Chapter 4 - 365-371

Chapter 365: Descending From The Sky

A thought suddenly crossed Chen Fei's mind—was this the correct way to obtain spiritual materials and elemental stones?

Digesting all of these resources to support his cultivation, Chen Fei's cultivation would experience rapid growth in an extremely short time. There wouldn't be any hindrances or bottlenecks along the way.

Others had to contend with the constraints of their core soul energy, as their acupoints grew too quickly for their core soul energy to control. They also faced challenges in comprehending their techniques. If they couldn't fully understand the techniques, they couldn't even open their acupoints.

However, these were not issues for Chen Fei. Whether it was the Zhongyuan Sword, the Giant Spirit Sword, or even the Soaring Heaven Technique, any one of them could support Chen Fei's cultivation up to the late Aperture tempering realm.

The only slight issue was that his core soul energy could currently only control fifty-one acupoints. Chen Fei had initially believed that he wouldn't face any core soul energy-related problems in the short term.

Now, he realized that his plans needed to change. It seemed like his core soul energy was no longer sufficient. However, who could have predicted this turn of events?

Chen Fei had only recently broken through to the mid-Aperture tempering realm, just over a month ago. To think that his core soul energy, which could control fifty-one acupoints, would suddenly become insufficient was surprising.

Chen Fei gazed at the spiritual materials and elemental stones before him. The disciples of the Yashan Sect couldn't grow rapidly in a short time due to the constraints of their techniques and core soul energy. That's why they had saved up so many resources, and now it had turned into a windfall for Chen Fei.

Chen Fei didn't want to find himself in a situation where he had plenty of spiritual materials but couldn't use them due to his inadequate core soul energy. That would be too frustrating.

Chen Fei's core soul energy growth rate was far from slow. As he cultivated the three techniques to perfection, his vitality and techniques would continuously nourish and strengthen his core soul energy.

But this requires time, and not a short amount of time at that.

For others cultivating in the Aperture tempering realm, the time required for comprehending techniques, the growth of their core soul energy, and acquiring resources naturally all take time.

As a result, it's easy to establish a dynamic balance where there is never an imbalance.

However, in Chen Fei's case, due to the interface, his level of comprehension of techniques is off the charts. Naturally, the dynamic balance among these three aspects is directly disrupted.

In comparison to other Aperture tempering realm cultivators, Chen Fei's core soul energy growth rate is actually quite fast because of his significant lead in techniques. It's just that it appears slower because it doesn't match the speed of his technique comprehension.

As for cultivation resources, Chen Fei has gained quite a bit, from the Alchemist Alliance at the beginning to the assets of the Yashan Sect in front of him, and even the original mystic realm. He has acquired a substantial amount of resources.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to open forty-one acupoints in just around three years. This is a quantity of acupoints that many independent cultivators can't open in their entire lifetime.

Even in some major sects, opening forty-one acupoints would take decades to start with, a lengthy process that can be intimidating.

Chen Fei neatly organized the resources in front of him and stashed them in his spatial grid, filling it to the brim. However, there were still some items that couldn't fit, so Chen Fei took a piece of cloth, wrapped the remaining items, and carried them on his back.

In addition to these resources, Chen Fei also obtained two Yashan Sect inheritance jade scrolls.

The Yashan Sect's techniques were quite good, and the profundity of the Mountain-Sealing Sword and Sea-Sealing Sword techniques was no less than the legacies of most sects. It's just that Chen Fei's strength was greater, making them seem somewhat inadequate.

Chen Fei's core soul energy swept through, confirming that there were no other omissions in the hall. His figure flashed and disappeared from the spot. He needed to find Ruan Qiaojun. Only when this matter was completed could today's events be considered concluded.

In the dungeon of the city lord's mansion, Ruan Qiaojun sat cross-legged on the ground, listening intently to the sounds outside.

The commotion in the city lord's mansion just now, even in the dungeon, was crystal clear. Clearly, something had happened outside. However, now, the sounds had ceased for some time.

"The Yashan Army, three mid-Aperture tempering realm experts, several early-Aperture tempering realm cultivators… such strength…"

Information about the Yashan Army flashed through Ruan Qiaojun's mind, and there was a hint of despair in her expression. Even if Chen Fei were to appear in Qinhai City now, facing the Yashan Army, he would be powerless.

Unless the Primordial Sword Sect was willing to send a late-Aperture tempering realm expert to exert dominance and possibly persuade the Yashan Army to release the Ruan family members.

But why should Chen Fei go and ask the sect's expert to help a small family like the Ruan family? Just because of a few favors from the past?

After being the head of the Ruan family for so many years, Ruan Qiaojun was no longer as naive as she was many years ago. In this world, sometimes, it's more about interests.

Without interests, so-called favors can appear quite thin, so thin that Ruan Qiaojun felt that the Ruan family was in dire straits this time. Although Ruan Qiaojun couldn't understand why the Yashan Army had targeted the Ruan family.

And why did they isolate her here alone?

Sometimes, Ruan Qiaojun had a strange feeling that the Yashan Army seemed to be using the Ruan family as bait to lure someone.

Some of those who might have had some relationship with the Ruan family were just a few aperture tempering realm cultivators, and their relationships were quite ordinary. When the Ruan family was in trouble, those people wouldn't care at all.

The only one with a slight possibility seemed to be Chen Fei, who had appeared just recently.

However, facing the power of the Yashan Army, even if Chen Fei came, he would be utterly useless and might even get himself into trouble.

Various chaotic and unclear thoughts flashed through Ruan Qiaojun's mind, and she couldn't help but sigh softly.

A prison guard strolled by the cell door, glancing at Ruan Qiaojun inside, with a hint of greed in his eyes. However, he quickly hid his gaze.

Ruan Qiaojun was naturally endowed with beauty and had been the head of the Ruan family for many years. Her temperament was gentle and carried a hint of the authority of an upper-class person. It was a contradictory mix but made people irresistibly want to take a few more glances, as she had a unique allure.

However, even if the prison guard had ten times more courage, he wouldn't dare to touch Ruan Qiaojun at this moment.

Rumors had it that a core disciple from the sect would take Ruan Qiaojun as a concubine in a few days, and there would even be a grand celebration. The prison guard didn't know if this information was true or false, but it was spreading with a lot of detail.

The prison guard made a round but didn't find anything unusual, so he turned and walked back. However, just as he had walked halfway, he suddenly felt the entire dungeon shake slightly.

The prison guard was startled and hadn't figured out what was happening when suddenly, something behind him exploded. A figure descended from the sky into the dungeon, and a tremendous force swept out in all directions as the person landed.

With a cultivation level in the bone tempering realm, this cultivation realm was quite good among ordinary people. However, facing this overwhelming force, he couldn't even put up resistance and was struck in the chest, smashing into the wall.

Without catching his breath, the prison guard directly lost consciousness. He didn't even know what had happened from the moment the dungeon shook to when he fainted.

Ruan Qiaojun stared at the figure before her, her eyes slightly widened. Although Ruan Qiaojun had fantasized in her heart that Chen Fei would come to rescue her, deep down, she knew it was just a fantasy.

Knowing more about the situation made her feel even more hopeless.

Therefore, when she saw Chen Fei actually appearing there, Ruan Qiaojun had an extremely unreal feeling. Chen Fei had actually taken a tremendous risk to come here.

For a moment, this overwhelming joy surrounded her heart, leaving Ruan Qiaojun at a loss for how to react, and her eyes had unknowingly turned red.

For someone who had faced such a hopeless situation, suddenly having someone descend from the sky like this, those who hadn't experienced it could hardly imagine what kind of emotions would be involved.

Chen Fei turned to look at Ruan Qiaojun, a smile appearing on his face. He waved his right hand, and Ruan Qiaojun felt a rush of wind before her. When she opened her eyes again, she was already standing on the ground.

Ruan Qiaojun instinctively looked up at the sky, where the moon shone like a mirror, adorned with countless stars. The night breeze rustled her hair as it flowed past.

A day later, dozens of people from the Ruan family appeared in the city of Lingshui, three hundred miles away, starting their new life in the city.

They had no knowledge of the events in Qinhai City the previous night. Chen Fei didn't go into detail, only mentioning that someone had taken advantage of the chaos to attack the Yashan Army, causing great turmoil in Qinhai City.

The Ruan family members dared not stay in Qinhai City any longer and implored Chen Fei to take them away from there.

After bringing Ruan Qiaojun out, Chen Fei decided to bring everyone to Lingshui City.

In Qinhai City, Chen Fei had successfully subdued the mid-level cultivators of the Yashan Army, but there were still a few early-stage cultivators who were outside and might return at any time.

For Chen Fei now, those early-stage cultivators of the Yashan Army were inconsequential. Even if the death of Hong Yuanfeng had to be investigated by the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, it would be difficult to trace it back to Chen Fei.

After all, the only ones who truly knew Chen Fei's cultivation level were Sect Master Qu Qingsheng and Elder Zhou Zixun. Others who had witnessed Chen Fei's true strength had already been eliminated.

More importantly, Hong Yuanfeng had set up a trap to kill Chen Fei without prior notification to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. Otherwise, the sect would never have allowed Hong Yuanfeng to take action.

Hong Yuanfeng was preoccupied with his personal grudges, and the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect would never behave that way.

Therefore, it was likely that even the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect didn't know that Hong Yuanfeng had appeared in Qinhai City. Even if they tried to investigate now, it would be a very lengthy process.

Furthermore, it was unclear whether the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect had the energy to pursue this matter given their current circumstances.

Chen Fei brought the Ruan family to Lingshui City to further reduce the chances of them being discovered, which would save them a lot of trouble. Additionally, the Ruan family members were still unaware of what had actually happened in Qinhai City.

Even the people in Qinhai City were clueless about what had occurred that night; they could only speculate. Once they started guessing, it would lead to serious misunderstandings.

"This medicine, when applied externally for seven days, will help your injuries recover," Chen Fei said as he handed a bottle of medicine to Chu Lan, smiling.

"Thank you, Big Brother Chen," Chu Lan replied with her head lowered, hiding the scar on her face from Chen Fei's view.

Although Chu Lan knew that Chen Fei didn't care about this, she still hoped to have an intact face to face Chen Fei.

After a while, Chu Lan left the room. Chen Fei took out a jade scroll and examined its contents. In less than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, Chen Fei put down the jade scroll, his eyes filled with contemplation.

This jade scroll came from the leader of the Yashan Sect. Initially, Chen Fei thought it was about cultivation techniques, but he later discovered that it contained some intelligence.

The information in this jade scroll pointed to the location of Shang Wu City, which was the very place that the Yashan Army had wanted to capture in the beginning..

Chapter 366: Reversal

Previously, when Chen Fei saw the Yashan Army besieging Shang Wu City, he had some doubts in his mind. Clearly, there was a much weaker Qinhai City nearby, yet the Yashan Army chose to target the stronger Shang Wu City.

Although Shang Wu City possessed more resources compared to Qinhai City, it wasn't to the extent that the Yashan Army needed to go all out to capture it.

Now, as Chen Fei looked at the contents of the jade scroll, he began to understand. Inside Shang Wu City, there was actually a small entrance to a hidden place, controlled by Shang Wu City.

Calling it a hidden place might not be entirely accurate; it was more like a small cave dwelling. While the cave dwelling was much smaller than the mystic realm, the spiritual energy within was just as dense, if not more so. What was even more crucial was that this cave dwelling had been owned by someone in the past.

Chen Fei wasn't sure if the cave dwelling had always been inside Shang Wu City or if its location had shifted and was discovered by the cultivators in Shang Wu City in recent times.

The forced opening of the cave dwelling led to a rapid change in the surrounding natural energy. Although the cultivators in Shang Wu City immediately concealed it, it was still discovered by the wandering Liang Zhongpu, leading to the subsequent siege of Shang Wu City by the Yashan Army.

The Yashan Army's original intention was to participate in exploring the cave dwelling, but they were directly refused by Shang Wu City.

Shang Wu City had great confidence, and in a real battle, they proved to be more skilled, forcing the Yashan Army to retreat.

Even the head of the Yashan Sect, Qi Yuanlu, was injured and needed to recuperate in Qinhai City.

"Master Xi Lian…"

Chen Fei's gaze became contemplative, feeling that this name sounded somewhat familiar. Suddenly, his eyes brightened, and he finally remembered the origin of the name, Master Xi Lian.

He was a solitary cultivator who had passed away more than a hundred years ago.

It wasn't easy for strong individuals to emerge among solitary cultivators, but it didn't mean that no strong cultivators could arise from their ranks. The difficulties faced by solitary cultivators lay in two main areas: acquiring comprehensive cultivation techniques and obtaining resources for cultivation.

Obtaining a complete cultivation technique as a solitary cultivator was exceedingly difficult. Those that could be fully cultivated to the later stages of Aperture tempering realm were rare and hard to come by, let alone those that could be cultivated to the Aperture tempering realm itself. Access to cultivation resources was also limited for solitary cultivators since many valuable resources were controlled by sects. In cases where their strength didn't match up to the sects, solitary cultivators wouldn't dare to compete for these resources.

Therefore, among solitary cultivators, those who could reach the middle aperture tempering realm were few and far between. As for reaching the later stages of aperture tempering realm, most would need to establish their own sects and transition from being solitary cultivators to sect leaders.

As for the Combined aperture tempering realm, those who could reach it were truly top-tier existences that could dominate an area spanning thousands of miles.

For instance, the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect didn't always have two Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators at the same time. More often than not, they only had one Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator overseeing the sect's spiritual fortune.

Thus, the likelihood of a solitary cultivator reaching the Combined aperture tempering realm, within a few hundred years, was extremely rare.

Furthermore, reaching such a level as a lone cultivator, without establishing a sect, was even rarer.

Master Xi Lian was one such cultivator.

However, rumors had it that Master Xi Lian originally had many followers, and the number of his followers was vast. After all, having a Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator as a patron meant that even mediocre sects had to give them face.

With so many followers together, even if they weren't part of a sect, they formed a loose organization that easily occupied large swaths of resources.

But later, it's unclear what happened, and the people around Master Xi Lian gradually decreased, as if they had disappeared into thin air.

By the time Master Xi Lian's life was nearing its end, the number of his followers had become scarce.

As for the caverns, in fact, Master Xi Lian had many of them. He had a unique hobby of collecting mystic realms and refining them into caverns.

Furthermore, each cavern contained some unusual items. As long as one could break the restrictions within the cavern, they could obtain those items.

Most of these items were considered extremely rare resources for cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm.

Thirty years ago, one of Master Xi Lian's caverns was opened, and someone obtained his cultivation technique inheritance from within.

It was the most sensational yet also the most brutal incident. Many Aperture tempering realm cultivators died, and even many major sects, including the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, were involved.

According to the message left by Master Xi Lian in that cavern, there was only this one place where his cultivation technique inheritance resided; the other caverns contained only small items left for future generations.

The biggest prize had been taken, but Master Xi Lian's caverns still held great value. The items inside didn't attract those at the Combined aperture tempering realm, but they were undoubtedly appealing to those at the Aperture tempering realm.

The Yashan Army hadn't spread this news, probably because they hadn't given up on this particular cavern. Unexpectedly, it had now fallen into Chen Fei's hands.

"Could those missing Aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Yashan Army have gone to seek reinforcements?"

A thought suddenly crossed Chen Fei's mind, and it seemed entirely possible. If the Yashan Sect could secure Master Xi Lian's cavern, there might be treasures inside that could help them cultivate an Aperture tempering realm late-phase cultivator.

The difference in strength within a sect, depending on whether or not they had an Aperture tempering realm late-phase cultivator, was quite significant. It would be understandable for the Yashan Sect to make a move for this reason.

"Shang Wu City!"

Chen Fei put away the jade scroll in his hand and began refining elemental stones and spiritual pills.

His spatial grid couldn't hold any more items, and he couldn't carry around such a large package. So, he took this opportunity to refine some of these items.

For the first time, Chen Fei felt a bit frustrated with the limited size of his spatial grid. However, he didn't know when he would have the chance to purchase a second spatial grid.

With a high level of comprehension in his cultivation technique, sufficient core soul energy, and a robust physique, Chen Fei's speed in refining spiritual pills and elemental stones reached astonishing levels.

In less than three days, Chen Fei directly opened another acupoint, bringing the total to forty-two.

Chen Fei didn't stop and continued to cultivate.

Forty-three acupoints, forty-four acupoints, forty-five acupoints!

It took nearly nine more days, but Chen Fei managed to open three more acupoints, reaching a total of forty-five. At this point, his spatial grid finally had a bit more space.

It took more than ten days to open four acupoints in succession. If this cultivation speed were to be revealed, it would likely cause quite a stir.

After storing everything in his spatial grid, Chen Fei stopped cultivating and decided to go take a look at Shang Wu City.

Chen Fei was still very curious about Master Xi Lian's cavern. After all, it belonged to a legendary Aperture tempering realm cultivator. Compared to Dragon-Elephant True Immortal's low-key presence when Chen Fei first met him, Master Xi Lian had a more legendary life story.

Chen Fei bid farewell to the people from the Ruan family. Although they knew Chen Fei would definitely leave, when he actually said he was going, Ruan Qiaojun and Chu Lan were still filled with reluctance.

However, Ruan Qiaojun couldn't leave her family behind to follow Chen Fei, and Chu Wennian was loyal to the Ruan family, so he naturally stayed. Chu Lan also followed her grandfather.

In the slightly tearful eyes of Ruan Qiaojun and Chu Lan, Chen Fei waved to them and disappeared on the spot.

A moment later, Chen Fei appeared outside Linshui City.

This place was hundreds of miles away from Shang Wu City, but with Chen Fei's current speed, it wouldn't take long to get there.

His figure turned into a shadow, and every time his toes touched the ground and lifted again, he had already covered a mile. He moved effortlessly, like he was floating above the blue sky.

Whether it was high mountains or rivers, lakes, and seas, nothing could impede Chen Fei. Only when one reached this level of cultivation could they possess the ability to confront the forces of nature without losing their life.

In less than an hour, Chen Fei saw the massive city in the distance, and it was indeed Shang Wu City.

Chen Fei's figure leaped, and at a distance of less than three miles from Shang Wu City, his footsteps suddenly came to a halt.

On a hilltop, Chen Fei looked at Shang Wu City from afar, his brow slightly furrowed. The more he looked, the deeper the furrow in his brow became, and a very strange feeling began to creep into his heart.

Chen Fei couldn't quite describe this feeling. His core soul energy in in his sea of consciousness trembled slightly, as if it were warning him, but he couldn't detect any specific situation.

The speed of his Thousand Thread Technique, unconsciously increased as it subtly searched for some information, but it came up empty-handed. It was as if everything were just a figment of Chen Fei's imagination.

However, Chen Fei didn't believe it was just a figment. The unusual state of his consciousness was surely related to something happening in Shang Wu City, or it wouldn't affect his consciousness like this.

Chen Fei's gaze shifted, and he noticed a large merchant caravan in the distance, slowly approaching Shang Wu City.

There weren't many caravans traveling outside these days, but there were still some, and they all had their own powerful backgrounds. Otherwise, they could easily be taken advantage of in the cutthroat world.

Since the siege by the Yashan Army was lifted, some caravans had started to resume their regular trade with Shang Wu City. The distant caravan was just one of them.

Chen Fei's gaze closely followed the caravan as it gradually entered Shang Wu City. The speed was not fast because there were guards at the city gate who needed to inspect the goods.

There were also many soldiers patrolling on the city walls of Shang Wu City.

Everything appeared to be quite normal, with nothing out of the ordinary.

Chen Fei furrowed his brow tightly, and a figure separated from his body, revealing the doppelganger of the Soaring Heaven Technique.

Chen Fei's doppelganger leaped into action and sprinted toward Shang Wu City. For the current Chen Fei, a distance of three miles was almost traversed in an instant.

Standing in the midst of the crowd, Chen Fei looked up at the massive city gate of Shang Wu City. In a moment of confusion, the city gate seemed to transform into a ravenous mouth, and a sense of dread welled up from the depths of Chen Fei's heart. He instinctively closed his eyes.

"No, something's wrong!"

In his sea of consciousness, his core soul energy trembled violently, and the roaring voice of the Dragon Elephant echoed within. Chen Fei's eyes snapped open, and the Shang Wu City before him had completely transformed.

On the city walls, there were no soldiers to be seen, not a single soul! And there was no one around Chen Fei either; it was completely deserted!

What's more, the one standing here was not Chen Fei's doppelganger but Chen Fei's true self.

And his doppelganger was still hundreds of meters away..

Chapter 367: Arch Enemy

It was supposed to be the doppelganger coming to investigate, but unknowingly, Chen Fei's true self arrived at the city gate. The concepts of doppelganger and true self had been forcibly mixed up.

Chen Fei's figure flickered, and he rushed toward the distance. This perfectly normal city had suddenly turned into a bizarre one.

Chen Fei remembered passing by Shang Wu City not long ago, and it was completely normal at that time. However, in this short span, all the people in the city had vanished without a trace.

Even Chen Fei's consciousness, at the mid-stage of the Aperture tempering realm, had been silently guided to the city gate. If it weren't for the timely roar of the Dragon Elephant, Chen Fei would have already stepped into Shang Wu City.

Chen Fei was like this, and for those below the late Aperture tempering realm, encountering such a situation would likely result in death. If two came, it might mean the death of a pair.

Chen Fei had experienced numerous bizarre cities and gained some benefits from them, but that didn't mean he could disregard all bizarre cities. Some of them weren't rule-based but were instead the forcibly suppressing type.

Encountering such forcefully suppressing bizarre cities, even with his protective measures, Chen Fei might find himself completely baffled.

Chen Fei transformed into a shadow, but just a few steps, and his expression subtly changed. With Chen Fei's current speed, in just a few steps, he should have covered several miles in distance.

However, now Chen Fei found that he hadn't distanced himself from Shang Wu City, instead, he was getting closer and closer. The scorching sun in the sky was no longer visible, and the enormous shadow cast by Shang Wu City completely enveloped Chen Fei.

An extreme sense of palpitation exploded in Chen Fei's heart, and as if barely perceptible, he sensed the aura of an Aperture tempering realm expert within Shang Wu City.

Comparing the aura of Aperture tempering realm in Shang Wu City to someone like Tong Zhongqiu from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, although both emanated turbulent and intimidating auras, the one in Shang Wu City felt even colder. It was so chilling that it didn't resemble the aura one would expect from a living being.

"Roar!"

Within Chen Fei's body, a tremendous roar of the Dragon Elephant erupted. All his core soul energy within his sea of consciousness was poured unreservedly into the Godslayer Sword. The once somewhat illusory Godslayer Sword suddenly radiated with a brilliant light.

The Mirror Image Godslayer Sword typically used core soul energy to create shadow images, with moderate power and no backlash on Chen Fei himself. Later, when the Slaughter Spirit Technique was added, its power increased significantly, but it still hadn't reached a tremendously potent level.

Now, as Chen Fei's core soul energy was truly infused, the power of the Godslayer Sword began to manifest fully, with its sharpness enveloping its surroundings.

In the next moment, a sword shadow flashed from Chen Fei's forehead, slashing into the void ahead.

No matter how fast they ran, it was apparent that Chen Fei's perception had been completely blinded. Seemingly running ahead, they might actually be going in circles or even heading towards Shang Wu City.

In such a situation, any exploration was futile, and the longer they delayed, the greater the danger.

"Crack!"

As the Godslayer Sword passed through, a sound of shattering came from the void, as if a black cloth obscuring his vision had been torn apart. Chen Fei suddenly saw the true appearance of his surroundings.

He didn't know when, but he was already standing directly beneath the city gate. Just a few more steps, and he would have completely entered Shang Wu City.

Moments ago, Chen Fei was sure he had dozens of meters left to the city gate.

The Soaring Heaven Technique activated, and Chen Fei disappeared from his original spot, desperately running towards a distant location.

"Cultivation techniques, spiritual elixirs, and precious artifacts, young one, don't you want them?"

A voice softly resonated in Chen Fei's ears, and in a moment of bewilderment, he saw a figure appearing in front of him. With benevolent features and a countenance resembling an enlightened sage, the person was smiling at Chen Fei.

"Master Xi Lian?"

Chen Fei was filled with astonishment, and various thoughts raced through his mind. He initially believed that Shang Wu City had been invaded by some powerful and bizarre force.

Now, witnessing this scene, could it be that something happened to Master Xi Lian's abode? Or perhaps, the long-deceased Master Xi Lian himself had issues!

Slash!

Within Chen Fei's sea of consciousness, the Godslayer Sword emitted a radiant glow. In the next instant, its sword intent soared into the heavens, tearing apart the illusion before his eyes.

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of blood involuntarily spewed from Chen Fei's mouth, and his head felt as if it had been struck with a heavy hammer, causing chaos in his sea of consciousness. Although the sword strike had been highly effective, it also caused a backlash on Chen Fei's core soul energy.

Fortunately, with the operation of the Suppressing Dragon Elephant Technique and the inherent resilience of the Thousand Thread Technique, this backlash was quickly suppressed.

"Hmm!"

In the wake of Chen Fei's recent sword strike, it seemed as if Shang Wu City had been awakened, and a terrifying pressure was directed at Chen Fei. It was as if Shang Wu City had only just become aware of Chen Fei.

All the events that had just unfolded were merely instinctual reactions from Shang Wu City.

Under this shocking pressure, Chen Fei's elemental energy nearly stagnated, as if in an instant, he had been reduced to an ordinary mortal.

"Boom!"

Chen Fei's right foot struck the ground, emitting a muffled sound. Although his elemental energy was nearly sealed, his physical strength remained formidable. With this kick, Chen Fei's figure turned into an afterimage, disappearing within the boundaries of Shang Wu City.

A quarter of an hour later, after running for dozens of miles and confirming that nothing was pursuing him, Chen Fei gradually came to a halt.

He looked back in the direction of Shang Wu City, but now, the city was no longer visible, and the spine-chilling aura had vanished as well.

Chen Fei couldn't help but release a sigh of relief, accompanied by a hint of fear.

He had come dangerously close to being dragged into Shang Wu City. Had his reaction been even slightly delayed, the outcome would have been entirely different.

Thinking back to the illusion he had witnessed earlier, Chen Fei's brows furrowed.

The lifespan of a Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator was limited to three hundred years, with very few exceptions. Even in cases where exceptions existed, the additional lifespan gained was not substantial. As for the extremely potent natural treasures, they were rare and hard to come by.

Master Xi Lian had passed away over a hundred years ago, and his cultivation had not advanced further. It was impossible for him to extend his life for such an extended period. Unless Master Xi Lian had resorted to dark arts to transform himself into something eerie?

Chen Fei suddenly recalled what was recorded in the ancient texts: one by one, Master Xi Lian's followers inexplicably disappeared, and as time went on, there were very few left.

At the time, many people were puzzled and perplexed. Now, thinking about it this way, could it be that those followers were directly assimilated by Master Xi Lian?

The thought of such a scenario sent shivers down Chen Fei's spine. To be forcibly assimilated by someone, the pain was beyond imagination, a torture where one couldn't even seek survival or death.

Moreover, those followers held deep reverence and trust for Master Xi Lian. The result was that the person they admired and trusted the most forcibly assimilated them.

This dual torment of the physical and mental realms was truly inhumane.

"A Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator turned into an eerie being…"

Chen Fei furrowed his brows tightly. He needed to report this information back to the Immortal Cloud City. Chen Fei had read in an ancient text that such beings, who transformed themselves into eerie entities, were universally condemned by all cultivators.

Other eerie beings could grow rapidly by consuming the life force of cultivators, but even without such consumption, they could slowly grow by absorbing the natural energy of the world.

However, those who had turned themselves into eerie beings needed to constantly consume various blood sources because they required human intelligence to maintain their own intelligence.

Without such supplementation, their intelligence would be quickly consumed, and they would ultimately become a type of eerie being without intelligence.

Eerie beings were the natural enemies of humanity, and these self-transformed eerie beings were even worse, as they specialized in consuming humans, especially cultivators, relentlessly without pause.

Chen Fei's figure flickered as he activated the Soaring Heaven Technique to its utmost limit, heading in the direction of Immortal Cloud City.

Dealing with this kind of Combined aperture tempering realm person turned eerie being was beyond Chen Fei's capabilities. Even approaching them slightly could lead to being completely devoured.

Fortunately, the anomaly in Shang Wu City had only occurred recently, allowing Chen Fei to escape. If he had arrived ten days or half a month later, he wouldn't have been able to escape the situation he had just encountered.

By then, Master Xi Lian would have likely completely assimilated Shang Wu City, regained his consciousness, and someone like Chen Fei, who had slipped through the net, wouldn't have had a chance to leave alive.

In less than half a day, Chen Fei didn't take any breaks and finally saw Immortal Cloud City from a distance.

Chen Fei didn't enter the city; instead, he headed straight for the mountain gate of the Primordial Sword Sect. Only through the Primordial Sword Sect could this matter be conveyed to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.

Without stopping along the way, Chen Fei arrived at the sect's main hall, where he happened to see the sect leader, Qu Qingsheng, and the elder Zhou Zixuan discussing matters. When they saw Chen Fei, both of them stopped their conversation.

"Just returned? Is there something urgent?" Qu Qingsheng noticed Chen Fei's hurried appearance and asked with curiosity.

"Reporting to the sect leader, there is an eerie being in Shang Wu City, a Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being!" Chen Fei looked at Qu Qingsheng and said solemnly.

"A Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being?" Zhou Zixuan, who had been smiling before, suddenly exclaimed.

For a cultivator to transform themselves into an eerie being was an extremely difficult, nearly impossible task. After all, the vitality and chill of an eerie being were completely incompatible with a cultivator's life force.

Those who attempted to transform themselves into eerie beings ultimately ended up as simple eerie beings without any intelligence, bearing no resemblance to human eerie beings.

After all, in that extremely chilling state, one's intelligence couldn't possibly remain intact.

The higher one's cultivation level, the lower the likelihood of such a transformation.

A Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being was simply inconceivable, and there was no possibility of success whatsoever. This was precisely why Zhou Zixuan was so surprised when he heard Chen Fei's words.

"Tell me all the details of what you know," Qu Qingsheng said, his smile fading as well. If the situation was indeed as Chen Fei described it, then it was going to be a big problem.

Chen Fei briefly recounted what he knew, leaving out the part about the Yashan Army and focusing on Master Xi Lian's cave and his encounter in Shang Wu City.

"You all stay here; I'll pay a visit to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect."

Qu Qingsheng furrowed his brows after hearing Chen Fei's account. Eerie beings were public enemies, and a Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being was astounding news. However, considering the distance between Shang Wu City and the Immortal Cloud City, would the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect even care?

Each sect tended to its own affairs and rarely interfered in the business of others..

Chapter 368: High-Grade Magical Treasure

An hour later, the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect sent word to the Yu family, and within a stick of incense's time, representatives from both the Yu family and the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect headed to Shang Wu City to investigate the situation.

The threat of a Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being was boundless, but for now, this matter was only known from Chen Fei's account. To determine if it was true or not, it was necessary to personally confirm it.

Half a day later, the news came back that Shang Wu City had indeed turned into a bizarre city. However, the exact cause of this transformation and whether it was due to a Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being could not be confirmed.

Nevertheless, the city exuded a heavy and oppressive atmosphere, far surpassing ordinary bizarre cities in terms of the immense power it contained.

The representatives sent by the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect and the Yu family were both strong cultivators in the Combined aperture tempering realm later stage. However, even they did not dare to enter Shang Wu City themselves.

After all, if there really was a Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being inside Shang Wu City, stepping into it would be a one-way trip with no chance of return. There would be no other outcome.

"I'm afraid 1'11 have to trouble you, Brother," Tong Zhongqiu said to Yu Shoucheng softly.

Tong Zhongqiu couldn't easily leave the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, as doing so would leave the sect vulnerable to an attack by Divine Flame Sect's Jian Jingsheng. Even with various defensive formations, the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect wouldn't withstand an assault by a Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator.

Furthermore, the matter of the Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being needed to be confirmed for its accuracy.

As for whether they would need to join forces to eliminate the eerie being, that would be a matter for later. However, if they couldn't even confirm the accuracy of the information, it would be too negligent.

"Combined aperture tempering realm eerie beings, even in the Endless Sea, are seldom heard of," Yu Shoucheng exclaimed.

"It may not be true; perhaps it's just a false alarm," Tong Zhongqiu whispered.

"Go take a look, and we'll know if it's true or false."

Yu Shoucheng smiled faintly, stood up, and politely bowed to Tong Zhongqiu. In the next moment, he transformed into a rainbow of light shooting into the sky, heading towards Shang Wu City.

Tong Zhongqiu stood below, sensing Yu Shoucheng's aura receding into the distance, and his gaze showed some fluctuations.

In less than half an hour, Yu Shoucheng appeared within the territory of Shang Wu City.

In the sky, Yu Shoucheng stood hovering, with the night wind swirling around him, unable to get near him.

From a distant place just moments ago, Yu Shoucheng had sensed the aura of Shang Wu City, eerie and bizarre. At first, he didn't feel much difference compared to regular eerie cities.

However, as he drew closer, Yu Shoucheng finally sensed a hint of vitality within the chilling aura of Shang Wu City.

This kind of vitality was out of place in a bizarre city. It shouldn't belong to eerie phenomena.

Moreover, this vitality was growing steadily over time. At this moment, Shang Wu City seemed like an embryo, nurturing a new life.

Eerie phenomena and life had no connection, yet at this moment, they were inexplicably intertwined.

Contradiction and fusion, a chaotic sensation that seemed to drive one to madness.

"Hmm!"

As if sensing Yu Shoucheng's gaze, the entire Shang Wu City trembled slightly, as if it had been startled. The sense of vitality disappeared in an instant, leaving only the eerie and bizarre aura circulating within Shang Wu City.

"If we forcefully kill him at this moment…"

Yu Shoucheng sensed the changes in Shang Wu City, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Human anomalies were formidable adversaries, but the gestating human anomaly, from another perspective, was a rare treasure.

With the methods obtained from the Endless Sea, if executed properly and with sufficient strength, it was entirely possible to forcibly refine Shang Wu City and infuse it into a magical treasure.

At that time, he could directly elevate a low-grade magical treasure to a medium-grade magical treasure.

If the quality of the magical treasure itself was good enough, there was even hope of elevating it to the level of a high-grade magical treasure.

A high-grade magical treasure was incredibly valuable.

With Yu Shoucheng's current cultivation at the early stage of Combined aperture tempering realm, if he could possess a high-grade magical treasure and harness the power of such a treasure for his cultivation, he was confident that he could advance to the mid-stage of Combined aperture tempering realm within ten years.

And this was far from the end, as even in the mid-stage of Combined aperture tempering realm, with the support of a high-grade magical treasure, he could continue to accelerate his cultivation. If all aspects of resources were kept up, it was not impossible to advance to the late stage of Combined aperture tempering realm through continuous cultivation.

Even if he couldn't possess a high-grade magical treasure, a medium-grade magical treasure would still significantly increase Yu Shoucheng's cultivation speed.

Back when the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect melted down two low-grade magical treasures in the hopes of creating a medium-grade magical treasure to aid in their cultivation, it was for this reason.

And if Yu Shoucheng possessed a medium-grade magical treasure, in a one-on-one battle, whether it was Tong Zhongqiu from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect or Jian Jinsheng from the Divine Flame Sect, none of them would be his match.

After some careful planning, the Immortal Cloud City would be renamed the Yu City. Although this region had thin spiritual energy, with the resources surrounding the Immortal Cloud City, it might not be impossible to cultivate the next Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator for the Yu family.

Thinking about all of this, Yu Shoucheng's breathing became somewhat rapid. All that was needed was to enter Shang Wu City, find its core, and forcefully refine it.

Then, all the visions he had just imagined would become a reality. The Yu family would truly become the rulers of the Immortal Cloud City, and even in the future, when they returned to the Endless Sea, they would have a place of their own.

"What a formidable soul-hooking technique! It's a pity that we didn't meet over a hundred years ago."

The fluctuations in Yu Shoucheng's aura, which had been unsettled for a moment, returned to calm, and his eyes regained their clarity. The thoughts that had been stirred within him were directly suppressed by Yu Shoucheng.

After Yu Shoucheng spoke, he received no response, as if he were talking to himself.

With a faint smile, Yu Shoucheng waved his right hand, and a seal materialized in the air.

The seal swelled in the wind, and in the blink of an eye, it grew to the size of a mountain. The next moment, the seal crashed down and covered Shang Wu City.

Shang Wu City trembled violently, and countless eerie auras burst forth, resisting the invasion of the seal.

The elemental energy from all directions surged violently due to the conflict between the two sides, like a raging river and a roaring sea. More than ten miles away, the two Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect and the Yu family, witnessing the changes in Shang Wu City, involuntarily held their breaths.

In the realm of Combined aperture tempering, one soars high above, freely navigating between the heavens and the earth. The elemental energy of the world is under their control, and with a simple technique, they possess the power to cause mountains to crumble and the earth to quake.

This is true greatness, an existence that cannot be defeated merely by numbers.

A quarter of an hour later, with a cold snort from Yu Shoucheng, the seal shattered, but it did not dissipate completely. Instead, it transformed into countless seals that spread throughout the four corners of Shang Wu City.

The earth's energy connected, and elemental energy permeated the seals. In the blink of an eye, a formation took shape, completely enveloping Shang Wu City. While the formation's power wasn't strong, it could slightly hinder Shang Wu City's absorption of the elemental energy of the heavens and earth.

The eerie being in Shang Wu City was still in an embryonic state and couldn't move freely, but the power it possessed was already inconceivable. Relying solely on Yu Shoucheng, it couldn't be suppressed.

Given this situation, Yu Shoucheng chose to block the elemental energy, a retaliation for the emotions he had stirred up earlier.

Finally, Yu Shoucheng glanced at Shang Wu City one last time, his figure swaying, and he disappeared into the air.

Over ten miles away, the Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Yu family, their ears slightly twitching, received a voice transmission from Yu Shoucheng. Together with the Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, they began their journey back to Immortal Cloud City.

The situation here had been investigated, and it indeed housed a Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being. This was no longer a matter that could be resolved by cultivators below the Combined aperture tempering realm.

To eradicate this eerie being, it was necessary to gather several Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators and launch a concerted attack, and even then, success was uncertain.

However, assembling multiple Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators was far from easy!

One day later, news of the Combined aperture tempering realm eerie being in Shang Wu City spread from Immortal Cloud City to all corners of the kingdom at an astonishing speed. This news sent shockwaves throughout the entire dynasty.

Everyone who heard this news and understood its implications couldn't help but feel a sense of dread and astonishment.

This eerie being had originated from Shang Wu City and had since completed its transformation. Although it still couldn't move, it was no longer as helpless as it appeared now.

In the future, wherever Shang Wu City went, it could be described as desolate, with bizarre phenomena running rampant. Wherever it passed, neither humans nor livestock could survive.

Furthermore, Shang Wu City would undoubtedly move towards densely populated areas. Due to the nature of eerie beings, they were compelled to feed on humans and cultivators, which set them apart fundamentally from other quirks.

The name of Master Xi Lian resounded far and wide once again, but this time it had turned into a curse, an eternal curse. However, no matter how vehemently he was cursed, it couldn't have any impact on Master Xi Lian.

In Qinhai City, countless people began to flee.

Their proximity to Shang Wu City was too perilous. After the eerie being had completed its transformation, the first place it might target was Qinhai City. The people of Qinhai City couldn't afford to gamble on whether Shang Wu City would be eliminated before completing its transformation.

If they won the gamble, everyone would rejoice. But if they lost, everything would be lost. No one was willing to risk their lives on such a gamble.

Although the world outside the city was dangerous, at least it was better than sitting idly by.

Within the Primordial Sword Sect, Chen Fei naturally heard everything. However, when it came to the eerie being in Shang Wu City, Chen Fei was powerless to resolve it. All he could do was continuously elevate his own cultivation realm.

This time in Shang Wu City, if it weren't for Chen Fei's solid foundation in cultivation, he might have already become trapped within it. Therefore, in matters of cultivation, there was never "enough," and there could never be "too much."

There was no limit to his advancement!

"Discover a technique. Would you like to spend ten elemental stones to simplify the Water-Jade Sword?"

"The Water-Jade Sword is simplifying… Simplification successful… Water-Jade Sword Starry Night Sword!"

"Discover a technique. Would you like to spend twelve elemental stones to simplify the Blade-Slaying Sword?"

"The Blade-Slaying Sword is simplifying… Simplification successful… Blade-Slaying Sword —> Primordial Sword!"

Thanks to the generous gift from the Yashan Sect, Chen Fei's speed in opening up his acupoints remained astonishing.

While opening up his acupoints, Chen Fei also simplified the four techniques he had retrieved. Simplifying the Primordial Sword Scripture was like nested dolls, with the third layer of cultivation nested within the second.

As for the other three inheritances, the Blade-Slaying Sword and Water-Jade Sword were straightforward, each pointing to two sword techniques within their respective doors. However, what left Chen Fei astounded was the Great Thunder Sword.

There was nothing left for it to point to, and yet it still simplified into something like this.

"Discover a technique. Would you like to spend ten elemental stones to simplify the Great Thunder Sword?"

"The Great Thunder Sword is simplifying… Simplification successful…. Great Thunder Sword -> Thunderous Snoring!"

Chapter 369: Great Disparity

Among cultivators, it was rare to hear someone snoring while sleeping. It wasn't to say it never happened, but it definitely belonged to the minority. After all, martial cultivation was a continuous process of self-improvement.

It was similar to how cultivators rarely fell ill. Unless a cultivator was injured, leading to bodily issues, common ailments like a cold were nearly impossible to afflict them.

As one's cultivation level increased, this phenomenon became even more pronounced. At the Visceral tempering realm, many substances that would be highly toxic to ordinary people could be ingested by cultivators and subsequently expelled by circulating their vitality.

Chen Fei contemplated the information on the simplified panel for a moment, then pursed his lips and emitted a snoring sound.

Within his sea of consciousness, there was no sudden enlightenment regarding the Great Thunder Sword technique. His first attempt had failed.

Chen Fei furrowed his brows slightly, thought for a moment, closed his eyes, and continued to produce the snoring sound.

This time, the sensation of the Great Thunder Sword technique appeared directly in Chen Fei's sea of consciousness. As he increased the volume of his snoring, the speed of his enlightenment seemed to rise as well.

The louder the sound, the more enlightenment he gained, until it echoed throughout the entire secret chamber like thunder.

Even with Chen Fei's current physical constitution, without specific vocal training, a loud shout would likely result in severe injury or even death in the Visceral tempering realm. At the very least, he would become extremely dizzy and disoriented, unable to see.

One could imagine just how loud the sound in the secret chamber had become. Fortunately, there was a formation covering the chamber, preventing the noise from escaping outside.

Otherwise, the entire Primordial Sword Sect would probably have heard Chen Fei's thunderous snores at this moment.

As the almost roaring snores continuously emanated from Chen Fei's mouth, realizations regarding the Great Thunder Sword technique cascaded into his sea of consciousness like an avalanche.

Chen Fei savored it like sweet candy, absorbing these insights without pause. A hint of a smile graced his face. It was the joy of enlightenment, and any person would probably go mad with delight at the speed of cultivation provided by such a technique.

With the third level of the Primordial Sword Scripture, the Blade-Slaying Sword, the Water-Jade Sword, and the Great Thunder Sword, Chen Fei devoted all his time to practicing them.

Except for occasional news of alchemical tasks from the Alchemist Alliance that took him outside Immortal Cloud City, Chen Fei didn't rest.

He resembled a true ascetic, yet he felt no pain or discomfort. Instead, he reveled in it. After all, every moment brought him tangible progress.

The four techniques progressed rapidly, and his opening of acupoints, fueled by ample resources, left no room for neglect, accumulating elemental energy at an astonishing speed.

Simultaneously, the support from the Primordial Sword Sect reached an unprecedented level.

The Sect Master, Qu Qingsheng, and Elder Zhou Zixuan drastically increased Chen Fei's monthly cultivation allotment. This wasn't just because Chen Fei had recovered the lost techniques of the sect but also because of his nearly monstrous talent.

To not support such talent would have been the height of foolishness for the sect. If they could accelerate Chen Fei's cultivation within a short time, it would provide the sect with formidable combat power much sooner.

Due to the need to conceal Chen Fei's true cultivation level and the recovered techniques, the resources allocated to his growth were given secretly by Qu Qingsheng.

This arrangement somewhat violated the sect's rules, for if it were discovered by others, it could pose a significant threat to the unity and stability of the entire sect.

However, after Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixuan discussed it, they decided to proceed discreetly. Revealing Chen Fei too early would have more disadvantages than advantages. Without sufficient reason, they couldn't convince the other elders.

In that case, it was better to act first and explain later. In a few years, even if those elders learned about these matters, there would be enough reasons to provide explanations.

The cultivation of the new techniques went smoothly, and there was no hindrance in opening acupoints. In less than a month, Chen Fei had opened seven more acupoints, bringing the total number of acupoints to fifty-two.

The pinnacle of the middle stage of the aperture tempering realm required the opening of seventy-two acupoints. Chen Fei's current number of acupoints was already approaching half of that.

And it had been less than three months since Chen Fei broke through to the middle stage of the aperture tempering realm.

In three months, he had opened sixteen acupoints. This speed was simply astounding.

For many newly advanced individuals, three months might not even be enough time to stabilize their realm, as they were still adapting to the changes in the powers of the middle stage of the aperture tempering realm.

But for Chen Fei, he had already reached the middle stage of the aperture tempering realm, taking a significant leap forward.

For everyone, as their cultivation realms advanced, their cultivation speed would slow down. Almost no one could defy this rule. Many prodigies might reach the peak of the Visceral tempering realm before the age of twenty.

However, at the age of twenty-five, they might only break through to the Early-stage of the aperture tempering realm. Then, it might take another thirty years to reach the Middle-stage of the aperture tempering realm.

Breaking through a minor realm in thirty years was considered extremely fast, and it would typically involve very few obstacles. Otherwise, just advancing from the Early-stage of the aperture tempering realm to the Middle-stage of the aperture tempering realm might take several years.

As one reached the Middle-stage of the aperture tempering realm, continuing to cultivate upwards became more challenging due to the constraints of core soul energy and comprehension of techniques. The cultivation speed would begin to decrease.

Wanting to break through to the Late-stage of the aperture tempering realm in just thirty years was not impossible, but it was extremely difficult. It required a combination of talent, resources, and determination.

This timeframe was for a genius's cultivation. For those with less talent or inferior techniques, or even those who lacked resources, the time required would be much longer.

Chen Fei had spent three months opening sixteen acupoints, which was even faster than his cultivation speed in the early stages of the Middle-stage of the aperture tempering realm. It was unbelievably fast.

At this point, Chen Fei had already consumed over half of the resources he obtained from Yashan Sect. His pace of cultivation had to slow down.

This was because Chen Fei's core soul energy was catching up to the number of acupoints.

Originally, after obtaining the source in the bizarre city, Chen Fei's core soul energy had reached the level of controlling forty-nine acupoints. After breaking through to the Middle-stage of the aperture tempering realm, his core soul energy had been tempered to control fifty-one acupoints.

Through this period of cultivation, his core soul energy had reached fifty-two acupoints, perfectly matching the number of acupoints he had opened. Chen Fei could continue to open more acupoints, and having them slightly exceed his core soul energy was not a significant issue. Many cultivators from major sects experienced this situation.

For instance, in the current Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, due to the supply of spirit pills, the speed of acupoint opening had increased significantly. However, the supply of spirit pills that enhanced core soul energy was scarce. This resulted in many elders in the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect having acupoint numbers higher than their core soul energy.

This could result in some sluggishness when channeling elemental energy. Chen Fei didn't want this situation to happen to him because it wouldn't make much sense. Having one or two more acupoints wouldn't significantly impact his combat power.

On the contrary, if the acupoints were higher than his core soul energy and he couldn't fully control the power, it could lead to a decrease in his combat ability, which would be more of a loss than a gain.

The resources from Yashan Sect were an unexpected windfall for Chen Fei. According to his original cultivation plan, his core soul energy would gradually increase through the stimulation and nurturing of elemental energy and techniques. Opening one or two acupoints per month would take at least two to three years to catch up to his core soul energy. However, now he had achieved a three-year plan in just three months.

During this month, in addition to the rapid increase in acupoint numbers, Chen Fei made significant progress in his comprehension of techniques.

He had successfully cultivated the third layer of the Primordial Sword Scripture to perfection. After all, the Primordial Sword Scripture he had obtained from Long Rainbow Sect contained a small portion of the third layer. At that time, Chen Fei had been continuously pondering and even considered whether he could use his own power to completely fill the gaps in the third layer.

Due to the considerable amount of time invested previously, Chen Fei was able to complete the third layer quickly once it was filled. While many elders in the Primordial Sword Sect were still diligently practicing the first layer of the Primordial Sword Scripture, Chen Fei had already mastered the third layer. The disparity represented a significant gap that would continue to widen in the future.

As soon as the third layer of the Primordial Sword Scripture was completed, Chen Fei integrated the Soaring Heaven Technique into the manual. This enhanced the power of the sword formation, increasing the speed of each sword pearl significantly. While the strength remained the same as before, the overall power was incomparable.

The same power, when unleashed at different speeds, yields significantly different results. It's a mutually reinforcing effect, where both aspects are indispensable.

Apart from enhancing the sword formation, Chen Fei didn't neglect the other three cultivation techniques—Blade-Slaying Sword, Water-Jade Sword, and Great Thunder Sword. He advanced steadily towards mastery in all of them.

In particular, the progress in mastering the Great Thunder Sword had left the Blade-Slaying Sword and Water-Jade Sword behind, requiring only a small portion more to reach the level of mastery.

It's worth mentioning that despite the peculiar nature of the simplification of the Great Thunder Sword, the speed of cultivation was truly remarkable. After all, the Blade-Slaying Sword and Water-Jade Sword still required swordplay techniques, while the Great Thunder Sword only demanded loud shouting with eyes closed. The louder the shout, the faster the cultivation, naturally putting it far ahead of the other two disciplines.

While Chen Fei was immersed in his intensive training, oblivious to worldly matters, significant changes were unfolding outside the mountain gate. These changes were instigated by the presence of the personified menace known as the eerie being, Master Xi Lian.

Eerie beings could be considered the arch-nemesis of humanity, whether ordinary people or cultivators. When an eerie being regards you as food, reconciliation becomes impossible.

If it was an eerie being of any other cultivation level, Shang Wu City would probably have been wiped out by now. However, this was a combined aperture tempering realm eerie being. Non-combined aperture tempering realm human cultivators couldn't possibly stop Master Xi Lian.

For cultivators of other realms, going to Shang Wu City would mean certain death. The number of casualties would be meaningless, and in fact, a larger number might accelerate the transformation of Shang Wu City.

While there was no unanimous agreement on the combined aperture tempering realm-level collective attack, dozens of miles around Shang Wu City were already occupied by major factions, closely monitoring the changes in Shang Wu City..

Chapter 370: Overlord

All the sects that were slightly reputable had sent their cultivators to Shang Wu City. Currently, Shang Wu City had not yet fully transformed, and it was separated by several dozen miles, so there was no immediate danger.

Many sects hoped to obtain the latest information, so they sent their disciples here to closely monitor the situation.

Among them, there were several sects with immense strength, as they all had experts at the Combined aperture tempering realm.

Within the territory of this dynasty, it was not only the Cloud Immortal Sword Sect that possessed experts at the Combined aperture tempering realm. If that were the case, the Cloud Immortal Sword Sect would not have gained fame throughout the region, but would have dominated the entire dynasty.

Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators were natural overlords. While there weren't many experts at this realm within this dynasty, there were still a few. However, in their daily lives, most of these combined aperture tempering realm cultivators maintained their own territories and seldom interfered with one another. Each ruled their own domain, and there was no clear hierarchy among them.

Back when the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect had two Combined aperture tempering realm experts simultaneously, it was already considered a formidable force among many factions, not far behind in terms of reputation.

Because of this, many people rushed to Immortal Cloud City, hoping to join the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.

Around Shang Wu City, various forces had gathered, and there were occasional conflicts, but for the most part, they exercised restraint. After all, the most critical issue at the moment was the eerie being within Shang Wu City.

One day, a massive boulder suddenly flew from the direction of Shang Wu City and crashed onto the ground, producing a deafening noise.

This noise attracted nearby cultivators, who cautiously approached. After confirming that there was no danger, they gathered around and noticed that this huge rock was engraved with text. Once they carefully read the inscriptions, the expressions on their faces changed dramatically.

There is nothing else; the text on this giant stone is actually a cultivation technique. The reason that made their faces turn pale is that this cultivation teaches how to transform a cultivator into an eerie being.

It's not about becoming half-human, half-eerie; it's about becoming genuinely eerie, in the state of an "eerie-being."

Being half-human and half-eerie still centers around being mostly human, with some parts of the body transformed eerily. In essence, it involves harnessing eerie power through the drive of elemental energy.

While this cultivation is also cruel, at most, it can be as unconventional. However, compared to the true eerie being state, which is considered a common enemy, there is absolutely no comparison.

After seeing this cultivation, these cultivators dared not delay and promptly relayed the information back to their respective sects or factions.

Two hours later, numerous cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm arrived at the giant stone. They looked at the recorded cultivation with solemn expressions. Some of them considered destroying the giant stone on the spot, but they were stopped by others.

Half a day later, a terrifying pressure emerged in the sky, indicating that combined aperture tempering realm experts had arrived.

It wasn't just one of them; within moments, several waves of pressure covered the surroundings, leaving ordinary cultivators breathless. Even those at the Aperture tempering realm stage stood obediently below, not daring to make any unnecessary movements.

The giant stone was suspended in mid-air, and several consciousnesses clashed in the sky.

The contents of the cultivation had actually been transmitted to various factions almost immediately. These combined aperture tempering realm experts had already seen the cultivation's contents.

They had come here only to confirm.

H

It can only be practiced by those at the combined aperture tempering realm, and as one's life nears its end, the chances of success increase. It's utterly absurd!" a voice angrily exclaimed, like the roaring thunder.

"Looking at what this cultivation says, there's some reasoning behind it, perhaps not entirely false," someone whispered.

"Oh, so you want to give it a try? Transform yourself into an eerie being? Well, then, your West Cliff Sect can prepare to be annihilated!" someone sneered.

"Annihilate my West Cliff Sect? Hahaha, Zhang Tu, you can certainly try, whether it's the West Cliff Sect that gets wiped out, or if you, Zhang Tu, die in front of me first!"

"I never had the chance before, but today, I'm eager to try!" Zhang Tu said fiercely.

"Enough, we haven't dealt with Master Xi Lian yet, and you're already fighting amongst yourselves. This will become a joke!" someone quickly tried to mediate.

"Hmph!" Zhang Tu snorted coldly and said no more.

"Eliminate an old man like me? 1 kindly offered you this cultivation, and this is how you repay me?"

A sinister voice echoed in the sky, and a chilling aura instantly spread in all directions. The combined aperture tempering realm experts ignored this chill, but the cultivators on the ground felt their bodies stiffening.

The aperture tempering realm experts only sensed their elemental energy slowing down, but for those below the aperture tempering realm, even moving a step seemed almost impossible.

"Master Xi Lian? You old man, you dare to show up today! Everyone, let's join forces and eliminate this eerie being!" Zhang Tu's aura suddenly exploded, and his killing intent covered the direction of the Shang Wu City.

"Killing an old man like me is a minor matter, I can be killed at any time. But don't you want to understand this cultivation a bit?" A figure appeared in mid-air, and it was Master Xi Lian himself.

He looked at the surrounding combined aperture tempering realm experts with a faint smile and said, "Becoming an eerie being may have many drawbacks, but one thing you cannot deny is that it greatly extends our lifespan."

A few combined aperture tempering realm experts, who had been gearing up with Zhang Tu's words, couldn't help but show a hint of curiosity at Master Xi Lian's words.

The lifespan in the aperture tempering realm is two hundred years, while in the combined aperture tempering realm, it's three hundred years.

Three hundred years, in the context of the average human lifespan in this world, is nearly four to five times longer. To ordinary people, individuals with such lifespans appear godlike.

However, for those in the combined aperture tempering realm, three hundred years is still too short. It's not enough time for them to advance to the next level of cultivation.

In any faction or power, combined aperture tempering realm experts are considered supreme beings. No one surpasses them, and they are born rulers.

They enjoy all the world's riches, and their every word is obeyed without question. It's a life of unparalleled freedom and indulgence. Three hundred years are simply inadequate.

But unfortunately, combined aperture tempering realm experts can only reach a lifespan of three hundred years. Increasing it even slightly is exceedingly difficult. Lifespan is something they all avoid but ultimately have to confront.

ii

Do you intend to devour all of us to extend your lifespan?" Zhang Tu sneered.

"I can sustain my wisdom by just consuming only fifty thousand people a year.

If you all cultivate, you would need just this many people as well. Isn't this a good deal?" Master Xi Lian laughed loudly.

The expressions of several combined aperture tempering realm experts changed.

Is fifty thousand people a year too much? It seems like it because the combined population of many towns might not even reach fifty thousand. Devouring fifty thousand people in a year would be equivalent to consuming an entire town.

However, at the same time, fifty thousand a year might not be considered much. Because this kingdom is vast with many towns, fifty thousand seems insignificant in comparison.

If becoming an eerie being and maintaining one's wisdom only requires these conditions, it doesn't seem entirely unacceptable. After all, compared to exhausting one's lifespan and facing death, living on is undoubtedly more tempting.

"Nonsense! Just with your words, how can you disrupt our mental state?" Zhang Tu shouted angrily, and a surge of blade light swallowed Master Xi Lian's phantom.

"Hahaha, this technique, you all can take it back and contemplate it. If you have any doubts, feel free to come find me. I'll be waiting!" Master Xi Lian's voice resonated from the direction of Shang Wu City, shaking the surroundings.

Zhang Tu glanced at the other combined aperture tempering realm experts with his stern face. With a flash, he disappeared, realizing that the others had lost interest in surrounding and killing Master Xi Lian.

They were all captivated by Master Xi Lian's words.

It didn't necessarily mean they would cultivate it, as becoming an eerie being was not a trivial matter. But contemplating the technique back home was entirely reasonable.

As for killing Master Xi Lian, Shang Wu City was still there, and whether it happened sooner or later didn't matter much.

The oppressive aura in the sky gradually dissipated, and the cultivators on the ground couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief. The words they had just heard weighed heavily on their hearts.

Especially for those combined aperture tempering realm experts, they understood the pain of nearing the end of their lifespan and being unable to break through in their cultivation. If they could extend their lives, many cultivators might resort to various means.

Master Xi Lian's technique became widely known quickly because too many people and factions were aware of it, making it impossible to keep it a secret. It soon spread far and wide.

News about the combined aperture tempering realm and the appearance of an eerie being was naturally suited for spreading, so all the streets and alleys in every city were abuzz with discussions about this matter.

Countless people cursed vehemently, filled with anger.

There were also many who felt uneasy, not knowing if this was true or false. If it were true, would those combined aperture tempering realm experts, akin to gods, really choose to cultivate this?

If it were true, it would be a disaster for ordinary people.

In the Primordial Sword Sect, Chen Fei also heard these rumors, and his brow furrowed.

Master Xi Lian's move had effectively scattered the combined aperture tempering realm experts who were surrounding him. At least for a short period, it was unlikely that any combined aperture tempering realm experts would attempt to surround and kill him.

The power of an eerie being was inherently versatile, and Master Xi Lian had intentionally transformed Shang Wu City into an Eerie Being City, greatly inflating his own power.

As a result, without several combined aperture tempering realm experts cooperating, it was impossible to destroy Shang Wu City.

However, such battles would inevitably lead to casualties. Each combined aperture tempering realm expert was an important figure in their faction, and any misstep would be a massive disaster for their respective forces.

Cooperation was already difficult, and now this new technique had completely disrupted the situation.

Master Xi Lian had played a big move, and it remained to be seen how the various parties would respond to this eerie being.

The question remained: Would there really be combined aperture tempering realm experts nearing the end of their lifespan who would choose to cultivate this technique in exchange for a longer life?

Everyone values their life, especially those high and mighty combined aperture tempering realm experts!

Chen Fei's gaze involuntarily shifted toward the Primordial Sword Sect. If we're talking about combined aperture tempering realm experts nearing the end of their lifespan, wasn't there one right there?

"Is Master Chen here?" Chi Shuqing, from the Sunken Water Pavilion, stood outside Chen Fei's courtyard, smiling warmly and speaking softly.

Chen Fei appeared outside the courtyard, looking somewhat surprised at Chi Shuqing. Compared to their last meeting, Chi Shuqing had become even more charming and enchanting. In her gaze towards Chen Fei, there were even more ripples like water.

"Has your injuries fully healed?" Chen Fei asked with a smile.

"The last time your treatment was extremely effective, and my cultivation has improved a bit as well. I'm deeply grateful," Chi Shuqing said with a slight bow, a hint of blush quietly creeping up her cheeks..

Chapter 371: Heaven's Favorite

"What brings you here this time?" Chen Fei looked at Chi Shuqing with her delicate and charming appearance, his heart slightly moved.

"I have some doubts in my cultivation and would like to seek guidance from Master Chen. May I?" Chi Shuqing raised her head, casting a gentle bite on her lip.

"There's no reason to refuse. Please come in," Chen Fei replied with a soft smile and welcomed Chi Shuqing into the house.

A moment later, the room echoed with somewhat intense sounds, as if Chi Shuqing was enduring something, likely experiencing some pain during her cultivation.

"Master Chen, your cultivation…" Chi Shuqing gazed at Chen Fei with eyes filled with incredulity.

How had Chen Fei's cultivation grown so much in such a short time? It seemed he had already reached the mid-stage of the aperture tempering realm, and not just recently broken through to that stage.

It had only been a month since her last visit, and even though both of them had experienced some growth in their cultivation at that time, it couldn't have happened so quickly!

"I've had some gains in my recent cultivation," Chen Fei replied.

All…" Chi Shuqing made a soft sound from her nose, unable to inquire further. Her entire body felt devoid of strength, and she could only go with the flow.

The spiritual energy around the courtyard began to fluctuate, converging towards this location. For a full two hours, the spiritual energy ebbed and flowed like a river, sometimes calm as a gentle stream and other times turbulent like crashing waves.

Occasionally, Chi Shuqing's voice could be heard, shouting words with unclear meaning.

The cultivation of this technique was truly peculiar and hard to fathom, making it difficult to grasp the mysteries within unless one was immersed in it.

The elemental energy in all directions gradually calmed down, and the activity inside the house returned to normal, as if nothing had happened just moments ago.

"I have a question for you," Chen Fei's voice came through, sounding quite calm.

"Please go ahead, Master Chen," Chi Shuqing's voice sounded extremely lazy, as if she had no intention of moving at all and just wanted to lie there peacefully.

She was feeling a bit tired.

"Does the Sunken Water Pavilion have a method to enhance one's core soul energy?"

"Core soul energy?"

Chi Shuqing looked up at Chen Fei with some confusion. Just now, due to their shared cultivation, Chi Shuqing could sense Chen Fei's core soul energy, which was both powerful and agile, far superior to that of an average mid-stage aperture tempering realm cultivator.

Obviously, Chen Fei must have a core soul energy cultivation method to have refined his core soul energy to such an extent in such a short time. In this situation, he could simply follow the normal path of cultivation.

"The speed of opening acupoints exceeds that of core soul energy," Chen Fei explained when he noticed Chi Shuqing's confusion.

Chi Shuqing's eyes widened slightly as she realized Chen Fei's current level of cultivation. She felt a mix of admiration, envy, and a hint of satisfaction in her heart. Such a young genius had formed a bond with her, surpassing many fellow disciples.

"We have an internal secret method that can enhance core soul energy, but it's extremely difficult to cultivate, and over the years, there haven't been many who succeeded," Chi Shuqing whispered.

"Can I cultivate this?" Chen Fei's heart stirred, and as for the difficulty of cultivation, he didn't concern himself with it.

"If we cultivate together, it's permitted within the sect," replied Chi Shuqing with a touch of shyness.

"Please teach me, Miss Chi!" Chen Fei said in a solemn tone.

After a while, the aura around the courtyard began to fluctuate again. Compared to the previous occurrence, the initial aura fluctuations were not intense, but as time passed, they gradually intensified.

In the end, it was like surging ocean waves.

"Master… Did you learn this technique before?" Chi Shuqing's body went weak, and her mind was as shocked as the fluctuating aura, which left her speechless.

Clearly, they had just imparted the technique, and the initial operation of the technique was a bit sluggish. However, Chen Fei's progress speed afterward was simply unbelievable.

"I haven't learned it before, but it's not difficult," Chen Fei said with a smile on his face. Surprisingly, this method significantly improved his core soul energy even faster than his previous methods.

Chi Shuqing didn't reply because she had no strength to do so. The aura from all directions had completely engulfed her, and her body and mind seemed to be floating in the clouds.

Swaying and drifting, she didn't know where she was.

Chi Shuqing only knew that she had truly encountered a genius. Even the legendary talents she had heard of couldn't compare to Chen Fei.

Chi Shuqing unabashedly stayed in Chen Fei's courtyard for five days. After five days, she had to leave because she found herself unable to bear it any longer.

Chen Fei was like an ancient beast, showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

Moreover, because Chen Fei took the lead in guiding the technique, the progress was astonishingly fast, causing Chi Shuqing's cultivation and mental growth to exceed her physical limits in a short time.

On the other hand, Chen Fei had no issues at all and even seemed to enjoy it.

In just five days, Chen Fei's core soul energy had skyrocketed from controlling fifty-two acupoints to sixty. This rate of cultivation was simply unbelievable.

Although the further he progressed, the slower the cultivation speed became, it was still far superior to most spiritual pills and elixirs.

However, this rapid progress was likely a one-time occurrence. The Chi Shuqing's technique from the Sunken Water Pavilion was indeed mysterious, but it mostly involved utilizing the collision of Yin and Yang energies to tap into the body's potential.

Chen Fei's surge in core soul energy to sixty acupoints seemed to have fully converted some of the latent potential absorbed from the bizarre city origin into his body.

Therefore, expecting such results every time was unrealistic.

Nevertheless, practicing this technique together with Chi Shuqing was indeed much faster than doing it alone.

"Master, please wait." Chi Shuqing looked at Chen Fei with tender affection in her eyes, took a light step, and disappeared on the spot.

Chen Fei watched as Chi Shuqing left and then turned back to the courtyard.

These five days primarily focused on tempering core soul energy, and of course, there was no neglect in the growth of elemental power. In five days, an acupoint was opened, reaching a total of fifty-three acupoints.

The main reason for Chi Shuqing's visit to Chen Fei was to enhance her cultivation. Of course, building a connection was also essential.

The unexpected surge in core soul energy was beyond her expectations. Even though Chi Shuqing recognized Chen Fei's extraordinary talent, she never anticipated that he would master a technique in such a short period.

This revelation also resolved a lingering question in Chi Shuqing's mind: why Chen Fei's cultivation speed was so fast and how his combat power became so strong.

With such astounding comprehension, mastering a technique for Chen Fei was only a matter of time, and a very short one at that.

While other cultivators in the Aperture tempering realm struggled with their techniques, sometimes for days or months without progress, Chen Fei could make rapid breakthroughs in his technique.

Under these circumstances, how could Chen Fei's cultivation not be fast, and how could his combat power not be formidable?

Now, Chen Fei had already reached the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm. The late stage of the Aperture tempering realm would probably pose no difficulty for him.

This meant that Chi Shuqing's indebtedness and connection were not tied to a future prominent figure but to someone who was on the verge of becoming a towering presence.

Although Chi Shuqing believed there might be flaws in the Primordial Sword Sect's technique, for such a prodigy, a technique sometimes couldn't hinder their progress.

Chi Shuqing was still unaware of the Primordial Sword Sect's recovery of their technique. Otherwise, even this slight concern would have vanished without a trace.

Chen Fei refocused his energy on his cultivation. With the temporary resolution of his core soul energy issues, he could continue using the resources he obtained from the Yashan Sect to increase the number of his acupoints.

While Chen Fei diligently practiced, the outside world had already started to stir.

The Primordial Sword Sect had originally obtained a technique within the Strange Wind Realm that allowed them to transform themselves partially into eerie beings. However, this was only partial eerie being transformation, which was fundamentally different from becoming a complete eerie being, especially a human eerie being.

Moreover, that technique was for those in the Aperture tempering realm and was not perfected. Compared to the technique deliberately spread by Master Xi Lian, it was like night and day, utterly incomparable.

Master Xi Lian was the first in this realm to successfully transform himself into a person eerie being while being a cultivator of the Aperture tempering realm. In the past, there were instances of Aperture tempering realm cultivators transforming into eerie beings, but those were still within the Aperture tempering realm, and a peak Aperture tempering realm expert was enough to suppress them.

The higher one's cultivation, the harder it was to become something strange or supernatural. It was considered impossible for a combined aperture tempering realm cultivator to become a human eerie being.

At the mountain gate of the Yu Clan.

"Elder, is the cultivation technique that Master Xi Lian gave us real??" Yu Zhanrong asked Yu Shoucheng in a soft voice.

Now, due to Master Xi Lian's technique, people's hearts were unsettled. Master Xi Lian did not give the technique secretly to a specific combined aperture tempering realm cultivator but spread it to everyone, creating suspicion among them.

In this realm, there were few young combined aperture tempering realm cultivators, and most of them were already over two hundred years old. Some individuals have several decades to over a hundred years left, while others, the minority, now have only about thirty to forty years remaining.

For combined aperture tempering realm cultivators, crossing into the next realm was beyond their reach, and finding a genius treasure that could extend their lifespan was also extremely difficult.

In the past, they could only console themselves, thinking that all combined aperture tempering realm cultivators faced the same situation and couldn't change it. But now, with Master Xi Lian successfully transforming into an eerie being, they couldn't help but ponder further.

The technique inscribed on the massive stone was only a general outline, and many details were not disclosed by Master Xi Lian. However, even from the outline alone, one can clearly see the extraordinary nature of this technique.

" 50,000 people a year to transcend the lifespan limitations of the combined aperture tempering realm, it's indeed a great temptation!" Yu Shoucheng's lips curled into a mocking smile.

He continued, "If it were really that simple, the Endless Sea would have been full of eerie beings long ago. How could it have been so many years without a single one appearing?"

Isn't it because there are experts in the Mountain Sea realm suppressing them?" Yu Zhanrong asked with doubt.

"Even in the Mountain Sea realm, there are loved ones. If it truly only required fifty thousand people a year, how do you think the Mountain Sea realm cultivators would choose?" Yu Shoucheng turned to look at Yu Zhanrong and said in a deep voice, "Human nature is already lacking. What do you think would happen if they became eerie beings?"

Yu Zhanrong's face slightly changed. Human nature is inherently greedy, and those who ruthlessly transform themselves into eerie beings must possess immense determination and desires. Moreover, the claim of fifty thousand a year is only what Master Xi Lian said; no one knows the actual truth.

"In that case, Elder, what should we do?" Yu Zhanrong asked in a low voice.

"Spread my words. However, for those who have made up their minds, they won't listen to anything else.. They'll only do what they believe is right!"