Chapter 9: Energy Repository

Qu Yi flew to a white cloud in the sky above Hidden Cloud Peak, stood firmly there, and gazed into the distance with a smile.

Twenty people arrived in the sky—all experts from the Qianhuo Palace. Besides six experts at the Consolidation stage, there were also fourteen at the Split Soul stage. All of Qianhuo Palace’s most powerful fighters had come.

Undoubtedly, Qianhuo Palace was showing its intent to destroy Hidden Cloud Sect.

Qu Yi sensed the auras of the twenty people approaching and smiled, looking relaxed.

On Hidden Cloud Peak, True Master Han Jin followed Qu Yi’s orders and enclosed all the disciples of Hidden Cloud Sect within a “Wind Follows Nature Formation” to prevent the aftermath of the battle from killing those with weaker cultivation levels.

Soon, True Master Han Jin and True Master Fu Yun also arrived above Hidden Cloud Peak, summoned a white cloud, and stepped onto it.

In the sky, the twenty experts from Qianhuo Palace rushed forward with overwhelming momentum.

True Master Gou Huo, True Master Gou Yun, True Master Dou Lin, True Master Dou Jiang, True Master Bu He, and True Master Bu Quan—these six Consolidation-stage experts from Qianhuo Palace stood in a row, radiating killing intent as they coldly stared at the three people on the white cloud.

“Hidden Cloud Sect, we left you alive before to show respect for the Taiyuan Sect. We never expected you to repay kindness with hostility by killing our True Master Dou Huo. Today, Hidden Cloud Sect will no longer exist,” True Master Gou Huo declared, stating their purpose clearly.

Qu Yi smiled. Qianhuo Palace really knew how to talk—sending their subordinate sects to harass and bully Hidden Cloud Sect day after day under the guise of showing kindness, only to claim they had done them a favor now.

Since Qianhuo Palace had made its intentions clear, Qu Yi saw no need to say more. In the world of cultivation, strength spoke for itself.

“From today onward, Qianhuo Palace will no longer exist,” Qu Yi said, shaking his head and sighing.

You…

His words enraged everyone from Qianhuo Palace. They all pointed at Qu Yi, eager to speak but choked by anger.

Without waiting for the twenty people from Qianhuo Palace to retort, Qu Yi communicated mentally with True Master Han Jin and True Master Fu Yun, then immediately took out the Golden Spear and flew toward the twenty experts from Qianhuo Palace.

True Master Fu Yun and True Master Han Jin remained on the white cloud, seemingly unaware of Qu Yi’s actions.

The twenty experts from Qianhuo Palace were somewhat impressed by Qu Yi. A person at the late Split Soul stage dared to attack first despite facing six Consolidation-stage experts—what courage!

This man must be insane!

That was what everyone from Qianhuo Palace thought of Qu Yi.

Gouhuo Zhenren, Gouyun Zhenren, Doulin Zhenren, Doujiang Zhenren, Buhé Zhenren, and Buanquan Zhenren all took out their magical weapons at the same time—six swords of different colors and designs. Among them, only Gouyun Zhenren flew forward to confront Qu Yi. The six agreed that it was sufficient for the strongest of them, Gouyun Zhenren, to deal with Qu Yi.

Gouyun Zhenren practiced wood-elemental cultivation techniques that allowed him to ride the wind and clouds at incredible speeds. He quickly arrived in front of Qu Yi, his Dragon Blood Wood Sword creating a whirlwind that aimed to shatter Qu Yi with a single strike.

Qu Yi, who had been moving at a speed typical of the late stage of distraction, suddenly disappeared the moment he saw Gouyun Zhenren approaching. The next instant, he was behind Gouyun Zhenren, thrusting his Golden Spear straight at him.

After all, Gouyun Zhenren was a powerful warrior in the late stage of fusion cultivation. He had a vague sense of Qu Yi’s “final-kill” secret technique and could detect his movements. When Qu Yi appeared behind him, Gouyun Zhenren immediately turned around, and the whirlwind created by his Dragon Blood Wood Sword rushed back toward Qu Yi.

Qu Yi moved again, escaping Gouyun Zhenren’s attack range.

In the distance, Qu Yi stopped and smiled. “The Qianhuo Palace still has a strong fighter. Not bad. I thought this worthless Qianhuo Palace was full of idiots. Now I have to admit that this expert with the wood sword is indeed quite strong.”

Although Qu Yi was praising Gouyun Zhenren, to the people of Qianhuo Palace, it sounded like blatant mockery. Gouyun Zhenren himself was furious. With his skills at the late stage of fusion cultivation, he had still been caught off guard by Qu Yi, and his two attacks hadn’t even injured him. It was nothing short of humiliation and mockery.

“Kid, come again!” Gouyun Zhenren shouted angrily.

Hearing this, Qu Yi smirked and nodded, acting as if a strong warrior would allow a weaker one to challenge him.

Gouyun Zhenren became even angrier!

Suddenly, Gouyun Zhenren moved like a white cloud, teleporting in front of Qu Yi. With a flick of his Dragon Blood Sword, he sent a wind beam filled with intense wood-elemental energy toward Qu Yi.

As Gouyun Zhenren rushed forward, Qu Yi suddenly pulled out a Heavenly Fire Rock Heart Thunder. As he dodged Gouyun Zhenren’s deadly strike, he activated the thunder, shooting it back at Gouyun Zhenren.

The Heavenly Fire Rock Heart Thunder was a magical weapon Qu Yi had obtained from an elder on Biyan Peak during his time in the Demon Poison Star Region. Its explosion carried the power of someone in the late stage of fusion cultivation.

Boom!

The explosion was like a planet bursting apart, with a massive fireball appearing in the sky, already enveloping Gouyun Zhenren.

At this moment, Master Gouyun had no time to escape and had to defend himself with his own vital energy barrier. When the Heavenly Fire Rock Core Thunder exploded, the intense fire contained within it continuously burned away the barrier, draining Master Gouyun’s vital energy to such an extent that barely ten percent remained.
“Bastard, you dared to launch a sneak attack!”
Seeing Master Gouyun caught off guard, the other five members of the Qianhuo Palace shouted in anger, drawing their swords and rushing over.
Qu Yi chuckled, glanced at the five approaching figures, then suddenly disappeared. The next instant, he appeared behind Master Doulin, thrusting his Golden Spear into his body, followed by his right hand, which pulled out the Yuan Ying.
The Wood Movement Yuan Ying was in his hands.
“Bastard…”
The five who had intended to surround and kill Qu Yi suddenly lost one of them. Masters Gouhuo, Doujiang, Buhe, and Buquan quickly turned around and each launched a strike.
A fireball surged like a dragon, waves crashed like an ocean, golden light flashed like stars, and streams of energy exploded like stars—four massive spells were sent at Qu Yi at once.
Qu Yi wouldn’t let them attack together. As soon as he obtained the Wood Movement Yuan Ying, he used his speed technique “Ten Thousand Miles in an Instant,” vanishing like the wind.
“Masters Doujiang, Buhe, and Buquan, go and kill Fuyun and Hanjin. I’ll deal with that bastard,” Master Gouhuo shouted angrily when he saw Qu Yi leave.
“Alright!” The three immediately flew into the air and rushed at Masters Fuyun and Hanjin, who were standing on the white clouds.
At the same time, another fourteen experts at the Divine Soul stage from the Qianhuo Palace joined Masters Doujiang, Buhe, and Buquan in attacking Fuyun and Hanjin.
Seeing Master Gouhuo charging at him, Qu Yi laughed loudly as he took to the air. “Gouhuo, even the strongest man in your Qianhuo Palace was caught off guard. How dare you attack me alone? Aren’t you afraid of being killed by me?”
Master Gouhuo swung two fire swords at Qu Yi. Seeing they missed, he shouted back, “You bastard! Don’t think just because you have some powerful magic artifacts that you can confront us, who are already at an advanced stage of unity. Don’t expect to sneak attack me with fire and thunder again.”
Qu Yi chuckled, then suddenly disappeared, reappearing at the site where the Heavenly Fire Rock Core Thunder had exploded.
“No…” Master Gouhuo understood Qu Yi’s plan and cried out in panic.
It turned out that the explosion of the Heavenly Fire Rock Core Thunder was about to end, and Master Gouyun would soon be able to escape. However, having been attacked by the thunder, his vital energy must have been completely drained, leaving him no match for Qu Yi.

By the time Gouhuo Zhenren realized this, it was already too late. Qu Yi rushed straight into the fire cloud before it dissipated, found Gouyun Zhenren, and thrust his Golden Spear into his body. His right hand followed, pulling out Gouyun Zhenren’s Wood Element Yuan Ying.

Qu Yi let out a loud laugh and rushed out of the nearly vanished fire cloud, avoiding Gouhuo Zhenren, who had flown in to try and assassinate him.

“Bastard, I want you dead! You, a late-stage Divination Realm cultivator, have completely enraged me. Let’s see how much of your vital energy you have to dodge my attacks!” Gouhuo Zhenren shouted angrily as he rushed out of the fire cloud to pursue him.

Qu Yi used his deadly secret techniques in succession, consuming a tremendous amount of vital energy. All the vital energy in his internal organs had been transformed into Metal Element vital energy; only a little remained in the Metal Element Yuan Ying in his lungs.

“Is that so? I may not have much vital energy left, but you people from the Qianhuo Palace are my energy source!” Qu Yi laughed loudly.

Suddenly, Qu Yi flew over to those fourteen Qianhuo Palace cultivators at the Divination Realm stage. With his Golden Spear, he killed five of the strongest among them one by one, absorbing their Yuan Yings at the same time.

Once the Yuan Yings entered his body, they were quickly broken down by the mixed energy in his dantian into five streams of energy, which flowed into his internal organs, restoring his vital energy.

“You…”

Qu Yi actually had such a ability—to swallow others’ Yuan Yings and turn them into his own vital energy.

The people from the Qianhuo Palace were shocked by Qu Yi’s sudden display of power and soon filled with panic, fearing they might be consumed in the same way.

Qu Yi remained silent, smiling at Gouhuo Zhenren.

From the explosion of the Heavenly Fire Rock Lightning to Qu Yi evading Gouhuo Zhenren, killing Gouyun Zhenren, and devouring five Yuan Yings, it all took just a few breaths. The rapid changes were so astonishing that everyone in the air was stunned.

“Hurry up and kill Fuyun and Hanjin!”

Gouhuo Zhenren calmed himself down and shouted angrily once again.

At that moment, Doujiang Zhenren, Buhe Zhenren, Buquan Zhenren, and the remaining nine cultivators at the Divination Realm stage flew toward Fuyun Zhenren and Hanjin Zhenren, determined to kill these two powerful warriors from the Yin Cloud Sect together before surrounding Qu Yi.

Fuyun Zhenren and Hanjin Zhenren saw the twelve people from the Qianhuo Palace approaching but remained unfazed, staying calm.

These two had already received powerful items from Qu Yi.