378: Third-grade superior spirit peach

Zhengqi Tower.

True Lord Haoran stood with his hands behind his back, gazing toward the Peach Blossom Sect, a trace of doubt between his brows.

"The Aura of the Secret Realm has weakened, and the operation of the Myriad Spirits Grand Array has become sluggish. The Peach Blossom Demon Lord has left!"

"At a time like this, she actually dares to leave her nest. Is she planning to flee, or is there some other purpose?"

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord possesses a Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivation. If she chose to flee out of fear for her life, the entire Southern Courtyard of the Beast Taming Sect would be powerless against her.

However, with things having developed to this point, both the Demon Court and the Beast Taming Sect have invested heavily. They are all waiting to carve up her remains after her failed Breakthrough. If she were lucky enough to reach the point of triggering a Heavenly Tribulation, even a Spirit Transformation Dao Lord would step in to fight for her remains after a failure.

The Myriad Spirits Grand Array is nearing Perfection. The Peach Blossom Demon Lord's true body is too deeply intertwined with the Formation and the Spiritual Vein. If she thinks about fleeing now, she won't be able to take anything with her. Moreover, she would have to pay a heavy price, suffering at least a severe injury, and perhaps even a drop in her Realm.

"If she were going to flee, she would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? If the Peach Blossom Demon Lord were a coward, she wouldn't have reached her current Realm."

"She is likely just fulfilling some final wishes before her death, so that her state of mind will be stable during her Breakthrough!"

True Lord Haoran didn't pay much attention to the Peach Blossom Demon Lord's short departure. The other Nascent Soul True Lords of the Beast Taming Sect basically thought the same and didn't take it to heart.

Even if the Peach Blossom Demon Lord really fled, it wouldn't matter. The Grade 3 High Grade Spiritual Vein couldn't run away, and the already accumulated Myriad Spirits Grand Array couldn't run away... Great Sun City.

Liu Residence.

Liu Xuan looked at the box of nine Grade 3 spirit peaches brought by Ling Lu. "You said a green-clothed auntie by Auntie Peach Blossom's side asked you to give these to me?"

"That's right!"

"I heard Auntie Peach Blossom call her Lvluo. I invited her to come over and play, but she wouldn't. She just gave me the things and left!"

Lvluo! The Grand Elder of General Affairs for the Peach Blossom Sect and one of the Peach Blossom Demon Lord's absolute confidants. Why would she personally come to deliver spirit peaches?

Liu Xuan opened the box to check. Nine spirit peaches lay quietly in separate compartments. Each one was as large as a sea bowl, their skins lustrous with a glowing radiance, emitting a sweet fragrance.

Not just a Grade 3 spirit fruit, but a Grade 3 High Grade spirit fruit, and the most gentle type of spirit peach!

'Could these be fruits condensed by the Peach Blossom Demon Lord herself?'

The Peach Blossom Demon Lord's true body is a peach tree demon. Although she long ago transformed into a human, she can switch between the two forms at any time, so it's normal for her to condense a few spirit peaches.

However, once plant-type Yao Beasts reach the transformation stage and no longer have the need for reproduction, they generally do not continue to condense spirit fruits. Liu Xuan was just guessing blindly.

After sending his daughter Ling Lu away, Liu Xuan worried that the Peach Blossom Demon Lord might have left some hidden trick in these peaches, just like with the Devourer Flower last time.

After carefully checking them several times and finding no issues, he was still uneasy. So, he picked one up and stuffed it into his mouth in one go.

No matter what trickery was involved, it would be digested once it entered his stomach. If there really was some extremely high-level scheme, he would be able to discover it.

The spirit peach was incredibly juicy and didn't even have a pit. After being eaten, it immediately turned into a warm current that surged through his limbs and bones. Even his Divine Soul felt light, as if he were flying above the clouds.

A Grade 3 High Grade spirit peach, swallowed whole—even with Liu Xuan's current Realm, he felt an extreme sense of enjoyment and satisfaction.

"Comfortable!"

The enjoyment brought by a top-tier spirit fruit was not something ordinary demon blood beast pills could compare to. Liu Xuan licked his lips, almost unable to stop himself from eating them all.

"Forget it! I'll keep two for myself, give one to my wives and concubines to share as a treat, and reward the remaining five to the children to maximize the benefits."

Liu Xuan prepared to hold another competition for his children, similar to the time he distributed the xuanhuang undying pills. Those who ranked at the top would get a piece of fruit flesh, while those at the bottom would just get a drop of juice diluted with water.

Liu Xuan didn't plan to pay much more attention to the Peach Blossom Demon Lord's side. As the saying goes, the more you do, the more you err. The best response was to do nothing, keep everything as usual, and let her fill in the blanks herself.

People often believe more in things they have actively discovered themselves. If Liu Xuan intentionally created some misunderstandings, it would instead make her suspicious.

While the outside world was in turmoil and war was in full swing, the Liu Residence in Great Sun City was filled with song and dance.

Music and dancing never ceased in the back courtyard, while in the outer courtyard, many Liu Family Young Masters and Young Misses were competing in magical combat. Besides competing among themselves, they also sparred with the Merchant Alliance's guard Cultivators and Cultivators passing through Great Sun City.

The Liu Family had directly opened a gambling den next to the combat stage, and every match was bustling with excitement.

Although combat prowess does not represent one's absolute Realm, it is the most direct manifestation of a Cultivator's comprehension of techniques and the Great Dao.

Most Cultivators in Great Sun City were not permanent residents but were passing through on their way to the front lines for adventure, many of whom were members of the Cultivator armies.

These Cultivators enjoyed watching magical combat the most, and since their lives were unstable, they had no resistance to gambling.

By hosting combat competitions and opening a gambling den, the Liu Family allowed their children to encounter more combat techniques while also earning a significant amount of money through the gambling den, killing two birds with one stone.

On the combat stage.

A burly man and a ferocious gray wolf were working in perfect coordination, locked in a heated battle with a white-clothed swordsman.

The burly man held a heavy hammer Magical Artifact, each strike creating a massive boom. His natal spirit pet, the gray wolf, used its speed to roam the perimeter. Once the enemy showed a weakness while dodging a heavy blow, it would pounce instantly like a ghost.

The white-clothed swordsman was no ordinary person either. He controlled a golden Flying Sword, and while guarding against the gray wolf, he was actually able to take the man's heavy strikes head-on without falling into a disadvantage.

"Boom!"

A heavy sword thrust hit the side of the hammer. The white-clothed swordsman's sword light suddenly shifted, instantly slicing off the pouncing wolf's claw.

"Awoooo!"

Amidst the cries of pain, the burly man also lowered his heavy hammer with a dejected face.

"Young Master Ninth Son's swordsmanship is superb. I am inferior in skill and concede wholeheartedly!"

Cheers immediately erupted around the combat stage. "Ninth Son is mighty! I knew you would win!"

"Ninth Son is the most handsome! I want to marry you!"

...The white-clothed swordsman was indeed the ninth-ranked child of the Liu Family, Ninth Son. He possessed a Ninth Level of Qi Refining cultivation and practiced the Geng Metal Sword Art. In terms of combat strength alone, he was second only to the eldest and fourth sons. Since participating in the combat stage matches, his popularity in the city had become extremely high.

The burly man he had just defeated came from a Golden Core Sect under the Beast Taming Sect. He claimed to have beaten Peak Qi Refining Cultivators before, yet he had fallen to Ninth Son's sword.

The Liu Family children had all practiced martial arts from a young age, and the Qi Refining techniques they practiced were of a very high level. Even if they lacked combat experience, they could still perform at an above-average level for their rank. Most of the spectating Cultivators came specifically to watch them fight.

Ninth Son had won the match and was about to leave when a Sword Cultivator suddenly flew out from the crowd.

"I am Lu Guihong of the Heavenly Sword Sect's Sword Pavilion, ranked twenty-first on the Sword Pavilion's Earth Rankings."

This person wore only an ordinary Daoist robe, but his body exuded a sharp Sword Intent. His gaze was like lightning, and his Aura was extraordinary.

"I have heard that Fellow Daoist Liu Daoyuan, the eldest son of Alchemist Liu, possesses extraordinary natural talent, and that as an Early Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he is not inferior to those at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage. I have come here due to his reputation. I wonder if I might receive some guidance?"

Everyone was shocked!

Since the combat stage began, the highest level of competition had only involved Peak Qi Refining Cultivators. No Foundation Establishment Cultivator had ever participated.