Zhi Xuan, with the Snow Phoenix Jade emitting a sense of serenity in his hair, turned to the Elder. His eyes were sapphire blue, but within them, a Devil’s madness danced. The thick aura of destruction from the recent blood harvesting coiled around him, causing the grass beneath his feet to wither and dry up. Standing before the Consciousness Transformation Elder, who was still shrouded in shock and frozen rage, Zhi Xuan appeared as a manifestation of the cruel Primordial Law.

  "I will give you two choices, Elder," Zhi Xuan hissed, his voice cold and hoarse. His tone left no room for negotiation, as if he were merely informing him of an unavoidable destiny. "Die quickly, or die slowly by the Slaughter Seals."

  The Elder trembled, looking at the corpses of his comrades and the Consciousness realm cultivator who was now nothing more than an empty shell. He knew he had encountered a primeval monster that had just emerged from nothingness, a monster that defied all the Laws of the Plains. The fear of death surpassed all loyalty to the Ancient Clan or political ambition. He realized that this Black-Haired Devil could not be resisted.

  "I will leave," the Elder spoke, his voice shaking, pleading for forgiveness from Heaven and Earth for choosing the wrong path of cultivation. He turned, intending to flee, ignoring the three cultivators still held by the Divine Cauldron, whose Seas of Consciousness were now clouded by Xiao Die’s spiritual toxin.

  "Too slow," Zhi Xuan hissed. He waved his hand. The Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron roared. The Law of Autumn exploded. The Cauldron, now shrouded in an aura of destruction, shot out like a bronze comet, piercing through the fleeing Consciousness Transformation Elder and shattering the spiritual shield and Earth Law he carried.

  The Elder’s final spiritual wall shattered, and the Earth Law he had studied for thousands of years collapsed instantly before the decaying law of Autumn. The Elder exploded into dust and blood in mid-air. At the same time, the three Organ Transformation cultivators remaining beneath the Divine Cauldron, already paralyzed, were harvested by Xiao Die. The little moth darted out, and their pure spiritual essence flowed heavily into Zhi Xuan’s Heavenly-Blood Body Law.

  Zhi Xuan absorbed greedily. The essence of the five Organ Transformation cultivators and the two Consciousness realm cultivators, including the Elder, now merged within his foundation. The Divine Cauldron returned to Zhi Xuan’s grip, its light fading as it returned to a dull bronze.

  Within breaths, the eight assassins of the Ancient Clan had become fertilizer for Zhi Xuan’s cultivation path. The valley that was once shrouded in morning mist was now covered in the smell of blood and a thick aura of destruction. Zhi Xuan stood tall, the Snow Phoenix Jade emitting a pure light, contrasting with the Devil madness around him.

  Zhi Xuan stretched his hand into the air, letting the residual essence of blood and dust touch his palm. He closed his eyes, feeling the new laws within his foundation. The Slaughter Seals, which had been tempered by Primordial pressure and purified by the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit, were now nourished by seven high-level cultivators.

  "Twenty-eight Seals," Zhi Xuan murmured, his voice filled with cold satisfaction. He felt every muscle, bone, and meridian filled with a brutal and familiar strength. "This physique will become a Weapon equal even to an artifact."

  Zhi Xuan channeled essence into his right foot. The aura of destruction immediately vanished, replaced by a strange balance. He waved his hand, and in an instant, a small breeze emerged from his palm. The wind carried away the dust and blood, cleaning the valley and his body in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace of the brutal battle.

  "Master, you did it!" Xiao Die exclaimed, the little moth flying out from Zhi Xuan’s robe, her rainbow wings vibrating with joy. "Master has become so strong! We must leave quickly before this aura of destruction attracts the attention of the Thousand Skies Sect cultivators!"

  "Of course," Zhi Xuan replied. He glanced toward where Zhu Qinglan had disappeared, then turned to face the horizon in the opposite direction of the Thousand Skies Sect. The Snow Phoenix Jade in his hair felt cold, calming the turbulence caused by the recent brutal harvesting.

  Zhi Xuan waved his hand and brought out the Seven Star Boat once more, immediately boarding the bow and channeling his essence. The boat sped away, leaving the silence behind.

  Above the Horizon, Zhi Xuan sat calmly on the boat. He waved his hand, and a large Map he had once obtained from bandits floated before him, showing the various continents in the Xing Luo Plains. Zhi Xuan narrowed his eyes to focus on the Central Continent. In the distance, not in the Ancient Wasteland nor the Primordial Ancient City, there was the bright color of an advanced civilization that somehow became the center of cultivation: the Zhao State.

  "Zhao State," Zhi Xuan murmured, finally having the chance to visit the state that served as the heart of cultivation. "There, the Devil Fire Abyss. The origin of the Bronze Cauldron and the Tattered Coffin."

  Zhi Xuan remembered without error that the Bronze Cauldron and the Tattered Coffin he carried now had originally come from the Devil Fire Abyss. It was a spiritual disposal site for the cultivators of the Zhao State. Regarding its origins, the vision of the Ancient Heavens would surely find clues if he went there and explored that Devil Fire Abyss.

  The Zhao State was located in the heart of the Xing Luo Plains, a region known for its extraordinary density of spiritual essence, giving birth to hundreds of great sects and countless clans. But behind the luxury and advancement of its cultivation lay a dark stain—the Devil Fire Abyss.

  The abyss was the site of an eternal ancient volcanic eruption, where the land was filled with devil spirits and toxic spiritual magma. It was used by Zhao State cultivators to discard failed artifacts, defeated devil corpses, or even cursed evil cultivators. To most, it was a land of death. But for Zhi Xuan, it was a treasure trove and a clue to origins.

  "Great Saint," Zhi Xuan called out in the Sea of Consciousness, seeing Ruo Xianxue sitting cross-legged while leaning slightly against the Tree of Life. "Do you not have a cultivation? Perhaps... you could find something valuable there. Something that could help whatever it is you are."

  Zhi Xuan frowned and looked back at the large map. He realized that all this time, Ruo Xianxue had no fluctuations other than the Laws that felt terrifying and ancient. However, Zhi Xuan remained curious; after all, he did not know what Ruo Xianxue needed to condense her energy, as she was still bound by the Tree of Life Seal, meaning if she were far from the Tree of Life, her soul would scatter.

  "Or," Zhi Xuan continued, his voice dripping with a new curiosity. He weighed his words. "I mean, you are immeasurable in the cultivation I follow. What energy or Law could possibly strengthen you?"

  Ruo Xianxue, who had been leaning against the roots of the Devil Tree of Life, opened her eyes slowly. The Primordial Devil Fox's eyes swirled with the double pupils of the Sun and Moon, a color that only appeared when she was serious or slightly amused. She did not answer immediately, but instead glanced toward the chaos pearl at the bottom of the Sea of Consciousness, where the Kun Peng Fetus was sealed, and then looked back at Zhi Xuan.

  "You are thinking about unimportant things again, foolish Devil," Ruo Xianxue replied, her tone cold, but with a strange hint of softness, as if she were allowing Zhi Xuan to ask about this taboo subject. "I am a Devil born from Primordial Chaos. The cultivation you undergo—condensing spiritual essence, purifying organs, and even understanding the Law of Five Elements—is all merely cultivation of the mortal."

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  The Ancient Devil Monument beside her vibrated faintly, emitting an indescribable aura of destruction, a reminder of the Seal that had once held her, a part of herself sealed within the Nine Heavens Bead.

  "What I need will come as you step toward the Immortal Realm," Ruo Xianxue continued, her voice once again filled with deep arrogance, an arrogance held only by entities that had lived beyond millions of years. "If you can break through this Lower Realm and go to the Upper Realm, I will return to being an Immortal with the Immortal Law. In this Lower Realm, simply give me Godly Herbs or Artifacts that possess residual Laws."

  Zhi Xuan nodded slightly, digesting that information. Godly Herbs and Artifacts with residual Laws. The Devil Fire Abyss—a disposal site for thousands of failed artifacts and spiritual corpses—was a promising place. Although not comparable to the Great Emperor's Tomb, it was a fertile field for harvesting Laws and the remains of Ancient Artifacts that might carry the Laws he needed.

  "Godly Herbs," Zhi Xuan murmured, smirking thinly. "A place that holds the densest aura of death and destruction must have something great within it."

  Zhi Xuan closed his eyes, channeling his newly condensed spiritual essence into the Seven Star Boat. The boat roared, its speed increasing drastically as it sliced through the sky toward the heart of civilization: the Zhao State. The cold Snow Phoenix Jade in his hair emitted a pure aura, calming his wild excitement in the Sea of Consciousness.

  The journey to the Zhao State was a deliberate step. He left behind all old ties—the Thousand Skies Sect, the grudge of Xu Sheng, and the intimacy he had just shared with Zhu Qinglan—to pursue a higher Dao.

  He was not alone. Within his Sea of Consciousness, he had the Primordial Devil Fox, the Ancient Devil Monument, and now, the sealed Kun Peng fetus. He was a vessel of chaos and destiny, and the only way to survive was to become increasingly strong.

  After three days of speeding across plateaus and majestic mountains, the view beneath them began to change. Dense spiritual forests were replaced by neatly maintained cultivation fields and a dense network of cities, radiating an aura of prosperity and wealth of spiritual essence. The Zhao State. The heart of the Xing Luo Plains.

  The Seven Star Boat, now moving lower beneath the path of commercial flying boats, passed over cities whose walls were made of Pure White Jade and cultivation towers that towered high enough to touch the clouds. In those cities, cultivators were as abundant as grass in spring; even Transformation realm cultivators walked the streets as if they were mere mortals.

  "Advanced cultivation," Xiao Die murmured, awestruck by the aura emitted by the cities below. "The spiritual essence here feels very dense, Master."

  "The Zhao State, true to its name," Zhi Xuan replied, his eyes narrowing as he observed the sea of cultivators below. He had to be careful. In a place like this, Consciousness Transformation power was considered common, and if he were not careful, his Devil techniques could attract the attention of Great Sect Elders.

  Zhi Xuan directed the boat to dive smoothly downward, right near one of the riverbanks of the Zhao State, where bamboos remained pristine, graced by grass below and river stones that looked sturdy. He waved his hand and stepped onto the ground, the Seven Star Boat immediately returning to his storage bag.

  He exhaled, a breath that carried remnants of destruction and the Primordial, contrasting with the fresh air of the Zhao State. The Snow Phoenix Jade felt cold on his head, calming the turbulence in his Sea of Consciousness. He looked around. Directly in front of him flowed a clear river that split the lush bamboo area.

  The Zhao State did not just consist of regions like ordinary cities or provinces. Rather, it was like an independent state that did not need support even from the Hongmeng Empire. Here, trade, cultivation arenas, dark paths, and information from across the continent were intermingled.

  Zhi Xuan stepped toward the edge of the clear river, its water reflecting the shadow of the bamboo swaying gracefully in the wind. He leaned over, wetting the tip of his index finger, and touched the water which felt cold and pure. This was abundant spiritual essence, far different from the filth and dust of the Ancient Wasteland.

  "It feels like being alive," Zhi Xuan murmured, a thin smirk gracing his face. "Let us see what is here in this Zhao State."

  He rose slowly, carving cosmic step runes and appearing several li away moments later, right on a major street that served as a central trade route for the Zhao State. The shadows of dusk crept in, revealing lanterns starting to be offered by the roadside.

  The wind swept softly, brushing against the back of Zhi Xuan, who stood still watching the crowd—children wearing luxurious clothes, looking cheerful and happy as if without any significant burden. Food vendors hawked their snacks, and there was also a small-scale street festival, which appeared every day as the evening crept into night.

  "Decades. Mortal life is always soothing," Zhi Xuan murmured, closing his eyes for a moment and exhaling softly. He let his robe flutter in the wind.

  Zhi Xuan let himself sink into the busy noise and dense spiritual essence. The aura from the crowd, mixed with the scents of spices and spiritual food, was a symphony foreign to him. He stood tall, like a living, walking pillar of the city.

  However, amidst the hustle and bustle, Zhi Xuan’s sharp sapphire eyes caught an unusual fluctuation. It was an aura full of despair, anger, and the hidden scent of blood. In a narrow alley, not far from where he stood, several street cultivators—with rough skin and greedy eyes—appeared to be surrounding someone.

  They were not from any great sect, just city rats who lived by extorting newcomers or careless cultivators. However, what caught Zhi Xuan’s attention was their target. A young man wearing tattered silk robes, with a pale face and eyes filled with fear, appeared to be clutching a wooden box covered in ancient runes.

  "Hand over the box, kid," growled one of the thugs, his aura which was only at the Blood Transformation realm circling the fragile-looking youth. "You have no right to the treasure you stole from the Shi Clan auction house."

  The youth trembled. The wooden box emitted a faint artifact aura, an aura that was not very strong but felt ancient. Zhi Xuan snorted softly, a thin smirk appearing on his lips. Little rats, trying to extort destiny, and looking like food for the Slaughter Seals.

  Zhi Xuan, without moving from his spot, simply channeled a bit of essence into his right foot. He did not need to step; he only needed to make his presence felt.

  An invisible spiritual pressure, the remnants of the Primordial pressure residing within him, struck the narrow alley. It was not an attack intended to kill, but merely an accidental release of oppressive Primordial aura.

  The thug cultivators, who were only at a low realm, staggered back. Their spiritual shields shattered instantly, and they fell prostrate to the ground, their faces deathly pale, filled with horror. They did not know what had attacked them, but they knew it was a power that transcended Consciousness.

  The youth clutching the wooden box started, then looked up, his fear-filled eyes now staring toward Zhi Xuan. He saw Zhi Xuan standing tall under the flickering street lanterns, his black robe fluttering, and in his hair was a white jade emitting a pure aura.

  Zhi Xuan ignored him. He only turned slightly toward the narrow alley, his blue eyes radiating a cold killing intent. Step by step, he vanished and reappeared to deliver his strike.

  One of the thug cultivators exploded into blood dust in silence, which immediately terrified the others just because of a single strike from Zhi Xuan that made their companion vanish into blood dust. Zhi Xuan, without thinking, raised his hand and absorbed the blood from the cultivator.

  However, even Zhi Xuan failed to form a Slaughter Seal because the blood essence felt impure. He raised an eyebrow when there was no growth in the Slaughter Seal, causing him to snort softly and spit to the side as if swallowing a rat carcass.

  "Filthy," Zhi Xuan snorted, his voice quiet, but every word felt like a spiritual hammer striking their sea of consciousness. He stood tall again and stared at the remaining thug cultivators. "You lot do not feel worthy of being absorbed."

  The remaining thugs, now lying on the dirty ground, shivered in fear. They were the cultivation trash of the Zhao State streets, accustomed to extorting the weak, but they had never met a Devil who literally tasted their blood essence and spat it out in disgust. This insult was far worse than death.

  Zhi Xuan raised his hand again, the Snow Phoenix Jade emitting a cold light in the midst of his hair. He no longer cared about those thugs; they were not worthy of being fertilizer for his Slaughter Seals. Their blood essence, mixed with medicinal residue and overly dense spiritual filth, made the harvesting process feel disgusting.

  "Go," Zhi Xuan commanded, his voice now returning to be cold and indifferent, as if he were dismissing flies.

  those thugs, whose Seas of Consciousness were already shattered, immediately rose with trembling bodies, ignoring their comrade who was now nothing but blood dust. They crawled, then ran as fast as they could, vanishing into the shadows of the narrow alley, not daring to look back. They had learned a costly lesson: in the Xing Luo Plains, there was a Devil who would not even bother killing you because your blood essence was too filthy.

  The narrow alley was silent. Only the youth clutching the wooden box and the standing Zhi Xuan remained. The youth, still trembling, slowly rose, his fear-filled eyes now mixed with disbelief and awe.

  He stared at Zhi Xuan, the majesty of the hidden chaos aura, his clean black robe, and the phoenix jade in his hair. He felt as if he were facing one of the Great Emperors from ancient legends.

  "T-thank you, Senior," the youth said, his voice choked and full of absolute respect. He immediately bowed deeply, the ancient wooden box clutched tightly. "This servant, Lin Mu, pays respects to my savior."