At nightfall.
Above the distant Day Sea in the void.
The dark void seemed empty, but it was actually dangerously unpredictable. Violent gusts of wind swept through the vast space without stopping, coming from an unknown source. There were also ferocious and unpredictable extraterrestrial demons roaming, even high-level cultivators would not want to stay in such a place without powerful treasures to protect themselves.
From this height, countless void land masses of various sizes had turned into faint dots of light, resembling a cluster of faint stars.
Without warning, several powerful divine thoughts quietly descended, stirring up a tremendous and unimaginable energy storm, almost affecting the stability of the surrounding void.
A circular formation, about ten zhang in diameter, black and white, filled with dense death energy, slowly emerged. Upon closer inspection, the entire formation was made up of the bones of unknown fierce beasts, and a layer of white flames, about a chi thick, silently burned on the surface of the formation, with countless poisonous snakes and fierce beast shadows faintly appearing in the flames.
On the formation, more than ten figures with mysterious auras were seated.
“…Do any of you have any new information?”
A thin and withered black-robed old man with a cold and gloomy aura asked in a low voice.
“Unfortunately, no!”
Another figure, burly like a bear with a slightly violent aura, responded indifferently. The remaining figures remained silent, apparently having the same opinion.
The black-robed old man was obviously dissatisfied with this answer, and there was a hint of anger in his voice. “It has been more than three years, and we have expended countless manpower and resources. Is this the result we get? Can I say that everyone here is a bunch of useless people?”
The figure sneered, “Brother Qi, we all make a living in this line of work. Who doesn’t know each other? If you really have the ability, you would have already successfully completed this matter beautifully. Why bother coming to us for help?”
The black-robed old man said coldly, “This is not just my business. If this big deal is not completed, we won’t be able to explain to the Yanfu Holy Demon Palace. That powerful figure is not as easy to talk to as I am! If He is displeased, with just a casual order, everyone here, including your disciples and grandchildren, will all perish!”
This threat seemed to have some effect. The crowd fell silent for a while. A monk with a shriveled figure and a fierce appearance touched his forehead and hesitated, “Brother Qi… it’s not that we are deliberately being perfunctory. More than three years ago, when the Origin Star Palace reappeared, many Dao Lineage forces that heard the news rushed over to seek opportunities. There were many powerful characters, and what can our small group do?”
Another man, bare-chested and playing with a trident-like treasure in his hand, said in a deep voice, “The ancient sage’s cave mansion naturally contains countless treasures. Anyone with the ability can go and compete for them. As for other things, it doesn’t matter, but that ancient Harmony Spirit Seed nurtured by the blood of the ancient sage, which is about to take shape, is the most precious fortune in the Star Palace…”
The bloody battle that erupted in the depths of the Origin Star Palace was because the ancient Harmony Spirit Seed soaked in the Thousand Leaf Merit Blue Lotus Pond was discovered. In order to compete for its ownership, the leaders of many super Dao Lineage forces fought each other, causing countless casualties and rivers of blood.
In that earth-shattering and tragic battle, at least dozens of powerful beings with extraordinary cultivation were severely injured or even perished on the spot. At a critical moment, the ancient Harmony Spirit Seed, which was originally sealed, unexpectedly awakened from its dormant state and flew away without a trace.
The high-level members of those forces who paid a painful price but gained nothing naturally felt unwilling and offered sky-high rewards, mobilizing countless forces to search the entire Great Void Starry Sky, vowing to find the whereabouts of the ancient Harmony Spirit Seed.
The powerful figures had already realized that this treasure belonged to the collection of that ancient powerhouse from ancient times, and it was a kind of ancient Harmony Spirit object that grew from the endless chaos, with an extraordinary origin.
In today’s declining immortal civilization, let alone ancient Harmony Spirit objects, even the powerful creatures and heavenly treasures born at the beginning of the world have disappeared. It was unexpected that such a treasure could still be found in the Origin Star Palace. Any cultivator who obtained it would gain countless benefits and even take a step towards the heavens, stepping into the most crucial realm…
“…Fellow cultivators, these legendary ancient divine objects mostly have gained sentience. Whether we can encounter them or not depends on fate and chance. Aimlessly searching like this for millions of years will never yield results!” An old woman with white hair sighed helplessly.
The black-robed old man said coldly, “Stop talking about these useless things! If we obtain the favor of that powerful figure, if this task is not completed, none of us will have a good ending!”
The monk frowned and said somewhat annoyed, “What do you want us to do? Come up with a specific plan, and we will listen to you!”
So, these people gathered together and began to discuss in low voices.
…
On the mountainside, a clear lake about ten mu in size could be seen, with transparent water that revealed the bottom. Several bronze cauldrons, half the height of a person, were placed by the lake. Under the intense flames at the bottom of the cauldrons, steam rose, and the white and delicate meat rolled in the thick soup, faintly emitting golden rays of light. The strong fragrance filled the air.Qing Muling sat nearby, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the bronze cauldron. Not far away was a large pile of disheveled feathers.
As for the surrounding creatures, full of spirit and vitality, they had all hidden deep in the forest, fearing they would suffer the same fate as their kin at the hands of the senior sister.
In his previous life, as a citizen of the gluttonous empire, he had an almost obsessive pursuit of culinary delights. Upon encountering these never-before-seen exotic beasts and birds, his first reaction was naturally, “Can these things be eaten? How do they taste?”
Seeing that the senior sister seemed amenable, Qing Muling tentatively made a request. Xuebing Xuan was slightly surprised but agreed with interest, leading to the current scene.
“…This Red Feathered Spirit Crane is one of the specialties of our sect. It’s rich in blood and spiritual energy, greatly nourishing to the body, and its meat is incredibly tender and delicious.”
Xuebing Xuan controlled the heat with a relaxed expression, smiling at Qing Muling, “When I was an outer disciple, I was so greedy that I secretly slaughtered two of them with a few junior sisters to roast and eat. We were caught red-handed by the master, not only did we get a beating, but we also had to do hard labor in the medicinal garden for half a year to atone for our actions.”
Qing Muling thought for a moment and asked, “So, I won’t be punished by the master in the same way, right?”
“Of course not!”
Xuebing Xuan affirmed, thinking to herself that with Junior Brother’s status, even if he ate a few spirit beasts and birds, the master would probably just laugh it off if he found out.
“Can I eat it every day?”
Qing Muling seized the opportunity and asked immediately.
“Of course… I guess you can!”
Xuebing Xuan’s pretty face changed slightly, she looked around with some worry, silently mourning for the creatures of the mountain gate.
In a short while, when the delicious food in the bronze cauldron was ready, Xuebing Xuan took out a set of jade tableware and served a full bowl to Junior Brother.
Qing Muling, who had been impatient for a long time, picked up the spoon and started to eat heartily. The tender and juicy meat melted in his mouth, and a pure and strong heat flowed into his stomach, then spread to his limbs and body, making his skin turn red, sweating profusely, and he almost felt like he was burning.
Just then, a bright and dazzling sword rainbow, as agile as a dragon and over a thousand feet long, fell swiftly from mid-air. The cold and stern sword aura rushed towards him, accompanied by a clear, soft, and beautiful voice like a heavenly melody:
“Senior Sister, what are you doing?”
Before Qing Muling could speak, the sword light dissipated, and a vigorous young girl appeared before him. She was slender and graceful, like a celestial being descended to earth. Her long, black hair was draped over her shoulders, her eyebrows were curved, her eyes were bright as stars, her nose was straight and her lips were crystal clear.
She spotted Qing Muling at a glance, her expression changed abruptly: “Who are you? How dare you hunt the spirit beasts raised by the sect? Huh? You… you’re even wearing my clothes?”
A cold and murderous sword intent instantly enveloped Qing Muling.