"Open for me!" Murong Wenyuan shouted, his cultivation of the ninth level of Qi Refining bursting forth, attacking Qin Wang's body to break free from his control. He knew that as long as he held out until his uncle appeared, he would be safe. Given his uncle's Foundation Establishment cultivation, he would surely be aware of the commotion here. Murong Wenyuan had brought low-level rogue cultivators for his uncle many times before without issue, thanks to their seamless cooperation and the protective array covering this villa. This brat couldn't escape!
"Heh…" Qin Wang's eyes narrowed. With the execution of the Otherworld Sword Technique, a small, fiery red sword formed from his spiritual power entered Murong Wenyuan's body through his fat hand, wreaking havoc inside him.
"No!" Murong Wenyuan felt the terrifying sword energy invade his meridians, his face filled with horror as he shouted, "Uncle, save me!" He hadn't expected this seemingly unremarkable Li Xiaoye to have such strange methods—spiritual power transforming into numerous small fire swords that severed his meridians, burning them.
"Pu!" Murong Wenyuan spat blood, his eyes losing focus as he collapsed. His soul rose faintly from his body and was captured by the soul-gathering bowl in Qin Wang's hand.
"Seeking death!" At that moment, a deep, enraged voice echoed. A white-robed, fifty-year-old man with an immortal demeanor appeared three meters away from Qin Wang. As soon as he appeared, he cast a spell towards a fake mountain in the villa's square.
Buzz! The villa trembled, and a light shield enveloped it, cloaking it. Simultaneously, a powerful aura spread from the man, revealing his Foundation Establishment cultivation! Murong Qianye waved his hand, summoning a large hand of spiritual power that grabbed at Qin Wang!
"Whoosh!" Qin Wang released his immense spiritual sense and flicked his storage pouch. Instantly, nine small Qingyou swords formed a sword formation that shredded Murong Qianye's large spiritual hand, turning to attack him!
"You… you're at the Foundation Establishment stage?" Seeing Qin Wang's formidable sword formation, Murong Qianye was shocked, unable to believe his eyes. He had obtained a demonic legacy, needing to absorb souls and blood to refine a demonic artifact, and had his nephew lure rogue cultivators who had no backing and wouldn't be missed if they disappeared. It had been a foolproof plan until now.
"Humph! Foundation Establishment stage!" Murong Qianye sighed in relief upon recognizing Qin Wang's cultivation. He had been at the Foundation Establishment stage for fifteen years, just shy of mid-stage, with proficient spells and a demonic artifact in hand, as well as the villa's trapping array. He was confident he could handle Qin Wang.
Murong Qianye pulled out a pitch-black banner about three feet long, covered in skulls, giving off a chilling aura.
"Ahhhh~~~" "Die!" "I will bite you and haunt you forever!" Countless wraiths and ghosts, at least several thousand, emerged from the banner, shrieking and lunging at Qin Wang, some even targeting the Qingyou swords. But the Qingyou swords continuously obliterated the ghosts.
"Spirits?" Qin Wang took out the soul-gathering bowl again. A three-foot-wide vortex appeared, drawing in the countless spirits instantly.
"Ah?" Murong Qianye, seeing Qin Wang's stronger demonic artifact, was stunned. His own treasured banner, capable of absorbing spirits and blood to grow stronger, had been his trump card. Now, facing a more formidable demonic cultivator, he was outmatched.
Murong Qianye retrieved the banner and drew a five-foot-long bone spear, exuding terrifying malice, aiming at Qin Wang.
"Whoosh!" "Clang!" The bone spear clashed with a Qingyou sword and snapped in two. Another Qingyou sword pierced Murong Qianye's shield and chest.
"Ah!!!" Murong Qianye screamed, disbelieving as he looked at the blood hole in his chest, then at Qin Wang. Despite nearing mid-Foundation Establishment and possessing a demonic legacy, he had fallen to this initial Foundation Establishment cultivator. His strength ebbed away as he collapsed.
"Qingyou Sword Formation, impressive!" Qin Wang collected the formation, satisfied. Without needing his Earth Dragon King, Mu Hun II, or Chu Hun IV, the Qingyou Sword Formation alone had sufficed. He grabbed Murong Qianye's storage pouch and absorbed his soul with the soul-gathering bowl.
"Another Foundation Establishment puppet! Excellent!" Qin Wang stowed Murong Qianye's body and was delighted.
Zhang Fuxiang entered the villa, dismantling the array and collecting Murong Qianye's possessions. After a while, Qin Wang and Zhang Fuxiang left with their spoils.
In a cave eighty miles deep into the Tianxia Mountains, Shi Hun III, Lin Shengbing, and Ye Qian continued digging out the cave dwelling while Qin Wang and Zhang Fuxiang meditated. Qin Wang examined the contents of Murong Qianye's storage pouch, astounded by the bounty inside.
Three demonic artifacts—the Spirit Banner, Bone Spear, and Blood Demon Knife—along with 30,000 spirit stones, numerous Foundation Establishment pills, various spiritual herbs, and materials filled the pouch. Most importantly, he found the key to the hieroglyphic silver scroll.
Meanwhile, at the Tianchu Immortal Dynasty's capital, Chu Yunxiao, clad in green robes, faced eight Nascent Soul cultivators with a grim expression.
"Tuo Ba Daoyou! Liu Daoyou! This accusation is slander! Someone is framing me out of spite. Please give me time to find the culprit and clear my name. I will provide a satisfactory explanation to both the Tuo Ba family and Feng Yao Holy Land," Chu Yunxiao said, his voice resonating. Behind him stood Emperor Chu Wuyou and several Nascent Soul cultivators, all looking equally displeased.
"Chu Daoyou, my third sister, Tuo Ba Chunyan, went into the Tianxu Forbidden Land with you. Her soul plate shattered while you returned unharmed. Now, this news comes out. How do you explain this?" Tuo Ba Xiongfeng, a towering man exuding a dominant aura, demanded.