Demonic Cultivator(401-410) (Patreon)

Chapter 401: This Man Indeed Did Not Die

On the ground of Holy Flame Star, Yun Lan and the others watched as the Nine Yin Island bandit cultivators departed, their expressions dark.

Zhang Jinzhou furrowed his brows deeply. "Senior Sister Yun, are we just going to let them walk away like this? As disciples of the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, we were swindled by these bandit cultivators. If word of this gets out, we will have no face to show the world!"

Tian Musen smiled bitterly. "I only had two high-grade magic treasures, and I had to hand one over. What kind of situation is this?"

Yun Lan's face twisted in anger. "Who could have imagined that Chu Xuan would disappear like this, vanishing into the Nether Fire Valley? Even True Master Yin went in to search but found no trace of him. And you all suffered a great loss. Am I not suffering too? The reward promised by Jin Yaozu—nothing! Not a single bit. I even had to give away a high-grade magic treasure just to avoid disaster!"

Zhang Jinzhou and Tian Musen were left speechless. They had only meant to complain, but after all, this matter had been led by Yun Lan herself.

Shi Jun Tian stood silently at the side, deeply regretting his actions.

The Golden Core cultivators of the Heavenly Infinite Sect were unaware of the full details. All they knew was that Shi Juntian and the others had failed to stand up against the bandit cultivators, resulting in the death of their sect leader, Chu Xuan. This also led to the disappearance of Elder Shang Xingchen and the capture of Elder Wei Ji, both Nascent Soul experts.

These two events alone were enough to cause his standing among the Golden Core disciples to plummet. Now that Chu Xuan had fallen, even if Shi Jun Tian were to succeed him as the sect leader, he would have no face to remain.

Yun Lan noticed his thoughts and offered some reassurance. "The remnants of the Red Flame Pavilion will soon be destroyed. Once the mission is complete, we can return to the Divine Sect. As for the Heavenly Infinite Sect, the Deity Transformation Elders will handle the matters there. No one will place the blame on you."

Shi Jun Tian's heart finally eased slightly. "I hope so..."

...

Elsewhere, aboard the Flowing Wind ship, Chu Xuan sat cross-legged on his bed, reviewing the spoils of the recent encounter.

"This Chen Jin has only the strength of a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, yet he hid so many talismans. Not bad, not bad."

Chu Xuan smiled broadly as he looked at the six stacks of Nascent Soul talismans. He counted them roughly—there were over sixty in total. Though all of them were only at the early Nascent Soul stage, the sheer quantity could still lead to a qualitative change.

For example, when he had been resisting the pursuit of True Master Yin earlier, if he had these sixty-plus early Nascent Soul talismans, he wouldn't have had to waste so many mid- to late-Nascent Soul talismans, nor would he have needed to throw out Bao to delay for time.

"Ah, there's actually a segment of black flood dragon horn here."

Chu Xuan was pleasantly surprised. He found a piece of black flood dragon horn in the corner of Chen Jin's storage bag. Earlier, he had already refined a segment of black flood dragon horn into the Evil Soul Chain, hoping to upgrade it into a high-grade magic treasure.

Unfortunately, it was still one step short of reaching that level. Now, with this new piece of black flood dragon horn, there might just be a chance to elevate it to a high-grade magic treasure!

"Since I have time..."

Chu Xuan immediately began his weapon refining process. He exhaled a mouthful of Nascent Soul essence.

Under his control, the Nascent Soul essence immediately transformed into flames, enveloping both the Evil Soul Chain and the black flood dragon horn simultaneously. This fire could be adjusted at will according to the cultivator's thoughts, making it the perfect choice for refining tools. It was said that once a cultivator reached the Deity Transformation stage, the Nascent Soul True Fire would further enhance, capable of refining all things in the world and accelerating the absorption speed of rare materials.

"Unfortunately, the Netherfire Devouring Flame is not suitable for refining tools; otherwise, I wouldn't have to consume Nascent Soul essence to use Nascent Soul true fire."

Chu Xuan shook his head slightly before continuing to calm his mind and refine his tools. He wasn't concerned about the consumption of the Nascent Soul essence. After all, his Nascent Soul, both in size and strength, had far surpassed that of other Nascent Soul cultivators at the same level.

Now, having cultivated the Three-Phase Soul Transformation Secret Technique, his Nascent Soul was even more robust. The Nascent Soul essence consumed by using Nascent Soul true fire would soon be replenished on its own in no time. Before long, the black flood dragon horn was completely refined into the Evil Soul Chain.

Buzz!

A dark glow flickered over the Evil Soul Chain, and a faint, melodious hum echoed from within. Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow and examined it closely.

"It really has been upgraded to a high-grade magic treasure! Well done!"

A look of joy spread across his face. After losing a few high-grade magic treasures earlier, he was in dire need of such a treasure.

Now, with the Evil Soul Chain joining the ranks, along with the White Bone Stele and the Yin Frost Bottle, he had three high-grade magic treasures in total.

As for the Sky-Shielding Umbrella and Blood Demon Flask, they were still far from reaching the status of high-grade magic treasures and would require more time to cultivate.

"The journey to the Starshatter Sea will take quite some time. For now, I can wait."

Chu Xuan settled into meditation, silently continuing his cultivation.

...

Two months later, the communication jade pendant at Chu Xuan's waist vibrated. He infused it with Spiritual Qi. A chilling voice immediately emanated from within. It wasn't the chief leader, Pei Yuankui, but the voice of True Master Yin directly.

"The fleet is about to return to the Starshatter Sea. All leaders are to come to my ship to discuss countermeasures for any potential enemies."

Chu Xuan rose immediately.

Within the bandit cultivators of the Starshatter Sea, it was a constant cycle of snatching from one another, mutual slaughter, and endless conflict.

He had already reviewed Chen Jin's memories and knew that Nine Yin Island was merely a medium-sized faction within the Starshatter Sea. Thus, he had long anticipated that their return to Nine Yin Island wouldn't be a smooth one.

Whenever Nine Yin Island's bandit cultivators returned from a plunder, they would always gather all the leaders beforehand to discuss and formulate strategies. Clearly, this time was no different.

Chu Xuan immediately ordered his subordinates to maneuver the ship closer to the Nine Yin Ship where True Master Yin was located.

Soon after, seven leaders, accompanied by their subordinates, arrived before True Master Yin.

Like the others, Chu Xuan kept his head lowered. True Master Yin, compared to before, seemed mostly unchanged.

Yet, Chu Xuan's perception was acutely sharp. He could sense that True Master Yin's breathing had grown slightly heavier, a clear sign that the injuries from the battle with the Netherfire King had yet to fully heal.

True Master Yin did not speak but instead cast a glance at Pei Yuankui.

Pei Yuankui understood immediately and said, "The factions in conflict with our Nine Yin Island are White Bone Island and Black Wind Island. When we return to the Starshatter Sea, the fleets of these two islands are the most likely to attempt an interception.

"However, we deliberately activated a concealment array during our plundering, so no cultivators detected us. Everyone need not worry. When we near the Starshatter Sea, we must remain vigilant and be ready to activate the array at any moment."

The leaders all immediately responded, "Yes!"

Pei Yuankui then took out six storage bags and said, "The True Master is concerned that you brothers may face danger. Within these bags are spirit stones, magic treasures, talismans, and pills, all bestowed upon you by the True Master."

The second leader, Sima Zhen, was visibly moved. "Thank you, True Master! In this lifetime, I will follow your every command, riding at your side without question!"

The third leader quickly followed suit. "The True Master is my heaven! I will remain eternally loyal!"

Naturally, Chu Xuan and the other leaders also expressed their gratitude, their faces filled with sincere appreciation.

True Master Yin gave a faint smile. "Go back now, rest well during this time, and conserve your strength. Be vigilant against any external threats."

"Yes!"

The group promptly departed.

As they left, Chu Xuan's eyes subtly caught sight of one of Sima Zhen's subordinates. His brow arched in surprise. The man's disguise technique was exceedingly advanced, yet it still fell short by a small margin.

Thus, with a single glance, Chu Xuan saw through the man's false appearance. Especially the man's mannerisms. They were eerily reminiscent of someone he knew all too well.

Shang Xingchen!

The man was indeed not dead. And, just like him, he had somehow made his way into the Nine Yin Island bandit cultivators!

Chapter 402: I Took the Bait

At the same time, Shang Xingchen also noticed Chu Xuan's gaze. He subtly glanced over. Though he couldn't see through Chu Xuan's disguise, he instinctively sensed that the eighth leader, Chen Jin, shared something in common with him. They were both pretenders.

A face could be disguised, but a person's aura was much harder to mask completely. Especially for someone like Chu Xuan, with whom Shang Xingchen had collaborated many times before.

Aside from not knowing Chu Xuan's hidden trump cards, everything else was crystal clear to him. To put it dramatically, even if Chu Xuan turned into a woman, Shang Xingchen would still be able to detect that unique aura of his.

Chu Xuan also noticed that the two seasoned manipulators exchanged a subtle glance, and in that moment, they silently reached a mutual understanding.

The leaders exited the cabin and arrived on the deck, preparing to return to their respective ships.

Sima Zhen suddenly spoke up. "Eighth Brother, how is the repair of my longbow magic treasure coming along?"

Chu Xuan smiled. "It's almost done on my ship. Do you need it now, Second Brother?"

The eighth leader, Chen Jin, was slightly skilled in crafting tools, but his abilities were limited to repairing mid- to high-grade magic treasures. He couldn't handle high-grade magic treasures.

Sima Zhen indeed had a longbow magic treasure, which he had entrusted to Chen Jin for repairs a long time ago. But Chen Jin had dragged his feet, claiming the reward was too little and delaying the work.

Sima Zhen patted Shang Xingchen's shoulder. "You go with Eighth Brother and bring the magic treasure back."

"Yes." Shang Xingchen nodded and followed behind Chu Xuan.

...

Moments later, inside the ship's cabin.

The two exchanged glances, but neither spoke first.

After a while, Shang Xingchen suddenly laughed. "Fellow Daoist Chu, your progress in the Poison Path is astonishing. The poisons I just refined couldn't even harm you in the slightest."

Chu Xuan chuckled. "Fellow Daoist Shang is not bad yourself. My Gu insects can't even approach you."

The two had already engaged in several secret contests of poison and Gu techniques in just a short time in the cabin.After all, this was the best way to confirm each other's identity.

Shang Xingchen sighed. "Wei Ji said you were as good as dead. I didn't expect you to make it out of the Nether Fire Valley alive."

Chu Xuan smiled. "Fellow Daoist Shang, you too, didn't I hear that True Master Yin plans to sell both of you in the Starshatter Sea? Two mid-Nascent Soul cultivators—whether for corpse refining or ghost forging, you two would fetch quite a high price there."

Shang Xingchen shrugged. "Wei Ji really did get captured. He's still on Sima Zhen's ship. And his storage bag was taken by Pei Yuankui."

Chu Xuan couldn't help but laugh softly and nodded in acknowledgment. Wei Ji's capture hadn't exceeded his expectations. He continued, "So, Sima Zhen seems to be listening to your words?"

Shang Xingchen replied, "He's a descendant of a senior brother from my Nether Dao Sect. After the Sect's downfall, he came to the Starshatter Sea. He's now desperately seeking a way to escape the clutches of True Master Yin."

He added, "Fellow Daoist Chu, I have a way to break free from True Master Yin. Would you be willing to join me?"

Chu Xuan's heart stirred slightly. "Speak, I'm listening."

Shang Xingchen smiled. "Our Nether Dao Sect has a small faction of cultivators who've managed to establish a foothold in the Starshatter Sea. They've gained some strength. We've long had communication through a sound transmission jade, but due to the vast distance, it hasn't been effective. Now, with the Nine Yin Island fleet so close to the Starshatter Sea, I've managed to contact several from the Yellow Spring Island and informed them of True Master Yin's injury, caused by the Netherfire King."

At this, Shang Xingchen looked at Chu Xuan with a smile in his eyes.

Chu Xuan pondered deeply. There was constant conflict between bandit cultivators. Today you strike me, tomorrow I devour you. True Master Yin was the strongest on Nine Yin Island, but he was now wounded, and gravely so. Once this news spread, other bandit cultivators would surely grow restless, eager to act. If he could indeed leverage such a force, perhaps there was a chance for him to escape alive.

Shang Xingchen continued, "If Fellow Daoist Chu is willing to cooperate, we will have the Flowing Wind Ship approach the White Cloud Ship. When the battle grows chaotic, and the magic spells fly, it's possible that the Flowing Wind Ship will be swept up in the storm."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly. "Alright, I'll cooperate with you."

Shang Xingchen smiled and nodded. "We're both new to the Starshatter Sea and unfamiliar with the land. We must work together to survive."

He paused for a moment, then suddenly spoke with respect, "Eighth Leader, that longbow magic treasure…"

Chu Xuan hesitated. "It's not completely repaired yet, but since Second Brother needs it, you may take it."

He walked into the crafting room and handed the longbow magic treasure to Shang Xingchen.

Shang Xingchen didn't waste any more words and turned to leave. Moments later, he departed on a fast ship, heading toward the White Cloud Ship where Sima Zhen was.

Chu Xuan watched his departing figure, his expression thoughtful. He wouldn't trust Shang Xingchen fully. At best, it was seven parts truth, three parts lies. They both sought to escape from True Master Yin—that was unquestionable.

But once True Master Yin was dealt with, could he really leave with Shang Xingchen?

Shang Xingchen had his allies in Yellow Spring Island, but Chu Xuan had none. If he followed Shang Xingchen to Yellow Spring Island, it would be like a tiger entering a wolf's den, surrounded by enemies.

Shang Xingchen had likely been eyeing him for some time. He couldn't fall into the trap the other had set. It was very possible that, just as he escaped from True Master Yin, he would be restrained by Shang Xingchen and his allies.

"I took the bait, as for the trap... well, anyone who wants to jump in, let them."

Chu Xuan gave a faint, knowing smile.

A month later, Chu Xuan's sound transmission jade vibrated at his waist. He infused it with Spiritual Qi, and immediately, Pei Yuankui's voice came through.

"We're about to enter the Starshatter Sea region. Everyone, be on high alert! Watch for ambushes!"

Chu Xuan made his way to the deck. The dozen or so bandit cultivators under his command were already on full alert. He gazed into the distance.

Before him, the once dull and barren starry sky now displayed a vast and fragmented expanse of landmasses. Beneath these land fragments, the waves gently rippled. The waves stretched far into the distance, seemingly endless.

The Starshatter Sea was formed from countless shattered star fragments, carried by the Three Thousand Weak Waters. Cultivators of the Nascent Soul realm and below could not enter the Three Thousand Weak Waters. Only those of the Deity Transformation realm could barely resist the corrosive nature of these strange waters.

"It seems there are no other fleets intercepting us," Chu Xuan observed, scanning the surroundings. He didn't sense the presence of any other fleets.

But just then, from the darkness ahead, a fleet suddenly emerged. The attack formations aboard the fleet immediately unleashed a series of powerful Spiritual Qi beams!

These beams shot directly toward the flagship of True Master Yin's fleet, the largest and most imposing of the ships. The sudden onslaught caught the Nine Yin Island bandit cultivators completely off guard. Especially when they realized that another fleet had surged out from the previously empty starry expanse to their side, their panic grew exponentially.

Chu Xuan quickly glanced at the emblems on the two attacking fleets and immediately understood. These fleets were from White Bone Island and Black Wind Island, both of which had been in constant friction with Nine Yin Island.

However, even White Bone Island and Black Wind Island had their own disputes. Now, they had inexplicably formed an alliance to besiege Nine Yin Island. It was clear they had learned of True Master Yin's severe injuries. Moreover, there was still the unknown fleet from Yellow Spring Island, somewhere out there…

Chapter 403: Melee

"Looks like the cultivators from Yellow Spring Island are quite clever," Chu Xuan mused with a faint smile. "They've probably spread the news of True Master Yin's injuries in secret, getting White Bone Island and Black Wind Island to fight amongst themselves. Meanwhile, they can hide in the back and reap the benefits."

"All Nine Yin Island fleets, gather around my flagship, and break through southward!" True Master Yin's voice echoed through the sound transmission jade at Chu Xuan's waist. "I will activate the Black Mirror Formation!"

As soon as the command was given, black light erupted from the Nine Yin flagship. In the blink of an eye, a massive protective shield formed around the ship. This was the Nine Yin Island's defensive formation, the Black Mirror Formation, which could reflect about 30% of incoming attacks, especially effective against Spiritual Qi light beams.

"Follow close behind, towards the White Cloud Ship," Chu Xuan ordered immediately.

"Yes!" his subordinates responded without hesitation. Although they didn't understand the reasoning behind it, as their leader had commanded, they did not dare to question.

The Flowing Wind Ship immediately adjusted its course to follow closely behind the White Cloud Ship, which was already positioned near the flagship, the Nine Yin Ship. Together, they now fell under the protection of the Black Mirror Formation.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Once again, the Black Wind Island fleet fired a barrage of Spiritual Qi light beams.

The ship carrying the Fifth Leader, however, failed to reach the Nine Yin flagship in time. It was caught in the full force of the beam barrage, splitting the ship in two. Those on board, unless they had reached Deity Transformation, had no hope of survival. In the void of space, no one could survive without the protection of powerful cultivation.

Seeing Nine Yin Island's fleet break through southward, the White Bone Island and Black Wind Island ships immediately quickened their pace, chasing after them. The Spiritual Qi light beams and the Black Mirror Formation clashed violently in the starry void, exploding and canceling each other out.

At that moment, one of the Golden Core bandit cultivators beside Chu Xuan suddenly shouted in alarm, "Leader! There's a wreckage ahead!"

Chu Xuan's brows furrowed as he focused his gaze. A mass of wreckage lay directly in the path of the Nine Yin Island fleet's southward escape route.

If they charged straight ahead, their ships would suffer severe damage, possibly even exploding outright. But if they attempted to dodge, their speed would be greatly reduced, and the pursuing fleets would catch up quickly.

"Turn the ship to face the enemy, prepare for close-quarter combat!" True Master Yin's deep voice roared from the sound transmission jade.

The sudden appearance of two attacking fleets, combined with the wreckage blocking their path, meant one thing: their retreat route had been exposed. There was a traitor within their ranks!

But right now, True Master Yin had no time to focus on identifying the betrayer. Continuing to flee would only deplete their strength. Turning back and fighting for their lives might still offer a chance at survival.

Chu Xuan immediately gave orders for his subordinates to ready their magic treasures and magic tools, preparing for battle. His gaze remained fixed on the approaching enemy fleets.

The enemy clearly didn't intend to destroy the ships outright. To bandit cultivators, every ship was a valuable asset. And with the Nine Yin Island fleet known for its speed, capturing a few ships would allow their forces to grow even stronger.

The fleets from White Bone Island and Black Wind Island targeted the Nine Yin flagship directly, while the other ships chose their targets accordingly. One ship, in particular, seemed to have locked onto the Flowing Wind Ship, making a beeline toward it.

"I don't understand ship cannon duels, but when it comes to gang fights, I'm all in," Chu Xuan said with a cold smile, watching as the White Bone Island cultivators on flying magic treasures darted toward the Flowing Wind Ship's deck.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several figures leaped onto the Flowing Wind Ship, their movements swift and practiced. These bandit cultivators were clearly experienced in gang fights. As soon as their feet hit the deck, each immediately summoned a small shield magic treasure to protect themselves while clutching two talismans in their hands.

"Heh heh, Chen Jin, didn't expect it to be me, did you?"

The leader of the group, a one-eyed man with a dragon tattoo, fixed his gaze on Chu Xuan with a vicious grin. "Last time you took out my eye, this time, I'll make sure to take revenge personally!"

This man was Hou Wang, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from White Bone Island. A few years ago, White Bone Island and Nine Yin Island cultivators had teamed up to explore an ancient cultivator's cave, only for things to turn violent when it was time to divide the spoils. During that fight, Chen Jin—Chu Xuan's current alias—had taken out Hou Wang's eye.

That battle had left Nine Yin Island's cultivators with a massive windfall, while the grudge between Nine Yin Island and White Bone Island had deepened irrevocably.

Chu Xuan looked at Hou Wang and chuckled lightly. "Looks like you've come to the wrong person."

Hou Wang sneered, "I'll turn you into a corpse puppet!"

With a wave of his hand, a massive corpse king emerged from the shadows behind him, charging toward Chu Xuan. The beast was enormous, its appearance gruesome and terrifying.

Chu Xuan's eyes scanned the creature, and he immediately saw that it was nothing special. It was far weaker than Hu or Long, and even compared to the Bao he had once unleashed against True Master Yin, this corpse king was pathetic.

This corpse king was at most at the second-tier level of a corpse king.

Hou Wang grinned maliciously, "This corpse king has devoured plenty of blood and flesh, and has already advanced to the second-tier level! Chen Jin, if I remember correctly, your corpse king is still first-tier, hahahaha..."

His laughter had barely finished when Bang! A powerful fist shot out from the shadows and smashed the corpse king's head in one blow.

The creature's brain matter, black blood, and bone fragments splattered in every direction. Some of the gore even landed on Hou Wang's face. He stared in disbelief at the decapitated corpse king as it collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, completely destroyed.

Hou Wang's expression froze in shock. For a typical Nascent Soul cultivator, it took immense effort to cultivate even a single corpse king. Hou Wang had even sold several of his precious magic treasures just to acquire more and better flesh for his corpse puppet.

This was supposed to be a second-tier corpse king—how could it have been crushed so easily? Wasn't it commonly said that the physical body of a corpse puppet was stronger than that of a cultivator?

"This is a question worth thinking about. I'll give you plenty of time to think it over."

A calm voice suddenly echoed from behind him.

Hou Wang whipped around in surprise, but to his shock, Chu Xuan's figure had already disappeared.

Crack.

Instinctively, Hou Wang attempted to flee using his Nascent Soul. But before he could even react, an overwhelming force snapped his neck.

His Nascent Soul was snatched with a single hand and casually thrown into the Sky Shield Umbrella.

Chu Xuan had long since reached the ninth level of Nascent Soul and the thirty-ninth stage of body refinement—an expert. Dealing with a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like Hou Wang was a trivial matter. What's more, Hou Wang had never suspected his true strength, mistaking him for someone of equal cultivation, such as Chen Jin.

With Hou Wang's death, the morale of the Golden Core cultivators he had brought with him plummeted. Within moments, they too were swiftly dealt with by Chu Xuan's subordinates.

"Leader! We should counterattack! We can seize Hou Wang's ship!"

A Golden Core cultivator spoke up, his eyes alight with ambition.

Chu Xuan glanced at him, his voice icy, "Who gave you the courage to make such a suggestion? Can't you see that we are in a disadvantageous position? Two more ships are heading our way, can't you see that? Immediately move toward the Nine Yin flagship!"

The Golden Core cultivator was silenced by the rebuke, shrinking back with a lowered head.

Chu Xuan's gaze swept toward the Nine Yin flagship. Three Deity Transformation cultivators had burst out of their ships and were locked in a fierce battle. The aftershocks from their fight were too powerful, threatening to damage their own ships, so they intentionally stayed far from the fray.

In the end, the outcome of this battle would hinge on the struggle between the Deity Transformation cultivators.

Chapter 404: This Soesn't Seem Like Our Boss

Chu Xuan's gaze remained sharp, constantly scanning the surroundings.

Where was the Yellow Spring Island fleet? This fleet was truly patient, still keeping itself hidden. Were they planning to wait until the other three factions had suffered significant losses before making their move?

The battle between the three Deity Transformation cultivators continued unabated.

On the ships, a large number of White Bone Island and Black Wind Island cultivators launched boarding actions against the Nine Yin Island cultivators. The Nine Yin cultivators, outnumbered and weak, were quickly pushed back.

Occasionally, entire ships exploded into countless pieces of wreckage, while cultivators were thrown from the decks, helplessly drifting into the vast void of space.

The battle on the Flowing Wind ship also raged on. However, as just the eighth leader, Chu Xuan wasn't the main target. Instead, the focus was on the higher-ranking leaders, like Pei Yuankui and Sima Zhen.

Everyone knew that higher-ranked leaders meant deeper reserves of power. Capturing them would naturally yield greater rewards.

In the constant boarding battles, Chu Xuan attempted to distance himself from the deck. He quickly realized that as long as he didn't stray too far, he could rely on his flying magic treasure to return to the ship swiftly.

But if he ventured too far from the deck, his Nascent Soul's Spiritual Qi wouldn't sustain him in the vast expanse of space for long. This was precisely why it was only upon reaching the Deity Transformation stage that cultivators could traverse the stars without any external aids.

Just then, the battle between the three Deity Transformation cultivators finally reached its climax. True Master Yin unleashed a torrent of sinister winds, forcing both the White Bone True Master and the Black Wind True Master into retreat.

Chu Xuan focused his gaze. Both the White Bone True Master and the Black Wind True Master were heavily injured, their faces grim. Their spiritual artifacts showed significant damage.

In stark contrast, True Master Yin was surrounded by a strange ghostly form, resembling a whirlwind, floating ominously at his side. Though his aura was somewhat unstable, he was clearly holding his own against the two and still had the strength to spare!

"True Master Yin's hidden abilities are impressive…" Chu Xuan mused, stroking his chin.

The stars were silent, and no sound could travel in the void, but from what he could see, both the White Bone True Master and the Black Wind True Master looked cautious. They clearly didn't want to continue the fight.

"At a time like this, you still haven't made your move?"

Chu Xuan surveyed his surroundings, his brows slightly furrowing.

As expected, just as the three Deity Transformation cultivators cautiously retreated, another fleet emerged into the starry void. The lead ship flew a banner adorned with blood-red flowers, a symbol of the Yellow Spring Island fleet!

As soon as the Yellow Spring Island fleet appeared, a barrage of Spiritual Qi light columns shot forth without warning, aiming straight for the position of True Master Yin and the others.

A sense of alarm rose in the hearts of all three cultivators. They retreated in alarm, their faces showing a mix of anger and shock.

True Master Yin, positioned at the forefront, was almost directly in the path of the Spiritual Qi light columns. He roared angrily, summoning the vortex-like ghost to shield himself, while quickly flying toward the Nine Yin ship.

Boom!

The Spiritual Qi light columns exploded violently. The mighty vortex ghost from the earlier battle was swept away under the immense force, vanishing in an instant.

True Master Yin, connected soul and spirit to the ghost, immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, his face paling as his strength visibly waned. It was clear that he had lost at least half of his power.

The White Bone True Master and Black Wind True Master hadn't expected Yellow Spring Island to strike out of nowhere. Both fleets had already suffered significant losses, and facing the well-rested Yellow Spring Island fleet was clearly unfavorable.

After a brief moment of deliberation, the White Bone Island and Black Wind Island fleets immediately retreated, slowly withdrawing from the battle from a different direction.

Chu Xuan's communication jade again trembled, this time with True Master Yin's voice echoing from it.

"All Nine Yin cultivators, retreat with me!"

At the same time, the transmission jade left by Shang Xingchen buzzed with a message.

"Fellow Daoist Chu, immediately head toward the White Cloud ship, this is our only chance!"

Boom!

But to everyone's surprise, the three fleet leaders did not move toward the Nine Yin ship. Instead, they sped off in the opposite direction. It was clear they intended to escape amid the chaos. The other ships remained still for a moment, seemingly unsure of what to do.

On the Flowing Wind ship, the cultivators were at a loss, uncertain of the next move.

Chu Xuan smiled faintly, immediately commanding his subordinates.

"Accelerate! Head toward the Nine Yin ship!"

His voice was resolute as he added, "I, Chen Jin, will never forget—I am a Nine Yin cultivator!"

His subordinates were bewildered, exchanging confused glances.

"This... doesn't seem like our boss."

But despite their inner thoughts, none of them dared defy Chu Xuan's orders. They immediately steered the Flowing Wind ship toward the Nine Yin ship. The other ships remained stationary, but the Flowing Wind ship accelerated quickly.

Meanwhile, the White Cloud ship made a more conspicuous move, heading directly toward the Yellow Spring Island fleet.

True Master Yin, standing on the deck of the Nine Yin ship, watched this scene. Though his expression remained grim, there was a flicker of relief in his eyes.

"This Chen Jin," he thought to himself, "is usually so unremarkable, yet in a critical moment, he truly remains loyal to me." He nodded inwardly. "White Cloud ship… It must be them who leaked the information this time."

True Master Yin's gaze turned icy, filled with an intense hatred. He could almost feel the urge to crush the White Cloud ship into dust with nothing but his eyes.

In the end, only the First Leader Pei Yuankui, Sixth Leader Ge Rong, and Chu Xuan's three ships managed to return to the Nine Yin ship's side.

True Master Yin picked up his communication jade, and his hoarse voice echoed, "Good, good, good. It seems I did not treat you all unfairly in the past. Now that you've safely returned to the Nine Yin Island, I will personally remove the poison from each of you. From now on, you three will be my disciples! I will personally teach you the Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art!"

Pei Yuanhui and Ge Rong's expressions shifted slightly, but there was no other change.

Previously, True Master Yin had treated them like mere servants, even poisoning them to maintain control. Even when he taught them spells and techniques, he had always been cautious and secretive.

Now, was he finally treating them as disciples, or was this just another attempt to win their loyalty with empty promises?

As for Chu Xuan, he showed no interest. The Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art and the title of "personal disciple" meant nothing to him.

At this moment, True Master Yin's words were nothing more than empty flattery to gain their trust. Chu Xuan couldn't be fooled by such words. The reason he was still following True Master Yin was twofold.

First, he found Shang Xingchen untrustworthy. If he followed him to the Yellow Spring Island fleet, he would likely fall into a trap. Second, despite True Master Yin's previous shortcomings, he had founded Nine Yin Island and commanded numerous robbers. He couldn't be as weak as he appeared; there had to be a hidden trump card.

At this point, True Master Yin spoke coldly, "You three, return to the Nine Yin ship. Remember to hide within the shadows of the ship. Don't let the Yellow Spring Island people spot you. As for the three ships you brought, let your subordinates control them."

He smiled sinisterly, "I've been roaming the Starshatter Sea for so long. How could I not have a backup plan? If they dare engage in boarding battles, I will send them a 'special gift'!"

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow, already guessing what True Master Yin's "backup plan" might be.

On the other side, aboard the Yellow Springs ship. Shang Xingchen and Sima Zhen had already moved from the White Cloud ship to the Yellow Springs ship's deck. He watched as the Flowing Wind ship slowly moved further away and couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly.

"Chu Xuan, Chu Xuan, trying to trick you once really isn't easy."

Chapter 405: The Yellow Spring True Master!

Sima Zhen smiled, "That fellow daoist Chu probably thinks True Master Yin still has some hidden cards up his sleeve. Following True Master Yin seems like a more secure choice."

Shang Xingchen initially nodded in agreement, but after a moment of thought, he shook his head.

"No, he's trying to kill True Master Yin."

Upon hearing this, Sima Zhen was taken aback. After all, True Master Yin was a Deity Transformation-level True Master. How could Chu Xuan possibly kill him?

His mind raced, and it didn't take long for him to react. He looked at Shang Xingchen, muttering, "Use the situation to kill him?!"

Shang Xingchen nodded calmly. "We shall see."

At that moment, a Yellow Spring Island cultivator hurriedly approached them.

"Fellow Daoists Shang and Sima, please follow me. The Island Master wishes to see you."

The two quickly made their way to the ship's cabin, where they met the Island Master of Yellow Spring Island. He was a tall middle-aged cultivator, his demeanor elegant and gentle, exuding an air of humility and politeness. This was Yellow Spring Island's leader, Bai Tianhe.

Bai Tianhe smiled warmly at Shang Xingchen. He raised his hands in a grand gesture.

"Nether Dao Sect Deity Transformation cultivator Bai Tianhe, meets the Second Young Master!"

Shang Xingchen quickly helped Bai Tianhe to his feet. "True Master, you're too kind. The Nether Dao Sect has long since fallen. Had it not been for the assistance of the esteemed cultivators of Yellow Spring Island, how could I have escaped True Master Yin's clutches? From now on, Master need not call me 'Young Master,' for I should be the one addressing you as 'True Master.'"

He bowed respectfully. "Shang Xingchen, meets Yellow Spring True Master!"

A look of satisfaction flashed in Bai Tianhe's eyes. After Shang Xingchen completed his bow, Bai Tianhe hurriedly helped him back up.

"Good, good, good! With a talented cultivator like Xingchen, Yellow Spring Island's strength grows once again!"

Shang Xingchen quickly added, "This is my companion, Sima Zhen. His grandfather, Senior Sima Yi, was once a Deity Transformation Elder in the Nether Dao Sect. Master should remember him."

Bai Tianhe then turned to Sima Zhen, nodding repeatedly. "When Nether Dao Sect fell, I was still only a Nascent Soul cultivator. I had the honor of witnessing Senior Sima's imposing presence."

Sima Zhen cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. "Thank you, True Master, for helping me out of my predicament."

Bai Tianhe smiled and nodded. "You should still have some of the poison from that old demon Yin in your system. I have a method to neutralize it. Let me take care of it for you."

At that moment, the cultivator who had previously approached hurried back.

"True Master, the remaining remnants of Nine Yin Island are attempting to escape. Should we pursue them?"

Bai Tianhe nodded. "Pursue them. That old demon Yin must have some hidden trump cards. Let's force him to reveal them. By forcing out one of his hidden cards today, dealing with him in the future will be much simpler."

"Understood!" The cultivator bowed respectfully before hurrying off.

The two fleets from Nine Yin Island and Yellow Spring Island, one in front and the other trailing behind, steadily approached the Starshatter Sea.

The Yellow Spring ships, including the Yellow Spring flagship, constantly fired Spiritual Qi beams, pounding at their targets. In contrast, the Nine Yin fleet, struggling to defend itself, began to slow down more and more. Forced to activate the Black Mirror Formation once again, they barely managed to hold their ground. But when the Black Mirror formation was shattered by another barrage, they had no further means of defense left.

"Has this old demon Yin really run out of tricks?" Bai Tianhe muttered to himself.

With a sharp voice, he issued an order, "Send my command—initiate the boarding attack!"

"Yes!" The Yellow Spring cultivators were full of enthusiasm, their spirits lifted as they prepared for battle.

When the two fleets collided once more, a large number of Yellow Spring cultivators leapt onto the Flowing Wind ship and the other two large ships. Led by Nascent Soul cultivators, their assault was almost unopposed. After all, the remaining cultivators on those ships were either Golden Core or Foundation Establishment experts.

The massacre went smoothly, and the Yellow Spring cultivators were a little astonished at how easily they overwhelmed their opponents. But what about the three leaders?

The Yellow Spring cultivators immediately sent a message through their communication jade to Bai Tianhe. Bai Tianhe's brows twitched violently. A terrifying thought suddenly took root in his mind.

"Could it be... is True Master Yin really willing to self-destruct his ships? Those are the foundation he's built up over centuries!"

After a moment of consideration, Bai Tianhe realized that True Master Yin was indeed the type of ruthless person who would do such a thing.

He immediately shouted, "Withdraw the ships from Nine Yin Island, NOW!"

A sense of unease rose among the Yellow Spring cultivators as they hastily retreated.

On the deck of the Nine Yin flagship, True Master Yin, holding the formation disk, looked coldly at the Yellow Spring cultivators, sneering to himself. With a sudden press of his hand, the formation disk emitted a silent, invisible wave.

Boom!

A series of deep explosions erupted from within the three Yellow Spring ships. The blasts grew louder and louder, echoing in the ears of every Yellow Spring cultivator. Panic surged through them as they scrambled to return to their ships, but it was too late.

The three ships, including Flowing Wind, suddenly detonated in a horrifying explosion of fireballs that engulfed all of their passengers.

Pei Yuankui and Ge Rong's faces were grim with shock. Even Chu Xuan's expression faltered, his brow furrowing as the true nature of the situation sank in. True Master Yin had already planted self-detonation formations on these ships! It turned out they had been sitting on a ticking time bomb this whole time.

However, such a drastic measure was clearly a last resort. A ship of this caliber, a Falcon-class vessel, was a considerable asset to any of the four great factions—Nine Yin Island, Yellow Spring Island, White Bone Island, and Black Wind Island. Only when cornered would True Master Yin be forced to destroy such a valuable treasure.

Aboard the Yellow Spring flagship, Bai Tianhe clenched his fists, his face pale with fury. The majority of their forces were in shock. At least one-third of the Yellow Spring Island cultivators had perished in the explosion. This was after Bai Tianhe had instinctively held back, not ordering a full assault. Had he acted recklessly, their losses might have been far greater.

Everyone had known that True Master Yin had a backup plan, but no one had expected him to act so decisively and ruthlessly.

"Retreat. Return to Yellow Spring Island," Bai Tianhe finally ordered after a long silence.

Standing quietly to one side, Shang Xingchen had observed the entire sequence of events, his expression unreadable. He had anticipated what True Master Yin's backup plan was, but he said nothing. It was evident that Bai Tianhe no longer saw him as a member of Nether Dao Sect.

The once-revered Second Young Master of the sect was treated with a distant, almost dismissive attitude. Bai Tianhe had intentionally waited for Shang Xingchen to perform the ceremonial bow before helping him up.

"Ultimately, not one of us is truly on the same side," Shang Xingchen mused to himself with a faint sigh. He began to ponder his next steps, his brow furrowed in thought.

True Master Yin stood on the deck, his cold eyes scanning the distant horizon. With a sneer, he muttered, "To dare pursue me—there will be a heavy price to pay." He was calm, confident, as though this was merely another victory for him in a long string of them.

"We are heading back! The explosion of three ships is nothing to worry about. As long as we still have the 'mountain,' we need not fear running out of firewood." He smiled coldly. "As long as we are alive, we will gain more ships."

The three men, including Chu Xuan, nodded respectfully, acknowledging his wisdom.

"Indeed, True Master is correct."

Several days later, the Nine Yin flagship, Nine Yin, finally emerged unscathed from the tumultuous battles. They had navigated their way past the dangers, entering a new, unfamiliar region of space.

Unlike the clear boundary between the Starry Sky and the Three Thousand Weak Waters, the boundary of the Starshatter Sea was far more ambiguous. However, these large ships, especially those from Nine Yin Island, were capable of seamlessly transitioning between the Starry Sky and the Weak Waters.

Throughout the journey, Chu Xuan had not felt anything out of the ordinary. The Nine Yin ship moved with a fluid grace, as though effortlessly gliding into the Starshatter Sea, its destination now clear before them.

Chapter 406: I Think I Should Go First

The Starshatter Sea, where Spiritual Qi was densest in the interior and thinnest on the outside, was naturally divided into three rings: the First Ring, Second Ring, and Third Ring. Nine Yin Island was located within the southernmost part of the Third Ring.

It wasn't long before Nine Yin anchored at Nine Yin Island. Chu Xuan and his companions finally set foot on solid ground after their long journey.

Nine Yin Island, though small, spanned about fifty thousand square meters. Upon it stood a dark, ominous pavilion, surrounded by clusters of caves where cultivators resided.

True Master Yin, visibly weaker, coughed several times, his complexion growing more ashen. He suddenly reached into his storage bag and retrieved three dark green pills.

"These are detox pills. Take them," True Master Yin said hoarsely, his voice strained.

Chu Xuan took the so-called detox pills from him, glancing at True Master Yin with a steady gaze. Without a word, he threw the pills into his mouth. Regardless of whether these were truly detoxifying or not, not taking them would arouse suspicion from True Master Yin.

Furthermore, his physical body, as a body refiner, was naturally resistant to poisons. Body refiners were born as poison's natural nemeses. Additionally, he had a considerable understanding of poison and could quickly identify its antidote by smelling the few herbs that had just wafted from the pills.

Seeing how decisive and confident Chu Xuan was, True Master Yin's expression softened into one of satisfaction.

Seeing this, both Pei Yuankui and Ge Rong followed suit, swallowing the pills without protest.

Once all three had taken the pills, True Master Yin's expression became pleased, and he gestured for them to wait outside the cave.

"Wait here for now. I'll summon you one by one," True Master Yin instructed. "There are nine branches to the Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art. I need to examine your spiritual roots and cultivation methods before tailoring a specific technique for each of you."

Chu Xuan and the others nodded in agreement.

True Master Yin strode into his cave dwelling, and the heavy stone door shut behind him with a resounding thud. The three of them were left waiting outside in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Each had their own plans in mind, particularly Ge Rong, whose eyes darted about as if he had already deduced True Master Yin's intentions.

Pei Yuankui, on the other hand, appeared unruffled, as though he had seen such things countless times before.

After a long while, the stone door of the cave finally creaked open again. From within, True Master Yin's hoarse voice called out, "Ge Rong, come in."

Ge Rong's expression darkened, and with a respectful tone, he said, "Master, I believe this matter should be handled according to seniority. My eldest senior brother holds a higher rank than I do, and his strength surpasses mine. He is your eldest disciple, so he should go first."

Pei Yuankui silently cursed, but his face remained impassive. He too spoke respectfully, "Master, as the eldest disciple, it is only right that I yield to the younger generation. There is no reason for the eldest disciple to take such advantage."

The two of them exchanged polite words, each trying to convince the other to go first.

Chu Xuan couldn't bear to watch any longer. With a swift step, he moved in front of both Pei Yuankui and Ge Rong.

"Master, both senior brothers are too polite, and it's wasting time." He spoke with a casual air, "I think it's best if I go first. After all, I'm the third disciple, and I'm the youngest."

Pei Yuankui and Ge Rong exchanged a glance, and immediately, they bowed in unison, "Third junior brother is absolutely right."

True Master Yin fell into silence for a long while before finally speaking calmly, "Very well, Chen Jin, you may enter."

Chu Xuan stepped into the dark cave. As soon as he entered, the heavy stone door slammed shut behind him.

The interior of the cave was completely dark, devoid of any light. It appeared that a special formation was at work, absorbing all light and suppressing spiritual senses. Even Nascent Soul cultivators would struggle to see the environment within.

Ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators could not see it—Chu Xuan, however, was a different case. Even with the formation suppressing his senses, his spiritual perception was unmatched below Deity Transformation, allowing him to clearly make out the cave's structure.

Inside, there was a stone bed. But instead of True Master Yin, sitting cross-legged on the bed was an ordinary-looking corpse general. True Master Yin stood three zhang behind the corpse general, his expression dark and sinister.

Beside True Master Yin stood a ghost king, its claws silently scraping the air, exuding an ominous presence.

The atmosphere in the cave felt thick and oppressive, as if the air was laden with poison. Chu Xuan quickly deduced that the air must be toxic. This was typical of True Master Yin—he was meticulous, even when plotting to consume his subordinates. Truly, a Deity Transformation cultivator who could dominate the Southern Third Ring of the Starshatter Sea was no simple figure.

Chu Xuan's expression didn't change. He bowed respectfully to the corpse general lying on the stone bed. "Chen Jin greets Master!"

True Master Yin's voice echoed eerily around the cave, as if it came from all directions.

"You should not have come in first. Your loyalty to me… it truly touches me. I don't want to kill you. But I am gravely injured. If I don't consume a few cultivators soon, I will certainly be hunted down by my enemies. After you die, I will erect a monument to you on the island."

Chu Xuan's face changed drastically. "You… you…"

His body went limp, and he began to collapse toward the ground. He pointed weakly at the corpse general on the stone bed, his voice filled with fury, "You poisoned me… after all my loyalty to you!"

True Master Yin smiled faintly, his voice cold and detached. "Loyalty is a virtue, but it must be placed in the right direction. Let me teach you one thing in this life, something you must remember in your next life. Blind loyalty is to be avoided."

Chu Xuan seemed to muster every last ounce of strength he had, forcing himself to stand. With a roar, he charged toward the corpse general on the stone bed, shouting, "I'll fight you to the death!"

True Master Yin stood behind him, arms crossed, watching with a cold, amused smile. It was as if he were savoring a play he had scripted himself. The sense of superiority, of being in complete control, was intoxicating.

Buzz!

Just as he reveled in his own power, a heavy, cold chain suddenly coiled around him. It constricted with the force of a life-draining serpent, squeezing tighter with every second!

At the same time, a massive White Bone Stele surged with a terrifying force, rapidly expanding before hurtling toward him like a falling mountain!

A sudden chill swept across his neck, and his skin broke out in goosebumps. It felt as though a razor-sharp blade was aimed directly at his throat, slashing through the air with deadly precision.

The temperature plummeted, the air turning icy cold. He took a deep breath, but before he could exhale, blood clouds surged into his mouth. Countless blood-colored little demons rushed from all directions, clawing and biting at his flesh, trying to tear him apart.

Meanwhile, the very Chen Jin—who had been lying helplessly a moment ago, heading toward the corpse general on the stone bed—was now unleashing a terrifying barrage of spells!

True Master Yin's expression changed drastically.

"You're not poisoned!" he exclaimed in shock. His eyes widened as he immediately ordered the ghost king to charge at Chu Xuan. At the same time, he spat out a mouthful of Nascent Soul essence, forcibly channeling Spiritual Qi to break through the magical treasures attacking him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The resounding explosions echoed through the cave as the Evil Soul Chain was sent flying far away. The shockwave didn't manage to sever True Master Yin's neck, but it did sever his right arm completely.

The White Bone Stele, which was supposed to crush his head, missed its target and instead smashed his left arm to pieces. But just as True Master Yin thought he had narrowly escaped the worst of the assault, he suddenly felt the ground tremble beneath him. The next moment, a massive ice column shot up from the ground, hurling him through the air!

Pfft!

True Master Yin spat out a mouthful of blood. The minor improvement in his condition had been abruptly reversed. The new injuries aggravated his old wounds, causing them to flare up again.

"Black Yin Pearl!" True Master Yin growled, his face twisted in pain.

Despite the pain, True Master Yin was a seasoned Deity Transformation cultivator. He couldn't afford to waste time thinking about his next move—he immediately summoned a defensive magic treasure.

Chapter 407: The Power of Netherfire Devouring Flame

True Master Yin's spiritual artifacts were few in number. Having fought fiercely with the Netherfire King and later with the White Bone and Black Wind True Master, his artifacts had been severely damaged. Then, before he could catch his breath, he had been struck by a barrage from the ships of the Yellow Spring Island.

One of his lower-grade spiritual artifacts had been destroyed and the other severely damaged. He hadn't had the time to nurture them with nascent soul essence. Now, he was forced to use his finest magic treasures in a hurry. He was confident that just a brief moment of defense would allow him to take the time needed to slay this unworthy disciple!

Chu Xuan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and shook his head. True Master Yin had reached Deity Transformation after all, he was incredibly hard to kill. Even though Chu Xuan had seized the advantage of surprise, all he had done was add a few more injuries to True Master Yin. He hadn't been able to land a fatal blow.

The depth of True Master Yin's Spiritual Qi was too great. With a sudden burst of power, he had sent the Evil Soul Chain and other magic treasures flying. Since the Evil Soul Chain was his life-bound treasure, any injury to it caused him to feel pain, and blood seeped from his mouth.

Had True Master Yin's artifacts not been so severely damaged, the tides of battle would likely have reversed by now. But besides his magic treasures and spells, Chu Xuan still had other means at his disposal.

With a wave of his hand, the Ice God Pillar exploded. Countless shards of ice filled the entire cave, swirling toward True Master Yin.

The Black Yin Pearl, floating near True Master Yin, spun rapidly.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The ice shards collided with the spinning Black Yin Pearl, each one being blocked by its powerful defenses.

"This brat... when did he learn all these tricks?" True Master Yin muttered to himself, his tension easing a little, though doubt still gnawed at him. Just as he began to gather his Spiritual Qi for a retaliatory strike that he believed would end Chu Xuan's life, an overwhelming sense of danger surged through him. He wasn't one to doubt his instincts. Without hesitation, he manipulated the Black Yin Pearl, sending it spinning even faster to block any incoming attacks.

However, before he could react further, a massive invisible hand of spiritual sense suddenly slammed into his sea of consciousness. The Nascent Soul-grade spiritual sense secret technique—Sky-Tearing Cold Palm!

At that moment, excruciating pain tore through True Master Yin's mind. He felt as though his primordial spirit was being pulled apart, with two massive hands tugging it in opposite directions.

If not for his being a Deity Transformation cultivator, with his soul having already transformed into primordial spirit and his spiritual sense greatly enhanced, that blow would have likely shattered him entirely. As it stood, he was on the verge of a serious spiritual injury!

True Master Yin gritted his teeth, fighting to hold his ground against the mental onslaught.

True Master Yin let out a low grunt and immediately retreated, his mind whirling with alarm. He quickly invoked a spiritual sense technique, surrounding his primordial spirit with a thick, protective wall to resist any further spiritual attacks.

"Chen Jin could never have such a powerful spiritual sense... Who are you?!" True Master Yin growled, his voice a mix of rage and disbelief.

At that moment, everything fell into place for him. No matter how strong Chen Jin was, he couldn't have displayed such power. The Spiritual Qi, magic treasures, and especially the spiritual sense that had just assaulted him—it all far exceeded the power of most Nascent Soul cultivators, even those at the ninth level!

True Master Yin had never encountered such a formidable Nascent Soul cultivator in his life. Not even the Holy Sons cultivated by major sixth-tier sects like the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect possessed such strength!

Chu Xuan, however, remained silent. He focused his spiritual sense into a massive palm that shot forward, a technique known as the Great Devouring Palm.

Each time the palm struck, a part of True Master Yin's spiritual sense was consumed, gradually turning it into Chu Xuan's own power. With every encounter, True Master Yin could feel his spiritual sense slipping away, a sensation he had never experienced before. A technique that could steal another's spiritual sense in the midst of combat—it was utterly foreign to him.

"Damn... damn...!" True Master Yin's anger and fear grew.

He tried to regain control of the fight, but every time he attempted to use his Spiritual Qi to cast a spell, his old injuries flared up, draining his energy and distracting him. After just a few exchanges, True Master Yin noticed that his thoughts were becoming sluggish, his Spiritual Qi flow was stalling.

"Did you poison me?!" he suddenly blurted out in disbelief. He was a master of poison, a cultivator renowned for his expertise in toxins. He controlled his subordinates with poison, using it as a tool to maintain his dominance. Yet now, he was the one who had fallen victim to poison.

"I'm impressed by the expertise of a Deity Transformation cultivator in poison. I've used twenty-seven different poisons, but only three have taken effect," Chu Xuan said with a tsk, his voice filled with admiration.

True Master Yin's face turned pale.

Twenty-seven poisons? When did he do that?

"Damn..." True Master Yin gritted his teeth, feeling the mounting pressure. With no other choice, he summoned another top-tier magic treasure.

This time, it was a headband encrusted with red jade. The moment it appeared, it automatically placed itself atop his head.

In that instant, Chu Xuan could sense a heavy, solid red wall emerging within True Master Yin's sea of consciousness. The man's spiritual sense retreated behind this new fortress, its defenses impenetrable. No matter how Chu Xuan attacked, the wall held firm, rendering his Great Devouring Palm useless. He could no longer drain True Master Yin's spiritual sense.

Chu Xuan glanced at the red jade headband and immediately guessed that it was a magic treasure specifically designed to defend against spiritual sense attacks. He unleashed over a dozen Sky-Tearing Cold Palm, each strike crashing into the barrier.

True Master Yin, on the other hand, was increasingly alarmed. To his shock, he noticed cracks beginning to form on the headband. Not just one, but several!

The red jade headband had only been able to block a handful of spiritual sense attacks, and already it was showing signs of damage. This Nascent Soul cultivator—his spiritual sense was rapidly approaching the level of a Deity Transformation cultivator!

Creeeak!

The cracks deepened, and before long, the headband shattered entirely.

True Master Yin's face drained of color as he staggered back in retreat, trying to regain his footing.

Chu Xuan, seizing the moment, advanced, continuing his relentless barrage. But just as he moved forward, True Master Yin suddenly flashed a strange, almost triumphant smile. He raised his palm, and an array plate appeared in his hand.

Chu Xuan's expression shifted slightly. He immediately summoned the White Bone Stele to protect himself. As expected, the next moment, a chilling, bone-piercing wind exploded from the array, sweeping through the room.

The wind was especially deadly in this confined environment, amplified by the claustrophobic nature of the cave. This was a defensive formation True Master Yin had set up—an internal array, something far more unusual than the typical arrays meant for external defense!

Fortunately, Chu Xuan reacted quickly. With the White Bone Stele shielding him, he was unaffected by the poisonous winds.

True Master Yin, however, couldn't help but marvel at Chu Xuan's constantly evolving tactics.

Without missing a beat, True Master Yin summoned the Black Yin Pearl, unleashing a torrent of poisonous Yin energy to envelop Chu Xuan. This was the true power of the Black Yin Pearl: it could both defend and attack by releasing toxin-laden Yin energy to poison its enemies.

Just as True Master Yin gritted his teeth, preparing to use his damaged magic treasures for a final, deadly strike, a strange sound caught his attention—the unmistakable flapping of wings.

Not just one pair, but many.

It suddenly hit him. The first attack on his neck, the one involving a steel-like wire—it had been the work of some kind of insect. That meant... Chu Xuan had likely been breeding more of them!

True Master Yin's face turned ashen, and he quickly activated the Black Yin Pearl, spinning it rapidly in front of him to block the incoming swarm. But he was still a step too slow.

The swarm of blood bees, which Chu Xuan had secretly scattered throughout the cave, suddenly surged into action. He had deliberately allowed them to remain motionless in the corners, biding their time.

Now that True Master Yin's Black Yin Pearl was distracted, it was the perfect moment for the blood bees to strike.

"Spit fire!" Chu Xuan's voice rang out, unyielding and commanding.

In an instant, over a thousand fire bees emerged, each one unleashing a jet of black-red flames.

In the blink of an eye, True Master Yin was consumed by the Netherfire Devouring Flame.

Within the fiery storm, the shrill cries of agony echoed, filling the air as True Master Yin struggled against the flames, his body slowly being engulfed.

Chapter 408: You Were Doomed to Die

Ever since the Blood Evil Yin Fire had refined enough Nether Fire Crystals to evolve into the Netherfire Devouring Flame, Chu Xuan had already devised a strategy to have the fire bees store the Netherfire Devouring Flame within their bodies.

However, these fire bees were bred by the Blood Bee Queen, who was a fourth-transformation Gu, yet it didn't mean the fire bees themselves were of the same caliber. Even though Chu Xuan had used the insect cultivation method from the cave world to enhance these fire bees, they could only store the Blood Evil Yin Fire for extended periods. The more powerful Netherfire Devouring Flame, however, was beyond their capacity.

At most, the fire bees could hold the Netherfire Devouring Flame for only ten days before they would burn up from the heat and die. These fire bees had been cultivated during the voyage to the Nine Yin Island, and now was the time to use them.

"This flame… it's the Nether Fire from the Nether Fire Valley!" True Master Yin's voice trembled, and his eyes widened in shock. "How do you have it?"

His soul was being ruthlessly burned, consumed by the Netherfire Devouring Flame. At that moment, he remembered the terrifying battle he had fought against the Netherfire King in the Netherfire Valley. His soul had been gravely injured in that battle.

Chu Xuan remained silent, his eyes cold. Under his command, the fire bees continued to spew Netherfire Devouring Flame relentlessly. Every time True Master Yin tried to break free, the fire forced him back.

Desperately, he tried to retract the Black Yin Pearl to protect himself. But with a swift wave of Chu Xuan's hand, Hu and Long surged forward, one on each side, directly blocking the Black Yin Pearl. Especially after Hu landed a mighty punch, the surface of the Black Yin Pearl cracked.

True Master Yin's face turned ashen with despair.

Who was this Nascent Soul cultivator?

His magic treasures were endless, his Spiritual Qi vast, his spiritual sense terrifying, his mastery over poisons and Gu arts uncanny, and his ability to cultivate corpses astonishing!

Was this something a normal person could achieve?

What he didn't know was that Chu Xuan still had several trump cards yet to be played.

"Spare me... spare my life," True Master Yin gasped, struggling to maintain his composure. "I can give you anything you want... There's no need for this to end in death... We can cooperate... and both benefit..."

Chu Xuan's voice remained icy and emotionless. "From the day you started chasing me, you were doomed to die."

True Master Yin froze, his eyes wide in disbelief. After a long pause, he roared, "You… You are Chu Xuan?! You're still alive?!"

Chu Xuan smiled faintly. "Now you know? Too late. Make your journey. You shall become the food of the Netherfire Devouring Flame."

With a swift motion, he unleashed more black-red flames.

Boom!

The vast cave was almost entirely engulfed by the Netherfire Devouring Flame.

True Master Yin screamed in agony, but he could no longer resist. His flesh and soul were being refined by the flames.

Chu Xuan couldn't help but shake his head.

Under the burning heat of the Netherfire Devouring Flame, the Black Yin Pearl quickly lost its luster, cracking from end to end. True Master Yin's other magic treasures were likely destroyed as well.

Such a pity.

Only after True Master Yin's life force had completely dissipated did Chu Xuan retract the flames.

"Huh, the storage bag is still here?"

Chu Xuan's expression shifted with surprise as he noticed the storage bag amidst the pile of black ash. He picked it up and quickly realized why it hadn't been burned.

This wasn't a magic treasure but rather a spiritual artifact!

It wasn't just any storage bag, but a Universe Bag. While a high-grade storage bag could hold a thousand cubic feet, the Universe Bag could hold up to ten thousand!

Moreover, while a storage bag couldn't store living creatures, even a top-tier one, the Universe Bag could.

It could hold spiritual beasts, Gu insects, and the like. However, due to the lack of Spiritual Qi inside the Universe Bag, any creatures stored within would fall into a dormant state, and their growth would slow considerably.

To raise them properly, one would need a specialized Universe Bag, such as a spiritual beast Universe Bag or a Gu insect Universe Bag.

"This might just be my first spiritual artifact," Chu Xuan mused with a smile as he stowed the Universe Bag away.

True Master Yin might have left something behind in this bag, so he would wait for a safer time to open it. After all, there were still two people waiting outside. He couldn't afford to delay them.

...

Outside the cave, Pei Yuankui and Ge Rong exchanged glances.

Ge Rong lowered his voice. "The eighth brother has been inside for so long. Why hasn't he come out yet?"

Pei Yuankui shook his head. "Indeed. Why hasn't Master summoned us?"

Neither of them knew what had happened inside the cave.

It was common practice to set up soundproofing and light-absorbing formations in caves. Given that True Master Yin was a Deity Transformation cultivator, he would have arranged formations of the same caliber.

Chu Xuan and True Master Yin's battle had not disrupted the formations, so naturally, no noise or disturbance reached the outside.

At this moment, the heavy stone door crashed open. True Master Yin's hoarse voice echoed once more.

"Ge Rong, come in."

Ge Rong's face turned pale. "Master, can Senior Brother go in first?"

True Master Yin's voice came again, tinged with mockery. "What's wrong? Are you worried I'll eat you? Chen Jin is still alive and well. Why should you worry?"

Then, a voice from inside the cave rang out: "Second Senior Brother, don't worry."

Ge Rong froze for a moment.

Huh? Not eaten? Had he misjudged the situation? Had he underestimated the Master?

Pei Yuankui also felt a pang of doubt.

Chen Jin was still alive. Was True Master Yin really planning to take them on as disciples?

Ge Rong swallowed nervously, hesitating but then stepping into the cave, still unsure.

The stone door shut behind him with a resounding thud.

Outside, Pei Yuankui was left standing alone, growing increasingly anxious.

After some time, the heavy stone door opened again.

True Master Yin's voice sounded once more.

"Yuankui, you may enter as well."

Pei Yuankui gritted his teeth, unwilling to move forward.

True Master Yin's voice darkened. "What's this? Are you planning to defy my orders?"

Pei Yuankui gave a bitter smile. "Master, didn't you say you wouldn't eat me? Previously, when the other Nascent Soul cultivators went in, I waited outside. If they tried to escape, I'd help you catch them and throw them in. You promised me, Master. Why are you including me this time?"

True Master Yin snorted coldly. "I truly see you as a disciple! Yet you think so little of me! Your two junior brothers are still alive, aren't they?"

Immediately, Chen Jin and Ge Rong's voices rang out from within the cave.

"Yes, Senior Brother, we're both still alive."

Hearing those voices, Pei Yuankui felt a chill run down his spine. He sighed deeply. "Master, with your abilities, it would be easy to disguise their voices. Master, are you really going to eat me? Even now, I'm still here to serve you, gather information, and collect treasures for you. Why would you want to eat me?"

Clack, clack.

Footsteps approached. A figure walked out from the cave.

Pei Yuankui raised his head, shocked to see the figure of Chen Jin, the eighth leader.

His expression was a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "How... how is it you? Where's Master?"

Chu Xuan patted his stomach and smiled faintly. "Guess."

Chapter 409: Harvest

Pei Yuankui was left dumbfounded. He seemed unable to accept the reality before him. After a long silence, he suddenly half-kneeled, his tone sincere. "Pei Yuankui is willing to serve you, Senior! Whether it's up the mountain of blades or through a sea of fire, as long as you command, I, Pei Yuankui, won't even flinch! Wherever you want me to go, I will go!"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

Pei Yuankui was a clever person. In an instant, he had deduced that True Master Yin had likely met a terrible fate. He must have mistaken him for a Deity Transformation cultivator on the same level as True Master Yin.

Chu Xuan smiled faintly. "So, you'll go wherever I send you?"

Pei Yuankui nodded frantically. "Yes, yes, yes! Please, Senior, command me."

Chu Xuan casually replied, "Then please, go into the Five Organs Temple."

Pei Yuankui froze. Before he could react, a gust of foul wind slammed into him. A massive, muscular figure filled his vision.

With a snap, Hu twisted Pei Yuankui's neck. His Nascent Soul was ripped from his body and respectfully presented to Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan gave a slight nod, casually tossing the body and soul into the Heavenly Corpse Tower and the Sky-Shielding Umbrella. He looked at the empty Nine Yin Island and let out a long breath.

"Finally, it's over. But I can't stay here for long. White Bone True Master and Black Wind True Master must know about True Master Yin's injury. Sooner or later, they'll come to probe. I was able to kill True Master Yin only because he was gravely injured. If I were to face a Deity Transformation cultivator in full health, I'd have no choice but to flee."

With that thought in mind, Chu Xuan immediately returned to True Master Yin's cave. He was going to withdraw and escape!

Chu Xuan surveyed the surroundings and quickly began dismantling the various formations in the cave. All the soundproofing, light-absorbing, mist-shrouding, and yin wind formations—he took them all! These were Deity Transformation-level formations, far superior to the Nascent Soul-level ones in his possession.

In addition to this, Chu Xuan employed his spiritual sense to scan the cave. He discovered a secret compartment under the stone bed. Inside the compartment was a top-tier storage pouch.

After wiping off the lingering soul imprint, Chu Xuan was shocked to find that it was filled with an enormous number of various talismans. There were over a thousand Nascent Soul-level talismans alone. As for Deity Transformation-level talismans, there were at least twenty.

Clearly, these were preparations True Master Yin had made for emergencies. And now, they had become Chu Xuan's spoils.

Chu Xuan made his way to the alchemy room, the corpse refining room, and the weapon crafting room in the cave.

In the alchemy room, there was nothing of value, just piles of wasted pill remnants. It seemed that True Master Yin's skills in alchemy weren't particularly high, but he had a strong passion for it and continuously tried to refine pills.

In the corpse refining room, there were twenty corpse puppets, soaked for a long time in corpse refining liquid.

Chu Xuan sniffed the air and immediately recognized the top-grade corpse refining liquid. Even though the corpse puppets hadn't started their refining process yet, their strength would at least be on the level of a corpse general with top-tier potential. With a stroke of luck, some might even achieve the peak of quality.

"Not bad, there's even an Introduction to Corpse Refining here."

Chu Xuan's eyes lit up, and he swiftly pocketed the book. It was clear that this was the result of True Master Yin's research into corpse refining and the creation of corpse puppets. He had never expected that one day, a Nascent Soul cultivator would turn the tables and kill him. These treasures were now left behind, unclaimed.

After leaving the corpse refining room, Chu Xuan entered the weapon crafting room. In the center of the weapon crafting room, the large furnace still had flames burning inside.

Chu Xuan extended his spiritual sense and was immediately delighted. Inside the furnace was a weapon that was already beginning to take shape.

The moment he saw it, Chu Xuan knew it wasn't a magic treasure but a spiritual artifact! Even though it was only a semi-finished product, its power was far beyond that of any top-tier magic treasure.

"Good, good, good! True Master Yin, you've truly given me a great gift!"

Chu Xuan's smile widened. Killing a powerful cultivator had reaped incredible rewards.

A few days later, the flames in the furnace gradually weakened. Only then did Chu Xuan retrieve the spiritual artifact.

The weapon resembled a small lamp, but as it was still a semi-finished product, many details were incomplete. Overall, it looked like a hastily made toy. Still, this did little to hide the surging Spiritual Qi contained within it.

"Time to go."

Chu Xuan smiled in satisfaction, gathered all the treasures, and quickly left. He boarded the Nine Yin Ship and set sail southward, heading toward the outer rings of the Three Southern Circles.

It didn't take long before he arrived at a desolate island, one with scarce Spiritual Qi. The Starshatter Sea was vast, with islands scattered across it like stars in the sky, more numerous than grains of sand.

Almost every day, fragments of stars were drawn in by the immense gravitational pull of the Shattered Star Sea, becoming part of it. This constant process led to the birth of new islands. As a result, countless nameless, unclaimed islands appeared in the sea.

Chu Xuan wasn't concerned that someone would show up here out of nowhere to fight him for the island. Unless that person was simply bored and looking for trouble.

After arriving at the desolate island, Chu Xuan found a mountain and immediately pulled out the Evil Soul Chain, swinging it fiercely. Not long after, he had carved out a cave dwelling.

The Nine Yin Ship was also tucked into the Myriad Realm Mirror, just like the Golden Dragon Ship, and placed on Blue Star. After all, such a large target was too conspicuous. If True Master Yin's enemies discovered it, it could lead to unnecessary trouble.

Although placing such a massive object on Blue Star would consume a fair amount of Spiritual Qi, Chu Xuan wasn't worried about it. He had accumulated an enormous amount of high-grade spirit stones on the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, so the consumption of spirit stones didn't matter.

Once the temporary cave dwelling was established and equipped with various Deity Transformation level formations, Chu Xuan took a single step and returned to Blue Star.

Blue Star, the Water Curtain Cave.

Chu Xuan took a deep breath, feeling the familiar atmosphere of Blue Star. His body relaxed involuntarily as he sighed with relief.

"Blue Star... now, this is home."

He couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia. His escape from Holy Flame Star, infiltrating Nine Yin Island to steal cultivation, followed by the bloody battle with White Bone Island, Black Wind Island, and the entire Nine Yin Island, and finally sending off True Master Yin—he hadn't had a moment of peace. At last, he could rest.

Without hesitation, Chu Xuan took out True Master Yin's Universe Bag and began to purify the spiritual imprint left by True Master Yin's soul. It took time to erase the remnants of a Deity Transformation cultivator's spiritual imprint.

Ten days later, he had finally removed all traces of it. Staring at the open Universe Bag before him, looking as though it were a jade body exposed without cover, Chu Xuan cracked his knuckles.

"Let's open the blind box!"

He immediately sent his spiritual sense into the bag.

"Well... this is... so poor!"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but grind his teeth.

Inside True Master Yin's Universe Bag, there were only a bit over eight hundred great spirit stones, around three hundred thousand medium-grade spirit stones, five pieces of top-tier magic treasures, two broken lower-grade spiritual artifacts, and about ten bottles of Nascent Soul-level medicinal pills.

Additionally, there were several early-stage Deity Transformation formation sets. And that was it. There was nothing more... nothing at all. But after some thought, Chu Xuan realized that this was probably normal.

True Master Yin had fought fiercely with the Netherfire King, then battled White Bone and Black Wind True Master. He'd even been ambushed by the fleet of Yellow Spring Island.

All the precious Deity Transformation healing pills and Deity Transformation talismans were probably long used up.

In order to suppress the Nascent Soul cultivators under his command, True Master Yin would have had to expend spirit stones to recover his Spiritual Qi.

"Is this all you left for me?" He sighed deeply. "Couldn't you have tried a bit harder to earn more?"

Chapter 410: Green Hell Lamp

Chu Xuan continued to search through the Universe Bag.

"Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art? Not bad, this is worth a look. At this point, I have difficulty obtaining the Deity Transformation chapter of the Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll. If it continues to elude me, I might have to cultivate this Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art. The method is clearly not as refined as the Mysterious Heavenly Ice Soul Scroll, but it still has its merits."

Chu Xuan skimmed through the manual. This technique was undeniably a dark, demonic cultivation method. The Nascent Soul cultivation methods True Master Yin taught to his nine leaders were actually preliminary stages of this Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art.

There were nine meridians, corresponding to the nine men. Once True Master Yin sustained severe injuries, all he had to do was devour one of his disciples to recover a large portion of his strength. This was because the techniques were complementary, and consuming his own disciples was more beneficial than devouring other Nascent Soul cultivators.

Such demonic cultivation methods were common, and the Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art was just one of the more ordinary ones. As far as Chu Xuan knew, the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect had some particularly sinister techniques that could directly transform disciples into white bone magic treasures.

If one of their white bone magic treasures was destroyed, they would simply extract the bones of a disciple and refine them into a new magic treasure. Of course, for the sake of the sect's development, the "lucky" chosen ones were always the weakest and least talented.

Those who cultivated rapidly, regardless of whether they followed righteous or demonic paths, were considered natural-born prodigies and would be carefully nurtured by the sect's ancestors.

After contemplating for a moment, Chu Xuan took out the spiritual lamp and began the refining process. This was a spiritual artifact, and refining it into a life-bound spiritual artifact was the next logical step. Since his blood was abundant and his soul was strong, he had no concerns about any consumption involved in the process.

The tremendous power boost provided by a life-bound spiritual artifact was much more important. A day later, he looked at the spiritual lamp, which now felt as familiar as an extension of his own arm, and smiled.

The Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art had recorded the name of this item—Green Hell Lamp. He now fully understood the lamp's purpose. This treasure could amplify the power of fire-based spells. When True Master Yin cultivated the Nine Yin Profound Pulse Art, upon reaching the third level, he would be able to condense a fire known as Nine Yin Fire.

The purpose of crafting this Green Hell Lamp was to bear the Nine Yin Fire.

Once the Green Hell Lamp was completed, the Nine Yin Fire's potency would greatly increase. In this way, True Master Yin would be able to suppress Deity Transformation cultivators at the second level with his first-level cultivation.

Unfortunately, the Nine Yin Fire had yet to be cultivated, and the Green Hell Lamp was still only a half-finished product. For now, all these treasures had fallen into Chu Xuan's hands.

Chu Xuan shot a stream of Netherfire Devouring Flame at the Green Hell Lamp. With the amplification from the lamp, the Netherfire Devouring Flame surged in strength. He immediately went to his training room.

This stone room had been constructed using the stone slabs from the Heavenly Gold Battlefield, making it incredibly durable. Any attacks from Nascent Soul cultivators or top-tier magic treasures would only leave cracks on the surface at most.

Since the last time he faced the Earth Fire Tribulation in the Blue Star's South Pole, Chu Xuan had learned his lesson—he needed to choose a proper training ground on Blue Star where he could test his various magic treasures and spells.

He could not just practice anywhere. Doing so could very well result in a disaster that swept across the entire planet. Since accumulating four layers of Merit Golden Wheels wasn't easy, he couldn't afford to lose them recklessly. Thus, this training room had been created.

Chu Xuan's thoughts stirred, and the Netherfire Devouring Flame amplified by the Green Hell Lamp erupted immediately.

Boom!

The hard stone slabs rapidly turned red. In less than twenty breaths, cracks covered their surface from the intense burning.

Chu Xuan cast a water-based spell.

Crack!

The stone slab suddenly shattered, and stone shards flew in all directions.

Chu Xuan was overjoyed.

"The power is truly terrifying!"

He estimated that even a Deity Transformation cultivator would need to act in order to break these stone slabs. Yet, with the amplification from the Green Hell Lamp, he had managed to achieve this! This meant he had finally acquired a real means to threaten a Deity Transformation cultivator!

Which Nascent Soul cultivator could do this?

Chu Xuan beamed with joy and once again activated the Green Hell Lamp to amplify the Netherfire Devouring Flame. Under his spiritual control, the Netherfire Devouring Flame became even more detailed.

At times, it formed a massive net descending from the sky; at other times, it transformed into a shower of meteor-like fire rain, flooding the surroundings. There were moments when it condensed into a giant spear, resembling a divine punishment from the heavens.

Chu Xuan felt like a child with a new toy, thoroughly enjoying himself. Suddenly, he felt a wave of dizziness. He quickly stopped and turned his attention inward to his dantian. Sure enough, his Spiritual Qi was nearly depleted, almost dried up.

Chu Xuan chuckled bitterly.

"Just as expected, a spiritual artifact consumes far more Spiritual Qi than a top-tier magic treasure."

He estimated that he could only use the Green Hell Lamp twice before his Spiritual Qi was completely exhausted. However, he had plenty of Nascent Soul pills on hand to replenish his Spiritual Qi, so he wasn't overly worried about running into any awkward situations.

"Right now, I need to continue cultivating the Soul Transformation Secret Method, and in my spare time, I'll gather more Deity Transformation spirit objects. Ah, True Master Yin, why didn't you leave me any Deity Transformation spirit objects? At the very least, a couple of barrels of Spirit Nourishing Liquor wouldn't have hurt."

Chu Xuan shook his head, turned his attention inward again, and noticed that the Ghost Shadow Worm seemed ready to break free from its cocoon. With that, he calmly resumed his cultivation.

One year later, on Nine Yin Island, Bai Tianhe and his group stepped onto the desolate island. Among the group were Shang Xingchen, Sima Zhen, and Wei Ji.

Wei Ji had previously been aboard Sima Zhen's White Cloud Ship, and now, naturally, he had pledged his allegiance to Bai Tianhe.

Bai Tianhe looked around at the empty Nine Yin Island, his brows furrowed with both happiness and worry.

After a while, a Nascent Soul cultivator returned to his side, respectfully reporting, "Master, Nine Yin Island is completely deserted. However, all the valuable treasures have been taken."

Bai Tianhe sighed deeply.

"It seems True Master Yin really is badly injured, even abandoning Nine Yin Island. This is both good and bad. In the future, he may return to seek revenge."

Sima Zhen chuckled.

"Nine Yin Island has a fifth-level spiritual vein. If he doesn't want it, we can take it."

Bai Tianhe nodded with a smile.

"Exactly. Give the order. From today, Nine Yin Island is officially under the jurisdiction of our Yellow Spring Island. Liu Shang, Sima Zhen, Wei Ji, gather a few Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators and station them here. Remember, if anything happens, report to me immediately."

Liu Shang, Sima Zhen, and Wei Ji all respectfully bowed.

"Yes!"

Shang Xingchen's expression remained calm.

While the others believed that True Master Yin had been severely injured and had abandoned Nine Yin Island out of fear of his enemies, he suspected that it was actually Chu Xuan who had killed True Master Yin, taken all his treasures, and left the island.

For Chu Xuan, Nine Yin Island was not a good place—it was a hot potato. It would have been strange if Chu Xuan had stayed there.

"Bai Tianhe doesn't want me to stay here. Clearly, he's wary of my former identity, afraid that I might expand my influence among the Yellow Spring Island cultivators. He wants to keep me by his side at all times."

Shang Xingchen sighed inwardly. Since arriving at the Starshatter Sea, troublesome matters had been piling up one after another. He wondered if Shang Tianjue knew what had happened here.

"Good brother, I really need your help now."

Shang Xingchen shook his head slightly.