Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

The sinister cultivator sneered, "So what if he comes back? A rogue cultivator at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining, are the three of us afraid of him? If you know what's good for you, let him get lost. If you don't... humph!" He made a throat-slitting gesture.

Fu Shaoping, listening intently from the shadows, felt a surge of murderous intent. These three were clearly not benevolent individuals; judging from their tone, they seemed to be evading pursuit by the Green Wood Sect and the Golden Saber Sect. They were likely opportunistic cultivators or members of an opposing force taking advantage of the conflict between the two factions. They had their eyes on this valley, and if he revealed himself, a conflict would surely ensue.

Facing three opponents, including one at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, a direct confrontation is not the best strategy. However, retreating now would mean handing over the secluded cultivation spot he had painstakingly found, and his whereabouts might be exposed.

"It seems we have no choice but to strike first." Fu Shaoping's eyes turned cold. These three guys had mixed auras and were filled with hostility; they were definitely not benevolent. In this deep mountain forest, the strong prey on the weak, and there's no room for morality.

He carefully observed the three men's positions and auras. The sinister cultivator was the strongest and most vigilant. The short, stout cultivator and the scarred-face man were relatively relaxed and were currently walking towards the edge of the pool, seemingly wanting to fetch water.

opportunity!

Fu Shaoping took a deep breath, adjusting himself to his best condition. Instead of directly attacking the strongest sinister cultivator, he locked onto the scarred-face man who was a little further away and had his back to him.

"Military Soul Lock!" Soul power instantly condensed in his sea of ​​consciousness, and an invisible chain, more solid than ever before and carrying a faint binding aura of "Military Oath," shot out silently, its target aimed directly at the core of Scarface's soul at the back of his head! At the same time, he held two Yang Thunder Talismans in his hands.

The sinister cultivator seemed to sense something, abruptly turning his head towards the cave and shouting sharply, "Watch out!"

But it's too late!
"Ugh!" Scarface felt as if an ice pick had pierced the back of his head, causing excruciating pain in his soul. His vision went black, and his movements froze instantly! The protective aura around him flickered due to the injury to his soul.

It's now!

Fu Shaoping's figure darted out from the crack in the rocks like a ghost, his speed reaching its limit! He ignored the scarred man who had been severely injured by the "Military Soul Lock," and instead pounced straight at the short, stout cultivator who had just turned around and reacted a little slower!

The short, stout cultivator was terrified and hastily summoned an iron shield to block in front of him. But Fu Shaoping's attack had already arrived! He didn't use a longsword, but instead unleashed both palms simultaneously. His left hand blazed with fiery wood-fire true energy, while his right hand strangely generated a wisp of dark and icy soul power—the "Soul-Eating Palm," a sinister palm technique recorded in the "Netherworld Contract" that could temporarily erode an opponent's protective true energy and soul!
"Bang! Bang!"

The left palm slammed into the iron shield, unleashing a burst of scorching true energy that numbed the short, stout cultivator's arm and caused the shield to tilt. The right palm followed closely, piercing through the shield's gaps and striking the cultivator's chest!
"Pfft!" The short, stout cultivator was struck as if by a heavy blow. The protective aura on his chest dimmed and shattered instantly. A surge of true energy, both scorching and chilling, penetrated his body, causing him to groan, stagger backward, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His mind was also momentarily dazed by the soul-corroding power.

In the blink of an eye, Fu Shaoping had severely injured two people!

"You're courting death!" The sinister cultivator was both shocked and furious. He hadn't expected the person hiding there to be so ruthless and swift! He roared and pounced like lightning, a pair of black short halberds appearing in his hands. The tips of the halberds gleamed coldly, and with a piercing sound, they aimed straight for Fu Shaoping's vitals! The halberd technique was ruthless and cunning, clearly indicating that the person had rich combat experience.

Fu Shaoping dared not take the blow head-on. He used his "Shadow Step" to turn sharply and narrowly avoid the halberd tip. At the same time, he swung his "Military Soul Lock" at the sinister cultivator in an attempt to interfere.

However, the sinister cultivator's soul was quite condensed and he was prepared. When the "Military Soul Lock" landed on him, it only caused his movements to pause slightly, and the effect was far less obvious than when it hit Scarface.

"A spiritual attack? You've got some skill!" The sinister cultivator's eyes flashed even brighter, his short halberd swirling like the wind, his attacks relentless, firmly suppressing Fu Shaoping. His cultivation was already higher than Fu Shaoping's, and his halberd techniques were fierce. For a time, Fu Shaoping could only rely on his "Contractual Technique" to predict and his exquisite footwork to maneuver, his Xuan Turtle Shield (which had been slightly repaired) occasionally offering defenses, making him appear quite disheveled.

On the other side, Scarface, who had been severely injured by the "Military Soul Lock," staggered to his feet, his face pale but his eyes filled with resentment. After swallowing a pill, he roared and summoned a ghost-headed saber, slashing at Fu Shaoping from the side! The short, fat cultivator also suppressed his injuries, activated his iron shield, and cooperated with the sinister cultivator to launch a pincer attack!
The situation instantly turned extremely unfavorable for Fu Shaoping!
"We can't fight for long!" Fu Shaoping's mind raced. He suddenly poured most of his remaining true energy into the Xuan Turtle Shield, causing the shield to shine brightly. It forcefully blocked the impact of the Yin-Yang cultivator's heavy halberd and the short, fat cultivator's iron shield. He used the force to drift backward, and at the same time, he threw the two Yang Thunder Talismans he had been holding tightly in his hand at the scarred-faced man and the short, fat cultivator who were chasing after him!
"burst!"

boom! boom!
Blinding lightning struck again! The pure yang energy had a certain restraining effect on the yin cultivator's halberd technique, and made the injured scarred-face and short, fat cultivators flustered and hurriedly defend themselves.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, a glint flashed in Fu Shaoping's eyes. In his sea of ​​consciousness, the illusory "Sky-Covering Tortoise Shell" he had obtained from the Ghostly Swamp was once again activated by his soul power! This time, it was not to disrupt the heavenly secrets, but to combine that "concealing" and "blurring" intention with a method from the "Netherworld Contract" for creating a brief "soul illusion," as well as his own strong will to break through, transforming it into an invisible spiritual shockwave that fanned outwards towards the three people in front of him!

This wasn't a direct attack, but rather a powerful "misdirection" and "presence reduction"! It instantly gave the three the illusion that "the target seems to be dodging to the left/right/up," and subconsciously made them ignore Fu Shaoping's true intention and route to break through!
The three sinister cultivators only felt a blur before their eyes, and their divine senses experienced a very brief period of confusion and deviation. Although it was only for a moment, it was enough for Fu Shaoping!
Without hesitation, he abandoned all counterattacks, channeling all his remaining true energy into his legs. He pushed the "Shadow Step" to its absolute limit, his figure like a wisp of smoke blending into the shadows, passing through the tiny gap created by the interference of lightning and illusions in an almost straight line! He rushed straight to the valley entrance!

"Not good! He's trying to escape!" The sinister cultivator was the first to react, shouting angrily as his short halberd flew out of his hand, transforming into two streaks of black light that shot towards Fu Shaoping's back!

Fu Shaoping didn't turn his head, and the Xuan Turtle Shield reappeared behind him.

"Clang! Clang!" Two loud sounds rang out as the Xuan Turtle Shield's spiritual light was completely extinguished, its surface riddled with cracks, almost shattering. The immense impact made Fu Shaoping's throat taste sweet, but he used the force to his advantage, increasing his speed even further. In the blink of an eye, he burst out of the valley and disappeared into the dense jungle outside!
"Chase!" The sinister cultivator was both shocked and furious. He recalled his short halberd and, together with the scarred-faced and short, stout cultivators who were barely suppressing their injuries, chased after them out of the valley.

However, Fu Shaoping had already taken advantage of the mountainous terrain and the route he had scouted beforehand, pushing his speed to the limit while constantly changing direction and scattering powders to interfere with scents and tracks. His "Tracing Technique" allowed him to avoid areas with chaotic energy or monster lairs in advance, choosing the optimal route. After chasing for about half an hour, the three sinister cultivators completely lost track of Fu Shaoping. They could only curse a few times at the vast forest before reluctantly returning to the valley—they themselves were being hunted and dared not make too much noise, nor dare they leave their relatively safe hiding place for too long.

Deep in the dense forest, after confirming that no one was following him, Fu Shaoping found a tree hollow to hide in temporarily. His face was pale, his breathing was disordered, his internal organs were shaken, his Xuan Turtle Shield was almost destroyed, and his soul power was also greatly depleted.

"That was close!" Fu Shaoping swallowed the healing pills, still shaken. That sinister cultivator was indeed powerful. If he hadn't acted decisively, severely injuring the two of them with lightning speed, and using his trump card, illusion interference, to break through, he would probably be in grave danger today.

"We can't go back to that valley." Fu Shaoping took a moment to catch his breath and regain some strength. Although it was a pity, safety came first. Those three guys were entrenched there and wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

"It seems the Qingyue Mountains aren't peaceful either," Fu Shaoping mused. The three were evading the pursuit of the Qingmu Sect and the Golden Saber Sect; it seemed the conflict between the two factions had reached a fever pitch, attracting all sorts of troublemakers. This place was not safe to linger; they needed to leave as soon as possible.

His original plan was to consolidate his cultivation before venturing to more distant places to seek opportunities for Foundation Establishment, or to risk another trip to the outskirts of the Black Wind Gobi. Now it seems he has to move up the timeline.

"Let's get out of the Qingyue Mountains first," Fu Shaoping decided. He determined his direction and stealthily headed southeast towards Yunmeng Great Marsh, another relatively prosperous cultivation area in Zhao Kingdom. There, a dense network of waterways, numerous markets, and a complex environment made it more suitable for hiding and seeking opportunities.

As night fell, Fu Shaoping's figure moved silently through the shadows of the Qingyue Mountains like a lone wolf. His newly attained ninth level of Qi Refining cultivation had not yet brought him enough security; instead, it made him more acutely aware of the cruelty and lurking dangers of the cultivation world.

The road ahead is long, with both crises and opportunities. The gate to Foundation Establishment remains tightly closed, but the "keys" in his hands—the contractual inheritance, the Purple Heart Breakthrough Pill, and the will and methods honed through countless life-and-death battles—are growing ever more abundant.

The vast Yunmeng Marshland will be the starting point of his new journey. And what kind of encounters await him in that boundless land?
Like a frightened bird, Fu Shaoping stealthily traversed the Qingyue Mountains for over ten days, hiding by day and venturing out at night, carefully choosing secluded paths and avoiding any areas where he might encounter cultivators. He encountered several low-level demonic beasts along the way, but he swiftly dealt with them with lightning speed, leaving no trace.

The three cultivators who had undergone tribulation did not pursue him, presumably because they were preoccupied with their own survival and had no time to spare. However, Fu Shaoping dared not be careless in the slightest, and only slowed down slightly after completely leaving the core area of ​​the Qingyue Mountains and entering a hilly region.

The complete destruction of the Xuan Turtle Shield deprived him of a crucial defensive asset. Fortunately, among the spoils he obtained from the Golden Saber Sect disciples and the Tribulation Cultivator were several decent defensive talismans and a spare low-grade magic weapon, the Ironwood Shield, which was better than nothing.

He checked his condition: his cultivation at the early stage of the ninth level of Qi Refining was basically stable, and the remaining effects of the Purple Heart Breakthrough Pill were still slowly being released. His soul power was somewhat depleted due to the continuous use of the "Military Soul Lock" and the activation of the "Sky-Covering Tortoise Shell" phantom, and it would take time to recover. The most troublesome thing was the slight injury to his internal organs, which, although not serious, still affected his condition.

"We need to find a safe place to rest and recuperate, and replenish our supplies." Fu Shaoping looked southeast. The Yunmeng Marsh was still far away, and they still needed to cross a buffer zone called "Twilight Wasteland".

The Twilight Wasteland is slightly better than the outer area of ​​the Black Wind Gobi, but it is still frequented by many rogue cultivators, small groups of bandits, and low-level demonic beasts. According to the map jade slip, there is a small market town called "Twilight Cloud Gathering" on the edge of the wasteland, established by a rogue cultivator alliance. It is the last supply point before crossing the wasteland.

Fu Shaoping adjusted his direction and headed towards Muyunji.

Five days later, a settlement consisting of simple wooden walls and rough stone houses appeared on the horizon. Muyunji was not large in scale, and its buildings were messy, far less orderly than the market town of Liuyunjian, but it was bustling with people and extremely noisy. This place was a melting pot of all sorts of people, serving as a stopover and place for selling stolen goods for many rogue cultivators, mercenaries, and small caravans who made a living in the wilderness.

Fu Shaoping paid an entry fee of one spirit stone and mingled into the crowd. He didn't go to the more formal shops in the center of the market, but went straight to a noisy free trading area on the outskirts—this place was more like a street market, filled with all sorts of items of unknown origin, genuine and fake "antiques," and menacing sellers.

The air was thick with the smells of sweat, dust, the strange odor of cheap medicine, and a faint stench of blood. The sounds of hawking, haggling, arguing, and cursing filled the air.

Fu Shaoping concealed his aura, disguising himself as an ordinary, weary, and wary rogue cultivator, slowly browsing among the various stalls. His goal was clear: to purchase some healing and recovery pills, replenish his depleted talismans, and, if possible, buy a slightly better defensive magic artifact to replace the Xuan Turtle Shield.

Healing pills and talismans were quickly replenished; although the quality was average, they were sufficient. However, he was somewhat disappointed with the defensive magical artifacts. Most of the artifacts on the stalls were crudely made, and the few that were of decent quality were either overpriced or exuded an evil aura, suggesting they were of dubious origin.

Just as he was about to give up and try his luck at the big shops in the center of the market, an inconspicuous corner stall caught his attention.

The stall owner was an old man with a wrinkled face and one blind eye. His cultivation level was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, and his aura was weak. There weren't many items on his stall: a few pieces of ore whose material was indistinguishable, a few wilted spiritual herbs, and a few old, rusty magical artifacts with weak spiritual energy.

What caught Fu Shaoping's eye was a small, palm-sized, dusty, round shield casually tossed in the corner of the stall. The shield was neither gold nor wood, its edges were damaged, and its surface was engraved with some blurry, twisted patterns. It looked inconspicuous and didn't even show any spiritual energy fluctuations.

However, Fu Shaoping's "Contract Identification Technique" detected a trace of extremely subtle, resilient contract runes inside the shield, carrying a strange sense of "protection" and "reflection"! This was not an offensive or binding contract, but rather some kind of ancient "protective oath" or "reflection curse" solidified on the object with the power of the contract!
"Old man, how much for this small shield?" Fu Shaoping squatted down, picked up the gray shield, and found it cold and heavy in his hand. (End of Chapter)