Cycle of Life and Death

Silken gauze fluttered, and her delicate figure seemed to carry an endless allure. Even the Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets could not stop their hearts from heating and beating restlessly.

Yang Jizhen violently shook his head, finally breaking free from the Bewitching Technique.

He was horrified!

What kind of spell was this? It could actually tug at my Dao heart?

"Yimu Azure Lightning, Ha!"

Boom!

The thunderclap exploded. In an instant, countless people who had been captivated came to their senses. Sweat appeared on their foreheads, and chills ran down their backs.

Seeing this, Su Qingfu in the air lightly curled her charming lips. "Little friend, your Thunder Technique is quite good!"

"Who might you be?" Yang Jizhen asked, his expression solemn as he gazed at Su Qingfu.

Su Qingfu lightly waved her hand. She did not answer Yang Jizhen's question, merely saying gently, "Help me kill them, would you?"

Her voice was clearly soft, yet it reached everyone's ears and hearts, causing an impulse to rise within them.

An impulse to do anything for her.

Yang Jizhen's heart tightened. He initially thought this was some sort of trick, but he soon realized something was wrong, because those affected were not his people, but the Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets.

Roar!

A furious howl rang out. A group of Blood Puppets suddenly attacked the Blood Puppets beside them. It was not only the Blood Puppets—even the Yin Soldiers joined in.

At first, there were only a few, but as Su Qingfu's voice continued to ring out, large numbers of Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets began to switch sides. They became embroiled in a chaotic melee, slaughtering one another without distinguishing friend from foe.

Yang Jizhen stared blankly at the surrounding scene. "Is this the Bewitching Technique?"

Looking around again, he also discovered quite a few figures from the Fox Clan darting constantly through the battlefield. Their attacks were fierce, but their Bewitching Technique was even more capable of plunging large numbers of Yin Soldiers into madness.

The black mist, which had originally been scattered in all directions, became even more turbulent.

"Little friend, what are you waiting for? Hurry and wipe them out!"

A gentle voice sounded beside Yang Jizhen's ear. Yang Jizhen shuddered violently and turned his head toward the voice. His pupils suddenly contracted.

At some point, Su Qingfu had appeared beside him, only a foot away.

He could even feel the warm, moist breath she exhaled from her mouth.

Looking at that soft and charming pretty face, feeling that warm breath, Yang Jizhen's heart began to beat rapidly despite himself.

A heated sensation rose from his abdomen and spread throughout his body in an instant. The boundless impulse made it difficult for him to extricate himself.

It was not that he was so useless. The person before him was simply too alluring.

No matter how firm Yang Jizhen's will was, it was still difficult to withstand such temptation.

In truth, the fact that Yang Jizhen had not pounced on her immediately already meant he had performed very well.

If it had been anyone else, they would have long since become lost in it and lost themselves.

"Ahem, ahem!"

Just then, a light cough pulled Yang Jizhen, who was struggling desperately, back to his senses.

"Fellow Daoist Qingfu, this junior of mine is the future of the Yang Family. If you damage his Dao heart, this Venerable will not show you any courtesy!"

His stern gaze pierced Su Qingfu's heart like a sharp blade. Su Qingfu's entire body trembled, and she stiffly turned her head to look at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure behind her.

She had seen Yang Zhengshan several times. Although they could not be called close, he was certainly not a stranger.

Seeing Yang Zhengshan again now, she felt a terrifying pressure descend upon her heart, making fear rise uncontrollably within her.

She gazed at Yang Zhengshan. His face was as handsome as jade, his luxuriant beard fluttering, and his green-pine robe accentuated his tall, sturdy frame. His carefree bearing carried a weighty dignity, while that dignity contained a trace of approachability.

Only his deep, sharp eyes made her heart tremble. "Qingfu greets the True Lord!"

Yang Zhengshan glanced at her. "Playfulness should have its limits. For the sake of Fellow Daoist Su Mei, this Venerable will not hold it against you!"

"Yes! Thank you, True Lord, for your forgiveness!" Su Qingfu acted as meekly as a newlywed bride, with none of her earlier frivolity or coquettishness remaining.

Yang Jizhen took a deep breath and patted his chest, still shaken.

"A fine show was ruined by all of you! How boring!" Yang Zhengshan said helplessly.

"Hehe, I originally wanted to help, but unexpectedly made things worse instead. Fellow Daoist Yang, long time no see!" Su Mei appeared and spoke with an exasperated expression.

Yang Zhengshan shook his head. "It wasn't exactly making things worse. It simply fell somewhat short of expectations."

With that, he flicked his sleeve. An invisible Dao Resonance emanated from his body, sweeping across the entire battlefield like a gentle breeze.

In an instant, heaven and earth fell silent.

That silence was quickly broken. With a bang, a corpse fell from the sky. Then came countless more corpses, thudding down one after another. In the blink of an eye, the previously chaotic air had become empty. Aside from the Flying Boat and more than a hundred members of the Fox Clan, not a single Yin Soldier or Blood Puppet remained.

Su Mei looked at the corpses of the Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets below.

They were genuine corpses, without the slightest trace of life or Death Qi, like rocks and soil.

Her eyes narrowed, and her mind was shaken to its core.

What kind of ability was this?

He had actually wiped out more than a hundred thousand Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets in an instant?

Although the previous battle had killed quite a few Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets, more than half of them had actually remained.

Yet with a wave of his hand, Yang Zhengshan had caused the remaining Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets to become utterly lifeless objects. This completely exceeded Su Mei's understanding.

The Cycle of Life and Death. Life was controlled by me, and death was controlled by me as well.

After Yang Zhengshan entered the Dao through the Way of Life and Death, life and death became playthings in his hands.

Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets could not be divided simply into life and death.

They were neither living beings nor completely dead. They were freaks formed from the fusion of life and death.

But no matter what kind of freaks they were, as long as they were connected to life and death, they could not escape Yang Zhengshan's control.

In the past, Yang Zhengshan had still been restricted by his own life force. Now, however, he was no longer limited by it, because what he controlled was no longer the Way of Wither and Flourish, but the Way of Life and Death.

Of course, the Way of Life and Death was not invincible either.

Every ability had its limits.

And the extent of that limit was determined by Yang Zhengshan's cultivation and Dao Intent.

If it were Su Mei, Yang Zhengshan could not so easily transform her from a living being into a dead one. He could only continually wear away her life force.

It was the same as Su Qingfu's Bewitching Technique. Against Yang Jizhen, it was a fatal threat, but against Yang Zhengshan, it was no different from a gentle breeze.

Yang Zhengshan had originally not intended to act, because his purpose was to draw in a greater Yin Soldier Army. If he acted, he might frighten the Wuchang Ghost Sect away.

However, that was not certain either. In any case, the first step of the plan had already been completed. They had wiped out the first wave of the Yin Soldier Army. Next, they would see how the Wuchang Ghost Sect responded.

"I never imagined your strength would have grown to such a level!" Su Mei looked at Yang Zhengshan with a complicated expression.

When she had first met Yang Zhengshan, he had only been in the Initial Golden Core Realm. At that time, Yang Zhengshan had been hunted by True Lord Chiyuan and had been in a sorry state.

Now, in barely more than a hundred years, Yang Zhengshan's strength had grown to a level even she could not see through. For a time, she found it difficult to accept.

It had only been a little over a hundred years. Even she found it unbelievable when she thought about it.

Su Qingfu stood obediently beside Su Mei, lowering her head and not daring to look Yang Zhengshan in the eye.

Yang Jizhen looked around, scratched his head, and still ordered everyone to clean up the battlefield.

The unexpected appearance of the Fox Clan in this battle had left them unable to react for a while.

However, after seeing Yang Zhengshan wipe out tens of thousands of Yin Soldiers and Blood Puppets with a wave of his hand, everyone was still deeply invigorated.

Not to mention the others—even Yunxiao, Kou Ta, and Hong Fuxiu were filled with shock and disbelief.

Hong Fuxiu looked at Kou Ta. "Venerable, what cultivation level has he reached now?"

Kou Ta shook his head. "I couldn't make sense of it either!"

Although they were both in the Golden Core Realm, Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu were merely novices who had just entered the Initial Golden Core Realm. They were fundamentally unable to see through Yang Zhengshan's cultivation or strength.

"Fellow Daoist Yunxiao!" Kou Ta looked toward Yunxiao.

Yunxiao stroked his beard, his eyes flashing with brilliance. "I'm not sure either. However, Venerable's control over Dao Intent has already surpassed my understanding. Perhaps this is Half-step Entering Dao!"

"Half-step Entering Dao?" Kou Ta's eyes nearly popped out. "No wonder Venerable said earlier that he had a way to deal with Chang Buzai of the Wuchang Ghost Sect. It turns out Venerable's cultivation has already reached Half-step Entering Dao!"

"Hahaha! We were worrying for nothing!" Yunxiao laughed, his expression becoming much more relaxed.

Taking the initiative to intercept the Wuchang Ghost Sect was absolutely no easy matter for Yunxiao and the others. The Wuchang Ghost Sect was a colossal force. Even though White Jade Capital's current strength was not weak, it was still far inferior to the Wuchang Ghost Sect.

Although everyone was willing to take the risk and follow Yang Zhengshan, they still bore considerable pressure in their hearts.

Now that they knew Yang Zhengshan's cultivation had reached the Half-step Entering Dao stage, the pressure in Yunxiao's heart immediately eased considerably.

With Yang Zhengshan there, they no longer needed to fear Chang Buzai.

Without that powerhouse named Chang Buzai pressing down over their heads, the Wuchang Ghost Sect still possessed far more Golden Core cultivators than White Jade Capital, but White Jade Capital was not entirely without the power to resist.

Yang Zhengshan did not know what Yunxiao and the others were thinking. At this moment, he was looking at Su Mei and inviting her, "Fellow Daoist Su, why don't we go down and talk?"

He was indeed somewhat dissatisfied with the Qingyuan Fox Clan. After all, the casualties in the Spirit Source Land had been heavy during the battle at True Sun Immortal City.

However, he could also understand Su Mei's choice. At the time, the Wanhua Demon Court's abandonment of True Sun Immortal City had certainly been the decision of the Wanhua Demon Emperor. Given the situation facing the Qingyuan Fox Clan then, they naturally could not defy the Wanhua Demon Emperor's decision.

As for the Qingyuan Fox Clan's later departure from the Wanhua Demon Court, he had heard about that long ago as well.

Thus, he did not hold much of a grudge against Su Mei. Of course, he also had little affection left for the Qingyuan Fox Clan.

In the past, he might have developed Su Mei into a close friend and regarded the Qingyuan Fox Clan as an ally of White Jade Capital. Now, at most, they were merely casual acquaintances.

There was some affection, but not much remained.

After bringing Su Mei into the Forward Outpost Base, Su Mei could not help but pause slightly when she saw the people there.

"Greetings, Fox Venerable!"

Green Ox, Yunxiao, Kou Ta, Hong Fuxiu, and the others saluted her.

One Demon King and three Golden Core cultivators. This surprised both Su Mei and Su Qingfu somewhat, but compared with the strength Yang Zhengshan had displayed earlier, it seemed perfectly normal.

Su Qingfu deliberately looked at Green Ox a few more times. She knew of the Green Ox Demon King. The Green Ox Demon King was also a Demon King in the Wanhua Mountain Range. Although he had not been well-known in the past, he was certainly no nobody.

As for Yunxiao, anyone who had learned about the Tianyun Sword Sect and the Yang Family knew of his existence.

Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu, meanwhile, clearly looked like they had only recently completed Core Formation, so their appearance was not especially surprising.

After exchanging some polite words, everyone entered the pavilion and took their seats.

Once tea had been served, Su Mei could not help sighing. "I never imagined the Yang Family had already developed to such a level!"

Yang Zhengshan lifted his tea, took a light sip, and smiled. "Not the Yang Family. White Jade Capital."

"White Jade Capital?"

"That's right, White Jade Capital. It's the sect I established. After the Tianyun Sword Sect disbanded, I used its Sect-Suppressing Seal to establish White Jade Capital!"

Su Mei nodded slightly. "White Jade Capital as a sect. It seems your ambitions are not small."

"Ambitions?" Yang Zhengshan set down his teacup. "You could say that. My ambitions have always been great!"

Hearing him refer to himself as "this Venerable," Su Mei naturally understood what it meant.

A form of address represented distance, and it also represented the gap between the two of them.

In the past, she could refer to herself as this Venerable in front of Yang Zhengshan because she was the Demon Venerable of the Wanhua Demon Court.

Now, Yang Zhengshan referred to himself as this Venerable in front of her because his cultivation had reached Half-step Entering Dao, giving him the qualifications to be called a venerable Dao Ancestor in the Immortal Cultivation World.

"Could you introduce me to White Jade Capital?" Su Mei asked.

Yang Zhengshan smiled. "Why don't I invite Fellow Daoist Su to take a look around White Jade Capital?"

"That would be wonderful!"

Afterward, Yang Zhengshan took Su Mei and Su Qingfu into the Spirit Source Land.

Looking at the prosperous Jade Capital City and the vast Spirit Source Land, both Su Mei and Su Qingfu revealed shocked expressions.

If it had merely been an ordinary Grotto-Heaven, they naturally would not have been so shocked. After all, their Fox Clan also possessed the Qingyuan Cave Heaven.

However, the Qingyuan Cave Heaven was nothing compared with the Spirit Source Land.

The Qingyuan Cave Heaven was only a thousand li across, while the Spirit Source Land stretched for ten thousand li.

This was not a tenfold difference, but a hundredfold one.

The so-called thousand li and ten thousand li referred to the radius of the territory.

In truth, the Spirit Source Land was more than ten thousand li across. It was still expanding, but its expansion was slower than before. Moreover, the territories it added were all mortal soil without spiritual energy. There were no lofty mountains or rivers, only stretches of yellow earth.

In other words, when Yang Zhengshan's cultivation had reached the Golden Core Realm, the Life Realm Immortal Palace had already recovered its original appearance. Its expansion afterward was the natural growth of the Life Realm Immortal Palace.

This expansion did not benefit the Life Realm Immortal Palace very much, because as it continued to expand, the concentration of spiritual energy throughout the Life Realm Immortal Palace would become diluted.

Yang Zhengshan had considered restricting the expansion of the Life Realm Immortal Palace, but after careful thought, he abandoned the idea.

The issue of spiritual energy concentration was not impossible to resolve. It was similar to turning uncultivated land into fertile farmland. As long as spiritual energy was continuously infused into the Life Realm Immortal Palace, the mortal soil without spiritual energy would eventually become a Blessed Land.

The difference between the Qingyuan Cave Heaven and the Spirit Source Land was reflected not only in their areas, but also in the concentration of spiritual energy. Even the areas with the lowest concentration in the Spirit Source Land were equivalent to a second-grade superior Spirit Vein, while the areas with the highest concentration could rival a third-grade superior Spirit Vein.

The area with the highest concentration in the Qingyuan Cave Heaven, meanwhile, was only equivalent to a third-grade middle Spirit Vein.

It seemed to be only a single grade apart, but the actual difference was enormous.

The reason was that the Spirit Source Land possessed vast territories equivalent to a third-grade superior Spirit Vein, and some places had even surpassed the level of a third-grade superior Spirit Vein.

For example, Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau had almost reached the point where spiritual energy turned into mist.

Third-grade superior was the maximum rating for spiritual energy concentration, but it was not the limit of the Spirit Source Land.

Third-grade middle, however, was the limit of the Qingyuan Cave Heaven.

Why was Su Mei unwilling to let other members of the Demon Race enter the Qingyuan Cave Heaven? It was because she feared that too many demons would affect the concentration of spiritual energy within the Qingyuan Cave Heaven.

The spiritual energy inside a Grotto-Heaven was limited, and whether they were members of the Demon Race or Immortal Cultivators, they would absorb the surrounding spiritual energy while cultivating.

The more people cultivating inside a Grotto-Heaven, the more spiritual energy the Grotto-Heaven would lose.

This was also the main reason the Spirit Source Land continuously shattered Spirit Stones.