It seems there was some grievance between the two back in the day.

Xu Guang clasped his fists, "Disciple Xu Guang, the disciple of True King Tianwu, wishes to borrow the Holy Artifact."

"A disciple of Tianwu?" The old man sized up Xu Guang, saying, "Well, that's possible. See for yourself."

In Xu Guang's surprised gaze, the other party produced a jade book, listing all the Holy Artifacts with exorbitant borrowing costs, the lowest being ten million Demon Slaying Merits.

However, for confidentiality, only the names and prices of the Holy Artifacts can be seen. Only after confirmation will the effects and powers of the Holy Artifacts be introduced.

Xu Guang couldn't make a decision, and as he looked at the old man, his eyes suddenly brightened.

"May I ask, senior, someone wants to kill a friend of mine. That person was originally a master of second nirvana, noble as a Saint Heir, added with the Buddhist Sect's expert Dao fruit reincarnation and first-grade cultivation, possessing the corpse of a former lifetime. What kind of Holy Artifact should I choose?"

His words were half-true, not completely revealing his own information, thinking this old man shouldn't be able to trick him, right?

The old man showed interest, his eyes turning, "Oh? You're quite a troublemaker, such people are rare. You say the opponent is a Saint Heir. Are you sure the other party doesn't possess a Saint's Artifact? If confirmed they don't, a second-grade Holy Artifact would suffice. But for the person you describe, it's impossible they don't have one. I suggest you choose this Celestial Silk Smoke, refined by a Saint about to enter Fire Raising, capable of gathering Magical Treasures."

Xu Guang was quite surprised at these words.

He saw the Holy Artifact named Celestial Silk Smoke, and its rental price wasn't too high, almost considered cheap.

"This Magical Treasure, is there... a problem?" Xu Guang asked cautiously.

The old man instantly turned harsh, "What do you mean? This old man has been guarding the Emperor Tower's Magical Treasure for over three hundred years, when has there ever been a problem?"

"Senior, please don't be offended, the junior does not understand these things."

This old man truly had a fiery temper.

"If it wasn't for seeing you as a disciple of Tianwu, I would have kicked you out long ago."

Xu Guang was helpless, doubtful of the old man's words, but dared not question further, thinking and biting his teeth, "May I, junior, rent two Holy Artifacts?"

If this Celestial Silk Smoke is as the old man claims, then according to this price, its power estimate might not be enough. He planned to borrow two Holy Artifacts at once, one for defense, one for offense, able to advance or retreat.

The old man gave Xu Guang a glance, his eyes playful, "In honor of True King Tianwu, I'll make an exception for you this time."

Xu Guang quickly expressed his gratitude.

Renting two Holy Artifacts requires thirty million Demon Slaying Merits altogether, an extremely alarming number, and even for a second nirvana master, it could take a long time to accumulate.

Fortunately, Xu Guang thought if he could kill Qin Cultivator and seize the Holy Artifacts from him, he could certainly recoup the cost.

"These accounts, I'll calculate them under your master True King Tianwu's name. If you die, the Holy Artifacts you leave behind and the owed merits will be paid by him, got it?"

Since becoming a disciple of True King Tianwu, despite meeting only once, this identity brought him significant benefits, and he did not want to involve Tianwu in trouble.

"Senior, I..."

"What? You don't want to?"

The old man frowned.

Xu Guang was speechless.

"Why are you hesitating, worrying you won't survive?"

Xu Guang suddenly realized the old man seemed to be encouraging him.

Sure enough, he heard the old man continue, "Forget it, you and I are somewhat kindred. If you die, then nothing matters, I won't trouble Tianwu either. If you survive, you'll repay the debt slowly."

Though Xu Guang felt the old man was problematic, he didn't wish to entangle at this moment, and the old man was right, if he died, nothing mattered; living was when everything could be resolved.

...

When Xu Guang and General Wei re-entered the Celestial Cyan Mine, he appeared quite composed.

In just half a day, the mine's situation didn't seem different from before.

Yet in his heart, there was a slightly unsettling feeling, as if some unimaginable crisis was drawing near.

He took a deep breath, knowing Qin Cultivator had arrived.

The opponent's boldness was greater than he imagined.

But with many second nirvana experts from the Northern Emperor Institute here, how would Qin Cultivator respond?

As he walked a few miles into the mine, a strange sound suddenly came from the sky above.

An extremely evil Qi emerged from the ground.

The ground suddenly began to violently shake, as if something terrifying was trying to break out from it,

Whoosh!

Suddenly a cyan arm broke through the soil, and many cyan-faced fanged creatures crawled out from the ground.

Zombies!

How could there be so many zombies?

Qin Cultivator's means?

"Audacious!"

This was the voice of Huan Songzi, a second nirvana expert, who sensed the changes in the ground instantly.

As the angry shout rang out, silhouettes shot out from the far-off mine.

Huan Songzi stood in the air, his face gloomy, pressing his hands forward. Immediately, chaotic purple Qi emerged in the sky, like countless chains, instantly surging towards the cyan ground spawning evil zombies.

These newly born, not-so-powerful zombies were instantly overturned by the attacks of Huan Songzi and others.

"Cackle, cackle!"

The eerie laughter seemed to emanate from the Netherworld, and the purple Qi chains conjured by Huan Songzi immediately shattered.

A bizarre coffin of cyan-red appeared faintly from the clouds, with four giant zombies acting as bearers, the gray-white dead aura seemingly opening the gates to the Netherworld.

Those zombies suppressed by Huan Songzi and others started merging into this dead aura.

As the swirling and permeating gray dead aura lingered, a strange black candle emerged.

'No birth, no self, no birth, no extinguish, all illusions, seeking the Great Lord of the World!'

It was as if the Ancient God was muttering in a dream.

The Underfloor Heating turned, the earth cracked, countless killed and wounded, human tragedy.

The earth split open, vast fissures like beastly mouths devouring everything at the Celestial Cyan Mine.

"No birth, no self, no love, no hate, summoning Annihilation Venerable, destroy the Great Duke!"

The hoarse menacing voice on the coffin sounded again.

The black candle's glow continuously changed, falling on the coffin, its black flame suddenly burst forth, seemingly transforming into the candle's fuel.

From the underground emerged a huge dark red vortex, like the entrance to the Netherworld.

Huan Songzi's expression drastically changed, "Qin Cultivator, you've gone mad!"

Xu Guang standing behind General Wei, his face turned ash grey.

A familiar feeling, that was... the feeling from Li Taizhou, as if constantly being watched and tracked, like a thorn in his back, seemingly at any moment a monstrosity would tear him apart from the darkness.

Qin Cultivator...

Truly insane.

The man used his previous life's Dao fruit and flesh body as a foundation, marking coordinates of a truly ancient Ancient God, pulling several mountains including the Celestial Cyan Mine into the Netherworld.

Chaos erupted instantly at the mine, countless people ran, cried, and prayed, but to no avail.

This scenario wasn't only happening at the Celestial Cyan Mine but also at several nearby mines as well.

Huan Songzi and others joined forces in the sky, using all their Qi Force to create chains of purple and gold to try and lock heaven and earth, to stop the dreadful dead aura in the sky and the Ancient God about to descend.

Xu Guang turned around and heard an eerie voice.

"You finally came."

He abruptly raised his head, at a small hill over two hundred meters away, Qin Cultivator with the Tiger Bone Mask had crimson eyes, silently staring at him.

"Do you enjoy the gift I prepared for you?"

Xu Guang's gaze turned icy, "You did all this for me?"

Qin Cultivator's eyes emitted black light as he looked at Xu Guang with a playful intent, "We have plenty of time, how about a deal? You tell me the reason you're able to walk out from this safely, and I tell you my original plan? How about it?"

Xu Guang reached slowly for the bronze long sword at his waist. General Wei moved his long trunk uneasily beneath him.

"No rush to act, otherwise..."

Qin Cultivator sneered, suddenly extended his hand, an image appeared in the air, it was a peculiar deep cave, intersecting chains within, binding a person — Bai Xiaozhu.

"What do you think, you ruined such a major thing of mine, and yet I spared your man, how's that?"