My equipment is designed for cultivation; I started by slaughtering my way through a small world.

Everyone present looked toward the direction of the sound and saw the flying artifact of the White Emperor Sword Sect rapidly approaching.

A few breaths later.

Li Daoyi led the disciples of the White Emperor Sword Sect down from the flying magical artifact.

"Fellow Daoist Li, you're not joking?"

"This junior can refine third-grade pills at only the Qi Refining Realm?"

Looking at the group from the White Emperor Sword Sect, Hao Yan's eyes showed a hint of disbelief as he questioned them.

"Hehe, you formed your core late, so you don't have much experience."

"In this world, you'll never know how vast the gap is between an unparalleled genius and an ordinary person!"

"unfortunately--"

"That's just the kind of person Brother Gu is."

"He can not only refine grade three pills, but he can also refine grade three three-spirit-pattern spirit pills!!"

Li Daoyi smiled and came to Gu Qing's side, personally clearing Gu Qing's name.

These words were spoken.

The disciples of the Crimson Emperor Sword Sect who had just been mocking Gu Qing, as well as the newly arrived disciples of the White Emperor Sword Sect, all stared wide-eyed at the figure that was not very tall, yet radiated immense brilliance.

A third-rank Grand Alchemist.

Even with a Rank 3, Rank 3 Spirit Pattern Elixir, with this status, one can be an honored guest wherever one goes.

"How could it be him?"

"When did he learn alchemy, especially the Three-Spirit Pattern Pill?"

Among the disciples of the Crimson Emperor Sword Sect, a woman stared at Gu Qing and couldn't help but murmur.

"Chung Lai".

"Do you know that third-grade Grand Alchemist at the Qi Refining Realm of the Azure Emperor Sword Sect?"

Beside the woman named Zhong Li was another woman of unparalleled beauty.

Her phoenix eyes were fixed on Gu Qing in the distance, and she asked with some curiosity.

"Senior... Senior Sister."

"That alchemist named Gu Qing from the Azure Emperor Sword Sect is from my hometown; we're from the same place."

After a moment's hesitation, Zhong Li spoke slowly.

"oh?!"

"Your hometown is truly a place of outstanding people and abundant resources, producing two geniuses at the same time..."

A hint of curiosity arose in the depths of the woman's eyes.

The two women's whispered conversation did not disturb anyone else.

Gu Qing, who was at the center of attention, successfully intimidated all the forbidden area trial participants with his status as a third-grade, three-spirit pattern Grand Alchemist.

As if he were getting to know Gu Qing all over again, Hao Zhenren looked Gu Qing up and down, and finally a smile appeared on his face:

"So, young friend Gu is a Rank 3, Rank 3, Spirit Pattern Grand Alchemist."

"Given your status, young friend Gu, you are indeed qualified to sit at the same table as a Golden Core cultivator."

"only……"

Hao Yan changed the subject, paused slightly, and continued, "Although alchemy is alchemy, even if you, young friend Gu, are a third-grade, three-spirit pattern grand alchemist, you might still fail in the forbidden area trial."

"I advise you to stay outside. It's time for you to demonstrate your alchemy skills when the sect disciples return from gathering herbs."

"What does young friend Gu think?"

Hao Yan's words seemed to be for Gu Qing's sake.

But they were subtly mocking Gu Qing's lack of combat skills.

Seeing that Hao Yan was still pretending to be scheming, Gu Qing said with slight impatience, "There's no need for Master Hao to worry about that. I know what I'm doing."

"Sigh, it's hard to be a good person."

Seeing this, Hao Yan shook his head and sighed.

Gu Qing looked at this guy and really wanted to beat him up, but unfortunately the other party was a Golden Core cultivator.

I simply ignored Hao Jian... no, I meant I ignored Hao Yan's words.

Not long after.

Seeing that Gu Qing and Li Daoyi were chatting together and didn't leave him, Hao Yan calmed down.

About half an hour later, the people from the Black Emperor Sword Sect finally arrived.

Don't miss out: Chapter 124, "Sword Slashes the Exploding Flame Ball," is available in its entirety. Click here.

All four major sword sects have arrived.

Li Daoyi, Hao Yan, Jian Xiangzhu, and Xu Gui, a Golden Core cultivator from the Black Emperor Sword Sect.

The four of them, each holding a flying sword, arrived at the altar outside the forbidden area.

The four people inserted four flying swords into special grooves in the altar, and spiritual power surged out like a tide.

The altar hummed and trembled, and intricate array patterns appeared on the ground. Four-colored light intertwined and shot into the sky, tearing a vortex in the sky above the forbidden area.

The vortex spun slowly, revealing a dark green channel at its center.

On the altar, the four exchanged glances. Xu Gui then stepped forward to the edge of the altar and addressed the disciples of the four sects:

"Trials in forbidden areas are a matter of life and death, wealth and honor are determined by fate."

"Disciples of the four sects may plunder each other's collected medicinal herbs, but remember not to harm each other. Your common enemy is the rare and exotic beasts within the forbidden area."

"Go inside!!"

When entering the passage, the disciples of the four sects formed small teams of 20 people each, with five people from each sect, and stepped into the forbidden passage together to prevent others from going in first and taking advantage of the situation.

Gu Qing was placed in the 17th round.

Gu Qing wasn't very familiar with the other four Qingdi Sword Sect disciples who entered the forbidden area with him. After exchanging names, they became acquainted for the first time.

As soon as Gu Qing and his group of five stepped into the forbidden passage, they had walked less than a hundred meters when everything went black and the whole world began to spin, as if they were falling into a black hole.

Before long, they could no longer sense the presence of anyone else.

Feeling considerable pressure from all around, Gu Qing knew this teleportation wouldn't be simple, and she had no idea where the forbidden passage would randomly drop her.

As Gu Qing felt the surrounding space and time gradually return to normal, before she could even look around, she felt waves of heat coming from all directions, as if she had fallen into a steamer.

Rumbling--

As soon as Gu Qing turned around, he saw dozens or even hundreds of crimson wooden spikes shooting towards him. When the wooden spikes hit the mountain phantom of the Xuan Yan Heavy Shield, they immediately exploded, like countless hand grenades exploding one after another, constantly flashing crimson flames.

With a slight thought, his natal flying sword appeared in his hand.

Gu Qing raised his hand and unleashed a beam of emerald green sword light, instantly sweeping towards the strange plant monster in the distance that resembled a cactus but was over ten meters tall.

The sword light transformed into a 12-petaled emerald green peony.

The sword light, shaped like a flower, vibrated in layers, unleashing unparalleled sharpness.

The crimson cactus let out a distorted scream, and almost all of its crimson thorns poured out wildly at the emerald green peony.

Rumble...

Flames shot into the sky, yet no one was harmed by the fire.

After the explosion, the peony, formed from the emerald green sword light, had shrunk by only one layer of petals.

As the emerald green peony approached the strange plant monster, it instantly unleashed a terrifying sword light, tearing the plant monster to pieces in an instant.

However, as the cactus plant monster was dying, the light red plant liquid inside its body was detonated like a gasoline bomb, and the shockwave spread in all directions.

The mountain-shaped phantom shield in front of Gu Qing flickered slightly, yet remained stable.

"A mere Qi Refining Realm demon dares to launch a sneak attack!"

"court death."

"Crackling and popping..."

As the shockwave from the sword light and the plant monster's explosion dissipated, Gu Qing arrived at the place where the plant monster had just grown.

At the bottom of the crater left by the explosion, in the center of a section of crimson root, was a crimson crystal, on which burned crimson flames, beating like a heart.

"This is... demonic fire..."

"Can the 'Separation of Words and Containing Fire' Elixir Technique refine this demonic fire?"