Immortal Refiner

Sensing that his life was about to end here, Ancestor Ziqing slowly raised his head.

His hair, once meticulously groomed, now hung disheveled and matted, making him appear utterly wretched.

His true nature had always been as placid as water, averse to conflict. Whenever the sect entrusted him with tasks, he would invariably try to decline, claiming it would disrupt his cultivation. Only when he could no longer refuse would he reluctantly accept.

It was unimaginable that this ancestor, who loathed being burdened with trouble, would voluntarily choose to seek revenge against the Shangqing Sect alone.

Yet here he was, facing such a tragic end.

”I am merely a withered, decaying husk. What good will killing me do?”

”I have always believed that the Lingyun Sect will not perish. The disciples who left will one day return in force.”

”I sense that day is not far off—it may even be imminent!”

”Come then! Death is but a moment. What have I to fear?”

Ancestor Ziqing raised his head proudly, two sharp glints of light piercing through his disheveled hair, radiating an unexpected air of confidence.

At that moment, he truly cast aside all fear of death. His gaze swept across the crowd below, their eyes fixed intently on him, before settling on the elders and disciples of the Shangqing Sect. He threw back his head and roared with laughter:

”Hahahaha! I see you all as nothing more than withered bones in a tomb, destined to perish by the hands of my Lingyun Sect disciples!”

Ancestor Ziqing’s dying words turned the faces of many Shangqing Sect elders ashen.

”How dare a dying man spew such nonsense? So what if you’re a core formation realm cultivator? You were still captured by our sect’s ancestor!”

”Hmph, well said! All you can do is boast with empty words. If your Lingyun Sect was truly so strong, why was it annihilated?”

”A stray dog with nowhere to go, a laughingstock”

”Patriarch Ling Ying, I implore you to execute him swiftly to demonstrate the Shangqing Sect’s might!”

”...”

Amidst the fervent pleas, Patriarch Ling Ying’s expression turned cold and impassive. He sneered, ”Hah, anyone can hurl threats. But now that you’re about to meet your end, you’ll never see any of those things you spoke of come to pass.”

”If any remnants of your Lingyun Sect dare seek revenge, the Shangqing Sect will welcome them all.”

With that, Ling Ying slowly raised his short blade. The wind-attribute true essence within his body surged, rapidly converging into the blade in his hand.

In an instant, a wind blade extended from the edge of his short blade!

Whoosh!

The wind blade sliced through the air with blinding speed, emitting a piercing friction that echoed clearly across the plaza.

Just as Ling Ying raised his short blade, poised to sever Ancestor Ziqing’s head with the wind blade, the temperature in the world suddenly soared!

Boom!

From the crowd in the plaza, a towering figure wreathed in black demon flames erupted skyward.

In a heartbeat, countless astonished gazes swiveled toward the black-flamed figure ascending into the heavens.

”What’s happening? What’s going on?”

”Such immense pressure! This is a cultivator in the Core Formation Realm!”

”Who is this senior? Why has he suddenly revealed himself here? His aura is overwhelming—I can barely breathe!”

Among the crowd, the Lin Clan siblings were the most stunned.

Even Lin Xiuzhu, usually composed, couldn’t conceal the storm of disbelief raging across his face.

”This person... his aura is terrifying, Father. Who exactly is he?”

Lin Ya stood dumbfounded. The distant branch family member she had just scorned had suddenly unleashed a torrent of power, his body engulfed in black flames.

Before Lin Ya could react, her distant cousin Lin Qing soared into the sky, unleashing a terrifying aura that suppressed the entire hall.

”Father, when did we get such a powerful cousin? Why is he flying out now?” Lin Ya’s beautiful face was etched with shock, unable to process the sudden turn of events. Her words came out in a daze.

Lin Xiaonan, however, had long anticipated this. Cold sweat already beaded his forehead.

These two Core Formation Realm seniors had suddenly asked to use him to infiltrate the Shangqing Sect’s mountain gate. He never imagined they truly intended to target the sect itself!

”Xiuzhu, Ya’er, hold your tongues,” Lin Xiaonan said gravely. ”These seniors are not members of our Lin Clan. We encountered them unexpectedly at River Gap Market.”

Seniors?

Only then did Lin Xiuzhu and Lin Ya belatedly turn their gazes toward Lin Bing, who stood solemnly beside them—no, she should now be called Shen Ningbing!

Shen Ningbing had already shifted her attention away from the Lin Clan members, her eyes fixed intently on Li Qing, who had taken to the air, and Ling Ying, who stood on the terrace before the main hall, poised for action.

Is she also a Core Formation Realm true lord?

Upon hearing her father’s words, Lin Ya’s delicate face quickly paled.

Just recently, she had boasted wildly, claiming she would bring these distant relatives to witness the grandeur of a core formation true lord.

Now, it turned out they themselves were core formation realm seniors!

Lin Ya felt dizzy, her entire worldview shattering into fragments. Everything had happened too suddenly.

Li Qing, now the center of everyone’s attention, showed no fear, even though he stood within the enemy sect’s mountain gate.

”Ling Ying, can your Shangqing Sect truly withstand the Lingyun Sect’s vengeance?”

”The blood debt from years ago must finally be repaid!”

Li Qing’s voice carried little emotional inflection, yet it radiated an astonishingly chilling murderous intent. Everyone who heard it felt a bone-deep chill.

”Ancestor Ziqing, your unworthy disciple Li Qing has arrived late!”

Standing in mid-air, Li Qing solemnly clasped his hands in a respectful salute. The Spirit Devouring Demon Flame that had enveloped his body suddenly dispersed, coalescing beneath his feet into a pitch-black lotus platform of fire.

Ling Ying made no move. He didn’t use his wind blade daggers to sever Ancestor Ziqing’s head.

It wasn’t mercy or hesitation that held him back. The moment Li Qing soared into the sky, Ling Ying felt himself locked by two distinct killing intents. Any misstep now would invite certain death.

Having reached the Core Formation Realm, such premonitions of spiritual perception had become chillingly accurate, far beyond mere coincidental intuition.

Ling Ying’s instincts were right.

Li Qing, having mastered the Kunpeng Art, immediately channeled the Kunpeng Divine Power within him.

Though the distance between them seemed vast, to one who wielded the Kunpeng Extreme Speed, it was no more than a hair’s breadth.

Should Ling Ying dare to strike, Li Qing could unleash a devastating counterattack within that infinitesimal space, crippling or even killing his opponent.

This was the confidence Li Qing now possessed.

The Flying Eagle Bandits, whom he had once revered and feared, were now merely a newly formed Core Formation cultivator—at best, slightly stronger than an early Core Formation Realm cultivator.

”You! Li Qing!” Ling Ying narrowed his eyes, finally recognizing the man before him. He was no stranger to Li Qing either.

The moment Ling Ying recognized Li Qing, his entire body trembled with excitement—yes, excitement, not fear!

This man had possessed only mediocre talent. When they first met at Lingyun Market, Li Qing had barely achieved foundation establishment.

Yet after all these years, his cultivation had surpassed Ling Ying’s own. What kind of absurd cultivation speed was this?

Something was wrong. This couldn’t be right!

Ling Ying possessed a variant spirit root, second only to heavenly spirit roots and certain special Dao Physiques in cultivation speed. Combined with the abundant resources he had obtained from the Shangqing Sect over the years, he had always believed his progress to be exceptionally rapid.

Yet he had been surpassed by this Li Qing, who had only average talent!

This man must be hiding a secret!

Ling Ying was almost certain of it. In the immortal cultivation world, there were always those who possessed heaven-defying opportunities.

The most obvious sign of such a person’s extraordinary fortune was their astonishing cultivation speed.

Meanwhile, Ancestor Ziqing, who was now at Ling Ying’s mercy, wore an expression of utter astonishment.

He had never imagined that someone would actually come to rescue him today—especially a young elder he had once shown favor to!

Ancestor Ziqing naturally had a deep impression of Li Qing, perhaps even a profound one.

”Li Qing, you foolish boy! What are you doing here? There’s no need to risk your life for this old man’s bones! You’re being reckless!”

In an instant, Ancestor Ziqing realized where he was: the Shangqing Sect’s mountain gate, a place a hundred times more dangerous than any dragon’s lair or tiger’s den!

Leaving aside the Shangqing Sect’s core formation ancestors, even the Clear Sky Spirit-Locking Formation beneath their feet was beyond the capabilities of ordinary core formation realm cultivators to shake.

”Foolish boy! Why are you still standing there? Run! If this old man dies, so be it! I’m just a useless husk with little lifespan left anyway!” Ancestor Ziqing shouted urgently, his cultivation sealed by the Spirit-Sealing Powder, leaving him only his voice.

Standing beside him, Ling Ying burst into raucous laughter. ”Ha ha ha! Run? Where do you think you can run to?”

”This is the Shangqing Sect’s mountain gate! Do you think you can just come and go as you please?”

In the next moment, the entire mountain gate began to tremble as the formation buried deep beneath the ground instantly activated.

Boom!

Brilliant and dazzling spiritual light poured forth from the earth like liquid mercury, even imprinting the sky above with glowing array patterns that were blindingly bright.

A cold laugh echoed from the depths of the mountain gate:

”Heh, just as Junior Brother Ling predicted, we’ve truly caught a big fish this time. What an unexpected delight!”

”Leaving won’t be so easy now. Since you’ve come all this way, esteemed guests of the Lingyun Sect, you might as well stay!”

Two figures materialized to the east and west of the Shangqing Sect’s mountain gate.

One wore a deep blue Daoist robe and possessed a remarkably youthful face. This was none other than Yan Xi, who had seized Shi Nantian’s body!

Over the years, he had successfully achieved core formation, officially becoming an ancestor of the Shangqing Sect.

”Hahahaha! So it’s you, you little whelp! Who would have thought? Back then, you were just a qi refining realm brat, yet now you dare to force your way through my Shangqing Sect’s mountain gate!” Yan Xi licked his lips, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Li Qing.

The other core formation true lord was a burly middle-aged man with a square face, his features stern and his gaze radiating an air of unwavering seriousness.

”Patriarch Yan and Patriarch Yang Tian! They’ve emerged from seclusion too?”

An elder from the Shangqing Sect shouted excitedly from below, clearly thrilled to see the sect’s two patriarchs.

Facing three core formation realm cultivators alone, Li Qing showed no fear. His gaze swept over them before he laughed with carefree ease.

”Run? Why would I run?”

”Heh, you all seem to misunderstand. I’ve come today to cleanse the Shangqing Sect with blood.”

”Ancestor Ziqing, you were right. Today marks the day the Lingyun Sect rebuilds its mountain gate!”

His words were utterly arrogant. Not only did the guests attending the Core Formation Ceremony below gasp, but even the Shangqing Sect’s core formation true lords who had just appeared narrowed their eyes.

”Such unwavering confidence... Could this man have some hidden trump card?” True Lord Yangtian, with his square-shaped face, narrowed his eyes, a hint of apprehension in his gaze.

Yan Xi, however, dismissed the concern with a hearty laugh. ”Hahahaha, Senior Brother Yang, you’re overthinking this!”

”This man has always been adept at concealing his true strength, maintaining a low profile in his actions. His sudden arrogance is clearly a bluff!”

”Allow me to capture him!” Yan Xi declared, stepping into the void as he summoned a Da Luo Silver Spear. He charged toward Li Qing.

But Shen Ningbing, who had been observing from below, could no longer remain hidden. Her eyes flashed, and with a wave of her hand, she unleashed a torrent of ice crystals like a frozen river.

Whoosh!

The crystalline torrent surged forth, blocking Yan Xi’s path.

”Your opponent is me!” Shen Ningbing declared, a crystalline sword materializing in her hand. She held the blade at a sharp angle, pressing forward to intercept Yan Xi’s advance on Li Qing.

The two core formation realm cultivators clashed without exchanging more than a few words, their battle swift and decisive.

Seizing the moment when one of the oppressive killing intents targeting him weakened, Ling Ying’s eyes blazed with murderous intent. He swung his massive sword down at True Lord Ziqing, who knelt before him.

”You think you can save this old ghost? Dream on!”

But how could Li Qing possibly overlook the capture of Ancestor Ziqing?

Li Qing remained acutely vigilant of Ling Ying’s every move. The instant Ling Ying’s hand twitched, the Kunpeng Divine Power within Li Qing’s body surged to life.

Kunpeng Extreme Speed!

In a moment faster than lightning, Li Qing’s figure vanished into the void, seamlessly merging with the surrounding space.

Shrinking the earth to inches?

This was no mere spatial manipulation. In that fleeting instant, Li Qing bypassed the barriers of space itself, appearing directly before Ling Ying as if teleporting.

This single maneuver consumed a significant portion of his Kunpeng Divine Power.

But he wasn’t finished yet. Instead of rescuing Ancestor Ziqing, who was about to fall beneath Ling Ying’s blade, Li Qing channeled his murderous intent into a direct assault on Ling Ying, who was poised to strike.

Having journeyed from the Liu Family Spirit Mine, Li Qing had often heard tales of the Flying Eagle Bandits. He knew Ling Ying’s character well: ruthless, decisive, and utterly self-serving.

If Li Qing attempted to save Ancestor Ziqing, Ling Ying would undoubtedly redirect his blade toward him without hesitation.

Li Qing was betting Ancestor Ziqing’s life. If Ling Ying insisted on striking with his blade, Li Qing would immediately retaliate with lethal force.

Ancestor Ziqing’s life in exchange for Ling Ying’s!

”So fast!!!”

Ling Ying couldn’t believe Li Qing’s speed. Before he could even react, Li Qing had already appeared before him.

I have to retreat!

Faced with Li Qing’s overwhelming killing intent, Ling Ying made an immediate decision: he wouldn’t trade his life for another.

It was too great a loss. This was the Shangqing Sect’s mountain gate, where Ling Ying held an absolute advantage. Trading lives here would be foolish.

Having reached this point in his life, Ling Ying valued his own life above all else.

Instantly, wind-attribute spiritual energy surged, propelling Ling Ying backward at breakneck speed.

As a Wind Spiritual Root cultivator with exceptional agility, his retreat was lightning-fast.

”Smart move!” Li Qing’s palm struck empty air. Without hesitation, he grabbed Ancestor Ziqing and retreated as well.

(End of the Chapter)

Translator’s Corner

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