Just as the cloud octopus was pinned down, two demonic octopuses burst from the sea, baring their fangs and claws as they crashed against Kongheng's golden light. The impact made Kongheng pause for a fraction of an instant, granting Yunxiaozi a moment of respite to marshal his demonic power against the thunder.
Straining slightly, Kongheng showed no panic. Instead, an odd expression crossed his face. Though he had mastered many arts over the years, he was by no means capable of suppressing three demons single-handedly. Yet these two Foundation Establishment demonlings felt extraordinarily weak. Focusing his gaze, Buddhist light surged in his eyes. "These two monsters are unusual—they seem like avatars..."
No wonder the two hui fish demons had shown no fear of him suppressing three demons. Meanwhile, Li Qinghong in midair did not idle. Thunder gathered in her hand, her spear dyeing the surrounding spiritual energy into a luminous violet. She flicked the spearhead, conjuring the silhouette of a sparrow.
The spear thrust forward, pushing a conical wave of purple through the sky, wreathed in lightning. Seven or eight bolts of thunder crashed down in response, radiating immense majesty. Yunxiaozi felt a surge of terror, thinking, *This is disastrous—she must be a disciple of an immortal sect! If she truly intends to kill me, with thunder surging all around, where could I possibly flee?*
He finally abandoned all thought of running. Baring his fangs, he knew he had no chance of survival without a fight to the death. Thrusting out his eight tentacles, he wove through the cloud mist, frantically sucking in the surrounding spiritual energy.
With his steamed-bun-like face, Huiyao found no opportunity to intervene alongside his brother. Fearing that stepping in would only trap them under the golden light as well, he thought in dismay, *A Buddhist monk is bad enough, but there had to be a lightning cultivator too! They say Combined Fire purges demons and heavenly thunder conquers foulness, but which demon in this world isn't tainted with filth?!*
As Yunxiaozi withstood the thunder, he rapidly drained the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The surrounding energy plummeted, and the frozen sea below—leveled like flat land—began to fissure, threatening to surge upward in response to his spellcraft.
Yunxiaozi had never faced such an onslaught. Being no prodigy of high-sect magic like Yu Muxian, he frantically thrashed his eight tentacles through the air to ward off the thunder.
Li Qinghong parted her lips slightly, considering unleashing the Profound Thunder from her thunder pool. A faint violet-white glow already shimmered between her red lips, looking remarkably divine. Having broken through to the mid Foundation Establishment realm, she had two Profound Thunders stored within her dantian's thunder pool and could temporarily condense a third with her own magic power. If she struck with all three regardless of the cost, it would be enough to take the life of this lineage-deprived cloud octopus. However, harboring distrust toward the two fish demons, she held back from using them.
Having lost the upper hand and finding several spells suppressed by the bell artifact, Yunxiaozi struggled in direct combat against Li Qinghong. With the monk joining the fray, his peril deepened by the second.
Huiyao laughed aloud, blew another breath, and tapped the jade-green bell again. The floating bell swayed and vibrated, instantly halting the swirling spiritual energy and leaving it adrift in midair.
With Yunxiaozi's magic held at a standstill against the jade-green bell, Li Qinghong withdrew her Profound Thunder. With her long hair streaming in the wind, she fought with fierce abandon. Thunder and white smoke rose in equal measure as she wielded her purple lightning spear, weaving effortlessly through the three monsters' attacks.
Yunxiaozi spurred his immortal foundation, casting several spells of his own creation to release waves of golden mist for defense. Under their joint assault, however, his resistance appeared pale and feeble. The only real threat came from his occasional snap of a purple-black beak. That beak was extraordinarily hard, crushing thunder in a single bite. Even with palms hard as gold, Kongheng had to yield temporarily before its sharp edge.
Trapped in the middle, Yunxiaozi was pushed to his wits' end. He felt the female cultivator's thunder grow ever more devastating and her spear thrusts increasingly sharp. Slashed flesh and blood flew high into the air, raining down upon the sea and drawing swarms of feeding fish.
Since arriving in the Eastern Sea, Li Qinghong had not enjoyed a single satisfying battle. Her foes had either fallen to a couple of spear thrusts or refused to fight to the death. Having finally found a suitable whetstone, the talisman qi within her circulated steadily, and she grew fiercer the longer she fought.
This was the common flaw of nearly all cultivators outside the dragonkin, immortal sect lineages, and a few major factions: they relied solely on their initial bursts of tricks. Once they lost the initiative or were targeted in advance, they instantly fell into a disadvantage from which they could not recover.
After they traded blows for a while, Kongheng finally drew his ancient bronze staff. With a rhythmic chiming and swaying, he battered Yunxiaozi until the monster's flesh turned to pulp, leaving him teetering on the verge of collapse.
Yunxiaozi was forced to release his spell, only to see those two wretched hui fish entangling his two subordinates, while the bald monk lunged toward him with palms gleaming with golden light, landing blow after heavy blow.
After all, Yunxiaozi was in the late Foundation Establishment realm, carrying numerous treasures and talismans. The battle dragged on through the entire night, forcing him to flee hundreds of li south. Blood and golden mist scattered along the pursuit as scraps of flesh tore away continuously.
Yunxiaozi put up a desperate resistance, yet his cultivation was barely on par with Fu Daimu of Mount Wu back then. At least Fu Daimu had hailed from Mount Wu and possessed a Foundation Establishment magical artifact; this demon lacked both, leaving him utterly unable to withstand the assault and forcing him to throw out talismans and spiritual items incessantly just to hold them off.
They pressed hundreds of li further south, arriving at the cape. Here, spiritual energy grew exceedingly thin, and the sky hung in perpetual, murky gloom. It was said that the spiritual energy here was barren and the Great Void fractured, so that even Purple Mansion cultivators had to descend and travel close to the surface.
Moreover, the sea plunged off the edge of the cape, rising into billowing mists of water. The clouds and mist were exceptionally thick; if one could find a spot rich in spiritual energy, it would indeed make an excellent place for cultivation.
Upon reaching the cape, Li Qinghong severed his eighth tentacle, finally stripping him of all ability to resist. She had fought throughout the night. Though her magic power was heavily depleted, her momentum had only grown fiercer, each spear thrust twenty percent more potent than at the start. Combined with Kongheng blocking Yunxiaozi's path of retreat, the demon was finally brought down.
Li Qinghong forced the monster to assume human form. The saddle-nosed old man was reduced to a head attached to a torso, eyes shut as he begged for mercy. She sealed his immortal foundation and sharp beak just as Huiyao and his brother arrived.
Each fish demon held a half-dead cloud octopus, their eight tentacles devoured clean—evidently having ended up in the bellies of the two demons.
Yunxiaozi's eyes were tightly shut and his body drenched in blood, seemingly having lost consciousness. Half his form had collapsed into limp, oozing flesh, and the falling blood evaporated into rising wisps of golden mist.
"The strength of these two beasts seems rather weak," Kongheng observed.
"The master may not know," Huiyao explained, "this Yunxiaozi possesses an unusual Dao Base. These two creatures did not reach Foundation Establishment through ordinary means; it was an extraordinary stroke of fortune.
"Back then, he severed two of his tentacles, turning each into an individual cloud octopus. Utilizing the innate talent of the cloud octopus to link with his Dao Base, he continually nourished them with magic power over many years. He truly managed to cultivate two Foundation Establishment subordinates, though due to their congenital defects, they remained a notch inferior."
Huiyao inwardly harbored his own doubts, having realized during the fight that the two small octopuses looked remarkably like medicine mortals.
Witnessing the duo's sheer power, Huiyao abandoned his earlier demeanor entirely. Putting away his bell, he became thoroughly fawning and submissive, calling out, "What magnificent thunder, My Lady! What marvelous spells, Master!"
The demon had clearly never flattered anyone like this before. His vocabulary of praise began and ended with "good." Demons had always been like this, unburdened by morality, shifting faces in the blink of an eye.
Li Qinghong was not surprised. Pointing at Yunxiaozi, she said, "Regardless of how the spoils are divided, he belongs to me. I still have use for him."
"Of course, My Lady! We leave him entirely to your disposal!"
Huiyao blustered on, playing the demonkin's habit of fearing might while lacking virtue to perfection. He quickly added, "Master's divine abilities are vast and boundless; naturally, those two lowly creatures could never shake you."
Li Qinghong turned her head slightly and smiled inwardly, unsure whether Kongheng had spoken innocently or not, while the hui fish brothers had clearly missed any underlying meaning.
Kongheng pressed his palms together, hesitated for several breaths, and closed his eyes. Li Qinghong looked toward the horizon, observing in silence.
The demons searched the seabed for a while and returned empty-handed. Losing face, Huiyao hauled Yunxiaozi over and delivered a dozen sharp slaps, attempting to force the location of his cave out of him. "This old bastard has plenty of treasures! Please follow me down to take a look, you two!"
Yet Yunxiaozi, knowing his death was certain, kept his mouth firmly shut and refused to disclose a word. Huiyao and Hui'er exchanged a knowing smile.
The two demons reverted to their true forms and plunged into the sea. Li Qinghong swallowed an elixir, noting that she had not expended a single Profound Thunder from her thunder pool, and followed leisurely behind.
The group flew through the waters and soon located an array node, unlocking it with Yunxiaozi's token before descending within.
Yunxiaozi's cave dwelling was cavernous and slimy, resembling a sea cave. Wet, muddy spiritual sludge surged within, truly a habitat favored by cloud octopuses. The group searched for a time, collecting spiritual items.
The spiritual mud was somewhat unusual. Aside from its repulsive stench, it could corrode the body through protective magic. Being Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were unharmed, though the smell was wretched. Disgusted by the surroundings, Huiyao dragged Yunxiaozi over and struck him dozens more times to vent his irritation.
Having witnessed the demon's combat prowess, Li Qinghong had not harbored high expectations. Huiyao's claims of abundant treasures had merely been the usual ploy of using wealth to stir interest. Now that his enemy was dead, the demon's grinning face betrayed no embarrassment.
Most of the treasures were battered, broken magical artifacts—some refined by demons, others left by human cultivators. Next were spiritual items, including various spiritual waters and spiritual qi.
Li Qinghong picked out several spears and swords. She examined the various wisps of spiritual qi, recognizing none, and casually selected a few before choosing several varieties of spiritual water for the clan's younger generation to practice ocular techniques.
Once the spoils were divided, Huiyao was in high spirits. He escorted the two all the way back to the island with great courtesy, not only making no mention of tribute, but even offering to share mining yields from the sea.
Li Qinghong feared the fish was being reckless. Dividing offshore mineral deposits was something strictly forbidden by the dragonkin; if word reached the dragon prince, the Li family would suffer great embarrassment. She politely declined and quietly entered seclusion on the island.
Li Qinghong gave a brief instruction, watched the two hui fish dive into the sea as heavy mist rolled over the water, leaving only herself and Kongheng behind.
***
Southern Border, Yishan City.
Li Xuanfeng had waited in the Southern Border for over two years before finally receiving an audience with True Person Yuansu.
Returning to the front of the cave dwelling, he carefully observed the spirit beast statue outside. It bore an uncanny resemblance to the one he had seen in the grotto-heaven. Confident in his assessment, he stepped inside.
Yuansu reclined on the jade dais as always. Below the platform, spiritual energy churned and white mist drifted. His gaze lingered on Li Xuanfeng's face for a moment. Li Xuanfeng bowed low and said, "This subordinate discovered a beast carving within the grotto-heaven that closely resembles the one outside your cave dwelling, True Person. I have brought it back to present to you."
"The Eight-Eyed Diaoshan Beast?" Yuansu shrugged, showing a glimmer of interest.
Li Xuanfeng thought to himself, *At least I have finally made myself useful.*
Seeing Li Xuanfeng present the gemstone with both hands, Yuansu cast a brief glance at it. The stone was deep in color, appearing as though water rippled within. He remarked in disappointment, "Nothing of worth—merely a piece of Pinshui Stone. It is of no use to me; keep it for yourself."
Yuansu chatted briefly before falling silent. "What cultivation arts did you seek in the cave?" he asked.
Li Xuanfeng had long been prepared. Stepping forward, he retrieved three jade slips from his storage bag and bowed respectfully. "The first is the *Dew-Washing Origin Canon*, said to be a dao complement practiced by you, True Person. The second is the *Sinking Heart Chant*, a dao complement practiced by Fairy Ning Wan. The third is this subordinate's *Mangjin Mystery Inquiry Method*."
Yuansu burst into hearty laughter, which subsided only after several breaths.
He shook his head and sat up slightly, his quiet voice drifting through the air. "You certainly showed thoughtfulness. The Kalpa-Cleansing Dew of the *Dew-Washing Origin Canon* is indeed the divine ability I lack. Alas, upon the Bayin Stele, it ends at Foundation Establishment, rendering it utterly useless to me!"
Li Xuanfeng frowned slightly. Resting his chin on his hand, Yuansu added casually, "Truth be told... there was hardly anything truly remarkable in there, aside from bringing back a few scarce spiritual items."
"May the True Person please enlighten me," Li Xuanfeng asked.
Yuansu sat upright and explained softly, then leaned back against the jade dais. As if reminded of something by the matter, he said casually, "Once a Purple Mansion cultivator masters their first divine ability, they must cultivate a second from the beginning. It likewise requires reaching the Purple Mansion realm in that art to form the divine ability. If one lacks a dao complement technique that extends to the Purple Mansion realm, one's path is severed.
"Are you wondering: of the Chi family's seven arts, six only reach Foundation Establishment, so how did Chi Wei manage to cultivate to the peak of the Purple Mansion realm?"
He slowly sat back up and continued, "Without a Purple Mansion technique... one naturally finds a genius to practice it. Once that genius reaches Foundation Establishment, one consumes them through various secret methods, supplemented by various Purple Mansion spiritual materials, to catalyze the divine ability.
"There are many such methods, collectively referred to as the 【Wondrous Methods of Path Renewal】. They save time while mending the path... naturally, the people of the world flock to them.
"After all, nowadays Purple Mansion cultivation arts were largely lost during the southward migration, and every clan jealously hoards what they have. If one does not consume others, there is no way forward, and one can only sit idly at the border awaiting death, just like me!"
Completely ignoring Li Xuanfeng's previous words, Yuansu murmured to himself, "You truly killed Yu Muxian... Heavy rains have fallen on Mount Peiguan for two years without pause, and the Jinyu Sect will hardly sit idly by. These are turbulent times."
He smiled with narrowed eyes, his voice echoing through the hollow cave dwelling: "No matter. Yuanwu will die before me. By that time, Tang Shedu will not be able to touch you either."
Chapter 482