Demonic Cultivator(380-391) (Patreon)

Chapter 380: I Am Luo Zu

The corpse puppet and the ghosts followed Chu Xuan as he traversed between two realms, learning many hidden secrets. Even a great being of a higher realm, upon discovering such secrets, would undoubtedly go mad. It was very possible that someone of high status would personally come to capture him. As for what would become of Chu Xuan in the end, his fate would surely be tragic.

It was well-known that the corpse puppet had no soul. However, cultivators at higher realms would certainly possess methods to search for the memories of a corpse puppet. Although very few would dare to do so, Chu Xuan could not afford to gamble on such a small possibility.

That was why, long ago, he had placed spiritual sense restrictions on all the corpse puppets and ghosts. Through his spiritual sense connection with them, all he needed was a thought to activate the restrictions and directly destroy the consciousness of the corpse puppets and ghosts. This ensured that his ability to travel between realms would remain undiscovered by anyone.

Chu Xuan severed the soul connection swiftly, but the invasion came even faster. Before he could completely sever the link, a faint trace of spiritual sense entered his soul. The pain, like being pricked by needles, immediately flooded his senses.

Chu Xuan gritted his teeth, quickly wrapping his spiritual sense around the invader's spiritual sense. However, his spiritual sense was clearly far inferior to the opponent's. It was as if a moth was flying into a flame—no matter how much spiritual sense he poured in, it was burned away by the other's power.

But Chu Xuan's advantage lay in the sheer strength of his spiritual sense, which far surpassed others of his realm. The consumption of energy was great, but as long as he invested enough spiritual sense, he could certainly block the other's advance.

This contest lasted for a full two hours. Finally, the other's spiritual sense began to falter, and it was completely consumed by Chu Xuan's spiritual sense.

Hum!

At that moment, Chu Xuan felt a profound sense of relief, as though he had been parched for years and suddenly found a life-saving spring of water. It was as if he had just devoured a large, juicy piece of meat!

He turned inward, examining his soul, and was astonished to find that it had expanded considerably! His soul had grown by at least fifty percent. This meant that the upper limit of his spiritual sense had increased by over fifty percent as well.

With this expansion, he found that his perception of the world had deepened. Things that once seemed obscure and hard to understand now felt simple and clear. This was the effect of a stronger soul.

"Though I've lost many treasures, by a twist of fate, my soul has grown much stronger. There aren't many ways to strengthen the soul."

Chu Xuan exhaled a deep sigh of relief. Perhaps this was the dual nature of fortune and misfortune. Though he had lost his best magic treasures, they could be replaced. Now, in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, spiritual stones were far more valuable than magic treasures. As long as he was alive, he would eventually acquire even more and better treasures

"Such a pity about Bao. He could have been a great asset to me. It's obvious that old monster set its sights on him," Chu Xuan muttered to himself. By cutting off his spiritual sense connection with Bao, it meant that Bao would die and become nothing more than a shell.

"However, it's no big deal. The Heavenly Corpse Tower holds plenty of corpses from body-refining cultivators. I can just pick one and refine it. It won't be long before I have another lively corpse king."

After waiting a while for Hu and Long to return, Chu Xuan immediately set off toward Blue Star. There was no time to waste in the Sky Gold Battlefield!

Meanwhile, at Heaven-Three City, Bao stood up again. His eyes were no longer the clear, naive ones of before. Now, they were heavy and aged, filled with a deep, ancient wisdom. The corpse puppet he had originally occupied had been discarded carelessly.

"This corpse puppet is quite impressive. It actually has a spiritual root within," Bao's voice echoed with a faint smile. "That little cultivator is interesting. He actually sensed that I was trying to take over his body through the corpse puppet and his master's spiritual connection. This corpse king must be quite valuable to him. He gave it up so decisively. Quite a character."

While Bao spoke those words, he clearly wasn't overly concerned about Chu Xuan. Instead, he began to move in his newly acquired body, cracking and popping as his bones shifted and realigned. After a long while, a look of confusion appeared on his face.

"But... who am I? What should I do? Why have I woken up?"

He frowned, deep in thought. His previous urge to possess Chu Xuan had been a mere instinct. Now, as he settled into this new body, all kinds of questions began to flood his mind, causing his thoughts to become scattered. He tried to remember, but only fragmented memories surfaced, while the rest remained locked away in ancient recollections that were difficult to access.

"Luo Zu… that's right, many people used to call me Luo Zu. So, I must be Luo Zu. It seems I didn't awaken at the right time."

He wandered around Heaven-Three City, and upon seeing the Greedy Fang Tree's roots, he suddenly stopped.

"What an odd tree root. It carries a familiar aura."

He reached out a hand and easily pierced the roots of the tree, as if slicing through tofu. The Taotie Tree immediately trembled violently but did not dare resist.

"So, your name is Taotie Tree, now I know. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do, but I know I must go somewhere. Where… where is it? The Eternal Battlefield! Yes, that's it, The Eternal Battlefield! Given my current strength, going to the Eternal Battlefield is too dangerous. How can I quickly increase my strength…?"

Luo Zu's heart stirred as his gaze shifted toward the underground beneath Heaven-Three City. Suddenly, he stamped his foot on the ground, and something seemed to respond to his summons from below, rising toward the surface.

In the blink of an eye, the earth cracked open violently. The sturdy city walls of Heaven-Three City shattered like fragile glass, breaking apart into countless fragments of stone and rubble.

From the ground emerged a dark, sinister palace. The palace's surface was scarred and worn, and even one of the massive stone pillars at its entrance had been severed. The plaque that once hung above the entrance had vanished without a trace.

Despite the damage, the palace exuded an aura of ancient, vast power, as though it were the very source of all evil in the world, the sacred ground where all demonic sects should gather.

"This palace... seems to be mine," Luo Zu mused aloud. "It craves nourishment, and I too am hungry. This works out perfectly."

After thinking for a moment, Luo Zu flew into the depths of the palace.

Immediately, a vast and oppressive aura erupted, radiating from the heart of the palace and sweeping out in all directions. The air itself seemed to ripple with the force of this presence. Anyone within the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, no matter what they were doing, suddenly paused and looked up, their gazes instinctively drawn toward Heaven-Three City.

For those closer to the city, the sound of violent tremors echoed through the air. The land itself groaned, signaling either the emergence of a monster or the appearance of a powerful treasure. Whatever it was, anyone bold enough to take a risk was sure to gain something extraordinary. Those too timid to act would be forever stuck at their current level, living out their lives in mediocrity until they were nothing but dust.

As the shockwave continued to spread, cultivators immediately made their way toward Heaven-Three City. Those who had seen the palace with their own eyes were stunned by its ancient and malevolent nature. It was unlike anything they had ever encountered. The news of this event quickly spread across the Sky Gold Battlefield, igniting fear and excitement in the hearts of many.

Even Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi, two Deity Transformation cultivators, were shaken. They immediately departed from Heaven-Nine City and Heaven-One City, rushing to the scene to investigate.

Chapter 381: I Fear You Will Die Inside

That day, Chu Xuan met with Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji. Shang Xingchen brought several unsettling pieces of news. The first was that the tree roots had become even more numerous.

At first, they had only appeared around the city, but now they were visible everywhere. Although the newly sprouted roots were still weak, they grew at an astonishing rate. In just a day or two of neglect, they would become incredibly tough. Even the spells of Nascent Soul cultivators could not harm them in the slightest. The second piece of news was even more disturbing: these roots had begun to control corpses.

"I specifically brought one with me," Shang Xingchen said gravely, tossing something onto the ground.

Chu Xuan focused on it.

It was pitch black, small in size, and covered in scales—Nether Crocodile. However, this Nether Crocodile had a massive sword wound across its waist, splitting its body clean in two. Yet now, a thin root had begun to wriggle through the cut, sewing the two halves back together like a fine thread.

The dead Nether Crocodile stood again, revived by the roots. Its aggression was even fiercer than before. No sooner had it landed than it lunged viciously at Wei Ji.

Shang Xingchen was prepared. With a sharp pull of his chain, he tightly bound the strange creature.

"This is what other cultivators have seen too," Shang Xingchen said in a low voice. "They call these creatures 'Wood Corpses.' These Wood Corpses are highly aggressive, far surpassing ancient beasts in their bloodlust. They attack without hesitation, showing no fear of anyone."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly.

This must be the work of the Taotie Tree controlling the corpses. Its purpose… perhaps to use these Wood Corpses to absorb more nutrients.

The Nether Crocodile, now under the control of the Taotie Tree, had only the strength of a Golden Core cultivator in its resurrected form. But as time passed, its power might grow stronger.

Shang Xingchen raised three fingers and spoke somberly. "The third piece of news: Heaven-Three City has vanished, and a pitch-black palace now stands in its place."

Wei Ji added, "We went to observe from a distance. The palace exudes a sinister aura—its presence is unmistakably linked to the demonic path."

Chu Xuan's mind wandered as he considered their words. Recalling the events in Heaven-Three City, a sense of lingering dread filled him. He had no doubt that this sudden appearance of the Dark Palace was connected to the old monster.

Wei Ji couldn't help but mutter, "That Dark Palace—it's clearly the work of a demonic giant. If we could find something inside…"

He displayed a look of longing.

The treasures left behind by demonic giants—be it techniques, secret arts, pills, talismans, or magic treasures—were all invaluable. Even the inheritance of the demonic path itself was a rare and precious find. How could he not be excited?

However, Shang Xingchen did not lose his composure. Even if there were treasures, one still needed the life to claim them. When the Nether Dao Sect's Ghost Palace emerged, his elder brother, Shang Tianjue, had used this very tactic to absorb the souls and flesh of countless cultivators. As someone who had been through it, he would not rashly venture into an unknown place. Who knew whether they were walking into a treasure trove brimming with riches, or a blood-soaked mouth waiting to devour the unwary?

"So, what about it, Sect Master? Will you go?" Wei Ji asked eagerly.

Chu Xuan shook his head. "I'm not skilled in combat spells. I won't be going."

Wei Ji was taken aback.

It's fine to lie to your buddies, but don't lie to yourself!

He couldn't help but ask again, "Really not going?"

Chu Xuan replied firmly, "Not going. I truly am not good at fighting."

Wei Ji's expression tightened in disbelief.

If you're not good at combat spells, what does that make me? Should I just find a rock and bash my head into it?

Shang Xingchen couldn't help but study Chu Xuan for a moment, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He suddenly spoke. "Both Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi Daoist plan to enter that Dark Palace. We shouldn't get involved. Better not end up as stepping stones for them. Fellow Daoist Wei, you shouldn't go either."

Wei Ji was taken aback. "But I want to go! I'm not like the two of you—my talent isn't as good. If I want to break through to Deity Transformation, I need to seize every opportunity."

Shang Xingchen shook his head. "You cannot go. I fear you will die inside."

Wei Ji stared, stunned.

Why won't you go, but still won't let me go? Afraid I'll die inside? Since when did you suddenly care so much about me? How oddly heartwarming.

Shang Xingchen said calmly, "If you die in there, who will repair the damaged puppets?"

Wei Ji sighed. "…I knew it."

In the end, after Shang Xingchen persuaded him with both reasoning and emotion, Wei Ji reluctantly chose to stay behind at the base, avoiding this perilous venture.

The Medium Spiritual Stone Mine.

"Senior Brother, so many people are going—shouldn't we join them?" Kang Jia asked, puzzled.

Shangguan He shook his head firmly. "We absolutely cannot go."

Kang Jia couldn't help but speak up. "That Dark Palace is clearly the work of a demonic giant. If a demonic cultivator gets their hands on the inheritance, won't we be in danger? Heavenly River True Master entered that palace for the very reason—he couldn't let the demonic cultivators take the legacy, even if he couldn't claim it himself."

Shangguan He shook his head again. "Remember this: only those who know how to conceal their brilliance and bide their time can survive until the very end. We don't go now, but that doesn't mean we won't go in the future."

Kang Jia blinked, seemingly understanding his words.

Shangguan He continued, "However, others may have the same thoughts, so we must act. We must pretend that we're really not going."

...

The Cold Iron Wood Forest.

"I plan to venture into it. Who knows, there may be some gains. If I can obtain a Deity Transformation spiritual item, this life will have a real chance at the Deity Transformation path! Fellow Daoist Ximen, would you be willing to join me?"

Xiao Xian's eyes gleamed.

Ximen Changqing shifted uneasily, finally offering a wry smile. "I have always loved the Way of Tea, not combat. I will not go. If Fellow Daoist Xiao survives, I will lend you a helping hand."

Xiao Xian nodded solemnly. "Alright, I will go!"

...

The same scene unfolded across the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Some were eager to go; others were reluctant. Some truly did not wish to go. Others pretended reluctance, secretly hoping to reap the rewards from the back.

However, both the Deity Transformation cultivators—Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi Daoist—had coincidentally entered the Dark Palace. For them, maintaining their Deity Transformation cultivation was becoming increasingly difficult. If they fell back to the Nascent Soul stage, they would be no different from other cultivators.

At that point, there would be no trace left of their Deity Transformation aura. They held vast amounts of pills, spiritual stones, and treasures—things that would surely attract the covetous eyes of other cultivators, resulting in coordinated attacks.

The sudden appearance of the Dark Palace provided them with an opportunity. An opportunity to continue suppressing other Nascent Soul cultivators. Moreover, they dared not gamble on whether the Dark Palace harbored an opportunity or a risk.

What if it was an opportunity, and other cultivators seized it? That would be a huge loss for them. What if it was a risk? As Deity Transformation cultivators, they were less likely to be caught in danger compared to Nascent Soul cultivators. All these factors combined, forcing them to go.

Chapter 382: The Heavenly Corpse Tower Shall Be Your Home!

Blue Star.

Chu Xuan raised the Heavenly Corpse Tower. A flash of black light. A new corpse puppet stood before him.

The Heavenly Corpse Tower contained its own corpse-refining pool, which only required the addition of corpse refining liquid. From there, the tower would automatically refine the corpse without any further intervention from him.

Moreover, with the cultivators who had delivered themselves to him, all of them were now settled inside the Heavenly Corpse Tower.

So, Chu Xuan was never lacking in corpses. Especially the corpses of body-refining cultivators.

Aside from a portion that had been consumed by the Three Corpses, the rest were kept. Now, they were perfectly suited for further refinement.

The corpse puppet standing before him had been crafted from the corpse of Beitang Han, a cultivator from the Reincarnation Divine Sect, who had reached the Nascent Soul late stage.

"You were a body-refining cultivator at the thirty-second layer of the Body Refining Realm, with Nascent Soul late-stage Qi Refining cultivation. Now, with a fresh start, your strength shouldn't decrease too much," Chu Xuan muttered as he cast an identification spell. His eyes lit up immediately.

First-tier Corpse King! Top-tier aptitude!

"My luck's not bad. It's been a while since I last refined a corpse, and the first one I produce is top-tier."

Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. A first-tier Corpse King, with a bit more blood and flesh, would quickly reach its peak. For other demonic cultivators, obtaining high-quality blood and flesh was a difficult issue. This was also the reason why their corpse puppets often backfired.

But for Chu Xuan, it was not a problem. What he lacked the least was blood and flesh.

"From now on, you'll be called Bao. Eat well, sleep well, and feel free to eat. The Heavenly Corpse Tower is your home!"

Chu Xuan casually inserted a spiritual sense seal into its mind, issuing a simple command.

"Roar! Roar!"

The corpse puppet let out a few excited growls, accepting its new identity. With Bao now fully formed, Chu Xuan began to think about the current situation. That Dark Palace was certainly no place for casual exploration. The cultivators entering the palace this time were highly likely to suffer massive casualties. Perhaps even those two Deity Transformation cultivators would be heavily wounded—or even face death. By all rights, this should have been a prime opportunity to collect corpses. But…

"That old monster is far too powerful. Venturing too close to the palace may trigger unwanted consequences. It's better to avoid getting too close. He must have his own matters to attend to after waking from such a long slumber. After he leaves, I can sneak in and pick up the spoils. For now, it's better to focus on raising my own cultivation to the ninth level of Nascent Soul. Only then can I start cultivating the Secret Method of Soul Transformation."

With his plans decided, Chu Xuan immediately retrieved a large quantity of Ice Spirit Crystals from Soul Star and sat cross-legged to meditate and refine. At the same time, he simultaneously submerged his spiritual sense into the Myriad Realm Mirror, arriving in the Cave World.

It had been a long time since he had paid attention to the Cave World. The last time, it seemed that Lie Xin had carefully selected a batch of young men and women to be sent to the royal palace of the Myriad Insects Kingdom. He wondered how things were progressing now?

...

Cave World.

Lie Xin buried her head in her work, dealing with the mountain of paperwork that seemed to grow larger by the minute. Suddenly, she was seized by a violent coughing fit. She opened her hand and was greeted by a large, dark pool of bloodstained phlegm.

Lie Xin shook her head with a sigh. "Such a pity. The Longevity Wine can extend my life, but it cannot cure the lingering pain left by the spider venom."

Her mind drifted back to the war five years ago.

The Wild Spider Tribe, a large faction under the Myriad Insects Kingdom, had revolted against the exorbitant taxes imposed on them. With the instigation of the Heavenly Cave Kingdom, they rebelled.

The ruler of the Myriad Insects Kingdom ordered surrounding tribes to form an army to suppress the rebellion and bring the Wild Spider Tribe to heel. The Fire Ant Tribe, long in conflict with the Wild Spider Tribe and geographically the closest, became the backbone of the counter-rebellious force without hesitation.

Lie Xin, as a key figure in the tribe, had no choice but to join the fray. The Wild Spider Tribe had been planning their revolt for a long time. In the beginning, the counter-rebellious army was forced into retreat, suffering heavy casualties.

The Fire Ant Tribe had to step forward and turn the tide of battle. After much struggle, they finally delivered a crushing blow to the Wild Spider Tribe, and the counter-rebellious army shifted from defense to offense.

However, things took a turn for the worse when the Fire Ant Tribe's insect masters attacked a mid-sized tribe under the Wild Spider Tribe's control. They were surrounded, resulting in disastrous losses.

Lie Xin was ambushed by the Wild Spider Tribe's chieftain and was struck by a lethal spider venom. Although the counter-rebellious army arrived in time to slay the chieftain, the venom had already seeped into her bones. Even though the ruler of the Myriad Insects Kingdom granted her precious elixirs, it was impossible to rid her of the poison.

As she recalled the battle, a furrow appeared between Lie Xin's brows. "We were trapped in that encirclement. It's very likely the ruler intended it that way. That ruler may seem indifferent to the affairs of the court, obsessed with the Dao of Alchemy, but he's far from the fool he appears to be…"

Lie Xin murmured softly. "It's time to decide on a successor. I can't allow the tribe to fall into endless disputes over the position of chieftain, as my father did when he suddenly passed."

She paced back and forth in her room, and after a moment, wrote two letters.

She then spoke in a low voice, "Come in."

At once, a figure entered the room, kneeling before her. "What orders do you have, Elder?"

After the merger of the Fire Ant Tribe and the Holy Ant Tribe, both tribes were jointly managed by the chieftains of the Fire Ant Tribe, Lie Qing, and the Holy Ant Tribe, Sheng Ying.

Lie Xin had been promoted to the position of Grand Elder of the Fiery Holy Ant Tribe.

Lie Xin spoke calmly, "Deliver these two letters to the royal palace and personally hand them over to Lie Xiao and Lie Chen. If the royal guard wishes to inspect them, let them do so."

"Understood, I will deliver them immediately."

...

Ten days later.

Lie Xin met with Lie Xiao and Lie Chen.

Lie Xiao, with his exceptional looks, physique, talent, and intellect, had been favored by many royal princesses. In the end, the ruler of the Myriad Insects Kingdom had betrothed him to the most beloved of the three royal princesses. Lie Chen, on the other hand, had been very close to the Ninth Princess, and they were soon to marry.

Lie Xin scrutinized the two men before her.

Lie Xiao was still tall and handsome, his demeanor as carefree as ever, unchanged from his younger days. Lie Chen, on the other hand, retained his delicate, scholar-like appearance. No one could ever tell what thoughts were hidden behind his lowered gaze.

Lie Xin studied them both for a long while before finally speaking. "Xiao'er, Chen'er, I'm getting old. The position of chieftain of the Fiery Holy Ant Tribe… which of you is willing to take it?"

Both Lie Xiao and Lie Chen were astute individuals. They had long known that Lie Qing and Sheng Ying were mere puppets. The true ruler of the Fiery Holy Ant Tribe was none other than the Grand Elder, Lie Xin. Whoever became chieftain was a matter of Lie Xin's will.

Lie Xiao and Lie Chen exchanged a glance.

Lie Xiao thumped his chest and declared loudly, "Though I have entered the royal palace, if you need me, I will return at once!"

Lie Chen, however, did not respond immediately. Instead, he asked, "If we take over the Fiery Holy Ant Tribe, what is it that you need from us?"

Lie Xin regarded him with approval, pausing for a long while before answering deliberately, "Do you believe, in this world, there is a way to enhance yao insects?"

Lie Xiao and Lie Chen both froze for a moment.

Enhance yao insects?

Lie Xiao shook his head firmly.

Lie Chen, however, nodded thoughtfully. "The world is vast, and there are many wonders. I believe it is possible."

Lie Xin smiled faintly. "Do you believe, then, that there is a method to prolong life?"

This time, both men shook their heads.

Lie Xin took out a shattered mirror, speaking calmly, "This contains everything. Methods to enhance yao insects, methods to prolong life, and even... the method to open additional Insect Orifices!"

Chapter 383: Ghost Shadow Worm

Lie Xiao and Lie Chen's breath caught in their throats. A method to open additional Insect Orifices?! Was this some kind of ancient scripture? In all three of the great tribal nations, such a technique could not possibly exist.

Lie Xin saw the disbelief in their eyes. She spoke calmly, "When I first began, I only had two Insect Orifices. Now, I have four, becoming a Platinum Insect Master. It was all due to the techniques provided by the Magic Mirror—the Orifice Opening Scripture and the Great Orifice Opening Scripture.

The Magic Mirror can even offer me a better Earth Orifice Sutra, allowing me to open the fifth Insect Orifice and approach the realm of Diamond Insect Master. However, the Magic Mirror is not always so generous.

It requires a method of cultivating yao insects, and its appetite grows ever larger. Now, I must acquire a cultivation technique that can nurture yao insects to the Diamond level to satisfy its hunger. My life is short, and I will never see that day."

Lie Xin turned her gaze toward the two men. "You two are the ones I have chosen. Are you willing to take on my legacy?"

Lie Xiao bowed his head seriously. "I am willing!"

Lie Chen nodded. "I am also willing, but I do not need to take the position of chieftain. I do not need this mirror either. I will remain in the royal palace, and Xiao'er can return to take the position of chieftain. This will be better for the tribe's development."

Lie Xin looked at him with a look of approval. In this moment, it was just as it had been in the past. When her father, Lie Zhao, had wished for her to return, she too had chosen to stay within the Holy Ant Tribe. Because she knew, only by staying there could she make the greatest impact.

Lie Xiao looked at his brother in surprise. "You don't want such a valuable thing as the mirror?"

Lie Chen smiled. "I fear I may not be able to control it, and it would lead me instead."

Lie Xiao scratched his nose. "Then I'll take it!"

He extended his hand and accepted the leather pouch that Lie Xin passed to him. Inside the pouch was what they referred to as the Magic Mirror.

Lie Xin regarded the two of them with admiration for a long while, before speaking.

"Lie Xiao, stay by my side for a time and learn how to handle the affairs of the tribe. Lie Chen, return to the royal palace and report this matter to the country's ruler. Tell him that my life is nearing its end, and I have reluctantly chosen Lie Xiao as my successor. I hope the ruler will grant his approval."

Lie Xiao and Lie Chen both nodded respectfully. "Yes."

Chu Xuan quietly observed everything, nodding slightly to himself. Once again, he had witnessed the succession of hosts from one generation to the next. It all started with Xiao Huo, then Lie Yong, followed by Lie Zhao, Lie Xin, and now, Lie Xiao. As he thought back, a small smile tugged at his lips.

Xiao Huo had truly been underwhelming. Despite having such a hardworking and selfless "old grandfather" by his side, he had barely made any progress.

Now, with Lie Xin having already chosen her successor, Chu Xuan did not involve himself further. He withdrew his spiritual sense and turned his focus inward.

The Black Palace would likely yield no results in the short term, so he could use this time to focus entirely on breaking through to Nascent Soul, Level Nine.

The seasons passed, and in the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed since his arrival on Blue Star.

For all that time, Chu Xuan had remained in seclusion within the cave's training room. The floor of the room was covered in large spirit stones, so many that it seemed the entire floor had been embedded with them. Even the Deity Transformation cultivators like Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi Daoist would gasp at such extravagance. It was undeniably lavish!

Yet, despite sitting motionless for two decades, Chu Xuan's body had not accumulated a speck of dust. With his cultivation level, he had long since transcended such trivial concerns. A small bit of dust would never touch him.

At a certain moment, the aura within Chu Xuan's body suddenly surged, rising at an alarming rate. It was like a volcano, built up over millennia, suddenly finding an outlet to release its pent-up energy.

In an instant, the aura exploded forth, surging uncontrollably.

Boom!

In this very moment, his energy soared through the roof, breaking through the final barrier without any surprise.

Nascent Soul, Level Nine!

His eyes snapped open, revealing a look of deep satisfaction. Finally, he had reached Nascent Soul, Level Nine. At last, he could begin training the secret technique of the Soul Transformation Method!

Chu Xuan immediately took out a jade slip embedded with spiritual sense. This jade slip contained the Three Turns Soul Transformation Secret Method.

This method required a symbiosis between the Ghost Shadow Worm and Nascent Soul. Through the worm's three stages of transformation, Nascent Soul would be condensed, thus increasing the chances of breaking through to Deity Transformation.

However, the Ghost Shadow Worm was an ancient, rare insect that fed on shadows. It was likely extinct by now, lost to the annals of history.

Chu Xuan had, however, acquired a cocoon of the Ghost Shadow Worm during a trading session at the Cold Iron Wood Forest market from Kang Jia. It had yet to hatch, and he had been waiting for the right moment. He took out the purple-black cocoon and began to channel his spiritual Qi into it to hasten its maturation.

Before long, a plump, purple worm no larger than a thumb wriggled out of the cocoon. Its small eyes warily observed Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan pressed a drop of his essence blood into the air, and the Ghost Shadow Worm immediately scurried over to devour it. In a short time, the worm lay contentedly in the palm of Chu Xuan's hand, no longer on guard at all.

Chu Xuan casually summoned a zombie, bringing it before him. As the sunlight fell upon the zombie, its shadow stretched across the ground.

At that moment, the Ghost Shadow Worm sprang into action, leaping with remarkable speed and began voraciously devouring the zombie's shadow.

Such a tiny creature, yet it consumed most of the zombie's shadow in one go. It was quite strange, really.

The zombie, once lively and moving, now appeared wilted and drained, much like a cucumber deprived of water, sagging lifelessly.

"Your bloodline might not be as pure as the Ghost Shadow Worm's, but it still carries its essence," Chu Xuan murmured, watching the worm devour the shadow. "Even if it can't increase the success rate by the threefold stated in the Soul Transformation Method, even a one or two percent increase would still be a significant gain."

He gently petted the Ghost Shadow Worm, feeling a sense of profound hope within his palm. It was not just a worm—this was the key to his breakthrough into Deity Transformation!

"Eat as much as you like, feast to your heart's content. There are more shadows here than you can consume, and no righteous cultivator will come to stop you," Chu Xuan said with a faint smile.

The worm seemed to understand his words and devoured the shadow with even more enthusiasm. Not long after, the zombie's shadow was completely consumed. With a dull thud, the zombie collapsed to the ground, its body intact but devoid of any breath or life.

Chu Xuan waved his hand, and one of his corpse puppets swiftly approached, lifting the lifeless zombie and tossing it into the zombie farm. He immediately brought in another lively zombie to replace the last one.

The Ghost Shadow Worm eagerly continued to feast on the fresh shadow, clearly reveling in its meal. It felt like it had stumbled upon a paradise of worms!

Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. This method provided a new, practical use for zombies—truly a case of making the most out of everything. The Ghost Shadow Worm continued to consume the shadows of three hundred zombies before finally showing signs of weariness and pausing.

A day passed, and the worm began to excrete a violet-colored, viscous substance from its mouth, preparing to form its cocoon.

Chu Xuan was elated. He immediately surrounded the worm with his Spiritual Qi and placed it in his Dantian, fusing it directly into his Nascent Soul.

The worm was confused.

"I want to cocoon," it thought, "Why have you stuffed me here?"

But it couldn't make sense of it, so it simply decided to continue with its task. As it continued excreting the substance to form its cocoon, the fact that it had merged with Chu Xuan's Nascent Soul meant that the entire Nascent Soul was also encased within the cocoon.

Thus, the first step of the Three Turns Soul Transformation Secret Method had been successfully achieved. Now, it was only a matter of waiting for the worm to break free from its cocoon.

Once it did, Chu Xuan's Nascent Soul would undergo its first refinement. Not only would the form of the Nascent Soul grow larger and more solid, but the potency of the Nascent Soul essence it released would also slightly increase!

Chapter 384: Dark Palace

In the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, Chu Xuan took a single step and returned to the Great Spirit Stone mine. He inhaled deeply and immediately felt the concentration of Spiritual Qi drop again. It had fallen to about one percent of its original level, nearly matching the Spiritual Qi concentration of Blue Star.

In such an environment, a cultivator's Spiritual Qi would drain away quickly. The higher the cultivation, the faster the depletion. It was like a diffusion effect—Spiritual Qi naturally flowed from areas of higher concentration to lower, seeking balance between the internal and external environments. It was likely that most Nascent Soul cultivators had already fallen back to the Golden Core stage, or even lower!

Chu Xuan couldn't help but imagine the sight of Nascent Soul cultivators whose powers had regressed to the Foundation Establishment stage. It was hard to fathom how they would fare. After a moment's contemplation, he activated the Lotus Escape Technique, suppressing his cultivation to the mid-Golden Core stage.

That was about right. If he were too high, he would draw attention. If he were too low, he would be underestimated. The mid-Golden Core stage was perfect.

Chu Xuan flipped his palm, revealing the Heart-Linking Stone. It was the appearance of cracks on the stone's surface that had prompted him to return to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. He immediately made his way toward the prearranged meeting point, where he was to meet with Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji.

Before he could reach his destination, he felt the ground shaking violently beneath his feet.

"As expected, something big is happening."

Could it be the Dark Palace?

Chu Xuan frowned. Shang Xingchen had told him previously that the Dark Palace had emerged from underground, causing a powerful seismic disturbance. It was this continual shaking of the earth that had drawn the attention of cultivators.

Before long, he arrived at the meeting spot, where Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji were already waiting. Both seemed to have abandoned any thoughts of testing one another. Their expressions were serious as they looked toward Chu Xuan.

Shang Xingchen spoke first. "It's been two years, and the Dark Palace has finally shown some movement."

Wei Ji quickly added, "I noticed that the Dark Palace seems to have risen about three feet compared to two years ago."

Chu Xuan's brow arched slightly. "Three feet? Let's go take a look."

If the palace had risen by three feet, it must have expanded significantly from its underground position. Did this mean the palace had a subterranean portion as well?

Was this a good sign or a bad one? Time to find out.

The three of them ran at full speed, their footsteps echoing through the barren terrain. At this moment, they paid no heed to the consumption of Spiritual Qi. Reaching a vantage point near the palace to assess the situation was their immediate priority. From there, they could decide whether to strike opportunistically or make a quick retreat.

After a short while, the trio arrived at a small hill on the eastern side of the Dark Palace. The hill was barren, devoid of cover, offering a clear view of the surroundings. It was positioned a little over a hundred zhang from the palace, close enough for them to see the palace clearly with their naked eyes, even without relying on Spiritual Qi.

Chu Xuan scanned the area, noting that several others, including Shangguan He, Kang Jia, and Ximen Changqing, had also arrived. They had all kept their distance, observing the scene from afar, their hearts filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement. It was akin to a groom waiting to enter the bridal chamber, yet unsure what his bride would look like—would she be gentle and delicate, or would she have a broad frame and sharp features?

Chu Xuan focused on the Dark Palace for a long moment, then murmured, "This palace is indeed rising from the ground at a visible rate."

Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji exchanged a glance, their expressions full of doubt. They couldn't make sense of what was happening either.

Moments later, the heavy stone doors of the Dark Palace suddenly creaked open. Figures seemed to have been waiting for this moment, as they shot out from the palace as if propelled by some unseen force.

At the forefront were Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi, followed by several Nascent Soul cultivators—Xiao Xian, Su Jue, Dong Qi, and others. However, these figures appeared somewhat disheveled, and their usual majestic bearing was nowhere to be seen.

Especially Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi—both were covered in rags, their robes torn and bloodied. Their appearances gave no hint that they were once mighty Deity Transformation cultivators. Their auras had clearly plummeted, now closer to the early Nascent Soul stage.

Chu Xuan observed their expressions carefully. There was fear in their eyes—something was pursuing them, forcing them to flee. Then, a monstrous ghostly hand suddenly shot out from the darkness.

This hand was enormous, stretching over twenty zhang in length. It was thin and skeletal, covered in a deep, unsettling black. Its fingers were adorned with needle-like hairs, like steel needles jutting out. The nails were longer than an entire finger joint, and the spaces between its fingers were filthy, indicating it hadn't been cleaned in ages.

The palm of the hand seemed to possess an immense pulling force. No matter how Su Jue and Dong Qi struggled to escape, they couldn't evade its reach.

With a single motion, the ghostly hand clenched around them.

Crack!

Both were immediately crushed, their bodies shattered into nothing. The hand casually tossed their remains into the Dark Palace.

A chilling, spine-tingling sound followed—an awful crunching noise, as if the body parts were being chewed. Every cultivator present could hear it clearly, the sickening sound reverberating in their minds.

Heavenly River True Master and Tian Mozi, their faces pale, finally seemed to relax slightly. As long as the ghostly hand didn't attack them, they were safe—for now.

Neither Tian Mozi nor Heavenly River True Master dared to hesitate for even a moment. They expelled Nascent Soul essence in quick succession, hoping to speed up their escape. However, as they did, their faces visibly paled, wrinkles deepened, and the toll of overexerting themselves became painfully apparent.

Just as they thought they might have a chance to break free, a thick, oppressive stench of death suddenly swept from the depths of the Dark Palace. In the blink of an eye, it expanded to cover a hundred-zhang radius, leaving the air heavy and suffocating.

Tian Mozi and Heavenly River True Master's expressions shifted immediately. They hadn't managed to escape yet! Then, a chilling, mocking laughter echoed from within the palace.

"Deity Transformation cultivators are far more appetizing than Nascent Soul cultivators," the voice sneered. "How could I let you escape?"

The deathly energy coalesced into a monstrous net that stretched across the sky, descending upon them with crushing force.

Tian Mozi's face paled even further. Without hesitation, he threw several spirit tools to block the incoming attack. But realizing the futility, he abandoned his physical body, wrapping his Nascent Soul around his divine consciousness and fled at full speed.

Heavenly River True Master, however, hesitated for a moment. His physical body, cultivated over a thousand years, was something no one would willingly abandon. Unlike Tian Mozi, who could possess a corpse puppet and return to life in another form, Heavenly River True Master didn't have such an option.

With gritted teeth, Heavenly River True Master tossed out his prized spiritual artifact. A massive, azure-blue urn unfolded in midair, and a torrent of seawater surged forth from it, aiming to push back the deadly death net.

Heavenly River True Master had encountered this deathly energy before in the Dark Palace and understood its power. He didn't expect to break through the net, only to slow its encroachment and buy himself some time to escape. But he gravely underestimated the power of the death net.

The seawater, once pure and azure, was rapidly tainted by the suffocating death energy. It turned a sickly, gray-black color as it churned in the urn, the life force of the water being swallowed up by the poisonous air.

The corrupted seawater surged back into the urn, and in a moment of agonizing silence, the urn itself began to groan under the strain. The faint consciousness it had once possessed began to fade away, swiftly snuffed out.

Crack!

Cracks formed across the urn's surface, splintering it under the overwhelming pressure. In Heavenly River True Master's horrified gaze, the urn shattered completely!

Pfft!

His life force drained as the destruction of his artifact tore into him. Blood gushed from his mouth as his flight speed dramatically dropped.

Instinctively, he tried to withdraw his Nascent Soul and divine consciousness to escape, but it was too late.

The deathly net had already descended upon him like a predator ensnaring its prey. It tightened around him with a deadly precision and dragged him into the dark recesses of the palace.

Crunch… Crunch…

The horrifying sound of chewing echoed again—this time, it didn't come from the front, but it seemed to vibrate deep within their souls.

Chapter 385: Sect Master, Save Me

Chu Xuan watched in silence as Heavenly River True Master was swiftly consumed by the Dark Palace. The entire scene unfolded before him like a nightmare. A chill of foreboding surged within him.

He didn't hesitate for even a second—without turning back, he began to retreat. The sensation of that ghostly hand and the suffocating death aura was all too familiar, reminiscent of the old monster he had encountered in Heaven-Three City. His instincts proved true—the Dark Palace was connected to that old monster!

Thank goodness, he had always been cautious, never one to venture into the unknown. Had he been reckless, he would have already fallen prey.

Seeing Chu Xuan's swift retreat, Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji exchanged a quick glance before immediately employing their own escape techniques. Not far away, the faces of Shangguan He, Kang Jia, and others had turned ashen. Without a moment's hesitation, they turned and fled.

This place was another trap—there was no time to waste.

"Since you've come all this way, why not stay for a while? Join me in my belly. How delightful it will be!"

The voice that echoed from the Dark Palace was grotesque, a chilling, malicious laugh that sent shivers down the spine.

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet trembled violently again. From the depths of the earth, massive tree roots shot out like serpents, twisting and coiling as they struck at the fleeing cultivators.

Chu Xuan's brows twitched involuntarily. Without a moment's thought, he flickered into motion, narrowly avoiding one of the tree roots that swung toward him with terrifying speed.

Boom!

The massive root slammed down where he had stood just moments ago, creating a deep ravine in the earth—more than three zhang deep. The ground, which had been solid and hardened over hundreds of thousands of years, was torn apart as if it were paper.

The surrounding landscape, formed by the condensed earth and rock of the extraterritorial battlefield, had been worn down by the passing of time. A strike from a Nascent Soul cultivator would only shatter a few stones, at most. But the force behind these tree roots was at least on par with an early-stage Deity Transformation cultivator.

"Ahhh!"

A scream pierced the air nearby. Chu Xuan didn't even glance over—he knew immediately that a Nascent Soul cultivator had failed to dodge in time and had been crushed by one of the roots. The person's body was undoubtedly reduced to a bloody pulp, a mixture of torn clothing and shattered bones.

Chu Xuan, however, was no stranger to the Taotie Tree. He had planted one on a small island on Blue Star. In the beginning, the tree's aggression had been intense, and he had spent quite a bit of time sparring with it. Over time, he had come to understand its patterns and rhythms. Dodging its strikes had become second nature to him.

He knew exactly how to read its attacks.

As another massive root shot toward him, Chu Xuan effortlessly sidestepped, his movements smooth and precise. The Taotie Tree's hunger was insatiable, but his experience with it made it easy to avoid the wrath of its vicious assault.

"Why is this person able to control the Taotie Tree?" Chu Xuan wondered, evading another vicious strike from the Taotie Tree. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but after some contemplation, he could only sigh in resignation. There were so many things he could not understand in this world—like the true origins of the extraterritorial battlefield, the source of the Taotie Tree, or the true identity of the old monster.

Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji were following closely behind Chu Xuan. At first, both were struggling to avoid the relentless attacks of the Taotie Tree, narrowly escaping death multiple times. They had come dangerously close to becoming nothing more than paste.

However, Shang Xingchen quickly noticed Chu Xuan's graceful movements, slipping through the Taotie Tree's strikes with ease. It was as though he had already discerned the rhythm of the attacks, moving with practiced fluidity.

Shang Xingchen's eyes narrowed as he focused on Chu Xuan. In less than a hundred breaths, he had gone from cautiously dodging to confidently evading each strike, as though he too could now follow the tree's patterns. With each leap and dodge, he mimicked Chu Xuan's motions.

Wei Ji was suddenly flung into the air by a shockwave generated by a Taotie Tree root. Spitting dirt from his mouth, he looked on in awe as Chu Xuan and Shang Xingchen moved with the elegance of dancing dragons, effortlessly weaving between the roots. His jaw dropped in astonishment.

"Teach me!" Wei Ji cried out, desperation lacing his voice.

Shang Xingchen didn't look back but called out loudly, "If you can see the rhythm of the Taotie Tree's attacks, you'll survive."

With that, he accelerated, flying even faster. Wei Ji gritted his teeth, barely able to grasp the full extent of the situation before another root slammed down from above.

"Damn it…" Wei Ji cursed under his breath, only to be sent flying once again, crashing into a cloud of dust and rock.

The Taotie Tree roots continued to rain down relentlessly. Despite their best efforts, Chu Xuan and the others were barely able to make any progress. Instead, they found themselves surrounded by a growing number of dark shapes. Chu Xuan's heart sank as he recognized what they were.

They were the Wood Corpses—foul, reanimated husks of the dead. Among them were the dreaded Nether Crocodiles, the Dark Nether Hawks, and various other demonic beasts, not to mention the fallen cultivators.

These Wood Corpses had been hidden within every stone, buried beneath every inch of ground, and now, like hungry beasts smelling blood, they surged forth with ravenous hunger, intent on devouring everything in their path.

Chu Xuan gritted his teeth and raised his hand. The Ice God Pillar shot up, a towering column of frozen power, smashing through the nearest Wood Corpses and sending them flying in all directions.

But Shang Xingchen wasn't so fortunate. His surroundings were flooded with even more Wood Corpses—over sixty, to be precise. Among them was a particularly menacing figure, one that had once been a Deity Transformation cultivator, now reduced to a soulless corpse. This one, no doubt, had fallen in the long and bloody years of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, and now it was under the control of the Taotie Tree.

The situation was becoming more dire by the moment. The Taotie Tree was not just a simple enemy; it was a malevolent force that had manipulated the dead, drawing from a pool of ancient corpses to form a terrifying army. Even the best of them—cultivators at the Deity Transformation stage—had become little more than pawns, caught in a web they could not escape.

Chu Xuan's mind raced, but his focus remained sharp. The Ice God Pillar was a potent weapon, but it was only a temporary measure. If they didn't find a way to break free from the Taotie Tree's control, they would soon be overwhelmed by the sheer number of Wood Corpses closing in on them.

Shang Xingchen's expression changed slightly. Without hesitation, he summoned two small shields, magic treasures, to block himself. Pouring his Spiritual Qi into them, he shouted, "Sect Master, save me!"

Chu Xuan, however, ignored the plea and continued to fly forward.

Shang Xingchen gritted his teeth, pouring even more Spiritual Qi into the shields as he cried out once again, "I'll give you the formulas for the Great Soul Spirit Pill, the Boiling Blood True Pill, and the Focus Spirit Pill! I'll also give you the inheritance of the Supreme Bliss Pill King!"

At this, Chu Xuan abruptly stopped, turned around, and shot back toward him. "Ah, Fellow Daoist Shang, your call for help was too soft. I didn't hear it properly! I'm coming now, Fellow Daoist Shang, hold on!"

Shang Xingchen couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration. His situation was becoming increasingly dire, and yet, Chu Xuan's nonchalant tone seemed to add salt to the wound.

Chu Xuan stretched out his hand, and the Ice God Pillar rose suddenly, slamming into the Wood Corpses before him, sending them flying. Around him, the Evil Soul Chain whirled, felling everything in their path.

The Evil Soul Chain coiled like a giant black serpent, strangling any Wood Corpses that attempted to approach. The steel wires, invisible to the eye, sliced through the corpses with terrifying precision, tearing them into dozens of pieces.

In that moment, Chu Xuan displayed an astonishing level of lethality. Everywhere he passed, the ground was littered with the scattered limbs and shattered bodies of the Wood Corpses.

One particularly powerful Wood Corpse, with strength rivaling that of a Deity Transformation cultivator in the early stages, roared and swung its fists toward him. Chu Xuan didn't even consider fighting it head-on. Instead, he expelled Nascent Soul essence, performing a quick teleportation to the left.

"Great Extinguishing Thunder Fist!" Chu Xuan shouted as his fist erupted with immense power, obliterating the Wood Corpses in front of him and tearing open a gap.

Without hesitation, Shang Xingchen tossed a spiritual sense jade slip toward Chu Xuan, then followed, flying at top speed. He knew exactly what Chu Xuan was after, and the situation left him no room to delay.

Shang Xingchen could tell that although he still had the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator at the early stage, he was barely holding on, keeping a part of his power hidden.

Meanwhile, Chu Xuan's previous strikes carried the force of a Nascent Soul cultivator in the late stage, while his aura remained at the mid-Golden Core stage, clearly hiding most of his strength. If he didn't hand over the object immediately, his life might be forfeit.

The two of them simultaneously consumed Nascent Soul essence and used teleportation to avoid the Deity Transformation early-stage Wood Corpse's attack. They twisted their bodies, darting off in separate directions to escape.

The Deity Transformation early-stage Wood Corpse howled in frustration, unsure who to chase. At that very moment, Wei Ji, injured and barely managing to stand, looked up. His eyes met those of the Wood Corpse in an unexpected moment of stillness. For a brief instant, everything seemed to quiet down.

Then, the Wood Corpse let out a furious roar and stomped the ground, charging toward Wei Ji.

"Damn…" Wei Ji cursed bitterly, and without further hesitation, he turned and fled.

Chapter 386: The Verdant Blood, Unyielding Heart Method

On the other side, Shangguan He and Kang Jia were also desperately fleeing, evading the strikes of the Taotie Tree roots and the attacks of the Wood Corpses. They were not like Chu Xuan, who seemed to have an intuitive grasp of the Taotie Tree's attack patterns.

They had to dodge when possible and block when they couldn't avoid the strikes. Every time they were forced to defend, they had to expend Nascent Soul essence, defensive magic treasures, defensive spells, and talismans. After a series of evasions, their strength was nearly depleted.

Kang Jia was luckier, suffering only superficial wounds, but Shangguan He's situation was far more dire. A long tree branch had pierced through his abdomen. As he tried to pull it out, he found that it had somehow rooted itself deep within his body, greedily siphoning his life force and blood. To make matters worse, during his escape, he had collided with a small space rift. Although he managed to avoid a fatal blow to his head, his right arm was severed at the shoulder by the rift, leaving it dangling uselessly.

As they continued to flee, a massive wave of Wood Corpses surged toward them. Kang Jia, who was positioned ahead, had a chance to escape. However, Shangguan He was trapped in the midst of the corpses, and with his severe injuries, no matter how much he struggled, there was no way for him to break free from the encirclement.

"Senior Brother!" Kang Jia called out without hesitation, turning back to rescue him.

Shangguan He spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered in front of Kang Jia.

"Fool!" he cursed. "You can run, so why are you coming back to save me? Don't you fear that I'll use you as a human shield to escape?"

Kang Jia froze, unsure how to respond. He had never considered that possibility. When he was still a child, he had joined Shangguan He's sect. From the time he became a Foundation Establishment cultivator, to the present as a Golden Core cultivator, Shangguan He had always been his mentor. They had worked together closely, and Kang Jia had never once thought that Shangguan He would sacrifice him without a second thought.

Seeing the confusion in Kang Jia's eyes, Shangguan He sighed deeply.

"Little Jia..." he said softly. "I had intended to teach you slowly, but there's no more time."

He paused, looking at his disciple one last time. "I will teach you the last rule on the path to immortality. To save others, you must first save yourself! If you can't even escape safely yourself, how can you save anyone else?"

With a roar, Shangguan He's Spiritual Qi reversed, causing his body to inflate rapidly, as if he were about to explode. Kang Jia's eyes widened in shock.

"Senior Brother..." he murmured, realizing what was happening. As a disciple of the Fiery Sky Cloud Pavilion, he was familiar with the technique.

Under normal circumstances, a Nascent Soul cultivator might self-destruct in a desperate situation. But the Fiery Sky Ancestors had discovered a method that allowed not just the self-destruction of the Nascent Soul but also the explosion of the soul, vitality, and cultivation, amplifying the destructive power to its peak.

The founder of Fiery Sky Cloud Pavilion had named this technique "The Verdant Blood, Unyielding Heart Method".

"Remember my words, and live well!" Shangguan He laughed loudly, his body disintegrating in a violent explosion.

Boom!

The earth-shattering sound of the explosion reverberated through the air. Everything within a thirty-zhang radius—the Wood Corpses, the rocks, the soil—was obliterated into dust, ground into fine powder as small as rice grains.

Kang Jia was protected by a force left by Shangguan He before his death, sending him flying far from the explosion's epicenter.

Boom!

Kang Jia wiped away the tears he hadn't realized had fallen. With determination, he unleashed his full speed and fled with all his might, using his escape technique to soar through the air. He swore to carry on the life his Senior Brother had sacrificed for, to live on and fulfill the final wish of the man who had once guided him in the path of cultivation.

Within the pitch-black palace, a cold, indifferent gaze swept across its surroundings.

When Luo Zu caught sight of Chu Xuan's retreating figure, he could not help but let out a soft, surprised sound.

"That little brat... he's running pretty fast. If I want to kill him, it'll take quite a bit of effort. Forget it. I woke up too soon. There are far too many forgotten memories... I can't afford to linger any longer. I must head to the Eternal Battlefield. Only there will I uncover the truth of what I must do."

Suddenly, the Dark Palace began to ascend at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, the palace's base detached itself from the ground. This massive, pitch-black structure floated gracefully in midair, slowly drifting toward the edge of the domain outside the battlefield.

The fleeing cultivators around them stood frozen in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Chu Xuan, who had just obliterated the Wood Corpse that had charged at him, also witnessed this scene. He saw, too, that the base of the palace was wrapped in countless Taotie Tree roots.

As the palace soared into the starry sky, the surrounding Taotie Trees emitted a mournful wail, as though they were being forcibly pulled from deep beneath the earth by the Dark Palace.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground trembled once more.

Chu Xuan dared not delay. Without hesitation, he accelerated, knowing he had to leave immediately. Sure enough, deep trenches soon appeared across the land. Entire cities crumbled, and mining fields shattered, falling into the abyss below.

However, Nascent Soul cultivators at least had the ability to fly, and few were unfortunate enough to fall into these deep chasms.

Boom!

Finally, a small grey tree was violently uprooted by the Dark Palace. The cultivators around them were stunned. A tiny tree, capable of triggering such a magnitude of earthquake?

What sort of power did this little tree possess?

The Dark Palace did not linger. It continued its ascent into the starry sky, quickly vanishing from sight.

Chu Xuan stared at the distant heavens, his gaze sharpening. He suddenly noticed several flickering points of light.

"Is this just my imagination? The starry sky of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield is always unchanging. Why are there suddenly a few... new lights?"

He was confused and shook his head, dismissing the thought for now. But then, his expression shifted, his brow furrowing as he scanned his surroundings.

He realized that only a portion of the Taotie Tree roots and Wood Corpses had stopped moving. The rest were still wreaking havoc, attacking any living being in their path.

"The Taotie Tree... there's more than one?!"

With a surge of urgency, Chu Xuan increased his speed, pushing himself to the limit as he fled the area.

A cold snort echoed from within the Dark Palace.

"Interesting. A few little brats are hiding in the distance, waiting to harvest the Taotie Tree?"

Several flickering points of light shimmered in the vast sky, but none revealed their presence.

"You look interesting. I think I'll kill you first."

Luo Zu suddenly fixed his gaze on one of the red-glowing points of light and let out a strange laugh.

In the next moment, the Dark Palace transformed into a streak of black light, accelerating toward the red point. It closed the distance in the blink of an eye. A startled cry echoed from within the red light, and the figure instantly shot off, fleeing into the distance.

A chase ensued—one black, one red—before both figures vanished from sight. Once they were gone, the three faint points of light gradually regained their glow. Each point represented a separate consciousness, and they began exchanging information through a series of messages.

"The Taotie Tree in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield failed to grow. It was a failure. Who would have thought there was actually a shard of Luo Zu's avatar sleeping here? The Taotie Trees in the other two perilous battlefields have yielded results, but they are useless to us."

"What about Wen Lingtian?"

"He borrowed the power of the largest Taotie Tree, trying to break through to the latter stage of the Astral Projection realm, but his soul couldn't withstand it. He was assimilated, and I took him. It seems this path doesn't work."

"No, perhaps it's just because our cultivation is insufficient. Who will handle the aftermath here? The domain outside the battlefield cannot collapse further. It's already been noticed."

The three points of light flickered out, one by one, as silence enveloped the space. After a long pause, a single point flickered once again, and a message was sent:

"I'll handle it. But the remaining Taotie Tree here is mine."

"Agreed."

"It's yours."

The other two points of light faded away, clearly departing. Only the final point of light remained, slowly making its way toward the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Chapter 387: Do You Have the Power to Seize My Body?

The Heavenly Metal Battlefield was still in chaos. The roots of the Taotie Tree and the Wood Corpses wreaked havoc, tearing through the land without mercy.

Chu Xuan hid behind a massive rock, observing the surroundings. As two Nascent Soul stage Wood Corpses caught his scent and slowly drew nearer, Chu Xuan's mind stirred. The Evil Soul Chain and Gangsi shot out like lightning, quickly binding the two creatures.

Boom! Boom!

Chu Xuan unleashed two powerful punches, the might of his 38th stage of body refinement erupting with immense force, directly smashing the two Wood Corpses into pieces. Afterward, he flicked his fingers lightly, sending forth a wave of Blood Evil Yin Fire.

The flames soared into the air, consuming the corpses in an instant. Soon, all that remained was a cloud of ash. If he had simply destroyed them, it wouldn't have been long before the Wood Corpses reassembled and returned. Only by burning them with fire or dismembering them into hundreds of pieces could he ensure their complete annihilation.

"Eh?"

Chu Xuan's attention was drawn to a nearby wooden corpse, its head adorned with a treasure gourd. The gourd glowed with brilliant light. Without hesitation, he knew it was a valuable artifact.

"Wasn't it the Tian Mozi who flew out from the Dark Palace earlier, using a gourd-shaped spirit tool? Could this be the very same item?"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but pause, deep in thought. The encounter with such a rare treasure seemed too coincidental. How could this be? He instinctively felt the pull to approach. After all, this was a spiritual artifact.

Even a broken, low-grade spiritual artifact would surpass an exquisite magic treasure in terms of power. Although his Spiritual Qi might not be enough to fully activate it, having it in hand would be valuable. If he advanced to the Deity Transformation stage in the future, it would serve as a powerful tool to aid him on his path.

However, as soon as he began to approach, an instinctive sense of danger flared up within him. He wasn't sure where this feeling originated from, but it was unmistakable.

Perhaps it was a natural gift of heightened perception, or simply the instinct of someone who had lived carefully. But it certainly wasn't a gift bestowed by meritorious deeds. No, it wasn't.

Chu Xuan subtly focused his senses, and sure enough, he immediately detected a faint trace of spiritual sense hidden within the gourd.

"Could it be that Tian Mozi's primordial spirit is sealed inside?"

A sudden realization struck him. When the Infinite Sect was destroyed, he, as a mere Qi Refining cultivator, had stayed out of sight, using treasures to trap righteous cultivators time and again. This was precisely the kind of trick he was familiar with.

Tian Mozi, a Deity Transformation stage demonic cultivator, had forged a bloody path to his current power. The tactics Tian Mozi employed were surely more numerous than the ones Chu Xuan had ever used.

Hence, Chu Xuan immediately deduced that this wasn't a heavenly treasure falling from the sky, but rather a death trap. If the gourd contained a Nascent Soul cultivator, Chu Xuan would have seized the opportunity to pull him out and refine his soul.

But now, there was a strong possibility that it was Tian Mozi himself. Even if Tian Mozi, after escaping the Dark Palace, had used all his trump cards and was severely wounded, even abandoning his physical body, Chu Xuan didn't want to tangle with a Deity Transformation expert.

What if his greed for this small treasure led to his downfall?

Chu Xuan had the Myriad Realm Mirror, with access to three resource worlds: Blue Star, the Soul Star, and the Cave World. With these resources at his disposal, what treasures did he need to covet?

"This gourd is quite impressive, it must be a top-tier magic treasure!"

Chu Xuan's face lit up with surprise, and it seemed as though he was about to rush forward eagerly, ready to snatch the treasure into his grasp.

However, his figure suddenly reversed course at an astonishing speed, retreating far beyond his previous approach. In the blink of an eye, he was nearly a hundred zhang away.

"Good lad, you actually sensed me," a cold laugh rang out from the gourd.

In the next moment, the gourd suddenly sprang up, releasing a wave of black mist that swiftly coalesced into the upper half of a figure. The figure had a hawk-like nose, deep-set eyes, and a sinister expression.

It was none other than Tian Mozi, a Deity Transformation cultivator from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect!

The gourd exploded with terrifying black light.

Chu Xuan, still in motion, felt his speed suddenly slow. Looking down, he saw that his feet were now shackled by a dark glow—like an invisible manacle.

The black light spraying from the gourd instantly intensified the grip on his feet, drastically reducing his speed.

"When you entered within twenty zhang of the gourd, you were already affected," Tian Mozi's voice rang out, filled with malicious glee. "Think you can escape? Not a chance!"

Tian Mozi let out a cruel laugh. "My corpse puppets were destroyed, and I'm in need of a new body. You're a body refinement cultivator—just perfect for me to seize!"

Chu Xuan's expression shifted slightly. He struggled, attempting to break free, but found that his body was being irresistibly drawn toward the gourd. It felt as though the gourd was pulling him in, a force beyond his control.

"I never sought conflict. Why force me into this?" Chu Xuan's eyes grew cold as he suddenly twisted his body and shot toward Tian Mozi.

Tian Mozi paused for a moment, clearly surprised. Then, he broke into uproarious laughter. "Good, good! You've got spirit! I like a junior like you!"

In that instant, Chu Xuan's spiritual sense erupted like a torrent in his mind, and within the blink of an eye, two massive, chilling hands materialized and lashed out toward Tian Mozi.

Boom!

The clash of spiritual senses was thunderous.

To Tian Mozi's shock, his spiritual sense, even though he was severely wounded from the Dark Palace's encounter, failed to crush Chu Xuan's.

Despite being a Deity Transformation cultivator—his soul having already transformed into a primordial spirit, far surpassing the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator—he couldn't believe that his spiritual sense couldn't overwhelm this Nascent Soul cultivator in front of him!

"How...?" Tian Mozi gaped in disbelief. "How can this be possible?!"

What he didn't know was that Chu Xuan's soul had been reinforced through multiple layers of merit golden wheels, cleansing showers of Soul-cleansing Gold Rain, and the Heavenly Dao Golden Lotus within his body.

Chu Xuan's soul had become incredibly strong—surpassing most cultivators of the same realm.

Since the spiritual sense was derived from the soul, Chu Xuan's spiritual sense was naturally formidable. On top of that, he had previously absorbed a portion of Luo Zu's spiritual sense, which had significantly boosted his own.

As a result, it wasn't surprising that Chu Xuan's spiritual sense was on par with Tian Mozi's, despite the latter's status as a severely wounded Deity Transformation cultivator.

"Do you really think you can seize my body? Do you have that ability?"

In the midst of their clash, Chu Xuan quickly gauged his opponent's strength. Without hesitation, he unleashed a massive strike of spiritual sense—a technique from the Nascent Soul realm: the Great Devouring Palm.

Tian Mozi gritted his teeth and immediately formed a giant shield of spiritual sense to defend himself.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two forces collided repeatedly, sending shockwaves through the air.

Tian Mozi was stunned as he realized that with each exchange, a portion of his spiritual sense was being devoured by Chu Xuan's palm, quickly converted and absorbed. The balance was tipping in Chu Xuan's favor. His spiritual sense shield was weakening with every strike, unable to fully block the power of Chu Xuan's great palm.

"To think that he can devour my spiritual sense in the middle of battle... such a secret technique!" Tian Mozi was taken aback, unable to hide his astonishment.

Spiritual sense techniques were already rare in the cultivation world, and a technique that could devour the opponent's spiritual sense in battle was even rarer—almost all of them were only mastered by cultivators in the late Deity Transformation stage.

This person, however, was merely a Nascent Soul cultivator. How could he possess such a technique?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The battle raged on.

Tian Mozi was becoming more desperate. His soul wasn't particularly strong compared to others in his realm, and now every clash with Chu Xuan resulted in his spiritual sense being devoured further. If this continued, he would be at a severe disadvantage.

"Stop! Stop!" Tian Mozi cried out in panic.

"Young friend, I am Tian Mozi. I was only testing you just now, not truly attempting to seize your body."

He forced a smile, his voice now laced with urgency. "How about we each go our separate ways?"

Chapter 388: White Bone Stele!

As a Deity Transformation expert, Tian Mozi did not wish for things to come to this point. But there was no other choice—this Nascent Soul cultivator before him was exceptionally strong. All he wanted was to find a suitable body to possess. What was wrong with that?

Chu Xuan casually waved his hand, forming three layers of true spiritual shields with his spiritual sense. He stared at the white bone stele in deep thought.

Tian Mozi had no way to deal with him, and likewise, Chu Xuan couldn't do much to Tian Mozi.

Although each clash drained Tian Mozi's spiritual sense, it was like scraping away at something—a slow process. It would take days or even weeks of fighting to completely devour him. However, the Heavenly Metal Battlefield was constantly changing. Who knew what would happen next?

It seemed wiser to take advantage of the situation and extract some benefit from Tian Mozi before leaving.

"You speak lies!" Chu Xuan's voice grew more forceful. "You call yourself Tian Mozi? Do you think that makes it true?"

He sneered coldly. "I believe you are just some rogue demon who crawled up from the depths of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. You are a fraud, not the true Senior Tian Mozi! I, He Liang, have always admired Senior Tian Mozi. How could I let someone like you defile his name?"

Chu Xuan's righteous words became more and more intense.

Tian Mozi was left groaning inwardly. I really am Tian Mozi! Why don't you believe me?

"If you could provide proof of being the true Tian Mozi," Chu Xuan continued, "then I might believe you. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to rid this place of you—this false demon impostor! Even if it costs me my life!"

Tian Mozi fell silent for a long time. As a Deity Transformation cultivator who had traveled far and wide, he could see through Chu Xuan's intentions. The boy wanted him to pay up to avoid disaster, and he couldn't deny it.

After much contemplation, Tian Mozi reluctantly decided to offer a magic treasure. He produced a towering stone tablet, a white bone stele, about one zhang high.

However, this wasn't made from stone—it was crafted entirely from white bones. At the very top, a terrifying, grinning skull loomed, glowing with an eerie blue light.

"This is a top-tier magic treasure, the White Bone Stele," Tian Mozi said, his voice laced with melancholy. "It is only a step away from becoming a spiritual artifact. Since you admire me so, you must know that this treasure was my Nascent Soul power when I was sweeping through the world."

The Deity Transformation cultivator sighed, and with visible reluctance, he tossed the White Bone Stele towards Chu Xuan. "Here, take it. I have no choice."

As he fled in his Nascent Soul escape, Tian Mozi didn't even bring his storage pouch. He had only quickly grabbed a few spiritual artifacts and magic treasures.

Now, losing the White Bone Stele for no reason, he naturally felt a deep pang of regret. However, Chu Xuan did not immediately take it. Instead, he let the White Bone Stele hover in mid-air, and the two of them fell into a strange silence.

"Young friend, you don't want it?" Tian Mozi finally broke the silence.

Chu Xuan shook his head. "I know well the history of the White Bone Stele that Senior Tian Mozi once wielded. However, this White Bone Stele could have come into your hands through another means."

Tian Mozi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Chu Xuan's gaze grew sharper. "You severely wounded the real Tian Mozi and seized the White Bone Stele!"

Tian Mozi's expression froze. "I have already erased the soul-blood mark from the White Bone Stele."

Chu Xuan nodded slowly, then wrapped the White Bone Stele in his spiritual energy and placed it into his storage pouch. Without hesitation, he turned and flew away. Before leaving, he tossed over one final remark. "I still don't believe you are the real Tian Mozi! You are a demonic impostor! I, He Liang, will find the true Senior Tian Mozi and return this White Bone Stele to him!"

Tian Mozi was furious, nearly spitting blood. This brat was infuriating beyond measure!

"He Liang, I will remember you. Even if that name is fake, you'd better hope I don't catch you."

Tian Mozi ground his teeth in frustration. This was the first time since his ascension to Deity Transformation that he had been robbed by a cultivator lower in rank than himself! The most frustrating part? This whole disaster was of his own making...

"I suppose I'll just stay here and wait… wait for a weaker, luckier fool to cross my path," Tian Mozi muttered in irritation.

...

On the other side, Chu Xuan swiftly made his way back to the Great Spirit Stone Mine. The area around the mine was now teeming with Taotie Tree roots, though fortunately, the mine hadn't been completely overrun by the Wood Corpses.

However, upon inspection, he realized the spiritual stones here were nearly depleted. The remaining scraps were nothing more than small spiritual stones. It was almost mined out.

As Chu Xuan was about to return to Blue Star with the last of the spiritual stones, a sudden explosive noise echoed from the horizon. He stepped out of the mine and looked up at the sky.

To his shock, he saw a giant hand made of earth and stone suddenly reach down and rip out a gray sapling. It was clearly the last Taotie Tree sapling.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Taotie Tree had deeply embedded roots, but the earth-and-stone giant hand wielded an immense force. No matter how much the Taotie Tree struggled, it was futile. The sapling was being slowly extracted from the ground. The ground once again trembled under the might of the uprooting. Finally, with a loud crash, the Taotie Tree was fully uprooted.

At this moment, the Taotie Tree roots and Wood Corpses that had been rampaging throughout the area fell silent. It was clear that the Heavenly Metal Battlefield no longer had any Taotie Trees left.

"The demonic tree has been eradicated. The sealed teleportation array will soon reopen. You are all advised to leave promptly, do not linger."

A voice like muffled thunder echoed across the sky. The voice was gender-neutral, neither male nor female, and it reverberated endlessly, spreading throughout the entire Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow.

So it's true? If that's the case, he could finally return to Mystic Azure Star! He would no longer need to stay in this Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Despite the excitement, Chu Xuan remained cautious. What if it was a trap to deceive them? Better to stay cautious, just in case.

...

A few days later, Shang Xingchen arrived at the Great Spirit Stone Mine. It was the second time they met.

Shang Xingchen smiled, "Sect Master, I am relieved to see that you are unharmed. The teleportation array will reopen soon. What do you think, Sect Master?"

Chu Xuan studied him subtly. For some reason, even now, he could still sense a faint yet undeniable threat coming from Shang Xingchen.

Chu Xuan smiled, "With the teleportation array reopening, the first batch will leave first. Fellow daoists can go ahead. I'll stay behind and cover everyone's retreat."

Shang Xingchen immediately understood the implied meaning in his words and nodded in agreement.

Chu Xuan suddenly spoke up, "The recent tremors have unearthed many buried treasures. I'm sure Elder Shang has found some good fortune as well?"

Shang Xingchen quickly shook his head. "My luck is average. I only found a few bottles of pills and some talismans—nothing particularly extraordinary. However, Wei Ji... he not only narrowly escaped the Deity Transformation level wooden corpse's attack, but he also stumbled upon the meditation site of a high-ranking Deity Transformation monk. I suspect that he at least found a relic, though I don't know the details beyond that."

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow.

A relic? It was said that when a Deity Transformation monk passed away, their relic would be formed. The demonic path had secret techniques to turn it into a demonic relic.

Carrying a demonic relic could neutralize some of the karma one had accumulated. When the Heavenly Tribulation came again, it would naturally reduce the tribulation's intensity.

In short, a demonic relic was a rare treasure that increased the success rate of Deity Transformation. However, they were even rarer and harder to obtain.

Chapter 389: Sect Master Have Returned!

Chu Xuan smiled. "Elder Wei is fortunate. Where is he now? We, the three of us, are disciples of the Heavenly Infinite Sect. We should stay together and move forward as one."

Shang Xingchen chuckled. "Elder Wei's injuries have healed. It seems he absorbed quite a bit of spiritual Qi from the spirit stones, and his strength has returned to the Nascent Soul stage."

Chu Xuan's expression was tinged with regret. "That's good... very good."

It was unfortunate he couldn't get a look at the relic.

With the teleportation array still not reopened, Chu Xuan immediately began wandering around the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. The recent tremors had led to the emergence of various treasures.

Earlier, when he was far from the Dark Palace, Chu Xuan had already witnessed many long-buried treasures being unearthed. However, at that time, he had been in too much of a hurry, and the danger had been far too great to take the time to gather those treasures.

Now, with the Dark Palace gone and the Taotie Tree uprooted, the two Deity Transformation experts—one dead, the other severely wounded—the Heavenly Metal Battlefield no longer held any threats for him. Naturally, it was the perfect opportunity for him to scour the land and recover what he had previously lost.

After several days of exploration, Chu Xuan effortlessly found many cultivator corpses. Some of them were wearing ancient Daoist robes, while others hailed from sects long destroyed.

From these corpses, Chu Xuan had found numerous spiritual sense jade slips. After skimming through them, his knowledge base had expanded considerably. In addition to dozens of cultivator corpses, his greatest find was a number of broken magic treasures.

Broken magic treasures were no problem. They could be fed to gu insect Gangsi. The ones in better condition could be repaired.

Chu Xuan had his eye on several pieces of relatively intact magic treasures, intending to take them back to a refiner for repairs. Aside from that, there was little else of interest.

Chu Xuan had not, like Wei Ji, accidentally stumbled upon the meditation site of a senior monk. That was truly a regret.

...

One day, rumblings echoed from every corner of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Beams of light shot into the sky as the teleportation arrays activated. Cultivators were elated, rushing toward the arrays. After being trapped in this hellish battlefield for so long, they could finally return home.

Once back in their respective cultivation stars, they would once again rise to the ranks of powerful Nascent Soul experts, revered by all, rather than being treated like stray dogs, powerless and desperate due to the lack of spiritual Qi.

Chu Xuan did not immediately approach. Instead, he observed from a distance.

Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji shared his sentiments, both lingering at a distance, their thoughts unreadable.

Chu Xuan glanced around and noticed Ximen Changqing, Kang Jia, Xiao Xian, and others standing not far away. None of them entered the teleportation array immediately; they all remained, watching from a distance.

Chu Xuan wasn't surprised that others had not yet entered. However, he was a little taken aback by Kang Jia's inaction.

"Shangguan He is missing. Perhaps he's perished," someone muttered nearby. "With Senior Brother's death, Kang Jia must have gained quite a bit of experience from it. He's likely become more shrewd and cautious."

Chu Xuan didn't dwell on it.

"Others' affairs are none of my concern."

His gaze shifted to the light barrier of the teleportation array, and seeing no abnormalities, he finally relaxed.

"Let's go."

He turned to look at Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji, who nodded and immediately followed. The three of them stepped through the light barrier, and the surroundings spun wildly for a moment. Before long, the world before their eyes cleared, and the solid ground beneath their feet confirmed they had arrived.

Chu Xuan took a deep breath, immediately feeling the abundant spiritual Qi in the air. Looking around, he saw nothing but familiar scenery.

The arrival of Chu Xuan and his two companions stunned the disciples of the Heavenly Infinite Sect gathered in the square. After a brief moment of astonishment, the disciples knelt down in unison.

"Greetings, Sect Master! Greetings, Elders!"

Chu Xuan nodded indifferently, casually instructing, "Tell Elder Shi to wait for me in the main hall. And both of you, please join me there."

Moments later, in the main hall of the Heavenly Infinite Sect. Chu Xuan, Shang Xingchen, and Wei Ji met with the delayed Shi Juntian.

Shi Juntian was drenched in sweat. He had never imagined that Chu Xuan and the others would survive and return! The battles in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield were so brutal that they somehow managed to make it out alive.

Upon sensing their presence, he was immediately shocked to find that Chu Xuan's aura had become unfathomable, like the depths of the sea—seemingly far beyond his own. It was clear that Chu Xuan had experienced even more fortuitous encounters in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, greatly improving his strength.

Before Chu Xuan could speak, Shi Juntian immediately exclaimed, "Heavens have mercy! Sect Master, you have finally returned! The Heavenly Infinite Sect cannot go a single day without its master! I've been exercising the power of acting Sect Master for far too long. Now, I return the position to you!"

He bowed deeply and didn't raise his head.

Chu Xuan smiled faintly, "Elder Shi, you've worked hard during my absence. But I have no intention of wasting time on sect affairs. There are still many things that will require your continued effort, Elder Shi."

Hearing this, Elder Shi let out a quiet sigh of relief. He finally raised his head, understanding that Chu Xuan's words meant he was not being held accountable for the interim period and could continue with his duties.

"Thank you for your trust, Sect Master!" Shi Juntian spoke with a deep voice.

Chu Xuan casually replied, "The other elders have perished in the extraterritorial battlefield. For now, the Golden Core disciples will follow you three Nascent Soul elders in their cultivation. Once new Nascent Soul cultivators join the Heavenly Infinite Sect, we will discuss this matter further."

"Understood." Shi Juntian nodded repeatedly.

"I am weary," Chu Xuan said, waving his hand. "I will retreat into seclusion for a time."

With that, he rose and left the hall. He had gained much during his time in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield and needed to return to Blue Star to inspect everything carefully.

...

Blue Star, Water Curtain Cave.

The first thing Chu Xuan did was take out the White Bone Stele. He had been worried that the stele might carry some mark left by Tian Mozi, which was why he hadn't dared to take it out from his storage bag until now. Now that he was on Blue Star, separated by two realms, even if Tian Mozi had tampered with it, he no longer had to worry about being threatened.

As expected, Chu Xuan extended his spiritual sense into the stele, finding it completely empty. Just as Tian Mozi had claimed, he had indeed removed all the soul blood marks from the treasure.

"This White Bone Stele is a magic treasure that must be forged by cultivators of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect who wish to enter Nascent Soul stage in the path of White Bone Dao," Chu Xuan mused.

"By using this treasure, the power of the White Bone Dao spells would be significantly enhanced. However, I do not possess the secret arts of the White Bone Dao, which is a bit of a regret."

Chu Xuan wasn't overly concerned. He had accumulated plenty of contributions to the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, so he could exchange them for a White Bone Dao technique to supplement his cultivation in the future.

Moreover, even without the technique, this White Bone Stele was still an exceptionally strong defense-type magic treasure in its own right!

Without hesitation, Chu Xuan began the ritual to refine the stele. It wasn't long before he had infused it with his soul blood marks.

"Hoo, come and try it!" Chu Xuan laughed heartily as he called for Hoo.

Hoo, like a wild bull, charged over immediately.

Chu Xuan threw the White Bone Stele into the air. The stele expanded rapidly in the wind, quickly growing to a size of five zhang.

Hoo charged at the stele with all his might. The ground trembled violently as he collided with it. However, the White Bone Stele remained completely unmoved, with only a few bone fragments falling from it!

Chapter 390: Earth Fire Tribulation

Chu Xuan's eyes lit up with joy at the sight. Since Tian Mozi had reached the Deity Transformation stage, he had seldom used the White Bone Stele. The bones inside had not been replenished for a long time.

Chu Xuan glanced at the stele and quickly realized that the bones had turned black and gray. As long as he could replenish enough fresh bones, the White Bone Stele would be renewed and restored to its full potential.

With even these aged bones, it was already capable of withstanding the full force of a Corpse King's attack. If he replaced the bones entirely, or even added more to the stele, its defensive power would undoubtedly become even more formidable!

At that point, no Nascent Soul cultivator's attack would be able to pierce its defense. He would truly be invincible below the Deity Transformation stage!

With this thought in mind, Chu Xuan immediately ordered his corpse puppets, who had been harvesting zombies, to strip the bones from the fallen undead. In this way, the zombies would have another use. Soul essence, blood, muscle, bone, and skin—all could be utilized!

"However, if I am to cultivate all the Great Dao, I will need an immense number of zombies. Relying only on the Zombie Matriarch and Zombie Empress won't be enough. Harvesting the powerful zombie kings scattered across Blue Star would be too troublesome. It would be much quicker to have a few cultivators contribute selflessly."

Chu Xuan sighed lightly. He sensed that one day, the resources he required might exceed what all the zombies on Blue Star could provide. He couldn't just drain the land dry. But if he didn't do so, his cultivation speed would slow down. It was truly a headache.

Chu Xuan didn't let himself dwell on this for too long. His attention quickly shifted to a spiritual sense jade slip. This jade slip had been obtained from Shang Xingchen after Chu Xuan had saved him. According to Shang Xingchen, it contained the inheritance of the Supreme Bliss Pill King, along with the formulas for the Great Soul Spirit Pill, Boiling Blood True Pill, and Focus Spirit Pill.

"The Supreme Bliss Pill King… I seem to recall something about him," Chu Xuan murmured as he closed his eyes to recollect.

Before long, a detailed image of the person emerged in his mind. The Supreme Bliss Pill King was a Deity Transformation cultivator from the Exquisite Treasures Alliance and a renowned Deity Transformation alchemist. His name was widely known across the region.

Not only did the cultivators of the Exquisite Treasures Alliance regularly seek his alchemical services, but even the Reincarnation Divine Sect, the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, and several surrounding Sixth-level cultivation sects had Deity Transformation cultivators who sought him out for alchemical concoctions.

The Supreme Bliss Pill King's partner had once gone out to search for treasures but had unknowingly become infested by an ancient parasitic insect, suffering greatly.

The Supreme Bliss Pill King had used every possible means to try and expel the ancient parasitic insect, but to no avail. As he saw his partner on the brink of death, he had no choice but to venture out in search of rare heavenly treasures, hoping to forge a Nascent Soul stage elixir that could forcefully aid in his partner's recovery.

Afterward, the Supreme Bliss Pill King mysteriously disappeared. Many speculated that he had likely perished during his quest for these treasures. After all, the world was full of perilous and desolate places.

Unless one was a Tribulation-crossing powerhouse rampaging through the universe, there was always the risk of falling into danger and meeting one's demise.

Chu Xuan had obtained a great deal of information from the Exquisite Treasures Alliance cultivator Jin Dafu's storage ring after slaying him, including details about the Supreme Bliss Pill King.

Now, Chu Xuan placed the spiritual sense jade slip to his forehead.

Moments later, a look of joy spread across his face. It was indeed a treasure! Inside was the Supreme Bliss Pill King's lifetime of alchemical knowledge. The Deity Transformation master had meticulously recorded all his insights into the Alchemy Dao, documenting everything from his greatest achievements to the smallest of details.

However, due to the overwhelming volume of information, a single spiritual sense jade slip could not contain it all. The Supreme Bliss Pill King's teachings were divided into three separate jade slips. This one was only the first.

The first jade slip contained his Nascent Soul stage alchemical techniques, along with his profound insights into various Nascent Soul elixirs. It also included numerous self-created and improved Nascent Soul pill recipes.

The second jade slip was dedicated to Deity Transformation stage pills and the alchemical methods related to them.

The third jade slip contained the Supreme Bliss Pill King's musings and understandings regarding Astral Projection stage elixirs.

With these alchemical insights, Chu Xuan's chances of success when refining pills would dramatically increase. Even if it were his first time refining a pill, the odds of success would be much higher. As for the self-created and improved pill recipes, they were even more valuable.

The materials required for these pills were generally much less rare compared to those in widely circulated pill recipes. Often, the extremely rare materials had been replaced with easier-to-obtain, more affordable ones.

"The remaining two jade slips... Are they with Shang Xingchen? Or did he not get them either?"

Chu Xuan mentally noted this, intending to investigate further later.

He had been particularly interested in the recipe for the Great Soul Spirit Pill, which was also included in the current jade slip.

"It requires a large quantity of soul essence, as well as Purple Soul Flowers and Spiritual Shadow Roots... The Purple Soul Flowers are easy enough to grow—just plant them in the bodies of the zombies."

"But the Spiritual Shadow Roots require Spiritual Qi to grow, and they take an extremely long time to mature. If I need to purchase them, it will cost me a lot of spiritual stones."

Chu Xuan frowned. His gaze suddenly landed on a large glass vat inside his cave residence. The vat appeared to contain nothing more than ordinary soil.

However, only Chu Xuan knew that this soil had been soaked in Purifying Soul Gold Rain! At first, he had worried that the soil might contain some insects or other small creatures that had been exposed to the rain, and if they gained spiritual intelligence, they might cause trouble, disrupting his cultivation and bringing disaster.

Thus, he had carefully removed the soil, using his spiritual sense to eradicate all plant seeds and insect eggs before placing it in the glass vat. Since then, nothing unusual had appeared in the vat, and he had forgotten about it. But now, as he needed to plant spiritual herbs, he suddenly remembered this "meritorious soil."

"I wonder if this soil, soaked in Soul- Cleaning Gold Rain, has any special properties? Could it possibly accelerate the growth of spiritual plants?"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but become intrigued. If it could indeed speed up the growth of spiritual plants, even by just a fraction, it would be immensely valuable.

"Let me start by testing with some common spiritual herb seeds," Chu Xuan muttered to himself, his expression filled with an expectation that bordered on impatience. "I hope you won't disappoint me. If you do, you know the consequences."

He glared at the soil, attempting to intimidate it with his fierce gaze, as though hoping to force it into cooperating. Suddenly, Chu Xuan felt an unusual heat rising from his body.

"Strange... I've already reached Nascent Soul. Why am I still feeling this way?"

His brows furrowed in confusion.

Something was amiss. There was no doubt about it.

Without hesitation, he swiftly left the cave, his body moving like a blur. He shot eastward, heading directly for the eastern sea. Within moments, he plunged himself into the depths of the ocean.

Yet, even submerged in the vast expanse of water, the heat within him only intensified. What was even more troubling was how rapidly this sensation was growing stronger.

Chu Xuan's expression darkened. He moved southward, reaching the frozen ice at the South Pole. He immersed himself in the ice, hoping its cold would quell the growing internal heat.

But even surrounded by ancient ice that had never melted for millennia, the fire inside him only surged more fiercely. To his shock, the ice around him began to melt.

A burning fire, as if appearing from nowhere, had somehow manifested beneath him. It was not a fire he had summoned, yet it seemed to materialize out of thin air, following him wherever he went.

"Earth Fire Tribulation!" Chu Xuan's eyes widened as realization dawned upon him.

In his path to higher realms, a cultivator would inevitably face Heavenly Tribulations. He had already survived the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation.

But this... this was the Earth Fire Tribulation, something he had only read about in ancient texts. It was said that this tribulation manifested when a cultivator was breaking through into certain hidden small realms.

"Could it be that I've truly stepped into the Soul Transformation Realm? Is that what triggered this Earth Fire Tribulation?" Chu Xuan felt both startled and overjoyed at the realization.

Chapter 391: Good News from the Upper Sect

Chu Xuan focused his attention inward, inspecting his Nascent Soul. The Ghost Shadow Worm, having consumed enough shadows, was already on the verge of cocooning. After being placed into the Nascent Soul, it began to wrap the soul in its cocoon.

According to the "Soul Transformation Secret Method," once the Ghost Shadow Worm breaks free from its cocoon, the first transformation would be considered a success. There was no need for the cultivator to pay excessive attention during this process.

Now, as Chu Xuan observed his Nascent Soul once again, he indeed saw that the cocoon had begun to be gradually gnawed away. From within, the intense golden light of the Dao's Golden Lotus radiated forth. It was evident that the first transformation had been completed. Thus, the Earth Fire Tribulation had begun.

"This ancient cultivator clearly didn't succeed, otherwise, he wouldn't have omitted the Earth Fire Tribulation from his records!" Chu Xuan couldn't help but rub his forehead.

"However, the golden age of cultivation in the past may have been quite different from the present," he mused. "Perhaps back then, the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation and Earth Fire Tribulation didn't even exist?"

Chu Xuan shook his head and refocused on the task at hand. He gazed at the raging Earth Fire beneath him, his back glowing with the appearance of the four-tiered Merit Golden Wheel. The brilliant hues of rainbow light and golden merit shone around him, elevating him to a divine, saintly stature!

"Still not retreating!" Chu Xuan bellowed.

However, the Earth Fire Tribulation continued to burn without any sign of retreat. It didn't seem to notice the presence of the Merit Golden Wheel at all.

Chu Xuan frowned.

"Little fire sprite, don't you understand? Your elder brother, the Thunder Tribulation, fled as soon as I shouted at it. Why are you still hanging around here? Can't you see I've issued the expulsion order?"

He tried several more times, even bringing the Merit Golden Wheel right next to the Earth Fire. Yet, the fire didn't weaken in the least. In fact, it burned even more fiercely, threatening to engulf Chu Xuan entirely.

"Forget it. This Earth Fire Tribulation doesn't understand human speech. Anyway, my strength is formidable enough. I can endure this Earth Fire Tribulation easily by brute force."

Without even activating his Spiritual Qi, Chu Xuan relied solely on his physical strength from the 38th layer of body refinement to withstand the flames. The roaring fire couldn't so much as singe a hair on his body. After roughly an hour, the Earth Fire finally began to subside and eventually vanished.

Chu Xuan opened his eyes again. To his surprise, his body had been completely revitalized. The fire's scorching heat had not harmed him in the slightest; rather, it had helped refine his body. He felt that he was now only a step away from reaching the 39th layer of body refinement!

Chu Xuan glanced down. He noticed that the portion of the Antarctic continent beneath him had melted by nearly half.

"This is bad," he thought. "At this rate, the sea level will rise, flooding many areas. If this indirectly leads to the death of many people, my merits will be lost!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chu Xuan immediately unleashed his Ice Magic. The Ice God Pillars erupted one after another in various locations, shattering and rising with tremendous force.

He darted through the air, activating the Ice Crystal Divine Light Escape. Wherever he passed, the melting ice rapidly refroze. He circled around the Antarctic continent, ensuring the signs of glacier melting had stopped.

Since it was his actions that had caused the melting and now had reversed them, there were neither merits nor sins accumulated. With the situation now secure, Chu Xuan finally departed.

"I am already a mature Nascent Soul Master; I must consider the consequences of everything. This time, I truly didn't expect the Earth Fire Tribulation to appear. It nearly caused a great disaster."

Chu Xuan shook his head repeatedly, immediately reflecting on the lessons learned from this experience. Merit was the foundation of his existence. How could he casually allow his merit to diminish?

"What changes occurred in my Nascent Soul after this transformation?"

Returning to the Water Curtain Cave, Chu Xuan immediately turned his attention inward to examine his Nascent Soul. To his surprise, he discovered that the color of his Nascent Soul had already shifted toward purple. Not only had its size increased slightly, now resembling a seven- or eight-year-old child, but its form had also solidified significantly.

The facial features were now nearly fully visible. It was important to note that for most Nascent Soul cultivators, the Nascent Soul figure lacked distinct facial features or they remained unclear. Only upon reaching the ninth layer of Nascent Soul cultivation would the Nascent Soul figure resemble that of a five- or six-year-old child. It was only after reaching the Deity Transformation stage that the Nascent Soul would grow into the form of a young adolescent, with all features fully revealed.

With a flick of his mind, Chu Xuan summoned the Ghost Shadow Worm into his palm. This little creature was no longer the purple worm it had once been. A pair of wings had sprouted from its back, but the wings were marked with ghostly faces, which gave off a chilling aura.

The moment it appeared, it transmitted a thought.

"Starving! Food!"

Chu Xuan smiled gently. "Don't worry, I have plenty of shadows here."

With a sweeping motion of his hand, a large group of lively, twitching zombies was quickly brought over. The Ghost Shadow Worm immediately flew into them and eagerly feasted on the zombies' bodies.

Chu Xuan settled down as well, using the dark falcon blood and flesh produced by the Psionic Cube to cultivate the "Thousand Refinements Dragon Elephant Technique," improving his body refinement. And so, three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Chu Xuan's body refinement realm smoothly broke through to the 39th layer of body refinement. Having consumed enough shadows, the Ghost Shadow Worm flew back into his body, re-forming its cocoon within his Nascent Soul.

Once it broke free from the cocoon, Chu Xuan's Nascent Soul would reach the second transformation level, further solidifying its form. If this process were repeated once more, Chu Xuan's Nascent Soul would successfully complete the third transformation. As for how much the success rate would improve, that remained uncertain, dependent on the circumstances at the time.

However, given the immense effort involved, he was certain there would be some reward. Even if the improvement was only ten or twenty percent, it would still be highly beneficial.

Many Nascent Soul cultivators would likely fight tooth and nail for a mere half-step improvement in their Deity Transformation spiritual item.

Chu Xuan smiled to himself, took a step forward, and returned to the Heavenly Infinite Sect. The Heavenly Infinite Sect was now filled with vibrant life, a scene where all things thrived. The cultivators wore radiant smiles on their faces.

This was because their Sect Master, Chu Xuan, had announced the repeal of Elder Shi Juntian's previous regulations and the strict cultivation standards.As a result, many cultivators were able to avoid the grim fate of being sent to the Corpses Valley or the Ghost Caverns, and naturally, they were filled with gratitude toward Chu Xuan.

At this moment, Chu Xuan sat in a small pavilion by Flying Fish Lake, his eyes closed in deep thought. Below, Yuan Zichu stood respectfully, silent as ever.

"Not bad. You've done well," Chu Xuan nodded slightly, flicking his hand to summon a storage bag. "Those who serve me must be rewarded."

Yuan Zichu's heart soared with joy. "Thank you, Sect Master!"

"Go now," Chu Xuan gestured with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, Sect Master."

Yuan Zichu quickly left.

Chu Xuan gave a faint nod.He rarely involved himself in the sect's day-to-day matters. All the mundane affairs were delegated to the Nascent Soul Elders. But that didn't mean he was oblivious to the sect's condition.

Cultivators like Yuan Zichu, a Golden Core cultivator, were his eyes and ears throughout the Heavenly Infinite Sect, planted as his hidden agents to gather crucial information whenever necessary. At present, there seemed to be no major issues.

"Shi Juntian was a little too extreme in his actions; he really wanted that position of Sect Master," Chu Xuan chuckled softly. Ambition was a good thing. If the Nascent Soul Elders were all complacent, how would he be able to push the sect's cultivators to improve?

Just then, a figure descended by the side of Flying Fish Lake—it was Shang Xingchen. With a smile, he said, "Sect Master! Good news from the upper sect: Wen Lingtian, the old demon of the Reincarnation Sect has been confirmed dead! The upper sect now calls for all of us to act, seize the cultivation stars under the Reincarnation Sect's control, and save the people from their peril. We must also prevent the Exquisite Treasures Alliance and other sects from occupying those stars, lest the mortal world be plunged into further turmoil!"