Bai Niao Mountain.
This place was once remote and rarely visited, with only a handful of Loose Cultivators making it their ho.
Later, it beca a gathering point for a group of Tribulation Cultivators, who discovered a miniature Spirit Stone Ore Vein and turned it into their base of operations.
But their good fortune didn’t last. The old incident of them wiping out a Loose Cultivator Clan ca to light, attracting an investigation from Elder Mingluan of the Qingfeng Sect.
Noticing a discrepancy in the number of Spirit Stones, she followed the clues and discovered the Spirit Stone Ore Vein.
The Qingfeng Sect dispatched Cultivators to seize the Ore Vein. And because it was located on the front lines against the Ghost Spirit Sect, they established tight security.
At its peak, seven or eight Foundation Establishnt Elders and over a hundred Qi Refining Disciples gathered here, mining Spirit Stones at the fastest possible pace.
However, it was, after all, only a miniature Spirit Stone Ore Vein with limited reserves. After years of excavation, it was now mostly depleted.
The Foundation Establishnt Elders had long since returned to the Sect, leaving only a single Steward to lead a few Qi Refining Disciples in guarding the location.
The mining work had also beco exceedingly difficult, with only a few scattered Spirit Stones remaining in the deepest parts of the Ore Vein.
Hundreds of the mortal world’s finest Martial Artists toiled at the bottom of the mine for a year, their combined efforts yielding only about a thousand Spirit Stones.
But even the tiniest bit of at is still at. Until the Spirit Stone Ore Vein was completely exhausted, this outpost would not be abandoned.
"Sigh. Who knows when we’ll be transferred back to the Mountain Gate... I was at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer when I arrived, and after two years in this godforsaken place, I’m still stuck in the sa spot."
Two Firework Daoists sat opposite each other at a stone table, sharing a pot of cheap wine. The table, however, was laden with exotic delicacies.
Bai Niao Mountain was not far from a mortal city. With just a single word, the mortal nobility would spare no effort to provide for all their needs.
The one who complained had a round, pockmarked face. He detested how the thin Spiritual Qi on Bai Niao Mountain was hindering his cultivation progress.
The other Firework Daoist, a few years older and clad in a brown robe, had heavy-set features and a kind, gentle deanor. "Junior Brother, don’t be so impatient. In another year, our mission will be over, and other sect mbers will take our place. When we return to the Mountain Gate, we can use the contribution points we’ve saved up these past few years to exchange for a couple of Qi Replenishing Pills and make up for the lost ti."
"With our aptitude, even if we stayed at the Mountain Gate, we’d at most reach the Qi Refining Sixth Layer in three years. Breaking through the barrier to the Late-Stage Qi Refining is just a pipe dream."
"That may be true, but I still feel a bit..."
The round-faced junior brother was about to argue further when the Array on Bai Niao Mountain suddenly began to flash wildly. Yellow sand surged up, obscuring the sky and sun.
The Ten Thousand Miles Yellow Sand Formation was a Tier Two Top-Grade Array. Even without anyone controlling it, and even when operating at its lowest protective level to conserve Spirit Stones, it still kicked up vast clouds of yellow sand with astonishing power. A heavy, yellow light linked the mountain ranges together, appearing dense, solid, and indestructible.
"What’s going on? Did so foolhardy Tribulation Cultivator break in? We have to notify the Steward imdiately!"
The brown-robed Daoist’s expression turned grave. He grabbed his round-faced junior brother and was about to leave when a Blood Shadow flashed outside the Array. A streak of scarlet light shot directly into the formation.
The scarlet streak carried a dense, bloody aura and was exceedingly strange. Wherever it passed, the yellow light lted away like the first snow of spring.
It treated the Ten Thousand Miles Yellow Sand Formation as if it were nothing, passing through directly without taking any damage.
The scarlet streak flashed. A bloody hole appeared in the chests of both the brown-robed Daoist and his round-faced junior brother. Their eyes were wide with fury as they collapsed, their faces deathly pale.
A few breaths later, the two corpses on the ground shriveled and curled up. Their clothes hung empty, all their flesh and blood completely gone.
Across Bai Niao Mountain, screams and furious shouts echoed.
From the mountain peaks to the bottom of the mine, from Qingfeng Sect Disciples to Mortal Martial Artists, all t a brutal end.
The screams and wails ceased. The scarlet streak circled Bai Niao Mountain once before stopping, revealing a blood-colored figure.
Or perhaps, it was more like a monster.
Its entire body was ford from condensed blood, barely maintaining a human shape. Its facial features were blurry, though one could still make out the positions of its mouth and nose.
"Heh heh, all Qingfeng Sect Disciples deserve to die... Kill, kill more of them! To the Black Mountain Range!"
Two Blood Cores shone in the Blood Shadow’s eyes, deep and demonic. Yet, its gaze flickered between a dazed confusion and lucid bloodlust.
"Master wants to unify the Demon Path of Liang Country and is preparing to bring the Ghost Spirit Sect under his command... I’m just six Foundation Establishnt Cultivators’ heart’s Essence Blood away from breaking through to the Late-Stage Foundation Establishnt!"
"Kill! I’ll turn this world upside down! Then I’ll pay a visit to the Ghost Spirit Sect. Can’t let them get too comfortable!"
A mont later, clarity returned to the Blood Shadow’s eyes, its sanity obviously restored. Even its facial features beca a little sharper.
With a cold sneer, it transford back into a scarlet streak and shot into the distance, leaving a trail of iridescent light.
As the scarlet streak flew, it flickered in and out of existence, reappearing hundreds of yards away each ti with no discernible pattern.
...
’This Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body is so much harder than the first two layers,’ he thought. ’And since I’m only dedicating a third of my energy to it, I’m finding it difficult to even get started...’
For the past few months, Bai Zichen had spent most of his ti on the cultivation of his Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture, dedicating only a small portion to the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body.
Comprehending the Five Crystal Divine Iron required complete concentration. Each Visualization session was a full-blown effort that consud a massive amount of his Divine Sense.
He couldn’t practice any other Cultivation Techniques during this process; he had to focus on one thing alone.
He had originally expected it to follow the pattern of the first two layers.
The Five Crystal: six months to master the basics, one year to complete.
The Glazed Body: another year to master the basics, two years to complete.
For the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body, even if the ti requirent doubled again, that layer alone would take a total of six years.
He had pieced together what ti he could to first succeed in comprehending the third layer, visualizing the mountain-like Five Crystal Divine Iron, so that he could practice it later when he had free ti.
But at his current rate of progress, it was clear that mastering the basics of the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body within two years was impossible.
’It’s a sha I never had the chance to ask Ancestor Ge Cang in person how long it took him to complete the third layer, the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body,’ he mused. ’If I could compare our tis, I’d have a rough idea of how long it will take to cultivate this Body Refining Technique.’
Bai Zichen didn’t think it was because the effects of his mysterious Spirit Body were diminishing; rather, it was due to the nature of the Five Crystal Glaze Body technique itself.
It didn’t progress layer by layer. Instead, the first and second layers were one tier, while the third and fourth entered a whole other Realm. The difficulty spike between them was likely far more than just double.
This much was evident from the Glazed Fire Divine Body that empowered him.
If the power increase continued to be as gradual as it was in the first two layers, the Five Crystal Glaze Body would only be considered a decent, high-level Body Refining Technique.
That would hardly justify its profound difficulty and the imnse amount of ti required to cultivate it.
Nor would it match the legends of the Qingfeng Sect’s founding Ancestor, who was said to have dominated Liang Country by relying on this very technique.
’Compared to the Glazed Body, the difficulty of starting the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body has increased severalfold... This makes sense. Otherwise, where would the imnse power of the Glazed Fire Divine Body co from?’
Thinking deeper, Bai Zichen felt this was the only logical conclusion.
But for his current situation, this was a major disadvantage.
He had been hoping to advance on both fronts, increasing his cultivation and his strength simultaneously. He’d imagined that by relying on the powerful physical body from the Five Crystal Permanent Casting Body, he would one day be able to easily kill over ninety percent of Late-Stage Foundation Establishnt cultivators.
Several days later, after completing a full circulation of the Fire Dragon Returning Essence Scripture, Bai Zichen noticed his Elder Token flashing urgently.
’An urgent summons from the Law Enforcent Hall? Did sothing happen?’
After a mont of thought, Bai Zichen stepped out of his Quiet Chamber and decided to go see what was happening.
He knew Liang Yu’s personality; the man wouldn’t bother him with trivial matters. It had to be sothing important.
As his Sword Light descended before the Law Enforcent Hall, Bai Zichen keenly sensed that sothing was amiss.
As the Sect’s departnt of power, the disciples of the Law Enforcent Hall had always carried themselves with an air of superiority. Every one of them exuded strong confidence and vibrant energy.
But the few people in his line of sight all looked hurried, their eyes filled with panic and helplessness.
"Senior Sister Longx, you’re here too... Do you know what happened?"
He walked into the main hall of the Law Enforcent Hall. Inside, a Female Cultivator with a voluptuous figure and long, straight legs stood with her back to him. Her black hair was not tied up, falling straight down her perfectly postured back.
Bai Zichen recognized this cold and beautiful Female Cultivator. She was known as the "Ice Mountain Beauty," whose looks were unrivaled in Black Mountain.
"Junior Brother Bai is astoundingly talented, surpassing us in just a few years. I truly feel unworthy of being called ’Senior Sister’..."
Longx Longx turned around. Her slightly thin lips did not disrupt the harmony of her features; instead, they made her appear even more coldly beautiful.
"They say a Demon Cultivator has entered the county and is on a killing spree. Many Sect Disciples have already been killed. That’s why the Hall Master has gathered us to discuss how to hunt this Demon Cultivator down."
"Speaking of which, Junior Brother Bai, you are this hall’s Supervisor Elder. I suppose that makes your subordinate... For this mission, we’ll have to count on you to lead the team."
Longx Longx suddenly gave a charming smile, like an iceberg lting or a flower blooming.
She had been transferred to the Law Enforcent Hall several years ago, becoming one of the five Inspection Elders and taking Ma Ming’s forr position.
"A Demon Cultivator broke in... What’s their Cultivation? Are they alone?"
Bai Zichen was stunned by Longx Longx’s rare smile. He admired it openly for a mont, but didn’t forget to ask about the important matter at hand.
"Just one person, with at least Mid-Stage Foundation Establishnt Cultivation... Their Cultivation Technique is bizarre, suspected to be a Blood Dao Technique. Junior Brother Ni has already tragically fallen victim to them!"
The voice ca from outside the hall. It was Liang Yu, striding in with the gait of a dragon and the pace of a tiger, his face ashen with suppressed rage.
Following behind him was another man with sword-like brows and star-like eyes, a hint of arrogance in his expression.
"What? Senior Brother Ni has been killed!"
Longx Longx cried out, her voice as cold as ice.
Over the past few months, more than a hundred Qingfeng Sect Disciples and Loose Cultivators had been killed. Naturally, Elder-level figures had to be sent out to investigate and hunt for the perpetrator. Senior Brother Ni had been one of them.
Bai Zichen recalled what this Senior Brother Ni looked like: always hunched over, a look of sorrow perpetually on his face.
He wasn’t that old, but his entire being radiated a sense of decrepitude.
Bai Zichen had seen him once when he first joined the Sect, but they had rarely t since. He only knew that this Senior Brother Ni had once been a highly anticipated genius disciple.
He was a True Inheritance disciple who had successfully reached Foundation Establishnt in his early forties. But while traveling outside Liang Country, he ran into a Demoness from the Joyful Sect.
Disciples of that Sect specialized in dual cultivation—specifically, the one-sided kind where they drained their partners. The Demoness had completely squeezed his body’s Essence dry, destroying his foundation and ruining his future.
Despite that, his strength was still that of a normal Foundation Establishnt Cultivator. To think he had fallen at the hands of that Demon Path Cultivator.
"Just like the Cultivators who died before, only Junior Brother Ni’s skin and bones were left behind; all his flesh and blood had vanished. There were very few signs of a fight at the scene, only deep craters left by Junior Brother Ni’s Spiritual Artifact. The opponent won in an extrely short amount of ti and used a Blood Dao Technique to kill him."
Liang Yu had already composed himself and was relaying the details of the scene where Junior Brother Ni was killed.
"According to our intelligence, there are no Blood Dao Cultivators of this caliber within the Ghost Spirit Sect... I suspect they hired this expert from another Demon Path Sect!"
"Junior Brother Bai, you are the Supervisor Elder. You will take the lead on this matter. You must hunt this person down and avenge Junior Brother Ni and all the Black Mountain Cultivators who have been brutally murdered!"
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