Refining the Mountains and Rivers

On this day, as Wang Shao was patrolling around, he stopped a Holy Nether Guard just outside the doors. He asked, "Who are you?"

The Holy Nether Guard cupped his hands together, his voice anxious, "I am here under orders to inform the Lord Commander that a restricted zone within Holy Nether City has suddenly opened. Lord Fu Shan and the others have already headed over. This matter is of high significance, so I ask that the Commander immediately go!"

Wang Chao's heart skipped a beat. The Holy Nether Guard had always possessed one of the most mystic inheritances within the Holy Palace. He didn't dare to assume anything; who knew if he would suddenly screw things up?

"Wait here. I will go and pass on the message!"

Moments later, Qin Yu appeared outside the residence. Now that Wang Chao and the other two had cleaned up and repaired this area, several points of its past elegance and grandeur had been restored. At the very least, standing here wouldn't make a person feel embarrassed.

"Just what happened?"

The Holy Nether Guard was even more anxious. "Lord Commander, the situation is urgent. Please follow me there; I will inform you of everything on our way."

Qin Yu furrowed his eyebrows. He nodded and said, "Guide the way."

Wang Chao and the other two wanted to follow, but they were blocked by the Holy Nether Guard. "Commander, this involves the secrets of the Holy Nether Guard you see…"

Qin Yu raised a hand. "You three can stay behind."

The Holy Nether Guard said, "Thank you Commander for your understanding!"

The person hurriedly led the way, explaining the situation as they went.

The Holy Nether Guard's inherited cultivation method was to draw out ferocious slaughter energy from deep beneath the ground, fusing it into their body and transforming it into a potent and tyrannical strength.

The advantage of this sort of cultivation was that it rapidly increased a person's strength. Its combat strength was incredible and it gave one a fierce fighting spirit.

The shortcoming was that it affected the mind. Normally, the Holy Nether Guard had special techniques to control their thoughts and mood, suppressing the overbearing cruelty in their hearts so that they didn't lose control of themselves.

But if that fierce slaughter energy below erupted, it would break through the limits of a person's mind and will. Subsequently, a massive number of Holy Nether Guards would lose control, leading to terrifying consequences.

The Holy Nether Guard worriedly said, "Lord Commander, the cultivation area where we absorb slaughter energy should have been suppressed with a formidable seal. But for some unknown reason, the seal has burst open. The situation is dire!" He looked up towards a completely sealed carriage in front of him and forced a smile. "In order to avoid leaking the news and causing a great panic, I can only ask Lord Commander to hide in here. It really is disrespectful of me."

Qin Yu's eyes flashed. Before entering the Endless Sea, Zhao Qianyuan had hurriedly met up with him and informed him of some matters related to the Holy Nether Guard. This just happened to be one of them. He originally thought that Zhao Qianyuan was worrying too much, but had an accident really occurred today?

After some time, the carriage came to a stop. The destination seemed as if it were very far away. The Holy Nether Guard pushed open the carriage door and leapt out, "Lord Commander, the seal is in front. We do not have the qualifications to go up so I can only bring you this far!"

Qin Yu walked over. Looking at a place on his finger, his pupils began to shrink. He slowly said, "Are you sure it is this place?"

With this question, the breath of the two Holy Nether Guards who drove the carriage here suddenly caught in their chests.

"Yes, Lord Fu Shan is inside!"

They braced themselves as they spoke. At this moment, they also seemed to sense the stiffness with which they spoke and their hearts began to sink.

Because the two of them lowered their heads, they didn't see the strange light flash across Qin Yu's face. As he looked at the common low-lying area in front of him, his lips started to curve up in a slow smile.

In order for this situation to be clearly explained, one had to rewind time to three days ago…

…

Three days ago, while the ruins that were the City Lord Mansion was being cleaned up, a small and mild earthquake happened. Besides damaging some of the work that Wang Chao and the others did, it didn't leave behind any substantial impact. But, it did interrupt Qin Yu's meditation. Feeling a bit surprised, he walked out of the stone building that was joined together with the training room, and his eyebrows furrowed together, puzzled.

Holy Nether City floated deep in the Endless Sea. If it couldn't even counterbalance the fluctuations of seawater then the city would have been destroyed countless times already. So, what happened today? Before he could think about it further, he saw Wang Chao and the others rush in, a panicked and frightened look etched on their faces. Huang Shan was dragged in by the other two, his complexion gray and tragic as if his life was slowly fading away.

Hua Yanting anxiously said, "Second Brother, Second Brother, don't scare me! Please wake up!"

Qin Yu frowned. Because of his rich experience, he could immediately see what Huang Shan's problem was.

Pill toxins!

Moreover, these were incredibly fierce pill toxins. For better or worse, Huang Shan had an initial Blue Sea realm cultivation. But now he had been laid low in the blink of an eye, not even able to explain what had happened.

Wang Chao fell to his knees. "Commander, I implore you to please save Huang Shan! Even if we must be cows or horses, even if we crush our bones or die, we will repay this great graciousness!" He had already attempted to heal Huang Shan to no avail. Now there was nothing more he could do. Even asking Qin Yu for help was only an instinct of his. In times of great danger, it was a subconscious desire to ask more powerful existences for help.

But soon, the kneeling Wang Chao felt a trace of regret. If Qin Yu couldn't revive Huang Shan then the two sides would inevitably have an impediment left between them. How could he latch onto this thigh later? But what left him inexplicably surprised was that Qin Yu unexpectedly agreed.

"Lay him down. You are lucky you came to me fast enough. If you delayed any further it would have been difficult to save him."

Hua Yanting quickly laid Huang Shan down, a worried look in his eyes. He looked straight at Qin Yu and saw him squat down and reach out a hand between Huang Shan's eyebrows.

There was not the slightest fluctuation of strength. How could he save others with a single movement?

Hua Yanting gulped, his expression becoming even more anxious. He looked back at Wang Chao. When the two met eyes, Wang Chao thought for a moment and slowly shook his head. Since Qin Yu had already decided to help them, they could only wait. There was no way they could ask him to stop midway, otherwise what would they do in the future?

All sorts of chaotic thoughts were running through Wang Chao's heart. He was already wondering what consequences would occur if Huang Shan were to die here. It wasn't that he didn't wish for his brother to recover, but Qin Yu's current performance didn't instill hope in anyone's heart.

Suddenly, Hua Yanting cried out in alarm. Wang Chao's heart shrank. Before he could regain his composure, he saw a trace of red return to Huang Shan's ash gray face.

He subconsciously opened his mouth, a single thought echoing through his mind: This also works?

To be more precise, it worked very well.

Faint traces of black poison gas appeared on Huang Shan's face. It gathered between his eyebrows and then flowed into Qin Yu's fingertip.

Then, Huang Shan groaned and slowly opened his eyes. After a short period of confusion, he suddenly shouted out, "Boss, Second Brother, hurry and run…! Wait, Commander, what are you doing here?"

Wang Chao facepalmed. He scolded, "What are you doing? You almost lost your small life! Hurry up and thank the Commander! If it weren't for his help you would have already died by now!"

Huang Shan seemed to realize something. A cold sweat formed on his body and he tried to crawl up to his knees. But, his body was so weak that he almost toppled over. He was hurriedly supported by Hua Yanting.

Qin Yu waved his hand. "There is no need for such politeness. Huang Shan, tell me, what exactly happened?"

Huang Shan respectfully said, "Big Brother Wang Chao said that the garden the Commander rests in usually is too desolate and horrible to look at, so he sent me over to clean up…"

This brat, he still didn't forget to try and increase his merit points even in such a situation. A bit of helplessness appeared on the corners of Qin Yu's lips.

This was a strategy made up by Wang Chao long ago, but right now Wang Chao had an embarrassed expression. He hurriedly said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Hurry up and speak the important parts!"

Huang Shan felt a bit aggrieved. Big Brother, weren't you the one who told me to flatter whenever possible, so why are you trying to blame me?

Even though Huang Shan thought this, he didn't dare to beat around the bush anymore.

"Just now, the garden suddenly shook and a crack appeared along the broken courtyard wall. I just happened to be close to that area. Before I could respond, a black poison gas gushed out. I had already held my breath, but my field of vision still flashed black and then I fell unconscious."

As if thinking his experience was too shameful, an awkward look appeared on Huang Shan's simple and honest face. "By the time I woke up, I was already here."

Wang Chao was taken aback. Hey, I did tell you to get to the important parts, but was there a need to be so brief? But before the two could exchange any meaningful glances, Qin Yu had already spoken up. He said, "Bring me to that crack."

Huang Shan's eyes widened.

Qin Yu lightly said, "Once we find the place, you may all stand to the side."

Soon, the group marched into the back of the large residence. This was the garden where Qin Yu usually rested. In truth, he found the place without Huang Shan needing to say anything.

The courtyard walls were collapsed in several areas. The originally lush vegetation was filled with some sort of bamboo covered with sharp thorns; it occupied a great area. But, the ordinarily vicious-seeming thorned bamboo that swayed dangerously in the wind had completely died off, its yellow leaves falling to the ground.

Qin Yu lifted his hand, stopping the loyal Wang Chao who had clenched his teeth and was ready to walk up. He took a step forward to where the bamboo was and soon saw the crack that Huang Shan spoke of.

He reached out to touch the dead bamboo. As he thought, he could feel faint traces of pill toxins constantly entering his body, the same kind that was found in Huang Shan.

Qin Yu's eyes brightened. He stared at the crack, an interested look on his face.

Something like pill toxins wouldn't appear out of nowhere. This meant that there had to be some place where waste pills were stored. And looking at how violent and powerful these pill toxins were, these waste pills wouldn't be simple at all.

For others, once they discovered this place, the first thing they would do was move as far away as possible. But in Qin Yu's eyes, pill toxins were a tonic. Waste pills? To him they might be the catalyst he needed for his cultivation!

Qin Yu subconsciously licked his lips. He didn't know why, but he had a premonition that the waste pills he discovered today might give him a great surprise in the future.

He took advantage of the Cosmic Seacross Bell's strength to carefully scan the surrounding area. When he determined that there was no one spying on him, watched by the shocked gazes of Wang Chao and the other two, Qin Yu leapt into the crack.

"Commander!" Wang Chao's heart nearly jumped out from his chest. What are you doing? All of our futures have been placed on your body! If anything were to happen…

Hua Yanting on the other hand was surprisingly calm. "Big Brother, there is no need to be anxious. Since the Commander dares to enter, he must have confidence in himself. Moreover, he easily helped Second Brother dispel that poison just now."

Wang Chao took a deep breath and nodded, secretly hoping that this was true.

Qin Yu plunged into the crack. He tapped his toes several times and his figure plummeted downward. Within the darkness, his eyes were bright and clear, as if he were seeing everything in broad daylight.

There were pill toxins in the air that hadn't yet scattered and the density of it was much higher. This left Qin Yu even more excited because it meant that there must be a considerable number of waste pills.

But suddenly, his figure came to a stop. His hand stabbed into a wall and latched onto a large rock. He frowned and looked downward. The crack continued to extend downwards no different from up above. But, an invisible net had appeared below him.

The power of rules? This wasn't entirely true, because the strength of an array formation was hidden within. This was the imprisoning strength formed from an array formation utilizing the power of the rules.

Qin Yu frowned. After a long time, he sighed, a helpless look on his face. Many years ago he had an interest in array formations, but what a pity he never had the chance to properly focus on studying them. Although he did have some understandings, there was no way he could break through this great array formation below him.

Moreover, within Holy Nether City that was located deep in the Endless Sea, why would a great array formation pop out of nowhere? If he had tried anything just now he would have likely been immediately sensed.

Thinking things over again, Qin Yu couldn't think of anything he could do. He could only suppress his unwillingness and turn back around. When he left the crack, the worried Wang Chao and other two let out a deep breath of air.