Unforgiven

"It's bone-chillingly cold here, so we don't need to worry about ambushes."

Shen Yi walked alone in the wind and snow, a warm aura emanating from him, pushing the wind and snow back by three feet.

As for other areas, Shen Yi paid no mind. Even if there were ambushes, he could only rely on himself. Information couldn't be transmitted within the secret realm; only by gathering together might they avoid being ambushed.

The secret realm was like a world of its own.

Shen Yi walked aimlessly in the wind and snow, heading towards the distant snow-capped mountains. He chose not to use his Spirit Wings, not wanting to become a target. He stopped at every step, hoping to encounter the so-called "catalyst."

"Hey!"

A shout suddenly came from behind. Shen Yi stopped and turned to see five cultivators radiating intense flames. The wind and snow melted as soon as they approached.

"From the Blazing Fire Sect?"

Shen Yi was slightly taken aback and decided to wait and see.

"Fellow cultivators, are you from the Blazing Fire Sect?"

"Indeed. Judging by your attire, you're from the Qingxuan Sect, aren't you?"

Shen Yi nodded, replying with a hint of helplessness, "Most people in my sect prefer to go solo. With my cultivation, naturally, no one is willing to travel with me."

The group exchanged glances, a flicker of shrewdness in their eyes.

"Meeting is fate. If you don't mind, fellow cultivator, why don't we travel together? We can look out for each other."

Shen Yi's face lit up with surprise, and he readily agreed.

"Oh, yes, yes! Thank you for not minding my low cultivation, Kong Ming. I am willing to share hardships and joys with all of you."

"You're Kong Ming!"

Upon hearing Shen Yi's name, the expressions of the group shifted slightly. Seeing that he was alone, they immediately relaxed. No matter how powerful he was, he was only at peak Qi Refining. Could he really fight against the five of them?

The six of them walked towards the distance, one after another. The journey was unusually quiet. The five cultivators grew increasingly alarmed. In such wind and snow, even their Blazing Fire Sect, which could dispel the cold with heat, required five people to take turns releasing energy. Yet, Shen Yi, walking at the front, didn't stop at all. The range and method he used to disperse the wind and snow were far superior to theirs.

No wonder he could kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator. They could only hope Shen Yi wouldn't attack them.

It turned out that these five had joined forces to kill two Qingxuan Sect disciples on the outskirts of the snowstorm. They had learned of Shen Yi's deeds from them. Initially, they harbored resentment, but now, seeing Shen Yi before them, they had no choice but to suppress their killing intent and follow obediently.

Shen Yi was naturally unaware of the shifting thoughts of the five. He continued to walk ahead, confident that he could retreat unharmed even if he faced the five alone.

"Hmm?"

Shen Yi suddenly felt a disturbance from his Cosmic Ring, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He turned around and said to the group in a deep voice, "Fellow cultivators, I have something I need to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave!"

With that, amidst their astonished expressions, he didn't hesitate to reveal his Spirit Wings and leaped into the distance.

It turned out Little Black was stirring. Ever since Little Black entered the eggshell, it had been dormant. It was only now that Shen Yi clearly felt the fluctuations from within the eggshell. He had no choice but to risk exposure and rush towards the snow-capped mountains.

In a cave on the snow-capped mountain, Shen Yi took out the beast egg and examined it carefully. He finally discovered a faint crack on the eggshell. It seemed Little Black was about to awaken. Shen Yi was filled with anticipation about what Little Black would look like after waking up.

Since leaving Youjin Mountain Valley, Little Black had become his companion. Along the way, it was thanks to Little Black's companionship that he had come this far.

"Senior Brother, there's a cave ahead!"

A voice came from below the mountain. Shen Yi's eyes flashed with vigilance, and he planted the Coiled Dragon Halberd into the ground, awaiting their arrival.

"Clomp, clomp, clomp!"

The sound of footsteps gradually approached, exceptionally sharp in the howling wind and snow.

"This place is really weird. As soon as we entered, it was endless wind and snow."

"And it's all because you insisted on chasing that person, claiming he had a great treasure and could even achieve Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment."

"Don't you believe in my methods, Luo Youdao? This compass in my hand doesn't lie."

The person held a compass, its needle spinning wildly. However, Luo Youdao was busy explaining and didn't notice the anomaly on the compass.

"Ah! Who's there!"

A female voice exclaimed, instantly drawing the attention of the others. They looked into the cave and saw Shen Yi sitting there, the Coiled Dragon Halberd gleaming with black light.

"That egg... it's extraordinary!"

Luo Youdao's eyes immediately fell on the beast egg beside Shen Yi. He looked at the flowing runes on the eggshell and determined that the egg was extraordinary, likely a rare beast egg. A fiery greed flashed in his eyes.

"Qingxuan Sect brat, leave that egg and get out of here, and I'll spare your life!"

Luo Youdao roared, about to drive Shen Yi away.

"Oh? You want to snatch it from my jaws?"

Shen Yi glanced sideways, looking at them with a playful expression. He grabbed the Coiled Dragon Halberd and slammed it into the ground, stirring up a gust of wind.

"That battle halberd is also a treasure!"

Luo Youdao's gaze became even more fervent. He looked at Shen Yi as if he were a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. He nodded at the people behind him, who instantly took their stances, raising streams of fiery red spiritual energy, causing the temperature in the entire cave to rise a few degrees.

"Die!"

Luo Youdao roared, his red spiritual energy spreading out, forming a domain of fire that advanced towards Shen Yi. Simultaneously, a flying sword, swift as lightning, shot out. The flying sword was entwined with a phantom firebird, emitting a series of piercing cries, like a sword's song.

On the other side, several talismans, imbued with considerable power, whistled through the air and shot towards him.

Shen Yi's face was grim. He grabbed the battle halberd in his right hand, stirring up an endless gale that surged outwards like a tidal wave.

His long hair flew wildly, his eyes glinted with killing intent, and his aura was sky-high!

In the blink of an eye, the fire domain was dispersed. Luo Youdao stared at Shen Yi, his face filled with horror. The firebird on the flying sword let out a piercing shriek as Shen Yi's halberd severed it. With a crack, the sword body lost its spiritual energy and snapped into two pieces.

The talismans exploded, their power considerable, but they were suppressed by Shen Yi and detonated towards Luo Youdao instead.

A black mist spread, and Shen Yi's figure gradually blurred. Yet, his imposing aura did not diminish, and his voice echoed through the cave.

"Those who obstruct Little Black shall be killed without mercy!"

Each word struck like thunder, his voice booming like a great bell.

The surrounding impact intensified. Under the roar, the fierce winds battered the surrounding stone walls. Shen Yi, his golden body standing within the black mist, was like a deity, his might overwhelming. No matter how Luo Youdao and the others resisted, they could not disperse the black mist before them.

"Combine your strength! Endless Fire Domain!"

Luo Youdao shouted, and the others poured their spiritual energy into him. Instantly, a blood-red flame appeared, sweeping forward and intertwining with the black mist, seemingly intent on burning it away.

This was a secret technique of the Blazing Fire Sect, the Endless Fire Domain. It gathered the spiritual energy of several individuals to unleash their strongest killing move. Back then, Luo Youdao and his group had relied on this technique to successfully kill a cultivator at the third level of Foundation Establishment.

Now, with the secret technique unleashed once more, success was certain.