Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 480 Tianqin Unleashes His Power
"Senior, is the blood energy here still plentiful? Perhaps we should come later?"

Before Peng Daoren could finish speaking, he was startled by Fei Tianqin's cold glare and dared not utter another word. He could only stand awkwardly beside the alchemy furnace, without saying a word.

Heaven and earth can bear witness that his statement was indeed made with the old bird's best interests at heart.

The scale of this conflict between the two sides is far greater than when Shen Lingfeng led the Imperial Guard to quell the mountain barbarians. Both sides have lost several Golden Core cultivators each, and as for Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining cultivators, it will be difficult for either side to calculate the exact number until the war ends.

In just a few short months of fighting, Peng Daoren has collected more blood essence than he did in a hundred years at the Liangyi Sect. For a heretical cultivator like him, this place is indeed a top-notch treasure land. If Fei Tianqin can delay the war a little longer, the benefits will certainly be considerable.

However, since this old bird wasn't very interested, there was nothing Peng Daoren could do.

Over the years in Shannan Province, he had become a powerful figure capable of stirring up trouble. But after falling into the hands of this old fox, he found it difficult to use any of his skills.

Despite his formidable strength, Fei Tianqin dared not interfere in the Nascent Soul battle between Yueyin Zhenren and Wen Fengzi. Yet, within the current Great David Immortal Dynasty Domain, this old bird could definitely be considered a first-rate figure below the Nascent Soul stage.

Even though Jin Fengqing was a rising star of the Rift Heaven Sword Sect, he was still completely manipulated by the Marquis of Fengcheng of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty. According to this old bird, if it weren't for its concern for alchemy, it would have already annihilated Jin Fengqing, reducing him to ashes.

Although there must be some exaggeration in his words, this old bird is not the type to speak without reason. Since he dared to make such a statement, he must have something to rely on.

Thinking of this, Master Peng felt extremely resentful, but he dared not show it on his face. He had cultivated for hundreds of years, and his experience was not as simple as just honestly refining pills on Xiabo Mountain.

Those who are ruthless and heartless often also believe they are enlightened about human nature. He could sense that although Fei Tianqin was not human, he was far more stubborn and obstinate than anyone he had ever met before, and was truly not someone he could disobey.

According to Peng Daoren, this old bird not only didn't care about the lives of the immortals and mortals who contributed their blood and energy to the Crimson Celestial Life-Sustaining Pill, but his own life was probably not very valuable in his eyes either.

Such a character is certainly not someone a selfish and self-serving person like Peng Daoren can afford to offend.

Suppressing the little thought that had just arisen, Master Peng adopted a very respectful demeanor, bowed deeply, and said, "This junior is at your service at any time, senior, and would never disobey!"

"That would be best." Fei Tianqin's eyes were icy, revealing a sharp glint. Only after seeing through the old demon to the bone did he coldly promise, as a form of comfort:

“My younger brother is an unparalleled genius of the Fei family in Yingzhou, and he is the most kind and loving person. If your pill can truly help him prolong his life and achieve the Nascent Soul stage, then you, the Taoist, will surely have a prosperous future.”

Objectively speaking, this promise was utterly unrealistic. Full of empty words, it was unlikely to inspire any genuine dedication or commitment. Yet, Master Peng listened as if it were divine music, a hint of joy appearing on his face, managing to appease Fei Tianqin.

After the latter left the tent, the heavy footsteps that had left even the most powerful Peng Daoren speechless in his prime descended one after another.

The Taoist priest put away the alchemy furnace, but the earth fire beneath it, which had been restrained by Taoist magic, still burned fiercely. Without the suppression of the magical artifact, the crimson flames soon crawled and spread, scorching a thick piece of rock and soil into a glassy charred shell.

Peng Daoren saw his own pathetic reflection in the fireworks, and the fierce look on his face could no longer be suppressed. The murderous light shooting from his eyes seemed to become nourishment for the fire to burn. In no time, the fireworks rose like a tide, creating a fire wave several feet high, burning all the surrounding utensils to ashes.

As a Golden Core cultivator, even though his injuries had not yet healed, Peng Daoren's Dharma Body did not shy away from this level of earth fire. He was immersed in the sea of ​​fire, thinking that such a huge commotion could not be heard from the outside world, and a sense of frustration arose in his heart.

"After four hundred years of arduous cultivation, you've actually been completely subdued by this hairy beast?!"

Gradually, the raging subterranean fire subsided, but the fierce look in Peng Daoren's eyes was much stronger than before. However, he only looked inward again after the subterranean fire had completely calmed down.

Only when he looked at the tattered banner enveloped in layers of blood essence within his dantian, and at the still determined figure within it, did a glimmer of hope begin to stir in his heart.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After missing his target, Sect Leader Kang returned to his tent, where Yang Wuwei came to discuss the Dharma with him. The latter had performed remarkably well in this battle, not only nearly killing the Daoist disciple of the Northern Sunflower Sect, but also slaying a fake Core Formation cultivator with his clansmen.

It is said that the two superior cultivators of the Yang family in Yezhou, who were already very satisfied with him, loved him even more. The matter of preparing a spiritual object for him to form a core has already been put on the agenda. They are just waiting for the end of the battle in Santingzhou so that Yang Wuwei can usher in a great opportunity.

Unlike the Foundation Establishment stage, where most cultivators rely on external objects, the importance of spiritual objects for Core Formation is much lower.

Perhaps because Foundation Establishment cultivators have already established their Dao foundation, unlike Qi Refining cultivators who have not yet completely transcended the mortal realm and ascended to immortality, breaking through to Core Formation is not considered a success, and those who die directly are rare.

However, compared to the benefits of directly forming a core without external aids, such as a stronger physical body and a slightly better quality core, most cultivators would rather seek out a spiritual object that is particularly compatible with them for core formation, in order to achieve success.

Even within the Shannan region, the Yang family of Yezhou could not be considered a first-rate family under the Zhaixing Tower. Therefore, the two upper cultivators of the Yang family did not have such high ambitions. Rather than hoping that Yang Wuwei would achieve his core without relying on external aids and become a legend, they hoped that Yang Wuwei, as the next generation's outstanding talent, could achieve his core as soon as possible, so as to relieve some of the pressure on the Yang family of Yezhou.

Anyone with eyes can see that there will be no shortage of battles along the southern and northern routes of the mountains in the future. Only those who lack foresight and are incapable of making far-sighted plans will fail to do so.

After Yang Wuwei took his seat, he was as generous as ever. Without asking for anything in return, he first handed over the Core Formation manual he had purchased from Cao Xianlu to the Kang and Jiang brothers to read. This made the usually thrifty Headmaster Kang feel unusually ashamed of himself.

Kang Dabao had heard snippets about the price of this note from Zhou Yun, only that Yang Wuwei originally intended to exchange the ten-year mining rights of a second-grade low-quality warm jade mine in Honggu County, Yezhou, for Cao Xianlu.

All in all, that's over ten thousand spirit stones. But Cao Xianlu still didn't budge, so we knew that Yang Wuwei must have spent an even bigger sum to finally acquire this manuscript.

Compared to Cao Xianlu, who could barely be considered his brother-in-law, Master Kang found Yang Wuwei more to his liking. The latter was a man of great ambition and magnanimity, a rare and extravagant figure, and indeed bore some resemblance to Kang Dabao's deceased elder brother.

However, even though Yang Wuwei was a bold and unrestrained man, he was not a foolish husband who blindly followed others and had no opinions of his own.

Since Cao Xianlu was able to sell a failed manual on which no one had successfully formed a golden core to Yang Wuwei at a price higher than the market price, it must have something extraordinary about it. This is why Yang Wuwei wanted to visit the Kang and Jiang brothers to preach the Dharma.

The three men sat in the tent, enjoying tea and discussing philosophy. It was unusual for them to be so open and honest. Even the younger members of the Yang family who accompanied Yang Wuwei, along with the three Chongming Sect descendants Kang, Duan, and Ming, benefited greatly and broadened their horizons.

As the unclear parts of the notes became increasingly less, Yang Wuwei's face lit up with joy, thinking to himself that he had indeed not misread them.

Of the ten people previously selected by Fei Tianqin to take turns fighting Fu Neng, apart from the three from the Yang family, Zhou Yun and Fei Enwen were only barely qualified.

Qin Sufu came from a humble background. Although his leaf-grade cultivation was not high, he still stood out in the battle against Fu Neng. Normally, even a Qingye Dao Foundation cultivator wouldn't dare to dream of a fake core, but Yang Wuwei felt that this Qin Dianjun had a great future and that his path to enlightenment was no less than his own.

Besides, Cao Xianlu was likely to surpass all the aforementioned cultivators.

This man was originally a nobody, with neither family support nor sect favor. He only managed to become a Golden Core disciple and a prominent family's son-in-law by risking his life.

He is only a hundred years old now, yet he has already attempted to form a elixir before the aforementioned individuals. Such a person who rose from humble beginnings is not to be underestimated.

But even such a figure was still no match for Jiang Qing in Yang Wuwei's eyes.

The latter, born into a minor sect, formed the Ice Leaf Dao Foundation despite his incomplete Dao body. Even when it was passed down to the surrounding sects, it was already worthy of praise. Furthermore, he cultivated Sword Essence with a Foundation Establishment body. Even though he was not yet proficient, it was already a rare achievement that many Golden Core cultivators had wasted hundreds of years of time on.

If Jiang Qing were to reach the Core Formation stage, he might become an outstanding figure like Pu Honggu, the Grand Elder of the Liangyi Sect, or Xiang Tianxing, the Head of General Affairs of the Zhaixing Tower, a figure that ordinary cultivators could not even dream of reaching.

As for Kang Dabao, Yang Wuwei, who prided himself on his ability to judge people, found him difficult to understand. It was one thing that Kang Dabao's Taoist skills were unmatched, but when discussing Taoism, he frequently uttered witty remarks that provoked deep thought, which was quite remarkable.

Yang Wuwei's willingness to generously lend out the notes this time was entirely due to the promising futures of Kang and Jiang. After all, even the most generous person wouldn't be generous to the useless; there are rarely people in this world who are kind to you for no reason. The three of them had only been discussing Daoist principles for half the time, but Kang Dabao already felt that many previous mysteries had been cleared away, and the path to Core Formation was much clearer.

Just then, Fei Enwen, who had just been promoted to serve in the Yingshan Army, came over to deliver military orders. He did not exchange many pleasantries, but only whispered to everyone in the military tent: "The Ancestor asked me to come and tell Sect Leader Kang that True Man Yueyin has completed the preparation of all the families' troops and will launch a general attack on Xuanxiao Mountain in the next two days. Please do not slack off."

In the past, the Wu Lao Mountain faction would only seek out a battle once every ten days. After all, compared to the various families of Shanbei Dao who were hiding in Xuan Xiao Mountain, Wu Lao Mountain had relatively abundant resources.

Although Master Yueyin had little lifespan left, he showed no sign of urgency in commanding his army. Since he had never been caught out by Wen Fengzi on the other side, the Five Elders Mountain faction, which already had the advantage in strength, would remain invincible if no external factors interfered.

Therefore, both Master Kang and Yang Wuwei were surprised when they heard Fei Enwen's words. However, before the former could show it, Fei Enwen silently transmitted his voice without moving his lips:
"This battle is different from usual. The deputy general asked me to convey the old master's instructions to you: you must closely follow the movements of the Yingshan army and not be reckless."

After hearing the story, Kang Dabao showed no change in expression. He and everyone else in the tent politely saw off Military Enwen, the envoy, out of the tent. Once Fei Enwen was out of the tent, Kang Dabao subtly exchanged a meaningful glance with Yang Wuwei.

The latter immediately became alert, and after a few hurried words, he took his leave and returned to his own camp.

Fei Enwen's actions were clearly not intended to reveal the unusual nature of the Yang family's formation in Yezhou, and Kang Dabao was naturally unwilling to do the same. Fortunately, Yang Wuwei was a clever man, and just one look was enough for him to understand many things.

Sect Leader Kang was not worried about being held accountable by the Fei family afterward. After all, the Yang family of Yezhou had recently been highly regarded by the Duke of Qin, and even if the two senior cultivators of the Yang family were not as well-informed as the Fei family, they would find out sooner or later.

Kang Dabao was merely trying to curry favor with them. After all, he had just seen the Core Formation Manual that they had purchased at a high price, and it wouldn't be right for the Yang family cultivators to leave empty-handed. That wouldn't be the way of Kang Dabao's hospitality.

After seeing the guests off, Sect Leader Kang spoke with Jiang Qing and the disciples for a while. The cultivators understood the implications and their faces were solemn. When they left the tent, each of them was bound by military orders and was extremely serious.

The worry between Kang Dabao's brows lingered for a long time until the bugle call during evening drills dispersed the red glow of the sunset. Only then did he clear his mind of all distractions and begin his meditation.

—The following evening

On this day, the air around Xiaoshan was thick with murderous intent, so dense that birds and beasts within a hundred miles would rather stay in their nests and starve to death than risk coming out to forage for food.

Master Yueyin stood beneath the great banner, looking at Fei Tianqin with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

The former, based on the old bird's repeated performances, was already harboring a hidden anger. After all, as a real person, he wasn't so easily fooled. After a little thought about Fei Tianqin's actions, he realized that the old bird was indeed just going through the motions.

Although the reason is unknown, it is related to the military order that Wu Laoshan made to Kuang Liuting, and the matter is of great importance. If it weren't for the fact that the Fei family of Yingzhou is considered a trusted follower of Kuang Liuting, and if it weren't for the fact that Master Yueyin had hesitated for so long, he might have already sent back a report about the Fei family's behavior.

But this time, Fei Tianqin unexpectedly volunteered to lead the troops, ordering all families to prepare their armies in order to break the Xuanxiao Mountain Formation in one battle and report the victory to the government. This left Master Yueyin somewhat confused.

However, the sect leader of Wumu Mountain was quite happy with this situation. After all, he didn't have much time left in his lifespan, and he couldn't even find a single junior in his sect who could reach the Nascent Soul stage. Being able to avoid offending the Fei family of Yingzhou in their heyday and continue to cultivate good karma for the descendants of Wumu Mountain was the best outcome.

Seeing that the battle had escalated to the point where even Nascent Soul cultivators were fighting each other, the third-tier top-grade array that the Li Gu Jin family had set up in Xiaoshan had long been damaged and repaired repeatedly.

The fact that they've been able to hold on until now is only because the Jin family head has been relentlessly extracting spiritual energy from the mountain's veins, allowing them to barely survive.

After this battle, regardless of who wins, this spiritual vein will be severely damaged. To think that it can be restored to its original state without any effort is simply wishful thinking.

Master Yueyin was also furious about this. Xiaoshan was considered one of the best spiritual sites in Santing Prefecture. If it were to fall into ruin like this, the people from the Hehuan Sect who were transferred from Guandong would likely face a lot of complaints.

However, these are all things that will be a headache later. Since Fei Tianqin has become inexplicably proactive, Master Yueyin is happy to reclaim this place as soon as possible.

As the loud bugle call sounded and the floating clouds above the formation gradually dissipated, the Imperial Guards led by Shu Zhengde moved first as usual.

Shu Zhengde's original official position was Imperial Guard General, in charge of guarding the three palaces, which shows how highly he was regarded.

While it is true that Shu Zhengde could not bring all his elite troops with him when he rushed from Taiyuan to Shanbei Road to quell the rebellion, the Imperial Guards, though many of the regular armies in various parts of the Great Wei Dynasty had been defeated, had always been relatively capable of fighting, and the selection criteria had never been relaxed.

He verified the innocence of his ancestors for three generations, was a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, and had mastered a low-grade offensive technique of the Hong family to a minor level of mastery.
These few conditions alone are enough to deter most Qi Refining cultivators in the world. Only the Kuang family clan, whose prestige remains undiminished even after death, still possesses such prestige to attract ambitious individuals from all over the world to apply.

Shu Zhengde's troops on this expedition numbered less than a capital, consisting of only one battalion of archers, three hundred cavalrymen, and one unit of Liangxi elite cavalry. After a series of battles, their casualties reached fifty-one.

However, for the already weakened Royal Guard, such casualties were not enough to shake morale.

According to regulations, the deputy general in charge of a battalion of archers should be a genuine Golden Core cultivator. However, the emperor's authority is not as strict as before, so they could only bring in a righteous ruler who was close to the immortal dynasty to fill the position.

Of the more than 500 people, nearly eleven were Foundation Establishment cultivators, a number that other teams, including those from Wu Lao Mountain, could not match.

However, since it was rare for the Emperor Taiyuan to select Imperial Guards to garrison the southwestern border, he naturally did not treat this team, which was there to demonstrate his prestige, poorly. All the armor and weapons were provided by the Armory Department in accordance with the ancestral system established during the reign of Emperor Taizu, which was quite remarkable.

The moment Shu Zhengde landed the flag, an invisible barrier appeared around him, isolating the Taoist arts and magical artifacts that flew out from Xuanxiao Mountain.

Meanwhile, half of the archers each used second-tier archery equipment to draw their bows and nock their arrows, while the other half, in squads, used third-tier crossbows. These soldiers, accustomed to killing, moved with ease in battle, and in no time, they had carved a crack in the great formation of Xuanxiao Mountain.

Seeing that the great formation was about to break, none of the factions within it were willing to sit idly by and wait for their doom.

The Northern Sunflower Sect is particularly skilled in the art of refining zombies. The hairy and iron zombies formed an unexpectedly solemn and orderly military formation. Led by several bronze-armored zombies, they swiftly leaped out of the formation. In an instant, deathly energy filled the area, and even the surrounding spiritual energy seemed to be stained black.

Just as the horde of zombies was about to break through Shu Zhengde's banner and slaughter the archers, the Wanfu Sect troops behind Shu Zhengde's formation moved first.

This sect has always been close to Wu Lao Mountain, and can be considered a staunch supporter of the latter, so it has never spared any effort in battle.

The Golden Core Sect Master was even willing to use several sect-protecting talismans passed down from his ancestors. The Northern Sunflower Sect's corpse formation was broken by his talisman formation, and the thousands of corpses cried out incessantly. Even the leading bronze-armored corpses were severely injured, and pieces of their armor turned into corpse fluid that flowed down, leaving them in a sorry state.

At that moment, Shu Zhengde changed the command flag in his hand, and three hundred Thousand Bull Guards, who had been hiding behind the flag, rushed out under the leadership of the three alchemists.

These soldiers were clad in second-tier heavy armor, and their double-edged long-handled broadswords were imbued with a demon-piercing aura, making them extremely sharp when facing these inanimate objects.

Even though they suffered heavy casualties when facing the bronze-armored corpse, they did not retreat. The three hundred soldiers stood in formation and swung their swords down together. In an instant, a bright, ten-zhang-long broadsword appeared in the field, almost splitting the bronze-armored corpse and its golden mace in two.

With the surrounding families working together, the third-order formation that the families of Shanbei had used as a barrier was broken again in a short time.

The Wu Lao Mountain group was incredibly powerful, with Fei Tianqin leading the vanguard and sending cultivators from various factions rushing into the mountain. Before long, they were locked in a fierce battle with Jin Fengqing.

Ying Shanjun, however, remained unhurried, leading Chongmingzong Qingjuewei and other close relatives and friends on a slow march.

The sect leader, Kang, with a solemn expression, had just led his team onto the spiritual soil of Xuanxiao Mountain. After fighting for half a day, they heard unusual activity within the formation. A cry of alarm seemed to reach their ears: "Jin Fengqing has been killed by the Fei family patriarch!!!"

(End of this chapter)