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

joint!

"Huh?" The hunchbacked old man let out a soft exclamation, as if he felt that his evil power was somewhat hindered and weakened when it came into contact with Fu Shaoping's brow, as if it had encountered some kind of higher-level "rule" that rejected it! At the same time, the finger that Fu Shaoping pointed at his elbow, seemingly ordinary, caused an extremely subtle stagnation in the flow of evil power in his arm!

That slight hesitation slowed his attack down by half a beat!
Fu Shaoping's longsword had already slashed back, the sword light as fast as lightning, slashing towards the gap under the old man's ribs exposed due to the slight hesitation in his arm!

The hunchbacked old man finally abandoned his contempt and floated backward, at the same time a palm-sized bone shield flew out from his sleeve, blocking the longsword.

With a clang of metal, Fu Shaoping was jolted back two steps, his blood churning. His opponent was, after all, a Qi Refining Grand Perfection cultivator, and his evil technique was strange and unpredictable.

On the other side, Wang Hu and Li Bao, along with Zhou Huai'an and his grandson, were also locked in a fierce battle. Although the two blood-red ghost claws had been weakened by the Yang Thunder Talisman, they remained ferocious and continued to attack. Wang Hu and Li Bao used both swords and talismans to barely hold them off. Zhou Huai'an, still recovering from serious injuries, could only use the remaining array flags to protect Zhou Ling, while he himself coughed up blood continuously, his situation extremely precarious.

"We must finish this quickly!" Fu Shaoping knew that if this dragged on, his side would undoubtedly lose. This hunched old man was far stronger than the scarred man from before, and his methods were also unpredictable.

He took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes. In his sea of ​​consciousness, the inheritance of the Netherworld Contract, the fragments of the Military Oath Contract, the contractual origin insights from the black stone tablet, and the concealing intent of the Sky-Covering Tortoise Shell were forcibly combined and activated at this moment!
This is not a fusion of systems, but an explosion of power under dire circumstances!

He abandoned all defenses, condensing all his soul power and most of his true energy into a single point, transforming it into a silent mental shockwave carrying mixed intentions such as "causal attraction," "oath backlash," "soul shock," and "existence stripping," locking onto the hunchbacked old man and crashing into him with a bang!

This is not a specific technique, but the culmination of his understanding of the Way of Contracts, a desperate strike of will and inheritance!
Just as the hunched old man was preparing to launch an even more ferocious attack, he suddenly felt an indescribable, eerie power descend upon him! It was as if countless invisible chains were trying to bind him, ancient vows were echoing in his ears threatening to devour him, and icy gazes were trying to erase him from this world! Even more terrifying, he felt that the evil connection between himself and the two blood-red ghost claws, and even the "Nine-Child Mother Blood Soul Array" that was operating beneath his feet, was experiencing violent fluctuations and chaos!
"What kind of evil magic is this?!" The hunchbacked old man was terrified. He had never encountered such a bizarre and direct attack method! This was not like an ordinary spiritual attack, but more like... touching some higher level of contract and causal power?

He let out a strange cry and used all his evil power to resist the impact. His body paused, and his two blood-red ghost claws also stiffened due to the disruption of their connection.

It's now!

Despite the excruciating pain in his sea of ​​consciousness and the dizziness from the depletion of his soul power, Fu Shaoping shot out like lightning. His target was not the hunchbacked old man, but the two black-robed cultivators who were controlling the ghost claws and whose minds were also affected!

The "Military Soul Lock" unleashed its full power, simultaneously imbued with a trace of the "Soul Power Absorption" intent from the "Netherworld Contract," piercing fiercely into the soul flaws exposed by the disordered connection of the formation between the two!

"Ah!" "Ah!"

Two shrill screams rang out almost simultaneously! The two black-robed cultivators collapsed to the ground, clutching their heads, bleeding from their seven orifices. Their souls were severely injured, and the two blood-red ghost claws immediately lost control, turning into two pools of filthy blood that spilled onto the ground.

Upon seeing this, the hunchbacked old man's eyes widened in fury: "You brat! You're courting death!" He was utterly enraged. His black robes billowed without wind, and the black lines on his face writhed as if alive. His aura suddenly surged, showing faint signs of breaking through to the Qi Refining stage and touching the threshold of Foundation Establishment! He rapidly formed hand seals, and a dark red, sinister array appeared on the ground beneath his feet. An even more terrifying aura of bloodlust and resentment began to gather!
"Blood Soul... Explode!" the hunchbacked old man roared, preparing to unleash his strongest attack!
Fu Shaoping's face was ashen. That last attack had exhausted almost all of his soul power and most of his true energy. He could barely stand, so how could he possibly withstand this desperate attack from his opponent?

Wang Hu, Li Bao, and Zhou Huai'an, grandfather and grandson, also watched in despair as the dark red array continued to expand.

At this critical moment, a sudden change occurred!

The heavy iron box in Zhou Ling's arms suddenly began to shake violently! The seemingly decorative patterns on the surface of the box seemed to come alive, flowing with a warm, jade-like white light! A powerful aura, vast and righteous, carrying the meaning of ancient sealing and protection, erupted from the iron box like a sleeping dragon awakening!

A white pillar of light shot into the sky, soaring straight into the clouds! Within the pillar, countless complex contract runes, imbued with order and protective power, could be faintly seen flowing within!
The dark red array that was gathering was illuminated by the white beam of light, and like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun, it melted away with a hissing sound, quickly dimming and collapsing!
"Ah! This is... the ancient 'Evil-Sealing Seal'?! How is this possible?!" The hunchbacked old man screamed in extreme terror. The evil power he had gathered dissipated rapidly under the white pillar of light, and the black lines on his face emitted black smoke as if they were being burned. His aura rapidly declined!

He could no longer afford to attack. As if he had seen a ghost, he turned and transformed into a streak of blood, fleeing desperately into the depths of the wasteland! He didn't even care about his two seriously injured subordinates.

The white beam of light lasted for several breaths before slowly receding and disappearing back into the iron box. The iron box returned to calm, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

However, the remaining and dissipating dark red array traces on the ground, the two black-robed cultivators who had fallen unconscious (severely injured by Fu Shaoping's "Military Soul Lock"), and the lingering righteous energy in the air all proved that the thrilling scene just now had really happened.

Wang Hu and Li Bao collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, as if they had just escaped death. Zhou Huai'an stared dumbfounded at the iron box in his granddaughter's arms, both shocked and suspicious. Zhou Ling's face was deathly pale as she clutched the iron box tightly, at a loss for what to do.

Fu Shaoping managed to stay upright, his eyes fixed on the iron box, his heart filled with turmoil!
The Evil-Sealing Seal! One of the core inheritances of the ancient Xuanqi Sect, it is said to be used specifically to seal evil spirits and suppress demonic thoughts! Could what is sealed in this iron box be a treasure containing the complete "Evil-Sealing Seal"? Or is it simply a jade slip that records the inheritance of the "Evil-Sealing Seal"?

No wonder both the Wild Wolf Gang and the Blood Shadow Cult are so determined to obtain it! This item is extremely effective against evil cultivators, and its value is immeasurable!
At the same time, he felt a wave of fear. If the iron box hadn't activated automatically at the crucial moment, they would probably have perished here today. But why did the iron box suddenly activate? Was it because it sensed the powerful evil energy of the Blood Shadow Cult, or was it because... his desperate attack, which had been imbued with the essence of the contract, had unintentionally triggered the iron box's resonance?
He felt the latter was more likely. His desperate strike, which incorporated multiple true meanings of the contract, might have unintentionally met the conditions for a certain "key" or "catalyst," temporarily activating some of the iron box's power.

"Brother Mo... are you alright?" Zhou Ling was the first to come to her senses. Seeing Fu Shaoping swaying, she quickly stepped forward to help him up.

Fu Shaoping waved his hand, swallowed a few recovery pills, and indicated that he was fine. He walked to the two unconscious black-robed cultivators, checked them over, and confirmed that their souls had been severely injured and would not recover in a short time, so he ignored them. "This place is not safe to stay. The Blood Shadow Sect people may come back. We must leave immediately!" Fu Shaoping said in a deep voice.

Without any objection, everyone quickly packed up (there wasn't much to pack anyway), helped each other, and continued their desperate escape towards the Yunmeng Marsh.

This experience was even more dangerous than encountering the Wild Wolf Gang. It also fueled Fu Shaoping's deeper curiosity about the secrets of the iron box and the possible connection between his own contractual inheritance and the iron box.

The Yunmeng Marsh and the Thousand Machine Pavilion might hold some clues to unraveling the mystery. But carrying such a hot potato, their path was destined to be fraught with thorns. The Blood Shadow Sect would never give up so easily. The group dared not rest for a moment, using the cover of night to flee for most of the night, until dawn broke, when they finally collapsed in the shade of a low hill. Everyone was exhausted and injured, especially Fu Shaoping, whose soul power was depleted, and whose head throbbed with pain, as if countless needles were pricking his sea of ​​consciousness.

He forced himself to set up a warning barrier, then immediately sat cross-legged and began circulating the Azure Profound Breathing Technique, carefully nourishing his sea of ​​consciousness with his soul power. This time, the strain far exceeded anything he had ever experienced; even the black stone shard appeared somewhat dim. That desperate strike had almost burned away all his understanding and potential in the Dao of Contracts; had the iron box not been accidentally activated, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Zhou Huai'an was the most seriously injured and had been frightened; he was now semi-conscious. Zhou Ling, with red eyes, clumsily fed her grandfather the healing pills given by Fu Shaoping. Wang Hu and Li Bao were also wounded and were bandaging themselves and resting.

Two hours later, Fu Shaoping finally managed to suppress the stinging pain in his mind and regain a sliver of mobility. He examined Zhou Huai'an's injuries and frowned. The old man was already frail and weak, and the repeated injuries had severely damaged his health; ordinary pills would have limited effect.

"We must get to Yunmeng Marsh as soon as possible and find a doctor to treat them," Fu Shaoping said in a deep voice. He looked at the iron box in Zhou Ling's arms, which remained as quiet as ever, with a complicated expression. This box had saved them, but it had also brought even greater trouble.

“Brother Mo, Grandpa…” Zhou Ling’s voice choked with emotion.

"There's still hope, don't worry," Fu Shaoping reassured him, then turned to Wang Hu and Li Bao, "Brothers, what are your plans?"

Wang Hu and Li Bao exchanged a glance. Wang Hu clasped his hands and said, "We brothers will never forget Fellow Daoist Mo's life-saving grace. The caravan has been destroyed, and we have nowhere to go. We are willing to follow Fellow Daoist Mo and Old Man Zhou to escort you to the Yunmeng Great Swamp to repay your great kindness!" Having witnessed Fu Shaoping's strength and the extraordinary nature of the iron box, they knew that although following this group was dangerous, there might be opportunities, which was better than wandering aimlessly in the wilderness.

Fu Shaoping pondered for a moment, then nodded. With these two experienced guards, they could save some effort on the journey.

"Alright, let's rest for half a day and set off in the afternoon. Our destination is 'Linze Town' on the edge of the Yunmeng Great Marsh."

In the afternoon, the group set off again. Fu Shaoping led the way, even more cautiously. His soul power had not yet recovered, so he dared not easily use the "Identification Technique" to explore a large area again, and could only rely on experience and perception, so his speed was much slower than before.

Along the way, they encountered several more attacks from wild beasts in the wilderness, but fortunately, none of them were particularly powerful, and they were repelled by Wang Hu and Li Bao working together. Fu Shaoping only used the "Military Soul Lock" to slightly disrupt them at crucial moments, not daring to expend any more energy.

After traveling for another seven or eight days, the landscape finally changed. The desolate Gobi desert was gradually replaced by scattered wetlands and low shrubs, and the air became more humid. In the distance, a vast expanse of water shimmering at the horizon could be seen—that was the Yunmeng Marshland.

"Linze Town is just ahead!" Li Bao pointed to the faint outline of buildings on the horizon, his voice tinged with tired joy.

Linze Town is an important ferry crossing and waterway port on the northwest bank of Yunmeng Marsh. Because it is close to the wilderness, it is a melting pot of all sorts of people, but this also makes it a prosperous place for commerce and information.

Upon entering the town, the cacophony of voices and the smoky atmosphere hit you. The streets were narrow and crowded, lined with shops selling all sorts of aquatic products, medicinal herbs, ores, and strange items from the depths of the great swamp. The density of cultivators was even higher than in Muyun Village, and their cultivation levels varied widely, ranging from the early Qi Refining stage to the Foundation Establishment stage. Occasionally, you could even sense a faint yet powerful aura sweeping across the sky.

Fu Shaoping and his group were dressed in rags and were injured, making them inconspicuous in the crowd. They first found a secluded inn to settle down. Fu Shaoping paid for the room and then asked the innkeeper to help him find a well-regarded doctor from the town.

After the doctor's diagnosis, he prescribed some tonics to strengthen Zhou Huai'an's constitution and explained that Zhou Huai'an needed to rest quietly for at least a month, and during this time he must not use his magical powers again, otherwise even a god could not save him. Upon hearing this, Zhou Ling burst into tears again.

After settling Zhou Huai'an in, Fu Shaoping took Wang Hu and Li Bao to town to purchase some essential supplies and gather information.

Information about Linze Town comes from many sources. Teahouses, taverns, dockside warehouses, and even some inconspicuous general stores might contain unexpected intelligence. Fu Shaoping spent some spirit stones to obtain several valuable pieces of information from well-informed brokers:

I. The Yunmeng Great Swamp has been quite turbulent recently. Near the "Misty Ghost Swamp" deep within the swamp, there are said to be signs of ancient cultivator caves appearing, attracting many cultivators to explore, and conflicts have occurred frequently.

Second, the three major forces in the Great Swamp—the "Azure Wave Water Mansion" which occupies the islands in the swamp, the "Grass Gang" which controls several major waterways, and the mysterious "Thousand Machine Pavilion"—seem to be stirring up some undercurrents recently.

III. Regarding the "Blood Shadow Cult," there have indeed been rumors recently of scattered members active on the edge of the wasteland and the Great Swamp, but their whereabouts are shrouded in secrecy, and their specific purposes are unclear. The Wild Wolf Gang also seems to have some shady dealings with the Blood Shadow Cult. (End of Chapter)