Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Pa -

The heart was crushed. Warm blood splashed onto the corners of the man's lips. He stretched out a tongue and licked it off, an ecstatic expression on his face. He darkly said, "This is your last chance. Be good little children and sever your connection with the stone beads and hand them over, otherwise once I catch you I won't mind steaming half of you and frying the other half in oil."

To say such words with his expression seemed especially cold, as if a poisonous snake was wrapped around everyone's necks, ready to bite down at any moment. The several people that were surrounded immediately had all blood drained from their faces.

Suddenly, a cultivator said in a high-pitched voice, "Senior, I know a place where you can find high-grade stone beads. As long as you let me go I will tell you immediately!"

"High-grade stone beads?" The blood-stained cultivator's eyes brightened. "You should know that your fate will be miserable if you try to deceive me, right?"

Jiang Zhoudai suppressed his fear and nodded, "I promise you that as long as you agree you will soon find the stone beads!"

The blood-stained cultivator nodded. "Very well, you have succeeded in moving me. I will give you the vow you want. Now, tell me."

Jiang Zhoudao lifted a finger and pointed over, "Those two people each have a high-grade stone bead!"

Qin Yu flicked his sleeves and You Qi's figure vanished from sight. He looked up at Jiang Zhoudao, a calm expression on his face.

When this person first opened his mouth Qin Yu already had an expectation of what he might say. Now, he was able to confirm his suspicions.

The blood-stained cultivator's eyes shrank. He smiled and said, "Interesting, how very interesting." He looked at Qin Yu. After several breaths of silence he said, "Hand over the two high-grade stone beads and I will let you leave."

Qin Yu shook his head.

The man's eyes turned. He pointed at Jiang Zhoudao and said, "What if I add on his life? As long as you agree I will immediately kill him."

Jiang Zhoudao was shocked with anger. "Senior, you promised me…"

The blood-stained cultivator sneered, "Promise? That sort of thing can only be used to fool you naïve amateurs who've just arrived in the Sealed Stone World!"

He looked at Qin Yu, "I am speaking with sincerity. What about it?"

Qin Yu said, "His life isn't worth anything."

The blood-stained cultivator shook his head, "It looks like there's nothing else I can do. It seems I have to personally deal with you. I hope your strength can match your self-confidence."

Bang -

A tyrannical strength broke free from his body, followed by some sort of aura that seemed to look down upon the world with disdain. Qin Yu immediately coughed and his complexion paled.

Suppression of will!

…

The Sealed Stone World was shattered and incomplete. No one could predict whether or not these seemingly harmless sealed stones would erupt with terrifying fluctuations that could annihilate anyone's will in the next moment.

These sorts of fluctuations were called 'destructions of will' and could almost instantly kill all living beings in their vicinity.

Cultivators that had entered the Sealed Stone World earlier had already experienced how terrifying these 'destructions of will' were. Because of this, their ice cold eyes landed on the bodies of people who came in after them. This led to today's events where people tried to steal stone beads from newcomers to increase their own chances of safety.

The blood-licking cultivator was named Song Zhongyi. He was a relatively infamous character within the Sealed Stone World. His methods were ruthless and cruel and there were few people that dared to offend him.

Of course, he wasn't a weak person. By relying on the tempering of the Sealed Stone World he managed to smoothly step into the Calamity Immortal realm. This was the most basic reason for how he was able to survive this long.

When Qin Yu placed You Qi in the duplicate world of the Space-time Lock, Song Zhongyi had lost track of her. This was the reason why he felt a sudden sense of dread. If it weren't for the enticement of high-grade stone beads, he wouldn't have bothered attacking Qin Yu at all.

The Sealed Stone World seemed tranquil, but due to the competition over stone beads, the atmosphere was unimaginably frigid. People that survived here all felt awe and reverence towards life. None of them were willing to easily gamble with their lives.

But if one attacked, they wouldn't show any mercy at all. They would do their best to kill their opponent so that they could continue living.

At this moment, Qin Yu felt as if an iron rod had maliciously smashed into his head. His field of vision flashed black and there was a humming sound in his ears.

In this condition, even if he managed to counterattack his strength would still be greatly reduced.

Bang -

With a loud explosion Qin Yu rapidly retreated backwards. The strength that rumbled into his body was like flowing lava as it raged through him, carrying with it a terrifyingly destructive attribute.

Wherever it visited, flesh and blood cracked apart. In just the blink of an eye Qin Yu became like a 'cracked doll'. His exposed skin was covered with cracks.

But not a single drop of blood flowed out from these cracks. The potency of the Saint level Demon Body was exposed without reservation. His heart wildly beat as vigorous blood energy erupted throughout his body. His skin began to regenerate with a speed visible to the n.a.k.e.d eye. The cracks rapidly closed over. As long as it wasn't a devastatingly ruinous injury, it could be healed over in a short period of time.

Song Zhongyi smiled, "No matter how strong your mortal body is, there will come a time when you cannot withstand it. It seems your self-confidence will ultimately kill you."

Words could also apply a formidable pressure on an opponent's mindset. Unfortunately, this was useless against Qin Yu. Qin Yu's feelings had already been thoroughly tempered. Besides the few people he cared about, the words of others couldn't shake him.

The suppression of will was still there. But after recovering from the initial attack where he was unguarded, he began to rapidly adapt to it. His eyes started to brighten.

"Perhaps the one who dies here today will be you."

He lifted a hand and punched out. A turbulent strength raged outwards. Song Zhongyi sneered and flicked his sleeves, counterbalancing it.

"You're one of those people who won't cry unless they see their own coffin. Allow me you deliver you onto the road towards the west!"

Qin Yu fell into a disadvantageous state. He was tossed about like a human-shaped rubber ball, beaten left and right. But as time passed, Song Zhongyi's complexion grew increasingly ugly.

This was because as more time went by, Qin Yu erupted with an increasingly great strength. If he was a rubber ball at the start, he had become a stone ball and was slowly transforming into an iron ball. Even if Song Zhongyi could send Qin Yu flying about, the shaking strength he received in return was giving him a headache.

Song Zhongyi's complexion paled. He had no choice but to accept the reality. Not only did he not have the qualifications to kill Qin Yu, but if things continued like this he might be the one to be killed instead!

In truth, the reason was simple. Qin Yu's own will had already been sufficiently firm and tyrannical. It was like a piece of raw stone that was slowly being polished by the barrage of attacks from Song Zhongyi, gradually beginning to shine even brighter.

Bang -

There was another loud explosion. Song Zhang coughed and took a step backwards. His complexion paled as he looked at the increasingly powerful Qin Yu. He cursed inwardly at this freak of nature and then turned and fled without a single extra word. If things continued like this, he wouldn't be able to leave even if he wanted to.

Qin Yu was enjoying himself so much that he didn't want to stop. But after chasing a single step he came to a stop and sighed to himself.

Song Zhongyi was weaker than he was, but because of the suppression of will he was able to suppress him. To Qin Yu, he was actually a perfect 'training partner'. By fighting him, he could rapidly adapt to the suppression of will and also strengthen his own will at the same time.

If Qin Yu wasn't worried about a sudden backlash from the devil mark he absolutely wouldn't have allowed Song Zhongyi to leave so easily.

Jiang Zhoudao was scared silly. After a moment of absent-mindedness, the blood completely drained from his face. He never thought that seemingly invincible Song Zhongyi would run away in fear…of course, he absolutely never expected that Qin Yu would also have a Calamity Immortal level cultivation.

Big brother, you are already a Calamity Immortal so why didn't you stay in the Land of Divinity and Demons and enjoy yourself? Why did you come all the way to the Sealed Stone World to ruin the lives of others?

Puff -

Jiang Zhoudao fell to his knees. "Senior, this lowly one had eyes but couldn't see. I beg you to be merciful and spare me. I vow that -"

Pa -

His head blew apart and red and white goo splashed onto the ground. Qin Yu drew back his hand. If apologies really did work, then there would be no deaths in this world. The only reason he survived today was because he had been strong enough. If it were someone else, they would have suffered disaster already.

"Senior, please forgive us!" The several other cultivators were paralyzed with fear. Their bodies shook and trembled.

Qin Yu glanced at them. He lightly said, "You may leave." Although they had drawn Song Zhong and the others here, it wasn't intentional. And the man who died first had also tried to warn him.

Qin Yu wasn't afraid of slaughtering, but he didn't want to randomly kill the innocent. After all, there was a bottom line that he had to maintain.

"Ahh! Thank you senior, thank you senior!" The people felt as if they had survived a disaster. They quickly bowed their heads and crawled away. If they didn't hurry now, did they plan on waiting until Qin Yu decided to change his mind?

After everyone left, Qin Yu turned and walked away. While he had frightened Song Zhongyi away, he didn't believe that he could freely travel through the Sealed Stone World without any scruples.

Throughout the tens of millions of years, it was unknown how many cultivators had entered this place. Although the vast majority had died, those that survived had to be masters.

There were certainly terrifying powerhouses that existed in the Sealed Stone World. Qin Yu naturally had to be discreet in his actions.