C6 They Walked on the Path of the Strongest!

"Boom!"

At the foot of Thvelond, a brilliant golden light pierced the clouds and shattered the daylight, soaring into the heavens. The terrifying waves, like the undulating sea, scattered the clouds above.

"Buteo!" A furious shout echoed as Ratty and Kallisto watched in astonishment. From the direction of the mountain's base, eight massive ancient cauldron silhouettes rose into the air, shaking loose strands of Void Mist.

The area was ravaged by fierce winds, with lightning flashing and thunder booming. The terrifying vibrations that shook the heavens and earth were suffocating.

"How could this be? The eight Sacred Cauldrons have activated the Voidweave Array. What on earth did the old man do?" Ratty and Kallisto exchanged worried glances.

They quickly descended from the rooftop, intent on running to the front of the mountain.

"Little Cloud, thanks a lot, brother!" As they exited the courtyard, they were greeted by Clements's unrestrained laughter.

Under their stunned gazes, Clements, carrying an immensely dark cauldron, sped down from the mountain.

"The black cauldron! Isn't that Thvelond's most treasured artifact?" Ratty's eyes bulged in disbelief.

The black cauldron, a mysterious giant cauldron that Everett had retrieved from the forbidden zone, was rumored to be a Supreme Artifact, or at the very least, a Holy Weapon. Sadly, no one had been able to claim it as their own, not even Everett.

Out of necessity, it was designated as the sect's most treasured artifact and placed at the central position among the eight Sacred Cauldrons for added protection.

But now, how had Clements managed to carry it back?

The eight Sacred Cauldrons, when combined, formed a powerful Voidweave Array. Even a Supreme entering it would not emerge unscathed, yet Clements had returned without a scratch.

"Hahaha, Zopyrus, old Bucolus is going to be furious!" Along with his boisterous laughter, the rainbow descended to the ground and vanished, revealing a beaming old man.

"Old man, how did you manage to bring back the black cauldron?" Ratty and Kallisto circled the black cauldron incessantly, yet they found nothing particularly intimidating about this revered treasure.

The cauldron was simple, with three legs and two handles, rather unremarkable except for its notable height.

"You don't know a thing. This cauldron is incredibly tough, perfect for your body purification!" Clements roared with laughter.

"Get ready, I'll purify your body tomorrow!" Clements chuckled, setting down the black cauldron before heading into the room and lying on the bed. The moment his head hit the pillow, his thunderous snoring filled the air.

"Seems the old man's been through quite the battle!" Ratty mused, shaking his head.

Body purification was a demon's path of cultivation. To help Ratty advance, Clements spared no effort.

Was this the road to strength? Ratty didn't know, but he was ready to give his all, even his life, to reclaim his dignity.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, a sinister plot was unfolding.

Ratty had unwittingly become a mere pawn in the so-called Slayer Chess Game.

The sun rose as always, bathing the Guiltlands in a golden glow.

Behind Thvelond, the mountain loomed high, its forests so dense they blotted out the sky.

In the courtyard stood a massive black cauldron.

"Old man, you're not going to anger Bucolus to death, are you?" Ratty teased, circling the black cauldron with a smirk.

The black cauldron was immense, adorned with carvings of flora and fauna, ancient alien beasts, the Four Fiends and Ten Spirits, and celestial bodies. The patterns of the Ultimate Reality were also visible.

"Hmph, dying of anger would be too good for him!" Clements retorted dismissively.

The courtyard tables were laden with an array of Faewort, their luminescence flowing and their fragrance overwhelming.

"Old man, are you planning to purify Zopyrus's body?" Kallisto asked, perched on the threshold, chin in hand, eyes half-closed, smiling at the two.

"Yes, it's time!" Clements was bustling about, axe in hand, laboring to chop at a section of black, divine wood.

"Bang!"

Sparks scattered as the axe blade snapped, whistling through the air towards Ratty.

With keen eyes, Ratty dodged the blade, which clanged to the ground as the black cauldron emitted a dull thud.

"Damn, that was close!" Ratty exclaimed, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, still shaken.

"Damn, it's too tough; no wonder it's a divine tree infused with flood dragon blood!" Clements, sweating profusely, caught his breath.

Dragonwood, known for its hardness and weight, was an essential material for forging Spirit Weapons. Rumored to be highly valuable once stained with flood dragon blood, this divine wood was ink-black, twisted like a coiled dragon, with intricate patterns of the Ultimate Reality etched upon it—a truly remarkable wood.

"Damn it, shatter for me!" Embarrassed in front of Ratty, Clements was enraged. He summoned his divine power and delivered a mighty palm strike.

With a thunderous crash, the Dragonwood splintered into several pieces. Clements, face red with effort, cradled the wood and placed it into the cauldron.

Clements had spared no expense in his efforts to prepare the body refinement for Ratty.

He had parted with a hundred Faewort, treasures he had collected over many years, too precious for his own use, yet all were offered up for Ratty's transformation.

A single Faewort, once matured, required a century to cultivate. Any one of them could provoke a violent upheaval, and the thought of a hundred was unimaginable to Ratty.

The Faewort, imbued with flood dragon blood, along with other items from Clements's collection, were all part of the preparation.

A mass of bright red blood, shining like agate, exuded an overwhelming presence, nearly suffocating in its intensity.

This was the vital essence of the Demon Songbird, slain by Clements, now repurposed as a nourishing substance.

A silvery glow suffused the area, casting an ethereal light throughout the courtyard. A sweet fragrance filled the air, soothing to the soul.

This essence was derived from the Tree of Eternity, a true Sacred Herb. Clements had refined it from a branch he had broken off. "Sacred Herb!" The mouse inhaled the shimmering divine light, nearly becoming intoxicated by its enchanting fragrance.

The Tree of Eternity was exceedingly rare, with only a handful existing across the nine continents. Everett had brought this particular one from a desolate area. Whether facing life or death, flesh or bone, no injury was too severe for the Fruit of Eternity, which could restore vitality with ease. Moreover, a Sacred Herb could extend the lifespan of those below the rank of Lord of Heaven by a thousand years—a genuine rare treasure indeed.

Clements sprang into action, placing the essence of a hundred Faewort and a branch from the Tree of Eternity into the black cauldron. With a sweeping gesture, he unleashed a torrent of flames that enveloped the cauldron.

"Light the fire, start the cauldron, and steam Zopyrus!" Four hours later, Clements bellowed, exhaling a great burst of fire. He seized the dozing mouse from the threshold and tossed it into the black cauldron.

A scream of agony erupted, akin to the sound of a pig being slaughtered.

Inside the cauldron, the purest spring water was already at a rolling boil, with bubbles furiously rising to the surface. The Dragonwood had been completely consumed, distilling the essence of the dragon's heartblood.

The hundred spiritual herbs simmered, transforming into the most refined medicinal strength that infused the boiling water. The cauldron glowed brilliantly, and the air was filled with an intoxicating fragrance. Occasionally, a boundless rainbow light ascended, creating an otherworldly and fragrant atmosphere.

"Truly worthy of the Immortal Cauldron's reputation; it's a formidable artifact!" Clements exclaimed, invigorated by the sight of the ethereal light within the cauldron.

The Immortal Cauldron, a legacy of the Thvelond Sect, had been retrieved by Everett from the forbidden zone. Its remarkable hardness was evident, though it seemed to possess no other remarkable powers.

Clements intended to use the Sacred Cauldron as a medicinal furnace to purify the mouse's body. However, out of respect for its status and concern that moving the cauldron might weaken the Voidweave Array—potentially leaving the sect vulnerable to attack—he refrained from proceeding with the plan.

Instead, he opted for the black cauldron, the Immortal Cauldron that Ancestral Master Everett had spoken of.

The result was astonishingly effective, with an endless surge of immortal light erupting, an incredibly fearsome sight.

"Ah!" Another agonized scream echoed, filled with boundless pain.

"Old man, you're not going to cook Zopyrus, are you?" Kallisto gripped her delicate little fists, her lovely face etched with concern.

"Don't worry, if it's cooked, we'll just slice it open!" Clements said in jest, though his face was stern. He meticulously managed the Divine Fire, ensuring not a single error occurred.

Within the Immortal Cauldron, the mouse was a fiery red, bobbing in the boiling water. Endless streams of pure medicinal essence wove into his body, purifying his flesh.

"Roar!"

The Dragonwood dissolved, revealing the heart's blood of the flood dragon. A dragon materialized, its body clad in black scales that gleamed with a metallic sheen. The dragon's massive form shifted, conjuring a cataclysmic vision of the cosmos in turmoil.

"Eat this, eat until you're done for!"

Clements gritted his teeth and gestured with a sweep of his hand. The flood dragon shrank, transforming into a droplet of black Divine Blood that drifted into the mouse's body.

"Not enough, another one!"

"The heart's blood of the Songbird, eat!" Above the Immortal Cauldron, the Songbird's blood, glinting with a crimson divine glow, was maneuvered by Clements into the cauldron and into the mouse.

"Ah!"

Yet another pained cry rang out, less intense but still faint.

Inside the cauldron, the mouse's legs exploded into pieces; chunks of flesh flew, and bare bones were exposed. Blood gushed, staining the once black medicinal liquid a dark, reddish hue.

"Old man, stop!" Kallisto's cry was desperate as tears streamed down, her expression pitiable.

"Young one, I have but one question for you. Does the vow you made to reclaim your dignity still stand?" Clements's eyes were veined with blood as he bellowed into the cauldron, his control over the Divine Fire unyielding.

"Even in death, I must reclaim what's mine, even if it means becoming a vengeful spirit!" Inside the black cauldron, the mouse's voice was frail, but his lips curled into a faint smile.

"Damn, that scared the hell out of me!" Clements and Kallisto exclaimed, their faces lighting up with joy.

Within the cauldron, the blood of the Songbird, resembling red agate, coursed through the mouse's body, permeating every inch of its flesh and bone. A resplendent divine glow emanated, as if purifying the mouse's bones of all impurities.

Inky black liquid oozed from the mouse's bones, dark and penetrating, like an abyss, emitting a foul stench.

The flesh and blood were reconstituting themselves, with all impurities now cleansed from the bones. The mouse's legs swiftly regenerated.

"Excellent, the resilience of the body rivals that of the strongest demon's progeny," Clements remarked, his eyes filled with wonder.

Body Refining, Cultivation, and God Slaying; these are the three grand systems of the Cultivation World.

Body Refining is the domain of the Beast Tribe and demons. They absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth but, due to blocked meridians, cannot connect with the Ultimate Reality to wield spells. Instead, they repeatedly purify their bodies with this energy, eliminating impurities to achieve a perfect state. They can develop an Indestructible Body, impervious to the ravages of heaven, earth, and even immortals.

Cultivation is the noble path of humanity. It involves expanding the meridians with air and harnessing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to engage the Ultimate Reality, casting unique hand seals that can unleash Divine Light capable of shattering the heavens and the earth.

The mythical art of Slaughtering God is shrouded in mystery and antiquity. It is said to sever a person's seven emotions and six desires. Rumored to defy the Human Dao, it vanished in the mists of the ancient epoch, never to be seen again.

"The impurities in the flesh and bones have been thoroughly excised; yet, the process has only purified, not significantly fortified!" Clements declared, his voice betraying his shock.

With a thunderous "Boom!" Clements retrieved an object from his Inner World.

It was a sphere of blood as brilliant as the sun itself, gleaming with a golden radiance and bursting with divine light so intense that it was impossible to look at directly.

An aura that seemed to reach into the very soul emanated from it, sending shockwaves in every direction. The wind roared, and the waves crashed tumultuously, as if the sea itself had risen into the sky. A vast black fish, whose width and length were beyond measure, emerged from the void. With a flick of its colossal tail, the waves reached sky-high, almost overturning the ocean.

The great fish then leapt into the air, transforming into an enormous bird. Its wings unfurled, eclipsing the sun and casting a shadow over the land like a cloud stretching across the heavens. With a mere tremor, it ascended to the uppermost reaches of the sky, traversing ninety thousand miles in a single breath. Such was the grandeur of the world.

"The roc ascends on the wind, soaring straight up ninety thousand miles!" Clements exclaimed, his face a mixture of awe and dread.

"Roc!" The mouse was astounded!

The Roc, one of the ten great holy beasts, possessed battle power that defied the heavens. Legend has it that it once contended with the Lord of Heaven for the chance to attain immortality. The battle was so fierce that it turned the heavens and the earth upside down, causing the sun, moon, and stars to plummet, nearly bringing about the end of the ancient world.

The presence of such a divine being was enough to leave anyone, even a mouse, in utter amazement!