novelapdf Chapter 181 The Li Family's Scheme, the Secret Realm Quota
Chapter 181 The Li Family's Scheme, the Secret Realm Quota
Yingchuan County, the Forest of Dry Bones.
As before, this place was shrouded in miasma and devoid of life, with the gray-white bone trees having intertwined roots and piles of white bones.
However, compared to before, the forest now shows many large areas of damage.
After the Li family arrived, although all the monsters in the forest became food for the Mo Yun Poisonous Dragon, this captive breeding also drove the monsters mad and made them desperately try to break free.
Unfortunately, it had no power to fight back against the Golden Core cultivator.
In the center, a dark, icy pool lay still in the open space, the traces of the past battle long since replaced. The pool water had an eerie dark green hue, and a few turbid bubbles occasionally rose to the surface. In just a few breaths, a terrifying creature suddenly flew up from the pool and rushed toward the large formation in the distance.
It was none other than the Black Cloud Poisonous Dragon!
On a blue stone outside the forest, Master Xuanhao sat cross-legged, staring intently at the enormous shadow that was frantically crashing through the formation in the distance.
"boom!"
With a deafening crash, the Black Cloud Poisonous Dragon was frantically attacking the seven-colored light curtain that enveloped the cold pool. Now, its body was covered with scales, and three curved bone horns grew on its head. Its power was far greater than before, and the poisonous mist it spewed corroded the surrounding ground with a sizzling sound.
Each impact caused the array's spiritual light to flicker violently.
The seven-colored rays of light rippled outwards, dispersing their impact onto the eighteen bronze pillars surrounding them.
Master Xuanhao stroked his beard and smiled, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
A few years ago, this beast would have been exhausted after half an hour at most, but now it can continue to charge for more than an hour, and can even cause slight fluctuations in the great formation.
This indicates that the opponent is not far from breaking through.
"It's almost here... At most five years, it will definitely trigger the tribulation of lightning."
Seeing that the venomous dragon was finally exhausted and let out a deafening roar before diving back into the dark pool, True Man Xuanhao took out a pill from his sleeve and flicked it into the pool with his finger.
The moment it entered the water, the entire pool surface began to boil, and the faint sound of the venomous dragon swallowing excitedly could be heard.
To cultivate this potential demon king, True Person Xuanhao has been guarding this place for more than ten years, and all kinds of precious natural treasures and the flesh and blood of fourth-order demon beasts have been poured into the pool like flowing water.
If we include the spirit stones consumed, it amounts to more than 300,000.
But it was all worth it.
You should know that the fifth-tier Netherworld Blood Essence he bought three years ago at great expense almost emptied half of his savings, but it successfully purified the ancient bloodline in the Poison Dragon's body.
With just one more Golden Core spiritual item, it can completely break through its shackles and transform into a true fifth-order demon king!
Just as he was about to close his eyes to rest, he turned his head slightly and saw a member of the Li family step forward and bow, saying, "Ancestor, eldest brother has arrived."
"Let him in."
"Yes."
As the man withdrew, Li Yanshan, who had been waiting outside the woods, strode in and whispered, "Ancestor!"
"Yanshan, regarding the recent series of attacks on the market by demonic cultivators, has the sect made any progress?"
"Ancestor, we've made some progress with the sect... and the other five sects..."
"Oh? So fast?"
Master Xuanhao glanced at Li Yanshan indifferently, noticing that the man was silent with his head down and a cold sweat on his back. He immediately felt uneasy and said in a deep voice, "Just continue. What haven't I heard about?"
"Ancestor...it seems like He has returned."
"Him?"
Seeing that his junior was hesitant and couldn't say a name for a long time, he immediately got angry and was about to reprimand him when he suddenly realized that his junior might be talking about that demon lord!
"You mean Tianxie is back?!"
"We can't draw any conclusions yet."
Seeing that his ancestor had come to his senses, Li Yanshan quickly said, "Even so, this Demon Lord did not appear in Zhao Kingdom at all. It was a Golden Core cultivator who appeared in Zhao Kingdom."
"This person's cultivation has reached the late stage of Golden Core. He caused a great disturbance in Xuanling County, sacrificing a Golden Core family and more than ten Foundation Establishment forces. Not only was the Golden Core of that mid-stage Golden Core cultivator taken out, but his flesh, blood and soul were also directly absorbed by him."
"Later, Fu Yan Zhenren of Chiyang Prefecture arrived and fought a great battle with him, but he did not gain any advantage and instead suffered serious injuries. However, he also recognized the cultivation method that the man practiced, which was the famous cultivation method of Tianxie Mojun, 'Blood Spirit True Explanation'."
"Really? Even that old guy Fu Yan got injured... So... what do the True Lords say about this?"
"The six True Lords took this very seriously and personally searched for him, but unfortunately they found nothing. That person probably realized he had caused trouble and has already left the State of Zhao. As for where he went, everyone is guessing that he should be in the State of Chu."
There are demonic sects in the Chu Kingdom, and they will definitely provide protection for such demonic cultivators.
Of course, his main concern was obtaining the "Blood Spirit True Explanation".
"Although that person cultivates the 'Blood Spirit True Explanation,' it might not necessarily be that Tianxie guy returning. Perhaps he received his inheritance after his fall, or maybe he's a disciple he took in after his escape."
Master Xuanhao calmed down for a moment, constantly guessing the origin of this person, when suddenly an even more terrifying thought appeared in his mind.
Master Xuanhao calmed down for a moment, constantly guessing the origin of this person, when suddenly an even more terrifying thought appeared in his mind.
"Possession and Rebirth!"
The more this thought arose, the more real it felt. After all, the Heavenly Demon Lord had been beaten to the brink of death by the Six Sects and had to burn through countless years of his lifespan before escaping to the depths of the East Sea.
By then, he was probably already exhausted from his arduous journey. If he didn't possess another person's body, his only option was to become a ghost cultivator!
As for regaining physical form, that seems unlikely.
"In that case, there isn't too much trouble..."
Master Xuanhao breathed a sigh of relief and continued to ask, "Having experienced such a major incident, has anyone within the sect or the other five sects offered any explanation?"
"The six sects are currently gathering a group of people to do their best to suppress the demonic cultivator who attacked the market. As for the late-stage Golden Core cultivator, two Nascent Soul cultivators and more than ten Golden Core cultivators will continue to search for him in the Zhao Kingdom."
"Who is this sect?"
"Master Bai Yan!"
Bai Yan...
Xuan Hao nodded slightly after listening. Bai Yan Zhenren's cultivation had reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, and with his outstanding swordsmanship, even if that person was the Heavenly Evil Demon Lord, he would not be at a disadvantage, and might even be able to kill him in the process.
In this way, he can focus on his own plans here.
"Ancestor, there seem to be unusual movements in the Chu Kingdom and the Ten Thousand Spirits Mountain Range..."
Li Yanshan lowered his head and continued:
"Those people probably saw that this person had turned the Zhao state upside down and wanted to take advantage of the situation... but fortunately, the scale was not large and we managed to repel them all."
"A turbulent time!"
Upon hearing this, Master Xuanhao felt a headache coming on. However, he did not approve of merely gaining a small benefit and sneered, "It would be strange if they didn't make any moves regarding such a big matter."
"Yanshan, let me tell you, as long as that person isn't dead, you'll never have a peaceful day again!"
"Ancestor, you mean...?"
The man's expression changed repeatedly as he listened to the other party say, "I ask you, what losses did the major demonic sects of Chu suffer during this beast tide? Our Zhao Kingdom lost more than ten Golden Core cultivators."
"The reason we haven't launched a large-scale invasion is simply because we're waiting, waiting for the strength of the six sects to be gradually depleted, so that we can maximize our profits."
Most demonic cultivators are very afraid of death and cannot act without absolute certainty. Another point is that they are not united. The major demonic sects each have their own ulterior motives. If it comes to fighting, who will strike first?
Whoever goes first dies faster and in greater numbers.
Zhao State claimed that more than ten Golden Core cultivators had died, but most of them were affiliated families and small sects. The Golden Core cultivators of the Six Sects did not perish much at all, and the top cultivators were completely unharmed.
Leaving aside others, just look at our own Master Bai Yan; who wouldn't be terrified in his presence?
If you really want to pull off a big heist, these few companies alone are not enough; you also need to add the demon race in the Wanling Mountains.
Although humans and demons are different, they share a common goal, and a short-term cooperation is not impossible. The Breaking Array Pearl that tore a hole in the Heavenly Plume City's great array was suspected by the six sects to be given by a few demonic sects.
Otherwise, where would the demon race get it from?
"We must improve our cultivation as soon as possible; a major battle is certain to occur within fifty years."
As a high-ranking member of the Golden Core and Jade Light Pavilion, True Person Xuanhao has always had a keen sense of smell. The two countries have been at peace for more than two hundred years, and their respective strengths have almost recovered. It is time to show their skills.
"Perhaps this person is the trigger."
Thinking of this, he turned to look at where the Black Cloud Poison Dragon was. As long as the other party became a demon king within five years, he could break through in one fell swoop by using that demon core in combination with the pills made from many spiritual objects.
The remaining materials can be used to craft a handy magic weapon.
He has been stuck in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm for over sixty years, and his chances of breaking through this time are very high; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to raise demonic beasts.
If one can break through to the late stage of the Golden Core realm in one fell swoop, then one can shine brightly in the upcoming battles and gain many benefits. One might even be able to break through to the peak of the Golden Core realm and have the opportunity to seek the Nascent Soul realm!
"Nascent Soul!"
The moment those two words appeared in his mind, Master Xuanhao's eyes immediately burned with fervor. Only by achieving the Nascent Soul stage could he secure a place in the Zhao Kingdom and truly move freely throughout this world!
The Nascent Soul stage is where true supernatural powers reside!
Seeing the old man struggling to control his terrifying aura, Li Yanshan pressed his head tightly to the ground, his back already soaked with cold sweat.
Even though he was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, compared to a Golden Core cultivator who was a whole realm lower, the other party could finish him off with a single word.
This atmosphere lasted for about ten breaths, then he heard the old man in front of him say slowly, "Yanshan, I remember that secret realm will open in about a year, right?"
"That's right, there's still a year left. Does the Ancestor have any instructions?"
Li Yanshan breathed a slight sigh of relief and asked, "According to past practice, each of the three families will send fifteen Foundation Establishment cultivators in. This time, our family will be led by Yan Hui, Yun Rui, Yun Kang, Yun Chen, and Yun Jing, and we will also send five mid-stage clan members. The rest of the personnel will be selected from the various vassal families."
It's not that the Li family only has five Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, but rather that this rule has been established by the three families for hundreds of years.
The Li family had a total of twenty-six Foundation Establishment cultivators, but only fifteen remained in the clan. The rest, who had good talent, all joined the Jade Light Pavilion and became sect cultivators.
There are differences between Foundation Establishment cultivators. Li Yanshan and Li Yanhui are both at the peak of Foundation Establishment, but Li Yanshan is much stronger. After all, they cultivated in a Nascent Soul sect, which cannot be compared with aristocratic families.
However, because he had joined the sect, his every word and action represented the sect, so he could not get involved in the secret realm matter and could only let his family go on their own.
"In that case, take a few magical artifacts back with you when you return. That way, there will be fewer casualties in the secret realm a year from now."
After pondering for a while, Master Xuanhao glanced at Qingya Mountain and asked curiously, "How is the Zhang family of Qingya Mountain doing lately? I remember that two years ago they moved several earth veins, making quite a big fuss."
"The Zhang family has been relatively well-behaved in recent years."
Li Yanshan smiled and said:
"Their businesses are growing bigger and bigger. I heard that they opened a Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Yanxing County, and the business is booming. As for the relocated land veins, I have also inspected them in person. They are used to expand Bishui Lake and increase the breeding of spirit fish."
Over the years, the Li family has gained a considerable amount of profit from the Zhang family. After the Ming and Yun families were destroyed, a significant portion of their spiritual resources and materials were secretly given to them. In addition to the 30% profit each year, the total amount was at least 200,000 spirit stones.
However, since Master Xuanhao needed to raise the Demon King, most of the expenses were covered by his family.
With both the investment and the loss, the Li family actually lost quite a bit, but they were quite satisfied with the Zhang family's surrender, as it relieved them of a large portion of the burden.
As for relocating the earth's veins, he couldn't possibly not go and see such a big matter in person. Although the Zhang family appears to be loyal on the surface, who knows what kind of ulterior motives they might be plotting behind the scenes?
With his peak Foundation Establishment strength, he could easily evade ordinary Foundation Establishment detection and infiltrate a small, clear lake.
After searching the entire lakebed and surrounding area without finding anything suspicious, they had no choice but to leave disappointed.
"Is that so..."
The old man was very confident in Li Yanshan's ability to handle affairs; otherwise, he wouldn't have increased his support for him within the sect. Although they were all family, he wouldn't even give a second glance to clansmen who were incompetent.
He was just about to instruct the other party not to relax their surveillance of the Zhang family when he suddenly remembered something and laughed, "By the way, go to the Zhang family and call that Zhang Lingyu here. Tell him that I, the patriarch, want to give him a great opportunity."
"An opportunity? Could it be that he needs to enter the secret realm?"
"good."
"But wouldn't this cause resentment among the other vassal states?"
After all, only five people from the Li family actually entered the secret realm. The rest were selected from lower-ranking vassal families. Although they were thugs, as long as they helped the Li family obtain one spiritual item in the secret realm, the Li family would not take any of the other spiritual items in the secret realm. Moreover, each family would be given a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Therefore, every time the secret realm opens, the vassals below will fight openly and secretly for the chance to enter.
The fact that the Zhang family, a vassal family for less than ten years, so easily obtained a spot will surely cause dissatisfaction among other families, who will then have to step in to mediate.
"What does their dissatisfaction have to do with me?"
Master Xuanhao seemed to be getting impatient with Li Yanshan's somewhat foolish question, frowning as he said, "Have him come find me as soon as possible!"
"As for the other families, if they're not satisfied, let them send someone to fight Zhang Lingyu. If they lose, don't blame me for not giving them a chance!"
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