Fan Yuqing stood in mid-air, his feet pressing heavily upon the void, causing profound runes to flicker.
Under his will, the dozens of formidable formations of Guanxia City were fully activated, gathering infinite divine power that poured into his body.
In a mere moment, the County Governor had been forcefully elevated from the peak of the second realm to the brink of the Golden Core realm, his majestic magic power surging like a boundless ocean.
An aura, no weaker than that of the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger, permeated the sky, as if a celestial being had descended upon the mortal world. If one were to open their spiritual eyes, they would see a halo of destiny above his head and countless profound, intricate formation patterns beneath his feet.
"Sword... come!"
Fan Yuqing uttered a low cry, his body's magic power surging.
In the next breath, a streak of light shot up from the County Governor's mansion, transforming into a long sword that landed in his hand.
Instantly, surging sword energy raged, filling the sky within a radius of dozens of zhang. A more heavy and profound aura swept out from this long sword.
In the blink of an eye, Fan Yuqing, with the power of dozens of formations, had fully revived this magical artifact!
Roar!!!
As if sensing the threat to its life, the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger let out a skyward roar. Then, it flapped its wings, sending dozens of blood blades shooting out.
As the County Governor watched the blood blades streak across the sky, his expression remained unchanged. He merely extended his hand downwards, forming a palm the size of a house with countless spiritual energies.
As this giant hand slowly clenched, it immediately contained the dozens of sword energies within its palm. Then, countless runes flashed, grinding them into dust and transforming them into rich vital energy that dissipated into the heavens and earth.
*Bang!*
In an instant, the giant hand exploded, and a beast silhouette shrouded in blood light flashed and disappeared amidst the surging spiritual energy!
"Wretched beast, you court death!"
Fan Yuqing roared, raising the long sword in his hand and slashing fiercely forward.
Brilliant sword light appeared in the sky and earth, wreathed in the power of wind and thunder, slashing down at the blood shadow that had already streaked to within a few zhang.
However, at this very moment, before the blood shadow could even touch the sword light, it first disintegrated, scattering into dozens, then hundreds, of blood lights that shot in all directions.
Upon seeing this, Fan Yuqing's gaze flickered. He then saw the sword light also disintegrate, splitting into hundreds of sword qi, which in turn pursued the scattered blood lights.
However, after splitting, the power of these sword qi had clearly weakened. In just one or two breaths, they were swallowed by the dozens or hundreds of blood lights, causing their auras to slightly increase, and even their surface glow became brighter.
"The Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger is cruel and bloodthirsty, devouring the blood of all living things. Its innate divine ability is 'Spirit Devour,' which allows it to enhance itself by consuming beings with spirits!"
Qian Nishang said in a deep voice.
The "beings with spirits" she spoke of not only referred to sentient life but also to things that contained spiritual energy and sentience.
For example, natural treasures, the magic power refined by cultivators with spiritual energy, and even various divine abilities and techniques formed by magic power!
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan's eyes lit up, then quickly dimmed. With the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger's cultivation and the presence of numerous strong cultivators in the county city, there was nothing he could do with his current realm.
"You want something from its body?"
Qian Nishang asked with a hint of confusion as she observed him.
He sighed, not hiding anything. "I want the demon core within its body."
In the world, all demonic and spiritual beasts were born with a demon core or inner core within their bodies. It was the root of their life and condensed their entire cultivation. It had unimaginable efficacy in refining treasures, alchemy, setting up formations, or crafting talismans, and so on.
"Is it very important?"
She pondered for a moment. Although she was asking, she seemed to have already made a decision in her heart.
Ji Yuan nodded heavily. This item was indeed quite important to him. While not indispensable, it seemed to be the most suitable item available at the moment.
His Profound Heaven Tower had not yet been completely refined. Besides requiring a long period of nurturing and absorbing the essence of various corresponding spiritual materials, it also needed a core item.
This item would serve to suppress the formation and imbue the pagoda with its characteristics. Once set, it could not be replaced unless the entire artifact was re-forged. Even if the core crumbled, only an identical item could be used as a substitute.
And upon hearing Qian Nishang's words about the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger's innate ability of "Spirit Devour," if its inner core were used as the pagoda's core, there was a high probability it would gain this ability as well.
The current Profound Heaven Tower was already quite formidable in terms of defense and suppression. If it could also possess the ability to devour beings with spirits, its power would undoubtedly reach a higher level!
"Don't worry. Once this Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger is slain, the County Governor will definitely put it out. It will either be at my Mingxin Pavilion or sold at Vast Sea Tower."
Qian Nishang said with a smile, reassuring Ji Yuan.
According to the laws of the Great Yu Dynasty, if a demon or monster caused trouble within the city, the slayer would claim all the spoils of war. The County Governor, in order to prolong his lifespan and considering the cultivation expenses of his formerly favorite youngest son, was not exactly flush with cash.
A fourth-order demonic beast, if slain, its entire body's materials could be sold for a very high price. Furthermore, due to the matter concerning the Li family, a large portion of the third-order cultivators in Luoxia Prefecture had already gathered in the county city.
This meant there would be no shortage of bidders, ensuring a very good price.
However, in terms of financial strength, Mingxin Pavilion had never been afraid of anyone in Luoxia Prefecture. Even Vast Sea Tower could not compare with it in terms of financial capacity.
After all, in order to build its reputation as all-encompassing, the latter had spent vast sums of ready cash, making it difficult to amass a certain amount of financial power in a short period.
"So, as long as the County Governor has the intention, even if he hands it over to Vast Sea Tower or sells it himself, my Mingxin Pavilion will acquire it for you at any cost!"
Qian Nishang said nonchalantly.
Was it not just a matter of money? As long as they could swallow the Li family's businesses and shares in Mingxin Pavilion, even half of it, it would not only help the Qian family escape their current predicament but also allow them to make a substantial profit.
This sum was equivalent to the net profit the Qian family had earned over the past one to two hundred years!
Ji Yuan was taken aback by her words and turned to look at her in surprise, seemingly unable to comprehend why she would do this.
He did have some value to Mingxin Pavilion and the Qian family, but he believed that this value was not enough to warrant such a significant investment.
First, a magical artifact and a cultivation technique, then substantial annual offerings, and now she was planning to spare no expense to buy him a fourth-order demon core?
"Without you, I would have died in that trap that night. Let alone now, by using the strategy of luring a wolf to devour a tiger, the day of destroying the Li family and avenging my grievances is at hand."
Qian Nishang smiled faintly. "And don't underestimate the Li family's wealth. Even if it's only a part of their holdings in Mingxin Pavilion, it's still an unimaginable amount."
Without exaggeration, these businesses and other assets, if converted into cash, would rank among the top ten wealthiest individuals in Luoxia Prefecture!
Not to mention, the stronger Ji Yuan became and the higher his cultivation realm, the higher his status within the Nine Xuan Sect would rise accordingly.
The Nine Xuan Sect's inability to advance due to a lack of destiny was not a secret in Lingyang Prefecture. Any power with sufficient strength was aware of it to some extent.
Once Ji Yuan returned with the destiny the Nine Xuan Sect lacked, in a few years at the shortest, and at most a decade or two, the sect could soar to great heights, becoming a colossus capable of boasting a "Sect" title and having celestial beings as its guardians.
At that time, the sect's influence would not be limited to just one or a few prefectures, but would extend to surrounding regions!
Therefore, no matter how one looked at it, this was a business that promised immense profits, and Qian Nishang had no reason to let him miss out.
"Thank you!"
Ji Yuan smiled knowingly. Although she later spoke of practical benefits, how could he not understand that these were mere pretexts?
They were intended to make him feel at ease while accepting her gesture of goodwill.
Roar!!!
At this moment, a roar echoed from afar, its contained rage clearly audible.
The two of them quickly looked up and saw the fourth-order Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger, with one of its wings severed by a terrifying sword light, and a deep, bone-cutting wound on its back.
A large amount of blood gushed from the wound, falling like a bloody rain. Fortunately, the formation provided protection, preventing the blood from reaching the ground, otherwise, countless civilians would have lost their lives.
The blood of a fourth-order demonic beast, containing violent spiritual energy, was enough to kill ordinary creatures. Moreover, this was the blood of a Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger, which contained a dense power of blood fiends.
Even a cultivator of the first or second realm would be in mortal peril if they accidentally came into contact with it.
At this moment, the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger roared to the sky and spat out a round demon core, which it hurled forward with boundless blood light.
There were no divine abilities or profound techniques, just a simple, brutal smash that nearly caused the city's formations to collapse, and countless formation patterns trembled wildly.
A world-destroying aura swept out. The infinite spiritual energy in the heavens and earth was devoured by this demon core, transforming into its own vast magic power, intending to smash the human who had injured it into a pulp!
Seeing this, Fan Yuqing snorted coldly. The long sword in his hand was fully revived and flew into the air on its own.
In an instant, the destiny and merit of a prefecture covering the sky descended and merged into the long sword, causing it to emit boundless, radiant light.
"Slash!"
Fan Yuqing uttered a low, expressionless cry. The long sword before him immediately slashed through the air, releasing a sword light that was over ten zhang long.
This sword light seemed capable of cleaving the heavens and earth, capable of severing all things in the world with a single sword!
*Poof!!!!*
There was no earth-shattering sound, nor was there a blinding radiance like that of the sun.
With a soft, subtle sound, the sword light instantly cut through the radiant demon core like a shining sun and struck the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger.
This space suddenly fell into silence.
It wasn't until ten breaths passed that startling power fluctuations swept out, but they were quickly quelled. Then, the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger, cut in half, and a dim demon core fell towards the ground.
A fourth-order demonic beast, an ancient descendant, was slain with a single sword strike from a fully revived magical artifact, empowered by dozens of city formations and the destiny and merit of a prefecture!
And the one controlling all of this was merely Fan Yuqing, whose cultivation was only at the peak of the second realm!
If a third-order cultivator, or even a great cultivator who had formed a Golden Core, were to preside over the formations, what power would that strike unleash?
As the onlookers couldn't help but speculate, Fan Yuqing, standing alone in the sky, merely beckoned. A surge of colorful light swept out, carrying the corpse and demon core of the Scarlet Feather Evil Tiger back.
He collected his spoils of war, glanced at the ongoing battles in various parts of the city, and then, with his magical sword, transformed into a streak of light and returned to the County Governor's mansion.
The Li family's greatest trump card had now been slain by his sword. Even though three third-order cultivators had not yet been subdued, the final outcome could no longer be changed.
"Break out of the county city!"
The Li family patriarch suddenly roared. He detonated several high-grade magical artifacts in succession, repelling the several people who were besieging him, and then, without looking back, he fled towards the outside of the county city.
Around him, two other third-order cultivators from the Li family followed suit. Whenever someone attacked them, they would decisively detonate their magical artifacts to buy themselves a chance for survival.
This scene made the surrounding crowd's heads ache, lamenting the Li family's wealth while also feeling a surge of avarice.
If they could kill one of them, they would be able to claim all the wealth in their spatial bags!
More and more onlookers, who were third-order cultivators, joined in, beginning to surround the three third-order cultivators of the Li family.
However, no one was willing to be at the forefront, enduring the desperate counterattacks of the enemy in their final moments, which could lead to severe damage or even death.
Thus, under the Li family patriarch's fierce determination, he actually managed to break out of the county city. Only his son and another elderly member of the family were reduced to dust and scattered souls by dozens of magical artifacts.
"You wait! This debt, this old man will surely repay it in the future!"
He left a harsh threat without looking back, then used a secret technique, burning his cultivation and vital energy to increase his speed severalfold.
But in the next breath, a blade light rose from the county city and, traversing countless distances at an extremely rapid speed, appeared behind the Li family patriarch.
*Puff!!!*
Blood splattered everywhere. The opponent's physical body was reduced to a mass of blood mist by this strike!
In an instant, the blade light, carrying five spatial bags and a thumb ring, returned and finally landed deep within the Mingjian Division.
Upon seeing this, even though the pursuing crowd was unwilling, they dared not show the slightest change in their expressions. Instead, they smiled and bowed towards the Mingjian Division from afar.
A group of third-order cultivators, each standing on their magical artifacts in mid-air, continuously spoke words of 'congratulations,' seeming even happier than if they had obtained a great treasure themselves.
Although the owner of that blade light had not appeared, everyone knew that it must have been the Mingjian Division Chief of Luoxia Prefecture!
And for this legendary figure, rumored to be among the top five strongest individuals in the prefecture, no one dared to show any disrespect, lest a blade light appear before them the next moment.
After all, given his notorious reputation, he was not incapable of such actions.