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

The Heavenly Demon Sect's mountain gate was littered with torn paper scraps in the pre-dawn darkness. The Heavenly Demon Sect Master's corpse lay on the stone steps in front of the main hall, covered with a white cloth, with several Hehuan Sect disciples standing guard around it.

These disciples of the Hehuan Sect were naturally transferred here.

Li Hanshan stood in the square in front of the main hall, gazing at this once glorious sect, without feeling much emotion.

In this battle, he fought his way from the Endless Sea back to the Northern Wilderness, from the Joyful Union Sect to the Heavenly Demon Sect, killing four Nascent Soul cultivators in succession. His spiritual power was completely exhausted, and the light on the surface of his Divine Infant dimmed like a candle in the wind.

The sect leader of the Hehuan Sect walked up to him and handed him a fifth-grade Rejuvenation Pill: "Take this. You look terrible."

Li Hanshan took the pill and swallowed it. The warm medicinal power dissolved in his stomach, flowing slowly along his meridians, restoring some of his strength. He turned to the sect leader and asked, "What should be done with the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect?"

"Those willing to submit will remain; those unwilling will be demoted to cultivation furnaces." The sect leader's voice was calm. "All those above the Golden Core stage will be dispersed and assigned to various peaks, and are not allowed to form cliques. Those below the Foundation Establishment stage will be incorporated into the outer sect and promoted based on their merits."

Li Hanshan nodded. Although this method of punishment was severe, it was already quite merciful among demonic sects. If it were some more ruthless sects, the fate after being wiped out would only be one—they would all be refined into furnaces, leaving no one alive.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of airships arrived.

More disciples of the Hehuan Sect have arrived.

The disciples of the Joyful Union Sect began searching the Heavenly Demon Sect, inventorying supplies, registering personnel, and confiscating cultivation technique jade slips and magical artifacts. Most of the lower-ranking disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect knelt on the spot, trembling. Occasionally, someone would try to escape, but they were discovered by the patrolling disciples and severely beaten.

Although the order was chaotic throughout the process, it never got out of control.

When Jiang Nianwei led Xu Lingxi out of the crowd, Li Hanshan was squatting on the steps of the Heavenly Demon Sect's main hall, resting.

Xu Lingxi saw him from afar and ran over. The little girl's face still had wet bloodstains and dust, but her eyes were bright and full of fear and surprise.

"Grandpa Li!" She ran to him, her voice trembling with tears yet also filled with laughter, "You're back! You're really back!"

Li Hanshan reached out and ruffled her hair, then saw Jiang Nianwei approaching as well. Her expression remained aloof, but her eyes held a hint of moved gratitude as she softly said, "Thank you."

"Elder Jiang, you're too kind." Li Hanshan stood up. "It's good that you're all alright. Is Second Elder seriously injured?"

Jiang Nianwei shook her head: "I gave her some medicine, and she's mostly recovered, but she needs time to rest."

As they were talking, Hua Nongying and Liu Ruoxue walked over from behind the crowd.

Hua Nongying changed into a clean dress. Although her face was still a little pale, she was in good spirits. She walked to Li Hanshan's side, took his arm without saying a word, and hugged him tightly.

Liu Ruoxue stood behind her, her face still cold, but the corners of her mouth seemed to be slightly upturned.

"Hanlang, you've done a great service this time."

Hua Nongying leaned on his shoulder, her tone slightly coquettish, "The Heavenly Demon Sect has been destroyed, and the Northern Wilderness will now belong to our Joyful Union Sect. The Sect Master will definitely reward you handsomely."

Li Hanshan smiled but didn't reply. His gaze swept across the crowd in the square, landing on the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples being escorted over. Among the submissive figures, one stood out.

She was a young woman, around twenty years old, dressed in a long black dress, with long, flowing hair and a cold, beautiful face. Although her spiritual energy was sealed, she still stood tall and refused to bow her head. Her demeanor was completely different from the trembling Heavenly Demon Sect disciples around her, like a sturdy pine tree that refused to bend even in the wind and snow.

That is the cold mist.

She is now the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Han Yan also saw Li Hanshan, and her gaze became unusually complicated.

Li Hanshan was far inferior to her in the past, but only a few years have passed. She hasn't even reached the Golden Core stage yet, while Li Hanshan has already become a Nascent Soul expert.

Li Hanshan withdrew his gaze and said nothing more.

Over the next few days, the Joyful Union Sect completely took over everything from the Heavenly Demon Sect. Cultivation manuals, spirit stones, elixirs, magical artifacts, materials, the sect's treasury—everything that could be moved was inventoried, cataloged, and transported back to the Joyful Union Sect in batches. Those disciples willing to submit were reassigned to the various peaks and halls of the Joyful Union Sect; those who refused had their cultivation stripped and were dismissed.

The news quickly spread throughout the entire Northern Wilderness.

The Joyful Union Sect destroyed the Heavenly Demon Sect and unified the Northern Wilderness. Those small sects and independent cultivators who had originally been affiliated with the Heavenly Demon Sect sent people to pay their respects, offer tribute, and express their willingness to submit.

The sect leader also declared that he would unify the world, and the Hehuan Sect would become the sole overlord of the Northern Wilderness.

Li Hanshan's reputation spread throughout the Northern Wilderness.

That legendary old man who entered the sect at the age of one hundred and cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage in just over a decade, that ruthless figure who hunted down the Nascent Soul demon in the Endless Sea and killed three Nascent Soul cultivators in succession within the Joyful Union Sect, that true hero who destroyed the Heavenly Demon Sect. His name was mentioned by countless people, some with awe, some with admiration, and some with curiosity.

Throughout the Hehuan Sect, those disciples who had once mocked him flocked to him seeking an audience. Some brought gifts, some pledged their loyalty, and some even knelt at the entrance of his cave and refused to get up.

Every time Hua Nongying went out, she would be surrounded by people asking her all sorts of questions. Even Liu Ruoxue, who was usually so icy, couldn't escape being talked to. She was so annoyed that she simply closed the door of her cave and refused to see any guests.