Chen Ge, with a sudden gesture, pointed at a middle-aged cultivator's head and cried out in alarm. "That head! I know it! It belongs to Wei Peng, ranked ninth among the inner sect disciples of the Divine Star Sect! This fellow is a master of the seventh Qi Refining level! Two of our inner sect senior brothers fell by his hand!"

Xu Ming, Wei Hua, and the others turned their gaze in that direction, only to recoil in shock.

Wei Peng, at the seventh Qi Refining level, possessed a strength far surpassing theirs. Was he now dead?

Moreover, the surrounding area showed scant evidence of combat. Clearly, these three had scarcely managed to resist before they were easily dispatched. Who could be responsible for this?

Chen Ge swallowed hard, "Could it be... I mean, is it possible that these three were killed by senior brother Chu?"

Xu Ming promptly refuted, "Impossible, Chu Xuan is merely at the fourth Qi Refining level; he could at best defeat a fifth-level cultivator. Moreover, facing three adversaries, how could he effortlessly eliminate them all? It would require at least the prowess of the eighth Qi Refining level to instantly annihilate these three."

Chen Ge, Wei Hua, and the others pondered this and also deemed it unlikely. Xu Ming exclaimed with vigor, "Let us depart, for whoever slew them has done us a great service. Once we reach safety, it will not be too late to extend our thanks to this adept."

Chen Ge, Wei Hua, and the others concurred, nodding, "Indeed, let us hasten."

The five quickened their stride and soon disappeared into the woodland.

...

Elsewhere.

Chu Xuan had long since left the Wu family estate. He did not venture into any mortal hamlets or towns, but once assured of his distance, he found a small mountain and usurped a bear's den. The den's rightful owner was courteously escorted into the stomach.

Chu Xuan stirred the Spiritual Qi, purging the cave of its impurities and foul air. He then concealed the entrance and settled down cross-legged, eagerly inspecting the fruits of his venture.

Foremost was, of course, his own storage bag. Currently, it housed the Blood Refining Array and over a hundred small spiritual stones. These stones were acquired in exchange with Chen Ge, Wei Hua, and others for thirty blood beads.

"Previously, a blood bead was priced at two small spiritual stones each, now they've risen to three. Tsk, looks like they have scant opportunities to hunt demonic beasts and mortals for refining blood beads."

Chu Xuan's gaze then drifted to the side. The lesser storage bags of these three Divine Star Sect disciples piqued his anticipation even more, for they were akin to blind boxes that might contain treasures.

He methodically opened each bag. A sparkle flashed in his eyes. The belongings in the bags of the two fifth-level Qi Refining disciples were mundane, merely containing three to four hundred small spiritual stones and the standardized magic tool granted by the Divine Star Sect.

However, the bag of the seventh-level Qi Refining disciple was far more promising, holding two medium spiritual stones and over eight hundred small spiritual stones, along with a set of the Qi Gathering Array and a Mystifying Array, both optimal for establishing a cave dwelling.

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Beyond these, Chu Xuan unexpectedly discovered something extraordinary. He hastily retrieved the item from the bag. It was a sinister, pitch-black banner, within which resided the mournful wails and cries of countless tormented souls, sending shivers down one's spine.

Chu Xuan's eyebrows rose in intrigue. The Myriad Souls Banner was a superior-grade magic tool. Typically, Qi Refining stage cultivators possessed only lower or middle-grade magic tools.

Those at the Foundation Establishment stage might acquire superior or even top-grade magic tools. It was unexpected that a disciple of the Divine Star Sect would possess a Myriad Souls Banner.

Demonic cultivators often captured gloomy souls or hunted other cultivators to extract their living souls, placing them into the Myriad Souls Banner for refinement.

Over time, these gloomy and living souls would transform into fierce ghosts—more ferocious, more terrifying. Once unleashed, the Myriad Souls Banner would release thousands of these fierce ghosts, surging like a tidal wave.

Chu Xuan, ever perceptive, quickly grasped the situation. The Divine Star Sect disciple had likely stumbled upon and slain a cultivator from the Infinite Sect, obtaining the Myriad Souls Banner and, rather than surrendering it to his sect, had secreted it away.

The reasons for keeping it hidden were obvious. The Myriad Souls Banner, a notorious demonic path magic tool, was immensely powerful. Clearly, he intended to keep it for himself and secretly refine it.

"One of the righteous Five Sects, and yet not all within the Divine Star Sect are as honorable as they claim," Chu Xuan scoffed.

Demonic treasures were powerful and quick to manifest; who wouldn't covet them? Were it not for the heavenly retribution that indiscriminate slaughter would incur, perhaps the righteous Five Sects would have long since turned to the demonic path.

Nonetheless, this superior-grade Myriad Souls Banner was an unexpected boon. Whether Divine Star Sect or Infinite Sect cultivators, anyone wishing to accumulate souls within the Myriad Souls Banner would need to operate in secrecy.

But Chu Xuan was different. Once he returned to that apocalyptic planet, there would be plenty of zombies from which he could extract living souls.

"With this, I have gained yet another treasure to accompany me," Chu Xuan thought, content. He immediately sat down cross-legged and began to meditate quietly. The Blood Mirror in his embrace slowly absorbed the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth, gradually charging up.

Five days later, at White Ray Mountain.

Xu Ming, Chen Ge, Wei Hua, and the others were hidden within a cave, anxiously waiting.

Logically, Liu Zhenxiong should have shaken off Sun Shi and the other Divine Star Sect cultivators three days ago and met up with them.

Yet another two days had passed without a glimpse of Liu Zhenxiong. They dared not descend the mountain to investigate further, nor did they know the current state of the Wu family estate. Each day and night was spent in anxious anticipation.

"Perhaps, we should disguise ourselves and go down the mountain to look," Xu Ming suggested, glancing at Chen Ge. "Your skills in disguise are the best among us; you go and check."

Chen Ge's heart tightened. "Why should I go? I always went to the Peace Market before. If we're going, you go!"

Xu Ming stood up abruptly, his voice low and stern, "Uncle Master Liu personally assigned me to lead this team! Chen Ge, are you planning to defy orders?"

Muttering under his breath, Chen Ge begrudgingly began to apply makeup. However, he had only done half when Liu Zhenxiong's voice suddenly rang from outside.

"No need to go down the mountain; I'm back."

Liu Zhenxiong appeared at the cave entrance with a disciple in tow. Xu Ming was overjoyed, "Uncle Master, you're finally back!"

Liu Zhenxiong scanned the group and nodded slightly. "The Wu family estate was surrounded tightly, yet you all managed to escape alive without a single loss. Truly fortunate." He pointed to the disciple behind him, "Bai Feng and his group originally planned to flee to Wind Mountain, but they were ambushed en route. Only Bai Feng was lucky enough to escape and was rescued by me."

Bai Feng gave a wry smile, "If not for Uncle Master arriving just in time, I would have perished too. Xu Ming, you and the others are really lucky. Did you not encounter any intercepting Divine Star Sect disciples?"

Xu Ming, Chen Ge, and Wei Hua exchanged glances and recounted the events of that day.

"Three Divine Star Sect disciples, including one at the seventh Qi Refining level, are dead?"

Liu Zhenxiong and Bai Feng were astonished.

"No signs of a struggle, I presume it was an instant kill, leaving no chance for retaliation. It's highly likely only a cultivator of the eighth Qi Refining level could achieve this," Xu Ming murmured.

Chen Ge timidly raised his hand, "Uncle Master, could it be Senior Brother Chu? He has always been exceptionally strong…"