Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

Pfft!

A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth like an arrow released from a bow.

That was no ordinary blood, but rather "half-saint essence blood" containing immense spiritual power.

The blood was a deep blue color and instantly froze into ice crystals upon landing. However, inside the ice crystals, golden-red flames burned stubbornly, emitting a sizzling sound.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, and Xuanbing Half-Venerable's face turned ashen white at a visible speed.

That's not all—

His previously perfectly concealed aura suddenly became chaotic.

At times icy cold, at other times blazing hot; two diametrically opposed forces of law clashed and tore at his body...

This made his entire aura extremely unstable.

"Cough...cough..."

He clutched his chest, where the golden-red flames had pierced through.

At the wound, golden-red flames continued to burn, relentlessly eroding his flesh and veins.

Each breath brought excruciating, tearing pain.

Clearly, the injury was quite serious.

If he hadn't mastered the Profound Heaven Ice Soul Technique, making his physical body as hard as ice, he probably wouldn't have been able to hold on by now.

"As expected of a cultivator from a top-tier sect..."

Xuanbing Half-Venerable slowly sat down cross-legged, circulating his cultivation technique to suppress his injuries while muttering to himself:
"The techniques and supernatural abilities he has mastered are indeed incredibly powerful."

"Even though I had the absolute advantage of terrain, I still... suffered such serious injuries."

He recalled the fierce battle that had just taken place.

Fu Banzun's domineering and unparalleled golden flame divine power.

Xuanming Half-Venerable's Purple Nether Great Technique is even more unpredictable and impossible to defend against.

If he hadn't taken advantage of the terrain, it would have been extremely difficult for him to escape.

"What if another half-saint..."

A flicker of lingering fear flashed in Xuanbing Half-Venerable's eyes:
"Today, I... will absolutely find it difficult to escape."

Fortunately, only two members of the monks' association came.

They also feared the relentless revenge of a half-saint cultivator.

He then closed his eyes, feeling the waves of intense pain emanating from his body.

That was the result of forcibly using a secret technique to suppress the injuries.

If not dealt with in time, at best one's cultivation will regress, and at worst one's foundation will be damaged, leaving one with no hope of becoming a deity for life.

"The most urgent task is to deal with the backlash first..."

Xuanbing Half-Venerable took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed his surging blood and qi.

He stood up, his steps a little unsteady, but he steadied himself and walked deeper into the palace.

Deep within the Xuanbing Palace, it was not as magnificent as outsiders imagined; instead, it was simple and almost rudimentary.

A quiet room, an ice bed, and a futon.

That's it.

But upon closer inspection, one will discover something unusual here—

The ice bed is not ordinary ice, but the "essence of ice," which takes ten thousand years to solidify into an inch. It is a treasure for cultivating ice-based techniques.

The meditation cushion is no ordinary object; it is woven from "ice silkworm silk." Sitting on it to cultivate can calm the mind and concentrate the spirit, making the process twice as effective.

But these are not the main points.

The key point is the center of the quiet room, where a complex magic circle is engraved on the floor.

The magic array is in the shape of a nine-palace eight-trigram formation, outlined with silver-white lines, in which liquid "moonlight elixir" flows.

At each of the eight positions of the magic circle, there was a fist-sized "Ice Soul Pearl". Inside the pearl, there was an ice-blue light flowing, like a living thing breathing.

And in the center of the magic circle, something floated—

It was a palm-sized ice crystal, completely transparent, with a drop of golden liquid sealed inside.

Mysterious blood seemed to flow slowly within the ice crystals, as if it possessed life.

Each flow exuded a vast, ocean-like pressure, an aura far exceeding that of a half-saint.

Xuanbing Half-Venerable walked to the front of the magic array, looking at the drop of mysterious liquid, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

He then took a deep breath and sat cross-legged in the center of the magic circle.

He formed a mudra with his hands and chanted incantations.

As the incantation was activated, the magic array on the ground began to light up.

The silvery-white light flowed like mercury, and the eight Ice Soul Pearls in all directions simultaneously shone brightly, pouring into the central ice crystal.

The ice crystals slowly melted.

The drop of golden liquid broke free from its seal and floated in mid-air.

In an instant, the entire quiet room was bathed in gold.

An immense pressure surged forth like a tide; if not for the restrictions of the Xuanbing Palace, the entire Beiming Palace would likely have felt it.

Without hesitation, Xuanbing Half-Venerable opened his mouth and inhaled.

The mysterious liquid transformed into a golden thread and entered his mouth.

boom--

It felt as if a sun had exploded inside my body.

The violent energy instantly swept through his limbs and bones, and the originally rampant injuries melted away like ice and snow in the face of this power, and were quickly cleared away.

at the same time!

The damaged meridians, flesh, and even soul of Xuanbing Half-Venerable began to repair themselves.

The Xuanbing Half-Venerable, who was sitting cross-legged in the center of the formation, trembled all over, and dense golden patterns appeared on his body.

Pain, extreme pain.

But it also brings new life.

Time passed by little by little...

In the quiet room, gold, purple, and blue light intertwined, collided, and merged.

The aura of Xuanbing Half-Venerable was sometimes as violent as a tsunami, sometimes as calm as an abyss, and finally gradually stabilized.

I don't know how much time passed...
He slowly opened his eyes.

A flash of golden light appeared in his eyes and then disappeared, before returning to a deep, dark blue.

The wound on his chest had completely healed, leaving only a faint red mark.

The disordered Qi within his body also calmed down, becoming even more solid and pure than before the battle.

"A blessing in disguise..."

Xuanbing Half-Venerable felt the surging power within his body and murmured to himself.

This mysterious liquid not only healed his injuries but also allowed him to advance his cultivation, truly touching the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage.

Although a crucial opportunity is still needed before a true breakthrough, at least... there is hope.

On the other side!
As the Xuanbing Half-Saint bowed his head in defeat and vanished into the void...

Fu Banzun and Xuanming Banzun exchanged a glance, then transformed into two streams of golden and purple light and disappeared from the spot.

In the blink of an eye, the two appeared on the deck of the golden warship.

"Greetings to the two Palace Masters!"

"Greetings, Lord of the Palace!"

On the deck, the monks from the Cultivator Association, who had been waiting for a long time, bowed in unison, their voices echoing across the icy plains.

The lowest cultivation level among them is the late Golden Core stage, and there are no fewer than a hundred Nascent Soul cultivators.

Their eyes were filled with reverence and awe as they looked at the two temple masters.

Fu Banzun nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the people standing solemnly on the deck, finally settling on a general clad in black and gold armor—

That was the Left General of the Conquest Hall, a peak Nascent Soul cultivator, in charge of coordinating this operation.

“General Zuo.” Fu Banzun’s voice was steady and powerful.
"Prepare to accept the reverse cultivators of the Xuan Shuang lineage."

"As ordered!"

General Zuo bowed and accepted the order, then turned around, his voice booming like thunder throughout the entire warship:
"All troops, listen to my command!"

"Target—the protective formation of the Northern Underworld Palace!"

"Prepare to receive the rebel cultivators!"

As the order was relayed, the massive warship hovering in the air began to tremble.

On both sides of the ship, countless complex runes lit up in succession, emitting a dazzling golden light.

boom--

The warship transformed into a streak of light, instantly piercing through the void.

In just three breaths, it appeared in front of the protective formation of the Northern Underworld Palace from thousands of miles in the sky.

This time, the distance is even closer.

They were so close that they could clearly see the flow of every rune in the sect's protective formation.

"Form ranks!"

General Zuo gave the order.

call out!
call out!call out!
Squads of warriors from the Conquest Hall, clad in black armor, shot out from the warships, transforming into streaks of black light that quickly formed formations in the void.

In just ten breaths, a total of 360 black-armored cultivators were arrayed in the void outside the protective formation of the Northern Underworld Palace.

They stood in two rows, one hundred and eighty people on each side, in a strict formation, their energy connected.

Although there were only 360 people, they seemed like a vast army, with a chilling aura rising to the sky.

Even the perpetually chilling winds of the Northern Region were disturbed by this aura.

Even more terrifying is...

These 360 ​​people were all at least at the late Golden Core stage, and the 36 leaders were all Nascent Soul cultivators.

Their positions corresponded to the celestial constellations, and their auras were connected, forming a massive "Heavenly Gang Spirit Locking Array".

Once this formation is complete...

Unless a half-saint personally intervenes, no one can force a breakthrough.

This is the foundation of the Cultivator Association's War Hall.

Just as the black-armored army finished its formation, the protective array in front of them suddenly began to ripple.

Like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, ripples spread outward from the center.

Followed by.

At the center of the ripples, a light gate ten feet high slowly appeared.

The portal was entirely composed of dark blue ice crystals, with snowflake-shaped runes flowing around its edges.

Behind the door, shadowy figures could be seen.

The first to step out was Xuanming Zhenjun, the Palace Master of Beiming Palace.

He was still wearing the palace master's robes, his face solemn, and his steps steady.

Following closely behind were the seven elders of the Northern Underworld Palace.

They too looked somber, and walked with exceptionally slow steps.

Some people's eyes revealed resentment, some showed humiliation, and some avoided eye contact, not daring to look directly at the black-armored soldiers outside.

But behind these eight people lies the true protagonist—

Hundreds of cultivators were bound by the Spirit Binding Lock.

The leader was none other than True Lord Xuan Shuang.

His hair was disheveled, and his black robe was torn in several places.

The Soul-Binding Lock pierced through his collarbone, and the end of the chain was firmly held in the hands of two disciples from the Northern Underworld Palace's Enforcement Hall.

He had his head down, so his face was obscured, but a numb calm permeated his entire being.

Behind him, hundreds of figures emerged one after another.

There are men and women, old and young.

The highest cultivation level is the mid-Nascent Soul stage, and the lowest is only the late-Foundation Establishment stage.

Hundreds of cultivators walked out of the portal and lined up in three rows on the ice field.

The portal behind them slowly closed, and the protective array of the Northern Underworld Palace returned to calm.

It's like an invisible wall, completely isolating the inside from the outside.

Seeing this, General Zuo coldly gave the order:
"Take a headcount."

next moment.

A Nascent Soul stage cultivator in black armor stepped forward, holding a jade slip.

He first bowed to the Palace Master of Xuanming Palace—

This is basic etiquette. Even if the other party is the master of the "Sin Sect," he is still the master of a palace, and the due respect cannot be lacking.

The Palace Master of Xuanming Palace nodded slightly, without saying a word.

Then the black-armored cultivator began to take inventory.

He scanned each of the rebel cultivators from left to right.

The jade slip in his hand emitted a faint white light. Each time it swept over a person, the corresponding information would appear on the jade slip—name, cultivation level, lineage, etc.

The entire process was completely silent.

One hundred and thirty-seven people, not one missing.

"Reporting to the general, the number is correct."

The black-armored monk turned and reported.

General Zuo nodded and took out a fist-sized pearl.

The pearl is entirely black, with blood-red patterns flowing across its surface, emanating an eerie aura—this is the "Soul-Identifying Pearl"!
Once this pearl shines, any magical transformation will be immediately destroyed.

"Test it!"

General Zuo tossed the Soul-Detecting Pearl into the air.

The precious pearl floated above the heads of 137 people, slowly rotating.

hum-

A beam of dark light shot out from the bead, enveloping the people below.

As streaks of black light descended, a mysterious fluctuation arose among the group of rebel cultivators, subtly resonating with the descending black light.

"Identity verified, no mistake!"

General Zuo announced in a cold voice and waved his hand to retrieve the Soul-Detecting Pearl.

Then he waved his hand and spoke in a voice as cold as iron.

"take away!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the black-armored cultivators on both sides of the display moved simultaneously.

They each took out a palm-sized jade talisman.

The jade talisman is triangular in shape, jet black, and covered with densely packed sealing runes.

"town!"

Thirty-six Nascent Soul level black-armored cultivators simultaneously threw spirit-suppressing talismans into the air.

The jade talisman transformed into 136 beams of black light, which landed precisely on those rebellious cultivators.

The moment the black light entered the body—

"Ugh..."

Screams rang out one after another.

Those who had rebelled against the rules trembled violently, their faces showing expressions of extreme pain.

They felt their magical power draining away like a river that had been drained.
His consciousness was as if imprisoned in a cage, unable to be released outwards;

Even the physical body became incredibly heavy, as if every inch of skin had been filled with lead.

Magic power sealed!

Divine consciousness sealed!

The physical body is sealed!

Under the three seals, even a Nascent Soul cultivator becomes as weak as a mortal.

Only after confirming that everyone was completely sealed did the black-armored cultivators take over the "Spirit Binding Rope".

The entire process was efficient, ruthless, and methodical.

It was as if they had rehearsed it a thousand times.

In fact, it is true.

The Cultivator Association's Conquest Hall has long established a complete procedure for apprehending rebellious cultivators. From inventory and verification to sealing and escorting, every step has been rigorously refined to leave no room for anyone to take advantage.

During this time, the Palace Master of Beiming Palace and the seven elders stood silently to the side.

They did not move or speak.

But in those eyes, a complex and indescribable emotion was at play—

I'm glad:
Fortunately, the monks' association kept its promise and did not implicate innocent people.

There was a sense of relief:
Finally, they could put down this heavy burden, and the sect was able to be preserved.

However, there was also resentment.

Especially when they saw those who were bound and escorted, they realized they were ultimately people from the Northern Underworld Palace.

Even though they were cultivators who had rebelled against the rules, seeing them treated like this by outsiders, the feeling of having their sect's dignity trampled upon, was like needles piercing their hearts.

There was also a subtle... fear.

With all 137 rebel cultivators sealed off, the black-armored cultivators, in pairs, escorted them towards the warship.

They staggered, their eyes vacant.

Some people tried to look back at the sect behind them, but were rudely pushed forward by the black-armored cultivators.

As Xuan Shuang Zhenjun passed by Xuanming Palace Master, he suddenly stopped and looked up.

That once heroic face was now covered in blood and despair.

He looked at the Palace Master of Xuanming Palace, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something.

But in the end, he said nothing.

He only glanced at her deeply, and in that glance were resentment, unwillingness, and a trace of...despair.

Then, he was pushed forward, staggering, and entered the spaceship.

...(End of this chapter)