After the battle, the battlefield was dead silent, with only the hum of the Puppet Army cleaning up the battlefield and quickly retreating, and the excited cheers of the surviving Human Race Cultivators on the Frost City walls.
“We survived!”
“I didn’t expect it! That Puppet Master actually had so many high-tier Puppets, killing those Body Integration Demon Cultivators so quickly!”
“Indeed! Too powerful!”
“City Lord, who exactly is this Puppet Master? Our Frost City actually has such a powerful guardian!”
… …
Tears flickered in the Cultivators' eyes, a joy of surviving a catastrophe, and they discussed endlessly. They supported each other, some even kneeling on the ground, grateful for the protection of the heavens and for the life-saving grace of that Puppet Master.
Witnessing the Puppets retreat like a tide and mysteriously disappear into a corner of the city, the surviving Cultivators of Ice City were filled with gratitude and respect for the mysterious Puppet Master.
The Puppet Master's methods were extraordinary; releasing and retrieving so many Puppets, he was able to shield them from their Divine Sense perception, and could precisely control so many Puppets simultaneously. This Puppet Master's strength was unfathomable, almost like an Immortal.
After everyone expressed their gratitude and reverence for the Puppet Master, they gradually shifted their attention to post-battle cleanup, collecting the bodies of their companions. The cheers gradually subsided, replaced by the busy and somber figures of the Cultivators.
During this Devil Abyss Army siege, the Cultivators defending Frost City suffered extremely heavy casualties. On the battlefield, broken swords and halberds were everywhere, as well as ruined walls destroyed by Spells, silently narrating the ferocity of this battle.
However, what everyone didn't know was that the Puppet Master they admired and were grateful for was, at this moment, in a secluded small courtyard within Frost City, like a child who had done wrong, bowing his head and admitting his mistake to Li Mu, recounting everything that happened on the battlefield in detail.
Because Xue'er was worried about Mingyue's safety, she had to call Li Mu, who was in seclusion Cultivating Artifact Refining, out of the Treasure Mansion.
“Master, I… I really didn't expect things to turn out this way. Those Body Integration Demon Cultivators arrived so quickly as reinforcements, so I released the Dragon Guard Puppets and killed them all! It was too high-profile,” Mingyue said remorsefully, bowing her head.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu frowned and fell into thought. The large-scale deployment of Dragon Guard Puppets was indeed too eye-catching and very likely to expose his whereabouts. Previously, the Dragon Guard Puppets deployed in seven Secret Realms, after being recalled this time and then given to Mingyue, could easily lead to him.
“Mingyue, this operation is not your fault. Even if you hadn't acted, I would have dealt with it personally. However, the Dragon Guard Puppets are one of our trump cards. Next, we need to leave Frost City and find another hiding place!” Li Mu sighed, saying with determination.
With the decision made, Li Mu quickly set to work, tidying up the items in the courtyard. At the same time, after a moment's thought, he solemnly set up a special Law Formation within the small courtyard.
The special Law Formation was called the “Bagua Retrospection Formation.” It was meticulously created by Li Mu based on his unique understanding of the Law of space and time, combined with secret knowledge of Dao of formations.
“Li Dage, aren’t we leaving? Why are you still setting up a formation?” Xue'er asked in surprise, looking at the busy Li Mu with confusion.
Li Mu looked up at Xue'er, smiled slightly, and pointed to a Bagua Mirror, the core of the formation, on the table, explaining: “This formation can monitor the approximate aura of the first person to break the formation and enter the small courtyard after I leave, and predict their Cultivation based on the time of the breakthrough. Even a Mahayana powerhouse would find it difficult to detect its existence.”
As Li Mu explained, he lightly touched the Bagua Mirror with his fingertip, injecting a wisp of his own Chaos Law Power to activate the Law Formation.
With the injection of Chaos True Essence, the Bagua Mirror glowed brightly, then slowly receded, and everything returned to calm, as if it had never been touched.
“Once someone triggers this formation, or forcibly breaks it, I have a formation token on me. Once this formation is broken, it will send feedback to the formation token, allowing me to deduce the situation of the pursuer.” Li Mu explained as he took out an exquisite jade token from his tianxuan ring, drawing upon the power of the Law Formation to serve as the formation token, forming a subtle connection with the entire Law Formation.
“This way, even if we are far away in another domain, I can use this to know if there are pursuers and prepare in advance.” Li Mu finished speaking, a hint of vigilance in his eyes, clearly, he was already mentally prepared for the potential pursuit and danger.
After setting up the Law Formation, at Li Mu's signal, Xue'er and Mingyue were both brought into the Painting World Treasure Mansion.
Subsequently, Li Mu used the Five Elements Earth Escape Spell to silently leave Frost City, appearing in the suburbs a hundred miles outside the city. Then, from his spirit control treasure bracelet, he summoned a fifth-order demonic bird representative, entered the Painting World Treasure Mansion himself, and had the fifth-order demonic bird carry the Painting World Treasure Mansion, flying out of Frost City and speeding towards the Southern Wilderness direction.
The fifth-order demonic bird was named “White Feather Spirit Eagle.” It was covered in silver-white, frost-like feathers, shimmering with a faint cold light in the sun. Its eyes were like two brilliant blue sapphires, revealing wisdom and agility. Its wingspan was wide, six zhang long, and a single flap could stir up wind and clouds, yet it flew silently.
The White Feather Spirit Eagle was not only incredibly fast but also skilled at concealing its form; even high-tier Cultivators would find it difficult to easily track its whereabouts. Its feathers could change color with the environment, allowing it to almost blend into its surroundings while flying, making it extremely difficult to detect. It was because of these characteristics that Li Mu subdued it and kept it in the Treasure Mansion as a mount for long-distance travel.
Soon, the White Feather Spirit Eagle carried the Painting World Treasure Mansion, streaking across the sky like a silver lightning bolt, quickly soaring tens of thousands of miles high, far from Frost City, and crossing the Ice Northern Region.
As the altitude increased, the air became thin and cold, but the White Feather Spirit Eagle seemed oblivious. Its wings vibrated slightly during high-speed flight, enjoying the freedom of soaring through the sky.
Three months passed in a flash. Inside the Painting World Treasure Mansion, Li Mu, Xue'er, and Mingyue sat together in a quiet room, the atmosphere slightly heavy.
Li Mu's eyes were slightly closed, his Divine Sense extended beyond the Treasure Mansion. His Divine Sense, no less than that of a Great Vehicle Dao Lord, covered an area of ten thousand miles around like an invisible net. No matter the mountains, rivers, or unusual changes in the outside world, nothing escaped his perception.
At this moment, they were traversing a vast sea of clouds. Below the sea of clouds were endless mountain ranges, and the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain quietly arrived. The undulating mountains resembled winding giant Dragons, with occasional waterfalls cascading down the peaks, transforming into white ribbons that sparkled brilliantly under the sunlight. At the foot of the mountains were lush green forests, vibrant and full of life.
After entering the heart of the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain, the White Feather Spirit Eagle flew over some Sects and Loose Cultivator cities. Li Mu's Divine Sense keenly captured the dilapidated scenes below.
Once glorious Cultivation Sects were now only broken walls and ruins. The main halls of the Sects were damaged, with walls open to the wind, swaying precariously. Once bustling cities had broken windows and doors on both sides of the streets, and rubble everywhere. Occasionally, one could still 'see' 'mountains of white bones' where large numbers of corpses were piled up, or the scattered remains of Cultivators or commoners lying amidst the ruins.
Those blessed lands occupied by Demon Cultivators, originally Holy Lands for Cultivators, had now become Demon Cultivator dens. Many strange phenomena of high-tier Demon Cultivator Cultivation appeared, some shrouded in blood Qi, others with Devilish Qi soaring to the sky. The entire Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain was enveloped in a haze, losing its former tranquility and harmony.
In just twenty-odd years, the world had changed dramatically. After the Demon Abyss's invasion of the Spirit Realm, this vast land, which once nurtured countless Cultivators, now seemed to have been swallowed by endless darkness, becoming desolate and silent.
“Li Dage, is something wrong?”
Xue'er, relying on her Nine-Tailed Sky Fox emotional talent, clearly sensed the special fluctuations in Li Mu's mood at this moment and asked with concern.
As soon as Xue'er finished speaking, Li Mu slowly opened his eyes, his expression quickly shifting from indignation to calm, and said in a deep voice: “The situation is even more severe than I anticipated. After the Chaotic Boundary Sealing Formation collapsed, the Three Realms Passage opened simultaneously, and the Spirit Realm suffered an invasion from Demon Abyss forces. Many Sects and cities in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain have mostly become ruins, and the lives of Cultivators and commoners are like grass, ruthlessly slaughtered!”
Upon hearing this, Xue'er's heart trembled violently, and her eyes involuntarily revealed deep-seated hatred. The Snow Fox Clan was exterminated by these Demon Abyss Demon Cultivators.
“Li Dage, we must do something, we can't just sit idly by!” Xue'er looked at Li Mu, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Hearing this, Li Mu gave a wry smile and quickly said: “Currently, our strength is still weak. Directly confronting the Demon Abyss forces would be like hitting a stone with an egg. First, let's find a hidden and safe place, go into seclusion to Cultivate, and continue to improve our strength.”
“Li Dage, where are we going!” Although Xue'er was anxious, she also understood it was unrealistic. She took a deep breath, calmed her emotions, and asked with concern.
“Let's go to Yin Yang Valley and see. The nine-rank divine object - sun essence gold seems to be in Yin Yang Valley and hasn't gone far!” A strange glint flashed in Li Mu's eyes as he decided.
“Yin Yang Valley!” Xue'er was slightly delighted. She was not unfamiliar with this place; she had spent a pleasant time there with Li Mu before.
Just as Li Mu and his group were heading to Yin Yang Valley, in the Demon God Hall located in the Nine Underworlds Beyond the Domains, Devilish Qi swirled. Reports of Frost City's destruction and the suspected discovery of a Chaos Cultivator's clue were submitted one by one, finally reaching the Eternal Demon God.
“Demon God, my subordinate's team in Ice City, a Loose Cultivator city in the Northern Region, was completely annihilated by Puppets wearing Seventh-Order Dao Swords and Seventh-Order Dao Armor. Combined with the intelligence on the Chaos Cultivator, it is suspected that he is hiding there!” A Great Ascension Demon Cultivator reported tremblingly to the Eternal Demon God on the main seat of the hall.
Upon hearing this, the Eternal Demon God suddenly opened his eyes, and in his deep pupils, stars seemed to rotate, revealing endless rage and pressure.
“Has this fellow, who has been hiding for so many years, finally shown his tail?”
The Eternal Demon God's voice was low and powerful, echoing like thunder in the hall.
“This subordinate has already immediately ordered Frost City to be surrounded, and all Human Race Cultivators have been captured. However, his tracks have still not been found. This subordinate has handled things poorly, and I ask you, Demon God, to personally go. With your supreme power, you will surely be able to ferret him out!”
After the Great Ascension Demon Cultivator finished speaking, his body trembled slightly, clearly greatly fearing the consequences of failing to complete the Demon God's task.
“You need not blame yourself. How could a Chaos Cultivator be easily captured by you? I will go personally. I want to see what kind of ability this fellow, who has been hiding for so many years, truly possesses!” The Eternal Demon God curled his lips into a cold smile and said in a deep voice.
“Lead the way!” The Eternal Demon God stood up, his body boiling with Devilish Qi, rolling as if substantial. His figure flickered in and out of sight within the Devilish Qi, exuding a terrifying pressure.
“Yes!” The Great Ascension Demon Cultivator bowed and accepted the order, secretly relieved to have escaped punishment. He quickly set off, guiding the Eternal Demon God through the layers of demonic barriers in the Jiuyou Domain, heading towards Ice City in the Northern Region.
Along the way, the Eternal Demon God's speed was extreme, transcending the boundaries of space and time. The demonic beasts and Cultivators along the way all felt this terrifying aura and quickly moved aside, not daring to obstruct him in the slightest.
When the Eternal Demon God arrived at Ice City, he found the entire city surrounded by the Devil Abyss Army, and Human Race Cultivators were imprisoned in makeshift cages, their wails and cries endless.
The Eternal Demon God swept his Divine Thought and did not find the Chaos Cultivator's trace among these Human Race. The Eternal Demon God frowned deeply, his Divine Thought enveloping the entire Frost City, a cold light flickering in his eyes.
Soon, the Eternal Demon God noticed the secluded small courtyard, where a faint, unusual aura emanated, subtly connected to the Chaos Power he had sensed before. That courtyard was enveloped by a hidden formation's power.
The Eternal Demon God's figure flashed, appearing before the small courtyard's gate. With his palm facing upwards, he gently waved, and an invisible force surged towards the Law Formation within the small courtyard.
“Hmph, petty tricks, do you think you can stop me?” The Eternal Demon God sneered. With a “bang,” the hidden courtyard protection Law Formation shattered, and the wooden door opened.
The scene inside the small courtyard was exposed to the Eternal Demon God's eyes. However, it was empty, with only some simple furniture and items scattered on the ground. The Eternal Demon God frowned deeply, his Divine Thought spreading out, meticulously searching every inch of space, trying to find any trace of the Chaos Cultivator.
Sensing the subtle Chaos Power, it was clear that this small courtyard was indeed where the Chaos Cultivator had once stayed.
However, that fellow was as cunning as a fox. After exposing his tracks, he had quietly left this place, leaving behind this empty shell as bait. The Eternal Demon God's eyes grew even more sinister. He knew that since this Chaos Cultivator could evade his initial search, he must have extraordinary abilities.
“Hmph, do you think you can escape my pursuit like this?” The Eternal Demon God snorted coldly, his hands clasped behind his back, and the Devilish Qi around him boiled once more. He closed his eyes, and his vast Divine Thought rapidly spread out, like an invisible giant net, covering the entire Ice City and even the surrounding Spirit Domain, attempting to capture any faint aura or fluctuation that might be related to the Chaos Cultivator.
The Demon God's Divine Thought churned wildly. Wherever it passed, whether mountains, rivers, or living plants, all could feel the tremor and fear from the depths of their Souls. This Divine Thought was not merely for searching and sensing, but also carried an indescribable oppression and destructive intent, as if it wanted to draw everything it saw into his boundless demonic thought.
Under the shroud of this Divine Thought, all living beings inside and outside Ice City felt an invisible giant hand gripping their throats, making even breathing difficult. Those imprisoned Human Race Cultivators felt an unprecedented despair. (End of this chapter)
