Immortal Refiner

Giant Deer Prefecture, Zhao Family Clan Territory.

This once-millennial clan was now draped entirely in mourning white, sorrow etched on every face within its walls.

Li Qing’s arrival was perfectly timed, coinciding with Zhao Tianxiong’s funeral.

The burial site had already been chosen—a feng shui master specially invited by the Zhao Family had selected a geomantically auspicious location. It was said that burying him there would not only preserve the clan’s fortunes but also ensure the deceased would be reborn with exceptional spirit root aptitude in his next life.

Of course, these claims came solely from the feng shui master himself, and their validity depended entirely on one’s belief.

Yet cultivators, by their very nature, tended to harbor a certain faith in the mysterious and unfathomable forces of the unseen.

Standing outside the Zhao Family Clan Territory, Li Qing watched as the Zhao Family disciples carried the coffin out, dressed in mourning attire, and began their procession toward the chosen feng shui burial site.

Sorrow was etched on the faces of each Zhao Family member escorting the coffin, but beneath their grief, a hint of anxiety lingered in their eyes.

Having offended the Blood Spirit Sect, the entire clan now lived on borrowed time. With Zhao Tianxiong’s passing, their future seemed even more precarious.

The once-millennial Zhao Family seemed to be on the verge of collapse, its members scattering like monkeys fleeing a falling tree.

Each branch of the Zhao Family was already plotting how to divide the clan’s assets, eager to escape before the Blood Spirit Sect’s retribution arrived.

Even the main lineage likely harbored similar intentions.

Li Qing recognized the leader of the spirit escort procession: Zhao Nan, Zhao Tianxiong’s own son. He had met this junior disciple years ago.

Now, Zhao Nan had severed ties with the Ghost Sword Sect, shedding his status as a hostage. His cultivation had reached the late foundation establishment realm.

Li Qing didn’t rush forward to reveal himself. Instead, he followed at a distance, observing the Zhao Family’s current state.

The spirit escort procession traveled far, from the Zhao Family’s Clan Territory to the foot of a desolate mountain, finally arriving at the burial site chosen by the feng shui master.

The area was picturesque, with clear streams and lush mountains, a truly pleasant landscape.

Concealing his presence and observing from afar, Li Qing murmured softly, ”Though the scenery is beautiful, it conceals deadly intent.”

”Even the Clan Head’s burial site has been leaked. The Zhao Family has truly fallen.”

Li Qing sighed softly, his mind drifting back to fragments of memories with Zhao Tianxiong.

Though their acquaintance was shallow, the debt of gratitude still had to be repaid.

Ahead, the Zhao Family’s funeral procession was about to lower the coffin into the grave.

Suddenly, a powerful aura erupted from the desolate mountain. An ugly woman in crimson robes emerged, flanked by several foundation establishment elders from the Blood Spirit Sect. Their menacing expressions left no doubt about their ill intentions.

”Heh, so this is the burial site you’ve chosen for Zhao Tianxiong?” the woman sneered. ”A picturesque spot, with clear waters and verdant mountains. Since you’re so filial, why not join Zhao Tianxiong in his final resting place?”

The Zhao Family’s faces paled at the sight of the woman. ”True Lord Xue Ming?” they gasped in disbelief. ”How could you be here?”

The newcomer was none other than True Lord Xue Ming, a supreme elder of the Blood Spirit Sect!

It was clear the sect held the Zhao Family in high regard, sending a supreme elder to deal with them personally.

At that moment, the Zhao Family’s hearts sank to the depths of despair, their faces ashen with dread.

Facing a core formation realm true lord, they stood no chance of survival. It seemed they would truly be buried alongside the former Clan Head today.

Immediately, Zhao Family disciples began to grumble. ”We should have just buried him anywhere! Now we’re all going to die here!”

”Silence your nonsense!” Zhao Tianxiong’s faction retorted, their voices bristling with resentment. ”Would we have escaped this calamity by staying away?”

On the desolate mountain peak, True Lord Xue Ming showed no urgency to strike. She relished this cat-and-mouse game, watching her weak prey descend into chaos and infighting, as if their desperation amused her.

At the head of the group, Zhao Nan seemed to realize something and quickly reacted.

He turned, his face as dark as water dao, and demanded, ”Clan Uncle Zhao Tianyong, did you betray us by revealing our location to the Blood Spirit Sect?”

”You traitor! Colluding with outsiders to betray your own family!”

The middle-aged cultivator named Zhao Tianyong, his expression flickering, immediately retorted, ”Hmph, nephew, have you lost your mind? How could I do such a thing?”

Hearing this, Zhao Nan’s expression grew even darker. He slowly drew a black ghost sword, his eyes burning with suppressed fury as he growled:

”Only the high-ranking members of our three branches know Father’s burial site. Yet the Blood Spirit Sect’s supreme elder was already waiting here. Clearly, they were informed beforehand.”

”You still deny it?”

Zhao Tianyong retorted coldly, ”You yourself said that the high-ranking members of all three branches know this place. Why single me out? Could it be that the feng shui master we hired wouldn’t leak secrets?”

”Even now, you still try to weasel out of it?” Zhao Nan’s rage reached its peak, his heart seething with murderous intent. He channeled all his spiritual energy into the ghost sword.

This was a divine ability he had learned from the Ghost Sword Sect, a technique of the demonic path. Its power was terrifyingly potent, far surpassing the ordinary immortal dao divine abilities recorded in the Zhao Family’s archives.

Sensing the lethal aura emanating from his nephew’s ghost sword, Zhao Tianyong felt a surge of dread.

Indeed, with the Blood Spirit Sect’s supreme elder already present, there was no need for further concealment. It was time to reveal his true colors openly!

”Hmph! So what if I did?”

”Zhao Tianxiong failed his core formation breakthrough, wasting a precious core formation spiritual material—a resource highly valued by the clan.”

”Not only did he meet his demise, but he also offended the Blood Spirit Sect, driving the entire clan to the brink of destruction. My actions were merely to ensure the clan’s survival!”

”Are we supposed to stand by and watch the clan perish, to be buried alongside Zhao Tianxiong?”

Hearing this, Zhao Nan glared resentfully at the ugly woman atop the desolate mountain and shouted, ”My father clearly surrendered the Spirit-Calling Bone Flute! Why is the Blood Spirit Sect still trying to exterminate the Zhao Family?”

Seeming bored, the ugly woman shook her head with a listless expression. ”The young sect master said the fewer who know about this, the better. That’s why I’m here.”

”Besides, the young sect master is curious whether Zhao Tianxiong might have withheld any information.”

”So, I must open this coffin and take a good look inside.”

With that, the ugly woman descended the desolate mountain step by step, her aura growing increasingly formidable.

The spiritual pressure of a core formation realm true lord swept down, overwhelming the Zhao Family’s funeral procession below. The qi refining realm cultivators were utterly unable to resist and immediately collapsed to their knees.

Only a handful of foundation establishment realm cultivators stubbornly held their ground, but against the Blood Spirit Sect’s supreme elder, their fate was sealed.

Zhao Nan strained his voice to a hoarse shout, ”Run! Get as far away as you can!”

With that, he braced himself against the crushing spiritual pressure of the core formation true lord and took a step, attempting to flee.

But it was too late. The foundation establishment elders accompanying True Lord Xue Ming moved swiftly to seal off the surrounding area.

In truth, this precaution was almost unnecessary. Against a core formation realm powerhouse whose cultivation far surpassed theirs, even if they tried to escape, where could they possibly go?

True Lord Xue Ming slowly raised her hand, summoning a crimson spirit pearl.

The moment the blood-red pearl materialized, every member of the Zhao Family below felt their vital energy surge violently within them, as if their bodies were about to explode from within.

At this critical moment, Li Qing, having finally grasped the full situation, decided to intervene.

”Fellow Daoist of the Blood Spirit Sect,” he called out, ”show mercy where you can. Would you give me face and spare these Zhao Family members?”

As the voice echoed through the desolate mountain path, a young man in a cyan Daoist robe emerged, his figure tall and upright, his demeanor utterly unrestrained.

The moment Li Qing appeared, the ugly woman’s face flickered with surprise. She hadn’t sensed anyone’s presence in that direction.

True Lord Xue Ming narrowed her eyes, but she couldn’t discern Li Qing’s cultivation level. A flicker of apprehension stirred within her.

Yet, relying on her status as a supreme elder of the Blood Spirit Sect, she refused to show weakness. Maintaining her composure, she said:

”This is a matter between the Blood Spirit Sect and the Zhao Family. Are you certain you have the right to interfere?”

Faced with an unknown cultivator, True Lord Xue Ming immediately invoked the Blood Spirit Sect, hoping to intimidate Li Qing with the sect’s formidable reputation.

But alas, if this had been the Li Qing of old, he might have hesitated.

Now that Li Qing had appeared in the Great Wilderness Domain, it was clear he no longer held the three demonic sects in high regard.

Li Qing chuckled softly. ”I have ties to the Zhao Family. Years ago, I owed Zhao Tianxiong a favor and promised him that if his family ever faced calamity, I would lend my aid within my means.”

”Now seems like the perfect time to repay that debt.”

True Lord Xue Ming narrowed her eyes at the words, then spoke slowly, each syllable deliberate: ”You understand that it is supposed to be within the realm of what is possible. Do truly believe you can handle this with ease?”

Li Qing, strolling leisurely, chuckled and stroked his chin. ”Your Rakshasa Ancestor? Dealing with him shouldn’t be too difficult, I imagine.”

The moment these words left his lips, the entire hall fell into absolute silence.

Everyone gasped deeply, their gazes fixed on the tall, unremarkable young man with shock bordering on disbelief.

Dealing with the Rakshasa Ancestor shouldn’t be too difficult?

The words echoed repeatedly in their minds, and it took a long moment for them to fully grasp their weight.

True Lord Xue Ming’s anger twisted into a cold smile. ”May I ask Your Excellency’s name? Could you perhaps be one of those reclusive Divine Transformation stage great powers?”

The recent emergence of the Ice Extremity Palace had revealed a mysterious Divine Transformation stage great power, one who might indeed have the authority to make such a claim.

But this young man, with his ordinary appearance, clearly couldn’t be that reclusive great power.

Moreover, if the Zhao Family truly had connections to such a figure, and had even earned a favor from them, how could they have fallen into their current predicament?

”This one is not some great power at the divine transformation stage. As for my name, my surname is Li, given name Qing, and my daoist name is Limitless.”

As Li Qing spoke, he made no effort to conceal his aura.

A terrifying spiritual pressure erupted from his body, like a slumbering dragon ascending to the heavens. The entire desolate mountain trembled under the weight of his revealed presence.

Nascent Soul True Monarch!

Without a doubt, this was the aura of a nascent soul realm cultivator—genuine and undeniable!

True Lord Xue Ming’s eyes widened in shock. She immediately abandoned her earlier disrespectful demeanor, her mind racing back to recent rumors. The sect had learned that a nascent soul realm cultivator had emerged in the Azure Ridge Domain, north of the Great Wilderness Domain!

His daoist name had also been Limitless True Monarch!

At the time, the three demonic sects had sent formal invitations, but received no response.

This must be that Limitless True Monarch.

”So Senior is Ancestor Limitless of the Lingyun Sect in the Azure Ridge Domain. This junior was disrespectful earlier and begs for your forgiveness.”

True Lord Xue Ming immediately adopted a humble posture, no longer daring to invoke the sect’s name to intimidate Li Qing. The reason was simple: Ancestor Limitless could likely crush her with a mere flick of his wrist.

”If you understand, why haven’t you left yet? Do you want me to personally obliterate you?” Li Qing’s voice grew increasingly cold and sharp.

As he spoke, a scorching heatwave erupted, and a massive fiery palm materialized, poised to strike.

True Lord Xue Ming dared not linger a moment longer. Without another word, she hastily clasped her hands in a bow toward Li Qing and fled in utter disarray.

Behind her, Li Qing’s voice drifted lazily: ”This one will find time to meet the Rakshasa Demon Lord soon. I hope this demonic path patriarch, renowned throughout the great wilderness, won’t disappoint me.”

The words echoed in True Lord Xue Ming’s mind. She desperately wanted to retort that even a Nascent Soul cultivator like Li Qing couldn’t possibly dismiss Rakshasa Ancestor so casually!

But under Li Qing’s overwhelming aura, she dared not utter a sound, eager to escape as far as possible. Her only thought was to return to her sect and report this matter immediately.

Not everyone knew about Li Qing’s past deeds in the Wind Origin Domain. The Great Wilderness Domain, having just emerged from the chaos of the immortal dao war, was particularly lacking in such information.

After intimidating the Blood Spirit Sect forces into retreat, Li Qing withdrew his aura and slowly approached the freshly dug grave.

Under the awestruck and dazed gazes of the Zhao Family, he stood before the unburied coffin.

After a moment of silent contemplation, he turned to Zhao Nan beside him.

Without hesitation, Zhao Nan knelt to the ground. ”Junior Zhao Nan greets Senior Limitless. We are eternally grateful for your life-saving grace. The Zhao Family will never forget this debt.”

Li Qing shook his head with a faint smile. ”I merely fulfilled a promise to Zhao Tianxiong. There’s no need for such formality.”

”Since I’ve intervened in the Blood Spirit Sect matter, I’ll help you resolve it completely.”

”Perhaps you could explain how your Zhao Family incurred the wrath of such a colossal power?”

As if finally finding a pillar of support, Zhao Nan choked back tears and began to recount:

”Just a year ago, my father suddenly resolved to attempt core formation...”

(End of the Chapter)

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