Chapter 772 - 302: Encountering Spring (Part 2)

But he was also aware that this Divine Technique originated from the Taixu Scripture. Its power was immense, and casting it would likely cause a significant commotion. He had to be extremely cautious and could not afford to reveal it carelessly.

After successfully cultivating a powerful Divine Technique, Chen Qing was invigorated.

’Today has been a day of immense gains. Not only did I obtain the Divine Wood Soul Nourishing Wood and learn more about the Purple Light Profound Mysteries, but I also successfully cultivated the Void Annihilating Divine Light.’

’The most urgent task now is to reach the Secondary True Essence Refining as soon as possible.’

Within Chen Qing’s body, there was still a portion of the Essence left from the Cyan Profound King Snake’s gallbladder that he had yet to refine. This was the perfect time to continue refining and absorbing it.

He once again closed his eyes and focused, circulating the Taixu Scripture to guide the vast torrent of Essence. He accelerated its conversion into his own foundation of True Essence, steadily advancing toward the stage of Secondary True Essence Refining.

...

「In the core region of Longze Lake, deep within Smoke Wave Marsh.」

This place was completely different from the outskirts. A dense, milky-white fog lingered year-round, not only completely obscuring vision but also making Divine Sense feel as if it were sinking into a mire, unable to extend more than a hundred feet.

The water was as dark as ink and unfathomably deep, with enormous shadows occasionally gliding slowly beneath the surface.

A solitary black reef island jutted out abruptly from within the dense fog.

In the center of the reef island, the terrain was sunken, forming a natural, ring-shaped area.

At this moment, a woman in black Martial Attire was standing at the edge of the ring-shaped area.

Her figure wasn’t graceful—in fact, it was somewhat stout. Her face was plain, even a bit ugly, and her complexion was slightly dark.

However, her eyes were astonishingly bright.

She was none other than Qi Yu, the only daughter of Qi Xun Nan, the Sect Leader of the Infinite Demon Sect.

She was accompanied by only two or three people, yet each possessed a profound and powerful aura.

The most eye-catching among them was a burly giant, nine feet tall with flaming red hair.

His bulging, knotted muscles seemed to hold explosive power. His mere presence was as oppressive as a mountain.

He was the Demon Sect’s Fifth Elder, Lei Hong, the ’Red-haired Mountain Breaker’.

Lei Hong’s brow was furrowed. In a grave voice, he said, "Lü Hanyin is dead—their Soul Lamp has gone out. Gong Nansong may only be injured, but the news has surely leaked. Experts from the Celestial Treasure and Cloud Water Upper Sects are likely gathering and will swarm this place in a day or two at most. We can’t stay here long. We must leave as soon as possible, or it’ll be impossible to escape once their masters have us surrounded."

The Demon Sect’s Tenth Elder, a True Essence Realm expert who had completed their third tempering and was approaching a fourth, had just fallen here in Longze Lake. This set alarm bells ringing in Lei Hong’s mind.

Qi Yu’s gaze was locked on the Profound Nether Black Ox, as if she were admiring a peerless treasure.

Without turning her head, she said flatly, "A few more days. The Profound Nether Black Ox is being tormented by the Erosion Fire. It can’t hold out for much longer."

The Profound Nether Black Ox was extremely powerful, one of the overlords of Smoke Wave Marsh. Its hide was incredibly tough, and the Profound Nether True Water within its body was immensely powerful.

But every creature has a weakness, and this one was particularly vulnerable to Erosion Fire.

Qi Yu’s own strength was no match for this Exotic Beast, but by using the meticulously prepared Erosion Fire, she had successfully trapped it in the island’s central area.

Lei Hong’s brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to speak but hesitated.

He was different from some of the other Elders who had joined the Demon Sect for profit or out of ambition.

Years ago, his enemies had hunted him to the ends of the earth, leaving him with no escape. Just as he was on the brink of death, Sect Leader Qi Xun Nan had intervened and saved him. Lei Hong then threw in his lot with the Demon Sect. His power skyrocketed thanks to his ruthlessness and talent, and he eventually avenged himself, slaying his enemies with his own hands.

As a result, he was fiercely loyal to Qi Xun Nan and quite protective of the Sect Leader’s only daughter.

’Staying here any longer,’ he thought, ’is just too risky.’

Qi Yu seemed to sense his hesitation and said, "This Exotic Beast’s strength is extraordinary. It’s not much weaker than that Flood Dragon in the Sinking Flood Dragon Abyss that has been a headache for the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect for years. Once most of its ferocity is worn away and it’s weakened to its absolute limit..."

As she spoke, she slowly raised a hand. A strange, pitch-black bead had appeared in her palm.

The moment the bead appeared, the surrounding cold, sinister air seemed to find its destination, gathering toward the bead in wisps.

"...I will be able to use the ’Soul-controlling Pearl,’ in conjunction with the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Technique I cultivate, and bring it under my control!"

Her voice was laced with confidence.

"By then, with this Profound Nether Black Ox as my ally, the nearly mature ’Seven-leaf Golden Lotus’ that it guards with its life will be mine as well. Aided by the lotus’s power, my Cultivation is sure to advance another step! And perhaps even..."

Qi Yu’s voice turned icy as she finished, "We can even use this opportunity to lure the so-called masters from the Celestial Treasure and Cloud Water Upper Sects into this Smoke Waves Forbidden Land and wipe them all out in one fell swoop. Their Essence Blood will be our nourishment."

Lei Hong was shaken to the core. "You mean... subdue the Profound Nether Black Ox and force it to serve you?"

He had seen with his own eyes just how fearsome this beast was.

A few days ago, they had chanced upon the beast and the Seven-leaf Golden Lotus and attempted to seize them by force. The Profound Nether Black Ox flew into a rage. A single roar had severely injured an accompanying Demon Sect Steward. With a stomp of its hoof, it had triggered the baleful yin energy in the earth’s veins, nearly sweeping Lei Hong himself into a deadly undercurrent at the bottom of the lake.

’And Qi Yu actually thought she could subdue such a ferocious creature?’

And the Seven-leaf Golden Lotus was also a great treasure, a rare Treasure Medicine of supreme yang and firmness, containing pure Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

One leaf represented ten years of growth, meaning the seven leaves signified seventy years.

It typically grew in a spiritual nexus where yin and yang converged. The seven-leaf lotus had faint golden petals, and its Lotus Seed was a condensation of the purest source Essence.

Seeing Lei Hong’s shocked expression, Qi Yu’s lips curved into a slight smile. She asked in return, "Now, does Elder Lei still think we need to leave ahead of schedule?"