Che Gongwei's pursuit.
Wei Tu, deep in the Black Blood Marsh, was unaware of it.
"Just a few more days of seclusion, and I will break through to the middle stage of the Golden Core. Including the body refining to the middle stage of the third level, it's not far off."
Two months later, after refining most of the Holy Spring Water stored in the Heaven-Mending Bowl, Wei Tu felt his Qi cultivation level had finally reached a boundary.
One more step forward, and he would reach the middle stage of the Golden Core.
During these days, although Wei Tu had focused most of his attention on body refining and the Lotus Embrace Technique, his Qi cultivation also inevitably advanced significantly while his physical body improved.
Although body refining and Qi refining were two completely different paths, they still influenced each other and helped one another.
"Wei Daoist, we've reached the end of the Black Blood Marsh! Stop cultivating, focus on the journey! Don't waste time," Qi Chengchu, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped and coldly reminded Wei Tu.
Over the past two months, Qi Chengchu had observed Wei Tu's cultivation. If it were more than fifty years ago, he would have greatly praised him, thinking the Rogue Cultivator Alliance had gained another brilliant disciple.
However, today, Wei Tu's calmness, his unhurried nature, and his composure in the face of things made Qi Chengchu feel discomfort, a rising sense of frustration and anger in his heart.
It was like a thorn, deeply embedded in his chest.
After all, everything Qi Chengchu had now was directly related to the information Wei Tu had given to Che Gongwei years ago.
The message about "Zheng Country will fall into chaos," though it did not save Qi Chengchu's life, had still done him a favor during this period.
Now, he had become an ungrateful person!
Naturally, upon seeing Wei Tu's calmness, Qi Chengchu began to feel disgusted.
However, Hu Shan did not think this way.
Having encountered many righteous cultivators like Qi Chengchu, Hu Shan knew that Qi Chengchu's displeasure with Wei Tu was just the surface reason. The true reason was that Qi Chengchu, after turning to the demonic path, had gradually begun to feel a burden in his heart.
"Even if he breaks through, his cultivation will be unstable. To you and me, he is nothing more than an ant. No need to worry," Hu Shan said with a light laugh, attempting to reassure him.
"Fine." Hearing this, Qi Chengchu's tense expression softened a little. He nodded and continued leading the way toward the South Wilderness Ancient Plain.
On the other side, Wei Tu did not pay attention to Qi Chengchu's "frenzy." His own state of mind had become even more peaceful.
The more unstable the enemy, the greater his chances of winning in this situation.
This, in fact, was something to be thankful for.
...
There were two ways to reach the Great Void Realm.
The first was through the ancient teleportation array in the Copper Kettle Mountain of Qingfeng Prefecture in Zheng Country.
The second was to enter the "Blood Mirage Cave" in the outer regions of Great Void Realm, using the "thief's hole" dug by Venerable Master Shentu from the South Wilderness Ancient Plain.
The first path had already been used by Wei Tai and others. When Wei Tu and Bao Siyuan were searching the souls of Wei Tai and his group years ago, they had discovered this secret.
"It seems that before this, Qi Chengchu had limited communication with Bao Siyuan."
After seeing Qi Chengchu lead the way toward the South Wilderness Ancient Plain, Wei Tu immediately made this judgment.
This judgment was crucial for him.
—Last time in the Great Void Realm, Bao Siyuan had personally witnessed his "death" in the Blood Slaughter Sea. Moreover, Bao Siyuan had completed the entire journey through the Great Void Realm, even entering the inner region, deeper than Wei Tu had gone.
"The Great Void Realm is extremely dangerous. If the Heavenly Corpse Daoist trusts me, it would be best for him to withdraw as soon as possible."
Upon reaching the South Wilderness Ancient Plain, Wei Tu once again advised the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon.
After all, he did not have complete confidence that he could ensure the safety of this righteous friend.
"Without entering the tiger's den, how can one catch the tiger's cub?"
"The Great Void Realm holds a Nascent Soul opportunity. If I do not go this time, I may never have such a chance again."
The Heavenly Corpse Old Demon chuckled a few times, his tone calm, as if he wasn't worried about the dangers ahead.
"You have high aspirations, and you will surely achieve the Nascent Soul one day," Wei Tu said, his words stalling as he stopped persuading, silently continuing on the journey.
As they neared the tomb, just as Wei Tu was wondering how Hu Shan and Qi Chengchu would deal with the demonic experts stationed near the tomb, Hu Shan took out two crimson talismans and handed one to Wei Tu and the other to the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon.
"These are Soul Transformation Talismans made by extracting the souls of Hehuan Sect disciples. I believe... Wei Daoist has already experienced them from my junior brother."
"By affixing this talisman, you can disguise yourself as a disciple of the Hehuan Sect and enter the Great Void Realm."
Hu Shan smiled seductively, her eyes fixed on Wei Tu and the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon, as if enticing their souls.
"Soul Transformation Talisman?" Wei Tu ignored the taunting words from Hu Shan. He reached out to take the crimson talisman, beginning to check it for any traps.
As a third-tier talisman master, after obtaining the Yaksha Soul Transformation Talisman, he had studied it multiple times.
Although he couldn't replicate the crafting method of the Soul Transformation Talisman, he was confident that his understanding of it was on par with most disciples of the Soul-Capturing Sect.
"There's no problem," Wei Tu signaled to the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon, giving a slight nod.
Talismans were not ordinary spiritual items. The higher the grade of the talisman, the less likely the runes could be altered.
Even a small modification to one node could cause the entire talisman to collapse, rendering it useless.
Wei Tu figured that even though Hu Shan knew talismanic arts, her skill could not exceed the fourth tier, and she had no means of "tampering" with these talismans.
...
With Hu Shan's Soul Transformation Talismans, Wei Tu and his group of five easily disguised themselves as disciples of the Hehuan Sect and entered the tomb.
Compared to more than fifty years ago, the tomb had hardly changed. However, along the way, there were many more patrols from the Heavenly Extinction Demon Palace and the Hehuan Sect's demonic cultivators.
Next.
The third demonic gate: the Blood Mirage Cave.
The fourth demonic gate: the Five Poison Swamp and the Flame Crystal Desert.
The fifth demonic gate: the Mountain-Razing Ridge.
The sixth demonic gate: the Blood Slaughter Sea.
After arriving at the Blood Slaughter Sea, the demonic cultivators of the Heavenly Extinction Demon Palace and the Hehuan Sect had essentially disappeared.
No one was left.
"Hu Shan! Die!"
On the surface of the Blood Slaughter Sea, Wei Tu suddenly launched his attack. He activated the Devil's True Armor, shouting angrily. Over a dozen third-grade talismans flew from his sleeves, shooting toward Hu Shan and Qi Chengchu.
Following that, Wei Tu grabbed the Cloud Piercing Pin and closed in, using his fastest speed to attack Hu Shan from behind.
Residual shadows flickered,
Instantly appearing on the blood-red sea surface.
The sudden assault took Hu Shan and Qi Chengchu by surprise.
Even the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon didn't expect Wei Tu to make his move at this very moment.
The Heavenly Corpse Old Demon didn't have time to think. Gritting his teeth, he quickly followed suit and made his move toward the closest Qi Chengchu.
"Earth Corpse, appear!" The Heavenly Corpse Old Demon roared, his body wrapped in a straw cloak. He summoned a walking corpse wrapped in a deep yellow burial cloth.
This corpse moved like a startled rabbit, its speed matching Wei Tu's attack on Hu Shan.
Though Hu Shan and Qi Chengchu were momentarily stunned, they reacted quickly to the enemy's assault.
"A small trick!" Hu Shan sneered, her elegant figure unmoving. Her right hand stretched behind her, forming a strange hand seal.
In an instant, Wei Tu, who had launched the surprise attack, felt his soul become stiff. His movements slowed significantly.
In contrast to Hu Shan, Qi Chengchu's reaction was much more aggressive. He sneered and summoned a green soft sword, which he swung violently in the direction of the Earth Corpse.
A loud crash was heard.
The Earth Corpse was instantly knocked back by the green sword's green light, sinking into the Blood Slaughter Sea.
After repelling the Earth Corpse, the green soft sword hovered in the air and transformed into a giant green-scaled serpent. With a flick of its tail, it struck the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon, leaving him badly wounded.
Seeing that the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon had no strength to retaliate, the green-scaled serpent then lunged at Wei Tu, who was still under the effect of Hu Shan's hand seal. The serpent's body coiled around Wei Tu, preparing to bind and imprison him.
However, by this point, Wei Tu had already regained his senses. His soul broke free from the restraint, and with a flip of his palm, he summoned a glowing treasure orb, which he aimed directly at the green-scaled serpent.
This orb was none other than Wei Tu's third-grade magical treasure—the Fixing Light Orb.
The Fixing Light Orb emitted a grayish mist, instantly freezing the movements of the green-scaled serpent, rendering it immobile.
"A small trick." Qi Chengchu, seeing this, didn't seem surprised. He had long known that Wei Tu possessed the Fixing Light Orb, and he had already taken precautions.
Qi Chengchu sneered coldly. With a wave of his sleeve, he produced a golden thread and threw it toward the Fixing Light Orb.
With a sharp "whoosh," the golden thread transformed into a rope, shooting straight toward the Fixing Light Orb suspended in the air.
However—
What Qi Chengchu didn't expect was that Wei Tu didn't retract the Fixing Light Orb in time. Instead, he charged forward, forcibly pulling the Fixing Light Orb, the golden thread, and the green soft sword into his arms.
This reckless move stunned both Qi Chengchu and Hu Shan, especially since Wei Tu was only in the early stages of third-grade body refining. There was no way he could withstand the attacks of a third-grade high-grade magical weapon.
"Seeking death!" Qi Chengchu quickly formed a hand seal, intending to strangle the foolish Wei Tu.
However, Qi Chengchu's response was a fraction too slow.
Before he could activate his spell, Wei Tu had already dived into the Blood Slaughter Sea, clutching the three magical items.
The Blood Slaughter Sea was special. Its waters were toxic, capable of eroding the bodies of cultivators, and it also had a disruptive effect on spiritual senses.
Thus, after Wei Tu, along with Qi Chengchu's two magical items, plunged into the Blood Slaughter Sea, Qi Chengchu could no longer sense the magical treasures.
"Wait until he surfaces, then we'll attack," Qi Chengchu said calmly, showing no sign of panic.
"Let's interrogate the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon first."
Qi Chengchu's gaze shifted to the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon, who had been severely injured by him earlier.
But strangely, Qi Chengchu couldn't sense any life force from the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon.
"Dead?" Qi Chengchu frowned. He summoned the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon's body and flipped the straw cloak. Inside, there was indeed the lifeless body of an elderly Golden Core cultivator.
"Old fool, who would have thought you were so weak."
Qi Chengchu cursed inwardly, feeling irritated. He had expected the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon to be a formidable opponent, which was why he had been confident in helping Wei Tu.
But unexpectedly, the old man couldn't even withstand a single strike.
Just a typical early-stage Golden Core cultivator.
...
Time passed slowly.
One hour.
Two hours.
Half a day slipped by.
Hu Shan and Qi Chengchu stood on the blood-red sea surface, but Wei Tu still hadn't resurfaced.
It seemed like he was truly dead.
"An ordinary Golden Core cultivator could last at most one hour in the Blood Slaughter Sea without their body disintegrating. Wei Tu is a third-grade body-refining cultivator with dual cultivation of body and Qi, but even he can only last half a day. It's impossible for him to be gone this long."
Hu Shan's face turned a bit ugly.
She had only explored half of the Great Void Realm; how could she be content with giving up now?
"Unless there's another space beneath the Blood Slaughter Sea that can isolate the water's corrosive effects?" Qi Chengchu's face darkened as he proposed a plausible hypothesis.
"The sea is vast, how are we supposed to search for it?" Hu Shan's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
After half a day of not seeing any trace of Wei Tu, both she and Qi Chengchu had dived into the Blood Slaughter Sea to search, but they found nothing.
It seemed like his physical body had truly dissolved into the Blood Slaughter Sea.
"Last time, Bao Siyuan said that Wei Tu died in the Blood Slaughter Sea! It can't be this coincidental again."
Qi Chengchu clenched his fists. He hadn't expected that after all his calculations, Wei Tu had tricked him once more.
It was his own fault for trusting Wei Tu's deception about Che Gongwei, believing that Wei Tu had used his third-grade body refining to deceive Bao Siyuan and the Demon Lord Gui Luo.
"Who would have thought that Wei Tu would even deceive his own master? He really doesn't treat people like human beings!"
Qi Chengchu silently cursed.
"Damn it! If Wei Tu decided to escape into the Blood Slaughter Sea, then he must have already sent a message to the Heavenly Extinction Demon Palace and Hehuan Sect." At this moment, Hu Shan's face suddenly changed, dark and terrifying.
Thinking about it from another perspective, if she were Wei Tu, after escaping, she would definitely use this chance to pull them both into the abyss, leaving them with no place to be buried.
"What? Sending word to the Heavenly Extinction Demon Palace and the Hehuan Sect?"
Qi Chengchu couldn't remain calm, shock evident in his voice.
His strength was not weak, but he lacked the confidence to face the combined assault of the two major sects' demonic cultivators.
Not to mention, both the Demon Lord Gui Luo and the Elder Ning Yan were among the top-tier powerhouses.
"Don't rush. Before entering the Great Void Realm, I had already placed a fellow disciple in the Heavenly Extinction Demon Palace. As long as this junior sister is clever... she should be fine."
Hu Shan suddenly remembered this detail, and her expression eased significantly.
…
At the same time.
Under the Blood Slaughter Sea, in a stone cavern.
Wei Tu and the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon were seated a dozen paces apart, meditating to recover their energy.
"Who would have thought that within such a dangerous place, there would be this treasure land," the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon sighed in admiration.
Upon seeing Wei Tu's sudden action, he initially thought that Wei Tu had lost his mind, but unexpectedly, Wei Tu had long been prepared, planning to use this opportunity to escape.
"No wonder this is the third brother I know, always planning before acting," the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon thought to himself.
"This is to take away Qi Chengchu's two magical items. I am deeply grateful for the Heavenly Corpse Taoist's help this time. You may pick any one of them," Wei Tu said as he took out the green soft sword and the golden thread that had previously been taken from Qi Chengchu.
"I'll take this golden thread." The Heavenly Corpse Old Demon did not hesitate, taking the golden thread.
Binding magical tools, in terms of value, were much more valuable than typical offensive magical items.
Wei Tu already possessed the "Blue Glaive" and the "Fixing Light Orb," two binding magical items, so he had no particular desire for the golden thread. Instead, he lacked something like the green soft sword, which was a proper offensive weapon.
Thus, the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon's choice worked perfectly for him.
"Not to hide it from you, Heavenly Corpse Taoist, I once had a Great Void Stone in this Great Void Realm..." Wei Tu spoke with a hint of apology as he explained the Great Void Stone's function.
The Great Void Stone could only bring one person out.
Unless the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon was willing to become his "spiritual pet" like the Wind-Cleaving Eagle, it was impossible for him to take the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon with him according to the rules.
This was also the reason why he had tried to persuade the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon to consider carefully when traveling to the Great Void Realm.
Because he could escape, but the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon couldn't.
"I have a few methods for escaping, Wei Tu, you need not worry about this," the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon laughed a few times, seeming unconcerned.
"In that case..."
Wei Tu hesitated.
After all, taking a risk for someone not particularly close to him went against his usual way of acting.
Moreover, the immortal cultivation world was perilous, and he couldn't be sure if the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon's approach was entirely sincere or if there were ulterior motives.
The relationship with Master Fu Lin was still too distant. The sense of righteousness seemed a bit unconvincing.
"Since the Heavenly Corpse Taoist was willing to stand up for me outside Zhen Wu Immortal City, now, I cannot abandon you..."
"Wei Tu is willing to accompany the Heavenly Corpse Taoist out!" Wei Tu made his decision, speaking resolutely.
If, by chance, the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon truly wanted to help him but met his end in the Great Void Realm... Wei Tu knew he might never forgive himself for the rest of his life.
Actions have their limits.
"You're still that third brother!" Hearing this, the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon's face, hidden by his straw cloak, revealed a relieved and relaxed smile.
Back in the mortal world, the four brothers had sworn an oath.
In the mortal world, none of them had been afraid of death. When they entered the immortal cultivation world, the desire for the immortal path might cause hesitation, but in fact, their hearts had never changed.
…
On the coast near Xie Shan Ridge in the Blood Slaughter Sea.
Hu Shan and Qi Chengchu anxiously gazed at the valley entrance of Xie Shan Ridge, waiting for the result.
Xie Shan Ridge was a special environment. If the two major demon sects truly planned to attack them, simply crossing Xie Shan Ridge would take at least a few months.
Therefore, the movements of Xie Shan Ridge would determine their next actions in the Great Void Realm.
They waited for two or three days.
At the entrance of the valley, a black-dressed female cultivator appeared.
This black-dressed cultivator moved lightly, seemingly using some secret technique. She crossed the gravitational barriers of Xie Shan Ridge in under five days.
"Senior Sister, I've already killed all the demonic cultivators from the two major sects who were aware of your entrance into the Great Void Realm. None were left alive," the black-dressed female cultivator said with a gentle smile.
"Killed them? Doesn't that indirectly inform the Demon Lord Gui Luo and Elder Ning Yan about the changes in the Great Void Realm?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Chengchu's expression changed slightly.
Cultivators from sects, unlike rogue cultivators, carried soul tokens. After a large-scale death, the sect would immediately launch an investigation.
"Don't worry, Qi Daoist! My junior sister's killing methods are different from other cultivators. Even if she kills, unless someone actively investigates, no one can tell the difference between the dead and the living after several years."
Hu Shan smiled and explained.
Upon hearing this, Qi Chengchu's expression relaxed somewhat, feeling relieved.
"By the way, junior sister, who was the cultivator you killed this time? Why did it cause you so much trouble, making my junior sister assist you?"
The black-dressed female cultivator smiled politely, asking with curiosity.
"Well, this cultivator is someone you actually know. More than a hundred years ago, he forced you to flee to the Wolf Demon Mountain and take refuge under Master's sect."
Hu Shan gave a cryptic reply.
But the black-dressed female cultivator, familiar with her own past, couldn't help but know exactly who Hu Shan was referring to.
Her expression changed slightly, and the smile on her face faded as she stared at Hu Shan. "Senior Sister, the cultivator you're referring to... is it the third-grade talisman master Wei Tu?"
"Yes, that's right, it's Wei Tu!" Hu Shan nodded slightly, not minding doing a small favor for her master's favored junior sister.
However, she didn't notice that the black-dressed female cultivator's expression was already turning grim.
"Wei Tu?!"
At this moment, the black-dressed female cultivator's face completely turned cold. Her gaze turned fierce, and with gritted teeth, she spoke through clenched jaws, "You dared kill my people! Hu Shan, you will pay for this with your life! Ten times over! Blood debt for blood repayment!"