《Starting as a Snake: Defying Heaven with Invincibility》


 Chapter 1 – Reborn as a Snake

    In the dim, damp cave, a long, slender, black creature surveyed its surroundings with a cold gaze.


    Beside "it" were two identical creatures, young Black Spine Snakes, with several broken eggshells behind them, indicating they had just hatched.


    "Damn it! Of all things, I had to become a snake, and a non-venomous Black Spine Snake at that, the lowest of the first-tier demon beasts. Who knows when I''ll be killed? What a joke!"


    As one of the eight titled Martial Emperors of the Shenzhou Continent, Xiao Long was in a foul mood.


    He had painstakingly found the Temporal Ancestral Dragon''s blood essence inheritance. As long as he refined the essence, he was confident he could transcend the peak of Martial Emperor and become the legendary Ascendant Immortal, breaking free from this world.


    But unexpectedly, at the critical moment of refining, the Red Lotus Martial Emperor, along with two other titled Martial Emperors, attacked him. Severely injured and seeing no hope of breaking through, Xiao Long ignited the Temporal Dragon Blood Essence in a self-destructive explosion, killing one of the Martial Emperors on the spot. Another was regressed to infancy by the essence''s power and eventually became a fertilized egg, turning to ashes. The Red Lotus Martial Emperor was severely injured and fled, unable to recover for a hundred years.


    Accurately speaking, now on the Shenzhou Continent, including the injured Red Lotus Martial Emperor, only six titled Martial Emperors remained.


    Thinking of the Red Lotus Martial Emperor''s fiery, devilish figure and angelic face, Xiao Long swallowed hard, then gritted his teeth. Such a venomous woman, killing her a hundred times wouldn''t be enough to vent his anger.


    The problem was, in his current state, encountering the Red Lotus Martial Emperor would mean she''d blow him away with a breath, not to mention whether he could even meet her.


    "Forget it, I''ll wait until I break through to the Demon Emperor realm."


    After a long while, Xiao Long calmed down. To him, the physical body was fleeting; the soul was the essence.


    He had a human soul, so strictly speaking, he was human. Many demon cultivators on the continent had no choice but to self-destruct their bodies and possess a demon beast, which was not uncommon.


    At worst, he could wait until he reached the Demon Sovereign level, practice the Soul-Snatching Art, and find a human body with good aptitude to possess.


    Xiao Long tried to move, and although it was unfamiliar, he managed to crawl around the cave with difficulty. After a lap, he was exhausted and panting; this body was too weak and needed some transformation.


    "Right, what would happen if a demon beast practiced human cultivation methods?"


    Xiao Long suddenly thought of this.


    In his past life as the Burning Heaven Dragon Emperor, he had received the Burning Heaven Ancestral Dragon''s inheritance. The cultivation method he practiced was the supreme dragon clan technique. Although dragons were divine beasts, they were essentially evolved demon beasts.


    If he used this Black Spine Snake''s body to practice dragon clan techniques, wouldn''t that be...


    Thinking of this, Xiao Long felt a surge of excitement.


    Apart from higher-level races, demon beasts typically only began to take human form and practice cultivation techniques at the Demon Sovereign level. No first-tier demon beast had ever practiced cultivation techniques before; Xiao Long was certain this was unprecedented.


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    Xiao Long immediately thought of a core dragon clan technique, the "Azure Dragon Tome." This technique produced gentle inner qi, strengthening meridians and tempering the body.


    As for its level, it was only a lower-grade Profound-level technique. He had more advanced ones, even Heaven-level techniques, but those were too violent. With this frail body, he might explode into pieces just starting to practice.


    The lower-grade Profound-level Azure Dragon Tome was the most suitable after much consideration. Once he laid a solid foundation, he could switch to a more advanced one.


    Immediately, he began absorbing the faint spiritual qi from the world according to a specific circulation route.


    Cultivation techniques were generally divided into four levels: Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven, each with four grades: lower, middle, upper, and supreme.


    Ordinary people could mostly only practice Yellow-level techniques. Those with good family conditions might practice an upper-grade Yellow-level technique, which was considered good. Profound-level techniques were only available in major sects, and one needed sufficient talent to become a core disciple or elder to practice them.


    Xiao Long''s technique was the gentlest among Profound-level techniques. Moreover, demon beasts'' bodies were inherently stronger than humans, making the practice even smoother.


    Xiao Long spent about a day finally drawing spiritual qi into his body. After several cycles, he stored it in his demon core.


    The core of human martial artists was the dantian, while for demon beasts, it was the demon core.


    The Azure Dragon Tome, worthy of being a dragon clan technique, transformed Xiao Long''s originally pitch-black demon core. After the spiritual qi baptism, it carried a faint trace of gold, and his scales also bore a hint of golden spiritual qi, making them incredibly resilient.


    Xiao Long tried slithering around again, finding it much smoother than before, without any effort.


    "The Azure Dragon Tome is considered mastered. Next, I''ll aim to reach the first level within two days."


    Xiao Long calmed his mind again, coiling motionless in the nest.


    Waves of spiritual qi swirled in like a vortex, entering his meridians, cycling repeatedly. Xiao Long''s body gradually strengthened, his snake form growing thicker and longer, its color deepening to a profound black.


    The two "brothers" nearby seemed curious, slithering over and flicking their tongues, but were immediately repelled by Xiao Long''s aura.


    Xiao Long considered teaching these two little fellows, but with a first-tier demon beast''s intelligence, understanding was questionable, so he ignored them and continued practicing.


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    Two days later.


    "Haha! Finally reached the first level!"


    Xiao Long was overjoyed, feeling his strength was now more than ten times stronger than before! Stronger than ordinary second-tier demon beasts, yet his demon core remained unchanged, still just one centimeter in diameter, indicating he was still at the first-tier demon beast stage.


    Retracting his aura, everything returned to calm.


    He noticed the two brothers trembling nearby. The Azure Dragon Tome carried a supreme dragon clan aura, instilling fear in lower-tier demon beasts, so Xiao Long had to restrain his aura.


    "Little ones! Come here!" Xiao Long sent out a mental command, having mastered the demon beast language from his birth memories.


    The two snakes dared not disobey, slowly slithering over.


    "Remember, I''m your big brother, no need to fear me," Xiao Long continued sending mental commands.


    Both snakes flicked their tongues, indicating they understood.


    Xiao Long nodded, then realized snakes couldn''t comprehend nodding.


    The little fellows surprisingly mimicked Xiao Long, making a "nodding" motion, leaving Xiao Long speechless.


    "Haha! The Black Spine Snake nest is here!"


    "Finally found it!"


    At this moment, excited human voices echoed from outside the cave.


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 Chapter 2 – Strongest Demon Beast System

    "Discovered?" Xiao Long glanced outside the cave.


    As far as he knew, the Black Spine Snake was considered a delicacy among the lower classes, especially the young ones, whose tender meat could fetch a hundred taels of silver each when sold to hotels.


    Their demon cores, however, were worth five hundred taels apiece! Selling them to sects could even earn contribution points, making them quite valuable.


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    After a loud crash, dust filled the air as the cave collapsed, allowing sunlight to pour in. Two brothers beside him were so frightened they scattered in all directions until Xiao Long ordered them to calm down.


    Outside, a burly man with a thick neck and a lean, monkey-like youth with sinister eyes were drooling as they stared at them. The two wore crimson robes adorned with fire cloud patterns, suggesting they were from a minor sect.


    Behind them lay the massive corpse of a black snake. Seeing the cold body, a surge of inexplicable grief and anger welled up in Xiao Long''s heart.


    The two brothers beside him also gazed red-eyed at the scene ahead. Xiao Long immediately understood that the giant Black Spine Snake was their mother.


    To be honest, whether a snake lived or died had nothing to do with Xiao Long, but having been reborn in this body, he inherited its bloodline and emotions. Seeing their mother killed by humans, an uncontrollable rage rose within him!


    "Today¡¯s luck is good, slaughtered a third-tier Black Spine Snake and caught a nest of little ones!"


    "Yeah, the little ones can be killed and stewed, the big one can be carried back for sale, worth quite a bit."


    The two laughed heartily, already sentencing Xiao Long and the others to death.


    The two brothers charged first, but before they got close, the burly man sent them flying with a burst of red energy, crashing into the stone wall and leaving them dazed and confused.


    "Haha! Two first-tier demon beasts trying to resist, truly courting death!"


    "Beasts are beasts, don¡¯t know their own strength." The two laughed heartily.


    "Bastards! Courting death!" Witnessing the scene, Xiao Long''s eyes nearly burst, veins ready to explode.


    Perhaps influenced by the emotions of the demon beasts, Xiao Long felt even angrier than when he was ambushed by the Red Lotus Martial Emperor!


    Without hesitation, Xiao Long coiled and sprang like a rubber band, shooting out with the speed of an arrow. Before the two could react, a black shadow flashed before their eyes.


    "What?!" The two were shocked.


    With two crisp sounds, Xiao Long''s tail whipped fiercely across the monkey-like youth''s face, then rebounded to strike the burly man as well.


    In an instant, two red welts appeared on their faces, burning with pain.


    "Beast, seeking death!"


    After being slapped, the two were both shocked and angry, simultaneously drawing the swords from their waists, ready to hack Xiao Long to pieces.


    Xiao Long, less than three days old and tempered by the Azure Dragon Tome, was only half a meter long. As the two slashed at him, Xiao Long dodged like a loach in water, slipping right under the monkey youth''s pants.


    "Ahhh! It went into my pants!" The monkey youth screamed in terror, stomping his feet to shake Xiao Long out.


    Xiao Long, consumed by rage, slithered upward and bit him without hesitation.


    The monkey youth let out a pig-like scream, his crotch instantly turning blood-red. He clutched his crotch and fell to the ground, curling up like a shrimp.


    Xiao Long then climbed to his neck and bit it off, causing the monkey youth to die instantly.


    "Monkey! Wake up!" The burly man shook him twice, only to see bubbles gurgling from his throat, eyes rolled back, dead as could be.


    The burly man roared in anger, wielding his longsword, his wrist trembling as fiery spiritual qi erupted, covering Xiao Long with a shower of sword light.


    "Star Point Sword Technique!"


    Countless sword flowers shot out, turning the ground into a beehive. However, Xiao Long seemed to have predicted the sword''s trajectory, weaving through the sword light without being hit once.


    With his keen eyes, Xiao Long saw this trashy martial art as nothing more than child''s play.


    The burly man was beyond shocked, his mouth agape, eyes wide as he shouted,


    "Ahhh!" The burly man turned to flee, but Xiao Long flashed forward, mimicking a move from a true dragon''s battle technique, "Divine Dragon Tail Whip," striking the man''s legs.


    With a "crack," the burly man''s leg bones shattered, and he fell flat on his back. In the next moment, Xiao Long bit through his neck.


    Even in death, the man kept muttering "monster," making Xiao Long sneer in disdain.


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    Truth be told, these two were both at the third level of the Body Refining Realm, equivalent to third-tier demon beasts. With his Star Point Sword Technique, ordinary third-tier demon beasts were no match for him, yet they were killed by Xiao Long, a mere first-tier demon beast at the bottom of the food chain. They probably died with regrets.


    Human cultivation levels, from low to high, are divided into: .


    These seven major realms correspond to demon beast levels:


    Each major realm is divided into ten minor levels. Human divisions are more complex, while demon beasts range from first to tenth tier, simple and straightforward, deeply ingrained in the heart.


    The advantage of demon beasts lies in their powerful physical bodies, but their flaw is equally obvious: their comprehension is far inferior to humans. Usually, human geniuses defeat demon beasts across levels, with no cases of demon beasts defeating humans across levels. Of course, Xiao Long is an exception, no wonder the man was scared half to death.


    ["You have killed a level 3 wild monster, gaining 150 experience points! (50% bonus for challenging higher levels)"]


    ["You have killed a level 3 wild monster, gaining 150 experience points! (50% bonus for challenging higher levels)"]


    ["Ding! Congratulations, you have successfully leveled up to level 2! Would you like to activate the Strongest Demon Beast System?"]


    After killing the two humans, Xiao Long was about to check on his brothers when strange voices suddenly echoed in his mind.


    Immediately, two buttons appeared in Xiao Long''s mind: "Yes" and "No."


    Xiao Long was stunned for about five seconds, then roared in anger,


    ["Would you like to activate the Strongest Demon Beast System?"]


    Xiao Long cursed angrily.


    The sudden voice in his mind left Xiao Long both shocked and angry. Being reborn as a snake was bad enough, but now there seemed to be something strange mixed into the snake''s mind.


    ["The system will automatically choose for you in ten seconds."]


    ["Ten, nine, eight..."]


    Unable to bear it, Xiao Long shouted,


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 Chapter 3 – Strange Bloodline

    ["Sorry, the system is busy. Please try again later!"]


    Xiao Long continued to shout.


    ["Sorry, the system is busy. Please try again later!"]


    [..."Three," "Two," "One."]


    ["Since you did not make a choice in time, the system has automatically activated the Strongest Demon Beast System for you!"]


    Xiao Long: "..."


    "What kind of nonsense is this? Giving me two options just to mess with me?" Xiao Long cursed in frustration.


    Since the system was already activated, Xiao Long had no choice but to accept it. Once he breaks through to the Martial Emperor, no, the Demon Emperor realm, he must catch this troublemaker and whip its corpse.


    ["Player Xiao Long, welcome to the Strongest Demon Beast System!"]


    Name: Xiao Long.


    Race: Black Spine Snake (Low-level Demon Beast).


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    Level: 2, next level requires 500 experience.


    Soul: Great Perfection of the Emperor Realm (Frozen).


    Cultivation Method: Azure Dragon Tome (First Level).


    Skills: None.


    Gold Coins: 0.


    ["Ding! Would you like to claim the beginner''s gift pack?"]


    [The gift pack contains: 1000 experience points, 1000 gold coins, a special item "Midas Touch," and a skill book "Beast Taming."]


    ["Midas Touch" Description: Instantly converts wild monsters within 5 levels higher than your own into gold coins. The number of coins is determined by the monster''s level. Casting range is 10 meters, cooldown is 24 hours. (Upgradeable)]


    "Beast Taming" Description: Can tame any demon beast not higher than your level, ineffective on wild monsters, cooldown is 15 minutes, can tame up to three. (Upgradeable)


    "Yes." Xiao Long was too lazy to choose no, knowing it would be useless.


    ["Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 3! You need 300 more experience for the next level!"]


    ["Congratulations on learning the new skill ''Beast Taming,'' level one."]


    ["Congratulations on obtaining the special item ''Midas Touch,'' level one."]


    Xiao Long felt a few new things appear in his mind: an inventory with a golden hand labeled "Midas Touch," and a skill bar with the detailed description of Beast Taming.


    When Xiao Long looked inside his body at the demon core, he was surprised to find that its diameter had reached three centimeters, indicating he was now a third-level demon beast, and his strength had significantly increased, confirming his breakthrough to a third-level demon beast!


    "Level 3, third-level demon beast, could it be that this system isn''t messing with me?"


    Interesting.


    He returned to the nest, where his two brothers were unharmed, gathered around the massive black snake''s corpse, unmoving, as if mourning.


    "Strange, Black Spine Snakes are cold-blooded creatures, the lowest level of demon beast species, born without emotions. Could it be due to a bloodline mutation?"


    Xiao Long was puzzled, looking at the black snake''s corpse, feeling a twinge of pain in his heart, along with an overwhelming urge to "kill," which quickly sobered him.


    It seemed he was indeed affected by the Black Spine Snake''s bloodline, becoming cruel and murderous, starting to hate humans.


    "This bloodline is peculiar!" Xiao Long immediately realized this, as it could influence his will as a Martial Emperor, indicating the bloodline''s extraordinary nature.


    No point in dwelling on it now; he would deal with the bloodline issue when he became stronger.


    He crawled over to his two brothers, and with a thought, began to use the skill "Beast Taming."


    According to the skill''s description, he could tame any creature not higher than his level. He first used the Beast Taming skill on the slightly larger black snake.


    ["Congratulations! You have successfully tamed a Black Spine Snake, level 1, current tamed beasts: 1/3."]


    After the system prompt, the Black Spine Snake lifted its head, looking at Xiao Long with bright eyes. Xiao Long was surprised to find a sliver of soul communication had formed between them.


    "Amazing!" Xiao Long had to admit, the Beast Taming skill was indeed unique.


    After fifteen minutes, when the Beast Taming skill''s cooldown was over, he used it on the second snake. It reacted the same way, lifting its head towards Xiao Long, forming a sliver of soul communication.


    "Haha!" Xiao Long was overjoyed.


    "Can you understand me?" Xiao Long sent a mental signal.


    "We can!" came the simultaneous reply from both sides.


    "Damn!" Xiao Long was astonished.


    Xiao Long thought about it. The Azure Dragon Tome was extremely complex; even if they understood, they might not be able to practice it. After some thought, he decided to teach them a high-grade Yellow-level cultivation method, "Subdue Dragon Art," which was highly suitable for snakes, along with a matching high-grade Yellow-level body refining martial art, "Subdue Dragon Battle Body."


    With this cultivation method and martial art, they would be nearly invincible among their peers and could fight against third-level demon beasts or humans at the third level of Body Refining.


    "I''ll call you Da Hei and Er Hei. I''m your boss. Practice this cultivation method and martial art well; it will greatly benefit you."


    "Yes, boss!" the two snakes responded, then returned to the nest to begin practicing the first level of the Subdue Dragon Art.


    Xiao Long, in a good mood, left them alone and wandered off into the distance, wanting to find an opportunity to test the power of Midas Touch and ask someone about the current situation on the continent...


    ***


    "Where did Zhang He and the others go? Why aren''t they back yet?"


    In a clearing in the woods, two men and a woman were sitting by a campfire, roasting a wild boar. They were all wearing robes with red Fire Cloud patterns, belonging to the same sect as the two people Xiao Long had killed earlier.


    "They caught a third-level Black Spine Snake, probably went to find its nest."


    "It''s just a few worthless snakes, how much could they be worth?" the haughty woman in the middle muttered. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This woman was plain-looking but had an astonishingly wide figure, as wide as two people, with a face full of fat, resembling a wriggling meatball from a distance, estimated to weigh over 300 pounds.


    "Sister Xue is right, we must teach them a lesson when they return." The two men quickly flattered her, with one even slicing a piece of wild boar leg to offer to Xue Yi.


    Though Xue Yi was ugly, her status was extremely noble, being the biological daughter of an enforcement elder of the Fire Cloud Sect. She was spoiled and domineering, destroying anything she disliked, especially hating women prettier than her, often killing or disfiguring them. Many beautiful women had died at her hands, and everyone feared her wrath.


    "After eating, go find them."


    "Yes!" The two men dared not object.


    At this moment, footsteps rustled nearby, and a man and a woman in white robes passed by. Seeing Xue Yi and her companions, their faces changed, and they quickly lowered their heads, pretending not to see them, hastening their steps to leave.


    Xue Yi shouted.


    The two halted.


    "Seeing me and not greeting, trying to sneak away, did you do something guilty?" Xue Yi''s malicious eyes narrowed into slits.


    Who didn''t know of Xue Yi''s notorious reputation? Cold sweat broke out on the two, cursing their bad luck for encountering such a demon.


    "Sorry, we were in a hurry to get home and didn''t see Miss Xue. Please forgive us," the young man bowed.


    "Heh, I don''t think so. Two of my people are missing, and I suspect you killed them," Xue Yi accused without any evidence, placing the blame on them.


    ***


    Xiao Long was wandering in the bushes when the system suddenly alerted him.


    ["System Alert: 300 meters northwest, five wild monsters detected."]


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 Chapter 4 – Invincible Midas Touch

    Xiao Long was well aware that the "wild monsters" the system referred to were actually humans.


    He quickly crawled over, and before he got close, he heard the sound of slaps and a girl''s sobbing.


    Peering through the grass, he saw a clearing where a young man in white was kneeling on the ground. Beside him lay a girl with a beautiful face, long black hair, and a frail figure. Her smooth face bore several red slap marks, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.


    In front of them stood a large, red-clad fat woman, like a giant meatball, looking down at them arrogantly.


    "Miss Xue Yi, I didn''t kill your friend!"


    The fat woman stepped forward and stomped on the girl''s wrist with a "crack," causing her to scream in pain, tears welling up in her eyes as her wrist was clearly broken.


    the kneeling young man shouted.


    The fat woman called "Xue Yi" sneered, waved her hand casually, and two men beside her understood immediately, stepping forward to beat the young man mercilessly. The young man was beaten black and blue but didn''t dare to fight back, which was quite unusual.


    Xiao Long began to understand. This fat pig and the two lackeys beside her wore the same red cloud robes as the two ants he had killed, indicating they were from the same sect. It seemed that this beaten pair was taking the blame for him.


    Although Xiao Long wasn''t a saint, letting two strangers take the fall for him felt a bit wrong, especially since the fat pig''s eyes were red with jealousy, clearly envious of the girl''s beauty, which explained her viciousness.


    The cowardly young man who only took the beating without fighting back was unreliable, even if he fought back, he might not win.


    Xiao Long thought to himself, burrowing underground and crawling to a position ten meters from the fat pig. In his mind, he activated the "Midas Touch" function, targeting the fat woman.


    The release range of Midas Touch was exactly ten meters.


    The girl was slapped on the back of the head by Xue Yi, screamed miserably, and fainted.


    The fat pig was speaking when suddenly her voice stopped abruptly. Her massive body suddenly gleamed with golden light, transforming into a golden statue.


    The next moment, the golden statue vanished, leaving only an empty robe and a storage ring on the ground.


    ["You killed a level 5 wild monster, gaining 300 experience points! (Level challenge experience bonus 50%.)"]


    ["Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 4! You need 1200 experience for the next level!"]


    ["You obtained 297 gold coins, current balance is 1297, Midas Touch is now on cooldown."]


    Xiao Long gasped, an uncontrollable joy surging in his heart.


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    Compared to this system, the Temporal Ancestral Dragon''s blood he had struggled to obtain was nothing but trash!


    Within five levels, instantly turning into gold, who in the world could rival that?


    When he advanced to the Demon Emperor realm, wouldn''t the Red Lotus Martial Emperor be defeated with just one Midas Touch?


    Of course, that was assuming the system classified the Red Lotus Martial Emperor as a "wild monster."


    While Xiao Long was overjoyed, everyone present was wide-eyed, completely unaware of what had just happened. Xue Yi had vanished without a trace.


    Her tent-like clothes were still on the ground, empty, not even a hair left, as if her body had vanished into thin air!


    The unknown was terrifying. Even if Xue Yi had been killed by a demon beast, they wouldn''t be so scared. But for a living person to disappear into thin air, without knowing how she died, was truly bizarre!


    Someone screamed, and the two from the Fire Cloud Sect ran away as if they''d seen a ghost.


    Xiao Long couldn''t let them escape, so he flew up and dealt with the two. Having just reached level four, a fourth-tier demon beast, his strength was even greater than a fifth-tier demon beast. He transformed into a flying sword and pierced them through, leaving them cold and lifeless.


    ["You killed a level 4 wild monster, gaining 150 experience!"]


    ["You killed a level 3 wild monster, gaining 100 experience!"]


    The girl had been knocked out long ago and didn''t see what happened. The cowardly young man was quite clever, kneeling and kowtowing to the sky.


    "Senior, I am Fang Han, an outer disciple of the Ask Sword Sect, passing through with my junior sister Xiao Nan. We meant no offense, please forgive us."


    To make a fat person disappear into thin air, to silently kill a third and fourth body refining level, yet not even see a shadow, the cultivation must have reached the Qi Condensing Realm, far beyond his ability to resist.


    However, Fang Han didn''t see any senior, only a snake.


    The snake emitted the aura of a fourth-tier demon beast, scaring Fang Han into retreating, his cowardly nature fully exposed.


    he shouted to the sky, hoping for help from the mysterious expert, not knowing that the mysterious expert was the snake before him.


    At this moment, he suddenly saw the snake staring at him, its eyes revealing a strange fluctuation. A vast soul force pressed over, transforming into a fine needle, piercing into his sea of consciousness.


    Fang Han''s eyes instantly became vacant, lifeless, like a walking corpse.


    Xiao Long''s body was only a fourth-tier demon beast, but his soul was at the Great Perfection of the Emperor realm, controlling a third body refining level human was easy.


    His soul was heavily damaged, using Soul Control was risky, but he had to know some things.


    "What year is it in the Shenzhou calendar?" Xiao Long asked.


    "Year 32017 of the Shenzhou calendar," Fang Han replied woodenly.


    Xiao Long''s heart trembled. 32017, a thousand years had passed since his incident. He didn''t know what had become of his Burning Heaven Dragon Palace, perhaps it had been destroyed. However, the core of the Dragon Palace had his "Nine-Nine Hidden Dragon Slaughter Array," not easy for the Red Lotus Martial Emperor to destroy unless she invited a Martial Emperor to help.


    The last time the Red Lotus invited two Martial Emperors, they were blown up. Inviting more wouldn''t be easy.


    "What about the Burning Heaven Dragon Palace?" Xiao Long couldn''t help but ask.


    Fang Han showed a confused expression, shaking his head, "Never heard of the Burning Heaven Dragon Palace."


    Xiao Long''s heart trembled, quickly asking, "Where is this? Be specific! What domain, what state?"


    "This is the Southern Barbarian Domain, Great Wilderness State, outskirts of Qingyang Town in the southern part of Tianfeng Kingdom," Fang Han replied woodenly.


    Xiao Long finally breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out to be in a godforsaken place in the Southern Barbarian Domain, no wonder they hadn''t heard of the Burning Heaven Dragon Palace. His Dragon Palace was once one of the five transcendent forces on the Shenzhou Continent, even a disciple could make the entire Southern Barbarian Domain tremble, let alone this so-called Tianfeng Kingdom.


    He just didn''t know what had become of his Burning Heaven Dragon Palace. He had left many trump cards, it shouldn''t have been easily wiped out.


    And his two direct disciples, Mo Ying and Xiao Canghai, he didn''t know if they were dead or alive.


    Xiao Long wanted to ask more, but suddenly felt his soul weaken. Fang Han screamed in terror, his face pale as he fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth.


    This left Xiao Long a bit helpless. His soul was too damaged, even the lowest level Soul Control was beyond his grasp. It seemed he needed to find some heavenly treasures to restore his soul power in the future.


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 Chapter 5 – Fire Cloud Sect

    Xiao Long hadn''t planned on killing these two "wild monsters" yet, as they had no personal grudge against him. The cowardly man, after being tormented by him, might turn into an idiot, but he could only blame his bad luck.


    Xiao Long slithered over and saw a dark ring fall from beneath the oversized clothes. In a small country like the Tianfeng Kingdom, anyone with a storage ring was someone of "significant background," perhaps even the daughter of a star-ranked sect master.


    [System Prompt: You have picked up one "lower-grade storage spirit ring."]


    At this moment, the storage ring on the ground suddenly disappeared, and a dark ring appeared in the "inventory" of his mind.


    "So this system also has an automatic space storage function, saving me a lot of trouble," Xiao Long thought to himself.


    He clicked on the storage ring, and buttons labeled "Inspect" and "Discard" appeared below. Xiao Long clicked on "Inspect."


    Before his eyes appeared various women''s items, along with bizarre tools like whips, candles, and handcuffs. It seemed the fat pig was a psychological deviant.


    Without hesitation, Xiao Long discarded everything, leaving behind twenty thousand lower-grade spirit stones, some gold notes, and many herbs and pills.


    Xiao Long was pleasantly surprised to find a small green herb among the medicinal materials, emitting a fresh scent. It was precisely the Soul-Reviving Grass, beneficial for repairing the soul.


    This herb was very low-grade, something Xiao Long wouldn''t have bothered to look at in his previous life. But now, it felt like a treasure, and he was overjoyed.


    If consumed directly, the Soul-Reviving Grass wouldn''t have much effect. However, if refined into a third-grade pill, the Soul-Reviving Pill, it could definitely support him in using the Soul Control technique once more, or even control a soul slave. Having a soul slave would be very convenient in the human world.


    The main ingredient for the Soul-Reviving Pill was already in hand; only some auxiliary herbs were needed, which could probably be found in this forest.


    "Da Hei! Er Hei!"


    Xiao Long issued a summoning command, and two snakes quickly appeared before him.


    The two snakes, having practiced the "Subdue Dragon Art," had a completely different aura, faintly carrying a dragon''s might that ordinary demon beasts would avoid from afar.


    To Xiao Long''s delight, both snakes had broken through to second-rank demon beasts, their cultivation speed astonishing. Moreover, the snakes had grown to a meter in length, while Xiao Long remained only half a meter.


    "Search for these herbs, and if you encounter danger you can''t handle, just call me," Xiao Long instructed, sending the images of the herbs to their minds.


    "Beast Taming" was equivalent to establishing soul communication; with just a thought, they would fully understand.


    "Yes, boss!" The two snakes left one after the other.


    ***


    While Xiao Long was searching the mountains for herbs, far away in the inner sect of the Fire Cloud Sect, a fat, pig-like enforcement elder suddenly frowned and took out a soul tablet imprinted with a soul mark. The tablet was suddenly covered with cracks and then shattered with a "bang."


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    A shrill scream echoed throughout the Fire Cloud Sect, drawing the attention of passing disciples.


    The next moment, the disciples saw a massive spherical figure soar into the sky, rushing towards the distance and disappearing into the horizon.


    "Xue Wuqing''s daughter was killed?"


    "Haha! That''s really satisfying!"


    "Shh! Be careful, don''t let Elder Xue hear you." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    People whispered among themselves, and some fellow elders followed Xue Wuqing, wanting to find out what happened.


    As an enforcement elder, Xue Wuqing''s strength ranked among the top three in the Fire Cloud Sect, second only to the sect master. With his daughter dead, this area would not be peaceful.


    Everyone knew Xue Wuqing''s explosive temper and extreme protectiveness. Once, someone had the misfortune of slapping Xue Yi, and Xue Wuqing exterminated their entire family. That person was then tortured to death by Xue Yi, having their limbs chopped off, skinned, and fried. The cruelty of his methods was simply inhumane.


    But no one said anything. The Fire Cloud Sect was a one-star sect, one of the four major sects of the Tianfeng Kingdom. Even the emperor had to treat Xue Wuqing with respect, let alone ordinary people.


    ***


    When Xue Wuqing arrived at the scene, there were two corpses, and Xue Yi''s clothes were still there, with a man and a woman from the Ask Sword Sect lying nearby, both severely injured.


    Xue Wuqing picked up Xue Yi''s clothes, and the defensive inscriptions he left were still there, with no signs of activation, and the clothes were intact, which was very strange!


    Xue Wuqing waved his hand, and the two were jolted into the air by strong inner Qi, falling and breaking bones, waking up in pain.


    Xue Wuqing demanded harshly.


    "I... I... I don''t know." The young girl, Xiao Nan, looked around. The three who had tormented her were dead, two of them, and Xue Yi was nowhere to be seen, her clothes left empty.


    Fang Han, on the other hand, stared at him blankly, drooling like an idiot.


    A strange gleam emitted from Xue Wuqing''s pupils, and the two fell into a daze as they looked into his eyes.


    "Repeat what happened here," Xue Wuqing commanded.


    "Senior Brother Fang and I were passing through here..." Xiao Nan recounted everything that happened without missing a word.


    Xue Wuqing frowned deeply. So, it seemed Xue Yi was at fault first?


    "Later, I was knocked out by Xue Yi, and when I woke up, I saw you," Xiao Nan said.


    The now idiotic Fang Han just stared blankly, grinning foolishly.


    Xue Wuqing struck with his palm, turning Fang Han into minced meat.


    He glanced at the girl, finding her of no further value, and struck out with his palm. Just as the energy wave was about to reach Xiao Nan, a tall figure in white suddenly appeared, slicing it apart with a wave of his hand.


    "Elder Xue, Xiao Nan has truthfully reported the situation. Why do you still want to kill her? Do you really think my Ask Sword Sect has no one?"


    The middle-aged man in white, carrying a long sword, stood like a straight spear, staring directly at him.


    "Heh! Sect Master Liu, do I, Xue Wuqing, need to report to you when I kill someone?" Xue Wuqing sneered.


    Liu Chengfeng''s face turned grim. His Ask Sword Sect was just a small sect near Qingyang Town, while the Fire Cloud Sect was a one-star sect, one of the four major sects of the Tianfeng Kingdom. Their strengths were simply incomparable.


    Several more people arrived, both from the Fire Cloud Sect and the Ask Sword Sect. The two sides faced each other from a distance, tension crackling in the air.


    The difference was that the people from the Ask Sword Sect were the core combat strength of the sect, while the Fire Cloud Sect had casually sent a few elders, yet their presence already overshadowed the Ask Sword Sect. This was the power gap between a one-star sect and an ordinary sect.


    ***


    Xiao Long was completely unaware that his casual killing of a few people had triggered a chain reaction. But even if he knew, he wouldn''t care much. In a kingdom of ants, even if it were destroyed, he wouldn''t feel anything.


    While Da Hei and Er Hei searched the forest for herbs, Xiao Long practiced a Profound-level lower-grade martial art called "Fish-Dragon Shifting" and a soul technique for concealing his aura, "Breath Concealment Technique." He then headed to the nearby Qingyang Town to see if he could gather any useful information.


    Proofreader & Editor: Howard Wong

 Chapter 6 – Foodie System

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    After finishing his martial arts training, Xiao Long arrived in Qingyang Town three days later.


    Now that he had broken through to the fourth level of a demon beast, combined with the Azure Dragon Tome and Fish-Dragon Shifting, anyone below the seventh level of the Body Refining Realm was no match for him. If he focused solely on escaping, even those at the ninth level couldn''t catch up with him.


    Moreover, he possessed the invincible artifact, the Midas Touch. As long as he didn''t encounter a human at the peak of the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm, no one could threaten him.


    The streets of Qingyang Town were narrow, with buildings closely packed together. Xiao Long activated the Breath Concealment Technique and swiftly moved through the roadside bushes. When he encountered open areas without cover, he used the Fish-Dragon Shifting technique to quickly dash across. Unless a Qi Condensing Realm martial artist was watching him closely, he would remain undetected.


    Xiao Long slipped into the backyard of a tavern named Qingfeng Tavern, the largest establishment in Qingyang Town.


    Taverns were the best places to gather information. Since Xiao Long couldn''t use the Soul Control technique for now, he had to think of a way here.


    Passing by the kitchen in the backyard, the aroma of food filled the air. Xiao Long swallowed his saliva, suddenly feeling an urge to eat.


    Ever since he stopped eating grains, he hadn''t touched food for a long time and had forgotten what it tasted like. Reborn in the body of a demon beast, that long-lost appetite returned!


    Humans, after reaching the sixth level of the Body Refining Realm, could completely stop eating and cultivate with Spiritual Qi. However, demon beasts couldn''t absorb Spiritual Qi before practicing cultivation techniques; they could only devour food and refine it to enhance their cultivation. This was a biological instinct that couldn''t be avoided.


    Xiao Long thought for a moment, then darted into the kitchen. Seeing a delicious roast chicken on the table, he leapt up like lightning, bit into it, and swallowed it in one smooth motion before disappearing.


    "That was amazing!" Xiao Long felt unusually excited.


    He hadn''t realized food could taste so good!


    ["You have devoured poultry and gained 9 experience points!"]


    The system notification startled Xiao Long.


    With this in mind, he dashed back into the kitchen. Taking advantage of the absence of people, he devoured all the dishes on the table, whether meat, vegetables, sweet, or spicy, leaving nothing behind.


    ["You have devoured vegetation and gained 3 experience points!"]


    ["You have devoured a level 3 demon beast and gained 37 experience points!"]


    ["You have devoured a level 1 demon beast and gained 19 experience points!"] Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ["You have devoured sweets and gained 5 experience points!"]


    Xiao Long moved quickly, eating everything cooked and even raw, including many unprocessed foods, leaving nothing untouched.


    Strangely, despite eating things larger than his own size, Xiao Long didn''t grow and remained only half a meter long.


    ["You have devoured a level 3 demon beast and gained 67 experience points! You need 23 more experience points to level up!"]


    Xiao Long noticed that his experience bar was nearly full, but the food in the kitchen was all gone.


    [(System Notification: A level 3 wild creature is located 20 meters to the southwest.)]


    "Someone''s coming, time to go!" Xiao Long swiftly left the kitchen.


    When the innkeeper''s assistant came to the kitchen to serve the dishes, he found it empty. The table full of dishes had turned into a heap of empty plates, with a few plates on the ground spinning around.


    "That was amazing! So amazing! Hahaha!" Xiao Long was extremely excited in the woodshed. Since his rebirth, he hadn''t been this happy.


    He realized he was becoming addicted to eating.


    Besides the woodshed and kitchen, the backyard had many rooms where demon beasts were kept. These beasts had tender meat and were beneficial for cultivation.


    Most demon beasts were between the first and third levels, with the occasional fourth-level beast being very rare.


    These demon beasts watched as a snake slithered past, staring at Xiao Long with wide eyes, pleading for him to rescue them.


    Xiao Long shook his head, ignoring these creatures. Being captured by humans was their own fault for being too weak. If they were strong enough, they could eat humans too.


    Xiao Long entered the tavern from the back door and quietly crawled up to the second floor, curling up under a counter.


    "Have you heard? Recently, the Fire Cloud Sect has been offering a bounty for killing Black Spine Snakes. Killing one and bringing the body to the Fire Cloud Sect can earn you spirit stones. A first-level Black Spine Snake can be exchanged for five lower-grade spirit stones."


    "Is that true? Five lower-grade spirit stones are worth five thousand taels of silver. Normally, a first-level Black Spine Snake is worth a few hundred taels at most. Now it''s almost ten times that!"


    "I heard that the daughter of the law enforcement elder, Xue Wuqing, was killed by a Black Spine Snake, so he wants revenge."


    "Nonsense! It was clearly a mysterious expert controlling snake demon beasts who killed her. A Miaojiang family controlling snakes in Fire Cloud City was exterminated because of it."


    "Xue Wuqing is ruthless! I heard the Ask Sword Sect was also implicated and had to compensate with many spiritual treasures, emptying their sect''s assets."


    "There''s nothing they can do; they''re not as powerful. The Fire Cloud Sect is one of the four major sects in Tianfeng Kingdom. What is the Ask Sword Sect compared to that?"


    "Xue Wuqing''s daughter was a major troublemaker. It''s good that she''s dead!"


    "Keep your voice down, or you''ll lose your head if someone hears you!"


    Xiao Long lay under the counter, listening for about an hour. The most discussed topic was the murder of Xue Wuqing''s daughter from the Fire Cloud Sect.


    The timing was three days ago, the exact day he killed that chubby girl. Could she have been Xue Wuqing''s daughter?


    If so, his use of the Midas Touch had triggered a chain of events, leading to countless deaths, and even making him a wanted criminal.


    "What kind of nonsense is the Fire Cloud Sect?" Xiao Long was puzzled.


    One of the four major sects in Tianfeng Kingdom? It''s probably just a one-star sect. In his past life, he could have wiped out such a trashy force with a flip of his hand. Now they dared to offer a bounty to kill him, truly a case of a tiger falling to the plains and being bullied by dogs.


    Another question lingered: he remembered no one being around at the time. How was he discovered? The cowardly man had become an idiot; it couldn''t have been him who revealed it. The girl lying on the ground was indeed unconscious.


    He opened the system''s inventory and threw two spirit stones outside, placing them in a corner of the counter.


    Then, using his Inner Qi, he transformed his voice into that of a strong middle-aged man and transmitted it into the ears of a lone drinker.


    "Young friend, I''ve placed two spirit stones in the corner of the counter as a greeting gift. I want to ask you a few questions. If you answer truthfully, I''ll reward you with ten more spirit stones."


    The passerby looked around, finding no one paying attention to him, and couldn''t locate the source of the voice. He glanced at the counter''s corner and indeed saw two spirit stones on the ground.


    He walked over, carefully picked up the spirit stones, returned to his seat, and smiled, "Senior, feel free to ask. I will answer everything I know."


    To transmit sound through Inner Qi without being detected, he must have cultivated an extremely powerful concealment technique. Such a person couldn''t be easily offended, and besides, no one would refuse spirit stones.


    "Why do they say the killer was a Black Spine Snake?" Xiao Long asked.


    This was his biggest question. He hadn''t left any traces, so how did the Fire Cloud Sect know the killer was a snake?


    Proofreader & Editor : Howard Wong

 Chapter 7 – Exposed whereabouts

    "I don''t know either, but there''s a rumor outside that the Fire Cloud Sect possesses a temporal treasure that can replay events from a specific area within a day," the young man said.


    Xiao Long frowned.


    Replaying events from a day? Even with his knowledge, he couldn''t guess what kind of treasure this was. Could it be a treasure containing the Laws of Time?


    If that were true, and the news spread, every major power on the continent would come looking for it. The Temporal Ancestral Dragon''s blood he detonated contained the Laws of Time, which brought about his calamity.


    This matter was no small issue, and he must find out the truth if he had the chance.


    "What is the strength of the strongest person in the Fire Cloud Sect?" Xiao Long continued to ask.


    "The Fire Cloud Sect is a one-star sect. The sect leader is definitely an Innate Expert, but whether he''s the strongest in the Fire Cloud Sect, I don''t know," the person replied.


    Xiao Long had a rough idea.


    Innate Expert was a common term for those who had reached the Innate Three Stages. Only by stepping into the Innate Three Stages could one shed the title of a weakling and be called an expert.


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    Although Xiao Long was disdainful, he couldn''t contend with them with his current strength, being only level 4.


    [System Alert: A level 10 hostile monster is approaching from the west, danger level: medium!]


    Xiao Long immediately executed the Breath Concealment Technique to its fullest, reducing his presence to the minimum.


    A level 10 monster was equivalent to a human at the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm, six levels higher than him, and even the Midas Touch couldn''t kill it.


    "Look! It''s Jiang Li, the genius disciple of the Fire Cloud Sect!"


    "The one known as the ''First Detective of Fire Cloud'' Jiang Li?"


    "That''s right! Not only is he extraordinarily talented, but he''s also solved many mysterious cases, truly a master of both intelligence and martial arts!"


    "This time, he''s come to Qingyang Town for the case of Xue Wuqing''s daughter''s murder. After all, the reward for capturing the culprit is very generous."


    Through the view under the table, Xiao Long saw a robust young man in a fiery red robe ascend the stairs and sit at an empty table. This man had a large sword at his waist, walked with a dragon''s stride and a tiger''s pace, exuding authority. He was indeed the Fire Cloud Sect disciple, Jiang Li, whom people were discussing.


    "Waiter, bring two jugs of wine and three plates of appetizers."


    "Right away!" The waiter brought two jugs of wine, apologizing, "Dear guest, I''m very sorry, but there was an accident in the kitchen, and the dishes might take a while."


    "Oh? The renowned Qingfeng Tavern can''t even serve dishes?" Jiang Li said displeased.


    "Alas! I don''t know what happened, but it seems some demon beast stole the kitchen''s ingredients. These two jugs of wine are on the house," the waiter said with a smile.


    "Hmm." Jiang Li nodded, raising an eyebrow as his sharp gaze swept across the hall, seemingly sensing something unusual.


    Xiao Long held his breath, maximizing the Breath Concealment Technique, even temporarily stopping his heartbeat.


    This person was only at the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm, yet he gave Xiao Long an extremely dangerous feeling.


    The Burning Heaven Dragon Palace always warned against underestimating intelligent enemies, even if they were weaker. Especially if they were stronger!


    This man, known as a detective, must have his extraordinary qualities.


    "Senior, do you have any other questions?" At this moment, the young man Xiao Long had questioned earlier spoke up, eager for the spirit stones Xiao Long promised, and asked with cupped fists.


    Jiang Li frowned, looking at the person, his sharp gaze piercing through.


    "Who were you talking to?" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The passerby shivered, not daring to lie, and honestly said, "A senior used Inner Qi to transmit sound and asked me some questions."


    Xiao Long''s face turned black instantly. How did he end up with such a foolish accomplice?


    "What did he ask you?" Jiang Li asked coldly.


    "He asked why the culprit was said to be a snake and also about the strength of the strongest person in the Fire Cloud Sect."


    Upon hearing this, Jiang Li''s eyes lit up. He had thought this case was the most challenging mystery he had encountered, but unexpectedly, he had already gathered clues about the culprit upon arriving in Qingyang Town. It was truly effortless.


    "How did you respond?" Jiang Li continued to ask.


    Facing Jiang Li, the person dared not hide anything, repeating his previous answers word for word, knowing that even a slight change in expression or emotion could be detected by Jiang Li.


    Who didn''t know of Detective Jiang''s reputation? Lying in front of him was akin to seeking one''s own death.


    Jiang Li fell into contemplation, and after a while, his eyes suddenly sharpened. He cupped his fists towards the sky with a respectful attitude.


    "Senior, my Fire Cloud Sect has no enmity with you. Why resort to such deadly measures? Please reveal yourself and give an explanation!"


    Everyone in the tavern widened their eyes, their breathing quickened. Could it be that the culprit was in this tavern?


    No one knew what Jiang Li was thinking, not even Xiao Long understood how Jiang Li could deduce his presence here from just a few words.


    One breath, two breaths...


    After a long time, there was still no response.


    Jiang Li frowned and continued, "Since the senior is unwilling to show himself, then forgive me!"


    With that, Jiang Li slammed the table, shattering it into pieces. A strong wave of Spiritual Qi swept out, sending all the tables, chairs, and benches on the second floor flying, with dishes and plates breaking all over the floor.


    The counter where Xiao Long was hiding also flew into the air, crashing into a pile of broken wood.


    Jiang Li''s gaze shifted, locking onto Xiao Long.


    "Sure enough, you''re here!"


    Jiang Li stepped forward, his large sword already drawn.


    Xiao Long had never feared powerful enemies in his life. Even the sect leader of the Fire Cloud Sect, no matter how strong, couldn''t catch him. What he feared were those with sharp minds who could pose a real threat!


    Xiao Long used the Fish-Dragon Shifting, zigzagging in a flash, and in the blink of an eye, he was behind Jiang Li.


    The large sword struck the ground, creating a thirty-meter-long crack.


    Missing his target, Jiang Li wasn''t surprised. He immediately turned and struck with a palm towards Xiao Long. Xiao Long dodged with all his might, but the difference in strength was too great. He was still hit by the sweeping wave, his body flying and crashing into the wall, embedding into it.


    The force of a tenth-level Body Refining Realm was not something an ordinary person could withstand. Even though Xiao Long had practiced the Azure Dragon Tome, the level difference was six whole stages. After being hit, large patches of scales fell off, blood splattered, and his bones were nearly shattered.


    The people in the tavern watched in shock. In their understanding, demon beasts never had intelligence, only roaming the forests, attacking weaker humans, and even fighting among themselves.


    But now, everything happening before them overturned their understanding.


    "Senior, are you controlling this spirit snake? I hope your true self will come forward and speak."


    Facing the injured Black Spine Snake, Jiang Li didn''t deliver a finishing blow but instead cupped his fists towards the sky.


    After a moment, there was still no response.


    Xiao Long took the opportunity to operate the Azure Dragon Tome, fully healing his injuries.


    "Since the senior is unwilling to show himself, I''ll capture your spirit snake, skin it, and remove its bones. I believe this snake is very important to you."


    Jiang Li walked up to Xiao Long, reaching out to grab him. In his view, this fourth-level Black Spine Snake was already heavily injured and couldn''t resist.


    Proofreader & Editor: Howard Wong

 Chapter 8 – Ultimate Counterattack

    Just as Jiang Li was about to grab hold, Xiao Long suddenly sprang up, lunging at Jiang Li like lightning. Caught off guard, Jiang Li was bitten on the hand.


    Jiang Li quickly activated his protective True Qi, but even so, a large wound was opened, and blood gushed out.


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    Glancing at the wound on his hand, Jiang Li''s gaze turned serious. He chased after Xiao Long with his blade, no longer holding back. The Spiritual Qi within him quickly gathered in his palm, turning a faint crimson, the hallmark of the Fire Cloud Sect''s Profound-level lower-grade martial art --- the Eighteen Blazing Blade Strikes.


    The temperature gradually rose as violent energy gathered wildly. In the face of such a crisis, Xiao Long did not flee. A strange look flashed in his eyes, and then, to everyone''s astonishment, he pounced on a piece of braised meat on the ground nearby.


    Xiao Long swallowed it in one bite.


    ["You consumed meat and gained 5 experience points! You need 18 more experience points to level up!"]


    He took another bite, swallowing a wild boar''s hoof nearby.


    ["You consumed a level 1 demon beast and gained 17 experience points! You need 1 more experience point to level up!"]


    Jiang Li was baffled. Facing death, he still had the mind to eat?


    Though confused, Jiang Li didn''t stop his blade.


    A scorching wave swept out, carrying intense Inner Qi flames, slashing toward Xiao Long. Xiao Long used Fish-Dragon Shifting to its fullest, dodging the direct strike, but was still grazed by the edge of the blade, blood splattering as a deep cut appeared on his body, nearly severing him.


    Xiao Long immediately activated the Azure Dragon Tome, and a scab formed over the wound, stopping the bleeding.


    However, the powerful Inner Qi from the Eighteen Blazing Blade Strikes rampaged within him, nearly causing him to explode.


    Xiao Long could no longer move an inch.


    As the second strike approached, facing almost certain death, Xiao Long remained exceptionally calm. He had faced death countless times in his past life, long since developing a steady mind in the face of danger.


    If this strike truly landed, he would risk further soul damage to forcibly use Soul Control, even if it meant mutual destruction.


    At that moment, he suddenly noticed a few peanuts on the ground nearby.


    "Just in time!"


    Xiao Long opened his mouth and inhaled, sucking all the peanuts into his stomach.


    ["You consumed peanuts and gained 1 experience point!"]


    ["Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 5, you need 2000 experience points for the next level!"]


    Xiao Long stared ahead, his eyes filled with fierce determination. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jiang Li''s blade was raised high, about to strike down, but suddenly he froze.


    Everyone saw Jiang Li''s body solidify there, and before their eyes, he turned into a golden statue, shining brightly.


    Jiang Li''s blade fell powerlessly to the ground, along with his clothes and storage spirit ring, his body vanished.


    ["You killed a level 10 wild creature, gaining 2000 experience points! Over-level challenge experience bonus 100%!"]


    ["Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 6, you need 4000 experience points for the next level!"]


    ["You gained 883 gold coins, current balance is 2180, Midas Touch is now on cooldown."]


    Xiao Long breathed a sigh of relief, just in time!


    Such a clever and powerful person was indeed terrifying, leaving him alive would have been a disaster, but fortunately, he had the even more formidable Midas Touch. No matter how smart someone was, they couldn''t predict he had a system!


    Meanwhile, on the second floor of the tavern, an eerie silence prevailed, everyone wearing expressions as if they''d seen a ghost.


    A living person had just turned into gold and vanished before their eyes! They had never heard of any martial art capable of such an effect.


    A signal flare shot out from Jiang Li''s clothes, exploding outside the window, forming a fiery "FIRE" character in the sky. This was Jiang Li''s contingency plan; as soon as he died, the signal flare connected to his soul would automatically launch, announcing his death.


    Xiao Long was speechless. This person was indeed troublesome, causing problems even in death. Though he had leveled up twice, reaching the sixth-tier demon beast level, his injuries hadn''t healed, especially with a remnant of True Qi from the Eighteen Blazing Blade Strikes still within him, suppressed by his Azure Dragon True Qi. If he started moving, that True Qi would wreak havoc on his body, leaving him temporarily unable to act.


    He looked at the storage ring on the ground.


    [System prompt: You picked up a "lower-grade storage spirit ring."]


    He opened the storage ring, finding a large number of lower-grade spirit stones, a total of fifty thousand, and to his surprise, two hundred middle-grade spirit stones, along with numerous herbs.


    ["Your spirit stones have reached the amount needed to upgrade your cultivation technique. Would you like to upgrade?"]


    The system prompt sounded, and Xiao Long was slightly stunned, then immediately clicked "upgrade."


    ["Ding! Your ''Azure Dragon Tome'' has reached the second level, consuming thirty thousand lower-grade spirit stones!"]


    Xiao Long hadn''t expected that spirit stones could be used to upgrade techniques, and it was so simple, just a click to complete.


    If he had to cultivate slowly, it would likely take him at least a week to reach the second level of the Azure Dragon Tome.


    With the second level of Azure Dragon True Qi, the remnant Blazing Fire True Qi was quickly destroyed, and Xiao Long''s injuries healed by half in a very short time, allowing him to move freely.


    He looked around, noticing most people had fled, with only a few hiding in corners, watching him with curious eyes.


    "This place is not safe to stay!" Xiao Long immediately dashed out of the tavern.


    Activating Fish-Dragon Shifting, Xiao Long''s figure turned into a black lightning bolt, swiftly darting through Qingyang Town, reaching the town''s outskirts in the blink of an eye.


    Xiao Long suddenly felt he was being watched, an overwhelming sense of danger enveloping him.


    A black arrow shot from afar, piercing the sky, aiming straight for his forehead.


    It was an arrow!


    With his energy locked, dodging was impossible. Xiao Long turned around, fully activating the Azure Dragon Tome, his tail swinging fiercely, executing a Divine Dragon Tail Whip, striking the arrowhead precisely.


    Blood splattered as Xiao Long''s tail was shattered into pieces by the powerful force, exposing white bones. The arrow lost its momentum, embedding itself in the ground at an angle.


    Xiao Long''s cold gaze fixed on the distance, where a Qi Condensing Realm warrior with a silver longbow stood on the tavern''s rooftop, staring back at him.


    Fish-Dragon Shifting flashed continuously, and in the blink of an eye, Xiao Long disappeared from outside Qingyang Town.


    Proofreader & Editor: Howard Wong

 Chapter 9 – Let you feel good

    On the rooftop of Qingfeng Tavern, three disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect gazed into the distance, in the direction where Xiao Long had fled. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The three of them exuded a powerful and robust aura, not inferior to Jiang Li, who was at the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm. In the center stood a handsome young man with a longbow on his back, his eyes solemn, possessing the strength of the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm.


    "Brother Song, why aren''t we pursuing?" asked an inner disciple at the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm beside him.


    The handsome young man with the longbow replied indifferently, "Pursue? Why pursue? Our target is the mysterious expert behind that snake, not the snake itself."


    "To control a demon beast to such an extent, one must possess an extremely advanced soul-controlling technique. If we can use it for our Fire Cloud Sect, rising to a two-star sect is just a matter of time."


    The two beside him nodded in realization, praising the wisdom.


    "It''s just a pity about Junior Brother Jiang Li. If he weren''t dead, with his intellect, he would surely achieve great things in the future."


    "Let''s go!"


    The three of them leaped off the tavern.


    "Look! That''s ''Soul-Chasing Arrow'' Song Yu, a core disciple of the Fire Cloud Sect!"


    "An expert at the Qi Condensing Realm has come to our Qingyang Town. What major event has occurred?"


    "I heard the demon beast that killed Xue Wuqing''s daughter appeared at Qingfeng Tavern and killed the detective Jiang Li in the same way!"


    "Jiang Li was killed too? He was a genius at the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm!"


    Since this incident, the small Qingyang Town became bustling, with disciples from various sects nearby flocking to gather information.


    ***


    After leaving Qingyang Town, Xiao Long found a cave to heal his injuries. A day later, his body had fully recovered, and his tail had regrown.


    But for some reason, he always felt like he was being watched, as if someone was observing him from the shadows.


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    Having lived two lives, Xiao Long''s intuition was always sharp. He carefully examined his body and indeed found a mark on one of his scales.


    The mark was crude, and Xiao Long easily erased it with a surge of Inner Qi.


    After doing so, he felt a bit relieved.


    "Something''s not right!" Xiao Long suddenly realized. The mark was too obvious. Given their understanding of him, they wouldn''t make such a low-level mark.


    Xiao Long decided to take a risk. He forcefully used his soul power to thoroughly examine his body and soul, leaving no stone unturned.


    Sure enough! After a few breaths, he discovered a faint white soul imprint seed in his sea of consciousness.


    "Soul imprint seed?" Xiao Long sneered internally.


    This tracking method is specifically used against puppet masters, beast tamers, and other special groups. Once they control a being, the controller themselves would also be marked.


    "It seems you want to uncover the master behind me. Too bad, I am the master myself. You''ll be disappointed."


    "But since you want to play, I don''t mind playing along."


    With a mischievous thought, Xiao Long used Inner Qi to draw a sealing formation in his sea of consciousness, sealing the soul imprint seed.


    This soul imprint seed must be in communication with the archer. Since that''s the case, Xiao Long didn''t mind using the ''remote attack'' technique to give him a taste of his own medicine.


    ***


    Inside the Fire Cloud Sect''s main hall, a group of people sat on either side, exuding an aura of authority and faint pressure. They were the many elders of the sect and the eight core disciples.


    The sect master, Liao Huoyun, sat at the head, his gaze solemn as he looked at everyone present.


    "Sect Master, the probing mark has been erased," reported Song Yu, the Soul-Chasing Arrow, with a cupped fist.


    Liao Huoyun nodded slightly, unsurprised, "With the expert''s strength, it would be abnormal if he didn''t detect the mark."


    "Sect Master!" Xue Wuqing interjected, "Has the soul imprint seed spread?"


    Xue Wuqing, harboring a vendetta for his daughter''s death, was most concerned about this.


    Liao Huoyun shook his head, "Not yet. That beast hasn''t moved since leaving Qingyang Town, likely healing its injuries. During this time, no humans or other demon beasts have approached it."


    Xue Wuqing clenched his fists, filled with anxiety.


    "Elder Xue, don''t worry. I personally planted the soul imprint seed. As soon as the snake demon''s master contacts it, I''ll sense it immediately. Even if he escapes to the ends of the earth, I will annihilate him!" Liao Huoyun declared coldly.


    "Thank you, Sect Master!" Xue Wuqing cupped his fists.


    Liao Huoyun nodded. At that moment, his brow suddenly furrowed, as if sensing something. In the next instant, his expression changed dramatically, and to everyone''s shock, he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Everyone present was astonished.


    Liao Huoyun gritted his teeth, and after a while, spat out another mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.


    Everyone stood up.


    ***


    Meanwhile, on the other side...


    Xiao Long, with a wicked smile, used his soul power to form a soul needle, repeatedly stabbing the soul imprint seed within the sealing formation.


    With each stab, the soul imprint seed trembled as if begging for mercy.


    "Haha! My sealing formation won''t let you self-destruct. Enjoy the torment! Hahaha..."


    Xiao Long continued his soul needle action, stabbing repeatedly, enjoying himself.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Liao Huoyun felt like his head was about to explode. He roared, clutching his head, jumping around the Fire Cloud Hall. The destructive power of an Innate Expert was no joke. The hall seemed to experience a series of explosions, with violent True Qi wreaking havoc, leaving the hall in ruins.


    Liao Huoyun clutched his head, his expression twisted, eyes bloodshot, crashing around.


    Everyone was anxious yet helpless, only able to hide on the side, fearing being caught in the Sect Master''s energy outburst.


    The scene inside the hall was indescribable. Liao Huoyun, like a madman, rampaged inside, letting out continuous miserable screams. The soul''s pain was far more profound than physical pain. In all his years as Sect Master, it was the first time he experienced such agony.


    Moreover, more unbearable than the pain was the endless humiliation. He, a dignified Innate Expert, was tricked by an unknown scoundrel. If he hadn''t separated a wisp of his soul to create the soul imprint seed, if the opponent wasn''t hiding in the shadows, how could he be so embarrassed?


    Liao Huoyun seemed to see the opponent''s sneer behind the scenes, mocking his overestimation of his abilities.


    Proofreader & Editor: Howard Wong

 Chapter 10 – Vajra Ape

    After being tormented by Xiao Long for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Liao Huoyun finally reached his breaking point...


    He spat out a blood arrow that stretched dozens of meters and finally collapsed to the ground, his energy severely depleted.


    At this moment, Liao Huoyun''s hair was disheveled, and his clothes were tattered, no longer resembling the master of a sect.


    Xiao Long shook his head helplessly. It took 128 soul needle piercings before dissipating. The owner of this soul imprint had decent endurance, probably an Innate Expert, likely the Fire Cloud Sect Master.


    Liao Huoyun indeed looked like a madman now, surrounded by a group of people who were too scared to speak first.


    Looking around the Fire Cloud Hall, it was already in ruins.


    "Sect Master, what just happened?" Xue Wuqing dared to ask.


    Liao Huoyun let out a bitter laugh and said dejectedly, "The soul imprint seed is gone."


    Everyone gasped, immediately understanding why the Sect Master went mad earlier. It turned out he was being tormented through the soul imprint seed!


    Finding the soul imprint seed itself was incredible, indicating the opponent''s soul power was at least at the Innate level. To torment Liao Huoyun through the soul imprint seed, only special soul techniques could achieve that.


    This meant they had provoked a formidable rogue cultivator, the most troublesome kind. Their open strength might not be impressive, but their underhanded tricks were endless, especially adept at soul techniques.


    The pain on the soul level is the hardest to endure, no wonder the Sect Master ended up like that.


    Liao Huoyun waved his hand: "Pass the order, in a month, lead everyone to the outskirts of Qingyang Town, and start clearing the land!"


    A fierce look flashed in Liao Huoyun''s eyes: "Who dares to disobey! Death!"


    Everyone understood that their Sect Master was truly enraged!


    Clearing the land meant a massive human attack on the forests where demon beasts resided, exterminating all the demon beasts along the way, akin to a massacre.


    The downside was that it could easily trigger a beast tide!


    A small beast tide was manageable for an ordinary sect, but a large one could be a catastrophic disaster for the entire Tianfeng Kingdom.


    The Fire Cloud Sect Master''s decision clearly showed he was furious to the extreme, nearly losing his mind. No one dared to voice any objections, fearing bad luck.


    "This person must be a powerful beast tamer with strong soul power, usually hiding in the demon beast mountains to train beasts. Once we find his lair, I will kill him!"


    "Send a message to Qin Feng, the Beast Taming Sect Master. I will personally visit in a while. Their help in clearing the land will make things much easier," Liao Huoyun said solemnly.


    "Yes!"


    The Beast Taming Sect, one of the four major sects in Tianfeng Kingdom, was a leader among one-star sects. Sect Master Qin Feng was not only an Innate Expert but also a powerful beast tamer. His mount was a genuine Demon King, the Blood Wolf King.


    With the Blood Wolf King holding the line, the demon beasts'' momentum would be suppressed, making extermination much easier. Most importantly, the Blood Wolf King would remember the scent left by the demon beasts, ensuring the capture of that Black Spine Snake and its master!


    Xiao Long was unaware that his actions would lead to such consequences. Even if he knew, he would just laugh and curse him as an idiot.


    "That ant will surely come for revenge, but with his soul injured, it will take at least a month to recover. When the time comes, I''ll be ready to play along."


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    In his past life, as the Burning Heaven Dragon Emperor, Xiao Long had destroyed countless sects. The mere Fire Cloud Sect was nothing to him.


    With the system, who knows what level Xiao Long will reach in a month? Right now, his strength is too weak, and he can''t unleash his full potential. Once he reaches the Demon General level, he won''t fear even the Prenatal Realm.


    ***


    At this moment, Da Hei sent a thought: "Boss! The herbs you wanted are almost all collected, except for one, guarded by a monkey. We can''t beat it."


    "Stay there, I''ll be right over." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Long slithered toward Da Hei''s location. After about half an hour, he arrived in a valley where Da Hei and Er Hei were coiled on a rock, with the herbs they collected underneath.


    In front of them was a massive three-meter-tall ape, holding a tree, staring at the two snakes.


    Xiao Long recognized it as an eighth-rank demon beast. Da Hei and Er Hei were third-rank demon beasts, but having practiced the Subdue Dragon Art, their bodies emitted a faint dragon aura, making the ape hesitant to approach.


    An eighth-rank demon beast was no challenge for Xiao Long, who had cultivated the Azure Dragon Tome to the second level. Moreover, with his profound-level movement technique, Fish-Dragon Shifting, it was uncertain if the ape could even touch him.


    Seeing Xiao Long approach, the two snakes showed excitement in their eyes.


    "Boss, this monkey''s cave has many treasures!" Da Hei said eagerly.


    "I went in once and saw a pool of glowing green water. I feel that water can help me break through!" Er Hei added.


    If it truly was a Spiritual Spring, that would be a huge gain! For demon beasts, a Spiritual Spring was a priceless treasure. Soaking in it could strengthen the body, cleanse the meridians, and breaking through realms would be as easy as eating and drinking.


    The Vajra Ape saw Xiao Long and roared at him from a distance, pounding its chest in a threatening manner.


    "A beast is just a beast!"


    Xiao Long''s figure flickered, turning into a black arc of lightning, his tail striking the Vajra Ape''s waist.


    The Vajra Ape howled in pain, reaching for Xiao Long, but he was as slippery as an eel, dodging to the ape''s feet and striking its knee with his tail.


    Xiao Long''s strength was on par with an eighth-rank demon beast. After the strike, the Vajra Ape staggered and fell to its knees, swinging the tree in its hand wildly.


    In an instant, dust flew, and rocks scattered. Xiao Long, with Fish-Dragon Shifting fully activated, darted around, not even a scale touched.


    Another tail strike landed on the Vajra Ape''s face. Finally enraged, it roared to the sky, its skin turning a faint red, its body seemingly growing a meter taller, its aura surging from an eighth-rank to a tenth-rank demon beast level.


    "Berserk mode? This ape actually has the bloodline of the ancient giant ape tribe," Xiao Long showed a look of interest.


    Finding a demon beast with the giant ape tribe''s bloodline piqued Xiao Long''s interest. Such a demon beast had great potential, very intelligent, and might be of use to him.


    The ape swung its club again, causing the ground to collapse, the entire valley seemed to tremble. Xiao Long quickly darted away.


    In berserk mode, the Vajra Ape''s strength surged to a tenth-rank demon beast. Ape-type demon beasts were naturally strong, its power likely reached the human Qi Condensing Realm level.


    However, this low-level bloodline berserk mode had a counter. Xiao Long just needed to seal its seven major acupoints, causing its blood to reverse, and it would collapse on its own.


    "Roar!" The ape charged, and Xiao Long''s snake body bent, forming a drawn bowstring, then shot out suddenly.


    At the same time, the dragon inner qi from the Azure Dragon Tome was fully unleashed, creating a supreme pressure that enveloped the ape.


    Proofreader & Editor: Howard Wong

 Chapter 11 – Beast Taming

    The giant ape tribe may possess the bloodline of divine beasts, but the Vajra Ape''s blood is exceedingly thin. In contrast, the Azure Dragon Tome that Xiao Long cultivates is one of the highest techniques of the dragon clan, inaccessible to lower dragon clans and reserved only for the high nobility among dragons.


    Moreover, the bloodline of Xiao Long''s body is extraordinary, perfectly complementing the Azure Dragon Tome. The Vajra Ape''s aura was immediately suppressed, and a look of fear flashed in its crimson eyes.


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    Compared to humans, the class oppression among demon beasts is more pronounced. Higher species always dominate lower ones, and the oppression from bloodlines is irresistible.


    In the moment the Vajra Ape hesitated, Xiao Long had already reached it. His inner Qi transformed into seven fine needles, piercing the seven acupoints on the ape''s body.


    The Vajra Ape instantly deflated like a punctured balloon, collapsing to the ground. Its violent aura dissipated in the blink of an eye, and its skin returned to a brownish hue.


    Xiao Long withdrew his pressure and quietly observed it.


    The Vajra Ape involuntarily scooted back, seemingly very afraid of Xiao Long.


    However, Xiao Long had no intention of punishing it. Instead, he issued two commands to Da Hei and Er Hei, then ignored the Vajra Ape and proceeded to climb toward the ape''s cave.


    As Da Hei and Er Hei passed by, they flicked their tongues at it, showing off before following Xiao Long into the cave.


    The Vajra Ape scratched its head, seemingly unwilling, but cautiously followed behind.


    Upon entering the cave, Xiao Long did not sense any spiritual Qi fluctuations, which piqued his curiosity.


    "Huh? It''s actually a natural concealment array!" Xiao Long exclaimed.


    The cave was located at the northernmost part of the valley, a place of extreme yin associated with water. Judging by the surrounding mountains, this was the center of the range, connecting the celestial and terrestrial energies, forming the heart of the valley''s array. A natural formation was not surprising.


    As Xiao Long stepped inside, he immediately felt the spiritual Qi rushing toward him. Not far ahead was a small emerald green pool, a spiritual spring!


    Beside the spring were various herbs, including rare and precious spiritual medicines, even a Soul-Reviving Grass, and an even higher-grade Revitalizing Flower.


    This astonished Xiao Long. How could a mere eighth-tier demon beast like the Vajra Ape, even in its berserk tenth-tier state, find so many spiritual herbs? Even a Demon General wouldn''t have such a rich collection.


    Xiao Long set aside his curiosity for now and leapt into the spiritual spring, activating the Azure Dragon Tome. The energy in the spring swirled into his body like a vortex.


    "Experience gained: 35 points!"


    "Experience gained: 29 points!"


    "Experience gained: 31 points!"


    The system notifications began to flash rapidly, filling his mind with a long string of messages, and his experience bar surged continuously.


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching Level 7! You need 8000 more experience for the next level!"


    Before long, the system''s level-up notification sounded, and Xiao Long laughed excitedly.


    This is the advantage of the system¡ªno bottlenecks whatsoever. Unlike before, where breaking through required several days of preparation and the breakthrough process itself took days, and encountering a bottleneck could lead to failure and wasted time.


    He reached into the water and found two dark green spirit crystals, which he promptly stored in his inventory.


    "Da Hei, Er Hei, come down!"


    "Yes, Boss!"


    The two snakes swam in one after the other, quickly reaching the peak of the third-tier demon beast. Their bodies grew to one and a half meters long, but to break through to the fourth tier, they would still need a few more days of cultivation.


    The Vajra Ape watched eagerly from the side, occasionally letting out strange cries of "wah wah," pounding its chest in frustration, but Xiao Long paid it no mind.


    "Experience gained: 21 points!"


    "Experience gained: 19 points!" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching Level 8! You need 15000 more experience for the next level!"


    The notification for Xiao Long''s second level-up quickly sounded, but he was speechless to find that the color of the spiritual spring had faded significantly, turning a pale green.


    His experience gain rate had also decreased by more than half. Initially, he gained 30 experience points at a time, then around 20, and now only 10, occasionally even single digits.


    "Sigh! It''s really not satisfying." Xiao Long reluctantly climbed out of the spring. If he continued absorbing, the spring might be drained dry.


    However, since this cave was the heart of the valley''s array, spiritual Qi would naturally gather here again. It wouldn''t be long before the spring returned to its deep green color.


    Seeing that Da Hei and Er Hei were still stuck at the peak of the third-tier demon beast, Xiao Long threw out a large number of spirit stones, arranging them near the spring to set up a simple Gathering Spirit Array to aid Da Hei and Er Hei in their breakthrough.


    While Xiao Long did this effortlessly, the Vajra Ape watched in a daze.


    Apes are among the smartest of demon beasts, and with its ancient bloodline, it inherited some memories of the giant ape tribe, possessing intelligence far beyond ordinary demon beasts.


    The sudden appearance of numerous spirit stones arranged into an array indicated that Xiao Long had a human storage ring and was proficient in formations.


    The Vajra Ape was dumbfounded, its mind struggling to process this.


    "Hey, do you understand what I''m doing?"


    Seeing its astonished and confused expression, Xiao Long used his inner Qi to simulate the language of the giant ape tribe and asked.


    To his surprise, the Vajra Ape hesitated for a moment, then nodded.


    "Being able to understand the language of the giant ape tribe means it has inherited the tribe''s memories. This is interesting!" Xiao Long showed an amused expression.


    Xiao Long stared at it and began to use the skill "Beast Taming."


    "Congratulations! You have successfully tamed a Vajra Ape, Level 8, current tamed beast count 3/3."


    A peculiar light flashed in the Vajra Ape''s eyes as it realized it no longer felt the same aversion toward Xiao Long. Instead, it felt a sense of attachment.


    "Kid, from now on, I''m your boss. Seeing that tuft of yellow hair on your head, I''ll call you Huang Mao."


    The Vajra Ape''s expression changed, and it jumped up, shouting "wah wah wah."


    Xiao Long understood; it was probably saying that "Huang Mao" sounded too unpleasant and wanted a different name.


    "What, you don''t agree?" Xiao Long stared at it, releasing the dragon clan''s pressure. The Vajra Ape immediately shrank back, nodding obediently.


    "Alright! From now on, you''ll be called Huang Mao. Those two are your big brother and second brother. Once they break through, remember to greet them."


    The Vajra Ape could only nod in agreement. There was no choice; even before Xiao Long''s breakthrough, it was no match for him. Now that he had reached the eighth-tier demon beast, it stood even less of a chance. Besides, it felt a subtle reluctance to resist Xiao Long.


    "Good! As a welcome gift, I will teach you a supreme technique of the ancient giant ape tribe, the ''Battle Saint Physique.'' It''s only the first half, but if you can master even a move or two, you''ll be invincible among your peers."

 Chapter 12 – Xiao Longs Alchemy Technique

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    The true level of the "Battle Saint Physique" is unknown, but it''s said to surpass the Heaven-level. Xiao Long obtained a fragment of it from the remains of a dragon clan elder. After simplifying it himself, he barely managed to transform it into a supreme-grade Profound-level technique.


    The modified "Battle Saint Physique" is divided into ten layers, and Xiao Long passed on the first five layers.


    This technique is extremely complex for humans to cultivate, with a difficulty comparable to Earth-level techniques. However, the giant ape tribe has a natural advantage, making their cultivation twice as effective with half the effort.


    After a while, Xiao Long finished teaching. Huang Mao first looked puzzled, then an uncontrollable joy spread across his face, clearly realizing the value of this technique.


    "Th-thank you, boss," Huang Mao stammered.


    "You have three days to reach the first layer, or there''s no need to follow me. I don''t keep useless people."


    "Yes!" Huang Mao quickly found a corner to cultivate, as if afraid Xiao Long would drive him away.


    With the Gathering Spirit Array set up by Xiao Long, the spiritual energy in the cave gradually became abundant. Combined with the cave''s special location, which naturally gathered spiritual energy, the environment here wasn''t much different from the core area of a small sect. In a few days, they would likely all break through. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Long found this increasingly interesting. Including himself, a total of four demon beasts were cultivating the technique, which was simply unbelievable.


    First, these demon beasts must have strong bloodlines and not low intelligence. Furthermore, they needed techniques suitable for their cultivation.


    Most importantly, there was the heaven-defying skill of "Beast Taming."


    Being able to establish a soul connection and impart the technique''s operation steps without error was something Xiao Long had never seen before in martial arts.


    His Soul Control technique could command a batch of soul slaves, but it was merely giving simple orders, far from the heaven-defying nature of "Beast Taming."


    "With this system, who am I afraid of? Red Lotus Martial Emperor, just wait. I''ll let you taste what it''s like to be trampled by a snake," Xiao Long thought mischievously.


    He collected all the herbs in the cave into his system''s inventory, left the cave entrance, and went to where Da Hei and Er Hei hid the herbs, collecting them as well.


    Now, the ingredients for the Soul-Reviving Pill were complete, enough to make three batches, though a few ingredients for the Spirit-Reviving Pill were still missing.


    Additionally, he could refine several batches of Melting Body Ointment, Blood Coagulation Powder, and Qi Recovery Pills, all of which were effective for demon beasts.


    Xiao Long didn''t return to the previous cave but randomly found a small cave, took out the ingredients for two Soul-Reviving Pills, and placed them on the ground. With his current strength, refining two pills at once was his limit.


    Nine streams of inner qi emanated from his body, transforming into crimson inner qi flames, which gathered layer by layer in midair, vaguely forming a great flame cauldron.


    This fire control technique was called the "Nine-Dragon Fire Control Method," a fire control technique he created in his youth that once gained fame. Later, as his strength increased, he developed more advanced fire control techniques and abandoned the Nine-Dragon Fire Control Method.


    "Rise!"


    Xiao Long''s inner qi surged out, and various herbs rose into the air, piling into the flame cauldron.


    Xiao Long''s alchemy skills were very seasoned, neither rushed nor impatient, mastering temperature, timing, distribution, and sequence perfectly. After half an hour, the herbs in the cauldron had all turned into medicinal liquid, tumbling in midair.


    With a thought, the last main ingredient, Soul-Reviving Grass, rose into the flame cauldron. Nine fiery dragons swept over, and within a few breaths, it was completely melted.


    "Condense!"


    With a low shout from Xiao Long, dozens of medicinal liquids in the flame cauldron began to merge.


    Ordinarily, to be safe, people would merge the alchemy ingredients one by one. Xiao Long, however, did the opposite, merging all the liquids at once, and very quickly, without a single mistake.


    If an alchemist from the Tianfeng Kingdom saw this, they would be utterly embarrassed!


    Most people could only focus on one thing at a time, and controlling the fusion of one medicinal liquid was already their limit. Geniuses who could multitask were said to exist only in legendary great empires, but Xiao Long was not just multitasking; he was managing a hundred tasks at once!


    Moreover, this wasn''t even Xiao Long''s limit. If necessary, he could handle a thousand tasks at once.


    Xiao Long''s strength was no longer what it used to be, but his alchemy skills and experience remained, accumulated over thousands of years.


    Half an hour later, all the medicinal liquids had fused together. Nine inner qi dragons dispersed, and the flame cauldron turned into a giant flame sphere, enveloping the medicinal liquid. Next came the nurturing phase before the pills formed, which took the longest time.


    A day later, the medicinal liquid in the flames had transformed into two round pills, emitting a fragrant aroma.


    "Done!"


    The inner qi dispersed, and two round, emerald-green pills flew out, exuding a refreshing fragrance that even made Xiao Long feel a lightness in his soul.


    "The Soul-Reviving Pills are done!"


    Xiao Long carefully wrapped the Soul-Reviving Pills with inner qi, examining them closely. The pills'' color and grade were the best form of the Soul-Reviving Pill.


    Ordinary Soul-Reviving Pills were second-grade pills, but the ones Xiao Long refined were supreme-grade third-grade pills.


    This was because Xiao Long''s strength was not what it once was, preventing him from using more advanced alchemy techniques. Additionally, the quality of the ingredients wasn''t the best. Otherwise, he could have refined fourth-grade Soul-Reviving Pills, causing a sensation throughout the small Tianfeng Kingdom.


    "After taking this Soul-Reviving Pill, controlling a soul slave at the Qi Condensing Realm should be no problem," Xiao Long estimated.


    He consumed one Soul-Reviving Pill, and the pure medicinal power instantly surged into his body, making his mind feel clear and the world seem brighter.


    Xiao Long quickly refined the medicinal power, and his damaged soul power began to repair at an almost imperceptible speed.


    About two hours later, the medicinal power of the first Soul-Reviving Pill was fully refined. Xiao Long estimated that his soul power hadn''t even recovered one ten-thousandth, but it was enough to support him in performing the Soul Control technique a few times.


    Xiao Long took out the second Soul-Reviving Pill, ready to consume it, when the ground suddenly began to shake violently. A deafening roar followed, and it seemed as if the cave was about to collapse.


    Xiao Long quickly secured the Soul-Reviving Pill and dashed out, only to see a white glow descending from the eastern sky, swallowing the land with a force like heaven and earth collapsing.


    "Celestial Aura! Has the barrier to the Heavenly Realm opened?" Xiao Long stared at the white glow in the sky, deeply shocked.


    The Heavenly Realm was the plane where many immortals resided, and it was the place he was a step away from reaching in his previous life.


    After a while, the pure white glow gradually dissipated, and everything returned to calm.


    "Huh, why did it disappear again?" Xiao Long wondered.


    Without thinking too much, Xiao Long immediately dashed toward the direction where the Celestial Aura had dissipated. It was close to the Fire Cloud Sect, and with such a commotion, the beasts of the Fire Cloud Sect must have seen it. If some divine artifact fell from the Heavenly Realm and was picked up by the Fire Cloud Sect, it would be troublesome.

 Chapter 13 – Demon Beast that failed the tribulation

    Two hours later, Xiao Long arrived at his destination. In front of him lay a massive pit, dozens of meters in diameter, surrounded by a hazy mist that obscured whatever lay within.


    The area was flat and deserted, save for a few low-level demon beasts curiously peering into the pit, too afraid to venture closer.


    "Scram!"


    Xiao Long''s voice, charged with inner Qi, thundered outwards, his aura fully unleashed. The low-level demon beasts trembled in fear and scattered like birds and beasts.


    In this outer region, an eighth-tier demon beast was considered formidable, and with his dragon aura, ordinary beasts dared not approach him.


    Xiao Long climbed to the edge of the pit and peered inside. Through the mist, he could vaguely make out a human silhouette, though it was unclear.


    "A human?"


    Xiao Long descended into the pit, reaching its center, and was instantly stunned...


    Indeed, there lay a human¡ªa young girl, to be precise. Her beauty could only be described as heavenly.


    Her eyes were gently closed, long lashes resting on her flawless face, which seemed sculpted by the divine, without a single blemish. Her black hair cascaded over her jade-like shoulders, and her pink lips were alluringly vibrant, her features exquisitely perfect!


    In two lifetimes, Xiao Long had never seen such perfection.


    A face that could topple cities and kingdoms.


    Such thoughts crossed Xiao Long''s mind.


    As he looked down, he couldn''t help but nearly have a nosebleed.


    The girl was unclothed! Her alabaster body lay exposed to the air, her slender legs long and graceful, her figure flawless, even more perfect than the Red Lotus Martial Emperor he had seen!


    "This..." Xiao Long''s mind was momentarily unresponsive.


    To have cultivated to the peak of Martial Emperor, his mental fortitude was unquestionable. Xiao Long had seen countless beauties of all kinds, yet none had ever caused him to lose composure like this.


    After a moment, Xiao Long calmed himself. Such a mysteriously appearing girl was surely no ordinary being. Moreover, he was now a snake! A snake! Even if a beauty was presented to him, he could do nothing; that was the crux of the matter!


    Once calm, Xiao Long began to examine the girl, only to be surprised to find her soul seemed extremely unstable, fragmented as if it might leave her body at any moment.


    Suddenly, her form blurred, transforming into a humanoid white light, which gradually shrank until, right before Xiao Long''s eyes, it became a white fox!


    The fox was pure white, fluffy like a pristine snowball, only palm-sized, with a very faint aura.


    "This is... the aura of a Transformation Pill!" Xiao Long exclaimed in shock.


    The snow fox''s aura was barely perceptible, its soul nearly shattered, and combined with the scent of a Transformation Pill, Xiao Long immediately understood she was a demon beast that had failed to transform.


    When demon beasts reach the Demon Sovereign realm, most transform into human form to cultivate, as the human body is the optimal form for understanding the laws of power.


    To transform, one must consume a Transformation Pill and survive the Nine-Nine Thunder Tribulation to successfully become human.


    Transforming from a beast to human defies the natural order, and heaven imposes a thunder punishment. Failure results in soul injury or memory loss at best, or complete annihilation at worst.


    Transformation carries risks.


    However, Xiao Long did not believe her failure was simply due to the tribulation. With his extensive knowledge of pills, he detected impurities in the Transformation Pill, likely mixed with toxins, which might have caused her failure.


    "Sigh! Failed the tribulation, soul shattered, it''s just your bad luck," Xiao Long sighed, about to leave when he paused, a strange look in his eyes.


    Such a mysterious demon beast surely held great secrets, possibly a legendary celestial demon from the Heavenly Realm. Could he just let her die?


    "Forget it, we are fated to meet. I, the Emperor, will grant you a chance. Whether you survive depends on your fate."


    Xiao Long sighed deeply, feeling a pang of heartache, as he took out the last Soul-Reviving Pill.


    With her soul in such a state, she was ninety-nine percent doomed, with only a sliver of hope lying in his hands.


    Xiao Long was confident that if anyone else tried to save her, even a Martial Emperor, exhausting all resources, they might not succeed. On the entire Shenzhou Continent, only Xiao Long had a chance.


    Because, coincidentally, Xiao Long knew two formations to save a demon beast that failed transformation!


    Xiao Long opened his inventory, scattering a large number of spirit stones around, channeling his inner Qi to trace a series of intricate patterns between them.


    Gradually, the surroundings fell silent, the environment turning pitch black.


    "The Nine Nether Soul-Guiding Array, combined with the Seven Stars Soul-Nurturing Array, are my life''s work. At my peak, I had a ninety percent chance of saving you. Now, my strength is not what it was, and the formations'' power is less than a tenth of their perfect state. The spiritual Qi source can only be sustained by middle-grade spirit stones. Whether you survive is up to fate."


    Xiao Long placed all his spoils into the formation, positioning two hundred middle-grade spirit stones at the core as the energy source.


    "Activate the Nine Nether Soul-Guiding Array!"


    Xiao Long unleashed his inner Qi, pushing the formation to its limits.


    He could feel the scattered soul fragments of the snow fox slowly returning to its body, though the process was agonizingly slow.


    If snakes could sweat, Xiao Long would be drenched. He felt his inner Qi being rapidly drained, half gone in just a few breaths. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn it, I''m risking my life here!"


    With some reluctance, Xiao Long took out two spirit crystals, discovered in a spiritual spring, their energy purer and more absorbable than spirit stones. He swallowed one without hesitation, throwing the other into the formation''s core as its power source.


    With the support of the spirit crystals, Xiao Long felt much relieved. The scattered soul fragments swiftly returned to the snow fox''s body, and after an hour, they were finally whole.


    Xiao Long exhaled deeply. Though he had spent two valuable spirit crystals, at least he hadn''t failed.


    After a brief adjustment, Xiao Long scattered the remaining spirit stones in seven positions, forming a new formation pattern. The positions corresponded to the Big Dipper in the sky, faintly drawing down the power of the stars.


    Then, Xiao Long wrapped the Soul-Reviving Pill in his inner Qi, placing it at the heart of the formation. The pill, originally meant for himself, was now used to save a fox.


    Xiao Long was at a loss for words. For someone as pragmatic as he, using his resources to save a fox unrelated to him, with no guarantee of success, was unheard of.


    "The Seven Stars Soul-Nurturing Array is complete. Now, it''s up to your own fate."

 Chapter 14 – Everyone must die!

    Xiao Long was now penniless, with only a few herbs left in his inventory and not a single spirit stone. Even the soul power he had painstakingly recovered had reverted to its original state in an instant.


    With a helpless sigh, he crawled out of the formation to absorb spiritual qi and restore his stamina.


    Under Xiao Long''s oppressive aura, the demon beasts watched from afar, not daring to take a step closer. Even eighth and ninth-level demon beasts didn''t dare to approach.


    Time flew by, and before he knew it, a day had passed.


    Xiao Long glanced at the large pit. The energy of the formation inside was nearly exhausted, and the Soul-Reviving Pill had long since turned into nourishment. Yet, the white fox showed no signs of waking up.


    "What a pity!" Xiao Long felt a twinge of regret. If she still couldn''t wake up after all this, it was likely hopeless. He regretted wasting so many resources on her.


    At this moment, Xiao Long looked into the distance.


    "Haha! Finally here!"


    "There''s a big pit ahead. The phenomenon from yesterday happened there. Maybe some incredible treasure appeared!"


    "Let''s go check it out!" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Long saw a group of people rushing towards him from afar, about ten of them, all wearing fiery red cloud-patterned robes. They were disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect.


    This place was closest to the Fire Cloud Sect, and given the magnitude of yesterday''s phenomenon, it wasn''t surprising they found their way here.


    Xiao Long concealed his aura and used the Breath Concealment Technique, burying himself beneath the sand and dirt.


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    "Huh? There''s another formation here." As the group approached, the leading man¡¯s eyes lit up.


    "This formation is set up so skillfully that I can''t see through it."


    "If even Senior Brother Fang can''t see through it, could the one who set it up be a Qi Condensing Realm formation master?"


    "Very likely."


    Xiao Long sneered inwardly. It would be strange if they could see through it. This formation was his unique creation, using soul power as a bridge to connect with the power of the stars. Not even a Martial Emperor could necessarily set it up!


    "Let''s go in and see what''s inside." The man named Fang stepped in first, completely unaware that he was stepping on Xiao Long.


    At that moment, Xiao Long moved instantly. He burst out from the sand, activating his Fish-Dragon Shifting technique. Before anyone could react, he slammed into Fang''s abdomen, his inner qi piercing like steel needles, instantly crippling Fang''s dantian.


    "Ugh!"


    Fang spewed blood and was sent flying, crashing headfirst into the ground.


    "My dantian!" He clutched his abdomen, his face turning deathly pale. With his dantian destroyed, he was reduced to a cripple, a fate worse than death.


    "The Black Spine Snake!"


    Only then did everyone realize that the attacker was the infamous Black Spine Snake, the one causing such a stir in the Fire Cloud Sect!


    Initially, people didn''t think much of it, not understanding why the sect leader would offer such a high bounty for a snake. But now it was clear that this was no ordinary matter.


    A snake smart enough to conceal its aura, ambush humans, and cripple their dantians¡ªhad it become a spirit?


    "Kill!"


    The remaining people charged forward. Having made it through the rugged mountains to the depths of the forest, they were no weaklings. Even the weakest among them was at the seventh level of the Body Refining Realm, with most at the eighth or ninth level, and two at the peak of the tenth level.


    Facing the assault of ten people, Xiao Long''s figure flickered as he swiftly moved to the right. His tail struck the ground, propelling him forward like an arrow, piercing through Fang''s throat, whose dantian had been destroyed.


    Even in death, Fang couldn''t understand why he was the first to be killed when he was already crippled and posed no threat.


    "You have killed an 8th-level wild monster, gaining 600 experience!"


    System notification: You have picked up a "lower-grade storage spirit ring."


    Killing was the only way to gain experience and level up.


    Without time to inspect the storage ring, Xiao Long immediately dodged away. A barrage of chaotic martial arts attacks struck the spot where he had just been, and had he been a moment slower, he might have been obliterated.


    "Quickly notify the sect! This snake demon is extremely cunning and fast. If it escapes, it will be a disaster!"


    With that, they launched signal flares into the sky, exploding like fireworks. It wouldn''t be long before experts from the Fire Cloud Sect arrived.


    Xiao Long dared not delay. He charged forward, his body flickering continuously. His tail transformed into a black whip, sweeping across, accompanied by the sound of bones cracking. Several people''s legs were broken, and they fell to the ground, wailing.


    "I''ll finish you all in three minutes!"


    Xiao Long was furious. He never attacked unless provoked. Since the Fire Cloud Sect wanted him dead, he would kill every single one of them!


    "Senior Brother Liu, Senior Brother Zhou, kill him! Kill him!" The ones with broken legs cried out for help, but it was too late...


    With a blade in his mouth, Xiao Long became a black phantom, weaving through them. Blood splattered wherever he passed, and blood marks appeared on their necks, gushing like fountains, leaving them all dead.


    "You have killed an 8th-level wild monster, gaining 600 experience!"


    "You have killed a 7th-level wild monster, gaining 400 experience!"


    "You have killed an 8th-level wild monster, gaining 600 experience!"


    "You have killed a 9th-level wild monster, gaining 960 experience (20% bonus for challenging higher levels)!"


    Xiao Long''s eyes were blood-red. After killing four more, he charged back into the crowd, moving as fast as lightning, like a reaper harvesting wheat. Screams echoed, and blood sprayed into the sky like it was free.


    As an eighth-level demon beast, Xiao Long was only half a meter long, yet faster than anyone. The Fire Cloud Sect disciples unleashed all their martial arts in a frenzy, but they couldn''t touch him.


    Even Liu Ming and Zhou Hong, at the peak of the tenth level, couldn''t do anything to Xiao Long despite using their most powerful techniques.


    They were geniuses of the sect, always defeating demon beasts of higher levels, never having been killed by one. Yet now, they couldn''t even touch the fur of an eighth-level demon beast. As geniuses, they had never encountered such a situation.


    As time went on, their mental state began to collapse.


    "He''s not an eighth-level demon beast! He''s a Demon General hiding his strength!"


    "That must be it, or he couldn''t be this powerful!"


    "Run!"


    Someone took the lead, and the rest began to flee.


    As disciples of one of the four major sects in Tianfeng Kingdom, they were revered wherever they went. They were too proud to accept their defeat, choosing instead to deceive themselves into believing Xiao Long was hiding his true strength.


    Xiao Long found it amusing. What right did this rabble have to be his enemies?


    The system was right; these people were just wild monsters, delivering experience points!

 Chapter 15 – Calculate

    Xiao Long moved with lightning speed, each flash claiming a life.


    "You killed a level 8 wild beast, gaining 600 experience!"


    "You killed a level 9 wild beast, gaining 960 experience! (20% bonus for challenging a higher level)!"


    ...


    One by one, the wild beasts fell, turning into a wave of experience. Initially, Xiao Long had to go through some trouble to kill them, but now, as they only focused on escaping, it saved him a lot of hassle.


    Unknowingly, the dozen or so people who came were all slaughtered, leaving only two of the strongest at the peak of the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm.


    The two stood back to back, each holding a large blade, trembling as they looked at Xiao Long.


    They knew that Xiao Long''s speed was far superior to theirs, and escaping held no hope of survival.


    "Senior, we were just passing by and meant no offense. Please forgive us!" Zhou Hong had no other choice. It was said that this snake could understand human speech, so he could only try his luck.


    Xiao Long sneered, his inner Qi simulating a human voice that spread out: "Forgive you? Isn''t your Fire Cloud Sect offering a bounty to kill me? If you want my life, you should be prepared to be killed!"


    Zhou Hong''s mouth twitched violently. As rumored, this snake not only understood human speech but could also speak it!


    He gritted his teeth and said, "That was a foolish act by the Fire Cloud Sect, nothing to do with us!"


    "I assure you, Senior, that once I return, I will leave the Fire Cloud Sect. I only ask for a chance to live." Liu Ming quickly added, though he was already planning to spread the word once he got back. The Beast Taming Sect had always been interested in strange demon beasts and would surely come to capture this one.


    Xiao Long stared at the two: "In that case, I''ll let you go."


    The two were overjoyed, simultaneously breathing a sigh of relief. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But in the next moment, Xiao Long suddenly vanished from his spot, and Liu Ming''s hair stood on end.


    "Poof!"


    "You killed a level 10 wild beast, gaining 1500 experience! (50% bonus for challenging a higher level)!"


    System prompt: You picked up a "lower-grade storage spirit ring."


    A cold gleam flashed, and Liu Ming spat a mouthful of blood skyward, his body collapsing powerlessly. Zhou Hong quickly retreated to a distance, staring intently at Xiao Long.


    Xiao Long found it amusing; a casual remark had tricked them into letting their guard down. Were the disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect really so incompetent?


    Zhou Hong gritted his teeth and said, "Senior, aren''t you afraid of divine retribution for breaking your word like this?"


    "Divine retribution? I am the heavens!"


    Xiao Long couldn''t be bothered to waste words, his figure shot forward again, enveloped in a violent inner Qi, his aura soaring into the sky.


    Zhou Hong''s face turned ashen, despair rising in his heart.


    Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and shouted hoarsely, "Brother Song, save me!"


    A silver arrow shot from the sky, tearing through the air, aimed straight at Xiao Long.


    "Hmph!"


    Xiao Long snorted coldly, his tail hooking Zhou Hong''s leg, pulling him in front as a shield.


    The silver arrow did not slow, seemingly accelerating, shooting straight ahead.


    "No!" Zhou Hong screamed in despair.


    Swoosh!


    The arrow pierced through Zhou Hong''s body, its momentum unabated, grazing Xiao Long''s scales, causing a burst of blood light on Xiao Long''s body.


    "What ruthless tactics, willing to kill a fellow disciple just to injure me."


    Xiao Long landed on the ground, quietly looking into the distance, where a young man with a silver longbow stood, staring back at him.


    This was none other than Song Yu, a Qi Condensing Realm warrior, whom Xiao Long had encountered once before, known as the "Soul Chasing Arrow."


    Beside Song Yu stood two others, both core disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect, one carrying a chain mace, the other wielding a mountain-splitting blade, both renowned figures.


    "Three Qi Condensing Realm warriors, two at the first level, one at the third level."


    Xiao Long''s gaze grew serious. With his current strength, dealing with the three was quite challenging.


    Song Yu, at the third level of the Qi Condensing Realm, couldn''t be killed without the Midas Touch. The release range of the Midas Touch was ten meters, and they were over a kilometer apart now. He had to find a way to close the distance.


    "This archer must die; leaving him alive would be a disaster," Xiao Long calculated in his mind.


    Charging in head-on was unrealistic; the opponent wasn''t foolish. Unless he could lure them...


    At this moment, Xiao Long suddenly felt a tingling on his scalp. Turning his gaze, he saw three arrows carrying fiery inner Qi shooting toward him simultaneously.


    He hadn''t even noticed when Song Yu made his move!


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


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    Three explosions shook the ground, flames soaring, bricks flying, and amidst the smoke and dust, a black snake was blasted away, like a piece of charred coal.


    In a single exchange, Xiao Long was severely injured!


    "Brother Song, with those three explosive flame arrows, that snake should be nothing but charcoal by now," laughed Zhu Gang, the burly man carrying the chain mace.


    "Brother Song''s explosive flame arrows once killed a fifth-level Demon General; a mere eighth-level demon beast probably didn''t even leave a trace," added Sun Ze, the young man with the large blade.


    Song Yu shook his head slowly and said, "That snake is probably not dead yet."


    "What!" The two were shocked.


    Song Yu''s expression was grave. The explosive flame arrows bore his soul imprint, allowing him to clearly sense the snake''s life force, albeit very faint.


    Since he was tricked last time, causing harm to the sect master''s soul, he knew this snake was not to be underestimated.


    An eighth-level demon beast surviving his three explosive flame arrows was, in itself, an incredible feat!


    "Let''s go! Check it out; it should only have one breath left." Song Yu was highly focused, cautiously moving forward, his steps extremely slow to prevent any sudden incidents.


    The two exchanged glances, muttering to themselves, wasn''t it just an eighth-level demon beast, was there really a need to be so cautious?


    In their eyes, Song Yu''s behavior seemed cowardly, and they secretly looked down on such timidity.


    Song Yu offered no explanation for their contemptuous looks. Even a lion uses all its strength to catch a rabbit; he wouldn''t allow himself to fail against this snake demon!


    Xiao Long used the Breath Concealment Technique, burying himself in the sand, his aura completely hidden.


    At this moment, his entire body was in tatters, most of it charred and carbonized. If not for wrapping his vital organs with Azure Dragon inner Qi, he might have perished from that attack.


    Xiao Long guessed that the archer must be a genius capable of challenging higher levels, appearing to be at the third level of the Qi Condensing Realm, but actually possessing the strength to contend with the fifth level.


    However, it was all meaningless, as the system still rated his level as 13, only five levels higher than Xiao Long.


    No matter what kind of genius, under the power of the Midas Touch, even the most talented would meet the same fate¡ªdeath.


    Xiao Long knew that a soul imprint had been left on his body, but he didn''t remove it, pretending not to notice. He didn''t tend to his injuries, lying motionless in the soil, his aura lowered to the minimum, his heart temporarily ceasing to beat, as if he were dead.

 Chapter 16 – Kill Song Yu

    To close the distance to within ten meters of that person, charging in was not an option. The only way was to lure him over. Besides, those three arrows were indeed unavoidable, so he decided to play along, pretending to be gravely injured and on the brink of death. Everything was within reason.


    Song Yu didn''t sense anything amiss. In his perception, the opponent''s life force was indeed slowly declining until it completely vanished.


    "Dead?" Song Yu stared at a patch of soil ahead, where the snake''s body lay buried.


    Song Yu paused, then began to walk forward step by step.


    Blasted into serious injury, hiding in the soil, suppressing its aura, trying to muddle through, but died due to severe injuries¡ªeverything seemed logical. If he were that snake, he would have done the same. Yet, he felt he had overlooked something.


    Fifty meters, twenty meters, ten meters...


    Song Yu finally reached the ten-meter mark and stopped.


    "Brother Song, what''s wrong?" asked Zhu Gang, who was standing beside him with a meteor hammer.


    "It feels strange to have dealt with it so easily," Song Yu replied.


    "What''s there to be afraid of? It''s just an eighth-level demon beast. I could handle it alone!" Sun Ze scoffed, giving him a disdainful look.


    Seeing Song Yu still hesitating, Sun Ze couldn''t stand it anymore. He cursed under his breath and walked forward.


    "Hmph! A dying snake, watch me chop it up alive!" Sun Ze hefted his large blade and approached.


    At that moment, Song Yu''s pupils suddenly contracted, and he shouted urgently, "Get back!"


    He finally realized what was wrong. The soul imprint he left behind hadn''t been erased!


    The opponent could detect the soul imprint seed left by the Fire Cloud Sect Master and severely damage the master''s soul from afar. Their soul power was absolutely extraordinary. How could they not notice the imprint he left?


    The only possibility for not erasing the imprint was to lure them over!


    Sun Ze shook his head, feeling quite disdainful, and swung his blade at the soil ahead.


    "Whoosh!"


    A charred black snake shot out instantly. Song Yu was shocked, his feet unable to move, and his horrified expression froze in place, turning him into a golden, glittering statue.


    "You have killed a level 13 wild monster, gaining 6000 experience points (100% bonus for challenging a higher level)!"


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 9! You need 30,000 more experience points for the next level!"


    "You have obtained 2031 gold coins, current balance is 4211, and Midas Touch is on cooldown."


    System notification: You picked up a "lower-grade storage spirit ring."


    "What!" Sun Ze and Zhu Gang were stunned before they could react.


    Only then did they realize that Song Yu had been killed, in the same manner as Jiang Li and Xue Yi!


    This sudden change left the two of them completely unprepared.


    "We''re not dead, which means his move has a time limit. Kill him quickly!"


    "Kill him to avenge Brother Song!"


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    Both were core disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect, and their reactions were swift. The moment Song Yu died, they roared and swung their blades down. In their view, this snake was already at the end of its rope, and one move would be enough to finish it!


    Two surges of violent inner Qi swept in, carrying sharp blades. If this strike landed, Xiao Long would undoubtedly die!


    Just then, a giant brown figure descended from the sky, grabbing Xiao Long and retreating swiftly, instantly widening the distance. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haha! Boss, I came just in time, didn''t I?"


    A hearty laugh echoed in his ears. Huang Mao the monkey carried a tree in one hand, held Xiao Long in the other, and had two Black Spine Snakes draped over his shoulders. He grinned at Xiao Long, revealing a row of yellow teeth, accompanied by a prehistoric bad breath.


    Xiao Long quickly shrank his head, cursing inwardly about how many years it had been since he brushed his teeth.


    Da Hei and Er Hei had both leveled up twice, becoming fifth-level demon beasts. Huang Mao had successfully cultivated the Battle Saint Physique to the first level and naturally broke through to a ninth-level demon beast, with combat power not inferior to a first-level human in the Qi Condensing Realm.


    Xiao Long looked him over and couldn''t help but scold, "It took you two days to cultivate the Battle Saint Physique to the first level. You''re hopelessly stupid!"


    "Ah! Didn''t you say three days to reach the first level was acceptable? I only took two days!" Huang Mao looked bewildered.


    "When the boss says you''re stupid, you''re stupid! Don''t question it!" Da Hei and Er Hei chimed in.


    Huang Mao was at a loss for words.


    Sun Ze and Zhu Gang were stunned to see a Vajra Ape suddenly appear, rescue the snake, and even engage in conversation.


    Being in the Fire Cloud Sect, they had heard countless strange tales, but this bizarre event was a first.


    "Huang Mao, leave those two little pests to you," Xiao Long ordered.


    "Ah?" Huang Mao looked at the two of them, pulling a face. "I can handle one, but two is too much!"


    "Hold on for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn. Once I recover, I''ll send them to the afterlife," Xiao Long said calmly.


    Huang Mao gritted his teeth and reluctantly agreed, "Alright!"


    Huang Mao had no choice but to brace himself and walk forward. As he moved, his fur gradually turned red, entering a berserk state.


    To deal with two humans at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm, he had to go all out. The berserk Vajra Ape had strength comparable to a first-level human in the Qi Condensing Realm, and with the supreme-grade Profound-level technique Battle Saint Physique, his combat power was even stronger than an average first-level human in the Qi Condensing Realm.


    These two were genius disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect, capable of challenging higher levels. It would be difficult for Huang Mao to defeat them, but holding them off for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn was more than enough.


    "A berserk Vajra Ape?" Sun Ze was momentarily stunned. It was the first time he had seen a Vajra Ape that could go berserk. There had been too many strange occurrences lately.


    "A mere ninth-level demon beast dares to challenge us? Die!" Zhu Gang extended his hand, launching his meteor hammer, which struck Huang Mao''s chest with precision.


    "Ouch!" Huang Mao was knocked back.


    "Pathetic!" Zhu Gang had just spoken and hadn''t even had time to celebrate when he was stunned.


    Huang Mao, having taken his full-force attack, shakily got up, touched his chest, and found no trace of injury.


    "That really hurt! Good thing I''ve got thick skin!" Huang Mao grinned. The defense of the Battle Saint Physique was no joke, claiming to be the best defensive technique in the world.


    "Human, taste my club!" Huang Mao grabbed the tree and swung it at Zhu Gang.


    Boom!


    The meteor hammer and the tree collided, and Zhu Gang was forced back a few steps, feeling a slight numbness in his arm, and was even more shocked.


    Was this really the strength of a ninth-level demon beast? It was almost on par with a first-level Demon General!


    "Sun Ze, finish this quickly. I have a bad feeling!" Zhu Gang said.


    "Alright!" Sun Ze responded, and the two of them quickly charged forward, engaging in a fierce battle with Huang Mao.


    Huang Mao had no intention of fighting to the death with them. He just kept dodging, buying time. Under their combined assault, he could barely hold on.

 Chapter 17 – BOSS Appears

    As Huang Mao and the two others were engaged in battle, Xiao Long opened his inventory and unlocked the dozen or so storage rings he had just picked up to tally his spoils.


    After opening all the storage rings, Xiao Long calculated that he had a total of one million lower-grade spirit stones, with half of them coming from Song Yu alone, and ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones, all from Song Yu.


    There were also various pills, weapons, ores, materials, and other miscellaneous items. To Xiao Long''s delight, he found a middle-grade spiritual tool alchemy furnace and some formation materials, all discovered in the ring of the first disciple he killed, who had the surname Fang.


    In addition, there was a large amount of food, including some roasted high-level demon beasts, which Xiao Long promptly devoured, gaining a significant amount of experience.


    "Your spirit stones have reached the amount required to upgrade your cultivation technique. Would you like to upgrade?" The system prompt sounded, and Xiao Long immediately clicked "Upgrade."


    "Ding! Your ''Azure Dragon Tome'' has been upgraded to the third level, consuming fifty thousand lower-grade spirit stones!"


    Xiao Long consumed some healing pills and then fully activated the Azure Dragon Tome to recover from his injuries.


    The Azure Dragon Tome was divided into seven levels, and reaching the third level was considered a minor achievement. After half an incense stick''s time, his injuries were mostly healed.


    Xiao Long opened his eyes, his cold gaze piercing through Sun Ze and the others, causing them to freeze momentarily. The sight of his eyes sent an uncontrollable fear straight to their hearts.


    Huang Mao''s body was already covered in scars, but the wounds were shallow and were healing at an extremely slow pace.


    Seeing the two momentarily pause, Huang Mao grabbed a broken tree branch and struck Sun Ze on the head with a heavy blow.


    "Bang!"


    Sun Ze was stunned, his vision darkening. Before he could recover, a black flash darted past, and in the next moment, Zhu Gang saw Sun Ze''s head soar into the air, blood gushing out.


    "You have killed a level 11 wild monster, gaining 2250 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 50%!)"


    Seeing his companion killed, Zhu Gang''s mental state completely collapsed. He tried to escape, but as soon as he took a step, the black shadow flashed again, and he was decapitated. Thus, two Qi Condensing Realm warriors met their end.


    Huang Mao was stunned; he hadn''t expected the boss to be so powerful! The person who had beaten him so badly was instantly killed!


    "This place is not safe, let''s go!" Xiao Long urged, feeling a sense of foreboding, as if real danger was closing in.


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    Da Hei and Er Hei climbed onto Huang Mao''s back. Before leaving, Xiao Long glanced at the distant pit and quickly crawled away.


    System prompt: An elite monster of level 20 is approaching from the south, danger level: extremely high!


    "Hmph! You think you can just leave after killing disciples of my Fire Cloud Sect?"


    At that moment, a loud voice echoed between heaven and earth, with inner Qi rolling out like a muffled thunderclap. Xiao Long felt his mind tremble and spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Huang Mao also spat out blood, his berserk state instantly broken, reverting to his original form. Da Hei and Er Hei were even more severely injured; if not for the Subdue Dragon Art protecting them, they would have been gravely wounded.


    The power of a single shout was astonishing!


    Xiao Long''s expression turned extremely grave, knowing that a truly dangerous figure had arrived.


    Ahead, five figures broke through the air and landed on the ground. The leader was a fat middle-aged man with silver hair and black eyes. His appearance was pig-like, but his gaze was chilling, like eternal frost, making one shiver with cold at a glance.


    This man was Xue Yi''s father, Xue Wuqing!


    "Qi Condensing Realm peak of the tenth level, Qi Condensing Realm seventh level, Qi Condensing Realm eighth level, Qi Condensing Realm seventh level..."


    Xiao Long assessed the strength of the people in front of him, quickly calculating in his mind how to escape.


    Countless methods flashed through his mind, but each was rejected.


    This situation was unsolvable! Unless he risked his soul being scattered and unleashed a Soulstorm, no one present could withstand the soul power of an Emperor Realm. But the outcome would be mutual destruction!


    "Are you the snake demon who killed my daughter?" Xue Wuqing''s cold gaze bore into Xiao Long, but he saw no ripple in Xiao Long''s icy eyes.


    Looking around at the demon beasts, all were cowering on the ground, trembling, except for the Black Spine Snake and the Vajra Ape in front of him, who appeared unfazed, as if they knew no fear.


    "So you are indeed controlled by a beast tamer!" Xue Wuqing said coldly. "In that case, I''ll capture you and slowly refine your soul, and I will find out who your master is."


    "You want to extract my soul?" Xiao Long seemed to hear something incredibly amusing. "Haha! Such arrogance, let me show you what true soul power is!"


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    A resolute look flashed in Xiao Long''s eyes, and a terrifying aura began to rise within him.


    Being captured by a Qi Condensing Realm ant to have his soul extracted? What a joke! As the Burning Heaven Dragon Emperor, he would rather his soul be scattered than let this ant feel what true fear is!


    "Boss! No!" Huang Mao and Da Hei, Er Hei seemed to realize something and cried out in alarm.


    Even Xue Wuqing was startled by the terrifying aura, feeling an inexplicable sense of dread.


    "Heh, who would have thought, I, the Burning Heaven Dragon Emperor, would fall in such a place!" Just as Xiao Long was about to unleash the Soulstorm, a system prompt suddenly sounded.


    System prompt: An unknown life form is approaching from the northwest, danger level: unknown.


    "Hmm?"


    Xiao Long looked back, and a fluffy white shadow began to enlarge in his pupils.


    Xue Wuqing and the others also paused, staring at the white shadow. As it approached, they realized it was a fluffy, snow-white fox.


    The white fox was very small, only the size of a palm, yet it exuded a noble and enchanting aura, flawless as if crafted by the heavens, especially its pair of bright blue eyes, deep and cold, breathtakingly beautiful.


    Xiao Long was astonished; the fox was alive!


    "What kind of monster is this?" Xue Wuqing stared at the white fox. It was the first time he had seen such a beautiful demon beast, yet strangely, he couldn''t discern its specific strength.


    "Hmph! Playing tricks!" Xue Wuqing snorted coldly, striking out with a palm in mid-air. Silver inner Qi gathered into the phantom of a long sword, flying towards the white fox.


    The long sword phantom halted an inch before the white fox, motionless, as if nailed to an invisible wall. Then, everyone saw the sword phantom disintegrate into harmless spiritual Qi, dissipating into the air.


    "What!" Xue Wuqing''s face changed drastically.


    To dissolve his attack with such ease and return it to the heavens and earth, this move was truly astonishing!


    An Innate Expert might block one of his moves, but never so effortlessly, dissolving it back into its most primal spiritual Qi!


    At this moment, a glimmer of light appeared in the pure eyes of the white fox.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, the sky rumbled, the winds and clouds shifted, and the spiritual Qi between heaven and earth seemed to go berserk at that instant, converging towards the center, forming a spiritual Qi storm in the blink of an eye!


    The center of that spiritual Qi storm was precisely where the members of the Fire Cloud Sect stood!


    "Ah!"


    Screams erupted as several inner sect elders of the Fire Cloud Sect found their spiritual Qi being drained bit by bit, their flesh dissolving!


    "Run!"


    They wanted to flee but couldn''t move an inch. In the spiritual Qi storm, they were utterly immobilized, sinking deeper and deeper.


    "Ah!"


    Finally, a Qi Condensing Realm seventh-level elder couldn''t withstand it, his inner Qi drained completely, turning into a puddle of blood that merged with the earth and disappeared entirely.


    Soon after, another Qi Condensing Realm seventh-level elder turned into blood, leaving no remains.


    Those who had come with such momentum now died without even knowing how.


    "This is..." Xiao Long watched, unable to hide his astonishment. This method of manipulating spiritual Qi was unheard of, even with his knowledge.


    "Could it be the legendary Immortal Spirit Body?" Xiao Long''s heart trembled.


    A few breaths later, all the elders who had come were dead, leaving only Xue Wuqing alive.


    Xue Wuqing''s face was heavy, his remaining True Qi dwindling, gritting his teeth to hold on.


    "Beast! I, Xue Wuqing, swear to the heavens, next time I will take your life!"


    A fierce look flashed in Xue Wuqing''s eyes. He then struck his chest with a palm, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood, which burned in the air, transforming into a massive energy that enveloped him, scattering the spiritual Qi and creating a temporary vacuum.


    Fixing a deadly stare at Xiao Long and the white fox, Xue Wuqing slashed through the spiritual Qi storm, creating a brief vacuum, and slipped through the gap, then leaped away, disappearing from sight.

 Chapter 18 – Xiao Longs Misguided Ideas

    As Xue Wuqing left, the violent storm of spiritual energy dissipated without a trace.


    Sunlight streamed down, white clouds drifted across the sky, a gentle breeze caressed the air, which was pure and fresh. If not for the few corpses left on the ground, it would seem as if no battle had just taken place.


    Xiao Long felt a bit disappointed that the fat man had managed to escape. It seemed that the fox''s power was also quite limited.


    Only then did Xiao Long take a good look at the white fox behind him, noticing that it was staring blankly at him.


    The white fox had lost its previous noble and cold demeanor, slightly raising its small head. Its fluffy appearance was like a flawless snowball, without a trace of impurity. Its eyes were as clear and bright as crystals, gazing at Xiao Long with a look that could melt even the hardest stone.


    Xiao Long had never seen such an adorable demon beast. If he were human, he would certainly have held it in his arms and petted it, but unfortunately, he was a snake.


    "Little one, do you know me?" Xiao Long asked.


    The white fox seemed to understand Xiao Long''s words, its eyes narrowing into crescents as it happily bounced over to Xiao Long and licked his cheek with its pink tongue.


    An indescribable soft and warm sensation spread from his face, making Xiao Long feel as if his heart was melting.


    Xiao Long cursed inwardly; this creature was surely a femme fatale in the demon beast world. Luckily, he had a human soul, or he would have fallen for it.


    The white fox kept rubbing its head against Xiao Long''s body, its fur soft and comfortable, showing great affection for him.


    A demon beast at this level certainly wouldn''t have low intelligence. The white fox had sensed while unconscious that it was this snake who saved her.


    Xiao Long had set up the Seven Stars Soul-Nurturing Array, using his soul power to communicate with the stars and nurture the white fox''s soul, which naturally made her very familiar with Xiao Long''s soul, creating a sense of dependency.


    "Do you have a name?" Xiao Long asked.


    "Whimper..." The little creature shook its head, making a soft whimpering sound.


    "Do you remember anything from before?"


    The white fox blinked its small eyes, looking up at the sky with a confused expression.


    Xiao Long sighed inwardly. Surviving such an ordeal, memory loss was inevitable.


    He wondered what kind of fox this was.


    Tianshan Snow Fox? Sky-Flying Demon Fox? Moon-Devouring Fox?


    None of them seemed right. He would have to wait until he was stronger to go to the demon beast world and ask.


    "Alright, from now on, you''ll follow me. Your name will be..." Xiao Long thought for a moment and casually said, "Xiao Bai."


    "Whimper..." The white fox pecked at its chin and called out to Xiao Long in a soft voice, seemingly very pleased with the name.


    This adorable creature was determined to stick with him, which was fine. Having a super bodyguard with him meant he could walk unchallenged below the Prenatal Realm.


    Xiao Long cleaned up the battlefield, collecting all the storage rings left by the Fire Cloud Sect elders into his inventory. The four people killed by Xiao Bai were all high-level Qi Condensing Realm warriors, and their wealth was certainly considerable.


    He glanced at the corpses of the Fire Cloud Sect disciples, feeling an inexplicable urge to eat them.


    Realizing this, Xiao Long was startled and quickly crawled away. He could eat anything, but eating humans was absolutely unacceptable. Although it might give him a significant boost in experience, Xiao Long couldn''t bring himself to do it.


    "Boss, can I eat those people?" Da Hei cautiously asked.


    Er Hei also looked at the corpses.


    Xiao Long''s heart stirred. Humans had killed Da Hei and Er Hei''s mother, creating an irreconcilable enmity. Besides, it was natural for demon beasts to eat humans, so why not?


    "You can. From now on, human corpses are yours."


    "Yes!"


    Da Hei and Er Hei excitedly crawled over, swallowing a person whole, and then used the essence-refining and blood-transforming technique taught by Xiao Long to digest them completely in just a few breaths.


    Qi Condensing Realm warriors were a great supplement. After digesting two corpses, their energy was full, almost at the brink of a breakthrough.


    Da Hei and Er Hei clearly didn''t want to waste anything, swallowing the remaining corpses to digest later. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After consuming a few corpses, the two snakes swelled into oval shapes, but their speed didn''t slow down much.


    "Return to the cave." Xiao Long ordered.


    ...


    The five demon beasts returned to the cave. Da Hei and Er Hei went to the side to refine the essence and blood, while Huang Mao continued to study the Battle Saint Physique.


    Xiao Bai seemed very excited upon entering, bouncing around and finally stopping by the spiritual spring, curiously observing the water, seemingly very interested.


    The spiritual energy in the spring had been almost completely absorbed by Xiao Long, leaving it nearly transparent.


    Xiao Long ignored her and began to inventory the spoils he had just acquired.


    "Storage ring, open!"


    "Open!"


    "Open!"


    Suddenly, the inventory was filled with a variety of miscellaneous items, including pills, ores, and materials. There were especially many spirit stones, with fifty thousand middle-grade spirit stones, equivalent to five million lower-grade spirit stones, while there were only about ten thousand lower-grade spirit stones.


    "Your spirit stone count has reached the required amount to upgrade the technique. Would you like to upgrade?"


    Without hesitation, Xiao Long clicked "Upgrade."


    "Ding! Your Azure Dragon Tome has been upgraded to the fourth level, consuming fifty thousand middle-grade spirit stones!"


    "Your spirit stone count has reached the required amount to upgrade the technique. Would you like to upgrade?"


    Xiao Long clicked "Upgrade" again.


    "Ding! Your Azure Dragon Tome has been upgraded to the fifth level, consuming three hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones!"


    With the fifth level of the Azure Dragon Tome operating, gentle inner qi began to cleanse Xiao Long''s meridians and repair his damaged body. In just a few breaths, all the injuries within Xiao Long''s body were healed.


    Xiao Long was somewhat excited. Just by spending some spirit stones, he had advanced the Azure Dragon Tome by two levels. At this rate, as long as he had enough spirit stones, reaching the perfect seventh level wasn''t impossible.


    With the perfect Azure Dragon Tome, not only would his body be incredibly strong, but even severed limbs could regenerate. At that point, who could rival him below the Prenatal Realm?


    "I need spirit stones!" Xiao Long realized this was the most pressing issue.


    Whether it was upgrading techniques or setting up a Gathering Spirit Array or the cave''s defense array, a large number of spirit stones were needed. Spirit stones were the foundation of cultivation; without them, nothing could be accomplished.


    If he were human, he could easily refine a pill and take it to auction, making a fortune. After all, in his previous life, he was a ninth-grade Pill King, and his alchemy skills were among the top three on the entire continent.


    But now, as a demon beast and wanted by the Fire Cloud Sect, he would likely be caught before he even got close to a human auction house.


    Unless he could disguise himself as a human!


    Xiao Long fell into deep thought, then his eyes suddenly lit up. He transmitted his voice to Huang Mao, "Huang Mao, can you speak human language?"


    "Human language?" Huang Mao asked curiously.


    "The language of humans."


    "No," Huang Mao shook his head.


    "Alright, I''ll teach you human language now."


    Huang Mao looked bewildered, "Huh?"


    "What, don''t want to learn?" Xiao Long glared, his dragon might emanating without anger.


    Huang Mao shrank back, reluctantly saying, "I''ll learn! I''ll learn, okay?"

 Chapter 19 – Marching towards the human world!

    "Humph! At least you know what''s good for you," Xiao Long said. "Besides that, I''ll teach you human actions and etiquette. Don''t worry, as long as you do well, you''ll be rewarded generously."


    Hearing this, Huang Mao''s eyes lit up, and he eagerly asked, "What kind of reward?"


    "A reward that will make you stronger," Xiao Long replied.


    "Stronger enough to become a Demon General?" Huang Mao''s breathing became rapid.


    "Humph! A Demon General is nothing. Follow me, and becoming a Demon Emperor won''t just be a dream," Xiao Long said with a cold snort.


    "Re... really?" Huang Mao seemed incredulous.


    "Would the words of this Emperor be false?" Xiao Long said proudly.


    Huang Mao was so excited he could hardly speak, nodding vigorously at Xiao Long.


    His dream was to one day become a top-tier Demon General, return to his tribe, become a mountain king, and live out his life peacefully. He never dared to hope he could leave this place.


    To him, even becoming a Demon King was unimaginable, let alone a Demon Emperor, which was legendary. But he had complete faith in Xiao Long''s words; if Xiao Long said it was possible, then it was.


    "I''ll first teach you the human language." With a thought, Xiao Long transmitted a vast amount of words and explanations through soul communication.


    Then, he transmitted human actions, customs, and more.


    Huang Mao fell into a state of contemplation.


    The content of these teachings was comparable to a Profound-level technique. For Huang Mao to fully understand it would take at least three to five days.


    Xiao Long took out the ingredients for a Soul-Reviving Pill from his inventory and also retrieved a middle-grade spirit tool alchemy furnace he had just acquired.


    He tossed the ingredients into the furnace and began refining the pill.


    With the fifth level of the Azure Dragon Tome, Xiao Long found alchemy much easier. He completed many complicated steps effortlessly, even multitasking by melting several ingredients at once. In just half a day, a third-grade Soul-Reviving Pill was successfully produced.


    Xiao Long swallowed it.


    Before long, the pill''s effects kicked in, and Xiao Long felt an unprecedented comfort in his sea of consciousness¡ªa pleasure from the depths of his soul.


    Half an hour later, the pill''s effects were exhausted, but Xiao Long''s soul power seemed unchanged.


    Xiao Long knew that given the extent of his soul damage, even a ninth-grade Emperor Pill might not be enough to repair it. Only a legendary elixir might work.


    "With my current soul power, I can easily kill a mid-stage Qi Condensing Realm warrior with a soul needle. Against a high-stage one, I can make them lose focus briefly and then kill them. But to control a soul slave, I can only manage a low-stage Qi Condensing Realm."


    Xiao Long estimated that in his current state, as long as he didn''t encounter that fat Xue Wuqing, he wouldn''t be in any danger.


    To be safe, Xiao Long refined two more Soul-Reviving Pills, giving one to Xiao Bai, who also had a wounded soul. The pill was beneficial for her, and he kept the other as a backup.


    As for the higher-grade Spirit-Reviving Pill, he didn''t attempt it.


    Firstly, he lacked the ingredients. Secondly, the Spirit-Reviving Pill was a fourth-grade pill, and a prerequisite for refining it was nurturing it with True Qi flames. Xiao Long could only control basic Inner Qi flames for now. He would need to reach the Demon General level, converting all Inner Qi to True Qi, to attempt it.


    Next, Xiao Long took out a large amount of confiscated ingredients and spent three days refining several well-formed third-grade pills.


    "Chongxu Pill, Explosive Yuan Pill, Qi Condensing Pill¡ªin this backwater country, they should be worth quite a bit," Xiao Long thought to himself.


    These three pills were his capital for earning spirit stones.


    Xiao Long glanced around the cave. Da Hei and Er Hei had finished absorbing human blood essence, leveling up twice to become seventh-stage demon beasts. Their bodies grew to five meters in length, shedding a layer of snake skin.


    In contrast, he himself was still only half a meter long, like a big earthworm.


    The white fox, Xiao Bai, had disappeared after taking the Soul-Reviving Pill and hadn''t returned for two days. Xiao Long didn''t bother to look for her; with her strength, she could roam the demon beast mountains freely.


    "Huang Mao!" Xiao Long called out.


    Huang Mao quickly ran over, standing straight like a spear.


    "You''ve almost mastered human language habits, right?" Xiao Long asked.


    Huang Mao scratched his head. "I''ve learned about ninety percent."


    "Alright, put these on."


    Xiao Long took out a coat, a bamboo hat, a mask, and long boots from his inventory, all found in a Fire Cloud Sect elder''s storage ring.


    Huang Mao put them on, and soon, a three-meter-tall masked man with a bamboo hat stood before Xiao Long.


    Xiao Long looked him over and was fairly satisfied.


    Ape-like demon beasts had a physique similar to humans. As long as they mimicked well, disguising as a human wasn''t impossible.


    Huang Mao had ancient bloodline and could cultivate the Battle Saint Physique, so his comprehension shouldn''t be too bad. If he couldn''t even disguise as a human, he wouldn''t be worth following Xiao Long.


    "Show me your hand," Xiao Long ordered.


    Huang Mao extended his furry hand, and Xiao Long spat a flame of Inner Qi, burning the fur off his hand.


    "Ah! No!" Huang Mao shrank back in fear.


    "What? If you''re not satisfied, I can refine a Hair Removal Pill and strip all your fur," Xiao Long said.


    "No, I''m very satisfied," Huang Mao said with a forced smile. After a pause, he hesitantly asked, "Boss, what about the tail?"


    Xiao Long then noticed Huang Mao''s tail was tucked under his clothes, making a large bulge like a giant whip¡ªfar too conspicuous.


    "Don''t worry about it. No one will ask."


    "Uh, alright."


    Xiao Long slipped into Huang Mao''s sleeve, coiling around his arm.


    "When we reach the human city, do exactly as I say. Don''t speak out of turn. Any mistake could cost us our lives. Do you understand?"


    "Understood!"


    "Let''s go!"


    Huang Mao took a step and disappeared from the cave entrance.


    ...


    In the dense forest, a ghostly wind blew, rustling the leaves. Faint sounds of fighting could be heard.


    In a clearing, two female disciples from the Ask Sword Sect wielded long swords, besieging a white demon wolf. The wolf''s body was covered in sword wounds, its fur stained with blood.


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    The two disciples weren''t faring well either. One had her clothes torn, revealing a shocking wound on her white skin, and her strength was waning.


    This was a third-stage demon beast, a Blood Cang Wolf. The more injured it got, the more its bloodlust was aroused. Seeing the two women falter, it became even more ferocious, its power increasing.


    "Sister Xiao Nan, attack its tail from behind. I''ll use the Star Point Sword Technique to hold it off!"


    "Okay!"


    Xiao Nan dashed to the Blood Cang Wolf''s rear, but suddenly stepped on something, losing her balance. The Blood Cang Wolf seized the chance, swiping a claw at her head.


    "Xiao Nan!" the other disciple shouted.


    Xiao Nan realized her mistake, but at such close range, she couldn''t dodge. She could only watch as the wolf''s claw came at her.


    This would either kill or cripple her.


    "No!" Xiao Nan despaired.


    At that moment, a tall, imposing figure dropped from the trees, stomping on the Blood Cang Wolf''s head, then flipping it away.


    "Get lost!" The man swung his arm, smashing the wolf with a massive tree, sending it flying and leaving it dazed and confused.


    "Die!"


    A tree came crashing down, and the Blood Cang Wolf''s head exploded, red and white splattering everywhere¡ªdead beyond doubt. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 20 – Fire Cloud City

    Xiao Long was quite surprised to encounter someone familiar. Wasn''t the girl named Xiao Nan the one who was bullied by the chubby girl at the beginning? He didn''t expect her to still be alive.


    After swallowing the Soul-Reviving Pill, Xiao Long''s soul power could now spread out, forming a divine sense, allowing him to see everything within a hundred meters without using his eyes.


    "Hey, boss, how did I do?" Huang Mao transmitted proudly.


    "Not bad. Now go ask for directions as I instructed."


    "Yes!"


    Xiao Nan was still in shock until her senior sister pulled her back to reality. The two of them bowed to the masked man in front and repeatedly thanked him, "Thank you, senior, for saving us!"


    "No need to be so polite. I''m a wandering warrior from the Barbarian Kingdom. Could you tell me the way to the nearest main city?" Huang Mao''s voice was muffled and deep.


    "Barbarian Kingdom!" The two were taken aback.


    In the Great Wilderness State of the Southern Barbarian Domain, there were countless countries, with the most famous being the Barbarian Kingdom. Its size was unknown, but it was many times larger than the Tianfeng Kingdom, filled with sects and experts, truly a three-star empire.


    Besides the Barbarian Kingdom, the Great Wilderness State had four other three-star empires and 32 two-star empires. The one-star empires were too numerous to count, likely over a hundred.


    As for the Tianfeng Kingdom, it was just one of the many one-star empires, but with four major one-star sects, it was considered the top of the one-star empires.


    However, compared to the Barbarian Kingdom, it was still like a firefly compared to the bright moon.


    The two dared not delay, regardless of whether what he said was true or not. Since he saved their lives, they should tell him honestly.


    "The nearest is Fire Cloud City, just head southeast for ten kilometers," Xiao Nan said.


    "Fire Cloud City?" Huang Mao thought for a moment and asked, "Does it have anything to do with the Fire Cloud Sect?"


    "Fire Cloud City is the garrison city of the Fire Cloud Sect. In our Tianfeng Kingdom, there are six main cities. Besides the largest imperial city, there are the garrison cities of the four major sects, and finally, Tianya City, the hub connecting the nearby three countries. This is the territory of the Fire Cloud Sect, and the nearest is Fire Cloud City," Xiao Nan explained the situation in the Tianfeng Kingdom.


    Suddenly, she glanced at Huang Mao''s lower body, her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head, blushing furiously.


    "Thanks, farewell!" Huang Mao didn''t care what she thought, cupped his hands in farewell, and then headed towards Fire Cloud City.


    "Sister, did you see his body?" The senior sister next to Xiao Nan couldn''t help but ask when she saw her blushing.


    "Yes." Xiao Nan nodded, still feeling a bit uncomfortable. Fortunately, the man wasn''t malicious; otherwise, in this wilderness, if he had done something to them, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    "It''s the first time I''ve seen one so big. Are all men from the Barbarian Kingdom this impressive?" The senior sister looked up at the sky, her eyes flickering, lost in thought.


    ...


    "Boss, can you get me a pair of loose pants? My tail is uncomfortable!"


    "Shut up! These pants are already the biggest. If you keep whining, I''ll chop your tail off!"


    Frightened, Huang Mao quickly shut his mouth. His tail squirmed inside the pants, not knowing where to go, finally wrapping around his waist twice like a belt, but it was still noticeable, so he decided to ignore it.


    After walking for half an hour, Huang Mao saw a massive city, surrounded by thirty-meter-high walls, entirely cast in black iron, indestructible. Above the city gate were three large characters: Fire Cloud City.


    There were many people entering and leaving the city, forming a long line. Huang Mao stood at the end of the crowd.


    Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a mask, dressed in a large robe, he looked like a bandit. People in line kept their distance, knowing such people had strange tempers and might kill at the slightest disagreement.


    "Hey! Take off the mask, let me see!" When it was Huang Mao''s turn to enter the city, the guard stopped him.


    Following Xiao Long''s instructions, Huang Mao grabbed two lower-grade spirit stones and tossed them to the guard.


    "Is that enough?" Huang Mao''s cold voice came out, accompanied by a terrifying, chilling killing intent.


    Of course, this killing intent was released by Xiao Long.


    The guard was about to extort more, but feeling the cold, fierce intent, he shivered and thought it best not to provoke such a ruthless person.


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    So he impatiently waved his hand.


    "Get lost!" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmph!" Xiao Long let out a cold snort, sending an invisible wave of inner Qi that made the guard feel like his chest was about to explode. It took him a while to catch his breath, and when he looked again, Huang Mao was nowhere to be seen.


    "What a terrifying person!" The guard was still in shock.


    Fire Cloud City, worthy of being the garrison city of the Fire Cloud Sect, had towering buildings, grand and imposing. The wide streets were bustling with people, and shopkeepers were loudly shouting and selling, presenting a scene of prosperity.


    Xiao Long didn''t feel much; this small place couldn''t even compare to a restroom in his Burning Heaven Dragon Palace. But Huang Mao was very excited, his curious eyes darting around, looking like a country bumpkin entering the city.


    As he walked, he hummed a strange tune, not knowing from which mountain it originated.


    "Be serious! Don''t embarrass me!" Xiao Long scolded.


    Chastised by Xiao Long, Huang Mao straightened up.


    As they walked, martial artists occasionally passed by. Xiao Long sensed that most were above the third level of the Body Refining Realm, but there were very few in the Qi Condensing Realm; he hadn''t encountered one yet.


    A Qi Condensing Realm martial artist could be a core disciple in the Fire Cloud Sect, and an elder could serve as a deacon. In Fire Cloud City, they were considered significant figures.


    Huang Mao was currently a ninth-level demon beast. Due to the special nature of his cultivation method, his aura was equivalent to that of a human at the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm. Coupled with his appearance, many people kept their distance, maintaining a respectful gaze.


    Feeling the eyes on him, Huang Mao couldn''t help but puff out his chest, striding forward with a bit of pride.


    "Boss, in the human world, it''s all about having the strongest fist," Huang Mao chuckled.


    "Shut up!" Xiao Long couldn''t help but curse.


    At this moment, they noticed a crowd gathered at a corner ahead, with a picture posted on the wall. People were discussing something.


    Huang Mao walked over and saw that the picture on the wall depicted a fox, three snakes, and a Vajra Ape.


    The fox was Xiao Bai, the three snakes were Xiao Long, Da Hei, and Er Hei, and the Vajra Ape was Huang Mao.


    The picture bore three large words: Wanted Poster.


    Below the wanted poster were their notorious deeds, claiming they were ruthless, causing chaos, slaughtering civilians, killing many elders of the Fire Cloud Sect, and even alleging that the Vajra Ape assaulted female disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect. It was a full page of fabricated accusations, painting them as heinous criminals.


    Xiao Long didn''t feel much, but Huang Mao''s eyes widened, almost jumping up.


    "Boss! They''re framing me!" Huang Mao was so angry his fur stood on end.


    "How can they say that! I would never lay a hand on a human woman! That''s impossible!"

 Chapter 21 – Qianlong Bank

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    The thoughts of demon beasts are very simple¡ªblack is black, white is white, as simple as it gets. The methods of the Fire Cloud Sect clashed with Huang Mao''s worldview.


    "Enough with the nonsense, hurry up and find someone to ask where the auction is. I don''t have time to explain everything to you!"


    Huang Mao gritted his teeth, unwillingly saying, "Those bastards from the Fire Cloud Sect, I''ll wipe out your entire sect sooner or later."


    Following Xiao Long''s instructions, Huang Mao approached a person, slapped them on the shoulder, startling them. The person was about to retaliate, but upon seeing Huang Mao''s attire, they held back, forcing a smile and asking, "Se... Senior, what can I do for you?"


    Huang Mao gradually increased the pressure in his palm, causing the person''s facial muscles to twitch and cold sweat to break out, yet they maintained their smile, afraid of offending this formidable figure.


    "Where is the largest auction house in Fire Cloud City?" Huang Mao asked in a muffled voice.


    "It''s the auction house of Qianlong Bank, located in the eastern part of Fire Cloud City. Just follow that road and you''ll see it," the person replied with a smile.


    Although random killings are not allowed in Fire Cloud City, teaching someone a lesson is no problem at all. The city''s law enforcement wouldn''t offend an expert for a small fry.


    A gust of wind blew by, and when the person came to their senses, Huang Mao was nowhere to be seen.


    ...


    Qianlong Auction House, the largest auction house in Fire Cloud City, belongs to the wealthiest power in Tianfeng Kingdom: Qianlong Bank.


    Qianlong Bank has a long history and abundant financial resources, with branches in every major city of Tianfeng Kingdom. It''s said that its true headquarters isn''t even in Tianfeng Kingdom but in a three-star super empire in the Great Wilderness State, with influence spanning the entire state.


    Even the renowned "Qianlong List" of the Great Wilderness State was compiled by Qianlong Bank.


    However, Xiao Long knew nothing of this, nor had he heard much about the Great Wilderness State. He only knew of the Barbarian Kingdom because a disciple from the Burning Heaven Dragon Palace was born there, otherwise, he wouldn''t remember such a small place.


    Walking along the street for a while, Huang Mao arrived at a magnificent hall, which was the branch of Qianlong Bank in Fire Cloud City.


    The entrance of the bank was bustling with people, all wealthy young masters adorned in gold and silver. Huang Mao didn''t linger, walking straight through the main gate under the vigilant eyes of several guards.


    As soon as he entered, Huang Mao felt a refreshing wave of spiritual Qi wash over him, clearing his mind and dispelling his irritation.


    Xiao Long noticed that a massive formation was set up beneath the hall, encompassing the entire Qianlong Bank. The formation was of a high level, reaching the innate level, indicating that the person who set it up was at least an innate formation master, more esteemed than an innate expert.


    It seemed that Qianlong Bank''s strength was not inferior to the Fire Cloud Sect.


    Huang Mao walked down the corridor next to the main hall, reaching the end, where a young and beautiful woman approached with a smile, asking, "Sir, how may I assist you?"


    The woman was strikingly beautiful, with a voluptuous figure, her curvaceous body accentuated by her uniform, her red lips slightly parted, and her eyes carried a natural allure that could easily captivate those with weaker willpower.


    However, Xiao Long felt nothing, and Huang Mao was as indifferent as a block of wood. To his aesthetic sense, no matter how pretty a human was, they couldn''t compare to a female monkey.


    What surprised Xiao Long was the woman''s strength, which had reached the third level of the Qi Condensing Realm, making her the first Qi Condensing Realm martial artist he encountered in Fire Cloud City.


    "I''m here to consign something. Call your bank president over!" Huang Mao said coldly, essentially repeating Xiao Long''s words.


    Huang Mao''s indifferent attitude made Su Ya''s eyes flash with a peculiar look. She was always confident in her appearance, and any prominent figure who saw her would more or less lose composure, but this masked man was the complete opposite.


    However, she had seen many clients, and some intentionally acted cold to attract her attention, so she wasn''t surprised.


    Su Ya softly said, "I''m sorry, but the president has an important client to meet this afternoon. Please come back tomorrow."


    Hearing this, Huang Mao was about to leave, but Xiao Long bit him, causing him to grimace in pain.


    "Boss, what are you doing? It hurts!"


    "If she says come back tomorrow, then tomorrow it is. Who does she think she is? Do as I say!"


    Huang Mao had no choice. Following Xiao Long''s instructions, he took out a Qi Condensing Pill, played with it for a moment, and then put it away.


    Su Ya''s eyes immediately widened. Although she didn''t know what kind of pill it was, judging by its appearance and the rich fragrance, it was evidently freshly made and of high quality. This person might be an alchemist!


    "If your president won''t see me, then forget it. I''ll head to Beast City. I don''t believe this pill won''t sell."


    With that, Huang Mao turned to leave.


    "Please wait!" Su Ya was instantly anxious. Beast City also had a branch of Qianlong Bank, but each branch was in competition, and the one with better performance received more resources.


    This person casually took out a pill of such quality, likely a first-grade alchemist. Such a person must be recruited if possible, and even if not, they must not be offended.


    Su Ya ran in front of Huang Mao, blocking him with half her body.


    "Sir, could you show me the pill you just had?"


    As she spoke, she wrapped her arm around Huang Mao''s, her voluptuous body gently leaning in, her rosy lips slightly parted, whispering softly in his ear.


    With Su Ya''s seductive skills, any normal man would be unable to resist blushing and losing composure, agreeing in a moment of heat. Even several esteemed first-grade alchemists had been seduced by her and joined Qianlong Bank.


    Unfortunately, Huang Mao was not a normal man; he was a monkey.


    "Get lost! Bring your president here, or no deal!" Huang Mao flung Su Ya''s arm away, looking at her coldly with a hint of warning.


    Su Ya''s face immediately darkened. It was the first time she had encountered someone like this!


    Even the notoriously cold-hearted Xue Wuqing couldn''t resist her charms and wanted to spend the night with her. If not for the power of Qianlong Bank, he might have forced himself on her.


    Once she made a move, no man could resist, and she only slightly used her allure because this person might be an alchemist; otherwise, she wouldn''t have bothered. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this person didn''t care about her at all, and his attitude was exceptionally rude, hurting Su Ya''s pride.


    "You have the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn. If the president doesn''t come, I''m leaving," Huang Mao said, sitting down and closing his eyes to rest.


    "Hmph! If you weren''t an alchemist, I''d skin you alive!" Su Ya thought bitterly, but outwardly she still asked pitifully, "Doesn''t a little girl like me even have the right to take a look?"


    Huang Mao ignored her, not even glancing at her, treating her as if she were air.


    Su Ya was furious but had no choice but to take out a jade slip engraved with a soul mark and crush it.

 Chapter 22 – Third-Rank Alchemist!

    Not long after, a middle-aged man hurried over. He was dressed in a luxurious purple-gold satin robe, exuding a powerful aura, walking with the grace of a dragon and the strength of a tiger. His strength had reached the peak of the Qi Condensing Realm, on par with Xue Wuqing. He was the president of the Qianlong Bank branch in Fire Cloud City, Wan Jianfeng.


    Upon seeing the scene before him, Wan Jianfeng frowned and said, "Xiao Ya, didn''t I tell you? I''m meeting Master Gu Yun this afternoon. Don''t disturb me unless it''s important."


    As for Huang Mao, he was completely ignored. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "President, this gentleman wishes to consign some items." Su Ya pointed to Huang Mao, who was sitting on the ground.


    "Him?" Wan Jianfeng glanced at Huang Mao twice and couldn''t help but shake his head. A person hiding his face, not even reaching the Qi Condensing Realm, wasn''t worth his attention.


    "This gentleman might be an alchemist," Su Ya quickly whispered in Wan Jianfeng''s ear when she saw his impatience.


    "Oh?" Wan Jianfeng''s interest was piqued.


    If he was a first-grade alchemist, it might be worth trying to win him over. After all, there were only a dozen first-grade alchemists in the entire Fire Cloud City, and only six were affiliated with Qianlong Bank, far fewer than Qi Condensing Realm warriors.


    If they could recruit one more, it would only benefit the bank.


    "My friend, I apologize for any disrespect earlier. May I ask what you wish to consign?" Wan Jianfeng cupped his fists toward Huang Mao.


    "Let''s find a place where we can talk first," Huang Mao said, eyes still closed, not even bothering to look at him.


    Seeing Huang Mao''s attitude, Wan Jianfeng was slightly annoyed. How dare a mere first-grade alchemist put on airs with him? He was, after all, the president of a Qianlong Bank branch, a status and strength that a first-grade alchemist couldn''t compare to.


    However, having been president for so many years, he had the patience for this. Besides, alchemists were known for their eccentric temperaments, and it wouldn''t hurt to appease him a little.


    "My friend, please follow me!" Wan Jianfeng smiled, cupping his fists and making a "please" gesture.


    Only then did Huang Mao slowly stand up, lift his head, and walk forward unhurriedly.


    As they walked, Wan Jianfeng tried to engage Huang Mao in conversation, subtly probing for information.


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    Xiao Long had long seen through such tricks, and under his guidance, Huang Mao answered flawlessly, often just responding with a "hmm" and saying nothing more.


    After chatting for a while, Wan Jianfeng found the man impenetrable and had to change the topic, boasting about the strength of Qianlong Bank.


    Huang Mao noted these things in his mind but remained unmoved on the surface, even giving Wan Jianfeng a disdainful look and saying calmly, "I''m here to consign items, not to listen to your nonsense."


    Hearing this, Wan Jianfeng''s mouth twitched. If this person was indeed an alchemist, that was one thing; if not, he wouldn''t be polite.


    Wan Jianfeng led Huang Mao to a spacious room, with walls made of purple gold and a carpet made from the fur of a demon beast, soft and comfortable to step on. It was the most upscale room in Qianlong Bank.


    Su Ya brought a cup of fragrant green tea, which invigorated the senses.


    Huang Mao, tempted, was about to grab it for a sip when Xiao Long sternly stopped him, forcing him to retract his hand.


    "My friend, please show me the items you wish to consign," Wan Jianfeng said with a smile, secretly thinking that if this person took out a pile of junk, he would make him pay.


    Huang Mao lazily brushed his storage ring, and a dark blue pill appeared in his hand, emitting a greenish glow. As soon as the pill appeared, there was a faint ripple of spiritual Qi in the air.


    Seeing the pill, Su Ya''s eyes widened, and Wan Jianfeng gasped.


    "A Qi Condensing Pill!"


    A Qi Condensing Pill could give a Qi Condensing Realm warrior a certain chance to break through a level. Such a pill would cause a frenzy anywhere, and it was priceless in the Tianfeng Kingdom!


    Many Qi Condensing Realm warriors spent years or even decades to break through a level, and a single pill could help them do so. It''s easy to imagine how crazed they would become for it.


    Any finished Qi Condensing Pill was at least a top-grade second-grade pill, which meant this person might be a second-grade alchemist!


    If that were the case, then all the previous actions could be forgiven. Only a second-grade alchemist had the right to act so arrogantly in front of him.


    In the entire Fire Cloud City, there was only one second-grade alchemist, Master Gu Yun, and as far as he knew, even Master Gu Yun couldn''t refine a Qi Condensing Pill! He lacked both the recipe and the ability!


    Thinking that this person might be a top-notch second-grade alchemist, Wan Jianfeng immediately showed respect, losing all previous contempt. The status of a second-grade alchemist was already on par with his.


    Huang Mao casually tossed the Qi Condensing Pill over, startling Wan Jianfeng, who quickly jumped to catch it carefully, cradling it in his hands to examine.


    "The color, aroma, and appearance... all are of the highest quality. I''ve never seen such a perfect Qi Condensing Pill. This is... a third-grade pill!"


    Wan Jianfeng felt as if he had been struck by lightning.


    A third-grade pill!!!


    If a second-grade pill could drive Qi Condensing Realm warriors crazy, then a third-grade pill would make Innate Experts envious.


    A second-grade Qi Condensing Pill only gave Qi Condensing Realm warriors a chance to break through, but a third-grade Qi Condensing Pill guaranteed a breakthrough, with the possibility of advancing two levels. Even if he took it himself, there was a slight chance of breaking through to the Prenatal Realm.


    "My... my lord, this..." Wan Jianfeng was so excited he was at a loss for words.


    A third-grade alchemist!


    There were fewer than three in the entire Tianfeng Kingdom! The Tianfeng Pill King in the capital, the top alchemist in the Tianfeng Kingdom, was a third-grade alchemist, a favorite of the emperor.


    The sect master of the Fire Cloud Sect, Liao Huoyun, had personally gone to the capital after his soul was injured, spending a fortune to request the Tianfeng Pill King to refine a soul-repairing pill, only to be refused. He had to pay a huge price to have the emperor intercede on his behalf to obtain one pill.


    It was clear how esteemed third-grade alchemists were!


    And now, standing before him, was a third-grade alchemist?


    Su Ya was even more shocked, standing there like a wooden chicken. Had she just faced a third-grade alchemist?


    Seeing their expressions, Xiao Long was a bit surprised. Wasn''t it just a third-grade pill? Was there really a need for such a reaction? It seemed that third-grade alchemists were treated like national treasures in the Tianfeng Kingdom. He had overestimated the alchemy level of the Tianfeng Kingdom.


    Had he known, he would have just casually refined a batch of second-grade pills to avoid attracting attention.


    He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should also take out the Chongxu Pill and Explosive Yuan Pill, as their value was no less than the Qi Condensing Pill.


    After thinking for a moment, he decided to have Huang Mao take them out. Since things were going to get big, he might as well go all out.


    "One Qi Condensing Pill, plus an Explosive Yuan Pill and a Chongxu Pill, three pills in total. Make sure to auction them off within three days," Huang Mao said, taking out the remaining two round pills and tossing them over.

 Chapter 23 – My surname is Xiao

    Wan Jianfeng hurriedly took the pills, glanced at them, and was utterly speechless with shock.


    A third-grade Chongxu Pill could guarantee a breakthrough from the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm to the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm, with no side effects!


    A third-grade Explosive Yuan Pill could allow a martial artist in the early Qi Condensing Realm to unleash the peak strength of the tenth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, but only for one move! If a high-level Qi Condensing Realm martial artist took it, they could exhibit the strength of an Innate Expert for one strike!


    The value of these two pills was no less than that of a Qi Condensing Pill!


    Wan Jianfeng''s hands began to tremble. Such a significant figure must not be offended. He knew the influence of a third-grade alchemist; with a mere wave of a hand, they could have him, the president of this branch, wiped out without a trace.


    Wan Jianfeng was extremely relieved that he hadn''t done anything inappropriate earlier; otherwise, no one could save him.


    "Sir, I will auction off your three pills as soon as possible."


    Calming himself, Wan Jianfeng bowed deeply, offering the highest level of courtesy.


    "Mm, I hope you won''t disappoint me," Huang Mao said indifferently. "If you do well, I''ll return to auction more pills in the future."


    Hearing this, Wan Jianfeng became even more respectful.


    "We will not disappoint you. In three days, there will be an auction, and I hope you will honor us with your presence."


    Wan Jianfeng respectfully handed over a purple-gold token.


    Huang Mao glanced at the token and casually put it into his storage ring.


    "Alright, I''ll be there in three days. I hope the auction will have something that piques my interest."


    "I guarantee your satisfaction!" Wan Jianfeng promised respectfully, hesitating for a moment before asking, "May I know your name, sir?"


    "My surname is Xiao."


    Huang Mao patted his clothes and left.


    Seeing Huang Mao leave, Wan Jianfeng let out a long sigh. Who would have thought that such an unassuming masked man was actually a third-grade alchemist?


    Su Ya was even more frightened. She had just dared to seduce a third-grade alchemist. If she had angered that gentleman, no one would have said a word if he killed her.


    "Xiao Ya, inform the Fire Cloud Sect that the Fire Cloud Auction will be held in advance, three days from now. Bring out all the items we''ve been saving."


    "Yes!"


    Su Ya knew that because of that gentleman, the annual Fire Cloud Auction had to be moved up to three days later. She believed that the other higher-ups at the bank wouldn''t dare refuse. If they accidentally offended a third-grade alchemist, no one could bear the responsibility.


    At this moment, Wan Jianfeng seemed to remember that Master Gu Yun was still waiting for him. He quickly stood up and left the room.


    After leaving the room, Wan Jianfeng hurried to the bank''s reception hall, where he saw an elderly man with white hair and a long beard sitting in a chair, looking at him with a gloomy expression.


    "Master Gu Yun, I apologize for keeping you waiting," Wan Jianfeng said apologetically.


    "President Wan, you have quite the nerve, making me wait for half an hour!" Master Gu Yun mocked.


    "I wouldn''t dare. I just encountered an important guest, which delayed me for a moment," Wan Jianfeng said, bowing his head.


    "Heh, an important guest? Is there someone more important than me, a second-grade alchemist?" Master Gu Yun was first taken aback, then looked at him with a forced smile.


    Wan Jianfeng''s mouth twitched. Lord Xiao was a third-grade alchemist; who do you think is more important? However, Master Gu Yun wasn''t someone to be trifled with either. Not only was he a second-grade alchemist, but he was also an honorary elder of the Fire Cloud Sect. Offending either side was not an option.


    Wan Jianfeng had no choice but to apologize, saying the bank''s hospitality was lacking, and offered a slew of pleasantries and promises of various benefits.


    Master Gu Yun stood up, gave a sinister smile, and glanced at Su Ya, who had just arrived at the door, with a trace of wickedness in his eyes.


    "President Wan, no need for benefits. Miss Su Ya is quite nice; why not give her to me, and we''ll write off today''s incident. In the future, I can discuss cooperation with your bank."


    Su Ya''s face turned pale at these words.


    Wan Jianfeng''s expression was very unpleasant. Su Ya managed all the bank''s affairs, big and small, and was practically the second-in-command. When people in Fire Cloud City mentioned Qianlong Bank, the first person they thought of wasn''t him but the alluring Su Ya.


    Giving Su Ya away would be tantamount to slapping himself in the face.


    "Master Gu Yun, you must be joking," Wan Jianfeng forced a smile.


    "I never joke! President Wan, I''ll give you three days to consider. I''m sure you''re a smart man," Master Gu Yun said with a strange laugh, leaving after saying this.


    "President, I, I..." Su Ya was at a loss.


    Wan Jianfeng sighed, walked up to Su Ya, and said earnestly, "Su Ya, you should know that sacrificing you for a second-grade alchemist is quite worth it."


    "President!" Su Ya knelt down, her eyes red.


    Serving an old man... how could she! It was worse than killing her!


    "However, if you can win over Lord Xiao, not only will I not sell you out, but the position of president will be yours for the taking if you want it," Wan Jianfeng continued.


    Su Ya, as if grasping a lifeline, wiped her tears and quickly nodded, "Yes! I understand!"


    Su Ya was born with a charm technique, and once used, any man would be at her beck and call. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had only used this charm technique twice: once on a master who sacrificed himself to save her life, and the second time on Wan Jianfeng, who saw the value in her charm technique and brought her into Qianlong Bank.


    If she used it on that gentleman, she was confident she could bring him into Qianlong Bank.


    "First, investigate his background. As long as his origins aren''t too significant, you can make your move," Wan Jianfeng said solemnly.


    "Yes!" Su Ya''s eyes flashed with determination.


    ...


    "Haha! Boss, wasn''t my performance just now pretty good?" Huang Mao said proudly as they walked down the street.


    "Good, my foot! If it weren''t for me, you''d be dead without knowing how!" Xiao Long sneered.


    "Ah? Is it that serious?" Huang Mao was shocked.


    "Hmph." Xiao Long snorted, offering no explanation.


    A third-grade alchemist with only the ninth level of the Body Refining Realm''s weak strength¡ªXiao Long didn''t think Qianlong Bank wouldn''t be tempted.


    Huang Mao walked for a while and arrived in front of a luxurious inn. The inn was vast and imposing, like a large palace, considered the most luxurious inn in Fire Cloud City.


    "Shopkeeper, prepare a room of the highest grade," Huang Mao said as he walked in.


    The shopkeeper sized up Huang Mao, cupped his hands, and said respectfully, "Sir, a room of the highest grade costs five thousand lower-grade spirit stones per day. If you use middle-grade spirit stones, it''s only forty per day."


    Huang Mao tossed over a storage ring.


    "Book me for ten days. During this time, I don''t want to be disturbed!"

 Chapter 24 – Want to seduce?

    The innkeeper took the pouch and checked it, finding exactly fifty thousand lower-grade spirit stones inside. Instantly, his gaze toward Huang Mao became respectful.


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    "Rest assured, sir. In Fire Cloud City, no one dares to disturb the guests of the highest-grade rooms," the innkeeper said with a smile.


    Under the innkeeper''s guidance, Huang Mao arrived at a room rich in Spiritual Qi. The room was spacious, divided into three bedrooms, and the walls were made of black iron, incredibly sturdy, leaving no trace even under the impact of someone at the fifth level of body refinement.


    The cost of the walls alone was considerable, and judging by the Spiritual Qi permeating the room, a Gathering Spirit Array was set up below. Although not of high level, it was already quite luxurious for a place like Fire Cloud City.


    Xiao Long crawled out from Huang Mao''s sleeve, scattering a large number of spirit stones on the ground, sketching out a few complex, intersecting lines, and set up a miniature Gathering Spirit Array.


    "Huang Mao, stay here and cultivate diligently. I''ll go out for some fresh air. Let me know immediately if anything happens," Xiao Long instructed.


    "Alright."


    Huang Mao sat cross-legged on the Gathering Spirit Array, feeling the dense Spiritual Qi rapidly converging around him. He shouted excitedly and then entered a state of cultivation.


    Xiao Long crawled to the window, suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and set up a surveillance array in the corner before crawling out of the window.


    "Huang Mao isn''t the sharpest tool in the shed. If he gets tricked, I¡¯d be in the dark. Those guys at Qianlong Bank are no pushovers; they might be monitoring our every move. Better to be cautious."


    Xiao Long set up another surveillance array at the door, ensuring full coverage without any blind spots, before leaving the inn.


    Activating the Breath Concealment Technique, Xiao Long burrowed underground, moving through the soil. With his slender snake-like body, he faced little resistance, and coupled with his ninth-level demon beast physique, burrowing was effortless, his speed comparable to moving on the surface.


    Using his spiritual sense to navigate, Xiao Long reached the underground of a restaurant.


    This was his purpose for the trip¡ªeating!


    Xiao Long found that ever since his last feast, his appetite had grown significantly. While he could usually suppress it, now that he was in a human city, it was hard to restrain.


    Since he could eat, why hold back?


    Xiao Long emerged in the restaurant''s kitchen, seeing a table full of delicious dishes. He bit into a roasted demon beast leg and swallowed it.


    The leg was longer than his body, but strangely, after swallowing, Xiao Long''s appearance didn''t change.


    "You devoured a level 3 demon beast, gaining 69 experience points!"


    Xiao Long leaped again, devouring everything on the table in just two breaths.


    "You devoured a level 2 demon beast, gaining 35 experience points!"


    "You devoured poultry, gaining 7 experience points!"


    "You devoured a level 4 demon beast, gaining 125 experience points!"


    ...


    After finishing, Xiao Long felt immensely satisfied, his experience bar increasing by about two percent.


    "Someone''s coming, better scram!"


    Xiao Long quickly burrowed underground.


    In his perception, a person resembling a waiter entered the kitchen, seeing the empty plates on the table, he was dumbfounded.


    "What, what happened here?" The waiter was utterly confused.


    Xiao Long adjusted his position, heading to the next restaurant...


    In this manner, Xiao Long feasted from one place to another. By the end of the day, over a hundred restaurants in the city, except for those with defensive arrays, had been swept clean by him, leaving him thoroughly satisfied.


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 10! You need 150,000 experience points to reach the next level!" S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing the system''s level-up notification, Xiao Long laughed heartily with excitement.


    Level 10 meant he was a tenth-level demon beast, just one step away from becoming a Demon General.


    The only thing that annoyed him was that reaching level 11 required a whopping 150,000 experience points, five times the amount needed for level 10. This meant, at his current eating pace, he would need five more days to level up.


    However, after his antics, all the restaurants in the city were on alert, with people constantly watching the kitchens, and some even setting up arrays to catch him, much to Xiao Long''s frustration.


    "Damn it! If they dare to stop me from eating, I''ll eat even more!"


    Xiao Long focused his soul power in mid-air, forming a soul needle, and swiftly stabbed it at the person monitoring him.


    The soul needle used only a tenth of his usual strength, but it was enough. The person''s sea of consciousness was pricked, and their eyes showed confusion. Xiao Long instantly broke through the ground, turned into a black shadow, and devoured everything edible before quickly burrowing underground again.


    All this happened in just one breath. By the time the person regained their senses, everything in front of them was gone, even the table.


    "Boss! Something terrible happened!"


    Xiao Long felt exhilarated; this method was effective, though it consumed soul power and could only be used occasionally for fun.


    Just then, Xiao Long suddenly sensed movement in the surveillance array he had set up at the inn, and a figure appeared inside!


    That figure was none other than Su Ya from Qianlong Bank.


    Su Ya''s attire today was very revealing, wearing only a red gauze, and even through the array, one could smell her enticing scent.


    "She''s here! Dressed like this, is she trying to seduce?" Xiao Long found it amusing.


    Ignoring everything else, Xiao Long left the restaurant and headed back to the inn.


    Su Ya indeed had such intentions, as her innate ability, once activated, made any man obey her every word.


    In the past two days, she had used almost all her intelligence networks to investigate Huang Mao''s background, but found nothing, as if Huang Mao had appeared out of thin air.


    However, she confirmed one thing¡ªHuang Mao had no one secretly protecting him.


    "Miss Su, the guests of the highest-grade rooms have significant backgrounds, so please be restrained," the innkeeper said respectfully at the door.


    "Don''t worry, I''m just going in for a chat. I won''t tarnish your establishment''s reputation," Su Ya replied with a light laugh, her voice as clear and pleasant as silver bells.


    Before coming, Su Ya had already dressed perfectly, with a rosy face, red lips, a smile like a blooming flower, and a hint of blush on her snow-white neck, exuding an exotic allure from head to toe.


    Especially her eyes, which emitted a deep luster, making it seem as though one''s soul might get lost in them.


    The innkeeper''s gaze immediately turned dazed, almost drooling.


    Ignoring him, Su Ya walked to the door and pushed it open.


    Upon entering, a dense stream of Spiritual Qi rushed at her, surprising Su Ya. The concentration of Spiritual Qi here was almost comparable to the core area of the Fire Cloud Sect!


    Finding no one in the hall, Su Ya turned to another small room. At first glance, she was stunned, seeing wisps of nearly tangible Spiritual Qi forming mist-like white streams in the room. Such dense Spiritual Qi, she had never seen in her life.

 Chapter 25 – Its going to be exposed!

    Su Ya had been at Qianlong Bank for many years, and her insight was naturally sharp. She immediately recognized that this was a deliberately arranged miniature Gathering Spirit Array.


    For such a small area to have such an astonishing effect, the person who set up the array must be a master of formations!


    At this moment, the Spiritual Qi seemed to have found an outlet and poured into the massive figure at the center. Gradually, the figure became clear.


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    When the mist-like Spiritual Qi was completely absorbed, the figure was fully revealed¡ªit was the masked man with the surname Xiao.


    "A third-grade alchemist, plus a formation master of no low rank..." Su Ya''s breath nearly stopped.


    She had never seen someone so defiant of the heavens.


    Su Ya exhaled deeply, calming her inner excitement and shock. No matter how skilled this person was, he would eventually be ensnared by her charms and be at her mercy.


    Besides, what resistance could someone at the ninth level of the Body Refining Realm possibly have?


    At this moment, Huang Mao had stopped his training and was looking at Su Ya in surprise.


    "How did she get in?" Huang Mao was very puzzled. According to Xiao Long''s explanation of human customs, intruding into a room was not allowed and was considered highly disrespectful.


    But facing someone stronger than himself, and without Xiao Long to guide him, he was bound to be nervous about being exposed.


    "Quick, tell the boss!" Huang Mao was about to send a message to Xiao Long, but suddenly, a strange light radiated from Su Ya''s eyes, capturing Huang Mao''s gaze.


    In an instant, Huang Mao found Su Ya''s entire being exuding a peculiar allure, like a female monkey dancing gracefully.


    "Impossible! How can a human be a monkey!"


    Huang Mao was so startled that he jumped back a few steps, landing on the ground with a thud.


    "Got him!" Su Ya was overjoyed.


    In her view, making a proud third-grade alchemist appear so embarrassed must mean he was under the influence of her charm technique.


    Little did she know, Huang Mao wasn''t actually bewitched; he was just panicking because the boss wasn''t around, fearing exposure.


    "Master Xiao, could you remove your hat and let me see your true face?" Su Ya walked over with a charming smile, every move captivating.


    "Stay back!" Huang Mao cried out, his voice filled with fear.


    Su Ya was very puzzled. Logically, if the other party was bewitched, he shouldn''t be afraid of her. Could something have gone wrong?


    She scrutinized Huang Mao, who was curled up in the corner, looking like a child caught doing something wrong, which left her very confused.


    "Never mind, since he''s under my charm, I''ll capture him and take him back."


    Thinking this, Su Ya reached out her delicate hand, grabbing the edge of Huang Mao''s hat.


    Huang Mao, as if his hair stood on end, suddenly entered a berserk state. His violent Inner Qi burst out, transforming into countless fine needles, shooting straight at Su Ya.


    "What?"


    Su Ya was taken aback. He actually retaliated?


    Moreover, the opponent''s aura suddenly surged, reaching the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm. Clearly, he had used some secret technique or consumed a pill to boost his strength.


    Su Ya unleashed a wave of True Qi, and the two forces collided with a thunderous explosion, cracking the floor like a spider web. In the clash, Huang Mao''s hat was blown to pieces, and his mask was mostly torn, causing the whole building to shake.


    The two figures retreated upon contact, with Su Ya stepping back to the doorway, looking ahead in shock.


    Her charm technique didn''t work?


    "Miss Su Ya, please respect yourself. Leave now, and I''ll pretend nothing happened."


    This was the message Xiao Long had sent for him to say.


    At this moment, Huang Mao looked extremely disheveled. The collision not only ruined his hat but also nearly shredded his mask, barely covering his face, with a tuft of hair exposed. If he hadn''t turned his head in time, he would have been recognized.


    Huang Mao stood in place, glancing forward with anger in his eyes, not at all like someone under a charm spell.


    "Failed! How is that possible?"


    Cold sweat poured down Su Ya''s back. She never imagined her charm technique would fail!


    Just as Su Ya was thinking of a way to salvage the situation, she suddenly noticed Huang Mao''s legs trembling slightly.


    What''s going on?


    This was a third-grade alchemist, and yet he seemed afraid of a woman like her.


    Looking closely at Huang Mao, he seemed unnerved by her gaze, lowering his head, not daring to meet her eyes.


    Su Ya''s curiosity grew stronger.


    What was he afraid of?


    Thoughts raced through her mind. Su Ya, having been at Qianlong Bank for so long, was clearly not an ordinary person. After thinking for a moment, she tentatively asked, "Master Xiao? Are you really a third-grade alchemist?"


    In fact, she had already begun to doubt. There were only two or three third-grade alchemists in the entire country. How could one suddenly appear out of nowhere?


    She suspected that the pills weren''t made by him but were stolen or found in some ancient ruins.


    If that were the case, it meant he still had many pills hidden, fearing she''d find out.


    "Of course!" Huang Mao replied, shrinking his neck, but his tone lacked confidence, deepening Su Ya''s suspicions.


    A person who hadn''t even reached the Qi Condensing Realm yet possessed extraordinary alchemy skills was unbelievable. The Tianfeng Pill King in the Capital was not only a third-grade alchemist but also an Innate Expert. Even Gu Yun, a second-grade alchemist in Fire Cloud City, was a fourth-level Qi Condensing Realm expert.


    For a third-grade alchemist, breaking through to the Qi Condensing Realm should be effortless. Why was he only at the ninth level of the Body Refining Realm?


    All along, the arrogance he displayed at Qianlong Bank was just an act. Now that someone had come knocking, he was cowering!


    Su Ya''s eyes curved into crescents, and she walked over with a charming smile.


    "Master Xiao, could you perform your extraordinary alchemy skills for me to see?"


    As Su Ya spoke, she took steps forward. As she finished speaking, her delicate hand shot out like lightning, reaching for Huang Mao''s wrist.


    "Stay back!" Huang Mao quickly retreated, fleeing to the side, while Su Ya followed closely, like a shadow.


    The small room was in chaos, with two figures chasing and fleeing, smashing tables and chairs, even denting the black iron walls. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After going berserk, Huang Mao could only fend off a first-level Qi Condensing Realm warrior. Su Ya, however, had the strength of the third level of the Qi Condensing Realm, two levels stronger than him.


    Moreover, Huang Mao didn''t want to cause too much commotion and didn''t wish to engage in combat, making him weaker in momentum.


    "Got you!"


    In the chaos, Su Ya pinned Huang Mao''s shoulders, pushing him to the ground. Under the suppression of True Qi, Huang Mao lay on the ground, unable to move.


    "Master Xiao, let me see your true face."

 Chapter 26 – Take you as a slave

    Su Ya''s slender fingers pressed on Huang Mao''s mask, about to lift it, when she suddenly saw a long, strip-like object whipping towards her face.


    Su Ya reached out and grabbed a furry, long object. It felt exceptionally soft, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a brownish-yellow tail!


    "What is this!" Su Ya was stunned. Was this tail coming out of his pants?


    Taking advantage of Su Ya''s momentary distraction, Huang Mao gritted his teeth, gathered all his strength, and fiercely headbutted her forehead. At such a close distance, Su Ya could barely react and had no time to dodge!


    "Bang!"


    A dull thud echoed as their foreheads collided violently, blood splattering everywhere. Huang Mao''s mask shattered into pieces, and Su Ya was knocked backward, flying through the air.


    "Damn it!"


    Stopping at a distance, Su Ya felt a surge of anger. She, a proud martial artist at the third level of the Qi Condensing Realm, had been bested by someone at the ninth level of Body Refining?


    But as she stopped, Su Ya witnessed a scene she would never forget.


    In front of her stood not a person, but a monkey, its large eyes spinning maliciously as it stared at her.


    "Vajra Ape!" Su Ya''s eyes widened in disbelief, as if she had swallowed several large eggs.


    "Boss, we''ve been exposed. What do we do? If she reports this, the Fire Cloud Sect will definitely come after us with all their might, and then we''re doomed!" Huang Mao screamed internally, sending a soul message to Xiao Long.


    Xiao Long didn''t respond, leaving Huang Mao as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, not knowing what to do.


    Su Ya felt dizzy, unable to express the shock in her heart.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, she saw a small, dark snake appear before her, and then, all she could see were those deep, dark pupils.


    "Soul Devouring Control!"


    Xiao Long''s vast soul power swept over, effortlessly piercing into Su Ya''s sea of consciousness. Her memories and life experiences unfolded before Xiao Long''s eyes.


    "A natural charm physique, tsk tsk, who would''ve thought, in a backwater place like Tianfeng Kingdom, I''d encounter such a special physique," Xiao Long mused in surprise.


    A natural charm physique, as the name suggests, inherently possesses a special allure to the opposite sex, making it extremely suitable for practicing sinister techniques that absorb yang to replenish yin. Once, in the Eastern Profound Domain, a female demon named Dongfang Yuhong, who had a natural charm physique, drained thousands of men, countless in number.


    It''s said that when she broke through to the Saint Realm, she used the blood of an entire three-star empire''s men as a sacrifice, turning the skies red with blood. Later, she attempted to seduce the Star River Sword Emperor to achieve her imperial ambitions, only to be slain by a single sword strike from the emperor. The entire Eastern Profound Domain celebrated her downfall, finally bringing the female demon to justice.


    It''s easy to imagine how terrifying a natural charm physique can be.


    "However, Su Ya''s natural charm physique hasn''t been fully activated, and without the corresponding techniques, she''s remained mediocre."


    For the full version, visit [ ].


    With a thought, Xiao Long caused Su Ya''s eyes to become dazed, and she respectfully bowed to Xiao Long, "Master!"


    "Open your mind and guide the Soul Devouring Seed into your heart veins."


    "Yes, Master!" Su Ya respectfully complied, simultaneously channeling a dark red True Qi into her heart veins.


    Xiao Long''s strength hadn''t fully recovered, so he couldn''t plant the Soul Devouring Seed directly. He could only temporarily control Su Ya with his soul and let her guide it in herself.


    To Huang Mao, this scene was nothing short of miraculous. The Su Ya who had just overpowered him was now under Xiao Long''s control, respectfully calling him Master!


    What is invincibility? This is invincibility!


    Huang Mao''s admiration for Xiao Long grew even stronger.


    Half an hour later, the Soul Devouring Seed was successfully planted in Su Ya''s body. Xiao Long had initially intended to turn her into a soul slave, but considering her one-in-a-million natural charm physique, which might be useful in the future, he opted for another method of control.


    While a soul slave can practice normally, their talent is diminished, unable to fully unleash the power of a natural charm physique.


    Xiao Long withdrew his control, and Su Ya''s expression returned to normal.


    She quickly retreated, looking at the monkey and snake before her with terror.


    "Su Ya, you should know what was just planted in your body," Xiao Long said coldly.


    Hearing this, Su Ya''s face turned ashen.


    Though she was controlled, she remembered everything that happened. She knew that the red True Qi was in her heart veins, and she had guided it there herself!


    Controlling her soul, making her do whatever he said¡ªthis method was simply terrifying!


    "Offending this Emperor''s disciple should have warranted extracting your bones and refining your soul, torturing you to death over a thousand years. But this Emperor is in a good mood today, so I''ll spare you and take you as a slave, giving you a chance to redeem yourself."


    "From now on, you must obey my commands. Any intention of disobedience, and the Soul Devouring Seed inside you will erupt, burning you to ashes!"


    "Yes!" Su Ya broke out in a cold sweat.


    In her heart, she thought of seeking help from an Innate Expert at the bank to see if they could remove it once she returned.


    But as soon as this thought arose, Su Ya felt a searing pain, as if her chest was being burned by a blazing fire.


    "Don''t even think about finding someone to remove it. As soon as you have the slightest thought of defying me, the Soul Devouring Seed will erupt. Understand?"


    "Yes... I understand," Su Ya''s horror was beyond words. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What kind of monster is this!


    If she could do it all over again, even with a thousand times the courage, she wouldn''t dare provoke this monster! Controlling her soul, planting an unheard-of Soul Devouring Seed¡ªthis was the embodiment of a demon, and she couldn''t resist, not even in thought!


    Wait!


    Black Spine Snake? Vajra Ape?


    Recently, wasn''t the one who caused chaos in the Fire Cloud Sect a Black Spine Snake?


    She had heard of the Fire Cloud Sect''s plight, reportedly having offended a beast tamer who controlled demon beasts, killing the four great elders and three core disciples of the sect, even forcing Xue Wuqing to retreat in disgrace.


    The infamous demon beast was said to be a Black Spine Snake less than a meter long.


    As if confirming Su Ya''s thoughts, Xiao Long said calmly, "That''s right, I''m the snake that the Fire Cloud Sect is hunting."


    "But!" Xiao Long paused, looking directly at her, "I''m not controlled by any beast tamer. I am who I am, an independent entity!"


    "Those third-grade pills were refined by me, the formations underfoot were set by me, and you are controlled by me!"


    "Don''t try to guess my identity; it will only make you more afraid!"


    With that, Xiao Long moved his mind, and a massive alchemy furnace appeared out of thin air. A large number of medicinal herbs were piled into it, including some precious third-grade materials.


    Then, under Su Ya''s stunned gaze, nine blazing fire dragons roared under Xiao Long''s control.

 Chapter 27 – Young Master of the Fire Cloud Sect

    ```


    "This... this is the fire control technique of an alchemist!" Su Ya exclaimed, her face pale.


    Ignoring the shocked Su Ya, Xiao Long began to use the Nine-Dragon Fire Control Method to refine pills.


    Without any hand gestures, he purely manipulated the spiritual qi, throwing a large amount of medicinal ingredients into the furnace simultaneously. Surrounded by nine fire dragons, the ingredients slowly dissolved, separated, and fused... Whether it was the fire control technique or the intricate details, it was the highest level Su Ya had ever witnessed.


    Su Ya glanced at the Black Spine Snake in front of her, feeling as if her worldview had been overturned.


    A demon beast that could speak human language, refine third-grade pills, and control humans with its soul.


    She even suspected that the soul of some ancient monster had attached itself to this snake.


    The pill refining proceeded methodically, and after half a day, the fragrance of the pill filled the air as a superior Soul-Reviving Pill was successfully produced.


    "A top-grade third-grade pill, perfectly refined, and it''s an extremely rare soul-repairing Soul-Reviving Pill!"


    Su Ya was already numb.


    Among all types of pills, those that aid the soul are the rarest and most precious, and they are extremely difficult to refine.


    It is said that when the Tianfeng Pill King helped Liao Huoyun refine the Soul Cultivation Pill, it took twenty furnaces of materials to produce just three Soul Cultivation Pills, and they barely reached the level of third-grade pills!


    The combined effect of those three Soul Cultivation Pills probably couldn''t compare to this one Soul-Reviving Pill.


    "Miss Su, my abilities are beyond your imagination. Return to your Qianlong Bank. If I need anything, I''ll let you know. Perhaps one day, when I''m in a good mood, I''ll remove the Soul Devouring Seed for you." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes!" Su Ya''s eyes lit up, and she quickly bowed respectfully.


    "Go back."


    "This humble girl takes her leave." Su Ya left the room.


    After witnessing Xiao Long''s abilities, Su Ya no longer hoped for anyone to save her. She could only hope that one day this great figure would be in a good mood and spare her.


    At the same time, she silently mourned for the Fire Cloud Sect. Being resented by such a monster, even a one-star sect would suffer greatly.


    At night, Fire Cloud City was brightly lit. Su Ya returned to Qianlong Bank in a daze. Wan Jianfeng hurriedly approached and asked, "What happened?"


    Su Ya sat in a chair, her face pale. She glanced at him and shook her head, "President, from now on, we shouldn''t target Lord Xiao."


    "Why?"


    Wan Jianfeng pressed on.


    Su Ya remained silent, not revealing a single detail of what she had seen today, because she knew that if she did anything against Xiao Long, the Soul Devouring Seed would immediately activate and burn her to ashes.


    This novel is available on ".


    Seeing Su Ya''s silence, Wan Jianfeng coldly said, "In that case, after the auction, I''ll have no choice but to send you to Master Gu Yun."


    Su Ya bit her red lips, tears welling up in her eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    With the promotion by Qianlong Bank, the entire Fire Cloud City and its surrounding towns were informed of the Fire Cloud Auction''s early schedule.


    The Fire Cloud Auction was a grand event in Fire Cloud City, held annually, usually at the end of the year, though occasionally moved forward or backward. Despite bearing the name "Fire Cloud," it was actually entirely managed by Qianlong Bank, and its scale was second only to the Capital''s Qianlong Auction.


    For a time, major forces from around Fire Cloud City flocked to the event. Sects like Ask Sword Sect, Lotus Sect, and Herb Sect, among other smaller sects, poured in like a tide, filling all the inns in Fire Cloud City within a day.


    Every Fire Cloud Auction would feature innate spiritual treasures. Obtaining one could lead to a meteoric rise, propelling a sect into the ranks of a one-star sect. Not participating was simply not an option.


    Some ascetic cultivators simply slept in taverns or perched in trees, unfazed by the elements.


    "Sorry! Our inn''s highest-grade rooms are all booked." The innkeeper clasped his hands apologetically towards a group of fierce-looking men.


    "Booked? You have one stick of incense to vacate a highest-grade room for us, or we''ll flatten this inn!" The leader of the group pounded the table angrily.


    The innkeeper frowned slightly, clenched his fist, and immediately, mysterious runic patterns appeared on the floor.


    "Flatten my Tianlong Inn? Let''s see if you have the guts!" The innkeeper was also angry.


    "A seventh-level killing array!"


    The group of men gasped. A seventh-level killing array would instantly kill anyone below the fourth level of the Qi Condensing Realm.


    "Members of the Earth Fiend Sect, please leave."


    The men gritted their teeth and exchanged glances, but none dared to face the seventh-level killing array, so they left in embarrassment.


    The innkeeper sneered disdainfully. At this juncture, all sorts of obscure small sects were flocking to Fire Cloud City. Besides the Fire Cloud Sect, only three secondary sects caught his eye: Ask Sword Sect, Lotus Sect, and Herb Sect.


    The leaders of Ask Sword Sect and Lotus Sect were at the tenth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, ready to step into the Prenatal Realm and ascend to a one-star sect at any moment. The leader of Herb Sect was a second-grade alchemist, holding a high status, second only to Innate Experts.


    If these three sects came, he might consider evicting a guest or two to curry favor with them. As for other sects, they were better off forgotten.


    "Innkeeper, give us a highest-grade room."


    At this moment, a young, arrogant voice rang out.


    "Sorry, the highest-grade rooms are already..." The innkeeper was about to finish when he saw the newcomers and swallowed his words.


    Three people approached: a man, a woman, and an elderly man with silver hair. All three wore long robes with Fire Cloud patterns, indicating their affiliation with the Fire Cloud Sect.


    The young man was handsome, but his eyes gleamed with wickedness. His face was pale, and his breath was weak, clearly due to unstable foundations and excessive indulgence. Yet, given his status, no one in Fire Cloud City dared to offend him.


    He was Liao Qingfeng, the son of Liao Huoyun, the leader of the Fire Cloud Sect.


    "Young Master Liao!" The innkeeper was so frightened he could barely stand.


    "Stop dawdling and arrange a highest-grade room for me!" Liao Qingfeng ordered.


    Being scolded by a young man like this, the innkeeper''s face turned red with embarrassment. "Young Master Liao, the highest-grade rooms are full. The guests inside are..."


    "Slap!"


    Before he could finish, Liao Qingfeng slapped him, knocking the innkeeper to the ground.


    Liao Qingfeng, at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm, though his strength was built on pills and his foundation was unstable, was not someone a mere Body Refining Realm innkeeper could withstand. With a single slap, he shattered the innkeeper''s teeth, causing blood to flow.


    "Hmph! An innkeeper dares to oppose the young master? Courting death!" the beautiful girl beside him sneered.


    "Young Master, should we kill this ant?" The silver-haired elder behind him stepped forward.


    This man was a steward of the Fire Cloud Sect, at the fifth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, responsible for Liao Qingfeng''s safety.


    Liao Qingfeng waved his hand dismissively, "Forget it. Steward Liu is just senile. After all, he''s the innkeeper of the best inn in Fire Cloud City. We should give him some face."


    "Young Master is truly magnanimous!" The silver-haired elder and the beautiful girl both praised in unison, as if sparing a life was a great mercy.


    ```

 Chapter 28 – First-Order Demon General

    Liao Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction, quite pleased with the flattery from the two.


    "Steward Liu, is there a vacant room of the highest grade?" he asked with a sidelong glance.


    Steward Liu was startled, trembling as he got up, thinking quickly, "Young Master Liao, please proceed to room Ding of the highest grade."


    "Hmph! Now that''s more like it!"


    Liao Qingfeng lifted his head and swaggered forward.


    Steward Liu breathed a sigh of relief. The guests in the highest grade rooms were all people of significant background and could not be offended. Fortunately, the guest in room Ding was a masked man in the Body Refining Realm, someone even Su Ya could enter and exit freely, so he probably wasn''t a tough character.


    ...


    Inside the room, Xiao Long had refined two Soul-Reviving Pills and consumed them to restore his depleted soul power.


    Over the past two days of training, Huang Mao had successfully broken through to the tenth level of a demon beast, just a step away from becoming a Demon General.


    "This is a Chongxu Pill. It can help a human at the tenth level of the Body Refining Realm break through to the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm. It''s suitable for you as well."


    Huang Mao excitedly accepted the Chongxu Pill, fully aware of its value.


    "This isn''t the right place for a breakthrough. Follow me!"


    Xiao Long leaped out of the window, and Huang Mao followed suit.


    A monkey and a snake raced through Fire Cloud City, soon arriving at a quiet forest. Xiao Long had discovered this place while eating; it was one of the few uninhabited areas in Fire Cloud City.


    Huang Mao, having cultivated the Battle Saint Physique, required a large amount of spiritual qi for his breakthrough. The small room was far from sufficient, and he would inevitably draw in qi from the surroundings, potentially causing a spiritual qi storm that could blow the entire building away.


    To avoid attracting attention, they had to find a secluded spot.


    Xiao Long casually set up a Gathering Spirit Array, and within moments, a dense fog of spiritual qi rose, nearly as rich as that of a sect''s sacred ground.


    "Begin."


    "Alright!" Huang Mao sat cross-legged at the center of the array and swallowed the Chongxu Pill.


    In an instant, a torrent of spiritual qi converged on Huang Mao''s crown, pouring into his body like a divine infusion, with a grand and astonishing momentum.


    In just a few breaths, the surrounding spiritual qi was drained, and Xiao Long had to scatter a large number of spirit stones to replenish the source.


    "Hmm? Someone''s entered my room."


    Through the surveillance array, Xiao Long sensed three people entering his room.


    Seeing the emblem on their robes, Xiao Long''s face twisted into a cruel smile. Fire Cloud Sect, you chose to enter hell when heaven was open to you. I''ll give you a surprise later.


    At this moment, in the room, Liao Qingfeng and his two companions had just entered, overwhelmed by the rich spiritual qi. They exclaimed, "I never expected the guest in this room to have set up such a high-level Gathering Spirit Array."


    "The young master is fortunate," the elder beside him said respectfully.


    "Deacon Liu, drag the person inside out. Since they''re a formation master, ask if they''re willing to work for me. If they dare refuse, kill them," Liao Qingfeng said arrogantly.


    "Yes!"


    The silver-haired elder rushed into the room, only to find it empty, with just a pile of depleted spirit stone remnants on the floor.


    The window was open.


    Liao Qingfeng also entered, glanced at the window, and wondered, "Escaped?"


    The silver-haired elder nodded.


    "Hmph! Lucky for him," Liao Qingfeng snorted coldly, unaware that if Xiao Long had been there, the three of them would have long been dead, turned into a wave of experience. It was unclear who was truly lucky.


    Unaware of his brush with death, Liao Huoyun sent the silver-haired elder out and rolled onto the bed with a beautiful woman, indulging in pleasure.


    The silver-haired elder, feeling helpless, could only sit cross-legged outside the door, closing his eyes to rest.


    ...


    Huang Mao''s breakthrough had reached a critical moment. The spiritual qi in the sky had gathered into a tornado, with the center below, as countless spiritual qi rushed in like there was no cost. Huang Mao''s bones crackled, and his body began to grow.


    Three meters, three and a half meters, four meters, five meters...


    Huang Mao grew to a height of five meters before stopping.


    The momentum was too great. Xiao Long frowned and set up a concealment array to avoid being discovered by experts.


    At this moment, all the spiritual qi seemed to find a breakthrough point, pouring into Huang Mao''s mouth. Huang Mao roared to the sky, and clouds began to appear, emitting a strange glow.


    Fire Cloud City, City Lord''s Mansion.


    City Lord Han Wuxie looked up at the sky, his pupils suddenly contracting.


    "Spiritual qi clouds! Someone''s breaking through to the Prenatal Realm?"


    "No, only five clouds. It should be some Body Refining Realm genius breaking through to the Qi Condensing Realm, causing this phenomenon," Han Wuxie thought.


    When humans break through to the Prenatal Realm, hundreds of clouds appear in the sky. Similarly, when certain Body Refining Realm geniuses break through to the Qi Condensing Realm, clouds appear, like when Song Yu, the Soul Chasing Arrow, broke through, two clouds appeared.


    But now there were five, indicating the person''s high talent, possibly enough to enter the Qianlong List in the future and become renowned.


    Due to the Fire Cloud Auction, Fire Cloud City was crowded with all sorts of people, so a few extraordinary talents emerging was normal.


    However, Han Wuxie took another look, seemingly discovering something, and suddenly paused, his eyes bulging as he rushed toward that direction. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was shocked to find that it wasn''t five clouds, but... fifteen! Ten of them were hidden by a concealment array!


    Five clouds indicated an ordinary genius, who might enter the Qianlong List in the future and become a hero. But more than ten clouds meant that as long as they didn''t die, they would surely be a top-ranked superpower on the Qianlong List.


    As for fifteen, that was legendary!


    Such a person couldn''t possibly come from Tianfeng Kingdom; they must be a prodigy from a super sect of a great empire! If they didn''t die, not only the Prenatal Realm, but even the legendary Emperor Realm might be possible.


    With such a heaven-defying prodigy appearing in Fire Cloud City, as the city lord, how could he not investigate?


    When he arrived at the scene, the forest was already empty, leaving only the remnants of a Gathering Spirit Array and a pile of depleted spirit stone remnants.


    "Tianfeng Kingdom is in for something big!" Han Wuxie''s face still bore traces of shock.


    ...


    Huang Mao successfully broke through to a first-level Demon General, his body nearly doubling in size, like a giant. However, the Demon General''s body was more flexible, and with a bone-shrinking technique, Huang Mao returned to his previous height.


    "Boss, I feel ten times stronger than before! No, twenty times!" Huang Mao was ecstatic.


    Not only had he broken through to a first-level Demon General, but his Battle Saint Physique had also advanced to the second level. In terms of combat power, a human at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm wouldn''t be able to withstand a single move from him, and he could even fight someone at the third level. If he entered a berserk state, he might withstand someone at the fifth level.


    Even Xiao Long, without using soul power, wasn''t confident of defeating him.


    But Huang Mao showed no sign of arrogance, still acting like a simpleton in front of Xiao Long, grinning happily. He knew that everything he gained today was granted by Xiao Long.


    "A mere Demon General is nothing. Within a year, I can help you reach the level of a Demon King," Xiao Long said calmly.


    Hearing the words "Demon King," Huang Mao held his breath, excitedly saying, "Thank you, Boss!"


    The two demons headed back to the inn.


    As they approached the inn''s window, Huang Mao''s eyes suddenly narrowed. After his breakthrough, his perception had significantly increased, and he could clearly sense that someone was in the room, rolling on the bed.


    "There are two ants inside. Go clean them up," Xiao Long said calmly.

 Chapter 29 – Little Poison King Ancient Temple

    Before he even got close, Huang Mao heard a series of moans and caught a whiff of a strong smell of sheepskin from afar.


    Liao Qingfeng was in the heat of battle, completely unaware that death was approaching. Just as he was about to try something new, a wave of murderous aura suddenly surged from the distance, startling him so much that he jumped away without even putting on his pants.


    "Boom!"


    A massive wooden club smashed directly onto the bed, shattering it into pieces. The woman on the bed didn''t even know what happened before she was struck dead.


    "Who goes there!"


    Liao Qingfeng shouted hoarsely.


    In front of him stood a masked burly man, holding a wooden club, staring at him menacingly.


    Liao Qingfeng was puzzled as to why Deacon Liu hadn''t noticed the commotion inside, unaware that Deacon Liu had already been turned into a pile of gold by Xiao Long through the wall.


    "I am the young master of the Fire Cloud Sect. You have offended me, and that is a capital offense! Kneel down, abolish your cultivation, and break your own arms, and I might spare your life!" Liao Qingfeng''s eyes were bloodshot as he shouted hoarsely.


    "Thud!"


    His answer was a heavy blow.


    Caught off guard, Liao Qingfeng raised his arms to block, only to hear a crisp "crack" as both arms were broken, his face still showing shock.


    He never imagined that someone would dare to attack him in Fire Cloud City!


    This completely overturned his understanding!


    Since childhood, he had been instilled with the belief that Fire Cloud City was the territory of the Fire Cloud Sect, and as the young master, he was the king of his domain, with no one daring to defy him.


    And indeed, that was the case. He roamed Fire Cloud City unchecked, bullying men and women alike, and everyone who saw him had to respectfully call him Young Master Liao.


    But today, someone dared to attack him!


    "I''ll kill you!" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liao Qingfeng''s eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with rage as he glared at him.


    "If you have the guts, go ahead and kill me. Once I''m dead, my father will seal off the entire Fire Cloud City, hunt you down, and slice your flesh piece by piece, drawing your tendons and crushing your bones until you die in agony!" Liao Qingfeng gritted his teeth and said.


    "Idiot!" Huang Mao raised the club, ready to strike, but was stopped by Xiao Long.


    "What''s wrong, boss? This trash should just be beaten to death with one blow," Huang Mao said, confused.


    "You fool, he''s the Fire Cloud Sect Master''s son. If he dies, the whole Fire Cloud City will be turned upside down, and we might get caught. How will we attend the auction then?" Xiao Long said.


    "That''s true," Huang Mao rubbed his chin, nodding in agreement.


    Seeing this, Liao Qingfeng sneered, "Cowards, you''re scared after all. If you abolish your cultivation now and kowtow to apologize, I might spare your pathetic life."


    Suddenly, a red True Qi shot out from Huang Mao''s sleeve, entering Liao Qingfeng''s dantian.


    Liao Qingfeng''s body stiffened, clearly feeling a faint, scorching True Qi in his dantian, ready to explode at any moment.


    "What did you do to me!" Liao Qingfeng jumped up.


    "Nothing much, just planted a ghost fire seed in you. With just a thought, you''ll go boom!"


    Huang Mao raised his hand, making an explosion gesture, grinning, "Burn to ashes!"


    Liao Qingfeng''s ferocious face instantly froze, as if a cold current rushed from his spine to the top of his head, leaving his face pale.


    Finally, he felt fear!


    "Remove it now, or I''ll kill your entire clan!" Liao Qingfeng''s voice weakened as he spoke, his body trembling with fear.


    "Smack!"


    Huang Mao slapped him across the face, sending him flying out the door, teeth scattering everywhere.


    "Get lost! If you dare provoke me again, I''ll kill you!" A cold voice came from inside, making Liao Qingfeng shiver as he scrambled away.


    The room was left in chaos.


    "Boss, humans are really strange. Even at death''s door, they dare to threaten me. I really don''t know what they''re thinking!" Huang Mao cursed.


    "That''s what you call an idiot, understand?"


    "Idiot?" Huang Mao nodded, half-understanding.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The night quickly passed.


    The next day, as the morning sun rose and the breeze blew, all eyes were on the Qianlong Auction House.


    The annual Fire Cloud Auction was being held there.


    Huang Mao was still dressed as a masked burly man, but his aura was even stronger than before, having reached the Qi Condensing Realm.


    In Fire Cloud City, a Qi Condensing Realm warrior was considered a master, but these days, the city was filled with experts from various sects, making Qi Condensing Realm warriors a common sight, so Huang Mao didn''t stand out too much.


    "Young master, don''t be angry. Once we catch that person, we''ll throw him into the Fire Cloud Sect''s Fire Cloud Hell! Make him wish for life and death!"


    Liao Qingfeng walked ahead, accompanied by a middle-aged man with a fair face, who smiled as he comforted him.


    Behind him was a fat man with blue eyes as cold as eternal frost, making people shiver and avoid him. He was the infamous Xue Wuqing.


    "Hmph! How dare they scare me. After the auction, we''ll fully investigate this person''s whereabouts and drag his family out, exterminating them all," Liao Qingfeng said viciously.


    When he returned yesterday, his father, Liao Huoyun, personally checked his body and found nothing unusual.


    The so-called ghost fire seed was purely a scare tactic!


    Clearly, that person was afraid to act against him, knowing he was the Fire Cloud Sect''s young master, and made up the ghost fire seed to scare him away.


    "Young Master Liao, long time no see, and your temper is still so fiery, always talking about exterminating families." At this moment, a mocking voice came, and a gloomy-faced young man looked at him sideways, a cold smile on his lips.


    Behind the gloomy young man was an old man with a hooked nose, his body like a skeleton, his eyes cold, and his face shrouded in a faint black aura.


    "It''s you!" Liao Qingfeng''s eyes narrowed.


    Liao Qingfeng recognized the young man as Gu Sha, the young master of the Hidden Poison Sect, one of the four major sects, known as the "Little Poison King."


    Gu Sha was different from Liao Qingfeng. While Liao Qingfeng relied on his status as the Fire Cloud Sect''s young master, living a life of luxury and indulgence, reaching the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm at twenty through pills, a typical playboy.


    Gu Sha, on the other hand, reached the fifth level of the Qi Condensing Realm at twenty, mastering poison techniques passed down from the Old Poison King, making challenging higher levels as easy as eating and drinking. Even some elders in his sect were no match for him.


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    It''s said that when Gu Sha broke through to the Qi Condensing Realm, five auspicious clouds appeared in the sky, marking him as a genius with the potential to make it onto the Qianlong List and become famous.


    "Hehe, Young Master Liao, it''s been a while, and you''re still standing still! I heard there''s a chance a third-grade Qi Condensing Pill might appear at this auction. If you get it, you could advance to the second level of the Qi Condensing Realm, making further progress. Congratulations!"


    Gu Sha sneered, his words dripping with undisguised sarcasm.

 Chapter 30 – The auction has begun

    Gu Sha''s meaning was clear: you are just a waste, relying only on pills to forcibly enhance your strength.


    "Bastard! How dare you act so arrogantly on my turf? Believe it or not, I''ll cripple you!" Liao Qingfeng, having never suffered such humiliation, stepped forward, ready to strike.


    Gu Sha''s lips curled into a cold smile. "Cripple me? Just you?"


    As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and a black mist shot out from his sleeve, heading straight for Liao Qingfeng''s face.


    Liao Qingfeng''s face turned pale instantly, and he staggered back. Xue Wuqing snorted coldly, waved his palm in the air, and a powerful surge of True Qi blasted out, shattering the black mist. The residual force continued, striking towards Gu Sha''s face.


    An old man with a hooked nose stood in front of Gu Sha, his withered hands reaching out to disperse the force.


    Yet, his hands didn''t stop there, like a venomous snake, they struck towards Xue Wuqing''s chest with lightning speed.


    "Hmph!" Xue Wuqing swung his palm, and the two palms collided, causing a thunderous explosion. True Qi scattered, and everyone retreated to the side, silent as cicadas in winter.


    After the strike, the old man with the hooked nose retreated calmly to stand before Gu Sha.


    Xue Wuqing looked at his own palm, noticing a trace of black mark in the center, cold and bone-chilling, causing his expression to change.


    "Vulture, I didn''t expect your Yin Sha Palm to reach such a level!" Xue Wuqing said coldly.


    "You''re not bad either. If my Yin Sha Palm hadn''t reached perfection, I''m afraid no one below the Innate level could handle you," the old man with the hooked nose replied.


    Xue Wuqing''s face was grim. Among the four major sects, the Hidden Poison Sect and the Fire Cloud Sect were the closest, constantly at odds over the years. As the top expert below the Innate level in the Fire Cloud Sect, Xue Wuqing had faced the Vulture countless times, always ending in a draw, leaving neither sect able to overpower the other.


    Now, having suffered a hidden loss in just one encounter, if he couldn''t defeat the Vulture, the Fire Cloud Sect would be completely suppressed by the Hidden Poison Sect. After all, the sect leaders on both sides couldn''t easily make a move, leaving the elders to compete.


    Of course, Xue Wuqing was confident that if he used all his means, he wouldn''t necessarily fear him.


    "Young Master Liao, I hope next time we meet, you''ll still have someone to protect you," Gu Sha sneered, walking proudly towards the auction house.


    "Fatty Xue, I heard your daughter was killed by a snake demon. Truly heartbreaking!" The Vulture didn''t forget to mock Xue Wuqing before leaving.


    Watching the two leave, Liao Qingfeng was flushed with anxiety. Even Xue Wuqing couldn''t do anything to these two, making revenge seem hopeless today.


    "Uncle Xue, these two are too arrogant. Why don''t we set up a trap in Fire Cloud City and kill them..."


    "Shut up!" Xue Wuqing snapped.


    "Yes!" Liao Qingfeng lowered his head.


    Xue Wuqing shook his head helplessly, feeling a sense of disappointment.


    Xiao Long arrived at the Qianlong Auction House, where the guards at the entrance stopped him. "Please show your invitation."


    Xiao Long took out the purple-gold token given to him by Wan Jianfeng. The guard glanced at it, his eyes nearly popping out. A seemingly ordinary first-level Qi Condensing Realm cultivator actually had the highest-grade purple-gold token.


    "Sir... please wait a moment." The guard hurried inside, and soon, a young and beautiful figure emerged with an elegant smile¡ªSu Ya.


    Upon seeing Huang Mao, Su Ya quickly bowed deeply. "Lord Xiao!"


    "Take me to the auction house," Huang Mao nodded indifferently.


    Su Ya dared not delay, leading Huang Mao to the most luxurious room at the top of the auction house. Such rooms were usually reserved for the four major sects. The value of a third-grade alchemist was no less than that of the sect leaders, naturally deserving the highest treatment.


    Moreover, Su Ya''s life was still in his hands.


    The room was equipped with an array to shield spiritual sense, with a wooden table full of exquisite fruits and three petite maids standing by the wall, wearing only thin gauze-like garments, revealing large areas of soft, white skin.


    "Lord Xiao, I shall take my leave," Su Ya bowed.


    Huang Mao took out a Soul-Reviving Pill and tossed it over.


    "Add this to today''s auction," Huang Mao said casually.


    Su Ya glanced at the pill, recognizing it as a third-grade Soul-Reviving Pill, and carefully placed it in a jade bottle.


    "Yes, Lord Xiao!" After receiving the Soul-Reviving Pill, Su Ya left.


    A barely noticeable cold smile appeared on Xiao Long''s lips.


    Currently, the one who most urgently needed the Soul-Reviving Pill was Liao Huoyun. He believed the Fire Cloud Sect wouldn''t disappoint him.


    Huang Mao glanced at the three maids by the wall. Their faces were flushed, forcing smiles, but their eyes betrayed undeniable panic.


    "Leave," Huang Mao waved his hand dismissively.


    "President Wan instructed us to stay and serve you," the three said in unison.


    "Get out!" Huang Mao raised his voice, speaking with anger.


    The three maids trembled, responding with a "Yes," and left the room with their heads down.


    Xiao Long crawled out from Huang Mao''s sleeve and began setting up an array. Huang Mao lay on the chair, grabbing a spirit fruit and tossing it into his mouth, chewing slowly.


    "I really don''t understand what these humans are thinking, bringing out such ugly women," Huang Mao muttered, shaking his head at human aesthetics.


    "Want me to catch a couple of monkeys for you?" Xiao Long teased.


    Huang Mao''s eyes lit up, nodding eagerly. "Yes! But make sure they have big butts, big butts can bear more!"


    Xiao Long had nothing to say about Huang Mao''s aesthetic preferences, giving him a look that said, "You''re something else."


    Xiao Long circled the room, adding another shielding array inside, ensuring even an Innate Expert couldn''t see through the scenes within.


    The auction house was large, with over a thousand ordinary seats, all filled at the moment. Most attendees were at the Qi Condensing Realm, indicating they were people of substance.


    After a few incense sticks'' time, the auction officially began.


    The auctioneer was Su Ya, accompanied by an old man in a purple-gold robe. The old man was frail but had a vigorous spirit, his eyes gleaming with energy. Judging by his aura, he had reached the ninth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, making him a top expert in Fire Cloud City.


    "Thank you all for coming from afar to attend this annual Fire Cloud Auction. Our Qianlong Bank is honored. On behalf of the bank, I, Li, express my gratitude!"


    The old man on the central platform cupped his fists towards the audience, bowing respectfully. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Old Wei, you''re too kind!"


    "Old Wei, no need for such courtesy!"


    The crowd returned the gesture, exchanging pleasantries.


    The old man, named Li Wei, was the chief auctioneer of the Qianlong Bank''s Fire Cloud branch. Small auctions were usually hosted by Su Ya, but he personally handled the large ones, earning a bit of fame in the Tianfeng Kingdom.


    "Haha! I won''t say more unnecessary words. Let''s get straight to the point. Here is the first auction item!"


    Su Ya brought out a box from the backstage, which Li Wei received and opened to show the crowd.


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    A tangible Spiritual Qi emanated from the box, forming a faint spiritual mist, instantly enriching the air with Spiritual Qi, even from a distance.


    The crowd''s eyes burned with desire, all staring intently at the box in Li Wei''s hands.


    Inside the box were three crystal-clear spirit stones, each only half the size of a fist, yet the Spiritual Qi they contained surpassed tens of thousands of middle-grade spirit stones.


    "These are... supreme-grade spirit stones!"

 Chapter 31 – Profound

    "These are truly supreme-grade spirit stones!!"


    A wave of exclamations and excitement erupted from the audience below.


    Spirit stones are classified into lower-grade, middle-grade, upper-grade, and supreme-grade. One supreme-grade spirit stone is equivalent to one hundred upper-grade spirit stones, one upper-grade spirit stone is equivalent to one hundred middle-grade spirit stones, and so on.


    In other words, one supreme-grade spirit stone is equivalent to ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones.


    Even though this is the calculation, in reality, one supreme-grade spirit stone is countless times more precious than ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones! First, because the Spiritual Qi contained in a supreme-grade spirit stone is denser and easier to absorb; second, because of its small size and large energy, making it suitable for setting up high-level formations. All innate-level formations rely on supreme-grade spirit stones to be activated.


    Third, supreme-grade spirit stones are extremely rare!


    Xiao Bai killed four elders of the Fire Cloud Sect and the spoils amounted to five hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones, yet there wasn''t a single supreme-grade spirit stone, and only ten upper-grade spirit stones were found, showing how rare supreme-grade spirit stones are.


    "These three supreme-grade spirit stones will be auctioned off in batches, starting with the first one! The starting bid is ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones!" Li Wei said with a smile, taking out a supreme-grade spirit stone from a box.


    "I bid twenty thousand middle-grade spirit stones!"


    A voice rang out, instantly doubling the value of the supreme-grade spirit stone.


    "I bid twenty-two thousand!"


    "Twenty-five thousand!"


    "I bid thirty thousand!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Those who could offer over ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones were all Qi Condensing Realm martial artists. As the bidding continued, only a few elders from small sects were left raising the price.


    "I bid fifty thousand!"


    A voice suddenly rang out, and the scene fell silent.


    The voice came from a top-tier purple-gold private room.


    Gu Sha lazily reclined on a leather chair, determined to win. Fifty thousand middle-grade spirit stones had already far exceeded the value of one supreme-grade spirit stone, and he assumed no one would compete further.


    "I bid one hundred thousand!"


    Unexpectedly, another voice rang out, coming from another purple-gold private room.


    Gu Sha looked in the direction of the voice and saw Liao Qingfeng smirking, looking smugly at him.


    "Idiot!" Gu Sha withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes to rest. Although supreme-grade spirit stones are precious, they are not indispensable. In his view, offering fifty thousand middle-grade spirit stones was already the limit, and only a fool would offer one hundred thousand.


    Liao Qingfeng, who acted without thinking and only sought temporary satisfaction, was not worthy of being his opponent.


    "Young Master! One hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones are not worth it," Xue Wuqing reminded. In terms of quantity, one supreme-grade spirit stone is equivalent to ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones, at most hyped up to fifty thousand, which was always the price.


    Liao Qingfeng leisurely replied, "Don''t worry, our Fire Cloud Sect is not short of spirit stones. To suppress Gu Sha''s arrogance, a mere one hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones is nothing."


    Xue Wuqing shook his head and said no more.


    If you truly want to suppress Gu Sha''s arrogance, it would be better to go back and train hard, using strength to overpower him, rather than relying on the wealth given by your father to compete in extravagance.


    In doing so, not only would you waste one hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones, but others would not think you are impressive; instead, they would curse you as a fool.


    But Liao Qingfeng did not see it that way. Seeing Gu Sha lying there silently, with his eyes closed, he thought he had angered him and felt even more pleased with himself.


    The subsequent events were the same as before. The remaining two supreme-grade spirit stones were also auctioned off by Liao Qingfeng at a high price of one hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones each, totaling three hundred thousand.


    "Congratulations, Young Master Liao, all three supreme-grade spirit stones are yours!"


    Li Wei was overjoyed in his heart; the higher the auctioned price, the greater the share Qianlong Bank received.


    Su Ya brought up the box containing the supreme-grade spirit stones. Liao Qingfeng took the box, not even glancing at it, and stored it in his storage ring.


    "Next is the second item..."


    Li Wei took out a demon core of not low grade.


    The subsequent auctions were all ordinary treasures, with the lowest valued at only a few thousand lower-grade spirit stones, and the highest reaching over ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones. The most expensive was a supreme-grade Yellow-level technique, auctioned for twenty thousand middle-grade spirit stones, bought by a lone Qi Condensing Realm martial artist.


    In the meantime, neither Liao Qingfeng nor Gu Sha made any bids, knowing that the main event was yet to come.


    "The next auction item is also a technique, called ''Xuan Tian Gang Qi''. It is divided into five levels. When mastered, the body becomes as hard as steel, impervious to blades and spears. When perfected, the protective True Qi is unbreakable by anyone of the same level. Its grade is¡ª"


    Li Wei paused deliberately, and under the fervent gazes of the crowd, continued:


    "Profound-level, lower-grade!"


    With these words, the entire venue erupted. A Profound-level technique! This is a top-level technique only found in one-star major sects!


    Although the claim that the protective True Qi is unbreakable by anyone of the same level is somewhat exaggerated, it is enough to demonstrate the power of this technique.


    "Fifty thousand middle-grade spirit stones!"


    "I bid sixty thousand!"


    "I bid eighty thousand!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    People frantically shouted bids, and the price of the technique soared, breaking through one hundred thousand in the blink of an eye.


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    For the Fire Cloud Sect and Hidden Poison Sect, although Profound-level techniques are precious, their sects already have other better Profound-level techniques, so they are not absolutely necessary.


    But for other small sects, it is different. The highest-level techniques in those sects are only Yellow-level. A Profound-level technique can elevate the sect''s strength by a whole level, enough to be regarded as a treasure of the sect.


    Therefore, those small sects were desperate, frantically bidding to secure it.


    "Boss, even a lower-grade Profound-level technique is worth so much!"


    Seeing the crowd so frenzied, Huang Mao was incredulous. The Battle Saint Physique he was cultivating seemed to be a supreme-grade Profound-level technique, just a step away from an Earth-level technique.


    If even a lower-grade Profound-level technique is so sought after, wouldn''t the technique he is cultivating be priceless?


    Seemingly seeing through Huang Mao''s thoughts, Xiao Long said proudly, "Hmph! The ''Battle Saint Physique'' I gave you is a simplified version of the supreme technique of the Battle Saint Clan, even Earth-level techniques can''t compare to its value."


    "My heavens!" Huang Mao finally realized how extraordinary the technique he was cultivating was.


    The bidding in the venue continued.


    "Two hundred thousand!" Gu Sha called out calmly.


    With Gu Sha''s bid, the scene quieted for about a breath''s time, then was overshadowed by an even higher bid.


    If it were other items, people might refrain from competing with Gu Sha out of respect for the Hidden Poison Sect, but a Profound-level technique concerns the future development of a sect and cannot be easily given up.


    "Three hundred thousand!"


    "Three hundred and fifty thousand!" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I, Lu Jing, bid five hundred thousand!"


    A silver-haired elder stood up and cupped his hands to the surroundings, "Our Herb Sect has always lacked a Profound-level technique. I hope everyone can give me, Lu, some face, and there will be generous thanks afterward."


    "So it''s Elder Lu from the Herb Sect!"


    "Since it''s Elder Lu, I''ll withdraw from the competition!"


    "I''ll withdraw too!"


    The Herb Sect is a small alchemy sect. Although it does not have an Innate Expert, the sect master is a second-grade alchemist, and Elder Lu is a first-grade alchemist. Everyone was happy to give him this face.


    Finally, ''Xuan Tian Gang Qi'' was auctioned off by Elder Lu for five hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones.


    Huang Mao''s eyes turned red.


    "Five hundred thousand! Five hundred thousand! Boss, why don''t you throw a technique out for auction too!"

 Chapter 32 – Fierce competition

    "Get lost!" Xiao Long flatly refused.


    Xiao Long was a man of principles!


    Even though he had countless techniques in his memory, those were the millennia-old accumulations of the Burning Heaven Dragon Palace, and they were never to be casually passed on to anyone who wasn''t a disciple of the Scarlet Flame Dragon Palace.


    If a Dragon Palace disciple dared to sell techniques privately, the lightest punishment would be the loss of their cultivation, and the harshest would be imprisonment in the Dragon Palace''s purgatory, suffering until death. This rule was personally set by Xiao Long.


    Moreover, Xiao Long deeply understood the principle of "the taller the tree, the more the wind." Alchemy was one thing, but if he spread those earth-shattering techniques, it might attract all his enemies from his past life.


    "But boss..."


    "I warn you, never mention this again!" Xiao Long glared coldly.


    Seeing Xiao Long''s expression, Huang Mao shivered and swore never to bring it up again.


    The subsequent auction proceeded smoothly, with occasional treasures fetching a hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones, none of which caught Xiao Long''s interest.


    During this time, Xiao Long did not make a single bid.


    "The next item up for auction is a pill! I believe everyone has heard of its name!"


    Su Ya presented a jade bottle, which Li Wei took and poured out a green pill into his palm.


    "It''s a second-grade pill, the Chongxu Pill!"


    Those with sharp eyes immediately recognized the pill.


    Who hasn''t heard of the Chongxu Pill? It''s a precious pill that allows peak Body Refining Realm warriors to break through their bottleneck and advance to the Qi Condensing Realm!


    Most of those present were Qi Condensing Realm warriors, but in the Tianfeng Kingdom, such warriors were still rare. Even in a one-star sect like the Fire Cloud Sect, only a few core disciples and elders were at the Qi Condensing Realm. The other inner disciples and hundreds of outer disciples were all in the Body Refining Realm!


    A single Chongxu Pill could potentially create a Qi Condensing Realm warrior, highlighting its immense value!


    Li Wei smiled and said, "That''s right! It''s indeed the Chongxu Pill! But everyone is mistaken about one thing. The crafting technique of this Chongxu Pill is extremely advanced, and its quality is the best I''ve ever seen in my life. This is not a second-grade pill but a third-grade pill!"


    "What!"


    People were incredulous.


    A regular second-grade Chongxu Pill only has a thirty percent chance of helping a Body Refining Realm warrior break through, with significant side effects, requiring at least a few months to stabilize their cultivation. But a third-grade Chongxu Pill guarantees a one hundred percent chance of advancing to the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm, with no side effects and no need to stabilize cultivation.


    That''s the difference between a second-grade and a third-grade pill!


    "Fifty thousand middle-grade spirit stones!"


    "Only fifty thousand for a Chongxu Pill? I''ll bid a hundred thousand!"


    "One hundred twenty thousand!"


    "One hundred fifty thousand!"


    ...


    The price soared.


    In the end, it was bought by the Ask Sword Sect for three hundred eighty thousand middle-grade spirit stones. Sect Master Liu Chengfeng''s heart bled, but thinking about gaining a decent core disciple in the future made it all worthwhile.


    Seeing the Chongxu Pill sell for such a price, Xiao Long was quite satisfied.


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    "So the beans I ate yesterday were this valuable!" Huang Mao was very surprised, thinking about how Xiao Long casually gave him such a precious pill, making him even more grateful.


    "Boss, I have a question." Huang Mao suddenly asked, "Boss is also a tenth-level demon beast, why not take the Chongxu Pill to break through to a Demon General?"


    Hearing this question, Xiao Long was taken aback.


    Right!


    Ever since he had the system, he had gotten used to leveling up by gaining experience and had never thought about taking pills.


    He was currently at level 10, which is a tenth-level demon beast. In theory, he could use the Chongxu Pill to break through to a Demon General. Whether it would work or not, he would have to try after the auction.


    While Xiao Long was pondering, the atmosphere outside had reached a climax.


    The reason was the appearance of the third-grade Qi Condensing Pill crafted by Xiao Long.


    Qi Condensing Pill!


    Compared to the Chongxu Pill, the Qi Condensing Realm warriors present were more eager for this pill that could directly enhance their strength!


    Especially Liao Qingfeng, whose eyes were bloodshot. He was usually too lazy to train and needed pills to boost his strength. A third-grade Qi Condensing Pill was undoubtedly the best choice!


    Gu Sha was also looking at the scene with excitement. He was already at the fifth level of the Qi Condensing Realm. If he took this pill and broke through to the sixth level, he would be able to compete with the younger generation in the Capital.


    "Three hundred thousand!"


    "Three hundred fifty thousand!"


    "Four hundred thousand!"


    After three voices, the price of the Qi Condensing Pill had already surpassed the previous Chongxu Pill, and without a doubt, it was more attractive to those present.


    "Six hundred thousand! Anyone who dares to compete with me, I''ll kill their entire family!" Liao Qingfeng shouted with bloodshot eyes.


    Those who originally wanted to continue fighting shrank back upon hearing this voice.


    In Fire Cloud City, Liao Qingfeng''s words held some deterrence. After all, on someone else''s turf, even if they won the bid, they wouldn''t be able to handle any underhanded tactics.


    Many people quietly withdrew from the competition.


    Liao Qingfeng smugly scanned the surroundings, daring anyone to challenge him.


    But before he could celebrate, a cold voice rang out.


    "Six hundred fifty thousand."


    Liao Qingfeng''s gaze locked onto Gu Sha, staring intently.


    "Gu Sha, are you sure you want to go against me?"


    Gu Sha closed his eyes and didn''t respond.


    "Bastard! Seven hundred thousand!" Liao Qingfeng shouted in anger.


    "Seven hundred fifty thousand."


    "Eight hundred thousand!"


    "Eight hundred fifty thousand."


    "One million!" Liao Qingfeng screamed, "One million middle-grade spirit stones, plus one thousand upper-grade spirit stones, what do you have to compete with me!"


    Xue Wuqing shook his head silently. This wastrel would ruin the Fire Cloud Sect''s foundation sooner or later.


    One million middle-grade spirit stones were no small amount for the Fire Cloud Sect, not to mention the thousand upper-grade spirit stones. Although in quality they were equivalent to a hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones, upper-grade spirit stones were much rarer, and it had taken years to accumulate a thousand. Now they were all used up by Liao Qingfeng.


    Even if you get the Qi Condensing Pill and break through to the second level of the Qi Condensing Realm, what''s the use? You still can''t withstand a punch or kick from others.


    "Hmph! Competing with me, you''re still too green." Liao Qingfeng was extremely pleased with himself.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Sha slowly opened his eyes and calmly uttered a number, "Two million."


    The whole place was in an uproar.


    Liao Qingfeng looked like he had swallowed a fly, his expression was particularly colorful.


    Two million!


    That''s what you call boldness!


    When Gu Sha said this number, his face remained unchanged, as if spirit stones were just numbers to him.


    "Young Master Liao, if you can bid more than two million middle-grade spirit stones, the Qi Condensing Pill is yours!" Gu Sha said calmly.


    Liao Qingfeng''s mouth twitched fiercely. Two million, even for someone as extravagant as him, he didn''t have the courage to take out two million.


    Although his father had given him a budget of three million middle-grade spirit stones, spending more than half on a single pill was clearly not worth it, especially since there would definitely be more precious items later.


    Xiao Long, on the other hand, was overjoyed inside, thinking, "Compete, compete, the fiercer the better." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 33 – A stick?

    After much deliberation, Liao Qingfeng finally gritted his teeth, slumping into his chair like a defeated rooster.


    "Congratulations, Young Master Gu, on successfully acquiring the Qi Condensing Pill," Li Wei said with a smile, handing over the jade bottle.


    Gu Sha tossed a storage ring filled with spirit stones, his expression still indifferent, as if nothing could affect him.


    "Bastard, just you wait. Today, I''ll make sure you can''t leave the gates of Fire Cloud City!" Liao Qingfeng thought viciously.


    The next two auction items were the Explosive Yuan Pill and the Soul-Reviving Pill, both refined by Xiao Long, which also sparked a frenzy among the crowd.


    The Explosive Yuan Pill could temporarily grant immense power. For example, if Xue Wuqing took it, he could unleash the strength of an Innate Expert in a single move.


    In a battle between experts, victory or defeat often hinges on a single move. If Xue Wuqing faced off against Vulture, taking the Explosive Yuan Pill could decisively turn the tide.


    The Soul-Reviving Pill was even more precious. In a small place like Tianfeng Kingdom, pills that could repair the soul were rare and could only be sought from the Tianfeng Pill King in the Capital. The Fire Cloud Sect Master, Liao Huoyun, had a damaged soul and urgently needed such a pill.


    The auction process for both pills was the same. Initially, many Qi Condensing Realm martial artists competed for them, but as the prices soared, more and more people withdrew, leaving Gu Sha and Liao Qingfeng to battle it out.


    Having just acquired the Qi Condensing Pill, Gu Sha was short on funds and gave up after slightly raising the price.


    In the end, both pills were won by Liao Qingfeng, with the Explosive Yuan Pill costing 800,000 middle-grade spirit stones and the Soul-Reviving Pill costing 1,500,000 middle-grade spirit stones.


    "Elder Wu, take this Soul-Reviving Pill to my father. Be quick," Liao Qingfeng instructed the white-faced middle-aged man beside him.


    "Yes!"


    Elder Wu carefully took the Soul-Reviving Pill and left the auction house, heading for the Fire Cloud Sect.


    "Uncle Xue, I''ll need your help later," Liao Qingfeng said, handing the Explosive Yuan Pill to Xue Wuqing.


    "It''s my duty," Xue Wuqing replied expressionlessly as he accepted it.


    Liao Qingfeng cast a cold glance at Gu Sha, a cruel smile forming at the corner of his mouth. With the Explosive Yuan Pill, even Vulture was no match for Xue Wuqing. Let''s see how he escapes!


    "Just wait, Gu Sha. No one can save you today."


    Xiao Long calculated that the four pills had fetched a total of 3,880,000 middle-grade spirit stones. After deducting the fees, he would receive about 3,800,000 middle-grade spirit stones!


    This price far exceeded Xiao Long''s expectations.


    Indeed, rarity makes things valuable. In some super empires where third-grade alchemists were everywhere, these four pills combined would be lucky to sell for 1,000,000 middle-grade spirit stones. Only the Soul-Reviving Pill was worth a bit more; the other three were akin to street goods.


    3,800,000! Once he had these spirit stones, Xiao Long could immediately elevate the Azure Dragon Tome to perfection and then break through to the Demon General level. By then, without an Innate Expert, who could oppose him?


    Thinking of this, Xiao Long felt a surge of excitement.


    "The next auction item was discovered by a Qi Condensing Realm martial artist in the forest. It''s somewhat mysterious," Li Wei said with a mysterious tone.


    "Mysterious?"


    "What is it? Show us!"


    "What''s so mysterious about it?"


    Li Wei''s words immediately stirred curiosity among the crowd.


    Li Wei smiled and said, "After our auction house''s appraisal, this item might be an Innate Spiritual Treasure."


    "What! An Innate Spiritual Treasure!"


    Hearing the words "Innate Spiritual Treasure," the crowd erupted in exclamations.


    Weapons and armor vary in quality. When certain weapons are endowed with special functions, they are no longer called weapons but spiritual artifacts.


    For instance, Song Yu''s Soul-Chasing Bow, Sun Ze''s Fiery Blade, and Zhu Gang''s Heavenly Star Hammer are all spiritual artifacts. Xiao Long had also acquired many valuable spiritual artifacts from the storage rings he seized, but those were stolen goods, and to avoid being traced by the Fire Cloud Sect, he hadn''t put them up for auction.


    Spiritual artifacts are graded from lower-grade, middle-grade, upper-grade, to supreme-grade, with supreme-grade being the best among them.


    Above supreme-grade spiritual artifacts are Innate Spiritual Treasures.


    Innate Spiritual Treasures, as the name suggests, can only be wielded by Innate Experts!


    Such treasures are priceless, and ordinary people have no right to even see them. Even in a one-star sect, an Innate Spiritual Treasure is considered a sect''s most prized possession, only revealed in times of dire need.


    "An Innate Spiritual Treasure, really?"


    "Is Elder Wei joking? If it truly were an Innate Spiritual Treasure, would they be willing to auction it?"


    Some immediately expressed doubt.


    Gu Sha and Liao Qingfeng also watched the stage with interest. If an Innate Spiritual Treasure truly appeared, they would spare no effort to acquire it, even resorting to force if necessary.


    "Hehe, let me explain. I only said it might be an Innate Spiritual Treasure, not that it definitely is!" Li Wei clarified.


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    "No matter what it is, show it to us first!"


    "Yes! Show it to us!" the crowd urged.


    Li Wei clapped his hands, and Su Ya brought out a long, black object from the backstage.


    All eyes were drawn to it.


    The object was entirely black, without a hint of luster, over three meters long and as thick as an arm, resembling a staff.


    The staff seemed extremely heavy. Su Ya, a Qi Condensing Realm third-level martial artist, struggled to hold it steady. Each step she took made the platform echo with heavy footsteps. She bit her lip, sweat glistening, exerting great effort to barely lift it.


    Li Wei took the staff, his body sinking slightly. With a low grunt, he gathered a large amount of True Qi in his palm to steady the staff.


    "What is this?"


    "Is this the legendary Innate Spiritual Treasure?"


    "Aside from being heavy, I don''t see anything special about it."


    After examining it for a while, people shook their heads in disappointment.


    Spiritual artifacts usually emit some spiritual Qi fluctuations, making them easily recognizable. Innate Spiritual Treasures are even more astounding; once unleashed, their sheer oppressive aura would leave everyone breathless.


    This staff showed no trace of spiritual Qi, not even resembling a spiritual artifact, let alone an Innate Spiritual Treasure. It looked more like a piece of rotten wood. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the disappointed looks, Li Wei smiled slightly and said, "Let me tell you about the staff''s unique features."


    "First, its weight!" Li Wei held up one finger.


    "Everyone knows Miss Su is a Qi Condensing Realm third-level martial artist. She had to exert all her strength to barely lift this staff. Even though I can hold it easily, swinging it is another matter."


    Li Wei''s words piqued everyone''s interest.


    "Second, its hardness!" Li Wei continued.


    "This staff, I, Li Wei, admit, cannot leave the slightest mark on it, no matter how much strength I use."


    With that, Li Wei struck the staff with a powerful palm, causing a sonic boom in the air. However, the staff remained unchanged.

 Chapter 34 – Got it!

    "What''s this!"


    "Even at the ninth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, it leaves no trace. What kind of material is this?"


    "Could it really be an Innate Spiritual Treasure?"


    People were skeptical.


    Seeing the effect of his promotion, Li Wei continued, "There''s something else I need to tell everyone. President Qin Hai from our Qianlong Bank''s main branch in the Capital has also seen this stick. He used all his strength to make a mark on it."


    Li Wei pointed to a white mark on the stick and said, "This one-inch-long white mark was left by President Qin."


    "Oh my god!" People were shocked.


    Gu Sha and Liao Qingfeng''s eyes were fixed on the stick, as if trying to see through it.


    Qianlong Bank''s main branch in the Capital is the largest bank in Tianfeng Kingdom, and President Qin Hai is a genuine Innate Expert.


    Even with all his strength, he could only leave a faint white mark.


    The toughness of this stick is already comparable to an Innate Spiritual Treasure.


    Seeing the audience''s reaction, Li Wei smiled with satisfaction, "The auction starts now. As requested by the seller, the starting price for this nameless stick is one million middle-grade spirit stones!"


    As soon as he said this, the crowd, which was eager to try, immediately quieted down.


    A starting price of one million middle-grade spirit stones was enough to deter most people present. Only a few had the means to compete.


    Moreover, no one knew what this item was for; it seemed to have no other function besides being sturdy.


    Seeing this, Li Wei awkwardly cupped his fists, "Ladies and gentlemen, the seller mentioned that if you don''t have enough spirit stones, you can also use items of equivalent value as a substitute."


    The auction hall remained silent.


    Xiao Long stared intently at the black stick for a long time, unable to see anything special. If he used his soul power to probe it, he might discover something, but the auction stage was set up with an array to block spiritual sense, and probing rashly would result in backlash.


    In Xiao Long''s memory, there were many materials that Innate Experts couldn''t destroy, but many were useless and could only be used to build palaces. If he spent a million middle-grade spirit stones on such a worthless material, it would be a huge loss.


    While Xiao Long was deep in thought, he suddenly noticed something unusual about Huang Mao beside him.


    Huang Mao''s eyes were locked onto the stick, unblinking, frozen in place.


    "Huang Mao?" Xiao Long called out, but there was no response.


    At this moment, Huang Mao''s breathing became heavy. His eyes turned blood-red, his chest heaving, and the veins on his body bulged as if his blood was boiling.


    "Huang Mao!" Xiao Long shouted, his voice like thunder in Huang Mao''s mind, jolting him awake, cold sweat soaking his hair.


    "What''s going on?" Xiao Long stared at him.


    Huang Mao took a few deep breaths and said, "Boss, we must buy that stick!"


    "There''s a voice inside me telling me I must get it! Absolutely must!"


    Time slowly passed, and after several incense sticks'' worth of time, no one was interested in the stick, and many were getting impatient.


    Li Wei sighed helplessly, considering whether to move on to the next item. After all, he wouldn''t spend a million on a stick of unknown origin and purpose.


    "One million, I''ll take it."


    Just as Li Wei was about to switch to the next item, a voice suddenly emerged.


    The bidder was Gu Sha.


    Xiao Long was puzzled. Why was Gu Sha interested in this stick? Did he discover something unusual?


    Li Wei was delighted, "Young Master Gu bids one million middle-grade spirit stones. Is there a higher bid? If not, the stick will belong to Young Master Gu."


    "One million two hundred thousand!" Another voice rang out, it was Liao Qingfeng.


    Liao Qingfeng was purely curious why Gu Sha would buy it. He was worried Gu Sha had discovered some secret.


    "Liao Qingfeng, are you going against me?" Gu Sha suddenly stood up, his face twisted.


    "So what if I am? If you have the guts, raise the bid!" Liao Qingfeng sneered, confirming that the stick had a big secret.


    Xue Wuqing frowned. He knew Gu Sha''s character¡ªcalm and composed, not one to jump at the slightest provocation.


    Unless Gu Sha was doing it on purpose, trying to lure Liao Qingfeng into a trap.


    "Hmph! One million five hundred thousand!" Gu Sha said.


    "One million eight hundred thousand!" Liao Qingfeng continued to raise the bid.


    "Young Master!" Xue Wuqing said, "We don''t have enough spirit stones left."


    "Don''t worry, I''m just raising the bid to make him bleed more." Liao Qingfeng was completely unconcerned.


    Liao Qingfeng waited for Gu Sha to raise the bid, but to his surprise, Gu Sha remained seated.


    "Gu Sha! What do you mean?" Liao Qingfeng asked.


    Gu Sha glanced at him and sneered, "Idiot!"


    "What did you say!" Liao Qingfeng seemed to realize he had been tricked. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Heh, since you want that stick so badly, it''s yours." Gu Sha chuckled a few times and closed his eyes to rest.


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    Liao Qingfeng''s face turned black. Gu Sha had set him up!


    "Congratulations, Young Master Liao, this nameless stick is yours!" Li Wei handed the stick over with a smile.


    Liao Qingfeng stood there, completely stunned.


    Xue Wuqing just wanted to find a hole to crawl into.


    ...They didn''t even have one million eight hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones!


    After buying two pills earlier, their remaining assets totaled only one million middle-grade spirit stones.


    Liao Qingfeng stood there, feeling utterly embarrassed. Was he supposed to pawn the items he had bought?


    Everyone quietly watched Liao Qingfeng, and seeing his awkward expression, they began to snicker.


    Liao Qingfeng had really embarrassed himself this time.


    Spending one million eight hundred thousand on a broken stick and not being able to pay for it, he would either have to pawn something or borrow from someone. Either way, his reputation was ruined.


    "Two million!"


    Just as Liao Qingfeng was at a loss, a deep voice rang out again.


    Xiao Long had made his move.


    Everyone''s attention turned to the purple-gold private room where Xiao Long was, as if the people in this room hadn''t made a move until now.


    "That was close!" Xue Wuqing breathed a sigh of relief.


    Liao Qingfeng slumped in his chair, grateful someone had raised the bid, otherwise, he would have been in real trouble.


    "Hmm?"


    Liao Qingfeng squinted his eyes. That voice sounded familiar, like he had heard it somewhere before.


    "This gentleman bids two million. Is there a higher bid?" Li Wei looked around, and seeing no one speaking, he walked to the front of the private room and presented the stick.


    "Congratulations, sir, this nameless stick is yours."


    Huang Mao trembled as he took the stick, and the moment he held it, it felt like his blood was boiling.


    Xiao Long immediately activated the shielding array. People only saw a hand reaching out to take the stick, without noticing anything unusual.


    "I have a balance of three million eight hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones at the bank. Deduct it from there."


    "Yes!" Li Wei cupped his fists and left.


    At this moment, when Liao Qingfeng heard the voice again, he jumped up like a startled wildcat.


    "It was that bastard from yesterday!"

 Chapter 35 – Get out, or die!

    Liao Qingfeng immediately remembered that voice¡ªit was the same voice from the masked man yesterday!


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    He had wanted to capture that man and kill his entire family, and was worried about not knowing his whereabouts. Unexpectedly, he was right here at the auction house, in the room next to his.


    What a small world!


    "Young Master, what''s wrong?" Xue Wuqing asked curiously.


    "Heh, the one who just bought the staff is the masked man who injured me yesterday," Liao Qingfeng said with a cruel smile.


    "Daring to offend me and still come to the auction, he really doesn''t know the meaning of death." Liao Qingfeng glanced at the room next door and signaled with his eyes.


    Xue Wuqing immediately understood. He released his soul power to probe over, wanting to find out more, but was blocked by a shielding formation.


    "A formation master?"


    Xue Wuqing frowned, then struck out with a palm in mid-air. A massive blue palm of True Qi formed and, with a roaring sound, smashed into the room next door.


    Boom!


    The wall was instantly smashed into a large hole, and the True Qi palm swept across, collapsing most of the room. The shielding formation set by Xiao Long was also destroyed in one blow.


    Xue Wuqing, taking advantage of the situation, didn''t let up. The True Qi palm seemed to have eyes as it charged towards the mask on Huang Mao''s face. Huang Mao raised the dark staff and struck out, instantly dispersing the True Qi hand. However, at the same time, he was thrown to the ground by the immense force, crashing into several tables along the way, looking quite disheveled.


    The auction house fell silent in an instant, with everyone''s eyes turning towards this scene, watching in bewilderment.


    Why did Xue Wuqing suddenly make a move?


    When the dust settled, people saw a masked man in tattered clothes kneeling among the room''s wreckage, holding the dark staff he had just bought.


    "Xue Wuqing! What is the meaning of this?" Li Wei was slightly annoyed. Making a move in the auction house was like slapping him in the face.


    "Nothing much, just curious about what the person who bought the staff looks like," Xue Wuqing said indifferently, giving a reason that wasn''t really a reason.


    People were speechless inside. What does it matter to you what someone looks like?


    "Xue Wuqing, this is the Qianlong Auction House, not your Fire Cloud Sect. Please respect our bank''s rules!" Li Wei said with a steady face.


    Making a move at the auction, according to the rules, should result in being expelled from the auction house, never to participate in a Qianlong Bank auction again.


    But the other party was Xue Wuqing, the top person below the innate level in the Fire Cloud Sect, with a high status. Although he wasn''t much to the Qianlong Bank headquarters, at the Fire Cloud City branch, they had to give him some face.


    "Fine! I''ll give you face, but let me remind you, this is Fire Cloud City. I, Xue Wuqing, don''t need you to tell me what to do." Xue Wuqing sat back down.


    Liao Qingfeng glanced at Huang Mao in the distance and sneered, "Hmph! Only at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm. Once the auction ends, it''s your death day!"


    Li Wei''s face was ashen, but he didn''t dare to do anything to Xue Wuqing. Not to mention that Fire Cloud City was the territory of the Fire Cloud Sect, and Xue Wuqing''s strength was no weaker than his. Even if they fell out, he wouldn''t gain anything.


    Li Wei had no choice but to clear his throat and continue, "The auction will proceed."


    A buzz of discussion arose in the crowd, speculating whether there was some enmity between that man and Xue Wuqing.


    But that man was only at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm. If there really was enmity, he would probably be killed as soon as he left the auction house. Such is the plight of the weak.


    "Wait!"


    At this moment, a voice rang out, and the masked man stood up, looking directly at Li Wei.


    Li Wei looked at him, "Sir, what is it?"


    Huang Mao stared at him, his eyes glowing red through the mask.


    "They destroyed my room and hit me with a palm. Is that just going to be let go?"


    As soon as he said this, the auction house erupted in an uproar.


    He still wanted to settle the score?


    Is he out of his mind? Neither Li Wei nor Xue Wuqing were people he could provoke!


    Li Wei was also taken aback, not expecting this person to be so ungrateful. With such strength, he still dared to shout. He must have a death wish.


    But the auction house was at fault, so he cupped his hands and said, "I apologize. The bank will compensate you with ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones. Please forgive us."


    Ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones were nothing to the bank.


    Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief. With this, the man should let it go.


    "Hmph! Ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones, do you think you can dismiss me like a beggar?" Huang Mao said coldly.


    Li Wei''s face stiffened, a hint of anger rising in his heart, "Then what do you want?"


    "According to the auction house rules, expel these two, and I can let the previous matter go!" Huang Mao said.


    "What!"


    Hearing this, everyone present was dumbfounded.


    Expel Xue Wuqing and Liao Qingfeng? How could that be possible!


    Taking a loss was one thing, but at least he was still alive. Now he insisted on courting death, making people wonder if he was out of his mind.


    Liao Qingfeng also looked at the man with interest, as if watching a clown. He knew that when the man said those words, his fate was sealed.


    "I can''t fulfill your request," Li Wei shook his head. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What a joke! Offending two major figures of the Fire Cloud Sect for an ant at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm? Impossible!


    Everyone in the auction house silently mourned for Huang Mao. Offending both Li Wei and the Fire Cloud Sect, he probably wouldn''t survive today.


    Gu Sha and Vulture only glanced at Huang Mao before looking away, seemingly having guessed the fate of this ant.


    Only Su Ya trembled in the back, understanding how terrifying Huang Mao and that snake were. Li Wei''s decision might bring a great disaster to Qianlong Bank.


    "Is that so? Since your bank doesn''t dare to act, I''ll do it myself!"


    Huang Mao''s eyes turned cold as he looked at Liao Qingfeng.


    Feeling the hostile gaze, Liao Qingfeng raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Your gaze annoys me. Dig out your eyes and kneel to apologize, and I''ll give you a quick death! Otherwise, I''ll capture you, skin you, and fry you in oil, making you feel that death is a luxury!"


    Everyone in the auction house sighed inwardly. He was doomed. In Fire Cloud City, no one could save him.


    Who knew Huang Mao would stare at him and say something that shocked everyone¡ª


    "I''ll give you three breaths to get out, or die!"


    After Huang Mao said this, the noisy voices in the room were suppressed.


    People stared at him in disbelief, as if looking at a madman.


    "One breath!" Ignoring the stares, Huang Mao shouted loudly, his arrogant attitude making people wonder if he was truly insane.


    Not to mention that Xue Wuqing, at the peak of the tenth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, was standing in front of him. Liao Qingfeng himself was at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm, the same level as him. Plus, the Fire Cloud Sect Master must have left him many life-saving treasures. How could he die just like that?

 Chapter 36 – Execute Liao Qingfeng!

    "Two breaths!" Huang Mao''s voice continued to echo throughout the hall.


    Everyone thought this person was crazy, watching him with interest, waiting to see how he would handle the situation when three breaths had passed.


    Xue Wuqing secretly gathered his strength, ready to unleash a thunderous attack to kill this person if he made any move.


    Li Wei also watched with a cold smile. He had seen many reckless people like this before. If he dared to make a move, Li Wei would seize the opportunity to kill him and curry favor with the Fire Cloud Sect.


    "No need to count, three breaths have passed. Let''s see how you kill me!" Liao Qingfeng shouted loudly.


    All eyes were fixed on this moment.


    Huang Mao said, "Since you wish to die, I''ll grant your wish!"


    As Huang Mao''s voice fell, a miserable, piercing scream echoed in the hall the next moment!


    Everyone''s gaze froze at this moment, unblinking!


    They clearly saw Liao Qingfeng''s body inexplicably burst into flames, and within seconds, he was turned into a human torch.


    No one saw how he caught fire. Huang Mao didn''t use any martial arts, not even a single movement, yet Liao Qingfeng spontaneously combusted in front of everyone, burning into a human torch!


    "What!" Gu Sha stared at the scene in shock. He had initially been disdainful, thinking the man was courting death, but now he realized how wrong he was!


    Li Wei, Vulture, Gu Sha, and everyone present were all horrified.


    In the flames, Liao Qingfeng''s figure twisted, screaming in agony.


    "Uncle Xue! Save me! Save me!"


    Xue Wuqing quickly stepped forward, placing his hands on Liao Qingfeng''s body, infusing True Qi to cleanse him from the inside out, but the flames couldn''t be extinguished.


    The flames seemed to have triggered a protective artifact on Liao Qingfeng''s body, which emitted a light shield around him, but it was of no use.


    Xiao Long sneered inwardly. The ghost fire seed wasn''t a martial art but a soul technique, ignited from the soul, burning from the inside out. Once triggered, it would burn down to the person''s marrow, consuming their entire body and even their soul. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unless a powerful being with immense soul strength intervened, this fire was inescapable.


    Even in the two-star or three-star empires, soul techniques were extremely rare due to their harsh cultivation conditions, requiring the practitioner to have an exceptionally strong soul, making it countless times more difficult than martial arts. In Tianfeng Kingdom, soul techniques were legendary, unheard of.


    Liao Qingfeng rolled on the ground, screaming, his face twisted into a mess, his skin cracking inch by inch. Neither protective True Qi, protective artifacts, nor Xue Wuqing''s help had any effect.


    For the first time in his life, Liao Qingfeng felt despair!


    All along, he had trampled on others like ants, destroying anyone he disliked. No one had ever dared to harm him, let alone kill him!


    Now, karma had come full circle, and he finally tasted the feeling of being trampled.


    The screams grew fainter.


    Eventually, Liao Qingfeng''s voice abruptly stopped, the flames extinguished, and his body was reduced to a pile of blackened charcoal, his soul utterly destroyed, dead beyond dead.


    Silence!


    The hall was utterly silent, everyone staring blankly at the scene, their eyes filled with tension, shock, confusion, fear... a myriad of complex emotions filled the hall.


    The scene that had just unfolded was deeply imprinted in people''s minds¡ªa person at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm had turned Liao Qingfeng into charcoal right under Xue Wuqing''s nose!


    And throughout, he hadn''t even lifted a finger.


    This method was simply terrifying!


    Su Ya felt a chill in her heart, grateful she hadn''t done anything to offend Lord Xiao, or she would have met a similarly tragic end.


    "Do you realize what you''ve just done?" Xue Wuqing stared at Huang Mao, his voice chillingly cold.


    "Killed an ant, nothing worth mentioning."


    Huang Mao''s tone was icy, but inside he was smug. Scared now, aren''t you? The boss''s methods are beyond your imagination!


    Yet his expression remained unchanged, maintaining an enigmatic demeanor.


    "Heh, what a bold claim about ants. Perhaps you don''t know who the real ants are in Fire Cloud City!"


    As Xue Wuqing''s words fell, a fierce wind rose around him, his robes billowing without wind, and the terrifying aura of the tenth level of the Qi Condensing Realm erupted fully.


    People nearby hurriedly backed away to avoid being caught in the crossfire.


    Li Wei''s face turned pale with fear. Liao Qingfeng had been killed in the auction house, right under his nose. If the Fire Cloud Sect blamed him, he''d be the first to suffer.


    As for Huang Mao, despite having some tricks, he couldn''t stir up much trouble. Li Wei already considered him a dead man, thinking it better to capture him and offer him to the Fire Cloud Sect as an apology.


    "How dare you kill in the auction house! Lawless, do you think Qianlong Bank is easy to bully?" Li Wei stomped his foot, and the giant formation beneath the auction house activated. A massive True Qi barrier enveloped Huang Mao like a giant cage, instantly forming and trapping him inside.


    "Elder Xue, this person killed in the auction house. By rights, I, Li Wei, should execute him personally, but considering the young master died at his hands, I''ll hand this villain over to the Fire Cloud Sect for disposal." Li Wei bowed to Xue Wuqing, eager to please.


    This action made many secretly curse him for being shameless, but no one dared to voice it.


    Trapped in the True Qi cage, Huang Mao remained unperturbed, staring at Li Wei and slowly asking, "May I ask, what are the rules of Qianlong Bank?"


    "Killing should be punished by death, that''s the rule!" Li Wei declared proudly.


    "Heh! Then when he attacked me just now, if I hadn''t dodged in time, I''d be a corpse. May I ask, where were the rules of Qianlong Bank then?"


    Huang Mao''s gaze pierced through, and his words left Li Wei speechless.


    People listened and cast disdainful glances at Li Wei. Some things were clear in their hearts, but being publicly called out was another matter entirely.


    Li Wei''s old face turned beet red.


    "Heh! To curry favor with the Fire Cloud Sect, Qianlong Bank doesn''t act against those who try to kill me but instead captures me to offer as a tribute, revealing their ugly side. Everyone, if one day the Fire Cloud Sect kills you at an auction, and Qianlong Bank not only doesn''t stop them but captures you to hand over to the Fire Cloud Sect, what will you do?"


    "If they can do this to me today, they can do it to you tomorrow. If they can''t even guarantee our safety, what use is this auction house? Might as well tear it down!"


    Huang Mao''s words awakened the crowd, and everyone looked at Li Wei with questioning eyes.


    Under the chaos, everyone felt insecure, and Li Wei had undoubtedly angered the crowd.


    Faced with so many hostile gazes, Li Wei shivered and quickly bowed, "Rest assured, everyone, Qianlong Bank has always been fair and will never favor one side."


    These words made everyone shake their heads and sneer, even Li Wei himself couldn''t maintain his composure, his face alternating between green and white, unable to refute.


    Li Wei''s reputation was utterly ruined.


    At this point, Li Wei glared at Huang Mao angrily, "What a sharp-tongued rascal, you will die today. Trapped by the Qianlong Formation, let''s see how you escape!"


    However, in the next moment, Huang Mao swiftly struck, pinpointing several weak spots in the cage. The True Qi cage immediately became shaky, like a wooden frame about to collapse.


    Then Huang Mao struck with his palm, and with a loud crash, the True Qi cage instantly crumbled.


    "Petty tricks, and you dare boast in front of me! The Qianlong Formation is nothing!"


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 Chapter 37 – Innate Expert Descends

    "What!" Li Wei''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    The True Qi cage was deployed by the Qianlong Formation, an innate-level formation of the bank. Although the primary functions of the Qianlong Formation are gathering spiritual energy and defense, trapping a first-level Qi Condensing Realm martial artist should have been effortless. How could it be broken so easily?


    What he didn''t know was that, let alone a cage derived from the Qianlong Formation, even the formation itself could be destroyed by Xiao Long if given enough time.


    Xiao Long''s expertise in formations was no less than his alchemy skills. If Li Wei had personally tried to capture him, there might have been a slight chance. But using a formation to trap him was simply showing off in front of an expert.


    "Wei Lao, there''s no need for you to act. I''ll personally finish him!"


    Xue Wuqing''s cold and fierce gaze locked onto his target, murderous intent fully revealed, his aura reaching its peak.


    In the next moment, Xue Wuqing''s figure vanished from where he stood, like a white phantom, instantly appearing and striking a fierce palm towards Huang Mao''s chest.


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    "Stop!" Just then, a loud shout echoed through the hall, accompanied by a dignified and robust figure.


    Boom!


    Fist and palm collided, forcing Xue Wuqing back several steps. With a leap, he returned to his previous position.


    At this moment, a middle-aged man in a purple and gold satin robe appeared right in front of Huang Mao, still maintaining his punching posture. It was he who had blocked Xue Wuqing''s strike.


    "Elder Xue, Lord Xiao is a distinguished guest of our Qianlong Bank. Please, Elder Xue, grant me this favor," the middle-aged man said calmly, retracting his fist and cupping his hands.


    "Look! That''s President Wan!"


    "Wan Jianfeng, even he was alarmed!"


    "He said Lord Xiao is a guest of the bank. Could he be referring to that masked man?"


    Seeing this scene, the crowd began to speculate about the masked man''s identity.


    Xue Wuqing''s brows furrowed. How could a mere first-level Qi Condensing Realm ant warrant Wan Jianfeng''s personal protection? Was there something fishy going on?


    Li Wei hurriedly rushed forward, "President, this man killed someone at the auction, violating the bank''s taboo. He should be..."


    "Shut up!" Wan Jianfeng glared at him, and Li Wei immediately fell silent.


    Thinking about what Li Wei had done, Wan Jianfeng felt a surge of anger. How could the bank produce such a disgrace! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "President Wan, he just killed Young Master Liao Qingfeng. I believe it won''t be long before the Sect Master himself comes to take his life. Are you sure you want to protect him?" Xue Wuqing said coldly.


    He believed this statement would be enough to make Wan Jianfeng back down. Killing the Sect Master''s son meant a fight to the death. Protecting him would mean going to war with the Fire Cloud Sect. As a branch president, Wan Jianfeng couldn''t possibly be unaware of this.


    In Fire Cloud City, the Fire Cloud Sect and Qianlong Bank were mutually beneficial. Wan Jianfeng had connections with many elders of the Fire Cloud Sect. A war would be detrimental to both sides, and he should understand the importance of choosing wisely.


    However, to everyone''s surprise, in the face of Xue Wuqing''s threat, Wan Jianfeng remained unfazed and said with an unwavering tone, "Elder Xue, I am determined to protect Lord Xiao. Please grant me this favor, and there will be generous rewards afterward."


    At this, the entire auction house erupted! Everyone thought the masked man was as good as dead, but the situation suddenly took a dramatic turn!


    What kind of person was this masked man to make Wan Jianfeng go to such lengths, willing to risk an all-out war to protect him!


    Gu Sha''s eyes flickered, seemingly deep in thought.


    Xue Wuqing''s face turned ashen. Could this masked man be Wan Jianfeng''s illegitimate child? But even if he were a legitimate son, it wouldn''t make sense to go to war with the Fire Cloud Sect for him. As a leader, Wan Jianfeng prioritized benefits above all else and couldn''t be so muddle-headed!


    "Fine! Very well! I hope you won''t regret this!" Xue Wuqing laughed in anger, taking out a large number of jade tokens from his storage ring and crushing them all.


    Wan Jianfeng''s expression turned grave. It seemed they had truly torn their relationship apart. The urgent task now was to ensure Lord Xiao''s safety, or everything would be over once Liao Huoyun arrived.


    Only a living third-grade alchemist held value; no one would offend the Fire Cloud Sect for a dead man.


    "Lord Xiao, let''s go! I will escort you out of the city!" Wan Jianfeng said, cupping his hands.


    Huang Mao, however, remained unmoved, shaking his head with a faint smile, "Go? Why should I leave? I want to see what Liao Huoyun is capable of!"


    Wan Jianfeng''s heart sank. Even if you are a third-grade alchemist, with only the strength of a first-level Qi Condensing Realm, can you really withstand an Innate Expert?


    At this moment, Wan Jianfeng seemed to sense something, and his face changed drastically!


    "Damn it! It''s too late!"


    Just then, a fierce wind rose outside, and spiritual energy swept across the land like a storm. An icy voice filled with anger descended from the sky, like a thunderclap exploding in everyone''s ears.


    "Who dares to kill my son!!"


    Boom!


    The outer wall of the auction house was instantly blasted open, and a crimson figure, like a god descending from the heavens, walked through the air. This person was burly, dressed in a crimson Fire Cloud robe, with eyes that emitted a sharp gleam like a steel blade, making anyone who looked at him shudder and dare not meet his gaze.


    This was the Fire Cloud Sect Master, Liao Huoyun.


    Liao Huoyun''s brows were filled with grief and anger, his hands trembling uncontrollably with rage. His terrifying aura swept across the room, making it hard for everyone to breathe. Except for a few, most people were trembling all over, cold sweat pouring down, and some of the weaker ones even fainted.


    This was the power of an Innate Expert. Without even making a move, he exuded such a terrifying presence. Once he acted, it would be earth-shattering.


    Wan Jianfeng''s face was extremely grim. He had hoped that Liao Huoyun''s soul power hadn''t recovered, and he could use the Qianlong Formation to hold him off. But Liao Huoyun''s energy was abundant, his aura profound and unfathomable, showing no signs of soul injury, as if he had recovered overnight.


    In this case, even with the help of the Qianlong Formation, he might not be able to withstand Liao Huoyun. Moreover, Liao Huoyun had an Innate Spiritual Treasure, and the combat power augmented by such a treasure was no less than two Innate Experts joining forces!


    "Xue Wuqing, tell me! Who killed my son? Who was it!!" Liao Huoyun roared in fury.


    Xue Wuqing''s cold gaze turned to Huang Mao, with a hint of pity.


    "It was you!" Liao Huoyun stared directly at Huang Mao, his violent emotions spreading within, his eyes turning blood-red.


    "It was me! So what?"


    To everyone''s surprise, facing the wrath of an Innate Expert, Huang Mao showed no fear, mocking, "Your son insulted me and was burned to ashes by me."


    "Such a worthless person, killing him is no big deal. As for you..." Huang Mao stared at him, sneering, "What are you? How dare you act presumptuously in front of me!"


    With these words, everyone was left dumbfounded, as if they had seen a ghost.

 Chapter 38 – Dont roll or die!

    Faced with an Innate Expert, most people would tremble in fear, but Huang Mao seemed to have no concept of fear. His words were like a thunderclap, leaving everyone stunned.


    In truth, Huang Mao wasn''t that brave. Everything he said was just repeating Xiao Long''s words. Whatever Xiao Long told him to say, he would say.


    Liao Huoyun was momentarily stunned by Huang Mao''s words, and when he came to his senses, he was furious.


    "What did you say?!"


    Looking up at Liao Huoyun in mid-air, Huang Mao smirked disdainfully, "Just an early-stage Innate Martial Master dares to act arrogant in front of me. Leave before I change my mind, or die!"


    Everyone''s mouths twitched at these words. Just an early-stage Innate Martial Master? My heavens! Innate Martial Masters were the top experts in Tianfeng Kingdom, yet he spoke of them so dismissively!


    People thought the masked man was insane; only a madman would say such things.


    Liao Huoyun was even more enraged. The last person who dared speak to him like that was the Tianfeng Pill King from the Capital. At that time, he had wanted to kill him but held back.


    And now, just days later, another person dared to speak to him like this, and it was a mere ant. Liao Huoyun felt unprecedented anger filling his chest, almost exploding. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I, Liao Huoyun, swear to the heavens, I will break your teeth one by one, pull out your tongue, and make you wish for death!"


    With that, he reached out, and the spiritual energy of the world gathered instantly, forming a massive red hand of spiritual energy, pressing down on Huang Mao with terrifying force.


    With a mere gesture, he manipulated the spiritual energy of the world, forming a hand.


    This was the terror of an Innate Expert!


    The power of the spiritual energy hand was countless times stronger than the True Qi hand Xue Wuqing could produce! One was man-made, the other was the force of the world, incomparable.


    "Sigh!" Wan Jianfeng sighed, closing his eyes in pain.


    Provoking Liao Huoyun like this, even if he was a third-grade alchemist, he couldn''t save him. He had planned to activate the Qianlong Formation to hold out for a while, but now it seemed unnecessary.


    Having strength and arrogance is called dominance; lacking strength and being arrogant is called seeking death.


    Wan Jianfeng planned in his mind to seek forgiveness from the Fire Cloud Sect after Xiao was killed, compensate with a large sum of money, give up some shops, and seek forgiveness. After all, they still needed to make a living in Fire Cloud City.


    The crowd at the auction was full of emotion. It was their first time seeing someone so arrogant. His courage was admirable, but unfortunately, he was about to turn to dust, becoming a laughingstock for future idle talk.


    Just when everyone thought Huang Mao was about to be crushed into minced meat, the spiritual energy hand suddenly stopped and then dissipated without a trace.


    Find the original at "pawread dot com".


    "What happened!" someone immediately shouted.


    "Look at the Fire Cloud Sect Master!"


    Everyone''s eyes turned to Liao Huoyun in mid-air, only to see him clenching his teeth, his expression pained, as if enduring some kind of torment.


    What was happening?


    Wan Jianfeng''s eyes narrowed. He could feel Liao Huoyun''s aura rapidly declining.


    "I kindly warned you, since you won''t leave, then stay!"


    Huang Mao stomped the ground, his body shooting into the air, instantly reaching above Liao Huoyun''s head.


    In the next moment, under the shocked gazes of everyone, Huang Mao raised a dark stick high and smashed it down on Liao Huoyun''s head!


    Thud!!!


    A dull sound echoed in everyone''s ears.


    The Innate Expert, Liao Huoyun, without any resistance, was struck on the head, clean and swift, then fell like a meteor, crashing into the auction hall.


    Boom!


    Liao Huoyun was embedded into the floor, creating a human-shaped hole, lying there like a dead dog.


    Silence!


    Everyone''s minds couldn''t process it. An Innate Expert, Liao Huoyun, was struck down by a masked man at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm???


    Was this a dream?


    Just minutes ago, Liao Huoyun was imposing, and in the blink of an eye, he was struck down by a Qi Condensing Realm ant he could have crushed. This was too unbelievable, too shocking!


    Gu Sha and Vulture were dumbfounded. A figure even their sect master found troublesome was struck down by an unknown nobody?


    "Sect Master!" Xue Wuqing finally reacted, rushing to the pit to help Liao Huoyun up.


    Liao Huoyun''s hair was disheveled, his face pale, a large red gash on his head, staining his hair red. He looked neither human nor ghost, with no trace of an Innate Expert''s demeanor.


    Ignoring the wound on his head, Liao Huoyun focused his expression, seemingly suppressing something.


    Liao Huoyun raised his hand, striking his chest, vomiting a foul-smelling black blood. Only then did Xue Wuqing realize the sect master was poisoned.


    "Huang Mao, time to retreat. This ant has some skills; the Bone-Corroding Powder and Ghost Fire Seed didn''t kill him, what a pity."


    Xiao Long''s voice echoed in his mind, and Huang Mao grinned, "Haha! Lucky for him! That strike was too satisfying. When I get back, I must brag to Da Hei and Er Hei that I struck the Fire Cloud Sect Master, and he didn''t dare fight back!"


    That strike had seized the moment of Liao Huoyun''s inner Qi chaos, a fatal blow. Otherwise, with Huang Mao''s strength, he couldn''t even break Liao Huoyun''s protective True Qi, let alone crack his head.


    The Soul-Reviving Pill Xiao Long auctioned had been tampered with in various ways, tailored for Liao Huoyun, a perfect tool for killing and showing off.


    Liao Qingfeng, that foolish boy, spent millions of spirit stones to buy a poison pill to harm his father. If Liao Huoyun knew the truth, he might be half-dead with rage.


    "Sect Master, are you alright?" Xue Wuqing asked worriedly.


    "Back off!" Liao Huoyun urged anxiously.


    Sensing something wrong, Xue Wuqing quickly retreated. In an instant, Liao Huoyun''s body erupted in a large burst of fire, ghostly flames engulfing him from inside out, spontaneously combusting, just like the recently deceased Liao Qingfeng!


    Only then did everyone realize that all of this was the work of the masked man!!!


    No wonder he was so fearless, no wonder he didn''t fear Innate Experts!


    Being burned by such strange flames, even an Innate Expert would lose half their life.


    "This... this... how is it possible!"


    Wan Jianfeng was already speechless. As the branch president of Qianlong Bank, it was the first time he showed such an expression.


    A third-grade alchemist!!! Coupled with such terrifying methods! Is this still human?


    The ridiculous part was, he thought he had saved someone by intervening, but even if he had done nothing, Lord Xiao wouldn''t have lost a single hair.

 Chapter 39 – He is a third-grade alchemist!

    Wan Jianfeng looked at Huang Mao with a mix of awe and fear in his eyes.


    Everyone present now viewed Huang Mao differently.


    Such a mysterious expert, outwardly only at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm, yet able to make an Innate Expert suffer. No one dared to underestimate him.


    "Liao Huoyun, weren''t you going to kill me? Why aren''t you moving? If you don''t kill me, I''m leaving!"


    Facing everyone''s gaze, Huang Mao remained calm and mocked Liao Huoyun.


    Now, no one called him arrogant.


    To publicly kill Liao Qingfeng in seconds and beat Liao Huoyun into submission¡ªif such a person isn''t qualified to be arrogant, who is?


    No wonder he acted so fearlessly. People thought he was crazy, but they never imagined he had the confidence to back it up!


    Liao Huoyun was so furious he could explode, but with the raging fire consuming him, he dared not act recklessly. He could only focus all his efforts on suppressing the flames and protecting his heart.


    What shocked and angered him even more was that under the burning of this strange flame, it seemed his soul was also being scorched. The burning sensation from deep within his soul was excruciating. If not for his willpower far exceeding that of ordinary people, he might have fainted.


    Fortunately, he was strong, and he believed extinguishing this flame was only a matter of time.


    He finally understood that this flame had been lurking in his body and was only triggered now; it wasn''t something that could ignite easily.


    "Xue Wuqing, go up and kill him!" Liao Huoyun ordered.


    Xue Wuqing hesitated for a moment, took a step forward, but dared not advance further.


    The power of that flame left a deep impression on him. Even the sect master, such a powerful expert, could barely withstand it. If he got hit, he would most likely end up like Liao Qingfeng.


    "Go quickly!" Liao Huoyun shouted angrily.


    Xue Wuqing remained unmoved.


    Seeing this, Huang Mao mocked, "Haha! The son is useless, the father is just as useless, the elder is useless, the entire Fire Cloud Sect is useless!"


    Xue Wuqing''s face turned beet red with anger.


    Liao Huoyun was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Seeing this, the crowd began to whisper among themselves, with many covering their mouths to stifle their laughter.


    Unable to maintain his dignity any longer, Liao Huoyun forcefully suppressed the flames and left the auction house in utter humiliation, with Xue Wuqing following behind in a hasty retreat.


    Explore the extended edition on


    With this, the reputation of the Fire Cloud Sect was utterly destroyed.


    "President Wan, I will remember your help today," Huang Mao casually remarked, leaving Wan Jianfeng flattered and hurriedly bowing, "I dare not, I dare not! Lord Xiao''s divine skills are unmatched; we dare not claim any credit." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Huang Mao waved his hand, "I said, I owe you a favor."


    If it hadn''t been for Wan Jianfeng stepping in to block Xue Wuqing''s palm earlier, Huang Mao would have had to consume an Explosive Yuan Pill to counter with temporarily boosted strength. Doing so would have caused some damage to his body and exposed certain things.


    Although Wan Jianfeng acted out of self-interest, he still helped, and Xiao Long wouldn''t forget that.


    Wan Jianfeng was thrilled, fully understanding how valuable this favor was.


    Su Ya handed over a storage ring, "Lord Xiao, this is the profit from your previous auction."


    Huang Mao took the ring, which Xiao Long placed in his inventory. Upon opening it, he found a total of 3.5 million middle-grade spirit stones, and the money for the staff wasn''t deducted. Additionally, there were many valuable medicinal materials inside.


    "Su Ya, you''re quite good! I hope to see you next time I come by," Huang Mao said casually.


    Su Ya''s eyes lit up with joy. Although Lord Xiao didn''t express anything else, just that one sentence meant so much.


    Wan Jianfeng''s eyes also flickered. He had originally planned to send Su Ya to Master Gu Yun as an apology after the auction, but with Lord Xiao''s words, he had to reconsider.


    Huang Mao suddenly turned his gaze to the trembling Li Wei nearby.


    "As for him."


    "My lord, I..." Li Wei was already so scared he nearly wet his pants.


    Even Liao Huoyun was beaten into submission; what could he do?


    "Scoundrel, kneel!" Wan Jianfeng struck down with a palm from the air, forcing Li Wei onto the ground, his entire body and head embedded in the floor.


    "Lord Xiao, this wretch is my failure to discipline. I leave him to your disposal!" Wan Jianfeng said, cupping his hands.


    "I don''t want to see him again! Farewell!"


    Turning around, Huang Mao leaped out of the auction house, disappearing from everyone''s sight.


    The implication of his words was clear, and Wan Jianfeng surely understood.


    Wan Jianfeng glanced at the trembling Li Wei and shook his head.


    "Boom!"


    With a casual punch, he struck Li Wei''s back, channeling True Qi to destroy his dantian.


    "Su Ya, drag this scoundrel out and feed him to the dogs. From now on, you will be the chief auctioneer."


    "Yes!" Su Ya replied joyfully, dragging the barely alive Li Wei away.


    Wan Jianfeng let out a long breath, feeling quite pleased inside. Although the auction house was damaged, the auction was interrupted, and he offended the Fire Cloud Sect, Lord Xiao''s favor was worth all those losses.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, apologies for the spectacle today. The auction is hereby concluded. Please take your leave."


    Wan Jianfeng issued the order to leave, and the people in the auction house cupped their fists and gradually departed. Judging by their expressions, they were still in shock.


    Today''s events were deeply etched in everyone''s minds. It turned out that even god-like Innate Experts were not invincible!


    It wouldn''t be long before this news spread throughout the Tianfeng Kingdom.


    Gu Sha''s eyes darted around as he chased in the direction where Huang Mao had disappeared.


    ...


    Back at the Fire Cloud Sect, after some recuperation, Liao Huoyun finally stabilized his breath, and the flames on his body gradually diminished until they extinguished.


    Though he had extinguished the flames, Liao Huoyun''s face was extremely pale, as if he had just fought a battle against an Innate Expert.


    "Sect Master, Elder Xue has learned of the masked man''s whereabouts and has already led the elder council to pursue him. That thief won''t escape," Elder Wu, the pale-faced elder beside him, said respectfully.


    Liao Huoyun''s face was grim, and he remained silent. After this ordeal, the soul power he had painstakingly recovered was back to square one. What was even more infuriating was that in front of so many people, he, a dignified Innate Expert, couldn''t do anything to a mere ant at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm and was called a waste to his face. How could he hold his head high in the future?


    Xue Wuqing was even more of a coward, scared by a flame and not daring to act!


    The Fire Cloud Sect''s reputation was utterly ruined!


    "Wu Yi, pass my order, summon the Fire Cloud Sword!" Liao Huoyun commanded.


    "The Fire Cloud Sword!" Elder Wu was shocked.


    The Fire Cloud Sword was the Fire Cloud Sect''s Innate Spiritual Treasure. The sect had always stipulated that the sword should not be drawn unless the sect faced life and death.


    Due to the sword''s age and the long period without anyone to maintain it, each use increased its wear and tear. Under the current circumstances, it could only be used three more times before it would be completely ruined.


    Liao Huoyun was actually willing to summon the Fire Cloud Sword to kill one person, showing how close today''s events had driven him to madness!


    "Sect Master! The Fire Cloud Sword is the sect''s Innate Spiritual Treasure and holds great significance. It must be approved by the Grand Elder," Elder Wu said respectfully.


    "Do you dare defy me?" Liao Huoyun looked at him expressionlessly.


    Elder Wu''s mouth twitched, and he cupped his hands, "I will go to the Fire Cloud Secret Realm to retrieve the sword immediately."


    With that, he bowed deeply to Liao Huoyun and turned to leave.


    After Elder Wu left, Liao Huoyun fell into deep thought.


    Why did Wan Jianfeng risk falling out with the Fire Cloud Sect just to protect that masked man?


    Where did the soul-burning flame come from? And when was he poisoned with the Bone-Corroding Powder?


    According to his understanding, the flame on Liao Qingfeng was planted by that person during a conflict the night before, known as the "Ghost Fire Seed." But how did it happen to him?


    During that time, he had been recuperating in the Fire Cloud Sect, never leaving, at most taking some Gathering Qi Pills. It was impossible for him to have been planted with the Ghost Fire Seed or to have taken the Bone-Corroding Powder!


    The only suspicious item was the Soul-Reviving Pill he had just acquired.


    "That''s it!" Liao Huoyun suddenly realized!


    ...The Soul-Reviving Pill!


    When he got the Soul-Reviving Pill, he had a vague feeling that there was something strange about it, as if it contained other substances. But he had never seen a third-grade Soul-Reviving Pill before, and since the pill did have the effect of restoring soul power, he didn''t pay much attention.


    Now it seemed the situation was far from simple! Someone had deliberately poisoned him!


    The pill was delivered by Elder Wu, and with his abilities, he couldn''t have perfectly sealed poison within the pill, nor would he betray him. Everything pointed to one possibility!


    Suddenly, Liao Huoyun realized something, his eyes bulging.


    "Not good! The Soul-Reviving Pill was refined by that masked man, which means he is a third-grade alchemist!"


    Everything made sense now!


    No wonder Wan Jianfeng was willing to go to war and oppose him. It all made sense! The value of a third-grade alchemist far outweighed the friendship of the Fire Cloud Sect!


    In other words, his Fire Cloud Sect had offended a third-grade alchemist?


    Liao Huoyun''s face turned ashen.


    "We must kill this person at all costs, or else the Fire Cloud Sect will face destruction."

 Chapter 40 – You are the one who is shady

    .* Without encountering any obstacles, Huang Mao smoothly left the city and sprinted rapidly toward the Demon Beast Mountain Range.


    "Stop!" Xiao Long commanded.


    Huang Mao halted his steps and couldn''t help but ask, "Boss, why are we stopping?"


    "Set up a formation!"


    Xiao Long crawled out from his sleeve, burrowed into the ground, and swiftly tossed a large number of spirit stones from his inventory, burying them underground to construct a massive formation.


    The terrain here was rugged, surrounded by mountains and connected to the earth''s veins, making it an ideal place to set up a formation.


    Xiao Long could sense that more than one group was tracking him, and he didn''t believe the Fire Cloud Sect would let him leave so easily. He had no choice but to set up a tenth-level Spiritual Qi Killing Formation to give them a taste of their own medicine.


    Attack formations consume the most spirit stones; a tenth-level attack formation would cost at least a million middle-grade spirit stones. Xiao Long still had three million middle-grade spirit stones and ten thousand upper-grade spirit stones, more than enough.


    "Your spirit stones have reached the amount required to upgrade your technique. Would you like to upgrade?"


    "Ding! Your ''Azure Dragon Tome'' has been upgraded to the sixth level, consuming one million middle-grade spirit stones!"


    To speed up the formation process, Xiao Long deliberately spent a million middle-grade spirit stones to upgrade the Azure Dragon Tome to the sixth level, just one step away from the perfect seventh level.


    A large number of spirit stones poured into the earth''s veins like beans from a bamboo tube, forming a massive formation base that encompassed an area of one mile in radius.


    Xiao Long''s formation skills were no weaker than his alchemy skills, ranking among the top on the Shenzhou Continent. He simplified various complex steps, even multitasking to complete many steps simultaneously.


    When the last spirit stone fell, the formation''s light shone brightly, constructing countless mysterious trajectories before finally hiding within the earth.


    In the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the formation was completed.


    This type of formation is the most basic Spiritual Qi Killing Formation, requiring only spirit stones to construct, which saves many steps by not needing additional formation materials.


    The basic formation has obvious drawbacks: its killing methods are singular, and its power is insufficient, making it easy to break by a formation master. But even so, it''s still a tenth-level killing formation, more than enough to deal with the ignorant fools of the Fire Cloud Sect. Except for Xue Wuqing, no one else could withstand it.


    Seeing that there were still spirit stones left, Xiao Long set up a simple tenth-level shielding formation and a tenth-level trapping formation on top of the Spiritual Qi Killing Formation, along with an eighth-level illusion formation. In this way, the three million middle-grade spirit stones were exhausted, leaving only ten thousand upper-grade spirit stones.


    For other formation masters, completing these formations would take at least ten days to half a month, but in Xiao Long''s hands, it only took the time of a stick of incense.


    Huang Mao felt a bit of heartache; so many precious spirit stones, just gone like that?


    "Don''t worry, soon someone will willingly bring spirit stones over. Just wait," Xiao Long said calmly.


    Xiao Long looked into the distance and saw two figures gradually approaching, then burrowed underground to hide.


    As the two approached, unexpectedly, it was Gu Sha and Vulture.


    Seeing Huang Mao standing still, Gu Sha smiled, cupped his fists, and respectfully said, "Junior Gu Sha from the Hidden Poison Sect greets Lord Xiao!"


    "Vulture from the Hidden Poison Sect greets Lord Xiao," Vulture also cupped his hands.


    Hidden Poison Sect!


    When Xiao Long used Soul Devouring Control on Su Ya, he obtained part of her memory and naturally knew that the Hidden Poison Sect was also one of the four major sects, closest to the Fire Cloud Sect. They were usually at each other''s throats, acting viciously and ruthlessly, not good people.


    "What brings you two here?" Huang Mao asked coldly.


    Gu Sha cupped his fists and continued, "If I''m not mistaken, Lord Xiao should be a third-grade alchemist."


    Huang Mao''s heart skipped a beat; how did he figure that out?


    Sensing Huang Mao''s reaction, Gu Sha laughed and explained, "Haha! No need to be nervous, my lord. I mean no harm."


    "Judging from the Qi Condensing Pills I bought, the fragrance was overflowing, and the quality was excellent, clearly freshly made. Moreover, third-grade pills are rare, and for four to appear simultaneously at the Fire Cloud Auction, there must be a third-grade alchemist passing through. Coupled with President Wan''s attitude towards Lord Xiao, I dared to guess that Lord Xiao is the third-grade alchemist." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Sha''s words were almost spot-on, but he got the wrong person; Huang Mao wasn''t the alchemist, Xiao Long was.


    "Hehe, that''s right! I am the third-grade alchemist. What do you want?" Huang Mao admitted straightforwardly.


    Gu Sha''s eyes lit up; it was indeed him!


    Discovering a third-grade alchemist was a major event in the Tianfeng Kingdom!


    As esteemed as the Tianfeng Pill King, what a presence he had in the Capital? On par with the emperor, even the sect leaders of the four major sects had to show him respect.


    If the Hidden Poison Sect could win over someone like the Tianfeng Pill King, who would they fear in the Tianfeng Kingdom? Even the royal family in the Capital could be challenged.


    "Lord Xiao, on behalf of the Hidden Poison Sect, I formally invite you to become an honorary elder of our sect. If you agree, from now on, your enemies will be the great enemies of the Hidden Poison Sect. The mere Fire Cloud Sect can be wiped out with a flip of the hand!" Gu Sha said with a smile, cupping his fists.


    In his view, such an offer was impossible for Lord Xiao to refuse.


    The Tianfeng Pill King was different; besides his extraordinary alchemy skills, he was also an Innate Expert.


    This Lord Xiao, however, was only at the first level of the Qi Condensing Realm. He might know some special techniques, but Gu Sha didn''t take him seriously. If Liao Huoyun had been burned alive like his son, he might be more cautious, but since that didn''t happen, it showed that this person didn''t have the ability to kill an Innate Expert.


    With excellent alchemy skills but lacking strong power, Gu Sha had ten thousand ways to make him submit. The Hidden Poison Sect wasn''t skilled in much, but they were quite adept at controlling others.


    "What if I refuse?" Huang Mao asked, looking at him with interest.


    Gu Sha showed no anger, instead calmly saying, "I believe you won''t refuse!"


    He glanced back, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.


    Suddenly, a voice boomed from the sky, like thunder exploding in everyone''s ears.


    "Little thief, for offending my Fire Cloud Sect, I will cut you into a thousand pieces!"


    After the voice, a large group of figures wearing red Fire Cloud robes appeared in the sky, rushing over, each exuding an unfathomable aura. At a glance, there were more than twenty of them!


    A quick scan revealed that the weakest among them was at the fifth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, while the strongest was Xue Wuqing at the peak of the tenth level of the Qi Condensing Realm. Besides him, there were two other elders at the tenth level.


    These people were the elders of the Fire Cloud Sect, gathering more than half of the sect''s power.


    A smile played on Xiao Long''s lips.


    These were waves of experience points!


    With twenty people above the fifth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, it should be enough to level him up to a Demon General, maybe even two levels!


    He really had to thank the Fire Cloud Sect for sending such a generous gift!

 Chapter 41 – Huang Maos strength

    "Gu Sha?" Xue Wuqing, who was leading the group, shifted his gaze towards the two beside him, a murderous intent slowly rising.


    "What''s with Fatty Xue''s stance? Does he want to fight us?" Vulture stood in front of Gu Sha, his eyes cold and sinister.


    "Fire Cloud Sect''s business, you''d better stay far away, or I''ll deal with you too!" Xue Wuqing said coldly.


    Although he didn''t understand why Gu Sha and his companion were here, if they were tactless enough to interfere, he wouldn''t mind taking them down as well.


    Vulture''s face darkened, his claws slightly curved, ready to make a move, but Gu Sha quickly stopped him.


    "Fire Cloud Sect, such arrogance. We won''t fight you today, farewell!"


    With that, Gu Sha gave Huang Mao a meaningful look and drifted away.


    "Lord Xiao, if you need help, just call, and I''ll be there." A voice, infused with True Qi, reached Huang Mao''s ears.


    After the two left, they didn''t go far but stopped nearby, taking out a surveillance array disk. The mirror on the disk displayed the area they had just left.


    "Didn''t expect Fire Cloud Sect to really show up. The young master planned this well!" Vulture''s lips curled into a cold smile, as if everything was within expectations.


    "Heh, these foolish disciples of Fire Cloud Sect dare to claim themselves as one of the four great sects. Today, we''ll remove them from the list!"


    "As for that third-grade alchemist named Xiao..." A sinister look flashed in Gu Sha''s eyes, "Submit or die!"


    This was Huang Mao''s first time facing such a formidable force, with over twenty high-level Qi Condensing Realm cultivators, each no weaker than him. The oppressive aura made him break out in a cold sweat, almost suffocating.


    But there was no fear in his eyes; he knew the boss would make them pay dearly.


    The elders of Fire Cloud Sect descended in front of Huang Mao, forming a semi-circle formation, ready for battle. Xue Wuqing''s icy eyes were fixed on Huang Mao, as if trying to see through him.


    "Little thief, I know you have some tricks. I advise you to surrender, or I''ll make you wish for death!" Xue Wuqing said harshly.


    "Your nonsense is as plentiful as ever," Huang Mao sneered.


    "Sharp-tongued! Once I capture you and take you back to Fire Cloud Sect, I''ll cut out your tongue and see if you can still be so arrogant!" Xue Wuqing had long despised him, wishing to flay him alive, but recalling Huang Mao''s previous tactics, he still felt uneasy.


    "Yan Steward, go!" Xue Wuqing glanced at the man beside him.


    "Yes!"


    The man called Yan Steward drew a crimson longsword and leaped forward, charging at Huang Mao with a gust of scorching wind.


    Yan Jing was the weakest among them, at the fifth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, yet still not someone a first-level could withstand. Normally, he could kill with a single strike.


    Xue Wuqing sent him to test Huang Mao''s methods.


    That strange flame, he had seen it twice: once it turned the young master to ashes before his eyes, and another time it severely wounded the sect master¡¯s soul.


    But he hadn''t been attacked by the flame, so he wanted to confirm whether the opponent could still use it.


    "Huang Mao, I''ll go modify the array. This weakling is yours to handle."


    The appearance of the Hidden Poison Sect gave Xiao Long more ideas. Since they were going to reap, why not reap big? After all, fools with experience shouldn''t go to waste.


    Hearing Xiao Long''s voice, Huang Mao showed no fear; instead, he seemed eager, grinning, "Just what I wanted!"


    "Die!"


    A chilling gleam burst from the sword''s edge. Yan Jing''s eyes were sharp, his body swift as the wind, thrusting straight at Huang Mao''s neck.


    "A mere first-level Qi Condensing Realm, watch me kill you in one move!" Yan Jing hadn''t witnessed Huang Mao''s methods firsthand and was disdainful. To him, true strength was king, and those tricks might fool others but not him. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Perfect timing!"


    Huang Mao''s eyes were filled with excitement. He raised a black stick, no extra movements, simply swinging it forward.


    "Courting death!" Seeing Huang Mao''s action, the elders of Fire Cloud Sect wore mocking expressions. They thought Huang Mao would use some strange tactics, but he dared to clash head-on.


    Xue Wuqing was also surprised. He dared to go head-to-head? A first-level against a fifth-level, wasn''t that suicide?


    To everyone, Huang Mao''s swing seemed ordinary, but in Yan Jing''s eyes, it was as if a mountain was bearing down on him!


    "Clang!"


    A deafening clash of iron rang out, sword and stick separated instantly. Yan Jing staggered back several steps, nearly dropping his sword, while Huang Mao was flung back, stopping over ten meters away.


    "Haha! That was exhilarating!" Feeling the slight numbness in his arm, Huang Mao licked his lips, growing more excited.


    Huang Mao had thought, without going berserk, he could at most match a third-level Qi Condensing Realm. But unexpectedly, he withstood a full-force strike from a fifth-level.


    He glanced at the black stick in his hand.


    Since obtaining the stick, Huang Mao felt his blood boiling, as if filled with endless strength. It was this feeling that allowed him to withstand a fifth-level strike.


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    Unbeknownst to him, Yan Jing''s heart was in turmoil.


    A first-level Qi Condensing Realm had forced him back. Previously, not even a fourth-level could make him retreat a step.


    This meant the masked man''s strength was nearly equal to his.


    A first-level clashing with a fifth-level wasn''t just a simple challenge; it was surpassing half a realm!


    "Bastard! Take my Tidal Sword Technique!" Yan Jing charged again, his sword dancing wildly, the sword light like ocean waves, continuous and unending, enveloping Huang Mao''s vital points.


    "Sigh, boring!"


    Huang Mao shook his head, his bones crackling, his body growing several feet taller, reaching nearly five meters in an instant! This was his true height!


    Then, everyone felt a terrifying aura rapidly rising. Huang Mao''s power surged from a first-level Demon General to the peak of a third-level, entering berserk mode!


    Xue Wuqing and the others were stunned. A third-level?


    "Trash! Take my strike!" Huang Mao roared, swinging his stick fiercely at the incoming tidal sword light. With one strike, it seemed as if the heavens roared, the air exploding with crackling sounds.


    Yan Jing was shocked!

 Chapter 42 – Series of formations layered together

    "Not good!"


    Boom!


    A sound like the sky collapsing and the earth shattering echoed as Yan Jing''s sword light was brutally destroyed. The crimson longsword shattered with a "bang," and the remaining force mercilessly smashed into Yan Jing.


    "Crack!"


    The sound of bones breaking resounded as Yan Jing''s chest completely caved in. He spat out a mouthful of black blood and flew backward, crashing into the ground and leaving a large pit, lying there like a dead dog.


    That single strike shattered all his internal organs, instantly draining his life. On Yan Jing''s pale face, there was still a look of shock. He never imagined that a simple strike could break through his Profound-level martial arts and kill him.


    "You have killed a level 15 wild monster, gaining 11,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 100%, team reward 20%)" Xiao Long''s experience bar surged significantly.


    "How is this possible!" Xue Wuqing stared in disbelief at the scene.


    Before Yan Jing made his move, he had considered many possible outcomes, even if Yan Jing was possessed by a strange flame and burned alive, he wouldn''t be surprised.


    But he never expected that the opponent would charge head-on and kill Yan Jing with a simple, unadorned strike.


    The members of the Fire Cloud Sect were also dumbfounded.


    "Elder Xue, this person''s aura is very similar to a demon beast. I suspect he is a beast warrior from the Beast Taming Sect," said a white-haired elder beside him.


    Xue Wuqing suddenly realized, his eyes narrowing, and noticed a tuft of brown hair on Huang Mao''s arm.


    We are ", find us on google.


    "Indeed, a beast warrior. He must have used a secret beast transformation technique just now, which caused his power to surge!" Xue Wuqing said coldly.


    "But the Beast Taming Sect is far from our sect, with no conflicting interests. I suspect it''s the Hidden Poison Sect, framing us to provoke a conflict with the Beast Taming Sect," Xue Wuqing recalled the two vultures he had seen earlier, his gaze growing colder.


    "Regardless, capture this person and search his soul. Any conspiracy will be exposed!" the white-haired elder said.


    Xue Wuqing nodded.


    "Li brothers, I''ll trouble you," Xue Wuqing said.


    "Leave it to us!" The two elders beside him cupped their hands.


    These two had powerful auras, second only to Xue Wuqing in the crowd, both at the tenth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, and remarkably similar in appearance, none other than the famous Li brothers of the Fire Cloud Sect.


    Without verbal communication, the two instantly charged out. One leaped up, aiming a palm at Huang Mao''s forehead, while the other circled to the side, attacking Huang Mao''s right arm. It seemed like a feint, but in reality, they were preparing a move, closely watching for any evasive maneuvers from Huang Mao, cutting off his escape.


    Their coordination was flawless, sealing off all of Huang Mao''s vital points.


    Facing their pincer attack, Huang Mao still responded with a simple strike.


    "Pathetic!"


    Estimating the power of this strike, the Li brothers shook their heads. One aimed at the stick, while the other went straight for the face, determined to kill with one blow.


    "Kid, in your next life, keep your eyes open. Not every force can be provoked..." The Li brothers hadn''t even finished the word "crime" when their expressions suddenly froze as if they had seen something terrifying.


    "Not good!"


    "Retreat!"


    "Ah!!"


    Amidst everyone''s gaze, a piercing scream rang out. A spiritual Qi blade flew from nowhere, slicing through the air, severing one of the Li elder''s arms, then seamlessly cutting into the other Li elder''s shoulder, slicing down to the waist, splitting him in half.


    "Ahhh!!"


    The bisected elder fell to the ground, his head and half his body shattered like a watermelon under Huang Mao''s strike, exploding into a mess of flesh.


    "Second brother!" Seeing this, the remaining Li elder''s eyes turned blood red, his face twisted in grief and rage.


    But in the next moment, his pupils froze.


    Whoosh!


    Like a gust of wind passing by, everyone saw the Li elder still in mid-air, but his head seemed to be sliced by an invisible blade, splitting in two, falling powerlessly to the ground.


    "You have killed a level 20 wild monster, gaining 40,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 100%!)" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You have killed a level 20 wild monster, gaining 40,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 100%!)"


    As the bodies hit the ground with a heavy thud, the elders stood there in shock, eyes wide open.


    The peak combat power of the elder council, the renowned Li brothers of Tianfeng Kingdom, were dead just like that?


    Everyone struggled to accept this reality, but the Li brothers'' bodies lay before them, undeniable proof.


    "There''s a formation!"


    "It''s a level ten killing formation!!"


    The crowd suddenly realized that, given the circumstances, only a level ten killing formation could have killed the Li brothers.


    "Retreat quickly!" Xue Wuqing shouted.


    A level ten killing formation was no joke. Among the twenty or so elders, aside from him, no one could withstand it. If even the Li brothers were ambushed and killed, wouldn''t the others be like fish on a chopping block, waiting to be slaughtered?


    Just as Xue Wuqing''s words fell.


    The surroundings began to blur, as if enveloped in thick fog. Within two breaths, visibility dropped to zero, and even face-to-face, they couldn''t see each other''s faces.


    Xue Wuqing tried to extend his spiritual sense, only to find it blocked.


    "Level ten illusion formation!" Xue Wuqing gritted out the words through clenched teeth. Hearing these words, everyone''s hearts sank.


    In addition to the level ten killing formation, there was a level ten illusion formation!


    It turned out this wasn''t just one formation but a series of formations layered together!


    When had such a grand scheme been laid here, waiting for them to fall into the trap?


    Everyone from the Fire Cloud Sect huddled together, their expressions more serious than ever.


    "Everyone, let''s concentrate our attack on one point. Even a level ten illusion formation can''t withstand so many of us attacking," someone suggested.


    Swoosh!


    As soon as the words were spoken, the sound of a blade slicing through flesh was heard, followed by a man''s anguished scream.


    "Ahhh! Don''t kill me!"


    "Elder Xue, save me!!"


    "Ah!!"


    It seemed the opponent was doing this intentionally, as the man''s screams of being tortured echoed clearly for everyone to hear, his situation imaginable.


    But under the level ten illusion formation, nothing could be seen, and they couldn''t even protect themselves, let alone save others.


    The next moment, they heard a series of horrifying sounds of flesh being torn apart. After one final wail, the screams abruptly stopped, as if the man had died.


    The scene fell silent, not a sound to be heard.

 Chapter 43 – Fire Cloud Sect, completely annihilated!

    The unknown is the most terrifying. This invisible method of death undoubtedly stimulates one''s nerves of fear even more. Besides, the illusion array also has a disruptive effect. Under this intangible guidance, everyone couldn''t help but shiver, their legs turning weak, and their combat power instantly diminished by more than half.


    Among those present, only Xue Wuqing could barely remain clear-headed.


    In fact, Xiao Long didn''t need to go to such great lengths. A level ten Spiritual Qi killing array could easily kill everyone except Xue Wuqing, but he didn''t do so.


    He could clearly sense that a large number of experts from the Hidden Poison Sect were lurking nearby, and there was even a powerful force that made him feel vaguely threatened. Without a doubt, it was an Innate Expert from the Hidden Poison Sect.


    Instead of upgrading the level ten killing array, he enhanced the level eight illusion array to a level ten peak illusion array, just one step away from an Innate-level illusion array.


    Under such an illusion array, even Xue Wuqing would be affected, and the others would be unable to protect themselves.


    The purpose of this was simple: to divert hatred and deal with the Hidden Poison Sect.


    "Huang Mao, kill them!"


    "Haha! Leave it to me."


    Huang Mao walked into the illusion array with a stick. He could clearly see the trembling members of the Fire Cloud Sect within the array. Except for Xue Wuqing, all the elders of the Fire Cloud Sect were trapped in terrifying illusions, unable to even stand, let alone resist.


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    Huang Mao found the nearest person, walked up with his stick, and simply smashed it down.


    "Bang!"


    Without any resistance, the head was smashed to a pulp.


    "You have killed a level 17 wild monster, gaining 22,000 experience points! (Level challenge experience bonus 100%, team reward 20%)"


    A Fire Cloud Sect elder at the seventh level of the Qi Condensing Realm was thus killed by Huang Mao with a single blow, completely unprepared.


    Huang Mao laughed excitedly. Killing an expert dozens of times stronger than himself with one strike¡ªwhat could be more exhilarating?


    After killing one person, Huang Mao headed straight for the next target.


    Xiao Long emerged from his previous hiding spot, picked up a storage ring, and took out a bag of strange powder, sprinkling it on the corpse. The body immediately turned black, creating the illusion of poisoning.


    While Huang Mao killed in front, Xiao Long handled the corpses in the back, everything proceeding in an orderly fashion according to plan.


    "You have killed a level 18 wild monster, gaining 28,600 experience points! (Level challenge experience bonus 100%, team reward 20%)"


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 11! You need 200,000 more experience points for the next level!"


    "Congratulations on being promoted to Demon General, allowing you to evolve once. Would you like to evolve immediately? (Evolution takes one hour, please ensure you are not interrupted midway.)"


    A string of system notifications entered Xiao Long''s mind, leaving him momentarily stunned.


    Evolve?


    Though curious about what it entailed, now was not the time.


    "You have killed a level 17 wild monster, gaining 22,000 experience points! (Level challenge experience bonus 100%, team reward 20%)"


    "You have killed a level 17 wild monster, gaining 22,000 experience points! (Level challenge experience bonus 100%, team reward 20%)"


    "You have killed a level 15 wild monster, gaining 10,000 experience points! (Level challenge experience bonus 80%, team reward 20%)"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xiao Long''s experience bar skyrocketed, and it wasn''t long before the 200,000 experience bar was filled, leveling up to 12. Besides poisoning each corpse, Xiao Long finally found five supreme-grade spirit stones among the many storage rings he collected.


    "Truly heaven-sent! This is exactly what I needed!" Xiao Long''s eyes lit up. Three of these supreme-grade spirit stones had been bought by Liao Qingfeng at an auction, passed through an elder''s hands, and ultimately ended up with Xiao Long.


    This became a crucial part of Xiao Long''s plan, as only supreme-grade spirit stones could provide energy for an Innate-level array. Although these stones weren''t enough to construct an Innate-level killing array, they were sufficient for a shielding array.


    The same scene unfolded repeatedly in the illusion array. Many people were still in a daze one moment, and the next, their heads were smashed without knowing how they died.


    There were no screams, only a series of sounds like watermelons bursting, "bang bang bang," echoing continuously.


    Only then did everyone realize that someone was harvesting their lives within the illusion array!


    Panic ensued, and they scrambled like headless flies within the illusion array, but it was futile; they still couldn''t escape death.


    As more people died, despair finally set in.


    Unable to escape, unable to withstand¡ªwas death the only path left? S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Who are you? Why are you targeting my Fire Cloud Sect!" Xue Wuqing shouted towards the sky.


    There was no response.


    After a long silence, a cold laugh echoed.


    "Targeting? Do you think you''re worthy of being targeted by me? Your young master offended me, so I killed him. As for you, a mere ant, you dared to lead people to hunt me down. Since you want to kill me, be prepared to be killed!"


    "As for who I am, you''re not qualified to know!"


    As the words fell, the killing intent in the illusion array surged, like a meat grinder in motion. Many elders of the Fire Cloud Sect were instantly slaughtered, their screams echoing endlessly.


    Xue Wuqing''s eyes widened, staring intently at the white expanse before him, as if trying to see through the illusion array.


    He couldn''t believe it!


    Setting up such an astonishing illusion and killing array, even the highest-level array master in Tianfeng Kingdom would take several days to accomplish, indicating that the opponent had planned this ambush long in advance.


    The opponent must have a reason for going to such lengths to deal with the Fire Cloud Sect, and the conflict with the young master was merely an excuse.


    However, Xue Wuqing guessed wrong. In fact, it was Liao Qingfeng who first provoked Xiao Long, leading to the subsequent series of events. One wonders if Xue Wuqing would be so angry he''d vomit blood if he knew the truth.


    "Someone must be targeting my sect! It must be so!" Xue Wuqing''s spiritual sense frantically probed outward, and as the Spiritual Qi circulated, his aura gradually rose, seemingly reaching a critical point.


    In this moment of crisis, Xue Wuqing actually experienced a breakthrough!


    Suddenly, his spiritual sense detected a vague figure. Xue Wuqing immediately leaped out, and though the figure moved swiftly, disappearing in an instant, Xue Wuqing still saw it.


    "Vulture! It''s you!" Xue Wuqing roared in fury. That vague figure¡ªhe would recognize it even if it turned to ash¡ªit was his nemesis, Vulture!


    Indeed! So it was all part of the Hidden Poison Sect''s plan!


    "Ahhh! Hidden Poison Sect, I won''t let you get away with this!!!"


    Xue Wuqing spat out a mouthful of vital blood, his hand swiftly drawing strange patterns in the air. The vital blood followed the trajectory, forming a rune resembling a snowflake.


    Xue Wuqing''s large frame instantly shrank, the fat on his face withering, but his aura suddenly surged, faintly touching the barrier of an Innate Expert.


    Then, he swallowed an Explosive Yuan Pill, his aura directly breaking through the Innate level, making this strike comparable to that of an Innate Expert.


    "Flying Snow Sword Technique, Blood Stains the Sky!"


    Xue Wuqing grasped the snowflake rune, transforming it into a ghostly blue ice sword, which he held firmly in his hand.


    Then, Xue Wuqing swung his sword, and a blood-red sword light, dozens of meters long, shot up from the illusion array, slicing through the sky.


    "Boom!"


    A deafening explosion erupted from the array, the white world seemingly split in two by the sword light. Under such an attack, the illusion array was instantly shattered, and everything around became clear.


    Looking around, a dozen corpses lay scattered, all elders of the Fire Cloud Sect who had just died.


    The only one left standing was Xue Wuqing, all alone.

 Chapter 44 – Two Great Innate Experts

    The members of the Hidden Poison Sect nearby stared at the scene on the surveillance array, utterly dumbfounded.


    Their original plan was to let the Fire Cloud Sect deal with this person first, using it as an opportunity to gauge his methods. Once their own people were in place, they would capture both sides in one fell swoop. This way, they could severely weaken the Fire Cloud Sect and capture a third-grade alchemist, achieving two goals with one action.


    However, this person''s methods were truly terrifying. He had set up a tenth-level killing array in advance, waiting for the Fire Cloud Sect to walk right into the trap and be wiped out in one go.


    This meant that he had planned this entire series of actions days ago.


    Such tactics, such cunning...


    Regardless of his array-setting abilities, the fact that he single-handedly annihilated the Fire Cloud Sect''s elder council was enough to leave everyone in awe.


    Xue Wuqing stood on the desolate ground, a few snowflakes drifting down from the sky. The icy sword in his hand grew even colder, just like his gaze.


    They''re all dead!


    The entire elder council was wiped out, leaving only Xue Wuqing.


    The corpses were blackened, clearly poisoned. Besides the Hidden Poison Sect, who else could have done this?


    Xue Wuqing''s eyes were bloodshot, filled with unprecedented anger and humiliation.


    The Fire Cloud Sect and the Hidden Poison Sect had been at odds for countless years, but this was the first time he had suffered such a crushing defeat!


    "Vulture! Get out here!" Xue Wuqing roared to the sky.


    His voice echoed through the valley.


    After a long while, a gaunt figure appeared on a large rock to the left, a pair of cold eyes staring at him.


    "Fatty Xue, the Fire Cloud Sect is truly disappointing, getting wiped out so easily," Vulture sneered with a strange curve on his lips.


    Xue Wuqing looked at him expressionlessly.


    "However, my Hidden Poison Sect can help you get revenge. Leave that masked man to me..."


    Before Vulture could finish speaking, Xue Wuqing leaped forward, instantly closing the distance and slashing at him without a word.


    "Hmm?"


    Vulture was taken aback but didn''t hesitate. His withered hand shot out, revealing a strange black sheen, and slapped directly onto the sword.


    "Boom!"


    After the clash, Vulture swiftly retreated, only to see Xue Wuqing relentlessly pursuing him. The blue glow of the sword in his hand intensified, spiritual qi surging madly onto the blade.


    In an instant, the sword light soared skyward, filled with a murderous aura.


    "Flying Snow Sword Technique?! Are you insane?"


    Vulture''s face changed dramatically. The Flying Snow Sword Technique was Xue Wuqing''s ultimate move, driven by his life essence blood, with a huge cost. It was not used lightly unless at a life-and-death moment, yet he used it against him!


    There was no time to think. Vulture struck his own chest, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood, which turned into a blood light enveloping him, then exploded, allowing Vulture to escape instantly.


    But he didn''t leave directly; instead, he stood at a distance, watching Xue Wuqing.


    "Fatty Xue, are you looking for death?" Vulture was also furious, being attacked like a mad dog. Did Xue Wuqing really think he was easy to bully?


    Xue Wuqing remained silent, turning around and slashing again. The sword light expanded to several dozen meters, sweeping across the sky with unstoppable force!


    Suddenly, the sword light halted abruptly.


    A mass of black airflow mysteriously appeared in the path of the sword light. The broad sword light seemed to encounter an obstacle, unable to advance further, and the next moment, it exploded.


    As the spiritual qi dissipated, a figure eerily appeared in the air. This person had a thick bandage wrapped around his face, his complexion pale and cold, with eyes identical to Gu Sha''s, but his aura was countless times stronger!


    "Sect Master!" Vulture greeted respectfully.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    A large number of Hidden Poison Sect members emerged nearby, each with a gaunt figure shrouded in black qi, the elder council of the Hidden Poison Sect.


    Though they numbered only ten, less than half of the Fire Cloud Sect, their strength was a level higher, with the weakest at the seventh level of the Qi Condensing Realm.


    "Sect Master!" they all greeted respectfully.


    The bandaged, shadowy man was the sect master of the Hidden Poison Sect, known as the "Poison King," Gu You.


    Xue Wuqing looked on expressionlessly.


    The Poison King Gu You, the Hidden Poison Sect elder council.


    As expected! It was all the Hidden Poison Sect''s plan!


    "Xue Wuqing, long time no see. Still as hot-tempered as ever!" Gu You turned his head, quietly observing him, his expression unreadable.


    "Heh, even the sect master has personally come out. Truly, there''s no reasoning with the Hidden Poison Sect," Xue Wuqing sneered.


    The Hidden Poison Sect and the Fire Cloud Sect had been at odds for years, with an unwritten rule that the sect masters should not easily intervene in the battles between the two sects.


    Under the Innate Realm, all are ants. If the sect masters frequently emerged to cause havoc, wouldn''t the sects fall into chaos? So for many years, Gu You and Liao Huoyun rarely took action, relying on their disciples and elders to restrain each other.


    "That''s not quite right. Those who achieve great things don''t bother with small matters. Rules are meant to be broken. As long as there''s enough benefit, there''s nothing that can''t be done," Gu You said calmly.


    "Haha! As expected of the Hidden Poison Sect, setting up a massive array to wipe out my elder council, even the sect master personally coming to ensure no survivors. I, Xue Wuqing, admit defeat!"


    Since Gu You''s appearance, Xue Wuqing knew that today was inescapable. Even if he had made some breakthroughs earlier, he could at most defeat Vulture, but against an old Innate Expert like Gu You, it was still not enough. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xue Wuqing''s words left Gu You slightly surprised.


    Looking at the blackened corpses of the Fire Cloud Sect elders around, he suddenly realized that the masked man had killed the Fire Cloud Sect elders and framed them, no wonder Xue Wuqing was so hostile towards them.


    But it didn''t matter. In the face of overwhelming strength, any conspiracy was futile. The person he wanted, no one could escape.


    He could clearly sense that the masked man was hiding underground, concealed within a tenth-level shielding array, trying to slip by. Little did he know, a tenth-level array was only effective against the Qi Condensing Realm. To an Innate Expert, it was nothing but a cloud.


    Before pulling him out, he would deal with Xue Wuqing first.


    "Though I''d like to explain, there''s no need, as I truly don''t intend to leave any survivors."


    With that, Gu You waved his hand, and a massive hand of spiritual qi descended from the sky, slamming into Xue Wuqing.


    Boom!


    Xue Wuqing was struck into the ground, half of his body buried in the earth.


    "Slash!" Xue Wuqing gritted his teeth, his entire essence blood igniting, swinging his sword upward, slashing fiercely at the spiritual qi hand.


    "Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."


    Like melting snow meeting boiling oil, the spiritual qi hand was rapidly eroded. After two breaths, Xue Wuqing roared to the sky, his essence blood burning wildly, and he actually broke through the spiritual qi hand with a single slash.


    "Hmm?" Gu You showed a look of surprise, saying with interest, "I didn''t expect you to have one foot in the Innate Realm. Even Vulture might not be your match now."


    "In that case, I definitely can''t let you live!"


    Gu You waved his hand, and a thick black mist shot from his sleeve, flying towards Xue Wuqing.


    Xue Wuqing panted heavily, his once plump body shrinking due to the burning of essence blood.


    Facing this unavoidable strike, Xue Wuqing didn''t flee or counterattack but instead showed a look of joy.


    "Boom!"


    A thunderous explosion sounded in the void! A fiery sword light shot from the horizon, colliding with the black mist, both dissipating instantly.


    Gu You looked towards the void, speaking in a deep voice, "Liao Huoyun, since you''re here, why not show yourself?"

 Chapter 45 – All dead!

    Liao Huoyun landed on the ground, looking at the Fire Cloud Sect elders who were either dead or injured around him. His face was dark and terrifying, and his eyes seemed to be spitting fire.


    "Xue Wuqing, what happened!"


    "Sect Master, we were ambushed by this thief..." Xue Wuqing transmitted the events from start to finish using Inner Qi.


    After hearing it all, Liao Huoyun''s face twisted with rage to the extreme: "Gu You, you''re playing with fire!"


    Gu You could easily guess what Xue Wuqing had said, likely pushing all the blame onto him.


    Though he was taking the fall for that masked man, it didn''t matter. Sooner or later, that masked man would serve the Hidden Poison Sect anyway. Besides, the two sects were already like water and fire, so he couldn''t be bothered to explain.


    "What? In your current state, you still want to fight me?"


    "As far as I know, your soul''s severe injury hasn''t healed. I wonder how much strength you can muster now?"


    Gu You watched him quietly, feeling a surge of eagerness.


    Despite some concern about the desperate counterattack of an Innate Expert, if he could kill Liao Huoyun at some cost, wouldn''t that be a great thing?


    Liao Huoyun didn''t answer him but instead said to Xue Wuqing, "Xue Wuqing, fall back!"


    "Yes, Sect Master!" Xue Wuqing retreated a hundred meters away.


    Liao Huoyun stared directly at Gu You, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.


    "You slaughtered the elders of my Fire Cloud Sect. Even if I die, I''ll make you pay a heavy price!"


    Liao Huoyun flicked his finger against the storage ring on his hand. The ring shattered, and a fiery red longsword appeared in his hand.


    Gu You''s pupils suddenly shrank, and he exclaimed, "Fire Cloud Sword!!!"


    He never expected Liao Huoyun to bring the Fire Cloud Sect''s treasured weapon¡ªthe Fire Cloud Sword.


    He had certainly heard of the Fire Cloud Sword''s formidable reputation!


    Back in the day, the previous Fire Cloud Sect Master had used the Fire Cloud Sword to slay three Demon Kings during a beast tide, defending the sect and shaking the Tianfeng Kingdom. How could he not know of such terrifying power?


    Even the Hidden Poison Sect only had one Innate Spiritual Treasure for cultivating poison gu, but he hadn''t brought it out. Every Innate Spiritual Treasure was an ancient relic passed down for centuries, used sparingly unless in a life-or-death situation.


    He never expected Liao Huoyun to go all out and bring the Fire Cloud Sword!


    "Die!"


    In Gu You''s shocked gaze, Liao Huoyun shouted, swinging the sword. A crimson sword light, a hundred meters wide, shot straight into the sky, shaking the heavens and earth, dimming even the world around it.


    With that one swing, Liao Huoyun''s body rapidly withered. This strike nearly exhausted his remaining essence, likely leaving him stuck at the early stage of Innate Martial Master for life.


    At this moment, only the crimson sword light remained between heaven and earth.


    "Ahhh!!! You seek death!"


    Gu You instantly burned his vital essence, and endless gray gas surged from his body, forming a substantial poison gas barrier.


    However, Liao Huoyun''s sword light didn''t aim at him but directly at the many elders of the Hidden Poison Sect behind him.


    "You killed my elders, so I''ll slaughter yours too. Die!!!" Liao Huoyun, appearing mad, poured his remaining Spiritual Qi into the Fire Cloud Sword, making the sword light even more dazzling.


    The elders of the Hidden Poison Sect looked ashen.


    "In your dreams!"


    Gu You couldn''t let him succeed. Burning his vital essence, the poison gas barrier expanded to over a hundred meters wide, enveloping the many elders of the Hidden Poison Sect.


    "Ten Thousand Poison Canopy!"


    With a low roar, the poison gas barrier became incredibly solid, almost forming a hundred-meter-wide black wall. This was Gu You''s strongest defensive move, the Ten Thousand Poison Canopy.


    "Boom!"


    The sword light crashed down, striking the Ten Thousand Poison Canopy. The hit area began to corrode wildly, emitting the sound of snow melting, and thick, foul-smelling smoke billowed out.


    In the mutual consumption, the poison gas barrier grew thinner, and the crimson sword light dimmed.


    Though it might not hold, it was enough for a moment.


    Gu You broke out in a cold sweat, thankful that Liao Huoyun''s soul hadn''t recovered. Otherwise, this sword would have severed his Ten Thousand Poison Canopy in one blow, leaving no chance for the Hidden Poison Sect elders.


    "All elders, activate the blood escape secret technique and retreat! Don''t look back!" Gu You immediately ordered.


    "Yes!"


    The Hidden Poison Sect members felt relieved, having just brushed past death''s door. Luckily, the sect master blocked the strike; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.


    Liao Huoyun''s face was very grim. He burned his vital essence again, frantically driving the Fire Cloud Sword, turning the air a crimson hue. Gu You also desperately burned his vital essence, making the Ten Thousand Poison Canopy even more solid.


    "Go quickly!" Cold sweat dripped from Gu You''s forehead.


    The Hidden Poison Sect elders activated the blood escape technique, turning into streaks of blood light shooting into the sky. However, they collided with an invisible wall mid-air and were bounced back.


    "A trapping formation??" Gu You exclaimed.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Long, underground, chuckled softly, seemingly mocking the two''s foolishness.


    "Thank you both for delivering such enticing experience. This Emperor will reluctantly accept it."


    In an instant, a strong sense of crisis arose in everyone''s hearts, making their hair stand on end.


    "Spiritual Qi Killing Formation, activate!"


    "Shhhhhh..."


    Countless Spiritual Qi blades suddenly descended from the sky, forming a magnificent tornado, with the Hidden Poison Sect members right at the storm''s center!


    Gu You''s pupils suddenly contracted!


    "Ah!!!"


    "Ah! Sect Master, save me!"


    Screams echoed one after another, resounding through the air. In an instant, countless people were sliced into pieces by the sharp blades, their bodies separated.


    In just a few breaths, the ground was littered with severed limbs, even the strongest Vulture couldn''t escape death, being cut into a pile of minced meat after a brief resistance.


    By this time, the scene had turned into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, staining the earth a bright red.


    "No!!!" Gu You''s eyes were bloodshot, howling in despair.


    "You killed a level 17 monster, gaining 20,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 100%)" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You killed a level 17 monster, gaining 20,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 100%)"


    "You killed a level 19 monster, gaining 32,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 100%)"


    "You killed a level 20 monster, gaining 40,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 100%)"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 13! You need 500,000 experience points to reach the next level!"


    Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the ]"


    After a series of experience surges, Xiao Long advanced to a third-tier Demon General.


    At this point, the Hidden Poison Sect''s elder group was finally wiped out! Not a single one left!


    Gu You seemed struck by lightning, standing dazed, his eyes vacant.


    "Die!" Taking advantage of Gu You''s moment of distraction, Liao Huoyun seized the opportunity, cutting through the Ten Thousand Poison Canopy in one fell swoop. The Fire Cloud Sword''s momentum didn''t diminish, slashing fiercely at Gu You.


    Slash!!!


    An arm flew through the air, blood splattering. Gu You activated the blood escape displacement, but he was ultimately a step too slow, losing an arm.


    Liao Huoyun, too, was over-exhausted from burning his vital essence, his once black hair turned white, his breath weak, resembling an old man with no strength left to fight.


    "This... how is this possible?"


    The one-armed Gu You stared blankly, his mind in chaos.


    When was the tenth-level killing formation set up?


    When he arrived, he could clearly sense only a tenth-level shielding formation here. The original tenth-level illusion and killing formations should have been broken by Xue Wuqing.


    Even if they weren''t broken, how could they escape his eyes? He was a dignified Innate Expert, and nothing but an Innate-level formation could deceive him!


    When he came to his senses, he suddenly realized the masked man hidden underground had vanished.


    "Could it be..."


    Gu You swallowed hard, his eyes vacant: "Innate-level... shielding formation."

 Chapter 46 – The Last Winner

    It turns out, besides the tenth-level shielding formation, there was an even larger innate-level shielding formation. The tenth-level formation was merely a decoy to mislead him, making him underestimate the opponent.


    The tenth-level killing formation was hidden beneath the innate-level shielding formation, allowing it to deceive the heavens and cross the sea!


    He had been completely fooled!


    "Ugh!" Thinking of this, Gu You was so furious that he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Liao Huoyun was initially stunned by the scene before him, then burst into uproarious laughter.


    "Hahaha! Gu You, even you have a day like this! Your own formation killed your own people. Truly eye-opening! Haha!"


    Liao Huoyun laughed heartily. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What did you say!" Gu You glared at him.


    "Haha! Wasn''t this killing formation meant to deal with my Fire Cloud Sect? How did it end up being used on your own people?"


    Liao Huoyun laughed, but as he calmed down and thought carefully, he was also slightly stunned, showing an incredulous expression.


    A formation killing its own creator¡ªwhat a bizarre occurrence. Even he wouldn''t believe it if he hadn''t seen it himself.


    Both of them thought of one person, the masked man!


    "This formation wasn''t set up by our sect! Your people weren''t killed by me!" After a while, Gu You finally revealed the truth.


    "What!" Liao Huoyun was dumbfounded.


    "That person set up the killing formation, wiped out your elders, and framed me. That''s how it is," Gu You said through gritted teeth.


    In the distance, Xue Wuqing also suddenly realized.


    At that time, he was breaking through in the illusion formation and saw the shadow of the Vulture but overlooked one thing: he was in a peak tenth-level illusion formation. Creating an illusion would have been effortless for the opponent.


    Only upon careful reflection did he realize that they had all been played.


    Gu You''s face turned ashen. He thought he had calculated everything perfectly, only to be outsmarted. The Hidden Poison Sect''s century of accumulation was destroyed in an instant.


    Gu You finally paid a heavy price for his arrogance!


    "Ahhhhh!" Gu You roared to the sky, "I am not reconciled!"


    Liao Huoyun no longer had the strength to roar. After his soul was injured from wielding the Fire Cloud Sword, he was already at his limit. Even if he could recover, his strength would be greatly diminished, at best a quasi-innate expert.


    He had no intention of seeking revenge on the masked man.


    The plans were seamless, one linked to another, without any flaws. The opponent, seemingly an insignificant ant, had analyzed both his and Gu You''s psychology so thoroughly, playing the two major sects like fools. Compared to him, so-called "detectives" were a joke.


    Moreover, the opponent''s other identity made him even more despairing¡ªa third-grade alchemist!


    Shaking his head, Liao Huoyun sighed and said to Xue Wuqing, "Xue Wuqing, return to the sect! Don''t provoke that masked man again!"


    "Yes, Sect Master!" Xue Wuqing gritted his teeth, feeling extremely unwilling but helpless. Seeking revenge now was simply wishful thinking.


    Even his lifelong nemesis, the Vulture, had died under the killing formation. What could he do?


    The two turned and left, with Gu You not stopping them. Besides, he had lost an arm, severely weakening his strength, making it impossible to stop them even if he wanted to.


    Today''s battle ended in mutual destruction, with the villain gaining the upper hand.


    He seemed to see the mocking smile of the person hidden behind the scenes, as if ridiculing his foolishness and ignorance.


    "I know you''re still hiding below, come out!" Gu You roared in anger.


    "Oh? Gu You, do you still want to seek revenge on me?" A voice drifted over, and a white figure appeared in front, quietly staring at him.


    This figure wasn''t physical but a phantom formed by condensed Spiritual Qi, resembling Xiao Long''s appearance from his past life.


    Gu You''s eyes narrowed. Condensing Spiritual Qi into a human figure with such exquisite control was beyond even him. Only an alchemist or formation master could control Spiritual Qi to such a degree.


    However, this also provided information that the opponent was hiding nearby. If he could find the exact location, he might capture him.


    "I just want to ask, who are you, and why did you scheme against me?" Gu You''s voice was filled with anger.


    Xiao Long sneered, "Scheme against you? From the beginning, wasn''t it your Hidden Poison Sect that wanted to capture me and force me to refine pills for you? I merely used some small tricks to retaliate."


    Gu You''s face stiffened, unable to refute, as that was indeed their intention.


    "Also, don''t think I don''t know what you''re thinking. You''re using your spiritual sense to probe around, trying to find where I''m hiding. To be honest, I''m ten miles away from you now, so stop wasting your efforts," Xiao Long mocked, seemingly reading his mind.


    "You!" Gu You''s face turned red, realizing that in front of the opponent, he was like a clown.


    Yet, the opponent''s strength wasn''t even greater than his, and this sense of frustration almost made him spit blood again.


    "Despicable scoundrel, if you have the guts, come out! Hiding behind the scenes, what kind of person are you?" Gu You shouted angrily.


    "Hahaha!" Xiao Long seemed to hear the funniest joke, mocking, "And what kind of person are you? Just an Innate Martial Master daring to call yourself the Poison King, unable to even protect your own subordinates. You might as well disband the Hidden Poison Sect to avoid further embarrassment."


    "You!!!" Gu You pointed at him, his finger trembling, finally unable to hold back, spitting out a mouthful of blood.


    Xiao Long laughed so hard he was doubled over, his stomach aching from laughter.


    "Die!" Gu You, unable to bear it any longer, raised his hand to disperse the phantom, only to see the phantom stop laughing and say to him, "I didn''t stay to exchange nonsense with you, but to discuss something."


    "If you agree to this, I can take over the Hidden Poison Sect for you, and within a year, elevate its strength to the top of the four major sects."


    Hearing this, Gu You''s hand paused midway, his eyes flickering.


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    If anyone else had said this, he would have dismissed it as a joke, but coming from the opponent, he had to believe it, for he had the capability.


    A third-grade alchemist, coupled with an innate-level formation master.


    If such a person wanted to help the Hidden Poison Sect, how could it not prosper? Moreover, if he was willing to help, it meant there would be opportunities for contact in the future. Once in contact, no matter how many schemes, wouldn''t they fall into Gu You''s hands, ready to be manipulated?


    Thinking this, a strange gleam flashed in Gu You''s eyes, and he nodded with a light smile, "Alright, whatever it is, just say it, and I will fulfill it."


    "This matter, you can accomplish."


    Hearing this, the smile on Gu You''s face widened.


    Xiao Long stared at him, coldly saying, "I''m curious about how much experience I can gain from killing an Innate Expert, so let me kill you."


    Gu You thought he had misheard and quickly asked, "What did you say?"

 Chapter 47 – Gu You, die!

    "Let me make it clear, you want me to kill, and I''ll make the Hidden Poison Sect flourish for you," Xiao Long repeated.


    Gu You suddenly realized he had been tricked again.


    Gu You was so furious that he trembled all over, his face turning green. After all this time, the other side was still playing him!


    "Bastard! Die!"


    Gu You, unable to contain his rage, raised his hand and struck at Xiao Long''s shadow. The shadow''s mouth curled into a mocking smile, sneering, "Fool!"


    "Boom!"


    The shadow was dispersed with a slap, and Gu You gritted his teeth, secretly vowing to kill the entire family of whoever was behind this!


    At the same moment the shadow was dispersed, something seemed to be triggered underground. All the formations became clearly visible on the ground, revealing intricate patterns that covered an area of several hundred meters.


    Simultaneously, the spirit stones constructing the formation turned into surging energy, concentrating at a single point. The terrifying aura shot up from the ground, so frightening that even Gu You felt a chill.


    Gu You suddenly realized that this was the true purpose of his opponent!


    "Ah!!! I swear I won''t be human if I don''t avenge this!"


    "Boom!"


    A deafening explosion resounded, and terrifying air currents spread wildly. The ground collapsed, debris flew everywhere, and a violent vortex of spiritual qi shot into the sky, forming a spectacular mushroom cloud hundreds of meters high!


    The terrifying tremor felt like the sky was falling and the earth was splitting, even the nearby Fire Cloud City could feel it.


    Before leaving, Xiao Long detonated all the formations, giving Gu You a grand farewell gift.


    When the dust settled, Gu You''s body was revealed in a massive crater several kilometers in diameter. He was half-kneeling on the ground, his hair disheveled, his face blackened, and his skin completely charred. His eyes had been blown out, and his arms were gone, leaving only empty sleeves.


    Around him, a spherical poison mist shield enveloped him, but it was so faint it seemed ready to dissipate at any moment.


    Gu You, blind and with arms blown off, was now as pitiful as the aged and weakened Liao Qingfeng.


    Only now did Gu You understand that his opponent had been stalling with all that talk to buy time to detonate the formations and provoke him into making a mistake.


    Ridiculous! Ridiculous! Ridiculous!


    "Ugh!" Gu You rolled his eyes, spat out a mouthful of blood, and fell backward, lifeless.


    In the end, the master of the Hidden Poison Sect, the Poison King Gu You, died of rage outside Fire Cloud City.


    "You have killed level 22 BOSS monster, gaining 900,000 experience points! (Level challenge bonus 300%, BOSS bonus 200%)"


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 14! 600,000 experience needed for the next level!"


    "Ding! Congratulations on reaching level 15! 700,000 experience needed for the next level!"


    "Haha! Leveling up twice in a row, this is awesome!" Xiao Long laughed heartily.


    Gu You dying of rage was a bit unexpected for Xiao Long, but it saved him the trouble of finishing him off.


    It''s just a pity that the time to charge the formation took too long, allowing Liao Huoyun to escape. Otherwise, he might have leveled up again.


    "Let him run, he did contribute to killing Gu You, so I''ll spare his life," Xiao Long thought to himself. After all, Liao Huoyun did most of the damage to Gu You, and Xiao Long just took the final blow.


    He collected Gu You''s storage ring and took the body as well, then headed back home.


    Huang Mao followed excitedly, his eyes shining brightly.


    This time, the boss perfectly demonstrated what it means to crush with intelligence, manipulating two major sects without lifting a finger. Innate Experts were crushed like ants, one aged and regressed, the other blown to pieces.


    What is invincibility? This is invincibility!


    Xiao Long wasn''t particularly excited about this. It was just a bunch of ants provoking him, and he merely retaliated a bit.


    Xiao Long traveled nonstop, heading straight back to his cave.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from ".


    As he entered the cave, Xiao Long suddenly felt that the spiritual qi inside was much denser, almost twice as much as before, which puzzled him. Although he had set up a Gathering Spirit Array, the effect was unexpectedly good.


    At this moment, he entered the cave''s interior and was instantly stunned.


    Everywhere he looked, the ground, walls, and corners were filled with various spiritual herbs, vibrant and dazzling. Among them were some extremely rare treasures of heaven and earth, casually placed on the ground.


    "Sandalwood, Frost Red Ginseng, Fire Dragon Ganoderma..." Xiao Long scanned them one by one, utterly shocked.


    Although these items were considered trash in his past life, in a small place like Tianfeng Kingdom, they were invaluable treasures. For instance, the Fire Dragon Ganoderma had appeared at the Fire Cloud Auction and fetched a high price of one million middle-grade spirit stones. If refined into a fourth-grade pill, the Fire Spirit Pill, it could probably fetch a sky-high price of ten million.


    Where did all these treasures of heaven and earth come from?


    As Xiao Long pondered, he saw a cute white fox with a completely purple bead in its mouth, hopping in and tossing the bead into the spiritual spring.


    "Supreme Purple Spirit Crystal!!!" Xiao Long''s eyes nearly popped out.


    "Stop!" Xiao Long shouted, but it was too late. Xiao Bai had already thrown the bead into the spiritual spring.


    With a splash, water splashed everywhere, and the water in the spiritual spring rapidly turned a deep green, emitting a rich spiritual qi mist that spread out quickly.


    Seeing the Purple Spirit Crystal dissolve into liquid, Xiao Long felt his heart ache.


    Oh, Purple Spirit Crystal, wasted just like that! sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Spirit crystals are the crystallized form of spiritual qi, usually found near spiritual springs. Xiao Long had found two spirit crystals in this spiritual spring before.


    And the Purple Spirit Crystal is the supreme among spirit crystals, one piece is worth a hundred spirit crystals, more precious than supreme-grade spirit stones!


    Spirit stones contain spiritual qi that needs to be absorbed and purified, while spirit crystals are solid forms of spiritual qi, nearly 100% pure, requiring no refinement and can be directly absorbed. Plus, spirit crystals are extremely rare, making them priceless, let alone Purple Spirit Crystals, which could drive any warrior crazy.


    "Sigh! Such a waste!" Xiao Long sighed helplessly. In his past life, he thought using Purple Spirit Crystals to make tea was extravagant, and Xiao Bai used it to mix with water.


    "Yip~~~" Seeing the spiritual spring turn back into a lush green filled with spiritual qi, the little white fox danced excitedly, yipping joyfully, unaware of Xiao Long''s feelings beside her.


    Seeing Xiao Bai so happy, Xiao Long didn''t want to disturb her joy, instead, he stood there slightly dazed.


    Could it be that all the treasures of heaven and earth in the cave, including the Purple Spirit Crystal just now, were brought by Xiao Bai?

 Chapter 48 – Xiao Bais Transformation

    "Boss is back!"


    "Boss!"


    The eager calls echoed in his mind. Looking up, Xiao Long saw two enormous pythons crawling out from the depths of the cave.


    Both Da Hei and Er Hei had grown to a length of fifteen meters, each scale half a foot wide. Their bodies were jet black, and their cold eyes held the lethal intent typical of venomous snakes. Yet, in front of Xiao Long, they obediently lowered their heads, flicking their tongues with a near-fanatical reverence.


    "Tenth-tier peak Demon Beasts, not bad!" Xiao Long assessed the two snakes, nodding slightly.


    Judging by the bloodthirsty aura they exuded, they had been out hunting. With the techniques Xiao Long had taught them¡ªthe Refining Essence into Blood and the Subdue Dragon Art¡ªcombined with their powerful bloodlines, such rapid progress was unsurprising. Although they couldn''t yet match Xiao Long and Huang Mao, they were undoubtedly among the best in the Tianfeng Kingdom.


    The only frustrating thing was that while Da Hei and Er Hei had grown to fifteen meters, he remained a half-meter-long little thing.


    Of course, being small had its advantages. Xiao Long was faster, more agile, and better at hiding. After using the Breath Concealment Technique, even Innate Experts found it difficult to detect his presence.


    "Boss, all the herbs in the cave were found by Sister Xiao Bai."


    "Yes! Sister Xiao Bai is amazing. Even the Demon Generals tremble at the sight of her and willingly offer up their herbs," Da Hei and Er Hei quickly added.


    Sister Xiao Bai?


    Xiao Long was slightly taken aback, then saw Xiao Bai''s mischievous eyes, as she proudly tilted her chin at him.


    What the heck?


    "Hey! These herbs should be enough for you to refine pills, right?"


    Just as Xiao Long was lost in thought, a voice as clear and melodious as a silver bell came from the little white fox.


    Xiao Long stared at her in a daze, stammering, "You... you can talk?"


    "Who said I couldn''t talk!" Xiao Bai waved her delicate paw at Xiao Long, showing off.


    Xiao Long was taken aback.


    He examined Xiao Bai and found her energy full, her eyes bright. Her once shattered soul had miraculously repaired a part of itself. Although her soul''s essence was still missing, she was much better than a few days ago.


    "Hehe, thanks to your Soul-Reviving Pill, I regained some memories. So, you need to refine more soul-restoring pills. Maybe I can fully recover!" Xiao Bai explained with a cheerful smile.


    Xiao Long suddenly understood. Looking into Xiao Bai''s innocent and beautiful eyes, he shook his head, "Your soul damage is even more severe than mine. You''ve lost half of your soul''s essence. Recovering a part is already a miracle. I can''t do much; we can only leave it to fate."


    "Ah?" Xiao Bai''s expression dimmed, as expected.


    She only remembered human language and a few fragmented pieces of information. She couldn''t even recall her identity, only learning from Da Hei and Er Hei that she had fallen from the sky.


    What was the sky, what was the ground, she didn''t know.


    "Don''t be discouraged. This Emperor has faced such setbacks and is still living well. As long as you follow me, you''ll have a good life. Forget about those crappy past events," Xiao Long said with a hearty laugh.


    Hearing this, and seeing Xiao Long''s smiling eyes, Xiao Bai''s mood instantly improved.


    Xiao Bai hopped over to Xiao Long''s side and asked in a low voice, "Mighty Emperor, can you tell me about those crappy events of yours?"


    "Hey! I''m not called the Emperor, I''m Xiao Long. You can call me Boss Xiao or Brother Xiao."


    "Then why do you call yourself the Emperor?"


    "Uh, well..." Xiao Long suddenly realized that explaining this was quite troublesome, so he said seriously, "The Emperor is the Emperor, there''s no reason. Just listen, kid."


    Xiao Bai was initially stunned, then protested, "You''re the kid! I, I am already..."


    Xiao Bai had prepared a retort, but halfway through, she couldn''t continue because she forgot her age.


    Xiao Long laughed heartily, laughing so hard he almost fell over.


    "Oh well, anyway, I''m already grown up, definitely older than you!" Xiao Bai argued, her face flushed.


    "Haha! Let me tell you the truth, this Emperor is a three-thousand-year-old monster. In front of me, you''ll always be a kid!" Xiao Long laughed, completely ignoring the fact that this body had just recently hatched.


    He looked at Xiao Bai''s angelic and adorable face, suddenly feeling mischievous. He used his tail to lift her chin, grinning lewdly.


    "Well... though you''re young, you''re quite pretty. Give me a smile."


    Xiao Long was in high spirits, completely unaware of the consequences of taking the joke too far.


    Xiao Bai was stunned by this action. When she came to her senses, her eyes widened, and her snow-white fur stood on end like an angry cat, both embarrassed and furious.


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    "Ah! You big pervert! I''ll bite you to death!" Xiao Bai pounced with bared teeth and claws. Seeing the situation was bad, Xiao Long quickly slipped away. Thus, the two demon beasts chased each other around the cave, creating utter chaos.


    Da Hei, Er Hei, and Huang Mao were left watching in bewilderment.


    Da Hei and Er Hei thought Xiao Long was in danger and hesitated about whether to help. But Huang Mao, being more understanding, stopped them, pretending to be wise, "You don''t get it. In human society, there''s a saying: ''Fighting is affection, scolding is love.'' Boss is flirting, just watch."


    "Flirting?" Da Hei pondered, "Can a snake and a fox do that?"


    "Uh..." This question stumped Huang Mao. After thinking for a moment, he said, "This is a serious question! But Boss is an all-powerful being, we must believe in him!"


    "Yes! Believe in Boss!" the two snakes echoed in unison.


    ...


    Xiao Bai chased for a long time but couldn''t catch him. Finally, she stopped, muttering, "Hmph! Damn Xiao Long, stupid snake! Rotten snake! Daring to bully me, I won''t talk to you anymore!"


    Like a sulking little girl, Xiao Bai angrily found a corner to sit in, facing the wall, saying nothing. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Long let out a long breath, relieved she didn''t unleash her full power, or the cave wouldn''t withstand her antics.


    Seeing the two snakes and Huang Mao the monkey trying to hold back laughter, Xiao Long sternly scolded, "What''s so funny? Get back to training!"


    "Yes, Boss!" The group of demons stifled their laughter, responding in unison.


    Xiao Long finally had some peace.


    He thought of the "evolution" mentioned by the system, so he left the cave, finding a quiet, hidden place.


    Before leaving, he glanced at the various rare herbs in the cave and unceremoniously stored them all in the system''s inventory. After all, Xiao Bai had the Immortal Spirit Body with treasure-finding abilities, so there was no reason not to take them.


    This place was a small cave next to the main one, hidden behind a rock crevice, making it even more secluded. He had refined pills here last time.


    "Congratulations on advancing to Demon General. You can evolve once. Would you like to evolve now? (Evolution takes one hour, please ensure it is not interrupted.)"


    Xiao Long found the system prompt and clicked "Yes."

 Chapter 49 – Evolve!

    When Xiao Long clicked the button¡ª


    In an instant, Xiao Long''s body emitted a strange golden glow, enveloping him entirely in golden light. His cells rapidly divided, and scales grew wildly.


    His tiny form finally began to change at this moment.


    First was the length; in just a minute, it grew to a meter long at a speed visible to the naked eye. Then, a finger-sized black horn sprouted from the top of his head, emitting a deep luster in the darkness, as if absorbing all surrounding light.


    "This is..." Xiao Long was astonished. A snake''s body with a horn on its head¡ªwasn''t this a Flood Dragon?


    Ancient texts recorded that a dragon''s juvenile form was a Chi, with claws but no horns, transforming into a Flood Dragon after five hundred years, and into a true dragon after another five hundred years.


    But he hadn''t grown claws, only a horn, still remaining at the snake level, somewhat similar to a one-horned golden python.


    He could feel that the horn stored a large amount of venom, finally evolving from a non-venomous Black Spine Snake into a highly venomous python.


    At this moment, another change occurred within Xiao Long''s body. He suddenly discovered that the demon core inside him was splitting!


    His True Qi involuntarily surged over, enveloping the demon core and pulling it apart. The demon core slowly split into two.


    A single demon beast with two demon cores¡ªXiao Long had never seen such a situation and didn''t know what strange transformation his body was undergoing, whether it was good or bad.


    "Ahhh!!!"


    A heart-wrenching tearing pain emanated from within, as the demon core, the most essential part of a demon beast, was forcibly torn apart. This pain was no less than soul-burning, causing Xiao Long to roll on the ground in agony.


    "I am the Burning Heaven Dragon Emperor, what is this pain? Endure it!" In his past life, Xiao Long had endured pain a hundred times worse than this. After a brief adaptation, he finally calmed down.


    At this moment, in the sky outside, a massive amount of Spiritual Qi gathered from all directions, forming a huge cloud of Spiritual Qi. Usually, when a genius broke through to the Qi Condensing Realm, a cloud of Spiritual Qi would appear in the sky, with the number indicating the strength of the person. When Huang Mao broke through, fifteen clouds appeared, a rarity in the world.


    When Xiao Long broke through, no such phenomenon occurred, but now, during his evolution, a massive cloud of Spiritual Qi appeared in the sky. Although it was only one cloud, its volume was larger than a hundred clouds combined, almost forming a mountain range of Spiritual Qi.


    Fortunately, this place was remote, and no one saw it, otherwise, it would have caused a huge uproar.


    The splitting of the demon core was extremely slow, taking an hour to complete.


    After an hour, the two demon cores quietly stood inside Xiao Long. One of them emitted a large amount of golden airflow, the golden True Qi brought by practicing the Azure Dragon Tome, while the other remained in its most primitive black form.


    At this time, the demon core containing golden True Qi released a small amount of True Qi, which flowed into the newly formed demon core until it was full, roughly equal to one-tenth of the original demon core in terms of quantity.


    "Two demon cores, one normal, the other a split core containing only one-tenth of the True Qi, what is going on?" Xiao Long couldn''t understand.


    [System Prompt: Congratulations to player Xiao Long for completing the first evolution!]


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from ".


    "Ding! Player Xiao Long has acquired the innate skill ''Enhance''"


    "Ding! Player Xiao Long has acquired the innate skill ''Devour''"


    "Ding! Player Xiao Long has obtained the bloodline inheritance ''Three Lives Art''"


    "Ding! Xiao Long has successfully evolved, unlocking the Inner World!"


    "Ding! Xiao Long has successfully evolved, unlocking the Myriad Worlds Mall system!"


    A series of system prompts echoed in his mind, and Xiao Long found that his status page had undergone a dramatic change.


    Name: Xiao Long


    Race: Mutated Black Spine Snake (High-level Demon Beast)


    Level: 15, next level requires 700,000 experience


    Soul: Great Perfection of the Emperor realm (Frozen)


    Cultivation Method: Azure Dragon Tome (Sixth Layer)


    Skills: Beast Taming, Enhance, Devour


    Inheritance: Three Lives Art


    Gold Coins: 8219


    A flood of information poured into Xiao Long''s mind, detailing everything about ''Enhance,'' ''Devour,'' ''Three Lives Art,'' as well as the Inner World and Myriad Worlds Mall.


    Inner World: A space within the demon core, containing a large amount of venom, with a length and width of a hundred meters, expanding as strength increases. When food is absorbed, it can be automatically digested to gain experience.


    ''Enhance'': Can enlarge or shrink the body at will, from a minimum of 0.1 meters to a maximum of 100 meters. Speed and strength remain unchanged, with True Qi consumption increasing proportionally with size, no cooldown.


    ''Devour'': Can absorb any object into the Inner World. The Inner World is relatively fragile, use with caution, no cooldown.


    ''Three Lives Art'': The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, Three gives birth to all things. The first stage can create a clone with one-tenth of the main body''s combat power. The second stage has two-tenths combat power. The third stage...


    ...


    After reading all the information, Xiao Long couldn''t help but gasp. These skills were simply earth-shattering!


    Not to mention anything else, just the ''Enhance'' skill alone could make his combat power soar.


    The same power, whether used to stab or punch, has completely different effects. If Xiao Long transformed into a 0.1-meter-long needle and shot forward, even an Innate Expert could be pierced if caught off guard.


    If he wanted to cause massive destruction, growing to a hundred meters, a single roll could topple a row of houses.


    In Xiao Long''s view, the ''Enhance'' innate skill was even more abnormal than Heaven-level martial arts. It might not have the destructive power of Heaven-level martial arts, but ''Enhance'' had no cooldown and little consumption, which Heaven-level martial arts couldn''t compare to.


    The ''Devour'' skill was more suitable for dealing with weaker opponents, absorbing them into the Inner World and poisoning them to death, leaving no escape.


    The only drawback was that it couldn''t absorb enemies that were too strong.


    The Inner World existed within Xiao Long''s demon core. If the Inner World were breached, the demon core would explode, which would be fatal to Xiao Long.


    However, the most robust part of a demon beast was its demon core. Xiao Long was now a fifth-tier Demon General, and his demon core, having been tempered by the Azure Dragon Tome, was more resilient than that of a seventh-tier Demon General. Even against a human at the eighth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, Xiao Long was confident he could withstand it.


    That said, unless absolutely necessary, Xiao Long wouldn''t easily absorb enemies into the Inner World, as it was his lifeline.


    Xiao Long looked at a rock in front of him, opened his mouth, and swallowed it, using the innate skill ''Devour.''


    The rock appeared in the Inner World and dissolved rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into a puddle of water in less than half a breath.


    Xiao Long then used the ''Enhance'' skill, and his body quickly shrank to only 0.1 meters in length, resembling an earthworm.


    Locking his gaze on the rock wall ahead, Xiao Long flicked his tail, and his body shot out like an arrow, piercing through the rock wall as if it were paper, emerging from the other side.


    "Haha! Interesting!" Xiao Long laughed heartily.


    Xiao Long thought of the other demon core inside him. According to the ''Three Lives Art,'' it was a clone demon core from the first stage of the ''Three Lives Art,'' possessing one-tenth of the main body''s combat power.


    "Legend has it that the creator of the Shenzhou Continent had countless clones. The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, Three gives birth to all things. This is similar to the ''Three Lives Art.'' Could it be that the ''Three Lives Art'' is the legacy of the creator?" Xiao Long pondered.


    Xiao Long stared at the empty space beside him, and with a thought, the other newly formed demon core inside him was forced out, floating beside him.


    "Three Lives Art, condense!"


    With a word, the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth seemed to be drawn by something, all attaching to the demon core. Xiao Long invoked the incantation, spitting out a mouthful of life essence blood, which was also absorbed by the demon core.


    After absorbing the essence blood, a large amount of flesh and bones spontaneously grew on the demon core, rapidly forming first the torso, then the head, limbs... gradually taking on a humanoid outline.


    A few breaths later, a brand new figure appeared there, with short black hair, a medium build, and a handsome and elegant appearance, exactly like Xiao Long''s previous life as the Burning Heaven Dragon Emperor.


    "One consciousness, two bodies, the ''Three Lives Art'' is indeed exquisite." The two "Xiao Longs" spoke in unison.


    S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 50 – Myriad Worlds Mall

    Xiao Long''s snake form was his true body, while his human form was a clone.


    Whether it was the true body or the clone, they shared the same consciousness. According to the characteristics of the Three Lives Art, as long as the true body remained intact, the clone could be reformed even if it was killed, at the cost of consuming one-tenth of the true body''s True Qi and vital essence.


    True Qi wasn''t a big deal, but losing one-tenth of his vital essence was troublesome. Without special pills, it might take a month to replenish.


    However, this wasn''t a problem for Xiao Long. As one of the top alchemists on the continent, he had at least a hundred ways to replenish vital essence. For instance, the Blood Lingzhi that Xiao Bai found could be refined into a fourth-grade Blood Spirit Pill, which not only restored vital essence but also regenerated flesh and bones, even allowing severed limbs to grow back.


    "With this clone, it''s much more convenient to operate in the human world," Xiao Long thought to himself.


    Even though it only had one-tenth of the true body''s combat power, what kind of existence was Xiao Long? With the sixth level of the Azure Dragon Tome and a myriad of martial arts, even one-tenth of his power was not something humans of the same level could contend with.


    In other words, this clone could easily sweep through humans at the fifth level of the Qi Condensing Realm.


    Xiao Long focused on the clone, and with a thought, the human clone vanished from the ground, reappearing in Xiao Long''s Inner World.


    Xiao Long''s Inner World was filled with corrosive poison, but it didn''t affect his own body. The clone could enter and exit freely.


    "This human form will serve as my medium for interacting with the human world," Xiao Long mused.


    At this moment, he remembered the "Myriad Worlds Mall" mentioned in the system prompt and opened the mall interface.


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    The mall was a place to purchase items, with the homepage divided into various sections, including herbs, techniques, spirit crystals, and even Innate Spiritual Treasures.


    Xiao Long clicked into the spirit crystal section, where the crystals varied in size and price. The smallest spirit crystal cost 1,000 gold coins, while the largest was priced at a staggering 10,000 gold coins.


    As for the pill section, the prices were even more outrageous. A random third-grade pill started at 20,000 gold coins, with the highest reaching over 500,000!


    "Damn! Why not just rob me? I only have a little over 8,000 gold coins, can''t even afford a hair," Xiao Long cursed angrily.


    [Kind reminder: When short on gold coins, you can choose to sell items.]


    Xiao Long was taken aback by the system prompt. He could sell items?


    With a mindset to try, he clicked on an Explosive Yuan Pill in his inventory and chose to sell it to the Myriad Worlds Mall.


    "You have sold a third-grade Explosive Yuan Pill, perfect condition, appraised by the system to be worth 32,000 gold coins."


    "You have received 32,000 gold coins, current balance 40,219."


    Xiao Long noticed that at the end of the third-grade pill section, a crimson pill appeared, priced at 64,000 gold coins. It was the Explosive Yuan Pill he had just sold.


    "What the hell! They bought my pill for 30,000 and are selling it for 60,000. Such profiteers!" Xiao Long cursed vehemently.


    After cursing, the Explosive Yuan Pill disappeared, bought by someone unknown.


    Xiao Long suddenly remembered that his inventory still contained many spoils of war, including Gu You''s storage ring.


    Upon opening the storage ring, a large number of spirit stones appeared in his inventory. Xiao Long scanned through them and marveled at the wealth. As expected of a sect leader, the amount exceeded all the spirit stones he had previously acquired combined.


    Five million middle-grade spirit stones, thirty thousand upper-grade spirit stones, and even a hundred rare supreme-grade spirit stones. However, there were few other spirit tools or herbs, as sect leaders rarely carried such miscellaneous items, usually storing them in the sect''s treasure vault for disciples to use.


    However, there was a quasi-Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Soul-Summoning Banner, which unfortunately hadn''t been used before its owner died.


    There were also storage rings from other elders, but the spirit stones inside were used up when triggering the formation, leaving behind various miscellaneous items. Xiao Long retrieved them all and chose to sell them.


    "You have sold the upper-grade spirit tool Fiery Blade, wear level 11%, appraised by the system to be worth 3,201 gold coins."


    "You have received 3,201 gold coins, current balance 43,420."


    "You have sold the middle-grade spirit tool Glazed Inner Armor, no wear, appraised by the system to be worth 500 gold coins!"


    "You have received 500 gold coins, current balance 43,920."


    "You have sold the supreme-grade spirit tool Soul-Chasing Bow, wear level 2%, appraised by the system to be worth 25,089 gold coins."


    "You have received 25,089 gold coins, current balance 69,009."


    "You have sold..."


    ...


    "You have sold the quasi-Innate Spiritual Treasure Five Poisons Soul-Summoning Banner, no wear, appraised by the system to be worth 350,000 gold coins."


    "You have received 350,000 gold coins, current balance 1,101,342."


    [Kind reminder: Your gold coin balance has reached one million, meeting the criteria for upgrading to a one-star member. The system has automatically upgraded you to a one-star member.]


    "Ding dong! You have been upgraded to a one-star member of the Myriad Worlds Mall, enjoying a 5% discount on all items and eligible to purchase higher-grade items!"


    ...


    After selling all his spoils, the system issued two prompts, and Xiao Long discovered that all item prices were now 5% cheaper, and the variety of items had increased.


    Originally, the most expensive item in the spirit stone section was the spirit crystal, with nothing beyond that. Now, there was a Purple Spirit Crystal, though the price was steep, with the cheapest one selling for 500,000 gold coins.


    "Sigh! Can''t afford it anyway," Xiao Long sighed, shaking his head.


    Xiao Long casually browsed the herb section and bought some materials for refining Chongxu Pills and Qi Condensing Pills. The prices of these herbs were also exorbitant, with 110,000 gold coins spent in an instant.


    Xiao Long noticed something: the herbs he purchased disappeared after buying, while the spirit tools he sold were all displayed in the spirit tool section at double the selling price.


    He vaguely understood that this Myriad Worlds Mall was a large comprehensive mall connecting countless dimensions, allowing people from different dimensions to trade with each other, with the mall taking a cut.


    It seemed there were still many unknown things in this world waiting for him to explore. Xiao Long had a premonition that even if he successfully ascended to the Heavenly Realm, it wouldn''t be the end. There were countless secrets behind the scenes yet to be uncovered.


    Xiao Long closed the mall and returned to reality, taking out all the herbs from his inventory.


    "Let''s first refine Chongxu Pills for Da Hei and Er Hei to help them break through to the first rank of Demon General."


    The middle-grade spirit tool alchemy furnace he had originally acquired was sold, and now that Xiao Long had advanced to Demon General, such low-grade spirit tools were of no help in his alchemy.


    Xiao Long took out the herbs and used his True Qi to condense a flame alchemy furnace, then employed the Nine-Dragon Fire Control Method to begin refining pills.


    After advancing to Demon General, Xiao Long''s pill refining speed significantly increased. Coupled with the sixth level of the Azure Dragon Tome providing a continuous supply of True Qi, it only took Xiao Long half a day to successfully produce two Chongxu Pills and five Qi Condensing Pills.


    "Right, now that I have the system, do these pills still work on me?"


    Xiao Long had pondered this question during the auction. He had originally planned to take a Chongxu Pill upon returning to see if he could break through to Demon General with the pill''s power. Unexpectedly, the Fire Cloud Sect had given him a wave of experience, allowing him to directly break through to Demon General. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now was a good time to test the Qi Condensing Pill.


    Xiao Long tossed a Qi Condensing Pill into his mouth. As soon as the pill entered his body, it transformed into pure energy, quickly spreading throughout his limbs and bones.


    [System prompt: You have consumed a third-grade Qi Condensing Pill, gaining experience bonus.]


    "You have gained 298 experience!"


    "You have gained 316 experience!"


    "You have gained 307 experience!"


    ...