Immortal Refiner

A fierce wind whipped up sand and dust, forming towering sand dragons that ravaged heaven and earth.

Upon arriving at their destination via the teleportation formation, some travelers immediately prepared to depart, eager to avoid lingering.

However, the clatter of iron armor soon echoed through the air. Several foreign races who had just taken flight were abruptly forced back to the ground.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Dull thuds reverberated as figures crashed into the sand. A squadron of soldiers clad in dark crimson profound armor and riding tall, single-horned horses surrounded the area.

This cavalry exuded an aura of chilling ruthlessness, their icy demeanor suggesting they would unleash carnage at the slightest provocation.

Closer inspection revealed the cavalry’s diverse composition: humans, demons in their transformed states, and peculiar alien races with twin horns.

This unusual alliance was made even more astonishing by the fact that even the lowest-ranked soldier possessed cultivation at the divine transformation stage.

The cavalry commander, whose mana was exceptionally profound, had reached the mid void refinement realm!

The cavalry commander’s cold gaze swept over the two hundred people who had just arrived through the teleportation formation. ”We are the Calamity-Breaking Unit of the Great Yu Kingdom’s Thirteen Heavenly Cavalry Legions,” he announced. ”We are here to garrison the teleportation formation at Yellow Sand City in Western Capital Prefecture.”

”Before you depart, we require your cooperation!”

At these words, several foreign race members who had collapsed to the ground earlier glared angrily and began to curse:

”I don’t care if you’re from the Heavenly Cavalry or the Earthly Cavalry! How dare you stop me? I’m from the Great Tail Clan—you’ll regret this!”

”Cooperate with what? Why should we listen to you? What does the Great Yu Kingdom have to do with us?”

”Exactly! Let’s just leave. I dare them to try anything!”

With that, several newly arrived foreign race members stood up and swaggered away.

As they brushed past the cavalry, they saw the soldiers didn’t dare to intervene, and their eyes flashed with contempt and mockery.

As soon as they stepped out of the teleportation formation’s range, the cavalry chief’s voice turned icy: ”Kill them.”

At his command, seven or eight cavalrymen with intensely refined auras charged forward, attacking the foreign race members who had just departed.

”You... you dare!”

”Hmph, do you think I fear you?”

”You’re asking for death!”

The battle erupted instantly, spiritual energy surging violently through the air.

Yet the cavalry general didn’t even glance back. He remained calmly seated atop his tall, one-horned horse, his gaze fixed on the remaining people at the teleportation formation.

Moments later, a bloody stench drifted on the wind. The foreign race members hadn’t lasted even a moment, falling swiftly beneath the cavalry’s blades.

Witnessing this, the remaining 197 people at the teleportation formation reacted with varied expressions. Some frowned, while others showed clear fear.

The cavalrymen’s skills were formidable. They could execute battle formations with seamless coordination, clearly seasoned veterans of countless battlefields.

Li Qing frowned slightly, unconsciously blending into the crowd and suppressing his aura as much as possible, fearing he might draw attention.

As he retreated, he accidentally bumped into someone, startling him. He hadn’t realized anyone was standing behind him.

It turned out to be Xia Wushuang, who had completely concealed his presence, almost vanishing into thin air.

”Heh heh, those Thirteen Heavenly Cavalry Legions aren’t to be trifled with. I’m a bit nervous,” Xia Wushuang chuckled.

Hearing this, Li Qing rolled his eyes but remained silent, silently observing the unfolding situation from within the crowd.

Soon, someone in the crowd couldn’t contain their impatience and called out:

”Hey, what exactly do you want us to cooperate with? At least tell us why!”

The cavalry commander waved his hand, and a stone platform materialized, landing heavily on the ground.

”This is the Profound Light Platform. By stepping onto it, you may enter the Great Yu Kingdom.”

The crowd murmured, eyeing the stone platform covered in mysterious runes with suspicion. No one dared to step forward.

”Who knows what kind of stone platform this is? What if something goes wrong?”

”Exactly! Why go through all this trouble for no reason?”

”Hey, you should at least tell us what this platform is for before we dare to step on it.”

”We never had to go through this nonsense when we came to the Azure Profound Continent before. Why all the sudden complications?”

Having witnessed the fate of those who had died earlier, the crowd spoke cautiously, their voices filled with anxious questions.

The cavalry commander, facing their inquiries, finally responded calmly:

”Rest assured, everyone. This stone platform is merely a detection device.”

”Recently, members of the Shadow Clan infiltrated the Great Yu Kingdom, causing immeasurable damage. To prevent further chaos, we’ve been forced to implement these measures. We ask for your cooperation.”

Shadow Clan?

Upon hearing this unfamiliar name, the crowd, including Li Qing, frowned in confusion.

”Shadow Clan? I’ve never even heard of them.”

”I’m definitely not one of those Shadow Clan people! I’m a genuine Fur Clan member. Just look at my distinctive features!”

Someone in the crowd answered the question:

”The Shadow Clan is scattered across multiple continents in the spirit realm. They are incredibly mysterious and are born assassins.”

”This race can not only hide in shadows but also secretly parasitize others’ bodies.”

”Once parasitized by the Shadow Clan, you might not even realize it yourself.”

The cavalry commander tugged on his horse’s reins and nodded. ”That’s right. This Profound Light Platform was refined by the Great Yu Kingdom’s experts. By standing on it, we can detect whether any of you have been parasitized by the Shadow Clan.”

”In other words, this is for your own good. If you’ve been targeted by the Shadow Clan, you’ll eventually be assimilated into a Shadow Puppet, completely losing your own will.”

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted into chaos, frantically glancing at the shadows beneath their feet, searching for any hidden Shadow Clan members.

However, once they realized the Profound Light Platform was only for detecting the Shadow Clan, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

Still, as they looked at each other, no one dared to be the first to step onto the platform.

Seeing the hesitation, the cavalry commander grew impatient. He waved his hand and ordered, ”Zhou Lin, step onto the Profound Light Platform and show them how it’s done!”

In an instant, a spirited female rider dismounted her horse and leaped onto the platform with practiced ease.

Hum!

A clear light emanated from the stone platform, causing the runes etched upon it to glow brilliantly.

After the light swept over the valiant rider, the Profound Light Platform returned to stillness.

Confirming that the rider had experienced no adverse effects, the crowd finally breathed a collective sigh of relief and began stepping onto the platform one by one, mimicking her actions.

After dozens of people had been tested without incident, Li Qing and Xia Wushuang joined the procession.