I forge immortality with a pagoda.

Upon hearing this, Yang Mang nodded repeatedly, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

At this point, he suddenly remembered someone, spat fiercely, and said hatefully, "Speaking of this, I think of that little bastard! Not only did he kill Junior Brother Guan, but he also stole my Turbid Blood Pool! If it weren't for that Devouring Demon interfering, I would have been killed by him too."

He grew angrier with each word, slamming his fist into a broken pillar beside him, sending stone chips raining down. "It's a pity that this little brat must have died in the demonic tide, otherwise, if he had fallen into my hands, I would have definitely extracted his soul and refined it to vent my hatred!"

Liu Yuanqing glanced at him irritably and said disdainfully, "You blockhead, all you have is a bunch of fat. You got tricked by a brat and even lost your protective treasure? In my opinion, once you return to the sect, don't even think about going out to train again. You'll only make a fool of yourself."

Yang Mang was ridiculed in this way, and his face showed some embarrassment, but he dared not retaliate and could only force a smile.

"Senior Brother Liu, please don't make fun of me. My skills are not good enough, and that kid took advantage of me. How can I compare to you, Senior Brother? You have now broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. In the future, I will have to rely on your guidance in the sect."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuanqing merely gave a faint snort and did not respond.

To him, the so-called sect he was currently staying in was merely a temporary refuge from the storm and a place to exchange for resources; his sights were no longer set on that corner of the world.

In the shadows behind the stone pillars of the main hall, Shen Yu's gaze was cold.

The burly, bald man who spoke was the one who had ambushed and killed him when he first entered the Abyss. This man was a master of Qi Refining, and quite skilled, but he still had no chance against him. If it weren't for the demons interfering at the end, he would have died at his hands long ago.

Now, fate has brought them together again, and the other party has gained a Foundation Establishment stage helper...

He held his breath, his gaze fixed on the ancient square furnace in the distance, and he already had the intention to retreat.

Liu Yuanqing's gaze swept across the main hall, and he was quickly drawn to the strange stone furnace. His previously nonchalant expression suddenly hardened.

"What is that?!"

Yang Mang followed his gaze and also noticed the unusual nature of the stone furnace.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise, suspicion, and a hint of greed in each other's eyes.

Liu Yuanqing's breathing quickened slightly as he strode forward and carefully examined the stone furnace.

"This furnace has been in this desolate place for who knows how long, and it can still absorb spiritual energy on its own; it's definitely no ordinary object!"

Yang Mang followed closely behind, rubbing his hands together, his eyes gleaming. "Could it be an ancient treasure?"

"Try it and you'll see."

Liu Yuanqing said in a deep voice, taking the lead in activating the true qi within his body, which transformed into a hazy blue light and carefully surged towards the stone furnace.

Seeing this, Yang Mang also activated his spiritual energy, and a burst of intense blood energy rushed towards the stone furnace.

However, no matter how much the two urged them, their true essence and blood energy touched the furnace body, but it was like a mud ox entering the sea. The stone furnace remained completely still, and even the halo of light did not become disordered in the slightest. It continued to slowly absorb and release spiritual energy.

"Strange..." Liu Yuanqing frowned, withdrew his true energy, and pondered, "External forces cannot penetrate, and spiritual energy is hidden within. Perhaps the mystery lies within?"

Yang Mang looked up at the towering furnace opening, which was several meters high, and suggested, "Senior brother, why don't we fly up and see what's inside?"

Liu Yuanqing nodded, and the two immediately rode their escape light, hovering directly above the stone furnace, looking down.

Inside the furnace, instead of flames or objects as one might expect, there was a deep, slowly swirling, chaotic color, like a thin mist or a faint light.

The two of them focused their spiritual senses on it and felt slightly dizzy. They were blocked by a gentle force and could not see anything at all.

"I can't see anything." Yang Mang was getting a little anxious.

"To have an opportunity right in front of you, yet remain elusive and unable to grasp it, is truly hateful!"

Liu Yuanqing's face darkened.

His eyes flickered, then suddenly landed on Yang Mang, his tone becoming meaningful: "Junior Brother Yang, opportunities are found in danger. Since this stone furnace resists external forces, perhaps someone needs to personally enter it to trigger its mysteries and explore its secrets."

Yang Mang's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly waved his hand: "Senior Brother Liu is joking! This furnace is very strange, it's a chaotic mess inside, who knows what dangers it hides? My cultivation is too shallow, I'm afraid I can't withstand it."

"Hey," Liu Yuanqing interrupted him, a smile on his face, but his eyes suddenly sharpened, "Junior brother, why belittle yourself? Your physical body is strong, your blood and energy are abundant, perfect for scouting. Besides, I'll be here to protect you. If anything goes wrong, I'll be there to help you immediately. Perhaps you don't trust me?"

Although his words were calm, the pressure of his Foundation Establishment stage cultivation subtly enveloped Yang Mang.

Yang Mang's face turned pale, feeling immense pressure. He was merely a Qi Refining cultivator; how could he dare to defy a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Though he was extremely unwilling, he knew that he probably couldn't escape it today.

"How dare I, how dare I distrust my senior brother." Yang Mang gritted his teeth, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Then I will dare to give it a try, and I hope my senior brother will protect me."

Having said that, he hardened his heart, his blood surged to protect his body, and he leaped into the furnace.

The steam inside the furnace surged and billowed, as if it had come alive, gently enveloping Yang Mang.

"ah--!!!"

A piercing scream emanated from the furnace, echoing through the empty hall and sending chills down one's spine.

Liu Yuanqing vaguely saw Yang Mang's body trembling violently inside the furnace, his vital energy rapidly dissipating.

Dark red blood began to seep from his seven orifices, and his eyes were wide open, filled with endless pain and fear.

In just a few breaths, he seemed to have been drained of all his energy, floating quietly in the mist, and then there was no more movement.

Immediately, the furnace body flashed with light, and a emaciated, hideous corpse was thrown out.

Shen Yu felt a chill run down his spine. He hadn't expected the stone furnace to be such a strange and dangerous object, killing a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining in an instant. If he had rashly entered it, he would have been dead on the spot long ago.

Outside the furnace, Liu Yuanqing was also shocked by the horrific scene and took two steps back, his expression shifting uncertainly.

He had thought there were some treasures hidden in the furnace, but it turned out to be a trap.

Just as his mind was in turmoil, his keen spiritual senses suddenly detected a very subtle fluctuation of true qi coming from behind a broken pillar on the other side of the hall.

"Who?! Show yourself!"

Liu Yuanqing suddenly turned around, shouted loudly, and his true qi instantly covered his entire body.

In the shadows, Shen Yu's heart sank. Although the Flowing Scenery Returning to Origin Secret Technique on the talisman was profound and could greatly conceal one's aura, it also consumed a huge amount of true qi.

His cultivation was still shallow and his true qi was limited. He had maintained this for nearly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, which was already the bottom line for safety. If he continued to cast spells regardless of the consumption, it would undoubtedly affect his subsequent battles, which would be a loss.

My aura was inevitably slightly leaked just now, but I didn't expect the other party to have such a sharp sense of perception, and to have noticed it instantly.

Since their whereabouts have been discovered, there is no point in hiding any longer.

Shen Yu took a deep breath, calmly stepped out from behind the pillar, and bowed to Liu Yuanqing from afar, saying in a calm tone, "Junior Zhu Jianda greets this senior. I too was caught in the demonic tide and fled here in a panic. I have absolutely no intention of offending you."

Liu Yuanqing's gaze swept across Shen Yu's face. At first, he felt that she looked somewhat familiar. After a moment's thought, he matched her with someone in his mind.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, but a smile quickly spread across his face: "I see. The demonic tide is perilous; it is fortunate that you escaped alive, young Daoist. This place is strange; our meeting is fate. Why don't we explore the secrets of this ancient furnace together?"

As he spoke, he casually took a few steps closer to Shen Yu, as if he really wanted to discuss it.

Shen Yu's alarm bells rang loudly. He had witnessed with his own eyes how this person had just driven Yang Mang to his death with a smile, revealing his venomous heart.

The other party appeared amiable at the moment, but the coldness in their eyes could not be hidden from him.

Shen Yu subtly moved his feet, maintaining a distance, and replied, "Fellow Daoist, you are too kind. My cultivation is low and my knowledge is shallow; I'm afraid I cannot be of much help..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the smile on Liu Yuanqing's face vanished, replaced by a ferocious grin!

"You little bastard, you ruined my junior brother's opportunity, and you still want to live? You'll be buried with Yang Mang!"

It turned out that he had already recognized Shen Yu as the young cultivator Yang Mang had mentioned.

Before he finished speaking, Liu Yuanqing suddenly sprang up, and a dazzling golden light shot out from his sleeve. It was a strangely shaped long fork. The strong wind was fierce, and it carried the abundant true qi of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. It transformed into a crimson streak several feet long and struck Shen Yu head-on with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

Before the long fork even arrived, the incomparably sharp killing intent had already made Shen Yu's skin sting, and the dust and gravel on the surrounding ground were stirred up.

This attack, long in the making, was vicious and swift; it was a direct killing blow, and it even used a high-grade talisman with extraordinary power!

On the brink of life and death, Shen Yu remained calm despite his shock.

He was prepared, and almost at the same time Liu Yuanqing suddenly attacked, a warm jade pendant that he had been holding in his palm suddenly lit up with a hazy light.

The Three-Colored Jade instantly emitted a soft, three-colored radiance, which intertwined to form a light shield the size of a washbasin, narrowly blocking the long fork.

"clang--!!!"

The deafening clang of metal clashing resounded throughout the hall, and the shockwave sent dust and gravel flying everywhere.

The three-colored light shield trembled violently, its light flickering uncertainly, but it ultimately blocked the thunderous strike. However, Shen Yu was also shaken by the immense force, his blood churning, a sweet taste rising in his throat, and he staggered back seven or eight steps before regaining his footing.

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator is no match for you!"

With a thought in mind, Shen Yu used the recoil to turn around without hesitation, channeling all his remaining true qi into his legs. He then used his movement technique to transform into a blurry green shadow and sped away from the main hall.

Seeing that Shen Yu had managed to block his prepared attack, Liu Yuanqing's eyes flashed with even greater ferocity. He no longer concealed his intentions and growled, "Trying to leave? Too late!"

He made a hand seal, and his ethereal true qi suddenly surged, creating a blurry scene in the void behind him.

The dark, shadowy prison walls rose from the ground, covered with rusty chains, and an oppressive, stifling atmosphere swept over the place.

This is the extraordinary phenomenon he created during his foundation-building phase, combining his insights into the universe with his own cultivation techniques—the Soul-Trapping Black Prison.

As soon as the strange phenomenon appeared, Shen Yu felt his body sink as if he were trapped in a swamp, and his escape speed decreased sharply.

Several chains formed from black energy emerged from the void, rattling and swaying like vines, not only blocking all of Shen Yu's escape routes but also unleashing a force that eroded his mind and suppressed his true energy.

......

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