Chapter 244

The Beast God Realm, Mingguang Gathering Place.

Since Xu Xing left, as the rules he established gradually faded, tensions between the interior and periphery of the gathering place grew increasingly pronounced.

Hearts were unsettled.

Especially among some within the interior, who already possessed cultivation, far surpassing those on the periphery who had just begun their practice.

Moreover, the simplified version of the Jie Fa Bi Tiangong offered little offensive power, making their forces truly unequal.

Yet those left behind by Xu Xing still retained some goodness, and out of fear of his earlier bloody methods, they often yielded when faced with choices.

And among them,

the siblings Xi Yun and Xi Li, who had received the cultivation method left by Xu Xing and been appointed as administrators, were undoubtedly extraordinary beings.

Precisely because the two mediated from the center, the tensions between interior and periphery remained manageable in the early days.

But as time passed, the conflict between the two sides did not vanish—it grew even more pronounced.

Those on the periphery grew stronger in cultivation, no longer satisfied with the initial scraps of resources.

Yet those within held absolute military superiority and were willing to relinquish even less.

Xi Yun and Xi Li grew exhausted in body and spirit from these matters.

They tried to accomplish things, but those within often paid only lip service, constantly acting one way while pretending another.

Those on the periphery believed that since he had once been one of them, he should fight for their greater interests—ideally, eliminate all within…

It was like being pinned from both ends.

During this process, the siblings also developed a certain rift…

Or rather, a divergence in their ideals.

After deliberation, Xi Li withdrew, no longer interfering in the gathering place's affairs.

Only Xi Yun remained alone to handle all matters within the gathering place and mediate between the two sides.

Gradually, he truly began to discern patterns, pretending to act in Xu Xing's name to barely maintain a fragile balance between interior and periphery.

But both sides grew increasingly dissatisfied with him.

Thus, time arrived at twenty days since Xu Xing's departure.

Within the gathering place, a vast estate.

In the lavishly decorated room where Min Feng had once extracted his Jin Dan.

Now, most ornaments had been removed; the room appeared far more plain.

Directly opposite the door, at the head of the table.

Xi Yun sat behind the long table, leaning back in his chair.

Compared to just over ten days ago, when he was thin and sallow-faced,

now his complexion was ruddy, his features chiseled as if carved by axe and chisel, his eyes gleaming with sharp brilliance, his shoulders broad, his aura mighty and yang.

In his arms he held a sword taken from Min Feng's private collection.

The blade remained sheathed, revealing not a trace of its edge.

Rooted in the Yang Wu Duan Ti Jue, supplemented by the Jie Fa Bi Tiangong, he embodied the Dao of 【Yang】 and 【Sword】.

The first stage of cultivation in this realm—embracing the Dao and cultivating Qi—he had already broken through, reaching the third level.

After calmly watching both sides depart,

"Ah~"

A sigh echoed through the room.

Xi Yun lightly tapped the scabbard, his eyes filled with unyielding melancholy.

According to the elder's prior words, in ten days the Beast God Clan would discover this place.

Yet the gathering place's situation was far from optimistic.

Merely maintaining the fragile balance between the two sides had already reached his limit—he could never unify them.

If things continued this way, when the Beast God Clan's pursuit squad arrived, countless lives would be lost.

His mind churned with thoughts; he let out a bitter laugh: "This is truly hard…"

The elder had entrusted him and Xiao Li to manage the Mingguang Gathering Place, but this task proved far harder than He imagined.

Sometimes he even felt powerless.

The threat of the Beast God Clan loomed imminent, yet both sides refused to cooperate—instead, they used the threat to demand even greater concessions from each other. "Should I really do it…?"

Not long ago, representatives from the interior came to him personally, offering to cooperate with him in purging all dissenting voices within the gathering place to prepare for the approaching Beast God Clan.

A highly tempting proposal.

The truth was clear: the Mingguang Gathering Place truly needed unification, and these petty schemes must be eradicated.

But… it was simply too cruel.

Moreover, he himself had once been one of those people—how could he side with the interior and turn against them…?

Ah~

He truly was unsuited to be a faction's leader.

"Brother."

The closed door opened, revealing a tall, icy figure carrying a slender longsword.

Snow-white hair fell to her shoulders, her skin translucent and delicate, her eyes clear and icy blue.

!. Du

As she entered, it was as if a cold wind swept through—the room's every corner instantly frosted over with Bai Shuang.

It was Xi Li.

"Brother, I've reached the fifth level."

Taking the *Nourish My Body Scripture* as the foundation and the *Cutting Off Jie Fa Bi Tian Art* as the support, she integrated the Dao of 【Yin】 and 【Sword】, along with elements of 【North Wind】, into her own Dao.

Through relentless cultivation day and night, she consumed most of the Fa Spirit Stones and finally reached Qi Condensation Fifth Layer, mastering one sword technique.

The two Foundation Establishment and high-level Qi Condensation cultivators within the gathering site were dead.

Now, inside, only one Qi Condensation Sixth Layer cultivator lacking offensive means and three Qi Condensation Fifth Layer cultivators remained.

She could handle them easily.

"So, leave the rest to me."

"Xiao Li, you…" Xi Yun looked at her younger sister, hesitating to speak.

"I'm fine, Brother. My condition is excellent," Xi Li said calmly.

The Fa Spirit Stones were the glowing objects left behind by Xu Xing; they were not merely condensed Qi, but carried traces of Daoic principles that could accelerate cultivation to some degree.

Yet even with the aid of Fa Spirit Stones, how could one possibly advance from barely entering the threshold to Qi Condensation Fifth Layer in just twenty days without paying a price?

But it was all worth it.

…………

The Sacred Site of the Heir.

Above, Xu Xing stood midair, gazing into the distance; behind him stood Fu Mu, Fu Guang, Jing Yao, and Chong Ming.

The Dao lines they bore were also their own names.

"Master, all cultivators within the Sacred Site have now studied the *Cutting Off Jie Fa Bi Tian Art*. We have secured seventeen Soul Transformation slots and one Return to Void slot." Fu Mu's voice trembled slightly.

How many years…

Finally, finally, there was hope again.

Xu Xing withdrew his gaze: "Good."

In these days, the four had transmitted the *Cutting Off Jie Fa Bi Tian Art* downward.

Though the vast majority had only just begun, the base was still sufficient—reduced Dao Net binding power was enough for this world's humanity to produce seventeen Soul Transformations or one Return to Void.

He had also just observed the situation of the Xi Yun and Xi Li siblings.

Xi Yun was somewhat indecisive, but he had grown rapidly, stabilizing the situation alone.

Xi Li, seeing the situation was hopeless, promptly entered seclusion to seek power capable of suppressing it.

According to Xu Xing's standards, both had flaws and were not particularly strong.

But given the special circumstances of the Beast God Realm, for them to achieve this on their first attempt was already quite impressive.

Huh~!

Suddenly, streams of Qi reversed and surged upward, rushing toward a palace of pearls and shells in the high heavens.

In an instant, it was as if ribbons of rainbow light stretched in all directions.

Someone had achieved Soul Transformation. (End of Chapter)