Chapter 414: Current Situation of the Southern Wasteland

Under the bombardment of the Five Elements Divine Thunder, even the Tier 3 Black Mane Demon Pig could not make any struggle.

The purple electric arcs emitted by the thunder power formed an electric net, roaming through the demon beast herd, and those low-tier demon pigs were instantly annihilated.

"This... whose senior great power's treasure carriage is this, to have such might and style?"

"It looks like it came from the sea; could it be someone from another immortal realm traveling here?"

The Foundation Establishment old man surnamed Huang had a dull gaze, staring blankly at the magnificent Lingxiao Treasure Carriage above the sky, his heart filled with indescribable feelings.

The surrounding Qi Gathering disciples, seeing this scene, had minds that were even more blank, immersed in deep shock.

Just a casual spit from the demon beast pulling the carriage was enough to wipe out the pig demons that had plagued this area for several years.

Then what about the person sitting inside? That would at least be a great cultivator above Core Formation Late-stage, or even a legendary Nascent Soul True Person.

For a time, the cultivators' minds were in turmoil, filled with awe.

A few breaths later.

The Lingxiao Treasure Carriage in the sky, pulled by the giant crocodile and the azure-wave seahorses, streaked across with five-colored precious light and stopped steadily above the crowd.

The cultivator surnamed Huang hurriedly stepped forward, bowed deeply to the treasure carriage, and said with utmost respect: "Thank you, Senior, for your life-saving grace. This junior is Huang Qi'an of Little Leaf Mountain. If Senior has any commands, this junior will not hesitate even at the cost of my life!"

He felt the terrifying aura emanating from the Qing Xuan Water Giant Crocodile above, and his heart couldn't help but become incredibly tense.

He had already started to break out in a cold sweat.

Based on his knowledge, this giant crocodile pulling the carriage had to be at least Tier 3 Mid-to-Late stage.

As for the person sitting inside the carriage, that went without saying.

"Little Leaf Mountain Huang family?"

From within the carriage, a rather young voice emerged.

This made everyone present feel quite surprised.

Because in their understanding, to possess such unfathomable cultivation, it had to be an old monster of several hundred years at the very least.

"Where did you get this 'Qingming Sword Art'? You practice it quite passably... What is the current situation in the four countries of the Southern Wasteland? Why are there so many gregarious demon beasts? Has a beast tide broken out again?" the young voice in the carriage continued to ask indifferently.

As the words fell, it made the cultivator surnamed Huang feel suspicious.

Judging by the other party's tone, they seemed extremely knowledgeable about affairs within the Southern Wasteland Immortal Realm.

They even knew clearly about the sword art he practiced.

Could it be that they were not an outside cultivator? Suddenly, a terrifying guess appeared in the mind of the cultivator surnamed Huang.

Could the senior in the treasure carriage be that legendary cultivator famous throughout the Southern Wasteland Immortal Realm? That great figure could be said to be the most inspirational Core Formation cultivator in the history of the four Southern Wasteland countries, rising step by step from a bottom-tier spirit farmer to become a dual-master grandmaster.

Having saved the four countries' immortal realms from danger multiple times, he was a role model in the hearts of many loose cultivators in the Southern Wasteland.

It was just that it was said that several decades ago, this person had vanished as if evaporated from the human world, with no more news. Some speculated he was in closed-door cultivation on an island, attempting to break through to a higher cultivation realm.

Now that he calculated it, the timing matched up quite well.

Among the four countries, there were only a few Core Formation cultivators in total, countable on one hand. To have such a high and deep realm, it was likely only that person.

The cultivator surnamed Huang's thoughts were incredibly clear, and in a short moment, everything matched up.

He had never expected that in this lifetime, he would be able to have an intersection with such a long-famous great cultivator.

The cultivator surnamed Huang could not hide his excitement and replied respectfully: "Reporting to Senior, this junior's 'Qingming Sword Art' was obtained from a descendant of the Lingyu Sect."

"Senior is correct. Just a few years ago, a group of Black Mane Demon Pigs was born in the Beast Roar Mountain Range. This demon beast has an extremely strong reproductive speed and is almost impossible to kill off."

"And after forming a scale, they began to drive away the nearby demon tribes and occupy the outer territory, thus triggering a beast tide once again."

"Moreover, the meat of this demon pig has very low value; not only is the taste extremely poor, but it also has no benefit to cultivators."

"Within the Black Mane Demon Pig tribe, at least two Demon Kings were born. The one just killed by Senior's spirit pet was one of them."

"This junior accepted the demon-slaying bounty mission of the Canghai Immortal City and came here to clear out the demon beasts. If it weren't for encountering you, Senior, today, I fear we would all have lost our lives to the beasts."

Qin Ming heard him finish and couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled: "How could a mere two Tier 3 pig demons cause the Southern Wasteland to be in such a state of distress?"

"Isn't there the Elder Qingxuan Old Ancestor of the Xuanxi Valley? He is at Core Formation Late-stage cultivation, and aren't Lady Nalan Xi and Wei Wei Wuya also at Core Formation Mid-stage?"

The cultivator surnamed Huang sighed with emotion and explained:

"Alas! Senior may not know, but Elder Qingxuan Old Ancestor passed away over ten years ago. Not only that, Grandmaster Gongsun Yang of the Xuanxi Valley also passed away several years ago due to the exhaustion of his lifespan."

"The current Xuanxi Valley is only left with the Core Formation Early-stage Qing Xuan Yu Old Ancestor struggling to support it."

"Fortunately, it is said that Fang Han, the personal disciple of Grandmaster Gongsun Yang, has hopes of breaking through to the Tier 3 Alchemy Grandmaster realm and revitalizing the Xuanxi Valley."

Hearing this news, Qin Ming, sitting in the carriage, felt a trace of sighing in his heart.

He did not expect that time had passed and things had changed, with old friends having passed away.

The Xuanxi Valley, once the strongest in the four countries, had fallen from grace and become the bottom existence.

Inside Canghai Immortal City, the heavy news of the legendary Southern Wasteland cultivator's return had already exploded within the city.

His temper was also considered kind.

"What about Wei Wei Wuya of the Lei Yuan Sect, and the two Core Formation cultivators of the Beast King Valley in the Wu State?" Qin Ming asked again indifferently.

"There are rumors that Senior Wei attempted to break through to Core Formation Late-stage three years ago but failed, suffering internal injuries and has been in closed-door cultivation healing ever since."

"As for True Person Pei Qing of the Beast King Valley, he has gone missing for no reason. Now, the Wu State is only left with Senior Lu Xiao holding the fort."

"Our Wei State and the Canghai Immortal City side are now mainly relying on True Person Canghai and True Person Gu, the two Core Formation True Persons, to jointly preside over the overall situation."

"If it weren't for the two of them holding out, I fear it would have fallen long ago..."

Qin Ming was speechless after hearing this.

He did not expect that after he left, the Southern Wasteland Immortal Realm would be in such a state of succession crisis, falling to the point where two women were struggling to support the situation.

Before Qin Ming left, he had already pacified the ghost disaster and the beast tide.

With the deaths of Bone True Person and the Green-Faced Poison Crocodile, the six demon sects had already lost their momentum.

He had thought the situation in the four countries would gradually recover and improve, but he did not expect it to be developing in the opposite direction.

Qin Ming asked him a few more questions, but as a small Foundation Establishment cultivator, the cultivator surnamed Huang had extremely limited knowledge of the upper echelons of the immortal realm.

'With Wei Wei Wuya's steady nature, he wouldn't casually attempt to break through a bottleneck without reason, so how could he be injured and in closed-door cultivation?'

'And why did Pei Qing disappear for no reason?'

For a time, all kinds of doubts lingered in Qin Ming's heart.

Thinking of this, Qin Ming's heart stirred.

The Qing Xuan Water Crocodile let out a long roar, flicked its tail, and pulled the Lingxiao Treasure Carriage, transforming into a brilliant radiance and disappearing into the horizon.

The crowd watched the magnificent carriage transform into five-colored flowing light and flee into the distance, all remaining in their bowing posture. It was only after a full half-stick of incense time that they straightened their bodies and wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads.

"Senior Huang, that great power just now... why was he so knowledgeable about our Southern Wasteland Immortal Realm?"

"Could it be that some hidden master from the four countries has returned?"

A Qi Gathering cultivator asked tremblingly.

"How can the affairs of such great figures be discussed casually?"

"Just keep your own mouths shut, don't bring disaster upon yourselves! Otherwise, the fate of those beasts will be a warning to you."

The crowd shrank their heads upon hearing this, not daring to ask more.

As for the cultivator surnamed Huang, he sighed secretly. If it really was that legendary cultivator from Wangyue Island who had returned, then perhaps the four countries of the Southern Wasteland Immortal Realm were truly about to change...

Several days later. At the border of the four Southern Wasteland countries, Canghai Immortal City.

Inside the main hall of Canghai Peak, True Person Lady Nalan Xi and Gu Gu Qingzhao were holding a map and discussing countermeasures.

"Sister Lady Nalan, you went to visit Wei Wei Wuya at the Lei Yuan Sect a few days ago. How is the situation over there?" Gu Gu Qingzhao, dressed in plain clothes, asked.

Lady Nalan Xi put down the map in her hand and sighed longly: "Alas! Wei Wei Wuya was originally a person of supreme talent, and he even formed a high-grade Core, with great prospects for the Great Dao."

"But he was too eager for success, forcibly attempting to break through to the Late-stage realm, suffering a backlash of spiritual energy. This time, both his meridians and foundation have suffered serious damage. Even if he recovers, I fear his future achievements will stop at Core Formation Mid-stage."

"Fellow Daoist Wei was originally a hero; it is truly a pity. Moreover, he was also doing it for the sake of the demon sect affairs, which is why he was so anxious to break through his cultivation," Gu Gu Qingzhao said indifferently.

"Otherwise, with his ability, if he had proceeded step by step, perhaps in another hundred years or so, entering Core Formation Late-stage would have been a matter of time."

Just as the two were conversing.

Suddenly! Boom! A heaven-shaking loud noise came from outside.

The entire immortal city trembled violently three times in succession. Countless buildings outside collapsed, followed by countless terrified screams.

Lady Nalan Xi and Gu Gu Qingzhao looked at each other, their figures blurred, and they vanished from the main hall instantly.

When the two women arrived outside and saw the situation outside the city, their expressions couldn't help but change drastically!

They saw that outside the immortal city, a two-headed giant beast, sixty or seventy zhang tall, was constantly charging at the defensive formation.

It was a massive Black Mane Pig Demon King, particularly eye-catching. This beast had two massive heads, tusks protruding, and had clearly already reached the Tier 3 Mid-stage level.

The strength of a Tier 3 Mid-stage demon beast was comparable to a human Core Formation Late-stage.

For a human immortal city, this was absolutely a disaster of extinction.

The azure light screen of the Canghai Immortal City's formation appeared precarious under its charge.

There were even signs of it being broken.

"It's that two-headed Black Mane Demon King! Something is wrong; why did it advance to the Mid-stage so quickly?" Lady Nalan Xi looked surprised.

Gu Gu Qingzhao said with a cold voice: "I fear it is those demon sects playing tricks again. The appearance of this group of Black Mane Demon Pigs was strange from the start."

"Fellow Daoist Pei Qing went to investigate this matter and has had no news since."

"A Tier 3 Mid-stage Demon King; if the two of us go together, I fear we are not its match." Lady Nalan Xi quickly made a decision. "I will go and lure it away."

Gu Gu Qingzhao immediately denied her idea: "No, that is too dangerous."

"Then what should we do? If this continues, the city will be broken soon, and at that time, the cultivators of the entire city will likely..."

Just as the two were at their wits' end.

Boom! The space near the immortal city began to produce inexplicable fluctuations, first like rippling water, then trembling violently.

Even the spiritual energy between heaven and earth became chaotic like boiling water.

So much so that the crowd didn't know what was happening and hurriedly channeled their spiritual power to resist the physical discomfort.

Just at this moment.

Roar roar!

A streak of startling rainbow suddenly flew from the distance, blooming with five-colored precious light.

The escape light arrived in an instant, and it was a magnificent and luxurious Lingxiao Treasure Carriage, with a high canopy and carriage, like a palace in the sky.

In front of the carriage, there was a giant crocodile with a terrifying aura pulling it, and beside it were eight azure-wave seahorses, all of the same kind, with rainbow-like momentum, a full eight of them.

This style was as if some Nascent Soul great power was traveling.

The moment this treasure carriage appeared, a massive spiritual pressure descended suddenly.

The entire world fell silent in an instant.

Even that two-headed Black Mane Demon King, within its blood-red eyes, revealed deep fear.

Just as it gave up on charging the city and prepared to flee.

A powerful suppressing force descended from the sky, crashing down. The entire massive body of the two-headed Black Mane Demon King was forcibly slammed into the earth by this force. Afterward.

From within the carriage, a ruffian-like voice lazily said to the outside:

"Number Two, Master is letting you go easy this time, leave a complete corpse. He wants to take the corpse back to study what's going on."

"Don't be like before, heavy-handed..."

Immediately, the giant crocodile nodded, and several thunderbolts roared from its mouth, striking the two-headed Black Mane Demon King on the ground. The two fine pig heads flew off directly and rolled to the side.

The next moment.

A spiritual light fell from the Lingxiao Treasure Carriage, swept across, and instantly took the corpse on the ground, causing it to vanish.

All the cultivators in Canghai Immortal City stared blankly at all this, forgetting themselves. Lady Nalan Xi and Gu Gu Qingzhao were also incredibly shocked, standing stiffly in place.

Even the demon beast pulling the carriage had such terrifying strength... Just suddenly, Lady Nalan Xi said with some uncertainty: "This voice just now, why does it sound somewhat familiar?"

Just at this moment.

The Lingxiao Treasure Carriage not far away treated the Tier 3 formation of the immortal city as nothing, directly passing through and stopping steadily in front of the two women.

The curtain opened, and a plain-looking young man walked out.

The youth was like an evergreen ancient tree, his temperament as calm as water, emitting an aura that had been settled by the passage of time.

On his shoulder sat a gray rat demon, arms crossed over its chest, looking at the two women with a smiling face.

"Fellow Daoist Qin!!"

Lady Nalan Xi and Gu Gu Qingzhao exclaimed in unison!

The two of them first showed deep shock and confusion, followed by an indescribable joy. Various complex emotions surged into their hearts in an instant.

However, when they sensed the Tier 3 perfection demon power aura on the Heaven-Devouring Rat, their expressions turned back to shock.

"Heaven-Devouring Rat Demon King, you... you are..." Lady Nalan Xi said, still unable to believe it.

The Heaven-Devouring Rat smiled proudly and patted its chest, "Fellow Daoist Lady Nalan, one should look at a rat with new eyes after three days, hehehe!"

The aura on Qin Ming's body was even more unfathomable; with the two women's cultivation, they couldn't even probe its depth. "Two fellow daoists, long time no see, have you been well?" Qin Ming greeted the two with a smile.

Lady Nalan Xi stepped forward, smiled, and bowed in flattery: "Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Qin for your great progress in cultivation, returning home in glory. Please come to the main peak to talk."

"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Qin. I didn't expect that in just a few decades, your cultivation has reached the realm of transformation. It seems your trip to Dajin was full of opportunities. Returning this time, you are likely the number one person in the Southern Wasteland Immortal Realm in thousands of years." Gu Gu Qingzhao also recovered from the shock.

Afterward.

Qin Ming put away the Lingxiao Treasure Carriage and followed the two to the Canghai Peak main hall.

"Fellow Daoist Lady Nalan, Fellow Daoist Gu, what is going on now?"

"How did the four Southern Wasteland countries fall to such a state?"

After sitting down, Qin Ming immediately asked.

Lady Nalan Xi ordered someone to arrange the best spirit tea before sighing and saying: "This has to start from a few years ago. Among the six demon sects of the Southern Wasteland, a demon hero was born, who reversed the situation that was about to fall apart, showing signs of a resurgence."

Thanks to Fellow Daoist "Lushan Xiaoxiaozhi" for the 100-coin tip.

Thanks to all fellow daoists for your strong support with votes.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 415 =====