Chapter 256

"Congratulations, Young Master! You've cultivated the 'Soul-Annihilating Demon Flame'!"

The old Daoist Daoist Wuchenzi bowed respectfully.

Unlike the Ten Cold Flames, the Soul-Annihilating Demon Flame is one of the true Great Jing Demon Flames, its power astonishing, adept at annihilating souls and burning spiritual essences.

It is one of the supreme great arts of the Zi Yang Sect!

Yuzhenzi stepped down, gathering all the pitch-black demonic flames, his demeanor relaxed and content: "I had already condensed a trace of this fourth-rank demonic flame's seed long ago, but to truly assimilate the demon flame, I needed vast amounts of Golden Core cultivators' blood as sacrifice... This time, you've done well. After your identity is exposed, you can no longer remain a lone cultivator among the orthodox sects—better to return directly to our sect; a powerful elder position is assured..."

"Thank you, Young Master, for your promotion."

Daoist Wuchenzi's face lit up: "Now that the Young Master has cultivated the 'Soul-Annihilating Demon Flame,' Zhengqizi is no match. You have truly claimed the title of Great Jing's top Golden Core cultivator."

"So what if I'm the top Golden Core? I'm still not a Nascent Soul True Immortal..."

Yuzhenzi's expression was calm: "Soon... the restrictions of the Nascent Soul Cliff will open. When that happens, our Five Demon Heroes will strike, slaughtering the Five Orthodox Sons—it will be quite enjoyable. How are the other four faring?"

"The 'Wu Gu Zi' of the Ten Thousand Cultures Village has obtained the previously hidden 'Deathless Cultivation Bug' and is now refining it to enhance his life-force 'Ten Thousand Calamity Bug'; he will emerge from seclusion soon..."

"The Blood God Sect's 'Xue Yuan Zi' continues to demand we deliver vast quantities of Golden Core blood to perfect their 'Blood God Banner'..."

"The lone cultivator 'Xiao Yao Hou' has clearly refused to involve himself in our orthodox-demon conflict, even warning us not to interfere with his quest for the Nascent Soul Fruit..."

"Hmph. Lone cultivators!"

Yuzhenzi sneered: "When we selected the Six Demon Heroes, 'Xiao Yao Hou' was merely dragged in to fill a slot. Aside from his mediocre 'Xiao Yao Wind Flight,' what else is he good for?"

Upon hearing this, the old Daoist Daoist Wuchenzi smiled bitterly.

'Xiao Yao Hou' is known as the top lone cultivator of the demon path, a Golden Core at peak cultivation, and even rumored to have escaped from the hands of a Nascent Soul demon elder, his fame shaking Great Jing.

Unfortunately, he is neither wholly righteous nor wholly evil, always avoiding worldly affairs, and thus did not join this orthodox-demon war.

Huo Huo Moqing of the Nine Fiends Sect is truly a disgrace to our kind... how did he get eliminated for no reason?

"Fortunately, the Wan Xiang Sect has offered strong support; the Wan Xiang Demon Son arrives with five 'Reversing Heaven Golden Corpses,' forming the 'Wan Xiang Inconstant Array,' sufficient to temporarily hold off an Immortal Golden Core. That 'Xue Gu Jian Zi' is only half-step Golden Core, barely qualified as one of the Five Orthodox Sons due to his sword cultivation—sword cultivators have weak spiritual essences; he is no match for my 'Soul-Annihilating Demon Flame.' We'll kill him first, then face Zhengqizi!"

Yuzhenzi made his decision.

Several days later.

Outside a cliff.

Countless restrictions in the air suddenly manifested, like a curtain of multicolored light, enveloping the Nascent Soul Cliff.

Terrifying heavenly and earthly spiritual energy trembled, as if a colossal hand were continuously seizing pure celestial qi from the heavens and pouring it into the giant dark-green vine that covered half the cliff.

This vine was lush and vigorous, its tendrils coiled like dragon sinews, spreading countless roots deep into the cliff's interior, as if fused with the cliff itself.

It was the 'Nine Yuan Nascent Soul Vine'!

Upon its tendrils shimmered a faint white glow, occasionally flashing one or two peculiar purple or silver runes, like playful fish darting into the green leaves and vanishing instantly.

"Celestial pure qi descends... the Nascent Soul Fruit is about to ripen. At this moment, the local restrictions will open several passages. To seize the Nascent Soul Fruit, you must ascend the Nascent Soul Cliff... Mu Qinglan, are you ready?"

Inside a floating jade palace.

The Mu family patriarch was solemnly instructing a woman in a palace gown.

The woman was stunningly beautiful, her skin luminous as jade, with a crimson phoenix mark on her forehead.

She was the Mu family's prodigy, Mu Mu Qinglan, a half-step Golden Core of exceptional quality!

Her cultivation had even reached the late Golden Core stage, placing her among the strongest beneath the Ten Orthodox-Demon Sons.

"I understand, Grandfather..."

Mu Mu Qinglan's voice was pure, her demeanor haughty, like a phoenix soaring high in the heavens: "This time, I will claim one Nascent Soul Fruit and become my family's first female Nascent Soul True Immortal!"

"Ha! Good... You not only possess a Heaven-grade Wood Spirit Root, but when you were born, phoenix cries echoed—an omen. I specifically consulted a third-rank diviner for you; this is the 'Phoenix Perches on the Wu Tong' destiny. You will not only become a Nascent Soul True Immortal, but even have a sliver of hope to reach the Divine Transformation realm..."

"This time, I've even brought out the family's treasure that stabilizes our fate—the 'Jiao Wei Qin'—and entrusted it to you. The family has already communed with this spiritual treasure; it can act twice on your behalf."

The Mu patriarch's face was grave: "Be cautious of the Five Demon Heroes. Though our Mu family belongs to the orthodox path, the Nascent Soul sects may not welcome the rise of another Nascent Soul clan... thus, the most hypocritical Zhengqizi is the one you must watch most closely..."

Then the Mu patriarch named several other formidable late Golden Core cultivators, including 'Wu Xin Tongzi.'

As celestial pure qi poured down in torrents, the Nascent Soul Cliff erupted in thunderous roars.

The multicolored restrictions burst into radiant light, revealing cracks in the array like a giant inverted bowl—temporary passages forming.

"The Nascent Soul Cliff's passages have opened! The Nascent Soul Fruit is ripening!"

Someone shouted, and countless cultivation lights shot toward the passages.

"Grandfather, I'm off."

Mu Mu Qinglan gestured, cradling the 'Jiao Wei Qin,' her colorful ribbons swirling like a celestial immortal, drifting gracefully toward the Nascent Soul Cliff.

BOOM!

Suddenly, five astonishing auras appeared.

Leading them was none other than Zhengqizi, clad in Confucian robes, holding a scroll.

Fu Fu Hongyi was among them too, but she stood aloof, sword in arms, keeping distance from the other four.

"Ah, the Five Orthodox Sons have arrived..."

"Zhengqizi, Xue Gu Jian Zi, Jin Gang Zi, Yan Yan Zi... and Kunlun Dao's Hun Yuan Zi!"

"All five masters are here—what chance do we have?"

"Hmph! Even late Golden Core cultivators will die if surrounded by many others!"

"Besides, the demon path is interfering, and the Nine Yuan Nascent Soul Vine produces an unpredictable number of fruits... if there aren't enough, the orthodox might turn on each other."

"In the past, lone cultivators have occasionally seized Nascent Soul Fruits..."

Fang Xing mingled among the late Golden Core cultivators, quietly entering a passage.

He still wore the appearance and spiritual aura of 'Feng Wanfa Shiren,' but his power now radiated the strength of a True Golden Core in late Golden Core stage.

Such cultivation would make him a major power in the outside immortal world.

But here at the Nascent Soul Cliff, he was unremarkable.

After entering the restriction array, Fang Xing arrived above the Nascent Soul Cliff.

There, the 'Nine Yuan Nascent Soul Vine' coiled like a dragon, its leaves lush and dense. At its highest tendril, leaves shimmered and parted automatically, revealing six slightly unripe fruits.

The fruits resembled human forms, seated cross-legged upon two green leaves—prompting Fang Xing to immediately think of the 'Ginseng Fruit.'

"Six Nascent Soul Fruits? That's neither too many nor too few... the record high was nine, the lowest was four..."

Beside him, an elderly late Golden Core cultivator stroked his beard: "And... as long as the Nascent Soul Fruits haven't ripened and fallen, they remain fused with the Nine Yuan Nascent Soul Vine, protected by the restrictions—utterly invulnerable."

"So miraculous?"

Fang Xing grew interested: "I'm Feng Wanfa Shiren... you seem familiar. Are you by any chance surnamed 'Bai'?"

"Indeed, I am Bai Bai Xiaoshu, fond of reading ancient classics..."

Bai Bai Xiaoshu stroked his beard: "My lifespan is nearing its end, and I have no heirs. Even if I seized a Nascent Soul Fruit, it would be useless—but I must record this grand event for future generations to read..."

In the immortal world, there are all kinds of people.

Especially after living for centuries, their personalities often turn eccentric...

Fang Xing silently mocked.

Yet precisely because of such cultivators, so many travelogues and notes sell well—valuable for newcomers seeking to broaden their horizons.

He glanced around and saw that Great Jing's late Golden Core cultivators were indeed numerous—over fifty scattered across the area.

Most prominent, of course, were the Five Orthodox Sons, with disciples and followers clustering nearby.

Lone cultivators clustered in scattered groups... immortal families and sects grouped according to kinship and alliance.

Between the demon and orthodox paths, the lone cultivators formed a clear dividing line.

In the orthodox family camp, the most dazzling figure was undoubtedly Mu Mu Qinglan, cradling the 'Jiao Wei Qin,' resembling a celestial fairy.

"Tsk tsk... the Mu family actually brought out a spiritual treasure—they're dead set on winning."

Bai Bai Xiaoshu clicked his tongue: "Hope they don't lose the treasure—then they'll have nothing left to cry about."

At that moment, the demon camp erupted in commotion.

Yuzhenzi, clad in black robes, drifted forward.

With him came Wu Gu Zi and Xue Yuan Zi.

A gentle breeze entered among them, its wind flight technique far more refined than the Wind Clan Lord Fang Xing had previously encountered.

The man wore white robes, middle-aged, handsome, with temples streaked with frost-white hair.

A middle-aged beauty.

"It's Xiao Yao Hou!"

Bai Bai Xiaoshu shook his head: "This man is called the top lone cultivator of the demon path, and also the most handsome. He despises the title 'Six Demon Heroes' and even changed his nickname—from 'Xiao Yao Zi' to 'Xiao Yao Hou'..."

"Huh... none of these names sound like they promise happiness or a happy ending..."

Fang Xing sweatdropped.

"Oh? Do you also practice feng shui and divination?"

Bai Bai Xiaoshu became intrigued: "I've studied feng shui a bit, but I'm only a second-rank feng shui master—unable to read the faces and destinies of the Six Demon Heroes..."

"Who among the diviners or feng shui masters below third-rank peak would dare look at their faces and fate?"

Fang Xing shook his head: "But I think one of them is about to suffer a bloody disaster!"

Bai Bai Xiaoshu quickly looked: "Which one?"

"The one in the garish clothes, glaring at me like he wants to eat me—clearly a short-lived fool."

Fang Xing sneered, pointing at Wu Gu Zi.