In Chang Chun Temple, the Nascent Souls of the Cloud Desolation Alliance, led by Tian Jizi, had long noticed the temple's unusual movements. Although they occasionally sent people to harass the Wu Yue Sect's search teams, successfully preventing the Wu Yue God from gathering a million mortals for the blood sacrifice within the deadline, they lacked the strength to organize a large-scale operation or counterattack.

Now that the Wu Yue Sect was making a comeback, the Cloud Desolation Alliance reacted immediately. The Sect Protection Array was once again fully activated, blocking off the blood-sacrificed Cultivators, who were as frenzied as demons.

However, these Cultivators, enhanced by the blood sacrifice, were not only fearlessly brave; their strength had also increased significantly, and their Physical Bodies had become extraordinarily tough. They could even spew blood-colored Demon Flames, causing the Sect Protection Array of Chang Chun Temple to shake incessantly.

Just as the great battle erupted at the entrance of Chang Chun Temple, the Wu Yue God suddenly flew out of the black palace and arrived at the center of the Demon Array.

With his arrival, the ground at the center of the Demon Array cracked open, and a Physical Body with a large blood-colored crystal embedded in its forehead slowly rose.

This Physical Body had well-defined muscles, a square face, a high nose bridge, and although its eyes were closed, its eyebrows were slightly raised, exuding an unruly demeanor.

The Wu Yue God looked at this Physical Body and hesitated for a moment, but eventually, he sighed, and in a flash, merged into the body.

Soon after, the Physical Body's eyes snapped open, and with a wide-open mouth, it spewed out an incredibly thick blood-colored Demon Flame, which instantly struck the Sect Protection Array of Chang Chun Temple.

With that single blast, the Sect Protection Array of Chang Chun Temple shook violently, its movements far more severe than when faced with the onslaught of the blood-sacrificed Cultivators.

Inside Chang Chun Temple, Tian Jizi and the Artifact Spirit of the Canghai Xuan Water Pearl changed color simultaneously, once again working together to strengthen the Great Array, with all of the Nascent Soul Cultivators lending their aid.

All of this seemed like a continuation of the first great battle, but whether the members of the Cloud Desolation Alliance could still be as "lucky" as before was still uncertain.

What everyone did not know was that within Chang Chun Temple, a force that had lain dormant for a long time was beginning to stir, ready to deliver a fatal blow to the teetering Cloud Desolate Alliance.

…

Deep within Black Witch Mountain, Yuan Ming abruptly opened his eyes and then let out a long breath.

At last, he had finally exhausted the malicious thoughts that had appeared in his Divine Soul.

Reflecting on the past few days, Yuan Ming felt a lingering fear in his heart.

If it hadn't been for the aid of the Stealing Heaven Tripod, he would have been unable to withstand that inexplicable malice, and undoubtedly, his Divine Soul would have collapsed and disintegrated instantly, completely extinguished from the world.

The malevolence was truly terrifying. Not only was it powerful, but it was also extremely difficult to eliminate. It took Yuan Ming a full ten days to resolve it, from which it is evident that even if someone could survive the initial onslaught of instant death, they would likely struggle to endure the malice's subsequent expansion and diffusion.

Moreover, Yuan Ming realized that it was only because he relied on his main soul that he survived the attack. Otherwise, after obliterating his main soul, the malice would certainly not spare his soul splitting, and even his Nascent Soul would suffer as well.

Faced with such a terrifying attack that specifically targeted the Divine Soul, Yuan Ming didn't ponder much before confirming the origin of this Divine Power.

It must be one of the Wu Yue God's three Great Divine Powers, the Evil Curse Kill. It was because he had slain the Wu Yue God's Physical Body and provoked his wrath, regardless of the cost to employ such a technique, that he found himself in such a predicament.

But even without a Physical Body, the Wu Yue God was still capable of executing such a dreadful Divine Power. Was this the strength of the Spoken Witch?

At this thought, Yuan Ming felt both astonished and envious.

However, he quickly composed himself, glanced around, and found that he was still deep within Black Witch Mountain, with Vajra casting a concerned look his way.

At that moment, the remaining Wu Yue Sect members within the depths of Black Witch Mountain were either dead or had fled, leaving hardly any figures to be seen.

Knowing that no enemy would attack for the time being, Yuan Ming continued to check and search the underground caves.

By now, the old den of the Wu Yue Sect had been turned upside down.

Apart from the places Yuan Ming had destroyed and looted, many other caves have been purged by the fleeing sect members themselves, with signs of ransacking and robbery everywhere.

To leave no traces, some sect members even set fire to the areas they had plundered before fleeing for their lives.

After exploring a few caves and finding each in that condition, Yuan Ming lost interest.

But just as he was on his way out, he passed by a cave and noticed that the Forbidden on the stone gate was intact. He immediately destroyed it and entered.

Opening the gate, Yuan Ming discovered what appeared to be a Cultivator's secret chamber for cultivation.

The Stone Chamber was small, with a square stone bed in the center and Array Patterns etched around it to aid in cultivation. Against the wall, there was a shelf as tall as a person, on which were placed seven or eight wooden boxes and a variety of bottles and pots.

Next to the shelf stood a three-foot-tall purple-black Alchemy Furnace, still bearing the faint scent of the last batch of elixir, bitter and putrid, making one want to vomit.

Yuan Ming inspected the shelf and found it filled with powdered mineral stones and other alchemical ingredients, while most of the wooden boxes were empty.

As for the finished elixirs, not a single bottle was left; they must have been taken away for the battle.

Seeing no items of interest, Yuan Ming planned to leave.

Yet, as he turned to go, his gaze was caught by an Array carved at the center of the stone platform.

The more he looked at the Array, the more his brow furrowed.

At first glance, the Array seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, it felt increasingly off to him.

"This isn't just a formation, the center piece... seems to be a separate concealment array, there's something hidden here," Yuan Ming quickly realized, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.

It wasn't that he believed what was hidden had to be valuable, but that he was genuinely delighted by the unexpected discovery.

Yuan Ming walked up to it and pressed his palm against the array, beginning to attempt to break it.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the glow emanating from the array gradually faded, and the array patterns inscribed upon it likewise began to disappear.

In the center of what had seemed to be a flat stone platform, a secret compartment three feet square was revealed, in which there lay a square white jade box.

After a brief investigation, Yuan Ming immediately took out the white jade box from within.

Upon opening it, a burst of red light rippled out like waves, instantly illuminating the entire dimly lit chamber.

Yuan Ming frowned and peered inside, only to see seven or eight thumb-thick, three-inch long golden red crystals neatly stacked inside the white jade box.

After ensuring there were no abnormalities, he pinched one of the golden red crystal stones between his fingers and examined it closely, marveling at its clarity and flawless interior, which reflected a lustrous glow, incredibly beautiful.

However, there were no fluctuations of spiritual power on the golden red crystal stones, and when he tried to infuse them with mana, there was no response. Not knowing their purpose, Yuan Ming decided to store them away for the time being.

Having done all this, Yuan Ming immediately left Black Witch Mountain and rode the thunderous rain towards Da Jin.

...

Several days later, in the southern part of Da Jin Country.

The citizens of Huaiji City witnessed a bizarre phenomenon the likes of which they had never seen before.

That day, above Huaiji City, Immortals, normally a rare sight, passed over the ancient city that had stood for a thousand years in great numbers like a swarm of locusts, walking on air, standing on swords, or riding flying shuttles.

The city's residents thought they were witnessing a miracle and rushed out of their homes to kneel and bow in worship.

Some went even further, burning incense and making offerings of animals in the hopes of receiving the Immortals' blessing.

Little did they know that these lofty Immortals were now concerned only with their escape; they had no capacity to care for the mortals they usually considered as insignificant as ants.

What good can come to the eggs when the nest is overturned? The g%en.uine@ [email protected]@ res^i*d^es# on M%|V#|@L%&EMPY&R..

The wars between cultivators always have consequences that extend far beyond themselves, affecting all living beings.

Perhaps in a few days, tens of thousands of refugees would flood into Huaiji City from the North.

Somewhere high in the sky, Xi Ying was holding Guoguo, gliding through the air.

Her gaze fell on the mortals below, and she couldn't help but show a trace of compassion in her eyes.

Just then, Guoguo, in her arms, experienced a fleeting dullness in her eyes, as if she had fallen into a brief stupor, which quickly dissipated, restoring the spirit light.

Xi Ying immediately sensed a subtle change in the Divine Soul wave radiating from Guoguo and quickly enveloped both of them in an invisible barrier, separating them from the outside world.

"Yuan Ming, where are you now?" Xi Ying asked.

"I'm still in the Northern Desert. Just a few days ago, I overturned the lair of the Wu Yue Sect, and now I'm hurrying towards Da Jin Capital," Yuan Ming's voice came through with a liberating laugh.

Hearing this, Xi Ying's expression darkened as she said, "Then there's no need for you to come this way."

"What do you mean? What happened?" Yuan Ming asked urgently.

"The Cloud Desolate Alliance couldn't withstand the onslaught of the Wu Yue Sect. Chang Chun Temple has been breached. Every faction of the alliance has suffered heavy losses and no longer has the strength to fight to the death against the Wu Yue Sect. They are retreating en masse towards the Cloud Ridge Mountain Range in the south of Da Jin," Xi Ying explained.

"Defeated? How about you, are you hurt?" Yuan Ming was initially shocked, then quickly asked.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Xi Ying said, shaking her head.

"I guessed the Cloud Desolate Alliance wouldn't win, but I didn't expect them to lose this quickly. Is the Wu Yue Sect and that Wu Yue God really that powerful?" After a moment of silence, Yuan Ming's voice came from Guoguo's mouth once again.

"They are much stronger than we imagined, but that's not the main reason for our defeat," Xi Ying sighed with a hint of helplessness.

"It seems that the problem lies within the Cloud Desolate Alliance itself," Yuan Ming immediately guessed the situation.

"Exactly, the reason for our swift defeat is that the Cao Family turned traitor at a critical moment. Those people turned out to be dark agents cultivated by the Wu Yue Sect for many years, willing to fight to the death and directly sabotaged Chang Chun Temple's Sect Protection Array, allowing the Wu Yue God to enter. Once he made his move, the cultivators of the Cloud Desolation Alliance stood no chance and were quickly decimated," Xi Ying said.

As she spoke, a sigh escaped her heart.

Wulu had warned them in advance to beware of the Cao Family, but amidst the urgency of war and no concrete evidence, she was powerless to prevent it.