[Dao Land]

Time flies, and half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

In the past six months, Qi Yun has transformed into "Zhang Mazi" and his footprints have covered many mountains, rivers, lakes and valleys in Northwest China.

Guided by the secret manual "Detailed Explanation of the Northwest Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha Positions," he successfully located and absorbed fifty-three Earthly Fiend acupoints, connecting them one by one to the corresponding fifty-three key acupoints in his body.

He has completed nearly half of the path to Hundred Apertures Spirit Connection.

His internal True Essence became increasingly profound and refined, and his connection with heaven and earth became clearer. With every move he made, the range and intensity of the power of heaven and earth he drew upon far exceeded that of ordinary Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivators.

Meanwhile, the conflict in Teapot Valley, far away, did not cease, only its form changed.

The initial frenzied battle and chaos gradually subsided.

The situation reached a fragile balance amid the clash of forces and the weighing of interests.

The entire Teapot Valley region is now controlled by the four most powerful figures in the Northwest cultivation world: Wuji Sacred Sect, Yellow Springs Netherworld, Azure Sect, and Phoenix Helm.

The four forces joined forces to draw boundaries and set rules.

Only the disciples of these four major sects can enter and exit the Teapot Valley relatively freely with their identity tokens, approach the "Yin Ruins" rift, and try to absorb the pure Qi of Earth Sha emanating from the Earth Temple.

As for other small and medium-sized sects and cultivation Aristocratic Clan, if they want a share of the pie, they must be reviewed and approved by the "Management Office" jointly established by the four sects, and pay a hefty "management fee".

Only then can temporary passage be granted, and the time and area are strictly restricted.

This seemingly "reasonable" arrangement, on the surface, maintained order and avoided endless fighting.

The leaders of the four sects all seemed "satisfied" with the result. Disciples of the Wuji Sacred Sect, Azure Sect, and Phoenix Helm could often be seen with happy expressions on their faces when they were active outside Teapot Valley.

However, as any discerning person knows, only those in the Yellow Springs Netherworld suffer in silence, swallowing their bitterness and pain.

There is no other reason.

The location of Teapot Valley is far too close to the core ruling area of Yellow Springs Netherworld!

It was almost right next to the boundary of its sphere of influence.

Now, the other three sects, under the guise of "jointly managing" the Hugu Temple, have legitimately stationed a large number of elite disciples here, and even have Foundation Establishment cultivators overseeing the area.

This is tantamount to having three heavily armed, burly men sleeping soundly beside one's bed in the Yellow Springs Netherworld!

For now, the family still maintains the appearance of following the rules and cooperating.

However, should the situation change in the future, the three alliances will tacitly "move forward" and push their controlled area into the heart of the Yellow Springs Netherworld.

In the Yellow Springs Netherworld, there's nowhere to even cry; you can only swallow your anger and resentment.

This Earth Temple was like inviting a wolf into their house; it was a poisonous thorn stuck in their throats!

"Just as I expected, after the opening of the Teapot Valley Yin Ruins, a great bloody battle ensued, with countless cultivators killed and wounded. In the end, it was the four sects that held their ground with their absolute strength and joined forces to control the Earth Temple."

Qi Yun, having gathered intelligence through various channels over this period, was not surprised by the evolution of the situation.

He shook the Soul Refining Banner in his hand, whose aura was growing increasingly sinister, a resolute glint flashing in his eyes.

"The situation has been settled. It's time for me to go and see this legendary [Dao Land]."

He spoke lightly, but in reality, he was filled with helplessness.

Over the past six months, as more and more acupoints have been opened in his body, the number of unoccupied and reasonably good-quality Earthly Fiend acupoints he can find has become increasingly scarce.

The Northwest region is vast, but it has even more cultivators.

Especially the acupoints suitable for Late Qi Refining, almost every one of them is already occupied.

Moreover, most of these cultivators who occupy inauspicious burial sites are not alone; they often have fellow disciples, clansmen, or even masters protecting them.

To forcibly seize it, a fierce battle must be fought.

The outcome is unpredictable and could easily lead to deadly feuds and expose one's own weaknesses.

In the past two months, Qi Yun has been searching for three marked auspicious burial sites according to the map, but none of them have been successful.

Either it has already been occupied, or the environment has changed drastically, and the Sha Qi has dissipated.

The time cost has already exceeded his initial budget.

The methodical approach to cultivation has reached a bottleneck.

"We can't keep dragging this on." Qi Yun took a deep breath.

Although the rules and regulations of Teapot Valley were strict, it was controlled by four sects.

But at least ostensibly, it prohibits Foundation Establishment cultivators from attacking Qi Refining disciples.

With caution and his current skills, along with the disguise of "Zhang Mazi," he could still find a glimmer of fortuitous opportunity.

Before even truly approaching the Teapot Valley, a complex aura, a mixture of earthly malevolent Sha Qi and a faint, almost imperceptible, stench of blood, assaulted the senses.

In the distance, the sky was filled with faint, shimmering light, and the air was thick with the sounds of people.

It's a stark contrast to the desolate scene that was razed to the ground just six months ago.

Qi Yun concealed his aura and, adopting the low-key and gloomy demeanor of "Zhang Mazi," mingled with the bustling crowd and approached the outer edge of Teapot Valley.

The natural boundary of the Teapot Valley was now shrouded in a massive light barrier erected by the four major sects.

The magical runes flowed across the light barrier, radiating a chilling pressure.

Disciples were stationed at only a few specific entrances.

Outside the light screen, a large temporary gathering area had already formed, with tents and makeshift huts standing everywhere.

Countless cultivators from all over the Northwest and even further afield lingered, observed, and traded here, creating a bustling atmosphere.

It has become a burgeoning market town.

The vast majority of people wore expressions of longing and anxiety, their eyes gazing eagerly into the light screen, where the entrance to the "Yin Ruins" where the Earth Temple was located lay, their hope for breaking through the bottleneck.

However, the rules jointly established by the four major sects were like an insurmountable barrier, keeping the vast majority of people out.

To enter, one must be a disciple of one of the four sects.

They either have to pay a hefty "management fee" and undergo rigorous scrutiny.

Qi Yun did not linger on the perimeter and headed straight for an entrance under the jurisdiction of the Holy Sect.

There was a line of people, neither too long nor too short, mostly disciples of the Holy Sect's Inner Mansion, each with an extraordinary aura.

When it was Qi Yun's turn, the person on duty was a serious-looking deacon at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.

He glanced at Qi Yun's tattered Daoist robe and the Soul Refining Banner in his hand, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing, simply extending his hand in a businesslike manner:

"Great Void Jade Tally."

Qi Yun took out the Great Void Jade Tally, but did not hand it over; he simply waved it in front of the man.

Upon seeing the emerald-green Inner Mansion True Cultivation Jade Token, the Holy Sect steward's expression changed slightly. He then quickly took out a jade talisman emitting faint spatial fluctuations and handed it to Qi Yun:

"This is a temporary pass, valid for thirty days."

With this talisman, one can enter the light curtain and approach the Yin Ruins rift area.

Remember, no private fights are allowed inside the Earth Temple surrounding environment is permitted.

Violators will be punished for all four offenses!

"Thank you, Steward." Qi Yun replied in a hoarse voice, took the jade talisman, and calmed down slightly.

He put away the jade talisman and prepared to follow the other disciples into the entrance of the light curtain.

Just then, a middle-aged Daoist priest with an air of otherworldly grace, a gaunt face, and a whisk in hand, seemed to inadvertently glance at Qi Yun.

That gaze seemed calm, yet it possessed a kind of penetrating power.

Qi Yun down his spine, realizing that his disguise had been somewhat seen through.

What made Qi Yun even more wary was that the Daoist's gaze lingered on him for a moment, and then a meaningful, somewhat amused smile appeared on his face, but he did not say anything to stop or ask any questions.

Qi Yun remained calm and pretended not to notice, quickening his pace and swiftly disappearing into the light screen, vanishing from the strictly controlled area.

Once Qi Yun's figure disappeared, the Daoist priest with the air of an immortal withdrew his gaze, gently brushed the whisk in his hand, looked at the light screen entering the room, and murmured to himself in a barely audible voice:

"After waiting for half a year, this kid has finally arrived."

This boy is calm and composed, able to resist greed; though he travels around, he is quite reliable.

No wonder he caught the eye of someone like Senior Brother Deng; he's a promising talent.

"Let's see how much trouble he can stir up in this Yin Ruins."

His words carried a hint of appreciation, but even more so, a certainty that he had anticipated it all along, as if Qi Yun's arrival was entirely within his expectations.

The moment you pass through the light curtain, the universe distorts slightly, and the scene before you suddenly opens up.

But what follows is a heavy, gloomy, yet oppressive feeling containing immense energy.

As far as the eye can see, there is devastation everywhere.

The earth was a dark reddish-brown, as if it had been soaked in blood and dried up countless times.

Everywhere you look, there are bottomless rift valleys, collapsed mountain fragments, and glass-like pits that have been melted and solidified by terrifying forces.

The air was filled with a pure yet violent aura of malevolent energy, as well as a desolate and lifeless feeling from an ancient Savage Wilderness.

The sky was overcast and the sun and moon were nowhere to be seen.

Only occasionally did chaotic streaks of Flowing Light by, accompanied by a mournful whistling sound.

And in the center of this desolate and lifeless world.

A colossal, pitch-black rift, its edges twisting and writhing, emanating unstable cosmic fluctuations, was exposed in the void.

Within the rift, a dark and deep space, the outline of an ancient, yellowish temple, formed from endless Qi of Earth Sha, could be vaguely seen.

That is the legendary [Dao Land God Temple].

Even from a great distance, Qi Yun could feel the pure and terrifyingly powerful earthly energy emanating from that Earth Temple.

An area spanning dozens of miles around the rift was enveloped by an invisible force field.

The closer one gets to the crack, the denser the Qi of Earth Sha becomes, but the more unstable its aura becomes.

Sometimes tiny cracks appear out of nowhere and then disappear, posing an extreme danger.

At this time, many disciples from the four major sects and some disciples from other sects Aristocratic Clan were already sitting cross-legged at different distances from the rift.

Their bodies shimmered with light as they desperately absorbed the pure Qi of Earth Sha, their faces revealing solemnity and focus.

They dared not waste a single second of their time inside this [Dao Land].

Taking a deep breath of the unique air in this Yin Ruins, Qi Yun felt a faint sense of joy emanating from the nineteen unopened acupoints in his body.

"The Dao Land realm is indeed extraordinary." Gripping the Soul Refining Banner tightly, Qi Yun no longer hesitated.

He strode towards the crack, searching for its location, preparing to open the acupoint.

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