Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

If facing a flawless grand formation...
Sha Minghong may truly be at a loss and can only sigh in despair.

but!
Now that this persistent "weak point" formed by the wear and tear of time has been discovered, and there is currently no interference from others...

So, using the secret techniques he possessed, how could he possibly "slip through" a loophole in this upper-realm formation and quietly infiltrate...?

Then the corresponding means and possibilities became available!
Immediately!

Without further hesitation, Sha Minghong suddenly raised his hands, his ten fingers flitting like butterflies among flowers.

It was as if he were plucking invisible strings, drawing ancient hand seals in front of him that were dazzling yet subtly aligned with the laws of nature.

These hand seals were neither offensive nor defensive, but rather carried a unique sense of "resonance" and "penetration." Wisps of gray Dao patterns flowed from his fingertips, not impacting the light barrier.
Instead, it was like the most skillful "key," carefully and precisely "embedded" around that illusory Daoist script.

That is, within the "gaps" in those array patterns that have already "broken" or "faded".

His movements appeared slow, but in reality, they were extremely fast.

As each hand seal was cast, the array patterns in that area seemed to be "activated" and "taken over" by an invisible force.

Not long after.

A layer of ripples, like waves, began to emanate from Shark Minghong's body, and his form gradually became hazy and transparent.

It seemed to be trying to blend into the surrounding space.

Finally, at a certain moment, he transformed into a faint, illusory shadow, existing between reality and illusion.

next moment!
This ethereal shadow, without the slightest hindrance, flowed like a drop of water merging into the ocean, or like a phantom passing through the mist, directly "disappearing" into the light curtain rippling with subtle waves.

The light screen rippled slightly...

A slightly more noticeable ripple appeared, but it quickly returned to calm.

It was as if nothing had happened.

At the end of the True Dragon Sea, the sky and sea remain vast, with a curtain of light stretching across the horizon.

Only that figure that had briefly lingered there had vanished without a trace.

···
On the other end!
Deep within the Forbidden Sea stands a vast continent!
—Purgatory Continent.

The highest point on the mainland is a blood-red sacred mountain that pierces the clouds!
At the very center of the sacred mountain stand magnificent palaces of breathtaking scale.

now!

A chilling, emotionless shout came from deep within the palace at the center!
Like ancient ice shattering, the entire hall trembled slightly.

"Failed again? Useless!"

What use are you to me, priest?

Seated on the pitch-black throne at the very top of the main hall was the High Priest of the Purgatory Clan.

He wore a long, blood-red robe that trailed on the ground, embroidered with dense, blood-red array patterns. As his breath rose and fell, tiny fragments of blood-red light flowed between the patterns, radiating a suffocating pressure.

His face was hidden in the shadow of his hood, and only a pair of cold, deep eyes could be seen looking down indifferently at the bowed figure below.

The murderous intent in his eyes almost froze the other person on the spot.

With this remark,
The already cold and oppressive atmosphere of the hall instantly became several times colder.
The air inside the hall seemed to have frozen into solid ice, exuding an aura of despair.

The Infernal Clan cultivator below, bowing with his head bowed, was trembling violently.

Cold sweat rolled down his forehead like beads from a broken string, soaking his robes at the chest.

Cold sweat slid down his cheeks, dripping onto the cold ground with a soft "tap-tap" sound that sounded particularly jarring in the silent hall.

His teeth chattered, his voice trembled, and he didn't dare lift his head, for fear of offending the being on the throne.

"Reporting to the High Priest, the formation has been adjusted many times. Your subordinates have exhausted all the formation manuals left in the clan and tried various methods of improvement, but still cannot recall the lost clan treasure."

Now, the only hope might be to thoroughly improve the core of the formation, inject more essence, and enhance the connection between the formation and the clan's most precious treasure.

Otherwise... otherwise, your subordinate is truly powerless to help...

His voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a whisper, barely audible even to himself. A wave of fear surged within him.
He was terrified that he would be killed on the spot by the enraged high priest at any moment.

next moment,
A familiar yet cold rebuke echoed once more from the high throne.

The impatience and murderous intent in his tone were almost palpable.
"roll!

Go back immediately and improve the formation!
If I fail again, this priest will extract your soul and use you as a sacrifice to summon the great array!

"Please forgive me, High Priest! Please forgive me, High Priest!"

"I will immediately return to improve the summoning array and will certainly not fail in my mission!"

The cultivator, as if granted a pardon, immediately kowtowed and begged for mercy, his forehead slamming heavily against the ground, drawing blood, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.
After getting up,

He practically scrambled and stumbled as he ran out of the palace, his steps frantic and chaotic.
It was as if if they were even a step slower, they would be swallowed up by the murderous intent behind them and their blood would splatter on the spot.

The high priest, seated on the throne, watched indifferently as the figure hurriedly disappeared through the palace gates.

His brows furrowed tightly, and his face, hidden in the shadow of his hood, now appeared more solemn.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the throne, the blood-red light from his fingertips mingling with the throne's dark luster, producing a faint sound. The atmosphere in the hall fell into a deathly silence once more.

Only his heavy breathing remained.

"Without the clan's most treasured artifact, the [Purgatory World-Destroying Millstone], how should this priest deal with it should that mysterious human Nascent Soul cultivator attack?"

The high priest pondered to himself, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.

Over the years, he had always been wary of that human cultivator who had secluded himself in the mortal realm.
The opponent possesses unpredictable supernatural abilities and unfathomable strength. Without the clan's most treasured artifact, he might not be able to contend with him on his own.

"Unfortunately, the method for forging the [Blood God Body] is incomplete, missing the last few layers."

Thinking of this,

The high priest's tone held a hint of regret and resentment.

"Otherwise, with my current understanding of the laws, I would have already entered the realm of Void Refinement."

At that time, a mere human Nascent Soul cultivator would be nothing more than something that could be destroyed with a flick of the finger.
Even breaking through the dimensional barrier and ascending to the upper realm is not difficult at all.

Why should we be afraid of a human cultivator here!

A deep sense of regret flashed across his eyes, only to be replaced by indifference and arrogance.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on the blood-red sky outside the hall, and his tone became firm again:
"never mind!
This priest has gained control over a portion of the magical array left behind in this world by Daoist Langya.

That grand formation was incredibly powerful. Even without recalling the clan's most treasured artifact, that human cultivator wouldn't dare to easily step into the forbidden sea.
They dared not rashly lay a hand on this priest.

"As long as I do not leave the forbidden sea, no matter how strange or unpredictable the opponent's supernatural powers are, or how ruthless their methods are, they will not be able to do anything to me."

He paused, the bloodshot light at his fingertips intensifying.

"but!
If we could retrieve the clan's most treasured artifact, the [Infernal World-Destroying Millstone], which was lost in the spatial turbulence layer...

That priest would then be able to truly be both offensive and defensive.

At that time, let alone a human Nascent Soul cultivator, even if a group of powerful figures attacked, this priest could handle it with ease.
They might even seize the opportunity to unify this world and achieve unparalleled hegemony!

Just then...
The high priest, seated on the throne, felt a sudden, inexplicable jolt in his heart.
A sudden wave of panic, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around his heart, making his whole body stiffen and even his breathing stop.

That kind of panic didn't stem from emotional fluctuations, but from a tremor that originated deep within the soul.

It was as if some irresistible terror was rapidly approaching him.

It even made it difficult for him to have the thought of resisting.

Immediately afterwards!

A terrifying killing intent instantly locked onto him across the distant void.

That killing intent was too fierce, too terrifying, as if it came from a god or demon from the heavens.

It was as if it came from the deepest hell, carrying a world-destroying power that crushed him, causing his entire aura to become chaotic.
The blood-red robe fluttered and rustled even without wind, and for the first time, a look of horror appeared in the eyes beneath the hood.

"Who is it?!"

The high priest was alarmed and instinctively tried to activate the sacred mountain's defensive array.

At the same time, they must gather their strength and prepare to deal with this sudden sneak attack.

however.

He has not yet made a move—

boom!!!
A deafening roar that shook the heavens and the earth erupted!
The sound was so terrifying that it seemed to make the entire Purgatory Continent tremble.

The forbidden sea surged with towering waves.

The rocks on the blood-red sacred mountain shattered and tumbled down.

A divine light, dazzlingly beautiful yet carrying a deadly intent, burst forth from the distant void.

With speeds beyond the reach of thought, it ripped through the sky, traversed the endless expanse, and with earth-shattering power, hurtled straight toward the Crimson Sacred Mountain.

Countless cultivators of the Purgatory Clan across the continent didn't even have time to clearly see the appearance of that divine light...
In a flash, the dazzling divine light easily pierced through the layers of defensive arrays surrounding the Crimson Sacred Mountain—

That formation was set up by generations of powerful members of the Purgatory Clan, and was known as an impregnable fortress!

However, before this divine light, it was as fragile as paper, utterly vulnerable...

It shattered instantly into countless fine streaks of light, dissipating into the world.

The divine light continued its relentless assault, finally landing atop the sacred mountain, upon the magnificent palace complex.

boom!
boom!!

boom!!!
Several earth-shattering roars followed, and endless light burst forth, so bright it was blinding.

This radiance illuminated the entire world, even dyeing the distant forbidden sea with brilliant colors.

A near-tangible circular shockwave, centered on the summit of the sacred mountain, spread wildly in all directions.

Wherever it passed...

The void crumbled, and the rocks vaporized.

The stench of blood in the air was completely dispelled by the shockwave.

at the same time.

An inconspicuous streak of light appeared amidst the chaos of the burst of light...

It silently pierced through the barrier of the shockwave, went straight into the center of the explosion, and disappeared into the endless brilliance, unnoticed by anyone.

At the center of that endless radiance, the High Priest of the Purgatory Clan had completely vanished without a trace.

What met the eye was nothing but a blinding, endless expanse of light...

There was only a group of particles shimmering with a dark red light, suspended in the void.

It was flashing and converging rapidly at a terrifying frequency, emitting a faint yet still resilient aura of law.

Obviously,

Under this terrifying attack, even the high priest, who had reached the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, had his Law-based body shattered on the spot.
Not even a complete part of its body was left behind.

The blood-red particles floating in the air were the manifestation of the High Priest's fundamental laws, the embodiment of his divine soul and consciousness.

Fortunately, the High Priest of the Purgatory Clan had already broken through to the Divine Transformation Realm, merging his divine soul with the laws of heaven and earth.

The law of transformation allows for both gathering and destruction.
It possesses almost the ability to be immortal.

If it were an ordinary cultivator, this attack would surely have annihilated their soul and body, resulting in their complete demise.

There is absolutely no chance of survival.

now.

The once magnificent sight atop the Crimson Sacred Mountain is now gone.

Aside from the law particles transformed from the High Priest...

The magnificent palaces, once built with rare spiritual materials and protected by powerful formations, were completely wiped out by that divine light and shockwave.

Not even a trace of the building remains!
All that remained was a bare mountaintop, scattered rubble, and a dense aura of disordered laws.

Immediately afterwards!

The high priest's voice, still indifferent but tinged with shock and rage, came from within the group of crimson particles.

The voice carried a hint of resentment and authority:
"Who! Who on earth attacked this priest?!"
"If you have the guts, show yourself and fight this priest face to face!"

The voice has not fallen,

An even more terrifying and powerful aura erupted from the void.

Then,

A figure slowly coalesced amidst endless radiance.

The figure was dressed in a long black robe, with a cold and stern face, and was surrounded by dense demonic energy and blood-red law power.
His eyes were as cold as knives, and the pressure emanating from him was several times stronger than when he was at the peak of his high priesthood.

Who else could this be but Sha Minghong!
A cold, mocking smile slowly crept onto Sha Minghong's lips as he indifferently watched the rapidly converging crimson particles in the void.
His tone was filled with sarcasm and murderous intent as he spoke:

"Do you still want to reassemble your physical body and restore your strength in front of me?"

This is simply a dream!

As they were speaking,
With a gentle flick of his right hand, Sha Minghong unleashed a jet-black beam of light from his sleeve, carrying a terrifying aura capable of destroying the heavens and the earth, as it rolled down with overwhelming force.

Wherever it passed, the void continuously cracked, emitting a piercing "crack" sound, and it went straight to suppress those blood-red particles.

next moment,
The group of crimson particles, which were suspended in mid-air and converging at an incredibly fast speed, came to an instant halt.

Immediately afterwards, a sound filled with disbelief and horror rang out.
The fear in his voice was almost palpable.
"How is this possible! This is impossible!"
Our clan's supreme treasure for suppression, the [Purgatory World Annihilation Millstone], has it been lost in the spatial turbulence layer and can no longer be sensed?
How did it end up in your hands?!

"And you too!"

You are clearly not a cultivator of our clan. You are surrounded by a dense demonic aura. How can you possibly activate our clan's most treasured artifact?
"This is impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

"..." (End of this chapter)