31: Kill Qingxuan!

Inside the area, Yang Kai sat cross-legged, while Elder Qiu, who was beside him, held a token engraved with ancient patterns, forcefully preventing the Spiritual Qi from converging.

However, this did not come without a price. The black Daoist robe Elder Qiu wore continuously billowed, and the withered Physical Body beneath it now resembled a cracked porcelain vase, covered in fissures.

As Yang Kai’s seventh acupoint began to activate, intense pain tore at his nerves. He felt as if every cell in his entire body was shattering and then undergoing Rebirth, a continuous cycle, solely to remove the deep-seated Impurities hidden within him.

Yang Kai trembled all over. This kind of excruciating pain, akin to slow slicing, occurred simultaneously throughout his body, causing his mind to nearly collapse. Countless times in his mind, he wanted to stop, wanted to give up, but he always gritted his teeth and persevered. He thought of many reasons why he couldn't fail, but in the end, he crossed them all out, leaving only the words 'persevere'.

Beside Yang Kai, Elder Qiu, who was constantly monitoring Yang Kai’s condition, felt a surge of elation and pride when he saw Yang Kai holding on.

“Unknowingly, many years of peace have passed. If I don't loosen up my muscles and bones, my body will rot and decay. If you want this old man to give up, this isn't enough!”

As he thought this, chains stained with crimson black blood grew from the surface of the token in Elder Qiu's hand, binding it tightly. Not only did they press down on his raised arm, tying it to his body, but they also struggled to break free from his grasp.

“A mere Restriction, trying to suppress me, Demonic Lord Qiu Xiangming? If this old man didn't have concerns, what could a small Town Demon Tower do to me? Stay put obediently! Once this old man is done, I will naturally restore order here!” Elder Qiu's Devilish Qi surged within him, shattering all the spreading chains and firmly suppressing the token in his hand.

But his action also triggered the Qinxu Tower's counterattack. All the Disciples cultivating inside the Qinxu Tower were forcibly expelled, and the Qinxu Tower's main gate closed tightly. On the surface, it was desolate and quiet, but in reality, all the power it could muster was used to suppress Elder Qiu.

“Hahaha! Most of your strength is used to suppress the demons within the tower. Even if you gather all your remaining power, it's not enough to fight me. If you remain stubborn, I will cooperate with the several Devil Heads inside the tower to break your grand Formation!” Elder Qiu set up a Restriction beside Yang Kai to prevent the commotion from disturbing him. Then, he looked up at the Void Realm and spoke with shining words, leaving no doubt that he had the resolve to act.

No one in the area responded to Elder Qiu's threat, and the previously surging Formation power no longer pressed closer. Even the token in Elder Qiu's hand showed no further unusual movements. A delicate balance was struck between the two, and it was unknown when it would be broken.

Flowing Cloud Sect, Qingyun Peak.

“Sect Master, there's been an anomaly at the Qinxu Tower. All the Disciples cultivating inside have been expelled, and we've lost contact with the tower. The Qinxu Tower has sealed itself off.”

In the main hall, Sect Master Qing Xuanzi was meditating. A dark figure appeared in the hall. He opened his eyes, turned his head slightly, and looked towards the Qinxu Tower through the hall.

“Do not concern yourself with this matter. You may withdraw.” Sect Master Qing Xuanzi watched for a long time, as if he had seen something, then withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes again to meditate, and spoke indifferently.

The figure in the hall, upon receiving the command, transformed into a wisp of green smoke and vanished, and the hall returned to its calm state.

“Qiu Xiangming, you finally couldn't hold back. Very good.” Sect Master Qing Xuanzi murmured, then fell silent again.

Inside the Qinxu Tower, after Elder Qiu and the Qinxu Tower's Formation Spirit reached a balance, Elder Qiu finally had the presence of mind to pay attention to Yang Kai's situation again. This observation immediately filled his heart with joy.

“Good kid, you really endured this hardship and pulled through!”

At this moment, Yang Kai's spirit, after being tormented by endless pain, gradually underwent some changes. His spirit seemed to have detached from his body, and he no longer felt the pain as distinctly, as if he had developed some immunity to it.

Yang Kai's shattered thoughts began to gather, and his consciousness once again took control of his body. He didn't know what had happened to his body. Now, looking inward again, he only felt that his Physical Body, which he had once considered flawless, was now on the verge of collapse. His Meridians were fractured and blocked, his bones and flesh were dissolving, leaving only eight dim light spots and one exceptionally bright light spot shining within his body.

“Unknowingly, I've already activated eight acupoints.” Yang Kai muttered inwardly. Before his consciousness became blurry, he vaguely remembered just beginning to activate the seventh acupoint. When he regained his senses, he had already made such progress, which pleasantly surprised him.

“It seems I'm about to reach the most crucial step of the first stage of the Ninefold Mixed Origin Body Refining Art: reshaping the Physical Body.” Yang Kai recalled the various records of the Ninefold Mixed Origin Body Refining Art in his mind, knowing what challenge he was about to face.

“The Spiritual Qi infusion is not over yet, everything has just begun. Rise!” Yang Kai began to use his mind to interfere with the last acupoint. With a large amount of Spiritual Qi infusion and Yang Kai's active intervention, this most stubborn acupoint immediately trembled. After a while, it finally detached and flew up.

After all nine acupoints were activated, the previously vaguely visible path now formed a clear and visible light path. The nine acupoints echoed each other, rotating continuously within the path. Invisible forces surged within Yang Kai's body, and all of Yang Kai's bones and blood were outlined and reshaped, gradually solidifying.

Just as Yang Kai was about to reach Minor Achievement in the first stage of the Ninefold Mixed Origin Body Refining Art, an uninvited guest arrived outside the Qinxu Tower.

Elder Qiu, who had been focused on Yang Kai, seemed to sense something. He abruptly looked up, and a heaven-shaking demonic flame ignited beside him, burning fiercely. An unprecedented Aura swept out, and Elder Qiu's cultivation Aura within him rapidly ascended, as if he had actively unsealed some Restriction.

“Demonic Lord, Qiu Xiangming! This Seat, considering you are of the Human Race, though you serve the Demonic, your humanity has not been extinguished. Therefore, I suppressed you beneath this Town Demon Tower. This Seat, considering your diligent cultivation and virtue over a millennium, appointed you as an Elder of the Qinxu Tower. Now, you openly oppose the Town Demon Tower's grand Formation, which shows the depth of your demonic nature, difficult to eradicate. Today, this Seat will thoroughly slay you, resolving the Karma of the future!” Although Sect Master Qing Xuanzi did not make a move, and no Aura spread from him, Elder Qiu faced him as if facing a formidable enemy, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

“Qing Xuanzi, this old man admits your cultivation is profound, but if you think I will willingly offer my neck after a few words from you, you are far too naive! Over these years, this old man has been diligently cultivating, recalling the battle of that day in his mind every day, and has finally comprehended a sword technique. This sword is named, 'Slaying Qing Xuan'!” Elder Qiu raised his right arm straight, and a sharp sword appeared in his hand. He slowly pointed his sword tip towards Sect Master Qing Xuanzi and spoke.