Immortality starts from the liver proficiency

Chapter 452 Inside Cold Crow Pass
As the light approached the Cold Crow Pass, dozens of blood-red patterns suddenly lit up on the city wall, intertwining and spreading like a spider web, instantly outlining a huge warning array.

The array patterns were crimson red, shimmering faintly in the dark night, seemingly calm but actually concealing deadly intent.

Xu Yunfan's gaze narrowed slightly. With his current mastery of array formations, which was nearing completion, he could see through the mystery at a glance. This array was not simply for warning purposes, but contained three hidden transformations.

If one rashly enters, the first layer will trigger the "Blood Fiend Locking Spirit," with array patterns coiling around the cultivator like living things, sealing off the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around the cultivator and turning it into a place devoid of spiritual energy.

If one tries to break free, the second layer of "Bone-Corroding Yin Thunder" will erupt from the array's core, with thousands of lightning bolts biting like venomous snakes, specifically designed to break through the body's protective aura.

If one still manages to force their way through, the third level, "Nine Netherworld Soul Refining," will be activated. The blood-red light within the formation will transform into countless fierce spirits, tearing at the soul until the intruder's soul is scattered.

This kind of fierce formation is definitely not used for ordinary gate defense; it seems to be specifically designed to guard against some unspeakable entity.

Xu Yunfan thought to himself that being the garrison commander of Hanya Pass was probably not an easy job.

Opportunities and dangers coexist.

The red light reflected on Xu Yunfan's face, making his already pale skin appear even more sinister.

He was prepared and calmly took out a jade talisman from his pocket.

With a flick of his fingertip, a wisp of True Martial Power was injected into the jade talisman, which immediately emitted a hazy halo of light.

The defensive formation sensed the guardian's token, and the hideous blood patterns receded like a tide, finally opening a light gate on the heavy black iron city gate, allowing only one person to pass through.

"This welcoming ceremony is quite unique."

Xu Yunfan muttered to himself as he stepped into the pass.

The cold wind that swept towards him carried a biting chill, and even someone with his level of cultivation couldn't help but twitch his brow slightly.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator has long transcended the mortal body. Their physical body has been tempered by spiritual energy, making them impervious to heat and cold, and unharmed by water and fire. Even if they are in a sea of ​​lava and fire, they can still stroll leisurely.

But the yin wind that came at this moment was strange and unusual, like thousands of fine needles piercing through the protective spiritual light and going straight to the bone marrow.

The chill was unlike ordinary frost and snow; instead, it seemed to be the deathly aura seeping from the depths of the Netherworld, swirling around the body in wisps and strands, even causing the true essence in the dantian to stagnate.

Xu Yunfan frowned slightly, a chill running through him.

This eerie wind was definitely not formed naturally; it was probably formed from the resentment of the River Styx beneath the pass.

He lightly made a hand seal with his fingertips, and the True Martial Power flowed throughout his body, which slightly dispelled the chill.

Even so, that chilling aura lingered like a bone-deep infection, impossible to shake off.

"Even those at the Foundation Establishment stage can hardly withstand it... No wonder all the previous garrison commanders were unwilling to stay long."

He muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the dark river below the pass, his heart growing heavier.

It should be noted that Xu Yunfan entered the Dao through martial arts, and his muscles, bones, and skin have undergone countless trials and tribulations. In terms of physical strength alone, he is no less than those body cultivators who specialize in physical training.

Ordinary malevolent energy, let alone invading his body, would be dispersed by the powerful True Martial Qi within his body if it came within three feet.

But now, this chilling wind surging up from the River Styx was so strong that it made him feel a chill seep into his bones, which showed how extremely dangerous it was.

Xu Yunfan's gaze was sharp as lightning, slowly sweeping over the cultivators stationed inside the pass.

Most of these cultivators had pale faces and were surrounded by wisps of cold, eerie energy, clearly indicating that they dealt with the energy of the underworld year-round.

Many of them had a cold, eerie green light in their eyes, and their breaths were not filled with ordinary spiritual energy, but with a chilling true essence mixed with the evil energy of the Styx River.

Their footsteps were silent as they walked, like wandering souls, clearly indicating that they had cultivated the Yin attribute techniques to an extremely high level.

Near the city wall, several cultivators dressed in black robes were meditating and regulating their breathing.

They were surrounded by a chilling white aura that condensed into a thin layer of frost on the ground.

Xu Yunfan recognized at a glance that this was a characteristic of someone who had reached the minor completion stage of the "Nine Nether Profound Darkness Technique".

These techniques require drawing in the chilling energy of the netherworld into the body. Ordinary cultivators would die from frozen meridians if they were not careful. Those who can master them are all ruthless and vicious. What concerns him most is that this Nine Netherworld Profound Netherworld Technique is a cultivation method under the command of the Nine Abyss Profound Fiend True Monarch.

Logically speaking, with their Qi Refining stage cultivation, they should have been unable to move an inch in this Yin Sha place.

However, these disciples all looked normal, and some even held the Yin Soul Banner and were absorbing the resentment drifting from the River Styx to cultivate.

One particularly striking figure was a thin young man. Despite being only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, he dared to touch the Blood Fiend Array Pattern on the city wall with his bare hands, remaining unfazed as the Yin Fiend Qi eroded his arm.

"interesting."

Or perhaps it's true that these people are disciples of the Demonic Sect; they are ruthless to others, but even more ruthless to themselves.

Xu Yunfan pondered to himself.

These cultivators are able to thrive in such a treacherous environment, either because they are exceptionally talented or because they have been forced to develop a resilience far exceeding that of their peers.

In either case, it shows that the garrison at Hanya Pass is far stronger than it appears.

Xu Yunfan's mind raced, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.

Although the Cold Crow Pass is filled with malevolent energy and located at the border of the three sects, making it constantly vulnerable to invasion, it also has its own unique advantages.

Currently, he is the only Foundation Establishment True Person in charge of the pass. In the eyes of the Foundation Establishment True Person of the Yuanshi Sect, those Qi Refining disciples are nothing more than walking expendable materials.

The rules of the Yuanshizong sect were always strict, with a hierarchy so distinct as to be almost cruel.

Those who haven't reached the Qi Refining stage don't even deserve the title of "cultivator"; they're merely materials for cultivation kept by the sect.

Even if one enters the Qi Refining stage, one is nothing more than a slightly larger ant in front of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Those Qi Refining disciples who spend their days with Yin Sha probably don't even have the courage to look him in the eye.

"That makes things convenient."

He narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the trembling Qi Refining cultivators below the city.

Some of them did not practice the Yin-cold methods, and had long since become emaciated under the erosion of the Yin energy of the Styx River, yet they still had to force themselves to maintain the operation of the formation.

Xu Yunfan's gaze swept over the pale-faced Qi Refining disciples.

Most of these cultivators were pitiful victims who had been swindled by the Yuanshi Sect's "cultivation loan" scheme.

Within the Yuanshi Sect, what are the options for low-level cultivators without powerful backers to advance further?
It's just a fool's errand.

Those high-ranking deacons of the various peaks had already started calculating their gains.

Want pills?

Sure, let's sign a "miracle loan".

Want to learn martial arts techniques?

Sure, "Secret Loan" is waiting for you.

Even if you want to rent a decent cave dwelling for cultivation, you have to take on a "blessed land loan".

Which of these Qi Refining disciples isn't struggling to breathe under the weight of their ever-increasing debts?

Xu Yunfan could even tell at a glance which peak each of them owed money to; the one with the pale face must have borrowed Yin Sha Pills from "Cold Marrow Peak".

The one with the unfocused gaze is most likely the one who signed the "Soul Refining Peak" Heart-Eating Contract.

And those few trembling bodies, they're probably people who borrowed money from "Blood Fiend Peak" at exorbitant interest rates and couldn't pay it back, so they were sent to this godforsaken place to settle their debts.

(End of this chapter)