Man in Black

Half an hour ago.

Behind the Jingyun Sect.

In the dark of night, two figures flashed like blurs. After confirming no one was around and they had not been discovered, they immediately came to a halt.

"Isn't it a bit risky for the two of us to penetrate this deep alone?" one of the men in black asked. "The core of the Jingyun Sect's spirit vein is heavily guarded, and it's not far from where the Xiantian expert resides. Once we make a move, we won't be able to escape!"

"What are you afraid of! Although Old Lady Xu is a Xiantian, it is a fact that her lifespan is running out. Besides, you and I are both Ninth Grade. Even a Xiantian in their prime would have to put in some effort to kill us, let alone a half-dead one who would be lucky to exert half her power," the other man in black said coldly.

"Sigh, Third Brother, to be honest, I don't know why, but ever since I entered the Jingyun Sect, I've felt uneasy. I have a dark premonition, as if a black cloud is pressing down on my head..." the fourth man said, hesitating.

"Shut up! Put away that superstitious fortune-telling of yours. When has it ever been right? You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

The third man in black scolded him, then thought for a moment and added, "I understand your concern; it's not without reason. However, we brought a sect treasure with us for this mission. With the power of this treasure, the two of us combined can hold our own against a newly advanced Xiantian, and we can even escape from a veteran one. If we really run into Old Lady Xu, it's not yet certain who will be the one to fall!"

"Besides, our mission is only to seize the spirit vein core, not to fight a Xiantian to the death!"

"Never mind sneaking in; even if we were to barge in openly, the Jingyun Sect is currently short on experts, so we would still have a decent chance of success!"

These two were none other than the two guardian elders of the Blood-Oath Sect.

Heaven-Killer, Earth-Elder, Jue-Elder, Chi, Mei, Wang, and Liang.

Elder Earth and Elder Jue.

Ninth Grade experts—if they were out in the world, they would be strong enough to establish their own sect!

Even among the Ten Great Sects, where experts were as numerous as clouds, they were pillars of strength.

"But..."

The fourth man remained unconvinced. He still felt uneasy, and this feeling was growing heavier, as if disaster were imminent.

"You are a dignified Ninth Grade expert, stop being such a coward!"

Seeing that the man was still hesitating after all that had been said, the third man felt a sense of frustration and warned, "I advise you not to act like a fool at a time like this. This matter is of great importance; whether or not we can seize the Jingyun Sect's spirit vein core concerns our Blood-Oath Sect's grand plan to advance to a two-star sect! If you ruin this, do you think the Sect Master will let you off?"

Upon hearing the words "Sect Master," Elder Jue shuddered, his face turning pale.

Although he still felt that something was wrong, he stopped speaking, and seeing this, Elder Earth nodded in satisfaction.

According to the regulations of the Ten Thousand Alliance, for a one-star sect to advance to a two-star sect, besides requiring a Foundation Establishment master to preside over it, it must also meet another condition: a medium-grade spirit vein!

The spirit veins of one-star sects were all low-grade. Although the Blood-Oath Sect had a deep foundation, they only possessed a top-tier low-grade spirit vein.

To advance the sect, a medium-grade spirit vein was indispensable.

In this world, unless one went to seize a medium-grade spirit vein, the only other option was to find a way to upgrade their own.

As for seizing one, the Southern Region only had one two-star sect, the Five Elements Sect, which also had a Foundation Establishment master presiding over it. For them to go and seize it would be nothing short of suicide.

Therefore, only one method remained.

Seize the spirit vein cores of other one-star sects and have their own spirit vein core devour them!

Although the Blood-Oath Sect was powerful, it was not invincible. The theft of a spirit vein core could only be done in secret. After careful consideration by the higher-ups, they chose the Jingyun Sect, which was ranked at the bottom.

Pick the softest persimmon to squeeze.

Everyone understood this principle.

In terms of overall strength, the Jingyun Sect was at the bottom of the Ten Great Sects, and the Xiantian expert presiding over it was in poor condition. There was no better choice than this.

"This is it!"

Having easily dealt with the guarding elder, Elder Earth didn't bother to take a second look. A mere Sixth Grade—an existence like an ant. He had lost count of how many he had killed!

The two looked at the formation in front of them. After some preparations, they exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously: "Do it!"

They struck out with their fists at the same time!

With a thunderous boom, the entire spirit vein mountain trembled slightly. Countless people were startled awake from their dreams, and the elders suddenly turned their gazes toward the distance.

"Hurry up!"

Knowing that breaking the barrier would surely alert countless people, Elder Earth shouted in a low voice.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

"Let's go!"

The mission was accomplished. The two retrieved the spirit vein core and turned to flee!

"Haha, mission accomplished. The Jingyun Sect is nothing more than this!" A trace of satisfaction flashed in Elder Earth's eyes. As he imagined the scene in the near future where the Blood-Oath Sect would advance to a two-star sect, he couldn't help but smile, thinking to himself, Perhaps one day, I too will be able to step into the Xiantian realm!

A two-star sect could obtain more resources.

When that time came, there would surely be treasures that could help one step into the Xiantian realm.

Based on his contribution today, that position was practically reserved for him!

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became!

"Audacious thieves, how dare you steal our sect's spirit vein! Surrender at once!" Powerful auras rapidly approached from the distance.

Hearing this exasperated voice, Elder Earth's smile deepened.

Surrender?

Keep dreaming!

"Fourth, charge out!"

Elder Earth laughed heartily as the aura of two Ninth-Grade experts erupted, causing the air to tremble slightly. The Jingyun Sect elders rushing over from the distance all turned pale.

Ninth-Grade!

Two of them!

"Quick, summon the Grand Elder!" someone shrieked at the top of their lungs.

"Hmph! Go to hell."

Elder Jue gave a disdainful smile. So what if they were Xiantian? It was too late. He clenched his palm, and the faint power of heaven and earth in the surroundings gathered together. A giant palm took shape and slammed down toward the front.

An Eighth-Grade elder blocking the path wore a grave expression and met the attack with both palms.

Unexpectedly, he was defeated in a single blow, vomiting blood as he flew backward.

"How could it be this strong!?" Seeing an Eighth-Grade elder unable to withstand even a single palm strike from the opponent, someone was shocked and completely bewildered.

The gap between the Eighth and Ninth Grade should never be this vast!

It shouldn't be!

"These two are abnormal!" a fellow elder shouted.

"Only realizing it now? Too late!"

Elder Earth let out a strange laugh. A delicate furnace suddenly appeared in his hand. After he activated it, an invisible force bolstered the two of them, and the surrounding power of heaven and earth suddenly boiled violently. As the two joined forces, their aura became indistinguishable from that of a Xiantian expert!

"Not good, run!"

Seeing the situation turn dire, the Jingyun Sect elders were terrified out of their wits!

Xiantian!

These two, by joining forces, could actually unleash power comparable to a Xiantian expert!

All beneath Xiantian are ants!

This was absolutely not something they could resist. They had to wait for the Grand Elder to arrive, otherwise, the Jingyun Sect would be in peril today!

"Bloodthirsty Fist!"

"Nether Palm!"

Two more terrifying attacks erupted from the hands of the two Blood-Oath Sect elders!

"How dare you, you scoundrels!"

Just as everyone fell into despair, the savior-like voice of the Grand Elder drifted from afar. In a few breaths, she covered hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye. Everyone's eyes lit up, and they let out a heavy sigh of relief.

The Grand Elder had finally arrived in time.

These two thieves were finished!

"Break!"

Old Lady Xu's face was cold and stern. She tapped her cane, and the power of heaven and earth surged wildly, crushing the fist imprint and the giant palm. The momentum remained unabated as she struck toward the two men in black!

Boom.

The two were forced to retreat repeatedly under her single move.

"What!" the third and fourth exclaimed.

They hadn't expected Old Lady Xu to be this formidable.

They exchanged a glance: retreat!

"Where do you think you're going!"

Seeing the two thieves who had stolen the spirit vein core trying to flee, Old Lady Xu was unwilling to let it go. She raised her true qi and mobilized the power of heaven and earth, but suddenly let out a muffled groan as a trace of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

Because of this delay, the two men in black quickly vanished from sight.

"Grand Elder!"

"Grand Elder, are you alright!"

The crowd was alarmed at the sight. They didn't even care about the fleeing men in black anymore and hurriedly expressed concern for the Grand Elder's injuries. Everyone's face was filled with worry; the Grand Elder didn't have much time left, and having exerted her full strength just now, they feared her condition had worsened.

The atmosphere turned tense in an instant.

Everyone gazed at Old Lady Xu with eager, anxious eyes.

"I am old..." Old Lady Xu watched the men in black disappearing into the distance, her heart filled with sorrow.

Once upon a time, she had never even deigned to look at such petty scoundrels.

Even if they relied on a spirit artifact to barely rival a Xiantian expert, they wouldn't have been worth a glance in her hands.

But now.

Old Lady Xu suddenly began to cough violently.

"Grand Elder, you must not worry; your health comes first! Whether for your own sake or for the sake of the sect, you absolutely cannot collapse!" Seeing this, one of the elders stepped forward, expressing his sincere concern.

The Jingyun Sect was only able to maintain its current status because it was shielded by the Grand Elder, a Xiantian expert.

Once she fell, the entire Jingyun Sect would be finished.

Hearing this, Old Lady Xu shook her head gently and sighed.

Her aged frame grew even more hunched, and her gaze gradually turned murky.

As for the two black-clad figures who had escaped and the spiritual vein.

One could only say, it was fate! It was destiny!

Old Lady Xu walked away with faltering steps, her spirit and energy waning: "It is my incompetence that I could not protect the foundation left by our ancestors... Perhaps it is the Jingyun Sect's destined fate to suffer this calamity."

"No!"

"This is not your fault; it is our incompetence that has placed this overwhelming pressure entirely upon your shoulders!"

"We are unfilial disciples!"

The elders felt a profound sorrow and bitterness in their hearts, each condemning their own inadequacy.

If only another Xiantian expert could emerge, how could it have come to this?!

The Grand Elder departed, leaving behind a crowd filled with complex emotions.

At this moment, the chubby Elder Hao stepped forward from the crowd. Not even bothering to tend to his own injuries, he roared, "What are you all standing there for? Move out immediately! Seal the entire sect! We must find the thief who stole the spiritual vein and execute them on the spot!!"

"Yes!"

With someone taking the lead, the crowd felt a surge of spirit and shouted in unison.