Chapter 587: The Fool Huoxu Zi, the Demonic Sect

Inside the auction hall, everyone looked up.

But before the cultivators in the hall could recover from their shock, a streak of crimson wind flashed past like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.

In an instant, it snatched away the segment of Star Sea Divine Vine from the maid's tray.

So swiftly that the middle-aged cultivator in charge of the auction couldn't stop it.

Immediately above the hall, a powerful red-robed elder appeared—his face wild, skin dark, beard and hair crimson, like a fire-wielding Daoist.

Around him, within a few zhang, a thick, scorching heat radiated.

The very space warped slightly.

His cultivation base of Golden Core Perfection made all the cultivators below turn pale, daring not to approach, fearing collateral damage.

"It's Huoxu Zi, the top hermit of Daizhou! How did he sneak in?"

"Rumors say that over a century ago, after reaching Golden Core Perfection, Huoxu Zi began searching everywhere for the chance to condense a Nascent Soul."

"This man is neither fully righteous nor fully demonic—he's been silent for decades, with no trace or news. Why has he suddenly appeared at this auction?"

"Damn it, the Star Sea Divine Vine is gone—did he not fear the Retribution Alliance's retaliation?"

"They say his power is peerless; who in the market could stand against him except a Nascent Soul True Person?"

Hua Tianxiong, seeing this, was pale with fury—but dared not act, fearing Huoxu Zi's strength.

He knew this man well: rumor had it Huoxu Zi was originally an obscure blacksmith from within Daizhou.

By sheer accident, he stumbled into cultivation, acted with eccentric independence, possessed great fortune, and climbed alone to Golden Core Perfection—a true oddity.

He had never taken a disciple, nor had a consort or offspring.

He ate alone, and no one else starved—no ties, no burdens.

Thus, Huoxu Zi acted without restraint, entirely according to his mood, dealing with both righteous and demonic factions.

Who would have thought that after the demonic invasion in Daizhou, even such a high-level elder had come to Dajin?

And the demonic spies planted within the auction hall were stunned and furious.

Huoxu Zi's appearance had completely shattered their plan.

The Blood Refining Sect's true disciple had planned to use the Star Sea Divine Vine to lure Han Ya the Hermit into a trap.

They were just about to move to the next step.

Then this Huoxu Zi appeared out of nowhere and muddied the waters entirely.

Luo Xi, the Elder watching from the auction hall, seeing this situation, avoided trouble and quietly slipped out early.

Just as Huoxu Zi had succeeded and prepared to leave with arrogance, sweeping his sleeve aside—

"Huoxu Zi! Do you think this place is your backyard? Come when you please, leave when you please?"

"Dare you seize an auction item before the eyes of all, under the open sky?"

"Do you dare defy the Retribution Alliance and our Ten Thousand Dao Trading Society?!"

As the furious voice rang through the air, a figure appeared, blocking Huoxu Zi's path.

Everyone looked closely—it was Jin Han, Elder of the Ten Thousand Dao Trading Society.

Jin Han, though only at late Golden Core, slightly lower than Huoxu Zi, was a famed cultivator who had roamed Dajin for years.

His techniques were no weaker than Huoxu Zi's, and he alone maintained order in the Five Elements Mountain Market.

As soon as trouble broke out in the auction hall, Jin Han arrived immediately.

He was furious—how had a Golden Core Perfection elder like Huoxu Zi slipped in unnoticed despite the tight security?

And without a word, he had openly seized a key auction item—if Huoxu Zi escaped unscathed, where would the Trading Society save face?

Not only would the Trading Society's reputation suffer, but even the Retribution Alliance could not be appeased.

After all, security in the Five Elements Mountain Market was their responsibility.

Yet, a Golden Core Perfection cultivator like Huoxu Zi could not be detected by ordinary guards.

The low-level cultivators inside the hall were now in chaos, scattering like birds and beasts.

If these two Golden Core elders fought here, the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn't withstand the shockwaves.

The red-robed, dark-skinned Huoxu Zi, seeing Jin Han arrive, showed no surprise.

He merely sneered upward: "So it's Elder Jin Han. Do you really think your strength can hold me?"

"All your threats mean nothing."

"I, Huoxu Zi, am alone—no worries, no fears. Hehehe!"

BOOM! As he spoke, Huoxu Zi's fiery temper exploded—he said nothing, unleashing his aura instantly.

With a sweep of his hand, terrifying magical power surged outward.

A vast expanse of crimson flame clouds engulfed the entire auction hall, surging toward Jin Han.

"Aaaah!"

"Help! Run!"

In an instant—

The cultivators below who couldn't escape screamed in terror, crying out to their parents.

Many low-level cultivators were instantly melted by the spreading fire clouds.

Seeing this, Jin Han flew into a rage.

He never expected Huoxu Zi to be so brazen—he had just opened slaughter inside the auction house.

"Huoxu Zi, you seek death!!"

At this level of combat, no amount of cultivators below late Golden Core could help—they'd only die.

Jin Han stayed calm, immediately ordering the Ten Thousand Dao Trading Society's reinforcements to activate the Five Elements Mountain Market's protective array.

To prevent Huoxu Zi from escaping.

Then he raised his hand and slashed—golden light streaked through the air, instantly dispersing the incoming fire clouds.

Inside the auction hall's private suite—

Hua Tianxiong, seeing this, knew he had no chance of obtaining the Star Sea Divine Vine today.

"Damn it, Huoxu Zi is a madman!"

He cursed inwardly and without hesitation, immediately prepared to flee this mess.

If these two old monsters fought, he, a Golden Core Mid-stage cultivator, might not survive the fallout.

He wasn't skilled in combat, and the gap between Golden Core Mid-stage and Perfection was two chasms apart.

He could easily become cannon fodder.

Just as Hua Tianxiong was about to run—

Suddenly! His scalp prickled—a sharp sense of danger surged through him.

He saw Huoxu Zi shatter the suite's window with a single Zhen, reaching out a massive hand toward him.

Huoxu Zi had a clear target—he knew after seizing the vine, escape would be impossible, so he'd already planned ahead.

He knew Hua Tianxiong was not only a trusted aide of Qian Elder of Li Huo Palace, but also the head of the Ten Great Trading Houses of the Trading Society—his status was pivotal.

After securing the vine, he intended to take Hua Tianxiong hostage to escape the Five Elements Mountain Market.

Before arriving, Huoxu Zi had gathered rumors about Hua Tianxiong's recent years.

Though Tian Laomo of the Yin Demon Sect and Wen Yuliang, the Nascent Soul seed of Divine Mountain, had both died under suspicious circumstances tied to him—

Yet based on Huoxu Zi's decades of ruthless experience, he judged these were merely wild speculations.

Hua Tianxiong might be shrewd in business, but in combat? To Huoxu Zi, he was no better than a useless sack.

Thus, his strike now was certain to succeed.

SWISH! But what followed stunned Huoxu Zi.

He saw Hua Tianxiong, in panic, pull out a purple-gold talisman and crush it without hesitation.

Instantly, he was engulfed in purple light and vanished into thin air!

"Damn it! A third-rank supreme Void-Teleport Talisman!"

Huoxu Zi raged, stomping in fury—he never imagined Hua Tianxiong possessed such a priceless talisman.

This rare life-saving talisman—even Huoxu Zi, a Golden Core Perfection cultivator, didn't own one. Its value could fund two raids on auction halls.

A thousand li beyond the Five Elements Mountain Market—

Hua Tianxiong, still shaken, realized Huoxu Zi had clearly intended to take him hostage.

"Damn it! I'm so unlucky!"

"If not for the supreme talisman my master gave me, I'd be dead."

BOOM! At that moment—

The Five Elements Mountain Market erupted in fierce combat—two famed Golden Core elders unleashed power capable of annihilating heaven and earth.

The light from their spells dyed half the nearby sky crimson.

Merchants and hermits below trembled in fear, none daring to show themselves, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.

Outside the Five Elements Mountains—

The demonic cultivators lying in ambush, upon hearing the news inside, were stunned.

"Sister Lan, what do we do?"

"Who knew a rotten apple would ruin our plan?"

"Han Ya the Hermit must have fled—he won't show his face again."

"If we miss this once-in-a-millennium chance, we may never lure him out again."

Jiang Yuan, the Holy Son of the Blood Refining Sect, asked the Blue Ice Holy Maiden beside him.

His tone was cold and sharp, clearly angering him as well.

"The rest is up to you, Brother Jiang."

"I'm returning to the Great Li Yin Demon Sect."

With that, her figure gradually faded, vanishing instantly from where she stood.

A sinister, delicate smile appeared on Jiang Yuan's pale face.

"Then I thank you, Sister Lan, for your gracious concession—I'll gladly take this fragment of Starsea Divine Vine."

……

……

After Hua Tianxiong emerged, he immediately used a black talisman to report the situation to Qin Ming.

"What?"

"A major riot broke out at the Five Elements Mountain Bazaar—Jin Han and Huoxu Zi are fighting inside?"

Qin Ming was en route to the Five Elements Mountain Bazaar when he learned of this sudden upheaval, mere moments after stepping out.

His joy over the newly acquired treasure vanished instantly.

Qin Ming himself wasn't afraid.

But the combat power of a late-stage Golden Core and a Core Formation cultivator was staggering—even with the bazaar's formidable defenses.

It couldn't withstand the havoc wrought by Jin Han and Huoxu Zi, two Golden Core elders.

He also worried that Old Jia and the others from the Mirror Snow Pavilion were still inside.

"Sigh! Huoxu Zi truly is a reckless bandit!"

"Is a fragment of divine wood worth this?"

"May heaven protect the virtuous."

For Qin Ming to go to the Five Elements Mountain Bazaar now would be extremely unwise.

He immediately sent a message talisman to Old Jia and breathed a sigh of relief upon learning they hadn't been affected.

Meanwhile, from the message Old Jia sent back:

"Shopkeeper, you must be extremely careful!"

"Huoxu Zi, pursued by the Wei Dao Alliance, has shattered the bazaar's protective array and fled outward."

"The bazaar is now in ruins—I don't know what's happening outside."

As Qin Ming's gaze flickered and he tucked away the message talisman:

BOOM! His spiritual sense, rivaling that of a Nascent Soul beginner, instantly spread, engulfing hundreds of li in all directions.

A brief probe revealed to him the entire situation beyond the Five Elements Mountain Bazaar.

Huoxu Zi now raced as a crimson aura, calmly fleeing, his face twisted into a mad, Kuangxiao.

Clearly, having broken free of the bazaar's array, he believed no one outside could capture him.

Jin Han's face was dark as water as he led a large group of cultivators in furious pursuit.

Huoxu Zi's position was now close to Hua Tianxiong, who had just escaped.

What startled Qin Ming even more:

Outside the Five Elements Mountain Bazaar, a group of demonic cultivators lay hidden in ambush. Among them:

On the pale, effeminate face of one man, Qin Ming felt an overwhelming sense of danger!

"Could this man be one of the two Sacred Sons of the Blood Refining Sect?"

"Even Han Ya, a Nascent Soul True Person, was defeated by a sect Sacred Son."

"Too dangerous! Too dangerous!"

Qin Ming naturally kept his distance, fleeing as far as he could.

Not far away:

Hua Tianxiong also realized Huoxu Zi, that monstrous demon, was chasing him again.

He was terrified, his soul nearly fleeing his body, cursing inwardly.

"Damn bad luck! Is Huoxu Zi secretly in love with me?"

"Why is he relentlessly chasing me?"

At that moment:

Qin Ming's voice echoed inside Hua Tianxiong's mind.

"Hua Tianxiong, come toward me—northwest."

Hearing Qin Ming's voice, Hua Tianxiong nearly wept with relief.

He had great faith in his master.

If he could reach him, he would surely escape this peril.

Just fifteen minutes later:

Hua Tianxiong exerted every ounce of his strength, riding the Golden Throne Chariot, and finally arrived before Qin Ming.

He barely escaped death, his voice trembling as he knelt:

"Master…"

"Don't speak yet."

Seeing him arrive, Qin Ming said nothing—he pulled Hua Tianxiong into the Little Spirit Realm, then entered himself.

WHOOSH! A crimson aura shot past and halted midair.

The aura dissipated, revealing Huoxu Zi in his red robe, his magical power surging erratically, his crimson beard and eyebrows knotted in fury.

"Strange—how did Hua Tianxiong vanish so suddenly here?"

"He's escaped me twice now—this boy must be hiding something!"

As Huoxu Zi hesitated, Jin Han and his group arrived behind him, furious.

"Huoxu Zi, where will you run now?!"

Jin Han immediately hurled a high-grade third-rank Glacier Talisman at him.

Instantly:

Countless ice spikes erupted from the ground, covering the sky and sealing off Huoxu Zi's escape.

"Jin Han, you old bastard—I'll make you die without a whole corpse!"

Huoxu Zi roared in rage, preparing to fight again.

ZZZZ—suddenly:

The spiritual energy in the surrounding air boiled like water, and space trembled violently.

In an instant, heaven and earth changed color.

All cultivators present turned their gaze in horror—they had been dragged into a blood-drenched, demonic world swirling with dark clouds! Even Huoxu Zi and Jin Han felt as if plunged into an icy abyss!

(End of Chapter)