Chapter 188

Chi Zhiyun saw Senior Duanmu Kui cupping his hands toward the clouds, his expression quite respectful, yet he saw no one in the clouds. He was suspicious in his heart, hesitated for a while, and said to Chi Wei:

"Ancestor, this is...? Could it be that Golden Core cultivators from other countries have come?"

"Not so."

Chi Wei shook his head, activated his divine ability, and looked at the two blurry figures in the clouds. His eyes swept over them lightly, not daring to linger, and he turned his head to explain:

"When a Early Zifu cultivator breaks through to Golden Core, the key lies in refining that point of indestructible 'Golden Nature,' and then using that Golden Nature to catalyze the divine abilities to attain the Golden Core. Senior Duanmu Kui is skilled in witchcraft; even if he cannot become a Golden Core, he can still refine the Golden Nature. Those two are people who manage the Yin, guarding against the possibility that if Senior Duanmu Kui fails his breakthrough and his soul escapes, that point of Golden Nature might condense into some kind of monster."

Chi Zhiyun had read the classics within the sect and naturally knew that the "Golden Nature" of the Golden Core was not the metal of the Five Elements, but rather meant the immortality of gold. He was greatly suspicious and wondered:

"There are such good people?"

"It is just a matter of having no other choice."

Chi Wei sighed and said in a low voice:

"You are young and do not know how many famous mountains and spiritual veins were broken during the immortal-demon wars of ancient times, nor how many Golden Core or even above-Golden Core mighty figures died. These people all attained Golden Nature and transformed into various evil monsters... Poisoning living beings is secondary; these evil monsters occupy a point of Golden Nature for no reason... naturally, there are people who covet it."

"Thus, an Immortal created a Supreme Sect to capture these monsters and specialize in this matter... It is now one of the few Supreme Sects that has not avoided the world, and it has always been mysterious."

As Chi Wei was speaking, Senior Duanmu Kui's five divine abilities had already converged into a colorful light in the air, spewing out bursts of invisible fire. The crowd of Early Zifu cultivators saw this and were all wary, retreating a few steps. Senior Duanmu Kui activated his divine ability, repeatedly tempering it within the invisible fire.

"Senior Duanmu Kui is taking the path of water and fire aiding each other, which is rare to see nowadays. He obtained techniques bestowed by an Immortal, so he has more certainty using these ancient methods."

Chi Zhiyun did not understand much, but he stared blankly at the colorful light of the divine abilities. Chi Wei, however, nodded thoughtfully, watching with concentration.

No one in the Wu-Yue region had attained Golden Core for hundreds of years. The several circulating methods for attaining Golden Core had caused the deaths of unknown numbers of Early Zifu cultivators, to the point where the Early Zifu cultivators had made a pact: when breaking through, invite juniors to observe the ceremony, benefiting each other, in order to find that one path to breakthrough.

Everyone was watching with focused expressions, but one of the two figures in the clouds shook his head and said in a low, sharp, and thin voice:

"The life divine ability is 'Locust Shade Ghost,' yet it should not be cultivating 'Foolishly Driving Mountains'; it should be 'Responding Emperor King.'"

"Exactly. This Senior Duanmu Kui most likely has no hope. Prepare to take action."

A point of illusory dew slowly emerged above the spiritual light, bright and watery. It dripped a few drops, and the spiritual light became increasingly bright, but the dew stopped abruptly and did not move at all. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the five divine abilities had been burned out, and not a single drop of dew fell again.

"Sigh..."

Chi Zhiyun watched without understanding, but Chi Wei had already lowered his head in disappointment. The crowd of Early Zifu cultivators looked at each other, watching Senior Duanmu Kui with trepidation.

Senior Duanmu Kui stood stunned, then suddenly took a whale-like breath, swallowing that point of spiritual light into his abdomen. His expression was complex, and he laughed out loud. His voice abruptly became sharp and thin, and his tone was full of satisfaction and relief.

"I have succeeded!"

Chi Zhiyun looked up, and patterns were faintly emerging on Senior Duanmu Kui's face, like a broken porcelain doll, quite terrifying. He laughed loudly on the spot. Seeing this, Chi Wei was horrified and pulled Chi Zhiyun back several miles.

"Go!"

The crowd of Early Zifu cultivators did not even exchange greetings; they fled into the distance without looking back, tacitly understanding. The two figures in the sky emerged, one of whom had a sharp, eerie voice and shouted:

"Senior Duanmu Kui!"

Senior Duanmu Kui was completely unaware, rubbing his own face. The skin on his face peeled off in scattered pieces, quite horrifying. The spiritual light of his techniques was gone, transforming into streaks of ascending eerie light.

"Senior Duanmu Kui!"

That person shouted three times in a row, then looked at his partner, sighed in a low voice, and called out:

"Who are you?!"

Senior Duanmu Kui finally raised his head. The skin on his face had been torn into shreds by him, revealing the eerie white bones beneath. He chuckled and shrieked:

"I am—"

"'Locust Shade Ghost'!"

————

The Li family scoured the entire East Shanyue and obtained three Qi Refining-level treasures. One of them was the jade in his hand, which had the effect of calming the Qi and spirit and accelerating cultivation. It was also effective for Qi Refining cultivators, so it was delivered to Li Tongya at the first opportunity.

The other two items were a Qi Refining-level long saber and a small shield, which Li Tongya gave to Li Xuanxuan and Li Xuanfeng respectively, allowing Li Xuanxuan to also have a Qi Refining-level magic tool to use.

"Not to mention the spiritual fields and manpower of East Shanyue, these spiritual objects and magic tools accumulated year after year are not few, which has pleasantly surprised the juniors in the family."

Li Tongya's spiritual sense sank into his Qi sea. His ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivation gathered into white Qi like smoke and mist in his Dantian. Beneath it was a calm, vast lake, all condensed from True Essence. Under the blessing of the "Heavy Sea Long Whale Record" and the "Jianghe One Qi Art," it was vast and boundless, like a river or sea.

Li Tongya had not yet shown signs of condensing an immortal foundation. He had read the "Jianghe One Qi Art" over and over a dozen times, and all the keys were in his heart. He estimated it would take another ten years or so. Just as he was concentrating on his cultivation, a sound suddenly exploded in his ears.

"I am—'Locust Shade Ghost'!"

Li Tongya was concentrating on his cultivation when the sharp shriek exploding in his ears forcibly shook him out of his inner vision. His face turned pale, and he spat out a breath of stagnant Qi. He was horrified in his heart and thought to himself:

"Who is this?!"

Adjusting his breath slightly, Li Tongya pushed open the stone gate and soared into the air, seeing several Li family Qi Refining juniors all rising into the air with ugly expressions. Chen Donghe, Li Xuanfeng, and others were standing in the sky together, looking toward the west without saying a word.

Li Tongya looked up and saw that the west was already covered in dark clouds, with thunder roaring. Vast and bright magic power brilliance flickered constantly, exploding with a boom. Li Tongya's heart skipped a beat, and he said in a low voice:

"They came quickly. I am afraid that the Shanyue Early Zifu cultivator is breaking through to Golden Core. I don't know if this phenomenon means success or failure..."

Li Xuanfeng rode the wind to his side with a solemn expression. The Jin Geng long bow behind him shone brightly in the sunlight. He cupped his hands toward Li Tongya and said softly:

"That's right. Mount Wushan will disperse, and the land of Shanyue will all fall into the hands of the Qingchi Sect."

Li Tongya paused and said in a low voice:

"As for why there is fighting, or if the Shanyue Early Zifu cultivator has some enemy seeking revenge, such things are not rare. The Early Zifu cultivators are high above, and it is not our place to worry. However, this news should be notified to the Xiao family..."

"Donghe, you ride the wind to the prefecture and inform the Xiao family."

"Yes."

Chen Donghe nodded lightly and rode the wind, heading east along the Guli Road. Li Xuanxuan landed to the side, nodded upon hearing this, his expression filled with some worry, and answered:

"According to the Xiao family's news, this land of Shanyue will be divided by the various Shanyue Foundation Establishment cultivators who have defected to the Qingchi Sect. It is just that I don't know which Shanyue Foundation Establishment cultivator will be our neighbor, and the situation on the lake will change again..."

(End of chapter)