Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 173, pp. 196-197: Extracting the Spiritual Vein, the Mysterious Heavenly Treasure, and the Ancestor of Tiannan (Two chapters combined, please subscribe)

After scanning the blood spirit vein in the blood pool with divine sense, it was initially estimated to be nearly sixty feet long.

Although this was already a very small and broken spiritual vein, it was still too small to fit into the current twenty-eight-zhang-square-meter space of the Pot Heaven.

Of course, if you cut it in two, you can stuff it in.

However, damage to the spiritual veins will also cause a large loss of spiritual energy, accelerating its depletion, which is not worth the loss.

"It seems the only way is to try using the incomplete map of the Earth Vein Spirit Pivot, combined with the Earth Vein Qi-finding technique of guiding energy, to see if we can naturally bend this spiritual vein."

Zhao Wuji waved his hand, instructing Wei Ding, the master of the White Bone Cave, to lead a large number of White Bone disciples to the Supreme Cave Heaven, and that he would arrive shortly there.

"Rest assured, my lord, this old servant will make sure that old scoundrel Bai Chengshang never has a moment's peace!"

Wei Ding's withered face revealed a sinister smile. He knew he was being sent to his death, but because his spirit was controlled, he had no choice but to comply. So, with a twisted sense of pleasure, he dragged the others down with him.

After Wei Ding left.

Zhao Wuji unfolded the incomplete map of the Earth Vein Spirit Pivot and channeled spiritual energy to activate the scroll.

The patterns on the image suddenly lit up, transforming into lines that burrowed into the bottom of the blood pool.

The entire blood spirit vein trembled as if it were alive, and dark golden veins appeared as the pool water boiled.

Zhao Wuji made a hand seal and uttered a low shout, "Draw spiritual energy from the earth's veins!" The incomplete map suddenly floated in mid-air, and the fragmented trajectory of the spiritual core in the map resonated with the blood spiritual veins.

The spiritual vein, over sixty years long, began to bend slowly into a zigzag shape underground, like a giant python arching its back.

The rock face cracked, and rubble fell in a flurry. The Yin energy covering the surface of the Blood Spirit Vein was cleansed by the golden light in the picture and gradually dissipated.

Sweat beaded on Zhao Wuji's forehead as he felt his spiritual energy being depleted rapidly. He had also pushed the energy-guiding technique's ability to find and guide energy through the earth's veins to its limit.

The end of the Blood Spirit Vein had already risen like a snake's head, and began to sink inch by inch into the void vortex of the Pot Heaven space.

Deep within the Supreme Grotto-Heaven, in a dark and secluded chamber.

Bai Chengshang sat cross-legged on the futon, black blood seeping from his seven orifices meandering like earthworms on his withered face.

The two blood-red demonic swords in his sea of ​​consciousness were like a malignant tumor, corroding the core of his divine sense, creating honeycomb-like holes.

He suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, and the ground was immediately eroded with countless holes.

"Zhao Wuji, how did you manage that, young man! I've been healing for days, yet I still can't get rid of it!"

He trembled as he took out the sacred artifact, the Xuanxing Cloud Pattern Bowl, from his storage bag.

The cloud patterns on the bowl's surface seem to depict an inverted Milky Way.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he produced a crystal-clear jade spoon.

The handle of the spoon is engraved with the four ancient seal characters "星月引灵" (Stars and Moon Guiding Spirits).

"Fortunately, we still have these two Xuan Tian Sect treasures. We have no choice but to use them now."

Bai Chengshang made a hand gesture, and the star and moon guided the spirit spoon to emit spiritual light, gently tapping it three times on the rim of the bowl, clear and crisp like a chime.

Suddenly, three beams of clear light shone through the skylight at the top of the secret room.

The starlight was as cold as frost, the moonlight as warm as water, and the sunlight as fierce as fire.

The jade spoon traced the Big Dipper's trajectory in the bowl, and the three-colored radiance was drawn by the spoon tip as if it were a tangible thing, weaving into a vortex in the bowl.

"The three lights converge at the top, and true dew condenses!"

With a low shout, the phantom images of the sun, moon, and stars suddenly appeared at the bottom of the spoon.

The light shimmered and swirled within the bowl, continuously refining itself.

A few hours later.

After being purified eighty-one times, it finally condenses into a single drop of three-colored, flowing true dew.

The surface of the dewdrop reflects the shadows of the stars in the sky, and there seems to be starlight rotating inside.

"The True Dew of the Three Lights"

With trembling hands, Bai Chengshang poured the dew into his mouth, and his whole body shuddered violently.

The crimson light and the wisp of turbid yellow in the sea of ​​consciousness were enveloped by the starlight and moonlight, and the crimson light melted away like snow meeting the blazing sun.

His pale face regained its color, but he frowned as he stared at the newly added fine crack on the jade spoon: "This Star Moon Spirit-Guiding Spoon was severely damaged when we forcibly entered the Xuan Tian Sect ruins back then. It was already used last time."
This time another crack has appeared; if it is used again…

Suddenly, he felt another wave of corrosive pain in his consciousness.

He immediately examined his sea of ​​consciousness, his expression suddenly changing as he discovered that although the bloodthirsty light had faded...

That trace of turbid yellow that polluted his consciousness still lingered like a bone-deep sore, continuing to erode his consciousness.

"How can this be!?"

Bai Chengshang's face contorted with anger and fear. He immediately made another hand seal to activate the bowl and spoon, even causing the spoon to crack again and condense another drop of true dew.

However, even after consuming another drop of true dew, it only strengthened his consciousness somewhat; the turbid yellow aura remained, and even continued to devour his growing consciousness.

"Asshole!!"

Bai Chengshang was shocked and furious, but he quickly calmed down. His eyes flashed with cold light, and he suddenly waved his sleeve, "Someone, bring me the Holy Maiden Xia Zhaoran!"

Before long, the stone gate burst open with a roar, and a black-robed deacon knelt down in a panic: "The Holy Maiden left the cave three days ago and has not returned."

"Useless!" The shadowy sword energy instantly sliced ​​off half of the steward's hair ornament.

Bai Chengshang stared at the cracks in the spoon handle, his eyes flashing coldly. "Find her. Order the Supreme Godmother to find her. I want to interrogate her about some things. If you can't find her..."

"Yes!" The steward hurriedly accepted the order with trepidation and went to carry it out.

"Zhao! Wu! Ji!"

Bai Chengshang's face was cold and gloomy. He was filled with apprehension and even a hint of fear towards this young man who had suddenly risen to prominence like a dark horse.

"This child is definitely strange. Damn it, why did I so easily believe that this child was controlled by the Bewitching Pill? Why did I so easily trust the Supreme Godmother and the Holy Maiden Xia Zhaoran?"

He slowly closed his eyes, and what came to mind was the resolute way Zhao Wuji had slashed at Zhong Kui's clone outside the Tiannan Secret Realm.

It was that sword strike that extinguished the last vestige of doubt in his heart.

If they hadn't been poisoned by the Bewitching Pill he personally refined, how could a normal disciple of the Linglang Cave Heaven have dared to draw their sword against their own cave master under such circumstances?

But now, in hindsight, there's probably more to the story.

"Was I used by the Holy Maiden, or by those two bitches, Hua Qingshuang and Yan Lan? These women deserve to die!"

A murderous glint appeared in the eyes of the Supreme Cave Master Bai Chengshang as he slowly put away the two Xuan Tian Secret Treasures.

Two days later.

The night was as dark as ink, and the mist along the Yunmeng River was torn open by gusts of cold wind.

Zhao Wuji stood with his hands behind his back on the riverbank, his black robe fluttering in the wind, watching the figure of Wei Ding, the master of White Bone Cave, leading all the disciples of the cave away in stealth.

Each streak of light carried a gleaming white bone artifact, like a procession of a hundred ghosts at night.

Zhao Wuji gently stroked the Cold Soul Flying Sword at his waist, his divine sense spreading like water, quickly entering the Pot Heaven space.

However, it was seen that the area of ​​the Pot Heaven Space had expanded to forty-three zhang after absorbing the blood spirit vein of the White Bone Cave Heaven and developing over two days.

The dome of the Pot Heaven Space was now glowing with a dark golden blood light. The newly integrated blood spirit vein, like a crimson dragon, was coiled in the northwest corner of the space, forming a confrontation with the original crystal soil spirit field.

The blood mist spewed from the spiritual vein was guided by a guiding technique and slid down into the blood pool below where the Spirit-Eating Insect King was being cultivated.

This caused the blood spirit vein to gradually become pure, as if it were being purified.

The many insect kings in the blood pool, nourished by this spiritual blood, not only solved their short-term food problem but also grew even stronger.

However, whenever Zhao Wuji's divine sense swept across the edge of the Pot Heaven space, he could sense the invisible erosion of external rules.

Where the spiritual veins come into contact with the void, spiderweb-like gray spots appear, as if their vitality is being slowly drained away by some kind of heavenly law.

In response, he has dispatched a swarm of Dark Gold Insect Kings to guard the erosion zone.

As they open and close their mouthparts, they gnaw the ash into fluffy material.

The regurgitated spiritual fluid drips back into the root of the blood spiritual vein, forming a strange cyclical balance.

Since Zhao Wuji placed the Tribulation Crystal, which was condensed from the blood of Heavenly Tribulation and filth, into the Blood Pool, the Blood Pool has undergone a change.

The Tribulation Crystals settled at the bottom of the pool pulsated like living things, devouring the turbid blood flowing into the Blood Spirit Crystals, and Dao patterns similar to the erosion rules of the outside world appeared on their surface.

He keenly realized that this might be a manifestation of the suppression of spiritual veins by the Heavenly Dao in the Dharma-ending Age.

It's still too profound for him at the moment.

If he hadn't inadvertently absorbed a wisp of Heavenly Tribulation Turbidity by utilizing the suppression of the Yang Pearl, he might never have been able to come into contact with anything at this level.

At this moment, the Yin Sha plant transplanted from the White Bone Cave was growing wildly beside the Blood Pool, and pure spiritual fruits were growing among its branches and leaves.

Originally a level-two jadeite spiritual essence liquid, nourished by the blood spiritual vein, it actually condensed into three blood essence crystals the size of pigeon eggs on the central stone platform.

"These blood marrow crystals are of very good quality; they are excellent treasures that can be used to cultivate the Martial Immortal Path."

"The Pot Heaven Space has now absorbed the spiritual veins of the White Bone Cave Heaven and can basically form an internal circulation of spiritual energy. I can say that I have a small cave heaven with a first-level spiritual vein with me, so I am not afraid of the spiritual environment outside."

As Zhao Wuji pondered this, his eyebrows twitched slightly, a smile appeared on his lips, and he withdrew his divine sense from the Pot Heaven space.

A familiar presence was rapidly approaching from afar; it was none other than Nan Zhixia, whom they hadn't seen for almost a year.

A thin mist swirled around her, and the river shimmered with a faint blue light. She arrived on the wind, her black hair flying in the wind, her eyes filled with wariness.

But the moment he saw Zhao Wuji, his tense expression suddenly relaxed, and a gentle light appeared in his eyes.

"Unrestrained!"

Nan Zhixia landed lightly, quickly stepped forward, and said with a smile in a soft voice, "I have led the Supreme Godmother here as you said."

"Not bad!"

Zhao Wuji reached out and gently stroked the hair behind her ear, chuckling softly, "You've worked hard."

Nan Zhixia shook her head slightly, then frowned and said, "However, Elder Feiyunzi will also come along, which probably means he has already become suspicious."

Zhao Wuji shook his head slightly: "It's alright, they are all Qi Refining stage cultivators, nothing to fear."

"You've truly reached the Nascent Soul Realm now! So fast!"

Nan Zhixia circled Zhao Wuji three times, then suddenly reached out to touch his cheek: "Could it be that some old monster has possessed your body?"

The moment his fingertips touched his skin, Zhao Wuji's face suddenly flashed with inspiration, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a sinister old man with high cheekbones and deep-set eyes.

Nan Zhixia jumped back two steps with a start, her face pale. The Azure Phoenix Sword at her waist automatically drew half an inch from its sheath. "What is this?"

"It's just a magical mask that can change one's appearance. Is it the old monster you described?"

Zhao Wuji deliberately let out a strange "heh heh" laugh.

"It looks awful, change back to normal!"

Nan Zhixia breathed a sigh of relief, and only when she saw that Zhao Wuji had become more pleasing to the eye again did she relax.

She suddenly seemed to remember something, her eyes widening. "Wait! You, you've already concentrated your mind, so what about all the 'Sunflower Spirit-Knocking Technique' I've painstakingly cultivated?"

Before she could finish speaking, she blushed deeply and quickly stopped talking.

"What's wrong with the Sunflower Spirit-Knocking Technique?" Zhao Wuji pulled him into his arms. "Tell me in detail."

"No, it's nothing, it wasn't a waste of time, it did have some use. Besides, the Concentration Realm is amazing!" Nan Zhixia said, sticking out her neck and bluffing, but her ear tips were so red they could bleed. "I won't be long before I break through."

"Really? Then you'll have to work harder."

Zhao Wuji suddenly tightened his grip, causing Nan Zhixia to tremble. She looked around and her tone softened immediately: "Alright, that's enough. I'll let you cause trouble again when I'm close to breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage!"

Just then, a whooshing sound came from afar. "They're here, Wuji, you..."

Nan Zhixia was about to tell Zhao Wuji to leave when she suddenly realized that Zhao Wuji had disappeared from her side, and even his breath had vanished.

At this moment, two figures arrived, stepping through the clouds and mist.

The Supreme Godmother, dressed in a plain white robe, held a whisk in her hand, her expression aloof and arrogant.
Fei Yunzi remained hidden beneath a black robe, his gaze sinister, his spiritual energy fluctuations barely reaching the seventh level of Qi Induction.

"Zhaoran, why have you left the cave for so many days without returning and without any news?"

The Supreme Godmother flew down and questioned in a cold voice.

Fei Yunzi squinted and looked around, then suddenly sensed something was wrong and shouted sharply, "It's a trap!"

However, in that very instant...

Zhao Wuji had already activated the Drunken Dream Formation around him, and the mist on the riverbank suddenly surged, turning into an illusory cage.

"not good!!"

Fei Yunzi retreated rapidly, but in an instant he felt a sharp pain in his head, his consciousness became dizzy, and he was terrified.

"A Nascent Soul expert?!"

He froze, when suddenly a furious shout came from the Supreme Godmother beside him.

Zhao Wuji's figure appeared outside the formation, with an old face and an indifferent expression. He used the Qi-binding technique to trap the Supreme Godmother, binding the female Taoist priest tightly.

This godmother, whom they once looked up to in fear in the capital, is now someone they can subdue at will.

"I see that you, Supreme Godmother, are not simple either. Your cultivation has actually increased by two levels in the past two years."

Zhao Wuji spoke calmly, adopting the demeanor of an old acquaintance, which aroused the Supreme Godmother's suspicion and uncertainty.

In the blink of an eye, the river water swept in, and after drawing a talisman in the air, he kneaded the water into a ball.

With a flick of Zhao Wuji's two fingers, two improved Netherworld-Connecting Talisman Pills shot out and entered the seven orifices of the two men.

The talisman transformed into silk threads, instantly binding the two people's vengeful spirits.

"Ugh!"

The Supreme Mother's pupils were dilated.

Fei Yunzi, on the other hand, had a ferocious expression.

After struggling for a while, the two were finally controlled by the spirits, their bodies went limp, and they had no choice but to kneel down and call them masters.

Upon seeing this, a complex expression flashed in Nan Zhixia's eyes.

She had always wanted to break free from the control of the Supreme Godmother and the Supreme Cult, hoping to become an elder or godmother in the future and gain freedom.

Unexpectedly, her fiancé easily fulfilled her wish.

Nan Zhixia then approached Zhao Wuji and whispered, "Wuji, if we want to influence and control the formation of our Supreme Cave Heaven as you say, controlling just the two of them might not be enough. We also need to control the elder of the Formation Hall."

However, Bai Chengshang has been recuperating recently, and Elder Liu of the Array Formation Hall has remained in the hall and has not gone out at all.

"It doesn't matter!"

At this moment, the manipulated Supreme Godmother mumbled in a daze, "I will try to seize an opportunity for the Lord later."

Elder Liu dotes on his only son; if his son is captured and coerced, he will surely submit.

“That’s right!” Fei Yunzi said, looking dazed. “Even if they refuse to comply, we will force our way into the Formation Hall and break the formation for our master.”

“Them.” Nan Zhixia looked astonished.

Those who were previously controlled by her under the influence of the talisman would never have offered advice like they do now; they would have mechanically carried out her orders.

Only when loyal servants are gradually cultivated will they start to think about how to help their masters, but that also takes time.

"This is the power of the divine sense at the Concentration Realm."

Zhao Wuji smiled and said, "It's very effective against Qi Refining stage cultivators. Whatever thoughts come to mind, I can control them and force them to carry out the mission in the most advantageous way."

"That's too powerful!" Nan Zhixia exclaimed, then blushed slightly as if she had thought of something else.

Zhao Wuji's eyes flashed with a cold light as he looked at the cultivators of the White Bone Cave Heaven who had already lurked in the distance: "Once I annex the Supreme Cave Heaven and control Bai Chengshang, you will be the cave master behind it all, controlling this cave heaven and managing its resources."

Your Supreme Grotto-Heaven is quite large, much larger than the White Bone Grotto-Heaven. You even have elders and a formation hall. The White Bone Grotto-Heaven is utterly destitute.

“Hmm,” Nan Zhixia said, “Our cave heaven does have a complete first-level spiritual vein, which was originally a third-level spiritual vein that degenerated.”

"Not bad!"

With a flick of his sleeve, Zhao Wuji inquired about the Xuantian Sect, a branch of the Celestial Masters sect.

“Xuantian Sect?” Nan Zhixia shook her head in confusion. “I’ve never heard of this sect.”

The Supreme Godmother and Fei Yunzi also shook their heads in response.

“My lord, I have never heard of any connection between the Cave Heaven and the Xuan Tian Sect.”

"Perhaps Master Bai is aware of the situation."

"That's it!"

Zhao Wuji waved his hand, instructing the Supreme Godmother and Feiyunzi to return to the cave, preparing to coordinate an attack from within and without.

"Wuji, I'll go too. The disciples I control might be of use as well."

Nan Zhixia recommended himself.

After a moment's thought, considering that Nan Zhixia was now close to reaching the eighth level of Qi Refining, Zhao Wuji nodded slightly and said, "Alright, take care of yourself."

Time passed, and an hour later.

Zhao Wuji then sensed the messages relayed by the Supreme Godmother and Fei Yunzi through the marriage dream.

Both of them had already taken control of Elder Liu's son from the Array Formation Hall and were prepared to force their way into the Array Formation Hall.

"Not bad." Zhao Wuji did not hesitate and immediately ordered the White Bone Cave Master to launch a strong attack on the Supreme Cave Heaven. He then made a hand seal.

He unleashed the Wind Control Technique.

He transformed into a gust of wind, disappearing into the distance in an instant like a kite being pulled away.

"Boom——!"

After several dozen breaths, the protective array of the distant Supreme Grotto-heaven suddenly trembled violently, its array patterns cracking like a spider web, and spiritual light overflowing.

White Bone Cave Master Wei Ding grinned as he made a hand seal.

The white bone disciples beside him, who were roaring and charging out of the attack formation, suddenly had twelve screams as their flesh and blood exploded. Their auras grew stronger, and they transformed into twelve ferocious blood skeletons, roaring as they pounced on the center of the formation.

Each of those blood skeletons was at least ten feet tall, with scarlet blood demons wrapped around their bones, ghostly green flames burning in their empty eye sockets, and foul-smelling blood mist spewing from their mouths, causing the array patterns to hiss and crackle.

Wei Ding's withered, bony hands suddenly tore open the flesh on his chest, and blood gushed out.

He dipped his brush in blood and drew sinister patterns in the void. The blood patterns writhed like living things and quickly merged into the cracks in the great formation, while he laughed maniacally.

"Old ghost Bai! I am now working for my master, Ancestor Tiannan. You'd better hand over this wretched cave!"

Wei Ding roared with laughter, his voice as piercing as an owl's.

"Old Ghost Wei, Ancestor of Tiannan?"

Inside the secret chamber of the Supreme Cave Heaven, the Supreme Cave Master Bai Chengshang looked shocked and angry. He immediately rushed out of the secret chamber, his figure flying to the top of the mountain. He summoned the Xuanxing Cloud Pattern Bowl, which floated above his head and sprinkled clear light to protect his body.

He squinted at Wei Ding, the White Bone Cave Master, who was acting like a madman outside the formation. He scanned the surroundings with his divine sense but found no trace of the so-called "Tiannan Ancestor," leaving him feeling uncertain and alarmed.

"White Bone, you mad dog, you bark like a madman for just two bones? Do you even deserve to attack my Supreme Grotto Heaven?"

Bai Chengshang sneered, "I'd like to see how long you can manage to break through this great formation!"

Before he could finish speaking, a deafening explosion suddenly came from the array hall on the mountainside!
"boom!!"

The 360 ​​array lamps embedded in the surrounding rock walls of the Supreme Cave Heaven shattered simultaneously, scattering spiritual fire everywhere, and the spiritual vein nodes of the entire mountain-protecting array instantly became disordered.

Inside the array hall, Elder Liu, who was in charge of the array, was blasted away by a tremendous force, spitting out blood, and the array plate in his hand cracked in two.

"Master Bai! I'm so sorry!"

Elder Liu was in tears as he watched helplessly as his only son was held by the back of his neck by the Supreme Godmother and suspended above the array's core.

"Bastard!"

Bai Chengshang's pupils shrank suddenly, and with a roar, he dashed towards the array hall like lightning.

However, just as he set off...

A dark shadow streaked towards the protective array like a ghost, and the Frost Soul Flying Sword instantly transformed into a hundred-foot-long ice dragon, crashing down on the disordered and weak points in the array.

"Crack!!"

The ice dragon formed by the Frost Soul Flying Sword crashed into the disordered part of the formation, and the sword's edge burst out with dazzling silver light. Seventy-two sword threads, like swimming fish, burrowed into the cracks in the formation.

Zhao Wuji, his black robes fluttering, made a hand seal with two fingers, fully activating his array formation technique. His divine sense invaded the array nodes like a tidal wave, forcibly reversing the direction of the spiritual veins.

"break!"

The sword energy suddenly expanded and split, forming a sword formation.

Boom!

The already chaotic array's spiritual light melted away instantly, like snow meeting boiling water, creating a huge hole.

Wei Ding, the master of the White Bone Cave, took the lead, fearlessly rushing into the cave from the hole, laughing strangely.

"Old devil Wei!!"

Seeing the formation broken, Bai Chengshang was furious and immediately changed course to charge forward. The Shadow Sword in his sleeve suddenly transformed into a black rainbow and shot out into the sky.

The sword shadow instantly drew nine ghostly trajectories in the air.

"Old devil Bai! Hand over the cave to my master!"

White Bone Cave Master Wei Ding grinned maliciously, and three hundred Soul-Devouring Needles flew out in an instant, colliding with the phantoms and exploding into a sky full of phosphorescent fire.

"boom!"

The moment the bone needles and sword shadows dissipated.

A purple shadow flashed by like lightning. Suddenly, the Calamity Blood Crystal flew out from Zhao Wuji's sleeve. The blood vessels on the surface of the dark red crystal core suddenly lit up and accurately hit the side of the Shadow Sword.

With a "sizzle," Bai Chengshang suddenly clutched his head and screamed in agony, his consciousness feeling as if it had been branded with a hot iron.

The blood crystal, through the connection of the Shadow Sword, a magical flying sword, transferred the pollution of the Heavenly Tribulation into its sea of ​​consciousness!
"cut!"

Seizing the fleeting moment, the Frost Soul Flying Sword instantly split the ice dragon into nine sword lights.

As Bai Chengshang retreated in a panic, his protective aura was still slashed three times, and blood burst out from his left shoulder with a "poof".

He stumbled and crashed into the clock tower behind him, his pupils suddenly shrinking amidst the flying bricks and stones.

The Calamity Blood Crystal clung to the Shadow Sword like a living thing, devouring it and causing the magical artifact's spirit to sizzle!
"This is."

Bai Chengshang immediately recognized the person from the familiar aura of calamity and the cold soul flying sword.

"It's you!?"

He coughed up blood and roared, his divine sense frantically scanning his surroundings.

Zhao Wuji, his black robes fluttering, stepped through the broken formation and arrived. His disguised face was ancient and weathered, his eyes were like abysses, and his expression was cold and indifferent, giving people a ruthless and heartless impression, as well as a domineering aura that was awe-inspiring.

"Indeed! It is I, the Ancestor of Tiannan!"

(End of this chapter)