A quarter of an hour later.
The final trace of origin essence belonging to that Tier-4 Ghost King was devoured by the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
Still unsatisfied, he charged toward the remaining three clones.
Under Xu Chuan's orders, the Profound Yin Corpse King and Moyue had held back from dealing the killing blow.
Before long.
Those three Ghost King clones were also devoured by the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
The yin qi surrounding him surged steadily, giving off the distinct impression that he was about to break through right then and there.
The battlefield finally fell silent.
Xu Chuan, the Profound Yin Corpse King, and Moyue all stared at the Blood Fiend Ghost King hovering in the air.
"You two, keep an eye on him."
Xu Chuan instructed before descending to the ground.
Xu Deling and Xu Mingxuan put away their magic treasures. The group hurried forward, offering their joyful congratulations. "Congratulations on successfully slaying the Tier-4 Ghost King!"
"Congratulations, Honored Master, on slaying the Ghost King."
Xu Chuan nodded with a smile and instructed, "The Blood Fiend Ghost King is on the verge of breaking through. If any Chi attack during this time, you all will need to fend them off."
"Father, focus on recovering. Leave the rest to us."
Xu Mingyuan understood that compared to the Chi, the most crucial task was controlling the Blood Fiend Ghost King after his breakthrough.
Following that, Xu Chuan found a quiet spot and began meditating to adjust his breathing.
Although the Sword of Divine Sense was powerful, its consumption was immense.
Coupled with pushing the Azure Dragon Sword Formation to its limits, his mana was now below fifty percent, and his divine sense was mostly drained.
To prevent the Blood Fiend Ghost King from causing a disturbance upon breaking through, he needed to restore himself to his peak state as quickly as possible.
With a flip of his wrist.
Two pills appeared.
One was a Jade Void Pill, the other a Spirit-Nourishing Pill, both of high grade.
Xu Chuan swallowed them, sitting cross-legged on the ground to silently refine the medicinal efficacy, restoring his mana and divine sense.
Four days later.
Xu Chuan had almost recovered to his absolute peak.
At this moment, a cloud of black yin qi mist tens of meters high materialized in the sky.
It was formed by the continuous compression of massive amounts of yin qi, looking as thick and viscous as paste.
'It seems he is truly about to advance.'
Had they not slain the old ghost and let him devour the Ghost King's soul origin, Xu Chuan had originally planned to use the seeds of the Nine-Leaf Soul-Nourishing Lotus to aid his breakthrough.
However, that item was far more beneficial for breaking through minor realms.
He wasn't entirely sure how effective it would be for breaking through to a major realm like the fourth tier.
Now, he could save it to use as the main ingredient for the Nine Soul Pill.
This pill was effective for humans, demons, corpses, and ghosts alike. For those at the Nascent Soul Stage, it was a holy relic that could nourish the soul and strengthen divine sense.
Another three days passed.
Marking the seventh day since the Blood Fiend Ghost King devoured the Tier-4 Ghost King's soul origin.
The dense ghost mist that had been suspended in mid-air, squirming silently like a massive black cocoon, began to rapidly shrink inward without warning.
Immediately after—
"Screech—!"
A shrill, ear-piercing ghost shriek suddenly erupted!
The shriek carried an overwhelming and terrifying shockwave, sweeping across the surroundings instantly like an invisible tempest.
Mixed within that shockwave was pure yin qi, violent blood energy, and a newborn, higher-tier aura of absolute willpower!
"He broke through."
The corners of Xu Chuan's lips curled up slightly.
Aside from him, Moyue, and the Profound Yin Corpse King, the rest of the group—Xu Mingyuan, Xu Deling, and the others—turned ghastly pale.
They instinctively clutched their heads. They felt as though their seas of consciousness were being stabbed by countless fine needles, suffering waves of sharp agony and intense dizziness.
This was merely an unconscious soul attack radiating from the Blood Fiend Ghost King's breakthrough.
Xu Mingyuan and the others could only grit their teeth and endure it.
At the same time.
The world changed colors!
Centered around that shrinking mass of ghost mist, within a radius of a hundred and fifty kilometers.
Wisps of yin qi, as if answering a monarch's summon, transformed into streaks of gray and black currents.
They converged wildly like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, forming a massive, slowly rotating whirlpool of yin qi right above the ghost mist!
The daylight dimmed, and the temperature plummeted.
A bone-chilling yin wind howled, making it feel as if the end of the world had arrived.
Furthermore, such a colossal disturbance of yin qi held a fatal attraction for demonic monsters like the Chi.
Even though their numbers weren't vast in this particular area.
It still drew in every Chi within a radius of several thousand kilometers.
On the distant horizon.
Shadowy, twisted silhouettes began to emerge.
Their roars echoed from far to near. There were well over a hundred of them, swarming frantically toward this location!
A quarter of an hour later.
The ghost mist in the air, having condensed to its absolute limit, abruptly exploded!
Yin qi scattered in all directions, revealing a tall and straight figure within.
It was a man about two meters tall. His corporeal form was so solid that he looked almost no different from an ordinary human.
He wore an illusory black robe. He appeared to be middle-aged with cold, sharp features. His skin was unnaturally pale, as if it had never seen the sunlight.
The most striking feature was his long hair, dyed the color of fresh blood, drifting gently without any wind.
Only his eyes—crimson as the purest blood diamonds—were icy and utterly devoid of emotion.
The man was shrouded in dense, nearly tangible yin qi, causing the space around him to warp slightly.
He released the pressure of a Tier-4 Ghost King without holding anything back.
Although it wasn't as overwhelmingly profound as the previous old ghost, it invisibly radiated a vigorous vitality and a sharp, aggressive edge.
Xu Chuan's gaze narrowed slightly.
With a blur of motion, he flew over and stopped just a dozen meters away from the figure.
On his left and right, the humanoid Moyue and the Profound Yin Corpse King appeared simultaneously, faintly taking up positions to guard and supervise.
The Blood Fiend Ghost King's crimson eyes shifted, landing first on Xu Chuan.
The restrictive link deep within his soul origin clearly told him a fact.
The man standing before him was his creator, his absolute controller—his master.
Even having broken through to the fourth tier, he could still feel that the restriction's strength was not something he could shake off.
It wasn't that he lacked the ability to resist, but with a single thought, the other party could inflict severe damage to his divine soul, making him wish for death.
Afterward, the Blood Fiend Ghost King's gaze swept over Moyue and the Profound Yin Corpse King, both of whom possessed auras no weaker than his own.
A subtle ripple flashed in the depths of his crimson eyes—a mix of calculation and apprehension.
With Xu Chuan suppressing him, Moyue and the Profound Yin Corpse King had more than enough capability to slaughter him entirely.
After all, they had even managed to work together to kill that stronger old ghost.
He hovered in the air, his dense yin qi retracting slightly.
Bowing his head toward Xu Chuan, he spoke in a low rumble, "Greetings, Master. Thank you for granting me this opportunity and aiding my breakthrough to the fourth tier."
A hint of surprise flashed in Xu Chuan's eyes.
"I thought you would throw a tantrum just like Profound Yin did!"
"I wouldn't dare," he replied.
The Profound Yin Corpse King curled his lip, grumbling in his mind, 'Slippery bastard! Hypocrite!'
Xu Chuan scrutinized the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
He had originally assumed that since the Blood Fiend Ghost King had just advanced to the fourth tier and his strength had skyrocketed, he would inevitably be rebellious and test his boundaries, just like the Profound Yin Corpse King did back then, despite the restrictions.
He never expected the other party to strike such a submissive posture.
Of course, Xu Chuan knew this submission was only surface-deep.
The ghost surely understood that since Xu Chuan had the power to kill a Ghost King stronger than him, he easily had the power to destroy him too.
However, since he was willing to comply, it would save a lot of trouble.
"From today onward, you shall be known as Blood Fiend. Whether your acknowledgment now is genuine or merely a superficial act of expediency, I must remind you of one thing.
"If you commit any act of betrayal, I will show absolutely no mercy.
"But as long as you remain loyal and do your job diligently, I can guarantee that your future will not end at the initial stage of the fourth tier."
The Blood Fiend Ghost King raised his head, his crimson eyes meeting Xu Chuan's for a fleeting moment before lowering again. "Blood Fiend would not dare.
"I will forever engrave Master's life-giving grace in my heart.
"By devouring that old ghost just now, I learned from his fragmented memories that he still has a hidden lair located in the Foggy Area.
"It seems to contain many items he collected while he was alive. Perhaps they will be of use to you, Master."
"Oh?" Xu Chuan raised an eyebrow. "That is an unexpected harvest. Take me there when we get the chance."
"Yes, Master," Blood Fiend replied, his attitude as respectful as ever.
At this moment, the massive swarm of Chi drawn in by the yin qi had closed in. Their roars were clear, and the ground trembled with a deep rumble.
"We can't stay here any longer. Let's go!" Xu Chuan made a prompt decision, refusing to delay further.
He activated the Hundred Ghost Banner, absorbing the Blood Fiend Ghost King inside.
Then, he ordered Moyue and the Profound Yin Corpse King back into the Spirit Beast Pouch and the Yin Corpse Pouch respectively.
Afterward, he took to the skies as a streak of light alongside Xu Mingyuan, Xu Mingxian, and the others, flying off into the distance.
They perfectly avoided a clash with the Chi.
Half a month later.
Xu Chuan split up from Xu Mingyuan and the rest. Taking the Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King, he officially marched into the depths of the Ancient Battlefield.
Meanwhile, Xu Mingyuan and his group operated on the periphery, searching for their own opportunities.
This arrangement was primarily because, according to the Blood Fiend Ghost King, there seemed to be quite a few fourth-tier powerhouses deep within the battlefield.
If Xu Chuan had reached the Nascent Soul Stage, he might have taken them inside to explore.
But currently, he himself required the protection of the Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King, mostly playing a support role in combat.
Bringing the others along would only be a burden.
Of course, it wasn't as if no Golden Core Stage Cultivator had ever luckily made it out alive.
But Xu Chuan had no intention of letting them gamble with their lives.
The Xu Family was on the cusp of an era of immense expansion; making steady and solid progress was the absolute best choice.
However, according to what the Blood Fiend Ghost King had said, fourth-tier beings rarely appeared within the first fifty to a hundred kilometers of the battlefield's inner rim.
If they truly wanted to venture inward, they could only operate within that specific range, and they had to be accompanied by Xu Mingxuan.
Furthermore, Xu Chuan left Moyue behind to serve as their trump card.
After all, the peripheral battlefield wasn't completely devoid of fourth-tier existences.
Examples included the old ghost from before, or the invading Nascent Soul Cultivators from the Blackwater Region and the Heavenly South.
Some who failed to obtain what they sought deep within the battlefield might inevitably resort to plundering Golden Core Stage Cultivators on the outskirts.
Xu Chuan journeyed into the battlefield's depths, led directly to the old ghost's hidden Grotto-Residence by the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
Several days later.
They arrived at their destination.
"Master, there seems to be a Tier-4 Earthly Fiend Yin Vein underground here."
The Blood Fiend Ghost King looked toward Xu Chuan.
Yin Veins were incredibly rare in the outside world, and were only useful to certain ghost cultivators, corpse cultivators, and those practicing extreme yin Demonic Cultivation Methods.
They were virtually useless to orthodox cultivators practicing the Five Elements, wind, ice, or lightning daos.
But Xu Chuan had the Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
For them to cultivate normally, such Earthly Fiend Yin Veins were indispensable.
Without one, their progress would be agonizingly slow, unless they relied on rampant slaughter and devouring to elevate themselves.
"When we leave, you and Profound Yin will extract it. It will serve as your cultivation ground in the future," Xu Chuan declared.
"Thank you, Master."
Xu Chuan then released the Profound Yin Corpse King, letting him take the lead and walk in front.
There were quite a few second- and third-tier ghostly creatures in the area, likely left behind by the old ghost to guard his home.
Instead of killing them, Xu Chuan absorbed them all into the Hundred Ghost Banner as supplementary manpower.
All the previous ghostly creatures had already been devoured by the Blood Fiend Ghost King.
Unfortunately, the quality of their souls had been too poor to truly help the Blood Fiend Ghost King advance; they had only slightly increased his foundation.
With the Blood Fiend Ghost King stepping up, this task was accomplished with ease.
In the blink of an eye.
Ten third-tier ghostly creatures were gathered within the Hundred Ghost Banner, one of which had even reached the late third tier. There were also over a hundred second-tier ghostly creatures.
The Ancient Battlefield truly was a place overflowing with treasures.
Except for those Chi on the periphery!
Even if they dropped second or third-tier crystal cores upon dying like zombies, they wouldn't be completely dismissed as trash by Xu Chuan!
The old ghost's Grotto-Residence was guarded by a restriction.
Having lived for thousands of years, it would be strange if he didn't know a thing or two about restrictions.
Unfortunately, it was only at the third tier.
Xu Chuan glanced at it and calmly ordered, "Profound Yin, break it open."
Following the command, the Profound Yin Corpse King shattered the defensive restriction light screen—one capable of blocking a Golden Core Completion Stage Cultivator—with a single punch.
Entering the Grotto-Residence.
There were over a dozen magic treasures inside, mostly low and mid-grade, but surprisingly, there were two high-grade magic treasures as well.
One was an Azure Shield, and the other was a Flying Sword.
However, both were somewhat damaged, causing their power to plummet significantly.
'Given Deling's skill, repairing high-grade magic treasures shouldn't be much of a problem. She might even elevate her Artifact Dao Attainment in the process.'
Repairing was, after all, a process of observing the internal structure of a high-grade magic treasure.
With a sweep of his sleeve robe, Xu Chuan collected the magic treasures the old ghost had hoarded.
Additionally, there were over a dozen brocade boxes.
Each box contained rare yin-attributed materials, such as a piece of Soul-Nourishing Wood and a chunk of Nether Yin Jade.
They were likely gathered for the old ghost's own advancement.
'The Three Lives Netherworld Sutra?'
Xu Chuan skimmed through it, his pupils constricting slightly. He thought to himself, 'To think it's a Ghost Dao cultivation method, and one that allows cultivation all the way to Divine Transformation Perfection.
'No, wait. This must be an incomplete volume, or perhaps just the first half.
'The secret method that old ghost used the other day must have been recorded within this cultivation method.'
Xu Chuan considered it for a moment but didn't immediately grant it to the Blood Fiend Ghost King. Instead, he said, "Blood Fiend, this jade slip contains the cultivation method practiced by that old ghost. It is exceedingly profound.
"If you make meritorious contributions in the future, this one is not opposed to rewarding you with it."
"Thank you, Master. Blood Fiend will undoubtedly put my heart and soul into serving you."
Blood Fiend immediately cupped his fists and bowed.
Xu Chuan offered a faint smile.
Standing off to the side, the Profound Yin Corpse King felt a pang of envy.
Whether it was ghost cultivators or corpse cultivators, they were considered the most unorthodox of unorthodox paths.
Even in the many Demonic Dao sects that specialized in ghost control or corpse refinement, the disciples mostly practiced mainstream methods.
After all, living humans were different. Unless they possessed a highly unique physique, the requirements to embark on the path of a corpse or ghost cultivator were harsh to the extreme.
This resulted in a severe scarcity of cultivation methods for these two factions.
"We've pretty much swept this place clean. You two can go ahead and extract the Earthly Fiend Yin Vein now."
"Yes, Master."
The Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King cupped their fists in unison.
Xu Chuan watched quietly from mid-air.
The two major fourth-tier powerhouses sprang into action.
"Rise!"
As they exerted their strength simultaneously, majestic corpse qi and yin qi surged into the earth.
The entire Grotto-Residence, and even the mountain range itself, began to violently quake!
Rumble—!
It was as if an earth dragon was turning over. Boulders cracked and shattered.
Bottomless fissures split the ground open as dense, fiendish yin energy erupted wildly out of control, painting the sky with a layer of gloomy darkness.
The creatures dwelling within the mountain range scrambled to flee.
The auras of the Tier-4 Corpse King and Ghost King rippled outward, sending tremors that could be felt even thousands of kilometers away.
Several minutes later.
An Earthly Fiend Yin Vein brimming with fiendish aura and yin qi was forcefully uprooted, completely intact, from beneath the earth!
Profound Yin and Blood Fiend exchanged a glance.
Operating their energies in sync, they continuously shrank the massive Earthly Fiend Yin Vein down to the size of a palm.
"Master." The Blood Fiend Ghost King respectfully presented the sealed Earthly Fiend Yin Vein.
With a flick of his sleeve robe, Xu Chuan sent out a jade box inscribed with sealing runes.
The box snapped open, emitting streams of clear light that pulled the Earthly Fiend Yin Vein inside.
After storing it in his Storage Ring, Xu Chuan seemingly sensed someone approaching rapidly and immediately commanded, "Let's go."
Transforming into a streak of light, he led the way and departed.
The Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King followed closely behind.
The three figures quickly vanished over the horizon.
Leaving behind a chaotic, collapsed mountain range churning with wildly disordered yin qi.
Barely the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later.
A black-robed old man wielding a black banner arrived, halting in the air above the mountain range.
"Such chaotic yin qi... Was there a yin vein here?"
After investigating briefly, he sighed and muttered to himself, "I'm a step too late. It seems the commotion just now was undoubtedly caused by someone extracting the yin vein.
"A fourth-tier yin vein. I wonder which Daoist Friend from our Blackwater Region had such phenomenal luck.
"Corpse qi? Yin qi?
"Could it be someone from the Corpse Yin Sect?
"There were indeed two Nascent Soul Cultivators from the Corpse Yin Sect who entered this place."
After pausing for a moment.
The black-robed old man flew off in another direction.
The Ancient Battlefield housed countless opportunities.
Many top sects from both the Blackwater Region and the Heavenly South Domain had acquired their fourth-tier Spirit Veins from the Ancient Battlefield.
In the blink of an eye.
Xu Chuan and his two servants roamed the depths of the battlefield for two months.
Compared to the periphery, the heavenly treasures within were far more abundant.
Although most were guarded by third-tier demonic monsters or beasts, facing a lineup like Xu Chuan's was virtually the same as picking them up off the ground.
Those demonic beasts had lost the vast majority of their sanity, making them no different from wild beasts.
However, their combat prowess was phenomenally strong.
At the very least, the weakest ones Xu Chuan encountered were comparable to late third-tier demonic beasts.
Furthermore, driven by their fearless and desperate fighting styles, even a Golden Core Completion Stage Cultivator with a Great Accomplishment in a divine ability would have to tackle them slowly and methodically.
After all, the vast majority of them didn't roam alone.
As for the monsters, they were all humanoid, looking more like cultivators who had undergone demonization.
They were exceedingly berserk.
Aside from demonic beasts and monsters, Xu Chuan also stumbled upon Mei and Corpse Xiao.
A Corpse Xiao was similar to a refined corpse. Its strength reached the fourth tier, but it was even more formidable than a Corpse King of the same tier.
Five or six Mei cast illusion techniques, attempting to bewitch them.
Fortunately, both the Blood Fiend Ghost King and Xu Chuan excelled in the Dao of the Soul. Otherwise, if the Corpse King had been charmed, he might have been turned around and used against them.
The Blood Fiend Ghost King and the Profound Yin Corpse King had to team up just to barely hold their ground against the Corpse Xiao.
Xu Chuan utilized a Divine Sense Secret Method to severely injure the pack of Mei before slaughtering them. Only then did he join the encirclement against the Corpse Xiao.
With all three attacking, they finally gained the upper hand.
Infuriated, the Corpse Xiao fled, and Xu Chuan's group was unable to stop it.
The Corpse Xiao and the others hadn't been lingering there for no reason; it was solely because the location harbored a mid-grade, fourth-tier Earth-attribute Spirit Vein.
There were also massive amounts of spirit flowers and spirit grass.
All the primary materials for Foundation Establishment Pills were present.
There were also Heavenly Whisker Grass and Heavenly Fragrance Flowers, the main materials for Spirit-Purifying Pills; Seven-Leaf Purple Gold Flowers, the main ingredient for Core Formation Pills; and Purple Aura Fruits, along with many other spirit medicines.
The only pity was that not many of the ones above the fourth tier were fully mature.
They had almost all been devoured by the Corpse Xiao and the Mei, leaving only the roots and stems.
What remained were all yet to fully grow.
Xu Chuan spared none of them. He uprooted everything and sent it all into the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven, having Xu Huai assist in planting them.
In just these two months alone.
The variety of spirit grass Xu Chuan obtained amounted to nearly a third of his total harvest from the Connate Secret Realm.
Of course.
It wouldn't be nearly as easy for anyone else to obtain such wealth.
After all, even a Nascent Soul Cultivator flying solo would have to weigh the risks and rewards when encountering fourth-tier demonic beasts or monsters.
But Xu Chuan's group consisted of three powerhouses.
If the three of them together could win, they would swarm the target.
If they couldn't, they would employ tactics to lure the tiger away from its mountain.
"Extract the Spirit Vein," Xu Chuan ordered.
He had no intention of letting the Spirit Vein here slip by. The Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King immediately set to work.
In addition to this Spirit Vein.
Xu Chuan also acquired three high-grade third-tier Spirit Veins and a low-grade fourth-tier Water-attribute Spirit Vein.
'At this rate, I might just be able to gather all five elements of fourth-tier Spirit Veins before leaving.'
Xu Chuan mused inwardly.
At this moment, he naturally wasn't wearing his true face.
Instead, he appeared as a burly old man cloaked in a black robe with his hood pulled up.
After extracting the Spirit Vein, Xu Chuan and his followers prepared to leave immediately.
Yet right then, a streak of black light suddenly arrived. Upon revealing his form, it turned out to be a burly man in crimson robes, his entire body radiating an oppressive fiendish aura.
This man stopped about half a kilometer away from Xu Chuan, looking him up and down.
Xu Chuan concealed his aura. As long as he didn't attack, not even a Nascent Soul Cultivator could see through his true Cultivation Realm.
The crimson-robed man furrowed his brows; he didn't recall this person among the Nascent Soul Cultivators of the Blackwater Region.
Of course, it was also possible that he just hadn't revealed himself previously.
Following that, his gaze darted toward the Corpse King and Ghost King at Xu Chuan's side. Their auras were completely exposed, showing no signs of concealment.
"A Tier-4 Ghost King and a Tier-4 Corpse King?"
"May I ask how to address the three of you?" the crimson-robed man asked, cupping his fists.
"Profound Yin, Blood Fiend," Xu Chuan introduced them briefly, then added, "My surname is Li."
'Surname Li? Who knows if that's his real name.' The crimson-robed man didn't pay it much mind and continued asking, "Could it be that Daoist Friend Li refined this Corpse King and Ghost King yourself?"
"What if I did, and what if I didn't?" Xu Chuan replied neutrally. "You asked for this old man's name, yet why haven't you offered your own?"
"I am Han Tie."
The crimson-robed man chuckled heartily, looking as if he had only just remembered to introduce himself.
"What business do you have with this old man, Daoist Friend Han? You don't intend to plunder me, do you?" Xu Chuan narrowed his eyes.
"You misunderstand, Daoist Friend. With the countless opportunities in the Ancient Battlefield, what need is there to plunder? I simply happened to be passing by and sensed quite a commotion here, so I came over to take a look."
"Speak your mind plainly, Daoist Friend Han. There is no need to beat around the bush."
"You are certainly not lacking in strength, Daoist Friend. I happen to know of an opportunity here; would you be interested?"
"What kind of opportunity?"
"A Spirit Treasure." The crimson-robed man didn't elaborate, merely spitting out those three words.
Xu Chuan's pupils shrank slightly at the words.
Though it was just a brief mention, he could deduce that it must be related to ancient cultivators or an Ancient True Demon.
It might be a Grotto-Residence, or perhaps a perilous zone.
The thought of participating flashed through his mind for only an instant before he firmly declared, "Not interested. If there's nothing else, this old man will take his leave."
The crimson-robed man froze.
Before he could even process the rejection, Xu Chuan was already riding a streak of light into the distance.
"How interesting. Knowing full well it's a chance at a Spirit Treasure, yet he still rejected it so decisively without even asking for the details. This is my first time encountering someone this cautious.
"I wonder if he belongs to our Blackwater Region or if he's from Heavenly South."
Realizing his temptation had failed and unwilling to instigate a conflict with Xu Chuan, the crimson-robed man promptly departed as well.
Xu Chuan utilized the Heavenly Secret Dao Derivation once again to divine an opportunity.
It was only during that one chance of Exemption from Heavenly Secret Backlash that his divination was truly accurate, and even then, he could only divine a general direction.
However, every little bit added up over time.
In a year or two within the depths of the battlefield, Xu Chuan would definitely amass an ocean of resources.
It would be more than enough to support his upcoming expansion plans.
Several days later.
While flying over a certain area, Xu Chuan suddenly detected a familiar aura.
Initially, he couldn't quite believe it, but he immediately activated a bloodline tracking Secret Method.
'It truly is the bloodline of my Xu Family! Is this... Dewen?!'
Xu Chuan was utterly astonished.
'How did he end up in the Ancient Battlefield? And into the deeper regions, no less?'
Xu Chuan began to meticulously sense the other people nearby.
Nine Golden Core Completion Stage Cultivators. Every single one of them radiated pure demonic energy, their strength undeniably formidable.
Among them, five had mastered their divine abilities to Great Accomplishment, and all wielded high-grade magic treasures.
Even an Early-Stage Nascent Soul powerhouse would probably choose To Retreat Three She rather than face them.
At that very moment, they were locked in combat with five peak third-tier demonic monsters.
'Are they demonic cultivators, or...'
In less than a quarter of an hour.
The group slaughtered every last one of the demonic monsters.
Suddenly, one of them looked sharply in Xu Chuan's direction.
Someone beside him asked, "What's wrong? Is something amiss?"
"I felt like someone was spying on us, but I couldn't spot anything."
"Perhaps it was just a passing Nascent Soul Cultivator, or a fourth-tier beast or ghost."
"Maybe. Let's keep moving. We still have a long way to go to reach our destination, and we cannot afford any delays."
They immediately set off.
Xu Dewen moved with them.
However, from Xu Chuan's perspective, his situation looked much more like he was being held hostage.
Xu Chuan frowned deeply, lowering his head in contemplation.
Although he had a few theories, asking Xu Dewen directly would be far more accurate.
To that end, Xu Chuan tapped his Yin Corpse Pouch and summoned the Profound Yin Corpse King. "Go to the surrounding areas and attract or herd some demonic beasts and monsters over here to cause them some trouble.
"Then, right when they're about to clear them out, reveal yourself and test their strength."
The Profound Yin Corpse King nodded. Shrouded in grayish-green corpse qi, he shot off into the distance.
To avoid arousing their suspicion, Xu Chuan trailed far behind, keeping tabs on them relying solely on the bloodline tracking Secret Method.
After all, if they truly were vessels possessed by Ancient True Demons as Xu Chuan suspected.
Even maintaining a distance suitable for Nascent Soul divine sense probing could result in him being discovered.
"That feeling of being watched is gone."
The Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man who had noticed the anomaly earlier transmitted a message to another purple-robed young man.
It was clear that the two of them were the core of this team.
"It seems it was indeed a coincidence," the purple-robed young man replied. "Still, do not lower your guard. This mission is of the utmost importance."
"I know that, of course."
The Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man continued, "However, we can consider it Heaven's blessing upon our race to have unexpectedly discovered someone with a True Demon physique in the Land of Imprisonment.
"This person is infinitely more suitable than any of the vessels selected by the other True Demon Families.
"It might even be able to perfectly mask the divine soul of the one possessing him, freeing him from the suppression of this world's heavenly dao and allowing him to grow normally like a native cultivator.
"If a Nascent Soul Perfection True Demon is truly born, he will undoubtedly be able to lead us in resisting the powerhouses of both the Blackwater Region and Heavenly South.
"As long as we unify Blackwater and Heavenly South.
"We can absolutely bring about the second coming of our Sacred Realm, using the Southern Heaven Region as a starting point to truly devour this world!"
Several days later.
Over a dozen late third-tier demonic beasts and monsters were herded toward them by the Profound Yin Corpse King.
"Where did so many beasts come from!" the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man cursed under his breath, transmitting to the purple-robed young man, "That kid's strength is far too weak. Protect him."
Then, he bellowed loudly, "The rest of you, follow me and slaughter them!"
In less than half an incense stick's time.
The beasts and monsters were almost entirely wiped out.
Right at that very moment.
An overwhelmingly fierce and tyrannical pressure descended abruptly, like a howling arctic gale!
Astonishing corpse qi swept over them.
"Watch out!"
The Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man's pupils constricted as he shouted a stern warning.
Before his words could even fade.
A tall, burly figure materialized in mid-air right above them.
Gray-black corpse qi surged around him like raging waves, and dark flames burned fiercely in his eyes.
It was none other than the Profound Yin Corpse King!
"A Tier-4 Corpse King?!"
The Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man frowned, his expression instantly turning grave.
Yet, there was no great fear visible in his eyes.
The Profound Yin Corpse King's crimson eyes swept over them. Without spouting any nonsense, he took a step forward and plummeted like a cannonball!
The moment he hit the ground, his twin fists—wreathed in dense corpse qi and carrying the mighty force to shatter mountains and split boulders—violently blasted toward the thickest part of the crowd!
"Block it!"
Two among them who possessed High-Grade Defensive Magic Treasures immediately activated them, expanding protective light screens.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Corpse King unleashed over a dozen strikes in rapid succession, every single punch landing solidly on the defensive light screens!
Amidst the deafening explosions, shockwaves blasted outward in a ring, causing the ground beneath them to crack and cave in.
The terrifying corpse qi rapidly began to corrode the light screens.
In just over a dozen breaths of time.
The first light screen formed by a high-grade magic treasure completely shattered.
The relentless assault then crashed into the second magic treasure's light screen.
The fiendish corpse qi was exceptionally potent at eroding magic treasures. If it were any other Early-Stage Nascent Soul powerhouse, they would have found it incredibly difficult to achieve such a feat.
"Attack!"
Seeing this, the others quickly pushed their high-grade magic treasures to attack the Profound Yin Corpse King.
Facing five or six high-grade magic treasures at once, the Profound Yin Corpse King naturally didn't dare to be careless. His fiendish corpse qi condensed into armor and gauntlets, fiercely striking back against those magic treasures.
For a moment.
The group of demonic cultivators seized the upper hand.
But as time wore on, the eroding effect of the corpse qi on the magic treasures began to show its teeth.
One after another, the magic treasures suffered massive drops in power.
This immediately left the group hamstrung and overly cautious.
They no longer allowed their magic treasures to engage in close-quarters bombardment, instead coordinating them with the execution of divine abilities and Spell Arts.
In a flash, all sorts of divine abilities and demonic light scattered wildly across the battlefield.
Roaring explosions echoed everywhere, and countless plants and boulders were utterly pulverized into dust by the shockwaves.
"Lu Chang, join us in activating the formation to repel him!"
"But what about the kid?"
"We've placed restrictions on him; he can't escape our grasp. Besides, in a place like this, with his meager strength, he wouldn't even know how he died without our protection."
The purple-robed young man shot Xu Dewen a quick warning before immediately joining the fray.
All nine of them cooperatively activated their formation.
Chilling demonic energy gathered, coalescing into a colossal War Demon over thirty meters tall.
Its aura was a large margin stronger than the Profound Yin Corpse King's, arguably approaching the level of the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm.
The Profound Yin Corpse King's face grew somber.
The urge to retreat sprouted in his heart.
Xu Chuan commanded via telepathy, 'Hold them off for a moment. I will tell you when it is time to retreat.'
The Profound Yin Corpse King had no choice but to obey, forcing himself to bite the bullet and tangle with that colossal War Demon.
His divine soul and corpse pearl were both bound by restrictions.
If he truly disobeyed, he fully believed Xu Chuan would not hesitate to destroy him.
As for Xu Chuan, he had finally seized the opportunity to mentally summon Xu Dewen.
When that familiar fluctuation appeared, Xu Dewen was struck with shock, but simultaneously overjoyed. 'Grandfather is nearby? Or perhaps...'
He threw a glance at the battlefield a few kilometers away.
Without a moment's hesitation, he split off a wisp of his divine sense and entered the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven.
"Grandfather, save me!" Xu Dewen cried out the moment he entered the Grotto-heaven.
Hearing this, the corner of Xu Chuan's mouth twitched slightly.
"There is no need to panic. I have been following right behind you," Xu Chuan reassured him.
Xu Dewen's eyes went wide. "That beast attack, and the Tier-4 Corpse King... Grandfather orchestrated all of it?"
"Naturally. How else was I supposed to find a chance to contact you?" Xu Chuan said. "Let's skip the idle chatter and get down to business. Why did you enter the Ancient Battlefield?"
"It wasn't that your grandson wanted to. Originally, my plan was to infiltrate a group of demonic cultivators from the Blackwater Region. But who could have guessed that merely a few days after the Ancient Battlefield opened,
"They suddenly tracked me down and even murdered the person serving as my witness for being a Blackwater demonic cultivator.
"After that, I was held hostage and dragged into the Ancient Battlefield.
"Their strength is completely off the charts."
"I understand. Do you know where they intend to go on this journey? Or why they captured you?"
"I don't know what their goal is, but when they found me, they seemed to inspect my body, and their expressions turned incredibly joyful.
"So your grandson suspects it has something to do with my physique."
Pausing for a moment, Xu Dewen added, "Oh, right. I remember they mentioned the word 'vessel'."
"Physique... vessel..." Xu Chuan sighed softly. "Just as I suspected."
"Grandfather, you figured it out?!" Xu Dewen found it instantly unbelievable.
He had spent so much time with this group and still had no clue.
Yet his grandfather had managed to piece together the gist of it based on just a few vague words.
'What kind of sheer intellectual suppression is this?!'