Demonic Cultivator 369-379 (Patreon)

Chapter 369: This Zombie Is Exactly What I Need

The trading session concluded quickly. Shang Xuanhe exchanged a few pleasantries with Qiu Wanhong before announcing the end of the event. The three of them, Chu Xuan, Shang Xingchen, and Wei Ji, split off and went their separate ways.

Chu Xuan used a teleportation technique and circled around the Spirit Wood Forest a few times, ensuring he had shaken off any potential trackers before returning to the great spirit stone mine.

Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji did the same. As Nascent Soul demonic cultivators who had fought their way through life, they were all far too sharp to be easily followed. The three who had been tailing them, Long Hao and his companions, revealed a look of helplessness as they lost track of their targets.

"These demonic cultivators are truly cunning. They don't give us any chance at all."

"Hmph, demonic cultivators have committed countless heinous deeds. They are just guilty and insecure. Their behavior of circling around is ingrained in their bones."

Long Hao scoffed, "It doesn't matter that we don't know where their base is this time. Sooner or later, they'll reveal themselves, and leave behind traces. When that happens, we can deal with them."

...

Back at the great spirit stone mine, as soon as Chu Xuan returned, he immediately deployed all his puppet beasts to guard the mine. He also sent out dozens of mining puppets to accelerate the extraction of the spirit stones.

The mine had long been under the watch of others. It was only a matter of time before someone would act, unable to hold back any longer. If he could finish mining the spirit stones before they attacked, there would be no need for a confrontation. Running away would be the best option. Fighting would only result in casualties—why bother?

Once the situation was secured, Chu Xuan stepped out and used the Myriad Realm Mirror to return to Blue Star. During the trading session, he had acquired numerous treasures. These items needed to be quickly converted into combat power.

The Black Flood Dragon Horn had to be refined into the Evil Soul Chain as soon as possible. This would not only increase the chain's toughness but might even provide the chance for it to evolve into a supreme-level magic treasure.

As for the Lotus Escape Technique, he needed to begin cultivation immediately. Once perfected, it would allow him to conceal his presence to the greatest extent. Anyone below Deity Transformation would be unable to see through his disguise.

There was also the Demonic Talisman Sutra and the Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art. Both were exceptional treasures. The former required human skin to create demon talismans, acquiring the human skin wasn't a problem. He could just peel it off the zombies.

"Zombies really are a treasure trove. Only the bones are missing. Too bad I couldn't get any cultivation methods related to the White Bone Path."

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue, feeling a great sense of regret.

The Heaven Shaking Divine Sect's affiliated fifth-tier cultivation sects did not practice the White Bone Dao, but many of the sect's own disciples seemed to have taken it as their primary cultivation method.

Chu Xuan couldn't help but wonder whether he might someday have the chance to collect the corpses of the sect's disciples… With that fleeting thought, he immediately assigned the task of skinning zombies to his subordinates.

Yet, just as he was about to proceed, an idea suddenly flashed in his mind, sparking a new plan. He quickly used his teleportation technique to head straight to the farm.

Under the careful watch of his Corpse Puppets, including the Water Corpse Puppet, the farm had grown substantially in size, expanding fivefold. Now, it occupied an immense area, nearly covering half of East Lake City. Even the headquarters of Black Blade had been forced to relocate to accommodate the growing space.

Of course, no one in Black Blade had any objections. When the immortal gives an order, they follow it without hesitation. The higher-ups at Black Blade knew well that their standing and growth into the colossus that dominated Blue Star had only been possible due to the support of the immortal. Without the immortal, they would be nothing.

Take, for instance, the Four Founders of Black Blade. Back then, they were merely Level 2 Superhumans, insignificant in the grand scheme of things. At that time, the Lingjiang Army and the Ship Gang were far stronger than Black Blade—more influential, more powerful. If it weren't for the immortal's help, the founders would have perished in some dark and decayed corner, long before they could establish their current dominance. In the absence of the immortal, there would be no massive Black Blade that spanned the entire Blue Star. A person who doesn't even know where their strength comes from is walking the path to self-destruction.

Floating in mid-air, Chu Xuan made his way to the heart of the farm. There, the Zombie Matriarch and Zombie Empress were being meticulously guarded by Corpse Puppets. They lived a carefree life, being fed and tended to every day.

No matter how they felt about it, Chu Xuan certainly thought their existence was one of leisure. Both the Zombie Matriarch and Zombie Empress had reached the highest possible levels within Blue Star. They produced massive quantities of zombies daily, with each zombie swiftly pressed into service to further Chu Xuan's demonic path.

But there was another special kind of zombie they produced. These zombies had no human form left in them, resembling large, fleshy sacks instead.

Chu Xuan had dubbed these unique zombies "Flesh Sack Zombies", specifically for cultivating demonic plants that required the extraction of flesh and blood to thrive. But now, he had come up with a new idea.

Chu Xuan murmured to himself, "Skinning zombies is too much of a hassle. Why not create a type of zombie that retains only the human skin, discarding all the useless organs? This way, the excess energy can be used to produce even more zombies. Let's call it the Skin Zombie."

Chu Xuan couldn't help but smile at the idea he had just come up with. To put it simply, creating a full-bodied zombie—one with intact limbs, tough bones, and full muscles—might require ten units of energy. But creating a Skin Zombie could potentially cost just one unit of energy.

After all, the Skin Zombie didn't need bones, muscles, or much blood at all. The only thing that mattered was ensuring it was alive when it was produced. This way, not only would Chu Xuan acquire the human skin he needed, but he could also continue to accumulate meritorious deeds without any issues. It was a win-win situation for him—he'd get two benefits for the price of one!

Chu Xuan couldn't help but praise himself for his cleverness. He then sent his instructions to the Zombie Matriarch and Zombie Empress, who immediately obeyed without hesitation. They consumed large amounts of flesh and blood and began to breed the zombies according to his specifications.

At first, the result was a bit deformed. After all, it was their first attempt. But it didn't take long for them to perfect the design, shaping the zombies exactly as Chu Xuan wanted.

"Good, good, good! With this, the human skin will only need to be air-dried before being used directly to make demonic talismans. This eliminates the tedious process of skinning. If I had to skin them manually, I'd have to assign numerous Corpse Puppets to do the laborious work. There's also the risk that the skin wouldn't come off perfectly, and that would be a hassle."

Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. These zombies truly understood what he needed. They had grown into exactly the form he required.

With that matter settled, Chu Xuan returned to his residence on Blue Star. The grand hotel he had once owned had been completely demolished and transformed into a massive cave dwelling. It was now outfitted with all the necessary facilities: a pill refining room, a weapon forging room, a poison crafting room, an insect cultivation room, and more.

Chu Xuan had personally named it Water Curtain Cave, as a small tribute to his very first cave dwelling.

Sitting down cross-legged, he took out the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art" and placed the spiritual sense jade slip against his forehead, immersing himself in its contents. After quite some time, he finally removed the slip and frowned in contemplation.

"This really is a top-tier blood cultivation technique. The spells learned from each layer are impressive. But the daily blood consumption is far too much. If it really becomes unbearable, I may have to make the zombies suffer a little."

Chu Xuan sighed.

Chapter 370: Making Talismans

Blue Star

Five years later, the vast and endless icy plains stretched out in every direction. In the midst of this frozen wilderness, a solitary figure sat cross-legged, his body motionless as if he were part of the landscape itself.

Suddenly, boundless red clouds surged from within him, sweeping out in all directions. The crimson clouds thickened, shrouding everything in their dense, oppressive embrace, making it impossible to discern anything within. Not even the spiritual sense of Nascent Soul cultivators could penetrate the swirling red mist.

More astonishing was the fact that within these clouds seemed to be countless terrifying spirits and monsters, each more fearsome than the last. As the red clouds passed, the blood within the bodies of all the wild beasts they encountered was swiftly drained, leaving behind only the haunting sight of desiccated corpses.

This figure, of course, was Chu Xuan. Sitting at the very center of the infinite red clouds, he did not move an inch. With just a flicker of his mind, the clouds coalesced into various shapes—at times transforming into massive shields, or condensing into weapons like blades and spears. At other moments, they scattered into a sky full of flying swords, or formed into grotesque skulls.

Chu Xuan exhaled softly and spoke a single word, "Reap". Instantly, the vast red clouds turned and returned from every direction, converging back into his palm. He smiled as he held a small, blood-colored flask in his hands.

"Not bad. This Blood Demon Flask is truly powerful. Since I successfully forged it, and it's still a low-grade magic treasure, it already possesses such formidable capabilities. If it were to be upgraded step by step into a top-tier magic treasure, accumulating more blood clouds, wouldn't it be capable of enveloping the entire area in boundless blood mist, obliterating countless enemies in the blink of an eye?"

Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, flipping his palm. The blood-colored flask returned to the spiritual sea within his dantian, where it was carefully nurtured. With his inner vision, he could see the Nascent Soul figure sitting above his spiritual sea, its essence radiating intense Nascent Soul energy. Beneath the small figure floated a Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus, spinning gently.

The Nascent Soul figure exuded a strong aura, and several magic treasures floated nearby, slowly absorbing the Qi. Evil Soul Chain, Blood Beehive, Sky-Shielding Umbrella, and the Blood Demon Flask—all were his natal magic treasures. It was precisely because these treasures were his natal treasures that he could store them in his dantian, where they would be nourished by the infant's energy at all times.

When he had first forged the Blood Demon Flask, it was only a magic tool, a mere step above an ordinary item. However, after absorbing the energy of the infant's aura for a month, it was upgraded to a low-grade magic treasure. If he continued to absorb vast amounts of blood energy and infant's aura, the path to further upgrading would be smooth and unhindered.

The Blood Demon Flask was the very foundation of the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art". For any member of the Heavenly Blood Alliance who practiced the blood path techniques, it was almost a requirement to cultivate the Blood Demon Flask into their natal magic treasure. This treasure contained blood clouds, which were essential for using the majority of the techniques from the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art".

Having previously cultivated the "Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll", Chu Xuan had a solid foundation in his cultivation. Now, combining that knowledge with this new method, his progress was rapid. In just five years, he had reached the fourth level of the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art", mastering four new spells.

The most impressive of these was the "Blood Light Escape" technique, which allowed him to use blood clouds to instantly escape without needing spiritual Qi. It was unbelievably fast. No wonder the Heavenly Blood Alliance could become one of the most powerful five-level cultivation sects under the banner of Heaven Shaking Divine Sect.

Even though Chu Xuan had only reached the fourth level, he had already come into contact with many of the scripture's mysteries. The future promised even more profound insights to be uncovered.

Amidst his joy, Chu Xuan focused his mind and summoned the Evil Soul Chain. Now, the chain radiated with a faint black glow, its hardness almost beyond compare. The faint sound of a flood dragon could even be heard emanating from it. Unfortunately, after refining the Black Flood Dragon Horn into it, the chain had not advanced into a top-tier magic treasure. It still seemed to be lacking just a bit to reach that level.

"Now, I've accumulated quite a few human skins. I could try crafting some magic symbols as a test. Perhaps I'm a genius when it comes to the Dao of Talismans after all."

Unable to resist, Chu Xuan used the Myriad Realm Mirror to return to the Water Curtain Cave. Over the five years, whenever the human skin zombies matured, the corpse puppets would harvest and dry them. These were then stored in the storage room of the Water Curtain Cave.

During this time, Chu Xuan had been focused on cultivating the Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art, and had not paid attention to this matter. But now, when he went to the storage room, he was immediately delighted to find over ten thousand sheets of human skin!

That was more than enough—far more than enough! He took a golden wolf-hair pen from his storage bag and, following the records in the Demonic Talisman Sutra, began to copy the symbols. Demonic Talismans started at the Foundation Establishment stage. There were no talismans for the Qi Refining stage.

Therefore, the first talisman he attempted to draw was a Foundation Establishment stage "Corpse Qi Talisman". This talisman sealed corpse qi, and when cast, it would unleash a wave of corpse qi that could directly strike vital organs.

Chu Xuan took the pen and began to draw.

Slap! Failure.

Slap! Failure again.

He attempted over a dozen times, but each time, he failed.

After taking a deep breath, Chu Xuan stomped his foot.

Voom!

A four-layered Merit Gold Wheel appeared behind his head.

The obscure and indecipherable golden text that covered the wheel spun slowly, filling the cave with a serene and peaceful light, even turning the gloomy surroundings into a rare, tranquil paradise.

Whoosh!

In an instant, his brushstroke completed the talisman.

The Foundation Establishment stage "Corpse Qi Talisman" was successfully created!

Looking at the Corpse Qi Talisman, Chu Xuan smiled in satisfaction.

"Good, good, good! I knew it—I truly am a genius in the Dao of Talismans!"

Chu Xuan continued to immerse himself in crafting more talismans. Foundation Establishment stage, Golden Core stage... Beneath the brilliant golden light of the Merit Gold Wheel, his mastery of the talisman art might not have increased, but his success rate in crafting them was certainly high.

Another year passed.

Chu Xuan walked out of the cave, holding a blank Nascent Soul stage Soul Sealing Talisman in his hand, a pleased smile on his face. If he could capture the soul of a demonic beast and seal it in this talisman, it would transform into a Beast Soul Talisman. Of course, sealing a cultivator's soul wasn't out of the question either.

"Compared to the crafty and vicious demonic beasts, a cultivator's soul might be even better. I wonder which fellow daoist would be willing to contribute to the development of my talisman art?"

He chuckled, feeling eager with anticipation. Chu Xuan then stepped forward, heading back to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Cold Iron Wood Forest.

Qiu Wan Hong stood with a calm expression, pacing back and forth. Not long after, Long Hao led Shang Xuanhe of the Feiry Sky Cloud Tower and Xiao Xian of the Red Flame Pavilion to her side. The three cupped their hands in greeting and sat down, with Qiu Wan Hong taking the seat of honor as the host, while Shang Xuanhe and Xiao Xian sat on either side.

A smile spread across Qiu Wan Hong's face. "Fellow daoist Xiao, it's been a long time. I trust all is well?"

Xiao Xian gave a wry smile. "By luck, I survived. Fellow daoist Qiu is fortunate, indeed. This Cold Iron Wood Forest truly has an abundance of Spiritual Qi." He couldn't help but take a deep breath, a glimmer of barely perceptible greed flashing in his eyes. If only this place were his own.

Qiu Wan Hong's voice turned serious. "I've heard that there has been a major incident in Heaven-Six City?"

Xiao Xian nodded gravely. "Yes, strange tree roots have appeared in Heaven-Six City, and many corpse puppets have been controlled by these roots. Our strength was insufficient, and we had no choice but to withdraw from the city. Bai Cangsong, fellow daoist Bai from Fiery Sky Cloud Tower, was killed by the siege of those corpse beasts. I could not get there in time. I had to watch him perish before my eyes... Alas..."

Shang Xuanhe's face twitched. He had been close friends with Bai Cangsong for many years, both being disciples of Fiery Sky Cloud Tower. He hadn't expected Bai Cangsong to die so easily.

Qiu Wan Hong spoke again, her voice low and measured. "Does fellow daoist Xiao have a place to go now?"

Xiao Xian gave a bitter smile. "No. Nearly all the nearby strongholds have been taken over. Heaven-Three City is also under the control of corpse puppets. I truly don't know where to go, which is why I've come to temporarily seek refuge with you, fellow daoist Qiu."

Chapter 371: The Great Spirit Stone Mine Cannot Be Occupied by Demonic Cultivators

Shang Xuanhe let out a soft sigh. "Living in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield has become increasingly difficult. It's hard to find any other strongholds around here. The medium spiritual stone mine I'm staying at is still holding up, but it's barely manageable. If fellow daoist Xiao doesn't mind, you can bring your junior brother here to stay for a while. Or, you can stay with fellow daoist Qiu here. Once we find another stronghold or discover a new spiritual stone vein, we can move again."

Qiu Wanhong nodded. "My Cold Ironwood Forest is vast. I can accommodate two more people. But, over time, the Spiritual Qi will gradually deplete."

Xiao Xian looked touched. "Thank you, fellow daoist Shang, and thank you, fellow daoist Qiu!" He understood that Qiu Wanhong's words hinted that the forest was becoming crowded and the Spiritual Qi was running low.

Qiu Wanhong's eyes glinted as she spoke again. "Fellow daoist Xiao, I do know of a good place."

Xiao Xian nodded, "Please, fellow daoist Qiu, do tell."

Qiu Wanhong gestured to the south. "Outside Heaven-Three City, there is a great spiritual stone mine, but it is now occupied by the Heavenly Infinite Sect's demonic cultivator, Chu Xuan. This person killed Song Lingfeng, fellow daoist Song of Red Flame Pavilion, and then took control of the great spiritual stone mine. We have the heart to remove the enemy, but lack the strength to do so. If fellow daoist Xiao is willing to join us and eliminate this demonic cultivator, we can take control of the mine together. The spiritual stones will be divided evenly among us."

Xiao Xian suddenly stood up, his face full of fury. "What?! Senior Brother Song was killed by that demonic cultivator?! This grudge cannot go unpunished! I, Xiao Xian, swear that if I do not kill Chu Xuan, I will not be human!" He clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot, as if he could tear Chu Xuan apart with his bare hands.

Shang Xuanhe coughed lightly, drawing their attention. "Fellow Daoist Qiu, I never said anything about attacking the great spiritual stone mine."

Qiu Wanhong immediately furrowed her brows. "Why? This is a demonic cultivator, and such people must be eradicated! Moreover, I have gathered information that Chu Xuan is the only one there. The other two members of the Heavenly Infinite Sect, Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji, have taken control of another medium spiritual stone mine. There must be some discord among these three, which is why they are not working together. If we attack Chu Xuan, Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji are highly unlikely to come to his aid."

Shang Xuanhe shook his head. "Right now, we should focus on addressing the issue of the declining Spiritual Qi in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, and find a way to reverse it. Though orthodox and demonic cultivators stand opposed, we must still make use of their strength. Endless fighting—what good does it do?"

Qiu Wanhong sneered. "If you don't kill him, he will kill you!"

Shang Xuanhe sighed deeply. "Fellow Daoist Qiu, fellow daoist Xiao, I shall take my leave." He slowly rose and flicked his sleeves as he turned to leave, clearly feeling that there was no point in continuing the conversation.

Qiu Wanhong watched his retreating figure, then snorted coldly. Turning back to Xiao Xian, her expression softened again, becoming friendly and warm.

Qiu Wanhong smiled faintly. "I can provide fellow daoist Xiao with an early-stage Nascent Soul puppet beast. You can go and probe Chu Xuan's strength first. Once we know more, we can decide on our next move."

Xiao Xian subtly glanced at the departing Shang Xuanhe, seemingly deep in thought. "Alright, then I and my junior brother will stay with fellow daoist Qiu for a few days to rest and recover. Once our injuries are healed, we will go and test Chu Xuan's strength."

Qiu Wanhong nodded with a smile. "Good!"

Meanwhile, Shang Xuanhe stepped out of the Cold Ironwood Forest. Kang Jia was waiting for him outside. He asked, "Senior Brother, how did it go?"

Shang Xuanhe shook his head. "Qiu Wanhong plans to join forces with us to attack the great spirit stone mine and eliminate Chu Xuan of the Heavenly Infinite Sect. You've met Dong Qi that day, right? He's extremely powerful. Chu Xuan was able to kill Song Lingfeng, drive back Dong Qi of the Falling Sun Demon Fortress, and Su Jue of the Corpse God Palace. He is no ordinary opponent. We should not get involved in this mess. Our priority is to find the source of the disappearing Spiritual Qi."

Kang Jia nodded repeatedly. That day, he had spoken with Dong Qi from the Falling Sun Demon Fortress for only a few moments, but he could already sense that the man was unfathomable. It was better to have him as a friend than an enemy. With Shang Xuanhe now deciding against getting involved, Kang Jia's mind, which had been hanging by a thread, finally relaxed. Suddenly, he thought of another possibility and couldn't help but ask, "But what if Chu Xuan is not a match for fellow daoist Qiu and fellow daoist Xiao?"

Shang Xuanhe stroked his beard and spoke with righteous conviction. "Then we shall eliminate the demon and defend the way! How can the great spirit stone mine be occupied by demonic cultivators? That is a wanton waste!"

Kang Jia clicked his tongue.

'Senior Brother is so pragmatic. Truly, he is an old monster who has lived for over 800 years. I still have much to learn before I can master the art of seamless face-changing like Senior Brother.'

Chu Xuan gazed at the roots of the trees that nearly enveloped the entire small hill, shaking his head in frustration. This place was the location of an array set up by the Reincarnation Divine Sect. The specific coordinates were information Chu Xuan had received from Shang Xingchen. After all, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield was vast, and it was impossible to search for such a place like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Chu Xuan's approach was direct. Since it was the arrays scattered across the Heavenly Metal Battlefield that had caused the Spiritual Qi here to dissipate, wouldn't destroying these arrays change the situation? He had previously tried to approach the array location outside Heaven-Six City, but there were more than a dozen Nascent Soul-level puppet beasts guarding the area.

Moreover, it seemed that numerous Nascent Soul-level killing and illusionary arrays had been set up around the place. It was simply impossible to approach. He had no choice but to retreat. This seemed entirely reasonable. The Reincarnation Divine Sect had gone to great lengths to set up these arrays—how could they allow anyone to easily destroy them?

Chu Xuan had only reappeared now, estimating that the strength of others had likely decreased to some extent by this point. Yet, he still maintained the strength of the eighth level of Nascent Soul, allowing him to strike with a crushing force. This was why he had come to take a look.

However, now it seemed there was no way forward. The array here had already been completely enveloped by roots. There wasn't even a tiny gap left. He had tried earlier, but it was impossibly hard.

Nascent Soul-level spells couldn't leave a single trace on the surface. It was likely that only someone with the power of Deity Transformation could damage the outer layer of the tree roots. But that would consume a huge amount of Spiritual Qi.

Within the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, there were only two Deity Transformation cultivators: Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi Daoist. Convincing them to take such a self-sacrificial action would likely be almost impossible.

Chu Xuan shook his head and turned to return to the great spirit stone mine. Since this array was like this, others must be the same. If destroying the arrays was impossible, he could only temporarily maintain the status quo.

"Hm? Something's happening?"

Chu Xuan picked up the Heart-Linking Stone hanging from his waist and noticed a new mark had appeared on it. He immediately headed to the agreed-upon location. Soon, he spotted Shang Xingchen standing at the designated spot from a distance. However, he didn't approach immediately. Instead, he waited for quite some time.

It wasn't until he used the spiritual sense secret method and confirmed there were no possible ambushes in the area that he finally made his appearance.

The Heart-Linking Stone was his communication method with Shang Xingchen, but it could also be used by Shang Xingchen to set a trap for him. Their cooperation was entirely based on an equal footing of strength.

Though Chu Xuan felt that Shang Xingchen wouldn't turn on him so quickly, it was always wise to remain vigilant.

Chapter 372: Negotiations and Intrigue

Shang Xingchen nodded slightly when he saw Chu Xuan approach. "You've arrived?"

Chu Xuan nodded in return. "What's the matter?."

Shang Xingchen spoke in a low voice. "I've received some news. Someone is planning to make a move on you."

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. "Where did this information come from?"

Shang Xingchen chuckled lightly. "A righteous cultivator intends to join our demonic sect. He's come near Heaven-Three City and has temporarily joined the Cold Ironwood Forest."

Chu Xuan immediately thought of Ximen Changqing.

After all, Ximen Changqing had admitted personally that he had sold the information about Han Yiren, Luo Yan, Yang Feixiong, and others, and the demonic cultivator he had met with was precisely Shang Xingchen.

Shang Xingchen continued, "This righteous cultivator's surname is Ximen, and he, along with Xiao Xian from the Red Flame Pavilion, came from Heaven-Six City to Heaven-Three City. Qiu Wanhong has repeatedly incited Xiao Xian to take action against your great spirit stone mine and even gifted him several puppet beasts."

Chu Xuan smiled slightly. "They want Xiao Xian to test my strength, don't they?"

Shang Xingchen smiled in return. "However, Xiao Xian has clearly become quite complacent and is refusing to leave the Cold Ironwood Forest. But Qiu Wanhong's junior brother Long Hao has grown impatient. He managed to get the puppet beasts from Xiao Xian and seems ready to act."

Chu Xuan nodded. "Indeed."

Shang Xingchen smiled. "You are the sect leader of our Heavenly Infinite Sect. If you are attacked, I, as an elder, cannot sit idly by. I will definitely come to your rescue when the time comes!"

Chu Xuan sneered inwardly. "Rescue? You're more likely to just make use of the situation for your own benefit. I don't need to expose you for now."

Shang Xingchen smiled innocently. "By the way, I've managed to acquire a number of evil pills. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Chu would be willing to exchange some great spirit stones for them?"

Chu Xuan perked up. "Of course, but I need to know exactly what kind of evil pills they are."

Shang Xingchen casually tapped his storage bag. Three pills flew out, hovering between the two of them.

"Great Soul Spirit Pills, a top-tier Nascent Soul level pill. Made primarily from souls and several other medicinal ingredients, it can enhance the soul. Two great spirit stones per pill."

"Boiling Blood True Pill, a high-grade Nascent Soul pill. It forces the body's vitality and flesh to be converted into Spiritual Qi and can temporarily increase the power of spells. One great spirit stone per pill."

"Focus Spirit Pill, a low-grade Nascent Soul pill. It calms the mind and helps a cultivator to comprehend secret techniques and martial arts. Twenty Medium spirit stones per pill."

Shang Xingchen smiled. "I have a fair amount of these three types of pills, with the Focus Spirit Pill being the most abundant. How many would you like, Fellow Daoist Chu?"

Chu Xuan was immediately intrigued. "Let me try three of each. By the way, do you have the recipe for the Great Soul Spirit Pill?"

Shang Xingchen immediately shook his head. "No, I don't have the recipe. I only happened to find the body of an ancient cultivator, and from that, I managed to obtain a few pills."

Chu Xuan gave a smile that wasn't quite a smile, nodding slightly.

Shang Xingchen looked confused. "Does Fellow Daoist Chu not believe me?"

Chu Xuan nodded. "I believe you, I believe you."

Chu Xuan swept his spiritual sense across the items, counting the spirit stones before casually tossing the storage bag towards Shang Xingchen.

As before, Shang Xingchen did not touch it directly. Instead, he put on a pair of white silk gloves, and only then did he carefully accept the bag. These gloves were custom-made by him, specifically for handling Chu Xuan's items, in case there was any poison or wormcraft hidden within.

"That's all," Chu Xuan waved his hand and turned to leave.

Shang Xingchen stared at his retreating figure and couldn't help but shake his head. "He saw through it after all. Sigh, I'm really lacking in spirit stones, I had no choice but to reveal some of my trump cards. Hopefully, he won't keep fixating on me." Without lingering, he quickly left the area.

On the other side, Chu Xuan stroked his chin, deep in thought. "These three pills are all crucial, especially the Great Soul Spirit Pill. If I can get the formula, with the immense resources of Soul Star, I could mass-produce them. Shang Xingchen is probably in possession of the formula. I'll have to find an opportunity to make him spill the recipe..."

As night fell, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield was draped in a heavy silence. The surroundings became eerily quiet, and the cultivators grew even more vigilant. For them, the arrival of night meant one thing: the ancient beasts would soon emerge from their hiding places.

To the ancient beasts, the scent of cultivators was like a glowing beacon in the dark. The more cultivators gathered in one place, the greater the chance of attracting a large number of these creatures. Almost every outpost would suffer from these beasts' attacks, and Chu Xuan's great spirit stone mine, the medium spiritual stone mine, and the metal mines were no exceptions.

However, Chu Xuan had long been prepared. Every outpost had an ample number of corpse puppets and ghosts stationed as guards. Furthermore, the number of ancient beasts attempting to attack his locations was relatively small, so there had never been any major incidents.

Yet, tonight would not be peaceful. Because in addition to over a thousand ancient beasts, three figures were quietly making their way toward the great spirit stone mine, hidden by the cover of night.

At the forefront was Long Hao from Crazy Dragon Valley, followed by two other Nascent Soul cultivators from the same sect.

Long Hao gazed at the massive great spirit stone mine beneath the night sky, which seemed like a sleeping giant, and a cold smile appeared on his face. His two companions looked uneasy. "Senior Brother Long, this man killed Song Lingfeng, forced Dong Qi and Su Jue to retreat. His strength must be formidable. He's also been occupying this great spirit stone mine, so he's certainly not lacking in spirit stones. Can the three of us really be his match?"

Long Hao let out a hearty laugh. "What's there to be afraid of? We're just here to test his strength, not to engage him in a fight. The great spirit stone mine has been plundered several times by both the righteous and demonic factions. The spirit stones there are almost depleted. Besides, he's been occupying several mines, so he must have spread his puppets around. These puppets require large amounts of spirit stones for daily operation. His strength must have diminished to some extent."

Long Hao paused for a moment, then continued, "Also, Xiao Xian from the Red Flame Pavilion promised me he would come after me. He should be here soon. He still retains his Nascent Soul Stage early strength and has several Nascent Soul puppets in his possession. We outnumber him—if we can't win, we can always escape."

The two companions immediately looked relieved. "Senior Brother Long is always thinking ahead! With Xiao Xian from the Red Flame Pavilion backing us up, we have nothing to fear."

However, the three waited, and waited some more. The ancient beasts came in wave after wave, yet Xiao Xian never appeared.

"This is strange… why hasn't Xiao Xian arrived?" Long Hao furrowed his brow. "Chu Xuan killed Song Lingfeng of the Red Flame Pavilion. When Senior Sister Qiu mentioned this, Xiao Xian was furious, almost foaming at the mouth. He hated Chu Xuan to the bone. He should have come by now."

His companions nodded in agreement. "That's true."

Long Hao nodded, then suddenly paused. "Wait… there are three people?" He turned toward the unfamiliar third figure, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Dong Qi, what are you doing here?!" He recognized the face and growled in shock.

Chu Xuan gave a faint smile. "You've been waiting at my doorstep for so long. How could I not come out and welcome you properly?"

Before the words even left his mouth, there was a sharp, cracking sound. The two Nascent Soul Stage early cultivators standing next to Long Hao were instantly decapitated—one's head was sliced off by a steel wire, the other's neck snapped with a twist of Hu's hand.

In a single motion, Chu Xuan casually stored their bodies in his storage bag.

Chapter 373: No, You're Just Coveting the Spoils!

Don't be fooled by how powerful Nascent Soul cultivators appear. In most ordinary cultivation worlds, they would already be the leaders of sects or revered elders.

However, the gap between Nascent Soul early stage and Nascent Soul late stage cultivators is far greater than the difference between early and late stages of Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment.

No amount of magic treasures or talismans could fill that gap. What's more, the two Nascent Soul Stage early cultivators were both affected by the surrounding depletion of Spiritual Qi, while Chu Xuan was at the Nascent Soul Stage eighth layer and had not suffered any loss in strength.

The deaths of the two junior brothers clearly shook Long Hao to his core. These were Nascent Soul cultivators! Not mere mortals! Even if they were ambushed, they shouldn't have been completely defenseless. This outcome could only mean one thing: the disparity in strength was vast.

Without hesitation, Long Hao threw out a large flag. As soon as the flag was in his grasp, it unfurled and quickly emitted a thick mist, obscuring his figure. Even spiritual sense couldn't detect him. He immediately spewed out the essence of his Nascent Soul and activated a teleportation technique to flee.

However, after traveling a distance of several dozen zhang, he was struck by the terrifying sight before him. A thick blood-red cloud appeared out of nowhere. Not just in front of him, but above, below, and on all sides. The entire area was enveloped in blood-red clouds!

Within the blood cloud, countless eerie spirits swarmed towards him. These malevolent blood demons, with their sharp teeth and hunger-filled eyes, pounced on him like starving beasts who had just caught the scent of fresh meat.

Long Hao was both shocked and furious. He immediately summoned a Dragon Patterned Golden Bell from his storage. The bell emitted waves of golden light, and the blood demons screeched, their bodies burning as if set aflame. The first wave of demons, charging headfirst, were reduced to ashes within seconds.

Long Hao let out a cold laugh and continued to activate the Dragon Patterned Golden Bell. The golden ripples emanated from the bell, growing ever more intense. However, within this sea of blood clouds, the ripples were like a small boat on the turbulent waves—on the verge of capsizing at any moment. He glanced around, only to see that the number of demons coming at him showed no sign of dwindling. His Dragon Patterned Golden Bell, while effective against evil spirits, seemed useless against these strange blood-colored demons. Even if they were slain, they continued to taint the bell's light.

In a matter of moments, the bell, his prized magic treasure, had already lost much of its brilliance.

A chill ran down Long Hao's spine.

"Dragon Patterned Golden Bell, Wild Dragon's Demon Slayer!"

He roared furiously and slapped the bell with all his strength. The golden waves intensified, thickening like a tide. Half of the blood demons were instantly obliterated.

Long Hao was overjoyed and immediately took out a magic treasure to break through the encroaching blood clouds. However, just as he burst through the blood mist, a faint black light suddenly streaked across. It circled around his neck.

Crack.

His head fell to the ground.

Chu Xuan moved swiftly, drawing out Long Hao's soul essence with a single hand. As for the body, he tossed it directly into the Blood Demon Flask. In no time, the Blood Demon Flask would refine the body into blood mist.

Although Long Hao was a Nascent Soul cultivator, and his body contained far more blood essence than an ordinary person—even without specializing in body refinement—it would still take a while for the Blood Demon Flask to fully process it.

"This Blood Demon Flask still has its flaws," Chu Xuan mused, "but as a low-grade magic treasure, it can function like a top-grade one for a while. It's already showing its potential." He nodded in satisfaction, his gaze drifting toward the distant darkness with a sly smile.

"That Xiao Xian is clever. Qiu Wanhong encouraged him to test my strength but he never showed up. Not only did he fail to come, but he also tricked Long Hao into coming here, promising that he himself would arrive."

Chu Xuan hadn't made a move on Long Hao and his two companions immediately. Instead, he had been listening to their conversation, trying to locate Xiao Xian. It wasn't until he confirmed that Xiao Xian had not appeared that he finally turned his attention to dealing with Long Hao and the others. By then, two figures appeared, walking slowly from the distance.

It was Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji. When they saw the still-wet blood stains on the ground, they shook their heads in disappointment.

"It seems we're late," Wei Ji sighed, "Such a pity."

"Didn't manage to help Fellow Daoist Chu, we are deeply ashamed," Shang Xingchen sighed even more deeply.

Wei Ji twitched his mouth. "Is that shame?" he thought. "No, you're just coveting his spoils of war. I'm honestly embarrassed for you!"

Chu Xuan chuckled, "No worries, there will be plenty more opportunities."

Shang Xingchen smiled and nodded, "I understand."

The two of them returned the way they came. Chu Xuan also went back to the great spirit stone mine.

Cold Ironwood Forest.

Qiu Wanhong stared at the shattered life token, her face turning ashen. Inside the token was a drop of Long Hao's blood. This meant Long Hao was dead!

After questioning several of Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators, Qiu Wanhong's expression darkened further.

"How is this possible?!" she fumed.

Xiao Xian swiftly approached Qiu Wanhong, his expression full of concern.

"Fellow Daoist Qiu, what happened? I noticed that Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators seem unsettled."

Suppressing her rage, Qiu Wanhong explained the situation to Xiao Xian.

Xiao Xian's face turned pale with shock. "How could this be?! Fellow Daoist Long Hao was too greedy for merit, rushing in recklessly. How dare he provoke that Chu Xuan?"

Qiu Wanhong gritted her teeth. "This damn Chu Xuan! He killed your Sect's Song Lingfeng, and now he's killed Crazy Dragon Valley's Junior Brother Long! Before leaving, the Valley Master entrusted Long Hao to me. If I fail to return him to Crazy Dragon Valley, how could I face the Valley Master again?"

Xiao Xian's eyes turned red, and he shot to his feet, filled with rage.

"I am willing to avenge Fellow Daoist Qiu! This fiend killed Senior Brother Song from Red Flame Pavilion. We cannot let him live! I've been preparing in the shadows! We will strike from two directions, surrounding him on all sides! We will surely eliminate that Chu Xuan!" He cupped his hands. "However, Crazy Dragon Valley still has several Nascent Soul cultivators, while Red Flame Pavilion only has two. The only person who can assist me now is Fellow Daoist Ximen from Majestic Sword Sect. I ask Senior Sister Qiu to lend me a hand!"

Qiu Wanhong understood his intention. Her anger was rising, and she could almost taste Chu Xuan's flesh in her mind. Some thoughts eluded her for the moment. Qiu Wanhong slapped her storage bag and immediately took out a Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast along with ten Golden Core late-stage puppet beasts.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, I'll temporarily lend you these puppet beasts. While I draw Chu Xuan's attention, you will strike together, swiftly breaking the mine's formation! Once we do, we will share the great spirit stone mine equally. There will be no shortage of spirit stones for you!"

Xiao Xian stood with a solemn expression. "Since Fellow Daoist Qiu places such trust in me, I will give my all to this! I will definitely slay Chu Xuan! To avenge Senior Brother Song, and to repay Crazy Dragon Valley's debt for Fellow Daoist Long!" With that, he immediately gathered his forces and set off in the dead of night, leaving the Cold Ironwood Forest.

Qiu Wanhong barked a command. "All cultivators of Crazy Dragon Valley, listen to my orders! Foundation Establishment cultivators will stay in the forest, using the puppet beasts to guard it. No one is to enter! We will head to the great spirit stone mine, kill Chu Xuan, and avenge Junior Brother Long!"

Before long, Qiu Wanhong led the remaining four Nascent Soul cultivators toward the great spirit stone mine. However, not long after they departed...

Xiao Xian, Ximen Changqing, and another Nascent Soul cultivator from Red Flame Pavilion sneaked back to the entrance of the Cold Ironwood Forest under the cover of night.

Xiao Xian gazed at the forest, a smug smile spreading across his face.

"Compared to that hard-to-take great spirit stone mine," he mused, "this easily obtainable Cold Ironwood Forest suits me much better."

Chapter 374: Put on a Show of Weakness

Ximen Changqing smiled. "Fellow Daoist Xiao, your move was brilliant! Qiu Wanhong took her people directly to find Chu Xuan. She never expected we would turn back halfway and return to the Cold Ironwood Forest."

Xiao Xian laughed heartily. "Qiu Wanhong isn't stupid, just blinded by her rage. She couldn't see through it in the heat of the moment. We'll quickly take over this Cold Ironwood Forest, and from now on, it will be ours!"

Ximen Changqing added, "But there's a formation set up by Qiu Wanhong in this place. And there are still quite a few Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators inside."

Xiao Xian waved his hand dismissively. "What Foundation Establishment cultivators? When we entered, there weren't any. They've probably perished under the attack of the ancient beasts by now."

Ximen Changqing nodded with a smile. "I see."

Xiao Xian approached the entrance of the forest, calling out anxiously, "Fellow Daoist Qiu has been in a deadlock with that demonic cultivator. She was almost seriously injured, so she asked me to bring more puppet beasts to her! Do you have any spare puppet beasts?"

At once, a dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators rushed out in a panic. These Foundation Establishment cultivators had come to the extraterritorial battlefield mostly to do hard labor. If they wanted to survive, they could only rely on Nascent Soul cultivators for protection. If anything happened to Qiu Wanhong, they wouldn't survive either. The leader of the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators bowed respectfully to Xiao Xian.

"Senior Xiao, we still have some puppet beasts left from Qiu Master. We will give them all to you."

Saying this, he took out a storage bag, ready to hand it over.

Xiao Xian smiled and took the bag, but then asked casually, "Are there any cultivators left in the forest?"

The Foundation Establishment cultivator was puzzled but didn't ask further. He simply shook his head. "Everyone is here."

Xiao Xian nodded with a smile. "Good, good."

With a casual flick of his hand, a magic tool sliced through the air, instantly cleaving the Foundation Establishment cultivator in front of him into two halves. Ximen Changqing sighed quietly but also had to act.

In the blink of an eye, all the Crazy Dragon Valley Foundation Establishment cultivators had fallen in a pool of blood. Before long, the Nether Crocodiles, drawn by the scent of blood, swarmed the area. In less than a quarter of an hour, the Cold Ironwood Forest was in new hands.

...

Meanwhile, Qiu Wanhong still had no idea what had transpired in the forest. She had already led four Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley and arrived outside the great spirit stone mine. Standing on the hill, she could see the situation at the mine. She planned to wait for Xiao Xian and the others to arrive.

However, after waiting for a long time, no one showed up. A sense of unease began to rise in Qiu Wanhong's heart. Her previous rage-induced fog had cleared, and now she realized something was wrong.

"Something's wrong… we've fallen for Xiao Xian's trap!"

Qiu Wanhong ground her teeth in fury. She should have realized earlier that Xiao Xian had never intended to help her. The Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley looked at each other with urgency.

"What should we do now? Should we return to the forest?" one asked.

Qiu Wanhong glanced at the great spirit stone mine. "No," she said, her voice firm. "If we try to go back now, we'll be intercepted by Xiao Xian and the others. Time will only drag us deeper into the trap. We'll be surrounded by the Nether Crocodiles and other ancient beasts. We have no choice but to move forward. We must seize the great spirit stone mine!"

"Yes!" the other cultivators responded, nodding in agreement.

Qiu Wanhong growled, her voice like a battle cry, "Follow me and charge! Let's avenge Junior Brother Long!"

With a sweep of her hand, several Nascent Soul early-stage puppets and dozens of Golden Core late-stage puppets materialized around her. Although her own cultivation had slightly declined, putting her at the level of a Nascent Soul first-layer cultivator, she was confident that with so many puppets, she could still take the mine.

Whether Xiao Xian was involved or not didn't matter. The difference lay only in the casualties. She glanced at her junior brothers and sisters, stepping back a half-step. A cold, detached thought crossed her mind—perhaps higher casualties wouldn't be a bad thing after all.

Suddenly, a blazing fiery shield rose up, enveloping the entire great spirit stone mine like an inverted giant bowl.

"An array this large?!" The Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley were taken aback.

Such a massive Nascent Soul-level formation would consume a vast amount of spirit stones, even without being activated!

"This formation is called the Eight-Directions Burning Fire Array," Qiu Wanhong said, her sharp eyes recognizing it at once. "Though it combines both offense and defense, its defensive power is weaker compared to other Nascent Soul-level formations. However, the spirit stones required for it are far greater."

Qiu Wanhong had lived long enough to recognize the array. She bellowed, "Kill! Even if he controls this mine, the amount of spirit stones he has won't last long! This formation can't be sustained forever!"

She quickly cast a spell, sending a surge of golden dragon energy crashing into the fiery shield. Her four Nascent Soul companions immediately followed suit, unleashing their own spells. The puppet beasts, relentless in their attacks, hammered at the formation without pause. The fiery shield rippled violently under their onslaught. After an hour of intense assault, the shield finally began to flicker and dim, gradually fading until it was completely gone.

Just as Qiu Wanhong was about to give the order for her juniors to charge forward, a sudden cry sounded from behind. She turned to look. To her surprise, two figures emerged from the darkness, drawing closer.

"It's Shang Xingchen from the Heavenly Infinite Sect," she muttered. "I recognize him. He was on the Reincarnation Divine Sect's bounty list! The other one must be Wei Ji! These two are here to help Chu Xuan!"

Her expression darkened, eyes flashing with fury. "Leave these two to you," she commanded her companions. "I'll deal with Chu Xuan!"

"Understood!" her subordinates responded quickly.

The four Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley immediately charged toward Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji, their movements swift and calculated.

Qiu Wanhong, with a wave of her hand, summoned all her puppets and stormed into the great spirit stone mine.

Shang Xingchen couldn't help but shake his head.

Wei Ji whispered, "Shouldn't we lend a hand to Fellow Daoist Chu?"

Shang Xingchen smiled lightly. "No need. He's just playing a part."

Wei Ji blinked in confusion. "Playing a part?"

Shang Xingchen chuckled softly. "You still don't quite understand Chu Xuan. If he wasn't pretending to be weak, do you think Qiu Wanhong would charge into the mine?"

Wei Ji's spine instantly stiffened.

"Good lord. That's so ruthless!" he thought, his admiration growing.

...

Inside the great spirit stone mine, it was pitch black. Only the faint glow from sporadically glowing ores on the walls provided slight illumination, casting long shadows that stretched across the winding corridors.

The rock formations in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield had been solidified over hundreds of thousands of years, making them incredibly tough and dense. Even Nascent Soul cultivators found it hard to penetrate with their spiritual sense—the detection range was severely suppressed in this environment.

In the mine, this problem was even more pronounced.

Qiu Wanhong walked cautiously through the labyrinthine tunnels, suddenly feeling like a blind and deaf mortal. Danger seemed to lurk in every direction. She regretted her decision to venture into the tunnels alone. But there was no turning back now. If she couldn't seize the great spirit stone mine, she'd have no way to return to the Cold Ironwood Forest. It was now a fight to the death.

"Devil, show yourself!" Qiu Wanhong hissed, her voice cold and venomous. She quickly performed a sealing gesture, causing two small shields to appear beside her, ever vigilant for any strange movement.

Just then, a mocking laugh echoed through the corridor ahead.

"Come out because you tell me to? Wouldn't that be terribly embarrassing for me?"

A shadow flashed quickly past her, almost too fast to track.

Without hesitation, Qiu Wanhong quickened her pace, charging toward the sound. She sent a powerful spell hurtling forward, yet when she reached the spot, there was nothing.

The passage was empty, silent.

Chapter 375: I'll agree to that contract

Qiu Wanhong's expression shifted slightly as she quickly turned and unleashed her dragon energy toward the rear. Her battle experience told her that when an enemy deliberately set up false fronts, it was a clear sign they were planning to launch a surprise attack from behind!

However, to her dismay, her surroundings remained empty. The dragon energy she had built up with such intensity slammed into the rock wall, only dislodging some stone debris. Her face turned an ashen gray.

"Once again, I've fallen into his trap!"

With no other choice, Qiu Wanhong summoned all her puppets to cover her back while she pressed forward, still wary of a surprise attack.

Meanwhile, Chu Xuan had already used his Lotus Escape Technique to conceal his presence to the utmost, watching Qiu Wanhong from the shadows with great interest. He could certainly kill Qiu Wanhong, but he intended to do so with minimal effort.

After all, each extra bit of spiritual qi expended meant more spirit stones would be needed to replenish it. And spirit stones were now far too precious to waste in a battle of this sort. His earlier distractions were meant to keep Qiu Wanhong on edge, forcing her to remain constantly alert. In this game, she was in the open, while he operated in the shadows.

After several such psychological manipulations, Qiu Wanhong had become increasingly paranoid, imagining that Chu Xuan could be lurking in every dark corner. The flickering shadows cast by the faint light from the ores seemed like sinister, ravenous demonic beasts, ready to pounce at any moment.

"It's time."

Chu Xuan summoned the Sky Corpse Tower and the Umbra Shield. At once, the three Corpse Kings and the two Ghost Kings appeared, surrounding Qiu Wanhong from five directions. The sudden emergence of these five monstrous figures, dripping with malevolent energy, sent a shock of horror through Qiu Wanhong.

"No way!" she gasped.

In the current environment, with spiritual qi at an all-time low, cultivators from the Heavenly Corpse Palace had suffered a severe decline in strength as their corpse puppets were increasingly rebellious and dangerous. How could Chu Xuan summon so many Ghost Kings and Corpse Kings at once?

"Dammit…"

A deep sense of despair settled in her heart. She knew now that she had made the wrong choice.

"Devil, even if I die, I will still avenge my junior brother!"

With a roar, her eyes filled with rage and sorrow. All the puppet beasts charged toward the Ghost Kings and Corpse Kings without hesitation. Not caring for the exhaustion of her spiritual qi, she cast eight waves of dragon energy in rapid succession.

The powerful dragon energy surged forth, violently shaking the rock walls. Stones rained down, and dust filled the air, swirling through the mine passage like a storm.

Qiu Wanhong swiftly cast her escape technique, using the cover of the smoke and dust to rapidly retreat down the path she had come from. At this point, she had abandoned any hope of defeating her opponent. Her only goal now was to escape, to survive!

However, just as she thought she was about to break free from the chaos and debris, she found herself stepping right into a swirling sea of blood clouds. The blood clouds completely enveloped the entire mine passage, further suppressing her spiritual sense, making it nearly impossible to tell direction from disorientation.

In the blink of an eye, she had lost track of front, back, left, or right. Qiu Wanhong was both shocked and furious. She immediately recognized this for what it was—the Blood Cloud of the Blood Demon Flask.

"Dammit..." she cursed as she fought to suppress her panic. "Aren't you a cultivator of the Heavenly Infinite Sect? When did you also master the Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art?!"

With a roar, she unleashed golden dragon energy, desperately trying to fend off the oncoming tidal wave of blood demons. Her two magic shields also flared with golden light, striking out with each pulse to burn and scatter the blood demons. Every time a wave of energy surged forth, dozens of blood demons screamed, their bodies igniting in flames.

But as time passed, even her magic shields, which were once so bright and sturdy, began to show signs of fatigue. The blood clouds gradually tainted them, dimming their glow.

Outside, Chu Xuan stood with his arms crossed, watching the scene unfold. The Blood Cloud from the Blood Demon Flask was relentless in its consumption of energy. If it ever ran low, he could always replenish it through zombies from Blue Star, saving his spiritual qi for other uses. After all, using this method to trap Qiu Wanhong was far more efficient than direct confrontation.

Still, Chu Xuan suspected that Qiu Wanhong wasn't done yet. Despite her current weakness, she was still a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Mad Dragon Valley. If she fell so easily, it would suggest that the Nascent Soul cultivators of the valley were seriously lacking.

Qiu Wanhong, seeing the blood cloud spread in all directions, gritted her teeth and drew a talisman from her storage bag. Pouring her spiritual qi into the talisman, it immediately flared with blinding light. Golden flames erupted from it, incinerating the surrounding blood demons. Even the blood clouds began to retreat, the nauseating smell of burning flesh filling the air.

"Golden Flame Talisman?" Chu Xuan murmured, his eyes narrowing. "This talisman is specifically designed to counter the blood clouds of the Heavenly Blood Sect. It's clear that Qiu Wanhong was waiting until now to use it."

He nodded slightly. Having cultivated the Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art, he was well aware of what could counter the blood cloud.

The Golden Flame Talisman was a creation by a talisman master from Crazy Dragon Valley, specially designed to deal with this very threat. It could not only burn away the blood cloud but also suppress any spell used by blood path cultivators. It was incredibly effective, though it required rare materials, which made it difficult to craft. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator might not be able to get their hands on one.

For Qiu Wanhong to possess it was entirely understandable. As the Golden Flame Talisman burned through the blood clouds, they dissipated entirely. In that instant, Qiu Wanhong regained clarity. She immediately saw the path ahead and activated her escape technique once more, charging forward with renewed urgency.

Though the mine tunnels sprawled out in every direction, like a labyrinth, for a Nascent Soul cultivator whose soul had been tempered through the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation, having a photographic memory was one of the most basic abilities. All she needed to do was retrace her steps, and she could escape with ease.

However, once again, reality played a cruel joke on Qiu Wanhong. Just as she took a step forward, she realized, to her horror, that she had fallen right into a formation. Within the boundaries of the formation, Spiritual Qi was thrown into complete disorder, twisted and reversed in an unnatural way.

The cycles of the five elements—their mutual promotion and restraint—were in utter chaos, and in this confined space, the elements could not harmonize. Without knowing the nature of the formation, it would be impossible to break free.

Qiu Wanhong tried to activate her usual protective spells, but their power was feeble, barely sufficient to form a small golden shield barely the size of a palm, and that took up an enormous amount of Spiritual Qi.

"What kind of formation is this?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with panic and anger.

Outside, Chu Xuan smiled faintly, a sense of calm confidence radiating from him.

"This formation is called the Reverse Chaos Formation," he explained. "I acquired it when I killed Zhao Kai of the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace."

This formation had a small radius of only about ten zhang, but it was quick to set up and had tremendous lethality.

Qiu Wanhong clearly had never encountered such a formation before, and as a result, she was completely thrown into disarray.

"Time to move," Chu Xuan murmured softly.

In the next instant, the Evil Soul Chain, like a massive black serpent, shot through the air, locking around her tightly. Before she could react, the chain had wrapped around her body, and the sound of her bones cracking and internal organs bursting filled the air.

Qiu Wanhong spat out several mouthfuls of blood, mixed with pieces of her own internal organs. She was filled with terror and despair.

"No... spare me! Please, spare my life!" she cried out desperately. "I am willing to do anything!"

The Evil Soul Chain paused, halting its deadly tightening. A figure appeared before her, and her heart sank as she saw the face. She recognized it immediately—it was Chu Xuan, the one she had believed to be Dong Qi of the Falling Sun Demon Fortress.

"You... you're not Dong Qi... you're Chu Xuan!" she gasped, her face full of disbelief.

Chu Xuan smiled calmly, unbothered by her shock. "You just said you'd do anything, didn't you?" he asked, his tone casual.

Qiu Wanhong nodded quickly, her voice trembling. "Yes, we can form a master-servant contract, as long as you spare my life..."

In her heart, she was already scheming—once he spared her, she would find a way to break the contract and take revenge later!

Chu Xuan nodded approvingly. "Alright, I'll agree to that contract."

Then, with a single slap, he struck her on the crown of her head. There was a sickening crack as her skull shattered, and in an instant, her soul was forcibly ripped out of her body.

Chapter 376: Quick Hands Win, Slow Hands Lose

"This soul is excellent, pure and solid. It's perfect for sealing into a demonic talisman," Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, casually tossing the soul into the Sky-Shielding Umbrella for safekeeping.

With another casual gesture, the red cloud that had enveloped the mine tunnels was sucked back into the Blood Demon Flask. He strode purposefully toward the mine's exit. Outside, the sounds of the ongoing battle were still audible, though they had already quieted down. It seemed the battle was nearing its end.

Sure enough, as he stepped out of the mine, he saw Wei Ji commanding a puppet, which cleaved the head of a Nascent Soul cultivator. However, that Nascent Soul cultivator managed to forcefully escape from his body, wrapping his soul and fleeing with his life intact. The other three had already fallen to the ground. Their faces were still contorted in agony, clearly poisoned by Shang Xingchen's toxin.

"It seems fellow daoist Chu is done as well," Shang Xingchen said, folding his white silk gloves with a smile.

Wei Ji, breathing heavily as he regained his Spiritual Qi, noticed Chu Xuan standing unscathed, his face calm and steady as if nothing had happened. Admiration flickered in his eyes.

Chu Xuan, on the other hand, felt a tinge of regret. Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji, fighting two against four, had taken down their enemies effortlessly. He had planned to put Shang Xingchen in a dangerous position and force him to reveal the formula for the Great Soul Spirit Pill, but it seemed that opportunity was lost.

"Ah, well, I'll have to find another chance," he thought with a sigh.

"This battle should make quite a name for us in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield," Wei Ji said, his voice grave.

Shang Xingchen nodded, "The Crazy Dragon Valley only had a few of their top people. Now, most of them have fallen at fellow daoist Chu's hands."

Chu Xuan responded nonchalantly, "It was a loss to all of us. We are all disciples of the Heavenly Infinite Sect, after all. There is no separating us."

Shang Xingchen smiled and nodded in agreement, "You're absolutely right, fellow daoist Chu."

"We'll be leaving now, fellow daoist Chu. Take care of yourself," Shang Xingchen said, quickly collecting the bodies of the fallen cultivators before leaving with Wei Ji.

As they departed, Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle to himself. "They're quick with their hands, thinking I might take their spoils?" He snorted coldly and turned back toward the great spirit stone mine.

Meanwhile, as they walked away, Wei Ji muttered, "Good thing you were quick, or he might have taken them from us."

Shang Xingchen chuckled softly. "When dealing with Chu Xuan, quick hands always win. I knew that from the start."

Wei Ji nodded in deep agreement. A few days later, news spread throughout the surrounding area: all the Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley had been slain.

Fiery Sky Cloud Tower's base.

Upon hearing the news, Shangguan He immediately became restless, pacing back and forth.

Kang Jia scratched his head. "Senior Brother, what should we do? Should we join forces with the cultivators from Red Flame Pavilion to avenge the Crazy Dragon Valley cultivators?"

Shangguan He shook his head, "Avenge them? They're Crazy Dragon Valley cultivators, not our Fiery Sky Cloud Tower disciples. Let them die. What does it have to do with us?"

Kang Jia clicked his tongue. "So, Senior Brother thinks...?"

Shangguan He furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "As I expected, Chu Xuan's ability to kill Song Lingfeng, force back Dong Qi and Su Jue, proves his power is formidable. Now that he's killed Qiu Wanhong, he's fully showcased his strength. I plan to visit and meet with Chu Xuan, the disciple of the Heavenly Infinite Sect."

Kang Jia's eyes widened. "Senior Brother isn't afraid he'll take action against you?"

Shangguan He smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid, that's why I need to make the stakes clear to him. If we want to leave the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, we need to act together. Otherwise, we'll remain as scattered as sand."

Kang Jia's face showed shock. "Senior Brother, what courage!"

Shangguan He coughed lightly. "Actually, it's because the three disciples of Heavenly Infinite Sect are too strong. So, we need to ally with them."

Kang Jia's expression grew serious. "But Senior Brother, aren't you worried about what the other righteous cultivators will say behind our backs?"

Shangguan He sneered, "If gossip behind our backs can help us survive on this battlefield, then I don't mind a little gossip."

Kang Jia pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement.

Cold Ironwood Forest Base.

When Ximen Changqing delivered the news to Xiao Xian, the latter's expression, once jovial, immediately turned somber.

"Why the grim face, fellow daoist Xiao?" Ximen Changqing asked, puzzled.

Xiao Xian spoke in a low tone, "This person, to have killed Qiu Wanhong, his strength is too overwhelming. He can probably rank within the top five of those below Deity Transformation. Then there's the other two from Heavenly Infinite Sect, Shang Xingchen and that Wei Ji... I can't remember his full name."

Ximen Changqing supplied, "Wei Ji."

Xiao Xian nodded, "Right, Wei Ji. Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji are clearly united with Chu Xuan, not working against him. Their combined strength is formidable as well."

Ximen Changqing followed, "What does fellow daoist Xiao think we should do?"

Xiao Xian paced a few times before answering seriously, "We should visit them, form an alliance, and share intelligence, working together. If we can seize other outposts from the enemy, then Heavenly Infinite Sect should leave us alone."

Ximen Changqing clapped his hands. "That makes sense. But what will the other righteous cultivators think of this?" he added with concern.

Xiao Xian sneered, "I'm sure they're all worried about it. Still clinging to the idea of keeping to the so-called righteous dao. But in a place like the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, those who still differentiate between the righteous and the demonic are probably the ones with issues."

Ximen Changqing chuckled but said nothing.

Similar scenes played out across other outposts. Righteous cultivators were mostly anxious, sensing that the balance of power was shifting. Their concern stemmed from a deep-seated fear of being caught in the crossfire of the Heavenly Infinite Sect's growing influence.

Demonic cultivators, on the other hand, weren't overly rejoicing. Heavenly Infinite Sect's strength was undeniable, and they too understood that such power would eventually affect them.

Nonetheless, despite their unease, the Falling Sun Demon Fortress and Heavenly Corpse Palace sent emissaries to deliver gifts and convey their respect. After all, no one wanted to offend such a formidable figure as Chu Xuan.

Outside the great spirit stone mine.

Shangguan He and Kang Jia stood quietly.

Kang Jia scratched his head. "Senior Brother, do you think he will let us in?"

Shangguan He shook his head. "Even if he lets us in, we won't be able to enter. It's his domain inside."

"We wait here," he added simply.

Kang Jia nodded repeatedly, understanding the situation.

Soon, Chu Xuan strode out with confidence.

Kang Jia's face showed clear surprise. "Dong Qi?!"

Chu Xuan smiled. "Greetings, fellow daoists. Chu Xuan of the Heavenly Infinite Sect, a pleasure to meet you."

Shangguan He was also taken aback but, being experienced, he quickly grasped the situation. He couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "I didn't expect that we had already met. Fellow Daoist Chu, a pleasure."

Kang Jia's expression shifted dramatically as he looked at Chu Xuan. The idea of sincerity and trustworthiness... none of it was real!

Shangguan He casually gestured, and a Golden Core early-stage puppet emerged, holding a jade box with both hands.

"Fellow daoist Chu, this is a small token from Feiry Sky Cloud Tower. Please, accept it."

Chu Xuan smiled, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? No reward without effort. Why does Fellow Daoist Shangguan want to send me a gift?"

Shangguan He smiled back. "Our Feiry Sky Cloud Tower wishes to form an alliance with the Heavenly Infinite Sect. This is a small token I have prepared. Even if sect master Chu does not wish to form an alliance, the gift has already been given. Let this serve as a gesture of goodwill."

Chu Xuan waved his hand casually, and Hu shot out from behind him, swiftly taking the jade box. It opened, revealing two jade bottles inside.

"Black Dragon Pills, ten of them. Soul Spirit Pills, ten of them. Please, fellow daoist Chu, don't refuse."

Shangguan He smiled, watching closely.

Chapter 377: I Was Just Joking, and You Actually Believed It?

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow immediately. If these pills were presented outside, their value wouldn't be too high. Indeed, it could be considered a mere "token of goodwill." However, within the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, these pills were practically hard currency! Especially the Black Dragon Pills, which helped Nascent Soul cultivators recover Spiritual Qi. In the current battlefield, these were akin to a life-saving trump card for every cultivator.

During a fight, having one more Black Dragon Pill meant an extra boost in Spiritual Qi, potentially allowing a cultivator to cast one more spell, which could turn the tide of the battle. Given this, it was clear that Shangguan He was offering this gift with true sincerity.

Chu Xuan smiled and casually accepted the pills.

"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, no need to be so modest. This is no 'small gift'; this is a great gift indeed. If Fellow Daoist Shangguan wishes to form an alliance, I see no reason to decline. At present, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield has become a place like this. Whether it's the righteous path or the demonic path, we're all trapped in the same cage. We can keep fighting amongst ourselves, but in the end, none of us will escape this prison. Only through unity and true cooperation can we hope to escape."

Shangguan He instantly showed an expression of relief, as though he'd found a kindred spirit.

"I'm glad to hear fellow daoist Chu say that. It truly brings me great comfort. Earlier, Qiu Wanhong wanted to join forces with us to attack the great spirit stone mine. I made it clear what the stakes were, but unfortunately, Qiu Wanhong wouldn't listen and brought about her own demise... Sigh."

Shangguan He paused, then continued, "In the future, if Feiry Sky Cloud Tower comes across any information, we will make sure to inform Heavenly Infinite Sect first. And if we learn that someone is plotting against Heavenly Infinite Sect, we will also pass that on. This, my friend, is what I consider to be an alliance. I'm sure sect master Chu shares the same view?"

Chu Xuan smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"Good. Then I shall take my leave."

Shangguan He cupped his hands once more, then turned and left with Kang Jia. Only after they'd moved far from the great spirit stone mine did Kang Jia speak in a low voice.

"Senior Brother, do we really have to tell Heavenly Infinite Sect everything?"

Shangguan He rolled his eyes. "I was just joking. Did you actually believe it?"

Kang Jia scratched his head. "When I was a Golden Core cultivator, you always warned me that the demonic path is filled with betrayal, while the righteous path always keeps its word."

Shangguan He sighed.

"Little Jia."

Kang Jia looked at him. "Hm?"

Shangguan He patted his shoulder. "I never thought you'd take that seriously."

Kang Jia blinked in confusion. "Shouldn't I believe it?"

Shangguan He nodded. "You should, but only believe a little."

Kang Jia wanted to say something more, but Shangguan He had already used his escape technique and was quickly leaving. He hurried to catch up, deep in thought. The deeply ingrained mindset he had cultivated during years of hard cultivation was beginning to shift because of Shangguan He, this slippery and worldly old man.

However, just as they had flown some distance, they saw two figures coming towards them. The two sides crossed paths, and immediately, they recognized each other's faces.

Shangguan He greeted them with a polite smile.

"Ah, it's fellow daoist Xiao from Red Flame Pavilion, what a pleasant surprise."

That night, not only did Chu Xuan kill Qiu Wanhong and the others, but Cold Ironwood Forest had also been seized by Xiao Xian. Naturally, Shangguan He knew about this too.

Xiao Xian hadn't expected to run into Shangguan He, but he didn't appear embarrassed. Instead, he casually cupped his hands.

"Pleasure to meet you. Where's Fellow Daoist Shangguan coming from? Looking at the direction, it seems like you were near the great spirit stone mine, which is controlled by those demonic cultivators?"

Shangguan He snorted coldly.

"Demonic Dao must be eradicated by all! I had an old connection with fellow daoist Qiu. When fellow daoist Qiu died at the hands of that demonic fiend, I was furious. So, I had a bit of a clash with that demonic cultivator from Heavenly Infinite Sect."

Xiao Xian raised an eyebrow in interest. "Oh? What was the outcome?"

Shangguan He sighed deeply. "In the end, my strength was lacking. If not for junior brother Kang Jia helping me, I would have been buried there with my broken body. Right, Kang Jia? You agree, don't you?"

Kang Jia was still in a daze. At this moment, he quickly recovered and said, "Yes, yes, absolutely."

Xiao Xian smiled ambiguously. "Seems to be just as I thought. I, along with fellow daoist Ximen, am also planning to confront that demonic fiend, to ease fellow daoist Qiu's spirit in the afterlife."

Shangguan He nodded. "Go ahead, but be cautious. That demonic fiend's strength is formidable."

Xiao Xian cupped his hands. "Thank you for the warning, Fellow Daoist Shangguan ."

The four of them brushed past each other.

Shangguan He watched their retreating figures with a cold snort.

Kang Jia whispered, "Are they also going to form an alliance with Chu Xuan?"

"Probably," Shangguan He shook his head. "Everyone's scrambling to offer gifts to Chu Xuan now. Who would dare to offend him?"

"Let's go. We should return and focus on our cultivation, we shouldn't waste time."

...

Three Days Later

Chu Xuan gazed at the eight jade boxes in front of him and immediately broke into a smile. Inside were either precious recovery pills or powerful talismans. There were also two Nascent Soul-level early-stage puppet beasts.

These were the "small gifts" sent by the Nascent Soul cultivators from various sects.

The deaths of Qiu Wanhong and the fallen cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley had made every cultivator realize the strength of Chu Xuan. No one wanted to offend the Sect Leader of Heavenly Infinite Sect.

The demonic cultivators weren't too concerned, as they had always stood on a moral low ground, pointing fingers at others. However, the righteous cultivators were much more cautious in this regard.

In private, they had formed an unbreakable alliance with Heavenly Infinite Sect, but they dared not speak of it openly. After all, the righteous and demonic paths had never been compatible. Even now, when reality forced them to lower their heads, they didn't want other righteous cultivators to know.

Of course, Chu Xuan knew this, and they knew it as well. The so-called "unbreakable alliance" was just an illusion—easily shattered with a single poke. Few would truly regard the alliance as anything substantial.

The gifts they had sent were not even their most precious treasures. The most valuable items remained safely tucked in their own pockets. Not only would they not give them to a stranger, but they were reluctant even to hand them over to their own sect's senior brothers.

"With so many Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley wiped out, the Deity Transformation cultivators from both sides must have noticed by now..." Chu Xuan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

...

Heaven-Nine City

Heavenly River True Master sat quietly in a stone chamber.

The floor of the room was laid with a spiritual gathering array, studded with numerous great spirit stones. This array allowed his cultivation to be maintained at its peak, preventing his level from dropping back to Nascent Soul.

However, as a Deity Transformation cultivator, maintaining his original realm required far more spirit stones than a Nascent Soul cultivator. Even though he controlled a great spirit stone mine and several medium-level spiritual stone mines, he was already stretched thin. He wanted to meditate, but his mind remained restless.

"Ancestor, how long are your plans going to take..." he muttered to himself. "Do we still have a way out?" He sighed deeply in his heart.

Just then, a voice came from outside the stone room.

"Master, the cultivators of Crazy Dragon Valley were annihilated in one night. Not a single Nascent Soul cultivator, including Qiu Wanhong, survived."

Heavenly River True Master raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"Annihilated? By whom?" he asked sharply. "I remember that Crazy Dragon Valley had eight Nascent Soul cultivators enter the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Eight Nascent Souls, not pigs!"

The Nascent Soul cultivator from the Reincarnation Divine Sect outside spoke solemnly, "It was Chu Xuan of Heavenly Infinite Sect."

Chapter 378: Are Cultivators So Clever These Days?

"Chu Xuan?"

Heavenly River True Master mulled over the name, deep in thought. He suddenly recalled that it was Chu Xuan who had annihilated the Mystic Azure Star's Feather Transformation Heaven Palace and taken its place. Because of this person, the Reincarnation Divine Sect lost control of the Mystic Azure Star, a resource-rich cultivation planet, which they had handed over without a fight. He had a vivid memory of that event.

"I remember," he suddenly spoke, "This person previously took control of a great spirit stone mine, right?"

The Nascent Soul cultivator outside the door respectfully nodded, "Yes, that's correct. Qiu Wanhong and the others tried to seize that mine, but they were ultimately defeated by Chu Xuan."

Heavenly River True Master said lightly, "What else?"

The Nascent Soul cultivator continued, "The cultivators from Red Flame Pavilion took advantage of Crazy Dragon Valley's attack on the great spirit stone mine and occupied the Cold Ironwood Forest. They have now taken it as their own."

Heavenly River True Master remained impassive, "Make sure they remember to deliver the Cold Ironwood every month."

The Nascent Soul cultivator bowed, "Understood. Master, as far as I know, many righteous cultivators have secretly formed alliances with that demonic cultivator from Heavenly Infinite Sect..."

Heavenly River True Master replied indifferently, "Ignore them. Over time, they will eventually fight each other over the spirit stones, and those so-called alliances will fall apart."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "Always remember what I have told you. Our enemy will forever be Tian Mozi. As long as he does not act, we should not act either, or we will give him an opening."

The Nascent Soul cultivator nodded respectfully, "Understood, Master. I will take my leave now."

Heavenly River True Master sighed softly, closing his eyes and entering a state of meditation, putting all his concerns aside.

...

"Another peaceful and calm day."

Chu Xuan casually crushed the skull of a Nether Crocodile, sighing slightly. Ever since the news of his killing of Qiu Wanhong spread, no one had dared to trouble him. No one dared to eye the great spirit stone mine either. Now, those brave enough to challenge him were no longer human. They were beasts. Only ancient beasts like the Nether Crocodile and the Dark Nether Falcon would persistently seek trouble with him.

"What a pity."

"ROAR!!"

In the distance, the howl of a corpse puppet echoed through the night.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. That direction led straight to Heaven-Three City. Now, Heaven-Three City was entirely occupied by corpse puppets. Most of these corpse puppets had been left behind by Heavenly Corpse Palace cultivators. There had been a few righteous cultivators who, upon seeing their potential, had tried to subdue some of the puppets for their own use.

After all, corpse puppets didn't consume Spiritual Qi, which made them perfect minions in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, where Spiritual Qi was dwindling. But those few righteous cultivators had all met with failure. Two unlucky guys even perished in Heaven-Three City, without even causing a ripple.

Chu Xuan had no intention of going to Heaven-Three City to subdue the corpse puppets. Currently, the three Corpse Kings under his control were all of his own making, and their loyalty was exceedingly high.

Meanwhile, the corpse puppets in Heaven-Three City were all crafted by Heavenly Corpse Palace cultivators, and they had already undergone a rebellion. Once they tasted the act of devouring their masters, it would only be a matter of time before they did it again. Chu Xuan did not want to plant a ticking time bomb next to him.

"However, it's not a bad idea to let them feast properly. Perhaps it will help them level up."

The corpse puppets in Heaven-Three City were not very powerful. They would make for a perfect snack. The three Corpse King had varying levels of strength. Hu was the strongest, now a Sixth-level Corpse King. Bao followed closely behind, a Third-level Corpse King. Long was the weakest, a Second-level Corpse King. While these levels were enough to deal with ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, there was still a considerable gap compared to Chu Xuan's current strength. It would not do to neglect their progress.

"Let's go. Time for a snack."

With a sweep of his hand, Chu Xuan led the Three Corpse Beasts straight toward Heaven-Three City. The process of feeding was a bloody affair, so there's no need to elaborate.

What surprised Chu Xuan was the fact that there were quite a few Taotie Roots emerging in Heaven-Three City. It seemed the spread of the Taotie Roots was faster than he had anticipated. Another shock came when he noticed that the underground of Heaven-Three City was exuding an unusually strong aura of Yin Qi. None of the nine cities in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield had ever experienced this before.

"It seems that the sudden rebellion of the corpse puppets isn't just related to the decline in strength of the Heavenly Corpse Palace cultivators..."

Chu Xuan rubbed his chin, deep in thought. The intense Yin Qi in this area had significantly enhanced the strength of the corpse puppets, which could explain their rebellion against their masters.

"But where is this Yin Qi coming from?"

Chu Xuan searched for a long time in Heaven-Three City, but the density of Yin Qi seemed to remain constant. He couldn't find its source. Just then, he suddenly noticed a corpse puppet lurking in a dark corner of the city, staring at him.

At first glance, it seemed to be at the strength of a Corpse General, but for some reason, its eyes revealed an ancient and heavy wisdom that was completely unlike that of a typical corpse puppet. If he had to describe it, it was as if an ancient soul was inhabiting the body of a corpse.

The moment Chu Xuan locked eyes with it, a great terror descended upon him. An endless sea of corpse mountains and blood lakes seemed to engulf him. A demonic beast, far larger than the stars, crossed the vast expanse of the galaxy, its massive paw descending to crush him. Finally, there was an endless void of darkness and cold, intent on eradicating all living beings into dust!

This feeling seemed to have lasted a long time, but in reality, it only persisted for an instant. By the time Chu Xuan came to his senses, his body was covered in cold sweat, his scalp tingling, and the hairs on his neck were standing on end. It was a rare sight for a Nascent Soul cultivator to lose composure like this. His instinct screamed at him—this corpse puppet was definitely inhabited by an ancient monster!

Was it targeting him? Did it want to seize his body? Or was it simply curious about him? Should he run? Or should he risk engaging with it?

In that fleeting moment, countless thoughts raced through Chu Xuan's mind. And in that same instant, he decided how to escape.

"This corpse puppet is interesting; its eyes are so full of life. Its potential must be extraordinary."

Chu Xuan muttered to himself, a hint of excitement appearing on his face. He took a step forward, as if intending to approach the corpse puppet. But in the very next moment, he spat out a mouthful of Nascent Soul essence and activated his escape technique!

Ice Crystal Divine Light Escape!

In the blink of an eye, he had soared dozens of zhang away, quickly putting a safe distance between himself and the corpse puppet. As for the three corpse puppets, Chu Xuan immediately sent them a mental command to flee at top speed.

Hu did not hesitate for a moment and immediately turned to flee outside the city. Long, having no mind of his own, simply obeyed his master's command and ran without question. Only Bao hesitated slightly, eyeing the corpse remnants on the ground, tempted by the feast. He lingered for a moment, taking a few more bites before finally running, though it cost him a little time.

"Interesting... are all cultivators so clever these days?"

The voice of the corpse puppet echoed from its mouth, dry and hoarse, as if it had developed an interest in Chu Xuan. With a single step, it appeared behind Chu Xuan in the blink of an eye. Its shriveled, skeletal hand shot forward like a sharp blade, striking directly at Chu Xuan's spirit sense.

In that moment, Chu Xuan felt a terrifying pressure unlike anything he had ever experienced since starting his cultivation journey. The gnarled, hideous hand of the corpse puppet felt as if a massive, divine palm had descended from the heavens. It sealed off any possibility of escape, leaving Chu Xuan no room to flee in any direction!

Chapter 379: Old Monster

The speed of the corpse puppet's palm strike was incredibly fast.

At first glance, it seemed slow, almost leisurely, but in the blink of an eye, it was already about to land on Chu Xuan's head.

There was no time left to summon a magic treasure. He had to rely on his talismans to defend himself first.

Chu Xuan gritted his teeth. Without hesitation, he threw out three Demonic Soul Talismans and fifteen Nascent Soul-grade talismans.

The three Demonic Soul Talismans ignited fiercely, and three soul forms immediately manifested—Qiu Wanhong and the two other Nascent Soul cultivators from Crazy Dragon Valley, whose souls had been extracted by Chu Xuan earlier and sealed inside the talismans, now materialized as Demonic Souls.

The fifteen Nascent Soul-grade talismans quickly transformed into various forces—flames, frost, lightning, and more. Some flew toward the corpse puppet's hand, while others formed shields to protect Chu Xuan. The three Demonic Souls of Qiu Wanhong and his companions bravely charged toward the corpse puppet's palm.

"Looks a little like something from the Demonic Dao."

The corpse puppet sneered faintly.

In the next moment, there was a series of loud explosions as the corpse puppet's palm continued its relentless strike. The three Demonic Souls of Qiu Wanhong were obliterated in less than a breath's time, annihilated into countless fragments of soul energy that vanished without a trace.

As for the fifteen Nascent Soul-grade talismans, they too were shattered into countless light spots in the blink of an eye. Yet the corpse puppet's palm did not falter. It continued its path toward Chu Xuan.

At this moment, Chu Xuan swiftly summoned his magic treasures. With just these two breaths of time, it would be enough. He patted his storage bag, and several magic treasures shot out at once.

The first was a small, jet-black mountain-shaped treasure. As soon as it appeared, it rapidly expanded. Following that were two massive frost crossbows, their bolts of cold light forming rapidly.

Next, a frost-blue bottle landed, releasing a surge of intense cold air. Two flying swords, one a dragon and the other a serpent, followed swiftly, each attacking with deadly precision. Finally, he beckoned, and a black chain shot forward like a bolt of lightning.

After performing all these actions, Chu Xuan clasped his hands behind his back, two powerful spells coalescing in his palms, ready to be released at any moment.

These magic treasures included Iron Peak Mountain, Icy Sun Crossbow, Yin Frost Bottle, Dragon and Serpent Flying Swords, and the Evil Soul Chain. Among them, the Dragon and Serpent Flying Swords had been taken from Qiu Wanhong's storage bag after his death, along with Iron Peak Mountain and the Yin Frost Bottle—all treasures of great power.

Seeing so many top-tier magic treasures appearing simultaneously, the corpse puppet's expression shifted.

"Your soul is unusual. Far more powerful than that of a Nascent Soul cultivator. You can control so many magic treasures at once?"

The corpse puppet was momentarily stunned. It had only just awakened and sought a body to possess, waiting for the right moment. But it never expected the first cultivator it encountered to be so troublesome.

How long had it been asleep? Were all cultivators nowadays this powerful?

Boom!

The corpse puppet's hand collided with the array of magic treasures. A muffled explosion immediately rang out. Iron Peak Mountain was the first to be sent flying, letting out a mournful cry.

Chu Xuan took one glance and knew immediately that the treasure was now covered in cracks and could no longer be used. The two frost crossbow bolts shot from the Frost Sun Crossbow failed to injure the corpse puppet's palm.

However, due to the cold energy from the Yin Frost Bottle, the bolts succeeded in slowing the palm's descent. The Dragon and Serpent Flying Swords slashed toward the corpse puppet's neck from either side, forcing it to raise its other hand to block. But this only lasted a moment. The Dragon and Serpent Flying Swords were immediately sliced into four pieces, losing all their previous luster.

The Evil Soul Chain shot forward, and the weapon soul appeared, roaring as it coiled around the corpse puppet like a furious black serpent. Feeling the immense power within the Evil Soul Chain, the corpse puppet's face finally showed a hint of seriousness.

"Get lost!"

The corpse puppet let out a low growl. A torrent of corpse Qi surged outward. It blasted the Evil Soul Chain away, and cracks appeared on its surface. This was Chu Xuan's fated magic treasure, and its cracks sent a jolt of pain through him. He let out a muffled grunt and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"You surprise me, kid."

A voice filled with doubt echoed from the corpse puppet's mouth.

On the corpse puppet's palm, a fierce surge of corpse Qi began to rise. The foul, decaying stench immediately hit Chu Xuan's senses. Even just a whiff made his body feel as though it was being corrupted.

Chu Xuan immediately began circulating the White Jade Anti-Toxin Art. This was a technique he had developed for poison resistance, capable of neutralizing most toxins. Clearly, corpse poison was among them. But he didn't expect it to hold off much. What mattered now was getting rid of this corpse puppet and escaping with his life.

"It looks like I'll have to use this move..."

Chu Xuan slapped his storage bag, and a small dagger suddenly appeared in his hand.

The Sin Karma Saber. This was the treasure he had obtained after slaying Yun Zhongyu. Although it was only a high-grade magic treasure, it possessed an extraordinary ability: It could convert accumulated merit into the Fire of Sin Karma. The more merit it consumed, the stronger the Fire of Sin Karma became. So, despite being a high-grade magic treasure, in Chu Xuan's hands—who possessed immense merit—it was an extremely potent trump card.

"I've kept this hidden for so long, and only now have I been forced to use it."

Though Chu Xuan felt a twinge of regret, he wasted no time in reversing his merit.

Hum!

A burst of golden light surged from him, instantly transforming into the red-black karma of evil. The seemingly ordinary Sin Karma Saber was quickly ignited by the flames of Sin Karma. Despite being no larger than a palm, the saber expanded to a massive three zhang in an instant, its flames roaring fiercely as if set to burn everything to ash.

The moment merit reversed into Sin Karma, Chu Xuan felt something intangible being drawn from him. It was his merit, along with a portion of his lifespan and fortune. But at this moment, for the sake of survival, he had no choice but to part with them. Merit was precious, but life was more precious. Life only came once. Merit, however, could be accumulated again.

"Go!"

Without another thought, Chu Xuan hurled the Sin Karma Saber forward, then quickly stowed away his magic treasures and fled. At this moment, the corpse puppet's gaze shifted completely.

"So much Sin Karma?!"

It immediately withdrew its palm and dodged, but the Sin Karma Saber seemed to have a life of its own, relentlessly pursuing it. The corpse puppet cast a final glance at Chu Xuan's retreating figure before stepping into the air and darting off in another direction. Karma, even the corpse puppet did not wish to engage with it.

Meanwhile, Chu Xuan continued to consume Nascent Soul essence, performing his escape technique. He raced from Heaven-Three City to Heaven-Five City in one breath. Spotting a cave in the ground, he immediately dove in, using the Lotus Escape Technique to conceal his presence. Only then did the tension in his chest begin to ease.

"That was too close… that old monster is terrifying. I am no match for him."

Chu Xuan sighed deeply. Just then, an ominous feeling suddenly washed over him. His expression changed slightly. He quickly scanned the surroundings and, finding nothing amiss, instinctively turned his attention inward. Then, he immediately noticed something strange with Bao. It seemed as if something was trying to use the soul link between Bao and him to invade his own soul! Clearly, it was yet another move by that corpse puppet!

Without hesitation, Chu Xuan activated the spiritual sense restrictions he had placed on his soul link with Bao. He immediately shattered all the memories in Bao's mind. Then, his spiritual sense manifested as a blade, severing the soul connection between him and Bao with a single, decisive strike.