Demonic Cultivator(343-347)

Chapter 343: Heavenly Metal Battlefield

The Mystic Azure War was indeed an earth-shattering event. But for cultivators from other stars, it was nothing more than a distant rumor.

"What's the Mystic Azure War?" they would ask. "I don't know it!"

Naturally, they wouldn't know someone like Chu Xuan.

When the burly cultivator heard Chu Xuan's name, he didn't pay much attention. He simply went through the mechanical task of recording names. He had done this countless times before. Some cultivators had just been registered the day before and were dead the next day. So, he had no intention of remembering any of their names.

"This time, Mystic Azure Star has six Nascent Soul cultivators responding to the call," the burly cultivator announced, handing out six jade slips. "Your quarters are located in the East District of Heaven-Three City. There are plenty of vacant caves, pick one to settle in. Should you need anything, ask the corpse puppets here."

He threw the jade slips to the group, continuing, "These slips contain the general situation of this outer battlefield. You have one day to familiarize yourselves with it. Tomorrow, the battle begins. Anyone who refuses to fight will be considered a deserter."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly.

While the burly cultivator's expression was impatient, he had already said everything needed. He hadn't hidden any information. After speaking, he walked off toward the East District, and Chu Xuan and the others followed in his wake.

As they walked through the bustling streets of the city, Chu Xuan immediately felt the tense atmosphere. Every cultivator they passed wore a look of exhaustion. The entire city was made up of Nascent Soul cultivators, but even among them, there were clear distinctions in strength. A Nascent Soul First Layer cultivator was far from being able to compare to one in the Ninth Layer.

Still, the menial tasks in the city weren't performed by Nascent Soul cultivators. Drying herbs, skinning beasts, creating talismans—such tasks were handled by Foundation Establishment cultivators. These Foundation cultivators were brought into the outer battlefield but weren't expected to participate in any combat. They remained in the city, handling the more intellectual tasks.

As for the more physically demanding and simple work, it was left to the massive corpse puppets. The crude figures of these puppets were clearly mass-produced. They were the work of some Deity Transformation cultivator from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect.

Chu Xuan could also create these low-level, simple corpse puppets with little intelligence. However, unlike these, the ones he made were stationed on Blue Star, guarding various formations and strategic points.

Chu Xuan soon arrived at the Eastern District of the city.

There were vast stretches of houses here, each set far apart from the others. These houses were the caves that cultivators used as their personal sanctuaries. If these were anything like the caves on Mystic Azure Star, where they had to be carved out of mountain peaks, they would occupy a lot of space.

However, the cities in the outer battlefield could only be built in places with stable spatial conditions, and such areas were typically not very large. Naturally, it was better if the cave dwellings took up as little land as possible.

Chu Xuan chose a remote house, far from both the city wall and the other caves. This way, if the city were breached, he would have more time to prepare. He also wouldn't need to worry about anyone noticing any unusual activity in his cave.

Just as he was about to enter the house, he saw Shang Xingchen landing in front of a nearby dwelling.

"Sect Master, it seems our choices are quite similar," Shang Xingchen said with a smile.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. "As long as fellow daoist is satisfied with his choice."

"Are you planning to settle in this cave?" Chu Xuan asked.

Shang Xingchen shook his head. "I had intended to choose this one, but it's too close to yours. I often brew poisons, and it might disturb your cultivation. I'll pick another one."

He pointed to a cave not far off. There was a whole house between the two of them, creating a comfortable distance.

"That works better for both of us," Chu Xuan said with a nod, satisfied with the arrangement. With that, he entered the cave.

Upon entering, he immediately began setting up various formations: offensive formations, defensive arrays, tracking arrays, soundproofing formations, and light-absorbing arrays… In fact, his storage ring was filled with various formations, so leaving some behind was no trouble at all.

Once the formations were set up, Chu Xuan took a moment to look around the house. The interior was simple, with just a stone table and two stone chairs in the main hall. To the left were a pill-refining room and a weapon-refining room, while to the right was a meditation chamber. It seemed that the other houses had a similar layout.

There were also some items left behind by the previous owner of the house. It was likely that the previous occupant had died outside, leaving these items unclaimed.

Chu Xuan scanned the area and noticed that the previous owner seemed to be skilled in poison-making. There were many jars and containers for refining poison, as well as an ancient book containing numerous poison formulas.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. It seemed his luck was good this time—he had stumbled upon some treasures right when he arrived. He flipped through the book, only to shake his head repeatedly. The poison formulas written in it were far inferior to the ones he had created himself.

Finding a treasure just by chance was not a plot that suited him.

Chu Xuan cleared out the miscellaneous items, throwing them all out in one go, and then sat cross-legged on the stone bed in the cultivation room, carefully examining the spirit sense jade slip.

After a long while, he finally removed the jade slip from his forehead.

"This outer battlefield is rich in a large quantity of metal ores, which is why it has been named the Heavenly Metal Battlefield," the slip revealed.

"The Heavenly Metal Battlefield consists of nine cities, named Heaven-One City, Heaven-Two City, and so on, from west to east. The city I'm in is Heaven-Three City. Currently, the Reincarnation God Sect has deployed their giant corpse puppets into the Heavenly Metal Battlefield and has already seized Heaven-Seven City, Heaven-Eight City, and Heaven-Nine City.

Heaven-Five City and Heaven-Six City are now the front lines of the war. Nascent Soul cultivators from the rear are rotated every month to the front lines of Heaven-Five and Heaven-Six, replacing those who have been guarding the city for a month. Each group guards for one month, and then a new batch of Nascent Soul cultivators will replace them, creating a continuous cycle."

Chu Xuan furrowed his brows slightly. For now, it seemed that the risk of Heaven-Three City being directly involved in the war was not too high.

At the moment, the cultivators in Heaven-Three City only needed to supply pills and talismans to the front lines. Alchemists and talisman-makers were particularly in demand.

However, with the Reincarnation God Sect advancing rapidly thanks to their giant corpse puppets, it wouldn't be long before Heaven-Three City itself would become part of the front lines.

"Better to hold steady for a while and observe the situation. If the battle turns against us, running away won't be too late."

Chu Xuan didn't feel any moral burden when it came to running. When life itself was at risk, what need was there for moral considerations? The principle he followed was simple: as long as the green mountains remained, one need not fear the lack of firewood.

Chu Xuan picked up the bell next to the stone bed and gave it a light shake. Soon, the sound of a corpse puppet knocking on the door could be heard from outside. He opened the door and immediately saw two enormous corpse puppets kneeling on one knee, awaiting orders.

After probing them briefly, Chu Xuan discovered that they possessed the strength of a Corpse General and were capable of performing simpler tasks, such as carrying, construction, and demolition.

Chu Xuan shook the bell again, signaling for them to leave. Who knew whether these corpse puppets had any hidden mechanisms left behind by the Deity Transformation cultivators?

He wouldn't trust them with any sensitive tasks. Just knowing how to control them was enough for him.

The next day, Chu Xuan woke up early and wandered around the city. He soon discovered that healing pills and defensive talismans were in extremely high demand within Heaven-Three City.

As for the demonic pills that could temporarily enhance combat power, as well as the magic talismans that sealed cultivators' or demonic beasts' souls to control them in battle, their prices were even higher.

Chapter 344: Retreat

The leisurely day quickly passed. As the sunlight once again illuminated the hazy sky of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, Chu Xuan and the others stood at the center of Heaven-Three City's main square. The burly cultivator, Dong Qi, had already been waiting there for them.

He scanned the crowd with a cold expression and spoke, "My name is Dong Qi, from the Falling Sun Demon Fortress, Nascent Soul Late Stage. I will lead you to Heaven-Six City to replace the current batch of Nascent Soul cultivators. This time, a total of forty Nascent Soul cultivators will be heading to Heaven-Six City. Everyone, follow me."

Dong Qi strode out of the city gates. Chu Xuan and the others quickly followed suit.

The number of cultivators in the extraterritorial battlefield was already greater than that on the cultivation planets, and the Heavenly Metal Battlefield was considered a dangerous zone. Many Nascent Soul cultivators ventured into the extraterritorial battlefield seeking Deity Transformation-level spiritual items.

Outside the city gates, a giant, earth-colored worm awaited. This massive worm was at least thirty zhang long and clearly proficient in Earth Escape techniques.

"Get on," Dong Qi ordered, waving his hand. He was the first to leap onto the creature. The others followed suit and climbed aboard.

Once everyone had mounted, Dong Qi let out a long howl. The giant worm received the signal and immediately began moving northeast. A layer of earth-yellow shield formed around its body, quickly enveloping the Nascent Soul cultivators within. The worm's speed rapidly increased, reaching an impressive velocity.

Chu Xuan observed the swiftly retreating scenery and estimated that the worm's speed was roughly on par with that of a top-tier flying magic treasure. It seemed that this Dong Qi, coming from the Falling Sun Demon Fortress, was no ordinary figure.

Two days later, a loud rumbling sound gradually drew near. Everyone looked up, and in the distance, the shadow of a massive city emerged.

Above the giant city, a purple shield inverted in the sky, blocking external magical attacks. As they gazed at the scene, they saw large bursts of magical light colliding in mid-air, only to be quickly extinguished. It was clear that Heaven-Six City had arrived.

Dong Qi bellowed, "On the city walls! Use the formations to counterattack!"

The deafening rumble forced him to raise his voice. Just as Chu Xuan was about to step toward the city walls, an ominous sense of danger suddenly surged within him. Instinctively, he took half a step back, retreating into the crowd.

In the next moment, a massive explosion echoed from within Heaven-Six City. The purple protective shield that had been enveloping the city flickered a few times before completely fading away. Instantly, panicked cries filled the air within the city.

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. This was clearly a sign that someone inside the city had used an array-breaking talisman, and the most vulnerable position was targeted. Such precise and ruthless use of the talisman was the only way to easily breach a Nascent Soul-level formation. It seemed that there was a traitor among the Nascent Soul cultivators defending Heaven-Six City.

"Damn it!"

Dong Qi's face twisted in shock as he saw the purple light shield vanish. He had just led his people here to replace the current defenders, and the formation had already been destroyed?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground began to tremble as if countless massive elephants were charging toward them.

"Run!"

Dong Qi could only manage a desperate shout.

Boulders rained down from the sky, crashing into Heaven-Six City. The shockwave from the impact sent Dong Qi flying through the air. From the looks of it, he was severely injured.

The giant boulders landed, and scalding stone fragments scattered in every direction. Each fragment was as large as a fist and as powerful as a Nascent Soul-level spell. Instantly, icy particles appeared around Chu Xuan, effortlessly blocking the fierce stone shards. At the same time, he dodged the falling firestones with ease.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

It was as if a cold wind had sprouted beneath his feet. Everywhere he went, traces of sparkling ice light remained. With every move, he effortlessly avoided the blazing stones and the searing debris.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Everywhere in Heaven-Six City, there were explosions. Wherever the boulders landed, thick plumes of smoke billowed up into the sky. This smoke seemed to have a dampening effect on the spiritual senses.

At this moment, the Nascent Soul cultivators appeared to be like headless flies, instinctively fleeing westward.

Through the smoke, Chu Xuan could see large, imposing shadows approaching rapidly. It was clear that the massive corpse puppets, the "giant puppets," were closing in. Each giant puppet exuded a tremendous, overwhelming aura.

Though these puppets were comparable to Nascent Soul cultivators in terms of cultivation, their strength was immense, and they could operate on nothing more than large spirit stones.

It would take at least two Nascent Soul cultivators working together, expending twice the effort, to destroy one giant puppet. Hence, few cultivators were willing to engage them head-on.

Moreover, behind the giant puppets, Chu Xuan could sense the presence of more cultivators from the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect rushing toward the battlefield. With the defensive formation of Heaven-Six City shattered, it was clear that the city's fall was imminent. It was already time to flee.

Chu Xuan surveyed his surroundings and quickly realized that he had become separated from Shang Xingchen and the others. Without wasting any more time, he dove into a nearby building, taking advantage of the chaos to avoid detection.

Connecting his mind to the Myriad Realms Mirror, he took a step forward and was instantly transported back to Blue Star. The eerie howls of zombies and the sight of the desolate city immediately greeted him, and he couldn't help but sigh in relief.

"Ah, Blue Star really is the most comfortable. It's like a warm home."

Thinking back to the situation in Heaven-Six City, he estimated that fewer than three out of the Nascent Soul cultivators sent to replace the defenders would make it out alive. If it weren't for the Myriad Realms Mirror, he probably would have been trapped as well.

"Judging by the rough situation," he thought to himself, "there are probably three giant corpse puppets. And the number of Nascent Soul cultivators is over a hundred. It looks like the Reincarnation Sect feigned an assault on Heaven-Five City while secretly redeploying forces to attack Heaven-Six City. Plus, there's an insider in the city helping them take it down."

Chu Xuan briefly analyzed the situation, and it was clear to him that it wasn't the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect's incompetence—it was the underhanded tactics of the Reincarnation Sect that had made all the difference.

"Looks like I'll just stay here on Blue Star for a few more years, then return later," he mused. "The real problem is… will this Heavenly Metal Battlefield collapse again like the last one?"

He shrugged off the thought and decided to focus on his own cultivation.

"Let's just focus on training. I'll return when I hit Nascent Soul Level Eight. No rush."

In the blink of an eye, ten years passed. Chu Xuan often went to Soul Star to harvest Ice Soul Crystals. However, the rate at which he obtained Ice Souls was far slower than his cultivation consumption.

Moreover, even with the Ice Souls, he still needed vast quantities of high-grade spirit stones to provide the pure Spiritual Qi required for rapid progress. Without high-grade spirit stones, he would have to use medium-grade ones, which significantly slowed down his cultivation.

After all, Blue Star was a planet with sparse Spiritual Qi, not like Mystic Azure Star. He had enough spirit stones to last five or six years, but after ten years, he had almost exhausted all of his high-grade spirit stones and even medium-grade ones. Only a few small spirit stones remained. At this point, he could no longer delay returning to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

"Forget it, forget it," he muttered to himself. "I'll just go back and take a look. Even if I'm contradicting myself, no one will know."

Clearing his throat, he didn't directly inspect the area himself. Instead, he attached his spiritual sense to a worker bee and, using the Myriad Realms Mirror, sent it to scout the situation for him.

Soon enough, he saw the Heavenly Metal Battlefield again. As the worker bee circled back, Chu Xuan couldn't detect the presence of the Myriad Realms Mirror. Yet, upon closer inspection, he could sense that it was there, small as a mustard seed, shrouded by some sort of mysterious rules.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators couldn't perceive it, let alone Deity Transformation or higher-level cultivators. It was entirely hidden from their senses.

"There doesn't seem to be any more fighting. Looks like the battle has stopped. And… my building is still standing? Wait… this person is secretly refining corpses?"

Chapter 345: Yang Metal Sword Qi Corpse Refining Technique

Chu Xuan's gaze fell upon a thin young cultivator wearing the robe of the Majestic Sword Sect. The young man was standing in front of a large, well-formed corpse, which emitted a strong medicinal scent. It was clear the corpse had already been soaked in corpse-refining fluids, with only the final step—turning it into a corpse puppet—left to complete.

The young cultivator continuously struck the corpse with sword Qi, causing the corpse to grow more menacing and sharp.

"Hmm, this corpse-refining method is quite unique, I've never seen something like it before," Chu Xuan murmured in surprise. The sword Qi embedded in the corpse seemed to imbue it with a powerful aura. "Could it be that this cultivator from the Majestic Sword Sect has combined demonic sect corpse-refining methods with his own sword techniques?"

Chu Xuan remained hidden, observing without making a sound. The young cultivator, sweat dripping from his forehead, seemed entirely focused on the corpse, completely unaware that a small blood bee was silently watching him from the corner of the room.

Hours passed, and the young cultivator finally finished his task.

"Ninety-nine Yang Metal Sword Qi... it's finally complete!" he muttered with satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "This Yang Metal Sword Corpse is almost done!"

He gazed at the corpse, a sinister smile curling on his lips. "Just what I needed—a tough, powerful corpse to refine this Yang Metal Sword Corpse. You thought you'd invite me to explore the cave together, but instead, you've delivered yourself right into my hands as the perfect material. You probably never imagined you'd end up being turned into a corpse puppet, did you?"

The young cultivator's laughter was cold and smug, but as he turned around, his expression changed abruptly. A figure in black stood behind him, smiling as they looked at him.

"Well, sharp senses. Too bad, though, you're still a bit too late," Chu Xuan grinned, his lips stretching into a predatory smile.

In a flash, his hand, wreathed in cold energy, struck the young cultivator's sea of consciousness. With a single violent blow, the young cultivator's soul was heavily wounded, and his Nascent Soul was immediately subdued.

"Let me search your soul and see who you really are." Chu Xuan activated his Soul Search technique, diving into the cultivator's memories.

The name "Gao Xuan" appeared in his mind, and Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ah, so you're from the Gao family, huh? No wonder you're so crafty."

Upon closer inspection, he realized that this man, Gao Xuan, was from the Majestic Sword Sect and had once been a Golden Core cultivator.

After the Majestic Sword Sect's home planet was conquered by the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect, Gao Xuan followed the remaining members of the sect to Red Water Star.

There, he had unknowingly obtained part of the inheritance of a Deity Transformation grandmaster. Among the many rare Nascent Soul-grade pills, his greatest acquisition had been the Yang Metal Sword Qi Corpse Refining Technique.

Using these pills, he had somehow succeeded in advancing to the Nascent Soul stage despite his less-than-ideal talent, owing to his superior spiritual root. It was important to note that cultivators with high-grade spiritual roots typically could only condense a Golden Core, not reach the Nascent Soul stage.

Now, Gao Xuan had responded to the summons of the Reincarnation Sect and arrived at the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. His task, however, was not to attack the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect cultivators but to guard the Heaven-Six City.

As for the corpse he had turned into a Yang Metal Sword Corpse, it originally belonged to a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Red Water Star's Crimson Flame Hall. This person had kindly invited Gao Xuan to explore a nearby cave and capture any remaining demonic cultivators.

Gao Xuan, eyeing the body of this Chi Yan Temple cultivator, had killed him and used the Yang Metal Sword Qi Corpse Refining Technique to turn his corpse into the Yang Metal Sword Corpse.

"Majestic Sword Sect cultivators… aren't they supposed to focus on merit just like me? This young man has strayed onto a wrong path."

With a casual motion, Chu Xuan snapped Gao Xuan's neck, throwing the corpse into the Heavenly Corpse Tower, while his soul and Nascent Soul were tossed into the Sky-Shielding Umbrella. As for the Yang Metal Sword Corpse, after a quick glance, he could tell it had not been successfully refined.

The cultivator's understanding of the Yang Metal Sword Qi Corpse Refining Technique was clearly lacking. After all, he was from the Majestic Sword Sect—he didn't know the first thing about corpse refining. All those ninety-nine sword qi were wasted.

"The Yang Metal Sword Qi has always been known for its formidable destructive power. I might be able to make use of this incomplete Yang Metal Sword Corpse."

Chu Xuan pondered for a moment and then tossed the half-formed Yang Metal Sword Corpse into Blue Star. However, he did not immediately act on this. At this moment, his most pressing concern was to replace this Gao Xuan from the Majestic Sword Sect and re-enter Heaven-Six City.

Closing his eyes, Chu Xuan swiftly delved into Gao Xuan's network of relationships. This man was solitary and self-deprecating, rarely making friends. His parents were ordinary mortals, likely long since turned to dust.

"Perfect, perfect, just the kind of person I like. Even if I replace him, no one will notice."

Chu Xuan nodded with satisfaction. After disguising himself as Gao Xuan, he stepped out of the room with determined strides.

Chu Xuan had spent ten years training on Blue Star, yet only one year had passed in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. Looking around, he noticed that the Heaven-Six City had not changed much. The houses destroyed by the giant rocks had long been rebuilt. Cultivators rushed back and forth through the streets, each with their own mission.

"Gao Xuan, why are you still idling? Your task isn't finished yet. Go to the cave outside the city and clean up the Nether Crocodiles."

An annoyed voice rang out.

Chu Xuan turned toward the source of the voice and saw a slender, attractive woman. She stood with her hands on her hips, her expression arrogant and defiant. It was clear she was quite displeased with him. Beside her was a handsome young man, who only cast a casual glance at Chu Xuan, not even bothering to look longer. He clearly didn't consider Chu Xuan a threat. After all, Chu Xuan had already disguised his cultivation as Gao Xuan's Nascent Soul second level.

Chu Xuan took note of the pair with subtle scrutiny. The woman's name was Han Yiren, a fellow disciple from the Majestic Sword Sect, just like Gao Xuan. The man was named Yang Yuze, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from the Fiery Cloud Tower.

The Fiery Cloud Tower, along with the Majestic Sword Sect, the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, and the Crimson Flame Hall, was one of the five-tiered sects under the Reincarnation Sect. Han Yiren, though charming in appearance, was a domineering and arrogant person. Seeing Gao Xuan's frail form, she likely thought him an easy target. Since Gao Xuan had entered the Majestic Sword Sect, Han Yiren often treated him as though he were her servant.

Gao Xuan had secretly cursed her on numerous occasions. Even now, despite Gao Xuan's fortunate breakthrough to Nascent Soul, she still treated him as beneath her, ordering him around as if nothing had changed. She had the power to do so, after all. Not only was she at the Nascent Soul mid-stage, but she also had an ancestor at the Deity Transformation stage.

Gao Xuan, with neither talent nor backing, dared not oppose her. He had no choice but to swallow his pride. However, Han Yiren and Yang Yuze had no idea that beneath Gao Xuan's appearance, a different person had taken his place.

When faced with Han Yiren's haughty commands, Chu Xuan merely flashed a smile.

"Alright, Senior Sister Han, I'll go right away."

Han Yiren, looking at his smile, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. That was strange. He had only smiled, yet why did she feel a sense of unease? This wasn't normal.

Han Yiren thought for a moment and then added, "Also! Three days from now, Senior Brother Ximen has called for an urgent meeting. At the hour of You, remember to go to Senior Brother Ximen's cave!"

Chu Xuan smiled and nodded, "Understood."

With that, he turned and walked towards the city gates.

Seeing his smile, Han Yiren found herself unable to pick a flaw and reluctantly gave up.

Chapter 346: Evolution of Bao

Yang Yuze glanced at Han Yiren and smiled faintly.

"Why should Junior Sister Han be bothered by someone like him? He still needs to go through your inspection to complete the task of clearing the Nether Crocodiles, doesn't he? At that time, a bit of subtle difficulty will make him suffer for days."

A smile finally appeared on Han Yiren's enchanting face. He was right. She did enjoy looking down from her high position, especially when weaklings were forced to endure, their pain and struggle bringing her an inexplicable pleasure.

...

Outside of Heaven-Six City,

Chu Xuan entered a cave. Without much effort, he quickly located several Nether Crocodiles. His task was to eliminate one thousand of these beasts within a month. Upon completion, he would be rewarded with various special treasures from the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Gao Xuan, at only Nascent Soul first layer, while Nascent Soul cultivators had little trouble dealing with Nether Crocodiles, killing a thousand of them without injury would take a great deal of time.

Gao Xuan had only completed two-thirds of the task, and there were just two days left. However, with Chu Xuan's strength, completing the task was effortless. But in order to properly play the role of Gao Xuan, he did not rush to leave after finishing the task.

Instead, he found a safe spot in the dark cave and sat down, contemplating his next steps. The first thing he needed to figure out was the current battle situation between the Reincarnation Sect and the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect—who was gaining the upper hand, and who was falling behind.

Chu Xuan naturally hoped that the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect would win. But if the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect was destined to lose, he certainly wouldn't tie himself to a doomed wagon. Everything he did next would depend on the state of the war.

"Interesting, this Ximen Senior Brother, it's actually Ximen Changqing."

A smile appeared on Chu Xuan's face. It was only after hearing Han Yiren's words that he had gone back to review Gao Xuan's memories. That was when he discovered who this so-called Ximen Senior Brother was. He hadn't expected to run into an old acquaintance here in Heaven-Six City on the Heavenly Metal Battlefield.

Two days later, in the night, Chu Xuan returned to the Heaven-Six City. According to custom, he brought his harvest before Han Yiren for inspection.

The tiny Nether Crocodiles might possess blood crystals within their bodies. Blood crystals contained a dense, potent blood essence, a treasure most favored by body refiners. They could also be used in the crafting of elixirs.

However, not every Nether Crocodile possessed a blood crystal. It was said that only after slaying fifty would one appear. Thus, Chu Xuan had brought back two hundred blood crystals, completing the task of slaying a thousand Nether Crocodiles.

Han Yiren, with feigned seriousness, picked up the blood crystals to examine them.

"These are too small, they're unqualified. This one's full of impurities, also not acceptable. This one's cracked, completely unqualified!"

Han Yiren nitpicked, managing to discard over twenty blood crystals, claiming them all unfit. To an outside observer, the flaws in those blood crystals were trivial, nothing to the extent of disqualifying them.

With a smile, she said, "Gao Xuan, your task has not been completed."

She looked down from her lofty position, eager to see the frail cultivator clench his fists, gnash his teeth, and wear a furious expression. Every time Chu Xuan displayed such a look, it stirred a strange thrill deep within her.

Chu Xuan let out a silly laugh.

"Senior Sister Han, I was fortunate this time. I happened upon several Nether Crocodiles fighting amongst themselves, and collected a few blood crystals."

Saying this, he took out another storage bag and poured out more than thirty blood crystals. "How about now, is this enough?"

Han Yiren's smile immediately froze. She had planned to continue scrutinizing. However, she found that these blood crystals were unusually smooth and flawless. Even with the harshest scrutiny, she couldn't find a single defect.

"Fine... you're qualified."

Han Yiren frowned, her mood souring. She watched Chu Xuan's retreating figure, her expression darkening.

"Encountering Nether Crocodiles fighting each other and collecting so many blood crystals... Kid, I'll give it to you, you're lucky."

With a cold hum, Han Yiren turned and left.

Chu Xuan's expression remained calm. He had not taken Han Yiren to heart. She was clearly a selfless, benevolent person. For someone like her, who delivered such opportunities right to his doorstep, Chu Xuan was always generous. Let her hop around for a few more days. He would find a chance to invite her into the Heavenly Corpse Tower and the Sky-Shielding Umbrella.

...

Blue Star.

After returning to Gao Xuan's house, Chu Xuan immediately came here. He had already begun to form some ideas about the Yang Metal Sword Corpse. Although he had failed to successfully refine the Yang Metal Sword Corpse, the Yang Metal Sword Qi still lingered. If he could channel it into the corpse puppets under his command, he might just be able to create a new Yang Metal Sword Corpse!

However, to be cautious, Chu Xuan did not attempt it with Hu but instead called for Bao. Bao's appearance was quite different from Hu's. If Hu was a mighty, forceful broadsword, immense in strength and power, then Bao was a sinister, venomous dagger, adept at stealth and assassination. And it was one coated in poison.

Thus, Bao was smaller than Hu, with a sleek, streamlined body. Faster, and more suited for silent strikes in the darkness.

"Ahem... Bao, I called you here because I have something tasty for you. This thing is a bit spicy, not something anyone can handle, but would you like to try it?"

Chu Xuan smiled faintly.

Upon hearing this, Bao's eyes immediately lit up.

"Tasty? Tasty? What's tasty?!"

Having followed Hu for some time now, Bao had already learned how to speak.

Chu Xuan took out a flying sword. It was the very flying sword Gao Xuan had used in his previous life. Though Chu Xuan had never practiced swordsmanship, after infusing it with Spiritual Qi, he was still able to produce a semblance of sword Qi.

However...

It was barely more than a shadow of sword Qi. As for its power, it was nonexistent. At best, it could only pose a minor threat to a Nascent Soul cultivator at the first stage.

With a sweeping motion of his hand, he unleashed a streak of sword Qi. "Look! This is it!"

Bao's eyes gleamed. With a quick dash, it lunged forward, opened its mouth wide, and swallowed the sword Qi whole.

The white sword Qi rampaged within Bao's body, darting left and right. Yet Bao tamed it, absorbing it into its form.

Chu Xuan's spirits lifted.

Indeed! Bao's ability to consume anything had proven invaluable! Its stomach, it seemed, was unlike any other corpse puppet's.

"More! More!" Bao cried excitedly.

Chu Xuan nodded with a smile. "I'll give you more."

He continued to unleash streaks of white sword qi.

Among the dozen or so white sword qi, one was infused with Yang Metal Sword Qi. Unaware of the difference, Bao devoured each sword qi one after another. It wasn't until the Yang Metal Sword Qi shot into its throat that Bao's eyes went wide, and it let out a loud cry.

"Spicy! Really spicy! Master wasn't lying to me!"

Chu Xuan clicked his tongue. "Of course not. Why would I lie to you?"

This Yang Metal Sword Qi was far more lethal and terrifying than the previous sword Qi. It nearly pierced through Bao's body before shooting out.

But in the end, it was tamed by Bao's powerful stomach and completely absorbed into its body. Chu Xuan observed Bao carefully. He immediately sensed a subtle yet unmistakable change in Bao's aura. It had grown sharper, more unstoppable. It was as if it had become a blade, drawn from its scabbard, poised to strike!

"There's hope!"

Chu Xuan slapped the incomplete Yang Metal Sword Corpse, and the second streak of Yang Metal Sword Qi immediately shot out.

Bao lunged forward and swallowed it whole with a single gulp. It continued to devour ten more Yang Metal Sword Qii in succession before patting its stomach and saying, "Full, full... Master, Bao wants to sleep."

Chu Xuan nodded and stored it in the Heavenly Corpse Tower. Wanting to sleep was a good sign. It meant Bao's strength was increasing. Once Bao had fully adapted to the Yang Metal Sword Qi, he would channel the remaining sword Qii into its body. Eventually, all ninety-nine Yang Metal Sword Qii would be absorbed, completing Bao's transformation into a Yang Metal Sword Corpse!

Chapter 347: Pain is Normal

In the morning, Chu Xuan arrived outside Ximen Changqing's residence. He activated a sound transmission talisman.

Moments later, the door slowly creaked open. Only then did he hasten his steps and enter the house.

Ximen Changqing was now a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. Chu Xuan guessed that he was at least at the sixth level of Nascent Soul, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to gather Han Yiren, Gao Xuan, and others to discuss matters. Of course, from what he knew about Ximen Changqing, it was also possible that the man had concealed his true power.

Inside the room, four Nascent Soul cultivators were already seated. The one at the head of the table was Ximen Changqing. As for the other three, Chu Xuan quickly recognized them through Gao Xuan's memories.

Han Yiren, Luo Yan, and Yang Feixiong. They were all Nascent Soul cultivators of the Majestic Sword Sect.

When Chu Xuan entered, Luo Yan and Yang Feixiong merely glanced at him briefly and didn't pay much attention.

Ximen Changqing, seeing that Chu Xuan had arrived, gave a slight nod. He spoke in a deep voice, "I've gathered you all today to inform you of the detailed situation on the Heavenly Metal Battlefield."

He then began recounting the recent progress. However, the details were all about how many spiritual stone mines, metal mines, and spiritual herb gardens their side had occupied. As for the frontlines, he didn't mention a word.

After finishing his report, Han Yiren, Luo Yan, and Yang Feixiong all showed expressions of excitement.

"If this continues, driving those demon cultivators away and taking full control of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield will only be a matter of time!"

"Yes, this is a dangerous outer battlefield. In the future, our Majestic Sword Sect will have a share of it."

"Who knows, perhaps one day we'll even retake Dawn Star and rebuild the Majestic Sword Sect!"

Chu Xuan glanced at Ximen Changqing, his gaze subtle. He found that Ximen Changqing was only smiling faintly and didn't say much. This likely indicated that the battle between the Samsara God Sect and the Hantian Divine Sect was particularly fierce.

At this moment, Ximen Changqing suddenly spoke.

"By the way, the Fiery Cloud Tower has just seized a large spiritual stone mine near the Heaven-Three City. They need two people to remain stationed there. But the Fiery Cloud Tower doesn't have enough cultivators to spare, so they can only send one. Who would be willing to assist with the guard? According to the rules set by the Divine Sect, the cultivator stationed at the spiritual stone mine will receive a Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast."

Han Yiren, Luo Yan, and Yang Feixiong all brightened at the mention.

A puppet beast!

This creature only required a soul imprint to be refined for personal use. Since the puppet beast contained a soul, it could fight on its own without the need for constant control.

Having a Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast by one's side would be like having an extra trump card. No one could resist such an enticing offer.

Luo Yan and Yang Feixiong were about to speak, but Han Yiren shot them a glance. The two, helpless, had no choice but to fall silent.

A mere Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast was nothing in Chu Xuan's eyes, but he still pretended to be ready to speak.

However, Han Yiren directly ignored him and said aloud, "Ximen senior brother, Luo junior brother and Yang junior brother are both slightly weaker than I am. This task is filled with challenges, so I believe it should be entrusted to me!"

Ximen Changqing glanced at Han Yiren, his expression unreadable. He disliked Han Yiren's personality, but unfortunately, she had the backing of the Deity Transformation Ancestor Sect, a faction he couldn't afford to offend.

A flash of something unusual flickered in Ximen Changqing's eyes, but he concealed it perfectly and smiled.

"Then it will be entrusted to Junior Sister Han. The person sent by Fiery Cloud Tower should be familiar to you, it's Yang Yuze."

Han Yiren's eyes brightened.

"Yang Yuze, Senior Brother? I do have past dealings with him. We'll be able to cooperate more seamlessly. We'll definitely be able to guard that large spiritual stone mine! Senior brother, you can rest assured!"

Ximen Changqing nodded and tossed a storage bag towards her.

"Inside is a Nascent Soul early-stage puppet beast. It has not yet recognized a master, so it's yours."

Han Yiren eagerly caught the storage bag, her joy evident.

Ximen Changqing smiled. "You three each have your own tasks. Take one each." With that, he made a gesture, and words appeared on the wall.

They were the mission orders from the Samsara God Sect. There were tasks to guard mines and herb gardens, tasks to exterminate ancient beasts like the Nether Crocodiles, and even tasks to join the frontlines and besiege the demon cultivators. There was even a bounty for assassination.

Chu Xuan casually glanced over and saw the name Shang Xingchen prominently displayed in tenth place on the bounty list. Except for him, the other nine were all Nascent Soul late-stage cultivators.

A small note appeared next to Shang Xingchen's name: "Master of poisons, expert in ambushes, handle with caution!"

Chu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle. He scanned the list and noticed that many of the tasks were quite dangerous.

Finally, he chose the task of exterminating ancient beasts. After all, he was currently Gao Xuan, a Nascent Soul first-layer cultivator, not Chu Xuan at Nascent Soul seventh-layer. Opting for a simpler task was more in line with Gao Xuan's persona.

"Dismissed."

Ximen Changqing waved his hand, and the group immediately dispersed.

Chu Xuan lifted his leg to leave, but Han Yiren's voice came from behind.

"Gao Xuan, last time you were lucky to stumble upon the Nether Crocodiles fighting amongst themselves. This time, you've taken on the task of slaying ancient beasts, but luck won't favor you every time."

Chu Xuan smiled. "Then there's no need for Senior Sister Han to worry. After all, you're the one who has to guard the large spiritual stone mine."

With that, he quickly walked away.

Han Yiren snorted coldly and turned to Yang Feixiong.

"In my absence, you'll be the one to inspect the blood crystals Gao Xuan collects. Do you understand what I mean?"

Yang Feixiong sighed with a bitter smile. "Alright, Senior Sister Han, don't worry."

He watched as Han Yiren left and let out an exasperated sigh. He had no interest in bullying the weak, but he didn't want to offend Han Yiren either.

Yang Feixiong shook his head. "Junior Brother Gao, it looks like you'll have to bear with it."

...

In the following days, Chu Xuan often traveled back and forth between the Heavenly Metal Battlefield and Blue Star. Every so often, Bao would awaken, and Chu Xuan would channel more Yang Metal Sword Qi into its body.

At first, it could only consume ten sword qii at a time. But gradually, Bao's body was altered by the Yang Metal Sword Qi, and it could absorb more and more with each session.

One day, Chu Xuan infused the ninety-ninth streak of Yang Metal Sword Qi into Bao's body, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Now, it's up to whether it can tame all ninety-nine Yang Metal Sword Qi."

At that very moment, faint golden light began to shimmer from Bao's abdomen. Even through its thick skin, the golden glow was vaguely visible. This showed just how terrifying the Yang Metal Sword Qi was.

"Ah, it hurts... it's unbearable... Master, have I eaten something wrong?"

Bao rolled on the ground, clutching its stomach and wailing in pain.

"Pain is normal. This thing is spicy on both ends. If you really can't bear it, just puke it out—whether up or down, just get it out."

Chu Xuan said with a cheerful laugh. The body of the Yang Metal Sword Corpse had undergone a thorough tempering by the Yang Metal Sword Qi, making it incredibly strong.

From then on, it would no longer need weapons. Every part of its body could transform into a sharp Yang Metal Sword!

More importantly, the Yang Metal Sword Corpse could expel pure and powerful Yang Metal Sword Qi from within! That was its most lethal and terrifying feature!

However, in the short term, it could only expel a limited amount of Yang Metal Sword Qi—only three streaks. After expelling three, it needed to undergo a long period of rest, consuming a large amount of metal minerals, before it could expel more Yang Metal Sword Qi again.