Chapter 361: 361. Chapter 356: Again Predicted by the First Emperor

361. Chapter 356: Again Predicted by the First Emperor

In the black hole at the endless depths of Huanyu, countless meteorite fragments each bear a strange figure seated upon them.

Those figures are all wrapped in ancient black garments, exuding a thick aura of death, each one a corpse of a fallen powerhouse transformed.

After countless ages they have long since turned into desiccated corpses, refined by the strong of the Sha Gui Sect into powerful battle puppets guarding the Sha Gui Sect's periphery, forming a natural corpse array, forging a natural protective barrier.

Deep within those countless battle puppets, a dark star emits a faint, eerie ripple.

On the star, blood-red rows of buildings are supernaturally crafted, as if naturally carved from blood jade, endless blood qi rolls upon the structures, from time to time drifting out squads of ghostly figures shuttling within the buildings.

These are all the Sha Gui Sect's refined powerful corpse puppets, the Sha Gui Sect's internal patrollers.

If cultivators of other sects intrude, they can be sensed immediately by the corpse kui and frenziedly slaughtered.

In the Sha Gui Sect's deep council hall.

The Sha Gui Sect Sect Leader is wrapped head to toe in a blood-red great robe, only revealing a pair of bloody-red eyes; the elders of each hall sit solemnly in every corner of the great hall, not daring to breathe loudly.

When each Sha Gui Sect Sect Leader steps down, the Sha Gui Sect Holy Son must receive the empowerment, obtaining the Sha Gui Sect Sect Leader's mark to become the next ruler of the Sha Gui Sect; it is rumored that the Sha Gui Sect Sect Leader's mark can accumulate the cultivation levels of all past Sect Leaders together.

Just how powerful the Sha Gui Sect Sect Leader truly is remains unknown to anyone.

"Elder Zhou Yuan?"

The Sha Gui Sect Sect Leader sits upright on the main seat, speaking with a hoarse voice.

The Law Enforcement Hall Elder Zhou Yuan, upon hearing this, walks to the center of the council hall and takes out a red jade bottle, pouring out several ice-crystal-like pills.

The pills exude extremely concentrated Spiritual Power, emitting a wondrous misty light; at a glance they are clearly rare top-grade Elixirs.

Seeing this, countless elders' faces turn extremely strange.

They do not know what Zhou Yuan is up to.

Zhou Yuan slowly opens his mouth and says:

"Everyone.

This item is named the Bing Shi Dan, obtained by the Sha Gui Sect's training disciple Li Shi Xiong within the Tian Yuan.

After a cultivator consumes this Dan, they can quickly increase their cultivation speed, becoming immersed in the illusion of rapid breakthrough; the cost is overdrawn life source.

Once the Bing Shi Dan is consumed, addiction sets in, with toxicity hidden within the cultivator's cultivation level.

If another cultivator forcibly removes the toxicity from one who has taken the Bing Shi Dan, their Spiritual Powers coming into contact will cause the toxicity to spread.

The poisoned one, upon ceasing to take the Bing Shi Dan, experiences a scorching heart, and their soul feels as if being gnawed by thousands upon thousands of worms and ants.

Only by taking the Bing Shi Dan again can the symptoms be alleviated."

As Zhou Yuan's words fall, all the Sha Gui Sect elders present have faces that inexplicably stiffen.

The Dan appears to glow with auspicious clouds and radiant treasure light, yet no one expected it to be a poison.

They have roamed the Universe Cultivation World for a hundred or even a thousand years, and this is the first time they have heard of an addictive Dan.

Cultivators of the Universe Cultivation World defy heaven to seize life; the path of cultivation is arduous, and even with extraordinary talent, one must spend countless years in bitter practice to surpass other powerhouses.

The Bing Shi Dan covertly overdrafts the cultivator's life source, accelerating their cultivation speed; in the short term it causes no harm, but once the medicine is stopped, one discovers their cultivation speed has slowed compared to before, creating a strong sense of loss in the heart.

Cultivators, seeking the pleasure of accelerated cultivation breakthroughs, must then take the Bing Shi Dan again.

However, when the life source is completely overdrawn, they discover their flesh has been hollowed out.

Even if a cultivator possesses immense cultivation, they cannot exert their full strength and can only be slaughtered by enemies.

The Sha Gui Sect elders analyze the Bing Shi Dan's effects, and their scalps go numb.

They truly find it hard to believe what twisted evil Dao heresy invented such a terrifying evil Dan.

The cultivation path cannot be rushed; if something is abnormal, there must be a demon.

The Cultivation World fundamentally has nothing gained without effort, especially regarding cultivators' cultivation, which allows no room for deceit.

Yet the Bing Shi Dan is precisely a cheating device in cultivation.

Cultivators who take the Bing Shi Dan will show the illusion of rapid cultivation, unaware that their lives are soon to end.

Zhou Yuan sweeps his gaze across the faces of all the Sha Gui Sect elders, the corner of his mouth revealing a hint of slyness.

"Although the Bing Shi Dan is an evil Dan, behind it lies great benefit.

The loose cultivators of Huanyu number in the hundreds of millions; once they take it, they will be bound by the Bing Shi Dan.

We, holding the Bing Shi Dan, can control those loose cultivators; even orthodox and heterodox sect cultivators will find it hard to resist the Bing Shi Dan's temptation.

Once the Bing Shi Dan is thoroughly spread throughout Huanyu, you can imagine how powerful the Sha Gui Sect will become."

After pondering for a moment, Elder Zhou Yuan speaks decisively.

Countless high-level members of the Sha Gui Sect all have their eyes gleam brightly.

The Sha Gui Sect is one of the top ten heterodox sects of Huanyu, and its greatest strength lies in perceiving human hearts.

The reason cultivators often lose their lives is usually due to greed, and the Bing Shi Dan can fully amplify the desires within a cultivator's heart.

Cultivators of weak strength, long suppressed by Huanyu's strong ones, upon suddenly increasing their cultivation via the Bing Shi Dan, will surely act without restraint, indulging in their cultivation enhancement to gain great power, sinking into the ultimate pleasure.

Whether they spend wealth or life, they will find it hard to extricate themselves.

If the Sha Gui Sect spreads the Bing Shi Dan, addicted cultivators controlled by the Bing Shi Dan will mean that both orthodox and heterodox sects of Huanyu will have Sha Gui Sect spies.

For the Sha Gui Sect to rule the Universe Cultivation World, this is the best method, almost requiring no loss of the sect's combat strength.

The Sha Gui Sect need only focus on refining the Bing Shi Dan; once all sects' strengths are utterly weakened, the Universe Cultivation World will become the Sha Gui Sect's Huanyu.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, Elder Zhou Yuan's proposal is feasible."

The elder Gong Han of the Qingtian Hall in the council hall rises to discuss further.

The Qingtian Hall is the Sha Gui Sect's body specifically responsible for the assessment and promotion of inner and outer disciples, accountable only to the Sha Gui Sect Sect Leader; even the Sha Gui Sect's Supreme Elder has no authority to intervene.

The Sha Gui Sect harbors the ambition to annex Huanyu, promoting the Bing Shi Dan while concealing its side effects.

This is undoubtedly the Sha Gui Sect's most effective method to unify Huanyu while preserving maximum strength.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, the Dan Refining Hall discusses Elder Zhou Yuan's suggestion."

The Elixir Refinement Hall has already checked the formula for the Ice Devouring Elixir, and all the ingredients are ordinary herbs.

Since Elder Zhou Yuan handed over the formula to the Elixir Refinement Hall, they have been rushing to test it, and the success rate of the Ice Devouring Elixir can reach one hundred percent.

Elder Yang Haonan of the Elixir Refinement Hall of the Shaigui Sect spoke slowly with full confidence.

The Elixir Refinement Hall of the Shaigui Sect takes it upon itself to provide elixir resources for all cultivators of the sect, and what interests them most is elixir refinement.

The Ice Devouring Elixir is a type of new evil elixir, and once refined, it can bring great benefits to the sect.

If the Ice Devouring Elixir can be widely promoted in the Universe Cultivation World, the status of the Elixir Refinement Hall in the Shaigui Sect can be further enhanced.

Yang Haonan thought so.

The higher the status of the Elixir Refinement Hall, the greater the merit.

He might even have the chance to enter the Eighteen Levels of Hell Hall of the Shaigui Sect for cultivation.

The Eighteen Levels of Hell Hall is a secret place of the Shaigui Sect, where all the Supreme Elders reside.

Compared to the outside world, the cultivation speed inside is one to eighteen times faster.

However, the Shaigui Sect has an ancestral instruction: only those who have abdicated as sect leader or possess supreme achievements may enter the Eighteen Levels of Hell Hall for cultivation.

If the Elixir Refinement Hall can achieve great merit by promoting the Ice Devouring Elixir in the Universe Cultivation World, he has eighty percent confidence that he can enter the Eighteen Levels of Hell Hall for cultivation.

Wang Mei stood in the corner, gazing at the Shaigui Sect's Council Hall, where countless elders agreed to the Shaigui Sect's action of promoting the Ice Devouring Elixir, and she felt extremely happy in her heart.

Qin Shi Huang sent Li Shixiong to tell him.

As long as the Ice Devouring Elixir is brought into the Shaigui Sect's main headquarters, there will be endless benefits.

Now he looked at those old relics like a blood-soaked chicken, knowing he had achieved great merit this time.

Haha, he was once again calculated by Qin Shi Huang.

Wang Mei muttered inwardly, waiting for the Council Hall meeting to end, the Shaigui Sect would surely take major action.

At this very moment.

Wang Mei felt a jade slip at her waist vibrate slightly, then slowly withdrew from the Council Hall.

The jade slip transmitted a message from the Primordial Spirit Domain's base, sent by Li Shixiong.

"Wang Mei Daoist, Sun Min and Duan Wuliang Daoist wish to upgrade the level of the Myriad Soul Banner.

Does the Primordial Spirit Domain still have any forces that the Shaigui Sect cultivators need to exterminate?"

Wang Mei saw the message on the jade slip, and her pupils suddenly contracted.

Since she boarded Qin Shi Huang's thief ship, Li Shixiong has repeatedly come to her to obtain the list of forces the Shaigui Sect needs to eliminate.

This is already the tenth wave.

Even though he is the affairs officer of the Shaigui Sect's Law Enforcement Hall, holding power over the sect's safety and the judgment of major matters, he is still shocked.

Each of the exterminated righteous forces numbered over a thousand people; in just a few days, nine righteous sects were slaughtered, eliminating over ten thousand cultivators.

He simply dares not imagine how Sun Min and Duan Wuliang achieved such strength.

"Junior Brother Li, don't rush; let me search for a moment."

Wang Mei shook her hand and produced a booklet, listing all the bases of the righteous forces in the Primordial Spirit Domain that are enemies of the Shaigui Sect.

On the booklet, any force name marked in red ink indicates that it has been exterminated by cultivators of the Primordial Spirit Domain and Shaigui Sect base.

Wang Mei frowned more tightly as she flipped through the pages; finding the exterminated righteous forces is also a technical task.

The righteous forces are too strong; fearing Sun Min and Duan Wuliang's arrival, they tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice, only to be slaughtered by the opposing side.

The righteous forces are too small, and their numbers are fundamentally insufficient for the opposing side to use the Myriad Soul Banner.

While browsing the treasure book, Wang Mei finally noticed a sect that attracted her attention.

"Junior Brother Li, go to Wanfeng City to surround and exterminate the Netherworld Palace."

After entering the message on the transmission jade slip, Wang Mei also sent the detailed information of the Netherworld Palace to them.

In the layout of the Primordial Spirit Domain Shaigui Sect, Li Shixiong gazed at the introduction of the Netherworld Palace, his heart and spirit stirred.

"The materials for upgrading the Myriad Soul Banner are now available."

As the affairs officer of the Shaigui Sect's main sect Law Enforcement Hall, since being converted by the monk of Xiguangsi, he has completely become a subordinate of Qin Shi Huang.

During this period, he used the pretext of helping Sun Min and Duan Wuliang upgrade the Myriad Soul Banner's level to obtain from Wang Mei many forces that the Shaigui Sect had decided must be eliminated.

Li Shixiong personally went with Sun Min and Duan Wuliang, and his Myriad Soul Banner also absorbed a great deal of cultivators' souls.

This made Li Shixiong ecstatic.

After analyzing the Netherworld Palace, Li Shixiong flew urgently and anxiously toward the residence of Sun Min and Duan Wuliang.

Not long after, three dark-skinned figures departed from the Shaigui Sect's base.

Qin Shi Huang watched Li Shixiong, Sun Min, and Duan Wuliang fly toward the Netherworld Palace, shaking his head helplessly.

Since Li Shixiong helped him capture Wang Mei and other Shaigui Sect disciples, exchanging merit for the Myriad Soul Banner at the Great Mercy Fortress, he has gone completely mad.

Recently, he has been rolling and mixing with Duan Wuliang and Sun Min, traveling to various major forces that are enemies of the Shaigui Sect.

Countless cultivators' souls have become nourishment for the Myriad Soul Banner.

"Let them go!

The Shaigui Sect's base is about to engage in a great battle with the Luyan Valley; the upgraded level of the Myriad Soul Banner will make its power even greater.

In the great battle, there is also hope for self-preservation."

Zhao Jianhua saw Qin Shi Huang shaking his head with a bitter smile and teased him.

Since he became aware of Qin Shi Huang's arrival at the Primordial Spirit Domain's base, he has devoted himself to serving beside Qin Shi Huang.

Qin Shi Huang is hailed as the Ancestral Dragon of Great Xia; in the hearts of countless earthly cultivators, he is like a god, and Zhao Jianhua is no exception.

He gazed toward the direction Li Shixiong, Sun Min, and Duan Wuliang flew toward the Netherworld Palace, and a hint of a bitter smile appeared on his face.

The Netherworld Palace is located at the center of Wanfeng City.

When Li Shixiong and his three companions arrived, it was already nighttime; the full moon hung high in the sky, shedding pure moonlight, draping the entire Wanfeng City in a layer of silver attire.

The master of the Netherworld Palace, Gong Wuhou, paced back and forth in the cultivation chamber.

He had intended to enter secluded cultivation, but for some unknown reason, his mind remained unsettled, always feeling that something major would happen at night.

After ending his seclusion, he struggled to recall which powers he had recently offended.

However, at this very moment.

A tremendous rumbling sound echoed throughout the entire Netherworld Palace, as countless buildings shook violently.

Dang dang dang.

Clear, resonant bell tones rang out in all directions within the Netherworld Palace, and the atmosphere instantly grew tense.

"Report to the sect master, the Netherworld Palace's protective great formation has been breached!"

A disciple of the Netherworld Palace rushed in from outside in haste; upon hearing this, Gong Wuhou's body shuddered violently.

Outside the Netherworld Palace, with the protective great formation already shattered, chaos reigned, and the noisy, frantic voices of the sect disciples only worsened Gong Wuhou's agitation.

"Follow me out to see what's happening!"

Gong Wuhou suppressed the palpitations in his heart, struggled to calm his emotions, then said, striding toward the outside.

However.

The instant he stepped out of the cultivation chamber, he could scarcely believe his eyes.

Countless disciples of the Netherworld Palace lay scattered in disarray upon the ground, their souls extracted and reduced to puppets, wildly tearing at their fellow sect members nearby.

"Is this my Netherworld Palace?"

Gong Wuhou rubbed his eyes in disbelief, feeling as if he had arrived in hell itself.

Above the sky, three figures hovered in midair, each with a dark, large banner hanging above their head.

The black banners surged with killing intent, infernal flames boiled, and the dense resentment completely devoured the pure moonlight in the sky.

A sudden chill ran down Gong Wuhou's back.

The souls of the disciples, manifested as bodies, were being drawn out by the eerie power of the black banners—this suddenly reminded him of a recently rising evil sect: the Slaughter Ghost Sect.

The Slaughter Ghost Sect's stronghold had successively captured experts from the Fu Yang Sect, Bibo Palace, the Purple Mansion, and the Tianlong Gate, and then slaughtered the entire Tianya City.

It was said that at the time, all righteous disciples had been turned into soul puppets of the Myriad Soul Banner, and the archvillain was precisely the terrifying black banner that had appeared.

"Are you fellows from the Slaughter Ghost Sect?"

Gong Wuhou spoke, his face ashen.

He finally understood why he had been unable to focus during his seclusion—the Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples had found his doorstep.

One month prior.

He and his fellow cultivators from the righteous Tianlong Gate had jointly raided the Slaughter Ghost Sect to seize the treasures of disciples undergoing trials in the Tianyan Abyss, believing the Slaughter Ghost Sect had the Tianlong Gate as its backing and would never dare to bully the Netherworld Palace.

Who would have thought?

Not long after, news spread that the Tianlong Gate's Zitian Du and Zijing Hong had been captured by powerful figures from the Slaughter Ghost Sect's stronghold.

At that time, Gong Wuhou had nearly been frightened to death by a surge of angry fire.

The Netherworld Palace had always feared that cultivators of the Slaughter Ghost Sect would come to Wanfeng City for revenge, remaining constantly vigilant.

Now.

The Netherworld Palace was ultimately unable to escape the fate of annihilation.

"These soul puppets are quite strong—don't fight over them." Duan Wuliang, seeing Gong Wuhou emerge above, flashed a divine light in his eyes, his face full of excitement.

"Who said seeing it makes it yours? Whoever catches it owns it." Sun Min, hearing this, curled his lip in a cold smile, speaking discontentedly.

Li Shixiong, seeing Sun Min and Duan Wuliang both vying for Gong Wuhou's soul, realized the struggle was hopeless and turned to attack other Netherworld Palace cultivators, saying, "Give the big ones to you; I'll take the small ones." (End of chapter)