Chapter 506: Chapter 506

Rocky Wilderness, inside "Fallen Demon Valley".

Ever since entering this forbidden land that locals warned was off-limits, Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang have been looking back every few steps, their faces full of worry.

Since Zhouyang responded to Guo Jinhong’s call and went to Jinyang Country, Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang have been deeply concerned about his safety.

During the two years Zhouyang was missing, although Guo Jinhong didn’t send anyone to inform them, the news of the fall of over ten Golden Core Stage cultivators in the "Black Death Secret Realm" had spread everywhere, making it impossible to hide from them.

If it weren’t for Xiao Ying preserving Zhouyang’s soul token and knowing he wasn’t dead, they would have long set up a mourning hall and wailed.

Even so, they were extremely anxious during those two years and sent Li Hong to Haoyang Immortal City to gather information.

For ease of contact, Xiao Ying even gave him the "Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Pendant" that Zhouyang gifted her.

Li Hong didn’t know where Zhouyang was, and after failing to gather any information in Haoyang Immortal City, he devised a simple plan: every half month, he would activate the "Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Pendant" in his hand, attempting to connect with Zhouyang’s pendant for messages.

And so, on Zhouyang’s third journey to see Guo Jinhong at Haoyang Mountain, he received Li Hong’s transmission.

At that time, Zhouyang was being watched by the Celestial Killer Corpse King, so he didn’t dare act recklessly. But after meeting Guo Jinhong and entering the Fire Sun Cave to close himself off for Core Formation, he noticed the Celestial Killer Corpse King hadn’t contacted him, realizing the latter was apprehensive and dared not act hastily.

Seizing the opportunity, he relayed the order to Li Hong to have Xiao Ying and the others return to their hometown at once.

He didn’t know if Guo Jinhong had noticed his small actions, but he dared to gamble that even if Guo Jinhong realized he was communicating with others, he wouldn’t pay much heed.

Because at that time, even if other Nascent Soul Stage cultivators received his transmission and came to rescue him, they certainly couldn’t take him from Guo Jinhong’s grasp.

The fact proved he was right, as Li Hong quickly returned to Cangyuan Immortal City to relay the message upon receiving it.

However, because Zhouyang feared leaks, his words were unclear, making Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang hesitant to decide whether to return to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm.

They understood well that once they left through the teleportation array, Zhouyang wouldn’t be able to return to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm through the same means.

So during the years Zhouyang prepared for Core Formation, they had Zhou Tongyue dispatch several Zhou Family Foundation Establishment cultivators to Jinyang Country to continuously gather news about Haoyang Sect, while also hastily selling their spirit stones to convert them into various useful spiritual objects.

When the shocking change in Haoyang Sect’s state was reported back, Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang rechecked Zhouyang’s soul token, confirmed it was intact, and finally decided to use the teleportation array to return to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm.

They knew too well that if they, as Zhouyang’s closest kin, continued to stay in Cangyuan Immortal City, the awakened Haoyang Sect would surely capture them for investigation after the upheaval — they couldn’t just sit and wait for death.

"Let’s go, Aunt Nine. Ninth Uncle is blessed by the heavens; he’s able to cause such a rare Golden Core phenomenon as the Great Sun Embrace even during his Core Formation. He will certainly be fine. What we need to do is not cause him any trouble or concerns."

It was ultimately Zhou Guangxiang, the junior, who first set aside her concerns for her Dao companion, children, and kin, and took the initiative to comfort the elder Xiao Ying.

Though younger than Xiao Ying, she was far more astute and capable in handling matters.

This time, as she and Xiao Ying left, she didn’t even tell her Dao companion, Li Mubai, and her son and daughter the real reason, fearing Li Mubai would intervene once he knew. The most update n0vels are published on novel★fire.net

She also knew well that telling Li Mubai would only endanger him.

Upon hearing her comforting words, Xiao Ying sighed deeply with a troubled expression and said, "Ah, Guangxiang, it’s hard for you — leaving will surely worry Mubai, Feng’er, and Nan’er. Especially Nan’er, she’s only nine and clings to you the most!"

At the mention of her two children, Zhou Guangxiang’s eyes flashed with loving care, but she quickly steeled her expression and said, "Feng’er and Nan’er have good spiritual root talents, and with Mubai’s care, they should have no problem achieving Foundation Establishment. As long as Ninth Uncle is alright, I believe our family will one day be reunited!"

With this, Xiao Ying also cast aside her worries, nodding firmly, "My husband will definitely be fine!"

Determined, they soon found Xu Song, who was cultivating in "Fallen Demon Valley," and asked him to pack up the top-grade spirit stones from the teleportation array after they returned to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm.

Xu Song had been cultivating in "Fallen Demon Valley," unaware of the outside situation. Because of a special contract with Zhouyang, he could always sense Zhouyang’s life or death status.

When Xiao Ying and the two came saying they would use the teleportation array to return to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, Xu Song suspected something was wrong with Zhouyang, but he dared not intervene.

Who knew if Zhouyang was testing him this way?

If he did interfere, and Zhouyang suddenly appeared and used it as a pretext to deal with him, he would have nowhere to cry.

However, after sending Xiao Ying off, he immediately left "Fallen Demon Valley" to secretly gather news on Zhouyang.

Once Xu Song understood the changes happening at Haoyang Mountain, he was utterly tongue-tied, unbelievably impressed by Zhouyang’s ability to stir trouble.

During his time in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, he killed a Golden Core Stage Cultivator from the Beast Taming Sect, leading to him being hunted across the entire Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm as a collaborator with a Demon Cultivator.

Now, having arrived in the Westernmost Cultivation Realm, he managed to utterly offend the Haoyang Sect, a top-tier Major Sect of the Anti-Light Alliance, almost wiping out the entire sect!

Such a talent for causing trouble is unmatched!

While shocked, Xu Song’s mind was racing, and he couldn’t help but feel excited.

He desperately wanted Zhouyang to die at the hands of the Celestial Killer Corpse King or a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator from the Haoyang Sect, so that he could truly be free.

Yet for some unknown reason, Xu Song had a nagging feeling that Zhouyang wouldn’t die that easily.

Moreover, he felt as if he was overlooking something important, but couldn’t recall exactly what it was.

"What could it possibly be?"

Xu Song’s ghostly green eyes flashed with anxiety as he plunged into deep thought.

On the other hand, Zhouyang, who guided the "Qianyang True Flame" daily to assist the Celestial Killer Corpse King in refining Magical Power, truly felt the growth in this demon’s strength.

In the past few years, he could only use a strand of "Qianyang True Flame" to aid in refining Magical Power, but as time passed, the amount of "Qianyang True Flame" he had to guide increased.

A decade later, he had to use eighty percent of his power to activate the "Qianyang True Flame" to aid the Celestial Killer Corpse King’s cultivation.

This caused Zhouyang immense anxiety, knowing that once the Minor Achievement Realm "Qianyang True Flame" no longer helped the Celestial Killer Corpse King in cultivation, it would be time for this entity to turn against him.

And due to these ten years without any form of cultivation, his cultivation progress was stagnant.

The only consolation for Zhouyang was that, after an eight-year dormancy, digesting the vast Spiritual Qi it had absorbed, the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" finally responded to his call for use.

Moreover, the restored "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" not only regained thirty percent of its peak power but also acquired a new defense Divine Technique, the "Qianyang Celestial Fire Shield."

Although Zhouyang had never used the "Qianyang Celestial Fire Shield" Divine Technique, he could faintly sense that the power of this defense Divine Technique was significant, given that the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" was essentially a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact!

Evidently, the Celestial Killer Corpse King was more aware of its own cultivation state than Zhouyang, and although it said nothing, Zhouyang could feel the coldness in its gaze after every session of aiding its cultivation.

This demon was clearly preparing to sever ties after crossing the river!

In the eleventh year, when Zhouyang was assisting the Celestial Killer Corpse King in cultivation, he had to give it his all.

On this day, as he prepared to assist the Celestial Killer Corpse King again, the Celestial Killer Corpse King patted the "Netherworld Iron Wood" coffin beside him and said coolly, "The time is almost up. The Divine Soul of the woman inside this coffin has nearly been completely dissolved by this seat’s Secret Technique. In another month, you can begin practicing the Corpse Transformation Secret Technique I taught you!"

Zhouyang’s face turned immediately pale.

He looked ashen-faced at the Celestial Killer Corpse King, his lips moved as if to say something but ultimately, he hung his head and responded with dismay, "Junior understands."

For the next half month, Zhouyang seemed absent-minded, checking something within his Storage Ring with his Divine Sense multiple times every day.

This absent-mindedness led to numerous errors when he assisted the Celestial Killer Corpse King in cultivation.

If it weren’t for the fact that the Celestial Killer Corpse King had fully adapted to his "Qianyang True Flame" Divine Technique and understood his absent-mindedness, he almost suspected that Zhouyang was unwilling to wait for his own demise and might attempt to strike him while aiding his cultivation.

One day, feeling unwell, Zhouyang was called again by the Celestial Killer Corpse King to assist in its cultivation.

However, while Zhouyang was maintaining the "Qianyang True Flame" to assist for nearly an hour, he suddenly felt distracted, causing a lapse in his supply of Magical Power and allowing the "Qianyang True Flame" to be extinguished by the pure Corpse Evil Qi.

The Celestial Killer Corpse King’s silver-white pupils swept coldly over Zhouyang, its voice filled with rage.

This occurrence had happened more than once in the past half month, so it didn’t find it too strange, but its intent to kill Zhouyang grew heavier.

Zhouyang replied weakly as usual and urged the "Qianyang True Flame" to continue assisting its cultivation.

Only the Celestial Killer Corpse King could not have anticipated that this simple word "continue" nearly led to its demise!