C562 The Breakthrough Easily

Weixian's face was a shade of iron as he located Liu Xiao within Spider City. "Didn't Yu Zhu leave already?" he demanded.

Liu Xiao, unsettled and sitting cross-legged on her meditation mat, was preoccupied with the ongoing issues between the Spirit Void Sect and Liang Jingyin. She had been in touch with Taoist Chongxiao, who confirmed that the sect had indeed taken an interest in Liang Jingyin, instructing him to attempt the condensation of the Yang God within the Absence Relic. Should Liang Jingyin succeed in forming the Yang God, the Spirit Void Sect planned to publicly welcome him into their fold.

The sect was well aware of Liang Jingyin's feud with the Babel Chamber of Commerce. Taoist Chongxiao had advised her to disregard Zhu Peining and the Chamber's stance, as the Spirit Void Sect remained indifferent to whether Liang Jingyin could gain a foothold in the Absence Relic or successfully refine the Yang God. In the conflict between the Chamber and Liang Jingyin, the Spirit Void Sect was content to remain a neutral observer, offering assistance to neither party.

As Liu Xiao wrestled with how to explain the situation to Zhu Peining, Weixian approached her, his expression stormy. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong now?"

Weixian replied with fury, "The Spirit Void Sect informed me of Yu Zhu's departure."

Liu Xiao nodded in confirmation. "I witnessed it myself. Under the guidance of the Raven Lord, she used our space teleportation array to travel directly to the Demon Palace on the Quietus Continent."

"I've just been attacked by her at the lake where she was hiding!" Weixian stated icily.

"That can't be!" Liu Xiao objected, her brow furrowed. "I watched her get teleported away."

"Who else could wield the frigid power of the heavens to overpower me, if not her?" Weixian challenged.

Liu Xiao rose to her feet, pondering. "It is indeed peculiar. Unless she came back secretly without using the Spirit Void Sect's teleportation array. Or perhaps, she only left part of herself behind, with a demon body or soul still lurking on that mid-lake island."

Shifting the conversation, Liu Xiao inquired, "However, what business did you have with her that led to provocation?"

Weixian remained silent.

Yu Zhu was the sovereign of the Land of Legacy, and all sects, including the Spirit Void Sect, were bound by the Demon Palace to abide by its edicts.

As an elder of the Cold Yin Sect and the person in charge here, Weixian should have known better than to directly confront Yu Zhu, let alone offend her.

"In this realm, the seven lower sects and the Demon Palace reached an agreement through cordial negotiations, which allowed them to stay," Liu Xiao said with a stern face. "Our Spirit Void Sect has put forth significant effort. Without our space teleportation array and years of groundwork, it's doubtful the Demon Palace would have permitted the lower sects to gain a foothold in the Land of Legacy."

Her words served as a grave warning to Weixian: do not disrupt the Land of Legacy's rules and risk involving the Spirit Void Sect.

"I was unaware of her presence," Weixian protested, feeling unjustly accused. "Had I known she was on that mid-lake island, I would never have acted so rashly."

"Who exactly did you provoke?" inquired Liu Xiao.

"It was someone from the Yu family, a young man named Yu Yuan," Weixian replied with a sigh.

"Yu Yuan, again!"

Deep within the colorful miasma cloud, Yu Yuan manipulated the Evil Cauldron, his consciousness shifting and changing.

Streams of colorful flame zipped back into the cloud from the lake and the air above, seamlessly integrating into the Ghost Poisoning Array.

"Next time you come to pay homage to the Master, remember to approach with greater humility and a lower stance," Yu Yuan coldly admonished Lu Qingyu as he stood atop the cauldron.

This Seventh Level Great Demon from Treasure Lake was defiant and lacked the proper respect, making her a fitting candidate for a lesson from the Ghost Poisoning Array.

Yet, Yu Yuan recognized the value of a Great Demon like Lu Qingyu pledging allegiance to Yu Zhu. With Yu Zhu hailing from the Demon Clan, it was only fitting that she commanded powerful demons like Lu Qingyu, Huoluo, and Lei Jiao.

These Great Demons would not only thrive and strengthen within her domain but also bring vitality and handle many tasks on her behalf.

Such a partnership would be mutually beneficial.

Lu Qingyu was well aware of this fact, understanding that Yu Zhu needed her, which explained her audacity.

The nature of the Demon Clan is untamed and rebellious; without a firm hand to guide them, they would only become more difficult to subdue over time.

After such a setback, Yu Yuan was confident that Lu Qingyu's allegiance would be far less problematic upon Yu Zhu's return.

As Yu Yuan pondered, Lu Qingyu used a large black fish tank to collect the surviving Demonic Fish from the lake.

Holding the tank before her, she sorrowfully inspected the areas damaged by the toxic flames. They had indeed become more docile. She nodded slightly, "I understand. I won't be reckless again."

Huoluo and Lei Jiao, the formidable duo, noticed Yu Yuan's anger had subsided and the Ghosts Poisoning Array had ceased its assault. They drew near with ingratiating smiles, eagerly awaiting Yu Yuan's attention.

"Just as I said, the Master is absent at the moment. All of you should return," Yu Yuan dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

This time, there was no further insistence.

"We'll return another time."

"Please inform the Master of our sincere desire to serve upon his return."

"We do not hail from the Desolate Swamp, nor are we descendants of the Desolate God."

With these parting words, Huoluo, Lei Jiao, and Lu Qingyu reluctantly dispersed from the lake.

"Brother Yu, you're quite the force to be reckoned with!" Old Cash roared with laughter, shaking his head in admiration. "That Huoluo and Lei Jiao are both Seventh Level Great Demons, and I couldn't gain any advantage over them. Even Lu Qingyu, whose strength is amplified by the lake and the deep sea, was subdued."

Gazing at the dark cauldron within the colorful miasma cloud, Old Cash felt reassured about his decision to protect Yu Yuan at the cost of the Jade Tower, rather than covet the Evil Cauldron in Yu Yuan's possession.

"I'll head over to Spider City later," Yu Yuan told Gao Qin with a nod. "I have some matters to attend to first."

"Understood!"

Gao Qin promptly agreed, bowing and taking his leave, his respect for Yu Yuan having noticeably increased.

He was eager to rush back to Spider City to report to Zhu Peining that Yu Yuan, within the Absence Relic on the mid-lake island, had the power to wield the Ghosts Poisoning Array.

This fact alone was sufficient to attest to Yu Yuan's worth, demonstrating that his bond with Yu Zhu was far tighter than the Babel Chamber of Commerce realized.

Gao Qin believed that only with Yu Zhu's complete trust could Yu Yuan wield the Ghosts Poisoning Array.

Little did he know that the Ghosts Poisoning Array, first unleashed in Chilly Wind Valley, had been covertly forged by the Medicine Sect under Yu Yuan's directive in his past life.

The true master of the Ghosts Poisoning Array was not Yu Zhu, but rather Yu Yuan from his former existence.

Once Gao Qin had departed, Yu Yuan glanced at Old Cash and remarked, "There's no need for concern over Liang Jingyin. Now that he's marked by the Babel Chamber of Commerce and has plundered their goods, the matter is out of your hands."

Old Cash, standing lakeside and wringing his hands with a dry chuckle, seemed eager to plunge into the colorful miasma cloud.

Yu Yuan noticed but refrained from extending an invitation. Instead, he advised, "I'll emerge later. You may either head back to Spider City or find a quiet spot nearby to cultivate."

With those words, Yu Yuan maneuvered the Evil Cauldron, descending gradually into the miasma.

He was acutely aware that Old Cash was no Qin Yun, not a sworn loyalist to him.

Old Cash was merely a fleeting ally, not a servant, and not to be regarded as one of Yu Yuan's own. Thus, he would never consider bringing him onto the island.

Inside the island, Qin Yun, immersed in his cultivation, looked up with eyes gleaming, "Young Master, you have control over the island's formation?"

Yu Yuan had employed the Ghosts Poisoning Array to discipline Lu Qingyu, though Qin Yun hadn't witnessed the full event.

Nonetheless, he could infer that the enigmatic formation nestled within the colorful miasma cloud was attuned to Yu Yuan, capable of precise strikes against intruders at his command.

This indicated that Yu Yuan wielded formidable power from his stronghold on the mid-lake island.

"Concentrate on healing your wounds. I, on the other hand, must advance to the Middle and then Late Period of the Profound Break Stage swiftly," Yu Yuan inhaled deeply, "I must elevate my realm as quickly as possible. The energies of this realm are incredibly beneficial for refining my Profound Break Stage!"

With a whoosh, the Evil Cauldron expanded exponentially. Within the cauldron's miniature world, Yu Yuan began extracting the vital essence from the carcasses of Demonic Beasts, utilizing the Blood Sacrificial Altar within the realm of vital energy.

For the ensuing fortnight, tranquility reigned.

Yu Yuan, on the mid-lake island, either honed his physique using the Blood Sacrificial Altar and the Evil Cauldron or stealthily ventured out to hunt Fourth and Fifth Level Demonic Beasts.

The slain beasts were hauled into the Evil Cauldron and taken back to the island, where he persisted in distilling the essence of their blood and Qi.

He engaged in grueling cultivation, forsaking sleep and sustenance, yearning for a breakthrough in his realm and a surge in his combat prowess.

After a month, he had ascended from the early to the middle phase of the Profound Break Stage!

Another six weeks passed, and gaping holes appeared in the colorful miasma cloud at the lake's heart, with Spiritual Qi billowing towards the island.

The land trembled around the island and the lake, the disturbance drawing widespread attention.

A quartet from the Luan Bird Empire, who had once brushed past Yu Yuan, Yuan Lianyao, and Old Cash in Spider City before vanishing, had now emerged.

These four visitors from the Luan Bird Empire, after splitting up to visit the Devil Moon Empire and the Divine Might Empire, by chance reunited near the lake. They came to inspect the lake designated as off-limits by the relic's owner and the island shrouded by the colorful miasma cloud.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The land near the island convulsed with intense tremors.

"Eh? Wasn't the inheritor of Yu Zhu's legacy taken by the Demon Palace?" The leader of the group, sensing the earth's vibrations and the Spiritual Qi swirling above the island, was taken aback. "The scene before us is unmistakably someone cultivating on the island, triggering a tidal wave of Spiritual Qi!"

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