Qingyin listened to everything Wang Qinghe said. Her heart ached because she could not follow her brother. However, Gu Qingyin also understood her responsibility toward the Tianzun Sect.

She did not know when the disaster of the Abyss Demon Sect Alliance’s invasion would end. There were still no signs that they would stop their invasion anytime soon.

Her only choice was to increase her cultivation realm and hope that powerful reinforcements would come to help Tianzun. Qingyin placed her hopes on Qinghe.

Gu Qingyin stored the token away and cupped her hands respectfully. "I understand, Brother."

Wang Qinghe nodded with satisfaction. The Tianzun Sect possessed a deep cultivation foundation, and the ancestors and sect master would protect Tianzun well.

After finishing matters with the Tianzun Sect, Wang Qinghe and Yue flew away from the area, piercing through the clouds below.

The entire territory of the Song Kingdom had already fallen into the hands of the Demonic Alliance. The chances of Qinghe finding a safe place to rest were very small.

Yue turned to look at Qinghe. "What are we going to do with this man?"

Wang Qinghe glanced to the side. Elder Mo Li was still trapped within the prison of natural qi, unable to break free on his own.

"The situation is complicated. We need to find a safe place to remove the summoning rune array from his dantian, then refine his soul," Wang Qinghe answered.

"Qinghe! You should know the consequences of interfering with my life!" Mo Li shouted angrily.

Yue poured her natural qi into Mo Li. He was struck by the attack and immediately became powerless. He collapsed while coughing up blood, overwhelmed by the aggressive force of the natural qi. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"We’re returning to that lake island," Qinghe said firmly. Yue obediently nodded.

They flew across the forest and saw the lake once again, with the island sitting in the middle. Qinghe and Yue landed gently on the island’s ground and observed the surroundings carefully to make sure there were no threats nearby.

Qinghe’s cultivation eyes glowed as he scanned the surroundings. There were no demonic cultivators in sight. The corrupt energy in the area was also minimal, nowhere near as dense as it was in the city.

Wang Qinghe flew into the sky above the island, formed hand seals, and summoned a golden rune array above him. The rune array expanded and activated a protective qi dome that covered the entire island.

With his power, no cultivator would realize someone was hiding there.

Wang Qinghe landed slowly and stared directly at Mo Li.

Yue continued maintaining the golden prison around Mo Li. Wang Qinghe acted immediately. He knew a demonic technique rune array capable of manipulating the summoning rune array inside Mo Li’s dantian.

The method was simple. Qinghe’s demonic rune array would deceive the activation mechanism of the summoning rune array by covering the core of the formation.

If Qinghe gained enough power to fight the man named Shen in the future, he could destroy the summoning rune array later.

"What are you planning to do to me?!" Mo Li shouted.

"Your cultivation is at the Perfect Nascent Soul Realm. Refining you into a qi field would not be effective."

"It would be far better... if I turned you into my cultivation puppet."

"QINGHE!" Mo Li roared.

Wang Qinghe’s hands began forming seals before he directed a beam of golden qi from his fingertips into Mo Li’s forehead.

Only through forceful means like this could Wang Qinghe invade Mo Li’s dantian.

His eyes opened. He stood atop the water surface inside Mo Li’s dantian. His attention focused on the sky above, where the summoning rune array continuously rotated clockwise with ancient inscriptions carved into the rune.

It was not particularly complicated. Wang Qinghe had many ways to deceive the summoning rune array. However, because Elder Shen possessed a far higher cultivation realm, Qinghe acted much more carefully.

Wang Qinghe formed hand seals again. Sitting atop the water surface inside Mo Li’s dantian, he closed his eyes and activated a certain array.

He fired golden qi light from his hands into the core of the rune formation in the sky. The summoning rune array reacted violently, shaking intensely as red qi exploded outward.

Mo Li repeatedly coughed up blood, falling to his knees as he felt intense pain in his chest, as though fire was burning inside him.

Wang Qinghe did not act recklessly. When the red rune array began shaking violently, he raised his hand and carved ancient symbols in front of him before throwing the symbols into the sky.

The golden ancient symbols from Qinghe attached themselves to the red rune array, calming the vibrations and suppressing the qi turbulence.

At that moment, Qinghe increased the power intensity of his rune array even further.

"AAAKKKKKHHHH!" Mo Li screamed as a powerful dark qi aura burst out from his body.

Yue was startled and jumped farther away while still maintaining the natural qi prison around Mo Li. Not only that, she also channeled natural qi from the trees across the island, gathering it into one point before sending it into Mo Li’s body.

Qinghe’s soul projection turned around and saw the flow of natural qi entering Mo Li’s dantian. Qinghe immediately formed new hand seals, relying on Yue’s natural qi.

Half an hour passed. All the ancient symbols had attached themselves to the red rune array, making it difficult for the formation to react or resist anymore. To complete the process, Qinghe activated sealing runes to deactivate the summoning rune array.

Wang Qinghe succeeded. The summoning rune array was sealed, though not destroyed. He stopped channeling qi light into Mo Li’s body.

Mo Li felt the pain in his body disappear. The dark qi inside him had also weakened greatly because of the natural qi and spiritual qi flowing through his body.

"QINGHE!"

"What did you do to me?" Mo Li asked.

"The summoning rune array has been sealed. Now it’s time to subdue you and turn you into my cultivation puppet."

"Wait! Please just release me. I’ll obey you. But don’t turn me into your cultivation puppet."

"I still want to keep my soul consciousness," Mo Li pleaded.

Wang Qinghe grinned coldly as he raised his hand and released a rune toward Mo Li. "Do you think I’m stupid? You could destroy my slave rune because your cultivation realm is too high."

Qinghe’s golden rune entered Mo Li’s body and electrocuted him from within. Mo Li collapsed helplessly once again as Wang Qinghe slowly approached him.

"I will not make you my cultivation puppet forever."

"Serve me for one thousand years, and I will return your freedom."