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In a bustling human city's tavern, cultivators huddled in groups, swapping the continent's hottest gossip. "Heard the news? Qing Yun Sect was disbanded, its treasures looted!" a bearded Golden Core man boasted.
"Brother, really? A Seventh-Grade sect—who'd dare?" a young teenager, stunned, had planned to join Qing Yun Sect's next assessment.
"Kid, you from the wilderness? The whole continent knows!" a woman eyed him oddly.
"I've been in seclusion over half a year, out of touch," the teen admitted, sheepish.
"Pity! The past months were earth-shaking, and you missed it!" the bearded man sighed theatrically.
"Enlighten me, Brother! Here's a token…" The teen offered ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, eager.
Pocketing them, the man began, "Months ago, Liu Clan unified Ping An City. They're blazing like the noon sun!"
"Liu Clan? I know them barely Fourth-Grade. How?" the teen and others wondered.
"That's intel from my neighbor's cousin's wife's nephew in Ping An City!" the man rubbed his hands. Another cultivator, itching, tossed five Spirit Stones. "Heh, Liu Clan's matriarch, Liu Shi Qin, has a friend a woman whose husband helped unify the city!"
"So powerful? Their cultivation?" the teen pressed, curious.
"Spirit Transformation Peak, naturally!" the man stroked his beard, guessing.
"No wonder! Time to cozy up to Liu Clan," some murmured, noting it.
"What about Qing Yun Sect?" the teen urged, restless.
"Hold on…" the man waved, savoring the suspense. "Don't forget the sky-shattering battle a thousand miles from Ping An City!"
"What battle?" The crowd leaned in.
He extended his hand; another tossed Spirit Stones. "You won't believe it! It was a brutal chase—Qing Yun Sect's Great Elder, Gu Dun Di, was hunted!"
"Gu Dun Di hunted?!" The crowd gasped.
"He's right. I saw it Gu Dun Di was chased by a masked figure!" another confirmed.
"Who'd have such guts?" the teen's blood raced, imagining a Late Spirit Transformation pursuit.
"How'd I know? The masked man wielded a terrifying Heterogeneous Flame, transforming into a phoenix, flames blanketing the sky!" the man recounted, awed.
Gulp. "A Heterogeneous Flame—no wonder!" Greed flickered in some eyes.
"Then what? Gu Dun Di died?" someone guessed.
"It gets wilder!" The man grinned, hand out. A frustrated cultivator threw a pouch of Spirit Stones. "Another figure appeared—one of Blood Spirit Sect's Four Guardians, Xue You!"
"Blood Spirit Sect fishing for profit?" The crowd jolted, the sect's name daunting.
"No! Xue You inexplicably allied with Gu Dun Di against the masked man!" the man said smugly.
"Poor masked guy," someone sighed, others nodding.
"Wrong! The masked man unleashed a heaven-rending art, shattering space, slaying both Gu Dun Di and Xue You!" the man declared, reverent.
Silence fell, disbelief thick. "Was he Void Refinement?" someone croaked, others nodding.
"No clue!" the man shook his head; the battle's terror kept onlookers at bay—except a certain Bing Lan Xi.
"What about Qing Yun Sect? Gu Dun Di's death must've enraged them!" the teen persisted.
"I know that!" an old man rasped. "Surviving Qing Yun Sect disciples say two people disbanded them!"
"Two? Old man, you jesting? Two took down a Seventh-Grade sect?" skeptics scoffed.
"Hmph! My grandson, a Qing Yun Sect disciple, returned home and told me himself!" the elder huffed.
"Speak, Senior!" The crowd softened, smiling.
The elder rubbed his fingers; someone tossed Spirit Stones. "A man and woman man masked, woman veiled. No one saw their faces, but both were Void Refinement!" he said gravely.
Hiss. Two Void Refinement cultivators explained Qing Yun Sect's fall. "Was the masked man Gu Dun Di's hunter?" someone asked.
"Obviously! At Qing Yun Sect, he brought a woman, riding a white crane, like divine lovers with killing intent!" the bearded man sighed.
"Your news is stale! There's fresher gossip!" a mocking voice interrupted. A 30-ish youth, Golden Core aura strong, entered.
"New news? I'm outdated again? Sit, Brother!" The bearded man yielded his seat, a gossip hound himself.
"Customary fee!" the youth grinned, hand out. The crowd's mouths twitched, but news was gold. The bearded man paid.
Planning to recoup by retelling elsewhere, the man listened as the youth whispered, "A mysterious organization emerged recently!"
"Pfft!" The crowd scoffed. Organizations rose and fell daily nothing new.
The youth smirked at their disdain. "This one's shown three members, all masked, with stunning feats!"
"What feats?" Curiosity piqued.
"In Wild Domain Forest, Blood Spirit Sect's core disciple Xue Yi ambushed Hundred Flowers Sect, targeting Second Saintess Hua Yu Feng for her beauty!" the youth paused.
"Despicable!" Men roared, Hua Yu Feng an idol to many.
"At the brink, three masked figures appeared. One, with peerless movement, saved Hua Yu Feng in a flash!" the youth grinned.
"Well done!" The crowd cheered, relieved.
"Another blocked Xue Yi and his corpse puppet's attacks with a mighty palm!" the youth said, awed. "The third was terrifying two sword strikes beheaded the puppet and Xue Yi, too swift to react!"
"Impressive!" The crowd nodded approvingly.
"How'd you know details?" someone doubted.
"My neighbor's wife's cousin's daughter, an outer Hundred Flowers Sect disciple, told me!" the youth boasted, continuing, "It's spread through Hundred Flowers Sect. The masked trio are old friends of Third Saintess Yan Ruo Xue!"
"Hundred Flowers Sect declared war on Blood Spirit Sect, vowing death over surrender!" The crowd admired the women's resolve.
"Why's it a new organization?" the bearded man asked.
"They admitted it!" the youth replied.
"What's it called? Sounds formidable!" the crowd chorused.
The youth scanned their eager faces, softly uttering, "Harem."
Inside Spirit Realm Pearl, atop Palace Tree's Husband-Wife Palace, Lan An sat cross-legged, Ji Bing's flawless nude form on his lap, her skin soft as silk. Her stunning face—delicate nose, rosy lips, dimpled cheeks—remained serene, eyes closed in slumber. Their intimate connection was tight, yet Lan An's focus was solemn.
His mind centered on his dantian, where Flame Heart, Heavenly Wood, Mysterious Water, and Spirit Earth Cauldrons anchored four corners, suppressing a five-turning white lotus at the center Soul Nurturing Lotus. Ancient scriptures glowed within his soul, refining the lotus's power.
After nearly a month, Lan An * had absorbed half its soul force, boosting his Soul Cultivation to Early Nascent Soul an astounding leap. Yet the lotus resisted *, risking escape to Ji Bing if he stopped, which could destroy her fragile soul. Through their union, he channeled soul energy to heal her, improving her condition, ensuring survival even without further dual-cultivation.
Unsatisfied, Lan An aimed to fully refine the lotus and awaken Ji Bing. His Forbidden Art's ancient scripts made this feasible, time the only barrier.
One day, the thunder-shrouded egg on Palace Tree's peak quaked. Crack! Shells shattered, purple lightning erupting, earth-rending. From the debris emerged Little Lion, a Purple Thunder Griffin eagle head and wings, lion body, now with a violet lightning mark on its forehead.
It gazed fondly at Lan An and Ji Bing, then roared. Purple lightning cloaked it, its aura surging: Third-Tier… Late Third-Tier… Peak Third-Tier… Fourth-Tier… Mid Fourth-Tier… stopping at Early Fifth-Tier, rivaling Early Spirit Transformation.
The Sixth-Grade Peak Beast Core fueled its meteoric rise, though not fully absorbed. Now majestic, its robust frame towered, eagle beak diamond-sharp, wings spanning dozens of meters, fur electric. Flapping, thunder boomed, lightning flashed. It vanished, reappearing dozens zhang away in a breath—speed unparalleled.
Testing its prowess, Little Lion darted, lightning trailing, battle lust in its eyes, eager to fight beside Lan An. Settling atop Palace Tree, it guarded Lan An like a divine sentinel.
In Shi Qin Palace, Liu Shi Qin's exquisite form levitated, surrounded by mountains of Spirit Stones, their spiritual energy staggering. Without the palace's reinforced structure, it'd collapse.
Ancient, alluring chants flowed from her lips Ice Moon Night Wind Scripture's mantra. A faint crescent moon mark glimmered her forehead, enhancing her noble beauty, breathtakingly radiant. It absorbed ambient energy swiftly.
Her aura climbed steadily, unhurried. Her pure Wind Spirit transformed into dark, chilling Night Wind, eerie and spectral, marking her scripture mastery's dawn.