Chapter 37

Lu Rongbo was forced by San Feng to fly into the vast black miasma with her sword, in search of Jin Ping and Huang Feng, who had been captured by Yan Shen.

At that time, the island was shrouded in a dense fog, and the black miasma rolled in waves. With her level of cultivation, how could she possibly find anyone? San Feng was merely using her as bait to lure Yan Shen out.

After flying around aimlessly for a while, Lu Rongbo sensed someone ahead. She quickly used her sword to part the black mist and saw a tall, thin Taoist priest floating in the thick smoke. His face was deathly pale, with no trace of blood, and his eyes were a vivid green, like two green flames flickering in the darkness. He held a small banner in his left hand and a black, glossy flying sword in his right. He was completely enveloped in black smoke. He bared his sharp, white fangs at Lu Rongbo and said, "I never thought I would see a fully formed yuan ying of a cultivator here. If I can capture you and make you the main deity on my Xuan Yin Beast Banner, its power will surpass even celestial artifacts! Ha ha ha, today is truly my lucky day!" With that, he released his black miasma sword, which transformed into a dark, ominous beam of black energy, aiming straight for Lu Rongbo.

Lu Rongbo hurriedly met the attack with her own sword. Although her sword technique was proficient, her sword's quality was inferior. After a dozen clashes, her sword was contaminated by the black miasma, and its light began to dim. Suddenly, the enemy let out a sinister laugh, and two more ferocious spirits, both resembling dragons, emerged from the black mist, spewing clouds and fog, and lunged at her.

Unable to withstand the attack, Lu Rongbo tried to retreat. At that moment, a demonic light flashed on her back, and San Feng appeared. She waved her Xuan Guang Ruler with her left hand, releasing a colorful light circle that held back the dragon spirits. With her right hand, she pointed forward, and her flying sword transformed into a long, dazzling rainbow, slicing through the air.

Yan Shen let out a long howl, "Little girl! I've been watching you sneak around for a while. Now I'll take your yuan dan and jing po to enhance the power of my treasure banner!" Instead of engaging San Feng in a sword fight, he closed the dense clouds around him, hiding his figure.

San Feng's sword missed its target and plunged into the black miasma. When she tried to find Yan Shen again, he was nowhere to be seen. She angrily slashed her sword in all directions, but all her attacks missed. When she turned around, Lu Rongbo was also gone, and she began to panic.

The moment Yan Shen appeared, San Feng used a heavenly demon secret technique to notify the four people in Yan Guang Pavilion. Er Feng and the others immediately rushed over, but they didn't expect that Yan Shen's formation could reverse the five elements and invert the universe. Despite their rapid flight, they found themselves getting farther and farther away from San Feng. After flying for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they were at least a hundred miles away, yet they still couldn't find San Feng. Jin Xunnu waved his treasure fan, which could only clear a small area around him. Although his magical treasure was powerful, he couldn't match the formation's strength. As soon as he stopped, the black miasma reappeared and filled the universe.

San Feng, who was not skilled in numerology, found it difficult to discern the formation's structure. However, she had practiced the heavenly demon secret technique for many years and covered her body with demonic fire. She then released the demonic sand she had spent decades refining, which transformed into millions of yellow clouds and flames, and attacked in all directions, charging through the formation.

Yan Shen didn't expect her to be so fierce and couldn't capture her immediately. On the other side, the four people remained together, and he couldn't do anything to them. So he released the five Xuan Yin Corpse Demons he had cultivated to capture Lu Rongbo.

Among the five, only Jin Xunnu had not practiced the heavenly demon secret manual. The others were skilled in sensing, and although the formation blocked their connection, it was not severed. By working together, they finally reunited. Seeing that they couldn't achieve their goal, they decided to return to the palace and discuss a new plan.

Upon returning to Ziyun Palace, everyone was in low spirits. Er Feng suggested asking Chu Feng to come out of seclusion: "Among us, only our eldest sister is proficient in numerology. She designed and drew the plans for the thousand-mile magical sand tunnel. If she were here, she would surely have a way to break through the enemy's formation. Moreover, we can't delay any longer. Huang Feng and Jin Ping have been captured, and Rongbo was just taken. That evil person is cruel and ruthless, and if we wait too long, all three may be in danger."

Dong Xiu said, "Why don't we try asking Yue Qing first? He comes from the Wutai Sect, which is known for its expertise in numerology. According to Xu Jie, the Wutai Sect's Taiyi numerology is unparalleled. Moreover, he knows the details of the evil person, so he must have a way to break the formation."

This time, San Feng did not object. Dong Xiu personally went to Da Xiong Reef to invite Yue Qing to the Huang Jing Hall and explained the current situation.

Yue Qing said, "The Xuan Yin Sect's methods are not to be underestimated. Yan Shen is an old demon. When the leader of the Tian Yin Sect was executed by heaven, his eldest brother, Gu Chen, was killed by the Seven Cultivation Sword of Chang Mei Zhenren, but he could not be completely destroyed and is still sealed underground. Although Yan Shen's cultivation is far inferior to his brother's, his Xuan Yin techniques are not easy to deal with."

Hui Zhu asked, "How confident are you in breaking the formation, Immortal Yue?"

Yue Qing replied, "I haven't seen Yan Shen for over two hundred years, and I don't know how powerful he has become. Speculating here is pointless. We need to face him to gauge his strength."

Er Feng worriedly said, "That evil formation is quite strange. We have tried to break it twice, but we always end up in a mess."

Yue Qing smiled, "Don't worry, I have seen the Xuan Yin Soul Refinement Formation before. Even if I can't break it, I won't let everyone get trapped inside."

Hearing his confident words, everyone decided to follow him out of the magical sand tunnel and to Yan Guang Pavilion for the third time.

Yue Qing looked around the darkness and called out, "Yan Shen, do you recognize an old friend?"

A voice came from the black clouds, "Yue Qinbin! What are you doing here? I heard that after the death of the Taiyi Hunyuan Ancestor, your Wutai Sect fell apart. Even your master's concubine, Xu Feinü, almost changed her allegiance and started cozying up to Qi Shumeng's wife. Why aren't you mourning your master on Wutai Mountain? Are you here in the South China Sea because the Emei Sect is driving you to the brink, forcing you to seek refuge and avoid disaster?"

Yue Qing smiled calmly, "The affairs of the Wutai Sect are none of your business. If I mention how your master was evil and met his end, and how your brother was killed by the Seven Cultivation Sword, we would just be making a spectacle of ourselves. It's better to resolve conflicts peacefully. You have no reason to capture Ziyun Palace's disciples and show off at their doorstep. Since I am here as a guest, I would like to mediate. Release the Ziyun Palace disciples, withdraw the Xuan Yin Formation, and return to Jinxing Gorge to continue your cultivation. Let's clear the air and perhaps even become friends in the future."

"Ha ha ha," Yan Shen's hoarse laugh echoed through the black clouds. "Yue Qinbin! If your master, the Taiyi Hunyuan Ancestor, were here, I might give him some face and make peace with Ziyun Palace. But you, trying to show off in front of me, is out of the question! It's not like the old days when the Taiyi Hunyuan Ancestor was around. Yue Qinbin, if you know what's good for you, leave here quickly. I'll spare your life out of respect for your master. If you don't, you'll see the power of my Xuan Yin Beast Banner and know your fate."

Despite his harsh words, Yue Qing remained calm: "Yan Shen, for hundreds of years, the Xuan Yin Sect has produced nothing but arrogant fools like you. Gu Chen once tried to challenge Chang Mei Zhenren and was killed. Today, you won't have the same fate of an indestructible soul!" With that, he took a step forward and immediately disappeared into the thick black smoke.

Dong Xiu cried out, "Brother Yue!" but when she tried to follow, Yue Qing was already gone.

Hui Zhu said, "Immortal Yue is wise and will not be in danger."

As she spoke, they heard Yan Shen's cry of pain, indicating he had been injured.

Yan Shen didn't expect Yue Qing to find him so quickly. No matter how he manipulated the five elements or twisted space, Yue Qing always acted first, appearing before him in an instant. Two beams of sword light cut through the air like silver frost, and Yan Shen hurriedly used his black miasma sword to defend. The clash of silver light and black smoke exploded in front of him. Realizing the danger, he quickly retreated. Suddenly, his right arm was slashed, and a bloody wound appeared. In a panic, he hurriedly waved his demonic banner to close the formation.

Yue Qing's dual swords combined, cutting through the layers of miasma and relentlessly pursuing him. Suddenly, a roar like thunder echoed in his ears, and a dragon spirit emerged from the thick clouds, opening its mouth to swallow him whole. At the same time, many South China Sea blood sharks appeared below, attacking him from all sides.