Volume 1 Volume 5 Chapter 150

Volume 5 Chapter 150: Escaping Death, Before the Final Battle (Part 3)

"Has that old man from ‘Heaven’ finally run out of patience with me? I thought he would deal with me personally, but I didn’t expect it to be you from ‘Earth’ who came in person."

Zhang Xusheng smiled lightly and said.

The appearance of "Earth" seemed to indicate that the two elders of "Tian" and "Di" couldn’t help but take action against Zhang Xusheng.

Zhang Xusheng, however, seemed to have expected this, and showed no sign of fear when facing the powerful and mysterious "Di."

From Zhang Xusheng’s tone, it was clear that, as the leader of the "Ming" organization, he held "Earth" in much higher regard.

Facing Zhang Xusheng’s arrogance, "Di" remained expressionless, simply gazing deeply at Zhang Xusheng before slowly saying, "The reason I invited you to join the ‘Ming’ organization was because I valued your unique ability to refine aggrieved souls. Now that my plans with ‘Tian’ are complete, all that remains is the timing to fully complete the ritual. You are no longer needed. I could have kept you a little longer; after all, neither ‘Tian’ nor I wanted to make a big move before the ritual was fully completed. However, your actions have gone too far and have affected our plans, so I must remove you early."

Compared to "Tian," "Di" had always been very quiet in the "Ming" organization. Yet, facing Zhang Xusheng, he spoke a lot for some reason, while Zhang Xusheng showed no surprise, instead revealing a knowing smile. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "What I have done over the years is much more than what you and ‘Tian’ have thought or known, and I have knowledge of the various secrets of the ‘Ming’ organization that is far greater than what you and ‘Tian’ believe."

As he spoke, the smile on Zhang Xusheng’s face suddenly faded. He stared at "Di" and slowly asked, "Over the years, you have been living quietly in the headquarters, focusing on your training. The reason you have come out personally to eliminate me this time is because ‘Heaven’s’ lifespan is nearing its end. Even if you wanted to kill me, you would be too weak, wouldn’t you?"

As Zhang Xusheng’s voice fell, "Di’s" half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide, and the overwhelming aura around him surged once again. Under the endless, terrifying pressure, the wind and clouds changed, and the ground trembled. "Di’s" strength was unknown to what level it had reached, as he could change the color of the world with just his presence.

The cold killing intent that flashed in Di’s eyes was even more terrifying than his powerful presence.

But facing the terrifying aura and killing intent of "Di," Zhang Xusheng seemed completely unaware. His expression remained unchanged, still smiling as he said, "So, I was right? I’ve mentioned before that I know much more about the ‘Underworld’ organization’s secrets, or your secrets with ‘Heaven,’ than you might think."

"Di," who was originally sitting quietly outside the cave, slowly stood up and began to walk towards Zhang Xusheng step by step, softly saying, "You do know more than I imagined, but it doesn’t matter."

The implication was that if Zhang Xusheng were to die, all the secrets would still remain secrets.

"Are you going to kill me now?"

Zhang Xusheng admired the scene around "Di," where the atmosphere was chaotic with swirling winds and clouds, and stones and wood were breaking, and he casually asked.

"Di" did not answer, but continued to walk towards Zhang Xusheng step by step, a faint dark energy surrounding him without anyone noticing when it appeared, his killing intent fully revealed, answering Zhang Xusheng’s question with his actions.

But when "Di" was three paces away from Zhang Xusheng and pointed his finger at him, the dark energy began to gather, just as he was about to strike, Zhang Xusheng spoke once again.

"Actually, you shouldn’t kill me, Master Demon Ancestor."

Upon hearing Zhang Xusheng’s words, "Di" paused slightly, and the overwhelming aura he emitted quickly receded like a rushing tide. His eyes flashed red as he stared intently at Zhang Xusheng, and the killing intent seemed to vanish in an instant, yet somehow became even more intense.

Demon Ancestor!

Is the true identity of "Di" really the Demon Ancestor, who created the path of demon cultivation by himself thousands of years ago and was called the strongest person in the cultivation world?

Wasn’t it said that the Demon Ancestor was killed by righteous forces at "Black Emperor Cliff" thousands of years ago? How is it possible that he is still alive now? And has become "Di" in the "Ming" organization?

Moreover, the legend of the Demon Ancestor has existed for thousands of years. As a cultivator, how could his lifespan be so long? Could "Di" have broken through the Mahayana Stage and achieved complete Unity of Sky and Earth? But if Di had such power, why would he have to hide for thousands of years?

Yet, from "Di’s" reaction, everything Zhang Xusheng said seems to be true.

"You know that ‘Tian’s’ lifespan is up, so you must know ‘Tian’s’ identity. And apart from ‘Tian’, you also know my identity. Does this mean you already understand the true purpose of the ‘Ming’ organization?"

Zhang Xusheng smiled lightly and said, "I am different from those useless members who joined the ‘Ming’ organization over the years but are clueless about its history and purpose. I don’t like feeling controlled and ignorant. I prefer to have everything in my hands, and I am also very interested in the ‘Ming’ organization, which has such tremendous power yet has remained unknown in the cultivation world for thousands of years. So since I learned about the existence of the ‘Ming’ organization, I began investigating its secrets. In fact, this was also the reason I joined the ‘Ming’ organization back then. It has been over a thousand years since, and a thousand years is enough time for me to uncover anything."

"In that case, I have even less reason to let you go."

However, even though he said this, "Di" showed no signs of taking action, clearly waiting for Zhang Xusheng to say why he wouldn’t kill him.

Although Zhang Xusheng is a once-in-a-lifetime genius and has achieved the Immortal Body, if "Di" is truly the Demon Ancestor from tens of thousands of years ago, he would not be a match for him. Yet Zhang Xusheng’s face remained smiling as he said slowly, "In this world, everyone has their own goals and plans. Those with similar goals or plans become allies, while those with opposite goals or different plans become opponents."

After a pause, Zhang Xusheng’s gentle gaze began to meet the deep, dark eyes of "Di," and he continued, "Lord Demon Ancestor, in fact, you and I are quite alike. We both have many thoughts that others wouldn’t even dare to imagine. We are feared and isolated by everyone, and we also cannot fully control our thoughts and bodies."

At this point, Zhang Xusheng pointed to his own head and then to Di’s head, as if he meant something, but no one could understand what he meant by "cannot fully control our thoughts and bodies."

"Di" said lightly, "It really is quite similar. I didn’t expect you to know this. However, this is not a reason for me to spare you; in fact, it makes me want to kill you even more."

Zhang Xusheng smiled slightly and replied slowly, "As I just said, people in this world always come together because of similar goals and plans, and they always become enemies due to differing plans and goals. You created the ‘Underworld’ organization with ‘Heaven’ for this very reason. But do you really think your purpose is completely the same as ‘Heaven’s’?"

"Isn’t it?"

"Di" asked in response.

"The reason you joined the ‘Underworld’ is to take revenge on all of humanity that once betrayed you, while ‘Heaven’s’ goal is to lead all of humanity to destruction. At first glance, it may seem that the goals are the same, but they are not. Leaving aside whether it is truly necessary to destroy these humans, don’t you think rather than annihilating all of humanity, it would better serve your purpose to let them live in suffering and despair? If everything follows my plan, it would be much closer to your goal."

Zhang Xusheng asked softly.

"Di" looked deeply at Zhang Xusheng and suddenly asked, "So, what are your plans and goals?"

※※※※

After the time it takes to burn two incense sticks, "Di" listened to Zhang Xusheng’s goals and plans, then left without saying a word. He neither agreed nor disagreed with Zhang Xusheng’s plan, but his decision not to take action against Zhang Xusheng revealed his stance in a way.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xusheng appeared at the top of the deserted mountain, watching "Di" leave until "Di’s" figure completely disappeared from his sight.

Suddenly, more than thirty members of the "An" organization appeared behind Zhang Xusheng, silently bowing to him. Then, the leader walked to Zhang Xusheng’s side, speaking with a hint of sarcasm, saying, "The so-called ‘Demon Ancestor’ seems to be nothing special; it was so easy to deal with him."

Zhang Xusheng smiled slightly and said softly, "If he didn’t have this idea already, why would he talk so much with me? If he wasn’t already decided, how could I persuade him so easily? Ning Luo, remember one thing: never underestimate your opponent."

"Yes."

After hearing Zhang Xusheng’s words, Ning Luo quickly bowed in response.

After giving one last deep look in the direction "Di" had gone, Zhang Xusheng turned to walk deeper into the deserted mountain and said calmly, "Next, it’s time to continue with the next step of the plan."

No one knew what the so-called "next plan" referred to, but looking at Zhang Xusheng’s mysterious expression made it impossible to gather the courage to ask. They could only hurriedly follow Zhang Xusheng deeper into the wild mountains.

Three days later, at the headquarters of the "Ming" organization.

Tian was sitting cross-legged on top of the Demonic Figurine engraved with the character "Tian," silently watching the blood pool spreading with evil energy among the sixteen statues. His expression was quiet, but his eyes occasionally flickered with fervor. Under the glow of the blood pool, the entire mountain’s interior appeared bloody, creating a feeling of great oppressive evil.

Suddenly, "Di" silently appeared above the adjacent "Di" character Demonic Figurine, but did not greet Tian. Instead, he continued to meditate quietly, as if he had always been there.

After returning to the headquarters, "Di" once again returned to his usual silence.

"Did it succeed?"

Tian turned his head and asked slowly.

"Di" nodded and said, "It was much harder to deal with than I imagined. I had to use a lot of effort to break his Immortal Body."

Tian seemed to let out a sigh of relief, and his gaze shifted back to the blood pool in front of him. His eyes grew eager with fervor, as if his destiny and everything lay within that blood pool.

"The biggest hidden danger has been removed. Now, all we do is quietly wait for the completion of the ceremony."

After a pause, Tian said again with a very firm voice, "At this point, nothing can stop me from doing what I have to do. After thousands of years of hiding and effort, I will finally be rewarded."

"Di" sat quietly to the side, still silent, with his eyes flickering, but no one knew what he was thinking at that moment.

※※※※

At the same time, a thousand miles away from Ronghua Mountain.

Two dark figures approached quickly, driven by the news of Xu Qingfan’s death, disregarding their own strength, wanting to avenge him. They were Ting’er and Bai Yu.

No one could understand how Ting’er and Bai Yu felt when, after finally defeating countless demon beasts, they looked forward to meeting Xu Qingfan again only to learn of his death. Although Zhang Ningmei was also Xu Qingfan’s disciple, her calm and rational nature prevented her from fully grasping their emotions.

For Bai Yu, after narrowly escaping death, he finally understood Xu Qingfan’s deep concern for him. From that moment on, he started to train hard, hoping to say "I’m sorry" to Xu Qingfan when he returned. He dreamed that Xu Qingfan would see his hard work and wear a happy expression, but he never expected Xu Qingfan to die at the hands of a demon beast.

For Ting’er, Xu Qingfan was her everything, and the nine-tailed demon fox took away all that she had in life.

Ting’er was obsessive and valued Xu Qingfan too much, while Bai Yu was willful and stubborn. With their personalities, it was easy for them to lose their minds. Ignoring Zhang Ningmei’s advice and the difference in strength, they secretly escaped from "Ronghua Mountain" to chase the nine-tailed demon fox. The saying "A gentleman takes revenge; it’s never too late" was useless to them.

In truth, Bai Yu may have really lost his mind, but Ting’er also had the thought of wanting to accompany Xu Qingfan.

However, at that moment, Bai Yu began to quietly regret his decision.

"Elder martial sister, slow down, wait for me!"

Bai Yu used all his strength to control the flying artifact and gasped as he called out to Ting’er, who was flying far ahead.

But Ting’er ignored him and continued flying forward. Bai Yu was weaker, and after leaving "Ronghua Mountain," he soon fell far behind Ting’er.

After a frantic flight, Bai Yu’s mind, which had been solely focused on revenge, gradually calmed down. He suddenly realized that Zhang Ningmei’s previous words made a lot of sense; it was better to slowly build strength than to rush to death.

However, Ting’er did not change like Bai Yu; she continued to chase after the place where the nine-tailed demon fox had disappeared. Compared to the terrifying demon beasts, Ting’er’s calm yet desperate expression scared Bai Yu even more. Although he felt a hint of regret, he didn’t dare to mention going back to Ting’er and could only follow, but the distance between them gradually grew larger.

At this moment, Ting’er had almost no thoughts in her mind. She knew she was not a match for the nine-tailed demon fox, and even of the more than a thousand demon beasts fleeing, she could not handle more than half of them. Unlike Bai Yu, who had lost his mind, she understood everything clearly.

But at that moment, she could only think about catching up to the nine-tailed demon fox. She rushed towards the nine-tailed demon fox, hoping to injure it and then be killed, or perhaps to not even touch the nine-tailed demon fox and be killed instantly. She understood all of this; after hearing the news of Xu Qingfan’s death, she had no desire to live, not even a wish for revenge. She only wanted a way and a reason to follow Xu Qingfan.

As for the fact that her decision could cost Bai Yu his life, it mattered not at all to Ting’er.

If Xu Qingfan was already dead, then what else was important?

If Ting’er’s thought was to seek death wholeheartedly, then her wish was about to come true. Just as the two quickly chased after the nine-tailed demon fox, they spotted a dark dot racing towards them from far away—it grew larger in an instant—and then, a three-headed, six-clawed black vulture appeared before her.

The overwhelming pressure and ferocity clearly indicated that this vulture was an Earth-level advanced demon beast.

"Demon Eagle" is the name given to this demon beast by cultivators, skilled at close combat; once encountered, its sharp claws and beak would be a nightmare for everyone.

This Demon Eagle was considered a remarkable strong beast even among countless Southern Wasteland demon beasts, its power just beneath eleven heavenly-level demon beasts and some rare demon beasts. Originally, it had fled with the nine-tailed demon fox from "Ronghua Mountain," but recently it received a command from the nine-tailed demon fox to contact some of the heavenly-level demon beasts that had split off earlier.

Not long after leaving the nine-tailed demon fox, the Demon Eagle spotted Ting’er, and its eyes instantly erupted with intense ferocity and killing intent.

Previously, during the battle surrounding "Ronghua Mountain," it had spent most of its time fighting numerous traps and mechanisms outside "Ronghua Mountain." Though it had destroyed countless things, they were merely lifeless objects and could not satisfy its bloodthirsty cravings. Then, when the nine-tailed demon fox unexpectedly took it away, it felt an unbearable ferocity within, and at that moment, it just happened to encounter Ting’er.

With an excited howl, the sky changed as the Demon Eagle flew like lightning toward Ting’er. On its way to fulfill its mission, encountering a human to feast upon was not a bad thing after all, since this weak human wouldn’t take much effort to handle.

As the Demon Eagle flew quickly toward her, the powerful waves of Spirit Qi and its frightening fierceness showed that its strength was far greater than Ting’er’s. However, Ting’er was not afraid. She raised her hands, and two balls of black flames erupted, charging toward the Demon Eagle.

After a fierce battle, Ting’er thought about following Xu Qingfan. It seemed that dying by the nine-tailed demon fox or by the Demon Eagle in front of her wouldn’t make much difference.

However, faintly, a hint of disappointment appeared in Ting’er’s eyes. Was it that before she died, she couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the nine-tailed demon fox that killed Xu Qingfan?

Compared to Ting’er’s resolve, the Demon Eagle, originally charging toward her, suddenly slowed down. At the moment Ting’er unleashed her magical flames, the Demon Eagle felt a sense of fear from the black flames in her hands, even though this human was much weaker than it.

"I can’t face that black flame directly. It’s better to circle around and find a chance to kill this human."

In an instant, the Demon Eagle became angered by its own fear and resumed its speed, charging again toward Ting’er, but before attacking, it couldn’t help but remind itself in its mind.

The body of the "Demon Eagle" was enormous. When it reached Ting’er, all three heads were raised high, and then like lightning, it aimed its sharp beak at Ting’er’s head with incredible speed. Under normal circumstances, such speed wouldn’t be something a Fake Golden Core Stage cultivator could handle; they would likely be killed instantly by the Demon Eagle.

However, although Ting’er was seeking revenge, she truly wished for death. With a calm mindset, her reactions and senses became sharper. Although her speed couldn’t help her dodge the Demon Eagle’s strikes, she was not afraid. She raised the black flames in her hands and shot them toward the three heads of the Demon Eagle.

In this way, although the Demon Eagle could kill Ting’er in an instant, it would also be hurt by Ting’er’s magic flames, which was not what it wanted. So, in the clash of close combat, the stronger Demon Eagle chose to avoid the attack first.

Although the Demon Eagle was very large, it surprisingly moved with great speed and agility. After dodging Ting’er’s attack, it appeared above her in the next moment, its six sharp claws attacking Ting’er even faster than before.

Ting’er, as before, faced the attack with unwavering determination, ignoring the Demon Eagle’s strikes as she unleashed her magic flames.

The small human was unexpectedly fierce, willing to risk her life to harm it. The black flames she cast made the Demon Eagle wary. Forced by this situation, it had to dodge again and continued to attack Ting’er from different angles.

Thus, even though the Demon Eagle was much stronger than Ting’er, due to its fear of her magic flames and Ting’er’s desperate fighting style, neither side could gain the upper hand, creating a remarkable scene in the cultivation world.

Ting’er was fortunate to wield magic flames that posed a threat to beings far stronger than herself. The demon beast she faced was the Demon Eagle, skilled in close combat but weak in long-range attacks. In its desire to end the fight, it fought back with a life-or-death determination.

If Ting’er had been just an ordinary Fake Golden Core Stage cultivator, or had hesitated even slightly in her fight, or if she had faced a demon beast skilled in long-range attacks, she would have already become prey.

Even so, Ting’er was still far weaker than the Demon Eagle. While the battle was intense, she gradually fell behind in speed and narrowly escaped being killed by the Eagle several times. Meanwhile, the Spirit Qi inside her was showing signs of exhaustion.

On the other side, the Demon Eagle grew increasingly impatient. To be entangled for so long by a human so much weaker than it was a humiliation. In its shame and anger, the Demon Eagle’s ferocity surged. In a moment of attack, it ignored Ting’er’s magic flames and charged straight at her.

The magic flames shot at the Demon Eagle, covering half of its body with fire. However, the Demon Eagle’s body was as hard as gold and iron, and the terrifying flames could only burn on its surface without causing any real harm!

The Demon Eagle endured the intense pain of the burning flames and increased its speed to the limit, charging straight toward Ting’er.

As Ting’er saw the Demon Eagle getting closer, its metallic claws grew larger in her eyes. She felt she had no strength to dodge, but a look of relief appeared in her eyes, and she gently closed them.

"Thud…"

With a dull thud, Ting’er felt a sharp pain in her body. It was not the tearing pain she had imagined from being crushed into pieces; it felt more like a huge rock had collided with her. Yet, because of this, she was not killed by the Demon Eagle’s claws.

Oddly opening her eyes, Ting’er discovered she was being pushed quickly backward from the collision.

In front of her, a monster had unexpectedly appeared in the spot where she had just been, using its hands to firmly hold back the claws of the Demon Eagle. However, it was quickly being pushed back due to its lack of strength but was still holding on desperately.

Upon closer inspection, Ting’er realized that the monster that had saved her was her junior brother Bai Yu. But Bai Yu looked very different from usual; his clothes were torn, his body swelled several times, his skin had turned into green scales, his eyes glowed with a blue light, and he had several sharp horns on his head.

This was Bai Yu’s form after activating the "Qiongqi" bloodline within him. With his growing strength, Bai Yu’s transformed appearance was vastly different from the first time, and the power he displayed was unmatched.

Seeing this scene, Ting’er finally understood what had just happened. At the moment before her death, Bai Yu had arrived and courageously blocked the sharp claws of the Demon Eagle with his own body, but he was still pushed back by the great force of the Demon Eagle, and his body crashed hard into Ting’er, which caused the scene before her eyes.

Upon witnessing this, Ting’er suddenly felt a strange emotion in her heart.

Although Bai Yu was her junior brother, she had never paid him much attention. She knew that with his personality, if she insisted on seeking revenge, he would definitely follow her. But she thought that this so-called revenge would only lead to death, and she didn’t care at all, believing Bai Yu’s life or death had nothing to do with her.

However, she did not expect that Bai Yu would come to save her without fear of death.

At this moment, after Zhang Ningmei, Ting’er finally accepted Bai Yu again.

The claws of the Demon Eagle were materials many cultivators dreamed of when refining magical tools because of their sharpness. Although Bai Yu had activated the "Qiongqi" bloodline within him, making his body incredibly tough, he still could not withstand the attack. While being constantly pushed back, blood flowed from his hands due to the claws of the Demon Eagle.

Seeing that he could not kill the human who had made him so furious because of the person blocking him, the Demon Eagle became enraged. The aura from Bai Yu made it feel a hint of fear, and in its panic, it became even more intent on killing. As it saw Bai Yu still fiercely blocking its claws, the Demon Eagle raised its head and sharply lunged at Bai Yu.

But today was destined to be a bad day for this Demon Eagle; not a single thing it planned to do could succeed.

Since Zhang Ningmei had already accepted Bai Yu, she naturally could not just watch him get killed. As the Demon Eagle lunged at Bai Yu, she hurriedly shot several magical flames toward the Demon Eagle.

The Demon Eagle, not as clever as others, could endure its body being burned by the magic fire and kill Ting’er but was too afraid to risk its own head. It quickly turned away and missed the chance to kill Bai Yu. Meanwhile, Bai Yu took this opportunity to free himself from the Demon Eagle’s claws and flew back to Ting’er’s side.

After being delayed time and time again, the Demon Eagle finally became very angry. It suddenly raised its three heads and let out three loud eagle cries that echoed through the land, then its body flashed with black light. When the black light faded, what appeared before Ting’er and Bai Yu were three Bald Eagles, each with two claws.

This Demon Eagle could even perform a skill similar to a cultivator’s "dividing body technique."

Although it changed from three heads and six claws to one with two claws, the Demon Eagle’s strength did not weaken much. Its speed increased even more, turning into three streaks of lightning attacking Bai Yu and Ting’er from three different directions.

Bai Yu’s transformation, Ting’er’s magic fire, and fighting with their lives could handle one, but they could not deal with two, let alone facing three attacks at once. Soon, they were covered in wounds, and it looked like they would die under the Demon Eagle’s claws.

But at that moment, Xu Qingfan finally arrived.

"Bind!"

With a low shout, a pattern of Tai Chi, made of Withered Qi and Flourish Qi, suddenly appeared above the three Demon Eagles’ heads, then it forcefully pressed the Demon Eagle down into the ground. The once mighty Demon Eagle had no power to resist under this Tai Chi pattern. After three loud booms, the Demon Eagle was sealed deep underground by the "Cycle of Life and Death."

Seeing this strange change, Ting’er and Bai Yu were both stunned, then became dazed. Bai Yu was amazed after narrowly escaping death, while Ting’er was shocked because the "Cycle of Life and Death" was clearly Xu Qingfan’s secret move, and that shout of "Bind" was also definitely Xu Qingfan’s voice.

After being stunned for a moment, Ting’er and Bai Yu turned around, only to find Xu Qingfan standing not far behind them, looking at them closely.

His gaze was somewhat stern, as if he was angry about their reckless adventure.

After experiencing the incredible joy of Xu Qingfan’s appearance, seeing Xu Qingfan’s serious look, Bai Yu realized he was very angry and instinctively shrank back, staying in place and too scared to approach.

Ting’er, on the other hand, could hardly believe it, repeatedly looking at Xu Qingfan in front of her, as if confirming she was not dreaming. Finally, her bottled-up emotions overflowed, and tears began to stream down her face as she rushed towards Xu Qingfan, throwing her arms around him tightly, refusing to let go, as if letting go would make him disappear again.

At that moment, Xu Qingfan’s face was a bit pale. After the battle at "Wolf Howling Mountain," he had used a lot of Spirit Qi, but he had no time to rest; he hurried to save his two beloved disciples. Just moments ago, when sealing the Demon Eagle, an advanced Earth-level demon beast, he had spent most of his remaining Spirit Qi, and it was already a struggle to stay suspended in the air.

Xu Qingfan felt a bit touched by Ting’er and Bai Yu risking their lives for revenge, but even more so, he was angry. He had originally planned to scold them, but seeing Bai Yu’s mixture of fear and joy in the distance, and Ting’er’s excitement and sobs in his arms, he could not bring himself to say the words of reprimand he had prepared.

In the distance, many dark figures appeared; they were cultivators from the Righteous Alliance, worried that "hero" Xu Qingfan might be in danger and had come to help.

"It’s okay now, it’s all over. Let’s go home," he said softly.

In the end, Xu Qingfan just sighed lightly and spoke to Ting’er and Bai Yu.

※※※※

Since the last time Xu Qingfan received the order to investigate Blood Valley, he has not had a moment of rest for nearly a year. First, he dealt with the Beast Madness cultivator, then he faced "Ri," and afterward, he was trapped in the bloody valley for several months. Just when he finally managed to escape, he immediately encountered the chaos caused by the Southern Wasteland demon beasts. Then came the journey to North Iceland and the battle at "Wolf Howling Mountain," until he saved Ting’er and Bai Yu and returned.

Many times he narrowly escaped death, with dangers lurking at every turn. After a whole year of being on edge, looking back, Xu Qingfan couldn’t believe how he managed to endure this year.

However, in some ways, this has been the most exciting year since Xu Qingfan began his journey as a cultivator, even though he never wanted to go through it again.

After being welcomed back to "Ronghua Mountain" like a hero, Xu Qingfan finally had time to relax, to loosen the nerves that had been tense for a year, and to restore his depleted Spirit Qi.

Still, being a hero brought a steady stream of visitors, which left Xu Qingfan feeling quite troubled.

Also, Xu Qingfan knew that this restful period would not last long because news came that the nine-tailed demon fox was not willing to accept defeat. In recent days, the Southern Wasteland demon beasts scattered across Shenzhou Continent had begun to gather, and he didn’t know what kind of methods that nine-tailed demon fox had used. The demon beasts from the North Iceland Western Desert were also joining in.

The Righteous Alliance was about to take new action as well.

One day, while Xu Qingfan was meditating in his room, he suddenly noticed a cultivator had arrived at his door; it turned out to be a disciple of Jiuhua.

"Deacon Xu, the sect leader and martial uncle asks you to come over, as there is an important matter to discuss."