Zhi Xuan opened his eyes. He took a long, hurried breath, feeling his lungs fill with the harsh volcanic air. His physical body felt heavy, cold, and exhausted, but within his meridians, his essence circulated with a new, more controlled, and efficient pattern.

  Fei Sheng, whose knees were stained with volcanic dust and whose jade fan was clutched tightly to his chest, stared at him with a mixture of relief and caution. Feng Yi, the Fire Phoenix Girl, was gripping Zhi Xuan's shoulders with both hands, her beautiful face filled with a rare, cold concern.

  "Herald of Devil! You're awake!" Feng Yi exclaimed. She immediately released Zhi Xuan's shoulder, her face flushing as she realized she had been holding her rival. She quickly returned to her arrogant aura. "What happened?! You suddenly collapsed like a sack of garbage! Don't tell me you ran out of essence just because of that damned maneuver!"

  Zhi Xuan suppressed the urge to complain about Feng Yi's inevitable pinching and roughness. He stood up with a smooth, calm movement, allowing his Black Jade essence to circulate in his meridians which now felt both strange and familiar. His recovery was much faster than it should have been. That was the benefit of the control key he had just obtained from the Ancient Devil.

  He ignored Feng Yi and turned to Fei Sheng, who was now holding the three Consciousness Transformation Beast Cores—the Gold Core, the Fire Core, and the Thunder Core—with trembling hands.

  "Where are we?" Zhi Xuan asked, his voice hoarse.

  Fei Sheng, a true Daoist who cared about truth and aesthetic balance, let out a long sigh, his controlled aura feeling turbulent. He did not care where they were; he cared about what they had just witnessed.

  "We are at the western edge of the Falling Star Secret Realm, Brother Zhi Xuan," Fei Sheng replied, his tone full of seriousness. "I used the Law of Wind to bring us as far as I could without drawing attention. But that is not important. This is what is important!"

  Fei Sheng held up the three cores, allowing their pure essence to emanate, filling the air with soft Law of Lightning, Fire, and Thunder.

  "Three Golden Azure Kings," Fei Sheng whispered, his crystal eyes radiating deep fear. "This is worth at least sixty Organ Transformation Cores. That is enough to guarantee our position in the top ten. And you, yourself, were unconscious all night!"

  "I know their value," Zhi Xuan replied flatly, stepping forward and taking the three cores from Fei Sheng's trembling hands. His touch was cold and efficient. He showed no greed, only calculation. "I was not unconscious. I merely experienced deep spiritual exhaustion. And with these three cores, the three of us can guarantee a position on the Star King Ladder."

  Zhi Xuan distributed the three cores, Feng Yi getting the Fire core, Fei Sheng getting the Thunder core, and Zhi Xuan getting the Lightning core. Their hunt had paid off, coupled with the previous two cores of the Fire Azure King and Earth Azure King at the Organ Transformation level, this was enough to guarantee their position.

  "Sixty Organ Transformation Cores... you owe me a life, Herald of Devil," Feng Yi hissed, her anger now mixed with unavoidable ecstasy. She caught the Fire Core with her left hand. The core radiated an incredible resonance with her Phoenix Fire Essence, as if the Core were a missing piece. Feng Yi could already feel her Organ Transformation foundation trembling, ready to advance further.

  Fei Sheng, on the other hand, did not show the same excitement. He held the Thunder Core, his eyes fixed on Zhi Xuan, who now stood tall, his spiritual exhaustion gone as if blown away by the wind. The other part, Feng Yi looked back at Zhi Xuan.

  "Herald of Devil, stop lying!" Feng Yi hissed, her aura blazing. She took a step forward, refusing to accept such a shallow explanation. "Spiritual exhaustion? Do you think I am blind?! There was a Giant Shadow Finger manifested from the void, radiating an ancient aura that made the Lightning Leopard flee! What was it?!"

  Feng Yi, despite her arrogance, had sharp combat instincts. She did not care about the value of the cores; she cared about the source of the terrifying power that had almost killed all three of them.

  "That Finger... it was the Law of Ancient Power," Zhi Xuan replied, he was not completely lying, but he twisted the truth with the skill of a Devil. He touched the Golden Lightning Core, feeling the gentle warmth of the pure essence that was now cleansed of the Devil Law. "I pushed my Artifact—the Divine Furnace—beyond its limits. That Artifact—the Divine Furnace—retaliated by manifesting the ancient defense will of the Star Burial Forest Pine."

  Zhi Xuan shrugged. "You gave me your fiery essence, and that clash with my icy foundation caused an unpredictable spiritual resonance, activating an unintentional manifestation. I did not do it on purpose. It was... a pure and crude energy reaction."

  Zhi Xuan cut off contact, he blocked access to requests for clarification from Feng Yi and Fei Sheng. Ignoring them and walking a short distance away, looking around them where the smell of blood and chaotic spiritual essence now filled the air. A sign that there had been a battle here while he was unconscious.

  "Did you two fight here?" Zhi Xuan said, without turning around. Crouching to look at the traces of battle and several cultivators lying a short distance from his location. "Did they carry Azure King cores?"

  "Three Consciousness Transformation Cores are more than enough," Fei Sheng replied, his voice containing a cold warning. He placed the Thunder Core into his storage bag with a very inelegant movement, showing his inner turmoil. "And do not change the subject, Brother Zhi Xuan! Junior Sister Feng Yi is right! That power surpassed any Defensive Artifact."

  "I am not changing the subject," Zhi Xuan said calmly, he rose from his position, turning around to stare flatly at Fei Sheng. "Is this not a collaboration? Every cultivator has secrets, and we agreed beforehand not to pry into each other's."

  Fei Sheng took a cold breath, his Law of Wind aura swirling around him, tightening. His clear eyes stared straight into Zhi Xuan's eyes which now radiated a new, cold calmness.

  "That is true," Fei Sheng hissed, calmly accepting what had just happened. "Every cultivator has secrets. I will not ask about the origin of that Shadow Finger again."

  Fei Sheng closed his jade fan with a sharp click, a rare gesture that showed he had reached his limit of tolerance. However, as a Dao path cultivator focused on balance, he knew that continuing to pressure Zhi Xuan would only destroy their alliance. The calmness that returned to Zhi Xuan, although suspicious, felt more real than the briefly manifested aura of destruction.

  "Good," Fei Sheng said, his tone returning to the elegance of a senior brother, but with an indelible layer of coldness. "From now on, your secret is your secret. However, if that secret threatens our Dao again, this alliance will end at that very moment, Brother Zhi Xuan."

  Feng Yi snorted. She was not satisfied with the answer, but seeing the seriousness in the eyes of Fei Sheng—the senior brother she respected—she chose to remain silent. She tightened her grip on the Consciousness Transformation Fire Core, admitting internally that the Core was the inevitable justification for the danger they faced. Three Consciousness Transformation Cores were more than enough to justify one hidden great secret.

  Zhi Xuan nodded flatly, accepting the warning without emotion. He bowed low and clasped his hands in front of his chest. "That is fair. I consider you allies, as you did not betray me when I was unconscious."

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Zhi Xuan raised his body again, his formal and cold demeanor ending the awkwardness and emotional turmoil between them. His sapphire eyes now radiated a sharp glint, focused on the future.

  "Three Consciousness Transformation Cores, plus the previous two Organ Transformation Cores," Zhi Xuan said, his tone returning to efficient calculation, as if he were counting loot. "Five cores are enough to place us at the top of the top ten list. Fifteen days remain. And to my question, did those scattered cultivators carry any Azure King Cores?"

  Zhi Xuan pointed again at the lifeless bodies of the cultivators scattered a short distance away from them. Zhi Xuan could already guess that Fei Sheng and Feng Yi had fought for some time while he was unconscious for almost the entire night.

  Fei Sheng and Feng Yi exchanged glances. Their expressions stiffened. There was a hidden shame in their eyes, an unspoken admission that they had fought hard just to survive amidst the remnants of the Golden Azure Kings' battle.

  "Yes," Fei Sheng replied, letting out a long sigh, his tone heavy. "When you collapsed, the aura of destruction left by the Shadow Finger crippled the Consciousness Transformation Beasts. However, the lower-level Organ Transformation Beasts, coming from all directions, became feral. They were attracted by the smell of blood and the spiritual essence of the injured and dead Azure Kings."

  Fei Sheng waved his hand toward their surroundings.

  "Those you see," he continued, pointing at the blood-stained corpses scattered on the volcanic ground. "They are mid to late-phase Organ Transformation cultivators, who were also lurking around the valley. They came to harvest the cores of the injured Azure Kings—two Wind Wolf Azure Kings and a Steel Tiger—left behind by the Three Golden Azure Kings."

  "We did not kill them," Feng Yi quickly interrupted, her tone containing a hint of self-defense. She did not want the reputation of her Fire Phoenix Sect to be tarnished by unnecessary killing. "We merely..."

  "We merely defended ourselves, Brother Zhi Xuan," Fei Sheng interjected, nodding. "They tried to seize the Seven Star Boat, the Azure King Cores we had obtained earlier, and even tried to harm you while you were defenseless."

  Fei Sheng stared straight at Zhi Xuan, as if gauging his reaction to the violence they were forced into. "We were forced to kill five people. They were all Organ Transformation cultivators, and yes, they carried some insignificant Organ Transformation cores—only about eight cores. However, among them, there was one late-phase Organ Transformation cultivator who carried two early-stage Organ Transformation Azure King cores he had just killed."

  Zhi Xuan nodded slowly. Five kills, with a total of ten Organ Transformation cores. That was a significant haul, but far from the amount they needed.

  "I understand," Zhi Xuan said calmly, he certainly could not ignore this. He waved his hand and his divine furnace whistled into existence, the divine furnace rotating the Law of Spring embedded in its foundation. "Thank you for protecting me when I was unconscious, this Spring essence, although not much, is enough to aid your recovery."

  Zhi Xuan waved his hand and the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron whistled into existence, rotating the Law of Spring embedded in its foundation. The Cauldron turned and radiated a stable Law of Spring aura over Fei Sheng and Feng Yi. The gentle Spring essence, although not abundant, flowed into their meridians, alleviating the tension from the fierce battle and correcting their disturbed essence circulation.

  Feng Yi and Fei Sheng were shocked. Even though Zhi Xuan had just denied the origin of his power, he was now offering selfless help. Feng Yi, whose meridians felt hot and tense from over-pumping her Phoenix Fire, immediately felt a cold relief, as if heavenly dew was moisturizing her dry meridians. Fei Sheng, whose Law of Wind felt torn from the extreme speed maneuver, felt his foundation slowly return to calm.

  "Law of Spring?" Fei Sheng whispered, his crystal eyes radiating honest admiration. "Such pure Spring essence... Brother Zhi Xuan, is this... is this also a side effect of your Artifact?"

  "No," Zhi Xuan replied with a faint smile, he channeled stable spiritual essence into the divine furnace. "This is my Soul Artifact, forged naturally with the Law I comprehend, the Law of Four Seasons."

  Zhi Xuan allowed the Spring Law from the Heavenly Trifold Reincarnation Cauldron to envelop Fei Sheng and Feng Yi for several breaths, ensuring minimal recovery effects were achieved. His faint smile immediately vanished, replaced by a cold calmness. After all, displaying kindness must be efficient.

  "Brother Fei Sheng, we have been here for at least two mortal days," Zhi Xuan said, his tone returning to sharp calculation, ending the awkward moment of camaraderie. "We only have one more night to spend, what is your plan?"

  Fei Sheng took a long breath, savoring the remnants of the Spring essence that were now restoring his foundation. His expression softened, his admiration for the intricate Law and its benefits overcoming his suspicion of Zhi Xuan's secrets. He closed his jade fan, and this time, his movement was elegant again.

  "Tonight is the final night in the Falling Star Secret Realm," Fei Sheng replied, his eyes radiating restored sharpness. "Beyond the borders of the Lower District, the night-time Law is more brutal. Peak spiritual Beasts become stronger, and abyss spiritual Beasts emerge from ground fissures. However, the essence fluctuation in the air also reaches its peak."

  Fei Sheng waved his jade fan, his Law of Wind scanning the terrain in front of them.

  "With a total of fifteen Azure King cores, we have already exceeded the required limit for the top ten. However," he narrowed his eyes at Zhi Xuan. "Seeing you, Herald of Devil, and the ambition hidden beneath your cold Dao will, I know you are not satisfied with just the top ten."

  Feng Yi snorted in agreement. She also knew that the battle and the acquisition of fifteen Azure King cores was merely the beginning for the peak night in the Falling Star Secret Realm.

  "The Lightning Leopard Azure King and the other two Beasts, even after their cores were stolen, may still be alive, crippled, but Consciousness Transformation Beasts are very resilient," Fei Sheng continued, his voice containing a warning tone. "However, returning to that valley is suicide. The aura of destruction you released has attracted all the Consciousness Transformation Beasts in this area."

  Zhi Xuan nodded, acknowledging the logic. Ruo Xianxue's ambition for the Three Heavens Jade Purifying Pool required him to be in the top ten. Five Consciousness Transformation cores already guaranteed that. However, Ruo Xianxue's understanding of the Ancient Dao had cultivated a new ambition within him; he must not be satisfied with just enough.

  "We are not returning to the valley," Zhi Xuan replied flatly. He flipped his hand, and the Golden Lightning Core disappeared into his storage bag. "Brother Fei Sheng, you are one who understands the Law of nature. Where the Law is strongest, that is where the best resources usually are. Is there a place you suspect is the peak point of essence fluctuation tonight?"

  Fei Sheng and Feng Yi exchanged glances for a moment. Their eyes radiated a silent understanding—they knew exactly where Zhi Xuan wanted to go.

  "There is," Fei Sheng answered, his tone full of tension. He pointed toward the northeast, to a giant shadow in the distance that loomed high above the volcanic plains. "The Crimson Star Volcano."

  "The Crimson Star Volcano," Feng Yi repeated, her voice slightly choked. "That is the spiritual vein source of half of this Secret Realm area. It is a place said to possess pure spiritual essence, useful for enhancing cultivation foundations."

  Zhi Xuan narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze penetrating the shadows of the night. The mountain radiated a thick, deadly aura of essence, like a throbbing heart in the dark. But also, it felt enveloped by dense spiritual essence.

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw, his sapphire eyes now radiating a hidden, black-purple glint. The Crimson Star Volcano. The place where the spiritual veins converge, a peak point of spiritual essence fluctuation. This was not just about fulfilling Ruo Xianxue's ambition for the Three Heavens Jade Purifying Pool; this was about carving his own Great Path, strengthening the foundation whose key he had just obtained from the Ancient Devil.

  "The Crimson Star Volcano," Zhi Xuan murmured, his tone cold and absolute. "Pure energy, abundant Fire Law, and likely beneficial spiritual herbs there. That is the perfect place to end our final night in the Falling Star Secret Realm."

  Zhi Xuan did not wait for agreement. He had made his decision. His leading and absolute action once again affirmed that he was the cold mastermind of their alliance, a will driven by sharp calculation and ambition shrouded in darkness.

  Fei Sheng sighed, he realized that his question was not to ask for an idea, but to ask for confirmation of the most dangerous path. He shook his head slightly, closing his jade fan and returning it to its place at his waist, a sign that he had accepted his fate.

  "The Crimson Star Volcano is the battleground of the Consciousness Transformation peaks," Fei Sheng said, his voice calm, channeling his Law of Wind to clear the remaining volcanic dust from his jade robe. "Even we will face trouble if we try to disturb that Main Spiritual Vein Peak."

  Feng Yi, who had placed the Fire Core into her storage bag, tightened her grip on the hilt of her spiritual sword. Her sharp eyes radiated a calm flame. Her fear of the Shadow Finger had been replaced by the excitement of an inevitable battle and the promise of unimaginable spiritual wealth.

  "If there is a chance there, then it is worth the risk," Feng Yi hissed, her arrogance returning, now supported by the satisfaction of three Golden Azure King Cores. "I do not want to lose to those arrogant children of the great sects in this Secret Realm. I must obtain something that can transform my foundation!"

  Zhi Xuan nodded in satisfaction. The ambition of his two allies, especially Feng Yi's pride, was the perfect justification for stepping toward absolute danger. Zhi Xuan waved his hand, summoning the Seven Star Boat back.

  "We will not get too close," Zhi Xuan said calmly, stepping to board the boat. "We will only absorb the spiritual essence, then get out of here and meet again at the Star King Ladder."