Immortality and Cultivation: I can extract entries from all things.

A black beam of light shot into the sky.

The dark purple beam pierced through the clouds, painting the dawn sky with an eerie hue. Countless twisted runes flowed within the beam, and the spiritual pressure emanating from it caused ripples to spread across the sea for miles around.

Fang He hid behind the boulder, his pupils suddenly shrinking.

At the center of the altar, the black crystal trembled violently, its surface cracking like a spiderweb. The chanting of the twelve black-robed cultivators grew increasingly urgent, their voices sharp and piercing, unlike human speech.

Beneath the deep sea, some ancient and terrifying being is awakening.

Cold, evil, and powerful.

The aura seeped through the layers of seawater, sending shivers down one's spine.

Fang He took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

The ceremony started ahead of schedule, three times faster than he had anticipated.

However, the energy fluctuations of the black crystal are now nearing their peak.

We can't wait any longer.

He surveyed the battlefield.

Zhao Hengdao led ten vanguard members, who lay in ambush behind the eastern reef, their faces grim. The spiritual pressure of the late-stage Qi Refining realm made it difficult for them to breathe, not to mention the evil aura emanating from the black pillar of light.

"Sir, what should we do?"

Zhao Hengdao lowered his voice, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Fang He did not answer immediately.

He closed his eyes and activated his [Array Mastery] skill to its fullest extent.

Countless array patterns appeared in his mind, and the structure of the altar, the energy flow, and the distribution of nodes were presented one by one.

Three breaths later, he opened his eyes.

"You retreat to the outer perimeter and wait for an opportunity to destroy the runic pillars at the edge of the altar."

Fang He's voice was low and deep.

"Remember, don't fight head-on; destroy one at a time."

"And you, sir?"

"I'll hold off the leader."

Zhao Hengdao's expression changed: "No! That kind of pressure is at least at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, and you are only at the seventh level—"

"Execute the command."

Fang He interrupted him, her gaze sharp as a knife.

"This is a military order."

Zhao Hengdao gritted his teeth and pounded his chest with one fist: "Your subordinate obeys!"

He waved his hand and led his men to retreat in a roundabout manner to the east.

Fang He remained alone behind the boulder, his gaze fixed on the shadows of the altar.

There was a person standing there.

He stood tall and slender, his face veiled by a black robe, his hands clasped behind his back. Though he made no move, the spiritual energy around him was as vast and boundless as an ocean, causing the flow of runes within a ten-foot radius to stagnate.

Peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining.

They have even taken a half-step into the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

Such strength is already top-tier even within the Zhou family of Qing'ao Island. Could the Dark Abyss Pavilion actually harbor such an expert?

Fang He's mind raced with thoughts.

This person's identity is definitely not simple. If Dark Abyss Pavilion were a rogue cultivator organization, it would be impossible for them to have a peak Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivator serving them. There must be a powerful sect backing them up.

Is it the Qingyuan Sect?

Or other sects or factions?

Before he could think it through, the man in black robes moved.

With a single step, his figure appeared like a ghost at the edge of the altar. His black robes fluttered in the wind, and he was surrounded by black mist, his aura as imposing as a mountain pressing down.

"Thank you all for your hard work."

His voice was hoarse, carrying a certain haughty arrogance.

"Now that the ceremony has begun, the rest is up to me."

The twelve black-robed monks responded in unison, their chanting growing even more fervent.

The man in black robes turned around with his hands behind his back, facing the direction of the boulder where Fang He was hiding.

"Zhou family's lackeys, haven't you gotten tired of hiding for so long?"

Fang He felt a chill run down her spine.

Was discovered.

Now that it's exposed, there's no need to hide it anymore.

He flashed out from behind the boulder and landed on a reef ten feet away from the altar.

"You have a good eye."

Fang He stood calmly with his hands behind his back.

The man in black robes chuckled lightly: "A mere concealment technique, you dare to show off in front of me?"

He sized Fang He up and down, his eyes filled with disdain: "Seventh level of Qi Refining? The Zhou family sent someone like you to their death?"

Fang He did not answer, but secretly observed his surroundings.

The altar's structure had already taken shape in his mind. The black crystal was at its core, and twelve runic pillars formed energy channels connecting the beings of the deep sea to the altar. To stop the ritual, this connection must be severed.

Directly attack the crystal?

No. The protective array around that crystal is at least level two; he can't break through it.

Attack the stone pillar?

It's feasible, but with twelve stone pillars distributed around the perimeter, destroying two or three won't fundamentally stop the ritual. More than half must be destroyed simultaneously to cause the energy circuit to collapse.

This is not something he could have done alone.

It takes time and requires cooperation.

I need to... stall this person in front of me.

"The Zhou family certainly wouldn't have sent only me."

Fang He spoke calmly, "With Miss Zhou personally leading her elite troops on the main battlefield, it must be nearing its end by now."

He deliberately mentioned Zhou Xiaolan to test her reaction.

The man in black robes did indeed frown slightly.

"Zhou Xiaolan? That ice-cold little girl?"

He sneered, "Just a late-stage Qi Refining peak cultivator, I don't even consider him a threat."

Even so, he subconsciously glanced at the outer edge of the black beam of light, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

Fang He noticed this detail.

He is waiting.

What are they waiting for? The ceremony is complete? Or reinforcements?

"Your confidence is a good thing."

Fang He said calmly, "But the Dark Abyss Pavilion has been lurking on Qing'ao Island for many years. Now that it has been exposed, do you think the Vice Sect Master's faction will still protect you?"

The black-robed man's pupils suddenly contracted.

"you--"

He suddenly fell silent, but it was too late.

Fang He was greatly shocked.

The deputy sect leader faction.

It really is an internal power struggle within the Qingyuan Sect!

The man in black realized he had spoken out of turn, and a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

"Kid, you know too much."

He took a step forward, his figure flashing towards Fang He like a black lightning bolt.

The spiritual pressure from the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining was overwhelming, making Fang He feel a tightness in his chest.

[Divine Sense Warning] Flashes wildly, predicting the opponent's attack trajectory.

Fang He retreated rapidly, simultaneously throwing out three fireball talismans from his sleeve.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Three bursts of flame exploded in front of the altar, shooting fire into the sky.

The man in black robes walked through the sea of ​​fire, his robes shimmering with spiritual light, yet he remained completely unharmed.

"A trivial skill!"

With a flick of his sleeve, a streak of black spiritual energy swept across.

The ribbon was over three feet wide, and wherever it passed, rocks shattered and stones flew everywhere.

Fang He quickly channeled his spiritual energy, activating his [Array Mastery] skill to its fullest extent. His figure moved like a ghost among the altars, using the array nodes for cover, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"boom!"

The ribbon swept across the spot where he had stood, shattering the rocks and flooding the cracks with seawater.

"what?"

The man in black robes let out a soft exclamation, clearly not expecting Fang He to be able to dodge.

"That's interesting."

He moved again, this time faster and more ruthlessly.

Fang He gritted his teeth and activated [Formation Counter].

He sensed the energy flow of the altar array and used it against the black-robed man, redirecting some of his attacks toward the array nodes.

"boom!"

The black spiritual energy struck the array nodes, creating ripples.

The central structure of the formation trembled slightly, and the black beam of light swayed for a moment.

The man in the black robe's expression changed slightly.

"You can actually control formations?"

His gaze darkened. "It seems I can't let you live."

He formed a hand seal, and black energy surged around him.

"Mysterious Yin Palm!"

A black palm print, the size of a millstone, materialized out of thin air and slammed towards Fang He with chilling power.

Wherever the palm print passed, even the air seemed to freeze, and layers of white frost formed on the rocks.

Fang He's pupils constricted.

The secret method of Qingyuan Sect!

This is definitely not a technique that the Dark Abyss Pavilion could possess; this person must be a master within the Azure Origin Sect!

[Divine Sense Warning] flashes wildly, predicting three possible dodge directions.

However, the Xuan Yin Palm covers such a wide area that it cannot be completely avoided from any direction.

The only option is to block it head-on.

Fang He formed hand seals and activated [Flame Control] at full power.

Fire-elemental spiritual power surged wildly from his body, condensing into a fiery shield in front of him.

"boom!"

The Xuan Yin Palm collided with the Flame Shield, unleashing a blinding light.

Frost and flames intertwined, steam rose, and the area within a radius of ten feet was a vast expanse of white.

Fang He was sent flying backwards and crashed heavily into a reef.

"puff--"

He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his robe was corroded with large holes, causing a burning pain to spread across his skin.

The chilling power of the Xuan Yin Palm invaded the meridians, causing spiritual energy to stagnate wherever it passed.

[Vigorous Qi and Blood] It operates spontaneously, barely protecting the heart meridian.

The man in black robes emerged from the steam, his gaze icy.

"You have every reason to be proud that you survived one of my palm strikes."

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Fang He.

"I am Zhao Xuanting, an outer sect steward of the Qingyuan Sect. Today, I will let you die knowing why."

Fang He wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and forced herself to stand up.

Zhao Xuanting.

Outer sect steward of Qingyuan Sect, peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, leader of Dark Abyss Pavilion.

These fragments of information pieced together in my mind, and a larger picture emerged.

The deputy sect leader of the Qingyuan Sect used the name of the Dark Abyss Pavilion to control the edge of the sea, create chaos, and accumulate political capital for themselves.

Zhao Xuanting was just a pawn; the real mastermind was the vice sect leader himself.

"I see……"

Fang He chuckled softly, "The outer sect steward of the Qingyuan Sect has actually colluded with evil cultivators and is keeping the Dark Abyss Pavilion under his wing. If this gets out, the Vice Sect Master's faction will be utterly disgraced."

A murderous glint flashed in Zhao Xuanting's eyes.

"court death!"

He moved with lightning speed, striking Fang Hetian's spirit with a palm.

This palm strike was delivered without reservation; it was a full-force attack from the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, enough to pulverize the reef.

Fang He revealed a strange smile.

"I've been waiting for you to get close."

He shifted to the side, and the [Formation Counter] was activated again.

Suddenly, the reef beneath their feet cracked open, revealing array patterns that had already been carved beneath.

The array patterns glowed faintly, drawing Zhao Xuanting's attack toward a runic stone pillar at the edge of the altar.

"boom!"

The Xuan Yin Palm struck the stone pillar, causing it to tremble violently and the runes on its surface to flicker.

"Damn it!"

Zhao Xuanting's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly withdrew his power.

But it was too late.

Several runes on the stone pillar collapsed, the black pillar of light swayed slightly, and the energy circulation of the altar became slightly disordered.

Although it was only a tiny, insignificant amount, the ceremony was abruptly interrupted for a moment.

"You little brat, you're asking for it!"

Enraged, Zhao Xuanting intensified his attacks.

Fang He focused all his efforts on maneuvering, activating his [Array Mastery], [Array Counter], and [Divine Sense Warning] abilities, dodging left and right among the altars.

He no longer fought head-on, but instead focused on hit-and-run tactics, leading the battlefield to areas with dense array nodes.

Each of Zhao Xuanting's attacks was redirected to different parts of the altar by him using [Array Counter], constantly disrupting the operation of the array.

Ten moves.

Thirty moves.

Fifty moves.

Fang He was covered in blood, with serious injuries to his left shoulder, right leg, and back, but he was still holding on.

Zhao Xuanting grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed.

How could someone with only the seventh level of Qi Refining withstand nearly a hundred moves from him?

This kid's combat instincts, array formation skills, and on-the-spot adaptability far surpass those of other cultivators of the same level.

"Who exactly are you?"

Zhao Xuanting shouted sternly, "A rogue cultivator could never possess your level of skill in formations!"

Fang He did not answer, his gaze sweeping towards the outer edge of the altar.

There, Zhao Hengdao and his men had successfully destroyed three rune stone pillars.

The black beam of light shook violently, and the roar from the deep sea grew increasingly furious, yet tinged with a hint of resentment.

The ceremony was interrupted!

Zhao Xuanting followed his gaze, his face turning ashen.

"You scoundrel!"

In his rage, he took out a blood-red talisman from his robes and slammed it into the core of the altar.

"Since you're courting death, then we'll all be buried with you!"

The crimson talisman sank into the black crystal, causing the entire array's central structure to tremble violently.

The black crystal shone brightly, and the cracks spread at an accelerated rate.

Deep beneath the sea, the ancient being roared deafeningly, causing the surface to churn and giant waves to crash against the reefs.

"not good!"

Fang He's heart sank.

Zhao Xuanting is about to detonate the core of the formation!

Given the energy contained within the black crystal, once it explodes, there will be no survivors within a hundred feet. Not to mention that the beings in the deep sea might use the opportunity to escape.

"Retreat immediately!"

Fang He roared and retreated rapidly.

But Zhao Xuanting grinned maliciously as he lunged towards the core of the formation, his body surging with demonic black energy: "Too late!"

He actually intends to personally trigger the most powerful self-destruction!

At this critical moment—

A terrifying pressure descended from the sky.

The oppressive aura was like Mount Tai pressing down, instantly enveloping the entire area.

Foundation Building Stage!

"Dark Abyss Pavilion traitors, prepare to die!"

A thunderous shout rang out.

Zhou Tieshan arrived on his sword, his iron armor gleaming coldly in the morning light. He moved like a meteorite crashing to the ground, and with a single palm strike, the air exploded.

Zhao Xuanting hastily tried to defend himself, but was still forced back several feet, coughing up blood.

This is the chasm between Foundation Building and Qi Refining!

Even though Zhao Xuanting was at the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, he was still as fragile as an ant in front of a true Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Zhou Tieshan..."

Zhao Xuanting's face was deathly pale, and despair and madness flashed in his eyes.

Knowing he was no match for them, he descended into a reckless madness in his despair.

"Even if I die, I'll drag you all down with me!"

He forcibly drew power from the array's central core and poured it into his body, causing his aura to surge to the pseudo-Foundation Establishment level. Black energy swirled around him, and his eyes turned bloodshot, clearly indicating that he had fallen into the demonic path.

"Oh no, he's going to force it to detonate!"

Zhou Tieshan's expression changed, and he suddenly sprang up.

But Zhao Xuanting had already turned and pounced on the core of the formation, moving so fast that he burned all his life essence.

At the critical moment, Fang He made a move.

[Water Spirit Affinity] Fully activated.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the deep sea.

In the endless darkness, he sensed a vast watercourse—the power of the ocean, boundless, majestic, and inexhaustible.

Using itself as a guide, it mobilizes the endless seawater.

This was an extreme maneuver he had never attempted before. He activated [Water Affinity] at full speed, his divine sense probing into the water veins like a thread, drawing upon that immense power.

"Get up!"

Fang He growled, blood seeping from his seven orifices.

"Boom!"

The sea exploded.

The surging seawater, like a giant dragon ascending to the sky, poured in and instantly submerged the altar.

[Mastery of Formations] Accurately locate the weak points of the formation and guide the seawater to impact.

The icy seawater collided with the scorching array, causing a large amount of steam to rise, and the core of the explosion was forcibly extinguished.

Zhao Xuanting's demonic state was also slightly loosened by the cold water.

Zhou Tieshan seized this fleeting opportunity.

The iron sword flashed across the sky, infused with Foundation Establishment spiritual power, and pierced through Zhao Xuanting's heart meridian.

"you……"

Zhao Xuanting stared wide-eyed at the long sword in his chest in disbelief.

Zhou Tieshan coldly drew his sword, and Zhao Xuanting's body fell to the ground, lifeless.

The leader of the Dark Abyss Pavilion and an outer sect steward of the Azure Origin Sect perished.

The black pillar of light gradually dissipated as it lost the support of the array.

The terrifying being beneath the deep sea lost its bearings, its roars gradually faded into the distance, and the sea returned to calm.

Fang He knelt on one knee, panting heavily, his body covered in wounds.

His spiritual energy was depleted, his meridians were damaged, and he didn't even have the strength to stand up.

Zhao Hengdao and the others rushed forward to help him up, their eyes filled with admiration.

"grown ups!"

Zhou Tieshan sheathed his sword and looked at Fang He with undisguised admiration.

"Kid, you're pretty good."

He stepped forward and looked down at Fang He.

"With a cultivation level of seven Qi Refining, he held off a peak nine-level Qi Refining cultivator for nearly a hundred moves, and even managed to avert a self-destruction crisis. Such a feat is something even a direct descendant of the Zhou family might not be able to achieve."

Fang He smiled wryly: "This junior was just... lucky."

"Just lucky?"

Zhou Tieshan shook his head. "On the battlefield, there is no room for luck. Only strength, courage, and judgment."

He reached out and helped Fang He up, the force from his armored gloves steady and powerful.

"From today onwards, you are a core member of the Zhou family."

Fang He was startled.

Zhou Tieshan's approval meant that he had truly stepped into the core of the Zhou family's power.

Zhao Xuanting's body lay prostrate in the ruins of the altar, his blood staining the seawater red.

Fang He caught her breath for a moment, then forced herself to walk over and searched Zhao Xuanting's arms, finding a cyan token inside.

The token is inscribed with the words "Outer Sect Steward of Qingyuan Sect".

On the back, there is a hidden mark—a coiled black snake.

Fang He's pupils suddenly contracted.

This is the symbol of the vice-suzerain faction!

He handed the token to Zhou Tieshan, who took it with a solemn expression.

"Qingyuan Sect is involved in the case, this matter... is troublesome."

Zhou Tieshan looked up at the distant horizon, his voice low and deep.

Fang He remained silent.

He knew that the battle at Black Reef Island was over.

But the bigger storm has only just begun.

In the distance, an ice-blue figure was approaching on a sword.

Zhou Xiaolan's face was pale as she scanned the battlefield before finally settling on Fang He, who was covered in wounds.

Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she didn't speak.

But in those beautiful eyes, a barely perceptible hint of worry and... relief flashed.

Thankfully, he is still alive.