: The Righteous and the Demonic Begin to Gather

"Only a fool wouldn't take it!"

Qingyi's hand trembled, and one of his whiskers was ripped out.

A rough estimate suggests that by simply sorting and processing these high-level demon beast materials, and then reselling them, one could earn at least tens of thousands of spirit stones – a windfall indeed.

Watching the crowd on the island, led by a female cultivator at the Core Formation stage, densely packed together and heading in one direction, Qing Yi's expression turned solemn.

It's better to have a strong destiny than a good one; no matter how good your destiny is, it can't last forever.

Although they didn't know what the man said, it was enough to make them suppress their great fear and head towards a certain direction in the vast sea.

He still hoped that more of these human cultivators could survive...

If Qingyi had remained true to his early temperament, he might have offered to protect him for a while.

Unfortunately, having witnessed so much death, one's heart inevitably hardens and turns as cold as iron.

Cultivation is like this: it is about achieving longevity and defying fate.

As one ventures deeper, one encounters a place like ancient, hard ice, cold and resilient. The hearts of cultivators are hardened and hardened by this great path, leaving only the practical weighing of pros and cons.

"Ah, the Great Way is ruthless; this is no empty statement."

Qingyi gave a low, self-deprecating laugh, his voice dry but without much emotion.

He glanced again in the direction the crowd had disappeared, then looked away.

With a flick of his sleeve, he transformed into a flowing rainbow, collecting all sorts of demonic beast materials wherever he went.

Whether it's seventh-tier or third-tier, take them all.

His movements were extremely skillful, carrying an instinct ingrained in his very bones.

It didn't take long, just a moment later.

Qingyi stood on the secluded cliff edge, his face beaming with the smug satisfaction of having gotten a great deal.

This adventure deep into the monster-infested abyss was truly worthwhile.

With a slight flick of his sleeve, he regained his appearance as a refined, elegant, and otherworldly Nascent Soul cultivator.

The storage bag at my waist was already bulging.

Although so much income was added out of thin air, it was ultimately just money and material possessions, and it did little to enhance one's own cultivation level.

Although he got all the benefits, that wasn't his original intention for the trip.

The right thing to do is to quickly find a powerful spirit pet of rank six or above.

Thinking of this, Qingyi turned his gaze to the southeast, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Since that person was able to penetrate so deeply into this place, his intentions must be far from simple.

Furthermore, even high-level demon beast materials, which ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators would treasure, are discarded like trash.

The goal then becomes obvious.

Only a great demon in human form could attract the heart of such a person.

Having figured this out, a glint of light flashed in Qingyi's eyes.

Should we follow them?

Observing the life-and-death battles between Nascent Soul cultivators from afar and gaining some insight into their strategies can be beneficial.

Finally, Qingyi subconsciously stroked his long beard again.

A faint light flashed in his hand, and an ancient-looking bamboo scroll appeared in his palm.

He tapped the edge of the bamboo slip lightly with his fingertips, making a soft tapping sound, his brows furrowed as he made his final decision.

As a rogue cultivator, seeking advantage and avoiding harm is instinctive.

You can go see the excitement, but remember not to get too close.

Do not forget the fundamental purpose of this trip.

I can say that I am a genuine Nascent Soul cultivator.

He dares not claim victory against those of the same level, but if he is determined to leave, who among those of the same rank could easily stop him?

Even if someone is in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, so what?

Qing Yi chuckled softly, and his figure suddenly transformed into an extremely faint, thread-like rainbow.

The speed is not fast.

As he flew, Qingyi sensed that there was another aura lingering not far away, a hundred miles away, which belonged to the Nascent Soul stage.

Fortunately, he concealed his presence, and the other party seemed unaware of his existence.

"Um?"

Qingyi's heart skipped a beat, and he muttered to himself.

What happened?

This desolate, godforsaken place is usually deserted. How come we keep running into fellow travelers today?

Could it be... that some extraordinary treasure has been discovered?

It's not yet time for the Void Heaven Palace to open.

Lu Jianghe flew southeast for several days and gradually sensed that the surrounding weather was very different. He was probably approaching the "Thunder Vortex Reef" area that the Tuoyan Niangzi had mentioned.

Looking out at the sky, thick, dark clouds piled up in layers, pressing down heavily on the sea.

Thunder rumbled, and within it, flashes of lightning could be faintly seen tearing through the water, illuminating the surging waves below.

The seawater here has a dark, jade-like color, with undercurrents surging beneath.

The collisions and turbulence created countless giant whirlpools, some nearly a hundred feet or even a thousand feet deep, on the sea surface, making the area truly aptly called a "thunder whirlpool."

The interaction of the rapids has created a no-man's-land where almost no fish or shrimp can survive.

Lu Jianghe hovered in the air, calmly looking at the dark clouds in the distance.

Is this bizarre celestial phenomenon simply the inherent danger of this sea area called "Thunder Vortex Reef," or is it the manifestation of a demonic beast's lightning tribulation?

The energy here is extremely chaotic and disordered, making it almost impossible to perceive with one's divine sense.

To ascertain the truth and see if any transformed demonic beasts are undergoing tribulation, one must venture further forward alone.

For Lu Jianghe, the scene before him was nothing at all.

It didn't even make him feel bored in the slightest.

Compared to his own past experiences, it was like child's play.

They poured out half the wilderness of the world, wave after wave, seemingly without end, crashing against the majestic city walls.

There, no one is allowed to catch their breath, let alone slowly hone their sword.

If you want to nurture your sharpness, you have to sacrifice the lives of sword cultivators in the middle or even upper five realms.

The battlefield at that time was so chaotic that no one could control the overall situation.

The thirteen peak-level demons each displayed their extraordinary powers, transforming the world.

The sword immortals of the upper five realms wielded their swords fiercely, yet none of them could deliver a decisive blow and lock down the fate of the world.

Life and death, victory and defeat.

Ultimately, they were all crushed by that enormous battlefield "millstone".

Then, with a flash, he sped off into the depths of the churning, thunderous clouds in the distance.

Shortly after Lu Jianghe disappeared, two streaks of light suddenly appeared on the nearby horizon.

The light faded, revealing two figures, one on the left and one on the right.

On the left is an old Taoist priest with an air of otherworldly wisdom, carrying an ancient sword on his back, holding a whisk in his hand, and wearing a Taoist robe woven with gold thread and adorned with Bagua symbols, which shimmer with a subtle, precious light.

The other was a middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a white and brown crane-patterned cloak. Although his face had light freckles, it had a subtle, jade-like luster, and his demeanor was also extraordinary.

Both of them are the leaders of two of the five major forces on Qiyuan Island.

Elder Jinxia of Hongguang Sect and Master Miaohe of Biyun Sect.

They were the same people who had previously tried to catch up with Lu Jianghe but failed.

The two were just about to speak.

A figure darted over, its escape technique extremely strange, like a pebble rapidly leaping on the water's surface, flickering and changing unpredictably.

It quickly landed not far from the two, revealing a burly, bearded man.

Miaohe and Jinxia exchanged a glance, both of them frowning slightly.

Xuanji from the Ten Thousand Laws Sect has also arrived!

This person has been in the Nascent Soul stage for nearly three hundred years, and it is said that he has already reached the peak of the early Nascent Soul stage, with unfathomable strength.

Now that the righteous path has arrived, how far behind can those old devils of the demonic path be?

Some time ago, various parties discovered an internal message from the Star Palace, saying that a great treasure had been born in the Demon Beast Abyss, and the rumors were getting more and more intense and bizarre.

Normally, the old man would scoff at these rumors.

However, not long before, someone suddenly descended upon Qiyuan Island using the Star Palace's teleportation array, heading straight for the Sea Abyss without a word.

Such an unusual move inevitably aroused suspicion among these major forces.