Chapter 286: Fearsome Reputation

Amidst the ruins.

After a series of hair-raising, miserable screams faded away.

Qin Ming's eyes flickered slightly; with something on his mind, he casually tossed Duanmu Sheng's corpse aside.

He then cast the Thorn Technique, harvesting another Jin Dan-level blood pearl.

After storing the two Jin Dan cores and their storage bags, he turned to glance back at the Xiancheng, which had been reduced to near-ruins by the aftermath of the battle.

"With the two Jin Dan experts from the primary Lingyun Sect dead, the rest are merely a motley crew; without a backbone, they naturally pose no threat to the State of Wei anymore."

Having accomplished all this, Qin Ming transformed into a streak of cyan light and vanished into the horizon.

After he departed.

Half an incense stick's time passed.

In the scarred and devastated Xiancheng, sparse figures of cultivators emerged trembling from the alleyways.

They had been truly terrified by the world-shattering spells unleashed by the Jin Dan experts just moments before.

All felt immensely fortunate to still be alive.

"They're all dead!"

"The two Grand Elders have perished!"

"What should we do?!"

Many cultivators within the Xiancheng had witnessed that Jin Dan battle firsthand.

Seeing that True Person Wangyue of the State of Wei had single-handedly defeated two opponents, decisively slaying Duanmu Sheng and Yu Muhe Laogui, they were filled with terror.

In an instant.

The cultivators of the State of Jin, like headless flies, began fleeing the border of the State of Wei overnight.

Riding his Silver-Winged Frost Bee, Qin Ming recalled the intelligence gathered from searching Duanmu Sheng's soul.

"The Lingyun Sect of the State of Jin is actually colluding secretly with the demonic path."

"They intended to exploit the ghost calamity in the State of Liang to extend their reach into the other three states."

"This Duanmu Sheng truly deserved to die."

At the Jin Dan stage, battles between peers often rarely result in kills.

Jin Dan cultivators possess numerous means to preserve their lives; if one of equal strength is determined to flee, they cannot be held back.

It could only be said that Duanmu Sheng and Yu Muhe Laogui were utterly unlucky to have provoked him.

In this decisive slaughter of the two, Qin Ming had not even deployed his life-bound magic treasure—the Wood Emperor Nail.

The body-refining technique after breaking through to the True Dan physique, combined with the third-grade upper-tier Spirit-Devouring Poison Flame, was something ordinary early-stage Jin Dan cultivators simply could not withstand.

After breaking through to the mid third-grade, the Sky-Devouring Rat had also been eager to try its hand, yet found no opportunity to act.

"The promise made to Wei Wuya has now been fulfilled."

"Furthermore, I have obtained the Jin Dan cores."

"Once back on the island, it will depend on your fortune."

Qin Ming patted the Silver-Winged Frost Bee beneath him; it neighed excitedly, accelerated, and vanished as a streak of silver light.

The next day.

Inside the main hall of Lei Yuanzong, a group of high-ranking elders and Wei Wuya were discussing the war situation.

During this period, Wei Wuya had been busy handling various matters and was thoroughly headache-ridden.

Especially since the Lingyun Sect of the State of Jin, taking advantage of Lei Yuanzong's recent battle with Lingyu Gate which had left them with heavy casualties and depleted forces.

Had allied with other sects in the State of Jin to launch a sneak attack in secret, making Lei Yuanzong's predicament even worse.

Just then.

Outside the main hall, a figure rushed in panic, almost gasping for breath.

Everyone in the hall focused their gaze and realized it was a cultivator from the sect's Scout Camp.

"What is the rush?! What propriety is there in such panic!"

"Has the situation at the front lines changed?"

The Great Elder of the Penal Hall raised an eyebrow on his dignified face and spoke.

Wei Wuya also furrowed his brows, as the current situation was extremely unfavorable for the State of Wei.

"Cough! Cough!"

"Reporting to the Grand Elder, urgent news has arrived."

"Last night, True Person Wangyue went alone to the Huangshi Xiancheng occupied by the State of Jin, fought solo against the two Jin Dan Grand Elders of Lingyun Sect, and exterminated both Jin Dan experts! The great army of the State of Jin has begun withdrawing outward since dawn today."

Boom! Upon this news, everyone present, including Wei Wuya, fell into shock.

"Is this information reliable?" Wei Wuya asked in disbelief.

He had fought against Yu Muhe Laogui of Lingyun Sect before and knew the other's capabilities all too well.

Wei Wuya found it hard to believe that Qin Ming, having just broken through to the Jin Dan stage, could slay the long-famous Yu Muhe Laogui.

"Absolutely certain!"

"Last night, many cultivators witnessed this event with their own eyes."

"It is said that when True Person Wangyue displayed his divine might and slew the two Jin Dan experts of Lingyun Sect, the situation was almost completely one-sided."

"Within an extremely short time, relying solely on a strand of divine fire, he easily exterminated both."

After receiving confirmation, Wei Wuya's emotions remained unsettled for a long time, and he let out a bitter smile.

"I never expected that Fellow Daoist Qin's strength had already reached such a level."

"It seems I underestimated Fellow Daoist Qin—no wonder he agreed so readily."

"So it was because his divine ability was this powerful."

……

Several days later.

The earth-shattering news that True Person Wangyue had forcefully slain two Jin Dan Laozu of the State of Jin swept through the State of Wei like a hurricane, and spread outward toward the other three states.

From then on, True Person Wangyue's fame grew even greater.

Apart from his inspiring journey of growth and cultivation.

The greater reason was the awe and worship inspired by his terrifying strength.

It could also be said that True Person Wangyue, by his own strength alone, had resolved the crisis of the State of Wei.

Besides this.

Several Jin Dan Laozu of the Wild Immortal Realm, as well as the Yan Laomo within the Modaoliu Sect, also felt deep wariness toward Qin Ming.

They no longer dared to look down upon this newly-advanced Jin Dan who had only recently broken through.

For a time.

Qin Ming's illustrious fearsome reputation was firmly imprinted in the hearts of all cultivators.

After returning to Wangyue Island.

Qin Ming tossed the two blood pearls to his natal spirit plant, Yin Yi Shuangfeng.

The black vines writhed wildly like countless tentacles, and after absorbing this Jin Dan-grade blood pearl, the entire natal spirit plant grew another several dozen zhang taller.

Moreover, a mysterious aura of the flow of time lingered around his natal magic treasure, the Wooden Emperor Nail, equivalent to being nurtured for another hundred years, its might rising another level.

Afterwards, Qin Ming tossed the one mid-grade Jin Dan from Duanmu Sheng to the Yin Yi Shuangfeng.

Yin Yi excitedly snatched the Jin Dan in her beak and returned to the hive to break through.

Once Xuan Shui Crocodile and Yin Yi Shuangfeng broke through, Qin Ming's own ranks would gain two more third-tier Demon Kings, his strength advancing another step.

However, for demon beasts to break through to the third-tier Demon King realm was a natural chasm; unlike minor realms, the Lei Jie's might would be far greater, and fewer than one in ten demon beasts could survive this trial.

"Sigh, Master, you have no idea—this third-tier Lei Jie is truly terrifying."

"Back when I was undergoing Tribulation Crossing at the Beast Roar Mountain Range, if I hadn't by chance found a treasure to resist the heavenly tribulation, I would long since have been reduced to ash."

Shi Tian Shu recalled the past and spoke with lingering fear.

"Mm, after breaking through to Jin Dan, I still haven't gone out to travel at all."

"Now that I have the strength, once Xuan Shui Crocodile and Yin Yi break through, I plan to visit the other three states of the Wild Immortal Realm, and also stop by the Qingyuan Sect's Lei Chi to repair the Magatama Jin Guang Mirror magic treasure."

……

In the time that followed.

Qin Ming began to set about refining 'Longevity Fruit Pills.'

After all, Elder Yuheng had only five years of lifespan left, and the people of Xuanxi Valley probably could not wait any longer either.

Refining a third-tier mid-grade pill posed some challenge for Qin Ming, especially a spiritual pill of the life-extending variety, which was even harder to refine.

Half a year later, another burst of five-colored radiant light emerged within Qin Ming's cave abode.

Inside the third-tier superior-grade Feng Lei Ding, four emerald-green spiritual pills, emanating gentle spiritual resonance and vitality, hovered quietly within the cauldron.

……

(End of this chapter)