Spirit Realm

Qin Lie spent another six days cultivating on this nameless island all by himself. He filled his Soul Lake with soul energy from soul crystals, replenished his blood by refining the Demon Sealing Tombstone’s bloody aura, and constantly inscribed spirit diagrams at the same time.

Every time the three Spirits of Void and Chaos emerged from the Soul Suppressing Orb, they consumed huge amounts of Heavenly Flame Crystals and spirit materials with thunder and wood attributes.

Qin Lie gradually realized that he didn’t have enough food for them in his spatial ring.

He could already feel the pressure of raising Spirits of Void and Chaos creeping up on him, and finally understood that there was truth to Hester’s words. Qin Lie needed an astronomical amount of resources to raise these three spirits to the seventh stage.

“Maybe it’s time to ask Gold Sun Island for some materials…” Qin Lie silently thought to himself.

In the afternoon, Xing Yuyuan and Xing Yumiao came looking for him.

“Have representatives of Heavenly Sword Mountain arrived yet?” Qin Lie asked.

“No,” Xing Yumiao said with a shake of his head. “Heavenly Sword Mountain is the force farthest from the Setting Sun Islands. It will take them two more days to get here. We came to see you today because we hope that you’ll accompany us to Blue Moon Valley for a meeting with Miao Yangxu.”

“Miao Yangxu?” Qin Lie frowned.

“Blue Moon Valley and Gold Sun Island have always been staunch allies,” Xing Yuyuan explained. “Like us… Miao Yangxu is from the Heavenly Calamity Continent. He is also a sworn enemy of the three great families.”

Qin Lie had an inkling of what they were trying to say. “You mean…?”

“Blue Moon Valley is extremely powerful,” Xing Yuyuan continued, his face filled with ambition. “They’re even a bit stronger than Gold Sun Island. If we are able to join forces with Miao Yangxu… we’ll be able to seize the islands of the Pan Family, Black Cloud Palace, and Heavenly Sea Pavilion. All three of them are Copper rank forces, control dozens of islands, and possess around thirty mines. If we work with Blue Moon Valley to devour these forces as best as we can, Gold Sun Island would be able to greatly increase its strength!”

“Even though I have no idea what a Spirit of Void and Chaos is,” Xing Yumiao said, “you probably need a great deal of resources to raise one, don’t you?”

He had been present when Hester and Lei Yan tried to take Qin Lie’s Spirits of Void and Chaos. Hester’s explanations indicated that, if Qin Lie wanted his three spirits to evolve from the fifth to the seventh stage, he needed a ridiculous amount of spirit materials. Xing Yumiao was acutely aware of this.

“Work with?” Qin Lie frowned. “Can we not convince them to serve Blood Fiend Sect as well?”

“Blue Moon Valley isn’t the Pan Family, Black Cloud Palace, or Heavenly Sea Pavilion. They will not submit so easily, and Miao Yangxu definitely isn’t the kind of man who would stay under someone else’s thumb for long. Furthermore…” Xing Yumiao paused, thinking to himself for a moment, then said, “Blood Fiend Sect currently lacks strength.”

“What if we include the eight god corpses?” Qin Lie asked, somewhat surprised.

Xing Yumiao sighed. “The Miao Family most likely has a Nirvana Realm expert.”

This information shocked Qin Lie. He stayed silent for a moment, then spoke up.

“Let’s go,” he said. “I’ll accompany the both of you to Blue Moon Valley!”

“Prepare yourself,” Xing Yuyuan said. He pointed upward at a Flowing Gold Fire Phoenix floating amongst the clouds.

Qin Lie nodded, a grave expression on his face.

Even with the god corpses at their disposal, they wouldn’t necessarily be able to take down a Nirvana Realm expert. Qin Lie might not be able to match that expert with the power of the Blood Progenitor either.

Getting Blue Moon Valley to join them as a vassal force was unlikely.

Unless Xue Li arrived and merged with the Blood Progenitor’s body, and Blood Fiend Sect grew to the point of possessing absolute strength in a short time, winning over Blue Moon Valley would just be a pipe dream.

……

In another region of the sea, numerous islands were scattered across the surface of the dark blue water like oases in a desert.

One of those islands thrived with life. Spirit energy was abundant on this island. Numerous mountains protruded from it, and countless lush, ancient trees grew across it.

This was Emerald Island.

Multiple tall, grand palaces lay within an enormous valley on this island, each connected to one another.

This was Blue Moon Valley’s old haunt.

Atop a hundred-meter-tall ring-shaped palace stood five martial practitioners that looked up into the sky every so often. They wore green robes, the front of which had crescent moon emblems embroidered into them.

These were the valley masters of Blue Moon Valley. All were in the Fragmentation Realm, a top-tier strength.

Around a dozen Copper rank forces served Illusory Demon Sect. The Pan Family, Gold Sun Island, and Blue Moon Valley were three such forces.

Blue Moon Valley, however, ranked third of all vassal forces under Illusory Demon Sect’s control. In contrast, the Pan Family and Gold Sun Island, hovered around the top ten.

If either of those two forces were to engage in actual conflict with Blue Moon Valley, they probably wouldn’t stand a chance.

All of Blue Moon Valley’s five valley masters were nearly at Xing Yumiao’s level of power, the late stage of the Fragmentation Realm!

Furthermore, the hierarchy of Blue Moon Valley was entirely different from that of Gold Sun Island. The Miao Family clansmen had complete control over Blue Moon Valley. It was stronger and more united!

Truth be told, the Miao Family used be as strong as the Xiahou, Su, and Lin Families a thousand years ago. It certainly didn’t pale before them back in the Heavenly Calamity Continent. They were even stronger them in certain aspects.

If Blood Fiend Sect hadn’t provoked the wrath of every Silver rank force, and if the Miao Family hadn’t been caught in the crossfire and severely damaged by various forces, they might have even developed into a Silver rank force on their own.

Once Blood Fiend Sect had been wiped out, the three great families nearly managed to completely annihilate the Xing Family. Only a few Xing Family clansmen were able to escape.

Yet the Miao Family had been different.

Although they faced the combined pursuit of all three great families, the Miao Family managed to preserve their power. They brought great amounts of their spirit materials with them to Emerald Island and rebuilt the family under the name of Blue Moon Valley.

They took significantly less damage compared to the Xing Family, quickly established themselves on Emerald Island, and attached themselves to Illusory Demon Sect.

The Miao Family completely transformed into Blue Moon Valley.

Now the Miao Family slowly started to grow once more. Although they were a bit weaker than they were back in the Heavenly Calamity Continent, they weren’t far off.

There were even rumors of a Nirvana Realm expert guarding them now.

If a force continued to grow stronger after a Nirvana Realm expert appeared in their midst, it was only a matter of time before they met the basic requirements to be considered a Silver rank force.

After the Xing brothers established themselves in Gold Sun Island, they shook off the Pan Family’s control and gradually raised Gold Sun Island into a Copper rank force. However, they hadn’t been able to do this with just Xing Yumiao’s skill and strategic ability. The Miao Family had been aiding them in secret.

Both the Xing and Miao families had been caught in the middle of the fighting in the Heavenly Calamity Continent a thousand years ago. Both had been targeted and hunted down by the three great families. Both families had gone through the same experience with each other.

That was the reason why Blue Moon Valley had openly and secretly helped the Xing brothers so much.

Gold Sun Island had been able to ascend from Black Iron rank to Copper rank thanks to the achievements of the Xing brothers and the aid of the Miao Family.

Miao Yangxu, one of the five island masters standing atop that ring-shaped palace, opened his mouth to speak.

“Xing Yumiao sent word,” he said slowly. “He said that he would be bringing that kid from Blood Fiend Sect with him today. What are your thoughts?”

The other four island masters exchanged glances with one another.

After a moment, Second Valley Master Miao Wenfan spoke up.

“Are we certain that Gold Sun Island has chosen to serve Blood Fiend Sect again?” he asked.

“Yes.” Miao Yangxu nodded. He seemed to be around forty years of age, was tall and slender, and had a short mustache on his clean, pale face. Rather than exuding a domineering aura, characteristic of a person of high status, he seemed to possess a more scholarly quality. “Xing Yumiao informed me personally.”

Miao Wenfan sighed, shaking his head.

“I guess all of the effort we spent aiding the Xing brothers all these years were for naught,” he said with a bitter smile on his face. “I thought we would be able to win them over when we became a Silver rank force in a hundred years. Who could have seen this coming…?”

The remaining three valley masters wore gloomy expressions on their faces.

The Miao Family had been helping the Xing brothers for years. They helped Gold Sun Island become a Copper rank force, but not just because the Xing Family had experienced the same tragedy that they had.

They had hoped to win Gold Sun Island’s allegiance as a vassal force and assimilate them into the Miao Family. They wanted Gold Sun Island to provide the capital that the Miao Family needed to become a Silver rank force.

To that end, the Miao Family had even married many descendants into the Xing Family, forging a relationship with them through marriage.

In fact, Xing Yumiao’s son, Xing Xiao, had married to the third valley master’s daughter, and Xing Yuyuan’s son, Xing Fusheng, had married the fourth valley master’s daughter.

Even Xing Yao was currently engaged to Miao Yangxu’s son, Miao Hui.

All of this was done to draw the Xing and Miao Families close.

“We’ve given them so much, but we get nothing in the end,” Third Valley Master Miao Kang said in frustration. “Nothing!”

“Let’s not talk about that right now,” Miao Yangxu said with a frown. “Xing Yumiao seeks our cooperation in taking over Heavenly Sea Pavilion, Black Cloud Palace, and the Pan Family. They would like to share the spoils with us. What does everyone think?”

“Do we even need to work with them to do that?” Miao Wenfan sneered.

“Shut them out!” Miao Kang exclaimed.