Five Years!

"Hmph, at least you're honest."

Luo Liuli gave a cold snort. With a light turn of her fingertips, she condensed that wisp of silver-gray soul power into a crystalline soul bead.

With a flick of her finger, the bead turned into a streak of light and landed in Wei Qing's palm.

"Within five years, raise your strength with all you have." Her figure began to turn transparent. "This seal can hold for five years at most."

Before her words had faded, a flash of red swept past, and Luo Liuli had already vanished into Wei Qing's brow.

Those present merely saw his body pause slightly, unaware of what had happened.

"Five years?" Wei Qing rubbed the silver bead in his hand, his brow faintly furrowed.

He knew perfectly well—five years from now, there would be only two paths: either break through to Martial King within five years, or seek the aid of a great human expert—there was no third road.

"Qingzi? What's wrong?" Jun Wushang patted his shoulder.

"Nothing."

Wei Qing steadied his mind and pretended to walk toward the sealing formation to form hand seals, while actually using his sleeve to conceal the soul bead as he took it out.

Clutching the silver bead in his hand, he turned back to the group. "Done. We've obtained the demon's soul power."

"Wonderful! We can finally leave this damned place!" Dongfang Rongrong leaped excitedly on the spot, the tips of her hair flying in her excitement.

Joy appeared on everyone's faces as well.

Tantai Yue glanced thoughtfully at Wei Qing's brow, the Ice Soul Sword trembling softly within its sheath.

She seemed to have sensed something, but in the end, she did not ask.

Wei Qing stepped forward and pressed the silver bead onto the core of the formation.

In an instant, the entire grand formation lit up with silver radiance, and the formation patterns on the ground began to flow as though life had been poured into them.

The silver bead slowly revolved at the eye of the formation, releasing a ring of light with every turn.

When the ninth halo spread outward, the space above the formation suddenly twisted, and a teleportation gate rippling like water gradually took shape.

Starlight flowed within the gate, and the familiar scenery of the outside world could vaguely be seen.

Just as Wei Qing was about to step into the teleportation gate, an inexplicable call suddenly came from the depths of the Black Mist Wasteland.

It felt as if someone had grabbed him, forcing his steps to halt of their own accord.

"What's wrong?"

Tantai Yue, walking at his side, sharply turned back.

"Nothing."

Wei Qing shook his head and did not dwell on where that calling sensation had come from.

The origins of the Black Mist Wasteland were far too mysterious. To this day, no one had discovered what lay in its deepest reaches.

With his current strength, going in to explore would be far too dangerous.

"Go!"

Wei Qing gave a low shout, and his figure had already entered the dazzling teleportation gate.

The others did not dare delay, stepping one after another into that warped curtain of light.

At the instant the last figure disappeared.

The Silver Moon Demon King, which had originally been on its last breath, suddenly raised its head. The wounds all over its body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The vicious light in its purple eyes surged, and a chilling whisper squeezed out from between its fangs. "Once this king breaks the seal... I will make you beg for life and find death beyond reach!"

Outside the wasteland

The air before Feng Wuyai and the others suddenly rippled like water.

A teleportation gate shining with starlight appeared out of thin air, echoing the formation deep within the black mist from afar.

"Stay alert!"

Zhang Zhidong formed a sword-finger seal, while Liu Xinghe drew his long blade three inches from its sheath.

The weapons of the elders from every sect crossed in cold flashes, forming an impenetrable line of defense.

Although members of the Blood Robe Gate had fallen earlier, they had confirmed that their disciples were safe for the time being.

But with this teleportation gate appearing so suddenly, no one knew whether those emerging from it would be their disciples or enemies.

If they were enemies, they had to kill them at once.

Under everyone's tense gaze, the starlight rippled, and Wei Qing's bloodstained black official robe appeared first.

Tantai Yue, Jun Wushang, and the others appeared in succession behind him, every face carrying the exhaustion of survivors who had escaped disaster.

"Mother."

Like a fledgling swallow that had weathered a storm, Zhang Xue suddenly threw herself toward Shen Yan amid the crowd.

Shen Yan opened her arms and held her daughter tightly, her trembling fingers brushing over Zhang Xue's disheveled hair.

"It's all right... it's all right as long as you're safe."

Seeing his daughter return safely, Zhang Zhidong finally let go of the worry hanging in his heart.

"Master."

"Father."

"Master, Great Elder."

Amid his delight, Zhao Santong was the first to notice the current cultivation of his two disciples, and the smile on his face suddenly froze.

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his voice cracking. "Rongrong, Yuanming, what happened to your cultivation?"

The Seventh-Rank Advanced aura flowing around Dongfang Rongrong made the Qingshan Sect Master's fingers tremble even more—before entering the wasteland, she had clearly only been Eighth-Rank High-Tier!

Song Yuanming, meanwhile, had broken through to Sixth-Rank Primary, only two minor realms below Zhao Santong, his master.

That was at least a full three minor realms higher than before they had entered the Black Mist Wasteland!

"Sixth-Rank Intermediate?" Xuan Yue Li grabbed Nangong Ruyan's wrist, and after sending True Essence into her body, his pupils abruptly shrank. "This... how is this possible..."

Zhang Zhidong and Shen Yan exchanged a glance, then simultaneously checked Zhang Xue's meridians. They immediately sucked in a cold breath. "Seventh-Rank Mid-Tier..."

Only then did the elders of the various sects present notice the anomaly, and they hurriedly examined the cultivation of their own disciples.

The result left everyone horrified—

Of the disciples who emerged from the Black Mist Wasteland, those who had broken through had advanced by at least two minor realms.

At the same time, they discovered that some disciples were missing.

They immediately began asking questions.

While rejoicing over the mysterious inheritance their disciples had received, they also learned that the Blood Robe Gate had colluded with demons.

"What?!" Zhao Santong roared, his beard and hair bristling. "Damn it! I knew that bastard Zhou Xing ran faster than a rabbit!"

Liu Xinghe's face darkened like still water. "Once we return to our sects, immediately summon every faction. Traitors like the Blood Robe Gate cannot be allowed to live until tomorrow!"

Xuan Yue Li said, "Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

The sect masters and elders of every faction erupted in fury. In particular, the sects that had lost disciples wanted nothing more than to charge into the Blood Robe Gate and slaughter them at once.

Feng Wuyai slowly walked up to Wei Qing, rare solemnity flickering in his eyes. "Wei Qing, if you had not turned the tide this time, the inheritance of my line might have been severed."

"This time, I owe you a favor. Should you ever need anything in the future, this old man will give you his full support."

"My Blazing Sun Sect also owes you a favor. Whatever you need, the entire sect will aid you."

"My Mystic Maiden Palace as well."

"My Qingshan Sect too."

Every sect present made its promise in turn.

Not only had Wei Qing acted to protect the inheritance of their sects, but they had also learned from their disciples that Wei Qing was a peerless genius—Sixteen years old and already Seventh-Rank Advanced.

With such terrifying talent, under the protection of the Heavenly Realm Division, so long as Wei Qing did not fall, he would surely one day become another terrifying existence capable of suppressing Great Zhou and even the Eastern Region.

As they made their promises, they undoubtedly also intended to befriend him.

Seeing this, Zhang Zhidong's expression shifted slightly.

Wei Qing had suddenly become someone protected by all the major powers of Ji Province. It could be said that even setting aside his identity as a member of the Heavenly Realm Division, no force in Ji Province would dare easily offend him in the future.

"Esteemed seniors, eliminating demons is simply the duty of my Heavenly Realm Division. There is no need for you all..."