Chapter 293: Refining Benyuan Qi, Jie Yun!

"Master’s cultivation has broken through again," Lu Qing said, sensing the shift in Old Doctor’s aura, his voice tinged with surprise.

Not long after, Old Doctor opened his eyes. His aura collapsed inward, returning to the demeanor of an ordinary old man. Even the presence of Benyuan Qi had been completely suppressed.

"Congratulations, Master—another breakthrough in your cultivation," Lu Qing said at once, beaming.

"This Benyuan Qi truly is wondrous. No wonder it drove so many martial cultivators into madness," Old Doctor mused.

Having only just begun refining it, his cultivation had already reached the peak of the Great Achievement realm, mere steps away from the complete Xian Tian realm. With a little more accumulation, ascending to Xian Tian Jing Wan Man would be within reach.

More importantly, Benyuan Qi now rested deep within his Dantian sea of Qi, gradually seeping into his body. Old Doctor could already feel that once fully assimilated, his bone and marrow constitution would undergo a revolutionary transformation.

Even more astonishing was the realization that within Benyuan Qi lay a profound Essence—vast and all-encompassing, capable of nurturing all things. If he could grasp even a fraction of its principles, his own realm of understanding would undoubtedly soar.

"A Qing," Old Doctor said, "I’ve already refined Benyuan Qi to the point where I can conceal its aura. Now it’s your turn to refine it."

Lu Qing glanced at Xiao Li, still deep in slumber, and sighed. The little beast showed no sign of waking anytime soon.

So he didn’t wait.

"Alright," he nodded. "But Master, once I refine this Benyuan Qi, I’ll officially enter the Xian Tian Jing. Please keep a close watch."

"You’re finally ready to break through?" Old Doctor exclaimed, genuinely surprised.

He knew his disciple had long since reached the peak of Hou Tian cultivation—indeed, his Spirit Soul Power surpassed even his own. Yet for some reason, Lu Qing had held back, suppressing his cultivation all this time.

Now that the moment had come, Old Doctor finally exhaled in relief.

Still, curiosity tugged at him. "A Qing, has it always been the Benyuan Qi that kept you from breaking through?"

"It’s only part of it," Lu Qing replied, shaking his head. "The full reason… I’ll explain to you after I’ve broken through."

At that moment, the massive White Vortex that had hung above the sky when they first entered the city had already vanished. The laws of the universe had stabilized, entering a new, unshakable phase.

It was precisely this stability that had intensified Lu Qing’s desire to break through—his body could no longer bear the pressure.

"Then go ahead and break through," Old Doctor said, seeing the signs clearly. "Do it now."

Lu Qing released the Benyuan Qi, still wrapped in his Zhen Qi, and drew it into his body. As soon as it entered, it sank into his Dantian sea of Qi. Instantly, he focused his mind, beginning the refinement.

With a thunderous pulse, his Yi consciousness plunged into a mystical state. Vast waves of enlightenment surged through his heart.

That’s it… Benyuan Qi doesn’t just reshape one’s bone and marrow, transforming them into rare, genius-level constitution. What’s more, it contains the Essence of all things—the primordial force that gives rise to all existence. If I can grasp even a sliver of its truth, I’ll gain immense benefits.

Without hesitation, Lu Qing entered his cultivation state, fully immersing himself in the absorption of the Dao Resonance within Benyuan Qi.

As Lu Qing plunged into deep cultivation, completely absorbed in refining the Qi, the battle for Benyuan Qi across the city was nearing its end.

In a narrow alley, the ground was littered with corpses—many of them powerful Xian Tian Realm cultivators, once feared and revered. Now, they were just lifeless bodies.

Among them stood a towering, broad-shouldered man, panting heavily, leaning on his long blade. His body bore deep wounds, bone visible through the gashes—terrifying to behold.

Yet he paid no mind to his injuries. His eyes were fixed on the glowing light clutched in his hand, his face twisted into a maniacal grin.

"At last… I made it to the end. This opportunity… finally belongs to me!"

He recalled the chaos—the moment he and his elder brother had chased the glowing light here, only to see it vanish into a Jin Gu Jing youth. Without hesitation, they killed the boy. And when the light reappeared after his death, more warriors had arrived, intent on stealing it.

Some of them were even stronger than he and his brother. But after years of training together, their bond was unshakable. They fought as one, felling all their enemies.

But then… his brother turned.

A single, ruthless strike—straight through his heart.

The memory sent a shiver through him. If not for a Divine Weapon-grade heart mirror he’d once acquired during a journey long ago, that sword would have pierced his heart and ended him.

"Brother… you never expected I’d have a Divine Weapon Heart Mirror. It saved me from your fatal Piercing Heart Sword."

The man stared at his brother’s lifeless, frozen face, his own expression still pale.

He’d acted in the split second his brother hesitated, chopping off his head. But even so, the blow had left him badly wounded. Even with the Divine Armor protecting him, the shockwave had ruptured his internal organs, staining them with blood.

"Still… the opportunity is mine now. Don’t worry, brother. Though you weren’t kind, I won’t be unkind. Once I refine this power and become an invincible master, I’ll fulfill our oath—our promise to revive the Ming Shan Sect."

With a determined look, he raised the glowing light to his mouth and swallowed it whole.

But before he could flee to a hidden place to refine it, a shadow appeared behind him—without a sound.

The broad-shouldered man froze, his eyes widening in disbelief as a hand pierced through his chest, clutching his beating heart.

The Divine Weapon Heart Mirror lay discarded beside his brother’s corpse.

"How… is this possible?" he gasped, utterly shocked.

His Spirit Soul Power had been spread wide, alert to every movement around him. How had someone gotten so close without him sensing it?

He strained to turn his head, desperate to see who had betrayed him.

The shadow’s hand gave a gentle tremor. Black Qi swirled around it, and with a single motion, he crushed the heart—draining not only the blood, but every drop of life force from the man’s body.

Feeling his Qi and blood vanish at terrifying speed, the man’s eyes widened in pure terror.

"Monster… a demon… from the Demon Path…"

As he spoke, his body shrank further, withering into a skeletal husk, his life force extinguished.

He died without ever seeing the face of his killer.

As he fell, a glowing light burst from his body, rising toward the sky. But before it could escape, a hand—pulsing with Black Qi—reached out and caught it.

"Third thread of Benyuan Qi… excellent. With these three threads, my Demon Body can finally be truly forged."

Even the usually cold and expressionless figure showed a flicker of ecstatic delight.

Yet his joy was short-lived. His brow furrowed.

"Those cow-headed monks are still pestering me. Very well—three threads secured. Time to leave. Once my Demon Body is complete, dealing with them will be child’s play."

With that, he placed the Benyuan Qi into a Jade Bottle, his form shimmering—then vanishing into the shadows of the alley.

Not even five heartbeats passed before several Daoists in robes appeared in the alley.

Had Lin Zhi Rui been present, he would have recognized one of them—the very Yang Ming Dao Ren from Qing Yang Guan, the man who had mocked Xuan Kong Shan atop Sheng Shan.

"Again, he escaped!" Yang Ming Dao Ren said, ignoring the carnage around him. He extended his Spirit Soul Power, scanning the alley’s aura, frustration evident in his voice.

He quickly drew out a Bagua Luopan, focusing his mind. The pointer spun wildly.

"Senior Brother Yang Ming, are you certain the Black Robe Man who stole our glowing light was a Demon Path cultivator?"

"Absolutely," Yang Ming Dao Ren confirmed, his voice firm. "His disguise was good, but his aura—pure, unadulterated Demon Path essence. I can smell it."

"But the remnants of the Demon Path were purged decades ago, cleansed by the Four Secret Places and Sheng Shan together. How could someone with such refined Demon techniques still exist?"

"Exactly. That’s why we must capture him. Unfortunately, the Sheng Cheng prohibits flight. Even our talismans can’t soar. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have let him slip away so easily."

He paused, sensing the final direction the pointer had settled on.

"I’ve found his path. Follow me!"

The others didn’t hesitate. They surged forward, chasing the trail.

Though they longed to pursue the opportunity, they remembered the Master’s order: Whatever happens, follow Senior Brother Yang Ming. And they’d already secured several threads of the light—enough to divide among them. So they obeyed.

Besides, the Black Robe Man carried one thread too. Capturing him would still yield a reward.

Thus, the Daoists of Qing Yang Guan, led by Yang Ming Dao Ren, pursued the elusive Black Robe Man through the city.

But the man was cunning—no ordinary foe. Even with their spirit-tracking talismans, he always slipped away at the last moment.

"Damn it!" Yang Ming Dao Ren growled, fury flashing across his face. That demon brat had toyed with him—twice already.

He swore, if he ever caught him, he’d make him suffer for every insult.

Just as he reached for the Luopan again, a chill ran down his spine.

His heart leapt. Something was wrong.

Before he could react, one of his disciples pointed upward in terror.

"What… is that?"

Yang Ming Dao Ren turned, following the direction.

His eyes shot wide open—his face pale with disbelief.

"Jie Yun?! That thing… how could it be here?!"

"What’s Jie Yun, Senior Brother? Do you know it?" another asked.

But Yang Ming Dao Ren had no answer. His mind was in chaos, locked onto the gray cloud above, desperately trying to confirm what he feared.

"What is that?"

"Clouds? At this altitude? Gray clouds? That’s impossible."

"Such a terrifying aura… is another opportunity about to manifest?"

At the same moment, across Sheng Cheng, others too had noticed the anomaly.

The gray cloud had appeared too suddenly, too unnaturally—radiating a palpable, deadly presence. Any cultivator with even a hint of power could feel it, their blood turning cold.

"Jie Yun? The laws of Heaven and Earth have only just stabilized. How could Jie Yun appear now?"

Even the Black Robe Man, who had just shaken off the Daoists across the street, stood frozen, staring at the sky.

His origins were unknown, but his knowledge far exceeded his rank. He recognized the gray cloud instantly.

Jie Yun.

But the realization only deepened his shock.

This was no ordinary phenomenon. Jie Yun appeared only when something beyond natural law was about to be born—something so unnatural it defied the very fabric of existence.

"Something is about to be born… a being? Or a treasure?"

He had just planned to escape the city after securing the Benyuan Qi. But now, he couldn’t move.

If this was a Unique Treasure about to emerge, missing it would be a regret he’d carry for eternity.

And he had no doubt—this was a Unique Treasure.

The laws of the world had only just settled. No mortal—no matter how powerful—could trigger Jie Yun. Not even the three elders atop Sheng Shan.

They were strong, but not that powerful.

So it had to be a Unique Treasure.

Sheng Cheng had existed for countless ages. Buried beneath its streets and alleys were relics from the immortal era. It made perfect sense.

With a flash of greed in his eyes, he wasted no time. He shot forward, racing toward the location of the gray cloud.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end