Chapter 40

Qin Doudou changed his appearance when he came out of the Cangwu Mountain Range.

Since he had decided to counterattack and take revenge, he obviously could not alert the enemy.

His face was a little too recognizable. Among the three Nascent Soul cultivators who had surrounded and tried to kill him in the Cangwu Mountain Range back then, there was only one whose identity Qin Doudou was not quite clear on, but he still knew something about the other two.

One of them was the old ancestor of the Ding Clan, one of East Heng Kingdom’s top clans. Because of his existence, this clan’s status within East Heng Kingdom was basically no different from the imperial family’s.

So the reason Qin Doudou chose him as his first target was because he wanted to take advantage of the hidden rift between the Ding Clan and the imperial family. Once he killed the Ding Clan’s old ancestor, even if the East Heng imperial family heard some news, they would not truly want to arrest anyone.

At that point, the members of the East Heng imperial family would probably laugh themselves to death.

Although East Heng and Wu Xuan were currently allied, the greatest common interest between the two countries was Chiyan.

But Chiyan was not something they could so easily bite off right now. Both sides knew very well that if they launched a national war now and faced Chiyan’s desperate counterattack, neither of them was confident they could end the war quickly.

On top of that, wars involving cultivators were even more brutal. At that point, there would be too many variables, and East Heng and Wu Xuan were also wary of each other.

So East Heng could not get its hands on that greatest benefit in the short term, but if it removed a serious hidden danger within its own territory, the visible benefits would be within reach.

Regarding East Heng, Qin Doudou only knew this general situation. For anything more specific, he still had to come to East Heng Kingdom’s capital and see for himself.

“The grand array on the Ding Clan’s side is very easy to break. In the next few days, go prepare some array-breaking materials.” After Yuan Chang and Qin Doudou arrived in East Heng Kingdom’s capital, the first place they looked for was the Ding Clan.

When Qin Doudou saw the Ding Clan’s building area and style, he finally understood why the rift between the East Heng imperial family and the Ding Clan was so large.

They had made the place even more luxurious than the imperial palace. With two such magnificent residences inside the capital, even the common people in the city could not tell who actually called the shots in this country.

Without outside influence, however long this Ding Clan old ancestor could live was how long the Ding Clan would continue acting arrogantly in East Heng Kingdom.

During the few days from the Cangwu Mountain Range to East Heng’s capital, Qin Doudou had been preparing things that could launch a surprise attack and kill a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Sneaking in silently was not difficult for him. Breaking the array was only a countermeasure in case they truly started fighting later and the other side activated their array.

“Guluu~”

The little black dragon came over to Qin Doudou with a bundle of candied hawthorns in its mouth. That was right, an entire bundle. Then it opened its mouth and swallowed the whole bundle of candied hawthorns.

“Little Black, you can’t eat anymore. In a couple of days, I’ll let you eat properly.” Qin Doudou stroked the little black dragon’s head.

These past few days, he had finally discovered that Little Black really could eat. No matter what it was, it could swallow it in one bite. It had really eaten its way here from the Cangwu Mountain Range.

But thinking of its original size, that seemed reasonable enough.

“Guluu guluu…”

Once preparations were about ready, Qin Doudou successfully snuck into the Ding Clan that night.

“This way, this way.” Yuan Chang sensed the nearby auras. A cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage was very easy to detect.

“He should be recuperating.” Following Yuan Chang’s directions, Qin Doudou arrived at a comparatively desolate courtyard. There were no servants attending the area.

When Ding Xingteng had surrounded and tried to kill him in the Cangwu Mountain Range, Qin Doudou’s fierce flames had burned him. Though the wounds were not fatal, they were extremely troublesome.

After finding the place where the other man was recuperating, Qin Doudou first drew out the spiritual fire sparks inside Ding Xingteng’s body that had not yet been cleared away, then flung out the great killer weapon he had long since prepared.

“Bang Boom”

The originally dark and quiet rear courtyard of the Ding Clan erupted with light as bright as day. The commotion that followed was like countless explosive talismans had been buried underground.

“Cough, cough… Who dares ambush this old man?” When Ding Xingteng first sensed the flame clinging to his bones like maggots being stirred inside his body, he very skillfully mobilized the spiritual energy within him to resist it.

This had already happened many times. Ding Xingteng was extremely practiced at it, and at the same time, he regretted it. He should never have agreed back then. Now he had run into such a troublesome thing.

Only, before he could react, the attack formed by the external explosion blasted him straight out from the depths beneath the cavern.

“Your grandpa, back for revenge.” Qin Doudou did not give him a chance to react. The flames that made Ding Xingteng so wary surged toward him head-on once more.

The commotion here alarmed the entire Ding Clan.

“You’re not dead!” As Ding Xingteng dodged, he saw Qin Doudou and was utterly shocked. Why could he come out of the black land? Why was he impossible to kill?

On top of sensing Qin Doudou’s soaring cultivation, Ding Xingteng completely panicked this time. He was clearly only a Golden Core cultivator, so why was fear starting to spread through Ding Xingteng’s heart?

Qin Doudou did not answer. He was here to kill and take revenge, not to chat.

This battle against Ding Xingteng was Qin Doudou’s first fight after his cultivation had surged. Facing him head-on, he did not feel the least bit intimidated.

The other Ding Clan cultivators gathering toward this area were blocked outside by the array Qin Doudou had set up in advance.

“Hurry and open the clan grand array! We can’t let this thief escape.” The Ding Clan cultivators who could not enter attacked the array barrier while ordering others to activate the grand array.

However, when they thought of their old ancestor’s late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, the others were not very anxious. But in the very next second, they saw their old ancestor get sent flying by the other party.

Under the night sky, that exceptionally young man was beating their old ancestor like a dog.

The shock in their hearts had not even had time to fade before Ding Xingteng was burned to nothing by the flames surrounding him. Even a Nascent Soul divine soul that tried to flee was caught by Qin Doudou himself, then crushed to pieces in front of the Ding Clan members.

“Since you dared come surround and kill me, you should have been prepared to be killed in return.”

After saying that, Qin Doudou activated the array-breaking method in his hand. The barrier enveloping the entire Ding Clan shattered like paper.

After killing his target, Qin Doudou did not linger in East Heng’s capital. He continued toward Wu Xuan Kingdom.

After Qin Doudou caused a huge disturbance in East Heng’s capital that night, the place was already in chaos, and the imperial family’s actions were all within expectations.

The Ding Clan, which had already lost its Nascent Soul old ancestor, would have to obey the imperial family’s orders if they still wanted to continue staying in the capital.

A Nascent Soul old ancestor had been killed by a Golden Core cultivator. Before the next day had even arrived, this matter had already spread among the cultivators of the three kingdoms.

The most shocked ones were naturally those on Wu Xuan’s side. Back then, they had paid an enormous price to plan that encirclement and killing, but in the end, the man had actually not died. He even dared come back for revenge!

Although the Wu Xuan State Preceptor was very angry that these people could not even kill a single Golden Core, there was no use pursuing blame now.

“We’ll wait for him right here. If he dares come, he absolutely won’t be able to leave.”

Pang Liao did not think a Golden Core cultivator would dare barge into Wu Xuan so openly and brazenly alone.

“Hmph. Even Ding Xingteng was killed by him. You’d better think about how to keep yourself alive.”

“You…” Although Pang Liao was very angry, the best choice right now really was to follow the other party’s arrangements.

As for Chiyan’s side, their previous gloom was swept away. It was very obvious that the one who had killed a Nascent Soul old ancestor in East Heng’s capital was Qin Tian’ao of Danyang Academy!

After Liu Nian learned this news, he was extremely delighted. But when he thought of the great thing the other party had done by silently going to East Heng on his own, he was also startled.

Now, Qin Tian’ao still had not contacted them. There was a high possibility that he had gone toward Wu Xuan.

“I’m going to Wu Xuan. You all stay and guard the academy first.” Liu Nian decided to go to Wu Xuan and help Qin Tian’ao.

If he could think of this, how could those people not think of it too? At this moment, Wu Xuan was surely a dragon’s pool and tiger’s den.

Compared to the worries of Danyang Academy’s higher-ups, the players below, who had been freely cultivating and leveling up for more than a month, were not worried at all after hearing about the huge commotion Qin Tian’ao had caused in East Heng.

“Soloing a Nascent Soul across realms while at Golden Core. So this is what a protagonist is?”

“The main storyline arranged by the game planners is just awesome. Just thinking about him soloing Wu Xuan afterward is exciting. Too bad we can’t get over there and see it.”

“I’m fired up. Totally fired up.”

For a time, the eyes of the entire continent gathered on Wu Xuan’s capital.

In the Longevity Realm, Qin Xiuyue, who was already comprehending the third door of inheritance, currently felt that the existence of a soul body was truly quite mysterious.

Because he had figured out the laws represented by these nine doors of inheritance, Qin Xiuyue’s understanding of the first two inheritances had also advanced another step.

The “qi” of the first door of inheritance corresponded to the law of power among the nine great laws. Previously, he had always thought this “qi” referred to spiritual energy used in cultivation. But Qin Xiuyue, who now understood laws, knew that the law of power was far more than just spiritual energy.

He had used the space of the second door of inheritance during the inner sect grand competition.

Back then, he had thought this was only an inheritance related to space, so when he wrote a Flying Message Transmission to Xie Ming’an, the questions he asked had all been about that aspect.

He had not expected to stumble into the correct answer. If it was the law of space, then the spatial barrier he had used was only a very small branch of it.

These two points were only things Qin Xiuyue thought of after understanding the nine great laws. While he was in the Returning Cloud Sea, the most important thing at present was comprehending the law of the soul.

The soul and the physical body were two completely different worlds. The divine sense he had strengthened previously to research stopped space now played a role.

Even in the Longevity Realm, records concerning the soul were all above Soul Formation.

Wanting to comprehend the law of the soul was also an enormous challenge for Qin Xiuyue.

Because of this, Qin Xiuyue rummaged through the items in his Check-In backpack again.

The rewards from his Check-In over the years had become more and more varied. Things he had not needed at the time had all been casually tossed into his Check-In backpack, and among them were some items related to the soul.

“Soul essence?”

“Spirit-Replenishing Liquid.”

“Sacred Soul Pill.”

“…”

As long as it had anything to do with the soul, Qin Xiuyue took it out and tested it one by one. The law of the soul was right here. If he waited until he left before using them, the effects would not be this good.

After Sect Master Song gave Qin Xiuyue the jade token to the Returning Cloud Sea, he stopped paying attention, because in this inner sect grand competition, quite a few disciples had obtained quotas to enter the Returning Cloud Sea. It had been the same in past years too.

What concerned him most right now was still the Brahma Sea Domain that was about to manifest.

“I think we can continue investigating the stele inscription that Wei Xiu and the others found inside last time.” When Ming Wen learned that Sect Master Song had called them over to discuss the Brahma Sea Domain, he immediately made this suggestion.

The last time the Brahma Sea Domain manifested, disciples of the Heavenly Sect had copied down a strange stele inscription from inside. After they returned to the sect, the various elders had studied it together for a long time, and in the end, they boldly speculated that the writing on the stele belonged to the Immemorial Era.

The Immemorial Era only existed in the legends of the Longevity Realm, and there were not many physical objects to prove it. They had also sought help from the Ultimate Truth Sect, but the other side had no ideas.

And according to what Wei Xiu and the others said, there had absolutely been other things near that stele inscription. It was just that the exit of the Brahma Sea Domain had been about to close at the time. If they did not come out, they could only stay inside for three hundred years.

Three hundred years was a long time. If they got into any conflict with the cultivators over there while inside, they might never be able to come out again.

“Then let Wei Xiu and the others go again. Their cultivation is just at the peak of Void Refinement, so they can still enter,” Ming De said, likewise agreeing with Ming Wen’s suggestion.

“Fine. Go back and tell them. This time, the direction in which the Brahma Sea Domain manifests will most likely be in the Demon Realm. When the time comes, Ming Qin, Ming Wen, Ming Qi, and Ming Yan, the four of you will lead the sect disciples there.”

All at once, he sent out the elders with the highest combat strength in Taixuan Heavenly Sect to lead the team. It was not that Song Chengyuan was making such a huge show for no reason; it was truly because the atmosphere on the Demon Realm’s side was too different from the cultivation world.

Fights could break out at the drop of a hat, and once they started, they would not end in a short time, because no one in the Demon Realm mediated fights. Their way of solving problems was to fight. Whoever won was the one everyone listened to.

The living environments of the three realms were different, and their ways of handling problems were also different. So in order to prevent sect disciples from having accidents on the road, Sect Master Song did not feel his arrangement was excessive at all.

Back when he had not yet become the sect master of the Heavenly Sect, the city lords of the Demon Domain’s Eighteen Cities had chased him and beaten him because of a tiny matter. Every time Song Chengyuan thought of this, he felt speechless.

“Understood.”

“It’s been a long time since I went out to stretch my limbs.”

None of them had any objections. Only, when Sect Master Song heard Ming Qin say that line, he deeply felt her unreliable nature.

“Ming Qi, keep an eye on your second senior sister. Before she does anything while leading the team, she has to ask you first.”

When Ming Qi heard Sect Master Song say this, visible delight appeared on her previously expressionless face. “What if Second Senior Sister doesn’t listen?”

“Then you and Ming Yan can beat her up.”

In a one-on-one fight between Ming Qin and Ming Qi, it would be hard to decide the winner in a short time. But with Ming Yan added, the result was obvious.

“I will respectfully obey Martial Uncle’s teachings.”

“Hey, I’m still right here!” Ming Qin looked around and found that apparently no one was on her side.

“I said it precisely for you to hear.”

As the eldest senior brother, Ming De understood Ming Qin best. Before she took over Qingyun Peak, what she liked doing most was running to the Demon Realm and the Demon Realm to pick fights with people.

Regardless of whether she won or lost, she would always come back covered in injuries.

“…” She could not refute Eldest Senior Brother.

After Sect Master Song arranged the team leaders, everyone discussed some other matters.

Although the Brahma Sea Domain was special, overall, it was still used to train the younger generation of cultivators. They only needed to be responsible for bringing the disciples there and bringing them back.

Of course, there was also competition among cultivators of the cultivation world, the Demon Realm, and the Yao Realm. Inside, there was a Tower to Heaven, and every cultivator of the three realms who entered the Brahma Sea Domain had to challenge that tower.

When the Brahma Sea Domain first suddenly appeared and connected to the Longevity Realm, cultivators from both sides had been bewildered. After gaining some understanding, it took a very long period of time before the current situation formed.

The native inhabitants of the Brahma Sea Domain certainly did not want other cultivators barging in. However, because their strength was insufficient to oppose the Longevity Realm, and because they had indeed been the ones to attack first, they finally agreed to a pact between the two realms.

During the period when the Brahma Sea Domain descended and the two realms were connected, cultivators of the Longevity Realm below the Integration stage could enter. Unless there were special circumstances, cultivators of the Brahma Sea Domain were not allowed to surround and kill cultivators of the Longevity Realm.

After this pact appeared, the Brahma Sea Domain and the Longevity Realm did not have much more friction.

Other sects and clans were also preparing for the manifestation of the Brahma Sea Domain.

“Master, the Brahma Sea Domain will appear in the Demon Realm this time. Send a message to Taixuan Heavenly Sect, will you?”

Xie Ming’an’s current cultivation had only just stepped into Nascent Soul, and Stargazing Tower disciples all had poor combat strength, so every trip to the Brahma Sea Domain, they would contact other forces.

Taixuan Heavenly Sect’s combat strength was among the first echelon in the entire Longevity Realm, especially the disciples of Sword Sect. Every year, because they wanted to compete with the Sword Pavilion of the eastern region, they worked ridiculously hard.

“Isn’t it still early?” Li Xuanji felt this was nothing more than greeting them. When the time came, they could bring the disciples to the Brahma Sea Domain entrance and meet up with the people of Taixuan Heavenly Sect.

“It’s different. In the past, we weren’t familiar with our other allies. But now I have a friend in Taixuan Heavenly Sect, so let me go over early to get familiar with them and build our relationship.”

“I’ve already sent Qin Xiuyue a Flying Message Transmission,” Xie Ming’an hurriedly added, blocking off his master’s words.

“Fine, fine. In a while, I’ll have your eldest senior brother send you over.” Li Xuanji casually tossed a storage ring to Xie Ming’an.

“Oh my, Master, you’re being too polite. I’m only going out once. Why are you giving me so many things?”

“Everything inside is what you need to study. When you come back, I’ll be testing you.”

“…Fine. This disciple will definitely work twice as hard.” Xie Ming’an felt there was no need to go against his master right now.

Li Xuanji drove Xie Ming’an away, then sat on his cushion and sulked.

Why was this disciple of his so unambitious?! A few days ago, when Xie Ming’an broke through to Nascent Soul, it had only been because Li Xuanji had forced him to cultivate these past two years.

His deduction back then had not been wrong either. Could he have calculated incorrectly?

While Li Xuanji was doubting himself, Xie Ming’an, who was in an especially good mood on the other side, had already returned to his residence and started packing.

Qin Xiuyue, who was still in the Returning Cloud Sea comprehending the law of the soul, felt that three months had really passed quickly.

Fortunately, he had spent more than two months and had finally gotten started with the law of the soul. This way, even after leaving the Returning Cloud Sea, he could continue comprehending and cultivating it.

In addition, this time he had figured out the nine laws represented by the nine great doors of inheritance. After he went out, he could collect materials related to these laws, which counted as studying in advance.

Once the three months were up, Qin Xiuyue came out of the Returning Cloud Sea. Sensing the spiritual energy within his body, far more majestic than before, he directly returned to Bamboo Cloud Peak, because he was about to break through!

His rising aura could no longer be suppressed. It broke through the shackles of peak Nascent Soul, and at the same time, the heavens and earth sensed that someone was breaking through. Tribulation clouds above began to gather rapidly.

When the lightning tribulation struck down, Qin Xiuyue could clearly sense the difference brought by the strengthening of his divine soul.

There was none of the pain from being struck by lightning that he had felt before. From the perspective of the soul, the tempering of the lightning tribulation instead increased the toughness of his divine soul.

From an outsider’s perspective, Qin Xiuyue’s Soul Formation lightning tribulation was quite a bit stronger than the lightning tribulations of ordinary cultivators in the same realm.

When the lightning tribulation finally ended, dazzling golden light scattered over Bamboo Cloud Peak.

When Xie Ming’an followed others into Taixuan Heavenly Sect’s inner sect, this was the scene he saw.

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