​After acquiring the Shadow Demon Worm, Chu Xuan wandered around a bit more, picking up several rare materials and secret techniques at incredibly low prices. Among the items he acquired were Black Flood Dragon Horns, needed to enhance the Evil Soul Chain; Dragon Transformation Ginseng, which was essential for crafting Black Dragon Pills; and the Lotus Escape Technique from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, among others.​Of these, the Lotus Escape Technique stood out. It possessed abilities that enabled the user to suppress their presence. It could also counter divination and prophetic abilities. This technique was truly a jack-of-all-trades.​However, countering divination required the user to condense a Merit Lotus, which would consume considerable merit. The monks of the Celestial Sound Zen Temple were hesitant to use it recklessly, knowing how precious merit could be. But Chu Xuan didn't mind the cost of merit at all.​Now possessing a Four-Tier Merit Gold Wheel, his store of merit

​At those words, both Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji couldn't help but cringe.​Qiu Wanhong furrowed her brow deeply. Cultivating merit? What nonsense! If demonic cultivators could cultivate merit, the entire cultivation world would have long since changed!​The onlookers couldn't hold back their laughter either. The idea of a demonic cultivator cultivating merit was surely the greatest joke in the world! Clearly, Dong Qi from Falling Sun Demonic Fortress was just putting on an act.​Qiu Wanhong looked Chu Xuan up and down, her voice cold, "Dong Qi, hand over the Crazy Dragon Valley's cultivation techniques."​Long Hao was taken aback. From the way Qiu Wanhong spoke, it seemed like she had no intention of making a move. That wouldn't do! This Dong Qi must be killed to uphold the prestige of Crazy Dragon Valley! Just as he was about to speak, Qiu Wanhong shot him a sideways glance. The commanding presence of an elder was unmistakable.​Though both were Nascent Soul cultivators and addressed

​This figure, of course, was Chu Xuan. Sitting at the very center of the infinite red clouds, he did not move an inch. With just a flicker of his mind, the clouds coalesced into various shapes—at times transforming into massive shields, or condensing into weapons like blades and spears. At other moments, they scattered into a sky full of flying swords, or formed into grotesque skulls.​Chu Xuan exhaled softly and spoke a single word, "Reap." Instantly, the vast red clouds turned and returned from every direction, converging back into his palm. He smiled as he held a small, blood-colored flask in his hands.​"Not bad. This Blood Demon Flask is truly powerful. Since I successfully forged it, and it's still a low-grade magic treasure, it already possesses such formidable capabilities. If it were to be upgraded step by step into a top-tier magic treasure, accumulating more blood clouds, wouldn't it be capable of enveloping the entire area in boundless blood mist, obliterating countless en

​Chu Xuan shook his head and turned to return to the great spirit stone mine. Since this array was like this, others must be the same. If destroying the arrays was impossible, he could only temporarily maintain the status quo.​"Hm? Something's happening?"​Chu Xuan picked up the Heart-Linking Stone hanging from his waist and noticed a new mark had appeared on it. He immediately headed to the agreed-upon location. Soon, he spotted Shang Xingchen standing at the designated spot from a distance. However, he didn't approach immediately. Instead, he waited for quite some time.​It wasn't until he used the spiritual sense secret method and confirmed there were no possible ambushes in the area that he finally made his appearance.​The Heart-Linking Stone was his communication method with Shang Xingchen, but it could also be used by Shang Xingchen to set a trap for him. Their cooperation was entirely based on an equal footing of strength.​Though Chu Xuan felt that Shang Xingchen wouldn't tu

​After questioning several of Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators, Qiu Wanhong's expression darkened further.​"How is this possible?!" she fumed.​Xiao Xian swiftly approached Qiu Wanhong, his expression full of concern.​"Fellow Daoist Qiu, what happened? I noticed that Crazy Dragon Valley's Foundation Establishment cultivators seem unsettled."​Suppressing her rage, Qiu Wanhong explained the situation to Xiao Xian.​Xiao Xian's face turned pale with shock. "How could this be?! Fellow Daoist Long Hao was too greedy for merit, rushing in recklessly. How dare he provoke that Chu Xuan?"​Qiu Wanhong gritted her teeth. "This damn Chu Xuan! He killed your sect's Song Lingfeng, and now he's killed Crazy Dragon Valley's Junior Brother Long! Before leaving, the Valley Master entrusted Long Hao to me. If I fail to return him to Crazy Dragon Valley, how could I face the Valley Master again?"​Xiao Xian's eyes turned red, and he shot to his feet, filled with rage.​"I am