Chapter 347: Two Years

Wei Country, Thundering Mountain.

The massive army of Lingyu Gate surged forward, arriving within a thousand li of Lei Yuanzong's mountain gate.

Upon nearing, Lingyu Gate ignored all protocol and unleashed countless magical ships and warships in a furious barrage against Lei Yuanzong's Shanmen.

In an instant, heaven and earth darkened.

Boom! Vast beams of energy tore across the sky, sweeping toward Lei Yuanzong.

Whirr! Lei Yuanzong's third-rank supreme protective mountain array activated fully, blocking every spiritual energy cannon; colorful energy orbs exploded densely across the barrier.

For a moment, winds and clouds churned across the heavens.

Lei Yuanzong had also prepared in advance; countless magical ships and warships launched forth, even larger in scale than Lingyu Gate's, forming a triangular formation and charging toward Lingyu Gate's position.

The elite cultivators of both sects, joined by cultivators from the Seven Major Powers, erupted in deafening battle cries as they clashed violently.

This massive cultivation war functioned like a meat grinder, relentlessly harvesting the lives of cultivators.

These sect disciples, having chosen to join their sects, had anticipated this day.

Use their lives in battle! At that moment.

A patch of space near the battlefield rippled violently, first like undulating water, then trembling fiercely.

Unaware of what was happening, all present hurriedly channeled magic power to resist the discomfort.

At that moment.

Two streaks of brilliant light shot from afar, hovering in midair facing each other; their spiritual pressure was so immense it turned every cultivator present pale.

"Wei Wuyan! In this moment, today is our destined confrontation!"

Yuwen Hong's magical robe billowed wildly as he glared at Wei Wuyan with lethal intent.

"Yuwen Hong! Spare the words—let me see how much you've improved these years!"

Wei Wuyan spoke and wasted no more time; he spat out his core magical treasure.

His core magical treasure was a three-foot-long silver sword, wreathed in terrifying blue lightning arcs.

"Third-rank mid-grade magical treasure—Thunder Tribulation Sword!"

"I never thought you'd actually succeed in refining this treasure."

Upon seeing the sword, Yuwen Hong's brow lifted, and he too summoned his core magical treasure.

A black jade ruler appeared in his hand.

"Profound Heaven Ruler!"

When Wei Wuyan saw it appear, his expression turned grim.

This black jade ruler was Yuwen Hong's core magical treasure; the third-rank superior spiritual material, Xuan Ling Jade, used to forge it, had been excavated from the core of the third-rank spiritual vein in Yunze Great Wilderness.

No second piece existed anywhere in the Southern Wastelands.

The Profound Heaven Ruler appeared unassuming, but Yuwen Hong had nurtured it for years with his Golden Core spiritual energy.

Though equally third-rank mid-grade, its cultivation time far surpassed Wei Wuyan's, granting it extraordinary power.

"Go!"

The jade ruler flew into the air; without any hand seals, it grew with the wind, instantly transforming into a monstrous black blade dozens of zhang long, slashing toward Wei Wuyan! Wei Wuyan's gaze blazed as he formed a sword seal and pointed upward.

Boom! Crackling thunder flashed as the Thunder Tribulation Sword erupted into a silver blade of energy dozens of zhang long, wrapped in blue lightning, slashing toward his opponent.

Boom! The two Golden Core cultivators' devastating blows collided, igniting a blinding light in midair like a miniature sun rising from the earth.

This battle determined the survival of both sects; both men fought with all their might, risking their lives.

When the dust cleared, their figures reappeared.

Both Wei Wuyan and Yuwen Hong bore wounds, but none were severe.

Though Yuwen Hong's Golden Core was mid-grade, inferior to Wei Wuyan's superior-grade core, his Profound Heaven Ruler had been nurtured far longer.

Thus, their strengths were evenly matched.

"Hmph! Wei brat, your ancestor Ao must've taught you well."

"But it ends here."

Yuwen Hong formed another hand seal; the Profound Heaven Ruler in midair split into two, then four, then multiplied endlessly, filling the sky with countless jade rulers.

Each ruler carried terrifying power, crashing down upon Wei Wuyan.

Wei Wuyan remained calm, forming a sword seal; his Thunder Tribulation Sword vanished in a flash, leaving behind a thin blue thread in the air.

Just as the dense swarm of jade rulers neared his body.

The blue thread instantly sliced every shadow ruler into fragments.

Wei Wuyan was about to recall his Thunder Tribulation Sword.

But at that moment.

The air nearby twisted violently; a dragon of fire dozens of zhang long suddenly erupted, striking Wei Wuyan by surprise.

Wei Wuyan was hit full-force; even with a third-rank life-saving talisman activated, he was blasted miles away.

Puff! Wei Wuyan spat a mouthful of blood, his gaze dark as he stared toward another direction.

"Truly worthy of the title Wei Country's First Sword! Still alive after that!"

A burly, red-haired old man appeared, his voice rough, his eyes sharp and mocking as he fixed Wei Wuyan with a cold stare.

"Yu the Monster of Lingyun Sect, Jin Country!"

"What is your meaning? Do you intend to interfere in Wei Country's affairs?" Wei Wuyan asked coldly.

Though wounded by the ambush, Wei Wuyan showed no panic, remaining utterly composed.

"Hahaha! My dear Wei, I'm sorry—but Yu and I have already reached an agreement. Today is the day Lei Yuanzong perishes."

Yuwen Hong and Yu the Monster simultaneously summoned their treasures and launched a combined assault on Wei Wuyan.

"Hmph! So this is your greatest reliance, Yuwen Hong? Betraying your own sect, allying with outsiders—you truly deserve to die!"

Seeing this, Wei Wuyan formed a strange hand seal; a suit of armor woven from blue lightning instantly formed over his body.

In an instant, every movement Wei Wuyan made radiated terrifying blue lightning, spewing arcs into the surrounding air.

A spiritual pressure surpassing both Yuwen Hong and Yu the Monster descended.

Wei Wuyan's magical energy surged to the mid-stage Golden Core realm! "Primordial Thunder Armor!"

"Impossible! You've only just broken into Golden Core early stage—how can you activate this treasure?"

Yuwen Hong and Yu the Monster stared in disbelief.

The Primordial Thunder Armor was a supreme-grade treasure passed down by Lei Yuanzong; it required at least peak early-stage Golden Core cultivation to activate.

It could temporarily elevate the user by one minor realm.

Though only a minor step, in the Golden Core realm, it was a chasm—overwhelmingly decisive.

"Your cultivation must have increased!"

"No! Qin Ming deceived me!"

"He must've sold you the Mie Chen Pill!"

As Yuwen Hong reeled in shock, his thoughts snapped together—he understood.

"Hahaha!"

"Correct! So what if Qin Ming sold me the Mie Chen Pill?"

"Yuwen Hong—today is your death day!"

Feeling the vast spiritual energy of mid-stage Golden Core, Wei Wuyan's gaze turned icy as he launched the Thunder Tribulation Sword! Suddenly—

Hundreds of blue-threaded sword qi crisscrossed, slicing the space where Yuwen Hong and Yu the Monster stood into countless fragments.

Pfft!

"Ahh!"

Wei Wuyan's power had surged beyond comparison; with a single slash, he pierced Yuwen Hong's abdomen, nearly killing him.

Yu the Monster's chest was carved open by two deep, bloody gashes, horrifying to behold.

Had he not possessed a defensive treasure, he would already be dead.

He had walked through the gates of death—his back soaked in cold sweat.

Yuwen Hong, who had planned every detail, never imagined Wei Wuyan's cultivation could surge so rapidly; his eyes filled with complex emotion.

"Damn! How could such a turn of events occur!"

Realizing even together they were no match for Wei Wuyan, they fled without hesitation toward the edge of the battlefield.

Wei Wuyan's eyes flashed with cold light; with his sect's survival at stake, how could he let tigers return to the mountains? He donned the Thunder Armor and surged after Yuwen Hong!

…

Several days passed.

Moonwatch Island.

In the cave dwelling.

Qin Ming held the latest battle report, lost in thought.

According to Jingxue Pavilion's intelligence, Wei Country's final battle ended with Lei Yuanzong victorious, securing its dominance over Wei Country's cultivation world.

Another unexpected piece of intelligence:

Jin Country's Lingyun Sect's Yu the Monster had conspired with Yuwen Hong to join the battle.

Wei Wuyan fought both Golden Core cultivators alone and crushed them decisively.

Yuwen Hong's Golden Core dantian was shattered by Wei Wuyan and his whereabouts are unknown.

Once a cultivator's dantian is destroyed, they are effectively ruined—no different from death.

Lingyu Gate was swiftly eradicated and vanished from Wei Country's stage.

It has finally come to an end.

Qin Ming browsed through the intelligence reports, his expression showing little complex change.

He put away the jade slip and refocused his mind on alchemy.

Two years later.

In Qin Ming's cave dwelling, a radiant seven-colored aurora blazed forth, and a celestial vision of a fairy palace with jade towers and crystal pavilions coalesced above the cave, lingering without dissipating.

Then a golden light burst through the alchemy furnace, shining brightly in midair.

A strange, fragrant elixir scent spread through the air.

"Core Formation! I've finally succeeded in refining it!"

Qin Ming reached out and summoned two golden elixirs, each encircled by nine Dao patterns, into his palm, radiating an astonishing aura of primordial Daoic essence.

At this moment, he wore an expression of overwhelming excitement!

Next, it was time to break through into the Golden Core realm!

(End of Chapter)