A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 131 Blood Sun Phenomenon

Saiwonju, Xuguyuan

Wang Xiaochu pursued relentlessly. Qiu Zirang glanced back, snorted coldly, and decided that since the other party was so eager to die, he would send him on his way.

With his true essence fully replenished, Qiu Zirang's movement technique improved even further. A flash of blood-red light appeared, and he headed towards the depths of the Corpse Plain. Wang Xiaochu, who was following behind, remained expressionless. No matter what the other party was planning, he would accompany him to the end.

"The Yin Fire of the Ghost Lamp must be retrieved, as well as this man's Black Shuttle," Wang Xiaochu quickened his pace, and two beams of light, one red and one green, disappeared one after the other into the Corpse Plain.

He Fang, who was also collecting soldier souls in the Corpse Plains, suddenly had a thought and took out a sound transmission crystal. Qiu Zirang's voice came from inside.

"There are ghost cultivators within the Corpse Plains; come to our aid immediately!"

He Fang's face turned very ugly upon hearing this, and Zhou Chen and the others were also indignant. However, the Supreme Path has rules that anyone who asks for help from a fellow disciple must not be refused in any way.

"Let's hurry over there. This matter is ultimately an external issue. As for our grudge with Qiu Zirang, we'll talk about it later," He Fang decided immediately, leading the three of them toward the Corpse Plain.

He Fang began cultivating the Dao earlier and knew some secrets. The Ghost Cultivator lineage actually separated from the Supreme Dao. It was expelled because this lineage was cruel and often harmed its disciples, turning them into corpse puppets. Later, it even rose to the position of Dao Lord.

Since being expelled, this lineage has remained relatively quiet, and the Supreme Dao has let it be. However, in recent decades, they have suddenly become adversaries of the Supreme Dao, constantly vying for the souls of soldiers and other Yin spirits. Therefore, the chief of the Dao, Ning Dao, has ordered that any disciple of the Supreme Dao who encounters a lineage of ghost cultivators should kill them if possible, and report the incident if they cannot kill them.

"Senior brother, did Qiu Zirang really encounter a ghost cultivator? Or is this just an excuse?" Zhou Chen asked He Fang.

"Yes, Junior Brother is right. But no matter what, since he mentioned ghost cultivators, if we don't go, we'll get a scolding once he reports it. If Qiu Zirang is just trying to lure us, we'll fight to the death. If things are exposed, he'll have nowhere to stand."

Zhou Chen nodded upon hearing this. Since his senior brother knew what was going on, he didn't need to worry too much, but he still needed to be on guard.

Although the four moved quickly, it took them several hours to reach the Corpse Bone Plain.

He Fang took out the crystal, and with a burst of true energy, a bloodline pointed towards the depths of the Corpse Plains. Seeing this, He Fang gave an order to Zhou Chen, who understood. After instructing his two junior brothers to be careful, Zhou Chen opened the blood light shield, and the four of them flew into the Corpse Plains.

At this moment, deep within the Forest of Ten Thousand Corpses in the Corpse Plains, Qiu Zirang is engaged in a magical duel with Wang Xiaochu.

The Forest of Ten Thousand Corpses was filled with a chilling aura, filled with mournful cries and ghostly figures. Skulls burning with emerald flames floated in the air, surrounding Qiu Zirang. Streaks of emerald light constantly crashed into the blood-red light shield. Under such heavy blows, the shield finally succumbed and dissipated into specks of light.

Despite the broken light barrier, Qiu Zirang remained calm. He formed hand seals, and a dense cloud of blood appeared above his head. The rolling blood energy spread in all directions, quickly engulfing the Azure Fire Skeletons.

"Using blood energy to break through the Azure Fire Skull does have some skill, but my supernatural power is not so easily countered," Wang Xiaochu sneered inwardly as he watched Qiu Zirang's actions.

This Azure Flame Skull was forged from Yin energy. Now that the Yin energy here is abundant, it is perfect for using magic. No matter how powerful Qiu Zirang is, he will have no chance of escaping this calamity.

As the incantation was recited, specks of emerald light suddenly emerged amidst the churning blood clouds. After only three or five breaths, four emerald fire skulls lined up, radiating emerald light, each occupying half the sky alongside the blood cloud.

Imperial Edict

Wang Xiaochu shouted, and the pale green light of the Azure Fire Skull pressed down on the blood cloud like a tidal wave. Qiu Zirang's face turned pale, and he hurriedly raised his energy to support the blood cloud. However, as time passed, the green light gained the upper hand and firmly enveloped the blood cloud.

"Truly tenacious."

Looking at the condensed blood cloud, Wang Xiaochu reached out and summoned the Ghostly Lamp. The lamp flickered, attracting the corpse energy within a hundred miles, which all flowed into it. Wang Xiaochu pointed a finger, and the unrefined corpse energy was instead integrated into the Azure Fire Skull.

With this help, the Azure Fire Skull shone brightly, and the blood cloud was continuously eroded. In just a few breaths, only a last bit of spiritual light remained.

When the blood cloud was broken, Qiu Zirang was severely injured. His face turned pale and he staggered backward, but he still gritted his teeth and persevered.

"Let's see how long you can hold out."

Under Wang Xiaochu's command, the Azure Fire Skull formed a ghostly face, swallowing the last vestiges of blood light, and a satisfied smile appeared on its face.

With his supernatural powers broken, Qiu Zirang immediately fell to the ground. Just as the Azure Fire Skull was about to devour Qiu Zirang, a dark light suddenly struck the ghost face. After a shocking explosion, an Azure Fire Skull shattered on the spot, and the scattered Yin Fire ignited the surrounding corpse forest, bursting into a gloomy azure fire with a boom.

"who"

Wang Xiaochu roared angrily, looking in the direction from which the black light had come. After rescuing Qiu Zirang, the black shuttle turned around and returned to He Fang's hands.

Seeing He Fang appear, Qiu Zirang felt reassured, struggled to his feet, and stepped aside.

Seeing this, He Fang didn't say much. He had been watching the battle for a short while and could tell that the other party was a master of supernatural powers and was indeed a ghost cultivator. So he didn't need to be polite. Without saying a word, his hand flashed with lightning as he rushed towards Wang Xiaochu.

Since He Fang appeared, Wang Xiaochu had been on guard. Although the newcomer's aura was not as strong as Qiu Zirang's, he had also expended a lot of his true energy. If he really had to fight him, the outcome would be fifty-fifty. Seeing the flying shuttle coming, Wang Xiaochu pointed his finger, and three green fire skulls formed a circle, surrounded by yin fire, and they wailed as they met the flying shuttle.

The two treasures collided, instantly creating a powerful shockwave that caused the surrounding eerie flames to roar and spread, engulfing the entire area in flames.

"Junior Brother He, be careful of that ghost lamp in his hand," Qiu Zirang warned from the side.

He Fang nodded upon hearing this, and reached out to recall the shuttle. The dark light on it dimmed slightly, but when he infused it with true energy, the shuttle shone brightly again. He released his grip, and the shuttle soared into the sky and swooped down, its target the ghost lamp.

"Don't even think about it," Wang Xiaochu changed his hand gesture, and the Azure Fire Skulls merged into a line, transforming into a large, azure-winged python that coiled upwards. With a flick of its tongue, a ghastly green light shot towards the flying shuttle.

Seeing this, He Fang formed a hand seal, and after half a breath, he gave a soft shout. The flying shuttles attacking the emerald python trembled slightly and instantly multiplied into two, then four, then eight, and soon became sixty-four flying shuttles, attacking the python from different directions.

With each impact, the emerald light on the python's body dimmed a little. No matter how the python soared through the clouds and spewed mist, it could not escape. Like a dragon trapped in shallow water, after only a few breaths, the emerald python let out a mournful cry and turned into three skulls. Then, with a few cracking sounds, it scattered into a sky full of dark fire, attacking in all directions.

"Light splitting and separation"

Wang Xiaochu exclaimed in surprise, disregarding the force of the treasure's backlash, he forcefully suppressed his surging inner energy, and with a flick of his hand, sent a gentle breeze to sweep away the flying Yin Fire. Then, with a hand seal, he retrieved the Ghost Lamp.

Knowing he had no chance of winning, Wang Xiaochu glared hatefully at He Fang and Qiu Zirang, then turned to leave. But just then, he suddenly saw a pillar of light rise from the southeast, west, and north. Startled, Wang Xiaochu hurriedly fled to the north.

With a loud "bang," Wang Xiaochu was shocked to find that a pillar of light had also risen on He Fang's side, radiating a chilling aura. The rampant Yin Fire was suddenly suppressed and eventually disappeared.

"Senior Brother Qiu, aren't you going to make a move?" He Fang looked at Qiu Zirang and said calmly.

"Haha, Junior Brother He, don't be anxious, I will make my move now." After saying that, Wang Xiaochu saw Qiu Zirang, who was originally seriously injured, suddenly leap into the air and hover in the center of the four pillars. He reached out and pressed down, and a golden cloud of light pressed down on Wang Xiaochu like a mountain.

"Not good!" Wang Xiaochu's expression changed drastically. Without thinking, he took out the Ghost Lamp again, and bursts of ghostly flames shot upwards, trying to open a passage.

This is clearly the Five Elements Refining Spirit Array set up by a supreme cultivator. If one cannot escape, the fate will be complete annihilation of both body and soul. And if I die, the Ghost Cultivator lineage will never have another chance to rise again.
The remaining true energy in his body flowed continuously into the Ghost Lamp, and instantly the Five Elements Refining God Array was dazzling with green light, and the eerie yin fire continuously scorched the array mechanism.

Seeing the Azure Flame unleashed its power, He Fang pointed downwards, and the Frost Ice Pillar flashed with light, a white light scattering towards the Azure Flame. Although it was quickly vaporized and disappeared, with the help of all four directions, the white light steadily supported the Azure Flame for a moment.

Upon seeing this, Qiu Zirang, who held the Earthly position, had a glint in his eyes. He quickly summoned a black banner, and with a flick of the banner, streaks of black storm swept towards the Ghostly Lamp in mid-air.

Originally, the fire was fueled by the wind, but the ghostly flames emitted by the Ghost Lamp were blown smaller and smaller by the wind. In no time, an open space was revealed in the middle of the formation, showing the figure of Wang Xiaochu.

Seeing Qiu Zirang's Black Mist Banner break through the Ghostly Netherworld Fire, He Fang transmitted a message, and the other three parties exerted their strength simultaneously. Qiu Zirang chuckled, a flash of blood light appeared on his hand, and the earth-colored light cloud slowly pressed down.

"Damn it!" Wang Xiaochu was furious. He bit his fingertip, flicked his wrist, and a drop of blood landed on the Ghost Nether Lamp. Wang Xiaochu roared, and the Ghost Nether Lamp suddenly exploded. The ghostly evil energy and earthly turbid fire contained inside burst out at the same time. The Five Elements Refining God Array twisted and the blue and white energy pillars on the east and west sides suddenly collapsed, and the two streaks of light fell to the ground at the same time.

"This person is quite decisive, self-destructing a magical artifact," He Fang thought. As the Ghost Lamp self-destructed, He Fang hurriedly used his flying shuttle to set up a defensive barrier. The shockwave was quite unpleasant for him. Seeing his formation broken, He Fang knew his opponent must be severely injured. Before the murky fog dissipated, he took out several spirit-detecting talismans and scattered them. At the same time, Qiu Zirang also scattered talismans, trying to capture the person immediately.

With his strength greatly diminished, Wang Xiaochu immediately headed east as his formation was broken. To prevent the enemy from pursuing him, he even reluctantly took out a scapegoat doll and threw it to the west.

"This time we've suffered a huge loss," Wang Wangxiaochu lamented. He had originally planned to capture living people to refine their souls, but now he had lost both his wife and his army.

With nimble movements, he quickly arrived at the eastern edge. Seeing a dead body lying on the ground, Wang Xiaochu disregarded the person and immediately fled for his life.

Just as he was about to escape, a streak of blood-red light suddenly descended from the sky and landed right in front of him. Wang Xiaochu looked at the fiery blade with a very ugly expression. He turned around and saw Qiu Zirang walking slowly towards him.

"Surrender and I'll preserve your sanity; otherwise, I'll make sure your soul is scattered and destroyed."

"Delusion!" Wang Xiaochu roared, putting all his strength into a palm strike towards Qiu Zirang. The latter did not move, and the palm strike vanished the instant it touched him. Wang Xiaochu flipped his hand, revealing a giant axe in his grasp. His eyes flashed, and he swung the axe, sending several streaks of green light flying like arrows.

Qiu Zirang moved in an instant, suddenly appearing in front of Wang Xiaochu. He placed a palm on Wang Xiaochu's chest. As the giant axe counterattacked, the Fiery Blade flew over, knocking the giant axe away. Wang Xiaochu was sent flying several feet away by the force of the palm strike, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and his face turned deathly pale.

Just as he was preparing to perish, he suddenly felt the true energy in his dantian dissipate. Upon inspection, he discovered a blood-red mark imprinted on the outside of his dantian, and streaks of blood began to spread to various parts of his body.

"Once you're hit by my Soul-Binding Seal, you'll obediently become my Dao Soldier," Qiu Zirang chuckled. Under Wang Xiaochu's terrified gaze, he chanted the incantation. Wang Xiaochu's soul felt as if it were being torn apart, causing him unbearable pain and endless screams.

Seeing Wang Xiaochu's appearance, Qiu Zirang felt very pleased. If it weren't for He Fang and the others' assistance, he might not have been able to capture him so easily. With such a superior vessel, plus that weapon spirit, the supreme weapon he wanted to forge could be put on the agenda.

Just as Qiu Zirang was about to complete the final step and imprint the blood brand into Wang Xiaochu's soul, three streaks of light flashed across the sky, one of which emitted a dark light, its target being Wang Xiaochu.

How could Qiu Zirang let them ruin things? A flash of blood-red light appeared around him, and his fiery blade met the Yinming Black Shuttle head-on.

The two soldiers clashed, sparks flying, and then they fell back. Just then, two more streaks of light rushed down, one attacking Wang Xiaochu and the other heading towards Qiu Zirang.

"Heh, that's quite a plan," Qiu Zirang said, a flash of red light appeared on his body, and a golden blood talisman transformed into two talisman swords to meet the incoming hidden weapon.

He quickly formed hand seals, swiftly erasing Wang Xiaochu's consciousness and imprinting the mark on his soul. A flash of blood-red light appeared, and Wang Xiaochu's empty eyes suddenly lit up with blood-red light, followed by an astonishing aura that erupted.

"Meet the Master"

Hearing Wang Xiaochu's emotionless words, Qiu Zirang was overjoyed. Such power without even fusing with the weapon spirit truly made it a superior vessel.

Looking up at the battle in the air, the two streaks of light, seeing that the battle was hopeless, turned back, and the Blood Talisman Sword merged into one, which Qiu Zirang retrieved.

"Many thanks to my fellow disciples for helping me obtain this person. I thank you in advance. We'll meet again someday," Qiu Zirang said, then grabbed Wang Xiaochu and quickly left.

"Senior brother, if we don't chase after them now, we won't be able to catch up," Zhou Chen said urgently.

This time, not only did they not gain any benefit, but they also dragged Junior Brother Zheng into the mess, allowing Qiu Zirang to reap all the benefits for nothing.

"Don't rush. Qiu Zirang only obtained this person's body to refine a Dao weapon. I've already taken some steps to prepare. If he doesn't refine it, there's nothing to worry about. But if he integrates the weapon's spirit, Qiu Zirang will end up losing all his power."

Zhou Chen was stunned for a moment, then seemed to realize something, exchanged a glance with his junior brother Guo, and exclaimed in surprise, "Senior brother, could it be that you placed the 'Spirit Dispersing Silk' on Wang Xiaochu?"

He Fang nodded upon hearing this and gave the two of them an approving look.

"Spirit Dispersing Silk" is an auxiliary spiritual medicine of the Supreme Dao, used to disperse excess Yin and Yang energies in the body. However, its usage and dosage are strictly controlled, and any excess or deficiency will cause irreparable damage. If Qiu Zirang were to touch this substance during the soul fusion process, his soul would be damaged, and he would be unable to use his true energy for decades.

"Senior brother, you are very insightful and far-sighted. I admire you. When Qiu Zirang loses his power, the position of the future chief disciple will be between you and Wei Feng," Zhou Chen immediately flattered.

If my senior becomes the top student, I will definitely benefit from it in the future.

"First cremate Junior Brother Zheng's body. After we've finished our business, we'll return to the Supreme Path and place his remains in the Shrine of Heroes."

"Yes," Zhou Chen and his junior brother Guo replied. After collecting the corpse, the three cleaned up the traces of the battle and then left the Corpse Plain.

Shangyuanzhou

Several months have passed, and among the children taught by Gu Xu, the most outstanding are still Chu Qing and the other two. Chu Qing has already begun to open up the twelve meridians, while Song Wen and Ming Shi have reached the final stage of Qi cultivation.

"Thank you, Taoist priest."

Song Wen and Ming Shi stood up, feeling light and airy. Overjoyed, they immediately bowed deeply to Gu Xu.

"Although you have entered the realm of opening the meridians, you must continue to cultivate diligently without ceasing, otherwise it will be like rowing against the current, do you understand?"

"Disciple understands"

Although Gu Xu had said he would not accept disciples, and Chu Qing and the others usually addressed him as Daoist Master, they truly regarded him as their master in their hearts.

"Cultivate diligently. The spiritual energy within this Verdant Valley is sufficient for your training. If you achieve success, remember to benefit the community. If I find anyone abusing their cultivation for evil purposes, I will kill them on the spot."

Hearing Gu Xu's chilling words, Chu Qing and the other two hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, repeatedly saying that they dared not.

Seeing this, Gu Xu nodded in satisfaction, flicked his sleeve, lifted the three of them up, and then three streams of light landed in front of them.

"These three magical artifacts are my protective treasures, a gift to you. Please accept them."

Upon hearing this, Chu Qing and the other two bowed again, then looked at the magical artifacts that had lost their light. They saw a black longsword, a lightning pearl, and a bronze mirror made of strange beasts.

"You cannot fully unleash its power yet. Only after you open your eight extraordinary meridians and refine it with true qi will this treasure truly belong to you. Work hard!"

The delay was rather long. Gu Xu pointed his finger, and three runes fell into their brows. Then, Gu Xu's figure flashed, and he left Shangyuanzhou, heading straight for Xiyuanzhou.

Just as Gu Xu was heading towards Xiyuan, a red light flashed repeatedly in a valley within Xiyuan Prefecture, followed by a cloud of blood mist rising up. Although it was clearly noon, the mist remained condensed and refused to dissipate.

As time passed, the blood mist grew thicker and thicker, eventually forming a blood curtain that completely obscured the power of the Heavenly Sun, plunging the entire Western Plains into darkness.

"Senior brother, look!" Zhou Chen said in a trembling voice, pointing to the sky in fear.

He Fang looked up and saw that the golden sun was covered with a layer of blood color. What was originally a majestic and righteous thing had become a sinister and evil object.

"Blood Yang," He Fang exclaimed in disbelief.

The people of the state were terrified, saying that the end of the world had come, and the war that had been ignited stopped because of the blood-red sun phenomenon.

As Gu Xufei sped away, he saw that the sky above Xiyuan Prefecture was completely shrouded in blood mist. His heart sank, and he quickly arrived above Xiyuan Prefecture.

Looking at the blood-red sun above and the blood-red mist below, Gu Xu immediately summoned the Soul-Cleansing and Mind-Clearing Mirror. The mirror shone brightly, reflecting the sun in the sky. The clear light spread like water, instantly breaking through the blood-red sky. However, the blood-red mist below continued to rise, and even if Gu Xu exhausted his true essence, he was powerless to stop it.

"The great calamity is a sign, starting from Xiyuanzhou"

(End of this chapter)