Immortal Refiner

After a long period of adjustment, Zhao Tianxiong finally acclimatized to the dense demonic qi permeating the ancient battlefield.

He then retrieved a compass from his robes.

The compass appeared to be made of brass, its surface intricately carved with mysterious patterns. A silver needle spun leisurely across its face.

”This is a specially crafted Dragon-Seeking Compass,” Zhao Tianxiong explained. ”By following the direction indicated by the needle, we can find clues left behind by our ancestors!”

With these words, Zhao Tianxiong channeled his spiritual energy into the brass compass, initiating its refinement.

Soon after being refined, the compass needle began to spin rapidly, leaving behind a series of afterimages.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

When it finally came to rest, the needle pointed northwest.

Zhao Tianxiong’s eyes lit up with excitement. ”True Lord Li, it’s northwest! By following the Dragon-Seeking Compass, we’re sure to find that nest of Golden Silkworms!”

Li Qing, who had been observing the entire process, merely nodded calmly.

Until he saw the actual Golden Silkworms, it was all just empty talk. He wasn’t easily swayed by such claims.

”Now that the direction is clear, let’s set out,” Li Qing said calmly. ”I hope no one has beaten us to the Golden Silkworm nest your ancestors discovered.”

Zhao Tianxiong replied confidently, ”Rest assured, True Lord Li. Since my ancestors entrusted this secret to our family, they must have been certain no one else could find it first.”

”This secret realm isn’t easy to locate, and even if someone stumbles upon it, they’ll struggle to uncover its hidden nature.”

”Only by mastering the Zhao Family’s unique secret technique can one perceive the realm’s true essence!”

Zhao Tianxiong’s confidence was unwavering. This was precisely why he had insisted on personally guiding Li Qing here, rather than simply revealing the location and letting him search for the Golden Silkworms alone. Without the Zhao Family’s secret technique, even if others found the realm, they would remain blind to the Golden Silkworms’ presence.

These words piqued Li Qing’s curiosity. He wondered what kind of secret realm could only be perceived through the Zhao Family’s unique technique.

”Let’s not delay any further. We should depart immediately!”

With that, the two men soared into the air, following the direction indicated by the Dragon-Seeking Compass.

The sky hung oppressively gray over the desolate secret realm. Amidst the deathly silence, Li Qing spotted several rogue cultivators who had ventured in, hoping to stumble upon fortune or opportunity.

Most of these cultivators were in the qi refining realm, their cultivation levels pitifully low. Even if they managed to enter, they wouldn’t last long in this ancient battlefield, where demonic qi permeated every corner.

Only a handful of foundation establishment realm cultivators meticulously searched every inch of the land, hoping to uncover something extraordinary.

Alas, those destined to possess such heaven-defying Fortuitous Destiny were exceedingly rare, perhaps only one appearing every few decades or even centuries.

While it was possible that some ancient great powers had left behind fragments of their inheritance within this ancient battlefield before their deaths, the requirements to become their inheritor would undoubtedly be impossibly stringent.

Li Qing paid no heed to such ethereal notions. He didn’t believe himself to be one of the chosen ones.

Having entered this ancient battlefield, his sole objective was the Golden Silkworm!

Thus, the two flew swiftly through the air, one leading the way, their destination crystal clear.

It must be said, this ancient battlefield, forged by ancient sages, was truly vast, stretching endlessly in all directions, its boundaries nowhere in sight.

Following the compass’s direction, nearly two days passed as Li Qing and Zhao Tianxiong ventured deep into the ancient battlefield.

Ordinary qi refining realm cultivators who ventured in seeking fortune rarely made it this far. The deeper they went, the more oppressive the demonic qi became, forcing them to expend considerable mana to resist its corrosive influence.

Along the way, Li Qing spotted several weathered demonic skeletons, each riddled with holes and cracks—grim testament to the ferocity of the ancient Great War.

”Some cultivators who found opportunities in this battlefield actually obtained demonic race inheritances,” Zhao Tianxiong said, his tone tinged with complexity. ”But such individuals require demonic qi infusion, which is unsustainable outside this environment.”

Demonic qi infusion fundamentally alters the human body’s structure. Yet, those willing to undergo this transformation clearly saw its advantages.

First, it grants immense power. These cultivators often become far stronger than their peers in the same cultivation realm.

Second, it dramatically extends their lifespan. The demonic race’s lifespans far surpass those of humans. Cultivators nearing their great limit, desperate to survive, would stop at nothing—a mere demonic qi infusion seemed a small price to pay.

Zhao Tianxiong, now approaching old age, had entertained such thoughts more than once.

Of course, obtaining a demonic race inheritance was no easy feat.

Li Qing detected the hidden meaning in Zhao Tianxiong’s words and chuckled softly. ”Fellow Daoist Zhao, the Great Wilderness Domain is not the demon realm. If you truly transform into such a monstrous, inhuman creature, I suspect even demonic sects like the Blood Spirit Sect would be eager to eliminate you.”

This was no idle threat. Though the human race had demonic cultivators, their cultivation ultimately relied on the heaven and earth spiritual energy.

Even the most heinous demonic techniques still followed the path of the immortal dao.

If a cultivator truly inherited the demonic race’s inheritance in the Great Wilderness Domain, they would likely face universal hostility.

Those not of our kind harbor different intentions! This saying was not merely a platitude.

Zhao Tianxiong forced a dry laugh. ”Heh, True Lord Li, rest assured. This Zhao is no fool. If the Zhao Family were to suffer a catastrophic blow because of this, I would have no face to face my ancestors in the afterlife.”

As they chatted idly while flying, the compass needle suddenly began to twitch again.

Just as they had flown past a deep pit, the once-steady needle began to drift!

Zhao Tianxiong’s pupils constricted at the sight. He immediately halted his flight and said in a low voice:

”We’re here! It should be nearby!”

Li Qing glanced at the compass needle, then surveyed the surroundings, finding nothing particularly unusual.

Even when he swept the area with his powerful divine sense, he detected no anomalies.

At that moment, he finally understood Zhao Tianxiong’s earlier confidence. If this was the so-called secret realm, it was no wonder no one took it seriously.

Even Li Qing’s core formation realm divine sense couldn’t detect anything out of the ordinary.

Following the compass needle’s erratic movements, the two arrived at the bottom of the deep pit.

After stowing the compass, Zhao Tianxiong produced a bone flute.

The flute radiated an icy, sinister aura, its material likely derived from the bones of some unknown demon beast.

”This is a high-grade magical artifact left by our Zhao Family’s founding ancestor—the Nethercall Bone Flute!” Zhao Tianxiong explained. ”By activating it with our family’s secret technique, we can summon a Demon Spirit from within the flute to aid us in battle.”

”The Clan Head who first discovered the Golden Silkworm’s whereabouts mentioned that this flute can communicate with the netherworld. Once we’re near the silkworm’s location, we can use it to pinpoint its exact location.”

After explaining the flute’s purpose, Zhao Tianxiong slowly raised it to his lips.

Li Qing, however, continued to scrutinize the flute. Its refining method was remarkably peculiar, bearing some resemblance to the Treasure Artifact Spirit Fusion Method he had once acquired!

His keen spiritual sense detected that a Demon Spirit was indeed residing within the bone flute.

However, after so many years, the Demon Spirit had become extremely weak, likely incapable of exerting much combat power.

In the next moment, as Zhao Tianxiong’s mana surged, a haunting flute melody drifted forth, echoing endlessly across the gloomy sky.

The melodious notes lingered, yet Li Qing couldn’t discern anything peculiar about them. Apart from being slightly effeminate, the flute’s tone was indistinguishable from that of an ordinary flute.

But Li Qing soon realized his mistake.

He was terribly wrong. The reason he couldn’t detect anything unusual was because the flute’s melody wasn’t meant for his ears.

In an instant, the demonic qi in the sky began to tremble. Amidst the scorched earth, faint specks of spiritual light began to emerge!

As the flute’s melody reverberated, these soul fragment-like specks of spiritual light began to converge, as if drawn by some invisible force, creating a truly bizarre phenomenon.

Having cultivated for so long, Li Qing had never witnessed anything so utterly strange.

At that moment, he couldn’t help but wonder if these spiritual lights, which emitted no discernible aura, might be the souls of the ancient great powers who had perished in this place.

Shattered beyond recovery during the Great War, they were unable to escape into the cycle of reincarnation!

Could there truly be such a thing as reincarnation in this world?

(End of the Chapter)

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