66: Chapter 66: Leaving the lake and heading east, a shocking incident occurs in the village, and another ancient bamboo slip is obtained.

Leaving Zhuixing Lake, the world became increasingly vast.

Ye Qing piloted his Wind Spirit Wings, flying toward the southeast at a steady, unhurried pace.

He no longer deliberately ventured deep into the wilderness, choosing instead to travel along relatively safe routes. Occasionally, he would stop at small markets or temporary camps where Loose Cultivators gathered to inquire about news and exchange for supplies.

With his cultivation already at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage Perfection, and his aura concealed, he appeared to others as merely an ordinary Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivator—low-key and inconspicuous.

One day, a makeshift shantytown appeared in a mountain col ahead, with several faded banners fluttering in the wind, vaguely displaying the words "Temporary Market."

It was not marked on the map, likely formed by the spontaneous gathering of Cultivators displaced by the border war.

Though small in scale, the foot traffic was heavy, and the air was thick with tension, anxiety, and a faint scent of blood.

Ye Qing descended from his flight and landed at the edge of the market.

The buildings inside were crude, mostly wooden sheds and thatched huts, with scattered stalls selling a motley assortment of items of varying quality.

They mainly consisted of Yao Beast Materials, low-grade Medicinal Pills and Talismans, and various sundries of unknown origin.

The passing Cultivators looked hurried and their auras were chaotic. Most were in the Qi Refining Stage, though there were a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators, most of whom looked weary and weathered.

Ye Qing strolled through, his gaze calmly sweeping over the stalls while his ears caught the surrounding discussions.

"……Have you heard? The Black Wind Mountain Range has completely fallen! Sky Wolf Fort and Profound Sword Sect suffered heavy losses, and it is said that a Golden Core Senior has fallen!"

"That's not all! The Yao Race army is advancing in three prongs, and one of them seems to be heading in our direction, to the southeast! This Temporary Market probably won't last long either."

"The flying ships of large merchant guilds like Wanbao Tower and Tiangong Workshop have started reducing their voyages here. The price of supplies is rising three times a day. If this continues, forget about Cultivating—even surviving will be difficult."

"I have a distant cousin serving in Liuyun City; he sent a message the other day saying the city has started conscripting Cultivators to build defensive fortifications. It seems they are preparing for a desperate defense. We Loose Cultivators are caught in the middle and are really getting squeezed from both sides."

"Sigh, this world… I heard a new small Secret Realm has appeared near 'Cuiping Mountain' in the south. Many Loose Cultivators are flocking there, hoping to gamble for an Opportunity; it's better than waiting here to die."

"Cuiping Mountain? That place is close to the 'Myriad Demon Forest' and is even more dangerous! But I heard there are indeed some ancient Cultivator ruins inside, and occasionally you can dig up some good things. Didn't a group of people get a few ancient Jade Slips from there a few days ago and sell them for a good price at the stall next door?"

The information was chaotic, and Ye Qing silently sorted through it.

The border situation continued to deteriorate, Liuyun City was preparing for a desperate defense, and the living space for Loose Cultivators was being squeezed, forcing them to move toward more remote and dangerous regions. The newly discovered Secret Realm at Cuiping Mountain had attracted many desperate souls.

"Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm… ancient Cultivator ruins… it might be worth checking out. Perhaps I can find some ancient Legacy or special Materials to enrich my space collection or inspire the Hunxu Yandao Scripture. However, I must be more careful; it's a mix of good and bad people there, and being close to the Myriad Demon Forest, Yao Race activity is bound to be frequent."

As he was pondering, his gaze swept across an inconspicuous stall in a corner of the market.

The stall owner was a ragged, withered-looking old man with a cultivation of only Level 5 Qi Refining. In front of him lay a dirty piece of burlap, upon which were haphazardly piled some rusted sword and blade fragments, incomplete beast bones, a few dull-colored Ores, and two ancient, grayish-white Jade Slips with damaged edges.

The stall was deserted, with no one paying it any mind.

Ye Qing initially intended to walk past, but deep within his Divine Soul, the "Void Dao Seed" transmitted a faint tremor carrying the essence of "time" and "sealing."

The source of the tremor was precisely one of those two grayish-white Jade Slips.

He paused his steps, walked to the stall, and casually picked up the Jade Slip that had caused the reaction.

The Jade Slip felt cold to the touch and had a peculiar texture—neither gold nor jade—with its surface covered in fine cracks, as if it could shatter at any moment. Probing with his Divine Sense, the information inside was chaotic and blurred, filled with a large amount of blank space and noise; it seemed to be nothing more than a worthless, incomplete slip.

But the reaction of the "Void Dao Seed" could not be wrong.

Ye Qing remained calm, put down that one, picked up the other grayish-white Jade Slip nearby, as well as a few other sundries, and feigned a careful inspection.

"Fellow Daoist, how much for these?" he asked casually, his voice flat.

The Withered Elder lifted his murky eyes and said listlessly, "The whole lot, fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones. No bargaining."

The price was not low; for a Qi Refining Stage Cultivator, it was a huge sum. But for the "junk" on the stall, it was an astronomical price.

The stall owners nearby heard this and cast mocking glances, clearly thinking the old guy had gone crazy for Spirit Stones.

Ye Qing, however, nodded. "Very well."

He readily took out fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, placed them on the stall, collected the two grayish-white Jade Slips and the few sundries, and turned to leave.

It was crisp and decisive, without any hesitation.

The Withered Elder was stunned, seemingly not expecting anyone to actually buy them. He quickly grabbed the Spirit Stones, stuffed them into his bosom, and a flash of imperceptible complexity crossed his murky eyes, only to return to dead silence as he lowered his head and said nothing more.

The surrounding stall owners were also stunned, then shook their heads, simply assuming Ye Qing was a fool with too much money.

Ye Qing left the stall and did not linger in the market. He went straight out of the shantytown, found a secluded mountain forest, and set up a simple Restriction.

He first took out the grayish-white Jade Slip that had triggered the "Void Dao Seed," pressed it to his forehead, concentrated his Divine Sense, and simultaneously channeled a trace of power from the "Void Dao Seed" to assist in his investigation.

This time, the perception was completely different.

The chaotic and blurred information barrier inside the Jade Slip, under the penetration of the Void power, receded like a tide, revealing a small segment of extremely ancient, obscure, yet complete information sealed deep within its core.

This was not a Cultivation Technique or Spell, but an incomplete record regarding an ancient technique known as the "Void Imprint"!

The so-called "Void Imprint" was not an ordinary Talisman or Restriction, but rather, based on one's own comprehension of the Dao of the Void, it involved condensing a special Divine Soul mark and "imprinting" it into the Void, or onto specific objects or living beings.

Once the Imprint was successful, it could possess various wondrous effects: sensing the location of the Imprint from a long distance, transmitting short messages in one direction, triggering a trace of power sealed within the Imprint at critical moments (such as defense, warning, or even counterattack), and even serving as a beacon or medium for casting certain Void-type Divine Abilities.

Of course, the record was incomplete, mentioning only the most basic and superficial methods of condensing and applying the Imprint, and it required the caster to have a deep comprehension of the Dao of the Void.

"Void Imprint… this technique is wondrous! Although incomplete, the concept is extremely profound. If I can master it, it will be of great use in the future, whether for tracking, communication, warning, self-preservation, or in conjunction with the Void Dao Seed to cast more complex Divine Abilities!"

Ye Qing was exhilarated. The value of this ancient slip far exceeded fifty Spirit Stones, and even far exceeded many high-grade Cultivation Techniques.

He picked up the other grayish-white Jade Slip to investigate; this one was just an ordinary, incomplete piece recording some long-lost low-grade Artifact Refining techniques. It was of little value, but it could broaden his knowledge.

The remaining sundries were mostly fragments of Ore containing trace amounts of metal or earth essence, or low-grade Yao Beast Materials. Better than nothing, he collected them all into his space's waste area to be absorbed.

He firmly memorized the content of the incomplete slip recording the "Void Imprint" and carefully stowed the Jade Slip itself away.

This technique required a deep comprehension of the Dao of the Void to attempt practicing. Although he was now at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage Perfection and possessed the Void Dao Seed, he still needed time to ponder and practice.

There was no need to rush.

He put away the Restriction and was preparing to leave when, from the direction of the distant Temporary Market, there was a sudden burst of commotion and exclamations, followed by intense Spiritual Pressure fluctuations and explosions!

"Yao Beast attack! It's a Yao Race squad!"

"Run!"

"Form a defensive formation!"

Exclamations, screams, angry shouts, and explosions instantly shattered the silence of the mountain forest.

Ye Qing frowned, his figure flickered, and he had already quietly darted to the canopy of a nearby tall tree. Concealing his aura, he looked down.

He saw that the Temporary Market from just moments ago had now fallen into Chaos.

Fires had broken out in many places in the shantytown, and thick smoke was billowing.

Three huge, fierce-looking Yao Beasts were rampaging through the market, attacking wantonly.

One was a "Blazing Flame Rhino" with a bright red body, thick skin, protruding tusks, and sparks spraying from its nostrils. It was a Second Stage Late Stage beast, charging with its head down, causing wooden sheds to collapse and flames to rage wherever it passed.

One was the "Ghost-Faced Demon Bat," a Foundation Establishment Mid Stage Yao Beast with a pitch-black body, fleshy wings on its back, and a single horn on its head. It flew with great speed and emitted piercing sonic waves from its mouth, causing many Cultivators to feel dizzy and sluggish upon hearing them.

Another was the "Earth Cave Rock Python," a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Yao Beast with a yellowish body, shaped like a giant lizard, and a tail covered in bone spurs. It lurked underground, bursting forth from time to time, its long tail cracking like a whip, breaking the bones and tendons of any Cultivator it struck.

Although there were many Cultivators in the market, most were at the Qi Refining Stage and could not organize an effective resistance in their haste. The few Foundation Establishment Cultivators were also intimidated by the ferocity of the three Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts, fighting on their own and unable to join forces.

Seeing the heavy casualties, it seemed the market was about to be slaughtered by this small squad of Yao Beasts.

"A Yao Race infiltration squad has actually penetrated this deep? It seems the front line collapsed even faster than rumors suggested."

Ye Qing's gaze was calm as he assessed the battlefield.

Three Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts—one Late Stage and two Mid Stage—possessed no small amount of strength. Moreover, their coordination was excellent, far beyond what the hastily assembled Loose Cultivators could compare to.

If he did not intervene, the hundreds of Cultivators in this market would likely not escape their clutches.

However, acting rashly and exposing his strength might attract unnecessary attention or even cause him to be targeted by the Yao Race.

Yet, standing by and watching others die was not in his nature. Furthermore, the corpses and Yao Cores of three Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts would be a decent supplement for his Space.

"Fine, I will make it quick and clean up afterwards."

Ye Qing made his decision in an instant.

His figure floated down from the tree canopy, no longer concealing his aura. The Spiritual Pressure of a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator erupted, enveloping half the market.

The chaotic battlefield fell silent for a moment.

Many desperate Cultivators felt this powerful aura, looked up one after another, and hope ignited in their eyes.

"A Foundation Establishment Late Stage Senior!"

"We are saved!"

The three Yao Beasts also sensed that the newcomer was hostile. The Blazing Flame Rhino stopped its charge, the Ghost-Faced Demon Bat circled low, and the Earth Cave Rock Python poked its upper body out from the ground, their cold vertical pupils locking onto Ye Qing simultaneously.

"Human Race, you seek death!"

The Blazing Flame Rhino spat out garbled human words, a flash of brutality in its small crimson eyes. Its thick hind legs kicked the ground violently, and its massive body charged toward Ye Qing like a war chariot, sparks flying from its nostrils.

The Ghost-Faced Demon Bat flapped its wings, transforming into a black streak as it attacked from the flank. It opened its mouth to emit piercing sonic waves to interfere with Divine Sense, while its single horn shimmered with a ghostly light, ready to strike.

The Earth Cave Rock Python was the most insidious; with a twist of its body, it submerged into the ground, its presence instantly vanishing, clearly preparing to launch a fatal sneak attack from below.

Facing the three-pronged attack, Ye Qing's expression remained unchanged.

He took half a step forward with his left foot, raised his right hand, and spread his fingers, pressing down into the void toward the charging Blazing Flame Rhino.

"Void Suppression!"

A formless, massive power carrying the essence of solidified space and heavy gravity suddenly descended upon the Blazing Flame Rhino.

The Blazing Flame Rhino's charge came to a sudden halt, as if it had hit an invisible wall of air. The flow of its Yao power became obstructed, the sparks from its nostrils dimmed, and horror filled its eyes.

Taking advantage of its sluggishness, Ye Qing brought his left fingers together and pointed into the air toward the Ghost-Faced Demon Bat attacking from the flank.

"Star Finger."

A point of brilliant starlight shot out from his fingertip. It did not travel in a straight line but traced a profound arc, ignoring the piercing sonic waves emitted by the Demon Bat. It struck first despite being launched later, precisely hitting the root of the fleshy wing.

Pfft! The fleshy wing was pierced through instantly.

The Ghost-Faced Demon Bat screeched in agony, lost its balance, and spiraled down from the sky.

Almost simultaneously, the ground beneath Ye Qing's feet trembled imperceptibly.

Without even looking, he lightly stomped his right foot.

"Earth Pulse Tremor."

A thick wave of earth-elemental vibration radiated from his right foot, instantly penetrating into the ground.

Boom! Over ten zhang away, a patch of ground suddenly exploded, sending dirt flying.

The Earth Cave Rock Python's wretched figure was forcibly shaken out from underground. Dazed and disoriented, before it could recover, it saw a fist covered in Chaos starlight rapidly enlarging before its eyes.

"Shatter." A calm word.

The fist slammed solidly into the python's head. Bang! With a muffled sound, the Earth Cave Rock Python's hard skull collapsed, red and white matter splattered, and the headless python body twitched before collapsing onto the ground.

From the moment Ye Qing acted to the death of the Earth Cave Rock Python, only two breaths of time had passed.

The Blazing Flame Rhino had just broken free from the "Void Suppression" when it saw its companion die miserably. Shocked and enraged, it roared wildly, spewing a large burst of crimson flames from its nostrils that transformed into a wave of fire, sweeping toward Ye Qing.

The Ghost-Faced Demon Bat also managed to stabilize its body, blood dripping from its broken wing, yet its ferocity remained undiminished. It flapped its single wing rapidly, turning into a streak of black light, and brandished its single horn to stab at Ye Qing's heart from behind.

A pincer attack from front and back was extremely dangerous, yet Ye Qing acted as if he were unaware.

His body shifted slightly, his right hand turning into a blade. Chaos spiritual power surged, and the edge of his palm rippled with pale silver Void Realm energy as he slashed diagonally at the oncoming crimson fire wave.

"Void Slash."

Rip! The violent crimson fire wave was actually split in two by this pale silver palm blade, passing by the sides of Ye Qing's body and slamming into the ground behind him, blasting out two scorched craters.

The palm blade did not lose momentum, tracing a graceful arc and sweeping across the Blazing Flame Rhino's neck.

The Blazing Flame Rhino's charging figure suddenly froze, its small crimson eyes filled with disbelief.

The next moment, its massive head slowly slid off, blood gushing from its neck like a fountain, and its huge body collapsed to the ground like a falling mountain.

At the same time, without turning his head, Ye Qing reached back with his left hand. "Capture." He clenched his five fingers into the void.

The Ghost-Faced Demon Bat attacking from behind seemed to have crashed into an invisible net, its body instantly frozen in mid-air. Its single horn was only three feet from Ye Qing's heart, but it could not advance an inch further.

Ye Qing turned around slowly, looking at the Ghost-Faced Demon Bat that was held in mid-air by the "Void Imprisonment" and finally showed fear in its eyes. He flicked his finger, and a point of Chaos starlight sank into its skull.

The Ghost-Faced Demon Bat's body trembled, the light in its eyes dissipated, and it also died.

From the time he acted to the total annihilation of the three Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts, only five breaths of time had passed.

The market was dead silent. All the surviving Cultivators were dumbfounded, staring at the young Cultivator in flowing green robes, his expression calm as if he had just casually swatted a few mosquitoes, and they were too shocked to speak.

They had seen Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators before, but to be this strong, killing Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts like chopping melons and vegetables, was simply unheard of!

Ye Qing ignored the gazes of the crowd. With a wave of his hand, he collected all three Yao Beast corpses, Yao Cores, and valuable Materials (such as rhino horns, Demon Bat horns, python gallbladders, etc.) into his Space waste area.

Then, his gaze swept over the chaotic market, and he looked at the surviving Cultivators, speaking indifferently.

"The Yao Beast squad has been eliminated. This place is not suitable for a long stay. You should all disperse quickly and retreat toward the inland."

The voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

The crowd woke as if from a dream and bowed one after another. "Thank you, Senior, for saving our lives!" "Senior's great kindness will never be forgotten!"

Ye Qing waved his hand, saying no more. His figure flickered, transforming into a green rainbow that shot into the sky, disappearing into the southeastern horizon in an instant.

Leaving behind the group of survivors in the market, who looked at each other, not daring to delay. They packed up simply, carrying their wounded and families, and fled this dangerous place in a panic.

High in the sky, Ye Qing sped along.

Within his body, the Space sent out joyful fluctuations due to the newly acquired "nutrients" from the three Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beasts, accelerating its digestion and absorption.

The feedback of energy was continuous, and his Foundation Establishment Late Stage Perfection cultivation had already touched the barrier of the Foundation Establishment Perfection Stage.

However, he was still not in a hurry to break through. He continued to guide the energy, polishing it repeatedly, striving for Perfection in every Realm.

The incomplete manual of the "Void Imprint" technique slowly emerged in his mind. This technique was profound, and he could use this travel time to ponder it carefully, preparing for future cultivation.

"The Cuiping Mountain Secret Realm... perhaps it is a good place to test new Divine Abilities, collect resources, and find a suitable location to go into seclusion and break through to the Foundation Establishment Perfection Stage."

He steadied his mind and increased his speed.

The green rainbow tore through the sky, speeding toward the deeper southeast, in the direction of Cuiping Mountain, which was shrouded in clouds and mist and rumored to house ancient Cultivator ruins and a newly discovered Secret Realm.

Inside his body, the 280-zhang Grotto-Heaven saw stars rotating and moonlight flowing. The newly acquired Yao Beast "nutrients" were being rapidly converted, feeding back vast and pure sword Spiritual Power, pushing his Dao Foundation to advance solidly toward a higher level.