My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 276 - : The Ghost Swordsman in the Bloody Storm

Chapter 276: Chapter 276: The Ghost Swordsman in the Bloody Storm

Upon seeing the back of Ouyang Ping, An Jing subsequently broke the seal and unfolded the letter in his hands.

The blank paper spread open, and the characters on it began to reveal themselves one by one.

“When you receive this letter, you may have already guessed a little. Zongzheng Huachun made his move, completely severing my longevity lock. His strength is immense, and from what he has shown, he is even above Qi Xuan Dao. This Holy Master of Houjin is indeed a martial arts prodigy. Although both of us are at the Heavenly Human Communication Realm, the power of heaven and earth that can be leveraged is different. Those who have just entered the Heavenly Human Communication can harness less of heaven and earth’s power, but with deeper enlightenment of the Dao, the power one can draw from heaven and earth also increases. Zongzheng Huachun has reached the pinnacle in this aspect; I believe he is the person closest to the Unity of Heaven and Man Realm in this world. As for what realm exactly, I have not been able to discern.”

“He came specially from the Royal Court this time to strike against me—firstly because of the army moving south, and secondly, he feared my longevity lock, worried that I would step into the final realm. After all, the Demon Sect has had Great Grandmasters before and now, the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ has resurfaced. He is extremely wary of these things. However, Zongzheng Huachun also feared that I would fight to the death with him, so after shattering my longevity lock in the desert, he left. He is injured too, but not severely; considering the Great Snow Mountain has such healing holy medicine as the Snow Lotus, he might recover quite quickly.”

“The martial arts Zongzheng Huachun displayed is inherited from the Body Refining Skill of the Great Snow Mountain, which is second to none compared to Buddhism’s practice and is one of the two strongest body refining sects in the world. From this encounter, I have seen Zongzheng Huachun’s true strength. Apart from the body refining method, he has also cultivated a martial arts practice—possibly as powerful as the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’—and this feeling is very familiar, as if it shares the same essence but in different forms with Qi Xuan Dao’s practice. Houjin’s swift rise is undoubtedly largely due to this Houjin Holy Master, but there must be many secrets and hidden cards on him. If you face him in the future, remember to be very cautious.”

“The situation in the world is changing, and the state of affairs is as precarious as a house of cards. Five Qi Grandmasters should be very careful to conceal themselves, wishing to break through those shackles, yet there’s always a cage-like restriction in the dark, preventing the breaking of these chains. After researching ancient texts, I’ve found that since the Great Qin Dynasty, the world has started to decline. At the height of the Great Qin Dynasty, there were three Great Grandmasters presiding over the world, with countless Grandmaster experts, while in the Great Zhou Dynasty, a Great Grandmaster appeared only once every hundred years. As for Yan Country, apart from the Grand Ancestor at the founding, no Great Grandmasters have appeared for centuries, and I even estimate that in a few hundred years, Grandmasters will become extremely rare.”

“As for the mystery of this, I am unclear, and I cannot comprehend it. Therefore, many Five Qi Grandmasters of the current age have gone into hiding, rarely showing themselves to the world. Once they do, it must be a time of great chaos. This period now should be sufficient for you and Qingmei to grow, but you mustn’t let your guard down.”

“Speaking of places like Outer Heaven, the encirclement by Houjin and Zhao Country on Yan Country is already a done deal. The intentions of the barbarians are insidious. In my estimation, the Southern Barbarians will also take part in the time to come. Many heroes will pursue Yan, and the great battle for the division of ancestral lands will soon commence. Most of the barbarians are unruly by nature, savage, and cruel, and they won’t tolerate so-called sects sharing their power. Therefore, relying on Yan Country and uniting with Yan Country to resist the barbarians from all directions is the way for Outer Heaven to survive. Inside Yan Country, the conflicts are numerous and dangers lurk everywhere. As for how to decide specifically, I’ll leave it to you.”

“I’ve recorded my lifelong cultivation experiences in another piece of paper enclosed with this letter, including my understanding of heaven and earth, and my insights into my own Dao. Perhaps it can offer you some help.”

“The Jianghu now no longer suits me because I am too nostalgic, and I have already become indifferent to life and death. When a person dies, it is as if the water has vanished into the water.”

“Jun Qinglin, this is my final written word.”

…..

An Jing read to the end all in one breath and let out a long sigh.

He could almost envision the expression on Jun Qinglin’s face as he wrote that last word—certainly very relaxed, indifferent, and serene.

People die, and it’s just like water disappearing into water.

An Jing murmured to himself softly, “Zongzheng Huachun’s strength is indeed above that of the Great Elder.”

Jun Qinglin had already reached the Five Qi Grandmaster level and could stand apart from heaven and earth; how terrifying then would be Zongzheng Huachun, who was above him?

Moreover, Zongzheng Huachun had his own trump cards and secrets, and he definitely wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

Then there was Qi Xuan Dao, with whom he also had irreconcilable differences. The mysterious and powerful Black Ice Platform was the very hand behind the split of the Mystical Sect, hiding deep secrets behind them.

Besides external forces, the current situation inside Yan Country was fraught with crises as well.

The Crown Prince, who harbored murderous intent towards himself, was someone who could feel the killing intent from an elder like Su.

Then there was the Second Prince, who tried his best to win over the Demon Sect, yet his ambition was too great, so great that even An Jing felt uneasy. Zhao Mengtai even colluded with Houjin for the sake of the throne…

Since ancient times, there has been only one outcome for those who failed in their power struggles, and that is death.

Clearly, Zhao Mengtai already felt that he had reached a point of no return and could only fight to the death.

And what about the emperor of Great Yan? What purpose and plans did he have after all?

In short, every step had to be taken cautiously, for one wrong move could lead to an irreversible fate.

“First, I will make a trip to Beili Volcano to obtain the Honghu Divine Soul,” An Jing decided.

An Jing put the letter away and placed it in his chest before heading out of the city.

With the Honghu Divine Soul in hand, even when facing a Five Qi Grandmaster, he might stand a fighting chance.

…..

Five days later, at Lingnan Dao’s White Cloud Temple.

After the battle between Heavenly Martial Sect and Buddhism, although the Exalted Vajra of Buddhism was defeated by the Ghost Swordsman, and later seriously injured by the Sword Demon, he is still recuperating in the Pure Land. However, Buddhism has truly received the National Teaching Order.

Suddenly, in all Buddhist temples within the territory of Yan Country, support from local government officials could be seen everywhere, whether for repairing the temples or posting declarations on bulletin boards.

Lots of common folk went to the temples to light incense and pray for blessings, while some youths chose to join the Martial Arts Academies of various temples to learn Buddhist martial arts. To master the profound martial arts of Buddhism, one must delve into the Buddhist Law, and imperceptibly, many have shaved their heads to become monastic disciples.

White Cloud Temple was among the countless temples in Yan Country. With Buddhism now the national religion, the number of pilgrims visiting this locale was ever-increasing, making it a famous local attraction.

It was also frequented by many jianghu heroes who came to tour and admire the place.

At this moment, two promising upstarts from the jianghu were discussing the great affairs of the world.

“Brother Tian, do you know how the conflict in the North Field is going?”

“I heard from a senior in my sect that there are Houjin experts infiltrating and engaging in skirmishes every day within Heavenly Water City, but they are quickly suppressed. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Houjin troops are amassing; a great battle seems inevitable.”

“The son of Pingyang Marquis, Qiu Lun, has also dispatched a hundred thousand troops for reinforcements… ”

“What’s a hundred thousand troops? Houjin has marshaled nearly half the nation’s strength to lay siege to North Field, boasting an army of four hundred thousand,” someone said.

“In my view, this battle will last at least another year and half,” another chimed in.

“Right, that Dulu Sword is ranked number one on the Famous Sword List. What makes it so special?”

“It is said that the Dulu Sword’s edge is peerlessly cold, and the blade itself can emit Sword Qi. Even an ordinary swordsman could instantly become a top-notch swordsman with it.”

“Terrifying! If a Sword Demon or a Ghost Swordsman, these kinds of top-notch swordsmen, were to obtain the Dulu Sword, just how fearsome would that be?”

“I once read in an ancient tome that during the Great Zhou Dynasty, a swordsman of the Sixth Realm used the Dulu Sword to tear the sky asunder, cleaving a two-hundred-zhang high mountain with a single stroke. But not long after, that swordsman perished and vanished from the dao.”

“Split a mountain with one stroke? Isn’t that a feat of immortals?”

…

Many people around were attracted by the conversation.

Someone recognized the youth and exclaimed, “Isn’t this gentleman from the Yijian Sect, Tian Wang?”

The Yijian Sect, a sect in Lingnan, isn’t comparable to the seven major sects of Yan Country, but its strength is not to be underestimated. In Yan Country’s Jianghu, it’s considered a first-rate sect. Its sect leader has Third Grade Realm cultivation and is a swordsman with quite a reputation in Jianghu.

As the top disciple of the Yijian Sect, Tian Wang is the most outstanding youth in Great Yan Martial World in recent years. His cultivation is in Third Grade Realm, and he also holds considerable renown in Jianghu.

“Indeed.”

The young man replied with a faint smile and a cupped fist.

The surrounding Jianghu people all brightened up and came over to greet him.

Now that Tian Wang had reached Third Grade Realm and considering his age, it was very likely he would reach First Grade Realm in the future. The matter of him becoming the sect leader of Yijian Sect was practically a foregone conclusion.

“The mere Yijian Sect, daring to speak so loftily of the Dulu Sword?”

Just then, a cold voice rang out.

Tian Wang frowned and looked towards the source of the voice.

He saw a man in a black robe with a mask covering his face; his voice somewhat indistinct. Yet at his waist, he carried an ancient longsword.

Tian Wang was filled with displeasure towards the person who suddenly appeared and reprimanded him.

Wandering Jianghu, whether his peers or his seniors, everyone always treated him with courtesy. Who was this person who came up to him with such sarcastic remarks?

Someone stepped forward and rebuked, “Who are you? How dare you speak so insolently to young Master Tian?”

“Pfft!”

As the words fell, the figure in the black robe unsheathed the ancient sword, and a shockingly beautiful burst of blood emerged.

Fast!

Incredibly fast!

The speed with which the man in the black robe drew his sword was so fast that no one there could see how he did it.

“Thud!”

The man, with fear in his eyes, then fell to the ground, his blood flowing from his neck onto the surface below.

Hiss–!

The surrounding Jianghu experts all drew in a sharp breath, fear rising in their hearts.

To kill without a word, such ruthlessness was rare in Jianghu.

Besides, could this even be considered a disagreement?

The man in the black robe glanced at Tian Wang, his gaze as piercing as two sharp longswords.

“You!”

Tian Wang took a slight step back, a bead of cold sweat appearing on his forehead, “Who exactly are you, and why do you wantonly slay the innocent?”

“You dare to call yourself a swordsman?”

The man in the black robe sneered and kept his hand on his waist.

Run!

Seeing this, Tian Wang’s heart chilled and he immediately bolted towards the back.

“Pfft!”

But his running speed was simply too slow. The streak of sword light came hurtling toward him, piercing directly through Tian Wang’s back.

Immediately after, the blood-covered longsword returned once again to the hands of the black-robed figure.

“I… I….”

Tian Wang could only collapse powerlessly, his palm reaching out towards the front, as though he wanted to escape from this place.

At this moment, a monk walked over, brought his palms together in front of his chest, and said, “Amitabha, White Cloud Temple is a pure land of Buddhism; why must the benefactor wantonly create slaughter?”

This man was the abbot of White Cloud Temple.

The black-robed figure sneered, “How do you know I am wantonly creating slaughter?”

The abbot of White Cloud Temple said solemnly, “Because I sensed the murderous intent in the benefactor’s heart.”

“Big monk, you’re right,”

the black-robed figure laughed aloud, sweeping his ancient longsword towards the abbot of White Cloud Temple.

The sword light was chilling to the bone, as if plunging one into an ice cellar.

“Pfft!”

The abbot of White Cloud Temple was directly turned into a cloud of blood mist by the sword light, scattering across the pure land of the Buddhist temple.

Unsheathe sword!

Sheathe sword!

The black-robed figure performed all his actions with a seamless flow, casual and unrestrained, as if he had done a trivial thing of no consequence.

“Is this… the Evil Suppressing Sword!?”

Someone recognized the provenance of the ancient longsword, and looking at the man’s attire, they cried out in shock.

There were not many who knew the appearance of the Evil Suppressing Sword, but as the name of the Ghost Swordsman became renowned all over the world, more became aware of it.

Since its forging, the Evil Suppressing Sword had only ever had one master.

Who the master of the Evil Suppressing Sword was, there was no one in the world who did not know; it was the famously distinguished Ghost Swordsman.

A person’s reputation is like the shadow of a tree!

The martial experts present all retreated to the distance, not daring to provoke the slightest trouble, fearing that they too would be killed.

“A Demon Sect villain dares to kill the abbot of White Cloud Temple!”

“I’ll fight you to the death!”

Just as these words were spoken, the monks of White Cloud Temple, their eyes blood-red, charged toward the black-robed man.

“Since you all wish for death, I will grant it to you,”

the black-robed figure said with a smile, his body rushing towards the monks from White Cloud Temple.

“Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft!”

In a flash, some would inevitably perish beneath his sword. In less than a few dozen breaths, the entire White Cloud Temple had become a place of dead silence, its ground turned red with blood, covered with the corpses of White Cloud Temple’s monks. By now, the common people and martial experts who were previously here had long since fled without a trace.

“This is only the beginning,”

the black-robed man said, watching the scattering figures of the crowd before turning his gaze away and calmly walking down the mountain.

…..

Manduo Manor.

Manduo Manor was also a significant force within Jianghu, and its lord, Wan Yuanchun, was of Second Grade Cultivation. He was known in Jianghu for his kindness and righteousness, holding a heroic reputation.

In his youth, he and a few sworn brothers were called the Seven Heroes of Lingnan. Later, due to a grudge with a Pavilion Master of the Demon Sect, the Seven Heroes joined forces to kill the Pavilion Master, which led to being hunted down by the White Tiger Sect of the Demon Sect. In the end, several of his sworn brothers died to save him.

Wan Yuanchun even fled to Zhao Country for refuge and did not return to Yan Country until the Demon Sect was expelled from Great Yan.

At the battle of Blue Sky Island, he joined to avenge his former sworn brothers and died there, settling an age-old grudge.

Now, Manduo Manor was led by his eldest son, Wan Xin.

At this moment, inside the main hall, Wan Xin was reviewing the revenue and expenditures of the manor for the past year.

“Ma… Manor Master…”

Suddenly, a figure covered in blood rolled and crawled in.

“What’s happened?”

Upon seeing this, Wan Xin stood up abruptly.

This person was a coach at Manduo Manor and also a Third Grade expert in the Jianghu, yet now was in such a disheveled state.

“Someone has broken in.”

“Who!?”

Wan Xin’s face turned extremely ugly.

“Thud!”

A flying sword pierced through from outside the door, directly penetrating the body of the coach.

It wasn’t until the coach collapsed to the ground that a cold voice finally rang out.

“Me.”

As the voice faded, a figure in a black robe, holding an ancient longsword, slowly walked in.

Wan Xin recognized the sword, causing his pupils to dilate sharply, “Ghost Swordsman!?”

He and his father had personally witnessed the Grandmaster showdown between the Heavenly Martial Sect and the Demon Sect, immediately identifying the Evil Suppressing Sword.

The man in the black robe said nothing, as if to acknowledge by his silence.

Fear began to rise in Wan Xin’s heart, but he still tried to remain composed, “After the battle at Blue Sky Island, the grudge between Manduo Manor and the Demon Sect was already settled. Why have you now broken into Manduo Manor again?”

Who was the Ghost Swordsman?

That was a top Grandmaster, and even ten of him would be no match for the Ghost Swordsman.

“If you cut the grass without removing the roots, the spring breeze will bring it back to life.”

The man in the black robe spoke indifferently, then raised his arm.

“Pfft!”

Wan Xin only saw a flash of sword radiance, and then light turned to darkness as his life was extinguished along with it.

“Thump!”

His body then heavily fell to the ground, the last traces of shock in his eyes not yet completely faded.

The man in the black robe walked out of the main hall, heading towards the outside of Manduo Manor.

By then, the entire Manduo Manor had turned into a sea of blood, with no one left alive.

…..

At the same time, Yujing City was also in turmoil.

As the Crown Prince began to exert his influence secretly, large-scale purges of the Second Prince’s party began.

Imperial Censors and Imperial Censors began to write fervently, sending a large number of memorials to Zhao Tianyi daily, which were then forwarded to the Imperial Study Room.

Every day in the Capital, officials were taken to the Heavenly Prison, subjected to severe torture. For a time, the entire court was in a state of alarm and everyone was in fear for their safety.

Yujing City, the Second Prince’s separate residence.

The lamplight flickered, unsteady and uncertain.

Zhao Mengtai sat on a soft couch, playing with a cage in his hands.

Yue Tingchen spoke with an extremely grave expression, “Second Prince, the Crown Prince has made his move.”

Zhao Chongyin had moved too quickly, sweeping away the Second Prince’s party with the speed of lightning, resulting in a large number of officials connected to Zhao Mengtai being imprisoned. Other officials who were originally close or neutral began to secretly lean towards Zhao Chongyin, leaving Zhao Mengtai completely on the defensive.

Zhao Mengtai was also caught off guard. He knew this was his brother’s way of warning him.

After all, the Heaven Worship Ceremony was about to be conducted on Zhong Mountain, and the Crown Prince would represent the royal family of Yan Country in the ceremony. In Yujing City, he, Zhao Mengtai, was present.

He was also afraid to move against the Crown Prince’s party at this time, so he made a preemptive strike.

“Minister Yue, you simply need to remember those in the court who are close to Zhao Chongyin,” Zhao Mengtai said with a corner of his mouth curling into a cold smile.

Yue Tingchen’s eyelids twitched slightly. “Does Your Highness have any brilliant strategies in response?”

“Success lies in meticulous planning; wealth is sought through danger; decisions determine the fate of heaven and earth.”

Gazing at the dim candlelight before him, Zhao Mengtai spoke indifferently, “To achieve something great and turn the tide of the current predicament, one must take a bold gamble. If successful, I will be the emperor of this human world; if I fail, I will be nothing more than a pile of dry bones.”

Yue Tingchen’s heart gave a slight lurch. “Your Highness, you intend to….”

Zhao Mengtai asked, “Tingchen, have you ever thought of becoming the Grand Secretary, to wield your own talents?”

“I think about it all the time,” Yue Tingchen replied.

Zhao Mengtai put down the cage and continued, “Now, the only opportunity of your life is before you. If you succeed, you will become the Grand Secretary. Will you do it or not?”

Yue Tingchen honestly replied, “I will consider it.”

“Hahaha.”

Zhao Mengtai laughed loudly, a glint of sharpness flashing in his eyes. “I won’t think too much about it. To do something significant, one either achieves greatness or faces utter defeat.”

“If Zhao Chongyin dies during the Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony, who else in the royal family will be my opponent then?”

Upon hearing this, Yue Tingchen quickly bowed his head, seeming to hide the fearful expression on his face.

To kill the Crown Prince!

Even though Yue Tingchen knew that Zhao Mengtai had attempted such a thing during his time at the Four Symbols Sect, he couldn’t help but shiver inwardly when hearing it now.

Back then, Zhao Mengtai used his Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion to contact the Demon Sect, covertly trying to assassinate Zhao Chongyin, which did not succeed and was merely a probe. But now, the upcoming Heaven-Worshipping Ceremony was different—any assassination attempt would surely shock the world.

If successful, another Crown Prince would be established; if it failed, and the investigation traced back to him, it would mean irreversible doom….

Zhao Mengtai said indifferently, “The one in charge of securing Zhong Mountain’s safety this time is Wei Bangfu, who once served under Marquis Pingding and naturally is also my man. As long as I let in Houjin’s experts, together with Wind and Rain Tower, the Sword Demon, Tianpeng Ancestor, and many other experts on my side, Zhao Chongyin will not be able to escape, even if he had wings.”

Yue Tingchen swallowed hard and asked, “Your Highness, the experts from Houjin are….?”

Zhao Mengtai really colluded with Houjin, intending to join forces with them to kill his own brother—that was audaciously bold.

Those were barbarians!?

This was no doubt making a deal with a tiger!

Zhao Mengtai said faintly, “Three Dharma Kings from the Great Snow Mountain will come.”

“But….”

Yue Tingchen’s brow furrowed slightly. “In that case, wouldn’t it greatly magnify Houjin’s influence, to the detriment of our Yan Country?”

The Crown Prince being killed by Houjin’s experts within the country was an utter disgrace. The morale of the soldiers fighting at the front would plummet, affecting the battle situation at the front line.

With the nest overturned, no egg remains intact—a simple truth that everyone understands.

“Don’t worry, I have my contingency plans.”

Zhao Mengtai patted Yue Tingchen’s shoulder and said, “You will accompany my brother to Zhong Mountain this time. I will discuss the details with you later. Once the great event is accomplished, Yan Country will be under my command, and you will be my Prime Minister.”

With his eyes closed, a faint smile crept on Zhao Mengtai’s lips.

“Your servant will lay down his life for Your Highness… no, for Your Majesty, without hesitation,” Yue Tingchen knelt down and said excitedly.

Zhao Mengtai opened his eyes but remained calm as he said, “It’s still too early for that.”

“Your Highness.”

Just then, Mo Yan’s voice came from outside the door.

“Come in,” Zhao Mengtai said.

Mo Yan entered, bowing with a fist in palm. “There is an urgent report from Lingnan Dao.”

Zhao Mengtai’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Lingnan, what’s the matter?”

With a grave expression, Mo Yan reported, “White Cloud Temple, Manduo Manor, and Yijian Sect have all been slaughtered, leaving but a few survivors. And the culprit is none other than the Ghost Swordsman from the Demon Sect.”

Zhao Mengtai was somewhat surprised at the news. “Are you sure it was the Ghost Swordsman?”

White Cloud Temple is a Buddhist power, and according to covert information, Buddhism and the Demon Sect have already formed an alliance. It’s a big problem that the Demon Sect strikes against its own allies.

As for Manduo Manor and Yijian Sect, they are powers within Jianghu. They indeed had grievances with the Demon Sect before, but those were completely settled after the battle at Blue Sky Island.

At least at this time, there should be no more mention of it, especially since the Demon Sect has just returned to Yan Country and hasn’t recovered its strength yet, starting a major conflict now seems somewhat unreasonable.

Furthermore, in Zhao Mengtai’s impression, the Ghost Swordsman has never been one to take the initiative to attack. Whether it was the old man Qingfeng or Qi Shu, they were the ones who provoked him first, and ended up being killed by him.

Mo Yan said, “The person was wearing a black robe, with an unclear face, and holding the Evil Suppressing Sword in his hand. Many martial experts in Jianghu saw it with their own eyes, and moreover, that person’s swordsmanship is extremely high; the Ghost Swordsman’s Sword Control Technique also comes naturally to him.”

Zhao Mengtai chuckled lightly, “What exactly is the purpose of this Ghost Swordsman?”

The Demon Sect had just retreated from Dongluo Pass, a time when it should be recuperating. What then is the purpose of suddenly striking against various powers in Jianghu?

Mo Yan took a deep breath and said, “Rumors in Jianghu say that the Dulu Sword Meeting is imminent. The Ghost Swordsman wants to nourish the Evil Suppressing Sword with the blood of experts to combat the Sword Demon and incidentally eliminate the hidden threats of the Demon Sect, after all, this is very much in line with the Demon Sect’s way of doing things.”

Zhao Mengtai burst out laughing, “Interesting, truly interesting. It seems this Dulu Sword Meeting is going to be even more intriguing than I imagined.”

….

As the ‘Ghost Swordsman’ caused a great slaughter in all directions, the Great Yan Martial World plunged into a huge upheaval, and the recently returned Demon Sect to Yan Country naturally got involved as well.

Countless experts shivered with fear, their hearts filled with trepidation.

The Ghost Swordsman defeated the Exalted Vajra and left the battle at Blue Sky Island with ease. This could already fully demonstrate his supreme, unmatched strength. How many experts in the Great Yan Martial World could stand against him?

The Sect Leader of Yijian Sect, with his First Grade Cultivation, was pierced through by the Evil Suppressing Sword with a single strike, causing unprecedented shock.

For a time, many experts were fraught with anxiety and fear, rushing to the Zhenyi Sect in the hope of inviting Xiao Qianqiu, like they did with Great Heavenly Yang in the past, to uphold justice in today’s Great Yan Martial World.

Resistance against the Demon Sect once again rose loudly in the Great Yan Martial World.

And the ‘instigator’ of all this had, at this moment, arrived in front of Beili Volcano.

Originally, it was with the help of Beili Volcano that he had recovered his primordial energy and completely stabilized his Cultivation in the Grandmaster Realm.

After absorbing the volcanic essence last time, the primordial energy around Beili Volcano had drastically decreased, leading many martial experts who wanted to absorb volcanic essence to gradually dwindle.

Also, considering that it was winter, Beili Volcano had entered hibernation, presenting a scene of deathly stillness.

However, approaching Beili Volcano, one could still feel the scorching heat, so it also attracted many beggars, as well as commoners who had fled from the borderlands, to gather there for the only warmth available.

An Jing, following the memory of the time Luo Chongyang led him here, arrived at the cave entrance of Beili Volcano via a small path.

The scorching wind hit his face, instantly making the severe cold weather feel much warmer.

“Hint three: There is a blue opportunity within Beili Volcano.”

Suddenly, a blue radiance transmitted from the Earth Book.

An Jing’s heart stirred, a blue opportunity was a rare treasure, and he had not expected that having come to Beili Volcano once before, there would still be an opportunity.

Currently, besides the blue radiance, there was nothing else on the Earth Book.

The last time he was at this cave entrance, the Earth Book revealed a clue about a black opportunity. Now, it was gone—evidently, the Honghu no longer posed a threat to An Jing’s life.

Feeling the burning waves of heat, An Jing headed into the cave of Beili Volcano.

The deeper into the cave, the hotter the blast of heat, and the concentration of volcanic essence in the air was also much lower than before.

After all, the volcanic essence is brewed by the volcano itself; it needs constant time to evolve.

The Nameless Heart Scripture began to operate, madly absorbing the thin volcanic essence around him. Cultivation needs to be accumulated over time, and at this moment, one should not waste volcanic essence.

The hot waves were so intense that they even formed powerful impacts; they were also transformed into fine essence that merged into An Jing’s body.

Walking a few dozen metres further, he finally arrived at the mouth of the cave.

The temperature around was extremely high, and the volcanic essence in the air was also at its peak concentration.

Bright red lights flashed fiercely around, vaguely appearing to shoot upwards, along with devouring heat waves that felt like fierce beasts.

“Gulp!” “Gulp!”

Strands of hot waves swept over him, the magma pulsating continuously, while at the same time volcanic essence was slowly fermenting.

An Jing looked at the magma, knowing that beneath the earth here lay an extremely fierce exotic beast.

A Honghu with the strength comparable to a Four Qi Grandmaster.

To know, the Black Flood Dragon only had the strength of a Third Qi Grandmaster, yet this Honghu was even above the Black Flood Dragon, and here in its territory, its strength might even rise further.

The volcano pulsed continuously, and An Jing gazed into the fiery sea, seemingly lost in thought.

From ancient times to the present, there has been but one great Dao, with countless lesser paths: the Dao of the heavens, the earth, humanity, ruler, subject, filial piety, and so on.

It is said that, in the heavens, patterns form, and on the earth, shapes take hold.

The meaning of this phrase is that everything that can be perceived is called shape.

And the ‘Dao’ is above ‘shape’.

That is to say, the ‘Dao’ is above all shapes, an intangible existence invisible to direct perception.

People can only comprehend the ‘Dao’ through things that are tangible and perceptible.

The volcano is born from the nurturing forces of heaven and earth—a power of the world. Isn’t the Honghu’s substantial increase in strength, with the aid of this place, also a kind of unique ‘Heavenly Human Communication’?

And human ‘Heavenly Human Communication’ is also about leveraging the ground beneath their feet, the sky above their heads, or even the blowing wind to enhance their own strength, ultimately merging with and understanding the world, connecting with heaven and earth.

With these thoughts, An Jing’s eyes closed slightly, feeling the pulsing of the volcanic essence and the caress of the heat waves.

These are all the manifestations of the tangible.

Time passed unknowably, seemingly just a moment, yet it felt like several hours had slipped away. An Jing seemed to feel the power within the volcano.

The scorching air waves began to swirl around him as their center, gradually forming a fiery vortex.

Within the vortex was volcanic essence, growing larger and larger, pulling in more and more of the surrounding essence, until eventually, it seemed to form a terrifying and formidable Qi Force.

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An Jing sensed the power of the natural world around him and was making use of it.

The next moment, an alarming majesty surged forward.

This completely interrupted An Jing’s contemplation, and the surrounding vortex instantly dispersed, the volcanic essence becoming dots of red light filling the entire cavern.

“Boom Boom Boom!”

With explosive sounds rising, the Honghu burst forth from beneath the lava, lifting a massive amount of volcanic essence and scalding magma.

An Jing waved his sleeve, and the oncoming magma instantly turned into a white vapor.

Honghu!

This was the second time An Jing had seen the exotic beast; it seemed to recognize him, with a hint of ferocity in its eyes.

“Screech!”

The Honghu let out a strange cry, then opened its jaws, and a red flame roared towards An Jing.

Because of its intense heat, the flame had turned purple in color.

An Jing leaped to avoid the flame.

Seeing its fire ineffective, the Honghu flapped its wings, which could block out the sun, towards An Jing.

The huge wings hadn’t yet arrived when the rolling heat wave they carried, the powerful gusts, caused the underground lava to churn.

An Jing drew the Evil Suppressing Sword from his side, then made a sweeping slash. A supreme cold energy surged forth, cleaving the oncoming heat wave in two.

“Puchi!”

The rest of the sword light showed no mercy as it slashed onto the Honghu’s wings. Even the exotic beast couldn’t withstand the chill of the Evil Suppressing Sword and immediately sustained a wound on its wing, with blood flowing continuously.

The blood only further incited the Honghu’s ferocity. Its jaws opened again, and purple flames poured forth from its throat, like a sweeping tide, blocking all paths An Jing could take.

An Jing could only grip the Evil Suppressing Sword tightly, as true Qi continually flowed into the sword.

“Whoosh!”

The Evil Suppressing Sword flew forth, its extreme chill splitting apart the air waves and flames on both sides.

The moment the Evil Suppressing Sword touched the purple flame, it seemed to encounter a great resistance, making it difficult to part them any further.

At that moment, An Jing noticed the volcanic essence at the bottom of the lava rushing frantically into the body of the Honghu.

“This Honghu, relying on magma, can continuously absorb volcanic essence. Its inner core will never run dry. It seems I must quickly resolve this fight,” An Jing thought, his eyes narrowing as his palm swiftly gathered true Qi. It was as if he had drawn all the true Qi of the surrounding heaven and earth to himself.

Nine Yang Divine Finger! Pointing Qiankun!

An Jing extended a finger, and before him, a red column seemed to appear, casting a vast shadow below before finally descending.

Boom! Boom!

With An Jing’s spirit returning to its place and his cultivation reaching the Three Qi Realm, his strength was naturally enhanced by much. This finger strike, heavy as a mountain, fell mightily, and with the insights he had just gained, its power was nearly double that of when he was at the Second Qi Grandmaster level.

Honghu didn’t retreat an inch and met the attack with a direct claw strike.

Thud!

When the finger light collided with Honghu’s sharp claws, a terrifying force transmitted through them, causing An Jing’s internal organs to tremble.

Exotic beasts are strongest in their physical body, and in that instant of collision, An Jing suffered a disadvantage.

“Shi!”

At the same time, the Evil Suppressing Sword flew back into his hand. Even though An Jing wrapped it with a layer of true qi, and the sword’s chill had cleared away most of the hot air streams, he could still feel the heat emanating from the hilt.

“Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!”

Honghu’s flames were still burning fiercely, scorching the surrounding air and creating strange noises.

Profound Fire, the flames within Honghu were no ordinary flames but were of a higher temperature, even capable of burning the true qi within a grandmaster.

An Jing continuously struck forward with the Evil Suppressing Sword in his hand, its cold energy surging forth and directly scattering the flames.

Honghu clearly did not believe it and suddenly spat out several strong clusters of Profound Fire, covering An Jing’s body.

Facing the Profound Fire, An Jing neither dodged nor evaded, directly splitting the fire with the sword in his hand.

Of course, An Jing naturally couldn’t keep passively getting hit; this completely contradicted his purpose of coming to Beili Volcano.

“Shi!”

An Jing’s figure reflected in the sky, followed by what seemed like six An Jings appearing, each in a different posture, but all slicing forward with a sword strike.

One of the sword strikes severely chopped onto Honghu’s head, causing Honghu to emit a mournful howl as blood gushed out, and its body heavily crashed against the cave wall.

Although Honghu was struck by the sword, it quickly flapped its wings and rose into the air again. After all, it was a beast comparable to a Four Qi Grandmaster in strength and wasn’t severely injured by An Jing’s strike.

“Boom!”

As if it knew that Profound Fire was useless against this man, Honghu changed its attack method. Its thick wings flapped towards An Jing, coming with great force and power, causing a strong whirlwind within the cave.

An Jing sneered. In the instant that Honghu’s attack landed, his body had already disappeared from its place.

Now in the Three Qi Realm and coupled with the Shrinking Land into Inches, it was a fool’s dream for Honghu to hit him.

“Humming!”

An Jing’s Evil Suppressing Sword suddenly let out a soft chant.

Honghu’s body violently trembled, the Profound Fire in its throat instantly extinguished, leaving only cries of pain.

Controlling the heartbeat!

An Jing had used this method to kill countless experts before.

Seeing an opening, An Jing naturally wouldn’t miss such an opportunity, stabbing towards Honghu’s heart with his sword, the fierce sword radiance piercing through Honghu’s tough skin and into its flesh.

“Pew!”

Honghu let out a sharp roar and stared at An Jing with vicious eyes. Amidst its raging howls, it clawed toward An Jing.

An Jing had no intention to clash with Honghu once more, hastily retreating backward, as the Evil Suppressing Sword split into six.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

Six sword lights surged forth, then transformed into six giant swords. Their speed was incredibly fast, like six surging waves rushing forward, eventually fiercely nailing Honghu’s wings, feet, and neck.

“Thud!”

The immense force from the Evil Suppressing Sword directly penetrated Honghu’s body, pinning it against the cave wall, with blood flowing along the blade into the lava.

At this point, Honghu let out a mournful howl, its vicious eyes showing a hint of pleading.

Seeing this, An Jing, who was about to extract its divine soul, hesitated slightly with his hand.

….

PS: Asking for a guaranteed monthly ticket, double releases on Children’s Day.