Soul-Searching Technique!

"Hahaha! Good! What a Nine-Turn Golden Body Art! The Wish-Fulfilling Gourd really is heaven-defying!"

Li Qingshan could not contain his excitement. The feeling of opening a mystery box and finding an incomparable treasure inside was truly intoxicating.

He immediately decided that, aside from the Longevity True Art, the Nine-Turn Golden Body Art would also become one of his core cultivation techniques!

Cultivating both body and magic would give him a foundation so solid it was hard to imagine!

At the same time, he also took some time to cultivate the Soul-Searching Technique recorded in the jade slip.

The technique was rather sinister and ran counter to the natural order, but against demonic cultivators and wicked heretics, it was an unrivaled tool for gathering intelligence.

Just as he had gained an initial grasp of the Soul-Searching Technique and begun planning how to infiltrate the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion to investigate,

at dusk one day, a side gate of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion opened. A mid-Qi Refining disciple led several carriages draped in black cloth into the estate, sneaking about like a thief.

The instant the black cloth was lifted, Li Qingshan's divine sense clearly saw that the carriages were filled with boys and girls, drugged unconscious and dressed in rags!

There were dozens of them!

Tears still streaked the children's tender faces. A nameless fury surged through Li Qingshan's chest, and killing intent flooded his heart in an instant!

"Boys and girls? Only demonic cultivators and wicked cultivators use children to practice their arts. What kind of evil technique is that Imperial Preceptor Xuanming cultivating?"

He forced down the urge to charge in at once and exterminate the evil, keeping his composure.

It was not until midnight that the disciple responsible for receiving the children finally left alone through the side gate. It seemed the handover was complete, and he was heading back to his own residence.

Li Qingshan followed him like a shadow into a secluded alley.

In the next instant, the disciple's vision went black. A terrifying force he could not resist instantly sealed away all his magic power and even his soul. He could not even cry out before being dragged into endless darkness.

On a desolate mountain outside the city, Li Qingshan stood expressionless, one hand pressed against the man's crown.

The Soul-Searching Technique activated!

A silent, shrill scream echoed deep within the disciple's soul. His memories were forcibly flipped through like pages in a book, and countless images and fragments of information poured into Li Qingshan's mind.

The fragments of information brought by the Soul-Searching Technique flooded Li Qingshan's mind, making him furrow his brows.

"The Corpse Refining Sect? I have never heard of such a demonic sect in the Eastern Wasteland! So Xuanming is an outsider? He sneaked into Spring Autumn Sect territory to evade his enemies, dared to usurp the post of Imperial Preceptor, and practices such a vicious art, hoping to reach Foundation Establishment by refining the blood essence and souls of boys and girls? He deserves to die!"

The information revealed that three years ago, when Xuanming had first arrived, the original Spring Autumn Sect disciple stationed there—a cultivator at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining—had been tricked, had his soul extracted and refined, and had become fodder for demonic cultivation. He had died a truly horrific death.

For the past three years, Imperial Preceptor Xuanming had been gathering boys and girls everywhere to practice his evil art. The three disciples were his accomplices.

"On the night of the full moon, when yin energy is at its strongest, he'll refine the children with an evil technique in the secret chamber..." The chill in Li Qingshan's eyes deepened. "Today's the full moon!"

Learning that his opponent was only at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining and was currently at a critical point in his cultivation, Li Qingshan felt reassured.

"Great Perfection in Qi Refining. I have several top-grade spiritual artifacts, including the Ice Sword, and a talisman treasure as my trump card. Even if he has something up his sleeve, I should be able to protect myself. If I don't strike now, when will I? If he succeeds, those children..."

A trace of killing intent appeared in Li Qingshan's eyes.

His resolve set, he hesitated no longer!

Li Qingshan shot forward like lightning, no longer bothering to conceal himself as he charged straight toward the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion!

The pitiful protective formation outside the estate was like paper before his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation. A flash of the Ice Sword, and it shattered with a thunderous crash!

"Who dares trespass in the mansion?!"

Two mid-Qi Refining disciples rushed out, furious and alarmed.

Li Qingshan did not even look at them. He brought his fingers together like a sword, and two concentrated, emerald-green beams of Longevity Sword Qi shot through the air, faster than they could react!

Pfft! Pfft!

With two soft sounds, the demonic disciples were pierced through the brows. Disbelief showed on their faces as they toppled stiffly to the ground, lifeless.

Instant kills!

Li Qingshan's divine sense swept through the estate, immediately locking onto a secret chamber deep inside, where yin energy and demonic energy were thickest.

But as soon as he neared the courtyard around the chamber, four dark figures burst from the shadows, bringing a heavy stench of corpses and a gust of yin wind!

They were four zombies, refined until their bodies were pitch-black, their nails long and sharp, and their eyes blood-red!

Their vicious auras had all reached the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining!

"Black Zombies? Corpse Refining Sect disciples specialize in refining zombies. Looks like Imperial Preceptor Xuanming really is a disciple of the Corpse Refining Sect!"

Li Qingshan gave a cold snort, utterly unafraid.

If he were still at the Qi Refining stage, dealing with four zombies of the same rank would have taken some effort. But now he was at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, and he had the top-grade spiritual artifact Ice Sword in hand!

Sword light flared, sweeping through the courtyard like a blizzard!

The Ice Sword's frigid Qi was the perfect counter to yin and evil things. Beneath the Ice Sword, the four Black Zombies' tough bodies were like rotting wood. Wherever its light passed, limbs froze and shattered. Their foul black blood had not even spattered before it turned to ice.

In just a few breaths, the four Black Zombies at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining had been reduced to shattered remains scattered across the ground!

Yet the secret chamber's doors remained shut, firmly protected by a dense blood-red barrier. Runes flowed across it, radiating power far beyond the Qi Refining stage!

"A second-tier formation?"

Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow. Xuanming had quite a few resources.

Without hesitation, he sent the top-grade spiritual artifact Ice Sword streaking through the air like a rainbow, slashing viciously at the blood-red barrier!

Boom!

The barrier shuddered violently, its blood-red light flickering wildly, but it did not break at once.

At the same time, Li Qingshan waved his hand and sent several top-grade offensive Golden Blade Talismans flying. They transformed into a rain of blades that came slashing down.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Under the relentless assault, the second-tier formation finally let out a strained groan. The blood-red barrier burst like a bubble!

The secret chamber doors were blown to pieces by the aftershock of the sword Qi!

At once, a blood stench and the smell of corpses, so thick they were nauseating, washed over him!

Li Qingshan stared inside. Even with a century of composure behind him, he could not help drawing a sharp breath!

The secret chamber was astonishingly spacious. A huge pool of blood lay in its center, its viscous contents churning around countless bones.

Inside iron cages all around it, dozens of boys and girls huddled in terror, their faces deathly pale.

And right in the middle of the blood pool, a pale, middle-aged man in a black robe sat cross-legged, demonic energy surging around him. He was clearly at a critical juncture in his cultivation.

Yet what drew Li Qingshan's attention even more was the silver figure guarding the edge of the blood pool!

It was a zombie with a silver-white body and shriveled muscles that gleamed with a metallic luster. The baleful aura it gave off had reached Foundation Establishment Late Stage!

"Roar!"

The Silver Zombie let out a nonhuman howl and transformed into a silver bolt of lightning, pouncing at Li Qingshan. Its claws tore through the air, bringing gusts of foul wind!

"A Foundation Establishment Late Stage Silver Zombie?! No wonder he had no fear!"

Li Qingshan's heart tightened. He dared not be careless and immediately swung the Ice Sword to fight it.

Sword clashed with claw, ringing like metal striking metal!

The Silver Zombie's body was incomparably hard, its strength immense. It felt no pain and was extremely difficult to deal with.

Though Li Qingshan could hold it at bay with his cultivation techniques and spiritual artifacts, he could not take it down quickly and was instead held fast by it.