The moment the power of the blazing fire was injected into the talismans, the runes on all three talismans lit up simultaneously, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy emanated from them.
"Success!" Sun Huo thought with delight.
Of these three talismans, two were high-grade second-tier fire-attribute talismans, the Heavenly Fire Talisman, and one was a high-grade second-tier lightning-attribute talisman, the Thunder Talisman.
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 𝖙𝖜𝖐𝖆𝖓.𝖈𝖔𝖒. Enjoy anytime!]
Uncle Zhou was a master talisman maker; the talismans he created were far more powerful than ordinary talismans.
Sun Huo waved his right hand, and the three talismans instantly intertwined, the heavenly fire and lightning merging to form a purplish-red sphere of light several meters in size.
This special talisman activation technique was something Sun Huo had painstakingly developed over many years of talisman-making. It involved layering and mixing thunder and fire talismans, then activating them using specific methods. The power of thunder and fire amplified each other, multiplying their strength.
The purplish-red sphere of light arrived instantly, engulfing the soul beast in the blink of an eye. Firelight and thunder intertwined in the black mist, and the powerful shockwave even dispersed the surrounding black mist, revealing a clear expanse of sea.
Flames rolled, thunder roared, and the soul beast let out a series of shrill screams.
Then, the purplish-red sphere of light began to rapidly converge and merge, shrinking little by little. With each reduction, the fireball brightened, and in just a short time, the sphere shrank from several meters in size to no more than the size of a fist.
This wasn't something Sun Huo did intentionally; it was formed automatically after the three talismans combined.
He curiously observed the changes in the sphere of light and finally saw the appearance of the soul beast beside it.
Under the influence of heavenly fire and lightning, the soul beast's body was blasted to pieces, with most of its body disappearing, leaving only a wisp of writhing black mist.
When the light sphere solidified to its maximum, almost like a physical entity, it instantly exploded, an invisible shockwave radiating outwards from its center.
The moment the shockwave touched the soul beast, it let out a short, shrill scream, its body instantly shattering into pieces, then evaporating like black mist, finally turning into nothingness.
The purplish-red light sphere then gradually disappeared into the void.
"Finally killed!"
Seeing the soul beast vanish, Sun Huo breathed a sigh of relief, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
Using three high-grade second-tier spirit talismans to kill a pseudo-core realm demon beast was a worthwhile investment.
Sun Huo channeled his Fire Power into the Crimson Flame, intending to transform into a beam of light and flee the area.
"Wait, it's still alive." Mu Peiling, standing behind Sun Huo, frowned, surveying the situation before exclaiming, "No Soul Crystal appeared, it's not dead yet!"
The instant Mu Peiling finished speaking, black energy began to surge where the Soul Beast had vanished.
This black energy converged from all directions, merging in the air to form a massive black vortex, from which came a series of low hisses.
In just a moment, the Soul Beast reappeared before the two.
Its body was nearly half its previous size, only about ten feet tall, and its condensed black mist body was no longer solid. Its cultivation level had also dropped from the Pseudo-Core Formation Realm to the Foundation Establishment Perfection Realm.
When it reappeared, its blood-red eyes no longer held the composure they had before; instead, they glared at Sun Huo with intense resentment.
It seemed as if, the moment its body solidified again, it would pounce and tear Sun Huo and Mu Peiling to shreds.
"It seems this is the only way left."
Sun Huo sighed softly, taking out a crimson talisman from his storage bag and carefully holding it in his hands.
The moment the talisman appeared, waves of heat spontaneously appeared on the sea surface.
If Sun Huo hadn't been able to insulate himself with his Blazing Fire spiritual power, Mu Peiling behind him would have been instantly charred.
This wasn't an ordinary talisman; it was the true treasure Sun Huo had bought at the Hundred Crafts Market auction for a full 15,000 spirit stones.
Sun Huo poured all the remaining Blazing Fire power within him into the treasure. As the power flowed in, the phoenix pattern on the talisman suddenly lit up, becoming increasingly clear. A clear phoenix cry suddenly rang out in the arena, containing a terrifying spiritual pressure.
In just a moment, all the Blazing Fire power had reached the talisman, and the true treasure was finally fully activated.
A crimson-gold fire phoenix emerged from the talisman, its wingspan exceeding ten feet. Each feather of its crimson tail was formed from pure flames.
The fire elemental power contained within this phoenix was many times stronger than the light spheres formed by the three second-tier high-grade spirit talismans; Sun Huo had never seen anything like it in his life.
After the fire phoenix appeared, the soul beast seemed to sense the danger. It let out a piercing roar and then frantically absorbed the surrounding black mist, trying to quickly solidify its body.
However, Sun Huo had no intention of giving it that chance. Driven by his power, the fire phoenix flapped its wings and flew towards the soul beast, which was still solidifying its body.
Under the intense heat of the fire elemental energy, the soul beast's process of solidifying its body abruptly halted. Its already solidified body, hissing and rapidly dissolving under the flames spewed by the fire phoenix, continued to dwindle.
As its body continued to diminish, Sun Huo saw despair in its eyes for the first time.
Those blood-red eyes no longer held the previous mockery and composure, only fear and resentment. It struggled desperately, transforming a part of its body into black mist, surging towards the fire phoenix, attempting to stop its approach.
But the black mist was instantly devoured by the flames upon contact with the fire phoenix's body, vanishing into nothingness.
Time passed, the soul beast's body continued to shrink, all its efforts were in vain, unable to stop its ultimate fate of dissipation. And so, with a final cry, it finally vanished once more, returning to the void.
A black soul crystal appeared where it had vanished, plummeting rapidly towards the sea.
The fire phoenix transformed into a fiery shadow and flew towards the soul crystal, carrying it in its beak towards Sun Huo. The moment
the soul crystal touched his hand, a chilling sensation instantly seeped into his body from the point of contact. Even with the protection of spiritual light, this sinister feeling still made him shiver involuntarily.
Sun Huo took out a brocade box and stored the soul crystal in his storage bag.
After giving the soul crystal to Sun Huo, the fire phoenix circled in the air several times, finally letting out a clear phoenix cry before turning into specks of fire and dissipating into the night sky.
The power of the true treasure was exhausted, and the talisman turned to ashes, drifting from Sun Huo's fingertips.
After the soul beast was completely dead, Mu Peiling, standing behind him, stared blankly at him, her eyes filled with disbelief.
From the moment she slew the Iron Feather Eagle, she knew Sun Huo was no weakling.
Defeating the Nine Spirits Sword Body and entering the top ten of the Demon Slayer Ranking, she thought that was his limit.
But when the soul beasts appeared, shrouded in black mist, she lost all her spiritual power and couldn't even fly. Sun Huo, however, displayed a variety of skills, forcefully slaying the soul beasts.
Those purplish-red fireballs and crimson fire phoenixes—she had never seen or heard of such things before.
"Just what kind of person is this?"
Mu Peiling looked at Sun Huo's back, a complex and inexplicable emotion welling up within her.
She hugged Sun Huo from behind, tightening her embrace even more.
Feeling Mu Peiling tightly hugging him from behind, Sun Huo couldn't help but turn around and ask,
"Uncle Mu, this surging fire spiritual power, did it hurt you?"
Hearing Sun Huo's words, Mu Peiling subconsciously loosened her grip and shook her head, saying, "No...no, it's just that
my spiritual power is completely depleted, and I'm a little unaccustomed to it." Sun Huo nodded, turning his gaze forward. Although the soul beast was dead, the black mist on the sea surface hadn't dissipated at all. Sun Huo activated the Crimson Flame Sword and flew to one side. He didn't know the direction or the distance, he was just flying based on instinct. After continuously activating talismans and true treasures, the fire spiritual power stored in Sun Huo's body was now completely exhausted, and his escape became extremely slow. The eighteen fire attribute gems on the Crimson Flame Sword no longer shone as before, now appearing dim and dusty. He was still gritting his teeth and persevering, squeezing out the last bit of his inner fire power, but even so, Sun Huo clearly felt his strength waning. He could no longer hold on. Sun Huo turned around, his forehead now covered in sweat, and said to Mu Peiling with a bitter smile, "I have no more spiritual power to power the flying sword. This time, we might really be finished." Mu Peiling forced a smile on her pale face: "It's alright, we'll be together, at least we'll have company on the road to the Yellow Springs." Sun Huo's inner fire power was exhausted, and he could no longer provide spiritual power to the flying sword. The flying sword slowed down, carrying the two of them as it gradually slid towards the sea. Just then, a few miles ahead of Sun Huo, a white light suddenly appeared, as if it had been generated out of thin air. It wasn't white light, but a crack, a crack in the void. The void there had been artificially torn open, and therefore appeared incredibly bright against the backdrop of the black mist. From the crack in the void, a figure appeared out of thin air. "Huh? There are other people here, and two cultivators at that?" The figure uttered a soft exclamation, the voice sounding incredibly old. Then, the figure flashed, instantly breaking free from the void rift, and the next second appeared in front of Sun Huo and Mu Peiling.
The black mist was so thick that Sun Huo couldn't see the changes in the void several miles away, nor could he see any figures in it.
He only sensed a person suddenly appear in front of him. This person's aura was faint and imperceptible, and his cultivation level was insufficient to detect it. His divine sense probed the void before him.
If the black mist hadn't dissipated slightly when the figure appeared, and if he hadn't clearly seen the person, he would have thought he was hallucinating. Just
as Sun Huo was about to focus his gaze, the figure lightly waved its right hand. He felt a blur before his eyes, and the wind whistled in his ears. When he regained his senses, he found himself on a clear sea, with no trace of the black mist around him.
At that moment, Sun Huo clearly felt the presence of spiritual energy around him, and his body was greedily absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Mu Peiling behind Sun Huo felt the same way. The moment she sensed the spiritual energy, her previously despairing heart was filled with joy.
The two of them didn't care about anything else and immediately took out spirit pills from their storage bags and swallowed them, then began to frantically absorb spiritual energy.
Only then did Sun Huo clearly see the figure before him: an elderly man with white hair, dressed in a blue and white striped robe.
The old man's face was withered and wrinkled, his eyes small as beans, yet gleaming with shrewdness, even a hint of cunning.
At this moment, Sun Huo's spiritual power and divine sense had recovered somewhat, and he probed the old man's cultivation level with his divine sense, but he couldn't discern it at all.
Or rather, it wasn't that he couldn't see it, but just like when he had probed in the black mist earlier, the old man stood before him, yet his divine sense told him there was nothing there.
Sun Huo gasped. This feeling was stronger than even Song Yu's, far stronger than Song Yu's.
"Could he be a Nascent Soul stage expert?"
Sun Huo wondered to himself.
The white-haired old man arrived at this sea area, his gaze sweeping across the surface before his divine sense probed the surroundings. A strange expression crossed his face as he muttered to himself, "Could this be no longer the Chaotic Star Sea?"
The old man withdrew his divine sense, his gaze returning to Sun Huo, and said kindly, "Young friend, may I ask where this place is? Is it still the Chaotic Star Sea?"
"The Chaotic Star Sea?" Mu Peiling, having recovered her spiritual power, quickly summoned her magical artifact and arrived beside Sun Huo.
Upon hearing the unfamiliar name "Chaotic Star Sea," she asked with a look of confusion.
"This old man is actually from the Chaotic Star Sea!"
Upon hearing this name, Sun Huo's heart stirred.
He knew exactly where the Chaotic Star Sea was; it was a sea area at least tens of thousands of miles away from the Southern Immortal Cultivation World.
It was teeming with demonic beasts, a completely different style from the Southern Immortal Cultivation World, and was ruled by a massive organization called the Star Palace.
According to the current timeline, Han Li, the Old Demon, was currently in the Chaotic Star Sea. He hadn't expected this old man to also come from there.
Sun Huo didn't know the old man's exact cultivation level, only that he was at least a powerful cultivator at the Core Formation stage. Not daring to be negligent, he respectfully bowed and said,
"Reporting to Senior, this is the Southern Immortal Cultivation World, on the Boundless Sea of Xi Kingdom, not the Chaotic Star Sea."
"The Boundless Sea of Southern Tian, how did you end up here?"
Hearing Sun Huo's words, the old man's expression became somewhat strange. He stroked his beard and fell into deep thought.
Sun Huo and Mu Peiling stood to the side. Mu Peiling also sensed the old man's extraordinary nature; the pressure he exerted far exceeded that of her Core Formation stage master.
Neither dared to speak or leave, only able to wait quietly.
After a long while, the old man finally came to his senses, looked at the two, and a smile appeared on his lips.
"Since you have met me, it is fate. I have a few soul stones here, obtained from the Netherworld, which I will give to you."
The old man took out several egg-sized soul crystals, emitting a ghostly green hue, from his robes. These soul crystals were dozens of times larger than the one Sun Huo had just used to kill the pseudo-Core Formation stage soul beast.
These soul crystals were almost blackish-green, radiating a cold, eerie glow; just looking at them made one feel icy cold.
The two of them didn't know the function of these soul crystals, but seeing how much the mysterious old man valued them, they must be extraordinary.
Sun Huo carefully accepted the soul crystals and bowed respectfully again, saying, "Thank you, senior."
The white-haired old man waved his hand, then vanished before them in a flash, as if he had never been there.
Looking at the spot where the old man disappeared, it was completely empty, devoid of any trace of life.
Mu Peiling's expression turned somewhat grave: "This senior's abilities are so formidable, could he be a Nascent Soul stage senior?"
Sun Huo nodded, remaining silent, looking at the two soul crystals in his hand.
Able to tear through space, easily escape from the Netherworld, and ignore the black mist—his cultivation was unfathomable.
Such abilities were probably rare even in the human realm. Coupled with the old man's appearance and the words he spoke,
Sun Huo vaguely guessed the identity of this mysterious old man.
After the white-haired old man left, Sun Huo and Mu Peiling, without taking a break, immediately transformed into two streaks of light and disappeared from the spot.
Although they had successfully escaped the black mist with the old man's help, no one could guarantee that the black mist wouldn't reappear, or that there wouldn't be any demonic beasts stronger than those at the Pseudo-Core Realm within it.
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After traveling at high speed for several days, the sea finally reappeared before their eyes, and Sun Huo couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. After
a brief farewell, Sun Huo immediately returned to his residence and began to seclude himself to recuperate. Not only was the power of the Li Fire within him completely exhausted, but he had also overdrawn a significant amount of his life essence, using the burning of his life essence to stimulate the Li Fire for battle.
This battle had been incredibly costly!
Not only were he physically injured, but most importantly, several of his most treasured possessions—talismans and true treasures—were completely depleted.
If he encountered such danger again, he wasn't confident he could escape alive.
"I'll just stay in the camp and play it safe from now on. With my current score, even if I don't go out, reaching the top ten shouldn't be a problem."
"As long as I'm in the top ten, I'll get a Foundation Establishment Pill as a reward. Once I get the Foundation Establishment Pill, I'll go back to Fire Cloud Peak for seclusion and never get involved in this mess again."
Sun Huo thought to himself.
He then took out a spirit medicine to replenish his roots from his storage bag, swallowed it, and began to meditate.
Several days later, Sun Huo was meditating and recuperating at his residence as usual. After taking the pills for several days, his body had clearly improved a lot, and he had recovered most of his strength.
"The medicine Mu Peiling gave me is really effective. If it weren't for these pills, it would have taken at least twice as long."
Sun Huo muttered to himself, and the panicked and pitiful face in the black mist couldn't help but appear in his mind.
Just then, a series of urgent bell tolls suddenly came from outside.
"Dong, dong, dong..."
The continuous and intense sound of the bell resounded throughout the entire Luoyun Sect camp.
Sun Huo's heart skipped a beat. This was the bell used by the sect to summon disciples; it was only rung in times of crisis. Something must have happened!
Sun Huo stood up and quickly walked out. Just as he stepped out of his residence, he suddenly saw a dark mass surging towards the camp from the west side of the boundless sea.
That dark mass wasn't a cloud, but a horde of demonic beasts, a dense, overwhelming tide.
It was a beast tide! The beast tide, absent for a year, had returned.
At this moment, the grand array set up by the three sects of Yunmeng on the boundless sea was activated, a powerful spiritual energy shield covering hundreds of nautical miles, encompassing the entire area.
The beast tide, fearless and relentless, frantically charged against the array. Some were crushed by the beasts behind them against the array's shield, while others squeezed inside, rushing towards the land.
Further in the sky, several powerful spiritual energies flashed within the clouds.
These were Core Formation cultivators from the three sects, battling third-tier demonic beasts that had appeared in the tide. Powerful spells and magical artifacts crisscrossed the sky, while the terrifying spiritual pressure and roars of the third-tier demonic beasts appeared intermittently.
Sun Huo gasped. This beast tide was far more terrifying than he had heard before, and even included third-tier demonic beasts that had disappeared for so long.
When Sun Huo arrived at the plaza within the main camp, a considerable number of disciples had already gathered. At the front of the plaza stood a middle-aged cultivator with late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. Sun Huo recognized him; he was one of the people in charge here, a Zhao-surnamed steward from the main peak.
Steward Zhao glanced at the crowd, and seeing that almost everyone had arrived, he went straight to the point, explaining the reason for the gathering:
"This beast tide is far more powerful than before. Not only has it breached the great formation, but many demonic beasts have also bypassed it and headed towards the inland areas of Xiguo." "
The sect has ordered disciples to go to the inland areas of Xiguo to hunt down these demonic beasts, to prevent them from harming mortals."
Hearing Steward Zhao's words, the Luoyun Sect disciples present showed varying expressions; some were eager to try, while others looked fearful.
Steward Zhao then began issuing orders. Several older Foundation Establishment stage stewards, after receiving their tokens, transformed into streaks of light and flew away.
Manager Zhao's gaze fell upon Mu Peiling and Sun Huo, and he said, "Junior Sister Mu and Junior Nephew Sun are ranked high on the Demon-Slaying List, so they should have considerable experience in demon hunting. Would you be willing to go?"
"Mu Peiling is willing to go!" Mu Peiling stepped forward and accepted the token from Manager Zhao without hesitation.
Manager Zhao nodded, then looked at Sun Huo. Although this junior nephew only had the cultivation of the twelfth level of the Qi Chain stage, his recent achievements on the boundless sea surpassed those of most Foundation Establishment disciples, so he had to treat him with seriousness.
"Junior Nephew Sun, what do you think? Are you willing to go?"
With a smile, Steward Zhao asked.
Under Steward Zhao's expectant gaze, Sun Huo decisively shook his head.
"Uncle-Master Zhao, please forgive me," Sun Huo said with a wry smile, "It's not that I'm unwilling to go, but I recently returned from the outer sea, and I was seriously injured. I haven't recovered yet, and I've exhausted all my talismans."
"If you go to slay demons now, you might encounter some second-tier demonic beasts, and you won't even have the power to protect yourself. It's better to let other fellow disciples go."
Steward Zhao frowned, about to say something, but didn't speak. He nodded, took out a token from his storage bag, and handed it to Sun Huo.
"In that case, you will stay at the front line of the great formation and be responsible for clearing out the demonic beasts outside the formation. This is the token for area number 36, go there."
Sun Huo took the token and cupped his hands, saying, "Disciple obeys."
Mu Peiling glanced at Sun Huo, hesitated, and took out several bottles of pills from her storage bag, handing them to Sun Huo: "These are pills for healing injuries and restoring spiritual power. Although it is safer inside the great formation than outside, you must still be careful."
Afterwards, Mu Peiling transformed into a streak of light and left the camp, heading inland.
Watching Mu Peiling's departing figure, Sun Huo sighed softly. It wasn't that he was unwilling to go, but his current condition truly did not allow it.
In the battle in the black mist, all his trump cards were exhausted, even damaging his own foundation, which had not yet fully recovered.
If it weren't for the power of the Li Huo True Scripture, which absorbed the spiritual power of heaven and earth to nourish himself, his cultivation level would probably have already dropped a level.
Sun Huo came back to his senses, looked at the token in his hand, turned around, and flew towards the front line of the great formation.
Area C36, located on the northeast side of the grand formation, is a sea area covering dozens of nautical miles.
Because it's near the edge of the formation, the number of demonic beasts here isn't as large as in the central area, but a dozen or so are still constantly attacking the formation's protective barrier.
These beasts are almost all ordinary, low-grade first-tier demonic beasts, with a few high-grade first-tier beasts mixed in.
Sun Huo didn't rush to act; instead, he first set up a smaller formation within the sect's grand formation. He took out the Inverted Five Elements Formation Flag and skillfully set up the formation in this area.
After confirming everything was in order, he summoned the Crimson Flame Sword and began clearing the demonic beasts outside the sect's grand formation that were constantly attacking the protective barrier.
The beast tide finally subsided slowly after a month, and the sea returned to a rare calm. Sun Huo
stayed
in the Bing Thirty-Six Sea Area for over a month. In the first few days, he barely rested, constantly slaying demonic beasts.
From low-grade first-tier to high-grade first-tier, from sea beasts to bird beasts, Sun Huo couldn't even remember how many demonic beasts he had killed.
When his spiritual energy was exhausted, he would take pills to rest and recover briefly before throwing himself back into battle. This continued for over ten days before the number of demonic beasts slowly decreased.
It wasn't until more than twenty days later that Sun Huo finally escaped the hectic pace and began to have time for himself.
In the remaining days, Sun Huo could devote more time to cultivation, and even to crafting talismans.
A month later, the sect sent a message informing them that the beast tide had subsided, and Sun Huo returned to the sect's main camp from the Bing Thirty-Six Sea Area.
From the beginning to the end of the beast tide, not a single second-tier demonic beast appeared in the Bing Thirty-Six Sea Area where he was stationed. Sun Huo didn't know if this was lucky or unlucky.
Thanks to the essence he had obtained from killing beasts with Mu Peiling in the outer sea, as well as the gains from this beast tide, Sun Huo's ranking moved up another place, entering the top five for the first time.
Because Meng Di returned to the Ancient Sword Sect, his ranking was finally squeezed out of the top ten, which meant that only Sun Huo remained in the top ten of the Demon Slayer Ranking.
However, this change in ranking did not cause much shock. The disciples from the three sects who participated in the trial had begun to become numb to the shock caused by Sun Huo, the "shock maker."
In the following days, Sun Huo was not idle. Although the beast tide had subsided, the trial was not over yet.
He still went out to sea every so often, heading to the deserted islands in the inner sea to set up formations to subdue demons. After setting up the Inverted Five Elements Formation, he used demon-attracting talismans to lure the demon beasts there.
However, since the beast tide, the number of demon beasts in this area had drastically decreased, sometimes going for more than ten days without seeing a single one.
Sun Huo tried several sea areas, but with the same result. It was possible that the demon beasts in the inner sea area had been wiped out in the last beast tide.
As for the outer sea, he dared not go there again.
The battle between the black mist and the soul beasts had left him with considerable psychological trauma. If it weren't for the help of that mysterious old man, he and Mu Peiling would probably have perished in the outer sea long ago.
Days passed, and the Demon-Slaying Trial drew to a close.
In the final month, the rankings on the Demon-Slaying Ranking were no longer publicly displayed, leaving everyone unaware of their own positions. This caused considerable anxiety among the disciples who were previously in the danger zone.
It was crucial to understand that only those ranking within the top sixth—the top fifteen—would receive rewards.
Many Qi-Chain stage disciples had come specifically to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills; falling out of the top fifteen meant losing everything.
Therefore, in the final month, these disciples, especially those in the Qi-Chain stage with a chance of reaching the top fifteen, began frequently venturing out, rarely staying in the camp.
Sun Huo, however, was unconcerned. His score was high; while it didn't guarantee him a spot in the top five, even if he did nothing from this moment on, it would be enough to keep him among the final ten.
In the last few days of the trial, Mu Peiling finally returned from the inland.
Compared to a few months ago, her face bore the marks of hardship, but her spirit remained high. She brought Sun Huo news:
"Many demonic beasts, especially second-tier ones, have infiltrated the inland, scattered throughout the Xi Kingdom. However, the Xi Kingdom is vast, and the beasts are difficult to track when they hide, making them extremely difficult to hunt."
Mu Peiling then inquired about Sun Huo's recent activities, and he truthfully recounted the beast tide and the slaying of several third-tier demonic beasts by the three sects' Core Formation elders.
A few days later, the day of the Demon-Slaying Trial finally arrived, and disciples from the three sects gathered at the Demon-Slaying Platform.
On the platform, several high-ranking Core Formation cultivators sat upright. Leading them was a Core Formation elder from the Ancient Sword Sect, carrying a long sword. This elder possessed late-stage Core Formation cultivation and incredibly powerful spiritual energy; even a slight sense of it was like feeling a sharp sword, making it difficult to breathe.
Seated on the other side was a mid-stage Core Formation elder from the Hundred Crafts Academy. This elder had a fair complexion, no beard, and a restrained aura, with a smooth and calculating appearance.
Seated on the other side was a blue-robed cultivator with a flowing white beard and a wrinkled face. This cultivator was unremarkable in appearance, but his cultivation level was no less than that of the elder from the Ancient Sword Sect; he was also a late-stage Core Formation cultivator.
This man was none other than Elder Feng of the Falling Cloud Sect, known as the strongest cultivator below the Nascent Soul stage.
The other Core Formation cultivators from the three sects sat in seats further away, but Song Yu, the only one Sun Huo recognized as the Peak Master of White Phoenix Peak, was not present.
As the three sects' Core Formation elders arrived, a middle-aged cultivator at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, dressed in the attire of the Ancient Sword Sect
, slowly walked onto the stage. He bowed deeply to the late-stage Core Formation elder seated among them, then bowed to the other Core Formation elders in the same manner. He then walked to the front of the stage, his gaze sweeping over the disciples of the three sects below, and slowly announced:
"The Demon-Slaying Trial is now over. I will now announce the rankings from eleventh to fifteenth place. Disciples whose names are called, please come up to the stage in turn, and the elders of the three sects will present your rewards."
The entire hall fell silent; even breathing could be clearly heard.
"Eleventh place, Ancient Sword Sect, Meng Di."
When Meng Di's name was called, the Ancient Sword Sect's leader paused, then continued, "Nephew Meng Di has returned to the sect on business, and I will accept his reward on his behalf." He
then continued to announce the remaining rankings.
"Eleventh place..."
...
"Fifteenth place, Luoyun Sect, Zhao Lin."
"The above disciples, those in the Qi Refining stage will receive one Foundation Establishment Pill, and Foundation Establishment stage disciples will receive top-tier magic weapons, pills, and spirit stones."
After these disciples went up on stage to receive their prizes, the Ancient Sword Sect's headmaster continued to announce the disciples
ranked sixth to tenth. The headmaster didn't read all ten names at once, but called out one name at a time to receive the prize before starting the next.
"Tenth place, Ancient Sword Sect..." "Ninth
place, Luoyun Sect..."
...
"Sixth place, Baiqiao Academy..."
The names were read one by one. Except for the sixth-ranked Foundation Establishment disciple from Baiqiao Academy and the ninth-ranked Foundation Establishment disciple from Luoyun Sect, the other three were all Ancient Sword Sect disciples, and all were at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Up to this point, all ten of the top ten were Foundation Establishment disciples.
The Ancient Sword Sect's headmaster stopped here and didn't continue reading.
"Neither me nor Mu Peiling."
Sun Huo frowned. He hadn't heard his own name called, which made him increasingly anxious. He thought to himself.
After a brief pause, the Ancient Sword Sect's steward slowly announced,
"Next, we will announce the top five disciples on the Demon-Slaying Ranking."
"Fifth place, Ancient Sword Sect..."
His name still hadn't appeared, and Sun Huo's anxiety intensified. Had there been a mistake?
"Fourth place, Luo Yun Sect, Mu Peiling."
After Mu Peiling's name was called, she nodded to Sun Huo beside her, then calmly went up to the stage to receive her award. The one presenting her with the award was Elder Feng, seated in the main seat.
Elder Feng smiled and handed her a jade box, then said a few words of encouragement. Mu Peiling respectfully bowed and then stepped down from the stage.
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"Next up are the top three in this Demon-Slaying Trial, the third place..."
Before the Ancient Sword Sect's steward could finish speaking, Sun Huo suddenly felt a gaze fall upon him. He looked up at the stage and was surprised to find Elder Feng smiling at him and nodding slightly.
"Luoyun Sect, Sun Huo."
Upon hearing this name, the entire audience erupted in an uproar.
"Sun Huo, it really is him!" "
He was ranked fifth on the Demon-Slaying Ranking before, but he's gone even further this time."
"A Qi-Chaining stage cultivator breaking into the top three? Did I hear that right?"
"Hmph, do you think someone who can defeat the Ancient Sword Sect's Nine Spirits Sword Body is a pushover?"
The discussions below the stage rose and fell, some expressing envy, some praising, and some questioning.
Sun Huo ignored them, walked up to the high platform, and came to Elder Feng's side.
Elder Feng beamed and handed him a jade box, his tone full of joy: "Excellent, excellent! To enter the top three of the Demon-Slaying Ranking with only a Qi-chaining body greatly enhances the prestige of our Falling Cloud Sect. Cultivate diligently in the future, and your future will be limitless."
Sun Huo took the jade box and probed it with his divine sense. Inside lay two Foundation Establishment Pills and a talisman brush of extraordinary brilliance.
He was overjoyed, but his face remained impassive. He bowed and said, "Thank you, Grandmaster."
The two Core Formation elders from the Ancient Sword Sect and the Hundred Crafts Academy also turned their gazes to him. They were also very curious about a Qi-chaining disciple who could surpass many Foundation Establishment cultivators and ultimately enter the top three. However, after observing him for a long time, they could not see anything extraordinary about Sun Huo.
It was just ordinary talent.
Unsurprisingly, the top two spots on the Demon-Slaying Ranking were taken by two mid-Foundation Establishment disciples from the Ancient Sword Sect and the Hundred Crafts Academy.
This meant Sun Huo's ranking was third overall, and first in Luo Yun Sect.
He was quite satisfied with this result; his initial anxiety and tension vanished, replaced by joy.
Especially the final reward: two Foundation Establishment Pills.
Sun Huo possessed a true spiritual root physique, and these pills ensured his successful Foundation Establishment. Moreover, with the blessing of the Blazing Fire Scripture, he didn't need to use more than a dozen pills like some with false spiritual roots to break through.
Therefore, the day after the trial ended, Sun Huo resigned from his post and returned to Luo Yun Sect.
Before leaving, Sun Huo specifically went to see Mu Peiling.
Of course, Sun Huo didn't go to reminisce about their relationship, but to exchange for spiritual herbs.
He planned to go into seclusion to cultivate as soon as he returned to the sect, only emerging after breaking through to Foundation Establishment, which required a large number of pills.
Mu Peiling agreed, giving Sun Huo all the pills she possessed that could aid Qi Refining stage cultivators in their cultivation. She also refused the talismans Sun Huo offered in exchange, saying it was only to thank him for saving her life.
Sun Huo nodded, saying nothing more. After quickly packing, he returned to Luoyun Sect alone.
He was eager to return, barely resting along the way. The eighteen gems on his Crimson Flame Sword never dimmed, and in just over ten days, he saw the majestic Yunmeng Mountain Range.
The mountain gate remained unchanged, the pines and cypresses evergreen.
After a brief check of Sun Huo's token, the gatekeepers allowed him entry into Luoyun Sect. Upon
returning to the sect, Sun Huo didn't go directly to his residence but instead went to the Fire Cloud Peak Administration Hall to pay his respects to Senior Uncle Zhou.
As Sun Huo passed through the administration hall and walked towards the back courtyard, many of the newly recruited faces didn't recognize him. Only some of the older members of the administration hall greeted him with some surprise.
All they knew was that Sun Huo had gone to the Boundless Sea to participate in the trials. Now, more than a year had passed, and there had been no news from the other disciples who participated in the trials. Only Sun Huo had returned, which made them a little uneasy, but they remained enthusiastic on the surface.
Sun Huo entered Senior Uncle Zhou's cultivation room. Senior Uncle Zhou was concentrating on drawing spirit talismans. He didn't disturb him, but simply stood patiently at the door waiting.
A little over fifteen minutes later, after the final stroke was completed, a brand-new mid-grade second-tier spirit talisman appeared on the table.
Uncle-Master Zhou was overjoyed, picking up the talisman and examining it with obvious delight. He was so focused on his talisman that he completely missed Sun Huo standing at the door.
"It's been over a year since we last met, Uncle-Master Zhou's talisman-making skills have become even more refined," Sun Huo said casually.
"Sun Huo?!" Hearing Sun Huo's voice, Uncle-Master Zhou looked up abruptly. Seeing it was Sun Huo, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by a delighted reply: "Why are you back? Is the trial in the Boundless Sea over?"
"Disciple greets Uncle-Master Zhou," Sun Huo stepped forward and bowed, then briefly explained that he had achieved third place on the Demon-Slaying Ranking and received a reward.
Upon hearing that Sun Huo had achieved third place on the Demon-Slaying Ranking and ranked first among all disciples of the Falling Cloud Sect, Uncle-Master Zhou's mouth dropped open, speechless for a long time.
He couldn't help but scrutinize Sun Huo from head to toe, his eyes filled with shock and admiration.
"Good, good, good. I was right about you. I thought you were a hidden genius at talisman making, but I underestimated you."
"Good, good, good,"
Uncle Zhou said three more times.
Sun Huo then brought up the black mist and beast tide on the boundless sea, and also mentioned the three spirit talismans Uncle Zhou had given him.
"If it weren't for the three spirit talismans Uncle Zhou gave me, I'm afraid I would have died on the boundless sea long ago,"
Sun Huo said somewhat flatteringly. He only mentioned the spirit talismans killing the soul beasts, and didn't go into detail about the true treasures and magic arrays that involved his trump cards.
"It was fate that brought this opportunity. My three spirit talismans were merely icing on the cake." Uncle Zhou waved his hand and continued, "By the way, I haven't received any news of the disciples who participated in the trials returning. When did you all return?"
"This disciple returned alone."
"Alone?"
"Exactly. This disciple rushed back to attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Now that I have all the necessary pills, I'm only one step away from the Qi Chain Perfection stage. It's the perfect time for seclusion." Sun Huo explained.
"I see." Uncle Zhou nodded and said, "In that case, I'll exempt you from miscellaneous duties for a year. Go into seclusion in peace."
"Thank you, Uncle Zhou, but..." Sun Huo bowed and raised his head, a sheepish smile on his face, "There's one more thing I'd like to ask you, Uncle Zhou."
"Oh? What is it?" Uncle Zhou stroked his long beard, revealing an expression of knowing full well.