A cloud of black fiendish energy, like ink staining the heavens and blotting out the sun, rapidly pressed toward the Kunlun Mountain Range. Wherever it passed, daylight dimmed and vegetation withered. Even the pure Spiritual Qi in the air was polluted by the fiendish energy, turning into corrosive foul currents. The Warning Talisman Array Xuan Fu had laid down trembled wildly, its azure-gold spiritual light flickering erratically as it clearly relayed every disturbance within ten thousand miles into his Spiritual Sense.
He hid in a secluded cave on the outskirts of the Kunlun Mountain Range. Multiple layers of Stealth Talisman Arrays concealed the cave entrance, completely blending his aura into the surrounding rocks and vegetation. His Spiritual Sense extended outward through the talisman arrays, taking in the distant battle: the Malevolent Spirit Crystal floated at the core of the fiendish cloud, its black patterns writhing like living creatures. The pressure it emitted was several times stronger than before, clearly indicating that its Chaos consciousness had fully awakened; the Kongming Demon God circled the outskirts of the fiendish cloud, his black Space Blades continuously slashing at the Malevolent Spirit Crystal like torrential rain, only to be blocked one by one by barriers formed from fiendish energy. Worse, he was suffering backlash from the fiendish energy, and his aura had become faintly disordered; Ao Guang, Feng Yao, and Qilin Cang had formed a temporary alliance, their three-colored Origin Powers intertwining into a screen of light as they restrained the fiendish cloud from afar, clearly intending to reap the benefits after the others had fought.
The Malevolent Spirit Crystal is growing stronger and stronger. If this continues, even the Innate Barrier of the Kunlun Mountain Range may not hold. Xuan Fu thought grimly. He could sense a gentle yet vast Dragon Vein Power coming from the depths of the Kunlun Mountain Range, resisting the fiendish cloud and forming an invisible wall. But under the erosion of the Malevolent Spirit Crystal, that wall was visibly growing weaker.
The Kunlun Mountain Range was the source of the Primordial Wilderness's Dragon Vein. Countless Innate Beings dwelled there. If it were thoroughly polluted by fiendish energy, it would not only destroy this treasured cultivation ground but also trigger a chain reaction that would affect the balance of Spiritual Qi throughout the entire Primordial Wilderness. Though Xuan Fu followed the path of cautious survival, he did not want to see such a situation unfold—after all, he still counted on cultivating in Kunlun. If this place were destroyed, he would have to find another place to settle down.
More importantly, he had sensed an intense aura of Chaos Origin within the fiendish energy of the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. If he could take the opportunity to collect some of the awakened Fiend Spirit Origin, it would be of immeasurable value for perfecting his Purification Talisman and even condensing stronger fiendish attribute talismans.
His Spiritual Sense raced as Xuan Fu quickly reached a decision. He did not choose to intervene in the battle directly. Instead, he activated the Universe Folding Talisman, transforming himself into an almost imperceptible talismanic light that silently shot out of the cave and sped toward the boundary between the fiendish cloud and the Dragon Vein barrier. That was where the energy collisions were most intense, but also the ideal place to conceal his tracks and collect Origin Power.
The talismanic light darted through the mountain forest like a ghost, avoiding the startled Innate Beings fleeing along the way, and soon reached the boundary. Dragon Vein Power and fiendish energy collided, forming a turbulent current of energy interwoven with black and white. Within the current, countless tiny fragments of Fiend Spirit Origin and Dragon Vein Spiritual Qi collided and annihilated one another. Xuan Fu hid behind a huge boulder and activated his Spiritual Sense, acting like the most patient hunter as he captured those scattered fragments of Fiend Spirit Origin.
He did not absorb them directly. Instead, he took out an empty talisman he had prepared long ago and activated it into a temporary Origin container. With a light tap of his finger—the tip of a talismanic rune—threads of azure-gold talismanic power flew out and precisely wrapped around the fragments of Fiend Spirit Origin, slowly pulling them into the container. The fragments carried a violent Aura of Destruction, yet under the threads of talismanic power, they became docile and obediently settled inside.
Just as he collected his third fragment of Fiend Spirit Origin, the battle suddenly changed. The Kongming Demon God had clearly lost patience. He abruptly burned his Origin, causing his black Power of Space to surge before transforming into a colossal Space Rift that slashed toward the core area of the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. "I refuse to believe I can't break your tortoise shell!" Kongming roared, his voice shaking the heavens. Wherever the Space Rift passed, it forcibly tore open a gap in the fiendish cloud.
The Malevolent Spirit Crystal seemed to be thoroughly enraged. Its black light suddenly surged, and the fiendish cloud instantly contracted before expanding violently. Countless black Malevolent Spirit Blades shot out of the cloud like a Meteor Shower, streaking toward Kongming and the Three Clan Experts. These Malevolent Spirit Blades were even purer than the fiendish energy before, carrying intense corrosive force and Power of Destruction. Wherever they passed, tiny holes were corroded into space.
"Not good!" Ao Guang paled in shock and hurriedly condensed water vapor into a thick wall of water. Feng Yao and Qilin Cang also activated their Origin Powers, reinforcing the Three-Colored Light Screen. The Malevolent Spirit Blades struck the water wall and the light screen with sizzling sounds. The water wall was instantly corroded with countless holes, while the light screen trembled violently and developed crack after crack.
Kongming's situation was even more dangerous. Though his Space Rift had torn open the fiendish cloud, it had also suffered backlash from the Malevolent Spirit Blades. The spatial barrier around his body was instantly pierced, and several Malevolent Spirit Blades struck him, leaving deep wounds. Black fiendish blood flowed from them, giving off a pungent stench. "Damn it!" Kongming roared and had no choice but to retreat several miles, temporarily avoiding the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's edge.
Taking advantage of the opening, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal suddenly changed direction. It no longer paid attention to Kongming or the Three Clan Experts, instead charging toward the depths of the Kunlun Mountain Range. Clearly, it had also sensed the purity of the Dragon Vein Power and wanted to devour the Dragon Vein Origin to perfect itself completely.
"Not good! It wants to break into Kunlun's heartland!" Ao Guang paled in shock. If the Malevolent Spirit Crystal devoured the Dragon Vein Origin, the consequences would be unimaginable. He immediately burned more of his Origin, transforming water vapor into a gigantic Water Dragon that pursued the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's rear. Feng Yao and Qilin Cang did not dare delay either. They followed closely behind, their three-colored Origin Powers intertwining once more as they tried to block the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's path.
Xuan Fu's heart tightened. If the Malevolent Spirit Crystal entered Kunlun's heartland, it would surely cause even greater chaos and might even alarm the hidden experts in the depths of the Kunlun Mountain Range. Without hesitation, he activated the Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman, transforming into an azure-gold streak of light that followed behind the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. At the same time, he merged the collected fragments of Fiend Spirit Origin into himself and began rapidly refining them.
The refinement proceeded exceptionally smoothly. With the Purification Talisman working first, the violent Fiend Spirit Origin was quickly assimilated by his talismanic power. The black patterns on the surface of the rune grew increasingly distinct, intertwining with the azure-gold Rigid-Soft Talisman Power to form a strange and powerful new force. He could feel that his talismanic path had achieved another breakthrough. He could now initially control the power of fiend spirits and even condense a Malevolent Spirit Talisman carrying an Aura of Destruction.
At that moment, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal suddenly stopped. From the depths of the Kunlun Mountain Range, a gentle yet powerful spiritual light shot into the sky and confronted the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's black fiendish energy. Within the spiritual light, one could vaguely see a palace floating above the clouds. Countless Innate Spirit Grass surrounded it, radiating rich Life Power. It was the core of the Kunlun Mountain Range—the embryonic form of the Jade Void Palace.
"This is a sacred land of the Primordial Wilderness. How dare a fiend run wild here!" A majestic voice came from within the Jade Void Palace. The voice was not loud, yet it carried an undeniable pressure that caused even the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's fiendish energy to pause slightly.
Xuan Fu was startled. He had not expected such a powerful expert to already be stationed in the depths of Kunlun. He immediately stopped, concealed himself again, and hid behind a mountain peak to observe the situation. He could sense that the expert within the Jade Void Palace possessed unfathomable strength, perhaps even greater than Daoist Yang Mei. Clearly, this was a top expert of the Primordial Wilderness.
The Malevolent Spirit Crystal's Chaos consciousness seemed to sense the threat as well. The fiendish cloud rolled violently, but it did not launch an attack immediately. Instead, it lingered in place, clearly weighing the gains and losses. Kongming and the Three Clan Experts took the opportunity to catch their breath. They retreated several miles and formed an encircling stance, yet did not dare advance rashly. They feared both the Malevolent Spirit Crystal and the mysterious expert within the Jade Void Palace.
For a time, the situation reached a stalemate. The fiendish cloud and the spiritual light of the Jade Void Palace confronted each other, while Kongming and the Three Clan Experts watched hungrily from the side. The atmosphere throughout the Kunlun Mountain Range grew so tense that even the slightest movement of wind or grass seemed unusually clear.
Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense raced as he pondered a countermeasure. The expert in the Jade Void Palace was clearly standing on the side of the beings of the Primordial Wilderness and would certainly stop the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. This was an excellent opportunity for him. While the two sides confronted each other, he could continue collecting Fiend Spirit Origin and might even take the chance to condense stronger talismans.
He quietly activated the Malevolent Spirit Talisman, disguising his aura as part of the Fiend Spirit Origin, then slowly approached the fiendish cloud. The Malevolent Spirit Crystal's Chaos consciousness was fully focused on resisting the pressure from the Jade Void Palace and did not notice his approach. Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense swept through the fiendish cloud like a searchlight and quickly locked onto the area with the densest Fiend Spirit Origin.
Just as he prepared to act, the spiritual light of the Jade Void Palace suddenly surged. A beam of gentle White Light shot toward the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. The White Light contained no trace of destructive aura, yet it carried powerful purifying force. Wherever it passed, the fiendish energy melted instantly like snow meeting fire. The Malevolent Spirit Crystal let out an enraged roar. The fiendish cloud contracted again before rushing back toward the White Light.
Boom!
The White Light collided with the fiendish cloud. There was no earth-shaking explosion, but a colossal energy ripple spread outward. Wherever the ripple passed, the fiendish energy was rapidly purified, while the Dragon Vein Power surged along with it, making the Innate Barrier of the Kunlun Mountain Range even sturdier. Kongming and the Three Clan Experts were caught in the ripple and retreated one after another, their faces growing even paler.
Using the energy ripple as cover, Xuan Fu successfully collected a massive cluster of Fiend Spirit Origin. This cluster was purer than all the fragments he had collected before combined, containing dense Chaos Power of Destruction. Overjoyed, he immediately activated his talismanic power and stored it in the Origin container, planning to return to the cave before refining it slowly.
Just as he prepared to withdraw, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal suddenly unleashed a black pillar of light. It broke through the White Light's obstruction and shot toward a hidden valley in the Kunlun Mountain Range. Xuan Fu was startled and looked in the direction of the pillar. Within the valley, he saw a faint yet exceptionally pure Innate Spiritual Qi. Clearly, it was an undiscovered Dragon Vein node.
It wants to devour the Dragon Vein node and recover its strength! Xuan Fu understood immediately. The Malevolent Spirit Crystal had suffered a setback in its confrontation with the Jade Void Palace, so it wanted to use the power of the Dragon Vein node to restore its vitality before facing the Jade Void Palace again.
The expert in the Jade Void Palace had clearly noticed the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's intention as well. The White Light surged once more and pursued the pillar of light. But the Malevolent Spirit Crystal was incredibly fast, and the pillar had already struck the Dragon Vein node. With a crisp crack, a huge rift split open across the valley floor. Pure Dragon Vein Origin gushed out, only to be devoured instantly by the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's fiendish energy.
The Malevolent Spirit Crystal's aura surged instantly. The black fiendish cloud expanded several times over, faintly suppressing the White Light of the Jade Void Palace. "Roar!" It let out an excited bellow and charged toward the Jade Void Palace once more.
Greed flashed through the eyes of Kongming and the Three Clan Experts. They had not expected the Malevolent Spirit Crystal to recover its strength by devouring a Dragon Vein node. If they could seize the Malevolent Spirit Crystal or claim a share of the spoils, their strength would surely rise substantially. "Attack together! While it's locked in a stalemate with the Jade Void Palace, let's join forces and take it down!" Ao Guang roared and was the first to activate his water vapor, charging toward the Malevolent Spirit Crystal.
Feng Yao and Qilin Cang responded as well. Their three-colored Origin Powers intertwined once more, merging with Kongming's Power of Space to form a powerful attack that struck toward the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's flank.
The four forces erupted into battle once more. An Energy Storm swept across the entire Kunlun Mountain Range. Mountains collapsed, vegetation burned, and countless Innate Beings were left homeless. Hidden behind a mountain peak, Xuan Fu watched the chaos before him without the slightest ripple in his heart. He knew that this was the Primordial Wilderness: the strong preyed on the weak, and only the fittest survived. Only by becoming powerful himself could he establish a foothold in this chaotic age.
He did not linger. Taking advantage of the chaos, he activated the Universe Folding Talisman and transformed into an azure-gold streak of light, silently returning to the cave. After returning, he immediately reinforced the talisman arrays, then took out the collected Fiend Spirit Origin and began refining it wholeheartedly.
The black Fiend Spirit Origin slowly circulated in his hand. After being purified by the Purification Talisman, it transformed into pure destructive talismanic power and merged into his rune body. The black patterns on the rune's surface grew increasingly distinct, intertwining with the azure-gold Rigid-Soft Talisman Power and the emerald-green Life Talisman Power to form a wondrous scene of three colors flowing together.
His Spiritual Sense continued to expand, and the size of his rune body grew once more, reaching half a chi. The pressure it emitted was already comparable to that of a high-level Demon God. He attempted to condense a new talisman. Using the Fiend Spirit Origin as its core and incorporating Rigid-Soft Talisman Power and Space Talisman Power, a talisman covered in black with azure-gold patterns slowly condensed in his hand. This talisman was called the Malevolent Spirit World-Breaking Talisman. It possessed the destructive power of a fiend spirit and could easily break through any defense. It also possessed the spatial folding power to flee instantly after breaking through a world barrier. Its might far surpassed that of the Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman.
Looking at the Malevolent Spirit World-Breaking Talisman in his hand, Xuan Fu felt a deep sense of accomplishment. This was his greatest gain since entering the Kunlun Mountain Range and another trump card for facing the coming Tribulation.
Just as he prepared to continue studying the talismanic path, the Warning Talisman Array outside the cave suddenly emitted a violent fluctuation. This time, the fluctuation did not come from the Malevolent Spirit Crystal or the Three Clan Experts. Instead, it was an energy fluctuation carrying a dense bloody and evil aura. It resembled Demon Ancestor Luohu's aura somewhat, yet was even stranger and more violent.
Xuan Fu's heart tightened. He immediately concealed his aura and followed the Warning Talisman Array's perception with his Spiritual Sense. At the edge of the Kunlun Mountain Range, a huge Black Crack was rapidly expanding. Countless grotesque monsters continuously surged out of it. Their bodies were covered in black scales and radiated dense evil auras. Wherever they passed, living creatures perished and vegetation withered.
"A Demon Tide?"
Xuan Fu was startled. He had not expected a Demon Tide to appear at this moment. Though these monsters were not particularly strong, they were enormous in number and feared neither death nor injury. Once they spread, the entire Kunlun Mountain Range would fall into crisis.
What shocked him even more was that the monsters' target seemed to be the Malevolent Spirit Crystal and the four forces currently engaged in battle. Like sharks that had smelled blood, they rapidly rushed toward the battlefield.
Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense locked tightly onto the monsters, his heart filled with shock and doubt. Where had these monsters come from? Were they the work of Demon Ancestor Luohu, or was there some other hidden reason?
At that moment, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal and the four forces locked in fierce battle had clearly noticed the arrival of the Demon Tide as well. The fighting abruptly stopped. Everyone turned toward the edge of the Kunlun Mountain Range, their expressions becoming exceptionally grave.
An even greater crisis was rapidly approaching the Kunlun Mountain Range. Though the cave where Xuan Fu hid was secluded, it also lay directly in the path of the spreading Demon Tide.
He tightened his grip on the Malevolent Spirit World-Breaking Talisman and rapidly weighed his options. Should he continue hiding and wait until the Demon Tide and the four forces crippled each other before scavenging the spoils? Or should he immediately activate the Universe Folding Talisman, flee into the depths of the Kunlun Mountain Range, and seek the protection of the expert from the Jade Void Palace?
Just as he hesitated, a sharp shriek came from outside the cave. A grotesque monster had already broken through the outer talisman array and was pouncing toward the cave.
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