Chapter 139: The Mu Family Exterminated

Days of cultivation always pass quickly.

On this day.

Qin Ming was inside his cave dwelling, refining a special pill—the second-grade, mid-tier spiritual pill known as the 'Hundred Illusions Pill'.

Its main material was the second-grade, top-tier spiritual plant, the Mist Illusion Mushroom, supplemented by over a dozen other rare spiritual materials.

After consuming the Hundred Illusions Pill, a cultivator could alter their form and appearance, transforming into any visage or physique, maintaining the effect for about seven days, undetectable by anyone below the Jin Dan stage.

Qin Ming focused intently, banishing stray thoughts, manipulating the Spirit-Devouring Poison Flame to refine the pill in an orderly manner.

Half an hour later.

A sweet, clear fragrance of pills drifted out from the Profound Jade Furnace.

Qin Ming raised his hand and grasped, causing eight purple spiritual pills to fall into his palm.

He picked up one of the pills, examined it closely, and without hesitation, popped it into his mouth and swallowed it.

In an instant.

Qin Ming's entire aura shifted; he transformed into a burly man with dark skin and a thick, curly beard.

"Hehe! It really is quite miraculous."

"Su Yuqing can really get hold of all sorts of bizarre and strange pill formulas."

Qin Ming hadn't left home for a long time.

He planned to personally visit the Chu Tianhe Market to inquire about the current situation in the spiritual energy Islands.

However, the recent appearance of the Mist Illusion Realm in Wangyue Lake had caused quite a stir.

He still decided to disguise himself to avoid unnecessary trouble.

After leaving the cave dwelling, Qin Ming communicated with the Silver-Winged Frost Bee using his mind.

Whoosh! A silver light flashed, and a silver frost bee burrowed out from its hive on the Longevity Vine.

It then grew in size, becoming as large as a calf.

Flapping its wings, the Silver-Winged Frost Bee hovered before Qin Ming.

He leaped up and sat on the spiritual bee's back.

"Let's go!"

Swish! A streak of silver light sliced across the sky, vanishing in an instant.

Seeing this, the Profound Water Crocodile sent a message to Qin Ming's mind; it seemed it also wanted to go out.

"You stay here obediently and guard the home; don't run around recklessly."

Immediately, Qin Ming tossed it a Sinful Spirit Pill; the Profound Water Crocodile opened its massive mouth and sucked, the pill sliding smoothly into its throat.

Shaking its head, it dove back into the lake bottom to digest the pill's effects.

Shortly after.

Qin Ming, riding the Silver-Winged Frost Bee, arrived above the spiritual energy Islands, his gaze sweeping downward.

What were once lively and prosperous islands had, under the baptism of war, become scenes of devastation.

Many spiritual island families had left their homes, fleeing elsewhere to escape the disaster.

Some spiritual islands had even been more than half destroyed.

Compared to these spiritual islands, only Qin Ming's Wangyue Island remained completely intact.

Not long after.

The burly, bearded man that Qin Ming had transformed into arrived near the Chu Tianhe Market, where he stored the Silver-Winged Frost Bee inside his spirit beast bag.

He then concealed his aura down to the peak of the Qi Condensation stage before descending.

The guards at the entrance of Chu Tianhe Market had increased significantly, strictly scrutinizing cultivators entering the market to prevent bandits from slipping in.

After undergoing inspection, Qin Ming paid five spirit stones and entered the market.

The Truth-Revealing Mirror held by the guards failed to expose Qin Ming's disguise.

Since entering the market offered greater safety compared to the outside.

Chu Tianhe Market remained bustling with people; the streets were crowded, and the hawking cries of various peddlers and laborers echoed incessantly.

Qin Ming casually found a street-side restaurant, ordered a few small dishes, and began drinking wine.

He frequented this restaurant often; it gathered people from all walks of life, hosting cultivators of every kind.

Many pieces of gossip and unofficial news could be gathered here.

After staying for most of the night, he finally managed to hear some useful information.

"Sigh~"

"Who knows how long this war will last; it seems endless."

"The spirit stones in my pocket are nearly exhausted."

"Soon; let me reveal a piece of news to you."

"I'm afraid the Zhao family is truly finished this time."

"Ah?! No way?"

"Did the San Alliance purchase third-grade Barrier-Breaking Talismans again?" "No! I heard from someone inside the San Alliance that their high-level leadership recently invited an extremely powerful high-level array master; they are preparing to use the method of breaking an array with an array to shatter the final barrier of Qianye Spiritual Island."

"Is there such a thing? Do you know which great array master it is?"

"Wait, to break a third-grade great array, wouldn't that require an array grandmaster capable of setting up a third-grade array?"

"But I have never heard of such a figure existing in the Wei State Immortal Realm?"

"I'm not entirely clear on the specifics, but I heard them say the chance of success this time is extremely high."

Hearing this, Qin Ming couldn't help but frown; this inevitably made him think of a person with profound attainment in arrays.

That was the demonic path tyrant—Lin Zi.

Could it be that the high echelons of the Seventy-Two Islands San Alliance, in order to crush the Zhao family, resorted to any means necessary and chose to collude with the demonic path? For long ago, he had already known that Lin Zi had begun operating actively around the Lingxi Archipelago and the Yunze Xiancheng area.

If it were him who broke the formation, then such a possibility truly existed.

"By the way, apart from this matter."

"There is another extremely shocking incident; it is said that two days ago, the Mu family of Qilian Mountain was exterminated."

"Not a single soul from the entire clan survived; only some clan members who were away escaped disaster. When the incident occurred, not even a single cry for help was transmitted."

"If someone hadn't gone to visit the Mu family yesterday, no one would have known that the Mu family was already dead to the last man."

"It is said that even Mu Chongzhou, the Mu family's old ancestor at the late Foundation Establishment stage, has perished."

"The scene was horrific beyond description; hardly a single intact corpse could be found."

Such earth-shattering news being exposed caused cultivators at several nearby tables to gather around.

Originally, like Qin Ming, they were merely pricking up their ears to listen, but upon hearing again about a massacre involving the extermination of an entire family, none could remain seated.

"Fellow Daoist, please elaborate on the details of this massacre."

"I will treat you to this meal."

"Fellow Daoist, you aren't just spreading alarmist rumors, are you? The Mu family's strength is so great; how could they be so easily exterminated?"

"Exactly; the Mu family's old ancestor possesses formidable power. Even after losing his son, the family still harbors two experts at mid-Foundation Establishment and several at early Foundation Establishment."

"With such a powerful lineup, combined with the Mu family's second-grade formation, if they were exterminated..."

"Then just how powerful must the enemy be?"

"It is absolutely true! The San Alliance is already investigating; estimates are that news will break within these two days."

"With a matter this huge, it cannot be hidden anyway."

Once these words were spoken.

The cultivators present all inhaled sharply in shock; a dark cloud began to envelop everyone's hearts.

Qin Ming also felt a ripple stir within his heart; he had originally only intended to inquire about recent developments, yet he unexpectedly learned such unforeseen news.

After all, Mu Yuanshan was personally sent to his death by his own hands.

But who could bear such a deep grudge against the Mu family? Could it be Lin Zi and his group?

Immediately, he negated this thought; although Lin Zi had broken through to late Foundation Establishment and possessed formidable strength.

Based on Qin Ming's understanding of him.

It was completely impossible to silently exterminate the entire Mu family.

For a moment, the situation in the Lingxi Archipelago became treacherous once again.

'Forget it; I should just return to my Wangyue Island.'

'It is too chaotic.'

Qin Ming had gleaned some useful information, yet these two pieces of news were indeed too horrifying to hear.

Subsequently, he settled the bill and left the shop.

After exiting the Chu Tianhe Market, Qin Ming released his Yin Yi Shuangfeng and flew back at high speed.

Upon returning to the island, he restored his original appearance, then summoned Wu Jiang over and instructed, "Fellow Daoist Wu, for the near future, if you have no other important matters, temporarily do not leave the island."

"Fellow Daoist Qin, rest assured!"

"Without your permission, I will stay on the island during this period and not go out; besides, the busy farming season in the spiritual fields is just beginning," Wu Jiang hastily agreed.

This was because he rarely saw Qin Ming wear such a grave expression.

Clearly, the external situation was severe, and something major might well occur.

After three days of calm.

Qin Ming received a transmission talisman sent by Aunt Long from the Mirror Snow Pavilion.

He carefully reviewed the information upon it.

"Qin Keqing, just a short while ago, the Seventy-Two Islands San Alliance actually managed to find a way to break the final third-grade great formation of Qianye Lingdao."

"The great decisive battle is about to begin."

(End of Chapter)