Chapter 166: Eat It. Eat It All! (6k)

The silver-haired woman ignored Yan Xiaohu's words, her eyes still locked on Zhou Qing as she coldly said, "I believe only in fate."

Zhou Qing's face twitched.

We've only met once—how are you bringing up fate?

Mo Xingjian and the others stared at Zhou Qing in astonishment.

Just as Luo Lingling was about to speak, a thick, acrid stench surged toward them, followed by a corpse-wax crow descending from the sky.

Zhou Qing and Mo Xingjian's pupils contracted slightly, then quickly returned to normal.

The corpse-wax crow flapped its wings fiercely, trying to breach the abyss, but was violently repelled by golden runes, filling it with rage.

"Strange dead thing," said Xuan Yuan Shuo and Feng Lao, staring intently.

The corpse-wax crow's aura fluctuated—sometimes like a Soul Transformation peak, sometimes like a Severing Spirit realm, as if utterly devoid of spirit.

It seemed a terrifyingly powerful figure, one even they could not detect, had descended here, and this dead thing was merely his puppet.

They had truly underestimated a corner of Lingyun Mansion.

"I'll protect you, don't worry," the woman suddenly turned to him and raised her jade hand, instantly embedding a black snowflake mark into Zhou Qing's body.

Luo Lingling and Yan Xiaohu gasped in shock.

"Esteemed elder, I beg to take my junior brother's place," Luo Lingling hurriedly said.

Yan Xiaohu quickly added, "I've been traveling with him—we can watch out for each other."

The woman remained silent, but at that moment, a piercing scream erupted from deep within the abyss, and a girl with wings sprouting from her back fled out, face pale with terror.

Feng Lao rushed over, urgently asking, "Where are the others?"

The girl trembled violently, her face as white as paper, lips quivering: "Dead… all dead…"

Before she could finish, Feng Lao's expression changed drastically—he instantly retreated dozens of zhang.

The girl was visibly melting into a pool of blood, her Nascent Soul not even spared, plummeting straight downward.

Witnessing this, everyone drew a sharp breath.

Yan Xiaohu, who had just been confidently vowing to descend with Zhou Qing, quickly signaled Mo Xingjian, planning to flee while the woman was distracted.

Mo Xingjian looked helpless—where could they run from a Severing Spirit cultivator?

"Enough," the woman spoke sparingly, then turned and floated away gracefully.

Seeing this, everyone exhaled in relief.

The black snowflake mark flew out of Zhou Qing's body at the same moment and landed in the woman's hand.

At this moment, Feng Lao's face was terrifyingly dark.

All the juniors he had brought were extraordinary talents—he'd intended to guide them here for opportunities, never expecting them all to perish.

"Eat it. Eat it all!"

The next instant, a cold, emotionless voice rang from the abyss's depths, followed by a colossal golden-winged great roc flapping its wings and bursting forth, surging with howling winds.

It was a true divine bird, its body like a towering mountain, each feather gleaming with cold metallic luster.

Yet its entire form swirled with thick, unyielding death energy, as if a demon god had torn free from the Nine Heavens' underworld, radiating chilling dread.

Feng Lao looked up and saw its eyes glowing with eerie green light—his face instantly changed.

"A corpse-spirit! The old roc king's corpse has gained new sentience!" Feng Lao cried out.

At that moment, the golden-winged great roc extended its tongue, licking its sharp beak, slowly scanning the surroundings, pausing briefly on Feng Lao and Zhou Qing, then charging straight at Feng Lao in a frenzy.

Zhou Qing felt a chill crawl up his spine, every hair standing on end.

He knew his body carried the same divine bird's essence—the Jin Wu blood.

Damn it—could it also be targeting me?

"Run now!" Mo Xingjian's face was ashen as he shouted at the others.

The situation here had surpassed their ability to handle.

Hearing this, the group immediately fled.

As Feng Lao faced the oncoming threat of death, he had no time for hesitation—his expression hardened, his golden wings snapped open instantly, and he launched himself to meet the attack.

"Xuan Yuan Shuo, if you stand idle while a corpse becomes a spirit, every living being in Lingyun Mansion will become its meal!"

Feng Lao roared, and his wings transformed into countless gleaming blades, carving deep black fissures in space as they slashed toward the golden-winged great roc with lethal force.

The golden-winged great roc showed no fear—its massive talons wrapped in dense death energy blocked every attack, moving with terrifying speed.

Xuan Yuan Shuo, watching from afar, frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on the airborne roc—he knew Feng Lao spoke truth.

But before he could act, the corpse-wax crow let out a shrill, piercing screech.

With a violent flap of its wings, thick gray mist surged like a tidal wave, engulfing the golden-winged great roc.

Where the mist touched, the air hissed and corroded, filling the air with a pungent stench.

Seeing the corpse-wax crow also covet the golden-winged great roc's corpse, Xuan Yuan Shuo exhaled in relief.

His hands rapidly formed seals, golden dragon qi surging from his body, radiating noble authority.

He spat golden flames toward the sky.

"No matter the reason, I won't let ten million souls of this mansion become your food to restore your power!"

Watching the three-way battle above, the silver-haired woman moved as well.

Since her body was useless, the golden-winged great roc's feathers were rare treasures—perhaps she could collect some now.

As she stepped lightly, a bone-chilling cold radiated from her body, instantly freezing the surrounding air into ice crystals.

With her movements, countless ice spikes materialized like peerless swords, then shot forth with lethal intent…

Mo Xingjian, hearing the deafening clash behind him, felt his scalp prickle.

In half a century of life, he'd never seen five Severing Spirit cultivators fighting desperately.

"Master, it's Elder Tai Shang!" Luo Lingling suddenly pointed upward—the others turned and saw Duan Mu Shu and others arriving.

How could they have gotten here so fast?

"Master!" Mo Xingjian flew forward urgently to intercept them and swiftly explained the situation.

Duan Mu Shu and the others were stunned, now hesitating.

Severing Spirit cultivators—despite their experience and cultivation, they'd rarely ever encountered even one, let alone so many at once.

Besides, who knew what rare opportunities lay deeper in the abyss? Even if they couldn't eat the meat, maybe they could sip the broth.

"You say the Cangyan Dao Palace is also here?" Duan Mu Shu asked.

Mo Xingjian quickly replied, "Three Soul Transformation cultivators—no, one already left."

Duan Mu Shu and the others exchanged glances—now they definitely couldn't leave.

If their guess was right, the Cangyan Dao Palace would use the third teleportation array to arrive swiftly; even if they gained nothing, they couldn't let the enemy succeed.

"Take the children away first!" Duan Mu Shu glanced at Luo Lingling, drenched in blood, then ordered Mo Xingjian.

Mo Xingjian nodded quickly, bowing respectfully: "Elders, please be careful!"

Saying this, he led Zhou Qing, Yan Xiaohu, and Luo Lingling away at high speed.

They raced onward until reaching the edge of Canglan Mountain, where they looked up and saw a vast force from Cangyan Dao Palace approaching—even Si Kong Yan had come personally.

With no choice, they hid nearby, watching until the group vanished from sight, then finally exhaled in relief.

But Zhou Qing frowned slightly, filled with unease.

Ever since his master fled with them, his mind kept replaying the golden-winged great roc's gaze upon him—its eyes brimming with naked greed.

He now perfectly understood how his body had fully fused the Su Ni and Jin Wu essences after refinement.

This golden-winged great roc corpse-spirit, surrounded by death energy, would need the blood of its own kind to complete its transformation—ordinary cultivators' blood would be a last resort.

Zhou Qing worried—if it tracked him back to Taiqingmen by the essence's resonance, the entire sect might be dragged into a horrific disaster because of him.

No—he had to see the outcome himself before he could rest easy.

Seeing Mo Xingjian prepare to move on, Zhou Qing stepped forward: "Master, I want to go back and see."

"You're insane!" Yan Xiaohu blurted out—Luo Lingling stared at Zhou Qing in disbelief.

Mo Xingjian didn't speak immediately. In the past, he'd have scolded Zhou Qing harshly first.

But over these two years, he'd watched this child grow step by step.

Everything he did, everything he said, had reason behind it.

"Why?" Mo Xingjian asked quietly.

Zhou Qing couldn't explain clearly, so he mumbled, "I just want to broaden my horizons."

Mo Xingjian stared deeply at Zhou Qing, hesitated briefly, then slowly said, "Stay safe."

Zhou Qing and the others stared at their master in disbelief.

This… this was an approval?

"We'll wait nearby. If anything urgent happens, shout for Elder Tai Shang!" Mo Xingjian warned again solemnly.

Zhou Qing's face lit up—he nodded eagerly: "Thank you, Master."

Saying this, he vanished in a flash, racing toward the battlefield.

Yan Xiaohu blinked—was it because Second Sister was here that the master dared not scold?

"Master, I actually want to…"

"Shut up. Go!" Mo Xingjian frowned.

Breaking into someone's ancestral tomb three times and Zhou Qing killing their prodigy are two entirely different things—if caught, a Soul Transformation cultivator could act against you directly.

Yan Xiaohu sighed, shrugged, and obediently followed Mo Xingjian and his sister away to hide at a distance.

…………

Zhou Qing activated the Void Realm Manifestation Technique, suppressing his aura completely, keeping his distance as he carefully observed the scene.

At this moment, apart from Sikong Yan and others, a man with a human body and a monkey's tail, holding a long staff, had appeared in the distance without warning.

He watched the fierce battle in the sky with wary eyes, occasionally glancing toward the bottomless abyss, his face filled with hesitation.

"A Soul Transformation beast king!" Zhou Qing silently gasped—he never expected a true beast king to be hidden within Canglan Mountain.

At this moment, the aerial battle intensified further; the Corpse-Wax Crow, Feng Lao, Xuan Yuan Shuo, and the silver-haired woman joined forces against the Jin Chida, yet could only hold their own, neither gaining nor losing ground.

This revealed that the Jin Chida, long dead, still possessed formidable combat power.

Moreover, its speed was extraordinary; as the battle dragged on, its control over this body grew increasingly proficient, even occasionally unleashing powerful divine arts.

Zhou Qing couldn't help but whistle inwardly—how powerful had the old Peng King truly been?

"From Xuan Yuan Shuo's earlier words, this eastern region of Lingyun Mansion was once a level-three cultivation country, but after the Shengwu Imperial Dynasty rose above other factions, the Cultivation Alliance assigned it to them, establishing this mansion."

"A mysterious cave heaven, a natural thunder pool, a semi-pure-blooded Su Ni, plus the burial ground of this terrifying old Peng King—this eastern region truly hides many extraordinary things!"

Zhou Qing muttered to himself.

At this moment, Sikong Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes flickering.

Beside him, besides numerous Soul Transformation Elders, several Supreme Elders accompanied him, showing the depth of his concern.

If there truly was an opportunity, Cangyan Dao Palace might win big this time.

Still, in every misfortune lies opportunity; later, they could deduce the exact location of the third teleportation array based on the time and direction taken by the Soul Transformation elder who left, and when they themselves arrived here.

"Go down!" After a brief silence, Sikong Yan ordered several Nascent Soul cultivators beside him.

Eight Nascent Soul cultivators, including Li Hanshan, immediately obeyed, seized their chance, and plunged without hesitation into the bottomless abyss below.

After all, the Jin Chida had already appeared aboveground; even if the abyss held danger, it likely couldn't be worse.

Seeing this, the Soul Transformation beast king watching from afar could no longer hold back—he leapt forward and followed them into the abyss.

Strangely, this time, the golden runes that usually appeared to block Soul Transformation cultivators did not reappear.

"We'll go down too!" Seeing this, several Supreme Elders of Cangyan Dao Palace led other Soul Transformation cultivators straight down.

Duanmu Shu and others, who had been guarding nearby, exchanged glances and then also entered the abyss.

Thus, the entire scene now held only Sikong Yan in plain sight, and Zhou Qing hiding in the shadows, both staring intently at the fierce battle above.

Undoubtedly, a battle between Zhan Ling realm experts was a rare and invaluable opportunity for anyone.

"Two of you, still holding back? I have no ties—I'm leaving first!" Feng Lao shouted loudly.

This Corpse-Wax Jin Peng is treating us like training dummies; if we delay further, things will turn dire.

Xuan Yuan Shuo snorted coldly in reply: "You're the one who released it. If it slaughters billions of lives in Lingyun Mansion, I will march my troops to Taiyao Mountain and make you pay in blood."

Though he spoke thus, Xuan Yuan Shuo did not hesitate—he immediately pulled out an ancient-looking jade talisman and began chanting softly.

The next instant, the jade talisman began to tremble violently; blinding light surged forth from it, instantly illuminating the entire sky.

Within the light, a majestic figure slowly emerged.

The figure wore an ornate dragon robe and a crown, his face stern, his eyes radiating boundless authority and dominance.

At this moment, he seemed the sovereign of heaven and earth, holding absolute power over life and death.

As this figure appeared, a powerful, suffocating imperial aura spread out.

Wherever this aura reached, space itself seemed unable to bear its strength, warping and distorting under pressure.

Upon seeing the former emperor's figure appear, Feng Lao and the silver-haired woman's expressions changed drastically.

It was this man who, three thousand years ago, ascended to the Cutting Spirit realm through his own power, elevating the entire Shengwu Imperial Dynasty to a level-four cultivation country.

But after he passed the throne to his heir, he vanished without a trace.

Now, though only a projection stood before them, everyone present could clearly sense that he had grown even stronger than in his prime.

Zhou Qing and Sikong Yan both swallowed hard, their eyes filled with awe.

"Hmm? Jin Chida?" The towering, imposing figure spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of surprise.

The Jin Chida, sensing imminent danger, immediately turned to flee.

Simultaneously, the Corpse-Wax Crow, its eyes vacant and lifeless, also plunged straight into the abyss.

"Older brother, don't let it escape!" Xuan Yuan Shuo shouted urgently.

The old emperor merely lifted his head slightly, his eyes revealing cold indifference, then slowly extended his right hand and pointed toward the Jin Chida, whispering: "Subdue!"

Instantly, a brilliant imperial light shot from his fingertip like an unrivaled divine sword, slicing through the sky toward the Jin Chida.

The Jin Chida, desperate to flee, suddenly found itself bound by invisible force, frozen midair, unable to move.

"Spare… spare me… I submit!"

The Jin Chida trembled as it begged.

"A rebellious spirit—what use is it?" The old emperor's voice was cold; the imperial light from his hand instantly dyed the entire sky golden.

Where the light passed, air was instantly vaporized, forming a vacuum zone.

A powerful suction followed, drawing in everything around—rocks, trees, clouds—all being sucked in and crushed into dust within moments.

Then, those powdered remnants, charged with immense force, slammed down upon the Jin Chida, followed by an ear-splitting, agonized scream echoing across the heavens.

The blinding explosion forced Zhou Qing to retreat at full speed, his eardrums throbbing painfully.

In a daze, he seemed to see countless feathers falling like snowflakes, while vast quantities of foul-smelling black blood rained from the sky—the scene was horrifying.

Seeing this, the silver-haired woman and others immediately shot upward, all racing to snatch the Jin Chida's feathers and other precious relics.

Zhou Qing's face was filled with shock—was this the old emperor's power?

Merely a projection, and he effortlessly erased a Cutting Spirit divine bird—how terrifying!

Meanwhile, the crowned figure in the sky was slowly fading, its projection's power clearly nearing exhaustion.

Soon, the Jin Chida's corpse was completely divided among the others, leaving not a single scrap.

Feng Lao cast a wary glance at the fading figure in the sky, then descended straight into the abyss.

Xuan Yuan Shuo, looking proud and calm, glanced once at the silver-haired woman before vanishing into the abyss with a flash.

The silver-haired woman, having stuffed a handful of Peng feathers into her storage bag, became a streak of cold light and swiftly followed.

Zhou Qing watched Sikong Yan's back, frowning slightly.

This man was excessively cautious—such a golden opportunity lay right before him, yet he refused to seize it, merely standing here waiting?

But upon reflection, it made sense: his own people had already gone down, and a Cutting Spirit expert was present; even if he won something valuable, it would likely end up serving someone else's interests.

Since the Jin Chida was dead, the stone weighing on Zhou Qing's heart finally settled; he quietly retreated, preparing to reunite with his master.

Just as Zhou Qing's feet shimmered with silver light and he had not yet traveled a hundred meters, a chilling dread surged up his spine.

It felt as if an ancient, world-ending beast had locked its gaze upon him, sending ice through his veins.

"Devour them all—" A sharp, sinister voice exploded without warning beside Zhou Qing's ear.

Zhou Qing's face turned pale; he instinctively turned his head—and saw a blood-red bead, reeking of foul stench, hurtling toward him like a crimson lightning bolt.

Before Zhou Qing could react, the bead instantly pierced his third eye.

"It's over—" That was Zhou Qing's final thought.

(End of Chapter)