Time flew by, and no matter how Eternal Devil Head's Divine Thought surged, he still couldn't pinpoint Li Mu's exact whereabouts.
At this moment, Li Mu was inside the Painting World Treasure Mansion, a grotto-heaven treasure, possessing space Law that could isolate Divine Sense. Furthermore, he had already left the Northern Domain and flown to the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain in a peculiar way. Under such circumstances, even a Devil Head-level existence would find it difficult to catch a glimpse of him.
Eternal Devil Head reached out and grabbed the Bagua Mirror on the table, immediately realizing something.
Eternal Devil Head's face was ashen. This guy was far more troublesome than he had imagined. An unprecedented surge of anger rose in his heart, not only from the failure to capture the Chaos Cultivator but also because the guy had set up a warning formation in his courtyard, making him feel like he was being played in the palm of his hand.
"Bastard! No matter where you flee, this Seat vows to grind you to dust!" Eternal Devil Head roared, shaking the entire Frost City. The Cultivators in the city were all terrified, as if the end of the world was about to descend.
Eternal Devil Head's figure flickered, transforming into a black stream of light, shuttling between the cages. His devil claws easily tore at the chains of the cages, pulling out Cultivators one by one.
"Ah—!"
"Help!"
"Devil Head, you won't die a good death!"
The wails, pleas for help, and curses of the Human Race Cultivators intertwined, yet to Eternal Devil Head's ears, these sounds were like the most beautiful melodies, becoming the objects of his venting.
Before long, Eternal Devil Head opened his blood-red mouth, like a black hole, devouring everything around him. The Human Race Cultivators he had pulled out were sucked into his mouth under this suction force, becoming his blood food.
Unable to find the Chaos Cultivator, Li Mu, all the Human Race Cultivators in Frost City became the targets of Eternal Devil Head's wrath.
All the Demon Abyss Cultivators, even the Great Ascension Demon Cultivators, were as quiet as cicadas in winter, not daring to move, fearing that they would be implicated. Eternal Devil Head's power was like an insurmountable chasm in their eyes.
After Eternal Devil Head finished venting his anger, his Great Ascension Demon Cultivator subordinate cautiously stepped forward and respectfully asked, "Lord Devil Head!"
Eternal Devil Head's gaze was like a torch, coldly sweeping over him.
"You, go investigate for me!" Eternal Devil Head pointed at the small courtyard, where Li Mu had set up the warning formation. It was now a mess, but a faint fluctuation of formation power seemed to linger in the air: "The residence of that Chaos Cultivator must have left some clues here. Dig three feet deep and find them!"
"Yes!"
The Great Ascension Demon Cultivator accepted the order without any delay, immediately gathering a group of Demon Abyss Cultivators. Armed with various Magic Treasure for detection, they began a carpet search of the small courtyard and the surrounding areas.
On the other side, when Eternal Devil Head destroyed the Bagua Tracing Formation, Li Mu also received feedback. The formation plate instantly shattered, and his expression changed drastically.
"Li Dage! What's wrong?"
Seeing Li Mu's expression suddenly change and a jade plate he had conjured instantly turn to dust, Xue'er felt an ominous premonition rise in her heart and quickly asked with concern.
"The formation I left in the courtyard was broken, faster than I expected, and it was done by someone with heaven-defying cultivation. I suppose it's a Devil Head-level existence!" Li Mu looked at the shattered formation plate in his hand, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice.
"So fast! We haven't been gone long!" Xue'er's face turned pale, and she was also somewhat relieved, saying in shock.
"Indeed! Fortunately, we left in time, otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable." Li Mu nodded, his expression grave, "Eternal Devil Head clearly hates me to the bone. Next, we must be even more cautious and not relax in the slightest. We can't easily expose our whereabouts anymore."
"Li Dage, no matter how difficult the road ahead, I will always be with you, facing it together!" Xue'er reached out and held Li Mu's hand, her eyes shining with determination, and said solemnly.
Li Mu returned a smile and nodded in satisfaction. However, constantly hiding and dodging would eventually lead to a dead end.
Li Mu understood in his heart that to truly escape Eternal Devil Head's pursuit, he had to find a power that could contend with him. However, advancing the Chaotic Great Dao to the next Mahayana Realm was easier said than done.
The Dao of Chaos encompasses all things, covering the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, and even the ultimate of the Three Thousand Great Daos. Every inch of Breakthrough requires a deep understanding and comprehension of the Heaven and Earth Law.
The Five Elements mutually generate and restrain each other, cycling endlessly. Only by achieving balance can their power be wielded. As for the Dao of Yin and Yang, it is even more profound and unpredictable. Extreme Yin gives birth to Yang, and Extreme Yang transforms into Yin. The subtle changes within, if not handled carefully, can lead to Qi Deviation and Eternal damnation.
As for the Three Thousand Great Daos, each represents an ultimate power. To integrate them all is even more difficult. And the Chaotic Great Dao is above all of this; it encompasses all Law and power, yet it transcends them, unbound by them. To achieve a Breakthrough on this path not only requires strong cultivation as support but also an extraordinary understanding of all things in Heaven and Earth.
Although Li Mu was at the Peak of Body Integration, he was only one step away from the Mahayana Realm. However, there was an insurmountable chasm.
Unless! The sixth-rank and seventh-rank spiritual plants of various attributes planted in the Treasure Mansion Space could all mature, and through the Heavenly Talent of spiritual energy absorption, he could absorb massive amounts of plant spiritual attributes, leading to a qualitative change from a quantitative one, helping him cross the Mahayana Realm of the Chaotic Great Dao.
Relying on the Heavenly Talent of spiritual energy absorption, Li Mu's cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds: he formed his Nascent Soul in a hundred years, reached Soul Transformation in two hundred years, Void Refining in three hundred years, and the Peak of Body Integration in five hundred years. His cultivation and Dao essence were almost entirely accumulated by massive amounts of plant spiritual attributes, and he successfully embarked on the Chaotic Great Dao.
Now, facing the barrier of the Mahayana Realm, he still needed to rely on the plant spiritual attributes of massive high-rank spiritual plants to have the confidence to Breakthrough.
However, in the eighth-rank grotto-heaven treasure—the Painting World Treasure Mansion, those sixth-rank and seventh-rank spiritual plants, which carried Li Mu's hopes, grew slowly due to the lack of corresponding extreme environments. Moreover, the threat of Eternal Devil Head was like a shadow, and every moment of delay could bring unpredictable disaster. Therefore, a faster and more effective path to Breakthrough had to be found.
Although the Spiritual Qi inside the Treasure Mansion was so dense it was almost liquefied, the growth cycle of these high-rank spiritual plants was far from ordinary. They needed time to settle, nourishment from the essence of Heaven and Earth, and, more importantly, an inexplicable opportunity to truly mature.
To make these spiritual plants mature in the shortest possible time, unless the Treasure Mansion itself could advance another rank and become a ninth-rank grotto-heaven Divine Artifact, at that time, the space within the Treasure Mansion would be even vaster, the Spiritual Qi even more abundant, and it might even give birth to more miraculous growth environments, helping the spiritual plants grow rapidly.
Besides the path of upgrading the Treasure Mansion, there was another path before Li Mu now—collecting seven nine-rank divine objects of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang.
The Chaotic Boundary Sealing Formation shattered, and the seven extreme Seal sub-formations disintegrated. As the formation cores, the seven nine-rank divine objects of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang had their spirituality awakened, escaping into Heaven and Earth, becoming ownerless. These seven nine-rank divine objects of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang, each contained extreme power and were the key to the stable operation of the Chaotic Boundary Sealing Formation for ten thousand years.
The return of the nine-rank divine object's spirituality, escaping into the world, undoubtedly added a few challenges to finding them. However, Li Mu had previously attached a wisp of his sub-soul to them, which gave him clues to track their whereabouts.
After making up his mind, Li Mu no longer overly worried about Eternal Devil Head's pursuit. As long as he gathered the seven nine-rank divine objects, accelerated the growth of numerous high-rank spiritual plants, and helped him advance to Great Vehicle Dao Lord earlier, all problems could be solved by his own strength.
Soon, Li Mu closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling the faint fluctuations from his sub-soul, already having a direction in his heart.
The fifth-rank demonic bird, White Feather Spirit Eagle, spread its wings and flew rapidly, guided by its master, Li Mu. It pierced through layers of clouds and mist, finally arriving at a mysterious valley—Yin Yang Valley, the location of the nine-rank divine object, sun essence gold.
Upon reaching their destination, Li Mu and Xue'er emerged from the Treasure Mansion, looking at the scenery before them with indescribable astonishment.
"Li Dage, is this Yin Yang Valley?! How did it become like this?!"
Xue'er asked in astonishment. The scenery before her was completely different from what she had seen before.
Yin Yang Valley was originally a strange place. Outside the valley was a desolate land devoid of life. Even Cultivators below Soul Transformation Realm could hardly resist the Evil Qi and strange power within Yin Yang Valley.
The center of the valley, however, was where Yin and Yang Qi gathered, full of vitality, an excellent place for secluded cultivation. Previously, Xue'er and Li Mu had spent a wonderful time in this valley.
The Yin Yang Valley before them seemed to have been completely overturned by some mysterious power, forming a stark contrast with the vibrant life outside. Outside the valley, trees and grass were lush, flowers fragrant, and birds sang, a scene of peace and prosperity, as if it were nature's most generous gift, full of vitality, refreshing and pleasant. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled light and shadows, adding a touch of liveliness and dynamism to this land. The Evil Qi and strange barrier that once shrouded it had disappeared.
Inside the valley, what should have been a Holy Land where Yin and Yang Qi converged and life flourished, had now become silent and lifeless. All around, there was no longer lush vegetation, replaced by withered branches and scattered fallen leaves, as if this place had experienced an unspeakable disaster that devoured all life.
In the air, a thick Yin Evil Qi permeated, forming a sharp contrast with the fresh air outside the valley. This Evil Qi carried an indescribable chill and oppression, making people involuntarily feel a sense of dread. The wind in the valley also seemed to have lost its usual gentleness, becoming sharp and biting, like a keen blade.
"This... what's going on? Li Dage, how did Yin Yang Valley become like this?!" Xue'er looked at Li Mu, asking with a trembling voice and confusion.
Li Mu stared at a bare hillock in the valley, smiled slightly, and explained, "Previously, there was a Seal Grand Formation within Yin Yang Valley, causing the Yin and Yang Qi inside to exhibit extreme manifestations. But now, the Seal Grand Formation is broken, and the sun essence gold is hidden here. As the representative of the Extreme Yang, the divine object defiled itself, but there is still Extreme Yang power condensing, transforming into Yin and manifesting, leading to the imbalance of Yin and Yang, which caused such a huge change."
"sun essence gold?" Xue'er's spirits lifted, a hint of curiosity and surprise flashing in her eyes. "Are you saying that sun essence gold is hidden in the valley?!"
Li Mu slowly nodded, his gaze deep as he looked at the bare hillock, explaining, "That's right, as the ultimate embodiment of Extreme Yang, the sun essence gold's spirituality is strong enough to influence the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and even change the terrain. To prevent its spirituality from becoming too powerful and causing Heaven and Earth anomalies, or from being exploited by ill-intentioned people, divine objects often choose a method of 'divine object defilement' to hide their true appearance. However, even a little power it leaks is enough to have a huge impact on the outside world."
"Divine object defilement..." Xue'er murmured these words, her eyes flickering with thought. "So, the reason why Yin Yang Valley has become like this is actually because the sun essence gold is self-sealing to prevent itself from being easily discovered by the outside world?"
Li Mu looked at Xue'er approvingly and said, "Precisely. The spirituality of nine-rank divine objects is extremely powerful and also extremely sensitive. Once they sense an external force trying to approach or seize them, they will react immediately, and may even cause unpredictable consequences."
After a pause, Li Mu stared at the bare, reddish hillock, his brows tightly furrowed, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Therefore, to successfully collect it, ordinary methods definitely won't work, and there's only one chance!"
Xue'er followed Li Mu's gaze and confirmed in shock, "Li Dage, do you mean that the small hillock in the valley is the sun essence gold?"
Li Mu nodded, his gaze never leaving the seemingly ordinary hillock: "That's right, below that hillock is where the sun essence gold is located. Because its spirituality is extremely strong, and it is currently in a state of self-Seal, if we try to forcibly excavate it with ordinary means, we will not only disturb its spirituality and cause unpredictable consequences, but it may also take the opportunity to escape, making it difficult to find again."
Under the Heavenly Talent - Identifying Myriad Spirits, the attributes and current state of the nine-rank divine object, sun essence gold, were all displayed in Li Mu's eyes.
"But... there's only one chance?" Xue'er's delicate brows furrowed, and she asked worriedly, "Then what method do you have to take it down? What should we do?"
"As the ultimate of Extreme Yang, the sun essence gold is extremely rigid and Yang in nature. Once awakened, its spiritual wrath is no small matter!" Li Mu pondered for a long time, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "I have a plan that might be worth a try. Although the sun essence gold is powerful, it cannot escape the principles of Heaven and Earth. If I can set up a Chaos Spirit Isolation Formation within the valley, forming a relatively enclosed space, eventually forming a domain of its own, this way, I can slowly Seal its spirituality without disturbing it, and then find a way to subdue it later."
Upon hearing this, a hint of admiration appeared in Xue'er's eyes, and she said respectfully, "I knew that something like this wouldn't stump you. Li Dage definitely has a way."
Li Mu smiled slightly and said humbly, "Although there is a way, its implementation is fraught with difficulties, and whether it will succeed is another matter. However, this Chaos Spirit Isolation Formation is no small matter, and the Materials required for its setup are even rarer..."
Li Mu's Divine Sense entered the tianxuan ring, searching for formation Materials. (End of Chapter)
