With the battle over, Li Mu had no mind to check his spoils of war; his heart heavy, he began to seek help from the Spirit Plants to recover his losses.
Having followed Li Mu for so long, the beasts knew how much he valued the Spirit Plants he personally cultivated in the space. This large-scale damage was like taking his life, and they all began to busy themselves alongside him.
Rock Lizard Xiaowa organized the spiritual fields, Azure Jade Ginseng King cast wood spells to rescue the Spirit Plants, Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix burned away the remaining Yellow Springs magical energy… All the beasts, along with the Treasure Mansion Spirit, worked together to restore the dilapidated Treasure Mansion Space to its original state.
…
However, just as Li Mu was busy rescuing the Spirit Plants, in a mysterious Demonic Cave Grand Hall.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor, Wanji Demon Ancestor, and a group of Demonic Lords were discussing matters concerning the war with the Profound Heaven Sword Formation and Taiyi Sect. The atmosphere was solemn and grave.
However, just then, a Demonic Lord, clad in a black robe and with a look of shock on his face, rushed into the Grand Hall. His appearance broke the existing tranquility, causing everyone to look at him with surprise.
“This is bad! This is bad!” the Demonic Lord cried urgently, “Xue Ming Old Ancestor’s Soul Lamp suddenly extinguished, and Yin Jiong Old Ancestor’s Soul Lamp also seems about to go out. They… they seem to have met with misfortune!”
As soon as these words were uttered, the Grand Hall instantly erupted. All the Demonic Lords rose from their seats, their faces showing shock and disbelief.
“What! Xue Ming’s Soul Lamp extinguished! What happened! When did this happen!” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor suddenly stood up from his seat. With a flash of his figure, he appeared before the Demonic Lord and questioned him anxiously.
“Just now, I was in the Soul Hall and personally saw Xue Ming Old Ancestor’s Soul Lamp suddenly go out,” the Demonic Lord replied with a trembling voice, “Yin Jiong Old Ancestor’s Soul Lamp is also flickering, about to go out.”
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor said nothing. His figure transformed into a black streak and instantly vanished from his original spot. Wanji Demon Ancestor glanced at the other Demonic Lords and followed closely, transforming into several streaks of light, trailing behind him.
In the Soul Hall, thousands of bright Soul Lamps burned perpetually. Each Soul Lamp represented a powerful trace of vitality, but now, one of the dozen brightest Soul Lamps at the very front had extinguished, and another was flickering unsteadily, with the possibility of extinguishing at any moment.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s figure suddenly appeared in the Soul Hall. He swept his gaze coldly, his eyes falling upon the extinguished Soul Lamp. A moment later, he looked at Yin Jiong Old Ancestor’s Soul Lamp, which was so weak it was almost about to go out.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s mind was greatly shaken; he couldn’t believe this was true!
The Soul Hall held the Soul Lamps of the Nine Demon Sect’s Demonic Lords, Demonic Sovereigns, and Old Ancestors. The state of each Soul Lamp represented the state of their life and Divine Soul at that moment. Yin Jiong Demon Ancestor’s Soul Lamp was clearly extremely abnormal, with an unstable soul body, indicating it was in an out-of-body state. This meant he was forced out of his body and trapped somewhere, in a very dire situation, with the possibility of perishing at any moment.
Wanji Demon Ancestor and the other Demonic Lords also arrived one after another, their expressions all extremely solemn.
“Xue Ming’s Soul Lamp is really out! And Yin Jiong’s situation is extremely bad. What kind of enemy did they encounter that they couldn’t even escape? Did Xuantian Sword Sect’s Xuantian Sword Emperor come? Or did Taiyi Sect’s Taiyi Dao Lord appear?” Wanji Demon Ancestor muttered, full of disbelief.
“Impossible, the Demon Abyss Channel hasn’t opened yet. How could they have the time to come to the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain!” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s expression was uncertain. After a moment of serious thought, he decisively denied it.
“If they had encountered them, Xue Ming and Yin Jiong would definitely have fled. With their life-saving methods, how could they have perished so easily!” After a pause, Wu Tian Demon Ancestor looked at Wanji Demon Ancestor and added.
Upon hearing this, Wanji Demon Ancestor immediately nodded in relief. Indeed, given Xue Ming Old Ancestor and Yin Jiong Old Ancestor’s usual cautious and life-preserving nature, if they had encountered a powerful expert they couldn’t match, they would have wisely chosen to flee rather than engage in a pointless confrontation. With their escape methods, if they had fled separately, they should not have both met with misfortune.
So, the question is! What kind of opponent caused Xue Ming and Yin Jiong to perish one after another!
Wanji Demon Ancestor frowned deeply, feeling a sense of confusion.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor suddenly turned his head, looked at the Demonic Lords, and sternly ordered: “You all, act immediately! Fully confirm Xue Ming and Yin Jiong’s recent whereabouts! You must find Yin Jiong Old Ancestor’s location with the fastest speed!”
“As you command!”
The Demonic Lords responded in unison. Before their voices faded, they transformed into streaks of black shadows and dispersed.
After watching the Demonic Lords depart, Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s rage erupted like a volcano. He roared furiously: “Damn Xue Ming and Yin Jiong! What did they do? Don’t they know when to seize an opportunity? If they both perished, what about opening the Demon Abyss Channel next?”
Upon hearing this, Wanji Demon Ancestor’s expression also became extremely grim. The sudden demise of two Demon Ancestors undoubtedly made their situation even more difficult.
Dealing with the combined forces of Xuantian Sword Sect, Taiyi Sect, and the various sects of the Southern Wilderness was already difficult enough. Now, they had lost the combat power of two Demon Ancestors. How were they to cope? At the same time, the plan to open the Demon Abyss Channel was also severely affected, which was undoubtedly a huge blow.
Tracking Xue Ming Demon Ancestor and Yin Jiong Demon Ancestor’s whereabouts was not difficult. After all, when Xue Ming Demon Ancestor led the demonic Yao Beast army to hunt four six-tier Yao Beasts, he also brought a group of subordinates and several Demonic Lords. Therefore, the Demonic Lords came and went quickly, and soon reported detailed intelligence to Wu Tian Demon Ancestor and Wanji Demon Ancestor.
The intelligence stated the entire process of Xue Ming Demon Ancestor hunting the four six-tier Yao Beasts, encountering a sneak attack from a six-tier Spirit Ship, rescuing the four six-tier beasts, and Xue Ming Demon Ancestor’s unwillingness to give up, pursuing the Spirit Ship.
Based on the compilation of numerous intelligence reports and the injured Demonic Lord’s verbal account, the identity of the enemy who caused Xue Ming Demon Ancestor’s demise surfaced.
“It’s him again! Damn it! He’s like a persistent ghost!” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s furious roar echoed in the Grand Hall. He was as enraged as a provoked wild beast, slamming his palm onto the stone table in front of him.
With a ‘bang,’ under a single palm, the hard stone table instantly shattered into dust, scattering across the floor.
Wanji Demon Ancestor held the Jade Slip intelligence, reading it repeatedly, his expression shifting from astonishment to disbelief, and finally to silence.
“A six-tier Spirit Ship, Five Elements beasts, Li Jianxian, Nascent Soul Middle Stage… Xue Ming died at his hands? How is this possible!” Wanji Demon Ancestor murmured, unable to believe this intelligence.
A Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivation, with only a hundred years of Cultivation, was actually able to defeat Xue Ming Demon Ancestor and leave Yin Jiong Demon Ancestor’s fate unknown! This simply overturned the common sense of the cultivation world!
“Did Xue Ming and Yin Jiong perhaps fall into a trap, being lured away by this person and encountering an ambush from Xuantian Sword Sect and Taiyi Sect?” Wanji Demon Ancestor asked Wu Tian Demon Ancestor, still disbelievingly.
“There’s a possibility. This child has a very good relationship with Qing Wei of Yu Ling Sect, Tian Shang of the Kun Family, and Kun Ling. It’s possible those two guys coveted the valuable treasures on this child and fell into an ambush.” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor nodded. He also didn’t believe that Xue Ming Demon Ancestor and Yin Jiong Demon Ancestor would perish at his hands.
This situation is not impossible!
This child is simply their Nine Demon Sect’s nemesis. According to detailed intelligence, more than a dozen Demonic Lords have died because of this child, and Demonic Lords are countless. Now, two Demon Ancestors have also perished because of him!
“If this child is not eliminated, the future troubles will be endless!”
Wanji Demon Ancestor re-read the intelligence Jade Slip and said with utmost certainty.
A sharp killing intent flashed in Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s crimson eyes. Previously, he had specifically used Purple Rhythm Heavenly Fire to set up an ambush for Li Mu, going to great lengths and expending considerable manpower, just to completely eliminate this major hidden danger.
Who knew! This kid was very sneaky and never showed up.
What angered Wu Tian Demon Ancestor even more was that, for some unknown reason, the intelligence about ambushing Li Mu seemed to have leaked. The combined forces of the Profound Heaven Sword Formation and Taiyi Sect suddenly attacked as if from nowhere, catching Wu Tian Demon Ancestor off guard and forcing him to engage in a major battle with them. This battle also cost him many subordinates.
Now, Xue Ming and Yin Jiong had even fallen into this kid’s hands.
A strong sense of crisis welled up in Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s heart. This kid was almost becoming his Heart Demon.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor and Wanji Demon Ancestor stood in silence, and the Grand Hall fell into a period of quiet. They both understood in their hearts that this ‘Li Jianxian’ had become a major hidden danger for the Nine Demon Sect and had to be eliminated as soon as possible.
“This kid, with no sect or faction, his whereabouts are hidden, and he commands a six-tier Spirit Ship. It won’t be easy to eliminate him!”
Wanji Demon Ancestor repeatedly checked the intelligence Jade Slip, his brows tightly furrowed. This mere Nascent Soul Middle Stage kid actually troubled him; dealing with him was not an easy task.
“Not only that, this kid is a Grandmaster Refiner, skilled in sword Formations, and proficient in Formations. Ordinary Demonic Lords are no match for him. Now, this child is even more proficient in the power of beast control, gathering several six-tier beasts, which seem to be Five Elements beasts. At the same time, he refines their Natal Spirit Treasures, which means he has the ability to control Five Elements beasts to set up a Five Elements Grand Formation!” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor sighed, adding with a solemn expression.
Previously, he had an encounter with Li Mu, and although the opponent was Tianshang Honored One, several of his subordinates died by his sword. Wu Tian Demon Ancestor was well aware of his methods and abilities.
Such an enemy was truly difficult to deal with. One had to be cautious and not show the slightest bit of underestimation, otherwise, it would be easy to fall into this kid’s hands like Xue Ming and Yin Jiong.
“Let’s figure out a way to make this kid come to us!” Wanji Demon Ancestor mused, a sinister glint in his eyes.
“We’ve tried. This kid clearly coveted the seven-tier Purple Rhythm Heavenly Fire! We even had people deliberately leak the intelligence, but somehow, something went wrong, and it attracted the Xuantian Sword Sect instead!” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor sighed deeply, still bothered by the failure of the previous ambush.
Previously, they had deliberately leaked the intelligence about the Purple Rhythm Heavenly Fire to him, but this kid remained motionless, as if everything was within his expectations. This made them feel a sense of powerlessness, as it would be difficult to have an opportunity to strike at him if they couldn’t lure him out.
Wanji Demon Ancestor repeatedly browsed the intelligence Jade Slip, his eyes revealing a thoughtful expression.
A moment later, Wanji Demon Ancestor looked at Wu Tian Demon Ancestor and judged: “This child is cautious and good at enduring, however, this time Xue Ming and Yin Jiong perished because of him. According to this child’s character, he must be afraid of our retaliation!”
“You mean he will choose to flee far away in the near future?” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor’s heart stirred, and he looked at Wanji Demon Ancestor, asking.
“That’s right! Currently, seventy percent of the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain has fallen into our hands. The general situation is set. With this child’s ability and Aptitude, he must be highly valued by the Profound Heaven Sword Formation, Taiyi Sect, and the Kun Family. Since he hasn’t left the Southern Wilderness yet, there must be a reason for it…
However, an unexpected conflict with Xue Ming caused Xue Ming to perish and severely injure Yin Jiong. He will certainly consider our retaliation. In this situation, with his cautious nature, he will definitely leave the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain as soon as possible and head to the Central Continent!”
“This child has excellent relations with several forces in the Central Continent, but the hidden competition among these Central Continent forces is also extremely fierce. According to this child’s character, he certainly won’t offend another force just by being friendly with one sect. Therefore, if he leaves the Central Continent Spirit Domain, the greatest possibility is to use Wanbao Pavilion’s trans-domain Treasure Ship!”
“This child keeps many six-tier beasts, so he must have a great demand for high-tier Five Elements spiritual items… Additionally, this child is proficient in Artifact Refining and has taken on many commissions to refine six-tier spirit treasures through Wanbao Pavilion, collaborating closely with them. We can sacrifice some high-tier spiritual items and order our subordinates to commission Artifact Refining from Wanbao Pavilion to confirm his whereabouts.”
…
Wanji Demon Ancestor looked at the intelligence Jade Slip in his hand, meticulously analyzing it for Wu Tian Demon Ancestor. He not only explained Li Mu’s situation in detail but also proposed targeted ambush plans.
“Good! Good! This is truly excellent! We’ll follow your plan: pay attention to Wanbao Pavilion’s Treasure Ships, ambush this child, and at the same time, use this opportunity to cut off the shipping routes between the two domains.” Wu Tian Demon Ancestor was overjoyed upon hearing this. He highly approved of Wanji Demon Ancestor’s plan and decided to implement it immediately.
To ensure the success of the plan, they also discussed some details. Wanji Demon Ancestor suggested that the spies in Barren Ancient City first gather more intelligence on Li Mu. At the same time, they needed to closely monitor Wanbao Pavilion’s movements and track the whereabouts of its trans-domain Treasure Ship.
Just as the two Demon Ancestors were discussing how to set an ambush and eliminate their major hidden danger, Li Mu, as Wanji Demon Ancestor had guessed, was commanding the Earth Element Spirit Ship, returning to Barren Ancient City, preparing to board Wanbao Pavilion’s transport ship and leave the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain.
After tallying the losses of Spirit Mushrooms in the Painting World Treasure Mansion, Li Mu completely abandoned the idea of going to Yin Yang Valley to transplant Purple Yang Spiritual Mushrooms and Yin Soul Fruits.
The four-tier Five Elements Spirit Plants planted in the Painting World Treasure Mansion suffered heavy damage. This wave of harvesting Five Elements Spirit Plants and Yin and Yang Spirit Plants, to improve the proficiency of the Yin Yang Five Elements Scripture and raise his cultivation, had fallen through!
Many five-tier and six-tier Spirit Plants were almost 60% wiped out, making Li Mu’s heart bleed. He was forced to prematurely harvest some high-tier Spirit Plants that had not completely lost their vitality, salvaging some gains.
However, this rushed harvest brought Li Mu some unexpected gains.
Adding to that the spoils of war from the two Void Refining Demon Ancestors, Li Mu finally received some psychological comfort, and the gloom on his face, which had lingered for a long time, finally broke into a smile.
Inside the Earth Element Spirit Ship’s cabin, Li Mu and Xue’er sat at a wooden table, tallying the spoils of war. Xue’er’s occasional exclamations of surprise made the atmosphere particularly lively.
