Chapter 49: Mid-Nascent Soul

Time flew by, seventeen springs and autumns passing like a white colt fleeting past a crack.

In the Tianyuan Sea, the three major alliances maintained their triangular standoff, but the underlying situation had been completely overturned.

Initially, the Heaven and Earth Alliance, the Righteous Path Alliance, and the Demonic Path Alliance grew suspicious of one another due to that earth-shattering incident at Heavenly Abyss Mountain, with undercurrents churning in the shadows.

Every faction was frantically searching, openly and covertly, for the lost Ten-Thousand-Year Life-Extending Fruit. Although everyone knew in their hearts that after so many years, such a supreme treasure had most likely already been refined by someone, the glimmer of hope was not so easily extinguished.

Yet, an even greater calamity was silently descending.

Heavenly Abyss Mountain, this ancient secret realm that had existed for tens of thousands of years, was supposed to manifest in the world for only a brief ten years before vanishing. But this time, nearly two decades had passed, and not only had it failed to disappear, it had instead grown increasingly solid, like a slumbering primordial beast slowly awakening.

Even more terrifying were the high-grade demon beasts that occasionally fled from the secret realm. Among them were rank-eight and rank-nine great demons, equivalent to Nascent Soul cultivators. These creatures were bloodthirsty and maddened, killing any human they saw, leaving a trail of devastation wherever they passed. They possessed no intelligence whatsoever.

For a time, both human cultivators and sea demon beasts suffered immensely. Countless small and medium-sized powers, without the protection of renowned major sects, would have long been annihilated in this endless tide of beasts.

Yet Heavenly Abyss Mountain still manifested in the world, brimming with countless opportunities and fortunes, yet no one dared to approach even half a step. After all, what use were opportunities if one lost their life?

Time passed until the sixteenth year.

A deafening roar that shook heaven and earth echoed across the distant sea, resounding throughout the Abyssal Sea.

A corner of Heavenly Abyss Mountain exploded with a thunderous boom.

Countless bloody mists surged from that fissure, like a ruptured river of blood, spreading wildly across the sea surface. Within just a few dozen days, the blood-red mist had engulfed a sea area spanning tens of millions of li, blotting out the sun and dyeing the entire sky and earth a sinister crimson.

Countless bloodthirsty exotic beasts charged out from the blood mist.

They were even more ferocious and brutal than before, like mindless wild beasts, madly attacking every living thing.

Even more terrifying was that the blood mist acted like deadly poison to low-level cultivators. A single inhale would cause their meridians to go haywire and their minds to become delirious. Only those with high cultivation could resist it to some extent.

For the demon beasts in the sea, it was like a plague. Any creature tainted by the blood mist became bloodthirsty and mad, losing all intelligence, becoming identical to those exotic beasts.

The blood mist continued to spread.

It kept spreading.

As if it intended to swallow the entire Tianyuan Sea.

In the face of this crisis, the three major alliances finally set aside centuries of grudges and prejudices, forced to join hands.

Three Late Nascent Soul Grand Cultivators took command from the rear. Over three hundred Nascent Soul cultivators deployed in full force, joined by countless mid- and low-level cultivators, forming a coast defense line spanning hundreds of thousands of li with their flesh and blood.

Countless cultivators perished in the jaws of beasts. Countless islands were reduced to rubble.

Blood and fire stained half of the Tianyuan Sea red.

Humanity's breathing room was bought with lives.

Even in such turbulent times, that Soul Wraith Island stood like a stubborn rock, silently towering above the sea.

It had not sent cultivators to participate in the frontline defense, had not responded to Endless Island's summons, and no one even knew what was happening on the island.

Only Canfeng and Gu Qing knew: their grand-ancestor was in seclusion, breaking through that bottleneck that had trapped him for centuries.

Thus they waited, for over ten years.

One day.

Above Soul Wraith Island, two streaks of light approached from afar, coming to a stable halt in midair.

Two powerful auras of Peak Early Nascent Soul pressed down without the slightest concealment. In that instant, all the disciples on the island felt their breathing catch, sweat drenching them like rain, their legs going weak, nearly forcing them to their knees.

Canfeng, Gu Qing, and several Golden Core Executives hurriedly flew out from the island. Canfeng steeled himself and stepped forward, hesitantly clasping his hands in salute.

"M-may I ask which two seniors have graced my Soul Wraith Island with their presence? My grand-ancestor is in seclusion, so I'm afraid it's not convenient to receive guests..."

Before he could finish, a cold voice cut him off.

The two Nascent Soul cultivators did not even glance at Canfeng, only exchanging looks between themselves.

The leading man, with a face the color of red dates, wore a purple brocade robe, with purple energy swirling around him. This was Elder Wan of Endless Island. He swept a glance over the dim island below, let out a cold snort, and his tone was full of contempt and displeasure.

"This old fiend Jiuyou of Soul Wraith Island sure has been living comfortably these past ten-plus years."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze icy.

"When the beast tide struck, we were all fighting and bleeding on the front lines, with countless cultivators dying on the battlefield. But he hid on his island and did nothing. He even dared to ignore the summons from my Endless Island. If Junior Disciple Dan hadn't interceded on his behalf, I would have brought people to call him to account long ago!"

Beside him, the younger Nascent Soul cultivator nodded slightly, his brows deeply furrowed, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Elder Dan said that this man once saved his life and was currently in seclusion trying to break through, so he hadn't been able to receive the news in time. I, Bai, also know a thing or two about this Jiuyou. This man's lifespan was already exhausted, his Qi and blood withered. How could there be any possibility of a breakthrough? This so-called seclusion is nothing but an excuse to enjoy his remaining years in comfort and avoid the summons."

He paused, his tone growing sharper.

"Now that the Abyssal Sea is in chaos, all Nascent Soul-level powers should unite in solidarity. If everyone were to turtle up like this Jiuyou, how can our human race still maintain a foothold in the Abyssal Sea?"

Elder Wan curled his lips into a sinister smile. A flash of purple light flickered in his eyes, and his Divine Sense instantly covered most of the island.

"Today, this Soul Wraith Island will either vanish right here—"

As he spoke, purple energy roiled in his hand, dyeing even the sky an eerie purple.

"Or everyone on this entire island will be sent to the border fortresses to hold back the beast tide. Let them know, and let every timid, fearful power understand, that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world."

Before his words had even faded, he raised his hand and swept it through the air.

The cloud layer was suddenly torn apart. An enormous purple bowl descended from the sky, hundreds of zhang in size, carrying a force of ten thousand jun, crashing down toward Soul Wraith Island!

As it descended, mountain peaks were bent, buildings shattered, and rocks flew everywhere.

Countless low-level disciples screamed in terror, scattering in all directions.

Canfeng and the others turned pale. Without a second word, they transformed into streaks of light and flew away from the island, their hearts filled with shock and fury.

When a Nascent Soul cultivator made a move, they didn't even have the right to resist!

Just as that giant purple bowl was about to smash down—

BOOM!

A towering, majestic mountain suddenly rose from Soul Wraith Island, its entire body sheathed in a faint blue glow, standing firm beneath the giant bowl, blocking it.

The two treasures collided with a thunderous roar, sending air waves surging and seawater rolling back!

That giant purple bowl was forcibly halted. No matter how hard Elder Wan channeled his magic power, it could not press down even half an inch further.

"This... how is this possible?!"

Elder Wan's pupils contracted sharply. He increased the magic power in his hand even further, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree—utterly useless.

The young cultivator beside him changed color drastically. He stared intently at that ancient mountain relic, a cry of shock escaping his lips.

"This is... the Heavenly Azure Mountain ancient relic of Old Ghost Qingshan! How did it end up here?!"

He whirled his head toward Elder Wan, his voice trembling slightly.

"Over a decade ago, that old fiend disappeared into Heavenly Abyss Mountain. Could it be... that he died at the hands of this old demon Jiuyou?"

Elder Wan's face was as dark as water. He slowly withdrew the magic power in his hand, involuntarily taking two steps back.

Someone who could kill Old Ghost Qingshan, refine his famous ancient relic, and effortlessly block his full-powered attack—this Jiuyou was by no means the dying old man they had assumed!

Just then—

A sinister laugh suddenly came from deep within Soul Wraith Island.

The laughter was not loud, but it rang out like a great bell, shaking the very heavens and earth, buzzing in the ears of the two men.

"Hahaha—"

"So it's Elder Wan of Endless Island, and Fellow Daoist Bai of White Vine Mountain."

"I wonder what business the two of you have visiting this old man's Soul Wraith Island?"

Before his words had even faded, an even more terrifying aura erupted from the island, instantly crushing the auras of the two Early Nascent Soul cultivators into fragments!

Both men's expressions changed drastically. Their pupils contracted as they cried out in unison.

"Mid-Nascent Soul!"

"This old fiend... actually broke through to Mid-Nascent Soul!"

The young cultivator's voice was trembling slightly.

Elder Wan put away his previous cold smile, his brows deeply furrowed, his eyes filled with disbelief. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed subconsciously.

"I heard... Junior Disciple Dan once gave him a Myriad Spirit Pill. Perhaps he managed to break through by relying on that."

He paused, his gaze fixed intently on the Azure Mountain ancient relic, his voice low.

"But none of that matters anymore. What matters is—he has already broken through."

The two exchanged glances, both seeing the deep wariness in the other's eyes.

At that moment, a mass of deep blue mist surged out violently from Soul Wraith Island, churning and rolling. In the blink of an eye, it ascended into the high sky, hovering steadily above the two, a full head and shoulders higher than them.

Jiuyou's ancient face appeared and disappeared within the mist, a ghostly light flickering in his murky old eyes, his expression unkind.

He looked down on the two from above, a faint, barely perceptible sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Two Fellow Daoists, attacking my Soul Wraith Island without any reason—"

His voice was not loud, but it struck their hearts like shards of ice, word by word.

"If you don't give this old man an explanation, even if Grand Elder Gu came in person, I would still demand justice."

Before his words faded, the green mist around him churned violently, and the Nether Capital Ghostfire quietly flickered to life in his palm.

The eerie blue flames danced, casting his face in a ghastly, sinister light.

Chilling air spread in all directions, and heaven and earth changed color.

Elder Wan and Fellow Daoist Bai felt a bone-piercing chill shoot up from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their heads, every hair on their bodies standing on end.

They had no doubt—

This old demon, who had just broken through to Mid-Nascent Soul, really dared to make a move.

And they weren't sure they could win.

...