596: Lu Xueqi (73)

Su Han took a deep breath of the fresh air, feeling the surging spiritual power within him after his Golden Core had just formed, an unprecedented sense of strength filling his entire body.

Lu Xueqi stood quietly to the side, her white robes dazzling like snow, her aura growing even colder and more ethereal. Clearly, the three days of contemplation had allowed her to make further progress in the Way of the Sword.

Bi Yao, meanwhile, moved her hands and feet with curiosity, a faint, almost imperceptible glow of spiritual Gu circulating at her fingertips. She felt both unfamiliar and excited by the newly awakened Witch Clan Bloodline and Legacy.

Wang Shouren swept his gaze over the three, lingering for a moment on Su Han, then clapped his hands and laughed, "The Golden Core is formed, the Dao foundation is stable. Future generations are indeed formidable. The affinity with the Divine Palace of Black Witch Mountain is truly extraordinary."

Grand Elder Moyuan was also full of relief, "For you to obtain the ancient Legacy of the Witch Clan, you must also have a destiny with our people. Return to the tribe first, and then we will discuss matters at length. The affair with Incense Valley requires cautious handling."

The group returned to the Black Witch Clan's tribe. The tribe was situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, with wooden houses built against the slopes. The style was rugged and ancient, and the air was filled with the scent of medicinal herbs and cooking smoke.

When the tribesmen saw the Grand Elder return, they all bowed in greeting, their gazes curiously falling upon Su Han and the other two.

In the following days, Su Han consolidated his recently broken through Golden Core Stage cultivation, familiarizing himself with the surging power, while discussing the mysteries of the reincarnation mirror with Wang Shouren.

He took out the two reincarnation mirror fragments and placed them on the stone table in the quiet room.

The fragments were neither metal nor jade; they felt cool to the touch, with irregular fracture marks along the edges.

The surface was engraved with incredibly complex and ancient patterns, resembling the rotation of stars or the birth and demise of all things.

When the two fragments drew near each other, they emitted a faint hum and radiated a faint, chaotic luster.

The patterns on the edges seemed to writhe slightly as if alive, attempting to connect, but always separated by a seemingly insurmountable gap.

"As expected," Wang Shouren said gravely after careful observation, "The reincarnation mirror has been broken for a long time, and its spiritual essence is greatly diminished. All fragments must be gathered, and a special method or opportunity must be found before it can be reassembled.

The 'Reincarnation and Rebirth' mentioned in ancient texts involves the secrets of the Origin of time and space, which is no trivial matter. Ghost Eye Demon Lord is searching so eagerly; his scheme is likely far beyond ordinary ambitions of dominance."

Su Han nodded and carefully put away the fragments, "Senior, the immediate priority is to deal with the provocation from Incense Valley. We absolutely cannot allow them to harm the Black Witch Clan. After that, I must continue searching for the other fragments."

"Precisely," Wang Shouren mused, "Incense Valley is merely a piece on the surface. That Ghost Eye Demon Lord is incredibly cunning. This time, by seizing the opportunity, he first wants to force you out, and second, he wants to stir up the situation so he can fish in troubled waters. We need to investigate his true purpose, and... whether there is an even more terrifying entity behind him."

Just as the two were talking, Lu Xueqi and Bi Yao walked in.

Lu Xueqi spoke directly, "The tribesmen sent out to gather intelligence report that Incense Valley has allied with the Azure Cloud Sect, Xuanming Sect, and several other Schools. Their momentum is considerable, and they will arrive near Black Witch Mountain in a few days."

Bi Yao added, "I also used the Gu technique I just comprehended to 'inquire' something from a few nearby Incense Valley spies. They seem very certain that the Divine Palace Treasure is in our tribe, and... they mentioned a term, 'Holy Cult'."

"Holy Cult?" Su Han and Wang Shouren exchanged glances, both seeing doubt and vigilance in the other's eyes. This was clearly the name of a force they had never heard of.

"It seems the water is deeper than we thought," Wang Shouren stood up. "We will meet force with force; let us first set up our defenses. Grand Elder Moyuan has already summoned the tribesmen to prepare. Su Han, you have just received the Legacy and still need time to digest it, but with a powerful enemy at the door, training may need to be moved up."

A sharp glint flashed in Su Han's eyes, "Senior, rest assured, we are not people who fear battle."

...

The Black Witch Clan tribe quickly entered a state of combat readiness.

The ancient Witch Formation was activated, and streams of spiritual light rose from various parts of the valley, forming a semi-transparent protective barrier.

The tribal warriors, armed with poisoned crossbows, concealed themselves in the dangerous terrain of the forest.

Grand Elder Moyuan sat at the central altar, communicating with the power of the ancestral spirits.

Wang Shouren oversaw the overall situation, coordinating the manpower.

Su Han, Lu Xueqi, and Bi Yao were not idle either.

Su Han attempted to integrate his comprehension of the 'Reincarnation and Rebirth Art' into his own Cultivation Technique. Although he had only grasped the rudiments, he gained a completely new understanding of the circulation and control of spiritual power, making his Golden Core Stage cultivation even more adept.

He even faintly sensed that there was some deep-level connection between the reincarnation mirror fragments and this technique.

Lu Xueqi practiced her sword under the moonlight. The 'Bright Moon Sword Canon' complemented her original ice-attribute Cultivation Technique, making her sword light increasingly cold and sharp, like moonlight pouring down, carrying a chill that could freeze the Divine Soul.

She already possessed extremely high talent; although the three days of contemplation were short, she had grasped the true essence of the Sword Canon.

Bi Yao studied under the Gu Masters of the tribe. The 'Hundred Gu True Scripture' was profound and vast, involving various secret arts such as raising Gu, commanding Gu, refining Gu, and even transforming one's body into Gu. It resonated with her awakened Bloodline, leading to rapid progress.

She could not only control various poisonous insects and Gu creatures but could also condense Gu shadows with Witch Power, making her unpredictable and difficult to guard against.

Two days later, at dusk, sounds of objects breaking the air came from the horizon.

Dozens of streams of light appeared from afar and descended upon the mountains surrounding Black Witch Mountain.

Led by Incense Valley, hundreds of Cultivators from the Azure Cloud Sect, Xuanming Sect, and other Schools arrived, their banners flying high, radiating intense Killing Intent.

The leader was none other than the Valley Master of Incense Valley, True Man Chiyang. Beside him walked Protector Bai, whose face was grim, along with several Elders from other Schools.

True Man Chiyang's voice boomed like a great bell across the wilderness: "Moyuan! Hand over the Divine Palace Treasure and the murderer who killed my Valley's Elder, otherwise, we will flatten your Black Witch Clan today!"

Grand Elder Moyuan's voice resonated steadily from the valley, "Chiyang, your Incense Valley has coveted the Divine Palace for a long time. You collude with demons and frame our clan; why the pretense of righteousness? If you want to fight, then fight!"

"Stubborn fool!" True Man Chiyang roared, "Fellow Daoists, follow me and break the formation!"

The great battle erupted instantly.

Beams of light from various Magic Treasures and spiritual light from Dao techniques rained down upon the tribe's protective barrier, causing ripples to surge.

The Black Witch Clan warriors relied on the terrain advantage and the Witch Formation to resist stubbornly. Poisoned arrows, Gu insects, and Witch Curses erupted endlessly, preventing the allied forces from making headway for the time being.

Su Han and the other two did not reveal themselves immediately but remained hidden in the shadows, observing the battle.

"There is indeed something fishy," Wang Shouren murmured, "The allied forces appear imposing, but their attacks are quite methodical, as if they are probing, or perhaps... waiting for something."

Su Han circulated the Reincarnation and Rebirth Art; his Divine Sense was several times sharper than before.

He vaguely sensed a deeply hidden, cold aura lingering at the edge of the battlefield, spying like a venomous snake. "It is the aura of Ghost Eye Demon Lord. He really came, but his true body has not appeared."

Just then, a sudden change occurred on the battlefield!

In the rear of the allied forces, several Xuanming Sect Cultivators suddenly brought out a black banner.

A furious, cold wind howled, and countless resentful souls and fierce spirits surged out of the banner, pouncing toward the Black Witch Clan's protective formation.

These resentful souls were not attacking the light barrier but attaching themselves to it, frantically devouring the spiritual power of the Witch Formation! (End of Chapter)