Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Epilogue, Chapter 1435.

Having successfully advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, Qin Hao was not in a hurry to leave seclusion.

Inside the secret chamber, spiritual energy swirled and Daoist principles flowed. Qin Hao first took out an object—the eyeball left behind by the three-eyed mutated demon beast he had casually crushed outside the Xiaoji Palace on Beiming Island years ago. This eyeball was entirely dark gold, and even after being separated from its body for many years, it still exuded a fierce, penetrating, and slightly chaotic aura, clearly indicating that its original bloodline was extraordinary.

Immediately, a thought flashed through his mind, and the light of the Void Heaven Cauldron flickered slightly.

The moment the Rat King's clone appeared, its gaze was drawn to the dark golden eyeball. It circled the floating eyeball a few times, its whiskers trembling slightly, and it kept making "tsk tsk" sounds, its tone filled with surprise and envy: "Eh? This is... the eye of a mutated demon beast containing a trace of the bloodline of the Cili beast? The Cili beast is a ferocious creature in the Spirit Realm known for its ability to see through illusions, shatter illusions, and directly attack the origin of the soul. Kid, you're really lucky! Such material is not ordinary even in the Spirit Realm."

Qin Hao remained calm as he tossed a blank jade slip to the Rat King's clone: ​​"Since you recognize it, you must also know the method of refining it. Refine this eyeball into a technique for using the Spirit Eye Divine Power in combat, and record it in this jade slip. This is part of your original promise."

The Rat King's clone took the jade slip and snorted twice: "I know this, of course. You're lucky, kid. I happened to have some research on this kind of bloodline supernatural power back then."

It stopped talking nonsense, knowing that this was the price to pay for freedom. It immediately gathered its soul power and began to inscribe a complex and profound sacrificial technique into the jade slip.

Before long, the jade slip was completed. Qin Hao took it, immersed his divine sense into it, and quickly browsed through it. At the same time, the AI ​​in his sea of ​​consciousness worked at high speed, beginning to deduce and optimize the refining method, and simulating the refining process to find possible risks and the optimal solution. After a moment, the AI ​​reported that the deduction was complete, with a success rate as high as 98%, and offered several minor suggestions for improvement.

"Fellow Daoist, you have now successfully advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, becoming a top being in this realm. Don't forget the agreement we made back then," the Rat King's avatar reminded him immediately after completing the transaction.

Qin Hao memorized the improved refining technique and nodded upon hearing this: "I, Zhang, always keep my word. After you emerge from seclusion, I will find a suitable place for you to protect you through the tribulation of transformation and set you free. However..." He changed the subject, his gaze sharpening as he looked at the Rat King's avatar: "Fellow Daoist, do not forget that after the tribulation, you must reveal the complete method for reading and interpreting the Silver Tadpole Script and the Golden Jade Book without reservation. This is the other half of the agreement we made."

"Of course!" The Rat King's clone patted his chest to assure him, then muttered, "But your luck, kid, is truly something to be envied. Not only did you obtain an eyeball containing the bloodline of the Crawling ...

Qin Hao ignored its grumbling and waved his hand to put it back into the Void Heaven Cauldron to nurture it. Next, he would focus on refining this "Destruction Eye".

Following the optimized method of the AI, Qin Hao first used his own blood essence mixed with several rare Five Elements spiritual liquids to nourish his eyeballs, removing the last remaining ferocity and rejection from the demonic beast, and connecting them with his own bloodline.

Then, using the limited power of the laws of heaven and earth that only those at the Nascent Soul stage could initially control as a guide, and supplemented by powerful divine sense, he outlined profound runes inside the eyeball, constructing the origin of his divine power. Finally, he mobilized a trace of newly acquired Taiyin Asura True Fire to temper it, causing the texture of the eyeball to transform, adding a chilling and evil-dispelling power.

The entire process took a full month. Inside the secret room, dark gold and ghostly blue lights flickered alternately, emitting a chilling fluctuation.

A month later, the skin between Qin Hao's eyebrows slowly split open, revealing a vertical scar. Immediately afterward, a vertical eye, entirely dark gold in color with a hint of eerie blue starlight deep within its pupil, emerged from the scar!

The moment this vertical eye appeared, it turned around on its own like a newborn child, curiously "looking around" at the secret chamber. Wherever its gaze fell, the concealment formations and defensive restrictions set up inside the secret chamber seemed to become transparent, their structure, nodes, and energy flow clearly presented to Qin Hao's perception!
Qin Hao's mind stirred slightly, and he tried to inject a wisp of divine sense into his vertical eye, "looking" towards the outside of the secret chamber wall. His gaze easily penetrated layers of stone walls and restrictions, "seeing" the Star Palace disciples patrolling the distant Holy Mountain. He could even vaguely sense the subtle obstructions in the flow of their magical power among a few of them! In a battle, this eye would be enough to discern the flaws in an opponent's supernatural abilities, the weaknesses of their magical treasures, and even to glimpse the weak points in their protective aura!

"What a magnificent Eye of Destruction! It sees through illusions and probes the origins; its reputation is truly well-deserved!" Qin Hao was overjoyed. With this eye's assistance, he already had a significant advantage in battles against opponents of the same level. Even when facing beings of higher realms or certain strange supernatural abilities, he would have an extra edge in dealing with them.

"receive!"

With another thought, his vertical eye between his brows slowly closed, eventually turning into a faint, almost invisible dark gold line that was difficult to detect without careful examination.

"With this eye, unless someone's cultivation level far surpasses mine, or they possess concealment and defensive abilities of the same level, the movements of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators will hardly escape my notice. Escaping from my grasp will be even more difficult," Qin Hao said with a confident smile.

……

"Husband!"

The moment the stone door to the secret chamber opened, a beautiful figure, brimming with surprise and boundless affection, rushed into her arms. It was Ling Yuling, who had been watching the situation closely. She looked up at her, her beautiful eyes sparkling with admiration and joy: "Congratulations, my husband, on successfully advancing to the Nascent Soul stage! From now on, your lifespan will be long, and the path to the Great Dao is within your reach!"

Feeling the soft, fragrant body in his arms and hearing her sincere congratulations, Qin Hao's heart softened. He pulled her closer, lowered his head to her delicate earlobe, and whispered with a hint of teasing heat, "My lady, your congratulations are a bit insincere..."

Upon hearing this, Ling Yuling's pretty face instantly flushed crimson, the blush spreading to her ears and neck. Her delicate body trembled slightly, but she did not pull away. Instead, she buried her head even deeper, her voice barely audible, filled with shyness: "Then... then how would my husband like Ling'er to congratulate me..."

Qin Hao laughed heartily, said no more, and simply picked her up in his arms, striding towards the depths of the bedchamber. Ling Yuling exclaimed in surprise, then obediently wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her burning cheeks against his firm chest.

For the next month, the newly appointed Star Palace Master, Ling Yuling, "unexpectedly" did not appear at any official occasions. The Holy Mountain Palace was enveloped in a sweet and enchanting atmosphere.

A month later, Qin Hao emerged from seclusion hand in hand with Ling Yuling, who was radiant and whose eyes sparkled with even more spring-like joy. However, just a few days later, the Star Palace announced that Qin Hao needed to stabilize his Nascent Soul realm and comprehend the laws of heaven and earth, so he would once again enter a long-term seclusion. All affairs of the Star Palace would be handled entirely by Palace Master Ling Yuling.

Upon receiving this order, although a very few highly experienced elders within the Star Palace might have harbored some reservations, no one dared to openly question it. Firstly, Ling Yuling was the rightful heir and her handling of palace affairs was becoming increasingly mature; secondly, and most importantly, the strength of the two "guards" behind Ling Yuling was enough to terrify any unscrupulous individual!
The ugly old woman wielding a black staff was a genuine level ten demon beast, who had once instantly killed the two demons of the Lan Clan, and whose ferocity was terrifying. The seemingly harmless lion-like beast that often dozed on Ling Yuling's shoulder was also a level ten demon beast. With these two powerful demon cultivators protecting her every step of the way, not only could no one in the Star Palace shake Ling Yuling's resolve, but even in the entire Chaotic Star Sea, who would dare to provoke her?
……

One year later, deep in the alien sea, on a desolate island called Silver Shark Island.

On this day, the once clear sky above the island suddenly darkened, with dark clouds gathering wildly from all directions, quickly forming thick, leaden clouds that covered an area of ​​hundreds of miles! Within the clouds, silver snakes danced wildly, thunder rumbled, and a destructive force of heaven and earth firmly locked onto the center of the island!

The seawater around the island seemed to boil, churning up towering waves, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth became extremely violent, all surging towards the center of the island!

Such an astonishing celestial phenomenon is a sign of the impending tribulation of transformation! Moreover, judging from the scale and oppressive power of these thunderclouds, the one undergoing the tribulation is no ordinary demon beast!
At the heart of the island, there was an avatar of the Cave Rat King—a monstrous beast with the head of a bull and the body of a dragon. It looked up at the sky, its rat-like face filled with solemnity and anticipation.

On a mountain peak not far away, Qin Hao stood with his hands behind his back, quietly observing. He had promised to protect the Rat King, and naturally he wouldn't break his word. With a Nascent Soul cultivator like himself by his side, it would be enough to deter any uninvited guests who might be attracted by the lightning tribulation, and he could also provide some assistance at crucial moments.

“Boom-ka-!!!”

The first bolt of silver lightning, as thick as a water vat, tore through the clouds and struck down with terrifying divine might!
The Rat King's clone let out a fierce roar, and its dragon body burst forth with dazzling silver light, condensing into a runic shield to meet the attack.

The lightning tribulations grew increasingly fierce, changing from silver to gold, and interspersed with crimson, dark purple, and other unusual colors of lightning, their power constantly increasing. Although the Rat King's clone was well-prepared, and Qin Hao occasionally used a few spells to weaken some of the lightning's power, it was still struck so hard that its soul body trembled and its silver light dimmed.

It lasted for seven days and seven nights. When the last terrifying bolt of lightning, mixed with five-colored light, fell, the sky full of tribulation clouds finally began to slowly dissipate.

At the center of the tribulation, although the Rat King's avatar was extremely weak and its soul was almost transparent, a new, more solid, and vibrant spiritual aura was slowly developing.

Two months later, the spiritual energy on Silver Shark Island revived, and the plants and trees flourished. A child who looked about seven or eight years old, with delicate features like a porcelain doll, yet who put on an air of maturity, appeared before Qin Hao and bowed to him in a proper manner: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, you helped me successfully overcome my tribulation, reshape my spiritual body, and return to the Spirit Realm. I will remember this kindness. This is the complete method for interpreting the Silver Tadpole Script and the Golden Jade Script, as well as some basic runes commonly used in the Spirit Realm. It is all contained in this jade slip. We agree that we are even."

The boy handed over a gleaming silver jade slip.

Qin Hao took it, scanned it with his divine sense to confirm it was correct, and nodded: "Until we meet again."

The Rat King grinned, revealing two small tiger teeth: "When we meet again, it will probably be in the Spirit Realm, right? I will be waiting in the Spirit Realm to drink your ascension celebration wine."

"Fellow Daoist has complete confidence in me, Zhang," Qin Hao said with a faint smile.

"Hehe." The boy rubbed his hands together. "If even a prodigy like you can't ascend to the Spirit Realm, then I'm afraid there really won't be anyone in this realm who can ascend. Fellow Daoist Zhang, farewell to the Spirit Realm!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure transformed into a streak of silver light and vanished in an instant.

After watching the Rat King depart, Qin Hao did not immediately return to Tiannan via the ancient teleportation array. He toyed with the silver jade slip in his hand, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

Through the Star Palace's vast and meticulous intelligence network, after a thorough investigation, the target was identified as an overseas Nascent Soul cultivator known as Ancestor Golden Flower.

On this day, the Golden Flower Ancestor was lying on the jade couch in his cave, enjoying the service of his concubines and savoring spiritual wine, thoroughly enjoying himself. Suddenly, a terrifying pressure that instantly froze his soul, as if he were being targeted by an ancient ferocious beast, descended without warning! The restrictions on the entire cave collapsed on their own, as if made of paper!

Before he could even get up in shock, a giant hand, as large as a house and entirely made of golden light, tore through the protective array surrounding the island, crushed the last door of his cave, and lifted him off the jade bed like a chicken!

"Fellow Daoist, spare my life! Senior, spare my life!" The Golden Flower Ancestor was so frightened that he didn't even see who it was before he cried out for mercy, "I don't know where I have offended you, senior. I will obey your orders without question! I only beg you to spare my life!"

He knew that the one who could so easily break through all his defenses was definitely a terrifying being at the late Nascent Soul stage or even higher, and that resistance would only lead to death.

Qin Hao's figure appeared outside the cave. Seeing that he was so sensible, it saved him the trouble of taking action. With a sweep of his divine sense, he captured all the storage bags on the Golden Flower Ancestor's waist and the treasure boxes hidden in the secret compartments.

A quick search revealed a page in a jade box sealed with a special method. It was neither gold nor jade, but had a peculiar texture and was covered with densely packed golden tadpole-like characters—another page of the Golden Jade Book!
"This item is useless to you; keeping it will only bring trouble." Qin Hao took out the jade book and said calmly, "I won't take it from you for nothing. Consider this ancient treasure as an exchange."

As he spoke, he casually tossed a radiant, flower-basket-shaped ancient treasure in front of the Golden Flower Ancestor.

The old woman, Jin Hua, was taken aback for a moment, then overjoyed, and repeatedly kowtowed, saying, "Thank you so much, senior! Thank you so much for your kindness! I will never forget your great favor!"

When he looked up again, there was nothing there. There was no trace of Qin Hao or the terrifying golden hand. Only the ancient treasure in the flower basket lay quietly on the ground, and the mess in the cave proved that everything just now was not an illusion.

The Golden Flower Ancestor slumped to the ground, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, and muttered with lingering fear, "Too terrifying... This person is definitely not an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator... Could he be the rumored newly promoted Star Palace Deity Transformation cultivator? Besides him, who else in the Chaotic Star Sea could possess such power..."

……

Three months later, on the southern continent, in the Qingxu Sect of the Yue Kingdom.

Qin Hao returned quietly, without disturbing many people. When he stepped into his secluded cave, he was pleasantly surprised to find that his three Daoist partners had all made significant progress in their cultivation.

With her exceptional talent as a Yin-type body, coupled with the abundant resources and cultivation techniques left by Qin Hao, Yuan Yao has actually broken through and become a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator! Her aura is thick and powerful, and her eyes flash with a sharp light as they open and close.

Yanli also surpassed others and successfully condensed her Nascent Soul, entering the early stage of Nascent Soul.

Bai Yaoyi, on the other hand, is stuck at the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Although she has taken the Nascent Soul Pill, she does not have a special physique and will need more accumulation and opportunities to break through the threshold of the late-Nascent Soul stage.

"Master, you're back!" Yuan Yao was the first to sense Qin Hao's presence. She flew over like a swallow returning to its nest, hugging him tightly. Then she looked up, her beautiful eyes scrutinizing him carefully. Suddenly, a hint of surprise and disbelief flashed across her face: "Master... the aura on your body... is as vast as the sea, unfathomable... could it be... that you have already advanced to the Nascent Soul stage?!"

Qin Hao put his arm around her slender waist, nodded with a smile, and did not hide anything: "It was a lucky success."

Upon hearing this, Yanli and Bai Yaoyi, who were standing next to her, widened their beautiful eyes, covered their mouths, and their faces were filled with shock and ecstasy!

"A Nascent Soul cultivator...it really is a Nascent Soul cultivator!"

"My goodness! Is the master not even five hundred years old yet?"

"A Nascent Soul cultivator who is not even five hundred years old... This... This is simply unheard of! Even in the history of the Great Jin Dynasty, there must be no one like him!"

Surprise, admiration, and pride filled the hearts of the three beauties. Their Daoist partners had already stood at the pinnacle of the human realm!

After a long separation, and with such great joy, the cave naturally became a place of passionate, tender moments, where separation felt like a honeymoon. The enchanting scenery there was beyond description to be told to outsiders.

This tender moment lasted for a full ten years. The cave's stone gate remained tightly shut, all restrictions lifted, isolating it from the outside world. It wasn't until one day, ten years later, that a message talisman from outside the mountain gate broke the cave's tranquility.

Qin Hao waved his hand to open the stone door and summoned a sound transmission talisman. Han Li's hesitant voice came from inside: "Senior brother... have you come out of seclusion? Your junior brother Han Li has come to visit."

Outside the cave, Han Li saw Qin Hao slowly walk out. When he felt the terrifying aura emanating from the other party, which seemed to be integrated with the heavens and earth, vast and profound yet hidden, he was as if frozen in place, dumbfounded and speechless for a long time.

"Senior...Senior Brother...you...you really...advanced to the Nascent Soul stage?!" Han Li's voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief. He had just broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage and felt he had finally closed the gap with this mysterious senior brother, even harboring a faint sense of ambition to catch up. But reality dealt him a heavy blow—the other had already crossed that insurmountable barrier and once again become someone he had to look up to!

Seeing Han Li's dejected appearance, Qin Hao chuckled inwardly: "Junior Brother Han, why be so discouraged? You advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage at less than five hundred years old. Your talent, opportunities, and temperament are all top-notch. Although the Divine Transformation realm is difficult, it is by no means unattainable for you. In the future, when the time is right, you will break through."

Upon hearing this, Han Li took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and cupped his hands with a wry smile: "Thank you for your kind words, Senior Brother. Compared with you, my achievements are really not worth mentioning."

He quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, he had witnessed Qin Hao's extraordinary talent many times before, but this time the impact was particularly great.

After exchanging pleasantries and recounting their experiences since their separation, Qin Hao took the initiative to say, "Junior Brother Han, I know you've been searching for powerful body-refining techniques. I obtained a spiritual fruit in the Chaotic Star Sea—the Dragon Scale Fruit Tree—whose fruit has miraculous effects on tempering the physical body. If you're interested, you can come with me to the Chaotic Star Sea to transplant one back to Tiannan for cultivation. As for the reward… I have a complete copy of the top-tier body-refining technique, the 'Heavenly Demon Art,' which I obtained from the Chaotic Star Sea. Perhaps it will be of some help to you."

Han Li's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this! Dragon Scale Fruit! The complete Heaven-Supporting Demon Art! These were both things he had been dreaming of! Especially the Heaven-Supporting Demon Art; he had long coveted Qin Hao's incredibly powerful physique. If he could obtain this technique, his strength would surely rise to another level!
"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Senior Brother! I am willing to go with you!" Han Li agreed without hesitation.

The two then used the ancient teleportation array to return to the Chaotic Star Sea. Thanks to the transplantation method obtained by Feng Xi through Soul Search, the process went very smoothly, and Han Li successfully obtained the fruit tree and the jade slip of the "Heavenly Demon Art," overjoyed.

After the matter was completed, the two returned to Tiannan Qingxu Sect via the teleportation array.

However, just a few days after they returned to Qingxu Sect, three incredibly powerful and undisguised Nascent Soul stage auras descended like three mountains, pressing down outside the Qingxu Sect's gates!
Xiang Zhili, Feng Laoguai, and Hu Laomo, the three Nascent Soul cultivators who are the only remaining and well-known cultivators in the human realm, have come together!

The entire Qingxu Sect was instantly silenced by this terrifying pressure; all the disciples were trembling with fear.

Qin Hao frowned slightly, and with a flash, he appeared above the mountain gate, facing the three people from afar.

Xiang Zhili and his two companions had come with great momentum, but when they saw Qin Hao and clearly felt the unique, profound, and harmonious aura emanating from him that belonged to the Nascent Soul stage, their expressions instantly became extremely interesting, filled with shock, disbelief, and a hint of embarrassment.

"Not even five hundred years old... and he's already reached the Divine Transformation stage?" Old Monster Feng's lips twitched as he looked at Xiang Zhili: "Old Monster Xiang, this kid is even more terrifying than you were back then!"

Xiang Zhili's astonishment slowly faded, replaced by a complex and inscrutable emotion. He solemnly cupped his hands to Qin Hao: "Fellow Daoist Zhang! Congratulations on officially joining our ranks! Although I knew long ago that with your talent, advancing to the Nascent Soul stage was inevitable, I never expected it to be so swift! It truly leaves me... in awe."

Qin Hao's gaze swept over the three of them, a cold smile playing on his lips: "The three of you have graced us with your presence, making quite a grand entrance. I'm afraid you're not here simply to chat and offer your congratulations, are you?"

Xiang Zhili, Feng Laoguai, and Hu Laomo all looked somewhat uneasy.

Their original plan was indeed for the three of them to join forces and use their power to force Qin Hao, who had just "possibly" advanced to the Nascent Soul stage and whose realm was not yet stable, to hand over the spatial node coordinates that they had obtained from Yin Yue, which might be more detailed.

After all, their lifespans were numbered, and in order to ascend to the Spirit Realm, they were willing to swallow their pride and join forces to exert pressure.

But who could have predicted that the other party had already successfully advanced to the Nascent Soul stage?

Xiang Zhili coughed lightly, lowering his posture considerably: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, you are wise. To be honest, the three of us are nearing the end of our lifespans. If we cannot find a spatial node leading to the Spirit Realm and ascend to the Upper Realm, we will ultimately perish. We have heard that you obtained some information about spatial nodes from that princess in Kunwu Mountain back then... I wonder if you would be so generous as to share it? If you agree, the three of us will be eternally grateful and will certainly repay you handsomely!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Hao sneered: "Grateful? Generous in return? If I hadn't advanced to the Nascent Soul stage today, I'm afraid the three of you wouldn't be 'begging' like this right now, but would be 'manipulating' me directly, wouldn't you?"

These words directly exposed the three people's initial thoughts, and Xiang Zhili blushed slightly, feeling even more embarrassed.

The most hot-tempered and direct of them all, Hu Laomo, saw Qin Hao's impolite words and, coupled with his anxiety at the end of his lifespan, immediately roared, "Hmph! Fellow Daoist, although you have advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, your cultivation is still shallow and your foundation is not yet stable! Even if you have reached the Nascent Soul stage, what can the three of us do if we join forces? You must not make a mistake by fighting three against one, Fellow Daoist, and ruin your future for a few coordinates!"

Qin Hao's eyes suddenly turned cold, like ice that had stood for millennia: "Oh? So, you three fellow Daoists are determined to rob us by force today?"

"So what if I forcibly seize you!" Old Demon Hu retorted, his eyes flashing with ferocity. "My lifespan is almost over. I'm going to die anyway if I can't ascend! I might as well risk sacrificing several decades of my lifespan to capture you, search your soul, and get your coordinates! Fellow Daoist Xiang, Fellow Daoist Feng, what are you still hesitating for?!"

A flicker of struggle crossed Xiang Zhili's eyes, which ultimately turned into a long sigh. His gaze toward Qin Hao became resolute: "Fellow Daoist Zhang... it's not that we're deliberately making things difficult for you, but... in this life-or-death situation, we have no choice but to resort to this tactic. We apologize!"

Before he finished speaking, the three of them locked onto Qin Hao with their auras at the same time!

"Very well! Then I, Zhang, will learn from your three masters!" Qin Hao showed no fear, laughed loudly, flicked his sleeves, and the Black Wind Banner appeared in his hand, unfurling in the wind!
"call--!"

Space violently distorted and fluctuated! Xiang Zhili and the other two felt a blur before their eyes and found themselves on the top of a towering cliff with jagged rocks and howling winds, together with Qin Hao! The surrounding scenery was blurry, clearly indicating that they were no longer at Qingxu Sect, but had been forcibly moved by the Black Wind Flag to a temporarily created independent space or a distant place!
"You...you've actually refined the Black Wind Banner to the second level? You can manipulate space so freely, performing mid-distance teleportation?!" Xiang Zhili, with his vast knowledge, instantly recognized the meaning of this divine ability. His shock deepened, and an ominous premonition surged within him. The opponent's control over the Heaven-Reaching Treasure far exceeded his expectations.

War is imminent!
Initially, the four of them exercised restraint in their exchange, keeping the power of their supernatural abilities largely within the range of the late-stage peak of the Nascent Soul realm, essentially testing each other. However, for Qin Hao, whose physical body was strong, whose cultivation techniques were unique, and who had begun to control the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, such attacks were like tickling. His Brahma Saint True Magic Form flowed with golden light, easily blocking and neutralizing all attacks.

"This kid's foundation is so deep!" Old Monster Feng frowned deeply.

"We can't delay any longer! Use the Nascent Soul stage techniques!" Old Demon Hu was the most impatient. He roared, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, his demonic energy surging, and he began to forcibly manipulate the spiritual energy of a larger area of ​​heaven and earth! Originally, Nascent Soul cultivators could only borrow the spiritual energy around them, while Nascent Soul cultivators could initially draw upon the spiritual energy of a region of heaven and earth for their own use! Although this would accelerate the consumption of their own lifespan, the power was completely different!

A black demonic dragon, imbued with the aura of the laws of destruction and formed entirely from pure demonic energy of heaven and earth, roared and pounced towards Qin Hao! Its power was more than ten times greater than before!
Seeing this, Old Monster Feng and Xiang Zhili knew that the test was pointless, so they both sighed and stopped holding back. Old Monster Feng's figure vanished like the wind, transforming into countless invisible and intangible wind blades capable of cutting through space, attacking Qin Hao from all directions. Xiang Zhili, on the other hand, pointed his fingers like a sword, unleashing a Taiyi sword qi, condensed to its extreme and seemingly capable of piercing through all laws, striking Qin Hao's brow first!
Three veteran Nascent Soul cultivators, at the cost of sacrificing their lifespans, unleashed their true Nascent Soul stage killing moves! The power was earth-shattering, and even the cliffside space began to destabilize, cracks appearing everywhere!

Faced with this siege that would have overwhelmed or even seriously injured any newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator, Qin Hao remained calm. He didn't even use the Eight Spirit Ruler or the Annihilation Eye; he simply took out a shimmering silver talisman from his storage bag—the Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman!

"disease!"

The talisman was activated, instantly transforming into six solid, golden-armored, weapon-wielding phantoms of divine generals, surrounding Qin Hao in the center! The six divine generals simultaneously brandished their weapons, forming a massive silver light shield!

"Boom boom boom——!!!"

The black demonic dragon, the sky-splitting wind blade, and the Taiyi sword energy bombarded the silver light shield almost simultaneously!

Amidst a deafening roar, the light barrier shook violently, flashing silver light wildly, and the illusory figures of the six divine generals blurred. However, when the aftershocks of the attack dissipated, the silver light barrier, though dimmed considerably, remained firmly in place! Qin Hao stood within it, completely unharmed!

"what?!"

"This talisman can actually block our combined attack?!"

The expressions of Xiang Zhili and the other two instantly turned extremely ugly, especially Xiang Zhili, who had been "undercover" in the Tianfu Sect for many years and knew all too well how abnormal the defensive power of this talisman was! As long as the energy was sufficient, it was enough to withstand the frenzied attacks of a Nascent Soul cultivator for a short period of time!

"Fellow Daoist Hu, wait!" Xiang Zhili hurriedly stopped Hu Laomo, who was still about to fight desperately, and transmitted his voice with a solemn expression: "This Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman can mobilize and gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to strengthen its defense, making it extremely difficult to break! Judging from the spiritual light of this talisman, it was definitely not hastily drawn, and its power is well preserved! I am not sure how many he has left! If he still has one or two spares, even if we sacrifice several decades of our lifespan, we may not be able to finish this battle quickly! Once we get into a stalemate, he has a long lifespan, but we cannot afford to waste it! The final result may very well be that we run out of lifespan and still cannot win!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Laomo felt as if he had been doused with cold water. Although unwilling, he knew that Xiang Zhili was right. They were fighting desperately for ascension, not for mutual destruction. It would be too unwise to fight to the death with a newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator with ample lifespan and unknown trump cards.

Old Monster Feng nodded with a gloomy face.

Xiang Zhili took a deep breath, turned to Qin Hao, and softened his tone completely, speaking in a negotiating manner: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, please stop for now! We admit defeat! Those spatial node coordinates are indeed something we three must obtain. How about... we three offer some of our treasured items, materials, and even cultivation techniques in exchange for the coordinate information?"

Old Demon Hu and Old Monster Feng exchanged a glance and nodded helplessly. Compared to ascending to the Spirit Realm, material possessions were indeed nothing.

Seeing that his opponents had yielded, Qin Hao also dispelled the spiritual light of the Six Ding Heavenly Armor Talisman and concealed his Dharma form. He was actually well aware that these three still had their trump cards up their sleeves and were prepared to fight to the death. If pushed to the limit, even if he could win, he would inevitably have to pay a heavy price. It was indeed not worth fighting to the death for a few coordinates.

"Since that's the case," Qin Hao also suppressed his murderous aura and said calmly, "then let's find another place to talk properly."

Having said that, he waved the Black Wind Flag again.

The space shifted, and the four of them returned to Qin Hao's cave in the Qingxu Sect, as if the thrilling battle between Nascent Soul cultivators had never happened.

What followed was a transaction.

In order to gain hope of ascension, Xiang Zhili and his two companions pulled out many of their most treasured possessions.

Qin Hao then selected several relatively stable, but not optimal, node information from the coordinates given by Yin Yue, recorded it on a jade slip, and handed it to the three of them.

Upon receiving the jade slip, Xiang Zhili and the other two were overjoyed, examining and confirming it carefully before finally revealing expressions of relief and delight on their faces.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, I am deeply grateful! If you ever need anything in the future, please don't hesitate to ask!" Xiang Zhili solemnly promised, then invited, "Now that you have reached the Nascent Soul stage, you will inevitably have to consider ascension. Why don't you join us to investigate these nodes first, to determine their stability and risks?"

Qin Hao shook his head and politely declined, saying, "I appreciate the kind offer from the three fellow Daoists. I have just reached the Nascent Soul stage, and there are still some unfinished matters in the mortal realm that need to be dealt with, as well as my own cultivation level needs to be further consolidated. Ascension is not urgent for now. The three fellow Daoists may proceed with the exploration first. I wish the three fellow Daoists a safe journey and a successful arrival in the Spirit Realm."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Zhili and the other two exchanged glances, and a complex mix of emotions welled up within them.

"Youth...it's so wonderful," Old Monster Feng sighed softly, his tone filled with envy. They were under pressure due to their lifespans, and had to race against time to fight for that sliver of hope. Qin Hao, on the other hand, still had plenty of time to calmly plan, solidify his foundation, and seek a safer and more secure path to ascension.

"In that case, we shall take our leave. Fellow Daoist Zhang, take care! I hope that in the future, we can share a drink and have a good time together in the Spirit Realm!" Xiang Zhili bowed and said goodbye.

"Take care!" Old Monster Feng and Old Demon Hu also bowed.

Three beams of light shot into the sky and quickly disappeared into the horizon.