Spirit Realm

“As long as Profound Heaven Alliance is willing, then the Horned Demon Race will have no problems with the trade. The matter of exchanging three Profound Yin Nine Leaf Lotuses for the Horned Demon with six horns can be done at anytime.”

Qin Lie expressed his thoughts on behalf of the Horned Demon Race.

“Profound Heaven Alliance is interested in this, but the actual implementation will have to be done carefully. Recently, Eight Extreme Temple and Joyful Union Sect have been patrolling the area. We cannot be discovered by them.”

Song Tingyu combed a wisp of hair behind her ear while wearing an attractive smile on her beautiful face.

“We do not wish for anyone to know that Profound Heaven Alliance is working with the evil races,” she said provocatively. “Furthermore, I must state that, even if Profound Heaven Alliance and the Horned Demon Race agree to the exchange, we will still wage war against the Horned Demon Race in the future. On the surface, we will also participate in the operation against the evil races.”

Qin Lie chuckled. “I can understand that.”

“In the future, if you appear like this and are discovered by me, then I will also kill you without mercy.” Song Tingyu giggled and looked at him seductively, saying, “However, if there’s no one around… then we are still friends. Hehe.”

Qin Lie was speechless.

“Here.”

Song Tingyu rolled her eyes at him, raised her jade-like hands, and tossed an exquisite human faced mask over the river full of Demon Cleansing Orchids into Qin Lie’s hands like a handkerchief.

“In the future, if you are thinking of acting in the outside world, remember to wear this mask. You are now a public enemy of the Scarlet Tide Continent. If you do not wish to be hunted down like a rat, then you would do well to be a little more careful.” Song Tingyu pursed her lips and smiled teasingly.

The mask was as thin as silk and a little cool to the touch. It was as light as a feather, and it was obviously made by a master craftsman.

Qin Lie nodded slightly and immediately put the mask on his face. Other than the initial coolness and slight discomfort, he felt no problems with it.

The feel and artisanship of this mask seemed to be even better than the one that Li Mu had given him.

“This fox skin mask was made from a strip of thin skin from the stomach of the rank six spirit beast, ‘Charm Spirit Demon Fox.’ It is something I spent a great deal to purchase from overseas in an auction.” Song Tingyu wore a look of reluctance on her face. “I’m just loaning it to you for the moment. Remember to return it to me in the future. Oh, right, this mask can change to have more than just one look. You can expand and adjust it on your own. This way, you’ll be able to transform your face into many different appearances. If you want to transform into a girl, it is a simple matter of pulling the lines a little more carefully…”

Only a moment had passed before the coolness of the mask disappeared. When Qin Lie put a hand to it, he actually felt nothing that indicated he was wearing a mask.

It was as if this fox skin mask had perfectly merged with his skin. This caused Qin Lie to feel amazed on the inside.

“Hm?”

A faint fragrance seemed to emanate from Qin Lie’s face. It was very faint, but also smelled pleasant.

He subconsciously moved his nose and said in surprise, “Is this the scent of a fox? No, this scent… is kind of familiar…”

His eyes lit up as he looked at Song Tingyu and smiled, “Have you worn this mask before?”

“This bastard!”

Song Tingyu cursed on the inside and a rare hint of embarrassment appeared on her seductive face. She snorted. “I’ve used it twice. What about it? If you don’t like it, then return the fox skin mask to me. I’m no longer willing to loan it to you!”

“How could I possibly dislike the scent of your body?” Qin Lie chuckled oddly.

“I’m not going to waste words on you any longer. I’m leaving. I will explain this matter with my father and uncles and see how they’re going to deal with this.” Song Tingyu rolled her eyes at him. Her attractive figure was just about to leap onto the Flowing Cloud Rainbow Butterfly.

“Take me with you. Just drop me at Ling Town along the way.” An idea appeared in Qin Lie’s mind as he said to Song Tingyu, “Give me a second and I’ll leave with you immediately.”

He turned around and arrived beside the Spirit Hunting Beasts. He said to the Horned Demon warrior, “Tell Ku Luo that I’m taking a trip to Herb Mountain. He should understand what I’ll be there for.”

The Horned Demon warrior nodded respectfully.

Then, Qin Lie passed through the river filled with Demon Cleansing Orchids and arrived in front of Song Tingyu, saying, “Let’s go.”

“Since you’ve changed your face, you can now leave this place. Here. Here’s a mirror. Take a look at yourself.” Song Tingyu passed over a copper mirror.

Qin Lie pressed his face close to the mirror and took a careful look. He discovered that this face was common and average—the kind that would commonly be seen on the streets with nothing special about it at all.

After climbing onto the Flowing Cloud Rainbow Butterfly, Qin Lie pondered for a moment and said, “There’s a person named Yao Tai in your Song Family. Please take care of him on my behalf.”

“No problem.” Song Tingyu smiled slightly.

The Flowing Cloud Rainbow Butterfly could be said to be the fastest creature on the Scarlet Tide Continent. With its lightning speed, Qin Lie and Song Tingyu quickly passed through Icestone City and headed straight for the deserted Ling Town.

After jumping down from the Flowing Cloud Rainbow Butterfly, Qin Lie stood in the silent Ling Town, raised his hand, and said toward Song Tingyu, “Alright, you can forget about me now. Go back to Profound Heaven Alliance and discuss the important matter with your father and uncles.”

“Why did you want to come to Ling Town?” Song Tingyu’s eyes glittered and she looked at him deeply. “In its current state, you must have some goal coming to Ling Town, right? Can’t you tell me?”

Qin Lie frowned.

“Never mind, I’m just asking for the hell of it. Who cares about your business?” Song Tingyu waved her hand and said insincerely before leaving with the Flowing Cloud Rainbow Butterfly.

After she flew away, Qin lie arrived at the small house that belonged to him and sat inside.

He opened his mind and investigated his surroundings with his mind consciousness. He wanted to confirm if Song Tingyu had truly left and if there were people around him.

His mind consciousness resembled ripples, spreading out to the surroundings.

The current Qin Lie was at the middle stage of the Manifestation Realm. The coverage of his mind consciousness wasn’t far, and he could only detect everything within a mile of Ling Town.

Of course, if there was someone whose realm was far beyond his and had hidden their aura, then he would still be unable to detect it with his cultivation.

After a while, he sensed nothing out of the ordinary and gradually withdrew his mind consciousness.

Looking at the evening’s crimson red clouds, Qin Lie did not hurry on his way to Herb Mountain. Instead, he shut his eyes and rested within the small house, sorting out his dantian’s spirit sea.

Nine Natal Palaces were like heavenly paradises within his misty spirit sea. Each was all a tiny world of their own, the insides of which were either entangled with thunder and lightning, chilled to the bone, or distorted by magnetism.

“At the Natal Opening Realm, one creates the Natal Palaces. At the Manifestation Realm, one cleanses the Soul Lake. At the Netherpassage Realm, one tempers the soul…”

Channeling different kinds of spirit arts, Qin Lie continued pondering about the difference between each realm and slowly entered a state of meditation.

“Spirit diagrams are also a type of spirit art. When one has truly mastered a spirit diagram, they can be said to have mastered a spirit art as well. As long as it is used correctly, then a spirit diagram can also be used to fight against an enemy.”

Inside the simple house, multiple unique spirit diagrams began to appear within Qin Lie’s mind.

The Nine Winding River Diagram, the Soaring Sky Birds Diagram, the Radiant Galaxy Diagram… these spirit diagrams appeared in his mind and suddenly looked incredibly clear and bright.

In this small house that he had lived in for seven years, Qin Lie subconsciously condensed his spirit energy. With his finger as the brush, his spirit energy as the ink, and the air as the spirit board, he began inscribing the spirit diagrams he was familiar with.

Under the control of his mind, the spirit energy condensed into bright white lights and formed a winding river in midair. The river twisted and wandered, seemingly containing magic inside of it. As he became completely focused, it was as if he could hear the rushing sounds of a stream. That sound was so melodious that he could not help but sink into it.

“Sploosh sploosh…”

Amid the sounds of rushing water, the spirit energy that formed the stream suddenly shattered and dissipated.

Qin Lie, who had been absorbed in inscribing the spirit diagram, suddenly woke up. He inadvertently frowned as he watched the motes of spirit energy that resembled shattered stars.

Things were far more complicated than he had first imagined.

The inscription of this spirit diagram hadn’t been nearly as natural as when he had inscribed the Dragon Snake Coiling Sky Diagram inside the magical formation of the Thunderblitz Trees.

He thought that he would be able to inscribe the simpler Nine Winding River Diagram in midair just as easily as he had inscribed Dragon Snake Coiling Sky Diagram.

Yet he had failed.

“The four ancient diagrams, Spirit Storage, Spirit Gathering, Amplification, and Strengthening, may be called basic spirit diagrams, but their structures are incredibly complicated. Compared to the spirit diagrams inside the twelve spirit pattern pillars, the basic ancient diagrams are far more complicated and profound. If I can’t even inscribe the Nine Winding River Diagram in midair and convert it into a method of attack, then it will be impossible to do so with the four ancient diagrams.”

“The last of the twelve spirit pattern pillars is the center of the seal and cannot be considered a diagram. Yet the eleven spirit diagrams… the Celestial Sealing Demon Diagram, the Nine Winding River Diagram, the Soaring Sky Birds Diagram, the Radiant Galaxy Diagram, the Hundred Flowers Chainmail Diagram, the Ancient Wood Resurrection Diagram Falling Mansion Diagram, the Six Cycle Bewitching Diagram, the Dragon Snake Coiling Sky Diagram… the Three Disciplines Four Divisions Diagram and the Yin Yang Intersection Diagram… including the four ancient basic diagrams… if I can convert them all into offensive arts, then my offensive capabilities will become incredibly diverse!”

“If I can adapt all the spirit diagrams according to my offensive style and realize them, then my combat power will definitely experience a meteoric rise!”

“Since the possibility exists, I should do this and gradually turn them into a means of attack!”

Inside the small house, Qin Lie’s eyes were resolute as he quickly made up his mind.

He needed to further improve in the cultivation of the martial way. He needed to increase his strength as soon as possible and adapt to the continent’s increasingly dire situation.

Qin Lie did not immediately head to Herb Mountain and rush to seek out the teleportation formation. Instead, he stayed in this little house that belonged to him, temporarily alone in Ling Town.

If he was hungry, he would eat some dried food, and if he was tired, he would lie on the floor and rest for a while.

He cultivated, sometimes forgetting to sleep or eat.

He attempted to convert the spirit diagrams into powerful attack methods and increase his fighting capabilities.

One day, while he was earnestly cultivating inside the small room, he suddenly detected life.

There were many auras of life.

Qin Lie immediately stopped cultivating and quietly hid his aura. With a frown, he moved to the window and looked outside.

A group of people slowly appeared at the entrance of Ling Town.

“Why have they come to Ling Town?” Qin Lie frowned.