218: Lone Peak

The opening of the Myriad Ages Evergreen Realm this time has drawn unprecedented attention from various Sects in the Minghu Realm, Dao Yi Realm, Nether Soul Realm, and even the Blood Demon Realm.

The reason was simple: too many had perished. Especially the top Prodigies of each Sect, who were almost entirely wiped out.

Xiao Zhuo's identity as the Holy Son of the Blood Palace had not yet been exposed, and among the Prodigies he slaughtered were many from the Blood Demon Realm.

Anyone who dared to attack him or snatch his Opportunity rarely survived.

In the Blood Demon Realm, apart from the Holy Son of the Slaughter Demon Palace who escaped using a hidden trump card, and Cao Yunqing who retreated early from the Enlightenment Abyss, all others who had clashed with Xiao Zhuo perished.

The various major powers dispatched their experts to guard the Secret Realm entrances of their respective planes, intending to intercept the survivors.

In the Nanzhan Continent of the Immortal Realm, Evergreen Immortal Island.

This was the Dao field of the Evergreen True Immortal.

The Immortal Venerable Ascended from the Lower Realm, and upon first arriving in the Upper Realm, displayed astonishing talent. He climbed steadily, stepping over the corpses of countless Prodigies, achieving Golden Immortal status in merely tens of thousands of years. He then established the Evergreen Immortal Palace, passing down his Legacy, which has continued for over sixty thousand years to this day.

Deep within a quiet room of the Immortal Palace, a slender Beautiful Woman sat cross-legged. Suddenly, her emotions surged like a tide.

Her eyes opened and closed, and she rapidly calculated with her fingers, her expression abruptly changing.

Her figure floated up like smoke, instantly teleporting away.

When she reappeared, she was in a dim hall filled with brown soul tablets.

On the east side of the hall, half a soul tablet lay silently on the ground.

The Beautiful Woman's pupils contracted sharply—on the broken soul tablet, an alarming character, "Heaven-Grade," was clearly carved!

Behind her, a hunched old man was sweating, looking at a loss.

The core area of the Myriad Ages Evergreen Realm.

After leaving the Enlightenment Abyss, Xiao Zhuo casually found a small mountain with rich Immortal Qi, opened an Immortal Cave, set up a Restriction that was difficult for Undergoing Tribulation Cultivators to break, and then entered it.

His gains from this trip far exceeded his expectations.

Although his injuries had mostly recovered under the Origin revival of his Innate Blood God Body, there were still subtle Meridians that had not yet healed.

While circulating his cultivation to heal his hidden injuries, he took out the myriad souls bell and the remains of Chao Tian True Immortal, beginning to refine them.

The myriad souls bell must be an Immortal Artifact, and of an extremely high grade, otherwise, with Xiao Zhuo's power, it would be impossible to harm it in the slightest.

The Physical Body of Chao Tian True Immortal contained the mysteries of the Immortal Dao and was exceptionally tough. Xiao Zhuo couldn't even extract its essence blood, and absorbing its Immortal Qi was quite strenuous, which instead piqued his strong interest.

Healing, Artifact Refining, studying the immortal body.

Xiao Zhuo thus entered a state of secluded cultivation.

As for the Legacy of the Evergreen True Immortal, he had already grown indifferent to it.

This Realm had opened countless times, and while there were occasional rumors of the Legacy, it had never truly appeared.

Once his injuries were fully recovered, he would consume the enlightenment tea leaves and attempt to break through the Mahayana bottleneck!

Could the sixteen million Attribute Points on his panel help him directly ascend to True Immortal status?

On the panel, the Heaven-Grade chapter of the Primordial Chaos Golden Scripture's deduction had also quietly begun.

Deep within the dense forest of the core area, a blood-red light suddenly appeared.

Cao Yunqing, clad in dark demonic armor, slowly withdrew his claw-covered arm from the chest of a pure white giant tiger.

This Yao Beast, whose Aura was comparable to a Middle Tribulation Crossing Stage Cultivator, stared with wide eyes before collapsing limply.

A vast amount of vital blood, as if drawn by an unseen force, flowed into Cao Yunqing's chest.

Moments later, the giant tiger transformed into a shriveled corpse.

Cao Yunqing let out a long breath, looking back in the direction of the Enlightenment Abyss, his gaze as deep as an abyss: "Blood Sea... one day, I will stand above you!"

That day, when the Prodigies from various Realms besieged Xiao Zhuo in the Enlightenment Abyss, he had already withdrawn and fled far away. For him, the biggest goal in the Myriad Ages Evergreen Realm was the enlightenment tea leaves.

With seven enlightenment tea leaves in hand, he absolutely did not want to cause any further complications.

It wasn't that he didn't covet Xiao Zhuo's hundred enlightenment tea leaves, but at that moment, Xiao Zhuo, though his Aura was restrained, gave him an unmatchable suffocating sensation.

Facts proved that he was extremely wise.

There was still half a month until the Secret Realm closed.

Cao Yunqing stamped his foot and shot into the sky.

Even for the Blood Palace, the map of the core area was still incomplete, and he intended to explore unknown regions.

The deeper he went, the thicker and taller the ancient trees below became. Beast roars were frequent, and the ferocious Qi forced him to continuously ascend higher.

Even with his Peak Undergoing Tribulation cultivation, capable of rivaling ordinary Mahayana Cultivators, the secrets of this Realm far exceeded imagination—the enlightenment tea tree had gained sentience, its combat power comparable to a top-tier Mahayana! And there were even True Immortals present!

Cao Yunqing's internal alarms frequently sounded.

After flying for an unknown duration, at the edge of his vision, a solitary peak rose from the ground, piercing the clouds!

The Myriad Ages Evergreen Realm rarely had tall mountains, and this peak immediately alerted Cao Yunqing.

Approaching within three li, a heavy pressure suddenly descended, forcing him to land.

"Such a high-level pressure... it doesn't seem to be from a living creature. Could there be a heavy treasure suppressing it?" A flicker of greed flashed in Cao Yunqing's eyes. He transformed into a blood shadow, like a crimson lightning bolt tearing through the forest, rapidly heading towards the giant peak.

He moved through the dense forest like lightning, his speed reaching the extreme.

However, a long, terrifying dark shadow had quietly locked onto him.

Cao Yunqing, like a blood-colored phantom, darted through the towering ancient trees, his target the solitary peak emanating an ancient pressure.

Pure Immortal Qi filled the forest, yet it couldn't dispel the solemnity and burning desire in his heart.

Suddenly!

A pungent wind, carrying the scent of decay and primordial chaos, swept in from behind and to his side, instantly locking onto his Qi!

"Hmph!" Cao Yunqing snorted coldly, his Peak Undergoing Tribulation cultivation erupting. Blood patterns flowed across his dark demonic armor.

He rapidly formed hand seals, and a thick barrier, viscous as actual blood plasma, instantly solidified beside him—the Blood Origin Barrier!

"Boom—!!!"

The terrifying giant shadow slammed heavily into the barrier!

A dull roar shook the mountains and forests, ancient trees snapped, and the blood-light barrier trembled violently, cracks spreading like a spiderweb. Yet, it ultimately did not shatter, buying Cao Yunqing a moment to catch his breath.

He used the impact to retreat, his gaze as cold as ice.

Above the ruins, a primordial behemoth, causing heart palpitations, coiled.

Iron-gray scales shimmered with a metallic cold light, its five-zhang thick serpent body contained the power to shatter mountains and break peaks, and the horn-like protuberances on its head indicated the thin but real presence of True Dragon Bloodline within it—an ancient Dragon Python!

Its cold, vertical pupils were fixed on Cao Yunqing, exuding monstrous ferocity.

"Hiss—!" The Dragon Python let out a low growl, its massive body moving like a ghost. Its gaping maw tore through the air, lunging to bite!

"Blood Siphon Domain! Open!" Cao Yunqing dared not be negligent. A dense blood-red light instantly spread, covering a radius of several tens of zhang.

Within the Domain, the vital blood of living beings should be forcibly stripped away!

However, the Dragon Python charged into the blood-red Domain without the slightest hesitation! Its iron-gray scales seemed to naturally repel the Domain's power. The Blood Siphon Divine Ability, which could even draw out the essence blood of Undergoing Tribulation Cultivators, was like a clay ox entering the sea, unable to even stir a trace of blood-light on its scales!

Essence firmly locked, wan fa (myriad laws) could not invade! This fiend was completely unafraid of his Domain!

"Beast!" A fierce glint burst from Cao Yunqing's eyes. The ineffectiveness of Blood Siphon did not cause him to panic.

He pointed his fingers like a sword, and his magical power surged. A three-foot-long, crimson, solidified blood blade, with edges as sharp as a peerless Divine Weapon, instantly condensed at his fingertips—Condensed Blood into Weapon · Crimson Blood Slash!

"Clang! Sizzle—!"

The Crimson Blood Slash tore through the air, striking the side of the Dragon Python's head with a heavy blow! A piercing metallic cutting sound exploded! The tough Dragon scales were actually sliced open, leaving a deep gash, and dark red Dragon blood spurted out! It was then absorbed by the Domain!

The Dragon Python hissed in pain, violently shaking its head. The terrifying force sent Cao Yunqing, man and blade, flying back, breaking several ancient trees that would take two people to embrace, his vital Qi violently churning.

"Such hard scales!" Cao Yunqing wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression becoming even more solemn.

Although the Crimson Blood Slash could break its defense, such a wound was far from fatal for such a colossal beast.

The Dragon Python's ferocity completely erupted. Its thick serpent tail, like a giant whip that could cleave the heavens, tore through the air, sweeping horizontally with the force to shatter mountains and break peaks!

"Blood Shadow Escape!" Cao Yunqing's figure flickered, several indistinguishable blood shadows scattering, narrowly passing through the gap where the giant tail swept.

Taking advantage of the Dragon Python's old strength fading, its wound profusely bleeding, and new strength yet to be generated, he rapidly formed strange and profound blood-colored runes with both hands, growling like a curse: "Blood Poison Curse · Marrow Erosion!"

Several subtle yet extremely sinister blood-colored runes, like maggots clinging to bone, silently drilled into its body along the spurting Dragon blood!

This was Cao Yunqing's ultimate vicious blood curse, using the enemy's essence blood as a medium to directly invade the bone marrow Origin, damaging its vitality and eroding its power! Even the Dragon Python with its firmly locked essence was hard-pressed to resist a curse generated from within!

The Dragon Python's massive body suddenly stiffened, a trace of pain and weakness flashing in its vertical pupils, and its pouncing movements noticeably slowed! It clearly perceived the insidious corrosive power within its body, letting out a furious roar of rage, locking onto Cao Yunqing with overwhelming hatred, and pounced again! Its ferocity, slightly diminished by the curse, became ten times more aggressive!

"So stubbornly fierce... then let you witness my true power!" Cao Yunqing's face turned completely cold.

Seeing that even so, this beast remained so savage, and his magical power consumption was considerable, if he continued to drag it out, the outcome was uncertain!

He had to use his trump card!

He suddenly slammed a palm onto the blood pattern at the core of his demonic armor on his chest!

The ancient blood patterns on the demonic armor instantly blazed, furiously drawing nearly thirty percent of his essence blood Origin from his body!

Cao Yunqing's face instantly turned ashen, his Aura plummeting, but the Aura around him surged upwards, and a terrifying, chaotic, destructive Aura originating from the primordial blood sea erupted!

"Blood Incineration into Demon · God Slaying Strike!" A roar filled with pain and killing intent burst from his throat!

His right arm was instantly enveloped, swelled, and twisted by boiling demonic blood, transforming into a terrifying ten-foot-long demonic blood spear!

Demonic blood surged on the spear's shaft, as if myriad souls were wailing, and a point of extremely dark sharpness at the spearhead seemed capable of piercing Immortals and gods, annihilating all things!

Cao Yunqing's eyes were bloodshot, fixed on the Dragon Python's head, which was delayed by the Blood Poison Curse and had a fatal defensive opening. He channeled all his remaining magical power, burning will, and Origin killing intent into this spear of destruction!

"Pfft—!!!"

A sickening thud! The demonic blood spear pierced precisely into the Dragon Python's violent, horrified snake eye! Destructive power erupted within its skull!

"Roar—!!!" The Dragon Python's massive body instantly stiffened, then let out a dying roar mixed with extreme pain and endless unwillingness!

It thrashed and twisted wildly, causing mountains to crumble and forests to be destroyed wherever it went!

Finally, this primordial beast crashed to the ground. In place of its snake eye, only a huge, terrifying blood-hole remained, from which chaotic demonic blood Qi emanated, its vitality rapidly ceasing like a burst dam.

Cao Yunqing knelt on one knee, his Aura weakened significantly.

The backlash from Blood Incineration into Demon caused his Meridians to feel like they were tearing apart inch by inch, the pain piercing to his core.

He looked at the mountain-like corpse of the Dragon Python, a difficult smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

This Dragon Python's Physical Body was an extremely potent medicinal treasure!

Half a day later.

Cao Yunqing's demonic armor was shattered, his long hair disheveled. He struggled to climb upwards, using the protruding rocks on the steep cliff face of the solitary peak.

The continuous battles and the increasingly immense pressure had exhausted him physically and mentally.

Fortunately! He had finally reached the location of the heavy treasure.

The heavy, mountain-like pressure in front of him surged out from a deep cave, making his entire skeleton groan and every step difficult.

However, there was no fear in his eyes; instead, an extremely intense, almost frantic fire of excitement burned.