Kunlun Winds and Clouds, Sha Crystal's Hidden Tracks

The black Sha Qi cloud pressed down on the Kunlun Mountain Range like an ink-dyed canopy that blotted out the sky. Wherever it passed, daylight dimmed, vegetation withered, and even the pure spiritual qi in the air was corrupted into corrosive turbid currents. The Warning Talisman Array Xuan Fu had set up trembled violently, its cyan-gold spiritual light flickering erratically as it transmitted the movements across ten thousand miles clearly into his Spiritual Sense.

He was hidden in a secluded cave on the outskirts of Kunlun, the entrance shielded by multiple layers of Stealth Talisman Arrays, his aura completely merged with the surrounding rocks and trees. His Spiritual Sense extended outward through the arrays, taking in the distant battle situation: the Malevolent Spirit Crystal floated at the core of the Sha Qi cloud, its black patterns writhing like living things, emitting a pressure several times stronger than before—its chaotic consciousness had clearly fully awakened; the Kongming Demon God prowled the periphery of the Sha Qi cloud, black Space Blades slashing at the Malevolent Spirit Crystal Like a torrential rain, only to be blocked one after another by the Sha barrier, and instead suffered backlash from the Sha Qi, his aura subtly disordered; Ao Guang, Feng Yao, and Qilin Cang had formed a temporary alliance, their three-colored Origin Powers Intertwined into a light screen, restraining the Sha Qi cloud from a distance, clearly hoping to reap the spoils of conflict.

"The Malevolent Spirit Crystal's power is growing stronger. If this continues, even the Innate Barrier of the Kunlun Mountain Range might not hold." Xuan Fu thought to himself. He could feel a gentle yet vast Dragon Vein power emanating from deep within the Kunlun Mountain Range, contending against the Sha Qi cloud, forming an invisible barrier. But under the erosion of the Malevolent Spirit Crystal, this barrier was visibly thinning.

The Kunlun Mountain Range was the source of the primordial Dragon Veins, home to countless Innate Beings. If it were completely corrupted by Sha Qi, it would not only destroy this treasured cultivation ground but also trigger a chain reaction, affecting the spiritual qi balance of the entire primordial world. Though Xuan Fu followed the path of survival, he didn't wish to see such an outcome—after all, he was counting on cultivating in seclusion here. If this place were destroyed, he'd have to find another refuge.

More importantly, from the Sha Qi of the Malevolent Spirit Crystal, he sensed a dense aura of Chaos Origin. If he could seize the opportunity to collect some awakened Fiend Spirit Origin, it would be invaluable for perfecting his Purification Talisman and even condensing stronger Sha-attribute talismans.

His Spiritual Sense raced, and Xuan Fu quickly made a decision. He didn't choose to intervene directly in the battle. Instead, he activated the Universe Folding Talisman, transforming himself into a barely perceptible talisman light, silently darting out of the cave toward the junction of the Sha Qi cloud and the Dragon Vein barrier. That was where the Energy Collision was most intense, and also the perfect spot to hide and collect Origin.

The talisman light flitted like a ghost through the forest, avoiding the panicked Innate Beings fleeing along the way, and soon reached the junction. The Dragon Vein power and Sha Qi clashed, forming a chaotic stream of black and white energy. Within the stream, countless tiny fragments of Fiend Spirit Origin and Dragon Vein spiritual qi collided and annihilated each other. Xuan Fu hid behind a massive rock, activating his Spiritual Sense like the most patient hunter, capturing the scattered Fiend Spirit Origin fragments.

He didn't absorb them directly. Instead, he took out a prepared blank talisman and activated it into a temporary Origin container. His finger (the tip of the rune) lightly tapped, and strands of cyan-gold talisman power shot out, precisely entangling the Fiend Spirit Origin fragments, slowly pulling them into the container. These fragments carried a violent Aura of Destruction, but wrapped in the talisman power strands, they became docile, obediently stored away.

Just as he collected the third Fiend Spirit Origin fragment, the battle situation suddenly changed. The Kongming Demon God had clearly lost patience. He burned his Origin, and the black Power of Space surged, transforming into a massive Space Rift that slashed toward the Core Area of the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. "This Venerable One refuses to believe he can't break your turtle shell!" Kongming's roar shook the heavens. Where the Space Rift passed, the Sha Qi cloud was forcibly torn open.

The Malevolent Spirit Crystal seemed enraged. The black light surged abruptly, the Sha Qi cloud contracted instantly, then expanded violently. Countless black Malevolent Spirit Blades shot out from the cloud like a Meteor Shower, aimed at Kongming and the three clan powerhouses. These blades were purer than the previous Sha Qi, carrying strong corrosive and destructive power. Where they passed, even space was corroded into tiny holes.

"Not good!" Ao Guang was shocked. He quickly urged water vapor to condense into thick water walls. Feng Yao and Qilin Cang also activated their Origin Powers, reinforcing the three-colored light screen. The Malevolent Spirit Blades struck the water walls and light screen with a sizzling sound. The water walls were instantly corroded into countless holes, and the light screen trembled violently, cracks appearing.

Kongming's situation was even more perilous. Though his Space Rift had torn the Sha Qi cloud, he was also backlashed by the Malevolent Spirit Blades. His spatial barrier was pierced in an instant, and several blades struck his body, leaving deep wounds. Black Sha blood flowed from the wounds, emitting a pungent odor. "Damn it!" Kongming roared, forced to retreat several li, temporarily avoiding the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's edge.

Seizing this gap, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal suddenly changed direction, ignoring Kongming and the three clans, and charged toward the depths of the Kunlun Mountain Range. Clearly, it too had sensed the purity of the Dragon Vein power and wanted to devour the Dragon Vein Origin to perfect itself.

"Not good! It wants to break into Kunlun's heartland!" Ao Guang was horrified. If the Malevolent Spirit Crystal devoured the Dragon Vein Origin, the consequences would be unimaginable. He immediately burned more Origin, and water vapor formed a massive Water Dragon, chasing after the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's tail. Feng Yao and Qilin Cang dared not lag behind, Followed closely behind. The three-colored Origin Powers Intertwined again, trying to block the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's path.

Xuan Fu's heart tightened. If the Malevolent Spirit Crystal broke into Kunlun's heartland, it would surely trigger greater chaos, possibly even alarming the reclusive powerhouses deep in the Kunlun Mountain Range. Without hesitation, he activated the Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman, turning into a cyan-gold streak of light, following behind the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. At the same time, he integrated the collected Fiend Spirit Origin fragments into himself and began refining them rapidly.

The refining process went unusually smoothly. With the Purification Talisman in place, though these Fiend Spirit Origin fragments were violent, they were quickly assimilated by his talisman power. The black patterns on the rune's surface grew clearer, Intertwined with the cyan-gold Rigid-Soft Talisman Power, forming a strange yet powerful new force. He could feel that his talisman path had made another breakthrough. He could now initially control the Fiend Spirit power, even condense a "Malevolent Spirit Talisman" carrying an Aura of Destruction.

Just then, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal suddenly stopped. From deep within the Kunlun Mountain Range, a gentle yet powerful spiritual light shot into the sky, confronting the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's black Sha Qi. Within the light, a palace floating in the clouds was faintly visible, surrounded by countless Innate Spirit Grass, emitting dense life force. This was the core of the Kunlun Mountain Range—the embryonic form of the Jade Void Palace.

"Primordial sacred ground, how dare a baleful fiend run rampant!" A majestic voice came from the Jade Void Palace. The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable pressure, causing even the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's Sha Qi to pause slightly.

Xuan Fu was startled. He hadn't expected such a powerful figure to already be stationed deep in Kunlun. He immediately stopped, concealing his form again, hiding behind a peak to observe the situation. He could feel that the powerhouse in the Jade Void Palace was unfathomably strong, possibly even stronger than Daoist Yang Mei, clearly a top-tier primordial great being.

The chaotic consciousness of the Malevolent Spirit Crystal seemed to sense the threat. The Sha Qi cloud churned violently but didn't attack immediately, instead hovering in place, clearly weighing the pros and cons. Kongming and the three clan powerhouses took the chance to catch their breath, retreating several li to form an encirclement, but dared not advance rashly—they feared both the Malevolent Spirit Crystal and the mysterious powerhouse in the Jade Void Palace.

The situation fell into a stalemate. The Sha Qi cloud and the Jade Void Palace's spiritual light confronted each other, while Kongming and the three clans watched covetously from the side. The atmosphere in the Kunlun Mountain Range was tense to the extreme, every rustle of wind and grass unusually clear.

Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense raced, calculating his options. The powerhouse in the Jade Void Palace was clearly on the side of the primordial beings and would surely block the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. This was an excellent opportunity for him. While the two sides were locked in confrontation, he could continue collecting Fiend Spirit Origin, possibly even condensing a stronger talisman.

He quietly activated the Malevolent Spirit Talisman, disguising his aura as part of the Fiend Spirit Origin, then slowly approached the Sha Qi cloud. The Malevolent Spirit Crystal's chaotic consciousness was fully focused on the Jade Void Palace's pressure and didn't notice his approach. Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense swept through the Sha Qi cloud like a searchlight, quickly locking onto an area with the densest Fiend Spirit Origin.

Just as he prepared to collect, the Jade Void Palace's spiritual light suddenly surged, and a gentle white light shot toward the Malevolent Spirit Crystal. This white light carried no destructive power but was filled with a strong purifying force. Where it passed, the Sha Qi melted like snow in fire. The Malevolent Spirit Crystal let out an angry roar, and the Sha Qi cloud contracted again, counterattacking the white light.

"Boom!"

The white light and Sha Qi cloud collided. There was no earth-shattering sound, but a massive Energy Ripple formed. Where the ripple passed, the Sha Qi was rapidly purified, and the Dragon Vein power surged, strengthening the Kunlun Mountain Range's Innate Barrier. Kongming and the three clan powerhouses were caught in the ripple and retreated, their faces even paler.

Taking advantage of the Energy Ripple's cover, Xuan Fu successfully collected a large mass of Fiend Spirit Origin. This mass was purer than all the fragments he'd gathered before, containing dense chaotic destructive power. Overjoyed, he immediately activated his talisman power, storing it in the Origin container, planning to refine it slowly back in the cave.

Just as he prepared to withdraw, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal suddenly erupted with a black pillar of light, breaking through the white light's obstruction, shooting toward a hidden valley in the Kunlun Mountain Range. Xuan Fu's heart jumped. Following the pillar's direction, he saw that in that valley, a faint yet exceptionally pure Innate Spiritual Qi was hidden—clearly an undiscovered spiritual vein node.

"It wants to devour the spiritual vein node to recover its strength!" Xuan Fu understood. The Malevolent Spirit Crystal had suffered in its confrontation with the Jade Void Palace and wanted to use the spiritual vein node to restore its energy before contending again.

The powerhouse in the Jade Void Palace also sensed the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's intent. The white light surged again, chasing after the pillar. But the Malevolent Spirit Crystal was fast, and the pillar had already struck the spiritual vein node. With a crisp crack, a massive fissure split the valley floor. Pure spiritual vein Origin gushed out, only to be instantly devoured by the Malevolent Spirit Crystal's Sha Qi.

The Malevolent Spirit Crystal's aura exploded, the black Sha Qi cloud expanding several times, even suppressing the Jade Void Palace's white light. "Roar—" It let out an excited roar and charged toward the Jade Void Palace again.

A flash in the eyes of Kongming and the three clan powerhouses showed greed. They hadn't expected the Malevolent Spirit Crystal to devour a spiritual vein node to recover strength. If they could seize the Malevolent Spirit Crystal or get a share, their power would skyrocket. "Attack together! While it's locked in stalemate with the Jade Void Palace, join forces and take it down!" Ao Guang roared, urging water vapor and charging at the Malevolent Spirit Crystal.

Feng Yao and Qilin Cang responded, their three-colored Origin Powers Intertwined again, merging with Kongming's spatial power to form a powerful attack aimed at 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 displaced. Xuan Fu hid behind a peak, watching the chaos with no ripples in his heart. He knew this was the primordial world—the strong prey on the weak, survival of the fittest. Only by becoming strong himself could he stand in this turbulent age.

He didn't linger. Taking advantage of the chaotic battle, he activated the Universe Folding Talisman, turning into a cyan-gold streak of light, silently returning to the cave. Back inside, he immediately reinforced the talisman array, then took out the collected Fiend Spirit Origin and began refining it with full focus.

The black Fiend Spirit Origin flowed slowly in his hand. After being purified by the Purification Talisman, it transformed into a pure destructive talisman power, merging into his rune body. The black patterns on the rune's surface grew clearer, Intertwined with the cyan-gold Rigid-Soft Talisman Power and the emerald Life Talisman Power, forming a wondrous three-colored flow.

His Spiritual Sense continuously expanded, and the rune body's volume grew again, reaching half a foot in size. The pressure it emitted was now comparable to a high-level demon god. He tried to condense a new talisman, using the Fiend Spirit Origin as the core, incorporating Rigid-Soft Talisman Power and spatial talisman power. A black talisman with cyan-gold patterns slowly condensed in his hand. This talisman was named the "Malevolent Spirit World-Breaking Talisman." It possessed both the destructive power of the Fiend Spirit, easily breaking any defense, and the folding power of space, allowing instant escape after breaking through. Its power far exceeded the previous Rigid-Soft World-Breaking Talisman.

Looking at the Malevolent Spirit World-Breaking Talisman in his hand, Xuan Fu was filled with a 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 was about to continue studying his talisman path, the Warning Talisman Array outside the cave suddenly transmitted a violent fluctuation. This fluctuation didn't come from the Malevolent Spirit Crystal or the three clan powerhouses, but from an energy wave thick with blood and evil, somewhat similar to Demon Ancestor Luohu's aura, yet more bizarre and violent.

Xuan Fu's heart tightened. He immediately concealed his aura and activated his Spiritual Sense to probe through the Warning Talisman Array's induction. At the edge of the Kunlun Mountain Range, a massive black crack was rapidly expanding. From within the crack, countless grotesque Demonic Beasts were Pouring Out endlessly. These beasts were covered in black scales, emitting a dense evil aura. Where they passed, life was devastated, vegetation withered.

"A Demon Tide?"

Xuan Fu was shocked. He hadn't expected a Demon Tide to appear at this moment. Though these Demonic Beasts weren't extremely powerful individually, their numbers were vast and they were fearless. Once they spread, the entire Kunlun Mountain Range would be in crisis.

What alarmed him more was that these Demonic Beasts seemed to be targeting the Malevolent Spirit Crystal and the four forces still locked in battle. Like sharks scenting blood, they rushed toward the battle.

Xuan Fu's Spiritual Sense locked onto the Demonic Beasts, his heart full of doubt. Where did these Demonic Beasts come from? Were they the work of Demon Ancestor Luohu, or was there another reason?

Meanwhile, the Malevolent Spirit Crystal and the four forces, still in the midst of battle, had also noticed the Demon Tide. The fighting abruptly stopped. Everyone's gaze turned to the edge of the Kunlun Mountain Range, their expressions grave.

A greater crisis was rapidly approaching the Kunlun Mountain Range. And the cave where Xuan Fu was hiding, though concealed, lay directly in the path of the Demon Tide's spread.

He gripped the Malevolent Spirit World-Breaking Talisman in his hand, quickly calculating his options. Should he continue to lie low, waiting for the Demon Tide and the four forces to Both Suffer Losses before scavenging? Or should he immediately activate the Universe Folding Talisman and flee deep into the Kunlun Mountain Range, seeking shelter from the powerhouse in the Jade Void Palace?

Just as he hesitated, a sharp screech came from outside the cave. A hideous Demonic Beast had broken through the outer talisman array and was charging toward the cave.