Immortal Refiner

”Hmph! This old bull obtained your mother’s egg in the Fire Domain!” the Old Black Bull retorted. ”What right do you have to question me? Today, you and these feathered vermin will meet your end here!”

Boom!

As he spoke, the Old Black Bull’s muscles bulged, and his massive axe radiated boundless spiritual light.

”Savage Bull Cleaves the Heavens!”

Faced with this terrifying axe strike, Chi Xiao remained calm. He flapped his twin wings and murmured, ”Foolish bull, all bark and no bite. Nightfall approaches, and with it, your doom!”

Chi Xiao and the other Night Owls belonged to the Night Owl Clan, whose strength surged dramatically in darkness—their greatest advantage.

In the next instant, Chi Xiao and the Night Owls vanished, blending seamlessly into the descending night.

Empowered by the darkness, even the late divine transformation realm Night Owls surpassed the limits of their cultivation, nearing the void refinement realm.

This was a premeditated encirclement, specifically targeting the Old Black Bull.

Li Qing, concealed in the sky, watched for a while before withdrawing his gaze, preparing to leave.

But he had underestimated the Night Owls’ capabilities. In darkness, both their strength and senses were greatly enhanced.

Chi Xiao, with his keen senses, immediately detected the anomaly. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Li Qing activating the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings and fleeing.

”Not one of our clan, but a human?”

”Mo Ying, kill him. We can’t afford any complications.”

As soon as the order was given, one of the Night Owls nodded and, without a word, shot after Li Qing with astonishing speed.

But moments later, another figure appeared near the battlefield.

”Fellow Daoist of the Barbarian Bull Clan, twenty Bull God Pills and a Millennial Ox Bezoar. In exchange, I’ll hold off the remaining three Night Owls in the Divine Transformation stage.”

Chi Xiao’s brow furrowed, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. How dare another clan interfere in the affairs of the Flying Spirit Clan?!

”Another human? You humans truly have boundless audacity, daring to meddle in the affairs of the Flying Spirit Clan?”

The newcomer was an old man wrapped in bandages, his entire being radiating death qi. His eyes were utterly devoid of emotion. If Li Qing had been present, he would have recognized him instantly—it was none other than Old Lord Hei You!

Seeing this, the Old Black Bull of Wild Bull Ridge roared with laughter. ”Hahaha! Excellent! I, Old Bull, accept your terms!”

”Here are twenty Bull God Pills, good human brother. Take them and keep them safe. As for the Millennial Ox Bezoar, you’ll get it after we slaughter these mangy birds!”

As he spoke, the Old Black Bull pulled two Jade Purity Bottles from his chest and hurled them toward the mysterious human elder in the sky.

Old Lord Hei You caught the white jade bottles and stowed them away, then surprisingly moved to intercept the three divine transformation-stage Night Owl Clan members.

”Wild Bull Ridge always keeps its word. I’ll trust you this once.”

As his voice faded, the strips of cloth covering Old Lord Hei You’s body slid away, revealing his gaunt, skeletal frame. Upon his skin were branded countless grotesque ghost heads.

”Netherworld Ghost Night March!”

Boom!

A sudden yin wind swept across heaven and earth, followed by the piercing wails of ghosts that echoed through the air, sending chills down the spine.

From Old Lord Hei You’s body, countless yin souls surged forth, charging toward the three divine transformation-stage Night Owl Clan members.

”Hahaha! Chi Xiao, you mangy bird! Watch me cleave you in two and boil your flesh into a fine soup!”

”Moo!”

The heaven and earth spiritual qi near the battlefield instantly became violently chaotic. Terrifying spiritual power fluctuations raged, even causing the distant Divine Mountain to tremble.

Meanwhile, Li Qing, who had already fled the scene, felt his heart sink.

”These Flying Spirit Clan members are truly arrogant. I merely glanced at them, and now they’re sending a birdman to hunt me down.”

He could sense the relentless figure pursuing him from behind, moving even faster than his Wind-Thunder Silver Wings at full throttle.

No wonder they’re called the Flying Spirit Clan. Born with the sky’s favor, their innate flight speed is truly enviable.

”An aura around the late divine transformation realm... not weak. This is the second time I’ve been hunted down since arriving in the spirit realm, and both times it’s been by the Flying Spirit Clan.”

Li Qing didn’t stop, continuing to flee at top speed, but the distance between them was steadily closing.

”You can’t escape,” the Flying Spirit Clan member sneered from behind. ”No human the Flying Spirit Clan sets its sights on ever gets away.”

Just a human in the early divine transformation realm. His speed isn’t bad, but it’s no match for mine, especially with the night’s enhancement.

”Fellow daoist of the Flying Spirit Clan, you must have misunderstood,” Li Qing said humbly. ”I was merely passing by. I saw nothing. Would you please let me leave?”

Mo Ying sneered. ”Very well. Stop and let me erase your memories from your sea of consciousness, and I’ll let you go.”

At this, Li Qing could no longer restrain himself. He erupted in a torrent of curses: ”Damn feathered beast! You think I’m afraid of you?”

Despite his curses, he continued to flee without looking back, unwilling to engage in direct combat.

Mo Ying pursued relentlessly, closing the distance between them. When they were less than three thousand meters apart, the air suddenly crackled with piercing sounds.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Countless razor-sharp, jet-black feathers erupted from Mo Ying’s body, instantly sealing off the space ahead.

Sensing the danger, Li Qing immediately activated the four heavenly spirit fires within him, enveloping himself completely in flames.

Boom!

The four-colored spiritual flames surged outward. The moment the razor-sharp feathers approached, they were incinerated into ashes.

But this brief delay allowed Mo Ying to catch up. He lunged forward, his gleaming claws flashing with a cold light as he struck at Li Qing.

Swish!

Li Qing countered by summoning the Peerless Hammer and unleashing a thunderous blow against the razor-sharp iron claws.

Bang!

A massive force erupted, sending a shower of sparks erupting from the hammer’s surface.

Mo Ying was thrown back by the recoil, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. ”A body refiner? His strength is considerable.”

Li Qing glanced at the Peerless Hammer’s surface, noticing several distinct claw marks etched into the metal.

Given that he had been nourishing the Peerless Hammer to near-spirit treasure status, the fact that it still bore such marks was astonishing.

”Kill!” Mo Ying vanished into the night sky with blinding speed, disappearing completely from sight.

Li Qing’s heart tightened slightly. He had always been the one overwhelming others with speed, but this was the first time he had been outpaced in such a way.

This elusive, flickering figure was incredibly troublesome. Once he launched an attack, it would be nearly impossible to react in time.

In the next instant, a sonic boom shattered the air. Even Li Qing’s divine sense failed to detect the strike.

Swish!

Mo Ying’s claws tore through the air, nearly rending space itself.

A chill ran through Li Qing’s heart. He reactivated his spirit fire, enveloping his entire body in flames.

Sensing the extraordinary nature of the flames, Mo Ying withdrew his claws at the last moment.