If No One Guides You, You May Never Reach the Peak in This Life—What a Pity, What a Pity

Xu Liguo watched the energy gathering in the sky and could not help but suck in a cold breath. Subconsciously, he looked toward the cultivators continuously flying in this direction.

The appearance of a Heavenly Tribulation was often accompanied by the emergence of a great treasure. For that very reason, the cultivators in the area rushed here without reservation, all in hopes of seizing the initiative.

The Hurricane Beast King glanced at Xu Liguo beside it and asked, "Will you do it, or shall I?"

Xu Liguo's eyes shifted as he put on the air of a seasoned schemer and said leisurely, "Leave this matter to you. These ants do not deserve this venerable one's intervention. Besides, I must help Master guard this place."

The Hurricane Beast King said nothing further. Turning to face the approaching cultivators, it swiftly appeared before them and blocked their path. "Any who take another half-step closer will be killed without mercy!"

The cultivators who had come here all stopped, staring at the Hurricane Beast King in astonishment. After all, it was their first time seeing a demonic beast of such a level.

"The energy is still gathering. Fellow Daoists, follow me and kill this demonic beast before us, then seize the treasure!"

The other cultivators exchanged looks. Though they did not know the beast's strength, the allure of a great treasure was simply too strong. If they obtained it, their strength would surely increase greatly.

After a brief moment of deliberation, the cultivators all summoned their magic treasures and fiercely bombarded the Hurricane Beast King, seemingly intent on wiping it out.

Facing the magic treasure attacks before it, the Hurricane Beast King gave a disdainful snort and, without hesitation, unleashed cultivation comparable to Nascent Soul Transformation Grand Perfection.

The instant the Hurricane Beast King's aura erupted, the cultivators who had been brimming with confidence froze where they stood. Their expressions were as spectacular as the third sticker in your phone.

"This aura... it is actually a Soul Transformation expert!"

"Run!"

"Retreat! Leave this place now, quickly!"

"Trying to leave now? Too late." The Hurricane Beast King snorted disdainfully. "My subjects, slaughter every cultivator here!"

With the Hurricane Beast King's roar, countless tiny hurricane beasts shot toward the fleeing cultivators like madmen.

Most of these small beasts possessed strength around the Core Formation and Nascent Soul realms. Thus, in only an instant, they slaughtered every cultivator in the area.

The Hurricane Beast King licked the blood-covered finger and ordered the small beasts to collect all the humans' Storage Bags before returning to the cave where Lin Che was refining the Forbidden Banner.

The Hurricane Beast King is actually this strong... Good thing I did not oppose it. Otherwise, this fellow would have eaten me alive...

Xu Liguo secretly glanced at the Hurricane Beast King beside him and thought to himself.

Just then, the energy in the sky suddenly stalled for a moment. The vortex of energy that had gathered earlier then vanished as well, as though nothing had ever happened.

Inside the quiet cave, Lin Che looked at the Human Sovereign Banner before him, a meaningful smile appearing on his face. "It is finally complete. The Human Sovereign Banner now contains a million souls, and with the power of the Heavenly Tribulation added in, it can fight even a Peak Stage expert."

Lin Che waved his right hand and put away the Human Sovereign Banner before turning and arriving outside the cave.

Seeing the Fiend Star emerge, Xu Liguo, the traitor, hurried over and began flattering him. "Congratulations, Master, on obtaining the Forbidden Banner. May Master's martial fortune flourish..."

Lin Che glanced at Xu Liguo, then looked at the Hurricane Beast King and asked indifferently, "Where are the things?"

The Hurricane Beast King took out all the Storage Bags it had obtained earlier and respectfully presented them with both hands.

Lin Che gathered up the Storage Bags. Although the contents were mostly low-grade magic treasures and pills, there were also some treasures suitable for Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators.

Wan'er would surely be happy if he gave all these things to her.

With one hand behind his back, Lin Che asked, "Where are we?"

Xu Liguo looked around and answered, "We should be in Mist Heaven City within the Demon Sea. Those people earlier were cultivators from Mist Heaven City, but they have basically all been killed here."

"Mist Heaven City..."

Lin Che murmured to himself, then arrived there in an instant. Since many cultivators had been killed earlier, most cultivators within Mist Heaven City had already had their souls scattered, while the rest were hiding within the city.

Just as Lin Che was preparing to leave, miserable screams and furious curses rang out beside his ears.

"You old bastard! If you dare come here again to eat and drink for free, I'll break your legs!"

Lin Che looked over and saw a slovenly old man dressed in ragged clothes. The old man had an ordinary appearance and looked like the most commonplace mortal, yet his body concealed enormous energy fluctuations.

The white-haired, white-bearded old man patted the dust from his shoulder and said disdainfully, "You brat, I was bringing business to your place, yet you threw me out directly. Are you even human?"

The old man swept his gaze over the crowd before it settled on Lin Che. His eyes immediately lit up, and he hurried over. "Little brother, I see that your forehead is full and bright, with purple light radiating through your body. You are certainly no ordinary person!"

"If no one guides you, I fear you may never reach the Peak in this life. What a pity, what a pity."

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Lin Che was basically certain that this old fellow before him was Yun Quezi, who possessed mid-Peak Stage cultivation.

According to the original work's description, Yun Quezi was one of the ancestors of the Immortal Remnant Clan. He had already reached the mid-Peak Stage and had once attempted to take control of the entire Vermillion Bird Star.

Thus, Yun Quezi had made a grand plan: after completely controlling Vermillion Bird Star, he would expand outward and strive to control even more planets.

Unfortunately, his luck was terrible. He suffered a crushing defeat while fighting for Vermillion Bird Star, and the one who defeated him was his own senior brother.

His senior brother had also wanted Vermillion Bird Star. As long as he gained control of it, he could become the new generation's Vermilion Bird. At that time, all of Vermillion Bird Star would acknowledge him, making it easier for him to comprehend artistic conceptions and increase his strength.

By then, all the resources of Vermillion Bird Star would belong to him, including its various races, all of whom would have to obey him.

Lin Che looked at Yun Quezi and slightly cupped his hands. "Junior Lin Che greets Senior."

"Oh?" Yun Quezi raised a brow and looked at Lin Che in surprise. "You can actually see through this old man's cultivation. How interesting."

"Boy, you should not be more than two hundred years old, right? Yet at such an age, you have already reached late Soul Formation Stage cultivation. Tsk, tsk, tsk. You are only two steps away from directly reaching the Soul Transformation Stage."

Lin Che asked softly, "Then how does one break through to the Peak that Senior speaks of?"

Although he did not need to comprehend anything to break through to the Peak, and could raise his cultivation simply by killing Soul Formation Stage cultivators, there were still too few Soul Formation Stage cultivators on Vermillion Bird Star. Breaking through would not be easy,