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Under the blood-red setting sun, flames soared into the sky from the seven camps, and thick smoke billowed like pillars.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and the scorching heat of battle, and piercing shouts of killing echoed from all directions.

"Spirit Beast Mountain has betrayed us! The Heavenly Palace Fortress defenses have been breached!" A messenger disciple, covered in blood, staggered into Yellow Maple Valley, his voice hoarse as a broken gong. "The six demonic sects have launched a three-pronged attack, less than a hundred miles from here!"

Chaos erupted instantly within Yellow Maple Valley.

Sect Leader Zhong slammed his palm down, shattering the table in front of him, sending splinters flying. "Silence! Evacuate according to the plan. Disciples below the late Foundation Establishment stage will cover the rear!"

Su Ning stood in the corner, coldly watching the deliberately altered list.

He, Han Li, and Zhang Tie, three disciples with no "future," were prominently listed, while Li Feiyu, as a disciple of Linghu Laozu, had already left with the elite team.

The ink on the list was still wet, and several names had clearly been altered.

"Senior Brother Su, what should we do?" Zhang Tietong's usually iron-faced expression showed a rare hint of anxiety.

He was not a true cultivator, nor did he possess the immortality of a cultivator, so he inevitably felt fear in the face of such a desperate situation.

His thick fingers unconsciously rubbed the iron hammer at his waist, his only magical weapon.

Han Li silently examined the talismans and magical artifacts in his storage bag, his eyes more gloomy than usual.

He noticed that the names of several scions of prominent families who should have been included on the list had been crossed out and replaced with those of his own disciples who were destitute and had no future.

His right hand was clenched into a fist inside his sleeve, his nails digging deep into his palm.

"Proceed according to plan! We are the targets that will draw the demonic forces to Yellow Maple Valley." Lightning crackled at Su Ning's fingertips, drawing a simple map in the air, with mountains and rivers formed by purple lightning clearly visible. "Try to break through! Then regroup in that abandoned mine."

As he spoke, he took out two purple jade talismans from his bosom and handed them to the two men respectively.

The jade talisman was covered with dense lightning patterns, and felt slightly numb to the touch: "Purple Lightning Escape Talisman, can travel a hundred miles in an instant. Remember, no matter what you see, do not turn around."

"clear."

At this moment, they had successfully attracted the main force of the demonic path. As soon as the three of them appeared, they were shocked by the scene before them.

The sky was stained crimson with blood, and the spirit birds of Spirit Beast Mountain mingled with the blood-red clouds of the demonic path, surging towards them like a tide.

The disciples of the seven sects scattered and fled, and every now and then someone was struck by the escape light and fell like a bird with broken wings.

Screams rose and fell, and mutilated corpses lay scattered on the ground.

"Don't linger! Let's go!"

At Su Ning's command, the three men broke out of the encirclement separately.

He deliberately activated his Thunder Technique with all his might, and the dazzling lightning instantly became like a beacon in the night, attracting several pursuing streaks of light.

This was part of the plan—to use themselves as bait to create an opportunity for Han Li and Zhang Tie to escape.

"Young man, don't run away!" A Blood Fiend Sect elder in the early stage of Core Formation chased after them on his sword.

His blood-red robe fluttered in the wind, and twelve blood-red blades flew out from his sleeves, drawing shrill arcs in the air.

Su Ning's lips curled up slightly, and he suddenly crushed the array plate in his hand.

A thick fog of lightning instantly rose within a radius of a hundred feet, with purple lightning snakes slithering through it...

This was a "Thunderous Miasma Array" that he had secretly set up over three months under the guise of cultivation, specifically for today.

The Blood Blade plunged into the mist as if trapped in quagmire, its speed decreasing drastically.

The elder was filled with shock and anger. Just as he was about to make a hand seal to change his move, he saw thirty-six lightning-patterned puppets suddenly rush out from the lightning mist. Each one was engraved with complex runes and formed a strange formation to surround him.

"burst!"

With a soft shout from Su Ning, all the puppets simultaneously self-destructed!
The combined power, comparable to the self-destruction of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, blasted the Core Formation elder so badly that he coughed up blood and flew backward, his blood-stained robe torn to shreds.

Taking advantage of this moment, Su Ning transformed into a bolt of lightning and fled into the distance.

Before leaving, he saw Han Li silently reach the edge of the battlefield, his figure moving like a ghost through the shadows; while Zhang Tie, relying on his physical strength, his muscles gleaming with a metallic sheen, forcefully broke through the encirclement of the demonic path, breaking the bones and tendons of the demonic cultivators wherever he went.

……

Three days later, in a secluded valley on the border of the Yuanwu Kingdom.

Han Li squatted by the stream, washing the wound on his shoulder, his face unusually pale.

The stream was stained red with blood, swirling as it flowed into the distance.

He had just returned from Xin Ruyin's secluded place and witnessed the last moments of that intelligent woman's life.

"Senior brother, Senior Brother Qi was killed by the Fu family... She held on to her last breath and waited for me..." Han Li took out an exquisite array plate from his robes, his fingers gently tracing the fine patterns on it. "This is an ancient teleportation array that Xin Ruyin restored perfectly, and..."

He then took out a blood-stained jade slip and probed it with his divine sense. Inside were recorded Xin Ruyin's lifelong insights into array formations, as well as a tearful last message: "If Fellow Daoist Han succeeds in forming his core, I hope you will exterminate the entire Fu family!"

The handwriting is illegible, clearly indicating that it was carved in extreme pain.

Suning patted him on the shoulder without saying anything more.

The world of cultivation is so cruel; you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Just as none of them expected, the Seven Factions would be defeated so suddenly and so thoroughly.

The faint sound of explosions in the distance reminded them that the danger was not yet over.

"Where is Junior Brother Zhang?" Han Li asked, forcing himself to stay alert after putting away his belongings.

His cultivation level had recovered to the early stage of Foundation Establishment, but his face was still somewhat pale.

"I went to the market to buy materials for the formation." Su Ning took out the fragment of the Void Heaven Palace map. The parchment had intricate lines and ancient characters. "Teleportation arrays are good, but they are too conspicuous."

"It's alright! It's better than waiting to die."

"What about Mo Caihuan and Su Mo?"

"I've already arranged it."

In fact, Su Ning had already taken Mo Caihuan and the others into his own spatial world.

Originally, I was thinking of taking that infatuated woman Chen Qiaoqian away, but unfortunately, she has changed a lot after cultivating the "Supreme Forgetfulness Technique".

As they were talking, a violent fluctuation of spiritual energy suddenly came from afar.

The two looked over alertly and saw a streak of pure white light rushing towards them, followed closely by three streaks of crimson light...

Leading the group was none other than Wang Chan, an old acquaintance, whose blood-red robe was adorned with a hideous and terrifying demonic face pattern!
"It's actually Fairy Nangong from the Hidden Moon Sect!" Han Li's pupils shrank slightly.

Although the woman in white had her face veiled, her exquisite Su Nu Kung Fu was unmistakable, and the ice crystals that fell from the escape light refracted seven colors in the sunlight.

Seeing that Nangong Wan was about to be caught up, Han Li unleashed the Azure Origin Sword Technique without hesitation.

Countless sword lights, like a peacock spreading its tail, intertwined in the air to form a net, temporarily forcing Wang Chan and the others to retreat.

"Su Ning?" Nangong Wan was both surprised and delighted. Her clear, cold voice carried a hint of exhaustion, and then her expression changed drastically. "Quick, let's go! They have a Core Formation cultivator..."

Before she finished speaking, Wang Chan grinned and summoned the Blood Soul Banner. A cold wind suddenly rose, and countless vengeful spirits poured out of the banner: "Haha, it really is like finding a needle in a haystack! Su Ning, Han Li, I've been looking for you for a long time."

"Wang Chan, it seems you really don't learn your lesson. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

"Outrageous! Su Ning, I wish I could drink your blood and eat your flesh."

"So much bullshit!"

Then Su Ning engaged in a fierce battle with Wang Chan. The Core Formation cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect wanted to step forward, but were stopped by the aloof young sect leader, Wang Chan.

At this moment, Han Li and Nangong Wan stood back to back to face the enemy, but unexpectedly, a sudden change occurred.

Nangong Wan's Su Nu Gong (a type of internal energy cultivation technique) circulated uncontrollably within her body, drawing away most of Han Li's magical power like a whale sucking water!
"Ah!" Han Li knelt on the ground in pain, his meridians feeling as if they were being gnawed by thousands of ants, and his cultivation level visibly dropped from the Foundation Establishment stage to the Qi Refining stage.

Due to the surge in her magical power, Nangong Wanze lightly waved her hand, and ice crystals condensed into a giant palm, defeating Wang Chan in one move. She then took the opportunity to escape the danger with Han Li.

In the quiet valley, the moonlight was like water.

Nangong Wan removed her veil, revealing her stunning beauty. A touch of vermilion between her brows added to her ethereal charm: "Junior Nephew Han, come back to the Hidden Moon Sect with me! Your cultivation has declined because of our sect's techniques. Master will surely have a way to resolve this."

Han Li shook his head and refused, though his face was as pale as paper: "Thank you for your kindness, Fairy Nangong, but I have my own plans."

He knew perfectly well that once he entered the Hidden Moon Sect, he would probably never be free again.

Moreover, he has too many secrets.

Nangong Wan gazed at him for a moment, her eyes in the moonlight as deep and unfathomable as a cold pool, and suddenly sighed softly: "You are indeed different from those cultivators."

After leaving behind several jade bottles labeled "Condensing Essence Pills," she gracefully departed in her white robes, like a fairy stepping onto the moon.

Meanwhile, Su Ning fought and retreated, seizing an opportunity to give Wang Chan a sound beating before using his lightning escape technique to quickly flee.

……

That night, Zhang Tie rushed back, bringing the latest news from Tianxing City: "The remnants of the Seven Factions have retreated to Yuanwu Kingdom, and Huangfeng Valley is rebuilding its mountain gate. However..."

He lowered his voice, "I heard that the higher-ups are investigating disciples who 'deserted themselves in the face of battle'."

Su Ning sneered, "What a convenient excuse for turning the tables." He turned to look at the ancient teleportation array, "Junior Brother Han, how are the preparations going?"

"The materials are all ready, and we can start it at any time." Han Li inspected the array plate, a complex look flashing in his eyes. "But..."

"Just what?" Zhang Tie asked, scratching his head.

"It's nothing." Han Li shook his head and embedded the array plate left by Xin Ruyin into the central groove of the ancient teleportation array. "Let's go."

Just then, a whooshing sound suddenly came from afar.

Xuan Le and Lü Tianmeng burst out from the shadows, their faces filled with greed: "Hand over the Great Teleportation Token and the ancient teleportation array!"

"You're courting death!" Lightning surged in Su Ning's eyes as he unleashed the full power of a Foundation Establishment Grand Perfection cultivator.

Having gone through numerous life-and-death experiences, he was no longer the ordinary disciple he once was.

The battle broke out suddenly and fiercely.

Xuan Le summoned an ancient bronze mirror, and wherever its light shone, the vegetation withered; Lü Tianmeng, on the other hand, controlled three armored corpses, which emitted a pungent stench.

Su Ning moved like lightning, weaving through the gaps in the attacks. Lightning condensed in his palm into a spear, and a sudden thrust pierced Xuan Le's chest.

"How is this possible..." Xuan Le looked down at the charred hole in her chest and collapsed in disbelief.

Seeing that things were not going well, Lü Tianmeng turned to flee, but was struck in the back by the iron hammer thrown by Zhang Tie, and the sound of his spine breaking could be clearly heard.

Han Li followed up with a fireball spell, burning the two corpses to ashes.

"Let's go!" Su Ning quickly collected his spoils and stepped into the brightly lit teleportation array first.

The instant the teleportation began, Wang Chan appeared at the valley entrance, her eyes bloodshot: "Su Ning, Han Li—I will kill you both!"

The sound was distorted and elongated by space, and the figures of the three gradually blurred.

At the last moment, Su Ning smiled and met Wang Chan's eyes, silently making a gesture of disdain for Wang Chan.

A flash of white light, and the valley returned to silence, leaving only Wang Chan's angry roar echoing among the mountains.

“Su Ning…Han Li…”

……

The blinding white light dissipated, and Su Ning, Han Li, and Zhang Tie appeared on an unfamiliar ancient teleportation array.

The surroundings were damp and cold, and the air was filled with the salty smell of the sea breeze.

"We've arrived?" Zhang Tie looked around, his muscles taut like cast iron, warily surveying his surroundings.

Han Li's gaze was cold and stern. Without saying a word, he raised his hand and unleashed a sword aura, instantly severing several core array patterns of the teleportation array beneath his feet, completely destroying it.

"Just in case," he said calmly, "Even if Wang Chan and the others catch up, they won't be able to use this teleportation array."

Su Ning nodded in agreement. His divine sense, equivalent to that of a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, swept across the surroundings and found that they were in a stone house, with a desolate island outside the house.

Stepping out the door, a vast expanse of azure sea comes into view, with a few solitary islands faintly visible where the sea meets the sky.

"Senior brother, is this... the opportunity you spoke of?" Zhang Tie murmured to himself.

Su Ning took a deep breath, feeling the rich spiritual energy of the place, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes: "Not bad! This is the blessed land for us brothers and sisters."

After discussing it, the three decided to leave the deserted island and find a populated area.

Suning summoned a flying boat, and the three of them piloted it, soaring into the sky.

Su Ning's current cultivation level is at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage, while Zhang Tie is a body cultivator equivalent to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and Han Li is just a burden in the Qi Refining stage.

After flying for half a day, a huge merchant ship appeared on the distant sea. Flags were flying on the ship, and the hull was carved with intricate patterns, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary vessel.

"It's actually a merchant ship belonging to mortals." Han Li scanned the ship with his divine sense and confirmed that there were no cultivators on board, only some martial arts guards.

The three exchanged a glance and decided to temporarily conceal their cultivation levels and board the ship as ordinary cultivators to gather information.

The sailors on the merchant ship were filled with awe when they saw the three men descend from the sky.

The boat owner was a shrewd middle-aged man. Seeing the three men's extraordinary bearing, he immediately greeted them respectfully: "Three immortal masters, would you like to board the boat?"

Su Ning smiled slightly: "We are new to this place and do not know what sea area this is?"

The ship owner quickly replied, "This is the 'Chaotic Star Sea,' and it's still a five-day voyage to 'Kui Xing Island.'"

"Kui Xing Island?" Han Li's eyes flashed. "Is it a place where cultivators gather?"

"Exactly!" The ship owner nodded. "Kui Xing Island is the largest cultivator island within tens of thousands of miles. There is a market on the island, and a Golden Core stage senior is stationed there."

Su Ning's heart stirred, and he exchanged a glance with Han Li and Zhang Tie.

"In that case, we will travel by ship to Kui Xing Island."

Five days later, the merchant ship arrived at Kuixing Island.

From a distance, the island resembles a dazzling star, with its buildings arranged in a staggered pattern and shimmering with spiritual light, clearly shrouded in an array.

After the three arrived on the island, they discovered that the island had strict rules, and outside cultivators who wanted to stay on the island for a long time had to obtain a "residence permit".

The way to obtain a residency permit is either to pay a large amount of spirit stones, or...

Challenge the cultivators on the island and prove your strength!
(Some changes have been made! I hope readers can understand that it's impossible to follow the text exactly as it is, and the three of them will be going their separate ways for the time being.)
“Junior Brother Han, your cultivation has dropped to the Qi Refining stage. Why don’t you keep a low profile for now?” Su Ning pondered.

Han Li shook his head: "That's precisely why we need to recover our strength as soon as possible."

His gaze swept toward the arena in the center of the island, where cultivators were fighting, and the winner would receive a residence permit from the island lord.

"I'll try."

Zhang Tie asked worriedly, "Senior Brother Han, your current cultivation level..."

Han Li smiled slightly: "Although your cultivation level has dropped, your skills are still there."

Having said that, he leaped onto the ring.

"I am Han Li, and I challenge the cultivators of Kui Xing Island!"

An uproar immediately erupted in the crowd below the arena.

"A mere Qi Refining stage cultivator dares to challenge a Foundation Establishment senior?"

"Are you seeking death?"

However, Han Li remained calm. Facing an opponent in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, he relied solely on talismans, puppets, and exquisite movement techniques to leave the opponent in a sorry state, ultimately forcing him to admit defeat!
"This...how is this possible?" The audience was shocked.

Han Li won three consecutive matches and finally obtained a residence permit for Kui Xing Island. He even secured the qualification for merchant ships to conduct business on Kui Xing Island.

The ship owner was moved to tears and repeatedly thanked him.

The next two, Suning and Zhang Tie, are naturally a foregone conclusion; there's no reason why they should be inferior to the burden who has lost all his cultivation.

After receiving their residency permits, the three decided to settle down temporarily, as they needed time to understand the Chaotic Star Sea.

Han Li chose to open a cave dwelling on "Xiao Huan Island" near Kui Xing Island, where he devoted himself to cultivation and strived to recover his Foundation Establishment stage cultivation as soon as possible.

"Senior Brother Su, what are your plans next?" Han Li asked.

Su Ning's gaze was deep: "I've been learning about the Chaotic Star Sea lately, so I plan to venture into the 'Outer Star Sea'."

"What? The outer sea?" Zhang Tie was clearly taken aback. "It's teeming with monsters and fraught with danger!"

“That’s precisely why it’s more suitable for honing our skills,” Su Ning said with a smile. “Moreover, the outer sea is rich in resources, and we might find an opportunity to break through to the Golden Core stage. When I break through to the Core Formation stage, it will also make us safer.”

Zhang Tie pondered for a moment, then suddenly slapped his thigh: "Senior Brother Su, I'll go with you!"

Su Ning raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure?"

Zhang Tie grinned: "The path of body cultivation is about breaking through between life and death! Besides, my lifespan is limited, so it's really not suitable for me to sit in seclusion and cultivate like you guys."

Seeing this, Han Li did not stop them, but took out a large number of pills and handed them to the two: "Take care."

Suning nodded, and then embarked on a new journey with Zhang Tie.

Han Li watched the two leave, then turned and stepped into his cave, beginning his long period of seclusion.

Su Ning and Zhang Tie, on the other hand, first went to explore the cultivation market on Kui Xing Island, buying a large amount of information about the Chaotic Star Sea and precious pill formulas.

Then they charged towards the monsters in the outer sea, because only blood and fire could truly make a person grow stronger.

Months later, a rumor began to circulate on Kui Xing Island...

At the edge of the Outer Star Sea, a lightning magic cultivator and a body cultivator suddenly appeared. The two joined forces to kill a level-five demonic beast, attracting the attention of many forces in the Outer Star Sea...

On the vast stage of the Chaotic Star Sea, the story of these three has only just begun.

Meanwhile, Han Li, who was diligently cultivating on Xiaohuan Island and eager to restore his cultivation level, was also racing against time to match Su Ning's strength.

...(End of chapter)