Spirit Realm

The tides had suddenly turned within the valley!

Before Qin Lie had arrived, Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian were being beaten black and blue. Kang Zhi, Han Feng, Chu Peng, and the rest were also in dangerous situations. With each passing moment, they would acquire more and more wounds.

Especially Tu Ze, who had been pushed to insanity by Yan Ziqian as he risked his life to take Yan Ziqian’s.

But it was clear to everyone that if his situation continued without change, Yan Ziqian would survive and only Tu Ze would die.

As soon as Tu Ze died, Zhuo Qian would be killed shortly after, followed by Kang Zhi and the rest.

Their situation was originally one of certain death.

But due to Qin Lie’s arrival, the situation in the valley had undergone a heaven-turning earth-shaking change!

Currently, the new longblade Tu Ze was wielding was constantly condensing masses of starlight. These masses of light were like giant pieces of shiny crystals as they bombarded Yan Ziqian!

Atop Yan Ziqian’s tall body, there were now a dozen or so bone deep wounds! The number of wounds on his body were quickly approaching how many wounds Tu Ze had suffered over the last few days!

On the other end, Zhuo Qian, who had switched out the new Dragon Bone Whip seemed to have similarly become a new person. Her aura was like a tiger’s as she began to turn the tide, also forcing her opponent, Feng Kai, into a corner.

Countless whip marks marred Feng Kai’s entire body. His abdomen, shoulders, and left cheek had all suffered wounds from the wind blades with fresh blood dripping down his body.

After Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian switched their spirit artifacts, their auras had erupted, their power climbing to new heights as they began to dominate their opponents!

Qin Lie, who no longer had to worry about Tu Ze and Zhuo Qian, returned to his senses as he too entered the fray, helping Han Feng, Kang Zhi, and Chu Peng fight their enemies.

He was a cultivator of the ninth level of the Refinement Realm. Lightning wound around his body, and the sound of thunder emanated between his strikes. At this point, when fighting against martial practitioners at the same level as him, Qin Lie was like a fierce beast within a group of sheep. Absolutely no one was able to contend against him.

He seemingly didn’t even care about his opponent’s attacks, completely relying on the advantage of his extremely tough body. Simply charging in, he collided with his enemies. It was as if an iron ship or giant car had crashed straight into the Shattered Ice Manor’s martial practitioners.

All of the people who he smashed into were immediately sent pedaling backwards with blood flying from the corners of their mouths. Once those people finally regained their footing, an electric current discharged across their body, numbing them and charring their hair.

His disruption freed up Han Feng, Kang Zhi, and Chu Peng, further extending the advantage for those of Nebula Pavilion!

“I truly don’t dare to believe it. Earlier, all of Nebula Pavilion’s people were on the verge of dying. But now, they somehow managed to completely reverse the situation!”

“Conflict can truly change ten thousand times in a moment.”

“Why would it be like this?”

As the young ladies of Water Moon Sect observed the battle within the valley with their glowing eyes, they whispered amongst each other.

“It’s because of those two spirit artifacts and that one person,” softly explained Na Nuo as she stared at Qin Lie, a curious light flashing through her eyes.

All of the gazes of the young ladies of Water Moon Sect transferred over to Qin Lie as various colors rippled through their eyes.

By this time, all of Shattered Ice Manor’s martial practitioners had lost. Even Yan Ziqian was drenched in fresh blood. Based on his usual temperament, upon seeing the poor situation they were in, he would have since long ago calmly called for a retreat and quickly brought his people away.

However, he currently acted as if he still had the advantage as before.

—This was because the young ladies of Water Moon Sect were watching.

“Miss, what do you think?” said Liang Zhong atop the Profound Nether Beast as he slightly furrowed his brows, “If this situation continues, I fear the outcome will not be very good…”

“We cannot treat them differently. Earlier, we didn’t immediately take action, so we must do the same now,” indifferently responded Xie Jingxuan, indicating that she wasn’t going to do anything. “Just be on the lookout. As long as no one dies, there is no problem.”

“Understood.”

Liang Zhong nodded. Afterwards, he hopped off the Profound Nether Beast and walked towards the center of the valley, arriving next to where the Nebula Pavilion and Shattered Ice Manor martial practitioners were fighting. With an indifferent attitude, he continued to watch.

His arrival didn’t attract any attention from Shattered Ice Manor nor Nebula Pavilion’s youths. It only grabbed the attention of Water Moon Sect’s young ladies.

“Sister Na Nuo… this person?” whispered Little Sparrow.

Na Nuo slightly shook her head, indicating that she too wasn’t very clear on Liang Zhong’s background and identity. She calmed down the sisters behind her with the expression in her eyes, then continued to quietly wait and observe.

The young ladies of Water Moon Sect suddenly all became silent.

“Crack!”

The sound of broken bones emanated out from the chest of the Shattered Ice Manor martial practitioner who had previously been exchanging blows with Chu Peng. The person flew back two meters before falling onto the ground, their body spasming as an electric current discharged in their eyes.

Qin Lie’s expression became heavy as he walked forward, ready to deal the killing blow.

At this moment, Liang Zhong suddenly appeared in front of him, slowly shaking his head.

Qin Lie’s brows furrowed as he asked, “Why didn’t you step in earlier?”

“If just now Tu Ze had arrived right at the brink of death…” calmly said Liang Zhong, “we would also have stepped in.”

“There’s no problem as long as they don’t die, is that right?” asked Qin Lie.

Liang Zhong nodded.

Qin Lie immediately turned around, locking onto another Shattered Ice Manor martial practitioner. Coldly sneering, he once again charged over.

“Snap snap snap!”

The hair standing sounds of bones fracturing quickly resounded from where Qin Lie was. Upon hearing these sounds, the pretty faces of the young ladies of Water Moon Sect all became slightly pale.

—Qin Lie was like a heavily armored car. When he had crashed into the person, that person’s bones emitted exploding sounds as blood surged out of their body like a geyser!

Liang Zhong was stunned as he helplessly looked to Xie Jingxuan, only to discover that she didn’t react at all, as if she were seemingly used to the brutal actions of Qin Lie.

“Arghhh!”

A painful roar came from Yan Qingsong’s mouth, suddenly attracting everyone’s attention.

The battle between Gao Yu and Yan Qingsong previously had nothing worth watching as both sides were seemingly well matched, with no one having a distinct advantage over the other.

Thus, this battle between the two had gradually been forgotten by everyone.

Suddenly, after who knew what happened, great fear flickered in Yan Qingsong’s eyes as he frantically retreated; it was as if he had seen a ghost.

Around Yan Qingsong’s neck was a circular cluster of dense, gray clouds. These clouds were like a restrictive collar, constantly tightening.

From amidst the cloud cluster resonated the gloomy, mournful sound of moaning ghosts which pierced into everyone’s hearts, causing them to feel as if they had fallen into the ninth level of hell!

Entwined around Gao Yu’s body was a circle of black smoke. Within the black smoke, various tormented spirits and dead souls writhed. Along with his dark, eccentric eyes, he gave off an extremely evil vibe.

When Liang Zhong and Xie Jingxuan, who were on top of the Profound Nether Beast, noticed Gao Yu’s eccentricities, their complexions changed slightly.

Liang Zhong, no longer caring about how badly Qin Lie ravaged Shattered Ice Manor’s practitioners, suddenly shouted towards Gao Yu, “Kid, don’t go overboard!”

He suddenly appeared between Gao Yu and Yan Qingsong.

After Liang Zhong arrived, the ghost cloud collar, which had been encircling Yan Qingsong’s neck, suddenly flew away, instantly diffusing into the black smoke around Gao Yu’s body.

Yan Qingsong’s constantly spluttered out unintelligible words as he continued to back away, his eyes still filled with sheer terror as his body trembled in fear. It was as if he had been invaded by an evil devil and had his soul injured.

“Who are you? To care so much about matters not related to you!”

Gao Yu’s face became gloomy as the another wail came from the evil spirit within the Ogre-faced Ring. Immediately, cluster after cluster of dense, gray masses of air appeared, moving towards Liang Zhong’s chest.

Liang Zhong’s eyes became cold as he suddenly snorted and opened his mouth, spitting out a ray of blue light.

The blue light was like flowing water yet sharp as a blade of light, cutting all of the masses of air to pieces!

Gao Yu’s face suddenly became pale. He couldn’t help but back up a few steps as he looked at Liang Zhong with hatred. He indeed didn’t dare to make another move.

“Hold your attacks! Everyone hold your attacks! Who allowed you to fight?”

At this time, a deep, male voice sounded out over from the entrance of the valley. A middle aged man wearing the uniform of Dark Asura Hall angrily rushed over.

Following behind him were ten or so Dark Asura Hall martial practitioners.

Once these people arrived, they immediately began to forcefully interfere, strictly stopping the clashes between Shattered Ice Manor and Nebula Pavilion.

“What were you doing earlier?” coldly snorted Liang Zhong.

Upon hearing Liang Zhong’s voice, the middle aged man suddenly reacted. Looking towards the corner where Gao Yu and Yan Qingsong had been fighting, he suddenly became surprised as he walked over and respectfully saluted, saying, “Mister Liang, when did you return home? Where is milady?”

“Hmph!” responded Liang Zhong, his face becoming cold as he looked at Xie Jingxuan in the distance. “Do you not have eyes?”

The group of Dark Asura Hall martial practitioners suddenly came to their senses. They, who had just stopped the fights between Shattered Ice Manor and Nebula Pavilion, all hurriedly moved over next to Xie Jingxuan, who was atop the Profound Nether Beast. One after another, they bowed and respectfully saluted, “Greetings, milady!”

Qin Lie, Tu Ze, and the rest, along with Na Nuo’s group, were all stunned as they looked towards Xie Jingxuan.

Atop the Profound Nether Beast, Xie Jingxuan was indifferent as she nodded, asking, “Ban Hong, what has the situation been like recently?”

“It’s become even worse,” replied the middle aged man called Ban Hong. He was the person in charge, stationed in this area of the natural stone forest, and was the leader of this group of Dark Asura Hall practitioners. Holding his salute, he respectfully continued, “The situation has become even worse than when milady left.”

Tu Ze, Na Nuo, and the rest were all dumbfounded.

They all knew that the deepest parts of this natural stone forest had constantly been under the control of Dark Asura Hall… the deepest parts of the natural stone forest was a place they weren’t allowed to enter.

Thus, none of them had any clue what strange things existed the deepest parts of the natural stone forest.

But they had all known since long ago that there was definitely something strange within the depths of the stone forest. Otherwise, Dark Asura Hall would never have stationed people there.

If it were only a Rank Two spirit beast, they could have simply relied on the power of the four vassals to deal with it. For Dark Asura Hall to explicitly send people over was indeed strange.

Currently, as they listened to Ban Hong’s conversation with Xie Jingxuan, they finally understood. There was actually something here that was even more powerful than Ban Hong!

Xie Jingxuan was the actual person in charge here. As for Ban Hong… he was clearly just a subordinate.

They could also finally could say for sure that there was something strange within the depths of the stone forest.

Xie Jingxuan’s clear eyes swept across the faces of everyone within the valley. Every person she looked at would show an expression of reverence as they slightly bowed in respect.

“If Shattered Ice Manor and Nebula Pavilion come into conflict again within the stone forest, the provokers will be executed on the spot!” sternly reprimanded Xie Jianxuan, her expression suddenly becoming cold. Immediately, she took out a card and raised it, continuing, “Water Moon Sect, Crimson Flame Association, Shattered Ice Manor, and Nebula Pavilion, continue patrolling the outer edges of the stone forest. If there are spirit beasts, you may continue to kill them, but you are prohibited from entering the areas marked as restricted by the Dark Asura Hall! Do you understand?”

“Understood!” responded Tu Ze, Yan Ziqian, and Na Nuo in unison as they nodded. They didn’t dare show the slightest hesitation.

They had clearly seen that the card within Xie Jingxuan’s hand was an identity card of Dark Asura Hall’s Department of Internal Affairs!

It was a command token which demanded their lives!

Even if Xie Jingxuan commanded them to go to their deaths, the would be unable to disobey the order!

“All those who are not affiliated, remain here. Qin Lie, come with me,” continued Xie Jingxuan.

Everyone became filled with surprise as they all subconsciously turned their attention back to Qin Lie. They were curious, curious as to what kind of relationship Qin Lie had with this leading practitioner of Dark Asura Hall.

……