Chapter 3197: 天尸真君

Summit of the Azure Lotus

In a boundless expanse of azure sea, a streak of escaping light rapidly swept across the sky.

Before the light could travel much further, a piercing clang of a blade echoed, and a dazzling golden sword energy, powerful enough to pierce the heavens, swept towards it. Wherever it passed, the sea parted, and countless low-level demonic beasts were transformed into a rain of blood.

Simultaneously, a man's booming cry, resonating through heaven and earth, echoed endlessly for a thousand miles around.

The escaping light stopped, revealing the figure of He Guang. His right arm was gone, and his eyes were filled with terror.

He and his uncle He Yang had jointly attacked Fire Kite Island, finally managing to eliminate two Void Refinement cultivators on the island. They had also lost one of their own, with Tong Yue severely injured, when suddenly a Human Race Void Refinement cultivator emerged, killing He Yang.

He Guang's protective treasure was more formidable, otherwise he would have already perished. He fought desperately to break through the encirclement, but the Human Race Void Refinement cultivator had set their sights on him.

The heaven-piercing blade light reached He Guang, striking his protective spiritual aura. His aura, like paper, was shattered into dust by the blade light.

With a tragic cry, He Guang was cut in half by the heaven-piercing blade light, and his corpse transformed into a Substitution Pearl.

With a "snap," the Substitution Pearl fragmented.

Dozens of miles away, a spiritual light illuminated the void, revealing He Guang's figure, his eyes still wide with terror.

A clap of thunder sounded, and a massive, golden-glowing falcon puppet appeared above He Guang's head. Its body was covered in countless golden electric arcs.

The giant falcon puppet gently flapped its wings, unleashing a torrent of golden electric arcs that engulfed He Guang. Simultaneously, its sharp talons extended downwards, eliciting a scream.

A miniature Nascent Soul flew out of his body, and a dazzling golden pagoda materialized out of thin air, descending to capture the miniature Nascent Soul.

He Guang's body, its head shattered, rapidly plunged towards the seabed.

Wang Chuanming flew from a distance, caught He Guang's body, searched it for valuables, and found a cyan storage ring.

"Divine Suppression Roar! Your Wang family's reach has extended too far! Daring to cause trouble in our heartland, it seems you are tired of living."

A cold male voice drifted from the horizon.

Without a word, Wang Chuanming leaped onto the back of the giant falcon puppet beast. He formed a hand seal, and the puppet flapped its wings, transforming into a streak of golden escaping light that swiftly vanished into the sky.

With a deafening roar, the seawater boiled and churned violently. Massive waterspouts surged skyward, heading directly for Wang Chuanming.

Wang Chuanming formed a hand seal, and the giant falcon puppet unleashed a vast expanse of golden electric arcs to meet them.

With a tremendous boom, the incoming waterspouts disintegrated completely, sending seawater splashing in all directions.

Several streaks of escaping light appeared on the distant horizon, moving swiftly.

Wang Chuanming dared not linger in battle. He formed a hand seal, and the spiritual patterns on the giant falcon puppet's body glowed brightly, accelerating its speed.

The streaks of escaping light pursued him, disappearing into the horizon.

On a barren island roughly a hundred miles in circumference, a yellow light flared near a massive boulder, revealing a stout old man in yellow robes with a round face and small eyes.

"Why are cultivators from the Wang family venturing so deep into the Fire Pig clan's territory to cause trouble? It seems they must have a scheme. I need to rush back and report this."

The old man in yellow robes muttered to himself, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He submerged into the ground and disappeared.

In the central part of Xuanling Continent, the Sky Yin Mountain Range was perpetually shrouded in Yin energy. The wails of ghosts and wolves never ceased, and few cultivators were willing to cultivate there.

A streak of black escaping light appeared on the distant horizon, moving exceptionally fast.

Before long, the black light stopped, revealing a gaunt old man in black robes with sunken eyes and an overwhelming aura of malevolence.

This was Venerable Heavenly Fiend, a Mid-Integration cultivator.

The black-robed old man gazed at the black mist sea below and sent out a sound transmission talisman. A moment later, the black mist sea churned violently, revealing a passage, into which the old man flew.

Soon after, the black-robed old man appeared in a dark, dry underground cavern. Profound runes covered the uneven stone walls, and in the lower left corner stood a golden cauldron with a cluster of green flames burning inside.

A burly old man in golden robes sat on the main seat. The golden-robed old man had a sallow complexion, a square face, and small eyes.

This was True Monarch Heavenly Corpse, also a Mid-Integration cultivator.

"Old Ghost Xuan, I finally reached you. Where have you been? I thought you were dead!"

True Monarch Heavenly Corpse spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"I'm still alive even if you're dead. My disciples told me you have news of a seventh-tier Lightning Absorbing Pearl? With your strength and that Integration stage refined corpse, you should be able to fight even a seventh-tier high-grade demonic beast, right?"

The black-robed old man asked, puzzled.

"Hehe, if it were just demonic beasts, I wouldn't have notified you. Let me be frank! I received news that the Qinglian Wang family possesses a seventh-tier Lightning Absorbing Pearl or high-grade tribulation transcending treasures. Over the past ten thousand years, five Integration cultivators have emerged from the Wang family; I refuse to believe they don't have high-grade tribulation transcending treasures. Furthermore, over a hundred years ago, the Wang family obtained the legacy of True Monarch Nine Swords, which is rumored to include the Heavenly Void Jade Scroll and a high-grade Heaven-Piercing spiritual treasure for defense."

True Monarch Heavenly Corpse said in a deep voice, his gaze solemn.

He was unaware of Duan Tongtian's existence, only knowing about Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, Wang Yidao, Wang Qingcheng, and Wang Qingshan—these five Integration cultivators.

"What? The Qinglian Wang family? Don't tell me you're thinking of targeting them. Rumor has it they possess late-Integration stage combat power, and they have the Zhenhai Palace backing them. If we dare to touch the Wang family, we won't be able to stay in Xuanling Continent. Besides, these rumors might have been spread by the Wang family's enemies."

The black-robed old man said with a frown.

"I can't pass the fifth grand heavenly tribulation; offending anyone makes no difference. If I remember correctly, you'll also face your fifth grand heavenly tribulation within four millennia, won't you? What do you say, interested in joining forces with me? I've received news that True Monarch Taihao is currently not on Qinglian Island; he's assisting Senior Lin at the Xuanqing Sect. This is the optimal time. I was already planning to leave Xuanling Continent, so striking one last blow before departing wouldn't be bad. Even if we're outmatched, retreating safely shouldn't be an issue."

True Monarch Heavenly Corpse stated solemnly.

The Wang family rose too quickly and their foundation is too shallow. If it were powers like Zhenhai Palace, they wouldn't dare entertain such thoughts.

As rogue cultivators, it was already incredibly difficult for them to reach their current standing. Without high-grade tribulation transcending treasures, they cannot survive the fifth grand heavenly tribulation. For the sake of their Dao, they need to take a gamble. Even if they fail, it's not a big deal; at worst, they can leave Xuanling Continent, which he wanted to do anyway.

"Are you sure? If we're mistaken, then we'll be in serious trouble."

The black-robed old man said, frowning.

"If we're wrong, we won't be able to stay in Xuanling Continent either. We can just join forces, cross the sea, and try our luck on other continents. Without high-grade tribulation transcending treasures, neither of us can survive the fifth grand heavenly tribulation. Rather than waiting for death, it's better to fight for it."

True Monarch Heavenly Corpse's expression was grim. Rogue cultivators have no fixed home, no attachments. If one place doesn't welcome them, another surely will.

If they don't take a chance, they will also die under the fifth grand heavenly tribulation.

"When do you plan to act? Just the two of us?"

The black-robed old man pressed.

"Of course, the sooner the better. If too many people are involved, it will be hard to keep it secret. The two of us are enough."

True Monarch Heavenly Corpse replied truthfully.

"Directly attacking their home? Even if the Wang family's protective array can hold for a while, experts from Zhenhai Palace might arrive."

The black-robed old man frowned.

"Don't worry! I've already devised a strategy. We'll depart immediately. Regardless of success, we won't be able to stay in Xuanling Continent. By the way, where have you been? There's been no news from you for tens of thousands of years."

True Monarch Heavenly Corpse asked, puzzled.

"I went to Qianyuan Continent, hoping to find high-grade tribulation transcending materials, but I couldn't. Let's not talk about that anymore; let's get going! I hope the Wang family truly has high-grade tribulation transcending treasures."

The black-robed old man showed a look of anticipation.

True Monarch Heavenly Corpse packed up, and then he and the black-robed old man departed from the place.