Chapter 1082: Jian Family

Filled with apprehension, he prepared to find a suitable place to diligently cultivate this technique. His life depended on it.

Besides, he also needed to visit the Jian family to learn their concealment techniques. Calculating the time, they were scheduled to meet at the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar in six days. Discounting travel time, he would only have a few days to spend at the Jian family's estate. Therefore, as he hastened towards the Jian family, he also kept an eye out for suitable cultivation spots along the way.

A day later, above a canyon still several hours away from the Jian family, Jiang Fan stopped. The canyon was filled with surges of Yin energy, making it an excellent place to cultivate the Star Shift Art. He immediately plunged into it.

After an unknown period, as Jiang Fan's cultivation neared its end, several figures rapidly approached from a distance. Astonishing battle repercussions erupted between them. On closer inspection, it was a group of over a dozen people ganging up on one individual!

The besieged individual was an unparalleled expert with bloodshot eyes, surrounded by an aura of boundless slaughter, who had clearly lost his sanity. The aura he emanated belonged to a peak Nascent Soul Realm expert! That's right, this was a truly deranged, world-renowned expert, a Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul!

All those attacking him were burdened by shackles, and they were, remarkably, a group of Eight-Aperture Nascent Soul experts! Although they had an overwhelming numerical advantage, the combat power of both sides was completely on different levels. Each strike from the Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul was like a landslide, an earthquake, or a world-ending tsunami. The Eight-Aperture Nascent Soul attackers were easily sent flying.

Various divine lights intertwined, energy surged, and blood splattered, causing a rain of blood to fall from the sky along their path. Occasionally, an Eight-Aperture Nascent Soul would be shattered and fall.

An elder, his beard stained red with blood and his eyes bloodshot, cried out, "We can't let him escape! Our Jian family cannot produce another fiend!" He led the charge, wielding a battle-halberd. The thirteen individuals around him were all the sane Eight-Aperture Nascent Soul experts remaining in the Jian family. Their faces were filled with grim determination.

One of the family's three Nine-Aperture Nascent Souls had, for reasons unknown, broken free from confinement, killed many Jian family members, and escaped. Wherever he went, blood flowed like rivers. To stop him, all available Eight-Aperture Nascent Souls from the Jian family had united to pursue him.

However, this Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul expert was not only affected by the madness of his Nascent Soul realm, but had also cultivated the Jian family's murderous techniques to the point of succumbing to cultivation deviation. The combination of these two factors had driven him completely mad. Even together, they were no match for him. Seeing some of their comrades fall, they roared with a mixture of grief and indignation. Today, they were highly unlikely to return alive. But even with severe injuries, they would fight to the death to slay him. They absolutely wouldn't let him wreak havoc in the outside world!

Soon, they clashed again. The situation did not improve, despite their resolve to die; it remained incredibly tragic. In the blink of an eye, two more Eight-Aperture Nascent Souls fell. The Jian family elder's face turned ashen: "Heaven dooms our Jian family!" After today's battle, the Jian family's Eight-Aperture Nascent Souls would be nearly wiped out, creating a severe power vacuum at the top of the family! They would no longer be able to stand alongside the Three Divine Sects and Seven Great Cults. Coupled with the arrival of the ancient giants, this time, the Jian family was truly destined to vanish into the annals of history.

Just then, from the canyon ahead, a surge of Yin energy shot into the sky, disappearing into the Nine Heavens. The sheer magnitude of that Yin energy made everyone pause. They instinctively thought it was the birth of some powerful demonic or sinister entity. But with a soft, disgruntled cry, they realized someone was cultivating there.

"Can't you find somewhere else to fight?"

The Jian family elder was secretly awe-struck. In Tai Cang Grand State, only the Grand Yin Sect cultivated Yin energy, right? The intensity of that Yin energy just now was not something an ordinary Grand Yin Sect elder could produce. A gleam flashed in his eyes, and he said, "Esteemed Sir, we have disturbed your cultivation. Might I ask for your assistance in slaying this fiend? I will surely offer a generous reward."

Jiang Fan had just successfully cultivated the Star Shift Art and was about to refine the six-zhang ancient giant into an Yin Corpse. With a sudden arrival of a group of people, how could he refine it properly? Frowning, he looked up at the fierce battle. It wouldn't end anytime soon.

After a slight pause, he took out the beast horn and said, "I will only attack once; seize the opportunity!" With that, he activated the Soul Cage Lock! The soul power of a Five-Aperture Nascent Soul, combined with the beast horn, reached the level of a Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul. The berserk Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul expert immediately froze, unable to move a muscle.

Everyone was stunned. What was that? It could actually immobilize a Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul who had gone mad and succumbed to cultivation deviation? The Jian family elder quickly reacted, exclaiming in delight, "Quick! Seal his Nascent Soul power and capture him alive!" This was a Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul from the Jian family! It represented the hope of giving birth to a Venerable. They were only forced to kill him just now, but now, they could capture him alive!

Everyone snapped back to reality and immediately took out several artifacts, taking action while he was immobilized! Shortly after, the Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul was pinned by nine large nails, securing the major meridians in his body. Several specially made shackles also coiled around his body. By the time the Soul Cage Lock wore off, the individual was already unable to move even a fraction of an inch.

The Jian family elder wiped the blood from his face, a smile appearing. He had prepared for the annihilation of their entire group, yet in the end, only three had died, and they had successfully captured the family's Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul alive. And all of this was thanks to the assistance of the expert in the canyon. Thinking of this, he felt both awe and gratitude. He was awestruck by the truly terrifying methods of this person. A Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul had actually been immobilized by him from a distance! He waved his hand at the family members behind him, telling them to keep their distance, and then soared down to where Jiang Fan was.

At this moment, Jiang Fan was frowning as he looked at the beast horn. Cracks had appeared on it at some unknown point. He was certain there were no cracks when he first obtained it. "It seems this item, much like talismans, cannot withstand endless use," he mused. "I estimate it will shatter after another seven or eight uses."

Sensing someone approaching, he immediately put away the beast horn and looked at the newcomer. Discovering it was an old man covered in blood, he frowned and said, "There's no need for thanks. Just make sure to keep your Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul confined so he doesn't harm anyone else."

The Jian family elder looked at him and was secretly surprised. He had thought it was a senior from the Grand Yin Sect, but it turned out to be an impossibly young Nascent Soul realm youth! However, the youth seemed not to want to be disturbed. The Jian family elder could only cup his hands and say, "Many thanks for your assistance, young hero. This kindness is as vast as a mountain. Young hero, once you complete your cultivation, please do visit my Jian family; this old man will reward you handsomely." With that, he flew off.

Jiang Fan was slightly surprised. So, these people were from the Jian family? He nodded and then eagerly began refining the Yin Corpse.

Meanwhile, at the Jian family estate, Jian Linyuan carried a servant's corpse and placed it in the courtyard. Several other bodies were already lying in the courtyard. All of them were people killed by the Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul clan member during his escape.

In the plaza, there was also a young woman in her early twenties, dressed in purple. Her skin was wheat-colored, and she was very beautiful, especially her phoenix eyes, which were exceptionally vibrant. She was precisely Jian Linyuan's elder sister. She had constantly remained invisible, guarding Jian Linyuan's side, and together they had searched for the black Buddhist scripture in the underground world of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. Now back at the family estate, she had finally revealed her true form.

Looking at the bodies on the ground, she let out a soft hmph: "Such a huge incident has happened in our Jian family. Your Junior Brother Jiang should forget about coming to our Jian family for further studies. What a pity. I wanted to hang him up and kick his backside a hundred times!"