Black Rock Cliff. This place was originally the training ground for Sun Yan and his group. The rocks on the cliff face were all inky black, the stone walls sheer, splitting open to extend deep into the earth, where a massive natural cavern naturally existed below. Since the Ku Yan gang was inherently vicious, upon arriving at Black Rock Cliff, they utilized the area’s natural terrain to excavate a colossal prison underground. This was used to detain those who defied the orders of the Flowing Cloud Sea Peak, or simply those they disliked—a mix of cultivators from Blood Rain Mountain and some Heavenly Masters from the outside world. When Bie Yan was driven out of Blood Rain Mountain by Ji Changkong, they launched a midnight assault on the Ji family. Unfortunately, Mu Luo and Daji were both within the valley. Bie Yan and his cohorts tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice; almost none of them survived, and Sun Yan himself was slain by Mu Luo. After Sun Yan’s group departed, Black Rock Cliff was not left vacant; it was taken over by personnel dispatched from Flowing Cloud Sea Peak, serving as a concealed prison for their faction, Flowing Cloud Sand. Now, beneath Black Rock Cliff, masters from Blood Rain Mountain lay unconscious, all having succumbed to the "Heavenly God’s Drunkenness." To guard against any incidents at the cliff, Liu Yunsha’s Flowing Cloud Sea Peak, along with masters from the Myriad Poison Sect, East Sea Falling Cloud Island, and the Western Regions Mani Sect, were all stationed at Black Rock Cliff.

On a protruding crag of Black Rock Cliff, more than a dozen stone tables and stools were set out. Ahead, clouds and mist swirled, and the seven-colored evening glow traced arcs of dazzling splendor. Flowing Cloud Sea Peak, Qu Le of the Myriad Poison Sect, Zheng Jieshi the Island Master of Falling Cloud Island, the King of Darkness, the Ram Sect Leader… these masters, each renowned across a region, were gathered on this jutting precipice. Delicate tea was served on the stone tables; the group appeared utterly composed as they discussed the affairs of Blood Rain Mountain.

“When did the Ji family acquire so many masters?” Flowing Cloud Sea Peak frowned, deeply puzzled. “Besides Mu Luo, the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Master from the Oro Sect, there were two other equally formidable Eight Trigrams Heavenly Masters. That is why we could not subdue the Ji family.” The King of Darkness seemed enveloped in shadow; no light touched his form, as if all illumination were absorbed by his body. “They are from the Ghost Sect of the Gloomy Mountain Range. Those people specialize in spirit commanding; it could be no one else but the Ghost Sect.” Lan Lin, the elder sister from Orchid Garden who appeared at Xuanyuan Valley, spoke up suddenly. “Orchid Garden borders the Gloomy Mountain Range, so we know a little about the situation there. Rumor has it the Ghost Sect has ties to Ji family’s Xuanyuan. Their sudden appearance at the Ji family is quite unexpected, but it makes a degree of sense. The ‘Heavenly God’s Drunkenness’ is spent; dealing with the Ji family will require real steel now.” Zheng Jieshi, Island Master of Falling Cloud Island, knitted his brow, appearing troubled. “Those who took the Heavenly God’s Drunkenness will need more time to wake up. Sect Master Qu, have you arranged the slow-acting poison?” Sect Master Qu Le of the Myriad Poison Sect chuckled, his laughter resembling a viper slithering across the ground. “Rest assured, the slow poison will be administered before they wake. Once they awaken and realize their situation, they will certainly know how to distinguish the current state of affairs.” “I received word that the Water Cloud Garden has already mobilized. It won’t be long before their Heavenly Masters converge on Blood Rain Mountain. If we haven’t settled everything here by then, we’ll face increasing trouble,” Flowing Cloud Sea Peak remarked. “In my opinion, we should just kill all those afflicted by the Heavenly God’s Drunkenness. Then, we join forces and proceed to the Ji family, wipe them out, and afterwards, we all march on Heavenly Mountain. While our Holy Mother is battling Gu Dan, we seize the opportunity to destroy Heavenly Mountain! Once Heavenly Mountain falls, the confidence of all Water Cloud Garden Heavenly Masters will shatter. Then, the Heavenly Master realm of the Water Cloud Garden will be ours to command!” the King of Darkness hissed sinisterly. Flowing Cloud Sea Peak, Qu Le of the Myriad Poison Sect, Zheng Jieshi the Island Master of Falling Cloud Island, and Lan Lin of Orchid Garden clearly disagreed with the King of Darkness; they all shook their heads. The Mani Sect has the Holy Mother You Lan, a Nine Palaces Heavenly Master. Even if this venture fails, they need not greatly fear Gu Dan’s retribution upon returning to the Western Regions. However, Flowing Cloud Sand, the Myriad Poison Sect, Falling Cloud Island, and Orchid Garden lack a Nine Palaces Heavenly Master. Before receiving definite news from Heavenly Mountain, they dared not push things to the absolute limit. If all these people from Blood Rain Mountain were dead, they wouldn't gain much benefit. If Gu Dan defeated the Holy Mother You Lan on Heavenly Mountain, the Mani Sect might still be able to escape the Central Plains relying on her. But for these others, the outcome would be dire. Even if they managed to flee the Water Cloud Garden amidst the chaos, given Heavenly Mountain’s established methods, they would not be spared. Therefore, only once they confirmed that the Holy Mother You Lan truly possessed the power to contend with Gu Dan would they feel secure. Even so, they would not carelessly slay all the people from Blood Rain Mountain; they needed these individuals alive to obey their commands and work for them. “Once Sect Master Qu’s poison is ready and administered to those afflicted by the Heavenly God’s Drunkenness, we will all go to Bai Yuan Valley and utterly destroy the Ji family!” declared Zheng Jieshi, Island Master of Falling Cloud Island. Before Qu Le administered his poison, if those under the Heavenly God’s Drunkenness awoke, their strength would fully recover, making the underground prison difficult to control. The reason so many people remained at Black Rock Cliff was precisely to guard against resistance from those who might awaken prematurely. The higher a Heavenly Master’s realm, the less impact the Heavenly God’s Drunkenness had, and the sooner they would awaken. The first to wake would inevitably be the most difficult to handle. Thus, strict vigilance was necessary until Qu Le’s antidote was ready. “Be patient. It will be ready soon.” Qu Le chuckled strangely. “I heard that Ji family’s Xuanyuan is impervious to a hundred poisons. I truly wish to see if the poison I concoct can truly be resisted by Ji family’s Xuanyuan, hehe!” Deep in the night, a southwest corner of Black Rock Cliff. Five figures materialized silently. Ji Changkong, Li Hentian, Mu Luo, Ghost Butterfly, and Ghost Sea all possessed methods to conceal their auras. Upon arriving, they carefully suppressed all fluctuations of their primal energy, observing Black Rock Cliff from a distance in secret. “The people from the He family of Blood Rain Mountain, the Star Stone Sect, and others should all be imprisoned in the underground cells of Black Rock Cliff. I can sense many people below the prison…” Ji Changkong lowered his voice. “The King of Darkness and the others should be at Black Rock Cliff. If we barge in recklessly, we probably won't gain any advantage.” Li Hentian’s expression turned cold. He suddenly closed his eyes, and a faint wisp of soul fluctuation quietly drifted toward Black Rock Cliff. Mu Luo, Ghost Sea, and Ghost Butterfly frowned, looking at Li Hentian with some incomprehension. Although the soul fluctuation was slight, if the three of them could sense it, how could the masters at Black Rock Cliff—where experts were densely gathered—fail to detect it? Just then, the soul fluctuation Li Hentian sent toward Black Rock Cliff vanished suddenly, like smoke dispersed by the wind. Mu Luo, Ghost Sea, and Ghost Butterfly were astonished, looking at Li Hentian with surprise. As fellow cultivators in the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Realm, their control over the divine soul had not reached this level; they were deeply impressed. “The King of Darkness, the Island Master of Falling Cloud Island, Liu Yunhong the Sect Master of Flowing Cloud Sand… indeed, they are all at Black Rock Cliff. With our current strength, retreating safely is not an issue, but charging in headlong is likely impossible.” Li Hentian frowned. After a while, he opened his eyes and told Ji Changkong, “Everyone is at Black Rock Cliff. With their current forces combined, wiping out Xuanyuan Valley is certainly possible.” “Why aren’t they attacking Xuanyuan Valley now?” Ji Changkong felt a flicker of confusion. “The Heavenly God’s Drunkenness has a time limit. Those with profound realms, even if affected, will awaken quickly. They remain at Black Rock Cliff precisely to control those who wake up first,” Li Hentian explained. “The He family and Star Stone Sect both have Eight Trigrams Heavenly Masters. If those two awaken and are not under the control of the King of Darkness and the others, with our combined strength, we could wreak havoc at Black Rock Cliff!” Ji Changkong pondered, then suddenly asked, “Can we charge into Black Rock Cliff, find the two Eight Trigrams Heavenly Masters from the He family and Star Stone Sect, and wake them up first?” “Difficult,” Li Hentian shook his head and murmured. “If those two were also afflicted by the Heavenly God’s Drunkenness, they would certainly be heavily guarded. We won’t have a chance to see them without alerting the King of Darkness and the others.” “If that’s the case, there is only one way to diminish their power. We guard this area. I refuse to believe they will all hide away in Black Rock Cliff. As long as someone comes out, whoever it is, we kill them,” Ji Changkong sneered. “This method, while somewhat passive, is indeed an option. Fine, we will guard the vicinity, waiting for reinforcements from outside, and see who is unlucky enough,” Li Hentian considered it for a moment and nodded lightly.

A group of Southern Yi Heavenly Masters, their arms covered in tattoos of venomous insects and carrying bundles of green medicinal herbs, headed towards Black Rock Cliff from the west. They were all members of the Myriad Poison Sect, following Qu Le’s orders to gather enough ingredients to refine a poison potent enough to subdue all the masters from Blood Rain Mountain at once. These Myriad Poison Sect Heavenly Masters chatted loudly in the Southern Yi language, appearing extremely excited. Ji Changkong’s group was dispersed across various corners of Black Rock Cliff—four Eight Trigrams Heavenly Masters, plus Ji Changkong, whose spiritual perception was exceptionally keen, subtly encircling Black Rock Cliff. No Heavenly Master entering or exiting Black Rock Cliff could escape the eyes and ears of Ji Changkong’s party. That group of Southern Yi Heavenly Masters soon entered Ghost Butterfly’s warning radius. Ghost Butterfly’s form flickered, vanishing, and she quickly transmitted news from that area. In other locations, Ji Changkong, Li Hentian, Ghost Sea, and Mu Luo, upon seeing the signal, swiftly converged there. Before the Southern Yi Heavenly Masters could approach the area near Black Rock Cliff, the five rushed towards them with cold, indifferent expressions. No one spoke. The five tried their best to conceal their auras, unleashing their attacks with minimal visible fluctuations of primal energy, slaughtering this group of Myriad Poison Sect Heavenly Masters, none of whom were in the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Realm. Screams erupted from the mouths of the Myriad Poison Sect members. This location was still some distance from Black Rock Cliff, so before attacking, Li Hentian and the others used great power to envelop the area, ensuring their cries would not carry far. Inevitably, in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, this entire contingent of Southern Yi Heavenly Masters from the Myriad Poison Sect was massacred by Ji Changkong’s group. Li Hentian retrieved a packet of pale green powder from a large man whose hair was tied in a braid. Li Hentian seemed to understand the powder's purpose, smearing it onto the wounds of the corpses. Where the green powder touched the wounds, it hissed and smoked, causing the wounds to rapidly fester and widen. A two-meter-tall corpse dissolved into bloody water within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, merging into the soil. Li Hentian proceeded methodically, applying the pale green powder to each corpse. The green powder, carrying a terrifying corrosive power, rapidly melted the bodies into blood, leaving not even bone fragments behind. Soon, nothing remained in that spot except pools of blood. “What a terrifying poison!” Ghost Butterfly exclaimed, her face aghast. “The Myriad Poison Sect is truly fearsome. Even their low-ranking subordinates carry such a deadly substance on their persons. Is Sect Master Qu Le of the Myriad Poison Sect entirely made of poison?” “This Corpse Dissolving Powder isn’t precious; it only corrodes upon contact with organic matter. You only need to be careful not to get injured and ensure your wounds do not touch this powder,” Li Hentian explained with a detached look, glancing at Ghost Butterfly. “The Myriad Poison Sect specializes in toxins. When fighting them, try to hold your breath; if you can seal all your pores, you can block nine-tenths of their poisonous attacks.” “We will remember your advice,” Ghost Rong stated solemnly. “Changkong, you must be careful too. Don't assume that just because you are the new generation of Xuanyuan, you are immune to the poisons of the Myriad Poison Sect. As far as I know, the Ji family’s Xuanyuan lineage has suffered poisoning before…” Li Hentian added. “Ah?” Ji Changkong looked surprised. “Isn’t it said that the Xuanyuan lineage is immune to a hundred poisons?” “There are countless poisons in the world. Xuanyuan is merely physically tougher than ordinary people. While your blood can indeed confer immunity to some toxins, there are still many poisons your body cannot fully withstand. Remember this: if you ever meet Qu Le of the Myriad Poison Sect, be extremely careful, and do not carelessly allow him to test poisons on you!” Li Hentian warned. “Understood,” Ji Changkong nodded with a wry smile. The fact that even the Xuanyuan lineage had suffered poisoning suggested that the Xuanyuan bloodline was not omnipotent. For three consecutive days, Ji Changkong, Mu Luo, and their group prowled the vicinity of Black Rock Cliff. As soon as an enemy entered their attack range, they struck without mercy. Li Hentian and Mu Luo, possessing the cultivation of the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Realm, acted with extreme caution. They managed to slay several groups of enemies entering and exiting without being detected by the people inside Black Rock Cliff. Before attacking, Li Hentian and Mu Luo would jointly cast an acoustic barrier. Once an enemy was enveloped by this barrier, they could kill without reservation, as there was no need to worry about noise. With four Eight Trigrams Heavenly Masters plus Ji Changkong, this force was enough to make any place in the world tremble. In three days, over a hundred Heavenly Masters had died at the hands of the five—members of the Mani Sect, Falling Cloud Island, the Myriad Poison Sect, and Orchid Garden. Each time they killed, they would retrieve the green powder distributed by Li Hentian and smear it on the corpses. After the bodies had completely melted, they would wave their hands, releasing gray sand to wipe away any bloodstains, leaving not the slightest trace behind.

Black Rock Cliff. Flowing Cloud Sea Peak and the King of Darkness arrived together in a stone chamber thick with a putrid stench. In the center of the chamber was a massive circular pool filled with multicolored liquid that bubbled thickly. As the bubbles burst, a pungent odor was released. Sect Master Qu Le of the Myriad Poison Sect, his face grim, held a medicinal herb in his hands, which melted under the faint blue flames emanating from his palms. The grass-green liquid dripped into the pool before him. When Flowing Cloud Sea Peak and the King of Darkness approached, Qu Le frowned, pausing his work. “Where are the medicinal materials I requested? Why is there still such a shortage? Flowing Cloud Sea Peak, didn't you say you would handle this matter?” Qu Le’s direct reprimand caused Flowing Cloud Sea Peak’s expression to sour. Before these people arrived at Blood Rain Mountain, even with He Haoran and Baili Da present there, no one dared to chastise him so openly. However, since experts like the King of Darkness, Qu Le, and Zheng Jieshi garrisoned Blood Rain Mountain, the authority of the Flowing Cloud Sand sect leader had gradually faded. Never mind Qu Le; even the Ram Sect Leader and Lan Lin of Orchid Garden spoke to him without courtesy. Flowing Cloud Sea Peak was filled with suppressed anger but felt helpless. These individuals all possessed cultivation in the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Realm, a level higher than his own. They each held noble statuses, and the powers backing them were far stronger than his Flowing Cloud Sand. By any comparison, he was inferior and could only swallow his pride. “My men went to the Star Stone Sect of Blood Rain Mountain to fetch herbs, but none have returned. In the past few days, none of the masters sent out by various factions have returned on schedule. I suspect something is wrong…” Flowing Cloud Sea Peak admitted grudgingly. “None of the people sent out by your Myriad Poison Sect have come back either…” “What?” Qu Le, who had been focused on refining poison, stood up in a rage and roared at the two. “You were all outside and couldn’t even handle a matter like this? Our Myriad Poison Sect has sparse manpower; cultivating a single member is extremely difficult. How could you allow this to happen?” “It’s not just your Myriad Poison Sect that had incidents; none of my expert subordinates returned either,” the King of Darkness retorted coldly, ignoring Qu Le. “We came to inform you that the herbs might be delayed. Zheng Jieshi and I have discussed it; we will personally go out shortly to help you secure the remaining herbs. While we are away from Black Rock Cliff, you should suspend refining the poison and, along with the Ram Sect Leader and Lan Lin, guard this place carefully.” “You all stay; I will go out myself! Hmph! Unless it’s a Nine Palaces Heavenly Master, I don't truly fear any ordinary Eight Trigrams Heavenly Master!” Qu Le snorted, glancing dismissively at the King of Darkness. “Since you failed to destroy Xuanyuan Valley last time, I will take care of it for you while I’m out. If I make a trip through Xuanyuan Valley, even without showing my face, I can cause half of the people in Xuanyuan Valley to die!” “Sect Master Qu is formidable. Then I thank you in advance,” the King of Darkness replied, his smile thin and his tone flat. “You just watch,” Qu Le scoffed, waving his hand. A cloud of hazy vapor spilled from his palm and plunged into the pool before him. Under the infusion of this vapor, the multicolored, foul-smelling liquid in the pool quickly turned to solid ice. “When I leave, do not allow anyone near this place. Do not let anyone touch the medicine I am refining, or the effort from the past few days will be wasted.” Qu Le looked upward and arrogantly ordered Flowing Cloud Sea Peak before striding out. “Sect Master Liu Yun, that Qu Le is overly arrogant. However, we cannot do without him for the time being. Inform Zheng Jieshi to follow him stealthily, just in case any accident occurs,” the King of Darkness stated to Flowing Cloud Sea Peak after Qu Le departed, his brow furrowed. “Understood,” Flowing Cloud Sea Peak nodded. The King of Darkness said no more, glancing briefly at the ice pool Qu Le had created before turning and leaving. Once Qu Le and the King of Darkness had both left the area, a glint of vicious, serpentine light flashed in Flowing Cloud Sea Peak’s eyes. He glanced around furtively, ensuring no one was watching this spot. Flowing Cloud Sea Peak approached the frozen pool where Qu Le was refining medicine and carefully poured a vial of dark green liquid onto the iced surface. The dark green liquid fell onto the ice block and, miraculously, flowed slowly within the ice like wisps of smoke and cloud, quickly saturating every area of the ice block. In a short while, the subtle dark green substance seemed completely mixed into the entire mass of ice. Flowing Cloud Sea Peak withdrew his hand, a cold, malicious smile on his face. He muttered softly, “Eight Trigrams Heavenly Master? So what? In the end, he’s still manipulated by me. I’ll tolerate you all for now, and we’ll see who laughs last!” Leaving the chamber, Flowing Cloud Sea Peak gently closed the stone door and quickly exited, finding Zheng Jieshi to relay the King of Darkness's instructions. Island Master Zheng Jieshi of Falling Cloud Island was somewhat reluctant, but to preserve the larger strategy, he did not object. After agreeing, Zheng Jieshi melted into the muddy wall of the underground prison, vanishing like a ghost sinking into the earth in an instant.

A figure suddenly shot out from Black Rock Cliff, heading directly towards Mu Luo’s position. Mu Luo, whose aura was concealed, changed expression slightly. Without thinking, and with a hint of excitement, he rapidly retreated backward, clearing a path for the person to leave. After guarding around Black Rock Cliff for so long, although they had killed many enemy combatants, they hadn't eliminated a single truly high-level expert. Heavenly Masters of the Seven Stars Realm were mere minor figures in the eyes of Mu Luo and his companions; killing them brought neither satisfaction nor a sense of achievement.

But this one departure from Black Rock Cliff, this lone figure, betrayed absolutely no attempt to conceal the terrifying aura radiating from him—this was clearly a Bagua Heavenly Master! Mu Luo dodged aside, then swiftly moved to where Li Hentian was stationed, forcefully suppressing his own presence as he whispered, "A Bagua Heavenly Master has appeared!" Li Hentian’s eyes brightened. "Stay far from him. Have Gui Hai, Gui Die, and Chang Kong come over. The five of us will join forces. Being cautious, we might be able to severely wound him on the first exchange and eliminate him before he can use his escape techniques!" Mu Luo nodded. "No time to waste, let’s move quickly. I’ll head to the Cult Master."

With those words, Mu Luo drifted away like a wisp of a phantom.

Li Hentian wasted no time either, sending spiritual sense transmissions to Gui Rong and Gui Hai, briefing the two lurkers stationed at a farther corner about the situation.

Ji Changkong, Li Hentian, Mu Luo, Gui Rong, and Gui Hai—four of them possessed the strength of the Bagua Heaven realm, their spiritual power profound and inscrutable. If they opened their minds, the four could communicate soul-to-soul. Although Ji Changkong lacked the spiritual power of the Bagua Heaven realm, his cultivation of the Grand Void Secret Record and Star Cloud Soul Refining Art made his own spirit equally wondrous.

Once his spirit was released, he, too, could communicate with the other four without obstruction. Over the past three days, the five had devised a method of mutual spiritual connection that avoided external detection. Within a certain range, they could communicate using this unique method, free from worry that outsiders might notice.

Soon, using this mystical method, the five rapidly reached a consensus and moved simultaneously, attempting to hunt down this Bagua Heavenly Master who had emerged from Blood Rain Mountain.

A Bagua Heavenly Master possessed the ability to foresee their own fortune and misfortune, an uncanny sixth sense. Every Bagua Heavenly Master was a heaven-gifted prodigy, far ahead of others on the path of cultivation. Once they sensed impending danger, an instinct of mortal threat would immediately put them on high alert. Every Bagua Heavenly Master possessed a unique set of life-preserving measures—be it employing secret arts or utilizing divine weapons—capable of unleashing explosive, supreme power in an instant.

Escaping danger in a flash was easy; defeating a Bagua Heavenly Master was possible. However, truly killing one was incredibly difficult.

Back when the Gui Yuan Sect’s numerous experts pursued and hunted Li Hentian, they had several Bagua Heavenly Masters among them, whose strength was immense. Yet, after spending several years, they had cornered Li Hentian several times, only managing to severely wound him, never succeeding in truly killing him.

This fully illustrated the formidable nature of a Bagua Heavenly Master; they could not be killed simply by being surrounded.

This time, Li Hentian and the other four planned to take down one Bagua Heavenly Master.

If they succeeded, it would undoubtedly inflict a massive psychological blow upon the forces at Black Rock Cliff. Losing a Bagua Heavenly Master would make it significantly harder for them to organize an elite force to cleanse Xuanyuan Valley.

"It’s Qu Le! We must be extremely careful. Qu Le is covered in poison; we must strike him down instantly! Do not give him any time!" Within the zone of the five souls’ communication, a ripple of Li Hentian's intent was transmitted.

The other four, hearing that it was Qu Le, were simultaneously shocked and delighted. Shocked that the Master of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect had come personally this time, and delighted that if he were killed, many operations on the Black Rock Cliff side would grind to a halt.

"When approaching Qu Le, do not breathe, seal every pore, and retreat immediately after the first strike, regardless of whether Qu Le is dead or not!" Li Hentian’s message arrived again.

"Qu Le is heading towards Blood Rain Mountain. We will follow him and strike there!" Since Qu Le was in the Bagua Heaven realm, it was nearly impossible for Gui Hai and Gui Rong, also in that realm, to surround him while he was flying swiftly toward Blood Rain Mountain. Mu Luo accompanying Ji Changkong made it even harder.

Therefore, they had to wait until Qu Le stopped before they could corner him. And Blood Rain Mountain was Qu Le's first destination.

Blood Rain Mountain.

Qu Le, the Master of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, soon arrived atop Blood Rain Mountain. The spiritual energy of the land there was dense, and it was renowned for producing various spiritual medicines and herbs. Furthermore, the Star Stone Sect, the He Family, and Flowing Cloud Sand had leveraged the terrain of Blood Rain Mountain to cultivate many rare medicinal ingredients.

Qu Le needed several specialized ingredients for refining his poisons. These herbs had to be freshly dug up. Although the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect territory also held these ingredients, digging them up and transporting them here would clearly take too long. Flowing Cloud Sea Peak had been intentionally cultivating these special herbs on Blood Rain Mountain for a long time.

Upon arriving at Blood Rain Mountain, Qu Le, with the intuition of a grandmaster poison refiner, quickly located what he needed.

The Hundred Herbs Garden of the Star Stone Sect.

Qu Le descended from the sky and, with just a glance at the garden, knew his disciples and grand-disciples had been here. The traces of harvesting some herbs were peculiar, bearing the unique methods of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.

Qu Le’s face immediately darkened. Since his disciples had been here but had not returned to Black Rock Cliff promptly, they had clearly met with foul play. The Ten Thousand Poisons Sect was different from the Mani Sect or Sunset Glow Island; their path of Heavenly Master cultivation was inextricably linked with poisons. Only those with extremely unconventional temperaments could delve into it.

While the Southern Barbarian region had a substantial population, few genuinely loved poisons and were willing to practice the secret arts of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect. Although the sect possessed a fearsome reputation in the region, its membership numbered less than a thousand—a negligible figure compared to sects boasting tens of thousands. The men Qu Le brought with him to Blood Rain Mountain were all experts capable of acting independently; losing even one would cause him immense grief. Losing several personally trained masters together enraged Qu Le, which was why he had angrily left Black Rock Cliff in the first place.

"The Ji Family, it must be the Ji Family!" Qu Le muttered through gritted teeth while plucking herbs. "Hmph!"

Suddenly, a tremor from the heart pulsed deep within Qu Le's soul.

A chill swept over him, and Qu Le’s expression drastically changed. He stopped his movements abruptly.

This was a feeling of extreme danger—a sensation he hadn't experienced in many years! The last time was when Chi Qiao had secretly ambushed him before his death! And this current feeling was even more terrifying than Chi Qiao's attack!

Boom-boom-boom! Poisonous thunder roared! A colossal Dharma Wheel descended from the heavens, its dazzling light blinding, enveloping the entirety of Blood Rain Mountain! As the Dharma Wheel manifested, Blood Rain Mountain seemed engulfed in bursts of fire, and the temperature soared abruptly.

Within the blinding radiance, streaks of blue heavenly lightning shot in from all directions, locking down the space. Everywhere echoed with the earth-shattering sound of thunder. Qu Le barely had time to react before the massive Dharma Wheel descended directly overhead, targeting him.

"Hah!" Qu Le roared, and venomous insects—spiders, toads, centipedes, vipers, scorpions—all condensed purely from vital energy, streamed vividly from his body. These energy-formed insects, mottled in color and shimmering brightly, instantly gathered above Qu Le's head, coalescing into a monstrous poison behemoth. Dripping venom and spewing toxic smoke, the creature emitted a sound that tore at the eardrums, actually managing to clutch the massive Dharma Wheel.

"Li Hentian!" Qu Le screamed madly.

Rumble! Rumble! The sky-filling lightning exploded. The destructive power of the heavenly lightning bombarded the poison behemoth, shattering the creature condensed purely from Qu Le's vital energy back into dozens of venomous insects.

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Chirp! Hundreds of vengeful ghosts howled out, baring fangs and claws as they lunged at Qu Le. The Soul-Summoning Banner and the Mourning Stick shot across the void, trailing thick Yin energy, fueling the ferocity of the ghosts as they attacked from behind Qu Le.

Three ghost-like shadows were intertwined among the horde of vengeful spirits. As they reached Qu Le’s side, two of the spectral figures suddenly materialized—they were Mu Luo, Gui Hai, and Gui Rong.

Boom! The giant Dharma Wheel descended, smashing the scattered poison insects. Carrying the brilliance of the midday sun, the Wheel ignited celestial fire, pressing down upon Qu Le’s head, forcing him to dedicate the majority of his power to defense.

When Gui Rong, Gui Hai, and Mu Luo revealed themselves, Qu Le’s heart sank, his face etched with horror, almost instinctively thinking of escape.

A five-colored halo descended from the sky, hovering above the Dharma Wheel, enveloping Qu Le. A profound and unfathomable power suddenly affected his soul, diminishing his soul power and causing him to lose control over the forms of the dozens of venomous insects.

Fwoosh! The Mourning Stick struck Qu Le’s body, and a surge of immense force violently rushed into his chest and abdomen. In an instant, the vital energy within Qu Le began to destabilize.

His soul affected by the five-colored halo, his internal energy growing chaotic, Qu Le finally realized that if he didn't flee immediately, death was his only fate.

Just as Qu Le prepared to self-detonate a divine weapon to escape with his life, a piercingly sharp sword qi erupted suddenly from beneath his heel. Ji Changkong, holding a dagger, his gaze icy, channeled the power of the Five Elements into the blade, fiercely suppressing the dagger's innate will, forcing out its complete potential.

This spiritual treasure, originally the natal divine weapon of a Bagua Heavenly Master, already possessed a weapon consciousness. Under his full exertion, the integrated Five Element energy flowed into the dagger, unleashing its peerlessly sharp sword qi. It moved with extreme speed, instantly reaching Qu Le’s feet.

Mu Luo and Gui Die, almost simultaneously, launched their full power attacks against Qu Le, refusing him any leisure.

"Aaaah..." Qu Le screamed toward the sky, his expression ferocious. His body began to deflate like a leaking balloon, emitting wisps of multicolored smoke. As these vapors left his body, Qu Le’s form rapidly withered.

"Be careful!" Li Hentian shouted urgently from high above in the Nine Heavens.

Qu Le, the Master of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, was saturated with toxins. Seeing the situation turn dire, he began releasing the massive amounts of poison he had accumulated in his body over the years. Anyone who approached him would be affected by these potent toxins. Even the Ji Family's Xuanyuan clan was confident in poisoning Qu Le, given his profound expertise in poisons! Even Gui Die and Gui Hai, if caught in Qu Le's poison mist, would likely face mortal danger.

When the multicolored toxic smoke erupted from Qu Le’s body, Gui Die, Gui Hai, and Mu Luo were quite wary. Following Mu Luo’s earlier instructions, they immediately retreated, intending to engage Qu Le from a distance.

Only Ji Changkong, wielding the dagger, moved forward like an indestructible sharp sword, relentlessly charging toward the wounded Qu Le.

Puchi! The dagger in Ji Changkong's hand pierced Qu Le's waist, sinking deep into his lower abdomen.

The multicolored toxic smoke, as if alive, instantly submerged him the moment Ji Changkong drew near. Ji Changkong, whose nose, mouth, and pores were completely sealed, suddenly felt his body go numb, his limbs losing control.

In a flash, his mouth, nose, and pores burst open. A thread of the multicolored toxic smoke drilled into his body through his nostrils and capillaries. A wave of dizzying fatigue washed over him. Even the Xuanyuan bloodline could not resist it. His limbs grew weak, and his eyelids became impossibly heavy.

Just as his eyes were about to close, Qu Le, with a crazed look, raised his hand, a sharp dagger aimed directly at Ji Changkong’s head.

At that moment, the Wheel of the Blazing Sun descended from the sky and slammed into Qu Le’s back.

The dagger aimed at Ji Changkong’s head was intercepted by a strangely appearing Mourning Stick. The blade deflected, slicing past the bridge of Ji Changkong's nose.

Overwhelming fatigue washed over Ji Changkong; he felt utterly powerless. Hearing Qu Le’s mournful, howling screams, he knew Qu Le couldn't escape this time. Yet, all this felt distant, so distant that he felt nothing at all.

But right then, his soul seemed to clear momentarily, sensing with miraculous clarity a very faint fluctuation hidden deep beneath the earth, quietly moving toward Gui Hai’s location...

"Gui Hai, watch your feet! Someone's there!" Ji Changkong summoned all his strength and yelled toward Gui Hai. However, due to his utter weakness, this shout, which should have been deafening, came out barely audible.

But for a master of Gui Hai’s caliber, this soft call was enough.

Gui Hai leaped up suddenly, staring suspiciously at the ground beneath him. Li Hentian sneered. "It is said the Island Master of Sunset Glow Island is best at sneak attacks. Truly lives up to his reputation!"

"Qu Le is finished. I won't play games with you all anymore. Farewell." Zheng Jieshi's voice drifted up from deep within the earth. By the time the word "Farewell" finished, his voice was barely a whisper.

"Don't pursue him. This person is ten times more cautious than Qu Le and excels at concealing his presence. If Changkong hadn't suddenly become alert, even I wouldn't have noticed him."

Seeing Gui Hai about to give chase, Li Hentian quickly intervened.

"Qu Le is done for. His soul was scattered by our heavenly thunder force; without cohesion, he cannot reform." Gui Die stated.

"Eh!" Just then, Gui Hai exclaimed, pointing at Ji Changkong. "Look, look at his body!"

The multicolored gases from Qu Le's body drifted in the void, wrapping up tiny specks of gray soul power, which were unconsciously beginning to gather.

However, as the multicolored gases flowed toward Ji Changkong, a strange bead suddenly flew out of his body. It acted like a massive vortex, generating a pulling force that swallowed up all the multicolored gas released by Qu Le.

And as the owner of the bead, Ji Changkong lay on his back, four limbs raised, completely motionless, his body turning blue. His eyes rolled back, showing only white.

In just a moment, the Tian Yuan Bead absorbed all the highly toxic gas released by Qu Le and then quietly vanished into Ji Changkong's lower abdomen.

"That bead, the bead can actually devour toxic smoke?" Gui Hai cried out in shock.

"It’s Qu Le’s soul integrated with the poisonous gas! Fortunately, the Tian Yuan Bead is formidable; otherwise, if that toxic gas had been allowed to escape, Qu Le would surely have been resurrected! I didn't expect Qu Le's soul already possessed the nature of Heavenly Poison, achieving a state where poison cannot dissipate and the soul cannot perish," Li Hentian frowned and said gravely.

"Eh!" Gui Hai shouted again, pointing at Ji Changkong, repeating his previous words: "Look, look at him again!"