Void Refining

In the demon city, the most magnificent residence was Marquis Liu's Estate. An atmosphere of grim solemnity filled the estate. Obeying the marquis's orders, the generals and commanders under Marquis Liu systematically mobilized the demon soldiers, and rank after rank marched out. With all the forces under Marquis Liu's command mobilized, it was precisely the moment when Marquis Liu's Estate was at its most empty. Right at this moment, above a black stone hall in the estate's forbidden grounds, a figure abruptly appeared. By the time the demon guards spotted him, a world-shaking sword ray was already plunging from the sky. *Boom!* Like a torrential waterfall, the sword ray struck the stone hall dead center. The protective restrictions of the stone hall shattered upon impact. The demon guards watched helplessly as the sword ray tore through the barrier's radiant shroud and plunged straight into the hall. A sword mark cleaved right through the center of the hall, splitting it in two. The resulting shockwave immediately caused the structure to collapse, sending fragments flying everywhere. This strike was simply too fast and too sharp; the demon guards had no time to stop it. Every demon guard stood dumbfounded. This stone hall was not only a forbidden ground of the estate, but also its treasury, where the treasures of Marquis Liu's entire fief were gathered. Without Marquis Liu's permission, not even Commander Ying dared trespass, yet someone had just cleaved it open with a single sword strike! Dust billowed from the ruins, but the person who unleashed that strike had vanished, evidently having barged right into the treasury. Realizing the terrifying consequences if the treasury was plundered, the demon guards panicked. Their eyes turned bloodshot, and they charged toward the hall with savage roars: "Kill him!" The swiftest demon guards had just reached the rubble when a sudden burst of white radiance erupted. Another ray of sword light pierced through the smoke like lightning, sweeping past the guards. Those demon guards froze instantly and plummeted to the ground, their bodies severed into multiple pieces, dead on the spot. No one could see how that sword light had slain them, and the guards behind them faltered in terror. *Rumble!* The entire estate shuddered violently as that sword light broke through the halls, transformed into a dazzling rainbow, and swaggered away into the distance. *** Meanwhile, Qin Sang was relocating south according to plan. Speeding along his way, he encountered more and more demon soldiers, prompting him to marvel inwardly at how powerful Marquis Liu's forces were. And this was just the fief of a single demon marquis; no wonder the Guifang State could hold its ground against the Daoist Court for so long without falling into a disadvantage. He did not encounter anyone troublesome along the journey, and the demon soldiers had a clear objective: all were heading northwest. Judging from this, he was moving away from the vortex of chaos and should not be drawn into the fray. Qin Sang gradually put his mind at ease, privately speculating what major event had occurred in the Guifang State. Unfortunately, having too little information to deduce anything, he stopped wasting his mental energy on it. Gradually, the demon soldiers he encountered thinned out noticeably. Just as Qin Sang believed he was finally safe, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly suddenly sent an alert. Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly. With a flash, he appeared atop the highest nearby peak and gazed toward the horizon. To the east, glowing clouds filled the sky, creating a breathtaking sight. Amidst those rosy clouds, a white rainbow was streaking across the firmament. It was clearly an escape light. The figure's flight speed was astonishingly rapid, faster than a shooting star. Even before the light arrived, Qin Sang could already feel the overwhelming, surging aura radiating from the newcomer. *A Deity Transformation cultivator!* Qin Sang was startled. From the newcomer, Qin Sang sensed no monstrous demon qi, indicating it was very likely a human cultivator. Furthermore, judging by the direction, the person was heading straight toward him. *Could it be...?* Qin Sang's expression changed abruptly as a realization struck him. Could this be the person who had wrought havoc across Marquis Liu's fief? Hunted and encircled by countless demon troops, this person had actually broken out of the encirclement! Recalling how he had deliberately headed south to steer clear of the storm, only to end up plunging right into it due to the unpredictability of fate, Qin Sang could not help feeling vexed. The situation left no time for idle thoughts. A single thought instantly arose in Qin Sang's mind: he must not expose himself! The grand spectacle caused by this person's flight had undoubtedly drawn the demon soldiers over. Behind that streak of light, a mass of black clouds rolled faintly in pursuit, likely an enemy giving chase. Without a doubt, the pursuer had to be a demon marquis! At this moment, this place was the eye of the storm; once exposed, he would surely be deemed an accomplice. The hatred between the Daoist Court and the Guifang State ran deep as the ocean, and Qin Sang harbored no illusions that a demon marquis would show him any mercy. Fighting a demon marquis inside the Guifang State was by no means wise; even in his prime, Qin Sang would not strike without absolute certainty. Moreover, he had no idea what this person had done to provoke multiple demon marquises. *The enemy's attention is focused on this person. If I conceal myself with everything I have, I should be able to pull off the deception...* Qin Sang mused. Trying to flee further was already out of the question, as that streak of escape light was closing in with astonishing speed. Leaping through vegetation with the Spirit Wood Body offered bizarre agility during combat, but its sheer travel speed was rather ordinary. Staying put and melding into the flora offered the best concealment. With thoughts flashing through his mind like lightning, Qin Sang immediately fled the mountain peak, rapidly leaping through the forest a few times to steer clear of the newcomer's trajectory. He emerged in a secluded, low-lying valley and merged his body into an ancient tree, instantly vanishing into complete stillness. *Whoosh!* The rainbow-like white light tore through the air and arrived. In an instant, the white light dimmed abruptly and paused midair, then turned into sword light plunging from the sky. It landed atop a mountain peak, revealing a Daoist. A spirit sword circled around him. The Daoist's breath was somewhat ragged, and his robes bore several creases, suggesting he had just been through a fierce battle. Looking back to see the surging black clouds behind him, his expression darkened further. Exhaling a mouthful of turbid qi, he took out a porcelain bottle and poured out a jade-white pill. He popped the pill into his mouth, but just as he was about to channel his cultivation to refine it, his figure stiffened slightly, and his eyes flashed with sharp brilliance. "Who's there?!" The moment the shout left his lips, the spirit sword trembled and shot out like a dragon! *Swish! Swish! Swish!* With a single strike, the Daoist unleashed three thousand-zhang sword auras, targeting none other than an unremarkable valley. Lush vegetation grew there, dense tree canopies forming a green carpet that carpeted the entire valley without leaving a single gap. At this moment, the valley was hardly peaceful; the insects and beasts were terrified by the dreadful pressure, gripped by panic. *Boom!* As the sword auras descended, the valley's vegetation was instantly shredded, wood splinters flying everywhere in a scene of utter devastation. Amidst the turmoil, a clattering clash of metal rang out. The middle sword aura dispersed upon impact, seemingly colliding with something immensely hard. From among the debris, Qin Sang was forced to reveal himself, his gaze as dark as stagnant water. He had not expected this person to stop here to take medicine, much less that his spiritual sense would be so sharp and his strike so sudden. Even the Spirit Wood Body had failed to elude the man's perception, forced into the open by a single strike. The Daoist raised his sword to strike again, only to see Qin Sang in his tree-man form. By then, Qin Sang had also gotten a clear look at the other's appearance. Their eyes met, both stunned. "It's you?" The Daoist recognized Qin Sang at a glance; after all, this Spirit Wood Body was far too distinctive. Seemingly oblivious to Qin Sang's dark expression, the Daoist recalled his spirit sword and remarked joyfully, "It seems the world is truly small! Fellow Daoist showed mercy that day, for which I have always been deeply grateful. I was simply burdened by trivial affairs and had no time to visit the immortal city, never expecting to reunite with you here." "A deep fate indeed!" With a gloomy face, Qin Sang stared fixedly at the Daoist. The man was none other than the swordsman he had encountered in Star Valley! Since arriving at Mount Heming in Jushan Diocese, Qin Sang had only left the city twice, and both times he had run into this man. Even excluding the boundless Sin Plain and Sin Sea, the two dioceses and two mountains were vast beyond measure. Just what kind of coincidence was this? This time was even more absurd. He had undertaken an arduous journey under the Daoist Court's decree, infiltrating the Guifang State to gather medicine—yet despite not even being in Jushan Diocese, he had still crossed paths with this Daoist! Noticing Qin Sang's expression and surveying the surrounding terrain, the Daoist showed a look of understanding and said apologetically, "I thought the one lurking in the dark was a demon lying in wait to ambush me. I didn't expect..." At that moment, Qin Sang glanced behind the Daoist. Over there, black clouds surged across the sky, completely displaying the aura of a great demon comparable to the Deity Transformation stage, and the clouds showed no sign of pausing. Now was not the time to bicker with the Daoist. Without a word, Qin Sang dispelled his Spirit Wood Body with a sway. Lightning crackled across his form, and spreading his wings, he instantly shot away as a bolt of lightning. By this time, the Daoist had mostly refined the pill as well, hurriedly summoning his sword light to give chase closely. Qin Sang shot him a cold glance. He needed to clarify the situation first, and reason urged him to suppress the impulse to slash out with his sword. Their predicament was extremely dire, and it was practically entirely of the Daoist's making. If he had not been exposed and remained hidden, coordinating with the Daoist from the shadows might have offered a chance to slay this demon marquis. However, Qin Sang had not yet recovered his full strength, and the methods he possessed that could threaten a Deity Transformation powerhouse were limited. The Daoist was clearly in poor shape after fighting multiple battles as well. In a head-on confrontation, given their current state, even joining forces would only drag them into an attritional quagmire. "Dragging you into this is my fault," the Daoist apologized sincerely. "Since matters have come to this, our only choice is to find a way out of danger first. Demons surround this area, and more than one demon marquis is pursuing me. The demon kingdoms neighboring the Guifang State have likely received orders as well, so moving forward will be fraught with difficulty. However, I have already prepared a route of retreat. If we join hands, we will surely escape!" Qin Sang's brow furrowed tightly. Just what had this Daoist done to draw pursuit from so many demon marquises? He understood that the Daoist was not merely exaggerating to scare him. The decree had listed some information regarding Marquis Liu: he had achieved the Dao as an airy bird, whereas this mass of black clouds was plainly not Marquis Liu's divine ability. This meant there were at least two demon marquises here! The Daoist confirmed that there were even more. While fleeing, he had been intercepted by two demon marquises other than Marquis Liu. One of them possessed extraordinary innate escape arts, and only by risking mutual destruction to heavily injure that demon had the Daoist won a momentary reprieve. Once that demon marquis suppressed his injuries, he would catch up soon enough. The demon marquis trailing behind them was also shrewd, hanging far back and simply biding time for his companions to rendezvous. In his peak condition, if Qin Sang unleashed his Thunder Escape with all his might, he would stand a chance of throwing off the pursuers. Unfortunately... Qin Sang glanced at the Daoist, noncommittal about the man's claims, and asked coldly, "You dared cause havoc in a demon marquis's fief, yet didn't foresee being encircled?" Qin Sang could tell that despite the predicament, the Daoist showed no sign of panic. If the Daoist had truly exhausted all his tricks, Qin Sang would find a way to leave on his own and would never go down with him. "Fellow Daoist truly has a discerning eye. I did indeed prepare one or two backup plans, though executing them won't be easy. I thought I might have to fight for my life today, but never anticipated reuniting with you..." With that, the Daoist glanced back at their pursuer, his tone chilling. "I was just about to ask your thoughts—should we join forces to gamble everything and slay this demon? Bringing a demon marquis's corpse back to the Daoist Court would be an extraordinary merit!" Qin Sang's pupils constricted slightly. Did this Daoist relish taking risks that much? He considered that he did indeed possess methods capable of threatening a demon marquis, but every single one entailed immense consumption. Even if they succeeded in slaying this demon, what if they encountered formidable foes later? He had only met this Daoist twice, and both encounters had involved drawing weapons. Even if born of misunderstanding, Qin Sang could not place complete trust in him. Moreover, he had not forgotten that his objective on this journey was to bring back the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower. His own breakthrough took precedence over everything else. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future; why take unnecessary risks? Qin Sang firmly refused. The Daoist could not help admiring, "Fellow Daoist is cautious indeed! In that case, let us find a way to frighten this demon off." As they spoke, they had already flown across countless mountains and rivers. Ahead, traces of demon soldiers appeared, attempting to block their path. The Daoist sent a voice transmission. Surprise showed on Qin Sang's face, and after a moment's contemplation, he agreed. Before long, both of them lowered their escape lights together. Below lay a vast expanse of forest. As violent winds swept across, the sea of trees rippled with undulating green waves. The two dropped into the forest ocean and vanished without a trace. Immediately following them, the black clouds caught up, atop which stood an awe-inspiring black-spotted leopard demon. At this moment. The Daoist sat cross-legged beneath a tree, his spirit sword suspended upside down before his chest. The blade trembled slightly without pause, as if resonating with something. His eyes were tightly shut, oblivious to external matters. Standing beside the Daoist, Qin Sang could not help feeling somewhat astonished at the sight. The Daoist had poured all his concentration into controlling the sword, entrusting external defense entirely to him—was he not afraid Qin Sang might harbor ill intent? However, having made a promise, Qin Sang naturally would not commit an act of treachery. He looked up and raised an open palm. In his hand was a palm-sized, quaint bronze bell with eight distinct corners, faintly translucent. That was because the bell was not a physical object, but manifested from a talisman the Daoist had handed him. From the Daoist's tone, he held great confidence in this talisman. Most importantly, it could be driven purely by blood and qi. Right at that moment, the black-spotted leopard demon opened its maw and spat a torrent of black flames, burning the forest below to ashes. A deluge of black fire enveloped the two from all sides. Masked by the roaring blaze, an exceedingly thin ray of black light formed a fine thread, stealing quietly toward them. Though the black beam was well concealed, it could not escape the eyes of the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. Qin Sang hurriedly raised the bronze bell while quietly staying on guard. The bronze bell soared high into the air, instantly transforming into an enormous bell that sheltered the two beneath it. *Dong!* Amidst an earth-shattering chime, the bronze bell shook violently. That slender black ray actually possessed incomparable might. Qin Sang let out a muffled grunt, a flush rising to his face, yet in his heart he was astounded by the talisman's power—it had cleanly absorbed a blow from a demon marquis! However, Qin Sang could sense that the talisman's power could only last for a limited duration, and no amount of blood and qi poured into it could prevent its depletion. Seeing through the nature of the bronze bell, the black-spotted leopard demon sneered coldly, a sinister gleam flashing in its eyes. The black fire abruptly contracted, scorching flames incinerating the bronze bell directly. The talisman's power dissipated at rapid speed. Yet this window of time was already sufficient. The Daoist abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze like two sharp swords. The spirit sword gave a clear hum and shot forth. Blazing with brilliance, the sword light made heaven and earth lose their luster. Wherever it passed, the origin qi violently roiled. It was not merely stirred up. The surrounding world's origin qi seemed drawn by some powerful attraction, converging madly toward the spirit sword. In an instant, the sword light swelled countless times, its terrifying majesty striking dread into both Qin Sang and the leopard demon. This strike felt as though it had severed them from the world itself. Witnessing this, a wondrous light flashed in Qin Sang's eyes. The method the Daoist displayed right now was just like a legendary Void Refining cultivator who could manipulate the world's origin qi! The black-spotted leopard demon wore an even more incredulous expression, crying out in sheer terror, "A Great Real Person?!"