Immortality and cultivation begin at age forty, starting with Foundation Establishment.

The war in the Qian Kingdom was a tragedy for the lower-level cultivators, but it was also a cradle for those with talent to transcend social classes.

After eight years of great battle, both the righteous cultivators and the demonic cultivators have grown stronger.

In previous years, the Foundation Establishment threshold, which independent cultivators could never see in their entire lives, is now within reach on this battlefield, where anyone willing to risk their life can touch it, or even surpass it.

In the past, even with spirit stones, it was not always possible to buy mid-grade and high-grade magic artifacts, but now, as long as you step into the Foundation Establishment realm, the sect will give them to you directly.

Qi-refining cultivators can also obtain low-grade magic weapons through task exchange, while some exceptionally talented individuals can obtain mid-grade magic weapons.

If a cultivator practices a technique like the Heart-Cleansing Mantra, they can directly use demonic artifacts, causing their combat power to soar several times over, gaining more battle merits, and completing the class leap in the fastest way.

If one's mind is not firm, even if one enters the Foundation Establishment stage, one will not be able to enjoy the same treatment as one's predecessors in peacetime.

A foundation built at a cost is a death sentence for those with wavering minds.

Having acquired the Myriad Souls Banner, which could grow, Chen An took advantage of the protection of the Golden Core cultivator behind him to accelerate his hunt for demonic cultivators. He then handed over his top-grade magic sword, Thousand Spider Poisons, to Ye Hongyi.

Chen An himself used the numerous vengeful spirits from the Myriad Souls Banner to attack the various demonic strongholds, treating the entire demonic path along the way as nourishment for the Myriad Souls Banner.

With no Golden Core cultivators appearing, Chen An had virtually no enemies on this battlefield.

The best way to deal with demonic forces is not to use the strongest righteous artifacts, but to use demonic artifacts that are even more evil than demonic ones.

At the end of a chasm in a magical mountain.

Chen An and the awakened, intelligent Foundation Establishment Fiend stood side by side, with cracked black earth beneath their feet and tens of thousands of Fiendish spirits roaring behind them.

The Banner of Ten Thousand Souls slowly unfurled, as if issuing a call from ancient times. All the vengeful spirits stirred, their eyes flashing with crimson light, as if they were starving and ready to devour anyone they could find.

The disciples on Demon Mountain were shocked by what they saw. As demonic cultivators, they had all seen the Ten Thousand Soul Banner before, but they had never imagined that there would be a Ten Thousand Soul Banner in the world as terrifying and oppressive as the one before them.

The world behind Chen An was a darkness ten times thicker and a hundred times colder than the miasma of Demon Mountain, like a piece of night sky torn from the heavens, merging with the resentment that had lingered in the Qian Kingdom for a thousand years.

Inside the cave of the Demon Mountain.

The two gaunt demon cultivators looked at each other. One of them held a Myriad Soul Banner, while the other held a White Bone Whip.

The demonic cultivator wielding the White Bone Whip stared intently at Chen An's location before the water mirror, his face clouded with suspicion.

"Who on earth is this, to be able to use the Myriad Soul Banner so casually? Isn't he afraid of being corrupted by resentment?!"

The demonic cultivator with the Myriad Souls Banner stared wide-eyed, his mind went blank, his heart pounded, and he said in horror, "This is not a show. Releasing so many vengeful ghosts at the same time is difficult even for me, let alone keeping them all gathered together without chaos."

"Unless someone can completely suppress the resentment of the vengeful ghost and grant it intelligence, and restrain its desire to kill."

"But no one in this world could possibly do that."

The White Bone Whip Demon Cultivator said, "Even Golden Core cultivators won't do?"

The demonic cultivator of the Myriad Souls Banner narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "A Golden Core cultivator? Perhaps, but I've never seen one before. Or do you think this person is a Golden Core cultivator?"

The demonic cultivator with the White Bone Whip shook his head and said, "If he were a Golden Core cultivator, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to release vengeful spirits and surround this place."

"Even if he is not a Golden Core cultivator, it would be difficult for us to defeat him. If this person can truly control the vengeful spirits within the Myriad Soul Banner, he is probably not far from the Golden Core realm."

"It might be a senior member of the Netherworld Sect. They're short of vengeful ghosts in the Ten Thousand Souls Banner and want to take our lives into it."

"After all, this world is not peaceful. Without improving our strength, we Foundation Establishment cultivators are always at risk of dying."

The Demon Cultivator of the Myriad Souls Banner said, "If we give him the vengeful spirits within the Myriad Souls Banner, along with all the resources of the entire Demon Mountain, do you think he'll let us go?"

The White Bone Whip Demon Cultivator said, "If we were on the other side, with their strength, would we let go of the Foundation Establishment vengeful ghost that was so easily within our grasp?"

"Judging others by our own standards, we're likely in for a bad time!"

The demonic cultivator of the Myriad Souls Banner nodded and asked, "Fellow Daoist, what do you think we should do?"

The White Bone Whip Demon Cultivator said, "We must not give up. We must fight them to the death. As long as we kill the person who controls the Myriad Soul Banner, we will have a chance to survive."

"However, before that, you need to release the vengeful spirit of the Myriad Souls Banner and entangle it with the opponent! Let me get close to him and find an opportunity to kill him."

The demonic cultivator squinted and said, "You want me to hold them off for you so you can escape?"

The White Bone Whip Demon Cultivator said, "Fellow Daoist, what are you saying? We are on the same side now. If we were to have any disagreements, we would have no hope of defeating the other side."

The cultivator with the Myriad Souls Banner said, "Then here's what we'll do. Fellow Daoist, use the White Bone Whip to block the vengeful ghost. You buy me some time, and I'll go kill him. I guarantee I have the means to kill him!"

After a brief silence, the two looked at each other and laughed, each taking a step back.

Having two Foundation Establishment cultivators on a demonic mountain is really inconvenient. Resource allocation, interest exchange, external wars, internal management—all these issues will accumulate into conflicts.

Despite their seemingly inseparable relationship in front of their subordinates, the two had long harbored a desire to kill each other and seize the magical artifacts from one another.

The White Bone Whip and the Myriad Soul Banner, when combined, form the true demonic weapon, but unfortunately, neither of them has dared to make a move due to their mutual fear of each other's strength.

Now that war is about to break out, neither of them trusts the other.

"what……"

Shouts, cries for help, and various wails came from outside the cave, some from vengeful ghosts and others from demonic cultivators in the Qi Refining stage.

Inside the cave, the water mirror reflects the entire outside scene.

Chen An moved forward slowly, yet he seemed like an invincible demon god, carrying a world of demons on his back. All the fierce ghosts were rhythmically hunting down cultivators in the Qi Refining stage of the demonic path.

All the methods of demonic cultivators seemed child's play in the face of the vengeful ghosts within Chen An's Ten Thousand Soul Banner.

escape?

It's too difficult. There are thirteen Foundation Establishment level vengeful ghosts surrounding the entire Demon Mountain. They are stationed in an orderly manner around the area, and anyone who dares to escape will be caught and their souls devoured immediately.

"If we keep waiting, neither of us will escape."

The demonic cultivator holding the Ten Thousand Souls Banner inside the cave was clearly anxious; his eyes gradually turned bloodshot, and he was losing control of his killing intent.

The White Bone Whip cultivator noticed the change in the Ten Thousand Soul Banner demon cultivator's eyes. A cunning glint flashed in his eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for!

"vomit……"

"Fellow Daoist, what are you doing? You're trying to kill me! Do you think you can escape alone?!"

Before the cultivator of the Myriad Souls Banner died, he didn't have time to fight back. He felt powerless all over, and the Myriad Souls Banner in his hand seemed to have lost its sense of power. An incredulous look appeared on his face, and he collapsed to the ground, powerless.

"You, White Bone Whip, you have Chi You's blood stained with the White Bone Whip!"