Reckless Advance, Battle Imminent

"Spiritual Treasure?"

The Sect Master of the Myriad Poison Sect, Poison God, looked at Tian Buyi with confusion. He then shifted his gaze to Qiu Buping beside him, as if seeking an explanation for what Tian Buyi had said.

Qiu Buping shook his head blankly, indicating that he also had no idea what Tian Buyi was talking about.

"You're spewing nonsense!"

Qiu Buping had initially been afraid of the two Nascent Soul stage powerhouses, Tian Buyi and Shui Yue. However, with Poison God by his side now, he felt emboldened and immediately cursed, "When did we snatch any of your spiritual treasures? Do you righteous sects also like to frame others?"

He had been in Nine Yin Mountain for a long time and had never heard of any spiritual treasures. How could there be talk of snatching them? Not to mention, how could someone at the Core Formation stage dare to snatch something from Nascent Soul stage powerhouses like them?

"Lord Poison God, these Qingyun Sect people are definitely trying to frame us and find an excuse to attack us. I've been in Nine Yin Mountain for a long time and haven't heard of any spiritual treasures. Instead, two of my disciples were secretly killed by these righteous path cultivators. The culprit is now highly likely hiding among them."

After scolding Tian Buyi, Qiu Buping quickly explained to Poison God.

Poison God frowned. He was also a bit bewildered at this moment. Tian Buyi spoke so earnestly, it didn't seem like he was lying, as if they had indeed stolen a spiritual treasure from Qingyun Sect.

However, Ghost King had only instructed him to resolve the matter of the formation and prevent the Qingyun Sect from finding out about it. He had never mentioned that any spiritual treasure in Nine Yin Mountain had been stolen by their Demonic Cult.

Where had something gone wrong?

"None?"

Tian Buyi sneered and retorted to Qiu Buping, "Then why are your Demonic Cult people making such a big scene in Nine Yin Mountain? Don't tell me you're out for a spring outing?"

"We are..."

Qiu Buping couldn't stand Tian Buyi's serious accusation and was about to reveal the matter of the formation to explain, but he quickly shut his mouth with a sigh.

That was close!

He almost let it slip. He feared that if he revealed even a hint of information about the formation, before the Qingyun Sect cultivators could act, Poison God beside him would directly unleash a poisonous palm strike and turn him into a bloody mist.

"See! You can't explain, can you? And you still claim you didn't steal our spiritual treasure?"

The Qingyun Sect disciples, seeing this, became even more convinced that the sword spiritual treasure had been snatched by these Demonic Cult members, and their anger surged.

Poison God took a step forward, his brow furrowed, and replied to Tian Buyi, "Whether you believe it or not, I have never heard of any heavenly spiritual treasure in Nine Yin Mountain, nor have I ordered anyone to steal one."

"While you two Chief Disciples of Qingyun Sect are indeed at the Nascent Soul stage, am I not? Your combined strength might not be my match."

Poison God instantly unleashed his full might, his pressure causing the atmosphere of the entire area to sink. Even the disciples with weaker cultivation were affected, their minds filled with fear, and blood trickled from their noses.

Peak Nascent Soul Stage?

Tian Buyi and Shui Yue immediately sensed Poison God's cultivation. It had been a long time since they had last seen the Sect Master of the Myriad Poison Sect, and now he was at the peak of the eighth stage of Nascent Soul.

They exchanged glances, their brows furrowing.

At such a level of cultivation, each stage represented a qualitative leap.

As Poison God said, Shui Yue and Tian Buyi were only at the sixth or seventh stage of Nascent Soul. If they truly faced Poison God alone, they would have no chance of winning. Only when fighting two against one could they barely contend with Poison God, with the outcome being a fifty-fifty split, or even a sixty-forty split in Poison God's favor.

Just as they were contemplating how to resolve the matter, Poison God retracted his pressure and said to Tian Buyi and Shui Yue in a softened tone, "How about we take a step back? Our Sacred Cult members will withdraw from Nine Yin Mountain, and your Qingyun Sect need not pursue our responsibility for coming here."

"As for the so-called spiritual treasure, I don't understand what you mean by that now. Once I clarify the matter, I will naturally give you an answer."

Although Poison God's attitude couldn't be described as sincere, his words were reasonable, and both Tian Buyi and Shui Yue tacitly agreed to the proposal.

After all, once cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage began to fight, it would no longer be a minor skirmish, and the karma involved would only grow.

"Impossible! You stole our spiritual treasure and now you want to let it go? If you let them leave, I fear the spiritual treasure will be lost to our Qingyun Sect forever!"

Just as Tian Buyi and Shui Yue were contemplating, a voice filled with righteous indignation spoke from beside them.

"Old Poison Ghost, take my sword!"

Immediately after, a flash of white light flickered, and sword energy erupted from beside Tian Buyi, shooting towards the Poison God flying high in the sky.

Everything happened in an instant; no one had anticipated such a turn of events.

"Seeking death!"

Poison God was enraged. He could tolerate Tian Buyi and Shui Yue calling him an old poison ghost, but for a Qi Refining stage disciple of Qingyun Sect to address him in such a manner and dare to attack him rashly?

How could he tolerate such contempt for his existence?!

Poison God lightly raised his hand, effortlessly dispelling the incoming sword energy. His eyes blazing with anger, he looked at Lin Jingyu, who had spoken and attacked, and unleashed a poisonous palm strike.

A massive black palm shadow appeared in the sky, pressing down on Lin Jingyu. In an instant, the world changed color, the sky and earth darkened, and the forests shattered. The power was unimaginably immense, almost swallowing Nine Yin Mountain. Everyone was shocked.

Lin Jingyu's face contorted, his facial features and orifices bleeding under the immense palm shadow. At this moment, he truly felt the fear of death.

It had been many years since he had witnessed a Nascent Soul stage powerhouse in action, and experiencing it again was terrifying.

Tian Buyi and Shui Yue faced a formidable enemy. They immediately drew their swords, unleashing their sword techniques to break through the sword energy and resist the massive palm shadow.

A golden sword energy and a blue sword energy respectively shot out from their sword tips. The golden sword energy transformed into a dragon's shadow, letting out a sky-shattering dragon's roar as it tore through the air. The blue sword energy, with thousands of blue lights merging into one, formed a massive beam of light like a surging tide, wondrous and varied.

"RUMBLE!"

The massive palm shadow collided with the two extraordinary sword energies, emitting a deafening roar. The ground beneath their feet trembled as if Nine Yin Mountain itself was in fear.

The residual shockwave directly sent the more than a hundred people present staggering back. Those with slightly stronger cultivation, even while resisting with their spiritual energy, were forced back more than ten steps before stabilizing themselves on the ground. The weaker ones were sent flying and fell to the ground, their internal organs ruptured, and they lost consciousness.

However, thanks to the barrier Shui Yue had set up beforehand, the Qingyun Sect disciples were largely unaffected by the shockwave, though their minds were still reeling from the impact.

As for Lin Jingyu, the primary target of the palm shadow, he had already collapsed on the ground. He was conscious but had lost his senses. His bones were almost twisted, and his entire body was trembling. Layers of black energy emerged from his body, clearly indicating that he had been struck by Poison God's palm, causing poisonous energy to enter his body.