No one knew what had happened inside the Yin-Yang Five Elements Grand Array. They could only sense the terrifying combat shockwaves emanating from it.
When the array vanished, only a blood-stained figure in white remained, holding a head with a manic expression, terrified eyes, and a wretched appearance...
"The culprit of the Starfall City black industries has been brought to justice today!"
As Qi Ping's announcement rang out through the sky, the silent and suffocating world instantly boiled over!
The Golden Core Middle Stage Red Flame Daoist, Ye Yanwu, had fallen at the hands of the Foundation Establishment Qi Ping!
Everyone stared at the head in Qi Ping's hand in disbelief. Some even rubbed their eyes multiple times, unable to believe what they were seeing and hearing.
"Ye Yanwu is dead?"
"The Foundation Establishment Warden killed Ye Yanwu?"
"Someone tell me my eyes are fine and I'm not seeing things!"
"Am I crazy, or is the world crazy?"
...
Although many of them didn't want Qi Ping to die and hoped he would be the one to win, they hadn't really held much hope in their hearts.
After all, Qi Ping's opponent was the long-renowned Golden Core Middle Stage cultivator Ye Yanwu, who was in his prime!
If it had been an ordinary Golden Core Early Stage cultivator, they felt that with Qi Ping's strength and strategy, he might have had a chance to win—the Yin-Yang Five Elements Grand Array was the best proof!
But the combat power of a Golden Core Middle Stage cultivator was not something a Golden Core Early Stage could compare to!
Yet, no matter how unbelievable the fact was, it could not change the truth!
Qi Ping's words, "Disciple Lin Ya invites you to die," had completely become a reality at this moment!
"Once this news spreads, the Qingtian Domain will go crazy!"
"More than crazy? Even 'exploding' isn't enough to describe it!"
"The Warden's name will be the most brilliant stroke in the history of the Qingtian Domain!"
"Bearing infamy and enduring humiliation while waiting, just to lure the enemies in and wipe out all evil! And after purging the city, he used himself as bait to slay a Golden Core expert! He has created a myth that hasn't been seen in the Qingtian Domain for ten thousand years..."
At this moment, all geniuses and all Golden Core cultivators lost their luster in people's hearts. Only the blood-stained figure in white remained, shining as brilliantly as the sun...
...
After the initial shock, the news of Qi Ping slaying Ye Yanwu quickly reached the Qingyuan Sect...
And this news instantly set the Qingyuan Sect on fire!
The shock this news brought to the Qingyuan Sect was even more profound than its impact on rogue cultivators.
Rogue cultivators didn't have a strong concept of a Golden Core cultivator; to them, it was just a realm stronger than Foundation Establishment. To them, both realms could kill them instantly.
But for the Qingyuan Sect, it was different. They truly knew the heavenly gap in status between the Golden Core and Foundation Establishment stages!
While the Nascent Soul Grand Elders were in secluded cultivation, Golden Core Elders were the true core class!
And with the existence of the sect treasures, in some sense, Ye Yanwu's status was not much lower than a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator.
And such a high-level figure and core individual was dead? Slayed by their own Foundation Establishment disciple, Qi Ping?
So, after this explosive news reached the Qingyuan Sect, in just a few breaths, one Golden Core figure after another began to fly toward Starfall City at high speed...
In an instant, almost all the Golden Core cultivators of the Qingyuan Sect set out, leaving only the controllers of the sect's protecting array and the secluded Nascent Soul Grand Elders. The rest of the disciples were left in a state of mental shock.
"Elder Ye Yanwu died at Senior Brother Lin Ya's hands?"
"Is the news accurate? Elder Ye was a Golden Core Middle Stage cultivator!"
"Yeah, I just heard Elder Ye give a lecture not long ago. How is this possible?"
The first reaction of almost everyone was disbelief. This was completely beyond their range of knowledge. From the perspective of cultivation realms, it was nearly impossible.
They believed Qi Ping had purged the city. Although they were shocked, it was indeed something Qi Ping could do.
But slaying the Golden Core Middle Stage Elder Ye Yanwu was truly too ridiculous!
However, no matter how hard it was to believe, when they saw the recorded images, they had to accept the truth.
In the images, a grand array circulating with Yin-Yang and Five Elements energy slowly descended. Then they saw that blood-stained figure in white they had seen more than once, holding the head of Ye Yanwu, who had died with his eyes open!
"Why do I have a feeling that Senior Brother Lin Ya's target from beginning to end was Elder Ye?"
A chilling realization suddenly rose in the hearts of some people.
After almost all the Golden Core Elders of the Qingyuan Sect had departed, Qi Ping on the other side quickly received the news.
After confirming the news, he immediately had the Little Stone Essence begin its breakthrough to the Golden Core stage.
In a secret location in the Qingtian Domain, the Little Stone Essence, which had consumed Lu Ming's Life-Sword, began to see its Military Conquest power skyrocket!
A Golden Core artifact in the shape of a cage and six Rank 2 peak artifacts surrounded the Little Stone Essence like stars around the moon. For the Little Stone Essence, these were its best weapons and supplements it could consume at any time during the breakthrough.
As the aura on the Little Stone Essence grew stronger, an aura belonging to a Rank 3 spirit beast began to rise. A spirit core with a metallic luster began to take shape within its body.
At the same time, as the Little Stone Essence's spirit core began to condense, a wisp of tribulation lightning appeared in the sky...
"The Military Conquest Stone Essence... I wonder how much stronger the Little Stone Essence will become after its breakthrough..."
Qi Ping's true body, standing not far from the Little Stone Essence, looked at it with intense anticipation.
Among all his animal companions, the Little Stone Essence's bloodline was the most mysterious and powerful. Once it broke through, its strength would surely far surpass that of the Mountain Sao!
While the Little Stone Essence was breaking through to Rank 3, Qi Ping's Treant Clone in Starfall City began to refine the Sky-Flame Seal.
"This Sky-Flame Seal is not only a peak Rank 3 artifact, but it also contains the startling power nurtured by generations of Qingyuan Sect members. It can unleash an attack that even Golden Core Perfection cultivators would fear..."
"If I can successfully refine it, it will be of great help for what comes next. Not only will it help me stall the coming Golden Core cultivators of the Qingyuan Sect and buy more time for the Little Stone Essence's breakthrough, but it will also provide more security for the breakthroughs of my other animal companions!"
With this mindset, Qi Ping began to refine the Sky-Flame Seal with all his strength. To his surprise, the peak Rank 3 artifact, which he had expected to be difficult to refine, was refined remarkably smoothly and quickly.
In addition to his proficiency in the path of fire and his solid foundation and soul, the most important reason was that a spirit within the Sky-Flame Seal was fully assisting his refinement.
"The spirit of this Sky-Flame Seal is truly extraordinary. I didn't expect the 'Mainstay of the Sect' evaluation from the Heart-Questioning Mirror would have such an effect. It seems the mirror itself is no ordinary artifact. But in all the years of the Qingyuan Sect's existence, has there really never been a case of using a protecting treasure to attack someone with the 'Mainstay of the Sect' evaluation?"
Qi Ping remembered the scene where the Sky-Flame Seal broke free from Ye Yanwu's control and flew into his hand, and he couldn't help but want to laugh when he thought of Ye Yanwu's expression, which had been worse than if he had eaten filth.
In any case, this was a good thing for Qi Ping.
As time passed, Qi Ping finally succeeded in refining the Sky-Flame Seal after three hours!
Once refined, the aura of the Sky-Flame Seal completely fused with Qi Ping. When it floated beside him, it even released a layer of aura that protected his body—this was a phenomenon that hadn't occurred even when it was with Ye Yanwu.
"Automatic protection?" A question rose in Qi Ping's heart.
But he didn't have time to study it closely. Shortly after he fully refined the Sky-Flame Seal, twelve Golden Core auras charged toward him with terrifying speed!