Once They Refuse Counsel, There Is No Need for Restraint

The underground is dark, filled with mud and gravel, and you'll often encounter large, hard rocks that are difficult to break. Compared to the surface, it takes much more effort to move around underground.

At this moment, Qiu Yan's physical body was moving through it. The Incense Faith controlled his entire body. Every piece of flesh and every Root Bone vibrated at a certain frequency under the control of his mind. The vibration caused a layer of force to be generated on the surface of his body, shaking the surrounding soil and allowing his body to move forward like a fish, shuttling between the mud and rocks.

The soil was thick and solid. To move through it, one had to apply just the right amount of force. Too little force would make it difficult to move the soil, and too much force would cause too much vibration and attract the attention of those who were interested. Fortunately, Qiu Yan's physical body had long since been refined into Seven Souls, allowing him to control his body and flesh with exquisite precision.

Furthermore, by emitting energy, Qiu Yan could detect responses from the surrounding soil, thus roughly determining the pursuers' location. Combined with the Divine Path aura emanating from his body, this allowed him to effectively conceal himself.

Just as he was gradually figuring out the situation, suddenly, a slightly strong tremor came from the soil.

This shockwave carried a chilling and deadly undertone; in Qiu Yan's perception, it felt like the clash of swords, brimming with hostility and malice.

"Someone is using weapons! Judging by the location, it can only be where Chen Yun is; they must be fighting."

When leaving the Sage Worthies Hall, Qiu Yan casually took Chen Yun with him. If Chen Yun had been left there, there would have been only one fate: a tragic one. Although he still couldn't escape the trap after being taken out, at least he had a better chance of escaping.

However, Qiu Yan's physical body was driven by Incense Faith, which was subject to many restrictions. He was already unable to escape alive, let alone take another person with him. He had already done his best to rescue Chen Yun along with him.

Not long after Qiu Yan sensed the tremors of the weapons, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly changed. It became ethereal and uncertain, and the soil seemed to be affected by some force, becoming increasingly soft.

"Hey, it's coming this way, and it's already very close!"

From the changes in the soil, Qiu Yan gleaned some information, but he did not panic, nor did he blindly flee due to the depletion of his Incense Faith. Instead, he stopped moving, expanded his Divine Path aura, and separated a few strands of Incense Faith, spreading them in all directions.

This place is located deep underground, very close to the Eastern Capital Underworld Office. The soil is filled with a large amount of Divine Path aura, which may be difficult for ordinary people to sense, but it is particularly obvious to cultivators. Therefore, when Qiu Yan released his Divine Path aura, it did not cause too many changes.

As the Divine Path aura spread, Divine Sense followed, quickly discovering the battlefield.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of crashing sounds rang out, and Chen Yun, covered in blood, was rolling in the mud. A layer of soul power covered his body, which could dispel the mud.

His clothes were tattered and torn. There were several gruesome cuts on his arms and chest. He rolled over and came to a stop, but before he could get up, he was surrounded.

It was none other than the Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao.

Each of the seven wielded a sword, their swords flashing, their auras intertwined, causing their individual power to merge, coalesce, and undergo a transformation.

"I advise you not to run away anymore. Now that we've discovered you, there's no point in trying to escape!"

The speaker was clearly the leader of the Seven Masters, a man around forty years old with a square face and an air of righteousness.

"What a joke! If I fall into your hands, my cultivation will be destroyed. How could I, Chen Yun, possibly surrender so easily?" Chen Yun spat, then made a hand seal, his Heart Fire turning and drawing upon Spiritual Qi, causing the surrounding soil to churn. However, his Heart Fire was almost exhausted, so this didn't have much of an impact, only slowing down the seven people for a moment.

But in an instant, Chen Yun seized the moment, moving like an eel, rapidly traversing the mud!

He's determined to escape!

However, after walking only a few feet, the gray mist in front of Chen Yun suddenly dissipated and condensed into two human figures, who were none other than two of the Seven Sons.

"Hmm?" Qiu Yan frowned, Divine Sense, he noticed that the two people behind the square-faced man had disappeared!

"Teleportation? No, that's not right! It's more like an illusory transformation!"

Just as Qiu Yan was filled with doubt, the two people blocking his way swung their arms and shot out two sword lights, which slashed across Chen Yun's body with lightning speed.

Instantly, blood blossomed.

Chen Yun screamed, his momentum abruptly halted, and he twisted and rolled through the soil to the side.

"You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences! You're already at your limit; any further struggle will only result in physical pain!" The square-faced man's expression suddenly changed after saying this.

As Chen Yun rolled, he made a hand seal, and his withered body suddenly expanded and became full of flesh and blood!

A powerful Qi and Blood was brewing within him!

Extending his Divine Sense, Qiu Yan immediately saw through the reason.

"Chen Yun is going against the grain, using his soul to replenish his spirit! But in doing so, his cultivation will plummet even further!"

When Chen Yun rushed out of the Sage Worthies Hall, he used the method of stimulating potential to send Chen Jing and others away, which greatly damaged his Divine Soul. Now he is reversing his soul, overdrawing his Divine Soul, and feeding his flesh and blood, which is equivalent to shaking his foundation. It is inevitable that his cultivation will regress.

However, Chen Yun could certainly distinguish between being demoted and being dismissed.

Qiu Yan snapped his fingers, his mind racing. "Should I intervene? Twenty percent of my Incense Faith have been depleted, Divine Soul is temporarily unable to return. Constantly dodging will eventually exhaust my resources. But if I intervene, and still fail to Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao..."

Qiu Yan was still weighing his options when the battlefield situation changed again!

The square-faced man sneered, activating his Qi and Blood to combine with the other six. Then, with a few loud "bangs," the Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao flickered, changing between the gray mist and solid form, while rapidly shifting and flashing around. The sharp swords in their hands flew out from Eight Directions, clashing back and forth like a violent rain, churning and disintegrating the surrounding soil!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

A flash of cold light!

Chen Yun, caught in the midst of it all, didn't even have time to groan before being pierced through by streaks of sword light. His body twisted and turned, making crackling sounds as his bones shattered and blood splattered everywhere!

Stop!

The violent, cold light suddenly vanished, and the wind and water calmed down Chen Yun, however, was covered in wounds and unconscious, his blood staining the soil red.

A square-faced man suddenly appeared, looked at Chen Yun and shook his head, saying, "If we weren't trying to lure out your accomplices, we would have captured you long ago. Do you really think you can escape alive?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the man pointed a finger at Chen Yun's forehead. With two sharp "slaps," the soul within Chen Yun's body completely dissipated and scattered into his flesh and blood!

"This person shattered Chen Yun's Divine Soul with a single finger, crippling his cultivation! Hidden within that finger strike was Cultivation Method specifically designed to destroy the Soul Dao. However, Chen Yun's Heart Fire was nearly exhausted, and his Divine Soul was already on the verge of collapse; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so easily crippled by a cultivator whose cultivation was below the Third Realm."

From afar, Qiu Yan sensed this scene and realized the extraordinary nature of the Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao.

"These seven individuals are all at the Soul Tempering Peak. If they were in Jiannan Circuit, they would be considered experts, demonstrating the profound foundation of the Void-Driving Dao. However, my knowledge of the Daoist Sect is limited, and I don't know how they coexist with the Great Rui, making it difficult to determine the number of experts they possess. But the combined combat power of these Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao Masters is comparable to the peak of the Third Realm, so they shouldn't be considered minor figures!"

Qiu Yan's Divine Soul has condensed into Divine Sense, and he has many trump cards. Even without taking the Heart Ape into account, his combat strength alone is comparable to the peak of the Third Realm!

The seven cultivators at the peak of the Second Realm, when they joined forces, were comparable to those at the peak of the Third Realm, which greatly broadened Qiu Yan's horizons.

"Those seven must have a combined attack technique. Even if I had intervened just now, I wouldn't have been able to save Chen Yun. Instead, I would have been killed myself. However, the increase in combat power was so enormous, almost leaping across a whole realm. It's definitely not an ordinary technique. If I could obtain it and comprehend it, I might be able to integrate the power of my soul, or even unify the abilities of my Three Bodies. At that time..."

Just as Qiu Yan was pondering, two of the Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao stepped forward and subdued the utterly wretched Chen Yun. They then asked, "This man is so badly injured; it won't be easy to explain to Senior Brother Tong."

The square-faced man replied, "When I came, the young sect leader told me to hand the people over to him after I captured them. However, the young sect leader was worried that these people would act desperately, so he specifically instructed that their cultivation be crippled immediately after they were captured! If Senior Brother Tong pursues the matter, the young sect leader will take responsibility; we don't need to get involved."

The two men nodded, then asked, "What should we do with this person now?"

The square-faced man hesitated for a moment before making a decision. "Send it to the young master."

He had barely finished speaking when someone immediately voiced their opposition.

"That's not a good idea. Senior Brother Tong warned us to look out for each other and not to act alone, otherwise we might be picked off one by one."

"Yes, it's better to be cautious."

The two youngest boys were speaking, but their voices carried a sense of world-weariness, clearly indicating that their actual age did not match their appearance.

"Given his injuries, a few more jostles and he'll likely die. We still need to search this area, and carrying an injured person will cause many inconveniences," the square-faced man glanced at the two men. "Besides, this commotion didn't even lure that person out. Either he's not here, or he's good at hiding and is cautious, so he won't act easily. Furthermore, the young master has already told me about that person's methods; he's just relying on external forces. If we were to actually fight, he might not be a match for us."

Another Human Path nearby said, "Senior brother is absolutely right. We are merely holding that person back, making it difficult for him to leave. Once the Earth-Listening Bowl arrives, he will have nowhere to hide."

The square-faced man chimed in, "The other person is hiding a secret. According to the young master and Senior Brother Tong, after crippling his cultivation, we should interrogate him thoroughly. There's no time to lose. You two junior brothers should send him there first and return quickly."

The two men who had captured Chen Yun nodded, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and left.

However, the Seven Sons of the Void-Driving Dao were unaware that Qiu Yan, who was spying on this place, was currently having a cold glint in the depths of his eyes.

"They crippled my cultivation and then interrogated me about my secrets? That young sect leader probably has his eye on the jade pendant I have. The Earth-Listening Bowl? It should be a treasure used to find someone involved in this incident. It seems I can't hide any longer..."

Thinking about it, Qiu Yan shook his head and extended his Divine Sense in the direction the two had left.

"Fine, since they won't listen to advice, there's no other way. There's no need to worry anymore." (To be continued...)

P. S.: Thanks to "Wuyueying" for the monthly vote!