A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 134 Focus on Tianhua
Yunmengze

After Gu Xu set up the trapping formation, he had a thought and held back his Azure Thunder Sword. If "Seven Stars Spreading Splendor" were to die, it would be a great loss.

Underwater, the toad continued to gnaw on the blood python's flesh and blood. As time passed, half of the python's body had turned into bones, and the seven stars on the toad's back became increasingly dazzling, illuminating the riverbed with a colorful glow.

Another half hour passed, and the toad finally finished eating and drinking. It looked around and with a whoosh, it fled like lightning, but crashed headfirst into an ice wall. Its body was thrown backward, and before it could react, golden threads began to wrap around it.

Sensing danger, the toad puffed up its back, opened its mouth, and spat out a beam of white light that struck the ice wall, instantly tearing a large hole in it. Although the ice wall was rapidly closing, the toad was clearly a step ahead.

"Bone-corroding jade liquid"

Gu Xu immediately recognized the supernatural power used by the toad. This technique was its perfect weapon for destroying things with strong physical bodies. Anyone hit by this technique would have their flesh and blood essence turned into a puddle of meat paste within an hour, which the toad could then devour.

With a flick of their fingers, a blast of icy cold air shot swiftly toward the toad. The toad, which had been moving forward, suddenly stopped and opened its mouth to spit out the liquid of decaying bones and condensed jade. But the icy light was no ordinary supernatural power. When the two techniques collided, the cold light first broke through the supernatural power and then froze the seven-star patterned toad, instantly sealing it in place.

"This little thing is rather cunning."

Looking at the motionless toad in the ice, Gu Xu chuckled. According to the records on the bamboo slip, this toad would not be powerless to fight back so quickly. It was not moving at this moment in order to make him lower his guard and escape at the critical moment.

Thinking of this, Gu Xu didn't want to waste time with it. If he didn't subdue it, this thing wouldn't submit. So he reached out and grabbed it, and a powerful suction force pulled the ice block to the surface of the water.

The ice block had barely reached the water's surface when, with a few cracking sounds, the toad broke free of the ice. However, its breath suddenly weakened, and it cried out a few times towards Gu Xu before leaping and diving into the water.

At this moment, a flash of lightning appeared, and the Azure Thunder Sword circled and swirled, turning the entire area of ​​water into a thunder pool. The toad, which had just escaped its confinement, immediately fell into the thunder array. Its vital energy was greatly depleted, and its body was instantly cleaved open by the lightning, causing it to cry out incessantly.

These strange beasts had an instinctive fear of heavenly lightning. Even at their peak, they had to be cautious. Now, they had no power to resist. A look of sorrow appeared in the toad's eyes. Just then, it heard Gu Xu's words in its mind.

"I know you are a spiritual being. If you submit to me, I will surely grant you enlightenment when I attain Buddhahood."

Upon hearing this, the toad immediately let out a few mournful cries towards Gu Xu, indicating its willingness to submit. Gu Xu then slightly reduced the lightning, and upon seeing this, the toad opened its mouth and spat out a stream of blood, which Gu Xu then grabbed.

The toad, having cast the Blood Oath spell, was completely dull and lifeless. Gu Xu reached out and retrieved the Azure Thunder Sword. With a flick of his sleeve, the toad was lifted by a gentle breeze and landed in front of Gu Xu.

"Following me, you'll never suffer any losses. Get some rest."

Gu Xu took out a jade bottle, poured out a pill, and spread it in his palm. The toad smelled the fragrance, perked up, croaked a few times, curled its tongue, and swallowed the pill. After three or five breaths, the toad regained its luster.

Knowing it had received a great fortune, Seven-Starred Splendor immediately nuzzled Gu Xu's shoulder in a fawning manner, wanting to eat another one.

"This one is enough for you to process for several days, don't be greedy for more."

After Gu Xu calmed the toad down, it looked at the blood python corpse at the bottom of the water, reached out and grabbed it, then used a Void Talisman to suck the blood python corpse into it.

"This miasma is getting stronger and stronger. If it comes into contact with the blood mist, who knows what the outcome will be?"

The Yunmeng Marsh is vast and boundless, and many strange beasts live here. If an isolation array is rashly set up, it will harm all the creatures in this land.

"Everything is up to fate."

With a flash of light, Gu Xu left Yunmeng Marsh and flew straight north. After being away for half a year, it was time to return to Lianyun Prefecture. He had done all he could; he would leave the rest to fate.

Tianhuazhou border

More and more people flocked to the area. Fortunately, the Taoist priests joined forces with the garrison to receive the people in batches; otherwise, it would have definitely caused unrest.

In the Biancheng Inn, Wei Feng was talking to He Fang. When they discussed the matter of Blood Yang, both He Fang and Zhou Chen looked somewhat uneasy.

"Junior Brother He, do you two know the reason behind this?"

Wei Feng looked at the two of them, a thought flashing through his mind, and asked in a doubtful voice.

Upon hearing this, He Fang pondered for a moment, then nodded and looked at Wei Feng, saying, "This matter is inextricably linked to Qiu Zirang."

"Qiu Zirang? Come to think of it, why didn't we see him when the disciples evacuated this time?"

Given Qiu Zirang's personality, it would be strange if he didn't make a big move before evacuating.

“Senior Brother Wei, Qiu Zirang has cultivated the Blood Shadow Divine Art, don’t you understand?” He Fang said, word by word.

Upon hearing this, Wei Feng frowned slightly, then, as if realizing something, he jumped up in surprise and exclaimed sharply, "Could it be that he was the one who caused this Blood Sun phenomenon?"

No wonder Guo and Zheng, who were by He Fang's side, did not appear; they must have died at Qiu Zirang's hands.

Meng Yu and Wang Xiao were also shocked. They knew Qiu Zirang was a madman, but they never expected him to be this mad.

Have you informed your superior about this matter?

After a while, Wei Feng calmed down and asked He Fang.

"As soon as this happened, I prepared to notify the chief, but due to the blood mist, the communication talisman was ineffective, and I only managed to get in touch with him a month ago."

Where is Qiu Ziren?

"Unknown whereabouts"

Upon hearing this, Wei Feng's heart sank. However, he quickly realized that since the officials had not issued any decrees, it meant that Qiu Zirang was not a significant threat at the moment, and he didn't need to worry too much. If the sky were to fall, the taller people would hold it up.

"Junior Brother He, my responsibilities as your elder brother are fulfilled. I am about to travel to Tianhua Prefecture. I wonder if you have any plans for this trip?"

Tianhua Prefecture is currently the safest place, and there are some false gods there, which is perfect for him to accumulate merit. Within ten years, he must cultivate to the Innate Realm so that he can have some self-protection in the future changes.

"I must return to the Supreme Path."

"Well, if that's the case, then I wish my two junior brothers a safe journey."

After exchanging a few more words, Wei Feng left with Meng Yu and Wang Xiao.

On the way, Meng Yu asked, "Senior brother, shouldn't we hand over the soldier's spirit first?"

“There’s no rush, Junior Brother. Your Nine Souls Jade Fan is still missing two beast souls. There are also some pseudo-gods created by the demon race in Tianhua Prefecture, which can be used to complete it. Junior Brother Wang’s Blazing Cauldron also needs the nourishment of pure spiritual energy. After ten years, we will no longer be able to leave the mountain at will. This time, we must complete everything that needs to be done.”

Wei Feng explained his plan: it wasn't enough for him to improve alone; the two people following him also needed to enhance their strength so that they could gain a firm foothold within the sect.

“We’ll listen to our senior brother,” Meng Yu and Wang Xiao said in unison, exchanging a glance.

Wei Feng nodded upon hearing this and said, "Alright, let's set off for Tianhua Prefecture immediately."

Tianhua Prefecture, Shenglong Town, Yujian Manor
Inside the living room, Meng Fan was discussing the current situation with Yin Zhong.

"In the past month, many people from other states have appeared in the border cities of Tianhua Prefecture, especially from Xiyuan Prefecture. It seems that the blood mist has become quite serious."

"I've also received news that blood mist has appeared not only in Xiyuan Prefecture, but also in Nanling Prefecture. Judging from the situation, that place will become the next to fall sooner or later."

Speaking of this, Yin Zhong was also heavy-hearted. Tianhua Prefecture was safe and sound at the moment, but who could say what would happen next? Moreover, there was the Soul-Severing Forest outside Shenglong Town, which was taking up a lot of their energy.

"Brother Meng, the safety of Shenglong Town must be ensured. We cannot allow outsiders to enter at will. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. For now, we can only look after ourselves."

Meng Fan said, "I understand even without you saying it, Brother Yin. A moment of compassion could very well bring unnecessary trouble. It's better to cut off their hopes from the beginning. The government will cooperate fully. Please keep the safety of Shenglong Town in mind, Brother Yin."

“Of course,” Yin Zhong replied immediately. Although Shenglong Town had suffered many disasters in recent years, it was, after all, his foundation, and he had devoted a great deal of effort to it; he absolutely could not abandon it just like that. After discussing some more matters, Meng Fan took his leave. A moment later, the steward came in and said to Yin Zhong, “Master, the construction of the underground city is almost complete. Please come and take a look.”

"Oh, so fast!"

This underground city was a backup plan left by Yin Zhong in case of unforeseen circumstances. He used various rare materials, and each stone was engraved with runes and incantations. When pieced together, they formed a super-strong defensive magic array, which was several times more powerful than the defensive magic array of the Imperial Sword Manor.

Moreover, it is full of traps and mechanisms. Without a map, one wrong step could mean certain death.

"Let's go and have a look"

Yin Zhong led the steward to a rockery. After activating a mechanism, a cave was revealed behind the rockery. Inside, however, it was not dark, because the surrounding stone walls were inlaid with crystals that were emitting a soft glow.

"Master, as you instructed, the most important mercury pool is in the central hall," the steward said, leading the way. After rounding several intersections, a large pool filled with mercury came into view.

The Silver Pool is circular, surrounded by eight crystal platforms. On these platforms, large crystals gleam brilliantly. The cool water is as bright as day, and touching it brings a sense of refreshment and makes one forget fatigue.

"Well done, it exceeded my expectations. The person who built this pool should be richly rewarded."

"Yes," the butler said, relieved to see Yin Zhong's satisfied expression.

After inspecting the most important area, Yin Zhong checked several other warehouses and pointed out some shortcomings. The steward quickly noted them down and immediately sent someone to make changes.

"Fill these warehouses as soon as possible, just in case. Nobody knows what the future holds."

"My subordinates understand"

After inspecting several important locations, Yin Zhong left the underground city with his steward, leaving the steward to attend to his own business, while he went to the backyard.

Lianyungang Prefecture, Qingcuo Peak, Zhenwu Hall

"Elder Gu, the Blood Mist calamity in Xiyuan Prefecture has spread. Although Lianyun Prefecture is far from that place, we cannot let our guard down. If necessary, all disciples of our sect must go there to eliminate the calamity."

"Your subordinate understands, Your Excellency can rest assured. Those disciples have all reached the Qi Refining stage, and many have even opened their meridians. In ten years, quite a few will be able to pass the Foundation Establishment stage. Together with the original elders, we are more than capable of handling any changes that may arise later."

"Very good, Elder Gu, you have worked hard these past few days. This Pure Spirit Essence Pill is bestowed upon you. I hope you will do your job well in the future."

With a flash of light, a pill landed beside Elder Gu, emitting a delicate fragrance that soothed the body. Elder Gu immediately bowed and accepted the pill with both hands.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Excellency. I will do my utmost to serve you."

Elder Gu was filled with excitement. Before, when he followed the Crimson Blood Demon Lord, he had never felt so comfortable. He had no power and no possessions. Since becoming a disciple of Gu Xu, he had been in charge of everything except obeying Gu Xu's orders. He was second only to the king.

Moreover, this Yuan Dan is perfectly round and has a bright, lustrous appearance, clearly indicating that it is of superior quality. It will greatly help my cultivation. Compared to the pills I have taken before, it is like comparing heaven and earth.

With a wave of his sleeve, Elder Gu bowed again, then left the main hall and walked down the mountain with high spirits.

After Elder Gu left, Gu Xu released the Soul Purification and Mind Cleansing Mirror. The mirror flashed, and a blood-red light appeared inside. This was the essence of the Crimson Blood Demon Lord after his mind was erased.

Gu Xu's eyes narrowed, and he pointed a finger. A crimson light struck the blood-red light, causing it to scatter. The clear light of the treasure mirror swept over it and swallowed it all. After a few breaths, the treasure mirror hummed continuously, and then a burst of clear light spewed out from the treasure mirror, spreading throughout the hall. In an instant, everything in the hall was covered in a green color.

Seeing this, Gu Xu pointed his fingers and chanted an incantation, then shouted, "If we don't act now, when will we?"

Then, the clear light swirled back like water, and a point of light within the treasure mirror darted back and forth. Suddenly, it paused and transformed into the figure of a child. As time passed, the features gradually became clearer.

The boy was no more than three feet tall, with delicate features and wearing a black and white Taoist robe. His eyes were bright and intelligent. When he saw Gu Xu's gaze, he immediately floated over with the treasure mirror.

"Greetings, sir."

The childlike voice warmed Gu Xu's heart. Looking at Bao Ling, he said, "Now that you've taken human form, you should have a name. Your true form is the Pure Soul and Cleansing Heart Mirror, so how about we call you Ling Qing?"

When Lingqing heard Gu Xu bestow a name upon her, her little face lit up with joy, and she immediately responded.

Having a name from its owner means that it has left its mark on the world, and it also means that it will continue to grow over time.

After retrieving the treasure mirror, Gu Xu went to the underground cave, lit the furnace again, threw in the corpse of the blood python, and added a lot of other materials, preparing to refine some pills in case of future changes.

The emerald flames rose from the furnace, burning away all the impurities. The Seven-Star Toad, which had been resting in the Void Talisman, smelled the aroma and immediately became restless. Gu Xu then released it, instructing it not to cause trouble, or there would be no more pills to eat.

The Seven-Star Toad stared intently at the furnace with its frog eyes, its belly bulging as it absorbed some of the waste pill energy emanating from the furnace. Gu Xu did not stop it, as these pill toxins were not a big deal to it.

As the temperature inside the furnace continued to rise, the ingredients fused together, and under the control of Gu Xu's true essence, yin and yang complemented each other, quickly forming a large mass of liquid pills. Outside the furnace, the rising vapors transformed into a lingzhi mushroom, enveloping the furnace.

Several hours later, Gu Xu's eyes flashed, and with a flick of his sleeve, the alchemical energy outside the furnace surged like a raging river, being drawn into the furnace and into the condensed pill. With this help, the pill immediately repaired its pitted surface, and after a few breaths, it became smooth, white, and flawless.

This step is a superior technique in alchemy and a crucial step in improving the quality of elixirs. The Tong family bamboo slips refer to it as "internal and external harmony." Without a certain level of cultivation and understanding of alchemy, this step is extremely difficult.

Several more hours passed, and the internal and external energies within the pill were perfectly integrated. The final step was to transform the pill into a whole. Gu Xu sensed that the time had come, and with a flick of his finger into the furnace, the pill was instantly divided into thousands of pills the size of soybeans.

After gently warming the pills over a low flame for a while, Gu Xu extinguished the furnace fire, opened the furnace, and with a swift motion, transferred over a thousand pills into a jade bottle and gourd that had been prepared beforehand.

Pingshan Prefecture, Kuoyun Mountain

The phantom of Lord Qingshan floated in the air, with Hu Xuan, Zhu Gang, Ying Yin, and Lang Rong, the four generals, below him.

"Such a change has occurred in less than ten years, which is completely unexpected. However, the plan cannot be abandoned just like that. Zhu Gang, how is the situation in Nanling Prefecture?"

"Your Majesty, less than 40% of the 100,000 false gods in Nanling Prefecture remain, and their numbers are still decreasing. It seems that the corrosive power of the blood mist is subtly restraining these gods."

A few days ago, the ancestral tablets in Zhu Gang's hands kept breaking apart, and now only powerful deities like the Five Poison God remain.

"Well, it's not too bad. Since we can't go to Nanling Prefecture, we have to start somewhere else. Hu Xuan, where do you think we should begin?"

Upon hearing this, Hu Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "Of the remaining states, only Tianhua State has not yet suffered from the disaster, and with various forces mixed together, it is the perfect place for us to set up our operations."

Upon hearing this, Lang Rong replied, "Tianhua Prefecture is secretly controlled by the Supreme Dao. Can we possibly intervene? If we were to clash with the Supreme Dao again, the only one who would benefit would be the one in Lianyun Prefecture."

After Lang Rong finished speaking, Zhu Gang and Ying Yin nodded secretly. Lang Rong's words made some sense, but the final decision still depended on Qingshan Jun.

Hu Xuan clasped his hands and said, "It was precisely because of my lack of foresight that we lost the initiative. Now is the time to make amends. I chose Tianhua Prefecture for two reasons: first, because it is a place where the essence of the Nine Provinces gathers, rich in resources and populous; and second, because it will provide a way out when the great calamity comes in the future..."

Qingshan-jun nodded in satisfaction. He knew that Huxuan hadn't finished speaking. In everything you do, you should leave some room for maneuver. If you make a mistake, you'll still have a chance to make a comeback in the future.

Whether he can survive this great calamity is still unknown, and he cannot put all his eggs in one basket with Pingshan Prefecture.

"The four of you should all head to Tianhua Prefecture. I reckon the Supreme Dao won't have time to bother us. Do as much as you can. Go."

After he finished speaking, the illusory figure of Lord Qingshan disappeared, and Hu Xuan and the others bowed in greeting.

"Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty"

"Gentlemen, let's pack our bags and muster our troops today. We'll depart for Tianhua Prefecture tomorrow, heading straight to this place."

Hu Xuan reached out and made a gesture, and a screen of light appeared before everyone's eyes. Following Hu Xuan's finger, Zhu Gang and the others saw a place flashing red light.

"Wenquan Mountain"

(End of this chapter)