Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

Southern end of Daxia.

Tianku Mountain.

Xia Xuanyan walked in front, followed by the frail old woman.

“Tianku Mountain has changed a lot these days!” Xia Xuanyan suddenly said.

The old woman nodded: "The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is reviving. Before the New Year, the old sect leader also moved out a spiritual vein and sealed it with a great formation. Now, Tianku Mountain has seventy percent of the spiritual energy concentration of a blessed land."

"How is the Heavenly Crying Cult Leader's health?" Xia Xuanyan asked.

"Thank you for your concern, Patriarch Xia. The old master is in better condition than in previous years!" the old woman said.

"Does he know I'm coming?" Xia Xuanyan asked again.

"I know!" the old woman nodded.

He immediately stopped and looked up.

Xia Xuanyan also stopped and looked up at the sky with a slightly narrowed gaze.

A streak of purple light fell from above like a shooting star, resembling a meteor from outer space.

“He’s here!” Xia Xuanyan said.

It was only for a fleeting moment.

The purple meteor fell without causing the slightest ripple or disturbance; the shift between stillness and movement seemed to defy the laws of physics.

A figure also appeared in front of Xia Xuanyan.

The newcomer wore a long purple dress, revealing most of her skin.

He looked to be about fifty years old, with wrinkles all over his face.

The skin she exposed was as delicate as that of a young girl in her late teens, which seemed quite incongruous.

Looking at the figure in front of him, Xia Xuanyan understood that this Heavenly Crying Cult Master was also an incarnation descended from heaven, just like him.

After the Martial Saint made his move in the East Sea last time, they completely gave up on the idea of ​​provoking bad luck.

They all understood that the Great Xia Martial Saint was nearing the end of his life and his days were numbered.

They were immortal cultivators, and with the help of blessed lands and grottoes, they still had a long lifespan ahead of them. There was no need for them to risk their bright futures to fight a dying person.

With memories from over 800 years ago, they had no doubt about the strength of that Great Xia Martial Saint.

Even in his old age, no one in the world dared to face that Martial Saint at that time.

"Is it really necessary for the sect leader to come in person for such a trivial matter?" Xia Xuanyan said with a faint smile.

"With the Xia family patriarch present, how could I not come to personally greet him!" said the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader.

"You're too kind, Master!" Xia Xuanyan said.

"Patriarch Xia, is there a question I should ask?" The Heavenly Cry Cult Leader suddenly changed the subject.

"Speak frankly!" Xia Xuanyan said.

"I heard before that the Xia family head intended to recruit that Marquis of Dongling as his son-in-law and join the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven! Why has his attitude changed so drastically now, and why is he willing to pay such a high price to curse and kill that Marquis of Dongling, who is thousands of miles away at Tianku Mountain?" said the Tianku Sect Master.

Upon hearing this, Xia Xuanyan smiled faintly.

"It's simple, because he doesn't know his place!"

"I see!" The Heavenly Cry Cult Leader nodded with a knowing look, and then said, "In that case, please come with me to the altar, Patriarch Xia."

"Okay!" Xia Xuanyan nodded.

After a while.

In a hidden cave.

The cave ceiling is high up, and countless dark blue runes move slowly on the rock walls like living things.

In the very center of the cave is an altar.

The altar was built from dark, blood-red stones.

It is shaped like a nine-tiered staircase, with a flat top, and is engraved with a bizarre array that is so intricate it is dazzling.

The center of the array is raised, forming a platform shape.

Around the platform-like structure are nine fist-sized skulls, each emanating a dark red mist.

Xia Xuanyan and the leader of the Heavenly Cry Cult entered the cave, while the old woman, looking very old, respectfully guarded the entrance.

"This is the place." The Heavenly Cry Cult Master pointed to the altar, his voice echoing in the empty cave: "This altar is based on the filthy soil of the Nine Netherworlds, infused with the lingering resentment of three thousand years of vengeful spirits, and nourished by the Yin energy of the earth's veins for forty-nine days. Its curse power is enough to penetrate ten thousand miles, ignoring ordinary protective magic treasures and the protection of fortune."

Xia Xuanyan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the altar, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He said no more, and took out a jade box about an inch long.

The jade box was opened, and inside lay a jet-black, shiny hair, about two inches long.

"What is this?" asked the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader.

"The medium is a strand of hair left behind by the Marquis of Dongling in Luoshui County!" Xia Xuanyan said.

"Just a single strand of hair?" The Heavenly Cry Cult Leader frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?" Xia Xuanyan asked.

“A single strand of hair, though it can serve as a medium, is far too weak!” The Heavenly Cry Cult Leader shook his head, then asked, “Does Patriarch Xia know the birth date and time of that Marquis of Dongling?”

Xia Xuanyan shook his head: "I don't know."

“If that’s the case, then we can only rely on this strand of hair. However, the power of such a curse would be too weak. With the current cultivation level and physical strength of that Marquis of Dongling, he can hold out for a long time!” said the Heavenly Cry Sect Master.

"It's alright!" Xia Xuanyan smiled faintly: "Let him weaken slowly, let him slowly feel the approach of death, this is a more severe punishment."

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader glanced at Xia Xuanyan and then nodded.

"Since Patriarch Xia doesn't mind, then so be it!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she reached out and grabbed at the hair in the jade box, which floated up and landed in her right hand.

Then, she opened her slender, jade-like left hand, and with a flash of light, a palm-sized doll appeared in her hand.

Upon seeing the appearance of this doll, Xia Xuanyan couldn't help but take a second look.

He knew that among the methods of cursing and killing, the Heavenly Cry Cave was among the top three in the world.

Tianku Mountain, located outside the Tianku Cave Heaven, is the outer perimeter of the Tianku Sect, but it also possesses a complete lineage, making it one of his preferred choices.

The doll in the hands of the Heavenly Crying Cult Leader is a special product of the Heavenly Crying Cult.

At this moment, the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader skillfully used his slender fingers to repeatedly pierce the hair through the puppet, making the strand of black hair become one with the puppet in his hand.

Then, she threw the doll, which was repeatedly pierced by strands of hair, onto the high platform of the altar.

The doll slowly descended onto the high platform of the altar.

As the puppet fell, the dark blue runes throughout the cave suddenly brightened several times over, emitting a low buzzing sound.

At the same time, tiny, ghastly green flames ignited in the eye sockets of the nine skulls on the stage.

The array began to slowly rotate, and dark red mist spewed out from the skull's mouth, wrapping around the puppet.

As the dark red mist blended in, lines began to spread across the originally porcelain-white doll.

The pattern resembles the direction of blood vessels in the human body.

As the blood-red patterns formed, the seven orifices—ears, nose, eyes, and mouth—manifested and took shape.

Although his face was somewhat blurry, a quick glance revealed a resemblance of about five points to Jiang Ning.

“Patriarch Xia,” the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader withdrew his hand, looked at Xia Xuanyan, and said calmly, “I will remind Patriarch Xia once again that the causal connection using only this one strand of hair as a medium is too weak. To curse and kill your second son will not be a matter of a short time!” Xia Xuanyan stood with his hands behind his back, his tone indifferent: “I have my own plan.”

Immediately, a cold smile appeared on his lips, as if explaining or stating his thoughts.

"What I want is not an immediate death. The way of cursing to kill is to be silent and stealthy, like a maggot clinging to a bone, like water dripping on a stone. Let him slowly feel the pain of depleted essence and blood, withered spirit and diminished fortune, let him know that he is ill but cannot eradicate it, let him be terrified in his gradual decline, and despair in his hopeless struggle. Wouldn't that be better?"

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader's eyes flashed with understanding, and he nodded, saying, "I see. Patriarch Xia's strategy is to attack the mind first, like cutting flesh with a dull knife. Although this kind of curse is slow to take effect, it is especially torturous for young people who are proud and arrogant and on the verge of rising. So everything was part of Patriarch Xia's plan."

Xia Xuanyan remained calm and did not say anything more.

"Then I will make my move!" said the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader.

The only response he received was a slight nod from Xia Xuanyan.

next moment.

She raised her hand and flicked it, and a wisp of purple light suddenly appeared.

Then, a thin, dark purple needle, as fine as a cow's hair, was firmly embedded in the heart of the doll placed on the altar, its tail swaying constantly.

As the flying needle pierced through, the array on the altar slowly rotated, and the dark blue runes on the wall seemed to writhe like living things.

Wisps of purple energy continuously flowed into the dark purple flying needle.

"Patriarch Xia, once the power of the curse has seeped into your internal organs, you can insert the second needle. After the third needle, you will die!"

“Good!” Xia Xuanyan nodded.

Then he raised his hand and threw it at the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader.

The Heavenly Crying Cult Leader immediately raised his hand to receive it, and a jade box appeared in his hand.

"The Primordial Qi Elixir, take a look for yourself!"

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Crying Cult Leader immediately opened the jade box.

As she saw the bright yellow, round pill in the jade box, her expression immediately lit up with joy.

"Thank you, Patriarch Xia!"

“When Marquis Dongling dies and his Dao dissipates, I will come here to offer him the second Xuanhuang Yiqi Pill,” Xia Xuanyan said.

"Rest assured, Patriarch Xia, I will do my utmost to oversee this matter!" the Heavenly Cry Sect Leader said solemnly.

"Then I will trouble you, Master. I await your good news." Xia Xuanyan said, and his figure slowly disappeared in front of Tianku.

Looking in the direction where Xia Xuanyan disappeared, the Heavenly Cry Sect Master's expression immediately turned solemn.

Tianku Mountain was originally a sacred mountain shrouded in a great formation.

This is why the scene of misty fog rising and flowing like a river is formed.

But at this moment, Xia Xuanyan's departure was completely silent.

It didn't cause a ripple.

And it was right in front of her.

Such methods and approaches clearly demonstrate that although Xia Xuanyan and she are both at the Nascent Soul Immortal Realm, there is a considerable gap in their strength.

"As expected of a figure from the Xuanhuang Great Grotto-Heaven!" the Heavenly Cry Sect Master murmured, then looked at the Xuanhuang Qi Pill in the jade box in his hand.

next moment.

She opened her mouth, and the old woman who had been waiting at the cave entrance immediately appeared in front of her.

"Greetings, Master!" the old woman said respectfully.

The Heavenly Cry Cult Leader nodded.

"Master, where is the head of the Xia family?" The old woman scanned the cave, a hint of doubt on her face.

"I'm leaving!" the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader said calmly.

"Gone?" The old woman's pupils shrank immediately.

The Heavenly Cry Cult Master nodded calmly: "Don't be surprised. A primordial spirit immortal like him would have already reached an unknowable realm if not for the constraints of the environment! You wouldn't be able to detect his departure! Even the great formation of Heavenly Cry Mountain can hardly stop him."

"Yes, Master!" the old woman replied respectfully.

"You will be in charge of this curse attack on Marquis Dongling! Once the power of the curse has penetrated his internal organs, you can launch the next attack to stabilize his dantian and dantian!" said the Heavenly Cry Sect Master.

"Yes, Master!" the old woman replied respectfully, "Your subordinate will do everything in your power to complete the mission and ensure that this Marquis of Dongling will not live to see the end of next year!"

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Cry Cult Leader shook his head again: "The chances are slim."

"Not big?" The old woman was taken aback again.

The Heavenly Cry Cult Leader looked at the puppet on the altar that resembled Jiang Ning and smiled faintly: "Xia Xuanyan came to Heavenly Cry Mountain not because he really wanted to curse and kill this Marquis of Dongling, who is famous throughout the thirty-six prefectures of the Nine Provinces."

"Does the cult leader mean that the Xia family head has other plans?" the old woman asked, her brows furrowed.

The Heavenly Cry Cult Leader nodded: "I once heard that Xia Xuanyan intended to recruit this Marquis of Dongling as his son-in-law and have him join the Xuanhuan Cave Heaven. However, the Marquis of Dongling was arrogant and unwilling to join the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven as a son-in-law. Now it seems that the rumors were true."

"So what does the cult leader mean?" The old woman looked puzzled.

The leader of the Heavenly Cry Cult said, "To use a single strand of hair as a medium to curse and kill the Marquis of Dongling, who is thousands of miles away, would take at least a month, even with the capabilities of our Heavenly Cry Cult."

Then she added, "And the strategy of cutting flesh with a dull knife is probably to make that Marquis of Dongling bow his head and choose to join the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven! That Xia Xuanyan certainly has a good plan!"

"Judging from the importance that Martial Saint attaches to this young man, it is evident how great the potential and prospects of that Marquis of Dongling are."

"If this person were to humble himself and join the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven, with the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven's resources, it wouldn't be long before the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven gained a top-tier expert in the world, an expert who could travel freely in all directions."

Upon hearing the words of the Heavenly Crying Cult Leader, the old woman suddenly realized what was going on.

"Master, since that's the case, is there anything we should do?"

The Heavenly Crying Cult Master shook his head: "The Heavenly Crying Grotto-Heaven can only be ranked in the middle among all the major grotto-heavens, while the Xuanhuang Great Grotto-Heaven, apart from the Upper Three Heavens, should be considered the best."

"With our strength and resources, we are not qualified to oppose the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven."

"To disrupt Xia Xuanyan's plan is to stand on the opposite side of the Xuanhuang Great Cave Heaven. Once the environment of heaven and earth is fully restored, when the reckoning begins, my Heavenly Crying Sect may become just a ripple in history."

the other side.

Imperial Prefecture.

Jiang Ning stood in the courtyard, feeling the new physique brought about by the dual tribulations of water and fire.

Beneath the skin, a golden-blue shimmering light appears, its inner and outer layers clear and transparent, like crystal.

The body's essence, qi, and spirit circulate in a balanced manner, the primordial domain is stable, forming its own little world, which, although it has a connection with the outside world, remains clearly distinct.

suddenly.

He frowned, suddenly clutched his chest, took a step back, and let out a muffled groan.

In an instant, he felt as if his heart had been pierced, and a metallic taste rose in his mouth.

He spat out a mouthful of foam and immediately saw golden flashes mixed in with it.

"I'm injured!" he murmured to himself.

I clutched my chest and felt a sharp pain.

This pain is not unbearable, but it lingers like a leech, persistently clinging to the bone.

"What's going on?" His heart grew heavy.

The sudden turn of events greatly surprised him.

He rubbed his chest, but couldn't feel any wounds inside his body.

But a dull ache still lingered in my heart. (End of Chapter)