The flying boat sped along, passing over An'nan Prefecture until it entered the territory of the Yu Man Army.
Han Jingchu, the Golden Core cultivator and commander, noticed this and ascended into the air to stand before Ning Hexing.
He was also extremely shocked after learning about the Nine Abyss.
However, he still had to command the Yu Man Army and could not enter the Yuanhai Mountains with the five sects.
Han Jingchu chatted briefly with the Golden Core cultivators of the Yuanjian Sect before returning to his army.
The flying boat reached a border city near the mountains and stopped.
This city was the one built to defend against the Nine Abyss and was named Zhenyuan City. (
This book was first published on Taiwan Novel Network. [Website name omitted] provides a worry-free reading experience with error-free and orderly chapters.])
Zhenyuan City wasn't very populated; it was mostly inhabited by cultivators nearing the end of their lifespans.
After all, the Nine Abyss hadn't made any moves for hundreds of years.
Only a few Nascent Soul cultivators would occasionally go to investigate.
Upon seeing the four flying boats appear, all the cultivators in the city looked up.
Ning Hexing appeared in the city to explain to everyone.
Most of the cultivators who wished to spend their remaining years here were from the three major righteous sects and all had some understanding of the Nine Abyss. In case of
any disturbances in the Nine Abyss, they could lend a hand.
Now that the matter had indeed occurred, these elderly cultivators all wanted to contribute.
They didn't have much time left anyway and wanted to fight while they were still alive, to destroy a few ghosts.
In this way, they could repay their sects.
Upon hearing this, Ning Hexing bowed to everyone.
The fact that he bowed as the sect leader showed his respect for these people.
Subsequently, the Foundation Establishment cultivators on the flying boats appeared and entered the city to prepare for battle.
Some of the original Qi Refining cultivators had been arranged to be sent back to their sects.
They were too weak in the Nine Abyss.
Once they entered, they would be among the most casualties.
For the future of the Yuanjian Sect, Ning Hexing had already ordered someone to take them back.
Two days later, the warships of the other four sects arrived one after another.
Even the Supreme Elder of the Floating Cloud Sect came to take a look.
However, the cultivators in the city were unaware of this.
After assessing the situation in the city, he went to the border of Qi Kingdom to keep an eye on the movements of the Barbarian and Witch tribes with three other Nascent Soul cultivators.
Inside Zhenyuan City,
Chen Qingmo sat on his bed, cultivating his own technique.
After exhaling and calming his mind, completing the last cycle of his cultivation, there was a knock on the door.
Outside, Chen Weisheng paced anxiously.
"Weisheng, why are you in such a hurry?"
Chen Qingmo, seeing his son's state, had a bad feeling.
"Father, something terrible has happened!"
"Zhou Bin is using this as an excuse to cause trouble, saying that my bringing you to Master's side was unfair."
"Others who heard this are also somewhat dissatisfied."
When Chen Weisheng reported this, Zhou Bin overheard and then spread the news noisily to others.
"Has a decision been made?"
Chen Qingmo asked in a deep voice.
He had thought that Zhou Bin had become more obedient during the battle with the Demonic Sect.
He never expected that Zhou Bin would cause trouble at this time.
"The sect leader is too busy to deal with this matter and has entrusted it entirely to the Grand Elder, who will allocate and deploy the cultivators from various sects."
"In that case, I'm afraid you won't be able to stay by my side."
Chen Weisheng was displeased and somewhat worried.
"It's alright, your father has his own methods to ensure your safety."
Chen Qingmo reassured his son.
In the past two days, he had completed the refining of the ancient cauldron, gaining another top-grade magic artifact.
The ancient cauldron was named the Luo Yu Cauldron. In its normal state, it had three legs and two handles, was about three inches tall, and could be held in the palm of one's hand.
The cauldron was engraved with a hundred ghost images, all suffering punishment, as if suppressed in a prison.
After being infused with magic power, the Luo Yu Cauldron could grow to several feet tall in a storm, changing its size at will.
This cauldron was both offensive and defensive, with the effect of suppression and refining.
However, Chen Qingmo tried it, and the refining effect was temporarily unusable, for reasons unknown.
This was also why Xie Hao hadn't used too many of the Luo Yu Cauldron's abilities at the time.
Even if only the cauldron's defensive capabilities could be used, it would be enough for Chen Qingmo to survive in the Nine Abyss.
Chen Weisheng then explained the situation of the five cases before leaving Chen Qingmo's room.
Five days later, nearly a thousand cultivators from Zhenyuan City set out.
The five sects' Golden Core cultivators led the way, and the group headed deep into the Yuanhai Mountains.
Along the way, all demonic beasts below the third rank vanished without a trace, daring not to appear.
Even the third-rank demonic beasts, seeing this overwhelming force, dared not make a move.
The closer they got to the Nine Abyss, the fewer demonic beasts remained.
Within a hundred miles of the Nine Abyss, a deathly silence reigned; even the flowers, grass, and trees showed signs of withering, and the sounds of insects and birds ceased to be heard.
Several hours later, the cultivators from the five sects arrived before the Nine Abyss.
This place was shrouded in a massive array, below which lay an impenetrable, bottomless abyss.
Occasionally, a few ghostly creatures would appear above, only to be annihilated by the array.
"In two more hours it will be the day of extreme Yin, and the great array outside the Nine Abyss will begin to crack."
"When the ghostly creatures break out, you must do everything in your power to kill them,"
the five sect leaders instructed their disciples, their expressions grave.
Normally, cracks in the formation would only summon low-level ghosts, easily handled by ordinary Foundation Establishment or even Qi Refining cultivators.
However, it's unclear what method the Witch Clan used to summon Ghost Generals, comparable to Golden Core cultivators.
The five sects within the Nine Abyss have categorized the ghosts into four levels:
Ghost Soldier, Ghost General, Ghost Commander, and Ghost King,
equivalent to the Qi Refining to Nascent Soul stages.
The cultivators of the five sects have already begun setting up the formation, ready to eliminate some of the ghosts as soon as they appear.
Chen Qingmo looked at Zhou Bin beside him, his face cold.
He had ended up in the same team as this guy, following Feng Huan, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
He looked into the distance and saw many familiar figures.
Chen Weisheng and Shui Wennan were following Zhou Tinglong.
Jiang Ting, whom he had met in the Three Yuan Forbidden Land, was already at the late-stage Foundation Establishment stage, leading several cultivators from the Floating Cloud Sect.
Jiang Ting noticed Chen Qingmo's gaze and smiled, nodding at him.
"Senior brother, who is that person? He doesn't seem to be a cultivator from the sect."
A person behind Jiang Ting looked at Chen Qingmo, feeling only unfamiliarity.
"A member of a Foundation Establishment family, he once went treasure hunting with me."
Jiang Ting replied calmly, without saying more.
Hearing this, the disciple didn't ask any more questions.
Anyone Jiang Ting befriended must be extraordinary.
If they encounter each other in the future, they mustn't become enemies.
Chen Qingmo was unaware of this little incident, his eyes fixed on the Nine Abyss's formation.
Numerous ghosts had already appeared there, seemingly being commanded by someone, attacking fiercely in one direction.
The time reached the Yin moment.
Suddenly, a "crack" was heard, and the formation cracked.
The crack then widened, revealing a gap the size of a house.
Instantly, hundreds of ghosts swarmed out.
Most of them were ghost soldiers and ghost generals, and the five sect leaders at the forefront easily killed them.
Just a dozen breaths later, a ghost wearing heavy armor with eerie green eyes appeared.
Ghost Commander!
His aura had reached the Golden Core level, even comparable to the late Golden Core stage.
"Well done!"
Chu Mu shouted, and Zhu Yanluan flew out from his body.
The phoenix soared, bringing with it a vast expanse of scorching fire.
The ghost general was burned, letting out a shrill cry.
Then, he suddenly exploded, widening the gap again.
Now, tens of thousands of ghosts escaped from the Nine Abyss.
The Golden Core cultivators fought against the ghost general, while the remaining ghosts were dealt with by the disciples of various sects.
Chen Qingmo waved his hand and took out an array flag.
The Blazing Furnace Array directly swept up hundreds of ghost soldiers, and even two ghost generals.
These cultivators, who were proficient in array formations, were all given array flags, which saved a lot of mana when activating the array.
Feng Huan and Zhou Bin, who were in the same team as him, personally went into battle to fight the enemy.
Chen Qingmo cast a spell and waved the Blazing Furnace Array flag, and eight crimson fire pillars emerged from the blazing furnace.
The fire pillars rotated and gradually merged into a fire tornado, burning and killing the ghosts within.
This formation is a sixth-grade formation, extremely powerful, and belongs to the Yuanjian Sect.
Chen Qingmo's skill in formations is quite high, and he uses it with ease.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, bring the furnace over here!"
Feng Huan shouted, summoning hundreds more ghosts.
Although there were over ten thousand ghosts in the Nine Abyss at this time, they were handling it relatively easily.
The main problem was the ghost soldiers; the blazing furnace array could incinerate them in large numbers.
After hearing Feng Huan's words, Chen Qingmo led the furnace to his side. With
a flick of the furnace's flames, most of the ghosts behind Feng Huan disappeared. The furnace was too small to hold too many ghosts. Even so, Feng Huan felt the pressure ease. He wielded his longsword and instantly killed several ghost generals. Zhou Bin followed beside Feng Huan, clearing out some miscellaneous soldiers. "Fellow Daoist Zhou, that area is yours." Feng Huan noticed that Zhou Bin hadn't exerted much effort and pointed in a direction. There weren't too many ghosts there; Zhou Bin's mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation was sufficient to handle them. Zhou Bin frowned, reluctantly heading towards the direction where the ghosts were gathering. His opponent was an elder from the first peak of the Yuanjian Sect, and he dared not disobey. Chen Qingmo, seeing this, sneered inwardly. "Fellow Daoist Chen, come!" At this moment, Feng Huan's voice rang out again. The two cooperated, slaying over a thousand ghosts in just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Among them were thirteen ghost generals. "With your help, fellow Daoist, it's quite easy." Having caught his breath, Feng Huan smiled at Chen Qingmo. "It's all thanks to your profound cultivation, fellow Daoist; I was merely assisting." Chen Qingmo cupped his hands in greeting and continued manipulating the formation. Feng Huan's strength was not weak, even surpassing Xie Hao, who wielded the Luo Yu Cauldron. After all, he was one of the few who had killed a demonic cultivator from the Blood Fiend Sect. "Alright, fellow Daoist, continue to assist me." Seeing the number of ghosts increase, Feng Huan charged forward again. At the same time, Chen Weisheng and Shui Wennan, following Zhou Tinglong, faced a ghost general-level being.
The three disciples, master and apprentices, cultivated the same sword technique, and together they could vaguely contend with the Ghost General.
"This Ghost General was specially sent down by the sect leader for us to practice on, be careful,"
Zhou Tinglong transmitted to his two disciples.
He could sense that the Ghost General in front of him was much weaker than a true Golden Core cultivator.
To be honest, he was only equivalent to a Pseudo-Golden Core cultivator.
That's why the three disciples hadn't been defeated.
"Master, I'll fight the Ghost General. You and Junior Brother don't need to hold back, attack to your heart's content."
After saying that, Shui Wennan's body emitted golden light, like diamond and crystal.
He obtained this body-refining technique from the Three Yuan Forbidden Land, and his physical strength was even stronger than Zhou Tinglong's.
You should know that he was now also at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
With his physical strength, he could withstand a hundred or so rounds from Zhou Tinglong.
"Alright! Wennan, don't force yourself if you can't hold on."
After Zhou Tinglong finished speaking, Shui Wennan had already stepped forward, wielding a broad heavy sword to slash at the Ghost General.
Since he began practicing this technique, he abandoned his original longsword and adopted a heavy sword.
Combined with his powerful physique, this often produced unexpected results.
Who would have thought that a well-proportioned cultivator could possess such immense strength?
The Ghost Commander was stunned for a few moments after the exchange.
Although he fought instinctively, he still possessed some awareness.
The immense strength of the person before him truly bewildered him, and his body swayed slightly.
Seeing this, Zhou Tinglong and Chen Weisheng simultaneously unleashed the Surging Waves Sword Technique.
A hidden current flowed out, and the Ghost Commander staggered.
Zhou Tinglong even used the Sea-Breaking Strike.
The sword light fell, as if the sea had been cleaved open.
Cracks appeared in the Ghost Commander's heavy armor.
Chen Weisheng followed up, his azure sword light flashing frequently, as if water droplets were seeping into the Ghost Commander's armor through the cracks.
A moment later, a loud "crack" resounded.
Large pieces of the armor shattered, revealing the Ghost Commander's skeletal body.
A few pieces of flesh were stuck to it, but there was mostly an aura of death.
"Junior Brother, well done!"
Shui Wennan's face lit up with joy as he thrust his heavy sword straight into the shattered armor.
With a twist of his hand, the heavy sword spun, tearing out several pieces of bone.
The ghostly green flames in the Ghost General's eyes flickered, extinguishing briefly before flaring up again.
Clearly, he was severely injured.
According to Ning Hexing, when the flames in the Ghost General's eyes went out, it meant he was dead.
Violent fluctuations in the flames indicated serious injury.
If they suddenly intensified, it meant a killing move was imminent.
"Wennan, retreat quickly!"
Zhou Tinglong's face showed alarm, as the ghostly flames in the Ghost General's eyes in front of Shui Wennan suddenly increased by two inches.
An overwhelming aura of death surged out, forming a ghostly face.
Shui Wennan couldn't dodge in time, but he heard his master's warning.
He quickly made a hand seal, and the golden light on his body intensified, revealing a Vajra-like figure with a fierce expression.
"Vajra Demon Subduer!"
he shouted, curling up and disappearing into the Vajra's chest and abdomen.
The demon-faced creature opened its mouth, intending to devour Shui Wennan.
Vajra, wielding its vajra pestle, smashed it directly at the demon-faced creature.
A hissing sound suddenly rang out.
The deathly aura on the demon-faced creature was somewhat dissolved by the vajra pestle.
However, Shui Wennan's strength was ultimately not high, and Vajra was forced back by the impact.
Chen Weisheng summoned his natal immortal sword, calling forth a giant whale to assist Shui Wennan.
This time, the giant whale was considerably smaller; after all, there were many demons, and Chen Weisheng needed to conserve some of his magic power to deal with subsequent enemies.
The two cooperated, barely managing to stop the demon-faced creature's offensive.
Zhou Tinglong, at this moment, closed his eyes, vaguely feeling himself merging with his natal immortal sword.
Although Chen Weisheng's swordsmanship talent was stronger than his, his cultivation time was ultimately too short.
This was the first time Zhou Tinglong had used this technique in front of his disciples, leaving Chen Weisheng and Shui Wennan extremely surprised.
This wasn't because he was hiding anything.
Sword cultivators rely on their own comprehension of the sword path; if two disciples learned too much, they would easily hit a bottleneck.
Guidance is most effective when they are truly struggling to understand.
"Master is indeed powerful!"
Shui Wennan exclaimed, sensing the surging aura behind him.
A few breaths later, Zhou Tinglong's natal immortal sword split into four, seemingly forming an array.
The four longswords moved at his will, instantly piercing the ghost face and slashing directly at the ghost general's face.
The deathly aura that filled the sky suddenly contracted, then suddenly expanded again.
After several back and forth, the deathly aura on the ghost face gradually dissipated,
revealing the ghost general's figure within.
The ghostly green flames in his eyes had been extinguished; the ghost general was dead.
"Senior Brother is increasingly reluctant to cultivate with his sword."
After taking a pill, Chen Weisheng looked at Shui Wennan with a strange expression.
"Uh..."
Shui Wennan was speechless for a long time before finally saying,
"We cultivators are not bound by conventions."
Zhou Tinglong interrupted their conversation:
"Alright, there are still quite a few ghosts left. Let's go and assist others."
Immediately, the three of them rejoined the battlefield.
Without ghosts of the ghost general's level, they were like fish in water, slaughtering everyone in their path.
...
On Chen Qingmo's side, the magical power within the array flags was finally exhausted.
Without this assistance, the number of ghosts gradually increased.
Zhou Bin, standing to the side, was forced to retreat repeatedly.
And the direction he retreated was right next to Chen Qingmo.
"Fool!"
Chen Qingmo sneered coldly, cursing inwardly.
Now there were three ghost generals in front of him, and if Zhou Bin attracted a few more,
then the two of them would be surrounded, and neither of them would survive.
Zhou Bin, however, couldn't care less about that; Chen Qingmo was closest to him.
If he were surrounded, the other wouldn't fare any better.
Moreover, Chen Qingmo had demonstrated considerable strength during the battle with the Blood Fiend Sect.
He was sure he could withstand these ghosts.
With this thought in mind, Zhou Bin increased his speed again.
Chen Qingmo made a gesture, and the Luo Yu Cauldron covered his body.
He wasn't going to foolishly wait for Zhou Bin to come over.
The Luo Yu Cauldron was activated, rampaging wildly, forcefully creating a gap.
Chen Qingmo took advantage of this gap to escape.
Zhou Bin was surrounded by ghosts.
"Ah!"
A bloodcurdling scream rang out, and Zhou Bin reappeared.
Most of the flesh on his face was gone, making him look extremely gruesome. He
was also severely injured, and the magical artifact in his hand was reduced to a mangled fragment.
Zhou Bin had barely managed to break free by self-destructing a top-tier magical artifact.
He glared at Chen Qingmo with a vicious expression, his heart filled with resentment.
Chen Qingmo, however, paid him no heed, as the Hundred Ghosts Diagram within the Luo Yu Cauldron lit up.
After the Luo Yu Cauldron burst forth from the ghosts, several slain ghosts entered the cauldron.
Chen Qingmo, initially somewhat worried, was overjoyed to see the cauldron completely absorb and refine them.
The deathly energy seemed to have successfully activated the Hundred Ghosts Diagram within the Luo Yu Cauldron, enabling its refining effect.
Chen
Qingmo carefully collected some ghosts, attempting to activate it, and it worked.
Moreover, the Hundred Ghosts Diagram seemed to come alive, its movements shifting and becoming increasingly bizarre.
Sometimes it wailed silently, sometimes it displayed a sorrowful expression, rarely showing a smile.
Chen Qingmo observed carefully, sensing the changes within the Luo Yu Cauldron.
Soon, a surge of pure spiritual energy emerged, particularly noticeable within the cauldron.
"What is this?"
Chen Qingmo tentatively absorbed some of this spiritual energy, instantly replenishing his internal energy.
"A good thing!"
he exclaimed with delight.
Near the Nine Abyss, the spiritual energy is quite thin, and only by consuming pills can one quickly replenish their mana.
However, he has a limited number of pills and cannot use them at will.
The Luo Yu Cauldron has this wonderful use, which can save a lot of resources.
Thinking this, Chen Qingmo absorbed another batch of ghosts.
After his mana was mostly restored, he emerged from the cauldron.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, I thought you were going to be surrounded."
"This ancient cauldron is amazing. It can reappear from among so many ghosts. It is truly a good magic weapon."
Feng Huan came to Chen Qingmo's side and exclaimed in amazement at the Luo Yu Cauldron.
He had also seen the situation here, but he was still blocked by ghosts and could not help others.
Now that Zhou Tinglong and his two disciples had fought their way here, Feng Huan had a moment of free time.
Chen Qingmo nodded and looked around for Zhou Bin's figure.
He had almost been dragged into a dangerous situation by this person and was resentful.
If Zhou Bin had asked for his help,
Chen Qingmo would not have refused in front of a Golden Core cultivator.
But this person remained silent and managed to lure several ghost generals and numerous ghost soldiers to his location.
Chen Qingmo already harbored no goodwill towards the Zhou family, and now he was even more determined to kill them.
Not far away, Zhou Bin glared venomously at Chen Qingmo and Feng Huan.
Severely injured, he dared not linger and hurried to the outer perimeter of the Nine Abyss.
There were many wounded like him there, meditating and recuperating, including the Qian family cultivator who had first provoked Chen Qingmo at the Yuanjian Sect.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou, how come your injuries are so severe? Were you surrounded and attacked by ghosts?"
Qian Lun asked, looking at Zhou Bin.
With their cultivation levels, they should have been able to escape.
Zhou Bin then embellished the story of what had happened earlier.
Qian Lun outwardly expressed sympathy, but inwardly he didn't believe it.
Although the two were both from the same faction of the Grand Elder, their styles of action were vastly different.
He had heard about Zhou Bin's past actions, and most of what he said was exaggerated.
Qian Lun glanced at the battlefield and secretly elevated Chen Qingmo's status even further.
Even if Grand Elder He Xin later ordered him to target Chen Qingmo, he would have to consider the consequences.
Chen Qingmo didn't see Zhou Bin, and roughly guessed that he had gone to heal his injuries.
That kind of encirclement wouldn't kill Zhou Bin.
He put aside his thoughts and, together with Feng Huan, came to the side of Zhou Tinglong and his two disciples.
"Recovered?"
Zhou Tinglong glanced at him, his Jingtao Sword continuing to slay the ghosts.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou, I'm fine,"
Chen Qingmo replied, wielding the Luo Yu Cauldron to assist the others.
It wasn't that he didn't want to use the Xuanqiu Sword, but the Luo Yu Cauldron was extremely effective against ghosts.
The Hundred Ghost Diagram appeared within the cauldron from time to time, suppressing and refining large numbers of ghosts.
An incense stick later
, Chen Weisheng's aura began to weaken. Continuously activating his natal immortal sword to transform into a giant whale had consumed too much of his magic power.
He was about to take a recovery pill when Chen Qingmo stopped him.
The Luo Yu Cauldron suddenly expanded, taking Chen Weisheng inside as well. Seeing this
, Zhou Tinglong assumed Chen Qingmo was letting his son recuperate inside and didn't pay much attention.
"Father, this…"
Upon entering the cauldron, Chen Weisheng noticed something amiss.
Chen Qingmo gestured for silence and quietly transmitted his voice to his son,
"Don't make a sound, just absorb the spiritual energy within."
He didn't know if the cauldron would be coveted, so it was best to keep its effects hidden.
With the help of the Luo Yu Cauldron, Chen Weisheng quickly regained his fighting strength.
At this moment, the battlefield was chaotic, and with the previously set-up formation no longer usable, most people had scattered.
Chen Qingmo took the opportunity to join Zhou Tinglong and his two disciples in sweeping away the ghostly creatures below.
Meanwhile, the Golden Core cultivators in mid-air sensed the emerging vacuum zones on the battlefield.
"Isn't that Xie Hao's Luo Yu Cauldron? It actually fell into this kid's hands."
Tan You was somewhat surprised to see the item in Chen Qingmo's hand.
After all, in his eyes, the other party was only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and shouldn't be able to kill Xie Hao.
He had found the Luo Yu Cauldron in the Yuanhai Mountains years ago, but it was merely a magic weapon and didn't catch his eye, so he bestowed it upon his disciples.
Therefore, although he was somewhat surprised, he didn't think much of it.
It was just a magic artifact, nothing special. And
the situation was not unique to Zhou Tinglong and his disciples.
On the Floating Cloud Sect's side, Jiang Ting led his disciples in a sweeping victory, and the Heavenly Fire Sect also had outstanding individuals. The entire Nine Abyss Battlefield showed signs of improvement. After two days and two nights, the ghosts emerging from the Nine Abyss were mostly eliminated. The Foundation Establishment cultivators finished cleaning up the mess and looked towards the Golden Core battlefield in mid-air . There, the sect leaders of the five sects displayed their divine might, defeating several leading ghost generals to the point of near death. Ning Hexing and Jiang Wenyuan were particularly powerful, each fighting three opponents and maintaining a clear advantage. Another day passed, most of the ghosts were destroyed, and the Nine Abyss Battlefield temporarily calmed down. Each of the five sects left a Golden Core elder to monitor the situation, while the rest retreated to the rear to recuperate. "Father, this Luo Yu Cauldron is truly wondrous." Chen Weisheng, his face impassive, secretly transmitted his voice to Chen Qingmo. The Golden Core cultivators above were discussing how to deal with Jiu Yuan and wouldn't notice them. "I discovered this effect by accident; I hope it won't attract attention," Chen Qingmo said, still somewhat worried. In the past, Jiu Yuan's ghosts were utterly useless; even the Demonic Sect couldn't use their corpses as materials to refine magical artifacts. Yet the Luo Yu Cauldron could utilize them, which must be closely related to Jiu Yuan. However, Chen Qingmo dared not reveal this matter rashly. Who knew what those Golden Core cultivators would think? What if they searched him? Besides, Jiu Yuan wasn't invincible at the moment. For his own safety, Chen Qingmo only allowed Chen Weisheng to absorb its spiritual energy. To outsiders, it might just seem like he, the father, was secretly providing his son with some elixirs. At this moment, the Luo Yu Cauldron was stored in a storage bag, occasionally lighting up. The newly collected ghosts hadn't been fully refined yet, and it was operating independently. Chen Qingmo was also astonished by the scene. After refining the cauldron, he had established a connection with it. He vaguely sensed that the Luo Yu Cauldron was slowly improving, as if these ghosts were its nourishment. Therefore, Chen Qingmo dared not reveal himself and would not even use the refining effect in subsequent battles. However, he had already used the cauldron to kill ghosts, and if he simply put it away, it would arouse suspicion. Chen Qingmo reminded Chen Weisheng, telling his son to keep quiet. He pondered a plan, intending to implement it in the upcoming battles.
After the five cultivators had rested for a few days, the Golden Core elder in charge of monitoring sent word.
Ghosts from deeper within the Nine Abyss had arrived outside the formation, urgently needing manpower.
Upon hearing this, everyone rushed there.
This time, Chen Qingmo simply used the suppressive effect of the Luo Yu Cauldron, no longer secretly absorbing the ghosts.
At the same time, he took out the Xuanqiu Sword and used sword techniques to fight alongside the others.
[At this point, I hope readers remember our domain name: 𝙩𝙬𝙠𝙖𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢 (easily read).]
Zhou Tinglong and the others' killing efficiency decreased considerably.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, take this pill."
Zhou Tinglong handed over a small porcelain bottle.
Chen Qingmo opened it and saw several Rejuvenation Pills inside.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhou!"
He cupped his hands in thanks and took the pills.
Chen Qingmo could guess that Zhou Tinglong probably thought that without the pills, his mana recovery was not as good as it had been a few days ago.
He sighed inwardly, remembering the other party's kindness.
"White Flame Talisman, unleash!"
Chen Qingmo summoned the Southern Bright Fire Tiger within the talisman; this demon-suppressing artifact was quite effective against ghosts.
A month passed quietly.
Ghosts appeared in an endless stream, causing casualties among the cultivators of the five sects.
Even powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators like Zhou Tinglong and Jiang Ting were not spared, suffering injuries.
Only the Golden Core cultivators appeared unharmed, unchanged from the beginning.
On the border of Qi, several figures gazed at each other from afar.
Song Luoxi, the Supreme Elder of the Floating Cloud Sect, whispered to the people around him:
"These Barbarian and Witch tribes are indeed not honest; do they really intend to take this opportunity to attack Qi?"
The four Nascent Soul cultivators had waited for a month and noticed the movements of the Barbarian and Witch tribes.
The two tribes had been cooperating for decades, and now they were eyeing Qi and several neighboring countries with covetous intent.
Fortunately, Qi was located on the border of the Barbarian and Witch tribes.
Although they had formed an alliance, they remained wary of each other.
For example, the three people in the distance—the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Wu Clan, several miles away from the two barbarian warriors—were quietly watching the Qi Kingdom.
"A bunch of uncivilized barbarians, relying on their ancestral supernatural powers to harass our human race. We'll wipe them out sooner or later."
The Blood Fiend Sect's patriarch licked his lips, his gaze fixed intently on the barbarian territory.
If he could refine these people, it would help him improve his cultivation.
The barbarians' blood energy was abundant, a great tonic for the Blood Fiend Sect patriarch who cultivated through blood.
Song Luoxi chuckled lightly, remaining noncommittal.
The Barbarian and Witch tribes had fought them for so many years; how could the Blood Fiend Sect wipe them out with just a few words?
He also knew that the other party just wanted to vent, so he didn't say anything.
Even with the appearance of the Barbarian and Witch tribes' Nascent Soul cultivators, Song Luoxi's worries did not lessen in the slightest.
He had already released a transmission talisman to Nine Abyss, reminding Jiang Wenyuan, Ning Hexing, and the others to be careful.
"The three of you, keep a close eye on the Barbarian and Witch tribes, don't let the others take advantage of any openings."
"I'll go check ahead."
After saying this, Song Luoxi went straight to the three Barbarian and Witch tribes.
...
Outside Nine Abyss.
Jiang Wenyuan received the transmission talisman, his expression grave. He said in a deep voice,
"Fellow Daoists, the Supreme Elder has sent a message."
"The Nascent Soul cultivators of the Barbarian and Witch clans have appeared, and the Supreme Elders are confronting them."
"We must speed up the process of eliminating the ghosts and try to restore the Nine Abyss's formation as quickly as possible."
"Remember to be careful and constantly observe your surroundings."
The gaps in the Nine Abyss's formation were healing on their own, but due to the impact of the ghosts, the process was extremely slow.
If Golden Core cultivators worked together to suppress them, they could hold out. Just
as everyone was about to make their move, a series of jingling bells suddenly rang out.
Although the sound was far away, they keenly caught it.
"Who?!"
Ning Hexing shouted, looking in the direction from which the sound came.
"Senior Brother, be careful!"
Xiao Wujian's eyes narrowed, and he quickly warned him.
Several ghost generals suddenly rushed out of the Nine Abyss, two of them charging directly at Ning Hexing.
A flash of azure light, and the ghost generals vanished in an instant.
Ning Hexing glanced sideways and unleashed several more sword strikes.
"Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!"
The urgent bell rang again, and the hidden person seemed to be growing anxious.
The ghosts in the Nine Abyss seemed to react to the bell, frantically rushing out.
Ning Hexing glanced over, confirming the person's location.
He and the other Golden Core cultivators focused their efforts on suppressing the ghosts of the Nine Abyss, further shrinking the opening in the formation.
While suppressing them, everyone remained vigilant towards the bell-ringer.
Chu Mu's Zhu Yanluan hovered in mid-air, protecting everyone.
A few days later, the formation in the Nine Abyss had healed considerably, leaving only an opening large enough for a few people to pass through.
"Brother Jiang, Brother Chu, how about we leave a few Golden Core cultivators here to guard the area, and we'll go check out the direction of the bell-ringer?"
Ning Hexing suggested. The bell-ringer hadn't left yet, and their purpose was unknown.
Moreover, their cultivation was at most at the Golden Core realm, definitely not the Nascent Soul realm.
Otherwise, why would they use such methods?
Why not just kill them directly?
"Alright, I'd like to see who dares to come at a time like this."
Jiang Wenyuan nodded in agreement. They then explained the situation to the two Demon Sect Masters and set off together.
A moment later, they arrived at a cemetery.
It was filled with tombs, extremely eerie.
"Who would build a tomb here? I think it's just a smokescreen,"
Tan You frowned, speaking first.
The tombs were too conspicuous; everyone noticed something amiss.
They released their divine senses to investigate carefully.
Ning Hexing walked to a tomb, plunged his longsword straight into it.
With a "plop," blood seeped into the ground.
When the tomb cracked open, they saw what was beneath—a demonic beast.
Seeing this, everyone released their magic, preparing to clean the area.
At this moment, a figure jumped out from an inconspicuous corner.
He wore a witch's robe and held a copper bell in his hand.
His face, hidden beneath the robe, wore a sinister smile, showing no fear of Ning Hexing and the others.
"It really was the Witch Clan's doing! Kill him!"
Jiang Wenyuan's face darkened, and he immediately attacked.
The man deftly twisted his body, dodging the attack.
Then, he muttered incantations, and the sound of the copper bell in his hand intensified.
"Not good! This copper bell will affect our spiritual senses! Everyone, work together to resist!"
Ning Hexing suddenly felt dizzy and disoriented.
He quickly circulated his internal energy to guard his mind and clear his head.
"You're courting death!"
Ning Hexing roared angrily. Before he could even get close, the Witch Clan member let out a long howl and exploded with a "boom."
The blood energy and dissipated magical power were absorbed by the copper bell.
The previously tranquil minds of everyone were shaken again.
After all, it was a Golden Core cultivator sacrificing himself to a magical artifact; its power was extraordinary.
Ning Hexing immediately sat down cross-legged, focusing all his efforts on resisting the bewitching sound of the copper bell.
The Witch Clan's methods were unpredictable, and he dared not be careless.
In the distance, hidden inside a magical artifact, two Witch Clan sorcerers had ferocious expressions and were bleeding from their seven orifices.
Several people nearby watched calmly, without taking any action.
A few breaths later, the two men died, and two black insects appeared on their bodies.
One of them split into ten, its power greatly weakened.
"Why not let both Desperate Gu enter the Golden Core cultivator's body?"
one of them asked, puzzled.
"The Witch Spirit has given the order; how can we change it at will?"
"Just watch and see."
After the leader finished speaking, the two Desperate Gu flew away.
The strongest one flew towards Ning Hexing.
The other ten headed towards the Foundation Establishment battlefield at the Nine Abyss.
"Heh! A genius has perished!"
The leading witch clan sorcerer chuckled softly, seemingly thinking of something very exciting.
Then he waved his hand and led the rest of the group away.