38: Chapter 38 Cultivating in Seclusion, Sword Pointing to Break the Seal

The blood sacrifice plan, the Shadow Envoy is arriving, the demon abyss sword will definitely break the Seal in three days.

The chaotic situation is about to begin, the world will be turned upside down.

Acting rashly at this moment, whether to warn the Sect or to fish in troubled waters, is no different from throwing an egg against a rock.

The Qingyun Sect might intervene, the Yinkui Sect certainly has a backup plan, and as for himself, a mere Qi Refining Stage 4, being drawn into this level of whirlpool would mean being crushed in an instant.

Only strength is the foundation for survival in troubled times.

Lin Ye suppressed the surging waves in his heart, his eyes restoring their calm, like an ancient well without ripples.

Three days.

He must use this final three-day period to adjust himself to his optimal state, transforming his existing resources into tangible combat power to cope with the impending, unpredictable upheaval.

In the cave, time seemed to freeze.

Lin Ye entered a state of near-manic cultivation.

[Healing]: The bigu pill were long gone; he relied on the icy Spiritual Qi of the Ice Soul Sword Art to slowly nourish himself, alongside the powerful recovery ability of the Mystic Jade Body, and combined with the pure Spiritual Qi from the Spirit Stones, he bit by bit expelled and refined the Evil Qi from the demon abyss sword remaining in his left shoulder.

The hideous dark red at the wound finally faded away completely, leaving behind only a deep purple scar that faintly possessed a jade-like luster; this was the sign that the Mystic Jade Body had been cultivated to the second layer and his Physical Body had been tempered.

Although the Evil Qi was removed, the lingering pain and weakness brought about by the erosion of the Sword Intent still required time to recover.

[Qi Refining]: Holding the remaining Low-Grade Spirit Stones, he exerted his full effort to circulate the Ice Soul Sword Art.

The cave was filled with water vapor, the ice-attribute Spiritual Qi was relatively dense, and with the residual medicinal power of the mystic yin crystal dissolving within his body, his cultivation progressed steadily, moving solidly toward the Middle Stage of Qi Refining Stage 4.

The icy Spiritual Qi within his Dantian became increasingly condensed, carrying a trace of the weight and coldness of the mystic yin true water.

[Body Refining]: The second layer of the Mystic Jade Body was now stable, the jade-like luster beneath his skin was more apparent, ordinary blades and swords could hardly harm him, and his strength, endurance, and reaction speed had all significantly improved.

He repeatedly practiced the three incomplete Sword Intent techniques—the resolute forward momentum of [Severing Flow], the forbearance and readiness of [Hidden Edge], and the tragic, desperate counterattack of [Shattering Jade].

Although he had no sword in hand, by using his fingers as a sword and combining it with icy Spiritual Qi, he could already slash out a pale blue Sword Qi a foot long, with impressive power.

[Artifact Refining (Pseudo)]: He took out the discarded Blood Shadow Leopard horn (now devoid of Evil Qi, leaving only the Materials) and the fragments of Black Sha's short blade.

Although the short blade fragments were broken, the material was good and contained the Qi of gold and iron.

Using the ancient ring yuan sha as a conduit, he attempted to absorb the gold and iron Evil Qi from the fragments to assist in the ancient ring's recovery.

At the same time, he repeatedly washed and tempered the leopard horn with icy Spiritual Qi, actually refining it into a bone spike about a foot long, sharp at the tip, and hard and cold in texture.

Although not a Magical Artifact, it was sharp and tough, and after infusing it with Spiritual Qi, it could be used as a short weapon.

[Comprehension]: In his spare time, he studied the black token with the word "Shadow" on it.

No new messages came from the token, but the trace of cold, eerie Spiritual Qi fluctuation contained within it made him vigilant.

He tried stimulating it with various methods (Spiritual Qi, essence blood, Evil Qi), but there was no reaction; it seemed to be just a one-way communication device.

He hid the token close to his body; this might be the only channel to understand the movements of the Yinkui Sect.

Time flew by in bitter cultivation.

On the first day, it was calm and tranquil.

On the second day, through the bone ring "Xuanyuan", he could vaguely sense increasingly violent and unstable fluctuations coming from the distant mystic yin true water vein, as if some behemoth was awakening at the bottom of the water.

The Yao Beasts deep in the back mountain also became restless, with shrill roars occasionally echoing.

On the third day, in the early morning.

Lin Ye finished his night of cultivation, opened his eyes, the light within them bright and clear, his aura steady and restrained.

Qi Refining Stage 4 Middle Stage, naturally achieved.

The second layer of the Mystic Jade Body reached Perfection, faintly touching the threshold of the third layer.

The injury on his left shoulder was no longer a major issue.

He walked to the crevice at the cave entrance and looked outward.

The sky was gloomy, leaden clouds hung low, and a heart-palpitating sense of oppression permeated the air.

Deep in the distant mountains, a dull rumble could be faintly heard, as if a Dragon was turning over.

The wind filled the building, signaling the coming storm.

The demon abyss sword is about to break the Seal!

He checked his own state and all his items:

The ancient ring yuan sha (recovered well, can absorb and transform Evil Qi), the bone ring "Xuanyuan" (can faintly sense water veins and Restrictions), the bone spike (self-made weapon), the black token, the remaining dozen or so Low-Grade Spirit Stones, a few bigu pills, and the damaged "gui water escape talisman" with expanding cracks and nearly extinguished spiritual light.

Finally, his gaze fell upon the self-made bone spike.

"It is time to set off." Lin Ye whispered to himself.

Not to participate in the struggle, not to play the hero.

But to observe, to wait, and in the impending earth-shattering change, to find that glimmer of survival and Opportunity that belonged to him.

He changed into a clean set of black tight-fitting clothes (Liu Xiong's), smeared mud on his cheeks, tied the bone spike to his leg, and placed the damaged escape talisman in the most accessible spot.

Taking a deep breath, he moved like the most agile ape, sliding down the cliff silently, and submerged himself once again into the vast mountain forest.

This time, his goal was very clear—to stay away from the core area of the Xuanyuan Cave Abode, but not too far, to find a location that was high enough, had an open view, and was relatively safe, where he could observe the changes in heaven and earth and react in the first instance.

Finally, he chose an isolated peak located about thirty miles from Black Wind Valley, situated on the heights of another mountain range.

The peak had large rocks for cover, which could be used to hide, and the view was excellent.

When he arrived at the peak and hid behind the large rocks, it was already afternoon.

The leaden clouds in the sky were even thicker, as if they were about to press down on the mountain top.

In the direction of the Xuanyuan Cave Abode in the distance (approximate direction), faint, ominous dark red rays could already be seen seeping out from the ground, illuminating the sky in a blood-red hue.

The bone ring "Xuanyuan" transmitted a violent vibration, carrying a warning.

The "Shadow" token became slightly hot, and from within came the last chaotic, urgent message: "... Blood sacrifice ... begun ... Seal ... cannot hold on ... Shadow Envoy ... arrive quickly ..."

Rumble—!!!

As if to verify the information in the token, the earth shook violently!

Immediately after, a huge pillar of Sword Qi, pitch black as ink but wreathed in dark red blood light at the edges, shot up into the sky from the direction of the Xuanyuan Cave Abode!

The pillar pierced straight into the clouds, tearing a huge hole in the thick leaden clouds!

The monstrous, fierce, tyrannical, and destructive Sword Intent swept out like a storm!

Even separated by dozens of miles, Lin Ye still felt a palpitation, and the circulation of his Spiritual Qi within his body stalled for a moment.

The demon abyss sword has broken the Seal!

Almost at the same time, from the direction of the Qingyun Sect, deep in the back mountain, several escape lights of different colors, but equally magnificent and astonishing, flew rapidly like meteors toward the direction where the Sword Qi pillar rose!

The Sect experts were finally alarmed!

And from the direction of Black Wind Valley, several eerie black escape lights also rose, meeting the Sword Qi pillar, seemingly to receive it, or perhaps to set something up.

The heavens and earth changed color, and the wind and clouds gathered.

Everyone's gaze was focused on that terrifying pillar of Sword Qi that connected heaven and earth.

And Lin Ye, like a hunter lurking in the shadows, gripped the bone spike in his hand tightly, his eyes calmly scanning the chaotic battlefield below and those dazzling lights in the sky.

His Opportunity might just be in this chaotic situation.

The Sword Qi pillar lasted for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, then slowly contracted and dimmed, as if the demon sword, after venting the might of breaking the Seal, was temporarily dormant, or ... brewing a greater storm.

But the oppression in the air and the Sword Intent that made the Soul tremble did not dissipate, but instead became thicker and thicker.

The several escape lights from the Qingyun Sect and the black escape lights from Black Wind Valley encountered each other in the high sky near the Sword Qi pillar!

No words, no probing.

The next moment, brilliant Spell light and eerie wailing of ghosts and howling of wolves instantly illuminated half the sky!

The battle of high-level Cultivators had begun!

And on the ground, more figures surged toward the direction of the Xuanyuan Cave Abode from all directions.

There were law enforcement teams and Inner Sect Disciples from the Qingyun Sect, as well as men in black from the Yinkui Sect, and even some Loose Cultivators of unknown origin who wanted to fish in troubled waters.

The chaos had completely erupted.

Lin Ye's gaze, however, did not immediately cast toward the highest battlefield, but fell upon an inconspicuous narrow valley entrance not far from the isolated peak.

There, a small team of about five or six men in black from the Yinkui Sect was escorting several ragged and listless Cultivators (seemingly prisoners), sneaking away from the main battlefield and heading quickly toward the depths of the valley.

Among the prisoners they were escorting, there was one figure that made Lin Ye's pupils suddenly constrict.

It was a young girl; although her face was covered in dirt, those bright eyes that carried stubbornness and fear ... he recognized them!

It was one of the few fellow Disciples who had shown him a trace of kindness when he was in the Miscellaneous Chores Courtyard, a female Disciple named "Xiao Yun"!

How could she have fallen into the hands of the Yinkui Sect? And be escorted to this secluded valley?

Looking at the direction the men in black were moving and the faintly revealed Killing Intent ... could this be the so-called "blood sacrifice"?

Lin Ye's heart jumped violently.