Cultivation begins with alchemy and collecting runes.

The mountain forests are dense, with green leaves and red flowers swaying in the wind.

Beneath the seemingly peaceful and beautiful scenery lurks many rogue cultivators with ulterior motives.

These low-level rogue cultivators, hiding among the trees and bushes, are merely blinded by a leaf, thinking they are hiding very well.

However, the fluctuations of spiritual energy on their bodies had already betrayed them. Under Li Xiuyuan's powerful divine sense, their every move was exposed.

Some people's eyes darted around furtively, as if they were using the guise of observing the battle to sneak closer to the battlefield, waiting for an opportunity to make a move and try to gain some advantage.

Some people believed they were extraordinary and planned to take advantage of the chaos of the battle to fish in troubled waters.

Regardless of their intentions, whenever they tried to approach the mountain peak, they were sternly warned by the Ye and Xiao clan cultivators guarding the path.

"The Blazing Fire Sect is conducting its business; idlers must leave. Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!"

The members of both clans shouted sternly, as if they had taken on the identity of disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect, adopting an arrogant and condescending attitude.

These cultivators, whose cultivation levels were generally at the first or second level, with the highest being no more than the fifth level, were considered low-class peasants in their eyes.

People who are worthless and worthless may at best pretend to be gods and ghosts to fool ordinary people, but in their eyes they are nothing at all.

These restless rogue cultivators couldn't muster even a few mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, let alone possess any low-grade magic weapons, so they weren't even worthy of being looked up to.

If someone overestimates their abilities, they won't hesitate to go on a killing spree; after all, even a small mosquito is still meat.

While the fight raged on above, these lowly repairmen didn't get any loot.

If a few ignorant rogue cultivators come along, killing them would add up to a considerable sum of money.

After the Xiao family cultivator in the lead finished speaking, he noticed a seemingly shrewd rogue cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining in the mountains constantly warning him and trying to use his Wind Control Technique to sneak up the mountain.

Just as the two families who were lying in wait were about to make their move, several sharp magic swords flew down from the mountain and locked onto the location of the rogue cultivator.

Ignoring the cover of grass and trees, several magical swords directly broke through the man's protective spells, tearing him to pieces.

"ah!"

Blood rained down in the woods in an instant.

The onlookers, including the rogue cultivators, were horrified!

After a scream, the noisy forest returned to its usual tranquility.

……

Xiao Feng and his companion quickly approached Li Xiuyuan, their black iron rods and golden sun rings simultaneously bombarding the cyan-gold mirror under the influence of their magical power.

Li Xiuyuan was overjoyed, "Now!"

Ignoring the continuous damage to his golden sword and blood-slaughtering blade, he relentlessly charged forward, enduring their attacks.

At this moment, the arrogant demonic cultivator panicked and decided to devise another plan.

He dodged the attack of Li Xiuyuan's two magical artifacts by sidestepping, shook the dark green bell, and unleashed poisonous fire at Xiao Feng and his companion who were attacking together.

The bell rang, its light flashing, conjuring two streams of demonic fire. Then, it unleashed a five-zhang-long crimson-gold talisman, which transformed into five hundred sharp blades of light, slashing towards Xiao Feng and his companion in a fierce storm.

Li Xiuyuan's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly informed the two of the power of the demonic fire to prevent them from being caught in its trap and dying easily, thus greatly reducing their fighting strength.

Fortunately, Xiao Feng and his companion were not greenhorns who had just entered the world of martial arts. They took Li Xiuyuan's warning to heart and paid close attention.

Fearing that the eerie demonic fire would taint their magical artifacts, they summoned their artifacts back to avoid the demonic fire, instead unleashing spells and talismans to hinder and dissipate the demonic fire and the crimson gold blade light.

In the blink of an eye, this whole operation was completed in just a few breaths.

Xiao Feng and his companion's spells and talismans were the first to be met by the poisonous fire and the crimson-gold blade. Whether it was the earthen wall or the wooden spikes, they were all pierced by the strange flames, but the flames dissipated by more than half.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"

Seeing that the poisonous fire was about to engulf the two of them, Li Xiuyuan disregarded the consumption of spiritual energy and hurriedly threw out two mid-grade magic artifacts he had captured from his storage bag to block the attack.

The two small, earthen-yellow shields, struck directly by the poisonous fire and the golden blade, trembled and emitted a violent corrosive sound.

He didn't want Xiao Feng and the other two to die, otherwise it would be difficult to explain to their clansmen after they went down the mountain. Although he had profound cultivation, he couldn't fight against so many people. It would be troublesome to kill them because they outnumbered him.

"Bang!"

The spiritual light of the two mid-grade defensive magic artifacts dissipated instantly, and they shrank to the size of a palm before falling to the ground.

Then, a dense barrage of sword light slashed down, and Xiao Feng and his companion were terrified, each holding their own magical weapons in front of them for protection.

With their combined efforts, the black iron rod and the golden sun ring managed to block the five hundred sword beams.

The "Crimson Gold Blade Technique," a high-grade spell of this rank, was indeed incredibly powerful; even two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators working together struggled to withstand it.

"Thank you so much for your help, sir!"

Xiao Feng and the other man thanked him in unison, their hearts filled with gratitude.

They were already careful enough after receiving Li Xiuyuan's warning, but they still almost fell into the trap.

Li Xiuyuan's ability to fight a Qi Refining Stage 9 cultivator under this strange demonic fire truly demonstrates his profound cultivation.

The two of them secretly raised their opinion of Li Xiuyuan to a new level.

"Enough with the small talk, quickly cast your spell!"

Li Xiuyuan did not turn around, but hurriedly transmitted his voice, locking his divine sense firmly onto the demonic cultivator.

Without saying much, the two then unleashed their magical weapons and attacked the man.

In an instant, several magical artifacts shone with spiritual light and rapidly approached the arrogant demonic cultivator.

"Hold back! Increase your magic power! If you can behead him, I, Li, will reward you handsomely."

Seeing that this man had reached a dead end, Li Xiuyuan ordered Xiao Feng and his companion to speed up their attack, even promising them a reward.

At the same time, he urged the nearly broken Golden Light Sword and Blood Slaughter Blade to continue fighting the Azure Gold Mirror and the Dark Green Bell, not giving him a chance to return to his own side.

He maintained a distance of thirty feet from the demonic cultivator, using his magical artifacts to distract him and keep him constantly on the run, defending and attacking.

This distance is precisely within the maximum range of Xiao Feng and Xiao Feng's magical artifacts, with the three of them forming a perfect balance, allowing for excellent coordination in offense and defense.

Seeing that his opponent was about to collapse, Li Xiuyuan was not in a hurry to end his life.

The most deadly counterattack is the one before death; Li Xiuyuan will not give him the chance to become a water ghost and drag him into the water.

Since the storage bag will ultimately be his anyway, he shouldn't take any risks.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng and his companion accelerated the flow of their magical power. They knew that Li Xiuyuan was no ordinary person and was very wealthy. Since he had made a promise, he couldn't lie about it.

The two had long intended to be friends, and even a small amount of benefit from Li Xiuyuan would be enough for them to gain.

They were shrewd and experienced, and although they were eager to make a name for themselves, they were not truly blinded by greed. They kept a close eye on the demonic cultivator, fearing that he might use some trump card.

In an instant, the three men's attacks became even more ferocious, and the protective aura released by the jade pendant, a defensive magic artifact summoned by the demonic cultivator, gradually dimmed.

Bang bang bang!

Three breaths later.

With a loud bang, the light shield was covered with countless cracks, which spread rapidly.

The next moment, the light shield vanished with a crisp cracking sound.

The four magical artifacts, having broken through the obstacles, hurtled towards the demonic cultivator, fearing that others would steal their credit.

The arrogant demonic cultivator turned ashen-faced as he watched the four magical artifacts kill him.

But his will to survive had not yet been extinguished. He still refused to give up and took out a talisman several feet long from his storage bag, which transformed into an earthen wall and golden light, blocking the four magical artifacts.

Although these talismans can hinder magical artifacts for a moment, they are ultimately not as good as the Crimson Gold Blade Talisman. Most of them are mid-grade talismans and cannot damage high-grade magical artifacts.

Soon the spells cast by the talisman were exhausted, and the ferocious magical weapon attacked again.

Now the demonic cultivator completely lost his will to live, and in his panic, he actually summoned back the Azure Gold Mirror and the Dark Green Bell.

He suddenly spat out two mouthfuls of blood essence at the two objects, staining them blood-red. Then, the power of the falling mirror and the bell-shaped artifact surged once again.

He exuded a destructive madness, as if he knew his death was imminent, and was even planning to self-destruct his magical artifact in a desperate gamble.

He manipulated complex hand seals, constantly drawing the magic mirror and the bell. The restrictions inside the two magical artifacts rapidly collapsed, reaching the limit of their magical artifact grade.

"Oh no, he's going to self-destruct his magical artifact!"

Li Xiuyuan sensed something was wrong, shouted loudly, and quickly activated the [Advanced Fire Shield Technique] deep within his sea of ​​consciousness.

He refined it all at once, surging his blood and qi throughout his body, and donned a blood-red robe interspersed with layers of fiery shields.

That wasn't the end of it. He then swallowed a Spirit Recovery Pill, enduring the excruciating pain in his sea of ​​consciousness caused by activating several magical artifacts.

He rode on a dark flame wheel, draped in a blue feather robe, and unleashed his full power in fire-style techniques.

He seemed to be the embodiment of heavenly fire and sword light, dodging and weaving as he sped towards the foot of the mountain.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to unleash all the [Sword Shadow Splitting Technique] and [Advanced Fire Sword Technique] rune power he possessed on the arrogant demon cultivator.

Dozens of sword shadows and sparks rushed towards the opponent, completely surrounding his retreat.

In case he tries to escape by deception.

Although Xiao Feng and his companion received a warning from Li Xiuyuan, their eagerness to make a contribution caused them to forget the warning sign of the magical artifact exploding.

When they came to their senses, all that remained before them were countless chaotic bursts of spiritual light and fragments of magical artifacts.

Rumble!

Before he could even fly off the mountaintop, a tremendous explosion of spiritual energy resounded through the sky.

It pierced through the clouds and split the rocks; the earth shook and the mountains trembled.

At the core of the magical explosion, a beam of light shot into the sky, and instantly countless plumes of smoke and flames filled the mountaintop.

The powerful shockwave from the explosion sent Li Xiuyuan flying several miles away as he fled.

*Pfft!*

A powerful spiritual pressure far exceeding that of the Qi Refining stage directly struck him. Fortunately, he had achieved mastery of body refining, was protected by a top-grade magic weapon, and was further enhanced by an advanced fire shield technique.

Li Xiuyuan had actually fallen from a great height and landed on the ground, sustaining some shock and minor injuries.

Cough cough cough!

He endured the excruciating pain in his sea of ​​consciousness and steered the Dark Flame Flying Wheel toward the mountaintop. He needed to confirm whether the arrogant demonic cultivator was dead.

Soon the smoke and dust dissipated, revealing a scene of blood and gore. The flat land on the mountaintop was nowhere to be seen, replaced by the chaos and devastation left by the massive explosion.

All traces of the three disappeared, leaving only a mess caused by the explosion of the top-grade magical artifact.

Li Xiuyuan spread his divine sense and quickly searched, confirming that all three were dead.

They began cleaning up the battlefield and soon found the demonic cultivator's storage bag among a pile of broken rubble. Exploring it with their divine sense, they quickly found a beautifully crafted jade box.

He noticed that a talisman was sealed on the jade box.

The talisman is used to prevent the effects of the medicine from fading.

He suppressed his eagerness and put the jade box away.

He was certain that this was the Refining Spirit Grass, especially since the man had his storage bag in his hand; the Refining Spirit Grass couldn't possibly be missing.

He continued searching and finally found a dark iron rod and a bright gold ring in a crevice in the ground, with two storage bags lying next to it.

Li Xiuyuan sighed helplessly; this was the brutal reality of the cultivation world.

Unexpected events can happen at any time; only strong capabilities can protect you!

The turmoil in Li Xiuyuan's heart subsided, and he picked up the two people's belongings and hung them on his waist.

"Splash!"

A commotion suddenly erupted from the foot of the mountain as the remaining members of the Xiao and Ye families rushed up the mountain.

The group rushed to the mountaintop in a frantic rush, hoping to catch a glimpse of their clan leader.

But when their eager gazes fell upon the only survivor on the mountaintop, they froze, looking at Li Xiuyuan with fear on their faces.

Their eyes held fear, hatred, and anger; some even prepared to rush forward and question Li Xiuyuan about the whereabouts of their clan leader.

But he was quickly pulled back by his clear-headed clansmen, and only then did he come to his senses that he was about to do something that would lead to his death!

Li Xiuyuan spoke calmly, "This matter was an accident. The two clan leaders sacrificed themselves in the line of duty, which was a righteous act. When I return to my clan, I will definitely report the two clans' meritorious deeds in eliminating the demon, and at that time I will make up for the contributions made by your Xiao and Ye families."

"These are their magical artifacts and storage bags; you can take them back."

Li Xiuyuan handed over Xiao Feng and Ye's belongings to the cultivators of the Xiao and Ye families respectively.

Then, changing the subject, he said, "Since the deceased is gone, the primary task is to prevent the news from getting out, lest it cause unrest. Where are the cultivators from the Xiao and Ye families? Follow me to seal the news. The spoils of war obtained from Southern Mountain will be considered my personal compensation!"

……

Half an hour later.

The lush, verdant southern mountains were transformed into a sea of ​​fire, and I stood atop a nearby hill.

Li Xiuyuan observed the scene, feeling utterly desolate.

He was holding four storage bags, all belonging to the cultivators of the Demon Flame Sect.

Just now, the allied forces led by him slaughtered all the scattered cultivators in the southern mountains, and all the resources were put into the possession of the two families, which barely calmed people's hearts.

"The Demon Flame Sect cultivators are dead, and our mission has been accomplished. Both families have also suffered a sudden calamity. I suggest the Heaven and Earth Society cease hostilities here, and that you all return to your clans to settle down, would that be alright?"

Although Li Xiuyuan had just heard the news, his tone was firm and unquestionable.

With the Refining Spirit Grass in hand, the rabble of the Heaven and Earth Society will soon receive news of their leader's death.

With the Demon Flame Sect cultivators no longer leading the way and their strongest leader dead, the sect will naturally fall apart.

It won't cause any trouble for the Ye and Xiao families.

The task assigned by Shui Lian to annihilate the Heaven and Earth Society was thus completed.

"Lord Li is right. Given this sudden turn of events, we should quickly report to our families to stabilize morale."

The two cultivators naturally had no objections and echoed in unison.

Li Xiuyuan smiled and was about to turn and leave.

A cultivator from the Xiao family, who possessed higher cultivation levels, spoke up: "Sir, what about the Liu family's resource point?"

This is the issue that both races care about most. They risked their lives, even sacrificing their respective clan leaders, all for the sake of cultivation resources.

Li Xiuyuan laughed heartily, took out a communication talisman from his storage bag, and immediately said with a smile, "I will report this to the sect on your behalf right now, and I will certainly not forget the contributions of the two clan leaders."

This special transmission talisman requires a specific incantation to activate, and it can automatically fly to the contact point set by the sect.

Then, the cultivators at the liaison point would use a magic array to transmit the message back to the sect, which was both convenient and secretive.

Leading the annihilation of the invading Demon Flame Sect cultivators and maintaining the sect's rule will earn Li Xiuyuan a large reward of contribution points, which is perfect for exchanging second-tier spirit cores to refine Foundation Establishment Pills.

He walked to the side and set up a soundproof array. He explained how he discovered the invasion of the Demon Flame Sect disciples and how he joined forces with the two clans to wipe out the demon cultivators. Naturally, he mentioned the contributions of the two clans and mentioned that the clan leaders of the two clans had perished in the process of wiping out the demon cultivators.

It is suggested that the Liu family's resource points be compensated to them.

Having received the benefits, they naturally had to do the work, especially since Xiao Feng and the other man had indeed died unjustly.

The communication talisman transformed into a streak of light and flew away, finally putting the cultivators of both races at ease.

The group bowed to Li Xiuyuan and said, "Thank you, sir. We will take our leave now."

Li Xiuyuan waved his hand, said nothing, and then rode the Dark Flame Flying Wheel, transforming into a dark escape light and flying towards Black Wind City.