Chapter 70: An Excellent Performance

Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun, the members of this mysterious organization, gathered together once again. They sat in a mountain ravine, exchanging spiritual insights.
“Fellow members, I’ve been investigating Yueying Peak for half a year and discovered a forbidden area—likely the place where the Ghost Emperor Elixir is crafted,” said Xiang Zheng, who had been hiding on Yueying Peak, as he briefed the others.
Indeed, upon hearing Xiang Zheng’s message, joy flashed in the eyes of Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, and Xiang Chun.
“Have you investigated the surroundings of that forbidden area thoroughly, Xiang Zheng?” Xiang Qing asked immediately.
Xiang Zheng nodded and transmitted further information: “The leader of Yueying Peak is named Jing Yihong. Ten years ago, after returning there, he never met with his disciples, leaving all affairs in the hands of his eldest disciple, Wang Tao. Whenever major matters arose, Wang Tao would head to the forbidden area of Yueying Peak. Thus, I’m confident that Jing Yihong is crafting the elixir there. That forbidden area is located in a cave within a gorge near Yueying Peak, shrouded in the Furious Despair Mist. Once we enter the gorge, we can attack Jing Yihong together.”
All five of them—Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun—were all Soul Immortals of high rank. Yet, each of them showed confidence in being able to confront Jing Yihong, a powerful being rumored to be a Three-Star Earth Soul Immortal.
“Then let’s infiltrate that forbidden area right now,” Xiang Qing said calmly.
Soon, the five of them took to the air, flying along the mountain ravines until they reached the entrance of a gorge. A layer of white mist covered the top of the gorge, but from within it seeped layers of anger, resentment, and malice—this was the Furious Despair Mist. Once a cultivator entered this mist, its harmful energies would invade their body and target their Soul Flower, making it extremely dangerous.
Yet, the five of them showed no signs of concern. Suddenly, they took out a green bead from their space rings and put it in their mouths. With the beads in their mouths, they leaped into the gorge, quickly disappearing behind the Furious Despair Mist.
Inside the mist, they were surrounded by a green glow that isolated them completely from the mist’s harmful effects, allowing them to fly swiftly through it.

This cyan glow came from the pearl mentioned by the five of them. Such pearls are extremely rare in the immortal realm and are called Qingyun Xuan Guang Zhu. They can protect cultivators from harm caused by poisonous gases, evil energies, demonic forces, and the like. The fact that these five possessed such a treasure clearly indicated that the mysterious organization they belonged to must be incredibly powerful. In just a short while, the five arrived at the bottom of the canyon and landed in front of a stone cave with a hundred-meter-wide entrance. From within that cave, a bright white light continuously shone, as if flames were constantly bursting out. At the same time, a strong medicinal aroma emanated from the cave entrance, and this aroma contained the energies of all five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Upon sensing the fluctuations in the medicinal energy, Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun all smiled, fully convinced that someone inside this cave was refining the Ghost Emperor Earth Pill. After confirming that this was indeed the place where the Ghost Emperor Earth Pill was being made, they planned to leave and return later, when the pill was completed, to seize it. Suddenly, a massive wave of medicinal energy burst out of the cave like a storm, dispersing all the mist at the bottom of the canyon. This medicinal energy naturally reached where Xiang Qing and the others were hiding. “Who’s there?” a voice suddenly shouted from inside the cave. At the same time, a thin yet sharp-witted man flew out of the cave. If any disciple from Yueying Peak were here, they would immediately recognize that this man was Jing Yihong, the peak master. As soon as Jing Yihong appeared, the fluctuations in his immortal essence showed that he had already reached the level of a Four-Star Earth Soul Immortal of the wood element. It seemed that Jing Yihong had also advanced in his cultivation while refining the Ghost Emperor Earth Pill. It was the medicinal energy that had sprayed out and touched the five of them that allowed Jing Yihong, who had an extremely sensitive sense for medicinal energy, to detect their hiding place; otherwise, he would not have been able to find them despite their possession of rare treasures. Seeing that Jing Yihong had discovered them, Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun immediately stood up from their hiding spots and lined up. Suddenly, Xiang Qing’s immortal sense sensed a change in the medicinal energy inside the cave, and he exclaimed in surprise, “The Ghost Emperor Earth Pill has been successfully refined!” The aura emanating from the entire cave was clearly that of a one-star Earth Soul Immortal-level pill, and it was even a pill with five elements. Xiang Qing could immediately conclude that the Ghost Emperor Earth Pill had indeed been completed.

Hearing this, Jing Yihong’s expression changed. He said coldly, “So the five of you sneaked in with the intention of stealing the Ghost Emperor Earth Pill. Unfortunately, you are only at the level of Upper Human Soul Immortals. Now that I’ve discovered you, death is your only fate. You have no chance of getting your hands on that pill.”

With that, a blue wooden sword appeared in Jing Yihong’s hand—the Honglan Sword. It was a mid-tier immortal weapon crafted by Jing Yihong using the heartwood of a million-year-old Blue Sky Tree, combined with some rare treasures from the immortal realm.

“Form a formation!” Xiang Qing called out calmly, unafraid.

Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun quickly surrounded each other, forming a circular defensive formation.

Seeing their stance, Jing Yihong smiled faintly and said coldly, “It’s useless. You’re just Upper Human Soul Immortals, while I am already a Four-Star Earth Soul Immortal. The gap in our realms is too great for you to overcome with a formation.”

As soon as he spoke, Jing Yihong wielded the Honglan Sword and suddenly appeared in front of Xiang Qing, the sword tip pointing at him. The Wood Element Immortal Energy surged from the sword straight into Xiang Qing’s body.

With his Four-Star Earth Soul Immortal strength, the speed of the Wood Element Energy he unleashed was incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Xiang Qing, leaving no time for him to react. The disparity in their realms was enormous.

However, just as Jing Yihong’s sword pierced Xiang Qing’s chest and the Immortal Energy was about to blow him apart, disbelief appeared in his eyes. Suddenly, a dazzling golden battle suit appeared on Xiang Qing’s body. The Honglan Sword failed to penetrate his body, only causing him to spit blood.

“What? You have a defensive battle suit!” Jing Yihong was stunned and exclaimed in shock.

A defensive battle suit—such an immortal weapon was extremely rare throughout the entire immortal realm. And now, Xiang Qing, an Upper Human Soul Immortal, actually possessed one. This was truly astonishing, and it filled Jing Yihong with fear regarding Xiang Qing’s backing forces.

But just as Jing Yihong’s Honglan Sword struck Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun reacted swiftly. Working in pairs, they simultaneously plunged their own immortal swords into Jing Yihong’s body from both sides.

Because the Honglan Sword hadn’t penetrated Xiang Qing’s body, Jing Yihong became slightly careless and was immediately injured. When the four swords pierced his body at once, the wounds instantly turned black and rotten, proving that all four swords contained deadly poisons.

“You guys…” Jing Yihong quickly stepped back, staring at the four rapidly rotting wounds on his body and shouting in terror.
At that moment, Xiang Qing spat out a mouthful of blood and sneered, “Jing Yihong, you really are an idiot. Since the five of us, the higher-ranked Soul Immortals, dared to come here to gather information, how could we not have any protective treasures? You’ve been refining pills for so long that your mind has gone cloudy—you have no sense of caution at all.”
Xiang Xing also sneered, “Jing Yihong, the immortal swords of the five of us are all mid-grade immortal weapons, suitable for higher-ranked Soul Immortals. Moreover, these swords are infused with deadly poison. If you don’t give up your body, even your entire Soul Flower will be poisoned.”
After saying that, Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun all burst into wild laughter.
Jing Yihong looked at his own body again—and indeed, it was as he feared: his entire body was completely rotten and spreading toward his throat.
“You’re cruel, but don’t think you can easily get the Ghost Emperor Earth Pill,” Jing Yihong shouted viciously.
Suddenly, Jing Yihong’s entire body exploded, and the pieces of his rotting flesh flew toward Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun.
Xiang Qing, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun remained calm; each of them activated their hidden defensive armor, blocking the violent Wood energy and the rotting flesh.
Meanwhile, only Jing Yihong’s head flew into the cave. As it flew, a body began to form below his head—it was clear that Jing Yihong was using the Wood Origin Stone to reassemble his body.
At that moment, Xiang Qing swung his sword quickly twice and shouted, “Clear Wind Shock!”
The sword wind created gusts of wind that instantly dispelled the violent energy.
At the same time, Xiang Xing, Xiang Zhong, Xiang Zheng, and Xiang Chun rushed out and flew into the cave to prevent Jing Yihong from regaining his body, kill him, and then retrieve the Ghost Emperor Earth Pill.
The five of them coordinated perfectly, clearly having acted together often, using this attack and defense strategy frequently.
Xiang Qing’s face showed joy as he stepped toward the entrance of the cave.
Suddenly, a calm voice drifted over, “You all performed wonderfully. Now it’s my turn to perform.”
Xiang Qing’s expression changed in shock. When he turned around, he found that his head had separated from his body.
His head hit the stone wall and split in two.
Standing on the ground was a man—Yuwen Tianlan.

Qu Yi, inside the confined space, saw that the battle between Xiang Qingwu and Jing Yihong was almost over, so he immediately sent the six-star Earth Soul Immortal Yuwen Tianlan to finish it off.