Terror in the Qing Shan

"What's wrong with mortals? Are they inherently inferior to cultivators? Weren't all cultivators once mortals before their cultivation journeys?" Li Jiudao couldn't contain his anger.

Ning Jie was too arrogant, constantly belittling mortals in his speech, which infuriated Li Jiudao. However, as soon as he finished speaking, he regretted his outburst. What was he doing arguing with a cultivator? He was just a mortal, how could he challenge someone like Ning Jie? Even if Ning Jie was weaker, he could still kill him easily.

"Why be afraid? Xia Yan is here, and she's the personal disciple of the Tai Hua Sect's sect master. Isn't she just as powerful as him? Xia Yan wouldn't stand by and do nothing!" With this thought in mind, Li Jiudao straightened his posture and stopped feeling afraid.

"Very well, very well!" Ning Jie laughed, his smile eerie and unsettling. It seemed that he had to reveal some of his abilities; a mere mortal dared to be so insolent in his presence!

Meow! However, at that moment, a cat's cry suddenly resonated deep within his soul, startling him. His body's hairs stood on end, and he broke out in a cold sweat. He looked incredulously at the small white cat next to Li Jiudao, his heart filled with dread.

The feeling this small white cat gave him was even more terrifying than Wen Wuyou! 

"Spirit Saint, what are you doing? Why is there no response? Quickly help me investigate the realm of this small white cat!" He called out to his Spirit Saint in his mind, but there was no reply.

The feeling of dread from the small white cat was so overwhelming that he couldn't risk using his own spiritual perception to investigate; it would undoubtedly be suicidal. 

In the past, he had clear knowledge of Wen Wuyou's realm levels, thanks to the assistance of his Spirit Saint. 

"Don't play dead now; I need your help!" He continued to call out to his Spirit Saint, but there was still no response. He looked at the small white cat again, realizing that it was watching him, its feline eyes emitting a terrifying and unsettling glare. His soul couldn't help but quiver, and his body trembled.

The pressure was too much; he had no doubt that this small white cat's power surpassed even Wen Wuyou's! 

How did he encounter such a terrifying creature? His mind was in chaos, filled with fear. If his Spirit Saint had responded, he wouldn't have been so terrified. With his Spirit Saint's help, he wouldn't fear even the strongest opponent. 

Meow. Luo Shui cried out again, and the sound felt like a colossal mountain pressing on Ning Jie's heart. He struggled to catch his breath, and his soul was on the verge of collapsing.

"You shameless creature, do you dare speak so insolently in front of a great expert?" Luo Shui couldn't contain her anger. Regardless of how Ning Jie treated Xia Yan, she couldn't tolerate his insolence in front of a great expert. If she knew the great expert's intentions, she would have killed Ning Jie on the spot. What nonsense about being a seventh-ranked disciple of the Seven Stars Sect! She had even killed members of the Holy Ground!

Staying in front of a great expert had greatly benefited her. She had rapidly advanced her realm from the Severing Path Realm to the Heavenly Vault Realm in just a few days. How many days had it been? At most a little over ten days. She had broken through three major realms. If news of this spread, it would undoubtedly astonish many.

The Ten Thousand Transformations Realm was a watershed; it was extremely difficult to cross. Many cultivators spent their entire lives attempting to reach it. Initially, Wen Wuyou was trapped in the Mysterious Abyss Realm, unable to break through to the Ten Thousand Transformations Realm. If he hadn't met Li Jiudao, he would never have achieved that breakthrough.

As for realms beyond the Ten Thousand Transformations Realm, they were even harder to advance to. The Severing Path Realm had already surpassed the Ten Thousand Transformations Realm by a considerable margin, and further progress was exceptionally challenging.

In just over ten days, Luo Shui had advanced from the Severing Path Realm to the Heavenly Vault Realm, a truly astonishing feat. On the other side, Xia Yan had a fierce expression, standing in front of Li Jiudao, glaring at Ning Jie, her strong spiritual energy radiating from her.

Ning Jie might be peculiar, but she had tolerated it. However, Ning Jie dared to show such disrespect in front of a great expert, which she couldn't endure.

"He's in the Mysterious Abyss Realm!?" Ning Jie felt the surge of spiritual energy from Xia Yan and was astonished. He hadn't expected Xia Yan to be so extraordinary, already in the Mysterious Abyss Realm. He had only reached it early with the help of his Spirit Saint. For Xia Yan to reach the Mysterious Abyss Realm in the desolate eastern region was beyond his expectations.

"Yes." Xia Yan frequently visited Li Jiudao, benefiting greatly from it. Her cultivation had soared, and she had reached the Mysterious Abyss Realm.

Swoosh! Ning Jie didn't dare to linger any longer; he fled at top speed. Staying there any longer would put his life in jeopardy. Xia Yan was fine, but the small white cat was too terrifying, far surpassing him.

He fled the Qing Shan and continued to run for thousands of miles without any sign of the small white cat pursuing him. Finally, he stopped.

"Spirit Saint, what are you up to? Why didn't you react?" He yelled in frustration, thoroughly embarrassed. 

"Hoo, hoo..." At that moment, there was movement from his Spirit Saint; it had awakened.

"How terrifying! There's something terribly frightening in the Qing Shan!" The Spirit Saint shuddered, still filled with fear.

As soon as he entered the Qing Shan, he felt an incredibly terrifying pressure. He had immediately sealed his own soul to protect himself, and he didn't even have time to notify Ning Jie.

"What exactly is that terror?" He couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know! I didn't dare to sense it too deeply. Otherwise, I wouldn't have failed to inform you..." The Spirit Saint explained. 

When it sensed the tremendous terror, its entire soul had nearly shattered. If it hadn't sealed its soul in time, it would have died then and there. It took a long time to regain its composure.

"By the way, what about you? Did you kill that mortal?" It asked Ning Jie.

"Don't mention it!" Ning Jie looked annoyed. "For some reason, that mortal was accompanied by an extremely terrifying white cat. I almost got killed by that cat!"

He recounted everything, leaving nothing out.

"It's alright, it doesn't matter. Even if that mortal concealed his strength and is a cultivator, it doesn't matter. How strong can he be compared to the Seven Stars Sect?" The Spirit Saint reassured him. "I'm telling you, you're too impatient and reckless. You need to change that. Listen to me, go back to the Seven Stars Sect now, and

 then bring strong disciples with you to the Xia Kingdom. By then, Xia Yan will have no choice but to return and marry you."