By Xixin Lake (2)

Needless to say, the two exchanged questions and answers. Hu Changshou was definitely on Yin Baikang's side.

Hehe! This is interesting! Many of the lords from various countries grinned lewdly, rubbing their hands together in anticipation. Five late Spirit Transformation stage experts were actually going to fight two against three on Wen Lanfeng's territory—it was going to be a spectacular show, not to be missed! This trip was definitely worthwhile!

Among the top ten experts in the Cultivation World, Bi Changchun, ranked first, and Wen Lanfeng, ranked second, have always been independent and eccentric, relying on their profound cultivation and never engaging in forming cliques.

The remaining eight were less confident, perhaps due to insecurity, a shared interest, or a desire to resist other powerful forces. They formed small groups and colluded with each other.

Bing Chengzi, Yin Baikang, and Hu Changshou are birds of a feather. Ouyang Da, Qi Jiujun, and Pei Fang have formed a group. There are two others who believe their cultivation is superior to these six, and feeling they are evenly matched, they reluctantly team up.

These two were probably overconfident, believing that together they were invincible. Back in the East China Sea, they refused to acknowledge Bi Changchun's abilities. For some unknown reason, they joined forces, full of youthful vigor and boundless confidence, and challenged the Number One Expert Under Heaven. The result? Bi Changchun swiftly and decisively dispatched them, leaving them no chance to live again—they were dead.

From then on, two of the top ten masters were missing, leaving a large group of mid Spirit Transformation stage cultivators as candidates for the two vacant spots. No one was willing to concede, each believing they were capable of being among the top ten. Sometimes, such empty fame can drive people mad, and the friction over it was constant!

If these five people start fighting, one or two of the top ten experts might die, freeing up one or two spots. It would be even better if they could anger Wen Lanfeng and kill one or two of them... Everyone looked at the five people with expectant eyes.

Hu Changshou stood silently beside Yin Baikang, the two of them standing calmly, a faint killing intent beginning to emerge. The three opposite them exchanged glances, revealing cold smiles. Three against two, such an opportunity was rare. Pei Fang's fat face jiggled as he chuckled, "Should we wait for Bing Chengzi to arrive? So we don't get accused of ganging up on each other."

"Waiting for Bing Chengzi to come? Aren't you afraid of biting your tongue?" Yin Baikang sneered. "I heard that you, Fatty Pei, have escaped death more than ten times from Bing Chengzi. Aren't you afraid that this time you won't have another chance to escape?"

Hu Changshou said indifferently, "They escaped from my hands five times as well."

Yin Baikang paused for a moment and said, "Same here, I have five on my hands too." The two of them were stunned at the same time, and then looked at Pei Fang with disdain.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. People rarely fought against experts at the late Spirit Transformation stage, and they never expected there to be such a weakling among them...

Pei Fang glanced around smugly, not feeling embarrassed at all, but rather with an expression that said, "What do you know?"

"Enough with the nonsense. Skill doesn't lie." Qi Jiujun snorted coldly, then sprang into the air with a "whoosh." Pei Fang, clutching his pregnant belly, chuckled and simultaneously appeared in mid-air with Ouyang Da. The three of them looked down, a powerful and imposing aura filling the air...

Yin Baikang squinted at the sky and sneered, "Brother Changshou, I'm leaving Fatty to you. Don't let him escape again. I'll handle the other two!"

Hu Changshou answered with action, teleporting into the air and facing Pei Fang expressionlessly. Yin Baikang followed closely behind, and the five of them were filled with murderous intent; the intense killing aura startled the birds and beasts in the dense forest, causing them to scatter in all directions...

The people below were also on high alert, for this battle could be considered the pinnacle of the Cultivation World. Fighting at the late Spirit Transformation stage was no child's play; even a slight ripple could be quite painful, and onlookers had to be prepared to dodge at any moment.

Bing Chengzi, who should have been among those fighting here, was currently in a desolate mountain wilderness not far from the sacred land of the Biyuan Kingdom. On a small, overgrown hillside, atop a prominent blue stone, stood Bing Chengzi completely white, standing silently. A gentle breeze ruffled his thin white robe. Except for his face, his entire body was almost entirely white.

The four members of the Man Hu sect stood obediently to one side. Yan Zhuixing quickly sized up the aloof old man before him. This was the first time he had ever seen a legendary Spirit Transformation stage expert, especially one at the late Spirit Transformation stage. Even with his heart of stone, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Standing high above, Bing Chengzi's eyes gleamed as he scrutinized the prodigy who had cultivated the Demon Codex tome. Though outwardly calm, he was inwardly filled with awe. Countless lives had perished, yet finally, a curse that had bound generations offered a glimmer of hope for its release!

His cultivation level wasn't low among the top ten experts, but he wasted too much energy searching for someone capable of forming Demonic Body and cultivating the Demon Codex. As a result, even Yin Baikang, whose cultivation was slightly inferior to his, had trained two Spirit Transformation stage disciples, while he had none under his command. Despite his considerable cultivation, his power was the weakest among the top ten experts; in fact, many mid Spirit Transformation stage forces were stronger than his.

He had finally managed to find the time to train seven disciples at the late Tribulation Transcendence stage, treating each one as his own. However, the loss of one of the successors of the Demon Codex was truly heartbreaking for him.

With his Devil Cultivation Method circulating, his slightly tense emotions calmed down. Yan Zhuixing bowed and said, "Junior Yan Zhuixing greets Senior Bing! I have always been deeply grateful for your kindness, but I have never had the chance to meet you. It is my great honor to meet you today!"

"No need for such formalities," Bing Chengzi said with a sigh, raising her hand. "I can't accept such hospitality!"

That sounds like sarcasm! Yan Zhuixing was slightly taken aback and said, "Senior, do you have any objections to this junior? If so, please speak frankly. This junior will certainly follow your teachings and will have no objections whatsoever."

Bing Chengzi glanced at Man Hu, clearly realizing his disciple hadn't told Yan Zhuixing the truth. He paused, then said, "That's a story for later. I'll tell you the whole truth when I have the chance. Man Hu has already told me why you came..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly looked up sharply in the direction of the Wen family's sacred ground. Seeing his solemn expression, the others wondered what was wrong and followed his gaze. They looked left and right but found nothing. After waiting a while, they sensed a slight, abnormal fluctuation in the air, and then noticed flocks of birds flying in from afar...

"Master, is something the matter?" Man Hu asked.

"It's the aura of those old guys! What are they up to, trying to make a move in the Wen family's sacred ground?" Bing Chengzi frowned, not bothering to say anything more to the others, and quickly flew away...

This short distance was nothing more than a few blinks of an eye for him.

Above Xixin Lake, just as the situation was about to erupt, a whooshing sound rapidly approached. Those watching below clicked their tongues in astonishment; without a doubt, the last member of each of the two rival factions had arrived. Of the eight remaining top experts in the Cultivation World, only Bi Changchun and Wen Lanfeng were missing; the rest were all present.

Pei Fang and the other two's expressions changed slightly. They all understood that if it really was three against three, their side would probably still be at a disadvantage.

Yin Baikang and Hu Changshou exchanged a glance. The former turned around and sneered, "Fatty Pei. Weren't you waiting for Bing Chengzi? As you wished, Bing Chengzi is here! I hope you'll stand up for yourself today and not run away with your tail between your legs again. Your running skills are unparalleled in the world. I, Yin, really can't catch up with you."

Hu Changshou said indifferently, "One escaped, but there are still two left. That's fine!"

As they spoke, a white shadow flashed by, and Bing Chengzi, dressed entirely in white from head to toe, suddenly appeared in the air. Bing Chengzi's gaze swept over the group, and he said in a deep voice, "What's going on?"

Yin Baikang chuckled as he looked at Pei Fang, "Bing Chengzi, you've come at the right time. We haven't hired anyone, and someone's already messed with us. Fatty Pei specifically asked you to settle the score!"

"You want to settle scores with me?" Bing Chengzi was slightly taken aback, giving Hu Changshou a questioning look. The latter replied indifferently, "That's right, everyone below heard it."

Bing Chengzi's gaze suddenly fixed on Pei Fang, and he said in a deep voice, "Fatty Pei, you stole my spirit beast from the Great Snow Mountain last time. I'm being lenient by not settling scores with you, but you actually want to settle scores with me?"

Pei Fang was speechless. Although he had mentioned Bing Chengzi's name, there was no hint of him settling scores in his words. Yin Baikang and Hu Changshou were clearly setting him up. However, explaining now would seem cowardly, so he immediately put on a serious face, his fat face trembling, and said, "Bing Chengzi, don't make false accusations. When did I go to the Great Snow Mountain to steal your spirit beast?"

"You think I won't recognize you just because you're wrapped in a white cloth?" Bing Chengzi sneered. "My Mysterious Yin Palm technique is no fun!"

Ouyang Da and Qi Jiujun both turned to look at the fat man, who frowned and said, "You went to steal people's things again?"

The two had been implicated countless times because of this guy's thievery; allying with him was the worst luck imaginable. What was most frustrating was that this guy had a particular fondness for stealing from powerful individuals, especially the three people opposite him. However, on the other hand, the more powerful the person, the more valuable their belongings. There were only a handful of top experts in the Cultivation World, and he dared not steal from those too powerful.

"What kind of talk is this?" Pei Fang patted his chest excitedly. "Do you think you don't believe me but believe them instead?"

"Hmph! With your build, it's hard to mistake you." Yin Baikang glanced at his chubby figure and sneered, "You're a notorious habitual thief, and you've been to my God of Wealth Peak more than once or twice. To be ranked among the top ten masters with you is simply a disgrace."

Speaking of stealing from God of Wealth Peak, Pei Fang was furious. Last time he sneaked into God of Wealth Peak, he only managed to steal a tightly sealed, tattered box, but Yin Baikang discovered it. Who knows what valuable treasures were hidden inside? Yin Baikang chased him for days and nights, leaving him covered in wounds and nearly killing him. Finally, he had no choice but to throw away the tattered box and escape.

It was because of this incident that he held a grudge, which was why he had provoked Yin Baikang just now. Thinking of the long time it took him to recover from his injury, Pei Fang's anger flared. He shouted, "Yin Baikang, stop twisting the truth here! If you want to fight, then come at me!"

"Heh heh! You won't leave here alive today," Yin Baikang sneered. He was more than happy to take this opportunity to get rid of one or two troublesome guys.

"Yin Baikang, it's been many years. You've become increasingly arrogant. Do you think this is your World Commerce Association? Do you think you can make the decisions here?" A faint voice echoed around, growing louder and louder until it became deafening.

The calm surface of Xixin Lake was disturbed by the continuous sound, its surface rippling and losing its tranquility. The branches and leaves of the surrounding trees also trembled incessantly.

"Such profound cultivation!" Everyone was shocked and looked around, but couldn't find where the voice was coming from. Although they couldn't see who was speaking, they knew from the voice that it was Wen Lanfeng.

The expressions of the six late Spirit Transformation stage all changed. They were no strangers to Wen Lanfeng; just from that voice, they could tell that Wen Lanfeng's cultivation was far superior to what it had been back then. No wonder he dared to go to the Demon Ghost Domain to find Bi Changchun...

Ghost Manor, Yue Qianchou had already moved out of the small Ghost Manor Rogue Cultivator had originally occupied the main courtyard readily relinquished their space after intervention from Fu Chun and Qin Jiaxing. Since Senior Niu wanted to stay, who dared to object?

Ghost Manor is no longer a haven for Rogue Cultivators; it's now teeming with cultivators from various countries. Despite the large number of people, no one dares to cause trouble, as they've all received warnings from their sects beforehand. Their purpose in coming here is, naturally, to find Niu Youde, as ordered.

At the arched entrance of the main courtyard, Qin Jiaxing stood there like a gatekeeper, looking at the group of people in front of him, and said indifferently, "Come one by one, don't rush, only those who have paid Spirit Stone can enter."

A large group of experts at the late Tribulation Transcendence stage Realm glared at Qin Jiaxing, who was guarding the entrance, their teeth itching with hatred. How dare a mere early Tribulation stage Realm expert block their way? But there was nothing they could do about it, since they needed his help, and besides, the gatekeeper was one of the mysterious Niu Youde's subordinates.

To be honest, at the beginning, Qin Jiaxing was facing so many late Tribulation Transcendence stage Transcending experts for the first time, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't afraid; his legs were even a little weak with fear. Now... one of them strode out angrily, and Qin Jiaxing pointed at the nose of a late Tribulation Transcendence stage Transcending cultivator in front of him, coldly saying, "It's your turn."

The man stared at Qin Jiaxing with a cold laugh, clearly waiting to see what would happen. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out a Storage Bag and shoved it into Qin Jiaxing's hand, about to rush inside when Qin Jiaxing grabbed him. The man yelled, "Let go!" and tried to kill Qin Jiaxing on the spot.

"Hmm! One hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Stones, not a bad amount." After Qin Jiaxing finished counting with his Divine Sense, he released him and waved his hand, saying, "You can go in now."

"You..." The man clenched his fists in anger, his bones cracking all over.

Qin Jiaxing snorted coldly and said expressionlessly, "Senior Niu's time is very precious. If you don't want to go in, please make way. There are other people waiting behind you! But you know the rules, right? Money collected is non-refundable."

.