6: Demonic energy tempers the body, the sword startles the back mountain.

Inside the stone chamber, time seemed to be twisted and stretched by some invisible force.

Chen Feng sat cross-legged on the cold ground, yet his body felt as if it were in the core of a molten hell! The incomplete <Poison-Inducing Body Tempering Art> circulated wildly in his sea of consciousness. Each flow of thought was like carving a painful mark onto a scorching branding iron.

Deep within his Dantian, the Corpse Heart Grass Poison, forcibly suppressed in a corner by the vitality of the heart-clearing lotus, now roared and broke free from its restraints like a thoroughly enraged venomous dragon! Viscous, chilling, jet-black toxic qi, imbued with a strong corrosive aura, transformed into countless tiny venomous snakes. They scurried frantically upwards along his fragile meridians, aiming directly for his heart! Wherever they passed, the meridian walls emitted a grating "hissing" sound, as if corroded by strong acid, and excruciating pain surged like a tide.

"Ergh ah—!"

Chen Feng let out a suppressed, beast-like growl from his throat. Veins bulged on his forehead and neck like twisted earthworms. Large beads of sweat instantly emerged, only to be immediately evaporated into white mist by the astonishing heat radiating from his body. He clenched his teeth tightly, his gums even oozing blood, and a sweet, metallic taste filled his mouth. The simulated memories of pain now became a tangible purgatory! This was not merely physical torment, but a thousand cuts to his will!

"Induce poison into blood, transform into fire to burn the body, temper bones and refine tendons, break and then establish..."

The maxim from the incomplete scripture was like a lighthouse in the storm of pain. Chen Feng forced himself to gather all his consciousness, which was on the verge of collapse. With powerful willpower, like taming the most savage wild horse, he desperately guided the surging toxic current! No longer allowing them to ravage his heart meridians, he forcibly twisted their direction, making these deadly venomous snakes violently crash into the bones, flesh, and tendons throughout his body!

Boom!

When the first wisp of Corpse Heart Grass Poison was forcibly drawn into the bones of his arm, Chen Feng felt as if his arm bones were being simultaneously pierced by countless red-hot steel needles! And as if billions of poisonous insects were gnawing at his bone marrow! It was a torture beyond description! His body convulsed violently, and the blood vessels under his skin instantly protruded, taking on an eerie bluish-black hue.

But this was only the beginning!

More toxic currents were driven by his will, like a breached flood, savagely rushing towards the bones, muscles, and internal organs throughout his body! The intense pain was no longer a single point but transformed into an overwhelming net of agony, completely enveloping and tearing him apart! He felt his body was like a porcelain artifact riddled with cracks, ready to shatter completely at any moment.

"Ho... ho..." His breathing became fragmented and rapid. Each inhale was like swallowing a scorching knife, each exhale carried a burning, bloody scent. His vision blurred, and his consciousness was like a flickering candle in the wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment.

No! Hold on! I must hold on!

Su Wanzhao is fighting! Black Cliff is a dead end! The ten days bought by the heart-clearing lotus... is the only way out!

The fear of death, the yearning for power, the dread of the Soul Refining Demonic Artifact prophesied for ten days later, and the worry for that cold figure fighting in the darkness... all these emotions transformed into the most primal will to survive, burning fiercely like the most ardent flame deep within his soul! This flame forcefully withstood the torrent of pain that could destroy any mortal will!

He roared like a wounded lone wolf, pushing the incomplete cultivation technique to its limit! He forcibly guided the destructive toxic current, repeatedly scouring, destroying, and then forcibly re-adhering his body! Each scour brought bone-shattering pain, and each re-adhesion was accompanied by a faint, tingling sensation of flesh regenerating. Destruction and rebirth, annihilation and creation, were engaged in the most tragic and primal confrontation within this small mortal body!

The air in the stone chamber violently distorted. The high temperature emanating from Chen Feng's body intertwined and collided with the unique chilling aura of the Corpse Heart Grass Poison, emitting strange "sizzling" sounds. Black, foul-smelling blood began to seep from his body's surface. His muscles twitched and bulged uncontrollably in pain, and his bones emitted faint, overloaded "creaking" sounds.

Time, in this extreme pain, was infinitely stretched. Every breath felt as long as a year.

Just as Chen Feng felt he was about to be completely swallowed by pain, and his consciousness was about to sink into eternal darkness—

An anomaly suddenly occurred!

Deep within his flesh, repeatedly scoured and on the verge of collapse, a faint yet incredibly tenacious power, like a seed buried deep underground finally breaking through the soil, emerged! This was the potential from the most fundamental source of life, forcibly stimulated in his pseudo-spiritual root under the extreme pressure of the potent poison! This trace of power was extremely weak, yet it carried an indomitable defiance!

More crucially, at the moment this trace of life potential emerged, deep within the stone chamber, in the corner sealed by Su Wanzhao's sword qi, a wisp of extremely pure, chilling Earth Vein Baleful Qi, as if it had accumulated for ten thousand years, seemed to be drawn by some invisible force. Like a shark smelling blood, it subtly penetrated the sword qi's seal, silently converging towards Chen Feng's body!

Upon entering his body, this Baleful Qi did not bring an icy, bone-chilling sensation. Instead, it was like cold water dripping into a scorching oil pot!

"Sizzle—!"

The violently raging Corpse Heart Grass Poison current within Chen Feng's body, like an uncontrolled wildfire, violently collided with this pure and chilling Earth Vein Baleful Qi!

The expected fierce conflict did not occur. Instead, these two energies, diametrically opposite in nature and both lethal, under Chen Feng's forceful guidance and the mediation of that faint life potential, strangely formed an extremely fragile, dynamic balance!

Baleful Qi was like ice, neutralizing the wildness of the poisonous fire; the poisonous fire was like a furnace, refining the intense cold of the Baleful Qi.

A strange, slightly tingling coolness instantly replaced the world-destroying agony, like timely rain after a long drought, moistening Chen Feng's riddled and collapsing body!

"Uh..."

Chen Feng couldn't help but let out a sigh that was almost a moan. His nerves, stretched to their limit, suddenly relaxed, and he almost fainted. He greedily savored this hard-won coolness and relief, as if he had been briefly pulled back to the human world from the edge of hell.

He dared not slacken in the slightest. He immediately seized this rare opportunity to catch his breath, immersing his entire mind into his body, frantically circulating the obscure method of "inducing baleful qi to temper poison, yin and yang mutually aiding" from the incomplete <Poison-Inducing Body Tempering Art>!

Poison is fire! Baleful Qi is ice! My body is the furnace! My will is the fuel!

In this delicate balance, the originally destructive toxic current and the chilling Baleful Qi were forcibly blended and refined! They no longer violently destroyed but, like the finest carving knives, slowly and firmly inscribed and branded themselves between Chen Feng's flesh and bones!

Chen Feng could clearly "introspect" that the density of his entire skeleton was increasing at an astonishing speed under the dual tempering of poisonous fire and Baleful Qi. Extremely subtle, black-silver patterns, like ancient runes, began to emerge on their surface, emitting a cold, hard metallic luster! His meridians, originally as fragile as thin paper, were widened and strengthened through repeated tearing and forceful re-adhesion, their toughness increasing by several times! Muscle fibers became denser and more knotted, containing explosive power! A layer of tough dark light faintly flowed beneath his skin!

An unprecedented sense of fullness and power surged from the deepest part of his body! Although his cultivation realm was still at the first layer of Qi Refinement, Chen Feng felt that his physical strength and vital energy were now far beyond ordinary cultivators at the third or fourth layer of Qi Refinement! Every movement seemed to contain the brute force to tear apart tigers and leopards!

More importantly, the Corpse Heart Grass Poison that had originally lingered in the corner of his Dantian, constantly threatening his life, was now forcibly refined and compressed, transforming into a drop of liquid as viscous as ink but shimmering with an eerie dark-silver luster. It floated in his Dantian's Qi Sea, no longer raging, but instead faintly emitting a power that tempered the body, forming a strange symbiotic state with the Earth Vein Baleful Qi!

Poison-Inducing Body Tempering, the first rotation, was successful!

Chen Feng suddenly opened his eyes!

"Boom!"

Two concentrated, substantial beams of light, like cold lightning streaking through darkness, instantly pierced the gloom of the stone chamber! His eyes no longer held any trace of his previous weakness and pain. Instead, they were filled with a profound depth and sharpness honed through life-and-death trials, and a hint of wild ferocity stemming from the explosive increase in his physical strength!

He slowly raised his hand, spread his five fingers, then suddenly clenched his fist!

"Crack!"

The air was forcibly crushed, emitting a crisp burst! An invisible wave of air spread out from his fist, stirring up the dust on the ground.

Power! This is the feeling of power!

Although it was only physical strength, and his cultivation realm was still low, this was the first step he had fought for with his life, walking on thorns and corpses! He felt the surging vital energy within his body, the tough tendons and bones, and the dark-silver ink drop, both deadly poison and immense power, floating in his Dantian. A surge of heroic ambition filled his heart!

However, at this peak moment of surging power, another anomaly occurred!

Deep within the stone chamber, in the corner sealed by Su Wanzhao's sword qi, the Earth Vein Baleful Qi, which had originally only seeped through in wisps, seemed to be attracted by Chen Feng's successful body tempering, or perhaps stirred by some deeper force, and suddenly became turbulent! A torrent of Baleful Qi, far exceeding the previous amount, purer and even more bone-chillingly cold, like an evil dragon breaking free from its restraints, violently shattered the sword qi's seal. It roared and churned, transforming into visible gray-black currents, frantically pouring towards Chen Feng, whose body, having just completed its tempering, craved energy like a bottomless pit!

This Baleful Qi was too strong, too fierce, too pure! It contained not just energy, but also a cold, chaotic, negative will that seemed capable of freezing the soul!

“Not good!” Chen Feng's expression changed drastically! The fragile balance that had just formed was instantly shattered! His body was like a balloon forcibly filled with ice water; his meridians, flesh, and even the bones he had just tempered let out groans of unbearable strain! Even more terrifyingly, that chaotic, negative will was like countless cold steel needles, fiercely stabbing into his Sea of Consciousness!

“Pfft!” He violently spat out a mouthful of black blood mixed with ice shards, and a thin layer of white frost instantly condensed on the surface of his body. The sense of power he had just gained receded like a tide, replaced by bone-chilling coldness and soul-tearing agony!

The joy of successful body tempering had yet to dissipate when a new, more terrifying crisis descended! The source of this Earth Vein Yin Fiend is definitely not a safe place!

At the same time, on the Back Mountain, on the outskirts of Black Wind Cliff.

The night was thick as ink, and the cold wind whistled through the mountains and forests, sounding like the wails of ghosts. The branches of towering ancient trees danced wildly in the wind, resembling countless twisted ghost claws.

Su Wanzhao's figure was like a white stream of light merging into the night, silently traversing the forest at extreme speed. Her Spiritual Sense spread out like an invisible spiderweb, searching for any abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations or bloody scents. The suspicious areas where the missing disciples were last seen, provided by Chen Feng, were etched into her heart like a brand.

Suddenly!

“Hmm?” Su Wanzhao's figure suddenly paused, landing on a large horizontal branch of an ancient tree. Her cold, clear gaze was sharp as a sword, piercing towards a hollow below, covered by dense vines. In the air, there was an extremely faint scent that instinctively caused the Profound Yin Power within her body to feel revulsion and agitation—the smell of blood mixed with a sinister, foul Demonic Aura!

Found it!

Without the slightest hesitation, her figure transformed into a bolt of white sword light, tearing through the night sky and rushing straight toward the hollow!

“Tear!”

The fierce Sword Qi shredded the thick vines like cutting tofu! The scene inside the hollow was instantly exposed under the pale moonlight.

Even with Su Wanzhao's resolute mind, her pupils contracted sharply when she clearly saw the scene before her, and a cold fury instantly surged to her head!

The hollow wasn't large, but it was like a human purgatory!

Several corpses wearing Qingyun Sect Outer Disciple robes lay twisted on the ground, having met tragic ends. Some had their vital Blood Essence sucked dry, appearing withered; others were gutted, their internal organs missing, leaving only solidified, blackened blood plasma and fragments of broken organs scattered everywhere. The nauseatingly intense smell of blood and the stench of decaying corpses assaulted her. In the center of the pile of bodies, a strange Magic Array, about thirty feet in diameter, was drawn in fresh blood. The lines of the array were distorted, emitting heart-palpitating Sinister Demonic Energy. In the center, a few black bone fragments that hadn't completely burned away remained, emitting wisps of green smoke.

Three figures, dressed in black cloaks that completely concealed their bodies, were sitting cross-legged at the three corners of the Magic Array, performing strange Hand Seals, chanting incantations, and surrounded by surging Demonic Aura. They were clearly concluding some evil ritual.

Su Wanzhao's sudden appearance broke the deadly silence of the hollow!

“Who goes there?!” The leading cloaked figure suddenly raised his head, two beams of scarlet light shooting out from under the hood. His voice was hoarse and unpleasant, like sandpaper rubbing.

The other two instantly became vigilant, their Demonic Aura skyrocketing, like venomous snakes raising their heads, ready to devour someone.

“Su Wanzhao of the Qingyun Sect, I shall send you on your way!” Su Wanzhao's voice was like ten thousand years of cold ice, containing monstrous killing intent. Without any unnecessary words, she pointed her joined fingers like a sword, aiming at the nearest Demonic Cultivator!

“Zheng—!”

A clear sword cry echoed through the night sky! A pure white Sword Qi, condensed to the extreme and only three feet long, was born out of thin air! As soon as the Sword Qi appeared, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and tiny ice crystals even condensed in the air! This Sword Qi was as fast as lightning, its trajectory erratic, seemingly ignoring spatial distance, and instantly appeared before the Demonic Cultivator's glabella!

—Cold Moon Splitting Light Sword! Su Wanzhao attacked in anger, holding nothing back!

That Demonic Cultivator felt a soul-freezing chill instantly lock onto him, his glabella stinging, and the shadow of death looming over him! He let out a strange cry, his cloak suddenly billowing, and a thick, ink-like Demonic Aura Shield instantly condensed in front of him, while he desperately retreated backward!

However, Su Wanzhao's Sword Qi was too fast! Too sharp!

“Puch!”

Like a hot knife cutting through butter! The seemingly thick Demonic Aura Shield was fragile and vulnerable before the pure white Sword Qi! The Sword Qi penetrated the shield without hindrance, accurately piercing the Demonic Cultivator's glabella!

Scarlet blood mixed with white brain matter exploded behind his head!

He didn't even have time to let out a complete scream; the scarlet light in his eyes instantly extinguished, and his body tumbled backward like a broken sack, hitting the bloodstains with a “bang,” his life force severed!

One sword! Just one sword! A Demonic Cultivator whose aura was at least at the Late-stage Qi Condensation realm was instantly killed!

This scene of overwhelming destruction terrified the remaining two Demonic Cultivators!

“She's tough! Form the array!” The leading Demonic Cultivator shrieked hoarsely, his voice laced with terror. He and his companion reacted extremely quickly, instantly abandoning the Magic Array on the ground. Standing back-to-back, they rapidly performed Hand Seals and spat out thick black blood, quickly outlining a more complex and strange Rune in the air that emitted dense bloody light! The Rune spun, radiating powerful suction, causing the Blood Essence, Resentment, and even the lingering Demonic Aura in the hollow to frantically converge toward it!

A ferocious Phantom of a Ghost Head, formed by foul blood, Vengeful Spirits, and Demonic Aura, and about the size of a millstone, rapidly took shape within the Rune! The Ghost Head bore exposed fangs, and green Ghost Fire burned in its empty eye sockets, emitting a silent shriek. A sinister, bloodthirsty, and chaotic Spiritual Shockwave surged toward Su Wanzhao like an invisible tide! At the same time, the Ghost Head opened its massive mouth and spat out a beam of demonic light, condensed like ink and emitting a strongly corrosive stench!

—Blood Transformation Vengeful Spirit Curse! A Joint Attack Technique of the Demonic Dao!

A dual strike of Spiritual Shock and physical demonic light! This was clearly the Demonic Cultivators' desperate, trump card move!

Facing this fierce and wicked joint attack, the cold light in Su Wanzhao's eyes intensified, showing no intention of retreat!

“Trifling tricks!”

She let out a cold snort, advancing instead of retreating! Her right hand remained pointed like a sword, but her left hand lightly slapped the sword hilt at her waist!

“Clang!”

A clear and prolonged dragon roar echoed through the sky! The seemingly ordinary longsword at her waist instantly shot out of its sheath! The blade was slender and long, clear as autumn water. The moment it was unsheathed, a terrifying Sword Intent—colder, purer, and seemingly capable of freezing all things—soared into the sky!

With the longsword in hand, Su Wanzhao's entire aura suddenly climbed to its peak! She seemed to merge with the sword in her hand, transforming into an peerless divine sharp edge piercing through the darkness!

“Break!”

With a clear shout! The longsword in her hand drew a sword flower, the tip trembling slightly, instantly dividing into three condensed, icy Sword Shadows!

The first Sword Shadow met the invisible Spiritual Shockwave! Where the Sword Shadow passed, the chaotic shrieks of the vengeful spirits instantly melted and disintegrated like ice thrown into boiling water!

The second Sword Shadow stabbed directly at the corrosive demonic light being spat out! The chilling Sword Qi violently collided with the foul demonic light, producing intense “hissing” corrosive sounds! Although the Sword Qi was continuously consumed, it forcefully sliced the demonic light in half, its momentum undiminished!

The third Sword Shadow, and the strongest one, was like a glacier falling from the Ninth Heaven, carrying an absolute chill that could freeze the soul, ignoring spatial distance, and slashing directly at the ferocious Ghost Head condensed from foul blood and Vengeful Spirits!

“Roar—!”

The Ghost Head let out a mournful roar, and the emerald Ghost Fire flickered wildly, attempting to resist! However, Su Wanzhao's Sword Intent was too pure! Too overbearing!

“Crack!”

The icy Sword Shadow slashed through! The Phantom of the Ghost Head was instantly split in two, like fragile glass! The foul blood, Vengeful Spirits, and Demonic Aura that formed the Ghost Head were directly frozen, shattered, and turned into nothingness by the extremely cold Sword Qi!

“Puff! Puff!”

The two Demonic Cultivators maintaining the array were struck as if by heavy hammers, simultaneously spitting out large mouthfuls of blood. Their auras instantly withered, and their eyes were filled with unbelievable horror! Their strongest Joint Attack Technique had actually been broken by the opponent with a single sword strike!

“Die!”

Su Wanzhao's figure closed in like a ghost, the icy sword edge tracing a mournful, beautiful arc under the moonlight, aiming straight for the leading Demonic Cultivator's throat! Her killing intent was chilling and merciless!

The leading Demonic Cultivator was utterly terrified; the shadow of death had never been so clear! A flash of madness and heartache crossed his eyes. He suddenly pulled out a pitch-black Jade Talisman engraved with a skull from his robes and fiercely crushed it!

“Protector Lord! She's too tough! The Profound Yin Maiden Body has appeared!!” He shrieked hoarsely, his voice filled with terror and a twisted fanaticism!

The moment the Jade Talisman shattered, a terrifying fluctuation of Demonic Aura, far surpassing the Qi Condensation stage and even faintly touching the Foundation Establishment threshold, suddenly erupted from deeper within Black Wind Cliff like a sleeping volcano awakening! A beam of demonic light, pitch-black like ink and carrying a strong bloody scent, tore through the night sky like lightning, rapidly approaching the hollow! A powerful, sinister, and greedy will, like an invisible giant net, instantly locked onto Su Wanzhao!

“Jie jie jie... Profound Yin Maiden Body! Heaven truly helps me!” A strange, hoarse, and aged laugh, filled with endless ecstasy and greed, rolled in from afar like the cry of a night owl!