126: Chapter 126 I've been tricked

The Pill Furnace phantom appeared ethereal, but in reality, it contained the most pure Power of Creation.

When facing ordinary Magical Artifacts, the phantom could wear away their spirituality upon contact.

Against evil entities, the phantom's inherent noble spirit and purifying power were even more effective.

Even better, the phantom could be summoned and dismissed at will; its power was matchless during an attack, yet it left no trace when it dissipated, making it impossible for others to discern its secrets.

Meanwhile, Su Chengyuan utilized a massive amount of resources to stabilize and advance his cultivation.

Once the war between the two prefectures ended, these resources could be used on the Su Family openly and legitimately.

At the same time, within Fallen Phoenix Valley, in the temporary Immortal Cave of the Black Rock Palace team.

Several groups sent out for looting returned one after another, each with a bountiful harvest, bringing back a large number of souls and resources.

Only the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator who went towards Qinghe County had yet to return; even his soul lamp had been extinguished.

A Black Rock Palace Elder responsible for the matter merely frowned upon hearing this.

"Are there any experts in the direction of Qinghe County?"

"Reporting to Elder, according to our intelligence, there are no noteworthy experts within Qinghe Prefecture aside from the four major Sects and a few Golden Core Families. In that area, the strongest is merely a Foundation Establishment stage Family under the Blazing Fire Sect."

"Hmph, useless! To think a Foundation Establishment Mid-stage would die in a remote little county; it's truly a disgrace to my Black Rock Palace." The Elder snorted coldly and ignored it further.

With the war between the two prefectures nearing its end, it was a critical time for dividing the spoils. Since the person died deep within Qinghe Prefecture, Black Rock Palace couldn't continue sending people to investigate with great fanfare.

Otherwise, if the negotiations were concluded and Black Rock Palace Cultivators remained in Qinghe Prefecture to slaughter wantonly, it would be impossible to salvage the situation.

Thus, the matter was temporarily dropped.

Several days later, Fallen Phoenix Valley.

Twenty-one Golden Core True Persons from Qinghe Prefecture and Pingling Prefecture gathered here once again.

After several days of friendly consultation, both sides finally reached an agreement on the post-war distribution of interests.

"From this day forward, the Monster Beast Mountain Range will no longer be a barrier isolating the two prefectures, but a bridge for mutual exchange."

"The mountain range will be fully open to the Cultivators of both prefectures, and the resources within will be claimed by each according to their Opportunity. More importantly, we will establish a trade route between the two prefectures based on this. The Medicinal Pills of the Zhenpin Pavilion and the business of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce will be the first cornerstones of this new trade route."

The Golden Core Cultivator from the Qiankun Gate had a flash of brilliance in his eyes and nodded, saying, "Agreed."

"However, let the unpleasant words be said first." The White-Haired Ancestor's tone shifted, and his gaze became sharp. "The trade route is the trade route, and the battlefield is the battlefield. Within the mountain range, life and death are one's own responsibility. But no faction may cross the mountain range to bring conflict into the other's prefecture. This is the bottom line; those who cross it will be enemies of all Sects in both our prefectures!"

Finally, his gaze landed on the Black Rock Palace team: "Especially the Fellow Daoists of Black Rock Palace—we do not interfere with your methods. However, from this day forth, if there are any further acts of mass slaughter against the Cultivators or Mortals of my prefecture on the territory of Qinghe Prefecture, do not blame us for showing no mercy and fighting to the death!"

The Palace Master of Black Rock Palace let out an eerie laugh, which served as a tacit agreement.

After all, fighting the three major Sects in Pingling Prefecture was exhausting enough; why would they want to provoke the four major Sects of Qinghe Prefecture? That would just be looking for trouble!

Even if Black Rock Palace were stronger, it was impossible to be enemies with seven Golden Core Sects simultaneously.

With the agreement reached, the atmosphere relaxed considerably.

"In that case, let us now go and deal with that stray dog of the Blazing Fire Sect. We shall split the resources within their Sect equally between our two prefectures," the Qiankun Gate Cultivator suggested.

Everyone nodded in succession, preparing to set off.

Right at that moment, an extremely dangerous aura emanated from deep underground.

The faces of all the Golden Core True Persons present changed simultaneously.

"Not good! It's an ambush!"

The White-Haired Ancestor reacted the fastest, waving his large sleeve to instantly shield the people of Qinghe Prefecture within a powerful spiritual energy light barrier.

The other Golden Core True Persons also reacted quickly, summoning their protective spiritual lights to Guard their own Elders and Disciples.

On the Pingling Prefecture side, the Palace Master of Black Rock Palace also summoned a defensive magic treasure, which transformed into a black canopy.

Almost at the same moment they completed their defenses—

Rumble rumble rumble!!!

With Fallen Phoenix Valley as the center, the earth for a hundred miles around suddenly collapsed inward!

Immediately following that, tens of thousands of flames erupted from deep underground!

It was an earth-shattering explosion!

Thousands of High Grade second-rank Explosive Talismans were detonated at the same time!

The terrifying destructive energy formed a giant mushroom cloud that soared into the sky, dyeing the entire firmament crimson!

"Blazing Fire Sect! How dare you!"

"Damn it! Defend quickly!"

In the inner circle of the explosion, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators and Qi Refining Stage Disciples of the allied forces were instantly swallowed by the sea of fire.

Screams, curses, and the sound of shattering Magical Artifacts blended together.

Although the Golden Core True Persons reacted swiftly and protected most people, dozens of unfortunate Foundation Establishment Cultivators and nearly a thousand Qi Refining Stage Disciples were still blown to bits in the impact of the explosion.

When the dust settled, the original Fallen Phoenix Valley had turned into a bottomless, massive crater.

The main forces of the allied armies were all covered in soot and in a wretched state.

"Those lunatics of the Blazing Fire Sect!" The Golden Core Cultivator from Qiankun Gate was fuming with rage.

"They wanted to perish together with us!"

Everyone was shocked and furious; they didn't even need to think to know this was certainly the handiwork of the Blazing Fire Sect.

"Go! To their mountain gate! Today, I will definitely raze the Blazing Fire Sect to the ground!"

All twenty-one Golden Core True Persons were truly enraged, leading their surviving Disciples as they charged toward the Blazing Fire Sect's mountain gate with thick Killing Intent.

Although the Blazing Fire Sect's Mountain-Protecting Formation was not weak, how could it withstand the combined onslaught of twenty-one Golden Core True Persons?

In less than half an hour, that massive flaming light barrier shattered with a bang after a period of violent shaking.

But when the allied forces flooded into the Blazing Fire Sect's mountain gate, what they saw was an empty city.

The entire Sect was deathly still; aside from a few ruins still emitting green smoke, not a single person could be seen.

"Where are the people?!"

Everyone searched everywhere, finally finding hundreds of imprisoned Qi Refining Stage Disciples in a remote Utility Disciple residence.

After interrogation, the high-level members of the allied forces finally learned the truth of the matter.

It turned out that several days ago, the high-level members of the Blazing Fire Sect had initiated the 'Return to the Void' plan.

Most Core Disciples and resources had already been sent to an unknown location through a small, One-way Teleportation Formation.

Those left behind were all Outer Sect Disciples with mediocre Aptitude who were insignificant and did not wish to leave.

In the depths of the Blazing Fire Sect's Forbidden Ground, the crowd indeed found that already destroyed teleportation formation.

Looking at the residual spatial fluctuations, the twenty-one Golden Core True Persons looked at each other, so angry they wanted to curse.

They had been played!

After so many people died in several bloody battles and countless resources were spent, in the end, forget about dividing the Blazing Fire Sect's treasury—they hadn't even caught a single hair.

They had gone for the wool and come home shorn.

The entire combined army of Qinghe Prefecture and Pingling Prefecture had been slapped hard in the face by the "traitor," the Blazing Fire Sect.

"Pass down my decree!" The White-Haired Ancestor's voice was cold. "Wanted: all remnants of the Blazing Fire Sect! Within the borders of my Qinghe Prefecture, kill them on sight without mercy!"

The Pingling Prefecture side did the same, although they didn't believe the Blazing Fire Sect would dare to remain in the lands of the two prefectures.

As for the instigator of this war, Su Cheng, he was currently in a secret room studying that hundred soul banner.

What did the storms of the outside world have to do with him?