Demonic Cultivator(171-176)

Chapter 171: So This Is Your Reason for Poisoning?

Upon seeing Wan Wuying concede, Chu Xuan immediately broke into a smile. He could have pushed for a larger share, demanding an eighty twenty percent split, but that would have been too aggressive.

A seventy-thirty split seemed more reasonable. There was no need to push Wan Wuying too hard.

"Senior brother, do you have a target in mind?" Chu Xuan asked casually.

Wan Wuying nodded, "Yes, I know a few old fellows who are still around. Their lifespans are nearing their end, and they surely want to try their luck on the battlefield beyond our realm."

"Good, then contact them," Chu Xuan nodded.

The two then took out their flying treasures and swiftly soared away. There was no need for restraint now. All of the Nascent Soul ancestors from the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace had perished.

The voice of that formidable being had spread across the entire Mystic Azure Star, clear to any cultivator who harbored spiritual energy within them. The prestige of Feather Transformation Heaven Palace had plummeted tremendously.

The three disciples under Spirit Feather Ture Master were in complete disarray, surely contemplating how to stabilize the situation. They had no time to deal with these two demonic cultivators. Such chaos was exactly what demonic cultivators longed to see!

…

Blue Star.

Chu Xuan gazed at the now-complete Psionic Cube before him, his face lighting up with joy. It was finally complete!

This had all started when monks from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace began their assault on the Hundred Refinements Sect's mountain gate array.

The Zombie Empress and Zombie Matriarch had sent word simultaneously, having discovered the whereabouts of another fragment of the Psionic Cube.

Chu Xuan had searched for a while but found nothing. Eventually, he handed the task over to the zombie army, letting them search.

Five years had passed on Blue Star, and they had indeed found it. The fragment was inside the stomach of a deep-sea leviathan, appearing now in the deep sea, now in the shallows.

"No wonder I couldn't find it before; it was hidden in the deep sea," Chu Xuan said, shaking his head with a chuckle.

"This Psionic Cube is finally complete. Does it have any new functions?" he wondered aloud, carefully examining the cube. The mysterious and intricate patterns on its surface had become even more profound.

The primal psionic energy it emitted was also immensely powerful. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that this Psionic Cube could elevate any being to a transcendent level nine.

"Could it be the primordial spirit item of Blue Star?"

Chu Xuan suddenly thought of the Mystic Azure Star's core spiritual object, the Turbid World Azure Lotus.

This Psionic Cube, capable of evolving all life on a planet, seemed just as impressive. It very much resembled what one might call a "primordial spirit item."

Just then, Chu Xuan felt an indistinct and obscure fluctuation coming from inside the Psionic Cube. The waves were sometimes long, sometimes short; at times rapid, at times gentle.

Chu Xuan furrowed his brows and delved his spiritual sense into it. He had tried this before, but unlike the magic treasure of Mystic Azure Star, this Psionic Cube could not be marked by spiritual sense. Its interior was empty, void of anything.

But this time, Chu Xuan noticed something unusual. Inside the Psionic Cube, there was a point of light. The fluctuations were emanating from this light.

Chu Xuan extended his spiritual sense towards it and instantly received a message from the light.

"…Talk! Talk, I'm freaking out! What's with this newbie, not talking at all! Eh…"

Chu Xuan, "…"

Shocked! There was actually someone speaking!

From the light point, another message came, "Newbie, I see you, why aren't you speaking!"

Then, the light point drifted towards Chu Xuan. Upon making contact, it exclaimed in shock, "Such powerful soul force! Are you really a newbie?"

Before Chu Xuan could reply, it spoke again, suspiciously, "You couldn't be some awakened Soul King, could you? Hey hey, don't joke around, say something!

Your soul power is very strong, even stronger than mine! The planet I'm from is called Pegasus Star, close to Soul Star. What's your planet called? My name is Ma Nanshan! What's yours?"

Chu Xuan remained silent.

This fellow's chatter was relentless, like a machine gun firing away without a pause.

Chu Xuan stroked his chin, pondering. Soul power, Soul King, newbie, Pegasus Star, Soul Star, Ma Nanshan? He had never heard any of these terms before.

This Psionic Cube wasn't the primordial spirit item he had speculated, but rather seemed like... a communication device.

Whoever possessed the Psionic Cube was added directly into a chat group. Whether the members of the chat group belonged to the same force, or even if they were human, was uncertain.

Being cautious, Chu Xuan chose not to speak to this so-called Ma Nanshan. He knew too little about the situation. Speaking rashly could easily expose his ignorance. So, he decided to remain silent.

Since Ma Nanshan liked to talk, it was better to just listen. Over time, by listening, he would come to understand many things.

After some thought, Chu Xuan took out the Blood Mirror. The function of the Blood Mirror seemed limited to shuttling between Mystic Azure Star and Blue Star.

Could it not travel to other planets? Or perhaps, were there prerequisites required?

Chu Xuan shook his head, no longer wanting to ponder these questions. Such a treasure as the Blood Mirror was beyond even his ability to discern its rank, let alone its prerequisites.

Right now, his only task was to continue enhancing his strength and venture into the extraterritorial battlefield.

"If it's too dangerous, I'll just return to Blue Star and continue my cultivation,"

Chu Xuan resolved. He had never been one to grow arrogant over his current level of power.

Even a mighty figure like Spirit Feather Ture Master had been slain with a single strike by a formidable being from beyond the stars. In the eyes of such powerful beings, what was he?

One must become the strongest to truly transcend everything.

...

Mystic Azure Star, one month later.

Chu Xuan arrived early at the location previously agreed upon with Wan Wuying.

Why early?

Well, what if a well-intentioned senior brother played a trick on him? He needed to ensure he controlled the situation.

"So this is your reason for poisoning?" Wan Wuying asked, looking at Chu Xuan with disfavor after a moment.

Chu Xuan laughed, "Isn't this just a way to exchange some insights on poisoning?"

Wan Wuying pointed at Zhao Wuya, who was foaming at the mouth and collapsed on the ground, "What about him?"

Chu Xuan shrugged, "Fellow daoist Zhao has been poisoned, and I'm quite helpless about it."

Wan Wuying then pointed to Huang Yuanwu, whose nostrils and corners of his mouth were bleeding, "And him?"

Chu Xuan inspected him closely and shook his head repeatedly, "That wasn't my doing, senior brother, don't pin this on me."

Wan Wuying took a closer look and chuckled awkwardly, "That was my doing, got it mixed up, haha..."

Moments later, after taking the antidote, both Zhao Wuya and Huang Yuanwu stood up, their faces sullen.

The four of them stared at each other for a long time, in a stalemate.

After a while, Zhao Wuya finally spoke, "Both of you, we're getting old and can't withstand this anymore."

"Don't drag us into your conflicts when you two are contesting with poison," Huang Yuanwu nodded repeatedly, agreeing.

Chapter 172: Entering the Extraterritorial Battlefield

Zhao Wuya and Huang Yuanwu looked at Chu Xuan with a mix of emotions. Before the fall of the Heavenly Seal Sect, they had sensed something amiss and had excused themselves on a sect mission to avoid the impending disaster.

Indeed, as they had anticipated, Heavenly Seal Sect was annihilated by the Heaven Burning Sect.

Afterward, they roamed from place to place, disguising themselves as low-level cultivators. They even spent some time disguised as Foundation Establishment cultivators among the Hundred Sects Alliance.

They had thought that this would be their life from then on. However, they were astounded when Wan Wuying found them not long ago, claiming to have a token that granted access to the extraterritorial battlefield.

They had thought he was long dead. And yet, he had emerged alive from the Sighost Palace? But where did this battlefield token come from?

When they learned that the token was obtained by both Chu Xuan and Wan Wuying together, their astonishment increased even more. Wan Wuying's former disciple had become a Golden Core cultivator?!

Huang Yuanwu, having never met Chu Xuan, was not too shocked. The most shocked was Zhao Wuya, who had personally seen Chu Xuan before.

Back then, Wan Wuying had brought Li Xuanming, Chu Xuan, Liu Zhenxiong, Wu Teng, and others to the Heavenly Seal Sect's Flying Mountain Hall, seeking to cleanse their demonic cultivator identities and join the Heavenly Seal Sect as cultivators from the Extremely Yin Cave.

It was Zhao Wuya who had received them!

Zhao Wuya was deeply moved. "Fellow daoist Chu... it's only been a few years, and you've gone from a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator to a Golden Core cultivator. I never expected this, truly unexpected… All the disciples under old Wan, dead or betrayed, and in the end, it's only you who remain."

Chu Xuan merely smiled. Life is unsentimental. Other than himself, who could have guessed that he would be the last one standing?

In secret, Wan Wuying handed a storage bag to Chu Xuan, whispering, "The rest of the tokens have been auctioned off, and your seventy percent share of the proceeds is inside."

Chu Xuan accepted it tacitly.

"Let's go, we're heading to that ancient teleportation array," said Wan Wuying, beckoning Chu Xuan and the others to follow.

Four streaks of light whirled through the sky, swiftly reaching a manor. This manor housed the ancient teleportation array and was usually manned by disciples of Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, with at least three Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed here. But now, it was deserted.

The reason was all too simple.

With the death of the Nascent Soul cultivators from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace and the tragic end of its Nascent Soul ancestors, coupled with a significant drop in prestige, the sect had no choice but to retract its power. Particularly after the upheavals caused by Shang Tianjue in Southern Wilderness. The major sects in Eastern Border, Northern Cold, and Western Land remained intact.

The remaining Nascent Soul cultivators certainly wouldn't miss the chance to bring down Feather Transformation Heaven Palace during its time of weakness.

What goes around comes around—it's my turn today! And, well, even if it's not at my home, it certainly won't be at Feather Transformation Heaven Palace! Let's do this!

The reason they chose this location over a guarded ancient teleportation formation was straightforward.

Despite its retraction, Feather Transformation Heaven Palace was still a formidable force with Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

Chu Xuan and Wan Wuying, being demonic cultivators, would certainly not approach Feather Transformation Heaven Palace directly. An unguarded ancient teleportation formation was obviously the better choice.

"Is this the ancient teleportation formation?" Chu Xuan surveyed the enormous structure before him, marveling at its size.

The ancient teleportation formation was more than ten zhang high and wide—over thirty meters in both length and width according to Blue Star's measurements!

"I've heard that such ancient teleportation formations were crafted by superior sects. Even Feather Transformation Heaven Palace lacks the capability to construct such a device," Huang Yuanwu remarked.

"I also heard that the materials used to build ancient teleportation formations are incredibly hard, such that even late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators can't leave a mark on them with their full power!" Zhao Wuya added, touching the surface of the formation in awe.

Wan Wuying nodded, "Activating this teleportation formation requires a significant amount of spirit stones. Now that Feather Transformation Heaven Palace has withdrawn, we need to provide our own spirit stones. Did everyone bring the spirit stones?"

Chu Xuan and the others nodded, "We did."

"According to what we agreed earlier, you two will contribute a thousand medium spiritual stones, and we two hundred," Wan Wuying stated calmly.

Zhao Wuya and Huang Yuanwu, despite the pinch, nodded in agreement. After all, the tokens were in the hands of Wan Wuying and Chu Xuan.

A total of one thousand two hundred medium spiritual stones were then fed into the ancient teleportation formation.

Initially, the large number of medium spiritual stones seemed to disappear into the formation like stones sinking into the ocean, showing no reaction at all.

It wasn't until one thousand medium spiritual stones had been inserted that a faint glow began to emanate from its surface.

Once all the spirit stones were in place, the surface of the formation finally shone with layers of brilliant light, swirling continuously.

As Chu Xuan observed the ancient teleportation formation closely, he noticed it resembled a curtain of water, filled with intense spatial fluctuations.

Wan Wuying spoke in a deep voice, "Take out the battlefield tokens. These serve as coordinates, allowing us to teleport to the extraterritorial battlefield without losing our way."

"We should all arrive close to each other if we use the same ancient teleportation formation," he continued. "Once we land, we'll regroup as quickly as possible and head to the nearest city."

Chu Xuan and the others nodded slightly and took out their respective tokens.

"I'll go first!" Huang Yuanwu called out, holding his battlefield token and resolutely stepping into the teleportation light screen first, followed by Wan Wuying and Zhao Wuya. Chu Xuan was the last to enter.

Shortly after the four men entered, about ten breaths of time passed, and the light screen quickly dimmed before finally vanishing. The ancient teleportation formation returned to its usual appearance.

...

On Dragonfish Island, Yuan Zichu, Zhu Yuqiao, and Wu Dalang stood in front of an ancient teleportation formation.

Wu Dalang, with his arm around Zhu Yuqiao's slender waist, expressed his gratitude, "Fellow daoist Yuan, if it weren't for you, both Qiao'er and I would never have obtained this battlefield token."

He continued with heartfelt thanks, "Also, Qiao'er, being a formation master, was originally to be forcibly conscripted by Shang Tianjue to guard the Eight Directions Immutable Array. If you hadn't helped us fake her disappearance, she might have ended up mindless like the other Golden Core formation masters."

Wu Dalang bowed deeply, "Words cannot express my gratitude. From now on, you are my brother in life and death!"

Yuan Zichu quickly helped him up, feigning anger, "Fellow daoist Wu, there's no need for such formalities! The three of us escaped Feather Transformation Heaven Palace's pursuit together. Considering our life-and-death experiences, it's only right to share the battlefield token with you.

As for helping to create the illusion of disappearance, it's the least I could do. I've exchanged many ideas on the art of formations with fellow daoist Zhu, considering her almost a master of mine, so it was only natural to help!"

Wu Dalang, tears brimming in his eyes, said, "I am over four hundred years old, and my lifespan nearing its end. Only by entering the extraterritorial battlefield can I hope to find a chance at reaching the Nascent Soul stage!

Fellow daoist Yuan, your actions have given me a new lease on life! I've decided, if Qiao'er and I have children, they shall be named Wu Zichu!"

Yuan Zichu, "...That might not be necessary."

Wu Dalang, overcome with emotion, exclaimed, "I will go first!" Holding the token, he stepped into the ancient teleportation formation.

Yuan Zichu and Zhu Yuqiao, holding hands and exchanging smiles, followed him into the formation.

Chapter 173: Nether Crocodiles

Black Dragon Mountain.

The moon was high in the sky. The place was silent and deserted.

Previously, Feather Transformation Heaven Palace had swept through, nearly exterminating all the disciples of the Hundred Refinements Sect at Black Dragon Mountain.

At this moment, however, two figures stealthily approached the area. They were Song Junjie and Qian Tang.

"The Gu in my body suddenly became less active; could it be that our master has left us far behind?" Qian Tang whispered.

Song Junjie pondered, "I heard from a Golden Core elder that the extraterritorial battlefield has opened. Could he have gone there?"

Qian Tang nodded, "That's very likely! Does this mean we are no longer bound? We don't have to follow the commands of that old demon anymore!"

Song Junjie laughed heartily, "Exactly! Now is our chance to find a way to dissolve the Five Organs Gu and completely free ourselves from that old demon!"

The transition from "master" to "he" to "old demon" was swift.

...

Moonlight bathed the forest. At the top of a tall mountain, a stern-faced middle-aged man spoke firmly.

"Major young master, you need not feel guilty over Mo Ming's death. He once betrayed the Nether Dao Sect by leaking information. Even though he repented and even offered up the heads of geniuses from Feather Transformation Heaven Palace, his heart had changed, and he was no longer worthy of being your confidant.

In the Corpse Nurturing Tower and Ghost Nurturing Tower are the physical bodies and living souls of Hidden Mountain Gathering members, at your disposal.

Major young master, when I, Qi Yin, was but a mere Qi Cultivator, you protected me. I seized another's spiritual root to establish my foundation, and only then could I step onto the path of the Golden Core. Your Nascent Soul is gravely damaged, and without a body, it would surely perish. I offer my body to you!"

With those words, he didn't even wait for Shang Tianjue to speak and used a secret method to destroy his own soul. In an instant, he became a mere shell, an excellent vessel.

A sigh from Shang Tianjue echoed in his mind. The stern middle-aged man's eyes suddenly brightened again.

However, this time, the look in his eyes was completely different.

Cold! Icy! Unrestrained!

These were the eyes of the Overlord, Shang Tianjue!

He scanned the two towers with his spiritual sense. Inside, he found ten Golden Core cultivators' bodies and ten Golden Core cultivators' souls, clearly killed by Qi Yin in his lifetime.

However, a few were missing. They must have sensed the danger and escaped in time.

No matter. From this moment on, Hidden Mountain Gathering ceased to exist.

"Qi Yin, Black Chess, Hidden Mountain Gathering… If it weren't for your pivotal role, our plan to severely damage Feather Transformation Heaven Palace wouldn't have gone so smoothly," Shang Tianjue acknowledged.

"Qi Yin, I promise you, once I return from the extraterritorial battlefield, I will establish your family as a Golden Core family. A Golden Core in every generation, never to fade away!"

Holding the battlefield token, Shang Tianjue flew towards an ancient teleportation formation that was not guarded by any Feather Transformation Heaven Palace cultivators.

"The fall of the three Nascent Soul ancestors from the Nether Dao Sect on the extraterritorial battlefield was no accident. It could either be a great peril or a great opportunity! I must uncover the truth."

A fiery determination blazed in his eyes.

...

Extraterritorial Battlefield.

This was a land made up of wreckage and ruins. Everywhere one looked was desolate, completely devoid of life.

At this moment, on a plain, a group of slender, pitch-black demonic beasts was chasing a beautiful, slim woman. Her face was filled with terror, and her body was covered in wounds. Her close-fitting daoist robe was torn in many places, almost to the point of rags. Despite the sudden exposure, she had no intention of covering up. Escape was her only priority—there was no time for modesty.

"Spiritual Qi... I'm running out of Spiritual Qi!" she panicked as the bizarre demonic beasts closed in.

The woman tried to activate her escape technique again but found her Spiritual Qi completely depleted. She couldn't even muster enough to initiate her technique.

"Can anyone save me?" she desperately hoped for a miracle, a mighty savior to appear from the heavens.

Just then, the space in front of her twisted abruptly. In the blink of an eye, a figure appeared. It was Chu Xuan.

"Save me! I'll give you anything I have!" she exclaimed in delight, rushing towards Chu Xuan.

Her pitiful appearance, combined with her graceful figure and the exposed skin of her chest, would stir the heart of anyone.

Chu Xuan frowned deeply, glancing at the swarm of bizarre demonic beasts pursuing them. He quickly used an escape technique to put distance between himself and the female cultivator. He didn't hesitate to slap two movement talismans on his legs, boosting his speed significantly.

Soon, he had put a considerable distance between them. The woman was dumbfounded. She had always been confident in her beauty and had even resorted to using a charm technique, yet she had failed to captivate him!

The woman, teeth clenched in frustration, threatened, "I am a cultivator from the Majestic Sword Sect! My master is Flying Dragon Sword Shangguan Hao! My death image will be known to my master. If you abandon me, he will see it too!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xuan immediately stopped. The woman's face lit up with joy, thinking that this person was the type who responded to threats rather than pleas, and she had successfully intimidated him into saving her.

"Fellow daoist, I will forever remember your lifesaving grace! Should you ever visit the Majestic Sword Sect, you will be handsomely rewarded!" she said, quickly approaching Chu Xuan while covertly readying a soul-capturing spell in her hand.

Chu Xuan turned around with a cold smile. In her eyes of despair, he lifted his foot and then…

Kicked her right into the midst of the beasts.

"Majestic Sword Sect wiped out my entire sect! This hatred is irreconcilable! I, He Liang, specifically hunt down cultivators of the Majestic Sword Sect!"

Chu Xuan's face was covered by He Liang's human skin mask as he spoke. The woman screamed repeatedly as she was torn apart by the bizarre demonic beasts.

Chu Xuan then took the opportunity to accelerate. Before the other demonic beasts could catch up, he threw out a barrage of Yin Thunder Seeds to temporarily repel them and made a quick escape.

...

A few days later.

Chu Xuan hid in a mountain cave, sighing helplessly.

"I didn't expect that these surroundings would be swarming with these bizarre demonic beasts known as Nether Crocodiles. Even if I can break out for a distance, I can't sustain it long; the surrounding Nether Crocodiles would swarm again. Such terrible luck, to land right among a group of demonic beasts."

Chu Xuan shook his head repeatedly.

If Wan Wuying hadn't given them each a jade slip imbued with the sense of common demonic beasts found on the extraterritorial battlefield before they entered, he might not even know what was surrounding him.

The Nether Crocodile, a common demonic beast found on the extraterritorial battlefield, is about the length of an adult's thigh, entirely black, with a body hard as steel and streamlined for swift movement.

Spells from a Golden Core cultivator are, at most, seventy percent effective against them.

"These Yin Thunder Seeds seem to cause decent damage to the Nether Crocodiles; looks like I need to stock up on these," he mused. "I shall return to Blue Star produce more Yin Thunder Seeds, and then blast them all!"

With a cold snort, Chu Xuan turned and returned to Blue Star.

Chapter 174: Such a Task of Saving the Souls of the Soul Star is Our Inescapable Duty!

On the extraterritorial battlefield, within Lei Family City, Golden Core cultivators from across the cosmos were a common sight.

Controlled by the Reincarnation Divine Church, the majority of Golden Core cultivators from more than ten stars had converged here.

Each star was allotted one thousand tokens, and even if ten to twenty percent of these tokens remained undiscovered, at least ten thousand Golden Core cultivators from various cultivation stars had arrived on this battlefield.

Lei Family City was a gathering place for rogue cultivators in the vicinity. The extraterritorial battlefield, unlike the cultivation stars, was highly unstable, riddled with spatial rifts and bizarre ancient beasts. Only a few unique areas were relatively stable.

Over countless years, these regions naturally became gathering spots for cultivators, eventually evolving into cities. Lei Family City was one such city, controlled by a Nascent Soul family.

Inside the largest inn of Lei Family City, Wan Wuying, Zhao Wuya, and Huang Yuanwu were gathered.

"Have we still not found Chu Xuan?" Wan Wuying asked in a low voice.

Zhao Wuya and Huang Yuanwu both shook their heads repeatedly. "I went east, and he went south; neither of us found any trace of Chu Xuan."

Zhao Wuya sighed lightly, "Fellow daoist Chu is highly skilled and would have been a great asset. Alas... perhaps he was just unlucky, landing amidst a group of demonic beasts."

Huang Yuanwu murmured thoughtfully, "I heard yesterday that a large group of Nether Crocodiles appeared on the western battlefield. Since the opening of the extraterritorial battlefield, many who landed there perished, and only a very few lucky ones escaped.

Even the talented disciples of the Majestic Sword Sect from Dawn Star died there. If fellow daoist Chu also landed on the western battlefield..."

Wan Wuying fell silent, eventually letting out a long sigh.

"Alive or dead, it's fate. It's not easy to stay in Lei Family City. We are all people with not much life left; there's no need to keep searching for him deliberately. Let's prioritize our own survival."

Zhao Wuya and Huang Yuanwu nodded in agreement, saying no more.

...

On Blue Star, Chu Xuan tossed ten Thunder Crystals into the Reverse Thunder Formation. Each head-sized Thunder Crystal was worth twenty thousand small spiritual stones, and these ten amounted to a staggering two hundred thousand small spiritual stones—all proceeds from the auction of the tokens.

"Fortunately, I had Wan Wuying gather some, or else it wouldn't have been enough to condense the Yin Thunder Seeds," Chu Xuan chuckled lightly, focusing intently on the task.

Days turned into years, and in the blink of an eye, three years had passed. The number of Yin Thunder Seeds in his spiritual sea had reached five thousand.

During his free time, Chu Xuan also delved into the study of poisons and occasionally checked the situation on Blue Star and the status of the Psionic Cube.

"Hmm? This fellow is still talking to himself, nonstop," Chu Xuan remarked, surprised as he took out the Psionic Cube. Over the past five years, that person who called himself Ma Nanshan talked daily, seemingly unbothered by solitude.

Just then, Chu Xuan noticed another light spot appear, significantly larger—about seven or eight times—than Ma Nanshan's. It radiated a bright light. Ma Nanshan, who had been mumbling to himself, was overjoyed at this development.

"Another newcomer has arrived!" he exclaimed. "Quick, tell us your name, which star you're from—talk to me!"

Chu Xuan, intrigued, watched the new light spot, waiting for it to speak. After a long moment, a weary voice emerged from it.

"My name is Yun Ming, Soul King of the Rectitude Hall on the Soul Star. Are you the summoned ones from Blue Star and Pegasus Star? I represent the Rectitude Hall, requesting your presence on the Soul Star to save our precarious civilization…"

Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow. I haven't spoken yet. How can he see me?

Then, Yun Ming proceeded to provide detailed information. After listening to Yun Ming's explanation, Chu Xuan's interest was piqued.

Unexpectedly, there was such a human civilization!

The Soul Star once harbored a brilliant human civilization. Perhaps due to the unique nature of the Soul Star, or maybe because its inhabitants chose the wrong evolutionary path, they did not follow the technological route like Blue Star.

Instead, they developed a soul civilization!

The people of the Soul Star had developed an extremely advanced soul system. They could even use soul techniques for attack and defense, to tame wild beasts, and facilitate daily life.

However, they soon realized that the physical body limited the soul. Without a physical body, the soul could become much stronger. Perhaps it could even climb to a higher tier of life!

But those from the Soul Star who had forsaken their physical bodies underwent great changes in temperament, becoming exceedingly bloodthirsty. Only a few managed to retain their personalities from before they discarded their bodies.

Over time, the people of the Soul Star split into two factions. The Eternal Hall advocated for the abandonment of the physical body to evolve the soul and pursue absolute immortality.

In contrast, the Hall of Rectitude believed that both the body and soul were essential; once the body was discarded, one ceased to be a true human and became an aberration. The term "rectitude" in the Hall of Rectitude signifies the essence of true humanity.

As the disagreements between the Eternal Hall and the Hall of Rectitude intensified, conflict inevitably erupted. The Soul Star was thrown into chaos, with countless lives lost.

Terrifying vengeful spirits and ghastly specters roamed every inch of the planet, and only one in ten of the Soul Star's inhabitants survived. They found themselves unable to salvage their world with their dwindling strength.

To preserve their civilization, the Hall of Rectitude was compelled to disperse the Psionic Cube, which contained powerful primal Psionic energy, to foster the evolution of other planetary civilizations in the hopes that these worlds' humans would come to their aid.

According to Yun Ming, those in possession of the Psionic Cube were invariably the strongest on their respective planets. The Hall of Rectitude believed that only such powerful beings had the capacity to save the Soul Star.

Yun Ming continued, "...Before you, four newcomers were transported to the Soul Star via the Psionic Cube. Their progress has been favorable. As a member of the Hall of Rectitude, I earnestly request that you both join us.

Here is the method to activate the Psionic Cube's soul teleportation matrix. Once activated, your souls will be transported to the Soul Star. Upon arrival, you can enter containers prepared by the Hall of Rectitude to begin the rescue mission. As a reward, the Hall of Rectitude will provide methods for you to further enhance your capabilities."

He sent out a message, which entered the light points representing Chu Xuan and Ma Nanshan.

Chu Xuan pondered after reading it. The activation method was not complicated; it merely required charging the Psionic Cube. He estimated that throwing a few small spiritual stones into it would suffice to activate the soul teleportation matrix.

The only consideration was... whether to go.

"The Eternal Hall and the Hall of Rectitude are at loggerheads, expecting outsiders to come to their rescue?" Chu Xuan scoffed.

Relying on outsiders instead of holding hope in their own hands—what does that mean?

"However, the Soul Star is plagued with a vast number of vengeful spirits and specters, and its people live in dire straits! Such a task of saving the souls of the Soul Star is our inescapable duty!"

Chu Xuan nodded, primarily motivated by the desire to rescue the souls of the Soul Star. Collecting the vengeful spirits and specters was merely incidental.

Chapter 175: Those Who Obstruct My Path Have Already Chosen Their Death!

"However, the dangers of the Soul Star are unknown, and I need not commit my entire soul to it," Chu Xuan pondered. "Perhaps I should sever a portion of my spiritual sense and send it to the Soul Star. In this way, I can explore the Soul Star while continuing my cultivation."

A light bulb went off in Chu Xuan's mind. This was a viable solution. Yet, this solution brought with it a cascade of new challenges: how to sever part of his soul and, once on the Soul Star, how to capture the vengeful spirits and ghosts.

"I do have a secret technique for severing the soul!"

Chu Xuan suddenly recalled that after slaying Cao Zijin, a genius from the Heaven Burning Sect, he had found a treasure trove of techniques and scrolls in his storage bag. At the time, he had set them aside as they were of little use to him.

Now, revisiting these treasures, he indeed found a suitable method.

The "Soul Division Technique"! This technique, essential for puppeteering, allowed a cultivator to divide their soul, a skill almost all puppeteers used to multitask and control their puppets.

As for a method to bind vengeful spirits and ghosts with the soul, he found none. He wondered if the soul techniques on the Soul Star might offer similar capabilities.

"First, I will cultivate the Soul Division Technique. Just mastering the first level should allow me to sever a strand of my soul. If it's just to assess the dangers of the Soul Star, that should suffice."

Chu Xuan then settled down to diligently cultivate the Soul Division Technique. Having previously condensed the Nether Soul Core, his spiritual soul was exceptionally strong, making his cultivation of the Soul Division Technique even more effective.

Within just a month by Blue Star's reckoning, he had cultivated the Soul Division Technique to the first level. That very day, he severed a strand of his soul. Subsequently, he activated the soul teleportation matrix of the Psionic Cube using five small spiritual stones.

Chu Xuan took another look at the Psionic Cube. Since Ma Nanshan's departure for the Soul Star, there had been a long silence, a stark contrast to his previous verbosity.

Chu Xuan had his suspicions but still wished to see for himself what lay on the other side.

"Let's see what this Soul Star is really like," Chu Xuan muttered as he cast the severed strand of his soul into the matrix.

Buzz!

In an instant, the world spun wildly. His senses were bombarded by bizarre and chaotic visions. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing under a night sky. Looking around, the landscape was desolate and dark, hardly a place fit for human habitation.

On closer inspection, the sky was not dark. It was actually teeming with writhing, wailing vengeful spirits and ghosts! Their numbers were so vast that they blotted out the sky, which had led Chu Xuan to believe he was under a night sky.

"So many?!" Chu Xuan was momentarily speechless. His Myriad Souls Banner, merely a high-grade magic tool, would struggle to contain such an enormous number of vengeful spirits and ghosts.

Just then, Chu Xuan felt a sudden headache. A vision of a shattered, blood-red mirror piece flashed through his mind.

"The Blood Mirror fragment!"

Chu Xuan exclaimed, both shocked and elated.

"Another fool has come," a voice sounded from behind him.

Before Chu Xuan could turn around, a massive hand grasped at him. In an instant, it crushed the strand of his soul and tossed it into a gaping mouth, chewing casually.

"Mmm... this soul is weak but delicious..." That was the last thing Chu Xuan heard before intense pain overtook him.

Hisss...

Rubbing his temples, Chu Xuan noted the connection with that strand of his soul had been severed.

"It seems my suspicions were correct," he mused. "That was no invitation from the Hall of Rectitude, but a trap. A dreadful trap designed to lure the strongest beings from other planets to offer up their souls!"

Chu Xuan shook his head. Poor Ma Nanshan from Pegasus Star, he thought, probably already dead. His soul likely now served as sustenance for a more formidable being.

"The soul strength of that creature from the Soul Star seems to be comparable to a Foundation Building cultivator. For me, slicing off about one-tenth of my soul to send to the Soul Star should suffice to easily manipulate it."

Chu Xuan smiled faintly. "However, why did my soul suddenly encounter the vision of the mirror fragment upon reaching the Soul Star? Could it be that the fragment is indeed on the Soul Star? Quite possible!"

It seemed a journey to the Soul Star was inevitable. However, he planned to make thorough preparations before departing.

First, he needed to master the second level of the Soul Division Technique. Second, he needed to acquire a better Myriad Souls Banner, at least a mid-grade magic treasure, to capture more stray spirits and ghosts.

"It seems I need to blast those Nether Crocodiles first, then head to a gathering place of cultivators to acquire a better Myriad Souls Banner," Chu Xuan resolved, settling down to continue condensing Yin Thunder Seeds.

Three more years passed on Blue Star. The number of Yin Thunder Seeds in Chu Xuan's spiritual sea had reached ten thousand. He suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with a chilling resolve.

Time to bomb them all...

...

In the western battlefield, the diminutive Nether Crocodiles were ubiquitous. Thousands lay resting on the ground, indistinguishable from slender stones.

Yet, only cultivators who had witnessed their ferocity knew that these stone-like creatures could transform into frenzied beasts at the slightest disturbance, mercilessly pursuing their prey.

Suddenly, a streak of light burst forth from a hidden cave.

In an instant, the Nether Crocodiles, like people jolted from deep sleep, woke with a start, irritable and disturbed. Their fearsome, sharp maws swayed as they swarmed toward the fleeing light.

"Obstruct my path, and you court death!" Chu Xuan sneered, his mouth spewing forth beads of Yin Thunder.

Boom, boom, boom!

Wherever he went, the Nether Crocodiles were blasted into pieces. Black limbs and red flesh littered the ground, covering it completely.

A hundred Yin Thunder Seeds were not enough; then he would use two hundred. If two hundred were insufficient, then four hundred, eight hundred, even sixteen hundred—as long as he had enough Yin Thunder.

Boom, boom, boom!

With Yin Thunder clearing the way, Chu Xuan advanced relentlessly.

"Hmm? That woman's storage bag?" His keen eyes and quick hands spotted a storage bag on the ground.

Several months ago, he had been transported here via a battlefield token and had encountered a woman claiming to be a disciple of the Majestic Sword Sect. Chu Xuan casually took the storage bag and continued forward.

"Aren't some Nether Crocodiles supposed to burst into blood crystals upon death? Why haven't I seen any?" Chu Xuan mused internally.

The physical bodies of Nether Crocodiles were extremely formidable. In some particularly powerful specimens, the vital essence could condense into blood crystals, a nourishing delicacy for body cultivators.

Chu Xuan wondered if these blood crystals could compare to the zombie flesh crafted from the Psionic Cube.

Wait... Could it be that the overwhelming power of the Yin Thunder had shattered even the blood crystals?

After some time, Chu Xuan finally discovered a blood crystal. With a sweep of his spiritual sense and a gesture, he drew it into his storage bag from afar. He collected six more as he proceeded.

The number of Nether Crocodiles ahead began to dwindle, perhaps sensing the deadly threat of the Yin Thunder and choosing to avoid its edge.

In any case, Chu Xuan felt the pressure rapidly diminishing. Eventually, he blasted his way out of the Nether Crocodile encirclement.

There were no more obstacles around!

Chapter 176: The Privilege of Merit

Chu Xuan heaved a sigh of relief and immediately set off towards the east. The extraterritorial battlefield had undergone significant transformations. Each opening event reshaped the landscape, turning mountains into valleys and gorges into plains.

Entire areas would mysteriously vanish, yet cities built on solid ground remained steadfast, such as the Reincarnation Divine Church's Realm Tower, the Feather Transformation Heaven Palace's Feather Transformation City, and the Majestic Sword Sect's Majestic City, among others.

Wan Wuying had informed him through the spiritual sense jade slip that there were only two cities suitable for loose cultivators to enter.

One was Lei Family City, controlled by the profound Nascent Soul family of the Lei Clan, which welcomed all comers.

The other was Righteous Dao City, managed by a newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator and two False Soul cultivators, claiming to be open only to cultivators of the righteous way, strictly forbidding demonic cultivators.

Other cities were almost exclusively under the control of major sects like Feather Transformation Heaven Palace and Majestic Sword Sect and were not recommended for loose cultivators.

Chu Xuan had no intention of visiting those cities. Lei Family City seemed like a good choice. However, as he traveled, he realized he was lost.

"Isn't this... surely this spiritual sense jade slip is a 500-year-old map?!" he exclaimed. "There's clearly no path ahead, just a dried-up massive trench!"

Chu Xuan looked at the thousand-zhang-wide gorge before him and laughed helplessly. The extraterritorial battlefield exerted a strong suppressive force on flying magic treasures, reducing their power by half.

In Mystic Azure Star, Chu Xuan could easily have flown across, but this was the treacherous extraterritorial battlefield!

With such a wide chasm, who knew what demons and monsters lurked in its unfathomable depths? It was better not to fly unless absolutely necessary.

Resolved to follow his instincts, Chu Xuan decided to take a detour.

This detour took him far away from Lei Family City and, ultimately, he arrived at... Righteous Dao City.

Chu Xuan looked at the large sign over the city gate and smacked his lips. Righteous Dao City... it wasn't entirely off-limits. With his accumulated virtue, anyone would give him a thumbs up in praise. Who would dare to suspect him of being a demonic cultivator?

With this thought, Chu Xuan strode confidently towards the city gate.

At the entrance of Righteous Dao City, two cultivators at the early stage of the Golden Core guarded the left and right sides, while a middle-aged bald cultivator at the mid-stage of the Golden Core took charge of the registration process.

A line of cultivators slowly made their way into the city. Those who met the criteria of Righteous Dao City were registered and issued entry tokens. Those who did not were naturally expelled.

"Cultivation method is righteous and balanced, approved! Next!"

"Cultivation method is violent, disapproved! Next!"

"Cultivation method is prolonged and gentle, approved! Next!"

"This cultivation method... Seductress Technique... ahem, approved, next!"

A curvaceous woman fluttered her eyelashes seductively at the middle-aged cultivator, who, swayed by her charm, swiftly marked her as approved.

"She's clearly a demonic cultivator, how can she pass..." a female cultivator in line exclaimed in dissatisfaction upon seeing this.

The middle-aged cultivator glanced over and saw the complaining woman was robust and burly. He scoffed, "With such a formidable physique, you must practice demonic cultivation. Expel her!"

"At once!" the two early Golden Core cultivators stepped forward to remove her.

"I am not a demonic cultivator! I really am not! It's about to get dark, I need to enter the city!" the woman protested.

However, the cultivators of Righteous Dao City were indifferent. They picked her up and threw her far from the city gates.

Meanwhile, a squad of enforcement officers rushed out from within the city, glaring menacingly at everyone.

The Golden Core cultivators in line lowered their heads and shrank back, unwilling to meet their gaze. Those with any ambition had gone to Lei Family City. Only those with no other options came to Righteous Dao City.

Of course, there were also those like Chu Xuan who had lost their way and inexplicably ended up here.

"It's going to be dark soon, can we hurry it up?" another cultivator called out after a while.

The middle-aged cultivator, noticing the gathering darkness on the horizon, hastened the registration process. However, verifying each cultivator's technique was time-consuming, and speed was not an option.

Chu Xuan watched the sluggish pace, shaking his head. He knew well that when darkness fell, a vast number of Nether Crocodiles would emerge from the ground. While he had Yin Thunder Seeds capable of blasting them open, using such a method in public would surely prevent his entry into Righteous Dao City.

"I didn't want to use my special privileges..."

Chu Xuan sighed, and suddenly, a golden wheel of merit rose behind his head. The wheel spun quietly, brilliantly dazzling. Faint auspicious light burst forth, fragrant and imbuing him with fortune, captivating all who saw it.

The sudden burst of golden light from the wheel of merit immediately caught everyone's attention, including that of the middle-aged cultivator responsible for registration.

He was astounded and quickly jogged over to Chu Xuan, exclaiming, "With such immense virtue, Master, why didn't you say so sooner!"

"My name is Duan Que. Please, Master, follow me! The gates of Righteous Dao City are always open for you!" he said, gesturing for Chu Xuan to follow.

Chu Xuan smiled faintly and walked with confident strides. Some cultivators in the line, confused, began to shout.

"Why does he get to cut the line!"

"Yeah, why! Just because he has a glow behind his head?!"

A few bold ones even tried to follow Chu Xuan into the city. Duan Que scoffed, "This master's virtue is boundless! How can you compare?!"

"Enforcement team, stop them!" he commanded. The cultivators of the enforcement team sprang into action, stopping the others from following and causing them to stumble backward.

Chu Xuan entered Righteous Dao City with ease as Duan Que spoke to the guards at the gate, "You two take over the registration, I will accompany the master for a while."

He then turned to Chu Xuan with a smile plastered across his face. "Fellow daoist possesses such merit! You must have saved many mortals!"

Chu Xuan nodded, "I hail from the Southern Wilderness of Mystic Azure Star, from the Golden Dragon Temples, and my dharma name is Huikong. It's just some minor deeds of merit, hardly worth mentioning."

Duan Que bowed even deeper, realizing he was in the presence of a high monk, "Oh, it's a high monk! My apologies for any disrespect!"

"Fellow daoist Huikong, please follow me. Such a person as yourself has been specifically mentioned by the three seniors; we must treat you with the highest respect. You may choose any third-tier cave dwelling for free, without any charge of spirit stones, for five years."

Chu Xuan smiled and nodded, "Please convey my thanks to the three seniors."

At that moment, he looked towards the sky. The light that had lingered there was now being engulfed by darkness. The gates of Righteous Dao City creaked as they closed slowly but firmly. The guards at the gate and the members of the enforcement team promptly returned inside.

Those who had not completed their registration or had been identified as demonic cultivators and denied entry were left outside. Some tried to storm the gate but were easily shot down by the enforcement team on the city walls.

Soon, a horde of Nether Crocodiles swarmed from the caverns below. Screams filled the air outside, but the cultivators inside the city seemed indifferent as if such horrors were all too common.

Chu Xuan pressed his palms together, "Dragon Buddha above, I cannot bear to witness such a dreadful sight. Let us proceed, Benefactor Duan."

Duan Que nodded vigorously, "I, too, cannot bear to see death. Let us move on swiftly."