ã€ŠImmortality Starts With A Gun [Xianxia]ã€‹


 1 ~ The Gun (1)

    In his private cave within the outer sect, Liu Xing sat cross-legged, focusing intently on the strange weapon before him. The stone walls were smooth, and the floor was strewn with meditation mats and training tools, but Liu Xing¡¯s full attention remained on the weapon¡ªa finely crafted item with a dark, gleaming surface.

    "A gun," he murmured.

    It was, indeed, a gun. Though he¡¯d only ever seen one in his past life as William, it had never crossed his mind to encounter such a weapon here, in this cultivation world.

    Liu Xing picked it up, feeling its weight in his hands. Two years had passed since he¡¯d awakened in this body as an outer disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. Despite his limited talent, he¡¯d completed enough missions to gather the pills needed to finally reach the fifth stage of the Lock Opening realm.

    A grin spread across his face. "So this is my cheat item."

    Initially, his plan had been simple: progress steadily through the ranks, aiming perhaps one day to become an inner disciple. The heights of Sun Refining realm felt beyond his reach; instead, he¡¯d hoped to settle somewhere on the outskirts of the Dark Forest Continent. Maybe he would establish his own sect or live as a minor noble¡¯s bodyguard. In the Purple Moon Sect, he was seen as average, but back in a backwater country, he could be considered exceptional.

    "But with this gun¡­maybe I can achieve more," he said, his heart quickening.

    The gun, a symbol of his past life and a piece of Earth here in this world, felt like the key to something beyond his reach. He held it with reverence, running a finger along its cool metal. Yet, he needed to understand how it worked. It had appeared after he touched a mote of light in his consciousness, which meant it was likely bound to his soul. A regular gun wouldn¡¯t harm a powerful cultivator or spirit beast, but he sensed that this one was far from ordinary.

    Standing up, Liu Xing adjusted his stance and aimed the gun at the cave wall, holding it like he¡¯d seen police do back on Earth. He took a steadying breath and pulled the trigger.

    Silence. No flash, no recoil, and no bullet. He tried again and again, but the gun remained empty.

    He frowned, wondering how he might find ammunition.

    Just as he was pondering this, a dark mist clouded his vision, and a familiar voice drifted into his mind.

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    ¡°Will, I need your help.¡±

    The words faded, and his legs buckled, sending him collapsing to the cave floor.

    When he awoke, Liu Xing¡¯s head throbbed, as though a rope had been bound tightly around his temples. He rubbed his forehead, blinking to clear his vision. The last thing he remembered was holding the gun, then that voice. Had it been a hallucination?

    Anxiety surged as he scanned his surroundings. His gun was missing.

    ¡°Where is it? Where¡¯s the gun?¡±

    For a brief moment, he questioned whether it had all been an illusion, perhaps some strange byproduct of his stress. But he dismissed the thought quickly. This was too vivid. He had to confirm it one way or another.

    Ignoring the ache in his head, Liu Xing sat down and began to meditate. In this world, a cultivator could eventually enter a mental space within their own consciousness. And after a few minutes, he opened his eyes and found himself in a familiar expanse¡ªa boundless, white space extending to the horizon. Once, he¡¯d tried walking here out of curiosity, only to find no end even after several hours.

    Before him hovered a small, crackling electric ball, bound by a silver chain with seven red locks. Five were unlocked, representing his current stage. With two more, he would reach the Core Splitting realm.

    He ignored the electric ball and looked around. The last time, he¡¯d seen the mote of light behind the electric ball, drifting like a persistent firefly.

    There it was again, lingering behind his electric ball like it had been waiting for him. Relief washed over him; the gun wasn¡¯t a figment of his imagination after all. When he passed out, it must have returned here, to his consciousness.

    Liu Xing extended a hand and touched the light. A chill ran through his fingertips, and his vision filled with blinding light. When it cleared, he was back in his cave, the cool weight of the gun nestled in his hand once more.

    ¡°It¡¯s real. I really have a gun.¡±

    Looking closer, he noticed six green strips now lining its side. Had these been there before? He was certain they hadn¡¯t.

    Curious, he brushed his finger over one of the strips, and darkness engulfed him. The floor beneath him disappeared into a black void, as though he were falling endlessly into an abyss.

    His heart raced as the darkness shifted, coalescing into mist that formed a figure. White and black swirls circled him, slowly solidifying. At first, it looked like a nebula, but then it became a silhouette¡ªa person with flowing black hair that looked like shadows held together by a soft, white outline.

    A face emerged, then a torso, and finally, feet touched down onto the floor of the void. It was an ethereal form, as though someone had painted a figure using only light and darkness.

    Liu Xing¡¯s breath caught, not out of fear or awe, but out of recognition.

    ¡°Nui? Is that you?¡±

    The figure¡¯s pale face softened into a smile. "Long time no see, Will."

 2 ~ The Gun (2)

    Will¡ªshort for William¡ªnever thought he¡¯d hear that name again, nor did he expect to see one of his old friends in this world.

    ¡°Are you real? Have I gone mad?¡± he stammered.

    ¡°You¡¯re not mad. It¡¯s just...a really strange way to meet, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nui reassured him with a gentle smile.

    Will¡¯s mind felt frozen. Even with Nui¡¯s calm response, the situation seemed utterly unreal. First, he¡¯d acquired a gun, and now he was face-to-face with an old friend. And none of this even touched the fact that two years ago, he had died and somehow ended up here as Liu Xing.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Are you dead, too?¡±

    Nui had been one of Will¡¯s closest friends in high school. During their last year, Nui vanished without a trace. Some believed he¡¯d died, but Will and a few others suspected there was more to it. Joni, another friend, thought Nui¡¯s disappearance might be connected to his grandfather¡¯s sudden death.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to know the answer to that, too. But I don¡¯t really know,¡± Nui said, his voice strangely calm. ¡°You see, Will, this isn¡¯t really me. Just...a fragment of myself.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Will asked, frowning.

    ¡°Let me show you a few things.¡±

    Suddenly, the darkness surrounding them faded away. They were now suspended in the air. The sky above was a swirling mass of red and black¡ªcolors Will first mistook for clouds until he realized they were countless snakes, slithering through the air. Among them moved a colossal snake, its scales so vast they could have housed entire cities. The creature¡¯s red eyes locked onto his, and Will¡¯s breath caught. An overpowering aura radiated from it, raising every hair on his body.

    Nui gestured for him to look down.

    On a cliff stood a man with silver hair, stone-grey eyes, and a black scar on the stump of his severed right hand.

    At first, Will felt awe at the man¡¯s courage, facing that giant snake amidst the swarm of others. But then a deep sense of familiarity washed over him.

    ¡°That¡¯s Mamat,¡± Nui said.

    Will blinked, stunned.

    Mamat, Joni, Nui, and he had been close friends in high school, each from a different background, meeting at an international school in Indonesia. Will, a foreigner; Joni, the rich kid with a love for Japanese culture; Mamat, a kind and hard-working scholarship student; and Nui, the mysterious one. But something wasn¡¯t right. The man on the cliff didn¡¯t look like Mamat. Then it hit him: Mamat was dead. Will had been to his funeral. Yet, here in this strange vision, Mamat was alive and facing a monstrous snake.

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    Could it be that Mamat, too, had been transmigrated to another world?

    The scene changed, and they found themselves in a stark white room. In the center stood a purple-skinned creature with six arms and chubby, child-like features. A woman in a lab coat was examining it with a scalpel, her eyes fixed on its torso.

    Next to her, a man with black hair and a stubbly beard watched in silence. He seemed unfazed, but Will knew that face anywhere. It was Joni. When Mamat had died, Joni had been devastated, even swearing revenge on the driver who¡¯d killed him. Now he seemed older, hardened¡ªbut unmistakably Joni.

    The scene shifted again, and now they were deep underwater. A man with long black hair was locked in combat with a massive blue Chinese dragon. Each of his punches sent shockwaves through the water, and with every breath the dragon took, the sea bubbled like it was boiling.

    The scene dissolved, and they were back in pitch-black darkness, like floating in a void.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Will murmured, feeling more confused than ever.

    Mamat was alive in another world, Joni was watching a creature being dissected, and that man under the sea¡ªthat was Nui. What was happening?

    Nui stood before him, his face serious.

    ¡°William¡ªno, Liu Xing,¡± he said softly, ¡°I know you have a lot of questions, but I don¡¯t have many answers. I¡¯m just a fragment, a piece of the real Nui¡¯s soul sent to you. I¡¯m here to give you a message, not to answer everything.¡±

    Liu Xing¡¯s confusion grew, but he focused on Nui¡¯s words, feeling that whatever his friend said next would be crucial.

    ¡°A darkness is spreading across every world,¡± Nui said. ¡°The place you¡¯re in right now¡ªit¡¯s crucial. If darkness wins here, it will spread a thousandfold across other worlds.¡±

    Liu Xing¡¯s mind raced. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nui replied with a slight smile, the kind he¡¯d wear when they were trying to finish an assignment but Nui had other matters to attend to, as if he were off fighting battles no one else knew about.

    ¡°What about the gun?¡± Liu Xing blurted out before he could stop himself.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± Nui raised his hands, and a sleek black handgun appeared between them, its surface cloaked in dark flames.

    Before he could think of anything else, the darkness around them was draining away like water through a sieve. The white void returned, and an overwhelming realization struck him¡ªNui, his friend, his last connection to his old life, would be gone any second.

    ¡°Wait! Wait!¡± he shouted.

    Nui smiled, then turned and began walking away. Liu Xing tried to follow, but his body felt weighted down, immovable.

    ¡°Why me? Why did I transmigrate to this world?¡± Liu Xing called out, desperation lacing his voice.

    Nui stopped, looking back at him. ¡°That¡¯s something I wonder about every day. Why us? Why not anyone else?¡±

    Before Liu Xing could say more, he jolted awake, back in the damp, dark cave. He looked around frantically, hoping to find Nui, but his friend was gone.

    After two years in this world, Liu Xing felt as if it were his very first day. The crushing loneliness, the raw reminder of his lost life, and the friends he¡¯d left behind weighed on him heavily. His heart ached, and his hands trembled, as the reality of his isolation settled over him once more.

 3 ~ The Gun (3)

    Liu Xing submerged himself in the river. As a cultivator with a superhuman body, he could hold his breath for an extended period. Despite his desire to stay underwater, he eventually surfaced. Breaking through the water, he was greeted by the moon illuminating the dark world, casting a shimmering glow upon the river as though it were filled with jewels and diamonds.

    After several more dives into the cold, dark riverbed proved unhelpful, Liu Xing emerged and sat against a giant boulder, closing his eyes to calm his racing heart. Initially dismissing the events as a dream, he couldn''t deny the reality upon retrieving the gun once again. The gun¡ªa gift from Nui, from another world, to him in this xianxia realm.

    What had happened to him? Liu Xing was certain the vision shown by Nui''s fragment was a memory. Nui, Joni, and Mamat were likely not presently fighting or dissecting monsters. Yet, this realization did little to ease Liu Xing''s troubled mind.

    Encountering his friends after transmigrating here was beyond his wildest dreams. Their extraordinary circumstances made it all seem unreal, yet Liu Xing knew it was real. He tried to recall everything¡ªabout Nui, Mamat, Joni, and the message the fragment had conveyed about darkness seeping into every corner of the world. Was this darkness symbolic, or something tangible like a person or entity? Why would darkness in this world amplify darkness in another?

    As Liu Xing pondered under the passing moon and rising sun, amidst birds chirping and fish swimming, after more than ten hours, he finally made a decision. Ultimately, Nui''s fragments pointed to one thing: he needed Liu Xing to confront the darkness in this world.

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    Nui implied Mamat, Joni, and even himself required help. Did Liu Xing want to help his friends? They were his friends, despite being in separate worlds. He wanted to help them. But it would certainly be perilous. Whatever this darkness was, it posed danger. But he owed Mamat, Joni, and Nui. They had been his pillars in Indonesia¡ªkeeping him company in his apartment, supporting him through tough times, even reigniting his dream to become an animator and securing him an internship in Japan. Though life had taken unexpected turns with Nui vanishing, Mamat passing away, Joni struggling with depression, and he himself died in a plane crash, he cherished their friendship. He would help them, even if they never reunited.

    He remembered Joni and Mamat''s talks about being isekai''d. Joni had jokingly said, "If I''m isekai''d, I''ll grind day and night to become the world''s most powerful being! Then, I''ll build a harem¡ªcat girls, angels, busty receptionists, guild girls, sexy succubi, you name it! Mamat, promise me you''ll build a harem too!"

    Mamat, not interested in a harem, had laughed it off, though everyone knew he had a crush on a girl from another class.

    "And you?" Joni had turned to him.

    "I''m not sure, but I at least want to become a legend."

    "Nice! Me too, me too."

    Recalling this conversation filled Liu Xing with a profound sense of purpose, as though he had gained a newfound clarity after years of blindness.

    "Right. I want to become a legend. What better legend than a powerful cultivator who defeats the world''s darkness?"

    Liu Xing stood up, faced the moon in the sky, and began walking. He had already decided what he would do.

 4 ~ The Gun (4)

    On a bright day, with the sun shining and the air refreshing, Liu Xing stood in a small clearing holding a handgun. Liu Xing didn''t know how to use a gun, so he mimicked how the police handled theirs. He held the gun with both hands and spread his feet apart.

    On the side of the gun, there were six green stripes. Liu Xing suspected this indicated his total ammo.

    Liu Xing needed to understand the full capability of this gun, so the aim of this training was to know every single ability this gun had. The first thing he needed to check was whether his conjecture about the six green stripes really meant he had six rounds.

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing aimed at a tree several meters away from hin and pulled the trigger. Instantly, a small sound, like a mouse click, was heard. His eyes tracked an almost transparent bullet flying fast and hitting the center of the tree, creating a small hole that fully pierced the tree and came out from the back.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. That was better than what he had expected. While not fully silent, the gunshot was really quiet. Cultivators, who are superhuman, have very good hearing, and a loud gunshot would be instantly known to them. The same applied to beasts that could cultivate.

    The power of the bullet was also impressive. While he didn''t know if a normal bullet could go through a thick tree, this bullet could scratch even a cultivator.

    Liu Xing then checked the side of his gun. As expected, one green stripe was now gray while the rest remained green.

    Liu Xing tried to shoot the same tree five more times. Every shot made a stripe turn gray, and as expected, when all the stripes turned gray, he couldn''t shoot anymore.

    "Now the first problem, how to reload this gun?"

    Since the bullets were not normal bullets, he didn''t need to find a blacksmith or weapon creator to make them.

    "The bullets are probably made from Qi."

    While still holding his position, Liu Xing sent his qi through his hands and into the gun. Instantly, Liu Xing felt his qi rushing out, as if being sucked by the gun. Afterward, the green stripes on the side of the gun turned green again.

    Liu Xing smiled. This was convenient. Since the gun used his qi, it meant he could shoot as many bullets as possible as long as he had enough qi. He also didn¡¯t need to trouble himself with reloading. This gun was really convenient.

    Liu Xing tried to shoot several times, trying to familiarize himself with the gun. He shot six bullets at a rock, reloaded, and then shot again. As a cultivator, his hand-eye coordination was great. Aiming didn¡¯t feel hard at all.

    Trying to test his accuracy, Liu Xing looked for a new target. Several hundred meters away, there was a tree with green fruits hanging from the branches. Every fruit was as big as a marble, and Liu Xing suspected these fruits were not ripe.

    Aiming at one of the fruits, Liu Xing inhaled and pulled the trigger. The smooth sound was heard, and the fruit he aimed at exploded.

    Smiling, Liu Xing tried to shoot as many fruits as possible. When he finished, all the little fruits were destroyed.

    Liu Xing¡¯s aim was perfect. His hand was steady, his eyes sharp, and it felt like the gun knew what he was trying to aim at.

    "Now, let''s try another target." Since he could shoot stationary targets reliably, he needed to try shooting moving targets.

    Liu Xing looked up and saw a brown bird, likely an eagle, with yellow tips on its wings circling the sky. Trying to test his skill, he aimed for the bird. Unlike before, Liu Xing needed to predict the trajectory of the flying bird.

    His gun followed the bird, and when he thought the time was perfect, he pulled the trigger. Instantly, the eagle fell.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing couldn¡¯t hold his laughter.

    For the first time in two years, he felt powerful. Sure, he could punch really hard and electrocute people with his Lightning Palm, but he hadn¡¯t felt like this before.

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    The bird landed beside a shallow river, and to celebrate his first kill with his new gun, Liu Xing plucked the eagle''s feathers and started roasting it. As he ate, Liu Xing tried to count how many bullets he had shot.

    If his memory was correct, the last bullet he shot was number forty-nine. And since his qi remained half full, it meant Liu Xing could shoot at the very least one hundred bullets.

    While that was already impressive, Liu Xing felt like he had barely scratched the gun''s capability. He needed to test this gun against a real threat. Luckily, he knew where to find his next target. The mountain at the back of the sect was teeming with beasts, some of them spirit beasts.

    Finishing his meal, Liu Xing ordered the gun to disappear, returning to his consciousness.

    As he walked back to the sect, seeing the towering seven purple pagodas on the seven mountains, Liu Xing started to plan.

    The Purple Moon Sect was big, one of the top sects in the Dark Forest continent. It had vast territory and many vassal kingdoms. Before, his goal was just to become a Core Splitting cultivator, but after knowing about the darkness in this world, he aimed to become an inner disciple.

    As an inner disciple, Liu Xing could have a bigger reach, and then he could conduct his investigation about the darkness in this world.

    There were two ways to become an inner disciple. One was to reach the Core Splitting realm before twenty. Liu Xing knew he was already nineteen and only at the fifth stage of Lock Opening realm, so this method was really hard. The second way was to win the Outer Disciple Tournament held once a year. While the winner was not guaranteed to become an inner disciple, since many elders attended this event, there was a chance for a disciple to impress an elder and get an invitation to become their disciple. This method was also hard since every elder had different criteria. But while it was also hard, every year, at least one disciple became an inner disciple after this event.

    As Liu Xing arrived in his private cave, he gathered supplies into a small backpack. Since he had already finished his missions this month, he could go away for a month before he needed to come back and finish another mission.

    He checked how many Restoration Pills he had. Only three. It should be enough, especially with some Blood Pills and Body Cleansing Pills for poison.

    Soon, he finished packing and went out. On his way, he passed a training ground. This training ground was vast, enough for hundreds of disciples to train their techniques or martial arts. Liu Xing saw a disciple younger than him slashing a log hundreds of times a second. Another disciple who was bald and had bulging muscles was running while carrying a boulder the size of a car on his shoulder.

    Liu Xing remembered his first day transmigrating. He was here, lying and beaten after accidentally offending a senior.

    After passing the training ground, he passed a group of twenty people that looked like outsiders. Some were wearing red, yellow, or gold robes with ornate designs that looked like they were only worn by royalty, while others wore gray or brown clothes that looked like they belonged on a farm. Another person looked like a scholar, with a white and flowing robe. Liu Xing saw they were guided by two disciples who puffed their chests and talked like emperors in a royal palace.

    Liu Xing suddenly realized that this was the new batch of outer disciples being guided to their new homes. The housing in this place was divided into three areas: the first was private houses for only the talented and well-connected outer disciples, the second was dorms for normal disciples, and the third was cave areas for disciples deemed worthless and having a slim chance of advancing further than the Core Splitting realm.

    Seeing this new batch of disciples, Liu Xing tried to find the most unique or attractive person. Since his meeting with Nui until now, a question had been burning in his head.

    Why was he transmigrated to this world?

    While he couldn''t answer why he, from billions of humans on earth, transmigrated here, at the very least he knew why he was here instead of Mamat, Joni, or Nui.

    Joni really liked anime, manga, and light novels, especially the isekai genre. When he talked, he wouldn''t stop. That''s why only Mamat could tolerate him. That guy was too nice to shut Joni up. This made the duo often talk about anything anime or isekai.

    If they got isekai''d, they would be better in the sword and sorcery world with class and system. And Nui, while he was not really a fan of any form of entertainment, sometimes talked with Joni and Mamat about anime and isekai.

    Only William read xianxia stories. He tried to recommend this genre to Joni, and while Joni was impressed with some of the stories, he still mainly consumed Japanese-originated stories. Which was a shame. Really. Chinese web novels were better than Japanese web novels.

    Anyway, since he read so much xianxia, perhaps he was transmigrated here because he was more familiar with xianxia tropes, and perhaps he could recognize the tropes that would happen and make use of them.

    "Let''s see, if I''m the main protagonist of a xianxia story, what would I look like?" Usually, the main protagonist of xianxia is handsome or unique in some way.

    Liu Xing scanned the group, and while some were good looking, none of them appeared to be main character material. Though he did find a girl who seemed leagues above everyone else, with pearly and shining skin and electric blue eyes. Some people couldn''t take their eyes off her, and some female disciples gazed at her like she was a goddess descended from the heavens.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing continued walking. While that girl looked really impressive, instead of the main character, she seemed like someone who would be in the main character''s harem.

    As he walked, he wondered if there was really a protagonist in this world or if he had read too much xianxia and was trying to apply his biases to this world. Whatever it was, Liu Xing tried to open his eyes to many possibilities.

 5 ~ The Gun (5)

    Around Liu Xing, tall and wide trees stood like ancient giants. Their lush leaves prevented sunlight from reaching the ground, making the forest dark and cold. Liu Xing felt like a snail walking among the feet of giants. This dark forest was nameless and located not far from the Purple Moon Sect. It was preserved to ensure that wild herbs and beasts with useful properties could live and be harvested.

    In this forest, Liu Xing would explore his gun¡¯s capabilities more in depth.

    Liu Xing found an opening between the tree roots, creating a small and shallow cave. He put his pack there and then started to look around.

    First, he needed to test his gun on large animals, like tigers or giant snakes. Then, he would move on to spirit beasts. Ideally, he would find a spirit beast at the same stage as him¡ªa cultivator at the Lock Opening fifth stage to really test the gun.

    "The earlier steps are the easiest," he thought.

    On his way here, Liu Xing had seen some claw marks here and there. He suspected there might be something like a bear around and hoped that it was just a normal animal.

    Cycling his qi around his body, Liu Xing felt his strength increasing. He then jumped as high as possible and landed on a branch several meters from the ground. The branch was wide, and all around him, other branches were also wide. This meant he could move from branch to branch without issue.

    Liu Xing jumped from branch to branch. Every time he jumped, the wind hit his face, making his black hair flutter.

    "This is cool!" he exclaimed. "How in the world didn''t I try this in the last two years? I feel like a ninja!"

    After a few minutes of doing flips and jumping with style, Liu Xing heard growling and hissing.

    Suddenly alert, he moved from branch to branch, this time trying to be quiet, and soon spotted a clearing in front of him.

    In the middle of the clearing, a giant snake, several meters long, was coiling around a giant brown bear. The bear was big, more than three meters tall, but the snake covered most of the bear''s body. Only the bear''s head was clearly visible, with bloodshot eyes and fangs sunk into the snake''s belly, trying desperately to stay alive. The snake, on the other hand, looked smug. Its slitted yellow eyes were full of pride, as if it knew it would win this fight.

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    Liu Xing summoned his gun and tried to calm himself. Although the snake and bear were big, he didn¡¯t sense any qi from them, which meant they were normal animals. This situation was what he wanted¡ªtwo targets to shoot!

    Liu Xing held his gun, aimed, and tried to sense the surroundings. While he really wanted to kill these two animals, he didn¡¯t forget his main objective. He had a feeling that something extraordinary would happen with this gun. He was sure. His gut feeling told him so.

    Liu Xing aimed at the snake''s head, finger on the trigger. He held for several seconds when something indeed happened.

    His gun started to turn invisible, like a chameleon trying to hide. Once the black gun succeeded in reflecting the light around it, the invisibility spread to his hand, arm, shoulder, and then his whole body.

    Liu Xing was now invisible!

    He tried to calm his racing heart. "Okay, now, how do I undo this?"

    Liu Xing relaxed his posture and willed himself to become visible again. Gradually, starting from the gun, he became visible again like a canvas being painted. Once he was fully visible, he willed himself to become invisible again and succeeded.

    Below, the bear''s head finally burst. Blood and brain fluid colored the green snake¡¯s body red. The snake stopped coiling and opened its maw, swallowing the remaining bear in one gulp. Now, with a big bulge in its body, the snake started to slither away.

    Knowing the snake would be gone soon, Liu Xing aimed again.

    "Should I kill it?" Liu Xing muttered.

    He knew now that he could turn transparent, even before pulling the trigger. But he wondered why. This snake was not the first animal he had aimed at. Was it because Liu Xing felt danger toward this snake? After all, he didn¡¯t feel danger from the eagle he shot and ate.

    Seeing the snake slither toward a bush, Liu Xing decided not to complicate things and chose to kill it. Who knows, maybe another ability would reveal itself after he killed a dangerous animal.

    Liu Xing aimed at the snake¡¯s head, and with a smooth motion, pulled the trigger. The almost transparent bullet flew through the air and landed squarely between the snake¡¯s eyes. Instantly, the snake went limp, dead.

    Liu Xing checked his gun and his body. He was still invisible. He suspected his presence had also become thinner. But there were no other changes after he killed the animal.

    Disappointed, Liu Xing aimed at a higher branch and prepared to shoot another animal when two bear cubs emerged from a bush and ran toward the dead snake. They clawed and bit at it, growling like madmen, trying to kill a dead snake.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing realized that these two cubs must be the offspring of the dead bear. Had these two bears hidden while their mother fought? Whatever the case, Liu Xing had avenged these little bears.

    Jumping to a higher branch, Liu Xing then started to hunt. While he was confident he could become invisible again, he needed to understand the conditions and limitations of this ability.

    With a smile on his face and anticipation in his heart, Liu Xing started to hunt for another prey.

 6 ~ The Gun (6)

    In the shallow cave below, a tiger with orange and black stripes slept. Liu Xing hid in a bush, gun aimed at the tiger''s head.

    Now, he blended into his surroundings like a chameleon. Normal animals wouldn''t see or sense his presence, let alone a sleeping tiger. He pulled the trigger, and a bullet flew toward the target. When it landed, it created a small hole in the creature''s forehead. Blood gushed, but the animal slept soundly until eternity.

    Inhaling deeply, Liu Xing finished his latest experiment, and now he knew the full capability of his invisibility.

    This ability was useful but had a few drawbacks.

    First, this ability was slow. He needed several breaths to go from visible to completely invisible.

    Second, this ability only activated when he aimed at a creature he deemed dangerous. Liu Xing was pretty sure he could kill that tiger easily. He was a cultivator at Lock Opening fifth stage. Yet, as a human from Earth, Liu Xing had an instinctual fear of dangerous animals like tigers, snakes, or bears. He saw a wild goat not long ago, but when he aimed at the goat and willed himself to go invisible, he fully recognized that the goat was not dangerous and can''t go invisible.

    The third drawback was that he could only be invisible while holding the gun. If he let go of the gun or called it back to his consciousness, the invisibility would undo abruptly.

    Thankfully, his invisibility would not be undone even when he moved, making all the drawbacks not too severe.

    Charging the gun with his qi, Liu Xing started to move again. Since his experiment with normal animals is done, now it''s time to try to find spirit beasts.

    Jumping to a branch and climbing higher, Liu Xing realized that soon the day would turn to night, and more dangerous beasts would roam the forest.

    Not deterred, Liu Xing sensed the qi around him. The qi in the air felt like a mist. When it touched his skin, it felt cold and wet, but Liu Xing knew his skin was not in contact with water. It was just the feeling of it.

    Liu Xing tried to follow the dense qi around him, guiding him deeper into the forest. Spirit beasts liked to live in rich qi environments, and since Liu Xing wanted to find a spirit beast, he followed the thread of dense qi.

    After the darkness fully arrived, Liu Xing arrived at a part of the forest where the trees stood far apart. Each tree felt like an introvert, not wanting to touch or have contact with other trees. This environment allowed the grass below to grow tall, almost to his waist.

    Feeling the qi around him, Liu Xing realized that this place was full of qi. Above, he saw the moon hanging in the sky, shining like a lone blind eye, illuminating this part of the forest. Despite the limited light, Liu Xing felt that he could see almost everything around him.

    "There must be a spirit beast here," he thought.

    Hopefully not a strong one, but Liu Xing felt ready.

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    Jumping to a high branch, Liu Xing tried to sense the qi around him. In his past missions, Liu Xing had slain several spirit beasts.

    In those missions, Liu Xing had memorized how the spirit beast qi felt. Their qi was different from that of human cultivators, they felt more raw and powerful.

    Closing his eyes, Liu Xing sensed such an aura moving quickly toward his direction. He wasn''t surprised. Some spirit beasts were as dumb as rocks, but others were smart and could sense other qi. There was no doubt in his mind that his qi had already attracted a spirit beast.

    Liu Xing opened his eyes and focused on the base of a tree a hundred meters away. A mantis-like creature stood there, with yellow eyes as big as palms, sickle-like arms, and a body coated in red, as if bathed in blood. Its antennae swung wildly, and its body twitched like a spring before launching.

    Liu Xing summoned his gun and took his stance. He felt danger crawling up his spine, cold sweat pouring down his back. He realized this beast was as strong as him.

    While the cultivation of spirit beasts and humans differed, Liu Xing sensed that this giant red mantis was at the Lock Opening fourth stage, a realm lower than him, yet its strength was comparable to his.

    The wind blew gently, the grass swaying like a dancer hearing music Liu Xing couldn''t hear nor comprehend. He focused his eyes on his foe, feeling like he stood on a tightrope, ready to fall at any moment.

    When the mantis creature jumped, it shot forward like a cannonball. Liu Xing pulled the trigger, and the bullet struck the beast''s head. Its head snapped back as if hit by a strong punch, but there was no hole. He couldn''t one-shot the creature.

    The mantis landed in front of him, swinging its sickles, aiming to split his body in half. Liu Xing focused his qi in his feet and jumped backward. In mid-air, he fired again and again. A "ping ping" sound echoed as the bullets hit the creature''s body, but they didn''t penetrate its tough exoskeleton.

    Liu Xing jumped back several times, zigzagging through the grass. The mantis followed, swinging its arms.

    Liu Xing activated the invisibility feature of his gun while continuing to zigzag.

    After several more moments, the invisibility began to spread.

    Realizing Liu Xing was vanishing, the spirit beast intensified its efforts to catch him, slashing repeatedly.

    In the dead of night, under the lone moon, a deadly dance unfolded. The mantis moved with crazy speed, its reach long, every swing can end his life.

    Liu Xing focused his whole body while keeping an eye on his surroundings to evade its attacks. He ran here and there, sometimes trying to hide behind a tree, hoping it would obstruct his foe for a second, but all of the trees fell, their sound reverberating in the cold night.

    Liu Xing leaped to a branch. As he stepped on it, the spirit beast jumped to follow him, slashing its arms and cutting the branch. Liu Xing fell with the branch, and the mantis used another tree as a stepping stone to jump toward him with its arms closing like scissors.

    Liu Xing saw the glint in the spirit beast''s eye and understood that it thought it had won. In mid-air, Liu Xing couldn''t evade.

    He gritted his teeth and fired one more time. The bullet struck its forehead, making its head snap back, but its arms still tried to slash him.

    Liu Xing released his right hand from the gun, making only his left hand holding the gun, and summoned electricity to his palm. Up close, he knew his Lightning Palm strike would be more effective than a bullet. But when Liu Xing channeled his technique, no electricity came to his hands. Instead, he felt like a bullet in his gun was suddenly made from electricity.

    Adrenaline pumped through every fiber, making the world slow down. He didn''t understand what just happened, but he knew what he needed to do.

    To his left and right, the scythes glinted under moonlight, reflecting an imperfect image of himself. With superhuman speed, Liu Xing aimed his gun at the mantis''s face and pulled the trigger with only his left hand.

    There was no recoil, just a whisper of a gunshot. A lightning bullet shot from his gun toward the mantis.

 7 ~ The Gun (7)

    For a moment, Liu Xing saw surprise in its eyes. When the lightning bullet hit, an arc of electricity danced around it, zapping it, making it freeze as if its nerves were fried.

    It crashed into Liu Xing like a giant hammer. He felt his brain tremble, the world blurring for a second, but he soon recovered. When they landed on the grass, they rolled several times before Liu Xing found an opening and jumped away, landing several meters from the mantis, fully invisible.

    His eyes focused on the mantis still in shock, arcs of electricity dancing around it, its feet, body, and sickles twitching, but it was still alive.

    Liu Xing jumped to a high branch and assumed his position, his mind reeling from what had just happened.

    "Holy shit, I almost died," he muttered.

    While this wasn''t the first time he had nearly died, it was one of the most terrifying. If that lightning bullet had hit one second later, its sickles would have connected before it stopped due to the shock.

    Despite the near-death experience, his heart thumped aggressively, and a smile formed on his face. He had discovered another ability of his gun: Lightning Bullet! Though not stronger than a normal bullet, it had the ability to stun enemies like his Lightning Palm technique.

    The bullet was probably his Lightning Palm converted by his gun.

    A whole new world opened before his eyes. If this gun could convert a technique to a bullet, Liu Xing could change his fighting style entirely. He wondered how other techniques would function if converted to bullets. Could he shoot healing bullets? Curse bullets? The possibilities seemed endless!

    The mantis below started to rise, and Liu Xing berated himself. He shouldn''t have been distracted and used the moment it was frozen to land a killing blow. Still, Liu Xing took a deep breath and calmed himself. The situation is better now. He was fully invisible and had a bullet that could stun his opponent.

    The creature moved its head left and right, looking confused. It seemed unable to see or sense Liu Xing''s presence.

    Liu Xing took aim, finger on the trigger, searching for the perfect moment to shoot.

    This spirit beast''s body was tough; his bullets wouldn''t penetrate. But Liu Xing was sure there had to be a weakness.

    "Should I aim for the eyes?" he wondered. The mantis had large eyes.

    For a moment, Liu Xing thought its eyes might be just as tough, but finding no other weakness, he pointed his gun at its right eye.

    The mantis stood still, its antennae twitching madly, its feet ready to spring at any moment. It didn''t know where Liu Xing right now, but it knew he would attack.

    Liu Xing adjusted his aim, and then pulled the trigger.

    The almost transparent bullet struck like a lightning bolt, dead in the center of the yellow eye. The eye exploded, spraying blood onto the grass, and it screeched with antennae twitching wildly.

    Seeing an opportunity, Liu Xing pulled the trigger again and shot the other eye. Another screech echoed as the mantis suddenly turned its body toward Liu Xing''s direction. Its legs twitched, and Liu Xing realized his position was compromised.

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    The mantis leaped straight at him, its yellow eyes now destroyed, blood and yellow fluid oozing from the wounds. Liu Xing steadied his heart and pulled the trigger again. The bullet flew straight to its remaining right eye, piercing the brain, and the head exploded.

    Liu Xing crouched as the mantis passed above him, its body twitching like nerves waiting for signals that would never come. The mantis crashed to the ground beside a tall tree, its blood spilling near tree roots.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply, then a large smile bloomed on his face, and he jumped around like a little kid. He had won! Although he had almost died, his last execution was flawless. His invisibility worked like a charm.

    Liu Xing wondered if he had unlocked all the gun''s abilities when he felt qi from his gun. The sensation was similar to when he reloaded, but this time his qi wasn''t being absorbed by the gun.

    Liu Xing checked his gun, seeing the gray stripes on the side of the gun began to light up slowly, like a phone battery being charged. The first stripe glowed white, then the second, then the third, and finally the fourth.

    Liu Xing raised his eyebrow. "Is it automatically recharging?"

    He had a conjecture, so he jumped from his branch to the side of the mantis carcass.

    He crouched beside it and tried to feel the beast''s core. Not all spiritual beasts had beast cores, but strong ones did, and this mantis was certainly strong. However, no matter how hard Liu Xing tried, he couldn''t sense the beast core.

    Curious, he tried to pry open the remaining head of the mantis. But even after his hands were bloody, Liu Xing didn''t find any beast core.

    Glancing at the gun, Liu Xing realized it had absorbed the beast core and converted it into bullets. It was a useful ability but also a waste. Sure, the bullets would be powerful, but while Liu Xing couldn''t absorb the core directly¡ªsince he practiced the Lightning Scripture Cultivation Manual¡ªhe could still sell the core and buy cultivation pills or items to cultivate faster.

    Jumping from the side carcass onto a high branch, Liu Xing sat cross-legged and thought for a bit.

    The gun was strong and powerful, but this ability seemed lacking, and there was a possibility he was missing something.

    "Let''s see. The gun killed the spirit beast and converted its beast core into four bullets. Is it because that mantis was at the Lock Opening fourth stage?"

    Liu Xing pinched his chin, then his eyes widened.

    "This gun converts beast cores into qi! Can I absorb these four bullets?"

    Liu Xing''s heart thumped wildly, anticipation filling him. If this was true, he would have another way to cultivate. Not only could he absorb qi from the air, but he could also hunt spiritual beasts.

    If Liu Xing was right, many cultivators used beast cores to cultivate. Their growth was fast, but they struggled to advance to another realm because qi from beast cores was impure. They needed either techniques to purify the qi or pills to cleanse it. Even then, their bottlenecks were harder to overcome.

    But this gun was different. Liu Xing had no doubt the bullet contained pure qi, compatible with him!

    "Alright, let''s test it."

    Liu Xing shut his eyes and began to cultivate. But instead of absorbing qi from the air around him, he focused on the black gun in his lap. In his perception, he saw four glowing qi inside the gun. Liu Xing touched this light with his perception, and like lightning finding a lightning rod, it jumped into him.

    Suddenly, the qi spread throughout his body, making him stronger, sturdier.

    Liu Xing calmed his excitement and tried to absorb the qi into his consciousness. He focused all of the qi into a lock in his ball of lightning.

    In this world, cultivators needed to open the locks sealing their cultivation. That''s why the first realm was called the Lock Opening realm.

    Liu Xing jammed the qi into the lock, and the qi happily obliged. This sixth lock was nearly empty, but after the qi settled, it was at ten percent capacity.

    Liu Xing opened his eyes, exhaled deeply, and enjoyed the wind caressing his face.

    "This is amazing," he whispered.

    If his calculations were correct, he only needed nine spirit beasts to fully open the sixth lock and advance to the Lock Opening sixth realm. Usually, people with average talent needed one or two years to open a lock. This included Liu Xing, but now he was different. He could advance faster. What he needed to do was hunt more spirit beasts!

    "Let''s go hunt!" shouted Liu Xing.

    He then jumped, his body, mind, and spirit eager to fight another spirit beast and get closer to the next realm!

 8 ~ The Gun (8)

    Several days later.

    Liu Xing jumped from branch to branch frantically. He spent a day and a night chasing that damned fox. He wouldn¡¯t let it escape!

    Jumping from branch to branch like a ninja, Liu Xing locked his eyes on the orange fox. He summoned his gun, but aiming while moving was difficult, and the fox, bouncing around like a rubber ball, was hard to hit.

    "Stop moving, you bastard!"

    Liu Xing pulled the trigger. His bullet flew straight, but the fox, either sensing the bullet or by coincidence, leaped off the branch and dove into a bush.

    "Damn it!"

    Liu Xing sped up his qi cycling and tried to move faster. He jumped so hard that the branch exploded beneath his feet and flew through the air, scanning the surroundings like an eagle.

    There! That damned fox was running on the ground like a dolphin swimming in the sea. It moved smoothly around bushes, brambles, and roots, its feet barely touching the ground.

    This fox was a spirit beast. It wasn¡¯t strong, only at the Lock Opening second stage. By all means, Liu Xing could reduce this creature to a bloody pool with a flick of his finger, but this damned fox was really fast and too cunning.

    Liu Xing''s hatred for the fox began several days ago when it pissed on his face while he slept. The shame when he realized what had happened and the fox''s mocking expression when it saw him awake ignited a fire in his heart. Whatever happened, he would kill this fox!

    Liu Xing shot another bullet. The bullet flew straight, hitting the fox''s back. For a moment, Liu Xing thought he had succeeded, but when the fox shimmered like an illusion undone, Liu Xing realized he was fooled again.

    Liu Xing scanned his surroundings and saw the fox behind a tall, slim tree. The fox smiled and yapped like a prankster who had successfully thrown an egg at an innocent pedestrian.

    Liu Xing aimed at the fox, but before he could pull the trigger, the fox leaped as fast as lightning, becoming an orange blur.

    Liu Xing took a step to follow, but then he realized his foot had touched something warm and sludgy.

    Looking down, Liu Xing saw he had stepped in fox shit, indicated by the annoying laughter.

    "Bastard!" Liu Xing shouted, his emotions flaring up.

    He took a deep breath to calm himself.

    "Forget it. This fox is too fast. I can''t catch it."

    He had already wasted a day chasing this fox. Sooner or later, he would catch it, but how many days would be wasted for little gain?

    Liu Xing noticed the fox''s laughter had stopped. No doubt it was already running away. His pride whispered to continue the chase, but Liu Xing reined in his emotions and calmed down.

    While he wanted to gut the fox, another reason for catching it was to finally kill another spirit beast. After killing the mantis, he had managed to kill a large sea star, a creature hard to kill. He needed to flip it and shoot it in the mouth. But after that sea star, he hadn''t found any other spirit beasts except for that damned fox.

    "It''s not surprising. This place isn¡¯t far from the sect. There are fewer spirit beasts here."

    That''s why he chose this place to experiment. He wanted to find spirit beasts to test his gun but didn¡¯t want to encounter an overwhelmingly strong one.

    The conditions were different now. He had finished his experiment and wanted to hunt, but this place lacked spirit beasts. Liu Xing was sure he could find another spirit beast if he was patient and searched thoroughly, but how many days would it take?

    "Should I go back to the sect and find a more suitable place? This nameless forest was not an optimal place to hunt spirit beasts."

    He nodded, deciding leaving this forest was the right decision.

    He started walking, ignoring the soft texture on his right sole and the weird laughter reverberating in the forest.

    Damned fox!

    ***

    Liu Xing walked along the forest path. The trees here were tall but narrow, like poles. It had been half a day since he decided to return, and if he calculated correctly, with his walking speed, he would reach the sect in a few days. If he ran at full speed, he could arrive today, but he decided to take his time for one last experiment.

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    Jumping over a fallen log, Liu Xing summoned his gun in his left hand. He realized he didn¡¯t need to hold it with both hands.

    Liu Xing wasn¡¯t an expert with guns; he just copied what he saw on TV, in films, and on the internet. He assumed people held guns with both hands to handle the recoil, and since this gun had almost no recoil, there was no reason to use both hands.

    Liu Xing ducked under a few branches and started cycling his qi in a specific pattern. After activating the Lightning Palm, his right palm should have been coated in electricity, but instead, a bullet inside the gun now felt like it was created from electricity.

    Liu Xing aimed at a tree and shot it. Electricity danced around the tree, but no hole was created.

    He dismissed the gun and cycled his qi again. Now, in his right hand, a blue lightning encased his hand, with a few strands of electricity dancing around it.

    Liu Xing focused on a tree in front of him. Then, he ran as fast as he could and slammed his palm into the tree. Instantly, the tree shattered, electricity dancing around it, and Liu Xing stepped aside to avoid the falling tree.

    He resumed walking, thinking that while stunning bullets were useful, sometimes the original Lightning Palm Technique would be better.

    "Problem is, I can¡¯t use this technique while holding the gun," he muttered.

    The technique was absorbed by the gun.

    After getting the gun, Liu Xing decided to change his fighting style. Before, he used the Lightning Palm Technique and its variations for close combat, but with this gun, he needed to become a ranged combatant. However, he still needed a close combat technique for safety. Some enemies could reach him before he could pull the trigger. But he couldn¡¯t use the technique while holding the gun.

    "What do I do?" He regarded the black gun in his hand.

    If he dismissed the gun, he could activate the technique, but it would be slow. Liu Xing thought it would be better if he could use the technique while holding the gun.

    Liu Xing decided to fill the bullet with electricity again. He aimed at nothing, not intending to shoot.

    He walked while thinking. He tested how fast he could summon and dismiss the gun, and while fast, it wasn¡¯t fast enough. Liu Xing then tried to deceive the gun. He thought, if holding the gun absorbed the technique, what if he threw it for a moment?

    He imagined throwing the gun into the air, attacking the enemy, and catching it again. It''s a cool set of movement, and since he could dismiss and resummon the gun, he wouldn¡¯t lose it.

    But when he tried these sets of motion, even throwing the gun to the air, the technique was still absorbed by the flying gun.

    "Damn, I thought it would work."

    He walked on. Above, the sun was high, making the air warm. When he saw a little river ahead, snaking like glittering blue snakes, Liu Xing got an idea.

    Standing beside the river, Liu Xing aimed the gun at the water. He cycled his qi and activated the Lightning Palm. As usual, the gun absorbed his technique, creating a lightning bullet that could stun enemies.

    Now, Liu Xing closed his eyes and tried to feel the bullet''s presence. In his mind¡¯s eye, he felt the bullet glittering and crackling like thunder. Liu Xing then tried to pull the electricity back. His idea was: since he could absorb the energy from the gun, perhaps he could reclaim his technique.

    At first, it felt impossible, but when he pulled, the electricity reacted easily. It moved from the gun to his left hand, then quickly settled in his right palm. Liu Xing checked his right hand, and indeed, lightning crackled in his palm.

    "I didn¡¯t think this would work."

    Liu Xing tried to coat his hand in electricity. As soon as he thought of it, lightning encased his hand, making it glow blue. Seeing this, Liu Xing blinked several times. The true Lightning Palm Technique was to create focused electricity in the palm. This coating technique was a variation that usually required coaxing the lightning, adding more qi, and focusing his mind to achieve. But this electricity was so easy to control it felt like it had a mind of its own.

    "There¡¯s no way, right?"

    Liu Xing''s heart thumped. He thought he had unraveled all this gun''s abilities, but it had another function!

    Liu Xing added more qi. The technique greedily absorbed it, making his hand shine brighter with arcs of electricity.

    He then imagined a lightning sword forming in his hand. The reason he chose this technique was to emulate a certain dark-haired emo¡¯s technique, but unlike him, Liu Xing only succeeded in coating his hand with electricity. He couldn¡¯t manipulate it freely, but maybe now he could.

    After successfully imagining a blue lightning sword, a real sword sprung from his hand like a sprouting seed. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s mind went blank for a moment before he giggled uncontrollably.

    Liu Xing added more qi, making the sword longer, then shorter. The lightning sword obeyed his commands like a servant obeyed his emperor.

    He then formed the ball of electricity in his palm again and assumed a stance. His right hand pointed to the ground, body low like a runner at the starting line. He added more qi, willing the technique to sound like a thousand chirping birds. Liu Xing willed the lightning to glow intensely, focusing his power. Then, with a focused face, he ran as fast as he could. Electricity trailed behind him.

    He shouted "Chidori!" and raised his hand to strike a tree. His hand pierced the tree, which shattered. But Liu Xing didn¡¯t stop. He ran straight, piercing and felling trees while laughing madly.

    After several moments, standing in a clearing surrounded by fallen trees, Liu Xing calmed his mind and exhaled.

    "It''s amazing!"

    Who knew he could realize one of his childhood dreams.

    Dismissing the technique, Liu Xing regarded his gun. This gun was powerful. He wondered how Nui got it. Did he create it? Discover it? Whatever the truth, this gun was out of this world. Liu Xing suspected it didn¡¯t work with qi but another form of energy converted from qi. When it was converted back, the result was pure, compatible qi that Liu Xing could meld easily.

    Caressing his gun, Liu Xing smiled softly. Even in another world, he owed his friend again.

    He would repay their help and kindness by becoming strong, becoming a legend, and doing something about the darkness in this world.

 9 ~ Yan Yu (1)

    Seeing the giant purple gate in front of him, Liu Xing smiled.

    In the last two years, the sect was a miserable place. At first, Liu Xing was bullied relentlessly. He was robbed, ridiculed, and almost lost his dignity. But a year ago, after the worst bully became an inner disciple and the rest went missing on a failed mission, the place became bearable. After that, Liu Xing saw the sect as a place to quietly cultivate.

    Now, with newfound power, Liu Xing felt like the Purple Moon Sect was his home, his main base for whatever would happen in the future.

    Greeting the two guarding disciples who regarded his greeting lazily, Liu Xing stood at the crossroads. The straight path led to the Outer Hall, the left went to the dorms and housing area, and to the right was the library and training ground.

    Looking down, Liu Xing realized his clothes were dirty. Mud clung to his inner pants, and blood, grime, and dirt speckled his purple robe. He needed to change his clothes, but it could wait.

    Since he discovered his gun''s ability to convert techniques into bullets, he''s been eager to expand his repertoire. He aims to master two new techniques, and now is the perfect time. He can wash and change after acquiring them.

    Liu Xing walked to a large pagoda. The pagoda stood tall and wide, almost as high as a skyscraper from Earth. This library wasn''t the only one in the sect; there was also a library in the inner sect and a hidden library for the most important people in the sect. However, this was the only one he had access to.

    After a while, Liu Xing arrived in front of the building. The giant double gate was open. Inside, disciples young and old mingled.

    The young ones still had prospects and came here to find new techniques that suited them, while the older disciples, who had no chance of advancing to inner disciples, worked as librarians, cleaners, clerks, and in other jobs. They were paid in points, which they could exchange for daily necessities or pursue their crafts. Some old people use the points to acquire different types of alcohol, some gather funds to study their interests, such as writing a bestiary or creating talismans,etc.

    In the past, Liu Xing had decided that after reaching the Core Splitting realm, he would go to a backwater city and spend his old life there, but working in the sect was also an option.

    Liu Xing stepped inside and started looking around. He had around two hundred sect points. It should be enough to get two techniques. Since his affinity was lightning, he decided to lean into it and learn lightning-based techniques.

    As he walked, he passed hundreds of shelves filled with books and scrolls. Some contained fist techniques, like Mountain Shattering Fist, Dragon Fist, and Demon Tiger Fist. He passed some interesting shelves about poison techniques, ranging from the intriguing Moss Blood Technique to the downright terrifying Skull Melting Poison Technique. Liu Xing passed some generic cultivation scriptures, one of which he knew by heart: The Lightning Scripture. This scripture absorbed qi and converted it to lightning qi.

    Liu Xing soon arrived at his destination. In this corner, there were dozens of shelves brimming with lightning techniques.

    Smiling, Liu Xing began to browse for two suitable techniques. He sought a movement technique and a highly destructive attack technique. He believed these were the most essential for him: a movement technique to escape if he encountered a too-strong enemy, and a destructive technique to defeat an enemy with a single shot.

    Liu Xing found many interesting movement techniques and successfully narrowed his choice to three. Finding a chair and a table, he sat and spread two books and one scroll on top of the table.

    The leftmost one was called Lightning Steps Technique, the scroll in the center described the Rolling Cloud Flashing Lightning Technique, and the last one detailed the Lightning Cloak Technique.

    Opening the book about Lightning Steps, he read the introductory chapter. In summary, this technique coated the user¡¯s feet with lightning qi, creating explosive bursts of speed and flashing like lightning. He tries to open the next chapter, but the characters move like a busy ant colony. He wasn''t surprised; all the techniques in this library were encrypted so no one could read them without paying sect points.

    This Lightning Steps technique was amazing. He had seen it in action last year, in the Outer Disciple Tournament. Liu Xing didn¡¯t know who used it, but he had successfully thrown their opponent from the arena. Every step he took made him move so fast, and each step created a loud thunder sound. The crater left behind indicated that this technique relied on strong steps, like kicking the ground to launch oneself like a cannonball.

    "Interesting technique. With this, I can run away if someone stronger attacks me up close. The drawback is it¡¯s loud and creates a huge mark. I can¡¯t use it with invisibility."

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    What he needed was a silent and flexible movement technique.

    Moving to the second technique, Liu Xing read the introductory chapter of the Rolling Cloud Flashing Lightning Technique. In summary, this technique created a literal cloud at the user¡¯s feet, allowing them to attack opponents with lightning. The higher the user¡¯s mastery, the faster the cloud and the stronger the lightning. At its highest mastery, this technique enabled the user to fly.

    "Amazing, and such a cool technique too. It''s a shame it combines water and lightning techniques."

    Since he practiced the Lightning Scripture, while he could still learn and use techniques from different affinities, their effectiveness would decrease. Techniques from different elements would be inefficient and hard to master.

    Liu Xing moved to the last technique, the most promising one.

    The Lightning Cloak Technique encased the user in a lightning cloak. The introductory chapter stated that the user would coat their entire body with lightning, enhancing their body. While this technique made the user stronger, its main function was to increase speed.

    "The drawback is this technique needs a large amount of qi to maintain. It¡¯s not as fast as Lightning Steps, nor does it enable flight. Its main selling point is overall speed enhancement."

    Liu Xing was sure this technique was created as a supplementary technique for martial arts, perhaps for sword or saber techniques.

    "Hmm, which one do I choose?" Liu Xing pinched his chin. His eyes went from Lightning Steps to Rolling Cloud Flashing Lightning, and then to Lightning Cloak. All had pros and cons, but the most balanced one was the Lightning Cloak technique.

    Liu Xing closed his eyes and thought for several moments, then nodded and reached for the third technique, the Lightning Cloak.

    "Hopefully, this technique is more impressive than it seems."

    Returning the two techniques he didn''t choose to their respective shelves, Liu Xing began to browse again. Now, he needed to choose his destructive technique. He wanted the most powerful and impressive lightning technique he could find.

    The search took longer than expected. Dozens of techniques fulfilled his one criterion: strong effects. Techniques that created explosions or wide-area attacks were his goal. After all, this technique would be his ace in the sleeve. The choice was hard, but he successfully narrowed it down to three.

    On the table now lay three books containing three awesome techniques. The first, and the coolest, was called Dragon Breath Lightning Attack. This attack created a dragon head from lightning in the user¡¯s hand. When the user willed it, the dragon head shot a lightning beam so dense it looked like dragon¡¯s breath or, more aptly, a laser as big as a pillar.

    Liu Xing almost chose the Dragon Breath Lightning Attack on impulse. He imagined creating a massive dragon in the sky to destroy everything below it. But Liu Xing calmed his racing heart and found another interesting technique.

    The second technique was called Golden Lightning. This attack was quite simple. The user gathered electricity in their palm and shot it. While simple, this technique was unique. In the introduction chapter, the creator mentioned that this technique was inspired by heavenly tribulation lightning. Hence, its golden color and destructive ability.

    Glancing at the book on the far right, Liu Xing read the title: Exploding Fist Technique. This was not exactly a lightning technique. The introduction explained that this technique could be used with any type of qi: fire, lightning, wind, or even water. The creator noted that this technique worked best with fire but also matched well with lightning qi.

    The effect of this technique was simple. When activated, a ball of energy would form in front of the knuckle. The smaller the ball, the stronger its effect. Upon contact, the ball would explode. If he were learning it just for the sake of mastering a fist technique, he might not choose this one. However, since its effect would be powerful if converted to a bullet, he decided to consider it.

    "Now, which one do I choose?"

    The pros of the Dragon Breath Lightning Attack were its destructive power. Since he could hold the technique longer, Liu Xing would essentially have a laser attack that could slice through anything. The cons were the large amount of qi required and the long charging time. Also, converting this technique into a bullet would essentially give him a laser gun. Cool, but not very effective. It would be useful for penetrating defensive barriers or heavily armored opponents, but he would need to stay still for a moment.

    Glancing at the second book, Liu Xing thought that Golden Lightning would be perfect as a bullet. He imagined vaporizing his enemies entirely. This would be wasteful if Liu Xing were an alchemist since spirit beast parts are ingredients for creating pills. But Liu Xing was not an alchemist, and his gun took care of the beast core inside spiritual beasts. The drawback was the requirement to witness or experience heavenly tribulation lightning. All cultivators, if they advance enough, would experience heavenly tribulation, but usually only when reaching the Sun Collapsing realm. There was a way to artificially summon lightning tribulation, but it required resources Liu Xing didn''t have.

    The third technique, Exploding Fist, was the plainest technique. Normally, it had one fatal drawback: creating an exploding energy ball in front of the knuckle would cause backlash to the user. It was like exploding a bomb in front of you and your enemy. But combined with his gun, that drawback was gone since he could shoot the energy ball. The creator mentioned that the smaller the energy ball, the stronger the explosion, and since bullets were small, Liu Xing expected a big explosion. The drawback was this technique was big and loud, unlike the laser and Golden Lightning.

    Pinching his chin, Liu Xing weighed the pros and cons. These three techniques were really good. Ideally, he wanted to learn all of them and use them in the right circumstances, but with his sect points, he could only choose one.

    "Let''s see, Golden Lightning has troublesome requirements to learn. Not impossible, but certainly time-consuming. The Dragon Breath Lightning Attack is strong and cool, but not great for bullets. This leaves the third technique."

    Liu Xing hesitated for a moment, then chose the third technique.

    Like with the Lightning Cloak Technique, he hoped this technique was more impressive than it seemed.

    "Alright, let''s buy it."

 10 ~ Yan Yu (2)

    Liu Xing walked to the stern-looking librarian, a man who appeared to be in his fifties with a few strands of white hair and a bushy mustache. When Liu Xing stepped in front of the desk, the librarian glanced at his dirty appearance and sneered.

    "What is a beggar doing in my library?"

    Liu Xing looked at himself. While he was dirty and somewhat smelly, he was far from a beggar. He decided not to argue.

    "Greetings, senior. I am not a beggar. I am Liu Xing," he said, clasping his fist in his palm. "I am here to exchange my sect points for these two techniques." Liu Xing placed the Lightning Cloak and Exploding Fist techniques on the table.

    The clerk, seeing his chosen techniques, sneered again. "Garbage techniques for a garbage disciple. How fitting."

    Liu Xing¡¯s expression remained neutral. He was a Lock Opening fifth stage cultivator, while the clerk, Liu Xing suspected, was an early Core Splitting cultivator. In terms of potential, Liu Xing was not behind this older disciple. Liu Xing could still grow, while the clerk seemed content to be a librarian and berate juniors.

    The clerk''s comment about garbage techniques stemmed from the fact that these two techniques were only Base Grade.

    Techniques in this world were separated into three grades: Base, Earth, and Heaven. Liu Xing suspected there were grades beyond Heaven, but for now, he was content knowing only these grades.

    "You need 215 points to acquire these techniques," the clerk stated with a raised chin, as if he was sure Liu Xing couldn¡¯t afford it.

    Liu Xing took out his token¡ªa slab of wood shaped like a crescent moon¡ªand silently handed it to the clerk. The old disciple checked the points, deducted the required amount, and sneered, seeming to resent Liu Xing because he could afford the techniques.

    Liu Xing took the two techniques from the table, thanked the older disciple, and hurriedly left the library. In his experience, people like that old disciple were petty. Unable to climb higher themselves, they made things difficult for everyone else.

    While walking toward his cave, Liu Xing wondered if that clerk would forever remain a librarian and then quietly pass away.

    Trying to commit the clerk to memory so he could avoid him in the future, Liu Xing checked his remaining points on the token. Sending a small amount of qi toward it, the number 3 appeared.

    ¡°Years of saving are gone in an evening,¡± he sighed.

    Liu Xing had lost track of how many missions he had completed. But since he worked hard every month, he estimated he had finished at least fifty or sixty missions. Despite that many missions, he could only afford two techniques.

    ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll just rack up more points from here on.¡±

    Liu Xing tried to cheer himself up and began to read the Lightning Cloak technique as he walked. The technique¡¯s cycling method was not difficult to remember. Half of it was exactly the same as when he activated the Lightning Palm. Liu Xing predicted that if he learned it the normal way, he could probably use it in just a week. It was that similar to the Lightning Palm Technique.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    The Exploding Fist was another matter. He decided to master the Lightning Cloak first before tackling the other technique.

    Liu Xing walked deeper into the sect. In front of him, a mountain jutted into the sky, its cliffs dotted with natural and man-made caves. This area of the sect was not popular because it was far from the rest of the sect and the qi in the air was thinner. But Liu Xing cherished the fresh air, the sound of chirping birds, and the serenity of this place.

    Walking on the dirt path, Liu Xing soon arrived at a small clearing with a little cave. This cave had doors, albeit old and covered in moss. Liu Xing touched the door and sent a pulse of qi. Usually, the door would light up with a greenish glow and then open. But today, instead of a greenish light, a reddish light appeared.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Liu Xing tried again and again, but the door remained locked. Then, a small yet firm voice came from behind the door.

    ¡°Go away.¡±

    Liu Xing blinked several times, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him. But soon he realized what had happened. While he had been training, someone had taken his cave!

    Liu Xing knocked on the door until it rattled. This was unacceptable!

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who needs to go away! This is my house!¡±

    ¡°Go away,¡± the voice said again, small yet stern. Liu Xing realized the speaker was a girl.

    ¡°Look, I think you¡¯ve made a mistake. This cave is occupied. Didn¡¯t you see the clothes and the simple futon inside? That¡¯s mine!¡±

    Liu Xing knocked desperately. This cave was his and his alone. The floor, walls, bed, and little desk inside had witnessed his life here. Whether groveling after being beaten or feeling depressed and wondering if he would ever see his friends again, this cave was his sanctuary. The place where Nui had given him the gun, the connection to his past.

    Liu Xing tried to calm himself, trying to understand what had happened. The girl inside must be a new disciple; otherwise, she would already have a house.

    ¡°Sister, can we talk? This is my cave, and I think you can find a better place. For example, the dorms. Not only are the dorms closer to the library and training ground, but they also have denser qi. If you are talented, you could even win a private house for yourself. This place is not good. Only losers live here.¡±

    Liu Xing felt a pang of bitterness saying ¡°only losers live here.¡± After all, he lived here. But that thought soon vanished. While he had lived here in the past to avoid being bullied, now he chose to live here because it was an important place to him.

    For several moments, silence reigned. Then, her voice sounded.

    ¡°Go find another place.¡±

    Liu Xing could not accept that. ¡°This place is mine.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore. This place is now mine.¡±

    Then the door opened.

    Inside, Liu Xing saw a girl sitting in a lotus position. She had piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow, silky black hair, and clear skin.

    For an instant, Liu Xing noticed a glowing blue light beneath his futon, desk, and chest of clothes, as if lifted by a thin sheet of ice. Then, they hurled toward him. Liu Xing jumped to the side and watched as his belongings landed on the ground, the chest spilling clothes and one of the legs of his short desk broken.

    Turning his head back to the girl, Liu Xing realized she was the new disciple he had seen before he went to train. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but she was rude as hell, a downright jerk, perhaps a bully. Her charming appearance suddenly became meaningless.

    Liu Xing¡¯s lips formed a thin line, emotion bubbling in his stomach.

    ¡°Even with my belongings outside, the cave is still mine. You need to go.¡±

    The girl stood up, her electric blue eyes locking onto his. For a moment, Liu Xing felt intimidated, but he held his ground.

    ¡°You waste my time,¡± the girl said.

    After she spoke, dozens of ice crystals materialized in the air. The crystals were as big as a palm and had sharp edges.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing understood that this conflict needed to be resolved with violence. He estimated she was at the Lock Opening fifth stage. If she wasn¡¯t some kind of genius, then Liu Xing had a high chance of defeating her and getting his cave back.

 11 ~ Yan Yu (3)

    Yan Yu possessed a profound secret, one that would shake the foundations of the world if revealed. What had happened to her defied imagination, an event likely beyond the capabilities of even immortals. She had inexplicably returned to the past.

    At the end of her previous life, with her cultivation burned away, her talismans depleted, and feeling as insignificant as an ant, she had seen the Heavenly Spear hurtling toward her heart like a comet. Beneath dark, storm-ridden skies, she could only pray for a second chance. When the spear pierced her heart and exploded, she found herself returned to the fateful day her fianc¨¦ had broken their engagement, a decision that led to her banishment from the Yan clan.

    Initially, she had dismissed it as a dream, recalling the saying that life flashes before one''s eyes in the face of death. However, as days passed, the truth solidified: this was her new reality.

    From that day forward, Yan Yu dedicated every waking moment to rigorous training and cultivation. She strived to become as powerful as possible, preparing to confront the immense calamity that would later usher in the Era of Chaos.

    Yan Yu swore to make that bastard¡ªher former fianc¨¦¡ªpay a thousandfold for his actions. She vowed to become powerful enough to utterly defeat him. This burning desire for vengeance was why she sought entry into the Purple Moon Sect.

    In her previous life, she had barely managed to gain acceptance as an outer disciple in the minor Frozen Palace Sect, a sect exclusively for women with special physiques. Although she knew she would miss her sister and master from that sect, her yearning for strength overshadowed her sentimental attachments. In this life, she resolved to join the Purple Moon Sect instead.

    The Purple Moon Sect stood as one of the most formidable sects on the Dark Forest continent, and Yan Yu believed she could cultivate strength at a much faster pace there. Her immediate goal was to become an inner disciple as quickly as possible, followed by core disciple status, and ultimately, an elder. From such a position of power, she would unleash the full might of the sect upon her enemies.

    The path ahead would be arduous. The Purple Moon Sect possessed a unique structure. In most other sects, a strong and talented disciple would be quickly noticed and taken under the wing of an elder and granted significant resources to accelerate their growth. However, within the Purple Moon Sect, every disciple had to progress through the ranks: outer, then inner, then core disciple. Elders in this sect could only mentor a maximum of three disciples concurrently, making the competition to become an inner or core disciple fiercely challenging for everyone, even the patriarch''s own son.

    But Yan Yu refused to yield. Her talent in this life was exceptional, her potential unmarred, and her past-life knowledge provided a significant advantage. Now, she needed to capitalize on every opportunity to cultivate faster than her peers.

    After the outer disciple guide had shown her the available housing options¡ªhouses, dormitories, and caves¡ªfor new disciples, Yan Yu immediately chose to reside in the caves area. While the qi in the caves was less dense, the difference was negligible for her current stage of cultivation. She prioritized a secluded and silent environment conducive to undisturbed cultivation.

    She selected the first cave she encountered. Though she noticed signs of occupancy¡ªspare clothes, a desk cluttered with papers, and unwashed garments piled in a corner¡ªshe disregarded these details and began to cultivate.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    For a time, she cultivated in peace, but then a knock at the entrance disturbed her concentration. A man stood outside.

    Annoyance flared within Yan Yu. She had no desire to search for another cave and waste precious time. She wanted this cave, and this man would have to accept her claim. After all, Yan Yu possessed exceptional talent and a destiny for greatness. Had her former fianc¨¦ not interfered and ruined everything, she would have been on a guaranteed path to immortality.

    "You have wasted my time," Yan Yu stated, her tone sharp. She did not recognize the man, which implied he was not some renowned or prodigious cultivator destined for greatness.

    Yan Yu materialized ice shards and launched an attack. The man leaped backward, and she pursued him out of the cave and into the small clearing in front.

    With each step Yan Yu took, the air around her grew noticeably colder, her eyes sharpened and shifted to an intense, luminous blue, like glowing gems under moonlight. More flying ice shards coalesced around her, soon surrounding her like a swarm of wasps poised to attack, causing the temperature in the clearing to plummet.

    "Yield," Yan Yu commanded. "I have no desire to waste my valuable time on you."

    "Give me back my cave!" the man retorted.

    Yan Yu narrowed her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. Like a miniature tsunami, all her ice shards surged toward her opponent. Although she was only at the Lock Opening fifth stage, and Flying Shards was a basic technique, even for a Purple Moon Sect disciple, this concentrated assault was potentially lethal.

    "It is over," Yan Yu declared with certainty. While she preferred to avoid needless bloodshed, she would not hesitate to eliminate anyone who became her adversary.

    "You are too cocky," the man countered. He remained calm and adopted a fighting stance, his left hand extended towards her in an odd gesture, as if grasping something unseen. As the wave of ice shards approached, electricity crackled and coalesced in his right hand.

    The first ice shard to reach him shattered smoothly against his lightning-coated right hand, followed by the second and third. He systematically destroyed every shard that came at him, then began to advance, carving a path through the dense swarm of ice.

    Observing this, Yan Yu realized she had overestimated her own power and underestimated her opponent. As expected of a Purple Moon Sect disciple, an attack that could easily dispatch a normal cultivator of her stage was being effortlessly deflected by this man. However, Yan Yu remained unimpressed.

    The man¡¯s right hand moved with swift and powerful strikes, like a cobra lashing out at its prey. Each time his hand connected with a shard, a small cloud of ice powder erupted. Yan Yu estimated she had already launched over three hundred shards and continued to generate more, determined to exhaust her opponent.

    Already, the man¡¯s initial momentum had waned. He held his ground, focused on destroying the ice shards directly in front of him, but his forward progress had stalled.

    "Let us see if you can withstand this," Yan Yu challenged. She pointed at him. The ice shards shifted, moving like soldiers directed by a commander. The man continued to methodically destroy the shards directly in front of him with his right hand, but Yan Yu intended to test his ability to defend against attacks from multiple directions.

    Yan Yu flicked her index finger left and right. Instantly, the ice shards shifted direction, dividing into three distinct swarms: the first continued straight ahead like arrows, the second curved to the left, and the third curved to the right.

    The man glanced to his left and right, his expression remaining calm, as if he already anticipated and understood how to counter this new development. He pointed his left hand towards the swarm approaching from his left, then with a subtle twitch of his index finger, one of her ice shards instantly disintegrated into a puff of powder.

    Yan Yu narrowed her eyes further, straining to see, but she could not discern the nature of his technique. To address the swarms converging from the front and right, the man flexed his lightning-coated right hand, and suddenly, a blade of pure lightning erupted from it.

 12 ~ Yan Yu (4)

If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Is she going to die here and now, with some random disciple on this random mountain because of a damn cave? She didn''t want to die. She didn''t want to die!

 13 ~ Yan Yu (5)

    Seeing the girl soar into the sky and disappear in the distance, Liu Xing exhaled a breath of relief. His heart still thumped wildly, like galloping horses. This sensation was a mix of excitement and nervousness.

    He felt excited because he was genuinely strong, really strong. The Lightning Cloak technique, despite being a Base Grade technique intended only to increase user speed, wasn''t supposed to make him move as fast as lightning. The manual stated it could increase maximum speed fivefold. However, after his gun absorbed and re-released the technique, the Lightning Cloak had become faster, stronger, and more efficient.

    Moving with this technique felt surreal. The world didn¡¯t slow down; instead, everything blurred. Yet, his brain could process the blur, giving him the sensation of navigating a dark room while knowing everything inside it.

    Despite his excitement about his newfound strength, he felt conflicted about letting the girl go.

    Liu Xing now lived in a xianxia world, often described as a dog-eat-dog world where only the strong and ruthless survived. He worried that the girl might harbor resentment and seek trouble in the future. Still, Liu Xing couldn''t bring himself to kill indiscriminately. He had only wanted his cave back and hoped she would understand and put the incident behind her.

    "Even so, that girl is truly strong," he mused to himself.

    Compared to the disciples from the previous year''s tournament, her attacks were on a larger scale. Liu Xing was fairly certain she hadn¡¯t even used her full power. She probably underestimated him and lost before she had a chance to get serious.

    "But I''m still stronger than her!" he exclaimed quietly, a smile forming.

    Glancing at the gun in his left hand, he grinned. "If you were a woman, I would marry you!"

    Liu Xing pushed the matter of the girl to the back of his mind and headed toward his cave.

    As he walked, he began to plan his next steps. His immediate priority was breaking through to the Lock Opening sixth stage. To achieve this, he needed to find a location with abundant spirit beasts. However, to ensure his next hunting expedition went smoothly, he needed to train further.

    Moving his broken little desk back into the cave, Liu Xing started making decisions. First, he needed more practice with his new technique. While the Lightning Cloak¡¯s initial effect was already impressive, Liu Xing sensed room for improvement. This was his first time using it, and he had relied on the gun to prevent any mishaps. He needed to train until he could utilize the Lightning Cloak without the gun''s assistance. At that point, Liu Xing was confident the technique would become even stronger after being re-absorbed by the gun.

    He also needed to test his Explosion Fist technique, assessing its power both as a standard technique and when amplified by the gun. Ideally, he aimed to master this technique, but given the backlash, Liu Xing would be satisfied if he could use it without injuring his fist.

    "Only then can I go hunt spirit beasts."

    Liu Xing nodded to himself as he placed a chest of clothes inside the cave. He didn''t expect it to take too long. Perhaps a month, maybe two.

    After storing all his belongings in the cave, Liu Xing stepped outside again. His lawn was now a mess, the grass coated in ice. Some ice had already melted, creating mud in the clearing in front of his cave.

    He wanted to resume training immediately, and while a designated training ground or the nearby forest would be more suitable, Liu Xing worried someone else might try to claim his cave again. Therefore, he removed his shoes and robe, standing only in his pants, his feet sinking into the mud, and began to train right there and then.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    As he centered his mind, a smile bloomed on his face, his heart filled with anticipation.

    Trying new techniques was always exciting!

    He cycled his qi according to the Lightning Cloak Technique''s instructions and began to feel tingles throughout his body. He failed to activate the technique the first time, and the second time, but he persisted with his training.

    Day and night, he didn¡¯t slack off. He enjoyed using the technique. Even when he occasionally stumbled and fell, his face landing in the mud, he would simply get up and continue training with a smile.

    Liu Xing recalled the last time he had enjoyed something so much was when he trained relentlessly to prepare for an interview in Japan. Back then, Nui, Mamat, and Joni would check on him, sometimes bringing food, sometimes just to hang out.

    While they weren''t physically present, his gun, a gift from Nui, was here, and that felt like enough. Even separated by universes, they remained friends.

    And so, two months passed.

    <hr>

    In the valley below the mountain flowed a river. It was wide and deep, but the current was gentle, making it an ideal place to bathe. Beside the riverbank stood a boulder the size of a hut. This boulder was not originally there, but Liu Xing had dug it up from underground and carried it to this spot for his final training session.

    Standing almost five hundred meters from the boulder, Liu Xing held his gun in his left hand, aiming at the giant rock that, when he squinted, resembled an elephant. He inhaled deeply and cleared his mind. Two months had passed, and Liu Xing was eager to hunt again.

    "Alright, let''s do it."

    Liu Xing cycled his qi in a specific rhythm and activated the technique. Nothing changed visibly, not even his gun, but Liu Xing knew his Exploding Fist Lightning Variation technique was now loaded within the gun, like a bullet.

    Focusing his mind, Liu Xing aimed at the boulder in the distance. He relaxed his stance and pulled the trigger with complete confidence. He heard a soft whooshing sound and saw a lightning bullet shoot from his gun. It covered the five hundred meters instantly and struck the boulder dead center. Immediately, the sound of the explosion reverberated, and the boulder shattered into smithereens. One or two palm-sized chunks flew outwards, hitting trees and splashing into the water. The rest dissolved into a cloud of dust, spreading slowly like a lazy mist.

    "Not bad, and that wasn''t even at full power."

    Liu Xing could modulate the power of the Exploding Fist technique. When he used the technique manually with the same qi expenditure, the explosion was weak, like a firecracker. But inside his gun, that firecracker transformed into a full-blown explosive. He hadn¡¯t dared to use its full power, fearing the extent of the destruction.

    Liu Xing felt proud of his progress. Just two months prior, he had been a normal cultivator, but now he was likely one of the strongest among the outer sect disciples.

    Concluding his training, Liu Xing began walking toward the sect. He was ready to hunt again and already knew the perfect location: the Dragon Skull Forest.

    As he walked, his stomach suddenly rumbled, causing him to stop. His destination was the Mission Hall, but since he was hungry, he decided to stop by the Eating Hall first.

    The walk was uneventful, and soon he found himself in the spacious cafeteria. As it was morning, the place was crowded. Some disciples ate in silence, while others talked, gossiped, and loudly challenged each other.

    Liu Xing chose one of the unoccupied tables in the corner of the room and started eating porridge made from spiritual rice, which aided in disciples'' cultivation. His eyes were fixed on his porridge, but he listened to the conversations around him.

    Not far from where he sat, a group of disciples discussed recent interesting events within the sect. Liu Xing recognized some of their faces, indicating they were older disciples like himself.

    "This year''s new disciples are unbelievable, I tell you!"

    "Yeah, I heard one of them is already at Lock Opening sixth stage, and just two months ago they were only at the third stage. Their growth is insane."

    One of them scoffed. "Even if they are geniuses, I, Lei Peng, will crush them all like an elephant stepping on worms!"

    "What are you talking about? You''re the least impressive among us. Still only at Lock Opening fifth stage after years of cultivation."

    "Watch your mouth! When I become an inner disciple, I''ll make sure you''re blocked from becoming one!"

    "Alright, alright, brother Lei Peng, we apologize," one of them said, rolling his eyes.

    They seemed to be close friends, and Liu Xing decided to eavesdrop on this group.

 14 ~ Yan Yu (6)

    ¡°Seriously though, they are impressive,¡± another guy said, pulling out a notebook and flipping through the pages. ¡°Some inner disciples asked me to gather information about the newly accepted disciples, and there are four who really stand out.¡±

    ¡°Really? Let¡¯s hear about them,¡± a bald man responded.

    The guy with the notebook cleared his throat. ¡°Alright, you already know about Yu Yongrui. That guy is from a peasant family. Aside from his talent, there¡¯s nothing particularly impressive about him. Still, his talent is unbelievable. Some people say he has an extreme physique or a Heaven Grade cultivation scripture. Whatever it is, he advanced from the third stage of the Lock Opening realm to the sixth stage in just two months. At this speed, he could surely reach the Core Splitting realm within two years.¡±

    The bald man spoke up, ¡°I also heard he¡¯s ruthless. The guy who tried to rob him had all his bones broken.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I bet he uses forbidden techniques to grow so fast. He¡¯ll hit a bottleneck soon and won¡¯t advance anymore. Two years? He won''t reach the Core Splitting realm in ten!¡± Lei Peng declared.

    ¡°Whatever you say, brother,¡± the one with the notebook replied. ¡°Next, there¡¯s a girl named Yan Yu. She¡¯s extremely beautiful. I heard even some inner disciples tried to court her. They all failed. Though, some received a nice slap that made me jealous,¡± he added with a lecherous smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind if she slapped me, or kicked me, or choked me. Hehe.¡±

    ¡°Beautiful or not, what kind of man wants to be slapped by a woman!¡± Lei Peng shouted.

    ¡°An adult man. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°What? You think I¡¯m a kid? Let me tell you, if I want a woman, she¡¯d be falling all over me.¡±

    ¡°Guys, let¡¯s calm down and get back to the topic,¡± the bald one interjected.

    The notebook guy cleared his throat again. ¡°Right. So, Yan Yu is beautiful, but she¡¯s also strong. Almost two months ago, she went to a house near the river. You know, the spot where the qi is so dense everyone improves just by being there.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I know that story. Brother Gu lived there.¡±

    ¡°Right, Brother Gu, who came in second place in last year¡¯s tournament. Needless to say, Brother Gu was enraged. Yan Yu is rude and arrogant, but that¡¯s also her charm, and her slap is¡­¡±

    ¡°Stay on topic,¡± the bald man repeated.

    ¡°Right, sorry. She demanded Brother Gu and everyone in that area move out. Then a beatdown happened. Yan Yu¡¯s technique revolves around ice, and her control over it is top-notch. I heard some people became ice statues, some were skewered by ice arrows, and everything around her froze.¡±

    Hearing this, Liu Xing raised his eyebrows. So that girl who squatted in his cave is named Yan Yu, he thought, and it seems after he threw her out, she rampaged and stole other people¡¯s houses.

    ¡°I heard many people were sent to the clinic. She¡¯s ruthless. Some even lost their cultivation,¡± the bald one said.

    ¡°That rumor is exaggerated. No one lost their cultivation, though some lost limbs. Anyway, now she lives near the river and hasn¡¯t been heard from since. In terms of cultivation speed, Yu Yongrui is faster, but they¡¯re both at the Lock Opening sixth stage. The odds of her becoming an inner disciple are high.¡±

    The notebook guy and the bald guy glanced at Lei Peng.

    ¡°What?¡± Lei Peng asked.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t comment?¡± the notebook guy prompted.

    ¡°Hmph. I still think she¡¯s lesser than me. But I¡¯m not blind. I recognize talent when I see it.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, that¡¯s nice. Moving on, the third one is Shen Ye, the second prince of the Phoenix Empire.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I heard of him too. He¡¯s handsome, rich, and talented. He came to the sect to surpass his older brother.¡±

    ¡°Right, his fire affinity is high. Some think he has a special bloodline related to a phoenix. I can¡¯t confirm it because his fights end in the blink of an eye. Although his opponent was charred, so there¡¯s a high probability he either has a monstrous comprehension of fire or truly possesses a bloodline.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Even if he¡¯s a prince, in this sect we are equal,¡± Lei Peng scoffed.

    ¡°Well, our status, yes, but he¡¯s already at the Lock Opening seventh stage. It¡¯s just a matter of time before he becomes an inner disciple,¡± the notebook guy pointed out.

    ¡°He¡¯s not really surprising. While his background is the most impressive, he feels like a normal guy,¡± the bald one commented.

    ¡°I would argue with you, but let¡¯s move on. The fourth one is actually a mystery. No one has met him, but some people heard mad cackling near the valley, saw flashing lights, and explosions. I didn¡¯t have time to confirm this information, but this morning, I was close to that valley when taking a dump, and I heard a big explosion. Needless to say, I ran out of there without my pants.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to hear the last part,¡± the bald one groaned.

    ¡°Hmph, probably just someone trying to cultivate a mysterious aura. I bet he¡¯s some loser who just wants to grab attention,¡± Lei Peng sneered.

    ¡°Anyway, the most important information is about how smooth Yan Yu¡¯s palm is. The one who got slapped said¡ª¡±

    Liu Xing, sitting on the bench, struggled to keep his expression neutral. The funny trio was now discussing Yan Yu¡¯s palm. The one with the notebook wanted to be slapped, Lei Peng thought he was superior to Yan Yu, and the bald one just sighed at his friends¡¯ conversation.

    Liu Xing finished his meal and soon walked out of the Eating Hall.

    That fourth disciple, are they talking about me? Liu Xing didn¡¯t cackle like a madman, but he remembered being excited and laughing pretty loudly, especially when he successfully combined his Exploding Fist with electricity.

    ¡°Hmm, whatever.¡±

    The rumor about him was harmless, so he wouldn¡¯t worry about it, though he decided not to use that valley for training again.

    After finishing his breakfast, Liu Xing walked to the Mission Hall, noting the names Yu Yongrui, Yan Yu, and Shen Ye.

    If the rumors were true, they were the ones he needed to watch out for when the tournament arrived. After all, Liu Xing also aimed to become an inner disciple.

    He soon arrived at the Mission Hall. He needed to go to Dragon Skull Forest, but he couldn¡¯t just go and train there. Since he hadn¡¯t taken a mission in the past two months, Liu Xing needed to complete some now.

    About a month ago, a disciple from the Mission Hall had come to tell him he needed to complete a mission or have his points deducted. Liu Xing had actually forgotten about it. Now, his sect points were probably negative, and if he didn¡¯t complete some missions, he could be kicked out of the sect.

    Dragon Skull Forest was the perfect place to train and complete missions.

    Entering the Mission Hall, Liu Xing took a place in one of the queues, making sure he was in line for a familiar clerk¡ªa middle-aged man with a round belly and pink cheeks, the nicest clerk in the hall.

    Soon, Liu Xing reached the front of the queue.

    ¡°Liu Xing, long time no see!¡± the clerk greeted him.

    Liu Xing returned the greeting. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy these past two months. Am I in trouble?¡±

    The clerk checked his token and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re in trouble, but not in deep water. Your points are negative ten, and your allotment of spirit stones is reduced to one per month until next month. Overall, not bad. I¡¯ve seen worse.¡±

    Liu Xing sighed in relief. Only negative ten points and losing two allotments of spirit stones. Really, not too bad.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve come to get a mission.¡±

    ¡°Any criteria?¡±

    ¡°Anything is fine as long as the mission requires me to go to Dragon Skull Forest.¡±

    Hearing this, the clerk raised his eyebrows. ¡°Dragon Skull Forest? Are you finally cultivating seriously? That forest is dangerous, you know?¡±

    ¡°I know, and yes, I¡¯m trying to become an immortal now.¡±

    ¡°Well, good luck then. Aiming to become an immortal is good, but you need to know your limits. I give out many missions to disciples in the sect, and let me tell you, the more ambitious they are, the greater the chance they die taking risks.¡±

    Liu Xing nodded, ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡±

    He knew this world was dangerous and ruthless, and he sincerely thanked the clerk for reminding him of the reality.

    ¡°I have some missions related to Dragon Skull Forest. The easiest one is to get a tail from a certain species of lizard that lives there. The tail would be refined into a pill that increases¡­ stamina, if you know what I mean.¡±

    Liu Xing blinked several times, then nodded. Even in the cultivator world, there were always needs to be met.

    ¡°I assume the rewards are good?¡±

    ¡°Everything related to that activity has a high reward, I tell you. This mission is worth thirty sect points.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the mission.¡±

    After accepting the mission, Liu Xing started to pack his supplies. According to the clerk, this mission had to be completed within two months. A reasonable timeframe, since Dragon Skull Forest was outside the Purple Moon Sect, requiring at least a week to travel there.

    As he walked to his house, Liu Xing wondered what would happen on this mission.

    Not every mission he took went wrong, but once or twice, a mission became so dangerous that he needed help or had to run away. He sometimes had nightmares about mushrooms that could grow inside mouths, noses, ears, and brains, as well a giant boar.

    Shuddering at the thought, Liu Xing hoped that this mission and his training would go smoothly, and that he would return to the sect as a Lock Opening sixth stage disciple.

    <hr>

    ¡°You mean this mission has the highest reward?¡± Yan Yu asked the clerk in front of her.

    ¡°Yes, the reward is forty sect points, and the herb you need to pick is really valuable, if you know what I mean.¡± The clerk winked.

    Yan Yu gritted her teeth.

    She didn¡¯t have a problem with herb-picking missions. She was just bothered by the fact that the highest mission she could take was to pick an herb that would be refined into an aphrodisiac.

    Still, the reward was good, and while she didn¡¯t need techniques from the library, the points could be exchanged for cultivation pills and artifacts that would help her cultivate faster and awaken her bloodline.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take it.¡±

    The clerk smiled. ¡°You know, you¡¯re not the first person with this kind of mission. I hope you two meet and help each other. After all, your missions are related.¡±

    Yan Yu ignored the clerk and accepted the mission in silence. She was still bothered by the herb she needed to pick, but right now she had no choice. She needed to go to Dragon Skull Forest.

    In her past life, around this time, she was still wandering around, looking for food in the woods before being picked up by her master. But now, she was already a cultivator, and she could seize the opportunities she couldn¡¯t take in the past.

    One of them was in Dragon Skull Forest. Her senior sisters had said that a cultivator from a sect called the Red Desert Sect stumbled upon a pocket dimension in that place, and he became one of the strongest in his sect.

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, he got a black sword that could enhance techniques with temperature manipulation. He used that sword to enhance his fighting style around sand and glass.

    That black sword would fit her hands better, she decided, so she would retrieve it. It was kind of annoying. In the Frozen Palace Sect, after she awakened her bloodline, she had been showered with resources. She hadn¡¯t needed to lift a finger if she needed a pill or an artifact. Her master would have gladly brought whatever she needed to her.

    But now the situation was different, and she wouldn¡¯t complain too much. She just hoped that this mission would go smoothly.

 15 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (1)

    After covering his cave with bushes, dirt, and boulders to prevent anyone from claiming it, Liu Xing walked toward the main gate.

    The two disciples on guard duty checked his paperwork and let him pass. Liu Xing descended the stairs that connected the sect to the town below.

    The stairs coiled and descended like a long white snake. Seeing this, Liu Xing decided to summon his gun, activate Lightning Cloak, and run. As the stairs turned, he jumped off the cliff, landing on a tree branch before leaping from branch to branch, descending like a ninja.

    He did not go full speed, just fast enough to prevent the world from blurring. This way, he enjoyed the beautiful scenery: green mountain peaks, a winding blue river, rolling white clouds, and a refreshing breeze that fluttered his robes, making him feel comfortable.

    At normal speed, it would take at least a week to reach Dragon Skull Forest, but at this pace, he felt quite sure he would arrive several days early.

    When will I be able to fly? he wondered. In this world, no rule dictated that cultivators could only fly after reaching a certain realm. Cultivators could fly with a technique or treasure, regardless of whether they were immortal or just starting cultivation. However, most cultivators in higher realms, especially in the Sun Refining realm, could control qi and fly freely, like birds.

    Liu Xing wondered if flying would be more enjoyable than jumping around like a ninja.

    After several minutes of jumping, Liu Xing arrived at the small town below the sect. The town bustled with activity. Roads teemed with merchants hawking wares, horses, and mules pulling carts.

    He bypassed the town, heading west and jumping through the trees. He was broke, without spirit stones or anything to trade for supplies. He had no reason to enter the town, even though he desired jerky or medicine pills.

    As he leaped through the forest canopy, Liu Xing considered his mission. Purple Tailed Lizards lived deep within Dragon Skull Forest, inhabiting swampy areas and spending most of their lives in water, much like crocodiles. These lizards, however, were immense, as large as houses, and notoriously ferocious.

    The specific lizard he needed to harvest a tail from had to be at least three hundred years old and display certain unique characteristics. First, its tail needed to be completely purple. Younger, weaker lizards had dark spots on their tails, and while those tails held some value, he required a perfect purple tail. The second sign was a small head. Legend held that the smaller the head, the more potent the tail, which also made the lizard more aggressive and dangerous¡ªfitting, considering the effects the pills made from this tail would produce.

    Liu Xing passed a boy and a man, likely father and son, crouched in the bushes, aiming an arrow at a boar. He accidentally startled the boar, causing the father¡¯s arrow to miss.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± Liu Xing shouted.

    The father sighed, but the boy looked at him with shining eyes. Liu Xing waved to the boy, who waved back.

    ¡°Hmm, mission first, or hunt first?¡± he muttered. While the mission was necessary, his primary goal was to hunt and advance his cultivation. ¡°I¡¯ll hunt and do the mission concurrently. There must be many spirit beasts on the way to the swamp.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Nodding, Liu Xing grinned. Anticipation filled his heart. Dragon Skull Forest was renowned as a beginner hunting ground. He would encounter countless spirit beasts there, and Liu Xing felt confident he would reach the Lock Opening sixth stage quickly.

    Excited, Liu Xing channeled more qi into his movement technique, moving like a blue lightning bolt, swimming through the forest like a flying electric eel.

    Along his journey, Liu Xing encountered more people. He met a grandmother and her grandson in the forest. After he helped them kill a tiger, they invited him to join them and offered him beef jerky for supplies.

    Liu Xing came across a caravan under attack by a pack of wolves. The wolf leader was a spirit beast, albeit a weak one. Even without enhancement, Liu Xing punched the leader until it burst like a water balloon. This encounter confirmed something Liu Xing had wondered about during his previous forest stay two months prior: what would happen if he held the gun but killed a beast with his own power. The result surprised him. He had expected the qi energy to be absorbed, but it wasn¡¯t. The beast core remained intact. The merchant offered a single spirit stone for the core, which Liu Xing accepted.

    Later, Liu Xing arrived at a village terrorized by a centipede monster. He shot its head with an explosive bullet. The villagers thanked him and gifted him two spirit stones. While still not wealthy, Liu Xing was no longer penniless.

    He then encountered a group of robbers, another pack of spirit beasts, and a hunting group who apologized and kneeled when they accidentally disturbed his rest.

    While eventful, his journey lacked any truly noteworthy incidents. Seven days after leaving the sect, Liu Xing finally arrived at Dragon Skull Town, located on the forest¡¯s edge.

    Walking through the town streets, Liu Xing tried to maintain a normal gait. He didn''t puff out his chest or attempt to dominate the street, yet when the mortals recognized him as a cultivator, they held their breath and tried to disappear, as if he were a dangerous spirit beast.

    He passed a group of five cultivators.

    They wore black robes trimmed with red. A tan man with white hair walked at the front. One man carried a large metal fan on his back, while the others carried large gourds.

    As they met in the street, Liu Xing adopted a neutral expression and looked straight ahead. They noticed his robe¡ªpurple with a faint moon and cloud pattern¡ªand also maintained neutral expressions.

    The Purple Moon Sect was influential, and people generally avoided provoking them.

    Afterward, Liu Xing passed a market area that seemed to specialize in spirit beasts. A merchant and a cultivator negotiated over a giant slug corpse with an intact shell. Others butchered a giant bear carcass. Liu Xing noticed a cultivator shouldering a large, long log before realizing the log was covered in tiny eyes and had limbs that resembled branches.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing smiled. The sight of spirit beast carcasses reignited his motivation. The sect mission was important, but he needed to remember his true purpose: to hunt, advance, and grow stronger.

    Excitement surged through him, and Liu Xing ran into Dragon Skull Forest.

    <hr>

    Liu Xing stood atop a cliff, gazing over a sprawling green forest. In the distance, a small hill, resembling a marble from his vantage point, took the shape of a lizard¡¯s skull. Indentations like eye sockets and a slit suggesting a mouth capable of swallowing giants marked the hill. This was likely Skull Hill, the namesake of Dragon Skull Forest.

    He had finally arrived!

    Jumping from the cliff, Liu Xing landed on the grass in a small clearing. Upon landing, he realized a group of cultivators awaited him.

    One man sat on a tree stump. He had short hair and tanned skin, and wore loose-fitting gray clothes that seemed practical for movement. Another leaned against a tree, his red hair and eyes contrasting with his pale, thin face, giving him a sickly appearance. The third sat on a branch, swinging his feet. A thin smile played on his lips, and his narrow, almost slit-like eyes gave him a cunning and intelligent air.

    Upon seeing Liu Xing, the trio sprang up and stood before him, blocking the path into Dragon Skull Forest.

    ¡°Fellow cultivator, welcome to Dragon Skull Forest! I am Mo Yan, the gatekeeper of the forest,¡± the tanned man said with a smile.

    Liu Xing knew they were not welcoming him as a friend. They were likely robbers.

 16 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (2)

    ¡°Greetings, I am Liu Xing from Purple Moon Sect. I intend to travel to Dragon Skull Forest on a mission. Would you permit me to pass?¡± Liu Xing clasped his hands in a respectful gesture. He knew the probability of them allowing him to pass was almost nil, but saw no reason to be impolite.

    Sensing the qi around them, Liu Xing realized that only Mo Yan was at the same cultivation stage as himself; the rest were at either the fourth or third stage.

    ¡°What a polite fellow,¡± one of them said. ¡°If only every cultivator who passed here were as polite as you. You may pass, brother, but you need to pay a toll fee. After all, the roads need maintenance. Consider the fee a donation to the local community!¡±

    Liu Xing glanced past their shoulders and saw a dirt road. While the path looked passable, he doubted they performed any maintenance on it.

    ¡°Is that so? May I know how much the fee is?¡± Liu Xing asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s cheap, only 50 spirit stones per person. And since you¡¯re polite, I¡¯ll give you a discount. Thirty spirit stones. How about that?¡± Mo Yan and his two friends chuckled.

    Liu Xing considered his options. He scanned their clothes and noticed wrinkles, signifying they wore ordinary clothes, not the silky, shiny, self-cleaning ones common in sects. This indicated they were likely loose cultivators, who were generally weaker due to limited access to cultivation scriptures and techniques.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d rather not pay the fee. I¡¯m poor,¡± Liu Xing replied.

    Mo Yan snorted. ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ll take the fee by force. Attack!¡±

    Mo Yan and his gang rushed forward together. The red-haired guy brandished a dagger, the narrow-eyed one unsheathed his sword, and Mo Yan himself glowed with a yellow hue.

    A thought to fight without his gun crossed Liu Xing¡¯s mind, a fleeting desire to test his full capability without it. But he quickly dismissed the idea. Time was of the essence, and he wanted to start hunting as soon as possible.

    Liu Xing summoned his gun and made it invisible. The process was swift, and hopefully, they hadn¡¯t noticed. He then activated his Lightning Cloak and kicked off the ground.

    The world became a blur. In a fraction of a second, Liu Xing appeared in front of Mo Yan and punched him in the belly. The force of the blow lifted Mo Yan off the ground, and he flew like a cannonball, crashing and shattering trees before landing unconscious on the ground.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± shouted the red-haired guy.

    The narrow-eyed guy lunged at Liu Xing, attempting to slash his neck. Liu Xing took a step, disappearing and reappearing behind him. Before the narrow-eyed guy could react, Liu Xing grabbed the collar of his clothes and threw him. He flew through the air and crashed into the cliff wall, dust falling around him.

    Realizing his two friends had been defeated in the blink of an eye, the red-haired guy¡¯s eyes widened, and his feet trembled. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. This was all Mo Yan¡¯s idea! Please spare me!¡± He knelt and began kowtowing.

    ¡°Then go get your friends and leave. If I see you again, I won¡¯t spare you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, senior! I, Pu He, won¡¯t forget your mercy and will lead a righteous life from now on!¡± Pu He scrambled to retrieve his two friends. Despite being pale and skinny, he was still a cultivator and could carry both friends on his shoulders.

    ¡°Oh right, Pu He,¡± Liu Xing called out.

    Pu He stiffened and turned around. ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    ¡°Do you know where the swamp area is?¡±

    ¡°Of course! After you reach Skull Hill, just go north; the swamp is there!¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±

    Pu He turned and started running, carrying his two unconscious friends.

    After they disappeared, Liu Xing turned and started running. He had considered killing the robbers, but decided against it. After all, he was unharmed, and he believed he had demonstrated enough power to deter them from bothering him again.

    ¡°Spirit beasts, come to me!¡± he shouted with anticipation, already forgetting about the robbers.

    Now that he knew the direction he needed to go, Liu Xing could finally begin his hunt.

    <hr>

    After running for several hours, Liu Xing finally arrived at Dragon Skull Forest and was immediately struck by the bizarre surroundings.

    The outskirts of the forest had been normal, but here, the surroundings were bizarre. Mushrooms grew everywhere: tiny ones beside the path, others clinging to trees, and giant ones as big as houses dotted the landscape. They displayed a kaleidoscope of colors¡ªyellow and white, brown and red, purple, pink, and countless other combinations. The sight made Liu Xing feel as if he had stepped into a wonderland.

    After gawking for a moment, Liu Xing jumped from the ground onto the cap of a mushroom the size of a truck. When his feet landed, it felt surprisingly soft, like stepping onto soft ground, yet it didn¡¯t make him bounce like a rubber ball.

    Liu Xing felt a pang of disappointment. Giant mushrooms should make him bounce like a trampoline!

    After testing several mushrooms, Liu Xing decided to get serious about his mission.

    He moved swiftly from mushroom cap to branch to ground, heading directly toward Skull Hill.

    He jumped quickly, but not with the blurring speed of the Lightning Cloak. He needed to remain alert for spirit beasts, which was impossible if his vision was a blur.

    After moving for almost half an hour, Liu Xing suddenly felt a prickling sensation of qi around him. Sensing this, he closed his eyes and focused, trying to perceive the qi more clearly. The ambient qi in the area was abundant, but amidst it, Liu Xing sensed a strong, focused presence several hundred meters ahead. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint the spirit beast¡¯s exact location, but he was certain it possessed a cultivation stage above his own, perhaps around the sixth or seventh stage.

    Opening his eyes, Liu Xing summoned his gun and pointed it in the direction of the spirit beast. The gun became invisible, and he willed the invisibility to extend to his own body.

    This invisibility was designed to activate only when he sensed danger, but it seemed he didn¡¯t need to directly target an enemy to trigger it; pointing in the general direction sufficed.

    Fully invisible, Liu Xing moved silently, leaping from branch to branch, mushroom cap to bush, until he finally crouched behind a large rock.

    Liu Xing sensed the spirit beast¡¯s presence moving slowly toward him, like a lioness stalking its prey. The spirit beast had likely sensed his qi, but when his presence vanished, it began approaching cautiously, explaining its slow advance. This indicated intelligence. He hoped it wasn''t too intelligent, because while Liu Xing sometimes desired to test his strength, in this situation, he preferred to act like an assassin and eliminate the threat silently.

    After several more minutes, Liu Xing finally saw his opponent, and he immediately needed to reassess his initial evaluation.

    The spirit beast that bulldozed everything in its path was a massive black turtle, as large as a house. Each step it took made the ground vibrate, branches sway, and some of the smaller mushrooms shrink into the earth.

    The turtle possessed a menacing face with bloodshot eyes, saber-like fangs, and a long horn that extended dozens of meters from its head. Its brown shell was itself a giant mushroom, from which red, tentacle-like worms extended and wiggled in the air.

    Seeing this bizarre turtle, Liu Xing gulped. Its eyes scanned the surroundings with the keenness of an eagle, and the tentacles seemed to act as antennae, detecting vibrations in the air.

    Liu Xing held his breath and aimed from behind the rock. The creature appeared immensely powerful. As a turtle, it likely possessed high defense, but given its mushroom-worm hybrid shell, there was a chance it was softer than it seemed. Despite its size and strength, he estimated it was still within the Lock Opening realm, probably at the peak of the sixth stage.

    The tip of Liu Xing¡¯s gun wavered, pointing at its head, then shifting to aim at the mushroom shell, and then back to its head again.

    Liu Xing didn¡¯t know the turtle¡¯s weakness. He regretted not having taken the time to check the library and read a bestiary. Had he done so, he might have known this spirit beast¡¯s vulnerabilities. Still, there was no point in dwelling on what he couldn¡¯t change. He needed to adapt to the situation or brute force his way through it.

    Liu Xing cycled his qi, channeling it to the pattern of his Exploding Fist Technique. He didn''t dare to hold back. He poured as much qi as possible into the technique, then activated it, allowing the gun to absorb and convert it into a bullet.

    Aiming at the turtle¡¯s head, Liu Xing pulled the trigger. A blue bolt of electricity shot towards its target. The qi surrounding the bullet was so dense that both the turtle and the worms on its shell snapped their heads in Liu Xing¡¯s direction.

    As the turtle opened its mouth, a blue fireball seed materialized within. Seeing this, Liu Xing realized the turtle possessed a breath-based attack. But before the fire seed could coalesce into fire breath, his bullet struck dead center in its mouth, impacting the turtle¡¯s jagged tongue, and then detonated.

 17 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (3)

    The explosion unleashed a powerful shockwave that made Liu Xing¡¯s ears ring. Mushrooms, trees, and boulders shattered and scattered. A thick cloud of dust billowed around the turtle.

    As the dust settled, Liu Xing saw the turtle¡¯s lower jaw was obliterated. Blood surged from the wound, creating a small, crimson waterfall. The turtle¡¯s red eyes locked onto him, and all the worms turned their heads in his direction. Each worm conjured a blue flame before its mouth and launched it at him.

    Liu Xing leaped from behind the rock and landed on a mushroom. The rock he had just used for cover exploded into smithereens, leaving a scorched black mark in its place.

    Witnessing the attack, Liu Xing realized its power. He knew that if all twenty fireballs struck him at once, he would be incinerated.

    Liu Xing re-aimed his gun at the turtle¡¯s head and saw the wound he had inflicted bubbling. Worms emerged, writhing and solidifying into a new jaw.

    ¡°So, this turtle can regenerate,¡± he muttered.

    Liu Xing fired again, blasting away its newly formed jaw. The worms retaliated, firing at his previous position, but Liu Xing had already leaped and taken cover behind a giant tree.

    Observing the turtle regenerate again, Liu Xing felt confident he held the advantage. The turtle couldn¡¯t pinpoint his location, making its attacks purely reactive. As long as Liu Xing kept dodging, which he found relatively easy, he knew victory would eventually be his.

    Liu Xing then targeted the mushroom on its back. He channeled Exploding Fist and fired. The mushroom erupted in a shower of fragments.

    When the smoke cleared, the worms within the mushroom were exposed. Thousands of worms writhed on the turtle¡¯s back. The sight of the slimy, disgusting creatures made Liu Xing¡¯s stomach churn. If he hadn¡¯t known the turtle regenerated using these worms, he would have assumed they were parasites.

    Liu Xing fired another shot and then leaped to a higher branch. As the bullet detonated, the turtle unleashed a blue laser towards his previous hiding spot. It seemed this turtle-worm hybrid wasn¡¯t particularly intelligent. Against Liu Xing, it was essentially defenseless.

    Liu Xing continued to bombard the spirit beast, and with the next Exploding Fist Bullet, the turtle¡¯s head finally exploded. Red blood gushed from its neck like a crimson waterfall. The turtle¡¯s back, once teeming with worms, now caved in, revealing its innards, bones, and digestive system.

    Hidden within a bush, Liu Xing waited. When no regeneration occurred, he realized the turtle was dead.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Liu Xing couldn¡¯t suppress a grin.

    He examined his gun. Six faintly glowing green strips appeared on its side, indicating the beast core¡¯s successful absorption. Seeing this, Liu Xing¡¯s confidence surged. If he could defeat a giant turtle with a higher cultivation level, he felt capable of facing any spirit beast.

    ¡°Time to cultivate!¡± He found a secluded hollow, settled into a cross-legged position, and began to absorb the energy. This energy wouldn¡¯t instantly propel him to a breakthrough, but the gains would still be significant. Liu Xing chuckled, eager to fully absorb the energy from his gun, resume his hunt, and break through to the sixth stage.

    <hr>

    Far on the outskirts of Dragon Skull Forest, Pu He lamented his fate. He had been a member of the Illustrious Peaks Sect, a minor sect affiliated with the Heavenly Thunder Sect. Most nights, Pu He dwelled on his past choices. If he hadn¡¯t been so greedy, hadn¡¯t schemed against an elder, and hadn¡¯t slept with the elder¡¯s daughter, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have become a rogue cultivator with no prospects. He wouldn¡¯t have ended up as an accomplice to Mo Yan and Han Zong, robbing unsuspecting travelers.

    Seeing his two friends still unconscious on the ground, he sighed. His vow to the Purple Moon Sect disciple had been merely a desperate attempt to save his life, but as he fled, he actually began to consider it seriously.Stolen novel; please report.

    With his cultivation at the fourth stage of the Lock Opening realm, he had limited options if he wanted to live honorably. The most viable paths were to become a bodyguard, work in a small auction house, or start a modest business. None of these options would lead to power or great wealth.

    The idea of simply settling down was something the ambitious Pu He had always rejected. After all, he had been the most talented cultivator from his village. He harbored dreams of becoming an Immortal, yet, looking at his current predicament, settling down might be his best option. He was, after all, a robber, and he had never heard of a robber who lived a long, prosperous, and happy life.

    ¡°Perhaps living an honorable life is the better path. Maybe I can alter my appearance, travel to another country, and begin anew.¡± He didn¡¯t yet know the specifics, but it felt like he was turning a new page in his life. Perhaps his near-death experience at the hands of the Purple Moon Sect disciple was a blessing in disguise.

    ¡°Alright, I, Pu He, will uphold my vow to you!¡± He hoped he would find happiness in this new chapter of his life. Glancing at his still unconscious friends, he sighed again. Mo Yan and Han Zong wouldn¡¯t be pleased with his decision, but Pu He believed they would ultimately understand and let him go.

    He sat beneath a tree and attempted to cultivate while waiting for his friends to awaken. After about an hour, Mo Yan and Han Zong finally stirred.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Mo Yan asked, groggily.

    ¡°We were beaten,¡± Pu He replied. ¡°Luckily, the person we tried to rob was merciful. He let us go.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, what a naive fool!¡± Mo Yan scoffed. ¡°If it were me, I would have killed those robbers and taken everything they possessed!¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re fortunate that he wasn¡¯t you,¡± Han Zong quipped, gingerly touching his head.

    Mo Yan glared at Han Zong as if he had uttered a grave offense. Indeed, if a weak cultivator dared to rob Mo Yan, he would undoubtedly kill them and loot their corpse.

    ¡°Mo Yan, Han Zong,¡± Pu He began, his voice hesitant, ¡°I think I want to stop robbing people.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mo Yan demanded. ¡°Are you planning to betray us? What about our vow to always be brothers, to support each other?¡± Han Zong nodded in agreement with Mo Yan¡¯s outburst.

    Pu He then poured out his heart. He spoke of leaving his village with cheers and pride, of his regret over scheming against an elder and deceiving the elder¡¯s daughter, of his despair regarding his current situation, and of the hollowness he felt even after successful robberies. He described waking up at night, drinking foul liquor, and questioning the ultimate purpose of his life.

    Mo Yan and Han Zong listened in silence. Their expressions revealed they shared similar thoughts. After all, no one truly aspired to become a robber. After a long silence, nearly half an hour, Mo Yan finally nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mo Yan conceded. ¡°You deserve to find peace and happiness. I respect your decision. I won¡¯t stop you. What about you, Han Zong?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re my friend, Pu He,¡± Han Zong replied. ¡°What kind of friend would I be if I stood in the way of your happiness?¡± Han Zong offered a genuine smile.

    Seeing his two friends accept his decision, Pu He couldn¡¯t help but smile in relief. They came from vastly different backgrounds, yet their friendship had grown so deep that Pu He felt as if he had known them since childhood.

    ¡°Although,¡± Mo Yan interjected, ¡°could you postpone your retirement? Just for one more robbery? We still have some debts to settle, after all.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Han Zong chimed in. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate your retirement with one last, successful haul!¡±

    Pu He hesitated for a moment. He had already vowed to live an honorable life, but perhaps, just one more robbery wouldn¡¯t compromise his newfound resolve. ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed, ¡°this will be my last. Successful or not, I¡¯m leaving after this.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, it¡¯s settled then! Let¡¯s rob!¡±

    After their discussion, the trio moved towards another entrance to Dragon Skull Forest. They concealed themselves behind a massive tree near a rope bridge. The bridge spanned a dizzying chasm between two cliffs, hundreds of meters above the river below. While a fall from such a height wouldn¡¯t be fatal for a cultivator, the experience would be¡­ highly undesirable.

    They waited for hours, and as the sun began to set, a figure in tattered rags appeared on the bridge. His skin was so pale he resembled a walking corpse, and he was so gaunt he looked almost skeletal. He walked with a slow, pronounced limp, dragging a visibly rotten right foot.

    ¡°There¡¯s a man crossing the bridge. Should we rob him?¡± Pu He whispered.

    Han Zong scoffed, ¡°That guy looks like a dying beggar. What could we possibly get from robbing him?¡±

    ¡°Should we just let him pass then?¡± Pu He questioned.

    ¡°No,¡± Mo Yan stated firmly, ¡°he may look like a dying beggar, but he¡¯s still a cultivator. Perhaps he cultivates some unique method that causes him to appear this way. There¡¯s a chance he¡¯s concealing his wealth. Let¡¯s rob him.¡±

    Pu He and Han Zong nodded. They trusted Mo Yan¡¯s instincts. While he had misjudged the Purple Moon Sect disciple, his hunches were usually accurate. The three of them tried to appear nonchalant, and when the man finally reached the end of the bridge, they blocked his path. Mo Yan, as was his custom, greeted the man and attempted to extort a toll from this emaciated and pale figure. Even Pu He looked healthier by comparison. After Mo Yan finished speaking, the man smirked.

 18 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (4)

    "Why are you smirking? As I said, if you want to enter Dragon Skull Forest, you need to pay the fee."

    "Alright, alright. I''m dead, not deaf. Here, catch."

    The man threw a black purse, which Mo Yan caught. Opening it, Mo Yan saw nothing inside.

    "Don''t mess with us!" Mo Yan shouted.

    "Hehe." The skinny man let out a creepy laugh and then abruptly dropped to the ground, as if suffering a heart attack, appearing lifeless.

    The three stood in silence for several moments. Then, Han Zong approached the man lying on the ground. He nudged the man with his foot, flipping him over like a discarded corpse.

    "This man is really dead," Han Zong stated.

    Pu He wondered if this was another omen.

    "Check if there¡¯s anything valuable on him."

    "Alright." Han Zong began to search the body but found nothing. The man was even more destitute than they were.

    Mo Yan sighed. "Just our luck. To think we actually tried to rob a dying beggar. Han Zong, throw¡ª"

    Mo Yan suddenly stopped talking. His eyes glazed over, and his body stiffened.

    "Mo Yan, are you alright?" Pu He asked.

    Mo Yan blinked several times and then nodded. "I¡¯m alright. My mind just went blank for a second. Anyway, Han Zong, throw that corpse into the water below."

    Han Zong nodded, hoisting the corpse onto his shoulder. He then tossed it off the cliff.

    "Pu He, I know you said you want to retire, but can you do us a favor and not count that one?"

    Pu He considered it for a moment and then nodded. The man had dropped dead before they had even done anything.

    "Alright."

    "Okay, let''s hide again then."

    The three of them retreated behind the tree. They waited, talking idly, when a girl walked across the bridge.

    Seeing her, Pu He felt as if lightning had struck him. She wore a purple robe that accentuated her pale, flawless skin. Her hair was long and silky, and her eyes were blue jewels, the finest he had ever seen in this life or any other. For a moment, his heart fluttered, but he then realized her robe resembled that of the young man who had let them go, indicating she was likely from the same sect.

    "Mo Yan, I think robbing her is a bad idea," Pu He said.

    When he received no response from Mo Yan, he glanced at him. Mo Yan''s expression was starstruck, his eyes gleaming, and a trail of disgusting drool ran down his chin. Then, like a rabid animal, he charged toward the girl like a dog in heat.

    "Mo Yan!" Pu He shouted.

    Mo Yan was usually composed, but Pu He recognized something was different this time.

    "Han Zong, Mo Yan is in danger."The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "I know! We need to stop him before that girl gets offended and kills us all."

    Pu He nodded. After all, only a fraction of cultivators showed mercy. The rest wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill anyone who dared to offend them. While the girl was undeniably beautiful, Pu He also knew she was dangerous.

    Both of them sprinted toward Mo Yan. Han Zong leaped and struck Mo Yan in the back, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

    The girl stared at him, and Pu He immediately knelt. "I''m sorry, senior sister! My friend is unwell. Please have mercy and don¡¯t be offended!"

    After regarding him as if he were some kind of insect, the girl resumed walking. Her eyes didn¡¯t even register the two figures wrestling on the ground. Soon, she disappeared into the trees, and Pu He turned to help Han Zong, who was still struggling with Mo Yan.

    As they attempted to restrain Mo Yan, Pu He wondered what was happening to him. He fought clumsily, without technique or style, like a wild animal. Mo Yan was usually a calm and collected man. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t lose control simply because of a woman.

    "Calm yourself, brother Mo Yan," Pu He pleaded.

    Mo Yan growled like a dog.

    As he and Han Zong continued to subdue Mo Yan, Pu He couldn''t help but wonder if this was karma for breaking his vow to the earlier man.

    <hr>

    In Dragon Skull Forest, near Skull Hill, a medium-sized waterfall cascaded down. Inside, concealed behind the curtain of falling water, crouched Liu Xing.

    He was fully invisible, his gaze fixed on a spirit beast that was feasting. The creature had the lower body of a fish, the wings of a wasp, the upper body of a human, and a head resembling an octopus, but with large, fly-like eyes. It was happily devouring the entrails of a hapless cultivator. Red and yellow fluids stained its two razor-sharp fangs.

    If Liu Xing¡¯s instincts were correct, this spirit beast was at the Lock Opening sixth stage, stronger than him, but still beatable.

    The only reason Liu Xing hadn¡¯t already shot the spirit beast was because of a peculiar ability it possessed that affected him. Liu Xing felt an inexplicable connection to the spirit beast, as if it were his mother. He felt love, respect, and a deep desire to please it.

    Logically, Liu Xing knew it was not his mother; it was merely a spirit beast. He was aware that his mind was being manipulated by its strange ability. Yet, his heart told a different story. It was like knowing the sky was blue but simultaneously believing it was black.

    Even now, Liu Xing struggled to maintain his position with sheer willpower. His body urged him to jump out, to greet and embrace the creature. Resisting was incredibly difficult.

    Realizing his mind was under attack, Liu Xing inhaled deeply and focused. While this mental assault was terrifying, the very fact that he recognized it as manipulation gave him hope that the ability could be broken. This was likely a support-type ability designed to confuse opponents in combat.

    Still, Liu Xing held an advantage. The spirit beast presented its back to him, and all he needed to do was pull the trigger and obliterate the beast in a spray of gore.

    Calming his mind, Liu Xing attempted to drown out his heart with logic.

    "It''s not your mother. It''s just a spirit beast."

    Liu Xing repeated the mantra in his mind, again and again, trying to break free from the creature''s influence.

    After several moments, Liu Xing felt the ability begin to loosen its grip. His mind started to accept the undeniable truth: this spirit beast, gleefully munching on innards, could not possibly be his mother.

    When the creature began to chew on an eyeball of the unfortunate cultivator, Liu Xing summoned enough will to pull the trigger.

    The bullet, infused with Exploding Fist, flew through the water and hurtled toward the back of the creature¡¯s head. Upon impact, the head exploded into smithereens, and a shower of blood rained into the river, staining the water crimson.

    Liu Xing felt a pang of heartache, as if he had committed a heinous act. But then, the sensation vanished, and he felt like a drowning man finally breaking the surface for air.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply, feeling the mind control dissipate like smoke.

    "Such a terrifying ability," Liu Xing muttered.

    Mind control techniques and abilities were supposedly rare, and this encounter reinforced for Liu Xing that even with his powerful gun, victory was never guaranteed. Sometimes, people perished not from lack of power, but from ignorance or lack of wisdom.

    This battle had presented a different kind of challenge, yet Liu Xing smiled. Glancing at his gun, he noticed six green strips glowing faintly on its side.

    Recognizing the waterfall as an ideal hiding spot, Liu Xing began to absorb energy into his gun.

    In his consciousness, a constant flow of qi filled the lock. By his estimation, once he had absorbed the energy from all six bullets, his sixth lock would be half full. This meant Liu Xing only needed to defeat five more spirit beasts of at least the sixth stage to advance to the sixth stage¡ªa seemingly unbelievable prospect, considering the difficulty he had faced advancing from the fourth to the fifth stage.

    Once again, Liu Xing was reminded of just how potent his gun truly was.

 19 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (5)

Were they chasing Mo Yan into Dragon Skull Forest? he wondered.

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    He should just retire, Liu Xing thought.

 20 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (6)

    In his past life, Liu Xing had lived in a city plagued by severe air pollution, where stars were rarely visible. He had gone camping once or twice in less polluted areas, but he had never witnessed such a breathtaking display of stars. The sky was a canvas filled with shimmering lights, resembling pearls scattered across a dark ocean. He knew nothing of star constellations, yet he couldn''t help but wonder how people connected the celestial dots to form recognizable shapes.

    "Probably just some bored guy like me," Liu Xing muttered to himself. He wondered if this world existed in the same universe as Earth. If he were to become immortal and travel among the stars, would he eventually find his way back to Earth?

    Liu Xing doubted the possibility. Surely, if cultivators could reach Earth, someone from this world would have already done so and claimed it for themselves.

    As Liu Xing pondered these random thoughts, he heard a rustling sound and snapped his head toward the noise. In a bush not far from his mushroom shelter, a snake lay coiled, its eyes as red as blood and its scales as dark as night.

    When Liu Xing realized the snake emitted black smoke, just like Mo Yan, he stood up and began cycling his qi. He doubted the snake¡¯s appearance was merely a coincidence.

    While Liu Xing observed the snake, Mo Yan suddenly leapt from inside the mushroom, launching himself like a wolf pouncing on its prey.

    Despite emitting black smoke, the snake was not a spirit beast, but just a normal animal. It couldn¡¯t react quickly enough as Mo Yan grabbed its head and ripped it apart, splitting the creature in two.

    Mo Yan promptly began devouring the snake, eating it like a starving man slurping noodles. His eyes were bloodshot red, blood streamed down his chin, and with the dark smoke growing denser around him and his breath forming white mist in the cool air, he looked terrifying, like a demon ripped straight from a nightmare.

    "What¡¯s happening? What¡¯s happening?" Pu He called out from inside the mushroom.

    "Where¡¯s Mo Yan?" Han Zhong shouted.

    "He¡¯s outside," Liu Xing responded.

    The three of them watched in stunned silence as Mo Yan devoured the snake like a madman consuming the most exquisite meal imaginable.

    "That snake Mo Yan is eating is also emitting black smoke," Liu Xing observed. "Pu He, did Mo Yan ever attack or eat another animal while you were chasing him?"

    "No, he just ran around, trying to chase Senior Sister Yan Yu," Pu He replied. "He never attacked anything, let alone eat something so savagely like this."

    "We should stop him," Han Zhong declared.

    Liu Xing nodded, cycling his qi and jumping from the top of the mushroom, readying himself to summon his gun as he landed near the bush. His heart beat faster, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

    While Mo Yan devoured the snake, the black smoke became so dense it obscured Liu Xing¡¯s vision. He was certain Mo Yan¡¯s body was undergoing a transformation. Where once Liu Xing could have easily defeated him, he no longer dared to underestimate him.

    Liu Xing took a step, then two, then three. Sensing the rising danger, he summoned his gun, cloaking it in invisibility.

    When they were mere meters apart, Mo Yan suddenly snapped his head toward Liu Xing.

    His blood-red eyes locked onto Liu Xing¡¯s, and then Mo Yan smiled, a genuine smile, like a child receiving the most wonderful gift. The blood staining his face, his clothes, and the ground around him made him look like a demon risen from a nightmare.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "Thank you for your help," Mo Yan said, glancing at Pu He, Han Zhong, and then at Liu Xing. "Without the three of you, I don¡¯t know what would have happened to this body. My technique is perfect if used in a good vessel, but this body is trash. The side effects of my technique make this vessel too wild, and most of the time, even when I successfully control a new body, it¡¯s already damaged. But who would have known I¡¯d stumble upon another of my vessels right here and right now? It seems Heaven favors me!"

    He burst into laughter, a deep, scratchy sound that was a stark contrast to the voice of the man who had tried to rob Liu Xing. Even as Mo Yan continued laughing, a chilling conclusion formed in Liu Xing¡¯s mind: Mo Yan¡¯s body was possessed by something, something undeniably dangerous.

    "Who are you, and what is this darkness surrounding you?" Liu Xing demanded.

    "Who I am is none of your concern, and the darkness is none of your business either. Still, the three of you have been instrumental in securing my new body, even if it is trash. So, I¡¯ll let you live. Goodbye."

    With that, he jumped into the night sky. His leap was so powerful it cracked and broke the ground beneath him. Moments later, Mo Yan halted mid-air, gravity beginning to pull him down, but then his body transformed into black smoke. The black smoke was now incredibly dark and dense against the backdrop of the star-filled sky. It took the form of a cloud and moved with such speed it appeared to be driven by a fierce wind.

    "Mo Yan!" Pu He shouted after him.

    "Damn it, what¡¯s happening now? Why was Mo Yan speaking like that? Why did he suddenly disappear?" Han Zhong exclaimed.

    "He¡¯s possessed by someone," Liu Xing stated.

    Watching the smoke vanish¡ªno, that darkness vanish¡ªLiu Xing felt his heart race. Whatever that thing was, he couldn¡¯t ignore it. There was a distinct possibility it was the darkness Nui had warned him about, and even if it wasn¡¯t, Liu Xing needed to confront it, to know for sure.

    "I¡¯ll go catch him," Liu Xing declared. "You two can head back or try to follow."

    Liu Xing activated the Lightning Cloak, electricity coursing through his body. He kicked off the ground, shooting himself toward a large branch. The world blurred around him, but Liu Xing knew precisely where the branch was. He landed on it, kicked off again¡ªthe branch exploding under the force and propelling him forward.

    Though the darkness was fast, Liu Xing felt confident he could pursue it. He jumped from branch to mushroom to branch, zigzagging through the trees and giant mushrooms like a streak of purplish-blue lightning.

    As he moved, Liu Xing deeply pondered the being that had possessed Mo Yan. While he didn¡¯t have the whole picture, Liu Xing realized the being was a cultivator who practiced a peculiar cultivation technique. What was certain was that it possessed bodies and moved from vessel to vessel.

    Pu He and Han Zhong had mentioned that Mo Yan seemed to be chasing Yan Yu but had moved in strange directions, as if searching for something¡ªand that conjecture now seemed accurate. He had likely been searching for that snake with the black mist, and upon finding it, had devoured it and absorbed the darkness.

    From this information, Liu Xing understood that this cultivator¡¯s goal was likely to reclaim his body and power. To do so, he had probably been seeking another of his vessels so he could devour the darkness and recover¡ªor, since Mo Yan¡¯s body was considered trash, he might be seeking a better vessel. Perhaps both.

    Whether Liu Xing was right or wrong, one thing was certain: he needed to catch this being to learn more about the darkness. He hoped it was merely a unique cultivation method and not something terrible that could threaten this world, or even others.

    Liu Xing continued jumping and running, and after a while, he finally began to close the distance to the black cloud. The cloud flew swiftly above the forest canopy, remaining distinct even amidst the blur of his speed.

    Liu Xing aimed his gun at the black cloud and, without hesitation, pulled the trigger repeatedly.

    Six bullets flew toward the black cloud. These were standard, transparent projectiles. When the bullets struck the black cloud, they passed right through it. They created momentary holes, but these closed almost immediately.

    "Interesting technique or treasure," the voice taunted, "but you¡¯re dumb if you think you can shoot a cloud!"

    Liu Xing¡¯s lips tightened into a thin line. He reloaded his gun, infused the bullets with Explosion Fist energy, and fired again. When the bullets struck the cloud, Liu Xing expected explosions, but they only created temporary holes that quickly closed. Moments later, the faint sound of six distant explosions echoed through the forest.

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you that you can¡¯t shoot me?" the voice taunted mockingly.

    Hearing the taunt, Liu Xing calmed his mind. He realized the voice was right¡ªhe couldn¡¯t shoot or punch a cloud. The only way to capture mist was to imprison it, whether with a treasure or a specialized technique, and Liu Xing possessed neither.

    "Damn it, he¡¯s a bad matchup for me," Liu Xing muttered.

    Still, he had to capture this being. Liu Xing felt a strong premonition that if he allowed it to escape, something terrible would happen in the future. He needed to find a solution, and brute force seemed like his only option.

    "I need to try everything I can and hope something works."

 21 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (7)

    Knowing his gun was ineffective, Liu Xing cycled his qi and activated his Lightning Palm Technique. The gun absorbed the technique, and he reabsorbed the energy, his hand now coated in lightning, crackling with arcs of electricity. He created a long blade of lightning in his hand and swung it. The lightning blade cleaved through the black cloud, splitting it in two, but the halves quickly merged again.

    The mocking laughter reverberated again, but he ignored it and tried a different approach. Instead of slashing, he focused on concentrating qi into the tip of the blade, creating a long hammer. When he swung the lightning hammer at the cloud, it split in two again, creating a wider gap. However, the cloud reformed almost instantly.

    "Such a foolish youth. If I were my former self, you would already be dead. But I am different now. I am more merciful, so just leave and don''t bother me!"

    The black cloud sped up. He looked ahead and realized Skull Hill was nearby. He suspected something was there, and the black cloud''s last comment, while condescending, actually conveyed a hint of wariness, which in turn made him think that perhaps his attack had worked. Why else would it tell him to leave?

    He slashed again and again. The black cloud split momentarily, only to reform immediately.

    "You are a stubborn one. I like it! That''s why I will tell you where my stash of treasures is. One of my treasures is a lightning rod that enhances lightning attacks. If you leave, I will tell you where it is."

    Liu Xing heard desperation in the voice, but he remained calm and focused. The words were a confirmation that his attacks were actually working, but there was also the chance that he was trying to deceive him into believing they were effective, to prevent him from trying something else.

    After a moment of repeated slashing, the truth became clear. He noticed the pitch-black cloud was slowly shrinking¡ªnot dramatically, just about five centimeters, but it was noticeable. His blade was indeed wearing down the cloud.Seeing a chance to defeat it, Liu Xing grinned. The lightning blade was working but not effective for destroying the cloud because of its thin area of attack. He needed something larger, and luckily, he knew of something bigger that could be coated in lightning¡ªhimself.

    Running across the ground, he concentrated and spread the Lightning Palm Technique from his hand to his entire body, layering the Lightning Cloak and Lightning Palm techniques together.

    "Finally giving up? Good, good, good!"

    "I''m not giving up," Liu Xing retorted. Then, he kicked off the ground and shot toward the black cloud like a cannonball. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of the black cloud and collided with it with his entire body. Up close, he saw parts of the cloud tried to move away, but some could not escape and disintegrated upon contact. After passing through it, he landed on the ground, quickly turned around, and slammed into the cloud again with his body. He repeated this several more times, and each time he hit it, the black cloud shrank even more.

    The cloud growled, but he continued his relentless assault. Initially the size of a large car, the cloud had now shrunk to the size of a large man.

    ¡°Insolent! Die!¡± the cloud roared. It formed a black arrow as thick as his arm and shot toward him with incredible speed, creating a loud whistling sound.

    Surprised, Liu Xing''s eyes widened. Although he had expected attacks, he hadn''t expected a projectile. Since he was currently in the air, he could not dodge. With no choice, he gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, and punched at the incoming arrow. It pierced his knuckles before exploding into black smoke. Another arrow followed swiftly. Reacting quickly, he concentrated his qi into his Lightning Palm Technique, forming a lightning blade which he used to slash and destroy the arrow mid-flight.

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    He struck the cloud again, causing it to growl, and then landed on the ground before turning around and prepared to jump again, only to find five more black arrows hurtling towards him. Opting to stand his ground, he slashed at each arrow, detonating them into black smoke mid air. Now reduced to the size of a large barrel, the cloud accelerated toward Skull Hill. Liu Xing, delayed by destroying the arrows, found the distance between them had increased.

    He sprinted after the shrinking cloud, seeing a clear path uphill ahead. Channeling more qi into his Lightning Cloak Technique, he kicked off the ground, creating a crater where he jumped, and shot at the cloud with his right arm still crackling with lightning. As he approached, Liu Xing extended his arm towards the cloud, intending to sear it with his Lightning Palm. But the cloud suddenly stopped and transformed back into Mo Yan and launched a fist attack..

    Wide-eyed, Liu Xing was unable to dodge in time. Mo Yan''s fist struck his stomach, stopping his momentum and causing him to spit blood. Spinning in the air, Mo Yan followed up with an axe kick to his shoulder, sending him crashing down like a meteor. He landed with a thud in a clearing at the top of Skull Hill, where a tree with black leaves stood in the middle and a skeleton with a black skull in a weathered white lean into it.

    "You are an annoying bastard!" Mo Yan shouted as he descended with another axe kick aimed at him.

    Reacting quickly, Liu Xing jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding an attack that shook the ground. He realized he had arrived at a critical moment in the battle. They were probably at a special place, and the black cloud transforming back into Mo Yan gave him a chance to strike him back.

    Mo Yan lunged, and seeing this, Liu Xing dodge to the side. With the Lightning Cloak still shrouding him, he retained an advantage in this fight. He then bounced around like a rubber ball, trying to confuse Mo Yan and seeking an opportunity to attack.

    "Hmph! What cowardly movements! If you dare, fight me face to face like a true cultivator! Then I, Ji Dongyang, would ensure you die painlessly!"

    Ji Dongyang sneered as Liu Xing ignored him and continued his evasive maneuvers. He activated his invisibility and disappeared from Ji Dongyang''s sight, leaving only silence where crackling blue lightning had danced moments before. He stopped bouncing and positioned himself behind a tree, gun aimed at the back of Mo Yan''s head.

    "Impressive technique. Even I, a former Sun Collapsing cultivator cannot sense you. But it is a cowardly technique." Ji Dongyang sneered, but his disparaging words did not affect Liu Xing. Stealth was a legitimate tactic, especially against a former Sun Collapsing cultivator like Ji Dongyang, who would have been revered as an elder in the Purple Moon Sect.

    Liu Xing infused his bullet with the Lightning Palm Technique. Despite Ji Dongyang''s former strength, which was now limited to Mo Yan''s body, he was confident that he could win this battle. Under the moonlight, with the wind rustling the grass and leaves, he aimed his gun toward his intended target and pulled the trigger.

    As a lightning bolt shot through the air, Ji Dongyang immediately turned around and gathered black cloud in his hands to intercept the bullet.

    "There you are!" Ji Dongyang exclaimed, the black cloud transformed into a claw-like appendage. He swung it, sending a crescent of darkness that destroyed the bolt and then hurtling toward him.

    Reacting swiftly, Liu Xing leaped onto a low branch, but as he landed, Ji Dongyang adjusted his aim and launched another attack crescent of darkness. Liu Xing evaded again as he fired several exploding bullets mid-air, but Ji Dongyang deflected the exploding bullets with his dark claw, creating a deafening shockwave that shook the trees and stirred up a cloud of dust.

    "You waste my time and energy. Why don''t you just give up?" Ji Dongyang mocked.

    Liu Xing remained silent. Words were unnecessary.

    "If you seek death, so be it. Your cowardice will not save you," Ji Dongyang declared, darkness swirling around him before seeping into his body. Mo Yan''s muscles began to bulge, dark veins crawled under his skin, his eyes turned completely black, and his ears expanded to become as big as elephant ears.

    "Tch, even with this transformation, I still cannot sense you. What an annoying technique," Ji Dongyang grumbled, knowing any movement from Liu Xing would betray his location.

    Several tense moments passed as the two fighters stood in silence. Realizing that this was going to be a tough fight, he weighed several attack options. He could use bullets infused with lightning palm, unleash a powerful lightning blade strike, or even bombard Ji Dongyang with explosive bullets. Each move carried risks, and none of them guaranteed a quick victory.

 22 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (8)

    "If you won''t show yourself, then I''ll proceed with my plan!"

    Raising his right arm shrouded in darkness, Ji Dongyang''s right hand moved swiftly. His target wasn''t Liu Xing, but his own heart.

    Liu Xing''s eyes widened in disbelief. What was Ji Dongyang planning? Why would he try to kill his host? It looked like suicide, but why? Then, understanding struck his mind. Ji Dongyang now stood only meters away from the black skeleton and the tree with black leaves. His mind linked Ji Dongyang¡¯s actions to the skeleton and the tree, and the first thing that came to his mind was ritual and sacrifice. Although he didn''t know Ji Dongyang''s exact goal, he understood he had to stop Ji Dongyang from killing Mo Yan and completing whatever plan he had!

    Liu Xing kicked off the ground with all his strength and moved like lightning. He swung his hand, forming a lightning blade aimed at Ji Dongyang''s arm as it descended towards Mo Yan''s heart. In the blink of an eye, he  arrived in front of Ji Dongyang. His lightning blade slashed through Ji Dongyang''s right arm as easily as a sharp blade cut tofu. The severed limb flew into the air, blood spraying¡ªsome landing on Liu Xing''s invisible form, some on the grass, and some on the black skeleton.

    "Do you want treasures?" Ji Dongyang asked with a smile.

    Mo Yan¡¯s muscles suddenly began to shrink. Black veins receded, his red eyes turned black once more, and his large ears shrank back to normal size. Black smoke suddenly surged from his mouth and ears, then flowed into Mo Yan''s still-falling arm. The arm became so black it seemed to absorb all light. Then, Mo Yan¡¯s arm emitted a blinding blue light. For a moment, Liu Xing thought the arm would explode and kill him, but when the blue light faded and he remained unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    "See you on the other side," Ji Dongyang said, before Mo Yan''s body collapsed. Liu Xing caught him and jumped back several paces. Holding Mo Yan, he tilted his head and observed a blue circle that had appeared after Mo Yan''s arm exploded. This circle floated several meters in the air, and inside it, swirling currents converged at the center, creating a blue vortex. He had never seen anything like this before, but he recognized the entrance to a pocket dimension when he saw one.

    He laid Mo Yan''s body on the ground and tried to understand what had just happened. He hadn''t grasped the whole picture, but it seemed Ji Dongyang''s goal in possessing Mo Yan''s body was to create this portal. But why? Liu Xing pinched his chin, his mind trying to make sense of what happened.

    Just before Mo Yan''s arm exploded, it had emitted a dazzling light that probably lit up Skull Hill. Cultivators from all over the forest would flock to this place like moths to a flame after seeing that light, and if they saw a portal to a pocket dimension, they would undoubtedly venture inside. Ji Dongyang had also mentioned that Mo Yan''s body was trash and mentioned about treasures. These statements, combined with the fact that there''s a portal to the pocket dimension, made Liu Xing deduce that Ji Dongyang was trying to hold an audition. Whoever received the treasures in this pocket dimension would be his next vessel.

    Having reached this conclusion, someone leaped from a bush towards the portal. While still in mid-air, he clearly saw the face of the girl diving into the portal. She had electric blue eyes, long black hair, a beautiful face, and wore the robe of an outer disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. She entered the swirling blue portal without hesitation and vanished. Upon seeing her dive headfirst, he  pursed his lips. Although he didn''t like the girl, they were from the same sect. He had wanted to warn her about Ji Dongyang, but since she had already left, there was nothing he could do.

    Liu Xing dispelled his invisibility and dismissed his gun. Mo Yan was now unconscious, blood gushing from his severed right arm. He tore some of Mo Yan''s clothes and tied the wound as tightly as possible. The blood soaked the makeshift bandage. An ordinary person would die from such a wound without treatment, but as a cultivator, Mo Yan would likely survive even if the wound was neglected for a week.

    "Now, what do I do?"

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    Tilting his head, Liu Xing observed the swirling blue portal and considered his options. He needed to capture Ji Dongyang, but entering the portal was like entering a bear''s den knowing a bear lurked inside.

    But before he could decide, several people landed in the clearing. Liu Xing turned at them, and observed that they were dressed in dark and red cultivator robes, each with tanned skin and white hair. Three of them carried large gourds on their backs, one wielded a large fan, and the central figure had a sword on his hip. Sensing their qi, he  realized each of them was at least at the sith level of the Lock Opening realm and he remembered meeting them in the city before he entered Dragon Skull Forest.

    One of them stepped forward, his hair tied in a ponytail. "Greetings, we are from the Red Desert Sect. We have come to investigate the disturbance." The man, whom Liu Xing assumed was their leader, gestured towards the portal above. "I see you have found a pocket dimension, and since you are the one who found it, we request permission to enter."

    With that, his hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, his eyes narrowed and  the rest of his group tensed up, ready to spring into action at his command. It seemed they were going to enter regardless of whether he gave them permission or not.

    Liu Xing weighed his options. He had heard of the Red Desert Sect, and they were loosely affiliated with the Purple Moon Sect. Fighting them would not strain the relationship between the two sects, but he saw no reason to obstruct their access to the portal.

    "I am Liu Xing of the Purple Moon Sect. I must warn you this portal was created by a former Sun Collapsing cultivator. He possessed a bandit''s body, and the reason he opened this pocket dimension is to lure cultivators inside so he can possess a better vessel."

    The man glanced at his companions, pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you for the warning, but we still intend to enter. There is no reward without risk."

    Liu Xing pursed his lips. That was the way of cultivators¡ªthey would plunge headfirst into danger for a worthwhile reward.

    "You may enter then," Liu Xing replied. "This portal is not mine to begin with. However, I must also inform you that a girl from my sect has already entered."

    "We appreciate the warning. We will not harm her unless she impedes us." Meaning if Yan Yu stood in their way, they would not hesitate to kill her.

    "Let''s go," said the man as he jumped, and his companions followed.

    Soon after, several other groups arrived. Those with lower cultivation mostly sought permission from Liu Xing before entering despite his warnings. Some scoffed and entered without acknowledging him, and some even insulted him, saying the Purple Moon sect was cowardly and unworthy of becoming a great sect if its members didn''t aggressively seize opportunities. In total, dozens of cultivators were now inside the portal. He had no doubt Ji Dongyang was pleased. He now had many candidates to choose from.

    Not long after, Pu He and Han Zhong arrived. They spotted the portal, then noticed Liu Xing and Mo Yan¡¯s unconscious bodies. Pu He checked Mo Yan''s condition and sighed with relief while Han Zhong stared at the portal with eyes full of burning desire.

    "A pocket dimension!" Han Zhong exclaimed. "This is incredible. They say every pocket dimension contains treasures. Pu He, tend to Mo Yan. I am going inside to find treasures for us!"

    When Liu Xing warned him about Ji Dongyang, Han Zhong replied, "Thank you for the warning, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I will not pass it up."

    With that, Han Zhong entered the portal eagerly, like a hungry dog eyeing meat.

    "What about you, Pu He?" Liu Xing asked.

    Pu He looked longingly at the blue portal but shook his head and sighed.

    "As tempting as it is, I think I will pass this time. I am not strong enough, and knowing my luck, I would be fortunate to leave that pocket dimension with all my limbs intact. Perhaps I will regret my decision later, but for now, I just want to go home and start anew."

    Having said that, Pu He hoisted Mo Yan onto his shoulder.

    "What about you? Will you go?" Pu He pointed his chin toward the portal.

    "I am not particularly interested in the treasures inside the portal. Anything I get from there might become a tool for Ji Dongyang to possess me."

    Pu He nodded understandingly. "Very well then, I will go. Take care, senior Liu Xing. And thank you for sparing me and helping subdue Mo Yan. If I ever become a wealthy merchant, I will repay your kindness." With that, Pu He turned and vanished into the trees.

    Soon, Liu Xing found himself alone in the clearing, contemplating his next move. His goal was to catch Ji Dongyang and gather information about that darkness. To do that, he needed to pursue Ji Dongyang. Given Ji Dongyang¡¯s last words, there was a good chance Ji Dongyang was already inside the pocket dimension. However, there was also the possibility that Ji Dongyang was still here. After all, he didn''t necessarily need to enter the pocket dimension to possess someone.

    Since Mo Yan had been possessed after picking up that black purse, it was possible that when someone emerged carrying treasure from this pocket dimension, Ji Dongyang would then possess them.

 23 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (9)

    As Liu Xing contemplated, he suddenly noticed that the blue portal was outlined by a thin black thread almost as fine as a thin rope. Had he not taken the time to observe closely, he might not have noticed it. This black thread could potentially be Ji Dongyang, and Liu Xing needed to investigate before jumping into the portal.

    "Ji Dongyang, do you think you can deceive me? I know you are still here," Liu Xing declared, pointing towards the portal. It was a bluff, but if Ji Dongyang truly was the black thread, Liu Xing wanted him to believe his disguise had been exposed. The portal continued swirling without reaction. Upon seeing this, Liu Xing summoned his gun and made it invisible, then activated the Lightning Palm technique and formed a lightning blade.

    When there was still no response, he extended the blade and swung his ultra-long blade towards the portal. He knew from his knowledge of pocket dimensions that the portal itself could not be disrupted, so he wasn''t concerned about destroying it and trapping Yan Yu and other cultivators inside. Typically, a portal would only close when its energy source depleted, usually found within the pocket dimension itself. As his blade almost touched the black thread, the black skeleton under the tree suddenly charged at him. Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He had not expected Ji Dongyang to still be present!

    "Smart bastard. I didn''t expect you to realize I was still here," a voice echoed from the portal.

    Liu Xing ignored the comment and activated the Lightning Cloak technique. Electricity coated his body just as the skeleton closed in from behind. He canceled his Lightning Palm, spun around, and deflected the black skeleton''s hand with his gun. When the skeleton attempted to strike with its left hand, Liu Xing countered with a punch that exploded the skeleton''s head into black powder. The black skeleton collapsed in front of him, darkness receding from its bones and transforming into black smoke that drifted upward.

    Tilting his head, Liu Xing watched as the darkness gathered from the black skeleton and the black thread converging into a single spot and forming a black sphere. From this sphere sprouted legs, arms, and a head with glowing eye sockets. Four wings resembling dragonflies emerged from its back. It stood about a meter tall, and Liu Xing sensed its power was at least at the sixth stage of the Lock Opening realm.

    "It seems your cultivation advances each time you absorb that black smoke," Liu Xing observed.

    "Hmph!" Ji Dongyang snorted. "A worm like you would not understand the complexities of this shadow. Still, I must commend you for forcing me to transform into this form earlier than planned."

    "You and I are both in the Lock Opening realm. I don''t think you have the right to call me a worm," Liu Xing retorted. "However, since you are in the mood for conversation, why don''t you enlighten me about this ''shadow''?"

    "Hmph! As I said, a worm like you does not need to understand my shadow. In fact, I have changed my mind. You are not going anywhere. You will die at my hands!"

    With that, Ji Dongyang flew towards the tree with black leaves in the center of the clearing and dove inside it, creating ripples as if the tree were a water surface. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the ground began to rumble, and the tree started shaking. Eventually, the tree uprooted itself. Some branches transformed into big and muscular hands, and its roots morphed into two  long human legs. A face appeared in the bark with eye sockets ablaze with white fire.

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing licked his lips. Ji Dongyang had now possessed a tree, and its qi felt akin to that of a spirit beast. Ji Dongyang began to scream. The sound was so loud it stirred the wind, and the trees around the clearing swayed as if they were trembling.

    "I admit my power is not as great as it once was, but I can still use this technique," the face in the bark sneered. "Let''s see how you fare."

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    Moments later, Liu Xing heard screeches, howls, stomps, and flaps all around the clearing. He saw a white tiger with yellow eyes and blue flames around its ankles, a familiar mantis with a red body, a butterfly with a human torso and a cow''s head, a wolf-like creature with eyes like wriggling worms, a gigantic bat the size of a boulder, three giant catfish of gold, red, and black swimming in the air, and many more spirit beasts. Each beast stared at Liu Xing as if he was an elixir of immortality. His heart raced. Dozens of fifth stage spirit beasts circled him. It seemed Ji Dongyang possessed a technique to command spirit beasts! The good news was that he only seemed capable of summoning spirit beasts with cultivation lower than his own.

    "Attack!" shouted Ji Dongyang, and the spirit beasts rushed toward him.

    The red mantis was the first to reach him. With the Lightning Cloak still active, Liu Xing aimed at its eyes and pulled the trigger twice. The first shot exploded its eye, the second its head. Blood and gore showered him, and the stripes on his gun glowed. Before he could wipe the blood from his face, a tiger pounced at him from the side. Moving like lightning, he slid under the tiger and fired bullets infused with beast core qi. When the bullets hit the tiger''s belly, it exploded, leaving nothing but blood and entrails. He stopped sliding and jumped onto a tree branch. The spirit beasts rushed at him in a mad frenzy, but looking at his invisible gun, a ferocious smile formed on Liu Xing¡¯s lips.

    Every time he killed a spirit beast, his gun absorbed the beast core and infused it into the bullets. Normally, Liu Xing would absorb the energy to cultivate, but now he didn''t have time. Instead, he needed to use the bullets to kill more spirit beasts. He had never tested how strong the bullets infused with beast cores were, but judging by the remains of the tiger, Liu Xing felt confident each bullet could kill a spirit beast in a single shot. Suddenly, being surrounded by spirit beasts didn''t seem so terrifying.

    "Alright, everyone. Let''s dance!"

    He flared his Lightning Cloak, creating a lightning blade, and leaped into the horde of spirit beasts.

    The massacre began.

    ***

    Lei Kun had been a farmer from humble origins. Born in a small village, he had spent his childhood helping his father on their farm. He envisioned a simple yet perfect life: marrying a simple but lovely girl, working diligently and enjoying the fruits of his labor with each harvest, and eventually passing away peacefully from old age or illness. Instead, a cultivator arrived in his village, proclaimed Lei Kun his disciple, and abducted him to join a small sect situated in the northern part of the Dark Forest continent.

    Within this sect, Lei Kun suffered greatly. He endured robbery, beatings, insults, and was even forced to grovel and kiss the feet of his enemies. In this sect, Lei Kun had learned the cruelty of the cultivation world, but he soon adapted and flourished.

    His former dreams became ridiculous. Ashamed of them, he shed his old identity and embraced a new one. He was no longer Lei Kun, but a mighty cultivator, Ji Dongyang! Unlike Lei Kun''s pathetic life, Ji Dongyang¡¯s story was grandiose, the story of the birth of a future world ruler! Although he had to split his soul and needed to start cultivating from scratch again, he was determined to impose his will on the world and ensure his enemies met their end. Although these years were hard, once he found a great vessel, he would rise like a phoenix rises from the ashes!

    Despite his unwavering belief in his eventual comeback, standing behind a mad horde of spirit beasts and witnessing his army obliterated caused a slight doubt in Ji Dongyang¡¯s heart. That bastard Liu Xing was stronger than he looked. He was only a fifth-stage Lock Opening realm cultivator, yet his power surpassed his cultivation. With that lightning enhancement technique, he moved as fast as real lightning. Every time he can see Liu Xing, a spirit beast would explode, split in two, or lose its head. Even with his spirit beast eyes, Ji Dongyang strained to follow Liu Xing¡¯s movements.

    Ji Dongyang considered transforming into a cloud and attacking. It seemed his cloud form was a bad match for Liu Xing, but he rejected the idea. Even in that form, Liu Xing could still hurt him, and as a cloud, his attack options were limited. Possessing this spirit beast was the best strategy.

    Liu Xing appeared under a spirit beast that resembled a giant golden catfish. He kicked the catfish into the air, raised his left arm, and fired an invisible bolt, causing the spirit beast to explode. Without pausing, he moved behind a giant butterfly and slashed at it with his lightning blade, splitting it in two. A giant worm tried to attack from below. Liu Xing pointed his left hand and shot an electric bolt at the worm. The worm shrieked as its body stiffened. Liu Xing then leaped into the sky and unleashed a barrage of invisible bolts that quickly killed it.

    At this point, Ji Dongyang wondered if he was biting off more than he could chew, but he pushed that thought away. There was no way he would lose to this kid!

 24 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (10)

    Growling, Ji Dongyang realized Liu Xing was a genuine threat, likely an inner disciple from the Purple Moon Sect known for generating exceptional talent. He was probably a candidate for their core disciples. Anger welled in Ji Dongyang''s heart. He had grown up in a small sect, obtaining every pill and resource through blood, sweat, and tears. He wouldn''t let a pampered brat from a great sect ruin his plans.

    Despite the threat Liu Xing posed, Ji Dongyang hadn''t lost yet. He needed to bide his time until a stronger spirit beast appeared that he could possess. For now, he would assist his army in eliminating this annoying bastard.

    In the sky, a spirit beast resembling an almost human figure with chalk-white skin, a large eye covering its face, and snake arms dived down to attack Liu Xing. Hearing the whistle of sound, Liu Xing turned his head and casually raised his left hand. A blue bolt shot forth, causing the spirit beast to explode into green and yellow liquid that showered the area. A wolf fired two beams of light from its eyes, and he suddenly vanished and reappeared beside this wolf and swiftly beheading it with his lightning blade.

    Ji Dongyang raised his two wooden arms, conjuring two red fruits surrounded by a greenish hue, and launched it toward Liu Xing.

    Seeing the projectile, Liu Xing simply slashed it with his lightning blade, splitting these two fruits into four parts. Each part landed on a different spirit beasts¡ªa giant red catfish, a three-legged creature with an eye in its center, a black jaguar with a snake for a tail, and humanoid spirit beast with red skin and dragonfly wings and a giant mouth in its stomach and a lump of flesh for a head. The fruits took root in their bodies, burrowing into their flesh and growing into small trees glowing with a dark hue. Ji Dongyang felt a mental connection with these four spirit beasts and began commanding them to attack.

    Ji Dongyang realized his army of spirit beasts had been depleted. Only seven spirit beasts remained, including the four he controlled. Despite their numbers, his army of spirit beasts lacked cohesion and teamwork.

    Liu Xing shot down black catfish, leaving six spirit beasts, and then dispatched a flying giant eye spirit beast with an explosion, reducing their numbers to five, and when Liu Xing suddenly appeared behind a giant made from boulder and shot it until it exploded into rubble, only Ji Dongyang and his remaining four spirit beasts were left.

    "Attack him!"

    His red catfish spewed blue fire from its mouth. Liu Xing dodged the attack and appeared behind the jaguar with snake as its tail, lightning blade ready to decapitate it. Anticipating this move, Ji Dongyang controlled his last humanoid spirit beast to intercept. It spat acid from its stomach-mouth, sending a glob of green liquid hurtling toward Liu Xing. Seeing the acid, Liu Xing halted his attack, appearing several meters from the humanoid spirit who spat acid and raised his left arm. Before he could strike, Ji Dongyang willed the three-legged spirit beast to attack. It moved like a wheel, its speed incredible. In the blink of an eye, it rammed into Liu Xing''s side and sent him flying through the air. That was the only attack that landed on Liu Xing. Ji Dongyang then instructed the catfish to spat out a ball of blue fire. In mid-air, Liu Xing couldn''t evade.

    Seeing the impending attack, Liu Xing raised his left arm towards the blue fire and shot a blue bolt at it, causing it to explode and create a shockwave. Liu Xing landed and rolled over. The three-legged spirit beast tried to ram him again, but he raised his left arm once again and fired a blue bolt. When the bolt hit, the three-legged spirit beast exploded, scattering its remains across the clearing. Only three spirit beasts remained.

    Before Ji Dongyang could command his dwindling army to attack, Liu Xing rapidly fired in three different directions. Each shot aimed at his remaining spirit beasts.

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    "Dodge!" Ji Dongyang shouted.

    His giant black catfish exploded in a shower of blood. His jaguar spirit beast managed to jump and land safely a few meters away from the explosion, and his humanoid spirit beast wasn''t so lucky. The explosion caught it off guard and sent it flying. Unfortunately, Liu Xing jumped toward it and sliced it into three pieces with his lightning blade.

    At this point, Ji Dongyang knew he was in trouble. Liu Xing solidified his belief by appearing atop his jaguar, sliced it in two and simultaneously fired a blue bolt that caused it to explode into smithereens.

    The night fell silent once more. Liu Xing stood at the center of the clearing, surrounded by body parts and blood flooding the ground. His clothes, hair, and face were smeared with blood. As Liu Xing turned to face Ji Dongyang, the latter felt his nonexistent heart pounding with fear.

    "Are you ready to talk about that ''shadow''?" asked Liu Xing.

    That shadow was his greatest secret and the source of his power. Revealing it to his enemy would be akin to suicide, but he had no doubt Liu Xing would resort to torture and every heinous act to make him talk. After all, every cultivator was cruel, no matter how they claimed otherwise. That''s what his suffering had taught him the hard way.

    While Ji Dongyang was in this dilemma, a deafening screech rattled the world. He turned toward the sound and saw a glimmer of hope in this dire moment.

    A two-legged monstrosity approached. Its skin was blood-red, its head resembled a deep-sea fish with razor-sharp teeth, soulless white eyes, glowing lures on its forehead and beard formed by thousands of writhing tentacles. It had two clawed hands and feet like those of a gazelle. As the spirit beast entered the clearing, the stench of rotten fish permeated the air, and Ji Dongyang smiled. His plan had succeeded!

    While he could only summon spirit beasts of the same or lower realm than himself, gathering enough spirit beasts in one place increased the chance of attracting stronger ones. This spirit beast was at least seventh stage in strength, possibly on the cusp of achieving the Core Splitting realm. If Ji Dongyang could possess this monster, almost all the spirit beasts in the forest would gather here to ensure Liu Xing''s demise!

    Ji Dongyang hurled himself at the spirit beast. With his body of a walking tree, he moved slowly, and the monstrosity soon fixed its soulless white eyes on him.

    The spirit beast roared and charged at him like a bull seeing red. In the blink of an eye, the beast was upon him. Its claw successfully split his tree body in two with barks and branches flying around. Ji Dongyang felt his soul begin to unravel, but as several of his dark leaves brushed against its claw, he sensed a connection to its consciousness and seized the opportunity. He released the body he possessed and latched onto the consciousness of this spirit beast.

    Soon, he entered its consciousness. It was dark and gloomy, with only a single point emitting light. Ji Dongyang rushed toward the light and seized it. Suddenly, killing intent, hunger, hatred, arrogance, and numerous emotions assaulted his consciousness. Soul battles were always challenging, but spirit beasts, while typically stronger than humans, were also simpler. He attacked its basic instincts, convincing it that Ji Dongyang posed no threat. When the guard on its consciousness loosened, he squeezed himself into the white light. There was a sense of weightlessness, followed by pitch-black darkness, then light.

    Ji Dongyang blinked several times. His viewpoint was now higher than before. His body felt lighter, his cultivation brimmed with power, and he felt like the world was his.

    "Hahaha!" Ji Dongyang laughed, his voice deep and terrifying, reminiscent of a demon''s laughter. "Let''s see if you can handle this!"

    Then he roared. His roar created a shock wave that uprooted the trees around him. This roar was imbued with his original technique, ensuring that many more spirit beasts would soon arrive.

    ***

    Standing amidst the craters and scattered corpses of the spirit beasts, Liu Xing looked at the grotesque monster in front of him. It resembled a cross between an anglerfish and a minotaur, emitting a foul stench like rotting rat carcasses bloated with excrement until their bellies burst. Nausea rose in Liu Xing''s throat, and he sensed this monster was stronger than any spirit beast he had encountered in Dragon Skull Forest.

    Even worse, Ji Dongyang seemed to have successfully possessed its body, and his ear-splitting roar likely attracted even more spirit beasts.

    Fighting a horde of spirit beasts had not been as challenging as he had imagined. His gun dispatched them with ease. However, it was wise to end this battle quickly while facing only one opponent. Liu Xing wanted to interrogate Ji Dongyang, but if necessary, he would kill him and seek information about the darkness elsewhere.

    "Come and fight me!" Liu Xing taunted.

 25 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (11)

    Ji Dongyang roared again and charged. Each step he took made the ground tremble. Liu Xing still had six bullets infused with beast cores. Despite the terrifying appearance of the spirit beast, he believed he had a chance to defeat it. He raised his gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet, infused with Exploding Fist, struck the beast''s chest and blasted it into the air. Its chest only smoked and charred slightly, far from Liu Xing¡¯s expectation of a one-shot kill. The spirit beast landed on its feet, its gazelle-like legs kicking the ground as it lunged at him.

    With Lightning Cloak still active, Liu Xing moved. The world blurred momentarily. When he stopped, he was behind the spirit beast. He pulled the trigger three times, shooting the beast in the back. The three bullets exploded simultaneously, slamming the creature into a tree and flattening it. Its back was charred, bleeding green blood from a few spots, but otherwise, it remained intact.

    "Two bullets left," Liu Xing muttered.

    This spirit beast was unlike any he had fought before. Its defense was incredibly tough, as if its skin were made of iron.

    "You can''t defeat me!" Ji Dongyang shouted as he rose to his feet and lunged at Liu Xing again. Tentacles sprouted from its back, resembling wings, and its speed suddenly doubled. Just as its clawed hand almost reached his throat, he stepped aside. Up close, his nose assaulted by its foul odor, but he ignored it, conjuring a long lightning blade and swinging it at the creature''s neck. When the blade touched its neck, he felt it pierce the skin. But after a few centimeters, the blade stopped, as if it had struck a hard steel beam inside.

    Ji Dongyang attempted to swat him, but Liu Xing jumped and used its large arm as a springboard to leap away. He flew through the air and landed in the center of the clearing. The spirit beast chased him, and as he landed, the creature''s clawed hand was only centimeters from his face. Liu Xing infused the beast core bullet with Exploding Fist, channeling more qi than usual, and pulled the trigger. The creature''s clawed hand was mere moments from ripping his face off when the bullet hit its chest. The explosion sent it sailing through the air, and it was so powerful it pushed Liu Xing backwards, his feet leaving trails in the blood-soaked grass.

    When the smoke cleared, he saw the spirit beast was still alive, though its left torso, arm, and part of its side were missing, as if someone had taken a bite out of a biscuit. Liu Xing realized he should have aimed for the head. He had thought targeting the charred chest would be more effective given the existing injury, but his judgment had been wrong.

    A roar echoed in the distance, followed by screams, galloping hooves, howls, and strange, menacing sounds. A giant black wolf with yellow eyes emerged first. Its ferocious face and pitch-black fur glowed under the moonlight. Soon, many spirit beasts once again surrounded him. It was a repeat of an earlier fight, but with different details. First, there were many seventh-stage spirit beasts here, and second, the arrival of spirit beasts showed no signs of stopping. In the sky, dozens of flying spirit beasts circled him, from lion-eagle-monkey hybrids to skeletal winged horses.

    Liu Xing¡¯s heart raced. The howling, screeching, galloping, and strange noises continued unabated, as if every spirit beast in Dragon Skull Forest was converging on this spot. He guessed that if he were to fly high into the sky, he would see hundreds of spirit beasts climbing, running, and flying toward the hill, like ants swarming an anthill.

    Ji Dongyang¡¯s laughter echoed through the clearing. His sinister laughter mingled with the growls, howls, and shrieks of the surrounding spirit beasts, sending shivers down Liu Xing¡¯s spine.

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    "Attack!"

    A massive wolf-like spirit beast opened its jaws, unleashing a red pillar of light that streaked toward Liu Xing like a laser beam. Rolling to the side, Liu Xing narrowly avoided the blast as a giant flying sword with a serpent¡¯s eye on its hilt attempted to skewer him. Swiftly evading again, he used a giant grasshopper spirit beast as a springboard to dodge a swooping eagle.

    From there, Liu Xing moved frantically. The world blurred around him, every corner filled with danger. Dodging left and right, he desperately evaded thorn missiles shot by a horde of giant cacti, deflected strikes from a seemingly ordinary tiger, and sliced through a group of worm-like creatures, each with grotesque monkey heads at their tips.

    Cold sweat ran down his back, adrenaline pumping through his veins. His heart raced, demanding solutions in the face of imminent danger. Amidst lightning-fast movements, he racked his brain, searching for a way to turn the tide. The simplest and most effective approach would be to eliminate a seventh stage spirit beast, but with the clearing teeming with deadly enemies, stopping was not an option, and with only one bullet left, his next move had to count.

    Gritting his teeth, he wielded his lightning blade and slashing at any spirit beast within reach, searching for the weakest seventh stage spirit beast. A colossal wooden golem attempted to stomp him, but Liu Xing rolled under its foot, slashing its leg with his lightning blade, which sliced effortlessly through the wood, leaving a deep mark. Seeing this, Liu Xing realized the golem was the softest of the bunch. This was his opening. As the golem slammed its foot down, he rolled behind it, swiftly taking aim at its exposed back and squeezed the trigger.

    The bullet flew, striking the golem¡¯s back until it exploded into fragments. Shrapnel scattered, hitting nearby spirit beasts. He leaped and soared upwards, a ferocious grin on his lips. His gun was now charged with the beast core qi of a seventh stage spirit beast.

    "Eat this!"

    Liu Xing unleashed rapid shots, his bullets finding their targets amidst the chaos. Six spirit beasts exploded in a bloody spectacle, limbs and entrails flying. His gun, once again filled with bullets infused with the beast cores of seventh stage spirit beasts, continued to fire. He took aim at every spirit beast in sight. Previously overwhelming in numbers, they now struggled to maneuver away from his bullets. Taking advantage of their confusion, Liu Xing fired with unerring accuracy. His gun seemed endless, his movements fluid as he darted from one target to the next. Though his lightning blade couldn¡¯t sever the heads of seventh stage spirit beasts, he aimed for their eyes or limbs to slow their movement.

    Liu Xing danced through the battlefield, relentless in his onslaught. Spirit beasts fell with each passing second, painting the ground in shades of red, yellow, and green. His relentless assault continued unabated. The world blurred around him, yet every action remained clear and purposeful. He fell into a rhythm: move, shoot, another spirit beast exploded. Slash, slash, shoot¡ªroll away. He kicked aside a diving eagle and pulled the trigger to detonate a giant worm.

    The battle was relentless. As the moon set and the sun rose, Liu Xing continued to fight. The once serene clearing below the portal was now a wasteland of blood and countless craters. Limbs, heads, and body parts were strewn about, trampled by the relentless stampede of spirit beasts.

    Skull Hill slowly lost its shape under the onslaught. If the battle persisted, it might be flattened altogether.

    Occasionally, Ji Dongyang appeared, orchestrating sneak attacks by controlling certain spirit beasts with lure-like antennae growing from their bodies, while other times he hid in the shadows. Liu Xing knew he couldn¡¯t flee. He had opened a portal to a pocket dimension, preparing to possess another cultivator, and seeing his anglerfish-gazelle-humanoid hybrid face melting like a candle, Liu Xing knew Ji Dongyang needed to find a new vessel soon.

    He jumped towards a sixth stage walking flower spirit beast and sliced it in two, while simultaneously shooting a vase-shaped spirit beast that spat out several snake-like creatures, causing it to explode spectacularly.

    Liu Xing kicked off the ground and soared toward a giant dragonfly. The creature tried to intercept him in mid-air, but a single bullet from his gun shattered it into a thousand pieces.

 26 ~ Dragon Skull Forest (12)

    As he descended from the air, Liu Xing surveyed his surroundings. The number of spirit beasts was dwindling. Although hundreds still remained, he knew it was only a matter of time before he defeated them all.

    Firing rapidly at the spirit beasts gathering below, Liu Xing pondered how many he had dispatched. Hundreds, perhaps thousands. If he could absorb the energy from the bullets created from all the beast cores, he might advance to the seventh stage or even reach the Core Splitting realm already. It frustrated him that he couldn''t cultivate while moving.

    Upon landing amidst the remains of spirit beasts, Liu Xing scanned for Ji Dongyang.

    There had been no sign of him for hours, and Liu Xing worried that Ji Dongyang might have fled. The only reason Liu Xing hadn''t run away himself was to uncover the truth about Ji Dongyang¡¯s shadow.

    Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath Liu Xing¡¯s feet. He watched in horror as a massive centipede emerged from the ground, its roar echoing like the scraping of glass against glass. This colossal creature was so immense that Liu Xing felt dwarfed, as if standing before a skyscraper.

    Upon closer inspection, Liu Xing realized it wasn''t a single centipede but a conglomeration of thousands of spirit beasts forming a gigantic centipede. Every inch of its body, from its myriad feet to its torso and even its face, was composed of spirit beasts. It appeared as though a bored child, playing with countless spirit beast dolls, had glued them together to create this monstrous amalgamation. The only genuine centipede features were its two enormous fangs. Jutting from its forehead was a single figure¡ªJi Dongyang.

    "Liu Xing!" Ji Dongyang shouted. "You forced my hand! The Purple Moon Sect will become my enemy, and I will hunt down your clan and slaughter your entire family!"

    A cacophony of roars, screams, and growls erupted from each head of the giant centipede. As if accusing Liu Xing of Ji Dongyang¡¯s creation of this monstrous form, all eyes fixed on him. He gulped. The centipede cast a shadow that obscured half of Skull Hill, eclipsing the sun. Initially, the thought of fleeing crossed his mind. After all, battling a horde of spirit beasts was vastly different from confronting a colossal single entity. His gun was better suited for hordes rather than singular titans.

    However, escape was not an option. He had to find out the truth about Ji Dongyang¡¯s shadow. What if Nui, Joni, and Mamat suffered because he ran away from that giant spirit beast? He knew that as friends, they would shout about how stupid of him to think like that, but he couldn¡¯t forgive himself for letting them down. They were his friends, and the mission to fight the darkness was the most important task in his current life.. He wasn''t going to give up on that mission. He had to try to defeat this creature and force Ji Dongyang to reveal the truth.

    The centipede shrieked, and the remaining spirit beasts rushed towards it, seemingly wanting to merge and increase its size. When all of them had merged, it lunged its head at Liu Xing. Quickly dodging, he watched as the centipede burrowed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust that billowed into the sky. Moments later, the centipede emerged from beneath him. Ji Dongyang was still sticking out of the centipede¡¯s forehead, his anglerfish face melting away, leaving only bones and slimy appendages with a pink hue. His eyes glowed crimson red, like pools of glowing blood.

    He fired at Ji Dongyang three times, each bullet infused with beast core qi and Exploding Fist Technique. Several spirit beast heads moved, forming a shield in front of Ji Dongyang, and exploded. For a brief moment, he saw the raw red beneath the decimated heads, a gush of red blood flowing like a waterfall, before new heads sprouted and sealed the wounds, and Ji Dongyang sank into the flesh of this monster.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    It seemed that while each individual head remained intact, the rest of their bodies melded into a single mass of flesh. Every head on its body resembled a living tumor. Seeing this regenerative ability, Liu Xing grimaced. If every wound on the creature could regenerate, what chance did he have of winning?

    The centipede monster opened its massive maw wide, attempting to devour Liu Xing. He leaped aside as the centipede burrow underground again, the creature¡¯s body arcing through the sky before disappearing completely into the earth. As he moved around, he understood Ji Dongyang¡¯s plan. Although the creature was large and formidable, it wasn''t particularly fast, and it didn''t seem to possess any special abilities beyond ramming or trying to eat him. Liu Xing was faster, and as long as he made no mistakes, he could easily dodge its attacks. However, he lacked a way to harm this colossal opponent¡ªthis was Ji Dongyang¡¯s strategy. His goal was to discourage Liu Xing from fighting, to convince him that victory was impossible, while still leaving a tempting escape route.

    However, his focus quickly returned to his gun. He had fired three bullets, leaving him with three remaining. Yet, he now realized his gun was once again loaded with six bullets. His main concern suddenly vanished. He realized that he wasn''t fighting one big monster. Each head on its body counted as a separate spirit beast, likely because each still contained a beast core. This meant Liu Xing wasn''t fighting one monster, but a horde of monsters moving as one.

    "Alright!" Confidence began to grow in his heart. He would defeat Ji Dongyang and make him talk. He would chip away at that giant centipede and win.

    When the giant centipede burst from below his feet with its mouth wide open, Liu Xing jumped away, aiming at the six spirit beasts in its heads and shooting rapidly. Each head exploded, and his gun refilled with bullets again, which he fired once more. The centipede roared, rising to the sky like a tower and crashing down towards him. He jumped backward several times. When the centipede hit the ground, the entirety of Skull Hill trembled, and some ground began to cave in.

    Jumping lightly into the sky, Liu Xing shot six more bullets. When he landed, the giant centipede burst from the ground and tried to devour him once more. He started running downhill. The centipede chased him, and Liu Xing turned around several times to shoot its heads, creating wounds that always closed after several seconds. When the centipede tried to crash into him again, Liu Xing moved, and so the dance began anew.

    Liu Xing dashed forward, firing relentlessly. For now, every head he shot was quickly replaced, but he knew that sooner or later, it would run out of spirit beasts to regenerate.

    From a distance, Skull Hill began to lose its shape. Before, it resembled a giant lizard¡¯s head, but with so many holes and destruction around it, it now looked like a fragile mound of dirt full of holes. And after Liu Xing ran around the hill and the centipede tunneled inside, the hill began to collapse.

    He ran and fired amidst huge boulders, stones, and debris flying around. The centipede destroyed what remained of Skull Hill like a drill piercing tofu. Since the centipede mainly attacked from underground, his bullets also exploded what was left of Skull Hill, flattening it until it changed from a fierce-looking hill to a wide, flat bowl full of holes made by the centipede and craters from explosions.

    As a cultivator at the fifth stage, his stamina was tremendous but not monstrous. If he fought normally with his own qi, Liu Xing would be half-dead after half a day. However, since all his attacks used energy from the beast cores, he only used his qi to maintain the Lightning Cloak.

    He felt very familiar with this technique now, as if he had used it since birth. But what amazed him was how ridiculously efficient this Lightning Cloak was. The qi intake was so efficient that he felt he could maintain this technique nonstop for a week, which again made him realize how amazing his gun was.

    And so, several days passed.

 27 ~ Black Bird (1)

    Even after several days passed, the battle still commenced. Liu Xing was still busy shooting at his enemy, running around the forest as he fired. He maneuvered using the remaining trees and sometimes ran on the centipede''s spine while shooting it. Throughout the entire battle, his most serious injuries were on his back, and the bleeding had already stopped thanks to his vitality. Right now, the centipede was no longer ridiculously large. He had successfully chipped away at the beast, and shrunk it to the size of a large shipping container, with fewer feet and significantly smaller heads and fangs. He felt that the time for chipping away was over; now he could defeat Ji Dongyang decisively!

    The area around Liu Xing for hundreds of meters was now flat. No trees, mushrooms, or anything remained¡ªjust numerous holes and craters from his explosive bullets and the centipede''s attempts to ram itself into the ground.

    The centipede now moved like a train towards Liu Xing, its many heads staring at him with rage, each seeming to want to tear him apart. Its many feet propelled the giant body forward. He stood his ground and started shooting rapidly. Each bullet hit the centipede perfectly, blowing away several heads, only for others to replace them. As the centipede approached, he jumped into the sky and turned his body in mid-air. With feet pointing skyward and face downward, he shot rapidly, destroying the heads along its spine.

    The wound soon regenerated, but he glimpsed something strange inside its body. Instead of flesh or bone, a brown shell resembling a chicken egg was visible in one part of its body. He didn''t know the anatomy of a giant centipede made from thousands of spirit beasts, but that thing was certainly not normal. He suspected that was where Ji Dongyang was hiding.

    Nodding to himself, he made that shell his target.

    Having decided on his course of action, he landed on the ground. As soon as his feet touched down, he kicked off the ground and appeared on top of the giant centipede. Standing on a head resembling a giant wolf, Liu Xing watched the world rush by around him, as if he were a stuntman performing atop a speeding train.

    Pointing his gun at several heads in front of him, Liu Xing pulled the trigger several times, creating holes in the centipede''s body. Finding no shell where he shot, he moved forward and fired again.

    By now, the centipede had realized he was on its back. It stopped moving forward and began burrowing into the ground. Liu Xing knew he didn¡¯t want to ride it while it tunneled, so he shot frantically, searching for the shell where Ji Dongyang hid.

    After shooting the head of a bear spirit beast, causing it to explode into smithereens and create a hole in the centipede''s body, Liu Xing spotted the edge of the brown shell.

    "There you are!" Liu Xing shouted.

    He rushed toward the shell. Another head tried to close the hole, but he shot it again. When he reached the blast hole, he spun like a whirlwind, digging into the centipede flesh with his lightning blade. After a moment, he stood inside the centipede with a half-buried shell that looked like a giant chicken egg in front of him.

    "Ji Dongyang, come out!" Liu Xing slashed at the egg in front of him. A slimy liquid gushed out, and the giant centipede roared so loudly it created a shockwave. The roar sounded like a wounded beast, as if his slash had struck its most painful nerve. He slashed relentlessly, shattering the shell until he faced a monstrous creature with the face of an anglerfish. Its form melted away, leaving only the skull of an anglerfish with red light for eyes. When their eyes met, Ji Dongyang lunged at him, claws aimed for Liu Xing¡¯s neck. Quickly dodging, he unleashed his Lightning Palm Technique and struck the anglerfish¡¯s skull. Instantly, the skull shattered into dust.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    The centipede emitted a piercing roar, every fiber of its being vibrating as it disintegrated into a writhing mass of flesh. It seemed Ji Dongyang was the center of this centipede beast. Defeating him automatically made the centipede monster lose its form. The heads and flesh around him began to fall. Amidst the falling flesh, Liu Xing grabbed a writhing white snake that slithered out of the shattered skull. It bore a human head with bushy eyebrows and a bushy mustache. Ji Dongyang.

    "Now," Liu Xing declared, "are you ready to talk, Ji Dongyang?"

    The head grimaced, unable to flee, defeated and at Liu Xing¡¯s mercy.

    ***

    He emerged from the melting flesh. He stood atop a mound of severed limbs and heads, looking like a hero who had slain a beast terrorizing the world. Surveying the area, he realized their battle had forever altered the Dragon Skull Forest.

    "Will this place still be called Dragon Skull Forest?" Liu Xing muttered. Skull Hill, the forest''s main landmark, was now leveled. Instead of a hill, a crater remained, filled with giant holes created by the centipede. Blood and spirit beast heads littered every centimeters of the crater, like remnants of a demonic ritual. Tilting his head, he noticed he was directly beneath the blue portal. Initially hovering a few meters above the ground, the portal now floated hundreds of meters above because Skull Hill was gone. The cultivators inside would fall upon exiting the pocket dimension, but they would likely survive the descent.

    Liu Xing turned his attention to the white snake with a human head clenched in his right fist. Ji Dongyang struggled and tried to bite his hand, but his small snake body and human head were weak, barely stronger than a five-year-old. The bites wouldn''t even scratch his skin. He squeezed his hand, making Ji Dongyang grimace.

    "I''ll talk. Please stop hurting me!"

    Liu Xing loosened his grip and sat cross-legged atop a giant wolf head. "Wasn''t that easy? If you had agreed to chat earlier, we wouldn''t have fought for three days and two nights. Look what you did to Skull Hill." Liu Xing pointed around him. Ji Dongyang looked like he wanted to pounce on Liu Xing and slap him, but he swallowed his emotions.

    "What do you want to know?" Ji Dongyang asked.

    "What is the ''shadow'' you use? Is it your technique, a byproduct of your cultivation, or something else?"

    Ji Dongyang remained silent. When Liu Xing squeezed again, he finally spoke. "The shadow is two things: my technique and something else."

    "Explain," Liu Xing demanded.

    Ji Dongyang grimaced. "I obtained the shadow around three or four hundred years ago. At that time, I was a Sun Refining cultivator. I had a... disagreement with my sect, resulting in its disbandment."

    Liu Xing raised an eyebrow. If he read that statement correctly, then what really happened was Ji Dongyang picked a fight with his sect and annihilated them. "What''s your sect''s name?"

    "Blood Wing Sect, a small sect in the north. Our cultivation technique was... unorthodox, and we didn''t get along with other sects."

    "Blood Wing Sect," Liu Xing muttered. He tried to recall the name but had never heard of it. Probably because Ji Dongyang annihilated them, or because they are probably a demonic sect, and demonic sects tend to hide themselves. Demonic sects were the enemy of mankind. They justified any means to achieve immortality. Some refined pills from humans, some sacrificed other cultivators, and some possessed others for strength. When Ji Dongyang possessed Mo Yan, Liu Xing had suspected him of being a demonic cultivator but hadn''t dwelt on it.

    "All right, let''s not beat around the bush. You¡¯re a demonic cultivator. Hundreds of years ago, you annihilated the Blood Wing Sect. Is that correct?"

    Ji Dongyang¡¯s lips formed a straight line, then he nodded.

    "I don''t know if what you did was good or bad. On one hand, you annihilated a sect; on the other, the sect you annihilated was demonic."

    Ji Dongyang snorted. "You don''t need to think too much about it. You Purple Moon Sect disciples think there''s a difference between demonic and righteous cultivators, but in reality, every cultivator is the same. Have you heard of the Jade Palace Sect''s destruction? The one who destroyed it is called a saint, even though he did the same thing I did."

 28 ~ Black Bird (2)

    Liu Xing didn''t fully agree but saw no need to debate right and wrong with Ji Dongyang. He knew not all so-called righteous cultivators were good. In this xianxia world, might made right, and the last one standing wrote history and painted themselves however they wanted.

    "The most despicable aren''t us demonic cultivators, but those who claim to tread the righteous path while doing despicable things in secret. The Heavenly Thunder Sect is the worst offender. They are the most despicable sect in the world!"

    The Heavenly Thunder Sect was one of the five great sects on the continent, on par with or the Purple Moon Sect. They were famous for their explosive power and ruthlessness. Liu Xing remembered people dying on missions after crossing paths with them. However, he wouldn''t judge them based solely on Ji Dongyang''s words.

    "Don''t stray from the topic. What about your shadow?"

    "I''m getting there. You are the one who strayed from the topic." He paused. "So, the shadow. It¡¯s actually why I annihilated my sect. When I became a new elder, a disciple interested me. He had no talent, resources, or connections but stumbled upon fortune as if the world favored him. Once, on a mission to pick a herb, he found a stone that sped up cultivation. Another time, he found a pocket dimension filled with spirit stones. Everywhere he went, treasure appeared. It was ridiculous."

    Liu Xing pinched his chin. This story reminded him of generic xianxia web novels where protagonists had heaven-defying luck, finding gold even when they went to the bathroom. If this world was a story, then perhaps this man is the main character.

    "Who is he? Is he still alive?" Liu Xing asked.

    "You don''t need to know his name. He''s already dead. Anyway, this guy stumbled upon a black bird. It was so small it could fit in your palm. The black bird seemed normal, and he brought it back to the sect, but I knew he wouldn''t pick up an ordinary thing, so I retrieved the bird."

    "You bullied him?" Liu Xing asked.

    Ji Dongyang snorted. "I didn''t need to bully him. I was an elder. He got plenty of spirit stones in the exchange, so our transaction was fair."

    Liu Xing doubted it, but he let Ji Dongyang continue.

    "After doing some experiments on the bird, I realized that this bird is not a black bird, but a white parakeet. There was something that clung to its feathers, making it look like a black bird."

    "That''s your shadow," Liu Xing said.

    "Indeed, that is my shadow."

    Liu Xing remained silent, waiting for Ji Dongyang to continue, but he seemed content to stay quiet, likely because he didn''t want to reveal his secret. Liu Xing raised his left hand toward Ji Dongyang, the hand holding an invisible gun. Ji Dongyang''s face suddenly paled, and he hurriedly began to speak.

    "I don''t know where the shadow comes from, but it has several... interesting properties."

    "Such as?" Liu Xing prompted.

    "It can enhance techniques. Any Base Grade technique would become an Earth Grade Technique, and any Earth Grade Technique would become a Heaven Grade technique if enhanced with the shadow."

    "That''s a strong property. What if you enhance a Heaven Grade technique? What would it become?" Liu Xing asked.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Ji Dongyang grimaced. "It enhances the overall power, but it''s still a Heaven Grade technique. If I had a technique stronger than Heaven Grade, then I wouldn''t have ended up like this."

    Ji Dongyang spoke as if techniques higher than Heaven Grade existed, which wasn''t surprising, but it broadened Liu Xing''s horizons. Are there also hidden cultivation realms? He wondered. In this world, there are seven stages of cultivation: Lock Opening, Core Splitting, Sun Refining, Sun Collapsing, Black Sun, White Sun, and Immortal Realm. Usually, xianxia worlds have nine realms, with each realm having nine stages because in Chinese culture, nine is the highest number. But in this world, there are only seven stages. Is it possible there are nine realms in this world? Liu Xing wasn''t sure, but at the very least, if someone crossed into the seventh realm, they would become immortal.

    "What''s the second property of the shadow?" Liu Xing asked.

    "It can also refine impure qi and accelerate your cultivation slightly."

    That property seemed normal; after all, many treasures and techniques could refine impure qi. Impure qi usually came from sources like beast cores or qi extracted from other people. But Ji Dongyang mentioned it as if he wanted Liu Xing to think this ability wasn''t very special. The shadow is probably phenomenal as a cultivation aid.

    "The last property is if I absorb the shadow, then I become a black cloud like what you saw. Although you are the first one who can actually see my form. Everyone else thinks I just vanished."

    Liu Xing''s eyebrow rose. "Is that so?"

    "Yes. When I possessed that robber''s body, didn''t his friends fail to see the shadow I emitted? Only you can see it, which is a mystery. If our positions were reversed, I would want to dissect your body and experiment on you."

    Liu Xing squeezed his hand, and Ji Dongyang apologized for his rude comment. Liu Xing didn''t mind too much; he was thinking about why he could see the shadow while Pu He and Han Zhong couldn''t. He was, for all intents and purposes, a normal cultivator. He practiced a normal cultivation scripture and had normal techniques. The only difference was that he now had a gun, and others didn''t.

    "Wait a minute," Liu Xing muttered.

    He glanced at his invisible gun. Didn''t his gun have similar properties to the shadow?

    His gun absorbed techniques he used, but when Liu Xing reabsorbed the technique, it became stronger. His Lightning Cloak was only a Base Grade, yet its effect surpassed that of a Base Grade technique. His gun could also refine impure qi. If he killed a spirit beast, the gun absorbed the spirit beast''s core, and Liu Xing could then absorb it and advance his cultivation rapidly. Lastly, while the gun didn''t turn Liu Xing into mist, it did grant him invisibility. Suddenly, Liu Xing¡¯s heart started racing. Is it possible that his gun is also created from the shadow? Is it all merely coincidence?

    Liu Xing thought for a moment, then decided to test a conjecture. He glanced at his invisible gun and deactivated the invisibility. His black gun gleamed in the sun.

    "Ji Dongyang, do you see the weapon in my hand?" Liu Xing asked.

    Ji Dongyang glanced at Liu Xing¡¯s left hand and shook his head. "I don''t. Is your weapon some kind of artifact?"

    "Are you sure you don''t see it? Are you messing with me?" Liu Xing squeezed harder, and Ji Dongyang panicked, insisting he didn''t see it. After confirming this, Liu Xing loosened his grip and made the gun invisible again.

    So, the gun is actually invisible from the start, which is odd. If this gun is already invisible to others, why does it have the ability to become more invisible? It''s like having a black wall and adding another layer of black paint to it. It doesn''t make sense. But he soon considered two possible explanations. Nui might have made the gun doubly invisible to ensure it couldn''t be perceived by others. The first layer makes it invisible to normal people, while the second layer hides it from his main enemy¡ªthe true darkness he needs to defeat. The second possibility is that the invisibility is needed so it can spread to his body. Perhaps the truth is a mix of both, or maybe another reason entirely. Whatever the answer, the main thing was that his gun had similar properties to Ji Dongyang''s shadow.

    "Alright, any other interesting information about your shadow? Another property you''re hiding, perhaps?"

    Ji Dongyang shook his head. "No, I''m not hiding anything else."

    "What about your possession technique? Is that also an effect of your shadow?"

    "No, this technique is mine. Well, it¡¯s mine now. In the past, it was a unique technique of the Blood Wing sect, but now they are in the depths of hell, and the only one who knows this technique is me." He snorted. "This technique is Heaven Grade, although with my current power, it¡¯s only at the level of Earth Grade." Ji Dongyang smiled then. "How about I teach you this technique? Combine it with your power, and you could achieve immortality in less than a thousand years!"

 29 ~ Black Bird (3)

    "I''m not interested," Liu Xing instantly said. It¡¯s a demonic technique. Although Liu Xing understood that you couldn''t be soft in this world, he didn''t want to kill people unnecessarily, let alone steal other people''s bodies.

    "Five hundred years!" Ji Dongyang shouted. "I can guide you to achieve immortality in five hundred years. Trust me, I''m a good mentor."

    "A mentor who would bully his disciple and annihilate his sect? More importantly, I want to know everything about that shadow of yours. Tell me your story from start to finish."

    Ji Dongyang offered his shadow, his mentorship, even his treasure to bargain for his life, but Liu Xing squeezed Ji Dongyang and declined. He only wanted information. Understanding that Liu Xing couldn''t be easily swayed, Ji Dongyang sighed and told him about the man so lucky it made Ji Dongyang disgusted with him and about the black bird. Liu Xing asked what experiments he had done to the black bird. Ji Dongyang said he had dissected it, made it swallow many herbs, and even tried to breed it. In the end, Ji Dongyang had successfully extracted the shadow and made it a part of him.

    "It''s nestled in my consciousness now, although it''s so thin I can barely see it, thanks to some busybody," he grumbled while glancing at Liu Xing.

    Liu Xing asked for more information, but the only interesting thing was where the Blood Wing Sect and that black bird had come from. The location was on the northern side of the Dark Forest Continent, in a small empire called Blue Wind Empire. Liu Xing had never heard of this empire, which meant either this empire had no connection to the five great sects or it was merely isolated.

    Liu Xing decided to visit that empire someday. He needed to trace back the black bird. It would probably be hard. After all, he needed to trace a single black bird that had lived hundreds of years ago, but Liu Xing couldn''t ignore the possibility that the darkness was nestled in this little empire.

    Liu Xing tried to squeeze more information, but after talking for hours with Ji Dongyang, he realized he had already gotten the most meaningful information from him. Which meant it was time to end this.

    "Ji Dongyang," Liu Xing said while pointing his gun at him. "Anything else you want to say?"

    Seeing his left hand raised, Ji Dongyang became pale. "W-wait a minute. Aren''t I useful to you? Didn''t I give you all the information you wanted? Surely you would reward me for my cooperation."

    Liu Xing remained silent. There was nothing more to say to Ji Dongyang.

    "I promise you would benefit greatly if you keep me alive! I can be your informant, your executioner, or your slave! I will work for you and serve you. M-master. Please spare this Ji Dongyang''s life!"

    "Ji Dongyang, I want to say that I''m a righteous cultivator. But you did speak a glimmer of truth. In this world, whether you are a demonic cultivator or a righteous cultivator, people still do bad things. Whether someone is treading a righteous path or a demonic path, there are moments that force them to dirty their hands. I too have killed people, and I would do so again if my judgment tells me it''s the right decision."

    Liu Xing rested his hand on the trigger. It''s true. While he has spared Pu He and his friends, it doesn''t mean he has never killed before. After all, he has been living two years in this world, and he knew with certainty that if he was too naive, he would die stabbed by the others.

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    "Wait, wait, wait. You bastard! I told you everything, and you want to kill me? I retract my statement. Heavenly Thunder Sect is not the most despicable. You are! So let me free. Let me free!"

    Liu Xing didn''t waver. If Ji Dongyang lived, how many people would he possess and kill in the process?

    "Please, I''m begging you. I want to live. I promise to leave my demonic path and start anew. Please, please, I don''t want to die."

    Liu Xing pulled the trigger. The moment he did, Ji Dongyang''s head exploded into smithereens, leaving a wriggling snake body that soon lay still. His bullets now had six glowing stripes, and a little black smoke floated in the air before being sucked in by the gun. Seeing this, Liu Xing raised an eyebrow. He then checked his gun, looking for differences. But aside from the six glowing stripes, there was nothing different.

    "Is the gun absorbing Ji Dongyang''s shadow? Is it truly the darkness that I need to deal with? And will every darkness I encounter be absorbed by the gun?" Liu Xing wondered. Aside from encountering another darkness to see if the gun absorbed it, there was no other way to test it.

    Observing the six strips, Liu Xing''s lips formed a thin line. He expected he could absorb energy by killing people, and he didn''t know how to think about this particular property. Tossing Ji Dongyang''s remains, he pondered the nature of a demonic cultivator. If it''s someone who sacrifices others to advance, did Liu Xing fit that criteria?

    "Am I a demonic cultivator?" he muttered.

    Before he could think about it further, the portal above suddenly spat out a cultivator. Then another, and another, until dozens of people fell out of the portal, like a man eating a watermelon and spitting out the seeds. He observed them all and spotted Han Zhong among the many falling cultivators. He flailed his left arm, his right arm missing while his face pale as paper.

    Yan Yu, with a stoic expression, didn''t seem to mind falling, her robe and hair fluttered in the sky, and she wielded a thin black sword in her right hand.He realized that if Ji Dongyang were alive, he would probably try to possess Yan Yu using that black sword.

    Soon, they landed. Some landed on their feet, some, like Han Zhong, tried to reduce the impact by rolling, and some fell like sacks of rice, creating dust clouds that made him worry about their survival. A particular group landed smoothly together. This group consisted of five people, each wearing black and red clothes. They looked battered, with wounds and dried blood on their faces and torn clothes. One man held a giant fan that looked torn into several parts. None carried gourds. Instead, their backs were covered by thin sheets of ice. The white-haired man in front had a large slash wound on his right arm, fresh and still dripping blood. Each of them gaze at Yan Yu as if she is the most evil bastard in the world.

    Upon seeing their expression, he realized Yan Yu had hindered them. They had fought, and judging by the group''s appearance and Yan Yu''s pristine look, Yan Yu had won.

    They looked around, checking the crater and the hole where Skull Hill once stood. They were probably confused about why they had emerged from a pocket dimension into seemingly foreign land.

    Then, they looked at him in unison.

    Liu Xing stood atop the remains of a giant centipede, now a mountain of flesh and spirit beast heads. He looked like a deranged person who enjoyed killing spirit beasts and creating hills from their heads. Moreover, Liu Xing''s entire body was stained with dirt and dried blood, making him look like someone who had dived into a sea of blood, emerged from it, and rolled around in the mud.

    Seeing him, some of them looked pale, some trembled, and all widened their eyes, even Yan Yu, the stoic one.

    For a moment, Liu Xing wanted to check if they were possessed by Ji Dongyang, but he soon realized it wasn''t necessary. He could confirm Ji Dongyang''s death because his gun had absorbed Ji Dongyang''s qi. No one emitted black smoke, so he was pretty certain Ji Dongyang was truly dead and not possessing anyone else. The most likely person to be possessed was Yan Yu who wielded the black sword and since she was from the same sect as him, he could check on her later and monitor her periodically.

    He realized he might look scary, so he clasped his hands, did a slight bow, and jumped away. For now, he wanted to find a secluded place to absorb qi from the gun. With that amount of qi, he would surely advance to Lock Opening''s sixth stage! Although the events were unexpected and he wasted many bullets, the result was still bountiful.

    With that in mind, Liu Xing went deeper into the Dragon Skull Forest, leaving behind destruction so wide a hill was destroyed, thousands of spirit beast heads, and dozens of cultivators with wide eyes full of surprise and fear.

 30 ~ Black Bird (4)

    Han Zhong, for all intents and purposes, was a lousy cultivator. He knew it, Mo Yan knew it, and even Pu He knew it. His talent was so meager that he wouldn''t go beyond the Lock Opening''s fifth stage; he might remain stuck at the peak of the fourth stage forever. That was why he followed Mo Yan, who was more talented, hardworking, and cunning.

    He wanted to be like Mo Yan. Well, not exactly like him¡ªMo Yan was rather ugly and had a hard time with ladies¡ªbut Mo Yan had dreams, goals, and seemed to have control of his life. While Mo Yan wasn¡¯t a shining beacon of charisma, he was the one Han Zhong chose to follow.

    When Mo Yan was possessed, Han Zhong genuinely wanted to help him. He owed Mo Yan. Mo Yan was his friend, his sworn brother, and Han Zhong would take care of him if Mo Yan truly went mad. But when he saw the portal to the pocket dimension, he chose to leave Mo Yan in Pu He¡¯s hands and try to seek fortune himself. Han Zhong was a normal guy. Normally, he wouldn''t even get a chance to glimpse a portal to a pocket dimension, but his chance had finally arrived, and he took it.

    In his heart, he wanted to find a treasure so he could turn his life around. Perhaps he would find a treasure that would help him cultivate faster and soar like a phoenix reborn from ashes, or even a mountain of spirit stones so he wouldn''t need to work forever. He justified this decision by thinking that if he became stronger or richer, he could take care of Mo Yan more easily. And indeed, in the pocket dimension, he glimpsed these two things: a stone that would help him cultivate faster and a gourd so ancient and mystical that if he sold it, he would have a mountain of spirit stones.

    But the heavens did not favor Han Zhong. The pocket dimension is a trial for an inheritance, and in the first trial, everyone needed to comprehend a single technique. This fist technique activated by following a complex qi cycling pattern that enhanced not only his right hand but also his heart and spine.

    Other people successfully learned this technique in a couple of minutes. The Purple Moon Sect girl mastered it in just a second. Yet, Han Zhong needed almost a day to memorize all the qi cycling patterns. The result was also disastrous. His right hand exploded, and he barely succeeded in using the fist technique with his left hand.

    When Han Zhong started the second trial, the others had already completed the fourth and fifth trials. At this moment, he realized he would gain nothing in this pocket dimension, but he still wanted to try his luck.

    In the second trial, he needed to fight a single big dog with black fur, a white nose, and ferocious eyes. It regenerated every time it was wounded. It was obvious this dog needed to be defeated with the fist technique from the first trial, but Han Zhong hesitated. He lacked confidence in using the fist technique again, afraid his remaining hand would also explode. So he used his brain. He hid, he schemed, and in the end, that black dog got stuck between two boulders. Then he punched at the dog hundreds, maybe thousands of times, to overwhelm its ability to regenerate.

    Han Zhong felt pretty good about it. He thought that while he had meager talent, with hard work he could achieve something. Hell, perhaps he would become immortal. All he needed to do was work as hard as possible and get lucky once.

    But in the middle of the third trial¡ªhe had to find the right door out of three in front of him¡ªhe was suddenly expelled from the pocket dimension and fell from the sky. He flailed his arms, his eyes focused on the brown ground that looked like a crater full of holes below. Around him, he saw dozens of cultivators falling like him and suddenly realized that the trial was over. He got nothing and lost an arm because of it.

    Profound sadness flooded his heart.

    That was the first and possibly last chance to get treasures, but because of his meager talent, he got nothing there.

    He wondered what if Mo Yan had entered the pocket dimension. Han Zhong was pretty sure Mo Yan would have gotten something out of it. Mo Yan would boast to Pu He and Han Zhong, claiming that he defeated a cultivator to get this treasure. Han Zhong would admire him and also feel a little jealous of him.

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    Bitterness over his incompetence surged in his heart, but Han Zhong calmed his mind and tried to land safely.

    After landing, Han Zhong looked around. He saw blood, corpses, and heads of spirit beasts scattered in a large crater around him. Each of the holes was big enough for dozens of people to fall through together. Obviously, a big battle had happened here, perhaps seniors from the Core Splitting or even Sun Refining realm had fought here. Han Zhong decided he needed to run from here. He needed to find Pu He and Mo Yan.

    "After that, what do I do?" he wondered. Would he truly just take care of Mo Yan? He didn¡¯t mind, but doing so would mean he stopped following Mo Yan. He would become the one in charge, and he felt insecure about it.

    "W-what is that?" someone said.

    Han Zhong instinctively searched for the speaker and soon realized that it was a woman in a blue robe. She was pretty, though not as pretty as Yan Yu of Purple Moon Sect. She pointed at something, and Han Zhong turned his head to see what it was.

    There, hundreds of meters from their position, was a little hill full of spirit beast heads. Most of them were intact. There was a boar head, a lion head, a giant fly head, some boneless head that looked like a slab of meat with eyes, a giant hand with fingers as their hair and two red eyes, and many, many more. It was like an army of cultivators had waged a war with these spirit beasts, and each cultivator gained a trophy in the form of a head, which was thrown into a giant pile.

    Atop it stood a man. From the top of his head to the tips of his toes, dry blood and mud clung to him. He looked like a beggar who had rolled around in a pool of blood and mud, but his eyes and his stance reminded Han Zhong of an emperor. He was probably the one who had killed all the spirit beasts.

    Realizing this, Han Zhong trembled, his eyes wide. The scale of this fight was immense. In front of this man, Han Zhong felt like an ant. He observed the man more carefully, trying to carve his image into his heart, but then another realization made his heart race like a herd of galloping horses.

    "Isn''t he Liu Xing?" he muttered.

    Amidst the mud and blood, Han Zhong saw purple. His face was also covered in mud and blood, but the shape of it, the black eyes, and the expression were strikingly familiar. This was the man they had tried to rob, the one who spared them, and even helped subdue Mo Yan. The last time Han Zhong had seen him was when he entered the portal.

    A thought suddenly occurred to him, and Han Zhong scanned everything around him. He didn''t recognize the area, but beyond the destruction, there was greenery everywhere¡ªa sign they were near a forest. Seeing several giant mushrooms in the distance, he was pretty sure they were still in the Dragon Skull Forest.

    Han Zhong then looked for Skull Hill, but when he didn''t see it, understanding dawned on him.

    "This place is Skull Hill. It''s been destroyed!"

    Han Zhong focused his eyes on Liu Xing again, his heart beating wildly. Liu Xing was only at the sixth stage, yet he was undoubtedly strong. Han Zhong accepted that a disciple from the great sect was superior to a loose cultivator like him, but Liu Xing''s power was beyond his imagination.

    "Is this what talent is?" Han Zhong thought. He had considered his talent trash, but now he realized he was below trash. He was just a speck of dust.

    Liu Xing suddenly clasped his hands and bowed, striking fear into Han Zhong''s heart. Why did he show respect? Didn''t he realize that Han Zhong and the other cultivators should be the ones bowing to him? Looking around, Han Zhong saw confusion, fear, and trembling hands and legs. They also realized that if they did something wrong, their lives would be forfeited.

    Liu Xing jumped without a word, leaving them in the center of the crater.

    For several moments, no one spoke, as if everyone was afraid to offend Liu Xing and be killed. But the silence was soon broken by a shout from a man in a black and red robe. He carried a torn-up giant fan. Han Zhong realized he was from the Red Desert Sect.

    "Now that your fellow sect members have abandoned you, I will make sure you pay for what you did. That black sword belongs to senior Chen Wenhao!" He pointed at Yan Yu.

    The man with white hair and a long gash on his hand nodded. "That sword is mine. Give it to me, and you can live."

    Yan Yu just stared at them, as if she didn''t hear what they said. "Take it yourself," she finally said.

    Han Zhong sensed a fight would break out, so he wisely turned around and started to run.

    As he ran, Han Zhong reflected on what he had experienced in the past few days. The most prominent realization was that he was only a speck of dust in the cultivation world. He was not favored by heaven and seemed unlikely to create a significant change in the world.

    "Maybe, Pu He is on the correct path."

    As he ran amidst trees and mushrooms, Han Zhong wondered if being a farmer was more fitting for him. If he became a farmer, he wanted to raise livestock, such as chickens and pigs. He also wanted a pet, so he would probably adopt a cat.

    "Being a farmer isn''t so bad," he muttered.

 31 ~ Sixth Stage (1)

    After running for half a day, Liu Xing finally found a perfect place to cultivate. After washing himself, he sat in a large tree half-submerged in water. This tree had so many hanging roots that it almost looked like it was made of thousands of green snakes. He cut some roots, made a hole high up in the tree, and sat down. From his position, Liu Xing could see a wetland in front of him. The place was serene. Dragonflies flitted around, birds tweeted, frogs croaked as if they were in paradise, and crocodiles and hippopotamuses swam with obvious happiness.

    Many fallen trees looked like a horde of bulldozers had run through the swamp, creating paths like highways. These paths led to Skull Hill, and it was clear the spirit beasts that lived in the swamp were rushing there, leaving a mess in their wake. At first, he stared anxiously at the path the spirit beasts had left. What if all the Purple Tailed Lizards were gone? After all, the swamp was now peaceful. Not a single spirit beast showed its head. But then, he just sighed. After all, there was nothing he could do. If no Purple Tailed Lizards remained, then so be it. His points would still be in the negative, but at least he would return as a sixth stage cultivator.

    Thinking of advancing his cultivation, Liu Xing grinned, "Alright, let''s breakthrough!"

    He closed his eyes, and not long after, he woke in his consciousness.

    Seeing the white around him, he suddenly remembered that pitch-black place where he had met Nui. The feeling of loneliness crept into his heart, but he crushed that feeling and tried to calm his mind.

    After calming down, he observed the ball of lightning that floated in front of him. This ball of lightning was tied with a silver chain, and seven locks dangled from the chain. Five were already opened, and the last two were still locked. He willed his ball of lightning to rotate and stopped it when the sixth lock was right in front of him. He knew that this lock was almost full. If he absorbed the energy from his bullets, then he would have the energy to open the sixth lock.

    To open his lock, he needed to fill it to the brink with qi, and then fight a mental battle to open it. Hopefully, this sixth lock would be easier than the fifth. Opening the fifth lock had been the most agonizing experience in his life; it felt like pulling a boulder with his teeth, but that was partially because he had swallowed so many pills to finally fill the fifth lock with qi. Cultivation with pills, while faster, could lead to a bottleneck.

    "I hope that my new way of cultivation will not lead me into an agonizing bottleneck," he thought.

    Liu Xing cleared his mind and started to feel the qi around him. The swamp had a higher density of qi compared to Skull Hill but not as dense as in the Purple Moon Sect. Ignoring the qi around him, he focused on the gun in his lap. The gun felt like an ordinary object, just metal shaped into a specific form. It did not emit an aura that felt dangerous, but he knew better. After a moment, he sensed the six bullets inside the gun. Each bullet emitted light in his perception, almost like stars.

    He pulled the energy from a bullet into his body. Instantly, his muscles tensed with energy, and he felt an urge to run around the world. He resisted the temptation and absorbed all this energy into his consciousness. When the energy entered his white space, it looked like glittering water being poured in.

    Normally, this glittering qi would be converted by the lightning ball first, but it flowed straight into the keyhole, filling the qi inside the lock. The qi settled within the lock without vibration or rejection, as though it didn''t realize the qi was trying to fill it to the brim and open it. Before obtaining the gun, he had had to stabilize the qi he inserted into the lock. Some qi would pour out, rejected by the lock, and he would have to force it inside. Now, with the qi from his gun, filling it was effortless.

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    After the energy from the first bullet fully settled inside the lock, he repeated the process four more times. Now, the lock vibrated slightly, emitting a ripple of energy. He inhaled deeply, both in reality and within his consciousness. He knew this lock only needed a little more push, and he had one last bullet to guarantee his advancement. His heart was pounding with excitement, anticipation, and fear. He was confident that he could advance, but he couldn''t help but fear complications. He had never progressed smoothly before.

    "Don''t think too much, just do it," he muttered to himself.

    He absorbed the last bullet into his body, then into his consciousness. The qi poured into his consciousness, eager to reach the sixth lock. He allowed them to fly toward the keyhole and braced himself for what would happen next.

    As the last drop of qi entered the keyhole, he heard a faint click.

    "No way," Liu Xing muttered, surprised.

    He decided to test his conjecture and reached for the lock. The lock was red, like a padlock made of solidified blood. Its surface felt cool yet hot, solid yet ethereal, as if his hand might pass through it. He held the lock with both hands and pulled the shackle. It came undone easily. Instantly, the silver chain around the lock loosened, and the ball of electricity vibrated happily. He felt the qi inside his body suddenly increase greatly, filling him with energy like when he absorbed the bullets. He smiled, opened his eyes in the real world, and stood up.

    "I''m finally a sixth stage Lock Opening realm cultivator!" he exclaimed.

    He had expected his progress to be more groundbreaking, or full of hardships. Instead, he advanced so easily that if it were not for the large amount of qi in his body, he would think he was still at the fifth stage. Still, this meant that his gun was really, really great. Smooth advancement meant that his foundation was stable, and a stable foundation meant that it would be easier for him to advance to the next realm!

    He grinned. Only one lock remained. Once he opened this lock and released the orb of electricity from the silver chain, he would have a single core and could officially be called a cultivator of the Core Splitting realm! In the Purple Moon Sect, the Lock Opening stage was considered the beginning. One could only become a true cultivator when he reached the Core Splitting realm. That was why only Core Splitting cultivators could be accepted as inner disciples. He doubted that he could achieve the Core Splitting realm before his twentieth birthday. However, his prospects were good. Sooner or later, he would advance, and with his gun, he was confident that an elder would notice him.

    He observed his surroundings, eager to hunt more and reach the seventh stage faster. The Dragon Skull Forest was now a haven for ordinary animals. He had already slaughtered most of the spirit beasts here. Those that remained were either hiding or weak. Since he was at the sixth stage, he needed to kill spirit beasts with at least the same stage as himself.

    Jumping from the tree, he landed on the shallow water, his feet submerged. He started to walk around, checking his surroundings. Since he had already reached the sixth stage, it was time to complete the mission, go home, and get another mission. With his sect point as low as it was now, he could not afford another technique, but he wanted to have several techniques and cultivation methods later.

    Jumping onto a crocodile¡¯s back, he let the crocodile carry him and thought about what technique he would get when he had enough sect points.

    First, he wanted a technique that allowed him to maneuver in the air. The fight with Ji Dongyang had made him realize that even though he could move so fast, he needed something to launch himself. He could not do that in the air, and that made him vulnerable. The second thing he wanted was a way to cultivate while moving.

    He had heard of this method before, and if he was not mistaken, this method was considered a joke. He had heard that this cultivation method was a hundred times slower than normal cultivation methods. Why would anyone want to move while cultivating when normal cultivation was hundreds of times more effective?

 32 ~ Sixth Stage (2)

    His condition was slightly different. He had wasted so much beast core qi when he fought the horde of spirit beasts. True, the bullets were used to kill other spirit beasts, but if he could leech a fraction of the energy from the bullets, he would advance faster. Not that he wanted to fight a horde of monsters again. If the situation allowed, he preferred to kill spirit beasts silently.

    Pinching his chin, he considered his options. Right now, he couldn''t afford both the maneuvering technique and the cultivation method, but if he had enough points, what would he prioritize? After thinking for a moment, letting the crocodile give him a tour of the swamp, he decided the maneuver technique was more important.

    "What kind of technique fits my Lightning Cloak Technique?"

    Immediately, he thought about solidifying the air under his feet, creating a platform for him to jump off. This technique would improve his movement, as he would no longer need the ground, and he could move in three dimensions. It was cool, and this technique wasn''t out of the realm of possibility. The Purple Moon Sect had many techniques, and one of them must be this Air Step Technique. Even if it wasn''t exactly as he imagined, there was probably a similar technique in the library.

    "All right, it''s decided. I have to grind more points to afford this technique."

    Liu Xing decided to jump off the crocodile and start looking for the Purple Tailed Lizard all over the swamp. He searched the whole swamp for the lizard, and he found one, although it was tiny, with many black dots in its tail. Not what his mission required. He wasted several more days searching for the right Purple Tailed Lizard. As time passed, he began to grow anxious. Maybe the perfect lizard was buried under the remains of the centipede. Deciding to look for more, he swept the swamp clean. There was no leaf he didn''t check and no stone he didn''t leave unturned, but he didn''t find another Purple Tailed Lizard.

    When the time came to return, he just sighed and ran towards the Purple Moon Sect. He accepted that he would fail this mission.

    "Whatever, I''ll grind some more missions."

    He activated his Lightning Cloak Technique and jumped from tree to tree. After leaving the swamp, he jumped between mushrooms and tall trees, and soon arrived at the remains of the centipede beast he had killed. The rotten smell filled the air, and many critters, animals, and birds ate the flesh and head of the spirit beast. He felt the urge to check the remains, thinking he might find a perfect tail of the Purple Tailed Lizard. Moreover, if he could find some intact parts of any spirit beast, he could sell them. He decided to check but soon realized there was nothing valuable. It seemed many cultivators had looted the head of the spirit beast, while the remaining flesh had melded together. After searching for half an hour, he decided that the chances of finding that lizard or any valuable parts were slim, and he would waste more time looking for them.

    He soon arrived at the clearing where Mo Yan, Pu He, and Han Zhong had tried to rob him. He could see a human-shaped mark on the face of the cliff where Han Zhong had crashed into it. He almost jumped to climb the cliff when he suddenly stopped himself. At the edge of his vision, a twisted foot stuck out of a bush. Seeing that foot bent unnaturally made him flinch. He soon realized that the feet were rather small and wearing women''s shoes, and although he didn''t see it clearly, he could see a hint of purple inside the bush.

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    He raised an eyebrow, and a thought popped into his head.

    "There''s no way, right?"

    Liu Xing decided to approach the bush and check it out. After parting the bush, he saw Yan Yu lying on the ground, her right hand drenched in blood, her left hand bent in an unnatural way, and a bloody slash mark on her torso still gushing blood. Seeing Yan Yu''s condition, his eyes widened.

    Yan Yu opened her eyes and looked at Liu Xing calmly, as if she were relaxing in the bush of her own free will.

    "Are you okay?" Liu Xing asked.

    Liu Xing did not like Yan Yu. His first impression of her was that she was a bully. And he did not want to get involved with a bully, considering his past, but she was from the same sect, and perhaps ignoring her would breed enmity between them.

    "I''m fine," she said.

    Liu Xing raised his eyebrow. He observed again her bent feet and her robe drenched with blood from the large slash wound on her torso. Normally, a wound like that would be life-changing for an ordinary person, but she was a cultivator, and cultivators had high vitality.

    "All right, take care of yourself." If she was alright, then there was no need for him to help her.

    "Wait." A quiet sound came from behind, and he turned around. Yan Yu still looked calm, her electric blue eyes perfectly controlled, as if she did not feel the pain in her body. "You can take me to a safer place. I''m poisoned."

    Although her words sounded like an order, Liu Xing understood that she was asking for help. He still had a bad impression of her from when she tried to claim his cave, but helping her wasn''t a hassle. "Wait a minute, I''ll make a shelter."

    Liu Xing walked over to the cliff. He was looking for a suitable place to carve a simple cave. The place must be hidden, but still easily accessible. Soon, he found two trees that were growing tall right in front of the cliff. One of them sprouted from the ground, and the other one sprouted from the face of the cliff, bent a little, and then grew tall. Liu Xing jumped onto a branch, moved around the tree, and with his lightning blade started slashing at the cliff. His lightning blade was so sharp that he felt like he was cutting jelly. Soon, a shallow cave was created behind the two trees. He then went back to where Yan Yu was. She was now closing her eyes, probably trying to recover from the poison.

    "I have secured a place," Liu Xing said.

    Yan Yu nodded without opening her eyes, and he carried her in a princess carry. While he was carrying her, his mind wandered. On Earth, while there were several girls who were interested in him, he hadn''t had time nor interest to start dating. In this world, he also had not had much opportunity to interact with the opposite sex. Before he got the gun, he had entertained the idea of marrying and having children, but with his mission now, he was pessimistic about finding time to date. Glancing at Yan Yu in his arms, Liu Xing realized that Yan Yu was the most attractive girl he had met in this world, yet he did not have any interest in her, even while carrying her.

    Soon, they arrived at the cave Liu Xing had created, and he laid her down in the middle of the cave.

    "Thank you," Yan Yu said without opening her eyes.

    "You''re welcome."

    He wondered what had happened to her. The last time he had seen her was when she came out of the pocket dimension carrying Ji Dongyang''s black sword. Since there were other cultivators there, they probably had teamed up against her and tried to steal the black sword. Yan Yu was strong. She probably killed a lot of them, but he did not see the black sword.

    "My sword is safe," she said as if she knew what Liu Xing was thinking.

    "I see."

    "Do you want it?" Yan Yu opened her eyes. Electric blue eyes pierced him.

    He shook his head. "I don''t need it, I already have a blade."

    Although the lightning blade wasn''t really a blade, it was enough for him. She nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer, and closed her eyes again. She then asked him to take a Blood Pill and Restoration Pill from her inner robe. And since she could not move her hands, he fed the pills to Yan Yu. After that, she closed her eyes again, her qi recovered, and her wound and mangled limb slowly recovered. Seeing this, he realized that she only needed a few hours before she could move again. "It looks like you will recover soon. I''ll excuse myself."

    Liu Xing turned around and started to leave, but Yan Yu spoke. "I want to give you valuable information."

 33 ~ A Sack of Rice (1)

    "In the north, in a country called the Water Nation, there is a lake. At the bottom of the lake, there is a ring. This ring has the ability to enhance lightning techniques and conjure true lightning," Yan Yu said, then closed her eyes again, as if she had just mentioned something trivial.

    Liu Xing pinched his chin. His entire fighting style revolved around lightning, and even though he already had his overpowered gun, information about another treasure that could make him stronger was valuable.

    "You''re thanking me?" Because if it was a thank you, it felt too good to be true. He had just carved a hole and brought her here, a feat he had accomplished in less than five minutes, and yet, the reward was valuable information. Was it a trap? Was his act of helping her so meaningful to her?

    "Yes," Yan Yu said simply.

    Upon hearing this, Liu Xing smiled. He started to change his mind about Yan Yu. Maybe she wasn''t a bully, maybe she wasn''t as bad as he thought. She might still be a ruthless cultivator to her enemies, but perhaps she was good to her friends. He jumped out of the cave and ran towards his sect at full speed. He didn''t know where the hell the Water Nation was, so he needed to check his sect''s library again.

    ***

    Inside the cave, lying on the cold ground, Yan Yu murmured, "If he survives, I might befriend him. He¡¯s stronger than I thought and could be a powerful ally when the time comes."

    If Yan Yu was not mistaken, the Palace of the Unbroken Tournament would be held in a few years. If Yan Yu wanted to take revenge and change the world, she needed to start preparing now.

    One of the preparations she had in mind was to gather powerful pawns and strengthen them, and Liu Xing was perhaps one of the strongest of her generation. She wondered what had happened to Liu Xing in her past life, but she soon dismissed the thought and focused on recovery.

    ***

    "Finally, back to the sect," Liu Xing said as he arrived at the base of the white stairs. Tilting his head, he could see the white staircase snaking around several mountains.

    He took one step, then another, and another. He could easily run to the gate, but he chose to climb these stairs slowly. After all, he had run at full speed from the Dragon Skull Forest, and while his body was still full of energy, his mind needed rest. The mountains rising to the sky, the green that covered them, as well as the blue sky, the white clouds, and the breeze would refresh his mind.

    As he walked, he observed his surroundings and breathed deeply, feeling his mind become calmer. He walked with his hands behind his head and began to whistle a random melody. Sometimes a bird would answer him, and he would try hard to answer back, creating a random bird song. After about half an hour, he noticed something new in his vision. In front of him was a boy carrying a sack of rice. He was walking slowly, his back bent, and although Liu Xing couldn''t see his face, the skin on his neck and arm was red. He raised his eyebrows. He did not feel any qi from this boy, which meant he was a mortal.

    Looking back, Liu Xing couldn''t see the bottom of the stairs, so this boy had probably already walked for hours, and since there was no end in sight, this boy would walk for dozens more hours. Hell, it would probably take him a whole day to get to the gate.

    "Hey, what are you doing here?" Liu Xing asked.

    Hearing his voice, the boy jumped. The sack on his back fell onto the stairs. When the boy realized that the sack he was carrying had fallen, his eyes widened. He tried to reach for the sack, but then he stopped as if he had realized something important, and then bowed deeply to Liu Xing.

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    "Greetings, esteemed cultivator. My name is Chu Zen. I''m here to deliver this sack of rice!"

    "You don''t have to bow to me," Liu Xing said.

    From the perspective of mortals, a cultivator was a living legend. They could fly, possessed unfathomable strength, and performed feats that no mortal could accomplish. It was normal for mortals to be extremely polite to cultivators. After all, a cultivator could kill a mortal with a simple flick of his finger. But Liu Xing had also been an ordinary human once, and although he could do crazy things now, he did not think that he needed to be respected just because he was a cultivator. As long as people were polite to him, he would repay that politeness.

    "My name is Liu Xing, and I would not eat you or kill your entire family if you offended me. So you don''t need to be as polite as if you were talking to an emperor."

    Beads of sweat fell from Chu Zen''s forehead, glistening in the sun. His red face looked like a cooked lobster, and he glanced at Liu Xing as if wondering if Liu Xing was telling the truth or just making a sarcastic remark. To prove his point, Liu Xing grabbed the sack on the stairs and hoisted the sack of rice onto his shoulders.

    Seeing this, Chu Zen''s eyes widened. "Esteemed cultivator, you do not need to help me!"

    "Why not? You are a mortal, aren''t you? And since we are climbing the same stairs, our destination is the same."

    Chu Zen thought for a moment, then nodded. "Then thank you for your help."

    "You''re welcome." Liu Xing started to walk, and Chu Zen followed. Seeing this, Liu Xing asked Chu Zen to walk beside him, and he complied. As they walked, he observed Chu Zen. Chu Zen''s clothes were gray, and white powder had stained his clothes. From his appearance, he could deduce that he was not wealthy, but not poor either, since his gray clothes had no tears or permanent stains.

    "So, Chu Zen, why are you delivering this rice?"

    This boy was about ten or eleven years old. His red cheek still had a hint of chubbiness, and this sack of rice was considered large for a child to carry.

    "Esteemed Cultivator--"

    "You can call me Liu Xing, or if you want to be polite, add ''Senior'' before my name."

    He nodded. "Senior Liu Xing, the reason I am carrying this sack of rice is because a cultivator from your sect ordered it."

    Liu Xing''s eyebrow rose, "Really?"

    "Yes," Chu Zen nodded.

    He could not feel qi from the sack he was carrying, so it wasn''t spiritual rice, it was just ordinary rice. Why would someone, possibly a cultivator, want ordinary rice?

    "Who ordered it?"

    "A cultivator named Shen Ye comes to my father''s shop and orders a sack of rice. After paying for it, he leaves."

    Liu Xing remembered this name. When he ate in the Dining Hall, a certain group gossiped about extraordinary new disciples. One of them was Shen Ye. This Shen Ye was a prince of an empire, had a high level of cultivation, and would probably become an inner sect disciple soon. He did not understand why Shen Ye needed a sack of rice, but people had their own secrets, and Liu Xing would not pry too much.

    "So? Why are you the one to deliver this rice?" The town near the Purple Moon Sect must know that this white staircase was long. Surely, a father would not want his young son to go up those long stairs. "Are you hated by your father?"

    "No!" Chu Zen replied immediately. "My father loves me. He cherishes me and is the greatest father in the world! The reason I am the one who delivered the rice is because we have no employees, and my father is not well."

    "Is that so? Is your father sick?"

    "Yes. My father''s health has been declining for several years. His hair has turned white even though he is only forty years old. So the one who takes care of the shop is me. It''s not a big deal because our customers are usually just people in our town, but... I never expected a cultivator to come to our shop one day."

    "I see," Liu Xing nodded. "I take it this is the first time you have climbed these stairs?"

    Chu Zen nodded. "I have heard about this staircase. People say it reaches to the sky! That''s obviously an exaggeration, right?" He asked with anxious eyes.

    Liu Xing smiled. "Well, it is indeed an exaggeration, but for a mortal like you, I think even if you walked seven nights and six days, you wouldn''t reach the top of the stairs."

    Hearing this, Chu Zen''s eyes widened. "Are you serious, senior?"

    "I''m joking, of course," Liu Xing said.

    Chu Zen sighed in relief. "Don''t joke like that! The pay might be good enough that I can close the shop, but walking for a week is still hell for a little kid like me!"

    "Good thing you met me then, because I will help you carry this sack."

 34 ~ A Sack of Rice (2)

    Liu Xing was joking, but he still thought that it would take Chu Zen at least a full day to arrive at the outer sect gate. His sect covered a large area, including several mountains and peaks, and had many gates, the closest one being the outer sect gate, while the furthest ones were the gates to the inner sect. There was also a gate from the outer sect to the inner sect that was located behind the Outer Hall, but let alone a mortal, even an outer sect disciple couldn''t cross that gate.

    Liu Xing began to chat with Chu Zen. This kid was really expressive and good at talking. The city below the sect was called Purple Shield City. Chu Zen said that a long time ago an inner disciple had built a hut there, and over time more and more people had gathered around the hut. This disciple had also left a purple shield in the center of the town, saying that whoever could claim the shield would be guaranteed a place as an inner disciple. Chu Zen said that the purple shield had finally found an owner a few weeks ago, a man with black hair that was so long and beautiful that from behind he looked like a woman.

    Liu Xing asked about life in Purple Shield City. What kind of work was there? Was there a doctor? He even asked if Chu Zen knew about bacteria, to which Chu Zen responded with a blank face. When he had crossed over from Earth into Liu Xing''s body, he was already an outer sect disciple, and while Liu Xing wasn''t from a big family, the Liu clan was a cultivator family.

    Chu Zen said that there were many professions in the city. There were farmers, blacksmiths, shopkeepers, and many other important jobs. The most interesting occupations were umbrella maker, hat maker, and a theater troupe that would occasionally hold a performance.

    "Usually they would perform heroic stories of cultivators around the world, and although I like it, it''s kind of repetitive. Most of the stories are like this. A guy found a treasure, he saved a girl, and in the end one or two demonic sects were annihilated."

    Liu Xing had never seen a live performance before, but he had read so many xianxia stories that he could relate to what Chu Zen said. After several hours, he stumbled upon a topic that greatly interested him.

    "Although my father is sickly, he is still a good merchant and has many connections. A few years ago, my father managed to secure a sack of spirit rice from the Water Nation. This nation is really famous for their method of farming, where they plant the rice plant in the water instead of on the ground. My father sold that spirit rice so cheaply. At that time I was confused about the price, but now I understand that keeping the spirit rice would bring trouble because many people would want to get their hands on it, whether my father wanted to sell it to them or not."

    Liu Xing nodded. "I understand. A long time ago, there was a guy in the outer sect who was lucky enough to get a pill that could triple his cultivation speed. That guy was robbed and beaten, and he almost died."

    This poor guy was actually Liu Xing before he transmigrated. And even though he had not experienced it himself, the memory was vivid.

    "Anyway, about the Water Nation, do you know anything about it? I happen to have some business there."

    "I don''t know much. I only know about their spirit rice farm, and I¡¯ve heard that it''s a beautiful country far away from here." Chu Zen pinched his chin. "Although I have heard a legend from my father about it."

    "Oh, can I hear it?"

    "Sure." He cleared his throat. "They say a long time ago, when the Water Nation was just a wilderness, there was a family that gave birth to a genius. This genius was Ye Wenjie, and she was so strong that she united several tribes and formed a nation. One day, a warlord heard about Ye Wenjie''s plan to conquer his land, so the warlord prayed to the guardian beast from under the water. Some people said it was a dragon, some said it was a turtle, some said it was a snake, and some said it was a fish. The most important thing is that this guardian beast agreed to help the warlord, and they launched a counter-invasion against the nation. They fought for a month and created many lakes, rivers, water sources, and flooded a large area. In the end, Ye Wenjie won, and the guardian beast and the warlord died in the battle. Ye Wenjie was furious with the warlord''s tribe, and she cursed the whole tribe, and they became ghosts. They said that the ghosts are still in our world, waiting for revenge."

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    Liu Xing tried to memorize the whole legend. Although there was no mention of the Lightning Ring that Yan Yu had mentioned, there was still a possibility that this legend was related to it.

    "There is also a version of the story that says Ye Wenjie stole the method of farming on the water from the warlord because the warlord tribe lived in a lake, but I think it''s false."

    Chu Zen''s story began to drift from the legend and to speculate about how a farm could be built on the water. Liu Xing knew about hydroponics, and when Chu Zen heard about it, his eyes shone as if he had just heard the greatest secret in the world. He said he wanted to try this hydroponic method for his little garden.

    Several more hours passed, and the sky turned orange. Chu Zen''s feet began to tremble, and Liu Xing offered to deliver the sack of rice himself while Chu Zen rested, but Chu Zen refused. He said it was a matter of principle. "If I don''t meet the customer, how can I make sure the customer is satisfied with my service?"

    Thus, their pace slowed down, but after the sun went down, they finally arrived at the outer sect''s gate. There were two guards standing in front of the gate. They were disciples as well, and they had taken on the mission of guarding the gate. Usually they stood lazily, but now their backs were straight and their eyes were alert.

    There was a man standing between them. This man was younger than Liu Xing, with his hands behind his back and a proud aura emanating from him. His eyes were sharp, as if he could easily cut through people, and his expression was aloof, as if the world must bow to him. Liu Xing recognized his face. When he had first seen Yan Yu, he had also seen this man''s face in the crowd of new disciples. He didn''t know his name, but he could guess who he was.

    "Senior Liu Xing, thank you for your help, but I have to carry the sack myself from now on!"

    Liu Xing looked at the sack on his shoulder, nodded, and handed it back to Chu Zen. Chu Zen lifted the sack onto his shoulder and started to walk respectfully towards the man.

    He watched the man, who was probably Shen Ye--one of the strongest new outer disciples of the sect and also a prince of the Phoenix Empire. He was wearing the purple robe provided by the sect, and a gold medal engraved with a phoenix dangled from his neck. Chu Zen knelt in front of Shen Ye, put down the sack of rice, and clasped his hands.

    "This is the rice you ordered, esteemed cultivator Shen Ye."

    Shen Ye looked at the sack. "Do you know how long I have been waiting?"

    "My sincerest apologies! I delivered this sack of rice as fast as I could!"

    "I said, do you have any idea how long I waited?" Shen Ye repeated. His eyes pierced Chu Zen, then he turned to a guard. "Tell me how long I waited."

    "Yes, sir! At least fifteen minutes!"

    "Did you hear that? I have been waiting here for over fifteen minutes! Aren''t you the one who said that you could deliver this rice on time, when the sun went down?"

    Chu Zen started to pale, and Liu Xing knew that trouble was coming. He summoned his gun and got ready to jump if anything happened. As he prepared himself, he wondered had Chu Zen really promised to deliver the goods before sunset? That was quite a bold statement. Without Liu Xing''s help, he would have had to carry the sack himself, and Liu Xing doubted that Chu Zen could have delivered it in time. Still, he knew that Chu Zen was a smart kid. He probably thought the stairs weren''t too long and the customer would be forgiving.

    "You are wasting my precious time. You must be punished!"

    "W-Wait, esteemed cultivator. I sincerely apologize for the delay, a-and to pay for it, y-you can get a big discount every time you shop at my father''s store!"

    When Shen Ye''s expression did not change, Chu Zen''s face was so pale that it looked like it was made of candle wax. "Then it''s free. It''s free! We''ll give you free goods!"

    "The punishment for making me wait is death!"

    Shen Ye pointed his palm at the frightened Chu Zen, and Liu Xing knew that the situation was already out of control. Although Liu Xing had known Chu Zen for less than a day, he didn''t want him to be harmed.

    Liu Xing stepped between Chu Zen and Shen Ye.

 35 ~ A Sack of Rice (3)

    "Aren''t you a bit too harsh? He''s only about fifteen minutes late, surely he doesn''t deserve death for it?" he said.

    Liu Xing¡¯s words were motivated by a mixture of personal and moral reasons. He had taken a liking to Chu Zen and appreciated the boy''s helpfulness in providing him with information. Besides, he didn''t agree with the extreme punishment proposed for such a minor infraction. While he understood the importance of punctuality, the threat of death over a fifteen-minute delay seemed grossly unfair. He knew that he was potentially putting himself in danger by speaking out, but he couldn''t stand by and watch someone who had helped him be treated so unfairly.

    Shen Ye glared at Liu Xing. "Who are you? How dare you talk to me so casually?"

    "My name is Liu Xing. I''m no one special in the sect, and you''re no one special either. We''re both outer disciples with the same status. If you''re thinking about status, then I''m a senior outer sect disciple, so you should show me some respect."

    Shen Ye snorted. "Hmph! We are not equal. My name is Shen Ye, and soon I will be an inner disciple. Senior disciple, you say? This Purple Moon Sect is great, but greatness starts as an inner disciple. A talentless person who stays in the outer sect is mere trash compared to me!"

    "Is that so? But in reality, you''re still an outer disciple, so by your logic, you''re also trash."

    Liu Xing honestly didn''t think that Shen Ye was trash. After all, Shen Ye was younger than him and already at the seventh stage of the Lock Opening realm. A seventh stage cultivator in the outer sect was among the best, and Shen Ye''s promotion to inner disciple was just a matter of time. That was why the disciples guarding the gate didn''t dare to speak, let alone intervene. But with his gun, a promotion to inner disciple was also just a matter of time for him, and while Shen Ye¡¯s cultivation was higher, Liu Xing was confident he wouldn''t be defeated by him.

    "You dare to defy me, a prince of the Phoenix Empire?" Shen Ye growled.

    "I dare. After all, that status is meaningless here. More importantly, this kid, Chu Zen, is just a mortal, and he¡¯s only fifteen minutes late. Trying to kill someone for that little thing is going too far."

    "Hmph! Don''t you understand how precious time is? A war can be lost if a messenger is five minutes late, let alone fifteen."

    "But we''re not at war, are we?"

    "My life is war!" Shen Ye growled. "My fifteen minutes are more valuable than his fifteen lives."

    Liu Xing¡¯s lips formed a tight line. In this world, he understood that a cultivator would consider himself superior to mortals. After all, cultivators had long lifespans; some could even live forever. But he didn''t believe that a cultivator had the right to kill a mortal without justification, and he still thought that Chu Zen''s lateness was not a crime punishable by death. "Look, if you spend your time arguing, you will waste even more of your time. Surely it would be faster to let this matter go than to try to kill him."

    "That''s because you are in my way."

    "And I will stand between you and this kid forever if you try to lay a hand on him." Liu Xing turned his head to Chu Zen, who was pale and wide-eyed. "Chu Zen, your delivery is complete. Leave and never show your face in front of Shen Ye again."

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    Chu Zen froze for a moment, then bowed, said "Thank you!" so fast the words were almost gibberish, and bolted.

    Shen Ye glared at Liu Xing. "This means you are the one who takes responsibility for his mistake."

    Liu Xing began to think about how to resolve this dispute. His main goal was to protect Chu Zen, and probably his family as well. While Shen Ye was blaming Liu Xing right now, there was still a possibility that Shen Ye still wanted to punish Chu Zen. So he had to ensure that Shen Ye completely forgot about Chu Zen, and the only thing he could think of in that short time was to make sure that Shen Ye became more enraged at him than at Chu Zen. This was actually a terrible choice but still a choice he intended to choose, though.

    "You know, I think this whole thing is kind of fishy. You take the trouble to go down to a small town, visit a store owned and operated by mortals, and order just one sack of ordinary rice. It''s as if you were trying to trick Chu Zen into delivering that rice, knowing that he would be late."

    Shen Ye snorted. "I went to his shop because it was the first shop I saw in that small town, and when I ordered the rice and asked if he could deliver it on time, he said he could. There''s nothing more or less to it."

    Liu Xing grabbed the sack of rice from the ground and shoved it at Shen Ye. "Then here is your precious rice. I delivered it."

    Shen Ye¡¯s face became red, and he vibrated as if he would explode. "What''s your name?" he whispered.

    "Liu Xing."

    "All right, Liu Xing, it seems you want to die!"

    "I don''t want to die, actually. And we''re on sect grounds. Killing other disciples is prohibited."

    "We¡¯re not. The gate is still behind me." He pointed to his back.

    Liu Xing nodded, activated his lightning cloak, and moved. The world suddenly blurred, and now, instead of being face to face with Shen Ye, he stood behind the gate with Shen Ye several meters in front of him.

    "I''m on sect grounds now, so the rules apply."

    When he said that, the two guards who stood beside the gate flinched and suddenly turned around with eyes wide and mouths open wide, as if they were seeing something truly incredible. Shen Ye turned around too, and while his expression was still angry, there was a hint of caution and calculation in his eyes. "I¡¯ve killed other disciples on sect grounds before. You think I wouldn''t do it again?"

    "I don''t doubt it, but let''s just make this official. I challenge you to a duel. If I win, you will let this matter about Chu Zen slide," he said.

    "But what if I win?" he asked.

    "Well, what do you want? I''m broke. My sect points are in the negative. If you want a favor, then I''ll give you one if you win."

    He snorted. "I don''t need your favor."

    "So you don''t want to duel then?"

    Shen Ye was silent for a moment, regarding Liu Xing with serious eyes. Liu Xing guessed there must be a little doubt in his heart. After all, he was in the sixth stage, while Shen Ye was at the seventh stage. Normally, people with a lower realm wouldn''t dare to challenge someone in a higher realm. The ones who did so either had strong backing or an ace up their sleeve to win a fight.

    "All right, I, Shen Ye, accept your challenge. Tomorrow when the sun sets, I will wait for you at the arena in training ground one. If you win, I''ll let this matter slide and won''t harm that mortal or his family. But if I win, you will lick my shoes a hundred times and then cripple your cultivation. How about it?"

    Shen Ye smirked, as if he already knew that Liu Xing would lose.

    He realized that this duel had no favorable outcome for him. If he won, he would get nothing, and if he lost, he would lose everything. And all of this was just because of a mortal kid. In the corner of his heart, he thought that maybe backpedaling and abandoning Chu Zen was the most logical thing to do. But he didn''t want to. Before he met Nui, he would have prioritized his own life, and everything else was secondary, but meeting Nui and getting the gun was a life-changing event. He would never forget his main goal, which was to defeat the darkness in this world, but he also wouldn''t forget Joni¡¯s question.

    What did he want to do? He wanted to be a legend. And no legend was ever born from someone who backed down and regretted his actions because he was afraid. True, this duel wouldn''t immediately make him a legend, but he thought if he backpedaled now, then later, when hard times came, he would choose the easy way.

    "Then it''s decided. We will fight."

    Shen Ye gave a small smirk. He couldn''t decide what the meaning of this smirk was. Was he mocking Liu Xing, impressed by him, or just thinking that he was foolish? Either way, he understood that he needed to win tomorrow¡¯s battle to ensure his legend would be born.

 36 ~ Statute Summoning Technique (1)

    Liu Xing sat cross-legged inside his little cave. He breathed evenly, attempting to absorb the qi from the air. The qi felt like cold water, and each time they entered his body, they jolted him, demanding attention, as if they possessed a will to be noticed. As he breathed in and out, his mind cleared and he became more relaxed. The matter of the duel still lingered, but he had already resolved to win, so there was nothing more to consider.

    Upon arriving at his cave, he initially considered sleep, but then decided against it. As a cultivator, he required minimal food or rest. His body still pulsed with energy from his recent advancement to the sixth stage. He needed only to refresh his mind, and breathing exercises and cultivation served this purpose.

    "It''s different from before," he muttered to himself.

    Before he received the weapon, his cultivation had lacked tranquility. He had been constantly striving to gather more qi, only to be frustrated by the meager amounts he could accumulate. Now that his progress felt almost certain, his cultivation felt calmer. This newfound calmness allowed him to absorb qi more effectively.

    Several hours passed in this manner, and Liu Xing decided it was time to move.

    When he opened the cave door, fresh air and a clear night sky greeted him. The moon shone so brightly that the clearing before him was vividly illuminated. Previously, his clearing had resembled a buffalo stampede, with ruined grass and mud splattered everywhere. Now, the ground was firm, and the grass stood tall, dancing in the night wind.

    He moved slowly along the path, enjoying the night, the breeze, and the moon. Peace pervaded the air, punctuated by the chorus of insects singing in unison.

    As he walked, he focused his mind and looked at the library tower. In addition to ordinary books, the library also contained a huge collection of techniques and cultivation scriptures. His primary goal was to gather information about the location of the Water Nation, general details, native spirit beasts, and the location of the lake with the Lightning Ring that Yan Yu had mentioned. Despite his negative sect point, he also wanted to find a maneuvering technique and a cultivation method that could be used while on the move. Although it was currently beyond his capabilities, it would be beneficial to know his options.

    Before long, Liu Xing arrived at the library. It remained open but deserted. A smile touched his lips at the sight of the empty space. An empty library felt more welcoming than a bustling one; it felt as if it belonged solely to him. He entered and strolled between the shelves. With his mind clear, he decided to browse leisurely. When a book piqued his interest, he picked it up, read for a few minutes, and then returned it to its place.

    "This library truly is full of bizarre techniques," he commented quietly.

    He only read introductory chapters, but even these glimpses revealed the multitude of strange and fascinating techniques he was missing by focusing solely on lightning.

    For example, he was currently reading the introductory chapter of the Silver Song Technique. This technique was not activated by qi circulation, but by the use of a flute. It created illusions that affected an opponent''s sight and hearing. He picked up another book describing a technique with a grandiose name: Heaven Twisting Technique. He suspected it was merely a marketing ploy. Many techniques boasted impressive names, like Heaven Shattering Fist, yet delivered underwhelming effects. However, the Heaven Twisting Technique was different. It proved to be genuinely impressive. It manipulated the air around an opponent, latching onto anything the air touched and twisting it.The prerequisites to learn this technique were considerable. It demanded not only a high affinity for air but also for spatial techniques.

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    Liu Xing also discovered intriguing books on non-cultivation subjects, including herbs, spirit beasts, history, geography, and more.

    He chose a geography book and noticed a map in the early chapters. According to the text, there were five continents in this world. The Dark Forest continent occupied the center of the world, dwarfing all other continents in size. Its shape resembled the island of Java, stretching far out to the west and east, with a rather large land mass in the north. Numerous islands surrounded it, with four large islands identified as continents.

    This information made Liu Xing question the accuracy of the book and the possible bias of the map''s creator. He wanted to cross-reference the map for verification, but decided to postpone that task. Today, his priority was to gather information about the Water Nation and, if time permitted, to explore cultivation methods and techniques suitable for his fighting style.

    "Hmm, but maybe I can rethink my approach. Considering the duel with Shen Ye tomorrow, I should first study the technique section, then the cultivation methods for mobile cultivation, and finally the Water Nation."

    Nodding to himself, Liu Xing resolved to follow his revised plan. His steps became lighter, and a smile began to form on his lips. He realized his decision might not be solely driven by the impending duel, but also by his desire to discover another compelling technique. The awareness that he could only browse and not purchase the techniques evoked a slight sadness, but he quickly dismissed the feeling.

    Soon, he found himself amidst shelves dedicated to lightning techniques. He aimed to find a technique enabling aerial maneuverability, similar to Air Steps, but wanted to begin with lightning-based options. Perhaps a lightning technique superior to Air Steps existed. He browsed the shelves, pausing occasionally to read about a fascinating technique, such as the Dragon Breath Lightning Attack. He found that technique consistently captivating, no matter how often he encountered it.

    He also discovered other intriguing techniques that blind enemies with lightning, another to bind them, and even a mundane technique to convert lightning qi into floating fire the size of a torch. He located several more movement techniques, but none surpassed his Lightning Cloak.

    Finally, after several hours, Liu Xing found a promising technique. The Floating Lightning Shield Technique. It was derived from the standard Lightning Shield technique.

    The Lightning Shield allowed users to conjure a lightning shield from their palms. The Floating Lightning Shield, however, could materialize a small, floating shield anywhere within a half-meter radius of the user. Its primary purpose was to intercept attacks. The introductory chapter emphasized the shield''s rapid deployment due to its small size and ease of use, but also lamented its brittleness. It could only reliably intercept attacks with a maximum power equivalent to the seventh level of the Lock Opening realm, rendering it rather weak, even for a Base Grade Technique.

    Initially, Liu Xing considered the technique to be potentially fit to his needs. His Lightning Cloak enhanced his speed, but if he intended to maneuver in the air using the shield as a stepping stone, he would need to kick it with considerable force. Could such a brittle shield withstand his kicks? Currently, it might, but after surpassing the seventh stage, even with enhancements from his gun, would it still endure his kicks?

    The technique held potential, but he reserved judgment. He decided to continue searching. Perhaps he would discover an even better technique derived from the Floating Lightning Shield. However, now aware that shield techniques could serve as stepping stones, Liu Xing began paying closer attention to this category of techniques.

    Shield techniques were surprisingly scarce within the lightning techniques section. This scarcity was understandable, given lightning''s inherent instability and unsuitability for forming shields.

 37 ~ Statute Summoning Technique (2)

    Since he couldn''t find many shield techniques in the lightning section, he checked another section. The fire technique section was no better than the lightning one, while the earth technique section was full of defensive techniques. Strangely, there weren''t many defensive techniques that created a floating shield. Instead, most shields were connected to the ground or covered the user''s body in a layer of earth.

    After searching further, he found an earth technique that seemed a perfect fit: The Stepping Stone technique. This technique materialized a flat stone beneath the user''s feet and could serve as a stepping stone. While this technique was suitable, it was an earth technique, and Liu Xing primarily used lightning techniques. Using earth techniques required more effort and more qi for him. Still, with his gun, utilizing this technique was likely manageable, so he kept this technique in mind for now.

    He browsed again, and in the wind section, he found the Air Step technique. It was classified as a movement technique because each step the user took increased their speed. Seeing this, he  grinned. While the Stepping Stone technique also suited him, this technique was much cooler! If he had to choose based on coolness alone, he would pick this technique without hesitation. He placed the book on the Air Steps technique down, making a mental note of its location. If he didn''t find a more suitable technique, he would purchase this one later.

    Liu Xing glanced at the window nearby. Looking through it, he could see green mountains illuminated by the soft glow of the morning sun. It seemed he had spent more time than he intended on browsing techniques.

    "Should I browse for a mobile cultivation method or information about the Water Nation first?" he muttered. His original plan was to research cultivation methods first, but he didn''t feel like it right now. Reading about fascinating techniques all night long had made him want to explore a completely different topic. "Alright, let''s find information about the Water Nation first," he decided.

    Liu Xing looked around. This library was huge, so Liu Xing assumed that there was a section for geography or politics. He browsed here and there, passing by the medical book section and the fascinating illusion technique section. After a few moments, he finally found an area where the shelves were filled with maps. Sure he was in the right place, he began to examine the books and scrolls around him. The first book he picked up happened to be about the Phoenix Empire.

    Holding the book, Liu Xing paused to think. He wanted to learn about the Water Nation, but with his duel against Shen Ye later and his accidentally picking up a book about the Phoenix Empire, he felt as if the world was leading him to learn more about Shen Ye and his family. Finding a table, he sat down and began to read.

    The first chapter detailed the history of the Phoenix Empire: its founding, its founder, and then it progressed to the present day. One key piece of information in this first chapter was the existence of three hundred provinces within the Phoenix Empire. Reading about three hundred provinces in this book, he wondered about the sheer size of the Phoenix Empire. Indonesia, where he had lived most of his life, had thirty-eight provinces and was the largest country in Southeast Asia.

    "Doesn''t China only have twenty-two provinces?" Liu Xing muttered to himself.

    He vaguely recalled learning that information when he briefly considered learning Chinese. Though he wasn''t certain his memory was accurate. "How many states does America have? At least forty, right?"

    Still, assuming countries like China, America, or Indonesia, with fewer than fifty provinces or states, were already vast, how large was an empire with three hundred provinces? Could the entirety of Asia fit within this empire? Liu Xing blinked several times, trying to grasp the scale of this world. He sometimes forgot how immense this world was¡ªlikely hundreds of times larger than Earth, perhaps even bigger than the sun from his old life. Shaking his head, he stopped pondering the scale and focused on the book.

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    The Phoenix Empire had been a small nation in the past, but it expanded rapidly when the Shen clan took control. It was believed the Shen clan possessed a Phoenix bloodline and exceptional command over fire. The book claimed a single member of the Shen clan could contend with a thousand cultivators of the same realm.

    "That''s obviously an exaggeration."

    If every Shen clan member were that powerful, they wouldn''t have become a vassal of the Purple Moon Sect. The Purple Moon Sect would have become the Phoenix Empire''s vassal instead.

    "It seems this book is written by a Phoenix Empire loyalist." Which meant Liu Xing needed to read this book with a healthy dose of skepticism.

    He continued reading, and while he found the book interesting, it offered nothing directly beneficial to him. Half the book was devoted to praising the Phoenix Empire''s greatness, while the other half delved into interesting places, legends, or commodities within each province. While the legend of a buffalo that cultivated until it could challenge the Phoenix Empire was intriguing, he decided reading this book was a waste of time, at least for now.

    Returning the book to its shelf, Liu Xing browsed until he found a book about the Water Nation. This book was titled "Seven Wonders of Water Nation." He grabbed it, but decided to browse for more books first. In the span of several minutes, he found several more: a history of the Water Nation, a bestiary of local spirit beasts in the Water Nation, a novel set in the Water Nation, a book about the Ye clan of the Water Nation, and even a recipe book. He decided this was sufficient for now, especially when he spotted another intriguing book next to the recipe books. The book was gray, appeared old and brittle, and was quite thin compared to the books surrounding it. What caught Liu Xing''s attention was its title.

    "Statue Summoning Technique," he read.

    Liu Xing knew that this library was not the most organized. Sometimes he would find history books on shelves full of techniques, probably from some disciple who was too lazy to return the book to the right shelf, but the opposite was unheard of. Discovering this technique here was like finding a lion among sheep.

    "What are you doing here?" Liu Xing picked up the book and opened the introductory chapter. However, with his left hand full of other books, when he opened it using only his right hand, he inadvertently opened several pages at once. He expected to see the words shifting and swirling like a busy ant colony, but when he saw the words remained still, his eyes widened. This book was not encrypted!

    "Is this real?" Liu Xing whispered.

    To test his theory, he opened a random page in the book. When he still saw unmoving words, his heart began to race. It truly was an unencrypted book!

    He checked his surroundings, and when he saw no one nearby, he decided to place all the other books on a random shelf and conceal this technique inside his robe. The book felt rough against his skin, a constant reminder that it was real. He tried to calm his racing heart. He felt both excited and anxious. What did this mean? Every other technique in this library was encrypted to ensure disciples worked hard to earn sect points. It was one of the sect''s methods to motivate their disciples to grow. After all, no one became strong by simply sitting idle. Every cultivator needed experience, both in life and in battle. Therefore, freely accessible techniques were not expected to exist in this library.

    He considered several reasons why this book might be unencrypted. The first was that it didn''t belong to the library. Someone might have placed it here intentionally, perhaps an elder or an older disciple who had mastered the technique and decided to pass it on through the library in secret.

    "There''s also that story," Liu Xing muttered.

    There were old stories about this library. Some of them were strange, such as the library being a girl who fell in love with the sect Patriarch and turned into a library out of devotion, or the Library being a sentient spirit beast. A common thread in these stories was that the library had a mind of its own. Stories of disciples finding unencrypted books weren''t unheard of, nor were stories of disciples who, no matter what book they chose, found that it contained the same short story about a man who crapped his pants, as if the library was mocking them.

    But he had always considered these stories to be urban legends, until he discovered this unencrypted book.

    "Is a sentient library actually a thing in this world?" he muttered to himself.

 38 ~ Race (1)

    Actually, the more he considered it, the more plausible explanation became that someone had simply left the book unencrypted. The idea of a sentient library deeming a disciple worthy of a technique sounded like nonsense.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not overthink it,¡± he muttered to himself. The reality was, he had acquired a technique for free! A smile touched Liu Xing''s lips, but he quickly suppressed it. Obtaining a free technique was beyond his wildest dreams, especially considering his sect points were in the negative.

    Deciding to put the matter of the Water Nation out of his mind for the moment, Liu Xing walked slowly and deliberately between the shelves. He tried to project an air of nonchalance, as if he wasn''t concealing a book beneath his robe.

    He battled the rising anxiety in his chest. He worried this might be a trap set by the librarian. If caught stealing, he faced not only a library ban but also a fine that would further plummet his already abysmal sect points.

    He reached the double doors of the library, which framed a serene view of the Purple Moon Sect. The elegant buildings with their stylish roofs, the scattered towers, and the backdrop of green peaks created a peaceful scene. However, his heart was beating so fast that he felt like he was about to have a heart attack. Truth be told, stealing was not in Liu Xing''s nature. But who could ignore an unencrypted technique?

    ¡°Stay calm,¡± he muttered to himself, trying to soothe his racing nerves. He was convinced the library was equipped with sensors or alarms to detect book thieves. If an alarm blared the moment he stepped outside, he would be ruined. But the thought of returning the technique and risking someone else finding it was equally uncomfortable.

    Psyching himself up, he inhaled deeply and took a step. No alarm. He took another step, then another, until he stood outside the library doors. Sunlight warmed his face, the air felt crisp, and still, no alarm. Relief washed over him. He had done it.

    ¡°Alright, time to run!¡±

    Anxiety still gnawed at him. He wouldn''t feel truly safe until he reached the seclusion of his cave. For a moment, the thought of summoning his gun and activating Lightning Cloak flashed through his mind, but he dismissed it. While sect rules didn¡¯t prohibit technique use, he worried it would draw unwanted attention. Instead, he simply ran as fast as his legs could carry him

    He sprinted past other disciples. Some called out to him, but he ignored them and focused solely on escape. He soon reached the training grounds, less crowded than usual. It was still early morning and many disciples were likely still in the Dining Hall or cultivating in their respective house.

    He looked back. The library was no longer visible and no one was following him. He allowed himself a small breath of relief. He was safe.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just walk,¡± Liu Xing muttered, slowing his pace.

    He walked at a normal pace now. With each step, his heart calmed, and confidence grew. It really did seem as if the technique hadn''t belonged to the library. As he walked, his thoughts turned to the Statue Summoning Technique. He¡¯d never encountered summoning techniques before, but given the sheer variety of techniques, it wasn¡¯t surprising. There were bound to be countless bizarre and unheard-of arts. This summoning technique was clearly one of them. The name itself suggested its function, which is to summon statues. But were they ordinary statues, or imbued with techniques? Did he have to craft them himself? Would he need a special space to store the statues, or did they emerge from some pocket dimension?

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    So many questions raced through his mind. But one of the most pressing was the technique¡¯s grade. Liu Xing suspected it was merely Base Grade, but since he hadn¡¯t yet read the introduction, there was a chance it could be higher. He secretly prayed it was a Heaven Grade technique, though even a Base Grade technique was a welcome gain.

    He approached the Dining Hall, now overflowing with disciples like a vase spilling purple liquid. The air buzzed with chatter, shouts, and the general cacophony of morning activity. He quickened his pace. News of his duel with Shen Ye was likely spreading, and while his worst tormentors were either inner disciples or dead, there were still those who would enjoy taunting him.

    But before he could proceed further, a voice cut through the noise, so sudden and commanding that everyone froze mid-sentence.

    ¡°Attention!¡±

    The voice resonated everywhere and nowhere, seemingly whispered directly into his ear yet echoing from afar.

    "To all the outer disciples of the Purple Moon Sect. This is Zhang Zhenking, leader of the Outer Court. When you hear my voice, gather in the Outer Hall immediately. This is an urgent matter. Disregard this summons at your own peril; I will personally expel anyone who ignores it. I repeat..." The announcement echoed three times to emphasize its urgency.

    ¡°Zhang Zhenking? Isn''t he one of the Twelve Elders? The one in charge of the outer sect?¡± someone murmured.

    "I''ve heard that no one has ever actually seen him. Rumor has it that he''s always in seclusion."

    ¡°What are you talking about? Did you hear him? Outer Hall, now! No time for gossip!¡±

    ¡°Right, I¡¯m not risking being kicked out!¡±

    Similar murmurs rippled through the crowd, and he too understood the gravity of the announcement. He recognized the name Zhang Zhenking. The Purple Moon Sect had numerous elders, but the Twelve Elders held positions just below the Patriarch himself. When he had first arrived in this world, he¡¯d imagined the Patriarch as a president and the Twelve Elders as his cabinet ministers, each responsible for a vital sector. Elder Zhang Zhenking oversaw the entire outer sect.

    Liu Xing licked his dry lips, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. All around him, disciples were streaming towards the Outer Hall. Located in the center of the outer court, the Outer Hall was designed to be equally accessible from all points of the outer sect. Liu Xing estimated that every disciple in the outer sect would converge there within minutes.

    ¡°Should I stash this technique first, or rush straight to the Outer Hall?¡±

    He glanced towards the mountains in the distance where his cave lay hidden. If he used Lightning Cloak, he could probably make it to his cave and back to the Outer Hall in time, but the risk of being late, of expulsion, was too great.

    He shook his head. ¡°Best to hold onto it for now. Hopefully, nothing will go wrong.¡± He joined the throng of disciples rushing towards the Outer Hall, feeling like a single fish swept along in a powerful current.

    To his left, he noticed a disciple he vaguely recognized. A man with unremarkable features, running with a notebook in his hand. Wasn''t this the disciple who wanted to be slapped by Yan Yu?

    "Hey," Liu Xing called out, "What''s your name?"

    He knew the man was an older fellow disciple, but he hadn''t bothered to memorize everyone.

    The man turned, his gaze lingering on Liu Xing¡¯s face, as if assessing him. ¡°My name is Yuan Tao. You¡¯re Liu Xing, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me. You know me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Who hasn¡¯t heard of the trash disciple who lost his mind and tried to commit suicide by challenging Shen Ye?¡± Yuan Tao paused, then added, ¡°That¡¯s how most people see you now, by the way. Did you really challenge Shen Ye?¡±

    Liu Xing just sighed. His reputation was already in tatters. Annoyed, yes, but he understood the general perception. "I did challenge Shen Ye, but suicide wasn''t the goal."

    ¡°Must have been something serious then,¡± Yuan Tao replied, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

    Liu Xing didn¡¯t elaborate. It''s actually because of a little kid and a sack of rice. He changed the subject. ¡°Say, do you know anything about this announcement?¡±

    Yuan Tao grinned, puffing out his chest slightly. ¡°Is my reputation finally preceding me? Seems like my dream of becoming a legendary informant might actually come true! As for the announcement, while I don¡¯t have solid intel, I have a pretty good idea what it¡¯s about.¡±

 39 ~ Race (2)

    "Really, can you tell me?"

    "Hmm, no," Yuan Tao shook his head. "You¡¯ll know soon enough, and what I know isn''t that important, but I can give you a hint. It¡¯s about our Patriarch¡¯s youngest son, Hao Yun."

    Liu Xing knew Hao Yun. In the sect, every disciple had to become an outer disciple before progressing to inner disciple, then core disciple, and Hao Yun was no exception. Typically, individuals became outer disciples between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. Liu Xing himself had been accepted at sixteen. But Hao Yun had become an outer disciple at six years old and was accepted as an inner disciple just a few weeks later. Liu Xing and Hao Yun had been accepted in the same year and the same batch. They had even exchanged a few brief words. The kid was a genius, and since about four years had passed, that meant Hao Yun would be around ten this year.

    Remembering this, he  sighed. Hao Yun was the definition of a genius, but he had heard that Hao Yun was actually the least talented compared to his two older brothers, implying most people were nobodies compared to them. If Yuan Tao was right and this announcement connected to Hao Yun, then Liu Xing didn''t understand how it related to all the outer sect disciples.

    Deciding to wait and hear the announcement, he followed the crowd and tried his best to act normal. He also tried not to touch his belly too often, afraid someone would notice the book inside his robe. But it seemed no one noticed his stolen technique, and he arrived at the Outer Hall with everyone else. His position at the back of the crowd made it easy for him to run if anyone tried to steal his technique.

    Focusing his mind, he checked his surroundings. The Outer Hall was huge. The roof was high, with few pillars supporting it, making the hall feel spacious. A stage stood at the front, and even though he was hundreds of meters away, he could see a man standing on it calmly.

    Despite his young appearance, with silky black hair, sharp eyebrows, and gleaming eyes, Liu Xing knew that Elder Zhan Zhenking was hundreds, maybe thousands, of years old. He wore a white robe with a purple sash at his waist and carried a big red sword on his back.

    The double gates suddenly closed behind him. The hall¡¯s lighting dimmed, and hundreds of lights floated in the air like stars, illuminating all the disciples. Soon after, each light transformed into a floating screen displaying the serious face of Elder Zhan Zhenking.

    "There are still fools who dare to be late despite knowing this gathering is urgent." As he spoke, the screen directly above Liu Xing changed, showing three disciples banging on the door of the Outer Hall. Their faces were pale, and sweat dripped from their foreheads.

    He sighed. His decision to rush to the hall had been right. If he had decided to put his technique in his cave first, there would have been four disciples banging on that door.

    The screen now showed Elder Zhang Zhenking¡¯s face again, and Liu Xing knew he would announce why he had gathered all the outer disciples there.

    "This announcement is important, so pay attention," he paused for a moment. "Our Patriarch has three sons, and the youngest is Hao Yun. Soon he¡¯ll be ten years old, and when his birthday comes, we will hold a party."

    After he spoke, some disciples chatted and whispered, asking and wondering about the birthday party. Liu Xing himself wondered what was so special about it. Sure, a birthday party for the patriarch''s son was a big deal, but it was usually only for the most important people in the Purple Moon Sect, the vassal sects, the vassal nations, and the allies. There was usually no reason to include the outer disciples.

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    "This party is special because not only will we celebrate Hao Yun¡¯s birthday, but it will also be the day he officially gets engaged."

    Around Liu Xing, the disciples started to chatter more. They wondered the same things Liu Xing thought. Who was the woman Hao Yun would be engaged to? Why was he getting engaged so soon?

    "You don¡¯t need to know about his engagement. Most of you won¡¯t even be attending the party. No, the reason I have gathered you all here, even though it is related to the party, is because we need to prepare gifts. That is where you all come in. Since this party is going to be special, the gifts have to be special too, and in order to follow the Patriarch¡¯s instructions on how to train disciples, you will be competing with each other to get the best gifts for the party."

    After he spoke, the murmurs grew louder. Some were eager to compete, and some wondered what the best gifts for Hao Yun would be. Liu Xing himself was excited about this competition because every competition in Purple Moon Sect had great rewards, and while Liu Xing already had the best weapon in the world, he wouldn''t turn down another treasure that could help him become stronger.

    A red light suddenly appeared above Zhan Zhenking, forming a large, tall screen. Liu Xing looked at the screen and saw a list of items. There were many herbs, like Heavenly Dragonroot Lotus, Celestial Phoenix Feather Herb, and Azure Moonflower Petal. There were also treasures such as the Luminous Dragon Pearl, and the list even included items like the Celestial Silk Robe of the Heavens, Eternal Nightshade Cloak, Thunderstrike Gauntlets, Sacred Phoenix Feather Mantle, and many more. Each treasure sounded expensive and could probably change the life of an ordinary cultivator.

    "This is the list of gifts we need to get. In total, there are three thousand gifts."

    "Amazing," a disciple commented.

    "Three thousand gifts! And that¡¯s only from us. How many gifts will the inner disciples get for Hao Yun?"

    "The real question is, how many mountains of gifts will Hao Yun get this year?"

    Three thousand gifts sounded like a lot, but it just showed how important this party was.

    A yellow light soon appeared around Zhan Zhengking, turning into a yellow screen. Unlike the red screen full of items, this one was empty.

    "Each of you needs to get an item. If you fail, you¡¯ll be punished. But that¡¯s not all. You can, and should, get more than one item. The reward for the three disciples who get the most gifts will be instant promotion to inner disciple."

    After he said that, the Outer Hall, which was already noisy, suddenly erupted. Usually, only a handful of outer disciples would become inner disciples based on talent alone, but in this competition, everyone had a chance.Liu Xing was eager too. Before, he had wanted to go to his cave and learn the Statue Summoning Technique, but now he wanted to rush out of the sect to find every treasure on the list!

    "Not only that, but the first hundred disciples will also get rewards, whether it¡¯s a technique, spirit stones, pills, or other resources. So I suggest you take this mission seriously."

    Suddenly, the double doors of the Outer Hall opened. The three people who were knocking on the doors were startled, and Liu Xing and everyone else got ready to run.

    "You can see the list, item descriptions, and rankings from your token. There¡¯s no time limit, but if you dawdle, you won¡¯t get even a single treasure."

    Some people said, "Yes sir!"

    "Now, go!" shouted Zhan Zengking, and like a starting gun, that shout made every single disciple in the Outer Hall run as if their lives depended on it.

    Liu Xing was at the front of the pack. He passed the confused three disciples and ran as fast as he could, heading for the main gate of the outer sect.

    As he ran at the front, he was tempted to summon his gun and use Lightning Cloak, but he chose not to since he wanted to think for a moment. First things first, part of him wanted to go to his cave, put away his new technique, and start packing. He thought this race would last at least a week, and it would be smart to prepare food and emergency pills. But another part of him thought that if he wasted time, he would lose his chance.

 40 ~ Race (3)

    Liu Xing descended the stairs and saw the outer sect gate standing wide open, unguarded. A fat disciple beside him jumped, and upon landing, contorted his body into a wheel. He rolled down the stairs like a runaway tire, taking an early lead in the race. Seeing this, he cycled his qi faster.

    His mind briefly drifted to summoning his gun, but he restrained himself and focused on strategy. The fat disciple who had rolled through the gates was currently in the lead, creating the illusion that he could collect the most treasure and become an inner disciple. But Liu Xing knew better. This race was not a sprint for speed, but a marathon for treasure accumulation. Therefore, blindly rushing forward seemed to be the worst possible strategy. Still, he actually wants to lead in this race.

    "First, I need to devise a general strategy," he murmured

    The treasure that all the outer disciples were looking for was probably scattered all over the continent. However, he suspected that a significant portion of it could be found within the territory of the Purple Moon Sect, which was still a huge territory, since his sect was one of the five great sects that controlled the entire world.

    He reasoned that most disciples would first look for the treasure closest to the sect and then gradually venture further. It was a logical "low-hanging fruit" approach. Therefore, he decided to use the opposite tactic. While the majority of people were flocking to the nearby areas to search for treasures nearby, he would take a different path. He would venture into the more distant, less contested regions first.

    This strategy was sound, but inherently risky. He would inevitably pass by easily obtainable treasures along the way, effectively ceding them to others. But in the limited time available, he couldn''t overthink the details.

    He solidified his decision to follow this strategy. He also decided to disregard the listed herbs. Although the herbs were probably easier to obtain and required simple harvesting, their freshness was paramount. Delivering them to the sect in a timely manner would require him to shorten his race.

    "Alright, the general strategy is formed," he muttered, nodding to himself.

    Liu Xing suspected he might have overlooked or failed to consider other crucial factors. However, for the moment, this strategy was sufficient. If it proved flawed, he could adapt later.

    He summoned his gun into his left hand and held his token in his right. Channeling qi into the token, he willed it to activate. A palm-sized screen materialized above it, displaying a table filled with the items disciples needed to collect. To his surprise, he noticed a small triangle at the top of the table, which he suspected was for sorting items. There was even a search box! "Amazing!"

    At first, he entertained the idea that the interface designer might also be from Earth. The display bore a resemblance to a table found on the Internet. But he quickly dismissed the idea. While the possibility of other transmigrators existing in this world wasn''t entirely out of the question, assuming the interface designers were from another world felt disrespectful. After all, it was merely a table with sorting and searching features. Such functionalities could be conceived by anyone, including a cultivator seeking a more convenient way to organize information.

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    He experimented with the sort function when shouts and exclamations erupted behind him. Turning, he saw many disciples pointing skyward. Tilting his head up, he saw a man flying on a purple shield. The man had pale skin, long, pitch-black hair, and radiated a cold, dangerous aura.

    "That''s Yu Yongrui!" someone shouted. "Shit! So that purple shield can be used for flight!"

    "How did he get that shield? Wasn''t it protected by a barrier?"

    Liu Xing observed Yu Yongrui from below. He wore the standard purple robe of a disciple, but over it, he sported a pitch-black coat trimmed with gold with a sword strapped to his back. He had heard Yu Yongrui was from a peasant family, but judging by his appearance, he could easily be mistaken for royalty.

    An explosion echoed from behind. Turning again, he saw another figure launch into the sky. Fire wings erupted from his back, and the force of an explosion propelled him forward like a fighter jet. This man wore a serious expression, a golden medallion swinging around his neck as he attempted to overtake Yu Yongrui.

    "That''s Prince Shen Ye!"

    "I''m also from the Phoenix Empire. The royal family is renowned for their Fire Wings!"

    As Liu Xing considered his upcoming duel with Shen Ye, a cold breeze swept from behind. Recognizing the chilling air, he knew who was approaching. Looking around, he spotted Yan Yu not far away. She jumped gracefully into the sky, her robe and hair fluttering. As if in welcome, a layer of ice materialized in the air. Yan Yu landed upon it, standing like a proud goddess, her electric blue eyes shining. The ice sheet then moved horizontally through the air, as if Yan Yu were riding an ethereal elevator.

    "Wow! That''s Yan Yu! Just as beautiful as expected!" A male voice hollered lines like, "Marry me!" and "You can slap me!" phrases that sounded suspiciously like something Yuan Tao, the disciple with the notebook, would say.

    Yu Yongrui, Shen Ye, and Yan Yu exchanged glances. And as if a competitive spark ignited between them, they all accelerated. Yan Yu briefly glanced at Liu Xing, as if curious about his reaction, before focusing on catching up to the other two leaders.

    Witnessing the three figures soaring ahead, he felt his heartbeat quicken. Adrenaline surged through him, excitement coursing in his veins. They looked incredibly cool! He, too, desired to appear just as impressive.

    He glanced at his left hand, at his black gun gleaming in the sunlight.

    "Time to shine, buddy," he murmured. As he spoke, he cycled his qi in the familiar pattern. In less than a fraction of a second, the pattern completed, the technique was absorbed, and as if eager to showcase its power, his gun returned the technique almost instantaneously.

    Suddenly, Liu Xing''s body became enveloped in lightning. Disciples to his right and left widened their eyes in surprise. But before they could react, he kicked off the ground and leaped towards Yan Yu. In a fraction of a second, he landed directly above her. She tilted her head up, and their eyes met.

    "Seems like you''ve already recovered," Liu Xing said, stepping onto Yan Yu''s shoulder and launching himself towards Shen Ye.

    Landing squarely on Shen Ye''s back, Shen Ye twisted his head and growled, "You! How dare you land on me!"

    Liu Xing grinned. "I just wanted to let you know our duel is postponed."

    He kicked Shen Ye''s back a bit harder than necessary, causing Shen Ye to wobble in the air. He then propelled himself straight towards Yu Yongrui. Yu Yongrui seemed like a dangerous individual. His eyes held a serious intensity, as if he would cut down anyone in his path to advance.

    As Liu Xing approached, Yu Yongrui unsheathed his sword.

    "Don''t you dare step on me."

    Their eyes locked. Liu Xing made no attempt to stop his momentum, since he still lacked a proper aerial maneuvering technique. As he came within striking distance of Yi Yongrui''s sword, Yi Yongrui thrust his sword. The sword thrust was not a refined technique and was somewhat slow. Liu Xing quickly rotated his body and stepped onto the tip of the sword.

    "Is that so? Alright then."

    Liu Xing jumped from the tip of his sword, catching a glimpse of Yu Yongrui''s widened eyes before soaring past him and into the open sky. As he flew, the wind whipped against his cheeks, and his black hair fluttered and a smile bloomed on his face.

    "Let''s race!" Liu Xing shouted.

 41 ~ Race (4)

    The disciples scattered like a pack of hungry hyenas, leaving the Outer Hall empty. Only Zhang Zhenking remained in the wide and glamorous hall, his hands clasped behind his back, his spine ramrod straight.

    Having watched almost all of his outer disciples depart, he knew the Purple Moon Sect would face trouble. They were, after all, the ones tasked with the most mundane and numerous missions. Moreover, since the treasure hunt race included every disciple, the production of pills, weapons, and talismans had also halted. He had been serious when he declared that every outer disciple needed to gather, regardless of age or combat ability. Everyone needed to gather gifts for Hao Yun. This was, in his mind, a truly urgent matter, even if his definition of urgent differed from that of his disciples.

    Turning around, Zhang Zhenking walked toward a golden gate that connected the outer court and the inner court. The gate opened as he approached and closed behind him once he passed through.

    Several meters in front of him, a kid stood with a smile on his face. This kid wore a dark blue cultivator robe that matched his blue hair and blue eyes. He put his hands behind his back and puffed out his chest as if trying to appear bigger. "Elder Zhang Zhenking, what a coincidence to meet you here!"

    In the Purple Moon Sect, elders held greater status than the Patriarch''s son, yet even Zhang Zhenking did not dare to harm this kid. This was Hao Yun, the son of heavens, the most talented human being on the continent. The Demon Kid. If given a choice, Zhang Zhenking would have avoided interacting with this kid altogether.

    "Indeed, what a coincidence," Zhang Zhenking replied.

    Hao Yun grinned, hands now behind his head. "Perhaps it''s fate! Since you couldn''t attend my tea party due to this urgent matter, I thought we would only meet next week during the Twelve Elders meeting. But here we are, meeting by chance."

    "It was the will of the heavens," Zhang Zhenking humored the little devil.

    Zhang Zhenking resumed walking, his steps measured and purposeful. Hao Yun, not wanting to be left behind, quickly fell into step beside him. The elder and the Patriarch''s son moved forward together.

    Hao Yun grinned wider. "It''s true! I was just exploring the sect when I got lost, and then I ended up here when you announced that race. Speaking of that race, I''m so excited! Three thousand gifts, and they''re all for me! It¡¯s a shame I couldn''t join the race. I should have stayed in the outer court longer. Perhaps I could transfer to the outer court and become an outer disciple. That way, I could join the race!"

    "Please don''t joke around."

    "Hehe. I''m joking. While it was a shame I couldn''t join the race, it was still exciting, especially your hidden agenda."

    "It is not my hidden agenda. It is our sect''s hidden agenda," Zhang Zhenking stated.

    "But you were the one who formed the plan and executed it, so I say this was your agenda."

    "I don''t agree with your assessment, but you can think whatever you want. Just know that I am loyal. Everything I do is for the sect."

    "I didn''t question your loyalty. I''m sorry if I offended you."

    "I''m not offended," Zhang Zhenking said.

    He had already decided to devote his life and give his loyalty to the sect. The enemy of the sect was his enemy, and he would destroy his enemies.

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    "I thought this plan of yours was brilliant." Hao Yun gave a thumbs up.

    Seeing this gesture, Zhang Zhenking nodded. "Thank you."

    "The preparation for war, disguised as a race to get as many gifts as possible." Hao Yun grinned. "The icing on the cake was that it was for my birthday! How amazing is that?"

    Zhang Zhenking controlled his expression. He knew that his plan was not a secret for the upper echelons of the sect, but hearing someone say it out in the open somehow felt wrong, as if his secret was now exposed. "Don''t forget your engagement too."

    "Ah, right, I forgot. It was just that the birthday party was more special to me since it was dedicated only to me, not shared with someone else." He pouted. "I still wonder why I was the one getting engaged, not my brothers."

    Zhang Zhenking was sure this kid knew the reason. But unlike him, Zhang Zhenking would not talk about secret matters out in the open.

    "Anyway, since you had already made the preparations, did you already know who those mysterious enemies were?" Hao Yun asked nonchalantly.

    In front of them stood a statue of a golden lion. This statue stood in the hallway as if to scare off anyone who tried to pass by. But when the lion saw that it was Zhang Zhenking and Hao Yun, it bowed, its eyes glowing, and the wall to its right slid open, revealing a secret passage right into the innermost deep area of the sect, where the most important people lived. Zhang Zhenking was one of them, just like Hao Yun.

    As he walked down this short passage, with light glowing at the end of the hallway, he finally answered Hao Yun''s question. "No. I still don''t know who they are."

    This fact made Zhang Zhenking restless. He was not the most intelligent person among the Twelve Elders, but since the seventh seat was now empty, he was also in charge of information gathering. Two to three years prior, he had hoped Hao Yun would fill this seat, but right now, the chance of that happening was almost zero. Hao Yun would sit in a higher seat. And he, the one in charge of information gathering, presented with a wide-area information network, one of the best on the continent, still did not know who, where, or what the target of their enemies was. The only thing that helped him sleep at night was a fact he had stumbled upon about these elusive enemies: they were attacking all the great sects simultaneously, creating a multitude of seemingly unconnected accidents to destabilize all of the sects. Their main method of attack was targeting talented disciples, ensuring the weakening of great sects in the future.

    The preparation he had executed was not solely intended to counter these mysterious enemies, but also extended to a far grander event, one destined to shake the world. This event was the real reason for his immense preparations.

    "Do your best, I believe in you," Hao Yun said.

    Zhang Zhenking turned his head and saw the small smile on the kid''s lips. The smile looked genuine, and probably was, but he needed to remember that the seventh seat of the Twelve Elders was empty because of him.

    "Anyway, this year''s outer disciples are great! I saw some individuals worth our time. Have you already decided who your disciple would be?"

    His mind flashed to three exceptional individuals and one anomaly. "I couldn''t decide before the race was over. Also, who my disciples would be did not depend on my decision, but on the three who gathered the most gifts."

    "Is that so? I thought you would choose that guy who could use your technique fully. What was his name again, Liu Xing?"

    "Indeed, my Lightning Cloak had finally found a worthy user. But as I said, I couldn''t decide about it. Moreover, if I had to choose, I couldn''t just choose one disciple. And as the rule stated, to create a team is to consider everything, but the most important thing is harmony."

    This Liu Xing was one of the least talented people in the outer sect. Usually, people like him would have died in a corner of the world, whether peacefully or gruesomely. But it seemed like he had found a stroke of luck and turned his life around.

    Hao Yun sighed. "That''s right. Other people had teams. Only I don''t have one."

    "That''s because you don''t need a team."

    "Bullshit!" He pouted, and the two of them finally exited the hallway. They stood in front of a beautiful garden. Colorful birds chirped, flowers in many colors bloomed, and butterflies danced between the flowers. If someone looked at the sky, instead of seeing a roof, they would have seen a blue sky so clear there was not a speck of cloud in sight. And despite it being daytime, a moon, glowing with purple light, could be seen in the sky, watching everything below it, as if it was the eye of a god.

    "Anyway, if that was all, we needed to part here. I have matters to attend to," Zhang Zhenking said.

    "Ah, right, thank you for your time. I only have two questions left," Hao Yun said.

    Zhang Zhenking remained silent, allowing Hao Yun to ask his questions.

    "What would you do if the enemy was inside our sect?"

 42 ~ Mystic Moon City (1)

    As Hao Yun asked the question, the world suddenly fell silent. The birds stopped their song, the butterfly landed, and the flowers around Hao Yun and Zhang Zhenking seemed to lose their luster, as if something was draining their very essence.

    Zhang Zhenking then saw the true face of the Devil Kid. His blue eyes were piercing, and his shadow morphed into a thousand tiny tentacles, wiggling, trying to find anything to strangle. Zhang Zhenking was in the later stage of the Black Sun realm. While his cultivation was not the highest among the Twelve Elders, he was one of the most talented. But even for him, the aura of this kid who was only at Sun Refining was still spine-chilling. If he didn''t have full control of his body, a single bead of sweat would have formed on his back.

    Calming his mind, he answered the question with full conviction. "My loyalty lies with the sect. If there''s someone inside this Purple Moon Sect trying to destroy it from the inside, then I would destroy them."

    "Good." Hao Yun nodded; the chilling aura around him vanished, and he smiled childishly. "You''re so cool! When I grow up, I want to be like you!"

    Zhang Zhenking inwardly sighed in relief. "Then, what is your second question?"

    "Ah, it''s not too important. I''m just wondering what would happen if one or several outer disciples met our enemy. After all, they would roam around in the eastern section of our continent."

    That question was also something he could answer easily. "Truthfully, there''s nothing they can do besides die."

    One of his concerns was actually about the most exceptional outer sect disciples being targeted by these mysterious enemies or other great sects. But he couldn''t confine the most talented disciples while others tried to gather treasures. After all, this race was one of the opportunities where someone could hone their skills.

    Of course, he didn''t ignore this problem entirely. After all, while the main goal of this race was to get as many treasures as possible to prepare for the war that would happen¡ªeither with the mysterious enemy or with other great sects¡ªthere was also a goal to gather as much information as possible. If talented disciples stumbled upon something deemed a threat to the sect, his subordinates, who mingled with outer disciples, would help them. But he had limited subordinates, and he reckoned there would probably be many disciples who would die in this race.

    "That''s unfortunate," Hao Yun put his hands behind his head. "Hopefully, the most interesting ones will live. Alright then, Elder Zhang Zhenking, see you later."

    As Hao Yun left, Zhang Zhenking wondered about Hao Yun''s last words. He said the most interesting ones, not the most talented ones. This meant that Hao Yun had his eyes on someone.

    Zhang Zhenking started to walk again. He prayed that whoever interested Hao Yun was a person who deserved to die painfully.

    ***

    In the middle of the night, Liu Xing sat on the roof of a tall tower. From his vantage point, he could see the entirety of Mystic Moon City. The city was vast, and as far as he could see, the man-made structures resembled the skyline he remembered from his balcony on Earth. Unlike his old home, which had been surrounded by bland skyscrapers and cookie-cutter apartment blocks, Mystic Moon City was a feast for the eyes. Towers with sweeping tiled roofs dotted the skyline, elegant bridges arched over canals that connected different parts of the city, and even the simplest dwellings were adorned with colorful paper lanterns.

    As he scanned his surroundings, he thought about what he would do. This Mystic Moon City was only a day away from the sect¡ªalthough that was at his full speed using Lightning Cloak. Sooner or later, the disciples from Purple Moon Sect would come to this city and try to find treasures here, but tonight, Liu Xing was pretty sure he was the only one in this city. Before, he thought that he would pass treasures near the sect, but as he contemplated here, he thought that it would be a waste. Hence, why he sat on the roof of the highest building with a dilemma. Stick to his original plan, or alter it a little.

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    Holding the token, he checked the leaderboard. This leaderboard was still empty, but he  knew that soon, there would be disciples on this list.

    "Calm yourself," he g muttered.

    If he wanted to win this race, then he needed to be patient. He needed to ignore the leaderboard and focus on his efforts. Opening the list of treasures all disciples needed to get, he scanned the items. As he scrolled through it, he chose one item randomly and read its full description.

    Name: Flute of Serenity

    Location: This item''s whereabouts are near Mystic Moon City.

    Description: This item was originally created by a master instrument maker as a gift to his nephew in the Purple Moon Sect. He was killed by a group of bandits, and the flute was stolen. This item can slightly increase cultivation speed.

    "Interesting."

    The description wasn''t too helpful. This flute apparently could increase cultivation speed, but it didn''t say how fast or how to use the item. Instead, the description focused on the background of the item. Checking other items, he realized there was a similar pattern. Thunderstrike Gauntlets'' location was also near this city, created by a blacksmith from the north. This blacksmith was affiliated with Purple Moon Sect but was killed by Ethereal Wing Sect, which apparently was affiliated with Verdant Mountains Sect, one of the five great sects. The Red Lotus Staff was stolen from a member of the Purple Moon sect, and then lent to a loose cultivator, and so on.

    As he browsed, he noticed that top treasures he checked were located near this city. There was no indication he could sort by location, which meant only one thing.

    "The interface knows my location and is prioritizing treasures near me," he muttered.

    He tried to scroll to the bottom of the list, and indeed, the last item was located in a country he had never heard of. He counted at least ten treasures nearby. This revelation changed his mind slightly. He had thought that in this race, basic information would be provided, but detailed information would have to be gathered personally. However, this list made everything convenient. With it, he could immediately see which items were nearby.

    "Let''s see if there''s another hidden feature in this interface."

    He remembered Joni from his last life. That guy was crazy rich, but also talented in many things. One topic that he remembered till now was when he delved into web and app development. That guy learned an entire JavaScript language in merely a month and started contributing to large projects from Meta by the name of React.

    In this period of time before he got bored and returned to binge-watching anime again, Joni said that most developers actually cared about user experience and usually designed user interfaces that could be used by almost everyone, including blind people, whether fully blind or just color blind, people who couldn''t use their hands to interact with a mouse and keyboard¡ªincluding people with suddenly broken keyboards or mice¡ªand many other types of disabilities. He told him that sometimes, there were hidden features that would never be used by normal people but used by a small percentage of users who didn''t interact with the web in the normal way.

    The takeaway was, most developers cared about users and usually obsessively designed features that would not be used by many people. He joked that the only thing stopping them from polishing every little feature was the company they worked for. After that, every time William found a web app, he would tinker with it a bit. Sometimes, he would discover that the app had many keyboard shortcuts, and other times he would find weird color schemes designed to accommodate color-blind users.

    Now, this interface was probably not a website, but it could still be classified as an app. Which meant what Joni said probably could be applied to this interface. And if his hunch was correct, then perhaps there were hidden features here that could make him abandon his original plan.

    He came back to the page of Flute of Serenity and tried to tinker with it. He rotated the interface, used voice commands, and even tried to tap it with his index finger. When all of them resulted in nothing, he decided to send qi toward the token, and change indeed happened. Below the description, there was a little down arrow. And when Liu Xing focused his attention there, new information showed up.

    Additional information: This item is suspected to be in the hands of a cultivator named Qian Biaou, a member of the Qian clan.

    Seeing this additional information, Liu Xing nodded. Suspecting that there was another feature, he focused on the name of the Qian Clan and channeled more qi into his token. Suddenly, an underline appeared below the name of the Qian Clan. He focused his attention on the underlined words, and the page abruptly changed.

    Name: Qian Clan

    Location: North of Mystic Moon City

    Description: A small clan that specializes in making pills.

    As he saw this new page, Liu Xing''s eyes widened. So it was true. The interface had many hidden features, and they could be activated probably by giving more qi to the token while willing the hidden feature to show up.

 43 ~ Mystic Moon City (2)

    Liu Xing went back to the items list page and saw many underlined words, indicating they were links.

    "This is like Wikipedia!" he exclaimed.

    He was exaggerating a bit. After all, the info in this interface was too limited. It was disrespectful to compare it to Wikipedia. But the main thing was that the interface was full of links with more information. This would greatly reduce the time and effort needed to find the treasures.

    "I''ve changed my mind," he murmured.

    His previous strategy was to start from the farthest place he could reach, thinking the competition would be less fierce there. But since he now knew the whereabouts of the treasure, down to who was holding it, there was no reason to skip this town.

    Grinning, he thought he had a real chance to win this race. "This interface is so convenient. Maybe the person who created it is an app developer from Earth, or at least thinks like one."

    He wasn''t sure, and ultimately, whether there were other people from Earth or not didn''t change anything.

    "All right, let''s go."

    He activated Lightning Cloak and started moving north. The Qian clan''s residence was there. As he moved, he wondered if this interface was some kind of test. After all, the elder must have known about this convenient tool. As he moved over the rooftops like a ninja, the lone moon in the sky shone brightly, as if it were an eye following Liu Xing''s every move.

    About thirty minutes later, he  was crouching in the bushes. Through the leaves, he could see a small town. This town was located between three hills. The northern hill was the largest, and on top of it stood a giant castle with golden walls, curved roofs, and a beautiful white tower on one side. The eastern and western hills also had many buildings on top of them, but comparing these two hills to the one in the north was like comparing two normal houses to a mansion. He suspected that the clan occupying these three hills was the Qian clan.

    "All right, let''s start," he muttered.

    He summoned his gun and pointed it at the largest hill. He felt danger from this clan. After all, he intended to sneak inside and steal one of their treasures. Purple Moon Sect thought that the Flute of Serenity belonged to them, but that sentiment was also shared by the Qian clan.

    Not long after, he became fully invisible, and he started to move toward the main hill. If he wanted to search for this guy named Qian Biaou, he needed to start from the most likely place he would live, which was the castle.

    He had actually tried to check information about Qian Biaou in the interface, like his appearance or his status in the Qian clan. But the interface didn''t give him a link to Qian Biaou''s page. This meant either there was no information about Qian Biaou or there was a step he still hadn''t completed to access more information. Probably the former, since Qian Biaou came from this small clan near Mystic Moon City.

    He moved swiftly using the Lightning Cloak technique but didn''t try to move at maximum speed. After all, he was in enemy territory, and it was smart to be careful.

    Soon after, he arrived at the outskirts of the castle. He jumped from roof to roof, trying to climb the castle from the outside. Before long, he stood on the white tower beside the castle. From this place, he could see the entire area of the hill.

    "All right, where to start."

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    He remembered that the Flute of Serenity could increase cultivation speed, and while he didn''t know how it increased cultivation speed, since it was a flute, there was a chance it could only be activated by playing it. Sitting cross-legged on top of the tower, he closed his eyes and cycled his qi around his ears, trying to enhance his hearing so he could hear everything around him.

    After several minutes of sitting but not hearing anything, he almost gave up, thinking to search manually. But just to be sure, he listened for a bit longer.

    Half an hour passed, then an hour. After listening this long, his patience was finally rewarded.

    In the distance, he could hear the faint sound of a flute, almost as soft as a whisper. He stood up and started moving toward that sound and each step he took made the sound a little clearer. The song this flute was playing was a sorrowful one, as if someone was trying to convey their sadness through the music.

    He now stood atop a wall. In front of him was a small training field with a big stone in the center. On top of this big stone sat a plump woman. She played a song with her plump fingers, closing her eyes as she played the sorrowful tune. She wore black clothes, and in her hair, she wore a beautiful gold butterfly hairpin. Seeing her, Liu Xing blinked several times. That woman was a cultivator, and if his senses were right, she was on the cusp of the Lock Opening realm seventh stage. Only half a step from breakthrough. Yet, her face looked like that of a middle-aged woman, with several lines below her eyes. This meant either she was an old woman without much talent for cultivation, or she cultivated using a method that made her age faster. Probably the former, since he believed if she used a cultivation method that sacrificed life force and youth, she would be at a higher cultivation realm than merely Lock Opening realm.

    Liu Xing wondered if she was Qian Biaou. Qian Biaou was a male name, but there was still a chance that Qian Biaou was her.

    As he observed the woman who looked like a plump mother, Liu Xing studied the flute she played. The flute was made from black bamboo, and at its tip, there was a ring of purple color. He suspected that this was the flute he needed to retrieve, so he tried to feel the qi around her, checking the effect of the flute. He could sense the qi around her being sucked toward her at a steady rate. The effect was not bad, comparable to when someone ate a Qi Siphoning Pill of middle grade quality, which meant this flute could speed up cultivation to two times the normal rate. This flute was definitely the Flute of Serenity.

    As Liu Xing stood on the wall, he wondered how to take the flute from her. He could just take it. With his speed and invisibility, he doubted she could react in time, but doing that felt wrong, especially since she played such a sorrowful song, and her closed eyes, posture and finger movements conveyed deep sorrow. He rubbed his chin, trying to decide what he needed to do.

    There were only two options. Snatch the flute away, or turn around and leave. When the choice was simplified, the correct action was obvious. He wanted to be an inner disciple to get access to better resources, better connections, and more freedom. As an outer disciple, he needed to complete missions if he didn''t want his points to be deducted. Even now, his sect points were in the negative. While an inner disciple needed to complete more dangerous missions, he heard they were more free to roam the world, sometimes even taking months or years on an expedition.

    Deciding he would steal that flute, he nodded. He needed to accept that stealing resources was sometimes necessary to pursue power. He wouldn''t say robbing people was honorable, nor would he steal from others willy-nilly, but he was willing to steal on special occasions like this.

    Still, he would wait until that woman finished her song. He could wait a little bit.

    He sat cross-legged and enjoyed the sorrowful song. It was beautiful yet haunting, as if that woman was trying to pour her sorrow into the song so her heart could be free from that sad emotion. But after several minutes, the song took a weird turn. The beat transitioned to short and choppy tones, she blew the flute forcefully, and he could feel anger in every note. After that, it transitioned to a sorrowful song again, and not long after, it turned into an angry song again.

    Hearing this, Liu Xing felt uncomfortable. This wasn''t a single song, but two songs meshed into one, with no harmony between them, as if trying to combine water and oil. Still, this song was full of emotion. He could feel this woman was angry yet sad about someone.

    "Qian Biaou! For such a cunning son, why are you so foolish! Just because you could scam some random man who had connections to Purple Moon Sect, you dared to take a bigger risk. And now look at yourself. You''re dead! The only thing left of you is just your arms. And even those arms are now buried and being eaten by worms!"

    Hearing that outburst, he understood her situation perfectly.

 44 ~ Mystic Moon City (3)

    She stopped her song, stood on top of the stone, and started to scream. Her scream was deafening and ugly, like a pig being slaughtered. Then she jumped away, faced the stone, and struck it again and again, as if it were the one that had killed her son.

    The mother, who had just lost her son, struck the stone with the force of a raging bull. A few meters away in the grass, the Flute of Serenity lay unnoticed by the grieving woman. Once the woman''s grief subsided, she would likely search for this last memento of her son. But by then, it would be long gone.

    Pushing his feet against the wall, Liu Xing jumped as quietly as possible. He glided through the air and landed beside the flute. Bending over, he picked up the flute from the ground and hid it in his robe along with the Statue Summoning Technique. He observed the sad and angry mother for several more moments. In his past life, his mother had been absent from his life. The only thing he knew about her was her portrait. This Qian Biaou was already dead, but he felt that he had been fortunate to have a mother who mourned him.

    Jumping from the clearing, he moved rapidly away from the Qian Clan.

    The night was still young, and to drown the loneliness he felt in his heart, he decided to pursue the second treasure near Mystic Moon City. An interesting treasure called Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

    ***

    As he ran away from the Qian clan, he summoned the interface and opened the information page about Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

    Name: Thunderstrike Gauntlets

    Location: This item is in the possession of a gang of bandits who frequently raid villages near Mystic Moon City.

    Description: Thunderstrike Gauntlets were created by a master blacksmith called Chen Quan. Chen Quan was killed by a cultivator who was offended by his refusal to create a weapon for him. It''s confirmed that the one who killed Chen Quan was a cultivator from the Ethereal Wing Sect, which is affiliated with the Verdant Mountains Sect.

    Additional information: This item is suspected to be held by a cultivator named Duan Hai, nicknamed Thunder Wolf, leader of the Shadow Wolf Gang.

    Liu Xing checked the info about the Shadow Wolf Gang.

    Name: Shadow Wolf Gang

    Location: Has a base in a cave east of Mystic Moon City.

    Description: A cruel gang that enjoys raiding villages and robbing people, whether they''re cultivators or ordinary folks. Has ties with the Xiao clan.

    Seeing the info, Liu Xing pressed his lips. He tried to get excited about these Thunderstrike Gauntlets. This item could probably enhance lightning techniques or unleash a lightning technique. He needed to give this item to the sect later, but on the journey to gather more treasures, he could use it for a while.

    Still, his mind was more focused on the fact that this item was held by a gang of cruel robbers and raiders. He could sneak in and snatch the treasure easily, but since they were robbers, he could also make the world a bit better by getting rid of them.

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    "Let''s observe them first." He wasn''t above killing people. He had killed other people before and felt no remorse about it. As he had said to Ji Dongyang, he would dirty his hands if necessary. He just didn''t want to make a habit of it.

    Not long after, he arrived east of Mystic Moon City. There were several mountains here, each rocky and jutting high into the sky. Still invisible, he tried to feel the qi around him. The qi wasn''t too dense, but good enough for cultivation. He tried to sense the qi that would be emitted by a cultivator but felt none. Either there were no cultivators nearby, or the base of the Shadow Wolf Gang was hidden by a talisman. As he moved along the dirt path, he followed the qi around him. Cultivators, even robbers, would prefer to stay in dense qi areas, so following the thickest qi would guarantee him finding the Shadow Wolf Gang. And indeed, his conjecture proved true.

    He saw an orange light in the distance, and soon, he found a clearing full of tents and people. Scanning his surroundings, he could see at least thirty orange tents. In the center of the clearing, a huge bonfire blazed, and circling it was a group of dozens of people singing while drunk, laughing and trading dirty jokes. Some of them had faces and noses so red it looked like someone had painted them. Scanning them, he realized that the majority were cultivators in the third stage of the Lock Opening realm or lower. Most of these people wore dirty clothes that looked like they hadn''t been washed for several days, but still looked decent enough. Actually, some of them were wearing lavish yet dirty robes, like that guy who sang so loudly and wore a green ornate robe that would be used by a wealthy merchant or even a governor, or the guy who ate a skewer of meat so big that it covered his face, his face dirty with oily meat, yet he wore a white robe that looked like it would be worn by a scholar.

    Had they successfully robbed a merchant''s clothes and were now wearing what they would sell? Liu Xing observed more. Their orange tents were also decent. There was mud and blood here and there, but there were no holes in the tents or even patches to close holes. Which meant the tents were new, and this Shadow Wolf Gang was quite successful. He remembered that this gang was backed by the Xiao clan and understood why almost all members of this gang were cultivators. The Xiao Clan must be quite a wealthy clan if they could back this gang.

    He scanned the people around him. The Thunderstrike Gauntlets were in the hands of Duan Hai, the supposed leader of this gang of robbers. As their leader, Duan Hai must be the strongest, but Liu Xing couldn''t sense any strong people among the partying cultivators. He soon noticed a cave not far from the clearing. At the mouth of the cave, two large torches were lit.

    Walking slowly, he circled the clearing. While he was confident none of them could see or sense him, he was still a solid person. If a drunk man accidentally collided with him, it would spell trouble. As he circled the clearing slowly, a man walked into the area. He looked like a man in his forties, with a bushy beard and long hair tied into a ponytail. He wore a black cloak, but even under that cloak, he  could see that this man was big like a bodybuilder. If he stood in front of him, he would look like a scrawny teenager in front of a big muscled gym maniac.

    The partying people regarded him with respect, but they still smiled and invited this big man to drink. The man smiled thinly but refused, saying that he couldn''t. "Yan Tianfei and Wu Datao would be angry if I made them wait."

    "Ah, those two are always so strict. You and Duan Hai are the most fun to hang around with from the Four Fingers!"

    "It''s true. Especially our leader. He knows how to party!"

    "A party without him is like soup without meat!"

    The man nodded and excused himself. Liu Xing stood still and tried to hold his breath as this man passed in front of him. While he had smiled at the partying robbers, he now had a serious face like a man marching to war.

    He entered the cave, and Liu Xing decided to follow him. This man wasn''t Duan Hai, which made him slightly disappointed, but Liu Xing now knew that this man was an important person. One of the so-called Four Fingers. If Liu Xing was correct, these Four Fingers were the leaders of the Shadow Wolf Gang, and he was one of them.

 45 ~ Mystic Moon City (4)

    The inside of the cave was more ornate than he had imagined. The cave floor was lined with wood polished until it could reflect the light from the torches. The cave walls had some paintings and statues as decoration. Most of the paintings depicted war scenes, while the statues were of women, either in dancing poses or graceful stances.

    Soon, the man and Liu Xing arrived at the end of the cave. In front of them was a red double door with gold lion heads as handles. The man pushed the double doors and went through with Liu Xing following. As the man closed the door, he stepped to the side and observed the room. It was bigger than he expected, with four pillars engraved to depict either a wolf, shark, eagle, or snake. Seeing these pillars, Liu Xing realized they were symbols of the Four Fingers.

    In the center of the room was a round table with four chairs around it. Two of them were occupied. The first man he noticed had brown hair and brown eyes. He was handsome, with thin lips that made him look friendly. Around his neck was a necklace of many small fangs, like those of shark teeth.

    The other man had black hair and black eyes. He wore a green robe that reflected light so much he looked like a green lamp. His face was hard to look at, with sunken cheeks and a gaunt appearance, as if he were malnourished.

    The big man sat on one of the chairs and crossed his arms. For a moment, the room was filled with silence. Liu Xing could sense the displeasure emanating from the big man.

    "So, what''s the urgent matter that made you summon me? Do you know how much I sacrificed to finally have a meeting with Xiao Yulong? If we could strike a deal with him, our gang could grow into a formidable force that can''t be messed with."

    "Calm yourself, Guan Yunhai," said the man in the green robe. "It''s true that you had a meeting that could elevate our gang, but this matter is also very important."

    "Wu Datao is right," said the man with the brown eyes. "This matter is important."

    "Well, if it''s important, then where''s Duan Hai? He''s officially our leader."

    "That''s the crux of this meeting," Wu Datao¡ªthe man in the green robe¡ªsaid. "Duan Hai won''t be coming to our future meetings, or leading our group, or partying stupidly."

    "What do you mean?" Guan Yunhai asked. His eyes narrowed. "Did he betray us?"

    "No." The man with the fangs necklace said. "He was loyal. You know him. No, it''s worse. He didn''t betray us. He''s dead." As he said that, that man put a brown cloth bag with a golden rope on top of the desk. He loosened the golden rope and took out two black and bloody gauntlets from inside the bag. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s eyebrows rose. That bag wasn''t big enough to contain the gauntlets, which meant it was a spatial bag. Spatial bags were valuable items. In the outer court of Purple Moon Sect, only people who came from prominent backgrounds had them.

    Shifting his focus to the black and bloody gauntlets, he  realized that these gauntlets were the reason he came here. They were dirty with blood and mud. There were scratches here and there, but overall, they were in good condition.

    Seeing those gauntlets, Guan Yunhai widened his eyes. "Are you serious, Yan Tianfei? Duan Hai died? How? Why? Who killed him?"

    Wu Datao grimaced, while Yan Tianfei just sighed.

    "We don''t know much. Duan Hai loved roaming, stumbling through villages, and bedding maidens. A week ago, he did just that," Yan Tianfei said.

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    "You were in charge at that time?" Guan Yunhai asked.

    "Yes. Wu Datao was in seclusion."

    The man in the green robe nodded.

    "Anyway, Duan Hai said he''d be back in five days, and we know that he was the most honest robber in the world. If he said he''d come back in five days, he would. But he didn''t, so I tried to find him. About five hours ago, I found these gauntlets near a river."

    "Only the gauntlets?" Guan Yunhai asked.

    "I know what you''re thinking," Wu Datao said. "Finding his gauntlets doesn''t mean he''s dead. I thought the same thing when I saw the Thunderstrike Gauntlets."

    "And like Wu Datao, you''ll be convinced he''s dead after seeing this." Yan Tianfei turned the gauntlets around. Before, the gauntlets were pointing at Guan Yunhai, but now, they were pointing at Yan Tianfeng, and Guan Yunhai, as well as Liu Xing who stood behind him, could see that the inside of those gauntlets was not empty.

    Seeing this, even Liu Xing widened his eyes. Those two gauntlets were still being used. There were still hands inside them. Cut off as if someone had tried to steal the gauntlets by simply cutting off Duan Hai''s hands. Seeing this, he narrowed his eyes. Those Thunderstrike Gauntlets were the second treasure he decided to get, and coincidentally, both of the owners of the items had died with only their hands remaining.

    "No, no! It must be a lie! You''re joking!" shouted Guan Yunhai.

    "I wish I were lying," said Yan Tianfei.

    Wu Datao nodded solemnly.

    From here, the three of them tried to console each other. They talked about their adventures and how they met Duan Hai. From this conversation, he learned that Duan Hai was a bastard son of a Xiao clan elder, although from the gist of their conversation, he didn''t have a good relationship with his father.

    Yan Tianfei shared his 300-year-old liquor, and they talked about how they met Duan Hai, how each of their lives turned around since they met him, until the four of them reached the seventh stage of Lock Opening realm.

    "If he were among us, I believe he''d be the first to advance to the Core Splitting realm," Guan Yunhai said sorrowfully.

    Wu Datao snorted. "He was more talented than us, but advancing to the Core Splitting realm isn''t only about talent. I bet I''d advance sooner than him."

    Yan Tianfei smiled. "Well, it''s between both of you, for sure. Guan Yunhai and I aren''t as talented as you two."

    Guan Yunhai suddenly started to cry, and Yan Tianfei rubbed his back. The three of them reminisced about their past lives, and Liu Xing, standing behind them, locked his eyes on the bloody gauntlets with Duan Hai''s hands still inside them. He wondered how he should proceed from here. He wanted to snatch those gauntlets away, but unlike with that woman in the Qian clan, there were three cultivators inside this not-so-wide room. If he snatched carelessly, he''d be in unnecessary danger.

    Observing the three figures, he judged that if a fight broke out, he would win. Even though they were all at the seventh stage, they seemed no stronger than the spirit beasts he had defeated in the Dragon Skull Forest. Still, he couldn''t let his guard down. Even though he was confident that he could win, there was always the chance that they had a hidden ace that could turn the situation around.

    They had started drinking, and their reddened noses confirmed that the alcohol was strong for cultivators. All he had to do was wait for the alcohol to take effect.

    As he watched them, he noticed that Yan Tianfei was the most sober. Guan Yunhai finished his drink and returned the gourd to Yan Tianfei. Yan Tianfei shook the gourd, listened to the remaining liquor, and then smiled at Guan Yunhai and Wu Datao.

    "Brothers, I know we still feel sorrow for Duan Hai''s departure, but I think we need to discuss our gang."

    "No," Guan Yunhai said. He glanced at the Thunderstrike Gauntlets. "I understand why you kept those gauntlets intact to convince me that Duan Hai is really dead, and while I don''t want to believe it, I know that he''s truly dead. Now, I think we''d better bury his hands and engrave a tombstone with his name. We can discuss the matter of the gang later."

    "He''s right," Wu Datao said. "The matter of our gang, especially about the leader position, can be postponed."

    "I don''t think so." Yan Tianfei shook his head. "I thought it''d be better to decide now so we can bury Duan Hai''s remains peacefully, knowing the matter of the gang is already settled."

    "I see your point, but no," Guan Yunhai said.

    Wu Datao also shook his head.

    Yan Tianfei sighed. "All right then, I can accept it. After all, none of it actually matters."

    Yan Tianfei smiled. While before his smile had looked genuine and friendly, now it was ugly, like a snake''s. Seeing this, Liu Xing felt that something was about to happen. And indeed, something did happen.

 46 ~ Mystic Moon City (5)

    Guan Yunhai suddenly clutched his throat, his eyes wide open, gasping like a fish out of water, and his mouth opened and closed rapidly.

    "Y-Yan Tianfei," he choked out.

    Then, foam started to form in Guan Yunhai''s mouth. A choking sound came from him, and then, as if relieved from pain, he closed his eyes and crashed into a table, dead. Wu Datao also had foam on his mouth. His eyes were so wide they looked like saucers, as if he couldn''t believe what he was seeing. But before he could say anything, he too closed his eyes and crashed into the table, dead.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. A moment ago, the three of them had been consoling each other like family, but now, Guan Yunhai and Wu Datao were dead, while Yan Tianfei smiled like an evil manipulator who had successfully outsmarted his opponents.

    "Ah, finally. To think the time would come so soon. With this, the Shadow Wolf Gang is mine alone!" He glanced at the gauntlets. "Duan Hai, you''re full of surprises. To think you''d die just like that. Heavens truly favors me!"

    Yan Tianfei grabbed the gauntlets and pulled the hand out of them. He then put the two black gauntlets on his hands. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then arcs of electricity shrouded the gauntlets.

    "Hahaha! This wonderful treasure is now mine! No one can stand against me."

    While Yan Tianfei was drunk with power, Liu Xing saw Wu Datao''s hand twitch.

    Seeing this, he pursed his lips. He looked at Yan Tianfei and realized that he was celebrating too early.

    Yan Tianfei turned around and stepped closer to the wall. He put his hand on it and sent qi through his hands. The wall glowed for a moment, and then like a door, it slid to the side, revealing piles of gold, jugs of alcohol, spirit stones, an array of weapons, and much more.

    "This is--"

    "Mine!" Wu Datao said as he stabbed Yan Tianfei with a short sword. The sword pierced through Yan Tianfei''s back and jutted out from his chest. Seeing the position, he knew that Yan Tianfei''s heart was now destroyed. Every cultivator had high vitality, but for a cultivator in the Lock Opening realm, a destroyed heart or head was still the end.

    Yan Tianfei''s eyes widened. He turned his head and saw Wu Datao''s ugly smile.

    "Seems like you forgot who the real snake among us was."

    As he said that, he pulled out the sword and kicked Yan Tianfei. Yan Tianfei fell into the pile of gold, his eyes wide, as if he couldn''t believe he was dying at the hands of his friend who was supposed to be dead.

    Liu Xing shook his head. He couldn''t say that betrayal only happened in the cultivator world. After all, even on Earth, he knew betrayal was common, but this reminded him once again that this world was harsh. Might made right, and in the end it was the last one standing that was the true victor.

    Wu Datao scavenged the gauntlets from Yan Tianfei''s hands and put them on himself. He flexed his hands, and a chuckle came from his mouth.

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    "With this, I will advance!"

    Liu Xing aimed his gun at Wu Datao''s head. To Ji Dongyang, he had said that he wasn''t above killing. He could kill people if necessary, but he didn''t want to make killing people a habit.

    In this situation, he asked himself since his goal was to get those gauntlets, could he get that treasure without killing Wu Datao? The answer was yes. He could paralyze him with an electric bullet, knock him out, and pry the gauntlets from his hands. But seeing Guan Yunhai and Yan Tianfei''s still-warm bodies, he licked his lips and wondered if letting Wu Datao live was the right choice.

    He thought for a moment. He had met many robbers before and killed many of them, but the recent robbers he met were Pu He and his friends, whom he let live, and who probably turned their lives around. What was the difference between Mo Yan''s group and this Shadow Wolf Gang? Why let them live but not Wu Datao? After a moment, he decided not to overcomplicate the situation. He stepped closer to Wu Datao. The tip of the gun was mere centimeters away from Wu Datao''s head.

    A moment later, Wu Datao turned around, coincidentally making Liu Xing''s gun point right at the center of his forehead.

    "Haha! Xiao sect, wait for me. With my clever plan, I can annihilate all of you!"

    As he laughed, he pulled the trigger. A soft click sounded, and Wu Datao''s eyes darted left and right as if looking at what made that click sound, but his death was already decided. Before he could do anything, a hole formed in his forehead, and he simply collapsed to the ground. A small pool of blood formed around his head.

    As Liu Xing saw the green strips of his gun glow faintly, he checked his surroundings. Before, this had been the base of a successful gang of robbers. But now, with all the leaders of this gang dead, he was pretty sure the Shadow Wolf Gang was no more.

    He started to loot the Thunderstrike Gauntlets from Wu Datao''s hands. He also took the spatial bags from Yan Tianfei and a few hundred spirit stones before fleeing the scene. As he ran, he felt his hands were a bit dirtier than before, but oddly, he didn''t feel too much guilt or too much remorse in his heart for killing Wu Datao.

    Liu Xing put the matter of the Shadow Wolf Gang out of his mind. Since he had already gotten two treasures near Mystic Moon City, he only needed to gather eight more treasures so he could move to the next city. Tilting his head, he realized the night was still young, and he decided to get more treasures tonight.

    "Alright, next is the Red Lotus Staff."

    As he opened the interface and checked the exact location of the Red Lotus Staff, he wondered if he would find that the people who had that staff were already dead. Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and he needed to check whether there was a third time where people died with their arm remaining. If it happened again, then he would know that something was wrong around this Mystic Moon City.

    Whatever it was, he would know soon enough.

    Name: Red Lotus Staff

    Location: Near a small lake, southern Mystic Moon City

    Description: A staff that can encourage growth of herbs around it. This staff was made by an elder of Purple Moon Sect and loaned to a loose cultivator.

    Additional Information: In the hands of a talentless loose cultivator by the name of Bai Lin

    Liu Xing walked while checking the information again. In front of him was a serene little lake with a surface that reflected the moon. In front of that lake was a little hut, with a roof made from green vines that sprouted yellow and white flowers. The white flowers seemed fresh, as if the moon gave them sustenance. The walls were made from bamboo, and in front of the hut was a small herb garden, with a red staff stuck in the ground like a lighthouse.

    He moved through the garden, soon passing the carelessly placed Red Lotus Staff. He could have snatched the staff and left, but he wanted to check on Bai Lin. Hopefully, Bai Lin was still alive. He knocked on the bamboo door. His knock was light, yet it made the whole door and wall rattle. He knew from his interface that Bai Lin was a loose cultivator. Loose cultivators were usually hungry for resources. Yet, Bai Lin lived peacefully by a beautiful lake, gardening, as if he wanted nothing to do with cultivation.

    Not long after, the door opened, and he faced a white-haired old man with a bent back. When seeing Liu Xing, the old man bowed. "Bai Lin greets the honored disciple from Purple Moon Sect."

    "Greetings," Liu Xing said while clasping his hands. "I''ve come to pick up the Red Lotus Staff that was loaned to you."

 47 ~ Mystic Moon City (6)

    Bai Lin invited Liu Xing inside. As expected, the interior was small and cramped. Shelves lined the walls, filled with jars of dried leaves, powders that appeared to be herbs, and various other items. He sat in a chair while the old man prepared tea. Once the tea was ready, they sat together to enjoy it.

    As Liu Xing drank, the tea''s bitter yet fresh flavor washed over his tongue, invigorating him and calming his nerves.

    "How is it?" Bai Lin asked.

    "It''s good tea," Liu Xing replied.

    Bai Lin smiled at Liu Xing''s response. "That tea was my grandson''s favorite," Bai Lin said. "It¡¯s too bitter for my own taste, but I¡¯m glad others appreciate it."

    Liu Xing glanced at a small altar in the corner of the room. On it sat a picture of a young, handsome man frowning, as if he had disliked being painted. The altar looked new, and Liu Xing wondered if his hunch was correct.

    "Was your grandson killed?" Liu Xing inquired.

    "How did you know?" Bai Lin asked, a shadow crossing his face. "Yes, my grandson was killed about two weeks ago. He wasn¡¯t a cultivator, though he wished to be. Sadly, talent isn¡¯t something one can simply ask for. Two weeks ago, I asked him to deliver herbs to a buyer, but he never returned."

    Liu Xing observed Bai Lin''s eyes. They reflected deep sorrow. However, unlike the woman from the Qian clan, Bai Lin seemed to have found a measure of peace with his grandson''s death.

    "Were his arms left behind?" Liu Xing asked, pressing further.

    Bai Lin pressed his lips together. "Yes," Bai Lin confirmed. "I found his arms near the river. Do you perhaps know what killed my grandson?"

    "No, I don¡¯t," Liu Xing replied, "but your grandson''s death isn¡¯t isolated. Others have been killed as well, and the killer seems to be leaving behind the victims'' arms."

    Bai Lin clenched his fist. "Are you investigating this matter?"

    Liu Xing paused, considering his words. He was indeed curious about the case. It felt suspicious, and he suspected a demonic cultivator or a strange spirit beast might be responsible. However, Liu Xing was in the midst of a race.

    "Not exactly," he admitted. "I have another matter to attend to."

    "I truly hope you will investigate this case and eliminate the root of the problem," Bai Lin pleaded. "Mystic Moon City is under your sect''s protection, after all."

    It was clear the old man sought justice, and with him at his doorstep, he saw an opportunity for help.

    "You should report your grandson''s murder to the city. While this city is under our sect''s protection, this matter falls under the city''s jurisdiction."

    "That''s the problem," Bai Lin whispered, leaning closer. "I already reported it, but the city won¡¯t do anything about it."

    Liu Xing raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

    "Are you familiar with the power structure of this city?"

    Liu Xing shook his head. He had heard of Mystic Moon City, but knew little about it. To him, it was just another city under the Purple Moon Sect, nothing particularly noteworthy.

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    "This city is governed by a mayor, chosen through an agreement between the city''s three major clans: the Qian, Xiao, and Wei clans. While numerous smaller clans exist, they generally align themselves with one of these three."

    Liu Xing nodded. "What¡¯s the connection between this power structure and the murders occurring around the city?".

    "The current mayor is from the Wei clan, a man named Wei Yi. He is a young mayor, only sixty years old, yet already at the Core Splitting realm. He is considered a very talented young man, but recently, I¡¯ve heard his growth has been¡­ tremendous."

    Liu Xing understood Bai Lin''s hint. He suspected that Wei Yi had killed his grandson. This was a serious accusation, and the implication that his grandson''s death was related to Wei Yi''s rapid growth suggested that Wei Yi was a demonic cultivator.

    "Wasn¡¯t your grandson a mortal?" Liu Xing said.

    "Indeed, he was, but not merely mortal," Bai Lin corrected. "He possessed¡­ a certain bloodline that made him special. You mentioned other deaths similar to my grandson¡¯s. May I ask who you were referring to?"

    Liu Xing licked his lips, considering his response. After a moment, he decided to hear Bai Lin out. "Are you acquainted with Duan Hai from the Shadow Wolf Gang and Qian Biaou from the Qian clan?"

    "I knew it!" Bai Lin exclaimed, his voice rising slightly. "To answer your question, yes, I know them both. Duan Hai is infamous for his daylight raids¡ªa true menace. And Qian Biaou is notorious for his greed. But what¡¯s less known is that they both possess bloodlines. Duan Hai has the Night Wolf Bloodline, while Qian Biaou has the Brown Bear Bloodline. I always keep track of bloodline carriers in this city, as my grandson also has the Serpent Sun Bloodline."

    Liu Xing rubbed his chin. Bloodlines were unique physical traits. Numerous bloodlines existed in the world, some weak, some strong. Some granted unique techniques, others specific talents. The most famous bloodline belonged to the Burning World Sect, one of the five great sects. They bore a unique mark¡ªa horn on their forehead. While the full extent of their bloodline remained a mystery, their most evident ability was absolute control over fire. Liu Xing had heard from an unfortunate outer disciple who had encountered them that fighting them was like battling a volcano.

    "While their deaths might be connected due to their bloodlines, I still don¡¯t see the connection to Wei Yi.".

    "I heard a rumor about Wei Yi a few years ago," Bai Lin explained. "He received an inheritance from a ruin of an ancient sect. While I don¡¯t know exactly what he obtained, I¡¯m fairly certain it was a technique from a demonic sect."

    "What makes you so sure?"

    "Mainly because I know the technique he acquired from the ancient sect," Bai Lin replied. "The technique is called Blood Wing Sacrifice: Bloodline Variant."

    Upon hearing the name of the technique, Liu Xing''s eyes widened. The name resembled Ji Dongyang''s sect. Could this technique actually come from the Blood Wing Sect?

    "You seem surprised," Bai Lin observed. "Are you familiar with this technique?"

    "No, it¡¯s just that I recently fought a cultivator who claimed to have annihilated the Blood Wing Sect," Liu Xing explained. "Do you know the location of this ancient ruin? Are they in the north?"

    "They are indeed in the north, within the Blue Wind Empire," Bai Lin confirmed.

    Liu Xing''s heart began to beat faster.

    "It seems I¡¯ve piqued your interest," Bai Lin said.

    Indeed, he had. Anything remotely connected to Ji Dongyang piqued Liu Xing''s interest. Primarily because Ji Dongyang utilized something he called a ''shadow.'' There was a possibility this ''shadow'' was the darkness Nui had mentioned. It was the only lead he possessed.

    "Are you interested in investigating this technique?" Bai Lin inquired, leaning forward. "If so, I can offer you a reward if you solve my grandson¡¯s murder."

    Bai Lin¡¯s aged face suddenly seemed to gain energy. His eyes burned with intensity, and he clenched his fist tighter. Looking at him, Liu Xing understood the depth of his love for his grandson.

    "If you can settle this matter," Bai Lin stated firmly, "then I can give you a Heaven Grade Technique."

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

    A Heaven Grade technique was no trivial matter. Even him, an outer disciple from one of the five great sects, had never had the opportunity to acquire one. And Bai Lin, merely at the second stage of the Lock Opening realm and living alone, claimed to possess one. It seemed absurd, yet he couldn''t dismiss the claim outright. Sometimes, a river held something an ocean lacked. And if that something was a Heaven Grade Technique, he was intensely interested in Bai Lin¡¯s matter.

    "I can¡¯t utilize it at its full potential, being a weak cultivator myself," Bai Lin admitted. "But I believe you would find it useful. It¡¯s a technique that allows me to observe people even from a distance."

    Liu Xing rubbed his chin and considered the offer. Even if the technique wasn''t combat-oriented, he still desired a Heaven Grade Technique. He felt a strong urge to accept Bai Lin''s request immediately, but logic urged him to consider the situation further.

 48 ~ Mystic Moon City (7)

    The matter of the city''s mayor was probably huge. Not to mention, Wei Yi was a cultivator who was already at the Core Splitting realm. If Liu Xing confronted Wei Yi, he would actually be in danger. While Liu Xing was strong and could easily defeat a seventh-stage Lock Opening cultivator, it was a different story if his opponent was in the Core Splitting realm.

    Moreover, he was in the middle of a race to gather as many treasures as possible. If he took time to investigate the case, other disciples would overtake him. This race was important since the reward guaranteed becoming an inner disciple. Yet, this matter also held a huge reward. It wasn''t every day he had the opportunity to get a Heaven Grade Technique. Even as an inner disciple, it would take time to gather enough points to get one.

    Liu Xing breathed deeply, feeling torn. He wanted to get his hands on the Heaven Grade Technique while also winning the race.

    He forced himself to think carefully, and after nearly fifteen minutes, Liu Xing realized this matter was not worth it, at least for now. True, if he succeeded, he would get a Heaven Grade Technique, but since his opponent was a higher-realm cultivator, the chance of success was really slim. Moreover, this matter would take time. If it took several days or even a week, he would be sure to lose the race.

    Liu Xing finally shook his head. "I''m sorry, old man, but I can''t confront Wei Yi right now. I''m too weak and in a hurry."

    Bai Lin could only sigh.

    "But," Liu Xing added, "if you want to wait, I can come back later.".

    Liu Xing could not settle the matter right now, but he would have plenty of time afterward to investigate Bai Lin''s grandson''s death and gather enough evidence about Wei Yi. Bai Lin was sure Wei Yi was behind the deaths of several people with bloodlines, but he needed to confirm it first before making a move.

    "Really?" Bai Lin asked.

    "Yes, I can come back later," Liu Xing said.

    "Then it''s decided! I''ll give you the Heaven Grade Technique after you deal with Wei Yi. How long do I need to wait? A year?"

    "Not that long. I believe the race will be over in two weeks tops. But to be safe, I''ll promise to come back in about a month," Liu Xing replied.

    Bai Lin''s eyes widened. He then looked at Liu Xing more closely. "Not to be rude, but how strong are you? How old are you?".

    "I''m at Lock Opening realm sixth stage, and I''ll be twenty soon," Liu Xing answered.

    Bai Lin nodded and mumbled, "Either he can bridge the power gap with powerful treasures, or he has strong backing."

    Liu Xing didn''t comment on his mumble. He didn''t have strong backing, but Bai Lin was correct¡ªhe did have a powerful treasure. One that could bridge the power gap between him and Wei Yi if given enough time and adversaries.

    "Alright, then I''ll wait. What''s a month? I could wait ten years if there''s a certainty that Wei Yi would be dealt with," Bai Lin said.

    "You know, there''s still a possibility that Wei Yi isn''t the one who killed your grandson," Liu Xing pointed out.

    Bai Lin nodded. "You''re right, but the info you gave me about Duan Hai and Qian Biaou gave me the last clue about who the culprit is. Trust me, this Heaven Grade Technique is great for gathering information."

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    "If you say so. But I''ll do my own investigation later.".

    "By all means, do that. I''m confident I''m correct, but if there''s a slim chance I''m wrong, then I too want to know the truth," Bai Lin replied.

    Liu Xing nodded. Then, Bai Lin offered Liu Xing more tea, which he declined. He asked about the Red Lotus Staff. Bai Lin said Liu Xing could have the Red Lotus Staff. While the staff was great for growing herbs, Bai Lin said his garden was not very important to him since his grandson''s death.

    Liu Xing asked to use a corner of Bai Lin''s garden. Bai Lin gave him permission, so he exited Bai Lin''s little hut, walking between herb and vegetable gardens, past the Red Lotus Staff he intended to take later, and sat in the corner of the garden where a little orange tree grew.

    Under this tree, Liu Xing closed his eyes and tried to absorb the energy from his bullets. These bullets were infused with qi from Wu Dataou, a cultivator at Lock Opening realm seventh stage.

    As he absorbed the energy, he thought about how to deal with Wei Yi. Liu Xing obviously could not kill him with his lower cultivation. Although the gap between stages was large, it could still be crossed. But the gap between the realms was, as people said, like heaven and earth. Liu Xing had a powerful gun, but even if he could kill Wu Dataou in one shot, his full power attack could not scratch a core splitting cultivator, and since it was impossible to become a Core Splitting cultivator in one month, the only way to deal with Wei Yi was to bring a stronger ally. His chances of doing so were also slim. Therefore, this mission was actually impossible. But if he thought it was impossible, he would have refused Bai Lin outright. He accepted because he had a plan.

    The plan was simple. Deck himself from head to toe with treasures, then attack Wei Yi. This strategy at first glance was idiotic. As Elder Zhang Zhenking had said, each and every treasure on the list was not really hard to get. Seeing the Flute of Serenity, Thunderstrike Gauntlets, and Red Lotus Staff, Liu Xing knew the reason was that while precious, these treasures were not too amazing. Decking himself with not-too-amazing treasures would not bridge the gap between a Lock Opening cultivator and a Core Splitting cultivator.

    Unless he had items that enhanced other items. This is where the gun would come in.

    Now, Liu Xing had never experimented with enhancing items with his gun, so he needed to experiment a little..

    Liu Xing absorbed the energy a bit faster than usual. The qi trickled into his consciousness and entered the last red lock. After the qi in this lock was full and it could be opened, the last thing he needed to do was swallow the silver chain around his ball of lightning. That was the way to advance into the Core Splitting realm.

    After absorbing the qi for a while, he finally finished. In his consciousness, the lock was not completely empty of qi, but he felt somewhat disappointed with how little qi there was. At the fifth stage, he only needed ten spirit beasts to fully open the sixth lock, but at the sixth stage, with the amount of qi from Wu Dataou, his last remaining lock was only about seven percent full. This meant he needed more than ten spirit beasts to advance, maybe even twenty. The jump was not tremendous, and Liu Xing expected it. The more he advanced, the more qi he needed to advance.

    Now that he had emptied his bullets, Liu Xing stood up, needing to do an experiment for a little bit. This experiment was a deciding factor in whether he had a chance to defeat Wei Yi or not. Liu Xing was optimistic the gun could do it, but there was a little anxiety in his heart.

    He took the gauntlets out from the spatial bag. These Thunderstrike Gauntlets were pitch black, and there were still bloodstains on them. After wearing the Thunderstrike Gauntlets, he flexed his fingers. He made hand signs and moved them around to check how restrictive they were. As expected, his fingers moved easily, and aside from a little clunking noise, there were no noticeable drawbacks. The gauntlets fit perfectly, and Liu Xing suspected one of their enhancements was to adapt their size.

    "Alright, let''s try it normally first," Liu Xing muttered to himself.

    He needed to understand the normal attack before he could try to enhance the effect with his gun. He actually did not know what kind of attack these Thunderstrike Gauntlets would create. But since there was "thunder" in the name, and they were gauntlets, Liu Xing assumed this treasure would shoot lightning either from the knuckles or palm. He walked several dozen steps toward the lake. When the lake was right in front of him, with little ripples visible on the water surface¡ªprobably from the night wind blowing gently across it¡ªhe stopped walking and adjusted his stance. Before he got his gun, he had been a close combatant, and since his primary attack was the Lightning Palm Technique, he used martial arts that focused on palm strikes.

    In his peripheral vision, he could see Bai Lin''s hut, and peeking from its window was Bai Lin with curious eyes. He tried to ignore Bai Lin and inhaled deeply.

    "Let''s start the experiment," Liu Xing announced.

 49 ~ Mystic Moon City (8)

    Liu Xing channeled his qi into his hands. The gauntlets greedily absorbed his qi. He allowed this for several moments, and electricity began to form around the gauntlets. Arcs of lightning, like tiny threads, danced around his arm. The longer he let the gauntlets absorb his qi, the more threads appeared. Soon, more than dozens of lightning threads gathered in front of his palms, creating two balls of lightning, one in each hand. He continued to feed the gauntlets qi. The lightning balls grew larger. When they reached the size of chicken eggs, he realized that if he did not stop, the gauntlets would absorb his qi endlessly. He cut off the qi flow to his hands, and the lightning balls and threads around his gauntlets stabilized.

    He lowered his stance, pulled back his right hand, and with all his might, unleashed a powerful palm strike. As he struck, the lightning ball exploded, flashing brightly. Several bolts shot from his palm, accompanied by a deafening boom that seemed to shake the earth. The lightning raced across the lake¡¯s surface, branching out like the roots of a tree and illuminated the entire area.

    Observing this attack, Liu Xing whistled. ¡°What a powerful move.¡±

    He unleashed another lightning strike from his left hand. Just as before, a lightning attack shot from his hand, branching like real lightning that would burn anything in its path. Witnessing this second attack, he understood its incredible power. It was no wonder the Shadow Wolf Gang had been successful, and no wonder Yan Tianfei and Wu Dataou had dared to kill their friends for such strength.

    ¡°Though, I suspect my attack is stronger than theirs, since I cultivate using the Lightning Scripture,¡± Liu Xing mused.

    He checked his qi reserves. The gauntlets used a large amount of qi. He guessed he could unleash about five or six more attacks before his qi was completely spent. This wasn¡¯t too bad. The power from these Thunderstrike Gauntlets was worth the cost. Still, compared to his gun, it felt somewhat wasteful of qi.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s try to enhance the attack using my gun.¡±

    Summoning his gun to his left hand, Liu Xing took a deep breath.

    He sent qi to his right hand. Instantly, threads of lightning began to coalesce into a ball in his palm. When the lightning ball reached the size of a marble, he stopped his qi and willed his gun to absorb the lightning ball, expecting it to convert into a bullet. But after several moments, nothing happened.

    Trying harder, he commanded the gun to absorb the ball of qi, but again, nothing occurred. Seeing his first experiment fail, he released the lightning strike and pinched his chin thoughtfully.

    ¡°Looks like the gun can¡¯t absorb that ball of lightning.¡±

    It was unexpected. Apparently, techniques created by treasures could not be converted into bullets. But while surprising, he did not feel discouraged. After all, he could explore other methods.

    He sent his qi again, but instead of the gauntlets, he directed it into his gun, creating six bullets inside. He had never reabsorbed normal bullets into his qi before, but since he could absorb bullets infused with beast cores, he figured he could reabsorb normal bullets too. Indeed, when he willed it, he felt the six bullets meld into one, becoming liquid, and then travel from his gun to his left hand and into his chest. Then, he willed this obedient qi to his right hand and into the gauntlet.

    When the qi settled into the gauntlet, he expected to see dozens of electric threads around it, but that was not what happened. Instead, a white ball of lightning, about the size of an apple, suddenly materialized in front of his palm, as if someone had teleported it there. There was no fanfare, no cool lightning threads forming the ball. It simply appeared. Seeing this, Liu Xing grinned. While the process was different, the end result was the same.

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    ¡°Now let¡¯s see how strong this lightning attack is.¡±

    Liu Xing inhaled and thrust his palm forward. Suddenly, a blinding white light enveloped the area. An explosion, like thousands of lightning strikes hitting a single target simultaneously, erupted.

    White lightning bolts, branching so rapidly they appeared as a thousand white lightning strikes, materialized before Liu Xing, as if he had suddenly touched a giant blue wall that had materialized out of nowhere. His palm thrust was aimed low, so these thousands of lightning strikes impacted the surface of the lake. When the attack touched the lake, the water lurched violently, as if a giant hammer had struck it, creating huge waves and sending water splashing into the sky, forming a light rain.

    As Liu Xing watched this attack, his eyes widened, and his ears rang. The scale of the attack was enormous. He suspected it could envelop the giant turtle he had killed in the Dragon Skull Forest in a single strike.

    Taking a deep breath as the light rain soaked him, Liu Xing couldn''t help but laugh. That attack was strong. Really strong. But it could still be improved. It was a great area-of-effect attack, but he felt he could concentrate it further, making it even stronger. Or, he could spread the attack wider, making each lightning strike weaker but able to hit far more targets at the same time.

    Full of energy and curiosity, Liu Xing sent qi to his gun, reabsorbed the qi from the bullets, and created another ball of white lightning in front of his palm.

    Then, he thrust his palm again.

    ***

    ¡°Insane. This is insane!¡± Bai Lin commented as he peeked from his hut, spying on the youngster from the Purple Moon Sect.

    The young man stood on the lake¡¯s shore, cackling gleefully like a child while unleashing horrifying attacks that made the world tremble. Each attack lit up the world as if the sun had suddenly descended in the middle of the night. He assaulted the lake relentlessly as if it had cursed his mother and his nine generations.

    Bai Lin understood what was happening. This youngster was experimenting with his technique. Sometimes the attack was narrower, about the size of his hut, striking the lake at one point until the water parted. Other times, the attack was so wide it covered the whole lake.

    When the youngster had arrived, Bai Lin had not realized how formidable he was. While Bai Lin¡¯s cultivation was low, he had knowledge of many things, including attacks from cultivators at the peak of the Lock Opening Realm, even Core Splitting cultivators, and he knew with certainty that this attack was comparable to one from a Core Splitting cultivator.

    As the world trembled and his hut rattled, struggling to remain standing, Bai Lin couldn''t help but smile. This youngster was incredibly strong, and with his background, the chances of him successfully dealing with Wei Yi were high.

    ¡°Looks like my decision was right,¡± Bai Lin muttered.

    Wei Yi was strong and formidable. The lightning attack from this youngster was powerful but likely could barely damage Wei Yi. Still, Bai Lin expected Liu Xing could gather several exceptional people to gang up on Wei Yi, or even use talismans to attack him. After all, talented disciples like Liu Xing were usually backed by strong allies.

    As he considered this, Bai Lin saw Liu Xing change his stance.

    Before, he had used his right hand to attack, while his left hand was in a strange position, as if holding something invisible. Now, he combined his hands, making them resemble a blooming flower. A ball of lightning formed between his hands, and he began to chant.

    ¡°Ka, me, ha, me...¡±

    The energy ball began to grow. Before, it had been the size of a chicken egg, then it was the size of an apple, and now it was growing even larger. Liu Xing¡¯s hands now held a large ball of white lightning, about the size of a ball, and adjusted his stance and aimed his hands to the sky.

    Observing this, Bai Lin knew what Liu Xing was doing. This attack was three times the normal size, requiring both hands to hold it. Sensing the qi emitted from the ball, Bai Lin¡¯s feet and body trembled like a newborn deer. This lightning ball felt incredibly powerful, as if the sky had been compressed into a ball, waiting to be unleashed.

    Bai Lin¡¯s brain screamed at him to dive under the table to protect himself. The aftermath of that attack would be so strong he suspected his hut would be blown away. But Bai Lin¡¯s heart insisted he should not hide. While his cultivation was low, his talent meager, and he lived without pursuing power, he was still a cultivator. He wanted to compare himself to other cultivators. Even knowing he was outclassed by Liu Xing, he wanted to witness the full strength of this attack.

    ¡°I want to see!¡± he shouted.

    As he yelled, Liu Xing also shouted, ¡°Ha!¡±

 50 ~ Shield (1)

    He raised both hands to the sky. Immediately, a blinding light spread outward. Liu Xing''s black hair whipped back as the ground around his feet sank and cracked, spreading outward as it struggled to support his weight. From his outstretched hands, a concentrated bolt shot into the sky, forming a white pillar that pierced the sky, and an explosion erupted, unleashing a shockwave that spread in all directions. The lake in front of Liu Xing surged, creating a massive wave that crashed into the far shore, and the shockwave slammed into Bai Lin''s hut, tearing off the roof, splintering and flying off walls, and Bai Lin himself would have been thrown off his feet if he hadn''t desperately clung to a remaining wall.

    Bai Lin''s heart pounded against his ribs, threatening to burst, and adrenaline flooded his veins, making the world seem to slow down. His eyes were fixed on the pillar of light, reaching impossibly high into the clear night sky. Had there been clouds, they would have been torn apart, leaving a gaping hole in the sky. Then, his gaze dropped back to Liu Xing, who grinned and laughed with unrestrained glee.

    Witnessing this, Bai Lin understood his grave misjudgment of Liu Xing. This young man was no ordinary disciple from one of the five great sects. He was a monster. A terrifying monster! And he had requested help as casually as if asking a favor of a relative.

    Bai Lin began to shiver. If he had known the extent of Liu Xing''s power, he would have shown far greater deference. Fortunately, Liu Xing hadn¡¯t seemed offended by his earlier behavior. Had he been, Bai Lin knew his life would likely be forfeit.

    After a few moments, the immense power of the attack subsided. The howling wind and the turbulent waves on the lake gradually calmed. Liu Xing sighed deeply, as if he had just finished a very satisfying meal. He looked around, and when his eyes met Bai Lin''s, Bai Lin''s heart stopped. What would happen to him now? Had Liu Xing taken offense because he saw him experimenting with the technique?

    But before Bai Lin could form an answer, Liu Xing clasped his hands together and bowed. Instinctively, Bai Lin straightened and returned the bow. He acted without conscious thought, his body moving on its own accord.

    When Bai Lin looked up, Liu Xing had vanished, gone as if he were a phantom. His eyes darted to where the Red Lotus Staff had been, realizing the staff that had ensured his comfortable existence for decades was now missing.

    Bai Lin sighed in relief. Liu Xing seemed to have departed. For a moment, he wished to never encounter Liu Xing again. He was too powerful. Too frightening. But then, he recalled Liu Xing¡¯s agreement to investigate Wei Yi and his promise to return within a month at the earliest.

    Wei Yi was formidable, the strongest individual Bai Lin had ever met. And although Bai Lin couldn''t be sure if Liu Xing''s latest attack could defeat Wei Yi, he now understood that Liu Xing''s talent was equal to, or perhaps even greater than, Wei Yi''s.

    Turning back towards his ruined hut, he saw that most of his belongings had been scattered by the blast, but the altar in the center of the room, bearing his grandson¡¯s painting, remained untouched.

    ***

    Fleeing like a caught thief, Liu Xing ran as fast as he could. To his right and left, vast grasslands stretched out, a land ideal for galloping horses. The path Liu Xing was following cut through the grassland, splitting it in two.

    ¡°Man, I really trashed old man Bai Lin¡¯s house!¡± Liu Xing exclaimed aloud.

    He had gotten carried away. The Thunderstrike Gauntlets had presented him with the perfect opportunity to replicate a famous technique from one of his favorite shows. Channeling qi from his gun, he could easily manipulate the attack, directing it as a focused strike or a wide-area assault. The previous strike had been an experiment to determine the gauntlets¡¯ bullet capacity. He had initially thought the strike¡¯s power could scale infinitely, but he now suspected the limit was eighteen bullets. Any more, and Liu Xing feared the gauntlets might shatter.

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    Even so, when he unleashed that final attack, he hadn¡¯t anticipated such a dramatic result. The pillar of light had been immense, and the resulting shockwave had rattled everything around. Bai Lin¡¯s hut had been utterly demolished. Seeing the roofless structure, the missing walls, and Bai Lin¡¯s wide-eyed, trembling figure, he had worried Bai Lin might be suppressing his anger, prompting his hasty, undignified retreat.

    Admittedly, Bai Lin was weak. But the old man had readily offered Liu Xing a Heaven Grade technique, so who knew how many more Heaven Grade Techniques he possessed, or if he was actually a powerful cultivator concealing his true strength.

    Regardless, having obliterated Bai Lin¡¯s hut, it was definitely time to leave.

    Looking up, Liu Xing noticed the moon still hung in the sky. It was likely still in the middle of the night.

    ¡°Now, what to do?¡±

    He retrieved his token and accessed the interface. The list of nearby treasures remained largely unchanged. Seven treasures were still within reach, but upon closer inspection, he found they were all cultivation aids, herbs, pills, or miscellaneous items like the Gold Dragon Cauldron. In his pursuit to defeat Wei Yi and acquire a Heaven Grade Technique, he aimed to collect as many treasures as possible that would directly contribute to his strength in that confrontation. The Gold Dragon Cauldron and the other nearby treasures simply wouldn¡¯t serve that purpose.

    Having confirmed his gun could amplify the effects of treasures, albeit indirectly, he resolved to equip himself with treasures that boosted his offensive or defensive capabilities, and since the nearby treasures didn''t meet his specific needs, he decided to forgo retrieving them, leaving him with two options.

    First, he could rest. Though he still felt energetic, rest was a valid choice. Rest would refresh his body and sharpen his mind. Or second, he could continue onward to his next destination.

    After a moment¡¯s contemplation, he decided against resting, not wanting to waste any more time. While winning the race and becoming an inner disciple remained his primary objective, obtaining a Heaven Grade Technique was now equally important. These two goals were now intertwined, making the race slightly more challenging, as he needed to prioritize treasures that would specifically aid him in defeating Wei Yi.

    Nodding in resolve, Liu Xing opened his interface and located the nearest item meeting his criteria, one that was located in a city called Second Gray Cloud City. He recalled that this city lay north of Mystic Moon City.

    Adjusting his course accordingly, he cycles qi around his feet to increase his running speed. Although he wanted to reach his destination quickly, he decided not to run at full speed. His reasoning was that he wanted to read the Statue Summoning Technique. He was still unsure of the level of the technique, but he was confident that it would increase his strength, so it was unwise to delay studying it.

    As he ran, he withdrew the book from his spatial bag. Holding it, he noted it was surprisingly thin, perhaps twenty pages or fewer. The cover felt rough, almost like cardboard, with fine, hair-like fibers he could feel beneath his fingertips.

    Continuing his run, he opened the book and began to read the introductory chapter. As he read, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Instead of an introductory chapter, the first chapter was a short, mysterious paragraph.

    ¡°The joy of love is the joy of life. People cannot live without love, and yet, not all love is equal. My love for my parents is deep, but not as deep as my love for my creation. My love for my lover is meager, and she suffered because of it, and I want to fix it, but I cannot, since my heart is in the hands of my creation. When I lost all the people who loved me, I thought I would be okay, since I still have my creation. But then I realized that while I wholeheartedly love it, it would not return my love, because it¡¯s a creation. A being incapable of love.¡±

    Liu Xing reread the passage several times. He even recited it out loud, trying to decipher its meaning. He suspected that whoever wrote this paragraph was probably an artist. Given the name of the technique, Statue Summoning Technique, there was a strong possibility that he was a sculptor. A sculptor who was consumed by an all-encompassing love for his statues, to the point of neglecting his parents and his lover.

 51 ~ Shield (2)

    Liu Xing wanted to believe the sculptor was exaggerating, but he knew that obsession could sometimes become unhealthy. He recalled the story of Van Gogh, who had cut off his own ear in a desperate attempt to understand pain.

    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s just ignore this page,¡± he muttered to himself. While that paragraph likely held a deeper meaning, Liu Xing¡¯s immediate desire was to learn this free technique. Flipping the page, he saw a bizarre pattern spread across two pages. It resembled a painting of a single, narrow eye. Above the eye, he saw a sentence.

    ¡°To learn this technique, you need to accept this contract.¡±

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing stopped running and examined the page more closely.

    ¡°Contract?¡± he muttered.

    He had never encountered a technique that required a contract before. Techniques typically involved specific qi cycling patterns, focused intent, visualization, and other elements to activate them. Contracts were unfamiliar in his experience, though he considered it possible that magical contracts existed to ensure agreements were upheld.

    Deciding to rest by the roadside, Liu Xing turned to the third and fourth pages. The third page showed a rather long cycling pattern, but his attention was immediately drawn to the next page. An illustration of a round gray shield with a green gem in the center, it was depicted with such detail that it appeared as if a real shield had been pressed into the page.

    The subsequent two pages presented another cycling pattern alongside an illustration of a turtle. This turtle had a smiling face, green eyes, and several gems embedded in its gray shell, while the final two pages of the book showed a cycling pattern and an illustration of a girl. She gazed upwards, her face etched with a frown, as if witnessing something unpleasant in the sky. Her robe was elaborate, featuring a wave pattern. Though the illustration was grayscale Liu Xing imagined her wearing a blue cultivator¡¯s robe if it were colored.

    Curiously, there was no explicit explanation of the technique¡¯s effects after activation. However, given the title, it seemed logical that it would summon the statues depicted in the illustrations: a shield, a turtle, and a girl.

    After memorizing the qi cycling pattern, he tried the technique, but nothing happened. It was as if he had made a mistake. He tried several more times, double-checking the pattern, before realizing that something felt incomplete. The technique felt... empty.

    Returning to the second page, to the eye pattern spanning two pages, Liu Xing understood. The technique would remain dormant unless he accepted the contract.

    ¡°Should I accept the contract or not?¡± Liu Xing muttered to himself.

    A contract was binding, after all, and the specifics of this one remained unknown. What if accepting it forced him into unwanted actions, like some absurd demand for daily sacrifices?

    He pinched his chin in thought. He needed to become stronger, and if this contract offered a path to power, he would consider it. There was inherent risk, but Liu Xing knew that progress sometimes demanded embracing risk.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it.¡± Liu Xing pondered how to accept the contract. For a moment, he considered smearing a drop of blood onto the center of the eye, but instead decided to send qi into the book. As his qi touched the page, the book greedily absorbed it, and the eye pattern began to shift. It fractured into thousands of tiny dots, each swirling across the page for a moment before reforming into the eye illustration. This time, however, the eye was complete, a fully rendered, realistic drawing. An eyebrow now arched above the eye, and Liu Xing found it strangely familiar.

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    After a few moments of observation, recognition dawned on him. It was his own eye.

    As the realization struck, he felt a mental connection to the book, akin to the link he shared with his gun.

    ¡°Alright, it seems the process is complete.¡±

    Flipping the page, Liu Xing found the cycling pattern for summoning the round shield. He proceeded to perform the pattern, eager to test the shield first. Because this technique wasn¡¯t lightning-based, many of the cycling patterns were unfamiliar. However, he had already memorized the pattern for the girl statue, and he noted some similarities between the two. Standing, he cycled his qi according to the pattern, willing the technique to activate as he completed it.

    Suddenly, a round shield materialized directly in front of him. Appearing in mid-air, it immediately fell to the ground. Liu Xing examined the gray shield resting on the ground. It was quite large, over half a meter in diameter, with a prominent green gem set in its center. Touching the shield, he felt a surface as smooth as the finest polished stone.

    Liu Xing turned the shield over and located the handle. Grasping it, he lifted the shield, adjusted his grip, and struck a pose, simulating defense against an attack.

    ¡°Hmm, there must be more to this shield,¡± he thought.

    He attempted to channel qi into the shield, but it bounced off as if the shield were simply a rock. He then tried to dismiss the shield, and succeeded, the process mirroring how he dismissed his gun.

    Next, Liu Xing opened the next page and memorized the cycle pattern for the turtle statue. The statue appeared a few meters away. It was large, about the size of a polar bear, and its smile was friendly. He then tried to summon the girl statue, intending to place her on top of the giant turtle. But to his surprise, when the statue of the girl appeared, the turtle disappeared. Observing this, he dismissed the girl statue and pinched his chin. It seemed that he could only summon one statue at a time.

    ¡°Alright, one more experiment, then I¡¯ll stop and focus on gathering treasures.¡± Before learning this Statue Summoning Technique, Liu Xing had encountered several shield techniques designed for aerial maneuverability. Now possessing a physical shield, he wondered if he could utilize it as a stepping stone.

    Liu Xing summoned his gun in his left hand and then summoned the shield in front of him. He caught the shield before it hit the ground and held it. Next, he channeled qi into his gun, creating six bullets, then reabsorbing the qi, and directing it at the shield. Previously, qi had bounced off the shield, but this pure qi was eagerly absorbed. Soon, the green gem in the center of the shield glowed brightly, and Liu Xing felt a mental connection to the shield, as if it possessed a rudimentary consciousness.

    He slowly released his grip on the shield, and to his astonishment, it floated in the air, vibrating gently like a delighted child greeting its parent. A grin spread across Liu Xing¡¯s face, his heart racing with excitement. He willed the shield to move, and like an obedient puppy, it drifted away, light as a bubble on the breeze.

    Liu Xing jumped and landed on top of the floating shield. It dipped momentarily under his weight, but then stabilized, remaining suspended in the air.

    Realizing his accomplishment, Liu Xing chuckled aloud. ¡°I¡¯m flying!¡±

    Various methods of flight existed, including riding swords. Some cultivators utilized shields, and it seemed he, too, would become a shield rider.

    He willed the shield to move, and it obeyed. However, its movement was too slow. Liu Xing felt as if he were riding an elevator, not a flying shield. He willed it to accelerate, but it began to vibrate more intensely, as if protesting that it was already at its maximum speed. Understanding that this shield was not built for rapid flight, moving instead with the pace of a crawling turtle, Liu Xing sighed.

    Still, disappointment was minimal. His initial goal was a technique akin to Air Steps, and while different, this shield would likely serve as a tool for aerial maneuvering.

    ¡°But how do I actually do it?¡± he wondered.

 52 ~ Second Gray Cloud City (1)

    Standing on his shield, Liu Xing stroked his chin. Since his goal was to create a stepping stone, he imagined jumping and then materializing the shield under his feet to use as a temporary foothold. As he nodded at the idea, it brought a smile to his face and a rush of excitement coursed through him.

    "Before I try that, I need to make sure I can summon the shield anywhere I want."

    Leaping from the shield, he landed on the ground with a soft thud and dismissed the shield. Summoning the shield once more, he willed it to materialize in front of him, facing upward. Indeed, the shield appeared right before his chest in the correct position without fanfare, as if it had been invisible and then became visible. It hovered silently, its green gem glowing softly, which relieved Liu Xing. He realized he did not need to send qi from his bullets every time he summoned the shield.

    He dismissed the shield again and tried to summon it behind him. Turning around, he found the shield floating lazily like a bubble.

    He dismissed and summoned the shield several more times. He willed it to appear in front of him, behind him, at his side, and even above his head. He also attempted to gauge the range at which he could summon the shield, imagining he could materialize it wherever he pointed his sight. But after several attempts, he realized the shield would only materialize within about half a meter around him, which he considered quite useful.

    "Now, for the final experiment," he muttered.

    Excitement filled his chest. He cycled his qi around his feet, kicked the ground as hard as possible, and launched himself into the air. His hair and robe fluttered in the cool night breeze as the ground receded with each passing second. As gravity threatened to pull him down, he cycled his qi to summon the shield and willed it to appear directly beneath his feet.

    For a moment, he fell, and then he stopped. Looking down, he saw the shield with its glowing green gem had become a floating platform holding him aloft. He chuckled, elation bubbling in his heart. It seemed he could indeed use the shield to replace Air Steps.

    Liu Xing jumped higher into the sky, materialized the shield, and jumped from it again. He repeated this several times, turning the night sky into his playground. At first, he needed to concentrate on the shield''s placement, but after a while, he felt he could trust the shield to appear exactly where he intended.

    He began to maneuver more elaborately in the sky, sometimes flying vertically, sometimes horizontally, and even diagonally. The stars twinkled above him, seeming to dance in rhythm with his movements. Smiling, he decided to escalate his experiment. He summoned his gun, activated Lightning Cloak, and bounced around so fast he resembled a bolt of lightning ricocheting across the night sky. He started to laugh, feeling an adrenaline course through his body. With this technique, he felt stronger. After all, he could now move freely, whether on the ground or in the sky. Moreover, this was a shield. While useful as a foothold, its primary purpose remained defense.

    Liu Xing ceased his fancy maneuvers and began jumping from shield to shield horizontally, as if crossing a wide river by leaping from stone to stone. He started moving north, deciding it was time to go to Second Gray Cloud City. He transitioned from the plain grassland into a forested area. Just then, however, the shield materialized beneath his feet, and when he stepped onto it, there was no resistance. Glancing at the shield, he realized the green gem was dark, and it plummeted like any ordinary shield would.

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    Since the shield failed as a stepping stone, gravity asserted its dominance, pulling Liu Xing and the shield downward. Though high in the sky, he was not so high that the fall would injure him.

    Grabbing the shield, Liu Xing reasoned it might require periodic recharging. From the start of his experiment until now, roughly half an hour had passed. He assumed the shield could float for approximately half an hour at a time. He recharged his gun and used the bullets to recharge the shield. The green gem shone brightly once more, and the shield arrested its fall. He grabbed the floating shield then pulled himself up until he stood upon it.

    "All right, let''s go," he said, his voice barely audible above the whistling wind.

    Next on his agenda was acquiring more treasures, defeating Wei Yi, and then becoming an inner disciple.

    ***

    Mystic Moon City was one of the cities that remained independent of any country. It was a self-governing city, almost a tiny nation in itself. Once, this city had belonged to the White Bone Nation. This nation had been a vassal of the Purple Moon Sect, and while not the most powerful, it had been prosperous. Its people benefited from fertile land, and its rulers possessed numerous cultivation scriptures and techniques. However, in the past, the king of that nation had succumbed to greed and sold his allegiance to a demonic cultivator, daring to betray the Purple Moon Sect. Unsurprisingly, the Purple Moon Sect was enraged, and the consequence was the dissolution of the White Bone Nation and the dispersal of its cities.

    Some of these cities formed new nations, some were absorbed by neighboring countries, and others became independent cities like Mystic Moon City. Second Gray Cloud City was among the many cities that, following the White Bone Nation''s downfall, had been attacked and annexed by an empire known as the Twelve Sun Empire.

    Liu Xing stood atop his shield high in the sky. Looking down, he could see the entire expanse of Second Gray Cloud City. A giant river bisected the city center, dividing it into two parts. He could not discern details from this height, but he knew many smaller rivers branched from that great river.

    Liu Xing willed his shield to descend. It lowered slowly, as if he were riding an elevator, and this time, Liu Xing preferred a slow descent to a rapid fall. He suspected he floated as high as an airplane on Earth, and even for a sixth stage Lock Opening realm cultivator, a fall from this height could cause injury. He had not intended to ascend so high; he had simply become carried away, attempting to fly into a white cloud.

    As he descended, Liu Xing considered the three treasures he needed to obtain from this city. He had already memorized information about them and knew the landmark that would guide him to them. He simply needed to locate that landmark.

    Looking down, he predicted his landing point would be in the city center, and he tried to recall which treasure lay closest to the city.

    After descending for ten minutes, individual buildings became visible below. From this altitude, Liu Xing felt he could land safely, so he dismissed the shield and began to free fall. He observed many people bustling in the streets below, mingling with horses and donkeys pulling carriages. Tents and semi-permanent buildings dotted the landscape, and roads branched in various directions, creating a maze. Liu Xing realized he would land in a market area.

    He considered resummoning his shield and using it as a springboard to land in a less congested area, but ultimately decided against it. While his descent would end in the middle of a market, his precise landing spot was actually a less crowded street adjacent to a nicely painted building.

    As he fell, Liu Xing noticed many people tilting their heads and pointing upwards at him. He ignored them, focusing on the ground that rushed closer each second. Upon landing, a small cloud of dust billowed around him, momentarily obscuring him.

    Liu Xing lightly slapped his robe to remove the dust and looked around. This street, though not crowded, still bustled with people. Liu Xing realized each building lining the street was stores. To his right, a store featured a glass display showcasing a mannequin in a beautiful red dress with white trimming. Several wide-eyed girls peeked from the store''s doorway, as if they could not believe what they had just witnessed.

 53 ~ Second Gray Cloud City (2)

    Liu Xing began to walk, trying to appear nonchalant. However, everyone he passed, whether on foot or in a carriage, whether dirty and sweaty or dressed in elegant clothes, stared at him with wide-eyed stares. As he walked on, people would shy away, forming a corridor as if he were a terrifying threat best avoided. He was not surprised by this reaction. Most of the townspeople had probably never encountered a cultivator before, and even those who had known better than to interfere with one..

    The bustling market abruptly quieted as Liu Xing walked through the streets. The fragrant spices and vibrant fabrics of the stalls receded to the periphery as hushed whispers began to circulate.

    ¡°A-a cultivator,¡± a man in blue clothes with white trim murmured, his voice trembling with awe.

    ¡°He descended from the sky. I¡¯ve heard they could fly, but to witness it¡­¡± another voice added, filled with wonder.

    ¡°I believe he used a treasure for flight. I¡¯ve seen cultivators from the Xia clan before, and they soar on swords!¡±

    The whispers spread rapidly. Men and women, elders and children, all murmured and occasionally pointed, their fingers quivering with excitement or apprehension.

    ¡°Is he from the Xia clan?¡±

    ¡°No, the Xia clan always wears yellow robes. He is wearing purple.¡±

    ¡°Could he be from the Purple Moon Sect?¡±

    Someone scoffed. ¡°The Purple Moon Sect is a powerful sect. There¡¯s no chance a cultivator from such a sect would come here. Even if they visited our empire, they would only go to the capital. This city is far too insignificant.¡±

    Liu Xing was indeed from the Purple Moon Sect. However, he decided not to correct them and continued to walk straight ahead. The situation was undeniably embarrassing. He felt like a monkey being paraded through the streets with pointing fingers and gaping mouths. The urge to flee surged through him, but he knew that such an action would only increase the attention. Besides, since he needed to inquire about a landmark he sought, maintaining a normal pace was the wiser course.

    Moments later, as Liu Xing entered a narrower and more crowded section of the market, forcing people to push against stalls to clear a path, two figures resembling guards emerged from the crowd. They wore armor with intricate tiger carvings that shimmered in the sunlight.

    "Who dares to enter this city without permission? Even a cultivator must present himself to us, the city guards, upon arrival!" bellowed the tanned, muscular guard with piercing eyes. His voice echoed over the muffled murmur of the market.

    "Indeed! Furthermore, flying over the city is strictly forbidden! Violators will be punished!" the younger guard, who appeared to be Liu Xing''s age, but towered over him, added. His slender frame cast a long shadow over the crowded dirt road.

    Sensing the escalating tension, the surrounding crowd pressed back further, attempting to distance themselves. The air grew thick with anticipation.

    Liu Xing wondered if he had stumbled into trouble. Perhaps it had been unwise to land in the heart of the market. However, there was nothing he could do about it now. Besides, after meeting the city guards, he could ask about the specific stone he needed to find.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± Liu Xing stated, his tone calm and measured. ¡°My name is Liu Xing, and I am a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. I was unaware of such regulations in this city. I assure you, I will not violate this law again.¡±

    ¡°He says he¡¯s from the Purple Moon Sect,¡± someone in the crowd whispered, their voice laced with awe.

    "That legendary sect? They say that every student there is a genius! Every year, our Twelve Sun Empire competes fiercely for just five spots for our young talents to even attend their entrance ceremony!"

    ¡°I heard that this year, no one from our empire passed the trials. Not even the prince!¡±

    As the whispers intensified, Liu Xing observed the two guards before him. He had subtly invoked the Purple Moon Sect¡¯s name in hopes to intimidate them. As the crowd¡¯s murmurs indicated, the Purple Moon Sect held immense prestige. Most would hesitate to offend a disciple. He also maintained a polite demeanor to de-escalate the situation. Surely, now that the guards knew his identity and sect, and he had pledged to abide by their laws, they would permit him to proceed.

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    The tall, slender guard glanced at his companion, his eyes wavering, while the tanned man licked his lips, appearing intimidated, yet a glint of shrewdness remained in his gaze.

    ¡°Let him go! Do you want to provoke him?¡± an elderly man shouted from the crowd, his wrinkled face etched with worry.

    ¡°Yes, he is from the mighty Purple Moon Sect. Surely an exception can be made,¡± a plump woman in yellow robes called out, her voice carrying over the murmurs.

    The crowd voiced further agreement, and Liu Xing offered a slight nod to them all, his expression composed.

    ¡°Silence!¡± the tanned guard roared, his voice cutting through the rising noise. ¡°I am a city guard. My duty is to uphold the law. There are no exceptions. What if he is a demonic cultivator? What if he is lying? Wearing a purple robe does not automatically signify Purple Moon Sect affiliation.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s right!¡± the tall guard stammered in agreement, his voice less assertive now. ¡°No exceptions.¡±

    Liu Xing reached into his spatial bag and took out a wooden token shaped like a cloud and presented it to them. ¡°Would this suffice?¡±

    Both guards fixed their gaze on the token. The tall guard then murmured to his companion, ¡°What if he truly is a Purple Moon Sect disciple?¡±

    The tanned guard remained silent. Instead, he approached Liu Xing and scrutinized the wooden token intently, his eyes narrowing as he examined every detail. Finally, he nodded. ¡°The token appears genuine.¡±

    "Then I take it this matter is concluded?"

    ¡°Yes, but you are still subject to a fine. After all, the law is the law. No exceptions. And to set an example to discourage other cultivators from breaking the law, we have decided to make an example of you. Your fine will be tenfold. A hundred gold coins!¡±

    The crowd gasped as if they had heard that Liu Xing was going to be chopped into pieces. But for Liu Xing, a hundred gold coins was nothing. He had no such currency, only spirit stones he had acquired from the Shadow Wolf Gang, each of which was worth about one hundred thousand gold coins.

    However, Liu Xing began to suspect that these guards¡¯ motivations extended beyond mere duty. Extortion seemed a distinct possibility. While a hundred gold coins was insignificant, he disliked being bullied.

    ¡°Very well. I will pay.¡± He retrieved a spirit stone and flicked it towards the tall guard. The spirit stone arced through the air, catching the sunlight and sparkling brilliantly. The tall guard fumbled to catch it, and upon succeeding, he opened his hand and blinked repeatedly at the round blue stone that radiated a soft glow.

    ¡°Are you mocking us? My colleague said a hundred gold coins, not some shiny rock!¡±

    The tanned guard''s eyes widened at the sight of the spirit stone, as if they were going to pop out of their sockets. His lips trembled and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Then, as if meeting an emperor, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

    "That city guard was wrong! I sincerely apologize for offending you, esteemed cultivator. This Gao Yangdou humbly asks for your forgiveness," the guard continued. "When I heard that you were from the Purple Moon Clan, my judgment was clouded with doubt. The Purple Moon Sect is a great sect, and impostors are common. Seeing your token dispelled half of my doubts, and seeing you offer a spirit stone worth one hundred thousand gold coins for a paltry fine of one hundred coins dispelled the rest! No impostor would willingly pay a fine, let alone use such a valuable spirit stone! You are definitely a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect!"

    At his words, the crowd erupted in commotion. Every person present widened their eyes in astonishment.

    ¡°Have I lost my mind? Did the guard just say that stone is worth a hundred thousand gold coins?!¡± someone exclaimed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never even seen a hundred gold coins before. How much is a thousand gold coins worth?¡± another voice chimed in.

    ¡°You could purchase half a city with that sum!¡± declared a man with a bushy mustache. He promptly dropped to his knees, prompting the younger individuals beside him to follow suit. A ripple effect ensued, and soon everyone had knelt, as if in the presence of the most revered emperor imaginable.

    "Very well, then, please give me my change," Liu Xing said to the guard, a little smirk on his lips. He knew they didn''t have the change, and despite it being technically obtained through less-than-legitimate means, he wasn''t going to let them keep it.

    At his words, the city guard snapped his head up so abruptly his eyes widened to an almost comical size. The tall guard beside him began counting on his fingers, his face contorted in concentration.

    ¡°That would be¡­ ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred gold coins in change,¡± the tall guard mumbled, his face paling. He glanced at his companion. ¡°Brother Gao, do we even possess that much in the city treasury?¡±

    Gao Yangdo¡¯s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. He darted his gaze from the spirit stone in his partner¡¯s hand to Liu Xing, and then back to the stone. Finally, with trembling hands, he gestured for his companion to return the spirit stone.

    ¡°This humble guard begs your pardon, but we¡­ we are unable to make change for such a priceless item,¡± Gao said, bowing even lower. ¡°Please, accept your spirit stone back. Consider the fine¡­ waived. Yes, waived! In honor of such an esteemed cultivator gracing our insignificant city with your presence!¡±

    Liu Xing accepted the spirit stone with a subtle nod. He inwardly smiled. It was a small ploy that could have gone either way, and he was pleased with the favorable outcome.

    ¡°Since I am no longer required to pay the fine, may I proceed?¡± Liu Xing asked politely.

    ¡°Of course! Absolutely!¡± the tanned guard exclaimed.

    ¡°Very well. Before I depart, do you know the location of a large stone shaped like an inverted triangle? My purpose in visiting this city is to see that rock.¡±

 54 ~ Inverted Pyramid (1)

    "An inverted triangle rock?" The tan man muttered, turning to his companion, who shook his head while still kneeling.

    Unexpectedly, a chubby, bald kid in the crowd, wearing bright blue clothes, piped up. "Oh, I know that rock! My friend says it''s the Fat Lin rock."

    "The Fat Lin rock! Of course!" the city guard exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "It is indeed a massive inverted triangle rock, but you can only see the whole thing if you dive into the river. From above, it looks like an arena in the middle of the water. A man nicknamed Fat Lin discovered it about a dozen years ago."

    Liu Xing nodded, his curiosity piqued. "Where is it located?"

    "If you follow the river east, you''ll find it," the guard replied, gesturing towards the horizon.

    That rock was a landmark that could help him locate three important hidden treasures in this city. If Liu Xing found that rock, he would find the Ethereal Pearl nearby, and then he would easily find the other two.

    "All right, thank you," Liu Xing said. He summoned his invisible gun and activated his Lightning Cloak technique. Gasps and exclamations erupted from the crowd as sparks danced across Liu Xing''s skin.

    "He''s covered in lightning!"

    "He''s an Immortal!"

    Liu Xing ignored them and prepared to jump. However, just before he jumped, he decided to warn the people around him.

    "People of Second Gray Cloud City, listen carefully. My sect, the Purple Moon Sect, is holding a race right now. Thousands of disciples are running around trying to find treasures. While I am the first to arrive in this city, there is no doubt others will come. I warn you all to stay away if you see a disciple from my sect. Not everyone values mortal life, and some might kill without hesitation. Be careful and stay safe."

    After delivering his warning, Liu Xing kicked off the ground and soared straight into the sky. Looking down, he saw many people pointing up at him, their faces a mix of awe and fear.

    His warning came from the depths of his heart. Many cultivators saw mortals as insignificant as ants, and Shen Ye was the most recent example. Since there was a real possibility other disciples from his sect would come to this city, Liu Xing hoped his warning would prevent anyone from foolishly offending his fellow disciples, especially the two guards.

    Summoning his shield, Liu Xing kicked it and flew vertically like a bird, the wind whipping through his hair. As he soared above the city, he checked the sun''s position to ensure he was heading east. The Fat Lin rock was submerged in the river, so he needed to stay close to the water.

    With his incredible speed, he crossed the city so quickly that the man-made buildings disappeared from view within seconds. The landscape was transformed into a sea of trees, winding roads and dense bushes, punctuated by rocks jutting from the ground. As he flew, Liu Xing wondered how far he was from the sect. The people around here still knew about the Purple Moon Sect, but Liu Xing doubted they understood its true size and power.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    He leaped from his shield and turned his head. Behind Second Gray Cloud City loomed a gigantic mountain, its white peak clearly visible against the cloudless sky. Liu Xing had crossed that mountain to arrive here from Mystic Moon City, and he doubted normal people could traverse it. While there was nothing particularly interesting there, the forest creeping up the mountain was full of towering trees, treacherous cliffs, and wild beasts. If not for his new shield allowing him to move in a straight path, even Liu Xing might have gotten lost in that forest.

    Shaking off these thoughts, Liu Xing continued his journey. He flew like an arrow above the wide, blue river that snaked through the landscape. Deciding to slow down, he ran along the riverside, afraid he might miss the Fat Lin rock. The riverbank was littered with large, jagged rocks, and Liu Xing wondered if the mountain behind the city was volcanic. After all, these massive boulders had to come from somewhere.

    Liu Xing leaped from rock to rock, sometimes landing on flat surfaces, other times springing off pointed peaks. He came across a small waterfall, its misty spray refreshing his face as he jumped over it.

    After hopping from rock to rock for about five minutes, Liu Xing finally spotted the Fat Lin rock. It truly looked like a submerged arena, as if long ago, people had built a raised platform that had been flooded over time. After taking off his shoes, Liu Xing landed on top of it, the cool water submerging his feet up to his calves. With bare feet, he could feel the rock''s surprising smoothness. He walked around the smooth rock. It was about twenty meters wide, yet it didn''t cover the entire river.

    "What a weird rock," Liu Xing muttered.

    It did not look natural, and Liu Xing could not be certain of its purpose. Shaking his head, he set aside unnecessary thoughts. This was the landmark he had been looking for, which meant the Ethereal Pearl was probably nearby. Jumping to the riverbank and landing on a flat rock, Liu Xing removed his robe. He needed to swim, and while his robe had self-cleaning and quick-drying features, swimming in it would hinder his movement.

    After tucking the robe into a gap between two rocks, Liu Xing dove into the river. Immediately, he felt the refreshing water embrace him. Liu Xing opened his eyes and looked around. Bright sunlight penetrated the clear water, revealing a vibrant ecosystem. Schools of fish darted around him with their scales glistening in the filtered light and submerged logs covered in bright green moss and swaying river plants.

    Swimming around, he repositioned himself to face the inverted triangle rock. From above, it had looked like an arena, but from below the surface, Liu Xing could see its true shape.

    An upside-down pyramid.

    The rock was almost white, untouched by moss or algae. The tip of the pyramid touched the riverbed, and Liu Xing wondered why it did not topple over. There was nothing visibly holding it in place. He treaded water and tried to sense the qi around it, suspecting that a cultivator had created this pyramid. But even if that were true, he could not feel any qi emanating from it. In fact, the area around the pyramid seemed devoid of qi entirely. Liu Xing''s head was full of questions, but while the pyramid intrigued him, he did not forget about the pearl he was searching for.

    Swimming around, Liu Xing searched for the pearl. He had assumed that since the Ethereal Pearl was a treasure, it would be easy to find. But Liu Xing quickly realized that he was wrong. Instead of sensing one strong qi signal, he picked up dozens of subtle spots that caught his attention. He carefully explored each one, digging into the muddy riverbed and turning over smooth stones for any sign of the Ethereal Pearl.

    Despite the lack of a clear signal, he remained confident. The pearl had to be nearby, and he was determined to find it. It was only a matter of time and perseverance.

    As Liu Xing dug a hole in the riverbed, sensing a qi spot there, he felt his lungs tighten. He swam upward and broke the surface, gasping for air. The sun''s warmth caressed his face as he emerged from the cool water.

    Liu Xing was about to dive again when he heard some strange noises. A whimper, a "thud thud" sound, and laughter. Looking around, he traced the source to a bush beside the river. Narrowing his eyes, Liu Xing swam toward the bush. He had a hunch about what he might find, and he suspected he would not like it one bit.

 55 ~ Inverted Pyramid (2)

    Liu Xing pulled himself out of the water. His pants clung to his skin as he pushed through the lush bushes and stumbled into a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing, two boys, each about seven or eight years old, caught his attention. One boy was sitting on the chest of the other, his weight pinning the smaller child to the ground. The boy on top wore a yellow sleeveless shirt with black trim, and his golden hair shone in the sunlight. He laughed happily as he punched the boy below him, as if it were the most entertaining activity imaginable.

    The boy on the ground covered his face with small hands, but his efforts were futile. His cheeks and forehead were red and swollen, and a dark bruise was forming along his jaw. It looked as if he had been punched hard enough to fall, then pummeled mercilessly by the golden-haired boy. Seeing this, Liu Xing pressed his lips together. He knew all too well how it felt to be helplessly beaten like that.

    "What are you doing?" Liu Xing called out.

    The golden-haired boy stopped punching and turned to face Liu Xing. Annoyance flashed in his eyes, but he remained perched on the other boy''s chest.

    "Who are you? How dare you interrupt me?" the boy dchin tilted up.

    "I''m Liu Xing, and I dare because you''re doing something I hate," Liu Xing replied.

    The boy snorted. "What? I''m only tapping his face." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "More importantly, do you know who I am? I''m Xia Hongyi, the young master of the Xia clan. Shouldn''t you kneel and kiss my feet for disturbing my fun?"

    "Why would I do that? Even if it made me immortal, I wouldn''t kiss your feet," Liu Xing said, his gaze drifting to the boy still on the ground. The child''s hands trembled as he covered his face, and tears glistened at the corners of his eyes. "You should stand up and let him go."

    "Why?" Xia Hongyi narrowed his eyes. "Who are you to order me around? I¡¯ll sit wherever I want, put my fist wherever I wish, and I''ll put my feet wherever I want." He stood up and raised his right foot, clearly intending to stomp on the other boy''s face. As the foot descended, Liu Xing realized the young bully was serious.

    In a flash, Liu Xing moved. He arrived beside Xia Hongyi and kicked the descending foot, making it land on the ground near the other boy''s ear with a dull thud.

    Xia Hongyi turned to Liu Xing with fury blazing in his eyes. "Are you deaf? I said I''m Xia Hongyi, the young master of the Xia clan!"

    "So what? What right do you have to stomp on this kid?" Liu Xing pointed at the boy who was now trying to get up, but Xia Hongyi quickly stomped on his left hand, pinning him down.

    "Of course, I have the right! I''m a cultivator, while he''s merely a mortal!"

    "Is that so?" Liu Xing swept at the bully''s feet, sending him tumbling.

    As Xia Hongyi landed on his backside, his eyes widened in disbelief. The other boy scrambled to his feet, shot a grateful look at Liu Xing, and darted into the bushes. Xia Hongyi glared at the retreating boy before turning his fierce gaze on Liu Xing.

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    Liu Xing quickly assessed the situation. From what he had heard in the city, he knew of the Xia clan''s existence. This boy was likely telling the truth about being a young master, given that he was indeed a cultivator, albeit only at the first stage of the Lock Opening realm.

    "You''re courting death!" Xia Hongyi shouted, lunging at Liu Xing with his small fist.

    Liu Xing didn''t bother to dodge. The fist connected with his belly, but the impact was weak.

    "You need to hone your qi sense more. I''m a cultivator too."

    Xia Hongyi jumped back and looked up and down at Liu Xing, trying to figure him out. Most bullies were mean, and this boy seemed no different. But Liu Xing wondered if there was more to it. Maybe this boy wasn''t just being cruel for no reason.

    "Why were you bullying that kid? Did he do something wrong to you?" Liu Xing asked

    Xia Hongyi lunged again, aiming for Liu Xing''s stomach. Liu Xing easily sidestepped the fist. Taking advantage of the boy''s surprise, he swept Xia Hongyi''s feet out from under him once more. The young bully scrambled to his feet, putting some distance between them. His eyes glared at him, but Liu Xing could see a hint of fear in his expression.

    "I''ll ask you again, did that boy do something wrong to you?"

    Xia Hongyi snorted. "His existence is wrong. I''m Xia Hongyi, the future patriarch of the Xia clan. He''s Xia Weiyuan, a worthless orphan adopted by my clan and given our surname. He has no talent for martial arts or cultivation. Should I leave such trash alone?"

    Xia Hongyi attacked again, feinting a punch to Liu Xing''s belly before attempting to sweep his legs. Liu Xing allowed the feet to connect, but his legs remained firmly planted.

    "You''re strong. Stronger than me. But you''ll die with my next attack!"

    The young bully began gathering qi in his fist, the energy moving sluggishly. In a real fight, Liu Xing wouldn''t have allowed him to complete the preparation, but he decided to let the boy try. Liu Xing could see that Xia Hongyi''s arrogance likely stemmed from his high status in the clan and getting everything he wanted. When he mentioned that Xia Weiyuan''s only crime was existing and being adopted, Liu Xing suspected the true motivation behind the bullying. Jealousy was often enough to drive cruel actions.

    While he couldn''t fully understand Xia Hongyi''s heart, Liu Xing knew the pain of craving a father''s attention only to see it wasted on another child. There was a reason why William had ended up in a place like Indonesia, of all places in the world, and that reason was his father.

    "Do your parents pay special attention to Xia Weiyuan?"

    At those words, Xia Hongyi faltered for a moment. He quickly gritted his teeth, anger flaring in his eyes, and the sluggish qi in his fist moved a bit faster. Liu Xing knew his words had struck a nerve.

    "Tiger Fist!" Xia Hongyi shouted, leaping at Liu Xing. A faint golden tiger image shrouded his fist.

    Seeing this attack, Liu Xing realized it was far stronger than what a first-stage Lock Opening cultivator should be capable of. He concluded that either the fist technique was above Base Grade, or it was enhanced by a bloodline.

    Liu Xing channeled his qi into his fist and executed a normal punch. Their fists collided, golden light spreading through the clearing and a gust of wind rippling outward. For a fraction of a second, their attacks seemed equal, but soon Xia Hongyi''s power dwindled until nothing was left. Their fists remained connected, like two people sharing a fist bump.

    "My name is Liu Xing, and I will give you a piece of wisdom. What you did before was a waste of time. If you want your parents'' attention, bullying Xia Weiyuan is the last thing you should do. Your parents pay special attention to him, and if they find out that you''ve been bullying Xia Weiyuan, your relationship with them will only get worse. Instead of hurting others, focus on yourself. Become stronger, smarter, and wiser. Try to win your parents'' hearts by being the best version of yourself."

 56 ~ Inverted Pyramid (3)

    Liu Xing¡¯s family got along well. As a genius, his father and clan poured all their resources into him. William, on the other hand, did not have a good relationship with his parents. They were mostly absent from his life. By giving Xia Hongyi advice, he was projecting a bit of himself onto Xia Hongyi.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Xia Hongyi shouted. He leaped forward, his fist aimed at Liu Xing¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t know me!¡±

    Liu Xing sidestepped gracefully, his movements fluid like water. He struck Xia Hongyi¡¯s chin from below with his palm. The impact was not too strong, but it was enough to rattle Xia Hongyi¡¯s brain. The young boy¡¯s eyes rolled upward, and he fainted.

    Liu Xing caught him with both hands. He held Xia Hongyi for a moment, observing the youth¡¯s face, then carefully lowered him to the ground. Understanding that his lecture probably would not change Xia Hongyi, Liu Xing decided it was enough. He had said what he wanted to say.

    Liu Xing walked over to the river where the sunlight made the water shimmer. He jumped in and let the cool water surround him, pushing thoughts of Xia Hongyi aside and concentrating on finding the Ethereal Pearl as quickly as possible.

    For about another hour, Liu Xing searched, his eyes scanning the river for any sign of the elusive Ethereal Pearl. The search was taking too long, and Liu Xing began to doubt whether the pearl was still there. While he trusted the information from the interface, he knew it could be wrong, but before moving on, there were three spots he needed to check.

    The first spot was between two large boulders at the base of the river. These were the only boulders near Fat Lin¡¯s rock, which made Liu Xing wonder why. Floating in front of the two boulders, their surfaces slick with algae, Liu Xing considered his options. Since he had spent so much time checking the river, he decided to destroy the boulders instead of digging around them.

    Liu Xing summoned his gun in his left hand and poured qi into it, creating six bullets. He infused the Exploding Fist technique into the first bullet and pulled the trigger.

    The bullet flew through the water like an underwater missile, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake. When it touched a boulder, it exploded brilliantly, sending shards of rock flying everywhere and clouding the water with mud. Liu Xing waited for several moments before swimming toward the destroyed boulder. Though visibility was poor, he could still feel the qi spot emitting energy. Following that sensation, he found himself in a hole where the boulder had been destroyed.

    When he saw the source of the qi spot, he clicked his tongue in disappointment.

    ¡°Another wood stump,¡± he muttered underwater, bubbles escaping from his mouth.

    It was the sixth stump he had found under the river. While not every spot contained a tree stump, Liu Xing wondered why these stumps emitted qi. After pondering for only a few seconds, he moved to the next spot.

    On the side of the river, there was a small gap emitting qi. The feeling was the same as the tree stump, but to be sure, he dug around it with his lightning blade for a moment.

    After creating a hole in the riverbank, he found another tree stump. He sighed, bubbles rising from his mouth.

    ¡°To the last spot,¡± he muttered.

    Liu Xing swam to the base of Fat Lin''s rock. Afterwards, he realized that he should have searched here first. But he remembered the logic behind his decision: there were many qi spots in this river, and the one at the bottom of the inverted pyramid was weaker.

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    Swimming downward, Liu Xing followed the pyramid to its tip. As he descended, the water grew colder and darker. He could see that only a small section of the tip touched the ground. The tip of the pyramid had sunk perhaps only ten centimeters, making him wonder why it hadn''t toppled to the side.

    Arriving at the bottom of the river where the pyramid touched the riverbed, Liu Xing started to dig around it. He realized his actions could cause the pyramid to topple. If it fell, it would block the river, so Liu Xing decided he would destroy the pyramid later to prevent flooding. He dug for several minutes, circling the tip of the pyramid. Amazingly, the structure did not budge,even when Liu Xing removed all the dirt around its tip. Finally, he successfully dug a hole around the pyramid''s tip and found that it was not touching the ground at all. Instead, it rested on a black pearl the size of a marble, which touched the base of the river.

    When Liu Xing saw the black pearl, he could not hold back his smile. ¡°Finally! The Ethereal Pearl!¡±

    This pearl was one of the treasures he needed to find in the city. The interface¡¯s description of the pearl was simple.

    Description: A pearl that can hold a large amount of qi.

    While at first glance it seemed like just a qi battery, the key was in the words ¡°large amount.¡± He did not know how much it could hold, but surely, his entire qi as a sixth-stage Lock Opening cultivator could be easily stored inside. The reason he chose to retrieve this pearl was its high potential to boost his fighting power. He imagined storing not just normal qi, but qi that he had reabsorbed from the bullets. Liu Xing suspected the result would be glorious.

    Calming his mind, Liu Xing swam around the black pearl, trying to assess how to take it, as it was connected to the tip of the inverted pyramid.

    Soon, Liu Xing decided not to overcomplicate the matter. He summoned his gun and activated his trusty lightning blade. In the water, arcs of electricity danced around him. A small school of fish nearby suddenly went limp and floated to the top of the river. Liu Xing did not mind the collateral damage and slashed at the tip of the pyramid connected to the black pearl. When his blade touched the pyramid, he felt resistance, as if he were cutting through solid stone. Even though he did not completely sever the pyramid''s tip, the cut was enough to detach the small piece connected to the Ethereal Pearl. Liu Xing¡¯s hand snatched the Ethereal Pearl like a cobra striking its prey. Soon, his fingers wrapped around the pearl.

    The black orb felt cold in his hand, as if it were made of ice. Though black, it was shiny and perfectly round. The little bit of light that penetrated the water reflected off the pearl, making it look like a solar eclipse.

    With the Ethereal Pearl secured, Liu Xing swam upward. As he ascended, he thought about finding the next treasure. The first one he needed to get was called the Red Wings of Stability. When activated, it would grant the user a pair of red wings that, while unable to make the user fly, could make the user and anything they touched more durable. It was a handy treasure he needed to defeat a cultivator in the Core Splitting realm.

    As he broke the surface, Liu Xing looked around to assess his surroundings. When he rotated his body, he saw two people on the riverbank where he had left Xia Hongyi. The first was Xia Hongyi himself, sporting a black eye, as if recently punched. When he saw Liu Xing, he smiled cruelly.

    Beside him stood a man who looked older than Liu Xing. The newcomer wore a black sleeveless shirt that showed off his muscular arms. His tan skin and tough face were framed by long red hair that swayed in the breeze like a lion¡¯s mane. On his right arm, he wore a shiny golden gauntlet that gleamed in the sunlight. He looked at Liu Xing like a lion eyeing its prey.

    ¡°My name is Xia Shizi,¡± the red-haired man said, his voice deep and commanding. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you bullied my nephew.¡±

    Liu Xing swam to the shore and pulled himself from the river. He opened his mouth to respond. ¡°I didn¡¯t bully him. I gave him some wisdom.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Xia Shizi shouted.

    As he shouted, Liu Xing felt the earth beneath his feet tremble. At first, he thought it was the effect of Xia Shizi¡¯s shout. But he soon realized it was not. Xia Shizi was at the seventh stage of Lock Opening realm, but he was not powerful enough to make the world tremble with just his anger.

    As the trembling grew stronger, Liu Xing¡¯s heart raced. What was happening?

 57 ~ Inverted Pyramid (4)

    Fat Lin''s rock suddenly emerged from the river and floated higher and higher, as if answering Liu Xing''s unspoken questions. Water cascaded from the top of the inverted pyramid, creating a temporary waterfall. Soon after, the inverted pyramid floated several meters above the surface of the water. Then it began to segment with multiple lines appearing as if a long sword had slashed it horizontally. Each segment started rotating clockwise and made the inverted pyramid resembling a giant spinning top. However, one segment remained still and opened, revealing a giant yellow eye larger than Liu Xing himself.

    The yellow eye observed Liu Xing silently, then narrowed. Suddenly, it transformed into a grotesque yellow mouth, filled with hundreds of black tongues, thousands of razor-sharp teeth, and the roof of its mouth pulsed with thousands of tiny yellow eyes. Each of these eyes seemed to glare at Liu Xing with pure hatred. Seeing the giant inverted pyramid with its bizarre mouth and eyes, Liu Xing¡¯s heart started to beat faster. Fat Lin¡¯s rock was a spirit beast! He tried to sense the spirit beast¡¯s qi, attempting to gauge its power. But when he sensed nothing, he felt his heart pound in his chest. He couldn''t feel any qi at all! It was as if the spirit beast possessed no qi, which was impossible.

    The inverted pyramid began to scream. The sound was horrifying, like the wails of thousands of tortured children, and a shockwave spread outwards in every direction. Then, a yellow ball of light formed in front of its mouth.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing activated his Lightning Cloak and jumped. A yellow beam exploded where Liu Xing had stood, obliterating the ground. He landed on top of a large boulder several meters away and observed the newly created hole. It was deep and wide, and it glowed with a red hue, as if the ground had melted into lava. Seeing this, Liu Xing sighs in relief. He concluded that the spirit beast was powerful, but not overwhelmingly so. It confirmed that the spirit beast¡¯s cultivation was not so high that he couldn''t sense its qi. More likely, it possessed a mechanism to conceal its qi.

    Liu Xing licked his lips. It was obvious that the spirit beast was angry because he had taken the Ethereal Pearl. To think that something called Fat Lin¡¯s rock would turn out to be a spirit beast. In hindsight, it had been quite obvious.

    Liu Xing had two options. Fight or flee. The easiest choice would have been to flee. After all, Liu Xing already possessed the Ethereal Pearl. But it wasn¡¯t wise. The spirit beast would follow him and rampage, endangering Second Gray Cloud City. Moreover, this slumbering spirit beast had awakened because of him, so he needed to take responsibility and put it to sleep again.

    Liu Xing began to smile, his heart racing. He wasn¡¯t a fighting junkie, but he wanted to test his current strength, especially with his new shield and Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

    "All right," Liu Xing nodded. His heart started beating faster and faster. "Let''s dance!"

    With his Lightning Cloak active, Liu Xing kicked the boulder as hard as possible, making it explode into smithereens. He launched himself like lightning from a dark cloud, his right hand gleaming with a lightning blade.

    In the air, Liu Xing extended the blade and slashed vertically, trying to split the spinning inverted pyramid in two. When his blade was only meters from touching it, it suddenly bent. Instead of a straight blade that would cut the spirit beast, it curved around it, as if the lightning blade refused to touch it.

    The spinning pyramid created a yellow ball of energy in front of its mouth the size of a barrel. Thousands of black tongues held it like tiny baby hands cradling a burning sun. Then, with a mighty push, the yellow ball flew like an arrow toward Liu Xing.

    Liu Xing retracted his lightning blade and swung it at the ball, splitting it in two. Knowing that the ball would explode, he spun his body, summoned his shield, and jumped as hard as he could. He flew straight up like a rocket just as the ball exploded. The explosion created a shock wave that churned the river, and yellow light made the bending trees and toppling boulders glow.

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    Gravity pulled Liu Xing downward, and seeing the force of that attack, he suddenly remembered Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi. He didn¡¯t know their intentions, but Liu Xing didn¡¯t want them to die as collateral damage.

    His eyes scanned the area, and he finally saw Xia Shizi running frantically, eyes wide, carrying Xia Hongyi, whose eyes were open so wide they looked like they might pop. They must have been surprised, and Liu Xing was thankful they hadn¡¯t been killed in the attack.

    The inverted, spinning spirit beast flew toward him like a spaceship, and Liu Xing licked his lips. "Since my lightning blade isn''t working on you, how about this?"

    Liu Xing pointed his gun toward the spirit beast. He infused the bullets with Exploding Fist and fired six rounds rapidly. The bullets flew so fast they appeared to travel as one.

    Seeing the bullets, the spirit beast roared like thousands of hungry pigs and opened its grotesque mouth. Thousands of black tongues stretched out like tree branches, creating a large shield to defend itself.

    As the six bullets struck the newly created shield, six simultaneous explosions ripped six holes in the barrier. It screamed again, the yellow eyes in the roof of its mouth glaring at him with hatred.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield and launched himself. He flew through the holes he had created and appeared in front of its mouth. From this close range, Liu Xing realized that the mouth was huge, like the entrance to a wide cave. He aimed his gun at the mouth and shot six bullets infused with Exploding Bullets. Before the bullets struck, he jumped into the air, looking down, and saw the mouth explode. Yellow blood and fragments of black tongues and yellow eyes flew everywhere, splashing onto the river surface and painting the nearby boulders and trees yellow.

    Ignoring the wailing spirit beast, Liu Xing shot six more times, this time infusing the bullets with normal Lightning Palm. He aimed for the section on top of the spirit beast, the area rumored to be an arena. When his six bullets were only meters from the spirit beast, Liu Xing sharpened his eyes to see what would happen. He saw his bullets suddenly travel along the surface of the spirit beast before shooting out the back, as if a spatial barrier caused every attack to bend around it.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing understood that its defense mechanism was quite strong. He believed that only attacks of immense power could pierce it, but this spirit beast was not invincible. After all, while its body was protected, its mouth, filled with tongues and eyes, was not. He suspected it hadn¡¯t protected its mouth because it served as its primary weapon.

    "If that''s all the tricks it has, then the winner of this fight is already decided," Liu Xing smiled ferociously.

    The spirit beast, seeing Liu Xing smile, screamed again, but he detected a hint of fear in its thousand eyes.

    He kicked off his shield and moved like lightning.

    ***

    Xia Hongyi stood atop the highest branch of a tree, trying to watch the fight unfold. His uncle stood beside him, face as aloof as ever, yet even he could see the fear in his uncle¡¯s eyes on this rare occasion.

    He looked into the distance, where a giant spinning top wailed and screamed, shooting condensed light from its mouth, sweeping away everything in its path. Trees, ground, river¡ªeverything was being destroyed, flying, and churning like debris in a deadly hurricane.

    Seeing this, Xia Hongyi felt a profound fear grip his heart. His heart beat so fast he felt his chest would explode, and giant beads of sweat drenched his back, making him feel sick, as if he had a fever. Even his teeth chattered, a physical manifestation of the terror he felt.

    Around the giant spinning top, blue lightning danced, as if creating a lightning prison. The explosions continued without pause, a constant barrage like the unending rumble of angry thunder. From afar, it looked like a hurricane battling a storm of lightning. The spinning top tried to ram itself into the lightning, shooting condensed light, even using its branch-like appendages from its mouth to create a net and ensnare its opponent. But everything was ignored by the cultivator, Liu Xing. He moved so fast that the condensed light didn''t even graze his afterimage, and his long lightning blade slashed through the branch-like appendages as if they were tofu.

 58 ~ Xia Hongyi (1)

    Xia Hongyi gasped for air, his heart pounded as he recalled his encounter with the cultivaotr. He wanted nothing more than to run home and hide, but his legs trembled, refusing to cooperate. If not for his uncle¡¯s kindness in carrying him to safety, he would still be in danger.

    ¡°Xia Hongyi.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, uncle?¡± Xia Hongyi stuttered.

    ¡°Did you try to set me up? To get me killed?¡±

    Xia Hongyi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°W-what are you talking about, uncle? You¡¯re my family, and I respect you. I would never set you up!¡±

    His uncle¡¯s piercing gaze settled on him. ¡°That mark on your left eye. He didn¡¯t punch you there.¡±

    ¡°He did hit me on the chin,¡± he finally admitted. ¡°But he didn¡¯t touch my eye.¡± The black eye he sported was self-inflicted.

    After Liu Xing had knocked him unconscious with a blow to the chin, Xia Hongyi had awakened, feeling deeply ashamed, filled with hatred and a desire for revenge. Though arrogant, he knew he could not defeat Liu Xing. So, he had punched himself in the eye, rushed to his uncle¡¯s training ground, and spun a false tale. His uncle, a stoic man rarely seen due to his constant travels to cultivate and refine his martial skills, tended to dote on him. After Xia Hongyi claimed someone had hit him in the eye, his uncle marched straight to where Liu Xing was and prepared to confront him.

    ¡°Tell me about your meeting with him again,¡± Xia Shizi demanded. ¡°This time, no lies.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Xia Hongyi replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He recounted the whole story. How he had seen Xia Weiyuan sneaking around the clan compound like a thief, then disgracing the Xia clan by trying to modify the simple yet elegant Golden Tiger Punch.

    Offended by this, Xia Hongyi had attacked him, intending to demonstrate the true might of the Xia clan¡¯s fighting style.

    ¡°That¡¯s when Liu Xing showed up,¡± he continued, describing their fight and the wisdom Liu Xing had imparted before knocking him out.

    As he finished his tale, a deafening explosion rocked the air, making Xia Hongyi¡¯s ears ring. The spinning top-like spirit beast suddenly burst into thousands of tiny fragments. Xia Hongyi¡¯s eyes widened again. That spirit beast had seemed invincible, yet it had shattered like glass struck by his uncle¡¯s fist. Before he could process this, each shard transformed into an upside-down triangle with a single eye at its center. They hovered around Liu Xing before rushing toward him like a swarm of angry wasps, each shooting a concentrated beam of yellow light. The beams formed a cage around Liu Xing, but Liu Xing moved with incredible speed, zigzagging between the attacks and slicing through each miniature spirit beast with his blade of lightning.

    ¡°Was he right?¡± his uncle asked, breaking the tense silence.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°About your feelings toward your father and Xia Weiyuan.¡±

    Xia Hongyi clenched his jaw and was tempted to lie, but the thought of betraying his uncle¡¯s trust held him back. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to nod, feeling the weight of his decision settle heavily on his shoulders.

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s leave this place.¡±

    Xia Hongyi decided to ask the question that had been nagging at him. ¡°Is he stronger than you, uncle?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Comparing me to him is like comparing a pebble to a mountain,¡± his uncle answered without hesitation.

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    Xia Hongyi could not believe it. ¡°Surely you¡¯re exaggerating. You¡¯re just a step away from the Core Splitting realm.¡±

    Xia Shizi gazed at the distant battle, then shook his head. He hoisted Xia Hongyi onto his shoulder and leaped from the branch where they stood. When they landed, Xia Shizi set Xia Hongyi down, and they ran between swaying trees, their leaves rustling violently from the shockwaves of Liu Xing¡¯s fight.

    As they ran, his uncle finally spoke. ¡°Have you heard of the Purple Moon Sect?¡±

    Xia Hongyi¡¯s mind froze for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Liu Xing is a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± his uncle replied, his tone serious. ¡°There are rumors of disciples of this sect suddenly roaming the entire continent. My contacts have mentioned some kind of race or test taking place.¡±

    Xia Hongyi¡¯s mind went blank. The Purple Moon Sect was a great sect. Xia Shizi, the most brilliant Xia clan member in several generations, could have become a patriarch if he wanted, and even he had not been accepted as a disciple by that sect.

    ¡°In that sect, a master of the Core Splitting realm is merely a disciple.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Xia Hongyi exclaimed. In the Twelve Sun Empire, a Core Splitting cultivator has tremendous influences and power.

    "But the most terrifying thing isn''t how many Core Splitting masters they have, it''s how strong each disciple is. That man, Liu Xing, is only at the sixth level of the Lock Opening realm, but his power is far beyond his realm."

    Another shocking revelation made Xia Hongyi¡¯s head spin.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky to be alive,¡± his uncle added.

    Xia Hongyi stopped running and sucked in a deep breath. His uncle also halted, leaning against a moss-covered boulder.

    Xia Hongyi was used to being the most important person in the room. Only when his uncle or father were present did he take second place. That was why he dared to do whatever he wanted without considering the consequences. Beating Xia Weiyuan had seemed as inconsequential as squashing a bug. But in doing so, he had encountered someone who could have ended his life with a mere gesture. And yet, he had not died. Instead, he had been given wisdom.

    ¡°Xia Hongyi,¡± his uncle called, and he turned to face him.

    ¡°Do you really hate Xia Weiyuan for monopolizing your father¡¯s attention?¡±

    Xia Hongyi clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. He remembered Xia Weiyuan¡¯s sloppy kicks and punches, which his father met with smiles and encouragement. Meanwhile, when Xia Hongyi executed a punch or kick with perfect form, he didn¡¯t even get a nod.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason why your father treats Xia Weiyuan that way. But I think his kindness goes too far. That doesn¡¯t mean I agree with you bullying Xia Weiyuan.¡±

    ¡°That adopted kid is so annoying. I can¡¯t help myself.¡±

    ¡°Still not a good reason,¡± his uncle said, his voice firm. ¡°Do you want to be strong? Liu Xing saw you bullying Xia Weiyuan. From your story, I can tell he hates bullies. And yet, instead of killing you, he gave you a piece of wisdom.¡±

    ¡°He told me to be strong, smart, and wise. To be a better version of myself. That way, I¡¯d get my father¡¯s attention,¡± Xia Hongyi added.

    Xia Shizi nodded, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. ¡°I think he saw something in you, Xia Hongyi.¡±

    ¡°Do you think so?¡± Hope crept into Xia Hongyi¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yes. After me, you have the most potential to unlock our bloodline.¡±

    Xia Hongyi¡¯s heart raced. In the past, the Xia clan had not lived in the Twelve Sun Empire, but in the west, in the area now controlled by the Heavenly Thunder Sect. Legend said that his clan once rivaled that sect in power. Xia Hongyi had thought it was just an exaggeration. But if there was any truth to the story, unlocking his bloodline could make him a peerless genius in the entire Twelve Sun Empire. Perhaps he could even join one of the five great sects.

    ¡°I can teach you,¡± Xia Shizi said, his voice low and serious. ¡°You can become my disciple.¡±

    Xia Hongyi¡¯s eyes widened. Many in the clan had sought to be Xia Shizi¡¯s disciple, but all had been denied.

    ¡°As long as you follow my direction, I will teach you everything. What do you say?¡±

    Xia Hongyi realized this was the most important decision of his life. He had potential, talent, and now an opportunity to become stronger. But accepting this offer would change his life completely. Xia Shizi disliked being confined to the clan compound. He preferred to travel, train, challenge others, and fight spirit beasts. If Xia Hongyi became his disciple, he would live that way too.

    Be strong. Be smart. Be wise. Be a better version of yourself.

    The words echoed in his mind as he contemplated his future.

 59 ~ Xia Hongyi (2)

    Xia Hongyi finally said, ¡°I accept.¡±

    Another chance like this would never come again. And if Liu Xing was correct, following his wisdom would surely earn his father¡¯s affection.

    ¡°All right then, disciple,¡± his uncle replied, nodding. He gestured towards the distance where the sounds of wailing, crackling thunder, and flashing light still echoed. ¡°Watching that fight makes my heart boil. Let¡¯s pack. We need to leave as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Xia Hongyi took a step, thinking this was his first stride toward greatness, the path that would make him the strongest in the Xia clan, garner respect from everyone, and especially his father. But as Xia Hongyi walked with his chest puffed out and eyes shining, his gaze fixed on his uncle¡¯s back, he witnessed something impossible¡ªhis uncle¡¯s head suddenly flew off, severed from his body. Red hair, which had draped below his shoulders, fell to the ground along with the body.

    His mind froze, unable to process what he had just seen. He watched in horror as his uncle''s head flew through the air, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. When the head landed on the ground in front of him, crimson blood bloomed from the neck, and heart pounded faster and faster. His brain struggled to decipher the impossible scene unfolding before him, and a sharp, painful sensation suddenly gripped his heart, as if something were squeezing it. Xia Hongyi suspected it must be a dream. It had to be. There was no way this could be real. His uncle couldn¡¯t have just died like that. Nothing around them seemed capable of such an attack.

    Instincts screaming, Xia Hongyi frantically looked around, searching for the cause of his uncle¡¯s demise. Then he saw it¡ªthe culprit.

    Hanging from a branch by a rope around its neck was a grinning man. His smile was unnaturally wide, as if it might tear the upper part of his head off. His face was red, like a drunkard¡¯s, with brown eyebrows and purple hair. His ears resembled orange fruits, and his teeth looked like wriggling maggots. He flailed hands and feet that were made of yellow, snake-like appendages, and peeking from the clothing on his torso was a hand with an eye in its palm. The creature swung and smiled, as if Xia Hongyi¡¯s uncle¡¯s death was the most amusing thing in the world.

    Seeing this abomination, Xia Hongyi¡¯s heart leapt to his throat. Though the head and torso resembled a man, Xia Hongyi knew it was not human. It felt like a spirit beast, one with unimaginable power. Then he saw the second monster emerge from the ground, right under his uncle''s lifeless body. It resembled a giant worm, with a soft, pink, segmented body. But it was massive, and it had a humanoid face, complete with eyes, a mouth, and a big red nose. Faces lined its back, each one twisted in horror, as if many people were trapped inside the worm and pushing their faces from the inside in a desperate attempt to escape.

    Seeing these two spirit beasts, Xia Hongyi trembled like a newborn fawn. His teeth chattered as though he were freezing, and every instinct screamed at him to flee.

    The hanging man untied the rope from the tree branch, and with his snake-like arms, he dropped to the ground near his uncle¡¯s body, whipping his hand around and sending his uncle''s arms flying.

    ¡°H-hands. D-disgusting,¡± it croaked in a choppy, hoarse voice.

    The worm creature opened its mouth wide, then lunged toward his uncle¡¯s body, swallowing both it and the ground beneath it.

    Seeing this, Xia Hongyi turned and bolted. His feet pounded the ground as fast as they could, his qi surging through his body in a frenzy. He had to escape from these monsters. They had killed his uncle without him even realizing it¡ªthere was no hope of survival unless he could get back and ask Liu Xing for help.

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    Suddenly, Xia Hongyi felt weightless, as if he were flying in the sky like a bird. But something was wrong, because he knew he couldn''t fly. That¡¯s when he realized he was indeed flying, but only as a head. Looking down, he saw his body falling to the ground.

    His mind couldn¡¯t comprehend what had just happened, and the world quickly faded to black.

    ***

    Liu Xing walked through the remains of the inverted pyramid spirit beast, his steps squelching in the mud mixed with yellow blood. He accidentally stepped on a tiny eye, no bigger than a marble, and it popped like stepping on jelly.

    Looking around, he found the area almost completely flattened, riddled with holes, and scattered with pieces of the pyramid. There weren¡¯t many trees, boulders, or even grass, leaving the landscape devastated and barren.

    Not far from where he walked, Liu Xing noticed a large hole. Water from the river flowed into it, and he knew that in the future, a lake would form there. That hole marked the spot where he had finally had enough of his enemy, which had split itself repeatedly, forcing him to unleash attacks from the Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

    As he looked around, he hoped the altered landscape wouldn¡¯t change the environment too much and that, within a few years, the area would become green again.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my robe?¡± Liu Xing muttered, glancing around. Before diving into the water to retrieve the Ethereal Pearl, he had tucked his robe between two large rocks. When Fat Lin¡¯s rock had decided to attack, he hadn¡¯t cared about his appearance and fought bare-chested. But the battle must have sent his robe flying.

    Luckily, he hadn¡¯t left his spatial bag behind. The bag, tied securely with a golden rope, was still fastened around his waist, keeping all his precious belongings, including the treasures he had acquired, safe. Still, Liu Xing felt the need to find his robe. It had been incredibly convenient¡ªhe rarely had to wash it, and it held a certain nostalgic value for him. So, he searched the area, hoping the robe had caught on a tree or was sticking out from the ground. But after almost half an hour of searching, Liu Xing realized the purple robe was probably gone for good, and he would have to accept it.

    ¡°Well, it looks like I need a new robe.¡±

    With his money, he could buy a good set of clothes, though Liu Xing doubted they would possess the same self-cleaning properties as his old robe. Summoning his gun, Liu Xing checked the green strips along the side of it. Six stripes glowed softly, confirming that the pyramid creature was truly dead.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s find a good place to cultivate,¡± he said to himself.

    He was reminded again that he needed a method to cultivate while on the move, but since there was nothing he could do about it now, he set that thought aside and searched for a place to cultivate.

    After leaving the area destroyed by his battle with the spirit beast, he arrived at a pleasant clearing with a large boulder, as big as an elephant, in its center. Liu Xing hopped onto the boulder and sat cross-legged, placing his gun in his lap before beginning to absorb the qi from the bullets.

    The process was smooth, and the qi flowed into his consciousness without much fanfare, entering his final lock as naturally as a child returning home to their mother. Before long, Liu Xing had finished cultivating.

    Standing up, he checked the position of the sun and tried to recall where Fat Lin¡¯s rock was. He then reminded himself of the details about a treasure known as the Red Wings of Stability.

    The Red Wings of Stability was the next treasure he had chosen to retrieve. This treasure could create small fire wings on the user¡¯s back. While the wings didn¡¯t grant the ability to fly, they significantly enhanced the user¡¯s durability.

    He summoned the interface to double-check his information:

    Name: Red Wings of Stability

    Location: Near Second Gray Cloud City

    Description: This treasure was created by the Burning World Sect. It¡¯s said that the treasure was made secretly for a noble¡¯s son from the Phoenix Empire who had lost control of his bloodline. The main function of this treasure is to enhance the user¡¯s durability. When activated, it creates small fire wings on the user¡¯s back.

 60 ~ Frog (1)

    Additional Info 1: The durability effect is suspected to apply to almost everything, including other people, inanimate objects, and even other treasures.

    Additional Info 2: While the exact location is unknown, if someone walks from the inverted triangle rock near Second Gray Cloud City to the north, they will find a barrier that holds this treasure.

    Additional Info 3: This treasure is guarded by a spirit beast.

    This treasure contained more detailed information compared to the others, which suggested it was either more valuable or compiled with significant effort. Regardless, Liu Xing felt grateful to whoever had gathered it.

    Scanning the area around him, he tried to locate the barrier. Barriers were usually hidden, activating only when attacked, but Liu Xing had heard of barriers that remained constantly active and visible. The most famous example was the barrier protecting the entire Verdant Mountains Sect, which resembled a soap bubble shimmering in sunlight.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s no barrier around here,¡± Liu Xing muttered to himself. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s follow the directions in the entry.¡±

    He leaped back to the place where he had fought earlier. It took him some time to pinpoint where he had discovered the Ethereal Pearl, but once he did¡ªnear the newly formed lake¡ªLiu Xing turned north and began walking.

    He considered running, but fearing that a barrier might not appear if he moved too fast, he opted for a brisk walk instead.

    The area around the river was filled with boulders and dense trees. As he progressed north, the trees grew taller and larger. Initially, Liu Xing walked among trees with lush green leaves that emitted a sweet, floral scent. However, after about half an hour, the trees surrounding him became even more immense, their trunks completely covered in moss, the ground turned damp, and swarms of bugs and mosquitoes buzzed around him. This forest reminded him of the rainforests he had seen in Indonesia.

    As he walked, Liu Xing pondered the form of the treasure he sought. Unlike other treasures he had encountered, this one¡¯s name indicated only its effect, not its shape. Liu Xing suspected it might be a small, wearable item, like a ring, bracelet, or necklace. He hoped it was something inconspicuous, as he intended to wear it during the race. If it was something attention-grabbing, like a tiara for example, he would feel embarrassed to use it. Still, he would wear it, as it would enhance the durability of both his body and his treasures, especially his Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

    The Thunderstrike Gauntlets he wore were remarkable treasures. Despite their power demonstrated in his recent fight, they were not strong enough to defeat a Core Splitting cultivator. This was why he needed to acquire the Red Wings of Stability, to make the Thunderstrike Gauntlets more durable and capable of holding more qi.

    After about another half hour, he finally saw what he had been searching for.

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    Before him lay a wide lake. In the lake¡¯s center was a small island, crowned with a tree bearing pink leaves and red fruits that closely resembled human hearts. Each fruit pulsed, rhythmically expanding and contracting as if they were real hearts beating. Dozens of crocodiles swam in the lake, each with black skin and small black trees growing from their backs. These trees swayed gently, even without a strong wind, as if dancing to an unheard tune.

    Liu Xing scanned the area, particularly around the small island with the pink leaves and heart-like fruit, searching for something that resembled a treasure, but saw nothing that looked like one. Despite this, Liu Xing knew he had arrived at the correct location. The lake had appeared suddenly as he walked through the dense forest, its emergence so abrupt that it felt as though he had stepped into another world. Liu Xing now felt certain¡ªhe must be inside a hidden barrier.

    He closed his eyes and tried to sense the qi around him, seeking a hint of qi that would guide him to the treasure. When he detected a strong qi emanating from beneath the lake he was genuinely surprised by what he sensed. He had needed to search carefully to find the Ethereal Pearl because it emitted so little qi, but this treasure radiated a peculiar qi that felt¡­ stable. Normally, qi felt like wind or mist¡ªsomething intangible. While most qi felt cold to his touch, some produced different sensations, like the prickling energy from spirit beasts or the distinct aura around other cultivators. The qi from the lake¡¯s depths felt like the warmth of a rock heated by the scorching sun, moving slowly, like thick syrup.

    Liu Xing had no doubt this qi originated from the treasure he sought, but he also sensed it encased something with a familiar, prickling qi.

    The information from the interface had mentioned that a spirit beast guarded this treasure. The crocodiles swimming nearby were low-stage spirit beasts, and upon his arrival, Liu Xing had briefly wondered if the interface was mistaken. But now it seemed the spirit beast mentioned was actually lurking within the lake.

    Liu Xing submerged his face in the water and opened his eyes. The lake was dark, and even with his enhanced vision, he could not see far. However, he could discern the shape of a spirit beast directly beneath the small island in the lake¡¯s center. It appeared the island was not a true island but the tip of a horn belonging to a giant spirit beast. From the silhouette, the creature seemed to be a massive frog crouching on the lakebed. Its eyes were blood red, marked with stylized sun patterns in their irises and retinas.

    Initially, Liu Xing found its eyes strikingly cool and beautiful. But when those red eyes locked onto him, Liu Xing realized they were not beautiful¡ªthey were menacing.

    The frog, which had been slumbering in the lake, abruptly stood on its hind legs. As it rose, Liu Xing realized it was even larger than he had imagined.

    Pulling his face from the water, he witnessed the true form of the spirit beast emerge from the lake. Its face was indeed that of a frog, with red skin and eyes that fixed on him as if he were a mere insect. Its horn, stretching dozens of meters, seemed to pierce the sky. Its torso resembled a human¡¯s, but its hands and feet were blue and resembled octopus tentacles. The creature continued to rise, water cascading off its body like waterfalls.

    Standing, Liu Xing had to crane his neck to meet the giant frog¡¯s gaze. The creature was as tall as a skyscraper, its massive horn disappearing into the sky where Liu Xing could only glimpse a small patch of pink in the distance. Despite its terrifying size and appearance, Liu Xing remained unfazed. As a cultivator, strength and cultivation realm mattered more than size or appearance. And this frog was only at the seventh stage, not even close to a breakthrough.

    Still, he had to be careful. Although it was only one stage higher than him, the fire wings sprouting from its back indicated that it possessed the Red Wings of Stability somewhere on its body.

 61 ~ Frog (2)

    Liu Xing tried to sense the treasure''s hiding place. The stable qi enveloped the frog-like creature''s entire body, and he couldn''t pinpoint the treasure''s exact location, but, he suspected that the spirit beast had probably hidden the treasure inside its body, which was a big problem. Liu Xing didn''t know how fragile the treasure might be, and a careless attack might destroy it.

    The frog¡¯s cheeks bulged as if it held something in its mouth, and then it croaked. The sound was deafening, scattering the wind as if in fear. Nearby crocodiles submerged themselves into the lake, while some trees closed their leaves and roots began to emerge around their bases, creating holes that caused the trees to sink into the earth. Watching this, he realized the spirit beast was instructing the surrounding creatures to hide, indicating intelligence. Could this spirit beast be reasoned with?

    He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, one of its tentacles suddenly lashed out at him. It moved so fast the air crackled, arcing like a wicked whip intent on splitting him in two. In a fraction of a second, he summoned his gun,activated his Lightning Cloak and leapt into the air. The blue tentacle smashed into the ground where he had just stood, sending grass and earth flying everywhere.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re eager to fight.¡±

    More tentacles shot toward him. He summoned his shield and jumped higher into the sky, bringing himself face-to-face with the frog. Its red eyes, with their stylized sun patterns, narrowed as it glared at him.

    ¡°I intend to take the treasure you¡¯re using,¡± Liu Xing declared.

    Unexpectedly, the frog snorted, then croaked as if speaking. A ripple of wind struck Liu Xing¡¯s face, and he understood its words. ¡°A worm like you has no right to talk to me. Die and become nourishment for my army.¡±

    The frog¡¯s mouth suddenly opened, and its pink tongue lashed at him. He summoned his shield and dodged to the side, only to be met by another blue tentacle attempting to strike him from the side. Seeing this, he inhaled deeply.

    It seemed this spirit beast could not be reasoned with. The chance of it willingly surrendering the Red Wings of Stability was slim, and since Liu Xing now knew its intentions, he couldn¡¯t hesitate.

    He needed to kill this spirit beast.

    Liu Xing activated his lightning blade and twisted his body. As the blue tentacle approached, he swung his lightning blade to cut it. Although the creature used the Red Wings of Stability, it was still only at the seventh level of the Lock Opening Realm, and Liu Xing''s blade should have been able to cut through it. However, when the Lightning Blade connected with the tentacle, it shattered like glass, and the tentacle hit him in the stomach.

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He shot through the air like a meteor, crashing into the ground with such force that the earth erupted around him. Dizzy and disoriented, he saw three tentacles descending on him and quickly jumped back into the sky.

    More tentacles came at him. Liu Xing summoned his shield and bounced around like a rubber ball. The frog, frustrated by his missed attacks, increased the number of tentacles to six, then nine, then twelve. Liu Xing dodged left and right and jumped higher into the air.

    When more than twenty tentacles came at him, he twisted his body until he was upside down, then kicked off his shield and launched himself toward the lake. Another tentacle approached from his right, and Liu Xing aimed his gun and fired Exploding Fist infused bullets. The tentacle exploded into pieces. More tentacles followed, and Liu Xing fired rapidly, destroying each one.

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    The frog croaked angrily as Liu Xing hit the surface of the lake and dove into the water. Inside the water, his speed slowed, and he could see the silhouette of tentacles all around him. As he swam, Liu Xing thought that this frog was stronger than he had anticipated, and he needed to fight with everything he had. Initially, he had avoided using bullets infused with Exploding Fist, fearing they might destroy the Red Wings of Stability. But it seemed his lightning blade was too fragile to be effective, leaving his gun as his only reliable weapon.

    Underwater, Liu Xing saw dozens of blue tentacles swimming around, ready to strike. He assessed that the frog had hundreds of tentacles, and the reason it had attacked with so few initially was that it had underestimated him.

    As he pondered his next move, three tentacles lashed at him from different directions. Liu Xing aimed his gun and fired. The tentacles in front of him and to his left exploded, but surprisingly, the one on his right, which glowed with an orangish hue, remained intact. Using his shield, Liu Xing launched himself upward, breaking the water¡¯s surface. He summoned his shield, kicked off it, and soon landed on the ground beside the lake.

    ¡°Weak,¡± the frog croaked.

    As it spoke, Liu Xing noticed hundreds of blue tentacles, each as thick as a tree trunk, wriggling out from its shoulders. Each tentacle glowed with an orange hue, and Liu Xing realized these tentacles were much stronger than before, possibly able to withstand his bullets. Licking his lips, Liu Xing acknowledged that this frog was stronger than any opponent he had faced, including the pyramid. But he still believed he had a chance.

    Liu Xing aimed his gun at the frog. The gun, already invisible, began spreading its invisibility to his body. Seeing him start to disappear, the frog croaked and lashed out with dozens of tentacles.

    The tentacles came from all directions, forming a wide net. Liu Xing''s eyes looked left and right, and when he spotted a small square-shaped gap about one meter wide, he jumped towards and he made his body as straight as possible with arms and legs pressed tightly to his sides. As he passed through the gap, Liu Xing summoned his shield and jumped off. Unexpectedly, a tentacle lashed out at him even though he was invisible.

    Liu Xing frowned. Could this frog see through his invisibility? He twisted his body, summoned his shield, and kicked it. The tentacle sliced through the air, creating a wind current, but Liu Xing noticed it missed by several meters.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡±

    The frog didn¡¯t see him¡ªit saw his shield. Liu Xing had never considered this scenario before where he was invisible but his shield was not. A smart opponent could pinpoint his location based on the shield¡¯s position. Still, Liu Xing could use this to his advantage.

    He summoned his shield again, positioning it face-up toward the sky. But instead of jumping from the front of the shield, where the green gem was, Liu Xing kicked its side, propelling himself horizontally. As expected, the frog lashed out with seven tentacles vertically, like seven blue swords trying to cleave the world. But Liu Xing wasn¡¯t in their path, so the tentacles struck nothing.

    Smiling, Liu Xing realized he could outsmart his opponent with this trick. The frog would assume he was jumping using the front of the shield, but he could use its edge or even its back as a pedestal, making his movements unpredictable.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield again and kicked its side, flying straight toward the frog¡¯s shoulder. The creature whipped the air where it assumed Liu Xing was, but there was nothing there.

    As his momentum slowed, Liu Xing observed the back of the frog. From this vantage point, he could see the fire wings extending several meters to the sides. He aimed his invisible gun at the spot between the fiery wings, infused bullets with Exploding Fist, and pulled the trigger six times. The bullets hit their target, and six explosions erupted from the frog¡¯s back.. It snapped its head toward him and unleashed hundreds of blue tentacles, each as thick as a tree and intent on decimating Liu Xing.

    He summoned his shield and zigzagged between the blue tentacles. He used the front of the shield, the back, and the side to jump, trying to create confusion.

    Getting an idea, Liu Xing jumped toward the frog¡¯s face, but he let the tentacles hit his shield.

    When a blue tentacle hit his shield, there was a resounding crack, and his shield shot like a rocket toward the surface of the lake. Immediately, all of the tentacles focused on attacking his shield. This frog probably thought that he had been hit, but instead, Liu Xing was right in front of him.

 62 ~ Frog (3)

    He loaded his gun with Exploding Fist bullets and fired straight at the frog''s right eye. The bullets struck instantly and exploded in a single burst. The frog let out a deafening scream that seemed to shake the world. Its tentacles swung wildly toward him as if it sensed his presence right in front of it. Seeing the approaching tentacles, he decided to take a chance. He created six bullets, absorbed them, and channeled them into the gauntlet on his right hand. In a split second, he repeated the process three times, until a white ball of lightning the size of a basketball materialized in front of his palm. The blue tentacles were now only a few metres away from tearing him apart, and instead of dodging, he unleashed a palm strike.

    Instantly, an explosion of white light erupted, blinding the surroundings. A pillar of lightning, approximately ten meters in diameter, shot from his hand toward the frog. The bolt struck the creature¡¯s face, and the frog¡¯s head jerked back. It released a scream so loud it felt as though the world trembled, a sound akin to a thousand frogs being boiled alive. The frog staggered, its massive body swaying as it began to fall. The tentacles that had been attacking Liu Xing redirected themselves, desperately trying to support the huge body and prevent it from collapsing.

    As his attack ended and gravity pulled him toward the lake, Liu Xing caught a glimpse of the frog''s face. The right side was gone, as if it had been bitten off. The flesh around the wound sizzled and burned, red blood gushing out and mixing with a slimy pink liquid. The left side of his face twisted in rage. Its eye, marked with a distinct sun-like pattern, spun rapidly, resembling a miniature black hole. The frog croaked, and Liu Xing recognized the sound of pure rage.

    Despite the incomplete kill, Liu Xing grinned ferociously. He was disappointed the attack hadn¡¯t killed the frog instantly, but he now knew it was effective. A normal attack from the Thunderstrike Gauntlets consumed a lot of his qi, but using his gun drastically reduced qi expenditure. Crucially, Liu Xing realized he could launch many more attacks like this.

    ¡°Bastard!¡± the frog croaked. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you apart!¡±

    The frog¡¯s tentacles writhed around its shoulders, solidifying and merging. Soon, instead of thousands of individual tentacles, the frog possessed four blue arms¡ªtwo on each shoulder. The arms appeared scrawny, boneless and fleshy, each hand ending in nine fingers. Observing this, Liu Xing wondered about the abilities of the hands. They seemed weak compared to the tentacles. Then, the four hands quickly began to form hand seals, interlocking their fingers and pressing their palms together in quick succession.

    Liu Xing¡¯s heart raced. No way. No way!

    Techniques could be activated in a variety of ways. The most common method was the qi cycling method, followed by talismans or formations. Hand seals were usually reserved for complicated techniques that were beyond the scope of qi cycling alone, or for techniques that originated in the distant past, as hand seals were more popular in ancient times than the qi cycling method. Liu Xing had never thought of a spirit beast using such a technique, let alone a hand seal!

    The hands became still, each pair of palms pressed tightly together. The frog''s remaining eye spun with increasing speed, and its horn began to emit a red glow. Instantly, the horn exploded into millions of pink leaves. He noticed red spots among them and realized they were hearts floating in the swarm of pink leaves.

    He focused his attention on the millions of pink leaves. They grew denser, enveloping him as he continued to fall. From the outside, it would have looked like a giant pink ball materializing over the lake and beginning to shrink. He remained invisible, but the swarm of pink leaves seemed to sense his approximate location, attempting to trap him within a shrinking prison. The leaves spun faster and faster, and Liu Xing suspected he would be shredded if he didn¡¯t act quickly.

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    Liu Xing loaded his gun with qi bullets, absorbed it, and channeled it into his right gauntlet. Summoning his shield and stepping on it, he adjusted his stance and unleashed a palm strike. White light erupted from his right hand, and a concentrated bolt of lightning several meters in diameter shot outward, scorching the pink leaves in front of him and tearing a large hole in the enclosing prison.

    Seeing a viable escape route, he jumped through the opening and out of the pink prison. As he escaped, the frog took wide strides, crossing the small lake in an instant. Its upper two hands remained clasped together, but the lower two were now free. One of the freed hands formed a fist and hurtled toward him. Reacting instantly, he summoned his shield and leaped. The fist passed beneath him, as if he had jumped over a speeding blue train. The fist slammed into the shield, then into the pink prison, scattering the leaves like agitated wasps.

    Rotating in the air, he  recharged his Thunderstrike Gauntlets and unleashed a thousand lightning bolts at the frog¡¯s face. The attack was not concentrated, but upon impact, arcs of electricity danced across its face, causing the frog to croak in pain.

    A stray pink leaf grazed Liu Xing''s right cheek. The impact snapped his head to the side, and he spat a mouthful of blood as he began spinning uncontrollably. As the world blurred around him, his brain rattled, but he realized these leaves were incredibly dangerous. Though they flew with the speed of a normal bird, their power was surreal¡ªhis cheek felt as though it had been struck by a rocket.

    Liu Xing landed heavily on the lake shore, his face turned toward the sky. The pink leaves swarmed overhead, searching for him. As they spread out, some drifted down and approached his position. He stood up and zigzagged to avoid the dangerous pink leaves. Liu Xing suspected that his normal Lightning Palm would be enough to destroy each leaf individually, but he also knew that destroying some would probably reveal his location to the frog.

    As he moved, Liu Xing considered how to end the fight. The only solution he could conceive of was utilizing his Thunderstrike Gauntlets again. Still, seeing the frog continue to fight even after losing half its head, he understood its weakness wasn¡¯t in its head.

    While he was thinking about where to strike, the frog suddenly jumped into the sky. It rose so high that for a moment he thought it was trying to escape. But then the frog began to descend, twisting its body into a huge cannonball. The frog crashed into the lake. The water exploded upward, waves ripple outward from the impact, and artificial rain began to fall. The frog stood up and snapped its head to the left and right.

    When its eyes locked on his position, it stopped and croaked. "There you are!"

    The Frog must have noticed the water soaking Liu Xing''s clothes, which allowed him to see where he stood despite remaining invisible. The frog pointed at him, and the leaves sped toward him like thousands of military drones intent on destruction.

    Liu Xing darted left and right, moving as fast as he could. When ten leaves arrived directly in front of him, Liu Xing used a lightning blade to slash through them. He expected the severed leaves to fall, but instead, they continued to fly toward him, doubling in number. Seeing this, he aimed his gun at each leaf and began to blow them up. As he weaved left and right, up and down, he fired relentlessly. But with each passing second, more leaves swarmed him. Eventually, Liu Xing found himself in a clearing in front of the lake, realizing he could no longer evade them. The pink leaves floated around him leaving no path for escape.

    Gritting his teeth, he channeled qi into his gauntlet and unleashed thousands of lightning bolts, destroying some of the leaves and creating a gap for escape. Then he lunged at the frog, who waved his index finger like a conductor to direct the leaves.

    He realized the gravity of the situation he was in. If he continued to dodge, a leaf would eventually hit him, and then the entire swarm would overpower him. He aimed his weapon at a floating heart nearby, suspecting that it might be controlling the leaves. He fired, and the bullet pierced the heart, causing it to fall,  but nothing changed. The leaves continued their attack. He was fairly certain that the heart serves some purpose, but its exact function remained unclear.

    As he flew toward the frog, he fired several bullets infused with Exploding Fist. Each bullet struck the frog¡¯s torso, triggering a series of explosions that pushed the creature back. But as the smoke cleared, he saw no wound, not even a scratch on its humanoid torso.

 63 ~ Frog (4)

    The frog croaked, as if mocking the attack, as if saying the assault had done nothing to it. Seeing this, Liu Xing realized that the Thunderstrike Gauntlets were the only real weapon capable of hurting the frog. He aimed his right hand at the frog, but before he could act, several leaves flew at him. Forced to summon his shield, he retreated quickly. As he moved, the pink leaves followed.

    Liu Xing gritted his teeth as he maneuvered across the lake. The relentless leaves distracted him, making an effective attack nearly impossible. He needed one powerful blow to finish it.

    As he flew over the water, the Ethereal Pearl came to Liu Xing''s mind, and a risky plan was formed. The risk was high; the Red Wings of Stability might be destroyed. However, at this moment, Liu Xing would be satisfied with just surviving the battle. Grabbing the Ethereal Pearl from his spatial bag, he tossed the black pearl into his mouth and held it there. He had no other place to keep it, as he needed both hands free for offense.

    He decided to dive back into the lake. As his body was submerged and his vision blurred, he summoned his shield. Kicking the shield inside the water, he maneuvered through the lake, hoping that the pink leaves wouldn''t follow him. But as he moved, he noticed blurry shapes following him in the water.

    He zigzagged through the water, channeling qi from his gun into the Ethereal Pearl. Occasionally, he fired explosive bullets to thin out the leaves pursuing him. Eventually, he decided to surface and move across the lake again. He bounced from spot to spot, still cloaked in invisibility, but the frog seemed to predict his movements. It tried to slap him with its blue, skinny hands, whip him with its pink tongue, and control the leaves to trap him.

    Half an hour passed. There was a moment when the gem in his shield stopped glowing, forcing Liu Xing to pause and recharge it. That moment nearly cost him his life, but he narrowly escaped the frog¡¯s snapping jaws.

    Now, Liu Xing circled the giant frog. The creature knew he was close, as the shield appeared around it, and it swatted at him like an annoying mosquito, croaking angrily with each failed attempt. The frog¡¯s face had fully regenerated, except for some burn marks on its right side.

    "Enough!" the frog croaked. "I¡¯ll end you here!"

    The frog started forming hand seals with its four hands again.

    Liu Xing¡¯s heart pounded. The last time the frog had used hand seals, it had created thousands of leaves that could strike with incredible force. If not for his Lightning Cloak, he would have died many times over. Now, in its anger, the frog was preparing something else.

    Aiming his gun, Liu Xing fired six explosive bullets at the back of the frog¡¯s head. The frog snapped its head toward him, canceling two of the hand seals and covered its head with its blue hands. When the bullets hit its blue hands, they exploded and pushed the frog forward.

    The frog managed to complete the hand seals with its two remaining hands, smiling gleefully as Liu Xing gritted his teeth, knowing the frog¡¯s technique would activate. As it croaked, he saw the frog¡¯s two blue hands suddenly explode. Blood and blue flesh showered the area around him. Being so close when the hands exploded, he was drenched in blood that rendered his invisibility useless.

    The frog¡¯s eyes locked onto him, its eyes still spinning, and when its eyes suddenly sent a ripple of wind, he felt the blood drenching him become hot, as if he were being drenched with boiling water.

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    Standing on his shield, he watched as the thousands of pink leaves suddenly changed color to red, growing slightly larger and taking on the shape of swords. Each red sword pulsed with a glowing hue, their tips all pointing at him.

    Realizing what had happened, he understood the frog was furious with his invisibility and speed, which made him hard to hit. The frog had sacrificed its two hands to activate a technique that marked him. He had no doubt these thousands of blades would chase him to the ends of the world as long as the hot blood clung to him.

    He inhaled deeply. This frog was formidable, and while it could use powerful techniques, they were not deadly enough to finish him off. He knew he still had one chance to win this fight, though the chance of getting the Red Wings of Stability was drastically reduced. At this point, Liu Xing was exhausted and just wanted to end the battle.

    The frog turned its body, its two blue stumps still gushing blood like twin waterfalls. With its remaining hands, it pointed at Liu Xing.

    "Try to escape if you can!" it shouted.

    Every red blade pointed at him, and then, as if a starting gun had fired, they all flew at him with incredible speed.

    Faced with this onslaught, Liu Xing realized he couldn¡¯t escape. Sooner or later, one of the blades would pierce him. But luckily, the Ethereal Pearl inside his mouth was now filled with qi from his gun, and now, it was ready to be unleashed.

    Liu Xing had two ways to attack: his gun or the Thunderstrike Gauntlets. If he used his gun, Liu Xing would have to activate the Exploding Fist with a considerable amount of qi, something he wasn''t confident in. He was afraid that if he used too much qi for the Exploding Fist, his body would tear apart. Lacking confidence in his body''s ability to handle such a surge of qi, he decided to use the Thunderstrike Gauntlets to end the battle quickly. Standing on the shield and adjusting his stance, he aimed his palm at the thousand red blades trying to pierce him. Through the gaps in the blades, he could see the frog grinning sadistically.

    The qi traveled from the pearl inside his mouth to his right hand. He suddenly felt his body go numb, as if his mouth, neck, and right hand had vanished. For a moment, he imagined some of his body parts had been blown away without him realizing it. But when he saw his hand glowing slightly, still intact, he knew this numbness was the effect of the qi he absorbed from the gun. He didn¡¯t dare unleash all the qi at once, knowing the gauntlets could break under overload, but he  still channeled a significant amount of qi into the gauntlet until a ball of white lightning, the size of a barrel, materialized in front of his palm.

    With a shout, he thrust his palm forward. A blinding white light flooded the world, a deafening thunderclap shook the air, and a massive pillar of lightning extended from his right hand, engulfing a large portion of the red blades threatening to pierce him.

    As the attack receded, he directed some of the qi from the Ethereal Pearl to his feet and kicked off the shield. He moved so fast that he appeared as a blur, materializing suddenly in front of the frog¡¯s face, whose eyes were wide with shock.

    Wasting no time, he channeled more qi into his right gauntlet, creating another ball of white lightning and unleashed a pillar of lightning as large as the frog¡¯s head. The frog tried to duck, and while its face from the eyes downward was spared, the top of its head was turned to dust.

    The frog screeched and attempted to swat Liu Xing with its hand. But Liu Xing summoned his shield, kicked off again, and suddenly found himself near the frog¡¯s belly. A ball of white lightning, as big as a boulder, had already materialized in his right hand.

    ¡°Eat this!¡± he shouted.

    As the ball of white lightning made contact with the frog''s belly, a massive pillar of energy stretched out, piercing the frog''s belly and protruding from its back. The frog croaked in pain, but Liu Xing roared and waved his hand as if he was wielding a lightning blade. The column slashed to the side, splitting the frog in two.

    As the frog''s upper body began to fall, it tried to punch Liu Xing, but another basketball-sized lightning ball had already materialized in his hand. This was Liu Xing''s last attack. The Ethereal Pearl was now completely empty.

    ¡°Goodbye!¡± Liu Xing shouted as he delivered the final palm strike.

 64 ~ Mummy (1)

    With a palm strike against his lightning ball, a pillar of lightning erupted from his hand, piercing the frog''s fist and turning it into dust. Shouting, Liu Xing wielded the lightning pillar and slashed across the rest of the frog''s body to destroy it completely.

    After a moment, only the frog''s head remained, its eyes filled with fear and regret. They met Liu Xing''s gaze as its mouth began to open as if to curse him. But before it could utter a sound, Liu Xing aimed his gun at the frog''s head, activated the Exploding Fist, transformed the technique into bullets, and fired. The bullets hit the frog right in the mouth, causing it to explode into a million pieces. Red and yellow liquid fell with a splash into the murky lake below.

    Liu Xing stood on his floating shield and watched as the lower part of the frog collapsed like a tall building toppling over. As the remains hit the lake, waves rippled across the surface. Trees and crocodiles emerged from the ground and the lake. The trees vibrated, making sounds like nails scratching glass, an eerie, sad sound. The crocodiles spat green acid from their gaping mouths, their eyes glaring hatefully at Liu Xing. In response, he activated his lightning blade. The air crackled with electricity as he slashed at each incoming attack. Then, he moved swiftly, slashing at the spirit beasts attempting revenge.

    Finally, Liu Xing stood beside the now-still lake. He was still drenched in red blood, but unlike before, it no longer felt hot like boiling water. Glancing at his gun, he found six green strips that glowed faintly in the dim light. The frog was dead, and its beast core had been absorbed by his gun.

    The fight with the frog was finally over.

    ***

    Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Liu Xing began absorbing the bullets into his body and then his consciousness. As always, the qi poured into his consciousness as easily as water flowing downstream, and it entered the last lock as if it had always been meant to be there. When the six bullets were completely absorbed, he knew he was stepping closer to open the seventh lock. He calculated he needed approximately seventeen more spirit beasts to finally achieve it.

    Opening his eyes and standing up, he stretched his body. At this rate, he was certain he could achieve immortality within his lifespan, and perhaps even become the legend he desired. Since immortality seemed almost guaranteed, he needed to ensure he could defeat or contain the darkness lurking in this world. In this way, he would become an immortal who knew he had successfully aided his friends in other worlds.

    Nodding to himself, he resolved to grow stronger faster. To that end, he closed his eyes and tried to sense the qi around him.

    There was a high chance the Red Wings of Stability had been destroyed along with the frog, but a small possibility remained that the treasure was still intact.

    The frog¡¯s qi still lingered in the area, a faint, prickly feeling in the air. Liu Xing pondered the nature of that frog. Its ability to use techniques was unheard of for a spirit beast. While spirit beasts were strong and sometimes possessed unique abilities, their powers were more akin to bloodlines than learned techniques. Witnessing the frog use techniques made Liu Xing wonder what might have happened if he hadn''t killed it. Would the frog have grown stronger by learning more techniques? Would the frog and its army have become a calamity? Liu Xing shook his head. There was no use wondering about the frog now; it was dead.

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    Focusing his mind, Liu Xing attempted to sense the qi beneath the lake. If the Red Wings of Stability were still intact, they were likely in the deep waters. After about a minute of searching with his senses, he finally felt an object emitting a weak but stable qi. Comparing this object''s qi to the frog¡¯s when it used the Red Wings of Stability was like comparing the sun to a candle, but the feeling was similar enough to make Liu Xing¡¯s hope rise.

    He jumped into the lake and began swimming toward the object and found himself in the deepest part of the dark lake. The water was murky and dark, with only plant-like blue seaweed swaying in the gentle current. The object emitting the stable qi was in front of him, and Liu Xing realized this was where the giant frog had been crouching. The object was quite large and deep blue, resembling a giant egg. He considered that perhaps the frog hadn''t been crouching, but hugging this object.

    For a moment, he wondered if it was actually the egg of that dangerous frog. But upon getting closer and truly examining it, he realized it wasn''t an egg at all, but a rock with a blue coating that glittered faintly up close.

    He placed his ear against the blue rock and knocked several times. When a hollow sound reached him, he nodded. It seemed this object was where the frog had hidden its most important belongings. There was a chance the Red Wings of Stability were inside, but Liu Xing wasn''t optimistic. After all, the Red Wings of Stability were probably a treasure meant to be worn, and he struggled to imagine how a wearable treasure could be contained within this rock. Still, he needed to check inside, as the interior of the rock emitted a similar feeling to the frog using the Red Wings of Stability.

    Liu Xing struck the rock with his palm. Upon contact, several cracks spread from the point of impact like a spiderweb, but the rock remained intact. Liu Xing struck it again, and this time the rock crumbled. The broken pieces turned to dust and were carried away by the gentle current within the lake, revealing a giant transparent bubble hidden inside. His eyes scanned the inside of the bubble, and what he saw puzzled him further about the frog.

    Inside the bubble was what appeared to be a room furnished with a bamboo bed, a small desk, women''s clothes, scrolls, and canvases strewn across the floor. Paintings hung on the bubble''s walls, and at the top, a yellow gem illuminated the room with a soft, golden glow.

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyes snapped to one corner of the bubble, where a mummy leaned against the wall. The mummy had dried skin with the texture of old bark, yet it was pale and still looked soft. The mummy''s face held a peaceful smile. From the red clothes and the gold hairpin clinging to the few remaining strands of black hair on its head, Liu Xing was certain she had been a beautiful woman. Even in mummified form, Liu Xing could imagine a charming smile, soft eyes, and a gentle laugh. He touched the bubble, and realizing there was no resistance, he easily entered.

    Inside, he sensed the bubble was truly like a home, as if the girl had lived here for years, making it her own private sanctuary.

    After his eyes wandered for a moment, he realized the mummy was missing her right arm. He imagined something or someone had chopped it off. This observation made Liu Xing wonder if this girl had a connection to the deaths of Qian Biau, Duan Hai, and Bai Lin''s grandson, or if it was merely a coincidence. Judging by the mummy''s condition, Liu Xing estimated she had died hundreds of years ago.

    Liu Xing¡¯s gaze fell upon a painting not far from the mummy. As he approached, he saw a charming girl smiling atop a lotus floating in a lake. The girl was youthful, with red lips and a cute nose. In her palms, she held a frog that smiled contentedly, as if it were the happiest frog in the world.

    This painting made Liu Xing¡¯s eyebrow rise. The frog in the painting had the same face as the one he had killed. But the expression of this little frog, compared to the one he had slain, was worlds apart. He wondered what had happened to them. Has this girl been imprisoned or hiding here? When the frog had spoken, it mentioned Liu Xing would be nourishment for its army. What had the frog intended to do with this army in the future?

 65 ~ Mummy (2)

    Sitting cross-legged in front of the girl''s mummy, Liu Xing felt a strange sensation, as if the frog''s death had somehow offended her spirit. He sighed, acknowledging the futility of such thoughts. The girl had been dead for centuries, and the frog and his army were gone.

    Liu Xing shifted his gaze to the necklace adorning the mummy. It was a delicate piece, catching the faint light and reflecting a soft gleam. Engraved upon it were two wings, and a suspicion formed in Liu Xing¡¯s mind that this was the Red Wings of Stability.

    Hesitation flickered within him. This room was a tomb, after all. Taking the necklace would be an act of desecration. Yet he couldn''t deny the irresistible pull of the artifact. Determination hardened his heart and he decided to claim it. Still, a sense of respect remained, urging him to pause for a moment before proceeding.

    He bowed his head, creating a brief silence as a gesture of respect. Then Liu Xing reached out to touch the necklace. The moment his fingers brushed the cool metal, the world dissolved into blinding white. It was as if he had been pulled into his own consciousness. But instead of the familiar ball of lightning bound by a silver chain, he witnessed a different scene: a girl and a frog, perched on a lotus flower, singing.

    ¡°A memory,¡± Liu Xing murmured to himself.

    He had heard stories of objects imbued with memories, but this was his first encounter with such a phenomenon. Normally, memories were used as a means to teach techniques, and were usually stored in jade slips. However, it seemed that memories could also be stored in a necklace. He sat cross-legged, absorbing the melody emanating from the girl and the frog. Happiness radiated from them as if they were the embodiment of joy itself.

    Abruptly, a figure materialized beside him. Transparent, yet distinct, he could discern her delicate features. A cute face, a small nose, and an aura of gentle charm. She smiled, seemingly enjoying the song, but Liu Xing perceived a deep undercurrent of sadness in her eyes.

    She turned towards Liu Xing, and when their eyes met, she pursed her lips. Finally, she offered a small nod, and then both she and the white world dissolved into nothingness.

    Blinking several times, he returned to the tomb and noticed that the necklace he had touched was no longer on the mummy. A moment later, he felt its weight against his neck and realized that the necklace was already around his neck, as if the girl had helped him put it on.

    The necklace radiated warmth, like a coin held near a fire.. He touched it, fingers tracing its contours, and pondered the events that had just unfolded. The image of the girl and frog singing was clearly a memory, but the transparent girl who had appeared beside him was something else entirely.

    "A ghost?" he muttered.

    Liu Xing knew of demonic cultivators who exploited ghosts for their cultivation, but he had never imagined encountering one himself.

    As Liu Xing pondered the implications of this encounter, a sharp crack echoed through the room. The protective bubble that had maintained the comfortable, dry environment for perhaps centuries suddenly vanished. The water rushed in a sudden destructive flood, carrying away paintings and delicate jewelry. Instinctively, Liu Xing pulled the mummy into his arms and snatched a painting depicting the girl and her frog. He might not fully understand what had just happened, but he understood one thing. The girl had given him the necklace. To repay her generosity, he would make sure that her body received a proper burial.

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    When he reached the shore of the lake, he looked back at the water. A small ripple briefly marked the surface. Turning his attention to the mummy in his arms, he knew he had to find a suitable resting place. Nearby, a tree with leaves of a vibrant, bright green offered welcome shade.

    He carried the mummy to the tree, laid her gently against the trunk, placed the painting on her lap, and began to dig. As he worked, he considered the story of the girl and the frog. He lacked the full narrative, but he deduced that she had been confined within that bubble, possibly for her entire life. Her only companion seemed to have been the frog.

    He recalled the transparent girl¡¯s appearance before the memory dissolved. She pursed her lips, yet also nodded. This gesture led Liu Xing to believe she hadn''t been pleased about the frog¡¯s death, but she had accepted it.

    After digging a deep hole, Liu Xing set about making a rudimentary coffin for the mummy. It was a clumsy attempt; carpentry was not his forte. But with his lightning blade, he managed to create a serviceable box. After half a day''s work, the mummy rested in a makeshift coffin. Liu Xing lowered it into the grave, filled the hole, and placed an unmarked stone on top of the mound. Finally, he leaned the painting of the girl and the frog against the simple tombstone.

    He nodded, this was the best he could offer and he hoped it would be enough. Liu Xing paid his respects to the deceased and wished her well in her next life.

    Having finished his silent prayer, Liu Xing looked up. The sky had changed, glowing with the orange and red hues of the setting sun. He could go on to retrieve the next treasure, the Diamond Pills, but as he leaned against the shady tree, a gentle breeze rustling his hair, exhaustion washed over him.

    He needed to rest. And most importantly, he needed to test the necklace. He strongly suspected that it was the Red Wings of Stability, but he needed to confirm it to be sure.

    Liu Xing closed his eyes and drifted off. He vaguely wondered when he had last slept before unconsciousness claimed him. A soft snore joined the sounds of the breeze and rustling leaves. And if he listened closely, he might have heard a faint melody, like a girl singing, accompanied by the content croaking of a frog.

    ***

    Liu Xing awoke to find the moon high in the sky, its silvery light illuminating the tranquil lake. He stretched, his body and mind refreshed with his qi fully replenished. He felt capable of retrieving the Diamond Pills that very night, but first the necklace demanded his attention. He glanced at the simple tomb, the painting still leaning against the stone. Liu Xing bowed slightly to offer his respects once more.

    Turning away from the tomb, Liu Xing began to walk. He wanted to test the necklace''s abilities, but doing so near the girl''s resting place felt disrespectful. After walking for a while, a subtle change in the air alerted him. It was as if he had crossed an invisible barrier. Space and wind seemed to ripple around him, and he turned to see, instead of the moonlit lake, a small, shallow pond with colorful fish darting in its waters. He took a step toward the pond, expecting to return to the lake space. But there was no ripple, no transition. He simply approached the pond.

    "Looks like I have to retrace my steps to get inside," he muttered.

    The entry condition, he realized, was tied to leaving the inverted triangle. Returning might be possible if he retraced his path, but the triangle was gone.

    A sense of finality washed over him. The lake and the tomb were probably inaccessible now, which meant that he was probably the only one who could ever visit the girl''s tomb again. As he thought about it, he wondered who this girl had been. Did she have a family? A lover? Would anyone who had cared for her ever discover the simple grave he had made? The questions remained unanswered as he watched the pond.

 66 ~ Snakes

    Shaking his head, Liu Xing dismissed thoughts of her and approached the pond. The water''s surface shimmered in the soft light, reflecting the night sky, and several large stones rested in the center. He considered this place the perfect spot to test the necklace''s abilities.

    Leaping from the pond¡¯s edge, Liu Xing landed atop the largest rock in the center. Tiny ripples spread across the water''s surface as his feet touched down. Black, yellow, red, and blue koi fish swam beneath him, occasionally splashing their tails and creating small ripples of their own. He suspected someone had built the pond, but looking around, he saw only trees, bushes, and moss-covered boulders. No houses or clan compounds were visible nearby.

    Standing on the stone, Liu Xing touched the necklace and examined it closely. An engraving of two fiery wings caught his eye, reinforcing his hope that this necklace was indeed the Red Wings of Stability.

    "Time to activate it," he muttered to himself. If this necklace was the Red Wings of Stability, activating it should cause two small fire wings to sprout from his back.

    He sent qi into the necklace and felt the familiar drain of his qi. He allowed the necklace to absorb his qi, wondering if it would go on forever, like the Thunderstrike Gauntlets. After several minutes, with half of his qi gone the necklace stopped draining, and the necklace now gave off a warm sensation, as if it were saturated and ready for use. Liu Xing willed the necklace to activate, and immediately felt a warm sensation enveloping his body, like being wrapped in warm honey.

    He checked himself, but saw no glow emanating from his back. Anyone observing him would see a man wearing only blood-stained pants, nothing more. He turned his head to check his back, hoping to see fire wings, but found nothing.

    Liu Xing grimaced. "Looks like this necklace isn''t the Red Wings of Stability after all."

    Although he could feel a stable qi surrounding his body and a sense of increased durability, as if his vitality had been boosted, disappointment still lingered. The Red Wings of Stability was a treasure he had intended to offer the sect to win the race. This necklace likely had a similar function, but it wasn''t on the list of gifts for Hao Yun. Furthermore, the stable qi he felt was not as potent as the frog¡¯s.

    Liu Xing sighed, then attempted to cheer himself up. He focused on the positive¡ªat least he had gained something from the fight.

    "Let¡¯s see how this necklace works with my gun¡¯s qi," he muttered.

    Liu Xing summoned his gun in his left hand and channeled qi into it, which transformed into bullets, then reabsorbed the energy into his body and directed it to the necklace. As the necklace absorbed the qi, Liu Xing felt a pleasant vibration, and when it was fully saturated, the familiar warmth returned.

    Liu Xing activated the treasure. As before, he felt warm qi envelop him. Again, he turned his head to check for wings, only to be disappointed.

    Shaking his head, he focused on the warm qi surrounding him, hoping it would be denser or stronger than before. Instead, Liu Xing found the effect was essentially unchanged. The only apparent difference was the amount of qi required for activation.

    "There''s no way it''s the same," Liu Xing muttered, furrowing his brow.

    He refused to accept this conclusion. The qi from his gun was unique; every technique and treasure amplified in power when fueled by the converted bullets. There was no logical reason for this necklace to be an exception.

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    Liu Xing experimented with the stable qi and soon noticed a difference. Before, the warm qi surrounding him felt like mud--stable, but difficult to manipulate. Now, although the feeling was similar, this stable qi was responsive and easy to move. This was a useful property. He knew that when the qi enveloped his entire body, it felt thin, and the effect was weaker than the frog¡¯s. But with the ability to manipulate the stable qi, he could concentrate it at a specific point to amplify its effect.

    Excited, Liu Xing decided to concentrate all the stable qi into his right gauntlet, his preferred weapon. In the previous fight, it had nearly broken under the strain of pure qi. He hoped this enhancement would allow the gauntlet to withstand and channel even more pure qi, resulting in a more powerful attack.

    The moment he willed the stable qi to move to his gauntlet, it responded instantly. In a fraction of a second, he felt the stable qi concentrate in his right gauntlet. As the qi focused, yellow lines materialized, circling the metal surface like delicate strokes of paint. Liu Xing raised an eyebrow. To confirm it wasn''t a mere coincidence, he shifted the concentrated qi to his left gauntlet. Similar yellow lines appeared. Liu Xing moved it again, this time to his stomach. When the qi settled there, he looked down and saw a yellow spiral on his abdomen, reminiscent of a certain fictional character containing a powerful fox. He then moved the concentrated qi back to his right gauntlet.

    He pinched his chin thoughtfully. The yellow lines seemed purely aesthetic and unnecessary. If yellow lines suddenly materialized on his gauntlets, an opponent would instantly be alerted, assuming Liu Xing was planning something. Still, it wasn¡¯t too bad. He might look silly if yellow lines appeared on his face, but if it meant making his face more durable, Liu Xing would gladly choose silliness over death.

    "Alright, let''s test the durability of my Thunderstrike Gauntlets now," Liu Xing said with a smile. With each improvement, his power grew. He still believed he lacked the strength to confront a Core Splitting realm cultivator, but Liu Xing was steadily closing that gap.

    ***

    Early morning sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled shadows across the forest floor as Liu Xing walked leisurely along a dirt path. Countless snakes slithered through the underbrush on either side. A giant green snake, as large as a crocodile, fixed its piercing yellow eyes on him. Dozens of black and red snakes moved in unison, each sporting tiny horns with red tips.

    A massive python the size of a cow bulldozed through the bushes and small trees, its black eyes giving it the appearance of a leader among the many snakes following Liu Xing. There were snakes everywhere, perhaps a thousand in all, each moving in its own way. Some slithered along the dirt path, others snaked through branches, and some tunneled underground, leaving small furrows in their wake.

    Liu Xing walked as if oblivious to the many snakes trailing him, but he simply felt no threat. Despite their large numbers, he could easily deal with them. His mind puzzled over why they had suddenly begun to follow him. Though some looked hostile, baring fangs as if challenging him, and others tried to impede his walk, none actually attacked. So, Liu Xing allowed them to follow.

    Soon, Liu Xing spotted a suspension bridge ahead. He realized he was approaching the location of the Diamond Pills. He retrieved the token from his spatial bag and summoned the interface regarding the Diamond Pills.

    Name: Diamond Pills

    Location: Near the Second Gray Cloud City

    Description: These pills were concocted by a master alchemist named Zhang Ye, a loose cultivator allied with the Purple Moon Sect. He died four hundred years ago, poisoned by his rival at a pill-concocting tournament held by the Heavenly Lightnin Sect..

    Additional info: The five remaining Diamond Pills are now guarded by a fox spirit beast.

    Another additional information indicated that the pills could be found by traveling south from an inverted triangle. Liu Xing suspected they were hidden in a similar location to the lake he had visited the previous day.

    Closing the interface, Liu Xing stood before a suspension bridge. It was a short bridge, and he could see the other side clearly. There, a single red snake had raised its head, its red eyes gleaming with intelligence.

 67 ~ Fox (1)

    The thousand snakes surrounding him bowed to the red snake, as if in the presence of royalty. Seeing this, Liu Xing realized the red snake was their true ruler. The red snake slithered across the bridge and soon reached its beginning, positioning itself a few meters from him as if guarding the passage.

    Liu Xing prepared for a fight. However, suspecting the red snake might be intelligent, he clasped his hands and spoke. "My name is Liu Xing. I am a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect. May I cross the bridge?"

    After all, if the red snake did not attack, he wouldn''t either.

    The snake¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Then, it answered in fluent human language, its voice surprisingly melodious. "What a polite cultivator! In my long life, you are the only one who hasn''t attacked instantly. You can call me Emerald Fang, and yes, you may cross the bridge."

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyebrows rose. "You would let me pass that easily? Why?"

    Emerald Fang glanced at the snakes surrounding Liu Xing. "Because you didn¡¯t kill any of my kin. If you haven¡¯t noticed, we¡¯re not normal beasts, but we''re not too special either. We¡¯re underlings of the Emerald Fox and ordered to hinder anyone from meeting it."

    "That¡¯s the opposite of what you¡¯re doing here. Not only did no snake attack me, but you¡¯re also letting me cross the bridge."

    The snake smiled, its forked tongue flicking out briefly. "Well, let¡¯s just say we aren¡¯t fond of our current master. The situation would be wildly different if you had attacked one of my kin, but since you did no harm, there¡¯s nothing I can do."

    Liu Xing still found it suspicious but nodded nonetheless. Since he was allowed to cross, he would.

    Emerald Fang slithered to the side, and Liu Xing walked onto the bridge. When he stepped onto the weathered planks, he paused and turned, checking for any potential sneak attacks. But Emerald Fang only smiled, and the rest of the snakes remained still.

    He began walking again. Halfway across the bridge, he glanced back and saw Emerald Fang still watching. When he finally reached the other side, there was still no attack. Then, the snakes began to disperse, some tunneling into the ground while others slithered into the lush bushes nearby, as if returning home. The red snake kept its head up, still smiling.

    Liu Xing turned and continued on his path. Before him stretched a narrow passage between two enormous rocks, appearing as if split by a giant¡¯s blade. As he walked between the imposing rocks, he pondered Emerald Fang and its kin. He knew they were underlings of something called the Emerald Fox, which was likely the spirit beast guarding the Diamond Pills.

    The red snake had spoken normally, like a human, but its cultivation was low, only around the Lock Opening realm second stage, which was unheard of. Gaining intelligence wasn¡¯t guaranteed for spirit beasts. Even if they became immortal, there was a chance they would remain creatures of instinct. Yet, most intelligent spirit beasts possessed high realms. This meant the red snake was either talented or concealing its strength. Since it had said it didn''t attack Liu Xing because he hadn''t harmed its kin, Liu Xing thought perhaps it would gain strength if he had attacked.

    "Restriction," Liu Xing muttered.

    In this world, cultivators known as saints possessed tremendous power in their realm. Liu Xing had heard that there were five saints in the entire world, but he only knew of one, a cultivator named Lin Fan, a loose cultivator who was highly respected in the Purple Moon Sect, and a master swordsman who lived for his craft. He was only at the Sun Collapsing Realm, but he had heard that even the Twelve Elders, who were at least in the Black Sun Realm, respected him. It was said each saint was unique and avoided fights like the plague. But when they did fight, they would display power that defied common understanding.

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    Rumors about Lin Fan claimed he couldn¡¯t point his sword at others. The other saints similarly had weird and seemingly ridiculous peculiarities, and from these stemmed the idea of restriction¡ªa way for saints to gain strength by limiting themselves.

    But these were only rumors, and Liu Xing had never seen someone with a restriction. It might be nonsense, but what if it wasn¡¯t? He remembered how confident the snake had been. It was a spirit beast with low cultivation, yet it had spoken to Liu Xing as if he posed no threat.

    "Am I overthinking?"

    Deciding he probably was, Liu Xing shook his head and refocused on his quest.

    Soon he passed the split rocks and came to a small clearing. In the center, a humanoid red fox sat cross-legged as if in meditation. Wearing a green cultivator''s robe, it looked muscular; Liu Xing suspected that if it stood up, it would tower over him.

    As Liu Xing approached, the fox opened its eyes. Its gaze shone with contempt, as if seeing a maggot crawling before a king.

    Liu Xing understood the fox¡¯s disdain. He was a cultivator at the Lock Opening realm sixth stage, but the qi emanating from the fox was so dense and vast that Liu Xing felt he stood before an ocean of power. This was his first encounter with a being at the Core Splitting realm. Though his heart raced, with the Ethereal Pearl and the necklace similar to the Red Wings of Stability, Liu Xing still believed he had a chance if they fought.

    "Who dares disturb me?" its voice boomed across the clearing, scattering nearby birds.

    Liu Xing didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he looked past the fox to a tree covered entirely in moss¡ªfrom its roots to its branches and leaves. In the center of this modest tree was a hole containing a glass box. Inside the box, Liu Xing saw five red pills the size of chocolate balls, each emitting a whitish hue as if reflecting moonlight. These were the Diamond Pills he sought.

    The Diamond Pills were known for their great effects, and additional information had made them irresistible to Liu Xing.

    Additional info 3: There are five Diamond Pills remaining. Disciples can claim they retrieved these pills as long as they give three to the sect.

    This information blatantly suggested Liu Xing could consume two of these pills, which had motivated his quest.

    "I said, who dares disturb me?" the fox shouted, its piercing eyes locked on Liu Xing.

    Liu Xing clasped his hands respectfully. "My name is Liu Xing, a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect."

    The fox snorted. "A brat from the Purple Moon Sect? Since you arrived here, that damned snake must finally be dead. Good. He was annoying, and even in death, he still gives me trouble by letting you pass."

    Liu Xing remained silent. Emerald Fang had let him pass, but he wouldn¡¯t reveal this to the Emerald Fox. This spirit beast was of a higher realm and possessed intelligence. Though Liu Xing believed he had a chance in a fight, he wouldn¡¯t act recklessly.

    "What do you want here? To extract my beast core? Grind me into an elixir? Create a robe from my fur? Steal my treasures?" The fox¡¯s voice dripped with anger and contempt. Its eyes bulged, turning red as veins pulsed around them.  "You humans are all the same. Despicable, cowardly, and weak. Yet you claim this world is yours! I¡¯ll do this world a favor by reaching the pinnacle and getting rid of all of you! You are foolish to come here. You are courting death!"

    The fox¡¯s body began to grow, its muscles and fur writhing until the green robe ripped. Its snout elongated, fangs jutting out as saliva dripped from its mouth. In an instant, the fox transformed into a four-meter monster that looked like it could tear a giant boulder apart with its bare hands. The torn remains of its robe hung from its massive frame, revealing bulging muscles beneath its red fur.

    Liu Xing felt every single hair on his body stand on end, his heart pounding, and his brain screaming for him to run. It seemed this fox truly hated humans, and seeing Liu Xing made it want to tear him apart. But Liu Xing would not back down. Although it was a spirit beast in the Core Splitting realm, it didn¡¯t feel too overwhelming. Most likely, this fox had recently advanced.

    Liu Xing still thought he could win this fight. It was a chance for him to test himself against a cultivator of a higher realm. As long as he remained cautious and fought smart, he could probably win.

 68 ~ Fox (2)

    Liu Xing summoned his gun in his left hand and activated both Lightning Cloak and invisibility.

    ¡°You trash all need to die!¡± The fox growled, its voice low and menacing. It balled a paw into a fist and kicked the ground, cracking the earth beneath it. Then, it leaped forward like a speeding truck.

    Liu Xing jumped backward. As he moved, the fox smashed its massive fist into the ground where Liu Xing had been standing moments before. The ground surged like water struck by a boulder. He landed on a moss-covered boulder, half of his body already fading into invisibility. The fox glared at him, enraged, and launched itself forward like a rocket. Liu Xing jumped back again. The fox¡¯s fist connected with the boulder, and it exploded into smithereens. A gray cloud of dust and moss billowed outwards.

    Liu Xing jumped back several more times, using the cloud of dust as cover. Moments later, fully invisible, he perched on another large boulder that jutted from the ground like a giant fang. On top of this vantage point, he calmed his heart and breathing, willing his presence to become as faint as possible.

    The fox¡¯s shout scattered the dust cloud. Liu Xing observed that even though the fox was in the Core Splitting realm, it did not seem significantly more dangerous than the frog he had previously fought. Still, he had learned his lesson about direct confrontation with formidable enemies and resolved to utilize his invisibility more often. However, Liu Xing remained aware of his invisibility¡¯s limitations. The frog had managed to track him, so this fox might also possess a countermeasure.

    Silently, Liu Xing jumped from the fang-shaped boulder to one of the trees circling the clearing. Unlike the central tree, these trees were not entirely covered in moss; only their bases were coated in green.

    Liu Xing watched the fox searching left and right. It growled like a wild animal, its ears, eyes, and nose twitching constantly. He retreated as slowly as he could. His main strategy now was to stay hidden, to make the fox think he was gone. He would be on the lookout for an opening, and then he would strike.

    ¡°Coward human, show yourself!¡± the fox shouted. As it yelled, moss surged from its paws, creating a green wave with blackish tints that spread across the ground.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing realized the moss was likely the fox''s method of detecting nearby enemies. He pursed his lips and jumped again, careful to avoid the advancing green waves. As he moved, he observed the moss wave engulfing everything around the fox¡ªtrees, rocks, flowers, even a small pond near the clearing. Everything became coated in green moss.

    ¡°Coward! Coward! All you humans are cowards!¡± As it continued to shout, the moss surged faster and higher from its paws like a verdant geyser. Then, the moss began to swirl around the fox, circling it and forming a green tornado. Initially, the tornado was roughly the size of the fox, but it grew larger and taller until the clearing was dominated by a towering green vortex, so high Liu Xing had to tilt his head to see its peak.

    The wind intensified, and the moss-covered trees began to bend towards the tornado as if pleading not to be uprooted.

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He knew the difference between the Lock Opening and Core Splitting realms lay primarily in qi capacity and control. But witnessing the sheer size of the tornado and feeling the immense qi it exuded, he truly grasped that the Core Splitting realm was the first step towards wielding wide-area techniques capable of overwhelming everything.

    ¡°Should I attack?¡± Liu Xing muttered to himself.

    Though he couldn¡¯t see the fox directly, he could sense its presence in the center of the moss tornado. Since the fox controlled it, he was certain it was attempting to spread the moss rapidly to locate him, similar to how the frog had jumped into the sky and struck the lake to create rain. Deciding it was best to attack while still concealed, Liu Xing aimed his gun at the tornado¡¯s center. He retrieved the Ethereal Pearl and placed it in his mouth. The pearl now contained significantly more qi than it had during his fight with the frog, thanks to his efforts to replenish it during his journey from the pond and before his encounter with the snakes.

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    Liu Xing channeled qi from the Ethereal Pearl to activate Lightning Palm, using more qi than usual in hopes of strengthening the lightning bullets. As the technique activated, his gun absorbed the energy, and Liu Xing felt six lightning bullets charge within its chamber and pulled the trigger. A lightning bullet shot from his gun with blinding speed, appearing as true lightning. The projectile pierced the moss tornado, creating a momentary hole. Through the opening, he saw the fox¡¯s head snap in his direction, but before it could react, the lightning bullet struck its face, and the hole sealed shut.

    The fox screamed in pain, undoubtedly feeling arcs of electricity wrack its body, paralyzing it. The moss tornado faltered, as if a cog had jammed in its mechanism. Liu Xing, heart pounding and adrenaline surging, kicked off the ground and launched himself directly into the tornado.

    He crashed through the moss wall and landed directly in front of the fox, which was still crackling with blue electricity. As his feet hit the ground, the electricity around the fox diminished, its red eyes focused on him, and with a visible effort, its clenched fist lunged towards his face. Reacting instantly, he aimed his gun and fired in less than a fraction of a second. Just as the furred fist came within centimeters of his nose, another lightning bullet struck the fox squarely in the center of its torso. The receding arcs of electricity flared again, further paralyzing the creature. He rapidly fired the remaining lightning bullets, ensuring the fox remained immobile for several crucial seconds. The fox appeared trapped within a cage of electricity, growling deeply, like a volcano about to erupt.

    With his heart pounding in his chest, Liu Xing wasted no time and poured half of the Ethereal Pearl''s qi into his right gauntlet with a yellow spiral around it, increasing its durability and allowing it to handle even more qi. In a fraction of a second, he adjusted his stance, and a ball of white lightning three meters in diameter materialized in front of his palm as if summoned from thin air.

    With a shout, Liu Xing thrust his palm forward. The massive ball of white lightning slammed into the giant fox, engulfing it and erupting in a blinding white light. The light was so intense, so overwhelming, that Liu Xing felt momentarily transported into his own consciousness.

    The white light enveloped everything for almost a second, then the sound of an explosion, like millions of lightning bolts striking a single point simultaneously, shook the world, as if an earthquake had erupted. A pillar of condensed light, more than three meters in diameter, shot from his palm and completely engulfed Emerald Fox. Amidst the ringing in his ears and the deafening explosion, Liu Xing also heard a pained wail.

    The Thunderstrike Gauntlets¡¯ usual attacks produced minimal recoil; he could even execute them in mid-air. But the sheer magnitude of this attack forced him to plant his feet firmly to avoid being blown backward.

    He roared, sustaining the attack for several seconds that stretched into an eternity. Moments later, the giant pillar of condensed lightning subsided, the white light vanished, and sudden silence descended. Only the howl of the wind and the creaking of swaying branches could be heard.

    Before Liu Xing, a deep trench scarred the earth, revealing burning red ground that resembled lava. This trench stretched for dozens of meters, obliterating boulders, trees, and everything in its path. Finding the area ahead empty, Liu Xing scanned his surroundings. The attack had been devastating, yet he doubted the fox had perished so easily.

    Liu Xing scanned the area and quickly spotted the fox launched into the sky as if caught in a powerful gust of wind. As it ascended, he clearly saw that both of its hands were gone, leaving only smoldering stumps. It appeared the fox had attempted to shield itself from the attack and sacrificed its hands in the process.

    The green robe it had worn was completely disintegrated, revealing charred fur covering its body. Even from a distance, plumes of black smoke rose from the burnt fur. Despite the extensive damage, it was less than Liu Xing had anticipated. He had hoped to obliterate at least half of its body. After all, this fox wasn''t supposed to be tougher than the frog he had easily dispatched with less qi. However, the fox had proven to be far more resilient than it initially appeared.

 69 ~ Moss (1)

    As gravity pulled the fox to the ground, Liu Xing saw its eyes roll upward, revealing only the whites and realized that it had fainted. Seeing this, he poured more qi from the Ethereal Pearl into his right gauntlet. While his previous attack had been impressive, he had only used half the qi from the Ethereal Pearl. Now, he could unleash another full attack.

    He kicked the ground hard and launched himself into the air toward the fallen fox. The wind whistled past his ears as he soared upward. As he flew past the fox, Liu Xing summoned his shield and used it to stop his ascent. Then he turned to face the still-falling fox from above, materialized a huge ball of lightning in his palm, and struck it.

    ¡°Eat this!¡±

    The strike unleashed a huge pillar of lightning with a thunderous roar while propelling him higher into the air.  But before his attack could reach its target, he saw the fox suddenly awaken. His eyes were wide as saucers, his expression terrified. The fox''s feet then turned into moss and then solidified into a large shield in front of him to block his attack.

    The pillar of light swallowed the moss shield and the fox. From a distance, it looked like a huge white pillar descending from the sky, as if a shining heavenly foot tried to trample the fox. In a split second, the pillar of light crashed into the ground. The earth around it rippled like water, erupting in a shockwave of debris and blinding light that radiated outward.

    When the attack receded, a deep hole several meters in diameter marred the ground. At the center lay the unconscious fox, its eyes rolled back once more. It had lost its feet and arms, leaving only its head and torso. The previously blackened fur was gone, revealing charred skin across its entire body. It looked as if someone had thrown the fox into a fire for an hour before tossing it to the ground. At this point, the fox resembled charcoal more than flesh.

    Despite its grievous injuries, the fox was still alive, demonstrating the incredible resilience of a Core Splitting realm. Still, Liu Xing couldn''t complain. This fight had been much easier than his battle with the frog.

    Falling through the air, Liu Xing aimed his gun at the unconscious fox. He activated the Exploding Fist technique and let the gun absorb it. Now his gun was loaded with six exploding bullets and Xing pulled the trigger six times, sending six exploding bullets hurtling toward the target.

    When the bullets were mere meters from their mark, the mouth of the still-unconscious fox suddenly opened. Green moss poured out, creating a small dome that encased the fox. The six bullets hit the dome, obliterating it, but not the fox. Six green appendages, like insect legs, extended from the fox''s charred torso. It scurried away like a cockroach, carrying the still unconscious fox with its eyes rolled upward.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing¡¯s eyebrows rose. What was happening? The fox was unconscious, but the moss moved as if it had its own mind.

    The fox climbed out of the hole and zigzagged between trees like a true cockroach, weaving through the undergrowth. Liu Xing, still invisible, summoned his shield and kicked it, trying to follow the blackened fox carried by six moss feet. As he aimed his gun and fired at the fox, the feet seemed to sense his bullet. They jumped onto a branch, and it began jumping from tree to tree like an oversized and charred squirrel..

    As Liu Xing followed the charred fox, the forest blurring around him as he gave chase, he suspected the moss possessed a mind of its own. Either it was the fox''s special ability, or it was actually a symbiote living inside the fox. Either way, the moss was trying to keep the fox alive. He scanned his surroundings and soon realized the six appendages were trying to carry the fox into the clearing where the Diamond Pills were located.

    Jumping from a tree with such force it exploded, Liu Xing shot forward like a bullet and flew right over the scurrying creature. He aimed his gun and fired an exploding bullet at it. The still unconscious fox suddenly opened its mouth again and spat out green sludge that looked like wet moss. His bullet hit the ball of sludge and exploded. The explosion blew both the scurrying fox and Liu Xing backward.

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    In the air, Liu Xing spun around, summoned his shield, and kicked it. The world blurred, but he knew the explosion had allowed the six moss appendages to reach near the tree holding the Diamond Pills. Knowing this, Liu Xing kicked the shield again and again, accelerating faster and faster through the air.

    One of the moss appendages stretched into the hollow of the tree and pierced the glass box where the pills were placed. The tip of one appendage, which before looked like a cockroach foot, transformed into a claw and pinched a Diamond Pill. The five remaining appendages then pulled open the fox''s maw, and the last green appendage dropped the pill right above its mouth.

    Just as the pill was about to fall into the fox''s mouth, Liu Xing arrived. With an outstretched hand and his heart beating frantically, he caught the pill before it could land inside the fox¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Too slow!¡± Liu Xing smiled.

    Liu Xing then summoned his shield, twisted his body, summoned his shield, and kicked it to fly towards the tree with the remaining pills. He heard the moss wail, high-pitched like squeaking mice, as if frustrated that its plan had been foiled. One of its appendages turned into a spear and lashed out, but it hit nothing but air.

    As he flew towards the tree, Liu Xing reached out and grabbed the glass box. His body slammed into the tree, and the tree exploded in a shower of bark, branches, and moss-covered leaves. After the tree shattered, Liu Xing spun in the air and landed smoothly on the ground, holding the glass box tightly in his hand. When he stopped, Liu Xing examined the glass box containing four Diamond Pills. He then threw in the pill he had snatched from the fox''s mouth into the box, and the glass box now held five Diamond Pills.

    Seeing that he had successfully retrieved all five Diamond Pills, excitement began to fill his heart. There were many pills that outer disciples needed to retrieve, but these Diamond Pills were among the rarer ones. He could eat two of them and give the rest to the sect.

    Liu Xing itched to grab his token and reconfirm the information about the Diamond Pills, but before he could do that, he suddenly heard high-pitched sounds emitted by the six appendages extending from the charred fox become louder.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing wondered what exactly this fox and the moss were. Were they truly symbiotes? Or was the moss fully controlling the fox? Seeing that the fox was still unconscious, Liu Xing suspected the moss was controlling it, but still, it was the fox that had achieved the Core Splitting realm, not the moss.

    Whatever it was, Liu Xing watched as moss began to pour from the fox''s mouth. The amount was staggering, and soon the charred body of the fox was engulfed entirely by dark green moss. The high-pitched wailing grew higher and louder, and then the moss started standing on two newly created feet that looked big and muscular. Two large hands sprouted from its sides, and the unconscious fox''s torso and face emerged from the moss. Instead of charred black, the fox was now invaded by dark green, as if the moss had injected itself into the charred flesh, creating dark green veins that wriggled like worms. The fox''s face was also full of green veins, most prominently around its eyes, as if the entirely white eyes were leaves held by several green vines. The eyes were lifeless, as if the fox was already dead, but the qi around the moss-fox started surging, becoming denser and stronger, as if it had suddenly broken through to the next stage of the Core Splitting realm.

    The fox, now entirely controlled by the moss, roared. The sound was thunderous, like the roar of a mighty lion, making the wind ripple and leaves tremble on nearby trees. Then it crouched, its green feet entirely created by moss kicking the ground and the green fox hurtled at Liu Xing like a bullet.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing realized these Diamond Pills were incredibly important to the moss. It would probably hunt him to the edge of the world to retrieve them. But unfortunately for his opponent, Liu Xing had no intention of giving up the pills.

    With adrenaline coursing through his body and electricity coating his skin, Liu Xing kicked the ground and jumped into the sky. In the sky, Liu Xing rotated his body so his head pointed downward. He watched the ground recede farther and farther away.

    When his momentum slowed and the world sharpened back into focus, Liu Xing saw the moss-fox had also kicked off the ground and jumped, trying to follow him like a hound smelling blood. Although Liu Xing was still invisible, the glass box he held in his right hand was not, so the creature was probably following the box.

 70 ~ Moss (2)

    Liu Xing aimed the gun at the moss-fox, infused the bullets with Exploding Fist, and shot. The bullets flew true, striking the moss-fox directly in the center of its forehead. When the bullets exploded, a high-pitched wail echoed as the moss-fox plummeted to the ground like a meteor. Liu Xing summoned his shield and stood upon it, looking down at the moss-fox, which hit the ground with a loud thud. The moss-fox roared again, opening its maw. A green ball of moss materialized before its mouth, and it launched the projectile at Liu Xing.

    Witnessing this, Liu Xing jumped from the shield while firing repeatedly at the green ball. The first bullet detonated the moss projectile, and the five remaining bullets sped straight toward the moss-fox. Reacting to the attack, the moss-fox roared, and as if obeying a command, the moss around it surged, forming a green wall before it. When the bullets struck the moss wall, five large holes appeared, and Liu Xing saw the moss-fox leap through them and fly directly toward him.

    He attempted to insert the glass box into his spatial bag, but quickly realized the box was too large to fit through the opening. He would have to extract the pills before he could safely store them.

    The moss-fox roared again, and Liu Xing turned and fired rapidly at the creature. As the bullets approached, the moss-fox roared again and two green wings sprouted from its back. It flapped its newly formed green wings and then veered sharply to the side. The six bullets flew past the moss-fox and struck the ground and detonated on impact.

    Liu Xing started to fall and let gravity pull him down. He saw that he had moved quite far away from the original location. Instead of trees, there was a forest of stone-grey spires below. The top of each spire was sharp, as if it was carved out of towering stone. Liu Xing landed on the brown ground amidst the forest of gray spires. Each tower cast a long shadow, making Liu Xing feel like he was in a city of skyscrapers. He saw no trees, flowers, grass, or moss, as if this place was dead and poisonous to plant life.

    He looked up and saw the moss-fox flying. The moss-fox¡¯s eyes were still rolled upward, its green veins twitching wildly like worms, and its dark green wings resembled those of a bat.

    Liu Xing hurriedly smashed the glass box in his right hand with his gun. The glass shattered, and Liu Xing saw five red pills, glowing white white hue falling with the shards of glass. He snatched all the pills from the air and clutched them in his right hand.

    Just as he secured the last pill, a wind ripple formed behind the moss-fox, and it suddenly accelerated. In a split second, the moss-fox, previously tens of meters in the air, appeared directly above Liu Xing and swooped down like an angry eagle with a green hand made entirely of moss reaching for Liu Xing''s right hand, where he was holding the pills. To the moss-fox, the five pills might have appeared to be floating, but it knew Liu Xing possessed them.

    Eyes wide and his body still cloaked with lightning, Liu Xing pulled back his right hand. He lowered his stance, preparing to roll aside, when he saw the moss-fox¡¯s green feet suddenly lash out toward his face. Liu Xing wasn''t sure if the moss-fox could see him or if it was simply luck, but he couldn¡¯t dodge the attack. As the green feet hurtled closer, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and sent the yellow line towards his face. Just as the yellow line settled, the feet struck him, and Liu Xing felt his brain rattle and his nose cave in.

    For a moment, everything went black, but when the darkness receded, Liu Xing realized he was flying backward through the air so fast that the gray spires around him blurred. Moments later, Liu Xing¡¯s back slammed into one of the spires, halting his momentum and causing the spire to topple like a felled tree. As the spire crashed to the ground, the world trembled, and a huge cloud of dust billowed into the air. Amidst the dust cloud, Liu Xing stood. His eyes darted to his right hand, hoping he still possessed the pills, but when he saw only one pill in his palm, he grimaced and scanned his surroundings.

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    There, soaring into the sky above the moss-fox, which had crashed to the ground and created the dust cloud, were three red pills. The pills shot upwards like reverse meteors, each flying in a different direction: north, east, and west. Liu Xing searched for the last pill and realized he could see a green hand clutching a red pill.

    Looking down, he saw that his gun, the one he always had on him, was gone, probably lost when the fox kicked him. He dismissed his gun and resummoned it back on his left hand.

    The moss-fox roared, the sound wave pushing back the dust cloud that still lingered around it. The fox remained unconscious, but on its forehead, a green eye with a pitch-black pupil had formed . Liu Xing felt that eye fix on him with rage and contempt, as if he were a thief daring to steal an emperor¡¯s crown.

    They stared at each other, and as Liu Xing¡¯s eyes locked onto the red pill in the green hand, that green eye also focused on the pill in Liu Xing¡¯s right hand. Liu Xing knew they shared the same thought. Neither would allow the other to gather all the pills, and each needed to seize the pill from their opponent¡¯s hand or risk the other consuming the precious items.

    "Alright, moss-fox, I think we both know what will happen next!" Liu Xing shouted. The moss-fox roared, as if agreeing with Liu Xing. "After this fight is over, only one of us will be left standing!"

    As he shouted, Liu Xing¡¯s brain raced to formulate a strategy. After all, this moss-fox was strong, tough, and fast. Fighting it would be flirting with death, but Liu Xing still believed he had a chance. He needed a strategy to seize victory.

    "Let''s dance!" Liu Xing shouted as he threw the pill in his right hand toward his mouth, attempting to swallow it immediately.

    Reacting instantly, the moss fox kicked the ground and the ground beneath it shattered with spider web cracks spreading outward, and it suddenly stood directly in front of Liu Xing, seemingly teleporting. Its left hand lunged out to grab the pill thrown towards Liu Xing''s mouth.

    Liu Xing activated his lightning blade, and as the green fingers came within centimeters of his pill, he slashed the blade directly at its wrist. While the blade didn¡¯t sever the wrist, it still possessed enough force to knock the hand aside. Unfortunately, the tip of its index finger brushed the pill, causing it to shoot towards Liu Xing¡¯s shoulder and bounce into the air instead of his mouth.

    The moss-fox roared, its hand flying towards the bounced pill. Liu Xing ducked beneath the moss-fox, and with a shout, he kicked its waist and pushed with all his might, dragging the moss-fox sideways, its feet carving a trail in the ground.

    The moss-fox roared angrily when its hand failed to catch the pill, and Liu Xing whipped his lightning blade at its right hand, where it still held one of the Diamond Pills. His lightning blade struck the hand squarely on the wrist, causing the hand to swing to the side and the pill to fall from its grasp.

    Instantly, the moss-fox kicked the ground and tried to seize it, its fingers only inches from the newly released pill, but then Liu Xing aimed his gun at the moss-fox¡¯s wrist and fired. The bolt whistled in the air, and as his bullet exploded against the wrist, the blast pushed the pill and the moss-fox¡¯s hand in opposite directions.

    Now, two pills were airborne. Should he snatch the pill he had lost or the one the moss-fox had dropped? In the end, instinct took over, and Liu Xing leaped as hard as he could toward the pill near the moss-fox.

    Immediately, the moss-fox stretched its green hand toward the pill, but when its hand fell short, its five fingers suddenly elongated, attempting to reach the still airborne pill now being pulled down by gravity.

    Liu Xing slashed his lightning blade toward the fingers, enhancing it with power from his necklace, giving his blue lightning blade a slightly yellow hue. When the blade connected with the fingers, it severed them completely.

    The moss-fox snapped its head toward Liu Xing, the green eye in the middle of its forehead looking truly furious, and it decided to open its mouth and spit a ball of green moss at him.

 71 ~ Moss (3)

    Seeing a ball of green moss coming towards him, Liu Xing summoned his shield and used it as intended for the first time. The green moss ball struck the shield. Liu Xing subtly adjusted his body and kicked off the ground again, propelling himself straight toward the fallen pill. His hands were full with a gun and a lightning blade, preventing him from catching it manually, so he opened his mouth, attempting to snatch it mid-air with his teeth.

    The moss-fox leaped, its right foot whipping towards his head as if aiming a kick at a ball. Spotting the incoming foot, Liu Xing summoned his shield beside his head. The shield popped up just in time, intercepting the green foot. A loud, gong-like sound reverberated through the area. Unexpectedly, while the shield blocked the kick, the force of the impact pushed the shield back, and the rear of the shield collided with his head just before his teeth could clamp down on the pill.

    The flying shield snapped Liu Xing¡¯s head to the side. His neck felt as though it might break, and he was flung sideways, crashing into a gray tower spire. He slammed into it hard enough to make the spire tremble.

    Despite the stinging pain in his head and body, Liu Xing¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the moss-fox, its hand now reaching for the pill resting on the ground. Liu Xing scrambled to his feet, kicked the spire until it toppled over, and launched himself at the green creature.

    Just as the green hand touched the red pills, Liu Xing rotated his body, flying feet-first. With a shout, he kicked the moss-fox in the torso. The creature was propelled backward, its hand missing the pill and instead brushing against a mere pebble.

    The moss-fox¡¯s green eyes glared at him murderously. Liu Xing grinned back, a ferocious expression on his face.

    This fight differed slightly from his previous encounters. Instead of simply defeating his opponent, Liu Xing¡¯s primary objective was to prevent the moss-fox from seizing the pills, let alone consuming it. He suspected the moss-fox had the same objective. It would be simple if Liu Xing could overpower the creature and then eat the pill himself. But at this point, they were relatively evenly matched. If either of them successfully consumed a pill, it could tip the scales of the battle decisively, almost guaranteeing victory.

    Liu Xing exerted his utmost effort to block the moss-fox from reaching the pills. He slashed at the creature with his lightning blade. The moss-fox retaliated, attempting to pummel Liu Xing while simultaneously trying to snatch a pill and devour it.

    From an outside perspective, a blue and green blur moved and bounced with incredible speed around the towering gray spires. The ground was stirred, and several more spires toppled, creating loud crashes and clouds of dust upon impact. At one point, Liu Xing successfully activated his invisibility again, making it more challenging for the moss-fox to anticipate his movements. He even managed to briefly grab the pills a few times. However, every time his hand snagged a pill, the attacks of the moss fox would intensify, and the pill would inevitably be thrown back into the air.

    The moss-fox then deployed a mist of green moss into the air, attempting to counteract his invisibility. The forest of gray spires became tinged with green, as if submerged in a murky sea of algae. This tactic proved somewhat effective, making Liu Xing slightly easier to track.

    Their frantic struggle for a pill drew them closer to the second pill, adding another layer of complexity to the fight. When one pill accidentally soared into the sky, Liu Xing would pivot to seize the nearby pill, but the moss-fox, guided by the faint trail of green mist he left behind, would pursue and attempt to pummel him. They traded attacks frequently. Liu Xing utilized his sharpened lightning blade, exploding bullets, and even lightning bullets, while the moss-fox employed its moss ball and its powerful, whip-like hands and feet.

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    Liu Xing found the Thunderstrike Gauntlets impractical in this fast-paced combat. He also couldn¡¯t risk putting the Ethereal Pearl in his mouth, as he intended to consume a Diamond Pill after securing it. But after fifteen minutes of scrambling for the pills, it became clear that his current approach was not optimal.

    He needed to devise a better strategy, and quickly.

    Liu Xing kicked his shield and propelled himself onto the moss-fox, which had just snatched a pill and was tossing it towards its mouth. Liu Xing slashed his lightning blade directly at its neck. The blade bit into its neck, and green blood welled from the wound, but his attack only managed to nudge the moss-fox''s head slightly. The pill shot just above the creature''s left eye before bouncing away again.

    Seeing the pills airborne once more, Liu Xing transformed his lightning blade into a wide, flat shape. With a powerful swing, he struck the pill sideways, sending it rocketing high into the sky.

    Having momentarily made one of the pills away from the moss-fox, Liu Xing kicked his shield again, repositioning himself directly behind the creature. He noticed two green wings sprouting from its back, their bases disturbingly composed of bones protruding from the flesh. He channeled six bullets into his Thunderstrike Gauntlets, forming a ball of lightning roughly the size of a chicken egg. He aimed to strike the moss-fox¡¯s back with it, but the creature suddenly whirled around and seized his wrist. Liu Xing grimaced, realizing his attack had been too slow. The moss-fox yanked him closer. It balled its fist and swung it at Liu Xing¡¯s face. Anticipating the blow, Liu Xing tried to wrench his right hand free from the moss-fox¡¯s grip and summoned his shield in front of his face.

    The fist slammed into the shield, producing another gong-like reverberation. His right hand finally broke free of the moss-fox¡¯s grasp. Liu Xing rotated in mid-air and used the back of his shield to propel himself toward another nearby pill nestled between two small pebbles. He heard a thunderous sound behind him and glanced over his shoulder. The moss-fox was also launching itself after him.

    As he darted through the gray spires and the swirling moss mist, Liu Xing strained to think, searching for a decisive factor that could secure him a victory where he could consume two pills, retrieve the rest, and defeat the moss-fox. But he could not come up with a strategy for a flawless victory, so he settled for an imperfect one.

    Kicking his shield repeatedly to accelerate, Liu Xing swiftly reached the two pebbles cradling a pill, which continued to glow with a faint white light. Just as Liu Xing arrived, so did the moss-fox, appearing above him and attempting to swing its feet down at his back, aiming to cleave him in two. Still airborne, Liu Xing touched the ground with his left hand, pushed off, and rolled in a breakdancing motion, narrowly dodging the kick. When the moss-fox¡¯s kick connected with the ground, it exploded like a bomb, sending dirt, pebbles, and the pill flying into the air.

    Though the situation was not as he had planned, Liu Xing decided to press on with his strategy. He elongated the lightning blade further and further until it became thin and needle-like. He then whipped his arm. The lightning needles lashed out like a whip directly at the airborne pill. His lightning needles sliced the red pill in two, and the two halves spun off in different directions.

    Liu Xing had a fleeting moment to catch the stunned expression in the moss-fox¡¯s green eyes in the center of its forehead. It froze for a fraction of a second, seemingly dumbfounded by Liu Xing¡¯s action. Then, its green eyes blazed with fury. It kicked off the ground and lunged its hand toward the half pill that had fallen nearby.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing also leaped towards the half pill that had landed close to him, his hand outstretched. Simultaneously, he aimed his gauntlet at the half pill the moss-fox was trying to reach and fired repeatedly, intending to destroy it.

    Seeing the incoming bullets, the moss-fox swiped its green hand, shielding the pill from the volley. Its green arm was forced aside, and while it successfully protected the pill, its hand moved further away from it. The moss-fox tried to readjust its position and reach for the fallen half pill with its other hand, but it was too late. Liu Xing had already snatched the half pill he was aiming for, feeling it land in his right palm. A triumphant smile flashed across his face as he flicked the half pill into his mouth.

 72 ~ Moss (4)

    As he swallowed the half pill, radiating anger and desperation. In a last-ditch effort, it extended its moss fingers, which now resembled long green poles, to grab the other half of the pill. But Liu Xing''s right hand lashed out with a thin lightning thread as big as a needle. The yellow glowing thread sliced through the outstretched moss finger. As the half pill fell to the ground, the moss-fox roared and kicked the ground, taking off like a rocket and leaving a huge cloud of dust in its wake. All that effort for a mere half pill just a few meters away.

    Liu Xing whipped his lightning needle again. But, as he did so, a surge of qi exploded from his stomach and coursed through his body like molten rock. The sensation of qi tearing through his muscles, tendons, and bones was agonizing. His skin flushed crimson, as if scalded by boiling water, and the world seemed to slow to a crawl. Liu Xing could see the moss-fox¡¯s hand trace a path across the ground, attempting to scoop up the half pill, now just half a meter distant. As time seemed to stretch, Liu Xing realized his body was undergoing a transformation.

    Additional Information 4: Records indicate these pills are considered high-quality, though their efficacy diminishes for cultivators of higher realms. Each pill significantly enhances a cultivator¡¯s muscles, bones, tendons, and organs, bolstering bodily strength and resilience. Alchemist Zhang Ye, who concocted them, named them Diamond Pills.

    Additional Information 5: Diamond Pills also fortify the qi path.

    Activating techniques involved manipulating qi flow within these paths. Thus, qi paths were vital to cultivators, and strengthening them directly enhanced a cultivator''s power.

    As Liu Xing felt his body transforming, he attempted to activate the Exploding Technique. This time, he channeled far more qi into the technique, doubling or even tripling his usual amount. Overloading a technique with qi was typically dangerous. However, feeling his body¡¯s transformation, Liu Xing disregarded the risk and activated the Exploding Technique with triple the amount of qi. As the technique ignited and his gun absorbed the technique, a ferocious smile stretched across Liu Xing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Eat this!¡±

    He fired. Six bullets of brilliant blue light erupted from the gun, hurtling toward the moss-fox. Just as the moss-fox scooped up the half pill, the six bullets slammed into it. Six explosions blossomed, then coalesced into a colossal blast, creating a deafening roar that felt like a bomb detonating in his ears. The ground quaked as if in an earthquake. The brilliant light of the explosion illuminated the spires, and the shockwave obliterated the green mist that had permeated the area.

    Seeing the massive explosion, Liu Xing was filled with exhilaration. He had only consumed half a pill, yet the bullets infused with the Exploding Fist technique were devastatingly potent. He doubted anyone in the Lock Opening realm could withstand such an attack. What would happen if he consumed a whole pill? Or even two?

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    After a few moments, the dust cloud surrounding the moss-fox dissipated, revealing the creature. Its head was gone, obliterated. A blackened, charred stump of a neck remained, with green blood oozing from the ravaged flesh like magma seeping through scorched earth. Its two green wings and left hand were also gone. Its right hand, which had attempted to snatch the pill, remained intact, but now black, like a branch charred in a roaring fire. Two fingers remained, positioned as if pinching a marble, yet nothing lay between them.

    Liu Xing smiled. It seemed the half pill had also turned to dust.

    ¡°Looks like I won,¡± Liu Xing muttered. He glanced at his gun, expecting the green strips on its side to glow, but they remained dark and Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened.

    The moss-fox was still alive!

    As if on cue, the charred neck suddenly bubbled, like boiling water. Green moss erupted, slowly reforming its head. Liu Xing realized the fox was dead, but its cultivation and body now belonged to the moss. As this thought solidified, he saw the remaining charred flesh oozing more green moss, as if its entire body bled green. Then, the moss began to sizzle, as if acidic, eating away at the flesh. The green mist, previously dispersed, suddenly swirled wildly around the moss-fox.

    Liu Xing deduced that the moss was abandoning the fox body. The moss¡¯s desperate pursuit of the Diamond Pills now made sense. It likely intended to maximize the fox¡¯s physical form before fully possessing it. The question of why the fox hadn''t consumed the pills, instead guarding them, remained unanswered, and likely would know unless the fox somehow revived. The point was that the moss was abandoning the fox''s body, which meant that it no longer needed the diamond pills. This indicated that it was either extremely angry with Liu Xing, which drove it to kill him with all its might, or it wanted to find a new host.

    Liu Xing probed the moss¡¯s qi and sensed it was stronger, but not overwhelmingly so. Still, caution was warranted; some spirit beasts possessed unique and troublesome abilities.

    While the moss continued its transformation, Liu Xing turned and kicked off the ground, scanning for the other pills. He quickly located one nestled in a small hole webbed with cracks. Liu Xing scooped up the pill and, without hesitation, swallowed it. Then, he turned to see the fox body had ceased transforming. Instead of a fox, it now resembled a green humanoid, with a muscular torso and lean limbs. Compared to the fox¡¯s physique, its new form was akin that of a runner.

    Atop its neck, in place of a normal head, sat a giant green ball of moss, roughly half a meter in diameter. It lacked eyes, mouth, or ears, yet Liu Xing felt the moss was watching him.

    As he watched the moss, his body underwent another transformation. The half pill had made him feel like he was boiling inside, but the whole pill felt like thousands of magma needles piercing his skin. White smoke rose from his body. He clenched his teeth to keep from screaming. Agony consumed him, and he knew this process was far from over. The half pill was still wreaking havoc, and combined with the full pill, he felt as if his body was dissolving into magma. Yet, with each wave of pain, he felt his body growing stronger. Adrenaline surged through him, and he felt capable of enduring it.

    The swirling green mist intensified, forming a miniature tornado, growing denser and denser. Though it possessed no mouth or eyes, Liu Xing sensed the moss was smiling, like a lion confidently trapping a rabbit.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply. He had consumed one and a half Diamond Pills. While his transformation continued, his body already felt significantly stronger, his qi paths wider and tougher, as if evolved. He was stronger than a moment ago, and now, he had a real chance at victory.

 73 ~ Moss (5)

    Liu Xing aimed his gun at the moss. As if on cue, the creature crouched, like a runner poised for the hundred-meter sprint, and bolted. It moved so quickly it appeared a blur for a split second, then materialized directly in front of Liu Xing, its green fist aimed at his neck, attempting to crush his throat. Liu Xing rolled to the side. The green fist missed, and the air exploded as if the blow had struck a solid wall.

    Aiming his gun at the moss, Liu Xing activated Exploding Fist, channeling the technique into his gun, and rapidly pulled the trigger. Six brilliant bullets slammed into the moss head. When they detonated, the moss flung toward a gray spire.

    Realizing he had a moment, Liu Xing deactivated Lightning Cloak, then reactivated it, pouring in so much qi his qi paths felt as though they would burst. He allowed the qi to be absorbed by the gun, and then reabsorbed it into his body, creating a Lightning Cloak far more potent than before. Suddenly, the pain that had gnawed at him vanished and for a moment, Liu Xing considered that his strengthened Lightning Cloak might have eased the pain, but he quickly understood the true reason. His transformation was complete.

    A ferocious smile stretched across Liu Xing¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t know his limits, but he suspected his qi paths could now contain at least five times the qi they previously held, meaning his techniques were now at least five times more powerful!

    The moss head emerged from the cloud of dust, moving slowly, as if assured of its victory. The giant moss head appeared larger than before, now about the size of a barrel, and looked as if it might topple at any moment. Seeing his opponent, Liu Xing kicked off the ground with all his strength. The ground surged, propelling him instantly beside the moss head. Liu Xing rotated his body and kicked the spirit beast¡¯s side. His foot connected with the green torso, folding the moss head¡¯s body in half and make It fly, dragging its oversized moss head along the ground, carving a wide trail as it went.

    Liu Xing kicked the ground again, catching up to the moss head and appearing directly behind it. He kicked it once more, sending it hurtling in the opposite direction. He repeated this maneuver several times, bouncing the moss around like a toy ball. After a few moments, he positioned himself in front of the spirit beast with a firm stance and clenched fist.

    As the spirit beast reached him, he punched it in the stomach, folding it in half again. To his surprise, the creature¡¯s body snapped in two, like a chopstick breaking. He realized the break occurred at its neck as if it was unable to support the weight of the massive head.

    The humanoid moss body shot into the sky like a green reverse meteor, but its moss head ball did not follow. It plummeted to the ground directly in front of Liu Xing, resembling a giant chicken egg in size and shape.

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened to the size of saucers. He hadn¡¯t expected the moss neck to break so cleanly. But before he could fully process the event, the giant moss ball split open, revealing a monstrous maw with hundreds of green tongues erupted from the opening and attempting to strangle him like tentacles.

    He jumped backward, aimed his gun, and fired repeatedly. The six bullets struck the giant egg, detonating in a brilliant explosion that scattered green moss everywhere. Much of the moss showered his body and face, and he wiped the green from his eyes.

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    He looked up to see the green body falling. It landed nearby with a splattering sound, like a burst of a water balloon. As he looked at the remains of the green head, which was now just a green smudge on the ground, his suspicion began to rise. This moss was strong, and with his superior cultivation, it should have been more resilient.

    He glanced at his gun, noting the absence of glowing stripes, and pursed his lips. The moss wasn¡¯t dead. It was likely hiding and waiting to attack again. Fortunately for him, as long as his last attack involved his gun, Liu Xing could verify if his enemy was truly defeated. Still, a question lingered. Where was the moss?

    As he was searching for his enemy, a sharp, piercing pain shot through his back, as if hundreds of needles were stabbing him at the same time. Liu Xing turned his head to look at his back. When he realized that green moss covered his entire back, his eyes widened. Soon, he realized that the moss seemed to be trying to burrow into his skin, like an octopus squeezing into a narrow crevice. The thought of the moss invading his body and trying to possess him sent a shiver of horror through him.

    His first instinct was to use Lightning Blade to scrape the moss off his back. He extended the blade, but before he could make contact, the moss bit into his back with renewed intensity, and the pain surged. Before, it had felt like rapid pricks from normal needles, but now, each needle felt like it injected fire, poison, and acid into his back, spreading through his whole body. His head began to spin, and a large bead of sweat formed on his forehead, as if he had suddenly developed a fever. Then, an overwhelming sense of loss washed over him.

    He felt as though he was witnessing the end of the world, as if everyone he loved and cared for had vanished, leaving him in an infinite void. He felt an overwhelming urge to weep, and his body grew sluggish.

    Despite this strange, invasive feeling gripping his heart, his logic persisted. While he couldn''t shake the loneliness, sadness, and grief that had suddenly engulfed him, he realized this was likely an attack from the moss. It was a parasite, and as it attempted to enter his body, it was also flooding his emotions, distracting him and hindering him to fight back. It reminded him of the spirit beast in Dragon Skull Forest, which had tried to make him see it as its mother. But there was a key difference.  That spirit beast had used mental attacks, while this moss was not. It had injected a substance into his body, and if he could eliminate that substance, he might be able to think clearly again.

    Liu Xing fought to suppress the distracting emotions and began to cycle qi around his body, when he abruptly stopped. Before doing that, he needed to remove the moss from his back. Otherwise, it would continue to inject more of that debilitating substance.

    The moss wriggled on his back, a disgusting sensation like a thousand maggots crawling over him. Liu Xing gritted his teeth, determined to overcome the unfamiliar feelings that had taken hold. He formed a lightning blade and began to scrape at the moss on his back, like removing a stubborn barnacle infestation from a turtle shell. The moss hardened, making the blade feel like it was scraping against rock. He could feel the needles the moss had used to pierce his skin now forming hooks in his muscles, threatening to tear his entire back apart if he tried to pull them out.

    As he desperately tried to dislodge the moss, Liu Xing wondered how it had pierced his back in the first place. Wasn''t his skin and muscle as strong as diamond? Then he remembered the seemingly weak moss possessed a higher cultivation realm than him. Before he could pursue that thought further, the moss injected another dose of something hot and acidic into his body, and his back began to sizzle.

    Suddenly, despair consumed Liu Xing¡¯s heart, as if the world had become utterly desolate, as if nothing in it held any value, and he only desired to sleep and never wake again.

 74 ~ Moss (6)

    Liu Xing realized the strange feeling didn''t belong to him and fought against it. He had experienced something similar in his first month after being transported into Liu Xing''s body. Now, he had goals, aspirations, and a desire to move forward, to advance, and to become a legendary figure.

    Liu Xing sat and tried to scrape the moss off his back with his lightning blade again. The position was awkward, and it was difficult to do. So, he decided to use the normal version of the Lightning Palm Technique, where his palm would be coated with lightning. He grabbed a handful of moss and pulled it from his back.

    When he pulled, the moss latched onto his body as if anchored inside his skin. It wriggled harder, injecting sensations of despair, anxiety, and even joy into Liu Xing, trying to distract him. But Liu Xing pulled as hard as he could, tearing his skin and muscle. Blood gushed from his back, and the remaining green moss, bathed in his blood, wriggled like a happy maggot finding fresh blood. Then, it surged into his wound.

    Liu Xing felt horrified as he realized he had made a mistake. He should have used the lightning blade. Why had he thought forcibly pulling the moss off his back was a good idea? Is it the moss influence? Now the moss had a way to invade his body! In a desperate attempt to remove it, he grabbed at the moss, but it had turned into a liquid and clawing at it felt like trying to hold water in a leaky bucket.

    After a moment, the liquid finally inserted itself into Liu Xing''s body, and a strange feeling filled him. It felt as if his heart had suddenly stopped beating and his lungs had ceased to pump air, yet he remained alive and aware that something was terribly wrong with his body. His mind raced to understand the situation. The moss was attempting to take over his body, and when he realized his options were limited, anxiety spread through him.

    What if the moss successfully took over his body? Would he die here? Would his body be puppeted by a spirit beast? He gritted his teeth, refusing to succumb. This fight had escalated beyond his expectations, and he needed to find a solution to this moss possession.

    A sharp pain shot through his back, and Liu Xing grimaced. The pain felt strange and unusual, as if attacking his soul rather than his body. He tried to reassure himself that his soul remained untouched. Few beings could directly affect a soul, and formidable as the moss was, he doubted it possessed such power.

    After focusing for a moment, Liu Xing confirmed his suspicion. The moss wasn''t touching his soul; even his consciousness remained untouched. It was targeting the qi in his body, attempting to inject itself into his qi paths, transform into qi, and seize control of his entire system.

    Realizing this, Liu Xing panicked for a moment. Without qi, his superhuman feats were impossible, and losing control of it meant certain defeat. But then an idea to win this bizarre battle in a single move came to his mind, and since he had no other choice, he decided to execute it.

    The strange pain intensified as the moss continued to inject itself into his qi. Liu Xing felt his body grow heavier with each passing moment, as if his blood had turned to mercury. His heart pounded with anxiety. His face paled, his lips turned white, and he looked sickly. He needed to wait until the moss fully converted itself into qi before he could act.

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    Liu Xing inhaled deeply and waited. The green liquid settled in his spine, slowly transforming into qi while incessantly flooding him with a maelstrom of emotions, making the world spin and attempting to distract him.

    Several more minutes crawled by, and Liu Xing finally felt that the qi in his body had become alien, as if his body had been replaced with prosthetics. Numbness spread throughout him, but Liu Xing knew this feeling wouldn''t last long.

    "Alright, moss," he murmured, "the fight is over now that you''ve seeped into my qi."

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing tried to cycle the foreign qi. It moved sluggishly, as if qi that was once as liquid as water had turned into dirty mud. Still, there was movement, and he tried to use the most basic cycling method to activate the most rudimentary lightning technique he had ever learned, a technique even simpler than the Lightning Palm, one that shot a faint thread of lightning. It was only a practice technique, but it still served a purpose and could be somewhat useful.

    When the cycle pattern was complete, he activated the technique and willing the gun to absorb this rudimentary technique. The qi in his body suddenly rushed towards the weapon like water down a drain. He realized some of the moss-qi was attempting to cling to his paths, but like cloth caught in a gale, it couldn''t resist the gun¡¯s suction. As the qi was drawn out of his paths, a disgusting sensation washed over him, as if his blood had turned to slime, but he resisted.

    Shortly after, when nearly half of his qi had been absorbed by the gun, it ceased drawing in more qi and formed six bullets within its chamber. Liu Xing could sense the bullets in his perception, indistinguishable from the usual. The only difference lay in the amount of qi required to create them. Normally, the qi cost was minimal, but now, almost half his moss-diluted qi had yielded only six.

    Liu Xing could still sense the foreign taint in his qi, as if it possessed a will of its own and sought to evade him, so he shot the six bullets and then commanded the gun to drain every last bit of qi from his body. As the gun performed flawlessly, Liu Xing wondered if this was the moss''s primary method of possession. Was it truly this easily countered? After all, he had only needed to drain the diluted qi from his body to be free.

    As Liu Xing felt the moss attempt to cling to his insides, even as his gun devoured it like a hungry black hole, he realized it might not be so easily countered after all. Most cultivators lacked a method to forcefully drain qi from their bodies. Instead, they would likely try to expel the contaminated qi or by cycling it into a technique. But since the moss diluted the qi and could manipulate it freely, it could likely resist expulsion or cycling. Moreover, even if someone managed to expel the qi, the moss would remain, and a qi-less cultivator stood little chance against it.

    With all his qi absorbed by the gun, Liu Xing felt utterly drained, as weak as a mortal starved for a month. His body trembled, his lips cracked, and his skin was ashen, like a man on death''s door. Even holding the gun felt like a strain, causing his hand to tremble. But even though he felt that his body was almost empty of qi, Liu Xing managed to smile faintly. His body and qi were his again. There was no foreign entity left to control him.

    Liu Xing glanced at the side of the gun, and saw six green strips glowing faintly. Seeing them, he realized he had won. The climax of the fight had been unexpected, and he had won through a stroke of luck. Still, a win''s a win, and he had earned a reward for it.

    The world suddenly blurred, and blackness encroached upon his vision, threatening to engulf him. This blackness felt strangely comfortable, welcoming even, and Liu Xing found himself unable to resist. He closed his eyelids, let his body slump, and promptly fainted.

 75 ~ Emerald Fang (1)

    Not far from the forest of gray spires, a small river flowed through a valley. Thousands of snakes moved with the current. Some snakes swam on the surface, while others dove and swam like dolphins. Still others, averse to the water, chose to travel along the riverbank. In the center of this serpentine procession was a black snake, immense as a cow. Its body was long and scaled, its eyes a striking yellow. Perched atop this massive creature was a bird¡¯s nest filled with colorful eggs. A red snake, Emerald Fang, was in the process of selecting which egg to eat first.

    Emerald Fang considered the eggs carefully before choosing the smallest. It was pure white, resembling a perfect chicken egg, yet the snake knew it was different. With his tail, he deftly snatched the egg and tossed it into the air and caught it gracefully in his mouth. He relished the slight crunch of the shell before crushing it with his powerful jaws. A burst of yellow, transparent, and red liquid flooded his mouth, releasing a pleasant flavor that spread through him. The taste was somewhat bland, yet uniquely complex, like a two-month-old human fetus mixed with tender beef. He found it enjoyable.

    Emerald Fang noticed there were no other eggs quite like it, a fact that caused a fleeting disappointment. However, with many other eggs available, his disappointment quickly faded. He was torn between a blue egg that resembled a compressed sky and a brown one that mimicked mud when a small snake, barely larger than a worm, slithered toward him.

    Seeing the tiny brown snake, Emerald Fang smiled. "It has been a long time, master."

    The little snake climbed onto his forehead, its tail sinking into his flesh, and then a familiar sound echoed in Emerald Fang''s skull.

    "How are you? What should I call you this time?"

    Emerald Fang chuckled, a low vibration in his massive body. "I am well, thank you for asking, master. My name is now Emerald Fang. It is a good name, and I believe it will suit me for a long time." Though the fox who had bestowed the name was unpleasant and now deceased, the name itself resonated deeply within him.

    "That is good. It is a fitting name."

    "Thank you, master. Now, since you have contacted me, does this mean there is a change of plans?" Emerald Fang inquired.

    About ten years prior, his master had ordered him to roam the world, gather information, eliminate any cultivators he encountered, and acquire as many names as possible. Over the past decade, he had diligently followed these instructions, offering his services to a diverse clientele, from demonic to righteous cultivators and from mortals to spirit beast. While these ten years had been entertaining, he had never forgotten his true allegiance.

    "No. I simply wanted confirmation regarding the news about the Purple Moon Sect."

    "What specifically do you wish to confirm, master?" Emerald Fang asked.

    "Is it true that the Purple Moon Sect is unleashing all their outer disciples to gather treasures? Is this information accurate?"

    "Yes," Emerald Fang replied without hesitation. This sect was orchestrating a significant event that had captured the attention of numerous factions. Although his master''s primary mission remained paramount, Emerald Fang¡¯s abilities allowed him to gather intelligence more efficiently than his brothers. One of his kin had already transmitted details about the unfolding event. "This event is recent. Some of my kin have already encountered disciples from the Purple Moon Sect on missions to procure treasures. From what I have gathered, the Purple Moon Sect is currently holding a competition. Each outer disciple must obtain at least one treasure. Failure to do so will result in expulsion from the sect. Furthermore, the three disciples who acquire the most valuable treasures will be promoted to inner disciples. It is a significant event, and many are already discussing it."

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    One of his kin was currently shadowing a male disciple tasked with acquiring a pill that would accelerate cultivation but also alter the consumer''s gender. It was a peculiar item, as Emerald Fang knew many humans were averse to gender transformation. This particular disciple was deeply conflicted about whether to ingest the pill to advance his cultivation or return it to the sect.

    "Is that so? This is troubling," his master stated.

    Emerald Fang¡¯s curiosity was piqued. As far as he understood, his master¡¯s plan was not directly affected by this competition. In fact, it presented a prime opportunity to eliminate some disciples and weaken the Purple Moon Sect in the long run. "May I ask why this is troublesome?"

    "Certainly, it is not difficult to understand," his master said casually. "The Purple Moon Sect is known for its caution. They observe matters meticulously before making decisions. However, this event seems to be something they have not considered at length. It feels rather sudden."

    "In what way?" Emerald Fang asked. While he was responsible for information gathering, his master was the one who analyzed and interpreted it. His master often claimed he was not particularly intelligent, merely capable of seeing things from different angles. Yet, in Emerald Fang''s estimation, his master¡¯s insights far surpassed his own, despite Emerald Fang being a sentient and intelligent spirit beast.

    "Do you know the reason behind this competition?" his master asked.

    "Indeed. The third son of the Purple Moon Sect''s patriarch will soon turn ten and become betrothed. The treasures the outer disciples collect are intended as gifts for the grand celebration."

    "Precisely. And do you know when this celebration will take place?"

    Emerald Fang paused, realizing he did not know. When he admitted his ignorance, his master responded, "I also do not know the exact date, nor who this Hao Yun child will be engaged to. I predict the announcement of this mysterious girl will also cause a stir in the world, which is another matter of concern entirely. But let us return to the date of Hao Yun¡¯s birthday and engagement party. While the exact date is unknown, we know it is less than a year away."

    "Ah," Emerald Fang nodded. It all became clear. A year was not a long time. If the Purple Moon Sect was as cautious as his master described, such a grand event would require extensive preparation, likely spanning five, perhaps even ten years. After all, the Purple Moon Sect was a great sect, and a poorly executed celebration would be a significant loss of face.

    "Now, consider the implications. Their abandonment of their usual caution suggests they are in a hurry. Why are they in such haste? There could be numerous reasons. They might feel threatened, perceive movements from other great sects, or foresee a major event on the horizon. Any number of possibilities exist."

    "Do you have a guess, master?"

    "Honestly, I do not. However, I am certain the Purple Moon Sect¡¯s actions will raise eyebrows and unsettle the other great sects. They will likely ponder the same questions as we do, and their reactions could be drastic. I predict this move by the Purple Moon Sect might escalate skirmishes between the five great sects."

    Emerald Fang nodded. He understood his master¡¯s line of reasoning. Increased skirmishes would heighten the sects¡¯ vigilance, and heightened vigilance would increase the risk of their presence being detected.

    "In any case, there is also the chance that this event holds no deeper meaning, so do not overthink it. Continue to roam the world, eliminate as many cultivators as you can, and amass as many names as you possibly can. However, I wish to slightly adjust your mission. Instead of targeting any cultivators, I want you to begin focusing on young and talented disciples, similar to your brothers."

    Hearing this, Emerald Fang smiled. He had a new directive, and new directives were always stimulating. "I will obey your command, master."

    "Good. It is fortunate that all of you are so compliant. Sometimes, I feel a pang of guilt about it."

    "You have no need to feel guilt regarding us. Carrying out your commands is a pleasure for us. You are, after all, our one and only master."

    "Thank you," his master said softly, and Emerald Fang could almost visualize his gentle smile. "Regardless, now that I have your confirmation, I will conclude this communication. Unless you have anything else of interest to share?"

    Emerald Fang paused for a moment, and indeed, something interesting had recently occurred. "Master, recently, I encountered a cultivator who did not attempt to kill me."

    "Oh? Really?"

    "Yes. It was an interesting experience."

 76 ~ Emerald Fang (2)

    One of his master''s wisdoms about eliminating cultivators was simple. Most cultivators did not like being insulted, underestimated, or offended. For a snake, baring his fangs at a cultivator was all three. It was hard to understand how hot-tempered cultivators were, considering their long lifespans and the patience required for cultivation.

    "He was so polite, even when I stood defiantly before him," Emerald Fang added.

    "A cultivator of that nature is rare. Was he an old cultivator?"

    "No, he was young. I believe he is a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. My previous assignment involved a fox named Emerald Fox, guarding five pills it intended to consume later. It appeared this disciple sought to acquire those pills."

    Emerald Fox had been unpleasant, and that bothersome moss had also posed a threat, even to him. When Emerald Fang sensed their deaths, he couldn''t suppress a happy chuckle. After all, despite his obedience, Emerald Fang, too, harbored resentment.

    "A young, polite, and strong cultivator, I gather," his master chuckled. "He is indeed rare. Did you learn his name?"

    "I did not, but I can check if you want."

    "No need. If he is as polite as you describe, I will recognize him when we meet. And I will meet him if he is a talented genius. When that occurs, he will likely meet his end." His master chuckled, and Emerald Fang nodded in agreement.

    Emerald Fang had dispatched hundreds of cultivators in a decade, but his master operated on a different scale entirely. His master¡¯s actions had eradicated two clans and a medium-sized sect, resulting in thousands of casualties, all without so much as a drop of blood staining his hands. It was incomprehensible to Emerald Fang, and he often wondered why this man didn''t consider himself superior to everyone else.

    "Alright, Emerald Fang. Our conversation has extended too long. I must return to work. The Verdant Mountains Sect is a demanding employer, and I will face punishment if I fail to meet my quota."

    "Master, considering how advanced this cultivator society is, why do they still rely on manual labor? Surely, they could devise a formation for automated rice harvesting?"

    "Well, I believe it stems from the simple notion that mortals are deemed inferior to cultivators, and manual labor is significantly cheaper than array formations." His master chuckled. "I will terminate the connection now. Take care, Emerald Fang, and I hope we can reunite soon. I miss you and your brothers."

    Hearing his master''s words, Emerald Fang smiled contentedly. "Yes, master."

    His master severed the connection, and excitement surged through Emerald Fang''s serpentine heart. To him and his brothers, their master''s wish was an absolute command, but instead of treating them as mere tools, their master regarded them as family. Emerald Fang didn''t dare think of himself as anything more than a servant, but the heart was fickle, always yearning for something more.

    "Alright, I believe we need to be more diligent," Emerald Fang declared, and his kin voiced their agreement.

    They needed to eliminate as many young and talented cultivators as possible, and he would pursue this goal even if the entire world opposed him. His master¡¯s wish was paramount, and since his master desired this world for himself, Emerald Fang and his brothers would ensure no one could impede his path. Everyone in this world should kneel before his master, treat him with politeness, offer him love, and serve him like an obedient slave.

    "Are you all hungry?"

    His kin conveyed their approval. While Emerald Fang, being a spirit beast, could fast for years, his kin were ordinary snakes and required sustenance periodically. Nevertheless, the pleasure of eating was something he never wanted to forgo, and even if he became an immortal and no longer needed sustenance, he would still wish to eat daily.

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    "I heard there¡¯s a small village nearby. Let''s pay them a visit and make them our meal."

    As he spoke, he also issued a mental command to ensure his kin did not consume his preferred food. While some expressed disappointment, Emerald Fang remained firm. After all, babies and tender meat from children under five were his most coveted delicacy.

    ***

    "And this is the last one!" Liu Xing shouted, picking the third Diamond Pill from a small river crab¡¯s pincer. The crab, tiny and mud-colored, moved aggressively toward Liu Xing with its pincers, as if he had just stolen candy from a child seeking retribution.

    Liu Xing ignored the crab''s attempts to pinch his calf and smiled as he caressed the third pill.

    With this, he had finally succeeded in acquiring all the valuable treasures from Second Grey Cloud City. He hadn''t obtained the Red Wings of Stability and had nearly died fighting two abnormally strong spirit beasts, but ultimately, he had harvested three beast cores and two treasures that would aid him in winning this competition and finally becoming an inner disciple.

    Placing the last pill into his spatial bag, Liu Xing surveyed his surroundings. He stood beside a small, shallow river. It was so narrow he could step across it in a single stride, and the water was so cool and refreshing that Liu Xing couldn''t resist washing his face and body.

    "I miss my robe," Liu Xing muttered after cleaning himself.

    Following his fight with the inverted triangle beast, he was half-naked. Since there were no more treasures of interest to him in this city, he needed to depart, but he could at least stop by a clothing shop to avoid traveling with his upper body exposed. Liu Xing decided to walk slowly alongside the small river. The crab that had tried to attack him relented and retreated into the clear water.

    As he walked, he rotated his arms like windmills, attempting to stretch them. The battles with the fox and the moss had been exhausting. Even though he had absorbed the beast cores from the moss, and his qi was replenished, his body still felt stiff, as if he had awakened from an uncomfortable sleeping position. Liu Xing sensed this stiffness would soon dissipate, but he decided to proceed at a leisurely pace for the moment.

    He retrieved his token from the spatial bag and checked his next destination. The next city he needed to visit remained within the Twelve Sun Empire. Liu Xing attempted to memorize the four most valuable treasures that could further enhance his strength, and after committing the information about these four treasures to memory, Liu Xing intended to return the token to his spatial bag but reconsidered.

    Besides the list of treasures, there was a leaderboard that ranked disciples based on the number of treasures they had collected. He was curious whether the leaderboard was still empty.

    Changing the interface, Liu Xing found himself looking at a simple list. The numbers descended from one to one hundred, with names occupying the top ten slots. The rest of the list, from eleven to one hundred, remained blank.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing scanned the names on the list, and when he did not find his name, he stopped walking. His heart abruptly beat faster, and anxiety spread from his stomach throughout his body. There was no possibility he wasn''t in the top ten. He already possessed the Flute of Serenity, Thunderstrike Gauntlets, Red Lotus Staff, Ethereal Pearl, and Diamond Pills. Not to mention, the Diamond Pills were guarded by a Core Splitting cultivator, an obstacle likely insurmountable for most outer disciples in the Lock Opening realm. There was simply no way Liu Xing wasn''t in the top three, let alone absent from the top ten.

    Liu Xing scanned the names one by one and quickly felt foolish for jumping to conclusions. Beside each disciple¡¯s name was the number of treasures they had obtained. The number one spot only listed two treasures, while the rest had only one.

    It appeared this leaderboard didn''t count treasures that hadn''t been submitted to the sect yet, which was reasonable given that disciples could lose their treasures. Still, this leaderboard seemed rather pointless now, as these ten disciples had probably returned to the sect immediately after acquiring one or two treasures.

    As Liu Xing resumed walking, he considered that it would be preferable if there was another leaderboard. One that displayed which disciples held the most treasures but had not yet returned to the sect. He knew there was a hidden wiki within this interface, so perhaps the leaderboard contained other interesting features as well.

    Liu Xing directed his qi toward the interface, willing it to reveal its hidden functionalities. But even after a minute of effort, he did not access the leaderboard he desired. However, he could now access information about the treasures those ten disciples had submitted to the sect, and he realized they were all herbs.

 77 ~ Xia Yongzhi (1)

    Liu Xing closed the interface and placed it in his spatial bag, walking a little faster than before. He was in a hurry, yet he also wanted to slow down, to digest the last three battles and savor the verdant scenery surrounding him.

    Liu Xing decided to summon his gun and observe it. This weapon had changed his life. Without it, he would still be a nobody among the outer sect disciples. Yet, the gun also brought responsibility. He would never forget the day Nui''s fragment had visited him. The image of Mamat, Joni, and Nui fighting something that looked like an overwhelmingly strong spirit beast remained fresh in his mind.

    Liu Xing filled the gun with qi, and it converted his qi into normal variant bullets. He threw the gun into the air for no particular reason. It spun in the sky, light gleaming from its surface, and he wondered if he would die if he attempted this race without his gun.

    Catching the gun with his left hand, Liu Xing checked the green stripes along its side. There was no glow since he had already absorbed the beast core from the moss, but even these normal variants would be useful in most situations. Once again, he pondered the true nature of this gun. Was it truly crafted from the darkness he was meant to defeat?

    Absorbing the bullets, Liu Xing felt the reabsorbed qi coursing through his hand and settling in his chest. Usually, he would channel this qi into his necklace or gauntlets, but with no enemies in sight, there was no immediate need.

    As he jumped from a small waterfall and landed in a creek below, Liu Xing played with this qi. He directed it to his feet, hands, ears, and all over his body. A small smile touched his lips as he felt the qi move around like an excited puppy.

    As he played with this qi, he also mused about its nature. What exactly was this qi? Unconsciously, Liu Xing had called it pure qi, but that description didn''t quite fit. Pure qi was merely a type of qi unrefined by other sources, and some cultivators specialized in using it.

    "Potent qi is a better term than pure qi," Liu Xing thought to himself.

    He nodded in agreement. The qi from converted bullets was potent; it could activate his treasures with less energy and strengthen his techniques, making them easier to control.

    "What if I used this potent qi for cultivation?" Liu Xing wondered, pinching his chin in thought.

    Normally, cultivators couldn''t fill their locks with self-produced qi; it was akin to attempting to fill a well using water from the same well. But this situation felt different since he had converted the qi and enhanced its potency.

    As he contemplated this, Liu Xing¡¯s heart suddenly beat faster. What if he could do it? What if he could cultivate using potent qi? Could this mean he could advance indefinitely without any other effort? What an oversight! He should have considered this from the beginning!

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing tried to temper his excitement. It seemed too good to be true, but given the gun''s overpowered nature, he wouldn''t know for sure unless he tried.

    Sitting on a rock in the center of the creek, Liu Xing drew the potent qi settled in his chest into his consciousness. In his mind, this qi poured in like a small waterfall. Then, with anticipation surging through him, he directed this waterfall toward the last lock. Liu Xing pushed the qi into his lock, attempting to settle it and fill the space. But as he tried, he felt strong resistance from the lock, as if he were attempting to drive a blunt nail into the strongest wall imaginable. When he realized he could not cultivate using the converted qi, disappointment washed over him, and Liu Xing withdrew the qi from the lock. It appeared that this shortcut to immortality was not available to him.

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    Opening his eyes back to the real world, he sighed. While the result was disappointing, it had clarified the nature of his gun and this potent qi. The resistance he felt, like pushing a blunt nail against a wall, mirrored the sensation when someone tried to push their own qi into a lock. This confirmed that the converted qi, despite its potency and extraordinary qualities, was still fundamentally his own qi. Otherwise, he might have indeed cultivated infinitely with it.

    This conclusion led him to marvel at the true strength of Nui. Even though the gun didn''t offer a free path to immortality, it remained an exceptionally powerful weapon. For Nui to send a fragment of himself to other worlds and bestow such a weapon, he must be unimaginably strong, perhaps even god-like in power.

    Thinking about this made Liu Xing wonder who the strongest person in this world was. Then, he considered whether even the most powerful being in this world could replicate what Nui had done.

    As he delved deeper into thoughts about the capabilities of the strongest individuals in this world, he was actually trying to recall information about higher realms. After all, the world of xianxia was known for its layered structure, with mountains beyond mountains, skies beyond skies, and higher realms beyond normal realms. He believed that a higher world beyond this one must exist, yet surprisingly, there was no mention of ascension. As far as he knew, the pinnacle of power was reaching the highest realm and becoming an immortal, not ascending to even greater realms.

    After pondering for a moment, Liu Xing shook his head and resumed walking. While contemplating higher realms was intriguing, he suspected it was far beyond his current reach. He was merely a bird trying to soar higher into the sky, while higher realms were like a distant sun in the depths of space.

    As he walked, Liu Xing also considered the frog, the moss and the fox duo, and their abnormal strength. He wondered about the mummy in the deep lake and why that inverted pyramid could bend space around it and completely conceal its qi.

    As Liu Xing jumped over a fallen tree obstructing his path, he finally arrived at the edge of the giant river. The water was brown, as if someone had stirred up the river bottom and made it muddy. He knew he was further downstream from where he had destroyed the pyramid, so the brown color must be due to the water carrying earth and mud from the large hole he had created.

    Turning his head to the left, he considered heading to Second Gray Cloud City to find clothes. He was currently bare-chested and only wearing pants. While the cold air didn''t bother him, he preferred to be presentable if he encountered anyone. However, he imagined the people there were still in an uproar about him, and he wanted to avoid another commotion.

    Liu Xing aimed his gun toward the city¡¯s direction and willed himself to become invisible, thinking it would be best if no one saw him. But the invisibility didn''t activate, and he dismissed his gun with a sigh. He didn''t feel threatened by the city, and therefore, couldn''t turn invisible.

    "I¡¯ll just buy clothes in the next city," he decided.

    As he tried to recall the location of Whirling Cloud City, Liu Xing heard heavy footsteps and the sound of a galloping horse. He checked his surroundings and saw a group emerge from the foliage across the river. The group consisted of ten people. Leading them was a giant black horse, carrying a tan man clad in ornate silver armor. The man¡¯s face was stern, his eyes focused, and a silver spear, its tip gleaming, was strapped to his back. Around him were nine men, also in silver armor, though plainer and less shiny. Each wore a helmet and carried a spear, eyeing Liu Xing with a mix of nervousness and determination, as if they were preparing to subdue a dangerous beast.

    But Liu Xing knew their true leader was not the man on horseback. While that man was at the sixth stage of the Lock Opening realm, Liu Xing sensed another, stronger qi approaching. He looked upward and soon saw a man riding a giant silver sword. He stood regally, like an emperor surveying his domain, with his hands clasped behind his back.

    This man possessed pale skin, long golden hair, and a relatively handsome face framed by sharp eyebrows. Yet, his face was contorted in an ugly, angry expression, veins pulsing around his bloodshot eyes, which were red as if he were consumed by both anger and sorrow.

    The man leaped from the sword and landed in front of the group. As he landed, the man on horseback dismounted and stood behind him.

 78 ~ Xia Yongzhi (2)

    Liu Xing looked at the man. He appeared young, but Liu Xing knew appearances could be deceiving. The man was a cultivator at the seventh stage of the Lock Opening realm, making him the strongest among the group. His yellow robe and the memory of the people in Second Gray Cloud City shouting about the Xia Clan riding swords led Liu Xing to suspect he was from the Xia Clan.

    As Liu Xing sensed the man''s qi, he realized that while the man was at the seventh stage, his qi wasn''t particularly powerful. He was undoubtedly at a higher stage than Liu Xing, but Liu Xing perceived him as someone with a shaky foundation. In the Purple Moon Sect, there were individuals like him. They possessed enough talent to be accepted as outer disciples but lacked the talent to advance further naturally. To compensate, they spent considerable money on pills.

    "My name is Xia Yongzhi, the leader of the Xia Clan, as well as the father and brother you unjustly killed. Despicable junior, prepare to die!"

    Liu Xing''s eyebrows shot up at these words. Numerous questions swirled in his mind. When had he killed people from the Xia clan? Were Xia Shizi and Xia Hongyi the individuals the leader was referring to?

    Xia Yongzhi kicked the ground, sending a dust cloud rippling beneath him. He jumped over the river, fists clenched, and golden light erupted from his entire body, enveloping him and making him resemble a human engulfed in flames. In a split second, he stood before Liu Xing with fists flying towards his face like giant bullets. The faint roar of a tiger echoed in the air.

    Seeing this, adrenaline surged through Liu Xing as he summoned his gun. As the fists came within centimeters of his nose, Liu Xing activated his Lightning Cloak and tilted his head to the left. The fist grazed only his earlobe. Wind rushed past his cheek, but ultimately, the attack caused no harm.

    For a split second, Xia Yongzhi''s eyes widened before his face contorted with even greater anger. He spun his body in the air and attempted to kick Liu Xing¡¯s side. Anticipating this, Liu Xing converted some of his qi into bullets and channeled them into his necklace. Yellow lines swirled around his left hand as he caught Xia Yongzhi''s ankle in mid-air, his grip as firm as steel.

    Holding Xia Yongzhi''s ankle, Liu Xing smiled ferociously. After consuming one and a half Diamond Pills, his body had become significantly stronger. Combined with the stable qi from his necklace, he was now as tough as a Core Splitting cultivator.

    Xia Yongzhi''s face flushed red, his eyes blazing with an intensity that could melt steel. Hatred, raw and unfiltered, poured from his gaze, as if he wished to incinerate Liu Xing with the sheer force of his will.

    "Die!"

    Even with Liu Xing still gripping his ankle, the man twisted and rotated his body. The rotation caused Liu Xing to lose his hold, and Xia Yongzhi tried to kick the right side of Liu Xing''s head.

    Seeing the attack, Liu Xing defended his head with his right hand. The foot struck his gauntlet, and the force propelled Liu Xing sideways towards the river. His feet left trails in the ground as he was pushed back.

    The kick was powerful. Liu Xing felt his hand tremble as if struck by a hammer against iron, but aside from that, the damage was minimal. If Liu Xing had fought at full strength, he had no doubt that he could easily kill Xia Yongzhi. The circumstances would have justified killing them all, given their intent to kill him first. However, while Xia Yongzhi¡¯s eyes burned with anger and hatred, Liu Xing recognized that grief was also fueling his actions. He understood that this was all a misunderstanding, and there was no real reason to kill them as long as they were willing to listen.

    "Leader of the Xia clan, my name is Liu Xing, and I believe we have a misunderstanding. I have never killed any of your clansmen, let alone two."

    "A witness told me that you were the last person to see my son and brother, and he said that you were responsible for their deaths.

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    "Are your son Xia Hongyi and your brother Xia Shizi?"

    Liu Xing had only ever encountered these Xia clansmen. He remembered them fleeing when he fought the inverted pyramid.

    When Liu Xing posed this question, Xia Yongzhi''s eyes narrowed. "So you admit you killed them! I knew it. Everyone from the major sects is a bunch of arrogant people. Just because you are from a great sect does not mean you can do whatever you want! Guards, help me subdue this man and bring justice to this world!"

    A resounding "Yes!" was heard, and Liu Xing turned to the ten men on the other side of the river. Beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads, and when Liu Xing met their gaze, some of their eyes flickered as if they were facing a deadly beast.

    He glanced back at Xia Yongzhi, who still glared at him as if Liu Xing was a devil and needed to be destroyed for the sake of the world.

    "It seems like all of you are misjudging me. Sure, my hands are not clean. I have killed people before, but I am being honest when I say I didn''t kill your clansmen. While I did meet Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi, I did not kill them."

    "Attack!" Xia Yongzhi shouted.

    As he shouted, Xia Yongzhi leaped towards him, a golden aura surrounding his body forming the silhouette of a roaring tiger. The ten men on the other side of the river also jumped. Some of their spears glowed, and some pulled out yellow talismans and pointed them at him.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. The electricity encasing his body danced brighter.

    "But the most significant misunderstanding you have is thinking you can subdue me."

    With these words, Liu Xing moved. The world blurred, adrenaline and qi coursing through his body, making everything seem to move in slow motion. But Liu Xing knew that was not the case. The world wasn''t moving slower; these people were moving so slowly that the world appeared still.

    Liu Xing jumped towards a guard who was halfway across the river. Reaching him, Liu Xing punched him in the stomach. Despite the silver armor, his punch shattered it, and the man was almost folded in half. Using his momentum, Liu Xing moved to the next target and kicked him in the neck, causing him to fall into the river. He punched the next target directly in the face, the next target in the back, and threw the next target into the river. He continued in this manner until he landed near a black horse that appeared agitated, as if it sensed something was wrong but couldn''t comprehend what had occurred.

    From an outsider''s perspective, when those men jumped, Liu Xing transformed into a bolt of lightning. This lightning circled around the jumping men in less than a second, and then Liu Xing suddenly reappeared on the other side of the river.

    Liu Xing turned to face the river. Ten spots marked by splashing water indicated where the men had fallen, some headfirst, some backfirst, some feet first. All of them spat blood from their mouths and submerged in the water.

    On the opposite bank, Xia Yongzhi punched the ground where he stood with a golden fist, and the golden aura around him solidified into the shape of a leaping tiger. This aura pulverized the ground where Liu Xing had stood moments before. Then, Xia Yongzhi turned his head towards Liu Xing, his eyes wide, beads of sweat forming on his face. This punch had been intended to crush Liu Xing, but it had only struck empty ground.

    Liu Xing wondered what Xia Yongzhi was thinking. Surely, he now understood Liu Xing¡¯s strength, especially after witnessing him dodge and block his initial attacks. Yet, anger had blinded him and driven him to attack, and now Liu Xing suspected realization was dawning in his eyes.

    Liu Xing kicked off the ground again, crossed the river, and appeared directly above Xia Yongzhi. Liu Xing spun in the air and aimed his feet, now decorated with swirling yellow lines, directly at Xia Yongzhi¡¯s neck. Xia Yongzhi had time to turn his head, but not enough time to dodge. When his feet connected with Xia Yongzhi¡¯s face, Xia Yongzhi collapsed to the ground. A cloud of dust erupted as his body impacted the earth, leaving a spiderweb crack and a small depression where his face had struck. When Liu Xing kicked him again, he saw Xia Yongzhi spit out a mouthful of blood, bounce once on the ground, and then, as he landed again, his eyes rolled upwards and he fainted.

    Liu Xing deactivated his Lightning Cloak and dismissed his gun.

    "You guys have eyes, but you cannot see Mount Tai."

    A small smile crept over his lips. He had always wanted to say that, and he had imagined he would only be able to say it in the future, when his realm was higher. He hadn''t expected to utter those words so soon.

    Liu Xing''s smirk quickly faded.

    ¡°Who killed them?¡±

    The last time Liu Xing had seen them was when they fled during his battle with the inverted pyramid. Was it a coincidence? Or was someone deliberately framing him?

 79 ~ Xia Yongzhi (3)

    Liu Xing''s smirk quickly faded, and he sighed. Xia Yongzhi lay on the ground, face turned to the side, eyes closed. Even though Xia Yongzhi had accused him wrongly, Liu Xing understood where the accusation came from. He was grieving for his son and brother. He had suspected that Xia Yongzhi often focused too much on Xia Weiyuan and neglected his own son, but it seems that he does care about his son. Thinking about the boy, Liu Xing pressed his lips together. The kid had been a bully, and Liu Xing wouldn''t mind if there were fewer bullies in the world. But that didn¡¯t mean he had wanted Xia Hongyi to die. He had hoped the boy would change.

    Liu Xing remembered Xia Hongyi¡¯s fist technique and had concluded that either Xia Hongyi possessed a bloodline or a technique above Base Grade. As these thoughts crossed his mind, Liu Xing recalled Bai Lin¡¯s murdered grandson and the others with bloodlines who had died, leaving behind only their severed arms. It is a bit far-fetched, but what if the deaths of Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi are related to Wei Yi?

    Liu Xing glanced at Xia Yongzhi who lay on the ground, then at the men floating in the water, carried by the current. He had the option to flee right now, but his curiosity was piqued.

    Though he was in a hurry, he could at least wait long enough to get confirmation from Xia Yongzhi.

    ***

    Liu Xing sat cross-legged beneath a swaying tree. Sunlight touched part of his body, but his face remained in the shadow of the leaves. Holding the Flute of Serenity in both hands, he blew into it, producing a terrible, off-key melody that sounded almost like a duck choking. He was thoroughly embarrassed by the sound, but it turned out that even an amateur could activate the flute. Though his efficiency was laughable compared to Qian Biaou¡¯s mother, he still absorbed qi much faster than with normal methods.

    As he played the horrible, discordant melody, ten drenched men lay unconscious on the ground, while Xia Yongzhi, though still dry, was also fainted nearby.

    After about thirty minutes playing with his flute, Xia Yongzhi began to stir and rubbed his neck as he tried to stand.

    Seeing Xia Yongzhi awake, Liu Xing stopped playing and tucked the flute into his spatial bag.

    Xia Yongzhi looked around, confused, but when his eyes landed on Liu Xing, they widened. Then, as if remembering what had happened, his face twisted with hatred. Still, Liu Xing noticed a flicker of fear in his eyes.

    ¡°Clan leader of the Xia clan, let¡¯s talk this through like civilized people,¡± Liu Xing said. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how someone so weak had become a clan leader. Either the Xia clan was incredibly weak, or Xia Yongzhi had strong backers.

    Xia Yongzhi¡¯s gaze tried to pierce through him, but since he didn¡¯t seem ready to attack, Liu Xing felt his attempt at conversation might work.

    ¡°As I said, I didn¡¯t kill Xia Hongyi or Xia Shizi. I have no idea what you¡¯re accusing me of. Yes, I met them, but that doesn¡¯t mean I killed them. I had no reason to.¡±

    ¡°Liar!¡± Xia Yongzhi shouted. ¡°People like you don¡¯t need a reason to kill.¡±

    ¡°Bold of you to assume you know me. But the fact is, I didn¡¯t kill them. If I were the type to kill without reason, I could have easily killed you and your guards when I had the chance. Doesn¡¯t that prove I don¡¯t kill without cause? If you¡¯re accusing me, there must be some strong evidence behind it.¡±

    Xia Yongzhi gritted his teeth, seemingly ready to fight again.

    ¡°Look, accusing someone of murder isn¡¯t a small thing. You know who I am. I¡¯m a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. I don¡¯t like to throw that around, but you should know that messing with my sect is dangerous.¡±

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    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Xia Yongzhi asked through clenched teeth.

    ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts. But here¡¯s the truth. I¡¯m just an outer disciple. I don¡¯t have powerful backing in my sect. If I die here, there¡¯s only a small chance anyone will investigate. And if they do, you might have a problem. But honestly, you probably won¡¯t. We¡¯re in the middle of an event right now, and accidents happen.¡± Liu Xing knew that many disciples left the sect to go treasure hunting, but not all of them would return.

    Xia Yongzhi continued to glare at him, but confusion began to creep into his expression. Liu Xing had first warned him about the power of the sect, then reassured him that the sect likely wouldn¡¯t do anything if he was killed.

    ¡°If you¡¯re confused by what I¡¯m saying, the important thing is this. I¡¯m trying to be honest with you. I want you to believe that I didn¡¯t kill your son or your brother. Now, I know you can¡¯t trust me completely, but at the very least, tell me why you¡¯re so convinced that I¡¯m the killer.¡±

    Xia Yongzhi¡¯s hostile stare softened slightly. "A boy named Xia Weiyuan told me that you were the last person to see my son and brother and the reason they died. This boy is honest. He has never told a lie in his life and never will."

    Liu Xing raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you didn¡¯t try to confirm it? You just trusted him blindly?¡±

    ¡°I can vouch for his honesty!¡± Xia Yongzhi¡¯s eyes hardened again. ¡°You don¡¯t know him or his circumstances.¡±

    Liu Xing¡¯s first thought was that Xia Yongzhi was being foolish. Even if the boy was honest, basing a murder on a child¡¯s word seemed ridiculous. But maybe Xia Weiyuan had some unique trait that guaranteed truthfulness. If so, Liu Xing could see why Xia Yongzhi trusted him completely. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough reason to kill someone.

    "No offense, but you are pretty dumb, clan leader Xia."

    Xia Yongzhi¡¯s eyes flared with anger, like a bull ready to charge.

    ¡°Even if the boy can¡¯t lie, that doesn¡¯t mean he knows the whole truth. Let me tell you my side, so we can clear up any misunderstandings.¡±

    Liu Xing then told him about his brief encounter with Xia Hongyi, how Xia Hongyi had bullied Xia Weiyuan, and how he had returned with Xia Shizi before fleeing during his fight with the inverted pyramid.

    After listening to the story, Xia Yongzhi¡¯s anger faded. He stroked his chin, deep in thought. Meanwhile, the guards who had been unconscious began to wake up and quietly sit behind Xia Yongzhi and cast wary glances at Liu Xing.

    ¡°How old are you, clan leader Xia?¡± Liu Xing asked suddenly.

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-eight,¡± Xia Yongzhi replied after a pause. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    His tone had become more neutral, and Liu Xing could tell that Xia Yongzhi now believed he hadn¡¯t killed his son or brother. It was a good outcome.

    ¡°No, just curious,¡± Liu Xing said.

    If Xia Yongzhi was twenty-eight, that meant Xia Hongyi was born when he was around twenty, making Xia Yongzhi a father at the same age Liu Xing was now. For a mortal, that wouldn¡¯t raise any questions, but cultivators had long lifespans. Even if someone remained stuck in the Lock Opening realm, they could live up to a hundred and fifty years. Having a son at twenty was considered unusually early for a cultivator.

    ¡°Do you believe what I¡¯ve told you?¡± Liu Xing asked.

    ¡°I admit I jumped to conclusions after hearing Xia Weiyuan¡¯s story,¡± Xia Yongzhi said, ¡°but you¡¯re still not off the hook.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s progress,¡± Liu Xing replied with a nod.

    Now seemed like the right time for Liu Xing to ask the question weighing on his mind. Depending on the answer, he might decide to flee and head straight to Whirling Cloud City to hunt for treasures. But if the answer was what he suspected, things were about to get much more complicated.

    ¡°Tell me, clan leader, were your son and brother¡¯s bodies missing, with only their arms left behind?¡±

    Xia Yongzhi¡¯s eyes widened at the question. His reaction told Liu Xing everything he needed to know. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°Well, let me tell you what happened in Mystic Moon City,¡± Liu Xing said.

    He didn¡¯t go into every detail, but he told Xia Yongzhi about the deaths of Qian Biaou, Duan Hai, and Bai Lin¡¯s grandson. Though he left out specifics, like the source of his information and the growing suspicion that Wei Yi might be behind the murders, he explained that all the victims had one thing in common: they carried bloodlines.

    ¡°Does your clan have a bloodline?¡±

    Xia Yongzhi hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yes, we do. Although not many in the clan can awaken it. My younger brother was one of the few geniuses who did, and my son showed signs as well."

    Liu Xing pursed his lips. It seems like things are getting complicated.

 80 ~ Xia Juetian (1)

    ¡°Our bloodline is called the Golden Tiger bloodline. I can¡¯t tell you the full extent of our powers, but if fully awakened, our clan could soar. We might even become one of the most formidable clans on the continent.¡± Xia Yongzhi turned toward his guards. ¡°Do we have contacts in Mystic Moon City?¡±

    ¡°Yes, clan leader. We have trading partners there.¡±

    ¡°Good. Contact them. Ask if what Liu Xing said is true. I want the answer before sunset!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± One of the guards rose and hurried away. He leaped across the river, landed on top of a horse, then kicked it into motion. The horse ran so fast it created a cloud of dust.

    Xia Yongzhi faced Liu Xing again. ¡°If we get confirmation about your information, then I, Xia Yongzhi, will formally apologize to you and compensate you.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Liu Xing nodded. He honestly didn¡¯t need compensation or a formal apology from Xia Yongzhi, but there was no reason to refuse outright.

    As Xia Yongzhi began to get up, his guards began to gather around him, ensuring his well-being, while Liu Xing contemplated his next move under the tree. He had received the confirmation he sought, but the situation was now more complicated. After all, whatever had killed Bai Lin¡¯s grandson was likely still nearby. After thinking for a moment, Liu Xing decided to at least investigate the crime scene.

    ¡°Clan leader Xia,¡± Liu Xing called out. ¡°Would you show me where Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi were murdered?¡±

    ¡°Why? While you¡¯re still under suspicion, I believe at least half of what you said. If you think you need to find more evidence to clear your name, you don¡¯t. My underling is on his way to confirm your information.¡±

    Liu Xing answered truthfully. ¡°One of the victims is my friend¡¯s grandson, and I promised to help investigate this matter. It¡¯s pure coincidence that the murders of your brother and son happened when I¡¯m here, but this is an opportunity to finally shed some light on who or what this murderer is.¡±

    Xia Yongzhi raised his eyebrows. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xia Yongzhi pinched his chin, then nodded. ¡°All right, but on one condition. I know you¡¯re hiding something, so I want you to share everything that could remotely help me and my clan find who¡¯s responsible for the deaths of my son and brother.¡±

    Liu Xing thought for a moment. Telling him about Wei Yi was risky. From their brief interaction, Liu Xing knew that Xia Yongzhi could be reasoned with, but his immediate response to hearing dubious information from a child was to trust the child blindly and attempt to kill someone, this painted Xia Yongzhi as reckless and impulsive. What if he told him about Wei Yi and he went after him?

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise to tell you everything I know, as there are still many speculations. But I can tell you who my friend suspects is behind all these murders.¡±

    Liu Xing decided to tell Xia Yongzhi about Wei Yi later, but only if he found some clues or interesting things at the crime scene. Xia Yongzhi nodded. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of a galloping horse and a shout. Liu Xing, Xia Yongzhi, and the guards turned toward the sound and saw a man riding a horse with a panicked face. This wasn''t the guard Xia Yongzhi had sent to contact their trading partners in Mystic Moon City. This man came from a different direction.

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    ¡°Clan leader, I have an important message!¡± As he shouted, he finally arrived nearby. He dismounted, clasped his hands, and knelt. ¡°The Grand Elder has finally come out of seclusion!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Xia Yongzhi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he predicted to come out of seclusion next year? Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve seen him with my own eyes. But he didn¡¯t go to our clan compound. Instead, he traveled swiftly in another direction.¡±

    ¡°Where did he go?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Grand Elder probably went toward where we found the young master¡¯s and your brother¡¯s arms.¡±

    As Liu Xing heard this, he understood a few things. This Grand Elder had probably ended his seclusion because he knew Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi were killed, and now he was at the crime scene. Xia Yongzhi¡¯s eyes looked panicked, but he inhaled deeply and regained his focus. Then, Xia Yongzhi threw his wide silver sword, which had been attached to his back, into the sky. As the silver sword hovered, Xia Yongzhi jumped on top of it. ¡°I¡¯ll go meet him. You guys continue the investigation, especially about the information Liu Xing provided. Also, bring Xia Weiyuan to meet the Grand Elder.¡±

    ¡°Clan leader Xia,¡± Liu Xing called. ¡°You promised to show me the crime scene.¡±

    Xia Yongzhi gritted his teeth for a moment, his face contorting in anger, but it soon vanished. ¡°All right, but I need to warn you, our Grand Elder is not someone you can mess with.¡±

    Liu Xing nodded. A Grand Elder usually had high cultivation, and Liu Xing didn''t intend to do anything stupid that could potentially get him killed. This was likely one of the rare occasions Liu Xing would encounter a cultivator that way stronger than him. He predicted that the Grand Elder wasn''t newly advanced to the Core Splitting realm either, but someone who had cultivated it for hundreds of years.

    Xia Yongzhi¡¯s sword moved, whistling in the air. Liu Xing summoned his gun, activated Lightning Cloak, and kicked the ground. While he couldn''t fly in the traditional sense, with his shield, he had no problem catching up to Xia Yongzhi. Soon, they arrived at their destination. Surprisingly, the location was quite close to the newly formed lake, and Liu Xing suspected the murder had happened when he fought that inverted pyramid.

    Xia Yongzhi leapt from his sword to the ground. Liu Xing followed and looked around. The area in front of him had nothing special. There were trees, bushes, and a dirt path. The notable features were a two-meter hole in the dirt path and several patches of dried blood. An old man stood in front of one bloody spot. He wore a pure black robe with golden embroidery. His back was bent as if carrying a heavy weight, and the hair on top of his head was white as snow.

    ¡°Xia Yongzhi greets Grand Elder. Congratulations on your breakthrough!¡±

    Xia Yongzhi clasped his hands and knelt. As he knelt, the Grand Elder turned his head. When he saw Xia Yongzhi, his face suddenly contorted in anger. His eyes sharpened, and he regarded Xia Yongzhi with disdain. But instead of shouting and cursing at Xia Yongzhi, he nodded and turned to Liu Xing. As their eyes met, Liu Xing clasped his hands and bowed his head.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± the Grand Elder asked.

    ¡°My name is Liu Xing from Purple Moon Sect.¡±

    ¡°A disciple from a great sect. What are you doing in my territory?¡±

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply to calm his heart. While this old man looked frail, his presence was heavy. Liu Xing could feel the huge amount of qi he carried, and it felt like seeing an ancient ocean. Liu Xing had no doubt that this old man was at the pinnacle of the Core Splitting realm. Even against the fox, Liu Xing had been confident, but the idea of fighting this old man was inconceivable. Liu Xing felt like an ant in front of an elephant.

    ¡°I came here with Xia Yongzhi to investigate the place where his son and brother were killed. I think the same thing that killed them also killed my friend¡¯s grandson.¡±

    The grand elder stared at Liu Xing. His wrinkled skin resembled the bark of an ancient tree, yet Liu Xing sensed a vitality that suggested many years of life remained.

    ¡°Tell me everything you know,¡± the grand elder said, his eyes locked on Liu Xing. His black eyes looked peaceful, like a still pond. Yet Liu Xing sensed a hint of madness there, as if that dark water could swallow him whole. The air around Liu Xing grew heavy, cold, and suffocating, and beads of sweat began to form on his back

    ¡°Speak,¡± the grand elder commanded.

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± Liu Xing answered.

 81 ~ Xia Juetian (2)

    Liu Xing began to speak, recounting everything from his arrival in Mystic Moon City to his conversation with Bai Lin. However, he decided to hide the name Bloodwing Sect, referring to it only as an ancient sect he knew nothing about.

    After hearing his explanation, the grand elder nodded. "A demonic cultivator killing people for their bloodline. In my long life, I have encountered several demonic cultivators with similar methods. This Wei Yi kid is probably trying to advance his cultivation or awaken a dormant bloodline. Whatever he is doing, he made a mistake. He messed with the wrong clan!"

    "G-Grand Elder, do you intend to confront him?" Xia Yongzhi asked.

    The elder snorted. "Yes, I will confront him, but later. Now I want to retrieve Xia Shizi¡¯s and your son¡¯s bodies." He then turned to face Liu Xing. "Purple Moon Sect disciple, follow me. Your arrival here is timely. I want you to witness what happens here. Tell your sect that what I do to Wei Yi and his despicable clan later is justified."

    The old man''s black eyes pierced Liu Xing, as if challenging him to defy him so he could kill him. He desperately wanted to nod, but he could not yet.

    "Grand Elder Xia, what I said about Wei Yi is still speculation. There is no concrete evidence that points to him orchestrating all these murders."

    The grand elder snorted again. "I will get that evidence. So follow me, or die. Your choice."

    This time, Liu Xing decided to nod.

    "Xia Yongzhi." The grand turned his head. "I am disappointed in you. When I entered seclusion, you were at the Lock Opening seventh stage, and now, you are still in the same realm. If only Xia Shizi had shown interest in becoming the clan leader, then I would not need to deal with your weakness. Still, you are a clan leader, and while I despise your weakness, I respect your position, so I will tell you bluntly about our clan''s future. It is bleak. Not only are there no clansmen with great talent, but our bloodline is also becoming thinner with each generation. If you do not do something, this Xia clan will die in your generation."

    Xia Yongzhi clenched his fist. "You know I have a plan."

    The grand elder narrowed his eyes. "What you are doing is gambling."

    "Indeed, but as you said, our clan is on the brink of ruin. A gamble that can catapult our status is worth taking."

    After he said that, Liu Xing heard several footsteps. Turning around, he saw a guard carrying a child on his back. The child had a familiar face, with a bruised jaw and several blue marks marring his face. Xia Weiyuan peeked from behind the guard, and when the guard set him on the ground, he looked down, as if he were a shy boy who had recently made a mistake and was waiting to be punished.

    "Xia Weiyuan, come here," Xia Yongzhi said. Xia Weiyuan walked toward him. "Greet the Grand Elder."

    Xia Weiyuan knelt before the grand elder and clasped his hands. "Xia Weiyuan greets the honored Grand Elder!"

    "Come here," the grand elder said, and Xia Weiyuan began to walk toward him. When he was close, the grand elder suddenly grabbed Xia Weiyuan''s collar and lifted him up so that they were face to face. Then, the grand elder sent a large amount of qi into Xia Weiyuan through his hand. When the qi slammed Xia Weiyuan, he screamed, and every inch of his body glowed white, his eyes shining like flashlights, and the white light illuminated everything around them, as if he were a sun about to go supernova. Seeing this, Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened. What was this grand elder trying to do? Was he trying to kill Xia Weiyuan? Xia Weiyuan was a mortal child. Sending that amount of qi into a mortal was like pouring magma through normal human veins. But the kid¡¯s body reacted strangely too. He should not be glowing. He should be dead.

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    Instantly, Liu Xing knew that this Xia Weiyuan kid was special.

    "The killer of Xia Shizi is there," the grand elder said, pointing to the east.

    "No," Xia Weiyuan said simply, his body still glowing and his eyes white as paper. The grand elder repeated his question but pointed in other directions. Finally, when the elder pointed north, Xia Weiyuan said, "Yes."

    The elder released Xia Weiyuan and dropped him to the ground. As he lay there with his eyes closed, he no longer glowed, his breathing harsh as if he was a child with asthma who had run a hundred meters.

    Xia Yongzhi rusehd toward Xia Weiyuan and checked his pulse. "Grand Elder, you sent him too much qi. What if he is crippled?"

    Instead of answering, the grand elder only snorted. "Disciple of Purple Moon Sect. Let us go."

    With that, he flicked his right hand, and a broad silver sword materialized in front of him. It floated in the air, and the grand elder jumped onto it. Then, the silver sword carried him to the north. Liu Xing looked at Xia Yongzhi and Xia Weiyuan. Xia Yongzhi was now carrying Xia Weiyuan on his back, sighing as if his day was full of misfortune. He eyed Liu Xing and said in a quiet voice, "Take care."

    Liu Xing nodded, trying to digest what had happened. But soon, he realized that the grand elder was already far away, so Liu Xing summoned his gun, activated his Lightning Cloak, and tried to chase after him. In the air, Liu Xing used his shield to maneuver and accelerate. After several moments, Liu Xing was steadily following the grand elder several meters behind. He could see the bent back of the grand elder clearly.

    As Liu Xing followed, his mind raced. Several questions swirled in his mind. Why was Xia Weiyuan glowing? Why did the grand elder ask Xia Weiyuan as if the child knew the location of the thing that killed Xia Shizi, and why was Xia Weiyuan able to answer?

    He quickly came up with a hypothesis. Xia Weiyuan probably had a bloodline that allowed him to see the truth. It made sense. This made Xia Yongzhi''s absolute trust in this kid more reasonable. If Xia Weiyuan had a bloodline that could pierce the truth, perhaps the same ability made him incapable of lying. However, Liu Xing could not know for sure.

    As Xia Weiyuan became more interesting, Liu Xing had to consider the implications.

    First, the fact that this grand elder used Xia Weiyuan¡¯s ability in front of him, a stranger, was a weird move. Even if he was a Purple Moon Sect disciple, there should be no reason to do it in front of Liu Xing. After all, Xia Weiyuan was probably the Xia clan¡¯s secret.

    The only explanation for this was that the grand elder did not care whether Liu Xing saw it or not, which was suspicious. This grand elder cared about the Xia clan, as evidenced when he berated Xia Yongzhi, and he should also know that keeping Xia Weiyuan¡¯s secret was the best course of action. After all, he could not see into Liu Xing¡¯s heart. What if Liu Xing became interested in Xia Weiyuan and tried to snatch him away?

    Thinking this, Liu Xing came to a conclusion. The grand elder would probably kill him in the future. After all, if the elder could ensure Liu Xing¡¯s death later, then there was no problem letting Liu Xing see the true value of Xia Weiyuan. When Liu Xing reached this conclusion, the grand elder suddenly turned his head. His black eyes gazed at him, and Liu Xing felt the air around him suddenly grow cold and heavy. Seeing those eyes, Liu Xing¡¯s heart beat faster and faster. He wondered whether the old man could read his mind.

    "Faster," the grand elder said.

    Liu Xing swallowed hard, then used the shield to accelerate until he was right behind the old man¡¯s back.

    As Liu Xing wracked his brain to predict what the old man would do to him later, the old man suddenly slowed down. After a moment, the flying sword he rode stopped, and Liu Xing killed his momentum and stood atop his shield diagonally behind the old man, observing the place in front of them. It was strange. Instead of green trees, lush grasses, and colorful flowers of a normal forest, this place was filled with trees made of bones, with their branches curved like ribcages, their limbs resembled thigh bones, and their leaves were shaped like wide, slim shark teeth. Some of their roots stuck out from the red ground, looking like bony fingers. The base of each white tree was red and muddy, as if someone had dumped a bucket of blood at it.

    "You said your name is Liu Xing, right?" the old man asked as his flying sword slowly descended.

    Liu Xing willed his shield to follow the grand elder. "Yes, what is your name, Grand Elder?"

    The old man was silent for a moment. When the flying sword touched the ground and he stepped off it, he answered, "My name is Xia Juetian. You need to remember this name carefully, as you will have to report about me to your clan."

    Liu Xing nodded. "All right."

    "Do you have a method to communicate directly with your sect?"

    "Directly, no, but there is a method to contact my sect indirectly," he answered.

 82 ~ Xia Juetian (3)

    If Liu Xing were an inner disciple with a master, his master would have given him some kind of treasure or talisman or a way to communicate directly.  But since he was merely an outer disciple, he did not have anything to communicate directly with the sect. The indirect method was to reach the nearest sect, nation, or empire and ask them to relay a message to the sect. Liu Xing had never used this method before, but he remembered one of his seniors sending a distress call after a mission went wrong, and he had been sent to help.

    Elder Xia Juetian began to walk, and the flying sword vanished, likely stored inside some kind of spatial treasure.

    They walked silently through the forest of white bones. Liu Xing predicted that they would soon encounter whatever had killed Xia Shizi and Xia Hongyi. Somehow, this place felt fitting for a creature that killed people and left their limbs behind. As he followed Elder Xia Juetian, Liu Xing prepared himself. He had no doubt that whatever was inside this forest was strong. He guessed their cultivation was higher than the Lock Opening realm, but the real question was whether Elder Xia Juetian could defeat them or not.

    Liu Xing glanced at the white-haired old man in front of him. He tried to sense the vast qi radiating from Elder Xia Juetian. The elder was immensely powerful, far stronger than the moss Liu Xing had fought before. Liu Xing suspected the grand elder had at least seven cores and might soon combine them to create a sun. If the enemy was still in the Core Splitting realm, there was a good chance Elder Xia Juetian would win.

    Liu Xing¡¯s mind wandered to what might happen afterward. Elder Xia Juetian had said he would kill Wei Yi and wipe out his clan. If Wei Yi truly was the mastermind behind all these murders, wouldn¡¯t that mean Liu Xing¡¯s mission from Bai Lin would be completed?

    Thinking this, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. Though excitement flickered in his heart and a smile threatened to appear on his face, he controlled his expression. If Elder Xia Juetian killed Wei Yi, Bai Lin¡¯s request would be fulfilled, and Liu Xing would receive the Heaven Grade Technique. After all, Elder Xia Juetian came to kill Wei Yi based on Liu Xing¡¯s information. The issue was Elder Xia Juetian¡¯s intention to destroy the entire Wei clan. It felt wrong to Liu Xing¡ªafter all, a father¡¯s sin was not his son¡¯s, and the same logic applied to the rest of his family. But this was a xianxia world, where clans and sects could be annihilated because one person offended someone from a bigger, stronger group, leading to revenge from the survivors.

    Shaking his head, Liu Xing stopped overthinking. The fate of the Wei clan was out of his hands. He was too weak in the grand scheme of things to do anything about it. Besides, what if they had helped Wei Yi kill people? A clan leader¡¯s strength benefited the whole clan, after all.

    If he wanted to play the hero, he needed power, backing, and information to uncover the truth¡ªand right now, he had none of those things. The best he could do was witness Elder Xia Juetian confront the killer behind these murders and then report back to the Purple Moon Sect.

    As they walked deeper into the forest, Liu Xing started seeing strange creatures. When they passed a tree as big and wide as a house, with leaves that looked like human teeth, Liu Xing saw butterflies that seemed to be made of human ears flying around it. Each creature had yellow eyes like those of a snake. In another place, he spotted something that looked like a sea anemone made entirely of veins, with blood oozing from the tips.

    After encountering more bizarre creatures, Liu Xing and Elder Xia Juetian arrived at a narrow clearing. The perimeter was lined with dozens of giant, straight bones that resembled pillars. One bone pillar stood out. It was so massive that if ten people joined hands to circle it, they wouldn¡¯t reach all the way around.

    Ten meters above the ground, three human feet protruded from the bone, as if they had been chopped off and attached there. A rope was tied around the ankle of the middle foot, and hanging from the rope was a man, suspended by his neck.

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    Liu Xing''s eyes widened as he thought he had come across a person who had hanged himself. But as he studied the figure more closely, he felt a familiar prickle of qi. Narrowing his gaze, he realized that the figure was not fully human. Its skin was bright red, like that of a drunkard, and its wide grin made it seem as if it could unhinge its jaw like a garbage can lid. His hands and feet were made entirely of yellow snakes that resembled noodles, his ears were orange fruits, and peeking out of its clothing was a hand with a yellow eye in its palm.

    ¡°What an unsightly creature,¡± Xia Juetian remarked.

    In response, the spirit beast, which looked almost human, began to cackle as if it had just heard the funniest joke in the world. It swayed from side to side, and after a few moments, the rope around its ankle came loose. The creature fell for a moment, then landed gracefully on its two snake feet.

    ¡°W-what an unsightly creature,¡± it mimicked, still smiling.

    Xia Juetian snorted. ¡°Who is your master? Is he truly Wei Yi?¡±

    At the mention of Wei Yi¡¯s name, the beast¡¯s smile vanished. Its eyes narrowed, and its expression turned furious. ¡°Wei Yi! Wei Yi! Wei Yi!¡±

    The spirit beast kept shouting Wei Yi¡¯s name with a rage that suggested Wei Yi had wronged it deeply.

    Xia Juetian clicked his tongue. ¡°A half-coherent abomination made from stitched-together spirit beasts and humans. It will be hard to get any useful information from it. Let¡¯s just kill it.¡±

    Liu Xing felt that the creature''s qi was vast enough to dwarf his own qi, causing sweat to bead on his forehead. But despite his growing fear, Elder Xia Juetian''s presence calmed him down. After all, the grand elder was stronger than the creature.

    ¡°Elder Xia Juetian, what should I do?¡± Liu Xing asked. He did not want to be expected to fight something so far beyond his own strength.

    ¡°You will observe. Engrave everything you see in your heart. But if you get careless and find yourself in danger, I will not save you.¡±

    Liu Xing nodded. That was reasonable. He thought about making himself invisible, but after looking at Elder Xia Juetian, he decided to jump into the air and summoned his shield, hovering tens of meters above the ground. Although he was not on bad terms with the Xia clan now, he knew how dangerous Xia Juetian could be. Showing his invisibility technique to a potential future enemy did not seem wise.

    Peering down, Liu Xing saw the grand elder standing calmly, his back slightly hunched. The spirit beast, meanwhile, had begun laughing again, emitting a sound so joyful it was hard to believe it had been furious just moments ago.

    Liu Xing pointed his gun at the spirit beast just in case he needed to activate his invisibility. As he did this, the spirit beast looked up at him. Its eyes narrowed, and the eye in the palm of the hand peeking out from its chest fixated on him like a predator spotting its prey. But the spirit beast seemed to forget that Liu Xing was not the real threat. When it looked upward, Xia Juetian appeared right in front of it, his fist flying toward its face.

    As the spirit beast turned its head toward the suddenly appearing Elder Xia Juetian, the elder''s fist connected with its face. The impact sent the creature flying like a cannonball toward the massive bone pillar.

    Liu Xing thought that it would crash into the pillar and knock it down, but with a quick movement, the spirit beast twisted its body in the air. Its yellow snake feet coiled like a spring, and upon impact, it immediately shot back at Elder Xia Juetian. Its two yellow serpent arms suddenly stretched out and whipped at the elder, leaving deep gouges in the ground as they whipped.

    When the creature reached Elder Xia Juetian, he calmly parried each whip-like strike. The yellow snake arms and the human hands became a blur, moving faster and faster, until even Liu Xing could no longer follow their movements. All he could perceive was a rapid blur, much like when he used his Lightning Cloak technique, but the speed was beyond what his mind could fully grasp.

    Watching from above, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. These two were merely warming up, and yet their simple, straightforward movements already revealed the immense gap between them and himself.

    Determined to learn from their fight, Liu Xing decided to sit on his shield, observing every exchange below. While he could not fully comprehend the speed of their movements, he hoped he could elevate his own fighting style by studying them.

 83 ~ Xia Juetian (4)

    The battle below raged relentlessly. Elder Xia Juetian launched punch after punch and kick after kick. His attacks appeared almost elementary in form and telegraphed, yet the sheer speed and power behind them made them nearly impossible to evade. As a result, the spirit beast was repeatedly sent flying like a cannonball. However, despite being struck repeatedly, it shrugged off the elder''s attacks and continued its assault with ferocious tenacity.

    The spirit beast bounced off bone pillars, the ground, and even trees with ease, as if its snake feet were the world''s strongest springs. Its fighting style was brutally simple. Relentless and stubborn, like a bull ramming its horns against a wall, intent on creating a crack and eventually demolishing it entirely.

    In just thirty seconds, they exchanged thousands of attacks. Bone trees and pillars fell one by one, devastating the area as brown dust clouds began to fill the air. The sound of their fight resembled repeated, loud thunderclaps, occasionally punctuated by the crash of falling pillars and trees.

    Liu Xing''s eyes followed them as fast as he could. The spirit beast lunged at the grand elder, its laughter eerie, like a madman unleashed after a thousand years of imprisonment. It opened its mouth wide, as if attempting to chomp on the grand elder''s face.

    When the grand elder held his position a bit longer than usual, Liu Xing knew the fight was transitioning to a more serious phase. A golden aura shaped like a tiger''s head encased the elder''s right fist, and with a smooth motion, he unleashed a powerful punch directly into its stomach.

    Instantly, an explosion boomed as if hundreds of giant boulders had fallen from the sky. A powerful shockwave spread from the fist, causing the entire area around the two fighters to ripple as if the ground were water. The spirit beast folded in half, then launched horizontally like a jet taking off.

    "A Tiger Fist," Liu Xing muttered.

    It was similar to Xia Hongyi''s attack, yet Liu Xing knew comparing the two was like comparing clear, refreshing water to mud. The elegance of its simple motion captivated him, and he knew that if he were to receive such an attack, he would be blown to smithereens like a popping balloon.

    Liu Xing tracked the spirit beast with his eyes. As it flew horizontally a meter above the ground, it started spinning in the air. Then, it shot its two snake feet toward the ground, the heads of the snakes biting into the earth, creating a trail and successfully slowing its momentum.

    Several moments later, it stood nonchalantly with a smile still wide, even though there was a hole in its stomach. It didn''t even look hurt. The yellow eye nestled on the palm of the hand jutting from its clothes suddenly narrowed, and as if time were rewinding, the hole closed instantly.

    "D-disgusting," it cackled, then opened its mouth so wide that its upper head looked as if it would be ripped off. Two yellow snakes emerged from its mouth like parasites disturbed from slumber, adding two more snakes on its body. After that, the spirit beast jumped toward the grand elder with renewed vigor.

    The grand elder snorted, and then, with both hands now encased in an aura shaped like tiger heads, he punched the air repeatedly. Each punch created a ball of air encased in golden aura. In a fraction of a second, the grand elder shot several hundred punches, creating many golden auras that shot toward the spirit beast.

    The two snakes jutting from the spirit beast''s mouth began to glow green and opened their mouths. Shining silver swords emerged from the snakes'' mouths, and when the golden attacks came, they slashed and stabbed at them, destroying the attacks.

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    Liu Xing turned his head toward the elder. The elder''s black eyes now looked furious as he unleashed thousands of similar attacks. As Liu Xing looked downward, it appeared as if he were a fisherman atop a boat, watching thousands of golden fish pass swiftly below. He tried to sense the qi from each of the golden balls, and when he realized each attack contained more qi than he possessed, his eyes widened. Yet, when he turned his head toward the spirit beast, it spun its two snake hands, two snake feet, and two snakes jutting from its mouth so fast that it looked protected by a blurry dome.

    The sound of collision made the world and every bone tree around their fight tremble. Even in the air, Liu Xing could feel the chaotic wind created by the collision repeatedly hit his face and make his black hair sway.

    "Terrifying," Liu Xing muttered. He was confident he could destroy several of these golden balls, but with the intensity of the attack, he would soon be overwhelmed and die. The most terrifying thing was that he knew both combatants were still not unleashing their strongest attacks.

    Liu Xing focused his eyes on Elder Xia Juetian, wondering what he would do next. If he were the one unleashing all these golden balls and knew the enemy could handle them, he would try to devise a new strategy.

    The elder continued unleashing powerful punches into the air, but this time, Liu Xing noticed a slight difference. Before, each of the golden balls was as big as a bucket, but now, Liu Xing sensed the attacks becoming bigger and bigger, until they were as big as human torsos. Moreover, some of the golden balls also transformed into tiger heads with ferocious eyes, roaring as they traveled through the air.

    The spirit beast stopped cackling. Instead, its red face was now furious. It whipped its arms, feet, and the two snakes with blades jutting from its mouth even faster, but these bigger golden balls, as well as some of the golden tiger heads, proved stronger, faster, and tougher. Moreover, each golden ball exploded. While their explosions were not large, they successfully broke the rhythm of the spirit beast''s movements, slowly but surely pushing it back, some of the golden balls ecen hitting its body.

    The spirit beast began to screech. Its screech sounded ugly, like the sound of a chicken being choked to death. It retracted the snakes in its mouth, as well as its two snake hands and snake feet. Its body fell to the ground, and golden balls rushed toward it like a swarm of piranhas smelling blood.

    Seeing the spirit beast on the ground, Liu Xing''s heart beat faster. He knew this spirit beast was not suddenly surrendering. More likely, it would do something bigger to match Xia Juetian''s ferocity.

    As the foremost golden ball with a tiger''s face approached, the spirit beast suddenly opened its mouth wide and shot something long and yellow from it. The long, yellow projectile hit the golden ball, making it explode in the air. Then, another long yellow projectile shot from its mouth, again and again, until thousands of them filled the air, matching the golden barrage unleashed by Xia Juetian.

    As he watched from the air, Liu Xing realized that each of those long yellow projectiles was actually a snake. Some of the snakes held short swords in their mouths, and these kinds of snakes pierced several golden balls before their momentum faltered and they died.

    As Liu Xing glanced at the spirit beast, he saw that it was no longer on the ground. Instead, a pale hand peeking from its clothes now acted as a foot. It connected its palm to the ground, pushing the now armless and footless spirit beast upward. Its mouth was open wide, like a snake trying to swallow a baby cow, but instead of swallowing something, it spat yellow snakes like a machine gun.

    As Liu Xing held his breath, he could see that the golden balls and yellow snakes resemble two waves colliding and seemed intent on overwhelming the other.

    Xia Juetian looked angry, and the spirit beast narrowed its eyes, as if it truly hated Xia Juetian. The fight was now equal again, but Liu Xing was sure this condition would not last.

    "Enough!" Xia Juetian shouted. He suddenly stopped his relentless punches into the air. Instead, he held his stance, and his golden fist glowed so brightly that it shone like the morning sun.

    Then, with a shout, Xia Juetian unleashed a single punch that shook the world. From his golden fist, a giant tiger, almost the size of the inverted triangle, leaped forth. The golden tiger roared as it bulldozed through every little snake that tried to pierce it. Its fur glowed, its fangs were bigger than Liu Xing, and it opened its mouth so wide it looked as if it wanted to swallow a small mountain.

 84 ~ Xia Juetian (5)

    The spirit beast stopped shooting snakes from its mouth and cackled maniacally. When the giant golden tiger struck the spirit beast, a huge explosion erupted. A dome of yellow light, dozens of meters wide, suddenly bloomed. The ground surged like a wave, and the large bone pillars around toppled, making the world tremble and creating even more clouds of dust.

    Liu Xing''s heart raced. The qi emitted from the dome was so vast, he felt like a tiny fish that had lived its entire life in a pond suddenly encountering an ocean. His hands trembled, yet fire ignited in his gaze. He now had no doubt that Xia Juetian was a cultivator with seven cores, which meant he was on the verge of breaking through to the Sun Refining realm. The power of seven cores was tremendous, but while impressive, Liu Xing reminded himself that this wasn''t the pinnacle of power. There''s disciples in his sect possessed equal or even greater power, and he had no doubt he could reach this level as long as he got his gun.

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing wondered if the spirit beast was still alive. After all, that creature likely also had several cores.

    As if to answer his question, the yellow dome, now receding, suddenly split into two, then four, then eight. More lines divided the yellow dome, and it collapsed abruptly.

    At the center of the explosion, where the ground had collapsed several dozen meters below, the spirit beast chuckled. It was still the red-faced creature, but it now possessed two snake arms and two snake legs again, unclothed, revealing its torso to the world. The pale hand protruded from its chest as if a person were reaching out from inside its body.

    The two orange fruits that served as its ears split open, and yellow liquid gushed out like tiny waterfalls. Each drop of the liquid transformed into a snake, which grew rapidly until the area around the spirit beast swarmed with yellow snakes, each opening its mouth to reveal a blade.

    Xia Juetian narrowed his eyes. "You''re a mere spirit beast. Die!"

    As he shouted, he launched two punches. Each punch transformed into a giant golden tiger that lunged at its enemy. The spirit beast pointed its right snake-arm. The arm opened its mouth, revealing a dagger with a green handle. The dagger glowed green, and each of the yellow snakes suddenly opened its mouth and turned its face toward the two giant tigers. Then a green ball flew from the dagger, followed by more green balls shot out by each of the surrounding snakes.

    Compared to the two giant tigers, these orbs looked like raindrops attempting to repel enemies. They seemed weak, yet when the green orbs struck the two golden tigers, the tigers'' faces and forms melted like candles.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing tried to sense the qi emitted from the green orbs and felt a weird, slimy sensation. It was similar to the stable energy produced by his necklace, but it felt fouler, as if each orb was created from buckets of poison.

    Xia Juetian shouted and punched relentlessly, creating dozens of smaller tigers, but the green orbs blocked all of his attacks as if the tigers were made of sugar facing a wall of hot water.

    "Those attacks are useless. You need to fight at close range," Liu Xing muttered.

    He had no doubt that each of Elder Xia Juetian''s attacks was strong, but they were pointless if they didn''t connect. Still, he believed this elder possessed more experience than him and suspected there were still many tricks the elder had not revealed.

    After several moments of the same exchange, the frustrated Elder Xia Juetian finally shifted tactics. He adjusted his stance, lowering his hips and reducing the number of attacks he unleashed. A golden aura fully encased him, as if he had transformed into a bonfire, with a hint of a tiger floating within that golden aura. Seeing this, Liu Xing recognized it as the same technique Xia Yongzhi had used when he tried to kill him, yet Liu Xing knew this version was in a different league.

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    When Xia Juetian punched the air again, a giant golden tiger materialized, but unlike before, this tiger looked more real. The spirit beast cackled and shot green orbs toward the tiger, but unexpectedly, the giant tiger leaped into the sky, dodging all the attacks, and then descended like a meteor from above. The spirit beast and every snake it created tried to dissolve this giant tiger. The tiger¡¯s face began to lose its form, and Liu Xing suspected this stronger attack would also dissolve in seconds. But as Liu Xing saw Elder Xia Juetian begin to rush toward his enemy, he knew the attack was a distraction. The elder ran so fast he looked like a black and golden blur, yet even from afar, Liu Xing realized his footsteps were soft, like those of a tiger stalking its prey. When the giant orange tiger made entirely of energy was dissolving, Xia Juetian was now right behind the spirit beast.

    His right fist glowed with a golden aura, with orange stripes on it, as if this golden aura were a tiger compressed into a ball.

    The spirit beast turned its head like an owl, its neck twisting.

    "Die!" Xia Juetian shouted. His fist transformed into a golden and orange tiger head. Its eyes were yellow and shining, its fangs long and gleaming, and it roared, making the air tremble.

    Some of the snakes around the spirit beast lunged at the punch, but each yellow snake that did so was shredded into bits like paper through a grinder. Moments later, the punch landed directly on the spirit beast''s face, and its head exploded. Red, green, and yellow liquid splashed everywhere, chunks of meat and flesh flying in all directions, some staining Elder Xia Juetian''s black robe.

    "You filthy creature! How dare you kill my grandchildren?!" Xia Juetian pulled back his right fist and unleashed his left. While there was no tiger head on it, it still glowed golden, and he aimed for its chest as if he wanted to destroy every bit of this spirit beast.

    As he watched this, Liu Xing realized that the elder was genuinely furious about Xia Shizi and Xia Hongyi''s deaths. While his black eyes looked like pools of tar laced with madness, it seemed that deep down, he too was a normal grandpa who cared about his grandchildren.

    Liu Xing realized that this fight was almost over and wondered what Elder Xia Juetian would do next. Would he attack Wei Yi and his clan immediately, or would he take some time to prepare? If that happened, what would Liu Xing do? But before he could think much further, before the golden fist hit the spirit beast''s chest, the pale hand suddenly caught the old man''s wrist.

    Seeing his hand caught, Xia Juetian''s eyes widened, as did Liu Xing''s. It seemed this spirit beast was not truly dead!

    As the pale hand held the elder tightly, the surrounding snakes lunged at him with daggers in their mouths. Elder Xia Juetian''s expression turned furious. Veins popped on his forehead, as if he had been insulted by a beggar. The elder tried to pull his left hand from the pale hand''s clutch, but when it didn''t budge, his eyes widened slightly.

    Some of the snakes successfully stabbed the elder in the shoulder with their daggers. A second snake lunged at his chest, trying to pierce his heart, but Elder Xia Juetian crouched low, and the snake passed above him.

    He tried to pull his left hand again, but when the pale hand wouldn''t release it, Elder Xia Juetian''s right arm glowed golden again, and he unleashed a strong strike directly into the spirit beast''s side. This attack was enough to shatter the rest of the spirit beast''s body, and even the pale hand flew off from this attack.

    Free from the pale hand, Elder Xia Juetian jumped high into the sky and unleashed a barrage of punches that sent thousands of little golden balls, targeting each of the yellow snakes on the ground. Some of the snakes spit out green orbs to defend themselves, but the majority were hit by the golden balls and blown to smithereens.

    As the attack subsided, thousands of little craters dotted the ground, with bits and pieces of flesh strewn around. Liu Xing''s eyes scanned the area, searching for the pale hand. He suspected that the spirit beast was still alive, and that pale hand was key to its recovery. After searching for a moment, he finally spotted the pale hand. The hand was now attached to the back of a yellow snake. The snake was hiding behind a large upturned mound of earth and half-melting like a candle consumed by fire. From the remnants of this melting substance, a head emerged. Its face was pale, its eyes wide as if in perpetual shock, and it had a large mustache above its lips. Its ears were two red apples, and instead of a rope around its neck, it now wore a chain. After the head, the torso emerged, and then two blue snakes sprouted from its shoulders to become its arms, with two more snakes emerging to form its feet.

 85 ~ Xia Juetian (6)

    Seeing the reemergence of the spirit beast, Liu Xing narrowed his eyes. He realized that the real spirit beast was the pale hand with a yellow eye in its palm. To kill it, Elder Xia Juetian needed to target this pale hand. Otherwise, it would regenerate a new body. Turning his head, he saw Xia Jueatian land in the crater full of snake remnants. As his feet touched the ground, he sprang toward the newly formed spirit beast as if he knew about its regenerated body.

    Elder Xia soon appeared right above the newly regenerated spirit beast, his fist glowing golden as he tried to strike its new head. The spirit beast looked up. As the elder''s fist drew closer to its face, its snake arm opened its maw and a blue wall suddenly materialized between the spirit beast and Elder Xia Juetian.

    This blue wall looked almost transparent, as if it was made of compressed air and colored blue. For a moment, Liu Xing thought that the wall was fragile, but when the elder struck it with his fist and made a resounding sound, only cracks appeared around his fist.

    Its left snake arm opened its mouth, and another thin blue wall suddenly materialized near the elder then moved like a flying blade aiming at the elder''s neck. The Elder looked at it, turned his body, kicked the wall in front of him, and jumped into the sky, successfully dodging the flying blue wall. The two snake arms then danced, creating a rotating motion. Soon, the cracks in the wall in front of the spirit beast mended themselves, then it floated into the sky and rotated like a saw blade. The Spirit Beast smiled, its eyes showing a hint of arrogance, as if it knew it was going to win.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing''s heart raced so fast he felt it might explode at any moment. Even at a glance, this spirit beast was incredibly strong. Its ability to regenerate a new body after being destroyed made it hard to defeat, but after processing the information before him, Liu Xing knew this spirit beast was more dangerous than his initial assessment.

    It could change its fighting style.

    Most spirit beasts had abilities akin to bloodlines, and usually their fighting styles revolved around them. This spirit beast was the same at first. Its snake arms and legs had blades in their mouths, and each blade could shoot green orbs that seemed capable of corroding anything. But now it has an entirely different ability. The blue snakes could create some kind of wall and it could control how thick or thin the wall was, essentially creating walls for defense and blades for offense.

    The spirit beast relentlessly generated more walls, some rotating while others remained static Each time the elder unleashed golden orbs at the Spirit Beast, a new wall would rise to intercept them, cracking under the impact but remaining unbroken.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing assessed that the still-smirking spirit beast was actually winning. Its new fighting style was somewhat slow. The walls, while able to move freely in the air, didn''t move as fast as Elder Xia Juetian. But each wall could withstand the elder''s punches, and it created more walls every second, filling the entire devastated area with floating blue walls, making a maze that was hard for Elder Xia to traverse.

    This fighting style was eerily suitable for combating Elder Xia, who, while impressive, was actually just using his punches, either up close or from a distance. Elder Xia''s face grew increasingly angry, but Liu Xing could see several beads of sweat on his forehead.

    "Elder Xia Juetian must have another trick, right?" Liu Xing muttered. He worried about the worst-case scenario unfolding.

    As if Elder Xia had heard Liu Xing''s question, the elder moved from left to right, using the blue walls as stepping stones. This way of moving was similar to Liu Xing''s, and since there were so many walls, Elder Xia Juetian could move in three dimensions. Still, the sheer number of blue walls now approached almost a thousand. There weren''t many gaps between walls, and if this continued, Elder Xia would be trapped.

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    "Wait a minute."

    Liu Xing jumped high into the sky. Then, he summoned his shield right before gravity pulled him down and peeked below. Seeing the view below, Liu Xing licked his lips. Elder Xia Juetian wouldn''t be trapped later; he was already trapped. Seeing from this height, he could see that those almost thousand walls were slowly converging around Elder Xia Juetian, creating a prison that would ensure the elder couldn''t escape.

    Liu Xing could see a giant golden tiger manifested inside the blue prison. Some of the walls were actually destroyed, but not enough to make a difference. That tiger''s punch attack had looked so strong before, but now it felt like throwing a bucket of water onto a burning house.

    Liu Xing''s heart beat faster and faster. He worried about Elder Xia and was wary of the spirit beast. That spirit beast was supremely dangerous. It could adapt to its enemy, as if it had multiple abilities that could be used against certain opponents.

    He thought that these blue walls almost looked like a technique strengthened by a bloodline, which, if true, meant that the spirit beast might have taken this ability from another cultivator, suggesting it could steal bloodlines and use them.

    Liu Xing knew that anything that could become stronger by killing its enemies and stealing aspects from them was dangerous. Its power progression would be exponential. That spirit beast needed to die!

    Liu Xing aimed his gun at the spirit beast, willed himself to be invisible, and descended from the sky. As he fell, Liu Xing''s brain worked hard to come up with a solution. Of course, Liu Xing couldn''t win against it. He was too weak in cultivation. But Elder Xia wasn''t. He had enough power to kill it. All the elder needed was a chance.

    As the blue prison made of thousands of walls drew closer, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. He was invisible now, his presence thin, and he could move stealthily. But what could he do to give Elder Xia a chance?

    Liu Xing landed on one of the blue walls. As his feet touched it, he felt a kind of elasticity, as if the blue wall was made of some kind of jelly. Feeling this, he understood why it was so hard for Elder Xia to destroy it. These blue walls could probably absorb shock.

    Looking down, Liu Xing saw Elder Xia desperately moving around. His left hand was now only a stump with blood gushing out, but before Liu Xing could become more worried, Elder Xia flicked his hand. A yellow paper talisman appeared in his hand, and as he stuck the yellow talisman to his stump, his flesh began to regenerate, creating a new arm. As he regenerated, several pills appeared in his palm, and the elder ate all of them. They were probably pills to regenerate his qi as well as strengthen himself. It seemed the elder had many pills and talismans that could aid him.

    Liu Xing moved silently from wall to wall. Each time he used a wall as a stepping stone, he glanced at the still-smirking spirit beast. Its two blue snake arms danced in the air, but it didn''t seem to notice him.

    "All right," Liu Xing said while standing atop the wall. This prison almost looked like a sphere, and he was now right on top of it. Right below him, the elder unleashed several tiger punches to destroy some of the walls, giving him room to move and destroy some of the rotating saw-like walls. Curiously, all of these attacks were unleashed using his left hand, while his right hand glowed. It didn''t shine too brightly, but Liu Xing could feel the immense strength from his fist. It seemed the elder was trying to gather strength to destroy all of these walls, and possibly the spirit beast, in just one attack.

    Liu Xing activated his lightning blade. "Let''s see how strong these walls really are."

    Since the wall almost felt like jelly, he thought that perhaps while it could absorb impact, it might be weak against a blade. After all, the spirit beast had changed its fighting style to counter Elder Xia Juetian''s techniques, not him. Inhaling deeply, Liu Xing tried to pierce the wall where his foot rested with a little lightning dagger. When the tip of his lightning blade touched it, Liu Xing felt a small bit of resistance, but ultimately, his tiny blade successfully pierced through smoothly.

    Liu Xing glanced at the spirit beast. It was still smirking, its eyes focused on Elder Xia Juetian. It seemed unaware that one of its walls had been successfully stabbed.

    A ferocious grin spread across Liu Xing''s face as a simple plan formed in his mind.

 86 ~ Xia Juetian (7)

    Liu Xing sprang into action, jumping silently from wall to wall. When he saw gaps between the blue walls, he leaped through them, moving left and right, up and down between the slowly shifting barriers. For him, maneuvering in three dimensions wasn''t difficult, as he was used to it. The only challenge in navigating this maze of blue walls was finding a way to get closer to Elder Xia Juetian, but even that wasn''t too daunting a task. Several minutes later, Liu Xing arrived at the center of this prison. From the inside, the prison was actually beautiful. The blue walls above filtered the sunlight, creating a myriad of colors as if they were prisms.

    There weren''t many rotating walls attacking Elder Xia, only about thirty, but every time he destroyed one, the other walls would replace it.

    At first glance, it seemed the spirit beast was toying with the elder, but he knew better. The spirit beast was trying to wear down the elder. After all, while Elder Xia Juetian possessed vast qi, it wasn''t unlimited. Liu Xing suspected that this fight would last for hours. The spirit beast was attempting to chip away at the elder''s stamina, while Elder Xia Juetian tried to gather all his power to unleash one attack.

    Liu Xing took several slow steps, trying to be discreet and avoid being hit by the elder. After a few moments, he finally arrived right behind the elder and whispered, "Elder Xia Juetian, I think I can give you a chance to unleash your attack."

    Elder Xia''s eyes twitched slightly, and Liu Xing glanced at the spirit beast, trying to judge whether the elder''s expression had given him away. But there was no change. Its snake arms still danced in the air, and it was still smirking. Elder Xia Jeutian punched a rotating wall that tried to split him in two. The wall flew to the side, hitting other rotating walls. More blue walls moved toward the elder from the left and right, and another rotating wall came from above. Elder Xia chose to leap forward, and Liu Xing rolled backward. He then zigzagged away while observing Elder Xia Juetian, trying to read the elder''s movement pattern.

    Liu Xing was pretty sure the elder had heard him, and there was a fifty percent chance that he would cooperate. The elder didn''t reply because he understood that answering could alert the spirit beast to Liu Xing''s presence inside this prison of blue walls. There was also a chance that Elder Xia Juetian was simply ignoring him. After all, Liu Xing was a junior, and an elder might consider it beneath him to accept help from a younger person. But Liu Xing gave Elder Xia Juetian the benefit of the doubt, hoping that he would accept the assistance. After all, Elder Xia Juetian was losing.

    Liu Xing took a deep breath and tried to time his attack. His Lightning Cloak looked the same as before, but after consuming the Diamond Pills, this technique now consumed more qi in exchange for greater body enhancement. He didn''t know exactly how fast he was now, but he thought he could move at least twice as fast as before. As Liu Xing moved, he encased his feet with stable qi and his eyes tried to track all the movement around him. He only had one chance, and he intended to use it to end that spirit beast.

    Finally, after several moments of waiting, the time came.

    Everything aligned perfectly. Ignoring the blue walls, a line could be drawn from the spirit beast, through Liu Xing, to Elder Xia Juetian''s position. Liu Xing focused his gaze ahead. There were hundreds of blue walls in front of him, some rotating in the air, most just moving slowly.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply and shouted, "Now!"

    As he shouted, he kicked the ground as hard as he could, moving so fast that the air around him exploded. Yet, Liu Xing could still process everything around him. When he met the first wall, he slashed it. As expected, the wall split easily. He flew between these split walls, repeating the process again and again. Each blue wall in front of him was cut into several pieces.

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    While the walls weren''t completely destroyed, Liu Xing could now see a small tunnel behind him, connecting Elder Xia Juetian and the spirit beast.

    There was only one wall left in front of Liu Xing. As he sliced through it, the spirit beast screeched, its scream sounding terrible, like that of a wailing ghost. It stretched out its two snake arms as if it knew that Liu Xing was there, and seeing this attack, Liu Xing jumped into the sky.

    "Your problem is not me," Liu Xing shouted as he flew upward. Looking down, he saw Elder Xia Juetian move like a train. A cloud of dust trailed behind him, and he extended his glowing right arm.

    "Die!"

    When the fist struck the snake''s arms, they shattered like a cardboard house hit by a truck. The glowing fist was unstoppable, targeting the pale hand with a yellow eye in the spirit beast''s chest.

    Liu Xing''s heart was pounding in his chest, waiting for the fist to connect, when a cloud of dust suddenly rose around the elder and the spirit beast. Liu Xing summoned his shield and looked down, he heard no loud sound, neither the sound of the explosion nor the sound of the spirit beast being shredded, as if Elder Xia Juetian''s fist had missed.

    A cold fear began to fill his heart, and when the dust settled, what he saw made his blood run cold. Instead of the elder standing victorious and the spirit beast destroyed, he saw the opposite of what he wanted to see.

    The spirit beast, with its pale hand, bushy mustache, and apple ears, was standing, smirking. The elder, with his black eyes, looked shocked. His fist was mere centimeters from hitting the pale arm of the spirit beast, but it didn''t reach. He was stopped by another spirit beast. It looked like a giant worm with a human face, and on its back were hundreds of terrified faces, as if there were people trapped inside the worm AND pressing their faces to get out.

    This worm-like spirit beast emerged from the ground right where the elder was standing. Its mouth swallowed the elder from feet to chest, and then it closed its teeth. Elder Xia Juetian was cut in two. The lower part was inside its mouth, and from chest to head, he was balancing on the lips and teeth of the oversized worm. Blood dripped from the elder, painting the humanoid face of this worm red.

    A gust of wind pushed the remaining part of the elder to the side, and he fell to the ground, his eyes still filled with shock.

    "How dare you! How dare you!" the elder shouted, blood gurgling from his mouth. He tried to stretch his arms toward the worm, but the worm, with its blood-soaked face, smiled. Then, like a dolphin, it jumped into the air and descended head first onto the elder with its mouth wide open.

    Liu Xing was frozen in place as he watched the elder being swallowed by the worm. Now, there was a hole where the elder had lain, and next to this hole, the elder''s arms remained.

    "There are two of them," Liu Xing whispered.

    He had never considered this outcome. He thought the elder would kill this spirit beast, collect the remains as proof of Wei Yi''s sin, and then kill Wei Yi and destroy his clan. At that time, the elder would probably try to kill him too. After all, he knew about the clan''s secret, Xia Weiyuan. He had already been preparing for this eventual betrayal, but all of his preparations and expectations were thrown out the window because he never thought Elder Xia Juetian would die.

    The giant worm, as big as a cow, resurfaced again in front of the still-smirking spirit beast. They looked at each other as if communicating, then the blue walls suddenly vanished, as if they were sandcastles washed away by a wave.

    Liu Xing''s heart beat so fast it felt like a drum. His palms were sweaty, and he tried to hold his breath. Though invisible, his shield wasn''t, and if they looked up, they would see it.

    The worm then opened its mouth so wide it looked like a tunnel big enough for a child to crawl through. From its mouth rolled a ball of meat. The ball was pink, yellow, and red, resembling different meats crushed and packed into one. Beneath this ball of meat, dozens of little worms carried it, like ants trying to bring food to their queen.

    Soon after, the ball of meat was right in front of the spirit beast with snakes for arms and apples for ears.

    "D-disgusting," it said in a hoarse voice, as if it were a human who had chosen to stop talking for years and decided to speak again. Yet despite what it said, its two snake arms reached for the ball of meat. The snakes caressed it as if it were the most precious pearl in the world and brought it to the spirit beast''s mouth.

 87 ~ Meatball

    The smirking beast opened its mouth so wide that it looked like half of its head would tear off. As Liu Xing watched, his heart beat faster and faster, threatening to explode. The ball of meat, while disgusting, pulsed with qi. It felt like an entire ocean of qi compressed into a ball. Not only that, but this qi was familiar. It belonged to Elder Xia Juetian. There was no doubt the ball contained Elder Xia Juetian''s entire cultivation, and if Liu Xing''s suspicion was correct, it also held his Golden Tiger bloodline. If that spirit beast ate the ball of meat, its cultivation would soar. It would likely break through from the Core Splitting realm into the Sun Refining realm.

    "What do I do?" Liu Xing''s voice trembled.

    He felt tempted to jump and snatch the ball of meat. But to do so would be suicide. Yet, he needed to act. Otherwise, this spirit beast would become a threat he couldn''t contain.

    As the ball of meat drew closer to its mouth, Liu Xing¡¯s mind wrestled with doubt and dilemma. One part of him rationally argued for flight. He was too weak. Recklessness would mean death. But another part screamed that fleeing now would brand him a coward. Legendary status, even becoming a great inner disciple, would be impossible if he chose the easy path. Ultimately, Liu Xing knew he needed a compromise, a way to both prevent the spirit beast from eating the meatball and to survive. That was his true desire.

    As the meatball hovered right before its mouth, its white teeth wriggling like excited maggots anticipating a meal, Liu Xing remained uncertain, but he had to act.

    He stood atop his shield and aimed his gun. This time, he held the gun with both hands, afraid of missing. Then, he loaded it with bullets infused with Exploding Fist. While not drastically different from his usual exploding rounds, these were stronger after he had consumed one and a half Diamond Pills. Liu Xing understood these bullets couldn''t kill the two spirit beasts. But they might buy him time to devise a better solution.

    Just as the spirit beast moved to bite the ball of meat, Liu Xing repeatedly pulled the trigger. Six blue glowing bolts shot through the air. Simultaneously, both spirit beasts snapped their heads up. The worm burrowed into the ground, while the spirit beast with blue snake arms leaped to the side.

    Liu Xing decided to jump off the shield and free-fall to the ground, his mind racing for a solution. He obviously couldn''t kill them. The only way to win was to capture or destroy the meatball. As he thought about it, his fight with the moss flashed through his mind. In a way, the upcoming battle was similar. He had to prevent the spirit beast from eating the meatball. The difference was that he didn''t have to eat anything.

    A flash of thought gave him a crazy idea. What if he ate the meatball? Surely it would help him advance. But logic quickly crushed the idea. Eating a meatball that was saturated with a Core Splitting cultivator''s qi and probably contained his bloodline was undeniably dangerous. Death was a real possibility. There was also a moral dimension to consider. However, a more reasonable, though still desperate, idea sparked in his mind. He was weaker, but he had the means to become stronger instantly. Gritting his teeth, Liu Xing felt a pang of regret, but he immediately suppressed this feeling.

    He retrieved the three Diamond Pills from his spatial bag and swallowed them quickly. As the qi erupted within him, he felt as if he were a frog plunged into lava. The pain was excruciating, yet it sharpened his awareness of his surroundings. Landing softly on the ground behind a toppled white bone tree, he peeked at the spirit beast with snake arms. It still gazed upwards at his shield. He gambled on his invisibility and ran as fast yet as silently as possible toward the spirit beast. His bullets were detectable, his lightning blade would be too. That meant his only option was to get as close as possible and seize the meatball with his bare hand.

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    It was a reckless, terrifying plan, and yet, he couldn''t conceive of a more sophisticated alternative.

    As he neared the spirit beast, he could clearly see its pale body and torso, its four snakes as limbs, and even smell a sweet aroma from its apple ears. The pale hand jutting from its chest, with its yellow eye, scanned left and right, as if searching for him. Then, as if Liu Xing had crossed an invisible line, the yellow eye and the spirit beast both snapped their gaze directly at him, and he felt the ground tremble.

    Eyes wide, heart pounding, Liu Xing realized his cover was blown. He kicked off the ground with all his might and flew to the sky and a giant worm with a human face erupted from the earth with jaws gaping wide. As he soared to the sky, He focused his gaze on Elder Xia Juetian''s remains and activated his lightning blade and swung it as hard as he could.

    A blue wall sprang up in front of his whipping blade, but the wall split, and his lightning blade hurtled toward the meatball. For a heartbeat, he thought he might succeed. While this spirit beast was immensely powerful, its techniques seemed tailored for Elder Xia Juetian, not Liu Xing. He thought he had a chance, but one of the blue snakes lashed out, its maw snapping shut on his blade, destroying it as easily as scissors cutting silk.

    The spirit beast smirked, and then it dropped the meatball into its mouth.

    Liu Xing loaded his gun with Exploding Fist bullets and fired rapidly at the spirit beast. But the blue snake opened its maw wide, moved with blurring speed, and swallowed his six bullets whole. Its stomach bulged briefly, as if an explosion rippled within, but it remained unharmed.

    Liu Xing shouted and fired again, desperately trying to stop the spirit beast from consuming Elder Xia Juetian''s meatball. But each bullet was swallowed by that snake, and even one that slipped past was snatched by the pale hand.

    As gravity dragged him down, Liu Xing summoned his shield, and just as his feet touched it, the ball of meat vanished into the spirit beast''s mouth. Then, it swallowed hard. The ball of meat slid from its mouth down its throat and into its belly.

    The spirit beast began to laugh. This wasn''t the cackling of a madman. It was more like a bully suppressing laughter after humiliating someone weaker.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing gritted his teeth. He had failed. Not only had he failed to prevent the spirit beast from consuming Elder Xia Juetian''s remains, but he had also wasted the Diamond Pills. While they weren¡¯t entirely useless, his chances of becoming an inner disciple had diminished.

    Suddenly, a golden aura erupted from the spirit beast''s belly. It pulsed with Elder Xia Juetian¡¯s qi, growing stronger by the second. The golden aura enveloped the spirit beast, and Liu Xing felt its qi surge like a lake overflowing a broken dam. Liu Xing couldn''t tell if the spirit beast was undergoing a breakthrough or evolving, but one thing was clear. it had become even stronger.

    As he watched, his heart hammering and dread constricting his chest, and the giant worm spirit beast erupted from the ground and launched itself like a rocket directly at him. Its pink body moved so fast it blurred. Seeing this, Liu Xing kicked his shield with all his force, launching himself higher into the sky. He continued to watch the spirit beast now engulfed in golden light. The aura shone so brightly it seemed a second sun had suddenly appeared below. And then, this brilliant aura fractured into seven smaller, golden lights.

    As Liu Xing¡¯s head brushed a white cloud, he could see these seven glowing auras receding, and what he witnessed made his blood run cold. Liu Xing summoned his shield, stood upon it, and strained to see below, like someone peering down from a skyscraper.

    "There''s no way," he whispered.

 88 ~ Tiger Punch (1)

    Even from a distance, Liu Xing was sure his eyes were not deceiving him. Now, instead of one spirit beast with snake limbs, there were eight. Each possessed a different face and complexion. One had red skin, another black, another green, another blue, and the others displayed equally unnatural skin colors. Their ears also differed, each resembling a different kind of fruit. Apple, avocado, banana, orange, and other strange fruits were represented. Honestly, their appearance looked ridiculous, but as some cackled madly, others laughed silently, and others smirked, he could feel the boundless qi emanating from each of them. They still felt as if they were in the Core Splitting realm, but each was stronger than Elder Xia Juetian had been.

    Then, as if trying to induce a heart attack, the pink worm also shone with a golden aura and split itself into eight different worms, each with different faces. Liu Xing''s heart nearly stopped. This was bad, truly bad. Two of them would have been enough to kill everyone in Second Gray Cloud City, and now there were sixteen! He had a gut feeling that these spirit beasts would begin wreaking havoc across the Twelve Sun Empire, killing people and stealing bloodlines. But the most terrifying thought was that each spirit beast, after consuming a sufficiently strong cultivator, could split itself. This realization meant there was a high chance the Twelve Sun Empire would be annihilated in a short time.

    "This is not my fault," Liu Xing muttered, his heart beating rapidly. His mind was screaming that the spirit beast had split into eight because he was too slow to destroy the meatball, but he tried to stop this thought. His heart had to sincerely believe that it was not his fault. That way, he would not be burdened by the irrational guilt that was spreading through him.

    "I need to report this!" Reporting them to the Purple Moon Sect seemed the best course of action.

    The direct method would require him to return to the sect and bring back inner disciples¡ªor even an elder¡ªto deal with them. The indirect method involved Liu Xing running straight toward the capital of the Twelve Sun Empire, warning the royal family about these spirit beasts, and assembling a team to subdue them while also reporting to the Purple Moon Sect.

    The second method seemed better and he nodded and was about to do just that when he suddenly felt a strong qi emanating from behind him. The qi prickled his skin, and its intensity felt as if he had suddenly been submerged in a lake of qi. Turning his head, he came face to face with one of the newly born spirit beasts. This spirit beast stood on the back of a floating golden tiger. It possessed golden snakes for arms and legs, skin as pitch black as if submerged in ink, wriggling yellow teeth, a nose as big as Liu Xing''s fist, and ears made of two green coconuts. The arm jutting from its chest was also pitch black. It smiled widely at him, as if it were a greed-filled emperor discovering fertile land occupied by a simple and traditional tribe, ripe for conquest.

    Liu Xing remained invisible, but it seemed this spirit beast either possessed an incredibly keen sense that could detect his faint presence, or it had deduced his position from his shield. Either way, Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that he was in deep trouble.

    As his heart pounded so fiercely he felt his chest might burst, his muscles, still transforming, coiled to leap at any moment. He noticed the other spirit beasts begin to move. Initially, he thought they were coming for him, but he soon realized they were splitting up and moving in pairs in every direction. As he felt their qi receding, he experienced relief, followed by a sudden realization that they would kill many people, and then irrational guilt for letting them escape.

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    Still, his eyes remained laser-focused on the spirit beast floating atop the golden tiger''s back in front of him. He tried to clear his mind, purging every useless thought, and focused solely on one thing. Survival.

    The spirit beast began chuckling, covering its laugh with a golden snake as if using a fan to conceal a maiden''s smile. Yet, this chuckling, though soft, emanated from a spirit beast that would undoubtedly kill him.

    He needed to run, but he also sensed that any movement would result in instant death. For a moment, he and the spirit beast faced each other. The wind intensified each second, making his black hair flutter and his back feel as cold as if caressed by a winter breeze.

    After a moment, the spirit beast stopped chuckling, then smiled widely, revealing its wiggling teeth and black tongue. Then, a golden snake emerged from its mouth, its body slimy and coated in a disgusting yellow liquid. It opened its mouth, and a ball surrounded by golden qi formed before it.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing knew he had to act. He activated his lightning blade and slashed. His slash was lightning fast, fueled by the Diamond Pills still coursing through his body, as well as the adrenaline surging within him. It reached just below the snake''s mouth. He didn''t dare hope to split its head, but he at least thought his attack might shut its mouth and make the golden ball explode. Instead, when his lightning blade touched its lower jaw, his blue blade shattered as if made of glass.

    Liu Xing''s eyes widened as the snake launched its golden ball toward him. Reflexively, Liu Xing jumped backward with all his might. The wind rushed around him, and as the golden ball approached his face, he dismissed his shield and resummoned it directly in front of him. The shield arrived just in time. The golden ball slammed into his shield, and a golden explosion erupted, accompanied by a deafening tiger roar. His shield slammed into his face with such force that it sent Liu Xing plummeting from the sky like a meteor. In a fraction of a second, his back slammed into the ground. The earth around him surged, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and he bounced several times before finally stopping.

    He felt his body tremble, his nerves in shock. But he couldn''t afford to dally. He stood back up, reactivated his Lightning Cloak, scanned his surroundings, and kicked the ground so hard his kick spider-webbed cracks across the earth.

    The forest of white bones blurred into streaks. He embraced the blurriness. It signified he was moving as fast as possible, and hopefully, his speed would be enough to outrun the spirit beast. He zigzagged left and right, trying to make his path difficult to follow, while his brain struggled to process what had just happened. The golden ball launched by the golden snakes and the orange tiger made of golden aura resembled Elder Xia Juetian''s technique. This was concrete proof that this spirit beast truly did steal bloodlines and could utilize them.

    As he considered this, a roaring tiger sound echoed. He stopped running and looked up. A giant golden tiger formed entirely of qi leaped down toward him. It possessed ferocious eyes, and it opened its mouth, baring its fangs. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s eyes widened as if they might pop from their sockets. He began to run straight ahead. His heart pounded furiously, his brain screaming at his body to move faster.

    From an outside perspective, the giant golden tiger that appeared was so huge that it made Liu Xing look as small as a flea. As it crashed to the ground, a deafening explosion erupted, as if the earth had split open. Liu Xing glanced back and saw a wall of earth, adorned with white bone trees, extending dozens of meters into the sky and surging toward him like a tsunami. And even before he can process that, a powerful shockwave suddenly slammed into his back, flinging him like a ragdoll tossed by an angry child. Liu Xing bounced like a ball, colliding with rocks, bones, and even anemone-like structures made of veins. He tried to regain his balance, only for the spirit beast with pitch-black skin and golden snake limbs to materialize dozens of meters away in front of him.

    It laughed slowly, its mouth curving into a crescent moon, and it adopted a stance to unleash a simple punch with its golden snake arm.

 89 ~ Tiger Punch (2)

    Seeing that stance, Liu Xing''s heart stopped for a moment and his face turned pale. He desperately called out his shield, but before he could activate it, he found himself face to face with the spirit beast. As it smiled broadly, it unleashed a swift blow at his face with its snake limb. He gritted his teeth and channeled stable qi into his face, causing spiraling yellow lines to decorate his face. When the snake arm struck his cheek, it felt as if the world went dark. Sound ceased to exist, and he felt submerged in the depths of a lake at midnight.

    He tried to open his eyes, and when he did, the sound of rushing wind filled his ears. He checked his surroundings and realized he was high in the sky. Looking down, he saw clouds far below and the ground so distant it resembled a rocket''s view of space. As gravity took hold, he experienced a moment of weightlessness, during which he noticed a tiger-face-shaped mark on the ground. He recognized it as the imprint of the spirit beast''s attack. Soon, intense pain radiated from his face. He touched his right cheek and suspected his cheekbone was shattered. Moving his mouth proved difficult, but fortunately, his left eye was unharmed. His skin remained flushed, the Diamond Pills still transforming his body, and the wound on his right cheek seemed to mend slowly.

    The attack had been immensely powerful. He suspected that if he hadn''t consumed the remaining Diamond Pills and reinforced his face with stable qi, his head would have exploded like a watermelon struck by a hammer. Fortunately, it seemed the spirit beast was toying with him. Had it used the Tiger Punch instead, no amount of stable qi on his face would have saved him. He summoned his shield and kicked it, propelling himself higher. Suddenly, a glowing ball shone on the ground. It appeared tiny from his altitude, but he knew it was gigantic up close. Adrenaline surged through his body, and his brain screamed a warning.

    The roar of a tiger echoed, reverberating in all directions and causing the very air around him to tremble. The giant golden ball abruptly transformed into a colossal golden tiger, which leaped toward him in the sky. Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened. He kicked the shield repeatedly, trying to accelerate and escape the golden tiger. But as he moved, the golden tiger took another leap into the air, using the air itself as a foothold. On its forehead, he could see the ink-black spirit beast laughing maniacally, its stance wide, and its two snake arms began to punch the air repeatedly, launching golden orbs at him. Each orb was shaped like a tiger¡¯s head with an open mouth, and sensing their qi, he knew even a graze would be fatal.

    With his heart pounding, he rotated his body so his head pointed down, summoned his shield, kicked it, and plummeted like a meteor. The open sky was a disadvantage; there was nowhere to hide.

    Liu Xing spread his body, attempting to glide and find a clear, untouched clearing to land. Suddenly, he spotted a pink worm with the face of an old woman and sharp, glass-like fangs erupting from the ground and, shooting directly at him like a guided missile. It moved so fast that in a fraction of a second, it was upon him. Its mouth opened wide, like a fish leaping for a fly.

    Seeing this, he gritted his teeth, summoned his shield, and kicked it, dodging to the side. The pink worm zipped past him, narrowly missing him like a runaway truck.

    Liu Xing rotated his body, aimed his gun, and fired repeatedly at the worm¡¯s back with exploding bullets. Six bullets struck the worm, and six explosions blossomed and merged into one larger blast. Even though it was powerful, he doubted it had caused significant damage. Abruptly, the worm curled into a ball, and coincidentally or not, a golden orb shaped like a tiger¡¯s head struck it. The worm plummeted like a meteor, falling even faster than him, before diving back into the ground.

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    As the ground rushed closer, only a few dozen meters away, he rotated and landed successfully, rolling upon impact. Shortly after, he stopped and looked up to see the golden tiger descending headfirst, accompanied by thousands of golden orbs. The ink-black spirit beast cackled as it fell from the sky.

    Despair filled Liu Xing¡¯s heart. But he kicked off the ground and moved as fast as possible between the remaining white bone trees.

    "Is there anything I can do?" he shouted. "Come on, think! Think!"

    As he shouted, the golden tiger slammed into the ground. Turning his head, he saw the earth heave upwards, creating a black tsunami attempting to engulf everything. Suddenly, a pink worm, dozens of meters long, emerged from the ground in front of him. It moved above ground like a train, its mouth gaping wide. With a worm about to devour him from the front and a tsunami of earth closing in from behind, an idea flashed into his mind. He had little time to contemplate, so he acted instinctively.

    Instead of summoning his shield, he summoned the woman statue. As the statue materialized before him, Liu Xing kicked it directly into the worm¡¯s open mouth, sending it hurtling forward while propelling himself backward.

    As the world blurred, he held his breath and tried to diminish his presence further. He was soon engulfed by the earth tsunami. Before being completely consumed, he saw the worm¡¯s jaws clamp around his statue, and then darkness closed in.

    He didn¡¯t attempt to escape the earth tsunami; instead, he allowed his body to roll and spin, carried by the shifting earth. Several times he felt his face strike something hard, and he felt his arms, feet, and body being crushed by immense pressure. But he endured until everything gradually stilled. He had no idea how deep underground he was. Pitch blackness surrounded him, and he dared not move.

    He waited, feeling the earth embrace his body as if he was a buried corpse. With no difference between open or closed eyes, he shut them and focused on minimizing his qi, breath, heartbeat¡ªeverything. He felt grateful for the years of practice hiding from bullies in the sect. His body felt no pain, a sign of the Diamond Pills¡¯ successful transformation. However, he remained inferior to the two spirit beasts and had no intention of fighting them.

    As he minimized his presence, he reasoned that the worm must have a way of detecting enemies, likely through ground and vibrations. By using his statue as bait, he hoped the worm would believe it had killed him, inform the snake-armed spirit beast, and depart. Despite their apparent intelligence, he hoped they weren''t too clever.

    He waited for what felt like an eternity. Each second stretched, especially when he felt vibrations against his skin, fearing the worm¡¯s reappearance to devour him and turn him into another meatball for the snake-armed spirit beast. Luckily, the vibrations subsided, bringing a sliver of relief, but he remained underground.

    From this underground hideout, Liu Xing waited as long as he could bear. Finally, convinced that hours had passed, he decided to move. He struggled and tried to orient himself. But once he knew which way was up, he used his lightning blade to cut through the earth.

    Moments later, he emerged from the ground, inhaling deeply. He surveyed his surroundings. The sky was dark, with only the moon above. Around him, nothing remained¡ªno trees, no boulders, no greenery. However, he noticed a crater dozens of meters away. He suspected that viewed from above, it would resemble the shape of a tiger''s face.

 90 ~ Xia Weiyuan (1)

    Liu Xing lay on the cool ground and sighed. The area around him appeared barren¡ªno white trees, no greenery, no plants. Yet, he knew this place had once been a white bone forest, the ground now turned inside out.

    "I almost died," Liu Xing muttered.

    His breath and heartbeat gradually stabilized. While fear still lingered, relief washed over him. His plan to use the statue of a woman had apparently succeeded. He wanted to lie down and sleep, to regain his strength and qi. Yet, time was a luxury he did not possess. Threats capable of annihilating the Twelve Sun Empire remained, and he needed to report this to the emperor and his sect.

    Still invisible, Liu Xing got up and began to run. He did not dare use his shield, afraid the spirit beasts might still be nearby.

    As he ran, he considered the Xia clan. For a moment, he thought about visiting them to deliver news of their elder¡¯s death, but he decided against it. While they deserved to know about Xia Juetian¡¯s demise, a visit would be time-consuming.  They would learn of their elder''s death eventually. Hopefully, they would not be too upset, though he doubted that outcome.

    An elder¡¯s death was always significant.

    ***

    The Xia clan compound was located far from Second Gray Cloud City. Green peaks encircled it, their main compound nestled on the widest summit. The buildings looked old and dignified, as if the clan had stood for a thousand years. And indeed, it had, though comparing the current Xia clan to its once-mighty state was like comparing a tiger to a rabbit.

    On one of the peaks, a girl in a purple robe walked to the edge of a cliff. Silky black hair framed her face, and piercing blue eyes seemed to see through every deception, and she wielded a thin black sword in her right hand. As she moved, the green grass and colorful flowers around her began to freeze.

    Yan Yu looked down at the Xia clan compound. Servants bustled about, tidying the garden, cleaning roofs and floors, and sweeping stairs leading to the main gate as if their lives depended on it. She stepped off the cliff and began to fall. The peak was quite high, with white clouds drifting below. Controlling the air and water vapor, she glided through the air, descending directly into the main compound.

    As she fell, she calmed her heart and readied her blade. The race had come at an opportune time. As a regressor, she possessed considerable knowledge of the future, and she intended to use it to her advantage.

    She remembered this event from her sisters'' stories. At this time in the past, she had already been scouted by her master and was still striving to gather qi to take her first step as a cultivator, and she remembered stories of nations and sects being destroyed by the conflicts this race had ignited. She vividly remembered her sisters'' stories about a demonic cultivator who had risen to power and was controlling a terrifying spirit beast with a thousand arms and a thousand faces, possessed a thousand bloodlines, as well as a thousand techniques.

    As her feet touched the ground, all the servants eyed her before rushing inside. Their reaction was understandable. Even though her face remained calm, anyone could discern the intensity in her eyes, the shadow darkening half her face, and the hostile aura she projected toward the Xia clan. Yan Yu gripped her black blade so tightly it felt as if a normal sword would have frozen and shattered.

    Several dozen guards quickly surrounded her. They were weak. While some had reached the sixth stage of the Lock Opening realm, their foundations and cultivation were pitiful. Even if they cultivated for a thousand years, they would never reach the Sun Refining realm.

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    She expected them to attack. After all, she had barged into their clan uninvited. But as they observed her, some eyes flickered with respect and fear, as if they recognized her as a disciple from a great sect. This was surprising, considering that while the Purple Moon Sect and this compound were not geographically distant, the proper path between them was long and winding, threading through hostile mountains and dangerous forests.

    She stood aloof in the center of the circling guards. She eyed each of them, contemplating how easily she could slaughter them all. Then, a man rushed from the clan, parting the guards, and stood across from her.

    "A Purple Moon Sect disciple," he said, eyeing her with suspicion but not outright hostility. "Are you a friend of Liu Xing?"

    Hearing that name, Yan Yu¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly. So Liu Xing had already arrived? The man was fast, but what was his connection to the Xia clan?

    She chose not to answer. Instead, she inquired about the person she intended to kill. "Where is Xia Weiyuan?"

    After her question, the man in front of her frowned. His eyes sharpened, veins bulged on his temple, and his nostrils flared. "To think I almost believed the Purple Moon Sect was respectable. I was wrong! No, I was right from the start! You people from the great sects are always despicable, and that bastard Liu Xing is too cunning! He knows Xia Weiyuan¡¯s worth, and now the great sect comes knocking at my door!"

    Inwardly, Yan Yu felt surprised. She wondered what Liu Xing knew about Xia Weiyuan. But ultimately, it held no importance. She had a single purpose in coming here, and she would fulfill it.

    She noticed movement at the back of the crowd and located her target. The child wore yellow clothes and hid behind a guard, appearing as shy as could be. His complexion was pale and weary, bruises marked his face. Seeing him, Yan Yu could not suppress her killing intent. The air around her plummeted in temperature, and the ground beneath her feet began to freeze.

    Yan Yu¡¯s eyes remained fixed on Xia Weiyuan, who trembled like a newborn deer. She compared him to the Xia Weiyuan she remembered. That man had been tall and muscular, with proud eyes and an arrogant demeanor, always ensuring the world knew of his supposed superiority. One of her sisters had been raped and murdered by him, and another had died as he sat on her chest and beat her face relentlessly. These memories made her blood boil. This boy was the younger version of the man who had allied himself with her former scum fiancee, making him one of the people she hated most. This boy looked innocent now, but she knew the terrible acts he would commit later. Moreover, his bloodline was potent, capable of piercing truth and predicting the future. Killing him was a certain way to cripple the Heavenly Thunder Sect¡¯s future alliance.

    "Xia Weiyuan, I have come to take your life," she declared coldly.

    "You¡¯re courting death!" shouted the man across from her. As he shouted, Yan Yu suddenly recalled an old man with white hair and deeply wrinkled skin. He had been pitiful and disgusting, always justifying Xia Weiyuan¡¯s actions. He had praised him for raping women and encouraged him when he annihilated other clans. He was the one who had taught him the deadly techniques he used to assert his dominance.

    That old man¡¯s face overlapped with the youthful and weak cultivator before her, and Yan Yu realized this was Xia Yongzhi, the man responsible for raising Xia Weiyuan into the vile man hated by enemies and allies alike¡ªexcept for those cut from the same cloth.

    "Xia Yongzhi, prepare to die," she stated calmly.

    "Guards, attack!" he shouted.

    All the guards, some wielding spears, some flashing talismans, and others barehanded, lunged at her. Seeing this, she flicked her thin black sword. Instantly, dozens of ice flowers materialized around her. Each flower transformed into an elegant ice arrow, complete with intricate engravings. She seized control of these arrows, infused them with more qi, and willed them to attack.

    The arrows shot through the air instantly. Each arrow aimed for an enemy¡¯s forehead. Some guards widened their eyes, attempting to dodge or deflect the projectiles, but her arrows were too fast and too strong. Spears meant to deflect them shattered, and the arrows lodged themselves in heads. Moments before, dozens of guards had encircled her. Now, they all lay on the ground, pools of blood gushing from head wounds. Each of the dead men had wide eyes, as if in disbelief at their sudden demise.

    Only Xia Yongzhi remained standing, because she had not yet attacked him. Xia Yongzhi did not deserve the mercy of a swift death like his guards. No, he would writhe in pain before he died.

 91 ~ Xia Weiyuan (2)

    Xia Yongzhi''s face turned red as he stared at her with intense hatred. Despite a hint of fear flickering in his eyes, he did not back down. A golden aura circled him, and faint tiger roars echoed around him. Compared to the ferocious tiger Xia Weiyuan would later conjure, Xia Yongzhi''s display was mere child''s play. Yan Yu had not expected anything better. After all, while they were in the same realm and stage, she was superior to him.

    "Die!" he shouted, leaping toward her with his fist aimed at her face. Seeing this telegraphed move, Yan Yu simply sidestepped. His punch missed, and she noticed Xia Weiyuan, wide-eyed, running into the clan compound. He was likely trying to hide or perhaps use some treasure to protect himself. Though still a child, his nature would remain unchanged.

    "I won''t let you harm my remaining child!" Xia Yongzhi yelled, attempting another golden punch from behind.

    Yan Yu stared coldly at the incoming attack before swinging her blade elegantly. Her thin black sword slashed across his wrist, causing blood to surge from the wound and slightly altering the punch''s direction, so it struck only air. She then rotated her arm. From above, she moved like the hand of a clock, her thin black sword resembling the hour hand. It slashed easily across Xia Yongzhi''s waist, creating a long but thin wound. She sent her qi through the blade into his body, and the wound instantly froze and several ice flowers bloomed around it.

    Xia Yongzhi aimed a kick at her side, but Yan Yu merely watched, knowing the kick would not reach her. Just before his foot came within centimeters of her cheek, he suddenly stopped. Ice coated his waist and spread toward his feet, and his eyes widened in shock.

    Ice Flowers was one of her Earth Grade techniques. These ice flowers would spread cold qi throughout the target''s body. They would freeze the blood, then the flesh, then the bones. A mortal would die instantly the moment her flowers bloomed, but Xia Yongzhi would eventually break free from the ice surrounding his body, but that would not free him from her poisonous cold qi. No, it would only make his death worse. First, the ice would disrupt his nerves, making him feel both cold and hot at the same time. Later, it would feel like his entire body was boiling from the inside, while he was experiencing intense cold on the outside. Many people could counter this technique, but Xia Yongzhi, that weakling, could not.

    As she watched the ice spread across his entire body, Yan Yu knew he was already a dead man. She turned and walked toward the clan compound.

    Several Xia clan members attempted to ambush her as she stepped into the compound. They were mostly male, with perhaps one or two females. Each possessed a golden aura, though not as intense as Xia Yongzhi''s, and they attacked her simultaneously.

    "Trash," she said calmly. She swung her thin black blade, creating a barrage of ice needles that rained down around her. All of the Xia clan members died without successfully touching a single hair on her head.

    From there, she killed every single person she encountered. Xia clan members, servants, guards¡ªshe spared no one. This clan would become a thorn in her side in the future, and she would not allow a single member to survive. She knew too well the tragedy that could result from misplaced mercy, and she would not make such a naive mistake.

    Each step she took left blood staining the walls, floors, vases, and paper doors. She took a detour to ensure all people within the clan died. Some had likely already fled the compound, and she would hunt them down later. But for now, it was time to eliminate her main target.

    A pair of wide double doors stood before her, adorned with golden tiger heads. She could sense numerous treasures in the room beyond, and while confident in her abilities, she knew she needed to remain cautious. She swung her thin sword several times, creating a hole in the door, and stepped inside. The room was filled with treasure. On one wall gleamed swords, axes, spears, and many other types of weapons. Each of these treasures was somewhat strong, but not exceptionally valuable. On the other side stood a shelf filled with scrolls and books, likely containing the Xia clan''s unique techniques. Some might want to examine these techniques, but Yan Yu would ensure no one ever learned them again.

    She glanced around the room, noting the many spirit stones, valuable gems, pills, and several talismans. Later, she would pocket some of this wealth, but for now, her target waited. She walked to a corner of the room where two paintings hung on the wall. The first depicted an old man preparing to unleash a punch against a storm, while the other showed a woman meditating beneath a waterfall. There must have been a reason these two paintings were in the treasure room, but she didn''t care.

    She looked up, and as she did, a child fell toward her from above. He held a long, golden ornate spear, its blade pointed directly at her scalp. Xia Weiyuan''s face was red and furious, snot running from his nose, and he looked as if he were about to cry.

    Yan Yu knew this spear. It was the weapon that Xia Weiyuan would use when he grew up. It was one of the most valuable treasures in the room and could cause hallucinations if she wasn''t careful. She took two steps to the side. The spear stabbed into the floor while Xia Weiyuan hung from it. As it pierced the floor, his eyes widened, as if he could not comprehend how she had managed to dodge. But before he could think further, she unleashed a palm strike directly at his chest.

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    Xia Weiyuan flew through the air and landed painfully headfirst. He screamed and began to scramble while clutching his bleeding head.

    Yan Yu moved, suddenly appearing right in front of him. His eyes widened, fear etched across his face. She decided to kick him in the stomach, and Xia Weiyuan flew through the air again, spitting blood before his back slammed against a wall of weapons. The weapons tumbled down around him, and he grabbed a simple short sword and tried to stand. But he spat another mouthful of blood and buckled, unable to rise.

    "D-don''t come! I''ll kill you!" he shouted, his face flushed.

    Yan Yu ignored his threats. She walked until she stood directly in front of him, looking down at her future enemy.

    "T-this isn''t supposed to happen. This isn''t meant to be! Xia Hongyi shouldn''t die, and neither should I. I think the world is wrong. It''s broken!" he shouted frantically.

    Hearing this, Yan Yu wondered if his bloodline had already awakened. The terrifying aspect of Xia Weiyuan''s bloodline was its ability to discern fate. It was a frightening power that made ambushes and plans to kill him extremely difficult to execute.

    He rambled about how Liu Xing was not supposed to be there, and as a result, Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi had died. He claimed Liu Xing had indirectly killed them, which was not supposed to happen. He rambled like a madman. Qi began leaking from his body, causing his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth to bleed. Some of it was likely due to her kick, but most was probably due to his bloodline attempting to make sense of the situation. After all, Yan Yu was an anomaly for his bloodline''s perception.

    "Xia Weiyuan, you deserve a horrible death," she said calmly.

    Xia Weiyuan stood up. Then he ran at her and swung his short sword. As the blade came within centimeters of her, she swung her own sword, severing the right hand that held the weapon.

    Xia Weiyuan''s eyes widened, blood gushing from his right stump, and he began to shout and cry hysterically. Yan Yu swung her sword several more times, severing his other arm and both of his legs. Now he lay on the floor, limbless. His face was covered in tears and snot, blood pooling beneath his body as he cried and begged her not to kill him.

    Yan Yu stood motionless, then extended her left hand toward him. Ten ice arrows floated around her, each with a blunt tip. She willed one of the arrows toward its intended target, and it flew through the air and lodged itself right in the center of his abdomen.

    He screamed as she willed the cold qi from her arrow to spread, making his stomach feel both cold and hot simultaneously.

    She directed another arrow to pierce his stomach, then his chest and both lungs. When nine of her arrows had lodged in Xia Weiyuan, he looked like a pincushion. Only one arrow remained, and she willed it to pierce his throat. When it landed, Xia Weiyuan made pitiful gurgling noises. He struggled for several moments before finally falling silent. His eyes remained wide open, his face frozen in terror, and he died in agonizing pain.

    Despite her victory, Yan Yu was not satisfied with her enemy''s death. He should have died a more painful death, considering what he had done. Still, she took comfort in knowing that one of her most despised enemies was finally gone.

    Yan Yu turned her attention to plundering the Xia clan''s wealth. She gathered thousands of spirit stones, pills that enhanced cultivation, and various talismans for offense and defense. She even found rare talismans capable of regenerating limbs.

    After taking everything of value, Yan Yu destroyed all the Xia clan''s techniques and set fire to their compound. She then hunted down every servant, gardener, and fleeing clan member, including mothers with their children of Xia clan. The clan''s decision to live on isolated peaks, separate from the "worthless" mortals, made it easy for Yan Yu to track them down. They could only hide among rocks, trees, and in holes, unable to blend into a crowd.

    When it was over, Yan Yu descended the stairs slowly. Her purple robes were stained with blood, some of it even splattered on her pale face. She decided to find a river to wash herself. Though her robes could clean themselves and she knew techniques to cleanse her body, she felt the need to wash manually.

    As she walked, Yan Yu pondered her next move.

    "If I''m not mistaken, there''s a dangerous spirit beast living nearby," she mused.

    This spirit beast could use techniques like a human cultivator and harbored a burning desire to destroy the Burning World Sect. In Yan Yu''s past life, it had become Xia Weiyuan''s pet and killed billions and destroyed many sects and nations. Some of Yan Yu''s sisters had died fighting this spirit beast. With Xia Weiyuan dead, the spirit beast might not be a total enemy and could even be used against the Burning World Sect. However, letting it roam free seemed risky. Plus, Yan Yu wanted to avenge her sisters by killing this strange creature¡ªa green frog that looked like it was made of moss, with fire wings and the ability to control space itself.

    Her thoughts then drifted to a young man from her sect, Liu Xing. Xia Yongzhi had apparently made contact with him, which was odd. Did Liu Xing have a connection to the Xia clan? Or was it mere coincidence?

    In any case, Yan Yu knew that this world would not be the same as her past life. She had already made different choices, and she suspected that these changes would ripple outward and alter the future. However, she hoped that her actions would lead to a better future for herself and a hellish fate for her enemies.

    "Wait for me, you scum," she snarled.

    As she spoke, everything around her¡ªtrees, grass, stairs, even a bird perched on a branch¡ªturned to ice and shattered into billions of pieces.

 92 ~ Watchful Moon

    High in the sky, among a sea of white clouds, a child with blue hair and blue eyes stood on a black platform thinner than paper. The child, Hao Yun, looked down and smiled at the sight of the most interesting person he had seen in some time.

    "Yan Yu, huh," Hao Yun muttered.

    When that girl first stepped into his sect, Hao Yun knew something was off about her. She felt like an old monster, layered with secrets that only the most brilliant mind could unravel. By all accounts, she was an ideal cultivator. She possessed talent, a powerful bloodline, and the ruthless mindset needed to advance in a cultivation world. Yet, many of her actions did not make sense. The massacre of the Xia clan was one such puzzling move.

    Hao Yun looked at the still-burning Xia Clan compound as well as a man who had died crawling towards his clan. They were a very small sect. They only had one cultivator beyond the Lock Opening realm, and even in the Twelve Sun Empire, they were mere ants. Yet, Yan Yu had moved straight from Purple Moon Sect to annihilate this clan. She had stopped briefly when she realized there was a treasure nearby, but from the start, she had intended to wipe them out.

    From his investigation, Hao Yun knew that Yan Yu came from a small clan in the northern part of the continent. She was a former genius who had been crippled by her uncle and cast aside, only to regain her ability to cultivate.

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    While her past was not smooth, there was no apparent connection between her and the Xia clan. No known animosity existed between them, and as far as he knew, this was Yan Yu''s first encounter with the Xia clan members. Yet, she had massacred them as if they had killed her parents.

    This decision made her even more fascinating to Hao Yun, who loved mysteries. He had methods to instantly learn everything about her, but he decided it would be more fun to solve this mystery himself. Besides, she was incredibly talented, and Hao Yun was always interested in talented people.

    Thinking about talented individuals, his gaze drifted to the horizon and he thought about Liu Xing. This guy had only mediocre talent, but his luck seemed to be through the roof. He possessed some powerful treasures and a decent mind to tinker with the interface, as well as the right disposition to be granted limited access to the Hidden Library. As far as Hao Yun knew, only he, the Twelve Elders--currently only eleven members--and Liu Xing had access to it. That made Liu Xing interesting. What did Hao Yun''s father see in Liu Xing that he could not?

    Hao Yun grinned, then began to laugh. His laughter was cheerful, like the ringing of a bell. He had thought he could only play with Yan Yu, but now another person had caught his interest. This made him think of the other two. Shen Ye and Yu Yongrui. Were they also interesting?

    Hao Yun decided to investigate them and suddenly disappeared. Anyone who could have seen Hao Yun up in the sky would have thought he was just an illusion that vanished in the blink of an eye, though a lingering shadow remained for a moment after he disappeared.

    What remained was only the echo of his laughter among the sea of clouds and an invisible moon that could not be seen in daylight, yet was always there, observing everything.

 93 ~ Yang Clan (1)<--

    Liu Xing lay on a soft futon inside a small but spacious cave he had carved

    himself. A white blanket covered him, its weight on his chest making him feel

    warm and secure. Nearby, a bonfire danced, providing light and chasing away the

    cold air.

    After escaping from the terrifying spirit beast with ink-black skin, golden

    snakes for limbs, and coconuts for ears, he ran as fast as he could. At first,

    he fled in a random direction, trying to put as much distance as possible

    between himself and the place where Elder Xia Juetian had died. Then he arrived

    at a small town without fanfare. Still invisible, he had run inside, found a

    clothing shop, and taken several outfits, a blanket, a futon, and some large

    bags. He had then searched for a place to wash and calm himself. After that, he

    reluctantly dropped his invisibility and asked for directions to the capital.

    Now, about twelve hours later, Liu Xing was nearly at the Twelve Sun

    Empire''s capital, the City of Suns. But before he could arrive, a heavy rain had

    begun to fall so he had carved this small cave and was now resting comfortably.

    As the bonfire crackled, the sound of rain pattering outside made the night

    feel peaceful. The howling wind and creaking branches created a comforting

    symphony. Liu Xing lay beneath the soft blanket, his eyes tracing the smooth

    brown roof of the cave. Carved by his lightning blade, it almost shone as if

    made of polished granite. He could see lines of black and gold intertwining

    like rivers trying to merge.

    As he followed these lines, the sounds of the elements soothing him, his

    mind returned to the spirit beast. Especially the black one with green coconuts

    for ears, golden snakes for limbs, and wriggling yellow teeth. This spirit

    beast had looked almost ridiculous, yet Liu Xing couldn''t laugh when he

    remembered it. After all, that creature had nearly killed him.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply, trying to calm his racing mind, and closed his

    eyes. As darkness enveloped him, a tempting whisper arose from a corner of his

    heart. It argued that these spirit beasts weren''t his problem. He could simply

    ignore them and flee to another nation. Wasn''t he in the middle of a race to

    become an inner disciple? What if his pursuit of this matter cost him his

    chance at that coveted position? Logically, it made sense to walk away.

    Still, while tempting, and almost half of his brain agreed with it, Liu Xing couldn''t just walk away. This was actually the situation he had predicted would happen when he decided to help his friends in other worlds. He had tried to steel his heart for this kind of scenario when he attempted to save Chu Zen from Shen Ye. A problem too big for him, one that made him want to turn around and run away. Something that would bring regret if he chose the easy way out.

    Liu Xing opened his eyes and decided to do the best and right thing. While he couldn''t defeat those spirit beasts alone, he could still warn others about the danger they posed.

    "But still, what are those spirit beasts?" he wondered.

    Elder Xia Juetian had said they were abominations created from humans and spirit beasts, which implied these creatures weren''t natural, but made by someone. They could also steal and use other people''s bloodlines. This made Liu Xing wonder how Wei Yi, if he was really behind all this, would absorb all those bloodlines later. Would he eat all those spirit beasts?

    As he reflected and let his mind wander, sleepiness began to overwhelm him. As he drifted off, Liu Xing realized the most important thing about this situation.

    It all happened because he was too weak. If he were strong, stronger than Elder Xia Juetian, he could have killed it before it split itself and became a bigger threat. This realization made him acutely aware that what he needed was the same as two years ago when he first realized he had died and transmigrated into this world: strength. Absolute strength.

    With unrivaled power, he could nip almost every problem in the bud. He had a cheat item that could propel him to become the strongest being in this world, and his path was clear. He only needed to figure out how to advance faster.

    And here lay a temptation so great that if he weren''t careful, he would slip and fall. After all, his gun could kill other things besides spirit beasts.

    Liu Xing woke to the sound of hurried footsteps. Fearing enemies, his eyes fluttered open, and he quickly jumped to the cave entrance. With his sharp eyes, Liu Xing scanned his surroundings and tried to assess whether the sound posed a danger to him.

    It was morning, with the sun just peeking over the horizon. He stood at the mouth of a cave several dozen meters above the ground. This artificial cave he had carved into the cliff gave him a vantage point to see everything around him. In the distance, he could see a sprawling golden city, with several towering spires jutting out and a massive golden castle. He tore his eyes away from the city and focused on his immediate vicinity.

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    Below the cliff, there were several small green hills. Each hill was covered with colorful flowers: red, yellow, green, purple, orange, and many more. Some of the flowers had already bloomed, while others were still buds. Beads of dew hung from each flower.

    On one of the hills, he saw two groups of people. The first group consisted of two women. The younger woman, around his age, carried an older woman on her back. She wore an ornate red and gold robe with a crane pattern and a golden hairpin in her black hair. She wore no makeup, and her cheeks were pink and dotted with sweat. The woman on her back looked elderly, but what caught Liu Xing''s attention was the large amount of blood on her back, leaving a trail of red on the trampled flowers.

    The group chasing them consisted of three men. One wore shiny armor and held a blood-soaked spear. Another man wore a black robe and carried a bloody sword. The third was bald and wore a green clothes with a yellow sash, his fists covered in blood. The three of them looked as if they were from different groups, but they all shared the same lecherous smile.

    These three men were quite strong as a group. The man in the black robe and the one in green and yellow clothes were at the Lock Opening realm seventh stage, while the man with shiny armor was at the Core Splitting realm and probably had only one core. The young woman they chased was at the Lock Opening realm fifth stage, while the woman she carried on her back had no qi and seemed too still.

    "Remember, I''m first!" shouted the man with shiny armor. He had a big nose, narrow eyes, and a thin mustache. As he yelled, the lecherous smile didn''t leave his face.

    "I''m second!" cackled the man in green clothes. He had tan skin and yellow teeth. He looked rough, like a bandit.

    "No, I''m second!" the man wearing the black robe shouted. He was young and had pitch-black hair that wriggled like tentacles. He shot an annoyed look at the man in green. "You''re third."

    "Hehe, all right, as long as you two don''t get too rough."

    After that, the man in green clothes extended his bloodied arms toward the young woman and jumped as if trying to catch a limping rabbit.

    The woman turned her head, eyes wide, then stumbled, falling face-first toward the flowers.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing understood their intentions and the gravity of the situation. It was so clear that even a blind man could see it. In a fraction of a second, he summoned his gun, activated Lightning Cloak, and jumped.

    In this blurry world, time seemed to slow down, and he flew like an arrow straight toward the jumping man from the side. As he arrived, he slashed his lightning blade toward the bloodied hands. His lightning blade easily cut through the two arms, which flew into the sky with blood trailing behind it, and Liu Xing landed atop trampled flowers between the three men and the falling girl.

    When the man with green clothes sees him, he widens his eyes. Seeing this man still barreling toward him, Liu Xing retracted his lightning palm, took a stance, and with a strike as fast as lightning, he unleashed a palm strike toward the man''s chin.

    His palm strike landed, and the man flew into the sky with a mouthful of blood leaping from his mouth. He landed several meters away, face-up. Coincidentally, that was also where his severed arms landed. The arms hit his face, smearing him with blood, and he blinked several times, still in shock. It took him a second to realize what had happened to his arms, and he began to scream like a pig being slaughtered.

    The two remaining men stopped running abruptly, their eyes wide as if they''d seen a ghost suddenly appear.

    "Sorry to interrupt you all, but would you like to turn around and leave them be?" Liu Xing said politely.

    As he spoke, the man with shiny armor narrowed his eyes and adjusted his stance, pointing his spear at Liu Xing. The man with wriggling hair pointed his sword at him, while the man in green clothes continued rolling in the flowers and screaming.

    "Who are you? Do you know who I am?" the man with narrowed eyes shouted.

    "This man is dangerous! Don''t chit-chat, let''s kill him!" the young man in the black robe said.

    "Hmph!" the man with the spear snorted. "He''s merely a Lock Opening cultivator, while I''m a master Core Splitting cultivator! There''s no way an ant like him is dangerous to me."

    Hearing this, a ferocious smile appeared on Liu Xing''s face. Truthfully, this man with shiny armor was strong. To be able to advance to the Core Splitting realm meant that he was talented. Still, Liu Xing believed he could win this fight. After all, this opponent wasn''t as strong as the moss or even the frog he had fought before. Still, to respect his opponent and remain cautious, Liu Xing wouldn''t underestimate him.

    "Let me ask one more time. Leave her alone, and there''s no need for me to shed your blood."

    After he said that, a vein popped on the forehead of the man in armor, and even the young man in the black robe narrowed his eyes as if deeply offended.

    "Seems like you really don''t know who I am. My name is Wei Gang. I''m one of the few masters who achieved the Core Splitting realm, as well as a Field Commander of the Twelve Sun Army. Youngster, when you decided to stand in front of me, you chose death!"

    "No one has lived after insulting me, Hei Feng! Even if you have some kind of trick to suddenly appear before us, you won''t leave this place intact!"

    Liu Xing took a deep breath and steeled his heart. He had experienced many small incidents like this before. Whether it was groups trying to rob him or a caravan. Sometimes he would spare the robbers, like what happened with Pu He, Han Zhong, and Mo Yan, but there were also times when he had to kill them. Now, this wasn''t just a robbery¡ªit was something far worse, and he wouldn''t hold back.

 94 ~ Yang Clan (2)

    As the Lightning Cloak still surrounded him, Liu Xing aimed his left gun at his two enemies and willed it to become invisible, and the invisibility began to spread through his body.

    As he faded from sight, Liu Xing wondered how to fight both opponents. Wei Gang was stronger, but Hei Feng''s hair looked like some kind of bloodline ability. Fighting both at once could be dangerous, so he needed to focus on defeating one of them first.

    Liu Xing looked behind him. The young woman''s eyes were wide, but there was hope in them, as if she was seeing light after being trapped in darkness.

    "Hide," Liu Xing told her.

    Fully invisible now, Liu Xing saw his opponents look surprised at his sudden disappearance. They immediately stood back-to-back, eyes scanning left and right, searching for him.

    "What a cowardly move!" Wei Gang shouted.

    "He''s weak, but he seems to have a troublesome technique," Hei Feng said. "Since he''s invisible, we need to find a way to undo this technique. We need to mark him!"

    Liu Xing jumped as gently as possible. In the air, he aimed his gun at the still-rolling man in green and yellow clothes. Liu Xing hadn''t forgotten about him and decided to use his qi to kill the other two. As Liu Xing pulled the trigger, a blue bolt shot towards the rolling man. When it hit, it exploded, scattering blood, flesh, bones, and entrails, and staining the surrounding flowers red and yellow.

    As the man exploded into a red mist, Wei Gang and Hei Feng''s eyes widened in shock. The woman was also terrified, but she seemed to remember Liu Xing''s instructions and fled, carrying the old woman on her back.

    Still gliding through the air, Liu Xing glanced at his gun and saw six slightly glowing green strips. Seeing this, he aimed his gun at Hei Feng, infused it with Exploding Fist, and pulled the trigger once.

    A bright blue bolt shot from his gun. This time, the bolt shone so brightly that both enemies snapped their heads toward him.

    "Incoming!" Hei Feng shouted. As he yelled, his writhing black hair suddenly grew longer in a split second, forming a thick black wall in front of them, as if these walls were made from black thorns. When the blue bolt hit the black wall, it exploded brilliantly. The black wall shattered, and Hei Feng and Wei Gang flew into the air in opposite directions.

    Liu Xing landed on top of several flowers and observed his opponents. Hei Feng''s black hair was gone, and the front of his body, from head to toe, was charred black and bloody red, as if he were a pig roasted only on one side. Hei Feng screamed in agony as he flew through the air, his hands clawing frantically at his face as if trying to tear off the burned skin.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing kicked off the ground as hard as possible and swung his lightning blade right at Hei Feng''s neck. As the lightning touched his neck, there was no resistance, as if his neck were made of tofu. In the blink of an eye, Hei Feng''s neck was severed from his body and blood trailed through the air from the rest of his body.

    Still airborne, Liu Xing glanced at Wei Gang. He had already landed on the ground rolling atop the flowers. Since he was behind Hei Feng, he was still intact. It seemed Hei Feng''s hair, his bloodline ability, specialized in defense. Liu Xing had to admit that the hair was incredibly resilient.

    As Liu Xing landed on several blue and red flowers, Hei Feng''s head fell behind him while the rest of his body landed to the side. Some of the blood soaked Liu Xing, marking him and rendering his invisibility useless. Still, he thought that with only one enemy remaining, he maintained an advantage.

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    Wei Gang rolled and stood up, spear pointed at Liu Xing. His body trembled, his expression exuding fear, and his eyes were like those of a rabbit cornered by large snakes.

    "T-trash, do you think your petty trick will save you? That attack was so strong, but I doubt you have any qi left to attack!" Wei Gang stammered.

    Liu Xing began to walk toward Wei Gang, his footsteps crushing several blood-stained flowers.

    "Do you think so?" Liu Xing said calmly.

    "Y-you are! Now prepare to die!"

    Wei Gang channeled his qi into his spear. The weapon began to emit a yellow light. He shouted as he lowered his stance, his feet bulging, muscles and veins popping up on his legs.

    "Sun Crushing Spear!" He lunged at Liu Xing. The flowers around his feet flew everywhere as he moved like a bullet train with yellow light emitting from the front of his spear and the ground, grass, and flowers were torn up in his wake.

    This attack seemed strong, but Liu Xing didn''t think it was enough to kill him. Wei Gang was at the Core Splitting realm, but either he had newly advanced to this realm, was weak for his realm, or Liu Xing was now comparable to a Core Splitting cultivator.

    As the spear coated with yellow light came at him, Liu Xing decided to test how strong his body had become. After all, he had eaten four and a half Diamond Pills and hadn''t died even when struck by a punch from that spirit beast with ink-black skin and coconut-like ears.

    Liu Xing lowered his stance, concentrated the Lightning Palm in his right hand, and sent stable qi to his palm. When the tip of the glowing yellow spear was right in front of him, he unleashed a right palm strike at the spear. He could have deflected the spear, but instead he chose to strike the tip directly.

    When his palm touched the spear, it did not even pierce his Thunderstrike Gauntlet, and the spear broke in half like a pencil trying to pierce a steel rod. When the spear broke, Liu Xing saw Wei Gang''s eyes widen so much that they almost popped out of his skull. In one swift movement, Wei Gang let go of the spear, turned around, and jumped as hard as he could. It seemed like he knew he couldn''t win against Liu Xing and decided to escape.

    "Don''t let him go! He''ll come back with more people!" the young woman shouted from the sidelines.

    Liu Xing glanced at the young woman. Her face was pale, and she was trembling. Then he turned his attention to Wei Gang, who was already running away, trampling the flowers beneath his feet.

    From what Liu Xing knew, Wei Gang was not merely a rapist, but also part of the Twelve Sun Empire''s military¡ªa Field Commander. This meant he was someone important. Liu Xing had a gut feeling that the young woman was also not a commoner, and if he let Wei Gang go, there was a high chance he would become trouble later.

    "All right," Liu Xing muttered. He aimed his gun, infused it with Lightning Palm Technique, and fired. A blue bolt flew through the air, moving incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, it was right behind Wei Gang. Wei Gang seemed to sense the bullet and tried to dodge to the side. But he was too slow. Before he could successfully evade, the bullet hit his left hand. As it struck, an arc of electricity surrounded him. He shouted and stopped dead in his tracks.

    Liu Xing aimed his gun again, infused it with Explosion Bullets, and pulled the trigger. Another blue bolt shot toward Wei Gang. It flew through the air like lightning and in an instant hit its target right in the back of the head. This bullet was powerful, having absorbed qi from the man in green clothes, and Liu Xing had even infused it with Exploding Fist. Combined with his newly forged meridian, this bullet was even stronger than the one he had shot at the moss earlier.

    When it hit Wei Gang, it exploded brilliantly, making his head burst and sending the rest of his body flying into the sky as if it were a ball kicked by a child.

    Glancing at the six green strips glowing slightly on his gun, Liu Xing nodded. He had successfully defeated all of his enemies.

    He felt a tiny bit of remorse in his heart. After all, he could have chosen to cripple them instead. But they were dangerous. Hei Feng was probably from a clan, Wei Gang was a Field Commander of the Twelve Sun Army, and Liu Xing had a gut feeling the man he killed first was from a gang of robbers. Each of them had a strong background, and letting even one of them go could spell disaster. Plus, they had tried to violate a girl and did something irreversible to the old woman she carried. While Liu Xing felt a slight twinge of remorse, he knew they had reaped what they sowed.

 95 ~ Yang Clan (3)

    He disabled his invisibility and glanced down at his clothes. His newly acquired blue robe now had a line of blood on its left side, and he sighed. This robe didn''t have an auto-cleaning system, which meant he''d need to wash it later.

    He walked slowly toward the girl and observed her from afar. He suspected something significant had happened to her. Was her family part of a merchant group and those three men bandits? Was she a cultivator from a nearby clan? Or perhaps from a nearby sect? A noble?

    As he approached, the girl gently laid the old woman on her back and began to speak to her.

    "Granny, please wake up. The bad guys are dead."

    She shook the woman''s body, making several flowers move around her as if they were shaking their heads in pity.

    Liu Xing soon arrived behind her, and from this close, he knew about the condition of the old woman. Her eyes were closed, her chest wasn''t rising and falling, and if he put his ear to her chest, he wouldn''t hear a heartbeat.

    Liu Xing looked at the young woman. Tears began to fall from her eyes and trickled down her red cheeks as she shook the old woman and called out to her. He knew that this old woman was already dead, and so did this young woman.

    As she cried, Liu Xing decided to sit and turn his body, checking his surroundings and preparing for any potential pursuers.

    She cried for about ten minutes before finally stopping.

    "Young mister, what is your name?" the woman asked Liu Xing with a hoarse voice. He could hear rustling clothes and imagined her wiping tears from her cheeks or straightening her clothes and hair.

    "My name is Liu Xing. I''m a disciple from Purple Moon Sect."

    He heard a gasp from behind him but decided not to turn around.

    "Truly?" she asked. "More importantly, I''m very grateful to you. If you hadn''t come, I don''t know what they would have done to me. So thank you, thank you. I just wish you had come sooner. That way, my grandma might not have died."

    "There was nothing I could do about it. I was sleeping in a cave on that cliff and woke up when I heard some commotion."

    At this point, he decided to turn around. He was now face to face with a woman whose eyes were still red from crying. "Are you all right?"

    She nodded. "Yes, physically, but my heart is hurting." She looked at the old woman sleeping peacefully for eternity, blood began to pool on the ground. "She may not have been my real grandma, but she raised me since I was a child. We''ve been through a lot, and it pains my heart that in the end, she died in my arms."

    Liu Xing nodded. He suspected that this young woman had a complicated situation, and while he was curious about what had happened, he decided not to ask about it.

    He glanced at the old woman, then at the young woman. "Do you want to bury her? I can help you."

    "That''s a good idea. Yes, I want to bury her. But I want to do it myself. Is that all right?"

    "If you want to do it yourself, you can."

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    "Would you stay with me while I bury her?"

    Liu Xing thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."

    If there was no special ritual, burying her shouldn''t take too much time. After all, this young woman was a cultivator at Lock Opening realm fifth stage, and for a cultivator, digging a hole was as easy as scooping jelly.

    She nodded, then carried her grandma in her arms. She asked where the most beautiful place around was, and he observed his surroundings.

    "There," Liu Xing pointed at the highest flower-covered hill nearby.

    Liu Xing and the young woman walked up this flowery hill, and soon arrived at the peak. Here, the young woman began to dig into the dirt with her bare hands, and he decided to check his surroundings and let her do what she needed to do.

    He realized he had some downtime for a moment and thought about the most productive way to use his time. The first thing that came to mind was to measure how strong he was. Obviously, he was now stronger than an ordinary Lock Opening cultivator, but he didn''t know his exact strength. Perhaps he was as strong as a Core Splitting cultivator at the peak of their first core, or even less. Wei Gang was a Core Splitting cultivator, and he could kill him easily, but there was a high chance that Wei Gang had a shaky foundation and couldn''t advance further.

    As Liu Xing glanced at the golden castle in the distance, he realized he couldn''t measure his strength now. There was no one he could spar with. So he ended that train of thought.

    Instead, when he heard the rhythmic sound of the young woman''s hands digging through the dirt, he thought of the woman statue he had used as bait to escape. He decided to summon her and see if he could still summon her or not.

    As he successfully activated the technique, he expected at least something to appear in front of him. Yet, nothing appeared. He tried several times, and when the statue didn''t appear, he concluded that he had lost it. It was probably destroyed now, and he felt a pang of guilt in his heart. After all, the one who made this statue had probably poured their heart into creating her, and he had used it as bait.

    He sighed. There was nothing he could do, so he just accepted this loss. Now, he only had two statues remaining. One was his trusty shield and the last one was the turtle.

    He activated the technique and a turtle the size of a bear appeared right before him. The rhythmic sound of digging behind him suddenly stopped; she must have been curious about his statue, but not long after, the rhythmic sound could be heard again.

    Liu Xing then sent some potent qi toward the turtle, wondering what this turtle could do. After all, his shield was a normal shield before he sent it potent qi, and there was a high chance this turtle, as well as that woman statue, also had unique ability. It made him regret not testing them sooner, but he crushed the regret that began to spread in his mind and accepted that he had made a mistake.

    After sending the potent qi to the turtle, its green eyes began to glow. He looked down and saw that the turtle still had its feet on the ground, so this turtle couldn''t fly.

    "Hmm," Liu Xing pinched his chin and willed the statue to do many things. To walk, to transform, to shoot a laser beam out of its mouth, but nothing works.

    He could feel the statue''s eagerness to do something, so he ordered it to do what it could do without any instructions. Suddenly, the statue began to shrink. At first slowly, but the rate of its shrinking became faster each second, until it was finally only the size where he could carry it in his palm. Seeing this, he bent down to grab it, but to his surprise, it was actually very heavy. He was super strong now, he could probably shoulder a bus easily, but he needed to exert himself just to lift it from the ground.

    Liu Xing decided to let go and nodded. This statue was now small and heavy, and he could think of several things to do with this heavy statue.

    Liu Xing willed it to become big again, and it grew slowly at first and then faster and faster. When it was the size of a bear, Liu Xing thought it would stop growing, but to his surprise, the turtle could go bigger. When the turtle was so big that several children could play beneath it, he willed it to stop growing. Then, he ducked down below the turtle and tried to lift the statue with his two hands. As he pushed upward, the four feet of the statue successfully lifted from the ground, but he had to use all his strength until his face turned red, and even then, he could only lift it for a moment.

    Coming out from below the turtle, he observed the statue with a grin on his face. This turtle could shrink and grow. When small, it was heavy, and when big, it was super heavy. While this turtle wasn''t as versatile as his shield, he could think of several things to do with this statue.

 96 ~ Yang Clan (4)

    As he dismissed the statue, he noticed that the young woman looked troubled, so he asked, "What''s wrong?"

    In front of her was a wide, deep rectangle hole with a large mound of dirt piled beside it. Her next task was to place her grandmother in the hole and bury her.

    "It feels improper," the woman said, biting her lips. "I can''t bury her like this. It feels like I''m burying an animal, not a human."

    Liu Xing glanced at the hole, the grandmother, and the earth pile beside her, understanding what she meant. "Usually, people are buried in a coffin."

    "Yes. A coffin." The woman nodded. "I want a coffin for her." Then she bit her lips again. "But we can''t get that, can we? I''m in danger, and burying her in a coffin is a luxury I can''t afford."

    Liu Xing had experience creating a crude coffin, but even he needed time to make one. Without nails, he''d have to use wood, and while creating a coffin wouldn''t take a whole day, it would take several hours. She had said it herself¡ªshe was still in danger and couldn''t afford to waste more time.

    So, Liu Xing came up with an idea inspired by Mamat''s funeral.

    "While it''s not a coffin, I think I can do something."

    Liu Xing looked around and saw several trees in the distance. He ran to a nearby tree with his lightning blade, cut it down, and made a dozen wooden planks from it. The planks were not cut with the same exact size, but it would do.

    "I''ll help you," he said.

    Liu Xing entered the grave and asked the young woman to help lower her grandmother''s body. He gently received her and carefully placed her on her right side at the bottom of the grave, ensuring that the deceased''s left shoulder touched the earth.

    Then, Liu Xing began placing the wooden planks diagonally over the body. He arranged the planks to form a pitched roof-like structure over the deceased. This way, when they buried her, at least no dirt would touch her body directly.

    This was how Muslims in Indonesia were buried. How Mamat was buried.

    "How about this?" Liu Xing asked.

    "Better," the young woman nodded, looking satisfied.

    He told her to start filling the hole with earth, and Liu Xing began to tamp down the earth that the young woman threw into the hole. They did this for several minutes until the hole was filled and a small mound of dirt piled up on top.

    Liu Xing''s robe was now dirty. Yet, he didn''t feel upset or angry. After all, he had just helped two people: a grandmother who had already died and her mourning granddaughter.

    "Thank you very much," the woman smiled at him. Her cheeks were flushed red, her eyes still wet, and yet she smiled like a sunflower¡ªbright and refreshing.

    "You''re welcome," Liu Xing nodded. "Now that this matter is over, I must go. I need to meet the emperor. There''s important news he needs to hear."

    Hearing what Liu Xing said, the young woman''s smile suddenly vanished. "You want to go to that golden castle?" The woman glanced to the side, toward the capital, with a sad expression.

    Seeing her expression, Liu Xing felt that this woman is probably related to the emperor, and her expression made him wonder about her circumstances.

    "My name is Yang Liangyu. The Emperor is my father, and he was murdered today by my younger brother."

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    Upon hearing this, Liu Xing blinked several times. "What?"

    "The emperor is dead. My younger brother usurped the throne by killing him, and my older brother, who was supposed to be the next emperor, is furious and trying to kill him. The capital is now a battleground for them."

    Liu Xing''s brain worked hard to digest the information. After a moment, he inhaled deeply and turned his body toward the capital. From a distance, the capital looked serene, but he tried to sharpen his senses, attempting to hear, see, or feel something there. For several moments, he didn''t catch anything, then he began to hear faint shouts, small rumbles here and there, and a faint sound of explosions. His nose also began to catch the unique smell of blood, but this was probably from the people he had killed earlier.

    He inhaled deeply again and turned his head toward Yang Liangyu. "Are you sure?"

    Yang Liangyu pressed her lips together, looking down for a moment as if trying to hide her sadness, but then she nodded.

    Liu Xing clenched his fist and felt irrational anger. He thought about the sixteen spirit beasts that were probably rampaging around. He wanted them dead, so he had come to this place to seek help. But to think that the emperor had just died and now there was a civil war happening in the capital¡ªit felt like heaven had sent him bad luck to balance out the good luck he''d had.

    "Mr. Liu Xing, can you escort me to a safer place? While I''m not a vital target for my younger brother, he could still capture me to consolidate his power. I don''t want that to happen. I don''t want him to become the true emperor."

    Liu Xing thought for a moment. He was still in a hurry; he wanted to do something about those spirit beasts, but now his main destination was gone. Since the emperor was dead and his two sons were fighting for the throne, he could assume that the power of this empire was also split in two.

    "Let''s talk for a moment," Liu Xing said. He pointed at a cliff where he had slept. "Let''s go there. I want to confirm some information from you."

    She agreed, and both of them ended up inside his man-made cave. There were the remains of burning wood in the center of the cave, and they both agreed to partially close the cave entrance to prevent someone from seeing them. Closing it wouldn''t hide their presence fully, but at least it would obstruct sight and sound. Liu Xing chose to use his turtle to close it.

    Now, in a cave that was partially dark, he and Yang Liangyu sat face to face.

    "Let''s begin with my side," Liu Xing said. "As I said, my name is Liu Xing. I''m an outer disciple of Purple Moon Sect. I''m now in the middle of a race. Do you know about it?"

    "Yes," she nodded. "It''s a big event, and people in the capital, whether peasants or nobles, can''t stop talking about it."

    "Good. So, the race is simple. We need to gather as many treasures as possible. The three people who gather the most treasures are the winners. I came to this empire to get several treasures, but I met an old man in Mystic Moon City named Bai Lin, and he said that his grandson was murdered by something."

    From here, he told her about the Xia clan, especially Xia Juetian, and the sixteen spirit beasts that were now probably roaming the Twelve Sun Empire, hunting for cultivators with bloodlines, and possibly splitting up right now.

    As she listened to his tale, her face grew paler with each passing second. She understood the weight of this situation. If this matter wasn''t quickly settled, there was a chance that thousands of spirit beasts would annihilate this empire and possibly other neighboring nations.

    "Now, I came here to meet the emperor, to force him to make several teams to subdue those sixteen spirit beasts. Additionally, I also wanted to contact my sect about this, but obviously, my plan was ruined before it began when your brother decided to kill your father."

    "What a disaster!" she exclaimed. "We need to do something!"

    "That''s the crux of the problem. What should I do now? Do you have any suggestions? Do you have a method so I can communicate with my sect?"

    He actually didn''t know what to do.

    "The method to communicate with Purple Moon Sect is only known by my father and his advisors. Unfortunately, my younger brother killed them all."

    Liu Xing bit the inside of his cheek. That meant there would be no communication with his sect. For a moment, the thought of leaving this empire came to his mind, and this time, this thought had a logical basis. Since he couldn''t gather enough force to subdue those spirit beasts, he needed to go to other neighboring nations. Although doing that would be abandoning this empire and the people inside it.

    "What tier is your empire, and how many Sun Refining cultivators and Sun Collapsing cultivators does your empire have?" Liu Xing asked.

    Purple Moon Sect has many vassals, each categorized into tiers. There are Base, Earth, and Heaven tiers. Base tier vassals have their strongest cultivators at the Core Splitting realm. Earth tier vassals boast cultivators up to the Sun Collapsing realm, while Heaven tier vassals host the powerful White Sun realm cultivators. Each tier is further divided into three sections: lower, middle, and upper.

 97 ~ Yang Clan (5)

    "The Twelve Sun Empire is an earth-lower tier empire. We have one Sun Collapsing cultivator and around ten Sun Refining cultivators in the entire empire. All of them come from the three prominent clans: the Hei clan, the Wu clan, and the Yang clan. The Yang clan sides with my older brother, while the Hei clan and the Wu clan support my younger brother."

    Liu Xing pinched his chin. Earth-lower tier was a good tier. With that many Sun Refining cultivators and one Sun Collapsing cultivator, there was a high chance of killing all those spirit beasts. But the problem was that they were divided into two factions.

    He asked Yang Liangyu how many Sun Refining cultivators sided with her older brother. The answer was five, with the other five supporting the younger brother.

    "What about the Sun Collapsing cultivator?"

    Yang Liangyu bit her lip. "The grand elder has already left. Truth is, he was friends with my grandfather and only loyal to the empire because of him. He promised my grandfather to protect the empire, but after my father death, the elder decided to leave. The last thing he did was send me and my grandmother away from the castle."

    Liu Xing rubbed his temple. This empire was terribly unlucky. To think that their only Sun Collapsing Cultivator had left when the empire was on the brink of extinction. He sighed, realizing that the empire''s only hope was for the two factions to unite and subdue the spirit beasts. An almost impossible task, considering how recent the conflict had been.

    Liu Xing thought the empire''s chance of survival was slim and growing slimmer by the minute. The best he could do now was communicate with both factions about the bloodline-stealing spirit beasts and hope for the best.

    Yang Liangyu sighed. "In the past, my younger brother was so sweet. He always smiled and played with his wooden sword. Who would have thought greed would one day blind him and make him kill our father? Fate is cruel indeed."

    "I''m sorry for your loss," Liu Xing said, suddenly remembering that this woman had lost both her father and the woman she considered her grandmother today.

    "It''s all right. I''m just happy to be alive," she smiled. "Without you, I would have suffered humiliation before dying a horrible death. So, thank you again."

    "Where do you want to go now? I assume since your younger brother sent those three to kill you, you''d side with your older brother?"

    "Indeed, I need to go to the Yang clan compound. I don''t know if my older brother is still alive. The last time I saw him, they were in the midst of battle. But he''s wise. If he lost, he would definitely retreat to the clan compound. In fact, there''s a good chance he''s already there." She paused. "While my older brother was stronger yesterday, it seems that''s no longer the case today."

    "All right," Liu Xing nodded. "I''ll escort you there."

    His goals were twofold: to escort Yang Liangyu and to meet the older brother''s faction to tell them about the spirit beasts. Afterward, he''d go to the younger brother''s faction. While he was sure he couldn''t resolve their conflict, he could at least act as a middleman to facilitate a truce. Hopefully they will listen to him. After all, the Empire was in danger, and if they stayed busy killing each other, their Empire might be in ruins by the time their conflict was over.

    "Thank you," Yang Liangyu bowed her head, and Liu Xing nodded.

    ***

    The Yang clan compound was nearby. They only needed two hours to reach it. The compound sat on uneven terrain, as if waves were trapped underground, creating many little hills around.

    When they arrived, Yang Liangyu was greeted with smiles and relieved faces. News of the emperor''s death had already spread far, and they feared what might happen next.

    Upon learning Liu Xing was from the Purple Moon Sect, the clan members bowed deeply to him. They offered him a spacious room and plenty of food, apologizing that the clan patriarch and elders had matters to attend to. Liu Xing made a simple inquiry to a servant bringing him food, who revealed that they had all gone to help Yang Jinyan force, the first prince. As he settled in, Liu Xing sensed a Sun Refining cultivator in the compound. When he asked about this presence, the servant explained that the cultivator was erecting a barrier around the compound and wouldn''t leave until ensuring it held.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Now, Liu Xing was sitting in the garden, his eyes fixed on the shimmering barrier in the air. He crossed his arms and felt impatient. The second reason he came here was to talk to Yang Jinyan, but when he learned that he still wasn''t here, Liu Xing wondered if he should go to Yang Lihuo--Yang Liangyu''s younger brother faction first.

    Still, this gave him time to think, to weigh his choices and calm himself. Nearby, a pond full of koi fish caught his attention. Liu Xing grabbed a handful of rice and began tossing it into the pond one grain at a time. As he observed the swimming fish, he tried to sense the qi around him. The Yang clan was large. Many houses filled the compound, and from above, it would look like a small town, with roads connecting everything, several bridges crossing small rivers, and hundreds of houses. Each almost resembled a tiny castle, with shining wood, colorful gardens, and sturdy pillars.

    The clan was also full of cultivators. There were several dozen Lock Opening cultivators, as well as some Core Splitting cultivators.

    Feeling all this qi, he almost thought that perhaps if this clan cooperated, they could kill at least one spirit beast with snake limbs, but he soon dismissed the thought. The spirit beasts worked in tandem, and most of the Lock Opening cultivators would have no means to wound them. Even Liu Xing had difficulty inflicting damage, and he was quite strong.

    As he threw rice to the koi pond, he inhaled and exhaled deeply and rhythmically, trying to diffuse the anxiety slowly eating at his heart. Aside from those spirit beasts, his brain occasionally reminded him that he was in the middle of a race, and he feared falling behind, especially after consuming all the Diamond Pills he had.

    Right now, he only had the Flute of Serenity, Red Lotus Staff, Ethereal Pearl, and Thunderstrike Gauntlets.

    "Calm down," Liu Xing muttered. "There''s no use in being anxious."

    There was a moment when he thought he could calm himself by cultivating and absorbing the bullets he got from killing Wei Gang, but he decided against it. While this place looked secure, it didn''t feel safe enough, and he decided just to think while observing swimming fish.

    After several hours standing in front of the pond to rearrange his thoughts, he finally succeeded in setting his priorities.

    The most important thing he needed to do was deal with those sixteen spirit beasts. He felt responsible for it and wanted them to be subjugated. After that, he could go on his merry way to gather more treasures.

    But he gave himself a time limit. He had three days to try to unite the two factions¡ªat least in a truce¡ªto subdue the beasts. If the three-day limit expired and he was stuck in a situation where he couldn''t do anything, then he would leave. He would travel to a nearby country, contact his sect, and form several subjugation teams there. He would then persuade them to come to this empire and deal with those spirit beasts as fast as they could.

    He nodded, feeling better now that he had a backup plan. Now he just had to do everything he could in this empire. After all, while his backup plan was to leave this empire, he didn''t want it to be razed to the ground by those spirit beasts.

    The sun was directly overhead when he heard a commotion outside. Several people were shouting, "Young master is coming soon!" and some anxious cries were heard, "The enemy has come!".

    After hearing the shouts, Liu Xing ran outside. He saw several servants moving around, as well as mothers carrying their children, as if they had spotted a tornado in the distance and needed to hurry home to barricade themselves.

    Liu Xing stopped a man wearing maroon clothes, a cultivator at the Lock Opening realm''s first stage. His maroon clothes were dirty, his black hair disheveled, and his hands covered in mud. He was a servant, and Liu Xing remembered seeing this man building a pond in a nearby public garden.

    "What''s happening?" Liu Xing asked.

    "An order from Elder Yang Zhaoyan. He said that everyone below the Lock Opening realm''s fifth stage needs to evacuate to our shelter. You''re our esteemed guest Liu Xing, right? Do you want me to guide you to the shelter?"

    Liu Xing assumed that Yang Zhaoyan was the Sun Refining cultivator who remained in this sect. Since he had ordered everyone weak to go to the shelters, there must be a chance of an enemy attack. Had Yang Lihuo decided to eradicate his own sect to prevent retaliation from his brother?

    "Esteemed guest?" the servant asked again.

    "No, you go ahead. I want to see what this is all about."

    He decided to activate his Lightning Cloak and run as fast as possible. Soon, he arrived at the gates of the Yang clan compound. In front of the gate stood several dozen cultivators, arranged neatly in five rows of six people each. The men wore red robes with golden embroidery, most carrying swords on their backs, though some wielded spears, and one even hefted a large double-edged axe. The women donned yellow and red robes, and while some carried swords, most were unarmed.

 98 ~ Yang Clan (6)

    Liu Xing sensed the qi emanating from the group before him. He realized that the first and second rows consisted of people with vast amounts of qi. While not as immense as Xia Juetian''s, they were likely at the Core Splitting realm. The rest were at Lock Opening realm, standing quietly like soldiers prepared for war.

    Leading them was a cultivator with white hair. He wore red and black robes, with a golden sash at his waist. The qi radiating from him was like staring at the sun with bare eyes¡ªso vast it was almost blinding. His skin is white and youthful, yet he exuded an ancient aura, like a thousand-year-old tree.

    As Liu Xing approached, several people turned their heads. Some nodded at him, while those in the front rows snorted, as if they saw mere trash.

    Yang Zhaoyan didn''t turn his head but beckoned Liu Xing with his arm.

    Liu Xing walked between the cultivators of the Yang clan and soon arrived right behind Elder Yang Zhaoyan. From this close, Liu Xing felt the air charged with power around him, as if his power could lash out at any moment.

    "My name is Yang Zhaoyan. Thank you for escorting our princess back," he said as he looked at Liu Xing.

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan looked like a man in his thirties. A patch of white beard adorned his chin, his eyebrows were sharp as swords, and his eyes were clear. His face was flawless, and Liu Xing would even describe him as handsome.

    "You''re welcome," Liu Xing said, bowing slightly.

    "I heard you came here to warn us and this empire about frightening spirit beasts."

    On the way from the flower hills, Liu Xing had told Yang Liangyu great details about the spirit beast that killed Xia Juetian. He described their ability to steal bloodlines and use them, along with everything he knew about them, except for information about Wei Yi, because once again, he still had no proof that Wei Yi was behind those spirit beasts. He wanted Yang Liangyu to spread information about these spirit beasts within his clan, and it seemed that his plan had worked.

    "Yes, they''re dangerous. If allowed to roam too long, I''m afraid they would raze this empire to the ground."

    Yang Zhaoyan nodded. "Spirit beasts like that need to be killed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they came at a bad time. Or from their perspective, the perfect time."

    "Would you help me subdue them later?"

    He nodded. "I would help, but only if I can survive this whole ordeal."

    After he said that, Liu Xing heard a rumbling sound from afar. He snapped his head to the front. He thought this terrain of many little rolling hills, like green waves, would be used to maneuver in a fight. But it would only stand for several seconds before a high-realm cultivator used a large-scale attack and flattened it all.

    Soon, he saw a group of people flying and running as if their lives depended on it. This group consisted of three people: two flying and one running. The two flying were women, they are using swords to propel themselves at full power. Their faces were covered in sweat, their red and yellow robes disheveled. One woman was drenched in so much blood that she looked as if she''d been dipped in a well of it.

    The running man wore a red robe with a golden crane on it. His black hair was short, and a red line crossed his face diagonally. Whether it was a line of blood or a scar, Liu Xing couldn''t tell. But he knew that this man, probably Yang Jinyan, was terrified, his face pale and beads of sweat falling from his chin, and Liu Xing understood why.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Behind them came an abomination. It stood almost five meters tall, with long gray fur that swayed wildly as it ran. Its face was that of a dog, but its ears were so long they looked like ribbons. Its red eyes stared wildly at the fleeing cultivators, as if furious about what had happened. Yellow fangs jutted from its mouth, and on its large forehead, several heads protruded with eyes either so wide they looked ready to pop out or smiling so widely they resembled those of madmen. There were five heads, and seeing the red at the base of their necks, they had probably been beheaded before being glued to its forehead. This abomination had four feet: its two front feet were too long, like human hands, while its rear feet looked like a dog''s. As it ran, it slapped the ground and making the earth surge like water. Its gait looked unbalanced, yet it was still fast and dangerous.

    From the qi he felt, Liu Xing knew this thing was at the very least as strong as Xia Juetian. Its qi felt like a dark, ancient ocean threatening to devour him. While the amount of qi it had wasn''t as much as Xia Juetian''s, it still felt dangerous.

    "Prepare!" Yang Zhaoyun shouted.

    The clansmen behind Liu Xing began to unsheathe their weapons.

    The three fleeing cultivators soon came closer, and Elder Yang Zhaoyun extended his hands. Suddenly, the barrier around the clan revealed itself. It looked like a white, milky wall, as if mist had solidified to protect the clan. Three holes suddenly appeared in the wall, and soon, the two women and the man passed through. The elder swung his hand, and the holes closed.

    The two women landed abruptly on the ground in front of him and the elder, while the man stumbled and fell before getting up and walking toward the elder.

    The three of them looked disheveled and panicked. The man was at the Core Splitting realm; Liu Xing didn''t know how many cores he had, but he didn''t have a terrifying aura like Xia Juetian, but he was still stronger than Wei Gang. The woman who was drenched in blood from head to toe was stronger than the man, while the last woman was also a Core Splitting cultivator, but she only felt slightly stronger than Wei Gang. All in all, Liu Xing thought that the strongest of them, the woman drenched in blood, was at least at Core Splitting realm and had three cores.

    "Elder Yang Zhaoyun, it''s bad, really, really bad!" the woman that was slightly stronger than Wei Gang shouted.

    After she said it, the spirit beast arrived at the wall, banging its two long hands against it and roaring. Its roar was a mix of goat, cow, and a growling human.

    "Where are the rest? When will they come back?" Elder Yang Zhaoyan asked.

    "Elder, I''m sorry," Yang Jinyan''s red eyes began to glisten, as if holding back tears. "Only the three of us survived. The rest are dead. Elder Yang Meiyue, Elder Yang Fengrui, Elder Yang Tianlei, Elder Yang Yanrong, and all the people who came to me¡ªthey died!"

    After he said that, Elder Yang Zhoayan and the rest of the clansmen''s eyes widened. Some even jumped from their positions, as if they''d heard the sky had turned black and the ocean purple.

    "What are you talking about? Three Sun Refining cultivators, dozens of Core Splitting cultivators. You say all died? Only you three survived? Is this some kind of joke?"

    "No, elder," the woman drenched in blood said. "We underestimated Yang Lihuo''s force. That bastard not only usurped the throne and betrayed the clan, but he also colluded with a demonic cultivator. His force is growing steadily as we speak with the help of this demonic cultivator. That demonic cultivator is also formidable, at the peak of the Sun Refining realm. Only half a step before he fully becomes Sun Collapsing realm."

    The spirit beast slammed its body against the barrier. The sound was as loud as a thunderclap, and Liu Xing worried it would break through.

    The other woman said: "Not only that, they also betrayed their allies. The Hei Clan, Wu Clan, and the entire army are now turning into that." She pointed at the giant ghost beast that had begun to pound the barrier with its two hands while standing on its hind legs. Its howling and growling made the air tremble.

    Hearing all of this, Liu Xing''s heart began to race. The Yang clan members behind him started murmuring, and even Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s eyes widened. This news was big, too big! When he arrived at the clan compound, he had assumed that there were two factions, but now the other faction was gone, transformed into some kind of spirit beast and human hybrid. They have all become abominations!

    "Only Yang Lihuo and that demonic cultivator Wei Yi remain. It seems they intend to transform us into some kind of spirit beasts and control us to conquer the world," the blood-drenched woman added.

    Hearing this, Liu Xing''s already wide eyes grew even wider.

    "What? Did you say Wei Yi?" Liu Xing asked the drenched woman.

    As he spoke, Elder Yang Zhaoyan, Prince Yang Jinyan, and the two women suddenly turned their heads toward him. Their expressions were surprised, as if they had forgotten about his presence.

 99 ~ Yang Clan (7)

    "Is the name of that demonic cultivator really Wei Yi?" Liu Xing asked again.

    "Who are you?" Prince Yang Jinyan countered.

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan stepped in. "This is Liu Xing, a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect. He''s the one who saved your sister and escorted her here safely."

    "Yang Liangyu is safe? Thank the heavens!" The prince sighed in relief, then smiled at Liu Xing and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you. I, Yang Jinyan, owe you a debt. Ask anything, and I will give it to you." His smile quickly faded. "At least, that''s what I''d do if I still had power. The Twelve Sun Empire now teeters on the brink of destruction, so I can''t compensate you right now."

    "It''s all right," Liu Xing said. "More importantly, is the demonic cultivator helping Yang Lihuo really Wei Yi?"

    He needed to confirm the most crucial piece of information they had mentioned.

    "Yes, he declared his name as Wei Yi. Do you know him?" the blood-drenched woman asked.

    Liu Xing nodded. " In fact, the reason I came here to the City of Suns was to warn you about the spirit beasts I encountered that have a connection to Wei Yi."

    Before Liu Xing could say more, the abomination relentlessly pounding the barrier suddenly struck it with such force that it sounded like a gong. Everyone snapped their heads toward the point of impact. When they saw the crack in the barrier, their eyes widened in shock.

    The barrier was strong¡ªso strong that even Liu Xing doubted he could destroy it. This abomination was clearly stronger than him, but considering an elder of the Sun Refining realm maintained the barrier, it shouldn''t have been able to break through.

    The monster punched the barrier again, spreading the crack further. On the third blow, its fist successfully breached the barrier.

    "It seems this abomination is stronger than I thought," Elder Yang Zhaoyan said. "We''ll have to continue our conversation later."

    The creature punched the barrier with its other hand, then, like a man parting curtains, spread the opening wider. Its massive, dog-like head peered inside. When it spotted the group of cultivators, it let out an ear-splitting roar. Liu Xing, at the front of the group, felt a spray of saliva rain down on him.

    Liu Xing adjusted his stance, preparing to jump. He observed the people around him. The prince and the two women looked panicked as they ran toward the clan compound.

    The prince shouted, "Anyone below the third core of the Core Splitting realm, get inside! We''re too weak to hurt it, and if we die, it''ll only grow stronger!"

    "Let the elder handle this!" the blood-drenched woman yelled. The other woman nodded in agreement.

    "Go, all of you," Elder Yang Zhaoyan commanded.

    Hearing this, the group behind began retreating into the clan compound. Liu Xing glanced at the spirit beast, which had successfully torn through the barrier and was now trying to squeeze itself inside. He then looked at the elder''s expression. While there was a hint of anxiety in his eyes¡ªunderstandable given what they''d just heard from the prince¡ªhe still appeared calm overall. Liu Xing believed the elder could handle the abomination. He decided to follow other cultivators, but before he could move, the elder grabbed him by the back of his collar.

    "Not you. You stay with me."

    "What? Why?" Liu Xing asked, surprised.

    "Because I want to talk with you and gauge your power," the elder explained. "The news from the prince''s mouth is dire. He''s in shock and has yet to grasp the full implications. But right now, I''m the strongest person in the entire empire."

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Liu Xing''s mind raced to process the elder''s words. When he said he was the strongest person in the empire, a sense of doom filled Liu Xing''s heart. While the elder was undoubtedly powerful, there was no way for him to fix this mess alone. The growing army of Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi, along with the spirit beasts now hunting for bloodlines, was too much for Elder Yang Zhaoyan to handle by himself.

    "How can I help?" Liu Xing asked. The abomination had now fully entered the barrier, its mouth wide open, revealing hundreds of white fangs and a black, hand-shaped tongue. It was terrifying, but Liu Xing kept his focus on the elder.

    "We''ll discuss specifics later in a meeting after we deal with this abomination," the elder replied. "The thing is, our forces are weak. Aside from me, there are only nine Core Splitting cultivators remaining, including the prince. I''ve heard disciples from great sects are always stronger than others at the same realm, so I want to know how strong you are." He glance at the abomination.

    Liu Xing understood the meaning behind the elder''s words. He wanted to know if Liu Xing could be counted as an ally or not. After all, Liu Xing wasn''t a resident of this empire, let alone this clan. He had no obligation to stay in this doomed empire. If he refused to fight, it would mean Liu Xing wasn''t an ally. He wouldn''t help this empire, and he wouldn''t fight alongside the Yang clan. He was still a Purple Moon Sect disciple, so they would remain polite, but they would give him the cold shoulder until he decided to leave.

    Liu Xing turned to face the powerful abomination. He had a choice to refuse and go, but he had already steeled his heart. While it might have been irrational, he felt that this whole mess was partly due to his own weakness. If he had been stronger when he arrived at Mystic Moon City and confronted Wei Yi there, perhaps this empire would still be intact. It was irrational, and he knew it, but he couldn''t shake the feeling.

    He would channel this emotion into doing the best he could right now, which meant proving himself as an ally of the Yang clan in this conflict. He would help. He wouldn''t back down.

    "I''ll fight," Liu Xing declared.

    The elder nodded, his expression calm with a hint of approval in his eyes. He then took several steps back, giving Liu Xing the battlefield to himself.

    Liu Xing decided he would win. The elder probably thought Liu Xing couldn''t emerge victorious and was ready to jump in at any moment. Liu Xing shared this sentiment, but he also wanted to win this fight¡ªto gauge how strong he had become.

    "Elder, how strong is this abomination?" Liu Xing asked.

    "I can''t pinpoint its exact strength, but at the very least, it''s as strong as a cultivator at the Core Splitting realm with five cores," the elder replied. "Why? Are you afraid?"

    "Of course I''m afraid. I could die if I''m careless for even a split second," Liu Xing admitted. "But I''ll still fight, and I think I want some reward for what I''m about to do."

    Sweat began to drench his back as his heart pumped blood and adrenaline through his body and sharpened his senses. The decision to ask the elder for a reward was spontaneous, but he didn''t regret it. If the elder agreed, it would give him more motivation not just to fight, but to win.

    The elder cracked a smile, but his eyes narrowed. "Heh, do you think you can win?"

    "I don''t know, but at the very least, I can impress you."

    The abomination in front of them rose to its full height on its hind legs, making its already imposing stature even more intimidating. It looked down at Liu Xing and the elder, saliva dripping from its mouth. Liu Xing had to crane his neck to meet its gaze.

    "I''ll give you one thing if you can impress me," the elder offered. "But only if you can hold out for at least an hour. How about it?"

    "Deal," Liu Xing said. He popped the Ethereal Pearl into his mouth, flexed his fingers inside the black gauntlets, and summoned his gun in his left hand. He then channeled all of the potent qi from his bullets to the Ethereal Pearl. This potent qi, which belonged to Wei Gang, could be used to advance his cultivation, but he had decided to hold onto it. Now, it would be used to fight this abomination.

    Liu Xing willed the gun to absorb some of his qi, creating six bullets, then directed the potent qi to activate his necklace and make him surrounded by stable qi.

    With his preparations complete, Liu Xing waited for the creature to attack first. This fight would be challenging, but he was determined to endure.

    "Good luck," the elder said. As if those words were a starting gun, the abomination howled and whipped its long arm toward Liu Xing like a lash.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing activated his Lightning Cloak and jumped with all his might. The ground beneath him caved in as he shot upward like a rocket. He clenched his right hand, channeling stable qi into it until a yellow spiraling line covered his knuckles. Then, with all his strength, he aimed a punch at the abomination''s jaw.

    When his fist connected, it felt like striking a steel wall rather than flesh and blood. Even so, the blow packed enough force to snap the creature''s jaw shut and make its head jerk backward. A high-pitched squeal, like someone stepping on a dog''s tail, pierced the air as the abomination stumbled back a step.

    The battle had begun, and Liu Xing knew he had to give it everything he had if he wanted to survive, let alone impress the elder.

 100 ~ Yang Clan (8)

    Liu Xing summoned his shield, kicked it, and punched the abomination''s chest. When his balled fist landed, he felt the same sensation of hitting a wall with bare knuckles, but this time, the punch made the abomination take two steps back and out of the barrier.

    Liu Xing punched again and again, forcing it to take several steps away from the barrier and the gate. The abomination howled and swung its two hands. It was fast, but not too quick. With Lightning Cloak, he could track the attack, and using his shield, he maneuvered around it.

    When he reached its back, he activated his lightning blade and swung it like a whip at its neck, trying to decapitate it from behind. But when his lightning blade hit its neck, once again, he felt like he was attacking a steel wall. If he pushed the lightning blade any harder, he knew it would break.

    The abomination turned its body and swung its arm toward Liu Xing. Liu Xing jumped into the sky. In the air, he looked down and aimed his gun. He activated his Exploding Fist, and the gun absorbed it. He then fired six exploding bullets at his enemy. When they hit the abomination''s face, six explosions occurred simultaneously, leaving its face smoking.

    It roared, dispersing the smoke, and Liu Xing saw that the abomination''s face remained unchanged. Its two eyes still looked crazed, the five human heads glued to its forehead didn''t even budge, and it began to growl like a wild dog.

    Seeing this and processing their brief exchange, Liu Xing realized he couldn''t win this fight, but as long as he was careful, he couldn''t lose it either.

    The elder had said this abomination was as strong as a Core Splitting cultivator with five cores, but it seemed the elder was wrong. Its power and durability might be at that level, but its speed and intelligence were not.

    A cultivator usually has balance: their amount of qi, quality of qi, control of qi, power, and speed are all above a certain threshold when advancing to the next realm. That''s why someone with a lower realm usually can''t win against those with a higher realm. They''re outclassed in every aspect.

    But this abomination wasn''t balanced. It had strong power, evident when it successfully broke through the elder''s barrier, but it also couldn''t catch three Core Splitting realm cultivators who ran away, which meant it was slow.

    The abomination whipped its long hand toward him. Seeing this, Liu Xing summoned his shield and dodged to the side. Its ribbon-like ears moved like cobras at him, faster than its arms, but not impossible to dodge.

    Liu Xing kicked his shield to maneuver, then lunged toward the abomination. He activated his Lightning Palm Technique, this time using it as intended, and hit its torso with his palm. When the attack connected, its growl deepened, but there was no hole or even a scorch mark on it. Its fur wasn''t even singed.

    Liu Xing rotated his body and kicked the torso with both feet. His feet, coated with stable qi, successfully made it take two steps back while also launching Liu Xing several meters backward.

    He rotated his body in the air and then planted his feet on the ground. His feet created a trail, and he stopped dozens of meters from the abomination right on top of a small hill.

    The abomination came at him on all fours, jaws wide open, revealing large, sharp teeth and a black, hand-shaped tongue.

    Liu Xing decided to fill his gun with bullets converted from Exploding Fist, and he pulled the trigger repeatedly. The bullets hit its face, creating smoke, but while it made it unbalanced for a moment, they didn''t really work. When the abomination tried to eat him, Liu Xing moved to the side, filled his gun with bullets converted from Lightning Palm Technique, and fired several lightning bullets. The bullets hit its side, and when they connected, arcs of electricity surrounded it. Its movement stopped, and it let out a pitiful sound, like a dog that had been kicked. But as soon as the arcs of electricity surrounded it, they soon dispersed, and the abomination turned its body and lunged at him.

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    At this point, he realized that this fight was more or less equal. Liu Xing was fast; the abomination couldn''t land an attack, but his attacks didn''t work either.

    But a tiny bit of confidence began to surge in his heart. After all, while none of his attacks worked, he had many opportunities to probe and poke the abomination, trying to find its weak spot. This abomination wasn''t a true being with cultivation at Core Splitting fifth cores; it felt unbalanced, and he hoped that this imbalance meant it had at least one weakness.

    He also hadn''t unleashed attacks from his Thunderstrike Gauntlets, which were his trump card. He would wait until he found a weak spot to unleash them, possibly to defeat it.

    ***

    Yang Liangyu rushed toward the clan gate. There were no people around, which meant all the clan members were either fighting or in the shelter. She was weak and needed to be in the shelter, and she had been there earlier, but when she heard that her brother had finally arrived, she couldn''t help but sneak out.

    She ran as fast as possible and soon found herself near the gate. The gate was now closed, and most people were standing atop the wall, observing something with wide eyes, as if they couldn''t believe what they were seeing.

    She spotted her brother on top of the wall and leaped toward him as hard as she could.

    "Brother!"

    As she shouted, her brother, as well as other clan members, even Elder Yang Zhaoyan, turned their heads toward her. Some of them lowered their heads and bowed, but she ignored them. Instead, she focused on her brother. He was sitting on top of the wall, a servant tending to him. When he saw her, his eyes widened, and a small smile bloomed on his face.

    She landed beside him. "Are you all right, brother? Do you have any injuries? Have you already eaten a Restoration Pill?"

    "Yes, I''m alright. I have some injuries, but I''ve also eaten a Restoration Pill." Then, her brother hugged her, and she hugged him back.

    As they embraced, Yang Liangyu''s emotions burst forth, and tears began to fall from her eyes. Yesterday, everything had still been all right. Her father, while not as strong as last year, could still eat and laugh heartily. Her older brother still trained and learned diligently to become the next emperor, and her younger brother, while still bitter because he failed the Purple Moon Sect entrance exam, still gave her a smile.

    Yang Liangyu was a sheltered girl; she knew it. While her father always said that her fate was her own, she knew that someday she would be married off for the benefit of the empire and to strengthen bonds with their allies. She had already accepted this fate, and to make up for it, she tried to live happily every day. It''s just that trying to make every day happy had blinded her to the darkness beneath the castle roof.

    Just this morning, when she saw her brother plunge his hand into their father''s chest and rip out his still-beating heart, his face contorted with rage and madness, the veil that had always blinded her finally lifted. She suddenly realized how restless, vengeful, and angry her brother was, how treacherous the clan and the nobles who always smiled and praised her father were, and how naive and weak her father had become. Everything was already crashing down, and she desperately wished for all of this to be just a nightmare.

    "Don''t cry, little sister. Your brother is here." Yang Jinyan hugged her tightly, trying to make her stop crying, but she couldn''t stop. She was glad her brother was alive, but everything else was not alright.

    Her brother stroked her back, and she felt a kind of warmth begin spreading through her body, then her heart. Everything was bad today, but it didn''t mean it would be this bad forever.

    "Granny is dead," Yang Liangyu said.

    "Is that so?" Her brother''s voice sounded weak. "Many people died today. Our uncles, aunts, senior sisters and brothers, our cousins and friends, they also died."

    Her brother whispered, "And it''s all my fault," so low that she almost thought she had imagined it. Her heart began to ache more, but her brother hugged her more tightly.

    "But it''s all right, I will right all the wrongs that happened. I will kill Lihuo and Wei Yi and kill every abomination that ravages our empire. While I can''t promise tomorrow will be better, I promise that later, every bad thing that happened today will be over."

    When she heard his intent to kill her younger brother, a pang of sadness stabbed her heart, but to be honest, she too felt a grudge toward her younger brother. That kid had lived happily under a prospering empire. Sure, the Twelve Sun Empire wasn''t a giant empire. Their empire was tiny, only having around twenty provinces, and the only reason they had Earth-lower tier resources was merely luck. But nonetheless, it was a nice and kind empire, and instead of enjoying and making the empire more prosperous, her younger brother had become a fool who worked with a demonic cultivator and tried to become stronger in the worst possible way. That kid needed to be punished, and the most fitting punishment for him was death.

 101 ~ Yang Clan (9)

    "I will help," Yang Liangyu said with conviction. "I will become stronger and help you, brother."

    "Thank you," her brother whispered. "With you comes a small candle of hope. You''re very lucky to have escaped the castle unharmed."

    "Yes, it''s all thanks to Liu Xing."

    His appearance was so timely that Yang Liangyu thought fate might have sent him to save her. But that wasn''t the case. While it was fortunate for her to meet him, the reason he came here was because of another threat ravaging her empire.

    "That guy is impressive, and I think he can help us," her brother said, pointing to the side.

    Yang Liangyu, whose focus had been entirely on her brother, now turned her head. When she saw the fight happening in front of the clan compound, her eyes widened. She finally felt the tremors traveling from the battlefield, heard the loud thuds from the exchange, and felt the strong wind rustling her hair.

    Liu Xing was now fighting, and his opponent was terrifying. It looked like a giant black dog, but it wasn''t. It had long arms that, when whipped around, formed wind blades flying so fast she couldn''t see them. When they hit the ground, long gashes formed. When the wind blades hit the barrier, it would shimmer for a moment and tremble as if struck by a large boulder.

    Moving around the abomination was Liu Xing. He moved so fast that he looked like a blue blur. Sometimes flashes of lightning could be seen, and when that happened, the abomination would stop for a moment. Occasionally, explosions pushed back the abomination, and sometimes it took a step back as if punched by Liu Xing.

    Watching their fight was like seeing lightning battle a boulder.

    "He is... impressive," Elder Yang Zhaoyan suddenly said, and all eyes turned to him.

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan had a mild temperament. He was always level-headed. Whether faced with disaster or celebration, he remained as calm as still water. His temperament matched his barrier techniques, and with his talent, he had become one of the few elites in the Yang clan and the Twelve Sun Empire. Hearing him praise someone was as rare as seeing a giant fish fly.

    "Elder, isn''t he a Lock Opening cultivator? How can he move like that?" her brother asked, releasing his embrace and walking toward the elder. She followed behind him.

    "Yes, he is a Lock Opening cultivator sixth stage."

    Hearing this, her brother, herself, and her clan members¡ªwho had been watching the fight as if seeing a master Sun Refining cultivator in action¡ªgaped in astonishment. Yang Liangyu herself knew that Liu Xing was only a stage higher than her, but she, like everyone else, had assumed he was masking his true cultivation level. After all, she had seen with her own eyes that he had killed a Core Splitting cultivator. And now, he was fighting something that her brother and his two retainers couldn''t defeat.

    "The Purple Moon Sect is different from our clan and empire. They only accept the best of the best into their ranks. By my estimate, Liu Xing is only around twenty, which means he''s younger than all of you."

    Yang Liangyu was nearly forty and was considered young in her clan. Only her younger brother was younger than her, and he was also twenty.

    "Moreover, he''s equipped with some pretty strong treasures," the elder added.

    "How strong is he?" her brother asked.

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    "Liu Xing is a little unbalanced, but I estimate if he fought you, prince, he would likely win. So around Core Splitting third core."

    Hearing this, her brother''s eyes widened, as did Yang Liangyu''s. After all, while not the most talented cultivator of the Twelve Sun Empire, her brother was strong.

    "That''s absurd!" her brother exclaimed. "While I know cultivators from great sects are always stronger than others in the same realm, the gap between Lock Opening and Core Splitting is too wide to cross."

    "And yet, you and your retainers fled from that thing, while he can fight it equally. Don''t be ashamed, prince. He is not only more talented than you but also more talented than me." He said it so calmly, as if what he said was just a matter of fact.

    The elder turned his head toward her. "We should thank the heavens that you, my princess, stumbled upon him and brought him here. He has proven himself an ally of the Yang clan, and his background will make it easier for us to call for help from the Purple Moon Sect."

    Her brother nodded. "If he fights alongside us, then he is one of us. Especially in these dire times."

    "Prince, bring everyone inside. While this fight is interesting, we know what the outcome will be. Use this time to think. You are our future emperor, and you need to make decisions about the path we must take from now on. We cannot let Yang Lihuo or that demonic cultivator rampage in our empire. You need to come up with a plan."

    "All right," he nodded, then ordered everyone to gather in the meeting hall. A few moments later, everyone was gone, and only she and the elder remained.

    "Are you telling the truth, elder?" Yang Liangyu asked.

    "All of that is true, yes. You should know my reputation."

    She nodded. Her father sometimes talked about the clan. The emperor couldn''t lead the Yang clan, so the clan leader position fell to his cousin, her uncle. Yang Liangyu remembered her father complaining about him. He said that his cousin felt like a snake trying to bury its fangs in his neck, and that it would be better if Yang Zhaoyan became the clan leader. Yang Liangyu thought her father was just kidding at the time¡ªafter all, he had said it with a smile¡ªbut perhaps he was serious.

    Still, she wanted to test his reputation herself. "Then tell me, elder. Do we have hope of regaining the empire?"

    The elder turned his head toward Liu Xing, who was still fighting the abomination. Some of the beast''s fur was now scorched, while one of its long ears had been cut off and turned into a snake trying to bite Liu Xing.

    "To be honest, this empire is like a sinking ship," the elder said. "If what the prince said is true, then there are no more people in the capital. They''ve all been turned into the same kind of abomination as that." He gestured with his chin toward the beast. "Even if we successfully defeat Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi, we''ll need to rebuild our little empire from scratch. And without the presence of the grand elder in the Sun Collapsing realm, it will be hard. There''s also the threat of invasion from our neighboring nations, and seeing our forces, they would likely succeed in seizing our empire."

    Yang Liangyu clenched her hands so hard her palms turned white. All of that was true. And yet, she wanted it all to be a lie. She wondered what would happen if she could turn back time. What would she do to prevent all of this?

    Yang Liangyu shook her head. She couldn''t think like that. The future was bleak, but it was no excuse for her to daydream about changing the past. She needed to focus and do the best she could right now, and the only logical thing to do was to become stronger. If she had power, she would be more useful. She decided right then and there that she would be stronger, to be wiser, to be smarter, so that she could be more helpful to the empire, to her brother, and to her clan.

    "Still, there''s a small hope," the elder suddenly added.

    Hearing this, her heartbeat quickened. "Truly?"

    "Yes," the elder nodded. "We need to make that guy our strong ally." He pointed at Liu Xing. "In the event that Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi are already dealt with, we need strong backing to deter our enemies from making a move."

    Yang Liangyu first thought that the elder overestimated Liu Xing. While he was from the Purple Moon Sect, he was only an outer disciple. True, his position was strong enough that he could make an emperor bow to him, but he didn''t have any real power as a deterrent. Still, she realized that Elder Yang Zhaoyan wasn''t thinking about the immediate future, but perhaps hundreds of years from now. Liu Xing was talented, and with his abilities, if fate allowed it, he would be a powerhouse later in life. Perhaps even an elder.

    "You understand what I mean," the elder added.

    Yang Liangyu bit her lip. She understood it. The elder wanted her to seduce him. Perhaps even force him to get her pregnant. If she had his child, then he would be tied to her and the Yang clan.

 102 ~ Wang Tao (1)

    She observed Liu Xing as he moved left and right, up and down. He flashed like blue lightning, creating explosions that rattled her ears. Though she couldn''t follow his movements, Yang Liangyu realized that Liu Xing was always attacking the forehead of the abomination. It seemed he was trying to soften it, perhaps to pry it open. The five heads on its forehead were now reduced to one, the other four lying on the ground with wide, lifeless eyes.

    As she watches the fight, Yang Liangyu inhaled deeply. It felt wrong to think about manipulating him. After all, he was a man who had helped her without asking for repayment. He had even helped her bury her grandmother. She owed him, and yet here she was, contemplating how to use him.

    Still, she needed to do what was necessary to become strong and help the empire. If that meant seducing him, then so be it.

    As the thought crossed her mind, her pale cheeks bloomed with color. Her heart began racing, not with anxiety, but with a pleasant, hopeful feeling. A small smile formed on her lips as she gazed tenderly at the blue blur now circling the abomination.

    Yes, she thought, it was a good idea. For the empire, as well as for herself.

    ***

    In the cultivation world, a fight was usually straightforward. Whoever had the higher realm would win. If a Lock Opening cultivator fought against a Core Splitting cultivator, the Core Splitting cultivator would emerge victorious. Even a difference of a single stage was usually enough to determine the winner from the start. But this was only true if you excluded the five great sects.

    The five great sects possessed top-notch cultivation methods and techniques refined over thousands of years. Even now, improvements are still happening. While the rate wasn''t exponential and the process was long and difficult, there was no doubt that the quality of disciples from the five great sects kept increasing.

    That''s why the sects guarded their secrets religiously. Even then, innovations always leaked out, making the cultivation world generally stronger now than it had been millions of years ago.

    In one of the gardens of a small clan called the Wang clan, sitting in the middle of a serene garden accompanied by the night moon and stars, there was one who studied a leaked cultivation scripture from the Purple Moon Sect. His name is Wang Tao, and he was a genius that appeared once in ten thousand years. The elders and the clan leader had great hopes for him, and Wang Tao himself understood that he was born for greatness.

    Wang Tao was now trying to memorize every word of the Wind and Earth Scripture. While he had mild dyslexia, making his reading speed slower compared to others, he had the iron will to endure. The Wind and Earth Scripture had both wind and earth affinities, and since he only had an earth affinity, this scripture wasn''t the perfect fit for him. But there was no better scripture available, so as always, he endured.

    After reading for several hours, Wang Tao closed the scripture and his eyes, trying to digest its meaning and cultivation method.

    "Wind and earth are two separate elements, and yet they''re intertwined," he mused. "Wind blows seeds to faraway lands, and the earth accepts them. Without wind, seeds, life, forests, trees, and flowers wouldn''t spread. Without earth to accept them, there would be no life. The two elements work together with others to nurture life. But these elements aren''t always gentle. The wind can uproot giant trees, and the earth can shake so the trees fall. Two elements that nurture life can also destroy it."

    A sense of comprehension, as well as a cycling path, suddenly appeared in his mind. Wang Tao smiled, then he stood up.

    Wang Tao was now eighteen, and while he was only at the Lock Opening realm third stage, he was nonetheless a genius. After all, he had lived his first seventeen years as a cripple and had only begun to cultivate about a year ago. While he couldn''t participate in the Purple Moon Sect entrance exam, he believed that his genius would be recognized and he would be accepted as a disciple later.

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    "With my newly awakened bloodline, I''ll become a peerless genius," Wang Tao grinned. He had green hair the color of ancient trees, sharp eyes, two straight eyebrows that looked like fine swords, and skin that was smooth and healthy. In the city of Green Valley, he was considered one of the most handsome young men to ever live.

    "One day, everyone will know my name. I''ll be rich beyond belief, with more spirit stones than I can count. All the beautiful women will want me. And I''ll have so much power, even the great sects will fear me. This whole world will be mine to enjoy. It''ll be perfect."

    Trying to quell his excitement and fantasies, he calmed his mind. Before all his dreams could become reality, he needed to endure and work hard. So, he prepared to cultivate.

    He inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and began to move.

    First, he punched the air in front of him, creating a ripple that made the grass and several tree leaves around the garden dance. As he punched, he could feel the qi around him moving excitedly, and he absorbed it all into his body. He rotated his body and kicked. Again, the wind rippled, the leaves and grass swayed, and he absorbed the eager qi surrounding him.

    He performed several dozen basic punches and kicks. His eyes were closed, his face a mask of seriousness. But inside, he felt giddy. He hated meditating and sitting for hours on end, so he had devised a simple method to cultivate while moving. The elders said what he had invented wasn''t new and was usually inefficient, but he knew better. While it might not be novel, his method incorporated his bloodline, and it was three times faster than normal cultivation methods.

    As he cultivated while practicing his kicks and punches, he began to submerge himself in a world of focus. His five senses shut out all distractions around him, and he greedily absorbed the qi in his vicinity.

    His bloodline was both strong and subtle. Instead of giving him some unique ability, it granted him limitless endurance. Since a year ago, after he had nearly drowned himself and his bully in the river, he never slept, never felt hungry, never tired physically or mentally, never ran out of qi, and experienced other effects he could feel but couldn''t describe. Even after a year, he was still exploring his bloodline, conducting experiment after experiment to unravel its mysteries.

    He called this bloodline Unlimited Endurance.

    When the elders learned about his bloodline, they nearly died from shock. After all, it was indeed a fearsome bloodline. One of the keys to becoming a strong cultivator was to have strong willpower, and his bloodline gave him an unlimited supply of it. Nothing could stop him as long as he kept moving and studying. Moreover, since he didn''t need to rest, eat, or sleep, he had twenty-four hours a day to study and practice. This made his days twice as long as other people''s.

    But the true power of Wang Tao''s bloodline lay in its effect on his mind. While others struggled with mental fatigue, loss of focus, and the psychological toll of endless cultivation, Wang Tao''s mind remained eternally sharp and clear. No matter how long he studied or how intensely he practiced, his concentration never wavered.

    "Truly, if this world is a story, then I am the main character!" He opened his eyes, punched the air as hard as he could, and shouted joyfully.

    In his heart, there was no doubt about it. He even began to think that later, after he became an immortal, he would write a book about his journey. His book would become the one read by everyone in this world, and he would make laws to protect it so no one could plagiarize it. Anyone who did so would be severely punished! Even if they only copied the title, he would strike them down!

    Wang Tao giggled like a child and kept cultivating while moving his body around.

    This time, he didn''t break his concentration just to shout. Now, he truly submerged himself in the world of focus, ignoring everything and absorbing qi with all his effort, trying to open the next lock so he could advance further.

    As he cultivated, there came a time when the qi around him felt chaotic, as if a tornado of energy was blowing away most of the qi. But Wang Tao decided not to think about the reason and instead chased after the fleeing qi. After all, he was in the heart of his clan compound. Only elders could enter. Surely, there was no one in Green Valley capable of entering without being scolded and chased away by the elders. He felt like a king, with the elders as his guard dogs.

    The chaotic qi persisted for several hours. While this made absorbing qi a bit harder, he successfully absorbed the energy around him. Eventually, the qi settled, and he began to absorb it more quickly.

    As he did so, he suddenly felt his right foot grow heavy, as if something was tied to it. He ignored it for several moments, but when the heaviness persisted, he thought that perhaps his foot had caught on something. So he opened his eyes to check what was clinging to his feet.

    When he saw a bloodied hand gripping his right ankle, Wang Tao blinked several times. The hand was white and wrinkled, yet its grip was strong. Red blood coated most of the fingers gripping his ankle, as if someone had dipped them into a pool of blood.

 103 ~ Wang Tao (2)

    Wang Tao''s eyes widened as he saw a bloodied hand grip his foot. His gaze traveled up the arm to meet the face of a man lying on the ground covered in blood.

    "You fool! How many times do I have to tell you to always pay attention to your surroundings?" The man coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    "E-elder?" Wang Tao stammered, rushing to the elder''s side. His focus, however, was on their surroundings. While the small garden remained intact, the rest of the compound lay in ruins. Rubble and clouds of dust painted the scenery. In the distance, an orange glow of fire lit up the sky.

    "Elder, what happened?" His voice trembled. The last time he''d opened his eyes, everything had been fine.

    "Spirit beasts are attacking us!" The elder, a man hundreds of years old with white hair and wrinkled skin, coughed up more blood as he answered. One of his eyes was clouded with cataracts, and the lower half of his face was soaked in red.

    Wang Tao suddenly remembered the pills he had. He tried to shove them into the elder''s mouth, but the old man refused. "I''m already dead. My cultivation is broken, and I used the last of it to come here and wake you from your concentration!"

    "I''m sorry, Elder!" Tears threatened to fall from Wang Tao''s eyes. It was so sudden; he didn''t have time to comprehend what had happened. The fact that the elder, who had been kind to him and whom he considered a father, would die made his heart ache. "I''ll get you to safety!"

    He scanned their surroundings, trying to figure out where the spirit beasts were and where to run.

    As Wang Tao reached for the elder, the old man waved him off. "No, just run. These spirit beasts are stronger than all of us. Don''t burden yourself with me." The elder rolled onto his back, facing the sky.

    A sinister laugh echoed through the air, accompanied by desperate cries and shouts. Wang Tao''s heart raced as he wondered what kind of spirit beasts dared to attack the Wang clan and succeed.

    "Listen carefully; we don''t have much time," the elder said urgently. "I want you to run. Run as fast and as far as you can. Don''t stop for anything. Even if you see a naked woman with her legs spread and a bewitching smile, ignore her. Just run, run, and run. These spirit beasts are dangerous. They are stronger than me!" The elder coughed up another mouthful of blood.

    Wang Tao''s heart ached, and his eyes burned with unshed tears, but he took a deep breath and centered himself. He began to accept reality and nodded. He would run. He would hide. The elder was at the Core Splitting seventh core. Anything that could kill the elder could easily crush him.

    "Now, about your father, he is actually¡ª"

    Before the elder could finish, something hurtled toward them. It was too fast for Wang Tao to dodge, but the elder moved suddenly, standing right in front of him and blocked it with his body.

    The object hurling toward them wasn''t a thing¡ªit was a person. It was the gardener! He had probably been thrown by a spirit beast. The gardener''s bald head now jutted out from the elder''s stomach as if it were the blade of a spear. His entire head was red with blood, and the scene before Wang Tao was so absurd that he felt he must be dreaming.

    "Go now!" The elder coughed several times. "Just go!"

    Wang Tao''s body trembled, but he nodded and began to run as fast as he could. As he ran, he turned his head to see the elder and the gardener fall together, their bodies tangled.

    He felt sadness seeing his elder die, but the most dominant feeling in his heart was fear. Fear of whatever had hurled the gardener with such force.

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    "Why?" he muttered. Why had this suddenly happened to him? Wasn''t he a genius favored by heavens? Shouldn''t his life be smooth sailing from here on out?

    As these thoughts raced through his mind, tears began to fall from his eyes. While he didn''t really love his clan members, they were still family, and he vowed to someday kill whatever had annihilated his clan and killed his elder.

    Wang Tao had been running for some time, his feet carrying him far from the devastation of his clan compound. The dense forest outside the compound surrounded him, and its shadows offering a false sense of security.

    Suddenly, a whistling sound came from behind and Wang Tao turned his head to see a black blur shooting toward him like an arrow. His eyes widened in terror, and he instinctively jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the mysterious projectile.

    A loud crash echoed through the forest, followed by the groaning of a tree and a bigger crash accompanied by the rustle of leaves. Wang Tao snapped his head toward the sound, seeing a massive tree now fallen to the side. But his eyes focused on the disgusting and terrifying spirit beast that had felled the tree.

    Its skin was brown as mud, its right ear was one giant grape, while the left was a yellow chili. It had white teeth and smiled so wide as if a beggar saw a pile of gold. Tied around its neck was a yellow cloth with a flower pattern. It had a human torso, but its four limbs were yellow snakes with red dots.

    Wang Tao''s heart pounded in his chest. He could feel the qi emanating from this spirit beast¡ªit was overwhelmingly strong. It was like drowning in some kind of malevolent yet powerful water. It was even stronger than the elder, which meant this thing could kill him as easily as a child stomping on ants. His body and teeth trembled, his back drenched with cold sweat, and he felt his lungs suddenly turn to iron, unable to pump air. But his self-preservation instinct was alive and kicking, and it roared at him to run away.

    Wang Tao stood up hastily, cycled his qi to strengthen his feet and body, and bolted like an arrow. He prayed that this thing wouldn''t chase him. He was just a mere ant. Surely something that strong wouldn''t lower itself to chase an ant.

    He turned his head and saw that the spirit beast was standing near the fallen tree. For a moment, he felt relief, but this relief vanished when his body hit something solid. He fell onto his backside and looked up to see what he had hit.

    When he could clearly see what it was, the blood drained from his face, leaving him as pale as a candle. What he had hit was another spirit beast. It had blue snakes as limbs, pale skin, apples for ears, and a smirking face. He felt a wind ripple at his side and saw another similar spirit beast land nearby. This one had pitch-black snakes, yellow skin, red potatoes for ears, and an angry face.

    More and more spirit beasts landed around him. They were on the ground, in the tree branches, hovering in the sky, standing on shimmering platforms¡ªsome even came out of the ground like moles.

    Wang Tao looked around, instinctively trying to count the total number of enemies.

    "O-one, t-two, t-three," he counted with a trembling voice. When he reached ten, despair filled his heart. At twenty, he realized there was no way he would survive. And when he hit thirty, anger took over.

    He shouldn''t die now. He should live, advance, become strong, and rule the world.

    Wang Tao stood up, his face scrunching into a bestial expression.

    One of the spirit beasts began to laugh. Its laugh was ugly, like a child with lung problems. Then another ugly laugh sounded, and more and more spirit beasts joined in, their laughter reverberating through the air.

    "Don''t laugh!" Wang Tao screamed. "I, Wang Tao, declare you all as my enemy! Whether in this life or the next, I will remember all of you! I will tear off your snake limbs, chop off your heads, eat your hearts, and refine pills from all of you!"

    A spirit beast with pitch-black skin and green coconuts for ears struck the air with its snake limb, and a golden ball in the shape of a tiger''s head shot toward him.

    Wang Tao screamed and tried to punch this attack. His eyes were red and glistening as if he wanted to cry. When his punch connected with the golden tiger head, his hand exploded like a popping balloon. A red mist spread around him, and unbearable pain shot through his body. This pain made him close his eyes for a moment, and every spirit beast surrounding him¡ªwhether standing on branches, on the ground, floating, or atop a platform¡ªcame rushing at him as if he were the most delicious meat in the middle of a pack of hungry dogs.

    Before he opened his eyes again, his limbs were torn off, his head chomped, his stomach and torso bitten as if he were the most delicious cookie in the world.

    The only thing that made him grateful was that while his death was brutal, heavens still had mercy on him because everything turned dark before he could register the pain.

    He was dead, as were most of the Wang clan, the surrounding clans, and the nearby towns, cities, and provinces.

    And this was not an isolated event. Throughout the Twelve Sun Empire, the same thing was happening through the night.

 104 ~ Meeting (1)

    Liu Xing sat in a chair inside a grand, spacious room. This was the meeting hall of the Yang clan. Paintings adorned the walls, depicting scenes from cranes to dragons to a goateed man seated on a golden throne. The walls not covered by paintings displayed intricate carvings of golden dragons, cranes, snakes, and other ornate motifs. Several wooden beams, carved to resemble ascending dragons, supported the roof.

    In front of Liu Xing sat a long table decorated with gold and laden with food and tea. To his left and right sat the two women who accompanied Prince Yang Jinyan. Beside them were other Yang clan cultivators who had achieved the Core Splitting realm. Behind Liu Xing, several dozen people sat in chairs without tables. These were the Lock Opening cultivators who had opened more than five locks. The rest knelt on reed mats.

    At the front, Yang Jinyan sat on a high chair decorated with gold carved into the shape of a crane, as if a golden crane had landed there. Yang Liangyu sat to his left, while Elder Yang Zhaoyan was on his right.

    "Let''s begin the meeting," Yang Jinyan announced. "Since we''re in a hurry, we''ll forgo tradition and get straight to the point. We face great danger, so I want you all to focus on what I''m about to say. The Twelve Sun Empire teeters on the brink of destruction. The City of Suns is probably empty of people now. A demonic cultivator called Wei Yi has transformed most of its people into spirit beasts. I''ll start by telling you what I witnessed today."

    Yang Jinyan recounted his tale. That morning, he and Yang Lihuo had been summoned by the emperor. The emperor announced his decision to step down within a year, naming Yang Jinyan as his successor. Yang Lihuo, furious, declared Yang Jinyan an incapable heir who would make a poor emperor. He then attacked the emperor, who easily beat him. But in the end, Yang Lihuo called for Wei Yi, who appeared out of thin air as if he had been invisible all along.

    Liu Xing''s heart raced as he listened. He knew the story wasn''t entirely truthful, but Wei Yi''s sudden appearance made him wonder if the cultivator possessed darkness like Ji Dongyang. After all, Wei Yi had obtained a technique from the ruins of his sect. Could he be connected to the darkness in this world? Did this darkness grant him invisibility?

    The prince described Wei Yi in detail: a burly man wearing a dark robe, with a pitch-black goatee, dark sharp eyes, and tanned skin. The prince said Wei Yi wasn''t exactly old, but he felt ancient, like a tree that looked healthy on the outside but was rotting within.

    He realized there were many differences between the Wei Yi the prince described and the one he had imagined. Bai Lin had told Liu Xing that Wei Yi is a young, talented cultivator. But Prince Yang Jinyan described him as neither young nor old. Bai Lin had said Wei Yi was at the Core Splitting realm with four cores, yet now he was at the Sun Refining realm, about to advance to Sun Collapsing realm.

    Liu Xing wondered if these were two different people named Wei Yi. But considering the bloodline-stealing spirit beasts roaming the empire, it seemed more likely that this Wei Yi was the same person from Mystic Moon City.

    He pinched his chin, pondering. Was Bai Lin''s information wrong? Had Wei Yi hidden his true strength? Or had he advanced rapidly in a short time? The truth was likely a mix of all these possibilities. After all, demonic cultivators tended to grow strong quickly and perhaps the demonic technique Wei Yi used also accelerated his aging.

    The important thing was that Wei Yi was strong and dangerous. The only one capable of defeating him now was Elder Yang Zhaoyan, and Liu Xing wondered what plan the prince would devise.

    The prince described his fight with Yang Lihuo and the emperor''s battle with Wei Yi. Liu Xing noticed Yang Liangyu''s lips pressed together, as if remembering something scary and sad. Perhaps this was before the grand elder had taken her and her grandmother out of the castle.

    "In the end, Wei Yi used poison to weaken my father until he was as frail as a mortal. Then that bastard, my younger brother, struck our father and ripped his heart from his chest." Yang Jinyan slammed the armrest of his chair, shattering it. Splinters flew everywhere as his face reddened, the red line on his face pulsing as if molten lava flowed beneath his skin.

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    The prince then said he had nearly died fighting Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi simultaneously. That''s when reinforcements from the Yang clan arrived, along with support for Yang Lihuo from the Hei and Wu clans.

    He didn''t describe the aftermath in detail, but everyone could imagine it. The two groups fought, then Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi betrayed their allies, transforming them into spirit beasts. The prince and his retainers, along with the remaining Yang clan members, had to retreat. In the end, only three of them successfully arrived here.

    He also mentioned how Elder Yang Zhaoyang and Liu Xing had killed the abomination that chased him. Many people glanced at Liu Xing when the prince said this. Some nodded, others observed him calculatingly, but none looked down on him. Although Liu Xing hadn''t killed the abomination himself, he had held it off for more than two hours, weakening it until the elder crushed it with a shimmering barrier.

    "Now, I''ll tell you what we need to do," the prince continued. "Our enemy intends to transform all of us into spirit beasts. My retainers suspect they plan to conquer the world with this army."

    Gasps rose from the back of the room.

    "But that''s not their goal. Creating an army of spirit beasts isn''t the most effective way to conquer the world. What they truly seek is personal power¡ªto advance their cultivation further. Turning us into spirit beasts is just a means to achieve that power."

    Liu Xing furrowed his brow, wondering where this conclusion came from. As if reading his mind, the prince answered, "I know this because Wei Yi mentioned the Emperors'' Tomb to Yang Lihuo during our fight."

    "What is this Emperors'' Tomb?" Liu Xing whispered to the girl on his right, the one who had been drenched in blood earlier.

    She glanced at him and whispered back, "It''s where we bury our past emperors."

    Liu Xing pinched his chin, trying to piece together what the prince might say next.

    "The Emperors'' Tomb lies underground, beneath the castle," the prince explained. "It''s a place of dense qi, where our Twelve Sun Empire buries our past emperors and stores our reserved wealth. But one of the hidden functions of the tomb is to create a barrier that can be activated to protect the capital".

    "Let me explain this barrier," Elder Yang Zhaoyan interjected. "It''s flexible, designed by our formation masters about a thousand years ago. This barrier can be adjusted to withstand physical attacks, create illusions to conceal the capital, and even funnel qi to a single point to unleash a devastating attack at the cost of sacrificing everything. This Royal Barrier is a masterpiece that only the great sects can replicate." He puffed out his chest, clearly proud of this achievement.

    Yang Jinyan nodded. "I''ve thought long and hard about this, and I''ve reached a possible conclusion as to why they were discussing the Emperors'' Tomb even in the middle of the fight. I believe Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi intend to modify the Royal Barrier to sacrifice the people inside the capital who have been transformed into spirit beasts. Liu Xing, I heard you might have an explanation for this."

    Liu Xing straightened, caught off guard. Truth be told, he initially drew a blank when put on the spot like this, but his mind soon started to work, and his eyes widened. He actually did have a possible explanation for this.

    He stood and cleared his throat. "For those of you who don''t know, I''ll explain why I came to this empire." He looked around the meeting hall, then recounted everything he knew about Wei Yi, the Xia clan, the spirit beasts with snake limbs, and the pink worms.

    This time, he spared no details. It seemed Wei Yi was truly responsible for those spirit beasts. It made sense¡ªhe had unleashed them at the perfect moment. In the midst of chaos, the spirit beasts could rampage unchecked.

    After hearing his explanation, the people around him began to murmur.

    "They steal bloodlines," Liu Xing said. "I''ve always wondered about Wei Yi''s endgame. Is he planning to eat all those spirit beasts to increase his cultivation? I just realized he doesn''t need to consume them one at a time. He can devour them all at once using the Royal Barrier." Liu Xing glanced at Elder Yang Zhaoyan, who nodded slightly, confirming his conclusion.

    He returned to his chair, his heart pounding like a galloping horse. It all made sense, but there was no concrete evidence. It was just what Yang Jinyan and he had pieced together, trying to make sense of it all. Whether their conclusion was true or not, the fact remained that Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi intended to do something in the capital using the Royal Barrier.

    Perhaps they wanted to be reborn with new bodies forged by the sacrifice, carrying an ultimate bloodline. Or maybe they didn''t need to be reborn at all, instead transferring all that power and those bloodlines into their current bodies. The woman to his right might be correct¡ªthey could be planning to transform all people of the Twelve Sun Empire into a spirit beast army. Hell, they might even intend to create one powerful spirit beast they could fully control.

    In the end, though, their goal was irrelevant. What mattered was what they would do next, and what he and the Yang clan needed to do to stop them.

 105 ~ Meeting (2)

    "A question remains. What should we do now?" Yang Jinyan said. "The answer is this." He stood up and flared his qi. His face contorted with a mix of calm and fury. "I, Yang Jinyan, vow to slaughter our enemies! They killed my father, our sect leader, our elders, and our people. I want them to pay!"

    Hearing this, the Yang clan members nodded, their faces growing cold. Yang Jinyan''s words seemed to resonate with them. Even Elder Yang Zhaoyan and Yang Liangyu nodded in approval.

    "But how?" Yang Jinyan added. "This is how. First, we have to swallow our pride and ask for help. The only one we can turn to is the Purple Moon Sect, and fortunately, we have a member of this sect in our midst. Second, we must confront our enemy. If Wei Yi is killed, their plan will come to a halt. Elder," Yang Jinyan turned to the elder, "You are our strongest cultivator. Do you have a way to kill him?"

    The elder was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

    "Then it''s decided. We will fight! I want all of you in this meeting hall to go home and prepare. I''ll create a strategy to achieve all of this, and when the time comes, I want all of you to answer my call."

    And with that, the meeting ended. Liu Xing had thought the prince would reveal his plan to everyone, but it seemed he was wrong.

    As people began filing out of the meeting hall, Liu Xing sat with his eyes closed.

    "So, the Yang clan decides to fight," he muttered.

    He then took stock of their enemies. First was Wei Yi, second was Yang Lihuo, then the people transformed into abominations¡ªthe army, the Hei clan, the Wu clan, some cultivators from the Yang clan, and the civilians. Liu Xing doubted that the abomination he fought was the strongest. He suspected the abominations transformed from Sun Refining cultivators would be far more fearsome.

    Then there were the snake-limbed spirit beasts and the worms. Liu Xing suspected they would all converge on the capital sooner or later.

    Next, he counted their allies. The strongest was Elder Yang Zhaoyan. There was the prince and his two remaining guards, and then the Core Splitting cultivators and Lock Opening cultivators from the Yang clan, as well as himself.

    When he opened his eyes, only he, the prince, and the elder remained in the meeting hall. The two of them were now sitting behind a circular table, the food and tea still untouched. They looked at Liu Xing as if they were waiting for him.

    Liu Xing stood up, walked toward them, and sat in one of the chairs.

    "Prince Yang Jinyan," Liu Xing began, "do you intend to kill your clan members?"

    Hearing this, Prince Yang Jinyan grimaced while the elder sipped his tea. His expression gave Liu Xing the answer. But soon, he controlled his expression, looking calm once more.

    "I need to instill confidence in my clan members. To project that I have control over the situation."

    Liu Xing nodded. He understood the intention. "But if I can see through your false confidence, then surely others will as well."

    "You''re a bit special," the elder said, sipping his tea. "You''re our ally, but still an outsider. While there might be doubt in their hearts, my clan members will believe the prince since even I am backing him."

    Blind trust, then. "Still, what do we need to do?"

    "I didn''t completely lie," the prince said. "The first thing we need to do is contact the Purple Moon Sect. You really don''t have a method to contact your sect?"

    Liu Xing shook his head. "Not immediately, at least. I could go to a neighboring country and contact my sect from there. But the travel time from here to there, as well as waiting for reinforcements from Purple Moon Sect, would take time."

    "Any estimate?" The prince asked, his eyes boring into Liu Xing.

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    Liu Xing pinched his chin and thought for a moment. He actually didn''t know the closest country to the Twelve Sun Empire aside from Mystic Moon City. Assuming the neighboring countries are the same distance as Mystic Moon City, he''d need several days to arrive. Then they''d need to wait. And since the scale of this disaster was so large, they''d need a group of strong cultivators. Preferably a group of inner disciples led by an elder. Since there were fewer inner disciples than outer disciples, Liu Xing assumed that his request for reinforcements would take some time to be processed, even under urgent circumstances.

    "A week and a half, at the fastest," Liu Xing said. "But come to think of it, I don''t need to go to the neighboring country myself to ask for reinforcements. I just need a way to communicate with them."

    While he couldn''t contact Purple Moon Sect from the Twelve Sun Empire, that didn''t mean the empire was isolated. They probably had a way to contact neighboring countries, and then Liu Xing could ask for reinforcements from here.

    "We have several neighbors," said Prince Yang Jinyan. "They are all hostile. But I think if you''re the one who asked them, they might comply."

    "That''s not guaranteed," the elder said. "After all, they would like to see us destroyed. And even then, it would still take a long time for reinforcements from the Purple Moon Sect to arrive. Probably a week." The elder set his cup of tea down on the table.

    "Still better than doing nothing," the prince said.

    "Alright then," Liu Xing nodded. This plan is exactly his backup plan. "How can I communicate with them?"

    "The least hostile neighbor is the Tang Dynasty. Quite a formidable force," the elder said. "The Wang clan in our empire has quite a strong connection with them. I''ve even heard rumors about them sheltering a bastard prince of the Tang dynasty. They must have a method to communicate with them. Is there another choice, prince?"

    "As far as I know, the most important people lived in the capital, and all of them have been transformed into spirit beasts. The Silky Merchant Group, the Hei clan, and Wu clan," he said these clan names with contempt. "I think the Li clan also has connections with the Tang dynasty, although probably not as strong as the Wang clan."

    "Do you have any allies?" Liu Xing asked. There was no way the Twelve Sun Empire was completely isolated with only enemies.

    "Several," the prince nodded. "But all of them are weaker than us. They''re all Base tier." The prince''s lips formed a bitter smile. "Actually, Yang Liangyu was planned to be married off to the Red Rock Nation. There was even an ambassador in the capital. But alas, this plan is ruined now. The same goes for Yang Lihuo, though instead of a nation, we planned to marry him to a powerful clan," the prince paused for a moment, "from the Burning World sect."

    Liu Xing''s eyebrows rose. The five great sects were hostile to each other, and hearing that one of the vassal empires under Purple Moon Sect was attempting to make a connection to another great sect could be seen as a form of betrayal.

    "I assume this plan is also ruined?"

    "Yes," the prince said simply, and the elder nodded.

    "So, the plan is to communicate with the Wang clan and ask for help from the Tang Dynasty, as well as use them to communicate with the Purple Moon Sect," Liu Xing summarized.

    "Yes," the prince nodded. "Now, let''s talk about what we need to do as we wait for reinforcements."

    "The wise thing to do is evacuate our clan members," the elder said. "In case we''re annihilated, our sect can start over."

    It was a grim way to think about the situation, but it was nonetheless wise.

    The prince agreed with the elder, but he said he didn''t want to evacuate all of the clan members, to create the illusion that he still had control over the situation.

    The elder didn''t oppose him, and Liu Xing pressed his lips together. He didn''t offer his opinion on this, since he was still an outsider, and the affairs of the Yang clan were not his to decide.

    The prince said he would discreetly order one of his bodyguards to direct several talented children, their mothers, as well as to bring several treasures and the cultivation scriptures and techniques.

    As they discussed where and how to evacuate them, Liu Xing''s mind tried to find another way to improve the situation. What the prince said in the meeting was true. If they killed Wei Yi, then the sacrifice would not happen. There was a small chance Yang Lihuo would know how to perform the sacrifice, and in that case, they''d need to kill both of them. But to do so, they''d need to go to the center of the capital, possibly fighting their way through abominations at the Lock Opening, Core Splitting, and even Sun Refining realm.

    So, he thought of a way to stop the sacrifice and came up with one other possibility.

    "All right, I''ll order her, then. She''ll be pissed, but she''ll carry out my order without fail," the prince said, and the elder nodded.

    Sensing their conversation about how to evacuate some of their clansmen was winding down, Liu Xing proposed his idea.

    The idea was simple: since Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi had already transformed everyone in the City of Suns into spirit beasts and planned to sacrifice them, Liu Xing proposed a solution: what if they killed the spirit beasts before the sacrifice could take place? Even if they couldn''t kill all of them, reducing the number of spirit beasts would still make a difference.

    "You want to cull the spirit beasts," Prince Yang Jinyan said.

    "Yes," Liu Xing nodded simply.

    "And do you plan to take part in the culling yourself?" the prince asked.

    "Of course."

    "Do you intend to kill yourself?" The prince asked.

 106 ~ Flowing Meditation (1)

    "No, of course not."

    "You have a trick up your sleeve," the elder stated.

    "Yes, and this trick are connected to what I''m about to ask of you, Elder. After all, I did impress you by fighting that abomination, right?"

    "Indeed. What do you want? As long as it''s not forbidden or too troublesome, I can grant your request."

    Liu Xing nodded. In the end, what he needed was power. While he was already strong, stronger than most people in his realm, he wanted to advance further. His gun allowed him to do so as long as there were many adversaries, and this empire was now full of them.

    "What I want is either a cultivation method, a treasure, a talisman, or anything that will allow me to cultivate while moving."

    After hearing this, both the elder and the prince raised their eyebrows.

    "A peculiar request," the elder commented.

    "Couldn''t you get something like that from your own sect? After all, you''re from the Purple Moon Sect. Our greatest cultivation scriptures, methods, and techniques come from your sect," the prince added.

    Liu Xing smiled bitterly. "A sect, whether great or not, is similar in some ways. Everything there comes at a price. And as it happens, I''m quite broke."

    His sect points, to this day, were still in the negative, which saddened him. At the very least, he could console himself with the fact that he now had a spatial bag and quite a lot of spirit stones.

    The elder pinched his chin. "I assume this would help us deal with the situation?"

    "Of course."

    If he could get something to cultivate while moving, then this nightmare empire would be the best place for him. He would cull those abominations one by one, using their beast cores to kill others as well as advance his cultivation. Who knew? Perhaps when this conflict was over, he would be a mighty Core Splitting cultivator who could fight evenly with Sun Refining cultivators.

    His heart hammered as he waited for Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s answer. Did he have something like that? Would one of his milestones to becoming stronger be achieved right here and now?

    The elder pinched his chin, then stood up. "Follow me."

    Liu Xing and Prince Yang Jinyan stood up and followed him. The two of them were led to a wall in the meeting hall, where a golden statue was carved into the wall. When the three of them stood there for about a second, a part of the wall slid to the side, revealing a long dark hallway with a light shining at the end of it.

    As the elder stepped inside, Liu Xing and Prince Yang Jinyan followed. As he entered, Liu Xing felt the air around him change, becoming warmer. While not as drastic, it felt like stepping out of an air-conditioned room onto a hot, scorching road.

    "Barrier," Liu Xing muttered.

    He glanced to the side, seeing that even the prince''s eyes were searching around, as if he also didn''t know about this hallway. A smooth grinding sound could be heard, and when he turned his head, he saw the wall closing behind them.

    "I didn''t know about this place. Where does this hallway lead, Elder?" the prince asked.

    "My own treasury."

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    "You have your own treasury in the clan compound?" the prince asked, surprised.

    The elder wore a sad smile. "It formerly belonged to us, the elders, but since I''m the only one left, all of this is mine."

    Liu Xing saw the elder mutter something, but his ears couldn''t catch anything even when they were so close. The elder''s lips were also kind of blurry for a second, as if he was trying to conceal something. But Liu Xing understood that this trick wasn''t to hide anything important. After all, while he couldn''t hear what the elder said or read his lips, the elder''s eyes conveyed what he felt inside. If Liu Xing was right, the elder probably muttered something along the lines of, "This is all mine, not that I want it."

    Soon they arrived at a quite large treasure hall. There were three large doors in front of them. The center door was the largest, a double door made purely of gold. The left door was smaller and as shiny as silver, and the right door looked like it was made of bronze.

    "It''s actually perfect timing," the elder said while turning his head to the prince. "Prince, you''re the Yang clan leader now. It''s not official yet, but everyone already thinks so. I do too. After all, while I''m an exceptional cultivator with talent, I''m not fit to be a leader¡ªyou are. But your strength isn''t where it needs to be yet, so use this treasury as you see fit. However, I advise that before you use it to strengthen our clan, use it first to strengthen yourself." He pointed to the golden gate. "Go there."

    The prince clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white. There was fire in his eyes, a burning resolve that marked him as a man who would never back down. He nodded resolutely and walked toward the golden doors. The doors opened automatically, and a blinding yellow light shone out. After the prince stepped inside, the doors closed, leaving Liu Xing alone with the elder.

    The elder then began to walk toward the bronze gate. The gate opened, and he beckoned Liu Xing inside.

    The inside of the room was actually smaller than Liu Xing had thought. From where he stood to the edge of the room was only about twenty steps. Shelves full of books and scrolls stood and split this little room into several parts, making him think that this little library felt cozy.

    On one side of the room, there was a display case of armor, weapons, and trinkets like hairpins, necklaces, belts, and many more. Each of them shiny, and he could feel qi emanating from them.

    The elder beckoned him to a mannequin that only had a torso and neck. Hanging from this white mannequin''s neck was a necklace made from white stone. The elder took the necklace and showed it to him.

    "This necklace is mine. It''s called the Solar Stone Necklace."

    A treasure that he assumed would be given to him. With a heart full of anticipation, Liu Xing hoped with all his might that this necklace had the ability he was looking for.

    "I don''t have anything that matches exactly what you want. After all, cultivating while moving isn''t as efficient. This necklace is capable of siphoning qi from around its user, but its efficiency is terrible. It''s more like a toy than a real treasure."

    Liu Xing observed the necklace. It actually looked quite clumsily made. The white rock wasn''t entirely circular or smooth. It looked like someone had found a smooth rock from a river, painted it white, and tied it with a little chain. Still, while the elder said this was a toy, it still qualified to be called a treasure. The problem was whether this necklace could solve his problem.

    The answer was probably not.

    After all, this treasure could only absorb qi from the environment, and cultivation meant absorbing qi into one''s body and then into one''s consciousness. He suspected that this treasure only functioned to absorb qi into the body. Which meant he would still need to meditate to insert this qi into his consciousness.

    "You look disappointed," the elder said. "Luckily, this isn''t the only thing I''m going to give you."

    The elder then moved to one of the shelves. He riffled through some books and finally got his hand on a little blue scroll that looked ancient, with dust and little tears here and there, ink smudges, and cobwebs.

    The elder gave it to him, and Liu Xing dragged a chair over, sat down, and read the scroll.

    "This scroll describes a meditation method called the Flowing Meditation Method." The elder put his hands behind his back. "Long ago, there was a farmer family on the edge of our empire. All of the family members, though few in number, had a hint of qi in them, making them stronger than normal mortal families." The elder had a hint of a smile in his eyes, as if reminiscing about a fond memory. "The reason for that was this method."

    Liu Xing nodded. The story of farmers cultivating while tending their farms was actually really familiar to him. After all, while he mostly read Chinese web stories, there were many westerners who had the same taste as him, and they too tried to write xianxia stories. One of them was about a cultivator who decided to quit being a cultivator and become a farmer instead.

    Liu Xing smiled, remembering the story, but then he centered his mind and tried to focus.

 107 ~ Flowing Meditation (2)

    After reading the contents of this scroll, Liu Xing realized that this method was quite easy to memorize, but since the description was actually sparse, Liu Xing would probably need several attempts to master it.

    He stood up, placing the scroll on the chair, and inhaled deeply.

    "Do you want to try it?" the elder asked.

    "Yes, I think this method is exactly what I need."

    "Oh? You don''t need this necklace? That method is actually only a meditation technique. Only when paired with this necklace can it be used to cultivate."

    Liu Xing noticed the elder actually holding the necklace near his heart. He didn''t know if this was an unconscious gesture, but it seemed the necklace was precious to him.

    "I''ll try the meditation method first."

    The elder nodded and gave him space.

    Liu Xing closed his eyes and adjusted his stance. Then, he began to move. With palm open, he struck the air. Then, he pulled back from the palm strike and smoothly transitioned to unleash another palm strike with his other hand. From this, he began to move and unleash palm strikes, kicks, and even punches. There was no specific rhythm. He just wanted to move with slow yet relaxing motions.

    As he moved, Liu Xing began to feel his body. The method said that the key to meditation was to focus the mind on one thing. This was slightly different from his usual meditation where he needed to empty his mind.

    Then, he began to apply a peculiar method. The creator of this technique, the farmer, said that chanting a poem would make it easier, but only a beautiful poem that appreciated the trees, the sky, the earth, and nature would do. The point was to be grateful to live in a bountiful land.

    Liu Xing decided not to chant a poem. After all, he actually didn''t remember any poems and couldn''t write one. Luckily, it wasn''t a problem. The main thing about this meditation technique was actually not to chant poems, but to be aware and grateful of the nature around. There were some intricacies to this method, but this aspect was kind of similar to the usual method of meditation, so hopefully it wouldn''t be too different.

    Liu Xing kept moving while trying to settle his heart, opening all his senses to the world around him. The smell of old books and dusty scrolls, the very faint wind circling the library, the warmth of this cozy room. Then, he began to think about everything that had happened.

    The worst time of his life was when he first transmigrated to this world. He felt like a blind man suddenly thrust into navigating an ocean. Even with the real Liu Xing''s memories there for him to digest, it was still hard. Things gradually got better until he met Nui, and then his life turned upside down.

    As he kicked and punched and swept, he began to think about the good things that had happened to him. At first, he thought the good things only happened after he got the gun, but the truth was, that wasn''t the case.

    He remembered the busy yet lonely airport. Only Joni was there, with dark bags under his eyes, red eyes, an oily face, and hair so messy it looked like a bird''s nest. This happened after Joni finally succeeded in putting the bastard who accidentally killed Mamat in jail. The culprit, the son of an army general, had stolen a truck on a reckless dare to prove his manliness. What followed was a long and grueling ordeal as they worked tirelessly to expose him while being relentlessly targeted by thugs sent to intimidate, harm and even kill them. To expose the truth and pressure the authorities into action, Joni devised an elaborate plan. He created a series of videos posing as a treasure hunt to subtly reveal the details of the incident and force the police to prosecute the real culprit.

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    Now, everything is over.

    "Isn''t it sad? You''re going to Japan, and only me, a dude, came to see you off," Joni said with a little smile. He was still tired and sad, but William knew that at the very least, his heart was now at ease.

    "Yeah, people might think we''re gay."

    Joni laughed and slapped his knee. It wasn''t that funny, and yet, he and Joni smiled. Then they laughed, laughed, and laughed. Then, he didn''t know who started first, but they began to cry. They had an ugly cry. Tears and snot flowed like rivers. Joni commented on how stupid his face looked, and he too insulted how messy Joni''s appearance was. They laughed for a full fifteen minutes. Sometimes their laughter was interrupted by crying, sometimes their crying was interrupted by their laughter.

    It was so sad. They were a group of four at first. But now there were only two left. And even then they would go their separate ways. He was going to Japan and Joni was going to study law.

    But as he boarded the plane, William''s heart felt unexpectedly light. He was deeply grateful to his friends and thanked them from the bottom of his heart. Without them, he would be six feet underground right now, having fallen from a high-rise apartment.

    And he felt grateful that their parting, though not ideal, had filled him with happy memories and his ears still filled with their laughter.

    All of that briefly ended when the plane he boarded plummeted into an ocean, buried when he tried to adapt himself to a new world, and then emerged again when Nui came back and told him that, while they were in different places now, they were still alive and kicking, each navigating their new treacherous worlds.

    He inhaled deeply, two tears falling from his eyes. One for the sadness, and one for how grateful he was to be still alive, to have met Nui, to know that his friends were alive, and grateful that he had the opportunity to help them, even in an entirely different world.

    He exhaled slowly and felt his body move like flowing water, as if his mind and body were in sync. With each movement, he began to feel an opening¡ªa hole connected to his consciousness¡ªthat widened as he flowed. Then the opening gradually settled and became a calm, steady presence within him.

    Realizing that he had successfully meditated while moving, he tried to push a bit harder. He suspected he couldn''t fully submerge himself into his consciousness, but it was all right. There was a way for qi to travel from his body into his consciousness, and it was enough.

    Soon, Liu Xing could sense his cultivation. The imagery of a ball of lightning, chained with silver chains, and sealed by seven locks. When he realized that his seventh lock, the last lock that he needed to open, was almost full, Liu Xing''s eyes widened in disbelief, his concentration shattered, and he stumbled on his feet.

    "What happened?" Liu Xing asked.

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan walked toward him with his hands behind his back, his expression serene.

    "Congratulations on attaining an enlightenment. It is a rare and remarkable achievement."

    Liu Xing''s mouth opened wide. He knew about enlightenment. There were many tales of it. It was said that when someone gained enlightenment, they could instantly gain a deeper comprehension of a technique, they would have an epiphany and gain inspiration, even breakthrough into the next realm. People said that one couldn''t be immortal without enlightenment, and to think that he had an enlightenment, how was that possible? After all, without his gun, he was a normal cultivator, and while he didn''t achieve breakthrough, his cultivation increased dramatically.

    He smiled widely. While he felt that it was kind of abrupt, he didn''t hate it. Only a little bit more qi, and he would open the seventh lock, the last one, shortly.

    Liu Xing''s heart began hammering. He knew sooner or later he would advance to the seventh stage, but to think it would come so soon made him feel like the world was suddenly behind him and supporting him.

    Liu Xing wanted to sit and cultivate, when the elder suddenly snapped his head toward the doors. His eyes narrowed and his expression turned serious, as if there were enemies outside.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing''s heart kept hammering, but now it was filled with anxiety.

    "What''s the matter?¡± Liu Xing asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The elder replied, not offering any explanation.

    Was it an enemy? Liu Xing didn''t utter a single word. Instead, he followed the elder, who began to walk briskly toward the doors.

 108 ~ Asking For Help (1)

    Prince Yang Jinyan walked in front, the elder was on his right, while Liu Xing was behind them. Together, they walked toward the main gate where they saw an opened gate and a group of Yang clan members surrounding another group.

    Liu Xing sharpened his eyes and tried to discern who the second group was, trying to determine whether they were enemies or not.

    When people saw the prince and the elder approaching, those near the gate moved to the side, revealing a group of about twenty people consisting of one man, several women, elderly, and children. They wore green robes, and each of them was dirty and sweaty. Their eyes were wide and alert, as if they were running from something and expected their pursuers to suddenly appear.

    Prince Yang Jinyan suddenly widened his eyes, and the elder narrowed his.

    "Who are they?" Liu Xing asked.

    The prince answered him. "They''re from the Wang clan."

    The Wang clan was the clan they had talked about only recently, and to think some of their clan members had suddenly arrived, moreover in that condition, Liu Xing couldn''t help but think that something had happened to them.

    After they arrived, the prince ordered his people to tend to the women, elderly, and children. "Give them new clothes, food, and prepare their rooms."

    But the man was ordered to follow the prince and elder into the meeting hall. Now, behind the round table there were four chairs. Four of them were filled, with the man in the green robe now busy eating as if he hadn''t eaten for three days and three nights.

    Liu Xing observed the man. He was past his prime. His skin was already loosened, with several aging lines on his face. He had black hair that he tied into a bun, and Liu Xing could see two strands of white hair on his head. He had a mustache, a bit of a rotund stomach, and pale white skin as if he had never been touched by the sun. His cultivation was also low, only at the Lock Opening realm''s third stage.

    After he finished eating, he thanked the prince and the elder for allowing him to eat. Briefly, a smile bloomed on his face, but it was soon eclipsed by gloom, with his lips turning downward and sadness in his eyes.

    "My name is Wang Lin. And I''m one of the few who survived our clan''s massacre. Let me tell you what happened to my clan."

    Wang Lin told his story. He briefly introduced himself. Wang Lin was the son of an elder. He didn''t have a talent for cultivation and became a disgrace to his family, so he became a merchant and had little success.

    "I decided to visit my family for a month. It was my vacation. But to think that it would turn into a nightmare, with my father sacrificing himself for me." His eyes began to glisten. "Wasn''t I a disgrace to you, father? Why did you sacrifice yourself for me? It should have been me who died, not you."

    He wiped his eyes, took a breath, and continued. "It happened so fast. One moment everything was okay, and the next, there was an explosion. I ran outside to check what happened, and I saw most of the clan compound was flattened. In the sky, there was this terrifying thing floating. Its qi was so oppressive and tyrannical, I thought my heart would stop right then and there. This thing had a human body, snake limbs, and green ears that resembled coconuts. It cackled madly before it launched itself and began killing my clan members. It was so strong that the wind from its attack tossed me from side to side!"

    Hearing this, Liu Xing clenched his fists. It was them. Those spirit beasts.

    The prince and the elder glanced at him for a moment, but their faces turned back to Wang Lin when he continued his story.

    As he listened to Wang Lin, Liu Xing turned his head down and clenched his teeth.

    His tale was one of luck and sacrifice. Each time he almost died, there were other people who became bait so he could escape. But each escape burdened him with wives and children and elderly that he needed to ensure survived. And, by pure dumb luck, there was a time when almost all the spirit beasts converged to a point behind the clan compound, and he used this opportunity to bolt.

    "I had several talismans that made our presence thinner and veiled us, as well as pills to enhance all our physical abilities for some time. Some of the wives now have their cultivation broken because of the effects of the pills they consumed, but they said it was worth it. Long story short, we finally arrived here."

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    Liu Xing inhaled deeply and tried to digest all of the information. One of the most important things was the fact that Wang Lin said there were dozens of those spirit beasts. He didn''t mention the worms, and when Liu Xing asked about it, Wang Lin said there were no worms, only spirit beasts that looked human with snake limbs. Their number was great. More than twenty, which meant that at least two of those original eight had successfully split itself. And since two of them had succeeded, there was a high chance that the others had also succeeded.

    The situation was as bad as his prediction, and it felt like the air around him became heavier, as if trying to suffocate him.

    "Also, I don''t know where this communication orb came from. One of the kids said that it was thrown by a black tentacle." Wang Lin put a blue orb on the table. It glimmered under the light, glowing and pulsing faintly.

    Liu Xing had never seen a communication orb before, but he knew that the most common¡ªwhile expensive¡ªtreasures used to communicate from a distance were these communication orbs. Seeing this, a single thread of hope emerged in his heart. The Wang clan was destroyed, a clan that was supposed to become a bridge to ask for help. There was only a small chance that the communication orb was tuned to the Tang Dynasty, but Liu Xing clung to that hope.

    The prince grabbed the orb and observed it. "A high-quality comms orb. In the Twelve Sun Empire, there are only dozens of comms orbs of this quality."

    "Do you have more comms orbs, Prince?" Liu Xing asked. "Could you use this to communicate with other cities? We need to know how bad the situation is."

    "I do, and I''ve already used them. Unfortunately though, the Yang clan''s comms orbs are not as good as this one, and only have a short range. I asked all the Yang clan members in the other cities to come back. They readily accepted the order and told nothing else, which means that at that time, other cities were still intact."

    "We need to communicate with them again," the elder said. "We need to assess this threat."

    "All right," the prince nodded. "I''ll go and do just that. Also, I think it''s time to throw caution to the wind and spread word of our dire condition far and wide, Elder. The people of the empire are now in danger, and since this threat is too great to be handled by our current empire, we need to order people to evacuate."

    "Indeed, there''s no need to suppress the information anymore."

    As he heard this exchange, Liu Xing''s mind worked hard to decipher the meaning, and he came to a conclusion. It seemed the Yang clan, specifically the elder, had tried to suppress the information about the death of the emperor and the weakening of the Yang clan, which made sense. News about the emperor''s death, especially at the hands of his own son, would create unrest among the people. Moreover, if this news came to the ears of hostile nations, it would also bring trouble. He knew all of the neighboring countries of the Twelve Sun Empire were hostile, and if they heard news of the emperor''s death, they would invite themselves in and try to conquer this weakened empire.

    This shed light on some questions he had actually never thought about, like why there seemed to be no unrest happening in the other cities besides the capital. The Yang clan was near the capital, and if the capital suddenly shut off communication, then there must be merchants who would ask around about why the capital was suddenly quiet, wives who would ask around why their husbands didn''t come home, etc. To think that the Yang clan members in other cities tried to suppress the information about the capital.

    He glanced at Prince Yang Jinyan, who walked briskly out of the meeting hall, and glanced at Elder Yang Zhaoyan, who nodded a little, as if confirming what Liu Xing thought.

    He inhaled deeply and tried to think about the implications, and in the end came to the conclusion that nothing had changed, at least in matters that concerned him. It would be good if the people in the empire began to evacuate. But still, the underlying problem still existed and needed to be addressed.

    "Do you know where this comms orb is tuned to, Wang Lin?" the elder asked.

    Wang Lin shook his head. "I don''t. But I do know that it''s tuned to quite a faraway place. The brightest communication orb that I''ve seen didn''t shine as bright."

    The elder nodded, then glanced at Liu Xing. "This fellow is so lucky, perhaps his luck extends to us. There''s a small chance that this orb is connected to the Tang Dynasty."

    Wang Lin raised his eyebrows. "Why the Tang Dynasty?"

    The elder didn''t answer him. Instead, he grabbed the orb and gave it to Liu Xing.

    Now, the orb is nestled in Liu Xing''s right palm. This orb felt cold, yet also a bit warm. He could feel qi inside it, arranged in intricate formations. He glanced at the elder, then at Wang Lin who looked confused, and decided to get it over with. If this was truly connected to the Tang Dynasty, then he would be happy, but if it wasn''t, then he would be disappointed but not angry. After all, it was a communication orb that Wang Lin got by sheer luck.

    He inhaled deeply and poured some qi into the communication orb. It glowed more brightly, accompanied by a little hum, as if there were bees inside the orb.

    The orb then let out a click sound, and Liu Xing knew it was connected. He opened his mouth and intended to speak first, but the person on the other side beat him to it.

    "Who is this? How can you call me?" The voice was calm and a bit gruff, but the strangest thing was that Liu Xing felt like he recognized this voice. He racked his brain to find out who the voice belonged to, and when he realized who that person was, his eyes widened.

 109 ~ Asking For Help (2)

    "E-elder Zhang Zhenking? Is that really you?"

    "I am. Who are you?" The voice from the orb replied.

    The confirmation struck Liu Xing like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened, and his heart hammered in his chest. Even Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s mouth fell open in shock. They had expected the communication orb to connect to some random person, or in a miraculous scenario, perhaps someone from the Tang Dynasty. But this... this was beyond their wildest expectations. The orb had connected them directly to Elder Zhang Zhenking of the Purple Moon Sect.

    "Hurry, answer him!" Elder Yang Zhaoyan mouthed urgently.

    Liu Xing nodded and gathered his wits. "My name is Liu Xing, elder. I''m an outer disciple of the Purple Moon Sect."

    "How did you connect to my communication orb?" Elder Zhang Zhenking asked abruptly.

    Liu Xing was about to mention that he got the orb from a man named Wang Lin, but fearing the elder might cut the connection, he decided to give the full story.

    "It happened like this," he began, carefully recounting the events from Mystic Moon City to their current situation with the Yang clan. Several times, Elder Zhang Zhenking instructed him to shorten his tale, which Liu Xing did. He aimed to portray the Twelve Sun Empire as a victim in need of help, subtly reminding the elder of the empire''s status as a vassal state.

    "Wang Lin said he didn''t know where the orb came from, but one of the children he saved mentioned it was thrown by a black tentacle," Liu Xing concluded.

    "A black tentacle?" The elder mused, as if recognizing something significant. This unexpected line of communication between the Purple Moon Sect and the Wang Clan still fills Liu Xing with questions.

    After a moment of contemplation, Elder Zhang Zhenking''s commanding voice reverberated through the orb. "Liu Xing, I accept your report. The Twelve Sun Empire is indeed our vassal, and we have a duty to protect it. I will send four groups of inner disciples to your location. They should arrive within four days at the latest."

    Hearing this, Liu Xing couldn''t help but smile. While the elder hadn''t sent another elder, four groups of inner disciples was a significant force. Although waiting four days seemed long, it was better than nothing. Liu Xing hoped they would all be at the Sun Refining realm.

    "Thank you, elder!" Liu Xing said gratefully.

    A grunt came from the orb before the connection was severed. The glow of the communication orb faded until it disappeared, leaving a normal, slightly warm orb in Liu Xing''s right hand.

    He looked at Elder Yang Zhaoyan, who nodded approvingly, as if Liu Xing had accomplished a great feat. And in a way, he had. He''d successfully secured reinforcements from the Purple Moon Sect!

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan turned to the still-confused Wang Lin. "Wang Lin, you have provided us with great aid in our time of need. You will be rewarded handsomely later."

    Wang Lin clasped his hands and smiled broadly. "Thank you, Elder Yang Zhaoyan!"

    The elder nodded, then looked at Liu Xing. "Now, let''s inform the prince of this good news. We also need to discuss our next steps."

    Liu Xing nodded. While he felt relieved that reinforcements were coming from the Purple Moon Sect, he knew that four days was a long time in their current situation. Anything could happen in such a critical period. He decided that he wouldn''t wait idly during these four days. He needed to take action.

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    The elder and Liu Xing stood up and headed toward the prince''s location.

    ***

    The City of Suns sprawled across the horizon, its expanse so vast that from the eastern cliffs, one could see an endless sea of buildings crowned by a massive golden castle. Numerous towers dotted the cityscape, giving it an almost modern feel despite the traditional Chinese architecture. It was said that a mortal could run for two days and nights and still not reach the edge of the city.

    On one of these eastern cliffs stood two figures. The first was Elder Yang Zhaoyan, still clad in his red robe but now adorned with three rings on his right hand¡ªtwo gold and one silver. When Liu Xing had inquired about them, the elder explained that they were spatial rings filled with supplies.

    The second figure was Liu Xing himself. He stood with one foot propped on a rock, surveying the City of Suns. He was wearing black pants and a sleeveless black robe, with his spatial bag hanging from his waist. This bag now contained not only his treasures and spirit stones, but also numerous pills and talismans given to him by the Yang Clan.

    As the sun began to peek over the horizon behind them, Liu Xing could make out several abominations from his position.

    One such creature ambled mindlessly through the streets like a zombie. It appeared almost human, with a pale, naked body, but its hands ended in long, black nails that scraped against the ground with each shuffling step. The right side of its face was human with a vacant eye and slack jaw, while the left side writhed with black worms attempting to form a dog''s snout. As it moved, the worms pulsated and shifted, never quite settling into a fixed shape.

    In the shadows of a nearby building, Liu Xing spotted a particularly unsettling abomination. It appeared to be a young woman at first glance, but as she stepped into the light, he saw that her torso was split open like a blooming flower, revealing a mass of writhing tentacles where her organs should have been.

    Scanning the area, Liu Xing noticed the wildly different appearances of these creatures. Some with crab-like claws, some with dog claws, and some with animal heads on human bodies. They were all grotesque combinations of humans and spirit beasts.

    Witnessing this, Elder Yang Zhaoyan shook his head and sighed. "They were mere mortals. I doubt they would be useful to Wei Yi, yet he still transformed them into these abominations."

    Liu Xing nodded grimly, knowing they would soon end these creatures'' misery.

    There were several reasons why Liu Xing and the Elder had chosen this easternmost location to begin their culling. The main reason was that this area was mostly occupied by mortals, making the transformed beings easier to eliminate. Most were only at the first to third stages of the Lock Opening realm.

    "Alright, Liu Xing, I''ll leave this area to you," the elder said, glancing toward the golden castle.

    The second part of their plan involved several secret doors connected to the Emperor''s Tomb. These were close to the castle, and the elder would check whether those doors were locked before helping Liu Xing cull the stronger abominations.

    The elder then transformed into a white mist carried away by the wind. "Good luck, and remember our plan."

    Liu Xing nodded, then inhaled deeply and summoned his gun in his left hand.

    "All right," he muttered, "let''s do this."

    He and the prince had devised a simple plan, and Liu Xing''s role was straightforward: kill as many abominations as possible. His target for the day was to eliminate at least five hundred abominations. He would start with the weaker ones and work his way up to the stronger abominations. Then, after reaching his goal, he would bring the Yang Clan into the attack.

    Liu Xing willed invisibility to spread through his body. The wind caressed his cheeks and ruffled his invisible hair as he took several steps and plunged off the cliff.

    As he fell, Liu Xing adjusted his state of mind, attempting to meditate with open eyes and a body ready for action. He landed on his feet, stirring up a cloud of dust around him. Nearby, an abomination turned its head and rushed toward him.

    Liu Xing activated his lightning blade and adjusted his stance, waiting for the enemy to come within reach. When it did, he slashed horizontally, separating the creature''s pig-like head from its human body. Then, he sidestepped to avoid the barrelling corpse.

    As he did so, Liu Xing felt a hole in his consciousness open up and then settle down. Then, a fierce smile spread across his face.

    He jogged toward another shambling abomination that hadn''t yet noticed its fallen comrade. He reloaded his gun with qi and shot the creature square in the forehead. A hole appeared, and it collapsed like a sack of potatoes. The gun now had six bullets again, one of them formed from the abomination''s qi. Sensing this, he absorbed the bullet with potent qi and directed it toward his consciousness, where it flowed toward his nearly open seventh lock.

    As the energy settled, Liu Xing couldn''t help but grin. It seemed he might advance to the seventh stage today after all.

 110 ~ Culling (1)

    From here, Liu Xing began his hunt. He ran through the streets, slashing and shooting every abomination he encountered.

    An abomination with half a human face and half covered in white fur stood at the side of the street. It died instantly, a red line forming across its neck as its head fell to the ground. Another creature, its lower face that of a dog, was gorging on the stomach of a spirit beast. It split in two, its right and left sides falling in opposite directions. A zombie-like abomination with two snake heads sprouting from its neck suddenly sprouted holes in each forehead, collapsing to the ground.

    Liu Xing activated his Lightning Cloak and moved faster. The world became slightly blurry but not unrecognizable. Each abomination he found soon met its end. It seemed that while they had transformed into spirit beasts, their vital points remained prime targets for attack.

    He slashed more necks, shot more brains, and pierced more hearts. Liu Xing was like a blade cutting through grass. Red blood with hints of blackness began to paint the streets and walls. The stench of blood under the morning sun made the City of Suns an ill-fitting name. It would be more aptly called the City of the Dead.

    With his Lightning Cloak active, Liu Xing moved even faster. His lightning blade now extended several meters, and he swung it wildly left and right, cutting abominations in half. Blood rained down as walls around him either bore deep gashes or crumbled entirely.

    As he moved deeper into the city, Liu Xing noticed the number of abominations increasing. At first, there was one every ten meters, then one per meter. When he reached the heart of the former city, he found himself in a narrow street so full of abominations that he couldn''t see its end.

    This street teemed with hundreds of of abominations, each with a unique and generally repulsive appearance, as if humans had been fused with animals.

    Liu Xing considered using exploding bullets for the sake of efficiency, but restrained himself. After all, he had already given up stealth, but he didn''t want to lure all the abominations in the city just yet. Instead, he leaped to a nearby three-story building with a balcony and dark, curving roofs. Landing on the roof''s edge, he began to shoot. His first bullet flew toward a spirit beast in the center of the crowd. It had a head resembling a grotesque fly, complete with two antennae and large red eyes. The bullet struck its right eye. The creature exploded into a blood mist, its body remaining standing, held up by the crowd around it.

    Liu Xing suddenly realized something. These spirit beasts seemed to have low intelligence. The abominations looked left and right, as if searching for what had killed one of their own. Some with large ears or animal features like rabbits and elephants had their ears twitching. Those with antennae waved them wildly, but not a single abomination looked up.

    Realizing this, he changed his strategy. Instead of moving through the crowd, he decided to become a sniper, picking them off from his perch.

    Lying on his belly atop the roof, Liu Xing began shooting. With his Lightning Cloak still active, his fingers moved like a blur. In a second, he kills dozens of spirit beasts. Each head he shot bloomed into a red flower, blood pooling on the ground below.

    The group of abominations began to move erratically, pushing others as if they were people trapped in a burning train with the doors slightly open and everyone desperate to escape. Some crashed into houses and walls, creating a dust cloud that slightly hindered visibility.

    Liu Xing focused and methodically killed every abomination in the street. Hundreds died in less than a minute, and a wide pool of blood began to flood the area.

    When it was over, the narrow street was filled with abomination corpses. They lay on the ground, heads riddled with holes and limbs tangled together.

    Each abomination had a low cultivation level, so the bullets he absorbed into his consciousness, while numerous, weren''t enough for him to breakthrough to the next stage. Still, Liu Xing''s heart hammered with excitement. After all, there were still thousands, if not millions, of abominations in this city, and they could fuel his cultivation.

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    "Time to make some noise." He decides to lure more abominations to his place.

    Liu Xing aimed at a spirit beast converging around the narrow street and shot it with an exploding bullet. The abomination, which looked almost like a werewolf, suddenly exploded. The blast was quite loud, and every abomination in sight snapped their heads toward the source of the noise and began to run as if they were guard dogs who had heard an intruder.

    Some began howling, shouting, and cackling. An abomination with arms made of two dogs, but with a human head with the scalp peeled off, exposing the brain, happened to jump onto the roof where he was perched. Liu Xing aimed at its head and pulled the trigger. The abomination exploded into a rain of blood, showering the abominations below with red liquid. When it died, Liu Xing felt two of his bullets were made from its beast core. He absorbed one into his consciousness and used the other to kill his next target.

    Liu Xing continued to dispatch the transformed citizens of the City of Suns. At one point, he decided his current position wasn''t optimal, so he launched himself toward a tall statue in the center of a plaza. The statue depicted a man looking upward, his hands behind his back, wearing a flowing robe with star and sun patterns. It was the tallest structure around and the perfect place to snipe enemies.

    Liu Xing stood atop the statue''s head and surveyed his surroundings. From this vantage point, he could see far and wide. Numerous spirit beasts crowded below, as if waiting for a world-shattering announcement from a great emperor. Seeing the crowd, Liu Xing decided to use the statue as his base.

    Liu Xing took his stance, inhaled deeply, and began to aim. His first target from this position was an abomination that resembled a child. It didn''t have animal parts on its body, but instead had an enormous head that it had to drag along the ground as it moved. The sight was weird, disgusting, and pitiful, making Liu Xing realize that while he could be glad to use them to advance his cultivation, he needed to do so respectfully.

    "May you have a happy life in your next life."

    He pulled the trigger. A blue bolt shot through the sky and hit the abomination''s head. It exploded into a shower of red, and as if Liu Xing had struck a wasp''s nest, all of the abominations snapped their heads toward the explosion and converged on that spot as if Liu Xing were there.

    Liu Xing began to shoot rapidly. He maintained his state of Flowing Meditation, occasionally absorbing the bullets made from these abominations'' beast core.

    The plaza below began to flood with red blood. Abominations moved around like headless chickens, screaming, growling, and cackling. They seemed to sense an enemy but didn''t know where, so they moved randomly.

    More and more abominations poured into the plaza. They emerged from streets and buildings, even jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Liu Xing, with his gun and without moving a step from his position, killed them all.

    After more than half an hour, during which he had already killed thousands of abominations, a different enemy finally appeared.

    This abomination looked more intimidating than the others. While most maintained their overall humanoid appearance with one or two weird traits, this one was different. It stood about three meters tall, with two giant gray elephant feet. Its bare chest bore the face of a boar, complete with two giant tusks. Its hands were made of two giant, wicked blades, their edges gleaming in the morning sun, and its head was a single giant white eyeball.

    It sauntered slowly, crushing and slashing the abominations around it as if they were mere annoying insects before a mighty cultivator. Sensing its qi, Liu Xing realized this spirit beast was at the same realm as him: Lock Opening realm sixth stage.

    After it arrived in the plaza, the giant abomination swiveled its massive eyeball around, its pupil swimming to take in the situation. Liu Xing was still busy pulling the trigger and killing the abominations below ase he observed this newcomer. He noticed that this giant creature fixed its gaze on each of his abominations that he killed. And after a few moments, it looked up directly at his location.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing stopped pulling the trigger and turned to face the creature. Although he was still invisible, he had no doubt that this abomination knew he was there. After all, it wasn''t hard to deduce where the deadly bolts had been coming from.

    For a moment, the explosions and sounds of falling abominations stopped. Only the footsteps, screams, and growls of mindlessly running abominations could be heard.

    Then, the spirit beast with the giant eye for a head pointed its right wicked blade toward him. Several pulses of wind rippled from the abomination. It sent the waves rhythmically: long pulse, long pulse, short pulse. Long pulse, long pulse, short pulse. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s eyebrows rose. What was it doing? Was it sending a signal?

 111 ~ Culling (2)

    As if the world intended to answer his question, all the abominations that were running around suddenly stopped. Then, uniformly, they looked up. Instantly, thousands of eyes¡ªhuman, animal, reptile, snake, and many more¡ªlocked onto his position.

    Surrounded by this sea of gazes, Liu Xing involuntarily gulped.

    They were still weak; he could still kill them easily. Yet something had changed in those eyes, as if they''d suddenly regained human intelligence and held grudges against him.

    Liu Xing took a deep breath and aimed his gun at the abomination that was sending signals. This creature seemed to have the ability to lead the others, an inconvenient quality he''d like to deal with here and now.

    He infused his bullets with the Exploding Fist technique and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew through the air like a lightning bolt. Seeing this attack, his target crossed its wicked blade-arms into an X position on its chest. As it did so, several layers of blue barriers¡ªas if the air had solidified and been painted blue¡ªsuddenly formed in front of it.

    Seeing this barrier, Liu Xing''s heart hammered in his chest. It was similar to the blue barrier the snake-limbed abomination had used.

    When his bullet hit the barrier, an explosion occurred. The blue walls shattered into a million pieces, but the spirit beast itself remained unharmed.

    It sent out another pulse, and as if that were a signal to attack, all the surrounding abominations began to scream at once, like an army charging its enemies. They moved in one direction and surged forward like a tsunami, soon climbing the base of the statue like ants crawling up table legs.

    Looking around, Liu Xing tried to calm down. The hole to his consciousness rippled and almost ceased to exist, but he managed to center and stabilize his mind.

    He aimed at the abomination with the giant eye for a head again and pulled the trigger twice.

    The first bullet from his gun was a normal transparent variant, with the exploding variant chasing close behind.

    As expected, sensing the bullets coming, the abomination crossed its wicked blades again. Three layers of blue barriers appeared before it. Its giant eye pulsed the air around it, and Liu Xing couldn''t help but think that this pulse felt like a snort, as if it believed his attack couldn''t harm it.

    The transparent bullet pierced through the first barrier, creating a hole for the exploding bullet. It then pierced the second and third layers, landing right in the center of the giant eye and creating a hole that gushed red blood. The creature sent ripples of air around it, as if it were screaming, but before it could do anything, the second bullet followed the first one''s path, passing the holes in the barriers, and hit it dead in the center of its eye.

    The eye exploded like a popped balloon, and red blood sprayed in all directions, coating nearby abominations in a crimson mist. The boar face on its torso began screaming with a high-pitched sound, its eyes wide and terrified. The creature''s massive body convulsed violently, its limbs thrashing wildly as if trying to fight an invisible enemy. Then, as suddenly as it began, the shriek cut off, and the monstrous being collapsed in a heap of twitching flesh and mangled limbs.

    Liu Xing felt the six bullets infused with the abomination''s beast core, and he nodded. While that spirit beast had looked tough and terrifying, in the end, it was weaker than him.

    Looking down, Liu Xing saw more and more abominations climbing the statue. He''d thought that since the leader was dead, they would scatter again, but it seemed that wasn''t the case. They were intent on climbing. From afar, the statue looked like it was being steadily encased by thousands of climbing ants.

    Still, even while surrounded, a smile bloomed on his face. He finally had enough qi to break through to the seventh stage.

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    "I think it''s time for the next phase," Liu Xing mused.

    Even though Liu Xing and Elder Yang Zhaoyan were the first to attack, they weren''t the only ones who would attack the City of Suns. And even though he didn''t know exactly how many abominations he had killed, it was certainly more than five hundred.

    Now, he thought, the Yang clan would want some action too.

    Deciding to give them a signal, Liu Xing jumped as high as possible. When gravity pulled him down, he summoned his shield and jumped even higher until he touched the clouds. He looked down at the sprawling city, seeing all the abominations flocking to the statue.

    He absorbed the six bullets into his body, then into his consciousness. It would take time, and in the meantime, Liu Xing sent stable qi to his right gauntlet, created more and more qi bullets, and sending them to his gauntlet.

    This signal would be flashy, and even Liu Xing couldn''t help but smile, wondering how the Yang clan would react to this cool display. After all, while he always used his gauntlets, he''d never used them in front of the clan, even when he fought that abomination at the Yang clan''s gate.

    The statue was now fully encased with abominations. From toe to head, they clung to it, with more climbing on the backs of others, making the giant statue look like a swelling black pillar.

    He inhaled deeply and sent more qi to his gauntlet, creating a giant ball of lightning as big as a barrel. He made it bigger and bigger until it obstructed his view. Then, with a spin, Liu Xing delivered a palm strike, and a giant white pillar descended from the sky. It was big and wide, emitting a bluish light that made the world, already bathed in morning sun, even brighter.

    "Eat this!" Liu Xing shouted.

    When the pillar hit the statue encased with abominations, it swallowed it whole. The parts not swallowed by light were cut and crumbled to dust. A thousand shrieks could be heard as the pillar of light descended, as if the heavens themselves were smiting the abominations. A huge rumbling reverberated through the City of Suns, humming for at least ten seconds before it settled.

    When the pillar of light vanished, the statue was destroyed, reduced to mere dust. The abominations climbing it had also turned to dust. Even the ground where the statue had stood now bore a wide hole from the attack.

    Liu Xing smiled fiercely. Qi filled his seventh lock more and more.

    ***

    Yang Jinyan stood atop a flowery hill near the City of Suns. Several hills over, there was a mound of dirt, indicating where his sister had buried their nanny. While he wasn''t as fond of her as his sister was¡ªwho even claimed the nanny as her grandmother¡ªhe nonetheless still thought of her as part of his family. Seeing that mound of dirt made him clench his fist. That foolish brother would pay!

    Behind Yang Jinyan, fifty members of his clan stood calmly, ranging from Lock Opening to Core Splitting realm. It was a pitiful force compared to the former Twelve Sun Army, but still the best he had.

    As he stood, his face was a mask of confidence, but inwardly he wondered why he''d agreed to Liu Xing''s plan. Sure, it made sense. Culling the abominations would weaken his opponents, regardless of their intentions. But to do that meant fighting tens of thousands cultivators with only fifty people, which seemed impossible.

    Yang Jinyan took a deep breath, forcing himself to center his mind. They''d chosen this plan because, despite appearances, it was possible to execute. He''d already sent scouts to the City of Suns, and their reports offered a glimmer of hope. While all the abominations were cultivators, not all of them were strong. Initial probing also suggested they weren''t too intelligent. This meant his small force could, in reality, cull a significant number of them. Guerrilla warfare was preferred, but even a frontal attack wasn''t entirely hopeless.

    It was just that there would be complications along the way, and these uncertainties ate away at his heart and made him anxious.

    This operation was actually a way to spend their time as they waited for reinforcements, which would arrive four days from now. Quite a long time, but it would have to be enough.

    His private chat with Elder Yang Zhaoyan had concluded that if a master of formations tried to modify the Royal Barrier, it would be finished in twelve hours at most. But since twelve hours had already passed and the modified Royal Barrier hadn''t been deployed yet, it meant the person working on it wasn''t a master and needed more time.

    Moreover, the snake-limbed spirit beasts, who even now were still stealing bloodlines from his empire, would converge on the capital. Liu Xing suspected they would start the sacrifice once they arrived, and Yang Jinyan was inclined to agree with him.

    In conclusion, they had several days to cull the enemy, and Yang Jinyan intended to cull as many as he could without losing a single man.

    "Hong''er," he called.

    Hong''er walked to his right. She was the strongest among them and would be the spearhead of their formation until they met up with Liu Xing.

 112 ~ Culling (3)

    The plan to split up wasn''t his idea, but Liu Xing''s. Liu Xing had said he wanted to move alone at first without explaining why. Yang Jinyan suspected it had something to do with Liu Xing''s earlier request for a method to cultivate while moving. Yang Jinyan agreed to Liu Xing''s plan without a second thought. After all, Liu Xing proposed to let him run rampant, killing the abominations alone. This meant his clan members wouldn''t face immediate danger.

    He considered this a win for both himself and his clan, and even for Liu Xing, who seemed eager to carry out this plan. Still, Liu Xing thought it was only a matter of time before he''d need help, and when that time came, he would send them a signal.

    "How long have we been standing here?" Yang Jinyan asked Hong''er.

    "About twenty minutes," she answered promptly.

    Yang Jinyan nodded, then whispered. "I hope we wait as long as possible. Even a day or two would be fine."

    Hong''er wore a red robe with a maroon sash. It matched her sharp, red eyes, making her overall appearance striking. Hong''er was one of his retainers, one of the people he trusted, and also one of his lovers. Though she was stronger than him, he didn''t want her to be in danger.

    "That''s too optimistic," Hong''er said, pressing her lips together. "You need to prepare for the worst."

    "I know." He clenched his fist. He couldn''t always hope for the best; he needed to start preparing for the worst in every situation. After all, he knew his brother''s resentment toward him and their father. If he hadn''t just shrugged it off, perhaps none of this would have happened.

    They waited a while longer. His men were anxious and afraid, yet their eyes were resolute, intent on supporting him and carrying out his orders.

    He glanced at the eastern part of the city, where Liu Xing had intended to begin his attacks. A faint rumbling sound came from that direction, along with a cacophony of screams and explosions. It had been going on for quite some time, and he wondered whether it was actually a signal from Liu Xing.

    Then, he saw the statue of the first emperor in the distance turn black, as if something was painting it. A pillar of light descended and swallowed it, making the world tremble as if thousands of horses were galloping nearby.

    Seeing this, Yang Jinyan''s eyes widened. Was this Liu Xing''s signal? Could a lower realm cultivator really create such a powerful attack, or even defend against it?

    When he saw the pillar of light swallowing the first emperor statue, Yang Jinyan clenched his fist, his heart drumming in his chest, and a strange excitement filled him. This signal gave him a bit more confidence. After all, the attack was sent by his ally, and in these terrible times, a strong ally was exactly what he needed.

    He turned his head to see his men with burning eyes. Some smiled confidently, as if proud to see this powerful attack. Others frowned, seemingly wanting to prove they weren''t worse than Liu Xing. Some had neutral expressions, while others nodded, as if approving of what they saw.

    "That''s our signal. Let''s go!" Yang Jinyan shouted. His men replied with a roar, and they departed, intending to head toward Liu Xing.

    ***

    "Hopefully they''ll come," Liu Xing muttered.

    He dusted himself off in the middle of the crater he''d made. Looking around, he saw only rolling dust. No enemies as far as he could see.

    It had happened faster than he''d intended. He''d thought he could move alone for several more hours, but it seemed he''d underestimated the sheer number of enemies. Still, it was all right. He was absorbing the qi of that abomination in the sixth stage of Lock Opening realm. He needed only a bit more time before he could open the seventh lock.

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    Liu Xing jumped from the crater and landed on one of the roofs. Then he leaped into the air and began to maneuver using his shield. His destination was the flower hills¡ªto meet with the Yang clan¡ªbut he suspected he would meet the Yang clan before he got there.

    As he moved through the air, Liu Xing sensed a huge amount of qi moving together. He landed on his shield and turned toward the castle. There, he saw thousands of abominations rushing toward him. They moved on the streets, walls, and roofs. Some fell and were trampled by the others, while they all screamed, howled, and growled at the same time. Each had murderous red eyes, and they looked up at him as if they knew exactly where he was.

    These weren''t like the abominations that had been ambling around. These were controlled.

    Behind this tsunami of abominations, he saw thousands more walking almost in rows. All of their right arms were human, holding white spears that gleamed in the sunlight. Their heads were those of animals¡ªsome monkeys, some dolphins, some boars, some snakes, some snails, and many more. Their left hands varied from pincers to claws to mushrooms, while their torsos were human, wearing shiny armor, while their lower bodies ranged from crabs to horses to cows and many other creatures.

    This was obviously the more controlled army, but even in their rows, Liu Xing could see their bodies jittering and their eyes swimming, as if they wanted to rush like the civilian abominations. The abomination army was quite strong. All of them were at the seventh stage of Lock Opening realm.

    Liu Xing looked to flower hills, then to the front where his opponents were rushing at him.

    He cracked his neck and decided that the prince and his forces would have to come to this place themselves. He would be busy destroying that army.

    Liu Xing''s heart begins to beat faster, adrenaline coursing through his body, making him more alert to his surroundings.

    Unconsciously, a huge grin spread across his lips. How could he not be happy? There were many adversaries in front of him. All of them were at a higher stage than him, which meant they would all give him six bullets of potent qi!

    It reminded him of the situation in the Dragon Skull Forest. But now, it is slightly different. He is stronger, and he had a method to cultivate while moving.

    Centering his mind, Liu Xing flared his qi, making the Lightning Cloak enhance him further, then he focused his eyes on the first wave. The civilian abominations had lower cultivation. While their numbers were great, they weren''t too strong. Still, he couldn''t jump toward the main dish before he reduced their numbers at least a little.

    On his shield, Liu Xing took a stance. Gun in his left hand, his right hand ready to deliver a palm strike. He concentrated stable qi on his right gauntlet, creating a yellow spiraling line there. Then, he sent a lot of potent qi to his gauntlet, which worked diligently to create a lightning ball.

    He sent more and more potent qi, making the lightning ball grow bigger and bigger. When it reached the size of a barrel, he unleashed a palm strike.

    A white lightning bolt shot from the ball, then branched into two, then four, then eight, branching more and more until there were thousands of white lightning bolts spreading like a growing fan.

    Each lightning bolt struck an abomination, instantly roasting and killing them. Some of his lightning missed, creating holes in the ground or destroying walls or making roofs explode. Still, the majority of his lightning struck their targets accurately.

    He could imagine their point of view: the sky suddenly filled with branching white lightning, then struck them with power strong enough to kill them instantly.

    A huge, continuous rumbling of explosions could be heard, and after about half a minute, the attack ceased, revealing many black corpses with white smoke floating above them. Some civilian abominations were still running, lucky enough to have evaded all of his lightning, but they numbered less than a hundred and were scattered in the streets.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing nodded, smelling roasted meat in the air. He felt a bit guilty about how he''d killed them all. It was brutal, considering they were all victims. But he suppressed this emotion. After all, while he wanted to give them a kinder death, he didn''t have that luxury.

    He could see the army had stopped moving now. Their eyes were focused on the piles of roasted dead bodies in front of them, scattered in the streets and on the roofs. One of the buildings suddenly groaned and tumbled to the side, burying some of the piles of blackened corpses.

    Liu Xing saw some of them widen their eyes, and he narrowed his own. That was a mark of intelligence, which could mean many things.

 113 ~ Culling (4)

    Liu Xing spat the Ethereal Pearl from his mouth into his hand. "Former soldiers of the Twelve Sun Empire, listen to me. My name is Liu Xing. If you understand what I''m saying, put your weapons down. I stand with Prince Yang Jinyan, the rightful heir of the Twelve Sun Empire and enemy of Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi¡ªthe duo who transformed you into spirit beasts!"

    The chance of them following his command was slim, and he wondered what he''d do if they actually lowered their weapons. After all, they were no longer human, and he doubted they could live normal lives in their current state. Still, if they put their weapons down, they wouldn''t be his enemies, and he wouldn''t have to kill them.

    Their eyes darted left and right, and Liu Xing noticed most of their human hands trembling, muscles flexing, as if they wanted to drop their spears but couldn''t. Their eyes were wide with terror, some bloodshot, others glistening with unshed tears. But they didn''t lower their spears. One of them, a snail with long eyestalks, began to roar. Its cry was guttural, like a man waking from a nightmare. Green liquid spewed from its mouth. It actually managed to unclench its hand, making the spear clatter to the ground. Then, abruptly, its snail head exploded into a green and yellow mist, as if a bomb had detonated inside.

    The rest of the army snapped their heads toward their fallen comrade. Its body slumped to the side. Their hands trembled more violently now, some looking like they wanted to flex their fingers and let go of their spears, willing to make their heads explode, but none succeeded.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. A calm, deep anger bubbled in his stomach, threatening to explode.

    So, Wei Yi actually had control over the people he''d transformed into spirit beasts and had even planted some kind of bomb inside their bodies, ensuring their loyalty.

    That Wei Yi was more twisted than Liu Xing had imagined. Transforming people into spirit beasts was bad enough, but to control them and create a mechanism to explode their heads if they rebelled? It was worse than he''d thought.

    Wei Yi needed to pay for what he''d done. Liu Xing vowed, right then and there, that he couldn''t live under the same sky as such a monster.

    "Former soldiers of the Twelve Sun Empire," he shouted again. "I know almost all of you want to put down your weapons, but you can''t because of Wei Yi. I understand what you''re feeling right now, and I sincerely want to help you all. But know that I can''t do that. You''re under my enemy''s control, and your sheer numbers pose a danger to me and the rest of the Twelve Sun Empire. So, I must tell you this." He inhaled deeply. "I have to kill all of you."

    Liu Xing clenched his right hand and gritted his teeth. Unless he knew how to revert them to their human form, killing them was the most logical thing to do. He doubted Elder Yang Zhaoyang knew how to change them back, or even Prince Yang Jinyan and his sect. Hell, he even thought Wei Yi probably couldn''t reverse the transformation. The change was too fundamental, and they were under the enemy''s thumb.

    Some of them growled and shouted as if they were angry, but most looked calm, as if they accepted his decision, their right hands gripping the silver spears tightly. One of the spirit beasts, right in the middle, with a head like a gorilla and milky white eyes, nodded before his face went slack, his eyes lifeless, and the hand holding the spear relaxed.

    This change began to spread from him as if a wave of wind had swept through, robbing them of their minds. Their shouts and growls began to cease, their movements stopped entirely, and soon, the thousands of abominations fell silent.

    Now, Liu Xing faced an army of spirit beasts with empty eyes, their humanity wiped away, as if they were dolls.

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    Then, they began to move. While their footsteps didn''t land at the same time, and they soon lost their formation to become a shapeless blob of an army, they still moved as one, showing some cohesion remained.

    Liu Xing took a deep breath and put the Ethereal Pearl back into his mouth. His eyes searched for something. He doubted that Wei Yi directly controlled this army, and there was only a small chance that it was Yang Lihuo. He suspected that some other abomination was in charge. Like an abomination with a giant eye for a head.

    After searching for about half a minute, eyes darting here and there without finding anything, Liu Xing sighed. It seemed he needed to go with his original plan, which meant decimating this army.

    Liu Xing gripped his gun tighter, created a lightning blade in his right hand, surrounded himself with stable qi, and began to send more potent qi into the Ethereal Pearl.

    The qi pouring into his consciousness had already run out, and to his surprise, he still needed a little more to advance. So, Liu Xing aimed his gun, infused it with Exploding Fist, and fired repeatedly.

    The six bullets flew through the sky, appearing instantly in front of the six spirit beasts at the front. He expected his bullets to hit them in the torso, but a moment before impact, all the front-row abominations struck the ground with their spears, and a wall of earth rose before them. This earthen wall was quite high and thick. But when his bullets hit it, they exploded, leaving six holes in it. Spirit beasts just behind the holes were blown into the sky. One particular abomination had its upper body destroyed, and the qi from it was absorbed by his gun.

    Not stopping even for a moment, Liu Xing sent all the potent qi inside the Ethereal Pearl into his right gauntlet and shot a thick pillar of lightning toward the enemies. It hit the earth wall and destroyed it easily. Then, Liu Xing whipped his hand to the side as if he were wielding a giant lightning blade.

    When the attack receded, the earth wall they''d erected to shield themselves had crumbled, and a sizable chunk of the army lay dead, but thousands still remained.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing thought he couldn''t spam the attack from Thunderstrike Gauntlets, afraid his qi would deplete before he dealt with the army. He needed to kill them with his gun so that he could get their qi for cultivation and also use it to attack them.

    Nodding to himself, Liu Xing sent stable qi to his feet and shot toward the midst of the army like a blue and black lightning bolt. He moved through the air and instantly appeared right in their midst, surrounded by countless abominations.

    Liu Xing slashed with his lightning blade and rotated his body, creating a circle with it. Instantly, the upper bodies of the abominations around him split in two.

    Liu Xing then jumped into the sky, aimed his gun, and fired repeatedly. Six explosions bloomed in the middle of the army, and his gun refilled with six bullets. He summoned his shield and used it to jump down. His lightning blade moved like a whip, beheading and slashing opponents like a farmer cutting weeds.

    He moved between the abominations, finding the fight surprisingly easy. The enemies, with their lifeless eyes, were like sitting ducks. Their reflexes were so slow that they only began to move their right hands after their heads were already flying or their bodies split in two.

    He tore through the army from the inside, using his gun and lightning blade to decimate this broken force. Explosions occurred repeatedly. From the sky, it looked as if black or brown mushrooms bloomed and died over and over. His lightning blade grew longer and longer, splitting several enemies at a time. At one point, his lightning blade was so long that a single slash killed more than two dozen enemies.

    As he destroyed this army, his mind focused on killing them as quickly as possible, while one part of his consciousness concentrated on sending qi to advance his cultivation. The seventh red lock slowly filled to the brim. And finally, it was full.

    As he stood in the middle of a pool of blood and shot his gun, making six abominations'' heads explode simultaneously, he stopped moving and gave his consciousness more attention. He allowed several dozen spirit beasts to circle him and thrust their spears toward him.

    The world seemed to slow down. But this time, the sensation was different. Instead of knowing he moved faster than anyone else, it felt like the world was giving him time and holding its breath, as if granting him leeway to advance to the next stage.

    For a moment, he felt the qi around him ripple, as if he had control over it. It was a small taste of what he could achieve when he crossed into the Core Splitting realm later.

    He inhaled deeply and focused his thoughts on the last lock that bound his cultivation.

    "Open," he commanded.

 114 ~ Culling (5)

    The red lock began to vibrate, loosening until it snapped open, as if eager to grant Liu Xing the next stage to immortality. As the seventh lock fell from the silver chain and clattered on the white floor, qi erupted inside his body. It felt like a dam breaking and flooding a small river. The abundant qi forged his body, strengthening his meridians, muscles, bones, tendons, and even his nails. His senses sharpened; his eyes and ears became more acute, and his skin could detect the slightest change in the air currents.

    This transformation differed from the usual advancement to the next stage, perhaps because it was the final lock.

    Liu Xing grinned as his Lightning Cloak evolved. If he dismissed his invisibility, he would appear surrounded by thousands of blinding lightning bolts. He flexed his lightning blade, feeling it become lighter yet more durable. The qi churned inside him, further strengthening his body.

    As he marveled at the taste of the Lock Opening realm''s seventh stage, more than a dozen spears closed in to stab him. Several aimed for his back, while others targeted his stomach, chest, and heart. One came within mere centimeters of his forehead.

    Liu Xing decided to rotate his body. The lightning blade spun like a clock hand, slashing all the spears and sending their tips flying.

    After cutting through all the spears, Liu Xing rotated once more, this time extending his lightning blade further. In one second, it grew from a meter in length to over fifty meters, cutting through hundreds of enemies around him.

    When he stopped rotating, all the abominations within a fifty-meter radius split in two. Blood spurted from the cut line, and the top halves of their bodies fell to the ground. Though their eyes were lifeless, Liu Xing imagined they died with surprise.

    Once again, Liu Xing stood at the center of carnage. The ground was soaked with blood.

    He felt powerful. Strong. As if he could fight forever and still come out on top. Looking around, he saw he had succeeded in destroying half the army. Now, the abomination army was split into two groups: east and west. Each still had hundreds of enemies, but considering the number of corpses around them, Liu Xing assumed he had already won.

    He decided to attack the eastern group and jumped toward them at full speed. The enemies, with their animal heads and human hands holding spears, shouted and rushed to meet him.

    Liu Xing slashed at them with his lightning blade, when suddenly he sensed strong qi presences approaching.

    As his lightning blade cut through hundreds of spirit beasts in one attack, he looked to the side and saw hundreds of abominations walking from the base of a giant castle. Some wore armor and carried spears, others wore black robes with wriggling black hair, and the rest wore green robes with long, yellow nails that resembled blades.

    While their shapes were humanoid, they were still abominations. Their faces, devoid of skin and muscles, consisted of hundreds of tiny eyes, mouse noses, or elephant noses sprouting from a bloody base, as if something had ripped off their faces and attached these features.

    As the abominations he had slashed split in two, Liu Xing stopped and aimed his gun at this new enemy. The three types of abominations formed three groups, with thousands of abominations marching behind them. Most resembled the army he had just decimated, with animal bodies, human torsos, human right arms, and animal heads and more civilian abominations joined the group and bolstering their numbers.

    As they marched, they destroyed everything in their path. Buildings crumbled, and the remains of the previous abominations, along with debris, were trampled by this more organized, numerous, and stronger army. Even the remnants of the first army fell in line with them.

    This was the second army of the Twelve Sun Empire, with the Hei clan and Wu clan as well.

    Liu Xing''s heart began to race. Truth be told, he hadn''t felt threatened when decimating the first army, but this second one was something else entirely.

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    When he sensed another presence approaching, he turned his head to see Prince Yang Jinyan and his forces rushing toward him. A dozen abominations at the Lock Opening realm''s seventh stage blocked their path, but Prince Yang Jinyan inhaled deeply, spat out a giant fireball that exploded on impact, and leapt through the swirling black smoke, followed by the rest of the Yang clan.

    Liu Xing spat out the Ethereal Pearl and put it into his spatial bag, then undid his invisibility.

    "You''ve created quite a mess," the prince said, dusting his robes as he walked toward him. "But nonetheless, it''s a good mess." He smiled. "Also, congratulations on your advancement. Advancing in the midst of battle is quite a story."

    "Thank you," Liu Xing smiled.

    His heart was still racing, but calmer now. He had allies to support him.

    He turned his head back toward the second army marching toward them in neat rows. Behind the spirit beasts, he saw twelve creatures with a giant eye for a head. They walked unhurriedly, looking like shepherds controlling the army.

    "Where''s Elder Yang Zhaoyan?" the prince asked. Neat rows began to form behind him and Liu Xing.

    "I don''t know. Still checking the doors, I think." He had lost track of time, but seeing the sun barely up, it had been perhaps an hour or two since he''d split up with the elder.

    The prince nodded and observed the marching army. "Quite a formidable force. Do you think we can win?"

    Liu Xing pinched his chin, assessing the army before them. Their numbers were great, with hundreds of Core Splitting abominations in the front rows, and they were organized. While the Core Splitting abominations didn''t have lifeless, glassy eyes¡ªsince most of them actually didn''t have eyes¡ªthe rest of the army moved like puppets controlled by unseen masters. This meant their reflexes and movements would not be fluid.

    There were no Sun Refining abominations among them, which was probably just a matter of time before they appear, but for now, the strongest were the Core Splitting abominations.

    "I think we can win as long as you''re supporting me," Liu Xing said resolutely. And he wasn''t lying. He had a chance to win against this army. After all, Liu Xing''s greatest strength was his gun, a weapon that thrived when fighting against numerous enemies.

    "Quite a claim," the prince said. He inhaled deeply, clenched his hand, and his eyes began blazing, as if a fire roared inside his soul. Then he nodded resolutely. "We will help, but when it becomes too dangerous, we need to retreat. Don''t forget that our goal is just to cull their numbers." He turned to face his clan members. "You''ve heard what I said. We will fight, right here and right now!"

    "Yes, sir!" A chorus of affirmations echoed through the clan members. Some were pale, but even they had blazing eyes, as if they would carry out the prince''s order even in death.

    Seeing this, a ferocious grin bloomed on Liu Xing''s face. He would be the spearhead to pierce the enemy, while the prince and the rest of the Yang clan would support him.

    Prince Yang Jinyan flicked his hand, and a paper talisman appeared.

    "Prepare!" the prince shouted, slapping the talisman to the ground.

    When the yellow paper hit the ground, a ripple coursed through it. The ground began to tremble, at first weakly, but soon grew stronger until the earth itself groaned, as if a giant writhed in pain beneath the surface. Then, the ground began to crack, and soon, the area around Liu Xing and the Yang clan¡ªat least five hundred meters around them¡ªbegan to grow taller, lifting them into the sky.

    From afar, it looked as if part of the City of Suns had sprouted into a wide, tall, mighty tower. As it grew, the earth groaned and trembled, clouds of dust swirling around it. Then, multiple towers of earth began to grow around it at different heights.

    The transformation continued for a full minute. When it stopped, a giant structure stood tall near the center of the City of Suns. One massive tower dominated the middle, surrounded by dozens of smaller towers of varying heights. Their differences in elevation resembled a staircase, allowing people on the ground to climb toward the main tower and those at the top to descend.

    Liu Xing''s mouth fell open as he gazed at the enormous structure where he stood, at least three hundreds meters tall.

    "This isn''t a technique that can be used by a Lock Opening cultivator," he muttered.

    Prince Yang Jinyan smiled. "Of course not. It''s a talisman created by one of our deceased elders. Only a Core Splitting cultivator can activate it."

    Liu Xing looked down at the army below. This tower gave them the advantage of high ground. While cultivators had methods to move through the air, not everyone possessed that ability. Some required specific techniques, others needed treasures. Liu Xing doubted the entire army below could fly.

    The smaller towers around them could serve as stairs for the army to climb up. For a moment, Liu Xing thought this might be a huge mistake. But he held his opinion, certain there must be some function to the smaller towers. For now, that wasn''t his primary concern.

    The most important thing for him was to plan his attack, and as he considered his options, his smile grew wider.

 115 ~ Culling (6)

    ¡°Why are you smiling? Are you a fighting maniac?¡± the prince asked, his comment drawing chuckles from the nearby members of the Yang clan. It wasn¡¯t that funny, but it helped relax the group, easing the tension before the fight.

    Liu Xing decided to lighten the mood further. ¡°No, I¡¯m just happy because I think I might break through to the next realm during this fight.¡±

    The prince raised an eyebrow, understandably surprised. After all, Liu Xing had only recently advanced to the seventh stage of Lock Opening. Claiming he could break through again so soon was like someone who¡¯d just built a raft saying they could now construct a sailing ship. It was far too fast.

    While all seven of his locks had been opened, advancing to the next realm wasn¡¯t easy. Liu Xing visualized his cultivation as a ball of lightning bound by a silver chain. Every cultivator had their own imagery to describe their cultivation¡ªhe¡¯d heard disciples describe their cultivation as a sun bound to a mountain with seven burning ropes, a writhing liquid trapped in a well, or even a beast caged by seven locks. But no matter the image, the essence was the same: to break through, you had to destroy whatever bound your cultivation.

    For Liu Xing, that meant destroying the silver chain around his ball of lightning. There were many ways to achieve this, but the best method was to have the cultivation absorb the thing that bounds the cultivation. This would improve the quality of qi and make future progress easier.

    To do this, he simply needed to continue cultivating¡ªabsorbing qi and sending it to his consciousness. But this time, instead of focusing on opening his locks, he¡¯d channel it directly into his ball of lightning.

    And with so many enemies below, all waiting to be fought, he was sure this battle would push him to that breakthrough.

    ¡°Disciples from the great sects really are crazy,¡± someone muttered nearby. Liu Xing saw a few others nod in agreement, but he didn¡¯t care. He just grinned at the prince, then stepped to the edge of the tower.

    Below, the abominations turned their heads up toward him, growling and shouting, pointing in his direction. Twelve of the abominations, each with a giant eye for a head, began sending pulses of air, as if issuing orders to the army.

    Liu Xing aimed his gun at the enemy, reloaded it with six bullets, infused it with Exploding Fist, and pulled the trigger in rapid succession. He then flicked the Ethereal Pearl into his mouth, channeling its qi into his right gauntlet to form a massive ball of lightning, which he unleashed in the form of thousands of lightning bolts.

    His movements were swift, and from the perspective of the army below, it was as if the sky had turned blue and lightning rained down like a storm of arrows.

    Several of the abominations, their faces covered with tiny eyes, rushed forward, slapping the ground with their hands. Their writhing hairs began to dig into the earth, and soon black vines sprouted upward, growing taller and thicker before curving to form a shield over the army.

    The six bullets struck the black wall, causing six massive explosions that tore through the defenses. However, the vines quickly regenerated and closed the holes. Meanwhile, Liu Xing''s barrage of lightning struck the black wall like rain on a sandcastle, gradually thinning it. Several of his lightnings pierced through, crashing into the ground and scattering dozens of abominations.

    More and more lightning crashed against the black wall made from vines, creating a series of loud explosions as if a thousand cannons were firing in unison. Dust swirled around the battlefield, and though the wall was riddled with holes, it stood firm.

    As his attacks began to recede, Liu Xing realized the wall was stronger than expected. Instead of spreading his attack into thousands of strikes, he¡¯d need to focus his power into one giant blast. But before he could act, the abominations with yellow claws, so long they dragged along the ground, began to rush around the wall in unison, their footsteps creating a rhythmic pounding. Their faces, each sporting hundreds of twitching mouse noses, seemed to be searching for him.

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    They stopped in formation and slashed their right hands through the air, launching hundreds of crescent-shaped wind blades in his direction.

    "They are from Wu clan!" The prince and the Yang clan rushed to his side, standing on the edge of the earthen tower. ¡°On my mark!¡±

    The prince and the Yang clan inhaled deeply, their cheeks bulging as they gathered their qi. Liu Xing quickly created bullets, gathering qi in his gauntlet until a basketball-sized orb of lightning formed in front his palm.

    ¡°Attack!¡± the prince shouted, spitting out a fireball the size of a barrel. The Yang clan followed suit, releasing fireballs of various sizes, some larger, some smaller but more numerous. Liu Xing unleashed his lightning attack, sending out thousands of lightning bolts that were smaller and weaker compared to his last attack.

    When the crescent wind blades collided with the fireballs and lightning, the sky erupted in a chain of explosions, sending plumes of white smoke into the air and obstructing their view.

    Liu Xing¡¯s mind raced, searching for a way to win this battle. The answer was clear: there were hundreds of abominations in the Core Splitting realm, and if they were defeated, his side could win. Killing them was his responsibility, and to do that, he first needed to take down one of the Core Splitting abominations. Once he did, he could use its core as his bullets and defeat the others.

    He aimed his gun at a nearby Core Splitting abomination¡ªa creature from the Wu clan, its long yellow nails scraping the ground. Judging by its aura, it likely had two or three cores, the average for Core Splitting abominations. Its body was blackened, probably from one of Liu Xing¡¯s earlier attacks.

    Six bullets tore through the air toward the creature. Its twitching noses flared as it swiped its right hand, launching a crescent-shaped wind blade toward the bullets. The other Wu clan abominations looked up and sent their own wind blades to intercept the shots. In total, six wind blades met his six bullets, triggering six massive explosions that rocked the air and sent shockwaves across the battlefield, toppling what remained of the nearby buildings.

    Liu Xing pressed his lips together. Long-range attacks wouldn¡¯t work. He¡¯d have to get up close.

    ¡°Prince, cover me!¡± he shouted, then leaped from the tower before the prince could respond.

    As he plummeted toward the ground, the wind whipping through his hair, Liu Xing activated his Lightning Cloak. For a moment, he considered using his invisibility but decided against it. Being invisible would make him harder to see not just for his enemies but also for his allies.

    The Wu clan abominations sent more wind blades his way. Liu Xing aimed his gun, infused it with Exploding Fist, and pulled the trigger. Most of the wind blades exploded mid-air, and those he couldn¡¯t destroy, he dodged with the help of his shield.

    He landed between the rubble of shattered buildings and quickly scanned his surroundings. Hundreds of abominations surrounded him, all from the Wu clan. As they spotted him, they charged like hounds scenting their prey.

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyes darted over the battlefield, looking for a target. He saw a weaker-looking abomination¡ªit only had right arm with no signs of injury, which meant that it was a man who had already lost one of his hands before being transformed into an abomination.

    Liu Xing kicked off the ground, leaving a web of cracks in his wake as he charged at his target. He activated his lightning blade and swung it from his right, aiming at the left side of the abomination. Just then, two more abominations lunged at him from the front, their nails slicing through the air toward his lightning blade.

    When Liu Xing¡¯s lightning blade met their claws, his blade cut through several nails but ultimately stopped short. Five more abominations jumped at him. Liu Xing quickly pulled back his blade and slashed at the abomination attacking from the right and narrowly dodging another abomination that lunged at him from the behind.

    His mind, along with his senses, went into overdrive. He was merely at the peak Lock Opening realm, yet here he was, holding his own against dozens of abominations in the Core Splitting realm. Part of his success came from his incredible speed¡ªso fast that the abominations couldn¡¯t keep up. Another advantage was their lack of coordination. Their sheer numbers, instead of overwhelming him, caused them to get in each other¡¯s way. Occasionally, they¡¯d stumble over one another, and sometimes their long claws even tangled together.

    Liu Xing whipped his lightning blade in every direction¡ªleft, right, up, and down¡ªdeflecting and slicing through the nails of the Wu clan abominations. The sound of clashing metal echoed through the battlefield, and clouds of dust rose thicker and thicker with every movement he made.

    His strikes were so fast that it seemed as if there were not just one lightning blade but dozens, each one parrying the claws aimed at him.

    For a moment, the battle was evenly matched¡ªLiu Xing alone against hundreds of abominations. But then, he added his gun into the mix

 116 ~ Culling (7)

    Lightning blades clashed against hundreds of nails as Liu Xing pulled the trigger of his gun. Each bullet either paralyzes his enemies or explodes on impact. Though he used the gun sparingly, each shot created just enough of an opening for him to land more hits and steadily wear down the abominations one by one.

    Hundreds of Wu clan abominations surrounded him, many now bearing deep gashes across their chests, arms, and legs. Though he hadn''t managed to kill any yet, it was enough. After all, he wasn''t fighting this battle alone.

    From above, dozens of fireballs rained down upon the abominations around him. Each explosion carved holes in the ground and disrupted the creatures'' balance, creating precious opportunities for Liu Xing to strike with his lightning blades.

    Liu Xing shouted as he fought, his eyes seeing only blurs while his mind remained razor-sharp, perceiving everything around him. He channeled more qi into his lightning blades, extending them several meters in length.

    Working in concert with the Yang clan''s fireballs, he carved deeper and deeper wounds into the surrounding abominations.

    The damage was mounting: one creature''s right arm hung useless, another''s head dangled precariously from its neck, and several more bled profusely from long gashes. It was only a matter of time before one of them died.

    Liu Xing moved through the enemy ranks with blinding speed, deflecting nails and wind blades in a blur of motion. He needed to kill just one Core Splitting realm spirit beast with his gun to turn the tide of battle.

    As he deflected several nails and landed an exploding bullet in an abomination''s face, he felt several pulses ripple through the wind. Glancing at the army beyond his immediate fight, he saw the Hei clan abominations retract their wall of black vines as the forces behind them began their charge toward the towers.

    Their advance wasn''t mindless. The army split into three groups, forming what looked like a trident from above. The central force, led by abominations with elephant noses on their faces and holding spears in their right hands charged directly at Liu Xing''s position. The Hei clan led the left flank, while the civilian abominations, led by the Wu clan forces that were not busy fighting him moved to the right flank.

    As the formation advanced, the flanking groups spread wider and wider until they resembled three separate arrows rather than a trident. One aimed straight ahead while two angled toward the sides of the towers.

    Liu Xing realized their strategy: they would use the shorter towers as stepping stones to reach the Yang Clan''s position, forcing them to split their defenses into three groups. The sheer numbers of the enemy would eventually overwhelm them.

    As he watched the elephant-nosed abominations approach, Liu Xing understood how important his own position had become.

    Anxiety spread from his belly throughout his body. Part of him screamed to retreat, but his tactical mind¡ªthe part that believed victory was still possible¡ªinsisted he needed to kill just one abomination. If he could manage that before the approaching groups arrived and split the Yang clan into three groups, their chances would improve dramatically. He just had to hurry!

    As he thought about why the hell these abominations were so durable, Liu Xing kicked off the ground and rushed towards the abomination with the dangling head.

    He aimed his gun and fired. A blue bolt tore through the air, too fast for the creature to dodge. The bullets struck its face and the explosion threw it backward. He glanced at his gun, hoping to see six green strips glowing, but found none.

    Pursing his lips, he kicked off again, determined to finish his target. A dozen abominations converged on him from both sides and swung their nail-blades.

    "You''re in my way!"

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    Liu Xing created six bullets, sending three to each gauntlet, and threw his gun skyward to free his hands. He needs two lightning blades to deal with them. But he cannot do it fast enough by using Lightning Palm techniques twice. That''s why he used his Thunderstrike Gauntlets to form two lightning balls in his palms, each the size of a chicken egg, and unleashed two palm strikes that erupted into two pillars of lightning. He shouted as he swung both of his arms outward, swinging the pillars like his lightning blades.

    The lightning pillars forced back the intercepting abominations, creating a narrow tunnel straight to the abomination he was targeting, which had landed on its back. Liu Xing channeled stable qi to his feet and kicked off with maximum force, launching himself forward.

    As the twin pillars receded, he dismissed his gun, resummoned it, and aimed forward.

    The mouse-nosed creature with the dangling neck began to rise. Liu Xing extended his lightning blade, transforming it from a meter-long weapon into a piercing shaft that impaled the abomination''s chest and pinned it to the ground. Though not fatal, the strike immobilized it.

    Struck by inspiration, Liu Xing transformed the tips of his lightning blade that protruded from the creature''s back into a square shape. As Liu Xing pulled in his transformed blade like a grappling hook, the captured abomination rushed towards him, its limbs flailing helplessly against the pull.

    A wild smile spread across his face. This was it. It is his moment to secure victory!

    As the distance closed, Liu Xing aimed his gun, infused his bullets with Exploding Fist, and fired rapidly. All six shots hit the abomination''s head in quick succession. The blasts tore off chunks of flesh and scattered its mouse-like noses. When the smoke cleared, the creature''s face was a charred ruin, but it clung stubbornly to life.

    Finally, as the lightning blade''s pull brought them face-to-face, barely a meter apart, Liu Xing let instinct take over. The trapped abomination desperately swung its nail-blade, but it''s too late¡ªLiu Xing''s left hand, still gripping his gun, struck like a cobra. He drove the gun''s solid barrel up through the creature''s already mangled neck like a hammer striking an anvil. A wet crunch echoed as bone shattered, and the creature''s head, already half-severed from his earlier attacks, ripped free and flew off like a ball.

    It felt surreal to decapitate an enemy with the blunt side of his gun, but seeing six green strips now glowing on his gun, Liu Xing''s fierce smile returned.

    "With this, I can win!"

    He transformed his lightning blade and swung vertically, splitting the abomination''s body stuck in his lightning blade in two. Spinning, he summoned his shield and leaped high into the air.

    As he ascended, black hair fluttering, his eyes rapidly assessed the battlefield. Many of the Wu clan abominations now scaled the wall like spiders, their long nails digging into the earthen tower. The two flanking groups climbed the tower-steps from both sides while the Yang clan descended, launching fireball after fireball at the enemy. Prince Yang Jinyan spat several massive fireballs that resembled miniature suns, while the blood-drenched woman conjured and controlled fire birds that sliced through the climbing abominations.

    Below, the army, led by spear-wielding abominations, reached the base of the tower. With no stairs to climb, they began to pile on top of each other like zombies.

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing planned his route. With the six bullets in his gun, he could kill them all!

    A Yang clan member lay pinned atop one of the smaller towers, black vines from a Wu clan abomination binding him to the ground. A second abomination with long nail-blades charged toward the helpless cultivator. Though another Yang clan member rushed down to help, he wouldn''t make it in time.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield and kicked it with devastating force. The impact created a shockwave so powerful that even his shield was thrown back before he dismissed it. He shot through the air like a black and blue blur, and as he closed in, he aimed his gun at the back of the Wu clan abomination''s head.

    Infusing his bullets with Exploding Fist, he pulled the trigger. A blue bolt erupted from his gun, moving so fast it created its own shockwave. The abomination turned its head, then bent its knees to dodge, but it was too late. The bullet struck dead center in its head, causing its head to explode in a spray of red that painted the Yang clan member''s face crimson.

    His gun instantly recharged with six bullets, and Liu Xing pulled the trigger in rapid succession. The bullets screamed through the sky toward multiple targets: one for an abomination whose face writhed with countless tiny eyes and wriggling black hair, another for a Wu clan abomination, one more for a spear-wielding abomination, and the remaining three for civilian abominations.

    All six bullets struck simultaneously¡ªsome finding heads, others bodies. Each impact triggered an explosion that killed its target instantly.

    Liu Xing landed atop the tower beside the Yang clan member still bound by black vines and slashed through the restraints with his lightning blade.

    Without pausing, he kicked off his position and launched himself at another group of abominations.

    The real massacre was about to begin.

 117 ~ Culling (8)

    From afar, the earthen towers erected by Prince Yang Jinyan resembled miniature mountains. Unlike traditional triangular peaks, these structures rose in rectangular columns. Smaller towers encircled the main fortification, and abominations began scaling them like ants climbing table legs.

    The Wu clan, Hei clan, and army abominations led the assault. The Wu clan members climbed like spiders, deftly dodging Prince Yang Jinyan''s attacks by shifting sideways or retaliating with wind blades.

    Liu Xing decided to begin his massacre with them. He maneuvered around the tower, then launched himself from the top toward the Wu clan abominations.

    Wind whistled through his hair as he aimed his gun and fired rapidly. Every time the trigger was pulled, the climbing abominations exploded, their remains raining down on those below, painting the tower red with blood.

    Using qi from the beast cores, Liu Xing swept through the climbing abominations. His gun thundered continuously, its sound like a thousand lightning strikes hammering the earth, as if the sky itself raged against those below. Abominations fell from the towers, some split apart, others reduced to bloody mist. The prince''s earthen towers, both main and surrounding structures, were covered in crimson.

    Liu Xing circled the tower in a flash of blue lightning, shooting and slashing with his Lightning Blade, absorbing the potent qi from his gun and steadily advancing his cultivation.

    As he descended and his kill count mounted, his mind entered a state of hyper focus. The experience felt surreal¡ªshouts, growls, and explosions rattled the air and punched holes in the earthen tower, he moved as if the world were muted.

    He sensed the ripples in the air and turned toward the rear of the army where twelve abominations with a giant eye for a head stood. These ripples emanated from them, and Liu Xing watched as the charging abominations suddenly turned and fled, while those climbing hastily descended. Seeing this, Liu Xing gave chase. He cycled his qi to strengthen his Lightning Cloak Technique and cut down fleeing abominations as he pursued.

    Minutes later, he landed on blood-flooded ground, his ankles submerged in the crimson water. The battlefield was littered with thousands of body parts¡ªheads, torsos, limbs, and various animal parts. There were no abominations left on the tower, and the Yang clan gathered at the top, their eyes wide with disbelief, which was understandable since he defeated all the climbing abominations in less than five minutes.

    Blood mist rolled through the air as the remaining abominations formed a crescent moon before him, attempting to surround his position.

    Liu Xing surveyed the army in front of him. Although there were still many Hei clan, Wu clan, army, and civilian abominations left, he knew he could kill them all.

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing examined his cultivation within his consciousness. Most of this chain had already sunk into the lightning ball, with only a small part still visible on the surface. Once the entire chain fully submerged into the lightning ball, he would advance to the next realm, and looking at how little of the chain remained outside, Liu Xing knew that he was close to the breakthrough.

    He smiled briefly before reining in his emotions. Overconfidence would be dangerous¡ªthe battle wasn''t over, and the army''s organized retreat suggested they planned something.

    As if responding to his thoughts, the twelve abominations with giant eyes for heads began to move. They started with a walk, their elephant feet stomping the ground, then broke into a run, barreling toward him.

    They emitted multiple air ripples, and in response, the civilian abominations hurled themselves at the twelve larger abominations. Upon contact, the civilians melted into a transparent liquid, which was quickly absorbed by the larger abominations'' bodies. As a result, these beasts¡ªalready over three meters tall¡ªbegan to grow even larger and expand rapidly.

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    Liu Xing''s eyebrows shot up in alarm. Not only were the abominations growing in size, but their cultivation was also increasing!

    He couldn''t allow them to absorb any more of the civilian abominations. At the moment, they were at the Core Splitting realm five cores. But if they absorbed more and broke through to the Sun Refining realm, Liu Xing doubted he would stand a chance against them.

    "Prince Yang Jinyan! Bombard them! Kill them all before they merge!"

    Liu Xing activated his lightning blade and kicked the ground as hard as he could, trying to reach the giant abominations, but before he could reach his targets, more ripples spread through the air.

    The clan and army abominations suddenly moved in unison. Hei clan abominations extended their hair, sharpening the ends into projectiles and shooting them at Liu Xing. Wu clan abominations slashed the air with their nails, sending crescent-shaped wind blades toward him. At the same time, spear-wielding abominations charged, their weapons glowing as they rushed forward.

    Facing the coordinated assault, Liu Xing swung his lightning blade through the air, slicing apart the hair projectiles and wind blades while firing six shots at the spear-wielding abominations charging toward him. His blade cut through the attacks, and his bullets struck six abominations in the head, dropping them instantly. But despite their fall, more continued to rush forward with glowing spears.

    Liu Xing kicked off the ground, launching himself into the sky. Some Hei clan members followed, their black hair writhing like tentacles, trying to ensnare him. He summoned his shield and prepared to kick it, but noticed that several Wu Clan members below were already ready to slash with their nails, anticipating his next move.

    In a split-second decision, Liu Xing feinted. His feet touched the shield, but instead of kicking off, he held position. The Wu clan attacked, their crescent wind blades slicing through empty air where they''d predicted he''d be.

    As he began to fall, he glanced at the abominations with an eye as their head, now as tall as two-story buildings. Their giant eyes focused on him, and he could almost imagine them smirking.

    Below, two Hei clan abominations used their hair to form a ramp, allowing the army abominations to launch themselves at him.

    The sight of a dozen four-legged abominations with human torsos and animal heads flying at him with spears was surreal, but Liu Xing centered himself. He pulled his trigger repeatedly, destroying them all. Most fell with exploded heads, while three split into pieces that splattered on impact.

    Liu Xing knew he needed more speed. He had to deal with the eye-headed abominations¡ªthe generals, as he''d dubbed them in his mind¡ªbefore they grew too powerful.

    Liu Xing gritted his teeth as he looked at the abominations surrounding him. Twisting in the air, he flicked the Ethereal Pearl into his mouth and fired his gun repeatedly. Six bullets hit their targets, and the gun was immediately reloaded. He kept firing until hundreds of abominations lay dead around him. When he landed, he channeled potent qi into his right gauntlet and strengthened it with stable qi.

    A giant ball of lightning, larger than himself, materialized before him. With a shout, he unleashed a palm strike, transforming the ball of lightning into a massive lightning pillar that surged toward one of the generals.

    Seeing the lightning pillar, the target crossed its giant, wicked blade-arms, forming a blue barrier as the civilian abominations kept rushing toward it. The lightning pillar hit the barrier, spreading at first like water against a wall, but then broke through. The general was completely engulfed and sending out wild ripples that sounded like screams of agony before it turned to dust and fell silent.

    Liu Xing channeled more potent qi into his gauntlets and swept his lightning pillar toward the other generals. When his assault ended, eight of the twelve general abominations had been reduced to dust along with thousands of civilian abominations.

    Now he faced tens of Hei, Wu, and army abominations, plus four surviving generals that towered over the battlefield like towers. These generals had reached the peak of the Core Splitting realm¡ªthe same level as elder Xia Juetian and the snake-limbed abomination that had once overwhelmed him.

    Without hesitation, Liu Xing kicked off the ground and charged toward the enemy. The clan and army abominations rushed to meet him, and the battle erupted once again.

    "Come at me, all of you!" he shouted. The abominations responded with growls and roars and sending ripples through the air.

 118 ~ Culling (9)

    Liu Xing aimed his gun and fired six rapid shots through the air. His targets were three Hei clan abominations, two Wu clan abominations, and one army abomination. The Hei clan members formed shields from their hair to block the bullets, but the resulting explosions killed two instantly, leaving the third a bloody mess. The Wu clan abominations slashed at the bullets with their nails, triggering explosions. One died in the blast and transformed into a red mist while the other was blown away. The army abomination tried to deflect the bullet with its spear, but when the bullet exploded, it destroyed the spear and killed it instantly.

    He stored some of the potent qi from their beast cores in his Ethereal Pearl¡ªthat energy would be crucial for killing the generals. Still, Liu Xing also attempted to absorb some of the qi directly into his consciousness and tried the breakthrough into the Core Splitting realm.

    The giant generals swept their blades through the air, unleashing massive wind blades. These attacks were enormous¡ªas tall and wide as city walls, moving like trains and carving deep wounds into the ground.

    Facing this mighty assault, Liu Xing squeezed off several more shots at the remaining abominations before leaping skyward. He maneuvered through the air using his summoned shield as a platform, but to his surprise, the wind blades curved to follow him. He zigzagged left and right through the sky, trying to shake off the pursuing blades while sneaking in shots at the clan abominations below.

    The generals created ripples in the air as they slashed again and again, launching more giant wind blades toward him. The wind blades rushed through the City of Suns like transparent freight trains, each one carrying enough force to level city blocks.

    Liu Xing gritted his teeth, realizing he needed to deal with these wind blades before they overwhelmed him. He kicked off his floating shield, moving like a bolt of lightning to reposition himself so the wind blades were between him and one of the generals.

    Using his shield as a stable platform in the sky, Liu Xing channeled the potent qi he''d stored in the Ethereal Pearl into his gauntlet. A sphere of lightning, larger than himself, materialized before him. He poured more and more qi into his gauntlet until it began to creak, the lightning ball growing until it filled his entire field of vision, and with a palm strike, he unleashed a massive pillar of lightning.

    The lightning pillar made the air tremble. When it collided with the wind blades, a huge shockwave expanded outward as brilliant light erupted from where the two forces clashed, each trying to overwhelm the other. Liu Xing shouted as he forced more power into the lightning pillar, pushing against the wind blades until they finally shattered into millions of pieces.

    The lightning pillar, victorious in its brief duel, extended toward one of the generals. The giant abomination''s pupil dilated as it crossed its wicked blades, creating a massive blue barrier. But the barrier might as well have been made of tofu¡ªthe lightning pillar shredded through it and engulfed the upper body of the giant abomination.

    The attack drove the general backward, its feet carving deep trails in the ground. When the lightning pillar finally receded, the general hadn''t died, but it was grievously wounded. Its entire body was charred black as if it had been thrown into a furnace. Its huge eye was blackened and oozed red and sticky blood like magma. The creature''s frantic pulses rippled through the air like silent screams of agony, as if its pain was too vast to be contained by mere sound.

    Seeing his opportunity, Liu Xing kicked off his shield and charged straight at the wounded abomination. The other three generals raced to intercept him, their giant feet making the entire City of Suns tremble. Hundreds of army and clan abominations surged forward as well, instinctively knowing they couldn''t let him finish off the wounded general.

    Shield after shield materialized and vanished beneath Liu Xing''s feet as he accelerated through the sky like a comet. Lightning crackled between his hands, stretching into a hundred-meter blade that he hardened with stable qi. In the same fluid motion, he aimed his gun, feeding it potent qi from the Ethereal Pearl.

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    As the wind howled in his ears, Liu Xing knew this was the critical moment. If he could kill this general abomination with his gun, he could decimate the entire army!

    "Eat this!" Liu Xing slashed through a hundred abominations in the air. His lightning blade whipped toward the wounded general''s giant head.

    Another general tried to parry the lightning blade with its wicked arm blade but was a fraction too slow. The lightning blade cut through the charred eye diagonally, meeting almost no resistance¡ªjust like when his bullet had pierced the first general''s eye. The neat cut split the eye in two, red blood bursting from the wound as half the eye slid away. The general thrashed madly, sending frantic pulses that Liu Xing could feel on his skin.

    Knowing the cut alone wouldn''t kill it, Liu Xing accelerated even faster. Another general slashed at him with its giant wicked blade.

    Liu Xing intensified his Lightning Cloak technique, using his shield to zigzag around several arm blades. He moved as fast as real lightning, quickly reaching the side of the wounded general. Its split head revealed writhing, complex organs that gushed blood like a waterfall.

    Liu Xing aimed his gun and fired bullets infused with the Exploding Fist technique. Six explosions bloomed, spraying red blood everywhere. As the creature began to groan¡ªphysically this time¡ªLiu Xing reloaded and fired another six shots in rapid succession. The abomination started to topple sideways just as three other generals swung their right arms to strike him down.

    Liu Xing maneuvered through the sky, zigzagging left and right, up and down, to dodge these powerful but slow attacks. He used his shield to propel himself upward, beyond the reach of the generals'' wicked blades.

    Soon Liu Xing hung high in the sky, the clouds just centimeters away, with the entire City of Suns spread out below him. As gravity took hold, he let himself fall, eyes fixed on the gun in his left hand.

    A sound like a collapsing building echoed from below, and Liu Xing saw the six green strips on his gun glowing brightly. His heart raced as a smile spread across his face¡ªhe would win this fight. More than that, he could also break through to the Core Splitting realm!

    Centering his mind, Liu Xing took a deep breath. He absorbed a bullet into his body and directed it to his consciousness. The energy was plentiful, and his ball of lightning absorbed it greedily, vibrating as it tried to break free of its chains.

    While absorbing the qi, he aimed his gun at the three army generals below. They looked up and began slashing the air, sending multiple giant wind blades toward him.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield and accelerated faster. He coated his right gauntlet with stable qi and channeled one qi bullet into it. Instantly, another giant ball of lightning materialized before him. Without hesitation, he unleashed a giant pillar of lightning from his hand. He swung it like his lightning blade, easily cutting through the wind blades as if they were paper before plasma.

    He swept the lightning pillar toward the ground with a thunderous rumble, destroying hundreds of remaining army and clan abominations. As the attack began to fade, he redirected it toward one of the army generals. The creature tried to stop the receding lightning pillar with a huge barrier, but the defense shattered into a million pieces just as his lightning pillar finally dissipated.

    Liu Xing accelerated through the air, shield after shield materializing beneath his feet as he took aim at an army general. He pulled the trigger, and a lightning bolt whistled through the sky like a divine spear, striking the center of the general''s massive eye. The impact triggered an explosion that transformed the entire eye into a red mist, coating everything within several hundred meters like a gruesome rain. The six green strips on the gun''s side glowed again, and Liu Xing turned his attention to the two remaining army generals.

    He squeezed the trigger four times, dedicating two shots to each creature. The generals raised blue barriers before their enormous forms, exactly as Liu Xing had anticipated. The first bullet that struck each barrier detonated, shredding the defense into azure confetti that danced in the wind. The follow-up bullets found their marks, striking each giant eye-head with devastating precision.

    The explosions left nothing but stumps where their heads had been, blood mist and fragments of their eyes scattering in the wind. Like ancient trees finally felled, the three titanic abominations toppled sideways in unison.

    Liu Xing smiled. He had won! All the generals are dead, and the army below is decimated.

 119 ~ Core Splitting Realm

    His attention turned to his gun. With six bullets now available to finally break through to the Core Splitting realm, he decided to absorb five while saving one bullet just in case.

    As he descended through the air, Liu Xing adjusted his trajectory to glide toward the pillar where Prince Yang Jinyan and the rest of the Yang clan stood watching. Even from this distance, he could see their slack-jawed expressions, as if they were witnessing something beyond their wildest imagination. A smile cracked across his face as he wondered what they thought of him now, but he quickly cleared his mind to focus on the qi coursing through his body.

    He closed his eyes mid-fall and entered a meditative state. Within his consciousness, he opened his eyes to behold the sight of a ball of lightning bound by silver chains, pulsing and growing like a newborn sun struggling to break free of its shackles.

    Liu Xing examined the hole he''d created using Flowing Meditation and carefully widened it. Qi poured into his consciousness like a tsunami breaking through a dam, and he directed this torrent straight into his cultivation.

    The ball of lightning absorbed the energy eagerly, like a starving dog presented with a feast, its form rippling with each surge of power as if on the verge of evolution.

    Liu Xing sat down, settling himself on the white floor of his consciousness. Inside, his heart wanted to dance with joy like a celebrating monkey, but he forced himself to remain focused¡ªthis was too crucial a moment for distraction.

    "All right, absorb all this qi," Liu Xing commanded softly.

    The ball of lightning vibrated like an excited puppy sensing freedom, but the silver chains binding it¡ªsome now submerged within the lightning itself¡ªresisted like anchor lines refusing to let their charge drift away.

    Liu Xing had read about breaking through to the Core Splitting realm numerous times. The process itself was straightforward: channel enough qi into your cultivation, and it would break free from its shackles automatically.

    However, many texts delved into the intricacies of this breakthrough. They discussed how long cultivators needed to consolidate their power beforehand, how to calculate the necessary qi, and other crucial details. Approximately sixty percent of the cultivators of the Lock Opening realm successfully advanced to the Core Splitting realm in their lifetime, a remarkably high percentage in the cultivation world, although the risk of failure remained.

    His chances of advancing to the next realm looked promising. Liu Xing practiced the Lightning Scripture, which guaranteed that its disciples would advance to the Black Sun realm. Still, complications could always arise, so he steeled his heart and prepared himself.

    Liu Xing felt his physical body hit something solid, accompanied by a loud thud and several startled cries. He had likely landed near the Yang clan members, who were probably concerned by his sudden descent. But they would understand he was undergoing a breakthrough, and they would protect him as he crossed into the next realm.

    He focused on the lightning ball floating within his consciousness. It pulsed and vibrated, steadily expanding as qi from his body rushed toward it. Liu Xing commanded his cultivation to stabilize. He wanted the lightning ball to fully consume the chain, but not frantically.

    Under his control, the lightning ball steadied and began to rotate on its axis to the right. This reminded him of an interesting detail he''d once read: when a cultivator''s cultivation imagery resembled a ball, it would rotate on its axis either right or left, corresponding to whether they were right-handed or left-handed.

    The ball of lightning spun faster, growing larger with each rotation. The silver chain began to sink into it until, several moments later, the lightning ball had grown to the size of a barrel and no trace of the chain remained visible.

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    The lightning ball vibrated with what seemed like joy, but the process wasn''t finished. Qi continued to pour into his consciousness, orbiting the lightning ball before being absorbed. It created a spiraling ring around his cultivation, and though a silhouette of the chain still lurked within the lightning ball, Liu Xing commanded his cultivation to intensify¡ªto digest that silver chain and convert it to qi.

    The process continued steadily. Little by little, the chain''s silhouette grew fainter until it vanished completely.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing grinned. It was time to break through to the Core Splitting realm!

    At that thought, his ball of lightning blazed brilliant white, forcing him to shield his eyes even within his consciousness. The radiant sphere rose higher, swelling from the size of a barrel to that of a house. Lightning struck across his pure white consciousness, but Liu Xing seized control, commanding it to calm and stabilize.

    The ball of lightning began to shrink. Its light dimmed, but this wasn''t failure¡ªit was precisely what should happen. The ball needed to compress until it transformed into a core.

    After several moments of compression, the lightning ball reduced to the size of a basketball, floating just above his right palm. It continued to shrink until it was no larger than a tennis ball. The white ball no longer seemed to be made of lightning, but of pure white energy. It is still made of lightning, but if not for its faint glow, it would be almost indistinguishable from the surrounding space.

    Liu Xing¡¯s grin widened. The process was complete. The white space around him began to ripple, and suddenly he was thrust back into the physical world.

    Liu Xing found himself lying on the ground, the blue sky filling his vision. He began to sit up in a meditative posture, ignoring the Yang Clan members gathered around him, and closed his eyes again.

    Within his body, qi surged like a raging ocean. The energy felt heavy as it cycled through him, spreading to strengthen his entire form. Its power threatened to overwhelm him, like trying to contain a raging bull. Yet Liu Xing endured. With each passing second, he felt his body being reforged. His muscles melted away like sand castles before regenerating stronger and more durable. His heart beat faster as qi encased it, reforging it into something greater. His bones, skin, tendons, organs¡ªeverything in his body transformed, like rusted parts being cleaned and replaced by a master mechanic.

    When the qi reached his brain, the world seemed to stop. When it resumed, his senses had sharpened dramatically. From his position, he could see to the edge of the City of Suns, where an abomination with a bat''s head ambled about. His ears caught its footsteps, his nose detected the strong stench of blood permeating the air, and his skin registered even the slightest breeze.

    His body was now stronger, his senses sharper. But becoming a Core Splitting realm cultivator wasn''t just about physical evolution¡ªit was about the transformation of qi itself.

    Dense qi cycled through his body. Before, his qi had felt like water¡ªpure, flowing, and light within his body. Now, while it still flowed with the same lightness, it had the density of molten steel.

    Liu Xing commanded his qi to cycle faster around his body, and it responded so readily it almost made him stumble. Its obedience reminded him of potent qi.

    He couldn''t help but grin. Comparing himself now to who he had been this morning was like comparing a pebble to a mountain. The amount of qi cycling through his body was so vast, he felt he would never run out.

    When he released qi from his body, it flowed out effortlessly, spreading around him while remaining under his complete control. This was one of the key aspects of the Core Splitting realm¡ªnot just the sheer quantity and the increase in the quality of qi, but the ability to control it even outside his body. This would allow him to learn new techniques that could be activated or controlled remotely.

    Liu Xing cycled his qi faster and faster, marveling at his newfound power. He wondered about his current strength. Could he now defeat those abominations with snake limbs that had terrified him before? He wanted to say yes, but despite his vast qi reserves, they were still minuscule compared to those creatures.

    "Congratulations," Prince Yang Jinyan said. "I can say that in the entire history of the Twelve Sun Empire, no one has ever advanced from Lock Opening realm''s sixth stage to Core Splitting realm first core in less than a day."

    Liu Xing smiled. Although he was happy about this breakthrough, he knew that it wasn''t due to his talent, but rather Nui''s gift. This made him even more grateful to his friend.

    "Thanks for guarding me while I was breaking through."

    Looking around, he saw the Yang clan members encircling him, their faces showing wide eyes and open mouths. Their expressions made him truly realize how extraordinary his achievement was. There were probably disciples in the Purple Moon Sect who had broken through from Lock Opening realm''s sixth stage to Core Splitting realm''s first core in a matter of hours, but they were the elite¡ªand now, so was he.

 120 ~ Royal Barrier (1)

    Liu Xing took several steps and stood at the edge of the tower, positioning himself where he could safely survey his surroundings. From his vantage point, he could see the remains of the City of Suns spread before him. Mutilated and charred corpses littered the city, with blood staining nearly every corner.

    "We''ve likely missed some abominations," the prince said, "but I believe we''ve successfully culled their numbers. We''ve won."

    Liu Xing smiled at those words, noting how the Yang clan members around him straightened with pride, chests puffing out. This was indeed a victory. While the underlying threat remained, the massive number of abominations they''d eliminated would certainly create problems for Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi. This might buy them the time they needed to await reinforcements from the Purple Moon Sect.

    "Has there been any word from Elder Yang Zhaoyan while I was breaking through?" Liu Xing asked.

    "We''ve had no contact, but that''s not concerning. He said he would reach out if there were any problems." The prince pulled a small blue orb from within his inner robe as he spoke. Though smaller than the communication orb Wang Lin had brought to the Yang clan, its purpose was unmistakable.

    "What''s our next move?" A woman stepped toward the prince. Liu Xing recognized her as one of the prince''s retainers. "Should we withdraw?"

    The prince pinched his chin, assessing his clan members. While some bore wounds¡ªlike the man with a goatee sporting a long gash on his arm¡ªmost remained in fighting condition.

    Liu Xing is actually neutral about what they would do next. He has accomplished his goal of eliminating at least five hundred abominations, and since he successfully broke through to the Core Splitting realm, he is in top condition. Still, it''s up to the prince, because continuing the culling is a risk not only for him, but also for the rest of the clan members.

    Turning toward the castle, the prince spoke carefully. "I want to press forward and confront Lihuo. But that would be unwise. Even though we have eliminated most of the abominations, the truly powerful ones¡ªthose at the Sun Refining realm¡ªhave yet to show themselves."

    They''d faced the Wu clan, the Hei clan, the army, and their generals¡ªall at the Core Splitting realm. But where were the stronger ones? They were probably waiting in the castle.

    "We''ll retreat," the prince declared. "We''ll fall back, tend our wounds, and prepare for the next culling."

    "Yes!" The clan members replied in unison, with Liu Xing nodding in agreement.

    This would not be their last culling. Although this raid had exceeded their original plans, it was only the first phase. They had been lucky enough to avoid a confrontation with the Sun Refining abominations, but the next time would be different. When that time came, Liu Xing would need the support of Elder Yang Zhaoyan.

    After confirming all clan members had survived, the prince led them down the main tower, using the smaller towers as stairs. Once on the ground, they began their retreat, with the prince in the lead, Liu Xing on his right, and the woman on his left.

    They''d barely covered a hundred meter when they felt qi presence so strong and ominous it felt like an old monster had fixed its gaze upon them. Liu Xing''s eyes widened and his heart began hammering in his chest like a prisoner desperately trying to break free of its cage. What is this?

    The prince halted abruptly, Liu Xing and the others following suit. Standing amidst the half-collapsed buildings, they all turned westward, toward the source of the qi pressure.

    Black shadows writhed across both ground and sky, accompanied by a sound like thousands of buzzing bees.

    Liu Xing channeled qi to enhance his vision, bringing the shadows several kilometers away into focus. His blood ran cold as he realized that they were thousands of abominations he knew all too well.

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    The snake-limbed abominations displayed an unsettling array of expressions. Some smiled contentedly, others wore psychotic grins, and others cackled madly. Yet more showed sadness, anger, and every emotion imaginable. Their snake limbs came in every color¡ªyellow, brown, black, blue, green, and even rainbow-hued snakes. Each wore different accessories around their necks, from chains to cloth to rope, even what appeared to be floating mercury.

    Above them, the winged pink worms buzzed like worker bees, their human faces each clutching a basketball-sized meatball in their mouths.

    Seeing this is like seeing his nightmare come true. Wang Lin said that there were dozens of those abominations that attacked the Wang clan, and he imagined that there were at least hundreds of them. But to think that they are already divided into thousands of abominations. Their numbers are too great!

    Liu Xing forced himself to calm down and assess the situation with a clear head. Although this third army surpassed the second in strength, it was not invincible. Not all of them had the presence of the abomination that had unleashed the Tiger Punch that had nearly killed him. Even though they were formidable, with Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s help to defeat one, he could use its core to eliminate the rest.

    "Move out," Prince Yang Jinyan commanded, "but suppress your cultivation and proceed with caution. They don''t appear to be heading our way."

    Upon closer observation, Liu Xing noticed the third army was indeed moving toward the castle, their pace steady but unhurried.

    Liu Xing suppressed his cultivation¡ªan old trick he''d learned to hide from bullies, one he''d rarely used since acquiring the gun that could thin his presence and render him invisible.

    Their group moved cautiously, using rubble as cover while advancing as quickly as they dared. After about ten minutes, they reached the city''s edge, where houses and stores still stood intact, with charred abomination corpses scattered across the streets and flower hills nearby.

    In roughly three minutes, they would be clear of the City of Suns and able to make a dash for the Yang clan compound.

    But as they crept along the city''s periphery, a massive qi pressure descended upon them. The air seemed to solidify, weighing down on their shoulders like tons of steel. Liu Xing''s head snapped around to see the golden castle suddenly surrounded by orange light. This radiance condensed into a single point atop the castle before erupting skyward in a brilliant tower.

    The orange tower appeared to strike an invisible barrier high above, causing the sky over the City of Suns to pulse with orange light. The illumination spread outward, curving around the city''s edges to form an enormous dome, effectively imprisoning everything within.

    Beside him, the prince''s jaw dropped, his eyes wide with horror. Liu Xing immediately recognized what they were witnessing.

    "I-it''s the Royal Barrier!" the prince exclaimed, his voice trembling.

    Liu Xing''s heart hammered against his ribs like a desperate man pounding on a doctor''s door in the dead of night. His stomach churned as anxiety coursed through him. This was catastrophically bad. Their calculations had been wrong¡ªthe ritual wasn''t scheduled for days, it was happening now!

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing forced himself to think clearly. Their situation was dire. The sacrifice ritual beginning today meant everyone inside the barrier would become potential sacrifices. Yet, he realized, being outside would be even worse¡ªthey''d be powerless to stop what was coming. Being trapped inside with the prince and the Yang clan members at least meant they could act.

    Liu Xing glanced at the third army and clenched his fists.

    "Prince, contact Elder Yang Zhaoyan. We need to know his location immediately," Liu Xing said.

    The prince snapped out of his shock and activated his communication orb. The orb glowed briefly, and a click indicated connection¡ªbut instead of Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s steady voice, they heard laughter. Liu Xing had never heard the elder laugh, but he knew it wouldn''t sound like this.

    "Did you make a mistake, Prince? Did you activate the wrong communication orb?"

    Prince Yang Jinyan''s face had gone pale, and at Liu Xing''s question, he snapped, "Of course not! Do you think I''m clumsy? This orb is connected directly to Elder Yang Zhao Yan!"

    "Then why isn''t it him answering?" Liu Xing''s voice rose with his mounting tension. He addressed the orb directly: "Who are you?"

    "Surely you know me. My name is Yang Lihuo, the rightful heir of the Twelve Sun Empire!"

    Liu Xing turned to Prince Yang Jinyan, who gripped the communication orb so tightly his arm veins bulged.

    "Lihuo, you bastard!" Raw fury filled the prince''s voice. "How dare you make such ridiculous claims? The rightful heir of the Twelve Sun Empire? Nonsense! Can you see from your castle? Our capital lies in ruins! What kind of rightful heir willingly destroys his home? You''re nothing but a foolish bastard who needs to be put down!"

    "Don''t insult me, you useless older brother. My plans are beyond your comprehension. Yes, the capital is ruined, but the Twelve Sun Empire won''t merely rise from its ashes to rival the Purple Moon Sect. No, under my reign, the Twelve Sun Empire will grind the Purple Moon Sect to dust!"

 121 ~ Royal Barrier (2)

    "You want to grind the Purple Moon Sect into dust?" The prince repeated, and then, as if he had suddenly understood something, his face turned crimson as he clenched his teeth and the veins in his neck bulged. "You killed our father, turned our closest allies into abominations, and ruined the future of our empire. All because you''re bitter that the Purple Moon Sect rejected you as a disciple?"

    Liu Xing eyebrow rose. Surely, that''s not the reason Yang Lihuo did all of this?

    "They wouldn''t recognize greatness if it struck them in the face, and I''m not bitter!" Yang Lihuo''s voice crackled through the communication orb. "As I said, you cannot comprehend my plan. Not that it matters¡ªeven if you understood it, you couldn''t stop me. I admit, I''m surprised you managed to decimate half of Wei Yi''s creations, but we''ve already been compensated for that loss, so it''s all right."

    "What do you mean?" the prince demanded.

    Yang Lihuo''s laughter erupted through the orb, an ugly sound that grated through the air like rusted metal. Liu Xing felt insulted by its mocking tone.

    "You know exactly what I mean."

    The prince''s teeth ground together, and even Liu Xing understood what Yang Lihuo meant.

    They had lost Elder Yang Zhaoyan.

    The communication orbs in Yang Lihuo''s possession were evidence enough¡ªthe elder had been captured or killed. Worse still, he might have already been transformed into one of those abominations.

    This was the worst possible development. Elder Yang Zhaoyan had been their strongest cultivator. Losing him was like a sailing ship losing its sails in the middle of the ocean.

    "I''ll tell you one thing, Jinyan," Yang Lihuo continued, savoring each word. "The elder is under Wei Yi''s control now, and they''re modifying the Royal Barrier as we speak. But the main event won''t begin for several hours."

    "What are you saying?" The prince''s voice was tight with barely contained rage.

    Liu Xing could hear the smirk in Yang Lihuo''s voice. "I''m inviting you, my dear elder brother, to witness my rebirth!"

    The communication orb''s glow suddenly vanished and the connection severed.

    "That bastard!" The prince hurled the orb to the ground, shattering it into countless pieces. Still unsatisfied, he began stomping on the fragments as if they were responsible for his father''s death.

    Liu Xing understood Prince Yang Jinyan''s anger, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and think logically as he surveyed the group. Some were clenching their fists, while others were staring at the castle with hatred in their eyes. But underneath their expressions, Liu Xing could see fear. A man with a recently healed wound on his chest stood pale, his eyes darting as if looking for a way out. The prince''s retainer watched him with concern, while many of the clan members exchanged glances.

    Liu Xing stepped forward and placed a hand on the prince''s shoulder. "That''s enough. The orb is nothing but dust now."

    The prince whirled to face him, his complexion still crimson, veins prominent on his neck and temples, teeth grinding. His hands were clenched into fists, and for a moment Liu Xing thought he might lash out. Instead, the prince drew a deep breath and reined in his emotions.

    "It seems I allowed my composure to slip before you. My apologies for such an unworthy display."

    "Don''t concern yourself with it. I understand your feelings. It''s not just you who''s angry," Liu Xing gestured to the group "we all are. Your younger brother is truly insufferable."

    "He has always been smarter than me, especially in cultivation. But sometimes he does something so monumentally stupid that I wonder what''s wrong with his head."

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    Liu Xing suspected that Yang Lihuo''s rejection from the Purple Moon Sect wasn''t the only reason for his betrayal. Humans were complex creatures, driven by countless emotions and motivations. There were likely numerous factors that had driven Yang Lihuo to this point¡ªthe sect''s rejection had merely been the final thread to snap.

    "Let''s focus on what matters right now," Liu Xing said. "What do we need to do?"

    The prince considered for a moment before turning his head. "Hong''er, check the barrier. Confirm whether we''re trapped."

    The woman nodded and rushed toward the orange wall near the flower hills. She returned after a minute, her grim expression answering their question before she shook her head.

    They were trapped.

    Liu Xing fought back the fear that threatened to overwhelm him. The situation was dire, but not hopeless. With his gun, he had a chance to survive. The real problem was protecting the prince and the rest of the Yang clan. He couldn''t let them die here.

    "We have only two choices," the prince said, his expression now as calm as still water, as if his earlier anger had been merely an act. Liu Xing understood what he was doing¡ªprojecting confidence, creating an illusion of control. Even knowing the prince was likely as terrified as everyone else, the show of composure was oddly reassuring.

    "Either we fight them," he pointed at the third army, "or we head toward the Emperors'' Tomb and save Elder Yang Zhaoyan," he gestured toward the golden castle. "There''s also the option of doing nothing, but I know none of you would choose that. So, two choices. What do you all want?"

    "I want to fight." The voice came from behind them.

    Liu Xing turned to see a young-looking man with scrawny arms and a lanky build. Despite his youthful appearance, he was a Core Splitting cultivator¡ªLiu Xing wouldn''t have been surprised if he was over eighty.

    "I want to win," said Hong''er, taking her place beside the prince.

    Similar declarations echoed around them¡ªthey wanted victory, survival, revenge, to reclaim the empire, to punish the betrayers. Their eyes burned with resolve.

    "What do you want, Liu Xing?" the prince asked.

    Liu Xing understood why he''d been singled out. Within this group, his opinion carried more weight than the rest of the Yang clan combined.

    He pinched his chin, considering their options. Fight an army, or enter the Emperor''s Tomb to save Elder Yang Zhaoyan? At first glance, the second option seemed better. If they succeeded, the Elder might be able to help them. Since he was the one who deployed the Royal Barrier, freeing him from Wei Yi''s control could delay the impending sacrifice.

    Yet Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi were there, likely with Sun Refining realm abominations under Wei Yi''s control. Seen that way, facing an army of Core Splitting realm abominations almost felt like the safer choice. But choosing that path would mean abandoning Elder Yang Zhaoyan and letting Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi unchallenged.

    "Prince, do you have any talismans that might help our situation?" Liu Xing asked.

    "Several," he nodded.

    "Anything that could help your people move undetected?"

    "Unfortunately not, at least not on the scale we''d need."

    "I see." Liu Xing wrestled with the decision, weighing their options. Neither choice seemed better than the other. He was even entertaining the idiotic notion of trying to do both when a thought popped into his head.

    Liu Xing climbed atop an intact building and lay flat on its roof. He enhanced his vision, sharpening his focus until he could clearly see the spirit beasts marching toward the golden castle. From this distance, they looked like a colorful river flowing steadily.

    "Have you thought of something?"

    The prince lay beside him, and Liu Xing nodded.

    "Remember what I told you about those spirit beasts?" As he spoke, he watched the countless abominations with their vibrant skin and varied ears walking on snake limbs. They laughed, cackled, smiled, and smirked while worms buzzed around them like bees.

    "They''re dangerous. They can split themselves and steal bloodlines." The Prince said.

    "Yes, and they''re exceptional fighters. Partly because they can choose which bloodlines give them the greatest advantage and adjust their fighting style. But to do that, they need to think and be creative. I''d say they''re closer to humans than spirit beasts."

    Beyond their raw cultivation power, those abominations were dangerous because they could think and fully utilize their stolen bloodlines. This set them apart from the first and second armies he''d fought, which had been nearly mindless. Those armies only showed coordinated movement when their general appeared, and even then, their reactions had been sluggish. That sluggishness had been key to Liu Xing''s victory.

    He explained this observation to the prince.

    "I follow your train of thought," the prince said, "but I''m not sure I fully grasp your meaning."

    "It''s actually quite simple," Liu Xing replied. "Those abominations are formidable¡ªbut only when they can think for themselves. Since Wei Yi likely created them, there''s a strong chance he can control them. But that control comes at a cost to their minds."

    The prince paused, then his eyes widened. "So, when Wei Yi controls them, they¡¯re weaker."

    "Exactly."

 122 ~ Royal Barrier (3)

    "But why would Wei Yi want to control them if it makes them weaker?"

    "From Wei Yi''s perspective, there are scenarios where letting them rampage makes sense, but there are also times when control is preferable. For example, it would be disastrous if they rampaged inside a sensitive location¡ªsay, the Emperor''s Tomb, where the formations controlling the Royal Barrier are housed."

    Prince Yang Jinyan pinched his chin. "They''re moving toward the castle now. Doesn''t this mean they''re already under Wei Yi''s control?"

    Liu Xing blinked several times. He had not considered this possibility before, but he could easily confirm it. He studied the abominations again as they marched towards the castle. Most wore expressions of joy or even glee, while others seemed shadowed by grief, anger, or stoic calm. But their eyes remained sharp, fully present.

    "I''m fairly confident they aren''t directly controlled by Wei Yi. After all, they can hunt people with bloodlines independently, which means they have independent thoughts. I suspect Wei Yi planted some kind of directive in them during their creation."

    "All right," the prince said. "Your idea is essentially to lure this army into the Emperor''s Tomb, which would force Wei Yi to control them and make them weaker. But there are still threats inside the castle."

    "The Sun Refining abominations," Liu Xing added.

    "As well as Wei Yi himself."

    Liu Xing noticed that the prince hadn''t counted Yang Lihuo. Either he didn''t want to mention his brother''s name, or Prince Yang Jinyan had decided he wasn''t a threat.

    "Still, this is actually better than just sneaking into the castle," Liu Xing added.

    "How is it better? True, the army would be weaker, but even weakened, they''re a threat we''d be willingly adding on top of bigger threats. It''s like choosing to fight slightly weakened lions while battling dragons. Surely it''s better to fight the dragons without the lions."

    Liu Xing understood the prince''s perspective, and his logic was sound. The prince just lacked some crucial information. Like the fact that Liu Xing basically wanted to use the third army as backup qi batteries. His intention was to kill them and use their beast cores to fuel the battle with the Sun Refining abominations. It was actually doable. He didn''t expect to be able to kill the Sun Refining abominations with a single shot from his gun, but perhaps the combination of the Ethereal Pearl and the Thunderstrike Gauntlets could kill them if he had enough qi.

    He weighed whether to tell the prince about his gun. He wanted to keep this gift from his friend a secret. But without knowing his full capabilities, Prince Yang Jinyan wouldn''t be convinced. That''s why he decided to compromise.

    "Prince, how much qi do you think I have?" Liu Xing asked.

    The prince turned his head. "A lot."

    "Compared to you?"

    "Since you''ve just advanced to the Core Splitting realm, and I''ve spent quite a lot of qi, the amount of our qi is actually comparable." He looked around before adding, "Yet, as a Lock Opening cultivator, the total amount of qi you''ve used to fight is more than mine. I didn''t count how many times you used your lightning pillars, but that attack probably consumes a lot of qi."

    Liu Xing nodded. "That technique needs quite a lot of qi, and believe it or not, as a Lock Opening cultivator, the amount of my qi, while larger than usual Lock Opening cultivators, is not more than yours."

    "Then how have you unleashed so many attacks? How is that possible?"

    Liu Xing decided he would hide his gun and the potent qi. The potent qi his gun produced made qi-extensive techniques manageable. But he would reveal the function of his gun that could absorb beast cores.

    "Spirit beasts that I kill don''t have their beast cores intact," Liu Xing said.

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    The prince blinked several times, trying to digest his meaning, then his eyes widened. "You extract their beast cores while fighting?"

    "Yes, and I use their qi to fight."

    "Is it some kind of technique? Bloodline? Treasure?" he asked rapidly.

    Liu Xing decided to ignore his questions. He''d said enough. He knew that with just this information, the prince would understand his plan. And indeed, a moment later he nodded.

    "I understand your plan now. In all my years, I''ve never heard of a Core Splitting cultivator surviving an encounter with a Sun Refining cultivator. Even disciples from the greatest sects would be crushed." He glanced at the third army¡ªthere were thousands of them. "But, if you extract their qi, then you have a chance to kill Sun Refining abominations. It''s terrifying to think that a new Core Splitting Cultivator could challenge those monsters."

    "So, do you want to follow my plan?"

    "It''s a good plan, but I actually have another one."

    "Oh? Is it good?"

    If the prince''s plan was good, then Liu Xing would willingly abandon his own and go along with it.

    "It''s not, but it can complement your plan. You see, the golden castle is huge and split into several levels. The lower level is occupied by the army, the middle level by me and several important nobles, and the top floor is occupied by my father and his advisors. Each level has its own library and treasure room. The lower level treasure room is actually trash, the middle level is good¡ªmy cultivation and techniques are from the middle library¡ªbut the truly important treasures are in the upper treasure room. In the upper treasure room are pills that can make people breakthrough to the next realm, techniques integral to the royal family, as well as several other weapons so valuable."

    "I assume you want to go to this upper treasure room," Liu Xing said. Though, he actually thought that retrieving techniques was a waste of time, since techniques needed to be learned before use. Pills that could force a breakthrough were valuable, but Liu Xing doubted that even if Prince Yang Jinyan broke through to the next stage, it wouldn''t turn the tide of the battle. And weapons, while good, needed to be supplemented by a fitting fighting style. Still, there must be something worthwhile if the prince mentioned this treasure room.

    "What I want to retrieve is armor. This armor belonged to the second empress of our empire, and it''s quite strong and capable of enhancing every aspect of a cultivator."

    Liu Xing nodded. Wearable armor is useful. And he suspected this armor had special properties that made it more valuable.

    ¡°But if this armor is so valuable, wouldn¡¯t Yang Lihuo already have it?¡± Liu Xing asked.

    After all, if Prince Yang Jinyan knew how valuable this armor was, then there was a high chance that Yang Lihuo knew about it too.

    "There is a chance that he and Wei Yi have already searched the treasure room," he said with a nod. "But my father mentioned that this armor can only be worn by a woman who meets certain criteria. So even if the upper treasure room was looted, there''s a good chance they ignored this armor."

    Liu Xing instinctively glanced toward the woman the prince called Hong''er. From the way he addressed her, Liu Xing knew this woman was close to the prince. And she was also the second strongest person after Liu Xing in this group. Making her stronger would mean increasing the Yang clan''s chance of survival. Moreover, Liu Xing suspected the prince also wanted to check the treasure rooms on the middle and lower levels, so he could equip his men with treasures. It was fundamentally a good idea.

    "Is there anything that you think would fit me?"

    The prince thought for a moment, then nodded. "There are several, and you can borrow as many treasures as you want."

    Liu Xing nodded. The key word was borrow. Which meant Liu Xing needed to give them back after he used them. While he kind of regretted that he couldn''t own the treasures he would get from the upper treasure room, it was still better than nothing. After all, since the prince only wanted to lend the treasures to Liu Xing, even when the Twelve Sun Empire was on the brink of destruction, it was a sign that those treasures were too valuable to give away.

    "All right, I think we can do that too."

    The prince nodded. "Give me five minutes. I''ll create a simple plan that incorporates all of our discussion."

    The prince got up from his position and began to regroup and discuss the plan with the rest of his clan members.

    Liu Xing decided to observe the third army and clenched his hand. The situation was spiraling out of control. If what Yang Lihuo said was true, then his "rebirth" would occur in just several hours.

    Several hours. If Yang Lihuo wasn''t stopped, Liu Xing would be killed along with the prince and the rest of the Yang clan. They were all within the Royal Barrier, so they would be sacrificed as well. Even if they somehow survived the ritual, Yang Lihuo''s "rebirth" would spell disaster. Liu Xing didn''t know exactly what form this rebirth would take, but he was certain that it would be dangerous.

    Either way, this day would be historic. Either it would mark Prince Yang Jinyan''s triumph, or it would be the last day of the current Twelve Sun Empire.

    After five minutes, the prince called him over and shared the plan he''d devised. The plan was so simple it barely qualified as one¡ªmore like guidelines with several objectives. And Liu Xing''s objective was simple.

    "You need to fight the third army alone," the prince said.

 123 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (1)

    The gap between realms is like that between heaven and earth¡ªso vast that most cultivators cannot cross it. Yet some manage this feat under the right conditions, typically when they are at their most powerful and their enemy at their weakest.

    Liu Xing stands at his peak now. His mind is sharp, his qi is full, and he has a real chance to kill this third army. The only problem is taking that first step.

    Walking slowly between rubble and charred bodies, Liu Xing observes the army''s march. He only needs to kill one of them, and he has the means¡ªa single bullet saved after killing the last general.

    Liu Xing arrives at a deep trench carved into the earth¡ªa mark left by the giant wind blades the general had unleashed. The memory of breaking that blade, tall as the city walls, feels surreal. He knows he managed it, yet the scale of that fight makes it seem like a dream.

    He crosses the trench, landing as soft as a feather on the other side. Walking between charred corpses, he carefully avoids stepping in blood that would surely leave footprints. His invisibility would mean nothing if he exposed his position before the attack even began.

    As he carefully moves between the remains of abominations strewn across the ground, Liu Xing focuses his mind to sense the qi around him. Being a Core Splitting cultivator has granted him several upgrades, but one of the most important is his ability to expel qi while maintaining control over it¡ªa defining quality of the Core Splitting realm. He suspects this ability could vastly improve his fighting prowess.

    Jumping toward a surprisingly intact building, Liu Xing releases qi through his breath and every pore of his skin. He lands on the roof and realizes that while the building stands, it slopes to one side. Still, it''s high enough to scout the surrounding area and close enough to the third army that he can hear their footsteps. Above, the humming of the worms has subsided, most of the winged ones having already reached the giant castle.

    Liu Xing inhales deeply.

    The plan is simple. Five groups move separately. He forms the first group, tasked with distracting the third army. The prince wants him to lure out the abominations, allowing the second, third, fourth, and fifth groups to enter. The fifth group consists of Yang clan members with movement techniques, charged with scouting the entrance to the Emperor''s Tomb in the lowest level, while the others check the castle''s treasure rooms.

    Liu Xing inhales again. He needs to create a significant commotion, but timing is crucial. In his inner robe lies a communication orb no larger than a giant pearl. When it vibrates, the operation begins.

    His heart pounds steadily in his chest. Anxiety churns his stomach, a pessimistic voice insisting he cannot survive this fight. His logical side dismisses these doubts. He''s now a Core Splitting cultivator with a bullet from a peak Core Splitting abomination. If he uses this bullet to kill one of the snake-limbed abominations, victory is possible.

    This anxiety stems from his experience in the forest of white bones, where he nearly died fighting an abomination that killed and absorbed Elder Xia Juetian''s bloodlines. As the memory surfaces, his eyes dart left and right, searching for abominations with black skin, golden snake limbs and coconut ears. He sees many with green ears and golden limbs, but that specific one isn''t nearby.

    "Calm yourself," Liu Xing whispers, taking several deep breaths.

    He decides to explore his new abilities while waiting. Standing at a safe distance from the third army, trusting his invisibility, he expels his qi and guides it to swirl around him like an eel made purely of energy. His qi bears no special properties¡ªneither cold nor prickly¡ªjust distinct from the surrounding qi..

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    He guides the qi in measured circles around himself, testing his control. While his qi proves obedient, it feels slightly more sluggish than the potent qi. Still, this ability to control qi outside his body holds promise. Many Lock Opening realm cultivators can manipulate external qi to some degree, like Yan Yu, who could materialize ice arrows and control their trajectory during their fight. But comparing Lock Opening and Core Splitting qi control is like comparing a pebble to a boulder. If Yan Yu broke through to the Core Splitting realm, she could probably control her arrows from kilometers away.

    Liu Xing lacks techniques specifically designed to exploit this Core Splitting ability, but he sees potential applications. As a Lock Opening cultivator, he could only summon his shield nearby, but the Core Splitting realm should extend that range significantly. Though he''s unsure how a distant shield might prove useful, he trusts it will serve some purpose.

    For now, his focus turns to his gun. Liu Xing extends his left hand, aiming skyward. He wraps the qi around his hand and the gun, encasing his palm in his own energy. Though both gun and qi are invisible, if the energy could be seen, it would appear as a soft blue ball glowing with moonlight around his left hand.

    Liu Xing slowly released his fingers from the gun one by one, until his left hand finally let go completely. The gun remained suspended in the air, held aloft by his qi alone.

    A wide grin spread across his face as childish excitement filled his heart. He had a flying gun! How could it get any cooler than that? Stifling a giggle, Liu Xing began experimenting with control. He made the weapon float before him, drift behind his back, soar several meters into the sky, then return to hover half a meter above his head.

    This wasn''t just impressive¡ªit was practical. With his left hand now free, he could deal more damage in combat. Though Liu Xing didn''t dare test whether he could pull the trigger with qi alone¡ªhe hadn''t received the signal to attack yet¡ªhe suspected it was possible.

    But there was more. The qi currently holding his gun was just his normal qi. If he used the potent qi, he suspected its movements would become so fluid and swift that the weapon would seem to possess its own mind.

    Unwilling to rely on mere speculation, Liu Xing channeled qi from his body toward the gun. When he commanded the weapon to absorb his qi, it did so greedily, nearly destabilizing the energy sphere keeping it afloat. Once it finished consuming qi, Liu Xing attempted to draw the energy back into his body.

    The gun resisted at first, refusing to release the bullets. For a moment, he feared his experiment would end prematurely, but then he identified the problem. The potent qi needed a connection to him for proper reabsorption. He extended a thread of qi from the top of his head to the gun, linking it to the sphere of qi encasing the weapon.

    As soon as the thread connected, the potent qi practically leaped from the gun into his body. The energy cycled through him several times before he commanded it to flow outward again.

    Unlike his normal qi, the potent qi''s exit sent a chill through him¡ªlike a ghost passing through his body. But the discomfort lasted only a moment, forgotten as he watched the potent qi swirl around him like a miniature tornado. It moved with the enthusiasm of an excited child, yet responded to his commands with the eagerness of a well-trained hound.

    He replaced the normal qi encasing the gun with the potent energy. When he tested the weapon''s movement again, it felt effortless¡ªas though the gun could teleport wherever he wished. He settled on positioning it above his head, maintaining the qi thread connecting him to the weapon for easier qi transfer.

    "It''s amazing," Liu Xing muttered. It felt like having three hands instead of two.

    His mind wandered to other possible experiments. Could he control the bullets after firing them? Make them curve through the air like Yan Yu''s arrows? It seemed possible, though he suspected full bullet control would require new techniques¡ªperhaps something like lightning arrows. Surely techniques like that existed somewhere in the Purple Moon Sect''s library. He could only imagine what kinds of bullets such techniques might produce.

    Liu Xing caught himself grinning foolishly. The possibilities seemed endless!

    For now, though, he focused on exploring this newfound power, searching for creative ways to enhance his fighting style. Perhaps he could develop a new application of the Lightning Palm Technique that didn''t require physical contact?

    As he contemplated this, the small orb in his inner robe began to vibrate. Liu Xing''s eyes snapped into focus, his lips pressing into a thin line. His mind centered, his heart hammered, pumping adrenaline through his body as his qi churned like a stormy ocean.

    It was time.

 124 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (2)

    Liu Xing drew a deep breath, then channeled qi into the communication orb. The prince''s orb would be vibrating now¡ªthe signal that Liu Xing was about to make his move. All that remained was deciding how to strike.

    "Let''s begin with a kill shot."

    His gun held only one bullet, but it was special¡ªthe last one he''d received from the general. In terms of raw power, it should be capable of obliterating one of the snake limbs to smithereens, though Liu Xing suspected it wouldn''t be quite that simple.

    For a moment, he considered taking hold of the gun to shoot, an impulse born from anxiety about missing. But he knew better. Instead, he commanded the gun to float toward the third army''s horde. He deliberately kept its movement slow, like a soap bubble drifting on a breeze. The orb in his robe, which had been vibrating like an impatient child, finally stilled¡ªindicating the prince and other Yang clan members were in position.

    The gun now hovered above the horde of spirit beasts with snake limbs. They continued their mad cackling, their movements strange and unsettling as they walked on serpentine feet. From a distance, they presented a ridiculous sight¡ªlike a parade of demented clowns with their colorful skin, ridiculous ears, and the various things bound around their necks.

    Liu Xing settled on his target: one of the abominations marching at the edge of the formation. Unlike some of its grotesque companions, this one bore an unsettling beauty. Its skin wasn''t chalk-white, but fair and healthy like a cultivator''s. The creature''s torso was lean, its face delicately feminine, with black hair cascading down its back. A blue cloth wrapped around its neck, matching the color of the snake-limbs that writhed where arms and legs should be. Each snake bore crimson eyes that gleamed with malice. The creature wore a soft, gentle smile, its eyes closed in an expression of serenity. But Liu Xing knew better. That same peaceful smile would remain fixed on its face even as it devoured a child.

    He aimed his floating gun at the creature, its position on the formation''s flank offering him an unobstructed shot. As he studied his target, something caught his attention.

    This abomination, like most of its kind, was naked save for the cloth at its neck. Its entire body was exposed, yet Liu Xing couldn''t spot what he was looking for¡ªthere was no pale arm protruding from its chest, no golden eye staring from its palm.

    His mind raced to make sense of this revelation. This arm had been their weak point, the key to preventing their regeneration. But if this creature lacked such an arm, did that mean it couldn''t regenerate?

    Liu Xing''s gaze darted across the marching horde. His suspicion was confirmed. While most lacked the telltale arm, he spotted one or two that bore them in their chests.

    A hierarchy existed within this third army.

    The armless ones were newer generations, while those with arm were originals, likely the first of their kind. Though their cultivation levels seemed equal, he suspected their abilities differed significantly.

    The discovery lifted his spirits slightly. If not all could regenerate, his abysmal chances of survival had marginally improved.

    A fierce smile crossed Liu Xing''s face, his heart pounding like a war drum. For the newer abominations, their weaknesses would be conventional like the head and the torso. He decided to target them instead of the originals.

    "Perhaps I can kill one with a single shot," he mused.

    His gun hovered several meters above the marching creatures. He manipulated the qi around it, angling the barrel slightly downward. Through the tether connecting him to the weapon, he channeled the Exploding Fist technique, infusing its power into the waiting bullet.

    Drawing another deep breath, he tracked his feminine target with the gun''s tip. With a thought, he pulled the trigger using qi, the action as natural as breathing.

    A blinding blue bolt materialized in the air. To any observer, it would have seemed to appear from nowhere.

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    Instantly, every spirit beast snapped to attention. The snake-limbs serving as hands and feet turned in unison, and they move like grotesque sunflowers tracking the sun.

    His target and several nearby abominations cackled madly, their laughter echoing through the air. They coiled their snake-feet and tilted sideways to dodge, but before they could leap, the bolt struck his target''s head.

    An enormous explosion bloomed amid the marching army. The shockwave thundered outward, toppling standing buildings and scattering debris. The sound rivaled heaven''s mightiest lightning strike, and a massive mushroom cloud of dust rose skyward, winds howling outward from ground zero.

    Dozens of abominations were hurled into the air, their snake-limbs flailing like ribbons in a storm. Even Liu Xing was thrown back several meters before he could plant his feet and brace against the maelstrom of wind and force.

    His gun now floated above his head. The mushroom cloud towered like a skyscraper, and he hoped his target¡ªand perhaps several others¡ªhad been destroyed. But the strips on his gun''s side told him otherwise. This mighty attack hadn''t killed a single one of the snake-limbed abominations.

    Liu Xing swallowed hard as he surveyed the aftermath. The abominations were scattered among the rubble, some piled on top of each other, some with their snake limbs tangled together, but their insane cackling still echoed throughout the City of Suns, probably as far as the Yang Clan compound.

    Their heads and snake limbs moved frantically, searching for their attacker. A portion of the horde surged toward the golden castle¡ªa worrying development, given that the Prince and his forces were hiding nearby, waiting for their chance to enter. Others scattered outward, but by some miracle, none moved in Liu Xing''s direction. This posed its own problem¡ªhe needed to draw their attention.

    For a moment, he wondered how to proceed. Then, letting instinct guide him, he dropped his invisibility.

    When Liu Xing dropped his invisibility, every nearby abomination snapped their heads toward him. Even the originals fixed their gaze upon him.

    He leaped atop a piece of rubble that had withstood both the windstorm and shockwave from his attack. Then he shouted.

    His voice thundered like a lion''s roar, cutting through the cackling and giggling of the abominations. The sound was so powerful that even the distant abominations rushing toward the castle froze in their tracks and turned.

    Thousands of snake-limbed abominations now focused on him.

    "Do you remember me?" Liu Xing roared, the veins in his neck straining. He didn''t know if the originals passed their memories to their offspring, but that hardly mattered now.

    Some abominations laughed harder, while others muttered madly about "disgusting arms."

    "I came here to kill all of you!" A fierce smile split his face as he flared his qi to provoke them. Cold sweat drenched his back, but the declaration sent adrenaline surging through his veins, as if the words themselves granted him power.

    Though meant as provocation, deep inside Liu Xing wanted to believe his own declaration. That he''d revealed himself to truly annihilate them all. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. Two hundred meters away lay the proof: an abomination charred from head to the tip of its snake limbs. Its black hair had melted, and its neck was burned to a fragile twig that could snap at any moment. Best of all, he saw no signs of regeneration.

    "Come at me!" Liu Xing shouted.

    Like a stone thrown at a wasp''s nest, his challenge unleashed chaos. The first to charge was an abomination with a face deeply furrowed like tree bark, skin blood-red, with bright crimson apples as ears the size of elephant''s ears. It surged forward on writhing green snake-feet.

    More followed. From above, it would have looked like a breaking dam, spilling a tsunami of grotesque colors toward Liu Xing''s position.

    Facing the oncoming enemies, Liu Xing activated his Lightning Cloak, spun, and bolted. He summoned his shield and accelerated across the city''s ruins. His enhanced Lightning Cloak pushed him faster than ever before. Each kick against his shield generated windstorms that scattered debris. Though the world blurred, he perceived it with startling clarity, as if reality had been reduced to stark grays against a black backdrop, each landmark precisely defined.

    Liu Xing glanced back. The abominations pursued like an army of madmen, forming a wave. Some sprinted on the ground, others leapt through the air, many more conjured platforms to run across the sky, and dozens of abominations grew wings of different colors and shapes. Their cackling reached a fever pitch as they began to unleash their attacks.

    One creature, its skin black and speckled with white dots like the night sky, soared high on ravens'' wings made of writhing tentacles. It unhinged its jaw, spewing thousands black snakes like arrows that darkened the sky.

    Behind the colorful tsunami, a massive golden tiger with black stripes materialized, its bulk rivaling a building. It pounced with maw agape, its tongue a golden snake.

    A gigantic fireball studded with hundreds of eyes manifested at the horde''s front, while an earthen serpent surged forward, growing larger with each moment. A yellow-skinned abomination extended its golden snakes, weaving a sphere of pure white energy aimed at Liu Xing, and countless more attacks emerged from the pursuing mass.

 125 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (3)

    Liu Xing froze, his pupils dilating as he witnessed the barrage of devastating attacks approaching. Each strike commanded enough power to level a small area, making him question whether the generals he''d previously defeated were even in the same realm as these creatures. His mind switched instantly to survival mode, cycling qi at maximum speed while desperately plotting an escape route.

    But there was no time to think. Suddenly, the first attack came¡ªan abomination with arms and legs of blue snakes, its body crackling with lightning. It materialized in front of him, its face twisted in contempt, black eyebrows thick as caterpillars.

    As it launched a snake punch straight at his face, every attack was already dangerously close. Black snake arrows rained from above, a golden tiger descended from mere tens of meters overhead, and a giant earth snake barreled forward, sending debris flying in its wake. Yellow plasma streaked through the air alongside fireballs, water spheres, and a projectile shaped like a laughing head¡ªand that was just the beginning.

    The world slowed to a crawl as adrenaline flooded his body. Pure instinct took over. In an instant, Liu Xing summoned lightning blades in both hands, called forth his turtle statue to block the abomination¡¯s punch and channeled his Exploding Fist technique through his gun to counter the barrage of black snake arrows.

    The lightning-coated abomination struck his turtle statue with devastating force, the impact resonating like a massive gong. The statue lurched backwards and crashed into Liu Xing with the force of a speeding truck, sending him flying. Through the pain, he watched chaos unfold.

    The earth snake and golden tiger crashed into the spot he''d just vacated, now occupied by the abomination coat with lightning. Their collision sent the ground surging skyward like a meteor impact. His gun, faithfully shooting down the black snake arrows, exploded in rapid succession, painting the sky with blooming clouds of black smoke. Water and fire projectiles struck the earth snake''s back, triggering an explosion that sent the rising earth outward like a tidal wave and formed a huge mushroom cloud. A concentrated beam of yellow energy carved through the mushroom cloud and flying debris like a laser.

    The world spun wildly as explosions, screams, and cackling merged into an indecipherable cacophony. When everything finally stopped spinning, he found himself pressed to the ground under the statue. A realization struck him¡ªthe turtle was surprisingly effective at absorbing impacts. A shield for future battles, he thought, before dismissing it and scrambling to his feet.

    He began weaving through the battlefield as new threats emerged. An abomination with pure golden skin that shimmered in the sunlight launched blue orbs with bat wings. Another abomination, its skin is purple and its two ears is red cherry, transformed its snake arms into giant sickles glowing with an otherworldly purple hue and swung them in frenzied arcs.

    Liu Xing dodged left, evading the deadly sickles while his gun intercepted the winged orbs. A brown-skinned abomination''s screech summoned an earth serpent that slithered toward him. Black-skinned abomination with green coconuts as its ears punches the air to create two massive tigers, cackling madly from atop one of the tiger. More snake-limbed abominations unleashed their attacks¡ªelemental strikes, qi constructs of various beasts, blue walls, even a giant one-eyed monster crawling like an infant at bullet-train speeds.

    For a moment, Liu Xing considered activating his invisibility to hide. One direct hit from any of these attacks would mean grievous injury. But a glance at the golden castle steeled his resolve. While most abominations pursued him, some remained behind¡ªhe couldn''t stray too far. He needed to keep their attention.

    As he accelerated using his shield, his mind cleared enough to analyze the situation. This third army was formidable, but their attacks weren''t as chaotic as they appeared. Many abominations simply followed the pack, with only about twenty attacking simultaneously.

    High above, a black-skinned abomination decorated with shining white dots and raven wings retreated, replaced by another propelling itself with snake-feet that spewed fire.

    They were taking turns, he realized, while the others hung back, cackling and pointing their snake limbs at him like audience at a circus, and he was their clown.

    Anger bubbled up from his core as his teeth clenched. This wouldn''t do. Their coordinated attacks worked because he played the prey, running like a rabbit from hyenas.

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    A dangerous idea formed inside his mind. Instead of letting them use him for target practice, he needed to disrupt their formation by charging into their midst. On the surface, it seemed suicidal, like jumping into a pack of predators. But these weren''t ordinary beasts¡ªtheir attacks were powerful and struck over a wide area. If he could dodge while in their midst, their own attacks might catch their allies in the crossfire.

    There might have been better plans, but time was short, and this strategy could also help him draw the unengaged abominations away from the castle. Liu Xing summoned his shield, kicked it, and charged directly at the third army.

    Seeing him coming, some of the abominations cackled madly, as if watching a clown slip on a banana peel. Their mockery only hardened Liu Xing''s resolve. He reactivated his lightning blades in both hands, extending them dozens of meters, and accelerated faster using his shield. This time, he wouldn''t just run¡ªhe would attack, determined to take at least one down with his gun!

    As he gained speed, the front-line spirit beasts unleashed their techniques. A yellow laser whipped toward him, thousands of fireballs rained from above, close-combat specialists leaped at him, and a creature with green skin and a single yellow eye in its head crawled forward at a frightening speed.

    Liu Xing extended his lightning blades to their maximum length, whipping them against the yellow laser. Their collision created a blinding spark, both attacks shattering into brilliant fragments. His gun worked overtime, shooting down the falling fireballs, each hit creating impromptu fireworks in the sky.

    Intensifying his Lightning Cloak technique, he cycled qi faster through his body, pushing for greater speed.

    His goal seemed simple¡ªreach the center of the third army. Yet every meter was a battle.

    He weaved through snake-limbed abominations attempting close combat, his lightning blades dancing to parry their unorthodox strikes. When a creature with bright green, poison-coated snakes attempted to grapple him, Liu Xing maneuvered using his shield, only to face a green creature that exploded, sending shards of laughing stone flying¡ªwhich he deflected with his newly-appreciated turtle statue.

    He ascended skyward on his shield, thinking the attacks would diminish at height. He was wrong. Instead of just the front-line dozens, even the center ranks began their assault.

    The air filled with an impossible array of projectiles coming at him¡ªelemental balls and arrows of fire, water, lightning, wood, steel, and organic matter, alongside floating hearts and bone swords.

    Some collided and exploded, releasing purple toxic mist, but most formed a dense, colorful wall with gaps barely wider than his pinky finger. Behind this curtain of death came golden tigers, earth-forged eagles, a rocket-propelled giant hand, a boulder wrapped in green miasma, and a giant abomination with green skin and yellowed teeth, leaping into the air and cackling maniacally.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing steadied himself atop his shield and popped the Ethereal Pearl into his mouth. He stretched out both hands, covered with stable qi, and manifested two lightning balls in front of his hands.

    To his surprise, they merged into one massive ball, growing beyond twenty meters in radius until it completely blocked his view. As a Lock Opening cultivator, he''d never imagined creating such a massive attack. While his Thunderstrike Gauntlets would break under such power, the enhanced quality and durability of his qi now made it possible.

    "Eat this!" He unleashed a double palm strike, and a colossal white pillar erupted from his lightning ball. Though it couldn''t match the entire wall of attacks, it carved through hundreds of projectiles and struck the giant abomination''s head, making it shriek in agony and recoil until its body began to shrink.

    The pillar''s immense size made it unwieldy. He couldn''t sweep it around. As it began to recede, Liu Xing kicked his shield and flew through the opening he had created. Countless attacks curved to follow him, but many couldn''t change direction, resulting in a chain reaction of collisions.

    After a moment, he came to a stop, standing on his shield as he finally reached the heart of the third army. Below him, the army converged like a massive, colorful sphere contracting inward. Then, as if in sync, the outer abominations began to leap upward, until Liu Xing found himself surrounded on all sides¡ªabominations lunging from below, approaching from all four directions, and diving from above, their mad cackling filling the air.

    He had achieved his goal¡ªhe was now truly at the center of the third army. Cold sweat drenched his back as he steadied himself, analyzing his precarious position. Any attack from above would endanger those below; any massive strike from the front would threaten those behind. His strategy could work, but there was one crucial catch¡ªhe had to survive each attack before it could create the desired collateral damage.

    As a giant abomination swelled in size again, its snake limbs reaching for him like tentacles while attacks converged from every direction, Liu Xing acknowledged the dire nature of his situation.

    Yet hope remained. His goal was simple: to be the last one standing. All he had to do was survive long enough to see an abomination fall to friendly fire. Or perhaps he would find the first abomination he had attacked. If he could finish it off, victory would be within his grasp.

 126 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (4)

    Prince Yang Jinyan''s heart hadn''t beat steadily since the Royal Barrier''s deployment began. It pounded frantically, like a drowning man desperately beating against a locked door in a flooding room. Despite his racing pulse, he forced himself to remain composed. After all, he would be emperor one day, and an emperor must always appear calm and dependable.

    He crouched behind the rubble of what had once been the Hei clan compound, accompanied by Hong''er and ten of the Yang clan''s strongest cultivators. The City of Suns bore countless scars now. Liu Xing''s attack had been immensely powerful¡ªthe pillar of light he''d unleashed had flattened countless buildings, the Hei clan compound among them. If not for the wooden signboard bearing the clan''s name and the remnants of their black gate, the ruins would have been unrecognizable.

    Yang Jinyan peered around the rubble toward the looming castle. Its golden walls still gleamed pristinely and created an unsettling contrast against the surrounding devastation.

    As he watched, he wondered whether Liu Xing had received his signal. His group and the others were already in position. The golden castle had many possible entry points. The main gate gaped wide, accommodating the thousands of abominations that had gathered there, but numerous smaller entrances dotted the castle''s perimeter. There were passages for gardeners, chefs, workers, and servants scattered throughout, as well as special entrances for supporting clans and the most trusted retainers. These smaller entrances were typically concealed and discreetly guarded¡ªafter all, as his father had once said, it would be unseemly for the golden castle, a symbol of power, wealth, and glory, to appear riddled with doorways.

    His group intended to use one of the most secure entrances, one reserved for only the most trusted individuals. It was the same passage his sister Yang Liangyu and her late nanny had used whenever they felt adventurous enough to explore the city.

    His eyes focused on a bush some distance from the main gate. Near it should be a dragon mouth carving that would only appear in the presence of certain individuals. Though the bush was well-concealed and difficult to spot from the main gate, he wouldn''t risk rushing toward it until Liu Xing had drawn away most of the spirit beasts.

    "From this close, I''ve just realized how brave and yet foolish Liu Xing must be to take on this role," Hong''er commented beside him, her eyes focused on the marching abominations in the distance.

    "His willingness to lure those powerful abominations could be seen as either tremendous bravery or pure recklessness. Though I''m inclined to believe that he''s simply kind and understands that only he can lure them out," he replied.

    The abominations were strong beyond comprehension. The qi emanating from each of them as they cackled and giggled felt like an ancient ocean stirring to life, threatening to unleash a world-swallowing tsunami. Though all twelve members of Yang Jinyan''s group were Core Splitting realm cultivators, none had achieved seven cores, and even the most powerful Core Splitting cultivator in the Twelve Sun Empire would pale in comparison to these creatures. These abominations possessed strength reminiscent of the five great sects, capable of fighting far above their apparent level.

    "It makes me wonder if he truly belongs to one of the great sects," Hong''er added.

    At first, Yang Jinyan was confused by her meaning, but then he understood. She wasn''t referring to Liu Xing''s power. No, she was speaking of his character. People from the great sects were usually extraordinarily talented or came from prestigious backgrounds. Such individuals typically possessed tremendous pride, much like the elders of his clan, the Hei clan, the Wu clan, and even his brother. Indeed, many who held high positions within his empire shared this trait. Yang Jinyan himself possessed such pride and typically couldn''t tolerate rudeness or foolishness in his presence.

    He tried to view the situation from Liu Xing''s perspective, imagining himself¡ªa royal prince¡ªdiscovering a village under attack by formidable spirit beasts. Would he risk his life to save that insignificant village, or return to the castle and ignore their plight? It was just a small village, after all. The empire wouldn''t suffer greatly from its loss, and even though the spirit beasts were strong, they posed no real threat to the empire as a whole.

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    That was Liu Xing''s position, and as Yang Jinyan considered it, gratitude welled up within him. Without Liu Xing''s help, his sister would have been violated, and they would have had no hope of reclaiming the empire.

    His thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his communication orbs. A sign that Liu Xing had accepted his signal and would soon make his move. A few moments later, there was a deafening explosion and a massive mushroom cloud bloomed in front of the golden castle, only to be split by a column of yellow, condensed qi.

    Recognizing Liu Xing''s signal, Yang Jinyan and his eleven retainers bolted toward the bush.

    The bush nestled between two old trees near the white wall surrounding the golden castle. For a moment, Yang Jinyan considered simply jumping over the wall¡ªthere was a garden on the other side, and a straight run would lead to a stairway up to the middle levels. He quickly dismissed the foolish thought. The secret passage would be far safer.

    Yang Jinyan ordered his retainers to search the area. It was Hong''er who found it¡ªa dragon head carved with an open mouth and a green gem at its center, jutting out from the ground. Yang Jinyan crouched beside it and touched it with his index finger, channeling his qi into the stone. The green gem flared to life instantly, and a rumble echoed around them. Looking for the source, he saw one of the trees had revealed an entrance leading to underground stairs.

    He led the group down the stairway, and the entrance sealed itself behind them. For a moment, they stood in complete darkness, but then light gems began to shine, illuminating the narrow passage.

    Yang Jinyan had never actually used this secret entrance before¡ªhe''d never needed to. As a prince, he had always used the proper gates. The passage was tight, allowing only two people to walk side by side, with glowing gems studding the ceiling to light their way. At the base of the stairs, it widened just enough for three.

    When they reached the bottom, a soft yellow light gently illuminated this section, casting a warm glow that stretched toward a plain door in the distance. According to Hong''er, this door led to one of the kitchen. She had also mentioned other secret passages branching from the kitchens up to the middle levels.

    They moved briskly through the passage and reached the door. After confirming no presence on the other side, Yang Jinyan ordered Hong''er to take the lead. In the unfamiliar kitchen, Hong''er revealed another secret entrance. This passage was wider, but according to her, quite long with multiple connecting doors along its length.

    As they hurried through, Yang Jinyan noticed chips in the paint and stains on the floor. Clearly, this passage saw frequent use.

    "Our destination is the door at the end of this hallway," Hong''er said. "That one connects to the middle levels."

    Yang Jinyan nodded and took the lead again. They soon reached the base of a wide, spiraling staircase. But they didn''t rush to climb it. For the past minute, they''d been sensing increasingly powerful qi presences. Yang Jinyan knew with certainty that beyond their intended exit waited powerful spirit beasts.

    He ascended first, with Hong''er behind him and the clan members following. At the top, they entered a long, brightly lit hallway. Unlike the yellowish glow of the secret passage, harsh white light illuminated everything here. Subtle, intricate carvings of the battle that led to the founding of the Twelve Sun Empire adorned the white walls. Part of him wanted to study these carvings, if only to delay confronting whatever emanated such overwhelming qi.

    The double doors at the passage''s end bore intricate carvings as well, but Yang Jinyan viewed them not as art to be appreciated, but as gates to hell itself. Still, they had to pass through them to reach the upper treasure room.

    Yang Jinyan flicked his finger, summoning a yellow talisman. As he''d told Liu Xing, he possessed talismans that could help them move undetected. Rather than granting true invisibility, they merely diminished one''s presence. Though valuable for its ability to conceal twenty people simultaneously, its effect will last for about twenty minutes.

    He activated it without hesitation and began moving slowly forward.

    Each step made his heart thunder. As they crept forward with careful steps, Yang Jinyan felt the walls and ceiling trembling slightly, catching distant rumbles and faint explosions. Liu Xing was likely still battling thousands of abominations outside. He hoped all the creatures inside the castle would rush out to join that fight, but the chance seemed low. The worms appeared more interested in entering the castle, and after counting their numbers, he knew they weren''t much fewer than the snake-limbed abominations.

 127 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (5)

    Yang Jinyan clenched his fists to control his shaking hands. He had to stay calm. Liu Xing was working hard outside, though he hadn''t said it directly, his chances of survival were actually quite low. He was both outnumbered and outmatched. Those weren''t normal abominations¡ªif abominations had sects, those would belong to the great sects.

    He eased the door open and peered into the hallway. While he didn''t know every corner of the castle¡ªhe''d never visited the kitchens, for instance¡ªhe knew the middle levels well enough. What he saw, however, bore no resemblance to the familiar white walls, marble floors, and golden pillars adorned with elaborate engravings and statues.

    Instead, an aberration greeted his eyes. The floor had transformed into living pink flesh, and as his gaze traveled upward, he discovered every surface coated in the same organic material. The castle''s interior had become something grotesque¡ªas if they stood within a giant spirit beast''s stomach.

    An open doorway to his right led to the lesser ballroom, a space typically reserved for entertaining guests of moderate status. Usually spacious and empty when not in use, the room now displayed a horrifying transformation. Through the open doors, he saw thousands of octagonal shapes carved into the flesh-covered walls, each the size of a dinner plate. At the center of every octagon sat what looked like a meatball, the pattern reminiscent of a massive beehive filled with larvae.

    To his left, the hallway split in two directions. Down one path, he spotted a massive worm, as large as a cow, spraying yellow liquid against the wall. Where the substance touched the fleshy surface, the tissue writhed and formed new octagons. The worm then shifted aside, allowing another worm to deposit their meatballs into the fresh cavities. The other path hosted the same grotesque scene, although there were twice as many worms.

    This posed a significant problem. The left hallway was their intended route to the treasure room above, but worms blocked that hallway.

    They needed another path.

    Yang Jinyan''s gaze returned to the right. While the lesser ballroom was infested with flesh-walls and meatballs, he knew it also contained several doors leading to the upper floors. Studying the room more carefully, he detected no presence of the worms inside. Yet rushing across the hallway would expose them to the creatures'' sight, even with their presence thinned. Liu Xing had already warned him about the worms'' speed and strength.

    He closed the door silently and turned to address his group.

    "We need to reach the ballroom, and here''s how." He tapped the wall beside them. "Direct passage through the hallway is too dangerous, so we''ll create our own path. Hong''er, what lies behind this wall?"

    Hong''er closed her eyes, recalling the castle''s layout. "A dining room. It connects to another hallway leading to the guest chambers, but doesn''t directly access the ballroom."

    Yang Jinyan nodded.

    "Can anyone here create an opening silently?" He indicated the wall. The wall would be as hard as diamond, and while his own techniques could breach it, the noise would draw unwanted attention.

    "I can." A man stepped forward, standing over two meters tall with stern features. Yang Jinyan recognized him as one of the late Elder Yang Tianyun''s sons, though he couldn''t recall the name.

    "Then do it," he commanded.

    The man positioned himself before the wall and extended both hands. A blade of fire materialized before his palms, spinning until it formed a drill of intense heat. Most of the Yang clan possessed fire resistance, their techniques and cultivation methods centered around flame, but even they felt the scorching temperature against their skin. Yang Jinyan noted this with brief appreciation before concern set in¡ªif they could feel the heat, the abominations might sense it too, so he began to absorb the excess heat into his body.

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    The tall cultivator acknowledged this assistance with a slight nod before pressing the fiery drill against the wall. Instead of the dreaded rumble of stone against fire, the wall melted silently, transforming into lava that Yang Jinyan immediately cooled into harmless pebbles.

    "Faster," Yang Jinyan instructed quietly.

    "Yes." The man increased the drill''s rotation speed.

    The process proved time-consuming. The wall, nearly three meters thick and reinforced with qi and formation arrays, resisted his efforts. But after five tense minutes, he managed to create a small opening. Yang Jinyan signaled the man to stop, then pressed close to examine his handiwork.

    Through the hole, he confirmed Hong''er''s assessment. It is a dining room. But this dining room had also succumbed to the same fleshy transformation. Octagonal patterns covered every surface¡ªwalls, floor, ceiling, and even the long dining table¡ªeach hosting one of those unsettling meatballs.

    Each meatball emanated qi¡ªsome rivaling Core Splitting cultivators, others weaker, comparable to Lock Opening cultivators.

    "Make the hole wider," Yang Jinyan said quietly.

    The man at his side nodded. He reformed his fire drill, but instead of simply enlarging the hole, he began to carve horizontal lines, as if making a proper doorway.

    "No need for anything big. A small gap we can slip through sideways will be enough," Yang Jinyan added.

    The man acknowledged this with silent concentration. His technique, while impressive, revealed its limitations¡ªthe level of focus required made it impractical for combat.

    Suddenly, the qi of the worms outside churned. Yang Jinyan''s heart pounded against his ribs as he felt them rapidly approaching. Panic threatened to overwhelm him as an urgent question blazed through his mind: had they been discovered?

    He glanced around, seeing how Hong''er and the others had gone pale with fear. When they looked to him for guidance, he forced his features into a mask of calm. Their visible relief told him he''d succeeded, though inside, his thoughts raced frantically.

    If the abominations broke through the door, fighting was not a good option¡ªeven if he used all the talismans he had, they would die sooner or later. Retreat would take them further from the treasure room, wasting the precious time Liu Xing had bought them. They needed another solution, and quickly.

    "Stop," he whispered to the man.

    The cultivator, who was so focused on his task, only registered the overwhelming qi presence after he lowered his hands, and his face turned pale.

    All twelve of them froze, becoming more lifeless than statues as the qi presences drew nearer. The pressure became suffocating when four abominations stopped directly outside their door.

    Yang Jinyan silently prayed for them to move on. Instead, a heavy knock rattled the door, the sound echoing through the secret passage.

    His throat tightened. The absurdity of a worm knocking momentarily distracted him from his fear. Why would it knock? And why so gently? Such creatures should have enough strength to shatter the door entirely. Another knock reverberated through the space. Yang Jinyan''s eyes snapped to their unfinished doorway. Through it, he could see the dining room''s octagonal nests with their ghastly contents. One meatball perched precariously in its nest several meters above the floor.

    The third knock sent vibrations through the walls, causing the meatballs to tremble. The precarious one inched closer to the edge, like a person considering jumping off a bridge.

    Yang Jinyan swallowed hard. If that meatball fell, would the sound draw the worms? There were no doors connecting the dining room to the hallway.

    His mind raced through the possibilities: the sound would travel through their unfinished doorwand and lead the worms straight to them.

    They needed to move. Now.

    But before he could act¡ªbefore he could even blink¡ªanother knock rattled the door. Time seemed to slow down. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he watched, wide-eyed and breathless, as that single meatball finally tipped over the edge, as if deliberately spelling their doom. The sound of its impact was surprisingly gentle, like a small vase falling onto a bearskin rug. But that soft thud could just as easily have been a killing blow.

    Instantly, Yang Jinyan sucked in a sharp breath and his cheeks puffed. A split second later, a fireball materialized before his lips. With a forceful exhale, the projectile shot through the air and slammed into the wall like a meteor. Simultaneously, the still-trembling door exploded inward, accompanied by four piercing shrieks. The world seemed to slow down. He found himself staring into the face of a monstrous worm, the size of a cow. Its pink skin resembled raw, healing human flesh. The creature¡¯s face was disturbingly humanoid, dominated by a bushy mustache and thick eyebrows. Its nose was the size of his fist, while its eyes were tiny, almost slits.

    "Run!" The prince shouted.

 128 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (6)

    "Run!" The prince shouted.

    Hong''er moved first. She pulled out a talisman and raced to the prince''s side, the paper glowing with power. With a swift motion, she slapped it into the air. Qi roared from the talisman, launching a concentrated blast toward the four worms. The attack wouldn''t kill them, but it would buy them time.

    The prince leaped through the opening he''d created, landing atop a flesh-coated table in the dining room. Hong''er followed, with clan members diving through one after another. By some miracle, all twelve of them made it through. But their good fortune ended there.

    A piercing screech split the air, followed by another, then a third and fourth, and fifth and so one. More screeches echoed in the distance, each call answered by another, until the sounds multiplied throughout the castle.

    Prince Yang Jinyan gulped. Now every worm in the castle knew of their presence.

    "Our cover is blown," he shouted. "Run as fast as you can!"

    The Prince leaped from the dining table, his cheeks bulging, and shot a giant fireball toward the wall before him. The orange sphere blazed like a miniature sun, and when it struck the wall covered in octagonal nests, it exploded brilliantly, blasting a hole through the wall.

    Leading the group, he flew through the smoking breach and landed in a tiny bathroom containing only a small pool. Instead of hot water, the pool brimmed with red blood. Ignoring this grotesque sight, the Prince cycled his qi and launched two more fireballs, each the size of his torso, at the next wall.

    They needed to reach the ballroom¡ªit connected to a stairway leading straight to the next floor. Since the secret passage lay about a hundred meters from the ballroom, they could reach it by blasting holes through the walls and moving directly through the adjacent rooms to their destination.

    The Prince demolished wall after wall. Each time he created a breach, he leaped through, launching another blast before his feet touched the ground. To mortal eyes, his movements would appear as nothing but a blur. The rapid succession of explosions from his fireballs striking the walls thundered like war drums.

    Several heartbeats later, the Prince found himself in a room beside the ballroom¡ªa modest guest chamber with a bed that could accommodate five people side by side. Through its glass balcony doors, he glimpsed the ruined City of Suns. Clouds of dust filled the air, and a monstrous abomination, nearly as large as the golden castle itself, loomed in the distance. Thousands more creatures converged in the sky, where explosions, mad cackling, shouts, and incomprehensible sounds merged into a cacophonous roar.

    The Prince suppressed his curiosity and turned his head, his cheeks bulging like a squirrel hoarding nuts. Under normal circumstances, a guest would need to walk for half an hour to reach their destination, but he preferred his shortcut.

    He unleashed a barrage of fireballs: one as large as his head, accompanied by eleven smaller ones, each the size of his palm. They struck the wall in sequence¡ªone massive explosion followed by eleven smaller blasts. The impact shook the room, filling the air with smoke and dust as cracks spider-webbed across the wall. Even before the dust settled, he knew his attack had succeeded.

    His techniques was elegantly simple. Though each attack was a variant of the basic Fireball, its simplicity proved its strength. He could create countless versions in myriad sizes, each with unique effects¡ªfrom fireballs that generated concealing mists to those that unleashed devastating shockwaves.

    His group landed behind him, with Hong''er closest. As they touched down, the dust cloud dissipated, revealing a vast chamber beyond. The ballroom stretched wide with a high ceiling supported by pillars. Where it once hosted music, food, and entertainment, now pink flesh covered every surface from floor to ceiling, its octagonal nests giving it the appearance of a massive beehive.

    Yang Jinyan glanced toward the huge golden double doors that remained intact on the far side. Beyond them lay a hallway leading to the wide stairway that would take them to the next floor.

    He prepared to jump, but a vibration beneath his feet stopped him.

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    "Move!" he shouted, and his clansmen scrambled to jump to the side.

    The flesh-covered floor where they had stood cracked open, revealing a massive pink worm with jaws spread impossibly wide. It burst upward beneath one of his clan members who reacted too slowly, attempting to swallow him whole. But instead of engulfing him completely, the worm''s pristine white teeth snapped shut around his neck. Like a knife through tofu, they severed his head. The worm''s momentum carried it toward the ceiling, knocking the severed head aside.

    Yang Jinyan stared in horror at the creature. Though only the size of a cow, its maw could stretch wide enough to swallow a man whole. Its pink flesh writhed with terrifying human faces, as if dozens of people pressed against its skin from within, desperate to escape.

    "Don''t stop!" Yang Jinyan shouted.

    The command broke his clansmen from their frozen state, and caused the worm to turn its body toward him.

    Hong''er reacted first, leaping toward the breach in the wall followed by others.

    Yang Jinyan pulled a brown talisman from his spatial ring. As the worm dove toward him, jaws gaping, he slapped the talisman against the ground. Instantly, the floor surged upward. A thick black pillar erupted from beneath the worm, growing as rapidly as a magical bamboo and driving the creature into the ceiling.

    Without hesitation, Yang Jinyan spun and launched himself through the breach, bursting through the lingering dust cloud into the ballroom beyond.

    As his feet touched down, more vibrations rippled through the floor. Worms erupted from the ground, walls, and ceiling around them¡ªfive monstrosities, each powerful enough to kill with a single strike.

    Liu Xing had said their attack strategy wasn''t complex¡ªthey simply tried to devour their prey. But that simplicity made them all the more terrifying.

    "Run, damn it, run!" he shouted at his clansmen who stood frozen again, and Hong''er and the rest of the clansmen bolted.

    Yang Jinyan sprinted forward, trying to close the gap between himself and the group Hong''er lead as they raced toward the double doors. But before he could reach them, a worm plunged from the ceiling between them.

    He cut his run short, diving to the side and rolling. As he prepared to leap toward the group ahead, two more worms burst forth, blocking his path.

    Yang Jinyan''s hand flashed, producing a red talisman. Upon activation, it unleashed a wave of molten lava that forced the worms aside, creating a path to his companions. He launched himself forward with such force that the flesh-covered floor cracked beneath him. Mid-flight, he saw two more worms attacking the group while Hong''er activated talismans that split the ground and conjured binding vines.

    The talismans stored in their spatial rings were their only effective weapons against the worms. Hong''er''s green vines bought them mere moments of reprieve.

    "Watch out!" Yang Jinyan''s warning cut through the chaos as a worm with the face of an old woman lunged at the group.

    His cry made the group turn and scatter¡ªHong''er and four others diving left, the rest right. Yang Jinyan landed near the right group, his eyes fixed on Hong''er across the divide created by the worm.

    "We need to split up!" he called out. They couldn''t stay grouped together. It made them an easy target for the worms'' coordinated attacks. More importantly, clustering their forces would only give the abominations a chance to eliminate them all at once. "Ensure Hong''er''s survival!"

    The Twelve Sun Armor, their objective, could only be worn by a woman¡ªcreated by the second emperor for his wife, who had been stronger than him and had transformed their fledgling empire into a flourishing realm. Her story was steeped in betrayal and tragedy, but such details meant nothing now. Hong''er, as the strongest and only suitable bearer of the armor, had to survive.

    "Yes!" came their unified response, ready to protect her with their lives.

    "I''ll meet you all there!" he called to the group.

    The promise to reunite in the upper treasure room rang hollow. Yang Jinyan knew with crushing certainty that of the eleven people remaining, more would fall. He might well be among them.

    The worm between them turned its head, milky white eyes gleaming beneath its wrinkled face. When it turned toward Hong''er''s group, the prince''s heart clenched. In an instant, he decided to draw the attention of every abomination in the room, giving Hong''er''s group a chance to reach the upper levels.

    "Look at me!" he roared, infusing his voice with qi. The worms snapped their heads toward him. More burst forth¡ªfrom floor, walls, and ceiling¡ªuntil over fifteen abominations filled the vast ballroom. Each bore a different face: young, old, male, female. One particularly grotesque worm displayed a deer''s features fused with human ones, flesh-forged antlers jutting from its forehead.

    Hong''er''s group fled at full speed. She activated another talisman to thin her presence, turning back once with worry-filled eyes, as if yearning to join him. Then her expression hardened and she rushed for the double doors. No worms tracked her movement¡ªthough he knew more obstacles awaited her group, for now, it was enough.

    "P-prince, what should we do?" asked a man behind him.

    Before he could answer, all fifteen abominations launched themselves at them like coiled springs unleashed.

 129 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (7)

    Yang Jinyan summoned two talismans from his spatial ring. One red, one blue. Slapping the red one against the flesh-covered floor, he conjured a translucent crimson barrier that enclosed them like a cube. When the abominations slammed into it from all sides, the barrier drained his qi like a cluster of greedy camels draining a pool.

    He quickly activated the blue talisman and replenished his energy. The red barrier flared brilliantly, reflecting the creatures'' assault and sending them ricocheting around the ballroom like cannonballs. Elder Yang Zhaoyan had crafted these talismans to withstand multiple attacks from a newly-ascended Sun Refining cultivator, but white cracks now spiderwebbed across the barrier''s surface.

    One more coordinated assault would shatter their protection and seal their fate.

    "P-prince."

    Yang Jinyan gritted his teeth and turned around, barely holding back his frustration at their situation. The man who called to him appeared to be in his thirties, with flowing red hair, brown eyes, and delicate features that belied his true age of over a hundred years. This was Yang Junjie, a talented researcher and instructor of the clan''s younger generation.

    "What is it?" he asked, masking his inner turmoil with forced calm.

    "If we don''t do something, we''ll die!"

    Yang Jinyan fought the urge to slap him. Even a blind idiot could grasp the situation. Yet, he reined in his emotion, choosing silence, knowing the man would continue.

    "G-give me pills that can restore my qi. I have an idea!"

    As he spoke, a worm slammed into the red barrier above them. The barrier repelled the creature, sending it careening into a wall covered with nests and fleshy masses. The impact crushed several of the meatballs and sent more tumbling from their nests to roll across the ground like grotesque marbles. A crack rippled through the barrier''s surface. This time, Yang Jinyan knew it wouldn''t hold another attack.

    Deciding to trust Yang Junjie, he summoned several pills and tossed them to Yang Junjie, who caught them in his mouth with trembling yet determined eyes and crushed them between his teeth.

    Instantly, qi surged through Yang Junjie''s body. Blue light emanated from his skin as if he''d become living firewood burning with pure azure flames.

    "All of you need to go. I''ll distract them!" Junjie shouted. "We will not die. Only I will!"

    Two worms slammed the red barrier from front and back. The barrier shattered into thousands of fragments that vaporized in the air. Yang Junjie, still glowing with blue fire, launched himself forward. His hand blazing, he grabbed the first worm''s nose and hurled it into its companion behind them.

    "Die!" The worms collided with the wall, the impact shaking the entire room.

    "Go!" Yang Junjie''s body pulsed and swelled, his red robes shredding to leave only white pants clinging to his frame.

    The prince''s eyes widened as he realized what Yang Junjie was doing. He was burning his very cultivation. While it granted him otherwise impossible strength, the price was certain death. What shocked the prince wasn''t the technique itself, but his willingness to sacrifice himself as a decoy so the others might escape.

    "What are you waiting for? Go, I''ll buy you time."

    "Yang Junjie." A man behind him spoke the name, voice thick with sorrow.

    "Your sacrifice will be remembered." The prince turned away. "Let''s go."

    As a worm launched itself at the group, Yang Junjie intercepted it, gripping its face with both hands and planting his feet. "Go!"

    Yang Jinyan bolted toward the door where Hong''er had gone, the four remaining people close behind. As he ran, he gritted his teeth, remembering his vow in the flower hills to keep every clan member alive through this battle. Yet in less than a minute, he''d lost one man and would soon lose another. He had failed as their leader.

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    Still, he couldn''t waver. Logically, Yang Junjie''s choice was their best option: better one death than six. He understood the feeling all too well, having made the same choice for Hong''er. Junjie chose death because he trusted Yang Jinyan and understood how precious the prince''s life was compared to others.

    The prince inwardly cursed his own weakness. He lacked the strength to protect and lead them, and he remembered all the times he''d chosen play over cultivation, strolling around the city over sharpening his mind, and the easy path of stagnation over the difficult path of advancement.

    How long had he been stuck at his current cultivation realm? Five years? Six?

    A deafening rumble drew his gaze back. Yang Junjie now surrounded by more than twenty abominations and he moved like a blue ghost as he struck and dodged. He''d positioned himself between the group and the abominations, becoming a living gate they couldn''t pass.

    Yang Junjie''s neck bulged with veins as he shouted, though the blue fire surrounding him had dimmed. When a worm launched itself like a cannonball and snapped its teeth, he survived but lost his left hand to the creature''s maw.

    "You worms!" A dozen blue fireballs materialized above him and streaked toward the monsters.

    Before they could see the outcome, Prince Yang Jinyan and the group passed through the double doors and raced down the hallway. Around the corner, they could no longer see Yang Junjie''s battle, only hear the echoes of combat.

    The survivors wore grimaces of pain and guilt.

    "Listen to me," the prince said, drawing their eyes. "His sacrifice won''t be in vain. With this chance he''s given us, we''ll claim the Twelve Sun Armor. With it, we''ll descend into the Emperors'' Tomb and kill the traitor and his demonic ally, and we''ll save Elder Yang Zhaoyan. I promise you, we will triumph."

    The men nodded, determination filling their eyes. Yet Yang Jinyan knew his words rang hollow. Forget killing Yang Lihuo and Wei Yi, there was no guarantee they''d even retrieve the Twelve Sun Armor. Still, he had to believe they would succeed. Otherwise, everything they''d done, everything they''d sacrificed, would be meaningless.

    Yang Jinyan clenched his fist. It wasn''t futile. He would win. He would survive!

    A wide white stairway connected to the upper levels before them, and they began climbing.

    Halfway up, three worms burst through the walls. Each bore a woman''s face, looking down at them with disdain.

    "I''ll hold them. Go!" one of his clan members said, and Yang Jinyan knew this pattern would repeat again and again.

    ***

    Yang Suyin is a man of vision. As a Core Splitting cultivator with two whole cores, he felt certain he would break through to the next stage within ten years. He stood among the elite of the Yang clan and he is one of the prominent masters in the entire Twelve Sun Empire.

    He had already planned his next decade. Beyond continuous cultivation, he wanted a wife and son. At one hundred and fifty years old, while not too late for marriage, it wasn''t too early either.

    His plans lay in disarray now that the City of Suns was rubble. Yet true to his nature, even as he guarded the entrance to the treasure room while his clan members searched within, he considered the future and what steps he must take to achieve his vision.

    The Twelve Sun Empire would clearly enter a period of hardship, a precarious path that could end their long history if not navigated carefully. With many masters likely to perish in these trying times, his importance would grow, and with that importance would come danger. Was this truly suitable timing to build a family?

    Logic said no. Yet there was a saying that children who grew in turmoil emerged stronger. Still, his son might lack the necessary fortitude and might not survive long enough to prove himself.

    But waiting too long carried its own risks, and he might not have time to get married.

    After much deliberation, he decided that if he survived the operation, he would marry. Although he only wanted one son, ensuring at least one child would survive these troubled times meant he needed more. Five or six would be ideal.

    As he began structuring their theoretical education, considering every possibility from all-female offspring to children without backbone, a shout echoed from within the treasure room.

    He turned toward their group''s leader.

    "Mission completed!" Yang Yuchen called out, carrying several spatial bags around his waist. He wore a blue mantle over his red robe, adorned with a golden necklace and boots and a gleaming silver hairpin securing his topknot.

    Yang Suyin looked around at his friends and colleagues, who were similarly adorned with treasures from head to toe.

    Seeing them, he scowled. "You took too long choosing treasures. You should have grabbed what you could see."

    Yang Yuchen snorted. "Easy for you to say when you can only carry two treasures. We common folk don''t have such limitations, so we must consider the harmony between our choices."

    Yang Suyin scowl deepened. He practiced a particularly sensitive cultivation scripture. Though still based in fire, it was delicate enough that wearing too many treasures would interfere with his qi. That was why he could only take two items: a pendant to enhance his qi control and a sword capable of extending its blade several meters, serving as an ideal conduit for his technique. Meager pickings compared to the others, but it would suffice.

    "A shame most of the treasures the Prince brought are beyond our use," remarked a man beside Yang Yuchen. Though he appeared in his fifties, he was actually eighty years old and possessed only a single core.

 130 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (8)

    This group consisted of people with diverse duties. The Yang clan was not one to merely confine themselves within their compound to cultivate. No, they spread across the empire, each member contributing to the clan''s growth in their own way.

    Yang Suyin himself only visited the clan compound once every five years to report on the mining business he oversaw. While not particularly successful, his official role as leader of the mining operation in Whirling Cloud City masked his true purpose: to impose order and remind the governor that they answered to both the Twelve Sun Empire and the Yang clan. His position ensured they remained vigilant and maintained stability. True, some questionable money lined his pockets, but who could claim absolute purity? What mattered was the stability and prosperity of the Yang clan, and in that, he had succeeded.

    "Indeed, it''s a shame," Yang Suyin said, recalling the treasures the prince had unloaded from his spatial ring.

    That ring had been filled with treasures and talismans left behind by the Elders. The prince had shown them these artifacts, allowing them to test each one in hopes of finding items they could use. However, most proved unsuitable. Either the treasure requires bonding first or restricted to stronger Core Splitting cultivators. It was an oversight none had considered: that such powerful and valuable treasures might lie beyond their ability to wield. Even the prince had failed to harness the most valuable ones. Instead, he and Yang Hongying use subtler treasures that enhanced their qi and control.

    Yang Suyin suspected these treasures might prove useful later, when they had the time and resources to properly bond and study them.

    Their saving grace was that the pills and talismans remained usable. Yang Yuchen, as leader of the third group, had been entrusted with many such items to distribute when needed. Thus far, they''d only used the initial presence-concealing talismans.

    "Alright, since the initial mission is complete, let''s go reinforce the fourth group."

    At Yang Yuchen''s words, the ten people around him gulped nervously. The fourth group held the most precarious position. They are tasked with scouting the path to the Emperors'' Tomb using their stealth techniques and treasures. Now their own group would join that risky endeavor.

    Yang Suyin initially mistook their expressions for reluctance. But determination quickly filled their eyes as they nodded with resolve.

    "Let''s go!" they said in unison.

    The moment they spoke, a commotion erupted behind the group. A man whose face he recognized but whose name escaped him struggled to contain a fireball in both hands. The orange sphere blazed like a miniature sun, with whips of light lashing out to score the ground and walls. Sweat beaded on his pale forehead as he fought for control.

    "What the hell are you doing?" Yang Yuchen said.

    "I-I can''t control this fireball!"

    Yang Suyin thought that this guy must be a talentless hack who took pills like water. The Fireball Technique was one of the Yang Clan''s most fundamental skills. Not being able to control a fireball was like saying that a man couldn''t maintain his manhood in front of a naked fairy of the Frozen Cloud Palace. Besides, he was a core splitting cultivator. How could he have such terrible qi control?

    "Stop playing around!" Yang Yuchen shouted.

    "I think this fireball will keep growing until it explodes. It won''t stop until it depletes all my qi!"

    Yang Suyin, Yang Yuchen, and the entire third group''s eyes widened in alarm.

    Could he be serious? Such an explosion would draw every worm crawling through the palace straight to them. While their group might not hold the same importance as the Prince''s group or the fourth group scouting the Emperors'' Tomb, their force remained vital to the mission''s success.

    "Did you activate one of the treasures you grabbed?" Yang Yuchen asked, eyes narrowing. "Which one?"

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "It''s called the Eternal Fire Talisman! I thought it sounded impressive, and I wanted to test it before the actual battle!"

    "You fool! That''s a suicide attack talisman!" Yang Yuchen roared.

    "Help me!" the man begged.

    Yang Suyin blinked in disbelief. How had such an idiot advanced to the Core Splitting realm?

    The fireball between the man''s hands grew rapidly, like a hungry sun consuming qi in its desire to usurp the true sun above. In mere moments, it swelled larger than a person. If it exploded, the sound would echo through the castle and bring the worms straight to their position.

    Yang Suyin''s mind suddenly sharpened. His first instinct was to order this man to cut off his qi, but he quickly realized if that were possible, the man would have done so already. His next thought was to absorb the fire collectively. With group effort, they could drain the heat from the fireball within minutes. But that would only destabilize it and can cause premature detonation.

    "Yang Yuchen, use the barrier talisman!" he shouted, the solution crystallizing in his mind.

    Yang Yuchen was a handsome, sociable man assigned to the Twelve Sun Army. Earlier, when they stood atop the prince''s tower slaying the army abominations, Yang Yuchen''s face had been filled with sorrow, knowing his former friends were among the abominations they killed. From that memory alone, Yang Suyin knew him as a kind soul. For a moment, he feared Yang Yuchen might hesitate to erect a barrier around this fool. After all, doing so would trap the man inside with the explosive fireball. But better one death than all of theirs.

    Yang Yuchen''s eyes flickered with conflict, no doubt sharing Yang Suyin''s thoughts. But surprisingly, his gaze hardened as he retrieved a talisman from his spatial bag and slapped it to the ground.

    A red rectangular line formed on the ground around the hapless cultivator.

    The man holding the massive fireball widened his eyes at the sight of those lines, clearly recognizing their purpose. Instantly, he aimed the enormous fireball toward the far room. Before the barrier could fully form, the man launched the fireball. It streaked through the air, striking the treasure room''s far wall, creating a thunderous boom that would draw every abomination within range.

    Then, as if to mock them, Yang Yuchen''s red barrier finally materialized around the fool, who scratched his cheek apologetically, as if he''d merely caused an inconvenience rather than a fatal mistake.

    Yang Yuchen deactivated the barrier. "We have to go!"

    A rumble echoed through the chamber as Yang Suyin realized that worms were coming. He needed to think carefully. While survival instincts screamed to flee, abandoning their mission felt wrong. The prince had trusted them, and they''d completed half their objectives. Their next task was to rendezvous with the fourth group and wait until all groups could launch their assault. But regrouping now seemed dangerous, but failing to regroup could prove equally fatal. With the cold clarity born from years of maintaining order and surviving, he proposed their best option.

    "Yang Yuchen, we need to split up!"

    Some would die, but better than losing them all.

    Yang Yuchen glared at him, but before he could respond, a worm burst through the roof. Its pink skin was unmistakable, its face disturbingly like a toddler''s with chubby cheeks and closed eyes. Yet its mouth gaped wide, white teeth gleaming like blades.

    "Scatter!" Yang Yuchen shouted. He spun toward Yang Suyin, grabbed a spatial bag from his left waist, and threw it.

    Yang Suyin caught it and rolled behind an empty shelf and masking his qi. He observed the worm as it looked left and right, tracking the scattering cultivators. As he watched, he caught sight of the fool who had endangered them all.

    He studied the man''s features intently, determined to remember him. Though he didn''t know every clan member''s name, surely he could recall this one.

    After a moment''s contemplation, watching the man regroup with Yang Yuchen and several other people, a name came to him: Yang Zhiqiang. An airheaded cultivator of supposedly low talent who had somehow broken through repeatedly. As expected, he was an elder''s son, but Yang Suyin recalled this elder''s close ties to Yang Lihuo.

    With Yang Zhiqiang''s connection to Yang Lihuo and this convenient "accident," Yang Suyin narrowed his eyes as doubt took root in his heart.

    He began cycling qi through his body, activating his secret technique. Yang Suyin focused on the treasure room''s second floor. He blinked, and instantly, darkness enveloped him. When he opened his eyes, he found himself crouched behind a shelf on the upper level, still close enough to observe Yang Yuchen, who was followed by Yang Zhiqiang and several other people.

    Yang Suyin scanned the room, searching for the best escape route. Suddenly, he saw the worm had already chosen its target: a lone clan member running with panicked, thundering footsteps toward a window, clearly intending to leap through it. The man''s frantic flight seemed to draw the worm''s attention, and it coiled its body like a spring. But before it could pounce, Yang Zhiqiang made an unexpected move.

    Running behind the group, fear visible but controlled on his face, he flung a small fireball at the worm. The creature, struck by the flames, whirled around. He threw a small ball of fire at the worm. The creature, struck by the flames, whipped around in anger and shot like an arrow at the group.

 131 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (9)

    Yang Suyin''s eyes narrowed further. In his peripheral vision, he could see the man who was the worm''s initial target successfully leap through the window, revealing a potential escape route for him. But that seed of doubt now bloomed within him.

    "Watch out!" Yang Zhiqiang shouted, as if he hadn''t been the one to lure those worms. The group turned their heads back, and when they saw the worms sailing through the air toward them, they scattered left and right.

    Yang Yuchen reacted too late. He tried to dodge to the side, but his maneuver proved futile. Before he could jump, the worm struck him, its pristine teeth biting through the lower part of his body. His upper torso landed on the floor, blood gushing from his severed waist like a geyser, coating the floor red. His screams echoed so loud, so painful, that the worm unfurled small wings atop its body, stopped mid-air, turned, and dove straight toward his screaming upper body, as if fearing his shouts would lure another worm to steal its food.

    The worm opened its mouth wide, swallowed the still-screaming and rolling Yang Yuchen, and dove through the ground, creating a hole as if boring through tofu and swimming through the earth.

    Watching one of his clan members die, Yang Suyin glanced at Yang Zhiqiang, who looked horrified but had a twinkle in his eyes, as if Yang Yuchen had been his enemy and his death brought joy. Anger boiled in Yang Suyin''s stomach, threatening to erupt.

    "Run! We are doomed already. Save your lives!" Yang Zhiqiang shouted, and the rest of the group, seeing their leader''s death, ran around like headless chickens.

    This guy was a fucking spy! To think someone could be so stupid, choosing to side with people who betrayed his father, his family, and his empire. To work with a traitor meant waiting to be betrayed.

    Yang Suyin observed his clan members falling one by one to the worm. It moved through the ground to chomp down his clan members, jumped through the air to strike and kill others, and even shot yellow liquid that made people scream and melt before it devoured them. He clenched his fist. At least some clan members successfully escaped, although whether they would survive is another matter.

    He saw Yang Zhiqiang sneak out through the window where a man had jumped. And Yang Suyin noticed something strange. Many times during the worm''s massacre, Yang Zhiqiang is closer to the worm than other people, but the worm has never targeted him.

    As Yang Zhiqiang escaped, Yang Suyin contemplated the situation. A spy''s existence spelled disaster. This meant all their plans were compromised. However, a chance remained that this spy hadn''t yet reported their simple plan. After all, Yang Zhiqiang hadn''t been alone since the prince decided they needed to visit this castle, meaning this might be his first opportunity to report.

    Yang Suyin decided he couldn''t let Yang Zhiqiang go free.

    He focused his eyes on the broken window, cycled his qi, and activated his technique. His body instantly became light, and in the blink of an eye, he moved from the treasure room''s second floor into an open hallway. Looking left and right, he sensed Yang Zhiqiang''s position and began moving silently toward him.

    His secret technique was impressive even by the standards of great sects. It was an Earth Grade technique that bordered on Heaven Grade, and to learn it, he had to change his cultivation scripture and method, but the results were worth it. This technique allowed him to move so fast that it felt like he was teleporting, and even though he couldn''t fully grasp it yet, it was already proving to be invaluable. He hid this technique from his clan and planned to use it later to secure an elder position.

    If the prince knew about his technique, he would undoubtedly place Yang Suyin in the fourth group.

    Yang Suyin moved through the hallway and crouched near a golden pillar. From this position, he saw Yang Zhiqiang standing in the hallway''s middle. His right hand held a glowing communication orb as he spoke into it.

    Shit. That guy is already talking to Yang Lihuo!

    Yang Suyin''s first impulse urged him to draw his blade and kill Yang Zhiqiang, but he held himself back. Killing Yang Zhiqiang should prove simple. After all, the man had only just stepped into the Core Splitting room''s first core, while Yang Suyin possessed two cores and years of experience. No, information mattered more, and while Yang Zhiqiang reporting their plan to Yang Lihuo spelled trouble, Yang Suyin might gain valuable information from this conversation.

    "Your Highness, I''ve contacted you to give my report."

    Silence hung for a moment, followed by a grunt. "Zhiqiang, as always, you''re late."

    Yang Zhiqiang smiled. "I''m not late. I''m always on time. Anyway, Your Highness, the other Yang clan members and I have already reached the castle."

    As he spoke, worm screeches echoed from far away, their numbers increasing rapidly. From one screech, to three and four and more, until a cacophony of screeches made his hair rise. It seemed their group wasn''t the only one discovered. Others were too. He just hoped it wasn''t the prince''s group or the fourth group.

    "Jinyan has always been brave yet stupid. It''s believable he''d choose to enter the castle, even though it would only kill him and all who follow him."

    "I''m not following him, though."

    The traitor snorted. "Yes, you''re right. Now go on with your report. I''m kind of busy."

    "All right."

    Yang Zhiqiang then detailed their simple plan and objective. Several times, Lihuo interrupted to ask for clarification. From their tone and way of talking, they seemed like friends, and Yang Zhiqiang still held respect for the person who betrayed their empire.

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    "So, he''s a disciple from a great sect. No wonder you guys survived this long. That guy now holds an army by himself, while you''re just told to scavenge the remaining treasures in the castle."

    "Indeed. While my group must retrieve treasures from the lower level, our main objective is actually armor in the upper treasure room."

    "Twelve Sun Armor, huh." Yang Lihuo began to laugh. "Jinyan must think I ignored that armor. Is he that naive? Of course I already have my hands on it. Your mission is futile!"

    Hearing this, Yang Suyin''s heart quickened. This conversation had indeed become valuable. Learning that the main target was no longer in the upper treasure room, he needed to contact the prince to avoid wasting time searching for treasure that had already been stolen. Nevertheless, he remained in his position. After all, their conversation wasn''t over yet.

    "What do you want me to do from now on?" Yang Zhiqiang asked. "This castle is dangerous now, even for me. The creatures Wei Yi created are fearsome."

    "I''ve given you a pendant that marks you as an ally. Even if you enter their mouths, they won''t kill you. To answer your question, I want you to sow chaos. Point the spirit beasts in this castle toward them. Without that disciple from the great sect, Jinyan''s death becomes only a matter of time, but I want you to hasten it."

    "All right, I''ll do that."

    "Good. I''ll remember your contribution and promise you a high position in my empire later."

    "Don''t forget about the girl I desire." Yang Zhiqiang wore a lecherous smile.

    "I''m not sure what you see in my sister, but I''ll ensure you can enjoy Liangyu later."

    "All right. Thank you."

    "Anything else to report?"

    "Yes."

    He spoke about the Purple Moon Sect, and how four groups of disciples from that sect would arrive later.

    "That won''t be a problem. By then, I''ll have my new body, and they''ll become merely fuel to increase my power."

    "I''m really curious about your rebirth. Have you really caught Yang Zhaoyan?"

    "Yes, Wei Yi holds him now, though he seems lucid and resists Wei Yi''s control admirably. But very soon, I''ll become a new being capable of subduing the world. Faster if Wei Yi proves more competent and controls Yang Zhaoyan better. Any additional reports?"

    "No."

    "Then I''ll cut this connection short. Survive, Zhiqiang, and you''ll taste your reward later."

    Without waiting for Yang Zhiqiang''s answer, Lihuo cut the communication, and the orb in Yang Zhiqiang''s hand stopped glowing.

    Yang Suyin held that conversation in his mind. Certain details made him want to bash this traitor''s head. But two pieces of information stood most important. First, the traitor already possessed the Twelve Sun Armor, and second, Elder Yang Zhaoyan truly resisted Wei Yi''s control.

    This was huge. Confirming these two facts could possibly turn the tide of battle, but only if they acted in time and proved capable of doing something. What something? Hell if he knew. While he planned ahead well, he lacked the brilliant tactical mind to create instant plans.

    Yang Suyin closed his eyes to think. He faced two immediate choices: leave immediately or take time to kill Yang Zhiqiang first. The second option tempted him greatly. After all, killing a traitor was necessary, and he had a pendant deterring the abominations from eating him. But time remained essential, and even without the pendant, Yang Suyin felt confident in moving undetected.

    He opened his eyes and focused on Yang Zhiqiang. That bastard was jumping around like a child, knowing that his father was going to buy expensive toys in the city, and that annoying manner made Yang Suyin decide what he was going to do.

    Yang Suyin unsheathed his sword and cycled qi through his body, then focused his eyes on his intended appearance spot. While this technique would amazed many, it required mastery for perfect use, and he would admit without shame that he hadn''t mastered it yet. With his current mastery, he would release a burst of qi that others could detect after he returned from light to a flesh-and-bone body. Any decent cultivator at Core Splitting realm would instantly notice that burst, but Yang Suyin hoped Yang Zhiqiang wouldn''t.

    Gripping his steel sword, he activated the technique and blinked. His body turned weightless for a fraction of a second, then materialized behind Yang Zhiqiang. He swung his steel sword horizontally, aiming for the neck to decapitate him. As the steel blade came within a hair''s breadth of biting his neck, Yang Zhiqiang suddenly turned around, his eyes wide as saucers. Yang Suyin gritted his teeth and increased the speed of his swing, but Yang Zhiqiang had already tilted his head sideways out of the sword''s path. The blade only cut his left ear, which flew cleanly from his head like a butterfly with a single wing.

    "You bastard!" Yang Zhiqiang shouted while gripping the side of his head. Blood gushed out.

    Yang Suyin dropped into a low crouch, his knees almost touching the ground. In one fluid motion, he slashed upward with his steel sword, the blade whistling through the air as it arced toward Yang Zhiqiang''s groin. It was a dirty trick, but Yang Suyin was not an arrogant master who shied away from tactics that could bring victory. After all, his fire power was not as great as his fellow clan members.

    Yang Zhiqiang looked down, eyes wide with panic, and took a step back, successfully avoiding that fearsome attack.

    Yang Suyin channeled qi into his steel sword, making the blade gleam with yellow light as the qi extended its reach a hand''s length beyond its physical form. The strike carved through both outer and inner robes across Yang Zhiqiang''s chest.

    As the torn fabric fell away, Yang Suyin''s eyes locked onto something that made his eyes narrowed further. A grotesque red pendant hanging from his opponent''s neck, an object that appeared to be a still-beating heart. Although it was only the size of a thumb, this was undoubtedly the pendant that protected Yang Zhiqiang from the abominations.

    Yang Suyin swung his blade again, and this time it was so fast, so swift, that it looked more like a beam of light than steel. It was an advanced technique that he created himself¡ªturning his blade partially into light so it could be swung effortlessly. When it was about to hit the pendant, he undid his technique and successfully cut the beating heart pendant in two. The pieces flew in opposite directions, one part sailing freely while the other remained tied to a little golden chain around Yang Zhiqiang''s neck.

    "A traitor like you deserves to die a painful death!" Yang Suyin shouted, the veins on his neck bulging. He laced his voice with qi, making the air around him ripple and dust scatter. The shout was so loud that even the abominations outside the castle probably heard it.

    "You, do you know what you''re doing?!" Yang Zhiqiang shouted hysterically, his eyes dilating repeatedly as he began to breathe erratically.

    "Of course I do. Now you won''t feel so confident strolling in this castle," he spat. "Traitor." He then leaped toward the fallen piece of the pendant and stomped on it as if it were the vilest thing in the world¡ªwhich it was. It was probably a treasure created by a demonic cultivator using sacrifices.

    A screech echoed nearby. When he heard it, Yang Suyin''s smile grew wider while Yang Zhiqiang''s face turned pale.

    "Hope you have a terrible death," Yang Suyin said. He activated his technique, then blinked and reappeared hundreds of meters from Yang Zhiqiang. Without turning around, he began to move rapidly through the castle.

    Though he couldn''t deliver the killing blow himself, he knew without doubt that Yang Zhiqiang would die.

    Now it was time for him to contact his prince. Hopefully, Yang Yuchen had thrown him the spatial bag containing a communication orb.

 132 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (10)

    Liu Xing sensed death could claim him at any moment, and his assessment rang true. He moved through a world teeming with abominations. They surrounded him in every direction¡ªno sky above, no ground below, only endless abominations with snake limbs yearning to tear him apart. He weaved through them like lightning, squeezing and maneuvering between their grotesque forms. His face was a mask of concentration, blood dripping from his nose, ears, hands, and feet. Around him, his gun swam like a fish guarding its home, shooting rapidly and deflecting myriad projectiles: fireballs, snake arrows, black streaks of darkness, small heads, large heads, and everything in between. His turtle now orbited him like a moon, faster than a speeding truck the size of a house, making a humming sound like a giant propeller.

    This flying turtle was an additional trick he had learned, and it successfully repelled numerous abominations, if only momentarily. Yet even with all his defenses, he realized more and more attacks were breaking through, forcing him to deal with them using the lightning blades in both hands.

    The abominations were relentless. Their laughter began to grind against his mind, and he wondered if their cackling was real or if his sanity was slipping.

    As these doubts plagued him, an abomination with red skin and the face of a chubby man suddenly split its head in two, revealing a pink brain that shot a condensed qi the color of fresh blood. The attack bypassed his turtle, forcing Liu Xing to use his shield to dodge sideways, only to encounter an abomination wreathed in flames attempting to embrace him. He responded by hurling a giant turtle at it.

    As he navigated through the army of abominations, deflecting their attacks and fighting for survival, his mind raced to find a solution. The answer was obvious¡ªhe needed to kill an abomination with his gun; but this simple solution proved maddeningly difficult to execute.

    Even after more than ten minutes of fighting, he had not managed to kill a single abomination with his gun. His attacks had connected with many, and his strategy of having the abominations'' attacks hit each other had worked to a certain extent¡ªmany bore wounds¡ªbut their overwhelming numbers prevented him from landing a killing blow. Perhaps three or four had died, but none by his gun. It''s so frustrating.

    Through the chaos of the rapidly moving abominations around him, he tried to remember his original goal: luring them out so Prince Yang Jinyan could obtain a supposedly powerful armor. Yet with each shot from his gun, each time he hurled his turtle, and each time he summoned his shield, his qi depleted further. This marked the first time since acquiring his gun that his qi reserves, even after achieving Core Splitting realm, proved insufficient.

    He carried many pills in his spatial bag, gifts from the Prince and Elder Yang Zhaoyan, but he suspected he would exhaust all his qi restoration pills within half an hour¡ªlonger if he used his qi minimally, which wasn''t an option.

    He needed an opportunity to target a single wounded or weakened abomination, but that chance never came.

    For five more minutes, he continued weaving through the army of abominations as they launched countless attacks. His eyes tracked each abomination, cataloging their techniques, abilities, wounds, and weaknesses, hoping to seize any miraculous opportunity that might present itself.

    Wounds began piling up on his body. An acid attack had melted through his black sleeveless clothes and burned into his back. A black snake arrow had pierced his shoulder, leaving a hole that had closed but still gushed blood. His black hair was drenched with sweat, his torso covered in blood¡ªmostly his own, but mixed with that of the abominations.

    He had just begun considering using his invisibility when his eyes caught something peculiar. It lasted less than a second, and initially, he thought it was an illusion. Using his shield, he maneuvered around three abominations¡ªone attempting to bite him, another throwing a punch with its golden snake, and a third hurling its tongue at him. He whipped his lightning blades at the tongue and let the golden snake punch the biting abomination, finally confirming what he''d glimpsed.

    Among the surge of laughing, cackling abominations, one stood in silence. It differed entirely from the others seeking his death. Its skin was white, and instead of snakes, its arms were long blades made of stone. It wore a blue robe that seemed also made of stone, adorned with wave patterns. It gazed at him¡ªupward¡ªsilently, as if the chaos around meant nothing.

    The sight of this singular abomination made his heart race faster. It had normal human ears, long hair flowing down its back, and feet made of two blue snakes encased entirely in ice. For a split second, before his view was obscured by the surging horde, their eyes met, and Liu Xing realized it wasn''t an it, but a she¡ªhis statue. The statue he''d used to escape the worm had transformed into something neither human nor quite an abomination.

    That''s when he snapped his head toward his giant turtle statue orbiting around him and realized something extraordinary¡ªhe had summoned both his shield and his turtle simultaneously. Usually, only a single statue could be summoned; summoning one would dismiss the other. For a moment, he wondered if this restriction had been lifted because he''d reached the Core Splitting realm, but seeing that woman statue, now not entirely stone, he suspected she might be the cause.

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    His heart raced as his mind, previously numbed by survival instinct, suddenly sharpened with clarity. He needed to confirm if that woman was truly his statue.

    Cycling his qi more intensely, Liu Xing began to shout. He extended his lightning blades farther and farther, willed his gun to shoot more rapidly, commanded his turtle to orbit faster and faster, and launched himself toward her.

    Liu Xing slashed at the surrounding abominations. His gun intercepted incoming attacks while the turtle successfully repelled a giant assaults, qi-formed tigers, massive abominations, earth-made serpents, and more. He shouted with renewed spirit, like a dying man who had just swallowed a reviving elixir.

    From the flower hill, one would have seen the chaos erupting around the golden castle as endless, colorful fireworks. The abominations around Liu Xing formed a sphere that moved with him, ensuring he remained at its center.

    Little by little, Liu Xing advanced through the enemy ranks until he succeeded. Now he stood beside the woman who had once been his statue. When he landed, she turned her head, and from this close, Liu Xing saw her eyes shone with a purple light. Her face was beautiful, bearing a cold demeanor that suggested nothing in this world could disturb her¡ªa quality that reminded him of a serene lake.

    The surrounding abominations hurled themselves and their attacks at them simultaneously. His giant turtle successfully repelled attacks from behind, but those from the front came unhindered. Liu Xing intended to summon his shield and dodge when the woman suddenly severed her right blade-arm with her other arm.

    Liu Xing''s eyes widened, but his body moved on instinct. He jumped as high as possible, watching numerous attacks land where the woman stood. A giant mushroom of fire bloomed around her, and Liu Xing''s heart clenched.

    What the hell was that?

    This was truly the woman statue from his Statue Summoning Technique¡ªthe one supposedly destroyed when he used it to trick the worm into thinking it had killed him. Seeing a woman who resembled his statue, made of flesh instead of stone, and have stone blade as arms, threw his mind into disarray. Questions that were once mere curiosities resurfaced with newfound urgency.

    What was the Statue Summoning Technique? Who created it? Why was it unencrypted in the Purple Moon Sect''s Outer Library? And now: why had that statue suddenly materialized in the middle of this battlefield?

    Surprisingly, the last question proved easiest to answer.

    Liu Xing weaved through the cackling, giggling, attacking abominations. He moved like true lightning, using his shield, turtle, and even kicks his gun to maneuver. As he dodged an attack from a living blanket that seemed made of entrails, decorated with intestines and yellow liquid, Liu Xing theorized that perhaps the worm had consumed an extraordinary statue, one containing a bloodline. Since the worm had given a ball containing her bloodline to a snake-limbed abomination, perhaps this woman was the result.

    This thought led him to consider that the woman statue he''d used as bait wasn''t made of stone but had been a real human being. The idea horrified him, and as another mushroom of fire bloomed below where she stood, Liu Xing wondered what kind of person would create such statues.

    When the raging fire dissipated, Liu Xing expected her to survive, even if partially charred. Though her form differed greatly from other snake-limbed abominations, she shared their origin. Instead, what he saw made his eyes widen. Her black hair waved like a flag, a purplish aura surrounded her, and the ground within a meter radius remained untouched by the fire, creating a perfect circle of preservation.

    Among hundreds of attacking abominations, her eyes met his directly. Her glowing purple eyes seemed to pierce his soul, and with a face as serene as a lake, her mouth began moving rapidly. Somehow, Liu Xing knew she wasn''t talking but chanting. The qi around her felt like raging tsunamis, and as she activated her technique, a purple gem materialized above her head like a floating crown. From that gem, a purple dome grew so rapidly that in less than a second, it encompassed all the surrounding abominations, and everything inside froze like moths trapped in amber. Only she remained mobile, her hair still waving, along with Liu Xing¡ªas if they were the only living things in this purple universe.

    Liu Xing''s heart drummed against his ribs so forcefully he felt his chest might burst. This technique was unlike anything he had ever seen or experienced. He knew with certainty that the qi expenditure to create this purple dome¡ªwhich froze all surrounding abominations with their faces locked in expressions of glee, smiles, and seriousness as if frozen in time¡ªwas minimal, probably less than his own qi reserves. Yet, looking at the abominations frozen in place¡ªsome floating, others on the ground, all caught mid-action¡ªit seemed impossible that this technique belonged to a being in the Core Splitting realm.

    The qi around him felt so thick, as if he were swimming in an ocean of honey.

    He flailed his body as if the motion might help him understand what was happening, and a memory of Ji Dongyang in his white serpent form before Liu Xing had killed him surfaced in his mind.

    Ji Dongyang had once said that the shadow he used could enhance techniques. The memory wasn''t entirely clear, his mind still struggling to comprehend the current situation, but he remembered seeking confirmation about techniques above Heaven Grade¡ªsomething even Ji Dongyang couldn''t achieve despite using shadow to enhance his techniques.

    If techniques beyond Heaven Grade existed, this was what they would look like. This was a technique above Heaven Grade!

    As this realization struck, she pointed at him with her left blade-arm. Her right arm, which she had severed herself, floated beside her as if possessing its own consciousness.

    She beckoned to him with an expressionless face and uttered two words. Her voice was soft and musical, its sound instantly calming Liu Xing''s mind as if he''d drunk an elixir that banished all worry and anxiety. But the content of her words prevented him from enjoying their melody. After all, her request was the opposite of what he desired.

    "Kill me," she said with a flat expression.

    Liu Xing blinked several times, trying to convince himself he hadn''t just heard a request to kill this newly reincarnated being. But when he felt the qi around him growing thinner, saw the glow of her body dissipating, and watched her body begin to crumble like a sand castle in strong wind, Liu Xing instantly understood her meaning and her wish.

 133 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (11)

    She was dying. Whether planned or not, her death was inevitable. He couldn''t tell if this was due to an incomplete reincarnation or her body being incompatible with her existence. What mattered was that she was dying, and her request made sense if she was truly on his side.

    She seemed to know that Liu Xing needed to kill an abomination to turn the tide of the battle. By letting him kill her before she naturally died, she could help him gain that potent qi from killing a Core Splitting abomination. Or maybe she didn''t know his ability at all, but the fact that she froze every abomination except for him suggested that she specifically chose him as her killer.

    "Why? Why do you want me to kill you?" Liu Xing tried to summon his shield so he could move freely in her purple world. But Liu Xing felt that the qi inside him was locked; it didn''t want to move. And so, he moved his hands and feet to swim around. Then, when an abomination came close enough for him to kick, he used it as a stepping stone.

    The woman looked at him with a blank expression, as if he wasn''t worthy of being answered. The purple glow around her diminished more and more, like fire from a dying hearth. There was movement of qi around her, and her form that had been crumbling so fast was now slowing down, as if she was trying to hold on a bit longer so he could kill her.

    Liu Xing kicked the abominations around him until he floated several meters in front of the woman. From this close, and without any distraction, he realized how tall she was. Her height was around three meters, and beneath the clothes she wore that were made from stone, he thought perhaps her body was slender, like a typical woman cultivator. Yet, instead of being delicate like a flower, she was more like a boulder¡ªstrong and steady and calm. He realized that she was probably a warrior.

    Her right blade arm, now swimming around her, was not crumbling, and she pointed at him with her left arm blade as this arm came at him.

    "Gift for you." Her voice was melodious, and yet firm, like the command of a queen.

    The floating arm settled in his right side, and its base began to transform. Now, this severed arm blade had a handle. It was long and slightly curved. It looked like it was made from stone, but seeing the gleaming blade, Liu Xing knew that this blade was a strong and powerful treasure.

    He wanted to ask again why she wanted to die, why she gave her arm for him. But he knew that this question would not be answered. Instead, he looked around him. The abominations frozen in this purple world now had their snake limbs and heads twitching, as if they were trying to break free from the force that froze them.

    He knew that this technique, as well as her form, would not hold for long, and so, Liu Xing came to a conclusion.

    He would kill this woman. It was the most logical thing to do in this situation.

    As if the woman could read his mind, she nodded, then repeated her request. "Kill me."

    Liu Xing reached for his gun with both hands. Then, he spread his legs and aimed. "What''s your name?"

    She heard his question but didn''t answer. He repeated the question two more times, desperately wanting to know her name. After all, she was a strong being who could freeze thousands of abominations with a single technique, as well as a woman who would give her life to save Liu Xing and give him a chance to win this battle. He at least wanted her name, so he could be grateful to her properly. Yet, she wouldn''t answer his questions, and as he gritted his teeth, heart feeling a bit conflicted, he inhaled deeply and steadied his hands.

    "Thank you," Liu Xing said.

    The woman didn''t react to what he said, and since he knew she wouldn''t answer, he pulled the trigger.

    An almost transparent bullet shot from his gun right toward her forehead. This was the most basic bullet he had. Usually, something like this would not hurt a strong being like her or the snake abominations around him. Yet, he had a feeling that this bullet was sufficient.

    When it hit her head, he could see her head jerk a little bit and create a small hole in her forehead. She nodded, as if satisfied with his action, then smiled.

    When she smiled, he felt like the world suddenly lit up, as if one minute ago the world had been covered by thunderstorms, and the sun had suddenly dispersed the storm and given him a warm caress. It made his heart beat faster, as if he had just fallen in love.

    Then, she exploded into brilliant purple dust, and the purple world around him vanished, releasing thousands of abominations from their individual prisons. They collided with each other. Their attacks hit the place where he had been, and it exploded into a myriad of explosions.

    Liu Xing ignored all this commotion and glanced at the side of his gun.

    When he saw six glowing green stripes, he pressed his lips. Then, he turned his head toward where she had stood. There was still a little purple dust circling around, and seeing this, Liu Xing felt his heart grow heavy. It was almost like when Nui had disappeared or when he''d heard news that Mamat had died, but not quite there. Even so, he felt that she was one of the most significant figures that appeared in his new life, which was logically something weird, since he had actually never interacted with her.

    "Still, I will not forget about her," Liu Xing muttered.

    While her appearance and disappearance were abrupt, the purple light and her purple world etched into his mind, as if she had actually been trying to teach him that technique. It was probably just his imagination, but he decided to believe it was so.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply, deciding to contemplate her later. For now, he had a battle to win.

    Liu Xing raised his head and saw thousands of abominations stopped in their places, either on the ground, standing atop floating platforms, or simply flying. Not a single laugh or cackle sounded, and he could see that each abomination wore a serious face, as if the clown attraction was over and they needed to deal with him seriously. But their eyes weren''t fully fixed on him¡ªthey were focused on the stone blade hovering beside him. This blade was long, almost two meters, and its edge gleamed with a faint purple hue emitting from its surface.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Liu Xing grabbed the blade with his right hand and flicked the Ethereal Pearl into his mouth and swallowed it. He sent the potent bullets into his Ethereal Pearl, let his gun float in the air, then flexed a lightning blade with his left arm.

    With six bullets'' worth of potent qi from his latest kill, he had enough power to turn the tide of battle. Now, he was not a prey anymore, but a hunter.

    He remembered that he couldn''t start rampaging and kill them all¡ªafter all, they were precious resources to fight Sun Refining abominations later¡ªbut still, resentment had taken root in his heart, and he decided to kill some of them before heading to the castle to meet Prince Yang Jinyan and other Yang clan members.

    Liu Xing reactivated his Lightning Cloak technique and pointed his new blade toward the foremost abomination. Coincidentally, it was the one that had almost killed him in the white bone forest. Its black skin, golden snake limbs, and coconut ears were unmistakable.

    "I''ll kill you," Liu Xing said simply. And like a starting pistol, every abomination rushed towards him.

    Liu Xing kicked the ground and launched himself toward his target. Its face was serious as it punched the air with its snake arms. Golden orbs flew at him, and a golden tiger the size of a mansion materialized to strike him. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s heart beat faster. These attacks are powerful. As a Lock Opening cultivator, he would die if he received such attacks, and even now, they could be deadly. But the blade in his right hand felt so powerful, it made him dare to face the attacks head-on.

    Liu Xing sent qi to his gun, reabsorbed it, and channeled it to his new blade. The stone blade instantly hummed with power. Its purple hue brightened, and it held more weight than before. Liu Xing had no doubt that this blade was the strongest treasure he would ever hold. It was stronger and more valuable than all the treasures decking his body. Perhaps its place was among treasures that only the most important people in the Purple Moon Sect could access, which meant this treasure was one of the most valuable in the Dark Forest continent.

    Liu Xing shouted while swinging his new blade. Instantly, a purple condensation of qi leapt from his blade, creating a crescent purple qi so high it towered over the giant golden tiger before him. When the purple qi hit the tiger, it easily cut its head in two, then exploded with brilliant purple light, creating a shockwave so strong it blew everything away.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield and accelerated faster. His face was serious, his eyes locked onto the abomination he hated most. Seeing that abomination with coconut ears flailing in the sky felt satisfying, and he thought it would be even more satisfying when he successfully split its head in two and destroyed the pale arm jutting from its chest.

    Abominations came at him from every side, ten of them, each with red skin and faces scrunched as if they''d just tasted sour lemons. Each opened its mouth, revealing colorful snakes that shot toward him. Liu Xing summoned his turtle in front of him to absorb some of their impact, then kick the statue and spin his body and used the momentum to accelerate toward his target. Though many attacks began raining down on him, his gun began pelting them, and those that came close he slashed with his new blade, which was capable of destroying every attack that reached him.

    The rhythm of this fight had changed. Liu Xing was now more confident, moving more swiftly, his gun shooting so rapidly the sound was more like a machine gun than a normal gun, and his blade was so strong that each purple crescent he shot could wound the abominations. He slashed rapidly around him, sending dozens of crescent purple qi in all directions. From above, it would have looked like a purple flower blooming across the battlefield.

    Liu Xing slashed at a giant abomination in front of him, his purple crescent pushing it until it fell back. He deflected a punch with his blade, cutting a green snake limb, then shot an Exploding Fist bullet right into an abomination''s mouth. The head didn''t explode, but it was certainly charred.

    Liu Xing summoned his turtle, and with his control as a Core Splitting cultivator, he lifted the turtle and dropped it down toward two abominations trying to shoot yellow and blue condensed qi at him. The attack didn''t kill them, but the resulting clash sent their attacks shooting into the sky like a lightning show. A fiery abomination and lightning-shrouded abomination came at him from front and back, their punches timed perfectly. Liu Xing ducked at the perfect moment¡ªthe two snakes collided with each other, creating a shockwave, and then Liu Xing, while crouching, rotated his blade clockwise, splitting these two abominations cleanly from their waists up. These were the first two abominations he had successfully killed himself.

    He moved within the abomination army like a one-man army. The blade was really powerful¡ªsharp and capable of sending out formidable attacks. But after a full minute of fighting, he finally knew the drawback of this blade. The blade was eating his qi at an incredibly fast rate. Even when he didn''t unleash qi attacks, holding it still absorbed his qi. Worse, it ate his normal qi, though this could be offset by sending pure qi to it occasionally. Still, the drawback wasn''t really that bad; it could be managed with good qi management and his gun.

    Liu Xing slashed horizontally at the neck of an abomination in front of him. It was a white-skinned abomination, with a red nose like a drunk man and ears made from two yellow potatoes. His slash did not succeed in cutting the neck completely, but before it could do anything, he shot the rest of its neck with his Exploding Fist bullet. His gun was now filled with six bullets again. Four of them went into his blade, one was used to unleash an Exploding Fist bullet at a gigantic abomination made of millions of white snakes that were still forming, and the rest was sent into the Ethereal Pearl.

    Liu Xing scanned the area around him. The abomination with coconut ears stood only several meters from him with no other abominations hindering his path. It shouted, "Disgusting arms! Disgusting arms!" repeatedly like it was a chant to scare a ghost, and its face contorted into something almost like fear.

    While Liu Xing was hindered by many, many abominations, his movement trajectory remained constant. He was always trying to move closer to this specific abomination. And so, the death of other abominations happened in front of this specific abomination, and it probably knew, deep within its ugly soul, that Liu Xing would come and kill it.

    Cycling his qi faster and enhancing his Lightning Cloak technique, he summoned his shield and kicked it, launching himself at the abomination. Liu Xing thought it would begin sending tiger attacks, or even golden orbs at him. But to his surprise, the abomination turned its body and fled. Liu Xing''s eyes narrowed as he accelerated faster and faster, and then, with a thought, he summoned his turtle right in front of the abomination. It hit his turtle with a loud sound, and its movement came to a halt.

    It then turned to the side, but it was already within the reach of his long stone blade, and Liu Xing swung his blade and cut off its two snake feet.

    "You cannot run!" Liu Xing shouted.

    It turned its falling body and looked like it wanted to unleash punches, but Liu Xing once again swiped his blade, cutting off its two snake arms. The abomination snarled at him, the white arm from its chest reaching out as if trying to strangle him. But while his blade could reach it, it couldn''t reach him.

    Liu Xing thrust his stone blade directly at the inviting hand, stabbed the golden eye in its palm, and kept thrusting until his stone blade protruded from its back.

    He slashed his blade to the side, slicing the abomination in two. The white pale hand twitched as its body began to melt, but Liu Xing sent qi from his Ethereal Pearl into his gun and fired.

    An explosion bloomed in front of him, the wind rustled his hair, and as he could see the green stripes on his side glowing, he knew that he had successfully killed the abomination.

    Liu Xing jumped high into the sky, summoned his shield, and stood on it.

    The abominations rushed at him as if he were a demonic cultivator to be slain, and Liu Xing, now confident that he could win this battle, raised his voice.

    "Come at me!"

 134 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (12)

    Thirty minutes had passed since Liu Xing killed the abomination with green coconut ears, and he decided it was time to move on to the next step of the plan. He needed to breach the Emperors'' Tomb while bringing all these abominations down with him.

    With this thought, he moved swiftly between the abominations. He slashed and shot at those that charged at him. He streaked through the sky like a lightning tribulation, attacking and crippling the abominations he would need later. The battle evolved into increasingly violent attacks from the abominations as they hurled gigantic strikes more frequently. The cohesiveness they displayed at the start of the battle had vanished, and now each abomination raced to kill him first.

    As the ground turned, purple crescent qi gouged the earth and slashed through the abominations. His rapid shots of Exploding Fist bullets carpet-bombed everything around him, and Liu Xing glanced at the golden castle.

    Throughout this battle, he had successfully killed dozens of abominations. Most died by his blade, though some fell to his gun. His Ethereal Pearl now brimmed with qi, and while moving and fighting, he absorbed as much qi into his consciousness as possible, channeling it into his one and only core.

    Their numbers had been reduced, though not by much¡ªhe hesitated to kill more of them as he would need them later. Admittedly, they weren''t easy to kill. Even with his new stone blade and his gun, some possessed bloodlines that made them particularly resilient. The regeneration ability of the original type made them especially difficult to eliminate, and killing more would be unnecessary right now.

    "I think it''s time to meet up with Prince Yang Jinyan."

    Liu Xing summoned his turtle, channeling enough qi into it to grow it to the size of a small hill, encased it with potent qi and climbed onto its back. This turtle was amazing. Its defensive capabilities were absurd, and while moving it proved quite difficult¡ªimpossible without his potent qi¡ªit could be used as a bludgeoning weapon. Though manually moving it was slow, he could circumvent this limitation by dismissing and summoning it wherever he wished. As expected, his summoning range had widened after breaking through to the Core Splitting realm.

    As he rode the giant turtle toward the golden castle, many abominations climbed onto the turtle''s back to attack him. Liu Xing stood atop the turtle and unleashed his ranged attacks. His gun no longer functioned like a traditional weapon¡ªinstead, it operated like a tank turret, sending explosive rounds in all directions. While these explosions couldn''t kill most abominations, they were enough to knock them back repeatedly. His stone blade remained his primary weapon, and he slashed again and again with swift motions. The blade''s shape felt somewhat unfamiliar to him; any master watching would probably weep at his poor technique, but its sheer power successfully compensated for his lack of skill.

    Liu Xing turned his head and saw he had drawn close to the golden castle, its giant size looming like a huge mountain. Seeing this, Liu Xing shouted, "Ram it!"

    The turtle¡ªor rather, the qi encasing the turtle¡ªaccelerated faster, and the hill-sized creature slammed into the golden castle. The collision produced a tremendous rumbling sound. Dust spread from the impact point as sections of the walls cracked and collapsed.

    This signal would be felt by all Yang clan members inside. Still, to be certain, as his gun sprayed lightning bullets that paralyzed enemies around him and his right hand sent out crescent purple qi, his left hand reached for his communication orb to connect with the prince.

    Liu Xing hoped the prince had succeeded in retrieving the Twelve Sun Armor, and that other clan members had successfully looted the treasure rooms¡ªthey would need everything for their venture into the Emperors'' Tomb.

    His communication orb connected, but to his surprise, it wasn''t Prince Yang Jinyan who answered, but rather an unfamiliar voice.

    "Are you Prince Yang Jinyan?" the voice urgently asked.

    "Who are you?"

    "Shit! You''re not Prince Yang Jinyan!"

    "I''m not. I''m Liu Xing! Where is he? Why are you the one answering my call?" Liu Xing realized he could encase the communication orb with his qi, so he did, making it float near his mouth. Ten giant earth snakes surged from the ground and circled his turtle, lunging at him simultaneously. Seeing this, Liu Xing jumped from his turtle''s back and dismissed his statue. The ten giant snakes struck the ground, making both the ground and the golden castle tremble again.

    "You''re Liu Xing? Thank the heavens! My name is Yang Suyin. I have good news for you! I have confirmation about Elder Yang Zhaoyan. He is indeed controlled by Wei Yi, but he''s still resisting the control. We have to save him right now if we want any chance to fix this mess!"

    Hearing the news, Liu Xing smiled. So the elder wasn''t completely lost? That was good. Very good.

    "I also have bad news. I heard that Lihuo already has his hands on the Twelve Sun Armor. I''m on my way to the prince''s location, but there are hundreds of worms here. I''ve had to change my route several times, and now parts of the castle are falling down!"

    That last part was probably his fault. His turtle got heavier as it grew, and while the castle seemed to still be standing, there might already be internal damage that his turtle had worsened. But the important part wasn''t that¡ªit was that Prince Yang Jinyan''s main objective was already lost. This was bad.

    "Where are you guys right now?"

    As he asked this, Liu Xing twisted and turned his body in midair, dodging attacks that had slipped past his gun''s barrage. He glanced upward to the upper floors of the golden castle, thinking that if Prince Yang Jinyan was still alive, he would be up there. They needed to retrieve him before descending to the Emperors'' Tomb, and it would be better to regroup with as many Yang clan members as possible. Right now, he had more confidence in fending off this army of abominations, so having others move with him seemed the better option.

    "I''m alone right now. Believe it or not, there''s a traitor in our midst. He successfully got people in my group killed and scattered, and now I''m alone. Also, I can actually see you from my position, and holy shit, are you really a Core Splitting cultivator?"

    As he jumped around using his shield, dodging and slashing, he processed this information. To think there were still people who chose to side with Yang Lihuo instead of Yang Jinyan was unthinkable, especially after seeing what he had done with their own eyes. As for Yang Suyin''s observation, he probably appeared as nothing more than a blue blur right now. After all, his Lightning Cloak technique, while not upgraded, was still enhanced by the potent qi he poured into it, and since breaking through, even his body''s movements had become much faster.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "If you can see me, that''s good. Regroup with me. We''ll meet the prince together!"

    Just after he said this, a stray attack in the form of a large steel ball with two eyes and two human ears came ricocheting from his shield toward him, cackling as it flew. Liu Xing twisted his body, letting the steel ball pass mere centimeters from his nose. But while Liu Xing could dodge this attack, his communication orb floated directly in its path. His eyes widened as he realized this, and he tried to order it to move aside, but the steel ball bulldozed through his communication orb, reducing it to fine powder.

    "Shit!" Liu Xing cursed. He had been careless¡ªadmittedly, talking while manipulating objects with his qi control was quite challenging. His turtle was durable enough to withstand many stray attacks, but the communication orb wasn''t. He should have cut through that steel ball instead of dodging it!

    Still, nothing could be done about it now, so he gritted his teeth, wielded his stone blade in his right hand and lightning blade in his left, and began rotating like a tornado. His stone blade cut through everything that came at him: projectiles, tongues, elemental balls, even several snake punches. While his lightning blade couldn''t cut through many of the attacks, since he had made it more durable and encased it with stable qi, it successfully deflected several strikes.

    After rotating for a full second, Liu Xing spotted ten giant earth snakes coming at him from below. Seeing this, he resummoned his turtle, channeling enough potent qi into it until it grew to half the size of the castle, then let it fall toward the snakes. It plummeted like a giant meteor as the ten snakes opened their mouths, appearing to try to swallow it whole, but instead were crushed with their jaws still wide open. When his turtle smashed the earthen snakes into the ground, the area around the castle surged upward, a tremendous sound reverberated, and both ground and castle trembled once again.

    Liu Xing landed atop the turtle''s back, his gun firing continuously around him. Above him, a castle-sized abomination plummeted toward him, one of its arms outstretched to crush him as it fell. He slashed with his stone blade, sending a giant crescent of purple qi that split the massive creature in two. This giant abomination was proving tremendously troublesome¡ªthis wasn''t the first time he had split it in half, but it kept reappearing.

    Liu Xing scanned his surroundings as his gun repelled abominations like a turret repelling zombies. Taking advantage of this moment of relative peace, he popped several Qi Restoration pills into his mouth.

    With his qi renewed, Liu Xing channeled a large amount of qi into his gun, which returned potent qi back to him. Using this qi, he fully encased the turtle with it, commanded it to float off the ground, then shot upward toward the upper floors of the golden castle.

    "Yang Suyin, come here!" Liu Xing infused his voice with qi and shouted as loudly as possible.

    His shout made many abominations snarl at him as if he had done something unthinkable. But to his surprise, not only did the snake-limbed abominations come for him, but hundreds of flying worms also burst from the castle like a swarm of bees. Each worm bore a human face, ranging from elderly men and women to babies and animals. They opened their mouths, screeching as they flew at him at full speed on buzzing wings.

    A flash of yellow light appeared beside him, and his reflexes made him swing his lightning blade toward it.

    "Wait, wait, wait!" The light suddenly transformed into a man just before the lightning blade would have cut his body in half. "What the hell?! Weren''t you the one who ordered me to come to you?!"

    The man had a familiar face. He wore a red robe and had a gleaming bald head that shone under the sun, with narrowed eyes and a small but pointy nose that reminded Liu Xing of a rat''s face. He held a steel blade in his right hand, with a spatial bag hanging from his waist, and clutched a communication orb in his left hand.

    "I''m sorry, you appeared so suddenly!"

    It had only been a blink of yellow light before he materialized before him.

    "It''s okay! But just do something about all of this!" He gestured broadly to the swarm of worms approaching from above and the abominations with snake limbs climbing his turtle statue.

    "All right, hold tight!"

    Liu Xing ordered his turtle to fly faster toward the sky, approaching the worm abominations above them. He concluded that while the worms were numerous, they were weaker than the abominations with snake limbs. Still, he would not hold back. Channeling potent qi from his Ethereal Pearl, Liu Xing fed it into his gun and ordered it to fire. A gleaming blue bullet struck a worm dead center in its forehead, exploding it into a red mist. Absorbing the qi from that worm, his gun began rapid-firing.

    "Duck!" Liu Xing ordered Yang Suyin, who obeyed swiftly.

    Liu Xing gripped his stone blade with both hands, channeled potent qi into the blade, and slashed in a circular motion around him. He shouted as he created a circular purple qi attack. From above, it looked like a spiral made of purple energy, rotating and spreading around him like a reverse water tornado that pushes things away instead of sucking them in. This circular purple qi spread outward, splitting a dozen abominations in two and splattering the back of his turtle statue with red blood.

    "What is that?" Yang Suyin shouted, pointing at a white arm that cut from its body and appeared to be melting and scurrying away.

    "Kill it!" Liu Xing shouted.

    In a blink of an eye, Yang Suyin appeared before the white arm and stabbed its eye with his steel sword. It thrashed around like a worm being boiled alive before Yang Suyin kicked it off the side of the turtle and shot a fireball after it.

    Liu Xing doubted it would die, but at least it would take longer to regenerate.

    As he considered this, his turtle accelerated skyward. Some abominations tried to bombard them with projectiles, but his gun shot down each attack as if its bullets were hounds that would not let their prey escape. His gun had become incredibly powerful, obeying him so naturally that it felt like an extension of himself.

    Soon they arrived at their destination, his turtle floating beside the upper levels. Liu Xing scanned the castle. Through windows along the castle''s side, he could see the interior and was shocked by its fleshy nature. It was like peering into the inside of an animal rather than a building, with flesh instead of walls and bloody, veined floors instead of marble. He couldn''t spot Prince Yang Jinyan from this position, but they were close enough.

    "Jump!" Liu Xing shouted.

    Yang Suyin momentarily transformed into yellow light and, in the blink of an eye, appeared inside the castle.

    Liu Xing, surprised by his speed, followed suit. He leaped from his turtle, smashed through a window, and ran as fast as possible after Yang Suyin.

    "I know this room! It''s before the throne room!" Yang Suyin shouted while blinking in and out of existence. His technique was so swift and impressive that Liu Xing could barely keep up.

    Before them stood a staircase, but both men bypassed it, appearing beyond in a wide room supported by several flesh pillars, with octagonal nests covering the walls entirely. A throne dominated the space, entirely covered in black, rotting meat that emitted a nauseating stench. Before this throne, Prince Yang Jinyan knelt crying, offering something with both hands. Something red. So red. And so pale.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing''s heart clenched as he and Yang Suyin moved to the prince''s sides. From this close, Liu Xing could see that the prince was covered in sweat and blood. The front of his robe was so drenched it looked as if it had been dunked in a well of blood. His face was bloodshot, and tears dripped from his eyes.

    "Second Emperor, I beg you!" He shouted. "I''m a worthy successor, and Hong''er is my lover. Together we would make the Twelve Sun Emperor flourish again! So please, grant us the Twelve Sun Armor!"

    He raised both hands holding Hong''er toward the throne. Hong''er was dying, her face deathly pale and her heartbeat nearly imperceptible. She was missing her lower half and right side, as if something had bitten her twice. Liu Xing had no doubt the prince had already given her numerous pills, but unless there was a reviving elixir here, her chances of survival were slim.

 135 ~ Twelve Sun Armor (13)

    Prince Yang Jinyan was a lousy successor. This was a fact known by almost everyone in the Twelve Sun Empire. He wasn''t smart, charismatic, nor talented. Not a single soul in the Twelve Sun Empire believed Prince Yang Jinyan would usher in an era of glory. Still, his father believed he could become at least a decent emperor¡ªeven if he couldn''t make the empire better, he could at least maintain its current state and pave the way for his offspring to do better.

    The pressure weighed heavily on his shoulders. After all, who would want to be remembered as merely a decent emperor? Ask any emperor in this world, and each would speak of leaving behind a legacy, of having their name engraved in history. Prince Yang Jinyan was no different. He wanted to prove he could do it, that he could become a legendary emperor. But deep in his heart, he knew he would not succeed. As his father said, he would only become a decent emperor. His heart knew this truth, but his pride and ego clashed violently with this reality.

    He was torn between acceptance and the desire to prove himself a strong and capable future emperor, and what emerged was a half-hearted effort. While he trained and cultivated, he didn''t do it earnestly. While he studied politics, he preferred drinking good wine, hosting parties, and spending nights with his lovers.

    Yang Hongyin was one of those lovers.

    Their relationship didn¡¯t start naturally. Yang Hongyin sought to elevate her position within the clan, and since she was assigned to guard him, she used the opportunity to seduce him. He knew her motives, of course, but she was pretty, intelligent, attractive, and strong. At first, their relationship was purely transactional. She wanted to use his position as prince, and he just wanted to enjoy her.

    But as time passed, their relationship evolved. They grew intimate, smiled at each other more often, and genuinely enjoyed each other''s company. Hong''er appeared cold, but she was actually passionate and deeply supportive. She listened¡ªtruly listened¡ªwhen he spilled his anxieties and vulnerabilities, offering support, comfort, and motivation to become better.

    There was a time when his father slapped him from the castle into the center of the market. He felt angry and humiliated, wanting to lash out and kill everyone who witnessed his shame, but Yang Hongyin was there, stopping and calming him. While nursing his cheek, she explained slowly and patiently why choosing a tea party with a maiden over attending a meeting was a poor decision, even if the meeting seemed unimportant. She explained that his father had wanted to show him how to conduct himself in meetings, and by not attending, he had wasted the emperor''s time.

    She had a way of explaining things that he could accept¡ªnot too humiliating, not too flattering. Just enough honesty to help him improve.

    He could say with certainty that he was a better person because of her. He had gained many trustworthy allies and supporters within the Twelve Sun Empire, along with considerable influence, all because of her support. These days, while some still doubted he would bring glory to the Twelve Sun Empire, his father''s decision to step down and let him become emperor proved he was ready to take the throne and carry the burden of leading their empire.

    In almost every positive thing that happened to him, Hong''er stood by his side. He thought he understood his feelings for her¡ªshe was his number one. Yet this understanding felt shallow now, as he truly grasped what she meant to him.

    Carrying Hong''er in his arms, hugging her tightly while running toward the throne room, he noticed the blood had stopped gushing from her large wounds. But she was so pale, so cold, and so light that each step felt like a knife stabbing his heart.

    Prince Yang Jinyan had heard sayings about how things cannot be appreciated until they''re gone¡ªhow a powerful warrior only fully appreciates his former strength after becoming old and weak, how a sickly man appreciates his once-healthy body, and how a merchant fully appreciates his former wealth after becoming poor.

    He loved Hong''er from the depths of his heart, but now he wondered if he hadn''t appreciated her enough. Even though she was his number one, there had still been a number two, number three, and so on. There were times he chose to be accompanied by other lovers instead of Hong''er. True, Hong''er didn''t mind¡ªshe knew he would be emperor, and an emperor could have as many concubines as he wanted. Still, it felt cheap now. How could he have divided his love among many women and thought it would be enough for Hong''er? He should have devoted himself entirely to her, cultivated more diligently for her, and paved a glorious path for their offspring.

    As he knelt before the empty throne, now covered in black and rotting meat instead of its pristine white and gold, he realized he had many regrets, and with this realization, Prince Yang Jinyan''s heart steadied, and an iron will materialized within.

    He would amend his mistakes after all this was over. He would become a legendary emperor who would bring the Twelve Sun Empire glory, his name passed down and revered like the first and second emperors. The name of the Twelve Sun Empire would reverberate throughout the Dark Forest continent and beyond. Most importantly, he would ensure Hong''er lived happily and devote his whole heart to her.

    But none of this would happen if Hong''er died in his arms. If she did die, his heart would die with her. He would lose the will to live, and even if he could bring glory to the Twelve Sun Empire, it would be hollow.

    And so, with a face ugly from tears, blood, and sweat, he began to beg like a dog wanting food. Beg like a merchant who had lost everything but couldn''t bear to lose his daughter. Beg like the father of a criminal son pleading for his son to be spared.

    "Second Emperor," he addressed the black and rotting throne with glistening eyes, a sob nearly choking him as he offered Hong''er to the throne. "I''m a worthy successor, and Hong''er is my lover. Together we will make the Twelve Sun Empire flourish again! So please, grant us the Twelve Sun Armor!"

    The Twelve Sun Armor was a crucial treasure of the Twelve Sun Empire. It could grant immense power and, most importantly, possessed healing properties. If Hong''er could wear it, she might become whole again.

    The problem was, the Twelve Sun Armor was a very tricky treasure.

    "My Prince! Please get up. We need to go! I have information that the Twelve Sun Armor is already in Lihuo''s hands," a man''s voice called from his side, but Yang Jinyan ignored it. He already knew. Before finding the dying Hong''er, he had reached the treasure room after all his followers had sacrificed their lives for him.

    The treasure room had been ransacked. Nothing remained inside, including the supposed Twelve Sun Armor.

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    But Yang Jinyan knew there were two Twelve Sun Armors¡ªthe real one and the replica. The replica was still a powerful treasure, and he had initially intended to claim it, since even that version was formidable and had numerous criteria for its use. He believed even the replica could give them an edge. But since the replica had been taken, he needed to obtain the original.

    The real Twelve Sun Armor¡ªthe cursed armor. It should be here, in the throne room, and it should reveal itself to the true heir of the Twelve Sun Empire who possessed the correct mindset: one strongly loyal to the Twelve Sun Empire, yet harboring the desire to betray the empire for their loved one. When he first heard these criteria, it had sounded like a joke. How could a loyal person think of betraying the empire? And yet, now he felt he could meet those requirements.

    And so, he strongly believed that the real Twelve Sun Armor¡ªthe one that would corrupt its wearer and instill an intense desire to kill the emperor of the Twelve Sun Empire, the one sealed by the second emperor after he killed his own wife¡ªwould reveal itself to him.

    He desperately hoped that the remnant of the second emperor would deem them worthy enough to be granted this armor, to fight against its corruption, and to use it for the empire''s sake.

    "My Prince, we need to go!" the male voice insisted, but he ignored it again.

    He repeated his request. His voice grew higher with each plea, yet Hong''er''s condition worsened. She coughed, and this slight movement reopened her wounds, blood gushing forth. Prince Yang Jinyan began to cry¡ªan ugly cry unbefitting a future emperor or even a man. Yet he couldn''t stop his tears; he wanted to believe he could save Hong''er.

    "I love her! Help me, please!" he begged again.

    "This is bad. He''s gone! What do we do? Should we bring him? But if we bring him like this, he''ll be only a liability!"

    For a moment, Prince Yang Jinyan wanted to slap the man, but why bother? If Hong''er died, the world might as well die with her. There would be no reason for him to live.

    "We can''t leave him like this!" Another voice rang out. "Hit him unconscious."

    "What? Why? Even if he''s unconscious, someone needs to protect him in his current condition. We''re lacking manpower right now. It''s not wise."

    "But we can''t leave him either."

    "Then¡ª"

    "Silence!" Prince Yang Jinyan roared. Their voices grated on him, making his pleading feel insincere. But then, this roar made him lift his head, and when he saw his clan member and Liu Xing, hope began to surge in his heart. "Liu Xing, help me! The Twelve Sun Armor is here. If it reveals itself, we can save Hong''er!" He turned toward his clan member. He remembered this man¡ªYang Suyin, an insolent member of the Yang clan, yet loyal and dependable. Hong''er had said he needed to gain his loyalty to control the southern part of the Twelve Sun Empire. "Give me all your healing pills. No, shove them all into Hong''er''s mouth!"

    Yang Suyin looked at Hong''er for a moment, grimaced, and did as commanded.

    "Prince, what you''re doing right now¡ªis it truly to get the Twelve Sun Armor?" Liu Xing asked.

    "Yes!"

    "Isn''t that armor inside the treasure room? This isn''t a treasure room."

    "Believe me, please, just help me make it reveal itself."

    "How?"

    "I need to meet some criteria, but the rest, I don''t know."

    When he said that, he felt ashamed. How could he not know? How could he, Prince Yang Jinyan, reveal to others that he didn''t know something? And yet, it was the truth, and there was nothing he could do about it. He could still beg though, so he would do that¡ªeven if the world underwent an apocalypse, he would kneel here and beg.

    Liu Xing pressed his lips together, like a man seeing a futile task yet ordered by his mother to complete it. For a moment, his eyes flickered around, assessing the situation, then he nodded.

    "I believe you''re doing something important, so I''ll help however I can."

    "Thank you!"

    Liu Xing was a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect; he probably could do something.

    Prince Yang Jinyan inhaled deeply. The distraction actually calmed his mind slightly, and this small clarity brought him an idea. Without thinking too much, he released qi from his body, and with precise control, he encased some of his blood within it and dropped it into Hong''er''s blood pooling on the flesh-covered floor. When their blood mixed, Prince Yang Jinyan looked at the black and rotting throne, and saw, in less than a heartbeat, a flicker of qi from the throne. Seeing this, his eyes widened. The throne had responded!

    "Should I mix more of my blood with Hong''er''s blood?" After all, he had only mixed several droplets of his blood with Hong''er''s. If the throne responded weakly to this, perhaps he needed a greater amount. He laid Hong''er on the ground, and without thinking, tried to stab his gut with his own hand. But before he could pierce his body, a hand snatched his wrist.

    Prince Yang Jinyan glared at Liu Xing. "How dare you stop me?"

    "Because I know for certain that what you want to do is wrong."

    "What do you mean?"

    "You beg the second emperor who''s supposedly already dead to grant you the Twelve Sun Armor, but I''m certain there''s no spirit in this room. Trust me, I''ve met one."

    "Are you blind? Didn''t you see that flicker of qi?"

    "I saw it, yes, but it wasn''t because of you. Your mind is in shambles. You didn''t notice our arrival, you didn''t notice your surroundings, let alone sense the subtle qi someone sent to the throne." Liu Xing looked at Yang Suyin. "Isn''t that right?"

    "Yes." Yang Suyin nodded, but his eyes were wide, and he gazed at the throne as if it were the most mysterious thing he''d ever seen. "My Prince, I''m sorry, but I actually tried to deceive you. You want to save her, but we need to move fast. I wanted to make you believe there was no hope, so I attempted a trick. I thought if I created a fireball in the throne and made it vanish, it would seem like you were rejected by the spirit of the second emperor!"

    Emotion bubbled in his chest, and Yang Jinyan gritted his teeth so hard that two of them exploded from the force of his anger, filling his mouth with blood that leaked from his lips.

    "You! How dare you think like that! I''ll kill you!"

    Seeing him, Liu Xing and Yang Suyin''s eyes widened, surprised by his anger, and Liu Xing waved his hand frantically. "Stop it, Prince Let him talk first. Yang Suyin, get to the point, damn it!"

    "Y-yes! I tried to deceive you, but that flicker wasn''t mine! When my qi reached the throne, the throne responded to it!"

    Hearing that, Yang Jinyan''s eyes widened, the emotion bubbling in his stomach vanishing like a burst balloon.

    "What?" How could it be? There was no way the throne would respond to qi from Yang Suyin. That throne could only be sat upon by an emperor! "You, are you an illegitimate child of my father? Are we brothers?"

    "No, no way! I know my father and my mother. There''s no way we''re brothers!"

    "Then what the hell are you talking about?"

    Liu Xing answered him. "Prince, perhaps you''ve already met all the criteria. Perhaps the Twelve Sun Armor wants to materialize before you, and what it lacks is merely qi. You still haven''t tried to send the throne any of your qi, right?"

    Prince Yang Jinyan''s eyes widened. He had never thought of that. He had just assumed that when he met all the criteria, the armor would show itself. Glancing at Hong''er, the prince decided to do just that, so he emitted qi from his body and directed it to rush at the throne.

    When his qi touched it, the throne began to shine. The black and rotted meat covering it began melting like disgusting snow beneath warm sunlight. Seeing this, his heart thrummed, elation filled his heart, and hope coursed through his body, rejuvenating it.

    Hong''er could be saved!

 136 ~ Shrouded Armor

    The throne that was once covered in rotting flesh now shone brightly, and Liu Xing realized that the Twelve Sun Armor might be stronger than he thought. Honestly, he still did not know the details of this armor, but the qi emitted from the throne would be of great help in saving Elder Yang Zhaoyan later, and perhaps in helping Hong''er out of her dying state.

    The throne emitted a blinding yellow light for a moment, and Liu Xing thought that the armor would soon reveal itself. But not long after, while the rotten meat covering the throne was already melting and revealing a white and golden majestic throne, it stopped emitting qi and simply ceased its activity. It was like seeing a machine that began to rumble and would start, but suddenly stopped as if something had jammed inside.

    "What? Why did it stop shining?" Yang Suyin looked around. "Where is the Twelve Sun Armor?"

    Prince Yang Jinyan''s expression, previously bright and full of hope, suddenly vanished. "Am I not worthy? Am I not worthy to be granted the Twelve Sun Armor?!"

    "Perhaps it''s not about worthiness," Liu Xing said, trying to remain calm. "Perhaps the amount of qi you sent was not sufficient. Hurry, send your qi to the throne again."

    "Wait a minute, Hong''er," the prince muttered. Hong''er''s breath and heartbeat began to slow, and blood started to pool beneath her.

    Prince Yang Jinyan tried to send more qi into the throne. It indeed shone again, but like before, it stopped shining after a moment. Yang Suyin handed many pills to the prince, and the prince used them to send vast amounts of qi to the throne, but to no avail. The prince tried again, and even Yang Suyin began to help by sending his qi, but though the throne shone for a moment longer than before, there was no change. Liu Xing thought that perhaps his conjecture was wrong. Perhaps sending qi to the throne was not the way to reveal the Twelve Sun Armor. But for now, he refused to acknowledge that possibility.

    "If it''s qi, I have plenty," Liu Xing said, and not just normal qi either, but potent qi. If his potent qi could not make the Twelve Sun Armor reveal itself, then nothing would.

    Liu Xing put his right hand on the prince''s left shoulder. Yang Suyin sent his qi to the throne directly, but Liu Xing did not want to do that. After all, he was not from the Yang clan¡ªwho knew what complications might arise if he sent his qi directly? So he would send it to the prince. Extracting some qi from the Ethereal Pearl, he let it travel to his hand and into the prince. When his qi entered the prince''s body, Prince Yang Jinyan jerked up and snapped his head toward Liu Xing with wide eyes and mouth agape.

    "What are you doing? Hurry up and use it!" He wanted Prince Yang Jinyan to successfully save Hong''er. He knew what it felt like to lose someone close, and seeing the prince cry and beg stirred something inside himself. He wanted to see Prince Yang Jinyan succeed in saving Hong''er, wanted to see her come back from her dying state, and wanted to witness their happy reunion. For that, he would help them with everything he could.

    The prince nodded, cycling his potent qi for a while, then dispersed it out of his body and sent it to the throne.

    Usually, sending qi to other people is difficult. People can reject it, and there are matters of compatibility. But this was potent qi, and he doubted the prince would reject it when he needed it most. The process was as successful as he expected, and the potent qi bathed the gold and white throne before it absorbed all of it and began shining so brightly.

    Before, it had looked like a little lamp in total darkness¡ªa guiding light for those who were lost. Now, it shone so brilliantly it was as if the sun had descended into the night, illuminating everything. Seeing this, even his heartbeat began to race. He wondered what the Twelve Sun Armor would look like.

    The throne began to tremble, then split open, revealing a hidden compartment below. He, Yang Jinyan, and Yang Suyin took a step to look into the compartment, but a moment later, something leaped from that compartment and floated above the split throne. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s eyes widened, and his heartbeat began to race frantically with thousands of questions swirling inside his heart. It was armor, indeed, but not what he expected. Hell, he never thought he would see something like that at this moment!

    "What? Where is it? Where is the Twelve Sun Armor?" Yang Suyin asked once again.

    "It''s empty! Is that bastard Lihuo already got the original and the replica?" Prince Yang Jinyan''s voice trembled, then morphed into rage. "I''ll kill him! I''ll kill him! I''ll kill him!"

    The throne slid back into position, hiding the compartment below, and the supposed Twelve Sun Armor floated atop it like a wicked spirit. "Both of you, calm down. The armor is floating right on top of the throne right now. It''s just that you guys cannot see it!"

    "Why?"

    "It is shrouded by darkness!"

    Liu Xing''s voice rose to a high pitch at the end of the sentence. There was no way for the prince and Yang Suyin to understand the context, but even so, they widened their eyes. It had successfully made Liu Xing, a Purple Moon Sect disciple, panic. Even if they didn''t understand the real meaning of it, they would understand what he felt right now.

    The Twelve Sun Armor was a full-body armor without a helmet, instead having a floating crown atop it. It had some engravings that depicted a bird with twelve heads, as well as many subtle engravings on its surface depicting light and sun. It was majestic armor, but the darkness that shrouded it like black wisps of smoke also made it look like an evil armor born from the darkness itself. Seeing this darkness, Liu Xing wondered what the hell was the darkness doing in this empire? He never thought that his mission to help this empire would lead him to encounter another darkness!

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    "Who made this armor? How did he make it?" Liu Xing asked.

    "It''s the second emperor. He made it for his wife. He killed her, and the armor became cursed armor. Why? Is it important? More importantly, are you telling the truth? Is the Twelve Sun Armor really here? If so, we need to make it worn by Hong''er. It would heal her."

    Liu Xing licked his lips. Thousands of questions floated in his brain, but he suppressed all of them to focus. This armor needed to be worn by Hong''er, but he had a bad feeling about it. This darkness should not have harmful properties. Hell, it should enhance the armor, or even be an integral part of it. But the mention of it being cursed made Liu Xing hesitate to let it be. Moreover, this darkness was something that needed to be eliminated.

    "Wait a minute, I''ll try something first."

    "No! We need to make her wear it as soon as possible!" Prince Yang Jinyan said.

    Liu Xing tried to calm down and needed to deal with Prince Yang Jinyan patiently. He was just worried about the girl, and Liu Xing understood that. He, too, wanted to help her. After all, there was no way he would let her die like that.

    "I know, so that''s why I''ll give you a simple explanation. This armor is shrouded by something dark. I''ve tangled with this kind of darkness before, that''s why it''s invisible to you both. I only need less than a minute to try to extinguish that darkness from the armor."

    Prince Yang Jinyan clenched both of his fists, as if wanting to kill him but trying to rein in his emotion, but he soon nodded. "Make it quick."

    Liu Xing nodded. It should be fast. After all, while waiting for his response, he had already positioned his gun in front of the armor. The last time his gun came in contact with darkness, it absorbed the darkness. There was no noticeable change before, and hopefully, there would be no change this time too. After all, since this armor was said to be cursed, changes to his gun would probably be bad.

    He controlled the tip of the gun to touch the armor, and like a swarm of moths finding light, the darkness shrouding the Twelve Sun Armor began to converge around his gun. The darkness began swirling around it, creating a ball that fully enveloped his gun. For a moment, Liu Xing felt that his connection to the gun was severed, and he panicked for a little bit. But soon, as if his gun didn''t want to be drowned by that darkness, it began to absorb the darkness, almost like it was inhaling it.

    Soon, it was over, and his gun floated, encased by his qi, bobbing a little bit like a soap bubble. The darkness that shrouded the Twelve Sun Armor was fully absorbed, revealing a gleaming white, red, and golden armor. The floating crown above looked like a white tiara for an empress, with twelve gleaming red gems adorning it.

    "Twelve Sun Armor!" Prince Yang Jinyan shouted while pointing at it.

    "It looks as if it materialized from nothing," Yang Suyin commented, his eyes wide as saucers. "What a beautiful armor."

    Liu Xing agreed. It is beautiful armor. But before he could appreciate it more, the armor and crown rushed toward Hong''er, who lay on the fleshy ground. As it moved, Liu Xing could clearly see that the armor was melting and transforming into a pure yellow light. It then bathed Hong''er with its warm and powerfull qi, making her float in the middle of the room.

    Her robe began melting around her, revealing her naked body. But what interested Liu Xing the most was actually the lower side and left side of her body, which looked like they had been bitten by giant pink worms. Red blood began bubbling from her wounds, then these red bubbles transformed into meat growing fast around her wounds. An arm and a pair of feet began to sprout from it. The color was pinkish-red, like the skin of a delicate wound just healing, but a moment later it became pale white, the same color as the rest of her body.

    When her body was whole again, Hong''er suddenly opened her eyes and gasped for breath, as if she had been drowning and had just successfully spat out all the water that flooded her lungs.

    Seeing Hong''er alive and well, Prince Yang Jinyan''s face was full of smiles, and happy tears fell from his eyes. Seeing him, Liu Xing couldn''t help but smile. Liu Xing knew how important this girl was to the prince, and seeing him feel relieved by her well-being warmed his heart. It was a good outcome.

    The yellow light that bathed her then began to swirl around her, causing her to float in a standing position. She solidified into a fine red dress with subtle embroidery of sun and bird symbols. A crown settled on her head, while matching red shoes formed on her feet.

    Hong''er blinked several times, as if confused by what happened, then glanced at Prince Yang Jinyan, who was crying uncontrollably, and smiled. Her smile was warm, like that of the morning sun, and Liu Xing suspected Prince Yang Jinyan would feel like his whole body was blessed by blissful warmth.

    "Hong''er, you''re alive," Prince Yang Jinyan wiped his tears.

    "Yes, it''s because of you," she looked at Yang Suyin, nodded, then looked at Liu Xing and also smiled. "And you two." Her eyes came back to the prince. "The truth is, even while dying, I could still see and understand things around me. I could see you, my prince, crying and begging. It''s not manly, you know¡ªan emperor should always have dignity. But I think I cannot be mad about it, since you did it for me."

    Some tears began to fall from Hong''er''s eyes, and she tried to wipe them from her cheeks. Her eyes were red and glistening, as if she too felt immense relief by what happened.

    "I know some rumors about both of you," Yang Suyin said, "but I never imagined your connection to be this strong."

    "Yes," Yang Jinyan nodded, this time with back straight and chest puffed, trying to look like an emperor. "When this troubled time is over, I will become an emperor, and she will be my one and only wife."

    Hong''er blinked several times, looking confused for a moment before she flashed a bright, goofy smile on her face. Liu Xing imagined that she must be happy about this. It was basically a proposal.

    But while this was a happy moment, they needed to break it. After all, they were still in the middle of the fight. The Royal Barrier was still deployed, Elder Yang Zhaoyan was still under Wei Yi''s control, and Yang Lihuo would still undergo a rebirth into something probably unholy.

    As he thought like that, the castle suddenly trembled. A huge sound, as if a giant were walking, could be heard. It was accompanied by screeching and groaning of earth, as if the earth itself were opening its mouth. Liu Xing glanced at the people around him. Yang Jinyan clenched his hands and had a murderous expression. Yang Suyin narrowed his eyes, and Hong''er was looking aloof, airing a cold murderous aura. It was a stark contrast to their previous happy and warm expressions.

    "Are you guys ready to fight again?" Liu Xing asked.

    "Yes. We finally got Hong''er the Twelve Sun Armor. While it would not make her invincible, with her cultivation, she would be as strong as a Sun Refining cultivator," Yang Jinyan said.

    "All right then, let''s go. Our next destination is the Emperors'' Tomb, and our mission is to save Elder Yang Zhaoyan. Do you guys agree?"

    "Yes," the three of them nodded.

    Yet, that goal would not end this battle.

    This battle would only stop when only one side won. Either Liu Xing''s side would win, or Wei Yi''s side.

    Only time could tell.

 137 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline

    "So it''s really a cursed armor?" Liu Xing asked Prince Yang Jinyan who ran at his side.

    They were climbing down long spiraling golden stairs. Truth be told, Liu Xing wanted them to move as fast as possible¡ªwith his full speed, he could descend to the bottom of the castle in no time. But doing so would mean leaving behind Yang Jinyan, Yang Hongyin, and Yang Suyin, which was illogical. Their odds of surviving and winning this battle were better if they moved as a group right now. Still, even if Liu Xing thought they were slow, a mortal would see the four of them move like blurs, as difficult to spot as a jaguar moving in the middle of the night.

    The other reason why they were able to move so leisurely by Liu Xing''s standards was because there were no abominations attacking them. This was worrying. If they weren''t attacking here, where were they? Coincidentally, the sound of the giant footsteps had stopped, leaving the golden castle unnervingly quiet. The silence made Liu Xing''s heart tighten as he wondered if he had forgotten something or made a mistake.

    So, to distract from his anxiety, Liu Xing asked questions about how powerful Yang Hongyin and the Twelve Sun Armor were, which was why Prince Yang Jinyan mentioned once again that it was actually a cursed armor.

    "Yes, although I think it''s either false information, or it''s not cursed anymore." Prince Yang Jinyan glanced to his left, where Yang Hongyin glided down. "You don''t feel like killing me, right?"

    "No," she said calmly. "Not even a bit."

    A curse to make the wearer kill the emperor of the Twelve Sun Empire¡ªit was quite a dangerous treasure. After all, Prince Yang Jinyan had intended for Yang Hongyin to wear it even knowing she might try to kill him.

    "Are you sure it''s not because you''re technically not an emperor yet?" Yang Suyin commented from Liu Xing''s right. "What if after your inauguration later she tries to kill you?"

    "The chance is there, but it''s quite slim." Prince Yang Jinyan pinched his chin. "After all, it seems Liu Xing here successfully exorcized the curse."

    "I didn''t claim that. What I said was that the armor was shrouded in darkness, and as far as I know, that darkness doesn''t work like a curse. Although the last time I saw it, it was used by a demonic cultivator to enhance his techniques. One of them was to take over another''s body."

    "Taking over another''s body can be seen as a curse, I think," Yang Suyin said. "I imagine if Yang Hongyin were truly cursed by that armor, it would probably try to hijack her body. Either by completely suppressing her mind or manipulating her so she would kill the emperor."

    "An armor that controls the wearer," Hong''er¡ªYang Hongyin¡ªmuttered. "It''s a bad gift for your future wife, dear."

    Yang Jinyan''s eyes widened. "I''ll give you a more beautiful dress later!"

    Yang Hongyin smiled, then nodded, looking satisfied with Prince Yang Jinyan''s answer.

    "Anyway," Prince Yang Jinyan cleared his throat. "At the very least, right now she can use the abilities of the Twelve Sun Armor without worrying that she''ll try to kill me. This armor has several capabilities. You already saw one in action. It can heal the wearer from grievous wounds. Another function is to enhance her overall quality of qi, making her techniques stronger by leaps and bounds, and the most impressive ability of this armor is to create a qi construct that''s quite large and formidable: the Twelve-Headed Bird. This armor scales according to the wearer, so if she breaks through to the next stage, the armor would become stronger."

    "There must be serious drawbacks to the armor," Liu Xing commented.

    "Yes, it uses quite a lot of qi. The twelve gems on her crown are the indicators of how much qi she has. If all the gems become transparent, then the armor would be useless. That''s why you need to use the armor''s abilities as effectively and efficiently as possible. The tales of the second emperor said that it needed fifty years for the gems to recover their qi."

    "Can it be recharged?" Liu Xing asked.

    "Yes, although it needs an unimaginable amount of qi."

    "All right." Liu Xing noted this information in his head. He was quite sure his potent qi could recharge it. While it probably wouldn''t restore it to full capacity, he was sure it could make the Twelve Sun Armor usable again.

    The conversation died out with that information, and they arrived at the bottom of the stairs.

    When their feet touched the giant room that looked like it could hold a party attended by thousands of guests, a vibration could be heard. For a moment, Liu Xing thought the vibration was an enemy, but soon he realized the source was actually from Yang Suyin. The communication orb he clutched in his left hand was vibrating and glowing with blue color.

    Without hesitation, Yang Suyin opened the connection. Immediately, a cacophony of shouts, explosions, and general chaos could be heard from the communication orb. "Thank the heavens it finally connected! Help us, help! Abominations suddenly came at us!"

    Yang Suyin offered the communication orb toward the Prince, and he snatched it immediately. "Where is your location? I, Yang Hongyin, Liu Xing, and Yang Suyin will come immediately. We have succeeded in getting the Twelve Sun Armor!"

    "Thank the heavens! We''re at¡ª" A loud crash could be heard, and the floor vibrated. "We''ve regrouped with the fourth group! Near the entrance to the Emperors'' Tomb!"

    "All right, hold on for a moment!"

    The communication orb suddenly cut off, and Prince Yang Jinyan sent more qi to the orb in an attempt to reconnect it. The orb glowed for a bit more, a static sound could be heard, but no connection was reestablished.

    "Either the communication orb there has been broken, or there''s something interfering with the signal," Yang Suyin said. "Weirdly enough, there have actually been quite many instances where my communication orb didn''t work properly. When I tried to connect to you, Prince, I never succeeded."

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    "That''s probably because the prince didn''t pick up the orb," Liu Xing said. He remembered how the prince''s mental condition was in shambles at that time.

    "Actually, while I didn''t realize you both had come, I would know if my communication orb vibrated. I would ignore it, but I would know it. And as far as I know, it didn''t vibrate."

    There was something going on with the qi around the castle, but it wasn''t really a revelation or surprise. This whole castle was coated by flesh and nests and meatballs... It was no surprise if a communication orb didn''t work properly.

    "The most important thing is how we can arrive as fast as possible at the underground level," Prince Yang Jinyan said.

    "I''ve been thinking about it," Liu Xing answered, "and I have a solution if you don''t mind some destruction."

    Running down, or even flying down, while fast, wasn''t fast enough. Instead of following the path, they needed to create a shortcut.

    "Do it," the prince said.

    Liu Xing nodded and kicked the ground hard. Immediately, he arrived near the roof of this large and wide room. He turned his body to face down, and as gravity pulled him down, he channeled some of his potent qi into the gauntlet he was wearing on his left hand. Immediately, a lightning ball two meters in diameter materialized in front of him, and with a palm strike, a large lightning pillar descended into the floor. The impact shattered the stone instantly, creating a deafening rumble and sending up clouds of dust. Even though he couldn''t see through the debris, Liu Xing knew that his lightning pillar was boring through floor after floor of the castle, carving its way down.

    "We''re lucky the main array function of the castle is broken," Yang Suyin commented below. "Otherwise, it would be hard to even drill a hole the size of a coin."

    When the lightning pillar receded, Liu Xing unleashed another lightning pillar strike, since while it had created a hole through dozens of floors, he could see that his attack still hadn''t pierced through all the levels. While doing this, he pondered what Yang Suyin said.

    Was the main array destroyed purposely or not? If destroyed purposely, what was the objective? Was it connected to the fact that this castle was coated by flesh and full of meatballs?

    As he thought this, he tried to sense the qi around him, trying to feel everything. Qi sensing was something he needed to do actively. It didn''t count as a technique, so sometimes people called it a skill, like the skill of playing an instrument. The reason, at least for him, was because his body was so used to the qi around him that he sometimes forgot that this world was bathed in qi. There were some exceptions, like when he felt extreme danger or when he was in the middle of a fight, but generally he needed a conscious effort to use this skill. Of course, there were many talented people who always felt the qi around them, but he wasn''t one of them.

    When he felt the qi around him, it was like being in the middle of a bush made entirely of needles that could injure him if he moved carelessly. He also felt the qi around him was dark, prickly, and pulsed dangerously, like a tiger''s breath in the dead cold night, creating a mist around its nose while its claw pressed against his neck. He tried to expand his qi sense until he could feel other qi that definitely came from human cultivators, although he couldn''t pinpoint exactly where they were, as well as a source of another dark qi that felt like it was circling them.

    When his second lightning pillar receded, a hole piercing through every level of the golden castle was successfully made.

    "Let''s go!" Prince Yang Jinyan was the first to leap into the hole, followed by Yang Hongyin, Yang Suyin, then Liu Xing himself.

    Together, they fell within the hole he''d made, as if they were falling into a deep and dark well. Liu Xing''s eyes tried to check the area around him, wondering and hoping some abominations would decide to attack them. The silence that occurred actually made his heart feel anxious and his stomach queasy, as if he had missed something problematic.

    The silence was broken by a shout of desperation, like someone trying to move a boulder that crushed their legs. Hearing this, the prince, Yang Suyin, and Yang Hongyin turned their heads toward him, and he nodded. Yang Suyin was fast, and Yang Hongyin, with her Twelve Sun Armor¡ªwhich didn''t look like armor at all¡ªwas probably strong. But he was both, and so, it was logical for him to move first.

    Without thinking too much, he summoned his shield and kicked it, passing his three companions to dive straight into the underground level.

    When he was halfway through the hole, he activated his Lightning Cloak Technique and accelerated faster, until the world became blurry. He readied his lightning blade in his left hand, clenching his stone blade with his right hand, and reloaded his gun with qi from the Ethereal Pearl.

    In just a moment, Liu Xing''s feet landed on the ground. When he landed, the floor beneath him cracked, as if he were not a human but a boulder compressed to the size of a human. At the same time, he scanned the room so fast that in the blink of an eye, he knew everything around him.

    The room was spacious and high, with giant golden double doors so tall they could easily be crossed by a giant. In one corner of the room, behind him and to the right, a group of cultivators was fending off ten abominations: five snake-limbed ones, two worms, one giant black dog with a singular giant eye on its back and hundreds of little eyes dotting its body, an abomination that looked like five people mashed into one with ten arms and ten feet, and a single abomination that looked almost human, wearing a torn red robe that revealed flesh full of disgusting pustules. This particular abomination held a member of the Yang clan by the neck, choking him, with a cold expression on its face full of scars, with tiny eyes dotting the scars as if under its facial skin was full of eyes. Feeling the qi around it, Liu Xing realized that he finally needed to deal with a Sun Refining abomination, one that was probably a member of the Yang clan before.

    Three members of the Yang clan lay as bloody messes on the floor, while fourteen others looked pale and scared beyond measure, as if they had seen a nightmare come alive.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing dispersed his lightning blade on his left arms, turned his body instantly, kicked the ground, and launched himself toward the Sun Refining abomination while shouting. His shout worked as intended¡ªinstead of snapping its victim''s neck, all the abominations turned their heads toward him.

    Liu Xing gripped his stone blade with both hands as hard as he could and flooded it with so much potent qi that it glowed like a blade enveloped in purple flame. It felt so heavy, as if Liu Xing wasn''t swinging a blade but rather a hammer that weighed a ton. Yet, Liu Xing couldn''t shoot a crescent qi toward them. That kind of attack could potentially harm the people he tried to save. So, he summoned his shield, accelerated faster and faster until the wind around him exploded, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived at the side of the Sun Refining abomination.

    Up close, he realized how tall this abomination was¡ªalmost three meters high, dwarfing him. From the side, Liu Xing swung his stone sword horizontally, aiming to split its stomach in two. But when his blade hit the stomach, instead of cutting it, it folded the body in half, then shot it with so much force that when it hit the wall, the wall exploded. Luckily, the abomination''s hand had loosened its grip, so the man it gripped fell beside Liu Xing.

    "Are you all right?"

    The man touched his neck, gasping for breath. Liu Xing didn''t wait for an answer though¡ªwithout pause, he launched himself at the rest of the abominations and swung his stone blade at a nearby snake-limbed abomination with yellow skin. It didn''t have arms on its chest, so it didn''t have the annoying ability of regeneration, but before Liu Xing could cut it in half, its body turned into yellow light, his stone blade passing through it.

    Liu Xing''s eyes widened. He had already fought thousands of snake-limbed abominations, and he knew almost all of the snake-limbed abominations he had fought. This one was not one of them. He had never fought this one.

    "Strong and dangerous," the yellow light said. Its top half suddenly materialized at his side, and it tried to punch him with its red snake arm.

    As Liu Xing summoned his shield, he could see its face. Its face was human, with a calm demeanor, its ears also human, and there was nothing coiling or tied around its neck. It didn''t wear clothes, yet its yellow skin almost looked like clothing, with individual threads visible.

    Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that this single abomination was an anomaly.

 138 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (2)

    "Strong and dangerous," the yellow light said. Its top half suddenly materialized at his side, and it tried to punch him with its red snake arm.

    As Liu Xing summoned his shield, he could see its face. Its face was human, with a calm demeanor, its ears also human, and there was nothing coiling or tied around its neck. It didn''t wear clothes, yet its yellow skin almost looked like clothing, with individual threads visible.

    Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that this single abomination was an anomaly.

    A shield materialized between him and the abomination. The snake head hit the shield forcefully, but it successfully bought him time. Leaning to the side, Liu Xing jumped toward another abomination. This was also a snake-limbed abomination he didn''t recall seeing before, with red fruits for ears. When Liu Xing slashed it, the creature split into two.

    The abomination that turned into yellow light moved with such incredible speed toward him that Liu Xing could barely track it. By instinct, he summoned his turtle in front of it, bringing it to a stop. Meanwhile, he aimed his floating gun at a worm mid-jump, its mouth gaping wide as it tried to swallow a Yang clan member. He shot it with Exploding Bullets made from qi from his Ethereal pearl until it exploded into a red mist. His gun then rotated, shooting each of the abominations surrounding the Yang clan members. The dog died, and he sent a crescent qi slash toward an abomination that looked like it was composed of five people, turning them into a bloody stain on the floor.

    At this moment, Yang Hongyin landed in the room. She created a giant fire bird and directed it to several snake-limbed abominations, scorching them until they turned to ash. The Yang Clan members, who had been backed into the corner, began attacking as well, sending a myriad of fire attacks that pelted the surrounding abominations.

    Less than thirty seconds after Liu Xing landed, only two abominations remained: the snake-limbed abomination with yellow skin and a human head, and a Sun Refining abomination walking through the hole in the wall, dusting off its red robe. The yellow abominationjumped back, landing beside the Sun Refining abomination, and crossed its limbs across its chest, as if the red snakes were truly arms.

    Yang Jinyan and Yang Suyin also arrived, and along with Yang Hongyin, they positioned themselves beside Liu Xing, with the Yang clan members behind them. Liu Xing could hear some of them exclaim happily, saying "We''re safe!" or "The prince has come!" and other exclamations, but he remained focused on the enemies.

    Dismissing his turtle, nothing now obstructed them from their opponents. These two enemies were obviously abnormal¡ªone a Sun Refining abomination, the other maintaining a calm expression, its eyes shining with intelligence, as if truly in control.

    "Explain the situation," Yang Jinyan ordered, his eyes fixed on the enemies.

    "Yes!" One of the Yang clan members responded. "We''re from the fourth group, and as you instructed, we scouted the way to the Emperors'' Tomb. Some people from the second group are here, while there''s no news from the third group."

    "The third group was scattered," Yang Suyin commented.

    The snake-limbed abomination pointed at them while speaking to its companion with a slight smile, as if joking with a friend. Liu Xing caught its words: "Isn''t that from your clan?" Which makes Liu Xing''s eyes narrow further.

    "Continue," Yang Jinyan said.

    "We had secured a tunnel to move into the Emperors'' Tomb and were waiting for further instructions when suddenly, thousands of abominations came rushing in."

    Liu Xing glanced at the speaker. He looked young, wearing a red robe that was torn in several places. His dark hair was dirty, and he appeared pale. The rest of the group looked equally pale and weary¡ªunderstandably terrified after encountering thousands of snake-limbed and worm abominations.

    "Luckily, all the abominations rushed toward the Emperors'' Tomb," he pointed at two giant double doors standing wide open.

    This information prompted several questions in Liu Xing''s mind, the most prominent being: Why?

    Why did they head straight to the Emperors'' Tomb? It was as if, upon entering the castle, killing him was no longer a priority¡ªa situation that could be interpreted as either good or bad. Good, because it meant Wei Yi was drawing them into the Emperors'' Tomb, which is according to plan. Wei Yi controlling the snake-limbed abominations would make them less dangerous. But it also opened up other possibilities, such as Wei Yi and Yang Lihuo having a specific plan that could guarantee their victory.

    "But then, a small group of abominations arrived," he continued. "They were led by that." He pointed to the two abominations that seemed almost like chatting friends¡ªthough only one was speaking, while the other merely listened.

    "Do you know who he is?" Liu Xing asked the prince, gesturing to the Sun Refining abomination.

    Prince Yang Jinyan narrowed his eyes. "I don''t know. I would recognize him if he were an elder or even a talented member about to enter the Sun Refining realm. Does anyone know him?" he asked his clan members.

    "Don''t know," Yang Suyin said.

    Yang Hongyin remained silent.

    The rest of the clan stammered, "I don''t know" or "I don''t recognize him."

    These responses were concerning. The abomination wore a red robe similar to the Yang clansmen, which meant it was either an abomination that had torn a robe from a fallen clan member or a previously relatively unknown Yang clansman. The second possibility was more likely and alarming¡ªsuggesting the abomination had risen from its original cultivation to the Sun Refining realm.

    "You know, we can hear what you''re saying," the snake-limbed abomination said with a smile.

    This yellow-skinned abomination was almost human-like, its red snake limbs larger than most abominations¡ªalmost resembling muscular arms and legs. The fact that it could talk indicated it was a special abomination, likely as dangerous as the Sun Refining abomination beside it.

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    "What are you?" Liu Xing asked.

    "Me? My name is Wei Yi," it pointed to the side with its red snake arm, "he is also Wei Yi. We''re Wei Yi." For a moment, its normally human eyes glazed over, as if mind-controlled by something, but then it spoke as if nothing had happened. "We''re Wei Yi."

    "We are Wei Yi." A gruff sound could be heard from the Sun Refining abomination. When it spoke, Liu Xing could see its mouth was full of yellow eyes, similar to the inverted pyramid he had fought not long ago.

    "We''re Wei Yi!" The yellow abomination exclaimed, its face becoming gleeful, as if it had just uttered the most joyful thing in the world.

    Liu Xing''s eyebrows rose. They seemed less in control than they first appeared. The fact that they were claiming to be Wei Yi made him wonder about their true nature. Were they really Wei Yi, or were they abominations who believed themselves to be Wei Yi? If the latter, why would the real Wei Yi allow these abominations to claim his identity?

    Suddenly, Liu Xing thought the abomination with yellow skin and human head looked familiar. It had pitch-black hair¡ªneither too short nor too long¡ªwith a pointy nose and high cheekbones. He squinted, imagining it older with wrinkled skin and white hair. Once he did, recognition struck him. This abomination was almost a spitting image of a young Bai Lin¡ªthe old man who had given him the mission to kill Wei Yi and promised him a Heaven Grade Technique. Bai Lin''s grandson had been a mortal living near Mystic Moon City, his body never fully recovered; only his arms remained, with the rest of him probably turned into meatballs and consumed by an abomination.

    "You, are you Bai Lin''s grandson?" Liu Xing asked.

    When Liu Xing mentioned Bai Lin''s name, the yellow abomination''s eyes were confused for a moment, as if it had just heard a baby babbling, but slowly, its eyes widened until they were as big as saucers, as if it had just heard the most earth-shattering revelation.

    "Bai Lin?" It began clutching its head with two snake limbs, its eyes growing wider with each moment, until they seemed ready to burst from their sockets. "Bai Lin. Bai Lin. Grandpa." Suddenly, it closed its eyes, coiled its legs, and jumped toward the still-open golden gate connecting to the Emperors'' Tomb. It moved so fast, so frantically¡ªlike a child trying to hide from a monster.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing had even more questions. The abomination''s utterance of "Grandpa" confirmed it was Bai Lin''s murdered grandson. Did it still retain memories from its human life? Was it now remembering its past identity?

    "Come back," a voice suddenly reverberated through the room. Heavy, solemn, and serious¡ªas if the speaker believed everything was beneath them. Liu Xing looked around, then snapped his eyes toward the Sun Refining abomination. Its mouth was open, and the voice filling the room emanated from it, yet Liu Xing strongly suspected the abomination was not the true speaker. This voice belonged to Wei Yi.

    The abomination nodded like a servant hearing its master''s command. It crouched, then jumped toward the golden gates, chasing the yellow-skinned abomination. In the air, its body transformed into yellow light and vanished in the blink of an eye, as if it had never existed. The technique reminded Liu Xing of Yang Suyin, who¡ªwhen Liu Xing glanced to the side¡ªhad surprised eyes.

    "What the hell is going on?" Prince Yang Jinyan demanded.

    The prince''s question reflected Liu Xing''s own sentiments, but his mind was busy processing what he had just witnessed. He tried to remember the name of Bai Lin''s grandson''s bloodline. After a moment, he recalled it: the Serpent Sun Bloodline. Liu Xing hadn''t asked for details about this bloodline, but its name suggested a connection to serpents and the sun.

    "Yang Suyin, what is the name of the technique that allows you to move so quickly?" Liu Xing asked.

    Yang Suyin hesitated before answering, "It is called the Lightform Technique. Why?"

    "Is it a common technique that everyone in the Yang clan knows?"

    Yang Suyin shook his head, his lips tightening. "No, it''s a secret technique. As far as I know, it''s mine and mine alone."

    "Not anymore, it seems."

    Seeing the technique in action, Liu Xing suspected that Yang Suyin''s technique was actually a diluted version from a bloodline. Perhaps it was related to this Sun Refining abomination and Bai Lin''s grandson; both of whom seemed to carry traces of the same bloodline.

    However, it could all be a coincidence. This was the Twelve Sun Empire, and every member of the Yang clan probably possessed fire techniques related to the sun. Still, Liu Xing couldn''t ignore the significance of these two abominations, especially since Wei Yi had called them back instead of continuing the fight.

    For now, their retreat would at least provide a much-needed rest.

    Prince Yang Jinyan began questioning the remaining Yang clan members and gathering information. In total, they numbered nineteen¡ªquite a loss, but those remaining were either strong or well-equipped with treasures. Yang Suyin busied himself cataloging the survivors and their possessions, while Yang Hongyin distributed healing and qi restoration pills.

    Liu Xing stood to the side, contemplating their situation and planning their next move. Their primary objective remained saving Elder Yang Zhaoyan, with thousands of abominations now inside the Emperors'' Tomb. The only viable strategy seemed to be their previous approach: one of them would lure the abominations while the others rescued the elder. The situation had improved somewhat, with Liu Xing and Yang Hongyin serving as their primary offensive force. But before he could propose this plan to Prince Yang Jinyan, a shout echoed from beyond the gates.

    "Jinyan!" The voice boomed. "I''ll kill you!"

    Accompanying the voice were countless footsteps. Liu Xing needed a moment to realize this voice belonged to Yang Lihuo, the one who had betrayed this empire and enabled this catastrophe.

    Beyond the giant gates, Liu Xing could see the silhouette of an army. Their eyes shone in the shadows, as if the darkness itself were alive. This illusion lasted only a moment; after several more steps, their faces emerged under the glow of illumination from gems adorning the walls and roof.

    This army consisted of at least a thousand abominations. Unlike the previous force of purely snake-limbed creatures and worms, this group displayed remarkable variety. A giant abomination that resembled a jellyfish floated atop the army, composed entirely of blood. Its cap was covered by hundreds of human heads, each frozen in a horrified expression¡ªeyes wide open, tongues lolling.

    Scattered throughout were several gigantic black dogs with human heads protruding from their foreheads. There were abominations that looked like ordinary humans with heads as large as hot air balloons, others with giant eyes in place of heads, and some that appeared as massive scorpions constructed from human body parts. Each was horrifying, each felt fundamentally wrong.

    Walking at the front were the army''s leaders and strongest abominations. One was a headless walking human with a gaping hole where its heart should be. Another bore four heads on its shoulders: two were women with tears of blood streaming from their eyes, while the other two were old men smiling with bloody lips.

    Between them walked a man in a pristine red robe. His hair was pitch-black, his skin unnaturally white, as if he had never stood beneath the sun. His lower face remained human, with frowning lips, but his upper face told a different story. His eyes resembled those of a snail¡ªtwo long green branches ending in eyes, while his neck was covered in green scales.

    "Jinyan!" he shouted. "To think that you can live this long. How annoying!"

    Prince Yang Jinyan rushed forward, his eyes wide. "You¡ªare you Yang Lihuo?"

    The man with the snail-like face narrowed his strange eyes, as if he had just heard something profoundly stupid. "Of course. Are you so dim-witted that you''ve already forgotten my handsome face?" As he spoke, his long snail eyes twitched, and a yellow liquid squirted from his eyeballs.

 139 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (3)

    "What are you talking about? Are you saying you don''t realize your face looks like a snail''s?"

    "Shut up!" he shouted. "I''m far more handsome than you! I won''t tolerate another insult!"

    His eyes twitching again, spurting yellow liquid around. Seeing this, Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that Yang Lihuo was not the mastermind of this plan, nor even Wei Yi''s associate. Liu Xing had imagined that while Yang Lihuo was not the mastermind, he at least would have some semblance of control, considering he was the one who let Wei Yi rampage inside the Twelve Sun Empire. Liu Xing thought that he would at least benefit from this whole ordeal. Perhaps Yang Lihuo would be reborn into something that could achieve immortality faster. Yet, the facts told otherwise. Yang Lihuo was merely a puppet. A puppet that didn''t realize he was being controlled and turned into an abomination. Perhaps there was no rebirth for him. Perhaps it was just a ploy from Wei Yi to control Yang Lihuo.

    "You''re being mind-controlled," Prince Yang Jinyan muttered weakly, his wide eyes reflecting sudden realization.

    "What nonsense are you talking about?" Lihuo snorted. "I''m not mind-controlled. Is this some cheap trick to distract me? It won''t work!"

    "Touch your face and tell me what you feel," Prince Yang Jinyan said firmly. "Because I can see clearly that the upper half of your face is definitely a snail''s face!"

    Yang Lihuo, to his surprise, did what his older brother told. He touched his face like an annoyed little brother, dragging his finger around his face. "Smooth and perfect skin. I don''t understand your ploy, but it''s useless!"

    "It seems he didn''t notice that his appearance had changed," Yang Hongyin said.

    Yang Jinyan inhaled deeply. "My anger dissipated a bit for him, but it didn''t change the situation. This man is not my brother anymore, nor is he part of the Twelve Sun Empire. He is a traitor that needs to be put down."

    "Big talk for a dead man!" Lihuo smirked, and his eyes squirted yellow liquid that splashed around.

    "Prince," Yang Suyin pointed to the man on Yang Lihuo''s right¡ªthe one who didn''t have a head and had a hole in his chest. "That''s the Emperor."

    "And those are the Elders," another clan member pointed at the abomination on Lihuo''s left, the one that had four heads.

    Prince Yang Jinyan''s eyes lingered on the man without a head for a moment and clenched his hands hard. The anger that had dissipated a little bit was now blazing with fury again, although he suspected the anger was probably directed more at Wei Yi instead of Lihuo.

    Liu Xing assessed the abominations around and behind Lihuo. The former emperor and former elders were at the Sun Refining realm, while Lihuo himself was at the Core Splitting realm, having at least two cores, since his qi was more than Liu Xing''s.

    The army behind him was not uniform¡ªthere were weak abominations that he suspected were transformed from normal civilians, but also some that felt dangerous despite being at the Lock Opening realm. Liu Xing''s eyes scanned the army more thoroughly, and he could not see a single snake-limbed abomination or even worms. His mind worked harder to decipher the meaning, and a hypothesis was formed.

    "Prince, I think Wei Yi is trying to distract us."

    "Everyone, gather!" Prince Yang Jinyan shouted. With this shout, all the remaining Yang clan members created a row behind him. "Continue your explanation."

    "I think Wei Yi is trying to distract us from our goal. Our main goal is to save Elder Yang Zhaoyan. He is the one who deployed the Royal Barrier, and this Royal Barrier is important for the sacrifice that would happen. We assumed that this sacrifice was to make Lihuo undergo a rebirth. But, with his condition right now, I think it''s fair to assume that the one who would undergo a rebirth is not Lihuo, but Wei Yi himself. Thus, he sent Lihuo to stop us here."

    Prince Yang Jinyan thought for a moment, then nodded. "His army is also not as formidable as the snake-limbed army. They are a dispensable army to hinder us from ruining his plan."

    "Exactly."

    Liu Xing suspected that beyond Lihuo''s army, there were other snake-limbed, worm, and Sun Refining abominations. The way to save Elder Yang Zhaoyan and ruin Wei Yi''s plan was still quite long. Still, at the very least, Liu Xing understood the hierarchy of the enemy. Wei Yi was at the top of the hierarchy. The enemy he had to make sure was dead was Wei Yi, while the others were merely under his control.

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    As he thought this, the ground, the wall, and everything suddenly trembled. Each second that passed, the tremor grew bigger until he felt as if he were standing atop a running horse. Dust began to fall from the roof, the ground began to crack, and the walls groaned, louder and louder. Liu Xing''s heart began to race. Was this it? The thing that made him anxious? Was it Wei Yi''s ultimate weapon? A giant spirit beast tearing the golden castle apart?

    "Haha! It has begun!" Wei Yi shouted. "It''s not perfect. The plan needs to be accelerated further, but it''s still better than nothing. Jinyan, despicable clan, and you, meddling Purple Moon Sect disciple, you''re about to witness my rebirth. My new body!"

    As Lihuo shouted, cracks spread horizontally across the walls. A massive surge of qi erupted from below, and the roof of the underground chamber began to rise. The walls cracked and groaned under the strain, as if the golden castle itself was trying to break free of its chains.

    From the outside, the golden castle¡ªa building hundreds of meters high with majestic walls¡ªbegan to float. The bottom of the castle was torn apart, as if an invisible giant was ripping it out of the ground. The bottom of the castle looked jagged like uneven shark teeth. Red qi pulsed around the castle, and as it floated higher, flesh began to grow rapidly around it. The texture was grotesque, like wriggling fish scales dancing to a disturbing rhythm as it transformed into a giant ball.

    Looking up at the giant castle transformed into a massive red meatball, Liu Xing''s eyes wide as saucers, he finally understood why the castle was covered in meat and flesh.

    The castle itself would become a spirit beast.

    He now comprehended why, despite knowing he was inside, no snake-limbed abominations pursued him, and why Wei Yi had accelerated his plan. In hindsight, it was obvious. The castle''s interior resembled a giant monster''s innards. Since fighting Liu Xing inside would destroy the castle, Wei Yi had controlled the abominations and ordered them to retreat underground.

    Gritting his teeth, Liu Xing realized that if he had known this information earlier, he would have chosen to enter the castle with Prince Yang Jinyan and help him retrieve the Twelve Sun Armor¡ªperhaps even planning to destroy the castle itself.

    But what was done was done. What was the best course of action now?

    An ugly laugh erupted, and Liu Xing turned to face the former Yang Lihuo¡ªa man whose upper face resembled a green snail. He laughed like a bully who kicks, hits, robs, and humiliates others. At first, Liu Xing felt anger, but it soon gave way to pity. What a pitiful creature. He was nothing more than a naive pig who foolishly believed that the world existed to serve him. In reality, he was just another pig being fattened for slaughter.

    "Attack!" The former Yang Lihuo shouted.

    Abominations rushed toward a nineteen-person group. The former emperor, now headless, led the assault. Sun Refining abominations with four heads stood beside Yang Lihuo, who smirked with an ugly, self-assured smile. Above, the castle had transformed completely into a giant meatball, with scales dancing until two long slits formed, revealing two massive red eyes dozens of meters in diameter. Looking closer, the red parts were not mere coloration but wriggling worms.

    "Hong''er in front, the rest behind me!" Yang Jinyan commanded. The Yang clan members immediately complied.

    The giant meatball in the sky complicated the situation immensely. The qi surrounding it was so intense that Liu Xing felt like a tiny toad in front of a massive tsunami. Without Wei Yi, the giant meatball above would be nothing. However, he couldn''t ignore it either. They had to act, but how?

    Liu Xing considered splitting their group. He would pursue Wei Yi while the Yang clan dealt with the approaching army. But was that wise?

    "Prince, what do you want me to do?" Liu Xing asked.

    "You¡¯ll play a role similar to Hong¡¯er¡¯s. It¡¯s simple: rampage. Kill every enemy in your path. Sow chaos. Split their forces into smaller groups."

    "That¡¯s it?" Liu Xing asked. Rampaging seemed straightforward¡ªalmost too easy.

    Prince Yang Jinyan patted him on the shoulder. "Leave the strategy to me. My immediate target is him." He pointed at Lihuo, who stood atop a floating, jellyfish-like abomination, looking down with imperious disdain. "I want to rip his throat out with my bare hands. So clear the way for me."

    The plan sounded crude but effective. Lihuo was the army¡¯s general¡ªif killed, the abominations might devolve into mindless beasts.

    "What about that?" Liu Xing pointed to the giant meatball hovering ominously above.

    "That¡¯s obviously a threat we¡¯ll have to deal with," Prince Yang Jinyan admitted, "but right now, our priority is this army. They¡¯ve got two Sun Refining abominations. We¡¯d be decimated if we split our group."

    Liu Xing nodded. He couldn¡¯t find fault in the prince¡¯s reasoning. "Understood," he said, locking eyes on a particularly menacing abomination. "I¡¯ll do what I can."

    Stepping forward, he gripped his stone blade tightly, channeling qi until it blazed with a purple light, almost like fire.

    "Let¡¯s start," the prince said.

    Without hesitation, Liu Xing swung his blade, unleashing a massive crescent of purple qi that towered like a multi-story building. The blazing light bathed the battlefield in violet hues.

    The former emperor suddenly glowed with a bright yellow aura. Liu Xing realized he needed to eliminate this abomination to clear a path for Prince Yang Jinyan to reach his former younger brother.

    When the emperor''s fist met the purple crescent, an explosion of gold and purple energies pushed against each other. Gradually, Liu Xing''s attack slowed, then stopped. Gold and purple colors locked in a standstill before shattering into billions of fragments with a brilliant light and the sound of breaking glass.

 140 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (4)

    Liu Xing decided to kick the ground as hard as he could and shot toward the former emperor. He held his stone sword with both hands, and as he arrived he swung his stone blade with all his might, trying to cut the headless abomination diagonally. The former emperor deflected the stone sword with a single flick of his wrist and, with a punch that shone golden, tried to pulverize Liu Xing.

    Seeing the punch coming, Liu Xing poured more qi into his Lightning Cloak Technique, summoned his shield, and kicked it to dodge to the side. The golden fist made the air explode and shot a ball of pure wind that hit one of the golden gates, toppling it over. Liu Xing channeled qi from the Ethereal Pearl inside his gut to his bullets, creating Exploding Fist bullets, and fired repeatedly. As they struck the former emperor, six powerful explosions erupted around him, sending up a cloud of dust and forcing him to step back. Seizing the opportunity, Liu Xing lunged forward, swung his stone blade, and struck. The blow sent the former emperor flying backward, crashing into the advancing army like a baseball hit out of the park.

    "He''s so tough!" Liu Xing shouted as he looked to the side.

    Yang Hongyin floated in the air, fire surrounding her, twelve bird heads appearing above her like twelve beheaded birds. Each bird head opened its mouth, forming a ball of fire. One was orange, another blue, another yellow as the sun; there was a white fireball, a black fireball, and many more shades of red and orange. When Yang Hongyin swung both her hands like a dancing maiden, each fireball began to attack. Some shot toward the center of the rushing army and exploded into a giant inferno. Some turned into lasers, some into thousands of tiny fireballs, and more.

    Prince Yang Jinyan slapped a talisman into the air, creating a giant firebird that swooped down on multiple humanoid abominations¡ªsome with wriggling hair and long nail-blades, others that looked like disfigured dogs with twelve legs.

    Yang Suyin zoomed through the battlefield, clearly targeting the weaker abominations, and the rest of the clan used their treasures and techniques to attack.

    Liu Xing, trying to maximize the time and finish off Lihuo''s army as soon as possible, also began to move like blue lightning. His gun fired repeatedly. Each shot was fast, and each shot caused an abomination to explode. His stone blade sliced through the abominations like a sickle through grass. Their formation was simple. Liu Xing at the front, clearing a path; Yang Hongyin in the air, bombarding the nearby abominations; and Prince Yang Jinyan and the rest of the clan advancing along the path created by Liu Xing and Yang Hongyin.

    As Liu Xing cut down an abomination with a head as big as a cow, he saw the former emperor, shining with a golden aura, crouching and ready to jump. ¡°Prince, give me some information about your father!¡±

    Prince Yang Jinyan, who was controlling a firebird while spewing hundreds of fireballs at Lock Opening abominations, paused his attack and replied, ¡°My father was a close combatant. He mastered three simple yet versatile techniques. First is Myriad Fire. It¡¯s fire compressed and controlled so perfectly that it almost looks like light. It makes him so durable he wouldn¡¯t die even if a mountain crushed him. Sun Fist is a fighting style incorporating explosive fire with his punches. He has hundreds of variants of this technique, and lastly¡ª¡± A loud boom echoed; the headless former emperor shot toward them. ¡°Careful when he gives you some space!¡±

    As Prince Yang Jinyan hastily finished shouting, the former emperor had already arrived in front of him. His right fist was coated in a thin orange fire, and seeing this, Liu Xing let his instincts take control and summoned his shield right in front of the fist. The suddenly materializing shield was hit by the punch, and when they collided, his shield shot toward him like a cannonball, flying at him with tremendous force. Before the shield could hit his face, Liu Xing dismissed it, only to see the former emperor¡¯s fist come to his face.

    Liu Xing instantly sent a surge of qi into the gauntlets on his left hand, lowered his stance, materialized a ball of lightning in front of him, and struck it with his palm. A torrent of lightning shot from the lightning ball, engulfing the emperor completely in lightning so dense it looked like he was swallowed by a horizontal waterfall. The lightning pillar swept into the army behind, decimating some of the abominations as collateral damage. Yet, Liu Xing could see the emperor¡¯s silhouette coming at him, his punch¡ªno longer shining with golden light¡ªemerging from the ball of lightning, destroying it, and hitting Liu Xing straight in the face.

    Liu Xing¡¯s mind rattled, and his body lifted into the air. The punch wasn''t too strong; even his nose didn¡¯t break. Yet, it was still a fact that the punch had landed.

    Liu Xing used the momentum to rotate himself and send two crescent qi attacks toward the former emperor. When they hit their target, the emperor crossed his arms on his chest and held the attacks, but the energy pushed him back, giving Liu Xing time to slash around and send more crescent qi into the army, as well rapidly fire Exploding Fist bullets and shrinking the enemy¡¯s numbers.

    Seeing the battle happening around him, Liu Xing realized that this battle could actually be won. More than half of Lihuo¡¯s army was now slashed, burned, charred, or reduced to pools of blood. Not all of them were Core Splitting abominations; some were even at the Lock Opening realm.

    The only problem was the former emperor, Lihuo himself, who barked orders but did nothing, and the Sun Refining abomination that stood beside him. Still, Liu Xing suspected that the emperor was weaker than in his prime, Lihuo could be defeated easily, and while its appearance was disturbing, the four-headed abomination could also be defeated.

    And so, the battle raged on. Looking from the air, it seemed like the fight was happening inside a large hole. Liu Xing made sure his gun fired non-stop at the abominations around him, rapidly reducing their numbers, while he himself battled the former emperor with his stone blade.

    Though he hadn''t even scratched him yet, the fight was even, and he had several attacks that threw the former emperor quite far, giving him time to attack the army. Yang Hongyin¡¯s twelve firebird heads were also decimating the army, making the ground molten like lava, and the group led by Yang Jinyan fought fiercely, using their treasures to fight above their weight class.

    The number of enemies was now less than a hundred, but each of them was quite strong and durable.

    ¡°You useless little brother, I¡¯ll kill you with my bare hands!¡± Yang Jinyan shouted while moving around several pillars of earth he¡¯d raised with his talisman.

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    Liu Xing could see Lihuo growl like a mad dog, his snail eyes twitching crazily.

    ¡°Bastard!¡± he shouted, then, unexpectedly, he swung his arm toward the Sun Refining abomination at his side, decapitating one of its heads easily.

    Seeing this, even Liu Xing stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening. Was this guy so strong he could kill a Sun Refining abomination, or was that Sun Refining abomination as soft as tofu?

    Before this question could be answered, Lihuo grabbed the decapitated head by the hair and began eating it as if it were a simple snack. Each bite made his lips and cheeks red with blood, and the head, belonging to a man with his tongue lolling out, looked horrified beyond measure. Each bite also made the qi surge around Lihuo, strengthening him by the second.

    Liu Xing realized that this Sun Refining abomination wasn¡¯t one specialized in fighting; that¡¯s why it hadn¡¯t attacked. No, it was mere food for Lihuo, which was absurd. Liu Xing doubted that even if Lihuo ate all of the heads, he would break through to the Sun Refining realm.

    ¡°Behind you!¡± Yang Suyin shouted at him.

    Liu Xing''s eyes snapped to his back as he saw the former emperor¡ªsurrounded by shining light¡ªtrying to hit him. Liu Xing dodged to the side. The air next to him exploded. Then he tried to slash the former emperor.

    Usually, his slashes always landed, even if they didn''t scratch him. The emperor never dodged, probably because he didn''t have ears, eyes, or even a nose to sense his surroundings. But to Liu Xing¡¯s surprise, the former emperor leaned to the side, his stone blade cutting only air. A crescent of purple qi shot from his blade and accidentally slashed an abomination that was opening its mouth wide.

    The former emperor unleashed another punch with his left hand, which Liu Xing dodged by jumping to the side. The emperor followed, and Liu Xing jumped from shield to shield to dodge his attacks. As he did so, the light around the emperor began to darken, from yellow to a slight orange, and Liu Xing realized his movements were becoming faster and his attacks swifter and more efficient. It was as if the former emperor was an engine that needed to warm up before it could unleash its potential, and now it was warm enough.

    Liu Xing shot a dozen smaller crescent qi attacks while his gun fired rapidly at the former emperor. He moved side to side, dodging attacks that were too wide, and deflecting or punching those he couldn''t dodge. At this point, Liu Xing realized he now needed full attention to fend off the emperor¡¯s attacks. The emperor''s body was big and full of muscle, yet he moved so fast that he was quicker even than Liu Xing. In hindsight, it was obvious: he was a Sun Refining abomination. Luckily though, he probably wasn''t a completed abomination. There were no obvious modifications on his body, so he was likely weaker than he should have been.

    Blue light and a slightly darker yellow¡ªalmost red¡ªbegan to move faster and faster. They looked almost like light, clashing again and again in the air. Each of their attacks riddled the hole¡ªthe former underground level of the golden castle¡ªwith more holes, the earth churned, hundreds of gashes and wounds dotting the walls, and every second the ground trembled.

    For now, Liu Xing didn¡¯t intend to win the fight. What he was doing was occupying the former emperor¡¯s attention while sometimes¡ªwhen he successfully threw him quite far away¡ªhe sneakily attacked the abominations around him with his gun, amassing a lot of qi inside his Ethereal Pearl. Some of it was used by his gun, while the rest he sent to his consciousness. His only core was slurping up qi like a man slurping up a long noodle. The amount is large, and it has been continuous. Although he still has a long way to go to break through, his core is getting bigger by the second.

    Right now, about two minutes into the battle, Yang Jinyan and his group, accompanied by Yang Hongyin, had successfully decimated all the abominations except Lihuo, the Sun Refining Abomination whose only role was to become food, and the jellyfish he used as a platform. It was only a matter of time before Prince Yang Jinyan successfully ripped Lihuo''s throat out.

    ¡°We can do it. We can win,¡± Liu Xing muttered.

    Not splitting up had been the right choice. If he moved away from this group, Yang Hongyin would need to deal with the former emperor, and Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s group would have to fight the whole army of abominations by themselves.

    As he used his shield to accelerate faster and faster, thrusting his stone blade toward an oncoming punch, he glanced at the sky for less than a second. The giant ball of meat now had scales around it, and it was bathed in so much qi that came from below, from the Emperors¡¯ Tomb. It is still not completed.

    When the tip of his blade collided with the punch, a shockwave so huge ruptured the ground around them. Purple and fully red light spread outward like a ripple in a lake, creating a shockwave. Liu Xing was pushed back. The power of the former emperor¡¯s punch was quite strong, but Liu Xing didn''t mind. Instead, he made his gun float above his head, sent it a lot of qi from the Ethereal Pearl until it brimmed with power, then infused the bullets with Lightning Palm and shot them all. When six lightning bullets hit the former emperor''s chest, big arcs of lightning the size of tentacles danced around him and paralyzed him as if he¡¯d been struck by a lightning bolt. He froze for a moment, and Liu Xing used this moment to charge a lot of qi into his stone blade and take a stance.

    After getting the stone blade, his gun had taken a backseat, which actually made Liu Xing¡¯s heart a little dissatisfied. His gun was still the best weapon in the world, even more valuable than his stone blade¡ªboth potentially and emotionally¡ªyet, the gun¡¯s attack capability was shadowed by his Thunderstrike Gauntlets and now his stone blade. He was actually having quite a hard time balancing all his attacks. But now, he had finally found a combo with great synergy.

    This stone blade could unleash a strong attack the more qi he sent to it, but to do that, he needed time. Coincidentally, one variant of his bullets functioned to paralyze the enemy, enabling him to stand and charge his attack. Admittedly, it only worked if he fought one-on-one, but it was still a great combo.

    After a full five seconds of charging the attack, the purple qi glowed so brightly around his stone blade that he needed to hold the blade with both hands. He shouted as he unleashed his attack.

    ¡°Eat this!¡±

    The crescent of qi that leaped from his stone blade was only three meters long and as thin as paper, yet it was undoubtedly the strongest attack he had ever unleashed. It moved so fast that it seemed to teleport. One moment it leaped from his stone blade; less than a blink of an eye later, it had already arrived right in front of the former emperor. The emperor tried to catch it with both hands, which were glowing so red they almost looked encased in blood. Yet, he didn¡¯t succeed. The attack collided with the emperor''s body, trying to slash him diagonally. Liu Xing had thought, with the sheer power of the attack, he could split him in two, but it seemed his hopes were too high. Still, Liu Xing could see that the crescent purple qi bit into his skin, creating a shallow cut before the sheer force of the attack sent the emperor flying like a cannonball toward a wall.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing nodded a little. While the attack hadn''t killed him, the fact that he had successfully wounded him meant he had a chance to win, which was actually absurd, considering that he was merely a Core Splitting cultivator with only one core. What he needed to do now was repeat the same attack dozens of times, until the emperor truly split in two.

    But before he could execute his plan, a loud shout reverberated through the air. He snapped his head toward Prince Yang Jinyan, and what he saw made his blood run cold.

    A decapitated head, its hair a writhing mass of hundreds of black snakes, eyes burning with a golden aura and surrounded by a red aura¡ªidentical to the one shrouding the former emperor¡ªwas now biting into Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s neck. Its white teeth sank deep into his throat, drenched in red blood.

    ¡°F-father,¡± Prince Yang Jinyan muttered, eyes wide with horror.

 141 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (5)

    When Liu Xing saw a severed head clinging to Prince Yang Jinyan''s neck, his first instinct was to summon his shield and kick it as hard as he could. He accelerated until he was right beside the prince. In a move as fast as lighting. He released the stone blade from his right hand, balled his fist, and punched the head with all his might. Prince Yang Jinyan shouted, his voice gurgling as the punch sent the head flying.

    "What the hell? Where did that head come from?" Liu Xing said.

    The fight against the former emperor had blindsided him, which was understandable since the former emperor, even after death, was incredibly strong and durable. The fact that an abomination head had snuck past the Yang clan, including Yang Hongyin, and attacked Prince Yang Jinyan spoke volumes about its stealth.

    Liu Xing shouted for Yang Suyin, who arrived swiftly and immediately began stuffing pills into the prince''s mouth as he lay on the ground.

    Prince Yang Jinyan was gushing blood like a red geyser, his robe soaked, a pool forming around him. The wound was severe; half his neck was gone. Blood blocked his throat and flooded his lungs, causing him to cough uncontrollably. A warm blue glow enveloped his neck as Yang Suyin slapped talismans on his body, shoved more pills into his mouth, and even tore flesh from his own thigh to wrap around the prince''s neck to aid in his recovery.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing had no doubt the prince would recover. The question was how long it would take and whether Prince Yang Jinyan could still fight effectively afterward. After all, almost all his attacks involved blowing fireballs.

    A loud sound reverberated through the air, and Liu Xing snapped his gaze toward Lihuo.

    ¡°Come!¡± Lihuo shouted, and the head that Liu Xing had punched bounced like a rubber ball and launched itself into Lihuo¡¯s hand. Liu Xing realised that the head emitting the red aura belonged to the former emperor himself. He''d assumed that the unaltered body of the former emperor meant that it was just an animated corpse. He''d been wrong. Clearly, the head was controlling the body from a distance.

    Lihuo''s eyes twitched, bursting with yellow liquid. He then stuffed the head in his right hand¡ªthe Elder''s head¡ªinto his mouth and ate it as if it were a mere bun, tossing the rest aside. He placed his right hand in front of the former Emperor''s head, which then spat a mouthful of meat¡ªPrince Yang Jinyan''s throat¡ªinto his palm.

    ¡°Haha! With this, my preparation is complete!¡± Lihuo shouted.

    Liu Xing gritted his teeth. So, his purpose in this fight was to collect Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s body parts?

    ¡°Lihuo, you bastard!¡±

    Liu Xing turned to see Prince Yang Jinyan sitting up, blood still gushing from his throat. He glared at Lihuo with hatred. "How despicable of you to defile our father like this?!"

    "It''s a small price to pay for my greatness!" Lihuo smirked. "Did you know that our family has a hidden bloodline, one that lies dormant and cannot be awakened by effort or talent alone? Do you want to know why? Because its only function is to host other bloodlines! Isn''t that incredible? A bloodline that can only host others is useless on its own, but if you fill it with many, it becomes the ultimate bloodline!" His face contorted with rage. "And it went dormant because of that idiot, the Second Emperor. He diluted our bloodline with fire affinity until there was almost no trace of it! Fortunately, I have a strong trace of the bloodline, and with Wei Yi''s help, and you and Father''s... donations, I will become immortal and possess everything in this world! I will become the ultimate being after awakening my Infernal Sun bloodline!"

    Upon hearing Lihuo''s explanation, Liu Xing pressed his lips together. A bloodline that could host other bloodlines was a crazy and valuable concept, which made Lihuo''s actions more understandable. Liu Xing knew without a doubt that many cultivators would do the same as Lihuo to secure such a bloodline. His mind began to wonder if this bloodline really existed. If so, was it really that strong? What were the disadvantages of this bloodline? How could someone dilute this bloodline? How could this dormant bloodline be awakened?

    But Liu Xing knew that these questions were useless right now. The only thing that mattered was that this snail-faced man wanted to awaken this bloodline, and Liu Xing wouldn''t let him.

    "Prince, I''m sorry," Liu Xing said, his eyes laser-focused on Lihuo, "but I think I have to be the one to kill him."

    He wanted to let Prince Yang Jinyan take his own revenge. He deserved it. But in the prince''s current state, it would be foolishly stubborn to let him face Lihuo. He hadn''t forgotten about the huge ball of flesh floating in the sky, Elder Yang Zhaoyan below, or Wei Yi either. Time was of the essence.

    The prince coughed again, gritting his teeth. ¡°Alright, do what you must.¡±

    Liu Xing nodded. ¡°Yang Hongyin, support me. Yang Suyin and the rest, be careful.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Yang Hongyin nodded, while Yang Suyin replied, "Alright."

    The snail-faced Lihuo smirked. "You think you can defeat me? Did you forget you couldn''t even kill my father?"

    As he said this, a loud boom echoed, and Liu Xing turned to see the former emperor''s body rocket through the air with a whistling sound. He landed roughly beside Lihuo, causing the jellyfish they stood on to topple like a small balloon hit by a punch before righting itself. The emperor''s body turned, and his muscular hands grabbed the head in Lihuo''s left hand like a man grabbing a helmet. He placed it atop his torn neck, twisted it slightly, and muscles like worms locked the head into place. Now, the former emperor had a head again. The red light around him intensified, and a wild, battle-ready smile spread across his face.

    Beside him, Lihuo also began his preparations. He moved behind the three-headed Sun Refining abomination and, with a lazy vertical swing, split it in two. He ate the flesh from Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s neck, causing the qi around him to surge like a tornado about to rampage, then the two halves of the abomination merged with him as if they were not flesh but wearable armor.

    "You''re all dead! Dead!" Lihuo exclaimed, cackling madly. Merging with the Sun Refining abomination had made him as large as the emperor, his body covered in exposed red muscles. The branch with eyes on his head grew longer, reaching a meter in height and the eyes tripling in size.

    Seeing his enemies, Liu Xing licked his lips. The difficulty of this fight had suddenly increased. Still, Liu Xing believed they had a chance to win. They outnumbered the enemy three to one. True, two enemies were at the Sun Refining realm, but they had Yang Hongyin with her Twelve Sun Armor, and Liu Xing with his gun, his stone blade, the Ethereal Pearl brimming with potent qi, and the treasures he wore.

    "Let''s begin the massacre!" Lihuo said, opening his mouth to reveal a tongue as dark as night. A ball of yellow qi materialized in front of his mouth, and he shot it forward. The sound it made as it moved through the air was like an eagle¡¯s cry.

    Liu Xing aimed his floating gun at the yellow ball, channeled a small amount of qi, and fired a standard variant bullet. The almost transparent bullet whistled quietly through the air and hit the yellow ball mid-flight, triggering an explosion that expanded like a yellow dome, bathing the world in yellow light. Liu Xing opened his eyes wide, his mind sharp as a knife, tracing the shadows of the enemies. He charged his stone blade with as much qi as possible and sent a huge crescent of purple qi flying horizontally, slicing the yellow dome in two.

    A condensed yellow beam of qi, like a laser, came out of Lihuo''s mouth and struck the purple crescent attack and shattered it into thousands of pieces.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Prince Yang Jinyan shouted, and Liu Xing looked at the former emperor next to Lihou. His body was now bathed in a fluctuating, almost black light. Then, with a small jump, he disappeared. For a moment, Liu Xing thought he had simply turned invisible, but less than a second later, Liu Xing saw a fist shrouded in blackish light less than ten centimeters away. The punch was so fast that Liu Xing''s mind almost couldn''t keep up, but his instinct took over and he summoned a shield in front of his face. The fist hit the shield, the shield slammed into Liu Xing''s face, rattling his brain, and it also threw Liu Xing back, creating space between him and the former emperor.

    ¡°Don''t let him get too far from you, Liu Xing! The farther he is, the faster he is!¡± Prince Yang Jinyan shouted hoarsely.

    Liu Xing gritted his teeth, rotated his body in the air, dismissed, and resummoned his shield. He kicked the shield to propel himself toward the emperor, stone blade in his right hand, lightning blade in his left. He didn¡¯t fully understand what the prince had said, but it was probably about the emperor''s technique.

    He slashed both blades like scissors, trying to cut the enemy in two, but the former emperor stopped the attacks with his hands. Liu Xing shot Exploding Fist bullets packed with potent qi at the emperor''s face, throwing him back several meters.

    Finding a brief respite, Liu Xing looked around. Yang Hongyin was battling Lihuo in the air, a bird made of fire with twelve heads encased her, each head attacking with a different technique. Yang Suyin led the group attacking the jellyfish dotted with human heads, with Prince Yang Jinyan using talismans to raise earth towers and platforms to manipulate the battlefield.

    He wanted to help them, but that would be impossible while the former emperor was still alive. He needed to find a way to kill him.

    The black light surrounding the emperor fluctuated more violently, and Liu Xing kicked the ground, launching himself at the emperor. The emperor vanished again and reappeared directly above him, rotating to kick his back.

    Liu Xing used his shield to maneuver to the side; the emperor¡¯s kick hit the ground, and the earth surged like water struck by a giant boulder. Seeing this, Liu Xing charged his stone blade with as much qi as possible, encasing it in stable qi, and shot six lightning bullets at the emperor. The bullets caged the former emperor in lightning as thick as ropes, and Liu Xing kicked the ground, arriving before him and swinging his blade diagonally with all his might.

    His slash landed, creating a long, shallow gash from the emperor¡¯s left shoulder to the right of his belly. Liu Xing changed the trajectory of his blade and slashed upward, tracing the wound again. Then, before the electricity that paralyzed the emperor could recede, he unleashed another slashing attack. These three slashes, targeting the same wound, had created a deep gash, and he realized the deeper the wound, the easier it was to slash, which was useful information.

    The electricity surrounding the emperor finally dissipated, and he unleashed a punch enveloped in fluctuating black light. Liu Xing dodged to the side; the punch caused the air to explode and throw him a considerable distance away from the emperor. The emperor then opened his mouth wide, materializing a ball of black fire and blowing it at Liu Xing. Liu Xing''s gun fired an Exploding Fist bullet, hitting it in mid-air and detonating it. The explosion was deafening, accompanied by a shock wave that hit him like a powerful punch and threw him far back until his back hit a wall.

    As the explosion subsided, Liu Xing''s eyes followed the emperor. He still didn''t fully understand what the prince had meant, but he knew that he was now too far away from the emperor.

    The emperor kicked the ground and jumped at him but, instead of moving through the air, he suddenly appeared right beside him. The air exploded as the former emperor arrived, his fist coming straight at Liu Xing''s face. This time, his speed was greater than before, and before Liu Xing could summon his shield, the emperor¡¯s punch landed on his face.

 142 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (6)

    Liu Xing''s brain rattled, his vision darkened, and he flew toward the other side of the wall. Before he could hit another wall, though, in a fraction of a second, he saw the former emperor suddenly appear behind him and punch him in the back, sending him flying in the opposite direction. From there, Liu Xing felt like a ball being thrown around hundreds of times in less than ten seconds. His body was encased in stable qi, yet the damage was severe: his nose was caved in, the bones in his left hand were broken, and his spine felt terribly wrong.

    As Liu Xing desperately tried to summon his shield and use it to dodge, he finally understood why Prince Yang Jinyan said to be careful when the former emperor was at a distance. It was pretty crazy. The greater the distance, the faster and stronger the emperor''s next attack would be, like an accelerating train. He also realized the time between each strike was relatively uniform, as if distance wasn''t a factor. This made sense since the farther the enemy was, the faster the emperor''s movement, so whether Liu Xing was ten meters away or a kilometer away, the former emperor could cover the distance in roughly the same amount of time.

    The sheer power of his speed and attacks made Liu Xing imagine that if he were to stand on a mountain several kilometers away, the emperor''s punch could probably destroy the entire mountain. The concept of this technique was simple, yet he was quite sure that there was a complex mechanism behind it, such as how the technique judged the distance and calculated the power of the attack, as well as the total amount of qi used to maintain this technique. This also meant the attacks would be weaker if his enemy stayed close, but that was a trap since the former emperor was a close-quarters specialist.

    It was a simple yet elegant combat style, not that Liu Xing had time to appreciate it. After all, he was the one who had to deal with it.

    Liu Xing desperately tried to escape. He cycled his qi faster, sharpening his senses and making sense of the blurry world around him.

    He was in the sky now. Then, his back hit something, forcing the air out from his lungs. He looked back and saw that he''d just hit an orange barrier like a fly hitting a window. Looking down, he saw the giant meatball rotating like a cultivation core. The hole where they fight Lihuo''s army was quite wide, and Liu Xing could see a giant twelve-headed bird made entirely of fire rampaging around, sending out barrages of fireballs, torrents of fire, and thousands of firebirds swarming it. He didn''t know the distance between himself and the former emperor, but he knew that if he were hit by another attack, he would die!

    An explosion sounded in the distance, and Liu Xing saw a small dot moving rapidly toward him. In less than a second, the former emperor would arrive!

    Liu Xing cycled his qi, pouring more and more into his Lightning Cloak Technique, slowing the world down a little. In this brief window, he tried to think, but only the obvious came to mind: he couldn''t be too far from the emperor.

    The former emperor arrived. Now, his body was bathed in a pure dark light, like black ink. He unleashed a punch straight at Liu Xing''s face, and Liu Xing, with all his might, gritted his teeth and tilted his head to the side. Miraculously, the punch didn''t hit him. It was mere centimeters from his ear, but the explosion when the fist hit the orange barrier made the air explode, throwing Liu Xing to the side and causing the barrier to reverberate like a gong.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield below his feet and landed on it. His breath was harsh, and seeing the Royal Barrier reverberating loudly, an idea struck him. This idea wasn''t about defeating the former emperor but using him to his advantage.

    His eyes snapped down. The spinning meatball was right below him, its two eyes sizing him up as if trying to read his mind.

    "It''s all coming together," Liu Xing muttered, his heart hammering in his chest, eager with the anticipation of realizing his plan.

    Inhaling deeply, he reined in his excitement. While he would allow the emperor to help him destroy the rotating meatball, there was a possibility that the emperor had some internal restriction preventing him from attacking it. Still, there was no harm in trying.

    As he thought this, the former emperor rotated his body and kicked the Royal Barrier to lunge at him. The speed wasn''t too great, and his punching power was probably lower than before, but the former emperor still arrived in less than a second and unleashed a punch at his chest.

    Liu Xing gripped his stone blade with both hands and ducked. The fist passed right over his head, rustling his sweaty, bloody hair. Liu Xing jumped to the side and landed on his shield again. The former emperor created fireballs below his feet, exploding them to propel himself toward Liu Xing, who once again focused all his mind and ordered his body to dodge to the side.

    Their movements were swift, one shrouded in blue lightning, the other in inky black aura. They flew in the sky like streaking lights, two falling stars with peculiar colors chasing each other.

    Liu Xing''s mind was as sharp as a knife, he tried to discern the former emperor''s rhythm and attack patterns, and carefully planned his positioning. After several moments of skillfully dodging a dozen attacks, Liu Xing finally saw an opportunity to put his plan into action.

    Their positions were like this: the meatball on one side, the former emperor in the center, and Liu Xing on the other. Liu Xing needed to swap positions and place himself in the center and the former emperor on the other side. He also wanted his enemy as far away as possible and himself as close to the meatball as possible. To do that, he needed time, time he could probably buy with his gun.

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    Liu Xing stood atop his shield and licked his lips.

    Truth be told, after being thrown to the Royal Barrier, he''d lost his gun. But luckily, it was soul-bound to him. He dismissed it and resummoned it in his left hand. Liu Xing aimed with his left hand, filled it with bullets made from the qi he''d saved in the Ethereal Pearl, and readied himself.

    The emperor kicked fireballs below his feet, flying at him with tremendous speed, the meatball with eyes behind him. Liu Xing flooded his Lightning Cloak Technique with qi to enhance his speed, and then, with precise aim when the emperor was only several meters away, he pulled the trigger six times.

    Lightning bullets shot at the former emperor, hitting him in the face. The six bullets encased him in lightning as thick as ropes. While the bullets didn''t hurt him, they still imparted force, shifting his trajectory slightly to the left. With his body paralyzed, he couldn''t correct his course.

    Liu Xing leaned to the side and allowed the former emperor to rush past him and away from the meatball. His heartbeat was racing, and his black damp hair was rustling in the wind created by the former emperor''s passage.

    Everything began lining up, and so Liu Xing kicked his shield and accelerated toward the meatball. Its red eyes shifted toward Liu Xing and narrowed slightly as if it knew he was planning something.

    When Liu Xing was only a dozen meters from the meatball, he summoned his shield in front of him and kicked it to kill his momentum. He then resummoned the shield below him and turned around in time to see the former emperor launch himself from quite far away. The Emperor''s muscular body rushed toward him, the mad smile on his face never faltering, as if carved from stone, his lips stained red with Prince Yang Jinyan''s blood.

    When he was close, Liu Xing hit him with six Lightning Palm bullets, encasing him in thick ropes of lightning and shifting his trajectory slightly to the left.

    This time, when Liu Xing dodged, the emperor rushed like a jet plane toward the meatball, his punch still cocked. When he collided with the meatball, a rumble reverberated, like an avalanche, and the meatball''s shape distorted like a soccer ball kicked by the best player in the world. Surprisingly, it didn''t move from its initial position as if tethered by invisible threads.

    Seeing his simple plan successfully executed, Liu Xing smiled and prepared to repeat his strategy.

    The former emperor, while strong and dangerous, had a simple attack pattern. He would rush toward Liu Xing and, upon arrival, try to punch him. It had been like that from the start. While he could dodge the stone blade, the Lightning Palm bullets were harder to avoid because his gun is invisible and he always timed his attacks moments before impact.

    Since the former emperor''s speed was relatively uniform regardless of distance, predicting his movement and timing his own was actually kind of easy. If the former emperor were still a thinking human, he might use bait, tricks, or feints, but the longer they fought, the more Liu Xing realized his movements were robotic and repetitive. He suspected that if he were closer to Lihuo or Wei Yi, the situation would be different since they could command him, either verbally or through some technique. Luckily, this fight was far from Yang Hongyin, Prince Yang Jinyan, and the rest of the Yang clan versus Lihuo.

    And so, the meatball became the former emperor''s punching bag. Not every attack made the meatball rumble or groan, but each made a loud sound like a hammer hitting a corpse. Below its left eye, a large blue bruise pulsed as if giant blue worms were wriggling under its skin. One of its eyes is now red, and its formerly round shape was now uneven, as if dotted with many bruises. Liu Xing sometimes slashed at the meatball, creating several large gashes. One of the biggest, about ten meters long, was on the back of the meatball, gushing blood.

    At first, Liu Xing was confident. If things continued like this, the meatball''s destruction was just a matter of time. But after more than a minute of flying around it, his confidence wavered, and anxiety began to eat at him. Despite taking many hits from a Sun Refining abomination, the meatball remained intact, meaning its durability was through the roof. The fact that it was still coated by a gigantic amount of qi was also worrying. Liu Xing had no doubt that the situation wouldn''t remain ideal forever. Soon, Lihuo or even Wei Yi would catch on to what he was doing, and even a stupid enemy would realize that letting Liu Xing do as he pleased was bad and that he needed to be stopped.

    A punch from the former emperor made the giant meatball stagger to the side, its eyes widening like a man punched in the stomach, tears welling up, and a pained expression on its eyes. Then, as if it could no longer hold it in, a horizontal slit suddenly appeared on the meatball, opening wide to reveal hundreds of giant tongues trembling like seaweed in a chaotic current. A loud wail, like a sorrowful whale song, echoed from its large mouth. The sound had a deep tone, like a giant baby crying for help.

    Upon hearing this wail, Liu Xing''s fear skyrocketed. It was clearly calling for help, and Liu Xing feared that something might actually come to answer this call.

    Then, in a terrifying confirmation of his anxiety, a loud rumble could be heard. At first soft, it grew louder and louder, like a mountain collapsing. Another wail, this one full of anger yet also deep and sorrowful, could be heard. Its source was not the giant meatball but from below.

    Standing atop his shield, Liu Xing''s heart began to beat faster, and he looked down like a man on a small raft seeing the silhouette of a giant shark below.

    A giant white hand suddenly emerged from the ground. Its sheer size was mind-boggling; it could hold the large meatball in its palm. Another hand emerged, rising higher and higher into the sky. Then, a moment later, a huge face emerged from the underground levels where they had been fighting Lihuo''s enemy. It was pale, like a corpse, with hollow eye sockets revealing only pink holes. This face emerged from the ground like a zombie rising from a grave. From the sky, he could see Yang Hongyin''s qi construct, in the shape of a twelve-headed fire bird, fleeing while escorting a group of cultivators running for their lives. They were tiny compared to that face, almost like fleas fleeing a normal-sized human.

    Seeing this, every strand of Liu Xing''s hair stood on end. His stomach lurched as if a boar were dancing inside. Fear surged through him like a tornado sweeping away a tiny house, and Liu Xing''s eyes and mouth opened wide, as if he couldn''t comprehend what he was seeing.

    "What the hell," Liu Xing muttered.

    A giant emerged from the ground.

 143 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (7)

    About a year and a half ago, William, who had finally adjusted to his life as Liu Xing, earnestly began to accumulate sect points. He couldn''t choose another safe and easy mission inside the sect, like running errands for elders who needed packages sent to nearby towns, sweeping the entire sect clean, or even washing mountains of dishes. No. He needed to advance, hence he needed more resources.

    Back then, Liu Xing''s life was full of running and hiding; there was no time for him to relax. It felt like the world was trying to bury its fangs into his neck and suck out all his blood, leaving him constantly tired and not thinking too much. Looking back, this period felt like being inside a prison full of beasts that could eat him alive¡ªa dark time when he was too busy surviving to truly look at the world.

    At that time, one of his bullies, Luo Ji, decided that it would be fun for Liu Xing to accept a mission to exterminate a "small" boar that was terrorizing a small village near Dawn Moon City. Since the boar was disturbing a caravan route, the task, while not high priority, landed in the Purple Moon Sect to be completed by a lowly outer disciple. Liu Xing, who was afraid of being beaten to death by his bullies, had no choice but to complete this mission alone. While he was aware that this boar was a spirit beast, he thought it was still merely a boar and fighting it is better than fighting Luo Ji and his cohorts. Still, he knew, seeing Luo Ji''s smirk as he ordered him to go, that the mission would be trouble.

    The encounter with the "little" boar was quite special because it opened his eyes a little.

    Liu Xing encountered this boar in the middle of the city, its red fur gleaming under the thunderous sky, its mouth drenched with blood as it crunched two screaming villagers. One of the things that stunned him about this boar, aside from its terrifying nature, was its sheer size, triple that of a house, with tusks as big as his body. At that time, his body had rooted to the spot, his mind trying to decipher how a boar could grow this big.

    The following battle was less of a fight and more a desperate struggle for survival, most of it a blur in his mind, although the adrenaline, fear, and anxiety of that time remained vivid to this day.

    Now, seeing this abomination, at least a kilometer in height, made Liu Xing''s eyes widen and his heart thump like the first time he saw that boar. How the hell could something this big be underground?

    This humanoid giant began to pull itself from the ground like a swimmer getting out of a pool. The ground trembled as it emerged, its body rising like a giant white tower reaching toward the heavens. Then, it pulled its two giant feet from the ground, and when its entire body was free, it began to rise, higher and higher, until even Liu Xing, standing atop his shield in the sky, needed to look up just to see it crouching, as the Royal Barrier was too low for it.

    Liu Xing''s eyes scanned the giant. Its body was covered in the pale white skin from head to toe, the color of a corpse. In the middle of its stomach, a giant yellow eye looked around with curiosity, like a child seeing the world for the first time. This giant yellow eye was similar to the ones on the arms of the snake-limb abominations¡ªin fact, it looked identical, only larger. Then, Liu Xing noticed details he''d missed before. The giant''s skin, while seemingly smooth, was dotted with many faces, each probably as big as him, though tiny compared to the giant''s size, with expressions ranging from happiness to anger. There were faces of women, men, children, and the elderly, all with myriad expressions. They almost looked like faint tattoos. One of the faces on its left shoulder, that of a woman, struck Liu Xing with realization.

    "This thing, it''s made from the snaked-limbs abominations," he muttered, eyes wide.

    That face was the one he''d attacked first, the one that had been burned and charred, the one he''d targeted but never managed to kill. Liu Xing looked properly at the empty pink eye sockets on the giant abomination''s face, realizing they were made from the pink flesh of the worms that had swarmed the former golden castle.

    With his heart thundering in his chest, a thousand questions swam in his head. Why had this thing suddenly emerged? Was it truly made from the worms and snaked-limb abominations? And most importantly, what was Wei Yi''s intention with this thing? Were the Sun Refining abomination wearing Yang clan robes and Bai Lin''s grandson already fused with it? Where was Wei Yi?

    Questions came and went like flashes of lightning on a stormy day, and Liu Xing''s mind felt overheated. Still, he tried to decide on the most important question and latch onto it.

    "What do I need to do?" Liu Xing muttered.

    This thing was like a well of qi, or even a dragon vein of the world. It felt like its body was suffused with the world''s qi, so dense was the qi emanating from it. Yet, after bathing in its presence for a moment, he realized that something was wrong. He felt like he was standing mere centimeters from a giant bonfire, which should have burned him to ash, yet he only felt a distant warmth, not even enough to redden his skin, which was impossible. How could a giant bonfire not emanate strong heat? How could this thing emit such a tremendous amount of qi and yet feel so... wrong?

    Liu Xing wanted to observe this thing more closely, to unravel the wrongness, but he shook his head and tried to focus. He still didn''t have an answer to the main question: what did he need to do right now?

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself, and found an answer.

    Thinking about this answer made his chest feel like it would burst. The hairs on his body stood on end, and his stomach churned like an ocean in a storm. Yet, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and held onto this answer. After all, there was no better one. What he needed to do hadn''t changed. He needed to kill Wei Yi, and by extension, he would kill this giant.

    Having decided what to do, the question of how remained. Killing it seemed almost impossible, but he was sure the wrongness he felt was the key. His eyes roamed over the giant''s body, searching for weaknesses. The giant eye in its torso was definitely one to target, as were its eye sockets. They looked soft; perhaps he could blow its head off with exploding bullets. Its lanky feet also seemed like a weakness. If he cut one off, it couldn''t stand, probably limiting its mobility¡ªnot that it could move comfortably, given its size and the Royal Barrier limiting it.

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    As he cataloged the giant''s weaknesses, a little confidence bloomed in his chest. He could also turn himself invisible. In previous fights, invisibility had been useless since he needed to be seen to be a target. That wasn''t the case anymore.

    "Liu Xing!" a shout made him look down. He saw Prince Yang Jinyan, Yang Suyin, and the rest of the clan members inside the twelve-headed firebird, with Yang Suyin nestled in the middle of one of the bird''s heads. They were flying toward him. "Did you see Lihuo? That bastard is suddenly gone!"

    Soon, the firebird arrived near him. It beat its wings slowly to hover in front of him, creating a gentle vortex of wind. Up close, Liu Xing realized this bird wasn''t made of normal fire but a gentle, warm one, like the morning sun. He glanced at the crown Yang Hongyin was wearing, seeing that six of its gems were now transparent. Only half of its qi remained.

    Liu Xing refocused on the prince. "What do you mean he''s suddenly gone?"

    "He just vanished! One moment he was there, the next he was gone. It reminded me of how Wei Yi, that demonic cultivator, suddenly materialized before attacking my father!" He touched his neck. "It''s also similar to when my father''s head suddenly materialized and bit my neck."

    Upon hearing Prince Yang Jinyan''s explanation, Liu Xing suddenly remembered the Twelve Sun Armor shrouded in darkness. That armor''s appearance in this conflict was so sudden. There was no way he''d thought this empire he''d accidentally visited was connected to the main mission to defeat the darkness, nor did he think this empire and this conflict had the slightest connection to Ji Dongyang''s sect. Yet, there was darkness in the golden castle, sealed away by the second emperor. At this point, Liu Xing strongly suspected that Wei Yi was using darkness to make himself invisible. Hell, perhaps the darkness that shrouded the Twelve Sun Armor was what he was after, what should have been the core of the giant meatball still floating in the air, mouth open wide, wailing a sorrowful song.

    Liu Xing stopped his train of thought and looked around. If Lihuo''s disappearance was Wei Yi''s doing using darkness, then only he could see them.

    He channeled qi to his eyes and looked around, checking each rupture in the ground, each hole and rubble pile, trying to find Lihuo and possibly Wei Yi.

    "Incoming!" Yang Suyin shouted from inside the firebird, pointing to the right.

    Liu Xing snapped his eyes over in time to see the former emperor, a forced grin on his face, ready to jump.

    "Shit!" Liu Xing cursed. This wasn''t the time to fight the second emperor. Right now, Wei Yi is more important. "We need to switch opponents! You guys fight the former emperor while I find and eliminate Lihuo and possibly Wei Yi! They''re probably hiding using similar darkness to what shrouds the Twelve Sun Armor."

    Seeing his father reduced to an abomination, Prince Yang Jinyan''s eyes trembled. A flicker of anger, then annoyance, then anger again, then calmness passed through his eyes. In the end, he nodded, his eyes steeled. "Alright. Hong''er, give me some control of this firebird. I know my father''s abilities best. The rest of you, help as much as you can. Every attack counts!"

    As he finished, the former emperor, as usual, arrived beside him. The distance had been quite far, yet he arrived in less than a second. To mortal eyes, his movement was near-instantaneous.

    Already counting the timing, Liu Xing moved to the side. The punch, shrouded in blackish light, exploded the air, and at the same time, Yang Hongyin extended her hand, making six heads of the firebird spit out six orange miniature suns that moved swiftly and hit the emperor dead on. Prince Yang Jinyan then shouted, his shout loud and bloodcurdling, as if letting out all his pent-up emotion, and the remaining six heads of the firebird opened their mouths, creating one large sun in front of them and held it, waiting for the right time to attack.

    Upon seeing this the fight that has begun between the former emperor and the Yang clan, Liu Xing turned his head, channeled more potent qi through his Lightning Cloak Technique, and moved from shield to shield like a pinball.

    He sharpened his eyes, sweeping the area like a god trying to find a hidden heretic. From time to time, his eyes flickered toward the giant and the floating, rotating meatball. The pale giant began to wail, answering the meatball''s wail, its hands moving sluggishly toward the meatball, as if trying to catch a hummingbird.

    Liu Xing''s mind was subconsciously trying to decipher what was wrong with that giant, to unravel the mystery, when his eyes finally caught something.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield in front of him and kicked it to kill his momentum. Then, as he landed on top of upturned earth, his eyes laser-focused on the back of the white giant. Behind its neck, Liu Xing saw a speck of blackness. At a glance, it looked like a mole, but after seeing it for a full second, Liu Xing was certain the blackness was fluctuating. He sharpened his eyes, trying to zoom in, and finally saw them clearly.

    The darkness, spreading like a black mist, was obstructing two people. One was a creature with exposed red muscle, and the upper half of his face was like a snail''s. His robes were torn and burned in many areas, and some of his exposed red muscles were charred black. From his position, Liu Xing could see half of Lihuo''s face, and it showed a mix of panic and frustration directed at the old man in front of him.

    The old man wore a white and black robe. His hair was white, and his back was hunched. But the most prominent thing about him was the fleshy tree growing from his hunched back. It extended about two meters into the sky, had several branches, and bore many hanging fruits that looked like tumors with faces growing on them. One of its branches was actually a person, squirming, with many pustules all over him.

    Liu Xing refocused on the old man''s face, a hundred percent sure this was Wei Yi. From Bai Lin, Liu Xing knew Wei Yi was a young and talented cultivator; from Prince Yang Jinyan, he knew Wei Yi was a formidable cultivator who looked mature; and now, he was an old man. Even an idiot would be certain that this demonic cultivator was aging at a tremendous rate.

    The old man had a smirk of disdain on his face, like a master manipulator who had just successfully executed his plan. He couldn''t hear his conversation with Lihuo since the former emperor and the twelve-headed bird were now locked in a battle that made the ground tremble each second, but it was alright.

    He finally had his target in sight, and he intended to kill him.

    Summoning his gun to his left hand again, Liu Xing willed it to become invisible, then ordered the invisibility to spread into him. A moment later, he was fully invisible, his presence so thin it was almost gone.

    Since using his shield made his presence known, he needed to fly silently, but since he didn''t know how, the best he could do was wrap the gun and his left hand in potent qi, then hurl the gun and himself toward Wei Yi and Lihuo.

    Liu Xing had a feeling that the final fight wouldn''t be as smooth as he hoped, but he would make sure that, in the end, he would win, and Wei Yi and Lihuo would become blood smears on the giant''s corpse.

 144 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (8)

    Liu Xing zoomed through the air, the wind rustling his hair. This method of flying was awkward, less like flying and more like being carried by a little bird, and the speed wasn''t great. If he''d used his shield, he would probably have arrived already, but he wouldn''t complain too much. It was a method he''d invented on the spot and was bound not to be perfect.

    As he got closer to Wei Yi and Lihuo, he realized they weren''t on equal terms. Thin but long worms extended from Wei Yi''s stomach into Lihuo''s right foot. The muscles in Lihuo''s shoulder twitched, as if he wanted to move his hand, and the muscles in his bicep also twitched, as if he were trying to jump toward Wei Yi but couldn''t.

    Wei Yi was controlling Lihuo''s body, while Lihuo was trying to break free.

    "Why?" Lihuo shouted, his face contorted with pure anger. "Why did you betray me? Aren''t we friends? Aren''t we going to conquer the world together? Why, Wei Yi, why!?" He began to scream, a guttural scream, as if Wei Yi had committed the worst betrayal in human history.

    This made Liu Xing realize that perhaps Lihuo had truly thought of Wei Yi as a friend, not merely a demonic cultivator who offered him power. Liu Xing suspected there was real history between them, though he didn''t care about Lihuo even a bit. That guy was one of the root causes of this situation and deserved to be betrayed.

    Wei Yi snorted. "What? You truly believe we''re friends? How naive. You talk as if your brother is the most naive and moronic person in the world, but the reality is, you''re more naive and moronic than him! I''m merely a manipulator who came to you in your vulnerable time and tempted you with power. A classic fairy tale. Even a dumbass would know that accepting my offer is equal to selling your soul to a vengeful spirit!"

    "Then when you consoled me, cheered me up, and even taught me cultivation," Lihuo''s snail eyes began wavering, "all of that was just acting?"

    "Of course! You think I want to be your father? No, hell no, I have a son, and this son of mine will become my greatest creation!"

    As he shouted that, the giant, reaching its hands toward the meatball, began to groan, as if answering Wei Yi.

    "If not for that meddling Purple Moon Sect disciple, he would have been perfect!" Wei Yi''s face contorted in anger, he clenched both hands, and the flesh tree growing from his hunchback began squirming, as if its roots were disturbed by a mole.

    "I had to rush the job! The lad with the Sun Serpent bloodline is actually rejecting and trying to break free from my control, and that meddling Purple Moon disciple forced me to cut so many corners since the main core would be destroyed if I did nothing. I even had to sacrifice my own cultivation to bring him to life. It''s a miracle my son even successfully formed without a core! He should have had at least seven cores, a thousand minds, a thousand faces, and a thousand bloodlines when he opened his eyes. Yet, he is reduced to a being with not even a single core and dormant bloodlines!" He inhaled deeply, trying to rein in his emotions, and flashed a small, refreshing smile. "Still, I''m Wei Yi, master of improvisation. While it''s frustrating, the fact that I have successfully awakened my son is a win. I only need three more ingredients to make him at least less imperfect, and you," he pointed at Lihuo. "You''re merely one of the ingredients!"

    Upon hearing that, Lihuo''s expression flickered from anger to sadness to anger again in quick succession. "You, you, how dare you betray me?! How dare you make me your enemy! Wei Yi, I vow I will kill you in the most painful way possible!"

    "You can try if you want," Wei Yi laughed, then he swung his right hand, and the worm extending from his stomach to Lihuo''s right foot began squirming. "A mere ant doesn''t deserve to talk to me or even threaten me!"

    The worm connecting them grew larger and larger, like a long balloon being filled with air.

    "Wei Yi, you bastard!" Lihuo tried to break free, his muscles twitching like crazy, yet even he, a Sun Refining abomination who could hold Yang Hongyin and the rest of his clan alone, was powerless in front of Wei Yi.

    When Liu Xing assessed Wei Yi''s qi, he discovered that he wasn''t actually at the peak of the Sun Refining realm at all. Instead, he had regressed to the Core Splitting realm. Still, while his qi felt closer to Liu Xing''s than to the former emperor''s or Lihuo''s, he somehow seemed capable of suppressing Lihuo, who was stronger than him.

    Wei Yi cackled madly. "Soon, you will be perfected, my son! Grab the main core! Be whole again!"

    Liu Xing gripped his stone blade and licked his lips, his chest beating like a war drum. Their conversation was full of information, and Liu Liu Xing needed time to digest it all, but one thing struck his mind like an arrow.

    He snapped his head toward the giant, which, from this position, could be seen holding the meatball so gently, as if it were a wounded bird it wanted to heal. He finally realized the wrongness he''d sensed from the giant: it was merely at the Lock Opening realm.

    This realization was crazy and would sound dumb if he uttered it aloud. How could a being so big, brimming with qi, still be at the Lock Opening realm? Yet, the wrongness he felt, and Wei Yi''s words, made Liu Xing strongly believe his conclusion.

    That "son" of Wei Yi was a being made from thousands of snake-limb and worm abominations, which had eaten many people with bloodlines. A being like that, if perfect, would be utterly terrifying, but the wrongness it exuded was a sign that it was still imperfect, still a being that was just taking its first steps in cultivation. Yet, this condition wouldn''t last forever. That giant meatball was the main core, and Liu Xing suspected that once the giant absorbed it, it would break through straight to the Core Splitting realm. This possibility was terrifying, and it would make his chances of winning and killing this thing plummet to zero.

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    The worm extending from his gut was now swallowing Lihuo whole, bulging like an anaconda that had swallowed a cow, with only Lihuo''s head remaining. Lihuo''s snail eyes squirted yellow liquid, and his expression was a mix of sadness, anger, and betrayal, grimacing and crying like a father killed by his favorite son, while Wei Yi laughed madly as if he had already won.

    Liu Xing gripped his stone blade tightly, the distance between him and Wei Yi shrinking. Ten meters, nine meters, eight meters. The speed wasn''t ideal, but he would soon arrive. His heart beat faster, anxiety spiking. He had a golden chance to kill Wei Yi in a single strike. With his invisibility, his thin presence, and the fact that Wei Yi wasn''t yet a Sun Refining cultivator, he should be able to cut him with his stone blade. Even then, he imagined it would still be hard to kill the pale white giant, but at least there would be no mastermind controlling it.

    When Liu Xing was only about four meters from Wei Yi, he plunged into the black mist surrounding Wei Yi and Lihuo and let go of the potent qi that was dragging his gun and him. His momentum was still alive, and Liu Xing was thrown toward Wei Yi as he slashed the stone blade. The slash was simple, intended to hit Wei Yi''s back first, sever his backbone, and come out from his stomach. There was no fancy blade technique, and while there was a little qi in his stone blade, it didn''t glow purple. Still, Liu Xing had no doubt the stone blade would cut Wei Yi like a sharp knife slicing tofu.

    Adrenaline spiked in his body, and the nervousness and anxiety made him cycle his qi faster, making the world a little slower than normal. He could see with certainty that Wei Yi hadn''t realized he was there, still laughing at Lihuo, unaware that his death was approaching. But when his blade was only a moment from hitting Wei Yi''s back, the flesh tree growing from his hunchback suddenly moved. The branch made from a person covered by a thousand pustules moved to the side, and the momentum made Wei Yi fall slightly to the side, like a tree whose root was uprooted by a strong wind. Liu Xing''s blade only grazed Wei Yi''s back.

    Seeing his blade miss the target, Liu Xing''s eyes widened and he instinctively tried to adjust the trajectory of his blade in a desperate attempt to correct his strike. But instead of cutting Wei Yi in two, he only cut off the hand of the branch-person who had saved Wei Yi at the last second, making it fly into the air. With his heart still beating fast, Liu Xing saw that Wei Yi had stopped his laughter and snapped his head toward him.

    Liu Xing gritted his teeth, wondering how to attack next, when the branch-person flailed his one remaining arm, his yellow serpentine eyes looking around anxiously, as if searching for the thing that had tried to harm his master. But a moment later, after Liu Xing clearly saw the face full of pustules, his body stiffened.

    He stood near Wei Yi, his eyes wide open, his heartbeat so fast it felt like his heart was frantically pumping blood to his brain, trying to process what he was seeing, trying to make his body move and not freeze in horror. But the shock was too great.

    That was Elder Yang Zhaoyan!

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan, once strong and dignified, was now fused with the flesh tree. His face gaunt under the pustules. His eyes are yellow and anxious. Liu Xing realized that Elder Yang Zhaoyan wasn''t looking for him to protect Wei Yi; no, the shine in his eyes told a different story.

    "Kill me," he whispered, "kill me, kill me, kill me!"

    He looked around, trying to find him, trying to reach the sweet embrace of death, but even when his face was right in front of the former Elder Yang Zhaoyan, he couldn''t see him. Liu Xing was still invisible, which made him wonder for a moment how the heck he''d been detected and how Wei Yi had evaded.

    Still, he dismissed this question and gritted his teeth, anxiety replaced by anger. His eyes snapped toward Wei Yi, who was looking around with narrowed eyes, trying to find him. This guy was a menace; too many lives had been lost because of him, and Liu Xing vowed that only one of them would live to see another day.

    Steeling his heart, Liu Xing crouched, his left hand gripping the black gun so tightly his palm turned pale white. He pointed the stone blade in his right hand toward Wei Yi, activated the Lightning Cloak Technique, filled his gun with Lightning Palm bullets, and pulled the trigger six times.

    Six lightning bullets flew toward Wei Yi, who, while he snapped his head toward the bullets, didn''t have time to dodge. The bullets hit him dead in the chest. Electricity exploded from the point of impact, and thick ropes of lightning tied and paralyzed him. He screamed, and Liu Xing jumped as hard as he could, rushing through the air until the black swirling mist in front of him parted, making way for him.

    "Who dares to attack me?!" Wei Yi shouted as he tried to bring his two palms together. But before they could meet, Liu Xing appeared in front of him, his blade slashing horizontally with the intention of decapitating Wei Yi.

    Liu Xing saw the former Elder Yang Zhaoyan move, both of his palms swirling with black fire, and before his stone blade could cut Wei Yi''s neck, a thick plate that looked like solidified air materialized right in front of his blade, protecting Wei Yi''s neck.

    When his stone blade hit the plate, a loud "ping" was heard, and for a moment, his blade stopped, before it cut through this little barrier. But this small window of time gave Wei Yi a chance to react, and he ducked under the blade, only the tips of his white hair getting cut. But while Wei Yi ducked, the tree growing from his hunchback was in the blade''s path, and no amount of ducking could save it. So, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and swung the blade as hard as he could. It bit into the base of the flesh tree. The tree was hard, but not hard enough. In less than a second, the tree was severed. The tree''s stump burst with a geyser of blood, while the flesh tree, along with Elder Yang Zhaoyan, fell.

    Liu Xing saw Elder Yang Zhaoyan flash a small smile, as if he were happy to die. Seeing his expression, Liu Xing''s anger toward Wei Yi bubbled up, and he changed the blade''s trajectory, bringing it down toward Wei Yi.

    Wei Yi''s palms finally met, and he was suddenly encased in a box made from a blue barrier. When Liu Xing''s stone blade hit the barrier, a spark flashed, and the barrier held for a moment before cracking and bursting into a thousand points of light.

    Wei Yi rolled to the side, the stump on his back still bursting with blood. "Who? How can you see me? And how come I cannot see you?!"

    Liu Xing answered by charging his stone blade with qi, making it glow purple, and sending a crescent of purple qi toward Wei Yi''s face. Without stopping, Liu Xing also sent six Exploding Fist bullets and kicked the ground, flying toward him.

    "Wei Yi!" Liu Xing shouted, anger lacing his voice. "Prepare to die!"

 145 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (9)

    "Wei Yi!" Liu Xing shouted, anger lacing his voice. "Prepare to die!"

    His crescent purple qi flew forward like a giant swallow. When Wei Yi saw it, his eyes widened, and he jumped to the side, right into the path of three of Liu Xing''s bullets. The bullets hit Wei Yi''s side, blooming into three explosions. One accidentally hit the worm connected to his stomach, severing it. The remaining explosions threw Wei Yi several meters away.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield and accelerated, the wind parting around him. He could see Wei Yi groaning in pain, three holes dotting his black and white robes.

    Wei Yi''s eyes darted left and right, trying to determine Liu Xing''s position. But before he could, Liu Xing arrived right in front of him. He rotated his body and swung his almost three-meter-long stone down, aiming to slash him diagonally. Wei Yi, as if anticipating the attack, rolled to the side, successfully dodging the potentially fatal blow. However, the attack still grazed him, but instead of his torso, the blade sliced through his leg, severing it below the knee. The stone blade then buried itself deep into the ground¡ªor rather, the skin of the white giant, which was surprisingly hard and didn''t feel like flesh at all.

    "Where are you, you coward?!" Wei Yi roared. Black mist swirled around him, and Liu Xing noticed Wei Yi becoming more transparent. Disgusting, rotten flesh began to grow from his severed left knee, forming a makeshift peg leg covered in several eyes, each looking around as if dissecting the world.

    Liu Xing jumped to the side, this time using minimal power to glide. He arrived behind Wei Yi, who was still scanning his surroundings.

    Liu Xing raised his left hand, aiming his gun. He took a step toward Wei Yi, and when Wei Yi didn''t look back, he took more steps. He wanted to be as close as possible. This Wei Yi, despite looking like an old man, was fast. His ability to dodge Liu Xing''s attack proved his superb reaction time, which is understandable, since he is a former Sun Refining realm that has regressed back to Core Splitting realm.

    He intended to attack from close range, because while his gun and body were invisible, the bullets were not. Also, while he could remotely control his gun, he would lose his invisibility if he let go. An invisible, remotely controlled gun had its uses, but this time, it was more beneficial for Liu Xing to hold it.

    Liu Xing took more steps, closing the distance. Moments later, he was right behind Wei Yi, his gun aimed at the back of his head, covered by white hair streaked with red. The stump of the flesh tree on his hunched back still trickled blood.

    Wei Yi''s head swiveled left and right. When he looked to the side, Liu Xing saw his profile. Wei Yi''s eyes were trembling, and large beads of sweat dotted his forehead. Liu Xing had thought he might try to escape, but it seemed the still-squirming Lihuo inside the worm''s belly was too precious to leave behind.

    Liu Xing''s heart beat fast but steady. He couldn''t mess this up. It was a golden opportunity he couldn''t afford to waste. For a moment, there was no movement besides the wriggling Lihuo. The wind blew Liu Xing''s invisible hair, and he held his gun steady. Then, when Liu Xing deemed the moment right, he pulled the trigger.

    A soft click, and a blue bullet shot from his gun toward Wei Yi''s head. Wei Yi turned and snapped his head back, but it was too late. The Lightning Palm bullet hit the center of his forehead. His eyes widened as the bullet exploded into thick ropes of electricity, surrounding and paralyzing him.

    At this moment, Liu Xing threw his gun into the air and gripped the stone blade with both hands, charging it with potent qi.

    "Y-you!" Wei Yi stammered.

    Liu Xing stared daggers at him. "Yes, me."

    The purple blade shone, growing heavier with each passing second. Liu Xing was sure his normal stone blade could cut Wei Yi, but he wouldn''t take any chances. He would ensure Wei Yi''s death. He would use an overpowered attack for a guaranteed kill.

    "Die!" Liu Xing swung his stone blade. The blade cut through the air toward Wei Yi''s neck. In a blink of eyes, it arrived, the purple glow illuminating Wei Yi''s wrinkled neck before slicing through with almost no resistance. A moment later, the blade emerged from the other side, severing Wei Yi''s neck completely and sent his head flying. The severed head''s eyes were wide, as if in disbelief at his easy defeat. Then the stone blade released a ten-meter-long crescent of purple qi that shot toward the giant''s neck, which, up close, looked like a small hill. The crescent qi struck, shining so brightly it illuminated the world in purple before fading. The giant groaned, as if the attack, not even as high as its pinky, had hurt it.

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    Liu Xing''s eyes followed Wei Yi''s head as it arched high into the sky, his expression frozen in surprise. A strong gust of wind blew it far away, like a ball thrown from a high building. Seeing the head fly off, Liu Xing inhaled deeply while catching the gun he''d tossed into the air. He then snapped his head toward Wei Yi''s headless body, noticing a finger still twitching on one of his hands.

    "Is it over?" Liu Xing muttered.

    It felt anticlimactic. In his mind, Wei Yi was a boogeyman he''d have to fight to the death. He''d transformed thousands into abominations, subdued a peak Sun Refining realm emperor, and created a giant over a kilometer tall. Common sense dictated Wei Yi should be harder to kill. Still, after a full second of waiting and nothing happening, Liu Xing thought perhaps it was his good fortune. As anticlimactic as it felt, he''d rather have an easy kill than one that left him half-dead. He regretted not using his gun, but he couldn''t complain. He''d rather kill Wei Yi instantly with his blade than slowly with his gun.

    "Alright, I think it''s time to deal with this giant." The giant held the meatball in its hands, slowly bringing it closer to its face.

    As Liu Xing turned his attention to Lihuo, still struggling inside the worm, he heard a sizzling sound. He snapped his eyes to its source: Wei Yi''s headless body. Red blood bubbled from the severed neck like boiling water, and red mist swirled around it.

    Liu Xing''s heart beat faster again. Of course this guy can regenerate!

    Not wasting any time, Liu Xing filled his gun with Lightning Palm bullets and pulled the trigger six times. The bullets flew, but the headless body reacted, jumping to the side before they could all connect. It was a fraction too slow, however, and one of the bullets struck its eye-covered foot. When the bullet exploded, thick ropes of electricity crackled around the body, paralyzing it in mid-air. It was about to land in an awkward position, but Liu Xing wouldn''t allow it to touch the ground. He needed to obliterate this body as soon as possible!

    He kicked the ground and arrived above the headless body, swinging his stone blade to split it in two. Before it landed, he slashed ten more times, cutting it into small, blood-drenched cubes. Not taking any chances, he aimed his gun downward, filled it with Exploding Fist bullets, and fired. The bullets hit the meat cubes, blooming into six explosions, destroying most and scattering the rest.

    Landing near the center of the explosion, he quickly glanced at his gun. The absence of glowing green stripes confirmed that Wei Yi wasn''t dead yet. He scans his surroundings for any regenerating parts. In a single sweep of his gaze, he spotted charred flesh sprouting feet, wings, or even fins. Some pieces were merging together, slithering along the ground like grotesque snakes. Each of these regenerating fragments bore a miniature Wei Yi head¡ªsome with the faces of children, others with the faces of adults, and others with his aged, snarling face.

    Liu Xing aimed and shot each one, firing more than ten times in under a second, destroying the fleeing pieces. Each time, he glanced at his gun, but the stripes never glowed.

    "Shit," he muttered.

    Each time he hit a Wei Yi, most of it was destroyed, but small parts scattered and regrowing organs to move. Now, there was even a Wei Yi smaller than a thumb, fleeing on two chopstick-like limbs. He had a feeling this would continue endlessly, until there were ant-sized Wei Yis.

    As he fired Exploding Fist bullets around, he realized he needed to either kill all of Wei Yi''s parts in one large attack or find a specific part to destroy. Probably a combination of both. He suspected the most crucial part was Wei Yi''s head, which had flown somewhere below.

    "Think," he muttered.

    He realized Wei Yi was using tricks and hiding his true intention. He knew he couldn''t beat Liu Xing, so he wasn''t attacking directly, probably trying to waste his time.

    The white giant was opening its mouth, trying to swallow the main core. He needed to stop it, and that gave him an idea. Wei Yi had said there were three ingredients to make the giant perfect. The meatball was one, he didn''t know the second, but the third was Lihuo.

    Glancing at Lihuo, still twitching inside the worm, he knew the perfect lure.

    Turning, he aimed his blade at the worm instead of the scattered Wei Yis.

    "Wei Yi, since I can''t kill you right now, I''ll stop your plan by killing your precious ingredient!" He charged his stone blade with qi, intentionally using a flashy attack to draw Wei Yi out. After three seconds, he sent a crescent of purple qi toward the worm and Lihuo. He didn''t know if it would work, but even if Wei Yi didn''t appear, he would at least kill Lihuo. That meant reducing the enemy''s numbers and preventing the giant from becoming perfect. It was a win-win. The only downside was that he wouldn''t get qi from killing Lihuo with his stone blade.

    As the crescent of qi approached the worm, the small Wei Yis froze. Then, they swarmed the felled flesh tree, where Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s body was being absorbed as a branch and covered in pustules. They blanketed the tree, the tumorous fruits, and the former Elder like a cloud of swirling dust, making the tree stand once more. Seeing this, Liu Xing realized that Wei Yi was attempting something, and without hesitation, he leaped toward the rising flesh tree.

    He reached the tree and saw a fruit glowing red, a snarl forming within it. It was Wei Yi''s face, but with only one eye; the other was replaced by a red gem. As Liu Xing swung his blade, the face snarled.

 146 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (10)

    "Bastard!" The tumor fruit snarled at him, and three things happened simultaneously. First, Liu Xing''s stone blade sliced through the fruit and split it in two. Second, the former Elder Yang Zhaoyan swung both of his hands to the side like a dancer. Third, a blue barrier suddenly materialized beside the worm and Lihuo and pushed them out of the way of his crescent purple qi.

    Ignoring the fact that he missed his attack on Lihuo, Liu Xing cranked up the Lightning Cloak Technique and slashed at the tumor fruits from the flesh tree, thinking that Wei Yi would definitely emerge from another fruit. In less than a second, Liu Xing sliced all the fruits in half, then cut all the branches of the flesh tree, until what remained was a stunted tree with a single thick branch where Elder Yang Zhaoyan was merged. He suspected if Wei Yi emerged again, he would be controlling Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s body.

    Gritting his teeth, Liu Xing jumped into the air and aimed his gun downward. He''d learned from the previous attack that cutting Wei Yi wasn''t working, so he needed a bigger attack. His plan was to hit it first with Lightning Palm bullets, then strike it with his Thunderstrike gauntlets to pulverize it to dust.

    As Liu Xing thought this, a black blur suddenly moved in his peripheral vision. He snapped his eyes to it and saw a head with bat wings flapping crazily behind it. It was Wei Yi''s head, complete with a snarling expression, desperately flying toward the worm and Lihuo. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s heart beat faster. Was his calculation wrong? Had Wei Yi abandoned the flesh tree and decided to move using his head only?

    Looking down, he saw that the tree and the former Elder Yang Zhaoyan began bubbling, as if their bodies were made not of exposed flesh, but boiling water. Upon seeing this, Liu Xing knew his calculation was partially correct. Wei Yi would use this flesh tree, but instead of controlling it directly, he would control it remotely. It would regenerate again and again, buying time for the head to grab the worm and Lihuo and carry them off.

    Deciding that killing the flesh tree wasn''t the optimal decision, Liu Xing summoned his shield in the air, rotated his body, and kicked it. His instinct told him to intercept the head flying toward Lihuo instead of dealing with Elder Yang Zhaoyan, and he trusted his instinct.

    In less than a moment, Liu Xing arrived right in front of the head. Wei Yi''s eyes widened in surprise, but without missing a beat, it dove down, trying to maneuver around him. Liu Xing aimed his gun down and pulled the trigger. A blue bolt shot Wei Yi''s head right in the forehead, making the head hit the ground hard, ropes of electricity binding it. Seeing the head paralyzed, Liu Xing sent potent qi to his left gauntlet, tossed the gun up, materialized a ball of lightning the size of an egg, and aimed it downward toward the downed Wei Yi''s head.

    But before Liu Xing could send a lightning strike to pulverize the head, the flesh tree, still bubbling, suddenly moved. One moment it was standing several meters away, the next it was right beside Liu Xing. Elder Yang Zhaoyan, still with an empty expression, swung both hands at him. Seeing this, Liu Xing gritted his teeth, sent some stable qi to his side, but didn''t dodge. Instead, he sent a palm strike downward.

    Right when Elder Yang Zhaoyan hit him, his bones rattled, his body lurched, and a mouthful of blood jumped from his mouth, he successfully launched his attack toward Wei Yi''s head. The pillar of lightning descended, but because of the elder''s attack, it was slightly off. Instead of hitting the head dead center, what happened was a pillar of lightning qi the size of a thigh hit only the left side of Wei Yi. Wei Yi screamed, and Elder Yang Zhaoyan swung his hand again, this time with a much stronger swing, strong enough to throw him aside.

    Seeing this attack in his peripheral vision, Liu Xing kicked the ground and jumped into the air, catching his gun as he did so, and looking down.

    Wei Yi''s head''s left side was now dust; he looked like a crescent moon, and the remaining eye glaring hatefully at him.

    "Bastard!" the half-head shouted. "Attack!"

    With his shout, the flesh tree stopped bubbling, and hands began to emerge from every centimeter of its body, growing longer and longer, like branches growing rapidly. Two large, muscled feet emerged from the bottom, contrasting with the lanky hands around it. Then, with a powerful kick, the flesh tree flew toward him. Each of the hands began glowing black, and Liu Xing knew he was going to deploy some kind of barrier.

    "Elder Yang Zhaoyan, if you can hear me, please step aside!" Liu Xing shouted.

    The elder shot toward him like a rocket, and instead of answering, the hands growing from the tree began swinging.

    "Shit!"

    Liu Xing aimed his left hand, filled it with Exploding Fist bullets, and pulled the trigger six times. Six blue bolts flew downward like six lightning bolts trying to hit a single tree. Several of Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s hands stopped moving, and three-layer barriers materialized in front of the abomination. When the six bullets hit, the explosion destroyed all three layers, but from the billowing smoke, Elder Yang Zhaoyan arrived.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield, maneuvering around like a lightning pinball, his eyes locked on Wei Yi''s head. He had reached the worm and Lihuo and was carrying them away in his teeth.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Liu Xing clenched the handle of his stone blade tightly. This fight couldn''t go on like this forever. Wei Yi had many tricks to stall for time. He could split his body and control Elder Yang Zhaoyan at the same time.

    Once again, Liu Xing had to do two things at once. He had to deal with Elder Yang Zhaoyan as well as attack Wei Yi. This situation was frustrating. Why did something always get in his way every time he needed to act?

    "Focus!" Liu Xing shouted.

    His mind could not wander. He had to find a way to fight two battles at the same time, and an idea came to him. He can control his gun to attack Wei Yi while fending off Elder Yang Zhaoyan. This idea wasn''t perfect, and it actually gave away his invisibility, but at least he could simulate fighting two opponents at the same time. But this realization also gave him another idea.

    Liu Xing''s heart beat faster. He would use both ideas. Rather, these two ideas complemented each other.

    "Yang Suyin!" Liu Xing laced his voice with qi and shouted as loud as possible. The shout rippled the air around him, as if he were at the center of a lake where a large stone had fallen. "Help me fight this bastard!"

    The second idea was simple: since he couldn''t fight two battles at the same time, why not ask for help? After all, he wasn''t fighting alone.

    Liu Xing glanced at the fire bird that Xia Hongyin had conjured; it was still controlled by Yang Hongyin and Prince Yang Jinyan and was still exchanging attacks with the former emperor. But he could clearly see Yang Suyin turn his head toward him. Their positions weren''t too far apart. Liu Xing was closer to the left shoulder of the pale white giant, while the fire bird was fighting near its left ear. In a moment, he saw Yang Suyin''s eyes calculating the situation, and he nodded and turned into a yellow light, streaking toward him.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing grinned. Now for the first idea.

    Liu Xing encased the gun in potent qi and threw it toward Wei Yi, who was flying desperately while carrying Lihuo with his teeth, as if the worm were a sack. He controlled the gun with his intent, filled it with Lightning Palm bullets, and began shooting at Wei Yi. Seeing blue bolts coming at him, Wei Yi maneuvered to the left, dodging the attack, right toward Yang Suyin, who transformed from yellow light back into a human and swung his sword at the head.

    Wei Yi maneuvered again, dodging Yang Suyin''s sword, and Liu Xing shot him again, which he dodged again. It was a bit frustrating, but it was all right. The tide of the battle was changing. Wei Yi''s head was probably weak, but still stronger than Yang Suyin. Liu Xing believed Yang Suyin alone couldn''t defeat it, but that was where his gun came in. While the gun still needed to be in his peripheral vision to be controlled, at least now he could fight two enemies at the same time.

    Grinning fiercely, Liu Xing held the handle of the stone blade with both hands. He was still ricocheting around Elder Yang Zhaoyan like a pinball, and when he was right behind him, Liu Xing kicked his shield and shot toward him.

    He needed to end this fight fast, and to do that, he didn''t need to kill the elder. He just needed to throw him far away for a moment, so he could gang up on Wei Yi''s head.

    Liu Xing swung his blade toward the back of his opponent. Elder Yang Zhaoyan tried to turn his new body, and while he was late, almost all the hands jutting out from his back were swinging, creating several layers of barriers. When his stone blade hit the barrier, it tore through them like a bat through a mirror, creating a cacophony of glass breaking, before successfully cutting a dozen hands.

    Liu Xing jumped to the side, summoned a shield to make him fly right above his enemy, then summoned his shield again to come down while swinging his blade, intending to split the elder in two. This time, the elder or the hands didn''t have time to react, and his blade cut several dozen hands before cutting right into the top of the flesh tree. As he shouted, the blade sliced into the flesh tree, cutting deep like an axe into a tree trunk. He saw Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s hands swing at him, and before the blade could reach halfway, Liu Xing drew his sword back and jumped aside.

    As he landed on the white ground with a face pattern, he saw a box made from red light materialize right where he had been, and inside the box was a black liquid that looked like it could corrode everything in this world.

    "All right, I think I get the idea."

    Liu Xing glanced at Wei Yi''s head, which was flying and zigzagging, dodging Yang Suyin, who was zipping around in streaks of light, and his gun.

    "It seems this flesh tree is similar to my gun."

    Similar in the sense that it was controlled remotely. Without direct orders, its movements were predictable, and this gave Liu Xing an idea on how to control his gun, like planting some kind of basic directive on how to move.

    "At least this predictability gives me an edge."

    Licking his lips, Liu Xing jumped toward the elder and swung his blade. He cut some hands; the elder tried to lock him inside a barrier, but before it could materialize, Liu Xing zipped to the other side and resumed his attacks. With this movement, Liu Xing repeatedly landed hits on the flesh tree. The hands could each materialize a barrier, but their power was weak, and unless stacked, his stone blade could cut through them easily.

    From here, Liu Xing began trimming the hands, until, several moments later, only a handful remained.

    Liu Xing was now face to face with Elder Yang Zhaoyan. His eyes were still empty, and seeing this, Liu Xing gritted his teeth while holding the stone blade, which he filled with qi until it shone brilliantly purple.

    "Eat this!" Liu Xing shouted, swinging the blade, sending a crescent purple qi toward Elder Yang Zhaoyan.

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s hands moved, and a dozen colorful barriers materialized. When the crescent purple qi hit the barrier, some broke into tiny fragments, while most held up. Still, the sheer power of the attack dragged the barriers and the flesh tree back, and a moment later, all the barriers broke and successfully threw the flesh tree into the air. Liu Xing saw his attack bite into the flesh tree, but before he could see if it was split in two, he turned.

    He ordered his gun to fire at Wei Yi, who desperately dodged, and saw a streak of yellow light coming at this flying head. In a flash of an idea, Liu Xing summoned his shield, but not under his feet, but in front of Wei Yi''s path.

    As the shield with the glowing green gem materialized, Wei Yi''s eyes widened and he crashed into it, coming to a halt. Yang Suyin transformed back into a human, and with a single swing of his blade, he split Wei Yi''s head in two. The worm carrying Lihuo fell out of his mouth, and Wei Yi''s split head fell like two leaves.

 147 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (11)

    "Don''t stop!" Liu Xing shouted at Yang Suyin. "He can regenerate!"

    Hearing Liu Xing''s shout, Yang Suyin nodded, stretched both palms toward the two split parts of Wei Yi''s head, and created a fireball that glowed yellow like a miniature sun. Yang Suyin pushed both palms forward, and the miniature sun flew straight toward its intended target, creating a whistling sound reminiscent of a boiling kettle.

    Both of Wei Yi''s eyes in the separated parts of his split head, locked onto the miniature sun. Then, the blood gushing from the wounds Yang Suyin had inflicted boiled. In a fraction of a second, a pair of feet grew from the wounds, and they kicked each other, knocking the head parts to the side to dodge the miniature sun. Their movement was a bit late, since the left side of Wei Yi''s head, the one where Liu Xing had already been wounded with a lightning pillar, was still in the path of Yang Suyin''s attack. When the miniature sun grazed its foot, it exploded, and Wei Yi''s left head screamed in agony, burning into dust.

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing''s heartbeat quickened, and a ferocious smile bloomed on his face. This was it. With Yang Suyin''s help, he could win!

    Liu Xing''s eyes snapped toward the other part of Wei Yi''s head. Seeing that the right side was still intact, Liu Xing flared his Lightning Cloak Technique, flooded both feet with stable qi, and kicked the skin of the pale white giant as hard as possible. He moved like a streak of lightning, and in less than a second, he arrived right in front of the right side of Wei Yi.

    "You bas¡ª"

    Since Liu Xing couldn''t slash it, he extended his left arm toward Wei Yi. But before he could pull the trigger of his gun, the tip of it hit Wei Yi''s cheek, and his face scrunched up as if punched before he was sent flying through the air like a missile. Not letting Wei Yi go, Liu Xing summoned his shield right in the path of Wei Yi''s trajectory. The half-face of Wei Yi hit his shield, making a loud sound like a gong, and Wei Yi bounced back toward him.

    Seeing Wei Yi coming at him, Liu Xing tossed his gun up. With his left hand free, he caught Wei Yi''s face in his grip and squeezed it as if trying to make juice. His intention was to make a ball of flesh and bone, causing Wei Yi to scream in agonizing pain, but the skull was too strong, and he couldn''t crush it into a meatball.

    Thinking fast, Liu Xing tried to decide which attack would kill Wei Yi the cleanest while cycling the qi in his body to the most familiar technique he had, which his gun absorbed, then he reabsorbed back into his body to activate. Instantly, his left hand was encased by brilliant blue electricity, which shocked and scorched Wei Yi''s half-face, making him scream even louder.

    Gravity began to claim him, and as he decided what kind of attack to unleash next, he rotated his body in the air and threw the object in his hand toward the pale white giant. Wei Yi''s remaining head flew through the air almost like a bullet, hitting the giant''s tough skin so hard it bounced back toward him, with Wei Yi''s face and the foot that had grown on the side of its head charred black from his Lightning Palm Technique. Liu Xing then channeled his potent qi into his left gauntlet, creating a lightning ball the size of a basketball, and unleashed a palm strike toward it.

    Instantly, a brilliant white lightning pillar extended from the ball of lightning, shooting toward its intended target. Liu Xing had no doubt that this attack would turn Wei Yi''s remaining head into dust. While it was a shame he couldn''t use his gun, it was the best option he had. He didn''t want to use Exploding Fist bullets because they would just scatter Wei Yi''s remaining head, allowing it to move around and regenerate. Though this win wouldn''t kill Wei Yi entirely¡ªthere was still the Wei Yi that controlled the flesh tree that had absorbed Elder Yang Zhaoyang¡ªhe believed that this head had significance, and destroying it was probably a huge step toward successfully eradicating Wei Yi''s existence from the world.

    But, before his pillar of lightning could swallow the remainder of Wei Yi''s head, the head suddenly exploded into a mist of red blood. Seeing this, Liu Xing''s eyes widened. That wasn''t because of his attack. It''s exploded on its own!

    The only explanation was that Wei Yi had exploded his head himself, which was a mad yet clever thing to do. If he had been hit by Liu Xing''s lightning pillar, Wei Yi would have been reduced to ash, but by exploding himself, even though he was turned into a mist that felt as weak as a Lock Opening cultivator, he could probably regenerate from that state.

    Liu Xing''s lightning pillar hit the tough skin of the pale white giant. He glanced for a moment, trying to see the giant''s reaction. When he saw no strong reaction, he nodded and began to sense the red mist that was spreading around. Its movement was slow, but he couldn''t underestimate it.

    Luckily, he had experience fighting mist. For a moment, Liu Xing thought to encase himself with the current of electricity from his Lightning Palm Technique, but then he had a better idea.

    "Yang Suyin, we need to vaporize this blood mist!" he shouted.

    While his lightning technique could burn the red mist, it wasn''t efficient. Yang Suyin probably had a better technique to deal with it.

    Yang Suyin materialized from a yellow light beside him, floating in the air like a feather, as if gravity had no hold on him. Yang Suyin looked around at the red mist, extended both hands, and sent out a torrent of fire.

    The current became stronger each second, until the fire shooting from his palms looked like a column of a yellow pillar. He moved this yellow pillar around, carving through the red mist in front of him, burning it into nothingness.

    Summoning a shield below him, Liu Xing sharpened his eyes and senses, observing the red mist. As Yang Suyin carved through the blood mist, he could hear faint screams, as if the mist were made from a hundred vengeful spirits. He prepared for a sudden attack or for some of the mist to try to escape, but several moments later, there was no red mist remaining in the air, and Yang Suyin ceased his attack.

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    "Is it over?" Yang Suyin asked.

    Liu Xing licked his lips. His heartbeat was still fast. Anxiety churned in his stomach, and his gut feeling told him that no, this wasn''t over. He sharpened his eyes and qi sense, trying to find a single speck of blood that had successfully dodged the onslaught of Yang Suyin''s attack.

    Several moments passed, and his qi sense finally found something.

    There, several dozen meters from their position, was a speck of blood as big as a flea. It floated slowly toward the pale white giant, and it was actually transparent and probably shrouded by some darkness.

    Seeing that speck of blood, Liu Xing instantly flared his Lightning Cloak Technique and jumped toward it as fast as possible. As he moved through the air, creating a whistling sound, the speck of blood suddenly accelerated, like prey realizing it was no longer hidden, and it bolted toward the skin of the pale white giant.

    As Liu Xing shot through the air, he gritted his teeth and summoned his shield to accelerate faster. He couldn''t let this single speck of blood escape. Wei Yi was a resourceful opponent. Who knew what he would do next if he successfully escaped, so he needed to make sure to kill this single speck of blood.

    Liu Xing moved faster and faster, the world becoming blurry, and he extended his left hand, shooting an Exploding Fist bullet. The bullet shot even faster than him, parting the air forcefully, and a moment later, it hit the skin of the pale white giant and exploded into a modest explosion. Liu Xing landed beside the explosion, his eyes locked onto the center of the explosion while gritting his teeth.

    "Did you succeed?" Yang Suyin asked, floating toward him.

    "No," Liu Xing said simply.

    Right before the bullet hit its intended target, the speck of blood had successfully burrowed into the skin of the pale white giant. And while he hoped that the explosion was enough to vaporize it, the reality was that Wei Yi had probably survived.

    Liu Xing clenched both hands. His anxiety raged wildly in his stomach, trying to drown his senses, but he took a deep breath and reined in his emotions, trying to think clearly and logically. While it was frustrating that Wei Yi had escaped, and he really wished he could turn back time so he could have accelerated a bit faster, there was no use thinking about what had already passed. He needed to focus on the future and need to think about this situation logically and determine the best possible course he could take.

    Thinking about it, Liu Xing realized that the initial situation hadn''t actually changed much. Wei Yi was still trying to make his "son" perfect, and to do that, the pale white giant needed to absorb the main core, absorb Lihuo, and one other mysterious ingredient. So, his course of action actually didn''t need to change either. Wei Yi was still the main target, and to lure him out, Liu Xing needed to attack something that couldn''t be ignored by Wei Yi, which was still Lihuo.

    Nodding, Liu Xing cycled his qi once again, reactivating the Lightning Cloak Technique, and jumped from his position.

    "Follow me," Liu Xing said, passing Yang Suyin, who followed right behind him.

    "What are we going to do now?" Yang Suyin asked. Liu Xing was sure Yang Suyin had a thousand questions swimming inside his head, but instead of asking things that would only fill his curiosity, he asked the most important question.

    As they glided through the air, Liu Xing pointed down, right toward the worm that encased Lihuo, who had already stopped twitching, probably passed out. "That''s my current target."

    Lihuo was still a Sun Refining abomination. While he was passed out right now, he could wake up any time. And when that happened, Liu Xing had no doubt the situation would become a stalemate again, where he would need to fight against two or even three opponents at the same time.

    "Yang Suyin, hear me out. I''ll summarize everything I overheard from Wei Yi and Lihuo''s conversation. I haven''t processed this information thoroughly, so you need to mull it over and give me any ideas you have."

    Liu Xing began to reiterate what he had heard. Although his memory as a cultivator was sharper than a mortal''s, and he successfully summarized the conversation into a short speech, he was sure there were some context and nuances that he didn''t successfully convey to Yang Suyin. But it was all right. The main point was about the pale white giant and the three ingredients that would make it perfect, and he needed to offload some thinking to another person. Two heads were better than one, and he had no doubt Yang Suyin could offer a fresh perspective.

    Yang Suyin looked up toward the giant, his pupils dilated, and Liu Xing had no doubt that his heartbeat had quickened. "If I understand correctly, this thing is merely at the Lock Opening realm. And not only that, it has a thousand dormant bloodlines on its body. If this thing is successfully perfected, then... isn''t this a fucking calamity? And what do you mean Lihuo thought of Wei Yi as a father before all of this?! How did Elder Yang Zhaoyan transform into an abomination?! There''s too much information!"

    "Just mull it over while we fight. I''m sure there''s something we''ve missed, so when you realize something, tell me. I''ll do the same. Right now, let''s focus on killing that bastard!"

    "You know, there was a time when Lihuo was a baby that he was cute. To think that cute baby is now someone I''d like to strangle to death."

    Liu Xing intended to summon his shield to accelerate faster. While explaining the information to Yang Suyin hadn''t taken too much time, they had still used quite a bit. But before he could cycle his qi to the pattern of the Statue Summoning Technique, the qi and the air around them suddenly turned dense. For a moment, Liu Xing thought they were trapped inside a barrier. But no, he looked around and saw no barrier. Instead, the air and the qi around him had become dense, then began to move frantically, like a calm ocean suddenly visited by a storm. The qi felt like it was screaming, prickling his skin and senses as if fairies were sinking their nails and teeth into him, crying for help so they wouldn''t be dragged into a sudden whirlpool that was trying to devour the entire world.

    Liu Xing''s heart beat frantically, all the hairs on his body rising, and he knew, without a doubt, that the source of this fearsome feeling, as if he were drowning in a deep ocean, was the freaking giant.

    He and Yang Suyin turned their bodies at the same time. At a glance, he could see Yang Suyin''s face was so pale that his skin looked like chalk. But instead of focusing on Yang Suyin, Liu Xing''s eyes locked onto the giant yellow eye that was staring at them.

    Before, this eye had been located in the stomach of the giant. But right now, it had somehow moved to the side of the giant and was looking down on them as if they were mere fleas in front of a mighty cultivator.

    Then, a slit opened below the single giant eye, revealing thousands of triangular teeth like those of a shark, and hundreds of tongues inside the mouth that looked like tentacles. Each was as long and as big as the tentacles of a giant squid that could sink a ship.

    Then, the mouth and the eye contorted into a face of mockery, and Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that the one who controlled the eye and the mouth was that bastard Wei Yi!

 148 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (12)

    Liu Xing stared in horror at the gigantic yellow eye looking down at them, realizing they were in a dangerous situation. Truth be told, while the presence of the pale white giant was constantly felt, since it was so slow and had never done anything to threaten him directly, he had almost dismissed it as a non-immediate concern. Sure, he needed to prevent it from becoming perfect, but not because of the threat of the giant itself. Rather, he needed to do that to stop Wei Yi. Technically, that way of thinking was still correct, since the eye was being controlled by Wei Yi, but the fact that he had dismissed the giant as a non-immediate threat was wrong, and he needed to reassess the situation.

    The gigantic eye stared down at them with mockery, as if Wei Yi thought he had already won. But while his hands and feet trembled, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and stared right into the yellow eye. He wouldn''t back down! While it was strong, that thing was still a Lock Opening abomination, and hence, even if it was just a little, there was still a chance to win!

    "Yang Suyin, remember what I told you. There''s a chance that we won''t be able to stay together. At that time, I expect you to make the right moves."

    "I understand. I''ll probably die before making a difference, but I will take an opportunity if it presents itself."

    As they both fell through the air, their fall had slowed since the air around them was somehow denser than before. They steeled their hearts. Liu Xing himself thought there was actually a high chance that he would die. But right now, what he needed to fight was a mere eye, so at least there was that.

    The mouth below the eye suddenly opened widely as if screaming, though no sound came out. Instead, several hundred red balls formed in front of it. Each of the red balls was made from simply gathering the qi around and condensing it into a point, but the sheer amount of qi made the air around the mouth become chaotic, as if those red balls were actually black holes with their own gravity.

    He could hear Yang Suyin gulp audibly beside him, and Liu Xing himself gripped his gun and stone blade tightly.

    The red balls became brighter and brighter, then, as if Wei Yi had pushed a switch, each of the red balls turned into a red condensed pillar of qi that shot toward them like lasers. While each of the lasers was only as big as his thigh, from the outside, it looked like a current of red thread gathering into one, creating a huge attack intended to shred Liu Xing and Yang Suyin to pieces.

    "Incoming!" Yang Suyin shouted, turning his body into yellow light and zipping away.

    Liu Xing cycled more qi into the Lightning Cloak Technique and tried to move to the side, but the attacks were really fast. While he successfully moved, he was still in the path of the attacks.

    Gritting his teeth, Liu Xing dismissed his shield and looked up. The red lasers descending on him almost looked like falling stars, and Liu Xing had no doubt that if the attacks hit him, he would be dead or grievously injured.

    As adrenaline coursed through his body, pushing his body to the limit, the world slowed down a little, and he suddenly realized that there was one point in the middle of those attacks that was devoid of lasers. Instantly, he realized that this hole was intentional. After all, Lihuo was still below, and Wei Yi probably didn''t want to kill him, or at least shred him to bits. Liu Xing resummoned his shield and jumped toward that point. While his left shoulder was grazed by some of the lasers, he successfully arrived at the hole in the attacks.

    Standing atop his shield, Liu Xing''s heart was beating fast as the attacks passed around him, as if he were in a train passing through a red and bright tunnel. The air current that hit him was quite strong, and while he believed there was no way in hell he would be blown away, there was a little shred of doubt that made him plant his feet firmly on his shield.

    For several moments, Liu Xing stood there, with the wind rushing around him and the color red flashing. His brain was trying to process the information he had, reminding him of his current situation, where Wei Yi purposefully created a hole in his attack to accommodate Lihuo, and he could use this fact. While what he wanted right now was a chance to finish this fight in one swoop, there was no such solution. So instead, he needed to take one step at a time, and the first thing he needed to do was get closer to Lihuo.

    Nodding, Liu Xing took a deep breath and dismissed his shield. His heart quickened the moment it vanished, even though he''d known it would. Still, he successfully spun his body without any of his body parts touching the red condensed energy around him, and he fell like a man falling into a deep and bright red well.

    A moment later, the red light around him suddenly vanished, and he could see the world around him again. His eyes focused down, right toward Lihuo, who lay on a small island in the middle of a quite large hole between the giant''s feet. Realizing that Wei Yi''s attack had receded, Liu Xing resummoned his shield and kicked it, making him fall faster. Right now, he was exposed, and he knew for certain that Wei Yi would try to stop him.

    Gripping his stone blade tightly, Liu Xing decided to send it a significant amount of potent qi until his stone blade shone with a purple light. The qi inside his Ethereal Pearl was now less than half of its capacity, and while the amount was still a lot, he realized that it had been quite a while since he had successfully killed an abomination.

    Shouting, Liu Xing swung his blade down, intending to send a crescent of purple qi toward Lihuo and cut him up. But, before he could unleash it, a yellow thing entered his peripheral vision.

    Instantly, Liu Xing looked to the left and came eye to eye with a giant yellow eye, which was moving along the pale white giant''s skin as if it were a lift coming down toward Lihuo. Seeing the eye moving along the outer side of the giant''s right foot, Liu Xing''s eyes widened. The eye, as well as the mouth below it, could move, and it was actually moving faster than him!

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    As the eye passed him, he could see a mockery gleaming from Wei Yi. Then it looked down and began to open its mouth, extending a long tentacle tongue down toward Lihuo, trying to fish him up. Seeing this, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and kicked his shield faster and faster, trying to catch up to the eye and tentacle that wanted to grab Lihuo. But while he could catch up to the eye if given a bit more time, the fact was that the eye was now below the knee, and it had a long reach with its tentacle tongue!

    "Shit, he is faster than me!"

    His brain tried to conjure up an idea, and it did. Before he could even process the idea, his body had already moved. He swung his stone blade, but instead of aiming at Lihuo, he changed his target to the eye. More accurately, he tried to predict where the eye would be later and swung his quite heavy blade toward that position. The crescent purple qi flew horizontally like a bird, the air whistling behind it, and it flew toward its target almost like a jet plane. The giant yellow eye, seeing the crescent of purple qi, suddenly came to a stop. It was the correct move because right after it stopped, the crescent of purple qi hit the foot of the giant several meters from the eye''s position. The purple energy exploded, dyeing the world with purple light.

    While it missed the main target, it actually served its purpose well. After all, it stopped Wei Yi''s descent for a moment. A moment where Liu Xing didn''t even consider the explosion and accelerated down so fast right toward Lihuo, where a giant tentacle was conveniently right in his path. Less than a fraction of a second later, Liu Xing swung his blade again, cutting the tentacle tongue as if he were cutting an annoying giant branch. Before the cutted tentacle could fall from gravity, he accelerated faster and landed his feet a mere centimeters from the worm that had swallowed Lihuo.

    Liu Xing then spread his feet a little wide, planting them, lowering his center of gravity, and brandishing his stone blade while looking up toward the giant yellow eye that had positioned itself on the giant''s foot. He pressed his lips tightly, forming a thin line, while his eyes were painted with determination, as if he were challenging Wei Yi.

    Seeing Liu Xing, the yellow eye pulsed as if angry, and the mouth below it let out an angry roar. Then, opening its mouth as wide as possible, it launched hundreds of tentacles that descending toward Liu Xing. The tentacles together covered the sky, their shadows blanketing hundreds of meters around him.

    If an unrelated party were watching, they would assume that Liu Xing was actually trying to protect the worm that had swallowed Lihuo, while the tentacles were trying to kill him. But in reality, it was the opposite.

    "Come at me!"

    As he shouted, Liu Xing cycled his qi even more, flaring the lightning that surrounded him, making him shine brightly like a blue star in the middle of the night. Then, the first tentacle came, and the fight began anew.

    Liu Xing slashed his stone blade, splitting the tentacle that came at him in two. Then he threw his gun into the air, where it settled itself and began blasting Exploding Fist bullets around, destroying and severing the tentacles, making it rain red blood and tiny pieces of flesh everywhere. With his stone blade, he threw around crescents purple qi, severing dozens of giant tentacles in one swoop, but the tentacles¡ªsome red, some black¡ªcame unrelentingly toward him. Each of the tentacles was trying to bypass him and reach Lihuo, but Liu Xing wouldn''t allow it.

    For a minute straight, Liu Xing unleashed all he had. Crescents of purple qi flew around, cutting the tentacles and his gun rapidly shot bullets. Only Liu Xing could see his gun, but even a mortal could see the point where those shining blue bolts came from, as if space itself were spitting out attacks. The tentacle bits and parts began piling around him, creating a crater as if he were at the mouth of a volcanic mountain surrounded by tentacles and blood.

    At this point in the fight, Liu Xing began to see the pattern of these attacks. Wei Yi couldn''t risk Lihuo, so he didn''t pull anything too dangerous. Wei Yi''s one giant eye became increasingly frustrated, and he screeched time and time again, but he did nothing different. He had no doubt Wei Yi would try something, so he himself needed to come up with something.

    With his hands that couldn''t stop swinging even for a moment, his eyes always needing to be alert to see oncoming attacks, and his full concentration needed to make sure his gun was always firing, he couldn''t spare even a second to stop and do something to Lihuo. But luckily, he wasn''t the only one who thought like that, and so, reinforcement came to do the thing that was impossible for Liu Xing to do.

    Yang Suyin, as a streak of yellow light, came and arrived right behind him.

    Seeing this, a ferocious smile blossomed on Liu Xing''s lips, and his eyes glanced toward the giant yellow eye, seeing it narrow a little bit more and undisguised frustration could be felt in the air.

    "Destroy it!" Liu Xing said to Yang Suyin.

    Yang Suyin nodded.

    While Liu Xing relentlessly parried and destroyed the tentacles that came toward them, Yang Suyin stood in front of the worm sack and extended both hands. Liu Xing could feel the qi accumulating not in front of Yang Suyin''s palms, but rather right atop the worm. It swirled, and then a fire lit up in the shape of a fireball that swallowed the body of the worm and Lihuo. The ball of fire rotated, and the heat coming from it was actually so hot that even Liu Xing''s skin felt like he was too close to a giant bonfire. Liu Xing instinctively knew that this fireball was not the type that exploded, but rather the type that burned hot and could consume anything. Hopefully, the body of a Sun Refining abomination could be turned into ash with this fire.

    Wei Yi screeched again and again, the tentacles raining down toward them doubled, and Liu Xing''s hands blurred faster, trying to match the intensity of these tentacle attacks.

    The fire that swallowed up the worm and Lihuo then began to recede, and while the worm had turned into fine dust that flew into the air, Lihuo himself, while charred a little, was still intact.

    "Dammit, his body is too tough!" Yang Suyin exclaimed. "Let''s see if you can handle this!"

    Yang Suyin lit Lihuo''s body on fire. This time, it wasn''t in the form of a ball. Instead, it was in the natural shape of a bonfire, though the color was blue, and it burned so bright that Liu Xing needed to squint his eyes a little. But once again, while the attack charred Lihuo a little bit, he was still intact. The threads of open muscles around him could even be distinguished.

    "Try something else!" Liu Xing shouted.

    Yang Suyin tried to burn Lihuo once again, but again, it was futile. Right now, Liu Xing and Yang Suyin knew that Lihuo''s body was either so strong that every attack from a Core Splitting cultivator was futile, or he had a high fire resistance. For the sake of his sanity, Liu Xing decided that the truth was the latter, which made him order Yang Suyin to cut Lihuo.

    Yang Suyin nodded once again, and with his blade, he slashed at Lihuo''s neck as hard as he could.

    When the blade hit the neck, a "ping" sound could be heard, and no slash mark appeared.

    "Dammit! I''m not going to give up!" Yang Suyin said. "You''re a piece of trash, Lihuo. I''ll channel all my hatred and destroy your body!"

    "Hurry!" Liu Xing shouted.

 149 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (13)

    Yang Suyin had never thought there would be a time when he would have to cut up a member of the royal family. But here he was, crouching beside the youngest prince of the Twelve Sun Empire, who had become a being closer to a spirit beast than a human, and who would go down in the history of the Twelve Sun Empire as a traitor, a stain that would surely bring hardship to the next emperor, Prince Yang Jinyan, as well as the future of the Twelve Sun Empire. Though sweat began to fall from his forehead, his robes felt suffocating and stuffy, his face was as calm as stone. Not because he was a calm person, but because he needed to be calm. It wasn''t easy, considering that all around him the sounds of slashing, screeching, and falling tentacles merged into a sound of war, the smell of blood and sweat attacked his nostrils, and blood began pooling on the little island around him, with Liu Xing, that absurd cultivator, holding these fearsome attacks alone, but he could manage. He needed to manage.

    "Hurry!" Liu Xing shouted.

    "Give me a minute!" He shouted back.

    His hands and feet were trembling, and his lungs felt as if the air around him was so thick he was inhaling syrup instead of air. Truth be told, his common sense told him that there was no way for him to destroy Lihuo''s body. He was a mere Core Splitting realm cultivator, whereas Lihuo was a Sun Refining abomination. But, since there was a fucking Core Splitting cultivator who could fight toe-to-toe with a Sun Refining abomination, who was right now fending off giant tentacles that each could crush him to death, he might as well throw his common sense out the window and do the best he could.

    "All right, let''s try different methods," he muttered.

    First, he needed to search for a weak point, and his eyes focused on the two snail eyes that stuck out from Lihuo''s face, like branches with fruit on them. Those parts looked soft, so without hesitation, Yang Suyin slashed at them.

    When his sword hit, a loud "ping" could be heard, and even a spark lit up, as if what he had hit was not flesh, but metal. There was a little nick where his sword had hit, but no wound.

    He grimaced, but Yang Suyin didn''t lose hope. He tried to slash the other branch eye, and when he got the same result, he tried to cut Lihuo''s ears, nose, even opening his mouth and trying to cut his tongue, just to test if some of the parts were actually possible to cut. All of it resulted in disappointment, and so he concluded that it was impossible to cut Lihuo with his sword.

    So, he reverted back and tried to burn Lihuo again, but this time not trying to burn the whole body, but targeting a specific part. There were actually some muscles that had been charred by his attacks before, so perhaps his fire had actually worked; it just wasn''t hot enough or focused enough.

    Pointing his index finger, Yang Suyin cycled his qi and activated a fire ball technique on the tip of his finger. A yellow fireball materialized, and he sent more and more qi toward it while also trying to make it as small as possible. While doing so, he could hear the screech of that giant eye become more and more guttural, as if it were angry it was being fended off by Liu Xing for a whole minute. He decided to look up, and coincidentally or not, their eyes met, and it let out a screech so loud, so powerful, that the air trembled.

    Yang Suyin gulped and decided to ignore it and focus on sending and controlling the fireball near his index finger. It was now burning so hot, the color of it had turned blue.

    Then, after he thought it was enough, he traced his index finger to the branch where there was a little nick on Lihuo''s eye branch. When the fireball touched the skin, black smoke rose from it, and seeing it, Yang Suyin''s heart quickened. He intensified the fire, pressed his index finger stronger, the black smoke billowed wilder, and he could see that his index finger was actually sinking into Lihuo''s flesh. It was slow, needed so much concentration, and quite a lot of qi, but it was working!

    "I did it!" Yang Suyin exclaimed.

    Liu Xing glanced for a fraction of a second, to the point that Yang Suyin thought it was just his hallucination, but what he said next proved that it wasn''t. "Good! Cut him up to pieces!"

    "All right!" Yang Suyin nodded.

    He sent more and more qi into the fireball, controlling it until his brain hurt, and moved his finger to the side, trying to cut the eye off the branch. Though he was using a fireball, what he was doing right now was actually cutting Lihuo''s piece using fire. With the black smoke billowing, he realized that he almost looked like a person welding, but the reality was he was actually doing the opposite.

    A moment later, he successfully cut one of Lihuo''s eyes off. The branch where the eye had been sitting was charred black, and it looked messy and painful. Yang Suyin knew for a fact that Lihuo was still alive, and was quite amazed that whatever had knocked him out was so strong that even when Yang Suyin cut one of his eyes off, he didn''t burst awake. He hoped that it was strong enough that even when he cut his body into pieces, he wouldn''t wake up.

    From here, Yang Suyin began to cut methodically. First, he removed both of Lihuo''s eyeballs, then he thought to cut both of his ears off but decided not to. Instead, he went straight for the neck.

    Yang Suyin burned the base of Lihuo''s neck, which was actually a lot stronger than the branches on his face, but with more concentration, his finger actually sank deep into Lihuo''s throat. After his index finger had sunk as deep as half of his index finger, his fire suddenly advanced much faster, and in the blink of an eye, his index finger sank entirely. This surprised Yang Suyin, but in a good way. It seemed that the toughness of Lihuo''s skin was merely half a finger deep. Deeper than that, it was actually really soft. He was sure if Lihuo were awake, his insides would be flooded by qi and made harder, but right now it wasn''t.

    "All right," he muttered, engraving this information in his heart.

    Then, he began to move his finger to the side. The process was hard, but with the knowledge that it was possible, he did it patiently and diligently, and finally successful in cutting Lihuo''s neck and separating his head from his body.

    He smiled wildly, his sweat glittering from the purple light of Liu Xing''s attacks, and his hand trembling in a good way, as if a painter had successfully painted his masterwork. But he reined in his emotion and began to cut again. Next, he tried to cut Lihuo''s right arm off his body. At this time, he realized that the joints were actually softer, and so, he successfully severed Lihuo''s right arm a lot faster. But all of this is not without a price.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    "Shit, I''m almost out of qi," Yang Suyin muttered. He turned his head to Liu Xing, who was still fending off tentacles. "Why do I need to cut him to pieces? What''s the reason?"

    After Yang Suyin successfully cut Lihuo''s neck, he knew for certain that Lihuo was dead. There was no heartbeat, and the qi inside his body was dispersing. If the point is to kill Lihuo, then he already did.

    "He is an ingredient," Liu Xing answered while slashing the tentacles and exploding another. "Since you can''t burn it up, we cannot let his corpse fall into Wei Yi''s hands."

    "We can just carry him to a safe place."

    "Yes, that''s why I need you to cut him to pieces! You need to cut him up so we can store his body parts inside our spatial bags!"

    Upon hearing this explanation, Yang Suyin''s eyes widened. That made so much sense. The only one remaining here to have a spatial ring, hence able to store Lihuo''s body entirely, was the prince, but he was rather busy right now, so the spatial bags were the next best thing. Moreover, splitting the body parts into several spatial bags was also a good idea. This would make Wei Yi''s attempt to gather Lihuo''s body parts that much harder. But, since a spatial bag could only store something not too wide, he needed to cut him up into pieces.

    Realizing this, he turned toward Lihuo''s head, which probably couldn''t fit into a spatial bag and needed to be cut in two.

    "I''ll try my best." Yang Suyin said.

    Since he was almost out of qi, he needed to adjust how he cut Lihuo''s body. He needed to make cuts that would make it easier to store Lihuo''s body, which meant cuts that created long body parts.

    He was thinking about how to do it when a foreign qi suddenly flooded his body. Feeling this, the first thing he did was to expel it.

    "Don''t expel it! That''s my qi. Use it!" Liu Xing shouted.

    Yang Suyin reined in his instinct and let the stream of foreign qi enter his body. It felt uncomfortable, but he didn''t feel hurt, so this meant that Liu Xing''s qi was compatible with him. This made Yang Suyin wonder about his affinity and the cultivation scripture he had. He primarily used lightning, so he thought Liu Xing practiced a lightning-type cultivation scripture, but this qi told another story.

    Stopping this train of thought, Yang Suyin began to cycle the qi Liu Xing gave him around his body to rekindle the fireball at his fingertips, and when he realized the qi was so fast, so light, it was even easier to control than his own, his eyes widened. But when the fireball at his fingertips grew to the size of a barrel, his eyes felt like they would jump out from his sockets.

    "What the fuck!"

    For a moment, he thought he had lost control of his technique, but no, the fireball was stable. Not only that, it was very still. There was no volatility to it, as if even if he ceased his control, the fireball would still hold its form. With wide eyes and his heart beating fast, Yang Suyin began to control it. He rapidly shrank and grew his fireball, which obediently followed his will as if he were the son of heaven whose every will needed to be imposed on the world.

    "It''s crazy," Yang Suyin muttered. "This... this almost feels like an entirely different technique!"

    Not to mention the color of his fireball, while still having a hint of yellow, was burning with white color.

    "If you have time to move your mouth, please use it to move your hand instead."

    Liu Xing had never berated so politely before, but it successfully broke him from his shock. While he had many questions about this qi, this was not the time for it, and so, he suppressed his questions and focused.

    With a fire that felt so strong yet so easy to control, Yang Suyin could confidently cut up Lihuo''s body into many pieces. Taking a deep breath, he willed his fire into the shape of a sword. Pure manipulation was usually weaker since the control needed to do that sapped away the power, but this fire was not. It still retained its heat and power, while also morphing into a longsword in his right hand.

    Then, he took a stance and swung as hard as possible right toward Lihuo''s left shoulder, trying to cut him near the joint. His fire sword struck true, and it easily cut through Lihuo''s muscles as if he were merely cutting a steel pillar, not a Sun Refining abomination''s body. From here, he began to cut more and more parts.

    He separated both of Lihuo''s feet from his body, then began cutting his torso in horizontal slashes the size of two or three fingers. There were actually some hard bones inside his body¡ªhis backbone was really hard to cut¡ªso instead of cutting it, he just removed the flesh from the bone.

    As he cut Lihuo''s body, he actually realized that what he was doing was horrific. He was desecrating a human corpse. In normal circumstances, even he would feel remorse about it, but Lihuo was the one behind the destruction of the capital, and since it was also necessary, he actually didn''t feel a thing cutting him up to pieces.

    A moment later, he had succeeded.

    There were exactly ninety-nine of Lihuo''s body parts, including his head that Yang Suyin split into four long sections. The blood that was pooling below Lihuo''s body parts was blackish and thick, and it actually oozed a horrible smell that burned his nose, but he could endure.

    "Done!" Yang Suyin said, then without more instructions, he began to insert the body parts into his spatial bag. He began with the backbone, some parts of Lihuo''s head, Lihuo''s left hand which he had split into two parts, and many, many parts he took from the torso. He chose these parts purposefully, thinking that splitting a body part¡ªlike Lihuo''s head¡ªand storing it in different spatial bags would probably make it harder for Wei Yi to perfect the giant if what he needed was a specific organ.

    "Give me your spatial bag!" He shouted at Liu Xing.

    "Grab it yourself, I''m a little busy right now." Liu Xing answered. "It seems Wei Yi is really angry at you."

    Yang Suyin looked up, and once again came eye to eye with Wei Yi, and Wei Yi sent him a death glare that made his body shiver. His mouth curved into a snarl, and the giant yellow eye actually moved lower and lower, as if the eye itself wanted to leap and eat him. The mouth began screeching like a mother lion that had seen her son beheaded for amusement.

    Yang Suyin gulped, and with trembling hands, he grabbed Liu Xing''s spatial bag that was tied at his waist and began stuffing it with Lihuo''s body parts.

    "Now what?" Yang Suyin asked, having stuffed Lihuo''s parts into the spatial bag and tied it to Liu Xing''s waist.

    "While you were cutting up Lihuo, Wei Yi started making his move."

    "What did he do?" Yang Suyin asked.

    Liu Xing pointed with his chin to the sky. Yang Suyin looked up, and he could see Yang Hongyin''s fire construct was fighting with the former emperor more fiercely than before. The emperor''s movement was blazingly fast, and right now, instead of fighting equally, the former emperor was zipping around the air and punching the fire bird rapidly, as if it were a mere sandbag. The former emperor was now entirely shrouded by black fire, which made Yang Suyin''s face deathly pale.

    "I think Wei Yi is controlling the former emperor directly right now, and he has called that." Liu Xing looked to the side, Yang Suyin followed, to see a horrible figure crawling on the ground. It had hundreds of white hands growing from its sides, almost like a centipede, while the face was that of Elder Yang Zhaoyan, once dignified, now entirely covered by pustules. Its movement was slow, and each step it took made clicking and clacking sounds.

    "We''re lucky you''re fast, Yang Suyin, else, I would need to fight them on my own while protecting you."

    Yang Suyin took a deep breath. "What are we going to do now?"

    "Survive." Liu Xing licked his lips while looking up, toward the giant that had its throat bulging, as if it were swallowing a giant rock.

    Seeing this, Yang Suyin''s heart beat crazily, his eyes widened, and his body trembled uncontrollably. The giant meatball, the second ingredient, had already been eaten!

    Yang Suyin might have collapsed on the spot had it not been for Liu Xing standing beside him. Even in the face of an abomination of catastrophic proportions, Liu Xing''s gaze remained fixed on the giant, as if he already had a plan to defeat it.

 150 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (14)

    Outwardly, Liu Xing''s face remained calm, as if facing an opponent he was confident he could defeat. Inwardly, though, he was freaking out. If he didn''t control his body, his lungs would be gasping for air like a fish out of water, his body would tremble until his knees weakened, and he would collapse on the spot. The only organs he couldn''t control were his heart and his brain. His heart was pumping blood so frantically that if it could talk, it would scream, and his brain, amidst the panic, was trying to find the best way to get the fuck out of this place, realizing that things were officially out of control!

    Still, Liu Xing stood rooted in place. After all, it wasn''t that he hadn''t seen this coming. Hell, he had seen the giant put the meatball inside its mouth and swallow it whole. He had actually wanted to jump and knock the meatball from its mouth, but since Yang Suyin was doing his best to cut up Lihuo, there was no way Liu Xing would jump and leave Yang Suyin and Lihuo''s body. And so, this was the current situation, where if it were some kind of match, Wei Yi had gotten a point when the giant swallowed the meatball, and Liu Xing and Yang Suyin had gotten a point by securing Lihuo''s body.

    Licking his lips, Liu Xing faced the giant eye controlled by Wei Yi, which had stopped its attack. There was one tongue that was still pulled out from the ground. This tentacle tongue was smaller than the others, and he suspected that it would have been the tentacle that would have launched a sneak attack on Yang Suyin had he not succeeded in storing Lihuo''s body, and now that Yang Suyin had succeeded, he had pulled it out of the ground and aborted his plan.

    Liu Xing tried to think what he needed to do right now, because while he had told Yang Suyin that they needed to survive, surviving alone wasn''t enough. They needed to do something, but what was this something? It would be good if Liu Xing had unlimited power and could fight toe-to-toe with the giant, and then ultimately kill it, but there was no way in hell he could do that. He needed to do something that wasn''t impossible, but still would allow him to win this battle.

    For a moment, he thought to open his mouth and ask Wei Yi to negotiate. After all, if violence wasn''t working, talking perhaps could be the solution. But ultimately, he chose to bite his tongue instead. There was no way in hell Wei Yi would negotiate. He was winning right now. And even if he did want to negotiate, Liu Xing''s morals and vow wouldn''t let him. This was an opponent that Liu Xing had chosen to kill no matter what happened, and he would stick to his choice.

    Inside his consciousness, his core had now grown in size, and it was actually the size of a barrel, making his body able to produce a lot of qi. But even if he broke through to have a second core, the situation wouldn''t change much.

    The pale white giant, whose throat was bulging with the meatball, swallowed once more. He could see that the meatball was forcefully pushed down, the bulge traveling along his neck, and a moment later, a sound of "ah" came out from the giant''s mouth, as if he had just tasted the most delicious meal in the world, and the bulge in his neck was no more. For a moment, nothing happened, but then, wind began swirling, slowly at first, then faster and faster until it almost looked like a tornado.

    Wei Yi began cackling. The sound of it was almost like a hyena laughing, but so loud it felt like the one who was cackling was actually a mountain. His eyes crinkled in a crescent shape, while his mouth formed a wide smile.

    Upon hearing Wei Yi laughing as well as seeing the giant eat the meatball, Liu Xing licked his lips. The swirling wind around the giant became stronger and stronger, and slowly but surely, he could feel that the qi around was being absorbed by it. From the look of it, either the giant was undergoing a breakthrough, or its body and qi were undergoing some kind of evolution, which would make the giant more dangerous. This giant needed to be dealt with right here and right now, and to do it, he needed a plan.

    "Do you have any ideas?" Liu Xing asked Yang Suyin.

    Yang Suyin''s eyes, which had been locked in horror on the face of the white giant, snapped toward him. "C-can you repeat what you said?"

    "Do you have any ideas?" Liu Xing repeated. "This thing is tough. I''ve actually attacked it several times, but none of the attacks have successfully wounded it."

    Liu Xing was actually trying to conjure some ideas himself. Though, aside from his initial plan to target the weak point of the giant, he came up with nothing more. And since the yellow eye was controlled by Wei Yi right now, that particular weak point had become harder to attack.

    "Ah, no, actually, yes, but¡ª" Yang Suyin stammered for a moment, but before he could finish, Liu Xing saw from his peripheral vision that the former Elder Yang Zhaoyan crouched his body and propelled himself forward with the hundreds of pale arms on his sides.

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing instantly jumped toward the former Elder Yang Zhaoyan. While flying through the air, Liu Xing brandished his stone blade. The former elder opened his mouth so wide, it almost looked like his upper head was about to get torn off, and shot a black tongue at him that almost looked like a dry branch. At first, it was only one, then, in the middle of the attack, it split into two, then four, then eight, and so on, as if this tongue were a branching tree. Upon seeing this, Liu Xing slashed his blade and sent out a crescent of purple qi. The attack tore through the tongue branches like an axe cutting little branches from a dry tree.

    Liu Xing himself summoned and kicked his shield to maneuver, launching himself into the sky. Then, he resummoned his shield to change his trajectory. He fell like a blue and purple comet downward, his stone blade pointing right toward the elder''s head.

    The elder snapped his face upward right before Liu Xing''s stone blade could pierce it. So, instead of piercing the top of his head, Liu Xing''s stone blade stabbed right into his forehead.

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s face had no expression, his yellow eyes also empty, and when the blade pierced through his forehead and came out of the back of his head, he didn''t even flinch, while Liu Xing grimaced. How many times did he need to cut down Elder Yang Zhaoyan?

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Liu Xing slashed his stone blade to the side, cutting half the elder''s face in two, and maneuvered around, beginning to cut the arms around his sides. Each of the arms tried to catch him, but there wasn''t a single one that successfully grazed his body, let alone caught him.

    In his peripheral vision, he could see Wei Yi gathering more red condensed balls of qi in front of his eye. There were hundreds of them, and instead of targeting Liu Xing, he actually targeted Yang Suyin and unleashed his attacks. He could see Yang Suyin turn himself into a yellow light and zigzag around, evading the attack while also moving toward him.

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing clenched his left hand, dismissed, and resummoned his gun into his hand. He then shot the side of the Elder Yang Zhaoyan with Exploding Fist bullets from point-blank range. When his bullets hit the flesh tree, it exploded and dragged the flesh tree turned centipede to the side, but only several meters later, it successfully stopped the momentum and lunged at him.

    Instead of dealing with Elder Yang Zhaoyan, Liu Xing summoned his shield and kicked it, launching himself into the air. In the air, he slashed three times, each slash sending a crescent of purple qi toward Wei Yi. Upon seeing these attacks, Wei Yi looked toward the incoming crescents, and the red lasers shot his attacks, exploding them in mid-air.

    "You need to regroup with the prince!" Liu Xing shouted. "Spread Lihuo''s remains among your clansmen!"

    "What about you?" Yang Suyin shouted back. Half of his body was still a yellow light.

    "I''ll try to do something!"

    Before, Yang Suyin had been a great help in subduing Wei Yi, as well as helping him to secure Lihuo''s body. But right now, it was too dangerous for them to move together, since they both had Lihuo''s remains.

    To make sure Wei Yi would have trouble getting Lihuo''s body parts, they needed to move separately. Though, another reason they needed to separate was because Liu Xing actually didn''t have the confidence to protect Yang Suyin right now.

    "After spreading Lihuo''s remains, I''ll try to find out what the third ingredient is," Yang Suyin added.

    "All right!" Liu Xing shouted while maneuvering in the air using his shield. Wei Yi was now splitting his attacks between him and Yang Suyin. And Elder Yang Zhaoyan was moving fast around the lasers, like a jaguar in the middle of the jungle, moving around and waiting for a chance to attack him.

    "The answer is tortoise!"

    Upon hearing Yang Suyin shout, Liu Xing blinked several times, almost getting hit by a laser because of it. "What?"

    "Tortoise!"

    Wei Yi merged several red balls of qi into one giant red ball. The air around it formed a whirlwind, and then, he shot this giant red laser between Liu Xing and Yang Suyin, separating them entirely.

    When the laser hit the ground, it made the ground erupt outward.

    Liu Xing kicked his shield to maneuver away from the laser. Looking behind, Liu Xing realized the giant laser was following him, tracing the ground and destroying it, making a cloud of dust swirl in the air. Upon seeing this, Liu Xing was actually grateful, since this meant Yang Suyin had a chance to run, and indeed, in his peripheral vision, he could see a yellow light zipping around near the ground, trying to sneak out of this place.

    Right at this moment, the former Elder Yang Zhaoyan suddenly fell from the sky. His pale arms stretched out, some of them shrouded by blackness, and the elder opened his mouth.

    Instantly, Liu Xing could feel the qi around him become more agitated, and without wasting even a moment, Liu Xing summoned his shield in front of him, rotated his body, kicked it, and flew in the opposite direction.

    Turning his head, he could see a barrier had formed. But, before he could think about that barrier, several lasers came at him, which forced him to roll on the ground to the side.

    While Liu Xing was dodging Wei Yi''s attacks as well as Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s, he had an idea to turn invisible again, but he decided that now wasn''t a good time. Yang Suyin was still in his way, and it would be bad if Wei Yi and Elder Yang Zhaoyan turned to him. He needed to endure a bit more.

    Liu Xing maneuvered in the sky while trying to make Wei Yi hit Elder Yang Zhaoyan with his laser, and while doing this, he thought about what Yang Suyin had told him.

    Tortoise.

    What the heck did he even mean? Was he referring to his turtle? Or something else? Why a tortoise? What was the significance of a tortoise in this current situation? Liu Xing knew for a fact that Yang Suyin wouldn''t have told him without any meaning. And considering that he had asked Yang Suyin if he had any ideas, perhaps Yang Suyin''s idea was about this tortoise? If so, then why did he even talk in this riddle? It would be easier if Yang Suyin told him directly what the answer was.

    Sending a crescent of purple qi attack toward Wei Yi, Liu Xing licked his lips. Maybe, it was because the idea was a valuable one. One that could even win this fight. Nodding, he decided to believe his conjecture and try to rack his brain to find an answer.

    As he moved around like a streak of lightning, bouncing around using his shield, with Wei Yi becoming increasingly frustrated by his sheer speed, Liu Xing thought about a tortoise. He imagined a tortoise and distilled the idea that it was slow and had a shell on its back that functioned as a defense mechanism. That shell was also tough, although enough force could crack it open.

    Slow and tough.

    Thinking about this, Liu Xing glanced at the pale white giant. He was slow and tough, so when Yang Suyin said tortoise, was he referring to this pale white giant? Was that it?

    Shaking his head, Liu Xing thought there was no way that was the whole answer. While Yang Suyin was probably referring to the giant as a tortoise, there must be some hidden meaning to it. But what was it?

    Liu Xing racked his brain and decided to think a bit out of the box. Instead of thinking as Liu Xing, he thought as William. He had read a lot of cultivation stories, and there was bound to be one that was about a giant and how to defeat it. Though, after a moment, he actually came up with inspiration from not a cultivation story, but one that Joni and Mamat had watched once upon a time. It was coincidentally about a giant tortoise that was rampaging around the world, and in this story, the main character killed it from the inside.

    Thinking about it, Liu Xing''s heartbeat quickened. Was this what Yang Suyin was trying to tell him? A tortoise was hard on the outside and soft on the inside? He couldn''t confirm it since he had never actually killed a tortoise before.

    Thinking a bit more, Liu Xing remembered Yang Suyin complaining about Lihuo''s body, which was tough to cut. If he remembered correctly, before he sent potent qi to Yang Suyin, who had complained that his qi was almost out, Yang Suyin had actually been successful in cutting Lihuo''s neck by himself. At that time, did he realize that Lihuo''s body was tough outside but soft inside?

    He couldn''t confirm his answer with Yang Suyin, but even if he was wrong, this idea was actually worth pursuing. Since the giant was tough outside, perhaps it truly was soft inside. Moreover, the giant had already swallowed the meatball, and since the giant was still not breaking through or evolving, then he still had time to destroy the meatball.

    Liu Xing took a deep breath. It would be hard, but with this revelation and new goal, at least he had a new plan.

    The plan was simple. He just needed to enter the giant''s stomach and wreck its insides.

 151 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (15)

    As Liu Xing moved, slashing his stone blade, shooting his bullets, and trying to occupy Wei Yi and formerly Elder Yang Zhaoyan, he thought about how to proceed with his plan. Obviously, there were two entrances that he could use to get into the giant''s stomach, and both of them were unpleasant. The... rear one would probably be unguarded, but if he counted the distance from this entrance to the stomach, the other entrance, which was its mouth, was probably closer to the meatball.

    Elder Yang Zhaoyan launched himself from the ground toward him. Liu Xing sent a crescent of purple qi toward him. The elder created a barrier in front of him. The purple qi hit it, exploding it into fragments, but the crescent was also destroyed.

    The elder created a platform and jumped again, but Liu Xing had already moved. Wei Yi sent his lasers toward him. He realized that compared to the first attack, the lasers were actually less numerous, which indicated that Wei Yi had a finite amount of qi he could draw from the giant. Though they were fewer, they were actually more coordinated. Some could even bend a little bit.

    Upon seeing the lasers, Liu Xing sent several crescents of purple qi toward them, which exploded the lasers but didn''t destroy them. Attacking the lasers was like trying to explode or cut a surge of water. That wasn''t the optimal thing to do. But when the attacks clashed, there was at least an explosion of light that concealed him for a moment.

    Diving down, Liu Xing scanned his surroundings and spotted Yang Suyin, who had finally landed on the Firebird. A wave of relief washed over him; this was good. Still, he needed to keep Wei Yi and Elder Yang Zhaoyan occupied for a while longer, giving Yang Suyin time to distribute Lihuo''s remains among the clansmen. Once that was done, he''d have to figure out how to enter the giant''s body, and the implications of it.

    He spotted the elder standing on a platform in the air, with a body that faced the wrong direction if he was looking for Liu Xing. Liu Xing pulled the trigger and shot a Lightning Palm bullet right toward the elder. The bullet flew through the air, but the whistling sound made the elder snap his head toward the bullet, and swiftly conjure a transparent barrier. When the bullet hit the barrier, an explosion of lightning occurred, and Liu Xing reined in his disappointment since his attack didn''t connect.

    Moving using his shield to circle the elder, Liu Xing thought that while the current main objective was for him to enter the giant''s body, if the elder was not dealt with and he casually decided to enter the stomach of the giant, then the elder as well as Wei Yi would attack Yang Hongyin, the prince, and the rest of the Yang clan members. Even right now, Yang Hongyin and the prince were having trouble fighting the former emperor, so they would surely die if they needed to fight three opponents at the same time.

    Honestly, Liu Xing was actually torn with the options in front of him. On one hand, he needed to wreck the inside of the giant as soon as possible, afraid that it would evolve or undergo a breakthrough, but he also didn''t want the Yang clan to die fighting three opponents at the same time.

    Still, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and came to a decision. He would try his absolute best to kill the elder in one minute. Surely, a minute was more than enough for Yang Suyin to distribute the remains of Lihuo. Then, whether he was successful or not, he would abandon the fight with Wei Yi and Elder Yang Zhaoyan and earnestly try to enter the giant''s body. This was quite a hard decision for him. There was a possibility that even if he destroyed the meatball inside, he would come out from the giant with the prince and his clansmen already dead. The amount of time they had spent together was actually very little. But it would be a lie to say that he didn''t care for them at all. Those were people that had fought together with him. He already considered them as comrades. Especially the prince, Yang Suyin, and Elder Yang Zhaoyan.

    Liu Xing checked the core inside his consciousness. The core was quite big right now, but still far away from splitting into two cores. This meant that he needed to stop sending the qi from the Ethereal Pearl into his consciousness, since the amount of qi in it was less than half, and he needed it to fight the Elder to make sure he had a chance to kill him as swiftly as possible.

    As Liu Xing maneuvered around the red lasers that were trying to pulverize him, he finally deactivated the Flowing Meditation Method. The hole of consciousness that reliably sent qi from his body to his consciousness wavered like a ring of smoke that lost its shape, and then it disappeared without a trace.

    Suddenly, as he rotated his body to dodge a red laser as big as his thigh, and Elder Yang Zhaoyang lunged at him, he felt as if the world suddenly became brighter than before, the colors sharper, as if he were a man who had eye problems and tried glasses for the first time, and he felt his vision become wider, as if he had grown eyes on the sides of his head.

    Not only his vision, Liu Xing could also feel the qi around him more clearly, could feel the heat from the lasers, and even felt the rustle of the air on his skin, as if his senses had just undergone some kind of breakthrough.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield, kicked it, and launched himself toward Elder Yang Zhaoyan while swinging his stone blade.

    Suddenly, he could feel the qi around elder Yang Zhaoyan move, as if they were disturbed, and he knew without a doubt that a barrier would materialize in front of the elder. Using his shield, he adjusted his trajectory a little, and when a blue barrier materialized in front of the elder, Liu Xing moved slightly above it, his body mere centimeters right on top of the barrier.

    After successfully passing the barrier, Liu Xing stopped his momentum with his shield, rotated his body, and swung his blade as hard as possible, sending out a crescent of purple qi mere centimeters from the elder''s head. When the crescent of purple qi hit the elder, he could see the lifeless eyes of Elder Yang Zhaoyan widen a little bit, as if he were actually surprised. The attack pushed down the abomination, breaking the barrier that he used as a platform, and making the elder fall like a meteor.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing rotated his body so he was facing downward, and kicked his shield to launch himself toward the elder, trying to attack him more relentlessly.

    The movement he had just made was actually simple. He merely adjusted his trajectory and hit the elder. Yet, it was more profound than that. His movement was efficient and swift, it almost looked like he could see the future and moved accordingly.

    As he chased after the elder and charged his stone blade with more qi, he knew that the change in his perception was related to the Flowing Meditation Method. This meditation method was supposedly just merely a way to cultivate while moving, but clearly, there was a hidden aspect of it.

    Come to think of it, he had actually maintained the technique since the beginning of the culling, and even though the total amount of time was short, the things he had done in that time were so intense, so numerous, that maintaining the method was actually impressive. He remembered several times the hole wavering, but he stubbornly held it, since it was necessary to absorb the qi from his Ethereal Pearl.

    Perhaps this method harmonized his body and his consciousness, so that the end result was the more enhanced and coordinated senses. Or, perhaps this method was like some kind of weight that he didn''t realize he was carrying, so when he ceased his control over it, the burden on his mind lightened, and his mind became sharper. Perhaps both were true, perhaps his conjectures were way off. Still, even if he was wrong, the end result was the same.

    He had just suddenly become stronger!

    Grinning ferociously, Liu Xing swung his stone blade, intending to send a crescent of purple qi to the elder, but when he realized that the qi on the left of the elder began stirring, he deduced that the elder would create a barrier on his side and use it to dodge to the left. Thinking swiftly, Liu Xing filled his gun with Lightning Palm bullets, and as he swung his stone blade, yet held the qi in his blade in a feint attack, he could see a barrier materialize on the left of the elder, and his pale white hands pushed on the barrier, launching himself to the right.

    Right at this time, Liu Xing pulled the trigger of his gun six times.

    The bullets flew from the gun through the air swiftly like six falling stars. The elder looked up, and the six bullets hit their marks. Four in the face of the elder, while the rest hit the body of the elder. When they hit, ropes of electricity exploded from the bullets, paralyzing the elder in the air.

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing swung his stone blade again.

    "Eat this!"

    The crescent of purple qi leapt from his stone blade and flew swiftly toward the paralyzed elder. It struck the elder''s face, pausing for a moment as if hitting an unyielding surface, before sinking deep, splitting his head in two, slicing through his torso, and severing his hands along the way until it emerged on the other side. The Elder was split in two.

    Knowing that this was not enough to kill him, Liu Xing aimed his gun and filled it with Exploding Fist bullets, hoping that this attack would kill the abomination and absorb his qi, but he felt the change of wind around him, and knew that the dozens of red balls of qi in front of Wei Yi would shoot lasers at him.

    Without missing a beat, Liu Xing dived down toward the elder, and as he expected, Wei Yi shot lasers toward him. His feet were only several centimeters from the red light, and he could feel the intense heat of it.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield and accelerated toward the elder. Both sides of the body were now growing branches of flesh and tangling with each other, like hands that were trying to hold each other. Upon seeing this, Liu Xing swung his blade, but again, held the qi inside it, gauging the reaction of the elder. He could feel several qi spots around the elder, and deduced that he would materialize several barriers around him at the same time, probably anticipating him attacking from different directions.

    Liu Xing decided to send Exploding Fist bullets toward a barrier right in front of the abomination. The six bolts flew true through the air.

    Not stopping, Liu Xing swung his stone blade and sent a crescent of purple qi following behind the bullets. As expected, several barriers materialized, protecting the elder while he tried to make his body whole again, but as soon as the front barrier materialized, his bullets hit it.

    Six explosions destroyed the barrier, shattering it into thousands of fragments. Liu Xing could feel that another barrier would materialize to replace it, but before it could form fully, the crescent of purple qi came. When it passed through the spot, the technique collapsed before materializing, and the crescent of purple qi cut the tangling flesh, splitting his body into two again.

    Liu Xing accelerated faster and faster until he arrived right in front of the two parts of Elder Yang Zhaoyan. He had dismissed the gun in his left hand and had sent qi toward his left gauntlet. Right now, there was a ball of lightning the size of a basketball in front of his left hand.

    Without further ado, he sent a palm strike toward it, sending a pillar of lightning bigger than him. The lightning pillar swallowed the elder whole. There was no scream, just the whistling sound around the lightning pillar and the silhouette of Elder Yang Zhaoyan inside the lightning pillar. He held the attack for a full second before canceling it, feeling another laser attack would come at him.

    As several red lasers came at him, Liu Xing summoned his shield again and kicked it, causing him to fall like a meteor chasing Elder Yang Zhaoyan. At this moment, Elder Yang Zhaoyan was reduced to two charred pieces of flesh. The once pale white arms that had grown around him were now blackened and Elder Yang Zhaoyan''s face was entirely unrecognizable.

    Several moments later, the two body parts hit the ground hard. When they hit the earth, several charred hands broke from the bodies, as if they were not flesh, but truly dried branches.

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing felt pity toward the elder. He should not have been reduced to something like this, yet, there was nothing he could do about it aside from killing him.

    Gritting his teeth, the anger toward Wei Yi blazed more intensely, but he didn''t look toward Wei Yi. Instead, he focused his eyes below. The elder looked charred and dead, but there was a chance that he was still alive, and so Liu Xing resummoned his gun to his left hand, filled it with Exploding Fist bullets, and shot six bullets toward one part of the elder''s body. Before the six bullets hit their intended target, Liu Xing filled the gun with another six Exploding Fist bullets and shot them at the other side of Elder Yang Zhaoyan. Twelve bullets fell downwards. The six first bullets hit first, then were followed by the rest. Two separate explosions swallowed the body of the elder.

    A moment later, Liu Xing landed not far from the two explosions, and he glanced toward the side of his gun.

    When he saw six glowing green stripes, Liu Xing clenched his hand around his gun. While there was a little happiness that he had successfully killed one of his adversaries, there was no satisfaction about it.

    Liu Xing took a deep breath and bowed his head a little toward the remains of Elder Yang Zhaoyan.

    "May your next life be filled with happiness, Elder" Liu Xing said.

 152 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (16)

    "May your next life be filled with happiness, Elder" Liu Xing said.

    The time they spent together was probably as brief as the burning of a candle, yet, one of his achievements, an enlightenment¡ªthough it didn''t feel like it¡ªwas witnessed by him. There was also the Flowing Meditation Method, a technique given by Elder Yang Zhaoyan, which proved to be a key factor in this whole event.

    Liu Xing clenched both of his hands, thinking how regretful the elder''s death was. He should have died with more dignity, yet, between the billowing smoke and swirling dust, he was reduced to mere ash, and before that, he was an abomination with a horrifying appearance.

    For a moment, Liu Xing thought the death of Elder Yang Zhaoyan was on him. Not because he was the one who killed the abomination, but because he had suggested that they move separately, just because he wanted to kill a lot of abominations to make his cultivation advance further and faster. He regretted agreeing to the plan to separate from the elder, also regretted that he was too slow to save the elder. Perhaps, if he had been twenty minutes faster, he could have arrived at the Emperors'' Tomb before Wei Yi merged himself with the elder.

    Still, while his heart was burdened by the fact that Elder Yang Zhaoyan was dead, he also realized that it was just his emotion talking. There was no way to know the "what if" situations because there was no end to them. A single mistake could lead to a catastrophic failure, but this mistake could only be seen from the future, where he could see the whole picture and come up with a better solution. Unless he could go back to the past, there was no use wallowing in it, and while the past needed to be remembered as a reminder and as a lesson, the most important thing was the future.

    Sending potent qi to his stone blade, Liu Xing renewed his vow.

    "Wei Yi!" Liu Xing shouted, turning his body and looking up. His stone blade glowed purple.

    The giant yellow eye looked down on him. Hundreds of red balls made of condensed qi hovered in front of him. The air and qi around them hinted that another big attack would come later. But there was still time, and he wanted to let out his anger and frustration.

    Liu Xing pointed his stone blade upward. "Wei Yi," he repeated. "With the heavens as witness, I vow to end you! Even if you hide in the deepest layer of the earth, or hiding between the clouds far in the sky, I''ll chase you and end your life! We are enemies as long as we live, and there''s no end to it unless one of us dies!"

    Liu Xing''s fury made his body tremble, like a volcano that would soon erupt. His face was grave, his forehead scrunched, his eyes shone with the fire of determination, and a grudge began growing in his heart, becoming bigger and bigger at a rapid pace. Before, the vow to kill Wei Yi was just righteous fury. But right now, it was personal.

    The multitude of red balls in front of the giant eye began to coalesce. First, two of the spheres drifted toward each other and collided, merging into a single, larger ball. This process quickly repeated itself, with more and more of the red balls coming together. They fused together, their individual numbers rapidly dwindling as the resulting mass grew exponentially. This continued until a single, colossal ball of red light, the size of a small house, hovered directly in front of the giant eye.

    Wei Yi screeched, as if replying to his vow, and shot the red ball at him.

    Liu Xing was actually surprised by this attack. He thought Wei Yi would shoot a giant laser at him, but it turned out to be a bomb!

    The ball of red qi fell swiftly toward him. The air around it swirled, as if the ball was the center of a vortex, sucking the air around it and making it spin faster.

    Upon seeing the giant attack, with the world around Liu Xing painted red, Liu Xing''s brain worked hard to come up with a solution. The immediate response his brain came up with was simply to escape. With his speed, it should be possible, considering the explosion of the red ball was not too gigantic. But another part of his brain came up with a more elaborate plan.

    While he wanted to jam his stone blade into that giant yellow eye, trying to fight Wei Yi was not the right choice. It went against his initial plan to enter the body of the giant. Plus, Wei Yi was now a parasite inside the body of the giant. He was sure that even if he destroyed the eye, Wei Yi would just move to another part of the giant.

    Entering the stomach of the giant and wrecking its insides was the best choice. To do that, he decided to enter via the mouth, but there was no way the giant and Wei Yi would just let him enter the giant''s body.

    He needed a trick, and the trick was simple. He just needed to use his invisibility.

    The problem was timing. If he just vanished, then Wei Yi would try to find him. But, if Wei Yi thought he had died, then Wei Yi wouldn''t search for him, and Liu Xing could move freely.

    Coincidentally, there was a big attack coming, so it was really good timing. The problem was how to do it.

    The giant red ball was now less than twenty meters from his position. The wind swirled crazily around him, the heat from the ball of qi scorched the earth, and the red that emitted from the ball was so bright he felt like the sun was falling toward him. He knew that if he was careless, he would die right then and there.

    Using his brain to conjure ideas, Liu Xing thought of using his turtle to shield the attack, but then discarded it. It wasn''t flashy enough. Wei Yi would see him hunker behind the turtle statue and would ponder why Liu Xing didn''t just move from the attack. No, he needed something flashy. Something that would hint to Wei Yi that Liu Xing, in a bout of arrogance, had simply made a mistake.

    Nodding, he decided to flood his left gauntlet with a lot of potent qi, creating a ball of white lightning more than three meters in diameter, one that could easily swallow an elephant. The ball of lightning was so heavy that it vibrated in his hand, and it created a blinding light of white as if it didn''t want to be outshone by the red balls.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    His left gauntlet, which was encapsulated by stable qi, began creaking, as if it would shatter if he held the lightning ball too long. Usually, depending on how he controlled it, this white ball of lightning would either shoot a pillar of lightning or branch into a thousand lightning strikes. This time, purely instinctual, he decided to try something different. Instead of making the ball become a root of the attack, Liu Xing decided to shoot the ball of lightning itself. With his qi control as a Core Splitting realm cultivator, this should be possible.

    He sent a palm strike, and the ball of white lightning rushed toward the giant red ball. From outside, the ball of white lightning was tiny. It was like comparing a marble with a basketball, yet, the light they emitted had similar brightness, as if they were trying to paint the world with their colors.

    A moment later, they collided, and a blinding white light erupted from the contact point, the qi around them moving frantically, as if they were mortals below an erupting mountain.

    Liu Xing''s heart beat so fast it felt like his ribs would shatter. His body sent adrenaline coursing through him, and his mind and body worked in tandem to move as swiftly as possible.

    Less than a fraction of a second, right when the two balls of energy hit each other, Liu Xing did two things simultaneously. The first was to resummon his gun and order it to make itself invisible and spread the invisibility through his body. The second was to flood the stone blade with potent qi and slash it downward. The crescent of purple qi that he created this time was not too high nor too wide, but one that he made to be as thick as possible.

    When a shockwave could be seen spreading from the contact point of the balls of energy, the purple qi burrowed through the ground, creating an almost triangular hole below with a size only about as big as his head. Without missing a beat, Liu Xing jumped into the air, rotated his body so his head pointed downward, summoned his shield, cycled his qi more to strengthen his Lightning Cloak Technique, gritted his teeth, and kicked his shield.

    He rushed downward headfirst. His head burrowed into the ground, but his shoulders and his body were not small enough to enter the hole. Fortunately, the hole didn''t need to be big. He was a cultivator, and mere dirt could not stop him.

    With the amount of force of his kick, his body forcefully spread open the earth, and he dove through the ground like a worm. Using his shield, he kicked his shield again and again, trying to burrow as far as possible before the explosion happened.

    A moment later, a large explosion could be heard. Even from below the ground, it sounded like the world''s greatest heavenly tribulation had just struck the earth. The earth ground around Liu Xing moved chaotically, as if he were not inside the earth, but rather below a chaotic sea. He was pushed further into the ground by the explosion. His back felt scorching hot, as if fire had burned him, and he realized that he could possibly die if he was unlucky.

    Using his stone blade in his right hand and his lightning blade in his left, Liu Xing began to rotate his body like a spinning top in the hope that he could fend off the earth that was trying to crush him, as well as trying to dig deeper.

    In this moment of panic, Liu Xing had successfully encased his left hand as well as his gun with the Lightning Palm Technique. He had never thought of doing this. He always thought he needed to dismiss his gun to activate the technique, but evidently, since crossing into the Core Splitting realm, his qi control had become better, and he could do things that were impossible when he was still in the Lock Opening realm. This was why he needed to be creative using techniques, and always needed to think about new ways to use his techniques.

    The explosion, as well as the earth around him, had stopped moving, and so, Liu Xing deactivated his Lightning Cloak Technique and his lightning blade, as well reabsorbed the qi he had sent to his stone blade. This situation reminded him of when he needed to hide from the worm that killed Elder Xia Juetian, but right now, instead of fear, it was determination that filled his heart, determination to successfully execute his plan.

    While Liu Xing knew that this invisibility made him harder to perceive, there had been a lot of occasions where his opponents had countered this invisibility, and so, he tried to minimize his qi and his presence. There was a skill that could veil one''s cultivation, and while Liu Xing had not learned this skill, he tried to slow the qi that cycle in his body and tightly control the qi so that it would not leak out of his body.

    Wei Yi was probably looking for him and trying to determine whether he was dead or not right now.

    Liu Xing didn''t know Wei Yi like the back of his hand, but he knew he was careful but also full of tricks, with a strong determination to perfect the giant. If he read Wei Yi correctly, then Wei Yi would try to find his remains to verify that he was truly dead, but if he didn''t find his remains, while he would be careful about his surroundings, Wei Yi would move on to his next plan, which was either to attack Yang Suyin or procure the third ingredient. So, Liu Xing needed to tread this situation carefully. He could not rush and risk being discovered by Wei Yi, but he could not be too slow and let Wei Yi move freely for a long period of time.

    He decided to wait for a full thirty seconds before he resurfaced.

    Thirty seconds was so short for a mortal, but in a fight between cultivators, these thirty seconds could be the deciding factor of who lived and who died.

    After waiting about thirty seconds¡ªhe counted his breaths¡ªhe decided to resurface.

    Using his stone blade, he carved the earth around him and began to move upward. Then, he decided to move horizontally for ten seconds before moving upward again. This was just a precaution so he could resurface away from the giant and that yellow giant eye.

    A moment later, he stabbed the ground above him using his index finger. When his finger felt the breeze, Liu Xing knew with certainty that he was just mere centimeters from the surface. Deciding to peek from the hole, Liu Xing retracted his index finger and positioned himself so his right eye could see outside.

    His current position right now was right behind the pale white giant. When his eye could not see the giant yellow eye, he realized that Wei Yi had probably moved to the giant''s belly or chest again. This thinking was soon proven true when he could see several red lasers shooting toward the twelve-headed fire bird that flew around the sky from behind the shoulder of the giant.

    Swiftly pulling himself out of the ground, Liu Xing was soon out of the ground, and without further ado began to run as fast as possible.

    Since he didn''t want to be discovered, he needed to refrain from using his qi. This limitation was actually quite a hindrance, since this meant he could not use his shield to climb the giant. Also, since he didn''t want to let go of his stone blade, he could not use his right hand either.

    His left hand was now free, as he''d clenched the gun between his teeth, but it still meant he had to climb the giant using only his feet and left hand.

    "Should not be too hard," Liu Xing muttered, his words a bit incomprehensible.

    He began to run toward one of the ankles of the giant and jumped. He soared through the air for a moment, his left hand extended forward, then with perfect timing, Liu Xing grabbed the pale white skin of the giant''s foot and clung to it like a gecko. He tried to sink his fingers into the skin, but it was too tough. The best thing he could do was to grab the skin using his nails, one that was surprisingly easy to do, since the skin was quite rough.

    "All right," Liu Xing muttered, then he began to climb up.

    As he climbed, he realized that this entire fight had become too long. So he planned to end it as soon as possible.

    And who knew, maybe, the heavens would side with him this time and give him a golden opportunity.

 153 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (17)

    Back on Earth, William had known that many people liked to climb mountains. Not just hiking, but scaling cliffs with their own strength, aided by ropes, tools, and chalk-covered hands. He had never considered trying it himself, nor had he been particularly interested. If his friends asked his opinion, he would simply say there were many hobbies that were more fun and safer. Some hardcore climbers even went without any tools at all, and while William might have been impressed by their skill, he secretly thought they were foolish.

    Now, climbing with only one hand up a giant, Liu Xing had gained a newfound appreciation for those climbers. Though he had never heard of such a hobby in this world, if he met anyone who enjoyed scaling cliffs or mountains, he would shower them with praise and offer his heartfelt admiration. Evidently, climbing like this was incredibly difficult.

    Liu Xing crawled along the side of the giant''s foot, passing faces contorted in expressions of glee or horror. While his speed was tremendous compared to climbing athletes from his old world, his current pace was far too slow. This giant was too tall to be climbed normally, and he needed a way to increase his speed.

    As he climbed, he pondered better methods and an idea struck him. Instead of climbing, what about jumping? He could use his hand to launch himself upward, then catch himself by stabbing the giant with his stone blade.

    He considered this for a moment but quickly remembered how tough the giant''s skin was. He had launched numerous crescents of purple qi at the giant, and not a single one had managed to wound it. If attacks of that power couldn''t harm the giant, a mere stab wouldn''t work either.

    Still, while the chance was slim and there was a risk, he had to try it. This experiment might make a difference in how he approached his current goal.

    Nodding, Liu Xing counted to three, then, using all the muscles in his left hand and both feet, he launched himself upward like a leaping frog. As he soared through the air, the wind whipped through his black, wet hair. He heard several explosions and the sound of lasers cutting through the air above. Though, even when he looked up, he couldn''t see the fight between the Yang clan, the former emperor, and Wei Yi.

    When gravity began to pull him back down, he cocked his right shoulder and thrust his stone blade toward a patch of skin with a pattern resembling a smiling pig''s face, its ears formed by two pineapples. The thrust was powerful. His body, forged by Diamond Pills and further strengthened by his breakthrough to the Core Splitting realm, was superhuman by Earth standards and even strong by this world''s.

    The stone blade sliced through the air, its tip connecting with the skin. A "ping" echoed as the tip struggled to pierce the skin, but it failed a moment later. Biting the handle of the gun out of frustration, Liu Xing grabbed the skin with his nails and pressed in with both feet. He slid for five whole seconds before stopping.

    "Damn," he muttered.

    He briefly considered using the Lightning Cloak Technique and summoned his shield to blitz his way up. But, he reined in his emotions, deciding to be more patient. He needed to make sure neither Wei Yi nor the giant noticed him.

    He resumed climbing like a gecko, his mind racing to conjure more ideas. He had never imagined a situation where he would need to move almost without using qi, and he realized how difficult his life was without his reliable shield.

    Then, an idea struck him, though it wasn''t quite the idea he needed right now.

    He looked up toward a certain part of the giant. This giant, while referred to as "son" by Wei Yi, lacked any male genitalia, nor a vagina. This made Liu Xing wonder if another specific part might be absent. But, as he looked up from his position, he saw it: the anus.

    He had planned to enter the giant through its mouth. But his mind had just given him a reason to abandon that plan. The idea stemmed from the fact that he couldn''t continue climbing like this any longer than necessary. The giant was so tall that reaching its mouth would take forever. But another opening was closer, and it was wiser to use this closer opening than to insist on the more... a pleasant one. While this closer opening was probably farther from the stomach than the mouth, perhaps climbing inside would be easier than climbing outside.

    There was no flaw in his logic, and he decided to accept the reality that he needed to climb into the giant''s butthole. Disgusting as it was, it was trivial considering the giant might undergo an evolution or breakthrough soon. If he was late, it would spell disaster.

    Climbing faster, he steeled his heart against his decision. Just as Liu Xing reached the giant''s thigh, another idea came to him.

    The idea was simple: he needed both hands free to climb faster, but he couldn''t do that while carrying his stone blade. The blade was taller than him, making it impossible to simply sheathe it inside his tattered pants. He had no more free limbs, but perhaps he could use the area between his shoulder and his neck. If he tilted his head sufficiently, he could secure an item there. Obviously, he couldn''t hold his stone blade in that manner, but he could wedge his gun there and grip the handle of his stone blade with his teeth.

    Doing just that, Liu Xing took the gun from his mouth with his right hand and then bit down on the handle. After successfully switching the positions of the stone blade and the gun, Liu Xing placed the gun on his shoulder, securing it with his neck. Now, all his limbs were free, although his neck and teeth were not.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    The position was awkward, and if he made a mistake, the gun would fall, and his invisibility would be undone. But, it was better than climbing with one hand.

    Nodding slightly, Liu Xing began to climb faster. After a while, he grew more comfortable with his position and began to circulate a small amount of qi around his body¡ªnot enough to be noticeable, but enough to boost his speed. As he climbed, his mind continued to churn out ideas, searching for a faster and more comfortable way to ascend. But soon, when the hole he intended to enter was a mere twenty meters above him, his mind stopped trying to conjure new ideas.

    Taking a deep breath, he looked closely at the hole. It was similar to a human''s, though from his position, he could see that it wasn''t tightly shut but had a small opening. Hopefully, this opening would be large enough for him to fit through. If not, he would have to widen it, which was risky because this opening was likely sensitive. After all, a normal human could feel an ant crawling into their rear, no matter how small, so there was no reason to think the giant wouldn''t.

    Circulating a bit more qi in his hands and feet, Liu Xing decided to end his hesitation and jumped with all his might. In the air, he grabbed his stone blade with his right hand and his gun with his left. Then, he pressed his body tightly to make himself as small as possible. The hole grew closer, and as he entered, it felt as if he had suddenly stepped into a dark cave, where the light faded with each passing moment. The wind, which had been rustling his hair, suddenly intensified, and a stench so foul it resembled a mountain of rotting corpses assaulted his nostrils. But, the most distracting element was a red light from above, causing Liu Xing to raise his eyebrows. Why would the inside of a giant, which should be dark, have a light?

    As he pondered this, his momentum slowed, and gravity began to pull him down. Liu Xing rotated his body and kicked the side of the passage, launching himself diagonally upward. When he was about to hit the opposite wall, he turned and kicked again. He zigzagged his way up until he finally leaped out of the hole.

    What he saw around him made Liu Xing''s eyes widen so much they almost popped out. He had expected many things when he decided to enter the giant. He had imagined a stomach filled with acid that could digest him, or a wet, dark, and tight space where he would have to navigate the giant''s organs without aid. But his imagination had been far from reality.

    Around him, Liu Xing saw a vast, wide, red room. Atop the room, an organ so large that it pulsed with red light, resembling a giant blood vein, dominated the view. The interior was largely empty, as if he were not inside a giant but rather in a large, vacant chamber.

    What surprised him most, however, was not the interior of the giant but the walls and floor around him. They were not made of normal flesh but were covered with the snaked-limb abominations, though instead of snakes, flesh and yellow sludge protruded from their shoulders and lower bodies, fusing them together into the flesh walls. Their heads were sunk into the flesh like terrified ostriches burying their heads in the ground, making Liu Xing realize that the face tattoos on the giant''s skin were truly them looking outside. He could hear a multitude of groans and whines reverberating through the empty room.

    As Liu Xing plummeted downward, he braced himself to land on the back of a pale, thin figure below. The moment his feet made contact, the figure twitched as though attempting to lift its head and neck, but the movement quickly ceased.

    As Liu Xing looked around, he realized that every surface of the walls and floor he could see was covered by the former snaked-limb abominations. He couldn''t help but stare with wide eyes at the surreal, bizarre, and cruel sight.

    While he had known the giant was made from abominations, he had never imagined it would look like this. He had thought the abominations had been dissolved to create the giant, but that wasn''t the case. All these abominations¡ªformerly citizens of the Twelve Sun Empire¡ªhad been desecrated and forcibly molded into a giant, as if they were mere bricks to build a house. Though he realized some parts were not made from these unfortunate people, they were what held the giant together.

    "No wonder the inside is hollow," Liu Xing muttered.

    The giant would be too large if it were made solely from dissolved snaked-limb and worm abominations. While numerous, their numbers were insufficient to create such an enormous giant. It made sense that the inside was hollow. When Wei Yi said he had cut many corners, he was serious. And when he said the giant was not perfect, Liu Xing now understood what he meant.

    His eyes stopped on a small back on the wall, and his heartbeat quickened. It was the back of a child, perhaps seven or ten years old. Looking around, he saw several more small backs, ranging from those with white skin to those with tan skin. There were backs of teenagers and backs so small they looked like those of one or two-year-old children.

    Upon seeing this, the anger he had been controlling surged again. That bastard Wei Yi was truly despicable! He knew there were no snake-limb abominations that small. For a moment, Liu Xing thought they were human, but a bit of qi sensing revealed they now had qi similar to spirit beasts, though each was weak, not far from what human qi should feel like. Either these children hadn''t successfully turned into abominations, or Wei Yi had intended them for something else before repurposing them to build this giant. Whatever the reason, the end result was the same.

    Liu Xing was furious.

    He had thought there was no way he could become angrier at Wei Yi after Elder Yang Zhaoyan, but he was wrong. This anger made him even more eager to jam his stone blade into Wei Yi.

    Taking a deep breath, Liu Xing began to think about his next steps when a realization hit him. Each person who had become a brick to build this giant¡ªwhether they were formerly snake-limb abominations or not¡ªwas emitting qi individually.

    This realization gave Liu Xing hope. He was at his best when fighting multiple opponents rather than one strong one. And this giant, while appearing as one giant enemy, was actually made from numerous abominations. Each one he successfully killed would give him potent qi, furthering his cultivation while chipping away at the giant. Still, this realization brought him not joy but a silent determination.

    Liu Xing stepped down from the back he had been standing on and planted his feet between these people. He clenched the handle of the stone blade in his right hand and the gun in his left.

    With a deep breath, Liu Xing absorbed the qi from the gun into the Ethereal Pearl and refilled it with his normal qi.

    "All right, let''s do this."

    For the first time since he had seen the pale white giant, he felt confident he could kill it.

    "Wei Yi, wait for me, you bastard."

 154 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (18)

    Standing atop his shield, which hovered in the dead center of the room, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. The eerie light above him, emitted by some kind of giant vein, cast a calm yet serious expression on his face, as if he were standing under a blood moon. He had already spent time digesting the situation and expressing his fury toward Wei Yi, and now, he needed to channel all of it into a calm and focused mindset.

    After achieving the desired state of calm, Liu Xing aimed the gun in his left hand at the back of a child-like abomination and pulled the trigger. He moved his hand slightly to the side, aimed at the back of another abomination, and pulled the trigger again. In a repeated and continuous motion, Liu Xing sent six bullets flying. Each shone with a bright light, like falling stars illuminating the dark. Liu Xing thought these Exploding Fist bullets were emitting a softer, gentler light than usual, as if casting a mournful glow, though perhaps it was just an illusion conjured by his mind.

    The first bullet hit its intended target, blowing the back of the small child into a mist of blood. The six green stripes on the side of his gun glowed, filling the weapon with qi.

    "May you have a happy next life," Liu Xing prayed.

    He sent some of the qi into the Ethereal Pearl, but used the rest to launch another volley of qi bullets. Six bullets flew through the air, then another six, then another, and so on. If anyone were present, since Liu Xing was still invisible, they would have assumed the shield was conjuring hundreds of streaks of blue light, striking the trapped abominations and destroying them all.

    From each of the six bullets of potent qi, he used only one and sent the rest to his Ethereal Pearl, though the rate was so fast it felt like he had unlimited bullets and the qi sent to the Ethereal Pearl was like an endless river.

    A moment later, he decided to reactivate the Flowing Meditation Method and split the qi from the gun into two streams. One went straight into the Ethereal Pearl nestled against his stomach, while the rest was sent to his consciousness via the hole created by the meditation technique. The hole was slightly bigger than before, and when he activated it, he felt the clarity of his senses diminish, as if the world had suddenly dimmed a notch. It wasn''t enough to make him lose his balance, but it was noticeable.

    As the bullets destroyed their targets, the cacophony of explosions reverberated through the inside of the giant. The smell of blood began permeating the air, adding to the already nauseating stench and making it even more unbearable. His ears picked up a multitude of noises, as many of the backs reacted to his bullets, seemingly trying to dodge but rooted in place. The sounds were almost like wet splotches, merging with the trickling and falling blood and the whizzing of his bullets.

    Realizing that Wei Yi would soon notice his attacks, Liu Xing quickened his pace. He activated the Lightning Cloak Technique, and the rate of fire instantly quadrupled. In just under thirty seconds, he had shot hundreds of bullets, each killing an abomination with precision. Now, instead of walls and floors covered by the backs of humans turned into abominations, there were numerous holes, as if someone had scooped out the flesh with a spoon. From these holes, blood poured, creating hundreds of tiny waterfalls that pooled into the holes in the ground.

    As he attacked his surroundings, Liu Xing noticed several holes not made by him, one of which reminded him of the butthole of the giant. His eyebrows rose as he observed these holes, wondering about their function.

    This also made him realize that the hole he had used was peculiar. The anus should function to expel waste, yet there was no tubing or anything around it. It looked almost like a well in the center of a spacious room, though now it served as a way for blood to flow out.

    Still, even if these holes had important functions he didn''t know, it wasn''t crucial. What mattered was that Liu Xing was destroying each of the "bricks" that built the giant. If he could destroy them all, he was sure the giant would crumble.

    After nearly a full minute of shooting, Liu Xing saw that he had destroyed most of the backs around him. He needed to move up because beyond the one giant red tube emitting light, there was a more spacious area with walls covered by the backs of abominations. He realized that this giant resembled a giant hollow tower, with its middle crisscrossed by giant blood veins, though he was sure there would be giant organs the higher he went.

    Controlling his shield to lift him as if he were in an elevator, Liu Xing continued his attacks. There were more backs than he had imagined. Some were familiar, as he had spent considerable time fighting the snake-limb abominations. Each had been strong and dangerous, but now they were merely sitting ducks.

    When the giant blood vein was only several meters above his head, Liu Xing slowed his gun''s attacks and slashed his purple blade upward. A crescent of purple qi, more than three meters wide, flew upward like a swallow bird before cutting through the giant vein as if it were made of soft clay. It emerged from the other side, and Liu Xing heard a groaning sound, like a giant tower unable to hold its weight and about to topple. Then, the vein split into two giant tubes, sending down two waterfalls of blood, each more than three meters wide. The waterfalls fell to Liu Xing''s sides, but much of the blood splashed him, coating almost his entire body in red, as if he had just emerged from a crimson sea. Liu Xing used the back of his right hand to wipe the blood from his eyes; his face was now slick with it.

    He did all of this without the shield ever stopping its ascent, his left hand never ceasing to pull the trigger. The crescent qi also cut several more veins, creating many waterfalls, albeit smaller than the first two.

    After another minute of shooting thousands of bullets without hindrance, something within his body began to change. It felt like his body was charged with a small electric current, making his hair stand on end. Feeling this change coming from within, Liu Xing decided to peer into his consciousness. When he saw his core, now as big as he was and vibrating and spinning rapidly, his eyes widened.

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    "So soon?" he muttered.

    He blinked several times, his brain trying to process the situation, and soon came to a conclusion.

    His core was ready to split in two. He was ready to break through to the next stage of the Core Splitting realm.

    Even seeing this with his own eyes, Liu Xing couldn''t believe it. Sure, he knew that sending a lot of qi to the core would lead to a breakthrough sooner or later, but despite the ungodly amount of qi he was sending, he hadn''t expected another breakthrough so soon.

    The Core Splitting realm was in a different league from the Lock Opening realm. A cultivator could spend ten years breaking through from the first stage to the second stage of the Core Splitting realm. Moreover, there was usually a bottleneck, requiring a cultivator not only to cultivate but also to hone their mind and deepen their understanding of qi, cultivation, the world, and themselves.

    Yet, Liu Xing had skipped all of that and was about to undergo another breakthrough. It felt surreal. But, despite his confusion and the feeling that it wasn''t real, his brain was flooded with dopamine, and his lips spread into a wide, happy grin.

    "I''m going to break through!"

    With his heart beating fast with anticipation, he shot more bullets and increased the travel speed of the potent qi from his gun to his core. He then decided to stop sending qi to his Ethereal Pearl altogether and sent all of it directly to his core.

    The core absorbed it greedily. Its spin became even faster, and it vibrated with a higher frequency. Even though he was only peeking through a hole, he could hear the hum of the vibration. Liu Xing licked his lips. This was an important moment. Breaking through wasn''t something to be done carelessly; failure could lead to a backlash, causing injury and regression in cultivation. The higher the cultivation realm, the more severe the backlash. In the Lock Opening realm, for example, the backlash might result in internal bleeding and a month''s worth of lost cultivation. He could imagine that the backlash for a Core Splitting cultivator would be critical, undoing half of their progress, and even shaking his foundation, making future breakthroughs harder.

    Liu Xing was confident that if he meditated and fully submerged himself in his consciousness, he would advance smoothly. But he was in the middle of something, and since he didn''t know when Wei Yi would arrive, he couldn''t afford that.

    The grin on his face shrank a little. The excitement to advance was still there, but now anxiety began to surface, making his stomach churn slightly. The core inside his consciousness kept spinning and vibrating, as if oblivious to his feelings, and Liu Xing understood that soon, it would want to split.

    As Liu Xing contemplated how to advance in this situation, he saw the "roof" of the hollow tower. The flesh covering it was covered by abominations'' backs, and he realized the giant was split into multiple levels. Stopping his shield, Liu Xing shot the remaining backs of abominations on the surrounding walls, leaving the roof for now. Once the walls were entirely painted red, with hundreds of holes spitting out endless blood, Liu Xing focused on the roof.

    Since he couldn''t see any way to enter the next level, he needed to blast his way through. To do this, Liu Xing activated the Exploding Fist technique and enhanced the potent bullets with it. He then aimed at the back of an abomination with yellow skin, as if made from banana peels, and pulled the trigger. The bullet was a brilliant blue, like the brightest lightning from a dark cloud. He aimed at other backs and let five streaks of blue bolts fly toward their targets. When the first bullet hit, a brilliant blue explosion rocked the roof, destroying several abominations at once. Glancing at the side of the gun and seeing it glow green, he repeated the motion, sending more Exploding Fist bullets made from the qi of Core Splitting abominations.

    Continuous loud explosions occurred, making even the walls of flesh tremble. Several large holes had already formed on the roof, churning out blood like waterfalls. After about ten explosions, all the abominations covering the roof were destroyed. It was wasteful, as killing them one by one would have yielded more qi, but he needed to blast the roof open.

    Aiming for the center of the roof, where a giant hole was spitting out a waterfall of blood, Liu Xing pulled the trigger three more times. Three brilliant bullets flew through the air and hit the base of the waterfall, creating a huge explosion and deepening the hole. The second and third bullets made the hole wider and deeper. Now, the blood falling wasn''t from the base of the hole but from the surrounding walls, where the base was devoid of blood. There, a small opening showed colors of red, yellow, white, and others spilling out.

    Realizing it was the opening to the next level, he shot another bullet. When it hit, another large explosion occurred, blasting the roof open.

    After the explosion settled, Liu Xing could see the next level¡ªthe upper part of the giant''s stomach. Several organs were there, each pulsing with its own frequency.

    Liu Xing kicked his shield and jumped to the next level. After passing through the hole, he resummoned his shield and looked around. There was a giant, box-shaped organ with a blue color, pulsing with an eerie light. Inside, several silhouettes resembling liquid with multiple heads and horrified faces formed and dispersed rapidly, as if made by the souls of the damned. Long, thin tubes nestled on the walls between the backs of abominations, like cables, pulsed with light as if electricity coursed through them. A giant heart hung high in this level, similar in shape to a normal human heart but gigantic. It pulsed with an erratic beat and was surrounded by several red and black organs of irregular shapes, like blood clots. There were no crisscrossing veins here, but many organs pulsed with different shapes and colors and all of them stuck to the wall as if trying to get out of the way of something big.

    When he saw a giant opening above that contracted periodically, he realized it was the giant''s throat, and a comprehension struck him.

    These organs hanging from the walls were probably by design. If a giant meatball came down the throat and organs were in its path, they would be destroyed.

    The core itself, which was his goal for entering this giant, stood right in front of him. The meatball was spinning and vibrating above a platform made entirely of black, rotten flesh that emanated a smell so foul he wished his nose had no holes. Hundreds of faces dotted the platform, each with empty eye sockets oozing red blood that smelled like rotten corpses.

    Surrounding the meatball was qi so dense it looked almost liquid, and even the air around him felt heavy, almost like his stable qi. But while the surrounding qi was dense, he sensed movement, as if it were water flowing slowly toward a waterfall.

    That waterfall¡ªthe one pulling all the surrounding qi¡ªwas the core of the giant.

 155 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (19)

    The sight of the giant meatball, half the size of a castle, spinning and vibrating as it pulled in the surrounding qi, creating a dense layer around it, made his eyes widen in surprise. This was eerily similar to the spinning and vibrating core inside his consciousness, making him wonder if this giant meatball was truly the core of the giant that was trying to split in two and advance to the next realm. The only problem with this theory was that this core was a physical entity residing in the physical realm, whereas a core should reside within one''s consciousness. Still, this was an abomination, a being that was neither human nor spirit beast. Perhaps this giant had a different path of cultivation than a normal human cultivator or spirit beast.

    "I''ve made it in time," Liu Xing said.

    It was still in the process of advancing, which meant it was vulnerable. If Liu Xing could disrupt it, the giant would suffer a backlash from the failed advancement.

    Liu Xing licked his lips, sending a large amount of qi into his stone blade, holding it, and said, "How do I destroy it?"

    He knew this core was incredibly tough. Even as he charged his stone blade, he knew this attack wouldn''t destroy it. He needed a better way, but what was it?

    As he charged the blade, the core inside his body also began spinning and vibrating with increasing frequency. A dilemma rocked his mind. Should he try to break through, or should he postpone it? A breakthrough right now would help immensely, but the process would make him vulnerable.

    "It''s too risky."

    Liu Xing gritted his teeth. That was the logical conclusion. If there were no other choice and he was in a desperate situation, he would undoubtedly choose the risky path. But right now, while it would help, it would also bring a greater risk. Moreover, even if his breakthrough were as fast as his advancement from the Lock Opening realm to the Core Splitting realm, he would still need to sit still and guide the process. Otherwise, there was a significant risk of failure.

    Still sending qi into his stone blade until it felt heavy in his hand, Liu Xing decided to stop his Flowing Meditation Method and try to close the hole into his consciousness. The process was usually easy. He just needed to release his focus, and the hole would disintegrate as easily as a bubble popped by a finger. But when Liu Xing ceased his control of the meditation method, he felt as if hundreds of needles suddenly jabbed his entire head and sunk deep into his brain.

    Liu Xing flinched, and instinctively, he resumed the Flowing Meditation Method, and the pain began to ease, as if the needles were sliding out of his head. He blinked several times, and when he felt something coming out of his nose, he wiped it with the back of his left hand and saw bloodstains.

    He had a nosebleed.

    His brain scrambled to make sense of what had happened, and then a conclusion came to mind. It was a freaking backlash! A minor backlash since he had stopped it before it got too serious, but still a backlash.

    "Why? What backlash is it?"

    As far as he knew, while his core was still absorbing qi, the process to breakthrough hadn''t occurred yet, so that wasn''t the source. Was the source the Flowing Meditation Method? Were there still hidden aspects to it?

    Liu Xing wasn''t sure, so he tried to release the Flowing Meditation Method again, and once more, a pain like hundreds of needles jabbing his brain returned. Thinking fast, Liu Xing decided to cut off the qi he was sending from the Ethereal Pearl to his consciousness. This way, even if the hole remained, the core wouldn''t grow bigger. With his control, the thread of his qi became thinner and thinner until it snapped like a tiny rope.

    Suddenly, an agonizing pain assaulted his entire head, as if magma beneath his skin was trying to burn his head and melt his eyeballs. Liu Xing screamed, blood flowing from his nose, eyes, ears, and mouth. Instinctively, he let go of his gun and stone blade and clutched his head with both hands, trying to claw into his skin and pry out whatever was causing him so much pain.

    When he let go of his weapons, his invisibility was undone, and the stone blade shot out a crescent of purple qi straight toward the meatball before plunging to the lower level of the giant.

    As the crescent of purple qi hit the meatball, a brilliant purple light exploded, bathing the world, but while the attack made the core tremble, it wasn''t enough to destroy it or even slow it down.

    Still, Liu Xing couldn''t afford to think about what had just happened. Atop the wobbling shield, he crouched and screamed while his hurting brain tried to figure out how to end the pain. While the pain slowed his mind, he realized it was happening because he had cut the thread of qi from his body to his consciousness, so he reasoned that if he restored it, the pain would cease.

    As blood flowed down from his ears, nose, and mouth, Liu Xing tried to control the chaotic qi inside his body¡ªhe had almost lost control¡ªand send it into the wobbling hole. The process was agonizingly slow, like waiting for a snail to climb a table, but eventually, his spinning and vibrating core connected with the thread, which it absorbed greedily, as if Liu Xing had just starved an innocent child and then given it a feast.

    Instantly, the pain subsided, and he stopped screaming and regained control of his body. The pain still lingered, but his current condition was like heaven compared to before.

    Liu Xing grimaced. He didn''t understand what had just happened, but one thing he was sure of: if he cut the qi thread, the agonizing pain would return.

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    "Shit," Liu Xing cursed.

    It seemed he had no choice in the matter. He had to break through to the next realm whether he wanted to or not.

    As he regained composure and the shield he stood on stabilized, he realized that both of his weapons were gone. The gun was easy; he could dismiss and resummon it. The stone blade was trickier.

    A loud groan came from the core. It sounded like a giant steel building that had lost its balance and was about to topple. Liu Xing remembered that he needed a way to destroy the core, and he still hadn''t found a solution.

    Looking around, he saw many abominations that could be sources of qi. Upon seeing those backs, he realized that what he needed was a way to channel all of their qi into a single attack. His stone blade was the only thing that had a chance of holding that much qi, but since it would be so heavy that Liu Xing couldn''t swing it, he needed a better idea.

    He examined all the possible attacks he could use, starting with the crescent purple qi, his bullets, attacks from his Thunderstrike gauntlets, and so on. When he reached the Statute Summoning Technique, a spark of an idea came to him.

    What if he used the turtle? His first idea was to stand high in the sky and hurl down a turtle as large as a hill, but then he had a simpler idea. What if he just placed the turtle atop the core and, as he sent it qi, it grew bigger and heavier? Considering the amount of qi he had, as well as the surrounding abominations, he could grow the turtle so large that even the giant couldn''t hold it in its stomach! Moreover, it was an easy thing to do, one that he could probably manage while trying to break through.

    Nodding to himself, he cycled his qi and summoned the turtle right above the meatball. Comparing the size of the turtle and the meatball now was like comparing a human to a medium-sized castle, but this difference would soon shrink. He caught the turtle with his potent qi to make it float, then started sending it qi, causing it to grow bigger and bigger. As he did this, he monitored his own core and nodded, seeing it still greedily absorbing the qi he was sending.

    When Liu Xing was contemplating whether to send more qi to his core or to his statue, one side of the wall began to move. The flesh and the abominations, with only their backs remaining, began shuffling. Then, a single yellow eye emerged from the wall. Compared to before, this yellow eye was smaller, but it was still larger and bigger than several elephants combined.

    After it fully emerged, Liu Xing had a thought to make himself invisible again, so he resummoned his gun to spread the invisibility. But before he could become fully invisible, the eye looked down and saw him.

    There was a flicker of surprise in its gaze, as if asking why Liu Xing was still alive, but then it narrowed, and he could sense it was preparing to attack again.

    ***

    Yang Liangyu sat in the front seat of an open carriage. Beside her, Yang Meilin controlled the two white horses pulling the carriage. Behind her, six women with their children sat tensely, looking around as if they were waiting for an ambush. Several other carriages followed the one she sat on, each carrying women, children, the elderly, and those unfit to fight. Though they looked vulnerable, each of them actually held a relatively high status within the Yang clan, and they were the ones who needed to be secured first.

    One of the following carriages was a pristine white carriage with golden ornaments and beautiful engravings. It was pulled by a large black horse with piercing eyes and a long mane. It was one of the best horses the Yang clan had, and it should have been pulling her carriage, but instead of residing within that comfortable carriage, Yang Liangyu chose to sit with Yang Meilin.

    Yang Meilin was one of her brother''s guards. She was strong and capable, entrusted by her brothers to guard this evacuation effort, but the one actually in charge was Yang Liangyu, and so, she needed to act like a leader by leading the group.

    As the carriage rushed along the road, with trees decorating the sides and a bright sun that made it feel like a good day to roam the city and greet people, Yang Liangyu bit her lip. Her hands never stopped moving. Sometimes she tapped the seat, sometimes she grabbed her robe and twisted it. Her stomach churned, making her feel nauseated, and she really, really hoped that her brothers, as well as the other brave people who were fighting, would come back safely.

    Though, when she turned her head and saw an orange dome in the distance, with a large silhouette inside it, it was hard for her to feel at ease. Hoping they would be okay was like seeing the ocean recede far and hoping it wouldn''t result in a tsunami.

    "Everything will be alright," Yang Meilin said.

    She turned her head and saw Yang Meilin trying to smile at her. But her face was pale, her smile rigid, beads of sweat dotting her forehead, and she looked so ill that she might collapse at any moment. There was a rumor that Yang Meilin had a lover, and perhaps that rumor was true, and this lucky man was with her brother, fighting that demonic cultivator.

    "That Purple Moon Sect disciple is strong, and so is your brother. Yang Hongyin is there too. They''re our best," she said, glancing back towards the distant dome. "They won''t lose. They can''t."

    Yang Meilin was trying to ease her heart, but to Yang Liangyu''s ears, it sounded more like she was trying to reassure herself. So, Yang Liangyu smiled and nodded, hoping her response would reassure Yang Meilin, and when she saw Yang Meilin relax her shoulders, Yang Liangyu knew she had succeeded. Though, while she had succeeded in reassuring Yang Meilin, she herself felt as if her whole body was still suffused with a curse that made her want to puke.

    "Your Highness, there''s someone ahead," Yang Meilin said, pointing.

    Yang Liangyu snapped her head forward and saw a woman standing in the middle of the road. She had long black hair. Her eyes were blue, cold, and piercing, as if they could freeze the world. The air around her swirled gently, making her robe and hair flutter, and she wore a beautiful purple robe with golden embroidery.

    She was beautiful, so beautiful that Yang Liangyu''s eyes felt trapped and unable to move.

    The horses pulling them suddenly came to a halt, followed by the carriages behind. For a moment, the world stood still, as if giving Yang Liangyu a chance to enjoy the beauty of this woman. The woman''s eyes swept over the group slowly, as if she were a queen trying to deem whether they were worthy in her presence.

    Yang Liangyu''s brain then suddenly screamed that this woman was dangerous. While her cultivation was lower than Yang Meilin''s, she knew this woman''s power was greater than her cultivation level indicated. Her mind suddenly went to Liu Xing, and when her eyes once again saw the purple robe, they widened.

    A Purple Moon Sect disciple! This girl was one of Liu Xing''s peers!

    Before she could fully register the fact, the woman looked straight at her with her piercing blue eyes.

    She then opened her mouth and asked, "Which one of you is the Iron Queen?"

 156 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (20)

    "Which one of you is the Iron Queen?"

    When Yang Liangyu heard the voice, it felt as if the air had stopped moving and the world had frozen, perhaps afraid to offend her. The voice was soft, yet commanding, as if she stood before one of the greatest empresses in the entire world. Even her father had never possessed such a presence.

    After a full second, Yang Liangyu realized that she had been addressed. She scrambled to get off the carriage, gave a little bow, and clasped her hands.

    "Yang Liangyu from the Twelve Sun Empire greets the esteemed disciple from the Purple Moon Sect," she said. Then, she answered the question. "There is no one with such a title among our group."

    A cultivator from the Purple Moon Sect held significant importance, especially since her empire was a vassal to the sect. While this didn''t mean she had to treat every disciple as royalty, they were, without a doubt, the elite among the elite in the entire Dark Forest continent. Moreover, Yang Liangyu genuinely didn''t know who this "Iron Queen" might be and feared that her answer might offend the disciple. Though Yang Liangyu had enjoyed a leisurely life, unconcerned with politics, a figure with such a striking title as "Iron Queen" would surely have caught her attention.

    Caution was paramount when dealing with disciples of the Purple Moon Sect. Aside from Liu Xing, every disciple she had met seemed capable of ending her life with a mere flick of their wrist for the slightest misstep.

    "Is that so?" Her tone was cool and quiet, but the lack of an outburst was a small victory. At least this person seemed reasonable.

    "Is there anything we can assist you with, esteemed disciple?" Yang Liangyu asked. "A disaster is currently unfolding within the capital, and I wish to evacuate my people to the nearest city." She gestured to the group behind her.

    The woman stood impassively, as if she hadn''t heard a word. Then, after a moment, she looked past her. Yang Liangyu initially thought she was observing her group, but it soon became clear that her eyes were fixed on the capital of the Twelve Sun Empire. There was no doubt that she could see the orange barrier and the giant silhouette within it.

    A sudden urge to ask for her help surged within Yang Liangyu. News had reached her that groups of disciples from the Purple Moon Sect were en route to assist them. Given the timing, this person likely wasn''t part of those groups, but there was a chance she had been sent ahead as a scout.

    "Who is the current empress of this empire?" She inquired.

    Yang Liangyu blinked several times. While there had been instances where the empire was led by a woman, they were few and far between. As far as she knew, for at least five hundred years, the Twelve Sun Empire had been ruled by an emperor. The question felt oddly out of place, and she wondered if this disciple had just emerged from seclusion. Still, she needed to answer, but in a way that wouldn''t outright suggest she was misinformed.

    "Currently, the throne is vacant. The last emperor has passed away."

    "I see," She replied, her expression unreadable.

    Yang Liangyu wondered if the woman was reassessing the situation. If she truly was a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect who had just come out of seclusion, considering the time elapsed since the reign of the last empress, she must be an inner disciple, or perhaps even an elder.

    "Where are the princes of the empire right now?"

    Upon hearing this question, Yang Liangyu''s eyebrows furrowed slightly. A pattern was emerging in her questions. First, she had asked about the "Iron Queen" as if she were a well-known figure, then about the current empress. These two questions suggested that this person was looking for someone she knew, but the last question threw her off because the answer was her.

    "Her name is Yang Liangyu," she said, "and coincidentally, I am she."

    The woman with the piercing blue eyes studied her for a moment, as if appraising her worth, then nodded slightly. "My name is Yan Yu. As you assumed, I am from the Purple Moon Sect. I have come to help you with your trouble."

    Yang Liangyu''s heart quickened. So, she truly was the scout for the reinforcements! What a stroke of luck to meet her now!

    Elation danced in her heart, but her mind raced, considering the best way to approach the situation. Yan Yu was clearly different from Liu Xing, who had no problem mingling and discussing plans. The correct approach, then, was to inform her of the situation, request her assistance, and then let her proceed as she saw fit.

    "Thank you for coming to our aid in this dire time!" Yang Liangyu exclaimed. "Currently, my brother, Prince Yang Jinyan, a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect named Liu Xing, and my clan members are fighting inside the dome that encases the capital. Your presence there would be most reassuring to those who are fighting, as well as for us who wait with bated breath for the outcome of this battle."

    The heart of the problem was the demonic cultivator, and Yang Liangyu assumed that the enemy was also inside the dome. The best course of action was for Yan Yu to head there and reinforce her older brother. Even if she was just a scout, the addition of another Purple Moon disciple could be the deciding factor.

    "Liu Xing again, huh," Yan Yu muttered.

    A strange pang surfaced in Yang Liangyu''s heart. Did this person know Liu Xing? Were they friends?

    "Do you know him? He has been a great help to our empire."

    Logically, there was no benefit to asking that question, but it slipped out before she could stop it. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she tried to rein in her emotions.

    Yan Yu didn''t answer, leading Yang Liangyu to believe she had made a mistake. She couldn''t let her feelings guide her actions. She needed to be logical, to keep her heart as steady as an iron rod. There was no room for a carefree life anymore. She needed to be strong and capable to protect her people.

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    "You need to follow me."

    Without waiting for a response, Yan Yu turned and began walking toward the side of the road. As she walked, a gust of wind followed her, and the blades of grass near her feet froze, as if winter had suddenly descended upon them. The bushes in front of her wilted, their essence seemingly drained, creating a path for her.

    Yang Liangyu and her group remained where they were, still processing the fact that another Purple Moon Sect disciple had arrived and was now instructing them to follow her to a different direction.

    When Yan Yu reached a tree, its base beginning to freeze, and realized she wasn''t being followed, she stopped and turned.

    "You need to follow me," she repeated.

    "I''m sorry, esteemed disciple, I don''t wish to offend you, but this road is the fastest way to reach the next city."

    The next city was only about an hour away if they were in a hurry, and as far as she knew, even with her limited knowledge of the area, there were no suitable roads that could accommodate several carriages in the direction Yan Yu was heading. A cultivator could work wonders for travel, but there was no shorter path than the main road. There was also a river, which they couldn''t cross. This disciple seemed to have an ice affinity, and while ice was versatile and could be used to create roads and bridges, Yang Liangyu doubted she would accommodate her group in such a manner.

    "You misunderstand. I don''t want all of you to follow me. I only want you, Princess Yang Liangyu, to follow me."

    "Pardon?" Yang Liangyu blurted out.

    "I want you and only you to follow me. I have come here to help you, and believe me, you want to follow me."

    She wanted to ask why she should follow, but that question would surely offend her. Instead, she bit her tongue and tried to reason it out herself.

    As far as she knew, there was no way Yan Yu could know her personally. While she was a princess AND loved by many of her citizens, there was no way a disciple from the Purple Moon Sect would have heard of her. This meant it wasn''t about her, but about her position.

    But her position was also insignificant. She held no sway over the citizens, and with the capital in ruins, that status had become much weaker. The only way her position could be leveraged was to use her to get to her older brother, but even that was questionable. While her older brother loved her, there were many things he would prioritize over her.

    Yang Liangyu glanced at Yang Meilin, whose face was pale, probably from fear of offending Yan Yu. Yang Meilin nodded frantically, as if urging her to leave the group to her and simply follow Yan Yu.

    This reaction reminded Yang Liangyu that if she offended this woman, it wouldn''t just be her who suffered, but her entire group. So, the question wasn''t why she should follow, but what would happen if she didn''t.

    This reasoning made the decision easier.

    "Alright," Yang Liangyu nodded and took a step.

    Yan Yu faced forward and resumed walking, expecting her to follow.

    As Yang Liangyu followed, she tried to find answers to the urgent questions swirling in her mind. Where was Yan Yu taking her? Would she truly help the empire? And if so, why move away from the capital and the next city? What was her goal?

    Yang Liangyu''s anxiety churned, her heart growing more uneasy with each step. Walking behind Yan Yu was like chasing a snowstorm. She just hoped Yan Yu wouldn''t turn around and freeze her to death.

    They arrived at a river, where Yan Yu conjured two ice platforms. Both were thin, but the one that materialized in front of Yan Yu glowed, as if made from eternal ice that absorbed a great deal of qi. The one in front of Yang Liangyu, while still glowing, felt lacking, as if deliberately made inferior to subtly remind her of her lower status.

    When they both stood atop the platforms, they began to rise into the air, moving between the canopy of trees so fast that Yang Liangyu''s hairpin came undone, and she had to plant her feet firmly while blinking rapidly to shield her eyes from the wind.

    As they moved, the wind rustling her long black hair, which waved like a flag, Yang Liangyu once again pondered their destination.

    If Yan Yu was truly a scout, perhaps they were going to meet the rest of the Purple Moon Sect disciples. That made sense. Only someone of her stature would be worthy to face them, and she could provide them with a breakdown of the situation. But she could also be wrong. Yan Yu''s timing was slightly off from the four groups expected to arrive in a few days, and the first thing she had asked about was a person called the "Iron Queen," not Liu Xing, or even the emperor or the royal prince. This mystery felt like a fish bone stuck in her throat.

    "Who is the Iron Queen?" she muttered to herself.

    She had a feeling that knowing the Iron Queen would shed some light on Yan Yu''s goal and motive. But was this mystery truly important? It would be good to know more about Yan Yu, to understand how to interact with her, how to persuade her, and how to behave around her. But the most important thing right now was her empire. And since Yan Yu had expressed her willingness to help, wasn''t that enough?

    After a moment of contemplation, Yang Liangyu decided that it was indeed enough. Anyone willing to help her empire in these dire times should be welcomed with open arms, regardless of their goals or motivations. Still, while she would deprioritize the questions about the Iron Queen and Yan Yu''s motivations, she would remember them, just in case they became important later.

    "Excuse me, esteemed disciple, but where are we heading right now?" she asked.

    This question was more pressing. Since Yan Yu wasn''t heading toward the capital or the next city, it meant she possessed a crucial information about the demonic cultivator who dared to wreak havoc in the Twelve Sun Empire. What was it, and why was it connected to her? She didn''t know, but she intended to find out.

    Yan Yu didn''t acknowledge her question, as if she hadn''t heard it. But that was impossible. They were both cultivators, and she was certain Yan Yu''s hearing was sharper than hers.

    After almost half a minute, Yan Yu finally answered. "A cave."

    "A cave?" she asked, then carefully, "Is it your base?"

    "No."

    "An enemy base?"

    "Yes."

    Yang Liangyu''s eyes widened. "Truly?"

    "Yes. We will arrive shortly."

    Yang Liangyu''s mind whirled with hundreds of questions, but she decided not to voice them. If they would arrive shortly, her questions would be answered then.

    Not long after, the platforms lowered to the ground, and they began to walk through tall bushes, trees, and roots that jutted out from the ground. Finally, they arrived at a clearing in front of a cave.

    Beside the cave opening stood two young men, each holding gleaming white spears. One had brown skin, a tough, sweaty face, as if he had been standing under the sun for hours. There was a crude air about him as he scratched his rear, yet he wore pristine green clothes, rumpled in some parts but gleaming under the sun, as if hastily donned to look presentable. A memory resurfaced of three men who had tried to capture and violate her, and this man reminded her of one of them.

    The other man wore a red robe embroidered with suns and flames. He held his chin high, as if the world should bow before him. Yang Liangyu didn''t know this young man, but she recognized him as a member of her clan. What was he doing here?

    Inside the cave, a yellow light flickered like a candle. Black smoke billowed from the cave mouth, as if something were burning inside, and as the smoke rose, it formed into skulls before dissipating into the air.

 157 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (21)

    Yang Liangyu followed Yan Yu into the clearing. Instantly, both of the guards snapped their heads toward them. They readily pointed their spears at the pair as if they had anticipated intruders and had been prepared for some time.

    "How much do you know about demonic cultivators?" Yan Yu suddenly asked her.

    The guards, both of them likely stronger than her¡ªthough she didn''t know their exact stage¡ªlooked at each other, nodded, and attacked. The man wearing rumpled yet pristine green clothes lunged with his silver spear, the tip glowing with a green aura, as if anyone touched by it would be poisoned. Her clan member also lunged; his spear glowed, not with a green aura, but with an orange fire. Yang Liangyu''s heart thumped upon seeing these attacks. While she was a cultivator, she had never fought before, and if not for Yan Yu''s reassuring aura, she would have turned around and bolted.

    Yan Yu conjured a thin black sword in her right hand, then looked at her, as if wondering why she hadn''t answered her question.

    "Demonic cultivators? I don''t know much about them," Yang Liangyu hurriedly answered. "I know they are evil."

    "Evil, yes. All of them are inherently evil," Yan Yu said while flicking her sword toward her clan member. Instantly, the fire on his spear extinguished as if it were a mere candle blown by a strong wind. He looked surprised, but didn''t stop his momentum.

    "Their path to power is to sacrifice other people," Yan Yu added.

    She flicked her black sword once again, and two ice arrows materialized in front of her. The arrows were detailed, with pretty engravings around them, one depicting a crane. Though she didn''t see the full detail because a mere fraction of a second after they were conjured, they flew toward the enemies, creating a low humming sound like bees.

    "Demonic cultivators are also cowardly. So much so that they usually have tricks to preserve their lives. Some of them opt to possess other people, turn themselves into spirits or undead, split their souls and enter them into multiple vessels, and many more. I despise each of them. They are my enemies."

    Yang Liangyu processed this information while watching the two arrows fly straight toward their intended targets. The man with the rumpled green clothes tried to swat the arrow with his spear, but the arrow suddenly accelerated and sunk deep into his forehead, piercing his brain and freezing his serious expression forever. Her clan member was wise enough to try to dodge the arrow, but as if the arrow were death itself and could not be outrun, it accelerated and landed on his right side, piercing deep enough that only the tail remained outside.

    Glancing to his side, he gritted his teeth and tried to lunge at Yan Yu, as if refusing to accept that he had been hit so easily, and trying to repay her manyfold. Yan Yu just stood there; she didn''t try to dodge or deflect the attack. Instead, when the tip of the spear was just mere centimeters from her nose, the man suddenly stopped, as if his body were paralyzed. His eyes widened, his face scrunched in agony, but before he could scream, ice bloomed from his side, grew, and instantly swallowed him whole until he became a block of ice with a spear sticking from the inside.

    As if nothing had happened, Yan Yu stepped to the side, away from the man she had just frozen to death, and continued walking. "I do not know the name of the demonic cultivator that attacked your empire, but I know that he is the type that stuffs his soul into a treasure."

    Yang Liangyu''s eyes lingered for a moment on her deceased clan member, trying to engrave his face into her soul, vowing to find out who he was and why he had betrayed the clan. Then she turned her head and followed Yan Yu into the cave.

    Her heart thumped inside her ribs when she successfully processed what Yan Yu had said. A demonic cultivator that stuffs his soul into a treasure. Since this cave was the enemy''s base, then that demonic cultivator''s soul was probably inside. Which meant that if they successfully destroyed the treasure, then the demonic cultivator would die!

    Yan Yu looked behind, and upon seeing her happy and excited face, said, "Do not think that it would be easy. There is not a single demonic cultivator that leaves the treasure containing their soul unguarded."

    "But you have killed the guards."

    "Two of them, yes, but there are more, and each demonic cultivator is crafty. They create traps around and within the treasure that contains their soul. This specific demonic cultivator has one tricky trap that became the reason why I brought you here."

    "You brought me here to disable that specific trap?" An understanding dawned on Yang Liangyu.

    "Indeed," she nodded.

    "Why me? Am I the only one who can disable it?"

    Since Yan Yu had brought her specifically, it implied that only she could disable this trap. Yet, this explanation was strange. While she was, and still is, a princess, she didn''t have any special ability, technique, or anything special about her. If someone described her as a mere little princess from a little empire, some of her people would be mad, but she knew that it was true. There was nothing extraordinary about her. So much so that the only notable thing about her was her appearance, and even this strength of hers would be lost if compared to other princesses from bigger nations or empires. Not to mention that she knew a sect that was full of beautiful women, so much so that they were called fairies. Compared to them, she was just a speck of dust.

    Realizing that Yan Yu wouldn''t answer her question, Yang Liangyu pressed forward. "There''s no way I can disable a trap from a demonic cultivator."

    "You can, and I will help you," Yan Yu said.

    "What if I fail to disable that trap?"

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    "It would spell disaster, so don''t fail."

    That''s so unreasonable. Expecting her not to fail, while she didn''t have any competency in disabling a trap, was like expecting a rock to turn into gold. She was doomed to fail!

    Still, she clenched both of her fists. If there was no one but her who could disable that trap, she needed to succeed. But to succeed, she couldn''t just do things blindly. She needed information and guidance.

    "Tell me more about this trap," Yang Liangyu said, her voice as hard as cold iron, her eyes lighting up with determination. The qi inside her body churned as if it, too, felt her determination and strengthened her.

    Yan Yu stopped and looked at her for a full second. In this full second, Yang Liangyu felt that the woman in front of her was just seeing her for the first time, as if all this time she had just been a wind trailing behind her, but now she was truly human and deserved her attention. For the first time since they met, Yang Liangyu felt that she had equal footing with Yan Yu, even if her logical mind realized that nothing had changed about this situation, that she was still a princess from a little empire, while Yan Yu was a disciple from one of the strongest and most prestigious sects in the world.

    "Keep your calm." Yan Yu turned and began to walk again, and Yang Liangyu followed her again. But in a brief moment, so short that it was probably an illusion, she thought she saw her nod a little, as if she acknowledged Yang Liangyu.

    Soon, they entered deeper into the cave. Above the roof of the cave, black smoke moved as if it were an upside-down river. Its stench was horrible, like smoke from burning thousands upon thousands of maggots that had eaten rotten blood. In front of them, a yellow light flickered like a candle from one of the roads that forked into two. Yan Yu unhesitantly went to the right path, and Yang Liangyu followed her as if she were a little child following her mother.

    Once they stepped onto the right path, what greeted them was a view that made Yang Liangyu open her eyes wide, her mouth agape, and she instinctively closed her mouth with her hand.

    In this room, there was a sound of chatter, a song, and happy laughter, as if it were filled by a group of robbers celebrating their successful robbery. But there was no such view in this room.

    While the sounds were like that, the view was different. From the roof of the cave, dozens of stalactites grow downward, resembling the fangs of a giant beast. On each of the biggest stalactites, a chain was tied, spiraling downward, round and round. At the end of each chain, tied to one of their ankles, was a human being. Their heads had been chopped off, and blood fell from them like eternal red waterfalls, pooling on the ground, creating a shallow sea of red. Their right sides had already rotted. White maggots crawled on their bodies, chewing and eating them. Flies circled around them, creating a disgusting hum. But their left sides, especially their left arms, now rose as if they realized there were intruders. Their base was still that of a human, but from the elbow below, or rather, up, it formed into a snake. Some of them were red snakes, some of them were blue snakes, some of them had skin as black as charcoal, and many, many more.

    They began to hiss, their eyes piercing the two of them, as if they were birds trying to eat their eggs.

    "Is this the trap?" Yang Liangyu asked, her qi cycling through her body and strengthening her.

    "No. Mere guards."

    The snakes attacked in unison. They snaked through the air and came at them like a closing wall. Each of them opened their mouths wide, revealing gleaming fangs that had dangerous qi around them.

    Yan Yu materialized hundreds of blue arrows around her, and with a flick of her wrist, the arrows moved as if they were birds, also creating a wall and hitting the snakes. Some of them successfully pierced the snakes, some crushed the heads of the snakes as if the arrows were blunt and the enemies'' bodies were soft, but some arrows even bounced off them.

    Yan Yu calmly conjured many, many more arrows. Each of them gleamed with light blue light, and cold air began seeping into the area, making Yang Liangyu feel that winter had come, and she was unprepared for it.

    Since not all of the snakes had been killed by the first volley of arrows, she thought that this fight was not one-sided, that Yan Yu needed to put more effort into killing the enemies. She was mistaken. Each of the arrows, whether they successfully pierced snakes or not, froze the snakes. The ice began growing in their bodies as if it were some kind of parasite. Some of the snakes shook their bodies to shed the ice, but the more they moved, the more aggressive the ice became. There was no escape from Yan Yu''s ice. Some of the snakes attacked desperately at Yan Yu despite almost all of their bodies being encased by ice, but before it could close in, with its mouth wide open, the ice successfully won the battle by swallowing the snake entirely.

    Right now, of the hundreds of snakes that had tried to attack them, none were moving. All of them had been frozen and encased with a thick block of ice. They were still hanging in the sky, creating a formation of crisscrossed ice, like a weaving of chaotic thread, one that almost looked like a wall that would be hard to pass unless they could insert themselves into a gap only as big as a plate.

    Yan Yu flicked her wrist once again, and the ice--the snakes--suddenly exploded into snow. Each of the snowflakes brought the temperature down. They swirled until they decided to coat each centimeter of the cave with them. The pool of blood had been frozen. There were no hanging bodies from stalactites; the chains that had tied them had been destroyed, and they were encased with a fine layer of ice.

    Yang Liangyu inhaled deeply. Each of the snakes was stronger than her. Yet, Yan Yu dispatched them so easily, as if they were mere nuisances. Once again, Yang Liangyu realized how far apart normal cultivators were from cultivators from great sects.

    "Let''s go," Yan Yu said, stepping on top of the ice calmly.

    Soon, they found the source of the flickering light. It was truly a simple white candle. It stood atop a little rock, and was quite tall, almost as high as her waist. This candle was protected by a golden cage. This cage was protected by a bubble of qi, transparent, but occasionally rippling with energy. This bubble, in turn, was protected by a huge mouth of a deep-sea fish, one with a lure, with the tip of it glowing brightly. This deep-sea fish was bigger than her, and its eyes were focused on both of them. It looked like it could close its mouth and protect the candle, yet, aside from its eyes, it didn''t budge, as if it were just a statue with realistic eyes. The black smoke materialized on the roof of the cave. It appeared suddenly, as if the candle had bypassed all the obstructions covering it and directly scorched the ceiling.

    Yan Yu pointed her thin black sword at the candle. "I''ll try to attack it and activate some of the traps. You move right behind me."

    Yang Liangyu complied, and from around Yan Yu''s feet, a huge wave of snow materialized and rushed. The deep-sea fish snapped its jaws so fast that the result made the cave tremble. The wave of snow hit the deep-sea fish, but instead of throwing the fish, the fish was rooted in its place, as if it could not move.

    The wave of snow that hit the fish created a layer of ice on the jagged skin of the fish, and when the wave finally passed through, the deep-sea fish, instead of being encased in a block of ice, had its entire body frozen like an ice sculpture, as if the cold had not only frozen its skin but seeped into its very being and frozen its bones, muscles, and organs.

    The frozen statue of the deep-sea fish began to crack. Lines began forming, and soon, the deep-sea fish exploded into a fine dust of ice, revealing the candle protected by the golden cage and a rippling bubble of qi.

    Yang Liangyu held her breath. Yan Yu had said she would try to activate some of the traps, so any moment now, the traps would be activated.

 158 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (22)

    Yang Liangyu waited with bated breath. The air she exhaled created a white mist in front of her. Her heart beat so fast it felt like her ribs would shatter, and her stomach churned like a stormy sea. That deep-sea fish was not normal. Perhaps it was a spirit beast. Perhaps it wasn''t. But whatever it was, Yang Liangyu knew it had some kind of power. There was no way its only function was just to snap its jaws. There must be some other function that has not yet been activated.

    After waiting for almost ten seconds, the ground began to tremble. The tremble was actually quite soft. If not because she was currently hyper-alert, perhaps she would not have realized it.

    A moment later, around a meter in front of the white candle surrounded by a golden cage, a fish emerged from the ground, breaking the layer of ice Yan Yu had created. Its purple skin was illuminated by the yellow light of the candle. Its eyes were entirely white, like a ghost''s. Its scales looked rough and jagged, as if it were born from hard stone.

    It was merely the size of her palm, yet when Yang Liangyu saw this fish, she almost jumped at its sudden appearance.

    Soon, the second and third fish emerged beside the first, and as if it were a signal, hundreds of fish suddenly emerged and broke the layer of ice at the same time. They covered the ground, the walls, and the cave roof. Each fish looked identical, as if they were clones of each other.

    In unison, they opened their mouths wide, revealing tongues that looked like green seaweed covered by dozens of tiny holes. Then, from those holes, purple mist emerged. At first, it was slow, like tobacco smoke, but soon the pressure of the purple mist became stronger until each hole was spewing purple mist like a water hose.

    A loud slam suddenly came from behind them, and upon seeing that the wall behind them had closed entirely, as if a wall had emerged from below the ground and closed their escape route, Yang Liangyu realized what this trap was about. It was simple, yet dangerous.

    "Poison!"

    A normal poison wouldn''t affect a cultivator, but there was no way this purple mist was just a normal poison. It was made by a demonic cultivator. She would not be surprised if this purple mist could corrode her entire body, perhaps even her soul!

    The fishes kept spewing the purple mist. The purple mist slowly moved closer to them, like a tiger that had successfully cornered its prey and was waiting for a chance to attack. Yang Liangyu realized the place they stood was the only corner of the room where no fishes emerged, as if the demonic cultivator wanted to make sure this place was the last corner that would be flooded by the purple mist.

    If she were alone, Yang Liangyu would not survive this poison. Luckily, though, her mind reminded her that Yan Yu was here. There was no way they would be poisoned to death. Yan Yu would not allow it.

    When a wind swirled around Yan Yu, and a circle of thick ice formed around them, Yang Liangyu realized that she was right.

    A small tornado of ice powder and snow emerged around them, creating a barrier that would blow away the poison mist. When the poison mist met the little tornado, Yang Liangyu could see that the tornado successfully deflected the purple mist. But she could also see that the purple mist pushed against it, as if it were trying to break the tornado.

    While the purple mist was a form of gas, she could feel that it actually had strong pressure, and it exerted its force like two hands holding an egg and trying to destroy it by pressure alone. If she were bathing within this purple mist, before her body was corroded, she would have exploded first like a watermelon hit by a hammer.

    Yan Yu exhaled deeply, expelling white mist from her mouth. This white mist sent a chill up Yang Liangyu''s spine. Before, Yang Liangyu felt cold all over her body, though she could endure it. But right now, the air was so cold her body began trembling, and her teeth began chattering, to the point that she needed to hug herself.

    As Yan Yu''s breath met the snow and ice tornado, it accelerated wildly. Ice powder transformed into a thousand gleaming blue scales. The surrounding wind intensified, pulling inward instead of pushing. The purple mist, like a fleeing child, was drawn into the tornado. It was devoured and instantly converted to ice, causing the tornado to grow larger and spin faster.

    At this point, Yang Liangyu realized that this tornado was not only for defense, but also for attack. Drawing the purple mist is only the first step, the second step is to make the tornado spin so fast that it can destroy the bubble protecting the golden cage and the candle!

    As the tornado became stronger, she could see that the cave was entirely covered by layers of ice. The fishes that spewed the purple mist had now turned into ice statues. Aside from the area within the bubble, everything was covered by a thick layer of ice, making the cave look like the inside of a mountain of ice.

    When the edge of the tornado hit the bubble, Yang Liangyu expected the bubble to instantly burst, but it was actually quite strong. It endured the whole force of the cold tornado and shimmering as if it were trying hard to survive.

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    Yan Yu flicked her sword, intensifying the tornado. It was spinning faster than before, and the attack began to chip away at the floors and the roof that were covered by ice, creating a crackling and groaning sound that reverberated within the cave.

    After a moment, a huge rumble could be heard, and when she looked up, she could see that the roof began to fall. It seemed the tornado had been shredding the roof of the cave too much until it could not hold itself and fell and would bury them alive. But when it began to fall, the cold aura froze it all, and as the tornado became bigger and stronger, it pushed the collapsing roof like an invisible hand until the roof was blown away, showing a blue sky and white clouds.

    "Stubborn," Yan Yu muttered.

    Despite the room that held it having been blown away, the bubble still shimmered with qi and endured the full force of the tornado. But, Yang Liangyu could see that it was just a matter of time before it popped.

    "What would happen after that bubble burst? Would another trap be activated?" Yang Liangyu asked.

    "No, I know what this bubble is. It''s just a mere qi barrier. Quite strong and durable, but supposedly doesn''t have any hidden mechanism."

    Yang Liangyu didn''t know whether to be happy or not. On one side, she was happy if no other trap would activate. But on the other hand, she had not forgotten the reason why Yan Yu brought her here, which was to handle a trap. Yan Yu handled the purple mist herself, which meant that the purple mist was not the trap she wanted Yang Liangyu to handle. No, it was either the trap that would be activated by the golden cage or even the candle itself.

    Her heart began to quicken again. She realized that she didn''t have any hope of surviving a trap left behind to protect the candle. The traps they had encountered were beyond her power. Yet, Yan Yu needed her to disable a specific trap. What kind of trap was it? Was it truly a trap that she could disable? Or did Yan Yu just want to kill her in a roundabout way?

    The bubble lit up with intense light, as if it were a sun shining in the summer. A crack could soon be heard, followed by another crack, then another. After a moment, silence, then, as if the bubble were a vase that dropped from a high place, it shattered with a reverberating sound into a million pieces. The fragments of it spread outward, glimmering as if they were diamonds, and were blown away by Yan Yu''s tornado.

    For a moment, the tornado''s whistling intensified, as if it were roaring after winning a huge fight. But soon, it stabilized, and then the spinning began to slow until the tornado dispersed entirely, turning into a wind that blew toward the sky, as if it were happy to win and happy to live.

    Looking around, Yang Liangyu realized that not only had the roof been blown away, but the walls had also collapsed. Right now, instead of standing inside the cave, a more fitting description was that they were standing in the center of a crater. One that was not created by a meteor, nor a volcano, but a cultivator.

    Yan Yu pointed her thin black sword forward, right at the golden cage that protected the candle. "That golden cage is a simple treasure. It has absorbed quite a lot of qi, and has attached itself into something."

    "Is that the trap I need to handle?" Yang Liangyu asked. Because if it was, then there was no way she could handle it.

    "No, it''s a simple trap that can be disabled by brute force alone. I will handle it. What you need to do is just blow out that candle."

    Yang Liangyu blinked. "Blow out the candle? Just...blow?"

    "Yes."

    "Is there anything special I need to do while blowing out the candle? Do I need to lace qi around my throat? Cycle my qi in a certain pattern?"

    "No, a normal blow is sufficient."

    Her mind tried to decipher what she had heard. There was no way it was that simple. If it were that simple, then Yan Yu would blow out the candle herself. There was no need for Yan Yu to search for her, then guide her into this cave, and while she didn''t say it, protect her from any harm. There was something that Yan Yu was hiding from her, and this secret was mighty suspicious. Blowing the candle would probably trigger the trap.

    "What kind of trap would activate after I blow out the candle?"

    "A strong one," she simply said.

    "Esteemed disciple, would you be more specific?"

    Yang Liangyu tried to probe more, but Yan Yu merely stared at her with a blank face, as if she didn''t hear her question. Upon seeing this, Yang Liangyu realized that she would not get the answer to her question. Still, she repeated her last question one more time, which Yan Yu answered by silence once more.

    When she could see a twitch of Yan Yu''s eyebrows, she realized that asking more would annoy Yan Yu, so she bit her tongue and shut herself up.

    "I will attack the golden cage," Yan Yu said.

    Yang Liangyu wanted to open her mouth once again, but afraid that she would blurt out any more questions, she opted to nod.

    "When I give you the signal, you rush and blow out the candle. The timing needs to be perfect."

    Yang Liangyu nodded once more.

    At this point, Yang Liangyu realized that Yan Yu certainly had a hidden motive, one that she could not understand yet. But she also realized that she didn''t have any choice regarding this matter. That candle was truly something that belonged to the demonic cultivator that attacked her empire. If Yan Yu was right, which she probably was, then blowing out that candle meant killing the demonic cultivator. Even if there was a trap, and Yan Yu had a hidden motive, she could not turn a blind eye regarding this candle and just go back to her group.

    Yang Liangyu steeled her heart; her eyes shone with determination once more. Whatever the trap was, she needed to do this. She felt manipulated by Yan Yu, and her heart and instinct screamed that this girl was dangerous, but still, Yan Yu wanted to help, and for now, she would give her the benefit of the doubt. Who knew, perhaps the trap would be activated or become more dangerous if Yan Yu told her the nature of it.

    "I''m ready."

    Yang Liangyu cycled the qi inside her body. She didn''t have any technique that could strengthen her physique, a fact which she regretted, but there was nothing she could do about it right now.

    "Now." Yan Yu said, and Yang Liangyu rushed toward the candle and the golden cage.

    After three steps, the golden cage instantly sprang into a flurry of movement.

 159 ~ Infernal Sun Bloodline (23)

    It was like seeing a beast submerged in water suddenly surface, revealing its full body to be bigger than it seemed. This golden cage was the same. When she took her fourth step, two yellow eyes emerged from the ground, and the ground around the golden cage suddenly turned into sand. A huge crocodile head tried to surface from below.

    The golden cage sat atop this crocodile''s head like a hat, and the golden cage sprung into a flurry of movement like octopus tentacles. Each of its tentacles grew bigger; their tips had mouths, and they opened their mouths wide. At the same time, the crocodile also lunged from under the sand and opened its mouth wide, as if trying to swallow her whole.

    Yang Liangyu didn''t stop. The crocodile and the golden cage had qi that felt like a volcano to her. Their presence dwarfed her. Perhaps they were spirit beasts that had crossed into the Core Splitting realm, or even beyond. Their movement was swift, their qi surging like a huge torrent of water.

    Yan Yu''s qi surged from behind her. In the blink of an eye, ice pillars materialized in the air and immediately descended. Each ice spear struck the golden tentacles, and one, larger than the others, slammed into the upper part of the crocodile''s mouth. They pushed down, pinning each of the incoming attacks to the sand, then ice bloomed from the impact points, anchoring them firmly to the ground.

    Yang Liangyu leaped onto the crocodile''s head. This head was as big as a log, and with only two steps, the candle was already in front of her. There were still golden tentacles between her and the candle, but the gap was so wide she could easily grab the candle between them.

    Instead of grabbing it, though, Yang Liangyu closed the distance between her face and the candle, and with a gentle blow, she tried to extinguish the flame.

    When the wind from her mouth hit the candle, the candle danced, and as easily as a normal candle flame, the fire died. One moment its yellow light was shining, the next it was gone, as if it had never existed. Upon seeing the candle had died, Yang Liangyu jumped backward. She knew that a trap would be activated, and she hoped to be as far as possible¡ªand as close to Yan Yu as possible¡ªso that she could survive.

    The crocodile had successfully opened its mouth wide. The spear of ice that pinned it down had been shattered, but when Yang Liangyu landed in front of it, convinced that it would try to attack her, the crocodile just stared at her. Its yellow eyes looked at her with a hint of consciousness. Looking into its eyes was like looking at the most expressive human eyes she had ever witnessed. What came from its eyes was pity as well as deep sorrow, as if Yang Liangyu were the most pitiful human being in the history of this world.

    "I have guarded this candle as long as I have lived," the crocodile said suddenly, making her eyes widen in surprise that it could actually talk. "It is a candle that my friend asked me to guard, which I failed to do twice."

    The crocodile fixed its gaze on Yan Yu. "The first to make me fail was a demonic cultivator named Wei Yi. He deceived me, taking a portion of the flame and infusing the remainder with half of his own soul."

    "All demonic cultivators are like that, despicable." Yan Yu''s eyes narrowed slightly.

    "I could argue with you about that, but in this specific case, you''re right. He was indeed despicable, cunning, and cowardly. But the real issue here is not about him. The truth is, I''m not guarding the flame from people like you. I''m protecting people like you two from the flame. It''s a foul flame, one with restrictions and capabilities that I''ve tried to chip away at for thousands of years. The fact that you didn''t burst into flames when you looked at it proves I''ve done a decent job, though not good enough. Give me another thousand years, and I could extinguish the flame without anyone needing to blow it out. Sadly, the flame is cunning. It weakened my mind and body to the point where I became merely a beast. Now, after the flame has finally died, it gloated over me by restoring my ability to think, reason, and speak."

    Yang Liangyu''s heart quickened. What kind of flame did she just extinguish? What did it mean that it was not guarding the flame from the people but guarding people from the flame? Was this flame some kind of calamity? Or perhaps a prison that locked away a dangerous spirit beast?

    The crocodile looked at her. "I felt pity for you, to be the one who blew the candle that has burned for thousands of years."

    What was actually happening right now? What kind of fate had she been tangled into?

    "You don''t need to worry about it," Yan Yu said, "she can handle it."

    Upon hearing Yan Yu, the crocodile looked at Yang Liangyu as if it were searching her soul, and after a moment of looking, a little smile bloomed on the crocodile''s lips.

    "It seems the heavens felt pity for me. It sent you to me, perhaps to ease my heart. Perhaps to give me the last chance to seek her forgiveness." The crocodile looked at Yan Yu. "I doubt you''re right. While she has her blood, it''s so thin. It''s like trying to catch a large boulder with a silk thread. Moreover, there''s also Wei Yi. I don''t know how much he defiled the fire, but I assume he would try to take over her." Then, it looked at her. "But I hope the heavens favor you. I hope you can survive, then thrive. That way, my life is not meaningless anymore."

    The crocodile now had a full-blown smile. Its eyes crinkled, and a content aura suddenly enveloped it, as if it had just achieved tranquility and was trying to pass to the next life. Then, the crocodile began to wither. Its rough skin became so dry, as if all the liquid in its body had evaporated. Its skin became as brittle as an old tree, a lot of its skin sagging before it crumbled into dust. The wind, as if trying to help the crocodile, sent a strong gust toward it, and its rate of crumbling intensified. The golden cage atop its head burst into golden dust, the white candle melted and evaporated into a white mist, and like a sandcastle hit by a ball, the crocodile burst into a cloud of dust. It flew, swirling with the wind, before ascending to the sky.

    Yang Liangyu looked up; her mind had so many questions that she instinctively caressed her temples.

    "What is actually happening? What is that crocodile? Is that a spirit beast?"

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    Yang Liangyu turned toward Yan Yu, hoping that she would answer some of her questions.

    Yan Yu spoke, her gaze also shifting upward. "I do not know him personally. I have never heard of him or his story. However, we share similar knowledge from the past, knowledge that will be important in the future." She looked at her. "For you, that''s not important. Just know that you have inherited a will from a bygone era. If you succeed in inheriting it, in surviving it, you will thrive."

    The gears in Yang Liangyu''s head tried to piece all the information together. "An inheritance," Yang Liangyu''s hand trembled.

    An inheritance was something quite famous. All cultivators, especially those who came from lesser backgrounds, would have daydreamed about getting an inheritance from some old monster or a long-dead master. Even Yang Liangyu, as carefree as her life was, had daydreamed about what if she stumbled upon a pocket dimension or hidden palace and got an inheritance from it. She thought it must be wonderful to connect with an ancient cultivator and to inherit their will, to bolster the strength of her empire, ushering it into an age of glory, with her as an empress. She was not serious, of course, but an inheritance was one that could flip a cultivator''s life upside down.

    But while stories about inheritance were abundant, the fact was, it was actually quite rare. Only the luckiest cultivators could stumble upon it.

    And right here, right now, Yang Liangyu would receive one.

    At first, she felt elated about it. After all, this inheritance had come at the right time. She had decided to pursue strength, to advance her cultivation so she could protect her empire. But all of that vanished when she remembered how the crocodile felt pity for her, how that flame was one that burned for thousands of years, one that had been defiled and contained a demonic cultivator''s soul, as well as one that Yan Yu said would give her strength only if she survived.

    And, considering her power and her life, there was no way for her to survive this.

    The flame that she blew would likely become her death.

    As Yang Liangyu''s heart began to frantically beat itself, as if trying to pump all of her blood so it could dilute whatever that flame was from her body, an agonizing pain suddenly slammed into her. One so strong that she instantly crumpled to the ground as if a large boulder had just landed on her shoulder.

    Then, she felt a fire suddenly burning her from the inside. Her blood began boiling, her skin turned red like a cooked lobster, but her veins turned black, as if her blood had been swapped with ink.

    Yang Liangyu let out a blood-curdling scream, one that made the birds around the crater fly away as if they had just heard a foul beast that would emerge from the depths of hell.

    "Infernal Sun Bloodline," Yan Yu said calmly, not that Yang Liangyu had heard her, what with her body boiling from the inside out, her brain cooked, and her qi and her cultivation felt like it would explode anytime. "It is a strong bloodline on paper. A bloodline that can host other bloodlines would give unlimited advantages. But as strong as it is, it also comes with a great disadvantage." Yang Liangyu paused for a moment. "The reason this bloodline was called Infernal Sun is because the one who awakens this bloodline would have a sun in their body along with their cultivation. The sun burns red, bright, and needs its energy channeled into the myriad of pockets of qi within their body. This pocket of qi needs to be filled with the essence of other bloodlines, making the bearer of this bloodline able to activate and use myriad bloodlines. The disadvantage of it is simple. The red sun despises its bearer, and it would try to burn the bearer into ash. There is not a single bearer of this bloodline who has mastered the sun. All of them live in agony. All of them want to try to kill themselves. You are also the same, Iron Queen, you are also the same."

    Yang Liangyu screamed.

    <hr>

    While Yan Yu and Yang Liangyu traveled to the cave where the candle was guarded by the crocodile, Liu Xing was busy with Wei Yi and his own breakthrough, and concentrating on making the turtle bigger with each passing second.

    Inside the giant''s upper stomach, Liu Xing wielded a lightning blade in his right hand while the gun on his left hand blasted the backs of the surrounding abominations. He dodged a series of lasers that traced the walls and the ground and tried to burn him to ashes. One of the lasers focused on his tortoise. Although the turtle could withstand the beam, the force of the laser pushed it away from its position hovering above the main core. Liu Xing strained with all his might to hold it in place. Fortunately, the turtle''s immense size, now larger than ten elephants combined, made it difficult to move.

    With his core spinning and vibrating faster and faster, his heart quickened more and more. There were so many things he needed to do that he hoped for a second, third, and fourth head. He needed to juggle his focus so much, that he wanted to focus on one thing and one thing only. But it was impossible to do. At most, he could focus on two, three if he wanted to do all of them half-heartedly.

    Fortunately, his gun is still spreading invisibility through his body. Once he had successfully become invisible and his presence thinner, it would be harder for Wei Yi to attack him.

    As Liu Xing moved like a strike of lightning, his gun destroying the backs of the abominations and occasionally shooting some bullets toward the giant yellow eye, his brain was working hard to conjure good ideas. After all, relying on his invisibility alone was not wise. Wei Yi already knew that Liu Xing was here, so even if he turned invisible, Wei Yi wouldn''t stop attacking, and at that time, he needed a different strategy.

    His thoughts circled back to the obvious: eliminating Wei Yi would solve a lot of his problems. But how? Then, a spark ignited in his mind. A truly viable idea. If he couldn''t manage multiple tasks simultaneously, why not merge them into one?

    Liu Xing assessed his situation once more, but right now with a more calm mind. He was now dodging Wei Yi''s attacks, as well as trying to attack Wei Yi.

    He could actually stop attacking Wei Yi. His attacks had never connected anyway. Holding the blade in his right hand now felt instinctive, but the fact was his lightning blade was actually idle, so he dismissed it and freed his right hand.

    Then, about dodging. Since his turtle could hold the laser, didn''t that mean that he didn''t need to dodge? He could just hide behind the turtle. In addition to not dodging too much, hiding behind the turtle would make it easier for Liu Xing to send it potent qi. It would become harder to attack the backs and reap their potent qi, but since his Ethereal Pearl was brimming with potent qi, he still had quite a lot of it.

    Now, about breaking through, it would be hard, and there was a high possibility that even if he succeeded, it would not be perfect, but there was no other way around it, so he just needed to make do about it.

    "All right," as he finished thinking, the invisibility finally concealed his whole body. His presence became thinner, and he stopped his gun from attacking.

    The inside of the giant suddenly fell into silence. The giant yellow eye looked around, trying to find Liu Xing. Each of its movements was actually making the backs around it squirm.

    Liu Xing dashed silently toward his turtle, and a moment later, he stood atop it. He predicted that since Wei Yi could not see him, aside from attacking blindly and hoping to hit Liu Xing, his turtle was the next obvious target. But as he stood atop his turtle, he conjured another good idea. His invisibility could hide his body and his clothes, implying that objects in contact with him could turn invisible too. He had never explored this part of the invisibility too much, like trying to hold other people and make them also invisible, one that he needed to amend later.

    But right now, he could experiment on the thing that truly mattered.

    What if he held the turtle and made it invisible?

 160 ~ Bell (1)

    From his understanding of his gun and its power of invisibility, he believed it was possible to make the statue invisible as well. Even his stone blade, a treasure of immense strength and power, could become invisible with him, so why not the turtle statue? The only potential issue was the turtle''s size. He had never attempted to apply invisibility to something so much larger than himself, but that was a problem he needed to test. As far as he knew, the invisibility didn''t require qi, so even if he failed, there would be no downside. If he succeeded, on the other hand, it would be a significant advantage. After all, an invisible sword was better than a normal one, so why not an invisible turtle?

    As he knelt and willed the gun to extend his invisibility further, he saw Wei Yi focus its one giant eye on the turtle, confirming his prediction. Wei Yi intended to focus his attack on the turtle, a logical choice compared to the other options. Attacking blindly would only harm the giant. Liu Xing realized that while the laser created traces everywhere, they were not very deep, indicating that Wei Yi was actually holding back.

    Right now, aside from holding the turtle and making it grow as large as possible, the only thing he needed to be careful about was if Wei Yi made a move to negate his invisibility, like spraying the air with blood to mark him, or any other measures. Wei Yi would likely try something later, but hopefully, there would be enough time for him to break through to the next stage.

    As the invisibility spread, the flesh below the giant yellow eye began to shift again. Liu Xing narrowed his eyes. Was it trying to create another eye to attack more frequently? But when a wide slit formed, revealing teeth and a tongue, he realized it wasn''t an eye but a mouth. The last time this had happened, Wei Yi had revealed many tentacles from inside the mouth, but this time, the mouth looked quite normal, with a red human tongue but sharp, jagged teeth.

    Licking his lips, Liu Xing peeked into his consciousness and sent more qi toward his core. It spun and vibrated, and soon it would split in two. Liu Xing realized that if he sent all his potent qi into his consciousness, the process would begin immediately, but he couldn''t do that. He needed some potent qi to defend himself and the turtle.

    Wei Yi''s mouth opened wide, and a ball of red condensed qi formed in front of it. The qi and the air swirled around it chaotically, growing bigger and denser. Yet, Liu Xing knew that this attack was not as strong as the one before he had entered the giant''s body, and he was actually quite confident in dealing with it.

    Tightening his will around the potent qi that made the turtle float atop the main core, Liu Xing inhaled deeply. The turtle was heavy, incredibly heavy, to the point that using his body alone, he would have trouble lifting it above his head. But his potent qi was different. It could carry enough weight to hurl the turtle around, and it felt ready for Wei Yi''s attack.

    As the invisibility spread Wei Yi unleashed a breath attack instead of a single red laser that might have turned the turtle to ash. The attack looked like a torrent of red fire lashing out from a burning furnace.

    Upon seeing this attack, Liu Xing heaved heavily and pulled the turtle, making it rise like a wall, with its head pointing up and its tail pointing down toward the main core. Instead of facing the fire with the shell, Liu Xing intended to face it with the turtle''s belly. If it were a real turtle, it would have been suicide, but his turtle was a statue. Surely, the shell and the belly had the same toughness.

    When the fire hit the turtle''s belly, Liu Xing felt as if a mountain had crashed into a building. While the main force holding the turtle in position was his qi and his control over it, he also held the turtle with both hands and pushed the shell as if trying to hold a giant gate, and he felt as if he were trying to hold a mountain with his bare hands.

    Gritting his teeth, Liu Xing pushed with all his might, resisting the push of the breath attack. While at first the turtle was pushed back, a moment later, Liu Xing successfully stopped it from drifting away. Although the turtle''s tail wasn''t pointing directly at the center of the main core, it was still aimed toward it.

    The fire that hit the turtle''s belly spread around, creating a laminar flow that arched back before evaporating into smoldering air. Some of the fire actually hit the main core, but the core pulled the fire in, creating a thin ring of fire that orbited around it, like a planet pulling in space dust to form a ring.

    The struggle lasted for almost thirty seconds. While he pushed with all his might, the fact that the struggle was not complicated and he didn''t need to think much helped him spread the invisibility further. Now, the shell had turned invisible. If someone were to look at the turtle, it would appear as if someone had cleanly cut off the shell.

    In his consciousness, his core was still absorbing the thread of qi, but Liu Xing realized that the amount of qi it absorbed per second was lower than before. This was a sign that his core was almost full, and he would soon break through to the next realm.

    When the breath attack finally receded, he felt that the turtle was only slightly warm. He suspected the belly of the turtle statue was shining with a red smoldering light, but true to his expectation, this turtle was tough enough to handle the attack!

    Wei Yi roared, sounding frustrated, like a young master insulted by a beggar. While Liu Xing couldn''t see Wei Yi since he was hiding behind the turtle, he could sense the large amount of qi emitted from Wei Yi, indicating that he would unleash another big attack.

    And Liu Xing was right. In front of Wei Yi''s mouth, another red condensed ball of qi materialized. It grew bigger and bigger, then shrank, condensing itself into a ball so dense that the air around it trembled, and a hiss like boiling water could be heard. From this red ball of qi, a beam of laser the size of a huge pillar shot toward the turtle''s belly.

    When the beam hit its intended target, Liu Xing felt like he had been hit by a mountain that was speeding like a train. The impact was so great that his hands folded, and the invisible shell hit his head so hard his brain rattled. The turtle was dragged back so fast that in a moment it moved away from the main core. Thinking fast, Liu Xing realized that while the turtle could probably withstand the blast, the force was too strong to resist. So, Liu Xing gritted his teeth while holding the shell and controlled the potent qi covering the turtle to spin, making the turtle move sideways, as if it were a human trying to cross a narrow alley.

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    The process was fast. One moment the red beam hit the dead center of the turtle''s belly, and a moment later, as the turtle turned, the laser passed through, hitting the inner wall of the giant and digging through the flesh.

    Glancing at Wei Yi, Liu Xing saw the yellow eye widen, as if surprised by what it saw, before it narrowed and screamed loudly again.

    From this point, Wei Yi tried a variety of attacks. He let out a fire breath again, one that was not focused on a single point but spread like mist. No doubt Wei Yi was trying to kill Liu Xing with a wide-area attack. To counter this, Liu Xing rode the turtle and made it float higher, and when the attack was about to reach him, Liu Xing rotated the turtle again, repositioning himself so that he was touching the center belly of the turtle¡ªwhich was scorching hot¡ªand pressed his back against a pulsing giant heart, making sure that the attack would not reach him.

    When Wei Yi created several tentacles from the inner wall of the giant and controlled them like giant hands, trying to grab the turtle, Liu Xing blasted the tentacles with his gun. When Wei Yi sent a swarm of slab meats with bat wings, spreading them like a swarm of drones, Liu Xing moved around the turtle and used it to swat them all away. When they were destroyed, blood splattered around, some landing on him and successfully marking him. For a moment, his invisibility was negated, but while panicking, Liu Xing tried to make the blood that painted him invisible as well, and to his surprise, he succeeded!

    While weathering all the different attacks from Wei Yi¡ªnot once did Wei Yi unleash another attack like the laser¡ªhe continued to make the turtle grow as large as possible. The turtle was so big now that it was hard to maneuver. If angled perfectly horizontally, the head and tail would touch opposite walls.

    Its entire torso was also already invisible, making the turtle''s head, feet, and tail appear separated. Just a little more, and his turtle would be completely invisible, and its size was large enough for Liu Xing to begin hammering the main core!

    As he lay with his belly on the invisible shell of the turtle, his core finally stopped absorbing qi entirely, and a sound of a crack, as if he had just stepped on a dry branch, suddenly rang in his ears.

    Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that the time had come.

    He was ready to break through!

    When Liu Xing peered into his consciousness, he saw his core spinning and vibrating so fast that it appeared almost frozen in time while trying to move, like a man frozen in mid-jump, but it was an illusion. Liu Xing knew that if he submerged himself in his consciousness, he would hear a hum so loud it would be as if he were inside the belly of a giant machinery.

    Gritting his teeth to suppress his anxiety, he tried to be more positive. The source of his anxiety was because breaking through in the Core Splitting realm was different from breaking through when he was still a Lock Opening cultivator. He couldn''t just open a lock; it was more like breaking through to the Core Splitting realm, where he needed to guide the core to advance smoothly. Moreover, he hadn''t researched enough about how to advance stages in the Core Splitting realm, having only read briefly about the topic in the library. After all, he never thought he would cross into the Core Splitting realm so soon, let alone advance to the second stage so quickly. He only knew that the core would move around rapidly before splitting itself in two. Aside from that, he was going in blind, relying entirely on his instinct, which, while trustworthy at times, could also lead him astray.

    Still, once again, even though he was submerged in a sea of anxiety, wondering "how" and "what if," there was nothing he could do about the situation, so he just hoped for the best and did what he could.

    After Liu Xing steeled his heart, his heart beating against his ribs, he muttered quietly with all his will, "Split!"

    The core obeyed him instantly. It began to move, as if the invisible ice that froze it had cracked and turned to dust, releasing his cultivation from its prison. With newfound eagerness that even he could feel in the physical world, he sensed the core adding another dimension to its movement.

    Instead of only spinning and vibrating in place, it began to move left and right, swinging like a pendulum, following the rhythm of his breath, which he tried to control to be as calm and steady as possible. Upon seeing this movement, Liu Xing realized he needed to make the core move faster and faster until it split in two.

    And so, Liu Xing tried to quicken the rhythm of his breath. He inhaled and exhaled rapidly, like a man having a breathing problem. While doing this, he cycles his potent qi around his torso so that he can speed up the movement of his shrinking and expanding lungs.

    As he breathed rapidly, the core inside his consciousness began to swing faster, but as he monitored it, he realized something was wrong with its movement. While it swung rapidly to the sides, it felt almost like his core was moving blindly, akin to a deaf person trying to mimic other people dancing without hearing the music.

    There was something incomplete, something he could feel reverberating within his body but couldn''t comprehend.

    As he thought about what he needed to complete, he continued spreading invisibility through his turtle. Right now, only the tips of the tail were visible, and only a second later, the invisibility successfully swallowed the entire turtle.

    Liu Xing was now floating quite high in the upper torso of the giant. The main core of the giant spun far below him, and he saw Wei Yi cease his attacks while looking upward with its one giant yellow eye. The eye moved closer to the core, like a mother hen trying to protect one of its injured offspring, and gazed toward his position with hostility, as if daring him to attack.

    Liu Xing thought calmly for a moment, then decided that while he needed to figure out what was wrong with his core, he should be more productive and do what he could.

    Right now, his turtle was truly enormous. It was so big and wide that the former golden castle of the Twelve Sun Empire could fit on its back. It amazed him how he could lift the giant, heavy turtle, but while his control and will strained to make the turtle hover, the one that made it possible was probably his potent qi.

    Once again, Liu Xing was amazed by Niu''s gift, and wondered how he could have created the amazing gun. But, while he was supremely curious about how his friend had done it and wanted to unravel its secrets, this was not the right place or time to ponder it deeply.

    Exhaling, Liu Xing made the core inside his consciousness move calmly to the other side. But this time, the exhale was not to actually guide his breakthrough. Instead, it was to release control over some of his qi.

    He retracted the potent qi that encased the giant turtle, and when all the potent qi stopped encasing it, the turtle stopped hovering. Gravity reached the turtle and claimed it under its influence, and the turtle, one so big and so high atop the giant''s torso, began plummeting downward.

 161 ~ Bell (2)

    Plunging downward while lying on his belly atop an invisible giant turtle was a surreal experience. Looking down, he could see his intended target, as if nothing separated him from the main core. Yet, there was no rushing wind against his face, creating a strange sensation, like being inside a crashing building. His heart hammered against his ribs as Liu Xing steadied his breathing and licked his lips. If he succeeded in destroying the main core, the giant would lose a crucial ingredient for its perfection. The turtle began to accelerate faster and faster. The wind rushing around him made his hair flutter, and his eyes locked onto the main core.

    Wei Yi was looking up, probably trying to assess the situation since Liu Xing''s turtle had become invisible. But to Liu Xing''s surprise, Wei Yi still didn''t make a move. This made Liu Xing think that perhaps Wei Yi still didn''t realize the turtle was falling.

    Liu Xing considered trying to accelerate the turtle further to ensure Wei Yi could not react in time, but nothing came to mind. So, he focused on holding onto the turtle with all his strength, afraid he would be blown off the turtle by the wind and reveal the falling turtle.

    A moment later, the turtle had been falling for a full second. The wind howling in his ears, and as he looked down, he could see that only seconds remained before his turtle struck the main core. The main core was still spinning, still vibrating, but not moving left or right. Seeing this, his heart beat faster, hoping the turtle could crush the main core as easily as crushing a grape with his foot.

    As the turtle closed within dozens of meters of the main core, Wei Yi¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped toward him. It was like watching a man gazing into the distance suddenly focus on something nearby. Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that Wei Yi had realized that he was under attack. Instantly, Wei Yi opened his mouth and let out a furious roar, like a lion trying to intimidate another lion attempting to seize its territory. A pair of hands sprouted from the side of the altar. They were made entirely of flesh, with bloody holes dotting their surface¡ªmarks where Liu Xing had destroyed some of the backs. The hands rose higher and higher, becoming thicker and more muscular. Yet, before they could fully form, his turtle arrived.

    When the turtle struck the pair of hands, it looked almost as if two small mud towers were crushed by heavy steel balls. The hands bent backward before bursting into blood, utterly destroyed. Wei Yi¡¯s giant eye widened, and with a panicked gaze, he tried to sprout ropes of flesh around the main core, crisscrossing them as if attempting to protect it. But it was futile. Liu Xing knew how soft that flesh was and how heavy his turtle was!

    With a loud crash, his turtle hit the main core. It felt like the train he had been on suddenly crashed into a mountain. The world moved in slow motion, and his body pressed against the turtle shell. He gritted his teeth as he felt his body rattle as if made of jelly. Still, despite the pain, his eyes remained wide open, looking down. He noticed several things in the fraction of a second when the turtle hit. The main core flattened into a plate, as if it were a rubber ball pressed by an elephant¡¯s foot. That meatball was strong! Moreover, it was still spinning! The altar, as well as the fleshy ground where it stood, collapsed. A moment after the turtle crashed into the meatball, a mere fraction of a second later, the turtle had destroyed the middle floor and plunged downward with the meatball. Bits of flesh fell with the turtle, painting the belly of the turtle statue red, making it hard for Liu Xing to see. But through the gaps in the destroyed and torn flesh, he could see that the main core, his target, was now shooting downward faster than his turtle''s falling speed., as if it truly was a ball kicked by an elephant.

    The fact it was still intact made Liu Xing grit his teeth, but when he saw it was still spinning, albeit with a wobbling motion, like a drunk man who had hit his head and suffered a concussion, Liu Xing realized that while it remained whole, his attack had worked.

    ¡°One more time!¡±

    He instantly stopped his turtle from falling. As he did, some bits and pieces that had stuck to the belly of the turtle rained down, while most of it remained attached. He then controlled the qi around the turtle to move it upward, flying higher and higher again. He felt the potent qi surrounding the turtle readily obey him, striving to meet his expectations, and the turtle shot up like an invisible force parting the wind. In a moment, he ordered the turtle to stop. Above him, the hole of the giant¡¯s throat contracted with a choppy and hasty rhythm, as if the giant suddenly could not breathe. Ignoring the giant¡¯s reaction to the destruction of the altar, he looked downward and focused on his target.

    The meatball was still spinning and wobbling around the lower ground of the giant, in a pool of blood that had fallen from holes he created by destroying the backs of abominations. Ropes and pillars of flesh began to form around it, as if Wei Yi was trying to create a hastily made cage to contain and protect it. The giant yellow eye itself looked angry and panicked, as if Wei Yi was torn between trying to save his son, who had grievous injuries, or enacting revenge. The giant mouth below it curved downward, and the lips pressed tightly together.

    Upon seeing Wei Yi¡¯s look, Liu Xing knew with certainty that he had made the right move. A strong blow to Wei Yi¡¯s plan. He intended to do it again.

    ¡°Fall!¡±

    Liu Xing ordered the potent qi to release the turtle, and gravity once again claimed it. As he and the turtle fell once more, he could see Wei Yi¡¯s giant eye instantly look up, probably because the blood stuck to the belly of the turtle was visible, despite Liu Xing¡¯s efforts to include it in his invisibility.

    Wei Yi¡¯s mouth began to snarl, and with a deep and loud rumble, the wall around the giant eye began to shift, creating hundreds of little pillars attempting to halt his descent. Moreover, one giant ball of qi formed in front of Wei Yi¡¯s mouth once again. Liu Xing suspected he would unleash a laser attack that, while unable to destroy the turtle, could slow it down enough for the flesh pillars to catch him and his turtle.

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    Thinking fast, Liu Xing controlled the potent qi surrounding him. He ordered the qi to gather above him and the turtle and push them downwards. The qi instantly obeyed, converging and pressing down like an invisible weight. Then, Liu Xing intensified his command, ordering the qi to push harder, accelerating the turtle even further. The change happened instantly. The turtle, already falling fast, accelerated further. The wind began howling, the rush of air filled his ears, and he could see that he and the turtle descended so fast, as if they were a meteor from outer space.

    Wei Yi unleashed his attack. A red laser the size of a giant pillar, even bigger than his lightning pillar. It tore through the air and rushed toward the belly of the turtle. Seeing this attack, he controlled the potent qi around him to push harder, like an invisible hand pressing down on a bowling ball. When the attack hit the belly of the turtle, red light spread outward, as if his turtle were a mirror reflecting focused sunlight. The light struck the flesh walls around him, scorching them, while his turtle continued to descend with even greater speed.

    Liu Xing roared, pushing the qi atop him harder. He did not even mind when his control slipped and he felt crushed by his own qi. He just wanted to end this battle as soon as possible!

    The turtle crushed hundreds of little pillars of flesh as if they were merely towers made of sand. And in a single moment, he could see his target clearly, spinning and bumping around in the pitiful cage made by Wei Yi.

    Wei Yi roared, but it was not a roar of defiance; it was merely a roar of frustration.

    His turtle crushed the cage as well as the meatball itself, pressing it into the flesh ground that was half-submerged in a pool of blood. Once again, Liu Xing could see the meatball stretching to the side like a plate, crushed by the belly of his turtle. Blood squeezed out from the meatball as if it were a fruit pressed to make juice. But, before the meatball was entirely destroyed, the full weight of the turtle, as well as the force pushing it, tore through the flesh ground entirely once again.

    Wei Yi¡¯s roar this time was accompanied by a giant, louder, blood-curdling roar, one that made the air tremble so violently it felt like the air itself was trying to slash him to bits. It was a normal reaction. After all, Liu Xing had made a hole in the rear of the giant. Even an immortal would roar in pain if their bottom was gone!

    Still, Liu Xing did not relish this roar too much. His eyes scanned downward, trying to find the meatball among the bits and pieces falling downward. Soon he found it. The meatball fell so fast it looked like a meteor. He could even hear the whistling of the air around it. The situation was actually similar to the first time his turtle hit the meatball, but instead of landing in the lower part of the giant, the meatball hit the earth, creating a cloud of dust as well as bits and pieces flying around it. Whether these bits and pieces were from the rear of the giant that had been fully destroyed or from the abominations he had killed on the culling, he did not know and did not care. The most important part was the meatball. While it had already stopped spinning and vibrating, and blood leaked from it, it was still mostly intact.

    Without thinking too much, Liu Xing controlled the potent qi around him and once again ordered it to push his still-falling turtle. There were many bits and pieces stuck to the belly of the turtle, making it hard for Liu Xing to see the target, so as he fell, he willed his invisibility to swallow them.

    The invisible turtle and its master descended once again. The potent qi pushed and pushed and pushed, as if cultivators were striking the turtle with palm strikes, accelerating it faster and faster. Liu Xing could hear Wei Yi¡¯s roar and the giant roar behind him. He could see the giant move its hands, trying to catch him and his turtle, but it was slow, and even if it were fast enough, its trajectory was too far from his invisible turtle.

    ¡°Die!¡± Liu Xing shouted.

    As if hearing Liu Xing¡¯s shout, the giant meatball actually wobbled to the side. He could see the meatball¡¯s mouth open and let out a wailing sound, like the cry of a pitiful whale. But, before it could wobble away from its position, the turtle arrived.

    As soon as Liu Xing hit the meatball, the world felt slower to his perception. And he could see clearly that the turtle pressed against the meatball. At first, it widened and formed into the shape of a plate once again, but then he could hear a loud ¡°pop¡± sound, as if the meatball were a water balloon thrown against a wall. The sound was wholly satisfying. Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that the meatball had been destroyed!

    At the same time the meatball was destroyed, the turtle hit the ground hard, and the earth surged upward, as if the turtle had not landed on earth but water, creating a huge tsunami that traveled outward like a giant ripple. It let out a sound so loud it seemed a giant bomb had just exploded, and the tremors of the impact shook the world, even the orange barrier that still stood trembled. The remaining rubble of the buildings of the Twelve Sun Empire, which stood pitifully, finally relinquished their precarious hold and fell to the ground. Now, the capital of the Twelve Sun Empire was level with the ground entirely. Flat.

    In the center of the impact, Liu Xing held onto the turtle as hard as possible. Blood erupted from his mouth, and his entire body hurt, as if all the bones in it had shattered. What he had just done was like throwing himself from a high tower and landing flat on his belly. Still, his body was actually better than he had hoped. He could still move, and his vitality would probably mend the most grievous injuries on his body soon.

    After a moment, the tremors stopped, and the turtle finally settled on the earth. Looking around, he could see he was in the middle of a giant crater, quite deep, as if he were at the bottom of a giant pool.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply. His heart beat rhythmically in his chest. And he glanced toward the towering giant. It let out a blood-curdling roar, blood fell freely from its bottom, and the giant eye on its belly looked at him with murderous intent.

    While the giant was still alive, Liu Xing had destroyed the main core, one that was crucial for the giant''s perfection. With the meatball gone, the giant had no hope of breaking through to the next realm, which meant it would be possible for Liu Xing to defeat it. After all, he had destroyed the bottom of the giant with his giant turtle. He knew the inside of the giant was hollow and soft, and he was confident he could destroy each and every important organ of the giant.

    Liu Xing let a smile bloom on his face, one so wide as if he were a predator looking at his prey. The giant, as well as Wei Yi, was still dangerous, but right now, instead of a giant boar he needed to fight to the death, they felt like a cornered rat. Still dangerous, but one he could easily kill if he approached the fight carefully.

    ¡°Moreover, I finally knew what was wrong with my core,¡± Liu Xing said to himself.

    Now, he could break through.

 162 ~ Bell (3)

    To break through to the second stage of the Core Splitting realm, a cultivator needed to split their core in two. This required the core to move extremely fast. However, this was not the only factor. Many theories likely existed regarding how to advance from the first to the second stage of the Core Splitting realm, including optimal strategies, techniques for a smoother advancement, and more. Liu Xing knew none of these. But now, he at least understood why his core felt like it was moving in an unusual way.

    The answer was synchronization between his body and his consciousness. He didn''t know whether every cultivator attempting to split their core experienced the same thing. After all, he was currently still actively using the Flowing Meditation Method. But as he attempted to destroy the main core of the giant, there were moments when he felt his core move in a way that felt correct. It resonated with his body, making his gut feeling scream that this was the state he needed to achieve to advance. This occurred when his breathing, linked to the movement of his core, synchronized with his heartbeats, as if they were dancing to the rhythm of the same music.

    Liu Xing theorized that if he synchronized his heartbeats, qi circulation, blood circulation, breathing, and the movement of his core, he could advance. Such a thing would likely be easy if he were meditating, but currently, the most he could do was minimize his movements. After all, while he was winning, the fight was not over. Wei Yi and the giant were still alive, and Liu Xing needed to kill them both.

    Standing atop his invisible turtle, he controlled the potent qi spreading around him to encase the turtle once more and willed it to hover again. As he began to float, he inhaled deeply and cycled potent qi through his body, attempting to synchronize his blood and heart with the rhythm of his breathing.

    Peering into his consciousness, he saw the qi swing like a pendulum left and right, but unlike before, it moved with a newfound steadiness, like a drunkard who had magically expelled all the alcohol from their system. Liu Xing felt the eagerness of his cultivation and the return of the feeling of rightness. This was the way to advance!

    As the turtle began to hover high into the sky again, his senses picked up qi nearby. The giant was moving, turning directly toward him. Its empty eye sockets gazed straight ahead, and the worms within the pink sockets wriggled like maggots around a rotten carcass. On the giant''s forehead, a yellow eye settled between the two empty sockets. It was small compared to the eye sockets, but Liu Xing knew this was the eye that had hindered him inside the giant''s stomach. It looked toward his position as if trying to find and incinerate him. The giant eye in the belly did the same, and when its full gaze fell upon him, Liu Xing saw several red burn marks dotting it, as if a fiery needle had been plunged into the yellow eye repeatedly.

    Upon seeing this, Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened. Those marks were not his doing, which meant they were made by the Yang clan! Instantly, Liu Xing looked around. The last time he had seen them, they were fighting the former emperor. When Liu Xing became invisible, they were likely also attacked by Wei Yi, and in return, they retaliated.

    "Where are they?" Liu Xing muttered, his stomach twisting. His eyes scanned the area, and his qi sense tried to locate them. "There''s no way they all died, right?" While Liu Xing had considered that possibility when entering the giant, fate would be cruel if they were truly dead now. After all, Liu Xing could see a path to victory, and he wanted to bring them all there.

    Soon, he picked up a qi signature and instantly looked down. A yellow streak traveled rapidly above the ground, zigzagging as if dodging invisible traps. Seeing this streak of yellow light, some of the knots in his stomach loosened. Yang Suyin had survived! At first, he had considered the worst, that Yang Suyin was the only survivor from the Yang clan. But then he remembered Yang Suyin saying he would try to find the third ingredient to perfect the giant, which made sense if Yang Suyin was moving alone.

    Looking in the opposite direction from Yang Suyin, he realized Yang Suyin was moving away from the giant. There was no one there, so Liu Xing looked around further and finally found what he sought. Prince Yang Jinyan had also survived! He carried all of his clan members on his shoulders, piled on top of each other like sacks of rice, while holding Yang Hongyin in both hands. Their bodies twitched, and some groaned, indicating they had all survived. However, judging by their weak qi, he suspected they had sacrificed their cultivation to fight the former emperor. Moreover, not far from Prince Yang Jinyan, who was also moving away from the giant, he saw a headless charred body lying on charred ground. Seeing this, all the knots in his stomach loosened. They had won their battle!

    Liu Xing¡¯s heartbeat quickened on its own, and a smile bloomed on his lips. With the former emperor dead, the only remaining enemies were truly Wei Yi and the giant. As his heartbeat grew more excited, Liu Xing tried to rein in his emotions. He couldn''t become overconfident. He was winning, true, but that didn''t mean victory was already in hand. He needed to maintain full focus to ensure victory. There could be no mistakes. He couldn''t allow Wei Yi to reverse the situation through carelessness.

    Liu Xing began to plan his next move. He needed to enter the giant''s body once again.

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    He maneuvered the turtle to circle the giant. The speed was slow, but with his invisibility, it was only a matter of time before he arrived, but when he felt qi begin to gather around the giant, Liu Xing knew without a doubt that Wei Yi wouldn''t simply allow it.

    The giant opened its mouth wide, as if trying to swallow a giant invisible ball, revealing a massive tongue that pointed to the sky. A red ball of condensed qi formed on the tip of the tongue. Compared to the tongue itself, it looked tiny, like an ant before a human tongue. Yet, it glowed so brightly that even Liu Xing needed to shield his eyes from the light. It was as if a red star had descended to earth, painting everything with red light.

    Feeling the qi emanating from that point, Liu Xing¡¯s heart beat so rapidly he felt his ribs might break again. The sheer amount of qi the giant used to condense this shining ball was so immense that he gaped. This was the single biggest attack the giant would unleash!

    His eyes finally adjusted to the bright light, and he saw that the giant¡¯s eye on its stomach was also widened, as if Wei Yi himself didn''t know about this attack. Looking at the giant''s face, he saw that as it held the qi, its empty eye sockets narrowed, wrinkles appeared all over its face, and it looked enraged.

    Liu Xing realized this attack was not formed by Wei Yi, but by the giant itself. This meant the giant possessed some form of consciousness.

    "Shit!" Liu Xing cursed.

    There was a significant difference between a mere puppet and a being with consciousness. While Wei Yi could control the giant and use its qi, unless he fully controlled it, there was a limit to how much of the giant¡¯s power Wei Yi could unleash. It was like controlling a doll with strings. Though Wei Yi¡¯s method involved actually inserting himself into parts of the giant. But now, the giant was moving on its own accord, meaning it could unleash its full power upon him.

    As he thought this, the light that had been shining and painting the world red suddenly receded. One moment, the ball of qi shone with full power; the next, all light vanished, as if it had been an illusion. But this silence lasted less than a second.

    A red laser shot from the condensed qi, tearing through the air and launching straight into the sky, forming a thin red line. In less than a second, the tip of this laser struck the dome of the Royal Barrier. When the laser hit, the Royal Barrier trembled, as if struck not by a thin laser, but by a full-power kick from the giant. Liu Xing thought it would break, but it held for a moment before the laser changed the upper part of the Royal Barrier, turning its color from orange to red. It was as if the Royal Barrier were a canvas, and the red laser a pouring ink forcibly painting it red.

    Moments later, looking up, mouth agape at the sight, Liu Xing realized thousands of condensed qi droplets hung from the Royal Barrier¡¯s dome like dewdrops made of blood.

    As soon as they formed, they fell, becoming thousands of raindrops, a crimson rain of condensed qi. Seeing this, Liu Xing realized that while the raindrops looked small from afar, each was as big as a baby elephant. These raindrops were dangerous, and Liu Xing understood the attack¡¯s intent. It seemed the giant knew Liu Xing was invisible, so instead of trying to locate and target him, it chose to attack indiscriminately.

    When the first raindrop landed nearby, hitting the ground and exploding, it created an explosion so loud it sounded like a giant bomb detonating. A small mushroom cloud formed, and a wide crater remained. This attack could easily kill a cultivator at the peak of the Lock Opening realm. While individually the raindrops wouldn¡¯t harm him, there were hundreds, even thousands, of them in the air. It looked as if the sky had turned red and was crying blood.

    Liu Xing¡¯s heartbeat beat faster and faster, and the synchronicity between his body and consciousness shattered. But at that moment, Liu Xing didn''t care even slightly. The only thing on his mind was how to maneuver around these attacks without compromising his invisibility. He realized there were gaps between the raindrops, but it was impossible for his turtle to navigate through them.

    For a moment, Liu Xing considered dismissing his turtle and moving with his shield, but quickly decided against it. There was no way Wei Yi would give him another chance to make his turtle this large, and his turtle was a weapon effective against the giant. Letting it go would mean losing his advantage. Moreover, his stone blade was nowhere near him.

    Gritting his teeth, Liu Xing sent more potent qi to encase the turtle and controlled it to move faster. All around him, more and more raindrops landed, creating loud explosions and leaving huge craters. He commanded his potent qi to lift one side of the turtle higher, and as it began to tilt, he ran atop his invisible turtle to reposition himself. If the turtle were visible, it would look as if it were sleeping on its side. This was the only solution he could think of to minimize the surface area exposed to the raindrops.

    When a raindrop struck the turtle¡¯s head, it exploded with deafening force, and the tremors spread, making Liu Xing, standing atop it, feel as if he were on a boat crashing into a massive wave. More and more raindrops hit his turtle, creating red explosions around it. The continuous roar of explosions and the white smoke forming around his turtle made it seem like a ship bombarded by hundreds of enemy vessels.

    Liu Xing tried as hard as possible to maneuver the turtle, but it was too much! He realized the giant had won the opening move. These raindrops weren''t intended to kill him; they were merely an opening move to locate him and his turtle. And with explosions occurring on the surface of the invisible turtle and creating white smoke, his location was already compromised.

    As Liu Xing also shot Exploding Fist bullets at the raindrops directly above him, the giant snapped its head toward him. The empty eye sockets wriggled, and it let out a deafening roar that made the air tremble once more. The giant opened its mouth wide, and when Liu Xing saw a miniature sun forming within, he realized this battle was not as easy as he had thought.

    He had been too overconfident!

 163 ~ Bell (4)

    A miniature sun shone with an orange hue and had several splotches of darker orange, like a ball of magma surrounded by compressed fire. Even from this distance, the presence of this attack felt so potent that Liu Xing imagined it materialized right before his nose.

    The giant launched the fireball. It whistled through the air like an eagle, and the red drops falling in its path began to curve away, as if the fireball possessed a barrier repelling them. Seeing this attack hurtling straight towards him, he knew that if it landed directly on him, he would undoubtedly die.

    While still shooting at the drops above him and his turtle being bombarded by the red droplets, causing the potent qi to tremble and the turtle to lose altitude, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and commanded his turtle to ascend. He reasoned that even if his position was compromised, it didn''t mean he couldn''t dodge. But as the potent qi strained to lift the turtle higher, the intensity of the red drops increased.

    Liu Xing danced the turtle around the drops that made it shudder in the air. He realized that the drops had ceased raining over the entire area. Only his immediate vicinity was under bombardment, and the intensity was so rapid and forceful that maneuvering the turtle became incredibly difficult. It was as if the drops weren''t acting like rain, but like hands pinning him in place.

    The fireball was mere moments from impacting his turtle, and he realized there was no way for him to make his statue to dodge in time. While previously, the size and weight of the turtle had been weapons, now they were the reasons for its sluggishness.

    Clenching his hands, he decided to jump and abandon his turtle. The instant he did, the invisibility veiling the turtle vanished. His giant turtle, larger than a castle, became visible. Its gray surface was pelted by red drops, each impact flashing red before dissolving into white smoke. The smoke grew so thick it was almost as if his turtle was hiding behind a cloud.

    When the fireball struck the head of the turtle, jutting out from the smoke¡ªa coincidence, one that made him clench his hands even tighter¡ªa sound erupted as loud as a collapsing mountain. A massive fire bomb blossomed around the turtle''s head, and fractions of a second later, his turtle shot through the air like a cannonball. It moved so fast it left a trailing plume of smoke, like a giant fighter jet, and the sound it created was deafening, as if the air itself screamed.

    Moments later, his turtle slammed into the Royal Barrier. The impact produced a sound akin to a heavenly thunderclap, and the Royal Barrier trembled.

    Before his turtle could hit the ground, Liu Xing sensed another concentration of qi from the giant. Snapping his head towards it, he saw the giant create dozens of fireballs and rapidly launch them at the careening turtle. Each fireball struck the giant turtle''s body, again and again, smashing it into the Royal Barrier in a continuous barrage of explosions and thunderclaps. Not satisfied, the giant raised both of its hands towards the sky. Though the movement was slow, the effect was instant. The drops hanging from the Royal Barrier shifted, like a swarm of ants crawling across a roof, converging on his turtle and raining down as if it were a devil to be eradicated.

    Liu Xing landed on the ground, craters pocked the area around him, yet not a single drop or attack targeted him. The giant focused all its attacks on the turtle, raining down with all its might, as if his turtle were the epicenter of a storm, tossed left and right by the bombardment.

    While Liu Xing felt anger watching his turtle being bombarded by continuous attacks¡ªafter all, it was his turtle statue being assaulted, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel something seeing his possession attacked so relentlessly¡ªhe also recognized an opportunity.

    As the turtle was thrown around like a bullied child kicked by a gang, his eyes accidentally met the turtle¡¯s. The turtle was an inanimate object, but at that moment, Liu Xing imagined the turtle''s green gem eyes conveyed an emotion, as if saying he needed to go, to move, letting it handle the attacks while Liu Xing sneaked around and re-entered the giant. It was probably an illusion created by his own mind, but it was an illusion that spurred Liu Xing to turn and rush towards the giant.

    As he ran, his back to his turtle, the giant roared and bombarded the statue. With each step, Liu Xing realized the giant only targeted his turtle and nothing else, as if it didn''t understand that someone controlled it. This realization led Liu Xing to believe that the giant was either too enraged to notice someone controlling the turtle, or simply lacked the intelligence for such complex thought. Perhaps it was a mix of both, but the crucial fact was that the giant was distracted, and he wanted it to remain so for as long as possible.

    "I still need to enter the giant," he muttered. His main plan remained in motion. As for how he would wreak havoc inside without his turtle, he could figure that out later.

    Liu Xing commanded his potent qi to encase the turtle again and willed it to float. This time, he intended to use the turtle as bait. The decision felt natural, and he sensed his potent qi, even from this distance, feel slightly lighter. The turtle instantly lifted by the potent qi, and he tried to maintain the illusion of the turtle moving intentionally, as if it intended to charge back at the giant. The red drops intensified again, and fireballs bombarded it with explosions. While his turtle was repeatedly slammed into the Royal Barrier, he made it rise again and again, like a stubborn mule defying fate.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    As he maintained the illusion to distract the giant, amidst the continuous explosions sounding like a nearby erupting volcano, Liu Xing ran between the craters. As he ran, he glanced up, seeing the giant wholly focused on attacking his statue, launching fireballs so rapidly they blurred into a single stream. But, although his trick successfully distracted the giant''s main focus, Wei Yi''s two eyes swam left and right across the giant¡¯s skin, searching for Liu Xing.

    The giant eye lingered on a spot for a moment, making Liu Xing glance towards that position. He saw a yellow streak of light circling a deep crater, Yang Suyin seemingly observing something but unable to remain still. Liu Xing guessed that Wei Yi was debating whether to attack Yang Suyin or not, but a moment later, the giant eye moved away from Yang Suyin and resumed its search. Liu Xing nodded, relieved that Wei Yi prioritized him over Yang Suyin¡ªa fact he hoped would pay dividends later when Yang Suyin discovered the third ingredient.

    Liu Xing decided to channel more qi into his feet, enhancing his speed little by little while observing Wei Yi''s two eyes moving across the giant¡¯s skin, like boats on a water surface. When he realized Wei Yi wasn''t sparing him another glance, he added more and more qi, making himself run faster and faster.

    Surprisingly, Wei Yi didn''t find him. He successfully arrived right below the giant, near its towering right foot. Looking up, he saw the inner thighs of the giant were painted with thousands of splatters of red blood. He expected to see a gaping hole, intending to use it as an entrance to re-enter the giant''s body. But instead, he saw giant threads of flesh moving like enormous worms, attempting to patch the hole. His eyes widened. "Of course, this giant can regenerate!"

    There seemed to be no end to Wei Yi''s tricks. Luckily, a hole still remained, large enough for him to enter. With his body still invisible, and channeling even more qi into his feet, Liu Xing bent his knees, powering his thighs, calves, and soles, and jumped with all his might.

    He shot vertically like a rocket, flying straight towards the hole. As he jumped, though, the giant eye instantly moved to one of the giant¡¯s thighs and looked down, likely sensing Liu Xing¡¯s presence. It didn''t roar, but he could feel the air tremble and qi moving frantically around him.

    Instantly, the giant flesh ropes that moved like worms sprouted several finger-like protrusions, resembling long hands. Each reached toward his general position, as if trying to catch a nimble mosquito. Seeing them, Liu Xing considered using his shield to maneuver, but ultimately decided against it. His invisibility was an important advantage, and he would not give it up easily. Instead, he extended his left hand holding the gun, surrounded it with potent qi, and willed it to drag him away from one of the giant arms reaching for him.

    Using the gun to maneuver was slow, but sufficient for the moment. One of the arms passed right beside him, and others followed, but they didn''t stop, as if they didn''t realize they had already overshot their target. Rotating his body, Liu Xing kicked one of the arms, launching himself towards another arm that resembled a descending pillar. Using them as leverage, Liu Xing zigzagged around and finally crossed the hole, entering the giant''s body once more.

    Once inside, Liu Xing couldn''t help but grin ferociously. He grabbed the flesh on the wall, hanging from the side, and looked up at the destruction he and his turtle had caused. Blood rained down from severed and torn flesh. A deep gouge marked where his turtle''s short tail had struck, craters from his Exploding Fist bullets puked out blood and yellow and blue fluids, and destruction was everywhere. Some organs had burst open, dripping fluids. The heart remained intact, pulsing with red light, but Liu Xing vowed to destroy it soon.

    "What do I do now?" he muttered. "I don''t have the turtle statue or my stone blade."

    He could still hear continuous explosions and sense the trembling air, confirming the giant was still wholly focused on attacking his turtle. Dismissing and resummoning it would stop the attacks. A normal opponent like Wei Yi would be alarmed by such a sudden disappearance. But would the giant understand that the turtle''s sudden disappearance was suspicious, or would he assume that he had successfully defeated it?

    He pondered for a moment, and when he saw a giant yellow eye peer into the hole, its pupil moving around as if searching for him again, he decided against resummoning his turtle. His initial idea to use the turtle was to destroy the main core, which was so tough even his stone blade couldn¡¯t penetrate it. Right now, he wanted to destroy the giant''s organs, and only if he found his gun ineffective would he resummon his turtle.

    Nodding, Liu Xing kicked off the wall and jumped higher. Extending his left hand, he filled the gun with potent qi from his Ethereal Pearl and activated the Exploding Fist Technique. He pulled the trigger six times and unleashed six blue bolts that hurtled towards nearby organs. Their shape resembled hundreds of long sausages pulsing with yellow light. They looked soft with several ropes of flesh formed around the organs like cages to defend them. When the first bullet hit, the cage exploded into tiny bits of flesh, creating a hole for the rest of his bullets. Five of them landed on the target, and the resulting explosions blasted the organ into minuscule fragments.

    Liu Xing smiled ferociously. So only the main cores were tough, and the organs were not. Although he would later use his turtle, he only needed his gun to attack the organs!

    His eyes then noticed the side of his gun, and as he saw six green stripes glowing his eyes widened in surprise. So the organs were also made from abominations. That meant destroying them would get him qi. Although he didn''t need it immediately, he could store it inside his Ethereal Pearl.

    "It''s also a good time to break through!"

    While moving around, zigzagging off the walls using kicks and aided by his gun''s recoil, he began to synchronize his breathing, heartbeat, and the rhythm of his movements. Every time he kicked off the walls to move, every time he pulled the trigger, rotated his body, and every other motion, he synchronized his body and his consciousness.

    The core moved faster and faster. The organs around him burst and bloomed into splatters of blood. His movements synchronized more and more with his consciousness. And as Liu Xing approached a giant beating heart, he heard another "crack" from within his consciousness, like a dry branch snapping underfoot.

    As Liu Xing aimed the gun at the organ before him, he felt the world suddenly slow down. He tried to pull the trigger six times, and two things happened simultaneously. First, six glowing blue bolts shot from his gun, and second, inside his consciousness, an illusory core suddenly formed within his body.

 164 ~ Bell (5)

    Liu Xing remembered a page from a book he had read. It stated something along these lines: "The Core Splitting realm earned its name because reaching the next stage within this realm requires splitting one''s first core into two. The process of breaking through from the first stage to the second, the second to the third, and so forth, becomes increasingly complex with each iteration, yet the fundamental principle remains simple."

    At that time, he remembered leaning closer to the book, as if it held secret knowledge. After all, the book he was reading focused on the Lock Opening realm, so this sudden mention of the Core Splitting realm felt abrupt, mysterious, yet enticing.

    "One must split their first core into two. Whether in the first stage or the sixth, the fundamental requirement remains the same: split the first core into two. No other cores possess the ability to split themselves, and I don''t even know the exact reason why. I only know that many have experimented with splitting other cores, and the results are never pretty. This significance of the first core is why some scholars believe it''s the manifestation of our latent cultivation talent, locked by heaven. However, I have another theory. Some scoff at it, but I believe the first core is where our truest self, our origin, or our soul resides. Therefore, any change occurring in our consciousness and body must originate from there."

    "When transitioning from the first stage of the Core Splitting realm to the second, one would witness something truly mind-boggling within their consciousness. This phenomenon remains largely misunderstood by cultivators worldwide. I believe the great sects possess a deeper understanding of this process, but even then, I suspect only immortals can fully explain its reality."

    "The second core appears out of nowhere."

    "It''s as if someone used an illusion technique and slowly materialized it into reality. Which is absurd. Everything has an origin. Even qi. We absorb qi from the environment, yet that qi comes from something. Fire emits fire qi, water emits water qi, light emits light qi, and so on. And yet, even these sources originate from something. If we trace something back, like a rock, we can trace it to the point where reality blinked into existence. But the second core comes from nowhere. Nowhere, I tell you. The second core that appears is an exact replica of the first. There is no difference between them. Even their capacity is similarly full."

    As the world around him slowed, Liu Xing peered into his consciousness and saw an illusory core suddenly form. He finally appreciated the author''s sentiment. He had read that page several times, trying to memorize it, and thought he understood it. But now, he truly understood what the author had tried to convey, and the author was right¡ªit was mind-boggling. Although his core was still in the process of splitting, he felt the illusory core emerge from nowhere. There was no trace of qi, no stirring in his consciousness, nothing. It was as if it had always been there. This fact made Liu Xing intensely curious.

    Still, while he wanted to understand what was happening and where the illusory core came from, he didn''t have time to observe it carefully. In the future, when he broke through from the second stage to the third stage of the Core Splitting realm, he would make sure to observe it closely. But right now, he needed to get through this and finally break through to the next stage.

    As if the world agreed with Liu Xing, the slowed world sped up again. The rhythm of his breath remained synchronized with his consciousness, and his true core and the illusory core moved back and forth as if there were truly two cores, though one still behaved like a ghost while the other was real.

    Out in the physical world, his six bullets hit the heart dead center. When they landed, six explosions bloomed in the middle of the giant heart, and it exploded into smithereens, with bits and pieces flying and blood bursting everywhere. Liu Xing summoned his shield and kicked it as hard as possible, launching himself away from the blood. He didn¡¯t want to be covered in blood and reveal his position to Wei Yi.

    The giant roared. Wei Yi, who peered in from below, also roared. The flesh wall around him began convulsing, and some of the organs shone with flickering light, as if they were dying bulbs. Liu Xing grinned. He believed destroying the heart wouldn''t kill the giant instantly¡ªafter all, this giant was something truly extraordinary¡ªbut he bet it hurt.

    ¡°And I will not stop,¡± he muttered.

    The giant yellow eye that peered at him began condensing several balls of qi and shot lasers in his general direction. The qi emitted from these lasers felt dense, but Liu Xing knew Wei Yi was holding back. Realizing this, he grinned. It was like realizing there was a wolf inside a house, but the homeowner couldn''t throw a grenade to kill it.

    Liu Xing encased his potent qi around his gun and commanded it to yank him to the side. Red lasers passed near his shoulder; his skin felt the smoldering heat. Rotating his body, he cataloged each organ he needed to target. After a full second of observation, Liu Xing began to pull his triggers continuously.

    Exploding Fist bullets, made from potent qi, tore through the air. Some flew toward organs above him, while others flew below. Each bolt flew true to its intended target, whether yellow veins snaking through the walls, giant pulsing meat glowing with a purple hue, a giant hole filled with connected balls of meat, and more. He saw Wei Yi¡¯s giant eye slide deeper into the giant¡¯s interior, its gaze frantic, as walls of meat grew around some organs, attempting to protect them.

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    Yet, when his bullets hit the walls of meat, they easily tore through, sank deep into the organs, and detonated. Each organ exploded, turning into a shower of bits and pieces. While some, like the dark slabs of meat weren''t completely destroyed, there was enough destruction to tear through them. Even if the attack didn''t instantly render those organs useless, it would soon be enough if Liu Xing continued.

    With his gun refilled with potent qi, Liu Xing began showering the area around him with Exploding Fist bullets. There were actually many organs inside, most as large as his body. As he shot the organs, Wei Yi frantically tried to defend them while also occasionally attacking him, but this became a fatal mistake. Wei Yi was like someone trying to chase two rabbits at once..

    Liu Xing was also pursuing two things simultaneously, but unlike Wei Yi, he could achieve both. He achieved one of them as he shot two peculiar organs. They were gray and resembled wide, tall blankets. These organs clung near the opening to the giant¡¯s neck, and he could see them pulsing frantically.

    As his bullets destroyed them, sending gray tissue raining down as if a cannon had torn through the wall, he heard a hum.

    For a moment, he thought the giant was trying something, but when he could still hear the rapid explosions of the giant attacking his turtle shield, he realized the hum came from his consciousness.

    As he peered into his consciousness, he saw that his true core was swinging so rapidly it blurred into a line, but his illusory core¡ªwhile also swinging¡ªmoved in a different direction. Before, the illusory core had followed the true core¡¯s movement, but now it moved in an entirely different direction. If his true core moved from south to north and back, his illusory core moved from west to east and back, also blurring into a line. Seeing this, Liu Xing strongly believed this was the moment he needed to take control of his qi and advance. He suspected that if he let the cores move like this for too long, he would face a backlash, one so strong that he would be in danger.

    Liu Xing tried to clear his mind and steel his heart. He didn¡¯t know the best process to advance, so he came up with a simple idea.

    ¡°Follow my order,¡± Liu Xing muttered, ¡°move faster!¡±

    Like obedient children, the cores moved faster and faster. The hum he had heard while jumping and shooting grew louder and louder. He felt an intense sensation encasing his whole body as if he were suddenly pressed by two invisible hands. Licking his lips, he wondered if this was normal, but he decided to press on and order his cores to keep moving.

    ¡°Faster.¡± The force pressing on him felt so unbearable he felt he would burst. Deciding to stop running amok and destroying organs, he grabbed onto the flesh wall and perched there. Doubt began to fill his heart, but since he had no other option, he kept pressing on.

    His cores, swinging inside his consciousness, moved faster and faster. The hum began to bother his ears, and his brain began to insist he stop, as if it didn''t want to be shaken by the insistent hum. But he knew that was just irrational fear. He suspected normal cultivators didn¡¯t experience the same sensation, and this difference likely originated from his Flowing Meditation Method. This method essentially connected his consciousness and body directly, so changes in his consciousness would probably directly affect his body.

    ¡°Faster, faster,¡± Liu Xing whispered. He insisted on kicking off the wall and aiming for another organ, this time star-shaped and leaking blood even before he shot it.

    The cores inside his body moved faster, faster, and faster. And then, when the hum became so terrible it felt like it would rattle his brain, a change began to occur within his consciousness, affecting both his true and illusory cores.

    The illusory core suddenly felt heavier. It was as if before it had been merely an illusion of light, but now it had become a planet with its own gravity. And indeed, a gravity-like force materialized around the illusory core. The straight line traced by his two cores bent slightly, and he realized both cores had begun to pull on each other. Right now, the force only caused a slight curve in their trajectories, but he had a feeling it would worsen.

    As Liu Xing landed on a fleshy protrusion and perched there, hanging by his right hand, he let out a small cough. This cough made Wei Yi¡¯s eye snap toward him, and it instantly sent a laser attack. Liu Xing kicked off the wall, landed atop burst organs, and wiped blood from his chin.

    ¡°Faster,¡± he whispered once more. The cores obeyed his command to accelerate, and in the process, the illusory core began to feel increasingly heavy. The trajectory of the two cores curved more and more until, a moment later, as if the illusory core had suddenly doubled in weight, it pulled his first core. But the first core also had weight, and they began to pull each other in their respective directions, like two planets affecting each other with their own gravity.

    When Liu Xing saw the two cores move toward each other, his heart felt as if it stopped, his eyes widened, and fear screamed from the depths of his heart. Liu Xing thought they would collide, but they only passed each other, albeit with a gap so narrow that if cores had shoulders, they would have bumped. For a moment, relief washed over him, but this feeling lasted only a fraction of a second because the two cores began pulling each other again.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Liu Xing cursed. He finally understood what was happening. As the illusory core became more real, it gained a force akin to gravity. It seemed his true core also had similar gravity, but since there had only been one core before, Liu Xing hadn¡¯t realized it. But now, as his second core began to materialize, both fought using their own gravitational forces.

    ¡°I need to control both of them,¡± Liu Xing gritted his teeth. This was the moment when knowledge about the intricacies of breaking through would prove invaluable. If he had read a book about it, he would know the best way to control them. Still, whining about his lack of knowledge would get him nowhere, so he needed to do the best he could. And right now, the best course of action was to forcefully move them as far apart as possible.

    Liu Xing willed both cores to move apart. As his will grasped both cores, it felt as if he were trying to stop two speeding mountains.

    Liu Xing let out a violent cough, so forceful it felt as if he coughed up his entire lungs, and blood sprayed from his mouth like geysers, and his body felt as if an immortal had punched him.

    ¡°That was the wrong move,¡± Liu Xing grimaced.

 165 ~ Bell (6)

    "That''s the wrong move," Liu Xing grimaced, wiping blood from his chin. His will wasn''t strong enough to forcefully push both of his cores apart. They were too heavy. There had to be a better way.

    Wei Yi snapped his eye toward his location and, without hesitation, shot a red laser as big as his thigh at him. Liu Xing jumped to the side and landed atop the remnants of the giant''s bursting heart. Wei Yi''s laser traced a line on the giant''s wall, following him. Wei Yi knew his location because of the blood that painted him.

    Willing invisibility to swallow the blood covering him, he jumped from organ to organ while gritting his teeth, trying to maintain some semblance of control over his cores while enduring the pressure. This slowed Liu Xing''s movements; moving too much hurt him. Still, he had an idea: jumping from organ to organ meant Wei Yi would need to be precise to avoid harming his own creation.

    Inside his consciousness, both cores brush against each other as if  seizing one another. He could see their trajectory becoming shorter and shorter; it was truly a matter of time before they collided.

    "I need to do something," Liu Xing muttered. He felt there must be a way to make these two cores move in harmony, but what? What was the secret to pulling this off?

    The only thing he could think of was pushing both cores away, but the last time he''d done that, he had coughed up blood. It was a violent reaction, making him think it was the wrong approach. But what if it was actually the right thing to do, just done incorrectly?

    As Liu Xing moved here and there, dodging Wei Yi''s attacks, his mind began to search for good ideas. While he didn''t find a perfect solution, he did come up with another idea nonetheless. He needed to gather more information, and to do that, the only option was to try pushing both cores again. If he observed them more carefully, he might gain a better understanding of what was actually happening.

    Liu Xing licked his lips. It was a painful idea, but the best he could devise in a short time. Steeling his heart once more, Liu Xing peered into his consciousness. The movement of both cores was now so short, their trajectory more chaotic, as if locked in a mad dance.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply, a breath he took coincidentally as both cores moved away from each other. Seizing the opportunity, he encased both cores with his will and then pushed them apart.

    Once again, Liu Xing felt tremendous pain, as if being torn apart, and his internal organs ruptured, blood rushing to his mouth. He had become fully invisible again, and Wei Yi''s attacks traced the walls far from him. Knowing that another spray of blood would reveal his position to Wei Yi, Liu Xing gritted his teeth and swallowed the blood and pain, all while trying as hard as possible to observe both cores.

    The movement of both cores slowed for a moment, as if his will were some kind of rubber band that successfully snaring them. He knew it would only last briefly, and using all his power, he tried to observe both cores: their movement, their trajectory, every twitch and vibration. He needed to see it all.

    His will strained with each second, and soon he felt it snap. The cores broke free from his momentary control. It hurt as if his entire being shattered into a million pieces, but amidst the pain and the cores brushing against each other once more, he realized the gap between his two cores had actually widened. This was proof that pushing the cores was possible, but unsustainable. After all, if Liu Xing tried to do this several more times, his body would explode from the inside out.

    He needed a better idea, one that needed to materialize in his mind as soon as possible. He tried to think outside the box, considering if his knowledge from Earth could offer inspiration to tackle this problem, something related to gravity, planets, or even the Sun and solar system.

    As soon as he thought like that, the first thing that came to mind was a Chinese sci-fi novel: The Three-Body Problem. This novel was about first contact, where an alien race tried to hinder Earth''s scientific progress. The title, Three-Body Problem, referred to the chaotic planetary system of the aliens, where their planet was pulled by two suns.

    As his mind considered this story, an idea struck him. Perhaps he needed to introduce another entity with a force akin to gravity. If he had three cores pulling each other, the gravity would interact and create a three-way tug-of-war.

    "Is it a good idea?" he muttered. After all, he knew the three-body problem was a real scientific problem, almost impossible to solve. Hell, the whole plot of The Three-Body Problem revolved around the aliens trying to take over Earth because they wanted to escape their home planet, one orbiting two suns so chaotically that day and night could shift within minutes or last for hundreds of years. Adding another core to his body might likewise add another gravitational force, making his cores'' movement even more chaotic. He reasoned this problem would arise when he needed to form his third core, and even if he wanted to, he couldn''t create a third core right now.

    He needed another idea, a good one. As he jumped around with massive pain coursing through his body, he began to think about how other cultivators tackled this problem, and this line of thought gave him another idea, expanding on his previous one.

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    Other cultivators would be inside their consciousness when trying to break through to the second stage of the Core Splitting realm, while Liu Xing was not. This made him question what would happen if he dived into his consciousness right now. Would he gain better control of his cores, or perhaps even emit a similar gravity-like force?

    Licking his lips, he guessed there was no way to verify his thinking except by fully submerging himself into his consciousness, but doing so would expose him to danger. After all, he couldn''t just sit down and cultivate right now. He still needed to deal with Wei Yi and the giant.

    "Damn it," Liu Xing gritted his teeth. He had no other idea. If he wanted to deal with Wei Yi and the giant as soon as possible, he needed to break through as soon as possible. At other times, breaking through would bring excitement and immense joy, but right now, this whole process was annoying and a hassle, something he wanted to be over with as quickly as possible. Thinking like that, he decided to take a risk. He needed to submerge himself fully into his consciousness.

    He couldn''t rush it, nor could he stay inside for too long. He needed to enter his consciousness, observe the effects while inside, and return to the physical world as soon as possible. Nodding, Liu Xing closed his eyes and focused his mind completely. As he landed softly atop a giant red vein he had cut, blood gushing out, he tried to enter his consciousness. As soon as he thought about it, he suddenly opened his eyes within his consciousness. All around him was white space, and in front of him, two cores bigger than him moved so fast they were like racing cars. Liu Xing widened his eyes, realizing he had awakened in his consciousness so quickly. While he had mastered the method to submerge himself, the process was faster than before. He thought perhaps this was an effect of the Flowing Meditation Method.

    The hum inside his consciousness was deafening, like two giant bees flapping their wings as fast as possible. There was also the crackle of lightning emitted by his first core, and when the cores brushed each other, the wind they created hit his face like a strong punch.

    Liu Xing''s plan was to try pushing the cores again, thinking something different might happen since he was fully present. But before he could, a change suddenly occurred from his illusory core¡ªthe one closer to him. He could see, with his own eyes, that the core, in the process of moving toward his main core, was actually curving slightly. Its movement suddenly slowed, as if a car had slammed on the brakes and was trying to turn around.

    Seeing this, Liu Xing instantly ran to the side. A hypothesis formed in his mind, and when he saw the illusory core begin to be pulled toward his new position, his eyes widened. "I also have gravity!"

    At that moment, Liu Xing also realized that besides the still-illusory core¡ªwhich was increasingly becoming heavier and realer¡ªhis first core was also curving toward him, as if he were a sun abruptly materializing in the middle of two dancing planets, disrupting their orbit and drawing them toward him.

    This was likely how other people managed their breakthrough process; they probably used themselves as another anchor to pull their cores, instead of relying on will alone. As he moved, both cores broke from their tracks and rushed toward him, as if he were a man who had entered a farm with two murderous, territorial bulls. Seeing this, ideas rushed to his mind. It seemed he possessed more gravity than his two cores, and since he could move freely, he could try to manipulate their orbits. As he ran and thought, Liu Xing realized his illusory core was becoming more real, heavier, and emitting stronger gravity. He suspected that once it truly materialized into a real core, it would stabilize. The breakthrough process was probably about holding both cores so they wouldn''t collide until he had two true cores inside his body.

    As Liu Xing ran, his instincts suddenly screamed, as if sensing a giant sword poised to split his head from his neck. Trusting his gut, Liu Xing expelled himself from his consciousness just in time to see a giant red laser, one so wide and so big, coming straight toward him. Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened, glimpsing Wei Yi¡¯s eye looking directly at him as if it knew his position. Instantly, Liu Xing activated Lightning Cloak Technique and kicked as hard as possible. For a moment, he thought he would be swallowed by the attack, but instead, it merely grazed his shoulder and side. He felt the intense heat before it slammed into the cutted vein where he had been standing.

    Liu Xing summoned his shield and maneuvered around like a pinball. As he moved, he realized his invisibility had undone itself. His body, bloody and beaten, was now clearly visible. He glanced at his gun and realized it was no longer invisible either. This was probably because he had submerged himself into his consciousness. The invisibility could be undone as easily as he willed it, indicating he needed to actively maintain it. But when he submerged himself into his consciousness, there was no will to maintain his invisibility, and so it failed.

    Gritting his teeth, he regretted learning this aspect of invisibility this way. He should have experimented with it more. Still, there was no use in complaining. He needed to accept that he probably couldn''t fully submerge himself into his consciousness anymore. Peering inside conciousness, Liu Xing saw his absence had undone his effort to separate the two cores, though a change had occurred. Instead of two cars brushing against each other, they were now moving in a circle, orbiting each other. Their dance was more elegant than before, like two suns dancing, destined for a collision that would happen soon if he did nothing.

    Wei Yi shot dozens of red lasers at him. The attack seemed weaker than before, but with the crushing pressure still upon him, even one hit could be fatal. As blood flowed freely from his mouth, he tried to think of how to fix his situation.

    He recalled thinking Wei Yi was chasing two rabbits and would catch none, and how he arrogantly thought he would catch both. Shaking his head, Liu Xing tried to ignore this distraction and think as hard as possible. The path to break through was becoming clearer. He needed to submerge himself and attract the cores so they wouldn''t collide. But he couldn''t enter his consciousness¡ªhe would die if he did that.

    ¡°Think,¡± he muttered, and an idea struck him. Risky, but not riskier than submerging himself in his consciousness. His gun was soul-bound to him. It could appear inside his consciousness as a mote of light. Since it could appear in his consciousness, he thought perhaps, just perhaps, his gun also possessed some gravity. After all, Liu Xing himself had gravity that attracted the two cores, while previously, there had been no such force inside his consciousness.

    With his heart beginning to pulse with measured excitement, thinking that perhaps this was the solution, Liu Xing dismissed his gun, and it appeared inside his consciousness as a mote of light. Comparing his gun to his two cores was like comparing a bear to an ant, and yet, the mote of light vibrated, as if it already knew what it needed to do.

 166 ~ Bell (7)

    The mote of light, his gun in its purest form, moves wildly up and down and left and right. It was as if this mote of light was orbiting something unseen. This surprised Liu Xing. While he expected his gun to produce some effect, he hadn''t anticipated it to be this visible. He just thought that it would emit some kind of gravity, not move on its own. Was it because he still didn''t fully understand this gift from his friend? Liu Xing wondered if there truly was something at the center of the mote of light''s motion, something invisible to him. He recalled his gun absorbing darkness from Ji Dongyan and the Twelve Sun Armor; that darkness must reside somewhere within his gun. Though he couldn''t get an answer from his gun, he knew it definitely possessed some form of gravity.

    And indeed, it did. As his mote of light moved faster and faster, as if it were made of massless light, it created something akin to a ball of yarn, but instead of threads, it was made of light. As soon as this light ball appeared, his two cores, which had been dancing with each other towards their inevitable collision, began moving to it. Although instead of rushing like two bulls, they still orbited each other, pulling and tugging as if they had hands trying to shove the other behind.

    Still bouncing from shield to shield, encased in the Lightning Cloak, and with Wei Yi relentlessly shooting at him, Liu Xing began to command the gun within his consciousness to move. As soon as he thought about it, the ball of light began to rush away from the two of his cores. Liu Xing couldn''t help but grin again. The despair and annoyance he had felt before began to lighten, although the humming and the pressure pressing upon him felt increasingly intense.

    A giant ball of red qi hurtled toward Liu Xing. It was gigantic in size, covering almost half the width of the giant''s interior. Seeing this all-out attack from Wei Yi, Liu Xing understood that Wei Yi was becoming more reckless. Perhaps Wei Yi knew Liu Xing was undergoing a breakthrough and realized he would be more dangerous if he succeeded. As Liu Xing considered how to deal with the giant red qi, he realized that while large, it didn''t feel particularly potent. So, without overthinking, he jumped from his shield, sending a lot of potent qi from his Ethereal Pearl into his gauntlets, and created a ball of lightning and launched a giant pillar of white lightning.

    As the white pillar tore through the giant red ball of qi, he peered into his consciousness once more. Now, the ball of light yarn was leading the two cores, and he actively adjusted their orbiting trajectory with his gun. When one core moved away, he shifted the gun closer to the other core, accelerating it forward while the first core continued to drift out. This trick successfully opened a gap of more than ten meters between them. It was a comfortable distance, and though the two cores still orbited each other, their movements now felt more stable. His illusory core, the one closest to his gun, steadily became more and more real. Liu Xing knew, without a doubt, that if he maintained this movement for around a minute, the illusory core would suddenly snap into reality, officially making Liu Xing a Core Splitting cultivator at the second stage.

    Outside, his pillar of lightning had successfully torn through the red condensed qi. Wei Yi snarled, his eyes murderous, but Liu Xing detected anxiety there as well. It seemed that because the giant had used an ungodly amount of qi attacking his turtle, the giant eye probably had a limited amount of qi remaining. Still, he expected Wei Yi to try something, perhaps finding a way to expel him from the giant''s interior, or perhaps throwing caution to the wind and attacking him with a full-power blast while still inside the giant. Whatever it was, he needed to prepare.

    The hum grew louder in his mind; the pressure pressing down on him became increasingly unbearable. As Liu Xing gathered some of his qi and shot a thousand lightning strikes around, his muscles actually contracted and physically pressed against his bones, as if the pressure he felt was not merely mental but also physical.

    But suddenly, the pressure, the one that had been crushing him as if a boot was crushing a cockroach, vanished. The hum that had made his mind scream uncomfortably abruptly silenced.

    For a moment, Liu Xing thought the world had stopped, as if time had ceased to exist. But then, this perception shattered by a breaking sound, one that sounded as if he had just crunched a dry twig under his foot. This was the third time he had heard this sound, but this time, it was different. His heart beat crazily, his stomach churned crazily, and anxiety merged with excitement. This was it.

    A breakthrough!

    Inside his consciousness, his illusory core finally, finally materialized into existence. There was no change in its appearance, yet he could feel something fundamental about the core had shifted. The heaviness of this core, while still present, felt stable. Liu Xing felt immense joy seeing this stable core. The process was finally over. Now comes the most amazing part.

    As if hearing Liu Xing''s thoughts, his illusory core began to send out a ripple of energy. A rush of qi jolted his body, as if he had just been struck by lightning, and the lightning stayed inside his body, cycling along with his qi. Liu Xing grinned. The second core was already full, which meant that at least the amount of qi he possessed had increased. But, he knew for a fact that it wasn''t just a doubling of his qi. No, it felt like he had several times the amount of qi he had before. Moreover, a change so drastic must have come with additional perks.

    Standing atop his shield right below the opening to the giant¡¯s neck, lightning crackled around his body. While his body was still encased by the Lightning Cloak Technique, this lightning was not from it. It originated directly from his cultivation. As qi cycled around his body, it also carried a power he had never experienced before, one that, when in contact with his muscles, tissues, organs, and everything within, filled them with qi. He felt as if his entire being was flooded by qi, yet without any discomfort or negative sensation. His broken bones, already mending, snapped into the correct position and healed. Layers of sweat, blood, and grime evaporated from his skin, and his skin glowed as if the surface was covered in diamond dust.

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    Liu Xing cycled his qi more and more. The Lightning Cloak Technique roared with power. The amount of qi, as well as the control he had over it, increased by leaps and bounds. While he realized his qi was not as potent or as easily controlled as his potent qi, it was still of high quality.

    Liu Xing began to laugh. This power was intoxicating. It was as if his anxiety, his hardship, and the pain he had felt while trying to break through were a cheap price to pay for this power.

    ¡°Wei Yi!¡± Liu Xing shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Logically, with only this amount of qi, there was no way for Liu Xing to win against the giant. His qi was abundant, but compared to the amount of qi the giant possessed, his was just a bucket compared to a pool. However, the gap wasn''t overwhelmingly vast either. Moreover, he had his gun, his most amazing and wonderful gun, and his amazing and admirable turtle. Combining all he had, he felt confident he could rip apart the giant.

    Below, Wei Yi¡¯s one giant eye widened, as if he couldn''t fathom what had just happened. But, as a ferocious smile bloomed on Liu Xing¡¯s lips, he could see that Wei Yi emitted a dread so palpable it was as if he had just seen a heavenly being descend from a higher realm, ready to punt him to death. Wei Yi opened its one giant mouth wide. He condensed a truly gigantic amount of qi into one giant ball. The sheer volume of qi hinted at his desperation, as he could no longer afford to hold back his punches.

    Liu Xing grinned. While that kind of attack would still be dangerous for him, he had no intention of fighting it head-on. While he was drunk with power right now, his logical mind still functioned, and upon seeing that attack, a little trick came to his mind.

    With a thought, he dismissed his turtle statue, which had endured being a lure and a punching bag for the giant. He then cycled his qi in a specific pattern and summoned it right below him.

    His turtle was now at its original size again, its grey surface covered in soot and marks, as if it had just crossed through hell and successfully arrived on Earth. The two gems in its head gleamed, and Liu Xing couldn¡¯t help but think that his turtle held its head high, as if it was truly proud of its accomplishment. Liu Xing smiled and also felt warmth in his chest, as if he too felt proud of this inanimate statue.

    He could hear the giant roar so loudly, as if it were a lion that had successfully killed an opponent who dared to claim its territory, which was foolish. His turtle wasn''t loose yet, no, it was time for payback!

    The ball of qi in front of Wei Yi¡¯s mouth intensified, growing stronger and stronger, as if it were a sun about to go supernova. The air around it distorted, whips of fire lashed out from the condensed ball of qi, and the heat it emitted actually scorched the flesh around the giant eye.

    Liu Xing sent a large amount of his qi and potent qi from his Ethereal Pearl toward his turtle hovering below him. Before, channeling potent qi into his turtle had been a time-consuming process, as if Liu Xing were trying to fill a pool with a small hose. But now, with a simple thought, qi rushed from his body toward his turtle like a giant waterfall. In a fraction of a second, his turtle grew so large that it suddenly filled the hollow inside of the giant, and as before, it could carry a giant castle on its back. Liu Xing couldn''t help but grin wider. His qi control had increased tremendously. It was as if he had absolute control over his qi, as well as if expelling qi out of his body felt like blasting it outward instead of channeling it out from pores in his body.

    ¡°Eat this, Wei Yi!¡±

    Liu Xing shouted, and he tried to make his turtle look as if it were about to fall, but in reality, he held his turtle steady with potent qi. The fact was, aside from Wei Yi¡¯s one giant yellow eye, there was nothing below. If he made his turtle descend downward, while it would create some damage, it would just open a hole that Wei Yi would close again. No, his real target was above him, and Liu Xing hoped that this little trick would give his turtle some extra push.

    When Liu Xing saw Wei Yi unleash the ball of condensed qi in the form of a giant laser, he couldn''t help but let out a smirk. Wei Yi had fallen for his trick!

    The giant red laser tore through the air. The sound it made was a mix of a giant whistle and hum, one that was so powerful that the flesh wall all around it, as well as destroyed organs, was actually scorched. In just a moment, the giant laser struck the belly of his turtle statue. Liu Xing instantly jumped to the side, and instead of pushing his turtle down, he pushed his turtle up.

    The giant red laser, as well as his push, made the turtle launch skyward like a giant rocket. It accelerated from near stillness into a reverse giant meteor, propelled by both Wei Yi and Liu Xing. It tore through the air, creating a loud whistling sound, and in a moment, it hit the roof of the giant''s interior.

    At this point, Wei Yi¡¯s giant eye widened comically, as if he couldn''t understand what he had just seen. A moment later, he stopped his attack, but while Wei Yi stopped pushing, he had already given his turtle enough momentum. Liu Xing only needed to continue pushing.

    As he controlled the qi around the turtle and pushed, Liu Xing began to shout. He willed the potent qi, as well as his original qi, that surrounded the turtle to move upward. To Liu Xing''s surprise, the giant''s throat was actually forcefully pushed open¡ªand his turtle rushed into the giant''s throat as if entering a snake¡¯s mouth.

    From outside, the giant, who was still howling and drunk with victory, had the base of his neck bulged, as if he had just swallowed a soccer ball. His howling suddenly stopped, and the white skin around his neck began to crack, with blood bursting out as if his neck was a leaking pipe. Not stopping, the bulge moved up rapidly, and in the process, the giant''s neck began to burst with blood more and more, unable to contain the giant turtle statue. If Liu Xing could see this view, it would remind him of the giant swallowing the giant meatball, but with a much larger meatball and in the reverse direction.

    Not stopping, the turtle moved up, up, and up. Liu Xing didn''t intend for the turtle to just get stuck in the giant''s neck; no, he wanted to push the turtle further, straight toward the giant¡¯s brain.

 167 ~ Bell (8)

    ¡°No! No!¡±

    Standing atop his shield, head tilted upwards, and pushing his potent qi with all his might, Liu Xing heard a loud and guttural sound. It reverberated inside the giant¡¯s hollow body as if loudspeakers were hidden somewhere within. He simply kept pushing. From below, he could see the grey belly of his turtle moving steadily into the giant¡¯s throat. Blood leaked all around the turtle. That shout probably came from Wei Yi, mixed with the giant''s own voice. This shout fueled Liu Xing¡¯s determination, and he pushed harder. After all, it meant the giant was hurting, and that meant Liu Xing was doing the right thing.

    ¡°Move faster!¡± Liu Xing shouted.

    ¡°No, stop it!¡± Another shout reached him, this time clearly from below.

    Liu Xing sensed the air around him shift slightly. Hands, larger than himself, emerged from the walls all around him, trying to seize him. Liu Xing cycled the Lightning Palm Technique and activated it, creating a long lightning blade on his right hand. While he activated this technique manually, without the gun, it was still empowered by his newly advanced Core Splitting realm and coated by his stable qi. He struck each of the flesh hands that reached for him. Some lost fingers, others entire palms, with bloody stumps left behind and the severed parts raining down along with red blood. The attack felt surprisingly weak. Either he had become so strong that Wei Yi couldn''t even touch him, or Wei Yi was incredibly weakened right now, which was odd. While he knew the giant had used a gigantic amount of qi to attack his turtle, there should still be a considerable amount remaining. Alas, it wasn¡¯t important. The most important thing was that his turtle was going to destroy the giant¡¯s head no matter what.

    More and more hands made of flesh appeared, but he cut them down. Wei Yi shouted again and again, muttering and cursing him, the Purple Moon Sect, and some despicable girls, whoever they were. Liu Xing just kept pushing. After a moment, he noticed the momentum lessening, and it became harder for him to push. If he didn''t do something, his turtle would just get stuck there. Luckily, he had another good idea.

    ¡°Spin!¡± Liu Xing ordered, and his turtle gladly executed his command. Above, the turtle began spinning sideways. At first, there was some resistance. But slowly, his turtle spun faster and faster, like an electric fan just switched on. Blood began to fall more freely, and a screech, so harsh and loud, reverberated as if a mirror the size of the world was cracking.

    Liu Xing couldn¡¯t help but grin widely. It was working! The throat that had tightened around his turtle was being ground away. If his turtle were a giant blade, the giant¡¯s neck would have already been decapitated! In a way, this felt even worse than simple decapitation.

    ¡°Faster, faster, and move up!¡± Liu Xing stretched both his hands upwards and pushed as hard as he could. Below, Wei Yi shouted desperately, repeating ¡°no!¡± repeatedly, but strangely, he didn''t attack. Liu Xing began to suspect that the "no!" that he screamed was not for him. Glancing down, it looked like Wei Yi was trying to shake an ant out of his ear. It was really weird, but in his favor. Perhaps his attack was so potent that Wei Yi had lost his mind. This thought made his grin widen further. He wondered what the bastard''s expression would be when he saw his creation¡¯s head blown to smithereens.

    As he pushed harder, the turtle moved while spinning madly, red coated its entire body, and it accelerated upwards steadily. Getting another idea, Liu Xing angled his turtle so it spun diagonally. This decision made his turtle suddenly soar like a helicopter blade gone wild. It moved up so fast it was as if the fact it had been stuck before was a lie.

    ¡°Go!¡± Liu Xing shouted.

    The turtle spun faster and moved upwards so rapidly, it was truly as if the giant was trying to vomit a spinning blade, one so angry that it had been swallowed and was enacting revenge. As he pushed harder, a new idea sparked in Liu Xing''s mind, and without overthinking, he sent a surge of qi into his Thunderstrike Gauntlets. Instantly, a giant lightning ball materialized in front of both his palms. Liu Xing sent two palm strikes towards it, and a giant pillar of lightning erupted from it, shooting upwards like a giant beacon trying to part the heavens. It tore through the air and hit the turtle. When it struck the turtle, the already fast-moving turtle was pushed and accelerated even faster.

    Outside, the giant moved both of his hands and touched the base of his neck, as if trying to vomit. But, the giant ¡°ball¡± it had swallowed suddenly tilted at an angle and shot upwards. In an instant, the ¡°ball¡± traveled up, the giant¡¯s white neck ruptured, and the giant opened its mouth wide as if emitting an inaudible, blood-curdling shout. The giant ball, the turtle, then hit the roof of the giant¡¯s throat. When that happened, the giant looked up as if an uppercut had hit its chin, and its feet were actually lifted from the ground for a fraction of a second. A sound as loud as a drum echoed when the turtle hit his upper jaw.

    A moment later, when his feet landed, the giant let out a deafening and blood-curdling shout. Giant waterfalls of blood poured out of its mouth, and its empty eye sockets looked horrified, as if he had endured a thousand years of torture in the deepest hell and just returned. But the turtle still moved upwards, still spinning like a rotating blade. It dug deeper into the giant''s flesh, with the lightning pillar pushing it like a reverse waterfall.

    Inside the giant, Liu Xing stood atop his shield, arms stretched up, the lightning pillar still extended from the lightning ball in front of his palms. Although it began to recede, Liu Xing knew his turtle had enough momentum. It created a skidding sound like rubber wheels dragging across asphalt, mixed with the whirring of a blender. Chunks of meat, almost paste, rained heavily from above.

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    Liu Xing pushed and pushed, and as if his turtle had just successfully dug through concrete and arrived at soft earth, it suddenly accelerated faster, entering the brain region. From below, Liu Xing could see hundreds of screaming pink worms falling down from above, each with faces akin to humans, beasts, or spirit beasts, screaming as they appeared. His turtle ground the worms into paste, and it began to rain down on him. It was utterly disgusting. Still, Liu Xing kept his eyes wide open, his will firm. He could see it clearly. His turtle was unstoppable.

    ¡°Blast it open, and destroy it!¡± Liu Xing shouted.

    With this shout, his turtle moved faster and spun faster. It ground and dug through flesh, and like a falling star trying to return to the sky, his turtle flew straight upwards.

    Outside, the giant actually held its head like a child trying to protect itself from a rain of punches. From its empty eye sockets, blood gushed out like giant waterfalls, along with chunks and bits of pink worm washed in red blood. It opened its mouth, its scream so loud it sounded as if its whole body was boiled in magma.

    Then, a moment later, a giant turtle suddenly emerged from the crown of its head. It was like the giant¡¯s head was a volcano, and it had just spat out a giant spinning turtle, with blood bursting like magma and chunks and bits and pieces like rocks flying up from the volcano¡¯s belly.

    The giant let out another blood-curdling scream, as if its entire being was awash in hot, searing pain. Its giant, slow hands tried to close the gaping hole in its crown, but the hands moved so slowly, becoming slower with each passing second. At that speed, the hands would need hundreds of years to arrive.

    From the giant hole on its crown, a being that looked like a flash of lightning shot out like a reverse thunderstrike. It moved so fast that if someone blinked at the wrong moment, they wouldn''t see this lightning move. That was Liu Xing, and he soared through the air with booming laughter, face filled with glee and chest filled with pride.

    ¡°I win!¡± Liu Xing shouted while looking down. His turtle had already stopped spinning, and his potent qi held it in the air, as if suspended by a bubble. Its angled position allowed Liu Xing to see the gaping hole in the giant¡¯s crown. The hole was so wide he could even peer right through the giant, straight to the ground, as if the giant had been impaled by giant rods. The giant¡¯s eyes were frozen in horror, with blood falling from its empty eye sockets, ear holes, mouth, and nose. Even if the giant wasn''t dead yet, it probably couldn''t move as long as there was a giant hole in its head. Liu Xing, for all intents and purposes, had won this fight.

    Only the last thing remained to do.

    He summoned his gun into his right hand. As it materialized, he let out a content sigh. Holding his gun in the midst of battle felt so natural; when it was inside his consciousness, his right hand felt too light. Inside his consciousness, his two cores now circled each other steadily. His gun had successfully separated them with a large gap, and at their current speed, they would collide in at least a week. It seemed that as a Core Splitting cultivator with multiple cores, he would need to periodically stabilize them.

    Summoning his shield and standing atop it, Liu Xing aimed his gun low. He tore away some of the potent qi that surrounded the turtle, making it lose a bit of altitude. The giant was still not dead, but Liu Xing thought it was just a matter of time. That was why he needed to kill it with his gun. This way, he would benefit more. Also, Liu Xing felt that his victory was still incomplete, and he thought it was because the giant was still standing. So, at the very least, he wanted to knock it out to cement his victory.

    He cycled the Exploding Fist technique inside his body, and his gun absorbed the technique easily. Exploding Fist was a mere base-grade technique, but he was now a second-stage Core Splitting cultivator. His techniques had become stronger!

    Aiming his gun toward the two eye sockets of the giant, Liu Xing pulled the trigger six times. Six bullets shot down like brilliant falling stars. They split into two and aimed at different eye sockets.

    Knowing six bullets wouldn''t be enough, Liu Xing opened fire. In moments, hundreds of bullets streamed from his gun, each impacting the still-bleeding eye sockets. When they hit, a massive, continuous explosion erupted around the giant eye sockets. The bullets blurred into streaks of light, and the sound became a roaring cacophony of war, explosions and whistles echoing through the air.

    The explosions raining down on the eye sockets made the eye sockets widen, as if invisible hands forcefully tore them open. The occasional bullets that hit around its face successfully exploded on its skin. At first, Liu Xing was actually surprised by it. He knew how tough the skin was, but a moment later, he realized it wasn''t because his attacks had become stronger. No, it was that the giant had become more fragile.

    Knowing this, Liu Xing sprayed the giant¡¯s face with hundreds more of Exploding Fist bullets. Each explosion tore the flesh of the giant¡¯s face. It was like an invisible army of ants eating its face. The force of his bullets began to push the giant back. Its body tilted at an angle, as if it had been punched in the face and was now falling in slow motion.

    Liu Xing shouted, his finger a blur on the trigger, and the giant had lost its balance. Its right foot now lifted, and he could see its left knee suddenly break, creating a loud, crispy, and painful sound. From there, the giant fell as if it were merely a corpse. The air groaned around him, and when it hit the ground, a loud, deafening sound traveled outward, creating a powerful shockwave. Earth surged around it, though it didn''t create a high earth tsunami or anything of the like. Perhaps because its weight was distributed, or perhaps because the giant was actually lighter than its appearance suggested. The dust cloud rose higher and higher, the shockwave hit the Royal Barrier. Then, silence. The dust began to fall. The tremors from its fall had stopped. And from above, the giant lay on its back. Its face had no shape anymore. His gun had made it look like abstract art. Its hands were still holding its head, hands almost reaching the giant hole, and below, his left knee was bent in an unnatural way and pinned against its weight.

    Liu Xing inhaled deeply, then glanced toward his gun. When he saw six glowing green stripes on the side of his gun, glowing so brightly the light assaulted his eyes, Liu Xing couldn''t help but widen his eyes. The gun had successfully extracted the qi from the giant, which meant the giant was truly dead!

    His heart beat crazily, and his smile grew wider and wider. The giant was finally dead! He had won. He had attained victory!

    His shoulder muscles suddenly relaxed, the air he breathed felt so fresh, his mind became clear, and his body more energetic. He knew that Wei Yi was still alive, but the giant was truly dead!

    As he savored the air of victory, a loud rumble, as if a tsunami was approaching, suddenly could be heard.

 168 ~ Bell (9)

    Liu Xing braced himself for the worst. In his imagination, the giant corpse below would reanimate, sprouting dozens of arms, feet, and heads, forcing him into another all-out fight. He looked down, but the giant lay still. He scanned his surroundings, trying to pinpoint the source of the rumble. Another thought, that Wei Yi might reappear with yet another giant, flashed through his mind, but he soon realized the shaking emanated from the Royal Barrier itself. It trembled as if it were pudding flicked by a finger.

    A loud cracking sound suddenly echoed through the air. To his right, a giant crack split the Royal Barrier. Dense qi surged from the fissure, and the crack began to spread, branching out like tree roots seeking nutrients. More and more cracks appeared on the Royal Barrier. It was as if the barrier was a giant dam, finally failing to hold back the water. Each new crack tried to grow as large as possible, even linking with others. Seeing this, Liu Xing grinned. The Royal Barrier was finally breaking! This was the final confirmation of his victory.

    After a moment, thousands of cracks spiderwebbed across the Royal Barrier''s surface, as if the barrier were a festering wound infested by roots with qi leaking from each fissure. The Royal Barrier groaned, holding on for dear life, but then a tremendous breaking sound echoed, like a giant hammer shattering a colossal mirror. The Royal Barrier finally collapsed. Fragments of the Royal Barrier scattered, momentarily becoming millions of tiny orange gems before dissolving into qi and flooding the surrounding area. Looking up, Liu Xing saw a clear blue sky, the sun shining brightly and warming his skin. A gentle breeze caressed his hair and body. Liu Xing smiled contentedly; it felt as if the world itself was congratulating him on his victory.

    In the end, Wei Yi had never used the Royal Barrier. Liu Xing was grateful for this, though he didn''t know its full capabilities. The Royal Barrier was supposed to have many uses, one being to concentrate vast amounts of qi into a single point. Perhaps it was intended to be used with the third ingredient, or for some other purpose entirely. Whatever the reason, he was simply glad he hadn''t had to contend with it.

    Liu Xing stretched a hand upwards. He hadn¡¯t forgotten that Wei Yi was still out there. Knowing Wei Yi, Liu Xing was certain he would attempt some trick, either to attack or to flee. But, he felt he deserved a second or two to relax. He had just killed a giant nearly a kilometer tall and broken through from the Lock Opening realm sixth stage to Core Splitting realm second stage. He had earned this brief respite.

    After a moment of stretching and a contented sigh, Liu Xing nodded. "Alright, let''s finish this for good."

    He was obviously referring to Wei Yi. He then inhaled deeply and prepared to stop the Flowing Meditation Method. He dreaded it slightly. The last time he had tried to stop it, he had felt like his body was being torn apart. Logic suggested that now that he had broken through, he could close the hole into his consciousness. Still, he braced himself for the worst. Exhaling, Liu Xing ceased the meditation method, his heart drumming in his chest. When he felt the hole to his consciousness waver and silently dissipate, Liu Xing sighed in relief. So, the reason he couldn''t close it before truly was because he had been undergoing a breakthrough.

    Smiling, Liu Xing was relieved that no trouble occurred. "Now, let''s try to find Wei Yi."

    Liu Xing closed his eyes for a moment, suppressing his qi sense, smell, and hearing. Then, simultaneously, he extended all his senses outward. Instantly, the world that had been blurry snapped into sharp focus. His eyes could see far, from footprints imprinted in the ground below¡ªprobably Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s¡ªto a small blue bird with a yellow beak perched in a distant tree. His ears could hear the gentle wind, the fall of pebbles, and even exclamations and happy sobs from some people¡ªwho he again assumed were Prince Yang Jinyan and his clan. With his qi sense, he could perceive them more clearly, even Yang Suyin, who was quite far underground and moving upwards. But two points particularly interested him.

    Looking to the left, he saw a stone blade jutting out from the ground, its handle stabbed into the earth, the blade pointed skyward.

    ¡°So that¡¯s where you are,¡± Liu Xing muttered. He had lost his blade when he had failed to close the hole into his consciousness. He sent some of his qi to envelop it, making it float towards him. He needed to figure out how to handle it better. His gun could enter his consciousness, while the shield and turtle he could dismiss and summon at will, though it did raise the question of where they actually resided when dismissed.

    Liu Xing glanced toward the second point of interest. It was located near the giant¡¯s right armpit, a position obstructed from his view, preventing him from seeing the source of the qi. However, he suspected it was deliberate. If he were Wei Yi and trying to flee, he would minimize his presence and silently escape.

    Wasting no time, Liu Xing jumped from his shield and shot off like a bullet. In the air, he reactivated his Lightning Cloak Technique and summoned his shield and kicked it again, accelerating until he moved like true lightning across the sky. As he flew, he couldn''t help but think about how much his strength had truly improved. There were no new abilities gained as when he had crossed from Lock Opening to Core Splitting realm, but every aspect of his being seemed upgraded. His physical abilities were enhanced, his senses sharper, his qi control finer, his vitality doubled, his toughness increased, and countless other minor but cumulative benefits. If the current him fought his previous self, he could easily overwhelm him. He still didn¡¯t know exactly how strong he was now, but if he avoided arrogance and fought with complete focus, defeating Wei Yi should be easy.

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    Moments later, Liu Xing flew to the side of the giant''s arm and saw the peculiar qi signature he had sensed. A black cloud with a hint of green, reminiscent of the moss he had fought before, leaked from the giant like escaping gas. With his sharp eyes and qi sense, Liu Xing recognized it as Wei Yi. Summoning his shield and kicking it to adjust his trajectory, he flew straight towards the gaseous form. He saw it suddenly panic and try to extract its entire being from the giant, like a long noodle being slurped from a bowl. A moment later, the dark green gas shot across the ground, attempting to flee. Liu Xing adjusted his trajectory once more. But, coincidentally, the direction Wei Yi chose was directly into the path of his stone blade, now flying like a missile towards him.

    ¡°Wei Yi!¡± Liu Xing shouted. When the black-green gas actually looked behind, even without eyes, he sensed fear emanating from it at the sight of him. As Wei Yi looked forward again, he saw Liu Xing¡¯s stone blade flying straight towards him. A small screech, as if Wei Yi were a mere chicken, could be heard as the stone blade split the black-green gas in two before continuing towards Liu Xing.

    Liu Xing caught his stone blade with his right hand. As he grasped it, it felt like a missing puzzle piece finally slotting into place. With the stone blade in his right hand and gun in his left, he grinned ferociously. Lightning crackling around him, he kicked his shield as hard as possible, shooting right towards Wei Yi.

    Wei Yi himself was actually slowing down, trying to rejoin his gaseous body that had been split in two. But when Liu Xing kicked his shield, creating a loud booming sound, Wei Yi abandoned half of his body and bolted. The gaseous remnant he left behind vaporized into a small cloud of qi and a wisp of black smoke. As Liu Xing passed through this, his gun absorbed it, but he didn''t dwell on it. Instead, he raised his stone blade, and it began to emit a purple light. Wei Yi in this form was fast, but he couldn''t escape his next attack.

    The small gas cloud suddenly formed a single eye and a tiny mouth. Their form was illusory, like clouds mimicking a face.

    ¡°Wait, wait! Don¡¯t attack! I surrender! I surrender¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Liu Xing swung his stone blade. A giant crescent of purple qi, dozens of meters high and a meter wide, erupted from his stone blade. It tore a gash in the ground before swallowing the small black-green gas that was Wei Yi. Liu Xing heard Wei Yi¡¯s scream in terror, as if he were a child suddenly plunged into an ocean full of giant sharks. It sounded pitiful, yet Liu Xing felt no remorse. Wei Yi was not someone deserving of mercy or the benefit of the doubt. He was a demonic cultivator who had transformed an entire capital into abominations. So much life lost, grief that would plague the entire empire, and more. No, even if Wei Yi were to reappear in human form, blinded, limbs severed, crying and begging for repentance, Liu Xing would still kill him.

    Wei Yi¡¯s screams intensified for a moment, like a startled sleeper drenched in ice water. But then, though his cries echoed in the empty expanse of the former capital, they faded, becoming softer and softer, until silence fell. Liu Xing landed on the ground, his feet dragging for several meters before he stopped right in front of a swirling black smoke. Without hesitation, he pointed his gun at the smoke, and like a leaf on flowing water, the black smoke rushed into his gun. Upon contact, his gun absorbed it, and a second later, no trace of Wei Yi remained.

    Liu Xing let out a long breath. With this, he had truly won. The giant was dead, and as far as he knew, Wei Yi was gone. Looking back, he saw the giant¡¯s corpse sprawled atop the ruins of the Twelve Sun Empire. He decided to sit, supporting himself with both hands. A contented smile spread across his face. This long and grueling fight was finally over. Thinking about it, today had been the longest day of his life. The morning had started well, but had become progressively worse before finally culminating in victory.

    Deciding that merely sitting on the ground wasn''t enough, he lay on his back and watched the sky, reflecting on what had just transpired. His thoughts centered on Wei Yi. Bai Lin, the one indirectly responsible for involving him in this mess, had said Wei Yi was a talented cultivator and relatively young. He probably turned to demonic cultivation to gain power quickly, and then likely stumbled upon some inheritance from the Ji Dongyang sect or one closely related.

    Liu Xing suddenly remembered the grieving mother, the one who held the Flute of Serenity. ¡°Wasn¡¯t her son on an expedition? Did he have a connection to Wei Yi?¡± He couldn''t recall the details, and as he tried to piece together the information he had, another thought surfaced, eclipsing all thoughts of Wei Yi.

    ¡°A Heaven Grade Technique!¡± Liu Xing muttered with a happy smile. This whole mess had started because he had wanted this technique. His original plan had been to gather treasures and confront Wei Yi later, but that plan had been ruined after meeting Elder Xia Juentian, spiraling out of control until he found himself lying here, in the ruins of the capital city of the Twelve Sun Empire.

    ¡°I wonder what technique Bai Lin will give me.¡± He had said it wasn¡¯t a combat technique, but one that would allow him to observe Wei Yi from afar. Even if it wasn''t a combat technique, a Heaven Grade was still a Heaven Grade, and he wanted to get his hands on it soon. In fact, he felt an urge to get up and rush to Bai Lin right now. The injuries on his body were already healed, and he felt overflowing with energy. The only thing feeling strained was his mental state, arguably the most important aspect.

    As Liu Xing pondered whether he should go right now or sleep first, he suddenly sensed a large amount of qi gathering in the sky. Sensing this, he stood up abruptly, gripping his blade and gun tightly. His mind raced with apprehension, his heart pounding harder.

    Liu Xing looked up, wondering if this was Wei Yi¡¯s doing. He was sure he had killed Wei Yi. That black smoke¡ªdarkness¡ªwas something that could conceal oneself from others. He suspected that in the entire world, only he could sense Wei Yi without trouble, and he was quite certain this wasn''t Wei Yi. Still, he remained open to any possibility, even if it was Wei Yi somehow, he would accept it and proceed to kill him again.

    In the sky, a huge amount of qi coalesced into a golden cloud. This cloud was directly above him, close enough that if Liu Xing jumped straight up, he would reach it. As he wondered what this golden cloud could be, it suddenly transformed into a golden bell.

 169 ~ Bell (10)

    "A golden... bell?" Liu Xing muttered.

    Atop him, the golden cloud had transformed into a golden bell. One quite large, taller than him, though not by much. The bell featured intricate patterns, resembling vines, snakes, humans, or perhaps even worms. These patterns were hazy and constantly shifting, like a dream that never settled. The longer Liu Xing tried to discern them, the hazier they became, and he began to feel dizzy, as if he were a mortal who had just consumed a deadly amount of alcohol.

    "It''s a mental technique," Liu Xing realized with alarm. Only in the Dragon Skull Forest had he encountered a foe using a mental attack, one that coerced him into thinking the spirit beast he tried to defeat was his own mother. He remembered how dangerous such attacks were. Still, while he became more alert and pointed his gun upward, this golden bell somehow did not feel threatening, a fact he needed to acknowledge consciously. What if it''s an effect of the golden bell? What if it suddenly unleashes a terrifying attack, but he deems it harmless? An attack like that could kill him.

    As Liu Xing pondered the nature of the golden bell and whether it was a trap set by Wei Yi, the golden bell suddenly emitted a loud sound. This sound felt familiar, and soon, memories from the original Liu Xing surfaced. When he was a little boy, his father had taken him to a temple outside the city. It was a modest, small temple, and an ancient monk lived within. He didn''t clearly remember what his father did there, but he vividly recalled seeing the monk gently flick his finger, and the bell began to toll. The sound was similar to that: serene, as if it could heal a weary soul. Upon hearing this sound, his body instantly relaxed, and he lowered his gun, inhaling deeply. This golden bell was mysterious, no doubt about it. And although alertness and suspicion still lingered in his heart, he realized the bell probably wasn''t trying to harm him.

    The bell tolled a second time. The sound resembled the first, yet he sensed they were different. If the first bell felt like it could heal a weary soul, this second bell sounded like it would heal a physical wound, which wasn''t entirely impossible. He suspected this bell was a treasure belonging to someone.

    The bell tolled a third and fourth time. Each reverberation through the air seemed to calm his body and content his spirit, as if he were a monk who had achieved true enlightenment.

    When the bell tolled a fifth time, it emitted a "gong" sound louder than before. The air around the golden bell rippled, and the ripples spread calmly outward, as if the whole world were a serene lake. When the ripples reached the ground, which was upturned and broken, green grass rapidly sprouted, carpeting the area as if it were the most fertile land in the world, where grass could grow in mere seconds. Seeing this, Liu Xing couldn''t help but widen his eyes. This was probably a technique, but what was its purpose?

    More and more grass sprouted around him, carpeting the upturned soil of the former capital of the Twelve Sun Empire. The area directly beneath the bell¡ªwhich, coincidentally, was where he stood¡ªbecame the center of a spreading greenery. Looking around, it was as if this green grass was some kind of liquid spilling across the area and coloring it green. It spread steadily, seemingly intent on transforming the entire area of the capital into a serene and beautiful grassland. Then, flowers began to emerge and bloom. There were blue flowers, yellow flowers, red flowers, purple flowers, pink flowers, and many other colorful blossoms. In just moments, all around him, he saw green grass and colorful flowers entirely carpeting the ground, with blood and charred body parts becoming nutrients for the flora. Looking toward the giant, he saw it entirely covered by greenery and flowers, resembling a long, raised hill.

    "What''sactually happening here?" Liu Xing muttered. There was no way this was Wei Yi''s work, which solidified his belief that the golden bell was not dangerous, at least not to him. It was still a treasure, but where was the person using it? What was their purpose?

    The bell tolled a sixth time, and another ripple spread outward. This time, though, instead of an air ripple, it was a ripple of qi. His eyes couldn''t see it, but he could sense it. Suddenly, blue qi began to circle him. The color resembled perfect blue fire, but the shape was like blobs of fire the size of his thumb. Hundreds of them created a small, lazy tornado around him. A moment later, though, they began pulsing, and as if this pulse was expending their energy, they faded from blue to transparent, then vanished from his senses. They were like short-lived creatures that could only exist for a moment. Liu Xing experienced a profound feeling akin to forgetting something supremely important, as if his body recoiled and screamed that those blobs were significant, and yet, nothing about those blobs of blue fire felt particularly special to him. Their quantity wasn''t large, their size irregular, and they felt ordinary, yet his gut feeling told him otherwise.

    He expected the golden bell to toll for a seventh time. It was a natural thought that arose from nowhere. But, against his expectation, instead of a seventh toll, the golden bell burst into a golden cloud, and the golden cloud dispersed in a lazy ripple of air that traveled across the sky, as if the sky were the surface of a lake. Seeing the golden bell dissipate, Liu Xing stood rooted there, not understanding what had happened. He had a feeling that this golden bell was something special, yet he couldn''t remember why it was important. Perhaps it was just his feeling. Perhaps it was some kind of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Whatever it was, the appearance of the golden bell marked the end of his fight against Wei Yi.

    ***

    The Five Great Sects possessed many, many treasures. Most of them were stored in their treasure rooms, waiting for the right, accomplished disciple to claim them, but many treasures were also actively used by the sects. The most common treasures the Five Great Sects employed were for defense: treasures that erected bubble-like barriers around them, controlled volcanoes beneath them, managed water currents, influenced cloud movement, and even treasures that cataloged and predicted the behavior of people around the sects. Of course, array formations worked in conjunction with them, and many other treasures, while individually their effect was not significant, combined to create an almost impregnable barrier, solidifying their status as the top five sects in the entire world.

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    Aside from defensive treasures and array formations, all of the great sects also had some kind of alert network. Some were connected to their barriers to warn if someone breached them, but not all were that crucial. After all, some alarm networks only triggered if goods entering sect grounds were those they had ordered and other systems catalog them. But there was another type of alarm, one hidden and accessible only to the most loyal, located in the deepest chambers within the great sects.

    The Five Great Sects, located in various locations, had different priorities, needs, and definitions of emergency. Yet, in all five great sects, there existed an alarm system that, though crafted by different formation masters, using different methods, and producing it in different ways, served functionally similar purposes. All of them, coincidentally, were bell-shaped. Some were solitary bells, others were array networks of hundreds of bells, and yet, all were bell-shaped.

    In the Burning World Sect, in their deepest treasure chambers, an elder so ancient he resembled a mummy sat cross-legged in the middle of the room. His robes were as red as blood, and if a mortal dared to touch him, they would soon burn to ashes. This elder was not among the most talented in the sect, yet he was one of the most trustworthy and just elders in the entire sect. If there were a tournament for the most just person in the world, he would undoubtedly be sent by the Burning World Sect to compete, although whether he would win was another matter.

    This elder had been given a simple task: sit cross-legged in the vast room and face a giant bell almost five meters tall. The bell featured ornate designs depicting their sect leader shedding mortality and becoming an immortal. The pattern itself wasn''t crucial; if one wished to learn about the ascension of the sect leader, a larger mural depicted it in another chamber, accessible only to the strongest, most loyal, and talented individuals.

    This elder understood the significance of the bell before him. It was rare for this bell to reverberate. He had been the guardian of this bell for almost a thousand years, and the times it had gonged could be counted on one hand. Only the most momentous events could trigger the bell, and it was his duty to interpret its meaning.

    The elder sat with a straight back, his posture serene, his eyes closed. If someone entered this room unaware of its purpose and the guardian, they would undoubtedly mistake the elder for a statue. His breath was slow, his presence subtle, yet strong cultivators knew this elder was not to be underestimated. Guarding and interpreting the bell was his sole duty, and even as his mind remained vigilant, he could use his time for personal gain, cultivating and comprehending his knowledge and refining it without lifting a finger.

    The elder knew that sooner or later, the bell would sound. He had a gut feeling about it, and after thousands years guarding this bell, he trusted his intuition regarding it. And one day, when the air around the bell felt cold and a cloud formed around it, the elder¡¯s gut feeling proved true.

    Opening his red and blazing eyes, as if his eyes were made of fire, the elder straightened his bent back. In the past, these blazing eyes had been a source of ridicule from his peers. After all, while blazing eyes were a sign of belonging to the Burning World Sect, they were a lesser mark. The primary mark of the Burning World Sect was horn. Some had only a single horn, while others had several. Yet, the elder knew bloodline was merely a tool, and its effectiveness depended on the user. And with these eyes, he saw the giant bell begin to tremble and emit a loud gong.

    As the first sound reverberated, the walls of the room began to tremble. The sound was strong and deep. "One," the elder said.

    The bell tolled again. This time, instead of a single deep, strong, and short sound, it lingered longer. "Two," the elder said.

    Another sound. "Three," the elder said. This time, his brow furrowed slightly.

    The elder thought that perhaps this was the last toll the bell would produce this time. After all, three was the most he had ever heard. Three held considerable meaning, and the elder would need to spend a long time interpreting its true significance. It could signify anything, from an unpolished gem destined to leave a deep mark on the world, to a treasure that would shake the entire world, or even the rise of another great sect. He remembered that before the Verdant Mountains Sect rose to prominence and their leader became an immortal, the bell had tolled three times.

    When the bell tolled a fourth time, the elder''s eyes widened further. "Four," he whispered. But even as the gong''s sound still lingered, the fifth sound suddenly followed, and then the sixth.

    "Five, and six," the elder whispered, his voice trembling, his eyes wide with disbelief. This elder was known for his unwavering calm. When an enemy had cut him in half and he had nearly died over a thousand years ago, he hadn''t even blinked. When his son had died at the hands of a demonic cultivator who had skinned him alive and boiled him in oil, he hadn''t lost his composure. And yet, these gong sounds made his heart tremble. It was because of how unbelievable what he just saw and heard was.

    "How is this possible?" the elder muttered, "I need to report this to the patriarch!"

    He rose to his feet, his mind swirling with questions, his lips muttering as if he were grappling with the most confusing and disturbing puzzle imaginable. Four was a special number. He knew from his master¡ªthe guardian of the bell before him¡ªthat when the bell tolled only four times, the world would likely plunge into chaos. It was a number with special significance, usually associated with death. This alone wasn''t entirely surprising. Ask a random person about the meaning of four, and they would understand its association. Six was also a special number, although its significance wasn''t rooted in culture like four, but in his master''s interpretation. Six was usually associated with saints. He remembered his master saying that if the bell tolled five serene times, it meant a saint had emerged, but if the fifth and sixth tolls were continuous or overlapping, it could mean a saint candidate walked the world. This in itself wasn''t necessarily bad, no, it was usually a good thing. But, the fourth, fifth, and sixth sounds were overlapping, which meant this saint candidate would be associated with death and destruction.

    "What is the meaning of this?" he muttered once again.

 170 ~ Bell (11)

    The Verdant Mountain Sect is the youngest of the Five Great Sects, and yet, its history spanned hundreds of thousands of years. After all, not all sects, like the Heavenly Thunder Sect or Purple Moon Sect, rose to prominence immediately upon emergence.

    In the past, a giant mountain, verdant and lush, had existed. Stepping onto its lower slopes felt like entering paradise. Birds chirped, grass swished, and water cascaded. But now, this mountain had stretched and expanded so much that only those with keen perception realized they stood upon a mountain at all. Who would suspect this flat expanse was a mountain? Many important places existed within the sect. Herb gardens produced the finest herbs in the world, a library spanned hundreds of kilometers, caves brimmed with qi, mines yielded abundant spirit stones, and much more. Some were more significant than others, yet all were vital to the sect.

    One such place was the Sacred Forest. In this small forest, not a single animal could be found. No birds, butterflies, or any small creatures. Not even an ant ventured here. People might assume this place was so dangerous no animal dared to tread there, and they would be absolutely correct.

    In a clearing within the Sacred Forest, a woman sat calmly. She lacked eyes, they had been gouged out. She lacked arms and legs, they had been severed. Her stomach lacked skin and muscle to contain her innards; instead, blood and fluids flowed freely. Yet, the blood and fluids leaking from her body never pooled; the ground greedily absorbed them, turning the soil around her red, and red flowers bloomed there. She also could not move, even a slight shift, like turning her head, was impossible because exactly a hundred black roots, their tips sharp, impaled her neck, lungs, shoulders, digging through several of her organs, and more. They formed an ultimate prison, ensuring their captive could never move even a centimeter. These roots would hold her immobile for as long as the Verdant Mountain Sect endured. This woman''s name had been lost to most of the world¡¯s history; fewer than ten people knew it, and most of those, pitifully few, were in the Purple Moon Sect.

    "A demonic saint, you say?"

    "Yes," the woman with no eyes, no limbs, innards exposed, and imprisoned by impaling roots said calmly, as if a free woman without a care.

    Anyone entering this clearing would first be drawn to the woman, but the second thing they would notice were several arrays of bells floating around her. Each was the size of a small bird, fitting in a palm, and yet, their presence felt heavy, as if each bell were made of mountain. Exactly fourteen hundred bells floated there, and moments before, the majority had rung so loudly it was like screaming. After the event, the woman spoke to her guardian.

    "Tell me more," the guardian said, their voice emerging from the air itself.

    The woman knew her report would later reach an elder, and then the immortal. Yet, she sensed the immortal was already paying attention to her words.

    "Yes," the woman tried to nod, but the roots impaling her neck prevented it. "The bells clearly spoke of the emergence of a new saint candidate, yet also of a demonic cultivator. With a little probing, they indicated the new candidate is a demonic cultivator. They couldn''t decide on a title for this candidate, but ''demonic saint'' was repeated often."

    "A demonic cultivator becomes a saint candidate," the guardian muttered, "what an absurd thing."

    The woman shared the sentiment. Even though a saint could express kindness through violence, a saint was always fundamentally kind. Demonic cultivators, on the other hand, were always cruel. Their path to power usually involved sacrificing others for their own gain. They were opposites, making this development intriguing. What kind of person could be acknowledged by heavens to become a saint, yet tread such a cruel path? Whoever this is must be an interesting individual.

    "Any other important information did you glean? For example, their location, gender, or anything that might help us find them?" the guardian asked carefully.

    The woman pondered for a moment. Communicating with the bells was not as straightforward as it seemed. It was a rare talent that allowed her to interpret them easily. "The bells spoke of many things. Some were excited, some confused. But, one piece of information might help you find this candidate."

    "Which is?"

    "Lightning."

    The woman was not truly part of the Verdant Mountain Sect. While she worked diligently, her loyalty lay elsewhere. This caused her to withhold some information. The bells had rung with many things, and besides lightning, there were also turtles, shields, and swords. Aside from "demonic saint," some bells also called this candidate "lightning saint" or "turtle saint," although those voices were drowned out by the others. The immortal would likely sense she was holding back information, but unless the immortal wanted to break her, he would not forcefully pry this information. Or, perhaps she underestimated the Verdant Mountain Sect''s immortal. Perhaps, like the immortal of the Purple Moon Sect, he had become a studious person, one who enjoyed research and countless experiments. Perhaps the immortal already knew how to extract information from her without her noticing, but she chose to rely on optimism.

    "Anything else?"

    "No," the woman replied instantly. "There is no more useful information I can give you."

    "If you dare to lie to me..."

    Hearing the slight threat, she smiled. "What would you do? Relieve me of my torment?" She chuckled. Her new guardian was cute, or, as her husband would have said, a moron.

    Her guardian severed their connection, and, as always, she was left alone with her thoughts. The roots around her neck began to tighten, returning to their position to ensure she could not move her mouth again. Usually, she would let them strangle her, but this time, she decided to offer a little resistance, after all, she had decided to leave a small prank for this newest saint candidate.

    She spoke in a whisper, so gentle that the flap of a mosquito''s wings would be louder, yet it reverberated in the air, as if the world itself shuddered upon hearing her sound. The immortal of the Verdant Mountain Sect would know of this little prank and could destroy it if he wished. But, there was a chance the immortal would allow it. After all, this prank could be used to locate the new candidate. The roots then settled on her neck, ensuring her throat was immobile. Tiny roots began to spread from them, spreading through her body like parasites. Some filled her entire mouth with roots, preventing her from speaking or breathing.

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    The air carried her message like a slave bearing their master''s will, and the content was silly and inconsequential: "Make him slip on a banana peel."

    The woman knew she could not underestimate an immortal. His power was unfathomable, his reach almost boundless. But, she was taking a gamble with this little prank. After all, who would want to endure torment like this? She never voiced it, but of course, she wished for death. Every day was agony, a pain so unimaginable that if it were transferred to a mountain for a moment, the mountain would shatter instantly. So, she bet against the immortal of the Verdant Mountain Sect, the youngest immortal, and slipped a tiny thread of fate into her words. A thread so small, so insignificant, that the chance of it unraveling in her favor was almost nil, but a chance nonetheless. A chance so minuscule that the immortals could see it and destroy it easily, but a chance nonetheless.

    She wanted to be free, either through death or by escaping this place intact. She left it to the heavens to decide.

    ***

    The Heavenly Thunder Sect had one absolute principle that permeated everything within its territory. This rule reflected the way of life for everyone, whether disciple, elder, or even mortal. This single rule was simple: Winner takes all, and you can do anything to win it. Whether you skinned a child alive to demonstrate your ruthlessness and intimidate your opponent into surrendering, or showered a person with money to buy their loyalty, it was all the same.

    Of course, this didn¡¯t mean there were no rules. In fact, this principle spawned many social codes. The most prominent was honor. In a world where everyone could and would backstab you given the opportunity, ensuring everyone knew that messing with you would result in immense pain was paramount. Another consequence of this principle was an opportunistic mindset. Since the winner took all, and everything was fair in this game, many people constantly scanned for opportunities and tried to secure them by any means necessary. Even betraying your own mother was acceptable, as long as the benefits were substantial enough.

    The truth was, this principle wasn''t unique to the Heavenly Thunder Sect. The entire world operated by this principle, whether in the most bustling metropolis or a serene little village, this principle always prevailed. After all, this world was ruled by beings with the most power. Anyone with sufficient power could rise to the top. They were winners, and they took all.

    But, the Heavenly Thunder Sect made this principle the very core of their existence, creating a harsh and perilous environment for all disciples. While the sect system of Heavenly Thunder Sect was similar to other sects, the level of competition in this sect compared to, say, the Purple Moon Sect, was on another level. The sect grounds were almost like a war zone, with each disciple trying to worm their way into higher and higher positions.

    This didn''t mean there was no cooperation. In fact, it was the opposite. Sect disciples soon realized that instead of fighting wars alone, it was better to do so in groups. Hence, factions and politics were rampant. Between elders, core disciples, inner disciples, outer disciples, even within sect kitchens, workshops, and libraries. People who failed to adapt to seeking opportunities would fall to the bottom of the hierarchy, while those adept at navigating this backstabbing environment would rise to the top. Not only that, the sect actively encouraged conflict between disciples, and usually, these conflicts ended with lives lost. A rule existed against killing on sect grounds, but this did not dissuade killing. People simply found more subtle and creative ways to kill, or just straightforwardly dueled to the death under the guise of "practice." While such things could be found in sects all over the world, Heavenly Thunder Sect was an extreme case, where every waking moment was a competition.

    All in all, life in the Heavenly Thunder Sect was full of tribulations, hence, they had risen to prominence quickly since their inception. Most people there were strong, ruthless, scheming, or downright terrifying.

    One such disciple was Yin Feng. As he walked away from a raised platform where a disciple lay charred beyond recognition, people whispered about him.

    "That guy is terrifying!"

    "I thought he was just a stupid bum daring to offend Senior Gao, to think he had power like that."

    "We need to stay far away from him. He''s bad news."

    Yin Feng acted as if he didn''t hear the whispered comments around him. While some people were entirely focused on him, which he considered smart, others were discussing other matters. The fact he had killed the strongest outer sect disciple would usually be big news, but it was overshadowed by another major story that coincidentally spread while he burned that excuse for a cultivator to a crisp. He didn''t mind. Yin Feng wanted this to be an example to others not to mess with him, and even if this bigger news eclipsed his victory over a strong outer sect disciple, sooner or later, word of him would spread.

    "Don''t be too cocky about your accomplishment," a voice suddenly sounded, yet no one was nearby.

    Yin Feng continued walking as if he heard nothing. Then, when he reached the outer part of the sect, where a small house he claimed as his stood, he acknowledged the voice. "I''m not cocky. But what I did still cannot be underestimated. That Gao guy had been a disciple in this sect for years, yet, I killed him. This proves I am better than him."

    "That arrogance would be the reason you ended up dead. You had to learn to temper your mind. You cannot jump into fights just because people look at you the wrong way."

    "And yet, I know you would do the same as me."

    "Do as I say, not as I do," the voice sighed. "And all this over a woman. I would understand if she were so beautiful two empires would fight over her, but that woman isn''t even that pretty."

    Yin Feng licked his lips, a predatory smile forming on his face. "No, but she is still pretty, and she is a way for me to become an inner disciple."

    "Only if you don''t die from your foolishness. I reside within you, so everything I know, you know too. That disciple you just killed has an older brother who is an inner disciple. He will come for you and kill you."

    "I''ll just kill him."

    "Easy for you to say, but as I''ve told you countless times, you are not particularly talented. You''re merely lucky. I intend to teach you everything I know. You are my disciple, and I want you to live longer than your current trajectory suggests. It would be utterly pointless for me to waste my effort training you, only for you to die over some woman who isn''t even attractive."

    Yin Feng reached his house. He entered without fanfare and sat cross-legged in the bare room. "Let''s talk about more important matters. What do you think about that big news?" He glanced at a shabby ring on his right thumb.

    "About that saint candidate? Yes, he is trouble. You are supposed to be the next saint. Becoming a saint isn''t that hard, actually. You don''t need to be just. Hell, you can be the cruelest guy in the world and still become a saint, and I''ve already set your path in that direction. But the number of saints that can exist at the same time is limited. There¡¯s never been an instance of seven saints existing simultaneously."

    Yin Feng nodded. "In summary, I need to kill him."

    "Well, that''s the quickest way to resolve this problem, yes."

    Yin Feng began to cycle his qi. Arcs of electricity raced around him. He wasn''t upset or anything about this supposed saint candidate. But, if someone tried to take what was his, he would reclaim it and punish the little thief a hundredfold. It was all the same to him. No need to be upset or sweat about it. After all, he was better than everyone else. He knew it was a fact. He was destined to rule this world.

 171 - Frozen Sword (1)

    Liu Xing sat cross-legged on a small, elongated hill, which, only twelve hours prior, had been the giant he fought to the death. Even now, the reality of it felt surreal. Behind him, a small hole marked where he had dug, confirming it was indeed the giant he had slain. He was baffled because, while some remnants of organs remained, most of the giant¡¯s mass had transformed into soil, interspersed with glittering spirit stones that he now stored within his reliable storage. The purpose of the golden bell remained a mystery. His best guess was that the bell, somehow tied to the Royal Barrier or Emperors'' Tomb, activated upon the capital¡¯s ruin, transforming it into this beautiful grassland. It felt like a stretch, however. He intended to uncover the bell''s secrets, as well as those of the Twelve Sun Armor shrouded in darkness later.

    As he sat cross-legged, contemplating the day¡¯s events while cycling his qi, he noticed a massive tent and several smaller ones erected across the vast grassland. The sun had already set, and a full moon illuminated the expansive plain stretching to the horizon, covering the former capital of the Twelve Sun Empire. Torches had been lit and scattered around the simple yet elegant tents, adorned with sun patterns. People and carriages moved towards the tents like worker ants returning to their nest. He understood these were members of the Yang clan, scattered across the empire, along with important figures hastily summoned by Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s order. Currently, the prince was hosting a banquet, and Liu Xing suspected he would attempt to solidify his position as emperor tonight.

    ¡°Must be troublesome,¡± he muttered.

    Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s current position was, in fact, quite fragile. The necessity to meet important guests from across the empire inside a tent¡ªalbeit a grand one¡ªmight lead people to believe he was weak, both politically and materially. After all, many Yang clan members and important figures had perished due to Wei Yi. The empire currently lacked an army, meaning other factions within the empire could easily usurp the throne if they gathered their forces. Furthermore, that only accounted for internal threats. Considering external threats the empire¡¯s position, especially the Yang clan and Prince Yang Jinyan¡¯s, was so precarious that it seemed a strong wind could topple them.

    The prince and the Yang clan were likely searching for him. He was a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect, and his open support for the prince would make those seeking to dethrone him more cautious. He intended to demonstrate his support later. Despite their brief acquaintance, Liu Xing could not deny a certain bond had formed. However, for the moment, he desired a peaceful night, one where he could sit and think in silence.

    More and more people arrived at the giant tent. As he allowed the wind to caress his black hair under the moonlight, he began to consider his plans for the days ahead.

    ¡°I still need to gather more treasures,¡± he murmured, pinching his chin. ¡°But before that, I need to go to Bai Lin and claim my prize.¡±

    He had not forgotten that he was still in the midst of the race. Reaching the Core Splitting realm already guaranteed his position as an inner disciple, but he still desired to win. After all, becoming an inner disciple was not the only reward.

    Thinking of Bai Lin¡¯s aged face brought a giggle to his lips. Who wouldn¡¯t be happy knowing they were about to receive a Heaven Grade Technique?

    ¡°There are also groups of inner disciples en route here.¡± He wondered about their reactions. He had desperately requested Elder Zhang Zhenking¡¯s help, and these groups had wasted their effort rushing here. ¡°Perhaps they will be relieved since they don¡¯t need to fight.¡± They would still receive sect points for technically completing their mission, though the credit would belong to him. He considered the likelihood of conflict between himself and these groups and concluded it was quite small. He also had already decided to depart as soon as possible, increasing the chances they would not even meet.

    Liu Xing cycled his qi, observing more and more people arrive and erect new tents. He decided to summon his gun, throwing it like a boomerang and letting his mind wander. Numerous questions occupied his thoughts: the Twelve Sun Armor and the darkness that had enveloped it, the woman who had given her arm as a sword, and many others. He was curious about all of them but intended to be patient. He was a man with a mission. This mission was his priority, and he believed information regarding the darkness would unravel gradually as he pursued his goal.

    ¡°Fate, huh,¡± he muttered.

    In this world, fate was not mere superstition but a widely accepted concept¡ªamong both mortals and cultivators. Mortals followed their threads of fate from birth to death, while cultivators sought to defy it, to challenge the destiny the heavens dictated. Liu Xing remained undecided about it. He came from a world without magic, where humanity survived through its own mortal power, and fate was a concept espoused by religious individuals. But this was a xianxia world. It was not surprising if fate truly existed. He felt he had stumbled upon this empire incidentally, only to discover a demonic cultivator wielding that darkness, and an armor enveloped by it. Even if it wasn¡¯t fate in the traditional sense, he thought a force guided him to complete his mission. As the gun returned, and he caught it, he considered that perhaps Nui had imbued such a force into his gun to ease his task.

    As he contemplated and waited for the night to deepen, pondering various matters, he suddenly sensed a presence approaching his position. He turned his head and saw the source.

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    Illuminated by the moonlight, Yang Liangyu moved with a measured pace, almost gliding across the ground. Her face was expressionless, and her skin as pale as a corpse. Liu Xing was surprised to see her. ¡°She can already move?¡±

    Moments after the golden bell had burst into a golden cloud and spread, Yang clan members had approached him, thanking and congratulating him amidst tears and laughter. The prince had decided then and there to propose to Yang Hongyin officially, and she had readily accepted. Afterward, some members rushed to spread news of their victory, and more people arrived in the grassland. They came with tears and embraced each other happily, but one brought concerning news: the princess was missing. She had been led away by a Purple Moon Sect disciple. The Prince asked if Liu Xing knew who they meant, and from the description, he realized it was Yan Yu. That girl was strangely always present when significant events involved him. The prince dispatched several people to find the princess, and she was discovered writhing in pain in a crater, with magma freely flowing around her.

    Liu Xing jumped and glided towards her. Seeing his movement, she stopped and waited. He landed in front of her and immediately felt a curious sensation emanating from her¡ªlike the clash of scalding water and glacial ice hitting his face. The sensation was peculiar and unnatural.

    The princess lowered her head, and Liu Xing asked her to raise it. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered instantly. Her face remained expressionless, an unsettling change. The Yang Liangyu he knew was gentle, warm, and expressive. He remembered her tears as she buried her grandmother. Comparing her former and current demeanor, it was as if Yang Liangyu had been replaced by another person. ¡°My older brother is looking for you, so I came to find you myself.¡±

    Liu Xing nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±

    They stood there, facing each other in silence. He observed her more closely and noticed details he had missed earlier. Yang Liangyu wore a red robe, but instead of a bright, radiant red, it was a maroon, as if the fabric had been soaked in blood and absorbed light. The fabric was of high quality and suited her, but in this robe, she resembled a mourning empress rather than a princess. Her hair had also changed slightly. Before, it had been as dark as night, yet shiny and lustrous, but now it had blackish-red streaks, with dark blue tips on some strands.

    Her altered appearance and temperament could perhaps be attributed to the empire¡¯s situation, but as Liu Xing observed her further, he sensed her qi was heavier than before.

    ¡°You had a breakthrough?¡± Liu Xing asked.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± she nodded. Liu Xing stared into her eyes, conveying his curiosity, and the princess understood. ¡°Would you like to know about my encounter with Yan Yu?¡±

    Despite her subtle control, Liu Xing detected a faint tremor when she spoke Yan Yu¡¯s name, and this made him narrow his eyes. It seemed that girl was the real reason for Yang Liangyu¡¯s drastic transformation. He recalled their first meeting. He had initially judged Yan Yu as a bully. Their encounter in Dragon Skull Forest had not been hostile, and he had thought that as long as they stayed out of each other¡¯s way, conflict would be avoided. Thinking more deeply, instead of a bully, she seemed more aloof, as if she considered everyone beneath her.

    He couldn''t judge her further as he was lacking sufficient knowledge. Perhaps it was all a misunderstanding, and deep down, she was kind and warm. But for now, that seemed far-fetched. Since Yang Liangyu trembled when she uttered Yan Yu''s name, perhaps Yan Yu had done something that traumatized this girl.

    ¡°Did she hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk as we walk,¡± she said, gesturing towards the large tent in the grassland¡¯s center. Liu Xing nodded, and they walked side by side, the grass crunching softly beneath their feet. ¡°She did hurt me, but not in the way you imagine.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I assume you know about the Infernal Sun Bloodline? Yang Suyin and many of my clan members have spoken of it. It¡¯s a potent bloodline that Wei Yi tried to awaken in his creation.¡±

    ¡°I know of it, yes.¡±

    ¡°Yan Yu also knew about it. In fact, she knew it better than anyone else, perhaps even better than Wei Yi.¡± She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Her breath became a white mist that floated before her face momentarily. Liu Xing expected it to dissipate, but instead, it suddenly burst into flame before vanishing entirely. ¡°It¡¯s a strong bloodline on paper, but not in reality.¡±

    Then, Yang Liangyu recounted her encounter with Yan Yu, and Yan Yu¡¯s desire for the princess to follow her. Liu Xing¡¯s eyes narrowed further. From her story, he learned Yan Yu knew about Wei Yi, even things he himself was unaware of. The revelation that Wei Yi had split his soul in two proved the man¡¯s cunning. He felt an urge to inquire about this detail but decided to let Yang Liangyu finish her story before overwhelming her with questions.

    ¡°After I extinguished the candle, I felt crushed by an invisible weight. The feeling was agonizing, but the true pain resided within my consciousness. The flame, upon entering my consciousness, tried to burn my cultivation and me. Simultaneously, my body awakened the Infernal Sun Bloodline to fight against it. My consciousness became a battlefield, while I, the owner, could only writhe in pain. Wei Yi was also attempting to possess my body. It was the most intense experience of my life.

    ¡°To summarize, I managed to tame the Infernal Sun Bloodline briefly. I burned away half of Wei Yi¡¯s soul and incorporated the flame. But it wasn¡¯t a triumph. To achieve it, I sacrificed everything I had.¡±

    As the wind ruffled her unbound hair, making it wave like a flag, Liu Xing caught the subtle meaning Yang Liangyu tried to conceal. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, she implied she had attempted suicide.

    ¡°This is when Yan Yu finally revealed her true purpose.¡± Yang Liangyu offered a bitter smile. ¡°That cave was indeed a trap, but a trap specifically for me, laid by none other than Yan Yu. You see, she also possesses a bloodline, one that is the opposite of mine. While mine burns me from within, hers tries to freeze everything around her. She knew that without her help, I wouldn¡¯t survive. So, she offered her help, and I accepted.¡±

    ¡°What did she do to you?¡± Liu Xing asked again, his eyes narrowed, a coldness washing over him. He knew, without a doubt, that Yan Yu¡¯s next action was the most hurtful to Yang Liangyu.

    ¡°She said to me, ¡®From now on, you are my slave,¡¯ and stabbed my heart with a small frozen sword, no bigger than my little finger.¡±

 172 - Frozen Sword (2)

    Liu Xing halted his steps and inhaled deeply. Inside his heart, he knew what he would hear would be bad, but to think Yan Yu would do something like that. His opinion toward her, which had been about to be neutral, dropped again.

    ¡°As she stabbed my heart, she infused me with her bloodline. Instantly, my consciousness filled with a cold aura, and while it hurt so much, it helped me control this bloodline.¡± Yang Liangyu stopped her steps and pointed her index finger at her chest. ¡°The way she did it was not ideal for me. There¡¯s a little blade that stabs my heart even now, one that would kill me even if I had the slightest intention to betray my new master, but in exchange, she gave me the power to tame the bloodline that ravaged within me.¡±

    What she exchanged for her survival was her freedom. Yan Yu had absolute control over her. If Yang Liangyu didn''t want to die, she needed to obey her every command. Right now, he could see that Yang Liangyu actually accepted her position. But there would be a time when Yan Yu ordered something that would go against her heart. For example, what if someday Yan Yu ordered her to kill her brother? If she didn''t do it, she would die, but if she succeeded, her brother would die. While that exact scenario only had a slim chance of occurring, there must be similar scenarios later, in the far future.

    Liu Xing pinched his chin and began to think. Was this the way Yang Liangyu was asking for his help? After all, she had the option to shut her mouth and keep the fact that Yan Yu enslaved her a secret. Yet, she easily told him the entire situation. But then, he remembered that the frozen sword inside her heart would kill her if she thought to betray Yan Yu. Which meant that she told all of this without even a sliver of intent to betray her new master.

    But what if Yang Liangyu was trying to deceive herself, to believe that by simply explaining her situation, she wasn''t betraying her master? Deep inside her heart, was she actually asking Liu Xing for help? It was a complicated situation, one that he could not ask directly and be given an honest answer.

    The wind howled in his ears as he simulated what would happen if he asked Yang Liangyu whether or not she wanted Yan Yu to be¡­ killed.

    The answer to this was probably no, but it probably didn''t come from her heart, but from that frozen blade. Still, if he killed Yan Yu, then that meant the Infernal Sun Bloodline would ravage her from the inside, and hadn''t she said that before Yan Yu stabbed that frozen sword, she implied that she intended to kill herself? Without this frozen sword, would she feel unimaginable pain that would compel her once again to kill herself?

    Then, a question struck him. Was Yang Liangyu even telling the truth?

    While he had had a conversation with Yang Liangyu before, he could not say that he knew Yang Liangyu deeply enough to know whether she was telling the truth or lying. Their meeting was brief, and while their encounter left a favorable impression on Liu Xing, there was a chance that she hid her true self from him. But still, that didn''t mean that Yang Liangyu was a master manipulator who controlled each and everything she did and said. If asked who he trusted more, Yan Yu or Yang Liangyu, he would be inclined to trust Yang Liangyu more.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to make you think too much,¡± Yang Liangyu suddenly said. Liu Xing lifted his head, and for the first time that night, a smile bloomed on her lips. The smile was faint, like that of a tired mother who had worked a full day and was seeing her child happily eat the food that she bought on the way home. ¡°I don¡¯t have a deep intention by telling you my story. While it would be a lie if I said I had no resentment toward my new master, the fact is, she saved my life.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. But at this point, we know that her actions did not come from good intentions,¡± Liu Xing said.

    ¡°Indeed, but as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already thought, this is in exchange for my life, and while this is not ideal, I would like to live a bit longer. I have decided to become stronger so I can protect this little empire, and the bloodline that resides within me would be a great help to achieve that. Likewise, the mark that Yan Yu left me is actually a great boon to help counteract my wild bloodline. All in all, it¡¯s not too bad.¡± She continued walking, and so Liu Xing walked beside her. ¡°The point of my story is not about myself, but for your benefit, Liu Xing.¡±

    As they walked toward their destination, he tried to decipher the meaning of what Yang Liangyu had said, and an understanding suddenly came to his mind. The answer to the question about why Yang Liangyu decided to divulge her enslavement was a warning for him. After all, if Yan Yu could make Yang Liangyu her slave, she could make others her slaves also, and this meant even he could become her slave. Upon realizing this, his eyes widened. This completely changed his view toward Yan Yu. She had become a threat.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Liu Xing said from the deepest part of his heart. In a cave that he made near Dragon Skull Forest, Yan Yu gave him information about a strong and precious treasure called the Lightning Ring. At that time, she told him this was her way of saying thank you, and Liu Xing had intended to go to the Water Nation and retrieve this treasure. But, knowing that Yang Liangyu had fallen for her trap made Liu Xing think that perhaps this was also a trap.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Yang Liangyu flashed a smile. ¡°I think you would be alright. You¡¯re strong, and since you know about the true colors of Yan Yu, you would not fall into her trap.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be too sure about it. People can fall into a trap, even if it¡¯s obvious,¡± Liu Xing said.

    ¡°How so? If you can see a hole in front of you, how can you fall into it?¡±

    "If I see a hole in front of me, and the walls around me are closing in to crush me, I have no choice but to jump in."

    He decided to stop walking for a moment and face Yang Liangyu. Half of him came from the modern world, and this half was the one that dominated. At this time, if someone asked who he was, he would say that he is Liu Xing, but inside his heart, he would also answer that he is also William. This translated to him having a slightly different view about certain things compared to people entirely from this world. People deserved to be free and could do whatever they wished, as long as it didn''t trouble other people. So, Yang Liangyu¡¯s condition was one that he could not leave alone. The solution for it on the other hand...

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Yang Liangyu gazed at him, and at this time, he realized how red her lips were. It was the color of a rose, or perhaps blood. A haze formed around her, as if she were boiling water. His gaze locked into her eyes, focusing all his attention on them as if they were the center of the world. A cold intent formed in his heart, and the qi inside his body began to answer his intent, creating a ripple of air and qi around him, one that created several blue colors that flickered into reality and vanished as soon as they materialized.

    ¡°Do you want me to kill Yan Yu?¡±

    Those words came from the depths of his heart. One that, if Yang Liangyu answered with an implied yes, he would pursue it no matter what happened. This was a heavy decision, one that he made without knowing the full story about what actually happened. He intended to find out Yan Yu¡¯s side of the story, but, regardless of her answer, once he decided to kill her, he would certainly make it a reality. This decision didn''t come entirely from logic, but one that came from his heart. It was a blend of several emotions. Some of it was threat, some of it was lingering resentment, some of it was a desire to free Yang Liangyu from her enslavement, and many, many more. Unraveling this feeling probably would take time, and there was a chance that once he understood it fully, he would regret it. Still, his offer stood.

    ¡°No,¡± Yang Liangyu answered instantly.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t want you to kill her. After all, as I said, she left a boon within me, one that I intend to use to become strong.¡± She smiled, but it wasn¡¯t a warm smile, nor an expression to convey happiness, but one that felt cold, as if her smile intended to mock the world. This smile, Liu Xing thought, felt like a predatory smile. Her next words made it make sense. ¡°If I want her dead, I want to kill her myself.¡±

    ***

    Along the way, people greeted them and praised them and offered them many, many gifts. News about Liu Xing had spread far and wide, and he suspected when tomorrow came, the entire empire would know about him. Most of the people focused entirely on him even if they acknowledged Yang Liangyu. This was one thing that he would make straight later. After all, while he killed half of Wei Yi, Yang Liangyu killed the other half. She also deserved credit.

    They had entered the giant tent, and inside, people ate, while dancers moved elegantly on top of the stage. When they entered, like before, people gathered around him, and people invited him to eat with them and offered many, many gifts, one of them, a man who looked ancient, even offered him his granddaughter. Liu Xing only flashed a smile, said that he had matters to attend to, and flashed his qi to make it clear that he didn''t want to be disturbed.

    But, to his surprise, they exited the large tent, moved for several more minutes, circling the grassland, and found the Prince and Yang Suyin sitting on top of a log that was freshly cut. A bonfire danced between them, creating long shadows behind them. Their expressions were a contrast to the people dancing and partying inside the big tent; there, almost everyone looked happy, here, it felt as if they expected the world to explode in several minutes.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Yang Liangyu said.

    Her voice snapped the two men to look at them, and when they saw him, they flashed brilliant smiles. The Prince asked where Liu Xing had been, and Yang Suyin said that he missed the tastiest food at the party. Liu Xing just answered that he just wanted to clear his mind. The conversation that followed along was merely banter. One that everyone knew was not the main topic of the conversation, but still followed along with it. After around ten minutes, the prince finally said the reason why he had asked Yang Liangyu, a girl who needed to rest¡ªthe Prince seemed to know her situation¡ªto retrieve him.

    ¡°It¡¯s because the future of my empire once again hangs in the balance,¡± the Prince said gravely. ¡°I think you understand that not all people inside that,¡± he pointed to the main tent, ¡°are my allies. Some are opportunists that are always watching to see which way the wind blows. Others were outright hostile, their loyalties tied to the Wu and Hei clans. Having lost their backing, they now face significant threats, primarily from those that they had wronged in the past, especially the Yang clan."

    Liu Xing glanced at the tent, and still heard faint music from there. When he entered the tent, all of the people there greeted him, but not all of them came to him and offered him gifts or anything. He didn''t mind about the people who didn''t come to him, but he noticed that two or three young men were actually not so polite, with some narrowing their eyes when seeing him, as if sizing him up and looking for weaknesses. Now, he understood why.

    ¡°But, the threat is not them,¡± the Prince continued, ¡°it¡¯s our neighbors. Now, since our army has been annihilated, it''s prime time for them to attack.¡±

    ¡°They would wait,¡± Liu Xing said. ¡°I¡¯m still here, and news about reinforcement from the Purple Moon Sect is already spreading. At the very least, they would wait for us to leave before attacking your empire.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± the Prince nodded. ¡°But, it¡¯s only given us a little bit of time to plan and make some moves.¡±

    ¡°Liu Xing,¡± Yang Suyin called to him. ¡°The truth is, I already have a plan that would guarantee the continuation and even improvement of the empire. I actually suggested the Prince hide it from you, but he decided to tell you about it anyway. It¡¯s a foolish move, but hey, it¡¯s the decision of my emperor.¡±

    The prince sighed and caressed his temple.

    ¡°What?¡± Yang Suyin said. ¡°We fought together. Even if it was brief, this experience let me know Liu Xing more than mere acquaintances. They say that in a battle of life and death, people would show their true colors. I already said that he would not mind.¡±

    ¡°Still, to casually admit you suggested deceiving him¡­¡± The prince sighed another time. Then he focused his eyes toward Liu Xing. ¡°The truth is, there are lots of threats for the foreseeable future, but we already have a solution for that.¡±

    ¡°And that solution has something to do with me?¡± Liu Xing pinched his chin.

    "Yes," Yang Suyin answered.

    Liu Xing paused, considering, then suddenly recalled that Yang Suyin went quite deep into the earth looking for the third ingredient Wei Yi had mentioned. This third ingredient must be the solution that Yang Suyin was talking about. At first, he suspected this was some kind of powerful treasure, but soon he revised his thought. A strong treasure alone, while useful, would be hard to become the ultimate solution to their situation. Yang Hongyin possessed a treasure that was quite strong, and yet, it didn''t come up in this conversation. This third ingredient must be something else.

    Yang Suyin bent his back a little and placed one hand near his mouth. Liu Xing knew that a talisman had been planted to make their conversation secure, and yet, Yang Suyin whispered nonetheless.

    ¡°The third ingredient is a dragon vein.¡±

 173 - Dragon Vein

    "The third ingredient is a dragon vein," Yang Suyin whispered.

    Understanding dawned in Liu Xing¡¯s mind. A dragon vein, simply put, was a flow of qi so dense it had become a river of energy. Flowing deep within the earth, it saturated the surrounding area with spirit stones. The quality of these stones varied depending on the vein¡¯s potency, but even the lowest quality surpassed the usual spirit stones in circulation. Moreover, the dragon vein itself could be redirected to power array formations, dispersed to create places of dense qi, and much more. If an empire discovered such a thing, and fully utilized it, they would ascend to prominence. After all, while a dragon vein offered many benefits, they all translated to one thing: power. Aside from talent, resources were important for a cultivator¡¯s advancement.

    Wei Yi¡¯s choice of this empire as the birthplace of his creation now made so much sense. Using this dragon vein, that giant would have broken through several cultivation stages! He was fortunate to have defeated the giant before Wei Yi could exploit the dragon vein.

    "The dragon vein¡¯s existence can benefit us, but it¡¯s also a hidden sword that can stab us," the Prince stated. "The Twelve Sun Empire, to put it crudely, is screwed. Hong''er is a strong deterrent, but even she cannot be in two places at once. Imagine if news of our dragon vein leaked right now? I believe by tomorrow morning, all our enemies would come knocking. No, they wouldn¡¯t wait a second longer. They will invade right now!"

    "True," Liu Xing pinched his chin. A dragon vein was valuable enough to incite wars between empires. In the Purple Moon Sect¡¯s territory alone, there were several dozen dragon veins, and every nation possessing one was a High Tier nation, kingdom, or empire. "I still don¡¯t understand why it¡¯s tied to me, though."

    Upon hearing his words, Yang Suyin clutched his belly and laughed so loudly that the fire flickered. "You see? We shouldn''t have told him this secret, but you insisted anyway. I respect you as my new emperor, but it seems you still have much to learn."

    The Prince regarded him for a moment, then sighed. "Liu Xing, without exaggeration, you are our savior. Without you, this insolent man, myself, my sister," he glanced toward Yan Yu, who listened silently to their conversation, "would already be dead. Buried. Hell, perhaps we would have become parts of that giant. I will ensure historians write your name with a golden pen, tales of you will be sung throughout the empire, and we will sculpt a monument in your honor."

    "A statue of you standing atop your regal turtle," Yang Suyin chimed in.

    The Prince ignored Yang Suyin. "The Twelve Sun Empire owes you, and this dragon vein can be used because of you. In my mind, I already consider this dragon vein to belong to us, the Twelve Sun Empire and Liu Xing, disciple of Purple Moon Sect."

    "The practical reason is, the Prince actually wants to further establish a good relationship with you. And he fears that when the news about this dragon vein gets out, and you are unaware, you would be offended by it. We know how strong you are, so he is afraid you might turn this empire upside down."

    The Prince shot a nasty glare at Yang Suyin, who laughed it off, before continuing his speech. "The main point is, I want you to also benefit from this dragon vein."

    "But, there¡¯s a complication," Yang Suyin said, his face turning serious. "Would you allow me to explain this?" He asked the Prince.

    The Prince nodded his assent.

    "The Prince already stated why he wants you to know about this dragon vein and said that this dragon vein is a sword that can stab us in the back, and it¡¯s true. It¡¯s a dangerous thing that could ruin our empire. So, I suggest an idea I hinted at the start of our conversation, one that could become the solution to our fragile situation and improve our empire. Notice that I said merely improve, not make our empire soar to the sky. That¡¯s because it¡¯s a practical idea that would make me, as well as the Prince, cursed by our descendants for at least seven generations. The idea is simple. We want to give away this dragon vein to your sect."

    Liu Xing¡¯s eyebrows rose. That was unexpected. But, he also understood the practicality of the idea. This dragon vein was a bargaining chip that could secure the Twelve Sun Empire''s safety. Even if the dragon vein was given to the Purple Moon Sect, it couldn¡¯t be moved far from its original location. This would guarantee the Purple Moon Sect¡¯s protection for the empire with all its might. No neighboring nation would dare attack it, or they would be trampled. Still, the price of this protection was truly enormous. To be blunt, it was a safe move that would be scorned by many cultivators. This dragon vein was a fortune worth waging wars over, yet they intended to give it away. As Liu Xing observed Yang Suyin, who smiled without mirth, he knew Yang Suyin had probably considered this matter hundreds of times over.

    "A bold move that would surely secure the Twelve Sun Empire," Liu Xing acknowledged. "But also a move that would make you appear even weaker, Prince Yang Jinyan."

    It was a move that signaled Yang Jinyan, the future emperor of the Twelve Sun Empire, could easily cave under pressure. He could imagine that while the Twelve Sun Empire itself would remain intact, its internal affairs would be tumultuous. Many would seek to overthrow such a seemingly weak emperor.

    "I know the risk," Prince Yang Jinyan clenched his hands. "But, Yang Suyin isn¡¯t finished speaking."

    Liu Xing turned to Yang Suyin. "I suspect this part is the one truly related to me."

    "Spot on," Yang Suyin nodded. "You see, behind my back, people call me a rat. It¡¯s because, unfortunately, my face isn¡¯t too pleasant, but it¡¯s not only that. It¡¯s because I would run away if I knew I couldn''t win a situation. I''m a coward."

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    "That¡¯s not true," Liu Xing retorted. If Yang Suyin was truly a coward, he wouldn¡¯t have been there fighting Wei Yi.

    Yang Suyin chuckled, "Thanks for the compliment. But, it''s true. I''m a coward. Holding onto the dragon vein is a high-risk, high-reward situation. Only with continuous luck could we soar to the sky while holding it. I¡¯m not strong enough, or foolish enough, to dare to think like that, so I suggest a less risky way, but as you already know, this move isn¡¯t without its cons either."

    "Yeah, I can see a lot of problems that would emerge from this decision."

    The main problem would be the internal politics of the Twelve Sun Empire, but external threats wouldn¡¯t vanish. Neighboring nations wouldn¡¯t dare to attack openly, but they could try to undermine the Twelve Sun Empire more subtly. And since a dragon vein was such a significant resource, there was also a chance they would form alliances to bring down the Twelve Sun Empire. Then, there was also his sect. His sect was not generous either, and realistically, the Twelve Sun Empire would only get crumbs from the dragon vein residing in their territory. Truly, it was a difficult situation.

    "You don''t need to think about it too much," Prince Yang Jinyan said, his arms crossed. "While we want to fully disclose our situation to you, we don¡¯t expect you to fix all our problems. This is my empire, and I intend to fulfill my oath to bring this empire to a golden age with my own hands."

    "Not that we would decline your help, though," Yang Suyin added, "actually, we need your help, and this is why you are here. Ever since the prince decided to tell you about the dragon vein, I¡¯ve been racking my brain about how to make the best of this, and I got a good idea on how we would repay you, as well as how to deepen our relationship."

    Yang Suyin flashed a glance toward the Prince, who nodded. He then turned back to Liu Xing. "We want you to have half of the dragon vein."

    "What? Why?" Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened to the size of saucers.

    How could he not be surprised? He had never imagined such words would come from Yang Suyin¡¯s mouth. It was a dragon vein! He understood giving it to his sect. But to give half of it to him? That was like saying he alone possessed a deterrent effect as significant as his sect, which was untrue. There must be something he was missing.

    Yang Suyin smirked, as if understanding Liu Xing¡¯s turmoil, and said, "You would reach the correct conclusion eventually, unfortunately we don¡¯t have that much time, so I will tell you the reason for this outrageous gift.

    "Half of the reason is genuine gratitude, but the other half is a calculated plan. Think of it like this: if we give the dragon vein fully to your sect, your sect would let us use a fraction of it. Even if we only give half of it away, the total benefit we receive might not be too different."

    Liu Xing nodded.

    "You would possess the other half of the dragon vein, and this means the Purple Moon Sect needs to play by different rules when dealing with you. You are, after all, a disciple of this sect."

    As the bonfire flickered, casting dancing shadows, understanding began to solidify in his mind. "So, it''s like that."

    It wasn''t actually a complicated plan. Every vassal empire beneath the Purple Moon Sect needed to pay a certain amount annually for protection and benefits¡ªincluding cultivation scriptures, techniques, and much more. There were tiers categorizing vassals, and the higher the tier, the better the benefits. There were many rules tied to this system, and while he didn¡¯t know the exact specifics, he was pretty sure rules existed regarding the discovery of dragon veins. If half of the dragon vein became his, then the rules shifted from vassals to disciples, and he knew that his belongings were his unless the sect specifically requested them.

    No sect in this world would willingly let a disciple possess a dragon vein, including the Purple Moon Sect, which meant the sect would approach him and ask for it. But, the sect couldn''t just seize it from him arbitrarily. After all, his belongings were his until the sect wanted them, and if they did, they would need to compensate him. This meant Liu Xing, and by extension the Twelve Sun Empire, would gain extra benefits from the sect.

    "You want to extract as much benefit from this losing situation as possible, huh," Liu Xing muttered.

    "We are losing a dragon vein," Yang Suyin said. "Of course, we want to get everything we possibly can from it."

    "Alright then," Liu Xing nodded. "Give me the list of things you want."

    In response to his answer, Yang Suyin smiled widely, the Prince smirked, and even Yang Liangyu smiled slightly.

    As vassals of the Purple Moon Sect, they couldn¡¯t ask for much beyond protection from neighboring countries and the right to use the dragon vein, but Liu Xing could demand a bit more since he was a disciple there. And while he was currently an outer disciple, it was only a matter of time before he advanced to inner disciple, making his value higher than a normal outer disciple.

    The Purple Moon Sect would gain significantly from their exchange, but with this arrangement, the Twelve Sun Empire would also gain considerably.

    Yang Suyin, the Prince, and even Yang Liangyu began to gather and discuss what they wanted from his exchange with the sect. Treasures and talismans were a must; techniques and scriptures would be better in the long term. However, Yang Suyin suggested favors were also valuable, and even some arrangements regarding the dragon vein itself were preferable. Occasionally, Yang Suyin asked for his opinion, since he would be the one negotiating the matter. After all, half of the dragon vein was technically his.

    Deep inside his heart, a small thought surfaced. What if he betrayed the Twelve Sun Empire and claimed all these benefits for himself? After all, this arrangement was based merely on their trust in him, and trust could be easily exploited. But, as he observed the animated and happy expressions of the Yang clan members in front of him, so joyful as if they were choosing the best presents in the world, this treacherous thought was crushed like a small ant daring to challenge a giant. That kind of thought was not in his nature. While he would pursue power and ensure his mission was completed, he didn¡¯t want to sacrifice his conscience for it. He didn''t want to be like Wei Yi and Ji Dongyan, who sacrificed others for their own gain. He was not a demonic cultivator. Besides, living that way would be lonely.

    Still, that didn¡¯t mean he intended to be manipulated by Yang Suyin. He wanted a bigger cut for his trouble. After all, this arrangement was not without risk. The Purple Moon Sect wouldn''t openly take what was his, but that didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t try subtle methods. Moreover, greedy people existed within his sect. Elders, inner disciples, or even outer disciples would probably try to take the dragon vein. Once people learned of this arrangement, he would have many enemies, and while anxiety flickered in his mind, he felt confident he could handle it all.

    After all, he was undoubtedly strong, and the rewards were truly worth it.

    Moreover, there was a Heaven Grade Technique currently waiting for him, one that would guarantee him even more power!

    As the fire danced and cast long shadows, and Liu Xing joined the conversation, the moon hung high in the sky like a giant eye watching everything.

 174 - Heaven Grade Technique (1)

    As the sun bathed the world in its warm light, birds chirped and sang, and the river flowed heartily, reflecting the sunlight and making it glow. Liu Xing ran with a fast but measured pace. He wore simple gray clothing, black shoes, and a simple straw hat that was stuck to his head as if glued. His face was calm, his eyebrows straight, and his eyes shone with focus.

    Around this time, the enthronement ceremony should have started. Prince Yang Jinyan would soon become Emperor Yang Jinyan, Yang Suyin would become one of his advisors, and Yang Liangyu would become his right hand, while his wife, Yang Hongyin, would be his left. Liu Xing hoped that the ceremony would turn out okay. After all, this ceremony was rushed in the hope that it would be over before the four groups of inner disciples from the Purple Moon Sect arrived. This way, if they learned about the dragon vein they could not push him around as easily. There were a lot of problems with rushing this ceremony, but he would not think about them too much. He needed to finish his job, and he intended to complete it as soon as possible.

    "It would be faster if I could use my Lightning Cloak," he muttered. While the chance of using it causing trouble was quite small, he didn''t want to risk it. The four groups of inner disciples were nearby, and he didn''t want to confront them. They might think he had stolen the dragon vein for himself. So, to minimize this problem, he intended to move as silently as possible for at least a full day.

    The job he needed to complete was simple. He just needed to ensure the scroll from Emperor Yang Jinyan arrived safe and sound at the Purple Moon Sect. Yang Suyin had said it would be optimal if he could give the scroll to one of the Twelve Elders, but if he could not do that, he needed to give it to an elder with a good reputation. For now, he intended to give the scroll about the dragon vein to Elder Zhang Zhenking. People said that he was strong, loyal, and just. And since he was overseeing this race, it probably wouldn''t be too hard to meet him.

    "Before all of that though, I need to visit Mystic Moon City first," Liu Xing muttered, and a smile bloomed on his lips. He wondered what kind of technique Bai Lin would give him. Techniques were split into three categories based on several criteria including complexity, requirement, use, and many others. There was a complex method to decide which category a technique falls into, and there were many techniques that were quite hard to categorize, but usually, the better the grade, the stronger the technique.

    One thing he found interesting while browsing the library when he first arrived in this world was the fact that a single technique could have different versions with different grades. These kinds of techniques were usually marked by how well they worked with different cultivation stages. For example, his Lightning Palm technique was a Base Grade, and this technique was said to be unfit for a cultivator with high cultivation, such as the Sun Collapsing realm. At that realm, instead of using a Lightning Palm technique, it was better to develop or learn new techniques with a higher grade.

    Heaven Grade techniques are techniques that could be used even by an immortal. It was a technique that would be useful forever, hence why it was categorized as Heaven Grade. They said that techniques within this grade were like learning swordsmanship. They needed to be honed, learned, and reflected upon to achieve the highest mastery.

    "I wondered though, are my techniques truly only Base Grade now?" Would Lightning Palm, Lightning Cloak, Exploding Fist, and Statue Summoning techniques not be fit for him later, when he reached the Sun Collapsing realm and further? Normally, he would think so, but his gun made his techniques absurdly strong. It felt like he could use all these techniques even if he advanced to the Black Sun realm, White Sun realm, and Immortal realm. Shaking his head, he decided to reserve his opinion until he got his hands on a Heaven Grade Technique.

    He ran nonstop, trying to create as much distance as possible between himself and the Twelve Sun Empire. When the path he followed suddenly dropped into a cliff, he jumped without hesitation. When the trees around him grew so tall and lush that only hardy vegetation could grow on the ground, he jumped from branch to branch and enjoyed the wind splashing his face. He just needed to endure for several more hours before he could use the Lightning Cloak Technique and instantly arrive at Mystic Moon City.

    The sun began to glow with orange light, and the air that had recently felt warm now became cool. There was no wind blowing, so the trees and bushes around him felt like they were already asleep. He ran on a well-trodden path that was rising slightly, as if he were climbing a small hill. To his right, green bushes grew healthily and created pretty little purple flowers that were blooming. A sweet and refreshing fragrance followed him as he ran on this sloping path, and to his left, he could see a serene little village with colorful roofs and occasional faint laughter that he could hear.

    A moment later, Liu Xing saw a yellow banana peel in the middle of the path. The peel was already showing dark spots here and there, but was nonetheless normal. If not because of the child that hid in one of the bushes, he would have ignored the banana peel entirely.

    The child crouched in the bushes as if he was a mighty hunter waiting patiently for his game to fall into his trap. But as soon as the child heard his footsteps, his head snapped toward him so fast that he worried the kid''s neck would be hurt. He looked at Liu Xing eagerly, his eyes shining, as if he couldn''t wait for him to slip on that banana peel.

    Liu Xing slowed his pace to a light jog, one that even a mortal could follow, and looked at the kid again. The kid wore decent dark blue and dark red clothing, but the thing that caught his eye was the wok the kid carried on his back. With the wok so big, he looked like a turtle. This kid actually looked kind of older, around ten or eleven, yet his chubby cheeks and smooth skin made him look younger. As he ran, the kid eagerly anticipated what would happen next until his body trembled with excitement.

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    Instantly, Liu Xing cracked a smile. The kid didn''t realize that his position, albeit a little hidden, would be instantly noticed by people. To a cultivator looking at him, the kid might as well have crouched in the middle of the road. "Now, what do I do?"

    He could just ignore this little prank. From the looks of it, that banana peel had been there for quite some time. But looking at the kid''s expression, so eager and earnest, stirred something in his heart. He thought that perhaps he could play with this kid. What was slipping on a banana peel to a cultivator like him? But soon, the thought that he was in a hurry came to him, which made Liu Xing stop several steps from the banana peel. Another, more serious thought surfaced: what if this was actually a kind of trap?

    He glanced to the side, seeing the kid gulp his saliva, his eyes trembling, his fists clenched, and sweat began to fall from his forehead, wetting his eyebrows. That boy was not a cultivator, but he had a little bit of qi inside his body, which meant he was actually on the path to becoming a cultivator. A trap laid by him probably could do nothing to him, but what if this banana peel was a treasure that could trap him?

    As soon as that thought came to him, Liu Xing burst out laughing. "Man, am I becoming too serious?" There was no way in hell this banana peel was a treasure. The kid probably just wanted to do a little prank.

    "Might as well," he muttered. After all, he had already stopped for several seconds to think, and since there was no harm in it, there was nothing he needed to be afraid of.

    He took several steps until finally, his next step would land on top of the banana peel. Liu Xing tried as hard as possible to be nonchalant, as if he didn''t see the banana peel. As his feet became closer and closer to the banana peel, he thought about how realistic the cartoon that popularized stepping on a banana peel was. The ground here was kind of rough, so there was a slim chance he would actually slip on it. When this thought came to his mind, disappointment filled his heart. He wanted to slip on it gloriously, yet the realistic outcome was probably him crushing the banana peel without falling over comically. He wondered what the kid thought when his prank turned out to be disappointing.

    Liu Xing stepped on it as hard as possible, thinking that nothing would happen to him. But to his surprise, the banana peel was actually so slippery that it felt as if he had just stepped on green moss that had grown on boulders and stones near the river. In just a fraction of a second, both of his feet became so wide he looked like a dancer doing a split! He was actually quite surprised by this outcome, and his body moved in reflex to regain his balance. He moved his left foot, but to his surprise, the kid threw another banana peel right where his left foot would land! Both banana peels worked wonderfully, and both of his feet lifted off the ground, and he began to fall backward.

    As he realized that he was falling, he had plenty of time to correct his position; hell, he could even move his left foot away from the second banana peel, but he let his body fall. With a glorious thud, his back landed on the ground, creating a little cloud of dust that rose around him.

    Liu Xing laughed heartily, and the wind carried his laughter. To be frank, he didn''t understand why falling on two banana peels made his heart feel lighter. Perhaps it was because he was the one who decided to fall for this prank willingly, or perhaps he was actually quite stressed before, what with him fighting a giant and a demonic cultivator, and lots of serious things he needed to think about, and the chance to do something silly lightened his heart.

    He laughed and laughed, tears began falling from his eyes, as if he had just seen the funniest comedy show in the entire world. Each laugh made his body more and more relaxed, until he let out a content sigh. "I need to do something similar later," he muttered. Not necessarily slip on banana peels, but more like doing something just for fun, like perhaps playing some sport, or hell, even drawing or doing some traditional painting. Drawing was his main hobby on Earth, one that he had intended to pursue as a career. He wondered if his skill was rusty.

    Liu Xing glanced to the side, curious about the kid''s expression. Since the kid had successfully made him slip, he should have been happy because his prank worked. Although, perhaps he was actually quite a prideful prankster and decided that Liu Xing, who willingly fell into his prank, didn''t count.

    But when he saw the kid''s expression, his eyebrows rose. Instead of laughing at him because he slipped on a banana peel¡ªthe most natural reaction¡ªthe kid instead had tearful eyes, snot began to fall from his nose, and he tried to wipe it with his clothes frantically. This reaction was puzzling to Liu Xing. Had he done something wrong? Was the banana peel not a prank? Maybe it was an important object?

    "What''s the matter?" Liu Xing sat up, dusted his robe and straw hat, and addressed the kid. When he addressed the kid, the kid was busy trying to wipe his face of snot and tears, but what he did was actually smear snot and tears all over his face. Coincidentally, his face was hit by a beam of sunlight passing through the vegetation, and his face looked so glowing and shiny. The kid tried to answer his questions, but what came out were choked sobs that he could not understand. So, Liu Xing took his spatial bag, brought out a water skin, and gave it to the kid. The kid accepted the water skin and began gulping the water like a man stranded in a desert for a full week.

    Then, he began to cry again, although this time, he was more steady, and said, "Y-you slipped on my banana peels."

    It was a statement that Liu Xing answered with a nod. "Yes, I thought it was a prank and decided to play along. Was I wrong?"

    "No, I mean, it''s a prank, yes, but it''s actually a serious matter." He said, then muttered, "T-there is truly a cultivator dumb enough to willingly fall into an obvious prank!"

    "That''s kind of rude, you know, considering you''re talking right in front of me."

    The kid blinked several times, and his eyes widened, as if he hadn''t realized he had said that out loud, and Liu Xing could hear it clearly.

    "I don''t mean it like that, sir! My name is Li Shunqing, and for almost half a year, I''ve moved from place to place, placing banana peels here and there and trying to find a cultivator who would willingly fall for this prank! It''s an absurd thing, I know, but trust me, there''s a logical reason for it." Then, as if forgetting something, he asked, "What is your name, sir?"

    "My name is Liu Xing," he answered. "Can I know what the reason is?" He actually felt a little betrayed inside. He thought it was just a simple and funny prank.

    "No!" Li Shunqing answered. "It''s a secret. Sir Liu Xing. Please, please, I can''t explain it, but I need you to come with me."

 175 - Heaven Grade Technique (2)

    Liu Xing pinched his chin, then began observing the kid more carefully. Aside from the wok on his back, the most noticeable thing about this kid was the clothes he was wearing. The quality of his clothes was actually quite good. Right now, what Liu Xing wore was simple traveling merchant''s clothes. The quality was not the best, but it was comfortable, but although the clothes were dirty, the kid was actually wearing better clothes than him. Was this kid actually part of some kind of robber gang? Was this banana peel prank a new way to rob people?

    "Where?" Liu Xing asked, his curiosity piqued.

    The kid opened his mouth, but soon closed it and opened it again, as if he wanted to tell him his deepest and darkest secret and hesitated about it. "I cannot tell you, but please, sir, you need to come with me. This is important!"

    Liu Xing narrowed his eyes. The kid wanted him to follow but didn''t want to divulge the location. It was mighty suspicious.

    "How old are you?" he asked. "Or, is that a secret too?"

    "I''m eleven years old right now, but next month, I will be twelve! I thought I would spend my birthday in the wilderness, but if you come with me, sir, I can celebrate it with my sister!" As he said that, his eyes shone like a man trapped in darkness seeing a light.

    "Is the place far away?"

    "Yes. I cannot tell you the exact location or how long exactly it would take to go there, but if we hurry, we can arrive right before my birthday."

    Truth be told, at this point, Liu Xing realized that this kid could be anything. He could be part of a bandit gang, a lure used by a demonic cultivator, or even from some kind of sect desperate for disciples and willing to do anything to recruit one. In normal circumstances, he could have thought longer and pried more information to decide whether to go with the kid or not. After all, there was a chance that this kid truly needed some help. But right now, he was in the middle of things. While he had already given up continuing the race¡ªthe rewards eclipsed by the potential benefit of negotiating the dragon vein¡ªhe needed to go meet Bai Lin and some elder to discuss half of his dragon vein.

    The kid looked at him with wide and teary eyes, like a puppy. But in the end, Liu Xing shook his head. "I''m sorry, kid, but I''m in the middle of something. I need to hurry."

    Liu Xing stood up, dusting his robes once again and wearing his straw hat. While he felt a little betrayed in the end because the prank was not intended to be fun, at least he had laughed and realized something he missed in this world from this exchange.

    "Wait, sir, to compensate¡ª"

    Ignoring the kid, Liu Xing turned around and began to run. Behind him, he could hear the kid shout, and when he glanced back, he saw the kid actually running after him. But he thought the kid would soon give up. After all, even if the kid didn''t realize it now, he would soon realize that Liu Xing was a cultivator with quite a high realm, and there was no way for the kid to catch up to him.

    "Sir Liu Xing, wait, wait!"

    He could still hear faint shouts from the kid, but as he accelerated faster and faster, the shouts became fainter and fainter until the kid truly lost him.

    "I hope that kid is not in the middle of something serious." He honestly thought that if he had some time to spare, he could help the kid. But since he was in the middle of something important, he just hoped that the kid would find another cultivator who would willingly slip on banana peels.

    As he ran, he thought about the kid and his peculiar behavior, but soon his mind shifted to the Heaven Grade technique. Thinking about this technique made him run faster, and while later the thought of the Heaven Grade technique was replaced by other thoughts, not even once did he think back about the kid. After all, it was unthinkable for a kid to chase him. But Liu Xing didn''t know Li Shunqing and how stubborn he was.

    ***

    When the sun finally set, Liu Xing could finally use the Lightning Cloak, and together with his shield, he moved in the night sky unbelievably fast. He actually wanted to use his invisibility so he could be sure he moved undetected, but since there was no threatening presence around him, there was no target for him to aim at, and he could not activate the invisibility. And so, he moved in the sky like lightning. There were several towns and villages that he passed, and some of the mortals there pointed to the sky, probably curious about this horizontal lightning. But, luckily for Liu Xing, nothing happened in his way.

    Around an hour later, Liu Xing finally arrived near a lake. The wind on the surface of the lake created little waves that made the lake look alive, yet even with the surface constantly moving, the lake looked tranquil, as if it were a place where a slumbering spirit resided. As he stood there, Liu Xing looked around for Bai Lin¡¯s little hut. When he saw the light on the other side of the lake, he realized that he had arrived from the opposite side.

    Liu Xing took off his straw hat and let it hang on his back. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the air, and as he exhaled, he couldn''t help but smile. "I have finally arrived!"

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    Inside his body, his heart began to beat faster and faster, making his blood circulate more rapidly and making him feel full of energy, as if he had just eaten the most nutritious and delicious food made by a spirit chef. His eyes were wide awake, and his mind was eager to move, to take action so he could get the technique he wanted as soon as possible. Yet, even after giggling like a lovesick maiden, he actually decided to slowly circle the lake. He wanted to savor this exhilarating feeling, because deep inside his heart, there was a silly thought that the more he took his time, the better the reward he would get. It was silly logic, but even if it was false, he did it nonetheless.

    As he walked, he looked around and felt the qi around him. Though, with his excited heart, his mind couldn''t focus too much on the environment around him. Instead, his mind again and again tried to anticipate what technique Bai Lin would give him. He knew it wasn''t an offensive technique, but his mind still wandered to lightning techniques that could incinerate the world!

    After several minutes, he finally arrived at the little garden in front of Bai Lin¡¯s hut. He didn''t take time to observe the garden, but instead, he walked swiftly toward the door and knocked on it three times. "Grandpa Bai Lin, this is Liu Xing," he said calmly, but inside, his heart hammered at his ribs. "As promised, I have come back!"

    For a second, there was silence. He could hear the sound of the waves on the surface of the nearby lake as well as the song of the bugs in the serene night. But then, a flurry of sound could be heard from inside. He could hear the bamboo bed creaking, the old man¡¯s frantic steps, and finally a loud slam when the old man opened the bamboo window. From this little window, old man Bai Lin poked his head, and when he saw Liu Xing, his eyes widened and a wide smile formed on his lips.

    "Liu Xing! You finally arrived! Did you finally come to deal with Wei Yi? Are you coming with reinforcements?" Bai Lin looked around.

    "No, I didn''t come with reinforcements since there''s no need for it," Liu Xing looked old man Bai Lin dead in the eye and said, "after all, it''s already done. Wei Yi is dead."

    Bai Lin blinked once, twice, and three times. Liu Xing knew that this old man didn''t have any hearing problems. The man understood fully what he had said, but he probably needed time to process what he had said.

    "A-are you serious?"

    Liu Xing tried to present himself as seriously as possible, then nodded. "I can assure you that he is dead. I killed him with my own hands."

    Bai Lin nodded, but the nod felt robotic, as if his body was moving on its own. "C-come in, I think my ears have a problem. I want you to tell me again what you said earlier, but closer." With trembling hands, he closed his bamboo window.

    He could hear several crashing sounds from inside, as if Bai Lin was drunk and banging on every piece of furniture he had. At one point, he cursed at his table, and a few moments later, shattering sounds could be heard, as if several glass plates had fallen to the floor and shattered.

    "Wait a moment, please," the old man said.

    "Take your time," Liu Xing answered. The old man was flustered, which was understandable. The old man must have thought that he had come here to finally deal with Wei Yi, just to be told it was already over. It was like a merchant expecting a meeting with a prominent figure to get a contract that would make him rich, but the prominent figure had already created the contract, signed it, and presented it to him.

    He could hear Bai Lin tidying up his little hut¡ªsome plates were truly broken and he put them in the back of his house. Then, several moments later, the door opened with Bai Lin standing in front of it. He invited Liu Xing inside and served him a cup of tea that tasted bitter yet refreshing. He remembered this was his grandson¡¯s favorite. Bai Lin sat across from him, tasted his bitter tea, and inhaled and exhaled repeatedly, "I''m ready. Tell me again what you said earlier."

    Liu Xing decided to start from the beginning. He told the old man about the Xia clan, Xia Juentian, the abominations that almost killed him, his choice to go to the capital of the Twelve Sun Empire, the disaster that happened there, the culling, the fight with the giant, and finally, the moment when he killed Wei Yi.

    "So he is truly dead, then." Bai Lin commented at the end of the story. "It explains why I haven''t seen him recently. To think that he went to another city and wreaked havoc there."

    "I''ve discussed Wei Yi''s origin with the emperor of the Twelve Sun Empire. He is occupied right now, but if he has time, he will come here and deal with the Wei clan."

    There was also the matter of the Xia clan. They were insignificant right now, but they had a right to come to this city and demand repercussions from the Wei clan. After all, that clan had lost several of their members to Wei Yi''s abominations. He was pretty sure Wei Yi''s name as well as the incident in the Twelve Sun Empire would spread, and the Xia clan would probably hear about it later.

    Bai Lin asked several questions related to Wei Yi as if trying to verify his claim. When he told him about Wei Yi''s appearance as an old man, he nodded as if he wasn''t surprised.

    "So he''s really dead?"

    Liu Xing nodded. "He is dead."

    The old man inhaled deeply, as if trying to solidify this reality in his mind.

    His eyes turned red, and tears began to fall freely from them. Bai Lin frantically wiped the tears from his cheeks, but the tears were like a large river, mere two hands could not stop them. In the end, he decided to put both of his hands to his face, as if hiding from the world, and began crying. At first, the sound was soft, but it proceeded to become louder, raw, until he finally cried freely. The moonlight that entered the hut made his tears shine, the wind began blowing stronger, swaying Bai Lin¡¯s white beard and hair, as if trying to console him, the song of the bugs intensified, as if they too felt the sorrow of Bai Lin who had lost his grandson.

    As Liu Xing sipped his refreshing tea, he let the old man express his sorrow. After all, he knew that this cry would not last forever. The old man perhaps was sad that his grandson had died before him, but he could be relieved since the one who killed his grandson was already dead.

    As he cried, he grabbed his grandson¡¯s painting and hugged it tight, as if that painting truly was his grandson. After five minutes, the cry became softer, and at the ten-minute mark, he put the painting of his grandson atop the table while wiping the tears on his cheek.

    The old man sat with his back straighter than before, his body more relaxed, as if a master masseur had finished with his body, and while his eyes were still red and puffy, there was a shine in them, as if the old man had been trapped inside a dark place and successfully escaped into a bright room.

    "Thank you," the old man clasped his hands and bowed deeply.

    "You''re welcome," Liu Xing said. "Now, about the rewards..."

    "Of course. I promised you a Heaven Grade Technique. And since you completed my wish, this technique is yours!"

 176 - Heaven Grade Technique (3)

    Liu Xing and Bai Lin emerged from the small hut and stepped into the open air. As they walked outside, the old man let out a contented sigh, as if the night wind healed his soul. "Truly, thank you for enacting revenge for my grandson."

    "Honestly, while the Heaven Grade Technique you promised me was a primary motivation, Wei Yi and the abominations he created were genuinely dangerous. I imagine even if we hadn''t met, I wouldn''t have let this matter slide."

    The old man smiled, and Liu Xing somehow knew that even unspoken, he expressed gratitude in his heart.

    As they passed the small herb garden, Liu Xing¡¯s heart began to hammer in his chest. The old man decided that the little hut was unsuitable as a location to teach this technique, which made Liu Xing hope it was a dangerous technique capable of destroying the hut.

    They walked for several more minutes until they arrived at the edge of a small forest. There was a small clearing there, with several logs erected in the middle of the space. The logs bore numerous marks, as if they served as punching targets. Behind them, a rock the size of his torso rested. The rock had a smooth surface, and Liu Xing suspected it was not native to this place.

    "This is a training place my grandson made himself," the old man said. As he spoke, sorrow flashed in his eyes, but the expression flickered and vanished in a moment. They moved deeper into the clearing, and when they reached the center, Bai Lin instructed Liu Xing to face him. "The technique I will teach you is a complex one."

    Liu Xing nodded. That much was obvious. A Heaven Grade Technique was unlikely to be simple. "What kind of technique is it?"

    "Let me show you."

    Liu Xing could feel the wind around him move in a circular pattern. Was it merely a side effect of the technique, or was the technique actually wind-based? As a cultivator who leaned heavily into lightning, wind techniques would be harder to use and would consume more qi to activate. Yet, since it was a Heaven Grade Technique, he remained eager to learn it.

    The wind around the old man grew faster and faster. His beard and white hair began to wave. Liu Xing could feel that the old man was cycling his qi in a specific way, and since the process had already taken more than sixty seconds, the technique likely required hundreds of cycling patterns to activate. This was promising.

    "I acquired this technique when I was a child. I was born to mortal parents and stumbled upon a kind old master who asked me to fetch him some food. He was so grateful that he decided to give me a gift, and this gift is called Demon Wasp¡¯s Spectral Eye.¡±

    ¡°What a cool name,¡± Liu Xing muttered, his heart thumping with excitement. While it differed from his initial imagination, a technique potentially in the form of a wasp could be dangerous. After all, even if small, wasps were troublesome and dangerous if one was careless.

    Bai Lin extended his hand toward him with palm up. A swirling blue qi emerged from his palm and coalesced into a blob of blue energy. This blob then gradually formed the silhouette of a small wasp.

    Liu Xing glanced at Bai Lin, whose brows were furrowed and sweat began to bead on his forehead. It seemed he needed intense focus to complete the technique. Liu Xing realized it was challenging for Bai Lin because despite being at the Lock Opening realm, he was projecting his qi externally and controlling it manually¡ªquite a feat for a Lock Opening cultivator. Still, while the technique looked complex, he needed to see the finished product to form a judgment.

    After almost another minute, the blue qi that formed the silhouette of a wasp suddenly pulsed. This reminded Liu Xing of the organ of the giant he had killed. The qi wasn''t merely forming a silhouette, but transforming into something greater. But before his mind could conjure any concrete ideas, the pulses intensified, and a light blue explosion erupted from Bai Lin¡¯s hand, creating a ripple of wind, qi, and light that traveled outward, making the leaves on the bushes and trees dance with a blue luminescence.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    Liu Xing observed the small brown wasp hovering above Bai Lin¡¯s palm. It hovered gently like a hummingbird, and the flapping of its wings was remarkably soft, unlike a normal wasp at all. The wasp then flew from Bai Lin¡¯s palm and circled him like an excited child.

    ¡°Do you feel underwhelmed? It is supposed to be Heaven Grade, yet I only created a little wasp.¡±

    Liu Xing scrutinized the wasp. At first glance, it resembled a normal wasp. The wings, the body, the head, the torso and everything of it looked like a normal wasp. Even when he sensed the wasp, it truly felt like a natural wasp. Still, something felt off about this creation, a weird feeling as if something that should be present but wasn''t. It was like seeing a living, breathing chicken but somehow realizing it was a dog wearing a perfect chicken costume. Then, moments later, as Liu Xing probed the little wasp further with his qi, he finally realized what felt weird, and his eyes opened so wide he felt they might pop from their sockets.

    ¡°This wasp¡­ it¡¯s a normal wasp,¡± Liu Xing said, his voice laced with disbelief.

    Bai Lin nodded knowingly. He caught the wasp using his thumb and index finger and then crushed it. The little wasp, once flapping its wings happily, was now dead. Its torso was crushed, and the head and lower body separated. Bai Lin placed the dead wasp on his palm and showed it to Liu Xing. Things made from qi usually dispersed back into qi if destroyed. For example, if he created a lightning blade and it was crushed, while it would initially break into fragments of lightning, it would soon revert to qi. This didn''t mean constructs made from qi were brittle. Treasures made from qi had existed for thousands of years, and they wouldn''t revert to qi once broken. But those were made by cultivators in higher realms. There was no way a construct made by a Lock Opening realm cultivator would last long.

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    Yet, as Liu Xing pinched the bottom of the wasp and intentionally pricked his palm with its stinger, he realized that this remnant of a wasp would not disperse into qi at all. If dropped to the ground, ants would probably claim it as a reward and use it as food, or, even untouched, nature would claim it in a few days and turn it into soil.

    ¡°It¡¯s crazy,¡± Liu Xing muttered. Bai Lin had just created a normal wasp, one that, if released, could perhaps settle into a colony. ¡°You can control it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I can see from its point of view too.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Liu Xing asked. ¡°The wasp doesn¡¯t have any trace of qi. It¡¯s a normal bug.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let this technique fool you,¡± Bai Lin stroked his beard. ¡°The wasp is made of qi. The technique is so sophisticated that it feels like it isn¡¯t made of qi, but the reality is otherwise. I can use it to attack as well, and if I were at a higher realm, I could do many things with it. But with my current realm, the most I can do is create three wasps and have them become my eyes. Their range is quite great, and it¡¯s fitting for a cultivator with a careful temperament.¡±

    Liu Xing nodded. It was useful. The fact that the wasp emitted no qi at all would surely make them useful tools to infiltrate and spy on cultivators. Truthfully, right now, he found this technique rather underwhelming, but since it was a Heaven Grade Technique, it had the potential to grow with the user, and perhaps he could modify it to suit him better. The first thought that came to mind after hearing about a scouting wasp was to add an explosion effect. Imagine if Liu Xing wanted to assassinate someone. He could use a wasp to infiltrate their home, make it land on their forehead, and then detonate it. His mind told him something like that wouldn¡¯t be simple, yet, he had his gun, and he didn''t know what his gun might do to this technique.

    ¡°Do you still want to learn it?¡±

    Liu Xing nodded. ¡°Very much so.¡±

    ¡°Then I will teach you.¡±

    He thought Bai Lin would produce some kind of scroll or jade slip, but, to his surprise, he recited a poem about how to cycle qi inside his body. Liu Xing asked Bai Lin to cycle his qi at the same time, and so, the process of learning the new technique began.

    After Bai Lin recited the entire poem, Liu Xing realized that the technique was actually quite complex, but there were areas that seemed adjustable. For example, a swirling wind always accompanied the activation, but he realized that while this part had some effect on the technique, the effect was minimal. Bai Lin activated the technique while reciting the poem and created another wasp, and this time, Liu Xing tried to follow along. He had no intention of actually using it, but simply to memorize it better. After the second wasp flew around, he asked Bai Lin once more to demonstrate, and he agreed. Thus, two wasps circled the small clearing as if hunting for prey.

    ¡°Do you understand it?¡± Bai Lin asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Liu Xing nodded. Truthfully, using a poem made it harder to comprehend, but he recognized that it made it easier to memorize. Although some cycling patterns were foreign to him¡ªlikely patterns related to other elements¡ªhe felt confident he could use the technique. But, whether he would succeed on his first attempt was another matter entirely.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try it,¡± he inhaled deeply and began to cycle the qi around his body. If he wasn''t mistaken, there were exactly three hundred patterns he needed to perform. There were several instances where he needed to perform several cycling patterns simultaneously, and he deduced that this was likely a hint to improve the activation speed of the technique. To master it, he suspected he needed to cycle through all three hundred patterns at the same time.

    Liu Xing closed his eyes and felt qi course through his body in this new and different pattern. Some parts of his body actually felt surprised, as if he were injecting cold water into veins that had never felt cold. In about a minute, he cycled through the patterns, focused his intent¡ªan important part¡ªand willed the technique to materialize. Bai Lin had said that the clearer he could imagine a wasp, the better the result would be, but he honestly didn¡¯t have a clear image of a wasp in his mind.

    When the last pattern was completed, Liu Xing extended his right hand with the palm facing up, then opened his eyes and activated the technique. Instantly, qi rushed from his palm into a ball of blue energy atop his palm. Bai Lin had needed time to form the wasp at this stage, but Liu Xing had no trouble. The moment a ball of blue qi materialized on his palm, it quickly transformed into the finished product. He anticipated a wasp to fly from his palm, but what he created was a dead brown wasp that looked horrible. It had eight legs, a small horn, and its body was twisted like a tornado.

    ¡°A good result,¡± Bai Lin said. ¡°The first time I used this technique, I materialized nothing. It¡¯s just a matter of practice.¡±

    Liu Xing pinched his chin while observing the mutated brown wasp on his right hand. He remembered that when he tried to imagine a wasp, for a moment, an image of a spider had flashed in his mind, and since the wasp had eight legs perhaps that image was responsible for the mutation. A question suddenly arose in his mind. ¡°Old man, did you name this technique yourself?¡±

    Bai Lin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°And the part about a demonic wasp in the poem, did you add that yourself?¡±

    ¡°No, the cultivator who gave me this technique recited the full poem to me. I wouldn¡¯t dare to tamper with it.¡±

    Liu Xing nodded. His face was calm, but inside, his heart beat rapidly against his ribs with excitement. This technique might be far more powerful than he initially thought. A Base Grade technique was simple. As long as one cycled the qi perfectly, even without strong imagination or intent, the technique would still activate. A Heaven Grade Technique required perfect cycle patterns, perfect intentions, and perfect visualization. If those three aspects aligned, the technique could materialize. At first, he thought the intent and visualization of this technique needed to be that of a wasp, but perhaps, just perhaps, he could materialize anything he wanted as long as he had perfect intention and visualization.

    It was worth a try. ¡°Alright, old man, let me try it again.¡±

    This time, he would try to imagine something else. Wasps were cool, but he didn¡¯t think they quite suited him.

 177 - Heaven Grade Technique (4)

    Liu Xing cycled qi according to the pattern Bai Lin taught him, reciting the long poem in his head¡ªhe still didn''t have enough familiarity to do it without the poem. He tried to will the technique to materialize something other than a wasp. As Liu Xing reached the part where the qi cycling pattern made the wind swirl around him, he decided to substitute it with one of the patterns of the Lightning Palm Technique, and it worked. Instead of swirling wind, he emitted a little circle of electricity around his feet.

    He could see in his peripheral vision that the old man¡¯s eyes widened, but he didn''t have time to pay attention to him. He needed to find something more intimate to him than wasp, a thing that he could easily visualize and materialize. The first thing that came to mind was his turtle, so Liu Xing nodded and intended to materialize a small gray turtle on top of his palm.

    He chained the qi cycling patterns quickly. While the pattern was still foreign to him, he would gain familiarity the more he used the technique. Later, he was sure activating this technique would be as easy as breathing.

    When he finished the cycling and activated the technique, a ball of blue qi floated on top of his right palm. The blue qi was larger, since Liu Xing imagined a turtle and spent a lot more qi than before, but it also felt heavier, as if he was holding a bowling ball on his right hand instead of a little wasp. Willing the technique to materialize, Liu Xing tried to calm his beating heart. If this experiment succeeded, then he would gain a very versatile technique.

    The blue qi exploded into a bright light show for a moment, and then it settled, letting him see his creation. The creature that fit onto his palm was in the form of a turtle, complete with two little gems as its eyes, but it was not a real turtle. It was a little statue in the form of a turtle. He was initially surprised by this result, but soon realized that this was what he had imagined.

    Before Liu Xing could be glad or digest the meaning of what he had accomplished, the turtle began to crack, and blue qi gushed out from the little statue as if the turtle was a vase that contained a sun that wanted to explode. Realizing the intense qi released from the turtle, Liu Xing¡¯s eyes widened, and he threw it as hard as possible to the sky. For a moment, there was only silence, before a blue explosion, akin to a firework, bloomed in the night sky.

    "A failure," Liu Xing muttered.

    "A failure?" Bai Lin muttered, his eyes locked to the sky filled with fading blue light, "that''s an impossible feat! I just taught you the technique, how could you modify it already? Were Purple Moon Sect disciples all like you? A prodigy is not enough to describe you. You are a monster!"

    "I''m not the most talented disciple in my sect. There are a lot of people that are better than me." He replied to Bai Lin automatically, but his mind actually focused on how to improve the technique.

    It seemed like this technique, while it could materialize things from qi, was not aligned to materialize his turtle statue. It was as if he tried to use his Lightning Palm technique to create a gentle and flowing stream of lightning. It was the wrong way to use it. He suspected if he wanted to materialize a real turtle, he needed to visualize a living, breathing turtle. But truth be told, he actually didn''t remember the last time he had encountered a real turtle, so it would be hard to visualize it.

    "Should I buy a turtle?" Liu Xing muttered. He ignored Bai Lin, who sat leaning on a tree and murmured about the impossible thing that he had done, and cycled the qi into the pattern to activate the technique once again. "Too troublesome, I think I''ll try it again."

    He tried to imagine another turtle, but this time, it was not his statue, but a giant spirit beast that was a hybrid of a turtle, mushroom, and worms that he had encountered in Dragon Skull Forest. The result was a mess. What materialized was a big mushroom with a turtle head jutting out from the cap that looked and felt more like an abomination than a spirit beast. Before he could digest the weird feeling it emitted, the thing suddenly cracked. Once again Liu Xing threw his creation into the sky, and it exploded in a brilliant blue light.

    Again and again, he tried to materialize a turtle, but there was not a single instance where he actually succeeded. From all those experiments, he came to a conclusion.

    "It seems that this technique can only materialize certain things." He could not use this technique to materialize everything that he could imagine.

    Aside from the intent of the user, there was also the intent of the creator of this technique, and this intent probably etched itself on the whole sequence of cycling patterns. It was like trying to use a sword as a shield or vice versa. He needed to find out what these "certain things" were that this technique could materialize. A wasp was the ultimate example, but since he could materialize a turtle statue and some kind of unholy combination of turtle, mushroom, and worms¡ªalbeit not perfect¡ªit was a sign that this technique was quite flexible.

    "Should I try a wasp once again?" He muttered, then shook his head. At this point, he didn''t want to revert to a wasp. He had a feeling that a wasp was not fit for him, so he needed something else. But the only animal he could conjure within his imagination was only a turtle.

    He decided to sit and reflect, trying to find a perfect animal to materialize using this technique. The first thing after a turtle that he could imagine was a snake. Emerald Fang was a peculiar spirit beast that could talk, but he doubted he could conjure a snake using Emerald Fang as the base of his visualization.

    He thought for a while, and an interesting idea came to his mind. "What if I don''t need to visualize an animal?"

    He decided to stand and began to cycle his qi in the pattern of the technique. Once he let go of the idea that the thing that he could conjure was only an animal, his mind began bursting with ideas of what he wanted to conjure, like a lightning dragon or lightning turtle, but the easiest thing that he could visualize was actually a lightning blade. Different from the normal Lightning Palm Technique, the lightning blade variant needed visualization, but he did it so many times that at this time, visualizing this technique was as easy as breathing.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    With his heart excited once more, he recited the poem in his heart while cycling the technique and changed the part about the wasp into a lightning blade while adjusting the cycling pattern. The poem became weird, but it was alright. This poem was merely a tool to learn this technique. He could not let a poem dictate the way to use this technique.

    Liu Xing stretched his right hand once again, and a little blue ball of qi, the size of a little marble, floated on top of his palm. There was no weight to it, as if the ball was as light as a feather, yet, the light of it was so brilliant that the clearing illuminated as if there was a giant light bulb glowing. Several arcs of electricity came out from the marble and attacked his palm, yet, not only did the attacks not hurt, but it felt quite warm and pleasant.

    He solidified his will in his mind and then ordered the marble to form into the thing that he imagined. Suddenly, an explosion of blue light traveled outward alongside the sound of distant crackling thunder. Bai Lin flinched in his peripheral vision, his mouth opened wide, but Liu Xing focused all his sight toward the thing that he had materialized.

    The thing that he created with this technique was quite different from his imagination. What he imagined was a simple lightning blade. He imagined it to be around as long as his pinky finger, with a thin body, and one sharp edge. Instead, he materialized a small lightning sword with two blades. Its body was as straight as an arrow, and the sword even had a handle. Twin arcs of electricity, akin to butterfly wings, extended from the sides of the sword. All in all, this thing did not resemble his lightning blade at all, but a lightning sword shaped like a butterfly. It was so weird, since it came out so different from his imagination. This mini sword actually had a handle, and there was not a single moment when he imagined his lightning blade having a handle.

    "Why did it come out different from my imagination?" Liu Xing muttered.

    Old man Bai Lin came to him and observed the little floating mini lightning sword on top of his palm. And while he had surprised eyes, he still offered his opinion. "There was an instance where I realized that the wasp I created had a little pattern on its wings. This pattern was not intentional, yet, every time I created a wasp, that pattern always existed. Thus, I concluded this must be the result of the technique."

    "What do you mean?" Liu Xing asked.

    "The technique fills in the missing details of our visualizations.. Simply put, we as the users of the technique only need the rough image. The technique will handle the rest."

    Liu Xing pinched his chin. It was a convenient aspect of the technique, though he suspected that it was not solely the technique filling the gap, but rather the user''s subconscious seeping through. But, even with this explanation, he doubted that the handle and wings of the little sword were a product of his consciousness. After all, visualizing a lightning blade was not new to him.

    Liu Xing ordered the sword to take off from his palm, and it flew so slowly and so wobbly like a drunken dragonfly. Upon seeing this, his stomach felt weird. He suspected something was at play here. There was no way his subconsciousness conjured something like that. He knew his lightning blade. Even if his subconsciousness played a part, there was no way it overpowered his visualization.

    He glanced at Bai Lin, who muttered, "at least the technique is not stable yet," as if trying to console himself, and thought that there was no way this old man tampered with his technique.

    A moment later, the sword suddenly bent and twisted, as if there was an invisible hand that tampered with it, and then it exploded into brilliant fireworks.

    Bai Lin sighed and muttered, "I needed several months to make my wasp take off before it died."

    Liu Xing focused his face toward Bai Lin. Thus far, he had ignored him and focused solely on using this new technique, but as he saw the sad face of Bai Lin, his eyebrows rose a little. Was him using the technique so easily making the old insecure?

    The expression on Bai Lin¡¯s face said that the answer to that question was yes. And it was actually understandable. The old man said he got this technique when he was still a child, he could only create three wasps, and he needed years to use this technique reliably. In contrast, Liu Xing just got this technique and could modify it to his pleasure. His actions, while not intentional, perhaps had hurt Bai Lin''s pride.

    "Old man, I think you''re reading too much into it," Liu Xing said. "I''m not a prodigy, and you were not lacking either."

    "How so?" Bai Lin said, his voice rose slightly. "I had used that technique for years, yet, I never realized that it could be modified. Moreover, you used it so easily as if it was a run-of-the-mill technique."

    "Do you know that I am a Core Splitting cultivator? I have two cores," Liu Xing said.

    Bai Lin nodded automatically, looking at the ground, but then he turned his head so fast that he feared his neck would be twisted. His eyes widened so comically that it felt like his eyes would leap out, and he opened his jaw so wide that it could easily fit a fist. "Y-you are a Core Splitting cultivator?"

    Perhaps the old man didn''t realize it because when they met again, the focus was his grandson, and right now, the focus was the Heaven Grade Technique. Whatever the reason was, right now, the old man knew that Liu Xing was no longer a Lock Opening cultivator. As proof, he flexed his qi a little and made it press on the old man, which made the old man shiver and his feet tremble. The old man looked like he contemplated kneeling before Liu Xing lifted up the qi pressing him and flashed a smile.

    "Now, you understand, right? The reason I could use this technique easily was merely because I was at a higher realm than you, and this higher realm gave me a benefit in the form of precise qi control. The truth is, while I am talented compared to a normal cultivator, inside the sect, there were lots and lots of people that were more talented than me. Do you know a kid with the name Hao Yun? He is the son of our patriarch. He is almost ten, but he is at the very least already at the Sun Refining realm. That is what I call a true genius."

    "T-ten years old? Sun Refining realm? How?"

    "No idea," Liu Xing shook his head. He decided to cycle the technique again and try to activate the technique once more. "Anyway, I think I wanted to modify the technique a little bit more, and I would appreciate it if you offered me some guidance. After all, you have years of practice."

    The old man looked at him, but his eyes actually felt glassy, as if he saw through him rather than at him. He remained silent for a moment, then a small smile bloomed on his face. "The first thing you need to understand is that materializing the technique is the easiest part. Control is the real challenge. Forcing the wasp¡ªor in your case, the sword¡ªto fly is the wrong approach. You need to let the technique fly naturally, gracefully, as if it knew how to fly the moment it came to be."

    Liu Xing nodded. That was cryptic advice, but he would try to incorporate it. What he told the old man was not merely flattery. Sure, part of it was because he wanted to console the old man who was kind enough to give him a Heaven Grade Technique, but the other part of it was serious. The old man must have quite a lot of advice regarding this technique, and Liu Xing intended to use it to perfect his technique.

    As for the strange feeling when his sword materialized, he believed that as he sculpted the technique to his will, and as the technique needed less to fill the gap, the strange feeling would disappear.