Surviving the Aftermath

Mo Yuan lurked in the shadows, successfully using a Clarity Talisman to disrupt several formation nodes. The Blood Pool Formation's operating efficiency quietly declined.

However, just as he prepared to continue, the Holy Maiden on the platform seemed to sense something. Her icy gaze suddenly swept toward him!

"There's a rat that slipped in."

He had been discovered! Mo Yuan's heart tightened, and he instantly retreated!

"Catch him!" the Red Robe Elder shouted, striking out with his palm from afar. A sinister palm wind howled toward him, and the pressure of the peak Qi Refinement realm was suffocating.

Mo Yuan drove the Ghost Shadow Footwork to its limit. His body blurred like smoke as he narrowly evaded the lethal blow. But Black Fiend Sect disciples surged toward him like a tide, evil arts and concealed weapons raining down in quick succession.

"Can't get bogged down. Break through!" Mo Yuan's gaze sharpened. He knew that being surrounded meant certain death.

He drew the Gold-Veined Thunderwood Sword with a backhanded motion. Though it was not a magic item, its material was extraordinary and its edge peerless. Sword light flashed as he unleashed the Dragon Snake Eight Styles!

"Dragon Swimming the Four Seas!" The sword move was like a dragon, agile and swift, always targeting weak points.

"Snake Probing Hidden Cave!" The move was tricky and vicious, striking from bizarre angles that were impossible to guard against.

Combined with his formidable physical strength, ordinary disciples collapsed at his touch, and he instantly tore open a gap. Yet there were too many disciples, including quite a few capable mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators. The Red Robe Elder followed him like a shadow, closing in once more. His withered claw shrieked through the air as it lunged straight for Mo Yuan's back!

"Brat, surrender your life!"

At that critical moment, the threads of True Dragon Evil Qi and Weaponry Evil Qi within Mo Yuan were stirred by his fighting spirit and began to surge on their own! Inspiration struck, and he poured both evil qis into his sword. Turning, he thrust out with all his might. This was no longer merely a sword move, but a desperate counterattack infused with dragon might and a will to slaughter!

"Break!"

Sword and claw collided with the clang of metal! Violent force exploded outward. Mo Yuan used the impact to drift backward, sweetness rising in his throat as the blow shook his internal organs. Still, he had blocked the killing strike. The Red Robe Elder, too, was forced into a momentary lapse in his breath by that strange dragon evil qi, his expression uncertain.

Seizing the opening, Mo Yuan did not hesitate. He pushed his speed to the limit and fled desperately toward the cave entrance he had come through! As he ran, he hurled several Evil-Slaying Talismans behind him to hinder his pursuers.

"Chase him! Don't let him escape!" the Red Robe Elder roared, leading the Holy Maiden and a large group of disciples in relentless pursuit.

Within the passageway, a heart-stopping chase unfolded. Mo Yuan relied on the Ghost Shadow Footwork and his advanced Aura Concealment Technique.

He darted through the twisting tunnels, occasionally using the terrain to counterattack and take out several disciples who had pursued closest behind him. But there were too many pursuers. In particular, the Red Robe Elder's and Holy Maiden's auras had him locked down tightly, and the distance between them kept shrinking.

Just as he was about to be caught, Mo Yuan suddenly remembered the [Realm Breaking Talisman (Single Use)] he had received from signing in! Without hesitation, he slapped the talisman against the stone wall near the cave entrance—what looked solid was actually another weaker illusion formation restriction!

"Open!"

The Realm Breaking Talisman flashed with spiritual light. Ripples spread across the stone wall, opening a temporary gap! Mo Yuan flashed through it, then threw several Fire Talismans into the opening behind him, triggering a small explosion that temporarily blocked the passage.

After charging out of the Black Fiend Sect headquarters, Mo Yuan did not dare pause for even an instant. He pushed his speed to the limit and plunged into the vast mountain forest. Using the complicated terrain and the Aura Concealment Technique, he twisted and turned through the wilderness until he finally shook off his pursuers for the time being.

After confirming that he was temporarily safe, he found an extremely concealed cave and set up a simple warning formation. Only then did he let out a breath and collapse to the ground, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His clash with the Red Robe Elder had still left him with internal injuries.

He immediately swallowed a Spirit Nurturing Pill and circulated his cultivation to heal himself. At the same time, he recalled what had happened within the headquarters, especially that faint dragon roar underground and the resonance with the Earth Vein Dragon Qi within him. Doubts filled his heart.

What exactly is sealed beneath the ground? The Black Fiend Sect must be plotting something enormous. This infiltration may not have fully succeeded, but I disrupted the formation, so it was not without gains. My top priority now is to increase my strength. The Red Robe Elder is already at the peak of Qi Refinement. I am still far from capable of confronting him head-on.

He longed for a more powerful weapon, one that could fully unleash the strength of his dragon evil physique. Swords were nimble, but in this kind of direct clash, an overbearing spear or war lance would clearly be more powerful.

"System, sign in!" He decided to use this narrow escape from death as an opportunity to sign in.

[Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the following at "Black Fiend Sect Headquarters Periphery · Surviving the Aftermath": High-Grade Spirit Stone x5, Ten Thousand-Year Lightning Strike Wood Core (small piece) x1, fragment of <Hundred Weapons Form Refinement Art · Spear Chapter> x1, residual aura of the Primordial World: a wisp of shattered Thunder Dragon Soul Essence!]

[Ten Thousand-Year Lightning Strike Wood Core]: Contains the supremely yang and unyielding power of heavenly lightning. It is a top-tier material for forging lightning-element magic items.

[Fragment of <Hundred Weapons Form Refinement Art · Spear Chapter>]: Records a secret art for rapidly tempering the embryonic form of weapons through spiritual refinement. It is especially suited for long weapons such as spears and lances.

[A wisp of shattered Thunder Dragon Soul Essence]: A trace of indestructible soul essence left behind after an ancient thunder dragon's fall. It contains violent lightning and dragon power and can be fused into a magic item to forge the beginnings of an artifact spirit. (Extremely dangerous; must be subdued with powerful will or homologous power!)

"Heaven is helping me!" Delight burst from Mo Yuan's eyes. This was exactly what he needed! The Ten Thousand-Year Lightning Strike Wood Core was far superior to the piece he had before, and the Thunder Dragon Soul Essence was an invaluable treasure that could only be encountered by chance!

He impatiently studied the fragment of the Hundred Weapons Form Refinement Art · Spear Chapter. This art did not use conventional burning and hammering. Instead, it used one's divine sense as the furnace fire, spiritual power as the hammer, and essence blood as the catalyst. One directly visualized the weapon's shape within the sea of consciousness, communicated with the materials' spirituality, and carried out "spiritual refinement"!

This method demanded extremely high divine sense strength, spiritual power control, and comprehension. But it formed quickly, and the weapon it forged would be connected to its owner's thoughts, as responsive as an arm or finger. It was perfect for his current situation, where time was scarce.

Mo Yuan held his breath and focused, first adjusting himself to peak condition. Then, he placed the Ten Thousand-Year Lightning Strike Wood Core, the Gold Essence Fragment, and the remaining small piece of Thousand-Year Dark Wood before him, taking its toughness and harmonizing properties.

He closed his eyes. The power of his divine sense surged forth and enveloped the three materials. At the same time, he circulated the art and visualized an overbearing long spear within his sea of consciousness: seven feet long, its shaft straight as a dragon, patterned with dark-purple lightning veins and adorned with golden dragon scales. Its spearhead was long and narrow like a dragon's fang, gleaming with cold light and wrapped in lightning!

"With my blood, I sharpen this spear! With my soul, I grant this spear spirit!" Mo Yuan forced out several drops of heart's blood and fused them into the materials. The fire of his divine sense blazed as the three materials began to melt, merge, and condense...

The process drained his mind tremendously, and fine beads of sweat formed on Mo Yuan's forehead. Yet his will remained firm, and his Primordial Comprehension ensured the precision of the refining process.

Gradually, the embryonic form of a long spear slowly appeared in reality, identical to the image he had visualized within his sea of consciousness!

At that moment, the wisp of shattered Thunder Dragon Soul Essence seemed drawn by the homologous aura. It let out an excited hiss and plunged into the spear embryo on its own!

"Roar!"

The spear embryo shook violently as the berserk will of the thunder dragon surged back against him, attempting to break free of his control! Purple-gold lightning exploded outward, filled with an aura of destruction!

"A mere dead thing dares act so fiercely? I even refined the Progenitor Dragon Will—how could I fear a single wisp of your remnant soul? Suppress!" Mo Yuan had prepared for this. His experience refining the Progenitor Dragon Will now came in handy.

He mobilized the thin thread of Progenitor Dragon Will within his body with all his strength. With Innate Spiritual Energy holding the center, he used supreme perseverance to forcibly suppress and fuse the Thunder Dragon Soul Essence!

This was a battle of wills! Lightning flickered throughout the cave, and faint dragon roars echoed. Blood leaked from the corner of Mo Yuan's mouth again, but his gaze was as sharp as a spear, and he did not retreat in the slightest!

No one knew how much time passed before the lightning gradually withdrew and the dragon roars became a low hum. The long spear finally took complete form, floating silently before Mo Yuan.

The spear shaft was dark purple, with golden lightning patterns coiling around it like dragon scales. Its spearhead gleamed snow-white, and a tiny phantom thunder dragon could vaguely be seen swimming along its body, radiating frightening thunder might and the domineering presence of dragonkind!

Low-Grade Magic Item (Upgradeable) · Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear, complete!

Mo Yuan reached out and gripped the spear shaft. A feeling of bloodline connection rose within him, and the power transmitted through the spear filled him with confidence. With a light sweep, low thunder rumbled through the air. When the spear tip passed over rock, it left a smooth mark as though cutting through tofu.

"Good spear!" Mo Yuan could barely put it down. With this spear, his combat power would rise by several levels!

His injuries healed and his new spear in hand, Mo Yuan turned his gaze toward the Black Fiend Sect headquarters once more. Next time, he would not be infiltrating and fleeing. He would charge in openly and use his spear to tear apart that den of evil!

"Black Fiend Sect, your end is near!"