32: Caution and patience are key; turbulent times are brewing.

"Is it a coincidence??"

"Impossible!"

Today's events reminded him of the disappearance of the yu king sword three years ago.

Back then, Venerable Zhi Jin also insisted that it had vanished from the Storage Pouch, and even using a Heart-Questioning Talisman yielded no answers!

How similar was it to today?

In his view, such a bizarre occurrence could only be accomplished by a Dao Foundation Cultivator with the help of powerful concealment Spells and Divine Sense!

"Could it be that I've been targeted?"

"Is this a warning to me?"

"It shouldn't be. How could a Dao Foundation Cultivator commit such a petty act? They could just strike and seize it directly."

"No one knows the news of my successful Breakthrough to the Dao Foundation. If a Dao Foundation Cultivator really wanted to act against me, why haven't they shown themselves?"

After thinking it over and imagining countless possibilities, True Man Huang Tian, still unable to figure it out, decided to temporarily restrain his brilliance.

He felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him from behind the scenes.

He very much disliked this feeling of things being beyond his control.

Originally, he had planned to destroy the Xuan Kingdom and then immediately head north to wipe out the cultivation force of the Yu State, the Wind Fire Gate.

Sweeping through the Southwest region was just around the corner!

Now, he thought it better to keep a low profile for a while and observe the situation.

It would be bad if he attracted the attention of those great Sects in the Kang Country Cultivation World, especially that Immortal Master.

The last Immortal Master in the Cultivation World who was on the verge of passing away!

Heaven only knows what crazy things he might do in his final moments.

"It would be better if that aging Immortal Master from Kang Country passed away sooner!"

From the news sent back by the people he dispatched to Kang Country, that Immortal Master likely didn't have much Lifespan left.

As long as that Immortal Master was gone, he would have no more concerns.

He wouldn't be afraid even if someone was secretly spying on him.

Patience!

He must endure further!!!

Until the moment he was invincible under heaven, he could not appear at the center of the storm!

...May, the Fourth Year of Huang Tian.

The Xuan Kingdom was annexed by the Yellow Heaven Cult, and even the Celestial Immortal Sect was destroyed by them!

This news spread throughout the entire Southwest region within a mere ten days, instantly stirring up monstrous waves; both the Cultivation World and the Mortal realm were in an uproar.

The situation in the southwest of the continent was abruptly shattered!

Hong Country, Hunyuan Sect.

The main hall was silent, and everyone's expression was very grim.

Over the past three years, they would occasionally assert when the Purple Gold Mountain Spiritual Vein would dry up, when the Yellow Heaven Cult would fall into internal strife, or even collapse.

Until today, the news of the Celestial Immortal Sect being destroyed by the Yellow Heaven Cult was like a heavy slap to all of their faces.

They had originally intended to sit on the sidelines and watch the tigers fight, hoping to benefit as the third party.

They hadn't expected the Celestial Immortal Sect to fall so quickly, catching them off guard.

What surprised them even more was that the Yellow Heaven Cult had actually managed to train those hundreds of new Disciples into Cultivators.

This was hundreds of people!

Could it be that the Yellow Heaven Cult had secretly found a hidden second-grade Spiritual Vein?

"What's wrong? Are you all mute? Speak up!"

"What do we do next?"

Seeing the various Elders playing dead, Venerable Yuan Hao lashed out in dissatisfaction.

As it turned out, still no one spoke.

Everyone looked down at their own feet.

What to do?

Now that things have come to this, we can only do whatever you say, Sect Master. What else is there?

Venerable Yuan Hao looked at the group with disappointment before finally saying helplessly, "Elder Feng Xi."

"What are your orders, Sect Master?"

"Go to the other countries and contact the various Sects. Explain the stakes to them and tell them that the Yellow Heaven Cult does not lack resources. If the Cult Master of Huang Tian Cult is allowed to break through to the Dao Foundation Realm, then everyone is finished!

I hope each Sect will send at least one Late Stage Qi Refining Elder to my Hunyuan Mountain in ten days to discuss a strategy. It would be best if we can surround and annihilate the Yellow Heaven Cult!"

"As you command!"

"Elder Xuan Ling!"

"Present!"

"Take a few people and head to the Huang Tian Kingdom immediately to look out for Elder Cheng Yang; I'm not at ease with him being there alone.

Remember, keep an eye on every move of the Yellow Heaven Cult. If there is any unusual news, send someone back to report immediately."

"As you command!"

Scenes nearly identical to that of the Hunyuan Sect were occurring in the other Sects as well.

The fact that the Celestial Immortal Sect had perished with such speed truly shocked everyone.

Gathering intelligence, discussing strategies, forming Alliances... No one was a fool!

Given the Yellow Heaven Cult's crazy actions and those hundreds of Cultivators, no one believed they would stop and remain stagnant!

Now, countless people were cursing True Man Huang Tian.

"That damned Yellow Heaven Cult!"

"It's already the age of decadence, can't they just settle down?"

"Exactly, they might as well enjoy the rest of their lives. What's the point of occupying so much territory!"

"We can't let him break through to the Dao Foundation Realm, or we'll all be finished!"

"..."

As time passed, the situation in the southwest of the continent became increasingly turbulent.

True Man Huang Tian seemed to have sensed something was wrong. After plundering the spoils of the Celestial Immortal Sect, he led most of the Yellow Heaven Cult Disciples straight back to Purple Gold Mountain.

Then, he continued to seal off the mountain and stayed inside!

Allowing the outside winds and rain to continue brewing... To the west of the Xuan Kingdom was the Lin Kingdom, and further west was the western plateau of the continent, blocked by the Tianheng Mountain Range, where the Canglan Great River originated.

To the south of the Xuan Kingdom were the Wu Kingdom and Yu Kingdom, which both bordered the Yellow Heaven Celestial Kingdom. Further south was the incredibly vast South Sea.

At the end of the South Sea was the world barrier!

These three countries were all located in the jungle regions of the southwest of the continent, with treacherous terrain, harsh environments, and poisonous insects and wild beasts everywhere.

Because of this, although the land area of the three countries was not small, they were very sparsely populated, with only ten million Mortals in total across the three.

However, being uninhabited also meant that the probability of finding cultivation resources like Spirit Medicines was higher than in other places.

Hundred Poisons Gate! Heart-Corroding Palace! Thousand Spirits Sect!

These three cultivation forces occupied the three countries. Their power was not weak to begin with, and their styles leaned towards being sinister and ruthless, using any means necessary.

Furthermore, in order to protect this treasure land, they had always stood together and resisted external enemies, forming a small Alliance in this Southwest region of the continent.

Even the Hunyuan Sect did not dare to provoke them easily... May 26th.

Yu Xuzi arrived in the Lin Kingdom.

This country was full of mountains, hills, and primeval forests, with towering ancient trees to be seen everywhere.

The Thousand Spirits Sect, a Sect skilled in the way of controlling beasts, was like a fish in water here.

"I hope I can gain something here."

Standing before the city gates of the Lin Kingdom's capital, Yu Xuzi secretly hoped.

During this period, he had visited the Yu Kingdom and the Wu Kingdom in succession.

In the Wu Kingdom, he had some gains, obtaining a partial copy of the "Elementary Alchemy Explanation" from the Hundred Poisons Gate.

Although it only recorded the refining methods for more than ten types of first-grade low-to-middle-grade Medicinal Pills, mostly poisonous ones, it was still a rare find.

In the future, he could look for Spirit Medicines himself to refine Semi-spirit Pills or even Spirit Pills, which served as his entry into the path of Alchemy.

It was better than nothing.

As for the Yu Kingdom, unfortunately, he had no gains whatsoever.

Perhaps it was because the Yu Kingdom had only been established for a few decades.

In any case, he hadn't found any records of the existence of Cultivators in the capital of the Yu Kingdom.

Fortunately, this time in the Lin Kingdom, luck favored him.

Three days later.

In the early morning.

Before the day had fully brightened, Yu Xuzi left the Lin Kingdom's palace under the cover of night.

His Storage Pouch now contained two more items.

A book: "Low-Level Spirit Beast Illustrated Handbook".

It recorded hundreds of Low Grade Yao Beasts that had once appeared in the continent's Cultivation World.

There was also a Jade Slip, which recorded a Pill Formula called "Spirit-Feeding Pill," which was of great help in nurturing Spirit Beasts.