Zhi Xuan stepped out from the shadows of the cave crevice, the Heavenly Sword floating out from his Sea of Consciousness. He caught the hilt with one hand, its black blade reflecting the hidden magma light. Then, he swung his arm to deliver a single slash of reddish lightning forward.

  ZZZTTT! SRAAKK! BOOM!

  That reddish slash was like a mountain manifested in the form of a strike; although it was only a light swing, it caused the ground around the slash to tremble and carried embers in its wake. The slash was aimed precisely at the hiding cultivators, as if Zhi Xuan already knew their concealment spot.

  ZRAKKK! WHUSHH! WHUMP!

  However, Zhi Xuan did not intend for that slash to cut them directly. The strike headed toward a solid cliff behind the cultivators, cleaving the cliff in two with a single blow. Mastery of the Natural Laws, with the Heavenly Sword as a catalyst, was a manifestation that brought destruction and the severing of blades.

  ZRRTTT! BOOM!

  The basalt cliff behind the ten figures split in two. Not only was it split, but the blade's slash released a resonance of Lightning, Wind, and Fire that caused the fragments of basalt rock to explode into fine dust. The resulting shockwave did not carry the full cutting force of the Heavenly Sword, but rather a suffocating weight of destruction.

  Daoist Qing Feng, Fairy Hong Li, and the eight other treasure hunters staggered, forced out of their hiding places. Their faces were filled with terror. That slash was merely a warning blow, yet the weight of the Laws it contained far surpassed anything they had ever witnessed in the Five Elements realm.

  "An attack that does not aim for life, yet threatens the foundation of the Dao," Fairy Hong Li whispered, clutching her jade fan until her knuckles turned white.

  Zhi Xuan stood at the mouth of the cave crevice, his silvery hair fluttering gently amidst the heat of the Crimson Land Valley. His eyes, which now radiated the depth of ice sapphire and the weight of Earth, swept over the ten staggering figures in the distance with a judgmental gaze that did not radiate killing intent.

  "Come out," Zhi Xuan hissed, his voice low and calm, as if he did not regard the Five Element cultivators beneath him. "If you are confident, then you do not need to hide and show your faces. If you doubt, you can retreat and live to pursue the Path you seek. I do not wish to harvest blood today."

  Daoist Qing Feng took a step forward, suppressing his trepidation. The great sword on his back felt cold, responding to the exceptionally stable aura from Zhi Xuan. He knew that among his group, only he possessed the most solid foundation and the widest experience in facing unexpected dangers.

  "We pay our respects to Senior," Daoist Qing Feng said, his voice striving to sound firm, even though the weight in the air made every word feel heavy. "We are travelers in the Crimson Land Valley. We were attracted by the spiritual phenomenon of the Heavens and intended to ascertain its origin; there was no ill intent."

  Zhi Xuan only snorted softly. He lifted the Heavenly Sword, pointing the tip of its pitch-black blade at the cracked red earth. No Lightning flared, but a subtle cold aura of Extreme Ice, now blended with the density of Earth, spread from the tip of the blade.

  "Origins are not for seeking and confronting," Zhi Xuan said flatly, his tone radiating a cold tranquility. "You possess a firmer foundation than them. Your path will one day tread far if you know the vastness of the Heavens and the Earth. Go, I do not give a second chance at life after you cast your intentions of greed toward me."

  Old Alchemist Yuan, standing in the back row, could not restrain the burning desire in his heart. The shimmer emitted by the five-colored vortex earlier had awakened an ancient greed in his soul. He saw Zhi Xuan's Divine Wheel as an opportunity to step over the limits of his cultivation, an opportunity that might never come again in a thousand years.

  "Nonsense! That phenomenon is a sign of Five Element Perfection! You are just a lucky young Daoist, why should we submit to your bluffing?" shouted Old Alchemist Yuan, his voice shrill because of fear mixed with false courage.

  He dashed forward, ignoring the sharp gaze and warning of Daoist Qing Feng. Old Alchemist Yuan pulled out a small bronze cauldron, his prideful artifact. The cauldron expanded in the air, radiating a high-level Fire Law and the poisonous energy of thousands of herbs he had forged throughout his life.

  WHUSH! WHUMP!

  The cauldron spun wildly, spewing thick clouds of black smoke that smelled foul and stinging. That smoke carried not only mortal poison, but also essence capable of paralyzing meridians and severing the connection between the soul and the spiritual body. The bronze cauldron shot straight toward Zhi Xuan, carrying a weight of destruction piled up by the alchemist's greed.

  Zhi Xuan, who initially had no intention of delivering a lethal strike, only snorted. A piercing headache reappeared, a response from his Heavenly-Blood Body to the chaos brought by the sudden killing intent. His peaceful face was now enveloped in a layer of lethal cold.

  "Then, let your form vanish from reincarnation," Zhi Xuan hissed coldly, a red glint encircling his eyes for an instant.

  Zhi Xuan did not dodge or react, instead he swung the Heavenly Sword slowly. From the dark blade, reddish Lightning reappeared, but this time filled with a deep desire for slaughter. He swung a cross-slash that struck the weight of destruction around him.

  ZZRTTT! WHUMP! WHUMP! BOOM!

  That cross-slash, which carried a combination of Pure Lightning and the Wind Law, was now tempered by the weight of the Earth Law he had just mastered. He did not only cut, he also suppressed. The expanding bronze cauldron, carrying poison and fire, collided directly with Zhi Xuan's cross-slash. The arrogant cauldron lasted for only a breath.

  Its bronze metal buckled inward, and the poison it spewed immediately froze in the air, stiff before the invisible will of Extreme Ice, and shattered by the vibration of Pure Lightning. The Heavenly Sword split the bronze cauldron into two perfect halves. Both pieces of the cauldron fell to the red earth; the artifact no longer emitted essence, the alchemist's artifact had now become scrap metal.

  DUAKH! SRAK! SRAK! BOOM!

  The cross-slash did not waver in the slightest, heading straight for Old Alchemist Yuan, cleaving his body and his spiritual form before he could react. However, the most terrifying thing that flashed across the faces of Daoist Qing Feng, Fairy Hong Li, and the others was how Old Alchemist Yuan's soul was pulled toward Zhi Xuan, and his spiritual blood formed a vortex to be sucked in by Zhi Xuan.

  SSHHH!! SSHHH!!

  Zhi Xuan absorbed greedily, consuming every drop of spiritual blood essence to form the Slaughter Seals once more. The soul of Old Alchemist Yuan struggled but then went silent as it sank to the bottom of the Heavenly Devouring Chalice, sucked in and becoming one with the Soul Lantern along with thousands of other souls. Zhi Xuan took a deep breath. The hot mist of the Crimson Land Valley, mixed with the spiritual blood vapor of Old Alchemist Yuan he had just absorbed, felt cold in his throat.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the weight of the additional essence seep into the Slaughter Seals. The sixty-first seal formed on his chest, pulsing faintly, confirming the promise he had just asserted: every desire of greed aimed at him would become a karmic burden he carried, which simultaneously strengthened his foundation.

  Before that terrifying and eye-revolting sight, Daoist Qing Feng and Fairy Hong Li were aghast. The eight other cultivators immediately stepped back, their eyes filled with panic. They no longer saw a lucky young Daoist, but an ancient Devil who was cruel and efficient in harvesting lives.

  "Old Alchemist Yuan!" roared Daoist Qing Feng, stretching his hand as if wanting to reach for the spiritual remains of his colleague who had now fully dissolved. His tense face was now filled with deep horror, not only because of the sudden death, but because of the manner of that death—completely erased from the cycle of reincarnation, his Dao essence sucked dry.

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes, his ice sapphire pupils now calm again, as if the slaughter just now was merely a stone he brushed aside from the path. He looked at Daoist Qing Feng.

  "He chose his path," Zhi Xuan replied flatly. "Greed is heavier than the weight of the entire earth. I gave him a chance, but he chose destruction. His blood and soul are good strengtheners for my Dao."

  He stepped forward slowly, just one step. The movement was not fast, but the weight of the Earth Law around him became increasingly dense, suppressing the air and spiritual sense in the Crimson Land Valley. The Heavenly Sword in his hand hummed, as if thirsty for the other remaining blood.

  Fairy Hong Li closed her fan, her pale face now showing desperate determination. She knew that escaping was impossible before a Dao so dense and calm. She looked at Daoist Qing Feng, her eyes pleading.

  "Qing Feng, we must go! His strength—it is already beyond the Five Element realm we know!" hissed Fairy Hong Li.

  Daoist Qing Feng took a deep breath. He was a cultivator who held to the Path of truth and caution, but he also valued life. He saw the weight that Zhi Xuan now wore, and he realized how fragile the foundation he had forged for hundreds of years was before that Perfection of the Dao.

  He exhaled, releasing his grip on his great sword. He bowed deeply, much lower than his first respectful bow; this time it was a bow of respect to an inevitable power. The eight other cultivators immediately followed, bowing their heads in fear and guilt.

  "Senior, we acknowledge the majesty of your Dao," Daoist Qing Feng said, his voice now sincere and full of humility. "We, blinded by the promise of the Heavens, have cast malicious intent. We beg for forgiveness and permission to leave this Valley, and we promise never again to disturb Senior's Dao."

  Zhi Xuan only looked at them. He felt the intent of greed had faded, replaced by fear and the acknowledgment of the power gap. He exhaled; the Heavenly Sword in his hand once again floated back into his Sea of Consciousness.

  "Go," Zhi Xuan commanded, his voice returning to a flat, cold tone. "You have learned that shortcuts to power always lead to destruction. Let this be the burden you carry on your Grand Path. If I see your faces again in this Valley, there will be no second chance."

  The nine cultivators did not wait any longer. They turned and shot away at full speed, moving away from Zhi Xuan's aura which now felt increasingly heavy and stable. They moved like shadows fleeing from the sun, leaving the Crimson Land Valley in a hurry.

  Zhi Xuan watched them until their silhouettes disappeared behind the distant basalt hills. He did not fully believe in their promises, but he knew that the fear he had planted would last a long time. He had ensured, for now, the tranquility of his cultivation had returned and he looked toward the South.

  "Time to return," Zhi Xuan murmured, his silvery hair fluttering gently. "The Three Plains Competition, the Hongmeng Empire is waiting for me."

  Zhi Xuan waved his hand slowly and brought out the Divine Cauldron. He moved his finger and upon the red earth, Ao Sheng appeared holding his Dragon King Spear, but Xiao Die was seen sleeping soundly, curled up like a cocoon on the ground, even her lips were open and she looked very much enjoying it as if all this time had been an afternoon nap.

  Ao Sheng immediately touched the red earth with his spear, his eyes blinking, adjusting to the heat that suddenly rushed in. He looked around, at the mark of the Heavenly Sword's slash on the cliff, at the ground filled with craters, and he felt the remains of blood essence still floating faintly. However, what mattered to him was how Zhi Xuan had completed his cultivation.

  "Senior! You... have reached the perfection of the Five Elements?" Ao Sheng asked, his voice containing strong curiosity. He could not see anything out from inside the Divine Cauldron; all this time he and Xiao Die had only circled and meditated inside the Divine Cauldron, or hidden from the terrifying Ruo Xianxue. "You look truly very strong! Senior, for five years I saw you only sitting, and now you are truly finished!"

  Zhi Xuan looked at Ao Sheng. Ao Sheng's expression, covered in childish wonder and admiration, even though he was a small youth who was quite mature after the awakening of his bloodline, brought back Zhi Xuan's memory of the years that had just passed. For Ao Sheng, it was time passed by meditating inside an artifact, but for Zhi Xuan, it was years of bearing the weight of the world.

  "Finished, yes," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice slightly hoarse because it had not been used normally for a long time, but now it carried a stable resonance. He nodded faintly, letting his words carry weight. "The Natural Laws have blessed the foundation I needed in this realm. Now, my Dao is a foundation capable of supporting the storm."

  He stepped closer, ignoring the remains of Old Alchemist Yuan's essence still lingering in the air. He looked down to see Xiao Die, who was sleeping soundly on the ground, her face peaceful as if dreaming sweetly in the ice mountains; her hair braids even swayed because of the hot wind.

  "This little child is truly undisturbed by fluctuations, even sleeping so soundly," Zhi Xuan murmured, he shook his head slowly, a thin smile—almost invisible—appearing at the corner of his lips. "Good enough, the Four Seasons Law helped you stabilize yourselves during these years."

  Zhi Xuan crouched slowly beside Xiao Die, his movements now feeling heavy yet graceful, as if he were a moving basalt rock. He stretched his hand, and a thread of pure Extreme Ice essence encircled Xiao Die, neutralizing the heat of the Crimson Land Valley that could disturb her spiritual sleep. Xiao Die snored softly, as if the cold essence were a hug she longed for.

  "Xiao Die used the Four Seasons Law to stabilize her bloodline, Senior," Ao Sheng explained, now standing beside Zhi Xuan, observing Xiao Die. "Since we absorbed the Extreme Ice Core, she needs a lot of sleep to integrate the Extreme Ice essence into her innate Law. She always feels tired after long cultivation sessions, but her spiritual aura is much thicker now."

  Zhi Xuan nodded in understanding. Xiao Die was a cultivator dominated by the Water and Wood Laws. The integration of the Extreme Ice Law, which was the opposite of the dynamic nature of Wood, must have demanded a great adjustment. Deep sleep was the best way for her spiritual body to balance the opposing Daos.

  "And," Ao Sheng murmured, he turned toward Zhi Xuan timidly, as if he and Xiao Die were hiding from what was inside Zhi Xuan, even though it looked quite ridiculous considering the dragon horns on his forehead shimmered as if challenging the sky. "When we were inside the Divine Cauldron, the nine-tailed aunt kept scaring us, Xiao Die and I were always hiding from her."

  Zhi Xuan raised his eyebrows with curiosity, the thin smile on his face immediately vanishing. He knew Ruo Xianxue, that Ancient Sacred Devil, would certainly not just stay still in the Sea of Consciousness. Although he himself did not feel the fluctuations from outside, for the two small children trapped inside the Divine Cauldron, Ruo Xianxue must have become a living nightmare.

  "The Great Saint truly has too much free time," Zhi Xuan hissed, his tone returning to being cold and displeased. He floated the Divine Cauldron, which was now in his Sea of Consciousness, a warning gesture. "She should not have disturbed your cultivation; she only possesses a spiritual body, she has no power to attack you spiritually."

  "But, she did it in a different way, Senior," Ao Sheng whispered, clutching his Black Water Dragon King Spear more tightly. "She would appear before us inside the Divine Cauldron, staring at us with those Sun and Moon double pupils, and tell terrifying stories about how the bodies of the Ancient Sacred Devils were destroyed and how their souls were chained. She even sang ancient songs about the destruction of the Dao. Xiao Die always covered her ears and dug deeper to sleep."

  Zhi Xuan could only take a long breath. That was the nature of Ruo Xianxue. That Ancient Sacred Devil would never use brute force on two small children whom she considered as Zhi Xuan's 'future fertilizer', but she would use the most terrifying way she had. Ruo Xianxue knew very well that the soul of a young cultivator, although forged by ancient bloodlines, remained fragile toward dark stories and threats from the Upper Realm.

  "It is alright," Zhi Xuan said calmly, he lifted his finger and touched Ao Sheng's forehead to calm him. "An Ancient Sacred Devil, although looking terrifying, will not allow you to be destroyed or lost from my side."

  Zhi Xuan withdrew his hand, waved his arm and immediately brought out the Seven-Star Boat. He leaned down to scoop Xiao Die into his arms, carrying her up to the Seven-Star Boat; Ao Sheng followed behind him and immediately took a position at the bow of the boat. Zhi Xuan looked back for a moment, staring at the cave crevice where the Taoist Priest seemed to merge with Nature.