Chapter 430

The soul-searching process lasted about ten breaths.

For Chen Mu, it was a swift extraction and organization of information.

But for Li Gu, it was a torture that utterly tore and shredded his soul!

When Chen Mu slowly lowered his hand and retracted his spiritual awareness, Li Gu's screams ceased abruptly.

He remained in a convulsing posture, slumped at the bottom of the iron cage, eyes wide open, pupils completely dilated and devoid of all luster, saliva dripping from his lips, his face now only a vacant, infantile blankness.

He had become a Bai Chi—completely devoid of memory, thought, and even basic instincts.

Inside the stone chamber, there was utter silence.

Yu Chengbang and the hunched old man stared at the now-demented Li Gu in the cage, then at Chen Mu, whose expression remained calm, as if he had merely done something trivial, and felt a chill surge from their soles straight to the crown of their heads!

Soul-Search Technique!

Chen Mu had truly used the Soul-Search Technique.

And succeeded!

And so cleanly and efficiently!

Most crucially, Chen Mu's cultivation level was clearly still around Divine Bridge of Earth Altar Realm.

How could he possibly wield the Soul-Search Technique, which even Tiangong Realm experts must use with caution?

Just how powerful was Chen Mu's spiritual awareness?!

Shock, fear… emotions intertwined in the hearts of the hunched old man and Yu Chengbang.

Shh~

Shh!

Before either could speak, Chen Mu condensed his qi and shot out two sword qi strikes, striking the heads of the hunched old man and Yu Chengbang.

Both died on the spot.

【Corpse detected. Collect?】

"Yes!"

Card acquired.

Chen Mu turned and left, stepping outside.

"My lord."

Tang Bin hurried forward to meet him.

"I found out."

Chen Mu's tone was calm, "The Everlife Cult has a secret outpost, designated 'Provisional Cadre-7,' located about three hundred and fifty li northwest of Wulong Fucheng, in a valley called 'Poisonous Dragon Gorge,' guarded by a Tiangong Realm 'Venerable.'"

He briefly relayed to Tang Bin the information extracted from Li Gu's memories: the terrain of Poisonous Dragon Gorge, its approximate defenses, and the vague details of the 'Venerable.'

"A Tiangong Realm Venerable guarding it?"

Tang Bin gasped in shock, "This outpost is an extreme threat! It must be eradicated immediately!"

"Exactly. Inform the Giant Spirit Sect of this intelligence."

Chen Mu said coolly, "The Giant Spirit Sect was just tricked by the Everlife Cult—they'll surely move to cleanse it once they know."

"Yes! I'll act at once!"

Tang Bin solemnly accepted the order.

He set out personally for Lingwu City to inform the Giant Spirit Sect of the Everlife Cult's outpost in Poisonous Dragon Gorge.

The intelligence quickly drew high-level attention from the Giant Spirit Sect.

A demonic Tiangong Realm master lurking just three hundred li from Wulong Fucheng was no less than a massive tumor planted beneath the Giant Spirit Sect's very nose!

Without hesitation, the Giant Spirit Sect reacted swiftly.

The next day, before dawn had fully broken.

From the direction of Lingwu City, two majestic, mountain-piercing, sky-burning Tiangong Realm auras erupted without concealment, tearing through the morning mist as they raced northwestward.

Behind them came over twenty elite disciples of the Giant Spirit Sect, each with sharp, refined auras at least at Earth Altar Realm's Five Qi Convergence, along with several flying vessels carrying massive siege weaponry!

Such a commotion could not possibly escape the notice of those in Wulong Fucheng with eyes to see.

Countless cultivators awoke in alarm, staring in horror at the northwest sky, whispering among themselves, speculating which demonic lair the Giant Spirit Sect was about to crush.

Chen Mu stood atop an unremarkable hill outside Wulong Fucheng, gazing calmly at the distant streaks of light and flying vessels.

He had donned a plain gray martial attire and completely altered his appearance and features, ensuring no one could link him to "Chen Mu" or "Qin Shuang."

Once the Giant Spirit Sect's forces vanished beyond the horizon, he moved.

His figure dissolved into a faint shadow merging with the morning light, trailing far behind the Giant Spirit Sect's formation, maintaining a safe distance of dozens of li.

His spiritual awareness was reined in to its absolute limit, sustaining only the barest sense of direction—enough to not lose them, yet not enough to be detected by the Tiangong Realm masters ahead.

Three hundred li, for Tiangong Realm experts and fully powered flying vessels, was not far.

Soon, the treacherous, desolate valley of "Poisonous Dragon Gorge," perpetually shrouded in a faint emerald-green toxic miasma, came into view.

The Giant Spirit Sect acted with ruthless speed, uttering no words or probes.

Two Tiangong Realm elders hovered in midair; one's aura was heavy as the earth, and with a wave of his hand, he manipulated cosmic forces to form colossal fist seals, raining down like meteor showers upon the valley's entrance, striking the toxic miasma and the faintly visible defensive array.

The other's aura blazed like wildfire, manipulating cosmic forces to summon a crimson fire pillar that scorched the heavens and boiled the seas, delivering indiscriminate, all-encompassing bombardment.

"Intruders—!"

"It's the Giant Spirit Sect! Activate the Great Array!"

Within the valley, a chorus of panicked yet vicious roars erupted.

The emerald-green miasma churned violently, coalescing into layers of barriers, while countless venomous insects and snakes surged forth from all corners, spewing toxic fluids and fumes.

Hidden arrays flared to life, firing forth sinister beams and bony spikes.

The battle erupted instantly.

The two Elders of the Giant Spirit Sect at the Heavenly Palace Realm were immensely powerful; together, their combined might shook heaven and earth.

Fist seals conjured from the forces of heaven and earth interwove with flames, relentlessly striking the valley's defenses.

Though the Life Cultists of Poisonous Dragon Gorge held the advantage of terrain and were aided by arrays and poisonous insects, their defenses shattered rapidly under the absolute disparity of power, screams echoing endlessly.

Chen Mu did not approach the core of the battlefield.

He lay hidden in the dense forest atop another peak several miles away, using the terrain and trees for cover, extending his spiritual sense like the most sensitive tentacles, cautiously reaching toward the battlefield's edge—especially toward areas struck by battle ripples or where Life Cultists had been killed or mortally wounded and fled.

After waiting a while, he activated Earth Submersion and swiftly approached the battlefield from beneath the ground.

【Corpse detected. Collect?】

"Yes!"

【Corpse detected. Collect?】

"Yes!"

……

Cards kept coming into his possession.

Chen Mu moved like the most efficient harvester, traversing underground with swift, stealthy motions.

After a moment, he withdrew from the battlefield area and hid atop the nearest peak, observing the situation.

The intensity of the battle continued to escalate.

The Life Cult's resident "Venerable" finally appeared.

A thick, ink-green cloud, rising from the valley's deepest depths and nearly engulfing half the valley, emitted a soul-shaking roar; countless grotesque phantom insects flitted within it as it slammed directly into the two Giant Spirit Sect Elders!

A full-scale battle at the Heavenly Palace Realm erupted.

The forces of heaven and earth churned violently; energy storms raged, the toxic cloud boiled, and flames scorched the sky.

The entire Poisonous Dragon Gorge trembled violently, as if ready to collapse completely!

More Life Cultists perished in the terrifying aftermath, while others attempted to flee through the flanks or hidden underground tunnels.

Chen Mu's "harvest" increased accordingly.

He periodically used Earth Submersion to move closer and collect cards.

Finally, after a brutal fifteen-minute battle, accompanied by a thunderous roar of rage and venomous resentment, the ink-green cloud was pierced and shattered by a crimson fire pillar and a colossal fist seal working in unison!

A blood-soaked ink-green figure tumbled from the cloud, drenched in a rain of blood, crashing to the ground.

Chen Mu swiftly approached from beneath the earth…

【Corpse detected. Collect?】