I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

As night fell, the three teams set off simultaneously.

Li Hanshan, along with Hua Nongying, Yun Shuyue, and seven others selected from the core disciples—a total of ten people—transformed into ten dim streaks of light and flew north close to the ground.

Compared to the other two teams, his team was the weakest, with only him as the Golden Core cultivator.

Li Hanshan guessed that the sect leader had considered the matter carefully, so he had no complaints.

One is fine.

The northern region spans a thousand miles, with hidden energy points within, making it as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. However, Li Hanshan was not entirely without confidence.

He remembered that Luo Li had once taught him a technique called "Qi Observation" in a dream. It was an ancient secret technique that involved observing the flow of spiritual energy in heaven and earth and tracing the direction of spiritual veins. At that time, Luo Li said, "Grandpa, this technique is not very useful in ordinary times, but it can be very useful when you need to find the source of a spiritual vein."

I didn't expect to use it so soon.

Li Hanshan stopped in mid-air, closed his eyes, and simultaneously activated his divine sense and spiritual power, using the method of Qi Observation to sense the invisible flow of spiritual energy between heaven and earth.

The distribution of spiritual energy within a radius of a hundred miles gradually became clear to him. The spiritual energy was not evenly distributed, but rather flowed slowly beneath the surface like water, converging into veins of varying thickness.

That's the leakage of spiritual energy from the earth's veins.

"Over here."

Li Hanshan opened his eyes and pointed northwest. In his perception, the spiritual energy flowed most densely in that direction, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, faintly pointing towards a certain central point.

The ten streaks of light turned northwest and silently swept across the mountains and forests.

On the first day, they traveled more than three hundred miles following the direction of the flow of spiritual energy.

The next day, the direction of the spiritual energy flow became clearer. Li Hanshan could sense that they were approaching the main trunk of the spiritual vein. The concentration of spiritual energy in the air increased significantly, and even Hua Nongying noticed the anomaly.

"Hanlang, the spiritual energy here is much richer than elsewhere," she said in a low voice.

Li Hanshan nodded, signaling everyone to slow down and be more careful to conceal their presence.

At noon on the third day, Li Hanshan suddenly raised his hand, signaling the group to stop.

He landed on a ridge, his gaze piercing through the layers of tree canopy to settle on an inconspicuous hill in front of him. The hill was no more than a hundred feet high, covered by dense forest, and looked no different from the surrounding hills.

However, according to the Qi Observation Technique, a vast amount of spiritual energy was gushing out from beneath that hill like a fountain. The density of the spiritual energy far exceeded that of the surrounding area by more than ten times.

"Found it."

Li Hanshan's voice was very soft, but it startled everyone behind him.

Hua Nongying followed his gaze, but couldn't see anything: "Han Lang, are you saying the energy point is under that hill?"

"Hmm." Li Hanshan nodded, but his gaze did not leave the hill. "The inside of the hill should be hollow, and the energy center is inside. I can sense the direction of the spiritual energy flow; it is surging out from there and flowing towards the Blood Fiend Sect's mountain gate."

Yun Shuyue frowned and said, "Junior Brother Li, if it's a Qi point, the Blood Fiend Sect must have sent heavy troops to guard it. If we approach rashly like this, we might alert them."

"So we need to find out the enemy's strength first." Li Hanshan released his divine sense with all his might and carefully probed the hill.

The Golden Core level divine sense spread silently, like an invisible net, enveloping the entire hill.

A moment later, his face darkened.

"Four Golden Core cultivators." He withdrew his divine sense and whispered, "One mid-Golden Core cultivator and three early-Golden Core cultivators. There are no fewer than ten Foundation Establishment disciples. There are also fluctuations from an array inside the hill, which should be a restriction protecting the energy center."

Hua Nongying gasped, "Four Golden Core cultivators? There are only ten of us, how are we supposed to fight?"

Yun Shuyue's brows furrowed tightly. Four Golden Core cultivators and more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators—this force far surpassed their ten-person team.

Li Hanshan remained silent for a moment, but was pondering something else in his mind.

He quietly probed a wisp of his divine sense into the Soul Banner. Since the start of the war, Xiao An had devoured a large amount of Golden Core Yin Soul power on the battlefield, and had been lurking deep within the Soul Banner to digest and absorb it. He had not checked on her progress until now, when his divine sense probed into it, and he was shocked.

Xiao An's soul was so solid that it was almost indistinguishable from a real person. The Yin energy surrounding him was restrained like water, and the pressure he exuded was profound and vast.

Fifth level of Golden Core.

She had actually broken through to the fifth level of the Golden Core stage.

"Senior," Xiao An's voice rang in his mind, "I have stabilized my realm and am ready to make a move at any time."

Li Hanshan withdrew his divine sense, feeling much more at ease. With Xiao An at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage, plus his own combat strength at the third level of the Immortal-grade Golden Core stage, dealing with four Golden Core cultivators wasn't impossible. However, Xiao An was his greatest trump card and couldn't be easily exposed. While Hua Nongying and Yun Shuyue knew of Xiao An's existence, the seven core disciples didn't. If they witnessed Xiao An's actions and the news got out, it would be detrimental to him.

"You all stay here and keep watch." Li Hanshan turned around and looked at the group. "I'll go in alone."

Hua Nongying's expression changed drastically: "Han Lang, are you crazy? There are four Golden Core cultivators inside!"

"I have a way to deal with this." Li Hanshan's tone was calm but unquestionable. "You all stand guard outside. If anyone tries to escape, intercept them. If I don't come out in half an hour, you all retreat immediately and go back to report to the sect leader."

"But~"

"No buts." Li Hanshan interrupted her, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "This is an order."

Hua Nongying bit her lip, her eyes slightly red, but she ultimately said nothing more. She knew Li Hanshan's temper; once he made up his mind, no one could change it.

Li Hanshan nodded to the two women, then turned and stealthily headed towards the hill.

His figure moved silently through the forest like a ghost in the night. He activated his concealment technique to its maximum, making even his breathing barely perceptible. When he was still two hundred feet away from the hill, he stopped.

We can't get any closer. Any closer, and we'll be detected by the divine sense of a Golden Core cultivator.

He summoned Xiao An from the soul banner. Xiao An transformed into a faint black mist, floating behind him, concealing even her aura perfectly. The concealment techniques of a Yin Soul at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage far surpassed those of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.

"Xiao An, you deal with the one in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm and the one in the early-stage of the Golden Core realm on the left. Leave the remaining two early-stage Golden Core realm cultivators to me."

"Don't worry, senior."

As soon as Xiao An finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of black light and silently circled around to the left side of the hill.

Li Hanshan took a deep breath, and his Pure Yang Meridian began to circulate rapidly. The Immortal-grade Golden Core in his dantian burst forth with a dazzling purple-gold light, and Pure Yang Qi surged out like a volcanic eruption, condensing into a fist-sized fireball in his palm.

The next moment, he suddenly sprang up!

The fireball flew out of his hand, drawing a dazzling purple-gold trajectory in the night sky, and accurately struck the array base on the hilltop.

boom!

The entire hill trembled violently, countless pebbles and dust were whipped up by the shockwave. The protective barrier around the energy center was blasted open by the pure yang fire, and crimson runes flickered wildly, but there was no time to repair it.

"Enemy attack!"

A roar came from inside the hill, and four blood-red figures rushed out of the ruins.

Leading the group was a Blood Fiend Sect cultivator in the mid-Golden Core stage, with a sinister face and surging blood-red light around him. Behind him were three early-Golden Core cultivators, each exuding killing intent.

"A piece of trash from the Joyful Union Sect? Just you alone?" The mid-stage Golden Core cultivator scanned his surroundings, finding no one else, a sinister smile creeping onto his lips. "You dare come alone to die? Brothers, capture him alive and take him back for the reward!"

Three cultivators at the early stage of the Golden Core realm simultaneously pounced on Li Hanshan, unleashing a torrent of blood-red spells.

Li Hanshan neither dodged nor evaded; his flying sword transformed into a stream of purple-gold light, unleashing a single slash. The sword light collided with the crimson magic, exploding into a blinding burst of light.

At the same time, Xiao An suddenly appeared from the left.

The Netherworld Spear shot out silently from the darkness, piercing precisely through the back of the early-stage Golden Core cultivator on the left. The cultivator didn't even have time to scream before feeling his Golden Core being shattered by an extremely cold force, his life force rapidly draining away.

"There are reinforcements!"

The cultivator in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm paled in shock and tried to intervene, but Xiao An had already closed in. Her figure appeared and disappeared in the black mist, and five Netherworld Chains shot out from all directions, binding the cultivator tightly.

"Fifth level of Golden Core? You are... a Yin spirit!"

The cultivator's eyes widened in disbelief. He struggled desperately, his crimson spiritual energy frantically assaulting the Netherworld Chains, but the suppression of a fifth-level Golden Core cultivator against a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator was too obvious, and the chains remained completely unmoved.

The battle on Li Hanshan's side was equally fierce. Two early-stage Golden Core cultivators joined forces to attack, unleashing a barrage of crimson spells. But he was prepared; pure Yang fire condensed around him into a layer of purplish-gold flame armor. The crimson spells struck the armor like snowflakes falling into a furnace, instantly vaporizing.

"Flowing Light Sword Technique, Third Form—Sword Shadow Splitting Light!"

The flying sword split into three in mid-air, transforming into three streaks of purple-gold sword light that simultaneously slashed at the two early-stage Golden Core cultivators from three directions. The two cultivators' expressions changed drastically, and they hastily summoned their defensive magic artifacts to block, but were still forced to retreat repeatedly by the sword light.

Li Hanshan lunged forward, his pure Yang fire condensing into a purple-gold flaming longsword in his palm. He pierced the heart of the cultivator on his left. The flames exploded, and the cultivator didn't even have time to scream before turning into ashes.

Upon seeing this, the cultivator on the right was terrified and turned to flee. But he had only flown a few dozen feet when a black light swept past from the side, and Xiao An's Netherworld Spear had already pierced through his head.

The four bodies fell to the ground one after another.

From the moment Li Hanshan launched his attack to the moment all four Golden Core cultivators were killed, only a few dozen breaths had passed.

The Foundation Establishment disciples inside the hill finally reacted and rushed out of the cave. But upon seeing the corpses of the four Golden Core elders, their faces turned deathly pale. They dared not resist any longer and scattered in disarray.

Hua Nongying and Yun Shuyue led their men to ambush and kill the Foundation Establishment disciples on the outskirts, and less than half of them escaped.

Ignoring the deserters, Li Hanshan stepped into the cave inside the hill.

In the center of the cave, a three-foot-square opening was spewing forth a dense stream of crimson spiritual energy. Around the energy center, countless runes flickered on the stone walls, maintaining the connection between the earth's spiritual veins and the sect's protective array.

He raised his hand, and pure Yang fire condensed in his palm into a purple-gold flame sword, which he slashed at the array base around the energy center.

One sword.

Two swords.

Three swords.

The runes on the array base flickered violently under the scorching heat of the pure yang fire, emitting a hissing sound. Cracks began to spread across the surface of the runes.

"Break it!"

Li Hanshan let out a low roar, and the pure Yang fire suddenly surged. The array base finally couldn't withstand it and shattered with a crash.

The spiritual energy gushing from the pores abruptly stopped, and the crimson light quickly dimmed. The entire hill trembled violently, as if the spiritual veins beneath the earth were churning in agony.

In the distance, from the direction of the Blood Fiend Sect's mountain gate, a muffled rumble echoed. On the walls of the Blood Fiend Heavenly Net Formation, the crimson light noticeably dimmed.