Cultivation is just so scientific!

When the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' used 'Spiritual Devouring', combined with its terrifying biting power, the fourth-grade high-stage shield treasure was instantly broken.

Duan Zhen let out a muffled groan, as the destruction of the fourth-grade high-stage shield treasure caused a backlash.

Before he could react, the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' touched his skin.

The protective spiritual power on his body had no effect at all; the 'Spiritual Devouring' ability of the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' caused the protective spiritual power to disperse as soon as it came into contact.

Duan Zhen felt a sharp pain on his skin, and then a numbness spread throughout his body. Realizing things were not good, he attempted to let his Nascent Soul emerge.

But the Nascent Soul seemed to lose its vitality, moving extremely slowly.

At this moment, Li Shiming felt a sense of relief as the oppressive force from Duan Zhen vanished.

The 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' entered Duan Zhen's body, and its 'Spiritual Devouring' ability caused the spiritual power within his body to lose control.

Even a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner like Duan Zhen, let alone Master Ding and Grandmaster Hu, would not want the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' near them since spiritual power defenses are ineffective against it.

Using long-range methods to prevent the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' from approaching is the best choice.

It was already too late for Duan Zhen. When the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' appeared before his Nascent Soul, his only thought was regret—regret for breaking the long-established rules and not retreating immediately after the ambush failed.

The 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' bit into Duan Zhen's Nascent Soul, and at this moment, the Nascent Soul had not yet emerged but was found by the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' within his body.

Duan Zhen's Nascent Soul deflated like a punctured balloon, its spiritual power, spirit, and other energies were devoured by the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect.'

The 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' crawled out from Duan Zhen's body, by which time Duan Zhen had long lost his life.

This was Li Shiming's first time witnessing the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' in combat. He had always known it was powerful, but he never thought it could so easily kill a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner like Duan Zhen.

He reached out and summoned back the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect', which was somewhat unable to suppress its frenzied state after the battle. However, when he took out a top-level 'Spirit Worm Golden Yang Pill', the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' calmed down.

Li Shiming used his Divine Sense to pick up Duan Zhen's corpse. After his Divine Sense made contact with Duan Zhen's body, he couldn't help but furrow his brows.

For someone at Duan Zhen's level, his body was a good material for corpse refinement.

At the very least, once the corpse was refined, advancing to the Golden Corpse Middle Stage would encounter few bottlenecks.

But now, Duan Zhen's corpse had lost most of its spirituality. Whether it could be successfully refined into a corpse was uncertain, let alone its potential.

This was, of course, the doing of the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect', which had entered Duan Zhen's body and consumed its spiritual power.

Li Shiming felt a chill run down his spine. If he hadn't sensed the 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect's' affinity towards him, he would've wanted to put it away in the 'Gu Wind Bag.'

The 'Silver Winged Spirit Gu Insect' was truly terrifying—even a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner couldn't withstand its bite, not to mention Li Shiming.

Li Shiming released a 'Nanming Leaving Fire' to burn Duan Zhen's body.

Although at this stage, returning Duan Zhen's body to the sect would earn him contribution points, boasting about having slain a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner with his Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivation was not advised.

The disparity within the Nascent Soul Stage is not something that can be overcome with powerful treasures or cultivation techniques; revealing his ability to cross minor realms and kill a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner would certainly arouse suspicions of him harboring hidden treasures.

Such a treasure that allows one to kill a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner would tempt even a Great Cultivator, and he surely did not want to invite trouble.

It was better to destroy Duan Zhen's body directly, as if the event had never happened.

Li Shiming put away Duan Zhen's Mustard Seed Ring and black flying sword. The fourth-grade high-stage shield treasure had lost much of its spiritual attributes and had a hole in it, losing its value.

This time, he did not employ Sword Control Technique; instead, he activated the Chameleon Cloak, rendering himself invisible, then used 'Shrinking the Ground to Inches' to travel.

This carelessness nearly cost him his life.

The 'Water Dragon Taoist Robe' hadn't yet recovered, and he certainly didn't want a repeat experience.

To be honest, apart from poor mei planning, another critical reason for the ambush was that Duan Zhen was a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner. Using a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner's level to ambush Li Shiming who was at the Nascent Soul Early Stage, especially with the Sun Concealing Sect adept in such tactics, compounded the danger.

While using 'Shrinking the Ground to Inches' to travel, he inspected the spoils from this encounter.

Contained within the black flying sword was the energy of the 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique', matching its status as a fourth-grade demon treasure tailored for the 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique.'

Duan Zhen had cultivated the 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique', suggesting he was a ruthless man, aiming to use the technique to enhance his body's might.

The 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique' is not an orthodox cultivation technique, but a forbidden technique of the Sun Concealing Sect. Cultivated to advanced levels, the 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique' can transform a cultivator into a demonic entity.

Li Shiming was unsure if the Sun Concealing Sect had measures to prevent this, but the fact that the 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique' is deemed forbidden likely means the sect struggles to prevent cultivators from turning into demonic entities.

He couldn't use the black flying sword; however, the Golden Corpse Black Shield was usable, especially since the Golden Corpse Black Shield had also been cultivated using the 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique', making it very compatible with the black flying sword.

Li Shiming controlled the Golden Corpse Black Shield as it performed the Master Recognition Technique, imbuing the black flying sword with the spiritual imprint of the Golden Corpse Black Shield.

This fourth-grade demon treasure was named the 'Illusion Resentment Demon Sword', a top-level fourth-grade demon treasure that, combined with the 'False Resentment Netherworld Technique', enhanced the attack power of the Golden Corpse Black Shield.

Previously, the Golden Corpse Black Shield could only fight with bare fists, but with the 'Illusion Resentment Demon Sword', its attack power would be enhanced.

Li Shiming's Divine Sense entered Duan Zhen's Mustard Seed Ring, and he first noticed a communication token vibrating inside.

"Master Duan, what about Li Shizhen?" This was a message sent by Mu Jing.

Li Shiming finally understood and thought for a moment before replying via the communication token, "Already killed him, come to this place and I'll give you the body!"

Mu Jing, who was in his cave mansion in the Sun Concealing Sect, first showed joy upon receiving the message, but his expression quickly changed.

After all, Duan Zhen knew about his circumstances, and he couldn't possibly have said they had an agreed meeting spot where he wasn't yet healed.

"Master Duan, didn't you and I arrange a meeting place?" Mu Jing sent a message.

Li Shiming, upon seeing this message, couldn't help but shake his head. Mu Jing clearly suspected something was off from the flaws in the previous message.

Mu Jing was deliberately testing the waters. Li Shiming casually put away the communication token, thinking it might still be useful in the future.

The spiritual objects inside the Mustard Seed Ring greatly disappointed him; they were not the treasures one would expect from a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner.

It was desperately impoverished, considering the owner was supposed to be a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner of the Sun Concealing Sect, who should not have been so poor.

Unbeknownst to him, most of Duan Zhen's wealth had been spent on the 'Illusion Resentment Demon Sword.'

A Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner's attempt to acquire a top-level fourth-grade demon treasure is no easy feat, as such tier treasures are typically used by Great Cultivators.

Having seen the wealth of a Great Cultivator, Li Shiming felt that a top-level fourth-grade demon treasure was not much to brag about.

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