Immortal Refiner

The Underwater Grotto-Heaven beneath the Black Sand River finally forced the two sects’ Core Formation Ancestors to take action. They reached an agreement to join forces and open the grotto-heaven together.

Given the gravity of the situation, it was inevitable that the two sects would set aside their grievances for the time being and make such a decision.

If the ancient Demon beast egg, with its powerful bloodline, had been sealed until now, it could spell disaster in the future.

Due to the Foundation Establishment Pill, Demon beasts were now exceedingly rare in the Human Realm. Aside from a few Forbidden Lands where they still gathered, even in deep mountain forests, they had been hunted to near extinction.

If this Demon beast egg hatched into a creature with boundless potential, and it eventually reached a terrifying level of power, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t seek revenge against human forces.

After all, both the Heavenly River Sect and the Shangqing Sect were dominant forces in the Azure Ridge Domain’s cultivation world. If a powerful Demon King were to rise in the future, they would likely be the first targets of its wrath.

Once they reached a consensus, the two sects’ Supreme Elders gathered in the Black Sand River Basin!

The atmosphere over the Black Sand River was oppressive. All nonessential personnel had been cleared away, and even the Foundation Establishment Elders from both sects were deemed unworthy of witnessing the event.

Dark clouds blanketed the sky, as if a torrential downpour was imminent.

Amidst this stifling atmosphere, figures materialized mid-air, defying gravity.

”Hahahaha! After all these years, Old Monster Wan, you truly haven’t changed a bit!”

A hearty laugh echoed through the air as an elderly woman with snow-white hair descended from the sky. Her attire was simple: coarse linen robes and straw sandals.

No one could have imagined that this woman, resembling a village elder, was actually a Core Formation Realm cultivator!

Ancestor Wanshan of the Heavenly River Sect remained expressionless, but a flicker of wariness flashed in his eyes.

Not only he, but True Lord Kong Ming, the Thunder Spirit Root daoist, also grew solemn.

Clearly, this old woman’s strength was formidable, enough to make even the Core Formation Realm Ancestors of the Heavenly River Sect deeply wary.

True Lord Wanshan replied indifferently, ”Wen Xing, after all these years, I thought you’d already passed away.”

”Hehe, Old Monster Wan, how could I dare leave first if you weren’t dead yet?” Old Wen Xing’s smile and tone were utterly sinister.

”Hmph, that little brat from your sect killed one of my Dao avatars not long ago. Where is she now? Why isn’t she here? Is she afraid?”

Ancestor Wanshan was naturally referring to the incident six years ago when the Heavenly River Market was breached and his Dao avatar was slain by Exquisite True Lord, who was still in the Pseudo-Core stage at the time.

Now, upon their reunion, he immediately brought up the old grudge, as if ready to settle the score once and for all.

However, with Core Formation Ancestors from both sects gathered here today, it was clear they hadn’t come to start a war.

From the Shangqing Sect’s side, the Core Formation Realm elder who had been severely injured by True Lord Kong Ming stepped forward with a hearty laugh, playing the role of peacemaker.

”Alright, everyone knows why we’re here today. Let’s not waste time on petty squabbles.”

His words diffused the increasingly tense atmosphere, gradually easing the tension.

”Let’s get to it then. I’m eager to see what that stone egg in the Underwater Grotto-Heaven truly is.”

The mention of the stone egg immediately focused the attention of the Core Formation Ancestors present.

This might be a Demon beast sealed since the Ancient Era, making it a matter of great concern to everyone present.

Though it could be a disaster, everyone knew that if they could subdue it, it would undoubtedly become a tremendous asset in the future.

No matter how powerful its potential, it was still a young Demon beast. As long as they forced it into a Blood Contract and soul contract, it couldn’t possibly cause any trouble.

”Let’s move!”

With those words, five Core Formation Realm cultivators in the Black Sand River Basin began to unleash their divine abilities and formidable techniques.

Three of the cultivators were from the Heavenly River Sect, and two were from the Shangqing Sect.

Of course, these were just the figures they openly revealed. No one was naive enough to believe that this was all they had brought. Core Formation Ancestors were undoubtedly lurking in the shadows.

After years of conflict between the two sects, they might not know everything about each other, but they at least had a rough estimate of each other’s Core Formation combat strength.

For instance, even if the Shangqing Sect’s Exquisite Treasure Physique didn’t appear, the Heavenly River Sect still had to be wary of it.

Boom!

The five Core Formation Realm cultivators attacked simultaneously, creating a scene of earth-shattering power. The dense clouds that had filled the sky just moments ago instantly vanished.

The heaven and earth spiritual energy throughout the Black Sand River Basin became extremely chaotic. Five Core Formation Ancestors stood in separate directions, their mere presence capable of influencing the spiritual energy of the world.

Vast and boundless mana surged, and someone unleashed a divine ability powerful enough to shatter mountains directly downward.

Boom!

With a single strike, the wide Black Sand River was severed, and the entire stretch of water vanished into thin air.

”Divert the river!” True Lord Kong Ming roared, then took the lead, unleashing a thousand bolts of lightning directly into the dried-up riverbed.

The other four Ancestors naturally didn’t stand idle. Each employed their own methods, forcibly carving out a new river channel!

This was the awe-inspiring power possessed by Core Formation Realm cultivators. Working together, they could reshape mountains and rivers with ease.

As the new river channel emerged, the full view of the Underwater Grotto-Heaven finally revealed itself.

Black mud and sand piled up on all sides. At the bottom of the dried-up riverbed, an entrance to the grotto-heaven lay before them.

”Keep attacking! Blast open this grotto-heaven! I want to see for myself if ancient Demon beasts truly exist within,” Ancestor Wanshan declared in a deep voice.

The five cultivators attacked again, some even summoning their Natal Magic Treasures to unleash wave after wave of invisible energy ripples, forcibly blasting a breach into the grotto-heaven at the riverbed.

The other four’s divine abilities were no less formidable, unleashing bursts of elemental spiritual energy that completely overshadowed the dense water-attribute spiritual energy of the Black Sand River Basin.

Boom!

Lightning flashed, and pure qi surged into the heavens!

After a long period of relentless attacks, the entire grotto-heaven finally emerged.

Before them lay the massive, skeletal remains of a Demon python. They had known this was here all along—the bleached bones of a Third-Tier Demon python, sadly devoid of spirituality due to the passage of time.

”Hmm? Is this ancient demon script?”

Old Woman Wen let out a soft exclamation, then conjured a fragmented stone tablet from the grotto-heaven’s floor, holding it before her for careful examination.

After studying it for some time, she passed the tablet to the others.

But the script was indeed ancient, and written in the demon race’s language. The other four cultivators couldn’t decipher the cryptic markings on the fragmented stone tablet.

The Core Formation Ancestors, whose eyelashes had long since fallen out, naturally imprinted the unfamiliar demon script into their minds, memorizing it deeply for later translation.

”I recall the Shangqing Sect has a guardian spirit beast at its mountain gate. The Mountain-Bearing Turtle is an ancient variant. Perhaps it knows this demon script. Wouldn’t it be perfect to have it decipher it?” True Lord Kong Ming asked with a smirk.

However, the old woman snorted coldly. ”Hmph!”

”While the Mountain-Bearing Turtle is an ancient variant, it didn’t survive from the Ancient Era. Don’t even think about that idea.”

No one responded. The Core Formation True Lord from the Heavenly River Sect, who had remained relatively inconspicuous, spoke up. ”Enough idle talk. Let’s continue the assault. There might be other secrets hidden deep within this grotto-heaven.”

The other four agreed, each unleashing their own techniques to bombard the water-attribute spiritual energy-rich grotto-heaven.

Boom!

Before long, a breach was blasted open at the bottom of the grotto-heaven, causing the entire floor to crack.

In an instant, a surge of demon aura erupted into the sky!

”Such dense demon aura... Could a prehistoric great demon still reside here?”

The five cultivators’ expressions shifted slightly. They immediately released their spiritual senses to investigate.

In the next moment, a stone egg enveloped in dense demon aura shot into the sky. Its incredible speed startled even the Core Formation Realm Ancestors.

”Stop that egg!” someone shouted.

True Lord Kong Ming was the first to act. With a single shake of his hand, a vast torrent of lightning converged into a Thunder River, crashing down upon the stone egg with overwhelming force.

His attack wasn’t meant to merely intercept the egg; it was a full-scale annihilation attempt, aimed at shattering it completely.

”Attack!”

The others joined in, their dazzling Natal Magic Treasures flashing with blinding light, unleashing waves of earth-shattering energy.

Yet all their combined efforts failed to stop the stone egg. The dense demon aura surrounding it effortlessly neutralized their attacks.

The stone egg soared into the sky with astonishing speed, disappearing completely over the horizon, leaving no trace behind.

Moreover, in their haste, the Core Formation Ancestors’ attacks collided, partially canceling each other out and diminishing their overall power.

For example, the Thunder River True Lord Kong Ming unleashed just now was partially blocked by the old woman’s red silk, leaving only a fraction of its lightning force to strike the stone egg’s surface.

”You!” True Lord Kong Ming’s anger flared. He glared at the old woman, ready to explode.

”Hmph, what about me? I haven’t even complained that your Thunder River obstructed my Azure Rainbow Silk,” Old Woman Wen said coldly.

”Forget it, Junior Brother Kong. This mysterious stone egg has a contingency left behind by a prehistoric great demon. Even if your Thunder River had struck it directly, it might not have been able to harm it,” Ancestor Wanshan intervened, shaking his head to dissuade him.

At these words, True Lord Kong Ming could only concede, saying no more.

Next, the five Core Formation Ancestors explored the grotto-heaven again, hoping to uncover more clues.

Unfortunately, they only found some Spirit Herbs of average value, nothing truly precious.

Thus, despite their combined efforts, the five Core Formation Ancestors failed to capture the stone egg.

The mission ended in failure.

However, none of the five Core Formation True Lords showed any intention of leaving. They exchanged glances, and after a moment, Old Zhang, who had been injured by True Lord Kong Ming, spoke first.

”Hehehe, since we’re all here, why don’t we discuss the matters between our two sects?”

The three supreme elders of the Heavenly River Sect were also intrigued, hoping to use this opportunity to negotiate.

Meanwhile, a hundred miles away in the Black Sand River Basin, a woman in a pale red dress stood with her hands clasped behind her back.

Her posture was regal, and her aura was ethereal. To describe her as having immortal skin and jade bones would be no exaggeration.

Her eyes, shimmering like autumn water, were as clear and captivating as immortal gems, seeming to speak without words.

If any high-ranking members of the Heavenly River Sect were present, they would immediately become murderous.

For this was the Exquisite True Lord, the one who had stirred up endless storms in the cultivation world with her Exquisite Treasure Physique!

”After more than a decade of careful planning, the seed has finally been planted. Now, we simply wait for it to sprout.”

Her voice was like celestial music, as clear and melodious as pearls falling onto a jade plate.

Yet beneath this seemingly carefree tone, a chilling killing intent flashed in her eyes.

How could she possibly let this go? The Heavenly River Sect had driven her Master to his death over twenty years ago.

(End of the Chapter)

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