Condensing Qi, Establishing Foundation, Forming Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, Dao Seeking—step by step ascending to Immortality. There are a total of seven major realms. To reach the Immortal level and shatter the void, it is difficult, difficult, difficult!
Such rumors had spread to many places throughout the Southern Domain, but the Zhao State was, after all, a remote place, and news was not sensitive. Only the elders of the major sects vaguely knew about this matter.
At this moment, Meng Hao was frowning, walking deep into the mountains. Seven days ago, heaven and earth underwent a great change, and even the death qi on his body increased. Fortunately, it had begun to dissipate in the past few days, and it would probably completely vanish in about twenty more days.
This death qi was truly troublesome. If it weren't for this death qi acting as a guide, why would I be rushing about like this? Meng Hao had been in an extremely vexed mood these past few days. The great change seven days ago caused the cultivators of the Zhao State to pour out in droves, forcing Meng Hao to carefully hide. There were a few close calls where he was almost discovered.
But continuing like this was not a good solution. Although Meng Hao did not want to kill people, today, a killing intent gradually arose within him.
If it really comes to it, I can only resort to killing. Although it will add trouble, it is still better than constantly hiding like this. As Meng Hao pondered, he suddenly looked up, immediately gazing forward. The mountains here were surrounded, and all four directions were quiet. Meng Hao stopped, and after looking around for a long time, he found no clues.
But a faint sense of danger always lingered in his heart, causing Meng Hao to frown. His right hand suddenly rose and slapped his storage bag. Immediately, a feather flew out from his treasured fan, heading straight for the trees ahead.
With a bang, a gust of wind swept through the surroundings, causing the leaves to rustle, but it quickly became quiet again, without the slightest abnormality. However, Meng Hao's expression changed. Although heaven and earth had undergone an anomaly seven days ago, it had now returned to normal. No birds or beasts had died. Logically, in these deep mountains, such a loud explosion would certainly cause some birds and beasts to scatter in all directions, but here, it was very quiet.
Meng Hao did not hesitate. He spun around and slapped his storage bag. His treasured fan flew out, lifting his body, and he immediately soared into the air, changing direction. But at this moment, a cold snort echoed, and many black lights appeared in the surrounding mountains. These black lights continuously lit up together, directly enveloping the four directions, as if forming a seal.
Although Meng Hao's position was also within the seal, he was not at the center, but in an adjacent area. If he had not been careful earlier and had continued to advance, he would now have entered the central area of this seal.
At the same time, eight figures appeared from all directions. Their bodies were blurry when they first appeared, but quickly became clear, as if an invisible layer of mist enveloped their bodies, preventing Meng Hao from detecting them earlier.
Among these eight people, six men and two women, there was a woman in a long white dress with a pale complexion, holding a sky-blue pearl high in both hands. This pearl emitted ripples, and it was the treasure that allowed this woman to conceal the group's whereabouts. At this moment, cracks appeared on the pearl as if it was about to shatter, clearly indicating it was a single-use magical artifact.
She did not approach but remained motionless in the distance. The others quickly approached and surrounded Meng Hao. Among them was Yan Ziguo.
Meng Hao's expression was grim. He coldly eyed the surrounding cultivators, his gaze filled with killing intent as he looked at Yan Ziguo and the others. Among everyone present, Yan Ziguo's cultivation was not the highest. The highest-cultivated individual at this moment was not on the ground, but a man floating in the air, much like Meng Hao. This man stood atop a flying sword, clad in a sky-blue Daoist robe, his expression indifferent and his eyes calm. Yet, an indescribable aura of superiority emanated from him.
His cultivation was, of course, the ninth level of Qi Condensation!
As a ninth-level Qi Condensation cultivator, his status within a sect in the State of Zhao was very special. If he could successfully advance to Foundation Establishment within sixty years, he would become an elder of the sect. However, if he failed to reach Foundation Establishment after sixty years, he would no longer be considered an inner disciple, but rather a ceremonial attendant within the sect. (A ceremonial attendant is below an elder, similar to a steward.)
For example, Shangguan Xiu of the Reliance Sect, in reality, if the Reliance Sect had been strong, he would not have been an elder, but merely a ceremonial attendant.
This middle-aged man had reached the ninth level of Qi Condensation less than two years ago. It could be said that his future was incredibly bright. Once he successfully advanced to Foundation Establishment, his status would immediately become completely different.
"You're also a cunning one, no wonder you could trick someone from the Violet Cloud Sect. But even if you haven't entered the core, as long as you've stepped into this formation, with Senior Brother Liu here, you are definitely going to die today. If you're smart, hand over the true treasure, and you might still keep your body intact," Yan Ziguo said coldly, his gaze fixed on the treasure fan beneath Meng Hao's feet, his greed utterly transparent. In the past few days, he had investigated many things about Meng Hao, and from Sun Hua, he had learned about the transaction between Meng Hao and the Violet Cloud Sect, making his covetousness for Meng Hao's treasures even more intense.
Meng Hao's expression was chilling. He ignored Yan Ziguo and stared intently at the middle-aged man at the ninth level of Qi Condensation.
This man was the "Senior Brother Liu" that Yan Ziguo had mentioned. His expression was calm, and he said nothing, standing on his flying sword with his hands clasped behind his back. A powerful aura emanated from his body, an aura so strong that Meng Hao's eyes narrowed slightly.
"To take my treasures, you will have to pay a heavy price," Meng Hao said indifferently. He patted his storage bag with his right hand, and immediately, a silver light flashed. A shimmering silver spear suddenly appeared in Meng Hao's hand. He thrust it directly into the treasure fan beneath his feet, pinning it in place.
As soon as the silver spear appeared, it attracted the attention of everyone around, including Senior Brother Liu, who cast a focused glance at it.
Just as they looked towards the spear, Meng Hao's eyes lit up. He swung his right hand forcefully, and immediately, a scroll appeared and unfurled. Roaring sounds emanated from within, and three monstrous beasts formed from mist roared and charged directly towards everyone.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Meng Hao quickly formed a hand seal and pointed. Immediately, a black light shot out with unimaginable speed. In the instant Yan Ziguo's mind was shaken, the black light tore through the protective aura of the magical artifact covering his body. Despite his body retreating, under Yan Ziguo's horrified expression, the black light, like a bolt of lightning, pierced directly into his glabella.
That object was the Soul Snatching Nail.
Meng Hao's personality was such that if he didn't act, he wouldn't. But if he did, he would definitely strike first! If this Yan Ziguo wanted to die, Meng Hao would send him to the Yellow Springs!
Almost in the blink of an eye, as the Soul-Snatching Nail entered Yan Ziguo's glabella, waves of black mist rapidly diffused outwards from his forehead, instantly enveloping his entire body. With a thud, Yan Ziguo's eyes shot open, wide and unfocused. After a moment of blankness, his body was torn into countless frozen black chunks of flesh, scattered everywhere.