Chapter 248 Soul Gu

The flying sword struck, producing a deafening roar, and ripples spread across the dark surface.

It was as if a giant rock had fallen into inky black water, but the water surface was upside down, giving it a slightly eerie feel.

The flying sword was knocked away by the black plane, emitting a series of clear chirps, like an unruly beast with the momentum of not turning back until it crashes into the wall.

A dazzling blue flame appeared on the sword, and the flying sword returned to its original size, like a fire dragon circling around its master.

The clanging sound continued incessantly, as if it were gathering strength.

"Haha, Senior Brother's magic sword is almost at the standard of a top-grade spiritual weapon!"

Lin Jiuxiao nodded slightly. He planned to use the spirit sword as his natal magic weapon. Once he found some key spiritual items, he could reforge it into a top-grade spiritual artifact as a magic weapon prototype.

"When I forge the magic sword again, I will need your help, junior brother."

"Haha, no problem."

Zhu Xiangrong laughed heartily, and the surface of the alchemy furnace emitted dazzling flames, like a blooming red lotus.

The magical artifact spun rapidly and crashed into the black plane in the void, unleashing a torrent of fire like a waterfall.

At the same time, ripples appeared on the surface again, and the oscillations seemed to be slightly larger than before.

The bladed shield in the hands of the Fallen Maple Valley cultivator drew a bright silver arc and flew towards the black plane illuminated by the array.

Like lightning illuminating the night sky, it shines brighter than moonlight.

The pearl, the spiked club, and the seal attacked in succession, sounding like muffled thunder.

Numerous cultivators at the Chaoyuan stage took turns attacking, causing the ripples on the black plane to vibrate more and more intensely.

Liu Yu transmitted his voice:

"Senior Sister, are the Azure Mist Secret Realm and the cultivation world connected by an array? How were these secret realms formed?"

He noticed that his fellow disciples were using battle flags as a guide, which seemed to indicate a strategy of using formations to break formations.

The information provided by the sect only included a map of the secret realm, but no information about its origins.

He asked other people, and they all said they knew nothing about it.

Senior Sister is, after all, a disciple of a cultivator in the Chaoyuan stage, so she should know more inside information.

"Yes, the secret realm is a small world that exists independently. It usually exists in another void and only appears at a specific time."

I heard my Master say that some small worlds are formed naturally by heaven and earth, while others are reflections of reality from the inner worlds of highly accomplished cultivators.

Liu Yu was shocked. He had never imagined that a powerful cultivator could create something from nothing.

"Senior sister, what is the inner world?"

He had never heard of this term before.

"My master said that after a Nascent Soul cultivator advances further, they can resonate with the inner universe formed by the outer world, but he doesn't know the specifics."

I've also heard that although our region is divided into areas such as Central Continent, Western Continent, and Southern Continent, it is actually just one continent.

The cultivation world is vast and boundless. We cultivators cultivate the Dao, while on other continents there are Buddhist cultivators, and it is said that there is a world in the outer heavens where demonic cultivators are the main force.

Both Buddhist and demonic cultivators possess supernatural powers similar to the inner world; Buddhist cultivators call it the Buddha Kingdom in the Palm of Their Hands, while demonic cultivators call it the Six Desire Heavens.

Ge Luoying recounted in detail the knowledge she had learned from her master, and in just a few words, one could glimpse the vastness of the world.

"Demonic cultivators? Aren't demonic cultivators just madmen who only know how to kill? How could such a world exist?"

Liu Yu shook his head. Demonic cultivators plunder the life force and soul of living beings; a world that only destroys and does not build cannot exist for long.

"I don't know about that."

In the dense forest far away in the barren mountains.

A monk in blue robes stood with his hands behind his back, watching everything happening on the desolate mountain out of the corner of his eye.

The monk wore a hood, and his exposed skin revealed fine, dark blue scales.

Beside him stood a burly, fleshy-faced cultivator.

The burly cultivator had abundant body hair, resembling an upright bear.

The monk in blue robes gazed at the area that resembled fireworks, a sinister smile playing on his lips, his eyes flashing with cunning and amusement.

"Of those cultivators who entered the secret realm, how many were controlled by the Soul Gu?"

"Twenty-eight, including twelve late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and the rest being outstanding mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators."

To avoid detection by the various sects, the Soul Gu only controls rogue cultivators.

The burly cultivator lowered his head and spoke as gently as possible.

He grinned, revealing a scarlet tongue covered in barbs.

"True Master Qinglong, your Soul Gu is extremely precious. Is it worth using it only to control a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

Refining Soul Gu requires many precious medicinal herbs that nourish the soul, as well as a very rare demonic insect, making the cost considerable.

He believed that these soul worms were more worthwhile to use to control cultivators in the Chaoyuan stage. Although there was a considerable failure rate in controlling cultivators in the Chaoyuan stage, as long as a few could be controlled, they could cause enormous damage.

Are you questioning my decision?

The monk in blue robes spoke calmly, revealing no emotion.

Upon hearing this, the burly man broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly said:

"Your subordinate wouldn't dare!"

"Heh, so you're just too scared?"

Like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, a chilling aura spread out.

Beads of sweat glistened on the burly man's forehead; he knew all too well that the man before him was unpredictable and capricious.

The monk in blue robes did not continue to make things difficult for the burly man, and coldly said:

"Just do what I'm told, no need to ask any more questions!"

He understood very well that while controlling a few cultivators at the Chaoyuan stage was beneficial to the overall situation, it would not have a decisive impact.

Since cultivators in the Chaoyuan stage frequently come into contact with Golden Core cultivators, it is difficult to guarantee that they will not be discovered.

He learned through certain channels that the cultivators who entered the secret realm were the most elite group of people from various sects and independent cultivators. They were an important link in the inheritance, and the vast majority of future Chaoyuan stage cultivators would be born from this group.

If we could wipe out this group of cultivators in one fell swoop, the long-term impact on the entire Western Continent would be enormous.

He reached an agreement with many demon kings that if they could greatly weaken the future potential of human cultivators, the demon kings would drive their races to launch a long-term offensive against the human race.

The demon king's guarantee is not credible, but as long as the demon kings see an opportunity, they will choose to take advantage of the chaos and suppress human power.

Only through prolonged turmoil in the Western Continent can he profit from it and establish a demon cultivator force that stands on equal footing with humans and demon beasts.

"Your subordinate will do everything in your power to fulfill the Master's request!"

The burly man bowed his head deeply, his tense emotions easing somewhat.

An hour passed, and the ripples on the black plane in the void grew larger and larger, occasionally flashing with white light.

The large yellow seal swelled to the size of a house and suddenly crashed into the ground.

"boom!"

The last straw broke the camel's back; the black plane vanished with a roar, revealing a passage three zhang in diameter that shimmered with gray light.

The passage appeared to be shallow, perhaps only about ten feet deep, but the distance kept changing.

"Disciples of Falling Maple Valley, enter the spatial passage immediately! Do not use flying artifacts or ride beasts."

At the command of the Chaoyuan stage cultivator, the cultivators of Luofeng Valley all channeled their magical power and flew towards the passage.

Lin Jiuxiao turned his head and said, "Golden Spirit Sect disciples, enter the passage!"

He transmitted his voice again, clearly reaching the ears of every disciple.

'You absolutely must not touch the gray light at the edge of the passage.'

Liu Yu took out a talisman that glowed with a faint blue light; it was the Guiding Talisman.

He channeled his magic power, and the talisman immediately adhered to his hand.

He and Gloin reached out and gave each other a high five, their hands pressed tightly together.

The talismans seemed to melt into their palms, like ice melting away.

Liu Yu immediately felt a special aura enter his body, and the two flew into the passage side by side.

As soon as he entered, he immediately discovered that the originally gray light had turned multicolored, and then he felt a dizzying sensation.

In a flash, he vanished without a trace, and Glory disappeared with him.

Liu Yu woke up from her dizziness and immediately found herself on a rust-red ground.

Dark red trees with twisted branches and covered in tumors; underfoot, long, serrated, unidentified wild grasses; and scattered among them, grayish-white animal bones.

Not far away, several depressions emitted pale yellow smoke, and the air was filled with a pungent sulfur smell.

Liu Yu immediately summoned the Fiery Golden Wheel to protect himself, and then looked around warily.

I looked around but didn't see that familiar figure.

He held his throbbing head, his brows furrowed.

"Didn't it work?"

"Junior brother, are you looking for me?"

The voice came from above his head.

Five days later, at Mingfeng Mountain Immortal City.

Black giant wolves, fiery red bulls, yellow-black spotted rock pythons, monkeys with fur of various colors, and colorful tigers—countless beasts roared and attacked the immortal city from all directions.

Some of the demonic beasts were tightly bound by the Blood-Devouring Vines and were quickly trampled into mud by the demonic beasts behind them, along with the vines.

The stronger monsters were not afraid of the Blood-Devouring Vines binding them at all, and broke the vines with a little effort.

In the sky, all kinds of birds of prey swooped down in a massive wave, blocking out the sun.

The numerous cultivators at the Chaoyuan stage from the three sects hovered in the air, coldly watching the horde of beasts surge in like a tide.

The sword light flickered around Lin Qiubai, and anyone who looked at this light would immediately have the illusion of being cut by the sword.

"The demon kings have chosen a very good time. We just withdrew several hundred elite troops, and the attack is coming right after.

The sound was like a cold wind howling on a mountaintop, icy and sharp.

Judging from the number of monsters observed, this attack is serious.

"It's normal that demon cultivators have infiltrated the heartland and that the information about the opening of the secret realm isn't top secret, so it's not surprising that it was discovered."

What I'm curious about is how the demon cultivators and demon beasts transmit information. Even at full speed, a spirit boat departing from Qingyun Immortal City would take three days and three nights to reach Mingfeng Mountain.

The cultivator, dressed in the standard Taoist robe of Falling Maple Valley, spoke. He had a square face, but his hooked nose ruined the overall impression, making him look somewhat sinister.

"The situation in the rear is for others to worry about. Our task is to resist the monsters for as long as possible."

"Gentlemen, let's get to work. I'll go to the west side of the city wall."

As Lin Qiubai spoke, he had already rushed more than ten feet away.

The mountain-protecting formation is currently operating at a very low intensity. If it were activated at full power, it would not only consume more spirit stones, but also draw upon the earth's spiritual energy from strong attacks.

The great formation will only be fully activated when the Demon King attacks. The so-called Demon King is equivalent to a Golden Core cultivator in the human race.

"Fellow Daoist Lin truly lives up to his reputation as a sword cultivator, taking the initiative to go to the area most severely attacked. I admire you."

The cultivator from Fallen Maple Valley spoke in a low voice, then leaped towards the south side of the city wall.

(End of this chapter)