The First Venerable of All Paths

Tell me about it.

Fang Xuan looked at the other person, his face revealing little emotion.

"I am quite interested in the flames within you."

Master Qinghe said, "As long as you hand over the flame to me, I will not only let you leave, but also give you a good opportunity to become my disciple."

"Trading heavenly fire for survival and gaining a master at the Divine Realm level sounds like a good deal."

Fang Xuan smiled and said, "However, I refuse."

"They really don't know what's good for them."

Master Qinghe didn't seem surprised, but said with a hint of regret, "Very well, since that's the case, then I can only kill you first and then take the Heavenly Fire Origin from your body."

As soon as he finished speaking, Master Qinghe raised his hand and flipped it over.

"Buzz!"

The lake water churned and coalesced into a water wolf, which opened its jaws and pounced on Fang Xuan.

When a master of the Divine Realm makes a move, its power is far beyond what the likes of Qi Changfeng can achieve.

Even Xiao Jinyu was startled by that kind of power.

This person is no ordinary martial artist at the Divine Intent Realm.

"Fang Xuan, run! I'll stop him!"

Xiao Jinyu formed hand seals, and a yin-yang pattern appeared behind him. Several meteorites shot out and crashed into the water wolf.

"Boom!"

The moment the two clashed, a violent aura was unleashed.

The air was filled with mist, and the lotus leaves trembled.

Xiao Jinyu grunted and stepped back.

A hand rested on Xiao Jinyu's fragrant shoulder, while a wisp of chaotic essence was injected to help suppress her rampaging blood and qi.

"You're no match for him, let me handle it."

Before she could even sense the changes within her body, Xiao Jinyu said urgently, "What are you trying to prove? Hurry up and leave, or you'll miss your chance."

"None of you will leave without my permission."

Master Qinghe chuckled and clenched his fist again.

More than ten water wolves emerged from the lake and pounced on Fang Xuan and his companion from all sides.

Each of these water wolves is comparable to a martial artist at the Condensation Realm, and their speed is as fast as lightning.

"The Azure Dragon Emerges from the Sea!"

Fang Xuan grabbed the Thunderfire Spear, which appeared in his hand on its own, and thrust it out.

"Awooo!"

The lake churned violently, its waters exploding like thunder.

The water droplets that filled the sky coalesced into a giant water dragon, tens of meters long.

The water dragon was surrounded by flashes of lightning and fire, adding to its imposing presence.

"Bang bang bang!"

The water dragon spun around in mid-air, baring its fangs and claws, and the water wolves that pounced at it were instantly crushed by its blows, unable to withstand even a single round.

In the blink of an eye, all the water wolves were evaporated by lightning and fire.

"Water and fire are mutually restraining, and the spear's momentum is like thunder; it is indeed a remarkable spear technique."

Master Qinghe nodded and praised, "Fang Xuan, I truly admire you more and more. Are you sure you don't want to consider becoming my disciple?"

"You should know that I am in charge of this secret realm. At my peak, I was only one step away from the Profound Realm. If you become my disciple, it won't be a waste of your talent."

Xiao Jinyu's pretty face darkened.

As expected, this person was indeed a terrifying existence who was about to break through to the Profound Realm.

Faced with such an opponent, they had absolutely no chance to fight back.

However, Fang Xuan showed no sign of panic.

On the contrary, Fang Xuan curled his lips into a sneer, full of mockery.

"What are you laughing at?"

Master Qinghe frowned, slightly displeased, and said, "You don't believe me?"

"I am truly adept at deceiving myself, Lord Xiao."

Fang Xuan said calmly, "If you are truly the master of this Azure Lotus Secret Realm, why would you go to such great lengths to deliberately lure people here and use the Blood Refining Secret Method to complete the seventh-grade evil lotus in your hands?"

"I must say, you've got a good plan, but unfortunately, your methods are too low-class."

Xiao Jinyu was also somewhat speechless.

"Fang Xuan, at this point, you shouldn't provoke the other party."

Xiao Jinyu transmitted her voice, "I'll try to stall him for a bit, you find a chance to leave quickly."

She was truly afraid that this Qinghe Venerable might, in a fit of rage, kill them both right here.

"Don't worry."

Fang Xuan laughed and said, "If he could do it, he would have done it long ago. Why would he have waited until now?"

"Fang Xuan, what do you mean?"

Xiao Jinyu seemed to realize something and looked at Fang Xuan in surprise.

"The meaning is very simple."

Fang Xuan grinned, pointing his spear directly at Qinghe Shangren.

"He is not the master of any secret realm at all, nor even the owner of this cave. He is just a bandit who has usurped the place."

"Calling them robbers wouldn't be accurate."

Fang Xuan added another sentence.

"If I'm not mistaken, he must be a pitiful person who once entered the cave and failed to be possessed by the owner of this place."

"boom!"

As soon as these words were spoken, an overwhelming evil aura instantly filled the world.

The lake water surged with enormous waves, the sky split open, and the scene changed dramatically.

All around, mountains rise.

The world was shrouded in darkness.

The gray lake was filled with withered lotus flowers and leaves.

Master Qinghe stood on the lake, holding a seven-petaled red lotus in his hand, but his appearance had changed drastically.

His body was as thin as a rake, he was dressed in a gray robe, and his face had several blood-red lines, making him look eerie and sinister.

"You knew all along?"

Master Qinghe's voice had become low and hoarse, filled with an icy coldness.

Xiao Jinyu was also startled when she saw Qinghe Shangren in such a state.

This person exudes a terrifyingly evil aura!

"It was uncertain before, but now, you've essentially admitted it yourself."

Fang Xuan smiled slightly, his face full of mockery.

"When did you start to doubt me?"

Master Qinghe played with the seven-leaf red lotus in his hand, his whole body exuding a sinister aura as he stared at Fang Xuan.

"I have no doubt about you."

Fang Xuan said, "When I entered that bronze hall, all I knew was that the martial arts manuals and elixirs carelessly discarded on the ground were like bait, deliberately designed to lure people in. It wasn't until I saw those martial artists whose minds were being manipulated that I began to suspect that this was not something an ordinary person could do."

"The mummified corpse in the Bronze Hall is your masterpiece."

"As for the Blood Refining Evil Puppet, this is a secret technique that only evil cultivators can master."

Looking at Qinghe Shangren, he said, "And you, despite possessing the cultivation of the Divine Intent Realm, deliberately hid in the shadows, stirring up others' emotions, causing battles, and accumulating qi and blood, all for that seventh-grade evil lotus in your possession, right?"

"You are not Master Qinghe himself."

Fang Xuan spoke with unwavering conviction, stating definitively, "You are merely a heretical cultivator who has received a portion of Qinghe Shangren's inheritance."

"Clap clap clap!"

As soon as Fang Xuan finished speaking, Master Qinghe clapped and laughed.

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Master Qinghe laughed and said, "If you weren't so young, I would have suspected that you were one of those who slipped through the net back then."

Xiao Jinyu was stunned.

She never expected that this Master Qinghe was actually an evil cultivator.

The owner of the secret cave has long since perished.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Fang Xuan said, "I just didn't expect that you could find another way and stay in this cave for so many years."

A powerful cultivator at the Divine Realm has a lifespan of no more than two hundred years.

It has been more than two hundred years since this cave was last opened.

"The methods of my evil race are beyond the comprehension of you ants."

Master Qinghe did not hide anything and said, "What you said is absolutely right. I am indeed not that old man Qinghe. My real name is Xie Gui."

A sinister smile appeared on Xie Gui's face as he said, "Fang Xuan, I pity your talent, so as long as you are certain you will become my disciple, I can help you overcome your evil, cleanse your marrow and transform your destiny!"

"Transcending evil? I have no interest in that."

Fang Xuan said without any politeness, "And you, sir, cannot be considered a true member of the evil race; at most, you are just a heretical cultivator with mixed bloodlines."

"you......"

Fang Xuan's words struck a nerve with Xie Gui, enraging him.

"What? You're getting angry already?"

Fang Xuan scoffed, "You used the essence of countless martial artists' blood, supplemented by the secret techniques of the evil race, to condense this Seven-Leaf Crimson Lotus. Isn't it just to improve your own bloodline and become a true member of the evil race?"

Xie Gui's pupils contracted slightly.

"You knew that too?"

Seeing the shock on Xie Gui's face, Fang Xuan smiled but remained silent.

These are naturally memories passed down from the Nine Emperors.

From the moment Fang Xuan saw the evil puppet that replicated him, he was certain that there was an evil cultivator hiding in this place.

Now, his guess has finally been confirmed.

"Even if you knew, what could you do?"

Xie Gui suddenly laughed and said, "Now the initiative is in my hands. Killing you is easier for me than stepping on an ant."

"Sir, please stop talking big."

Fang Xuan sneered and said, "If you really had that ability, why did you delay until now?"

"The reason you haven't taken action yet is not because you're unwilling, but because you're unable."

Fang Xuan said, "Right now, you are mentally connected with the Evil Lotus, so you can't unleash your full strength at all."

"Ridiculous 1"

Xie Gui coldly said, "A mere Qi Gathering Realm ant, I could crush you with a single finger!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Gui raised his hand and pointed.

An overwhelming evil aura transformed into a blood-red finger, which pressed down towards Fang Xuan.

The evil finger's arrogance was overwhelming, causing the void to tremble.

"Fang Xuan, get out of the way!"

Xiao Jinyu casually struck out with a palm, but the palm wind was shattered by the evil finger, and the force of the blow continued to fall wildly.

"Manager Xiao, why do you think he insists I hand over the flames?"

Fang Xuan took a step forward and looked at the rapidly falling blood-red evil finger.

"Because I can defeat him!"

Having said that, Fang Xuan clenched his five fingers, and the Undying Phoenix Flame appeared, transforming into a small fiery bird that flapped its wings and flew away.

"Boom!"

A towering flame suddenly erupted from the tiny bird, no bigger than the palm of your hand.

The sea of ​​fire spread, enveloping the blood-red evil finger and melting it into nothingness.

The Flame Bird opens its beak and spits out.

"Hey!"

A streak of fire shot out from the firebird's beak, hurtling towards Xie Gui.

"The Hand of Evil!"

Xie Gui's expression hardened, and he clenched his fist tightly.

The evil energy coalesced into a giant hand, reaching for the front line of fire.

"Bang!"

The fire line collapsed, but the evil hand also collapsed and dissipated.

Xie Gui trembled and quickly put his hands behind his back.

A burn mark from the flames had appeared on his palm.

"Heavenly Fire is indeed domineering!"

Xie Gui pursed his lips, but his eyes gradually turned blood red, and the evil patterns on his face became clearer than before.

"But do you really think I can't do anything to you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Gui bit his finger.

"Thump!"

Blood dripped into the lake, spreading outwards.

"Splash!"

The lake water churned, and a tall skeleton slowly emerged from the water, eventually floating to the surface.

A blue light emanated from the skeleton, releasing a terrifying aura.

"Divine intent?"

Xiao Jinyu exclaimed in surprise, "How could this be?"

One evil jade was enough to overwhelm them.

But the opponent actually summoned a skeleton comparable to a master of the Divine Realm.

Gray flames flickered in the empty eye sockets of the skeleton, like eerie will-o'-the-wisps, as they looked at Fang Xuan.

"Ugh!"

The skeleton opened and closed its mouth, then pulled out a section of blue sternum and gently waved it at Fang Xuan.

"laugh!"

In an instant, a sharp and chilling azure sword energy erupted from his sternum, fiercely slashing towards Fang Xuan.

"Sword...a swordsman?!"

At this moment, let alone Xiao Jinyu.

Fang Xuan felt a chill run down his spine.