Cultivation begins with alchemy and collecting runes.

Three days later, at night, Li Xiuyuan entered the area within a hundred li of the mountain gate.

For safety's sake, he found a secluded cave to rest for the night and planned to return to the Blazing Fire Sect the next day.

The cave is located halfway up a mountain, with several piles of rocks blocking the entrance.

It's hard to spot from the outside; Li Xiuyuan only stumbled upon this place by chance.

Li Xiuyuan took out a meditation cushion and leaned against the stone wall to meditate.

Before we knew it, it was already past midnight.

Just as Li Xiuyuan was half asleep, he suddenly heard the sounds of a magical battle in his ears.

Li Xiuyuan suddenly awoke with a start, his mind reeling.

"Could it be that people from Wanbaoge have come after us?"

Li Xiuyuan immediately thought of the worst-case scenario.

"Fairy, this place is remote and deserted. You'd better hand over your treasure obediently."

"Swords have no eyes. We brothers are all rough men and don't know our own strength. It would be bad if we hurt the fairy."

Li Xiuyuan was slightly pleased; it was good that they weren't from Wanbaoge.

It's probably just a common case of murder and robbery; don't worry about it.

This is the norm in the cultivation world: the strong prey on the weak, and only the fittest survive.

Li Xiuyuan had no intention of meddling in other people's business, so he quietly used the Concealment Technique and the Breath Concealment Technique to suppress his aura to the extreme.

They crept stealthily to the cave entrance and watched the battle unfold in the distance.

A woman dressed in red was desperately holding off the attack of two cultivators while wielding a magical artifact. Beside her lay three gruesome corpses.

Both of them were dressed in short brown uniforms, their faces covered by masks, a typical look of a traitor.

The two wielded their magical weapons with deadly intent, showing no mercy whatsoever.

"I am an inner disciple of the Blazing Fire Sect! You two, stop right now! Otherwise, when my elders arrive, they'll skin you alive!"

The woman was tall and slender, her chest heaving slightly with anger as she scolded him in a delicate voice.

She learned from her close female friend that there was news of a youth-preserving pill in the market outside the mountains.

So he sneaked out, intending to see the new and exciting things outside the mountain, and also planned to buy a youth-preserving pill for his master as a 100th birthday gift.

The woman in red, piloting a blue bracelet and a crimson flying umbrella, struggled to defend against the attacks of two Qi Refining Level 7 cultivators.

At this moment, beads of sweat slid down her beautiful face, and her dark hair clung together.

A hint of panic flashed in her eyes. Her magical artifacts were all of superior quality, and her cultivation was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, a level higher than the two people opposite her.

However, they were repeatedly defeated and forced to retreat, unable to fight back.

This made her threats sound incredibly weak, and she appeared to lack confidence.

She immediately sent a message to her master's sect after being attacked, and it is expected that the elders of her sect will arrive soon.

By this time, the life-saving talismans and magical artifacts on her body had already been used up after she killed the three cultivators who had undergone tribulation.

The remaining two cultivators were experienced and extremely cunning. They kept fighting her, trying to exhaust her magic power before killing her.

Upon hearing this, the two cultivators exchanged a glance and simultaneously increased their magical power, unleashing their magical weapons in a frenzied attack.

At first, they were wary of the powerful talismans in the female cultivator's hands, but after all this entanglement, she still hadn't used them.

They were unaware that this person had already used up all his talismans.

"This fairy from the Blazing Fire Sect, if you hand over your magic weapon and storage bag, my brother will let you leave. My brothers, Dragon and Tiger, came here for wealth and have no intention of taking your life."

"If you continue to resist, don't blame us for being ruthless!"

The Dragon and Tiger brothers let out eerie, cacophonous laughs, intimidating the red-clad female cultivator.

Li Xiuyuan secretly observed this fellow disciple and was quite surprised that this person could instantly use a secret treasure to kill three cultivators of the same level and still maintain his magic power to resist two Tribulation cultivators.

This woman must possess some kind of powerful weapon for self-defense, which suggests she has a significant background.

It can instantly kill three late-stage Qi Refining cultivators and withstand the combined attack of two late-stage cultivators.

These kinds of trump cards are definitely not something that ordinary inner disciples possess.

However, in Li Xiuyuan's eyes, her fighting skills were very rudimentary, clearly indicating that she had not experienced much combat.

He was extremely flustered when facing the enemy, and his magical power was squandered recklessly. He probably wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

Those Dragon and Tiger brothers were only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, their magical power was extremely mixed, and their magical artifacts were even more crude.

If he were to make a move, he could kill the two of them within ten moves.

After careful consideration, Li Xiuyuan still didn't want to get into trouble.

After all, the two of them had no connection whatsoever, and the origin of this cultivator was unknown; it was also unknown whether he had any tricks up his sleeve.

Moreover, Li Xiuyuan had no intention of playing the "hero to save the damsel in distress"; he only sought to protect himself. Why would he offer himself up as someone's savior?

So he planned to leave quietly to avoid being implicated and killed by the woman's superiors when they arrived.

Thinking of this, Li Xiuyuan focused even more intently on using the Concealing Breath Technique and the Hidden Technique, fearing that the Dragon Tiger Brothers and the woman in red would discover his presence.

The Dragon and Tiger Brothers' offensive became increasingly fierce.

Two streams of dark, evil magic transformed into dozens of birds, which besieged the red-clad female cultivator. In a short time, the magical light on the female cultivator's body gradually dissipated, and she would be exhausted in less than half a moment.

Suddenly, the Migu Mouse that Li Xiuyuan had placed at the foot of the mountain to keep watch sent a telepathic message.

An extremely powerful spiritual pressure is rapidly approaching this area.

Li Xiuyuan had a bad feeling. "It must be that this elder of my fellow sect has arrived. If I escape now, I will definitely be mistaken for an accomplice, and then I will have no way to explain myself."

We have no choice but to take action now.

At this moment, the red-clad female cultivator's aura was disordered, and her jade-like face was flushed.

She frantically cast spells, activating the blue bracelet to emit a faint glow to resist the storm of dark spiritual energy attacks from the Dragon and Tiger brothers.

Then, he controlled the red flying umbrella to circulate around himself, blocking the magical attacks coming from all directions.

The two cultivators, figuring out that the woman's magical artifacts and talismans were almost exhausted, didn't intend to linger.

One of them took out a peculiar magical artifact. The slender cultivator took out a dark gray pointed cone, from which a dark spiritual light continuously pulsed. The fat cultivator took out a pale golden disc from his waist and released a pale golden aura toward the female cultivator.

The two men's magical power surged, and they wielded their two mid-grade magical artifacts with tremendous force.

The dark gray cone was about to unleash a burst of spiritual light, its power amplified by the golden disc.

The red-clad female cultivator's defensive magical artifacts had already shattered under the attack of the five people. She hurriedly cast a mid-grade spell, Water Shield, and a layer of light blue water light rose from her body, barely covering her entire body.

How could a mid-grade spell possibly withstand the full force of two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators?

A hint of despair appeared on her plump and beautiful face.

She saw the dark flying cone shatter the water shield and shoot straight at her heart.

The female cultivator couldn't help but close her eyes, "Master, I shouldn't have disobeyed you!"

But the expected pain of soul being torn apart and physical body perishing did not occur.

Instead, a crimson-gold light flashed in front of her, and a small golden shield protected her vital parts.

A gentle yet urgent male voice rang in her ear, as warm as a spring breeze.

"How dare you raid the sect's cultivation! You dare attack a disciple of the Blazing Fire Sect! Aren't you afraid of being annihilated by our sect's True Immortals?!"

The female cultivator's bright eyes saw a radiant, handsome, and otherworldly man dressed in the robes of an inner disciple of the Blazing Fire Sect, wielding a small golden shield to block a fatal blow.

The small golden sword in his hand continuously emitted crimson-gold light as it dealt with the dark spiritual energy attack coming from not far away.

At that moment, she felt incredibly fortunate that she had actually survived.

A sense of security rose in her heart, but when she thought about how this person had seen her in her previous flustered state, she couldn't help but feel a little shy.

The divine power and human qualities of that day were deeply imprinted on her heart, leaving her unable to find peace for a long time.

Just as she was lost in her own thoughts, her mind wandered into a state of blissful reverie.

Li Xiuyuan's voice came through.

"Junior sister, don't get distracted. Quick, you deal with that cultivator who controls the circular disc; he's a bit weaker."

The female cultivator unconsciously followed Li Xiuyuan's words and manipulated the magical artifacts.

A dark look flashed across Li Xiuyuan's brow: "I hope that cultivator won't take his anger out on me, otherwise this whole 'seeing injustice on the road' act will have been for nothing."

The magical light emanating from the Dragon and Tiger Brothers' magical artifacts was extinguished by an extremely fast cyan sword shadow.

The next moment, the tall, thin cultivator felt a chill run down his spine, followed by the clanging of swords clashing.

His magical artifact was knocked away, and his heart tightened instantly.

He roared, "Where did this cowardly scoundrel come from, daring to ambush me!"

Despite his loud pronouncements, he didn't hold back in the slightest when Li Xiuyuan joined the fray.

Before he could even come to his senses...

Li Xiuyuan's figure transformed into a streak of fire, flashing repeatedly as he rapidly approached him.

"What are you still looking at!"

Li Xiuyuan remained silent, and directly unleashed a sword aura of Yi Wood, aiming straight for his face.

The Crimson Flame Bird in his hand spat out dozens of fireballs, like a torrent of magical power, engulfing him.

The man dodged the fatal blow with a swift movement.

He cursed fiercely, and was very wary of the mysterious cultivator who had suddenly appeared, staring intently at Li Xiuyuan.

Once it realized that Li Xiuyuan's cultivation level was the same as its own, at the seventh level of Qi Refining, it calmly activated its attack and began to retreat while fighting.

"Who are you? Don't you know the principle of 'everyone sweeps the snow from their own doorstep'? You mere Qi Refining cultivator, you'd better not meddle in other people's business, or you'll be in deep trouble!"

The tall, thin monk's words were full of threats.

Although he was somewhat wary of the suddenly appearing disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect, there was no turning back once the arrow was drawn.

Once they've taken action to intercept and kill, they won't leave easily.

If we can force them to back down with words, that would be ideal; otherwise, we might as well fight it out.

The female cultivator was startled upon hearing this. She turned and looked at Li Xiuyuan pitifully, afraid that he would be frightened away by this fierce cultivator.

She would have no chance of survival then.

"Senior brother, senior brother, I am Yu Liuli, the direct disciple of the peak master of Su Nu Peak. Please don't be scared away by him. I have already sent a message to senior sister. Let's hold on for a while. Once senior sister arrives, they will definitely not be able to escape."

"Junior sister, rest assured, I, Li Xiuyuan, am not the kind of person who fears death. If we join forces, we will surely be able to kill this scoundrel!"

I'm only afraid of being captured by your senior sister as an accomplice, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten involved in this mess.

Li Xiuyuan muttered to himself in annoyance, but the movements of his sword became increasingly fierce, each strike aimed at the man's vital points, his "lower body".

"How dare you, a mere wretch, attack a disciple of my Blazing Fire Sect? Aren't you afraid of being hunted down by my sect elders?"

Li Xiuyuan snorted coldly and spoke frankly from the bottom of his heart, criticizing the Dragon and Tiger Brothers' illegal team formation.

He turned around and emphasized his determination to persevere with his fellow disciple, then smiled and nodded at Yu Liuli, giving her an encouraging look.

Seeing Li Xiuyuan's resolute and upright character, Yu Liuli felt slightly relieved. Then, as if thinking of something, a blush appeared on her face.

Upon hearing these words, the tall, thin, and burly man was filled with rage. Since this kid didn't know what was good for him...

Then let's kill them all!

To avoid any unforeseen complications, he then gave the fat man beside him a wink, and the Dragon and Tiger brothers attacked simultaneously with swift and fierce momentum, aiming to quickly eliminate the enemy.

The tall, thin cultivator made a hand seal, and the dark flying cone manifested as a dark serpent phantom, emitting a fierce roar.

It was as if a dragon-like demon had descended to earth, riding the clouds and mist, summoning waves of dark gray, bloody winds and rain.

The obese monk tossed out a golden disc and spat out a mouthful of blood essence upwards.

In an instant, the golden plate transformed into a giant golden tiger, roaring like a fierce tiger descending the mountain.

Dragons follow the clouds, and winds follow the tigers.

The interaction of their energies immediately triggered a storm of spiritual energy.

The rocks and vegetation within a radius of several meters were swept into it, creating a magnificent spectacle.

The tall, thin cultivator laughed loudly: "Boy, let's see how you escape from my Dragon-Tiger Clash Technique."

Li Xiuyuan dared not be careless, knowing that this was a combined attack technique between the two of them, judging from the momentum alone.

The spiritual pressure was almost at the point of perfect refinement.

"Alright, let me see your Dragon and Tiger combination technique."

Li Xiuyuan took out the Blood Butcher Knife from his storage bag and formed hand seals.

He poured his immense Golden Flame Heaven-Burning Magic Power into it, and the Blood Dao Longsword instantly expanded to a size of one zhang (approximately 3.3 meters).

The crimson light slashed directly at the dragon and tiger formed from the two people's spiritual power.

"Bang!"

As the crimson blade light clashed with the dragon and tiger, the earth shook violently.

The blood-red longsword sliced ​​the dark cone in two.

The Blood Slaughter Blade was already a top-grade magic weapon, and Li Xiuyuan's Golden Flame Burning Heaven Technique was even more domineering.

Moreover, his spiritual sense had already reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining, and he was just one step away from the Spiritual Sense Barrier.

How could such a destitute cultivator compare?

The tall, thin cultivator's sinister black cone looked extraordinary, but it was just an ordinary mid-grade magic weapon.

Even if it is a high-grade magic weapon, it is impossible to unleash the power of the Bloodthirsty Butcher's Blade in terms of magic power quality and divine sense control. Even if both of them were combined, they would not be a match for Li Xiuyuan.

The power of a ritual implement is determined by its quality, not its power.

At the same cultivation level, the higher the grade of the magic weapon, the stronger the combat power that the cultivator can exert.

In comparison, late-stage cultivators wielding high-grade magic weapons are significantly more powerful than those wielding low-grade magic weapons.

It is evident that the quality of magical artifacts plays a decisive role in battles between Qi Refining cultivators.

Secondly, one must consider the quality of magical power and the strength of spiritual consciousness. Even a Heavenly Spiritual Root at the first level of Qi Refining, wielding a top-grade magical artifact, can still achieve great things.

They also cannot unleash the full power of the magical artifact, just like a child trying to lift a heavy iron hammer; their magical foundation is weak and they cannot bear the massive output of magical power.

Before he could even swing his hammer to kill the enemy, he was instead struck by the backlash of the magical weapon, which injured him.

Therefore, he could not possibly defeat a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator who possessed a high-grade magic weapon.

As for divine sense, it can help cultivators to more skillfully control magical artifacts and release spells, maximizing the ultimate power of the artifacts. The stronger the divine sense, the better the effect of driving the artifacts.

Li Xiuyuan planned to finish the battle quickly and secretly refine two [Fire Sword Techniques] [White Rune: Advanced Fire Sword Technique]

A burst of flames erupted from the Blood Butcher Blade, and dozens of fiery sword beams slashed toward the tall, thin cultivator.

*Pfft*

With a thud, the dark light suspended in mid-air lost control, plummeted straight to the ground, leaving a deep scratch, and disappeared.

Before Li Xiuyuan could stop, a swift and powerful sword beam of fire slashed towards the fat cultivator opposite him.

*Pfft*

But then the 'fat cultivator' hiding behind the pale golden light curtain was split in two and fell straight to the ground. Above the two pieces of his corpse, a small golden sword was spitting out crimson flames.

"We're finally done!"

Li Xiuyuan let out a long breath, then rolled up his sleeves to pick up the scattered magical artifacts and the two people's storage bags.