"Clan leader, save me!"
Yang Xiaoyun and the other four looked toward Yang Xiaosheng at the bottom of the cave and cried out for help.
At the sight, Yang Xiaosheng's pupils contracted violently. He had never imagined the Spirit God had asked him to bring five living people here to drain their blood!
No wonder the Red Spirit Cave and the Red Spirit Tree are so bloodred!
Realization dawned on him, but he did nothing as Yang Xiaoyun and the others pleaded for help.
"Save... save me..."
A breath later, Yang Xiaoyun and the other four made their final pleas, then fell silent.
Thud!
Their bodies hit the ground, twisted beyond human shape. Every drop of blood in them had been drained by the Red Spirit Cave—or rather, by the Spirit God!
Yang Xiaosheng looked at their corpses, his heart hammering. When had he ever witnessed anything like this?
"Yang Xiaosheng, you have done well. This is the power you deserve."
The Spirit God's voice rang out, ethereal and desolate.
Before the voice faded, the Contract appeared in midair, giving off a faint red glow.
"Thank you, Spirit God!"
At those words, Yang Xiaosheng's fear vanished. He looked up at the Contract, his face alight with joy.
Boom!
A beam of red light shot from the Contract into Yang Xiaosheng's body.
In an instant, his blood surged, his bones cracked, and his meridians stretched open. Power filled every inch of him!
Three breaths later, both the red light and the Contract vanished.
"Huh?!"
Yang Xiaosheng raised an eyebrow in confusion. He still could not sense Source Qi, which meant he had not become a cultivator. Why?
Though the question troubled him, he did not dare ask the Spirit God outright.
"To shed mortality and become immortal is not accomplished in a single step. Do not rush. Though you have yet to become a cultivator, your strength now surpasses that of a Martial Warrior."
"Continue bringing living people here as the Contract requires, and you will gradually become a cultivator."
The Spirit God seemed to see through Yang Xiaosheng's thoughts and offered an explanation.
"Yes, Spirit God!"
"Take these five corpses out of the Red Spirit Cave. Bring more people tomorrow."
The Spirit God gave the command.
"Yes, Spirit God!"
Yang Xiaosheng hoisted the five corpses onto his shoulders and bowed respectfully.
By the time he straightened, he had already left the Red Spirit Cave.
"My strength really does surpass a Martial Warrior's. Carrying all five of their bodies feels like carrying nothing!"
Beside the Red Spirit Tree, Yang Xiaosheng could barely contain his delight.
"Hmm..." He pondered for a moment. "First, I'll dispose of their bodies properly."
Half an hour later.
Yang Household Cave.
Yang Xiaosheng returned to Yang Household Cave carrying a huge cloth sack.
"Clan leader, how did it go? Did you find anything to eat?"
Yang Shengyu looked at the sack and asked, though he already knew the answer.
"The food is in here."
Yang Xiaosheng handed him the sack, his face expressionless.
Yang Shengyu took it and opened it, looking startled. "Meat and bones?!"
"Clan leader, why isn't there any blood on them? How strange!" He looked at Yang Xiaosheng, thoroughly puzzled. "By the way, where are Xiaoyun and the others?"
"Alas..." Yang Xiaosheng sighed. "Xiaoyun and the others were killed by the fierce tiger in that sack."
"I got them killed. I failed them!"
Two streams of tears ran down Yang Xiaosheng's face as he reproached himself.
"Clan leader, it wasn't your fault."
Yang Shengyu hurried to console him.
"Enough. I have no appetite. Divide it among yourselves."
"Yes, clan leader!"
Twenty days later.
Seeking Dao Mountains.
Hidden Dragon Valley.
Li Moqing sat quietly in the valley.
He had not come today to mourn Daoist Qi, but to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer.
When a cultivator broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer, their Source Aspects took physical form. The commotion far surpassed that of their initial awakening!
Awakening his Source Aspects had already shaken the valley to its foundations. Naturally, he could not let them take physical form inside the Sect.
Whoosh!
Power surged around Li Moqing, sharp and fierce.
Hum!
Suddenly, ten thousand golden swords appeared above the valley. They rang in midair, their Sword Qi stirring the wind and clouds!
Rumble!
At the same time, Divine Thunder rolled across the sky, tearing through the space above the valley!
Roar!
A Divine Dragon wheeled overhead, its cry shaking the nine heavens!
Li Moqing's Source Aspects had finished taking physical form. He had successfully entered the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer!
From now on, his Cultivation Arts would no longer merely project might—they would exert crushing pressure!
He had also awakened Divine Sense. Compared with his previous realm, the difference was a chasm between heaven and earth!
"Three years ago, when Daoist Qi fought that purple-robed man, they both hovered in the air."
"But when Daoist Qi died, the purple-robed man only searched his body. He didn't destroy his Source Core or Nascent Soul. Daoist Qi must have been at the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer."
"Now that I've reached the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer too, I should try to see what's inside Daoist Qi's Spatial Ring."
Li Moqing calmly withdrew his three Source Aspects and murmured to himself.
Spatial Rings offered a measure of secrecy. One needed to reach a certain realm to examine their contents.
The higher the owner's realm had been in life, the higher the realm required to examine their Spatial Ring.
The gap between Li Moqing's realm and Daoist Qi's had previously been too great, so he had never been able to look inside.
Now that he had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer, he naturally had to try.
He took out the Spatial Ring Daoist Qi had given him before his death. The longer he examined it, the graver his expression became.
"Huh? My Divine Sense underwent ten thousandfold Blood Refinement. It's tremendously powerful, yet I still can't see inside Daoist Qi's Spatial Ring?"
"Was my deduction wrong? Was Daoist Qi not at the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer?"
"That makes no sense. How could this be?"
Li Moqing could not understand it.
"Never mind. I've been out long enough. I'll return to the Sect first."
With that thought, Li Moqing put away the Spatial Ring and departed as a streak of light.
Heavenly Mist Sect.
Inside the Sect.
Sect Discussion Hall.
"Second Senior Sister really is something. She's already at the Foundation Establishment Realm Sixth Layer! Her cultivation is improving so fast I can only eat her dust!"
"Third Junior Brother isn't slow either. He's only one minor realm behind me!"
"Elder Mo is nearly at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm Sixth Layer. His speed is even more frightening!"
"Not at all. I can't compare with you youngsters!"
"As your eldest senior brother, I'm only at the Foundation Establishment Realm Fourth Layer. I've fallen another step behind you both!"
"Eldest Senior Brother, you've already achieved more than most people ever could. Don't lose heart!"
"Hahaha! You're worrying for nothing, Third Junior Brother. Why would I lose heart? This only gives me endless motivation!"
Mo Lingyuan, Zhang Xingfeng, Dongfang Muxue, Chen Guyu, and Lü Liu had just emerged from the Time Tower. They chatted happily about what they had gained from this round of cultivation.
Whoosh!
Just then, Li Moqing flew into the hall as a streak of light.
"Sect Master!" "Master!" "Master!"
Mo Lingyuan and the others hurried to greet him respectfully.
"No need for formalities. It's rare for everyone to have free time. Let's have some tea together."
Li Moqing smiled faintly.
"Lü Liu, go make some tea."
"Yes, Sect Master!"
Starwave Sect.
Inside the Sect.
"Hahahaha..."
Suddenly, wild laughter erupted within Starwave Sect and rang across the entire Sect.
"What's going on? Where is that laughter coming from?"
"That laugh sounds terribly arrogant. Is an enemy attacking?"
"This is bad! Stay alert—everyone, stay alert!"
The people of Starwave Sect had no idea what was happening. They rushed to the Sect square and scanned their surroundings, tense and wary.
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