However, when Heihe looked at Feng Jue, his expression was somewhat unnatural, lacking a true sense of congratulation.

But this emotion was not very apparent.

Ordinary cultivators would find it hard to detect.

Wen Jiu, with his strong Divine Sense, saw everything clearly, but was not surprised. Adding another Earth Yang Dao Foundation disciple as a true disciple would naturally alter Heihe’s status with Master Pei.

Even if it doesn’t change.

In the future, there will be someone else competing with him for things.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Heihe." Feng Jue did not notice, forced a smile, and finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Feeling somewhat relieved.

And also a bit of the feeling of vindication.

With the challenge over, Wen Jiu had no intention of staying to exchange pleasantries. After cupping his hands towards Heihe and Chen Li and his wife, he prepared to return to his cave residence, "Fellow Daoists, this battle cost my corpse army quite a bit, I will return to my cave to nourish the corpses."

"Safe travels, Fellow Daoist."

Heihe raised his hand.

Chen Li also followed up and handed over a top-grade Healing Yin Pill, which Wen Jiu accepted without refusal.

However, Feng Jue had no intention of immediately returning to his cave, instead staying outside the Small Demon Realm, receiving compliments from the surrounding heterodox cultivators, seemingly intending to take the opportunity to expand his network.

Because connections can sometimes be a form of power.

After all, fights among cultivators only occur in extreme situations, not every day.

Of course, there were also those who tried to make connections with him, but it was this scene that made Wen Jiu take his leave.

His only goal in the Small Demon Realm was to silently nourish the corpses, and when the East Spring Undying Bone reached its peak, he planned to attempt Core Formation. Whether he could achieve a Heterodox Golden Core in the Small Demon Realm was unknown, but Wen Jiu had already prepared for heading to the Hundred Floating Domains.

However, to go to the Hundred Floating Domains, he had to nourish the Three Corpses, Demon Corpse, Five Ghosts, and the Law-Devouring Yin Insect.

After all, the Hundred Floating Domains were unlike the Divine Fall Mountain Range.

Returning to his cave, Wen Jiu closed the array, nourishing the corpses while keeping a close eye on the East Spring Undying Bone and Gu Qiao’s situation. In Gu Qiao’s One-Eyed Broken-arm Ghost King’s body, he had secretly left a trace of corpse qi mark, which was extremely difficult to detect.

Thus he could always monitor Gu Qiao’s movements, and even the One-Eyed Broken-arm Ghost King hadn’t felt it, let alone Gu Qiao. However, with Vice City Lord Lin present, it wasn’t foolproof.

But after an hour, the corpse qi mark was still there, so Wen Jiu confirmed that either Vice City Lord Lin did not care about the One-Eyed Broken-arm Ghost King, or he hadn’t sensed the corpse qi mark within it.

Whatever the case, the result was a good one.

And after Gu Qiao was injured, he did not leave the Small Demon Realm with Vice City Lord Lin, but stayed on.

Seemingly lingering around the Hidden Pavilion.

It seems Vice City Lord Lin had other plans for him.

In response to this.

Wen Jiu did not concern himself further because he could eliminate Gu Qiao anytime, it wasn’t urgent now.

However, the situation with Yan Zhen was unclear; the two late-stage Foundation Establishment heterodox cultivators who pursued him had caught up, but they didn’t seem intent on killing. Whether a fight would break out was uncertain. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

But Wen Jiu hoped for a fight.

Yet.

After pursuing for an hour, people from the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks also arrived, preventing any battle from breaking out.

...

A thousand miles outside the Small Demon Realm.

Over a dozen streaks of Startled Swan sliced through the sky, speeding forward, consisting mainly of early-stage and mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Behind them were several high-tier flying ships approaching rapidly, now only a dozen miles away.

Upon seeing this, Yan Zhen immediately halted his full-speed flight, instead standing calmly with his hands behind his back, "If you two aren’t keen on taking Yan Zhen’s life, you’d better stop here."

As he spoke.

Two late-stage Foundation Establishment heterodox cultivators, whose faces were not clear, stopped a thousand feet from Yan Zhen.

Upon seeing their faces clearly, Yan Zhen frowned, but given the support from the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks behind him, he showed no fear, "I didn’t expect it to be Vice City Lord Wei’s right and left hands, Cyan Face and Soulless."

Cyan Face and Soulless, both outstanding among late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, were just a step away from Foundation Establishment Perfection.

Although Yan Zhen hadn’t fought with them, he knew their fearsome reputations; several late-stage Foundation Establishment companions from the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks had fallen to them. If the Wind and Cloud Immortal City didn’t always maintain neutrality, avoiding conflict with the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks, those companions might not have escaped unscathed, even if not dead.

The cyan-faced elder cultivator spoke chillingly, devoid of emotion, "Vice City Lord Wei asked us to convey a message — Feng Jue is under the Wind and Cloud Immortal City’s protection, so you might as well withdraw the bounty."

"What is meant by this?"

Yan Zhen’s face turned cold.

Was this teaching the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks how to do things?

The cyan-faced elder spoke again, "No special meaning, just to inform you that the Divine Fall Mountain Range is not dominated by the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks alone. If you wish for another enemy, Vice City Lord Wei says it’s fine."

Yan Zhen’s face turned cold, yet he dared not retort, because if Daoist Wei spoke, it likely meant Pei Wuxing was behind it.

If mishandled.

Things would get troublesome.

As the heterodox forces in the east of the Divine Fall Mountain Range had gathered, and the Wusheng Three Sects’ army had formed in the Outer Sea, preparing to enter the Divine Fall Mountain Range at any time, a war would leave the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks besieged.

"I need to report this to the sect and let the Zhenren decide." Yan Zhen was angry inside but had to suppress his rage.

When did the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks become the subject of others’ teachings?

The cyan-faced elder said nothing more, glanced at the rapidly approaching Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks reinforcements, then turned into a stream of light and left.

After leaving, he took out a Communication Stone to contact Daoist Wei, "My lord, the message has been delivered, unfortunately, the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks’ reinforcements were too quick; we couldn’t teach Yan Zhen a lesson and could only let him leave safely."

"Really let him off easy." Moments later, Daoist Wei’s voice came through, "Since the message was delivered, return at once. Some matters cannot be discussed over Communication Stone; I have further instructions upon your return."

The cyan-faced elder nodded in response, stowing away the Communication Stone and quickly heading back in the direction of the Small Demon Realm.

At this time, numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks had already arrived and regrouped with Yan Zhen.

Watching this scene from Lengxi Mountain, Wen Jiu sighed helplessly; no fight had ensued.

What a pity.

"But not all news is bad, as many have seen Cyan Face and Soulless chasing Yan Zhen." Gu Qiao could be dealt with later, but Yan Zhen who witnessed this battle must not be allowed to leave.

Whether it’s Communication Stone or Sound Transmission Talisman, they can potentially be intercepted. The Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks have such measures, naturally wary of the Wind and Cloud Immortal City and the Wusheng Three Sects, so they have not used the Communication Stone to report any intel previously.

If there are no surprises, he should immediately return to Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks to report everything seen in this situation and battle.

Hence.

He could be ambushed en route, and the soul captured to find out if Yan Zhen had discerned anything from the Demon Corpse.

As for the blame.

The Wind and Cloud Immortal City can bear it, without fear.

After all, many witnessed Cyan Face and Soulless pursuing Yan Zhen, no matter how it’s investigated, it couldn’t trace back to him.

With this thought in mind, Wen Jiu controlled the East Spring Undying Bone to keep a distance of a hundred miles, secretly following, but Yan Zhen seemed cautious, not immediately heading to Divine Extinction Thousand Peaks to report.

However, the matter of Feng Jue’s Earth Yang Foundation Establishment has been reported through the Communication Stone, as it’s no longer likely to be a secret soon, and even if intercepted during transmission, it would be of little consequence.

In the following days, Yan Zhen acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to investigate the Corpse Cultivator matter.

He also began mobilizing cultivators to gather in the Far West, Far North, and Far South, preparing for the war that might erupt at any moment. To outsiders, it seemed as though Yan Zhen went to the Small Demon Realm to witness Feng Jue, but after Feng Jue’s Earth Yang Foundation Establishment, Yan Zhen abandoned the idea of avenging his disciple.

"Truly cautious, seems he’s discerned something, but surely hasn’t confirmed the External Foundation Establishment."

If he truly confirmed it.

Yan Zhen would take immediate action, or use cipher language to simply report the matter.

If it wasn’t the External Foundation Establishment he discerned, what could it be?

As Wen Jiu speculated, after eight days of feigned ignorance, Yan Zhen finally stopped pretending and withdrew secretly under cover of night.

"Finally making a move."

Wen Jiu promptly controlled the East Spring Undying Bone to follow in secret.

Eight days.

Constantly using the Three Rivers Ghost Concealment, the consumption of corpse qi was tremendous. If not for the support of the two corpses, along with his own triple replenishment, the East Spring Undying Bone’s corpse qi would likely have been exhausted, but instead, it remained full.