Turmoil

That black qi, steeped in a chilling aura, surged into Shen Yi's body.

Shen Yi recognized it at once. This aura was precisely that of the skull he had destroyed earlier. He had never imagined it had merely been a disguise, its true body being this stream of black qi, which had now exploited his weakness and entered him.

"Now this is getting lively!"

Shen Yi felt the black qi rampaging wildly through his body. In an instant, it encountered that cursed Sword Qi, and the two forces immediately tangled together in battle. A large bulge rose on Shen Yi's body and kept moving through him. The searing pain left him drenched in cold sweat. He held on for a moment before his vision went dark, and he fainted once more.

Outside Youjin Mountain Valley, half a year had passed in the blink of an eye. The elders and sect leaders of the various sects were still waiting anxiously. Besides them, there were many disciples whose vitality had withered away; all had been defeated in the Yin Yang chess game and teleported out.

"By my reckoning, they should be coming out soon. This time, we have all suffered grievous losses!"

Sect Leader Hong of the Ningxian Sect glanced back at the disciples behind him. Though his tone was heavy, a trace of relief showed in his eyes. He had learned just how perilous the ruins were, and was thankful that these few disciples had returned alive.

"The path of cultivation has always been a road where nine die for every one who lives."

Wang Shangren, the Great Elder of the Qingxuan Sect, spoke with great ease, pride evident on his face as well. He had faith in the strength of his sect's disciples. A mere ruin was hardly worth mentioning.

Only Feng Yang said nothing. The Qingxuan Sect had at least had one disciple teleported out and could learn much from him, but not a single disciple from his own Immortal Academy had emerged. Though he was confident, life and death were uncertain, and he could not rashly draw conclusions.

"They've appeared! Over there!"

Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

The Golden Core Cultivators also noticed the spatial fluctuations appearing in the valley and rushed over at top speed.

"We finally made it out. I thought I was going to be buried in there."

"What a pity. This mission was not completed; we will surely be punished when we return!"

"It's too late to make a move now. Damn it!"

Jiang Miaoyi and the other three paid no heed to the others' words. Every one of them was heavy-hearted, their faces written over with grief.

"They're disciples from our Mysterious Nether Cult branch!"

"Hahaha, those are disciples of my sect!"

Feng Yang also spotted Jiang Miaoyi and the others from afar, and a smile appeared on his face as well. But when he drew closer and found no sign of Shen Yi, his heart immediately sank.

"Impossible! My son Mingxuan was a peerless genius favored by heaven! Why has no one else from my Qingxuan Sect emerged?!"

Fury filled Wang Shangren's eyes as he seized a Qi Refining Rogue Cultivator and roared out a question.

The man could not withstand Wang Shangren's overwhelming pressure and fainted outright. Wang Shangren cursed, flung him aside, and swept his gaze over the others.

Seeing this, a glint of cunning flashed through An Ping's eyes, and he spoke.

"Master, we disciples were obstructed by Shen Yi of the Ninghai Immortal Academy. He killed many of our fellow disciples. Not only did we fail to obtain our sect's supreme treasure, but the people of the Immortal Academy obtained it instead. Please punish us, Master."

He knelt on the ground with grief written all over his face, yet his eyes secretly darted toward Wang Shangren.

Naturally, Wang Shangren noticed this gesture. He immediately understood the hidden meaning and glared toward the Ninghai Immortal Academy.

"Feng Yang! Lend me your disciples!"

The words were domineering, as though no refusal would be tolerated. He unleashed a divine ability, intending to seize Wu Liujian and the others.

"Hmph!"

Feng Yang snorted coldly and waved his hand, interrupting Wang Shangren's divine ability. Anger was clear on his face. "Watch yourself, fellow cultivator. These young disciples of mine cannot withstand the Soul Searching Technique."

"If that is the case, then hand over that brat Shen Yi. Once this old man has questioned him, I will naturally return him."

Wang Shangren still refused to let the matter rest, wanting to learn Shen Yi's whereabouts.

"Senior Shen is still within the ruins!"

Wu Liujian stepped forward, neither servile nor overbearing.

"Fellow cultivator Wang, the path of cultivation has always been a road where nine die for every one who lives. With such conduct, you have become fixated." Feng Yang shielded Wu Liujian behind him and offered a well-intentioned word of advice. Then his blazing gaze turned upon An Ping. "Could it be that this junior's earlier words were meant to provoke a fight here?"

Feng Yang gave a sharp shout, his voice like a thunderclap. An Ping tried to defend himself, but a mouthful of blood surged from his throat, and his cultivation was completely destroyed.

What an imposing aura. Feng Yang's cultivation cannot be challenged.

The elder of the Mysterious Nether Cult was horrified. He shot An Ping a vicious glare, swept his sleeve, and led the remaining disciples away, leaving behind an utterly dumbfounded An Ping.

"This old man will surely investigate this matter until the water runs clear and the stone is revealed!"

Wang Shangren flicked his sleeve and departed with his remaining disciples as well. Feng Yang stared deeply at his retreating figure, a flash of killing intent passing through his eyes.

Seeing Feng Yang act so forcefully today, the remaining people had no desire to linger. Afraid of provoking him, they all took their leave.

Only after everyone had gone far away did Jiang Miaoyi recount everything that had happened in the ruins to Feng Yang. By the end, she could no longer restrain her emotions, and her face was already streaked with tears.

"Alas..." Feng Yang let out a sorrowful sigh and fell silent.

The group waited in Youjin Mountain Valley for more than half a month, but their bitter vigil yielded nothing. At last, they had no choice but to leave and return to the Immortal Academy.

Spirit Sealing Grotto-Heaven ruins.

Shen Yi finally awakened. The Indestructible Scripture began operating on its own, repairing the injuries within his body.

"I wonder whether this is a blessing or a curse."

Shen Yi sensed that the two forces within him were both lying dormant. It seemed they had both suffered in their earlier battle, and their strength had now weakened considerably.

"If I wish to completely expel these two forces, I fear I can only do so after cultivating the Indestructible Scripture's second layer, the Indestructible Meridian, to great completion." Shen Yi used his spiritual power to temporarily suppress the two forces, put away the Coiled Dragon Halberd, and considered his options.

"Spirit pills and medicinal herbs are now useless for cultivating the Indestructible Scripture. To temper my meridians, I need Spiritual Flame. With my current cultivation, that would still be difficult."

Shen Yi opened the map and suddenly recalled the Molten Flames he had passed through before. When those flames clung to his body, they seemed capable of burning his meridians. With this in mind, Shen Yi stored the pills here in his Cosmic Ring and swiftly made his way to the area of the Molten Flames.

"Hiss—"

Shen Yi extended one finger into the flames, and it was immediately enveloped by fire. He once again felt the pain of his meridians being pierced and burned. He sucked in a breath of cold air, yet he was immensely satisfied. His guess had been correct, but his body's current strength could not withstand it all at once. He could only proceed step by step.

Over the following days, Shen Yi nursed his body while attempting to temper his meridians with the Molten Flames. To his delighted surprise, the black qi within him seemed deeply afraid of this fire. Whenever it touched the flames, it would panic and hide.

Thus, over and over again, Shen Yi tempered his meridians amid pain and joy.

Ever since Feng Yang and the others had left, a strand of divine sense had always hovered above Youjin Mountain Valley, watching every blade of grass and tree. Even a bird flying out would be instantly annihilated by that divine sense.

"Xuan'er, your father will surely grind that Shen Yi's bones to dust and scatter his ashes, avenging your death!"