and had to stop to recover. It wasn't until noon on the fifth day that the ancient beasts, after leaving behind massive amounts of carcasses, retreated like a tidal wave.

Chu Xuan gazed out at the battlefield. Everywhere his eyes could see, there were bodies scattered across the ground. A rough estimate showed that there were at least seven million ancient beasts that had died here. And this was only counting those whose bodies remained mostly intact. As for the countless Nether Crocodile and Dark Nether Hawk that had been reduced to ash, their number was far higher.

"At least ten million... What scale of beast tide is this?"

"These ancient beasts were practically berserk!"

"Quick, report this to the sect!"

The cultivators felt a deep unease in their hearts. After this battle, Heaven-Six City had used up a tremendous amount of spiritual stones. They would need to request spiritual stone assistance from the sect.

However, despite sending numerous messages through the communication jade, there was no response at all. This only deepened their feelings of dread. What was going on? Had something happened in Heaven-Nine City, where the Deity Transformation cultivators were stationed?

Heaven-Nine City was the headquarters of righteous cultivators in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Deity Transformation cultivator Heavenly River True Master personally presided over the city. Most of the Nascent Soul cultivators from the Wheel of Reincarnation Divine Sect were also stationed there. It was the most secure place in the entire battlefield. How could these ancient beasts have affected it?

Ximen Changqing turned to look at Chu Xuan. Chu Xuan only gave a faint smile. It would be a miracle if they could reach the Wheel of Reincarnation Divine Sect.

After some consideration, the cultivators sent a member of the Fiery Sky Cloud Tower to leave Heaven-Six City and head straight for Heaven-Nine City.

Ximen Changqing and Chu Xuan stood side by side, watching the cultivator depart. Chu Xuan casually remarked, "What do you think his fate will be?"

Ximen Changqing shook his head. "Dead. How exactly he dies, though, is unclear." He sighed lightly.

"As for Miaoyong..." Chu Xuan shook his head. "Don't go there. Since it's the location of the formation that absorbs Spiritual Qi, there will certainly be heavy guards. Going there now will only raise their suspicions."

Ximen Changqing let out a bitter laugh.

Time passed second by second. As night fell, a sudden, massive shift took place in the heavens and earth. The dim, gray sky seemed to tremble, and the cracked, barren ground began to shake violently.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the ancient beasts were coming again? Everyone turned their eyes toward the source of the tremor. Sure enough, countless ancient beasts reappeared, charging toward Heaven-Six City with reckless abandon.

"Everyone, prepare to face them," Ximen Changqing sighed, then flew up to the city wall with the other Nascent Soul cultivators to meet the oncoming ancient beasts in battle.

The battle raged on for another five days and four nights. Even the trembling Foundation Establishment cultivators in the city had to climb onto the walls, filling the golem beasts with spiritual stones and participating in the fight.

Fortunately, the city's protective formation remained intact throughout. Although the Foundation Establishment cultivators were terrified, none of them were killed or injured.

When the battle ended, every Nascent Soul cultivator was left utterly exhausted. As they sat down to absorb the Spiritual Qi from the heavens and earth to recover, they were shocked to find that the Spiritual Qi density in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield had decreased by at least 50%!

"What's going on? The Spiritual Qi density has dropped again."

"I felt it too. It's a serious drop."

"I used to recover 10% of my Spiritual Qi after meditating for an hour, but now it takes two hours!"

"The ancient beasts might attack again. If we can't recover our Spiritual Qi, we'll be in danger."

The cultivators were deeply shocked. The Foundation Establishment cultivators were less affected, but the Nascent Soul cultivators were especially troubled. They had grown accustomed to living in an environment with high concentrations of Spiritual Qi.

Now, with the sudden drop in density, it felt like fish being pulled out of the ocean and thrown into a small stream. Every moment felt extremely uncomfortable.

For Chu Xuan, however, the feeling wasn't as intense. He had spent much time in Blue Star, so he was familiar with environments where Spiritual Qi was scarce. Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator found themselves in a completely Spiritual Qi-deprived environment, it would still take at least one or two months to fully deplete their internal Spiritual Qi. Of course, with the current onslaught of ancient beasts attacking the city, that process would accelerate significantly.

"At this rate, cultivators will only grow more fatigued, and the consumption of spiritual stones will increase rapidly. The protective formation will eventually collapse, and when that happens, the ancient beasts will breach the city..."

Chu Xuan pondered for a moment, then smiled faintly. This was the perfect opportunity. When the formation breaks, he could plunge into the midst of the ancient beasts, use the chaos to escape, and return to Blue Star. That way, everyone would believe he perished in the battle. He could then stay in Blue Star for ten or twenty years, cultivating and growing stronger, before returning to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

But before that, he needed to gather a significant amount of spiritual stones. Otherwise, even if he went to Blue Star, he wouldn't be able to cultivate effectively. He had previously been forced to return to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield because he ran out of spiritual stones.

"There's a medium spiritual stone mine near Heaven-Six City," he mused. "Although it's not as large as the one near Heaven-Four City, it's still a good size. My current goal is to seize that mine and take all the medium spiritual stones for myself."

Chapter 354: To Live Freely and Happily, One Must Become Stronger

At the central square of Heaven-Six City, the Nascent Soul cultivators gathered together. Chu Xuan counted, and there were eleven Nascent Soul cultivators in total. The Majestic Sword Sect included only Ximen Changqing and himself. The Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion, with five cultivators, led by Bai Cangsong. The Red Flame Temple, with four cultivators, led by Xiao Xian.

Bai Cangsong cleared his throat and spoke solemnly, "Fellow Daoists, the top priority now is to understand what exactly is happening in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Why has the Spiritual Qi density suddenly decreased? Why have the ancient beasts gone mad and attacked the city? Now even the communication through the transmission jade is disrupted. We must send someone to other cities to seek assistance."

Chu Xuan's expression remained calm. During the second battle with the ancient beasts just now, the connection through the transmission jade had already weakened significantly. After the battle ended, the connection was completely cut off. This meant that every city and outpost had turned into isolated islands amidst the stormy sea. To gather intelligence about the current situation in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, they would have to risk their lives and travel to other cities or outposts.

Xiao Xian spoke in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist Bai, didn't your Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion send someone to Heaven-Nine City? Has there been any news?"

Bai Cangsong fell silent for a moment and took out a shattered jade token. "I had a deep bond with my junior brother. We both had life tokens with drops of our blood in them. This is the life token of my junior brother. If he dies, the token will shatter."

Upon seeing the shattered life token, Ximen Changqing, Xiao Xian, and the others fell silent. It was clear that the Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion cultivator had met an unfortunate end.

Bai Cangsong's expression was bitter as he continued, "Now, we are isolated and helpless. Our Spiritual Qi and stored spiritual stones are rapidly depleting. At this rate, within a month, we will be reduced to Golden Core cultivators. If we don't break out, we will inevitably die. But where to break out to? That is a life-and-death decision. Fellow Daoists, who is willing to venture out to gather information?"

The Nascent Soul cultivators looked at one another in silence. After a long pause, one of them suddenly spoke, "Now that the ancient beasts are rampant, if we go out to gather information, we're likely to meet the same fate as Fellow Daoist Bai's junior brother." He spoke what everyone was thinking. No one was willing to take the risk and leave their hope of survival to others.

Chu Xuan noticed someone whose eyes were shifting, as if wanting to speak, but after a few moments of hesitation, they stayed silent. After thinking for a while, Chu Xuan figured out what they were thinking.

"I have an idea," Xiao Xian suddenly spoke, "There are still Foundation Establishment cultivators in the city, let them go out and scout."

Everyone turned to look at him. Chu Xuan couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself. Xiao Xian was the quickest to voice what everyone else had been too afraid to say.

Xiao Xian continued, "I believe everyone has noticed. These ancient beasts won't keep attacking forever. We just need to send out the Foundation Establishment cultivators while they rest. Whoever dies will prove that the path is impassable."

Bai Cangsong frowned, "Fellow daoist Xiao, how can you say that? If we do such a thing, what difference is there between us and the demon cultivators?!"

Ximen Changqing, however, didn't speak. After all, the Majestic Sword Sect's Foundation Establishment cultivators were almost all gone. Once the city falls, they're as good as dead anyway. It would be better to make use of their final moments, allowing them to fight for a chance for the Nascent Soul cultivators to escape.

Xiao Xian sneered, "Don't talk to me about the distinction between righteous and demonic. We're all about to die, and you still care about that? My Red Flame Temple's Foundation Establishment cultivators will follow my orders!"

Bai Cangsong and Ximen Changqing both fell silent for a while, before sighing in unison, "It seems there's no other choice."

At this moment, a calm voice suddenly sounded. "Fellow daoists, I'm willing to go out and gather intelligence."

Everyone immediately turned their gaze towards the speaker. They soon realized that it was a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Majestic Sword Sect who had spoken. The name seemed to be... Gao Xuan?

Bai Cangsong and Xiao Xian were both surprised. They didn't know Gao Xuan very well. They only knew he was a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Majestic Sword Sect.

Ximen Changqing glanced at Chu Xuan in surprise, but after thinking for a moment, his expression softened and seemed to reflect some understanding.

Bai Cangsong spoke softly, "Fellow daoist Gao, the outside world is fraught with danger. You've just recently ascended to Nascent Soul, haven't you? If you go out there and fall into a horde of ancient beasts, it will be certain death."

Chu Xuan replied calmly, "If we remain trapped in this cage, we will still die in the end. It's better to take a risk and try for a chance!"

Xiao Xian seemed pleased, "He's willing to go, why stop him? Gao Xuan, your selfless spirit is admirable. However, since the transmission jade has already failed, how do you plan to relay messages to us?"

Chu Xuan threw out three stone pieces. "This is a pair of mother and child stones. If the mother stone is damaged, the child stone will shatter; conversely, if the child stone breaks, the mother stone will crack. If I meet an untimely end, I will crush the mother stone in advance, and you will know."

Xiao Xian nodded repeatedly, "That's good!" He had seen such stones before, but they could only relay pre-agreed messages. They weren't like the transmission jade that could directly convey voices.

Ximen Changqing's eyes flickered, and he suddenly coughed lightly, "My junior brother is relatively weaker. If he goes out like this, I wonder if he'll make it back. Seeing as junior brother Gao is making such a selfless contribution, shouldn't we fellow daoists at least provide some support in terms of treasures?"

Without waiting for a reply, Ximen Changqing took out a mid-Nascent Soul-level puppet beast. "Junior brother, this puppet beast is for you!"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but blink. "Ximen... not bad. He's getting the hang of it!"

Xiao Xian, Bai Cangsong, and the others clearly felt a bit embarrassed. After all, they saw this as a life-risking venture to create an opportunity for them, and if they didn't provide some support, it would seem utterly inhumane.

Everyone started pulling out treasures. There were great spiritual stones, Nascent Soul-level talismans, mid-grade magic treasures, and a few Nascent Soul initial-stage puppet beasts.

There wasn't a lot, but everything was high-quality. After all, these were all Nascent Soul cultivators, so they couldn't bring out anything too shabby. When Ximen Changqing had offered a mid-Nascent Soul-level puppet beast, they couldn't bring out anything of lesser value, either.

Chu Xuan even noticed a few Nascent Soul initial-stage cultivators showing expressions of pain. Clearly, they were reluctant to part with these treasures. But for the sake of face, they still handed them over.

Chu Xuan, on the other hand, couldn't stop smiling. Such an opportunity to get treasures for free? Why not take it!

A moment later, a large number of Foundation Establishment cultivators were sent out. Each of their faces carried a heavy sorrow. They certainly didn't want to leave the city, but staying meant certain death. Leaving might give them a chance to survive.

Chu Xuan watched the Foundation Establishment cultivators scatter in all directions like ants, his expression as calm as a still pond. If he were also at the Foundation Establishment level, stuck inside Heaven-Six City, he would likely be one of the forced participants as well. Orders would come from the stronger, and the weak would follow. To live freely, to live happily, the only way was to become stronger.

But for now... he was the one voluntarily going out.

Chapter 355: Spiritual Stone Vein

Chu Xuan leaped down from the city walls, vanishing into the vast land below in the blink of an eye.

Ximen Changqing stood at the edge, watching his back as he disappeared, the words Chu Xuan had whispered to him still echoing in his mind.

"Spiritual stones… spiritual stones…"

Ximen Changqing muttered these words under his breath, as a sudden realization struck him. His eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Spiritual Qi is being gradually drained, and if the cultivators can no longer sustain themselves, they will definitely need to draw from spiritual stones to replenish their Qi. In the long run, spiritual stones will become crucial."

He paused, a flash of understanding crossing his face. "I knew it. He wouldn't just go out to explore for us. He must be going for the spiritual stone mine!"

Ximen Changqing's excitement grew. When Chu Xuan first volunteered to go out and scout, Ximen Changqing had thought he was either being reckless or had lost his mind. But upon reflection, with Chu Xuan's enigmatic nature, he was sure the man wouldn't be so foolish as to walk into danger willingly. That was why he had pushed him to go. Now, with Chu Xuan's cryptic parting words, he was beginning to understand the plan.

"Thanks… but the outside is perilous. How will you survive, I wonder? Or do you have another way out? The demonic cultivators are always willing to risk their lives like this..."

Ximen Changqing sighed softly. Reason told him that Chu Xuan was likely walking into danger. He himself was always cautious and, if in Chu Xuan's shoes, would never have dared to take such a risk.

"What is your real name, He Liang…?"

...

Upon reaching the medium spiritual stone mine, Chu Xuan noticed two figures approaching from the opposite direction. It was clear that they had the same idea as him—this mine was a critical resource that everyone would be eyeing.

He glanced at them, noting the lead figure: a middle-aged man dressed in the black and white robes of the Reincarnation Divine Sect. He looked somewhat worn, but there was a certain shrewdness in his eyes. The other figure, a man with a robust build and a striking appearance, wore the gold-embroidered purple dragon robes of the Crazy Dragon Valley, one of the Reincarnation Divine Sect's five-tier sects.

Both men paused when they saw Chu Xuan, taking in his attire—a Majestic Sword Sect Sect robe. They relaxed somewhat but still kept a cautious distance, their movements clearly measured.

It was obvious they didn't naively believe that Chu Xuan was simply a disciple of the Majestic Sword Sect Sect just because of his robes. The demonic cultivators were known to disguise themselves in the attire of righteous sects when needed.

"I am Long Chen of the Dragon's Roar Valley. May I ask, who might you be?" The handsome Nascent Soul cultivator spoke first.

Chu Xuan bowed respectfully, his hands clasped. "I am Gao Xuan of the Majestic Sword Sect. It is an honor to meet a fellow cultivator from Dragon's Roar Valley."

Upon witnessing his courteous manner, the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Reincarnation Divine Sect nodded with satisfaction.

"My name is Beitang Han," he said.

Chu Xuan deepened his bow. "Ah, it is the esteemed Senior Brother Bei Tang. I have long heard of your name. My apologies for not properly greeting you sooner."

The term "fellow daoist" was a somewhat distant and formal address. By calling the other "Senior Brother," Chu Xuan was clearly placing himself in a humble position, elevating the other's status.

Beitang Han smiled with approval upon hearing this, his expression softening as he acknowledged the humility. He glanced sideways at Long Chen.

Long Chen subtly nodded, stepping aside with deliberate slowness.

Beitang Han's voice was warm as he spoke, "Junior Brother Gao, we both hail from Heaven-Seven City. From your direction, you must come from Heaven-Six City, correct? How is the situation there? Have the beasts attacked your city as well?"

Chu Xuan nodded earnestly, sighing deeply. "Indeed! The ancient beasts seem to have gone mad, assaulting the city relentlessly. The attacks last for five days and nights at a time—it is truly terrifying! Furthermore, I am uncertain why, but the Spiritual Qi is rapidly diminishing. I was entrusted by Bai Cangsong of the Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion and Xiao Xian of the Red Flame Temple to guard this medium spiritual stone mine, preparing for the future."

Beitang Han nodded thoughtfully. "Bai Cangsong and Xiao Xian… I have met them once. It seems they are wise to realize the importance of spiritual stones in advance."

He then noticed something and pointed. "Ah, Junior Brother Gao, it seems someone else is approaching. Perhaps they are from Heaven-Six City as well. Do look over there."

Chu Xuan turned quickly, following Beitang Han's gaze.

At that moment, Long Chen, who had already shifted to the side, gave a sly grin. He flicked his finger, and a golden ring shot out with sudden speed. In the blink of an eye, the ring expanded dozens of times, aiming to ensnare Chu Xuan.

Beitang Han also formed a spell with his fingers, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances. However, he felt that with Long Chen's capabilities, killing this Gao Xuan would be a simple task, one that required no effort from him.

The reason he had cast a spell was simply out of a habitual caution. After all, those who failed to be careful in the past had long since perished in the cultivation years gone by. It was impossible for them to have survived this long otherwise.

"Hm… My ability to gather spiritual qi seems to have slowed down," Beitang Han thought, an odd sensation flickering in his mind.

The next moment, a crisp cracking sound echoed in the air.

Beitang Han fixed his gaze and was stunned to see that the golden ring magic treasure was shattered in an instant. Countless golden fragments scattered across the ground, falling in a chaotic shower. He was about to speak, but then he heard Long Chen emitting choking sounds, desperately clutching his neck.

However, a deep crimson line had already appeared across his throat. With a sharp crack, Long Chen's head flew off. Blood spurted into the sky in a wild arc.

Long Chen's Nascent Soul, wrapped in his spiritual essence, attempted to flee. But in the blink of an eye, it was caught by an invisible, intangible hand that gripped it effortlessly.

In an instant, both Long Chen's lifeless body and Nascent Soul were taken away.

Beitang Han turned his gaze to Gao Xuan. The other was already walking toward him with a smile on his face.

Beitang Han stood frozen, his mouth agape. He knew Long Chen's strength well. At the very least, Long Chen was capable of contending with a Nascent Soul cultivator at the fifth level without falling behind. Yet now, he had been easily slain? Even his defensive magic treasure had not been deployed.

Without a moment's hesitation, Beitang Han immediately released the spell he had been holding. Blue sword energy surged forth, the air rippling like water. Simultaneously, he summoned a set of thirty-six water-blue miniature swords, which shot out like lightning, aimed directly at Gao Xuan's vital points.

Beitang Han slapped his storage bag and summoned two beads, one black and one white. As the beads collided, a thick, grey mist spread out, cloaking his surroundings.

Chu Xuan raised his hand, and with a single gesture, a massive Ice God Pillar materialized out of nowhere. It instantly froze the blue sword energy in mid-air. With a powerful motion, Chu Xuan opened his clenched fist.

The Ice God Pillar shattered into countless icy fragments, which then collided with the thirty-six miniature water-blue swords. The speed of the swords dropped drastically. Within less than twenty breaths, they were battered and deformed.

"Ice God Pillar?! How could you possibly know this technique?!"

Beitang Han's shocked voice came from within the mist. This technique could only be learned by cultivating the Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll. Wasn't this person from the Majestic Sword Sect? It was impossible for him to possess such a technique!

Chu Xuan remained silent, charging straight into the grey mist. With the mist shrouding him, Beitang Han was certainly accumulating some powerful spell. Such spells were typically vulnerable to interruption.

"You think I'm just gathering energy for a spell? How foolish! Few know that I, Beitang Han, am a body cultivator of the thirty-first level! Engage me in close combat. You are courting death!"

Beitang Han sneered viciously.

Chapter 356: Huge Corpse at the Bottom of the Sea

Beitang Han roared in fury, and from the thirty-six thousand pores across his body, blood energy erupted. His figure immediately swelled, as if inflated by a mighty force. His muscles bulged, resembling hard, unyielding rock. Veins rose and twisted beneath his skin, like furious, coiling dragons. White mist poured from his nostrils, resembling the breath of a serpent or dragon. He truly looked like a devil in human form.

"Die!"

Beitang Han howled, his fists hammering toward Chu Xuan's head.

Chu Xuan, seeing that his opponent didn't retreat but instead charged straight at him, revealed a pleased smile.

Good, good, good. It was common to encounter cultivators who fled at the slightest provocation. But it was rare to meet one who, upon disagreement, charged right into close quarters.

"You may not know, but I've dabbled in body refinement myself."

Chu Xuan smiled faintly. He raised his fist and struck.

Great Extinguishing Thunder Fist!

In that instant, the attack arrived before the sound, and with terrifying speed, his fist struck Beitang Han's face, right through his nose and skull. The force was like a steel hammer, unstoppable as it shattered Beitang Han's nose and pulverized his skull. When the punch stopped, Beitang Han's head was completely pierced through. Red blood, white brain matter, and shattered bone fragments mixed together, splattering in all directions.

Before Beitang Han's Nascent Soul could even attempt to escape, Chu Xuan gathered his spiritual consciousness and formed the Sky-Tearing Cold Palm, forcibly pulling out the Nascent Soul. Next came the usual routine.

Into the Heavenly Corpse Tower, the soul bound to the Sky-Shielding Umbrella. Since Beitang Han was also a competent body refiner, his physical body naturally attracted the Corpse Puppet's attention. For the three corpses of the Long, Hu, and Bao, this was an unparalleled feast.

Chu Xuan glanced at the bloodstains left on the ground and flicked his finger, sending a wisp of blood-scorching evil fire. The purple-black flames flared up as they touched the blood, quickly consuming everything in the area. In the blink of an eye, the blood and traces of the battle were turned to ash. Even a Deity Transformation cultivator would fail to detect any trace of what had transpired.

"These two clearly realized the importance of spiritual stones and headed straight to the spiritual stone mine."

Chu Xuan's expression was indifferent. With long strides, he entered the medium spiritual stone Mine. The mine had long since been abandoned, with no one left to guard it.

At the entrance were several Golden Core level puppets and puppet beasts that had been left behind. The rest were mining puppets, tasked solely with extracting spiritual stones.

Chu Xuan summoned the Heavenly Corpse Tower and the Sky-Shielding Umbrella.

The three Corpses emerged, swiftly destroying the guardian puppets. As for the mining puppets, they were left undisturbed, continuing their work of digging for the stones.

Four Arms and Two Arms, leading a large number of ghost generals, swiftly occupied various areas of the medium spiritual stone mine.

Chu Xuan soon arrived at the mine's warehouse. He gazed at the vast accumulation of medium spiritual stones in the warehouse, their Spiritual Qi so dense that it seemed to almost condense into solid form. A satisfied smile spread across his face.

"So many medium spiritual stones... A quick estimate shows at least two hundred thousand pieces. This is more than enough for me to break through to the eighth level of Nascent Soul in one go."

With a wave of his hand, Chu Xuan stored all the medium spiritual stones into his storage bag.

"This place is entrusted to you," he instructed. "Make sure no one approaches the mine."

"Understood!" The three Corpse King, along with the two Ghost Kings, all nodded solemnly.

Chu Xuan then took a single step and returned to Blue Star. He was preparing to break through to the eighth level of Nascent Soul!

...

Blue Star, Five Years Later.

Above the vast ocean, Chu Xuan's aura surged uncontrollably, expanding and climbing with increasing intensity. The surrounding atmosphere was affected, swirling into a massive tornado-like storm. The ocean waters were effortlessly lifted into the sky, accompanied by numerous fish, shrimp, and marine creatures. All were quickly ground into fragments by the violent storm.

Chu Xuan suddenly opened his eyes. At that moment, his aura skyrocketed. He had reached the eighth level of Nascent Soul! The tornado also reached its peak at that instant. It seemed as though tens of tons of seawater were dancing in the sky!

Chu Xuan chuckled lightly and casually swung his hand. A vast stream of Spiritual Qi surged through the air, shattering the tornado. The tons of seawater fell from the sky, crashing back into the ocean. It resembled a meteor shower descending from the heavens!

"I've reached the eighth level of Nascent Soul. But... I've already consumed fifty thousand medium spiritual stones in one go… The consumption rate is too fast."

Chu Xuan sighed wryly. In the end, medium spiritual stones couldn't compare to Large Spiritual Stones. In environments where Spiritual Qi was scarce, maintaining it required constant consumption of stones.

"Hmm? The taste of the seawater... Something feels off."

As the torrential seawater poured down, Chu Xuan, about to leave, caught a strange scent in the air. The Psionic energy contained within the seawater far exceeded that in the air on land.

"How strange..."

Chu Xuan gazed at the deep, dark ocean, his brows raised in curiosity. The ocean had always been synonymous with mystery, terror, and danger. This was true even in the cultivation world. Perhaps the depths of the Blue Star ocean hid secrets unknown to anyone. He studied the ocean carefully, and a familiar sensation slowly crept up within him. It felt as though something was calling to him.

"I wonder, with my current strength, if I can dive to the deepest part of the ocean?"

A smile appeared on Chu Xuan's face, and with that, he leaped into the water. His body plunged swiftly into the sea—ten meters, fifty meters, one hundred meters, five hundred meters, one thousand meters…

With his powerful physique, he descended without pause, feeling no pressure from the crushing ocean depths. For an average adult male without any diving equipment, the maximum depth one could reach was about one hundred and ten meters. The deeper one went, the more the pressure increased.

Only someone like Chu Xuan, a body cultivator who had tempered his body to extreme levels, could descend so freely. It wasn't until he reached five thousand meters that he felt even a faint sense of pressure. He looked around, only to find that there was no light in sight.

The surroundings were cold, dark, and eerie. Occasionally, the faint sound of water flowing past could be heard, and he could also make out the long, deep hums of unknown marine creatures.

Even Chu Xuan's spiritual sense was suppressed here, limiting his perception to just a thousand-meter radius. If someone with deep-sea phobia were to find themselves in such an environment, even within the safety of a deep-submersion vessel, the fear would likely overwhelm them.

"The deep sea of Blue Star is definitely strange. The suppression on my spiritual sense is too much here. What secret lies beneath?"

Chu Xuan's curiosity grew stronger. Without hesitation, he cast a spell, and a layer of shimmering ice light enveloped his body. The crushing pressure of the water was immediately reduced. He continued his descent—five thousand five hundred, six thousand, six thousand five hundred, seven thousand...

At eight thousand meters, the pressure once again forced him to halt. Chu Xuan immediately took out the Iron Peak Mountain. This was a magic treasure he had acquired earlier, capable of both offense and defense. The moment Iron Peak Mountain appeared, the pressure once again lessened.

Chu Xuan continued downward—eight thousand five hundred, nine thousand, nine thousand five hundred, ten thousand!

At this depth, Chu Xuan's spiritual sense could only reach a radius of five hundred meters, but even so, he saw the enormous, sprawled-out figure of a giant corpse! The corpse's heart emitted a soft, blue glow.

Chu Xuan's gaze sharpened. He immediately recognized what was emitting the blue light. It was a Psionic Cube!

Chapter 357: The Area Ahead, I'll Explore It Later

The Psionic Cube.

Chu Xuan had already collected a full set of them on Blue Star. Even now, it diligently produced the flesh and blood of the Dark Nether Falcon every day to accelerate his body tempering process. To his surprise, another one was here?

Chu Xuan furrowed his brows, lost in thought. Previously, when he had ventured to Soul Star, he had learned that the Psionic Cubes were distributed by the Soul Star inhabitants. Their purpose was to hasten the evolution of life forms on planets like Blue Star and Pegasus Star, eventually leading them to Soul Star to become food for the inhabitants.

However, after Chu Xuan had slain the Greedy King and the Slaughter King, and explored their memories, he had failed to uncover the origins of the Psionic Cube. It seemed that the Psionic Cube had existed on Soul Star since the time when the inhabitants first gained intelligence, established nations, and developed Psionic technology.

In hindsight, it made sense. Soul Star's system was built upon soul technology, all centered around soul power. It would be strange for them to have created something entirely separate from their soul system, like the Psionic Cube which was based on Psionic energy.

This matter had always remained unanswered, and so Chu Xuan had set it aside. After all, there were more pressing matters in the cultivation world. But now, seeing the Psionic Cube again, these old thoughts resurfaced in his mind. The origin of the Psionic Cube remained a mystery.

"This giant corpse is humanoid... Blue Star doesn't have humanoid creatures like this. And what are those humanoid creatures that are devouring the giant corpse? Zombies?"

Chu Xuan pondered. At this depth of ten thousand meters, the ocean of Blue Star must have undergone some strange mutations. Even with his body tempered to the thirty-eighth level, Chu Xuan had to use all his strength to endure the pressure at this depth. Yet, the giant corpse remained intact, not crushed by the immense weight of the ocean.

The humanoid creatures were able to move freely, even while devouring the giant corpse, without being affected by the sea's pressure. This suggested that their physical strength was incredibly formidable. Of course, it was also possible they possessed unique abilities, like creating a biological field around themselves to negate the weight of the water.

"These creatures are no simple matter. I cannot risk myself without knowing their true strength."

Chu Xuan thought for a moment, then shook his head decisively. With their strength unknown, the only thing he would gain from this encounter was another Psionic Cube, but the potential benefit wasn't worth the risk.

"Hmm? Why are there green seaweeds at the bottom of the ten-thousand-meter deep sea?"

Chu Xuan suddenly noticed a patch of tender green seaweed growing beneath the giant corpse. The humanoid creatures dropped the remnants of the meat they devoured, and these pieces were quietly absorbed by the seaweed. The humanoids seemed entirely focused on eating, unaware that the seaweed was quietly feeding off their scraps.

Chu Xuan frowned, deep in thought. At ten thousand meters underwater, where no sunlight reached, green plants should not be able to grow.

Chu Xuan didn't approach any closer. Instead, he turned and left. The area ahead would have to wait for another day to be explored. Once he tempered his body to the fortieth level and reached full mastery in his Nascent Soul stage, he would return to uncover the secrets here. It could wait.

In the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, at the medium spiritual stone mine, Chu Xuan listened to Hu's report, and could not help but shake his head repeatedly.

"Why is everyone so fixated on this medium spiritual stone mine?"

He had been cultivating on Blue Star for five years, and it had been half a year since he last visited the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. According to Hu's report, in the past six months, no fewer than four Nascent Soul cultivators had arrived, each intending to take control of the medium spiritual stone mine. Of course, they had all become food for the Corpse Kings and Ghost Kings.

Moreover, due to the rapidly depleting Spiritual Qi in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, these four Nascent Soul cultivators had lost their strength as Nascent Soul experts. Their power now was roughly equivalent to the Golden Core late-stage.

There was no need for all three of the Corpse Kings and Ghost Kings to gang up on them. Even one of them could easily take care of these invaders trying to seize control of the mine.

"More have come?"

Chu Xuan casually collected the massive pile of medium spiritual stones from the warehouse. He was about to return to Blue Star to continue his cultivation when he raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.

"Perfect timing. I was just wondering what the situation in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield is like now."

Meanwhile, on the other side, Han Yiren was cautiously making her way toward the medium spiritual stone mine. Two Nascent Soul early-stage puppet wolves followed her, one ahead and the other behind. However, both wolves were badly wounded, with deep gashes all over their bodies. Their movements were stiff and slow. After walking a short distance, one of the puppet wolves suddenly froze in place with a sharp, grinding noise.

Han Yiren cursed under her breath and quickly retrieved a medium spiritual stone from her storage bag. She shoved it into the core of the puppet wolf.

After a brief moment, the wolf began moving again, but its actions were sluggish. The medium spiritual stone's Spiritual Qi was simply insufficient when compared to that of a large spiritual stone, so the wolf's movements remained far from smooth.

Han Yiren muttered to herself, "I only have eighteen medium spiritual stones left. Just a little more… As long as I can reach that medium spiritual stone mine…"

Not long ago, she had been stationed to guard a large spiritual stone mine, only for it to be attacked by demonic cultivators. In order to survive, she had to use her shifting technique to escape, leaving Yang Yuze to die in her place. She barely managed to escape with her life.

Later, as the Demonic Cultivators grew stronger, the Reincarnation Divine Sect's space was continuously compressed. She had no idea where to go next. She suspected that Ximen Changqing was involved in some way, but she also dared not return to Heaven-Six City. In the end, she had no choice but to take refuge in a small herb garden and survive in hiding.

In the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, great changes were unfolding. The Ancient Beasts were rampaging across cities, and the Spiritual Qi was rapidly depleting. The cultivators, in a desperate bid for survival, had started to turn on one another.

Junior brothers were killing their senior brothers, masters were slaying their disciples, and spouses were turning against each other. The division between the righteous and demonic paths was no longer as clear-cut as before. Survival had become the primary concern.

Fortunately, Han Yiren still had a sufficient supply of spiritual stones, which allowed her to barely maintain her Nascent Soul first layer cultivation. The two Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beasts she had with her were also a major asset. They helped her survive and kept the cultivators who might have targeted her at bay.

However, puppet beasts were not cheap to maintain. Their consumption of spiritual stones was enormous. She had no choice but to be careful and avoid attempting to seize a large spiritual stone mine. Thinking back, she had no other option but to take a great risk and come here, to this medium spiritual stone mine.

"There are rumors that the yin energy here is very heavy," Han Yiren muttered, her eyes scanning the dark and ominous medium spiritual stone mine. "It seems there are wild corpse puppets in the area. Those Nascent Soul cultivators who came before… They're probably all dead at the hands of these wild corpse puppets."

Corpse puppets did not consume Spiritual Qi, and yet they still maintained terrifying strength. Many demonic cultivators had their powers weaken to the point where they couldn't control their own corpse puppets, and as a result, were backstabbed by them. It was likely that the wild corpse puppets here had originated from such incidents.

With a determined look, Han Yiren carefully took out two talismans, placing them in her palm, flipped face-down. These were her last remaining trump cards. She had already used most of her other tricks in various battles with other cultivators.

"Those cultivators have been reduced to Golden Core late-stage at best," she thought, her eyes narrowing with focus. "But I'm different. I still retain my Nascent Soul cultivation, and with the two Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beasts, I still have the upper hand."

Her eyes hardened. "No matter how many wild corpse puppets are here, I will take control of this place. Otherwise, in a month, my strength will plummet. By then, forget about a medium spiritual stone mine. I won't even be able to take a small spiritual stone mine!"

Chapter 358: Survive Longer Than Anyone, and You'll Laugh Last!

Han Yiren clenched her teeth. At this point, she had no choice but to take the risk. However, when she reached the entrance of the medium spiritual stone mine, she was taken aback by the absence of any immediate threats.

"Strange… No wild corpse puppets?" she muttered, her surprise evident. Cautiously, she took another step forward. But at that moment, a chilling sensation ran down her spine. She spun around immediately, only to find a row of dark silhouettes standing behind her. Three Corpse Kings exuded a suffocating aura of power, while two Ghost Kings emanated an eerie, cold presence.

Han Yiren was speechless.

What was this? Three Corpse Kings and two Ghost Kings! Was she supposed to fight these?! Even if a Deity Transformation cultivator arrived, they would have to think twice before facing such odds.

"Since you've already come this far, it wouldn't be fair to leave without a parting gift."

A voice, smooth and mocking, came from behind her.

Han Yiren froze. She recognized that voice. It was familiar. Whipping around, she saw a figure emerging from the darkness—Gao Xuan.

"You... you…" Han Yiren was stunned.

How was Gao Xuan here? And those Corpse Kings and Ghost Kings—were they under his control?! When did he cultivate so many corpses and raise so many ghosts in secret? Wasn't he worried about being backstabbed by his own corpse puppets and ghosts?

Gao Xuan smiled faintly. "Han Yiren, I honestly didn't expect it to be you. I didn't think you were still alive."

Han Yiren forced out a smile that was more painful than crying.

"Junior brother Gao… we've been fellow disciples. Can't you give me a way out?"

Chu Xuan shook his head with a smile. "No way."

Han Yiren, with a look of feigned innocence, slowly took a few steps closer to him. Her clothes suddenly slid off her shoulders, revealing pale, delicate skin and her smooth, unblemished chest.

"Junior brother Gao, I know you've always admired my body. As long as you want, you can do anything to me." Han Yiren moved gracefully, her eyes fluttering seductively.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? Anything?"

With a soft giggle, Han Yiren reached behind her back, activating a hidden talisman as she closed in further, her voice like a silken whisper, "Of course."

Chu Xuan smiled, his gaze cold and calculating. "In that case, let me search your soul."

Before Han Yiren could react, Chu Xuan's spirit sense coalesced into the Sky-Tearing Cold Palm, crashing directly into her sea of consciousness. Han Yiren screamed in agony, her body instantly freezing in place.

Hu darted forward, and with a swift tug, he ripped Han Yiren's right arm off as she tried to activate her talisman.

"How dare you make a move on the master, hmph!" Hu snorted disdainfully from his nostrils.

Chu Xuan immediately activated his soul search technique. Moments later, Han Yiren's neck snapped, and her lifeless body was casually tossed into the appropriate place.

"It's hard to believe that only half a year has passed, and the Heavenly Metal Battlefield has changed so drastically," Chu Xuan mused, stroking his chin with a light click. His eyes gleamed with intrigue. From Han Yiren's memories, he learned that the concentration of Spiritual Qi had plummeted drastically. It was now only about one-tenth of what it had been at the beginning.

Nascent Soul cultivators, whether in the early or middle stages, had mostly fallen to the level of Golden Core cultivators—unless they had a vast supply of spiritual stones. As for those in the late Nascent Soul stage, they still retained a bit of their Golden Core late-stage strength.

As for Deity Transformation cultivators, although Han Yiren had never witnessed Heavenly River True Master of the Reincarnation Divine Sect in action, she could tell that his strength must have dropped considerably. However, no one dared to probe the current strength of Heavenly River True Master. After all, such an experiment would cost one's life.

The situation in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield now was such that treasures that could restore Spiritual Qi had skyrocketed in price. Many cultivators had to trade their magic treasures, talismans, and other valuable items just to exchange for spiritual stones and pills, so they could sustain their cultivation levels and prevent further decline.

After all, if the Spiritual Qi continued to diminish too rapidly, even magic treasures and talismans would become useless. At that point, possessing vast treasures would mean nothing. It would be far more beneficial to trade them for pills and spiritual stones.

"As long as I survive longer than everyone else, I'll be the one laughing in the end!" Gao Xuan smiled faintly. "This is a great opportunity to acquire treasures. Many cultivators, desperate to survive, are forced to sell off their magic treasures, talismans, and even secret techniques at discounted prices. Fortunately, I've taken control of a medium spiritual stone mine, so I still have some spiritual stones."

Chu Xuan then thought of the large spiritual stone mine near Heaven-Three City. If he could take that over, he would truly become a rich man in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

However, the demonic cultivators had seemingly destroyed the entrance to the large spiritual stone mine. Other cultivators would likely find it difficult to enter. The mine might still be unoccupied.

With that thought, Chu Xuan immediately gathered Long Hu Bao, and some mining puppets, then set off towards the large spiritual stone mine. As for Two Arms and Four Arms, they remained behind to guard the area.

Heaven-Three City had now become a paradise for corpses. Originally, this city had been the stronghold of Heaven-Four Palace, a faction under the banner of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect. However, after the rapid decline in the Spiritual Qi concentration across the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, many of the cultivators in Heaven-Four Palace were horrified to discover that they could no longer control their corpse puppets. In the end, they were all devoured by their own creations.

The Heaven-Four Palace cultivators followed a strategy focused on the "sea of corpses." The corpse puppets they created were not particularly refined but numerous. Even a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator would have three or four corpse puppets under their command, and Nascent Soul cultivators would maintain hundreds or even thousands.

When such a large number of corpse puppets turned against their masters, the results were catastrophic. After careful consideration, the Heaven-Four Palace cultivators had no choice but to evacuate Heaven-Three City overnight and retreat to Heaven-Three City. This left Heaven-Three City completely overrun by corpse puppets.

Without any cultivators guarding the city, the ancient beasts soon flooded in, quickly engaging in fierce battles with the corpse puppets. The beasts would retreat during the day, only to return at night. The corpse puppets were more than happy with this arrangement, as the blood and flesh of the Ancient Beasts were full of vitality—just the type of nourishment they craved.

To anyone unaware, it might have seemed as though the ancient beasts and corpse puppets were engaged in a joint military exercise. Now, Heaven-Three City had become a living hell. Any cultivator with even a modicum of sense would avoid the area.

Around Heaven-Three City, numerous outposts were scattered, including spiritual stone mines, spiritual herb gardens, and spiritual wood forests. After the cultivators of Heaven-Three City withdrew, most of them fled to Heaven-Two City, while a small group of cultivators took over the outposts in small teams.

About two hundred miles to the east of Heaven-Three City lay a medium spiritual stone mine. Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji had long since conquered the mine and established their base there.

However, this medium spiritual stone mine could only maintain the two of them at their current cultivation level without allowing their strength to drop too rapidly. It was insufficient to fully sustain their cultivation.

At this moment, the two of them were busy repairing puppets. Wei Ji, being a puppet master, was highly skilled at the task and worked quickly and efficiently. As for Shang Xingchen, while he couldn't claim to be an expert in this field, he at least had some basic knowledge. Still, his movements were slow and clumsy in comparison to Wei Ji's.

Nonetheless, even with his lack of skill, Shang Xingchen remained enthusiastic about the task.