Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 144, pp. 151-152: Blood of Heaven, Reversal of Yin and Yang, Birth of an Ancient Cultivator, Human, God, Wine, and Stone (Two chapters combined into one)

In the darkness, that terrifying feeling of being 'observed' from the sky returned.

However, as the golden light of the Yang Pearl completely merged into his meridians, the turbid karmic force that was originally entangled in the vitality within Zhao Wuji's body disintegrated inch by inch under the burning of the Yang marrow, turning into wisps of black smoke that dissipated from his pores.

His pores opened, expelling not only dirt and blood clots, but also wisps of dark red karmic foulness.

That was the "Heavenly Resentment" that the Yin Pearl had acquired when it stole lifespan.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, the blood-fiend spiritual power that had been dormant within him suddenly surged, like a thirsty beast, and actually took the initiative to meet the wisps of dark red causal foul energy.

"Ok?"

As Zhao Wuji was shocked, he discovered that the Blood Fiend Spiritual Power was actively devouring these Calamity Turbidities, just like a living thing.

But soon, the foul energy backfired, and the blood-fiend spiritual power was devoured as if by a thousand ants, quickly dissolving.

"Not good!" His heart tightened, and he immediately tried to suppress his bloodlust and avoid the filth of the Heavenly Dao's karma.

But right now!
hum!
The Yang Pearl suddenly burst forth with intense golden light, like the sun soaring in the sky, and the magnificent yang energy swept down with a roar!

The foul energy within the blood-fiend spiritual power was melted away inch by inch, like snow meeting the blazing sun.

Even more astonishingly, the shredded karmic threads did not dissipate but instead transformed into pure energy, nourishing the blood demon and causing its flames to surge!

On the Yin-Yang Bead, the proficiency value jumped wildly, instantly breaking through the limit.

"The blood-fiend spiritual power cultivated by martial arts practitioners, combined with the supreme yang energy of the Yang Pearl, can even refine the karmic filth of the Heavenly Dao's resentment?"

Zhao Wuji was shocked, and a terrible thought exploded in his mind.

"This foul stench... could it be 'the blood of the Heavenly Dao'?"

In the past, his father used heavenly lightning to break through his cultivation realm; Li Yuanba of the Sui and Tang dynasties tempered his body with lightning...

"Could it be that the ultimate path to becoming a martial arts immortal is not through refining the essence of demonic beasts, but rather..."

"Using one's own microcosm as a furnace... devouring the heavens and consuming the Dao?!"

What ambition and spirit this is!

The Martial Classic states: "Martial arts cannot defeat supernatural powers, and supernatural powers cannot defeat karma."

But the martial arts immortal lineage insists on using fists to overcome supernatural powers and blood to swallow karma!
At this moment, the blood-fiend spiritual power within Zhao Wuji's body surged like a raging sea, faintly revealing a trace of the pressure of the Heavenly Dao, as if declaring that man will conquer nature!

The pure Yang power of the Yang Pearl flowed like the sun shining brightly, gradually harmonizing the violent bloodlust that had been devoured by the foul energy.

His bones were covered in blood-red Dao patterns, as hard as black iron yet as flexible as a dragon's tendons, and every inch of his flesh was undergoing a transformation.

"boom!"

The Yongquan acupoint on the sole of the foot and the Laogong acupoint on the palm open spontaneously.

Qi and blood circulate in their own cycle, and a power far exceeding the current realm surges through the meridians.

His spiritual senses expanded like a tide, and he was able to clearly perceive the trajectory of the flowing spiritual mist outside the cave, already possessing some of the mysteries of divine consciousness.

Even more remarkably, he sensed a golden mark deep within his soul, seemingly resonating with the first Yin-Yang Pearl, subtly resisting the lingering pressure of the tribulation lightning from the heavens.

The thunderclouds that had hung overhead for a hundred years suddenly dissipated the moment the yin and yang energies reached equilibrium.

But there was still a subtle sense of unease, as if the enormous creature rolling across the sky had "remembered" this theft of lifespan, only the calamity had been greatly postponed.

Zhao Wuji had a sudden realization. Upon introspection, he saw that the first perfect Yin-Yang Bead was surrounded by the other Yin-Yang Beads, forming a Yin-Yang fish in Tai Chi, slowly rotating.

A message appeared on the surface of the Yin-Yang Bead.

"Physical Reconstruction: 1/1"

"This should be the flesh-restoring and bone-regenerating function that comes with the first Yin-Yang Pearl after it is perfected, the ability to heal the dead. However..."

Zhao Wuji felt that this function might not be very useful to him.

Because with his current physical strength, as well as medical skills, head-regeneration techniques, and other life-saving methods, he could survive even if his head were lost.

It would be very difficult to completely destroy his physical body.

However, this is ultimately just a trump card to save our lives, and hopefully we'll never have to use it.

He then observed his current cultivation level.

Immortal cultivation level: Qi Induction Level 6 (81/300)

Martial Immortal Cultivation: Blood Fiend Level 3 (23/100)

Zhao Wuji, "?"

He thought he had misread it.

Upon closer inspection, it's true, it's the Blood Fiend Triple Formation.

"Just by absorbing a little bit of the filthy tribulation energy of the Heavenly Dao's karma, I directly skipped two levels and broke through to the third level of martial cultivation? No wonder my body feels much stronger."

Zhao Wuji slowly opened his eyes, a flash of blood-red light disappearing from them.

His body was covered by a thin, blood-red light membrane, which rose and fell slightly with his breathing.

"Ok?"

He raised an eyebrow slightly and his shoulders trembled slightly.

The blood membrane shattered instantly, turning into specks of red light that dissipated into the air.

With a casual throw of his fist, the wind of his punch shifted freely between bloodlust and Daoist charm, sometimes as violent as blood flames, sometimes as clear and cold as frost.

"The transition between offense and defense went even more smoothly than expected!"

With a thought, the blood-fiend spiritual power enveloped his body once more.

This time, it only maintained a very thin layer, like mist or gauze.

Only a few strands of gold thread were wrapped around his palms, gleaming strangely in the sunlight.

He summoned the Frost Soul Flying Sword, its blade shimmering with icy blue light.

Zhao Wuji tapped his arm lightly with his sword.

Ding!
The crisp sound of metal clashing echoed within the cave.

The blood film rippled, neutralizing the impact.

"Come again."

The sword was pressed harder, and the blood membrane trembled violently.

With a tearing sound, the red light shattered, and a thin wound appeared on his arm.

Before he could feel the pain, the Frost Soul Flying Sword suddenly emitted a shrill sword cry.

Zhao Wuji looked closely and saw that the sword was wrapped in wisps of bloody energy, which were corroding the sword's spiritual light like a malignant sore.

"Oh, my precious Cold Soul!"

He quickly picked up the Frost Soul Flying Sword, rapidly absorbed the blood-fiend spiritual power on the sword, wiped it on his robe, and then quickly infused it with some spiritual power.

After a short while, the Frost Soul Flying Sword stopped its mournful cry, its spiritual energy stabilized, and it once again emitted a lustrous blue light.

At this moment, Zhao Wuji also noticed that the wound on his arm that had just been cut had healed on its own, leaving not even a scar.

"It seems that I really benefited from the Yin-Yang Pearl this time. I didn't have the resources to cultivate martial arts immortality, but who would have thought that I could squeeze out a fortune from the calamity of heavenly cause and effect."

Zhao Wuji was pleasantly surprised.

Now, he can clearly feel the vibrant life force flowing through his body.

That vitality contains both the weight of time and the vigor of new shoots breaking through the soil.

What's even more remarkable is that the entangled karmic forces have now been completely cleansed, leaving only flawless vitality.

His lifespan has doubled again.

This Yin-Yang Pearl truly is an object that defies fate and changes destiny.
Exhaling a breath of stale air, Zhao Wuji strolled out of the cave. A mountain breeze brushed his face, and he suddenly felt interested: "Perfect timing to try out my newly acquired wind-controlling technique."

Before learning the Wind Control Technique, he thought it was only for flying.

After realizing it, I knew I was completely wrong.

Flying on the wind is just the most basic ability of the Wind Control Technique.

The true art of controlling the wind lies in resonating with the wind spirits of heaven and earth.

With a single thought, the wind can be transformed into a blade.

With a single thought, the wind can be gathered into a shield.

Even at higher levels, one can command the wind and rain, and wherever the wind blows, that is one's domain!

However, being a beginner, Zhao Wuji could only use Wind Flight and Wind Spirit Protection.

He came to the cliffs outside, where the mountain mist was like gauze, swaying gently in the wind.

Zhao Wuji suddenly made a hand seal, and with a slight thought, a gust of wind suddenly rose up around him, lifting his body into the air.

Like a leaf swept up by a gale, it rose hundreds of feet into the air in the blink of an eye.

"This is true riding the wind!" he thought to himself.

Ordinary aerial maneuvers require a continuous consumption of spiritual energy to maintain, and are straightforward.

The Wind Control Technique, on the other hand, connects with the spirits of heaven and earth through divine thought, borrowing their momentum to move with great agility, and its spiritual energy consumption is less than 20% of that of the Sky Control Technique.

Suddenly, a fierce wind from the mountaintop rushed towards us, its force like a knife.

Zhao Wuji neither dodged nor evaded; he spread his arms, and pale blue wind patterns suddenly appeared on his body.

"Wind Spirit Protection!"

A rotating airflow barrier instantly formed three inches around him.

The gale crashed into the barrier and was split into countless streams, which wrapped around it along the wind patterns.

From a distance, his entire body was completely enveloped in a spindle-shaped wind cocoon, transforming into a blurry blue shadow, his speed increasing tenfold as he vanished into the wind.

"Only by transforming into the wind can one truly understand the vastness of heaven and earth!"

Zhao Wuji let out a long laugh, and as he landed and came to an abrupt stop, his figure suddenly dispersed into dozens of wispy wisps of wind, which then coalesced again a hundred feet away.

This is no longer a simple speed advantage, but a mysterious ability to briefly merge oneself with the spirit of heaven and earth, almost like an escape technique.

If an enemy were to use a magical weapon to lock onto and attack him, they would probably find it difficult to even catch a glimpse of his afterimage.

"Hey? Senior Brother Zhao? What brings you here?"

Fei Yun, dressed in a blue robe, strode over with a broad smile, bowing respectfully from afar: "Senior Brother, when did you come up the mountain? I was completely unaware; my apologies."

This blue-robed disciple, who was once defeated by Zhao Wuji with a single sword strike in the martial arts arena, now addresses Zhao Wuji as his senior brother with great respect.

After all, everyone knows that Zhao Wuji is now a favorite of the two peak masters, and his terrifying cultivation at the fifth level of Qi Refining is no less than that of some purple-robed secret disciples.

"Junior Brother Fei," Zhao Wuji replied calmly, "I've come to see Senior Uncle Yan. I'm sorry to trouble you."

"What's with the announcements? You've come so many times already, and you're still being so fake polite. Come in! I have other business to attend to today, so hurry up with your acupuncture."

Zhao Wuji's lips twitched, and he could only give Fei Yun a helpless smile before walking into the hall.

Behind him, Fei Yun stood frozen in place, watching his back as he walked confidently into the peak master's bedroom, a complex look of envy flashing in his eyes.

"This treatment"

Fei Yun shook his head, and could only sigh softly before turning and leaving.

Since Yan Lan and Hua Qingshuang broke through to the Condensation Realm, although the cold and fire poisons of the past are still there, they can now be slowly refined with their powerful cultivation by relying on the methods recorded in the Nine Revolutions Primordial Technique.

Once the Nine Revolutions Primordial Technique is fully mastered, the fire poison and cold poison will dissipate on their own.

However, the process of comprehending the cultivation method will vary from person to person.

Those with strong comprehension can achieve great success in a decade or so, while those with poor comprehension may not achieve it even after decades.

If you can't grasp the meaning, you might as well use acupuncture to make up for it.

For example, the "Nine Revolutions Primordial Qigong" records the guiding chapter, the gathering chapter, the acupoint and meridian chapter, and so on.

Both peak masters can choose not to study the Refining Chapter and focus solely on it.

Because of the solutions described in these two articles, Zhao Wuji could resolve the issue through his superb medical skills and acupuncture.

To address the cold toxins in Hua Qing Shuang, he can use acupuncture to stimulate specific Yang meridian acupoints such as "Mingmen" and "Zhiyang" to force the cold toxins to converge into the main meridian.

Then, he used the Sea-Stabilizing Needle to fix it in place, and offered the flower green frost to refine and cultivate.

In this way, the time spent comprehending other chapters is saved, thus accelerating cultivation.

The same applies to Yan Lan.

The refined cold and fire poisons not only did not harm the two, but could even enhance their cultivation.

As a result, both peak masters have recently been asking Zhao Wuji to administer acupuncture to aid their cultivation, hoping to gain the upper hand in the 'race against time' with the cave master.

Zhao Wuji gently knocked on the palace door and entered, but was taken aback when he looked up.

Yan Lan had already removed her outer robe and was lying on the jade couch. Under the candlelight, her snow-white back shimmered with a pearly luster, like solidified cream.

The waistline narrows abruptly, then dramatically widens at the hips, resembling the rugged peaks and precipices in a splashed-ink landscape painting.

Especially the soft curves slightly pressed into the edge of the jade couch, resembling snow waves gently caressing a reef.
Zhao Wuji knew that although his senior brother seemed carefree and unrestrained, he actually valued propriety and self-respect the most.

This completely unguarded attitude was actually a testament to Yan Lan's trust in his medical skills and character.

He immediately stepped forward obediently, and just as he took out the golden needle, the other party suddenly threw a jade slip at him.

"The Tiannan Secret Realm will open in three months."

Yan Lan buried her face in her arms, her voice muffled and soft, "After today's acupuncture, you don't need to come again. Go back and cultivate diligently, and strive to reach the peak of the fifth level of Qi Refining in three months. It will be much safer to enter that secret realm then."
This jade slip contains records of many precious resources that may exist in the secret realm, as well as some dangerous places. Read it carefully when you return.”

"Yes! Thank you for the reminder, Senior Uncle."

Zhao Wuji took the jade slip and put it into his storage bag. Then he ran his fingers over the tip of the needle, and the blood-fiend spiritual power and the golden light of the Yang Pearl flowed together.

As the needle entered the "Lingtai" acupoint, Yan Lan's tense waist suddenly trembled slightly, letting out a soft groan. Beads of sweat appeared on her snow-white back, and she said in a slightly trembling voice, "My junior sister Hua and I will probably be leaving the cave soon to check on the state of the ruins at Yunfeng Cave."

"Hmm?" Zhao Wuji was startled, but his hands remained steady as he applied the needles. He frowned and said, "I've heard that the ruins are very strange and related to the Song Dynasty. Do you two peak masters need to investigate? It might be very dangerous."

Yan Lan said, "It's precisely because there might be danger that Junior Sister Hua and I went to check it out and investigate, so that if something really happens in the future, we won't be caught unprepared and give Old Ghost Zhong, who knows the situation better, a huge advantage."

Hearing Yan Lan say this, Zhao Wuji could no longer dissuade her.

Both peak masters had their own considerations, and he could only say, "Be extremely careful."

After finishing the acupuncture treatment and leaving Crimson Flame Peak, Zhao Wuji went to the True Inheritance Hall to return his blue robe and True Inheritance token, thus being promoted to a purple-robed secret disciple.

After submitting the Peak Master's permission letter and registering his cultivation information, Zhao Wuji smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Steward Zhang."

After verifying the documents, Deacon Zhang hurriedly took out a purple-patterned robe and a black iron waist token, and said respectfully with a smile, "Senior Brother Zhao, you are too kind. Congratulations on your promotion to the rank of Secret Disciple! This robe is woven from the silk of the Demon Vine Spider and can block ordinary spells."

The waist token also contained a small communication talisman, allowing communication with the True Transmission Hall to take place anytime within a thousand miles.

He diligently fastened the waist token to Zhao Wuji with his own hands, and then lowered his voice to say, "Now that you have mastered the secret technique, you can go to the third floor of the Scripture Pavilion and choose any technique to learn."

"Old Hu is still waiting for my wine in the Sutra Repository, so I'd better not disturb him."

Zhao Wuji stroked the cloud and thunder pattern embroidered on his robe, thinking to himself, and then smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your guidance."

After changing his clothes in the dressing room, he left with his purple robe billowing like mist, attracting the attention of the disciples in the hall, who immediately bowed respectfully to see him off.

"It's time to retrieve the wine from the ancient Yelang Kingdom and the second sobering stone."

With a flick of his sleeves, Zhao Wuji transformed into a streak of azure light and soared into the sky.

Unbeknownst to him, at the edge of the farewell crowd, Li Nianwei tightly gripped the sword tassel in her slender hand, her gaze as hazy and complex as misty rain.

Only after that figure completely disappeared into the horizon did she lower her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

"Junior Sister Li, snap out of it!" A fellow disciple's teasing voice suddenly rang in her ears. "You've practically worn through Senior Brother Zhao's clothes from looking at him!"

Li Nianwei hurriedly turned around and bowed, a strand of black hair slipping down her temple as she moved, just enough to cover her slightly red ear tips.

"Senior sister is joking. I just..."

"Alright, alright. Senior Brother Zhao is handsome and outstanding, so Senior Sister will steal a few glances at him too."

Senior Sister smiled and waved her hand, but then said seriously, "But I must remind you, it's okay to look, but now Senior Brother Zhao is already a master of secret teachings, while you have just been promoted to Blue Robe. Next time you meet him, you must remember to give him a proper salute."

“Yes.” Li Nianwei replied softly, but her gaze involuntarily drifted into the depths of the clouds.

A mountain breeze swept by, carrying away her barely audible sigh.

The figure of that once brilliant imperial physician is now fading further and further into the distance.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

After the collapse of Yunfeng Cave Heaven, its remaining mineral deposits, spiritual material resources, cultivation manuals and other resources were almost completely divided up by the three major cave heavens of Linlang, Yanling and Wushang within just two months.

During this period, the Xuanxiao Cave Heaven of the Yu Kingdom, the Qingming Cave Heaven of the Yun Kingdom, and the Baigu Cave Heaven also heard the news and tried to get a share of the pie.

However, after several tentative attempts, they ultimately failed to gain any advantage and had to retreat in frustration.

However, the abyss of blood river beneath the ruins of Yunfeng, which appears to be a relic of the Song Dynasty, has aroused great interest among the three major grotto-heavens.

The probing has begun.

The Xuanxiao, Qingming, and Baigu factions all dispatched cultivators to secretly station themselves there. Some even went so far as to use their servant disciples as cannon fodder to explore deep into the Blood River.

however……

None returned.

Those who stepped into that abyss vanished without a trace, like clay oxen sinking into the sea.

After briefly exploring each of the various grotto-heavens, they did not immediately take any rash actions.

They already have experience in developing such historical sites.

In the past, Xiang Yu's treasure trove and the secret realm of Tiannan were both paved with corpses before the opportunity was finally discovered.
If there is indeed a great treasure hidden beneath the ruins of Yunfeng, then this is the most dangerous stage.

Patience is key.

The Tiannan Secret Realm is about to open, but undercurrents are brewing.

The various grotto-heavens had no time to spare for anything else; their attention was mainly focused on the Tiannan Secret Realm, where their elites were making intensive preparations for the expedition.

But just when the various grotto-heavens stopped probing the Blood River beneath the Cloud Phoenix Ruins.

The unknown ancient being within the Blood River instead extended a blood claw, probing the various grotto-heavens.

The moment that claw was raised, it stirred up the ancient formation within the abyss.

Instantly, the blood river surged, and the entire Cloud Phoenix Ruins trembled violently, as if an earth dragon were turning over.

"Rumble--"

The Blood River in the Abyss suddenly boiled, its crimson waters surging upwards like living things, instantly breaking through the surface of the ruins and swallowing up all the remaining walls and rubble.

Before the spies stationed in the nearby caves could react, they were swept into the riverbed by the towering blood waves, and were submerged in the blood river without even having a chance to scream.

Deep within the Blood River, dozens of figures slowly emerged from the water.

They were dressed in the robes of various celestial realms, their faces stiff, their pupils unfocused, and their bodies entwined with eerie spiritual energy resembling blood streaks.

It was the disciple who had gone missing earlier!
At this moment, these disciples stood on the river like puppets, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if controlled by some force.

Around them were dozens of soldiers and Taoist priests dressed in Song Dynasty clothing and armor, all of them withered and emaciated, resembling living dead.

As the crowd parted, a hunched figure slowly emerged, stepping through the waves of blood.

He was an old man wearing a tattered Song Dynasty Taoist robe.

His hair and beard were all white, and his skin clung to his bones like dry tree bark. Only in his turbid eyes flickered a cold, frenzied golden-red flame.

"Lord Huangshang, the Blood River has swallowed up forty-nine living souls, which is enough to temporarily stabilize your 'Blood Puppet Formation'."

A puppet resembling a disciple of the Supreme Grotto Heaven bowed and spoke, its voice hoarse like the scraping of metal.

"Hehehe. Seen the light of day again."

Huang Shang's withered fingers caressed a rusted gold seal at his waist. The patterns on the seal were long since blurred, but it still exuded a faint sense of pressure, as if it carried the lingering aura of a certain vanished dynasty.

He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly took out an ancient and simple Taoist scripture from his bosom.

The book felt heavy in my hand, its cover worn and faded, as if it had weathered a thousand years of vicissitudes.

Huang Shangzhen carefully turned the page, his eyes filled with deep thought.

A bizarre pattern was prominently displayed!
Resembling Tai Chi but not quite, the Yin-Yang fish pattern twists and turns like a living thing, with eighteen points of light distributed around it, like stars and constellations, or some kind of ancient seal, faintly revealing a captivating rhythm.

Huang Shang's fingertips trembled slightly, and his aged face showed an unpredictable expression.

"It is said that the secret to the revival of spiritual energy... lies hidden within this treasure map."

He spoke in a hoarse whisper, his wrinkled eyelids slowly lifting, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"But where exactly is this 'treasure'?"

He looked up at the sky, a hoarse laugh escaping his throat: "A thousand years of barely surviving... I thought I could wait for the revival of spiritual energy, but I didn't expect the end of the Dharma to be even more severe!"

Back then, based on the signs of declining spiritual energy, he divined the impending calamity of the end of the Dharma, and then combined the "Wanshou Daozang" with many other Daoist classics to comprehend the secret technique of the Blood River.

He transformed himself into a half-human, half-puppet monster, slumbering deep within the spiritual veins, attempting to avoid calamity while seeking further breakthroughs.

Unexpectedly, the destruction of the spiritual vein startled him awake, and he discovered that the spiritual energy in the outside world was almost completely gone, a hundred times worse than the environment at the beginning of the decline of spiritual energy at the end of the Song Dynasty.

However, based on observations over the past few days, these so-called grotto-heavens of the world are like termites, dividing up the remaining spiritual vein resources.

"The Turtle Breath Locking Formation has been broken. It's truly Heaven's will to destroy me, Huang Shang. Since Heaven is so unjust..."

Huang Shang suddenly grinned maliciously and flicked out a blood talisman from his sleeve.

The moment the talisman exploded, it formed a blood-red barrier that enveloped the entire ruins, isolating them from the foul air of the outside world.

All the Blood Puppet disciples looked up in unison, their eyes gleaming with golden-red light. In particular, the general and the Taoist priest at the head of the group both exuded powerful auras.

"Since you all say that there are many spiritual materials and treasures in the Tiannan Secret Realm, then go to the Tiannan Secret Realm on my behalf!"

He coldly ordered, "Go to your respective Supreme, Linglang, and Yanling Grotto-Heavens and demand the entry keys to get some interest for me."

"After entering the secret realm, we will obtain the 'Mysterious Yin Spirit Mushroom' and 'Demon Blood Crystal Marrow'. If we can find the legendary 'Yin-Yang Twin Lotus', that would be even better!"

"I intend to use these spiritual objects to rebuild my physical body, and when I emerge from the mountain again... it will be the day these very grotto-heavens that disturbed my premature awakening are destroyed."

He clenched his fist, causing the blood river to roar and surge. Suddenly, his gaze swept into the distance like two scarlet streaks, and he let out a cold snort.

In the distance, Hua Qingshuang and Yan Lan, who were secretly observing, were both terrified. They quickly concealed themselves and looked at each other, their hearts pounding.

"What kind of strength does that ancient cultivator in the Blood River possess? It makes my heart pound with fear."

Yan Lan's pupils suddenly contracted, and a rare look of seriousness appeared between her usually flamboyant brows.

Hua Qingshuang pondered, "Judging from those robes and armor, they must be ancient cultivators from the Northern Song Dynasty. To survive to this day and still possess such terrifying spellcasting abilities to control us cave cultivators, they must have once been Golden Core cultivators!"

Yan Lan's eyelids twitched slightly, and she said in a low voice, "He is definitely not in a stable condition right now. His body is decaying, and he is unwilling to leave that ruin."

"But he sent so many of his subordinates away, heading towards the various grotto-heavens. This is a time of great turmoil!"

"Go back first, don't provoke this old monster."

After discussing it for a while, the two dared not linger any longer and quickly fled.

On the mountain peaks along the Chishui River in Chishui Town, on the border of the Yu Kingdom.

Two months later, Zhao Wuji came here to collect the wine.

He stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a purple robe, gazing at the golden goblet-shaped stone floating in front of him.

The amber glow flowing between the stone patterns and the setting sun over the Chishui River were a sight to behold.

He suddenly pointed his fingers together to form a sword, unleashing streaks of sword energy that carved nine array patterns on the opposite cliff.

Every stroke subtly echoes the rhythm of "three cups lead to the Great Way" in the Ode to Dionysus.

As the final stroke landed, the seventh hole in the cliff suddenly spewed out a thick mist of alcohol, and the three dragon-shaped rock ridges twisted as if they were alive.

The wine seller Lang Yewu, who was not far away, was stunned by his master's imposing presence, as if he were a god.

"The Dionysus Formation borrows from the terrain of this place, where three dragons hold a pearl."

Zhao Wuji pondered for a moment, then suddenly tapped the sobering stone. The seal script on the stone surface suddenly shone like stars. "Then I will use the formation technique to borrow its momentum!"

He suddenly threw out a sobering stone.

Suddenly the cliff trembled, and the sound of gushing springs came from the hole.

Seven green coins flew out from Zhao Wuji's sleeve, arranging themselves in the shape of the Big Dipper in the air, with golden light shooting out from the holes of the coins and embedding itself into the honeycomb-like erosion marks on the rock wall.

It is precisely the spiritual energy node of the Dionysus Array.

"open!"

With a clear shout, all the moss around the edge of the hole peeled away, revealing a natural stone mortar shaped like a bronze wine vessel inside.

The golden wine that filled the container was churning as the formation loosened, and a second jade-colored sobering stone floated on the surface of the wine.

With lightning speed, Zhao Wuji used his ball-playing technique to lift the wine stone into the air, then summoned a magical wine gourd, quickly absorbing all the wine from the golden goblet in the stone mortar.

Just as the wine was about to run out, the two sobering stones suddenly trembled violently and emitted a piercing buzzing sound.

The Dionysus Array inside the cliff suddenly lit up with blood-red patterns, and the entire mountain began to shake violently, with rocks falling down in a flurry.

"not good!"

Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted sharply, and he instantly realized that this was a sign that the great formation was about to self-destruct.

His gaze was like lightning as he suddenly swept his eyes toward Ye Wu, the wine seller hiding in the corner, and grabbed him.

Summon the wind!

Before Ye Wu could react, he was swept up by a gust of wind and dragged to the center of the formation.

A bluish light emanated from Zhao Wuji's fingertips. He touched Ye Wu's brow, and a drop of blood essence immediately seeped out.

"Using the bloodline of the ancient Yelang as a guide, suppress it!"

The moment the essence blood dripped down, the previously raging Dionysus Formation suddenly froze.

The dormant bloodline within Ye Wu was fully activated, and even the totem of the ancient Yelang appeared on his face.

The tremors of the mountain gradually subsided, and the blood-red veins disappeared back into the stone wall.

"Fortunately, I was prepared and brought the descendants of the ancient Yelang Kingdom to break the formation."

Zhao Wuji breathed a sigh of relief, only to see Ye Wu slumped to the ground, his face deathly pale.

He reached out and handed her a pill: "Take this pill, and you will recover in three days. I will consider your wish for your sister to also embark on the path of immortality, but your sister's aptitude..."

He shook his head and sighed, "Fine, I'll just consider him another handyman for brewing wine."

Zhao Wuji put away his wine gourd, glanced meaningfully at the now-silent formation, and a slight smile appeared on his lips:
"When I have mastered the art of array formation, I will come back here to retrieve other wines and sobering stones."

Zhao Wuji opened his palm.

The newly acquired "Sobering Stone - Human and God" is resonating and vibrating with the Golden Goblet Stone, and the inscription "Human and God drink together, intoxicating the universe" appears on its surface.

Now, two sobering stones can be easily arranged to form a Yin-Yang wine array, which has a rather mesmerizing effect.

Just as he was about to examine it more closely, a jade talisman in his bosom suddenly emitted a blue light.

However, it is the mother symbol that establishes a connection with Zhixia.

Zhao Wuji took out the Mother Talisman, and Zhixia's voice transmission came urgently at that moment.

"Wuji, the ancient books and spiritual materials you asked the cave to prepare are all ready. Mother said that this is your first batch of support supplies."

But now the situation has changed. From beneath the ruins of Yunfeng, a powerful ancient cultivator from the Song Dynasty has emerged. He has manipulated the disciples of the various grotto-heavens into his puppets and is now forcibly entering each grotto-heaven, demanding the 'Secret Guide to the Southern Heavenly Realm'!

Zhao Wuji frowned, his fingers tightening around the jade talisman: "A powerful ancient cultivator from the Song Dynasty? How powerful? How dare he rob various grotto-heavens simultaneously?"

If this ancient cultivator manages to obtain some of the secret tokens, the situation in the Tiannan Secret Realm may change drastically.
(End of this chapter)