“Wha—!” Demon Wu Xiang cried out as his palm struck air. “Where did Wu Tian go?” For a moment, Wu Xiang stood frozen, his eyes scanning the battlefield where Wu Tian had lain moments before, broken and near death. The ground was scorched, the air thick with the stench of burning qi and the metallic tang of blood. Yet the place where Wu Tian’s body had been was now vacant, as though time itself had been stolen away. Even Wu Xiang, the Martial Genius Demon, failed to notice the fleeting blue shadow that had snatched Wu Tian from the jaws of death, moving with such speed it seemed to halt the flow of reality. Wu Xiang’s gaze swept the ruins, his aura flaring with frustration. “Impossible. Wu Tian could not have escaped with a body ravaged by poison and infection. Where have you gone, Wu Tian?” His thoughts churned with suspicion, but he shook his head. “I will deal with you later. For now, I have more pressing matters.” With a flicker of dark energy, Wu Xiang vanished into the nigh

“We will discuss this later! I sense someone approaching us, Wu Tian!” Lin Wei’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and urgent. Wu Tian straightened, his pulse quickening. The dim cavern around them seemed to tighten, shadows pressing closer as the flickering torchlight trembled against the stone walls. The air smelled faintly of damp earth and smoke, carrying a chill that seeped into his bones. “Friend or foe, Brother Wei?” he asked, his tone wary. “Most likely an enemy. No one should know of this hiding place,” Lin Wei replied, his eyes narrowing as he listened to the faint echoes of footsteps beyond the cavern mouth. Wu Tian’s breath caught. “Could it be the Demon Cultivator’s men?” Lin Wei shook his head slowly, his expression grave. “No. I feel this presence is not of the Demon Cultivator or his followers. It is from the Darkness Cultivator.” Wu Tian’s heart thudded heavily, the sound of his pulse loud in his ears. “The Darkness Cultivator? Since when has this shadowe

“So many dark cultivators are prowling through this Bodhisattva Nirvana!” Wu Tian exclaimed, his voice echoing against the stone walls. Lin Wei’s eyes narrowed, his tone heavy with concern. “I wonder the same, brother Tian… it feels as though this darkness clings to you, shadowing your every step. I cannot fathom why.” Wu Tian’s gaze hardened, his fists tightening as if to crush the shadows themselves. “The Three Elements will surely return, bringing reinforcements greater than before. These Darkness Cultivators will never release me from their pursuit. And worse—Wu Xiang has already fallen into the abyss of dark cultivation, becoming a demon.” The air trembled with Lin Wei’s sigh. “The demon Wu Xiang has grown formidable. You cannot match him now, Wu Tian. It would be wiser to avoid him, lest the tragedy of before repeats itself.” Wu Tian’s voice was low but resolute, like steel tempered in fire. “I cannot flee forever from Wu Xiang, brother Wei. I must stop him before he sin

“Welcome, honored sirs!” A radiant hostess greeted Wu Tian and Lin Wei as they stepped into the grand Peach Blossom Auction House, its towering facade gleaming beneath the morning light of Shang Ying City. The building stood out among the opulent structures of the city’s heart, its architecture unlike any other—arched windows framed with carved peach blossoms, crimson banners fluttering in the breeze, and lanterns glowing faintly even in daylight. The air inside was perfumed with sandalwood and jasmine, mingling with the faint aroma of polished wood and incense. The marble floors reflected the soft golden light from chandeliers above, and the silence of the vast hall was broken only by the distant murmur of attendants preparing for the day’s events. “Is there anything I may assist you with, sirs?” the hostess asked again, her voice lilting with practiced charm. Lin Wei ignored her words, his eyes scanning the hall with a cool detachment. Wu Tian, meanwhile, wandered slowly, his

CRAAASH! The door burst open with a thunderous crack, startling Mei Ying just as she prepared to drain every ounce of Wu Tian’s strength. “Cease your vile act, Flower-Demon!” Lin Wei’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding, as he stood framed in the doorway, his eyes blazing upon the sight of Mei Ying’s bare form entwined with Wu Tian. “Oh? Does Young Master Wei wish to join us? Was my companion’s service not enough for you?” Mei Ying teased, her lips curling into a smile that dripped with honeyed malice. “I am immune to your charms and poisoned allure. Release Wu Tian at once!” Lin Wei’s tone was resolute, his presence radiating authority. “I will not surrender such immense energy, Dragon God Emperor. I never imagined Wu Tian’s power would be so vast,” Mei Ying hissed, her eyes gleaming with hunger. Wu Tian, lost in the haze of her embrace, continued his fevered movements, oblivious to Lin Wei’s arrival, his mind clouded by desire and enchantment. “Wu Tian, awaken!” Lin