Not far away, Murong Yan listened, confused. “Transcendent Substance? What is that?”

Murong Yuan began to explain, “After a cultivator passes through both the heavenly and earthly tribulations, their body becomes flawless, their soul untainted, and they step into the Half-Step Transcendent realm. Thus, a special type of substance is born within their body.

“Incredibly profound and mysterious, its benefits are far beyond imagination! It increases lifespan, stabilizes the Dao foundation, and can greatly enhance divine powers and cultivation techniques. It can even be considered as the very foundation of our existence, symbolizing a cultivator fully shedding their mortal shell, advancing towards a higher level. Hence, it is also called Transcendent Substance!

“However, condensing Transcendent Substance on one’s own is too difficult and slow! Cultivation techniques, physique, bloodline—these factors are all extremely important! The substance is extraordinarily divine, relying on external aids only makes it harder. I’m afraid that aside from the forbidden zones, only those great sects and holy lands with profound reserves possess such things!”

Shen Xuan glanced at Yang Tong. “Supreme Elder, what about him?”

Murong Yuan sneered coldly. “He’s finished!”

Yang Tong’s aura was much weaker than before. Moreover, he was wrinkled and hunchbacked, looking even more miserable than Wu De and Duan Ren. Chongming’s claws had obliterated most of his Transcendent Substance.

In the distance, Wu De and Duan Ren watched as their scalps tingled. What a brutal chicken! A Half-Step Transcendent cultivator, crippled just like that?

As if that wasn’t enough, Chongming was visibly still angry.

Murong Yuan mustered his courage to ask, “Senior, you mentioned repairing the God-Slaying Formation earlier. Could it be that something is wrong with the formation’s core?”

Chongming shot him a glance. “What else! You think I’m here for fun with a full belly?”

Wu De subconsciously shook his head. “That’s impossible! Not even a genuine Transcendent realm cultivator could break the seal, let alone Yang Tong! His cultivation is far too lacking. Even if he wanted to damage the core, he simply couldn’t!”

What he said was the truth. For that reason, over the past thousand years, the families had gradually grown lax in guarding the God-Slaying Formation’s core. With no Transcendent realm cultivators in the entire Northern Domain, who could possibly destroy it? 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Chongming said with an unpleasant tone, “The one who damaged the formation’s core is someone else. This fellow just used a clever method to steal the divine energy from the periphery. Otherwise, do you think I would have spared him?”

Wu De frowned. “Then who exactly damaged the core?”

Chongming stared at him. “What? You’re suspecting me?”

Wu De’s face turned pale. “No, I don’t mean that...”

Gu Han shook his head. “It was Jiang Xuan. I encountered him in the secret realm. He said so himself.”

Murong Yuan was stunned. “Jiang Xuan? He’s still alive?”

Everyone was familiar with Jiang Xuan. Over a hundred years ago, he was the most dazzling prodigy in the Northern Domain. Upon failing to compete for the position of Holy Son, he joined the Yuqing Sect and founded the Great Qi. Eventually, he assumed the sect’s duty of guarding the formation core. After his mysterious disappearance several decades ago, no one had seen him since.

Gu Han nodded, briefly explaining Jiang Xuan’s story, “He was alive the whole time. Of course, he’s dead now.”

Wu De was shocked. “What?! You killed Jiang Xuan?! With his cultivation, how could you possibly—”

Gu Han said, “It’s all thanks to Fellow Daoist Chu! Without him, dealing with Jiang Xuan would have been impossible for me! I really must repay him properly!”

Chu Kuang’s face darkened. If not for his suggestion of possession, Jiang Xuan would have definitely killed Gu Han in his despair. Who would have thought his malicious intent would backfire, indirectly saving Gu Han? And because of that, he was nearly implicated to death.

In the distance, Yang Tong resentfully spat out another mouthful of blood. “So it was you people!”

He was furious and felt deeply wronged. In the end, the root of this disaster still lay with the Yuqing Sect! Otherwise, Chongming wouldn’t have come all the way here, and Yang Tong wouldn’t have ended up in this state!

Chongming shot him a glance. “What? You think you’re unjustly wronged?”

Yang Tong went ashen, not daring to utter another word.

Murong Yuan smiled bitterly. “Jiang Xuan was originally a junior I held in rather high regard. I never thought he would also stoop so low to survive!”

Gu Han’s heart stirred. “Also? Senior, what do you mean by that?”

Murong Yuan sighed. “Do you know who guarded that God-Slaying Formation before Jiang Xuan?”

A figure suddenly flashed in Gu Han’s mind. “Was it Zheng Ning?”

Murong Yuan nodded. “Yes. Over a hundred years ago, by chance, I noticed something abnormal about Zheng Ning. Unfortunately, it was too late. He was already deeply contaminated by divine power. I couldn’t deal with him on my own!

“Coincidentally, Jiang Xuan came to join the Yuqing Sect at that time. I found an excuse to recall Zheng Ning to serve as a seat elder, and entrusted the formation core to Jiang Xuan. Initially, although Zheng Ning was unwilling, he didn’t act recklessly.

“Only after Jiang Xuan disappeared did he start having wicked thoughts again, intending to take control of Great Qi. You know what happened later. This is also why I didn’t want to provoke him too much that day.”

Gu Han fell silent and frowned. He felt there was something off about this matter, but couldn’t pinpoint what.

Chongming stared intently at Wu De and Duan Ren. “You two are from the Yuqing Sect too, right? Didn’t you know about this?”

Murong Yuan looked helpless. “Of course they knew!”

Wu De and Duan Ren instantly broke out in a cold sweat. That was why they chose not to hold Gu Han accountable for Zheng Ning’s death. Otherwise, even with Murong Yuan mediating, they absolutely wouldn’t have let it go so easily. The reason they didn’t take action was simply because they feared any injury would shorten their already limited lifespan.

A trace of fatigue and disappointment flashed in Chongming’s eyes. “I shouldn’t have come today!”

Murong Yuan suddenly bowed deeply. “Senior Chongming, my blind trust in Jiang Xuan has left hidden dangers. If not for my poor judgment of character, today’s chaos would never have happened. I alone will bear the responsibility!”

Everyone was greatly shocked. What?! C-Chongming?

No wonder their reaction was so strong. Only the founder of the Yuqing Sect had ever seen Chongming’s true form, and he died not long after completing the God-Slaying Formation due to severe injuries. Let alone the Yang and Meng families—forces that had only risen in the last few hundred years—even Wu De and the other two had no way of knowing.

Wu De subconsciously shook his head. “No way! This is impossible!”

Duan Ren also frowned deeply. “You’re right! How could Senior Chongming possibly be a chicken?”

Chongming instantly flew into a rage. “A chicken? What’s wrong with being a rooster?! What did chickens ever do to you?”

It flashed beside the two, flapping its wings and striking relentlessly. “You two turtle eggs, kneel down, call me Master Rooster!”

“Master Rooster, h-have mercy!”

“Wrong, we were wrong! Spare us, spare us!”

Amid the pleas for mercy, the two followed in Li Xun’s footsteps, buried in the ground with only their heads exposed. Li Xun instantly felt relieved. He was no longer alone.

After a good while, Chongming seemed slightly appeased and stopped, turning to Murong Yuan. “You indeed bear great responsibility in this matter!”

Gu Han was startled. “Master Rooster, he’s one of our people!”

Murong Yan stepped forward, holding her big hammer. “You dare touch my ancestor! I’ll hammer you to death!”

Murong Yuan’s expression changed drastically. “Yan’er, do not—”

Chongming narrowed its small eyes, reappearing in front of Murong Yan. “Hmm? Giant Spirit Bloodline, quite rare indeed! I heard this clan possesses immense strength. Come, come, let me test your strength!”

Murong Yan didn’t hesitate either. She swung her hammer at Chongming’s head. “You asked for it! I’ll hammer you to death!”

Chongming glanced at her and gently flicked a single wing. With a loud bang, her hammer flew from her grasp. Murong Yan staggered back over ten zhang, her palms bloody.

Chongming shook its head. “Impure bloodline lacks a certain quality!”

Murong Yan was so shocked she couldn’t speak. She could tell Chongming hadn’t used any cultivation just now, relying purely on physical strength. To think she would be defeated in a contest of pure strength... And by a chicken, no less!

Upon seeing Chongming hadn’t used heavy force, Gu Han let out a long sigh of relief. Great, Master Rooster still has a sense of propriety!

Chongming lingered on Murong Yuan for a moment before waving him off, clearly disinterested. “As for you, forget it! Compared to these useless things, your heart’s in the right place, but your methods fall short. It would seem rather unreasonable to punish you!”

Gu Han instantly gave a thumbs up. “Master Rooster, wise indeed!”

Meanwhile, Meng Qing wore a look of disappointment.

Chongming immediately turned its gaze to him. “What? You feel very dissatisfied, don’t you?”

Meng Qing quickly shook his head. “No!”

Chongming pondered. “I think you aren’t a good thing either!”

Gu Han deeply agreed. “Master Rooster, you truly have discerning eyes! The Yang and Meng families collude. The Yang family’s secret realm has problems, and the Meng family’s—”

Beside Chu Kuang, Meng Xing trembled with anger. “Gu Han, you’re slandering people! Master Rooster, I swear on my life, our family’s secret realm absolutely has no problems whatsoever!”

Gu Han said with a serious face, “Master Rooster, you’re already here, might as well check this one too.”

Chongming looked thoughtful. “That makes sense. Should I also give him a memorable lesson so he won’t dare have wicked thoughts in the future?”

Gu Han looked pleased. “Master Rooster, wise indeed!”

Meng Qing’s expression changed drastically. “Absolutely not! I never had such thoughts!”

Even if he had once coveted that divine power, how could he dare admit it now?

Meng Chuan looked terrified, quickly bowing. “Senior, you must not listen to his one-sided—”

Chongming flicked a single wing, sending him flying. “Scram!”

Meng Qing could no longer care about face. “Master Rooster, I really—aaah!”

He was already caught by Chongming and given a severe beating. A moment later, the number of people buried in the ground increased by one more.

Meng Xing clenched his fists tightly, his eyes bloodshot. “Gu Han, I will not let you off!”

Gu Han narrowed his eyes and took out his sword. “Is that so? Well, right back at you!”

Right at this moment, Chongming’s voice came again. “I regret saving any of you! Don’t expect me to clean up your messes again next time. You’re on your own!”

With a disappointed gaze, it slowly rose into the air, obviously not planning to stay any longer.

Gu Han was taken aback. “Master Rooster, you’re leaving?”

Chongming looked disgusted. “What? You still want me to help you slaughter them all?”

Gu Han thought about it. “Actually, that would be nice.”

Chongming was so angry it nearly fell from the sky. “Kid, my memory might be a bit poor, but I’m not stupid! I know very well what you’re scheming! Helping you to this extent is already giving face because you’re a sword cultivator! Ultimately, this is something you must handle yourself!”

Gu Han wasn’t too disappointed. He knew Chongming had pieced everything together along the way and was merely playing along.

“Master Rooster, until we meet again!”

Chongming stared at his sword. “Oh, right. That broken sword of yours, does it have a name?”

Gu Han was somewhat dissatisfied. “A name? No.”

Broken? How? Where?

He had carried this sword since he was young, but aside from being extremely heavy and hard, it had no other special characteristics.

Chongming seemed intent on guiding him. “As a sword cultivator, a sword without a name is like a man without a soul. It’s ultimately flawed. Only by uncovering its name can you become a true sword cultivator.”

Gu Han frowned and fell silent. Uncover it? How? Aren’t names supposed to be given?

Knowing Chongming’s intention, he bowed seriously. “Master Rooster, what is a true sword cultivator?”

Chongming seemed to recall something, a deep sorrow welling in its eyes. It sighed softly. “A true sword cultivator presses forward fearlessly, and embraces death to seek life.”

A flicker of hesitation passed through its eyes, but it didn’t say anything further. Enveloped by a flash of five-colored divine light, Chongming vanished without a trace.

After seeing it off, Gu Han reorganized his wandering thoughts.

Unfazed by the killing intent in the others’ eyes, he faced Yang Xiong and leveled his sword at Yang Lin. “Family Head Yang, I want to make a trade with you!”

Yang Ying trembled, tightening his grip around his spear.

Yang Xiong’s eyes dripped with venom, his face full of unwillingness. “How dare you! Release my son immediately!”

A strand of sword qi instantly pierced through Yang Lin, eliciting a cry of pain from him.

Gu Han said nonchalantly, “Sorry, this is a mandatory trade. You don’t have the right to refuse.”