Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1425 Kunwu Mountain

Chapter 1425 Kunwu Mountain

"More than twenty years have passed since we parted, and Senior Brother's supernatural abilities have improved even further. To fight four great cultivators of the same level like cutting melons and vegetables is truly astounding." Han Li looked at the lingering spiritual energy fluctuations and the devastated mountain range after the battle and exclaimed sincerely, his eyes filled with undisguised shock. Four late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, including the infamous Qian Laomo, were all killed by Qin Hao in such a short time. Such combat power far surpasses that of his peers.

Upon hearing this, Qin Hao smiled faintly, casually pocketing a few spoils of war, and said, "Junior Brother Han must have been quite busy these past twenty years, right? Your aura has become more refined, and your magical power has become even more complete."

Han Li nodded, a hint of smugness showing on his face: "The Great Jin Dynasty truly lives up to its reputation as a holy land for cultivation. Its abundant resources far surpass those of the Southern Region. I have indeed made some gains and have been fortunate enough to find a few spiritual items that are beneficial to my cultivation."

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries and talked about their experiences in the Great Jin Dynasty. Seeing that the matter was settled, Han Li cupped his hands in farewell. Just then, Qin Hao's heart stirred, as if he had remembered something, and he asked, "Junior Brother Han, is your trip so rushed because you have an appointment with a cultivator surnamed Fu?"

Upon hearing this, Han Li hesitated for a moment, but still nodded: "That's right, I do have an appointment with Fellow Daoist Fu to explore a secret place."

"To be honest, Junior Brother Han, what I and this person are plotting is all in the Yin-Yang Cave in the Southern Frontier." Qin Hao spoke frankly, then took out an item, which was the Yin-Yang Jade: "Junior Brother Han can keep this with you. It may be of help in a critical moment."

Han Li was taken aback at first, but then immediately understood Qin Hao's plan. It was clear that Qin Hao intended to use the Yin-Yang Jade's connection to intervene at a crucial moment and gain a share, just like during their previous visit to Cangkun Shangren's cave. If anyone else had made such a request, Han Li, with his cautious and even suspicious nature, would have absolutely refused; it would have been tantamount to handing over his whereabouts and safety to someone else.

But facing this senior brother with whom he had collaborated repeatedly, always reaping huge rewards and never suffering a loss, Han Li weighed his options carefully. Recalling past experiences, Qin Hao, though forceful in his methods, acted with considerable discipline and possessed exceptional strength. While there were risks in cooperating with him, the rewards often exceeded expectations.

Finally, Han Li took a deep breath, reached out and accepted the Yin-Yang Jade, which was warm and smooth with a strange fluctuation, thus tacitly agreeing to the matter.

"In that case, we will do as Senior Brother says."

After Han Li transformed into a streak of azure light and disappeared into the distance, Qin Hao did not immediately follow. He steered his Ink Dragon Boat, changed direction, and shot towards Huayun Prefecture in eastern Great Jin. The opening of the Yin-Yang Cave in Southern Xinjiang would still take half a year, and he would take advantage of this gap to visit the Heavenly Talisman Sect, which he had already planned to visit.

Several days later, at Baizhu Mountain in Huayun Prefecture, in front of the Tianfu Gate.

The once-powerful top sect of the Great Jin Dynasty has now fallen into decline. The protective array around the mountain is dim, and the gate buildings exude an aura of decay. The most powerful cultivator within the sect is merely a sect leader at the early stage of the Golden Core realm.

When Qin Hao's immense spiritual pressure, befitting a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, descended upon the main hall of the Heavenly Talisman Sect without any concealment, the slightly plump, honest-looking sect leader was so frightened that he slid off his sect leader's chair, trembling like a leaf, unable to utter a complete greeting.

Late Nascent Soul stage! This was a realm he had only ever heard of in the legends of his ancestor!

"Get up." Qin Hao reduced some of his spiritual pressure, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "No need to panic. To be honest, I have some connection with your Heavenly Talisman Sect."

The sect leader scrambled to his feet, bowing respectfully, not daring to utter a word. Qin Hao didn't beat around the bush; he directly took out a jade slip and flicked it in front of the other party.

"This is the complete method for making a 'Spirit-Summoning Talisman,' which I obtained by chance. Today, I will return it to its rightful owner, thus fulfilling this bond of kinship."

"A...a spirit-summoning talisman?!" Upon hearing this, the sect leader's eyes widened instantly, and his breathing became rapid. This was one of the three great secret talismans of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, long lost, a secret passed down only by their ancestor, the Heavenly Talisman Master! Trembling, he accepted the jade slip, and after a brief probe with his divine sense, he was awestruck by the exquisite and profound talismanic techniques within. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears streamed down his face, and he knelt down with a thud: "This junior...this junior, on behalf of the ancestors of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, kowtows to express my deepest gratitude to the senior for his great kindness!"

After the initial excitement, the sect leader, being a shrewd man, knew that such a generous gift wouldn't fall from the sky. A late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator's special visit to deliver such a lavish present couldn't be merely a token of gratitude. He immediately explained that although the sect had declined, their ancestor had passed down the method for creating another secret talisman, the "Spirit Transformation Talisman." While not as wondrous as the Spirit Subduing Talisman, it possessed its own profound mysteries, and he wished to offer it along with the talisman to repay even a fraction of the senior's kindness.

Seeing that the other party was so sensible, Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction. He accepted the jade slip containing the Spirit Transformation Talisman and said calmly, "I won't take yours for nothing. Does your Heavenly Talisman Sect have any difficulties? Since I have accepted this talisman, I promise to solve a problem for you."

Upon hearing this, the sect leader was overjoyed. The promise of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was invaluable! He hurriedly and cautiously reported that Lingfeng Sect, with the support of Shayang Sect, had been pressing forward step by step, intending to annex Tianfu Sect's last remaining market town.

"The Sha Yang Sect? Is there a Nascent Soul cultivator behind it?" Qin Hao asked.

"Reporting to Senior, the Sha Yang Sect has a Supreme Elder at the early Nascent Soul stage overseeing things..." the Sect Leader hurriedly replied.

"It's nothing, I'll be right back." Before Qin Hao finished speaking, he had already transformed into a streak of dark light and disappeared from the hall.

The sect leader initially thought Qin Hao was going to negotiate and exert pressure on the Sha Yang Sect, and was somewhat uneasy. However, only half a day later, earth-shattering news spread like wildfire throughout the cultivation world of Hua Yun Prefecture: a mysterious late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator directly stormed the Sha Yang Sect's mountain gate and, with swift and decisive action, killed the early-stage Nascent Soul Grand Elder on the spot; even the Nascent Soul cultivator could not escape! The news shook the entire prefecture.

The next morning, the sect leader of Lingfeng Sect arrived at Baizhu Mountain with an incredibly generous gift and a mournful face, pleading for forgiveness. He not only returned the market but also compensated the sect with a large amount of spirit stones and materials, hoping that Tianfu Sect would show leniency.

Only now did the sect leader truly realize how terrifying the power and methods of that "Senior Zhang" were. He felt both awe and elation, thinking that if he could establish a connection with this senior, the revival of the Heavenly Talisman Sect would be within reach.

Meanwhile, after finishing his chores and waiting for the AI ​​to deduce the talisman techniques, Qin Hao strolled into the Heavenly Talisman Sect's scripture pavilion. Although the sect had declined, some basic texts on the art of talismans had been preserved. As he flipped through a seemingly ordinary jade slip containing talisman-making tips, his gaze inadvertently swept over a gray-robed old man with Qi Refining stage cultivation who was dozing in the corner.

The old man appeared ordinary, but Qin Hao's powerful divine sense keenly detected a faint, abyss-like fluctuation of spiritual energy. A thought struck him, and he carefully examined the man for a few moments, a playful smile creeping onto his lips. This old man was exactly the same as the "Senior Brother Xiang" he had met in Yellow Maple Valley years ago; he hadn't even bothered to change his disguise.

Qin Hao put down the jade slip, walked slowly to the old man, and seeing that no one was around, he went straight to the point, his tone slightly teasing: "This fellow Daoist looks very familiar, are you from Tiannan?"

Xiang Zhili opened his half-closed eyes a crack, a barely perceptible glint of light flashing in his cloudy pupils, but his face was filled with confusion and fear. He waved his hands repeatedly, his voice hoarse: "What are you saying, senior? I... I have been cultivating in Huayun Prefecture all this time and have never been to Tiannan. Senior must have mistaken me for someone else."

"Oh? In that case, let's just say Zhang mistook me for someone else." Qin Hao didn't point it out, but simply smiled meaningfully and turned to leave the Scripture Pavilion. Some things are better left unsaid.

After Qin Hao left, Xiang Zhili straightened his hunched figure slightly, his cloudy eyes becoming clear and deep. He gazed in the direction Qin Hao had gone, let out a soft "Eh," and muttered to himself, "This kid... he actually advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage so quickly? Judging from his condensed spiritual sense, which is as solid as a substance, and his physical body's blood and qi as powerful as a dragon, he is far superior to others of the same level... Tsk tsk, perhaps a new talent has joined our ranks..."

Over the next three days, Qin Hao, relying on his status as a "Guest Elder," browsed through all the books on talismanic arts in the Tianfu Sect's library without any hindrance, regardless of their level, and had them completely entered into the database by the AI.

It must be said that although the Heavenly Talisman Sect as a whole has declined and the techniques left by its founder are unremarkable, it does have its unique strengths when it comes to talismans. In particular, it has many ingenious ideas and improvements in the drawing techniques, combinations of spirit patterns, and material substitutions of advanced talismans, which have given Qin Hao a lot of inspiration and filled some gaps in his knowledge in this field.

"Intelligent Brain, combining the previously analyzed Mulan people's spiritual art system with the newly entered essence of the Heavenly Talisman Sect's talisman techniques, re-deduced the production process and power optimization scheme of the high-level talismans in the 'Ten Thousand Talisman Treasure Record'."

[AI: Command received, initiating data model integration... Analyzing in progress, estimated time: three months...]

Three days later, a streak of dark light shot into the sky from Baizhu Mountain and headed straight for the Southern Frontier without hesitation, leaving behind only the Tianfu Sect, which had been reborn and was full of hope for the future.

……

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Deep within the entrance to the Yin Cave in the Southern Frontier, Han Li, Fu Cheng, Bai Yaoyi, and their group were struggling through the biting Yin winds, protected by the Purple Nether Pearl, heading deeper into the Yin-Yang Cave. Qin Hao, meanwhile, relied on the faint connection of the Yin-Yang Jade to leisurely trail far behind the rest of the group. The Yin winds within the Yin-Yang Cave, enough to frighten even Nascent Soul cultivators, posed no threat to Qin Hao, who had cultivated the Brahma Saint True Demon Art to a certain level and possessed an incredibly strong physical body.

More than half a month later, Qin Hao, who was flying through a side path in the Yin Cave, had a sudden thought and took out the Yin-Yang Jade from his pocket. He noticed that the light spot representing Han Li's location had stayed in a certain area for quite some time without moving.

"It seems we've encountered trouble." A glint flashed in Qin Hao's eyes. He stopped concealing his presence, and his body shone brightly, transforming into a streak of dark lightning that tore through the yin wind, rapidly heading towards Han Li's location.

At the bottom of the Yin-Yang Cave, in the center of a huge, extremely hidden cave plaza.

Just as Qin Hao had predicted, Han Li was currently locked in a fierce battle. His opponent was a monster with silver fleshy wings on its back, a ferocious face, and covered in green fur—the Silver-Winged Yaksha! This monstrous creature moved like a ghost, possessed immense strength, and its escape techniques were incredibly fast. Its attacks were also extremely unpredictable. In just one exchange, Han Li was forced to rely solely on his Wind and Thunder Wings and numerous magical treasures to barely hold his own. Although the sword formation formed by the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords was fierce, it seemed unable to inflict fatal damage on Han Li, and the situation was extremely precarious. Fu Cheng and Bai Yaoyi, standing nearby, were even more directly trapped and in grave danger.

"Junior Brother Han, it seems I've arrived just in time." A calm yet teasing voice suddenly rang out in the cave. Immediately afterward, a flash of dark light appeared, and Qin Hao's figure was already at the edge of the battle, standing with his hands behind his back, observing the silver-winged yaksha with great interest.

When Han Li saw Qin Hao, he was initially relieved, but then tensed up again. He said with a wry smile, "Senior brother, you've finally arrived! Be careful, this monster is a Silver-Winged Yaksha. It has a powerful body and strange supernatural abilities, and it's extremely difficult to deal with!"

Seeing another person arrive, the silver-winged yaksha immediately scanned Qin Hao with its divine sense. Sensing his profound cultivation at the late Nascent Soul stage, it was startled. However, having reigned supreme in this place for many years and possessing a ferocious nature, it quickly calmed down and let out a piercing, eerie laugh: "Hehehe... There's reinforcements again? And a late Nascent Soul cultivator at that! Good, good! I haven't had the flesh and blood, and the Nascent Soul itself, of a late Nascent Soul cultivator in a long time. Today is the perfect day for a feast!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Hao's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he sneered, "I'm afraid that you, this inhuman creature, don't have good enough teeth and will break a mouthful of them!"

"Arrogant!" the Silver-Winged Yaksha roared in fury, hating nothing more than anyone mentioning its appearance. With a sudden flap of its silver wings, its form blurred, and in the next instant, it appeared above Qin Hao's head. A sharp claw, imbued with a dense aura of corpse energy, viciously clawed at Qin Hao's crown with astonishing speed.

Qin Hao neither dodged nor evaded, nor did he even use any magical treasures. He clenched his right fist, a faint golden light emanating from beneath his skin, and a savage and ferocious aura suddenly erupted—the Brahma Saint True Demon Art!

"boom!"

Fists and claws clashed, producing a dull, thunderous roar. A violent shockwave swept outwards from the two, scraping away a layer of the hard rock beneath. The silver-winged yaksha felt an irresistible force surge through its claws, its entire arm going numb and tingling. It was sent flying backwards uncontrollably, its eyes widening in horror for the first time. Its renownedly powerful physique had actually been defeated in a direct confrontation!

"What a powerful physique!" Han Li watched in astonishment. He knew something about Qin Hao's body-refining techniques, but seeing him fight the Silver-Winged Yaksha head-on without being at a disadvantage still shocked him.

The Silver-Winged Yaksha steadied itself, both surprised and furious, realizing it had met its match. It abandoned its attempt at close combat and instead spit out an ancient bronze mirror. The mirror was strangely shaped, its edges engraved with twisted runes, but its surface was a chaotic mess.

"Evil Moon Illusion Mirror, steal souls and spirits!" The Silver-Winged Yaksha exhaled a mouthful of pure corpse energy onto the mirror surface while chanting incantations.

hum!

The Evil Moon Illusion Mirror trembled violently, its chaotic light surging and instantly enveloping the entire cave plaza. Qin Hao and Han Li felt their surroundings drastically change, as if they had instantly fallen into the deepest hell. All around them was a churning sea of ​​blood, from which countless ferocious ghosts roared and crawled, baring their fangs and claws as they lunged forward. The air was thick with a nauseating stench of blood and soul-piercing wails of resentment. This illusion not only affected the eyes but also directly impacted the mind, causing one to become trapped and unable to escape. Han Li's face paled, and he hurriedly activated the Great Evolution Technique to guard his mind, barely managing to remain conscious. However, the illusions before him remained overwhelming, making it difficult to distinguish reality from illusion.

However, Qin Hao, who was at the core of the illusion, only frowned slightly when faced with this terrifying illusion that was enough to make cultivators of the same level lose their composure.

"A mere trick, yet you dare to show off your skills before an expert!" He sneered, without even using the Brahma Saint True Demon Art to dispel the illusion. He simply opened his mouth and spat out, and the golden pages of the "Ten Thousand Talisman Treasure Record" moved without wind, instantly sending out ten talismans of different colors and radiant spiritual light, which hovered in front of him.

This is a high-level talisman that he created by combining the skills of the Heavenly Talisman Sect with his own understanding, and optimized by the AI!

"Golden Spear Talisman!"

"Red Sun Talisman!"

"Thick Earth Talisman!"

……

Qin Hao possessed incredibly powerful divine sense, multiplying his abilities and simultaneously activating ten high-level talismans with different attributes and effects!

In an instant, golden light tore through the blood-red sea of ​​space, crimson flames illuminated the netherworld, and the heavy, mountainous phantoms suppressed all directions... Ten completely different, yet equally violent and powerful forces erupted, collided, and annihilated within this illusion!

This was not a clever way of defeating cleverness, but rather the unleashing of the purest and most savage power! With absolute energy far exceeding the limits of what the illusion could withstand, it forcefully burst and tore apart this illusory world constructed by the Evil Moon Illusion Mirror from the inside!

"Crack... Boom!"

A sound like shattering glass rang out, followed by the collapse of the entire illusion. A sea of ​​blood, ghosts, wails… all the illusions vanished as quickly as bubbles in the sunlight. The cave plaza returned to its original state, except for the Evil Moon Illusion Mirror, its light dimmed, a thin crack appearing on its surface, clearly indicating it had suffered a backlash.

The Silver-Winged Yaksha coughed up a mouthful of green blood, its aura instantly weakening. Its gaze towards Qin Hao was filled with terror and disbelief. Its strongest illusionary technique had been so brutally and forcefully broken in this way!

"Impossible!" the Silver-Winged Yaksha shrieked, knowing that it could not escape its fate today. It flapped its silver wings violently, ignoring its injuries, and transformed into a streak of silver light, trying to escape.

"Trying to escape? Too late!" Qin Hao wouldn't let it get away. With a swift movement, he caught up with it like a persistent leech. Golden light flashed between his fists and feet, and each strike contained terrifying power capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks. This forced the Silver-Winged Yaksha to defend itself in a sorry state, with new wounds constantly appearing on its body and green blood splattering all over the ground.

Silver-winged Yaksha was horrified. It realized that its opponent's speed, strength, and physical strength completely overwhelmed it. If it continued to fight, it would surely die! A fierce and resolute look flashed in its eyes. It took a punch from Qin Hao, and its silver wings were almost broken. It used the force to fly backward towards a seemingly ordinary stone wall in the corner of the square.

Silver-Winged Yaksha gritted his teeth and slammed his remaining arm into a hidden groove in the stone wall, simultaneously spitting out a large amount of blood essence. Instantly, countless complex and ancient runes lit up on the stone wall, forming a temporary small teleportation array.

Upon seeing this, Qin Hao's eyes flashed with a triumphant smile, and his attack slowed slightly, seemingly hindered by the sudden flash of teleportation light.

"Oh no! It's a teleportation array!" Han Li, who had just broken free from the illusion and was still a little dizzy, was shocked to see this.

The next moment, a blinding white light erupted from the center of the magic array, instantly engulfing the entire plaza, along with Qin Hao, Han Li, Fu Cheng, Bai Yaoyi, and the heavily injured Silver-Winged Yaksha. The intense spatial fluctuations distorted their senses, and everyone felt dizzy, as if they had been thrown into an endless vortex.

When the unsettling teleportation sensation subsided and the white light dissipated, and everyone regained their sense of their surroundings, they found themselves in a completely unfamiliar environment. It seemed to be a vast underground cavern, the air fresh and vibrant with spiritual energy, a stark contrast to the eerie atmosphere of the Yin-Yang Cave. The silver-winged yaksha, having already taken advantage of the brief chaos following the teleportation, had dragged its mangled body and vanished without a trace.

Han Li cautiously surveyed his surroundings, extending his divine sense, only to discover that there seemed to be some kind of restriction surrounding the place, greatly suppressing his divine sense. He couldn't help but look at Qin Hao with a grave expression: "Senior brother, where did this fiend teleport us to?"

Qin Hao shook his head slightly, feigning the same confusion, but inwardly he was overjoyed. The reason he hadn't dealt a fatal blow to the Silver-Winged Yaksha earlier, and even deliberately given it the opportunity to activate the teleportation array, was all for this moment! A mere few Nascent Soul Pills were hardly worth all this trouble.

His real target is the two heaven-reaching spiritual treasures in Kunwu Mountain, as well as the information about the upper realm and even the spatial nodes that the Silver Moon, who is sealed here, possesses!

Seeing that there was no immediate danger, Han Li had time to check on Fu Cheng and Bai Yaoyi. The two had only suffered mental and physical injuries and had exhausted their magical power, but their lives were not in danger.

Fu Cheng's expression was rather unpleasant. On one hand, he had just narrowly escaped death and was still shaken; on the other hand, judging from Qin Hao's sudden appearance and the familiarity he showed with Han Li, it was clear that the two had made a prior agreement.

His group had painstakingly explored the Yin-Yang Cave, only to have it all benefit someone else. And it wasn't impossible that the other party would kill them to cover their tracks. His gaze towards Qin Hao was filled with wariness and unease.

"No need for that expression." Qin Hao glanced at Fu Cheng, his tone indifferent: "Your meager possessions are not even worth a glance from me."

As he spoke, he casually tossed a spirit beast pouch to Fu Cheng. Inside was the "Yinzhi Horse," the main ingredient for refining the Infant Nourishing Pill, which he had captured during the Silver-Winged Yaksha's teleportation.

"Yinzhima is here. You each get one Peiying Pill, and the rest are mine. I'm sure no one has any objections, right?" Qin Hao's words carried an unquestionable tone.

Fu Cheng and Bai Yaoyi exchanged a glance, both seeing a sense of relief in each other's eyes. Given the terrifying power this person had displayed, killing them to silence them would have been incredibly easy. Now, not only had they saved their lives, but they had also received a coveted Nascent Soul Pill—this was already an unexpected bonus. How could they dare to voice any objections?

The two quickly bowed and said, "We have no objection to your decision, fellow Daoist!"

Han Li naturally nodded in agreement.

After confirming that the place was temporarily safe, Fu Cheng began to refine pills. After a day and a night, the pills were completed, yielding five Nascent Soul Pills the size of longan fruits, emitting a strange medicinal fragrance.

Without further ado, Fu Cheng, Bai Yaoyi, and Han Li each took one and carefully put it away. The remaining two were respectfully presented to Qin Hao.

Qin Hao casually took it and sealed it in a specially made jade bottle. Although this Nascent Soul Pill was good, its main function was to help early and mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators break through bottlenecks. For him, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, the effect was greatly reduced, so there was no need to waste it. Perhaps it could be used for trading or as a reward in the future.

After Fu Cheng and Bai Yaoyi thanked him profusely and took their leave, their figures disappearing into the intricate cave passages, Han Li's relaxed expression gradually faded. He turned around, looked at Qin Hao seriously, and spoke with a hint of inquiry and gravity:

"Senior brother, can you tell me now where this place is?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Hao raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a half-smile: "Oh? How can Junior Brother Han be so certain that I know the details of this place?"

Han Li's expression was rather grim. He said in a deep voice, "Senior brother is already a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. The Nascent Soul Pill is of little use to you. Moreover, when you fought that Silver-Winged Yaksha just now, it seemed intense, but in reality, you held back at every turn and did not use your true killing moves, especially when the teleportation array was activated at the end... If I am not mistaken, senior brother deliberately let that Silver-Winged Yaksha go, using it to activate the teleportation array and bring us here, right?"

Seeing the certainty and slight dissatisfaction in Han Li's eyes, Qin Hao knew he couldn't hide it from him any longer. He stopped teasing, his smile fading, and said seriously, "Junior Brother Han, please calm down. You guessed correctly, I did indeed intend to come here. This place is the infamous sealing site from ancient times..."

He paused, then said, word by word:

"Kun! I! Shan!"

"What?! This is Kunwu Mountain?!"

At the same time, the strange phenomena caused by the Silver-Winged Yaksha activating the teleportation array also caused turmoil in the cultivation world of Southern Xinjiang.