Fairy, please don't do this!

Miao Tan remained standing silently, not even lifting her eyelids, as if Gu Jinzhao were just a piece of dead wood by the roadside.

Gu Jinzhao smiled warmly and returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "You're too kind, Zen Master."

Immediately, his gaze turned to Ning Muchi beside him, and a look of genuine concern appeared on his face: "Commander Ning... no, now you should call him Commander Ning."

"I wonder if the injury on your face is any better?"

His expression was sincere, and his tone was gentle, as if he were truly greeting an old friend he hadn't seen for many years.

Ning Muchi's face instantly darkened, and his tone became icy and chilling: "Thanks to Deputy Commander Gu... he has fully recovered."

Being slapped a hundred times in public at the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration not only shattered his dignity but also stripped away his facade of gentleness and refinement.

Gu Jinchao, seemingly oblivious, smiled even more kindly: "That's good. Magistrate Zhiming is very busy with official duties, so Commander Ning should take good care of his health."

No need to worry.

Ning Muchi snorted coldly, stomped his feet, and transformed into a streak of light, rushing towards the location of the secret realm.

Wu Nian and Miao Tan glanced at Gu Jinzhao, but said nothing and silently followed.

Watching the three figures recede into the distance, Gu Jinzhao's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

He wasn't surprised that Ning Muchi would appear.

After all, on the Empress Dowager's birthday, because of him, this heir's official rank was reduced to a hundred households.

The Corpse Demon Cave has attracted many evil cultivators, and Ning Muchi wanted to use the Zhao family's power to wipe them out in one fell swoop, so as to gain more merit and be promoted back to the Thousand Household.

Besides, he also wanted to take this opportunity to win over more sect cultivators and independent cultivators to his side...

Chapter 275, Grabbed in One Hand, Refined in an Instant (3K)

In the game, Ning Muchi's final fate was not much better.

The Prince of Zhenbei carefully nurtured him, not so that he would succeed him in the future, but rather to use him as a substitute.

To be precise, it's a backup plan.

The King of Zhenbei's cooperation with both the Underworld God Sect and the Heavenly Mother Sect is tantamount to seeking help from a tiger, and he is likely to suffer a backlash.

Moreover, with Empress Dowager Xiao Qingyi in charge and Daoist Venerable assisting the Cangyue Dynasty, it's really hard to say who will win in the end.

The Prince of Zhenbei wants to overthrow Cangyue and establish a new dynasty. If he fails, he will inevitably be purged.

Therefore, he left a piece of his divine soul in his biological son, Ning Muchi.

As long as he dies, his divine soul will directly possess his body and seize the opportunity to make a comeback.

Yu Fengzhi tidied her wind-blown hair and turned her head to ask, "Aren't we going to follow them?"

Gu Jinzhao had previously stated that the Zen Master and the Buddhist Maiden would enter the Corpse Demon Cave Heaven to control the core of the great array that isolates the outside world.

The three of them were on their way to find the key to the formation and break it open so that the two third-rank cultivators could enter.

If we follow quietly, we can probably reach the core of the formation directly, saving a lot of effort.

Gu Jinzhao shook his head: "Both the Zen disciple and the Buddhist nun are fifth-rank, with extremely keen senses. If we follow them, we'll be easily discovered."

He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Besides, I know where the core of the formation is; there's no need to take such a risk."

Hearing this, Mu Yiren's eyes swept over his face: "How do you know everything?"

"Even with the knowledge of cause and effect, one cannot know everything, right?"

Gu Jinchao remained expressionless: "I planted a spy in the Zhao family, and he has already informed me of the entire plan for the Corpse Demon Cave."

Having said that, he took out the Crimson Sky Sword and rode it into the air.

Mu Yiren and Yu Fengzhi did not hesitate. With a light touch of their slender feet, they transformed into two streaks of light and followed closely behind.

The further the three went, the more violent the surrounding spiritual energy became, and an unpleasant stench filled the air.

Finally, the view opened up before me.

Beneath a towering peak, a massive bronze stone gate stretched across the sky and stood within the mountain, its surface covered with ancient, mottled runes that shimmered with a faint, eerie light.

Thousands of cultivators had already gathered on the open ground ahead, creating a bustling scene with various spiritual lights flashing everywhere, as noisy as a marketplace.

People kept turning into streaks of light, rushing to enter the light curtain, as if being a step too late would mean missing a tremendous opportunity.

Without any hesitation, Gu Jinzhao and the other two entered the bronze gate.

A brief feeling of weightlessness and tearing followed, and then I was on solid ground.

This is a small world whose landscape is no different from the outside world.

The sky is high and vast, the earth is boundless, ancient trees reach for the sky, and vines hang down.

The only difference is that there are no birdsong, no insect chirping, no signs of any living creatures, only a deathly silence.

In addition, there were streaks of light that occasionally flashed across the sky and earth.

Those streaks of light were colorful, some gold, some purple, some blue, some white, and they moved extremely fast, leaving long trails of flame as they sped through the air.

“It is a rare and precious treasure.”

The fleeting light reflected in Mu Yiren's double pupils revealed the outlines of various objects.

There were ancient jade slips, flying swords with a chilling gleam, fragrant medicinal herbs, and even fragments of magical artifacts radiating powerful energy.

"A rare and precious item?"

"A spell jade slip?"

"An extraordinary magical artifact?"

"Quick, grab it!"

Many cultivators could no longer contain themselves and used various methods to chase after those streaks of light. The sounds of fighting were incessant, and the explosions of spiritual light rose and fell one after another, causing rocks to fall from the mountain walls.

Gu Jinchao glanced around and said calmly, "The things on the outside are just scraps; the real treasures are deep inside."

He didn't try to seize those rare treasures; instead, he led the two women deeper into the Corpse Demon Cave.

The three of them were there to find the core of the array, and there was no need to waste their spiritual energy competing for these external objects.

Of course, if you come across rare and precious treasures, you shouldn't miss them.

The deeper you go, the more desolate the surrounding scenery becomes, and the more intense the cold and deathly atmosphere grows.

Scattered white bones began to appear on the ground.

Some were humanoid, while others were of various strange beasts; all had weathered and turned yellow, turning to powder at the slightest touch and scattering in the wind.

And indeed, the number and quality of the flowing light are also increasing.

Occasionally, one or two particularly dazzling rays of light would flash by, attracting even more cultivators to chase and fight.

Just then, a body cultivator from the Martial Yuan Sect, after a fierce battle, finally obtained an extraordinary magic weapon, and before he could even smile, he was overjoyed.

The boulder beside them exploded with a deafening roar, sending debris flying everywhere.

A dark shadow suddenly emerged from the dust, moving with astonishing speed, and actually tore his body apart.

Blood splattered everywhere, staining the bushes and trees red.

It was a corpse demon with a bluish-black body and skin as withered as dead wood.

Its height is no different from that of an ordinary human, but its eyes are filled with two dark green flames, which are sinister and eerie.

An intense, almost overwhelming demonic aura emanated from it, causing the surrounding temperature to drop several degrees.

"A sixth-rank corpse demon!"

Yu Fengzhi's expression hardened slightly, and her slender hand rested on the hilt of her sword.

They had only been inside the Corpse Demon Cave for a short time when a sixth-grade Corpse Demon jumped out. One can only imagine how terrifying the Corpse Demons deep within truly are.

These corpse demons are all the remains of powerful figures who perished here a thousand years ago, transformed by the demonic energy of the earth.

They retained some of their fighting instincts and powerful physiques from their previous lives, but lost their minds, leaving only a thirst for the flesh and blood of living beings and a brutal desire to kill.

The sixth-grade corpse demon before them, after killing the Martial Yuan Sect body cultivator, instantly turned its eerie green eyes to Gu Jinzhao and the other two, as if it had smelled even fresher flesh and blood.

In the next instant, it pounced on you, bringing with it a foul stench!

Yu Fengzhi and Mu Yiren were about to make a move when Gu Jinzhao stepped forward.

Clang——

As the clear, melodious sword cry echoed through the valley, a blazing crimson sword rainbow, as bright as the rising sun, shot into the sky, illuminating the dim world.

Where the sword's edge passed, the air seemed to ignite, hissing and crackling, and the withered grass on the ground instantly turned to ash.

The corpse demon was ferocious, its arms crossed as if to block, but its arms, covered in bluish-black scales, clashed violently with the sword intent!

boom--

The Corpse Demon let out a shrill roar that shook the surrounding area, and its arms exploded instantly, splattering flesh and black blood everywhere.

The sword intent continued its momentum, piercing through the top of its head and cleaving it to the very bottom without any obstruction.

The corpse demon's body froze in mid-air, then neatly split in two from the center, crashing to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Mu Yiren and Yu Fengzhi were both surprised to see this, not expecting that this powerful sixth-grade corpse demon would be defeated with a single sword strike.

However, at the very moment the corpse demon's body disintegrated—

A strange, pitch-black aura suddenly shot out from the depths of its cracked body, like a venomous snake, aimed directly at Gu Jinzhao's brow.

"Be careful!" Yu Fengzhi and Mu Yiren's expressions changed slightly, and they raised their slender hands, their spiritual power surging.

Gu Jinchao seemed to have anticipated this, and his hands suddenly surged with true yang fire, golden flames dancing in his palms, as he grabbed the black energy.

chi chi-

The eerie aura was chilling and bone-piercing, filled with violent and venomous intent. It seemed to be alive, writhing wildly in the flames, emitting faint shrieks, trying to break free of its restraints.

"It's nothing, just a wisp of demonic energy."

Gu Jinchao didn't care at all. He directly activated the "Six Yang True Demon Technique" and instantly refined it, turning it into a wisp of pure energy that merged into his body.

The demonic energy hidden within these corpse demons originates from that second-grade earth demon.

It is formed by the condensation of countless resentments, malevolent energy, and the special yin and filth power of this place. It is a conscious being, extremely troublesome and vicious.

After the Corpse Demon dies, its demonic energy will seek a new physical body.

If it invades the body, it will be like a bone-deep infection, rapidly eroding the cultivator's physical body and soul, and soon turning the person into a bloodthirsty and murderous demon.

But for Gu Jinzhao, who possesses the "Six Elements True Demon Technique," it is a great tonic!

Refining this wisp of demonic energy is equivalent to sacrificing several sixth-rank evil cultivators.

Besides killing Zen Master, the most important thing for us to do upon entering this Corpse Demon Cave is to find the Corpse Demon, absorb the Earth Demon Qi, and increase our cultivation!

Yu Fengzhi asked in surprise, "Brother's True Yang Sword Technique can restrain the demon race?"

As far as she knew, this extremely yang and powerful sword technique belonged to the True Yang Sword Palace, but she had never heard of it being able to restrain the demon race.

Gu Jinzhao naturally knew what she was thinking, and explained with a smile, "It can only be done after one has condensed the Supreme Yang Sword Intent."

In fact, even if the Supreme Yang Sword Intent is condensed, it only has a slight suppression effect on the Demon Race.

What truly allowed him to kill with a single sword strike was the 100 points of Yang attribute from [Crimson Sky], along with a 60% Yang attribute damage bonus.

Only in this way can one kill the corpse demon as easily as slaughtering a dog.

Mu Yiren looked at the sword in his hand, her inner double pupils shimmering with a deep blue light: "What grade is this sword?"

"A semi-divine artifact."

Gu Jinzhao twirled his sword, the crimson light on the blade gleaming in the sunlight like flowing lava.

"This sword is the most treasured artifact of the True Yang Sword Palace—the Crimson Sky, which I obtained from the True Yang Sword Palace before..."

【Chixiao】was originally a rusty, broken sword, completely unremarkable.

However, after his remarkable debut at the Six Heroes Gathering, he felt that such a plain and rusty sword would easily arouse suspicion.

So, through Yuechu'e's connections, the Wanhua Chamber of Commerce found a spiritual-grade refining material called [Crimson Veined Mysterious Gold] and used it to "apply a protective film" to [Crimson Sky].

Therefore, the rusty sword was upgraded to the crimson spirit sword.

At least to outsiders, it is a magical artifact of extraordinary quality.