Jiang Wu's Adam's apple bobbed violently.
The more bizarre and extraordinary Yang Che appeared, the more it proved his suspicions about Yang Che were correct.
He had been absolutely confident in successfully eliminating Yang Che, never having considered a second possibility.
But now, witnessing firsthand that Yang Che could withstand the attack of a High-Grade Magical Artifact Flying Sword with just his Physical Body, his confidence began to waver slightly.
He was very clear that the Yang Che opposite him only had a Qi Refining Fifth Level cultivation, and he had only recently achieved a Breakthrough!
In Jiang Wu's cultivation life, he had never encountered anyone like Yang Che.
The thought that Xu Yong and Zhao Ji were truly killed by Yang Che when he was at Qi Refining Third Level sent a shiver down his spine, a strange chill rising up his back.
Confidence continued to waver.
Jiang Wu's complex thoughts were naturally unknown to Yang Che.
But ever since he came out of the Sword Washing Pond, he had been on guard against Jiang Wu.
Therefore, when Jiang Wu appeared near his Immortal Cave, Yang Che showed no surprise or shock and immediately chose to engage in battle.
Jiang Wu was at Qi Refining Twelfth Level cultivation; if he could recover to his peak Qi Refining Eleventh Level magical power, he could easily eliminate a Qi Refining Twelfth Level cultivator.
However, at the moment, he had to be cautious; the moment Yang Che discovered his Physical Body could withstand the attack of a High-Grade Flying Sword, he immediately took out the 'Talisman Treasure' he had obtained from Xu Yong.
As soon as magical power poured into it, Yang Che was astonished to feel that this Talisman Treasure was like a bottomless pit, frantically devouring his magical power.
Fortunately, he had foresight, knowing that his disadvantage against Jiang Wu lay in his magical power, so he had already held a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, frantically helping him replenish his magical power.
"Talisman Treasure?"
Jiang Wu's already wavering confidence completely collapsed the moment he saw Yang Che take out the 'Talisman Treasure'.
He turned and fled, simultaneously deciding to immediately report to the Sect that Yang Che was undoubtedly the murderer in the Pinglu Peak murder case.
However, the next moment he turned, he was horrified to find countless Flying Needles shimmering with dark light suddenly flying out from all directions, forming a strange profound formation that trapped him.
Jiang Wu knew that the longer he was held here, the more dangerous it would be.
Once that Talisman Treasure was fully activated, he would have no chance of survival.
Therefore, Jiang Wu immediately controlled his Flying Sword to forcefully break the Flying Needles profound formation, while several more Spirit Talismans appeared in his hand.
He endured the look of pain on his face and frantically threw all these Spirit Talismans onto the Flying Needles profound formation.
"How is this possible?"
Jiang Wu's face once again showed disbelief, and his heart was inexplicably horrified.
He couldn't break this Flying Needles profound formation in a short time.
As anxiety surged in Jiang Wu's heart, he had no choice but to use his life-saving trump card.
He held an Intermediate Medium Grade rare Spirit Talisman in his hand.
Intermediate Spirit Talismans, each one was incredibly precious, let alone an Intermediate Medium Grade one.
Jiang Wu truly hadn't expected that one day he would take out this Talisman just to escape.
He chanted an incantation, and the Spirit Talisman was activated.
As dazzling light flickered, Yang Che's pupils in the distance suddenly constricted.
The Tai Xuan Hidden Light Formation, composed of only two hundred and sixteen Flying Fire Needles, seemed unable to withstand the power of this Intermediate Spirit Talisman.
Yang Che knew that activating the 'Talisman Treasure' required time, so he had already laid out Flying Fire Needles in advance to trap Jiang Wu.
But he truly hadn't expected that the casting time required to activate this Talisman Treasure would be so long.
At this moment, as his magical power continuously activated the Talisman Treasure, he already knew that this Talisman Treasure was the 'Mountain Sea Seal' Talisman Treasure.
The Talisman Treasure had already risen into mid-air, suspended above Jiang Wu's head.
Gradually, a giant golden seal, comparable in size to a house, emitted a terrifying aura, and it was about to fully materialize.
Jiang Wu frantically activated the Spirit Talisman, finally forcefully breaking through the Flying Needles profound formation.
His heart filled with joy, but this joy lasted for less than a breath before being replaced by shock.
A mass of pale white flame, transforming into countless fire wisps, had, at some unknown point, reappeared outside the Flying Needles profound formation, trapping Jiang Wu once more.
'Ah!'
Jiang Wu let out a desperate, mournful howl.
He stared in horror at the giant golden seal that had fully materialized above his head; streaks of golden light fell, locking him firmly in place, and then the massive seal, like a giant mountain, smashed down fiercely upon him.
With a 'boom'.
Jiang Wu was directly smashed into a meat paste, with only a Storage Pouch left isolated on the ground.
Yang Che retrieved the Talisman Treasure, his face also deathly pale.
He looked at his palm and found that the Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, after several continuous consumptions, especially this incredibly massive consumption, had completely exhausted its spiritual energy and turned into flying ash, scattering from his palm.
Yang Che cast a fireball, and Jiang Wu's meat paste corpse instantly turned to ashes.
Picking up Jiang Wu's Storage Pouch, Yang Che returned to his Immortal Cave, tidied up briefly, and then flew to the most populated area of ordinary Disciples in the Xuanqing Mountain Range, where he opened a new Immortal Cave.
Yang Che had his own new plans.
When the Nine Peaks once again recruited official Disciples, the ordinary Disciples would inevitably go to observe.
Also, for the future trip to the 'Mist Hidden Sea', Yang Che did not want to appear with an overly unfamiliar face.
Although he liked to be a loner and cultivate quietly, at least for this period, he decided to integrate among these ordinary Disciples, firstly to become familiar, and secondly to inquire about some useful information.
So, next, Yang Che diligently recovered his cultivation while continuing to inquire about the Qing Jian Sect, especially news of the 'Mist Hidden Sea'.
As he learned more and more about the 'Mist Hidden Sea', Yang Che's mood grew heavier and heavier.
The Mist Hidden Sea was a mysterious Forbidden Land completely controlled by the Qing Jian Sect, specifically for Disciple training.
The Mist Hidden Sea was divided into an Outer Sea and an Inner Sea.
Ordinary Disciples, Steward Disciples, and Supervisor Disciples could all enter the Outer Sea for training.
However, only official Disciples of the Nine Peaks could enter the Inner Sea.
But there were exceptions.
For example, the final assessment for the current recruitment of official Disciples by the Nine Peaks was to enter the Mist Hidden Sea Inner Sea for training.
It was said that the Inner Sea not only had various powerful Yao Beasts but also many rare Heaven And Earth Treasures.
Because the Qing Jian Sect controlled its opening times very well, the resources of the Inner Sea were continuously abundant, making it one of the core resource secret lands of the Qing Jian Sect.
What made Yang Che's mood incredibly heavy was that the final assessment for this new Disciple recruitment by the Nine Peaks was to enter the Mist Hidden Sea Inner Sea for training.
And after the assessment, the next opening of the Inner Sea would be fifty years later.
Learning this news was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Yang Che.
It was clearly impossible for him to wait fifty years to enter the Mist Hidden Sea Inner Sea again.
Become a Nine Peaks assessment Disciple?
With his current Qi Refining Fifth Level cultivation, he couldn't even pass the registration, so it was clearly not very possible either.
Yang Che pondered repeatedly, even preparing to give up.
After all, the treasure map didn't clearly state what the treasure was.
However, when he inquired further and learned that anyone who qualified to participate in this assessment would receive a Foundation Establishment Pill.
If one passed the training in the Inner Sea and became an official Disciple of the Nine Peaks, one could receive another Foundation Establishment Pill, and even have a chance to receive assistance from the Nine Peak Masters to directly force Foundation Establishment.
This temptation was truly too great for Yang Che.
After confirming this news, Yang Che immediately went to the Sect Hall, preparing to find a way to obtain a spot no matter what.