amaotonovel Chapter 1422 You're already in the late Nascent Soul stage, what's the point of hiding?
Chapter 1422 You're already in the late Nascent Soul stage, what's the point of hiding?
Chapter 1422 You're already in the late Nascent Soul stage, what's the point of hiding?
Deep within the Fallen Demon Valley lies a hidden space concealed by numerous natural barriers and spatial rifts.
The place was dimly lit, filled with ancient and pure demonic energy, completely out of sync with the spiritual energy outside. In the center of the space stood an ancient altar constructed from unknown black rocks. But instead of a deity being worshipped, the altar sealed away a terrifying monster!
The monster was over ten feet tall, with two heads and four arms. A single, curved horn on its forehead gleamed with a chilling light, and its entire body was covered with dense, jet-black scales that seemed to absorb all light. It was firmly sealed by a huge red crystal, whose interior seemed to contain flowing blood-red magma, and remained motionless, like an eternal sculpture.
However, even in its sealed and dormant state, this demonic body still exudes a terrifying pressure originating from the essence of life, causing one's soul to tremble! This indicates that it is not an inanimate object, but an ancient ferocious beast that may awaken at any moment and destroy everything! Simply standing in front of it, one can feel the lingering savage and violent will.
Qin Hao stood before the altar, his gaze fixed intently on the perfect ancient demon body, lost in thought. The strength of this physical body far surpassed the Heavenly Capital Corpse Puppet he had previously crafted, even exceeding the body he had cultivated with the Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art! If he could refine it into an external avatar…
"Kid, I advise you not to get any crooked ideas. This is a true ancient demon body, not comparable to those low-level demons or corpse refiners."
An aged voice, tinged with both mockery and solemnity, suddenly rang in Qin Hao's mind. It was none other than the Great Evolution Divine Lord residing within the Soul Nourishing Wood.
Qin Hao frowned slightly, his mind sinking into his sea of consciousness to communicate with the Great Evolution Divine Lord within the Soul Nourishing Wood: "Do you know what I want to do?"
"Hmph, do you even need to guess?" The Great Evolution Divine Lord's tone was tinged with disdain: "Look at the way you look at yourself, like a lustful ghost who has seen a peerless beauty. You're probably just plotting to refine this demonic body into an external avatar."
Before Qin Hao could answer, he continued to pour cold water on his argument, saying, "Kid, you underestimate the wisdom and methods of those ancient cultivators. If this demonic body could really be easily refined into an external avatar by later generations, why would they have gone to such lengths to lay down so many seals and permanently suppress it here? Wouldn't it have been better to just destroy it or take it away for their own use?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Hao pondered for a moment, a flash of understanding appearing in his eyes: "You mean... this demonic body itself has a great hidden danger, which will backfire on the divine consciousness controlling it, and even demonize it?"
"Not too stupid." The Great Evolution Divine Lord's tone softened slightly: "This demonic body is a genuine ancient demon, its life level and power essence are completely different from our human cultivators, full of chaos and corrosiveness. Although it is now dormant because its soul has been separated and sealed, the demonic nature and instincts contained in the demonic body itself have not been completely extinguished. Once it breaks free from the seal, or if a powerful external divine sense tries to take over and control it, it is very likely to stimulate its demonic nature to fully recover."
He paused, his tone becoming even more serious: "Even if we take a step back and assume this demonic body cannot awaken its own consciousness, your divided soul and divine sense entering its body will be constantly eroded and assimilated by the pure demonic energy it contains. For a short time, you might be able to suppress it with your powerful divine sense, but over time, your divided soul will inevitably be corrupted by the demonic energy. At best, your divine sense will be damaged, and your avatar will go out of control; at worst, the demonic energy will flow back into your main body, causing you to fall into the demonic path and become a monster that only knows how to kill! The ancient cultivators sealed it instead of using it precisely because they knew the harm it would cause!"
It must be admitted that what the Great Evolution Divine Lord said makes a lot of sense. However, to have such a powerful body with unlimited potential right in front of you, yet be unable to make use of it, is like a mortal entering a mountain full of gold and silver, only to be told that you can't take a single piece away. It's truly unbearable to be tempted.
"Is there really no way at all?" Qin Hao muttered to himself, still somewhat unwilling to give up. He communicated with the "AI" in his sea of consciousness and gave the order: "AI, calculate the success rate of refining this ancient demon body into the 'Heavenly Capital Corpse Puppet', as well as the possible risks."
[AI: Command received. Initiating scanning of the target demonic body's energy structure... Analyzing demonic energy erosion characteristics... Comparing compatibility with the Heavenly Capital Corpse Puppet crafting method... Establishing a risk model... Analyzing...]
[Deduction progress 10%...30%...70%...100%]
[Calculation Results: Considering factors such as the target demonic body's activity, the intensity of demonic energy erosion, the host's current cultivation level and spiritual consciousness strength, and the grade of the refining method, the probability of successfully refining it into a controlled Heavenly Capital Corpse Puppet is 28.17%. The risk of failure is extremely high, and the consequences of failure include, but are not limited to: demonic energy backlash against the host, the demonic body awakening and going berserk, causing a large-scale demonic energy leak, and permanent contamination of the host's spiritual consciousness... It is strongly advised against the host attempting this under the current conditions.]
With a pitiful 28% success rate! And the consequences of failure are extremely serious! The AI's cold deduction result was like a bucket of cold water, completely extinguishing any remaining hope in Qin Hao's heart.
He sighed, shook his head, and prepared to follow the advice of the Great Evolution God, abandon this dangerous idea, reinforce the seal on the altar, and then leave.
However, just as he turned to leave, the Great Evolution Divine Lord within the Soul-Nourishing Wood suddenly spoke again, his tone carrying a hint of unfathomable mystery:
"Boy, are you giving up already? I only said that with your current cultivation level, trying rashly would be courting death, but I never said that you should never even think about this demonic body."
Qin Hao paused, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, and immediately asked, "What do you mean by that, senior? Is there still a chance to turn things around?"
The Great Evolution Divine Lord chuckled and said, "Actually, it's not entirely impossible to try. However, with your current cultivation level of mid-Nascent Soul, although you are considered top-tier in Tiannan, you are still too weak against this ancient true demon body! Once you trigger a backlash from the demon body during the refining or control process, not only will your life be in danger, but you may even break the seal balance here, causing a leak of demonic energy and resulting in a disaster that affects the entire cultivation world of Tiannan!"
He changed the subject, his tone leading the conversation: "But what if... you break through to the Nascent Soul stage in the future?"
The stage of transformation of spirit!
These three words exploded in Qin Hao's mind like a thunderclap! He instantly understood what the Great Evolution Divine Lord meant!
That's right! The Nascent Soul stage! That's a completely different level of life from the Infant stage. The understanding of the laws of heaven and earth and the control of one's own power will reach a whole new level! At that time, the strength of one's divine sense and the ability to control energy will undergo a qualitative leap!
If I can advance to the Nascent Soul stage, the success rate of dealing with this demonic body will greatly increase! At that time, with my Nascent Soul cultivation, easily handling this demonic body, which has been sealed for countless years and whose strength is reduced to a hundred percent, should be a piece of cake. Even if there are still risks in the process of refining the external avatar, they will be completely within a controllable range.
Moreover, there's another crucial advantage! The primordial energy of heaven and earth in the mortal realm is extremely thin, exerting a strong suppressive force on Nascent Soul stage cultivators. This prevents them from easily unleashing their full power in the mortal realm, as it would shorten their lifespan. However, possessing a powerful avatar unaffected by this limitation would undoubtedly solve this problem perfectly! The avatar could be out there fighting and handling affairs, while the main body remained behind the scenes, allowing for complete freedom of movement!
Thinking of this, Qin Hao's eyes gleamed with excitement. This plan was far more reliable and far-reaching than any risky attempt he was currently undertaking!
"Thank you for your guidance, senior!" Qin Hao sincerely thanked the Great Evolution Divine Lord. Although this old monster had an eccentric temper, his knowledge was indeed vast, and he could often hit the nail on the head.
Having decided to take a long-term approach, Qin Hao no longer hesitated. He took out various array flags and array plates, and meticulously arranged several powerful concealment, protection, and seal-reinforcing arrays around the ancient altar. This ensured that this place would not be easily discovered by later visitors, and also further prevented the leakage of demonic energy and unexpected changes to the demonic body.
Having done all this, he resolutely turned around, transformed into a streak of light, and flew back along the original path towards the outside of the Fallen Demon Valley.
……
A month later, Qin Hao successfully left the perilous Fallen Demon Valley and returned to the Qingxu Sect of the Northern Liang Kingdom.
Inside the cave dwelling on the main peak, Yuan Yao and Yan Li had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Qin Hao return safely, both women were overjoyed.
Qin Hao summoned the two women to his side and solemnly instructed them, "I have gained some insights from my recent trip and have some understanding of the situation. I will soon be going into seclusion to break through the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul stage. This seclusion is of utmost importance and may take a long time. During this time, there must be no disturbance. I will activate all the restrictions inside and outside the cave. You must also guard the entrance carefully. Unless it is a matter of life and death, you must not disturb me."
Seeing Qin Hao speak so seriously, Yuan Yao and Yan Li knew that this matter was of great importance, so they quickly and respectfully replied, "Master, rest assured, we will guard the cave and will not allow anyone to disturb your cultivation."
After arranging everything, Qin Hao went straight into the quiet chamber at the deepest part of the cave. The heavy stone door slowly closed, and layers of protective light shone, completely isolating the inside from the outside.
The news that Qin Hao had begun his seclusion to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage spread quickly among the high-ranking members of the Tiannan cultivation world, though it is unclear how it was spread.
After all, Qin Hao's previous cultivation level was only at the peak of the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, yet he possessed terrifying combat power capable of fighting against a great cultivator. After returning from the Fallen Demon Valley, he immediately went into seclusion, and his purpose was self-evident. It's hard not to guess that he wanted to break through the bottleneck that had troubled countless genius cultivators and advance to become a true late-stage Nascent Soul great cultivator!
This news instantly caused quite a stir in the cultivation world of Tiannan.
"Have you heard? Elder Zhang from the Qingxu Sect has begun his seclusion to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage!"
"If Elder Zhang succeeds in his breakthrough, wouldn't our Nine Kingdoms Alliance have two great cultivators overseeing it? Our strength will be unparalleled in the South!"
"It is said that this Elder Zhang has been cultivating for less than three hundred years! If he really succeeds in advancing to the late Nascent Soul stage, wouldn't he become the youngest great cultivator in the history of our Tiannan cultivation world? This talent is simply too heaven-defying!"
"Hmph! That's easy for you to say! Does seclusion guarantee a breakthrough? If the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul stage were so easy to overcome, Tiannan wouldn't have only had three great cultivators for hundreds of years!"
"Exactly! Elder Zhang's supernatural abilities are indeed astonishing, and his combat power is heaven-defying, but breakthroughs in cultivation realms sometimes don't solely rely on combat strength. The difficulty of advancing through each minor bottleneck in the Nascent Soul stage is no less than that of overcoming a major bottleneck in the previous realm. To say that he could become a great cultivator so easily is to underestimate the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul stage, isn't it?"
Compared to lower-level cultivators who treat it as a topic of conversation and aspiration during their spare time, for the Nascent Soul cultivators at the top of the Tiannan cultivation world, Qin Hao's breakthrough to the late Nascent Soul stage is of extraordinary significance.
This matter is especially sensitive for the leaders of the three major forces: the Heavenly Alliance, the Six Demonic Sects, and the Righteous Alliance.
Originally, the Nine Kingdoms Alliance had Wei Wuyai, the recognized number one cultivator in Tiannan, and Qin Hao, who, although only in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, possessed combat strength comparable to that of a Grand Cultivator. This gave the Nine Kingdoms Alliance a significant advantage in high-end combat power, enough to make the other three forces wary.
If Qin Hao were to successfully advance to the late Nascent Soul stage... then the Nine Kingdoms Alliance would possess two truly formidable cultivators! The balance of high-end combat power would be completely tilted, and the Nine Kingdoms Alliance would truly have the capital to crush the other three major forces! This is a situation that Supreme Yang Venerable and the Joyful Union Old Demon absolutely do not want to see, and can hardly accept!
As a result, in the years that followed, the Qingxu Sect, which had originally been a relatively inconspicuous sect located in a remote corner of Beiliang, suddenly became "lively." Various forces, whether openly or covertly, tried to plant many spies around the Qingxu Sect and even within the sect itself.
These informants have only one mission: to closely monitor any unusual activity in the cave dwelling on the main peak of the Qingxu Sect! Once the cave dwelling is opened, or any unusual phenomenon of heaven and earth energy that seems to indicate a successful breakthrough appears, they must immediately relay the news back to their respective forces.
For a time, the area near the main peak of Qingxu Sect was rife with undercurrents.
……
Time stands still in the mountains, while a thousand years have passed in the world.
For cultivators who are in seclusion for arduous training, time often slips away silently. In the blink of an eye, fifty years have passed since Qin Hao entered his cave for seclusion.
For the past fifty years, the cave dwelling on the main peak of Qingxu Sect has remained tightly sealed with its stone doors closed, its protective light flowing continuously, never having been opened. Nor has any obvious spiritual energy fluctuation or unusual celestial phenomena ever been emitted from within.
This prolonged silence inevitably led to various speculations from the outside world. Some who had initially been optimistic about Qin Hao began to waver, wondering if he had encountered some insurmountable obstacle in his attempt to break through his cultivation bottleneck, or even... if he had made some mistake in his cultivation, leading to his failed seclusion and serious injury...
However, on a seemingly ordinary morning, no different from any other day...
"Om..."
A deep yet clear scraping sound from the stone gate broke the fifty-year silence that had gripped the main peak.
The stone door to the cave, which had been sealed for half a century, slowly opened inward.
Immediately afterwards, a streak of dark green light, like a dragon emerging from the abyss, shot into the sky from the cave! This streak of light did not linger above Qingxu Sect, but instead sped directly toward another mountain cave belonging to Han Li near the main peak.
This scene, though brief, instantly ignited the nerves of those spies lurking in the shadows who were almost ready to give up!
"Look! The escape light from the main peak cave!"
"It's him! He's out of seclusion!"
"Quickly! Quickly send the message back to the sect! Report to the patriarch that he has emerged from seclusion!"
A day later, a streak of azure light rose from the mountain cave where Han Li was. The two streaks of light, one dark and one azure, merged together and, without the slightest delay, transformed into two streaks of light, shooting towards the direction of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance's headquarters—Tiantian City. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the horizon, their speed astonishing.
"Could it be... that he really succeeded in breaking through?"
"Judging by the speed of this escape, it seems even more terrifying than it was fifty years ago!"
"Quickly, hurry to Tiancheng! We must confirm his true cultivation level!"
In an instant, the Tiannan cultivation world, which had been quiet for nearly fifty years, became bustling and lively because of Qin Hao's emergence from seclusion! Countless sects sent their capable disciples or elders to Qingxu Sect to investigate the truth, while many more turned their attention to Tiantian City.
The eyes of almost the entire Tiannan cultivation world were focused on this, and countless cultivators were nervously speculating and discussing the same question: Did Qin Hao successfully break through the bottleneck and advance to become the revered late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator during his fifty-year seclusion?
……
On the towering walls of Tiantian City, inscribed with countless defensive runes.
Three figures stood side by side, their robes fluttering in the wind. They were none other than the three most prominent figures in the Tiannan cultivation world today—Wei Wuyai of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, the Supreme Master Zhiyang of the Righteous Path Alliance, and the Old Demon of the Joyous Union Sect of the Six Demonic Paths!
The three appeared calm, but their incredibly powerful divine senses had already spread like an invisible giant net, extending thousands of miles away and firmly locking onto a certain direction. Their expressions all carried an undisguised solemnity.
Wei Wuyai stroked his long beard, trying to ease the somewhat tense atmosphere, and chuckled, "Why are you two so nervous? If Fellow Daoist Zhang can successfully advance, it will be a blessing for the entire Tiannan cultivation world. Now, the Tuwu people are eyeing us covetously, and the Mulan people are not resting either. Our Tiannan cultivation world should unite against our common enemy and strengthen our forces."
Both Master Zhiyang and Old Demon Hehuan scoffed at Wei Wuyai's seemingly high-sounding words, secretly cursing him in their hearts.
At the same time, a strong sense of regret welled up within them. Had they known Qin Hao possessed such terrifying potential and progressed at such an astonishing rate, they should have spared no expense, even making the heaviest promises, to bring him into their camp! Now, they had only benefited the Nine Kingdoms Alliance for nothing!
The Old Demon of Hehuan glanced at Wei Wuyai with a sinister look, his tone clearly provocative: "Fellow Daoist Wei, aren't you being too happy too soon? If Zhang Tie's cultivation level truly improves and he becomes a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like us... hehe, given his strength back when he could fight you to a draw at the mid-stage Nascent Soul level, I'm afraid you'll have to hand over your title of 'Number One Cultivator in the South' to someone else, right? At that time, within the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, who will be the most respected?"
Faced with the old demon Hehuan's blatant attempt to sow discord, Wei Wuyai laughed heartily, appearing quite magnanimous: "Fellow Daoist Hehuan is overthinking it. Fellow Daoist Zhang is a prodigy, capable of fighting me to a standstill even at the mid-Nascent Soul stage—that is a fact. If he truly succeeds in advancing, his strength will undoubtedly far surpass mine. What harm is there in relinquishing this empty title of 'Number One in the South' to him? In my heart, there is only the greater good of the South and my Daoist friendship with you. Why would I care about such empty titles?"
His words were spoken with such righteous indignation that they left the Old Demon of the Joyful Union speechless and embarrassed.
The Old Demon of Hehuan and the Venerable Master Zhiyang exchanged a secret glance, both seeing deep apprehension and a hint of resolve in each other's eyes.
It seems that the past struggle between good and evil needs to be temporarily put aside in the face of the upcoming new格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or landscape) that may be dominated by the Nine Kingdoms Alliance. Both sides are vaguely considering putting aside their prejudices and secretly cooperating to form an alliance in order to counter the Nine Kingdoms Alliance's dominance.
At that moment, Wei Wuyai's expression suddenly shifted, a hint of surprise and joy appearing on his previously calm face. Immediately afterward, almost simultaneously, the Old Demon of Hehuan and the Venerable Zhiyang also showed slight changes in expression, clearly sensing something.
The three of them almost simultaneously detected two powerful auras rushing towards Tiancheng!
Before long, two streaks of light, one dark and one azure, appeared at the horizon. In a few flashes, they arrived above Tiantian City. The streaks of light receded, revealing the figures of Qin Hao and Han Li.
At this moment, after fifty years of arduous cultivation, coupled with the residual effects of the Creation Pill, Han Li's cultivation had successfully broken through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, his aura calm and profound. However, the gazes of Wei Wuyai, the Supreme Yang Master, and the Old Demon of the Joyful Union merely swept over him, without lingering for long.
All their attention and all their spiritual perception were drawn to Qin Hao, who was at the head of the group, as if attracted by a magnet!
Qin Hao stood in mid-air, his face still youthful, but his eyes had become even more profound, as if containing the stars and the sea. His aura was harmonious and restrained, yet he naturally exuded a spiritual pressure on par with Wei Wuyai and the other two—a unique pressure belonging only to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!
In an instant, the expressions of the three great cultivators on the city wall became incredibly interesting.
After a brief moment of surprise, Wei Wuyai's face quickly broke into a hearty, hearty laugh that echoed across the land: "Hahahaha! Good! Good! Good! Fellow Daoist Zhang! Congratulations! Congratulations! To have successfully advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage before the age of three hundred, such a speed of cultivation is truly enviable and unparalleled throughout history! From this day forward, our Tiannan cultivation world has gained another pillar of strength!"
Meanwhile, Venerable Zhiyang and Old Demon Hehuan's facial muscles twitched stiffly a few times, forcing out a smile that was more like a grimace, and they dryly echoed, "What Fellow Daoist Wei said is absolutely right... Fellow Daoist Zhang's talent is extraordinary, and he is truly a role model for us... Tiannan has gained another great cultivator, which is truly... cause for celebration."
Their hearts were filled with utter shock, their last shred of hope shattered. This young man had actually succeeded! And judging from the refinement of his aura, he was clearly not a beginner, but had completely stabilized his realm! Now, the landscape of Tiannan was truly about to change completely!
Qin Hao took in the expressions of the two men and understood. He smiled calmly and took the initiative to speak, "Fellow Daoist Wei, you flatter me. I was merely fortunate. As for Fellow Daoist Zhiyang and Fellow Daoist Hehuan..."
His gaze swept over the two men, his tone calm yet carrying a subtle sharpness: "You two seem to have some doubts about my advancement? In that case, how about we find a place to spar?"
Upon hearing this, both Venerable Zhiyang and the Old Demon Hehuan's expressions changed again. They hadn't expected Qin Hao to be so direct, wanting to attack the moment they met!
But things have come to this point, and if they back down, wouldn't it make them seem afraid? Moreover, deep down, they did indeed have the idea of assessing Qin Hao's true strength.
"Since Fellow Daoist Zhang has such an elegant interest, I will gladly accompany you!" Venerable Zhiyang said in a deep voice.
"Hmph, just what I wanted!" the Old Demon of Hehuan responded coldly.
Wei Wuyai was naturally happy to see this happen, as it was a good opportunity for Qin Hao to establish his authority.
The three immediately found a desolate mountain range far from Tiancheng. Qin Hao fought two against one, against the Supreme Master of the Sun and the Old Demon of the Joyful Union!
The outcome of the sparring match was not unexpected by Wei Wuyai, but it shocked both Zhiyang Shangren and Hehuan Laomo.
Qin Hao didn't even use the Myriad Talismans Treasure Record or the Asura Sacred Flame; he simply pushed the Heaven-Supporting Demon Art to its limit!
His physical body seemed to have transformed into a human-shaped ancient treasure, with strength, speed, and defense reaching an unbelievable level! The pure Yang magic weapon of the Supreme Yang Master bombarded him, leaving only faint white marks; the strange demonic arts and divine sense attacks of the Old Demon of Joyful Union were easily resisted or neutralized by his equally surging divine sense.
Qin Hao's attack was simple, brutal, and effective! His fists, covered in dark gold light, seemed capable of shattering mountains and collapsing the void! This forced Supreme Yang and the Old Demon of Joyful Union to constantly dodge and defend, leaving them in a sorry state.
Although both sides tacitly refrained from using their trump cards, which could potentially result in mutual destruction, it was clear to anyone with discerning eyes that Qin Hao had the upper hand! He even seemed to be playing with ease, not exerting his full strength!
Finally, after Qin Hao unleashed a ferocious punch that nearly shattered one of the Hehuan Old Demon's protective ancient treasures, the Supreme Yang Master and the Hehuan Old Demon had no choice but to stop, their faces turning ashen, and acknowledge Qin Hao's strength.
After this battle, Venerable Zhiyang and Old Demon Hehuan completely abandoned any thought of directly confronting Qin Hao or even the Nine Kingdoms Alliance. Upon returning to their respective sects, they immediately issued a strict order: all disciples must never initiate conflict with the Qingxu Sect or the core forces of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance; those who disobeyed would be severely punished!
……
Three days later, Qin Hao and Han Li left Tiancheng together.
Instead of returning to Qingxu Gate, they headed north, crossing the Mulan Grassland, which had only recently returned to peace, and entered the even more expansive Tianlan Grassland, which was also surrounded by more formidable enemies—the territory of the Tuwu people!
During their journey, when they passed through the current habitat of the Mulan people, the Mulan Saintess, through special means, sensed Qin Hao's undisguised and dazzling late-stage Nascent Soul spiritual pressure, which was as bright as a beacon in the night.
Standing atop the temple, gazing at the dark green streak of light piercing the sky, a tempting yet dangerous thought instantly welled up within her—to mobilize the entire clan, in coordination with the sacred bird and several divine masters, and spare no expense to forever preserve this newly promoted Grand Master of Tiannan, who might pose an even greater threat to Mulan in the future!
The thought, like a venomous snake, coiled around her heart. However, after only a few breaths of hesitation, she gave up in despair and let out a long sigh.
You must not use your hands.
The Mulan clan has just suffered a crushing defeat, its strength severely depleted. They have only managed a fragile peace with the Tiannan cultivation world to jointly counter the threat of the northern Turks. If she were to order the interception of Qin Hao now, success would be fine, but failure... would not only thoroughly enrage Tiannan and cause the alliance to break down, but it would also give the Turks an opportunity to exploit. At that point, the Mulan clan would be caught in a pincer movement, facing the possibility of annihilation!
This gamble was too big! She couldn't afford it, and neither could the entire Mulan clan! She could only watch helplessly as the streak of light pierced into the heart of the Tianlan Grassland like a sharp sword, her heart filled with a sense of powerlessness.
On the vast and boundless Tianlan Grassland, Qin Hao's escape light swaggered around without concealing his powerful spiritual pressure, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, making it hard to go unnoticed.
This greatly puzzled and worried Han Li, who was also flying with his aura concealed. He couldn't help but ask telepathically, "Senior brother, our purpose on this journey is to cross the grasslands and head to the Great Jin Dynasty. We should act discreetly to avoid any unforeseen complications. Why... why are we being so high-profile? Isn't this just inviting trouble from the immortal masters of the Tuwu people?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Hao retorted with an air of matter-of-fact, "High-profile? I think it's fine."
Han Li was speechless, almost choking on his words. A late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, making no attempt to conceal his spiritual pressure, swaggering through the core area of an opposing force—wasn't that considered high-profile?
Seeing Han Li's speechless and nervous expression, Qin Hao laughed and comforted him via telepathy, "Don't worry, Junior Brother Han, I have my reasons for doing this. Relax. Besides, with your current mid-Nascent Soul cultivation and your unpredictable escape techniques, even if you really can't win and want to run away, there probably aren't many people on this grassland who can stop you, right?"
Han Li's lips twitched. Far from being comforted, he regretted inviting Qin Hao to accompany him to the Great Jin Dynasty even more. He had originally wanted to travel with Qin Hao because his own cultivation of evil energy had created a hidden danger, and Qin Hao had told him that the Great Jin Dynasty had profound Buddhist techniques that could resolve this, so he thought they could look after each other.
Unexpectedly, after successfully advancing to the late Nascent Soul stage, this senior brother's behavior became completely different from his previous cautious and prudent self! He became so... flamboyant! This wasn't him searching for cultivation techniques; he was clearly here to challenge the school!
Sure enough, what he was most worried about happened.
Just a few hours later, their whereabouts were discovered by the patrolling immortal masters of the Tuwu tribe. A divine sense at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, filled with surprise and uncertainty, cautiously swept over them.
However, when that divine sense came into contact with the immense and terrifying spiritual pressure emanating from Qin Hao, which was like a deep abyss, it shrank back like a startled rabbit!
Immediately afterward, the abrupt immortal master didn't even dare to show his face. He transformed into a streak of light and fled for his life at the fastest speed he had ever traveled, without looking back, heading back to report the news.
Qin Hao didn't care at all and continued flying forward at a leisurely pace.
However, what's meant to happen will happen. Not long after, a powerful aura swept across the horizon like a storm, instantly locking onto Qin Hao and his companion!
The light dissipated, revealing an old man dressed in traditional Tuwu clothing, with an ancient face and sharp, eagle-like eyes. He exuded a powerful spiritual pressure at the late Nascent Soul stage, clearly one of the four great immortal masters of the Tuwu tribe!
"Tiannan cultivator, how dare you trespass into my Tianlan Holy Land! Do you really think my Tuwu clan is without anyone?" The Great Immortal Master Hu's voice boomed like a bell, carrying an undeniable authority. His gaze was like lightning as he stared directly at Qin Hao. He had naturally sensed Qin Hao's cultivation level, also at the late Nascent Soul stage, and was shocked, his killing intent rising. When did Tiannan gain such a strange great cultivator? He absolutely could not let him leave so easily!
Despite the obstruction from the Great Immortal Master, Qin Hao showed no fear, but instead revealed a hint of eager fighting spirit: "Great Immortal Master of the Tuwu Clan? You've come at the right time. I've been itching for a fight, so I'll use you to test my skills!"
Before he finished speaking, Qin Hao's body flashed with golden light. He activated the fourth level of the Heavenly Demon Art at full power, transforming himself once again into a golden war god. He threw a punch directly at Master Hu! The fist tore through the sky, creating a piercing sonic boom!
Master Hu was both shocked and furious. He hadn't expected the other party to be so unruly and attack without warning! He roared, formed hand seals, and his body shone with five-colored spiritual light as he unleashed the famous divine power of the Tuwu tribe—the Great Five Elements Immortal Capturing Hand!
A gigantic, five-colored hand, formed from the spiritual power of the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth), blotted out the sky and, carrying the intent to capture everything, slammed down towards Qin Hao! Its power was astonishing!
"Boom!!!"
The golden fist and the multicolored giant hand collided violently! A deafening roar erupted! An energy storm instantly swept out, carving a bottomless ravine into the grassland below!
However, to the astonishment of Master Hu, his invincible Five Elements Immortal-Capturing Hand technique shattered like paper the moment it made contact with the golden fist! The five elements of spiritual energy scattered and fled!
"What?!" Master Hu was horrified. The opponent's physical strength was terrifying!
Qin Hao pressed his advantage relentlessly, his figure closing in like a ghost. His fists, palms, elbows, knees... every part of his body transformed into the most terrifying weapon, pouring down on Master Hu like a storm!
Hu Daxianshi was forced into close combat with Qin Hao, which was undoubtedly using his weakness to attack the enemy's strength! The defensive magic treasures he summoned quickly dimmed and even cracked under Qin Hao's brute force! The various spiritual techniques he used were like tickling Qin Hao, unable to break through the golden defense at all!
In just over ten rounds, Master Hu was already in grave danger, being sent flying backwards coughing up blood, his protective magic treasures almost completely destroyed! It seemed that Qin Hao's powerful punch, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, was about to smash his head and destroy his body!
At the critical moment of life and death, a trace of pain and determination flashed in the eyes of the Great Immortal Master Hu. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood essence and offered up an ancient jade pendant!
"You brat! You've gone too far! Die!"
He roared and detonated the one-time-use life-saving ancient treasure at any cost!
"boom--!!!"
A terrifying energy suddenly erupted! Like a star annihilating, a blinding white light instantly engulfed Qin Hao's figure!
After the energy storm subsided, a huge crater remained in its place. Qin Hao reappeared, the golden light around him noticeably dimmed, and a trace of blood even trickled from the corner of his mouth, clearly indicating that he had suffered minor injuries in the terrifying explosion.
Meanwhile, under the cover of the explosion, Master Hu used a secret technique to transform into a streak of blood-red light and instantly fled thousands of miles away, returning to the Tianlan Holy Temple without looking back, looking extremely disheveled.
……
When Master Hu fled back to the Tianlan Holy Temple, it immediately alarmed the other two Grand Masters who were stationed there—Master Xu and Master Sun, as well as the Tianlan Holy Maiden Lin Yinping.
Master Xu was a handsome young man who looked to be only in his thirties, with deep-set eyes. Master Sun, on the other hand, was a voluptuous and alluring woman with a bewitching appearance, dressed in a yellow robe and sporting a head of eerie long purple hair.
After listening to Master Hu's still-shaken account, all three of them wore solemn expressions.
"When did such a figure emerge from Tiannan? How could he possibly force Fellow Daoist Hu to such a state?" Master Xu said in a deep voice.
"We absolutely cannot let him leave so easily!" Lin Yinping slammed her hand on the table.
Immediately, Master Xu, Master Sun, and Lin Yinping set out simultaneously, rushing after Qin Hao and Han Li in the direction they had gone.
Three days later, deep in the Tianlan Grassland, above a desolate mountain range.
Qin Hao and Han Li were caught up with and stopped by Master Xu and Master Sun.
Lin Yinping, on the other hand, faced off against Han Li.
Without exchanging any pleasantries, the two sides immediately engaged in fierce combat!
Qin Hao fought two against one, single-handedly battling Grand Immortal Master Xu and Grand Immortal Master Sun! Although he had been injured by Grand Immortal Master Hu's self-destructing ancient treasure, the Heaven-Supporting Demon Art's regenerative power was astonishing, and he had already recovered to about 70-80%. Facing the combined attack of two Grand Immortal Masters of the same level, he still appeared to be handling the situation with ease!
The golden figure darted across the sky, its fists and palms striking, stirring up the sounds of wind and thunder.
Master Xu's profound spiritual arts and Master Sun's bizarre supernatural abilities were often shattered by his absolute power! His fighting style was full of violent aesthetics, which made Xu and Sun more and more frightened as they fought, as if they were facing a humanoid primordial beast!
Meanwhile, the battle between Han Li and Lin Yinping was also extremely fierce. Although Han Li was only in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, he had a wide variety of techniques. His Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword Formation was incomparably sharp, and his Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder made Lin Yinping extremely wary.
Lin Yinping, as the Holy Maiden of Tianlan, was also quite powerful, and could use all kinds of exquisite spiritual techniques at will. However, compared with Han Li, who was shrewd and experienced in combat, she could not gain the upper hand at all, and was instead steadily suppressed.
Frustrated by the prolonged battle, Lin Yinping gritted her teeth and decided to use her trump card!
She made ancient and complicated hand seals with her hands and chanted ethereal and mysterious incantations, causing her body to radiate a burst of seven-colored spiritual light!
However, just as the sacred beast was about to emerge from the cauldron!
Qin Hao, who had been paying close attention to the battle, had a glint in his eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for!
He slapped his storage bag, and a small cauldron with an ancient shape, three legs and two ears, exuding a primordial aura flew out. In an instant, it grew to a size of about ten feet in the wind—it was the Void Heaven Cauldron!
The cauldron lid burst open, and a massive suction force, specifically designed to suppress spirits and demonic souls, was generated like a black hole, precisely enveloping the sacred beast that had just condensed and had not yet fully manifested!
The sacred beast let out a scream, and its massive body was pulled toward the Void Cauldron uncontrollably. No matter how it struggled, it could not escape the powerful suction!
In the blink of an eye, under the dumbfounded and incredulous gazes of Master Xu, Master Sun, and Lin Yinping, the sacred beast, regarded as the guardian deity of the Tianlan Grassland, was forcibly sucked into the Void Heaven Cauldron! The cauldron lid slammed shut with a clang, its spiritual light receding, and it transformed back into a small cauldron, flying back into Qin Hao's hand.
After succeeding, Qin Hao laughed heartily and stopped engaging Xu and Sun. He suddenly unleashed an even more powerful aura, throwing several punches that forced the two back dozens of feet. He then transmitted his voice to Han Li, "Junior Brother Han, retreat!"
Having said that, he transformed into a streak of dark green light and sped off towards the Great Jin Dynasty. Han Li also reacted extremely quickly. After forcing Lin Yinping back, he immediately flapped his Wind and Thunder Wings, transforming into a bolt of lightning and following closely behind.
The two worked together seamlessly, instantly disappearing thousands of miles into the horizon.
Lin Yinping looked in the direction where the two disappeared, feeling unwilling to give up, and wanted to give chase, but was stopped by Master Xu, whose face was solemn.
“Holy Maiden, wait!” Master Xu shook his head, his tone heavy. “This person… has never used his true killing move from beginning to end. He was clearly holding back in the battle just now. If we insist on pursuing him and push him to the brink, I’m afraid… even if the two of us join forces, we might not be his match.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Yinping's delicate body trembled, her pretty face filled with shock: "What? Even if Master Xu and Master Sun joined forces... they are no match for him?"
Beside her, Grand Master Sun nodded with lingering fear, a hint of lingering dread still visible in her beautiful eyes: "This person is indeed the strongest enemy I have ever encountered! His body-refining technique is too terrifying; his strength and defense far surpass those of his peers. If it were a one-on-one fight, I'm afraid I would have been defeated long ago."
"But... the sacred beast is still in his hands! If we can't get the sacred beast back, our clan..." Lin Yinping was extremely anxious. The sacred beast was of great significance to the Tuwu clan.
Master Xu pondered for a moment, a decisive glint in his eyes: "For now, a direct assault is probably out of the question. Judging from their route, they're heading towards the Great Jin. We have no choice but to go to the Great Jin, find some help, and then devise a plan to reclaim the sacred beast!"
"hateful……"