28: Chapter 28 Blood Array Collapses, Take Your Insects and Make Your Money

It felt as if an invisible mountain had crashed down upon him. Shen Xiao felt his bones groaning under the unbearable pressure, and his Divine Soul felt as though it were being tightly gripped by a cold, massive hand, unable to move.

It was an absolute suppression on the level of life itself, the instinctive trembling of an ant looking up at a Divine Dragon.

Resist head-on? That was a thought only someone whose brain had been caught in a door would have.

"Little beast, go be buried with my medicinal field!" Deacon Sun Fugui looked like a madman. His withered body rustled in the blood-colored gale, and his face was twisted with the ecstatic madness of someone ready to drag others down with him.

"Old Ghost, scan! Find the energy nodes of this broken Formation for me!" On the surface, Shen Xiao put on a look of terrified shock, his face pale and his body swaying as if about to collapse, but in reality, he was roaring the most urgent command to Xuan Chenzi within his Sea of Consciousness.

Almost at the same time, he clicked frantically on the System panel without hesitation.

[Initiating 'All-Things Identification'! Permissions set to maximum!]

[Beep! Energy consumption in progress... Analyzing Formation structure...]

In the Sea of Consciousness, Xuan Chenzi's illusory remnant Soul was solemn to the extreme. Utilizing the System's scan data, his eyes erupted with brilliant light, like two supercomputers performing frantic calculations.

"Found it! This goddamn lethal Formation's hub is at the intersection of the underground water veins! That old dog Deacon Sun Fugui used his own life essence blood to bind the entire Formation's energy cycle to the underground water veins! To break the Formation, you'd have to evaporate the entire underground river in an instant!" Xuan Chenzi's voice was urgent and desperate.

Evaporate an underground river? What kind of international joke was that?

But the moment Shen Xiao heard the words "underground water veins," a flash of vicious brilliance suddenly flickered deep within his eyes, which were currently feigning terror.

Underground water veins... wasn't that the nest of the Blood-Stained Fungi?

Shen Xiao's gaze swept like lightning across the chaotic scene. The corpses of the mutant Golden Silk Gu—those that had been bloated to death by the Blood-Stained Fungi and the essence of high-grade Spirit Medicine, and were currently emitting thick toxic miasma and violent Qi—instantly transformed in his eyes from garbage into the perfect explosive packages!

"Now is the time!"

Shen Xiao bit his tongue hard. The sharp pain jolted his spirit, allowing him to forcibly break free a sliver of mobility from that terrifying Divine Sense lock.

He stumbled backward, feigning panic, but his feet kicked out in a series of extremely tricky, calculated strikes.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Dozens of mutant Golden Silk Gu corpses, engorged with "Blood-Stained Fungi" and high-grade Spirit Medicine essence and teetering on the edge of a Qi rampage, were kicked precisely into the nodes where the Formation's energy flow was most turbulent—directly above the intersection of the underground water veins!

Immediately after, Shen Xiao did not hesitate to detonate a micro Fire Talisman he had been holding in his hand.

"Blow up for me!"

Boom!

An explosion ten times more violent than when the Blood Formation first activated occurred!

The Qi within the Golden Silk Gu, already chaotic and violent from over-consumption, was instantly ignited by the Fire Talisman!

And the extremely evil and filthy toxicity of the Blood-Stained Fungi became the deadliest catalyst in this explosion!

In an instant, it was as if hundreds of highly concentrated dirty bombs had been detonated simultaneously at the core of the Formation!

Indescribable composite toxins mixed with the filth of the Blood Fiend, transforming into a sky-filling, rolling ink-green bloody rain. Carrying a terrifying aura capable of corroding all things, it poured with pinpoint accuracy down the energy hub and into the entire Formation core!

"Urgh!"

In the Void Realm, that terrifying Divine Sense, which had originally been cold and arrogant, viewing all things as mere straw dogs, let out an extremely painful muffled groan as if it had been doused with concentrated sulfuric acid!

It felt just like you were enjoying the scenery in a high-definition VR world, only for someone to dump a huge bucket of hot excrement—mixed with nuclear waste—directly onto your headset!

The terrifying pressure locked onto Shen Xiao's crown instantly dissipated like a receding tide!

"No!"

The Formation hub was defiled, and the violent energy instantly spiraled out of control.

The sneer on Deacon Sun Fugui's face froze, replaced by endless fear.

The blood-colored gale, capable of strangling a Core Formation Cultivator, turned its guns around, becoming the most violent backlash and slamming into him, the caster, with full force!

"Puff!"

Deacon Sun Fugui couldn't even let out a complete scream. Like an over-inflated balloon, his entire body's Meridians snapped inch by inch with a dull explosion, his Dantian shattered instantly, and blood mixed with visceral fragments sprayed wildly from his seven orifices.

He collapsed to the ground like a pile of mud, twitching all over, thoroughly reduced to a cripple even worse than a Mortal.

The moment the blood-colored gale raged, Shen Xiao didn't even glance at Deacon Sun Fugui. Instead, he backhanded a prepared earth-yellow Talisman toward another corner.

"Earth Escape Talisman!"

The Talisman instantly transformed into a thick light screen, enveloping Xiao Wu, who had been hiding at the edge and was currently full of horror, narrowly blocking the lethal energy aftermath.

As the dust settled, the Blood Formation collapsed, and the light barrier that had covered the sky dissipated into scattered points of light.

Shen Xiao brushed the dust off his body and strolled over to the few Gu insect larvae that had miraculously survived the clash between the toxic miasma and the Qi. With strange dark gold patterns emerging on their bodies, he took out a specially made ten-thousand-year cold jade box and carefully tucked these few "Gu Kings" that had completed their ultimate mutation into it.

After doing all this, he slowly turned around, his gaze indifferent as he looked at Xiao Wu, who was walking out from the light of the Earth Escape Talisman not far away, her eyes full of wariness and suspicion.

"You..." Xiao Wu's voice was hoarse; she hadn't understood the series of god-tier maneuvers just now at all.

"Don't 'you' me. You did well." Shen Xiao lazily interrupted her, as if the person who had detonated the bombs and stood up to the big shot's Divine Sense just moments ago wasn't him. "Congratulations, you've successfully destroyed a crucial high-grade Spirit Medicine field of the Qingming Sect. This credit should be enough for you to get promoted three levels when you return to the Blood Fiend Sect, right?"

Xiao Wu's pupils constricted, and she tightened her grip on the poison-coated dagger hidden in her sleeve.

"Don't be nervous, I'm a person who loves win-win situations." Shen Xiao shook the Image-Recording Sky Shuttle in his hand, which was still faithfully recording everything. "Now, you have two choices. One, I hand this thing over to the Sect, and your identity as a spy for the Blood Fiend Sect is exposed, leading to you being sliced into a thousand pieces. Two, you take your 'great military achievements' and return to your hometown in glory, and I'll consider it having gained a friend in an opposing Sect."

He paused, the curve of his lips growing colder: "Of course, if my friend ever decides to lose their mind and betray me... this Image-Recording Sky Shuttle will appear in the hands of the Blood Fiend Sect's rival Sects immediately. I think they would be very interested in the true face of a 'hero'."

Xiao Wu's face turned pale instantly. She stared at Shen Xiao, her eyes looking as if she wanted to devour him alive.

But in the end, all the killing intent and unwillingness turned into deep helplessness.

She was completely held in the palm of his hand.

Several days later, two pieces of news caused an uproar in the Outer Sect.

First, Outer Sect Deacon Sun Fugui was stripped of his cultivation by the Law Enforcement Hall for stealing from the Sect and privately building a medicinal field, and was exiled to the Northern Wilderness mines, never to return.

Second, that legendary Child of Destiny, Lin Yun, had the high-grade Spirit Medicine supply that his subordinates relied on for their livelihood completely cut off. Several core followers who were stuck at a Bottleneck and preparing for a Breakthrough suffered Qi Deviation due to the interruption of resources, and the entire small group fell into unprecedented panic and infighting.

And the culprit behind all this, Shen Xiao, was currently hiding in the underground secret room of his dilapidated residence, rubbing his hands excitedly.

"Old Ghost, let's begin! Whether I can drive a Ferrari Flying Sword in this life depends on this batch!"

In the center of the secret room, a top-grade Purple Gold Pill Furnace obtained from Manager Qian was burning with raging Earth Fire.

Xuan Chenzi's remnant Soul floated in mid-air, blowing his beard and staring: "What Ferrari! Focus! These Gu Kings of yours have absorbed the extremely filthy poison of the Blood-Stained Fungi and the essence of dozens of high-grade Spirit Medicines; the medicinal properties are so domineering that even I am terrified! If you're not careful, what you refine won't be a Barrier-Breaking Pill, but 'Soul Transformation Water' that could poison a Golden Core Cultivator into a puddle of pus and blood!"

Shen Xiao chuckled and tossed the dark gold Gu Kings into the Pill Furnace, then, following Xuan Chenzi's guidance, added several auxiliary Spiritual Plants to neutralize the toxicity.

Relying on the System's millisecond-level precision control over the heat, the violent medicinal power inside the Pill Furnace was tamed and fused time and again.

Three days and three nights later, with a crisp chime of the Pill Furnace, the lid flew into the air.

A rich medicinal fragrance that almost materialized instantly filled the entire secret room. Three perfectly round Medicinal Pills, with gorgeous pill patterns flowing on their surfaces, lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace.

The medicinal effect was tyrannically peerless—perfect-grade "Golden Silk Barrier-Breaking Pills" capable of forcibly breaking through a Bottleneck!

The night was like ink.

Shen Xiao once again put on that large black robe, donned the demon mask, and handed this batch of freshly baked "local specialties" to Manager Qian, who had been waiting anxiously.

"Fatty Qian, the rules remain the same. Hype it up until it kills!"

"Don't worry, Senior!" Manager Qian looked at the three pills in the jade box, their quality stunning, and his fat trembled with excitement. He understood the principle that "scarcity makes things expensive" and immediately spread the word throughout the Sect's black market network.

"Have you heard? That reclusive Alchemy expert is making a move again! This time, it's the final limited edition of three pills! The medicinal effect is ten times that of last time!"

"It's said to be refined using a lost ancient secret recipe. One pill is enough to let a Foundation Establishment Perfection Cultivator form a Golden Core on the spot!"

The rich second-generation followers under Lin Yun, who had been cut off from supplies and were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, went completely crazy upon hearing the news.

They emptied their Family fortunes, and even went so far as to sign high-interest Spirit Stone contracts, killing each other in the auction house.

In the end, these three pills were bid up to an unimaginable astronomical price.

Shen Xiao hid behind the scenes, listening to the heartbreaking bids outside, feeling the rapid growth of High-Grade Spirit Stones in his Storage Pouch, while the System's sweet notification sound kept ringing in his mind:

[Ding! You have successfully severed the economic wings of the Child of Destiny, Lin Yun, significantly weakening his faction's foundation, and plundered 5 points of destiny value!]

[Ding! Successfully plundered a portion of Lin Yun's Luck. Reward: Bone purity increased by 5%!]

Fame and fortune, awesome!

Just as Shen Xiao and Manager Qian were in the black market secret room, facing the pile of Spirit Stones and enjoying the fruits of their victory, Manager Qian mysteriously took out another Storage Pouch that emitted extreme cold.

"Senior, the last trump card, the top-grade Barrier-Breaking Pill, was bought out directly by a mysterious female Cultivator wrapped in a black robe at a 300% premium, without even haggling!" Fatty Qian had an expression of wanting credit, as if showing off his sales ability.

Shen Xiao subconsciously reached out to take the Storage Pouch, preparing to count this windfall.

However, the moment his fingertips touched the Storage Pouch, a familiar, bone-chilling cold that seemed capable of freezing the Soul suddenly shot into his body along his fingertips!

At the same time, on his retina, the System panel flashed blinding red frames without warning!

[Warning! Detected the aura of the Child of Destiny heroine 'Xia Lengbai'!]

[Warning! The target has used the Medicinal Pill refined by the host to forcibly break through the Family confinement! Current sanity value: 17 (Extremely Dangerous)!]

[Warning! The Yandere obsession has successfully locked onto the host's aura through the Karma of the Medicinal Pill!]

[Warning! Target is approaching at high speed! Estimated time of arrival: ten, nine, eight...]

Shen Xiao's movement of counting Spirit Stones froze abruptly.

He turned his head sharply, his sharp gaze locked onto the secret room door made of thousand-year black iron, which was said to be able to withstand a full-force blow from a Golden Core Cultivator!

That bone-chilling aura was getting closer and closer!