Refining the Mountains and Rivers

One could hear rustlings all around, as if teeth were gnashing upon each other. It seemed like countless incomparably hungry monsters were skulking about in this fog.

A cold sweat appeared on everyone's foreheads. The Grand Marshal had a heavy expression on his face and he took out a black compass. But, the dangers lurking in the fog were clearly afraid of the giant. Even if it was only its footprint, they still didn't dare to approach it.

The fog gradually thinned. Those from the Immortal Sect sucked in a deep breath and hastened their step, soon emerging from the fog.

In front, the giant's footprints had strangely vanished. But, the Immortal Sect cultivators couldn't care about this right now because an intense battle was taking place before them.

One person was resisting tens of thousands of specters. These specters were like massive waves, crashing down from up high.

Behind this person was a massive stone column that pierced into the skies. The mottled surface of the stone column was beginning to crack and flake away. All of the chains that hung throughout the heavens took this stone column as their center point!

The Grand Marshal's eyes sharpened. "The change is because of this stone column!"

Lan Ruo was stunned, "It's him!?"

With differences in identity, experience, and temperament, Lan Ruo and the Grand Marshal both had different reactions upon seeing this person.

Countless specters drilled up from the depths of the earth. They cried out in anger as they shot towards the stone column.

A bright and verdant green light sprinkled down to form a giant barrier. At the edge of this barrier, little saplings broke forth from the ground, growing into massive trees in a few breaths of time.

Their branches were like sharp swords that pierced into the bodies of the specters. Vines extended outwards, tying the specters up and tearing them to pieces. Even if the trees were destroyed new ones would quickly grow to take their place. But, there were too many specters and they simply couldn't be killed.

The barrier of green light could only slow the speed at which they were moving forwards. Now, most of the trees had been broken through and they would soon pass this layer.

After the vibrant green was a deep and quiet blue 'sea surface'. This sea seemed as if it was completely untouched by the terrifying battle occurring just outside. It was like a smooth mirror without a single flaw.

After this sea surface was a dazzling white light. Even though everyone was separated by the forest and the sea surface, they could still feel the terrifying aura contained within this silver white light.

It was like a sword that was being tempered. Even though it hadn't yet taken shape, it still possessed the great power to sunder the heavens and earth!

Qin Yu sat within a sphere of silver white light formed by the rules of the path of metal. His face was pale and streaming with sweat.

He cultivated the Five Element Mountain. When his path of metal had crossed the threshold he had subsequently begun to perceive the path of water. Below the pool of soup in the Sea of Purgatory, after the great life or death crisis that occurred, he had drawn support from the Great Dao Tree to reach large success in the path of water and also smoothly stepped into the path of wood.

Metal gave birth to water, water gave birth to wood.

When these three forces were superimposed upon each other they could erupt with the strongest might. But, this sort of unreserved display of skill also caused him to lose an astonishing amount of magic power.

If it weren't for Qin Yu's great will and the fact that he condensed the Five Element Nascent Souls, and that his magic power was far more vigorous than other ordinary cultivators' of his realm, he would have had no chance of resisting this.

Qin Yu had already noticed that the Immortal Sect cultivators had arrived. But, he couldn't take them into consideration. Undying was using all of his strength to subdue the stone column and he needed to fight for time.

The Grand Marshal had a surprised expression. As he watched Qin Yu resisting the specters, he was quiet and uncertain, clearly deciding on what to do.

Suddenly, from not too far away, the fog was torn apart and a wild aura surged out.

Fallen Wing appeared, darkness wrapped around him. A pair of wings was extended out behind his back. There were fewer than ten Dark Night Demon Region cultivators behind him. As the fog drew in and closed up behind, one could hear the sad screams of cultivators from the gap.

But it was doomed that no one would turn around to save them.

When the fog fully closed up the miserable screams disappeared. Fallen Wing landed on the ground and the darkness scattered around him, revealing his robes that were torn all over.

The Grand Marshal rejoiced. Luckily, they followed the footprints of the giant so they were able to safely pass through the fog. Otherwise, they would have faced the same fate as the Dark Night Demon Region who suffered horrific casualties.

Fallen Wing's ice cold eyes bumped into the Grand Marshal's. Then they separated as they turned to that sky-piercing stone column.

Just what was that?

The green barrier of light trembled and collapsed. The first specters to rush out of the 'forest' screamed and plunged into the still sea surface.

With its tranquility broken, the mirror-like sea surface suddenly transformed into the most brutal and wild sea. It roared as specters were sucked up into its choppy waves, instantly grinding them to pieces.

The power of the path of water had erupted!

The specters within Spectral Disaster had fused together as one whole with this divine tool. If the divine tool wasn't destroyed then their physical bodies wouldn't perish. It was simply impossible to kill them.

Qin Yu never thought to stand as one against 10,000 enemies and eliminate all of these specters. He simply wanted to delay for the maximum amount of time for Undying.

The specters that were crushed by the sea were suppressed and the speed at which they restored themselves was slowed down. Of course, there was a limit to this level of suppression.

As more and more specters were swept into the sea, the suppressive strength would gradually reduce until…the sea collapsed!

In terms of defense for the path of water that had reached large success, even looking throughout the entire Calamity Immortal realm it still stood at the pinnacle. Even though there were endless waves of specters, it bought an enormous amount of time for Qin Yu.

But it would eventually collapse…

The sea that was raging with dreadful waves suddenly shattered. Like a giant air bubble, it vanished into nothingness.

Qin Yu looked up. There was a tenacious look on his pale face.

But at this time, he suddenly furrowed his eyebrows. From the stone column behind him, a formidable aura began to spread out.

Rumble -

In the skies above, the countless thick intertwining chains started to sway back and forth, colliding with each other.

Undying's voice echoed out in Qin Yu's heart. "I still require some time. I will drag the Immortal Sect and Demonic Path cultivators into the water to share the pressure with you!"

Qin Yu's thoughts raced. He immediately put on an 'anxious' expression.

The Grand Marshal's heart shook. "This stone column is unexpectedly connected to the space of the Source of Disaster. It is the key to controlling it. If it can be refined, that person could control the entire Source of Disaster!"

Fallen Wing roared out loud, "Go, seize that stone column!"

No wonder Qin Yu would suffer the attacks of endless specters. They had finally figured out the reason.

The Source of Disaster had caused the decline of an entire cultivation civilization. It was undoubtedly formidable.

If they could control it, then no one in this world would be able to contend with them!

The Grand Marshal and Fallen Wing looked at Qin Yu, revealing an unconcealed chill in their eyes.

This mysterious powerhouse clearly knew much more about the Source of Disaster. He had actually 'played dead' before withdrawing and then soared straight to the greatest good fortune here.

If he was able to smoothly subdue the stone column then the Source of Disaster would be his. For the Immortal Sect and Demonic Paths competing with him for the divine stone, even maintaining their lives would be a problem.

This was truly the wisest and most efficient method!

Luckily, they had discovered that Qin Yu wanted to seize the stone column. Now his plans were doomed to be nothing but a dream!

"Dark Purgatory!"

Fallen Wing's wings launched outwards. Black flames leapt out from his magnificent feathers, gathering into a tide of black flames that surged forward.

Wherever these back flames swept through, they would turn everything into pure darkness, one that was absolute to the extreme, without any light. A channel was cut open through the endless army of specters!

The Grand Marshal raised his arms up into the air. Rich blue light erupted and a green ox appeared in the void. It pawed its hooves and raced forward.

The green ox was an unstoppable juggernaut. It smashed through everything in its way. The specters struck by it were instantly turned into countless pieces.

Behind the two great Calamity Immortal super powerhouses, the various cultivators also attacked. They were like sharp arrows shooting down from the heavens, piercing into the specter army.

The only mission of the summoned specters was to stop any outside life forms from approaching the stone column. Now that the Immortal and Demonic sides had decided to interfere, they also welcomed the crazy attack of the specters.

The oppression that Qin Yu withstood was reduced; Undying's plan had succeeded. Of course, to be more accurate this was an honest and open plot.

The stone column was indeed related to the entire Spectral Disaster. As long as one subdued it, that person would be able to wield this divine tool. Fallen Wing and the Grand Marshal had both noticed this, thus they wouldn't hesitate to pay any price to stop Qin Yu from succeeding.

Even if they clearly knew this was a trap they had no other choice!

Qin Yu lifted a hand and placed it into the silver white sphere of light. His closed fist suddenly opened wide.

A sword appeared in his hand. All of that blinding silver white light was focused in this sword's blade. Even if it had a simple design, it still gave off a radiant feeling.

Quietly, tiny cracks began to appear along the edge of the blade before closing back up, repeating again and again. The feeling this gave off was like ice flakes constantly rolling in the water below the sun, bringing with it a cold chill that pierced the bone.

He slashed down. Like a shattered mirror surface, wherever the sword went, specters instantly shattered for a thousand feet. Sword light howled around, forming a tornado of destruction.

But Qin Yu had no joy on his face. After the sword fell he didn't stop. With strength he brought the sword back up, colliding with a white bone sword.

The bone sword was divided into sections and its edges were jagged. It was clearly refined using the spine of some creature, and each connecting section had a hole in it.

With the collision, cracks started to appear on the spine sword. The holes emitted sharp and shrill screams. The sound waves tore into the mind, bringing with it an aching pain that was difficult to withstand.

Pa -

The spine sword spun around, shifting into a strange angle that dove at Qin Yu's throat. Even Qin Yu's mind had been affected by this sonic attack and if his movements had frozen for a moment, his life might have been taken by this terrifying sword.

But…

Puff -

A sword pierced into the specter's forehead and a wild sword intent erupted. The specter wielding the spine sword had its head blown into pieces. As its skull burst open, its bones, along with its rotten meat that had not a single drop of blood in it, scattered out in all directions.