Si Yao, her purple robes fluttering, retrieved the large fish hook and descended gracefully from the air to the ground. Her body immediately went rigid.

Before she killed Yu Weifeng, her rage had made her wish to cleave him into a thousand pieces.

But now, having jointly struck down Yu Weifeng with Liao Xiaocui, Jin Zhongshan, Pan Shuang, and the others, the thought of the serious repercussions began to turn Zhou Yao’s face ashen, her limbs weak.

She glanced over at Liao Xiaozhao and Jin Zhongshan; their complexions were equally grim.

Killing Yu Weifeng meant offending not just a mere early-stage Golden Core cultivator, but Sect Master Yu, one of the five great Sect Masters of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, along with the vast network of powerful cultivators behind him.

They had to remember that the four of them were disciples of the Northern Immortal Palace under the Heavenly Dao Alliance, all hailing from major cultivation families in the East Sea. Their relationship with Yu Weifeng, a direct descendant of Sect Master Yu, was intimate; normally, when they met in the East Sea, they treated him with the utmost deference, addressing him as Senior Brother.

It was only because Yu Weifeng had tried to kill them within the Grand Array of the Universe’s Mysteries, causing their cultivation base to plummet from the Golden Core realm to Foundation Establishment, that they had acted in justifiable anger, risking the wrath of Sect Master Yu to jointly execute him here.

“Fortunately, Yu Weifeng exhausted his spiritual power. If he still had the strength to manipulate his artifacts, at least one or two of us would likely have perished. If he had escaped, though the East Sea is vast, there would probably be no place left for us to hide in the future.”

Liao Xiaozhang’s face was pale, showing a lingering fear.

“He deserved to die! Who told him to scheme against us just to hoard the Tax Ox Drum? He caused the deaths of five or six Senior and Junior Brothers from both the Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Demonic Dao Alliance within that great array. If Brother Ye hadn’t protected the four of us with all his might, using the Ancient Mirror of the Swift Thunder to carve a path out of the array, the five of us would have fallen together. With so many Golden Core cultivators killed by his hand, killing him was absolutely warranted!” Jin Zhongshan spat out in fury.

Even though they had killed Yu Weifeng, it did little to quell the anger in his heart.

He had poured so much effort, spent so much time earning spirit stones for elixirs, and diligently cultivated just to break through the Golden Core bottleneck and become a Golden Core cultivator.

Because of this incident, not only was all that hard work wasted, but it also meant a decade or more of his lifespan had been thrown away. The hope of reaching the Nascent Soul realm, already extremely slim, now seemed even more distant.

Ye Qin, seeing Yu Weifeng dead, let out a breath of relief. He immediately drank some spirit wine and settled cross-legged to meditate, restoring his spiritual power.

Zhou Yao, Liao Xiaofeng, and the others quickly followed suit, meditating where they stood.

After the time it took for a few sticks of incense to burn, Ye Qin had recovered more than half of his spiritual power before standing up. He walked over to the four others—Zhou Yao, Jin Zhongshan, and the rest—and spoke in a low voice:

“Yu Weifeng died here today. All five of us share responsibility. No matter which one of us leaks the news that Sect Master Yu learns Yu Weifeng was slain by our hands, the five of us are certainly doomed. Therefore, once we leave this place, we must never speak of what happened in this ancient hall again. We will act as if we never encountered Yu Weifeng after entering the Langya Secret Realm. As long as we remain silent, once the Langya Secret Realm seals up, all clues will vanish, and Sect Master Yu will have no way to investigate.”

“Yes, Big Brother Ye, we know what to do. That’s a given. When we return, I will immediately enter solitary seclusion for ten years. After ten years, it’s likely no one will still care about this matter.”

Zhou Yao and the others nodded in agreement.

“Big Brother Ye, how should we handle the artifacts Yu Weifeng left behind?” Liao Xiaohui pointed toward the remnants of Yu Weifeng’s exploded body, the storage bag he dropped, and the two Nascent Soul-level artifacts and treasures.

“Destroy them all!”

Ye Qin pondered briefly, then formed a hand seal for a fire-element technique, summoning a fireball.

A ball of intensely blazing Samadhi True Fire appeared several feet above his palm.

The temperature of the entire hall rapidly soared.

Ye Qin flipped his hand, sending the great ball of Samadhi True Fire roaring out with a whoosh, engulfing the area tens of feet around where Yu Weifeng had perished, incinerating the residual flesh and blood until nothing remained.

Even the storage bag was burned until it ruptured. With a clatter, a large quantity of mid- and high-tier artifacts, spirit stones, talismans, and other treasures spilled out, only to be swiftly consumed by the True Fire.

Yu Weifeng’s two Nascent Soul artifacts, the Fire Spirit Orbs, were themselves fire-element treasures, and thus could not be destroyed by the Samadhi True Fire.

Ye Qin casually tossed out the Golden Crow Radiance Sword, intending to cleave them all into fragments.

“Aiya, don’t!”

Jin Zhongshan snapped his eyes open from his meditation. Seeing Ye Qin about to destroy Yu Weifeng’s two incredibly expensive Nascent Soul artifacts without a word, he panicked and quickly tried to dissuade him. “These two Nascent Soul artifacts, the Fire Spirit Orbs, each are worth at least several hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones! Destroying them is too great a waste!”

Ye Qin turned to Jin Zhongshan, his brow furrowing. “You want to sell them for spirit stones? If these artifacts circulate outside, it won’t take long before you and I are utterly doomed! Every single item Yu Weifeng carried—including the two fire-element Nascent Soul artifacts, one Fire Spirit Orb, and the Lesser Divine Ability artifact, the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword—none of it can be left behind. Everything must be annihilated.”

“Why can’t we keep them? You killed Yan Hao, but you kept his Ancient Mirror of the Swift Thunder, didn’t you? Why destroy Yu Weifeng’s two Nascent Soul artifacts, treasures, and the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword! Especially that Crimson Flood Dragon Sword. Lesser Divine Ability artifacts are rare; even Nascent Soul cultivators seldom possess such treasures. If you don’t want them, just give them to me! Why destroy such precious treasures!?” Jin Zhongshan’s eyes widened as he ranted.

“Yan Hao’s Ancient Mirror of the Swift Thunder can be kept, but Yu Weifeng’s artifacts cannot!” Ye Qin said coldly.

“What’s the difference between Yan Hao and Yu Weifeng? One is the descendant of Elder Yan, the other the descendant of Sect Master Yu—both are equally impossible to offend. You keep the Ancient Mirror of the Swift Thunder but destroy the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword. If you don’t want the sword, why not hand it over to me! Keeping these Nascent Soul artifacts and treasures could at least compensate for my losses,” Jin Zhongshan argued, unresigned.

“Yan Hao’s death is not a grave matter. Elder Yan of the Demonic Dao Alliance, even if enraged by Yan Hao’s death, cannot recklessly pursue the killer in the territory controlled by the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s Northern Isles without concrete evidence. Even if I kept the Ancient Mirror of the Swift Thunder, as long as I don’t use it carelessly, Elder Yan won’t trace it back to me. Even if the news somehow leaks and Elder Yan learns the mirror is in my hands, he cannot openly send large numbers of cultivators into the Northern Isles to hunt me down. Thus, keeping the Ancient Mirror is acceptable.

“However, Yu Weifeng’s death is entirely different. If even a single one of his possessions accidentally surfaces in the outside world, it can easily be discovered by Sect Master Yu’s forces, allowing them to follow the thread straight back to us. Within the Northern Isles, Sect Master Yu commands immense power, with numerous Nascent Soul cultivators and countless Golden Core cultivators serving him. Any item left by Yu Weifeng is absolutely guaranteed to fall under Sect Master Yu’s notice. Brother Jin, think about the lives of the hundreds of cultivators under the Treasure Gathering Palace; one slip could implicate the safety of the entire Immortal Palace. Consider this, and you won’t feel it’s a pity to destroy these few artifacts and treasures.”

“This, I—I’m not saying I don’t understand, but it’s such a waste,” Jin Zhongshan was momentarily struck dumb, muttering a few weak words before finally hanging his head dejectedly, falling silent.

Liao Xiaozhang spoke correctly; even if he didn't care for his own safety, he couldn't ignore the hundreds of cultivators in the Treasure Gathering Palace. This was the great dilemma for disciples of the East Sea Immortal Palace families: they could not act without first considering the interests of the Immortal Palace.

Seeing Jin Zhongshan cease his opposition, Ye Qin summoned the Golden Crow Radiance Sword and struck Yu Weifeng’s two Nascent Soul artifacts and the Fire Spirit Orb into countless tiny, broken fragments, erasing all traces of spiritual energy so they became unrecognizable.

Only the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword, several inches long, remained lying quietly on the ground, enveloped in a fiery red glow, with a miniature crimson flood dragon faintly visible within. Fire Spirit Qi overflowed, possessing a breathtakingly mesmerizing aura.

Ye Qin hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to destroy this incredibly precious Lesser Divine Ability artifact.

In the end, he steeled his heart and commanded the Golden Crow Radiance Sword to transform into a golden streak, moving toward the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword.

Although the power of a Lesser Divine Ability artifact was immense, every use required too great a cost. A Golden Core cultivator lacked sufficient spiritual power and could only use their exceedingly precious vital essence to drive it, causing their cultivation to drop sharply with every use. Only Nascent Soul cultivators possessed the abundant spiritual power required to use such artifacts normally.

Ye Qin already possessed the Ancient Mirror of the Swift Thunder and dared not use it lightly. Even if he kept the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword, it would be useless to him. It was better to destroy it and leave no hidden dangers.

The Golden Crow Radiance Sword flew above the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword. With a sharp slash, it brought its blade down upon the target.

But then, an unexpected change occurred.

The usually silent Crimson Flood Dragon Sword trembled violently just as the Golden Crow Radiance Sword was about to strike. Its tip tapped the ground lightly, emitting a clear chime, and it suddenly sprang upward more than ten feet high, narrowly dodging the full force of the Golden Crow Radiance Sword’s blow.

“Huh!”

Ye Qin was startled and immediately maneuvered the Golden Crow Radiance Sword to pursue the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword.

The several hundred feet of space within the main hall was not vast. In the center lay the horizontal remains of a twelfth-rank poisonous flood dragon skeleton. The Crimson Flood Dragon Sword dared not approach the skeleton on the floor, forced to flee through the air of the hall; it had nowhere else to go to escape.

The Golden Crow Radiance Sword sped after it and fiercely cleaved down upon the few inches of the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword’s body.

With a clank, the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword was knocked flying and crashed onto the floor.

But it sustained no damage. The sword’s body trembled even more violently, wobbling as it took flight again, emitting a cry that sounded like a plea for mercy. This time, its escape was even faster, transforming almost into a streak of red light as it darted through the hall, constantly evading the pursuit of the Golden Crow Radiance Sword.

Ye Qin was utterly astonished.

“This Crimson Flood Dragon Sword actively evades danger and seeks fortune while crying out for help—this is extremely rare. What is going on?”

“Ordinary low-, mid-, and high-tier artifacts contain a large amount of spiritual energy, but they lack self-awareness. Nascent Soul artifacts, because the master’s vital essence is infused into them, gain sentience and can communicate heart-to-heart with the owner, moving as if part of their own limb, but they do not possess this degree of spirituality. This Crimson Flood Dragon Sword acts more like a low-level spirit beast!”

Zhou Yao and Jin Zhongshan were even more stunned into silence.

Liao Xiaozhang tilted his head, thinking for a moment, and then exclaimed in surprise:

“The material of this Crimson Flood Dragon Sword is incredibly hard; the Golden Crow Radiance Sword cannot destroy it. Furthermore, it seems a soul is sealed within the sword—it’s quite peculiar!”

Ye Qin recalled his Golden Crow Radiance Sword and slapped his storage pouch, retrieving a low-tier artifact: a low-level net woven from glittering golden threads. He tossed it out, and the dazzling golden net spread out, enveloping a space nearly a hundred feet wide.

The Crimson Flood Dragon Sword, fleeing rapidly in mid-air, struck the golden silk net and was caught within its weave. It struggled desperately within the mesh but could not break free. Although it was a Lesser Divine Ability artifact, without a cultivator injecting spiritual power or vital essence, it could not unleash any real power.

Ye Qin retrieved the net and snatched the Crimson Flood Dragon Sword into his hand. After a while, the sword finally ceased its humming and quieted down.

Even though the Ancient Mirror of the Swift Thunder, an artifact of the same tier, possessed terrifying power, it did not exhibit such high levels of inherent spirituality. With Ye Qin’s Golden Core cultivation, he was actually unable to destroy this Crimson Flood Dragon Sword.

Ye Qin decided to keep the sword and take it with him.

Jin Zhongshan said nothing further.

Ye Qin looked toward the great hall. The twelfth-rank poisonous flood dragon skeleton and the damaged Tax Ox Drum still lay quietly in the center. The massive skeleton remained as it had for ten thousand years, while the grand ancient artifact, the Tax Ox Drum, emitted a faint, weak yellow light, emanating an aura of chilling killing intent.

During the ancient war between Immortals and Demons, the Tax Ox Drum was famous throughout the East Sea. Its influence was too great for anyone to claim for themselves. It had to be returned to one of the Heavenly Dao Alliance’s Sect Masters, or perhaps one of the Demonic Dao Alliance’s Elders. Only a Sect Master or Elder possessed the formidable strength required to safely hold the Tax Ox Drum.

“To whom should this Tax Ox Drum be given?”

Ye Qin hesitated; he was unfamiliar with the various Sect Masters of the Heavenly Dao Alliance or the Elders of the Demonic Dao Alliance.

“Big Brother Ye, allow me to take this drum back to the Purple Sword Palace. Sect Master Yu has less than a hundred years of lifespan remaining; unable to break through to the late Nascent Soul realm, he will eventually step down from the position of Sect Master. My Zhou family’s ancestor, the Palace Master of the Purple Sword Palace, is nearing the late Nascent Soul stage and is currently preparing to contend for the vacant position after Sect Master Yu’s passing. With this Tax Ox Drum in hand, the Palace Master’s hope of becoming Sect Master increases immediately, and no other Palace Master could compete with her.” Zhou Yao spoke up immediately.

“Hand it to Palace Master Zhou? That is also acceptable. We are all cultivators originating from the Central Lands’ Spiritual Mist cultivation world; entrusting the Tax Ox Drum to Palace Master Zhou offers reassurance. If Palace Master Zhou can become one of the five great Sect Masters of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, our safety in the East Sea will be completely secured. We won’t have to worry about being hunted down if the matter of killing Yu Weifeng is exposed.”

Ye Qin pondered for a moment and agreed. “Although the four of you have fallen from the Golden Core realm, simply by delivering this Tax Ox Drum back to the Purple Sword Palace, you will earn immense merit. Palace Master Zhou will have every reason to grant you huge rewards. You will all have a solid chance of obtaining Golden Core elixirs and becoming Golden Core cultivators once more! If things go smoothly, you could reforge your cores in less than a year, and you won’t lack spirit elixirs or artifacts in the future. You won’t need to struggle earning spirit stones to buy elixirs anymore, and your cultivation can advance a thousand miles a day, giving you a much greater chance to become Nascent Soul cultivators. Today’s losses can be completely recouped.” If you wish to know what happens next, please log on to [URL] for more chapters, to support the author, and for genuine authorized reading! D

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