Either Settle the Score Now...

Clouds and mist drifted, and mountain peaks seemed to float.

In this Cloud Sea, a fiery red mountain peak floats, covered with maple trees, with babbling streams weaving through the forest.

A scene straight out of a fairyland.

"Hmm? The Heavy Water Bracelet has been used."

Tang Lai, dressed in a loose robe, walked slowly through the mountains and forests. Suddenly, he frowned, then shook his head and chuckled, "It seems those two fools are going to find the murderer soon. If they can catch that person, that would be good. After this, I will be able to achieve Divine Ability and body, and complete the Second Turn of cultivation."

As he pondered, he arrived at a rock wall, raised his hand and touched it. Ink marks immediately appeared on the rock wall, the strokes twisting and turning, vaguely forming a picture, as if it were alive. Then Tang Lai took a step forward and passed through the wall.

Suddenly, the scenery changed; the mountains and streams disappeared, replaced by dark caves and rock walls, with stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Water droplets continuously drip from the tips of these stalactites, falling to the ground and accumulating until they flow and gather.

The water droplets were scarlet.

After taking a few steps forward and turning a corner, Tang Lai arrived at the depths of the cave. He looked up at a stalactite that was as long as two people, then raised his right hand, his fingers flicking lightly as he formed a hand seal.

"Amnesty!"

As a single word was uttered, the stalactite gradually became transparent, revealing the scene inside.

There was a figure frozen in place, unable to move an inch. This person looked quite old, but his face was pale, haggard, and weak. He was barely breathing. What was even more horrifying was that his arms were severed at the shoulders, and his legs were empty below the knees, with scarlet blood seeping from his pores.

"Hmm?" The man in the stone murmured softly, slowly opening his eyes. A glint flashed in his eyes, and his entire aura suddenly changed, becoming sharp and arrogant. He looked at Tang Lai and actually grinned, "You're here again? You look quite well today. Did something good happen?"

Tang Lai smiled and said, "My grandson's revenge is about to be achieved, and my cultivation is about to reach a new level. This is a double celebration."

The man in the stone raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You found that person? Then how come you can still remain calm? Hmm? Your Nature Cultivation seems to have improved again!"

"Not bad," Tang Lai nodded. "It won't be long before he can Spirit Transformation consciousness. Once the murderer is utterly destroyed and his Soul Dao is clear, this Second Turn will naturally be completed."

"Truly, your levels have changed. Instead of killing that person immediately, you're torturing him?" The man in the stone shook his head after hearing this. "I understand. You want to use this as a whetstone. You see that person as a demon, something you want to break through to seek the path. But nurturing Heart Demon is ultimately a shortcut, and you're afraid it might backfire and cause unnecessary trouble. My Soul Split have come into contact with that person. He's a decisive person. With such a temperament, a slight misstep could lead to disaster."

Upon hearing this, Tang Lai laughed and said, "Yu Zhanguo, don't try to confuse me with your words. This man killed my beloved grandson. Killing him in one fell swoop is too lenient on him. Besides, he is fortunate to be able to use me to seek enlightenment! However, of course, I will not leave any future troubles. I have already laid a trap!"

"Oh?" the Stone Man, known as "Yu Zhanguo," said sarcastically, "You really are a master strategist."

Tang Lai's smile faded, and she said, "As cultivators, we naturally need to think and act more, and broaden our horizons, otherwise we might fall into someone else's trap without even realizing it. I had long anticipated that sending people to search the entire mansion would unsettle the murderer, and he would eventually have to return to the Pan Household to investigate. That's why I passed on a set of techniques to Pan Zhi in advance."

"What method?" the man in the stone couldn't help but ask.

Tang Lai uttered a name: "Supreme Demon-Luring Art!"

"Supreme Demon Attraction?" The man in the stone was taken aback, then shook his head and smiled bitterly, "You made someone who has never cultivated before practice the hand seals of the Supreme Demon Attraction Technique, what a clever scheme, what a clever scheme..."

As he spoke, his voice gradually lowered, and finally he changed the subject, asking, "What brings you here today? It wasn't just to tell me this, was it?"

"Nothing much, I just wanted to forge another Law Artifact, so I came to get Root Bone." As Tang Lai spoke, he raised his hand and made a popping sound, like a balloon bursting. A thin, white bone broke through the flesh of the stone man and flew out from the stalactite. Tang Lai caught it in his hand, the bone dripping with blood.

The stone figure immediately slumped, squinting his eyes and muttering, "They want my bones? Could it be they want to Bone Refining Banner? Heh! What a vicious heart!"

Shock!

Suddenly, the entire cave began to shake, and faint rumbling sounds, like thunder, could be heard from the outside.

Upon hearing this, the man in the stone sneered, "Well, your grandson has committed quite a few sins. I wonder when things will truly calm down."

"You, as a prisoner, don't need to worry about this." Tang Lai frowned, turned around, and quickly left.

As soon as he left, the stalactites lost their transparency, and the person inside the stone was once again hidden, but the smile on his face became even colder.

"Think more and do more? Old man Tang Lai, don't think you're the only smart one in the world. You can scheme against others, but what about everyone else...?"

Sizzle sizzle...

Yuanning City.

Amidst the ruins, a thick mist billowed.

Just now, flames rose up, illuminating half the sky, but then black water fell from the sky and extinguished the flames.

The water was extremely fierce, and it even sank the ground of the Sea of Fire by several feet, creating a deep crater. There was no water inside, only a misty Meng River formed from the boiling water and fire after their collision.

The rising mist spread and obscured almost half of the city.

By the time everyone came to their senses, everything had calmed down, leaving only charred ruins, huge craters, and a thick fog.

However, several dozen people remained kneeling, chanting prayers, their expressions serene.

On the other side, the officials who received the news rushed over. Before they even arrived, the sound of Clear Dao passage came from the road. Several constables carrying signs that read "Avoidance" came running over, followed by a sedan chair. It turned out that Prefect Wen Anguo had come in person.

His arrival immediately threw the crowd into chaos, with shouts and yells rising and falling.

Meanwhile, deep underground, stood two figures radiating a greenish-blue light.

"He escaped quite quickly. His last attack clearly relied on external force and exhausted his life force. He was already at his last gasp, otherwise he wouldn't have just extinguished the flames and used the opportunity to escape." One of them was the real person in the gray robe.

"This matter has caused quite a stir. Your direct provocation of the Upper Spirit Sect is extremely unwise," said Yin Xiao'e, who was clad in full armor. "However, since this matter involves Qiu Yan, it is understandable. He was gone for two years, and upon his return, he has already condensed Earthly Soul. He is truly extraordinary and possesses astonishing talent!"

His hair had returned to normal, held in place by a ring of flames. Upon hearing this, he simply said, "Now that we've started, there's no reason to stop. Neither this Rhinoceros Demon nor that Rhinoceros Beetle can be let go!"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the side, where a massive Rhinoceros lay sprawled, its Rhinoceros charred black, its belly heaving as if it were fast asleep.

Beside the Rhinoceros lay two partially charred robes.

At the same time, in one room.

Yuanning City, in a dense forest, Rhinoceros Beetle the size of a person slowly moved forward. It exuded a sense of weakness, and some of its hard shells were damaged and charred, emitting a burnt smell.

"Damn it! That deity forced me to use the treasures bestowed upon me by the master, draining almost all my Essence Blood and at least twenty years of hard work! My brother also fell into his hands, and his chances of survival are slim. This grudge..."

"You have to take revenge now, or you'll never have the chance."

Just then, a clear, cold voice came from not far away. The Rhinoceros Beetle was startled and quickly looked in the direction of the voice, where it saw a slender figure.

He was a somewhat thin scholar. Bathed in moonlight, he walked slowly forward, his Qi and Blood rising. With each step he took, his aura grew stronger!

"Who are you?" The Rhinoceros Beetle became wary, but before he could finish his question, the scholar raised his hand, flicked out two talismans, and then vanished!

P. S.: Thank you to "Little Grass's Pride" and "Feng Huo Wuhen" for the donations! As for Little Grass's request for more updates, I have some things to take care of at home and also need to prepare for the mid-month competition, so I am temporarily unable to do so. Please forgive me.