Volume 1 Volume 5 Chapter 131

Volume 5 Chapter 131: The Trouble of Demon Beasts (Part 1)

After escaping from the rocks, Xu Qingfan saw Jin Qinghan standing several feet away, unharmed. He felt a wave of joy, but then noticed that only Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong were left from their team, which made him worry again. When he saw the looks on everyone’s faces, a mix of relief and shock, Xu Qingfan was momentarily taken aback, unsure why they looked so strange.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan seemed to remember something. He reached up to touch his cheek and found that his skin was still tight, showing no signs of aging. It shouldn’t be the result of the balance of life and death inside him being disrupted earlier.

But why did everyone look at him so oddly? To confirm, under Xu Qingfan’s Divine Sense, his clone Xu Zhiyuan suddenly appeared in front of him. With a wave of his hands, a curtain of water appeared in front of Xu Qingfan. The water flowed smoothly and was very clear, almost like a mirror, reflecting Xu Qingfan’s gaze.

Through the water curtain, Xu Qingfan noticed that while his face hadn’t changed much and his skin was still tight, he clearly looked much older. After achieving immortality, Xu Qingfan’s appearance had remained that of a youthful man in his twenties. However, he now looked like he was in his thirties, giving off a distinct feeling of weariness.

If it were only that, it would be alright, but he didn’t know when, all his hair at his temples had turned completely white, making his face look even more weathered, as if he had endured countless storms.

Seeing this image, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, not expecting that after the balance of life and death inside him was disrupted, his appearance would change like this.

As he smiled bitterly, Xu Qingfan’s reflection in the water curtain was also smiling sadly, with crow’s feet beginning to show at the corners of his eyes.

Shaking his head, he directed Xu Zhiyuan to lower the water curtain. Though he felt helpless, Xu Qingfan didn’t really mind looking older. In fact, after over a hundred years of pursuing immortality, he sometimes found it strange to see his youthful face alongside eyes that didn’t match that appearance.

This kind of face might still be a good thing; at least this weathered face is more convincing than the face of a young man. In some ways, it might even help Xu Qingfan manage Jiuhua in the future.

After the water curtain disappeared, Xu Qingfan stopped thinking too much. When he looked around and saw Zhang Yi, he was slightly surprised and felt a sense of familiarity, even though he couldn’t remember where he had seen her before. Still, he nodded in greeting.

Zhang Yi gave a cold snort but did not respond or speak. She just stared at Xu Qingfan with a cold gaze, constantly assessing him. She never expected Jin Qinghan to break through to the Golden Core Stage here, and even more so, she didn’t expect Xu Qingfan to break through shortly after. With her alone, she couldn’t threaten Xu Qingfan anymore, yet she didn’t leave. It was unclear what her intentions were.

Xu Qingfan found Zhang Yi’s attitude a bit strange, but there were more important matters waiting for him to handle, so he didn’t ask.

After nodding toward Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong, Xu Qingfan walked towards Jin Qinghan, first examining him, then giving his shoulder a light pat.

Jin Qinghan’s expression still seemed cold, but there was a hint of relief in his eyes.

"Junior Brother Jin, how is the situation now? Where are the other team members? When did you break through to the Golden Core Stage?"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s questions, Jin Qinghan told him about what he encountered after leaving the mountains’ interior. He briefly mentioned the battle with Feng Qingtian, but through Jin Qinghan’s fleeting dark look, Xu Qingfan understood that it was another heavy defeat for Jin Qinghan.

Upon hearing that Jin Qinghan had rescued two teams from the valley, Xu Qingfan felt a mix of sadness for the heavy losses of the two teams and the death of Sheng Yushan, yet he was somewhat comforted that, besides Sheng Yushan, the people he cared about were safe.

Xu Qingfan told Jin Qinghan, Dongfang Qingling, and Xu Xiurong about what happened inside the mountain. He naturally hid the fact that he had been infected by the "Beast Madness Energy" in front of Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong. As everyone shared their stories, the whole event finally became clear to them.

Looking back at the whole event, whether it was "Ri" and Feng Qingtian’s ambush or the sneak attacks by countless "Beast Madness cultivators," it was deadly for everyone. If "Ri’s" plan had gone smoothly, and if Zhang Yi hadn’t caused trouble, they would have faced complete destruction. Thinking about this, everyone couldn’t help but feel relieved.

After learning that Feng Qingtian had fled under everyone’s combined effort, Xu Qingfan felt a slight movement in his heart and asked, "Junior Brother Jin, how strong is Feng Qingtian at this moment?"

At first, Xu Qingfan intended to call Feng Qingtian "Senior Brother," but suddenly remembered that Feng Qingtian had already betrayed Jiuhua and was now in a deadly rivalry with them, so he just called him by his name.

Jin Qinghan’s eyes darkened even more, and he slowly said, "Deep and unfathomable. He didn’t show his full strength when he fought me." Saying this, a look of humiliation crossed Jin Qinghan’s face. After a pause, he continued, "He has at least reached the Golden Core Stage, but he is definitely much stronger than you and me right now. I don’t know how Feng Qingtian recovered so quickly after being affected by your ‘Formula of Life and Death.’"

Xu Qingfan’s eyes grew heavier with sorrow. After shaking his head slightly, he said, "Feng Qingtian has now joined the ‘Ming’ organization, probably because it benefits him. I think it is the mysterious ‘Ming’ organization that helped him recover from his wounds and greatly improve his strength."

Upon hearing this from Xu Qingfan, Jin Qinghan’s eyes also showed sadness. As his greatest rival, Jin Qinghan did not want Feng Qingtian to become involved with the "Ming" organization.

After a moment of silence, Jin Qinghan asked, "Senior Brother Xu, you warned me to stay calm while fighting Feng Qingtian because you already knew he was hiding in this valley, right?"

Xu Qingfan nodded and said, "I could vaguely sense Feng Qingtian’s aura, but I was not sure. After joining the ‘Ming’ organization, Feng Qingtian’s aura changed greatly. It used to be fiery, like a Flame Phoenix, but now it has both heat and cold, which clearly shows that he has practiced some dark cultivation methods after joining ‘Ming.’"

"I just hope this evil cultivation method does not require sacrificing others to take their life essence." At the same time, Xu Qingfan thought quietly to himself.

Jin Qinghan nodded to show he understood. If Xu Qingfan had told him this news earlier, he wouldn’t have guaranteed he could stay calm.

After hesitating for a moment, Jin Qinghan glanced at Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong standing beside him, then quietly asked, "Senior Brother Xu, what about the ‘Beast Madness’ now? Does it affect you in any way?"

A hint of worry flashed in Xu Qingfan’s eyes as he replied, "Don’t worry. The ‘Beast Madness’ energy that invaded my body has been completely suppressed by me and will not cause any serious problems. Besides, my breakthrough to the Golden Core Stage this time is also thanks to the transformation from the ‘Beast Madness’ energy."

After Xu Qingfan’s path was blocked by rocks, he decided to sit down and drive out the Beast Madness Energy. He began to focus on using "Life and Death Reincarnation" to suppress the "Beast Madness Energy" within him. At first, everything seemed fine; although the progress was slow and he had to also heal various injuries inside his body, the "Beast Madness Energy" was gradually being pushed back towards its source.

But then, the situation changed.

When Xu Qingfan’s "Life and Death Reincarnation" pushed all the energy down to his ankle injury, he discovered that although the massive "Beast Madness Energy" was suppressed to its limit, it could not be expelled at all, as if it had taken root inside him.

It seemed that the first time he tried to drive out the "Beast Madness Energy," it was interrupted by an attack from "Ri." This repeated interruption allowed the "Beast Madness Energy" to gradually merge with Xu Qingfan’s body, and at his ankle injury, the "Beast Madness Energy" lingered the longest, completely merging with that part of Xu Qingfan’s body, no longer distinguishable.

Unless Xu Qingfan’s entire right foot was cut off, this "Beast Madness Energy" could not be expelled from his body.

Xu Qingfan, feeling helpless, could only use the technique of "Rebirth" to completely seal the "Beast Madness Energy" at his ankle. At that moment, there was a black-and-white yin-yang pattern on his ankle, formed by the complete sealing of "Rebirth."

But Xu Qingfan also knew that this was not a good plan. The "Beast Madness Energy" at his ankle was so dense and was slowly absorbing Xu Qingfan’s energy, growing larger. If this continued for a long time, no one knew what kind of strange changes might occur, making it a serious risk.

However, at this moment, it was the only way to handle the situation.

Just as Xu Qingfan was about to end his meditation, his mind suddenly fell into a state of emptiness. The Spirit Qi, which had been low in his body, began to surge rapidly, and many questions he had struggled to understand suddenly became clear.

Xu Qingfan’s cultivation had already reached the peak of the Real Golden Core Stage. After enduring various changes from the "Beast Madness Energy," the vitality in his body surged, and his meridians became thicker and more stable. Understanding his own psychological flaws, his realm also became more stable, and the timing for a breakthrough had arrived.

After a series of encounters with the "Beast Madness Energy," Xu Qingfan finally began to make his breakthrough.

As he started to break through, Xu Qingfan entered a state called Unity of Sky and Earth, allowing him to clearly sense every movement within dozens of miles. He could clearly feel that Jin Qinghan and the others were digging through the cave to rescue him, and he could also sense that in a corner of the already collapsed mountain, Little Black was absorbing the dead energy within a greenish skeleton to heal itself. Even though the blood-colored rocks had a strong ability to block energy, they couldn’t hinder Xu Qingfan’s Divine Sense at all.

Because of this, after Xu Qingfan’s breakthrough, he directly used his strength to shatter the rocks in front of him instead of gradually clearing the path, as he knew there was emptiness on the other side of the rocks. When he appeared, he was not surprised to see Jin Qinghan and the others.

However, this breakthrough came so suddenly. Xu Qingfan had originally planned to rely on the three "Immortal Ascending Pills" to help him and Jin Qinghan break through their realms: two for him and one for Jin Qinghan. He didn’t expect that before taking the "Immortal Ascending Pill," both he and Jin Qinghan had already broken through to the Golden Core Stage.

After reaching the Golden Core Stage, the help from the "Immortal Ascending Pill" has become very limited, providing little benefit to Xu Qingfan, and he does not know how to deal with it.

Perhaps in this chaotic world, his three disciples should also strengthen their abilities?

After Xu Qingfan recounted the events, Jin Qinghan finally felt relieved. Although the sealed "Beast Madness Energy" remains a hidden danger, at least Xu Qingfan has "Cycle of Life and Death" to counter it, so a great disaster won’t happen in the short term.

After seeing Xu Qingfan and Jin Qinghan finish their conversation, Dongfang Qingling, who had been observing Xu Qingfan with a mysterious emotion in her eyes, finally spoke to Xu Qingfan about Zhang Yi and the many demon beasts she had encountered recently.

Upon hearing about Zhang Yi, Xu Qingfan became even more puzzled, not knowing what this vaguely familiar person wanted from him, as it seemed he had not stolen anything from him. Otherwise, Xu Qingfan would surely remember, since he rarely took things from others since starting his cultivation journey.

When Xu Qingfan heard Dongfang Qingling mention that countless demon beasts had passed through this area, his expression grew serious.

Only then did Jin Qinghan begin to think about the previous appearances of the demon beasts. Upon hearing Dongfang Qingling’s words and his analysis, his expression also became grave.

"Li Yuhan and the others left in the direction where the demon beasts attacked, but we don’t know if they encountered those demon beasts. If they really crossed paths, it would be very dangerous after they finally escaped from this valley."

Jin Qinghan said with worry.

Xu Qingfan shook his head and slowly said, "Li Yuhan is always good at organizing responses. As long as he is the first to discover those demon beasts, he will definitely find a way to deal with them. Moreover, according to Junior Martial Sister Dongfang, those demon beasts act very organized. When they encounter others, they only split into small teams to attack. With Li Yuhan’s cleverness, the danger is not as great as we imagine."

After a pause, Xu Qingfan showed a thoughtful expression in his eyes and then said, "Compared to that, I am more worried that these demon beasts have likely exhausted all the demon beasts in the Southern Wasteland. Even the heavenly level demon beast, which only appears in legends, has shown up. Why have they come to the prosperous Middle-earth? What impact will this disaster have?"

After silently thinking for a moment, Xu Qingfan finally said, "In any case, we should return to ‘Ronghua Mountain’ now and wait for the arrangements from the sect leaders. The current situation is beyond what we can change; we probably need those masters to step in."

Then, Xu Qingfan also told Jin Qinghan the location where Little Black was buried, asking him to dig it out using the shortest route. At this moment, Little Black had already begun to use its deadly energy to corrode the rocks. With the powerful corrosive force of the deadly energy, it was much faster than when Jin Qinghan dug the cave. With both their efforts, it shouldn’t take long.

After watching Jin Qinghan leave to carry out his orders, Xu Qingfan, accompanied by Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong, slowly walked toward Zhang Yi.

At that moment, Zhang Yi was still standing not far away. While Xu Qingfan was talking with Jin Qinghan and Dongfang Qingling, her eyes had not moved from him at all. She gazed at him silently without any modesty that a woman should have, making Xu Qingfan feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Excuse me, who are you? Have we met before? May I ask why you are looking for me?"

Xu Qingfan politely asked as he approached Zhang Yi. Although Zhang Yi had previously captured Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong and seemed to have malice against him, she did save Jin Qinghan’s life and indirectly helped Xu Qingfan. Without her help, when Feng Qingtian joined "Ri," Xu Qingfan would have faced death. Furthermore, during the beast attack, she saved Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong; so everyone present owed her a favor. Therefore, Xu Qingfan couldn’t bring himself to feel anything negative toward Zhang Yi.

In response to Xu Qingfan’s inquiry, Zhang Yi coldly replied with just five words.

"World Defying Sword, Zhang Yi."

After hearing Zhang Yi’s answer, Xu Qingfan finally remembered that the masked woman with beautiful eyes in front of him was someone from his past.

It turned out to be the Zhang Yi who had chased him for several months and almost killed him!

And Zhang Yi was looking for him because of the legendary sword, the World Defying Sword.

In truth, Xu Qingfan hadn’t recognized who Zhang Yi was at first, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. That event had happened many years ago, and so much had occurred since then. Furthermore, when Xu Qingfan first saw Zhang Yi, she was veiled and concealed her face, and at that time, Xu Qingfan was only focused on escaping, so he had no thoughts of memorizing Zhang Yi’s appearance. Soon, the image of Zhang Yi faded in his mind into an ordinary member of the "Ming" organization.

Now, Zhang Yi in her green clothes, it was even harder to recognize her.

Besides being surprised that the person in front of him was Zhang Yi, Xu Qingfan was even more shocked by how she knew the World Defying Sword was in his possession. Xu Qingfan had taken on Xu Fan’s identity when he did this. The fact that Xu Qingfan was actually Xu Fan was only known among the higher-ups of the Righteous Alliance and a few people in Jiuhua Gate, so Zhang Yi should not have known.

After a brief moment of surprise, Xu Qingfan quickly regained his composure and asked, "But may I ask why you need the World Defying Sword?"

After pausing for a moment, Xu Qingfan glanced at Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong beside him, hesitated slightly, and then asked, "Also, how did you know that I obtained the World Defying Sword?"

This sentence means to ask Zhang Yi how he knew that Xu Qingfan was Xu Fan, while Dongfang Qingling and Xu Xiurong were surprised that Xu Qingfan had the legendary magic weapon "World Defying Sword." They didn’t think much about Xu Qingfan’s second question.

In fact, many people from Jiuhua Gate, including Dongfang Qingling, had already guessed that Xu Qingfan was Xu Fan.

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s question, a hint of coldness flashed in Zhang Yi’s eyes as he slowly said, "Revenge, for my master. Only the World Defying Sword can kill him. So you must return the World Defying Sword to me."

Hearing Zhang Yi say this, Xu Qingfan shook his head slowly and replied, "If you seek revenge, then I must disappoint you. To cultivate the ‘World Defying Sword,’ it must consume the blood and souls of countless innocent people. If I give it to you, I do not know how many lives would be unjustly lost, which is not what I desire. Moreover, the ‘World Defying Sword’ is already sealed away in a hidden place by me."

"So, you are unwilling to return the ‘World Defying Sword’ to me?"

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Zhang Yi’s gaze became even colder, and he asked in a chilling voice.

Seeing the cold glare in Zhang Yi’s eyes, Xu Qingfan remained on guard, but spoke softly, saying, "I hope you can understand."

As Xu Qingfan finished speaking, an unexpected change occurred.