The night was deep, and all was silent.

For Qin Ming, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

He lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Qin Ming could never have imagined.

In the blink of an eye, several of his neighbors had been inexplicably massacred.

His mind kept replaying the information Fengg Yuan had mentioned, so he simply didn't sleep, and pondered his future plans carefully.

...

The next day, as the sun rose, all things revived.

Qin Ming got up, opened the window, and exhaled a deep breath of turbid air.

After a night of contemplation, he already had a plan.

After breakfast.

Qin Ming arrived at the seventh floor of the Juxuan Pavilion.

Across from him sat the otherworldly Guu Qingzhao.

"Fellow Daoist Guu, with the current chaotic situation and the storm brewing, I wish to purchase some powerful items for protection. Do you have any recommendations?"

Upon hearing this, Guu Qingzhao smiled gracefully, her breath fragrant as she said, "Of course I do."

With that, she took out a few items from her storage pouch and placed them in front of Qin.

"Yin Thunder, a single-use item. Once released, even those at the Foundation Establishment Stage must avoid it."

"Talisman treasure, Golden Spirit Brick, can be used three more times, with power equivalent to a full-force strike of an early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator."

...

Qin Ming spent a fortune of Spirit Stones to purchase five Yin Thunders and the Golden Spirit Brick talisman treasure, causing his storage pouch's Spirit Stones to shrink by more than half.

But it was not enough.

As he collected the items from the table, he casually asked Guu Qingzhao, "By the way, Fellow Daoist Guu, I wish to inquire about something."

"How strong is Elder Huangfu within your pavilion?"

Guu Qingzhao was slightly surprised by Qin Ming's question but still answered frankly:

"Huangfu Guardian is the strongest among the three main guardians of our pavilion in Wei Country."

"To exaggerate in the slightest, although Huangfu Guardian's cultivation is only at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, his actual strength ranks in the top ten among all Foundation Establishment cultivators in Wei."

Unexpectedly, despite Huangfu Qii looking scholarly and refined, his strength was indeed formidable!

After hearing this, Qin Ming felt assured.

After concluding the transaction with Guu Qingzhao.

Qin Ming bid farewell and left.

Just as he reached the first floor's hall, he heard some sect disciples discussing at a wine table.

"Hey, we've been in this backwater place for over half a year; why hasn't the sect given the order to seize that Tier Three Spirit Vein?"

"Yeah, idling like this isn't a solution!"

"Are you stupid?"

"Whoever dares to move on that Tier Three Spirit Vein first will face the slashing knife from the Upper Sect."

"Look at the Spirit Feather Sect and Golden Cloud Valley, even if they've occupied the Spirit Vein, do they dare to openly use its resources?"

"Besides, can they even weigh their capacity? Is that Tier Three Spirit Vein and the Ancient Ruins so easy to claim?"

"You know why the Upper Sect, despite knowing about the Tier Three Spirit Vein, hasn't sent anyone to the Yunze Wilderness?"

"They're just waiting to see who can't resist jumping out so they can set an example!"

Qin Ming only paused slightly before leaving Juxuan Pavilion.

He naturally understood the 'Upper Sect' mentioned by the sect disciples just now.

In Wei Country, the Thunder Origin Sect, guarded by a Golden Core Ancestor, is the undisputed sole overlord-level existence.

It governs the Spirit Feather Sect, Golden Cloud Valley, Hundred Flowers Sect, Divine Herbal Sect, and three other Qi Cultivation Clans with Fake Pill Stage, a total of seven second-tier powers.

Qin Ming's cultivation clan belonged to a third-tier power, and in these cultivation clans, they could barely produce a single Foundation Establishment cultivator each generation.

Beyond that were countless Qi cultivation clans and other forces.

Guu Qingzhao had long hinted to him that the current convoluted situation was likely driven by the Thunder Origin Sect behind the scenes.

The seven second-tier sects dare not touch the Tier Three Spirit Vein and Ancient Ruins first because the Thunder Origin Sect has yet to express its stance, leaving all in hesitation.

They can only target Loose Cultivators.

Because, unwittingly, a third-tier force under the Upper Sect's command may be secretly coveting, ready at any time to replace the seven great powers.

For a time, the situation in Yunze Wilderness fell into a subtle state; no one wants to be the first to stand out and break this balance.

Because otherwise, whoever moves first might be jointly targeted by other forces and annihilated.

Qin Ming left the Qingyang Market directly.

He rode the Spiritual Light Shuttle straight towards Yunmeng Mountain.

After half an hour of rapid flight, he arrived at the mist-shrouded Yunmeng Mountain.

Landing on the mountainside, he announced himself to the guards.

Before long, the guard returned and respectfully said:

"Fellow Daoist Qin, Huangfu Guardian requests your presence!"

Following his previous memory, Qin Ming soon found himself in front of Huangfu Qii's cave mansion.

Outside the cave mansion, the restriction array rippled like a wave, revealing an entrance.

Qin Ming stepped inside.

In the book pavilion of the cave mansion, Huangfu Qii was practicing calligraphy with a brush in flowing script.

Upon seeing Qin Ming, he put down his brush and hurriedly greeted: "Friend Qin is here! Come, come, help me see how this new practice turned out today?"

Hearing this, Qin Ming respectfully bowed first.

Then he walked over and looked down at the script.

Honestly, he couldn't make much out of it.

"Excellent calligraphy! Graceful as frightened swan, swift as a traveling dragon, truly vivid and strong!" Qin Ming recited every idiom he could think of, timely flattering him.

After all, he had a favor to ask soon.

Huangfu Qii, hearing this, smiled knowingly and pointed at Qin Ming, "You really know how to talk, kid."

"So, what do you want from me?"

"Elder Huangfu, I wish to use the promise you granted me," Qin Ming stated his purpose directly.

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Qii showed a gentle smile, "Go ahead, what would you like me to do?"

A trace of unease flashed in Qin Ming's eyes, as he cleared his throat and summoned the courage to speak, "I've heard that Elder Huangfu's strength is exceptionally formidable, even within the entire Wei Country cultivation realm."

"I have admired you for a long time. This time, I wish to use your promise to broaden my horizons."

"Elder Huangfu... could you demonstrate for me your life's strongest spell in one strike?"

Huangfu Qii: "???"

"Friend Qin, are you sure this is all you want?"

Huangfu Qii was also puzzled, struggling to grasp Qin Ming's intention.

"Alright then, since I promised you, I won't go back on my word."

"Follow me outside; this place is too small for such a display."

Seeing his agreement, Qin Ming's face lit up with joy!

The two left the cave mansion, then flew on magical artifacts.

After about half an incense stick's time.

Even Yunmeng Mountain behind them was no longer in sight.

Qin Ming became curious, was it really necessary to come this far just to cast a spell?

Finally.

Huangfu Qii stopped, his sleeves billowed, and he stood with his hands behind him.

He then turned his head to Qin Ming and said, "Watch closely, I'll only display it once."

Inside, Qin Ming was excited as he nodded obediently, for it was his first time witnessing a Foundation Establishment Great Power cast a spell.

The next moment.

Huangfu Qii began to move.

As such.

Qin Ming witnessed with his own eyes the most awe-inspiring scene since he had crossed over to the cultivation realm.

...

Immediately, the purple [Spell Duplication] leaf in Qin Ming's Sea of Consciousness disappeared...

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