When the Flower Fragrance Withered, Blood Appeared

"Xiao Li, you..."

In just a few breaths, everyone trapped by the flames regained consciousness, including Feng Zhantian, who appeared to be severely injured.

Not only that, but they didn't even have many burn marks on their bodies, and their clothes were completely intact, as if the previous flames were just an illusion. However, the excruciating pain in their flesh and bones reminded them that everything that had just happened was real.

Especially Feng Zhantian, this prodigy, was used to controlling everything and grasping the situation. This time, he came to the plains full of heavenly materials and earthly treasures and was determined to succeed. He searched for people in all directions and continuously subdued several major sects, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of the younger generation. However, he did not expect that such a thing would happen and that he would be easily defeated by an unknown person!

Looking at the two magical Law Treasure held silently in Xiao Li's hands, Feng Zhantian felt a chill in his heart.

These two treasures were his Fortune, his trump cards that enabled him to become famous and act with impunity. Even cultivators a realm higher than him could fight against those of higher levels thanks to the power of these Law Treasure. Now, not only had he failed to stop Xiao Li, but he had also been easily defeated by him, which naturally filled him with fear.

If Feng Zhantian was like this, then the others were even more so, all looking at Xiao Li with fearful eyes, even the two members of the Three Sages Dao were no exception.

The air itself seemed to grow colder, with a chilling sensation, much like the human heart; the flowers and grass on the ground shrank slightly.

However, Xiao Li's mind was not on this at all. Instead, he was immersed in the powerful feeling of being omnipotent, and his heart was full of longing and yearning.

"This is the kind of power we should strive for..."

As he pondered, he recalled the surging fighting spirit he had felt during his earlier battle, and the fighting style that was different from his usual approach, which secretly caused him some worry.

"The person residing within the Ganoderma lucidum possesses such terrifying power that it's simply beyond my control..."

"Junior Brother Xiao Li," Ziyun's voice came from the side, "What should we do next? You should make the decision." She glanced around, her gaze sweeping over everyone, before asking Xiao Li, her tone carrying a hint of seeking instructions.

"Oh?" Xiao Li was slightly taken aback, then came to his senses. Knowing that this was the best opportunity to take control of the situation, he naturally wouldn't hold back. With a few words that mixed soft and hard tactics, the two sides gradually became one team.

However, on another level beyond their perception, two Divine Sense were locked in a standoff—

"It seems you're unwilling to cooperate with me easily." A hint of regret appeared in that native Divine Sense.

Qiu Yan responded, "If you can explain things clearly, and clearly state your desires and fears, then it's not impossible for us to continue our cooperation."

The native Divine Sense didn't answer, but instead asked, "Why did you even think of spying? The Star Lord outside are clearly targeting you. Shouldn't they be forced by external pressure to use whatever resources are available, without considering anything else? Besides, I'm sure I haven't revealed many flaws..."

Qiu Yan interrupted directly, saying, "You think you haven't revealed any flaws, but in reality, there are flaws everywhere." As he said this, he was analyzing the other party's words, feeling that they sounded like a recitation from a script, not the tone that a deity who had experienced much and received many sacrifices should have.

"Oh? Tell me about it." The Divine Sense was very curious upon hearing this.

Qiu Yan didn't mince words. "The most direct point is that you refer to yourself as 'this lord,' and when I asked if you were also Star Lord, you answered 'not bad,' which was actually quite vague, but it could be considered an admission. However, as far as I know, Star Lord's power is enough to rule an entire continent. In this Zhou Rao Continent, even if there is Star Lord, there is only one. Don't you agree?"

The Divine Sense suddenly realized. "So that's how it is. When you asked, I didn't deny it, and then I judged that you and the Star Lord outside came from outside the continent, but I didn't use a definite tone. The underlying meaning was that it was difficult to be sure. In this way, it's equivalent to saying that there might be two Star Lords in this continent, which exposed a flaw."

"That's exactly right," Qiu Yan silently admitted.

But the Divine Sense then said, "Is it possible that I am testing you? Or perhaps I have discerned the origin of that deity and am deliberately concealing it?"

"That's certainly possible," Qiu Yan replied telepathically. "Therefore, your statement can only serve as corroborating evidence, not conclusive evidence. However, this isn't the only flaw. Of course, other flaws in your previous statements could also be due to the use of vague language to mislead me."

"That's right!" The native Divine Sense became even more puzzled. "Then why are you so certain? Even if you discovered that the incense here can devour people's Divine Sense, it could be that it formed naturally and was not deliberately activated by me. Besides, with a formidable enemy at hand, even if we each have our own thoughts, we should restrain ourselves and resist first."

"One should not blindly cooperate with others. If you can cooperate with me, why can't you cooperate with the gods outside? You yourself said that the god is targeting me. You are just an innocent bystander suffering. The conflict between the Daoist Sect and the Divine Path is deep. The god outside is certainly capable of harming me, but the situation within the Divine Path is quite different. Who knows if you are trying to keep me in check, use a scheme to capture me, and then hand me over, or use me as a bargaining chip to negotiate with the god outside?"

After Qiu Yan's Divine Sense transmitted these words, the native Divine Sense fell silent. It was unclear whether it was because its thoughts had been exposed or because Qiu Yan's words had reminded it of something it hadn't noticed before.

However, Qiu Yan was not worried at all that his words would remind the other party, because people's hearts are fickle, and since this deity originated from people's hearts, it was naturally even more unpredictable and could change in an instant.

Observing people and their hearts, often, once you understand a person's character, you can basically predict what they will do in the future. The same applies to observing gods.

With just a few simple words, Qiu Yan couldn't possibly understand the essence of that Divine Sense. At most, he knew that the other party was hiding something and harboring malicious intentions, and that further probing through words was necessary to gain a deeper understanding.

However, clues can be found in other aspects, namely the offerings to the gods.

Human Path on this continent is distorted, and as a reflection of people's hearts, the gods cannot remain unaffected. From the moment Qiu Yan came into contact with that Divine Sense, he always dealt with it cautiously, testing and judging it. He even took advantage of the situation to ignite the fire, using the fire of the Domain of Law to directly interfere with the surroundings, naturally capturing, analyzing, and interpreting various external phenomena.

"Now, the main questions focus on three points. First, what is the purpose of this deity? Second, is this deity truly Star Lord, and why does he refer to himself as 'this Lord'? Third, what exactly is going on with this plain, and is it related to the secrets of the continent's Divine Path? Solving these three questions will not only allow us to utilize the resources here, but also to understand the true nature of the continent's Divine Path. Of course, this is all on the premise that the plan we're about to make succeeds; otherwise, we'll be at our wits' end, either having our Divine Spirit Body destroyed by the Star Lord or being enslaved. In that case, this gamble will have failed."

Realizing this, Qiu Yan remained calm. His Divine Sense suddenly activated, replying to the other party, "You asked me why I was so certain you would harm me. Actually, I wasn't sure at first, but after hearing your answer, I am now certain."

As Qiu Yan transmitted his Divine Sense, he also emitted waves of Domain of Law fluctuations, which stirred up a bit of Divine Sense hidden in the hearts of Feng Zhantian and the others, causing their panic and fear to swell!

Immediately, the surging People's Wishes that filled the surrounding area surged forth, like a sudden storm rising on a calm sea, affecting everything around it!

Wherever the Domain of Law passed, flowers and plants completely collapsed, disappearing without a trace. Incense and People's Wishes scattered and were released. Without the adornment of Votive Thoughts, the medicinal power and fragrance turned into the stench of blood and gushing blood!

"What happened?"

Xiao Li calmed everyone down and took the initiative, but unexpectedly, the grass beneath his feet began to change. The rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures that once made people's hearts flutter withered and turned to ashes, exposing the bare ground. Blood seeped from the soil, and the fragrance in the air turned into a pungent smell of blood.

Such changes caused their emotions to fluctuate wildly, leading them to wail and roar in anger.

"A priceless treasure! A priceless treasure! Why has it withered?"

Even Xiao Li, who had just experienced a higher level of power and placed high hopes on the heavenly materials and earthly treasures here, how could he withstand such a change?

"How could this be? heavenly materials and earthly treasures..."

Qiu Yan's voice rang out in his heart at just the right moment--

"Don't panic. Silently recite the Mind Formula to calm your mind. The situation is dangerous. There's a hidden hand controlling everything. The heavenly materials and earthly treasures saw earlier were just an illusion, and the current Blood Qi is also not real. The mastermind is trying to bewitch your minds, invade them, and ultimately possess the puppets! You must tell everyone this, and then lead them to strengthen their resolve and resist the illusion! Remember! With a steadfast heart, you will receive divine assistance and be able to withstand a thousand armies!"

"An illusion? Was everything just an illusion?" Xiao Li was lost in thought, his State of Mind fluctuating wildly, his mind wide open. Therefore, Qiu Yan's words had a significant impact on his judgment.

However, despite his disappointment, Xiao Li knew that survival was the top priority after struggling in the cultivation world for so long. Moreover, with that "senior" by his side, he was not lacking in fortuitous opportunity, so he quickly calmed down.

"While we don't know if what they said is true or false, we certainly can't afford to panic right now! We need to at least understand the situation we're in..."

Thinking this, he was about to speak up to maintain Order, but before he could utter a word, Black Wind suddenly blew from the distant horizon, surging and moving very fast, like a dark cloud that enveloped everything.

Standing atop the dark clouds Eye-Bearing Star Lord, dressed in black.

He rode the Black Wind, exuding an aura of extreme terror, like a demon king, and came in a mighty manner, bringing with him a powerful pressure that fell upon everyone.

"There are so many mortals here, already panicked and unable to resist the mental erosion. They're perfect food for me. I'll devour them all to break the seal!"

Before he could finish speaking, dark clouds rolled down, condensing into a gigantic maw of smoke that descended upon them! (To be continued...)

P. S.: Thanks to "My Sister Is Xuanxuan" for the monthly vote!