《The Game with Fairies》 Chapter 1 In a valley shrouded with blood-red mist, the air was thick with the pungent stench of blood. Li Muyang, wearing a pointed beak crow mask, continuously shook the bell in his hand, producing a clear, tinkling sound. Upon hearing the bell, the group of black sheep in the valley all raised their heads in a daze, then uncontrollably started walking towards Li Muyang. ¡°Hun xi gui lai~ Hun xi gui lai~¡± Li Muyang, shaking his head and swaying, rang the bell while emitting a strange and eerie soul-calling chant. The bizarre and ghostly chant, mixed with the sound of the bell, seemed to possess a strange, dream-inducing magic. The two-legged black sheep followed behind Li Muyang in a daze, staggering out of Blood Mist Valley step by step. After leaving the valley, the air suddenly became fresh. Li Muyang took off the crow mask from his face, taking a deep breath of clean air. ¡°I¡¯ve really had enough of this damn valley...¡± Li Muyang glanced back at Blood Mist Valley behind him and sighed. It had been two months since he had arrived in this world, unfortunately becoming an Outer Sect disciple of the Demon Refining Sect, toiling and doing menial work every day. His job for the month was herding sheep, which sounded easy¡ªjust herd the flock of black sheep into the Blood Mist Valley in the morning and back to the sheeppen at night. The blood fog in the valley was so irritating that even the mask provided by the sect could only block half of the stench. After spending a day inside, the smell of blood was almost ingrained in him. Walking along the road while shaking the bell, the foul and pungent smell of blood filled the air, causing Demonic Sect disciples to hurriedly avoid him from afar. In this way, Li Muyang, ringing the bell and herding the sheep, drove the group of dark sheep into the sheepfold, handed over his identity token to the steward, and then headed towards his own cottage. A leaky and shabby cottage was the only asset Li Muyang had in this world. Exhausted, he lay on the hard wooden bed, looking at the cobwebbed beams above his head. Li Muyang could finally rest. He closed his eyes and saw a long progress bar. ¡¾Game Template Loading, current progress 99.99%...¡¿ Seeing this number, a slight joy rose in Li Muyang¡¯s heart. Was it finally going to load? This system-like thing appeared after Li Muyang crossed over to this world. It had taken a full two months to load from 0% to 99.99%, and he had been looking forward to what this system was¡ªcould it be a legendary golden finger? (cheat) He couldn¡¯t even think about resting now. Li Muyang sat up straight, focusing intently on the loading progress bar. After another fifteen minutes, the 99.99% progress bar finally moved. ¡¾Game Template Loading, current progress 100%... Load successful¡¿ The next second, a huge scroll unfolded before Li Muyang¡¯s eyes. Li Muyang was shocked. One of the talent skills was particularly eye-catching and instantly drew Li Muyang¡¯s attention. ¡¾Time Stop: Equipping this talent allows you to pause time for 7 seconds with a cooldown of 10 seconds.¡¿ This talent skill left Li Muyang dumbfounded. Activating the ability to stop time for 7 seconds with only a 10-second cooldown... isn¡¯t that basically invincible? What kind of system is this, offering the ability to stop time? Li Muyang continued to look at the other available talents and found that almost all of them were top-tier skills. ¡¾First Encounter Fatal Strike: 100% chance to slay the target during your first encounter in battle, no CD.¡¿ ¡¾Worlds Apart: Select a target, and both parties temporarily gain 30% of each other¡¯s attributes, cooldown 24 hours.¡¿ ¡¾Mind Reading: Ability to read the inner thoughts of the target, no CD.¡¿ ¡¾Instantaneous Teleportation: Ability to instantly move to a place you have previously been, cooldown 10 seconds.¡¿ ¡¾Blood Conversion (Passive): When injured, you gain an increase in attributes. The more severe the injury, the greater the increase. When on the brink of death, the increased attribute value doubles, granting a ten-minute undying BUFF.¡¿ ¡¾Invisibility: Gain the ability to become invisible, no cooldown¡¿ ¡¾Major Healing: Instantly heal all injuries of the target, ineffective on corpses, cooldown 60 seconds.¡¿ ¡¾Hidden Sword in the Belly: Spit out a flying sword from your mouth that is 100% accurate and has a 50% chance of causing instant death, cooldown 20 seconds.¡¿ ...... A dense array of talent skills made Li Muyang¡¯s eyes blur. This system is really powerful. It¡¯s like having a cheat code. Although you can only carry two talents at a time, any one of these skills is top-tier, and the system actually lets him choose two! There are passive skills, active skills, and even support skills, truly offering everything one could need. After looking around, Li Muyang finally chose two talents: ¡®Time Stop¡¯ and ¡®Hidden Sword in the Belly¡¯. Time Stop could be used to eliminate minor enemies with ease. The flying sword skill, guaranteed to hit its target and with a 50% chance of instant death, would be used against bosses with high health. These two skills together made him nearly invincible. Having selected his talents, Li Muyang clicked confirm. He looked forward eagerly to the sinister and eerie Loushan City in his view, curious about what the tutorial and this Fairy Liuli were really like. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 2 It¡¯s cold. Li Muyang, in the darkness, was momentarily stunned before regaining consciousness. Where am I? The moment he opened his eyes, Li Muyang realized his surroundings had changed. He was no longer in the cottage of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect but was sitting in a slowly moving carriage on a mountain path. The coachman, wearing a bamboo hat, hummed a mountain song in a northwestern dialect as he urged the horses pulling the cart. It was a vegetable delivery cart, the open cart was filled with vegetables and fruits, along with several large jars of wine. Li Muyang was sitting amidst these vegetables, his body bobbing up and down with the motion of the carriage. Have I... transmigrated again? Or is this inside the game? Li Muyang looked down at his hands and noticed his clothes had changed. He was now dressed in a dark black constable¡¯s uniform, with a long saber slung at his waist, fully outfitted as a constable. In the upper right corner of his field of vision was a conspicuous mission bar. ¡¾Please proceed to the Horse Relay Station outside Loushan City and meet with Fairy Liuli¡¿ Alright, it really is inside the game. This game¡¯s realism is quite high. Li Muyang curiously looked around, feeling the dry warm wind of the mountains at dusk and gazing at the barren hillsides. Before long, the coachman drove the carriage over a pass and turned back to Li Muyang. ¡°Constable, the Horse Relay Station is just ahead.¡± The dark-skinned coachman wore a warm smile as he spoke to Li Muyang. Li Muyang then looked forward and indeed saw a two-story wooden building beside the mountain path, which seemed to be an inn for resting, with four horses tied in the stable outside and three carriages parked. It looked somewhat deserted. Li Muyang got off the carriage and walked towards the inn with his saber at his waist. The mission bar mentioned meeting Fairy Liuli here, but where was Fairy Liuli? Li Muyang walked up the wooden steps and pushed open the inn¡¯s main door to enter. However, the empty inn was eerily silent, devoid of people. Instead, a faint smell of blood wafted through the air. Li Muyang, who had been herding sheep for half a month, was all too familiar with this stench. He immediately stopped at the doorway, his right hand on his saber, his eyes alertly scanning the empty inn, trying to locate the source of the blood smell, when suddenly a blood-red dialogue box popped up in his vision. ¡¾Fairy Liuli has died, mission failed¡¿ ¡°Huh?¡± During Time Stop, the whole world lost its color, turning into a monochrome of black and white. Li Muyang sprinted through the black-and-white world, and after four consecutive Time Stops, he finally climbed over the mountain pass and saw the Horse Relay Station by the roadside. Having run all the way, Li Muyang was slightly out of breath. He stood by the roadside, took a deep breath to steady his breathing rhythm, and then, with his waist saber in hand, he walked towards the inn in front of him. He didn¡¯t activate Time Stop right away but remained alert as he approached the inn. Based on the previous failure, Fairy Liuli should still be alive at this point. Indeed, when Li Muyang pushed open the door of the inn, the lobby he saw was completely different from the last time. It wasn¡¯t empty. A few people were scattered around the lobby, sitting here and there. The innkeeper was wearing a fur hat behind the counter doing his accounts, and a smiling waiter came forward to greet him. ¡°Esteemed guest, are you here to rest for a moment or to stay the night?¡± The young waiter¡¯s smile was radiant, but Li Muyang¡¯s gaze moved past the waiter, focusing on the northwest corner of the inn¡¯s lobby. A figure in a light green dress outlined a graceful figure, her skin as tender and white as a freshly peeled egg, free of any freckles or wrinkles. Her face was bare, without any makeup, yet it gave off an astonishing beauty as if she were a fairy from a painting. She sat there quietly, her gaze indifferent as it swept over, exuding an aura of aloofness that seemed to warn strangers to keep their distance. Fairy Liuli. Li Muyang recognized the identity of this fairy at a glance. Mainly because of the huge health bar floating above her head, which made her stand out from the crowd. ¡¾Fairy Liuli ¨C Chu Qingxue¡¿ The fact that Fairy Liuli had a health bar eliminated any possibility of Li Muyang mistaking her for someone else. Li Muyang walked past the waiter and approached the fairy who radiated an aura of inapproachability. But before Li Muyang could speak, the cold-faced Fairy Liuli glanced at him dismissively. ¡°Are you the assistant sent by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?¡± Doubt filled Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes, clearly unimpressed by Li Muyang¡¯s capabilities. However, before Li Muyang could reply, Fairy Liuli pointed to a seat and said. ¡°Sit down first.¡± Despite seeming somewhat disdainful of Li Muyang¡¯s strength, Fairy Liuli refrained from making any remarks. Li Muyang took her up on the invitation to sit and discreetly surveyed his surroundings. There was certainly some danger lurking in this inn. If he hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Fairy Liuli would have met a tragic death within the next few minutes. Now that he had arrived early, would the killer still make a move against Fairy Liuli? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 3 Li Muyang¡¯s gaze swept around the inn¡¯s lobby before he asked. ¡°Fairy, are we waiting for someone here?¡± Fairy Liuli dressed in green seemed indifferent, but her eyes constantly watched the direction of the inn¡¯s door. From her demeanor, it was clear that the fairy was growing impatient. Li Muyang, who had no understanding of the game¡¯s storyline, sat down and immediately dove into the plot, proactively seeking information. Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s question, Fairy Liuli glanced at him and said, ¡°The gates of Loushan City have been sealed. I am waiting here for an old acquaintance who will come from the city to guide us.¡± Fairy Liuli explained the situation briefly. After the fairy finished speaking, the task bar in the upper right corner of Li Muyang¡¯s vision also changed. ¡¾Meet with Fairy Liuli ¡ª Completed¡¿ ¡¾New Task ¡ª Ensure Fairy Liuli¡¯s safety while waiting for the guide to arrive¡¿ The updated task bar made Li Muyang breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed that the danger in the inn was still present. Li Muyang¡¯s gaze swept around the inn¡¯s lobby once more. Including the innkeeper and the waiter, there were a total of eight people. The other six were sword-carrying travelers of the rivers and lakes, looking travel-worn, merely stopping at this Horse Relay Station for a brief respite. (TLN: Like my other series, I¡¯ll use rivers and lakes instead of Jianghu. Personal preferences.) So, is the danger coming from these six people? Could it be that someone doesn¡¯t want Fairy Liuli to enter Loushan City? Li Muyang pondered in his heart, silently observing. At this moment, the waiter came over with a smile, carrying a tray of food. ¡°Dear guests, here is your pork knuckle.¡± The waiter placed the steaming, fragrant plate of pork knuckle on the table. Fairy Liuli slightly frowned: ¡°We didn¡¯t order pork knuckle.¡± This statement instantly put Li Muyang on alert. He discreetly glanced at the waiter in front of him, his hand quietly resting on the hilt of his waist saber. (TLN: Saber/Knife (µ¶) here is also a sword but refers to a single-edged blade. Instead of a double-edged normal sword (½£).) But the waiter just smiled: ¡°This is a treat from the shopkeeper to the two guests.¡± Li Muyang looked towards the counter and saw the shopkeeper, dressed in a grey cotton-padded jacket and a dogskin hat smiling. In the blink of an eye, the strong man transformed into a monstrous creature over two meters tall, covered in scales like a wild beast, yet his massive head remained human, though his face too was covered in black scales. His thick claws firmly grasped the sword embedded in his chest, and for a moment, it couldn¡¯t break free. The other guests of the inn transformed as well. In an instant, the inn was filled with a demonic aura as six bizarre half-human half-demon figures appeared before Li Muyang. Fairy Liuli¡¯s indifferent face finally showed a change. ¡°Demonic cultivators?!¡± she exclaimed in disbelief, looking at the six demonic shadows before her. ¡°Are you the cause of the turmoil in Loushan City?¡± The six demonic cultivators sneered, ¡°There¡¯s a road to heaven yet you choose not to take it. There¡¯s no door to hell yet you come knocking.¡± ¡°Fairy Liuli, today is the day you die!¡± The demonic cultivator who was pierced by the flying sword and did not approach, instead standing still, gripping the sword tightly to prevent it from escaping his control, and the other five demonic cultivators all charged at Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli. Seeing the demonic energy soaring in the air, Fairy Liuli grabbed Li Muyang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Move!¡± Having lost her sword, Fairy Liuli had no intention of entangling with them and planned to escape with Li Muyang. But as soon as her hand touched Li Muyang¡¯s shoulder, the ground beneath Fairy Liuli suddenly exploded, and a gaping maw full of sharp fangs emerged from the ground, biting down on Fairy Liuli¡¯s feet in an instant. Were there demonic cultivators underground too? Li Muyang immediately activated Time Stop, and in an instant, everything in the world fell into monochrome. The grotesque faces of the demonic cultivators, Fairy Liuli unable to move with her feet caught in the jaws... every movement and expression was frozen when Li Muyang activated Time Stop. The demonic cultivators had moved too quickly, almost instantly completing their attack and encirclement, leaving no time for Li Muyang to react. Fortunately, Li Muyang activated Time Stop in time, preventing Fairy Liuli from being killed on the spot. There was no time to think about anything else. After all, Time Stop only lasted for 7 seconds. While Time Stop was active, Li Muyang drew his waist saber and slashed at the nearest demonic cultivator. The sharp blade viciously aimed for the monster¡¯s head¡ªif a heart pierced by a sword didn¡¯t kill it, surely decapitation would? Li Muyang¡¯s attack was ruthless and deadly. However, Li Muyang felt as if he had hit solid steel when the blade that carried immense force struck the monster¡¯s neck. The huge recoil numbed his palm, and the sturdy long saber shattered under the force of the impact. Li Muyang was dumbfounded. ¡°F*ck? Such strong defense?¡± Could ordinary blades not penetrate these monsters¡¯ defenses? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 4 Inside a dark cottage, Li Muyang suddenly opened his eyes. ¡°Failed again!¡± He had not anticipated that his blade would shatter against the monster¡¯s neck. The defense of those six monsters was incredibly strong. In the game, Li Muyang had activated the skill ¡¾Hidden Sword in the Belly¡¿ just before dying, and the flying sword he spat out did manage to break through the defense of one monster, killing it. But the remaining monsters swarmed him, giving him no chance to activate Time Stop a second time, and they swiftly cut down both him and Fairy Liuli. ¡¾Hidden Sword in the Belly¡¿ The skill has a 20-second cooldown and can only kill one monster at a time. It can¡¯t be relied upon to break through a tough situation. Li Muyang squinted his eyes: ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need to borrow Fairy Liuli¡¯s sword to do the job.¡± The six monsters had set a trap, first provoking Fairy Liuli to act, making her lose her sword, and then they dared to swarm her. They are clearly wary of Fairy Liuli¡¯s sword. Fairy Liuli¡¯s intervention also showed that the ancient sword on her back was extraordinary in power, at the very least capable of easily breaking through the defenses of these monsters. Thinking of this, Li Muyang took a deep breath and closed his eyes. ¡¾Continue the beginner tutorial¡¿ The scene in his field of vision instantly turned dark, and Li Muyang was once again engulfed by the dark tide surrounding him. He was back on the shaking rattling carriage when he opened his eyes. The coachman¡¯s mountain song echoed among the hills, and the swaying carriage traveled on the steep mountain path. Li Muyang immediately flipped off the carriage and started sprinting down the mountain path. ¡°What? Constable!¡± The surprised call of the coachman was quickly left behind as Li Muyang hurried along using Time Stop, eventually reaching the mountain pass and spotting the Horse Relay Station by the roadside. He took several deep breaths to regulate his breathing before heading towards the inn with his waist knife slung on his side. Pushing open the inn¡¯s main door, a smiling waiter came to greet him. ¡°Esteemed guest...¡± But Li Muyang walked straight past him, heading towards Fairy Liuli. Dressed in green, Fairy Liuli sat in the main hall of the inn with an ancient-looking sword on her back, which seemed old and blunt. Li Muyang approached Fairy Liuli and said, ¡°Fairy, may I borrow your immortal sword for a moment?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Fairy Liuli, about to speak as Li Muyang approached in his constable uniform, was taken aback by his preemptive request to borrow her sword. Her eyes showed surprise, clearly caught off guard by Li Muyang¡¯s familiar and odd behavior. Li Muyang glanced at the guests present, quickly estimating the distance. Seeing this commotion, Fairy Liuli was greatly alarmed, losing her previous aloof demeanor. She immediately moved away from the spot she had been standing on, staring in astonishment at the blood-soaked soil. Was there a demon lurking underground, having stealthily approached right beneath her feet? At this moment, Fairy Liuli felt a chill down her spine. She could see clearly that the six monsters inside the inn were no easy opponents. If they were allowed to fully mutate and exert their full strength, coupled with the demon that had been lying in ambush underground, it would be difficult for her to escape unscathed from this trap. Fairy Liuli took a deep breath and then looked solemnly at Li Muyang. ¡°I am Chu Qingxue from the Mystic Sword Sect. May I ask how to address you?¡± Fairy Liuli¡¯s tone was serious, showing respect to Li Muyang. The constable before her, although seemingly weak and of average cultivation, had demonstrated thunderous methods and a mysterious agility. She had not expected to find such a capable person within the corrupt and decadent court... Hearing Fairy Liuli¡¯s question, Li Muyang also came back to his senses. Although he had been assigned the role of a constable, it seemed he hadn¡¯t been given a name. That meant... he had to choose his own ID? Meeting Fairy Liuli¡¯s gaze, Li Muyang smiled slightly and said, ¡°Fairy is too formal. I am just a humble constable from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. You may call me Wuming.¡± (TLN: Wuming means no name/nameless) At that moment, Li Muyang casually chose a generic ID after being unable to think of a better one. As soon as he finished speaking, several messages suddenly popped up in the upper right corner of his vision. ¡¾Meet with Fairy Liuli¡ªCompleted¡¿ ¡¾Ensure Fairy Liuli¡¯s Safety¡ªCompleted¡¿ ¡¾Current task progress has been saved¡¿ ¡¾New Task¡ªPlease accompany Fairy Liuli into Loushan City¡¿ Li Muyang¡¯s actions had been too fast. Upon entering and seeing Fairy Liuli, he immediately took action, not giving Fairy Liuli any time to react. He didn¡¯t even give the system time to respond. As a result, the taskbar is updated with two entries at once. Seeing the successful completion of the task, Li Muyang also let out a sigh of relief. The first time was too unreasonable, so he only failed once if he didn¡¯t count that. On his second attempt, he instantly wiped out the group of demon cultivators. Is this what you call a speedrunner? (leans back) We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 5 The task prompt that popped up in his field of vision made Li Muyang blink. There is a save function? Does it mean that if I die again, I can start the story from here? Li Muyang looked at the trembling shopkeeper and then called out the equally trembling shop assistant. Under Fairy Liuli¡¯s arrangements, the seven corpses were carried to the backyard and laid out side by side. The seven demon cultivators had turned into a terrifying appearance, half-human and half-monster, with some covered in black scales and others with heads transformed into serpent-like creatures. Fairy Liuli stood beside the corpses, frowning: ¡°There has been no demonic cultivation tradition in the Nine Provinces since my master Qianye Zhenren eradicated the demons a thousand years ago. Where did these seven demon cultivators come from?¡± Fairy Liuli crouched down to examine the corpses of the demon cultivators. Li Muyang stood by, not approaching. The bloody corpses looked quite disgusting, a side effect of the game¡¯s overly realistic simulation. The too-realistic flesh and blood of the corpses were unsettling, and the pungent smell of blood in the air also made Li Muyang frown. He had been dealing with a lot of sheep blood for half a month and almost got PTSD from the smell. If it were a game from his previous life, such realistic corpses and splattered blood would likely warrant an 18+ rating. But Fairy Liuli, true to her role as an instance investigator, carefully examined the bodies and quickly came to a conclusion. ¡°It seems they are the demons from the once-great Blood Demon Sect of a thousand years ago...¡± Fairy Liuli frowned as she stood up, washing the dirty blood from her hands with water. Li Muyang took note of this information: ¡°The Blood Demon Sect that disappeared a thousand years ago?¡± The classic game setting is where the legendary demon lord revives from the ashes after a thousand years, taking advantage of the dynasty¡¯s final years to cause chaos. It seems that the boss of the Loushan City tutorial for new players is likely a demon cultivator from the Blood Demon Sect. Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli left the backyard and returned to the inn¡¯s main hall. Just then, the door was pushed open, and a figure with a huge green health bar walked inside followed by several attendants. ¡¾Guide¡¿ This NPC also had a health bar indicator. He¡¯s a middle-aged man in armor with a slender figure and some white hair at his temples, appearing to be of a certain age. Upon seeing Fairy Liuli, the guide hurried forward to greet her: ¡°Zhao Erhu, the banner official of Loushan City, pays respects to the fairy.¡± Fairy Liuli nodded slightly, saying, ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Lord Zhao.¡± Despite her aloof appearance, Fairy Liuli was still very polite. And it seemed the two knew each other. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Fairy Liuli asked Zhao Erhu to send attendants to deal with the seven corpses in the backyard. ¡°Die randomly again?¡± Back in the cottage of the Demon Refining Sect, Li Muyang abruptly sat up. He opened his eyes somewhat speechlessly. His death had come too suddenly. He hadn¡¯t even had time to pause time, nor had he seen clearly how he died. It felt like the carriage had been hit by something, and then he was gone. Sitting on the hard bed, Li Muyang closed his eyes, and the moonlit, sinister image of Loushan City reappeared in his vision. On this CG, there were several lines of large text. ¡¾Would you like to continue the tutorial?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ Looking at the options, Li Muyang was about to select ¡¾Yes¡¿ when suddenly a rumble came from his stomach. He was hungry. The game-addicted Li Muyang then opened his eyes and realized that it had gotten dark outside without him noticing, and he hadn¡¯t eaten dinner yet, his stomach growling with hunger. ¡°Sigh... The last time I was this engrossed in a game was... ¡± Li Muyang remarked with a sense of nostalgia. This game really has something special. He hadn¡¯t been this engrossed in a long time, to the point where he even forgot to eat. After flipping out of bed, Li Muyang started to make a fire and cook. Although the Outer Sect disciples of the Demon Refining Sect were considered cultivators, their lives weren¡¯t much different from those of menial workers. For an ordinary disciple like Li Muyang, who had no background or status, he was at the very bottom of the hierarchy, having to take care of his own meals and boiling water. Opening the empty rice container, he scooped out two large ladles of spiritual rice and began to cook. Although his cooking skills were average, the spiritual rice provided by the Demon Refining Sect was truly excellent, even more fragrant than the Wuchang rice he had eaten in his previous life, and it even benefited his cultivation. But looking at the dwindling supply of spiritual rice in the container, Li Muyang hesitated. ¡°Um... have I been eating too much lately?¡± Although the spiritual rice was delicious, his appetite had certainly increased compared to the original owner of the body. It was only mid-month, and the spiritual rice that had just been distributed was nearly gone. Looking at the scant amount of spiritual rice left in the container, Li Muyang suddenly felt the same kind of embarrassment he had in college when he realized his living expenses were almost spent. ¡°I need to find a way to get some more spiritual rice!¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 6 In the yard filled with the rich aroma of cooked rice, Li Muyang sat on the edge of his cottage with a big bowl brimming with rice, enjoying his dinner accompanied by pickled vegetables. Normally, he would be willing to stir-fry a couple of dishes to go with his meal, but now he was too busy playing games and wanted to quickly finish eating to continue the tutorial. After all, the spiritual rice was very fragrant, and even with just pickled vegetables, it was extremely delicious. The light from the oil lamp inside the house cast a long shadow of him on the ground in front of the door. A neighbor passing by the doorway looked at this scene with some surprise: ¡°Brother Li, you¡¯re having dinner so late.¡± The neighbor was a skinny young lad, about fifteen or sixteen years old, with dark skin and thin, always smiling and very easy to get along with. Li Muyang remembered his name was Guan Xiaoshun, a youth from a small town in the southern part of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory. He had a talent for cultivation but not much, so he could only be an Outer Sect disciple. But then again, how many disciples in the Outer Sect had high cultivation talent? Seeing Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s smiling face, Li Muyang also greeted him cheerfully. Guan Xiaoshun stood at the courtyard entrance and chatted with Li Muyang for a bit. Looking at the huge bowl in front of Li Muyang, he remarked, ¡°Brother Li, your appetite seems to be getting bigger and bigger lately. Be careful not to run out of spiritual rice.¡± ¡°I heard from the stewards that if we Qi Refining practitioners get cut off from our supply of spiritual rice, our spiritual energy can decline and our cultivation level can regress,¡± Guan Xiaoshun half-jokingly reminded Li Muyang. Although Guan Xiaoshun was young, he had arrived at the Demon Refining Sect a year earlier than Li Muyang. Li Muyang¡¯s original body had died just a month after joining the Demon Refining Sect, and then Li Muyang had transmigrated over. So in terms of seniority, Li Muyang was the newcomer in the Demon Refining Sect. Hearing Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s reminder, Li Muyang sighed and said, ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. My appetite has been increasing recently, and I can¡¯t feel full without eating more. I¡¯ll have to find the steward in a few days to ask for more work so that I can get more spiritual rice.¡± Li Muyang had no control over the growth of his appetite. For a low-level cultivator like him, the importance of spiritual rice was no less than that of food for ordinary people. One can go without being full, but problems would arise without it. While running out of spiritual rice wouldn¡¯t starve him to death, losing its nourishment would indeed have a negative impact on his body and cultivation. For him now, securing spiritual rice was an urgent matter. If it weren¡¯t for the game system having finished loading, Li Muyang would have to go find the steward for extra chores tomorrow. Of course, if this game system couldn¡¯t help Li Muyang... no, it¡¯s probably able to help! After bidding farewell to Guan Xiaoshun, Li Muyang refilled his bowl twice and finished off a whole pot of spiritual rice before he finally felt full. ¡°This appetite is a bit strange...¡± Now, standing on the roof of the carriage, he kept a vigilant watch in all directions, ready to activate his time-stop ability at any moment. Inside the carriage, the guide was astonished. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong?¡± The guide with a green health bar lifted the curtain to look outside. ¡°What¡¯s happening out there?¡± As the curtain was lifted, a faint smell of blood wafted through the air, and the city streets appeared deserted and cold. Li Muyang, standing on the roof, frowned as he scanned the area. He knew danger was imminent, but up to this moment, everything in the city seemed normal to his eyes. He couldn¡¯t detect any danger at all. If there was anything unusual, perhaps it was that the scent of blood in the air had grown slightly stronger? Li Muyang¡¯s gaze was alert. The next second, a massive tremor struck the carriage without warning. But this time, Li Muyang was prepared. Despite the abruptness of the attack, he successfully activated time-stop the moment the tremor occurred. Instantly, everything lost its color, and the world turned into monochromatic shades of black and white. Li Muyang stood on the tilted roof of the carriage, surprised to see that within the frozen time, the air of Loushan City was filled with a strange mist. Within this mist emerged the huge and terrifying head of a monster invisible to the ordinary eye, its gaping maw blocking the path of the carriage. Its ferocious mouth, bristling with sharp teeth, was at least five meters high, seemingly larger than the carriage carrying the three passengers. The three sitting in the carriage now appeared as if they were deliberately delivering themselves into the monster¡¯s mouth. The monster¡¯s razor-sharp teeth arrayed in two fearsome rows almost touched Li Muyang¡¯s face. Seeing all this, Li Muyang nearly had his heart stop from the shock. ¡ªWhere the hell did this monster come from? And it¡¯s so huge? He was astonished by the sight of the giant creature that had emerged from the air. Did this thing really just pop out of thin air? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 7 Li Muyang¡¯s time-stop ability lasted only seven seconds, but he had the chance to reload his save. So, after seeing the monster¡¯s head, Li Muyang didn¡¯t rush to act. Instead, he leaped to the side of the monster¡¯s head to gather information about the creature. In the obstacle course game, information is more important than simply slaying monsters. From the side, he finally saw the full form of the creature. ¡ªIt really seemed to have emerged from thin air. To be precise, it came out of the mist that enveloped Loushan City. It had only a head as if the rest of its body was still hidden in the fog. Behind this eerie mist seemed to be a connection to a strange space. Now, the monster¡¯s head was poking out, attacking the carriage carrying Li Muyang and others. After seeing the full form of the monster, Li Muyang drew his sword from its sheath once again and struck at the creature. This time, he managed to break through its defenses, but that was all. He only left a wound a few inches deep. For a monster of this size, such a wound was equivalent to a minor scratch. The imperial saber that came with his game character had a rather indescribable killing power. Li Muyang tried to return to the carriage to fetch Fairy Liuli¡¯s immortal sword, but as soon as he got back to the carriage, the time stop ended. A huge tremor swept through the carriage, and everything went dark before Li Muyang¡¯s eyes. ¡°...The output of this game character is a bit weak.¡± Li Muyang sat somewhat dejectedly on the hard straw roof, lamenting the weakness of his game character. He closed his eyes once more, restarting the tutorial for beginners. Load the save! When Li Muyang opened his eyes again, he found himself sitting in the moving carriage, with Fairy Liuli in front of him conversing with the guide. Li Muyang stood up and spoke directly: ¡°Fairy, may I borrow your immortal sword? Something seems off.¡± He spoke concisely while unapologetically reaching out his hand towards Fairy Liuli to ask for the sword. Such a sudden and rude gesture shocked the guide, who was speaking at the time. Clearly, he did not understand why Li Muyang, who had been silent all the way like a follower, would suddenly make such an outrageous request. That was the spirit sword of a Mystic Sword Sect cultivator, intertwined with her life¡ªhow could it be casually lent to you? But before the guide could speak, Fairy Liuli had already stood up solemnly. Reload! After decapitating the monster, Li Muyang swiftly turned around and struck with his sword the moment Fairy Liuli began to speak. The sharp edge of the immortal sword fell, slicing a mantis-like creature that had just appeared in the air cleanly in two. The creature had barely materialized, its dark, sharp claws not yet poised to strike when it was already cleaved apart by Li Muyang. The guide was dumbfounded: ¡°Do you have eyes in the back of your head?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s counterattack was so sudden it exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. Even until the moment he struck, there was nothing behind him. But as the sword fell, a Blood Demon Beast conveniently appeared right where the blade landed. The scene looked as if the monster had deliberately thrown itself onto his sword¡¯s edge, eerily unsettling. Facing the guide¡¯s bewildered gaze, Li Muyang said indifferently, ¡°Nothing special, it¡¯s just because I¡¯m used to it.¡± I¡¯ve died to these monsters¡¯ ambushes many times. I can predict their every move with my eyes closed! As Li Muyang spoke, he casually threw out another sword strike. The sharp immortal sword whizzed past the guide¡¯s ear, slaying another Blood Demon Beast that had just appeared behind him. These bizarre Blood Demon Beasts that popped out of thin air would also vanish abruptly after death, leaving no corpses behind. In the short span of a few sentences, several strange Blood Demon Beasts had appeared around the carriage. Their unpredictable appearances furrowed Fairy Liuli¡¯s brows. ¡°It seems that the Blood Demon Sect practitioners in this city do not wish for us to meet General Wu.¡± Fairy Liuli continued, looking at Li Muyang: ¡°This method of summoning the Nine Nether Blood Beast is a forbidden art that requires a great sacrifice within the Blood Demon Sect.¡± ¡°They definitely wouldn¡¯t summon Blood Demon Beasts If there were other methods.¡± ¡°Now that the Blood Demon Sect practitioners only summon Blood Demon Beasts to attack and refuse to show themselves, it seems that their own strength is not strong, or it may be inconvenient for them to act.¡± At this point, Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes turned slightly cold: ¡°The seven demonic cultivators who ambushed me outside the city are probably the only forces that the mastermind behind this can muster.¡± ¡°Now that it has lost its minions, it can only resort to the forbidden art of summoning Blood Demon Beasts, still using secret techniques to obstruct us... Could it be that the mastermind is hiding close to General Wu? Does it not want us to meet General Wu?¡± From the changes in the situation, Fairy Liuli keenly deduced key information. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 8 After analyzing the situation, Fairy Liuli immediately looked at Li Muyang. ¡°Lord Wuming, are there more Blood Demon Beasts blocking our way ahead?¡± During the time Fairy Liuli was speaking, Li Muyang continuously struck down and effortlessly slew the blood demons that emerged in the air one by one. By the time Fairy Liuli finished speaking, the carriage had not encountered any more attacks. It seemed as though the strange blood demons had been completely eradicated, allowing the carriage to travel unobstructed on the streets of Loushan City. However, Li Muyang shook his head after looking at the countdown timer in the upper right corner of his field of vision. ¡°There should be more blood demons blocking the way...¡± ¡¾06:39¡¿ There were ten minutes left to survive, and now only six minutes and thirty-nine seconds remained. The blood demons that had just been repelled were merely the first wave of attacks. Li Muyang, holding the immortal sword, leaped onto the roof of the carriage to survey the road ahead. He could easily get through the first phase of the beast nest attacks with the help of save points and time stop. But the second phase of blood demon attacks, with their increased numbers and frequency, proved to be more challenging for Li Muyang. He had failed nineteen times, and his best record was surviving until the countdown reached 02:19. The blood demons that followed would only become more numerous, their swarming presence resembling a bullet hell game. The realistic simulation game had suddenly turned into a tower defense game at this moment. Li Muyang swung his immortal sword, trying to kill the monsters without using time stops, saving it for the most critical moments. After killing so many blood demons, he gradually mastered the pattern based on their appearances. Whenever a blood demon was about to emerge from the void, the scent of blood at that location would instantly become more intense. Relying on his keen sense of the changes in the scent of blood, Li Muyang could now accurately predict the position where the blood demons would appear. Sword lights flashed one after another as Li Muyang moved around the carriage, now standing on the roof to slay blood demons, now diving into the carriage, now rushing to the front of the carriage, and occasionally, a few blood demons would even emerge from underneath the carriage. His number of failures continued to rise. He was almost sick of hearing the guide¡¯s exaggerated screams from inside the carriage. This guide was always overreacting and would die in the third wave of the beast tide that erupted at seven minutes. During the third round of attacks, the blood demons that emerged filled the entire field of vision. Even with Fairy Liuli¡¯s help, Li Muyang struggled immensely and had no time to care for the guide. This high-difficulty challenge brought back the feeling Li Muyang had when he first played the Souls-like games series. (TLN: Probably referring to FromSoftware?) The difficulty, frustration, struggle, dying over and over, yet somehow it was addictively fun... so Souls-like! Finally, when the countdown timer in the upper right corner of his vision reached zero and the mission log updated once again, Li Muyang, sitting on the roof of the carriage, let out a long sigh of relief. He had finally cleared the level. ¡°How can this tutorial be so difficult!¡± he exclaimed inwardly. On the hard wooden bed, Li Muyang let out a long sigh of relief, opened his eyes, and stretched lazily. The demonic cultivator of Loushan City had indeed been lurking right beside General Wu. Fairy Liuli drew her sword the moment she saw her, and although the demon managed to dodge, there was still Li Muyang. He activated the ¡¾Hidden Sword in the Belly¡¿ skill, and with a single flying sword, he easily pierced through the demonic cultivator. He happened to trigger the 50% instant death chance, killing the demon on the spot. ¡¾Beginner¡¯s Tutorial¡ªThe Mystery of Loushan City Cleared¡¿ ¡¾Guide: Deceased¡¿ ¡¾Fairy Liuli: Lightly Injured¡¿ ¡¾Mastermind: Deceased¡¿ ¡¾Clearance Rating: B (Passable)¡¿ ¡¾With your keen reactions, formidable strength, and invincible talent, you have successfully slain the source of turmoil in Loushan City, saving countless lives and earning immeasurable merit. However, the death of the mastermind has shrouded the mystery of Loushan City¡¯s unrest and the disappearance of Imperial Astronomical Bureau sorcerer Zhang Daniu in even more mystery, leaving no chance for further investigation. The outcome can only be described as passable.¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to claim your clearance reward?¡¿ ¡¾Current selectable rewards (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾Blood Demon Heart Refining Sutra (Incomplete)¡¿ ¡¾Mortal-grade flying sword¡¿ ¡¾200 jin of spiritual rice¡¿ ¡¾Host, please note that once you claim the reward, this tutorial level will be permanently concluded and cannot be entered again.¡¿ The rows of settlement information floating in his field of vision made Li Muyang blink in surprise. First, he was astonished by the three-choice reward... all of them were great items! A cultivation manual, a spiritual treasure, or two hundred jin of spiritual rice... any one of these three-choice rewards was exactly what Li Muyang, the bottom-feeder, currently needed. Without advanced cultivation manuals or any protective treasures in the Demon Refining Sect, he was doomed to be a laboring nobody, not to mention he didn¡¯t even have enough spiritual rice to eat. If he had a cultivation manual to raise his cultivation level, he might have a chance to enter the Inner Sect. And the third option of two hundred jin of spiritual rice would be enough to feed him for half a year, perfectly addressing his urgent need. However, although the rewards were tempting, Li Muyang did not claim them. Because his score for completing the level was very low, only a B (Passable). Perhaps if the completion score was a bit higher, the rewards he could claim would be stronger? Thinking this, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief, closed his eyes, and lay back down on the wooden bed. The Game with Fairies, start! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 9 This time, the game feels much easier. Li Muyang directly chose the last save. ¡¾Final Act: Meeting the Commander of Loushan City¡¿ After the game loaded, Li Muyang opened his eyes and saw fully armed soldiers blocking the way. Beside him, Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes were filled with sorrow. ¡°Lord Zhao...¡± This Fairy Liuli was mourning the death of the guide. The next process was the same as the last time, without a moment of sorrow for the passing of the guide, they arrived at the residence of the true culprit lurking behind the scenes, the Commander of Loushan City. After being surrounded by the soldiers, Fairy Liuli revealed her identity, and someone immediately came to lead the way. Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli followed the guide through the heavily guarded Commander¡¯s residence and met the frantic General Wu deep inside the estate. Fairy Liuli ordered General Wu to bring out his family members one by one into the courtyard. This time, when General Wu¡¯s favorite wife was helped out by a maid, and Fairy Liuli confirmed the true identity of the demon cultivator, Li Muyang also made his move. The moment the demon cultivator turned to flee, Li Muyang activated a time stop. He then rushed forward with his knife and, with two swift slashes, chopped off the woman¡¯s legs. When the time stop ended, the woman fell to the ground, screaming miserably and spraying blood. Fairy Liuli instantly leaped over and subdued the demon cultivator, binding her with special ropes. The entire action was over in the blink of an eye. Fairy Liuli was no longer surprised by Li Muyang¡¯s ¡®movement technique¡¯, which seemed like instantaneous teleportation. The two of them worked together with perfect tacit understanding. General Wu hadn¡¯t even had time to understand what was happening before he saw his beloved fall to the ground, screaming as she revealed her true form as a demon cultivator, turning into a half-human half-demon creature. §² ¡°Madam Yu... is actually a monster?¡± General Wu¡¯s face turned pale, clearly frightened by the creature covered in monkey fur resembling an ape. While General Wu was horrified that the person by his side was a monster, Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision also popped up with the level completion score interface. As expected, the score for completing the level had indeed changed. ¡¾Beginner¡¯s Tutorial¡ªThe Mystery of Loushan City Cleared¡¿ ¡¾Guide: Deceased¡¿ ¡¾Fairy Liuli: Lightly Injured¡¿ Li Muyang, whose interest had been piqued by the A-level rewards, had no intention of claiming them yet. Instead, Li Muyang decided to continue challenging himself. Since there was no time limit on this beginner¡¯s tutorial, why not keep going until he achieved a perfect score? Li Muyang chose to reload the third act, ¡¾Interlude ¨C Crisis in Loushan City¡¿. As the darkness surrounding him faded, Li Muyang found himself on the carriage traveling down the deserted streets. This was the most challenging part of the entire beginner¡¯s tutorial and the key to achieving a perfect score. The moment he entered the level, Li Muyang stood up and addressed Fairy Liuli. ¡°Fairy, may I borrow your immortal sword for a moment?¡± Then, another round of slaughter ensued. ...... In the early morning, when the crowing of the rooster pierced the tranquility of the mountains, the foothills outside the Demon Refining Sect began to stir as life awakened within the thatched cottages. Having finished his morning wash and carrying a huge water bucket on his back, Guan Xiaoshun was on his way to the spiritual field when he saw Li Muyang, who was squatting at the door of his hut, washing his face with a weary expression and huge dark circles under his eyes. Seeing this, Guan Xiaoshun was curious. ¡°Brother Li, didn¡¯t you sleep last night?¡± In the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect, where entertainment options were extremely limited, most people spent the long nights sleeping. A few would spend the night in the brothels that were opened in the market, but even there, the main activity was sleeping. Someone like Li Muyang, with huge dark circles and a tired face, clearly having not slept all night, was a rare sight indeed. Guan Xiaoshun asked curiously and Li Muyang sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, I had insomnia last night.¡± He had been dying all night long, and even with the use of the Time Stop and Hidden Sword in the Belly abilities, which were like cheats, Li Muyang still couldn¡¯t keep the guide alive amidst the relentless attacks of the blood demons. It was even difficult to protect Fairy Liuli from getting hurt. The overall difficulty of this beginner¡¯s tutorial was quite low, but achieving a perfect score was indeed challenging. Li Muyang had been tormented by the third act¡¯s tower defense all night, and it truly gave him a feeling reminiscent of his past life playing Souls-like games. Being killed over and over by monsters, one had to be highly focused during combat, as any slight negligence or mistake would lead to a game over. Still, the difficulty of achieving a perfect score only fueled Li Muyang¡¯s competitive spirit. ¡ªI refuse to believe I can¡¯t protect this damn guide! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 10 Walking side by side on the dusty yellow roads of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect, Guan Xiaoshun and Li Muyang chatted briefly before parting ways at a fork in the road, with Guan Xiaoshun carrying his man-sized water bucket away. Guan Xiaoshun was a Spiritual Planter, one of the most unique professions in the Outer Sect. The main job of a Spiritual Planter was to take care of the spiritual fields they were responsible for, ensuring they were well-watered daily to maintain an abundance of spiritual energy. After handing over the required amount of spiritual rice at harvest time, the rest of the spiritual rice belonged to the Spiritual Planter. It was the most lucrative job in the Outer Sect, but also had the highest barrier to entry, as one must be proficient in the ¡®Cloud and Rain Technique¡¯. Most of the Servant Disciples in the Outer Sect were of average talent, and for them, even practicing the most basic cultivation method was extremely difficult, let alone comprehending a spell. For most Outer Sect disciples, the ¡®Cloud and Rain Technique¡¯ was as difficult as advanced mathematics, not something everyone could learn. Li Muyang also envied Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s job as a Spiritual Planter. Although he had the opportunity to practice the ¡°Cloud and Rain Technique,¡± being a new member of the Outer Sect with low cultivation, he could only herd sheep and had no access to the technique yet. After collecting his identity plaque and the bell instrument mask from the steward, Li Muyang drove the eerie black sheep towards Blood Mist Valley. ¡°Hun xi gui lai... Hun xi gui lai...¡± The spooky soul-calling sound accompanied by the clear ringing of Li Muyang¡¯s bell led the black sheep into Blood Mist Valley in an orderly fashion. In the valley grew a kind of purple plant, the main food source for the black sheep. Li Muyang¡¯s job was simply to herd the sheep into the valley and then watch over them from the side. It was an extremely leisurely job. The only downside was the nauseating stench that permeated the air, which even the crow mask provided by the sect could only partially block. On any other day, Li Muyang would have found it unbearable. But today, he was just too tired. After driving the flock into the valley, Li Muyang, who hadn¡¯t slept all night, immediately closed his eyes and fell asleep at the entrance of the valley. He slept in a daze for an unknown amount of time until he woke up again to see the fierce midday sun directly overhead. In the Blood Mist Valley, shrouded in a bloody haze, the group of eerie black sheep with long dark fur were wandering and foraging, everything so quiet. Li Muyang looked at the sheep and then at the midday sun outside, sighing. ¡°Another half day gone by...¡± Having grown accustomed to a life filled with reading, working, and always having something to do, Li Muyang now found himself in a different world, living the life of a shepherd boy with nothing to do each day, and he was somewhat struggling to adapt. r? He always felt that spending his days doing menial tasks in the Outer Sect was a complete waste of life. The demonic techniques taught in the Outer Sect were of the lowest, entry-level¡ªso basic that one could see their limits at a glance. Even if he diligently worked in the Outer Sect for decades, at best, he would end up as a steward, scraping together a little more profit. He could kill most of the blood demons with his own waist saber. But for the huge creature that appeared at the beginning, only Fairy Liuli¡¯s immortal sword could break through its defenses. Li Muyang took Fairy Liuli¡¯s immortal sword and then climbed onto the roof of the carriage, not even needing to stop time. The moment the giant monster¡¯s head emerged from the air, Li Muyang¡¯s sword was perfectly timed to strike down on its head and split it in two. The guide behind him let out a shocked cry, but Li Muyang immediately turned back into the carriage, slaying several blood demons that appeared one after another around the carriage. The whole process was smooth and flowing like water. Each sword strikes precisely killed a monster as if they were deliberately running onto his blade. The scene looked incredibly eerie, and both Fairy Liuli and the guide stared with wide eyes in astonishment. This time, perhaps because he had just eaten well, Li Muyang was in great form and finally managed to protect the guide for 8 minutes 19 seconds before dying. For the first time in so long, the guide¡¯s survival time has exceeded eight minutes! Li Muyang was instantly invigorated. Although the guide was still killed by the monster¡¯s gaping maw the next second, Li Muyang, who saw hope, was not at all discouraged. He laughed heartily wgile spreading his arms wide, allowing the swarming monsters to engulf him. Reload the game! Thus, Li Muyang memorized almost every location and number of the blood demons by rote through repeated deaths and failures. He stood on the roof of the carriage, presciently directing Fairy Liuli¡¯s sword strikes every time. The flying sword, which Fairy Liuli had cultivated with her life, was much more powerful in her hands than in Li Muyang¡¯s. When Li Muyang commanded her to strike with the sword, the killing efficiency against the blood demons was much higher. Relying on this method of one person commanding and another executing the demon-slaying, Li Muyang finally stemmed the relentless tide of beasts. The guide¡¯s survival time kept extending from 8 minutes and 19 seconds. Until the sky outside the Demon Refining Sect brightened and the rooster crowed again, Li Muyang finally saw the survival countdown in the upper right corner of his vision reach zero. The guide beside him and Fairy Liuli were all safe and sound, neither dead nor injured. On the street ahead, the residence of the Commander and fully armed soldiers came into view. Li Muyang, who had been on high alert all night, could finally take a deep breath. He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with excitement. Perfect clearance! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 11 ¡¾Beginner¡¯s Tutorial¡ªThe Mystery of Loushan City Cleared¡¿ ¡¾Guide: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Fairy Liuli: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Mastermind: Captured¡¿ ¡¾Clearance Rating: S (Flawless)¡¿ ¡¾With your keen reactions, formidable strength, and invincible talent, you have successfully eliminated the source of turmoil in Loushan City. You have also captured the mastermind, allowing the imperial court to uncover the truth behind the mysteries of Loushan City. A small act of kindness can change the future of a family.¡¿ ¡¾Unlock Special Achievement: Fate-Defying¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to claim your clearance reward?¡¿ ¡¾Current selectable rewards (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾Cultivation level +3 (from Qi Refining Realm Second Layer to Qi Refining Realm Fifth Layer)¡¿ ¡¾Low-grade spiritual weapon forging tool (choose one from six low-grade spiritual weapons)¡¿ ¡¾Endless Spirit Rice Jar (a mysterious jar that generates spiritual rice every day)¡¿ ¡¾Host, please note that once you claim the reward, this tutorial level will be permanently concluded and cannot be entered again.¡¿ The clearance interface that appeared in his field of vision almost made Li Muyang¡¯s eyes pop out. This is actually insane... Although he knew the rewards for a perfect score would be substantial, this was a massive upgrade! For an A-level reward, you choose one of three: a secret manual, a low-grade spiritual flying sword, or five bottles of Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir. The secret manual requires interpretation and comprehension, and without someone to teach, it might still not be understandable. The Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir is good, but it will run out one day. But the S-level rewards... Goodness, they directly offer a cultivation level upgrade, a choice of one from six low-grade spiritual weapons, and an Endless Spirit Rice Jar. With this spiritual rice jar, why worry about not having enough spiritual rice to eat? From now on, he could eat as much as he wanted without restraint! Li Muyang, coveting the rewards on the interface, wanted all three. But unfortunately, the system only allowed him to choose one. After some hesitation, Li Muyang finally chose the Endless Spirit Rice Jar. The cultivation realm can be gradually improved, and even if he raised his cultivation level now, he would still have to do miscellaneous tasks in the Outer Sect and couldn¡¯t change his situation. R?? High-grade spiritual rice contained a vast amount of spiritual energy, which greatly aided cultivation compared to low-grade spiritual rice. Now that he had this Endless Spirit Rice Jar, it meant he had access to the cultivation resources that only the favored descendants of great families possessed. If he could also obtain a top-tier cultivation manual in the future, then in terms of ¡®hardware¡¯, he also wouldn¡¯t be inferior to those favored ones. Thinking of this, a slight smile appeared on Li Muyang¡¯s face. ¡°At last, I could see a glimmer of hope...¡± He didn¡¯t want to spend his life doing menial tasks in the Outer Sect of the Demon Refining Sect, and now he finally had hope of leaving the Outer Sect. The world was so vast. Oonce he cultivated to the Foundation Establishment Realm and had the ability to protect himself, maybe he would go out and explore to see the myriad colors of this world! He carefully poured out the spiritual rice from the jar into a separate large bowl, then placed the spiritual rice jar by the bed and weighed it down with a pickling jar, making it look inconspicuous. Even if a thief sneaked in to steal, they wouldn¡¯t be interested in this black unremarkable broken jar. After dealing with the spiritual rice jar, Li Muyang once again focused his attention and opened the system. The system interface had returned to the initial expansive scroll. In the scroll, mountains and rivers were vast, shrouded in immortal mist, with the figures of fairies standing amidst the clouds. ¡¾Beginner¡¯s Tutorial Completed, Special Title Acquired: Fate-Defying¡¿ ¡¾Fate-Defying: A mysterious person who has successfully reversed their own destiny, shrouding themselves in the mists that even the most powerful diviners cannot penetrate. You possess the potential to influence fate.¡¿ Li Muyang was slightly surprised by the settlement text that appeared in his view. This title of ¡¾Fate-Defying¡¿... was very useful. For a transmigrator with an unknown origin, this title could prevent him from being calculated by the big shots, essentially reducing one of his vulnerabilities. With this in mind, Li Muyang continued to read the settlement content. ¡¾Beginner¡¯s Tutorial Stage Closed, Exclusive Character Card Acquired: Wuming¡¿ ¡¾Wuming: The elusive shadow, a mysterious figure¡¿ ¡¾Identity Background: A mysterious visitor who entered Loushan City under a false identity and helped Fairy Liuli solve the crisis of Loushan City. He is rumored to have invincible movement techniques and a powerful intuition akin to foresight.¡¿ ¡¾Faction Reputation: Mystic Sword Sect (Friendly), Heavenly Origin Dynasty (Hostile), Blood Demon Sect (Hostile), Ever-Victorious Army (Friendly)¡¿ ¡¾Innate Abilities: Time Stop, Hidden Sword in the Belly¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 12 ¡°There are character cards too?¡± Li Muyang looked at the settlement with surprise as a dark black card emerged. On the adorned with intricate patterns card was a man dressed in a dark constable uniform with a long saber at his waist, his mouth slightly upturned in a mysterious smile. Behind him was Loushan City under the moonlight. Just from the illustration, this Wuming character card looked quite cool. ¡°I can understand the Blood Demon Sect hating me, but the Heavenly Origin Dynasty too?¡± Li Muyang looked at the reputation with the factions on his character card, unable to comprehend where this enmity came from. He had clearly helped the Heavenly Origin Dynasty a great deal, yet not only did the court not thank him, but they even harbored resentment towards him. ¡°No wonder this Heavenly Origin Dynasty is in its last years. Just look, the court is full of rotten wood serving as officials, and beasts in human clothing are consuming the state¡¯s salary without a care. There¡¯s not a single normal person among them.¡± ¡°To think that helping you would end up with me being resented... Tsk...¡± ¡°But what is this Ever-Victorious Army?¡± The puzzled Li Muyang looked at the factions reputation on his character card, not recalling any such force in Loushan City. Could it be referring to that pot-bellied General Wu? As the character card disappeared from his view and entered the catalog, Li Muyang realized he had finished reviewing all the settlement content. In the center of the grand unfolding scroll, a cloud storm was slowly rotating, with a few big characters floating in the center of the storm. ¡¾Searching for fairy...¡¿ As an experienced gamer, Li Muyang had by now roughly understood the logic behind this game system. It would search for different instances and generate different characters for Li Muyang to challenge, and upon successful completion, he would receive various rewards. Although the interface looked like a mobile game, there was no option to spend real money on microtransactions, nor was there a store interface. In the top right corner was the character attribute ¡¾Li Muyang: Qi Refining Realm Second Layer (12%)¡¿. This digital experience bar roughly represented Li Muyang¡¯s current cultivation realm. He still had a long way to go to reach the Third Layer of Qi Refining. Below the experience bar was the character catalog, but for now, Li Muyang only had one character card ¡¾Wuming¡¿. Clearly, he would have to pass other games in the future to obtain new character cards. It¡¯s just unclear what use these character cards have. After briefly checking the updated system interface, Li Muyang yawned and opened his eyes. Having stayed up for two consecutive nights, he was extremely tired and felt he could fall asleep as soon as he lay down. The next second, the constable leaped up and jumped off the carriage. His dark constable uniform unfolded in the night wind, and the silent constable suddenly abandoned the carriage and started running along the mountain path. This abrupt action startled the coachman. ¡°What? Constable!¡± The coachman instinctively wanted to call out to him to stay, but the constable moved so quickly that he seemed to vanish like lightning. With one step, he appeared tens of meters away. His ghostly movements, shrinking the distance with each step, made the coachman¡¯s eyes widen in shock. ¡°A god... an immortal?¡± This kind of movement, covering tens of meters in a single step, was exactly like the tales told by storytellers! The coachman stared with wide eyes, dumbfounded, abd momentarily at a loss for words. Meanwhile, the constable¡¯s ghost-like figure flickered several times along the mountain path, each flicker lasting 3 seconds, and after several such flickers, he climbed to the end of the rugged mountain road and saw the inn at the mountain pass. The old inn, bearing the sign ¡®Horse Relay Station¡¯, stood quietly among the mountains. Under the sunset, the inn was coated with a layer of dark, blood-red light, giving it an eerie appearance. The constable stood by the roadside, let out a breath, then put on a smile, slung his waist saber, and walked towards the inn, casually pushing open the large door. Inside the quiet inn¡¯s lobby, a fairy in green clothes sat with a glaze immortal sword on her back. Several rivers and lakes guests were scattered around, seemingly strangers to one another. But the moment the constable stepped through the inn¡¯s door, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on him. A few guests from the rivers and lakes exchanged glances without changing their expressions. The enthusiastic innkeeper approached with a beaming smile. ¡°Esteemed guest, are you here to rest for a moment or to stay the night...¡± However, before the innkeeper could finish, the constable who had abruptly entered the inn walked straight past him, heading towards Fairy Liuli in the center of the lobby. In an instant, all eyes within the inn were focused on the nameless constable. Amidst these inscrutable gazes, the constable who had approached Fairy Liuli stretched out his right hand with a smile and said something abrupt and impolite. ¡°Fairy, may I borrow your immortal sword for a moment?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 13 The cold moonlight scattered over the General¡¯s mansion in Loushan City. At this moment, there was chaos inside the courtyard of the General¡¯s mansion. The women screamed in terror, and the soldiers hurried forward, while General Wu shouted orders... The scene was almost a complete mess. Fortunately, as the demonic cultivator was captured, the situation was brought under control. When the chaos-causing demonic cultivator in Loushan City was subdued, everyone present let out a cheer. Even Fairy Liuli, with her usually cool gaze and indifferent demeanor, couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing the demonic cultivator in chains. With this demonic cultivator captured, there was no longer a need to worry about the Demon-Suppressing Master from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau coming to Loushan City to wreak havoc. The city of Loushan, which was on the brink of destruction, was finally safe, and all its citizens were spared from disaster. Thinking of this, Fairy Liuli looked up at the figure standing nearby. The man was dressed in the dark uniform of a constable, and by rank and status, he was the lowest in the courtyard that day. However, it was thanks to him that they had overcome the dangers along the way. Without the help of this nameless constable, she might not have even made it into Loushan City and could have died in that inn outside the city. As Fairy Liuli thought this, the man in the dark constable uniform happened to turn around. His chiseled profile was slightly blurred in the candlelight as if veiled by a thin mist. Their eyes met, and the man gave a slight smile and nodded to Fairy Liuli. It was a simple gesture of greeting, but Fairy Liuli felt a sudden surge of emotion in her chest for some reason. She instinctively looked away. Fortunately, everyone¡¯s attention was on the captured demonic cultivator, and no one noticed Fairy Liuli¡¯s lapse in composure. After handing the demonic cultivator over to the soldiers present, the man crossed through the cheering crowd and came smiling to Fairy Liuli. ¡°The matter here is resolved, so I must take my leave now.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s farewell, Fairy Liuli was slightly taken aback. She was a bit surprised, ¡°Lord Wuming, aren¡¯t you staying?¡± The man¡¯s smile was bright, ¡°No, I have official duties to attend to. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you, Fairy Liuli.¡± Without waiting for a response, the man in the constable uniform turned and walked away, heading straight for the courtyard exit. With one step, he seemed to shrink the ground beneath him, appearing several meters away in the blink of an eye, and quickly left the courtyard. His smiling appearance gave people a sense of friendliness, but among the Outer Sect¡¯s stewards, this Steward Wang had the strongest hand. Anyone who dared to provoke him almost never ended well. However, the good news was that as long as you didn¡¯t provoke him, Wang Pangzi was mostly easy to talk to most of the time. After handing over his identity token and spiritual tools, Li Muyang returned to his thatched cottage in a pleasant mood. The scent of cooking rice and stir-fried dishes wafted over from the neighboring courtyard. Guan Xiaoshun was already cooking. After entering his house, Li Muyang first opened the old wooden cabinet to make sure that the two jin of spiritual rice in his large bowl hadn¡¯t been stolen, and then he could relax. Next came washing the rice and cooking it, all in one go. Too lazy to stir-fry any dishes, he quickly cooked a pot of rice and served it directly into a wooden bucket, sitting on the threshold and holding the bucket to eat. The high-grade spiritual rice produced soft, glutinous, and fragrant rice, which tasted much better than ordinary spiritual rice. Moreover, once spiritual rice was ingested, it would rapidly transform into pure spiritual energy that infused the limbs and bones, flowing into the meridians and nourishing the body. The cultivation of Li Muyang and his fellow Outer Sect disciples mainly relied on eating. The spiritual rice eaten would transform into spiritual energy circulating within the body, gradually converting into true cultivation without the need for active practice. ¡ªThat was the idea, at least. After finishing his meal, Li Muyang was washing the pot when a continuous stream of spiritual energy surged from his stomach. Soon, he felt his entire body, all his limbs and bones, and all his meridians filled with spiritual energy. The immense amount of spiritual energy even caused him some pain. ¡°What the hell... so much spiritual energy?¡± Li Muyang immediately put down what he was doing and began to meditate on the hard wooden bed, trying to regulate the vigorous spiritual energy within his body. Previously, after eating spiritual rice, he could only feel a little spiritual energy entering his body. If the spiritual energy provided by the spiritual rice he ate before was like a trickle from a small pipe, then the spiritual energy from the high-grade spiritual rice was like a flood breaking through a dam. Although he was mentally prepared for the potency of high-grade spiritual rice, this was still too much. Li Muyang continuously regulated the surging spiritual energy within his body, feeling almost overwhelmed by the energy filling his limbs and bones, and he keenly understood the gap between ordinary people and the scions of great clans. Those favored sons of heaven would gain an amount of spiritual energy from one meal of high-grade spiritual rice that would at least equal two months¡¯ worth for an ordinary person! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 14 It took a full hour before Li Muyang completely regulated the spiritual energy surging within him. The vast spiritual energy circulated through his meridians and dantian, eventually refining and merging into the spiritual energy vortex within Li Muyang¡¯s dantian qi sea. His spiritual energy vortex visibly increased in size. Beneath the character card on the system interface, the progress bar that resembled an experience meter had also changed. ¡¾Li Muyang: Qi Refining Realm Second Layer (27%)¡¿ Previously, Li Muyang was only at 12%, but his cultivation progress soared directly to 27% after consuming a meal of high-grade spiritual rice. At this rate, wouldn¡¯t it mean that he could break through to the Third Layer of the Qi Refining Realm in just seven days? Li Muyang was startled by this rapid increase in his cultivation. It¡¯s known that Outer Sect disciples who do menial work in the sect and eat the low-grade spiritual rice provided by the sect usually take about a year to advance one realm. Could it be that he could match what ordinary people achieve in a year in just about ten days? If this pace continues, he will soon reach the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm and might have the chance to build his foundation. ¡°What a surprise...¡± This really was a tremendous joy. Li Muyang¡¯s spirits lifted as he opened his eyes and happily paced around the room. Unfortunately, he was hiding in the Demon Refining Sect, a demonic sect, with no one to share his excitement. In his previous life, he could boast about it with his roommates when he achieved a pentakill in a game. Now, faced with such a thrilling event, he could only keep it to himself. If the matter of the high-grade spiritual rice were to leak, the consequences would be unimaginable. Moreover, this was only the reward for the first-time completion of the game. Li Muyang was even more looking forward to the subsequent rewards the game system would offer. After pacing around the room with the door tightly shut, he adjusted his emotions and finally sat back down on the wooden bed and closed his eyes. At this moment, the vast and boundless system interface had already changed. ¡¾Unlimited Time Game ¨C ¡®Deadly Weed¡¯ is now available. Would you like to enter and experience it?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ ¡¾Note: This game is a development-type instance. Completing it will grant a special reward. Host, please choose carefully.¡¿ Li Muyang blinked at the text prompt that appeared in his field of vision. A development-type game? Special rewards for completing it? Was there even a need to consider? Li Muyang immediately chose to confirm. Mainly because the system had searched all day and only found this one game, Li Muyang didn¡¯t have much choice. The Time Stop and Hidden Sword in the Belly abilities are indeed powerful, but they might be useless in this game. Moreover, might there be a chance to obtain a new character card if he chooses a new character? Li Muyang directly selected the system-recommended ¡¾Leng Aqi¡¿ As he chose this character, the system interface changed once again, and he was directly taken into the game. This time, Li Muyang wasn¡¯t given the option to choose any special abilities, confirming his guess that this nurturing game didn¡¯t require combat. A profound darkness surged like a tide, quickly engulfing Li Muyang. When he opened his eyes again and his vision was restored, he found himself sitting in a strange stilted building. The stilted building, constructed entirely of bamboo and wood, had streaks of sunlight peeking through the gaps in the walls. Li Muyang looked around, and suddenly a dialogue box popped up in his view. ¡¾I... I¡¯m not dead? That¡¯s great! I need to find Steward Wu to report and continue working¡¿ ¡¾I¡¯m so tired... My body aches terribly, I don¡¯t want to work anymore, I¡¯ll just keep sleeping¡¿ ¡°Tsk...¡± Li Muyang clicked his tongue, unsurprised. This choice, it¡¯s definitely a galgame. He¡¯s familiar with this pattern. Li Muyang thought for a moment and chose the second option. It seems that Leng Aqi is in a dire situation. He almost worked to death and is still thinking about working? Rest for me! And so, Li Muyang heard himself speak. ¡°I¡¯m so tired... It¡¯s already late anyway, I won¡¯t work today, I¡¯ll just sleep for a bit longer.¡± Saying this, Leng Aqi lay back down on the small bed made of bamboo, and Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision fell into darkness. Clearly, Leng Aqi had fallen asleep. Just as Li Muyang was wondering how long Leng Aqi would sleep, a blood-red dialogue box suddenly popped up in his view. ¡¾The weeds have died, Game Over¡¿ The next second, Li Muyang was forcibly ejected from the game and returned to the main menu. Looking at the scroll that unfolded in his view, along with the vast mountains and the eerie bamboo village within it, Li Muyang was somewhat speechless. ¡°Game over just like that? The female lead dies just because I didn¡¯t go to work?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t she supposed to have great potential? To die so suddenly... that¡¯s absurd...¡± Li Muyang had no choice but to re-enter the game and select the first option again. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 15 In the stilted building, faintly filled with a hint of dust, Li Muyang opened his eyes. He looked around and once again, the two options popped up in his view. ¡¾I... I¡¯m not dead? That¡¯s great! I need to find Steward Wu to report and continue working¡¿ ¡¾I¡¯m so tired... My body aches terribly, I don¡¯t want to work anymore, I¡¯ll just keep sleeping¡¿ Looking at these two options, Li Muyang was supposed to choose the first one since choosing the second had already led to failure. But at the last moment, Li Muyang became curious again. Wasn¡¯t the female lead supposed to have strong potential? Just because I didn¡¯t go out, she dies, then that potential is really useless. With this thought, Li Muyang chose the second option again. From Leng Aqi¡¯s mouth came a tired murmur. ¡°I¡¯m so tired... It¡¯s already late anyway, I won¡¯t work today, I¡¯ll just sleep for a bit longer.¡± After speaking, Leng Aqi lay back down on the bamboo bed to sleep, and Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision was plunged into darkness. After a while in this darkness, a system prompt popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s view. ¡¾You have missed the opportunity to personally water the wild weed...¡¿ ¡¾Game Over¡¿ Li Muyang was once again ejected from the game instance and returned to the main menu. This time the wild weed didn¡¯t die, but it was said that Li Muyang had lost the opportunity to personally water the wild weed? Li Muyang re-entered the game and stubbornly choosing the second option again. And, as expected, he was once again deemed to have failed and was forcibly ejected from the instance. After failing eight times in a row, Li Muyang roughly understood. ¡°It seems that if I don¡¯t get involved, this wild weed doesn¡¯t necessarily will die.¡± In eight runs, aside from the first and fourth times when the wild grass died, the remaining six times the wild grass did not die. It was just because Li Muyang lost the opportunity to nurture her himself, so the system judged it as a nurturing failure and forcibly ejected him. ¡°Although there is indeed a chance of death, it¡¯s not very high. it seems that this wild grass really does have potential.¡± According to the background story, the village in this miasma-filled land is full of dangers. It¡¯s normal for a female lead who hasn¡¯t grown up yet to die in such a place. But her death rate is lower than Li Muyang expected. Indeed, she is a character with potential. When Li Muyang opened his eyes again in the stilted building, he finally chose the first option. ¡°Am I actually not dead?¡± ¡¾You died. Game Over.¡¿ ¡°Damn, to die so quickly?¡± Inside the thatched cottage, Li Muyang opened his eyes. His provocation this time was not just for the sake of mischief but to probe and gather information. This Steward Wu, with his different attire and demeanor, seemed out of place in the village, yet he was arrogantly assertive. Li Muyang wanted to see what kind of status and position the other had in the village. Unexpectedly, the seemingly frail old man suddenly erupted with violence, and in the blink of an eye, he smashed the other man dead on the ground. Such ruthless disregard for human life and the readiness to kill on a whim truly made him think that the village was a dangerous place. Moreover, Steward Wu¡¯s status within the village was no ordinary one. He would kill someone without the slightest hint of fear. After briefly reflecting on all the information gathered so far, Li Muyang restarted the game and re-entered. This time, when faced with the grim and gaunt Steward Wu, he chose the most sensible response. Steward Wu, holding his water pipe, glanced at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s too late now for you to go up the mountain.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s what you¡¯ll do. Wait outside the village. A batch of lambs is due to arrive shortly, and you¡¯ll be in charge of receiving them.¡± With that, Steward Wu took off the money pouch from his waist and tossed it to Li Muyang. ¡°It¡¯s the usual rate. Two taels of silver per lamb. Pay the coachman per head.¡± ¡°Make sure to check the lambs carefully when you pay, and don¡¯t accept any that are sick or disabled.¡± After giving his instructions, Steward Wu handed over the money pouch, and Li Muyang turned to leave. Although this interactive game was played from an immersive perspective, often the body would act on its own according to the storyline. Whenever this happened, Li Muyang would lose control over his body. Once the game character Leng Aqi took the money pouch, he headed towards the outside of the village without any need for Li Muyang¡¯s control. Li Muyang observed the village around him, scrutinizing each villager carefully. He noticed that most of the village residents were ordinary people who even appeared quite simple and honest. But a portion of the villagers was distinctly different. This group looked more ferocious and formidable, with a purple cloth band wrapped around each of their wrists. These individuals were also residents of the village, but they were clearly one of the sources of danger within it. Additionally, Li Muyang... or rather, the game character Leng Aqi, also had such a purple cloth band wrapped around his wrist... We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 16 Li Muyang made his way through the village, passing by the stilted buildings of varying heights arranged in a pleasingly haphazard manner until he reached the gate of the village. Stepping out, the most striking sight was the forest ahead along the main road. Twisted branches and tree trunks were adorned with the ghastly corpses of the dead, hanging like dried husks. These bodies had been left out in the open for quite some time, yet strangely, no scavengers had come to feast upon them. Li Muyang waited by the roadside for a while before he saw a carriage emerge from the forest laden with corpses. Cloaked in black with his face concealed beneath a hood, the coachman appeared sinister and mysterious. He pulled the carriage to a stop at the side of the road, and Li Muyang saw three dirty children sitting in the back. Their eyes were filled with terror, and they sat huddled together, motionless in their fright. The cloaked coachman glanced at Li Muyang and spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°The lambs you requested from Black Cloud Village.¡± Among the three children, Li Muyang quickly identified his target with keen eyes. ¡¾Xiao Yecao¡¿ A large, pale yellow health bar floated above the head of one of the children. She was dressed in thin, filthy hemp clothing, her hair a tangled mess, her face smeared with dirt, indistinguishable from the other children at a glance. But without a doubt, she was the one Li Muyang was looking for¡ªthe main character of this nurturing simulation game. What followed was a smooth transaction. Li Muyang counted the children, paid the coachman, and then led the three of them back into the village. The trio, all around ten years old, followed him timidly, like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow, seemingly too scared to do anything only obediently comply. As Li Muyang walked through the village with the children, he couldn¡¯t help but feel as if he were herding sheep. However, the Demon Refining Sect herded actual goats¡ªalbeit somewhat strange ones¡ªbut they were indeed not human. The ¡®lambs¡¯ he was leading now were real humans... Looking at the three trembling children and hearing the villagers¡¯ laughter and comments, Li Muyang curled his lip in disdain. What an era to still be practicing traditional demonic arts... Look at the Demon Refining Sect, a major power controlling hundreds of cities. They have already long developed new methods of demonic cultivation and abandoned the inefficient, traditional practices of sacrificing and extracting souls. It¡¯s a waste it is to kill mortals. The Demon Refining Sect had completely discarded the traditional practice of killing for cultivation, instead breeding black sheep and other demonic beasts as substitutes for human sacrifices. As for the commoners within their territories, they all had to, work hard, perform laborious tasks, and pay taxes to the Demon Refining Sect. They create far more value by being thoroughly exploited than if they were simply killed. As a demonic cultivator of the new era, Li Muyang naturally scorned the traditional methods of the game¡¯s world. But he didn¡¯t pay it much mind. After all, the worldview within the game¡¯s instance was bound to differ from reality. In the last tutorial he completed, the Heavenly Origin Dynasty hadn¡¯t seen a demonic cultivator for a thousand years. ¡°I¡¯ll choose her.¡± Li Muyang pointed at the dirty little girl. Since it was a nurturing game, there must be only one choice, and this little girl was the one to take home. If he missed this opportunity to adopt this one, the game would surely end in failure. When he spoke to choose the little girl, she, who had been standing with her head down and cowering, didn¡¯t say a word. However, the pale yellow health bar above her head instantly turned into a red hostile health bar full of enmity. What the hell... She¡¯s hostile now? Just because I chose her? Li Muyang stared at the little girl speechlessly, now certain that these three kids were not as simple as they seemed. These aren¡¯t three harmless little lambs. They¡¯re clearly three little monsters in sheep¡¯s clothing! After Li Muyang made his choice, Steward Wu went inside, came back with a chain made of fine iron, and threw it out. ¡°Remember to tie her up before you go to sleep and keep her a bit away from you.¡± Steward Wu glanced at Li Muyang and said, ¡°But don¡¯t tie her too far away. She¡¯ll go mad if she can¡¯t absorb your Yang energy.¡± I¡¯ll be damned... Upon hearing this, Li Muyang almost threw the chain at Steward Wu¡¯s head. So these three brats really are trouble, needing to be chained close to absorb his Yang energy after being brought home? What on earth is this village doing, buying such eerie children? Li Muyang was full of doubts, but Leng Aqi obediently picked up the chain and walked away. And that ¡¾Xiao Yecao¡¿, with the red health bar above her head, followed Li Muyang closely and obediently. She even understood to follow him without Li Muyang having to call her. Such a seemingly dependent little girl would normally be endearing. At this moment, Li Muyang found himself speechless as he looked at the red health bar above the girl¡¯s head. This brat is quite good at pretending... It¡¯s a good thing this is in the game, with hostility indicators. If he encountered such a terrifying kid in real life, Li Muyang would probably be fooled by her seemingly innocent appearance. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 17 ¡¾Development character unlocked ¡ª Dangerous Xiao Yecao¡¿(TLN: Xiao Yecao=little weed) ¡¾Affection system unlocked¡¿ ¡¾Current character affection¡¿ ¡¾Xiao Yecao: -20 (You might have scared her with your ugliness)¡¿ When Li Muyang took the little girl and left, a system interface suddenly popped up in his field of vision. He glanced back at the little girl beside him and thought, this kid¡¯s affection towards me is actually -20? No wonder her health bar turned red. But with an affection system, now this is the galgame-like game that Li Muyang is familiar with. With affection points, he can strategize his approach. He first took the little girl back to his stilt house and rummaged around, finding an old, slightly tattered piece of clothing. The clothes were a size too small, but with a bit of alteration, they would just about fit the little girl. She was dirty and even had a bit of a smell. Nurturing naturally starts with cleaning and dressing her, so first, I need to transform her appearance, at least make her less scruffy. Li Muyang heated a pot of water, then mixed the hot and cold water in a wooden tub to make it lukewarm, and said to the little girl beside him, ¡°Go take a bath first and change your clothes.¡± He put on a kind smile, trying to show his friendliness to the little girl. However, he saw the character¡¯s affection level drop again in the top right corner after he said this. ¡¾Xiao Yecao: -40 (She wants to kill you)¡¿ The sudden drop in affection left Li Muyang baffled. What¡¯s going on with this kid? I¡¯m being so sincere, and she wants to rip out my heart and lungs? This drop in affection is so inexplicable... But on the surface, the dirty little girl hesitated for a moment before nodding timidly and obediently. Then she raised her hands as if she was going to undress right there. Li Muyang was startled by her action and quickly waved his hands to stop her. ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll step out, and then you can bathe.¡± After saying that, he hurriedly ran out of the house, leaving the little girl inside. At that moment, Li Muyang suddenly guessed why the little girl¡¯s affection for him had decreased. ¡ªDoes this brat think I was going to watch her bathe? At such a young age, why so many wicked thoughts? No way, I must customize the face. Li Muyang was not a gamer looking for show effects. Still, how could he play the game with such an ugly face? He might not be obsessed with looks, but he couldn¡¯t stand such an ugly game character. Li Muyang began to boldly customize the face, constantly adjusting the game character¡¯s facial features and hair. After a full hour, he finally had a face that was quite pleasing to the eye. In the stilted house, the young man dressed in villagers¡¯ clothing had a refreshing smile, a sharp and handsome face, and an extraordinary aura. A small section of a ponytail that fell over his shoulder is also added. This face was modeled after Li Muyang himself, with features approximately seventy percent similar to his own but with added brightness and innocence. At first glance, he truly looked like a sunny and innocent village youth. Now that the game character¡¯s face was almost done, Li Muyang entered his ID. ¡°...Jiang Xiaoyu, my name is Jiang Xiaoyu.¡± Inside the stilted house, Li Muyang spoke out the new ID. At the same time, he looked at the little girl¡¯s face, wanting to see if she would react to the sudden change in his appearance. But clearly, the little girl showed no reaction to Li Muyang¡¯s sudden transformation into a handsome face. It was as if that was how Li Muyang had always looked from the beginning. ¡°Jiang Xiaoyu elder brother...¡± The little girl murmured the name as if trying to remember it. On the surface, she showed no change. However, in the top right corner of Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision, the character¡¯s favorability rating had now changed to ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 0¡¿. The little girl¡¯s health bar had also shifted from the hostile blood-red color to the pale yellow of a neutral entity. ¡ªThis little girl no longer harbored any hostility towards Li Muyang! Li Muyang didn¡¯t believe for a second that just by saying a name, he could make the little girl¡¯s favorability increase so much. So, the only reason her favorability shot up from -50 to 0 had to be one thing. It was because Li Muyang had become more handsome! Damn, this brat was actually a sucker for good looks! With the same identity and circumstances, just a change of face could alter her attitude so drastically. Li Muyang looked at the well-behaved and cute little girl in front of him, somewhat at a loss whether to laugh or cry. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 18 ¡°So, what¡¯s your name?¡± Li Muyang asked, finding the disappearance of the little girl¡¯s hostility both amusing and a relief. Now that the little girl had no hostility towards him, that was a good thing. It seemed he was one step closer to clearing the game. Li Muyang immediately seized the opportunity to get closer to the little girl, chatting and sharing stories, hoping to find out where she came from. But the little girl shook her head and said, ¡°My parents told me that when I stepped out of that home, I no longer had a name.¡± Li Muyang raised his eyebrows at the girl¡¯s response. ¡°Oh? No name after leaving home?¡± This little girl didn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary orphan... The little girl nodded obediently: ¡°Mhm, I am a lost soul.¡± ¡°My parents said that people like me are born calamities, monsters, and can¡¯t live with them, so they sold me.¡± ¡°The one who bought me called me Xiao Yecao.¡± The little girl was well-behaved and explained her experiences. Li Muyang nodded in realization: ¡°So you¡¯re a lost soul...¡± This kind of strange illness also existed in his world. It was a congenital condition. Those who suffered from it were said to hear voices from another world, gradually lose their sanity and consciousness at night, and periodically become bloodthirsty and violent. In the end, they might even go completely mad, turning into beast-like monsters that roamed the wilderness, attacking any living beings they encountered. For ordinary people, this disease was a disaster. But for demonic cultivators, those afflicted were excellent materials. Once lost souls went mad and became demonic, their blood would secrete a special substance. Once enough of this substance accumulated, extracting the demonic blood for use in refining tools or cultivation was extremely beneficial. At this moment, Li Muyang understood why the stronghold had bought three wandering children. These three wanderers were probably all lost souls, collected by the trafficker to sell to the stronghold. And Li Muyang was the caretaker chosen by Steward Wu. Apart from the three meals a day like normal people, lost souls also needed a caretaker with abundant vitality by their side, from whom the lost souls would continuously draw Yang energy. No wonder ¡®Leng Aqi¡¯ would rather work in the mountains than take care of Xiao Yecao. For ordinary people, this kind of work is purely a trap! Li Muyang let out a sigh of relief, his eyes brightening. Good, he had now understood the basic setup of the game. The next task was to get closer to this little girl who had been abandoned by her parents and to cultivate a relationship with her. Faced with the two options that appeared before him, Li Muyang thought for a moment and chose the first. Then his vision quickly darkened. Soon after... ¡¾You died. Game Over.¡¿ The sudden appearance of the blood-red dialogue box left Li Muyang dumbfounded. What happened that I died again? Didn¡¯t I already lock that girl? Li Muyang was somewhat speechless, closed his eyes, and re-entered the game. This time, he saved his progress first and then carefully checked the chain and the well-behaved little girl before going to sleep. There seemed to be no issue. He was far enough away that the girl couldn¡¯t possibly break free from the chain and attack him. Only then did Li Muyang choose to sleep, his vision going dark. And then... ¡¾You died. Game Over.¡¿ The blood-red dialogue box popped up again, and Li Muyang was forcibly returned to the main menu. Looking at the game system¡¯s main menu, which depicted a mysterious small village among the mountains, Li Muyang was somewhat at a loss for words. ¡°So the game has officially started, and they¡¯ve upped the difficulty?¡± The key issue was dying inexplicably, which was just outrageous. Entering the game again from the saved point, this time Li Muyang did not choose to sleep but selected the second option. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a provider... I can¡¯t sleep.¡± So, in the hut with the extinguished candlelight, Li Muyang lay wide-eyed and motionless, ending up with insomnia. In the pitch-black room, there was dead silence. The little girl with the iron chain around her neck curled up helplessly on the bamboo bed, seemingly having a nightmare and looking pitiable. In the middle of the night, she suddenly struggled, emitting a low and terrifying growl like a wild beast. But it was just a few low growls, like talking in her sleep, and nothing else happened. She didn¡¯t break free from the chain to kill. Li Muyang did not die this time. When the first rays of sunlight in the morning shone through the window onto him, Li Muyang was somewhat surprised to have survived the night safely. If it wasn¡¯t the little girl going mad in the middle of the night... then who killed him the previous two times? Was there some other danger hidden in this place? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 19 In the dark thatched cottage, Li Muyang, overwhelmed with fatigue, opened his eyes and stretched. ¡°There really is some other danger in this broken village...¡± He muttered to himself somewhat speechlessly. After surviving a night without dying, nothing significant happened the next day in the game. The game character simply went to the steward to get some money and food, which were the benefits due to a provider. For the rest of the time, Li Muyang took Xiao Yecao for a walk around the village. Except for not being able to take Xiao Yecao out of the village, there were almost no personal restrictions, and the two could go to most places in the village. Now that Li Muyang needed to provide for Xiao Yecao, he no longer had to work in the mountains. He became an idle person in the village, with food and lodging provided. But no one envied him. In fact, when he passed by the other with Xiao Yecao, most people avoided them as if avoiding the plague, fearing that getting too close to Xiao Yecao would drain their Yang energy. The day passed without any ripples, and Li Muyang aimlessly wandered around the village for a day, not triggering any plot. At night, Li Muyang chose to go to sleep, and as expected, he died again after falling asleep. When he reloaded the game and chose to stay awake all night, he safely made it to dawn. Was the murderer waiting for Li Muyang to die before making a move? On the third night, Li Muyang once again chose not to sleep. Unfortunately, after staying up for two consecutive nights, his game character couldn¡¯t hold on and fell asleep midway. As a result, Li Muyang unsurprisingly saw the pop-up window saying, ¡¾You died. Game Over.¡¿ After this death, Li Muyang opened his eyes and temporarily exited the game. Looking at the pitch-black night outside the window and feeling the fatigue in his body, Li Muyang stretched out lazily. ¡°I¡¯m so tired...¡± Li Muyang sighed. He had been up for two nights and was now extremely sleepy. That¡¯s how it is with galgame-type games. Even if the themes and character designs are interesting, they often fail to keep a firm grip on the player. At this moment, Li Muyang no longer felt the urge to stay up all night playing games. He had gathered enough information by now and could almost confirm that there was some kind of danger lurking in the village, something that would come out and kill his game character while he slept. This was probably the first level of the storyline after adopting Xiao Yecao, and according to the usual pattern, getting through this level would help to improve his relationship with Xiao Yecao. After clarifying this point, Li Muyang quit the game and got up, yawning. Before going to bed, he checked again to make sure the door was locked, and then he lay down to sleep. If this were his previous life, he would just pull out his phone and search online for a walkthrough. Now, in this world without computers and the internet, playing a system game that only he possesses... there¡¯s nowhere to find a guide. While herding black sheep down the mountain, Li Muyang sighed in frustration. The feeling of being stuck was so overwhelming that even the spiritual rice he cooked tonight didn¡¯t taste as good as the previous meal. However, after finishing the spiritual rice, the growth of his spiritual energy didn¡¯t diminish despite Li Muyang¡¯s lack of appetite. Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation level soared once again. When he finished meditating and regulating the vigorous spiritual energy within his body, the experience bar on the system interface showed ¡¾Li Muyang: Qi Refining Realm Second Layer 43%¡¿. It was only at 27% just yesterday and at 12% the day before... The speed of his cultivation growth felt like a dream. With the progress of increasing by more than ten percent each day, he would soon break through to the Qi Refining Realm Third Layer. After breaking through to the Third Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, he could apply to learn the ¡®Cloud and Rain Technique¡¯. The sect was willing to teach only a few techniques for free to Outer Sect disciples, and the ¡®Cloud and Rain Technique¡¯ of the Spiritual Planter was one of them. After all, if one truly had the talent to be a Spiritual Planter, the sect only needed to provide two spiritual fields and the Spiritual Planter could continuously produce spiritual rice. A large sect like this needed to be maintained and massive amounts of spiritual rice were needed every month. Therefore, the sect was quite generous in nurturing Spiritual Planters. Li Muyang planned to learn the ¡®Cloud and Rain Technique¡¯. If he could become a Spiritual Planter, he wouldn¡¯t have to drill into the foul-smelling valley every day. Being a Spiritual Planter was also one of the most leisurely and cost-effective professions in the Outer Sect. Thinking of this, Li Muyang took a deep breath, his expression invigorated. ¡°Work hard! Cultivate! Strive for the future!¡± He couldn¡¯t let down such a wonderful thing as the Endless Spirit Rice Jar! Seeing that it was getting late outside, Li Muyang locked the door and went to bed, opening the game once again. In the empty stilt house, Li Muyang smiled at the little girl in front of him with a pale yellow health bar. ¡°Sleep well. I¡¯ll take you around the village tomorrow.¡± Then... ¡¾You died. Game Over.¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 20 ¡°These two spiritual fields are currently the cheapest, with the lowest contracting price.¡± With a beaming smile, Steward Wang stood with Li Muyang on the ridge, pointing to the two spiritual fields in front of them. ¡°Although it¡¯s a bit far from the bottom and a little inconvenient to access, there is an empty tile-roofed house here, built by the previous Spiritual Planter. The only downside is that it has been vacant for quite some time, so you¡¯ll need to spend time cleaning it up.¡± ¡°You can completely move your home here and just live in this place from now on. It¡¯s quiet and undisturbed, perfect for us cultivators.¡± Wang Pangzi looked friendly and amiable, without any of the bossiness or arrogance that other stewards might have. With a chuckle, he stretched out his hand to point at the tile-roofed house not far away: ¡°That¡¯s the house right there.¡± Li Muyang followed the direction of his pointing and saw the dilapidated tile-roofed house with weeds growing on the roof. Looking at the cheerful Wang Pangzi beside him, he felt a complex mix of emotions that were hard to describe. ¡°Um... Steward Wang, are there no other spiritual fields available?¡± He did want a spiritual field that was a bit cheaper and more secluded, but this is just too remote! These two spiritual fields are located halfway up the mountain. From here, you can overlook the town-like buildings of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect below, with a lush and dense primeval forest behind. It is said that there are demon beasts lurking in the forest. Li Muyang really wanted a secluded and affordable spiritual field, but this place was beyond secluded. This is literally in the middle of nowhere. Apart from these two lonely spiritual fields, there are no others nearby. According to Guan Xiaoshun, when spiritual fields crisscross and are connected by ridges, the spiritual energy within them can complement each other, leading to a better growth of spiritual grains. Therefore, Guan Xiaoshun advised Li Muyang to choose a vacant plot surrounded by other spiritual fields. For these isolated spiritual fields, Li Muyang would need to expend more energy and spiritual energy than others to manage them well on his own. Li Muyang felt somewhat helpless. The always-smiling Steward Wang Pangzi also sighed and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. I¡¯ve shown you the remaining spiritual fields, but you can¡¯t afford the deposit for the lease. This is the only spiritual field within your budget.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you write home and ask for some money?¡± Steward Wang considerately suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll hold two of the remaining vacant spiritual fields for you. Once the money from your family arrives, you can lease them.¡± ¡°The sect has rules, and without enough for the deposit, I can¡¯t rent a spiritual field to you. There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± Wang Pangzi, with his pleasant demeanor, was very accommodating within his capabilities, even though he was of much higher status than a Servant Disciple like Li Muyang. Facing Li Muyang, Wang Pangzi still explained patiently. After all, this person in front of him had quietly reached the third layer of Qi Refining in just two months of entering the sect. Such talent was already considered excellent in the Outer Sect, and who knows, in a few years, he might become a steward like himself or even enter the Inner Sect. Since he was continuously stuck in the game, he decided to focus his energy on real life first, clean up the spiritual field and the new house, and then slowly get back to gaming. Sometimes, that¡¯s how it is with gaming. You keep getting stuck and can¡¯t get through, but after taking a break for a couple of days and then logging back in, you might suddenly have a breakthrough idea. And so, Li Muyang began his life as a Spiritual Planter, cleaning his new house and clearing the weeds from the abandoned spiritual field. Life settled into a new rhythm. ...... On the third day after moving into his new house, a letter from his family outside the sect disrupted Li Muyang¡¯s routine. ¡ªHis family, with whom he had a strained relationship, had actually taken the initiative to write to him. The person who wrote the letter was his adopted sister, whom the original owner of the body didn¡¯t think much of. Seeing the first sentence of the letter, Li Muyang suddenly pictured the girl¡¯s smiling face in his mind. ¡°Brother, Miss Ning whom you¡¯ve always wanted to marry even to the point of falling out with our parents has joined the Demon Refining Sect!¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve also joined the Demon Refining Sect and will be reporting in a few days.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you this time! We¡¯ll win Miss Ning over together and make her agree to marry you!¡± After reading the contents of the letter, the corners of Li Muyang¡¯s mouth twitched, and he suddenly felt a bit nauseated. Miss Ning... In the memory of the original body¡¯s owner, she was a beautiful girl from Jiuyuan City, someone who had completely captivated him, and he had sworn to marry her, even at the cost of falling out with his parents. But from Li Muyang¡¯s perspective, the relationship between this Miss Ning and the original owner was nothing more than a story of a green tea b*tch who liked to raise fish and a foolish ¡®Licking Dog...¡¯ Miss Ning my ass... Li Muyang rubbed his temples, feeling somewhat speechless, and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m totally not interested!¡± Who would want to marry a green tea b*tch who¡¯s keen on ¡°fishing¡±? Certainly not me! *** TLN: Green tea girl: Someone who appears innocent and charming but is manipulative and/or deceitful underneath Raises Fish: Similar to keeping several fish in a tank, keeps several people as options ¡°feeding them¡±, not fully committing to any Licking Dog: Sycophantic towards someone they are attracted to We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 21 From the perspective of Li Muyang, a person who has transmigrated... the story of the original host and Miss Ning from the Ning family is rather indescribable. Or to put it another way, the foolish acts of the original host, a clueless 17-year-old youth, are, in Li Muyang¡¯s eyes, beyond words. The original host lived in Jiuyuan City, which was an ordinary city under the rule of the Demon Refining Sect. The Li Family in Jiuyuan City couldn¡¯t even be considered a clan. They were just a family with a bit of more money than others. Li Muyang¡¯s father, Li Damu, was the captain of the city¡¯s defense team, commanding around twenty people. He owned a modest residence with three courtyards and employed two maids, an old nanny, and a coachman. Such a family could only be considered modestly wealthy, playing a very minor role in the city. Li Damu and his wife had only one son, Li Muyang, but they also raised an adopted daughter named Li Yuechan. The girl was the orphaned daughter of Li Damu¡¯s sworn brother, and after his death, Li Damu brought her home to raise. This girl was clever and lively, with a cheerful personality that made her very likable. She was a stark contrast to the original host, who was grumpy and petty, which resulted in a poor relationship between the original host and his adopted sister, or rather, it could be said that the original host had a poor relationship with everyone. Even the servants and maids in the house disliked him. Later, the original host became infatuated with Miss Ning from the Ning family in Jiuyuan City, spending all his money on her. Miss Ning would summon him at her whim and dismiss him just as easily, finding it more convenient than commanding a dog. Eventually, to force his parents to provide money for him to marry Miss Ning, the original host had a huge argument with his parents. Li Damu, a simple man with little education, was so angered by his rebellious son that he uttered some harsh words, and the original host stormed out in a rage, slamming the door behind him. Before leaving, he cursed his own family¡¯s doorstep in front of the neighbors, shouting, ¡°Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side of the river. Li Damu, I will make you regret today¡¯s decision!¡± Afterward, the original host joined the Demon Refining Sect, harboring dreams of making it big within the Demonic Sect, and became an Outer Sect Servant Disciple. Unfortunately, this fellow had only been in the sect for a little over a month when he practiced his cultivation recklessly, leading to demonic deviation and his own death. It was after this that the transmigrator Li Muyang took over. Remembering the nonsense the original host had done, Li Muyang just wanted to cover his face. ¡°I had planned never to return to Jiuyuan City or contact my family again...¡± And now, his adopted sister had actually come looking for him? Li Muyang suddenly felt the dread of social death. Although the foolish acts were not committed by Li Muyang himself, having transversed into this body, he was now associated with them¡ªas the saying goes, it¡¯s like having mud stuck to his pants. It¡¯s not excrement, but it might as well be. Everyone in Jiuyuan City who knew Li Muyang was aware that he was a delusional youth who publicly disrespected his parents with the phrase ¡°Do not look down on the young for being poor.¡± It seems to be an unsolvable loop. Li Muyang has explored the game for a long time but still can¡¯t find a way to break this loop. ¡ªOr rather, he has vaguely found the direction to clear the game, but he¡¯s not yet able to grasp it. Opening his eyes once more and seeing Xiao Yecao¡¯s innocent and curious gaze, Li Muyang sighs and says, ¡°Xiao Yecao, can you tell me about your past?¡± All the information and clues that Li Muyang has collected point to the danger originating from the little girl in front of him. After all, there was no killer in the village who took advantage of people¡¯s sleep to commit murder before this little girl arrived. The murderer is most likely targeting Xiao Yecao. If Li Muyang doesn¡¯t adopt Xiao Yecao at the start, there¡¯s a certain probability that this brat will die¡ªafter dozens of continuous attempts, Li Muyang has roughly estimated the girl¡¯s death rate. Without his adoption, this little girl has about a 30% chance of dying. Various pieces of information and signs lead Li Muyang to believe that this brat, Xiao Yecao, knows information about the killer and she might even have a way to avoid the killer¡¯s pursuit! That 70% survival rate couldn¡¯t possibly be because someone in the village saved her, right? Li Muyang has confirmed through hundreds of deaths that no one in the village can help against that strange killer. But even though he has found the direction to clear the game, this girl who calls herself Xiao Yecao is really tight-lipped. In the past few days, whether Li Muyang has tried to persuade her gently or interrogate her harshly, whether he plays the good guy or the bad guy, the little girl just plays dumb. Several times Li Muyang has tried to get closer to her, to build a relationship, to take her around the village for fun, to make her delicious food, to make her laugh with joy, and she even affectionately and gratefully grabbed Li Muyang¡¯s hand and thanked ¡°Elder Brother.¡± But when Li Muyang looks up at the affection meter ¡ª ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 0¡¿ This brat is really good at acting and pretending, knowing at such a young age what it means to play a role and to feign compliance. Faced with a little girl who is better at acting than a professional actor, Li Muyang is almost amused by his frustration. To have such a female lead in a nurturing game... Li Muyang is even thinking about training her in the direction of a poisonous weed. This wretched little girl really has the talent to become a demoness! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 22 Another meaningless conversation. Li Muyang earnestly inquires about Xiao Yecao¡¯s past, and the little girl timidly and obediently tells him her tragic life story. However, in the hundreds of failed reloads, this wretched girl has come up with over a dozen different versions of her story. Obviously, the tragic experiences she talks about are all made up on the spot. She has no intention of telling Li Muyang, a stranger she just met, about her family background and past encounters. And this version of the story, Li Muyang is all too familiar with¡ªit should be considered the most frequently occurring version among the stories the girl has concocted. When Li Muyang heard these fake stories before, he was very frustrated. He would either directly expose the little girl or earnestly ask her for the truth. Either he would reload the game and try a different conversation tactic, hoping to persuade the little girl with his words, or he would get angry, pressuring her through private messages, attempting to force her to tell the truth... He had been stuck at this stage for too long and was desperate to get past this level. But this time was different: this time, Li Muyang was truly tired. He looked at the little girl in front of him with a weary face and sighed. ¡°Are you serious?¡± What does it mean to be tired of heart... This is what it means to be tired of heart. At this moment, Li Muyang suddenly felt the exhaustion of a father who catches his daughter lying time and time again, yet is too weary to even scold her. He even had a moment of ¡®forget it, let it all be destroyed¡¯ resignation. In the dimly lit stilt house, the timid-looking little girl paused, then nodded earnestly. ¡°Mm-hmm, everything Xiaocao says is true.¡± The little girl affirmed herself with utmost seriousness. Seeing her obedient and pitiful demeanor, who would have thought she was one to spout lies at the drop of a hat? Li Muyang was almost brought to laughter by her exquisite acting skills. ¡°Alright, if you say it¡¯s true, then it¡¯s true.¡± Looking up at the sky outside, Li Muyang said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, and you¡¯ve changed into new clothes, so let me take you out for a walk.¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t seem to want to stay with me, and frankly, I feel the same.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you away from Black Cloud Village. After that, you can go wherever you want, so you won¡¯t have to feel aggrieved staying in Black Cloud Village.¡± Li Muyang, who had been wandering around the village, decided to try a different approach this time. Since he had given up on clearing the level, he decided to play for fun and just mess around. For instance, sending this troublesome kid out of Black Cloud Village to see if the system would force a game over. ¡°I will personally take you there to find them and kill those two scum.¡± ¡°People who sell their own daughter to human traffickers don¡¯t deserve to be parents!¡± And so, with a mix of coercion and intimidation, Li Muyang got the little girl to squat in the small bamboo basket, covered it with cloth, and carried the basket out the door. The secret path out of the village was one that Li Muyang had discovered while wandering around the village. Now, it was coming in handy. No one would expect Jiang Xiaoyu, a villager, to suddenly decide to flee the village with a soul-lost girl. Thus, he passed through the village unobstructed and arrived at the southeast corner of Black Cloud Village, next to an abandoned house. After carefully prying open the floor of the abandoned house, a winding staircase leading downward appeared. The path was clearly often used, as there was no dust on the ground. Li Muyang entered the tunnel while carrying the little girl, passed through the long, dark underground passage, and finally arrived at a cave amid the mountains. When the two reemerged under the moonlight, Li Muyang clearly felt the little girl who had been quiet and well-behaved in the basket the whole way let out a sigh of relief. ¡ªClearly, this kid didn¡¯t want to stay in Black Cloud Village. Peeking out through a gap in the cloth covering the basket, the little girl timidly whispered, ¡°Elder Brother, are we really going to my home?¡± The little girl sought confirmation once again. Under the moonlight, Li Muyang observed the dark and quiet forest around him, curious. ¡ªThe system didn¡¯t consider this a game failure? Does it mean that taking the little girl out of the village is also acceptable? This nurturing game has no scene or route restrictions? I see, the freedom is higher than I thought. Thinking this, Li Muyang¡¯s smile grew even brighter. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going to your home.¡± Hearing the timid question from the girl behind him, he laughed heartily and said, ¡°We¡¯re going to kill your parents to carry out justice on behalf of heaven.¡± After saying this, Li Muyang paused for a moment before adding, ¡°If I find out you¡¯ve been lying to me when we get there, I¡¯ll chop off your head and feed your chopped-up body to the dogs.¡± ¡°I, Jiang Xiaoyu, hate being lied to the most!¡± Li Muyang¡¯s voice carried through the moonlight, and the little girl¡¯s breathing suddenly stopped. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 23 Under the moonlight, the little girl in the bamboo basket on his back fell silent as Li Muyang¡¯s words ended. Li Muyang was very pleased with the girl¡¯s silence. Humph... that¡¯ll teach you to keep lying to me. Now you¡¯re sweating bullets, aren¡¯t you? Having successfully intimidated the girl, Li Muyang was in a very good mood. He glanced at the affection meter in the upper right corner of his field of vision, curious to see how much it would decrease after this scare. Anyway, he was just letting loose this time, playing around without a care for how much Xiao Yecao¡¯s affection meter would drop¡ªthe charm of a save game is being able to restart anytime. But when Li Muyang saw the number for the affection meter, his steps through the forest suddenly halted. At that moment, Li Muyang doubted his own eyes. ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 16¡¿ ¡°...?¡± What¡¯s going on? Am I blind? Or is there a glitch in the system? After being intimidated, not only did this girl not hate me, but her affection actually skyrocketed? Why? Li Muyang was utterly confused and even began to suspect a system error. There should be a minus sign in front of that 16, right? The next second, a timid voice came from the little girl in the bamboo basket on his back. ¡°Elder Brother, do you really hate being lied to?¡± ¡°Uh... pretty much,¡± replied Li Muyang. Despite having just made a fierce threat, he was now too bewildered to sound menacing. He checked carefully, and indeed, the number for the affection meter was positive. In all his previous failed save attempts, he had tried everything from playing along to taking care of her to trying to please her, short of treating her like an ancestor, and yet the affection meter hadn¡¯t increased at all. But now, it had shot up by 16 points for some inexplicable reason. ...Could it be that this girl is a masochist? Does she like being scolded and treated harshly? That doesn¡¯t make any sense! While Li Muyang was still puzzled, the little girl in the bamboo basket spoke up again. Her timid voice came softly. Li Muyang carried the little girl through the moonlit forest, moving further and further away from Black Cloud Village. Feeling the jostling of the bamboo basket, the little girl timidly said, ¡°Then, Elder Brother, why... why are you taking me with you?¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re not afraid of dying, you don¡¯t like me. There¡¯s absolutely no need for you to take me away...¡± The little girl voiced her confusion. Li Muyang glanced at the path ahead and, while walking, replied, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because I find you annoying that I want to get rid of you sooner.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like Black Cloud Village, and coincidentally, I don¡¯t like that dump either. I¡¯m just taking you along since it¡¯s on the way. After we leave, you go back to your Jiangyun County, and I¡¯ll go my own way on the Yangguan Road. We won¡¯t interfere with each other.¡± Li Muyang was spouting nonsense. In fact, he wanted to see if he would still be assassinated after leaving Black Cloud Village. However, the girl in the basket fell silent for a few seconds after he finished speaking then said with an awkward tone, ¡°Um... Elder Brother, actually, I¡¯m not from Jiangyun County in Jizhou. I was just passing through there before...¡± The little girl¡¯s voice grew softer and softer... Li Muyang interrupted her directly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t care where you come from or what you¡¯ve been through.¡± ¡°To be honest, if I hadn¡¯t been forced to take care of you, I wouldn¡¯t want to get involved with a brat like you.¡± He was serious about that. In other nurturing games, the female leads are always sweet and cute girls, busty young ladies, or obedient younger sisters¡ªwhatever is sweet and cute, whatever is adorable, that¡¯s how they are designed. Nowadays, tsundere characters are almost out of fashion, yet the system saddled me with Xiao Yecao, who¡¯s even more troublesome than an ordinary tsundere. Full of lies, heart like a stone. No matter how good you are to her, she remains indifferent. My game character keeps getting killed, and I get no positive feedback at all... If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the system only allows him to play this game, Li Muyang would have given up already. His words seemed to have struck the little girl in the basket hard. She fell silent, not saying a word for a long time. On the other hand, Li Muyang, who was carrying her, noticed that the affection meter in the upper right corner of his field of vision had moved again. ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 20 (She seems to think you can be trusted)¡¿ ¡°...?¡± Question marks appeared above Li Muyang¡¯s head once more. What on earth is this girl¡¯s logic? When I¡¯m nice to her and treat her well, she couldn¡¯t care less. Now that I¡¯ve threatened her and even expressed my dislike, her affection keeps rising, and she thinks I can be trusted... We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 24 Li Muyang was somewhat speechless, but regardless, an increase in affection was always a good thing. As the affection level reached 20%, new system messages popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s vision. ¡¾Xiao Yecao¡¯s affection has broken through 20% for the first time. Nurturing progress has entered the second stage (out of five stages)¡¿ ¡¾The First stage nurturing reward is available for collection¡¿ ¡¾Please select your first stage nurturing reward (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾Cultivation +1 (Qi Refining Realm Third Layer ¡ú Qi Refining Realm Fourth Layer)¡¿ ¡¾Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¿ ¡¾Mortal-grade Flying Sword X1¡¿ Seeing this series of system rewards, Li Muyang¡¯s spirits lifted immediately. After so much trouble, he finally got the game completion reward. Li Muyang thought he had to defeat the assassin to get the reward, but raising the girl¡¯s affection turned out to be enough. So the purpose of the game was clear. That is to max out Xiao Yecao¡¯s affection to 100%. In the game, only affection is real. Everything else is a gimmick. And there are four more stages of rewards to collect. If each completion could increase his cultivation by +1, then after completing the entire nurturing game, Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation could soar directly to the Qi Refining Realm Eight Layer! Not to mention, the rewards are still a choice of three, so besides cultivation, there are other options. From this perspective, a game that offers five rewards... the rewards for this nurturing game are quite generous, no wonder the difficulty is so high. After some thought, Li Muyang reluctantly gave up the cultivation +1 reward and chose the martial skill ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¯ instead. Although getting something for nothing felt great, he now had an endless supply of spiritual rice, so his cultivation could increase quickly. Cultivation growth was not urgent. What Li Muyang lacked now were cultivation techniques and spells for self-defense. The cultivation techniques for the Outer Sect disciples of the Demon Refining Sect are the most basic and common. The spells they have access to are mostly utility spells like the ¡®Minor Cloud and Rain Technique¡¯, which are specialized for menial tasks. There aren¡¯t many serious spells available to them. Although a flying sword is good and can quickly enhance combat power, Li Muyang has already seen rewards of the low-grade spiritual weapon level, so he isn¡¯t very interested in the ordinary flying sword reward. ? What if he encounters a spiritual weapon level reward next time? Wouldn¡¯t that make the mundane flying sword a waste? Therefore, after careful consideration, Li Muyang chose the ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique.¡¯ ¡°But now that the trafficker is gone and we have left the village. Now that we¡¯re in this forest, that monster could attack us at any time.¡± After the little girl finished speaking, three dialogue boxes suddenly popped up in front of Li Muyang. ¡¾A monster that appears in dreams? Are you talking about a dream-eating demon?¡¿ ¡¾A lying brat through and through, do you think I would still believe you?¡¿ ¡¾...(Please input your chosen dialogue content)¡¿ Three dialogue boxes appeared before his eyes, and Li Muyang blinked. Finally... it¡¯s triggered! He had failed so many times before, unable to pry the crucial information from the little girl¡¯s lips. But now, he had unintentionally raised the little girl¡¯s favorability to 20, and before Li Muyang could ask, the little girl actually took the initiative to talk about it. Looking at the content of the two dialogue boxes, Li Muyang hesitated for a moment. He always felt that the options provided by the system were too formulaic and of limited use. Following the system¡¯s prompts to progress through the story has always led to dead ends. It was only when he started to go with the flow that he managed to clear a stage. With this in mind, Li Muyang saved his progress and then spoke up. ¡°So you mean to say that we won¡¯t be attacked by monsters if we go back to the village?¡± Li Muyang entered his own dialogue content, not using the system-provided response. The little girl hesitated for a moment before replying. ¡°Maybe... that monster is really afraid of the trafficker, and there must be people in the village who are even stronger than the trafficker. If we go back to the village, it should be safer than being outside.¡± As soon as the little girl finished speaking without much confidence, Li Muyang immediately turned around with a bamboo basket on his back and started sprinting back in the direction they came from. This action shows that he completely believes the little girl¡¯s words and follows her advice to return to the village. Such a sudden move stunned the little girl. ¡°Ah? Elder Brother, you believe me just like that?¡± After being deceived so many times before and even exposing her lies, now he so easily believed her... The little girl in the basket was bewildered, wondering what on earth this Elder Brother was thinking. Xiao Yecao once again realized that she really couldn¡¯t understand this strange Elder Brother at all. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 25 The little girl in the bamboo basket was incredibly surprised, wondering how Li Muyang could so easily trust her. Li Muyang, who was running swiftly through the mountains, smirked to himself. I¡¯ve potentially died at the hands of that monster hundreds of times, how could I not believe it? But of course, there was no need to say such things to the little girl. As he sprinted through the forest toward the cave entrance they had come from, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. You hate Black Cloud Village and don¡¯t want to leave, yet you¡¯re urging me to go back... what you said must be true.¡± ¡°Why would you want to go back if you¡¯ve already left Black Cloud Village? Do you really want to be a lost soul blood donor in the village?¡± Most of the magic practiced in Black Cloud Village requires demon blood as an essential ingredient. And the blood of the lost soul is one type of demon blood. So if the little girl went back to the village, she would have to be a blood cow, regularly having her blood drawn. If there was a chance to escape Black Cloud Village, the little girl would definitely take it. Li Muyang¡¯s reasoning was sound, and the little girl in the basket paused, then gave a dejected smile. ¡°Yeah... who would want to go back to the village if they could leave?¡± The little girl¡¯s tone was somewhat bleak. This Elder Brother was really smart, figuring out so much all at once. The way she had tried to act clever in front of him before must have seemed quite amusing to him... The little girl in the basket curled up, covering her face, feeling a burning sensation on her cheeks. After the little girl fell silent, Li Muyang looked up at the favorability bar in the upper right corner of his field of vision. ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 23 (She thinks you¡¯re very smart)¡¿ It actually went up by three points... This little girl really is strange. The favorability that was so hard to increase before is now rising effortlessly. Just a few words and it went up by three points. It seems I shouldn¡¯t have followed the usual interactive game script for the plot. If I had let go of myself earlier, not constrained by the system¡¯s choices, maybe I would be in the third stage by now. Li Muyang ran through the woods while carrying the little girl on his back and quickly returned to the dark cave. Deep inside the cave, there was a tunnel that led directly into the village. Following the same path they took earlier, Li Muyang and the girl made their way through the dim underground for a while, eventually emerging back into the moonlit Black Cloud Village. By this time, it was already the second half of the night. Only the rustling sounds of insects could be heard in the quiet village. All the stilted houses had their doors tightly shut. The villagers were asleep. Li Muyang took a deep breath and stood up on the ridge of the field. ¡°Suddenly, it feels like this favorability isn¡¯t so hard to grind after all...¡± Li Muyang stroked his chin, pondering for a moment. Could it be that this Xiao Yecao is the type who seems cold on the outside but warm on the inside and becomes easy to deal with once you get to know them? But that¡¯s not important now. What¡¯s important is the ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¯! He carefully studied the secret manual and found that the difficulty of cultivation was quite low. The only thing needed was an ample supply of demon blood. With enough demon blood to sustain it, the technique could be successfully cultivated in just three to five days. Standing on the ridge, Li Muyang stretched his body after finishing reading the manual and picked up the huge water jar placed beside him. The jar was filled with cool mountain spring water, and as Li Muyang stood on the ridge and performed the ¡®Minor Cloud and Rain Technique¡¯, the water in the jar slowly rose and turned into a misty white fog. This white fog drifted out, sporadically dropping light rain. The rain, imbued with spiritual energy, fell onto the spiritual field, continuously nourishing the seeds within. The work of a Spiritual Planter was quite relaxed. It only required performing the rain technique once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Li Muyang was not like Guan Xiaoshun, who was a workaholic, performing the rain technique several times more than the average person every day. He had no particular demand for the growth of the spiritual grains. After completing the basic two rain techniques, Li Muyang tossed the huge water jar into the neatly arranged tile-roofed house and went down the mountain with a pottery jar. Outside the gathering place of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect was a market. Today happened to be the market day, and disciples from all seventeen settlements of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect who had needs would come to the market. In addition to the usual spending places like brothels and restaurants, the market also had many low-level cultivators setting up stalls. Some sold talismans and magical instruments they had crafted themselves, while others sold surplus spiritual rice... There was a dazzling array of items, everything one could want. The environment of the Demon Refining Sect was relatively closed off. Once people entered as Outer Sect disciples, it was very difficult for them to leave easily, thus they formed their own market ecosystem. As Li Muyang walked towards the market, he flipped through the ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¯ manual in his mind. This ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¯ was a standard demonic cultivation method¡ªpowerful, quick to learn, but harsh on the body. Apart from the side effects after use, the cultivation process could also cause damage to the body. However, Li Muyang could ignore it. All the costs were waived by the system. As long as he could buy the necessary demon blood in the market, he would be able to quickly master this ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique.¡¯ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 26 In Li Muyang¡¯s understanding, the demonic cultivators of the old era all fit the stereotype of the wicked and bewitching denizens of the demonic path. However, from a certain point in time, there was a technological explosion in the cultivation system of the demonic path. Major sects like the Demon Refining Sect continuously introduced new demonic cultivation techniques, replacing the original methods that relied on killing and consuming blood, which quickly depleted resources like fishing a pond dry. The black sheep that Li Muyang was previously in charge of herding is an example of a high-level substitute for ordinary people. The soul of those black sheep in the world of demonic cultivation is worth ten ordinary humans. Moreover, the blood of a black sheep is demonic blood, which can also be used for demonic cultivation and artifact refinement. The flesh, skin, and bones of a black sheep can be used for artifact refinement as well. It¡¯s practically a treasure trove. Creatures like the black sheep are bred in large numbers within the Demon Refining Sect. Demonic cultivators have abandoned the traditional methods of killing for cultivation and have begun to claim territories and rule over ordinary people, interacting with them in more worldly ways. This has also led to a lower threshold for entering the path of demonic cultivation and an increase in the overall number of demonic cultivators. After all, the current cultivation system mainly relies on resources. Just sufficient resources might still not be enough to cultivate peerless experts, but it can certainly produce a lot of small fish. As a major faction in the demonic path, the Demon Refining Sect naturally has abundant resources for demonic cultivation. At the market of the Outer Sect, Li Muyang quickly found the demonic blood he needed amidst the dazzling array of stalls. The division of resources in the cultivation world is simple and crude: ordinary, low-grade, medium-grade, high-grade, and the legendary immortal-grade. The jar of demonic blood that Li Muyang found was the lowest grade, ordinary demonic blood from low-level mystical beasts like the black sheep. The stall owner was a middle-aged man with a rigid expression and a body reeking of blood, clearly someone who worked in the Outer Sect doing herding and breeding. Servant Disciples with such jobs often had channels to obtain cultivation resources like demonic blood, skin, bones, and even souls. Li Muyang simply asked for the price and bought the jar of demonic blood without bargaining. His straightforward payment made the stall owner raise an eyebrow. ¡°Young brother, you¡¯re not bargaining?¡± The stall owner, who had eyes like a dead fish, finally showed a change in expression. Li Muyang chuckled and replied, ¡°Your price is not too expensive.¡± Li Muyang took out all the money from his pouch, counted it, and paid the full amount in silver. After paying for the jar of demonic blood, Li Muyang was left with only two coins of silver. Lying in the foul-smelling demon blood, Li Muyang breathed a long sigh of relief. In his previous life, he was not particularly diligent. His ultimate goal was to live a life of comfort. But now, having been transported to another world, he had the chance to change his fate, so Li Muyang did not mind becoming a ¡°king of effort¡± and striving a bit harder. With such a cheat right before him, he only needed to put in a little more effort to achieve what others might take years or even decades to accomplish. What reason was there not to strive? Soaking in the stench of the demon blood, Li Muyang closed his eyes tightly and concentrated on operating his demonic techniques. His spiritual energy continuously absorbed the essence of the demon blood, and faint demonic patterns began to emerge on the surface of his skin. The ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¯ required three sessions to master. The higher the grade of demon blood used, the greater the damage to the body, but also the greater the improvement in speed. Normally, for someone at the Qi Refining Realm, refining the body with ordinary demon blood was already the limit. But now that the system had exempted Li Muyang from the cost of cultivation, perhaps he could consider using higher-grade demon blood for refinement? However, he also couldn¡¯t waste the jar of ordinary demon blood. Li Muyang sat in the wooden barrel for a full three hours as the sky outside transitioned from the sunset¡¯s afterglow to the deep darkness of night. Only after three hours did Li Muyang take a deep breath and stand up from the barrel. By then, the water in the barrel was clean and clear, and all the demon blood was absorbed. But Li Muyang did not intend to rest. His eyes burning with determination, he looked at the jar beside him and directly poured more demon blood into the barrel. Ordinary people needed a long rest after one session of demon blood body refinement before they could attempt a second. But Li Muyang was different. He felt no discomfort after the demon blood refinement. Therefore, he decided to continue with the second session of demon blood refinement, hoping to master the ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¯ that very night. Staying up late was a small price to pay. He needs to be the king of effort now so he can relax and be a salted fish in the future! (TLN: Salted fish, someone who does nothing most of the time.) We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 27 The morning sunlight spilled onto two spiritual fields halfway up the mountain. A faint mist lingered in the spiritual fields, which were beginning to show some green shoots. Li Muyang stretched with a yawn, stood on the ridge of the field, held a water bucket, and performed the Cloud and Rain Technique. After cultivating until late last night, he had to get up early today to work, so his expression showed a hint of fatigue. However, his eyes sparkled with excitement. His early rise wasn¡¯t due to diligence but rather the excitement of having mastered a new demonic technique. After a night of arduous cultivation, he finally mastered the ¡®Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡¯. Having fallen asleep groggily twice in the latter half of the night, Li Muyang woke up again at dawn. Unable to sleep, he got up early to water the spiritual field. Now, Li Muyang seemed unchanged, but faint demonic patterns would emerge on his skin once he used the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique. With the enhancement of these eerie patterns, his speed was frighteningly fast. He could even leave an afterimage behind him if he ran at full speed. With such speed, there were few in the Outer Sect who could catch up to him. Holding such an ace up his sleeve, Li Muyang might not walk around arrogantly in the Outer Sect, but he could definitely be the first to escape if anything happened in this damned place. Humming a cheerful tune and wielding the water bucket to perform the Cloud and Rain Technique, Li Muyang quickly finished his morning watering task. The next watering would have to wait until the afternoon. Looking at the spiritual mist in the field, Li Muyang tossed aside the water bucket and sat down on the ridge to rest. The old tree growing on the ridge had now become an old companion to him. Leaning against the trunk, he sat in the shade, feeling the morning mountain breeze brush across his face, and closed his eyes. The Game with Fairies, start! ...... In the dimly lit stilted building, Li Muyang opened his eyes. The little girl on the bamboo bed had closed her eyes and just fallen asleep. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, the choices for tonight appeared. ¡¾I¡¯m so sleepy... I¡¯ll go inquire about the monster tomorrow¡¿ ¡¾Monster that appeared in the dream... I seem to have heard of such a thing before. I can¡¯t sleep. What if the monster appears while I¡¯m asleep? That would be bad¡¿ As Li Muyang unlocked the information about the hidden ¡®murderer¡¯, the text options before going to sleep at night also changed. Naturally, he chose the second option. After the little girl finished eating, she wiped her mouth and took the initiative to speak. ¡°That monster appeared after I was captured by a human trafficker and passed by a charitable estate in Yanzhou County.¡± ¡°It often appears in my dreams, with two really thin long legs, standing taller than the walls by the roadside. It wears the kind of costume that only people on stage wear, and its face is painted with white stuff.¡± ¡°It has seven hands and two mouths.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t speak human language. When it opens its mouth, it makes a squeaky and very unpleasant noise that gives people headaches.¡± ¡°The first time it appeared was at night, suddenly jumping out from the woods by the roadside trying to catch me, but the human trafficker drove it away with a red stick.¡± ¡°After that, it didn¡¯t dare to show itself in front of the human trafficker anymore but often ran into my dreams, chasing me there.¡± ¡°After I told the human trafficker, he got a shaman to look at me, but it was no use. The monster still appeared, just less frequently chasing me.¡± ¡°It just stands far away in the woods and watching me most of the time, and even if I run through the woods, I can¡¯t shake it off no matter how hard I try.¡± The little girl shrank her neck as she spoke, seemingly triggered by the terrible memories. She cautiously looked at Li Muyang and said, ¡°Now that the human trafficker is gone, but last night I slept without dreaming of it.¡± ¡°It might have left, or it might still be lurking outside.¡± ¡°So Elder Brother, we can¡¯t leave the village for the time being. I¡¯m afraid that monster is waiting for us outside...¡± The little girl shared all the information she knew. But Li Muyang¡¯s scalp tingled as he listened. This... he had thought it was a danger from within the village, but from the little girl¡¯s story, it was clear that she had encountered some kind of dangerous entity on the road. Just hearing about it is already very horrifying. The folk horror atmosphere was at its peak. As someone who is afraid of ghosts, Li Muyang was relieved that this character development game was an interactive nurturing simulation game, sparing him from having to fight personally. Otherwise, fighting against such creepy and sinister things would drain his sanity! Two options appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾Let¡¯s go to Granny Gu in the village. She specializes in dealing with these things¡¿ ¡¾Let¡¯s go to Steward Wu and ask him what to do¡¿ Good, it¡¯s a brand-new plotline that has never been triggered before! It seems there¡¯s finally a way to deal with this monster. Li Muyang immediately stood up and chose the first option. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Granny Gu. She¡¯s an expert in exorcism.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 28 According to Li Muyang¡¯s numerous failed explorations, the villagers of Black Cloud Village could be roughly divided into two groups. One was like Li Muyang, with purple bands wrapped around their wrists, following Steward Wu and other outsiders in practicing demonic path. The lifestyle and mindset of these villagers had diverged from that of the original inhabitants. The other group lived according to the old ways, maintaining their ancestors¡¯ lifestyle. They did not practice the demonic path with Steward Wu and the outsiders, but neither did they oppose Steward Wu leading the villagers in such practices. These two different ways of life coexisted in the village, creating a strange balance. And Granny Gu was one of the maintainers of this peculiar equilibrium. She held high prestige in the village, appearing to be a kind old lady with a warm smile. However, no one in the village dared to disrespect her, and even Steward Wu and his people were cautious around her. When Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao arrived at the ancestral temple, they saw an old granny sitting on the wooden steps of the stilted building next to it, basking in the sun. The old lady had a kind smile, and her head was wrapped in a long black cloth that spiraled around, resembling a black halo. At first glance, this granny looked no different from the other elders in the village. The moment Li Muyang saw Granny Gu, a system dialogue box appeared in his vision. ¡¾Ask Granny Gu for help and tell her the truth about Xiao Yecao¡¯s situation¡¿ ¡¾Maybe I shouldn¡¯t go to Granny Gu, I should ask Steward Wu for help¡¿ ¡¾- Note: Your choice will affect the main character¡¯s future development path -¡¿ Li Muyang had met Granny Gu several times before, but he had never encountered such options. It was also the first time the system had issued such a serious warning. This choice would affect Xiao Yecao¡¯s development path? Does it mean that seeking help from Granny Gu and seeking help from Steward Wu would lead to different paths? Considering what the system said at the beginning, Xiao Yecao could become a fairy but also had the potential to become a witch... It¡¯s quite obvious. If she follows Steward Wu¡¯s path, Xiao Yecao will definitely become more deeply bound to the demonic path. Although Li Muyang is a demonic cultivator, he doesn¡¯t have any fondness for the demonic path, especially for outdated demonic cultivators like Steward Wu from the old era. Practitioners like Steward Wu from the old era were known to commit evil deeds and bring disaster to the region. Without hesitation, Li Muyang chose the first option, asking Granny Gu for help. ¡°Oh? A sinister being that appears in dreams?¡± This Granny Gu didn¡¯t seem as kind as she appeared. No wonder no one in the village dared to provoke her¡ªperhaps she was a hidden big boss. If this were real life, Li Muyang would definitely hesitate. But this is a game. He chose the second option without hesitation. ¡°I agree! Granny Gu, please help us remove this evil entity. I am willing to become your ghost slave!¡± As soon as Li Muyang said this, Xiao Yecao beside him was taken aback. She seemed to understand what a ¡°ghost slave¡± was and instinctively looked at Li Muyang with astonishment in her eyes. As for Li Muyang, he actually had no idea what a ¡°ghost slave¡± was, but he could guess with his knees that it wasn¡¯t anything good. But then he saw the kindly smiling Granny Gu shaking her head. ¡°This old woman doesn¡¯t want you, you skinny and dry little thing. Just remember that you owe this old woman a favor, and you¡¯ll have to agree to one of my requests in the future.¡± Saying this, the old lady looked at Xiao Yecao beside her and extended her hand with a kind smile, ¡°Little girl, come here. This old woman will take care of the evil entity for you.¡± The little girl hesitated for a moment but eventually timidly took the old woman¡¯s hand and was led by her into the gloomy ancestral temple. Li Muyang also wanted to follow, but the old woman stopped him at the entrance. Granny Gu said with a kind smile, ¡°Xiao Yuer, just wait outside. You¡¯re not allowed to come in.¡± With that, the old woman closed the grand doors of the ancestral temple. Li Muyang stood alone under the sunlight, glancing at the favorability bar in the upper right corner of his field of view. ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 25 (She is terrified by your intense goodwill)¡¿ Li Muyang was taken aback upon seeing the favorability number. His favorability had inexplicably increased before, and now, after expressing his goodwill towards her and even going so far as to become a ghost slave for Granny Gu to help her, he thought that his favorability would rise once again. But instead of increasing, the girl¡¯s favorability didn¡¯t just fail to rise. She was actually terrified... What on earth is going on in Xiao Yecao¡¯s little head every day!? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 29 The eerie and bizarre ancestral temple, with its doors now shut by Granny Gu, suddenly seemed even more sinister. The temple looked like a giant skull, its surface painted a pale white, with two dark window sockets on the second floor resembling the empty eye sockets of a skull. Li Muyang stood outside the temple for a long time when suddenly a chill wind blew from afar, directly into the temple. Shortly after, a strange and piercing scream could be heard from inside. The sound was definitely not made by any living creature, and it sent an inexplicable chill through Li Muyang¡¯s body. After a while, the temple doors opened again. Granny Gu came out, leading a pale-faced and terrified Xiao Yecao. The old woman¡¯s face was still smiling kindly as if nothing had happened. ¡°You rascal, you can take your Xiao Yecao back now,¡± the old woman said while tossing a dirty object into Li Muyang¡¯s hands. ¡°By the way, dispose of this filthy thing. Throw it away or burn it, whatever you prefer.¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t disgust you, you might keep it at home as a plaything.¡± ¡°This thing has been missing for many years, keeping it could serve as a memento.¡± The old woman¡¯s smile remained kind. But when Li Muyang took the dirty object, he was immediately startled. The thing in his hands was a dirty white cloth doll, fashioned in the style of a heavily made-up female opera singer. However, her lower half was a skirt that was very long, with two thin and lengthy strips of cloth hanging down, representing her legs. Her upper body was stitched with seven or eight intersecting strips of cloth, representing arms. On the ghastly pale head were two overlapping mouths, looking both disturbing and eerie. The moment he received this bizarre female opera singer doll, a system prompt popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of view. ¡¾You have obtained a special item¡ªRemnants of the Flesh and Bone Green Garment¡¿ ¡¾Can be condensed into a special item¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to condense it?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ The choices that appeared in his vision greatly surprised Li Muyang. Could this thing really be condensed into an item? After leaving the ancestral temple with Xiao Yecao, he chose ¡¾Yes¡¿. Within his field of vision, a pitch-black mist emerged, and in the next second, the mist exploded, revealing a woman in green with an ugly, ferocious smile. ? Her appearance was identical to the doll held by Li Muyang in the game. ¡¾Special Item: Flesh and Bone Green Garment (Obtained)¡¿ With the support of high-grade spiritual rice, Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation steadily improved. The experience bar in the upper right corner of his field of vision increased by about ten percent every day. Finally, on the third day after obtaining the Flesh and Bone Green Garment, Li Muyang made another breakthrough. As the spiritual energy vortex in his dantian qi sea violently dispersed and flowed into his limbs and body, it completely merged with him, marking the successful completion of this stage of Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation. A tiny spiritual energy vortex reappeared inside his dantian. When this vortex grows and disperses into his body again, it will signify Li Muyang¡¯s entrance into the next minor realm. The cultivation of the Qi Refining period is about continuously nurturing the spiritual energy vortex within the body, integrating the spiritual energy with the flesh. After strengthening the physical body nine times and entering the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, one can establish their foundation. Now, Li Muyang had reached the Fourth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm. The nourishment from the Endless Spirit Rice Jar allowed him, an Outer Sect Servant Disciple, to cultivate at a speed that only those high-ranking direct disciples could achieve. Sitting on the hard wooden bed, Li Muyang felt the enhanced strength in his body and clenched his fist tightly. He was one step closer to Foundation Establishment! He flipped off the bed, preparing to wash his feet before going to sleep. But under the pitch-black night sky, a lantern¡¯s light appeared on the secluded mountainside, far from the crowds. Someone was carrying a lantern, walking the mountain path at a time when most people were ready to sleep, and coming into Li Muyang¡¯s view. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. ¡°Guan Xiaoshun?¡± What is this kid doing here so late at night? Although they had a decent relationship, they were not particularly close friends. Yet here was Guan Xiaoshun, carrying a lantern for a midnight visit. Looking at the young man who had come from afar, Li Muyang was puzzled: ¡°Xiaoshun, is there something you need?¡± The young Guan Xiaoshun scratched his head and said, ¡°Brother Li, the sect is going to open the mountain gate tomorrow.¡± ¡°I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t know since you live so far away and no one would have told you, so I came to let you know.¡± ¡°The mountain gate only opens once a year, and when it does, new disciples will be admitted into the sect, and we the older disciples can also go down the mountain into the city to set up stalls and sell things. It¡¯s an opportunity to make some money.¡± ¡°Brother Li, are you going to join us tomorrow?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 30 Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s eyes were sincere as he made the special trip to inform Li Muyang of this important news. And indeed, Li Muyang had no idea that the Demon Refining Sect was about to open the mountain gate. Mainly because he lived in seclusion too far away and didn¡¯t go down the mountain. He was completely out of the loop with the sect¡¯s news. The sect opening its mountain gate once a year was a major event¡ªespecially important for those in the Outer Sect. Outer Sect disciples were not allowed to leave the sect at will. Most of the time, they had to be confined within the sect to cultivate(menial work). Only during the annual period when the mountain gate was wide open did the Demon Refining Sect allow Outer Sect disciples to go down the mountain. This period would last about a month, and many Outer Sect disciples would take this opportunity to return to their hometowns to visit family or to enjoy some leisure time down the mountain. Of course, someone diligent like Guan Xiaoshun would seize the time to take various things he had accumulated over the year to sell outside, exchanging them for more silver money and not missing any chance to earn and improve himself. The time when the mountain gate was open was also when the Demon Refining Sect admitted the most new disciples each year. Li Muyang¡¯s step sister was likely to come over during these days. Hearing Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s suggestion, Li Muyang hesitated for a moment. The first thing he thought of was to take his high-grade spiritual rice to sell outside. High-grade spiritual rice would stand out in the Outer Sect¡¯s market, but the high-grade spiritual rice wouldn¡¯t be so rare once he went to Yunxiao City outside the mountain. Yunxiao City, just outside the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s main headquarters, was the largest city within the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory. If the Demon Refining Sect were considered a dynasty ruling over a region, then Yunxiao City would be its imperial capital. Yunxiao City was bustling and lively. Li Muyang would surely make a fortune if he took his high-grade spiritual rice to sell there. But after some consideration, Li Muyang still shook his head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t go down the mountain tomorrow. Xiaoshun, thank you for coming to tell me about this.¡± ¡°But in order to rent these two spiritual fields and buy water buckets, you¡¯ve already spent all your savings.¡± Li Muyang said with a helpless smile, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. I won¡¯t be going down the mountain this time.¡± Although selling high-grade spiritual rice would undoubtedly bring in a substantial profit, Li Muyang currently has no pressing need for money. Traveling to Yunxiao City to sell spiritual rice carries low risk, but there is still some danger¡ªwhat if someone targets him? With his own system and the Endless Spirit Rice Jar, Li Muyang¡¯s future prospects are boundless. There¡¯s no need to take risks for a small profit. Right now, at the Qi Refining Realm Fourth Layer, his most important task is to keep a low profile and focus on his cultivation. But Xiao Yecao is unwilling to leave. She feels that life in the village is good, and there¡¯s no guarantee they can escape if they leave. And indeed, as she said, Li Muyang tries to take her out of the village, but less than three days later, they are caught by the villagers, and ¡®Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯ is executed in public... After several failed attempts to leave the village and reloading the game, Li Muyang has to admit that Xiao Yecao was right. The two of them don¡¯t have the ability to leave the village yet, so they must continue their day-to-day life there. In the game, Jiang Xiaoyu and Xiao Yecao live happily and carefree in the village. Li Muyang can only perform routine-like daily dialogue choices, watching as time in the game swiftly passes by. As an experienced gamer, Li Muyang has the intuition that advancing the game to this stage will probably take some time. Since it¡¯s a nurturing game, logically speaking, the cultivation of feelings and affection takes time. Unless it¡¯s the kind of extreme life-and-death situation that produces a suspension bridge effect, it¡¯s very difficult for ordinary people to quickly establish a very high level of affection in a short period of time. Therefore, Li Muyang isn¡¯t in a hurry although Xiao Yecao¡¯s affection meter hasn¡¯t moved. After all, time flows very quickly in the game. A few days in reality can be half a year in the game. Li Muyang comfortably stays in this place halfway up the mountain, tending to his spiritual field and playing the game. Even when the gates of the Demon Refining Sect are wide open and the Outer Sect disciples are descending the mountain to enjoy themselves, Li Muyang doesn¡¯t join the bustle. He remains alone on the mountain, living in solitude, focusing on his cultivation, and waiting for the moment to soar to the heavens. However, on the fourth day after the gates of the Demon Refining Sect opened, an unexpected visitor disrupted Li Muyang¡¯s peaceful hermit life. ¡°Brother! Why didn¡¯t you come to meet me?¡± The girl, carrying large and small bags of luggage, appeared next to the spiritual field on the mountainside and glared at Li Muyang who was ¡®asleep¡¯ under the old tree by the ridge. Li Muyang, who was in the game, heard the noise outside and immediately exited the game. Opening his eyes, he saw a girl staring at him with puffed cheeks. The twilight sun shone on the two of them, and upon opening his eyes, Li Muyang was momentarily stunned, unable to recognize who it was. ¡°Uh... who are you?¡± Li Muyang asked a heartfelt question. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 31 Li Muyang¡¯s question seemed to freeze the air. The girl under the setting sun looked travel-worn, appearing somewhat exhausted as she carried her luggage. Upon hearing Li Muyang¡¯s question, the girl¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Pretending not to know me?¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯m your sister Li Yuechan! Didn¡¯t I write to you before, saying that Sister Ning and I from Jiuyuan City were coming to the Demon Refining Sect?¡± The girl spoke indignantly to Li Muyang: ¡°On the way here, I told Sister Ning that you would definitely come to meet us, but you never showed up after we waited at the flying boat dock for a long time.¡± ¡°Sister Ning got so angry she left on her own, and now it¡¯s all ruined. You¡¯ve made Sister Ning so angry that she definitely won¡¯t talk to you for many days!¡± The girl threatened Li Muyang as she set down her luggage. Her words finally awakened Li Muyang¡¯s memory. It seems... there was such a matter. The adopted younger sister of this world had written a letter saying she and Miss Ning from Jiuyuan City were coming to the Demon Refining Sect. And the original owner of the body was indeed the ¡®Licking Dog¡¯ for Miss Ning from the Ning family. If it were the previous Li Muyang, upon hearing that Miss Ning was angry, he would have been utterly distraught and immediately jumped up to find Miss Ning to apologize. But the current Li Muyang remained silent, his doubtful gaze sweeping over the girl in front of him, full of suspicion. ¡°You are... Yuechan?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s expression was as if he had seen a ghost. Although the memory of the original body had Li Yuechan¡¯s appearance, that Li Yuechan in the memory was only as tall as Li Muyang¡¯s chest, with messy hair tied up in a bunch, liking to wear men¡¯s clothes, following Li Damu to learn martial arts all the time, and already having a tomboyish air at a young age. But the girl in front of him, dressed in a light green dress, outlined a graceful figure. Like a sculptor¡¯s knife, her slender waist cut into Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. Her hair was neatly combed, held up with a small green wooden hairpin, a hairstyle common to young women of marriageable age. No matter how he looked at it, the girl in front of him was a delicate and charming young lady. ¡ª¡ªIs this sweet girl my so-called little sister, Li Yuechan? Li Muyang was somewhat bewildered. Seeing Li Muyang¡¯s shocked reaction, the girl hummed with pride and twirled on the spot, presenting herself to Li Muyang like a treasure: ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t expect this, brother. I¡¯ve grown up again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been less than half a year since you left home, and I¡¯ve grown this much.¡± The girl happily gestured to show her height, clearly very pleased with Li Muyang¡¯s astonishment. Li Muyang, however, just watched her, falling into silence. They say a girl changes eighteen times between childhood and adulthood... but this change was too drastic. It was as if she had become a different person. In the end, Li Muyang ¡®reluctantly¡¯ brought the girl into the cold and empty house and motioned for her to sit down. ¡°Rest for a while and then get lost.¡± Li Muyang said expressionlessly: ¡°Later, go report to the steward by yourself.¡± ¡°You are now an Outer Sect disciple of the Demon Refining Sect as well, so you can claim a dwelling for yourself. Ask the steward for a bag of spiritual rice and a copy of the ¡®Demon Heart Bone Refining Manual¡¯.¡± ¡°The mountain gate is open now, and there¡¯s no need to work, so you can play for a month. But you¡¯ll have to start doing miscellaneous chores after a month.¡± Li Muyang simply told the girl some of the things to be aware of in the Outer Sect. This adoptive younger sister didn¡¯t seem like the naive and sweet type, so Li Muyang wasn¡¯t worried about her safety. The girl obediently sat inside the tile-roofed house, looking around curiously. ¡°Brother, do you live here by yourself? Why did you come out to live alone? Did you offend someone in the sect?¡± Li Yuechan asked with a curious face. Li Muyang gave her a glare and said without a pleasant face, ¡°Rest for a bit and then scram, what does my business have to do with you.¡± The girl wasn¡¯t angry even after being scolded. She stuck out her tongue and hummed softly. ¡°So grumpy... Don¡¯t forget taht you forgot about me and Sister Ning today. She¡¯s really angry.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t go and apologize to her, she will definitely ignore you.¡± The girl brought up the matter again. Li Muyang, however, glanced at her coldly and said, ¡°I no longer care about Miss Ning.¡± ¡°Since coming to the Demon Refining Sect, I¡¯ve come to understand. I, Li Muyang, am destined for Foundation Establishment and to become a powerful figure reaching the higher peaks.¡± ¡°Women are just a distraction that will slow down my cultivation. I have no interest in them now.¡± ¡°Miss Ning being angry has nothing to do with me, and you should stay away from me too. Don¡¯t come to bother me in the future.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s attitude was bad. Part of it because he wanted to stay in character, part of it because he wanted the girl to leave quickly so she wouldn¡¯t disturb his gaming. But when Li Yuechan heard his chuunibyou-filled words, she just giggled and nodded. ¡°As expected of my brother, it¡¯s always the same old flavor.¡± ¡°Alright! Since you¡¯re so determined, brother, I¡¯ll listen to you and won¡¯t go apologize to Miss Ning on your behalf.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 32 In the end, Li Yuechan was driven away by Li Muyang. Well... it wasn¡¯t so much that she was driven away. Li Muyang¡¯s attitude was indeed poor but not extremely fierce. After the girl sat and rested for a while and put down the things she had entrusted her to bring, she obediently left. She was very tactful. Watching Li Yuechan¡¯s departing figure, Li Muyang sighed inwardly. Perhaps it was because she had been dependent on others from a young age, but despite her youth, this girl was very good at reading people¡¯s expressions and had high emotional intelligence. Her optimistic and cheerful nature made it difficult for anyone to dislike her. She didn¡¯t get angry even when Li Muyang scolded her. This kind of emotional intelligence and composure in a sixteen-year-old girl completely overshadowed the original body¡¯s chuunibyou immaturity. No wonder the original body disliked this adoptive younger sister. A self-important chuunibyou teenager meeting a peer who outclassed him in every way was bound to feel resentment. After sending away the adoptive younger sister, Li Muyang checked the belongings she had left behind. Apart from a box of pastries brought from Jiuyuan City, there was also a bundle containing two sets of brand-new winter clothes, newly made boots, a letter from home, and a purse. Although the original body had proclaimed in front of the neighbors, ¡®Do not look down on the young for being poor¡¯, after being away from home for so long, his mother still worried about her son. She had prepared the winter clothes just before the end of summer, and had her foster daughter bring them over, fearing that her son might catch a cold in the Demon Refining Sect. The silver coins in his purse were also a small fortune for Li Muyang, who was now destitute. It was enough for him to live on for quite some time. In the end, looking at the family letter in his hand, Li Muyang hesitated for a moment, lacking the courage to open it. The words spoken by Li Yuechan had already dealt a huge psychological blow to the transmigrator Li Muyang. He really didn¡¯t dare to read the letter sent by the parents of his original body. The original Li Muyang was a foolish and ignorant teenager, but he was not. He couldn¡¯t accept the love of a mother who was a stranger to him. It was too intense and terrifying. Li Muyang had resolved to abandon all social ties of his original body. Fortunately, given the poor relationship between his original self and his sister, Li Yuechan, even if she wasn¡¯t holding a grudge, she probably wouldn¡¯t bother him again after this cold reception following her warm approach. ...At least, that¡¯s what should have happened. ...... The next afternoon, Li Muyang sat down under a tree on the ridge to rest and once again entered the game after he finished watering the spiritual field. ? He continued to play the role of a kind Elder Brother in Black Cloud Village, taking care of Xiao Yecao. On the third day, she once again carried the food box to the side of Li Muyang¡¯s spiritual field at the same twilight hour. She saw Li Muyang resting under the tree on the ridge and the untouched food box at the doorstep of the house. This time, she confidently walked to the doorstep, placed down the food box filled with freshly cooked hot dishes, and took away the untouched food box from yesterday. Then came the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day... This girl seemed to have taken up a challenge with Li Muyang. Even though Li Muyang never touched the meals she brought, she still delivered food every evening. This standoff continued for nine days until the girl came again and saw that the food box was empty, with only the clean bowls and plates remaining. Seeing this, the girl¡¯s eyebrows curved into a beautiful crescent, and a smile appeared on her face. She hummed a cheerful tune softly, took away yesterday¡¯s food box, and left today¡¯s food box behind. As for Li Muyang under the old tree on the ridge, she did not disturb him and left on her own. Thus, a touch of color was added to Li Muyang¡¯s life. He no longer had to eat rice with just pickles every day. The sister brought hot dishes every day in addition to the fragrant spiritual rice. She changed the meat and vegetable variety every day, and Li Muyang had to admit that this sister¡¯s cooking skills were very good. Moreover, Li Yuechan maintained a good sense of boundaries. Between this oddly related brother and sister, a strange balance was maintained. Both sides lived in peace, and their relationship was arguably quite harmonious. As for Li Muyang, who unashamedly accepted the feeding as a ¡®useless big brother¡¯, he felt no shame. He had already figured out that this adoptive sister was not a simple character. Quiet and undemanding, yet more wearing than those noisy and persistent girls, she would not give up until she achieved her goal. Although he didn¡¯t know why she was so eager to feed him, Li Muyang didn¡¯t mind giving her some face as long as she didn¡¯t further disturb his life. At this point, Li Muyang had successfully raised Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability to ¡¾36¡¿ after a long period of cultivation. As Li Muyang had guessed, this second cultivation phase required time to accompany Xiao Yecao. Two years had passed in the game¡¯s time, and now Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability towards Li Muyang was slowly increasing, almost breaking through the ¡¾40¡¿ mark. Li Muyang was now looking forward to the rewards he would receive after the second stage of the game ended. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 33 ¡°Brother, are you really not going?¡± In the early morning mountain air, a faint mist floated. Li Muyang stood on the ridge, holding a large water bucket, performing the Cloud and Rain Technique. The misty water vapor danced above the spiritual field, dropping a gentle drizzle. A young girl in a light green dress carried a food box behind Li Muyang ¡°Sister Ning agreed to go down the mountain with me today~¡± ¡°She knows that I might invite you to join us, yet she agreed to go down the mountain with me. I believe with your intelligence, brother, you can surely grasp the deeper meaning behind this, right?¡± Li Yuechan spoke with a tempting tone. Li Muyang, who was holding the water bucket and performing the minor Cloud and Rain Technique, glanced at her. He had almost forgotten when they started talking, but now the siblings managed to exchange a few words every day during the food delivery. However, Li Yuechan usually comes with the food box at dusk, chats with Li Muyang for a bit, and then leaves. Today, she came over early in the morning. As soon as Li Muyang got up and finished his morning routine, he began to water the spiritual field. That¡¯s when the girl in the pretty dress appeared, hopping along the mountain path. She said she was going to Yunxiao City to play today and might come back late in the evening, so she delivered today¡¯s meals in advance, telling Li Muyang to heat them up himself for dinner. By the way, the girl also mentioned that her companion for the day was the young Miss from the Ning family of Jiuyuan City. ¡ªThe goddess whom the original ¡®Licking Dog¡¯ had loved in vain. If the original Li Muyang had heard that Miss Ning was going, he would have been unable to resist and would have immediately wanted to go. But Li Muyang remained calm and indifferent: ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, I¡¯m no longer interested in women.¡± ¡°The one who admired Miss Ning was the Li Muyang of the past. The Li Muyang of now only wishes to cultivate diligently.¡± ¡°You all go and have fun. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s demeanor was serene, and his tone was composed like that of a monk who had seen through worldly matters. Hearing his response, Li Yuechan, who was carrying the food box, said, ¡°That¡¯s a shame. I thought you hadn¡¯t approached Miss Ning for so many days because you were playing hard to get.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you really lost interest in her... people said that Miss Ning is very talented and has a great chance of being directly admitted into the Inner Sect.¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a waste for you to give up on her now, especially since it¡¯s rare for Miss Ning to take the initiative to accommodate you...¡± The girl sighed with regret, still trying to persuade Li Muyang. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised to hear this news. Indeed, every year there are some exceptionally talented individuals who are favored by the sect and directly promoted to the Inner Sect. But for Miss Ning to have such talent... Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°Then I have even more reason not to go.¡± ¡°She is someone with the potential to rise to the Inner Sect, a remarkable person who will sooner or later soar to great heights.¡± ¡°And I am just a Servant Disciple of the Outer Sect, insignificant and weak.¡± ¡°With such a vast difference between us, it would only bring endless trouble even if I could win Miss Ning¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s better to keep our distance and let everyone be well on their own way.¡± In the memories of his former self, Miss Ning was ethereally beautiful, understanding, and gentle as water, truly a peerless woman in this world. But after Li Muyang detached himself from the ¡®Licking Dog¡¯ filter of his former self and reviewed his memories, it was clear that she was a green tea b*tch with high emotional intelligence who had played the pitiful ¡®Licking Dog¡¯ in her hands and drained all his money. Li Muyang wanted to warn his younger sister not to get too close to Miss Ning and such green tea types and to be careful not to be tricked. However, considering that their relationship wasn¡¯t close enough for him to give advice or warnings, Li Muyang closed his mouth and continued to perform the Cloud and Rain Technique on the spiritual field, choosing to remain silent. ¡°The Demon Refining Sect is a major demonic sect, and there are countless outstanding talents within. It¡¯s not strange for Young Master Li to have found someone he likes.¡± Facing Li Yuechan¡¯s probing and teasing words, Ning Wan¡¯er responded calmly, her tone devoid of any emotional ripples. She didn¡¯t particularly dislike the young master from the Li residence, but she didn¡¯t particularly like him either. He was indeed generous, and Ning Wan¡¯er conveniently accepted many favors without even provoking him. But to actually marry this man? Ning Wan¡¯er had never entertained such a thought. The Li family held some power and status in Jiuyuan City. Although the Li family couldn¡¯t compare to the Ning family with its many years of scholarly tradition in the eyes of outsiders, now the Ning family only had a large ancestral house left, with most of the family wealth mortgaged and lost by father. The current Ning residence seemed grand but struggled even with the monthly expenses. Although the Li family rose to prominence only in this generation with Li Damu, they were trusted by the city lord, had real power and military force, and had a broad future. Her mother had indeed advised her to marry Li Muyang, thinking that being part of the Li Family would be beneficial for the family. However, Ning Wan¡¯er had no such interest. She had never considered marriage. Although her parents had long been keen on marrying her off to a good family to gain some benefits, Ning Wan¡¯er saw the idea of trading herself for a hefty dowry as the most inferior and laughable form of investment. Her worth as Ning Wan¡¯er was not to be someone¡¯s wife. In this world of cultivation, a person¡¯s potential and hope held boundless possibilities. Her parents might be shortsighted, but she was determined not to follow in their foolish footsteps. The young master of the Li household, Li Muyang, was nothing more than a stepping stone for her to climb higher. Thanks to his generous spending, she had quietly accumulated some spiritual items that would aid her cultivation. She was sure to progress faster than ordinary people once she began her practice. Not to mention, she now seemed to have a direct opportunity to enter the Inner Sect. With that, the young master of the Li family from the remote Jiuyuan City would become even less significant to her. But as for the young miss of the Li household... Ning Wan¡¯er looked at Li Yuechan¡¯s innocent and pure smile and responded with a gentle smile of her own. ¡°Next time you have a chance, Yuechan, you might want to ask your brother if he truly has someone he likes.¡± The young miss of the Li household Li Yuechan seemed naive and lively, but Ning Wan¡¯er felt that she was somewhat tricky to deal with. Compared to her simple-minded brother, this sixteen-year-old girl was much more difficult to handle. Ning Wan¡¯er said with a smile, ¡°If he really meets someone he likes, then perhaps we could help him out.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er spoke in a gentle tone, appearing to be a caring older sister even though she was the younger one. Even though everyone in Jiuyuan City knew that Li Muyang had once fancied her¡ªshe effortlessly distanced herself from the situation with these words. Li Yuechan blinked after hearing this and then said with a giggly smile, ¡°If Sister Ning is willing to help, that would be wonderful. You¡¯re so smart, Sister Ning. If you help, my brother will surely be very happy.¡± The girl with the innocent smile was like a delicate flower swaying in the wind. Ning Wan¡¯er also smiled back, replying, ¡°We¡¯re all from the same town, so it¡¯s only right for us to look out for each other.¡± Amidst the mountain breeze as the flying boat set sail, the two young girls exchanged glances and then smiled at each other. At that moment, their smiles seemed somewhat similar. The somewhat awkward and strange topic came to a sudden end after this simple probe. They both laughed and talked about the legends and interesting stories of Yunxiao City as if no one had ever mentioned Li Muyang. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 34 ¡°Brother, that Sister Ning you like, she¡¯s really skilled.¡± As Li Muyang opened his eyes to see his adoptive sister returning with a roast chicken, Li Yuechan said these words by the side of the field at dusk. ¡°Although we¡¯ve met a few times on the way to the sect, our interactions weren¡¯t deep.¡± ¡°I spent the whole day with her today and realized that Sister Ning is truly formidable.¡± Holding the fragrant roast chicken, the girl spoke with a sense of admiration. ¡°Your decision to give her up was absolutely the right one.¡± ¡°I suspect you¡¯ll end up completely hooked by her if you continue to fancy her.¡± The girl said this while giggling and watching Li Muyang¡¯s reaction. Li Muyang, however, swallowed hard. His gaze was completely focused on the roast chicken in the girl¡¯s hand and showed no reaction to her words. This wasn¡¯t entirely an act. The roast chicken truly emitted an irresistible aroma. Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened as he asked, ¡°What kind of roasted chicken is this?¡± ¡°Why does it smell so delicious? The mere aroma was enough to make one¡¯s appetite uncontrollable. Li Muyang instinctively thought of a delicacy from Yunxiao City. The girl¡¯s giggling response confirmed Li Muyang¡¯s guess. ¡°This is the most famous Ginseng Wood Roast Chicken from Yunxiao City. It¡¯s cooked over charcoal made from ginseng wood that contains spiritual energy. The chicken is sealed in a clay stove with the wood, perfectly stimulating the spiritual energy and aroma, locking it into the meat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that even the immortals above the nine heavens can¡¯t resist the fragrance of this Ginseng Wood Chicken!¡± The girl cheerfully handed the steaming roasted chicken to Li Muyang, saying, ¡°Brother, eat it while it¡¯s hot. The chicken can retain its heat for two hours after coming out of the oven, and now is when it tastes the best. Once it cools down, it loses its flavor.¡± Li Muyang immediately took the fragrant roasted chicken, tearing into it as he spoke, ¡°The idea that even immortals can¡¯t resist is pure nonsense, but I have indeed heard of the fame of this roasted chicken.¡± I never expected it to be so magical. It truly is a world of cultivation that defies common sense. Before, Li Muyang had thought it was all exaggeration. It¡¯s just a roasted chicken, after all. How could it captivate someone so? Now, the reality proved that this Ginseng Wood Roast Chicken was indeed enchanting. Without caring for appearances, he sat down on the ridge of the field and began to tear into the chicken meat the girl had brought, savoring it with big bites. The chicken, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, melted in his mouth, a wondrous flavor unlike any ordinary food exploded on his taste buds. As he ate, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but marvel again. The world of cultivation is truly full of wonders. He looked up at the girl standing beside him, who was smiling sweetly. ¡°Brother, just eat. I¡¯ve already tasted it with Sister Ning. We brought this chicken especially for you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Li Muyang simply replied, not being polite and truly enjoying the whole roasted chicken by himself. After chatting briefly with the girl about their experiences in Yunxiao City, Li Muyang realized that this city was indeed vastly different from his homeland, Jiuyuan City. ? Jiuyuan City, a remote and small town, was considered by most to be a backwater, and everything there fit Li Muyang¡¯s image of an ancient society. The streets were filthy, dust filled the air, and the smell of excrement was everywhere. However, with its population of a million, Yunxiao City was clean and tidy everywhere, with streetlights and sewers, more like the fantasy world towns in the video games Li Muyang played in his previous life. Hearing about all these things from his younger sister Li Yuechan made Li Muyang want to visit Yunxiao City and broaden his horizons. But in the end, Li Muyang steadied his emotions and suppressed his desire to go to Yunxiao City. His progress in the game had reached a critical moment. Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability was now at 39. Just a bit more and he would reach a favorability of 40, earning the second-stage reward. Looking at the favorability bar in the upper right corner of his field of vision, ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 39¡¿. Li Muyang clenched his fist. From today on, he would pull himself together and return to his former self, who devoted all his time and energy to the game! Now, he was only one step away from breaking through the second stage of the game and getting the reward. How could he indulge in chatting with the sweet girl at such a time? Li Muyang decided to change himself. So the next day, Li Muyang finally spent less time chatting with his adopted little sister than usual when she returned from the city. After watching his adopted little sister¡¯s figure leave once again, Li Muyang sat on the ridge and scratched his head. ¡°Have I been alone for too long? How can I talk about such pointless nonsense for so long?¡± Li Muyang, who had intended to quickly end the conversation for the day, found himself feeling somewhat dejected and frustrated after failing to do so. He realized that he might have been alone for too long, making it difficult for him to stop chatting with his sister once they started. He seemed to be craving this kind of interaction and the feedback from the conversation. ¡°People really are social animals, huh? Being alone for too long can really cause problems,¡± Li Muyang muttered to himself. He no longer tried to cut short his chats with his sister. It¡¯s okay if the game completion takes a bit longer because if he ends up developing a mental illness from isolation, that would be a real loss. Fortunately, he spent almost all his time in the game besides his daily chats with his sister. As the saying goes, hard work pays off, and he did receive a reward. On the third-to-last day before the Demon Refining Sect closed its gates, Li Muyang successfully completed the second stage of cultivation, raising Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability to over 40. ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 40 (She regards you as a precious friend... or perhaps a family member?)¡¿ The moment that favorability number appeared, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist and wave it with force. This second stage really did kill time! It took him almost a month to raise Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability to 40 points, during which he relied on eating spiritual rice to pile up his cultivation to the Qi Refining Realm Sixth Layer. But despite the torturous daily tasks over the month, Li Muyang felt genuinely happy after he saw the sweet smile of Xiao Yecao in the game. Because in his view, the system¡¯s reward text popped up. ¡¾Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability has broken through 40 for the first time, nurturing progress has entered the third stage (out of five stages)¡¿ ¡¾Congratulations Host, the second stage reward is available for collection¡¿ ¡¾Please select your second stage cultivation reward (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾Cultivation +1 (Qi Refining Realm Sixth Layer ¡ú Qi Refining Realm Seventh Layer)¡¿ ¡¾Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman (low-grade spiritual talisman) x3¡¿ ¡¾Mortal-grade Flying Sword x1¡¿ The rewards that popped up from the system made Li Muyang ecstatic. Low-grade spiritual talismans... f*ck! It turns out the system¡¯s reward pool had more than just secret manuals and weapons? It even included scarce items like spiritual talismans... Although spiritual talismans are one-time use items, they are extremely powerful. Even the lowest-level low-grade spiritual talisman can easily kill a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm. This system really can surprise him. There are such a variety of rewards, and all of them are good. Li Muyang stared at the second option for the low-grade spiritual talisman and chose to receive it without hesitation. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 35 Within the Demonic Sect, safety was Li Muyang¡¯s greatest concern. On the way to the Demon Refining Sect, the original body had witnessed a demonic cultivator killing someone in the street. It was simply because the innkeeper did not please the demonic cultivator¡¯s eye, and the innkeeper¡¯s family of six, along with an innocent waiter, were all brutally murdered by the demonic cultivator and died a terrible death. When the city lord¡¯s officials arrived at the scene, they only fined the murderous demonic cultivator a sum of silver. This world, where human life was treated so cheaply and the innocent were slaughtered indiscriminately, left a psychological shadow on the original body from the small town and also made the transmigrator Li Muyang feel a constant lack of safety. Although the Demon Refining Sect was a more orderly but evil sect, no matter how orderly, it was still an evil path. The lives of ordinary people here can easily be reduced to mere numbers. Moreover, the world is full of chaos and evil, with cruel and bloodthirsty demon cultivators whose cost of killing is very low. They might kill for pleasure on a whim. To avoid being treated like an insect and crushed at will in the territories of the demonic path, one must possess formidable combat power for self-protection¡ªeven a powerful background might not be of use, as the demonic path is filled with countless insane and lawless individuals. Even the son of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s sect master could be killed by a madman of the demonic path over a mere verbal dispute¡ªand indeed, such an incident has already occurred. Now, with the support of the Endless Spirit Rice Jar, Li Muyang is not lacking in cultivation. What he needs are items that can rapidly enhance his combat power. And three low-grade spirit talismans are definitely the quickest trump card for boosting one¡¯s combat power. When thrown, a single low-grade spirit talisman can instantly kill anyone in the Qi Refining Realm. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could be slain if the talisman is released at the right moment. This item is far more powerful in enhancing combat power than a mortal-grade flying sword. Therefore, Li Muyang did not hesitate to choose the second reward. As Li Muyang made his choice of reward, three light green spirit talismans appeared in his hand. On the light green talismans, purple talismanic script swirled like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing. The lines of the script, sharp as if carved by a knife or sword, faintly exuded a sharp and ominous aura. ¡¾Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman (low-grade spirit talisman)¡¿ ¡¾Instantaneously creates 68,000 Sword Qi illusions, among which 6,800 are real Sword Qi, capable of killing those in the Foundation Establishment Realm¡¿ The system¡¯s description was brief, but the phrase ¡®capable of killing those in the Foundation Establishment Realm¡¯... Such confident and absolute wording suggested that the power of these three low-grade spirit talismans might be even stronger than imagined. And 68,000 Sword Qi illusions... even if they are just illusions, they sound quite formidable. Li Muyang curiously flipped the three talismans over and over, then carefully stored them close to his body. These three talismans would become his strongest trump card at the moment. Still, Li Muyang hoped he would never have to use these three talismans. Puzzled by the commotion, Li Muyang turned his head only to see a group of Outer Sect disciples hurriedly carrying a stretcher in his direction. The person running at the front was the panting and sweaty Steward Wang. ¡°Li Muyang! It¡¯s terrible! Your sister had an accident in the city!¡± Steward Wang was gasping for breath, his head covered in sweat. Although he was a cultivator, his physical strength at the Qi Refining Realm wasn¡¯t much stronger than that of an ordinary person. The group following Wang Pangzi were also Outer Sect disciples, all of whom Li Muyang recognized as former neighbors who lived near him. After all, these stewards were responsible for the Outer Sect disciples who generally lived in clusters. Among them was Li Muyang¡¯s acquaintance, Guan Xiaoshun. Hearing their shouts, Li Muyang was momentarily stunned before turning his attention to the stretcher. A pale arm dangled lifelessly from it, belonging to a girl. Combining this with Wang Pangzi¡¯s cries... Li Muyang immediately dropped the water bucket and quickly stepped forward to the crowd. ¡°What happened?¡± After reaching the front, Steward Wang and Guan Xiaoshun hurriedly stepped aside, allowing Li Muyang to see the girl lying on the stretcher. Her face was pale and bloodless, and her eyes, which usually squinted with a smile, were now weakly closed. The girl¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together, and her breathing was heavy. She was still wearing the white dress she had on when she left in the morning, but now it was completely stained with blood. The crimson blood had dried and clotted on the fabric, looking both tragic and helpless. Seeing the severely injured and bleeding girl before him, Li Muyang¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted. He was silent for a second, then said, ¡°First, let¡¯s carry her into my house.¡± He directed the few Outer Sect disciples to carry the girl into the house, and Li Muyang carefully laid her down on the bed. Then he turned to Wang Pangzi: ¡°Steward, could you please ask Doctor Lin to come over?¡± ¡°My little sister¡¯s injuries are severe. She might need Doctor Lin¡¯s help.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 36 Li Muyang¡¯s tone was very calm. From the moment he saw his sister Li Yuechan, to directing people to carry the girl into the house, and up until now, Li Muyang had not shown any sign of agitation. His response quieted the originally noisy crowd. Steward Wang hesitated for a moment but then nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and ask Doctor Lin to come over.¡± Doctor Lin was an old demon cultivator in their Outer Sect. She had been in the Outer Sect for over twenty years. After her period of menial service was over, she didn¡¯t wish to leave the Outer Sect and return to the mundane world, so she stayed in the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect. Her medical skills were excellent. If any Outer Sect disciples suffered serious injuries like broken bones or life-threatening wounds, they would seek her treatment. It¡¯s just that her fees were expensive. After Steward Wang hurried off, Li Muyang turned to Guan Xiaoshun. ¡°Xiaoshun, do you know what happened?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s question made the remaining Outer Sect disciples also turn their attention to Guan Xiaoshun. ¡°Yeah, Xiaoshun, what happened?¡± ¡°Why did the Li Family¡¯s little sister suddenly sustain such serious injuries?¡± These Outer Sect disciples had been called by Steward Wang to help carry the person, but most of them were there to join in the commotion. The living environment in the Outer Sect was incredibly closed off. A minor incident could attract a crowd of onlookers. That¡¯s why there was such a big fuss over carrying Li Yuechan. Facing the curious gazes of the people, Guan Xiaoshun sighed and said to Li Muyang, ¡°Brother Li, Steward and I encountered your sister on the flying boat.¡± ¡°She was already injured at that time, being carried by a female disciple who claimed to be Ning Wan¡¯er.¡± ¡°Miss Ning said her injuries were severe and wanted to bring her here to seek your help.¡± ¡°When we heard it was your sister, Steward Wang quickly called everyone to help carry her over to you.¡± ¡°And that Miss Ning said she was going back to get some medicine. She has some healing medicine with her and will come over later.¡± At this point, Guan Xiaoshun hesitated and then said, ¡°Miss Ning mentioned that it was a Senior Sister from the Inner Sect named Qin Haie who injured her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that Senior Sister Qin. She is a direct disciple of Elder Qi from the Inner Sect and is known for her domineering behavior.¡± ¡°She had an argument with another direct disciple in the city this afternoon, and suddenly, she injured more than a dozen people in a fit of rage on the street. It¡¯s said that some even died on the spot.¡± ¡°Little Sister Li was relatively lucky. Her injuries were not so severe. Once Doctor Lin arrives, she will surely be able to heal her.¡± Guan Xiaoshun and the others had great confidence in Doctor Lin¡¯s medical skills. After hearing the whole story, Li Muyang fell silent for a moment before slowly exhaling deeply. ¡°Are you this young lady¡¯s husband?¡± Doctor Lin glanced at Li Muyang. Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m her brother.¡± Doctor Lin didn¡¯t care: ¡°Brother, it¡¯s all the same as long as you can pay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all taken care of now. Let me explain the situation to you.¡± ¡°This young lady¡¯s injuries seem not severe, but they¡¯re actually quite troublesome. Qin Haie¡¯s demonic energy will continue to corrode both her flesh and soul.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t extract the residual demonic energy from her body, she will at least lose an arm, half a shoulder, and her face will be disfigured.¡± ¡°I can only save her life for now, but whether and how much of the remaining demonic energy in her body can be extracted depends on you.¡± Doctor Lin spoke casually as she washed her hands with the clean water Guan Xiaoshun had brought. Curious, Steward Wang asked, ¡°Sister Lin, Little Li doesn¡¯t know medical skills, how can he help?¡± Doctor Lin shook the water off her hands and said, ¡°He can help by spending money. The extraction of this demonic energy is not difficult, but it¡¯s not simple either.¡± ¡°There are two methods. One, you go find Qin Haie and have her voluntarily withdraw the demonic energy she left behind. This doesn¡¯t cost money and is the simplest method.¡± Doctor Lin¡¯s words made Steward Wang chuckle awkwardly. ¡°That... Sister Lin, don¡¯t joke. If we, a bunch of poor folks, could invite someone like Senior Sister Qin Haie, would we still be in the Outer Sect?¡± Doctor Lin said, ¡°Then there¡¯s only the second method, which is to spend money.¡± Saying this, Doctor Lin rummaged through her storage bag at her waist for a while, took out a small cauldron, and threw it to Li Muyang. ¡°This is a medicinal cauldron. You need to find some hundred-year-old ginseng, fifty-year-old vermilion fruit, and other such spiritual herbs. Use this cauldron to refine them into a spiritual liquid for your sister to consume.¡± ¡°If the spiritual liquid is sufficient, then it¡¯s not impossible to extract all the demonic energy from your sister¡¯s body.¡± ¡°In short, to what extent she can recover and how much her body will decay depends on how much silver you, as her brother, are willing to spend.¡± After Doctor Lin finished speaking, she saw Li Muyang pull out a thick purse and immediately shook her head. ¡°No need to give me so much. I only charge for the treatment.¡± ¡°As for the spiritual medicine, you¡¯ll have to buy that yourself. You don¡¯t think I¡¯d keep a stockpile of expensive spiritual medicines at home, do you?¡± Saying this, Doctor Lin gave a glare at the group of Outer Sect disciples who were watching at the door and said, ¡°Be careful. There are so many poor ghosts in the Outer Sect, who knows when they might steal something.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 37 Since Doctor Lin didn¡¯t have the medicine to treat the illness, Li Muyang had to buy it himself. After sending Doctor Lin away, Li Muyang looked at the silver in his purse. This time, his sister had brought twenty taels of gold from home. This was already a considerable sum for most people. Even for the Li Family, it was not a small amount. If it had been the old Li Muyang, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to get his hands on so much money. But Li Damu clearly wasn¡¯t as tough as he claimed to be, and he actually brought so much money over, probably very worried about his son Li Muyang, who had gone to the Demon Refining Sect. After sending Doctor Lin and the other onlookers away, only Guan Xiaoshun and Steward Wang were left outside Li Muyang¡¯s house. Steward Wang, who had run all the way, wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed, ¡°Little Li, don¡¯t worry. As long as you have money, you won¡¯t have trouble buying spiritual medicine in Yunxiao City.¡± ¡°With so much money, you can even buy a 500-year-old ginseng, so there will definitely be no problem curing your sister.¡± Steward Wang comforted Li Muyang, then said goodbye. Regardless, the steward had certainly delivered on his goodwill today. The favor was genuinely given, and it must be remembered. At the entrance of the house, just as Li Muyang was about to speak to Guan Xiaoshun, a new visitor arrived outside the small house halfway up the mountain. ¡°Muyang, is your little sister Yuechan okay?¡± Ning Wan¡¯er, wearing a light purple dress, appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s view. Her expression was slightly anxious, her fingers nervously intertwined, and she was holding a wooden box that was probably the medicine she mentioned. It seemed that Miss Ning was concerned about Li Yuechan¡¯s safety. But Li Muyang glanced at her and didn¡¯t care how much of this woman¡¯s nervous concern was genuine. He first thanked her. After all, it was Ning Wan¡¯er who had carried his sister back after Li Yuechan had fainted. Then Li Muyang briefly informed Ning Wan¡¯er about his sister¡¯s condition. After hearing Li Muyang¡¯s account, Ning Wan¡¯er became worried. ¡°But we have no relatives or friends in the Demon Refining Sect, where can we find spiritual medicine...¡± Li Muyang spoke calmly, ¡°Yuechan brought some silver with her to the sect this time. While it¡¯s still light, I¡¯m going to Yunxiao City to buy the spiritual medicine as quickly as possible.¡± ? ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble Miss Ning to take care of Yuechan. Is that okay?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s tone and expression were natural as if Ning Wan¡¯er was just a familiar friend. This demeanor of Li Muyang made Ning Wan¡¯er blink slightly. The foolish young master of the Li Family... seemed to have really changed. Could it be that he had finally grown up after suffering for three months away from home? Seeing Li Muyang like this, Guan Xiaoshun felt somewhat uneasy and uncomfortable. The flying boat was bustling with noise, all from Outer Sect disciples heading to Yunxiao City. They were all immersed in the joy and prosperity of Yunxiao City, indulging in the final three days of revelry. In this Demonic Sect, the incident of a direct disciple killing people in the street and resulting in over a dozen casualties didn¡¯t even cause a ripple. No one cared and no one paid attention. Even if these Outer Sect disciples knew about it, they would only lament ¡ª ah, what bad luck. This was the way of the Demonic Sect. Just as Li Muyang had said before, the sense of justice and order in the Demonic Sect was easily pulled down. Still... The transmigrator Li Muyang sighed and suddenly spoke after a long silence. He looked at Guan Xiaoshun beside him and asked, ¡°That Senior Sister Qin Haie you mentioned... can you tell me more about her?¡± ¡°I need to remember this name so that I can keep my distance when I see her.¡± Li Muyang said in a calm tone. Seeing Li Muyang finally speaking, Guan Xiaoshun, who was made somewhat uneasy by the silence, breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said with a smile, ¡°Ah, Senior Sister Qin Haie is the direct disciple of an elder, and it is said that her talent is exceptional, even higher in status than those Inner Sect disciples...¡± Guan Xiaoshun relayed the information he knew to Li Muyang one by one. He wasn¡¯t worried that Li Muyang would seek revenge against Qin Haie after learning something about her. An Outer Sect servant disciple in the Qi Refining Realm went to seek vengeance against a direct disciple? If such words were to be spread, they would definitely become the funniest joke within the Demon Refining Sect. Li Muyang listened calmly to Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s narration, accepting the harsh reality that his relatives had been harmed. He appeared as numb as all the other common people living under the rule of the Demonic Sect. It was only after Guan Xiaoshun finished speaking that Li Muyang slowly nodded. ¡°Her name is Qin Haie, her birthplace is Tianjiao City, and she is a female direct disciple of Elder Qi Rui of the Demon Refining Sect, said to have formed her Golden Core at the age of nineteen...¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it.¡± Li Muyang summarized the identity information of this Senior Sister Qin and nodded. ¡°Thanks, Xiaoshun. I¡¯ll be sure to stay away from her if I see her.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 38 Yunxiao City was indeed bustling and lively. The huge flying ship cut through the clouds, and after soaring over the continuous mountains, one could see from the front of the deck the vast horizon ahead, with streets and buildings stretching endlessly to the edge of the sky. Those wide streets crisscrossed like distinct lines on a chessboard, neatly dividing the houses and buildings. Such a grand city was the first of its kind that Li Muyang had seen in this world. His hometown of Jiuyuan City was a small rural city with low and dilapidated walls, where one could overlook the entire city from atop the city gate tower. In contrast, the grandeur and scale of this towering city on the ground were no less than those of the big cities from his previous life. Even from a certain perspective of wonder, this ancient city was without skyscrapers, yet it housed a million people. The main roads up to one or two hundred meters wide seemed even more spectacular than the skyscrapers of his previous life. Lights of various colors streaked across the sky from time to time, dazzling against the sunset and evening clouds. After the flying ship landed at the dock, Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun went straight into the city. They had a clear goal and headed directly for the medicinal herb shops in the city. With Guan Xiaoshun leading the way, Li Muyang compared two different herb shops and eventually spent all his silver. A hundred-year-old ginseng, two eighty-year-old vermilion fruits, and two jade lingzhi mushrooms... These were the spiritual medicines Li Muyang bought with all his money. He and Guan Xiaoshun hurriedly left the city, making it back to the sect before the flying ship dock closed. After saying goodbye to Guan Xiaoshun at the crossroads, Li Muyang carried the spiritual medicines toward the house halfway up the mountain. When he got home, his adoptive sister Li Yuechan had already woken up. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, the girl lay weakly on the hard wooden bed, chatting with Ning Wan¡¯er. Seeing Li Muyang return with boxes of spiritual medicines, the girl said somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother, for holding you back...¡± The first thing the girl said upon seeing him was to apologize to Li Muyang. After all, Li Muyang had gone to Yunxiao City to buy spiritual medicines specifically to save her, which must have been expensive. And the money spent was all Li Muyang¡¯s personal property. Li Muyang glanced at his sister and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re alive.¡± With that, he took out the medicinal cauldron given by Doctor Lin and began to refine the spiritual medicines on the spot. Under the catalysis of spiritual power, the small medicinal cauldron emitted intense heat. The ginseng, vermilion fruit, and jade lingzhi... Li Muyang refined these three spiritual medicines one by one into the cauldron, eventually producing a bowl of medicinal liquid that emitted a wonderful fragrance. This bowl of medicinal liquid was worth twenty taels of gold. What a pity for such a beautiful face... Walking on the mountain path under the night sky, a gust of night wind blew, and Ning Wan¡¯er suddenly felt a chill and couldn¡¯t help but rub her arms. The girl looked up at the lights at the summit of the distant mountains, where the Inner Sect of the Demon Refining Sect was located, the true Demon Refining Sect. That was the Demon Refining Sect in people¡¯s eyes. The scattered settlements of the Outer Sect were seen by the world as places for servants to do menial work. She must not stay here for a lifetime. She must enter the Inner Sect or even higher! Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s eyes became incredibly determined at this moment. Today, it was Li Yuechan who was unfortunate, but what if it were her next time? She refused to be a Li Yuechan who could be harmed at will. If she had to choose, she would rather be a Qin Haie who harmed others! Under the night sky, Ning Wan¡¯er descended the mountain bathed in the faint moonlight. ...... Inside the small tile-roofed house with its door shut, Li Yuechan lay on the hard wooden bed, quietly curling up. In the afternoon, when Doctor Lin treated her wounds, she had torn off all her skirts. Now, beneath the blanket, her body was bare. It was fine when Ning Wan¡¯er was still there, she didn¡¯t feel there was any problem. But now that Miss Ning had left, only she and her brother remained in the small house. Li Yuechan secretly clutched the blanket tighter. This flimsy cover seemed so fragile, clearly incapable of protecting her. She glanced nervously at Li Muyang beside her and whispered, ¡°Brother... you don¡¯t have anywhere to sleep tonight since I¡¯ve taken your bed.¡± The small wooden bed was filled with a faint smell of blood and Li Muyang¡¯s scent. It was the girl¡¯s first time lying on a man¡¯s bed, surrounded by his presence, as if she were tightly ensnared by him. Curled up under the blanket, Li Yuechan nervously gripped it, fearing that it might leak at any second. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 39 Under the dim light of the oil lamp, Li Muyang glanced at his adopted sister on the bed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll just sleep on the floor. Doctor Lin said your injuries need rest, and you shouldn¡¯t move carelessly. Otherwise, the demonic energy inside you will continue to corrode your body.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning. The next few days are going to be increasingly difficult for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to Yunxiao City again tomorrow. How much money do you have left? Give it all to me, and I¡¯ll buy some spiritual medicine for you.¡± ¡°Also, where did our father¡¯s friend say to meet? The sect gate will close in three days, so it should be about time.¡± ¡°When I get back with the spiritual medicine, I¡¯ll refine it for your healing.¡± Li Muyang had simply planned out the next few days. The girl curled up under the blanket shrank her neck and said cautiously, ¡°Um... Brother, you¡¯re not angry, are you? I¡¯ve spent all your money...¡± Twenty taels of gold was no small sum for anyone in Jiuyuan City. If it were her brother from before, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have been willing to spend that money on her. The girl nervously watched Li Muyang, carefully observing his expression. Li Muyang glared at her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll write you an IOU. Consider this money as a loan from you to me, and you can pay me back when you can earn money.¡± Li Yuechan felt embarrassed after noticing Li Muyang¡¯s displeasure, so she quickly changed the subject. ¡°When I left home, Auntie gave me thirty-five taels of gold, which I converted into banknotes and hid away.¡± ¡°They¡¯re hidden in a book I carry with me. Brother, you can find it if you look in my room tomorrow.¡± The amount the girl mentioned made Li Muyang pause. ¡°How much?¡± Thirty-five taels...? He only got twenty taels, but this adopted sister got thirty-five. Who is the real child here? Li Muyang was momentarily speechless. Li Yuechan hurriedly explained, ¡°When I left, Auntie said she wanted me to carry more. If you, uh... if you run out of money, she told me to give you some.¡± This answer made Li Muyang understand. It seemed that the original owner of the body was so unreliable, always squandering money on Ning Wan¡¯er, that his mother didn¡¯t trust him and thus gave a portion of the gold to his adopted sister. That way, his adopted sister could still bail him out if Li Muyang ran out of money in the Demon Sect. Tsk... The original owner of this body was really worrisome. Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°Alright, go to sleep. You won¡¯t have such leisure tomorrow.¡± Who in their right mind would lift her blanket for no reason? Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but sigh after seeing her like this. Although he didn¡¯t have much affection for this adopted sister, seeing such a young girl suffer in front of him still stirred his compassion. Li Muyang sat by the bed and talked to her until her consciousness cleared up a bit and the pain in her body temporarily subsided, then he got up and left the house. He arrived at Li Yuechan¡¯s cottage at the foot of the mountain and found the banknotes tucked inside a book. Afterwards, he made a trip to Yunxiao City and purchased spiritual medicine worth thirty-five taels of gold. By chance, he ran into the friend of his old man, Li Damu, who handed over the spiritual medicine he brought. These medicines were prepared by Li Damu for the siblings in the demonic sect to cultivate with, and their value was much higher than what Li Muyang had anticipated. But now, Li Muyang had brought all of them back to the small house and refined them completely using the medicine cauldron. After all the spiritual medicines were successfully refined, he produced three bowls of medicinal liquid. Li Muyang carefully woke up the girl who was in pain and unconscious, and had her drink the three steaming bowls of medicinal liquid. After consuming the three bowls, about half of the black lines on the girl¡¯s right wrist disappeared. The blood-red color on her right cheek had mostly faded, the blood-red on her shoulder had completely vanished, and only the part of her arm below the elbow remained red. With the nourishment from the spiritual liquid and the removal of the demonic energy, the girl was finally in much less pain. She came to her senses, looked at Li Muyang in front of her, and at the opened medicine chests beside her. Smelling the fragrance of the medicine in the air, Li Yuechan blinked. ¡°Brother, where did you get so many spiritual medicines...¡± Li Muyang sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve refined all the spiritual medicines sent from home, but unfortunately, it¡¯s still not quite enough.¡± The girl fell silent. She looked at the pile of empty medicine chests in the room, then at the black line on her wrist, and finally murmured hesitantly. ¡°...Actually, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. It doesn¡¯t matter if this flesh rots away. Maybe I can find a way to regenerate flesh and blood once I reach a higher level of cultivation or if I get promoted to the Inner Sect.¡± ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t have to worry anymore. It¡¯s just an arm, it won¡¯t affect anything.¡± The girl quietly comforted Li Muyang. Li Muyang, however, glanced at her with a blank expression. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m worried about you?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 40 ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m worried about you?¡± After Li Muyang said this, the girl couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. Li Muyang didn¡¯t understand what was so funny about this statement though. Regardless, his little sister¡¯s condition had improved a lot. At the very least, she wasn¡¯t in as much pain anymore. Seeing that her condition had stabilized, Li Muyang took a water bucket and went out to continue watering the spiritual field. He needed to think alone about what to do next. But before long, Ning Wan¡¯er came to visit. After learning about Li Yuechan¡¯s condition, she seemed to want to say something. But in the end, the girl didn¡¯t say anything. The young Miss of the Ning family chatted with Li Yuechan for a while and then left just like that. Guan Xiaoshun came to the outside of the house at dusk, bringing three eighty-year-old Zhu fruits. ¡°Um... Brother Li, please accept these three Zhu fruits.¡± Guan Xiaoshun scratched his head. ¡°I spent all the money I had saved up on a custom-made flying sword at the alchemy furnace in Yunxiao City. I went to the alchemy furnace today to ask, but they refused to refund the money, and now this is all I have left. Sorry.¡± This sincere young man from a border town even more remote than Jiuyuan City looked very earnest. Given his relationship with Li Muyang, the fact that he went this far was beyond Li Muyang¡¯s expectations. Seeing the three Zhu fruits in front of him, Li Muyang was momentarily at a loss. ¡°Xiaoshun...¡± Is this kid for real? So warm-hearted? Li Muyang was somewhat stunned. Although they were neighbors before, their relationship wasn¡¯t that close. Now, in a time of crisis, this kid had directly brought over three Zhu fruits. For the emotionally detached Outer Sect, this was a really huge favor. Although simple and kind, Guan Xiaoshun was also not a pushover. There had been some Outer Sect disciples who had run into trouble before, but he had never been this concerned. Li Muyang was puzzled, while Guan Xiaoshun scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°Um... Brother Li, you¡¯re different from them.¡± ¡°Those people always think I¡¯m young, from the countryside and naive, and they want to trick me out of my money or take advantage of me.¡± ¡°But Brother Li, you¡¯ve never been after my money and never looked down on me. You¡¯re completely different, you¡¯re my friend.¡± ¡°Brother Li, I can tell that you¡¯re nothing like those people, so I¡¯m willing to help you. I know you would do the same for me.¡± Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s words left Li Muyang somewhat silent. He was silent for a long time and finally just sighed and patted the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°Hang in there, Senior Sister Qin.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s tone was indifferent as he muttered to himself, then he turned and left. You¡¯re so powerful, and so is your master. I hope she can protect you for a few more days. That way, you can suffer more in your nightmares. Li Muyang¡¯s expression was devoid of any trace of guilt or unease. Even if someone from the Inner Sect were to investigate him, they wouldn¡¯t find anything unusual about this ordinary Outer Sect disciple. Not to mention, why would those lofty demonic cultivators from the Inner Sect bother to come to a dump like the Outer Sect to investigate? Who would have thought that a high and mighty direct disciple of the demon sect would be secretly harmed by an inconspicuous menial worker from the Outer Sect? Everyone is probably suspecting that mysterious person in Yunxiao City, or perhaps other direct disciples within the demon sect... After all, it¡¯s quite common for direct disciples to scheme against and curse each other to death in a demonic sect like the Demon Refining Sect. Li Muyang was not worried at all about anyone tracing it back to him. But soon, something even more outrageous than the Inner Sect sending someone to investigate him happened. ¡°Miss Ning, are you serious?¡± Li Muyang, who had just finished watering the spiritual field, looked at Ning Wan¡¯er, who had come to visit again, and his usually calm and composed expression couldn¡¯t hold up anymore. He looked at the green tea lady in front of him and the pile of spiritual medicine she brought with shock and disbelief, wondering if he was still dreaming. ¡°Where did you get so many spiritual medicines?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s expression was one of shock. This woman not only didn¡¯t scam him for money, but she was actually bringing money to him... Had the sun risen from the west? Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s face turned red at Li Muyang¡¯s astonished expression. However, she still tried to maintain her composure and said, ¡°These are the spiritual medicines I brought from home, accumulated over several years. Maybe we can save Yuechan with these.¡± After saying this, the girl looked painfully at the pile of spiritual medicines, constantly comforting herself in her heart. After all, it was his money that bought them, and now she was just giving it back to him. No need to feel heartache, no need to feel heartache... The girl hypnotized herself, but the smile on her face was incredibly forced. She was even on the verge of crying. Wuu wuuu... These are all the savings I¡¯ve worked hard for! I¡¯ve saved for three years! At least half of it is my own money, so why should I give it all to Li Muyang! Ning Wan¡¯er, have you lost your mind! Wuuu... We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 41 In front of the house, Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s smile seemed somewhat forced, even stiff. Clearly, giving away so many spiritual herbs all at once was a painful ordeal for this greedy green tea. But she still brought them out... Staring at Ning Wan¡¯er in front of him in shock and speechlessness, Li Muyang was momentarily in a daze. What the hell... This must be some kind of trick. I can¡¯t still be dreaming, can I? The green tea b*tch Ning Wan¡¯er, who was always taking but never giving, not only did not swindle his money this time, but she also took the initiative to bleed herself dry in such a situation...? Li Muyang¡¯s expression was one of shock. Ning Wan¡¯er gave him a glare and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not giving these to you for free, I¡¯m just lending them to you temporarily.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to pay me back in the future.¡± The girl tried to emphasize this point. Li Muyang sighed and said, ¡°I understand. These are borrowed from you, and I will definitely repay you.¡± Saying this, Li Muyang welcomed Ning Wan¡¯er into the house. Just a loan, not a gift, that did fit his impression of this little green tea b*tch... as if! The Ning Wan¡¯er he remembered was always the one to take advantage of others, never the other way around. He roughly estimated the value of these spiritual herbs, and it was even more than the money he had been swindled out of before. It¡¯s a publicly known secret within the city that the Ning family of Jiuyuan City had long been in decline. Li Muyang also believed that Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s father, the head of the Ning family, couldn¡¯t produce so many spiritual herbs. Unexpectedly, this little green tea b*tch turned out to be a hidden little rich girl hoarding a fortune. Most of that fortune, of course, came from Li Muyang. He welcomed Ning Wan¡¯er into the house with mixed feelings. As the two girls began to talk, Li Muyang sat in a corner, took out his medicinal cauldron, and started refining medicine. Li Yuechan¡¯s condition was getting worse. Although half of the demonic energy had been extracted, the corrosion of her body by the demonic energy continued. She now often fell into unconsciousness, spending a third of her day trembling in pain. The time she could spend awake and resting was not much. Ning Wan¡¯er softly comforted Li Yuechan, talking with her for a while, but it wasn¡¯t long before Li Yuechan fell into a weak slumber again. Ning Wan¡¯er became nervous after seeing Li Yuechan, who had been talking just a second ago, suddenly close her eyes and fall asleep. ¡°Mu... Muyang, Yuechan, she...¡± Ning Wan¡¯er stood up in a panic and called for Li Muyang. But Li Muyang, busy refining medicine in the corner, shook his head and said, She wanted to leave Jiuyuan City, that backwater place, to go to places her parents had never been, to become a real person of high status, to see the sights unseen by everyone in Jiuyuan City. Such a person should not have lent out her long-accumulated spiritual herbs to Li Muyang. After all, who knows how long it would take for Li Muyang to repay her? She shouldn¡¯t have taken such a risk. Still... ¡°I guess I can¡¯t really be a true villain after all.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er laughed at herself mockingly. The sense of relief she felt in the house made her finally see her own heart clearly. Although she had been hypnotizing herself for years, swindling a lot of money, and becoming a gold-digger in the eyes of outsiders. She always thought she didn¡¯t care about the disdain of those outsiders. But at that moment, she was completely certain¡ªshe did care, and more than she had imagined. So the change in Li Muyang¡¯s attitude towards her was a huge relief for her. Ever since she arrived at the Demon Refining Sect, she had been afraid of one thing. She feared that the now sensible and mature Li Muyang would come to his senses and despise her... That¡¯s why, at the critical moment when Li Yuechan was injured, she gritted her teeth and brought the spiritual medicine she had saved up to give to Li Muyang. This act was like atonement, as if she was deliberately trying to please Li Muyang. ¡°I really am ridiculous.¡± Having finally figured everything out, Ning Wan¡¯er laughed at herself mockingly. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to go further, climb higher, and didn¡¯t hesitate to be a villain. Yet, deep down, I despise such behavior.¡± ¡°The real me actually wants to be above others, to climb to the top by stepping on everyone else, but at the same time, I don¡¯t want to dirty my hands or tarnish my feathers. What a fool.¡± ¡°...It¡¯s naively laughable!¡± In this world, under the rule of the demonic path, how could one climb higher and become superior without dirtying their hands? But... The girl on the mountain path let out a soft sigh, a glint of cold light flashing in her eyes. At this moment, she finally understood her heart. If she really wanted to be a villain, then she should be the kind that is utterly evil and full of sin. As for the previous deceitful and small gains that would dirty her hands, if she was unwilling to do it, then she wouldn¡¯t. Those petty benefits weren¡¯t worth sullying her hands for! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 42 The departing Ning Wan¡¯er was full of turbulent thoughts. Li Muyang, on the other hand, didn¡¯t think about the girl¡¯s inner thoughts at all. Although Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s initiative to bring him medicine had somewhat changed his view of this little green tea, he didn¡¯t care much. After returning to his room, Li Muyang sighed as he looked at the girl on the bed who was unconscious and even whimpering in pain, seemingly in great discomfort. ¡°That¡¯s why I hate socializing...¡± If it weren¡¯t for Li Yuechan¡¯s arrival, Li Muyang would still be comfortably playing games without all these vexing matters. It had been several days since he last played games, so Li Muyang was feeling quite frustrated. His cultivation progress had also come to a halt, with the character experience bar on the system interface stuck at ¡¾Li Muyang: Qi Refining Realm Sixth Layer (39%¡¿. Mainly because Li Muyang hadn¡¯t eaten high-grade rice for several days, and his spiritual energy hadn¡¯t been replenished. He walked to the bedside, looked at the girl¡¯s unconscious and pained profile, and shook his head. Then he went to the cabinet and took out a big bowl of spiritual rice. After that, Li Muyang poured the high-grade spiritual rice from the bowl into the medicine cauldron and began to refine it. High-grade spiritual rice also contained spiritual energy and could be used to refine spiritual liquid. However, the efficiency was so low it was almost wasteful. The best choice was to exchange high-grade spiritual rice for gold and then use the gold to buy spiritual medicine. Li Muyang had roughly inquired about the prices. The silver money he could get for two jin of high-grade spiritual rice was more than enough to remove the remaining demonic energy in Li Yuechan¡¯s body. ¡ªHigh-grade spiritual rice was indeed valuable. But now Yunxiao City was somewhat chaotic, with Inner Sect disciples and direct disciples flying around and mysterious people causing trouble in the city. Li Yuechan¡¯s unfortunate injury was a wake-up call for Li Muyang, making him who was already cautious even less willing to take risks. An Outer Sect disciple of unknown origin suddenly took out two jin of high-grade spiritual rice in the territory of the demonic path... that was practically like writing ¡®I¡¯m a fat sheep¡¯ on his face. Li Muyang didn¡¯t plan to take the risk. Anyway, the Endless Spirit Rice Jar could produce two jin of spiritual rice a day, and refining it all could barely make up half a bowl of spiritual liquid. R? Refining for a few more days should be enough to cure his sister. The Endless Spirit Rice Jar was Li Muyang¡¯s biggest confidence at the moment, so he wasn¡¯t very anxious. As for whether Li Yuechan would suffer during these days of delayed treatment... Looking at his sister who was still unconscious on the bed, Li Muyang shook his head. He could only say he was powerless to help. After all, the two of them weren¡¯t blood siblings, not even siblings at all... Li Muyang was just a soul from another world. Theoretically, he had no connection with Li Yuechan at all. But this time, the darkness lasted much longer. It took about half a minute before the darkness receded around Li Muyang like a receding tide. In the gloomy graveyard, pale spirit banners fluttered in the air. Amidst the chilling breeze, Li Muyang stood tall among the graves, looking ahead. The tombstones and grave mounds were not even as high as his knees, incredibly short. Or perhaps it was high... Li Muyang lowered his head and saw his own bizarrely long and unsettling lower body, as well as the colorful costume of a female role in traditional Chinese opera that he was wearing. Under the dim light, the bright colors of the costume seemed inexplicably terrifying. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, a sharp and strange ¡°hiss¡± of a cold laugh came out, nothing like that of a living creature. In the graveyard ahead, a face frozen in terror trembled as it looked towards Li Muyang. ¡°No... The direct disciple of Elder Qi of the Demon Refining Sect, a young prodigy who had reached the Golden Core realm at a young age, was now trembling with fear. Seeing Li Muyang, she screamed as if she had seen a malevolent ghost coming to claim her life. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer... My master is an elder of the Demon Refining Sect...¡± ¡°You can¡¯t harm me. My master won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± ...... ¡°Master! Save me! Save me!¡± The woman¡¯s shrill screams spread throughout the room. Those guarding by the bed all had somber expressions. ¡°She just fell asleep and it¡¯s already here... such a persistent evil spirit!¡± The speaker was Elder Ge Hongshan of the Hall of Enforcement, invited by Elder Qi to lend a hand. He looked sternly at the disciple on the bed who was in a deep sleep, crying and begging for mercy, and said, ¡°Elder Qi, do not be alarmed. With the four of us here today, we will surely make that evil spirit fail and flee!¡± Ge Hongshan was full of confidence. The four people in the room were all elders of the Demon Refining Sect, each holding significant power and possessing extraordinary cultivation. Together, they could easily break any common curse or witchcraft! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 43 In the hall filled with the faint scent of sandalwood, there was a bed temporarily moved in. The girl sleeping on the bed was Elder Qi Rui¡¯s favorite disciple, a demon cultivator prodigy who had entered the Golden Core realm at the age of nineteen. However, this talented demon cultivator was attacked by someone last night with some kind of curse or witchcraft and nearly lost her life in her sleep. Even though Qi Rui saved her beloved disciple in time, Qin Haie was still severely injured. Today, Qi Rui had invited three other elders of the Demon Refining Sect to join forces to exorcise the evil from her disciple. Yet, even with the combined efforts of the four elders, they could not dispel the evil spirit from Qin Haie. ¡ªOr rather, they could not find any trace of the evil spirit on Qin Haie. Among the four, Ge Hongshan was an expert in the art of talismans and curses. Having studied talismans and curses for many years, he was also familiar with various evil methods such as curses and witchcraft. These kinds of evil arts usually rely on some malevolent object as a medium to harm others. If the source of the medium could be found and cleansed, the evil spirit could be expelled. However, after a thorough investigation, he found no trace of any malevolent medium on Qin Haie, making it impossible to trace the source. It seemed as though this favored female disciple of Elder Qi Rui had not been cursed at all. But what happened last night could not have been false. The curse that had afflicted Qin Haie was some kind of more secretive and powerful evil art. Therefore, after discussion, they decided to let Qin Haie fall asleep and enter a dream to draw out the evil spirit once again. Then, the four elders in reality could trap the evil spirit within Qin Haie¡¯s dream and destroy it. This was the simplest and most reliable method. With the four elders of the Demon Refining Sect working together to directly kill the source of the evil, there was no way it could escape. ...In theory, that¡¯s how it should be. But when the injured Qin Haie lay on the temporarily moved bed and fell asleep, the four elders forming a formation around the bed were shocked. Because in this room, vaguely sealed by the formation, there was no trace of an evil spirit nor any sign that the evil entity had appeared, yet the sleeping Qin Haie began to scream in terror. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! Don¡¯t kill me!¡± Qin Haie on the bed shook her head desperately, her face full of horror. She seemed to have seen something extremely terrifying but was unable to break free. Qi Rui¡¯s face showed pain after seeing her disciple¡¯s reaction. She immediately looked at Ge Hongshan and asked, ¡°Elder Ge, shall we take action now?¡± The smoke outlined the contents of Qin Haie¡¯s dream, revealing the evil creature¡¯s traces. However, none of the people present had ever seen such an evil creature, not even the curse Grandmaster Ge Hongshan. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s focus! We must immediately lock down the dream and join forces to slay this evil creature!¡± Sensing the urgency, Ge Hongshan did not delay and immediately called upon the elders to unite. As soon as they used the smoke from the longevity incense to slay the projection of the evil creature, its real body would also collapse. This was the most straightforward method of exorcism. Could this bizarre creature withstand a joint strike from the four Demon Refining Sect elders? As Ge Hongshan finished speaking, the four of them exerted their power at the same time, and the longevity incense they held burned rapidly. From the swiftly burning incense, strands of dark red mist emerged. As soon as this red mist appeared, it formed a fine demonic net in mid-air. Then the four elders made their move together, and the demonic net, formed by the convergence of their demonic power, descended directly overhead, aiming to envelop the strange evil shadow drifting in the smoke. Once the demonic net captured the projection of the evil creature, its real body would also perish! Ge Hongshan¡¯s eyes were fixed on the evil shadow that appeared and disappeared within the smoke. He watched as the red demonic net descended from the sky and enveloped the shadow fiercely. But the next second, something bizarre happened. The net passed right through the projection of the evil creature, unable to inflict any harm. Instead, the evil shadow in the smoke easily caught up with the fleeing Qin Haie and tore a piece of flesh from her shoulder. ¡°Ah! My hand! My hand!¡± Qin Haie on the bed screamed miserably as flesh was torn from her in the dream and blood spurted from her shoulder. In reality, she was indeed missing a piece of flesh. Seeing this horrifying bloody scene and the strange occurrence of the demonic net failing to capture the evil creature, Ge Hongshan¡¯s expression darkened as he finally remembered what this evil creature was. ¡°This is an ancient evil charm, the Flesh and Bone Spirit Puppet!¡± ¡°Our longevity incense can¡¯t lock it down because it¡¯s not actually in Qin Haie¡¯s dream.¡± ¡°It¡¯s using some unknown and bizarre method to remotely harm Qin Haie¡¯s soul!¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 44 Ge Hongshan¡¯s eyes were dark as he revealed the true nature of this malevolent entity. However, the three elders present all looked confused, clearly having never heard of the so-called Flesh and Bone Spirit Puppet. Seeing the confusion among the crowd, Ge Hongshan took a deep breath and said with a somber expression, ¡°The Flesh and Bone Spirit Puppet is a kind of malevolent creature that appeared in ancient times and was thought to have been eradicated.¡± ¡°Its physical form is weak, yet it possesses the bizarre ability to harm living beings within dreams.¡± ¡°Conventional techniques are unable to stop it.¡± As he spoke, Ge Hongshan turned to Qi Rui. ¡°Now there is only one method left, and that is for Elder Qi to personally enter the dream, to project your spirit into your disciple¡¯s dreamscape and confront the Flesh and Bone Spirit Puppet directly.¡± ¡°However, this technique is somewhat risky because you are entering your disciple¡¯s dream, so your spirit projection will only have the cultivation of a Golden Core at most.¡± ¡°If even a Golden Core cultivation is not enough to overcome the Flesh and Bone Spirit Puppet, then Elder Qi, you might not be able to save your disciple and instead could suffer soul damage.¡± Ge Hongshan quickly explained the situation, informing the concerned Elder Qi Rui. This ancient malevolent creature was indeed something he did not know how to deal with. If he himself were the target of the curse, Ge Hongshan was confident he could fend off the enemy in the dreamscape. After all, such creatures are mostly weak and can only harm low-level cultivators or mortals with unstable souls. Now, how Elder Qi¡¯s beloved disciple had provoked such a long-vanished ancient malevolent creature was a mystery, and out of caution, Ge Hongshan was already preparing to leave. These ancient malevolent creatures are extremely strange and different from ordinary demons and ghosts. It¡¯s best to stay far away and avoid any involvement. After Ge Hongshan finished speaking, the other two elders also fell silent. All three looked towards Qi Rui, waiting for the decision of the elder who was so concerned for her disciple. On the bed, the female disciple named Qin Haie screamed again and again. Her right shoulder, left foot, and wrist... flesh and blood were continuously torn away by the monster, splattering blood all over the bed. The sight of flesh being ripped away alive was unspeakably bloody and chilling. In the dream, Qin Haie cried out desperately, shouting all around her, ¡°Master! Save me! I don¡¯t want to die! I really don¡¯t want to die!¡± The woman cried so heart-wrenchingly. Where was the pride and defiance of a talented demon cultivator? Now she cried with tears and snot all over her face, looking both ugly and dirty. The silent Elder Qi Rui watched her disciple¡¯s continuous wailing on the bed, pitiful and tragic, and listened to her mournful cries in her sleep. Finally, she sighed. ¡°My good disciple, your master will free you from your suffering.¡± It would only appear when Li Muyang touched it with his thoughts. In the dark bubble, the chibi version of the Flesh and Bone Green Garment floated motionlessly. But in its hands, it held a crying doll. It seemed to be the soul of a woman. The chibi Flesh and Bone Green Garment held the doll, nibbling at it little by little. Its mouth was too small, so it would probably take a long time to finish. Li Muyang shook his head and exited the system interface. ¡°This Flesh and Bone Green Garment isn¡¯t eating Qin Haie¡¯s soul, is it...¡± Although it was a chibi version and looked cute in style, the thought of it eating the soul of a living person made Li Muyang¡¯s scalp tingle. Mainly because he had been killed by this thing in the game hundreds of times, he had a psychological shadow. However, the first time he used the Flesh and Bone Green Garment to kill someone in reality, Li Muyang found it to be more useful than he had imagined. It could be fully automated, letting the Flesh and Bone Green Garment kill the enemy as a common witchcraft technique. Or he could manually control it, personally entering the dreamscape to chase the target. It¡¯s just that Golden Core experts are indeed formidable. In the dream, Qin Haie kept running away, constantly breaking free from the pursuit of the Flesh and Bone Green Garment. Even when Li Muyang himself took action, it was quite troublesome to pursue her. Li Muyang estimated that using the Flesh and Bone Green Garment to kill a Golden Core expert was probably the limit. If he were to go after a seventh-rank... even if he could enter the dream realm, he reckoned he wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up with the opponent. As for anything above seventh-rank, there was no point in considering it. ¡°It looks like I still have to rely on myself,¡± Li Muyang murmured softly to himself, looking at his adopted sister who was sound asleep on the bed, and he sighed. Qin Haie was dead, and with that, the matter was concluded. Now, Li Muyang could focus on playing games and using spiritual rice to concoct medicine to save his adopted sister. When the day came that Li Yuechan completely dispelled the demonic energy, Li Muyang would be able to eat high-grade spiritual rice to enhance his cultivation. Now already at the Qi Refining Realm Sixth Layer, he was getting closer and closer to reaching the Foundation Establishment stage¡ªwho would have thought that just a month ago, Li Muyang was still a small fry at the Qi Refining Realm Second Layer? Indeed, cheating is fun for a moment, keep cheating and the fun never ends. Having successfully killed his enemy and feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his heart, Li Muyang took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and clear-headed. He closed his eyes and fell into a sound sleep. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 45 The death of Qin Haie did not cause much of a stir within the Demon Refining Sect. Although Elder Qi Rui sent people to investigate the true culprit behind the assassination of the disciple afterward, there were no results after ten days. And no other disciples under Elder Qi were harmed. It was clear that the real murderer was only targeting Qin Haie, a foe she must have provoked from somewhere. Now that the perpetrator had voluntarily disappeared, Elder Qi Rui couldn¡¯t be bothered to pursue the matter further. After all, Qin Haie was just one of his disciples and a dead one at that. The dead are not of much value. Even Qin Haie¡¯s rivals within the Inner Sect gradually forgot about this arrogant and domineering woman as time passed. However, the servant disciples in the Outer Sect of the Demon Refining Sect were very interested in the death of Senior Sister Qin, and all sorts of wild rumors were flying around. Qin Haie¡¯s death was mysterious. She couldn¡¯t survive even under the protection of four elders, and after her death, her master, Elder Qi, didn¡¯t pursue the cause... All these signs, in the eyes of the Servant Disciples of the Outer Sect, were filled with the scent of conspiracy in a mysterious event. Thus, these idle Outer Sect disciples expressed different opinions about Senior Sister Qin¡¯s death, and some even continuously probed for ¡®accurate information from the Inner Sect¡¯. In this way, through word of mouth among the Outer Sect disciples, the death of the arrogant and domineering Senior Sister Qin became a great unsolved mystery of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Outer Sect. Everyone was guessing which big shot had killed Qin Haie, to the extent that even Elder Qi dared not investigate. However, as time passed, the Outer Sect disciples gradually had less time to care about the death of Senior Sister Qin. With the closing of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s mountain gate and the approach of autumn, the biennial sect selection conference of the Demon Refining Sect was fast approaching. This biennial sect selection conference would select disciples with excellent aptitude or those who had reached the Qi Refining Realm Ninth Layer or above from the Outer Sect to join the Inner Sect. For the vast majority of Outer Sect disciples, this was an opportunity to soar to the heavens. Many young people crowded into the Outer Sect of the Demon Refining Sect to work as menial laborers and toiling to death, so many people seek this path of promotion. If one had excellent aptitude or met the cultivation requirements, fulfilling one of the two conditions would allow entry into the Inner Sect. Once in the Inner Sect, one would become a true disciple of the Demon Refining Sect, with an identity plaque registered in the records and access to more sect cultivation resources. ? Even if one¡¯s cultivation in the Inner Sect did not go smoothly and it was difficult to become a great cultivator, there was a complete chance to be dispatched to various county towns to become a county lord or city master as long as one passed the sect¡¯s assessment. For these small fry of the Outer Sect, entering the Inner Sect meant a class leap, becoming a person of high status with limitless prospects under the rule of the Demonic Sect. The first thing the girl did after getting out of bed once she was healed was to hand-wash all of Li Muyang¡¯s bed linens and clothes. She continued to wash his clothes every few days despite Li Muyang¡¯s protests. The girl was so persistent that it made Li Muyang start to doubt himself, wondering if he smelled so bad that it bothered Li Yuechan. But he wasn¡¯t lazy. Washing clothes every few days was already considered diligent in the spartan living conditions of the Outer Sect. Logically, he shouldn¡¯t be repelling the girl with any odor... ¡°Say, brother, are you really not interested in the sect selection?¡± At dusk, the girl who had arrived with a food container stood on the ridge of the field, looking puzzled at Li Muyang who was sleeping under a tree. ¡°Everyone is busy preparing for the sect selection, but you¡¯re here sleeping every day... Don¡¯t you want to join the Demonic Sect, become a big shot, and then return home in glory, making uncle and aunt regret underestimating you?¡± The girl asked with confusion on her face. Hearing this, Li Muyang¡¯s face involuntarily heated up... Damn it! Why bring up the original ¡®Li Muyang¡¯s¡¯ most embarrassing past? Although he hadn¡¯t done that foolish act himself, with the memories he had, hearing his sister say this made him blush involuntarily. He glared at his sister and said, ¡°What¡¯s meant to be yours won¡¯t escape you, and what¡¯s not, no amount of begging will make you obtain it. Why worry so much?¡± He snatched the food container irritably and sniffed it. ¡°Hmm, today¡¯s food smells good. You can go now.¡± Li Muyang waved his hand and added, ¡°I want braised pork tomorrow.¡± Now, Li Muyang not only accepted his sister¡¯s care without any guilt but even started to make requests and order dishes. Besides playing games and farming every day, his sister washed his clothes, cooked his meals, and even cleaned inside and outside the house. To outsiders, he had become a lazybones who just ate and waited for death. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 46 At dusk beside the spiritual field, Li Yuechan¡¯s lips puckered slightly after hearing her brother¡¯s words. ¡°Not even inviting me to eat together...¡± Li Muyang, who had gotten up with the food container, chuckled and said, ¡°You have your own spiritual rice provided by the sect, why are you always thinking about mooching off my meal?¡± ¡°Go on, go back and cook for yourself. If you want to eat my rice, you still have a long way to go.¡± Li Muyang carried the food container his sister had brought while humming a cheerful tune and entered the tile-roofed house. Li Yuechan watched his retreating figure and sighed. ¡°Sometimes I really can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re stingy or generous...¡± Shaking her head, the girl turned and left. Calling him stingy? He nearly went broke buying spiritual medicine to save her. But calling him generous? Yet, he wouldn¡¯t even share his spiritual rice with her. The girl sighed silently and turned to walk down the mountain. The setting sun¡¯s afterglow bathed her, and on the empty mountain path, a sudden voice of an old woman echoed, ¡°Your brother... there are some peculiarities about him.¡± This abrupt voice was completely unexpected as if a sinister whisper had come from the heavens. Although Li Yuechan was alone on the deserted mountain path, she was not afraid of the sound of the voice. Instead, her eyes brightened. ¡°Senior!¡± Li Yuechan exclaimed in a low voice, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± The woman¡¯s voice chuckled, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve finally awakened. After absorbing so much essence from low-level demonic cultivators and resting for so long, I¡¯ve finally stabilized my soul and woken up.¡± With a sigh, the woman continued, ¡°Little girl, you¡¯ve suffered these past days. I vaguely sensed your terrible condition while I was asleep, but it was a critical time for my recovery, and I couldn¡¯t be distracted unless it really couldn¡¯t be helped. I had planned to help you completely clear the demonic energy from your body after waking up...¡± The girl on the mountain path smiled and shook her head, ¡°Senior, you don¡¯t need to worry. My brother has already healed me. Although it cost a lot of money, I will definitely earn it back for him in the future. As for you, Senior, the fact that you¡¯ve repaired your soul is already great news. I won¡¯t mind.¡± The girl reassured the woman with a smile. The voice from the void chuckled, ¡°What a broad-minded little girl you are. I indeed didn¡¯t misjudge you. If it were my unworthy disciple from before, he would probably have resented me for ignoring him.¡± There was a hint of bitterness in the woman¡¯s voice as if it evoked some unpleasant memories. ¡°Anyway, I know he¡¯s my brother, the one who spent all his money and went through great hardships to save me.¡± Saying this, the girl turned to look at the small house halfway up the mountain and sighed softly, but her eyes were filled with determination. ¡°As long as he¡¯s my brother, that¡¯s enough.¡± The girl¡¯s soft murmur scattered through the woods. The old woman chuckled and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to harm your brother... little girl, why are you reacting so strongly?¡± ¡°By the way, if I remember correctly, he¡¯s not your blood brother, right? No blood relation?¡± ¡°Since you two are so close, why don¡¯t you just marry him? It would be perfect to share your secrets with him. Then you can progress together as husband and wife. Your future prospects will be boundless.¡± The old woman said cheerfully. At these words, the girl¡¯s face turned bright red, and she became embarrassed. ¡°Senior!¡± The girl stamped her foot in shyness and ran off. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡± With her cheeks burning, the girl walked briskly along the mountain path, while the laughter of the old woman echoed in her ears, seemingly very pleased with teasing the young girl¡¯s reaction. However, there was something the old woman didn¡¯t say because she wasn¡¯t entirely sure herself. She had a vague feeling that she saw traces of some ancient demonic technique on Li Muyang. That technique, which was said to have been lost for many years, came from the Black Cloud Village... Thinking of this, the old woman sighed deeply. If the secret about Li Yuechan¡¯s brother really had something to do with Black Cloud Village, that would be extremely dangerous. But she couldn¡¯t be certain it was indeed the demonic technique from Black Cloud Village. It might just be a similar trace of some demonic technique. Logically, the things from Black Cloud Village should no longer exist in the world. That terrifying and eerie village¡¯s best fate would be to remain buried in the river of time and never to reemerge. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 47 ¡°Elder Brother, where are we going today?¡± Xiao Yecao asked curiously, following behind Li Muyang on the stone-paved roads of Black Cloud Village. In the game world, Xiao Yecao had grown from the skinny child she was at the beginning into a young girl. At the age of fourteen, her figure had almost reached Li Muyang¡¯s chest, and although years of living in the village had left her weak from constant bloodletting, she was much better off than the emaciated street child she had been at the start. Under Li Muyang¡¯s careful nurturing, the young girl gained weight and her skin became delicate. Her long ponytail, tied behind her head, swayed as she walked, adding a touch of cuteness. From the outside, Xiao Yecao looked just like any other village girl. The only flaw was her pale skin from constant bloodletting, which made her look lethargic and somewhat wilted. Listening to Xiao Yecao¡¯s curious question, Li Muyang, walking ahead, said, ¡°Granny Gu has asked us to see her. She said she has something to discuss...¡± Li Muyang was also curious about what Granny Gu wanted with him. The progression of this nurturing game was uneventful throughout the second stage. The content consisted of nothing more than feeding her every day and accompanying her all the time, which took up much of Li Muyang¡¯s time. After passing the second stage, the nurturing in the third stage also started without incident, still the daily feeding routine. This repetitive and monotonous routine almost made Li Muyang think that the rest of the game would continue this way. But then, Granny Gu suddenly had something for him. Li Muyang wondered if the peaceful routine was about to be broken? He and Xiao Yecao climbed the stone steps of Black Cloud Village, step by step until they reached the ancestral temple at the top of the village. The old temple looked like a giant skull and somewhat gloomy. Beside it, there is a twisted ancient tree with gnarled branches on the cliff. With a kind smile, Granny Gu sat on the steps in front of the temple, her head wrapped in black cloth that resembled a black halo. She was no different from the other elders in the village, dressed in simple and old clothes and with a kind and gentle smile. Seeing Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao arrive, Granny Gu cheerfully said, ¡°Little Fish, do you have time today? This old woman would like to ask for your help.¡± The mysterious Granny Gu seemed very approachable. As the old woman finished speaking, two options popped up in front of Li Muyang. ¡¾Of course, no problem. Granny Gu, what do you need me to do?¡¿ Li Muyang murmured in confusion. He and Xiao Yecao had been walking along this path formed by the floating oil lamps for a long time, probably for several hundred meters. Could such a small ancestral temple have such a vast interior space? Xiao Yecao nervously looked around while clutching the corner of Li Muyang¡¯s clothes and said cautiously, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this the last time I came to the ancestral temple...¡± There seemed to be a strange presence drifting about in the darkness, and the light from the two rows of oil lamps could not illuminate anything. It was as if something was blocking the light, preventing Li Muyang and the others from even seeing the path beneath their feet. Eventually, the two reached the end of the path marked by the oil lamps and saw a large oil lamp standing in the darkness. Instead of a wick, there sat an old woman, Granny Gu, hunched over and sitting cross-legged. Her smile was warm, her back hunched, her face almost buried in her chest as if her aged spine could no longer support her neck. She wore a strange robe covered in dark green patterns, draped over her like a shroud, covering her entire body except for her wrinkled face. Seeing Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao arrive, Granny Gu¡¯s face revealed a hint of a smile. ¡°Little Fish, do you still remember the promise you made to me back then?¡± ¡°Now, this old woman has come to collect on that promise.¡± The old woman¡¯s words echoed in the darkness. In the endless darkness around, there seemed to be some kind of restlessness stirring, and faintly, it appeared as if countless eerie shadows were moving about. Xiao Yecao, gripped by fear, clutched Li Muyang¡¯s hand and murmured, ¡°Elder Brother...¡± Li Muyang was also somewhat panicked, mainly because the scene in the ancestral temple was too eerie, making it difficult for someone like him who was afraid of ghosts. But after all, it was a game, so Li Muyang tried to look at the old woman with composure and said, ¡°Granny Gu, please tell me.¡± The old woman sitting on the candlestick laughed softly, her voice hoarse as she said, ¡°That Steward Wu in the village, this old woman wants his heart... can you go and dig it out for me?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 48 ¡°...Elder Brother, why does Granny Gu want to kill Steward Wu?¡± Xiao Yecao clung tightly to Li Muyang¡¯s hand in the dark ancestral temple and asked in a very soft voice. At this point, the two had seen the exit of the temple, and through the cracks of the door, they could faintly see the light from outside. Li Muyang had no choice but to accept the old woman¡¯s bizarre request. He had tried to refuse, and after refusing the old woman¡¯s request, the mysterious old woman on the candlestick would let out a low cold laugh. Then, all the light in the darkness would be extinguished instantly, and Li Muyang felt something wet and sticky moving in the darkness and touching him. And then... ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ After refusing the old woman¡¯s request, the game character Jiang Xiaoyu would instantly die. So in reality, Li Muyang only had one choice. After reloading the game and going through the process again, he chose to accept the mysterious Granny Gu¡¯s task this time. Xiao Yecao¡¯s question was also Li Muyang¡¯s question at this moment. He and Xiao Yecao were just small fries without any status in the village. Asking the two of them to kill Steward Wu... wasn¡¯t that just sending them to their doom? If Granny Gu had any grievances against those demonic cultivators outsiders, she could have taken action herself. Why did she insist on having a small fry like Li Muyang do it? Li Muyang was confused but had no choice but to obediently follow through. ¡°Granny Gu must have her own reasons...¡± Li Muyang muttered evasively. This old woman was somewhat terrifying. She seemed kind and friendly, but you would die instantly the moment you refused her. Her ruthless and decisive nature gave Li Muyang a deeper understanding of Black Cloud Village. He had originally thought that among the two factions in the village, Granny Gu¡¯s side was at least friendly. Now he confirmed that neither was good. One side was evil and brutal, the other mysterious and eerie, leaving him and Xiao Yecao caught in the middle. The later stages of this game felt like they were going to be difficult... Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao walked to the entrance of the ancestral temple, and the tightly closed doors opened just in time, with the kindly smiling Granny Gu standing at the entrance saying, ¡°Little Fish, you can go now. Remember what you promised this old woman.¡± The old woman in the sunlight had a kind smile. Yet Xiao Yecao shrank back in fear behind Li Muyang. There was a Granny Gu inside the ancestral temple and yet another one outside... Could there be two Granny Gus? Li Muyang didn¡¯t say much and took Xiao Yecao and left directly. As long as the game was there, he would be able to clear it sooner or later. Taking Xiao Yecao out of Black Cloud Village, Li Muyang arrived in the mountain range behind it. The interior of the mountain was almost empty, with a series of connected caves forming a hidden space. Steward Wu and his group of demonic cultivators usually hid in these caves to cultivate, turning the caves into their dwellings. Steward Wu used to live in the village, but two years ago, the demonic cultivators residing in the village were replaced. It seemed they took turns living in the village. Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao entered the chilly cave, stepped on the damp ground, and met the waiting Steward Wu. Steward Wu, dressed in a blood-red robe, looked impatient. ¡°Where the hell have you been, kid? Why are you so late today?¡± Steward Wu¡¯s gaze was unfriendly. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, a system dialogue box popped up. ¡¾Apologize to Steward Wu and make up a lie to explain why you¡¯re late¡¿ ¡¾Tell the truth, tell Steward Wu you were called away to help Granny Gu¡¿ These two options... Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate to choose the first one. The second one looked like a surefire way to get killed. Telling Steward Wu that he went to Granny Gu¡¯s place, and Granny Gu asked him to kill him... wasn¡¯t that just seeking death? Li Muyang made up a lie to explain why he was late. But Steward Wu¡¯s expression darkened after hearing his explanation. ¡°You clearly went to see Granny Gu, yet you dare not tell me... What bad deed did that old woman ask you to do?!¡± The next second, Steward Wu¡¯s robe swept fiercely and blood splattered. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ Li Muyang, sitting on the ridge in the field, suddenly sat up, somewhat baffled. ¡°F*ck! Died just like that?¡± This third stage really did increase the difficulty by a lot, with a higher death rate than the very first stage. Almost every step feels like a trap. Steward Wu, who was somewhat reasonable in the previous two stages, now kills him without a word. It felt like all the NPCs in Black Cloud Village became more murderous after entering the third stage. Could it be that the conflict between the foreign demonic cultivators and the local villagers had intensified? Curious, Li Muyang closed his eyes and entered the game again. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 49 Under the gloomy sky, Li Muyang sat on the ridge and opened his eyes again. He scratched his head, somewhat speechless. ¡°Died again...¡± Was Steward Wu on a rampage today? No matter which option Li Muyang chose after meeting Steward Wu, he would be violently killed by Steward Wu. After dying several times in a row, Li Muyang was at a loss for words. ¡°Meeting Steward Wu means certain death, but I can¡¯t just not meet him...¡± Logically, interactive games shouldn¡¯t offer no-win options. If there are no-win options, it means that a key choice made earlier must have triggered a death flag. But the third stage of nurturing had just begun, and the game¡¯s storyline hadn¡¯t progressed much, so it was impossible for Li Muyang to have triggered a death flag. ¡°Could the key to breaking the situation be before meeting Steward Wu?¡± Li Muyang loaded his game again, this time reverting to the very beginning before his visit to the ancestral temple to see Granny Gu. After loading the game, Li Muyang encountered Xiao Yecao. ¡°Elder Brother, Granny Gu wants us to see her later,¡± Xiao Yecao informed him. However, Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°No, let¡¯s head straight to the mountains.¡± This time, Li Muyang chose not to meet Granny Gu and instead took Xiao Yecao directly into the mountains, avoiding the ancestral temple storyline. Arriving at the cave on time, Steward Wu did not kill him, but his attitude was as cold as usual. After accompanying Xiao Yecao to have her blood drawn in the cave, Li Muyang took her back towards the village. Suddenly, a cold breeze appeared on the mountain path, and darkness engulfed Li Muyang like a rising tide. That feeling of being touched by a strange creature in the ancestral temple returned. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ The death screen popped up, and Li Muyang opened his eyes on the ridge. ¡°Not meeting Granny Gu results in her killing me directly?¡± Li Muyang scratched his head. ¡°It seems my value isn¡¯t as great as I imagined. If I don¡¯t meet her as agreed, she just slaughters me without giving me a chance to argue.¡± This old woman has quite a murderous streak. Li Muyang closed his eyes and entered the game again. Not seeing Granny Gu meant certain death, and triggering the ancestral temple storyline and meeting Steward Wu led to death. However, after visiting the usual scenes like the alchemy room, pharmacy, and marrow-cleansing pool, Li Muyang still couldn¡¯t find any key clues. In response to his questions, everyone was confused and didn¡¯t understand what Li Muyang was talking about. Fortunately, the lower-level demon cultivators in the cave were all like Li Muyang, natives of Black Cloud Village. They wore ribbons on their hands and followed the Temple Seal Lord in demon cultivation, essentially still being natives of Black Cloud Village and acquaintances of the character ¡®Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯. So although Li Muyang¡¯s behavior of running around was strange, nobody really minded. Some kind-hearted demon cultivators even reminded Li Muyang to quickly take the lost soul to the blood room without delay, warning that Steward Wu had a bad temper and that provoking him could lead to trouble. And sure enough, as people said, Steward Wu appeared soon after. ¡°Jiang Xiaoyu! You don¡¯t bring the lost soul for blood extraction and instead run around the cave... Do you want to rebel?¡± With a gloomy face, Steward Wu suddenly appeared and blocked Li Muyang¡¯s path. Apparently, the news of Li Muyang running around the cave had spread, and Steward Wu had come following the noise. Staring coldly at Li Muyang, Steward Wu said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to work, then don¡¯t bother working ever again!¡± As his voice fell, Steward Wu waved his sleeve, and a blood-red font popped up in front of Li Muyang. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ Li Muyang opened his eyes on the ridge, pondering for a moment. ¡°If there¡¯s no clue to trigger in the cave, could the storyline clue be outside the cave?¡± He loaded his game again, and he wandered around Black Cloud Village instead of entering the cave this time. Li Muyang repeated his previous tactic, chatting with every villager he encountered. There were more villagers in the village, and Li Muyang wandered around for two or three hours but still did not trigger any key clues. Then, two hours later, the cold-eyed Steward Wu arrived. ¡°You dare to be late, boy?¡± Blood splattered in the next second. Li Muyang opened his eyes and loaded the game again. ¡°No clues in the cave, no clues in the village... Could the clue be on the mountain road before entering the cave?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 50 Li Muyang walked with Xiao Yecao on the deserted mountain path, but he did not take the main path after entering the mountain road. Instead, he led Xiao Yecao into the rugged forest. Xiao Yecao was confused. ¡°Elder Brother, where are we going? Aren¡¯t we supposed to go to the blood room and find Steward Wu?¡± From Xiao Yecao¡¯s perspective, the Elder Brother had just agreed to Granny Gu to kill Steward Wu, but he headed straight for the forest after leaving the village... Was he planning to run away? Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°Just follow me for now. Let¡¯s search this forest.¡± There might be some storyline clue in this forest. Steward Wu¡¯s attitude today was so strange, he was incredibly irritable. Since no clues for the plot could be found in the cave or the village, Li Muyang had no choice but to try his luck in the wilderness. Without a game guide, one has to rely on the process of elimination, ruling out the wrong options one by one. The two of them navigated through the rugged and dense mountain forest, straying from the path that led to the cave. However, a faint smell of blood wafted through the air. Xiao Yecao blinked her eyes in surprise and said, ¡°This scent is so familiar... Elder Brother, what¡¯s ahead?¡± The girl¡¯s face was full of curiosity. Elder Brother seemed to know something, for he had taken her straight into the woods after leaving the village. But after she asked her question, Li Muyang didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he kept his head down and continued forward. A system option popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾I smell a strange, fishy scent that feels oddly familiar... Should I go deeper into the woods to check it out? I really want to know what this blood smell is.¡¿ ¡¾The peculiar fishy scent seems to be calling me... But I can¡¯t go, I have to meet Steward Wu, any further delay and Steward Wu will definitely lose his temper.¡¿ Li Muyang was slightly excited by the system options that appeared before him. He had finally found it. This was the plot clue he was looking for! The blood scent was indeed a clue to the plot. Without hesitation, Li Muyang chose the first option and continued to search for the source of the blood scent. However, after wandering around the forest with Xiao Yecao for a long time, they still couldn¡¯t find where it was coming from. The strange blood scent seemed to fill the entire forest. It was everywhere, yet the source was nowhere to be found. Li Muyang was getting a headache. The blood scent was clearly a plot clue, but he couldn¡¯t trigger the subsequent events without finding its source. At that moment, the gloomy figure of Steward Wu appeared in the woods. The old tile house was enclosed on all sides with no glass windows, dark and cold inside. Li Muyang didn¡¯t like staying in such an old house. He found them oppressive and stifling. So he preferred to be outdoors while playing games. But after hearing Li Muyang¡¯s words, Li Yuechan shook her head. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to sleep anywhere tomorrow, brother. It seems you¡¯ve forgotten that tomorrow is the day of the sect¡¯s grand selection. All new Outer Sect disciples must participate in the selection to determine their qualifications.¡± ¡°We have to go out tomorrow.¡± Li Yuechan reminded him of this event. It was a big deal for the entire Outer Sect, so perhaps only Li Muyang had forgotten it. With the sect¡¯s grand selection approaching, countless new Outer Sect disciples couldn¡¯t sleep at night, tossing and turning with anxiety. Even Li Yuechan, someone who already has guidance from a senior, still aspires to enter the Inner Sect. She wasn¡¯t lacking in strong guidance, but entering the Inner Sect would mean a completely different status and identity, which would benefit uncle and aunt far away in Jiuyuan City. As the saying goes, ¡°When one person gains the Tao, even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.¡± (TLN: When one member of a family achieves success/rises in status, it benefits not just themselves but also those around them.) Li Yuechan hoped that uncle and aunt could have a better life. However, Li Muyang didn¡¯t care at all about the sect¡¯s grand selection. Seeing the nervousness in his little sister¡¯s eyes, Li Muyang hesitated for a moment but decided to remind her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much about the sect¡¯s grand selection. I¡¯ve already asked around, and the chances of us new disciples being promoted directly to the Inner Sect based on talent and aptitude are... very slim.¡± The majority of Outer Sect disciples have only one way to be promoted to the Inner Sect, which is to reach the Qi Refining Realm Ninth Layer within ten years. Only then are they qualified to become disciples of the Inner Sect. If this time limit is exceeded, the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Inner Sect will not accept them even if one¡¯s cultivation level is sufficient. Because those who cannot reach the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm within ten years are generally considered to have poor aptitude. The fate of those disciples is either to find a way to stay in the Outer Sect as a steward or to return to their hometown to become a minor official. Tomorrow¡¯s sect grand selection is essentially just a formality, a spectacle to watch. It¡¯s mainly for the Inner Sect disciples of the Demon Refining Sect to show off their strength to these rural Outer Sect servants, giving them something to look forward to. They also want to take this opportunity to warn these newcomers to be careful and not to mess around on Demonic Sect¡¯s turf. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 51 ¡°Root bone... three segments!¡± ¡°Talent: ordinary grade!¡± The tester announced loudly, his voice carrying far across the crowd. Li Muyang, who had just finished his aptitude test, turned around expressionlessly and showed no reaction. Whispers began to spread among the crowd. ¡°Ah? Only a three-segment root bone... Such an ordinary talent, how did he manage to reach Qi Refining Realm Third Layer in two months?¡± ¡°I heard he reached Qi Refining Realm Third Layer in three months, I thought he had at least a low-grade talent... Turns out it¡¯s just ordinary, how strange.¡± The murmurs in the crowd were all discussing Li Muyang¡¯s aptitude test results. Clearly, the outcome was unexpected for these Outer Sect disciples. Li Muyang stepped down from the platform, brushing past the next Outer Sect disciple waiting to be tested. For some reason, Li Muyang felt a strong sense of deja vu, as if he had seen this scene somewhere before as he looked at the pointing and discussing crowd below. His younger sister, Li Yuechan, appeared beside him. The girl said obediently, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t mind what those people are saying. They¡¯re just jealous of your cultivation speed.¡± She comforted Li Muyang with a caring heart. Li Muyang chuckled and shook his head, ¡°I wasn¡¯t really bothered to begin with.¡± In the first place, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that all new Outer Sect disciples had to participate in this sect-wide selection, Li Muyang wouldn¡¯t have bothered wasting his time here. The scene of the sect-wide selection was bustling with people. Not only were new Outer Sect disciples from the past two years participating in the tests but also a few who had reached Qi Refining Realm Ninth Layer were there for the Inner Sect assessment, along with many others who had come to watch the excitement. Life in the Outer Sect was frugal and the environment extremely closed off, so whenever there was a bit of fun and excitement, these Outer Sect disciples would flock to it. Li Muyang and Li Yuechan made their way through the crowd and saw an Outer Sect disciple in charge of another aptitude testing platform with a look of surprise. ¡°Root bone... eight segments!¡± ¡°Jiuyuan City¡¯s Ning Wan¡¯er, high-grade talent!¡± The tester¡¯s surprised shout immediately caused a wave of gasps. ¡°An eight-segment root bone... high-grade talent! Who is this Ning Wan¡¯er from Jiuyuan City?¡± ¡°Such terrifying talent, this kind of aptitude can definitely go straight to the Inner Sect!¡± ¡°Although the specifics are unknown, anything that alarms the sect master of the Demon Refining Sect... is definitely not trivial.¡± ¡°For safety¡¯s sake, it¡¯s best for you to avoid this sect-wide selection and focus on cultivating in the Outer Sect.¡± ¡°Although the resources in the Outer Sect are inferior, with my help, your progress won¡¯t be much slower. In the worst case, once you enter the Inner Sect, you¡¯ll be stuck in the mire and unable to extricate yourself.¡± Li Yuechan took senior¡¯s advice to heart. In the crowd, Li Muyang and his sister left while chatting and laughing. Meanwhile, on the platform, Ning Wan¡¯er had become the center of attention due to her high talent. Several Inner Sect disciples quickly approached her, all showing her warm and friendly smiles. ¡°Junior Sister Ning, your talent is so strong. With such a root bone, you will surely enter the Inner Sect directly.¡± ¡°Indeed, with such talent, you might even have the chance to be favored by the elders and become a direct disciple.¡± These Inner Sect disciples, who were originally arrogant and disdainful, were not deigning to speak to the ¡®mud-legged¡¯ Outer Sect disciples and had shown off their cultivation strength upon arrival. After the sect-wide selection began, these Inner Sect disciples simply walked away, watching from the sidelines with impatient eyes. However, now that Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s terrifying talent had made a splash, these originally aloof Inner Sect disciples were all approaching her with warm smiles, eager to chat. Some enthusiastically explained the inner sect rules to her, and others informed her about the cultivation levels of the various elders, all appearing to be good samaritans. Surrounded by the crowd, Ning Wan¡¯er responded politely and modestly to these Inner Sect disciples with varying intentions, but her gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift outside the crowd. There, the Li family siblings were making their way out. While everyone was flocking towards her to admire and watch the excitement, those two siblings going against the crowd stood out conspicuously. To her terrifying talent, those siblings... especially that young master of the Li family, seemed completely indifferent. He was talking casually with his sister, not only indifferent to her, someone he used to admire, but even her formidable talent couldn¡¯t make him stop and take notice. The young master of the Li family, who used to always hover around her and causing her to feel somewhat annoyed, was now so distant and indifferent. This feeling of being overlooked made Ning Wan¡¯er slightly irked. Tsk... this Li Muyang. Although I know he probably isn¡¯t playing hard to get, it still... irks me! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 52 Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s little mood swings are, of course, unbeknownst to Li Muyang. For him, participating in the sect¡¯s grand selection was just an excuse to get out of the house after being cooped up for too long. Now that the test results are out, he¡¯s content to go back home, back to his little tiled house to play games. Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s talent is astonishing, suddenly drawing the gaze of countless curious onlookers. Unsurprisingly, she was directly promoted to the Inner Sect, taking her belongings with her on the very same day and leaving with an Inner Sect disciple to guide her. This Miss Ning from Jiuyuan City will directly enter the gates of the Demon Refining Sect and become an Inner Sect disciple. As for whether she will have the chance to catch the eye of an elder and become a direct disciple, that¡¯s a story for another time. At least Li Muyang has no idea. After all, there¡¯s a thick barrier between the Demonic Sect¡¯s Inner Sect and Outer Sect. It¡¯s difficult for Outer Sect disciples to get news about the Inner Sect. To them, the real Inner Sect is shrouded in a veil of mystery. After the grand selection of the sect, Li Muyang¡¯s life once again settled down, returning to a peaceful and regular routine. He waters the spiritual field every day, farms, and plays games in his spare time. His younger sister, Li Yuechan, who isn¡¯t related by blood, brings vegetables on time every day to feed him, and every three to five days, she helps him wash the pile of dirty clothes. Li Muyang¡¯s little tiled house is much cleaner than usual. After two months of farming, his spiritual field finally matured, and he harvested spiritual rice for the first time. When it was time to harvest the spiritual rice, Guan Xiaoshun even came over to help. This simple youth from the border town taught Li Muyang the best way to harvest. Many of the skills and abilities of a Spiritual Planter are not found in the secret manuals distributed by the sect. They must be discovered through personal exploration. And this simple youth passed on all his excellent Spiritual Planter skills to Li Muyang. However, Li Muyang¡¯s approach to watering and farming has always been perfunctory, only doing the most basic watering twice a day and rarely dealing with the weeds in the field. The growth of the spiritual rice in his field is nowhere near as good as Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s spiritual field, and it could even be described as poor. The spiritual rice harvested from the two fields is all of the lowest quality, low-grade spiritual rice, and the yield is also far below the average standard. Guan Xiaoshun was speechless and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Brother Li, you really need to take better care of your spiritual field...¡± In Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s view, Li Muyang¡¯s half-hearted farming methods were simply a waste of the spiritual field. Li Muyang just grinned and said he heard him and would definitely improve in the future. But after the rice was harvested and it was time to plant the second round of spiritual rice, Li Muyang was still slacking off. Ten days have passed since the sect¡¯s grand selection. Now, all the Outer Sect disciples have calmed down, doing their various chores every day. After all, there aren¡¯t many activities in the second half of the year, and life is rather dull. And after the only opportunity for advancement provided by the grand selection has passed, the remaining days seem quite predictable. It looked ordinary, but the amount of spiritual energy contained within was even higher than many high-grade spiritual rice in Yunxiao City. Even among high-grade spiritual rice, it was definitely of the highest quality. And that nameless senior had given him at least ten jin of high-grade spiritual rice... The youth from the border town fell silent for a moment, then suddenly let go of the knife in his hand and bowed deeply to the rice bin. ¡°Guan Xiaoshun will remember the great kindness of the senior!¡± No matter who the person was, since such a precious gift was given, he would remember this kindness. But to ask him to not forget his original intention and to do more good deeds... Guan Xiaoshun was somewhat puzzled in his heart. Could it be that this old senior is someone from the path of immortality? This way of speaking, he must be a high-ranking figure in the path of immortality, right? Did I inadvertently receive a favor from a high-ranking immortal? Guan Xiaoshun looked puzzled. At the same time, within the Outer Sect gathering area, a shadow flashed by in an instant under the moonlight. His light yet eerie movements were astonishingly fast, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the outskirts of the town and disappeared into the forest. In the vast settlement, none of the Outer Sect disciples noticed this uninvited guest¡¯s departure. Only after traveling a great distance did Li Muyang stop in the shadows. He looked back at the lights below and let out a sigh of relief. He owed Guan Xiaoshun too many favors and had always wanted to repay them. But now, he was outwardly penniless, and high-grade spiritual rice was something he couldn¡¯t expose. After much deliberation, Li Muyang chose to secretly send Guan Xiaoshun some high-grade spiritual rice under an assumed name. Ten jin of high-grade spiritual rice would be enough for the kid for a long time, especially since ordinary people didn¡¯t have Li Muyang¡¯s enormous appetite. After delivering the spiritual rice, Li Muyang took a long breath of relief and returned to his small tile-roofed house. With Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s matter settled and the favor repaid, Li Muyang felt a weight lifted off his chest and a sense of relief throughout his body. Now he could finally immerse himself fully in the game. In the darkness, Li Muyang closed his eyes and activated the system. However, tonight¡¯s game system presented a new interface. ¡¾New game detected¡ª¡ªThree Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡¿ ¡¾Load game?¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 53 Li Muyang blinked in surprise at the new game interface that popped up in his vision. Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record? What the heck... He had been trying to clear the game ¡¾Deadly Weed¡¿, but the difficulty of the third stage far exceeded his expectations. Black Cloud Village, which had been peaceful for several years during the second stage, suddenly became fraught with danger in the third stage. ¡®Jiang Xiaoyu,¡¯ the game character, frequently died hundreds of times in just a few days. The game¡¯s plot had barely advanced and completely stuck at a bottleneck. The frustration of constant failure swept over Li Muyang, and he almost doubted whether the game was unbeatable. After all, it was a game without any guarantees, and it was normal for it to have bugs. Li Muyang was ready to accept that the game might be impossible to clear. But at that moment, a new system prompt suddenly appeared. The system had detected a new game template? So the system could load multiple games at the same time? That made sense. After all, no game console could only download and play one game at a time¡ª¡ªwasn¡¯t it common knowledge that there were a bunch of discounted games gathering dust in the Steam store? Since the plot in Black Cloud Village wasn¡¯t advancing, and now that the system had detected a new game, Li Muyang chose to load it, wanting to see what this new game was all about. As Li Muyang confirmed his choice, the system interface in his vision immediately returned to that vast landscape painting. Within the painting-like expanse of heaven and earth, mountains and rivers, scattered stars, amidst which stood stunning fairy figures shrouded in mist. A loading progress bar stretched across the middle of this landscape painting. ¡¾Game template loading¡ª¡ªThree Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡¿ ¡¾Loading progress: 34%¡¿ As the progress bar extended, the number continued to rise. It quickly broke through 100%. ¡¾Limited-time game¡ª¡ªThree Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record loaded successfully!¡¿ ¡¾Game¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡·available for play¡¿ With this prompt, the system interface in Li Muyang¡¯s vision also displayed a game list similar to the Steam store. In the game list in the upper left corner, it was now somewhat sparse. ¡¶Beginner Tutorial¡ª¡ªThe Mystery of Loushan City¡·(Closed) A gentle breeze swept through, and as bamboo leaves fluttered to the ground, an elderly man with white hair and a crane-like stature stood within the bamboo forest, laughing with ease. ¡°Zhang Jue, this man, has great ambition but limited talent. Mediocre in ability yet harboring aspirations for the world, he dared to undertake the futile act of trying to shake the Han dynasty with the equivalent of an egg striking a stone, only to die in vain.¡± ¡°All his efforts were merely paving the way for others, dressing them for their wedding day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that your scroll of ¡®Taiping Essential Arts¡¯ was wasted on such a mediocrity... such a waste... such a pity...¡± The crane-like elder exuded an elegant demeanor as if he were a celestial being among mortals. In the next second, the perspective shifted to another person in the bamboo forest. Dressed in green, he sat among the bamboo while holding a bamboo staff, his age indiscernible¡ªseeming both young and ancient, giving off an extremely contradictory feeling. Facing the chuckling elder, this person spoke with a calm tone. ¡°I am bound for Luoyang to appease the souls of the Yellow Turban rebels. Fellow Daoist, there¡¯s no need to persuade me further. My mind is made up.¡± As his voice faded, the elder in the bamboo forest sighed and said, ¡°Nanhua, why must you do this? Zhang Jue is but a common man, a mundane figure. Why risk danger for him? The dragon vein of the Han dynasty is not yet severed, and within Luoyang City, the imperial dragon qi suppresses all. For us, who stand outside the affairs of the world, to step into a place dominated by the imperial dragon qi is fraught with peril.¡± The elder sighed as he tried to persuade. The mysterious figure known as ¡°Nanhua¡± simply shook his head slowly and tapped his bamboo staff lightly, saying, ¡°I will abandon my physical body and choose a corpse in Luoyang City to be reborn in to avoid the imperial dragon qi.¡± ¡°Farewell, fellow Daoist Yuan Fang!¡± In Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision, the mysterious person raised his hand holding the bamboo staff and bid farewell to the elder in front of him. In the next second, darkness enveloped everything, and Li Muyang saw a system prompt pop up. ¡¾Game Scene¨C¡°Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡± has been entered¡¿ As the system prompt disappeared, the darkness in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision receded. However, when the darkness lifted, the scene in his view was no longer the bamboo forest but a cold, dirty alley. Lying in the alley was a motionless young man, seemingly a corpse. And Li Muyang¡¯s perspective was that of an overhead, god-like third-person perspective. With a thought, he saw a wisp of blue smoke drift from afar and settle into the young man¡¯s body. Immediately after, the young man¡¯s body stood up. ¡¾Immortal Nanhua: I shall temporarily borrow this young man¡¯s corpse to walk among the living and settle the restless spirits in the city...¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 54 As Immortal Nanhua¡¯s words appeared, Li Muyang¡¯s view suddenly rose, overlooking the entire Luoyang City. The bustling Luoyang City was now dotted with game characters, each with their own ID overhead. ¡¾Cao Cao¡¿¡¾Yuan Shao¡¿¡¾Grand General He Jin¡¿¡¾L These characters with IDs were strikingly conspicuous among the crowd, each enveloped in a dark red mist, exuding the aura of a boss. And in the imperial palace at the very center of Luoyang City, stood a figure draped in imperial robes, representing supreme power¡ª¡ªEmperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong. He sat at the banquet with a cheerful smile, enjoying the song and dance below. Yet, the dark red mist around him was the thickest, looking overwhelmingly oppressive. This sudden elevation to a god-like perspective made Li Muyang instantly understand. ¡°...So the final boss is Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong?¡± Defeat Liu Hong to clear the game? But when Li Muyang tried to enter the perspective of a game character, he found he couldn¡¯t. He remained at the god-like overhead angle and did not enter the body of a game character. Previously, the tutorial and Xiao Yecao were immersive experiences, but this time it was third-person... Li Muyang tried to control the movements of the young man in the alley. The young man walked out of the alley, and character dialogue appeared in the view. ¡¾Immortal Nanhua: To avoid the imperial dragon qi, I have borrowed this corpse to reincarnate here. Time is short. I must quickly pacify the spirits in the city¡¿ As soon as Immortal Nanhua finished speaking, several figures suddenly walked towards the alley from outside. They were dressed in ordinary civilian clothes, but they looked more like thugs. Seeing the young man, the three thugs approached with a sneer. ¡¾Thug: Kid, do you have any money on you? Lend it to us brothers to spend?¡¿ As the words fell, a system prompt appeared. ¡¾Fight/Escape¡¿ This binary system option immediately led Li Muyang to guess the game¡¯s control mode. As he chose to fight, the scene suddenly changed in his view. Immortal Nanhua stood in the lower left corner of the view, while the three thugs stood in the upper right corner, with an action bar in the center and skills beside it... ¡°F*ck! It¡¯s a turn-based game, huh?¡± This game mode of ¡°Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡± was also considered a classic. Games like ¡°The Legend of Sword and Fairy¡± and ¡°Fantasy Westward Journey¡± all started with this mode. Li Muyang was naturally not surprised by this game mode. After quickly familiarizing himself with the skills, Li Muyang easily used two abilities to defeat the three thugs. What the hell... The difference in combat power is too huge! He watched the trio take turns, one sword, and one blade at a time, chopping Immortal Nanhua to death in front of the tea stall. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, the classic interface of the turn-based game popped up. ¡¾Failed in Battle¡¿ ¡¾Victory or defeat is a common occurrence in warfare. Immortal, please try again¡¿ ¡°...These three brothers are quite fierce,¡± Li Muyang reloaded the game, returning to the moment just after he left the alley. But this time, he didn¡¯t go looking for the Liu Guan Zhang trio. These three brothers looked like commoners, without any impressive equipment, yet their combat power was so fierce. They truly lived up to the name of Liu Guan Zhang. However, after this defeat, he also noticed the game¡¯s division of NPC strengths and weaknesses. Among the Liu Guan Zhang trio, Liu Bei had the least amount of red mist and resentment around him, and the damage he dealt was the lowest. Clearly, in this game, the strength of NPCs is directly proportional to the amount of resentment they carry. The more resentment they are wrapped in, the stronger they are. Li Muyang, controlling Immortal Nanhua, walked to the other side of the street, avoiding the Liu Guan Zhang trio and also avoiding ¡¾Cao Cao¡¿ who was riding a tall horse passing by. Eventually, he saw a general on the roadside with very little resentment. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to check the name. With such little resentment, it was clear this wasn¡¯t any well-known tough character. Li Muyang directly controlled Immortal Nanhua to attack, and sure enough, after entering the battle interface, he easily defeated the general along with his two retainers. ¡¾Immortal Nanhua: LV2¡úLV3¡¿ ¡¾Learned Skill: Sword Control Technique¡¿ Looking at the system settlement interface¡¯s leveling system, Li Muyang let out a sigh of relief. Good, as expected, the less resentment an NPC has, the weaker their combat power. He had found the leveling route. It was just that after these three NPCs were defeated, they disappeared without a trace as if they had never appeared. This made Li Muyang somewhat mutter to himself. ¨CIs this game¡¯s level of harmony a bit too high? Not even corpses can appear? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 55 Inside Luoyang City, Li Muyang controlled Immortal Nanhua to continuously search for generals wrapped in resentment and challenge them. At first, he specifically sought out generals with little resentment to challenge, avoiding those well-known and powerful generals. Gradually, as his level increased, Li Muyang could also discern the difference in strength between the two sides at a glance. He began to challenge generals whose strength was not too different from his own, and even if he occasionally messed up, having the save-and-load trick was not a big problem. Finally, he methodically leveled up to LV50 and was qualified to challenge those well-known generals. Looking at ¡¾Yuan Shao¡¿ riding a tall horse through the streets ahead, Li Muyang controlled Immortal Nanhua to step forward and challenge. After a battle, Li Muyang successfully defeated Yuan Shao, and his level increased. ¡¾Yuan Shao Defeated¡¿ ¡¾Experience Points Gained X399¡¿ ¡¾Liyang Sword Obtained¡¿ ¡¾Resentful Spirit Orb X1¡¿ ¡¾Immortal Nanhua LV50¡úLV51¡¿ The settlement interface that popped up in his view surprised Li Muyang a bit. In addition to experience points, he also got a purple weapon ¡¾Liyang Sword¡¿, an unexpected joy. But what was this ¡¾Resentful Spirit Orb¡¿? Li Muyang opened his inventory and found that the Resentful Spirit Orb could not be used, sold, or destroyed. Inside the light green translucent sphere, there was a faint white mist moving around. ¡¾Immortal Nanhua: Finally got a Resentful Spirit Orb... I need to collect enough Resentful Spirit Orbs to quell the resentment in the city¡¿ Seeing the game protagonist¡¯s voice text, Li Muyang suddenly understood. It was a quest item. Killing a well-known elite monster like Yuan Shao could also drop quest items? He controlled Immortal Nanhua to continue searching for the next general. But at that moment, a mysterious fairy suddenly appeared on the street ahead. ¨CYes, a mysterious fairy. She was shrouded in a faint mist, her face unclear, but the health bar above her head with the words ¡¾Mysterious Fairy¡¿ was very conspicuous. ¡¾Mysterious Fairy: Who art thou? Darest thou trespass into this den of dragons and pit of tigers?¡¿ Li Muyang used the god¡¯s-eye view, constantly adjusting the viewing angle, trying to see through the mist to the fairy¡¯s true form. Although he couldn¡¯t see clearly through the mist, he had a feeling that she was a beautiful girl. True to the name of the game ¡¾Game With the Fairies¡¿, the system really stayed true to its core, huh? At first, he thought this ¡¾Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡¿ was purely about leveling up through monster slaying. He didn¡¯t expect a fairy to pop up so soon. Unfortunately, despite adjusting the angle for a long time and controlling Immortal Nanhua to walk around the mysterious fairy, he still couldn¡¯t see the fairy¡¯s true form through the mist. ? Instead, a question mark appeared above the head of the mysterious fairy. But she still didn¡¯t welcome Li Muyang. ¡¾Mysterious fairy: The evil spirits within the city have all been quelled by me; there is no need for thy comfort.¡¿ As her voice fell, the fairy in the mist waved her hand gently. The young man on the street collapsed limply, and a wisp of green smoke drifted out of his body, uncontrollably floating away. ¡¾You have been expelled from Luoyang City. Game over¡¿ ¡¾Victory or defeat is a common occurrence in warfare. Immortal, please try again¡¿ ¡°This dragon deity fairy is quite formidable, she can eliminate me without even entering the battle phase in a turn-based combat game.¡± Li Muyang reloaded the game again, and this time when he encountered the mysterious fairy, he didn¡¯t choose to talk but instead immediately ran away. Fortunately, this option seemed to be the correct one. The figure of Immortal Nanhua stepped out on the street and disappeared a hundred zhang away. The game scene switched directly. With the divine power to shrink the ground to an inch, Immortal Nanhua easily shook off the mysterious fairy. And at the tea stand ahead, the Liu Guan Zhang trio were sitting. ¡°...I really don¡¯t know why we brothers are working ourselves to death for nothing.¡± The burly Zhang Fei with a full beard complained to his elder brother. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. Why were these three brothers always sitting there? And even their voices hadn¡¯t changed. Was this game so rudimentary and crude? NPCs only stayed in fixed places... Li Muyang passed by the Liu Guan Zhang trio without challenging them again. The resentment on these three brothers was almost solidifying, even more terrifying than that of ¡¾Grand General He Jin¡¿. Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to waste time reloading. He passed the Liu Guan Zhang trio and came to the gate of a mansion, where he found ¡¾Yan Liang¡¿¡¾Wen Chou¡¿. ¡°White horse? I¡¯ll make sure he never returns!¡± It was unclear why these two brothers would say this line. It seemed to have nothing to do with them. But it didn¡¯t matter. Li Muyang controlled Immortal Nanhua to approach and challenge them, successfully defeating the Yan Liang and Wen Chou brothers. While leveling up, Li Muyang obtained two ¡¾Resentful Spirit Orb¡¿. But after defeating Yan Liang and Wen Chou, the mysterious fairy appeared silently. ¡¾Mysterious fairy: Who art thou? Why dost thou wreak havoc within the city?¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 56 Seeing the mysterious fairy appear, this time Li Muyang turned and ran, not wanting to waste words with this madwoman. The previous twenty or thirty failures had already proven that this dragon deity fairy was beyond communication. The mysterious fairy¡¯s pursuit was probably part of the game¡¯s content. Li Muyang had to avoid her pursuit while collecting the Resentful Spirit Orbs in the city. Occasionally, he was instantly killed by the mysterious fairy because he ran too slowly. Even though he met with some brutal deaths, thanks to the save feature, Li Muyang could immediately come back to life and continue his progress in the game. Finally, after relentless pursuit by a mysterious fairy, Li Muyang managed to level up to LV79, and he had collected 69 Resentful Spirit Orbs in his inventory. The higher the level of the NPC, the more orbs they would drop. At this point, the orbs in his backpack shone brightly, looking very neat and pleasing to the eye, a true blessing for anyone with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Li Muyang yawned tiredly, feeling his eyes swell. He temporarily closed the game system and checked the sky outside. Goodness, it was almost dawn outside. Did I accidentally play through the night? Rubbing his eyes, Li Muyang got out of bed and stretched. Despite the rough details and the simplistic combat mode of this Three Kingdoms game, for some reason, it was inexplicably addictive. Mainly because the leveling up was too straightforward and easy, with low difficulty in defeating monsters, giving a full sense of positive feedback. Watching the levels soar provided an indescribable thrill. Moreover, the system provided rewards for completing the game, which made it even more exciting. Li Muyang got up, splashed his face with some cold water, and then lay back down on the bed to continue grinding. At LV79, he must be close to finishing the game, right? He planned to complete the game before going to water the spiritual field. Although he had been gaming all night, he still felt quite spirited. After all, he was a Qi Refining Realm Seventh Layer cultivator, soon to reach the Eighth Layer. A cultivator at the Qi Refining Realm Seventh Layer had undergone seven refinements of the body, making them much stronger than ordinary people. Li Muyang felt he could stay awake and energetic for three days and nights. Li Muyang didn¡¯t explain and directly controlled Nanhua to walk toward the horde of evil spirits. The young man in the hall faced the dense swarm of spirits, his hands continuously casting light. The Resentful Spirit Orbs he had collected turned into beams of light, falling among the evil spirits. The spirits touched by the light rapidly lost their resentful energy, their expressions gradually clearing and calming down. The mysterious fairy, seeing this, was somewhat astonished. ¡¾Mysterious Fairy: How did you accomplish this...?¡¿ But there were simply too many evil spirits. As they kept pouring out from the ground, Li Muyang exhausted all his Resentful Spirit Orbs, yet more and more spirits emerged from the cracks. The mysterious fairy sighed. ¡¾Mysterious Fairy: So, you came to aid me... What a pity...¡¿ The next second, the barrier the mysterious fairy was supporting shattered. Countless ferocious spirits burst forth from behind the barrier, engulfing the two people in the hall. ¡¾The spirits have broken free, and living beings are in despair... You tried your best, but it was still not enough.¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to continue the game?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ Staring at the game over screen, Li Muyang scratched his head. ¡°The Resentful Spirit Orbs I collected weren¡¯t enough to get through the final challenge, huh...¡± If that was the case, he would have to start over. After all, this game would automatically enter the final chapter of the spirits breaking free after a certain time. Because he was unfamiliar with the map and spent too much time on the road and finding people, he only reached LV79 before the final chapter. All previous saves were now useless. To be safe, he had to start from the beginning, aiming straight for the target and collecting enough Resentful Spirit Orbs at the fastest speed to clear the game. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 57 Entering the game¡¯s main page again, this time Li Muyang chose to start from the beginning. He loaded the save where the man woke up in the alley and brutally took care of three doomed thugs right at the start, completing the tutorial level, and then headed straight for the outside of the alley. The previous save took too much time to navigate, resulting in a too-low level when the legion of ghosts emerged, making it impossible to clear the level. This time, Li Muyang headed straight for the target from the start. After all, the NPCs in this city always stay in one place and never wander around. The originally rough game details now conveniently served Li Muyang. He ran quickly through the city, guided by memory, constantly seeking out and defeating NPCs of equal strength to gain experience points. Those scattered and insignificant enemy leaders throughout Luoyang City were now being found and defeated one by one by Li Muyang. His level was rapidly increasing. Finally, after defeating the last insignificant NPC and reaching level 50, Li Muyang began to challenge the more renowned leaders. He followed the route and found the NPC closest to him, ¡¾Prefect of Julu, Guo Dian¡¿. This was a minor character, and Li Muyang hadn¡¯t even heard of his name before. But his combat power was roughly on par with a young Yuan Shao. Li Muyang stepped forward to challenge and defeated Prefect Guo Dian, leveling up to 51 and obtaining a Resentful Spirit Orb. After breaking through to level 51 and acquiring his first Resentful Spirit Orb, a mysterious fairy shrouded in fog appeared as expected. ¡¾Mysterious fairy: Who art thou? Darest thou trespass into this den of dragons and pit of tigers?¡¿ Seeing the mysterious fairy appear, Li Muyang didn¡¯t say a word and immediately took off. He used his ability to shrink the ground beneath his feet and escaped in an instant. After fleeing from the dragon deity fairy, Li Muyang found the next NPC of equal strength and initiated a challenge. At level 50, he could take on those minor characters with names and titles. At level 70, he could fight second-tier characters with some strength, like Gongsun Zan. As for Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Grand General He Jin, those first-tier characters with almost tangible resentment, Li Muyang estimated he¡¯d need to be level 85 or even 90 to stand a chance. Using his ability to traverse distances quickly, he ran amok in the city, continuously seeking out NPCs of equal strength to challenge. Each time he defeated an NPC leader, the fog-enshrouded mysterious fairy would arrive on time. Occasionally, if Li Muyang was too slow, he would be instantly killed by the suddenly appearing mysterious fairy. However, with the save point, as long as he could reload in time, Li Muyang could still continue with the game¡¯s progress. This gameplay of fleeing from a dangerous boss while fighting others was somewhat reminiscent of the Temple Run game he had played before. The dragon deity fairy, this madwoman, was the ¡®monster¡¯ chasing after Li Muyang. ¡¾Mysterious Fairy: I am grateful for your assistance.¡¿ The always aloof and expressionless mysterious fairy finally showed kindness to Li Muyang. She dispersed the fog around her and gave Li Muyang a slight bow with a cold expression. This simple motion nearly pulled Li Muyang¡¯s gaze away entirely. ¨CIndeed, the greater the mass, the stronger the gravitational pull! My physics teacher did not deceive me! As Li Muyang¡¯s game clearance ended, the system popped up the settlement interface. ¡¾You helped the mysterious fairy suppress the resentful spirits in the city and preventing an impending disaster¡¿ ¡¾Although a temporary suppression cannot eliminate the resentment of the spirits¡¿ ¡¾But it¡¯s better to quench thirst with poison than to let all living beings suffer...¡¿ ¡¾Game¨C¡® Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡¯ has been cleared¡¿ ¡¾Mysterious fairy: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Resentful Ghosts: Unappeased¡¿ ¡¾Clearance Rating: E (Passable)¡¿ ¡¾With your powerful supernatural abilities and swift actions, you managed to save the mysterious fairy before the situation deteriorated, helping her suppress the resentful spirits and earning a bit of goodwill from the mysterious fairy. However, the resentment of the ghosts in the city remains unabated, and the disaster has merely been postponed for some time.¡¿ ¡¾You can now claim your completion reward. Would you like to claim your completion reward?¡¿ ¡¾Current selectable rewards (choose one)¡¿ ¡¾ Increase in cultivation realm by +1 (Qi Refining Seventh Layer ¡ú Qi Refining Eighth Layer)¡¿ ¡¾Random mortal-grade magical artifact x1¡¿ ¡¾Please note, host, that after claiming the reward, this game entry will close and cannot be entered again.¡¿ ¡°Goodness, the completion rating is terrible. Not only has the reward become a choice between two, but even the reward itself has turned to rubbish.¡± Flying swords are among the most powerful and cost-effective magical artifacts, and even the worst reward from previous completions was a mortal-grade flying sword. And now it¡¯s just a random magical artifact x1... If it turns out to be some trash artifact, it wouldn¡¯t even compare to a flying sword. Li Muyang opened his eyes and sighed. ¡°It seems that, like the mystery of Loushan City, you need to achieve a perfect score to get high-value rewards.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 58 With such rubbish rewards, Li Muyang naturally wouldn¡¯t claim them. But to achieve a better score, what should he do? Li Muyang frowned and pondered, his gaze filled with confusion. This time, he had already moved as fast as he could, hardly wasting any time on the road. Yet, in the end, he only reached LV89, not to mention facing Emperor Ling of Han Liu Hong, even top-tier NPCs like Liu Guan Zhang and Grand General He Jin were beyond his reach. The final chapter came so abruptly. This game, unlike the mystery of Loushan City, has a fixed time limit for the revival of the evil spirits. The better Li Muyang performs within this fixed time limit, the higher the completion score. But just grinding and leveling up, this save file is already Li Muyang¡¯s limit. Even if he could grind and level up more proficiently in the next save, it wouldn¡¯t significantly improve the completion score. Because the later NPCs take longer to battle. Even if Li Muyang¡¯s feet were smoking from speed, he couldn¡¯t possibly defeat all the NPCs before the revival of the evil spirits. ¡°It seems that to perfectly complete this game, just grinding and leveling up won¡¯t cut it. There must be another trick?¡± Li Muyang thought. The game¡¯s content is very rough and simple. It doesn¡¯t even have the mazes commonly found in single-player games. In Luoyang City, there are only two types of NPCs: various famous figures from the Three Kingdoms era, who Li Muyang slaughters, and the dragon deity fairy. In the game, aside from grinding and leveling up, Li Muyang¡¯s only other activity was avoiding the dragon fairy. But now it seems... ¡°Could it be that the dragon fairy might be a friendly NPC, and I can get her help?¡± The route of fleeing from the dragon fairy has already proven to be ineffective. So that leaves only one other route¡ªconquering the dragon deity fairy and getting her help! Li Muyang, combining the information from the instance, made such an inference. Otherwise, there are no other routes in this game. He was about to enter the game to verify his guess when suddenly the voice of his little sister Li Yuechan rang out from outside. ¡°Brother? Didn¡¯t you water the spiritual field today?¡± The girl¡¯s voice was full of confusion. Li Muyang opened his eyes again, got up, and opened the door, only to see that it was already sunset outside, with the evening glow filling the sky. He had stayed up all night, and now he had played the whole day... Hmm... Looking at it this way, the time limit for the revival of the evil spirits in Luoyang City is probably about 12 hours in reality? Li Muyang pondered in his heart, looking at his little sister Li Yuechan, who was full of curiosity, and he sighed. He started with a triple threat of intimidation. ¡¾Nanhua Immortal: If these city¡¯s resentful spirits wreak havoc upon the world, who knows how many innocent people will die by the hands of evil spirits, and countless lives will be ruined.¡¿ ¡¾Nanhua Immortal: Faced with such a dire disaster, does the dragon fairy truly not care?¡¿ With the save file at hand, Li Muyang completely let loose, using harsh words to intimidate the mysterious fairy. If it failed, he could just reload the save and try again. Unexpectedly, after sending this stern message, the mysterious fairy shrouded in mist hesitated. ¡¾Mysterious fairy: Who... who art thou?¡¿ ¡¾Mysterious fairy: The vengeful spirits within the city have all been suppressed by me. On what grounds dost thou claim that they are about to break free?¡¿ The previously aloof and reticent dragon deity fairy, now faced with Li Muyang¡¯s stern words, seemed somewhat unsure of herself. It appeared she was intimidated by the harsh questioning from Li Muyang. Tsk... So this dragon deity fairy is actually a naive innocent who¡¯s inexperienced in worldly matters? Initially thought to be unapproachable and indifferent, she now seems more like a naive innocent who doesn¡¯t know how to interact with others. It was her silence that made her seem distant... Seeing that his harsh words were effective, Li Muyang continued to press on, though his tone was much softer this time. Now that he had figured out the dragon deity fairy¡¯s true nature, she was easy to handle. Although Li Muyang lacked experience in romance and didn¡¯t know how to deceive girls, dealing with a world-unwise innocent was still a breeze for him. Plus, the ability to save and reload the game allowed for endless trial and error. Finally, after the sixth reload, Li Muyang managed to gain some trust from the dragon deity fairy. ¡¾Mysterious fairy: If that is so, I shall trust thee a little.¡¿ ¡¾Dragon Deity Fairy joins the party¡¿ Seeing this system notification, Li Muyang clenched his fist tightly. This mysterious fairy was indeed a teammate! Although he couldn¡¯t control the dragon deity fairy, he could read her character status. The current level of the dragon deity fairy was LV99, with a dazzling array of skills and a true max-level character. With a max-level character joining the party, their progress in slaying enemies accelerated significantly. This time, Li Muyang truly saw hope for a perfect score in the game. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 59 After the dragon deity fairy joined the party, Li Muyang¡¯s monster-slaying progress sped up considerably. Even though he couldn¡¯t control the dragon deity fairy¡¯s character, having a LV99 max-level character in the party meant that even her automatic skill usage dealt significant damage. Li Muyang, currently at LV51, would take at least a dozen turns to defeat an opponent of the same level. However, with the dragon deity fairy in the party, she only needed to use her skills twice to end the battle. Such speed in monster slaying allowed Li Muyang¡¯s level to soar rapidly. He soon reached LV70. After reaching LV70 and meeting powerful enemies, the dragon deity fairy¡¯s monster-slaying speed slowed down a bit, no longer able to defeat opponents in one or two turns. But it was still much faster than Li Muyang fighting alone. Soon, Li Muyang¡¯s level rose to LV85. By this time, there weren¡¯t many NPCs left in Luoyang City, mostly well-known big shots. Even with the dragon deity fairy¡¯s help, it took Li Muyang a long time to defeat an NPC. However, after pausing the game and glancing at the sky outside, Li Muyang saw that it was still early. So he comfortably dived back into the game, continuing to level up with the dragon deity fairy. This time, Li Muyang successfully raised his level to LV99, defeating all the high-ranking bosses, including Liu Guan Zhang and Grand General He Jin. Finally, he and the dragon deity fairy arrived at the imperial palace to challenge the final boss, Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong. In the previous final chapters, by the time Li Muyang reached the imperial palace, Emperor Ling had already been killed by evil spirits. Li Muyang had thought him to be a weakling. But facing Emperor Ling in person, Li Muyang died three times and had to reload three times before successfully defeating him. Standing in the great hall after Emperor Ling¡¯s death, Li Muyang turned to the dragon deity fairy beside him. Throughout the monster-slaying and leveling process, the dragon deity fairy never initiated conversation, and there was no interaction with her at all. Both parties were like cold, monster-slaying robots. It wasn¡¯t until after defeating Emperor Ling that the dragon deity fairy finally spoke. ¡°You have purified all the resentment and lingering hatred in the city. Now, where is the emergence of the evil spirits you spoke of?¡± The dragon deity fairy asked Li Muyang. Li Muyang estimated the time and said, ¡°About an hour from now.¡± ¡¾Mysterious fairy: ?¡¿ ¡¾Mysterious fairy: How long is an hour?¡¿ ¡¾Nanhua immortal: Half an incense stick¡¯s burning time...¡¿ ¡¾Mysterious fairy: Very well, I shall wait for thee for half an incense stick¡¯s burning time.¡¿ What followed was a wait. Li Muyang got out of bed and wandered around outside for a while, stretching his body. He had been gaming all night, and now the sky was a dim gray, almost dawn. ¡¾Clearance reward is available for collection, would you like to claim your reward?¡¿ ¡¾Current selectable rewards (choose one)¡¿ ¡¾¡¶Kunpeng Secret Fragment¡·X1¡¿ ¡¾Low-grade spiritual forging tool X1¡¿ ¡¾Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir X10¡¿ ¡¾Host, please note that after claiming the reward, the game entry will close and cannot be entered again¡¿ Li Muyang was somewhat surprised by the settlement rewards that popped up in his vision. Shouldn¡¯t he have gotten a perfect S rating this time? He had almost perfectly cleared all the content in the game, the dragon deity fairy survived, and the army of resentful ghosts had all been purified, yet he only received an A rating? Although the rewards for this A rating were much stronger than those for the beginner¡¯s tutorial, but why wasn¡¯t it flawless? Could there be some hidden content in the game that he hadn¡¯t unlocked? Li Muyang didn¡¯t choose to claim the reward but instead, driven by curiosity, entered the game again. However, this time when he opened the game template, a new option suddenly popped up in his vision. ¡¾True Immersion Mode is now available, the host can enter Luoyang City in an immersive experience¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to enable True Immersion Mode?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ Seeing the option that popped up, Li Muyang let out a sigh of relief. ¡°There was a hidden content!¡± So it turns out that after scoring an A rating in the game, a hidden mode could be unlocked. Clearly, one must successfully clear this true mode to unlock a flawless rating. Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate and chose ¡¾Yes¡¿. The next second, that familiar feeling of being engulfed by darkness descended upon him. When the darkness faded away, Li Muyang opened his eyes to find himself standing in a sinister alley shrouded in white mist. The ground beneath his feet was crusted with dried blood, and eerie shadows roamed outside the alley. Three of these shadows seemed to sense Li Muyang¡¯s presence and floated directly towards him. At the sight of these three shadows¡¯ faces, Li Muyang was startled. ¡°Are these the three thugs from the beginning of the game?¡± Why do they look so ugly? And why are they floating off the ground? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 60 Li Muyang felt something was off about Luoyang City before him. The city was filled with shadows that floated off the ground, gliding eerily. When he had previously looked down on the city from a third-person perspective, the movements of the residents were indeed stiff and rigid. But Li Muyang had thought it was due to the game¡¯s lack of detail. Only after entering the true immersion mode did he realize that this was how the people in the city actually moved. They all floated through the streets like ghosts, with blank stares and pale faces, as if they were on the set of a horror movie. Li Muyang tried to converse with them, but these eerie shadows only knew to wander aimlessly, with no interaction to speak of¡ªconsistent with the normal mode. Li Muyang followed the route to find the nearest weak NPC, only to discover that the general with a health bar above his head was a terrifying ghostly figure enveloped in an aura of resentment in the true immersion mode. Even though it was the weakest NPC in the city, this ghostly figure was wrapped in a swirling red and black aura of resentment, riding a bizarre warhorse with blood-red eyes, standing motionless at a street corner in the city, looking very creepy. Just by its appearance, it felt like it could be a mid-level boss in a soul-themed game. After Li Muyang approached it, it immediately attacked him. However, aside from the health bar above its head labeled ¡¾General Pan Feng¡¿, this creature was nothing like Pan Feng from the third-person perspective. ¡°This so-called true immersion mode is actually a ghost story mode?¡± As someone who is afraid of ghosts, Li Muyang felt his scalp tingle as he moved through the city filled with looming ghostly shadows. If even the weakest NPC at the start looked this terrifying, how much more horrifying would the later big bosses be... Or was it that the game system knew he was afraid of ghosts and deliberately made the true immersion mode like this to increase his challenge? If that was the case, then Li Muyang had to admit¡ªthe system was very accurate in reading him. Walking through this misty, eerie, and strange city, seeing the aimlessly wandering ghostly shadows and those ¡°general¡± NPCs standing motionless, Li Muyang felt like he wasn¡¯t playing a Three Kingdoms game but a horror thriller game instead. r? The overly terrifying environment and NPCs caused Li Muyang to perform abnormally, and he died several times in the early stages. So much so that more than half the time had passed by the time he reached level 51 for the first time. Fortunately, as Li Muyang leveled up to 51 and obtained the first Soul Orb, the mysterious fairy who arrived as expected was still ethereal and stunningly beautiful. She had not turned into a ghastly ghost like the other NPCs in the city. In fact, because the city was filled with evil ghosts, the misty fairy seemed even more beautiful and captivating. Looking at the breathtakingly beautiful fairy, Li Muyang sighed. ¡°She¡¯s such a beautiful fairy...¡± Under the true immersive perspective, this fairy was much more beautiful than in the third-person view, and the visual impact was much greater. The process was almost identical to the normal mode, the only difference being that the NPC generals had all turned into terrifying ghosts, looking very sinister. But Li Muyang still easily progressed to the final chapter, purifying all the vengeful ghosts with the silent help of the dragon deity fairy. Finally, amidst the astonished inquiries of the three ghost kings, Li Muyang ended the game. ¡¾Game¨C¡°Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡± Cleared¡¿ ¡¾Dragon Deity Fairy: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Ghosts of Resentment: Purified¡¿ ¡¾Clearance Rating: A (Minor Flaws)¡¿ Staring at the identical clearance rating and game rewards, Li Muyang was shocked. He couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why is it still an A rating even after clearing real mode?¡± ¡°Could it be that clearing real mode isn¡¯t the hidden content?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Sitting at the doorway with a furrowed brow, Li Muyang fell into deep self-doubt. ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly be that only by romancing the dragon deity fairy would it be considered flawless, right?¡± But flirting isn¡¯t my strong suit! Besides, this game isn¡¯t a romance game. It doesn¡¯t have any romantic elements, so the hidden content shouldn¡¯t be about romancing the fairy. ¨CAside from novels with a twist, which romance game would be filled with evil ghosts everywhere? After pondering with a frown, Li Muyang loaded the game again, this time returning to the timeline after meeting the dragon deity fairy. In the previous save, he had been silent the whole way, leveling up by slaying monsters with the dragon deity fairy, exactly replicating the process of the normal mode. But clearly, there was a hidden storyline with this dragon deity fairy. And being silent the whole way, without any dialogue, obviously wouldn¡¯t trigger the hidden storyline... So, after knocking down a monster, Li Muyang looked up at the dragon deity fairy beside him and asked, ¡°Fairy, how old are you this year?¡± And thus, the straightforward Li Muyang¡¯s attempt at flirting began. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 61 ¡°Brother? Why do you look so troubled? Are you facing some troublesome issues?¡± Carrying a food container, little sister arrived with the sunset, curious about Li Muyang sitting on the ridge in the field. Due to three consecutive days without rain, all the rice seedlings in the field had withered. But Li Muyang still had no intention of farming. He sat under the old tree next to the ridge, deep in thought, as if pondering some serious matter. This Li Muyang aroused the girl¡¯s curiosity. ¨CHer brother was always carefree, and it was rare to see him thinking so seriously about something. She wondered what was on his mind. When Li Muyang saw his little sister approaching, he shook his head and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing particularly bothersome.¡± It¡¯s just that the female lead in the game is too difficult to conquer. These past few days, he had been trying to strike up conversations with Dragon Deity Fairy, attempting to win her over or uncover hidden plotlines from her. Unfortunately, his efforts were met with little success. The Dragon Deity Fairy was cold and indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about everything in the world. All of Li Muyang¡¯s attempts at engaging her were met with her aloof responses. Li Muyang felt she was a true embodiment of being heartless and emotionless. Putting the game aside for a moment, Li Muyang looked at the dinner little sister brought today and was quite surprised. ¡°Is there an extra dish tonight?¡± In addition to the usual one meat and two vegetable dishes, there was a small food container, which upon opening revealed a box of exquisite pastries. In this world with low productivity, pastries and other delicate foods were definitely luxuries only the wealthy could enjoy. Back in Jiuyuan City, his family had a bit of money, and they could occasionally enjoy some pastries. However, the best pastries in Jiuyuan City couldn¡¯t compare to the box of delicate osmanthus cakes before him. Judging by the appearance, these osmanthus cakes were definitely luxury items and should not appear in the impoverished Outer Sect. Li Muyang¡¯s eyes showed surprise. Li Yuechan giggled and said, ¡°This is from Sister Ning. She returned to the Outer Sect today and chatted with me for a while.¡± ¡°The osmanthus cakes are from her, made with medium-grade spiritual rice. Not only are they delicious, but they also aid in cultivation.¡± ¡°Sister Ning is now a direct disciple and has taken Elder Yan Xiaoru as her master, receiving the cultivation techniques taught by Elder Yan. She eats medium-grade spiritual rice every day and has many spiritual medicines to assist in her cultivation.¡± ¡°Elder Yan even personally went down the mountain to find a suitable low-grade spiritual weapon for Sister Ning to protect herself.¡± Sure enough, little sister stuck out her tongue and said, ¡°I heard from Sister Ning that there seems to be some disturbance in the Sea of Mist. It¡¯s not just our sect that¡¯s been alerted. It seems that the major sects of both the demonic and immortal paths are also making moves.¡± Li Yuechan exaggeratedly shared this news with Li Muyang. Li Muyang blinked in confusion: ¡°The Sea of Mist?¡± He searched his memory... The brain of the original owner, a country bumpkin, didn¡¯t know what the Sea of Mist was. Seeing Li Muyang¡¯s confusion, Li Yuechan explained: ¡°It¡¯s the sea!¡± ¡°To the east of our land, the boundless sea is always shrouded in white mist. That Sea of Mist is said to devour cultivators. The stronger the cultivator who enters, the more likely they are to get lost.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said to be the edge of the world, where one would be crushed upon entering!¡± ¡°There are also legends that say there¡¯s a terrifyingly huge beast in the sea, named Shen, and the mist above the sea is exhaled by Shen, specifically to confuse cultivators who enter the mist.¡± ¡°Some people say that there are immortal mountains and islands floating on the sea, the abode of the legendary heavens, and beyond the mist are true immortals. If one cultivates to a realm above the first grade and ascends, they can cross the Sea of Mist and join the ranks of immortals!¡± Li Yuechan vividly described those ancient and strange legends. Li Muyang was surprised, hearing for the first time that the sea of this world was covered with endless mist. And this misty world was inaccessible, else one would be devoured... ¡°So no one knows what lies beyond the sea?¡± Li Muyang asked. If the sea was always shrouded in fog and cultivators couldn¡¯t enter, it would indeed be difficult for ordinary people to explore the world beyond the mist. If the seas of Earth were also covered in mist, there would be no Columbus or New World, and the scalps of Native Americans would be safe. Tsk... Having learned a new piece of knowledge about this world from his little sister, Li Muyang expanded his horizons, but he didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it. After all, what lies beyond the mist has nothing to do with him. He was just a small shrimp in the Qi Refining Realm. How could he have the leisure to care about the world¡¯s affairs? Better to focus on playing the game. After seeing off his little sister and having dinner, Li Muyang, as usual, sat down to meditate and refine the spiritual energy within his body before entering the game. In the endlessly foggy Luoyang City, the atmosphere was eerily cold. Ghosts drifted through the city, and the omnipresent white fog made it even more chilling. Fortunately, there was a beauty by his side to please the eye. The stunning Dragon Deity Fairy seldom spoke, but her mere presence was the most dazzling scenery in the midst of the fog. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 62 ¡°The words you just mentioned, ¡®You are not a fish; from what do you know the joy of fish?¡¯... they carry profound philosophy.¡± After defeating a terrifying ghost with a health bar above its head, the usually silent Dragon Deity Fairy suddenly spoke up, expressing such a sentiment. This woman usually only moved or responded when Li Muyang asked her something, replying coldly. But this was the first time she had initiated a conversation on her own. Li Muyang, who had been busy collecting the Resentful Spirit Orb that had dropped to the ground, was taken aback when Dragon Deity Fairy actually started a conversation with him, and he turned his head in surprise, almost doubting his own ears. ¨CIs this woman actually talking to me? But then he saw Dragon Deity Fairy say, ¡°...However, this is actually a sophism, profound yet seemingly laced with malice.¡± At that moment, Li Muyang was certain that Dragon Deity Fairy was indeed speaking to him. Before, he had tried to strike up a conversation from different angles, attempting to unearth the plotline, but Dragon Deity Fairy had always been cold to him. Unexpectedly, a casual remark had caught her interest. Li Muyang¡¯s mind raced, and with a smile, he stood up after collecting the Resentful Spirit Orb. ¡°Indeed, it is a sophism, a verbal sparring between two philosophers while wandering above the Hao River.¡± ¡°Zhuangzi said, ¡®The fish are out swimming about. That is the ¡®Joy of Fish.¡¯ ¡± ¡°Huizi replied, ¡®You are not a fish; from what do you know the joy of fish?¡¯ ¡± Li Muyang recounted this lesson from his middle school textbook to Dragon Deity Fairy. After hearing this, Dragon Deity Fairy was momentarily taken aback. Then, the aloof and indifferent Dragon Deity Fairy actually chuckled. ¡°...One philosopher transcends the mundane, not confined by material things, while the other seeks truth and argues cunningly. It¡¯s really interesting.¡± The always composed and detached Dragon Deity Fairy now had a faint smile. Although her smile couldn¡¯t be seen clearly through the fog, just hearing her gentle laughter and sensing her joyful demeanor gave an impression of ¡°a single smile could birth a hundred charms.¡± At that moment, it seemed as though the fog in Luoyang City brightened. Li Muyang blinked, almost doubting he was fully awake. The Dragon Deity Fairy, who had been difficult to engage before, was now smiling? Was there something funny in what he said? He couldn¡¯t figure it out. Li Muyang couldn¡¯t understand the fairy¡¯s sense of interest. But then Dragon Deity Fairy curiously asked, ¡°These two philosophers are so interesting and extraordinary, yet I have never heard of them... Do they have other stories?¡± When he couldn¡¯t come up with an answer or bluff his way out, he simply changed the subject and talked about something else. After all, each of the ¡°Zi¡± from the Spring and Autumn period was a philosophical master, and just throwing out a few topics was enough to keep the illiterate fairy pondering for a long time. And the illiterate fairy, true to her name, had no knowledge of other historical figures, such as Confucius, Laozi, Mencius, Han Feizi... she was completely unaware. Li Muyang, while fighting monsters, had to deal with the illiterate fairy¡¯s endless questions and curiosity, and he felt overwhelmed. Originally, he was troubled about how to strike up a conversation and uncover the hidden plotlines of Dragon Deity Fairy. But now that Dragon Deity Fairy was too proactive and enthusiastic, Li Muyang found himself struggling to keep up. What was supposed to be a simple monster-slaying leveling game, Li Muyang ended up turning into a Chinese language mini-classroom. The enthusiastic and curious yet naive illiterate fairy was extremely interested in all the topics Li Muyang talked about, constantly chattering non-stop. The two of them conversed while fighting monsters, talking while walking, and talking while battling. At this moment, all the ghosts in the city seemed to have become peripheral characters. Fortunately, these monsters had no intelligence and couldn¡¯t speak, otherwise they might have cursed a bit. ¨CCan we two lovebirds show some respect? Who talks philosophy while monster hunting? ¡°The Master standing by a stream, said, ¡®It passes on just like this, not ceasing day or night...¡¯ ¡± ¡°The universe and I came into existence together, and all things and I are one... Such stunning words, they must be from Zhuangzi, right?¡± ¡°Truly worthy of Zhuangzi, who spoke of the impermanence of the Way of Heaven...¡± ¡± ¡®The supreme good is like water, which nourishes all things without contention¡¯, truly a profound statement...¡± ¡°Uh... Sir, why have you stopped speaking? Did I say something wrong?¡± Dragon Deity Fairy, brimming with curiosity, asked Li Muyang with a hint of astonishment in her voice. She even seemed a bit cautious, as if afraid that Li Muyang might blame her. Li Muyang, who was busy collecting Resentful Spirit Orbs, looked up at the sky and sighed without a word. ¡°Don¡¯t call me sir.¡± You¡¯re the one who should be called sir, I¡¯m scared of you already¡ªwhy do you have so many questions? This illiterate fairy has such strong reasoning skills, and she can even deduce from one example. Now she can even guess who said what just by the style of speech... How did such a smart fairy become illiterate? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 63 Faced with the incessant questioning of Dragon Deity Fairy, Li Muyang felt mentally and physically exhausted. Although this fairy was illiterate, the questions she asked were really tricky! Many questions even hit the core, making it difficult for Li Muyang, who had a rich knowledge base in reading comprehension, to cope. ¡ªHow could such a clever and astute fairy be illiterate? She lived in the most prosperous capital of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, yet she knew nothing about historical figures and had no knowledge reserves. Could it be that she had no contact with the outside world? At this thought, Li Muyang¡¯s mind stirred¡ªcould this be a hidden plotline? Is Dragon Deity Fairy trapped in the city, unable to contact the outside world? Such a smart fairy, if she could interact with the living world within the city, would not have become illiterate. Following this line of thought... The Luoyang City where Dragon Deity Fairy resided was also somewhat strange. It was said to be the grand capital of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, but the residents were ghost-like, and the place was filled with an eerie atmosphere. This ghostly city reminded Li Muyang of a classic horror game¡ªSilent Hill. Silent Hill had a distinction between the inner world and the real world. Could it be that this bizarre city where Dragon Deity Fairy resided was actually the inner world of Luoyang City? Dragon Deity Fairy had been staying in this inner world, unable to contact the real world outside, which is why she became illiterate? With this in mind, Li Muyang¡¯s eyes flickered, he saved his progress, and then abruptly changed the topic from philosophy to reality. ¡°...fairy, how many years have you been in this city?¡± Li Muyang asked. If it had been the previous Li Muyang who asked this question, Dragon Deity Fairy certainly would not have answered him. But now, after a slight hesitation, Dragon Deity Fairy responded to Li Muyang¡¯s question. ¡°Time is elusive in the mist, but it must have been a few thousand years, I suppose?¡± Dragon Deity Fairy said uncertainly: ¡°Sir, you are the first mighty one to set foot in this city in these thousands of years.¡± Li Muyang then asked: ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t fairy leave this city?¡± After Li Muyang finished speaking, Dragon Deity Fairy fell silent for a moment, her mood seeming somewhat downcast. After a while, the fairy spoke. ¡°The resentment of the ghosts in the city is sky-high, their murderous intent strong enough to shake the heavens. They need to be suppressed here.¡± ¡°If I were to leave this city, the resentful spirits would spill out and possibly bring chaos to the human world.¡± Dragon Deity Fairy¡¯s tone was somber. Upon hearing Li Muyang¡¯s words, Zhuli was momentarily taken aback. She looked at Li Muyang in amazement, pondered for a while, and said, ¡°But those tens of thousands of resentful spirits were once the best among men, and even in death, they are formidable ghosts. Full of resentment and pride, they would not easily be commanded by me.¡± ¡°Even as the dead, it would be extremely perilous to find a way out in this mist, not to mention guiding me out after finding the path...¡± Dragon Deity Fairy sighed and shook her head, ¡°I have no favors or virtues towards those resentful spirits, so they have no reason to serve me even in death.¡± ¡°Unless...¡± At this point, Dragon Deity Fairy seemed to think of something and hesitated. Li Muyang curiously asked, ¡°Unless what?¡± Dragon Deity Fairy hesitantly said, ¡°...Unless we find the legendary Bingxian Tiger Talisman.¡± ¡°That talisman represents the last obsession of tens of thousands of resentful spirits in the city. If they regain their senses and someone presents the Bingxian Tiger Talisman, perhaps they would pledge their loyalty.¡± ¡°However, the Bingxian Tiger Talisman has been missing for many years. I have been in this city for a long time and have tried to find it but to no avail. Perhaps, just as the legends say, it has long been lost.¡± Dragon Deity Fairy sighed and shook her head slightly, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, sir, but it seems that Zhuli will probably not be able to leave this city.¡± ¡°If sir can purify and soothe the resentful spirits in this city, preventing them from going out and causing trouble, that would be enough.¡± Dragon Deity Fairy sighed softly. Upon hearing her story, Li Muyang was momentarily lost in thought, ¡°Bingxian Tiger Talisman?¡± This thing seemed to be an item that Grand General He Jin would always drop. But in his previous save files, Li Muyang had never found a use for this item; it couldn¡¯t be used, equipped, nor did it have any magical powers. He had thought it was just a keepsake. Who would have thought that this thing could command the resentful spirits of the city? Realizing this, a smile appeared on Li Muyang¡¯s face. ¡°Fairy need not worry, I happen to know the whereabouts of the Bingxian Tiger Talisman.¡± ¡°The resentful spirits in this city will surely be at your command!¡± All the conditions for a perfect game completion had appeared. The rest would be easy. Li Muyang¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. After so many days of struggle, he had finally gathered all the conditions for a perfect completion. The rewards for a perfect game were within reach! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 64 ¡¾Game¨C¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡·has been completed¡¿ ¡¾Dragon Deity Fairy: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Resentful Spirits: Purified¡¿ ¡¾Completion Rating: S (Flawless)¡¿ ¡¾With your keen reactions and powerful divine abilities, you have enlightened the Dragon Deity Fairy trapped in the fog. Not only have you successfully purified the resentful spirits in the city, preventing an imminent disaster, but you have also helped the Dragon Deity Fairy to subdue the resentful spirits, earning their respect and that of the Dragon Deity Fairy¡¿ ¡¾Unlock Special Achievement: Trek Through the Netherworld¡¿ ¡¾Completion rewards are available for collection. Would you like to claim your rewards?¡¿ ¡¾Current selectable rewards (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾¡¶Kunpeng Technique¡·X1¡¿ ¡¾Unlimited Spirit Weapon Forge X1¡¿ ¡¾Item Upgrade Talisman X1¡¿ ¡¾Host please note, after claiming the reward, the game entry will close and cannot be re-entered¡¿ Looking at the system settlement page that popped up in his view, Li Muyang clenched his fists tightly, extremely excited. After so many days, he had finally achieved a perfect completion! After uncovering the hidden quest from Dragon Deity Fairy, the rest of the completion process was easy. Li Muyang was very familiar with the process of defeating monsters and collecting Resentful Spirit Orbs, easily sweeping through it. Together with Dragon Deity Fairy, he purified all the resentful spirits. Once they regained their senses, in front of all the resentful spirits, Li Muyang took out the special item ¡¾Bingxian Tiger Talisman¡¿ that had dropped from ¡¾Grand General He Jin¡¿. Holding the talisman, Dragon Deity Fairy convinced the group of awakened resentful spirits to pledge their loyalty. They would enter the fog to scout for Dragon Deity Fairy until they found a safe path to the outside world, escorting Dragon Deity Fairy back to the mortal realm. With that, the game was perfectly completed, and Li Muyang finally saw the rewards for perfect completion. He had to admit that compared to the tutorial, the rewards for this game were much better. They were not even on the same level. ¡¶Kunpeng Technique¡· was a powerful cultivation method. The system didn¡¯t specify its grade, but it was definitely a formidable secret manual. After all, the two other rewards listed alongside the Kunpeng Technique were also extremely tempting for Li Muyang. ¡¾Item Upgrade Talisman: Can be used on a system item to enhance the item¡¯s grade and power by one level¡¿ (Currently applicable to: Flesh and Bone Green Garment) Moreover, this reward for an unlimited growth spirit weapon had never appeared before, and Li Muyang was worried that he might never encounter this reward again. In contrast, the cultivation secret manual seemed to be a guaranteed reward, almost always appearing after every completion. But if he missed out on the unlimited spirit weapon this time, who knew if it would ever come up again. After much contemplation, Li Muyang finally chose the ¡¾Unlimited Spirit Weapon Forge¡¿. As he selected this reward, a burst of light exploded in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. Within the golden light, glimpses of thunder and flames flashed by, and the deafening roar of thunder seemed to tear through the sky next to his ears. He saw a vast sea and the terrifying tornadoes churning ceaselessly within it. Amidst the raging waves, endless evil spirits wailed and roared. Then, a dazzling golden light streaked across the sky, illuminating the entire sea. A mysterious wheel, shimmering with golden light, emerged between the sea and the sky. The countless evil spirits in the sea let out terrified howls upon seeing the wheel. However, as the wheel slowly turned, emitting a piercing sound, the entire ocean was crushed by an invisible colossal force, and the innumerable evil spirits turned to ash... This mysterious and grand vision flashed through Li Muyang¡¯s sight for a moment before disappearing completely. When Li Muyang opened his eyes, he was still standing inside his tiled house, with only the sounds of insects at night outside. But his hand felt heavier. H e now held a spirit weapon treasure. It looked like a wheel, but the surface was engraved with many ancient and mysterious patterns, filled with the aura of the ages. Feeling the ancient and mysterious treasure in his hand, Li Muyang¡¯s fingertips traced the engraved patterns, and for a moment, he was lost in thought. ¡°A treasure that can grow infinitely...¡± Li Muyang murmured softly, his eyes bright with excitement. Without a second thought, he began to refine it. Even if it was only a mortal-grade treasure now, it was enough to make outer disciples envious. In fact, many inner disciples of the Demon Refining Sect could only possess mortal-grade treasures. Once he refined the treasure into his dantian sea of qi and merged it with his soul, he would possess his first treasure in life! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 65 After a long silence in the room, Li Muyang opened his eyes again, a faint divine light flashing within them. The next second, he rose to his feet, and a small wheel appeared out of thin air in his hand. The wheel was about the size of a palm, made of an unknown material, and was engraved with many fine, mysterious patterns. Refining the treasure was not difficult, especially since it was still only a mortal-grade treasure, and Li Muyang easily succeeded in refining it. With the successful refinement of the treasure, Li Muyang stepped out the door and went outside. The night sky was filled with stars, and the moonlight washed over everything, with the occasional roar of beasts coming from the wilderness and forests not far away. This halfway up the mountain, away from the crowds, was empty and quiet. Li Muyang stood at the door for a moment, then turned into a fleeting shadow and walked into the primeval forest behind the spiritual field. In the forest, ancient trees reached the sky, and thick bushes were everywhere¡ªplaces that were almost never visited. Li Muyang found a secluded corner in the depths of the dense forest, where few people ever went, and then he activated the wheel in his hand. A faint aura of spirit light emerged from the wheel, which then flew straight out and cut a tree, thick enough to be embraced by a person, cleanly in half at the waist, leaving an extremely smooth and even cut. Li Muyang clicked his tongue in wonder: ¡°Such power, even among mortal-grade treasures, is quite impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Worthy of being a system-given treasure, even now as a mortal-grade, its power already outclassed ordinary mortal-grade treasures. Not to mention that this wheel had other clever uses besides being thrown out to hit people... With a thought, Li Muyang¡¯s gaze turned to a leopard in the nearby bushes. The beast was crouching in the bushes, watching Li Muyang warily, seemingly ready to pounce. However, Li Muyang retracted the wheel, and the small wheel began to spin in the air in the palm of his hand. As the wheel slowly rotated, an invisible force locked onto the leopard in the bushes. The leopard¡¯s body suddenly stiffened, terror apparent in its eyes, unable to understand why it couldn¡¯t move. The instinct to survive made the leopard struggle. The wheel in Li Muyang¡¯s hand turned slowly, like a millstone grinding over. When the wheel in Li Muyang¡¯s hand completed a full rotation, the leopard in the bushes collapsed weakly. The leopard appeared unharmed, but a wisp of smoke drifted out from its body and eventually floated into Li Muyang¡¯s wheel. ¨CThis was another clever use of the wheel treasure. It could crush souls! However, it was somewhat strenuous to kill even a leopard now, and it seemed difficult to rely on this to kill the souls of cultivators. On the other hand, even if the wheel couldn¡¯t kill, the wheel could immobilize the target¡¯s soul, rendering it unable to move, which was a more useful ability at the moment. If he really encountered a formidable enemy, Li Muyang didn¡¯t expect the wheel to crush the opponent. As long as the wheel could immobilize the opponent¡¯s soul for a few seconds, he could basically determine the outcome of the fight. Everything about this Mysterious Immortal character card was great, except that the facial features were identical to Li Muyang¡¯s. ¡°In other words, this thing is just a picture of Li Muyang!¡± ¡°Could it be because of the true immersion mode?¡± Li Muyang hesitated and speculated. In the opening animation of the previous game, Immortal Nanhua looked nothing like him. But after using the true immersion mode and personally entering the game to clear it, the character card turned into his own appearance? ¡°There¡¯s something odd about this game.¡± Li Muyang frowned. He always felt that there was something strange about the game ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡· It¡¯s supposed to be set in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, but apart from the NPC¡¯s having Three Kingdoms character IDs and health bars above their heads, there were almost no elements of the Three Kingdoms. Intuition told Li Muyang that this ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡· was different from the previous two games, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on what exactly was different. ¡°Forget it, if it looks the same, then it¡¯s the same. After all, it¡¯s just a character card, and I might not even use it in the future.¡± Li Muyang exited the system interface and turned to walk out of the forest. To clear the game ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡·, he had pulled several all-nighters. Now that he had cleared the game, it was time to rest properly. The withered seeds in the field also needed to be replanted. Although he didn¡¯t rely on farming to make a living, if he wanted to live a peaceful life in the Demon Refining Sect, he had to keep up the facade of being a Spiritual Planter. However, at the current pace, Li Muyang had already reached the Eighth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before he reached the Ninth Layer and achieved great perfection. Then he could directly establish his foundation and become a true Foundation Establishment cultivator, and consider leaving the Demon Refining Sect. The techniques given to outer disciples by the Demon Refining Sect only went up to the Foundation Establishment Realm. For the next game¡¯s clearing reward, Li Muyang had to choose a secret manual to practice. For Li Muyang to improve right now, a cultivation manual is an urgent need. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 66 ¡°Eh? Brother, did you replant the seeds in the field?¡± Li Yuechan, carrying a food container and standing on the ridge of the field, saw her brother holding a watering can while casting the Cloud and Rain Technique, and watering the spiritual field. Seeing this scene, Li Yuechan was full of surprise. Li Muyang simply nodded and said, ¡°Yeah... I¡¯ve finished what I was busy with, so I can continue farming.¡± Li Muyang didn¡¯t tell his sister what he had been busy with. And his little sister didn¡¯t pry too deeply. This little sister had high emotional intelligence, and interacting with her made Li Muyang feel very comfortable, without much pressure. Sitting on the ridge and chatting with Li Yuechan for a while, he listened to her talk about some interesting things in the Outer Sect, as well as Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s recent breakthrough to the Qi Refining Realm Fourth Layer. Li Muyang nodded and said, ¡°Xiaoshun has always been hardworking, and his talent is not low, so it¡¯s not surprising that he could break through to the Qi Refining Realm Fourth Layer.¡± The high-grade spiritual rice he gave to Guan Xiaoshun last time had finally shown its effects. During the days Li Muyang was busy playing games, he had broken through from the Seventh Layer to the Eighth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, and Guan Xiaoshun had finally reached the Fourth Layer. Those ten jin of high-grade spiritual rice should be enough for the kid to push his realm to around the Seventh Layer of the Qi Refining Realm. After that, with steady and solid cultivation for another year or two, Guan Xiaoshun should also be able to establish his foundation. Li Muyang didn¡¯t pay too much attention to this. ....... Afterwards, his life returned to its previous comfort and leisure. Every day he would farm, eat, sleep, and then play games. After clearing the game this time, he obtained the achievement badge ¡¾Trek through the Netherworld¡¿ The BUFF from the achievement badge obtained by perfectly clearing the game could be used within the game. Previously, in Black Cloud Village, the game character Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s status bar only had one ¡¾Fate-Defying¡¿, but now it had an additional ¡¾Trek through the Netherworld¡¿. Originally, Li Muyang didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. But after being killed by Steward Wu again, Li Muyang noticed that the system¡¯s damage settlement screen showed 20% less damage. ¡°...?!¡± Li Muyang was stunned for a moment, shocked. ¡°F*ck? Is Steward Wu actually a ghost?¡± The BUFF ¡¾Trek through the Netherworld¡¿ only worked on the deceased¡¯s attack. But the fact that Steward Wu¡¯s attack triggered this BUFF... that was a bit terrifying upon closer thought. ¡°Later, the fog descended, engulfing the entire ocean, and cultivators could no longer step into the sea.¡± ¡°Within the sea swallowed by the fog, it is said that there was an ancient divine nation. The people of that nation were born extraordinary, all being half-human, half-divine beings. They perished within the capital as the fog descended, all turning into resentful spirits.¡± ¡°If these once half-divine beings, now resentful spirits, were to surge out, the population under the rule of our Demon Refining Sect would suffer heavy casualties and death!¡± Ge Hongshan furrowed his brows and added, ¡°I hope those resentful spirits head towards the territories of the righteous factions. If too many mortals under our rule die, next year¡¯s tax revenue will take a big hit.¡± Ge Hongshan shared the ancient legend he had unearthed from the old texts. However, the other elders were noncommittal about this claim. All this talk of an ancient divine nation and half-divine resentful spirits... Ge Hongshan just loved to believe in these mystical and babbling things. Although the elders didn¡¯t believe Ge Hongshan¡¯s words, looking at the violently churning fog before them and the chilling aura continuously spilling out from within, all the elders present understood one thing. Whatever was inside the fog, it was definitely not benevolent. In a mysterious Sea of Mist that devoured cultivators and where no living beings could be found, one could only imagine what might come out... Just the thought of it was enough to unsettle any cultivator. Qi Rui, observing the constantly rolling white fog and feeling the cold and eerie aura in the air, asked, ¡°Where has the sect leader gone?¡± Yan Xiaoru, with a cool expression, glanced into the distance and said, ¡°The sect leader has gone to negotiate with those righteous factions. He wants to make a temporary truce with those groups of people to deal with the strange beings in the fog together. From the current situation, if the things in the fog come out, it will be a disaster for both the righteous and demonic paths.¡± Yan Xiaoru explained. Beyond her gaze, tens of thousands of li away on the same coastline, the cultivators of the righteous path had already set up a grand formation, ready for battle. The increasingly intense activity within the fog was declaring to the world that a terrifying disaster was about to descend. It could even be a disaster that would affect the world... ...... On the other side of the Sea of Mist, in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, the Demon-Suppressing Masters from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had almost all mobilized, arriving at the seaside in a grand procession. These fearsome Demon-Suppressing Masters, who were dreaded by many, now watched the Sea of Mist with vigilance and unease, wary of the strange movements deep within the fog. ...... Deep within the fog, in an ancient and mysterious city that had been untouched by humans for who knows how many years, gloomy white mist drifted, and ghostly shadows moved listlessly through the city. In this world devoid of any life or hope, in the dark alleys, the body of a young man suddenly stood up, breaking the silence of the city. Three ghostly shadows wandering outside the alley seemed to sense the presence of a living being and drifted towards the alley. When the mysterious visitor who had returned to life caught sight of the three ghostly shadows, he seemed startled. ¡°...Are these the three thugs from the beginning of the game?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 68 (TLN: Chapter 67 is skipped as it only contains the author¡¯s note regarding the transition of this book from free to paid access.) In the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, Tengzhou Prefecture, Mingquan Post. Mingquan Post is an ordinary relay station by the sea, only twenty miles from Tengzhou City. Standing at the entrance of the relay station, one can look over the vast plains and see the walls of Tengzhou Prefecture in the distance. On usual days, Mingquan Post is sparsely populated with hardly any visitors. The Sea of Mist is the edge of the world, where cultivators cannot tread, and ordinary people dare not stray too far from the coastline. Therefore, the resource-poor Tengzhou Prefecture has always been a peripheral and impoverished place, seldom entering the mainstream view. But recently, something unknown has happened in Tengzhou Prefecture, with a continuous stream of Imperial Astronomical Bureau masters arriving, as well as many martial arts experts from rivers and lakes hurrying over. With the influx of a large number of outsiders, the entire prefecture has become bustling. ...... Inside Mingquan Post, a well-known fairy has arrived. With the fairy¡¯s stay, the relay station seemed to shine, and many big figures from rivers and lakes and the court came to visit. It is said that the fairy is a disciple of the Master Qingye, the only disciple he has taken since he became an immortal a thousand years ago. Among Master Qingye¡¯s disciples, although she is the youngest, she is the most favored by him. Even the important figures from the court have to be careful to announce their arrival outside the relay station¡¯s door when they come to visit her. If it weren¡¯t for Fairy Liuli¡¯s refusal, the Tengzhou¡¯s prefect would have already sent people to seal off Mingquan Post to prevent the approach of the common rabble. However, although Mingquan Post has not been sealed off, there are no daredevils bold enough to casually approach her. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau has dispatched two powerful guards outside Mingquan Post, protecting the fairy inside day and night. Ordinary people, upon seeing the two Demon-Suppressing Masters guarding the entrance, dare not come close. The Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau have a fearsome reputation among the common folk and in rivers and lakes. But this afternoon, a reckless figure rode a donkey leisurely toward Mingquan Post. It was a young man in a white robe. Perhaps because of the journey, his originally handsome white robe was now somewhat dirty and stained at the cuffs and chest. The skinny donkey carried him, swaying on the official road, making one worry that the skinny donkey might collapse under his weight. She followed Senior Brother upstairs, and the two sat down by the window. In the distance, the fog over the sea churned violently, as if some terrifying evil entity was struggling and stirring within. The cold, sinister breath carried by the sea breeze went unnoticed by ordinary people, but for cultivators like Fairy Liuli, the chilling sensation was enough to make one¡¯s skin crawl. Looking at his puzzled Junior Sister, Shentu Jing sighed and said, ¡°That old coot Master said that everything in the mist is wicked and difficult to deal with and immensely powerful. Whatever comes out of it, in this era where true immortals do not appear and deities are absent, will be a disaster for all living beings.¡± ¡°The Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Masters may be adept at suppressing the demonic path and slaying the foreign enemies, but they may not be reliable against the things deep within the mist.¡± ¡°Therefore, our Mystic Sword Sect must be fully prepared to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.¡± The usually carefree Shentu Jing now gazed at the rolling fog in the distance with a rare look of solemnity. The things within the fog had not yet emerged, but their cold and penetrating aura had already disturbed the entire world. If that thing really came out... Shentu Jing sighed and said, ¡°The old coot made the thing in the mist sound so terrifying that it¡¯s even got me feeling a bit shaky.¡± Fairy Liuli curiously asked, ¡°Does Master know what the evil entity in the mist is?¡± That world of mist, isn¡¯t it inaccessible to cultivators? Why does it seem like Master understands it... Shentu Jing shrugged and replied, ¡°That old man is very bad. He definitely knows something but refuses to tell me.¡± ¡°He only said that the thing in the mist should not exist in this world and is a terrifying entity beyond human comprehension.¡± ¡°I even suspect that the mist is actually the old man¡¯s homeland. Otherwise, how could he know so much? Maybe he¡¯s in cahoots with the evil entities in the mist, which is why he¡¯s so formidable.¡± Shentu Jing complained about his Master¡¯s reticence and started making up stories about the old man. Fairy Liuli, meanwhile, gazed at the layers of mist over the distant sea, her eyes filled with worry. The ceaselessly churning fog now seemed even more terrifying. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 69 Within the surging mist, in a city of death that had not seen visitors for many years, Zhuli opened her eyes. A trace of confusion flickered through them. ¡°Is there some activity in the city?¡± In this city of death, apart from the tens of thousands of resentful spirits that were suppressed, there were only the wandering, muddled, and spiritless remnants. But at this moment, Zhuli sensed some disturbance in the city. She rose within the mist and headed straight towards the source of the disturbance. She saw a towering ghostly figure collapse heavily within the mist. A young man¡¯s corpse, which should have been dead, now stood on the street¡ªit was he who had felled the ghostly figure. Zhuli appeared silently and asked with a frown, ¡°Who art thou? Darest thou trespass into this den of dragons and pit of tigers?¡± The body of the young man in front of her was clearly that of a powerful person who had returned to life by possessing a corpse with his primordial spirit. Yet, despite the directionless mist, his primordial spirit had managed to penetrate the fog and reach this city... A sense of vigilance rose in Zhuli¡¯s heart. Faced with her sudden appearance, the mysterious visitor showed no surprise, as if he had anticipated her arrival. He looked at Zhuli calmly and said, ¡°Dragon Deity Fairy, Chaos has arisen, and the city¡¯s resentful spirits are about to lose control. Dragon fairy, are you unaware of the great calamity that looms?¡± Even though he was the outsider, he now took it upon himself to question Zhuli. This caught Zhuli off guard, and she became uncertain. ¡°...The resentful spirits in the city are about to run amok?¡± Why haven¡¯t I noticed, yet this person has foreseen it? Zhuli was filled with doubt and did not attack immediately. The words of the mysterious person that followed only increased Zhuli¡¯s unease. He said that the resentful spirits in the city were about to lose control and would surge into the human world, causing great calamity, and even she would perish in the ensuing chaos of the resentful spirits¡¯ rampage. Such alarming news, but the stranger spoke with utmost seriousness, and what he described seemed logical. If the resentful spirits in the city truly lost control and she, being unprepared and the first to be affected, indeed faced a high probability of perishing... R After hesitating for a moment, Zhuli chose to tentatively believe him. ¡°Very well! I shall trust thee for now.¡± ¡°But I shall follow thee and behold all thy doings with mine own eyes...¡± Although the stranger was a powerful person, he was after all only a soul possessing a corpse, unable to wield any powerful immortal magic. Zhuli? took them to be new philosophers from the outer world, pondered for a moment, and then chuckled lightly. ¡°...One philosopher transcends the mundane, not confined by material things, while the other seeks truth and argues cunningly. It¡¯s really interesting.¡± Sensing her interest in such topics, the mysterious figure continued the conversation with a smile. As he knocked down and refined the remnants of demigods in the city, he laughed and chatted with Zhuli? about philosophers like Zhuangzi, Huizi, Laozi, and Confucius, and their fascinating and wise sayings. Every sentence he said, every story he told, was thought-provoking and contained philosophy. Some of the sayings even contained the ultimate truths of the great Dao. Ordinary people might not perceive the essence of the Dao in those words, but after a bit of contemplation, Zhuli?¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of astonishment. ¡°The valley spirit never dies, it is called the mysterious female...¡± ¡°Zhuangzi dreams of being a butterfly...¡± ¡°The universe and I came into existence together, and all things and I are one...¡± ¡°The supreme good is like water, which nourishes all things without contention...¡± These topics were numerous and chaotic, with philosophical reasoning, the way of the gentleman, and even the ultimate truths of cultivation. The mysterious figure only touched on each topic lightly, not delving deeply with her. But even so, Zhuli? gained a lot. For her, while the secrets of cultivation and immortal techniques were valuable, these ultimate truths of the great Dao were equally precious. Logically, the two were strangers with no prior relationship, yet upon their first meeting, he imparted such precious knowledge to her... Zhuli? sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of this favor. She wanted to refuse, but after some thought, she chose to silently accept this kindness. This mysterious person with the ability to project his primordial spirit into the depths of the mist, solely to suppress the resentful spirits in the city, must be a high personage of the righteous path. Having already accepted this favor, she decided to silently note it down. When the opportunity arose in the future, she would repay it. ¨CThat was Zhuli?¡¯s plan. But when their conversation suddenly turned to Zhuli?¡¯s situation and the mysterious visitor¡¯s awareness of her being trapped in the city, the mysterious person laughed and pointed out a way for her to live. ¡°I happen to know the whereabouts of the Bingxian Tiger Talisman.¡± ¡°As long as we get the Bingxian Tiger Talisman and command the tens of thousands of resentful spirits to follow your orders, you will have a chance to leave this city.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 70 ¡°I happen to know the whereabouts of the Bingxian Tiger Talisman.¡± ¡°As long as we get the Bingxian Tiger Talisman and command the tens of thousands of resentful spirits to follow your orders, you will have a chance to leave this city.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhuli? was slightly startled. She, who had not held out hope, suddenly saw a glimmer of dawn for leaving. If she could really get the Bingxian Tiger Talisman and command tens of thousands of resentful spirits... With those spirits scouting the way, she might indeed be able to leave the mist and return to the world of the living. Realizing this, a hint of joy appeared on Zhuli?¡¯s face. But after the joy, looking at the smiling young man, she fell into hesitation. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to leave, but Zhuli? once again felt the weight of the favor. And this time, the favor was even greater. He had taught her the ultimate truths, helped her leave, and even gave her the Bingxian Tiger Talisman, a divine object capable of commanding tens of thousands of resentful spirits, all to help her leave the mist and return to the world of the living... At this moment, Zhuli? felt somewhat lost and helpless. The favor was so great that she didn¡¯t know what to do. Such a large favor felt like it could only be repaid with her life... The Dragon Deity Fairy felt a bit overwhelmed, her thoughts in disarray. Fortunately, their cooperation was already tacit, and they easily knocked down all the remnants of demigods in the city, refining these powerful remnants into Resentful Spirit Orbs. In the end, the ground in the city cracked open as the mysterious person had said, and the resentful spirits sealed underground surged out continuously. But Zhuli? and her companion were prepared, using the Resentful Spirit Orbs to purify the malevolent spirits, and soon all the evil spirits that emerged from the ground were purified. Even the last three Ghost Kings that crawled out were purified of all their resentment by the Resentful Spirit Orbs. After the resentment was purified, these resentful spirits regained their senses and stood quietly outside the grand hall in the empty plaza. They looked up silently. Once demigods of the city, these resentful spirits were now dead, with only their lingering thoughts remaining. After the resentment was purified, they turned into those dull, bewildered remnants, even losing their instinct to attack and destroy. As Zhuli? raised the Bingxian Tiger Talisman and showed it to the crowd of remnants, they subconsciously knelt in worship, declaring their loyalty. Standing on the high platform, watching the thousands of ghosts kneel in worship, Zhuli?¡¯s eyes were somewhat vacant. ...She had really subdued the resentful spirits. Until this moment, she felt an unreal sensation. Everything had gone too smoothly, so smoothly it felt like a dream. The Dragon Deity Fairy hesitated, looking at the Mysterious Immortal beside her. This mysterious person always managed to surprise her. She had thought his name would be more domineering and mysterious... Dragon Deity Fairy wore a light smile. The fog that had shrouded her had already dissipated, revealing her sweet and beautiful smile clearly. The young man who called himself Li Muyang glanced at her, shrugged, and said, ¡°It¡¯d be strange if you could actually find me.¡± With that, a wisp of blue smoke drifted from his body and quickly vanished into the mist. Meanwhile, the Dragon Deity Fairy looked in the direction the mysterious person had left, touching her face subconsciously. The look in the mysterious person¡¯s eyes was not the indifferent disregard of a great person who had transcended worldly emotions but rather one of appreciation. It seemed he quite liked her appearance... For some reason, realizing this made Zhuli? feel a bit shy. She instinctively covered her blushing face and murmured, ¡°I have a feeling that this gentleman isn¡¯t very old...¡± Perhaps he was someone her own age... ...... At the same time, beyond the sea of fog. Everyone standing on the shore could clearly see that the sea fog, which had been churning for many days, had suddenly stilled. The cold, sinister aura that had been drifting ashore with the sea breeze also came to an abrupt halt. The fog that had enveloped the entire sea quieted down so suddenly, as if everything before had been an illusion and the sea of fog had never churned. In the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, Tengzhou Prefecture. Fairy Liuli and Shentu Jing stood on the shore, looking at the suddenly quiet sea fog with uncertainty, sensing the disappearance of the eerie aura in the air. Shentu Jing exclaimed in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why has it suddenly become quiet?¡± ¡°Did the monsters in the fog fall asleep or something?¡± Shentu Jing was puzzled. Fairy Liuli looked up at the endless fog in the distance, the white mist stretching across the sky and earth like a gray-white wall dividing the world. For some reason, she suddenly thought of someone. Someone just as mysterious as this situation, who had appeared and vanished without a trace. Although these two events seemed unrelated, she couldn¡¯t help but make the connection. Both were odd occurrences that appeared and disappeared abruptly, leaving no trace in the world... Where might that constable Wuming be at this moment? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 71 Fairy Liuli stood by the seashore, lost in thought, her mind wandering far away. The sudden return to the calm of the Sea of Mist quickly drew everyone¡¯s attention. The Demon-Suppressing Masters from outside Tengzhou City sprang into action, peering uncertainly at the coastline ahead. The previously restless Sea of Mist, which had been continuously exuding a strange aura, had now returned to tranquility as if the evil spirits within the fog had vanished. This unusual occurrence alarmed everyone. People looked at the suddenly calm fog with suspicion, whispering among themselves, discussing endlessly, and speculating about the situation within the mist. At that moment, a distant dragon¡¯s roar sounded from within the mist. The long dragon chant seemed to ignore the distance of space, spreading all the way to the shore. However, among all the Demon-Suppressing Masters present, only those with the highest cultivation levels heard this sound. Most people heard nothing. The Demon-Suppressing Masters who clearly heard the dragon¡¯s roar all showed a slight change in their expressions. ¡°A dragon¡¯s chant? Is there a True Dragon in the mist?¡± In today¡¯s world, immortals do not appear and gods and demons are hidden. It is an era of declining cultivation. The so-called True Dragon has long been a legend. Yet now, the sound of a dragon¡¯s chant came from the mist... Shentu Jing¡¯s face changed dramatically, looking at the Sea of Mist in disbelief. ¡°A True Dragon in the fog?!¡± As a disciple taken in by the Master Qingye a thousand years ago, he had cultivated for a millennium, transcending the mundane world. He heard the dragon¡¯s chant very clearly. The divine aura it contained was incomparable to that of any River Dragon. In this era of decline, a True Dragon has actually appeared... Shentu Jing looked at the mist in amazement. The next second, a huge mirage appeared above the mist. In the gloomy city, a vast army of lingering souls and ghostly shadows marched out like troops, the atmosphere solemn and the momentum astonishing. Among this army of lingering souls, a fairy stood aloft, commanding the wind. She stood quietly in the void, surrounded by layers of fog, looking solemn and dignified. However, her appearance and temperament were stunning enough to amaze the world. The gloomy aura of the mist only made her more radiant and beautiful. She stood in the void, commanding the vast army of lingering souls and ghostly shadows to march out of the city, and beyond the city was the heavy mist... This grand and spectacular scene lasted for about half a minute. Finally, the mirage disappeared, and the Sea of Mist became completely calm. Everyone on the shore fell silent... The elders of the Demonic Sects under the rule of the Demon Refining Sect watched in astonishment as the grand scene suddenly appeared in the mist, only to disappear quickly, uncertain of what to make of it. The ¡®Luoyang City¡¯ I visited before, could it be the so-called ghost city... F*ck! Suddenly, he remembered that the Dragon Deity Fairy in the game had said she would come to find him to repay a favor. At the time, Li Muyang didn¡¯t take it seriously. It was just part of the game¡¯s plot. Moreover, after giving a fake name and failing to clear the game, he tried giving his real name to the Dragon Deity Fairy, telling her his name is Li Muyang. He didn¡¯t expect that he cleared the game after revealing his real name. Now thinking back... ¡°...If there really is a Dragon Deity Fairy in this world, and she comes to repay me...¡± Li Muyang bared his teeth, feeling a bit of a headache. ¡°Just with a name, she shouldn¡¯t be able to find me, right?¡± The idea of that fairy showing up in person could be a disaster. Especially since the real-life Li Muyang is just a small fry. Who knows what the Dragon Deity Fairy, coming with expectations, would react to after meeting him in person? Before gaining enough strength, Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to meet the Dragon Deity Fairy. ¡°Uh... if the Dragon Deity Fairy really exists, then those two games given by this damn system before...¡± Fairy Liuli and Xiao Yecao wouldn¡¯t also exist in reality, would they? Li Muyang suddenly felt guilty and took a moment to reflect. Fortunately, when he was playing the games, he was in a rush to complete them and didn¡¯t take advantage of the high degree of freedom to do any 18+ actions that would destroy worldviews, so he probably didn¡¯t offend the other two female leads. Thinking of this, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It seems I need to be more careful when playing games in the future.¡± Li Muyang muttered to himself. He must never reveal his real name like this again. Thankfully, the Dragon Deity Fairy seems nice, so even if she really comes to repay him, it¡¯s probably a good thing. Even if her expectations are shattered after she shows up, she probably won¡¯t do anything excessive to Li Muyang. But the fact that the games played through this system can actually interfere with reality... Li Muyang narrowed his eyes, suddenly feeling that there were more opportunities to exploit. This system, more powerful than he imagined, could definitely be put to good use if operated properly. A system that can interfere with reality through games, if managed well, definitely has its ingenious uses. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 72 ¡°Brother, what have you been busy with lately? I see you running outside every day...¡± Li Yuechan, who was herding black sheep towards the town, saw a familiar figure on the road ahead and quickly caught up. Li Muyang, who was looking at a map in his hands, heard his sister¡¯s voice and stopped by the roadside, waiting for her to come over. Li Muyang looked puzzled when he saw Li Yuechan, who reeked of a fishy smell, shaking a bell to drive the sheep. ¡°Why are you herding sheep?¡± Previously, Li Yuechan was assigned to sew animal skins. Although boring, it was relatively leisurely. But now, she had suddenly switched to herding sheep... Herding sheep was not an easy job. As Li Yuechan approached, Li Muyang caught the familiar scent of blood. ¨CHe was an experienced shepherd. Given the relationship between Li Muyang and steward Wang Pangzi, such dirty and tiring work should not have been assigned to Li Yuechan. Yet, Li Yuechan cheerfully said, ¡°I volunteered to herd sheep because I...¡± Just as Li Yuechan was about to explain, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly rang in her ear. ¡¾Yuechan, don¡¯t tell your brother the reason!¡¿ Li Yuechan blinked and seamlessly continued, ¡°...I think herding sheep is very leisurely, no one bothers me, and it¡¯s better than sitting in the house sewing stinky animal skins all day. Plus, herding sheep pays more spiritual rice.¡± Li Yuechan gave a very convincing reason. Indeed, some people took up sheep herding for the generous compensation, though most would quit after a month. Li Muyang glanced at his little sister but didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. A sixteen or seventeen-year-old kid was in her rebellious phase, so advising her might have the opposite effect. ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to herd sheep anymore, just tell me. I¡¯ll ask Steward Wang to find you another job.¡± Li Muyang casually said, continuing forward with the geomancy map. Li Yuechan, ringing her bell, followed Li Muyang like a shadow, curious, ¡°Brother, you haven¡¯t answered me. What have you been looking for lately? You¡¯re always running to the market...¡± Li Muyang, who usually stayed at home, had been going down to the market every day recently, which made Li Yuechan very curious. ¨CCould it be that her brother¡¯s male instincts finally couldn¡¯t be contained? In Jiuyuan City, there were many young masters of his age indulging in the pleasures of brothels. But when she secretly followed her brother once, she saw that he was only interested in the maps and miscellaneous books sold in the market, showing little interest in the brothels. Although the game text hinted that she would become very powerful once she grew up, that would only happen after Li Muyang had nurtured her through the game. For now, Li Muyang simply held off on completing the game. Could this little girl, who was being raised like a cash cow by Black Cloud Village, really jump out and bite him? Li Muyang leisurely chatted with his sister, and they eventually parted ways at the crossroads ahead. Li Yuechan herded the sheep while Li Muyang, with his newly purchased map, returned to his small halfway-up-the-mountain cottage. Buying maps and geography books wasn¡¯t just for finding game instances, Li Muyang was also increasing his knowledge of this world. The original owner of this body, the foolish son of a rural landlord from Jiuyuan City, had a very superficial understanding of the world. Li Muyang had no choice but to cram and improve his geographical knowledge. After all, he was now at the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, getting closer and closer to the Foundation Establishment stage. Once he broke through the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, he would have to consider whether to continue staying in the Demon Refining Sect or to leave and find a temporary place to stay. In such a situation, collecting information about this world became very important. ¨CSince he was considering running away, he had to know which areas were safe and which were dangerous, right? As a cultivator under the Demonic Sect, Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to be too close to the righteous factions. What if the righteous factions attacked one day? Back at his cottage halfway up the mountain, Li Muyang sat on the threshold and continued to look at the map. At that moment, his mind stirred slightly. The system, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly showed signs of activity. ¡¾New Game template detected, load now?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ Li Muyang blinked at the system message, full of curiosity. ¡°The new game is coming this quickly?¡± It had been less than half a month since he completed ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡·, and now a new game had arrived. With curiosity, Li Muyang closed his eyes and entered the system interface. ¡¾Game ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· confirmed for loading¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 73 ¡°Legend of Sword and Fairy?¡± What kind of game was this? Li Muyang entered the system interface with curiosity. As the game¡¯s loading progress bar numbers jumped and eventually reaching 100%, the new game appeared in the game list. ¡¶Beginner¡¯s Tutorial¨CThe Mystery of Loushan City¡·(Closed) ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·(3/5) ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡·(Closed) ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡·(New) Four games are in the game list, with the brand new entry ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· flashing a prompt next to it. Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate to select the new game and entered ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡·. He saw the game¡¯s scroll unfold like ink flowing on paper, eventually revealing a scene reminiscent of the Along the River During the Qingming Festival, depicting a bustling city. The city was full of life, with people bustling in the streets, shoulder to shoulder, and boats shuttling back and forth on the river without rest. In the center of the scroll, a fair and ethereal fairy figure stood on a broken bridge. She carried an immortal sword on her back, standing at the head of the bridge, gazing into the distance with blood continuously dripping from her body, seemingly on the brink of death. Yet beneath the lively and bustling atmosphere of the city behind her, there lurked hideous demons and evil spirits... Bold and powerful characters emerged within the scroll. ¡¾When the fire dies and ashes fly, the moonlight is illuminated¡¿ ¡¾The passing of Fairy Yu became the last straw that crushed the spirits of Nanjiang City¡¯s inhabitants¡¿ ¡¾In this city where humans and demons coexist, and evil spirits are indistinguishable, with the passing of Fairy Yu and the loss of their pillar, the once harmonious existence can no longer be maintained¡¿ ¡¾The torrent of the era comes surging forth, sweeping away everything¡¿ ¡¾Caught in the midst of it all, where will you go?¡¿ ¡¾Unlimited time game ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· loading complete, enter the game now?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ The simple opening words roughly conveyed the information within the game. Li Muyang was somewhat curious. ¡°Nanjiang City? Fairy Yu?¡± This was information he had never heard before. But at least this time it wasn¡¯t a reskinned version of the ¡®Three Kingdoms¡¯. As Li Muyang chose to enter the game, the interface in his view changed to the character selection screen. ¡¾Please select your character¡¿ Without further ado, Li Muyang controlled the sloppy uncle Jiang Xiaoyu to walk out of the alley. He saw the street outside the alley was bustling nonstop, with a group of demons and ghosts dressed in red and green, beating drums and gongs, shouting loudly. ¡°Fairy Yu is dead! Fairy Yu is dead!¡± The demons laughed loudly, parading through the streets, throwing candies to the people on both sides of the road. The sound of firecrackers popping was incessant, even livelier than a festival. The drunken Jiang Xiaoyu approached a bystander, asking curiously. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: What¡¯s happening here? Is Nanjiang City celebrating a festival? Why are you all so happy?¡¿ The bystander stepped back two paces, overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol, and pinched his nose subconsciously. ¡¾Bystander A: Whoa! Uncle, are you drunk? You don¡¯t know about the important event of Fairy Yu¡¯s fall? She died last night!¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: I know that, I heard these demons shouting. But isn¡¯t Fairy Yu your Nanjiang City¡¯s guardian deity? It¡¯s one thing not to be sad about her death, but to cheer and celebrate... Are you all out of your minds?¡¿ The drunken, sloppy uncle spoke rudely. The bystander immediately got angry. ¡¾Bystander A (Angry): What kind of drunkard are you? Fairy Yu was no guardian deity!¡¿ ¡¾Bystander A: It¡¯s because of Fairy Yu that our beings in Nanjiang City lost our future.¡¿ The angry accusations of Bystander A resonated with the surrounding onlookers. The crowd that had been watching the parade of demons and ghosts now surrounded the sloppy uncle Jiang Xiaoyu in the middle, shouting and cursing. ¡¾Bystander B: Exactly! Fairy Yu was no guardian deity!¡¿ ¡¾Bystander C: Fairy Yu has harmed the beings of our Nanjiang City for hundreds of years! It¡¯s because of her that we couldn¡¯t live well!¡¿ ¡¾Bystander D: She deserved to die! The death of Fairy Yu is well deserved!¡¿ ¡¾Bystander A: Where did this drunkard crawl out from? Outsider, if you don¡¯t understand the affairs of our Nanjiang City, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡¿ The excited crowd surrounded the sloppy uncle Jiang Xiaoyu, and some even looked like they wanted to get physical. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Huh? Fairy Yu harmed you?¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Alright, alright, if you say she harmed you, then she did. I was wrong, I apologize to everyone.¡¿ Seeing the crowd¡¯s excitement, the drunkard Jiang Xiaoyu actually bowed and apologized without any backbone, and the disgruntled crowd finally dispersed. After the crowd dispersed, the drunken Jiang Xiaoyu walked towards a deserted alley, shaking his head and muttering to himself. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: A bunch of fools... Fairy Yu is dead, and those demons and ghosts will start a massacre tomorrow, they¡¯ll eat you all. Sold by the demons and still counting money for them... idiots.¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: But why am I in Nanjiang City? Uh... never mind, let¡¯s not worry about that for now.¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Fairy Yu is dead, but her immortal sword must still be in the city, I have to take this opportunity to find the immortal sword.¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 74 The sloppy drunkard Jiang Xiaoyu left the crowd and entered the dim alley. His dialogue entries revealed the game¡¯s main quest to Li Muyang. ¡¾Mission: Find the immortal sword Jinghong left by Fairy Yu in Nanjiang City.¡¿ ¡°Good, the main storyline is here.¡± Li Muyang, having controlled Jiang Xiaoyu through the initial plot, let out a sigh of relief. Although the third-person god-like perspective of the game was not as free, Li Muyang was actually more adept at this mode of operation. He recalled that in the opening CG, Fairy Yu died on a broken bridge in the city. Thus, Li Muyang controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to head towards the central area of Nanjiang City. At this time, Nanjiang City was incredibly lively, with demons and ghosts dressed in red and green parading and celebrating on almost every main road. Apart from the demons and ghosts, many humans also participated in the celebrations. In this city, mortals and demons coexisted harmoniously, which looked exceedingly strange. Li Muyang observed carefully for a long time and noticed that among the crowd, there were many half-demons. Recalling previous information, this Nanjiang City was obviously a place where humans and demons lived together, even intermarrying and having children. Humans and demons marrying as a norm... Even in a world rampant with demonic paths, this Nanjiang City was outrageous enough. Humans and demons coexisting harmoniously, even intermarrying, was like something out of a ghost story. For most demons, mortals were blood food and sustenance. Demons and Li Muyang¡¯s group of demonic cultivators didn¡¯t mix, let alone with mortals. And in Nanjiang City, demons marrying humans was like people using bread to ¡®beep beep beep¡¯¡ªit was quite mind-boggling. Li Muyang sighed, ¡°Such a unique city, if it really existed in reality, it would definitely be easy to find.¡± From Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s dialogue entries, it seemed that only Nanjiang City was a place where humans and demons coexisted. Then Fairy Yu¡¯s left-behind immortal sword... Li Muyang¡¯s eyes lit up. If there was a Nanjiang City in reality, then by controlling Jiang Xiaoyu to hide the sword, he could find an opportunity to retrieve it personally later¡ªwouldn¡¯t that be like getting an immortal sword for free? ¡°Alright, alright, alright, another reason to beat the game.¡± ¡°Now I really have to beat it!¡± Li Muyang was brimming with enthusiasm as he controlled Jiang Xiaoyu moving through Nanjiang City. Even though it was a third-person RPG, the map of Nanjiang City was larger than he had imagined, and Jiang Xiaoyu didn¡¯t have the ability to shrink distances like Immortal Nanhua, so he could only rely on running on foot. As he made Jiang Xiaoyu run tirelessly through the city, Li Muyang gradually became speechless, reminiscent of the helplessness he felt running across maps in World of Warcraft back in the day. Sometimes having too big of a map isn¡¯t a good thing. However, among this mess, there were a few charms that were quite useful. ¡¾Invisibility Charm: A charm stolen by Jiang Xiaoyu, grants invisibility for 10 minutes.¡¿ ¡¾Blazing Fire Charm: A charm stolen by Jiang Xiaoyu, can shoot out a strand of Samadhi True Fire.¡¿ ¡¾Flying Sword Charm: A charm Jiang Xiaoyu won in a bet, can release a flying sword to kill enemies.¡¿ Li Muyang selected the Invisibility Charm, saved the game, and then confirmed its use. ¡¾Invisibility Charm used¡¿ In the game, Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s figure quickly became transparent, and a buff appeared in the top right corner of the view ¡¾Invisibility Status: 09:59¡¿. Li Muyang controlled the transparent Jiang Xiaoyu towards the road ahead. As Jiang Xiaoyu approached the group of demon constables, one with a dog¡¯s head sniffed the air. ¡°...There¡¯s the scent of a living person!¡± Instantly, all the demons looked up, following the gaze of the canine demon and locked onto the semi-transparent Jiang Xiaoyu. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: ...Seems like I¡¯ve been discovered?¡¿ The next second, the game character Jiang Xiaoyu dashed away, instantly running out of Li Muyang¡¯s view. ¡¾Infiltration Failed¡¿ The four characters appeared before Li Muyang, leaving him somewhat speechless. ¡°This Invisibility Charm can¡¯t hide scent? What a trash charm.¡± After reloading the save, Li Muyang didn¡¯t use the Invisibility Charm but instead controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to take a detour to a street corner guarded by human constables. The group of demons had a keen-nosed canine demon, but surely these humans couldn¡¯t also have a keen sense of smell? Li Muyang used the Invisibility Charm and controlled the invisible Jiang Xiaoyu towards the road ahead. This time, he easily passed the intersection, bypassing the human constables. However, before Li Muyang could rejoice, the invisible Jiang Xiaoyu had just walked a short distance when a Sword Qi suddenly flew out from the shadows. ¡°Who¡¯s there sneaking around? Show yourself!¡± A middle-aged man with a ¡¾Luo Qunshan¡¿ health bar appeared ahead, staring intently at Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s location. ¡¾Infiltration Failed¡¿ Another failure notice appeared, and the system forced a return to the save point before the infiltration. Looking at the group of constables at the distant intersection, Li Muyang scratched his head. ¡°Is there something wrong with my approach? Why do I get discovered no matter which intersection I go to...¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 75 ¡°Brother, it¡¯s time to eat~¡± The voice of Li Muyang¡¯s little sister, Li Yuechan, rang in his ears as he paused the game and opened his eyes. The girl, carrying a food container and walking in the sunset, came with a sweet smile. Li Muyang nodded and got up, temporarily setting aside the game to take the food container from Li Yuechan. But then he saw the girl hand him a piece of red paper filled with writing. Li Muyang was puzzled: ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He took the red paper and unfolded it, finding that it was a transfer order. ¡¾Effective immediately, Li Muyang is transferred to the Cloud Sky Flying Boat to await orders...¡¿ A dense array of bureaucratic jargon boiled down to a simple core message. Starting tomorrow, Li Muyang will be transferred to work on the Cloud Sky Flying Boat, and he needs to arrive at the flying boat by noon to report for duty. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised: ¡°An assignment to leave?¡± This was a rare occurrence in the Outer Sect. Although the living environment of the Outer Sect was very closed off, with outer disciples hardly ever going out. Occasionally, the big figures of the Inner Sect would need errand runners and laborers, and that¡¯s when this group of cheap labor from the Outer Sect would come into play. Although these assignments were mostly menial tasks, the outer disciples still flocked to them eagerly. Because not only did these assignments offer a chance to interact with the outside world, but the compensation received during these outings far exceeded the norm. Usually, such opportunities for assignments outside were kept within the small circle of stewards in the Outer Sect. An outsider like Li Muyang, who kept to himself, would never normally get a chance. Seeing the puzzled look in Li Muyang¡¯s eyes, Li Yuechan said cheerfully, ¡°Not just you, brother, I¡¯ve also received the assignment.¡± ¡°Steward Wang told me to inform you to report to the flying boat ferry by noon tomorrow, and you mustn¡¯t be late.¡± ¡°This time it¡¯s an assignment from Elder Yan, and we might even get to see Sister Ning.¡± With Li Yuechan¡¯s words, Li Muyang understood. Clearly, Elder Yan Xiaoru needed people, and Ning Wan¡¯er, as a disciple of Elder Yan, had conveniently looked after her fellow villagers by including both Li Muyang and his sister Li Yuechan. ? Indeed, it¡¯s good to have connections in high places. After Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s rise to prominence, a little care from her provided Li Muyang and his sister with an opportunity to go out that ordinary people could never dream of. But an assignment to leave... Li Muyang glanced at the experience bar on his system interface. Li Muyang stood outside the bamboo fence and nodded, ¡°I need demon blood. Right now.¡± As he spoke, Li Muyang opened his bulging money pouch to show Tie Qifeng the amount of silver coins. Seeing so much money, Tie Qifeng expressionlessly stood up and asked, ¡°What quality? How much?¡± ¡°Low-grade demon blood, as much as this bag of silver can buy.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Their exchange was succinct. After Tie Qifeng stood up and took the money pouch for a brief count, he nodded, ¡°Wait here.¡± With that, he pocketed Li Muyang¡¯s money and headed towards the town. Li Muyang didn¡¯t follow but simply waited there. Half an hour later, Tie Qifeng returned with a jar, ¡°Here¡¯s the low-grade demon blood you wanted.¡± ¡°Good. Until next time!¡± After checking the quality of the demon blood, Li Muyang took the jar and left. This time, considering he was going on a long journey, Li Muyang planned to enhance his combat strength as a precaution. The Remnant Clouds Movement Technique from Black Cloud Village was powerful, simple to practice, and the cost had been waived by the system, making it the quickest shortcut to increase his combat strength. Li Muyang, who was about to reach Foundation Establishment, could barely withstand refining his body with low-grade demon blood. He had intended to refine his body after successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, but now he was forced to do it ahead of schedule. ...... The next day at noon, when Li Muyang arrived at the flying boat ferry with his luggage and met his sister Li Yuechan, he had already successfully refined his body with low-grade demon blood, and the speed of his Remnant Clouds Movement Technique had increased a notch. But on the surface, Li Muyang showed no change. Although the demonic patterns on his body had become more intricate and sinister, forming the vague face of a demonic creature at the moment of successful body refining, these patterns soon faded and disappeared, hiding beneath his skin. At the flying boat ferry, Li Muyang saw his sister Li Yuechan, who had been waiting, and... ¡°Xiaoshun?¡± Li Muyang looked at the young man in front of him in surprise, ¡°How come you¡¯re here too?¡± The simple boy from the border town gave an awkward smile, ¡°I guess I¡¯m riding on Brother Li¡¯s coattails. Senior Sister Ning Wan¡¯er conveniently brought me along too...¡± Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°Then the three of us will have company on this journey.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 76 The Cloud Sky Flying Boat is a floating vessel within the Demon Refining Sect. However, this vessel is a size larger than the one Li Muyang had previously ridden. The Inner Sect truly stands above the rest, even their flying boats are bigger than those of the Outer Sect. Apart from Li Muyang and his sister, as well as Guan Xiaoshun, there are over a hundred outer disciples on the flying boat, all selected from the Outer Sect to participate in the trip to Demon Sword City as laborers. The tasks of these outer disciples on the flying boat are simple. Stay alive and don¡¯t cause trouble. There are servants on the flying boat to handle the menial tasks, so the outer disciples have nothing to do until they reach Demon Sword City where they¡¯ll be put to work. Yan Xiaoru, as an elder of the Demonic Sect, is bound to make an impressive entrance when inspecting the cities under her jurisdiction. Li Muyang¡¯s group of outer disciples is essentially part of Yan Elder¡¯s display of power. ¨CTo put it simply, they¡¯re like gang members following their boss to a fight, there to boost numbers and make a statement. With nothing to do, Li Muyang spends a great deal of time on gaming. ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡·, this new game, has no time restrictions and a much larger map. It¡¯s probably the game with the largest map that Li Muyang has ever played. Nanjiang City, a city inhabited by both humans and demons, is indeed bustling and lively. Unfortunately, with the fall of Fairy Yu, the city¡¯s stable prosperity is unlikely to last long. While controlling Jiang Xiaoyu in stealth mode to find a way into the broken bridge, Li Muyang inadvertently overhears conversations among the city¡¯s demons plotting to devour their neighbors or enemies. And it¡¯s not just once. With Fairy Yu gone, the demons in the city have already started to set their sights on the living humans within. Ironically, the city¡¯s residents are completely oblivious, humans and demons celebrating together, rejoicing over the death of Fairy Yu, the tyrant who had confined them. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: ...this Luo Qunshan is really persistent.¡¿ As the constable with the ¡¾Luo Qunshan¡¿ health bar pops up again, Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s invisibility is seen through, and the stealth mission fails. Li Muyang shakes his head but doesn¡¯t mind. After two days of exploration, he has figured out the process of sneaking in. Although the Invisibility Charm on Jiang Xiaoyu is of very poor quality, with careful maneuvering to avoid Luo Qunshan¡¯s patrol range, detection can still be avoided. And even if Luo Qunshan does spot him, as long as he quickly gets out of Luo Qunshan¡¯s sensing range, he will lose its target and won¡¯t find the invisible Jiang Xiaoyu. Just then, Li Muyang sees from a third-person perspective that several figures are approaching the broken bridge. Jiang Xiaoyu also notices these people. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Not good! Those are the demon leaders from the city. I can¡¯t let them find me.¡¿ After speaking, Li Muyang controls Jiang Xiaoyu to hide under the broken bridge. Soon, those figures arrive above the broken bridge, right over Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s head. These people are dressed lavishly, but their faces bear obvious malice. One of them even reveals a demonic form, with a human body but the head of a River Dragon. This River Dragon speaks first. ¡¾Lord Bifeng: Although Fairy Yu is dead, her body is nowhere to be found, and the Startling Swan Immortal Sword has also disappeared. Why call me here instead of searching for them?¡¿ Lord Bifeng speaks, and one of the demons responds. ¡¾Crimson Flame King: Fairy Yu¡¯s body disappeared mysteriously. We suspect she fell into this lake, and among us demons, only you, Lord Bifeng, are adept in water. So we ask you to dive in and investigate while we protect you from outside.¡¿ Upon hearing this, the River Dragon immediately shakes its head. ¡¾Lord Bifeng: The water of Soul Drowning Lake corrodes demons. I would lose a layer of skin if I went down... No, I refuse.¡¿ The old River Dragon firmly declines, while the other demons continue to persuade, trying to convince him to dive into the water. And from afar, more figures appear. This time, they are humans. The previous ¡¾Luo Qunshan¡¿ is among them. But what caught Li Muyang¡¯s attention was not this Luo Qunshan, but the old woman leading the group. ¡¾Granny Gu: Fairy Yu is dead, and instead of taking care of your tribes, you all gather here. Why?¡¿ The hunched, gloomy old woman appears, and not only is Li Muyang dumbfounded, but even Jiang Xiaoyu hiding under the broken bridge is startled. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: (Granny Gu? What is she doing here? Shouldn¡¯t she be in Black Cloud Village?)¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: (Granny Gu, who never leaves the village, is in Nanjiang City... Could it be that Black Cloud Village is gone?!)¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 77 Seeing Granny Gu¡¯s appearance, Jiang Xiaoyu is utterly shocked. From a third-person perspective, the character model of Jiang Xiaoyu hung under the bridge was staring agape with an expression as if he had seen a ghost. Li Muyang, upon seeing Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s inner monologue, was also surprised. ¡°How can Jiang Xiaoyu be so confused?¡± At the beginning of the game, he had accurately assessed the situation in Nanjiang City and his own circumstances. Now, he¡¯s talking nonsense as if he¡¯s drunk on fake liquor. ¨CYou don¡¯t know whether Black Cloud Village still exists or not? That¡¯s your hometown! On the broken bridge, the appearance of Granny Gu made a few demons to exchange glances. Then the Crimson Flame King spoke up. ¡¾Crimson Flame King: Good! Granny Gu makes sense, let¡¯s go back and restrain our kin¡¿ The demons didn¡¯t waste words and left directly. The group accompanying Granny Gu watched the demons leave with vigilance, and someone spoke in a low voice. ¡¾Wen Shaozhong: These demons are probably here to find the whereabouts of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. I think they have no intention of restraining their kin¡¿ ¡¾Lan Qingfeng: Fairy Yu is dead, and the demons in the city are likely to cause chaos. We humans are in grave danger amidst them¡¿ ¡¾Luo Qunshan: If it weren¡¯t for Fairy Yu¡¯s indiscriminate kindness back then and allowing demons into the city, Nanjiang City wouldn¡¯t have become this dangerous place where humans and demons coexist on the brink of disaster!¡¿ ¡¾Wen Shaozhong: A nice Nanjiang City, which should have been a human paradise, has fallen to this state due to Fairy Yu¡¯s momentary lapse, filled with demons and miasma. While she was alive, she could suppress everything, but now that she¡¯s gone, Nanjiang City is bound to fall into chaos¡¿ On the broken bridge, everyone frowned and spoke in low spirits. Granny Gu watched coldly and finally spoke. ¡¾Granny Gu: Now that things have come to this, I ask you all to go back and gather your subordinates, strengthen patrols in the city, and at the same time guard against those demons¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: Even if chaos is inevitable, we cannot let the demons take over the city. This is our only place of refuge¡¿ Following Granny Gu¡¯s words, everyone nodded and left. Clearly, the mysterious Granny Gu held high prestige in this group of humans. Finally, as everyone left, only Granny Gu remained on the bridge. She stood hunched over, quietly on the broken bridge, looking at the calm lake ahead, and for a moment, the scene froze in silence. Watching the sorrowful Luo Feng, Granny Gu sighed again. ¡¾Granny Gu: Alright, this old lady knows you want to find the Startling Swan Immortal Sword to suppress the chaos like Fairy Yu did¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: But the immortal sword isn¡¯t as crucial as you think. Even if you really got the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, you couldn¡¯t suppress the red-eyed bunch in the city¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: Restrain your half-demon subordinates, keep them out of the turmoil, and try to limit the scope of the chaos. That¡¯s what you should be doing¡¿ The hunched old woman finished speaking, shook her head, and turned to leave. From her back, she looked like nothing more than a frail old person with no hint of supernatural power. But Luo Feng kept watching the old woman¡¯s retreating figure until she disappeared from view, then he let out a long sigh of relief and straightened his back. ¡¾Luo Feng: ...No matter how many times I see Granny Gu, I can¡¯t help but feel afraid¡¿ After Luo Feng spoke, he glanced at the broken bridge beneath his feet and lightly tapped the surface with his toes. ¡¾Luo Feng: The brother hanging below, aren¡¯t you coming up? Everyone¡¯s gone¡¿ This time, he was finally addressing Jiang Xiaoyu. After all, he had arrived before Jiang Xiaoyu and had hidden better than Jiang Xiaoyu. He must have noticed Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s movements hanging under the bridge while invisible. Just then, Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s Invisibility Charm wore off, and Jiang Xiaoyu, now visible, flipped up from under the bridge while looking curiously at the person before him. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Why didn¡¯t you expose me?¡¿ Knowing he was hiding below and eavesdropping, yet not telling Granny Gu... ¡¾Luo Feng (shaking his head): Exposing you would have been pointless. You¡¯re here to find the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, right?¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Using such a lousy Invisibility Charm, yet managing to sneak through the heavy blockades alone to get here. You¡¯re a master of stealth... I admire your skill¡¿ Hearing this praise, Jiang Xiaoyu grinned and laughed. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Let me guess, your next words will surely be that since I¡¯m so adept at stealth, I might as well take on the task of finding the Startling Swan Immortal Sword while you, the half-demon leader, go back to command your half-demons?¡¿ Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s laughter was frivolous, but Luo Feng didn¡¯t mind and nodded seriously. ¡¾Luo Feng: Exactly, since you¡¯re here for the immortal sword, it¡¯s perfect to entrust this matter to you. Besides, you¡¯d still go looking for the Startling Swan Immortal Sword even if I didn¡¯t ask you.¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 78 The words of the half-demon youth Luo Feng made Jiang Xiaoyu grin and laugh. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Telling jokes with such a straight face... you¡¯re quite the character. You¡¯re asking me to find the immortal sword? Suppose I actually find it, am I expected to just hand it over to you obediently?¡¿ Luo Feng, however, shook his head. ¡¾Luo Feng: You¡¯ve misunderstood me. If you find the immortal sword Startling Swan, it will belong to you. You are free to take the immortal sword and leave the city with it. I won¡¯t stop you.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Moreover, while you search for the immortal sword, I will provide you with information and help you infiltrate to search for it. I will be cooperating with you as much as possible.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: I won¡¯t ask for anything else even if you don¡¯t find the immortal sword. If you do find it, I won¡¯t want the immortal sword either. It will be yours.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: All I ask is that once you have the immortal sword, you lend it to me to kill a few people. That will be enough.¡¿ The half-demon youth proposed such a deal. Jiang Xiaoyu was somewhat surprised. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Who do you want to kill? Such a deep grudge...¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Just rest assured it¡¯s not you I¡¯ll be killing. I, Luo Feng, always keep my word and never go back on it.¡¿ Faced with Luo Feng¡¯s suggestion, Jiang Xiaoyu hesitated. ¡¾Accept his offer, and with his help, you can get the immortal sword faster.¡¿ ¡¾This kid is so straightforward... Could it be a trick? Reject!¡¿ These two options popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. And below them, a red warning. ¡¾Your current choice may affect the difficulty of the game later on. Please choose carefully.¡¿ (The difficulty level will not affect the reward settlement.) ¡°Impact the difficulty later on but not the reward settlement?¡± Li Muyang was surprised as he looked at the two choices in his field of vision, noting especially that the difficulty level would not affect the reward settlement. r It was almost as if the system was suggesting that Li Muyang should take the easier route. If this were his past life when he was gaming, Li Muyang would certainly not be superstitious and would have wanted to try the hard mode to see just how difficult the game could get. But now, it wasn¡¯t just about playing a game. Based on the situation on Sea of Mist, this system may interfered with reality and provide generous rewards. After pondering for a while, Li Muyang, who had saved his progress, finally gave up the option of ¡°challenging the higher difficulty,¡± which was a matter of gamer¡¯s pride. ¡°I choose the easy mode.¡± He decided to accept the half-demon youth Luo Feng¡¯s proposal. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Alright. I¡¯ll cooperate with you, but you can¡¯t find the Startling Swan Immortal Sword yourself, so what help can you offer me?¡¿ The woman, surprised, said, ¡°Brother Liu, why have you brought me here? There¡¯s nothing here...¡± The woman was quite attractive, and even in a crowd, she would be considered a slender beauty. That being said, most girls who know how to dress up are generally not bad-looking. The man was also an outer disciple who had chatted with Li Muyang a few times before¡ªthe kind who was always networking. At this moment, he brought the woman to the corner, chuckled, and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°...Who says there¡¯s nothing here? Isn¡¯t there a good brother like me...¡± ¡°Ah, stop it...¡± Like dry tinder meeting a flame, a young man and woman ignited right there on the spot. Without any preamble, Li Muyang, who was crouching in the corner, hesitated about whether to speak up to make his presence known. Seeing the two of them pile on top of each other instantly... he decided to continue hiding. Interrupting at such a moment would probably earn him the enmity of this Liu for life. Li Muyang closed his eyes in resignation and lay back on the small platform. The sounds of panting and clapping continued for quite a while¡ªcultivators are indeed physically strong, with more stamina than ordinary people. Just when Li Muyang was getting impatient, the noise finally subsided. But the couple did not leave. Instead, they lingered to talk about love. Just as Li Muyang decided not to bother with the couple and continued to play his game, the man surnamed Liu boasted to the woman with a laugh, ¡°Speaking of this trip to Demon Sword City, my family actually used to live there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite familiar with this ancient city. That¡¯s one of the main reasons why I was chosen to accompany the group.¡± The woman¡¯s sycophantic praise and the man¡¯s smug laughter didn¡¯t concern Li Muyang. What caught his attention was a key phrase the man mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s said that Demon Sword City was a place where humans and demons lived together thousands of years ago!¡± ¡°Demons and humans crammed into one city to live... isn¡¯t it scary?¡± The man surnamed Liu vividly recounted the legends of his hometown. Li Muyang, who was about to play his game, suddenly froze and his mouth fell open. A city where humans and demons coexisted... Thousands of years ago... What the f*ck?! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 79 ¡°Brother? Why do you seem so restless?¡± During dinner, Li Yuechan curiously looked at her brother and asked. At that moment, Li Muyang¡¯s brows were furrowed as if he was pondering some significant matter. It was rare to see her brother, who usually kept to himself and seemed indifferent to everything, looking so serious. Hearing his sister¡¯s voice, Li Muyang looked up in surprise and asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t go to have dinner with Senior Sister Ning tonight?¡± Ning Wan¡¯er, who had entered the Inner Sect and became a direct disciple, was now out of Li Muyang and the others¡¯ league. All outer disciples had to respectfully address Ning Wan¡¯er as ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Over the past few days, Li Yuechan had often been invited by Ning Wan¡¯er to dine and chat together, sometimes even staying over. The two girls shared the same bed, so their sisterly bond was deep. Many envied Li Yuechan for this treatment. After all, it was akin to being favored by a direct disciple, almost a guarantee of rapid advancement in the future. For this reason, many have been bothering Li Muyang these days. The group of outer disciples on the flying boat were all eager to climb the ranks. In their eyes, the connection Li Muyang and his sister had with direct disciple Ning Wan¡¯er was highly coveted, and everyone wanted to get close. It was because of these persistent disciples that Li Muyang was forced to hide in a corner away from the crowd and secretly playing his game. But unexpectedly, he overheard the legend of Demon Sword City... Recalling the tale he had heard at the end of the flying boat and looking at his little sister, Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and eat first.¡± It was already past dinner time, and the dining hall was almost empty. To avoid those eager disciples, Li Muyang had been showing up after most people had left the dining hall. But unexpectedly, his sister Li Yuechan had also come. Li Yuechan obediently nodded, picked up the food she had just gotten, and sat opposite Li Muyang. ¡°Today, Sister Ning had things to take care of, so I didn¡¯t bother her. Besides, if Sister Ning needs me, she¡¯ll send someone to notify me.¡± Curious, she looked at Li Muyang and returned to her original question. ¡°Brother, you haven¡¯t said anything yet... what are you thinking about? Why do you seem so distracted?¡± Li Yuechan was full of curiosity. Her brother was mysterious and had some secrets unknown to others. Li Muyang¡¯s mind was alert. He wasn¡¯t concerned about the bloodstone mines, even though they were an important resource for demonic cultivation. But the most important piece of information in Li Yuechan¡¯s words was the past of Demon Sword City. An ancient city established thousands of years ago, where humans and demons coexisted and prospered until a disaster struck, turning it into a deserted city. ¨CThis really is exactly like Nanjiang City in the game! In the game, with Fairy Yu¡¯s demise, Nanjiang City was on the brink of chaos. Once the demons and humans in the city started a full-scale war, the fall of Nanjiang City would be imminent. But the demon sword... There didn¡¯t seem to be a demon sword in the game, only an immortal sword. A thought struck Li Muyang, and he asked, ¡°Do you know what demon sword was in Demon Sword City?¡± But he saw his little sister shake her head. The girl said, ¡°I don¡¯t know about it, Sister Ning didn¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡°She only mentioned a bit about Demon Sword City when we talked about this trip, she didn¡¯t really talk about the demon sword... Why? Brother, are you interested in the demon sword?¡± Li Yuechan said with a giggly smile, ¡°If you want to know, I¡¯ll ask Sister Ning more about it next time I see her.¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s smile carried a hint of teasing. After all, Ning Wan¡¯er was once the object of Li Muyang¡¯s affection. But faced with his sister¡¯s teasing, Li Muyang remained uninterested. He nodded and said, ¡°Okay, then please do that for me, I am quite curious about this legend.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyes were sincere, and his tone was natural, without a trace of embarrassment or conflict. Seeing him so composed, Li Yuechan pouted and huffed, ¡°Brother...¡± The girl looked around, seeing that they were alone, and suddenly spoke up. ¡°Tell me the truth, have you really lost interest in Sister Ning?¡± ¡°Your hot-and-cold behavior towards her... Are you really not playing hard to get?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 80 Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes sparkled with the bright light of gossip. She stared at her brother, curious and expectant, probing for an answer. Li Muyang glanced at her sideways, still composed. ¡°I truly have no interest in her anymore.¡± ¡°But this hot-and-cold behavior... How did that come up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been like this towards Ning Wan¡¯er. I¡¯ve never been ¡®hot¡¯?¡± Seeing her brother¡¯s response, Li Yuechan sighed. ¡°I thought you suddenly wanted to pursue Sister Ning again, so you were making excuses for me to get close to her... I didn¡¯t expect you were actually just curious about a legend from thousands of years ago?¡± Li Yuechan, carrying her leftover plate, shook her head and walked away. ¡°A myth from thousands of years ago, why be so curious...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it...¡± The girl couldn¡¯t understand and shook her head in dismay. Interested in a myth from thousands of years ago, yet indifferent to a beautiful girl like Sister Ning. Could it be that brother has lost interest in women... Li Yuechan suddenly became worried. She had heard that some men just aren¡¯t interested in women, instead preferring men or even more peculiar things. Her brother, in the prime of his youth, didn¡¯t like beautiful girls and could remain unmoved even by a great beauty like Sister Ning. Living in a place like the Outer Sect, which lacked entertainment, he never visited brothels... He wasn¡¯t like this before. Now he had become such a gentleman, not even glancing at Sister Ning, so refined and courteous... it¡¯s really weird. If brother really had lost interest in women and started liking some peculiar things, or even men... Hiss... Li Yuechan suddenly gasped. Because she thought of someone. Guan Xiaoshun, the boy from a small town on the frontier! Her brother showed no interest in beautiful women, was never curious about the brothels of the Outer Sect, and didn¡¯t care to interact with other people of the Outer Sect. r? Yet, he took a particular liking to Guan Xiaoshun! The two of them were very close! During this mission outside, brother would either hide and disappear or stick with Guan Xiaoshun, not speaking to anyone else. This... Li Yuechan suddenly panicked. Could my brother actually like men? ...... In the dining hall, watching his little sister¡¯s departing figure, Li Muyang smiled helplessly. The road was lined with taverns, and Jiang Xiaoyu kept looking back with each step, seemingly reluctant to leave and as if he wished he could dash into one and drink to his heart¡¯s content. However, under Li Muyang¡¯s control, he could only walk past the entire street, leaving all the taverns behind. Eventually, they arrived at the residence indicated by the quest log. It was an inconspicuous little courtyard in the city. After pushing the door open, Li Muyang saw the NPC with the ¡¾Shape-shifter Master¡¿ health bar above his head. This was an ordinary middle-aged man who looked like a scholarly teacher and exuded an air of elegance. Jiang Xiaoyu appeared, took out Luo Feng¡¯s jade pendant to identify himself, and then inquired about the whereabouts of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. The Shape-shifter Master held Luo Feng¡¯s jade pendant and gazed into the distance. He seemed to be pondering something, and after a long while, he sighed. ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: The chaos within the city is becoming apparent. Nanjiang City will be a place of strife, and often, once the flames of conflict are ignited, they cannot be extinguished.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: Finding the Startling Swan Immortal Sword now will not stop the unrest.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: The true strength has never been in the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, but in Fairy Yu...¡¿ The Shape-shifter Master sighed softly, his eyes filled with complexity. He returned the jade pendant to Jiang Xiaoyu. ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: Please relay to Luo Feng that he needn¡¯t trouble himself searching for the immortal sword anymore. Stabilizing the situation and preventing his half-demon forces from getting involved in the chaos is what¡¯s most important now.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: The immortal sword has never been the elixir for governing Nanjiang City.¡¿ The Shape-shifter Master declined Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s request and was unwilling to provide further guidance. Li Muyang had no choice but to control Jiang Xiaoyu to leave and find the half-demon general Luo Feng in the city. At that moment, Luo Feng was in a mansion in the city, gathering his half-demon subordinates. Upon seeing Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s arrival and hearing his message, the half-demon general fell silent for a while. ¡¾Luo Feng: ...The Shape-shifter Master refused to give directions?¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s only one thing to do.¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: What¡¯s that?¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: I¡¯ll send two of my trusted aides with you to see the Shape-shifter Master, and together you¡¯ll behead him.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Behead the Shape-shifter Master and use dark magic to interrogate his soul. He¡¯ll talk whether he wants to or not!¡¿ The half-demon general¡¯s tone was fierce and commanding. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. ¨CThis half-demon young general is ruthless! He seemed so agreeable before. I thought he was a friendly person. But now, he talks of beheading as if it¡¯s nothing. In this moment, the half-demon general seemed even more terrifying to him than those demons and monsters plotting murder and chaos. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 81 Li Muyang remembered that two recommended characters appeared at the beginning of the game ¡°Legend of Sword and Fairy. ¡± One was Jiang Xiaoyu from Black Cloud Village, with the system tags of ¡®The lost gem of Black Cloud, the ancient evil lineage¡¯. The other selectable character was this Luo Feng, tagged by the system as ¡°The half-demon youth of Nanjiang.¡± Judging from the tags, he seemed quite ordinary. He had thought it was a traditional RPG protagonist, but it turned out to be a decisive and ruthless protagonist typical of Xianxia web novels... Following Luo Feng¡¯s suggestion, Jiang Xiaoyu led the two half-demons through the streets and once again found the Shape-shifter Master. In the courtyard, the Shape-shifter Master sat like a schoolteacher under the porch. Seeing Jiang Xiaoyu appear with two half-demons, the Shape-shifter Master laughed heartily. ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: Did Luo Feng send you to kill me? That¡¯s quite an underestimation of this old man.¡¿ The next second, the battle began. The scene in Li Muyang¡¯s view suddenly changed. Darkness engulfed him like a tide, and that feeling of falling into the darkness emerged once again. Li Muyang was slightly startled¡ªwas this taking him into an instance? Wasn¡¯t this game in third-person? Why had it suddenly turned into an immersive instance? He had thought the game¡¯s combat system would be like that of ¡®Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡¯, an RPG turn-based system, but now he had to step into the fray himself... As the darkness around him dispersed like a receding tide, Li Muyang found himself standing in the Shape-shifter Master¡¯s courtyard, flanked by two half-demons. Before him stood the Shape-shifter Master, who, resembling a middle-aged schoolteacher, now loomed twice as tall as a normal person. And there stood Li Muyang, his face filled with surprise. At this moment, he was not in the appearance of Jiang Xiaoyu but in his own form. He could even sense the Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman in his bosom and the magical treasure wheel within his dantian¡ªthis was none other than Li Muyang himself who had entered the game! Li Muyang¡¯s expression was one of astonishment, but the two half-demons beside him, as well as the Shape-shifter Master in front, all treated him as Jiang Xiaoyu even though Li Muyang¡¯s appearance had changed significantly. ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: You must first offer up your lives if you wish to take this old man¡¯s head.¡¿ As his voice fell, the Shape-shifter Master moved towards the trio. With one frighteningly long step, he was right in front of them. The Shape-shifter Master¡¯s long, dangling hands swung towards Li Muyang. Then a cold wind rushed at his face. The realistic details of the battle made Li Muyang instinctively dodge. With a thought, the treasure wheel from his dantian¡¯s sea of qi materialized in his hand. The wheel remained unchanged, still at the level of a common magical instrument. Li Muyang tried to look inward to see his sea of qi and dantian, but at that moment, he realized that a game was still a game. He couldn¡¯t inspect his own sea of qi and dantian, and the sharp senses of a cultivator were also limited in the game. The only certainty was that this game body was much stronger than his real one. As the transformed Shape-shifter Master approached with a sinister smile, extending his arms towards the trio, Li Muyang no longer fled. This time, he chose to confront. The wheel in his hand spun fiercely, and an invisible force aimed at the Shape-shifter Master, intending to immobilize his soul and render him motionless. However, when the wheel¡¯s soul-capturing power hit the Shape-shifter Master, it eerily had no effect. Laughing sinisterly, the Shape-shifter Master continued his assault on Li Muyang, his huge and slender body seemingly devoid of a soul. In a rush, Li Muyang retreated and dodged, cornered by the Shape-shifter Master. He continuously activated the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique, dodging around the courtyard with teleportation-like speed. Despite his large size, the Shape-shifter Master was frighteningly agile and could cast strange and sinister magic, ultimately striking Li Muyang with his slender arms. ¡¾Victory or defeat is a common occurrence in warfare. Hero, please try again¡¿ As Li Muyang watched the defeat message in his field of vision, he took a long breath and his eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it...¡± Although he died this time, Li Muyang had roughly figured out the combat system of the game. After entering the game, his combat power would increase by many levels, basically on par with the Shape-shifter Master. It was just that the Shape-shifter Master was too fast and had several spells that restricted movement, making it somewhat difficult for Li Muyang to cope. But as long as their combat power was comparable, and he could keep up with the Shape-shifter Master¡¯s speed and inflict damage, then one or two defeats didn¡¯t really matter. In a game, it¡¯s quite common to die dozens of times while fighting a boss! Li Muyang closed his eyes and re-entered the system. Game With the Fairies, start! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 82 With the experience of two previous failures, Li Muyang re-entered the game with ease. As soon as he saw the Shape-shifter Master¡¯s body begin to mutate, Li Muyang immediately threw the wheel in his hand. The wheel, exuding a cold aura, transformed into a black light and slashed at the Shape-shifter Master. The Shape-shifter Master had just completed its transformation when it was struck by the wheel. It struggled to move its neck, dodging the attack, but its face was still grazed by the wheel, leaving a gash that bled profusely. ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: Damn you Jiang Xiaoyu!¡¿ The Shape-shifter Master howled in pain, and its health bar dropped a little. Although the damage was not great, Li Muyang¡¯s attack had indeed hurt him. All he needed to do was to deplete his health bar, and then he would be defeated. Seeing this, Li Muyang smirked. Since it¡¯s a game and there¡¯s a health bar, then it¡¯s easy to handle. Not to mention a mere Shape-shifter Master, if it¡¯s in games, even the gods can be slayed as long as there¡¯s a health bar! Li Muyang controlled the spinning wheel and, together with two half-demons, charged at the Shape-shifter Master ahead. ....... ¡°Yuechan, we¡¯ll arrive at Demon Sword City tomorrow, why do you look so worried?¡± In a boudoir filled with a faint fragrance, Ning Wan¡¯er asked curiously. This was Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s room, also on the flying boat. However, compared to the large dormitory where the outer disciples slept, Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s room was practically a presidential suite. The room was filled with the scent of sandalwood incense. The maid had cleaned the room spotlessly, and even the floor was so clean and smooth that one could lie down on it directly. Half an hour earlier, after Ning Wan¡¯er had finished her tasks and her cultivation, she had sent a maid to invite Li Yuechan. Being in the Demon Refining Sect and becoming a direct disciple, she had achieved a leap in status, but Ning Wan¡¯er felt more isolated. The status of a direct disciple was too prominent. There were only a few under each elder, and even inner disciples had to greet her with caution. The gap in status was too great for close friendships. As for the other direct disciples, who were her seniors, they were her competitors, making it even less likely for her to form close bonds. To Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s surprise, she found that the only person she could talk to intimately was Li Yuechan, a fellow townsman from Jiuyuan City. Therefore, on this trip, she specifically brought along the Li siblings, and almost every day she had her maid invite Li Yuechan to talk with her. The two girls often chatted until late into the night and then went to bed together. Although young, Miss Li from the Li Family was impeccable in her conduct and very comfortable to be around. But tonight, Ning Wan¡¯er noticed that the usually cheerful Li Yuechan seemed to be troubled by something. After the two finished talking about the legends of Demon Sword City, Ning Wan¡¯er brought up the matter out of curiosity. Li Muyang started liking men?! Is that what the little sister from the Li Family meant? Ning Wan¡¯er was dumbfounded. Li Yuechan shook her head in distress and said, ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet, but I think there¡¯s a chance...¡± Li Yuechan recounted the events of the past few days. This included how her brother, while at the Outer Sect, showed no interest in women, barely giving a second glance to the brothels, and how he never spoke to other outer disciples on the flying boat, either disappearing during the day or spending time with Guan Xiaoshun. Even their beds were next to each other. ¡°This...¡± The more Ning Wan¡¯er listened to Li Yuechan, the more shocked her expression became. ¡°Li Muyang likes men...¡± It was as frightening as a ghost story, but the more Li Yuechan spoke, the more it seemed to make sense! After all, this guy had been madly pursuing adoring her her before and now he had no interest in her at all. Such an abrupt change was like he had become a different person. But if he now liked men, then everything seemed to make sense. To develop a liking for men after just two months away from home... At this moment, Ning Wan¡¯er suddenly felt guilty. Could it be that Li Muyang was so deeply hurt by her that he was driven to like men as a result? Hesitating, she looked at Li Yuechan and asked, ¡°So... what do we do? Should we test him?¡± Li Yuechan looked puzzled: ¡°Ah? How do we test him?¡± Ning Wan¡¯er suggested, ¡°My maid Xiaodie is quite pretty. Should I have her offer herself to your brother to see if he¡¯s tempted?¡± If he¡¯s tempted by the maid, then he definitely doesn¡¯t like men. But Li Yuechan hesitated for a moment and shook her head, ¡°...Xiaodie is indeed pretty, but compared to the women in the Outer Sect brothels, she doesn¡¯t have much of an advantage, and none of those women could tempt my brother...¡± Li Yuechan shook her head and added, ¡°Besides, we can¡¯t let this get out. If it does, it would be bad for my brother¡¯s reputation.¡± The two girls fell silent again. ¡°What do we do now...¡± It¡¯s not like we can test him ourselves, right? Ning Wan¡¯er and Li Yuechan stared at each other, and the room fell silent for a moment. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 83 The morning sun pierced the sky, scattering its light upon the earth. The mist lingering between the mountains turned into a vast sea of clouds, ethereal and ever-changing. Birds in the mountains took flight, carrying twigs to their nests. Their verdant figures danced through the clouds, agile and lively. But at one moment, a sound suddenly came from within the sea of clouds. In the next instant, the vast sea of clouds parted, and a colossal object descended from above. The churning clouds, mixed with howling winds, startled the verdant birds into desperately flapping their wings to flee the terrifying behemoth. In another moment, the gales from the high skies tore through the clouds, revealing the massive shape of the object. A huge flag planted on the behemoth bore characters similar to those on the flags of the ancient city in the mountains. ¡¾Demon Refining Sect¡¿ The verdant birds panicked and flew even further away. Such spiritual birds of the mountains avoided humans in the city as if they were the plague. On the deck of the flying boat, Li Yuechan looked at the fleeing bird and exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s a phoenix bird... Brother, there are phoenix birds in the mountains outside Demon Sword City. The spiritual energy here must be abundant.¡± Phoenix birds are spiritual birds fond of dwelling in places rich in spiritual energy. Li Muyang, however, glanced at the departing phoenix bird and shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s just the most common kind of phoenix bird, barely qualifying as a spiritual bird, and not really rare.¡± Even if the ley lines of Demon Sword City were truly abundant with spiritual energy, the place was constantly inhabited by demonic cultivators, with demonic energy engulfing the sky. It was impossible for real divine beasts to reside here. At this moment, all the outer disciples on the deck were lined up and waiting. They were uniformly dressed in the robes of the outer disciples, presenting a neat and solemn appearance. Li Muyang, Li Yuechan, and Guan Xiaoshun stood at the end of the line, whispering to each other. Clouds flowed by them, and the majestic mountains rose and fell as the flying boat navigated through them. Looking down from above, one could vaguely see a plain emerging between the peaks ahead. The walls of Demon Sword City were almost at the edge of this plain. The outer disciples accompanying them marveled at the spectacle of the plain amidst the mountains, but Li Muyang remained silent. This Demon Sword City... it really is Nanjiang City! Whether it was the vast mountains outside the city or the layout of the streets within, they were almost identical to Nanjiang City in the game. The dignitaries were off to a banquet to wash away the dust of travel, but this group of Outer Sect nobodies didn¡¯t enjoy such treatment. They had to make their way to the accommodations arranged by Demon Sword City to settle in. The group passes through the pitch-dark city gate tunnel and steps into the city. The streets and alleys that meet their eyes indeed bore the style of Nanjiang City from thousands of years ago. Moreover, this city gate was very close to the residence of the game boss Shape-shifter Master, whom Li Muyang was currently challenging. The further he walked, the more familiar the street scenes became to Li Muyang, almost identical to those in the game. It wasn¡¯t until they arrived at the lodgings arranged for the outer disciples by Demon Sword City and saw the alley ahead that Li Muyang¡¯s brain cells almost stirred. ¡ª¡ªWasn¡¯t this the very alley where the Shape-shifter Master lived? The scenes from the game had somehow come to life... Was this considered a pilgrimage to a holy site? Having been killed dozens of times by the Shape-shifter Master in that alley, Li Muyang instinctively shrank his neck. After dying too many times, he always felt that the eerie and creepy figure of the Shape-shifter Master would jump out from a corner at any second. Fortunately, reality was not the game, and Li Muyang safely entered the alley and found his assigned room. He, Guan Xiaoshun, and four other Outer Sect male disciples were crammed into a small courtyard with three rooms, two people to a room. The best courtyard, where the Shape-shifter Master lived, was occupied by the two Inner Sect Senior Brothers who led the outer disciples. ¡°Brother Li, do you want to go out for a stroll?¡± After tidying up the room and putting away his luggage and bedding, Guan Xiaoshun said, ¡°Senior Brother Liu and the others planned to explore the city and invited us to join them.¡± The man surnamed Liu, who hailed from Demon Sword City and happened to live in the same courtyard as Li Muyang, volunteered to show everyone around his hometown. These outer disciples, cooped up in the sect all day and hardly seeing the outside world, naturally couldn¡¯t wait to explore the city now that they had the chance. However, Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°No thanks, you guys go ahead, I want to rest for a bit.¡± Watching Guan Xiaoshun and the other outer disciples leave the courtyard, Li Muyang closed the door to his room, lay down on the bed, and closed his eyes. Game With the Fairies, start! What¡¯s there to explore in this real-life city? It¡¯s all a 1:1 replica anyway. I¡¯ll explore in the game! Damn Shape-shifter Master, your grandpa Li Muyang is back! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 84 In the courtyard filled with rising evil energy, the tall and slender-limbed Shape-shifter Master screamed as it fell to the ground. However, instead of blood, a continuous stream of black malevolent energy spewed from the severed head that Li Muyang had chopped off. Watching the Shape-shifter Master fall, Li Muyang let out a satisfied chuckle. That¡¯s how the game is. You, the boss, can win a thousand times, but it doesn¡¯t matter. I, the player, only need to win once! Can¡¯t beat it? Then I¡¯ll try ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times! No matter how complex the boss¡¯s attack patterns are, you get used to them after dying enough times. Li Muyang, who had personally entered the game, although previously constantly killed by the Shape-shifter Master, had come to enjoy this method of personally projecting himself into the game to fight monsters. He had managed to level up to the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm by stacking resources, but he hadn¡¯t learned a single combat spell and had no clue about the techniques of cultivation and combat, making his battle experience frighteningly low. After projecting his real self into the game and clashing with the high-difficulty boss Shape-shifter Master for two days and dying over a hundred times, he gradually got the hang of it. At this point, Li Muyang had finally gained some combat experience. It¡¯s hard to say about fighting others, but he was definitely confident in taking on this Shape-shifter Master. As the Shape-shifter Master fell in the alley within his view, Li Muyang recalled the floating wheel in the air. He could now skillfully control the wheel with his mind, making it fly around like a flying sword, agile and nimble. As Li Muyang recalled the wheel, he was surprised to see a wisp of green smoke rising from the fallen body of the Shape-shifter Master, landing on his magical wheel. Seeing this, Li Muyang was slightly taken aback. ¡°What did my wheel absorb from the Shape-shifter Master?¡± It couldn¡¯t be the soul because the Shape-shifter Master¡¯s severed head was still there, howling and talking non-stop. Previously, when he killed a leopard in reality, a wisp of white smoke had floated out from the leopard¡¯s body, and now, killing a boss in the game, there was a similar wisp of smoke? ? Li Muyang glanced at the magical wheel in his hand and noticed that data had appeared on it. ¡¾Dharma-Annihilation Wheel: Mortal-grade (18%)¡¿ ¡°Huh?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Although he knew the wheel could grow and its limit was that of an immortal weapon, he had been too busy to study the wheel¡¯s upgrade path since he got it. After killing the leopard, Li Muyang had a vague idea that the wheel needed to kill to grow. But he didn¡¯t expect that killing a game boss would also contribute to its growth. Unbelievable. Moreover, killing a single game boss Shape-shifter Master directly yielded 18% experience¡ª¡ªthe bosses in this game provided quite high experience points. Inside the game interface in the alley, Jiang Xiaoyu, holding the Shape-shifter Master¡¯s head, was frozen in action. The best would be a monster-killing quest. The more monsters killed, the faster the magic weapon upgrades. He didn¡¯t hesitate to choose yes. With the situation being so chaotic... There shouldn¡¯t be any small errand tasks in this city, right? Sure enough, Luo Feng assigned him a monster-killing transition quest. ¡¾Luo Feng: There is a demon in the city called the Crimson Flame King. He is a schemer among demons and has always wanted to overthrow Nanjiang City.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: You were able to defeat the Shape-shifter Master, so with your strength, defeating the Crimson Flame King shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Please kill the Crimson Flame King for us. He will be going alone to the Metasequoia Courtyard tonight to meet another demon king¡¯s wife.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: This is an excellent opportunity. The Crimson Flame King won¡¯t bring his followers when meeting his secret lover.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Kill him and clear the obstacles in our search for the Startling Swan Immortal Sword.¡¿ ¡¾Main Quest: Go to the Metasequoia Courtyard and kill the Crimson Flame King.¡¿ Seeing this system quest, Li Muyang didn¡¯t question why killing a demon would clear the path to finding the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. All he knew was that there was another BOSS to slay. ¡°The Crimson Flame King, huh?¡± A boss of the same level as the Shape-shifter Master should also give about 18% experience, right? A few bosses of this caliber, and he could upgrade his revolving wheel to a low-grade spiritual weapon. Li Muyang accepted the quest and hurriedly controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to leave and set up an ambush at the Metasequoia Courtyard. This Crimson Flame King had also appeared on the broken bridge before and was one of the demon leaders of Nanjiang City. Who would have thought this guy would actually play with another demon king¡¯s wife... Tsk tsk... Such a heinous act must be condemned! Following the system¡¯s map instructions, Li Muyang traversed the vast Nanjiang City and arrived at a secluded courtyard in the eastern part of the city. This area was full of demons, and most of the city¡¯s residents were demons. But the Metasequoia Courtyard was a quiet place on the edge of the demon settlement, with hardly any demons outside the gate. Li Muyang hid in the darkness and waited for a while until he saw the figure of the Crimson Flame King appear at the gate. He then followed stealthily, sneaking in from the shadows. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 85 The Metasequoia Courtyard was complete with pavilions, towers, waterside pavilions, and flower ponds. It was indeed a sweet spot suitable for a secret rendezvous. In the current chaos of Nanjiang City, the Crimson Flame King was meeting his lover in such a secluded courtyard, setting a bad example of neglecting his duties. Especially since the lover he was meeting was also the wife of another demon king. Li Muyang, controlling Jiang Xiaoyu, sneaked into the courtyard and heard noises coming from inside the house, curling his lips in disdain. ¡°This Crimson Flame King sure knows how to enjoy himself...¡± He heard the woman inside panting and saying in a trembling voice, ¡°...my husband seems to have noticed something. You...huff... hnng... you promised to take me away from here... When will we leave Nanjiang City?¡± The Crimson Flame King¡¯s voice was deep as he replied, ¡°Soon...my beauty, I have everything prepared, just waiting for the right moment. Now that Fairy Yu has fallen, Nanjiang City will be in chaos.¡± ¡°Everyone in the city is wary of each other, but no one is paying attention to the treasury. I¡¯ll steal the two treasures from the treasury in a day or two.¡± ¡°With the protection of those two treasures, we can flee far away, safely traverse the wilderness, and have no worries about our lives.¡± Then, a series of rapid and excited panting followed. This Crimson Flame King was planning to elope with his beauty and even steal the treasures from the Nanjiang City treasury... Li Muyang didn¡¯t rush to act. He waited until the noises inside had quieted down for a while, and after a series of rustling sounds, footsteps could be heard from inside. ¡°I¡¯ll go back and deal with the others first. With the current unrest in the city, I can¡¯t be away for too long. Rest for now, my beauty, and I¡¯ll come back later...hehe...¡± The complacent Crimson Flame King stepped out the door, walking out while fastening his belt. However, a shadow suddenly darted out from the side, attacking him directly. ¡¾Entering combat phase¡¿ The moment the system prompt appeared, Li Muyang was once again engulfed by the darkness of the tide. He re-entered the game, controlling the Wheel of Annihilation to strike at the Crimson Flame King. ¡¾Crimson Flame King: ...?!¡¿ ¡¾Crimson Flame King: Who¡¯s there!¡¿ Li Muyang¡¯s wheel transformed into a cold light flying towards the Crimson Flame King, and at the same time, his figure flickered, instantly moving to the front of the Crimson Flame King and unleashing a punch. The immense force sent the unprepared Crimson Flame King flying. ¡¾-669¡¿ A small portion of the Crimson Flame King¡¯s health bar was emptied. Then the wheel whistled in, carving a deep gash in the Crimson Flame King¡¯s back, blood spurting wildly. ¡¾-1399¡¿ Another chunk of the Crimson Flame King¡¯s health bar was emptied. With that hit, the Crimson Flame King severely wounded Li Muyang. ¡°F*ck!¡± Although there was no pain in the game, seeing his health bar decrease sharply, Li Muyang immediately controlled the spinning wheel to fly back and counterattack. But as he directed the wheel towards the giant rat, the flame rat shook its head again, spewing out thick fire smoke. The red and black smoke concealed the rat king¡¯s figure, and Li Muyang lost sight of his target once more. Back in the real world, Li Muyang opened his eyes, tiredly rubbing them. ¡°This Crimson Flame King¡¯s fire smoke ability is really annoying.¡± He had died four times in a row, unable to break through the Crimson Flame King¡¯s fire smoke ability. The smoke not only obscured his vision but also weakened his perception while the Crimson Flame King moved even faster within it. He didn¡¯t confront Li Muyang head-on. As soon as it forced Li Muyang to retreat, it would furiously spew fire smoke, engulfing the entire courtyard with thick smoke. Then, it would hide within the smoke, striking Li Muyang with stealthy attacks. Sneaky and shameless. The Crimson Flame King, which looked like a reckless strongman, was actually like a rat that sneakily steals a companion¡¯s wife and also fights in a sneaky manner... Li Muyang shook his head. After dying four times, Li Muyang was somewhat tired, so he stopped playing the game. Mainly because he heard Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s voice calling from outside. ¡°Brother Li! Dinner¡¯s ready!¡± Hearing the call, Li Muyang got up and responded, ¡°Coming, coming, I¡¯m on my way.¡± From the four encounters just now, this Crimson Flame King didn¡¯t seem very strong. His body was bulky, his movements were not agile, and he lacked long-range attack capabilities. The skill of flinging its fiery fur had a wide range but was not very lethal, only the fire poison was troublesome. This demon king would be utterly useless if it weren¡¯t for the fire smoke ability. But that fire smoke was somewhat unsolvable; once it blended into the smoke, Li Muyang would lose his target. ¡°I need to find a way to break through this fire smoke...¡± Li Muyang pondered, searching for the demon king¡¯s weakness. The Crimson Flame King was different from the Shape-shifter Master. His attack pattern was very simple, just a straightforward three-trick pony. But breaking through these three tricks was indeed a bit difficult. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 86 ¡°Brother Li, we went to the city today and saw the ruins of a battlefield from thousands of years ago!¡± Guan Xiaoshun excitedly shared the day¡¯s journey. ¡°In the center of the city, there¡¯s a broken bridge, and beneath it, the ground is split open with a li long trench. It¡¯s said to have been made by a Sword Immortal during ancient times.¡± ¡°When we approached the trench, we could still faintly feel the intense immortal Sword Qi within it, so awe-inspiring and supreme that it deterred us from getting too close.¡± ¡°One sword strike and the Sword Qi lingers for a thousand years... it¡¯s truly astonishing.¡± ¡°The cultivators from the mythological era of ancient times were really incredible!¡± ¡°If only we had been born in the ancient times!¡± Guan Xiaoshun marveled, his eyes filled with longing. In this era, where true immortals have disappeared and the long-lived are extinct, the ancient times of thousands of years ago shine brilliantly for contemporary cultivators. It¡¯s said that in that era, true immortals walked the earth, demigods established realms in the heavens, and deities herded souls in the wilderness... there are all sorts of bizarre and mysterious legends. Every cultivator of this era yearned for that mythological age when the path to immortality was not yet severed. Li Muyang, however, glanced at the excited border town youth and shook his head. ¡°If we, mere small fry, were placed thousands of years ago, we¡¯d have to run even faster facing that city-destroying Sword Immortal.¡± The mythological era was indeed brilliant, but that was for the so-called protagonists and the favored children of the heavens. Ordinary folks in that era would have fared even worse. Inside Nanjiang City, Fairy Yu perished, and three forces clashed in battle. Strong human cultivators, demon kings, and half-demon generals... each harbored their own schemes. But the majority of ordinary civilians in the city didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to enter this deadly game. They could only become a series of cold death count statistics in the aftermath of the turmoil. Li Muyang had no desire to return to such a mythological era. Not to mention that current signs suggest that era was even more dangerous than imagined. Fairy Yu established a Nanjiang City to protect living beings, and although the group of demons within the city harbored sky-high resentment, they dared not easily leave the city walls. The demon king leader like Crimson Flame King would need to steal treasures for self-defense before daring to leave the city. In the wilderness of that era, who knows what dangers lurk? Li Muyang¡¯s words filled with despair took Guan Xiaoshun by surprise. Guan Xiaoshun scratched his head and said, ¡°Brother Li is thoughtful. If we demon cultivators were to go back to ancient times, encountering a Sword Immortal would indeed mean a quicker death.¡± Guan Xiaoshun gave an awkward smile. Li Muyang rolled his eyes: ¡°Stop thinking about all that nonsense, hurry up and finish eating, then let¡¯s get to work.¡± ...... Li Muyang instinctively resisted entering such houses. As someone who was afraid of ghosts, seeing these empty, desolate abandoned houses almost triggered his PTSD. Who knows how many horror movies and novels feature evil spirits jumping out from such places. Fortunately, although the house was eerie, Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun left safely without encountering any danger. No resentful spirits jumped out from the shadows. After leaving the courtyard safely, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Let¡¯s just search around casually. Let¡¯s not enter houses anymore.¡± The idea of resentful spirits wandering in the dark was terrifying enough for Li Muyang. Guan Xiaoshun also nodded in agreement, ¡°Brother Li is right. This city feels creepy.¡± The vast streets and houses all maintained their appearance from thousands of years ago. After nightfall, the view was desolate and cold, and one could almost hear each other¡¯s breathing. It was like a scene straight out of a ghost story. Even if Guan Xiaoshun was braver, he was feeling a bit uneasy at this moment. The two walked side by side on the empty streets, planning to muddle through the search and then return to report that they had found nothing. But they hadn¡¯t gone far when suddenly came a sinister and eerie low howl from the shadows ahead on the street. The howling was fragmented, like that of a mouse. However, the noise was much louder than that of a mouse. Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun were startled and immediately took a defensive stance. But from the shadows of the street emerged a huge transparent rat shrouded in black mist, roaring as it pounced toward Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun. The giant rat was ablaze with a ghastly green ghostly fire. The sight of the ferocious giant rat engulfed in flames was all too familiar. Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened in an instant. This... is this the ghost of the Crimson Flame King? He hadn¡¯t faced him in the game, and now he was encountering his ghost in reality?! F*ck! Without a second thought, Li Muyang grabbed Guan Xiaoshun and turned to run. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 87 ¡°Brother... Brother Li?!¡± Guan Xiaoshun was dumbfounded. He had been ready to defend himself, following the safety warnings given before departure. If they encountered a resentful spirit, they only needed to concentrate their minds and not fall for the spirit¡¯s illusions, and the city¡¯s resentful spirits wouldn¡¯t be able to cause much trouble. Although they were resentful spirits from thousands of years ago, the ghosts in the city were surprisingly weak and didn¡¯t possess the strength of a millennia-old ghost. They were more like remnants of lingering thoughts, with no other danger than using illusions to confuse the living. In theory, as long as cultivators who had reached the Qi Refining Realm traveled in pairs and kept each other alert, there would be no risk when encountering resentful spirits. But just as Guan Xiaoshun was about to defend himself using the method provided, Li Muyang dragged him into a frantic run down the street. Guan Xiaoshun hurriedly shouted, ¡°Brother Li! Snap out of it!¡± He thought that Li Muyang¡¯s consciousness had been confused by a resentful spirit, which led him to behave so strangely. The young man tried to wake Li Muyang up. But just as Guan Xiaoshun finished speaking, a cold wind howled from behind them. A ghastly green ghostly fire landed at their feet, spreading a chilling and penetrating aura. Even from several zhang away, Guan Xiaoshun could feel the icy coldness of the ghostly fire. If they were hit by this ghostly fire... Guan Xiaoshun swallowed hard and looked back. The giant rat, transparent and burning with ghastly green flames, was sprinting under the moonlight, roaring as it chased after them. The cold ghostly fire burning around it kept flying toward Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun, rapidly dropping the temperature of the air. The ghostly fire had a visibly tremendous destructive power. If their flesh and blood were struck, they would be in grave danger. This time, Guan Xiaoshun didn¡¯t need Li Muyang to drag him. He started running frantically on his own while sweating profusely. ¡°... can ghosts here actually attack people?¡± Weren¡¯t the resentful spirits in the city supposed to be unable to attack, only capable of confusing people with illusions? Why was this giant rat so fierce!? Guan Xiaoshun, drenched in sweat, cried out in panic. While running wildly, Li Muyang glanced back at the half-transparent giant rat ghost. The rat¡¯s eyes, emitting a faint green light, were fixed on them as if it had locked onto these two living beings. The air faintly carried the rat¡¯s resentful roar, and the chilling ghostly fire danced wildly behind them, relentlessly pursuing the sprinting Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun. r?? The nine metal rings, interlocked with each other, looked very complicated. Seeing Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun return early, Senior Brother Cheng quickly hid the nine linked rings behind him and stood up with a stern face. ¡°Why have you two come back early? Have you finished searching the area you were assigned?¡± The young man in the Inner Sect white robe tried to look imposing. Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun exchanged glances and bowed respectfully. ¡°Senior Brother Cheng, here¡¯s what happened...¡± Li Muyang recounted their encounter with the giant rat ghost. Senior Brother Cheng was quite pleased with Li Muyang¡¯s respectful attitude. But after hearing the story, he exclaimed, ¡°Nonsense! How could the residual spirits within Demon Sword City possibly have the ability to attack the living?¡± ¡°Take me to see for myself. I want to witness it.¡± Senior Brother Cheng, skeptical, insisted that Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun take him back to the scene. Li Muyang estimated that little Senior Brother Cheng¡¯s cultivation level... was said to be in the late stages of Foundation Establishment? Although the rat king ghost was formidable, if it couldn¡¯t catch up with two Qi Refining cultivators, then Senior Brother Cheng should not be in danger of capsizing. Therefore, Li Muyang obediently led Senior Brother Cheng back to the neighborhood where they had encountered the rat demon ghost. It was still that place with eerie and ominous shadows. As Li Muyang and Senior Brother Cheng approached, a resentful and agitated voice suddenly came from the shadows. The next second, a massive evil ghost, burning with ghastly green flames, leaped out from the darkness. It was abrupt and unnerving. With overwhelming resentment and a chilling cold wind, it charged towards Senior Brother Cheng. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you... I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The resentful howling of the giant rat echoed far and wide under the moonlight. *** Author¡¯s Notes: The cultivation realm has been adjusted, removing the general numerical realms of the ninth rank, eighth rank, etc. Above the Qi Refining Realm is now the Foundation Establishment Realm, and the realms beyond that will be explained in the story later... We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 88 Senior Brother Cheng was startled by the terrifying scene of the giant rat ghost leaping out of the darkness. ¡°Is there really such a huge rat?¡± Senior Brother Xiao Cheng hurriedly shielded Li Muyang, and at the same time, he spat out a beam of cold light. ¡°Rise!¡± The cold light expelled from the youth¡¯s mouth instantly flew across the long street, reaching an extreme speed. The flying sword, nurtured within his body, possessed astonishing power once unsheathed. The semi-transparent giant rat was instantly penetrated by the cold light of the flying sword. However, this powerful flying sword did no harm to the vengeful spirit of the giant rat. The rat continued to charge forward, hissing as it spat out several orbs of cold, ghostly fire toward Li Muyang. The white-robed youth in front of Li Muyang frowned and snorted coldly, ¡°How dare such a little remnant soul be so presumptuous!¡± Although the attack of the flying sword was ineffective, the youth remained confident. He could tell at a glance that the power of the giant rat¡¯s remnant soul was weak, only capable of bullying Qi Refining period outer disciples. As several orbs of ghostly fire attacked simultaneously, the youth didn¡¯t retreat but advanced, striking out with the palm of his hand. Then, amidst the sound of blood splattering, the youth spat out blood and was sent flying, half of his body covered in frost. ¡°Pfft...¡± ¡°What a strange ghostly fire!¡± Senior Brother Xiao Cheng was filled with shock and astonishment at the power of this cold ghostly fire. He quickly shouted to the two outer disciples behind him, ¡°You guys, quickly ru...¡± He wanted to tell the two outer disciples to run away, as this vengeful spirit was more troublesome than he had imagined. But when Senior Brother Xiao Cheng turned around, he found that the two outer disciples had already run far away. Under the moonlight, only the retreating figures of Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun could be seen, getting further and further away on the street... ....... Moments later, the three who had escaped danger regrouped. Senior Brother Xiao Cheng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and furrowed his brows. ¡°Did the lord of Demon Sword City deceive us? He clearly said that the remnant souls in this city were extremely weak and couldn¡¯t attack the living.¡± Not only could a remnant soul attack the living, but even he, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, couldn¡¯t defeat it... Looking at Li Muyang and the others, he continued, ¡°You two stay here and make sure no one else enters this district. I¡¯m going to find the lord of Demon Sword City!¡± R? Although the lord of Demon Sword City was the local ruler of Demon Sword City, in terms of power, he might not be able to provoke the elite among the inner disciples. The giant rat was immediately enraged: ¡°You little thief... When did you hear that?!¡± Realizing that Li Muyang had overheard its secret rendezvous with Lord Bifeng¡¯s wife, the Crimson Flame Rat King immediately leaped over the wall and charged towards Li Muyang while roaring. It was the same tactic and the same trick. The giant rat spewed out a red and black smoky fire, attempting to obscure the vision with the smoke. Just as it had covered the area with smoke, Li Muyang had already ducked and rushed out of the smoky area. As he ran wildly, the red and black strange smoke always surrounded him, refusing to disperse. However, within the smoke, the attacks from the Crimson Flame Rat King became less frequent. Sensing this, Li Muyang smirked. Your smoke is indeed fierce, but I don¡¯t believe you can cover the entire city with it! Li Muyang sprinted through the smoke, occasionally defending against sudden attacks from within it. And the Crimson Flame Rat King, which was chasing him and spewing smoke, clearly didn¡¯t have an endless supply of it. It couldn¡¯t keep chasing Li Muyang and spewing smoke indefinitely. Finally, Li Muyang burst out of the range of the smoke and arrived on a spacious long street. And from behind him, within the smoke, came the roar of the Crimson Flame King. ¡°Good! Boy! You¡¯re quite something!¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve heard what you shouldn¡¯t have, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡± ¡°Today, I¡¯ll go all out against you!¡± Amidst the roar of the beast, the next moment, the smoke behind Li Muyang dispersed with a bang. A terrifying figure engulfed in blazing flames appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. It was a giant fire rat, but the smoky fire on its body writhed like a venomous snake, making its entire form appear even more bizarre and terrifying. And the health bar above its head had hardly decreased at all. But there was no doubt that this terrifying demon king monster had entered its second phase. Seeing this, Li Muyang let out a sly smile and stopped running. He turned around and faced the monster head-on. Assassination in broad daylight! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 89 The incident of the giant rat ghost that could attack people in Demon Sword City caused quite a stir. Especially since Senior Brother Cheng, who was at the Foundation Establishment Realm, personally took action and was injured by the giant rat spirit, shattering people¡¯s previous understanding of the spirits in Demon Sword City. Although Senior Brother Cheng and the lord of Demon Sword City didn¡¯t come to blows, the incident still caused a huge commotion. Even Elder Yan was alerted. But strangely, when Senior Brother Cheng and his group arrived at the scene, they couldn¡¯t find the giant rat spirit. ¡°It seems that the giant rat spirit knows when to bully the weak and fear the strong.¡± During breakfast, Guan Xiaoshun shared the latest news with Li Muyang, expressing his astonishment. ¡°It targets us Qi Refining Realm small fries and wanting to harm us.¡± ¡°When someone like Elder Yan, a powerful figure in the demonic path, arrives, the giant rat hides away... tsk tsk.¡± Due to last night¡¯s unexpected events, the dog search plan had to be put on hold. Li Muyang and the others finally learned who the distinguished person looking for the lost dog was. ¡°They say it¡¯s a dignitary from Centipede Ridge who was invited to help in Demon Sword City. Just as she entered the city, the dog she had raised for many years went missing.¡± Li Yuechan also shared the information she had obtained. Centipede Ridge was a demon¡¯s lair conveniently located within the territory of the Demon Refining Sect. Unlike human cultivators, demons preferred to live in the mountains and rarely ventured into the human world. Since Centipede Ridge was situated within the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory, they were allies. Nowadays, demons didn¡¯t need to descend the mountains to abduct humans, as cultivators from the Demon Refining Sect would deliver human blood and food right to their lair¡¯s entrance. Thus, demons mostly kept to themselves, mysterious and elusive. Hearing the news shared by Li Yuechan, Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°De... demons?!¡± The naive young man from the border town couldn¡¯t believe that he had been helping a demon search for its dog the night before. ¡°A dog raised by a demon must eat humans too, right?¡± Guan Xiaoshun was scared after the fact: ¡°It¡¯s good that we didn¡¯t find that dog last night. Otherwise, we¡¯d be unlucky if we were eaten or bitten.¡± Guan Xiaoshun and Li Yuechan had gathered a lot of information. However, Li Muyang was not very interested in this gossipy news. After finishing breakfast, he put down his bowl and stood up, walking out alone. For cultivators, eating one meal of spiritual rice a day was enough. In the Demon Refining Sect, Li Muyang and the others only ate dinner. The ground trembled intermittently as if there were an earthquake. And in the distance, within the city, smoke of war had already risen. This chaotic and dangerous environment corroborated the latest intelligence from the two half-demons. After hearing this information, half-demon general Luo Feng instinctively turned his head to look at Jiang Xiaoyu. Jiang Xiaoyu guiltily averted his gaze. ¡¾Luo Feng: ...¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Forget it, these demons were bound to cause trouble sooner or later. It doesn¡¯t make much difference whether it¡¯s sooner or later¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: It¡¯s just that they¡¯ve launched their attack early, and with the city in chaos, I can¡¯t send anyone to help you¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: You must now go alone with the Shape-shifter Master through the war zone to retrieve the Startling Swan Immortal Sword¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: This task is extremely dangerous, so I will lend you one of my magical treasures for the time being. I hope you will make good use of it¡¿ After the half-demon general finished speaking, he handed over a magical treasure to Jiang Xiaoyu. ¡¾Received Soul-Cleaving Gourd¡¿ ¡¾Soul-Cleaving Gourd: A magical treasure cultivated with the life force of half-demon general Luo Feng, capable of releasing a soul-cleaving flying knife that inflicts massive damage on enemies¡¿ ¡¾Soul-Cleaving Gourd (17/17)¡¿ Li Muyang read the description of the item and found out that it was a long-range magical treasure. It could release a flying knife at a time, with a total of 17 releases available. Moreover, the flying knife would replenish every minute. This item was extremely lethal, but the number of uses was limited. If he had this magical treasure from the start, dealing with the Crimson Flame King wouldn¡¯t have been so troublesome. Moreover, this magical treasure perfectly compensated for Li Muyang¡¯s lack of long-range skills. After securing the Soul-Cleaving Gourd, Li Muyang controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to leave the residence of the half-demon general Luo Feng. Before leaving, Luo Feng gave him one last piece of advice. ¡¾Luo Feng: You will pass by Granny Gu¡¯s residence on your journey. Be very careful around her, it¡¯s best not to get close¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Granny Gu is extremely dangerous!¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 90 Half-demon general Luo Feng held significant power within Nanjiang City and was a standard young and strong faction leader. He had a bunch of subordinates at his command, was personally strong, and could even produce a powerful magical treasure like the Soul-Cleaving Gourd. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the demons and ghosts in the city, nor the group of human strongmen, but he was particularly wary of Granny Gu. Li Muyang was very curious about this. And so was Jiang Xiaoyu in the game. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Why are you so afraid of Granny Gu? Does she eat people?¡¿ Luo Feng gave him a deep look. ¡¾Luo Feng: Worse than eating people... According to my intelligence, Granny Gu is not an ordinary person. She is from the legendary ancient times¡¯ evil lineage¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: She is the sole survivor of the Black Cloud Village turmoil and was brought into the city by Fairy Yu. Although she seems peaceful now, no one knows what she¡¯s plotting in secret¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: The ancient times¡¯ evil lineage is very strange... you must be extremely careful!¡¿ Half-demon general Luo Feng had a deep-seated fear of the ancient times¡¯ evil lineage from Black Cloud Village. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: ...¡¿ Would this guy jump out of his skin if he knew Jiang Xiaoyu was also from the ancient times¡¯ evil lineage of Black Cloud Village? Li Muyang found it amusing but also somewhat curious. During this period in Nanjiang City, Black Cloud Village had actually been destroyed? No wonder Granny Gu appeared alone in Nanjiang City... Tsk... at the end of the ancient mythological era, danger lurked everywhere indeed. Even a place like Black Cloud Village had been destroyed, with only Granny Gu surviving. He just didn¡¯t know what had become of Xiao Yecao. It was a pity he didn¡¯t know Xiao Yecao¡¯s real name. Otherwise, he could have inquired about her. Li Muyang controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to leave, carrying the head of the Shape-shifter Master, and stepped onto the chaotic streets. Nanjiang City was once bustling and lively, celebrating the fall of Fairy Yu everywhere. But now, it was a mess, with celebration banners and streamers thrown all over the place. And the humans who had gathered to celebrate were now scattered and fleeing in panic. ¡°Demons are killing people!¡± ¡°Demons are killing people!¡± Similar cries were incessant in the city, and figures ran about in panic. Jiang Xiaoyu, carrying the head of the Shape-shifter Master, passed through the chaotic fleeing district and quickly arrived at the area where demons and human cultivators were fighting. Several streets nearby were filled with human practitioners wielding magical instruments and steel blades, setting up barricades on the streets and engaging in close combat with the oncoming demons. Blood and screams rose together, and the light from magical treasures and martial techniques mixed, turning the scene into a chaotic mess. ¡¾Shape-shifter Master: ...No, what are you doing? Our top priority right now is to find the Startling Swan Immortal Sword!¡¿ Shape-shifter Master expressed indignation at Li Muyang¡¯s behavior for not following the priority and instead staying here to clear out the minor monsters. It was puzzling because this guy was previously uncooperative, but now he seemed even more concerned about the task than Li Muyang. It was unclear what half-demon General Luo Feng had said to him. Li Muyang, however, was not in a hurry. He controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to run a lap around the combat area. During this, he died and reloaded five times, killing all the demons in the combat area once. ¡¾Dharma-Annihilation Wheel: Mortal Grade (47%)¡¿ Looking at the experience points on the magic weapon¡¯s wheel, Li Muyang took a satisfying breath. Although killing these small fries didn¡¯t yield much experience, their sheer number did add up. The plot of the game ¡®Legend of Sword and Fairy¡¯ was visibly progressing into the middle and later stages. Who knew how many bosses there would be left to kill after obtaining the Startling Swan Immortal Sword? It seemed better to take the opportunity to kill more minor monsters now and accumulate as much experience as possible. After Li Muyang had killed all the demons in the combat area, he reloaded the game and returned to the moment just after leaving the half-demon general¡¯s residence. This time, he confidently grabbed Shape-shifter Master¡¯s head and crossed the combat zone without engaging in further battles. Reloading was awesome! Despite having killed demons for a good while, he still had plenty of time after reloading. This time, Li Muyang honestly followed the main storyline, holding Shape-shifter Master¡¯s head as he crossed the combat zone and no longer clearing out the minor soldiers. After crossing the combat area, he carefully avoided the group of demon armies within the demon area¡ªthose were definitely not something he could handle alone. Eventually, he arrived at a secluded place in Nanjiang City. This was the boundary between the human and demon gathering areas, very close to the residence of the mysterious Granny Gu. Following Shape-shifter Master¡¯s guidance, Li Muyang entered an empty courtyard. He walked around the ancient tree in the courtyard four times clockwise and then four times counterclockwise. Finally, Li Muyang felt the environment around him change dramatically. He had left the secluded courtyard and was now standing in a misty fairyland. In this fairyland, mist swirled around, with rolling mountains in the distance and soft, lush grass underfoot. In this picturesque secret realm, there stood two quiet graves. On one of the grave mounds, there was a tombstone that was actually a sword with a restrained edge. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 91 The moment he saw the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, the head of the Shape-Shifter Master showed a trace of excitement. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Finally found it!¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Fairy Yu sacrificed so much to protect the beings of Nanjiang City, yet in the end, she was misunderstood and met a lonely demise here. How tragic and lamentable...¡¿ The Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s expression was complex, his demeanor indignant. Clearly, the fall of Fairy Yu had left him feeling resentful towards the ways of the world. Li Muyang, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t as emotional. He surveyed the fairyland before him, where misty clouds wound through the mountains, exuding an aura of immortality. The mountains and green waters complemented each other, truly a blessed land of the immortals, a heavenly grotto. Having been in the world of cultivators for so long, this was the first time Li Muyang had seen such an ethereal and mystical realm, fulfilling all his imaginations of the abode of immortals. From this, it could be inferred that Fairy Yu was probably a cultivator with a high sense of aesthetics... perhaps even a true immortal. In the mythological era, there were indeed immortals who walked the earth. Holding the head of the Shape-Shifter Master, Li Muyang looked towards the tomb in front of him, not approaching rashly. ¡°Should I just go and take the sword?¡± Li Muyang asked the Shape-Shifter Master. According to the conventions of RPG games, at times like this, a guardian BOSS would surely appear if you went forward and Li Muyang would have to fight it for three hundred rounds before he could claim the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Li Muyang was on guard for any hidden BOSS within the secret realm. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Just go and take the sword. The immortal sword has a spirit, but after all, it¡¯s just a sword. You just need to protect yourself and not be harmed by the sword qi.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Fairy Yu is dead, and now the Startling Swan Immortal Sword has no one to wield it, so it¡¯s not to be feared.¡¿ The words of the Shape-Shifter Master gave Li Muyang confidence. He walked straight forward, his fingers closed around the hilt of the immortal sword at Fairy Yu¡¯s tomb. The next instant... Nothing happened. Li Muyang easily grasped the immortal sword and drew it out. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword was even more docile in his hand than he had imagined. Li Muyang was greatly shocked. ¡°Ah? That easy?¡± Feeling the Startling Swan Immortal Sword in his hand, Li Muyang looked around suspiciously, half-expecting a guardian BOSS to jump out and ambush him at any second. However, after standing in front of the tomb for a while with the Startling Swan Immortal Sword in hand, the secret realm remained silent, with no sign of the anticipated BOSS. At this moment, Li Muyang was convinced that he had safely obtained the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Now that the Startling Swan Immortal Sword is in hand, let¡¯s go back and find Luo Feng.¡¿ ¡°Granny Gu, don¡¯t you remember me? I¡¯m Jiang Xiaoyu.¡± Li Muyang decided to remind the mysterious old woman, hoping to learn about the events that had occurred in Black Cloud Village from her. However, Granny Gu looked at him coldly, frowning, ¡°Jiang Xiaoyu?¡± The old woman pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Which Jiang Xiaoyu are you?¡± ¡°Jiang Xiaoyu from Black Cloud Village!¡± Li Muyang spread his hands innocently. With the ability to reload his progress, he wasn¡¯t afraid of saying the wrong thing. Li Muyang spilled the beans completely. ¡°Back then, you even asked me to help you kill Steward Wu. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°At that time, I was in the village, practicing demonic arts with Steward Wu and the others. Later, I was responsible for taking care of Xiao Yecao¡¯s daily life. Xiao Yecao was a lost soul, bought by Steward Wu and the others to be used as a blood cow, but Xiao Yecao was entangled by an ancient evil entity the Flesh and Bone Green Garment before entering the village.¡± ¡°It was me who went to the ancestral temple to ask for your help, and you personally took action to deal with the Flesh and Bone Green Garment.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten about this?¡± Li Muyang looked earnestly as he recounted the events of the ¡®Deadly Weed¡¯ instance. After he finished speaking, however, Granny Gu looked at him with a strange expression. ¡°You¡¯re from the village? You practiced with the group of demonic cultivators under Temple Seal Lord?¡± Granny Gu frowned and thought for a while as if she remembered something, but her expression became even more puzzled. ¡°Indeed, a soul-lost victim entangled by the Flesh and Bone Green Garment came to the village back then, but that little girl died quickly, and those demon cultivators from the Temple Seal Lord didn¡¯t come to ask for my help.¡± ¡°However, the girl died in the hands of the Flesh and Bone Green Garment outside the village, and I took action to drive away the Flesh and Bone Green Garment.¡± ¡°As for you...¡± Granny Gu frowned and sized up Li Muyang. From the perspective of the game character, Li Muyang now bears the face of Jiang Xiaoyu. Granny Gu pondered with a frown for a while, her expression suddenly turning grim. ¡°...I remember now!¡± ¡°Jiang Xiaoyu, who earlier was called Leng Aqi! You changed your own name before you died.¡± Granny Gu looked at Li Muyang with a cold gaze, her tone chilling: ¡°But you died hundreds of years ago... how did you come back to life after death?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 92 The stern questioning of Granny Gu made Li Muyang and the Shape-Shifter Master on the long street freeze simultaneously. The Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s head instinctively turned to look at Li Muyang beside him, his face full of astonishment. And Li Muyang, the person in question, was even more bewildered. ¡°Ah?¡± Jiang Xiaoyu died hundreds of years ago? That Xiao Yecao who was entangled by the Flesh and Bone Green Garment also died long ago? What¡¯s going on? Was the plot that unfolded in the ¡®Deadly Weed¡¯ instance all fake?! Li Muyang, filled with doubts, looked at Granny Gu and said, ¡°Granny Gu, are you joking?¡± Granny Gu, with a somber face, stared at him intently, her previously hunched figure now standing straight. Facing Li Muyang, who claimed to be Jiang Xiaoyu, the mysterious Granny Gu was unusually serious. At this moment, she no longer looked frail and aged. Her gaze was stern, her eyes cold, and the previously kind and amiable features now appeared fierce and sinister. ¡¾Granny Gu: Your corpse was personally delivered to the ancestral temple by this old woman.¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: It¡¯s the custom of Black Cloud Village that all the deceased must be buried in the ancestral temple to return to nothingness.¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: I remember clearly that you were indeed dead, having perished young due to demonic cultivation going awry.¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: But I never expected, you brat, to actually be reborn from the dark void and return to the mortal world...¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: Boy, what did you experience in the void?¡¿ Granny Gu¡¯s expression was sinister, looking incredibly eerie. Even though she hadn¡¯t done anything yet, her presence alone was enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine, making all the hairs on one¡¯s body stand on end. Seeing her in such a state, the Shape-Shifter Master immediately yelled out. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Run! Boy, run!¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: No matter what your origin is, this old witch is summoning an evil god! She¡¯s serious!¡¿ The Shape-Shifter Master shouted anxiously. Li Muyang instinctively wanted to flee. However, Granny Gu, who was no longer hunched over, let out a cold, hoarse laugh. The next second, a massive and indescribably terrifying shadow rose behind Granny Gu. The moment that shadow descended, just being a shadow, the entire Nanjiang City shook violently. Li Muyang, holding the immortal sword, instinctively wanted to resist. Li Muyang muttered to himself. This Granny Gu¡¯s strength fluctuated... Could it be that summoning the evil god actually came at a great cost? Not something she could easily do? But having escaped from her pursuit, everything else could be discussed. After catching his breath in the shadows, Li Muyang didn¡¯t rush to continue his journey after returning to the combat zone. Instead, he turned to survey his surroundings. Then, he raised the immortal sword and aimed its blade at the bluestone pavement beneath his feet. The blade of the immortal sword easily traced lines across the stone, eventually carving out a row of deep, engraved characters: ¡¾Heaven nurtures all creatures for the benefit of man, yet man still blames Heaven for its cruelty¡¿ The head of the Shape-Shifter Master, upon seeing these carved words, was taken aback. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: ???¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Boy, what are you doing? Why are you suddenly carving words into the ground?¡¿ Li Muyang sneered and said, ¡°Just an experiment.¡± After speaking, Li Muyang chose to save the game and then exited. The words of Granny Gu had given him a hypothesis to test. Now was the time to verify it. Back in the real world of Demon Sword City, Li Muyang opened his eyes and looked around to get his bearings before getting up to leave. In the game, Nanjiang City was a battlefield of chaos, with rivers of blood where demons and humans fought, leaving corpses scattered everywhere amidst the smoke of war. However, the real Demon Sword City was eerily quiet, with even the bustling areas lacking people. Li Muyang followed the path from the game through the deserted streets until he reached the location where he had carved the words in the game. But the bluestone pavement that he had marked with the immortal sword showed no difference from the others in his field of vision. It was blank, covered only in dust, without any trace of Li Muyang¡¯s carvings. ¡°¡¶Deadly Weed¡· and ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· can¡¯t interfere with reality?¡± Li Muyang looked at the smooth, blank stone and slowly shook his head, ¡°Both games are based on events from the past, while ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡· reflects ongoing events. So, are there two types of system games?¡± One can interfere with reality, while the other has no impact... In the game, Li Muyang had rescued Xiao Yecao and received Granny Gu¡¯s entrustment. However, Granny Gu in ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· only remembered that Jiang Xiaoyu had long since died. ¡°There¡¯s another possibility...¡± Li Muyang looked at the bluestone pavement beneath his feet and said, ¡°Perhaps the game¡¯s impact on reality only occurs after the game is cleared...?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 93 ¡°There¡¯s another possibility...¡± Li Muyang looked at the bluestone pavement beneath his feet and said, ¡°Perhaps the game¡¯s impact on reality only occurs after the game is cleared...?¡± After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°Forget it. Why bother thinking so much? Just continue with playing the game.¡± He memorized the approximate location of the stone slab to check it again after clearing the game. This system didn¡¯t even come with a manual; Li Muyang had to figure out many details on his own. But ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· and ¡¶Deadly Weed¡· were events from thousands of years ago. Even if they could affect reality, they were too distant from Li Muyang. For now, his priority was to get the game rewards. Li Muyang was getting closer to Foundation Establishment and urgently needed a cultivation manual. He found a secluded spot nearby and entered the game. Carrying the head of the Shape-Shifter Master and the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, Li Muyang once again found the half-demon general Luo Feng. After leaving the combat zone, as Li Muyang disengaged from the fight, the game¡¯s perspective shifted back to a third-person god view. Jiang Xiaoyu, holding the quest item, found Luo Feng. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Here is the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Who do you want to kill?¡¿ According to their agreement, after Luo Feng used the sword to kill the person he wanted, he would hand the immortal sword back to Jiang Xiaoyu for disposal. Seeing the Startling Swan Immortal Sword brought back by Jiang Xiaoyu, Luo Feng was slightly excited. ¡¾Luo Feng: Startling Swan Immortal Sword...¡¿ He reached out to take the immortal sword, his trembling fingertips gently caressing the blade as he murmured. ¡¾Luo Feng: Immortal sword, I seek vengeance for the fairy. Will you aid me?¡¿ After Luo Feng finished speaking, the immortal sword in his hand remained still. ¡¾Luo Feng: ...All the demons and humans in this city have survived thanks to the fairy¡¯s protection¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: In this dark age where the Five Decays of Heaven and Man prevail, everyone here would have perished without the fairy establishing Nanjiang City¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Yet, after years of the fairy¡¯s protection, they have become a bunch of ingrates¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: These scoundrels, blessed by the fairy, are ungrateful and instead spread rumors and slander the fairy¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: A bunch of fools!¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Those demons and human leaders harbor ill intentions, each wanting to monopolize Nanjiang City, filled with schemes and plots¡¿ Instead, it was engulfed by the violent malevolent energy. Holding the giant demon sword, Luo Feng stood in the midst of the city, drawing all eyes to him. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: ...Luo Feng, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re going a bit too far?¡¿ Jiang Xiaoyu stood at Luo Feng¡¯s feet, looking extremely small in comparison. Still, he hesitated and tried to persuade him. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Even if there are many foolish people in the city who have slandered Fairy Yu, I believe they are not the majority.¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: There must be people in this city who are grateful to Fairy Yu, who haven¡¯t followed the crowd. If you¡¯re going to kill everyone in the city... are you going to kill these people too?¡¿ Jiang Xiaoyu attempted to reason with him. However, the demonized half-demon general looked down at him indifferently and let out a cold laugh. ¡¾Luo Feng: So what? When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken!¡¿ ¡¾Loy Feng: If they are to hate, let them hate the fact that they live in this dark world plagued by the five decays of heaven and man among a pack of ungrateful wretches.¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: I¡¯d rather kill them all by mistake than let a single one go!¡¿ ¡¾Luo Feng: Everyone in Nanjiang City, whether demons or humans, must die!¡¿ The demonized half-demon general Luo Feng, holding the giant demon sword, roared to the sky. The violent demonic energy spread in all directions with his roar. The next instant, he stepped forward and headed straight for the busiest and most chaotic battle zone in the city. With a swing of the giant demon sword, a swath of pitch-black sword qi swept out, and countless people and demons perished under its sweep. The power of the demon sword was astonishing. While it did not harm inanimate objects like streets and walls, the sword qi could penetrate them. The swath of sword qi swept through, passing through the streets and buildings in its path, and all living beings touched by the sword qi died instantly, turning into ash that filled the sky. This spectacular and terrifying scene was almost on par with Granny Gu summoning an evil god. It sent shivers down the spine of those who witnessed it. ¡°...has the immortal sword turned into a demon sword?¡± Li Muyang, who witnessed this scene from a third-person perspective, was stunned. The young half-demon general, who appeared gentle and refined and was one of the selectable protagonists in the game, was expected by Li Muyang to join forces with Jiang Xiaoyu in the end to defeat all the demons in the city and restore order. But as the story progressed to its climax, the demons became irrelevant, and Luo Feng transformed into the final boss? F*ck! The plot twists were too thrilling. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 94 In Nanjiang City, the demonized giant Luo Feng was slaughtering everyone. The demonized half-demon general, no longer gentle and refined, was terrifying under the reflection of the demonic energy, like a demon lord or evil spirit. The swath of pitch-black sword qi continued to sweep through the city, reaping the lives of the city¡¯s inhabitants. Figures attempting to resist rose into the air, trying to fight the demonized giant Luo Feng. However, as the black sword qi crisscrossed, those figures turned to ash upon ascending. Jiang Xiaoyu stood in Luo Feng¡¯s mansion, holding the head of the Shape-Shifter Master, glaring and questioning. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Is this what you and Luo Feng agreed upon? You want to kill all the living beings in the city?¡¿ The head of the Shape-Shifter Master just laughed, looking very pleased as he watched Luo Feng¡¯s massive figure move further away. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Nanjiang City was built by Fairy Yu with all her heart and soul. Since these mortals do not appreciate it, it is only right for the immortal sword to take it back.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: What this Luo Feng is doing happens to be exactly what I want to do as well!¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: But don¡¯t worry, boy. You¡¯re not from Nanjiang City; you¡¯re an outsider. We won¡¯t kill you.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: According to the agreement, once Luo Feng has slaughtered all the fools and villains in the city, the Startling Swan Immortal Sword will still be yours, and you can leave with the immortal sword.¡¿ The head of the Shape-Shifter Master tried to reassure Jiang Xiaoyu. But Jiang Xiaoyu, holding the head, just glared. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: That damn thing has turned into a demon sword! And it¡¯s a demon sword that has killed thousands!¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: If Luo Feng really kills all the living creatures in the city and slaughters everyone... who would dare to take that demon sword?¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: The terrifying bloodthirsty energy condensed after the demon sword has slaughtered thousands is so fearsome that even immortals would avoid it by three li. How could I dare to take it?¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: If I even touch the hilt of the demon sword, I¡¯ll be turned into an idiot on the spot by the bloodthirsty energy!¡¿ Infuriated, Jiang Xiaoyu threw the head he was holding into the air and viciously kicked it away. The head of the Shape-Shifter Master was sent flying and rolled through the air, landing in the hands of an old woman. Granny Gu... The mysterious and unfathomable Granny Gu suddenly appeared from the shadows. She expressionlessly caught the head of the Shape-Shifter Master and said to Jiang Xiaoyu. ¡¾Granny Gu: You, the outsider, have caused a great disaster!¡¿ The moment he saw Granny Gu, Jiang Xiaoyu took several steps back, reacting with the shock of a mouse seeing a cat. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: G-Granny Gu...¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Ah... nothing, I was saying I¡¯m willing, please teach me how to stop the half-demon general¡¿ After Jiang Xiaoyu finished speaking, he looked at the giant demonized half-demon general wreaking havoc in the city and then said. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: By the way, since you¡¯re so powerful and from the ancient evil lineage of Black Cloud Village, couldn¡¯t you defeat Luo Feng yourself?¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Although Luo Feng and the demonic sword are terrifying, you¡¯re no pushover either! If you call upon the city¡¯s demon kings and the human leaders to join forces, it might be possible to slay Luo Feng¡¿ Jiang Xiaoyu suggested the most feasible plan. But Granny Gu shook her head. ¡¾Granny Gu: It¡¯s not that simple. Those demon kings and human leaders are wary of each other and have just been engaged in a bloody battle. Asking them to put aside their hatred and join forces now is like a fool¡¯s dream¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: This old woman can only point you to one method and then try to buy you some time¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: Whether you can successfully stop Luo Feng depends on your fate and that of the creatures in this city¡¿ Granny Gu looked deeply at Jiang Xiaoyu and took out a token. ¡¾Granny Gu: This is the Soul Drowning Token. Take it to the Soul Drowning Lake in the city center. There¡¯s an ancient well at the bottom of the lake with a remnant soul inside¡¿ ¡¾Granny Gu: Release that remnant soul, and it might stop the demonized Luo Feng¡¿ ¡¾Received Soul Drowning Token x1¡¿ Seeing the system notification pop up, Li Muyang controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to turn and leave. The Soul Drowning Lake under the broken bridge in the city was said to have the power to corrode demons and evil spirits. But there is an ancient well with a remnant soul at the bottom of the lake? What kind of powerful remnant soul could even stop the demonized Luo Feng? Li Muyang was very curious as he controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to leave the residence of the half-demon general Luo Feng and head towards the Soul Drowning Lake in the center of the city. The city was still in chaos. After leaving Luo Feng¡¯s residence, he saw a group of fully armed half-demons slaughtering indiscriminately on the long streets. During the previous battle between humans and demons, the half-demons in Nanjiang City eerily remained silent and did not participate. Unexpectedly, they were now indiscriminately killing just like their general... It seemed that although the half-demons were the least in number in the city, they were the most loyal to Fairy Yu. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 95 In Nanjiang City, smoke billowed, and the sounds of battle thundered. The demonized half-demon general Luo Feng was massive, like a mountain towering over the city. The houses and civilian buildings in Nanjiang City were only as high as his knees, making him appear even more imposing. He swung his demonic sword continuously, and the pitch-black sword qi swept through the city, reaping lives. The intense battle in the city¡¯s central plains was forced to a halt. Luo Feng¡¯s indiscriminate killing of both demons and humans forced both sides to temporarily cease fire. Leaders of the humans and demons soared into the sky, attempting to stop Luo Feng. However, the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, now demonized, was wildly ferocious, and its sword qi sweeps left almost no adversary standing. Those figures flying around Luo Feng were the top powerhouses of their respective races. Yet, at this moment, they dared not approach the demonized Luo Feng, only engaging from a distance, trying to stop his slaughter. Li Muyang controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to run through the chaotic city, constantly seeing half-demons on the roadside cutting down any living beings they encountered. Blood flowed like rivers, and the cries of the dying filled the air, making Nanjiang City, which had been full of celebratory cheers just the day before, seem like a distant memory. This time, Li Muyang easily controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to reach the broken bridge in the city center. The desolate surface of the Soul Drowning Lake was still, with no ripples or people in sight. Li Muyang controlled Jiang Xiaoyu to walk onto the broken bridge and then jumped straight down into the water. Once submerged, the Soul Drowning Token in Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s hand emitted a faint glow. The glow coated Jiang Xiaoyu with a transparent film, allowing him to breathe underwater. The faint light from the Soul Drowning Token also formed an arrow, pointing forward. Following the direction indicated by the arrow, Jiang Xiaoyu swam on. No fish could be seen in the dark and eerie depths of the Soul Drowning Lake. The lakebed¡¯s entwined weeds swayed in the water like boneless arms waving. Jiang Xiaoyu swam deep into the Soul Drowning Lake until he finally saw the ancient well Granny Gu had mentioned. A well in the middle of the lake was an odd sight. Jiang Xiaoyu swam over and settled beside the well. From a third-person perspective, Li Muyang saw a pale red orb floating inside the well. A series of cold chains crisscrossed inside the well, tightly binding the orb. ¡°Is this orb the remnant soul Granny Gu mentioned?¡± Li Muyang prepared to release the orb. But at that moment, the game¡¯s background music suddenly turned eerie and chilling. A fat, shadowy figure shrouded in black mist swam out from the depths of the Soul Drowning Lake¡¯s weeds. It raised its bizarrely large sword, waving it to block the attack, and nearly all of the seventeen knives were deflected, with only one hitting its target. ¡¾-799¡¿ The damage from the Soul-Cleaving Flying Knives was still astonishing, but it was a pity that only one strike landed. After blocking all the knives, the Green-Haired Behemoth immediately shook its body, and the long green hairs trailing behind it writhed like water snakes, chasing after Li Muyang. The dense green hairs covered the sky and the earth. Li Muyang constantly changed direction in the water, trying to escape the hairs¡¯ pursuit, but the eerie hairs relentlessly followed and eventually caught up with him. ¡¾Victory or defeat is a common occurrence in warfare. Hero, please try again¡¿ Li Muyang, failing once again, rubbed his brow in silence. ¡°It¡¯ The guardian of the well, the BOSS, had a fragile health bar, even lower than that of the Shape-Shifter Master. But its bizarre skill of ignoring defense was really troublesome. A head-on battle with it was almost certain death. And when using long-range skills against it, it could wield its large sword to block it. ¡°It¡¯s not like I should just rush over and hack at it face to face, right?¡± Li Muyang entered the game skeptically and loaded his save again. This time, he didn¡¯t use long-range skills but charged directly at the black fog with the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel in hand. When the monster with the eerie BMG emerged from the waterweeds, Li Muyang swung the wheel in his hand and struck it hard. ¡¾-116¡¿ The Dharma-Annihilation Wheel slashed across the monster¡¯s body, causing the large bizarre creature to stiffen momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Li Muyang quickly swung the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel at the monster again. ¡¾-97¡¿ ¡¾-104¡¿ After two damage numbers popped up, the monster¡¯s stiffened state ended. The next second, it roared and swung its large sword at Li Muyang. Li Muyang rolled to dodge and swung the wheel for another heavy hit. ¡¾-87¡¿ Seeing the damage numbers and that the monster didn¡¯t throw any green hairs, Li Muyang finally confirmed that close combat was the way to go. He had to engage it in close combat to suppress it, not giving it a chance to shake its head or use its skills. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 96 As an experienced gamer, Li Muyang quickly figured out the trick to dealing with the Green-Haired Behemoth. ¨CThat was to engage it in close combat! However, while the plan was beautiful, execution proved difficult. Once about a third of its health bar was depleted, the monster would ignore Li Muyang¡¯s attacks, enter a state of invincibility, and furiously shake its body. As it shook, countless strands of eerie green hair flew out, relentlessly pursuing Li Muyang underwater. Once hit by these eerie hairs, Li Muyang was certain to die. However, after several deaths, Li Muyang discovered that if he immediately fled in the opposite direction the moment the monster shook its head, and if his movements were fast enough and he changed directions frequently, he could still shake off the eerie hairs. But the difficulty is still too high. Out of ten attempts by Li Muyang, he could only succeed once. Moreover, during close combat with the monster, its wide-ranging attacks also made it difficult for him to defend. ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· surprisingly lacked parry and invincibility frames during a ¡®roll¡¯. If Li Muyang was slow to react when the monster changed its attack pattern, he would almost instantly be beheaded. ¡°This is so hard!¡± After struggling at the bottom of the lake for an afternoon, Li Muyang opened his eyes to see the afterglow of the sunset spilling over Demon Sword City and stood up with a sigh. The monster¡¯s attack pattern was simple. The only difficulty was operating with enough precision and without any mistakes. Any mistake would result in instant death. ¡°It feels like this BOSS is going to take time to wear down.¡± Li Muyang got up and left, not in a hurry to immediately conquer the Green-Haired Behemoth. Such a high-difficulty BOSS required a lot of failed practice to get familiar with its attack patterns and develop muscle memory. After dying enough times, he would be able to clear it with ease. Li Muyang left the secluded, deserted corner and headed towards the alley where he lived. It was almost time for dinner, and he couldn¡¯t afford to be late. Although he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in the low-grade spiritual rice that the outer disciples ate, as an outer disciple himself, Li Muyang had to stay true to his ¡°character.¡± Everyone else was keen on the spiritual rice, so Li Muyang couldn¡¯t show disdain. If he acted out of the ordinary and attracted the attention of someone with ulterior motives, that would spell trouble. Foundation Establishment was just around the corner, and he couldn¡¯t afford any slip-ups at such a critical time. Li Muyang walked through the empty streets towards his residence. But as he passed through an archway, he faintly heard a low sobbing sound coming from an abandoned courtyard nearby. Li Muyang had a vague idea of what that thing might be. It was probably the pet dog lost by someone of high status from Centipede Ridge. A demon¡¯s dog that could eat people and had cultivation made sense, right? But Li Muyang didn¡¯t plan to report this clue. The city lord¡¯s mansion had offered a generous reward for finding the dog, but Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to get involved in the mess. In the Demon Refining Sect, the lower his profile, the more inconspicuous he was, the easier it would be for the Demonic Sect to let him go when he applied for an external task in the future. If he showed himself to be clever, perceptive, and talented, the Demonic Sect might not let him leave so easily. Li Muyang, with his little sister, quickly returned to the more active areas of the city. Only when he saw the hustle and bustle of living people did he fully relax. That dog lost by the demon was so fierce that even he, at the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, didn¡¯t dare to move. If other outer disciples encountered it, wouldn¡¯t they be doomed? Damn the city lord¡¯s mansion, they only sent the outer disciples to look for that dog... Damn officials! Although outer disciples were considered insignificant, their lives still mattered! Li Muyang felt resentful. With that dog running wild in the city, he couldn¡¯t afford to wander alone anymore. He would have to carefully consider his gaming spots in the future. Thinking about the recent events, Li Muyang and his sister arrived at the alley where the outer disciples lived. They had planned to go to the temporary dining hall for dinner, but the atmosphere in the alley was eerie that evening. Instead of eating at mealtime, everyone was gathered in a courtyard. Li Muyang and Li Yuechan joined the crowd, only to see a body covered in blood and wounds lying in the courtyard. It was the outer disciple with the surname Liu who hailed from Demon Sword City... The crowd murmured among themselves as a coroner from Demon Sword City crouched next to the body to examine it. Guan Xiaoshun approached Li Muyang nervously and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s bad, Brother Li. Senior Brother Liu has been brutally killed.¡± ¡°He said he was going out for a stroll this afternoon to reminisce about his hometown, but not long after he left, we heard his terrible screams. By the time the city guards arrived, all they found was this body...¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 97 Guan Xiaoshun briefly explained the situation to Li Muyang. The outer disciple with the surname Liu had gone out alone that afternoon to wander and reminisce about his hometown. Although there were remnants of ancient times in Demon Sword City, those ghostly shadows only appeared after dark. Therefore, no one paid much attention when Liu went out alone. However, not long after, the city guards suddenly came to the alley where everyone lived and brought back the body. The outer disciple who had gone out alone for a stroll had died. It was said that he let out a very tragic scream before he died, and the patrolling city guards happened to be nearby and rushed over. But at the scene, all that was left besides the body was a torn sleeve... ¡°That¡¯s a girl¡¯s sleeve, and it¡¯s said to belong to Yan Xiaorui,¡± Guan Xiaoshun whispered to Li Muyang, sharing the gossip. Yan Xiaorui¡¯s friend said that she also went out alone in the afternoon, claiming she wanted to stroll around the city center. Unexpectedly, she ended up spending time with Senior Brother Liu and encountered danger together. The guards couldn¡¯t find her whereabouts, nor did they see a body, so she might still be alive... Yan Xiaorui was the woman who had been tending the fire at the tail end of the flying boat. She had long been involved with a man surnamed Liu, but they avoided showing it in public. Li Muyang was not interested in this gossip. He silently squeezed to the front of the crowd, looking at the tragic corpse before him. The body, covered in blood, was riddled with wounds of all sizes. These wounds seemed to be torn by some kind of beast, but there were too many for just one or two animals to have inflicted. The coroner crouched beside the body, inspecting it without any expression. The surrounding crowd was packed with onlookers. Li Muyang, watching this scene, was somewhat surprised. The disciple surnamed Liu had the cultivation of the Qi Refining Realm Seventh Layer, making him quite a figure in the Outer Sect. Yet, when he and Yan Xiaorui were attacked by that monster, they had no power to resist and died so miserably and abruptly. Earlier, at the archway, the monster was wary and cautious around Li Muyang, not daring to attack rashly... perhaps the monster had a keen sense of danger. Although Li Muyang only had the cultivation of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, not much stronger than this Liu surnamed man, the Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman he carried close to his body was a powerful weapon. With these three Taiyi Dividing Light Talismans, Li Muyang could even slay a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Maybe the monster sensed it and therefore did not rashly attack Li Muyang. Realizing this, Li Muyang took a long breath of relief. The immersive game graphics were so realistic that the scenes of blood and gore which would never pass censorship in his previous life were commonplace. Having killed many monsters in the game, Li Muyang had developed a resistance to such gory scenes. But his little sister, who supposedly had never seen a corpse before, seemed to have such a strong mental capacity... Tsk... Li Muyang was somewhat impressed with the little girl. After dinner, Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun returned to their residence and saw the other outer disciples living there discussing the tragic death of the man surnamed Liu. Everyone agreed that the murderer was likely the lost pet dog of Centipede Ridge¡¯s demon. Li Muyang stood aside and listened for a while but didn¡¯t hear any useful information. These outer disciples were just gossiping idly, with all their conjectures based on imagination and without a shred of evidence. After listening to everyone¡¯s idle chatter and finding no useful information, Li Muyang was ready to return to his room to play games. At that moment, a familiar figure passed by the door. The moon-white robe of an inner disciple stood out in the darkness. The youth named Cheng Feiyang, passing by this residence, happened to see Li Muyang leaning at the door listening to the gossip. Recognizing this outer disciple, little Senior Brother Cheng spoke up. ¡°Li Muyang, Guan Xiaoshun, come with me for a bit.¡± With Senior Brother Cheng speaking, Li Muyang had no choice but to step out of the gate. ¡°Senior Brother Cheng, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Li Muyang asked curiously. Cheng Feiyang glanced at the empty courtyard where the body was placed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take a stroll in the city.¡± But that was obviously an excuse. This Senior Brother Cheng clearly had something important to do. He led Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun out of the alley and into the sinister night of Demon Sword City. As the three of them stepped onto the dark and cold streets, little Senior Brother Cheng looked at the gloomy streets under the night sky and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill someone. You two will help me deal with the body.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t be nervous, you don¡¯t need to do anything. Just watch from the side because there¡¯s no danger.¡± The young man had called Li Muyang and the others out just to collect a corpse. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 98 On the dark and gloomy empty street, Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun were both surprised to hear the words of the young Cheng Feiyang.Li Muyang was somewhat puzzled: ¡°Uh... Senior Brother Cheng, who are you going to kill?¡± The slender young man, dressed in a white robe, had a gloomy expression. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill the demons from Centipede Ridge!¡± ¡°What?!¡± X2 Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s eyes widened instantly upon hearing this. Was Senior Brother Cheng really going to kill the demons from Centipede Ridge? It wasn¡¯t that Li Muyang doubted Senior Brother Cheng¡¯s strength. After all, Elder Yan favored him, which meant he was quite capable. It was said that he was close to reaching the Golden Core stage, making him one of the outstanding figures in the Inner Sect. But his plan to kill the demons of Centipede Ridge... it seemed somewhat ludicrous. The distinguished guest from Centipede Ridge who had been invited here must be powerful, at the very least not someone a Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivator could provoke. Clearly seeing the astonishment in Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s eyes, the young man snorted coldly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not foolish enough to provoke the most powerful demon, but there¡¯s more than one demon from Centipede Ridge this time, and many of them are weak.¡± ¡°These demons have been spoiled by Wu Tian. They pretend to have lost their pets, but in reality, they deliberately let their vicious dog harm people in the city and kill our Demon Refining Sect¡¯s outer disciples.¡± ¡°They think they can evade the laws and rules of the Demonic Sect this way, but I, Cheng Feiyang, want to tell them that the rules of the Demonic Sect cannot be broken! Our disciples are not to be killed at their whim.¡± ¡°Starting today, for every life of our Demonic Sect disciples taken by their vicious dog, I will kill one demon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep killing until they dare not let their dogs harm people anymore!¡± Cheng Feiyang walked into the night with a cold look in his eyes. Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun exchanged glances, somewhat skeptical. It seemed that Senior Brother Cheng¡¯s approach was a bit extreme... Wouldn¡¯t the demons cause more trouble if he killed them so openly? Li Muyang voiced his concern. But the young man just sneered and said, ¡°According to the rules, demons are not allowed to enter Demon Sword City. This time, we made an exception and allowed these demons to come to the city to help due to an emergency. However, an agreement was made that they can only stay in the courtyards arranged by the Demonic Sect and are not allowed to go out.¡± ¡°As long as they step out of the courtyard on their own, anyone is allowed to kill them on sight!¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed not right for me to go to their doorsteps to kill them, but if they come out seeking death on their own, then they deserve what they get! No one can find fault with that!¡± With his plan well thought out, Li Muyang was learning for the first time about such rules in Demon Sword City. ¨CDemons are not allowed in Demon Sword City? Why? Li Muyang was puzzled. He and Guan Xiaoshun followed Senior Brother Cheng to a quiet part of the city. The shock was too great for the simple boy from the border town. Li Muyang, however, looked at Senior Brother Cheng in the shadows with newfound respect. Even though the snake demon wasn¡¯t weak, he killed it in one strike so effortlessly. The flying sword that Senior Brother Cheng nurtured was no ordinary weapon. Having previously seen him easily defeated by the ghost of the Red Flame Rat King, Li Muyang had underestimated his strength... Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun followed Senior Brother Cheng¡¯s instructions and dealt with the snake demon¡¯s body. To deal with it didn¡¯t mean to destroy the evidence. Instead, they were told to hang the snake demon¡¯s body on the wall, in the most conspicuous place on the street. This was almost an overt provocation and warning. To take such a step, it was likely not just Senior Brother Cheng acting on his own. Elder Yan might have tacitly permitted it. The demons of Centipede Ridge, who were supposed to be allies, had deliberately allowed their dog to attack the cultivators of the Demonic Sect, which was indeed inconsiderate. It made sense for the big shots of the Demonic Sect to issue a warning. But for some reason, after dealing with the body, Li Muyang, looking at the snake demon¡¯s corpse, had a vague feeling that something was amiss. Logically, after so many years of alliance between Centipede Ridge¡¯s demons and the Demonic Sect, their relationship had been relatively harmonious. Then why did the situation suddenly become so tense after coming to Demon Sword City? ¡°Could something go wrong during this trip to Demon Sword City...¡± Li Muyang muttered to himself in the shadows, suddenly feeling an uneasy premonition. The demons¡¯ actions were irrational and didn¡¯t make sense. The so-called abnormality indicates the presence of demons... Li Muyang glanced at Senior Brother Xiao Cheng and muttered to himself. He decided to find his little sister Li Yuechan after returning, asking her to inquire about the details of Demon Sword City. Why is this city forbidding demons and monsters from entering? Li Muyang faintly felt surrounded by a profound darkness. He keenly sensed the smell of conspiracy. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 99 In the early morning, residents of Demon Sword City woke up to find two demon corpses displayed on the wall for public viewing. Inside Demon Sword City, this caused a huge commotion. People were buzzing with discussions about who killed the demons of Centipede Ridge within the city and how the demons of Centipede Ridge would retaliate. However, amidst the buzz, the demons of Centipede Ridge only came to collect the bodies and did not seek out the city lord¡¯s mansion to investigate the murderer. They even declared that these two minor demons had gone out on their own to break the rules of the Demonic Sect and deserved their deaths. The matter seemed to be glossed over. In the afternoon, the demons somehow found their lost pet dog. At the same time, the body of Yan Xiaorui, a missing outer disciple of the Demon Refining Sect, was found in a ditch, reportedly in a gruesome state with almost no flesh left on her body and many of her bones crushed. If it weren¡¯t for the identity plaque from her sect, she would have been unrecognizable. After that, the disciples of the Demonic Sect did not encounter any more danger, nor did any more demons venture out and meet a tragic end. The originally panic-stricken Demon Sword City suddenly settled down, and everyone returned to their usual relaxed state. Li Muyang waited for three days without any retaliation from the demons, but instead, little sister Li Yuechan brought the latest news. ¡°There¡¯s a problem with the bloodstone mine in Demon Sword City.¡± Li Yuechan whispered to Li Muyang, ¡°The bloodstone mine is an important resource for demonic cultivators, and Demon Sword City is filled with bloodstone mines underground. It has always been an important mining area for the Demonic Sect.¡± ¡°But recently, there have been haunting incidents in the mine, with ancient spirits attacking the miners, resulting in several deaths. The miners are too scared to work, so Elder Yan was sent to deal with it because he is skilled in handling resentful spirits and the undead.¡± Li Yuechan continued, ¡°Although there were ghostly shadows wandering in Demon Sword City before, they could only bewitch the mind and had no means to directly harm people.¡± ¡°In the recent haunting incidents at the bloodstone mine, the ancient spirits that appeared could kill directly... just like the giant rat spirit you guys encountered before.¡± ¡°Elder Yan came to suppress the resentful spirits disturbing the bloodstone mine, and the demons of Centipede Ridge also came to help.¡± ¡°The demons of Centipede Ridge are adept at refining souls and driving corpses, so they are also skilled at dealing with resentful spirits, which is why they were asked to help.¡± ¡°But according to the rules of the Demonic Sect, demons are not allowed to enter Demon Sword City. This time they made an exception to let them into the city, but they were not allowed to leave on their own...¡± Li Yuechan spoke softly, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping before continuing. ¡°It is said that the reason is the demon sword that slaughtered the beings of Demon Sword City during ancient times is still hidden within Demon Sword City.¡± ¡°That demon sword was once the weapon of an ancient demon god, who used it to slaughter living beings and naturally had an affinity with demons.¡± ¡°When the old ancestor of refining demons took back Demon Sword City, he ordered that demons not be allowed to enter because they could awaken the sleeping demon sword!¡± Li Yuechan finally uncovered the cause and effect and shared the secrets with her brother. Upon hearing this news, Li Muyang¡¯s heart stirred. The red orb seemed very happy. It bounced up and down around Jiang Xiaoyu, causing the floating Soul Drowning Lake above it to also tremble. ¡¾Mysterious Woman: Who are you? Why do you have the Soul Drowning Token to release me?¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: Then who are you? To be suppressed at the bottom of the Soul Drowning Lake... Could you be an ancient evil demon?¡¿ Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s questioning made the mysterious woman laugh again. ¡¾Mysterious Woman: Do I look like an evil demon? Haha...¡¿ ¡¾Mysterious Woman: As for a name... you can call me the Ink Fairy. Little guy, since you released me, I, the Ink Fairy, owe you a favor.¡¿ ¡¾Mysterious Woman: Now you can make a request of me. Depending on my mood, I might consider fulfilling it.¡¿ The red orb, or rather, self-proclaimed as the Ink Fairy had a clear and crisp laugh like a mischievous girl. After the Ink Fairy spoke, two system dialogue boxes popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾There is a demonized half-demon causing chaos in the city, please fairy subdue it.¡¿ ¡¾Any request? Can I hold off on using this favor until I¡¯ve thought of something to ask for later?¡¿ Once again, it¡¯s the familiar choice between positive and negative options. But in the game ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡·, this kind of binary choice appears for the first time. Li Muyang was somewhat curious, so he saved his game first. Then he chose the second option. After Jiang Xiaoyu spoke, the mysterious woman let out a light laugh. ¡¾Ink fairy: Alright, then remember this favor. When you need help in the future, come find me in the Nether Valley. My fairy abode is there.¡¿ With that, the mysterious red orb of light flew straight out, drifting towards the distance. It floated away while carrying the entire pool of Soul Drowning Lake water and quickly vanished from Li Muyang¡¯s sight. A red dialogue box then popped up on the game screen. ¡¾Attention! The ink fairy has left, and the game will now enter Shura difficulty¡¿ ¡¾Main Quest: Face the demonized half-demon General Luo Feng alone and defeat him!¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 100 The red dialogue box that popped up in his field of vision made Li Muyang pause. ¡°Shura difficulty?¡± After choosing the second option, did the ink fairy really just leave like that? Watching the huge demonic shadow slaughtering everything in the distant city, Li Muyang had Jiang Xiaoyu fight his way back. Then he personally experienced what ¡°Shura difficulty¡± entailed. The demonized half-demon General Luo Feng had a health bar of at least 800,000. Li Muyang¡¯s regular attack could only chip away a couple hundred health points from Luo Feng, and even his strongest move, Soul-Cutting Gourd, could only deal a little over 10,000 damage if it hit consecutively. On the other side, the mountainous Luo Feng needed only one sweeping attack to easily turn Li Muyang into ash. After dying three times in a row, Li Muyang honestly reloaded the game and chose the first option. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: There is a demonized half-demon causing chaos in the city, please fairy subdue it.¡¿ This Shura difficulty might as well be called ¡°impossible difficulty.¡± There was no chance of winning at all! After Jiang Xiaoyu spoke, the mysterious woman let out a soft laugh. ¡¾Ink fairy: A half-demon rampaging in the city? Sure, I can lend you a hand.¡¿ ¡¾Ink fairy: But little guy, are you sure you want to use your precious favor for this? You¡¯re not from Nanjiang City, yet you care for the lives within and wish to save them. Such nobility is quite endearing.¡¿ The ink fairy¡¯s tone was teasing, and Li Muyang rolled his eyes. ¨CIf I don¡¯t clear the game, will you reward me? After the ink fairy finished teasing, she took Jiang Xiaoyu and flew up. She took Jiang Xiaoyu directly to the city, landing right in front of the rampaging half-demon General Luo Feng. ¡¾Enter combat phase¡¿ The moment this prompt appeared, Li Muyang was engulfed by dark tides and entered into the game. He saw the floating red orb of light beside him transform into a stunningly beautiful red-clothed fairy. She looked at Li Muyang with a smile and said, ¡°Little guy, let¡¯s begin.¡± Li Muyang was astonished as he looked at her, recalling the opening CG of the game ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡·, the beautiful Fairy Yu lying on the broken bridge... Ra The ink fairy before him looked exactly like Fairy Yu! ...... After exiting the game, Li Muyang stretched lazily, feeling tired. ¡°The ink fairy must be the evil thoughts and three corpses split from Fairy Yu, right?¡± Li Muyang murmured to himself. This ink fairy¡¯s form was odd, not like a living being. Just then, his little sister Li Yuechan quietly approached him. As the siblings walked side by side, the young girl whispered, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t go too far later. If something happens, we need to look out for each other...¡± Li Muyang had no objections to this. But suddenly, a low gasp arose from the crowd. ¡°Demons... It¡¯s the demons from Centipede Ridge!¡± Elder Yan hadn¡¯t arrived yet, so these outer disciples were less restrained in front of Senior Brother Xiao Cheng. When everyone saw the flamboyantly dressed and stunningly beautiful demons from Centipede Ridge appear, their eyes widened. ¡°So beautiful!¡± ¡°They¡¯re all beauties...¡± ¡°Are demons really this gorgeous?¡± The disciples were astonished and kept stealing glances at the group of demons not far away. The flamboyant girlish demons also gathered together, chirping and laughing non-stop, seemingly discussing the Demonic Sect disciples on this side. Guan Xiaoshun quietly tugged at Li Muyang¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Brother Li, stay calm. These demons eat people without spitting out their bones; don¡¯t be bewitched by them...¡± Li Muyang gave the boy an annoyed look and said, ¡°Which eye of yours saw me being bewitched?¡± Amidst the laughter and noise, Elder Yan appeared with several direct disciples. Instantly, the group fell silent, and everyone shut their mouths. Elder Yan glanced coldly at the crowd and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Accompanied by the lord of Demon Sword City, Elder Yan led the team to the entrance of the bloodstone mine in Demon Sword City. Rows of demon-suppressing patterns were engraved on the tall bloodstone mine to suppress the demonic aura within. Inside the bloodstone mine, the demonic aura was dense. Li Muyang wasn¡¯t too concerned; he just wanted to finish quickly, go back to playing his game, and get the rewards as soon as possible. But as he followed the crowd into the bloodstone mine, shrouded in thick blood mist, he faintly heard a familiar sound of a sword¡¯s hum. That low, gloomy hum, like a demon¡¯s growl, made one¡¯s scalp tingle subconsciously. And Li Muyang, who had died several times at the hands of the half-demon general¡¯s sword in the game, was all too familiar with this sound. His face suddenly changed. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword, transformed by demonic energy... was it actually slumbering within this bloodstone mine?! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 101 Inside the mine, the air was polluted, and a faint blood-colored mist pervaded the area. This was the sinister aura emanating from the bloodstone ore, which caused discomfort to the living and could corrode any living beings that stayed in the aura for too long. However, everyone present was either a demonic cultivator or a demon, so they actually felt refreshed and delighted within the bloodstone mine. The sinister aura that ordinary people feared like a ferocious tiger was like a nurturing environment for the demonic cultivators. Each outer disciple breathed in deeply with pleasure as if they were ordinary people inhaling fresh air. Guan Xiaoshun whispered quietly, ¡°The aura in this bloodstone mine is so dense. It¡¯s greatly beneficial to demonic cultivators... Why doesn¡¯t the sect send outer disciples to mine here?¡± Staying in the mine for a long time was like receiving a buff that enhanced one¡¯s cultivation. However, the Demon Refining Sect had arranged for mortal miners to work here, not demonic cultivators... Li Muyang shook his head and explained in a low voice, ¡°The sinister aura from the bloodstone ore is too overbearing. Occasional contact is fine, but long-term exposure can corrode even demonic cultivators.¡± ¡°Once the mind is corroded by the aura, it becomes difficult to expel it. That¡¯s why mortals are arranged to mine here.¡± ¡°When the mortals can no longer work due to the corrosion, a new batch of mortals is brought in to replace them.¡± The exploitation tactics of the Demonic Sect were almost like those of a black coal kiln, treating the mortal miners as disposable consumables. As Li Muyang explained, he kept surveying the bloodstone mine as if searching for something. The moment he stepped into the mine, he faintly heard a familiar sound of a sword¡¯s cry. However, no one else heard it, and everyone else was unresponsive. Li Muyang was puzzled¡ªcould it be that the demonic sword was slumbering within this bloodstone mine? But after walking in the mine for a long time, he didn¡¯t hear the sword¡¯s cry again. It seemed that the initial sound was just his illusion. The low mine had numerous passages, with pillars built into the stone walls to stabilize the tunnels. Before seeing it with one¡¯s own eyes, it was impossible to imagine that the underground of Demon Sword City was hollowed out like this. The crisscrossing dark passages resembled a giant ant nest. Soon, an order came down, and Elder Yan instructed the disciples to scatter throughout the tunnels and place the flags deep within the mine to set up a large formation for refining resentful spirits and dissolving residual souls. The disciples dispersed with their orders. ¡°After everyone has eaten, you are free to do as you please. Rest well, and gather at the entrance of the alley at dusk. We will continue to the mine tonight,¡± Senior Brother Cheng gave a few simple instructions before letting the disciples disperse. This young and aloof Senior Brother was not old, but he was very cold. However, as people dispersed, he specifically warned Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun as he passed by them, ¡°You two don¡¯t wander around these few days, be careful of those demons seeking revenge.¡± Although the demons were temporarily quiet, Senior Brother Cheng did not relax his vigilance. Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun were his ¡°accomplices¡± in slaying the demons, so he specifically cautioned them not to let their guard down. Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun would also be targets if the demons sought revenge. Li Muyang was indifferent. He didn¡¯t really like wandering around anyway. Now with Senior Brother Cheng¡¯s words, he felt even more justified in staying in his room, busy playing games. After a period of being alone, the Outer Sect¡¯s top students gradually understood Li Muyang¡¯s temperament, knowing that he didn¡¯t like to be disturbed, so few people bothered him. Thus, Li Muyang became even more of a loner. In a group of outer disciples who were all very sociable and appeared to have close relationships, Li Muyang, who hardly participated in social activities, became a solitary oddity. On the other hand, his little sister Li Yuechan was cheerful and got along very well with the group of female disciples. She was loved by everyone and disliked by none. Her emotional intelligence, intelligence, and interpersonal skills were flawless. She also had a deep friendship with Elder Yan¡¯s direct disciple, Senior Sister Ning, and they often gathered together. At this point, Li Yuechan had become the most popular person among the outer disciples on the trip to Demon Sword City. From the neighboring courtyard, laughter and conversation could be heard continuously; people were having a great time. Meanwhile, separated by just a wall, in the empty and quiet room, Li Muyang seemed to have fallen asleep after eating. But within his tightly closed eyes, he could see the game interface of the system. The huge half-demon general Luo Feng, transformed by magic and wielding a demonic sword, swung the sword at Li Muyang, who was charging toward him. ¡¾Half-demon General Luo Feng: Jiang Xiaoyu! You dare to stop me? Mind your own business!¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 102 The transformed half-demon General Luo Feng was very angry at Li Muyang¡¯s entry into the field. Because not only did Li Muyang join the chaos, but he also brought with him a troublesome character who could deal with him. Ink Fairy. ¡¾Ink Fairy: Hey, little Luo Feng. After so many years, we meet again, and you actually ignore this fairy? You¡¯ve become less fun.¡¿ Ink Fairy had a bone to pick with Luo Feng for not speaking to her first after their reunion. The huge demonic general¡¯s sword momentum paused slightly, then his face turned gloomy. ¡¾Half-demon General Luo Feng: Don¡¯t talk to me in that tone! You fake! You are not Fairy Yu and have no right to flaunt her identity!¡¿ The enraged demonic general swung his demonic sword, the blade that was originally aimed at Li Muyang now changed direction, slashing towards Ink Fairy. A red orb trembled violently in mid-air, and a red-clothed fairy who looked almost identical to Fairy Yu popped out and swiftly dodged to the distance. ¡¾Ink Fairy: Wow... So fierce upon meeting... Little Luo Feng, you¡¯ve really become less cute as you¡¯ve grown up.¡¿ Ink Fairy teased and provoked, continuously using words to stir the emotions of the demonic half-demon general. Half-demon General Luo Feng, dark with rage, stopped slaughtering the beings in the city and instead wielded his demonic sword to continuously attack Ink Fairy. On the edge of the battlefield, Li Muyang took the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, constantly unleashing skills to attack the huge demonic half-demon. But this mountainous behemoth ran endlessly through the city, occasionally moving out of Li Muyang¡¯s attack range. After the demonic half-demon general left, Luo Feng¡¯s half-demon minions would crawl out from the ground and swarm towards Li Muyang. The battle consisted of Li Muyang cutting down these elite minions, periodically catching up to half-demon General Luo Feng to inflict damage, only to be surrounded by another group of half-demons. The real main battlefield was the fight between Ink Fairy and Luo Feng. This experience of chasing and slashing at the giant felt somewhat surreal to Li Muyang, almost like playing the God of War series back in the day. But it was much harder than God of War. The battle also dragged on for a very long time. However, Li Muyang didn¡¯t mind. Because as he killed more and more half-demons, the experience points for his Dharma-Annihilation Wheel steadily increased. This was simply a trial ground for grinding experience points for the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel! Li Muyang was certain that by the time he cleared this game, not only would he be able to get the secret manual reward, but he would also be able to upgrade the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel from a mortal-grade item to a low-grade spiritual weapon. ¡°It¡¯s just that clearing this level is a bit tough.¡± As long as he could withstand this final frenzy, he would be able to successfully defeat this troublesome demonic boss and clear ¡®Legend of Sword and Fairy.¡¯ ¡°Us common folks, ohhh, we¡¯re really happy today~~¡± Humming a cheerful tune, Li Muyang walked out the door in high spirits to meet up with Guan Xiaoshun. Guan Xiaoshun scratched his head curiously and asked, ¡°Brother Li, you seem very happy today. Is there some good news?¡± Before Li Muyang could reply, little sister Li Yuechan suddenly sprang out from the shadows. The girl said with a grin, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you so happy, brother... What¡¯s wrong? Did a pretty sister agree to be with you?¡± Li Yuechan teased Li Muyang with a smile while sneakily observing the reactions of Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun. For some reason, this little sister recently enjoyed teasing Li Muyang with topics about romance. Li Muyang reasonably suspected that his parents back in Jiuyuan City had written to Li Yuechan, urging him to find a wife. After all, Li Muyang was almost eighteen, and according to the simple world view of the common people in this world, an eighteen-year-old young man should be getting married. Facing his little sister¡¯s teasing, Li Muyang shrugged as usual. ¡°Pretty sisters are out of the question, but I might consider it if it¡¯s a female ghost. I¡¯m not interested in the living.¡± Li Muyang continued to joke. The three of them followed the team and stepped into the bloodstone mine, shrouded in blood mist and evil spirits. But the moment he entered the mine, Li Muyang paused. He faintly heard a woman¡¯s wail of extreme sorrow in his ears. As if there really was a female ghost deep within the mine... Li Muyang was momentarily stunned and a bit panicked. ¡°F*ck? Did I jinx it?¡± He looked around in alarm, realizing that he wasn¡¯t the only one who heard the wailing of the female ghost; everyone did. Guan Xiaoshun and Li Yuechan both gave him a meaningful look. ¡°Um... brother, be honest. Did you find a female ghost behind our backs these past ten days?¡± Li Yuechan whispered with a strange look in her eyes, ¡°She¡¯s not coming to find you now, is she?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 103 ¡°Um... brother, be honest. Did you find a female ghost behind our backs these past ten days?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not coming to find you now, is she?¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s oddly emotional words rang out just as the wailing of the female ghost had faded, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. Guan Xiaoshun instantly moved away from Li Muyang, filled with apprehension. ¡°Um... Brother Li, when that female ghost comes later, she won¡¯t harm us, right?¡± The simple boy from the border town, Guan Xiaoshun, like Li Muyang, was also a scaredy-cat when it came to ghosts. Hearing that the female ghost might appear soon, Guan Xiaoshun immediately chickened out. On being accused by the two, Li Muyang was momentarily speechless. ¡°We¡¯ve all been together these ten days, how could I possibly have had the time to flirt with a female ghost!¡± Li Muyang found his little sister¡¯s words to be nonsensical. But Li Yuechan looked at him suspiciously and said, ¡°...I¡¯ve heard that some evil spirits cling to the living, taking refuge in their bodies and spending day and night with them.¡± ¡°Some of these seductive ghosts will use such methods to attach themselves to men, meeting them in dreams, using all sorts of soul-consuming techniques to extract the man¡¯s yang energy...¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s mind seemed to wander as she suspiciously eyed Li Muyang, saying, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve been hiding in your room lately, ignoring everyone, and Xiaoshun says you¡¯re always sleeping.¡± ¡°You... you haven¡¯t really been meeting a beautiful ghost in your dreams, have you?¡± Little sister Li Yuechan¡¯s gaze suddenly became worried. Li Muyang stared at her speechlessly, thinking, ¡°What on earth is this girl thinking about...¡± Is this what a fifteen-year-old girl should be pondering about Can¡¯t you be a bit more pure and cute? The team continued forward, and Li Muyang and the others received a battle flag, then followed the route deep into the bloodstone mine to place the flag at the designated spot. When Senior Brother Cheng handed over the flag, he kindly explained, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the wailing of that female ghost was due to Elder Yan¡¯s grand formation taking effect. The ancient spirits hiding in the mine can¡¯t stay concealed much longer.¡± ¡°As long as you stay around the flag and don¡¯t leave on your own, even if ancient spirits appear, they won¡¯t be able to harm you.¡± The aloof young Senior Brother spoke with a cold expression and left after finishing. After thanking him, Li Muyang and the others left, and Li Yuechan whispered, ¡°Senior Brother Cheng is quite nice...¡± Li Muyang, curious, looked around the mine and said, ¡°There were more wailing sounds from the depths of the mine just now... Maybe we¡¯ll get to see a big battle today?¡± R Li Muyang and his companions guarded the flag, unable to witness the core area of the battle. But the piercing roars and the resentful howls of the ancient spirits, along with Elder Yan¡¯s ever cool and indifferent commands that grew more and more urgent, all indicated the intensity of the battle. The appearance of Lord Bifeng was just the beginning. As the power of the Soul Refining Formation grew stronger, the hidden ancient spirits surged out one after another, causing chaos along with Lord Bifeng. The piercing sounds of explosions, the shrill cries of the ghostly remnants, and Elder Yan¡¯s commands... The battle within the bloodstone mine was even more intense than imagined. Even the inner disciples started to move around. They carried dark red buckets, running through the foggy, ghostly underground tunnels, pouring the dark red demonic blood from the buckets onto the flags throughout the tunnels to strengthen the power of the Soul Refining Formation. Li Muyang and his companions huddled uncertainly by the flag, daring not to leave for a moment. The ancient spirits began to riot in the tunnels, and even two ferocious and creepy remnants emerged from the ground, attempting to attack the trio. However, as the spirits emerged, the flag beside Li Muyang and his companions shone brightly, directly repelling the two vicious ghosts. Despite this, the ghost-fearing Guan Xiaoshun was still startled. ¡°Ghosts! It¡¯s g-g-ghosts...¡± The boy from the border town was so scared he even stuttered. Although Li Muyang did not lose his composure like Guan Xiaoshun, he too was startled by the two translucent ghostly figures. ¡°Guard this flag! We can¡¯t let those resentful spirits and ghosts destroy it!¡± Li Muyang immediately protected the flag behind him. The resentful ghosts, finding themselves unable to confront Elder Yan¡¯s Soul Refining Formation, began attacking the flags, trying to break the formation designed to target the ghostly remnants. Although Li Muyang and his companions were frightened, they instinctively protected the flag, continuously attacking the ghostly shadows that emerged from the darkness. But the purple light of the Soul Refining Formation protected them, preventing the evil spirits from getting close. Instead, the attacks of the three were able to penetrate the Soul Refining Formation, continuously striking the evil spirits. As more and more evil spirits surged out of the shadows, Li Muyang, while constantly attacking the evil spirits, suddenly felt as if he was experiencing a hallucination of playing a tower defense game. ¨CThere are way too many evil spirits! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 104 Inside the blood mist-enshrouded pit, the air was originally filled with the aura of blood and evil. But as more and more evil spirits crawled out from underground, a chilling and penetrating cold wind began to blow within the pit. Guan Xiaoshun desperately unleashed his skills, attacking the group of evil spirits, fearing that they would get close. ¡°So... so many ghosts...¡± The hands of the boy from the border town trembled under immense psychological pressure. All three were outer disciples of the Demon Refining Sect, and aside from practicing their cultivation techniques, they had almost never learned any proper offensive spells. Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun were Spiritual Planters and had only learned the ¡¶Minor Cloud and Rain Technique¡·. Thus, they summoned wisps of white mist, and from within the mist, they unleashed fine bolts of lightning to strike down the evil spirits. Although the lethality was subtle, lightning happened to be the bane of ghostly spirits. The horde of evil spirits was continuously repelled, unable to get close. Li Yuechan hadn¡¯t learned the ¡¶Minor Cloud and Rain Technique¡·, so she could only use the most basic attack skill¡ª¡ªcompressing the spiritual energy within her body into a ball before releasing it, creating a wave of light to kill the ghosts. This crude and simple method of attack was generally not very powerful and consumed a lot of spiritual energy. That¡¯s why Li Yuechan appeared exhausted after a short while and said she needed to rest, asking Li Muyang and the others to hold the fort. But Li Muyang glanced at his little sister and noticed that the girl didn¡¯t seem as tired as she made out to be... He always felt that her tiredness was feigned... Was this little sister hiding her true strength? She had only started learning a few months ago. How could she possess such profound cultivation? Li Muyang¡¯s thoughts raced with surprise. He too had been holding back, concealing his strength, and not appearing as tired as he seemed, which is why he noticed his sister also feigning exhaustion. But before he could ponder further, more and more evil spirits surged out from the underground pit. Although most of the evil spirits rushing towards the flags were weak, the sheer number of them coming in waves created a significant visual pressure. Guan Xiaoshun was dumbfounded: ¡°Just how many ghosts are hidden underground!¡± At this moment, nearly every corner of the bloodstone mine was swarming with resentful spirits, a mass so dense that one couldn¡¯t see the end. A conservative estimate would suggest tens of thousands of resentful spirits and evil ghosts crammed in this underground pit. Li Muyang was also somewhat alarmed. The main issue was that these evil spirits seemed endless, their numbers outrageously high. The purple light of the Soul Refining Formation continuously refined these spirits, dissolving them into nothingness. But the number of evil spirits in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision seemed to be increasing instead. The quantity of ancient remnants crawling out from underground was beyond imagination. Li Muyang glanced at the traces of the scene, feeling a chill in his heart. These traces didn¡¯t seem to be the work of evil spirits... A sense of unease at that moment turned into reality. Li Muyang quickened his pace, no longer caring to conceal his strength, and dragged Li Yuechan and Guan Xiaoshun as he ran out. In the blood mist-filled and gloomy tunnel, visibility was extremely low. Although the entrance was filled with purple light, the walls, floor, and ceiling of the tunnel were crawling with resentful spirits. They tried to squeeze into the tunnel filled with purple light, eager to feast on the fresh blood of Li Muyang and his companions. The three ran through the tunnel densely packed with resentful spirits, as if walking on the main road of hell, with all they could see being the ferocious and vicious spirits. Li Yuechan let out a panicked cry. ¡°It¡¯s Sister Ning! Sister Ning has been attacked by a demon!¡± Ahead of them around the corner, a giant scorpion three zhang long ran through the tunnel filled with fierce ghosts. In the pincers of the giant scorpion was a woman, half-covered in blood and unconscious, unmistakably Ning Wan¡¯er, who had been taken as a direct disciple by Elder Yan. Seeing this scene, Li Muyang fully confirmed that it was indeed the demons from Centipede Ridge causing trouble! These demons had bided their time for so long, only to strike now when thousands of ghosts surged from underground and Elder Yan was busy suppressing the remnants. It was likely that Elder Yan had also been attacked by them, which explained her sudden silence and no longer overseeing the Soul Refining Formation. In the blink of an eye, Li Muyang directly took out the Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman from his chest. ¡°Rise!¡± A dazzling golden light flashed by, and thousands of golden sword qi burst forth, instantly striking the giant scorpion at the corner. The scorpion had intended to turn around and attack Li Muyang and the other two, but the moment it stopped, it was overwhelmed by the sky-covering sword qi. Amidst its agonizing screams, the now shapeless scorpion struggled to flee towards the depths of the tunnel, looking like it could breathe its last at any moment. Li Yuechan and Guan Xiaoshun were terrified by the grand spectacle of the simultaneous release of thousands of swords. ¡°Brother... you... how are you so fierce?¡± Li Yuechan was dumbfounded. She knew her brother had hidden his strength, but she had no idea he had hidden so much! Was this the power a Qi Refining Realm cultivator should have? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 105 Faced with the astonishment of his little sister and Guan Xiaoshun, Li Muyang had no time to explain. He shook off their hands and said, ¡°Turn left up ahead, then keep running! You two hurry and get out! I¡¯ll go after Ning Wan¡¯er and rescue her!¡± The scorpion had been severely injured and couldn¡¯t get far. Li Muyang had to catch up quickly before it could join with other demons and call for reinforcements. Chasing a critically wounded scorpion was a piece of cake. Besides, the exit wasn¡¯t far from here, and Li Yuechan had also hidden her strength. She and Guan Xiaoshun would be able to run out soon. After saying this, Li Muyang left his little sister and Guan Xiaoshun behind and chased after the direction in which the scorpion demon had fled. The moment he let go of the two, a Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman slipped into Li Yuechan¡¯s hand. The girl was dumbfounded: ¡°Brother...¡± She held up the talisman, which clearly possessed extraordinary power, and was about to say she didn¡¯t need it. But in the next second, Li Muyang¡¯s figure had disappeared from her and Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s view. His speed was unbelievably fast. The speed at which he vanished, leaving a trail of afterimages, stunned Li Yuechan. ¡°S-so fast...¡± While Li Yuechan and Guan Xiaoshun were shocked by the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique, Li Muyang had already charged deeper into the tunnel. Although he didn¡¯t have much of a relationship with Ning Wan¡¯er and their acquaintance was rather ordinary, he owed this little green tea a favor and had not yet repaid it. If possible, Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to see her die before his eyes. He shook off Guan Xiaoshun and Li Yuechan and activated the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique. His figure dashed and flickered through the underground tunnels, pursuing the fleeing scorpion demon. However, the scene that met his eyes shocked Li Muyang. Following the tunnel where the scorpion demon had fled, Li Muyang saw no survivors next to any of the flags along the way. There were either pools of blood or corpses so mutilated they were unrecognizable, and even the bodies of demons. In this area, close to the core of the formation, all the outer disciples had been killed! Even the bodies of two disciples wearing Inner Sect white robes appeared in his view, indicating that the battle was even more intense than imagined. While Li Muyang and the others were assigned to the depths of the tunnel, busy fighting ghosts, the core area of the formation outside had already changed hands, with traitorous demons and Demonic Sect disciples killing each other in a bloodbath. Not only had two inner disciples died, but several demons had also perished in the fierce battle. Li Muyang ran wildly and soon caught up with the three zhang long giant scorpion demon. This scorpion demon was not weak, at least at the Golden Core stage. But it had taken a direct hit from a Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman to the face, and the sword qi had severely wounded it. Its dark carapace was nearly cracked open, covered with blood-red fissures, and the poisonous hook on its tail had been broken off, leaving only a bare stump dragging limply behind. Seeing Li Muyang catching up, the scorpion demon was furious. ¡°A mere Qi Refining Realm dares to chase me!¡± it roared. However, Li Yuechan and the other person who should have left the place long ago were still standing there. Seeing this, Li Muyang felt a twinge of annoyance. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you running? What are you waiting here for me for?¡± Is this the time to show deep sibling affection and insist on leaving together? Li Yuechan looked innocent as she said, ¡°We did run, but then we came back...¡± Guan Xiaoshun, pale-faced and clutching his shoulder, murmured, ¡°Brother Li, the entrance to the cave is sealed off. We can¡¯t get out.¡± Only then did Li Muyang notice the wound on Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s shoulder. It wasn¡¯t too severe, but the flesh was torn and the sight was quite shocking. Li Muyang fell silent: ¡°Are there many demons at the entrance?¡± He still had one last Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman. As long as the demons blocking the way weren¡¯t too fierce, they should be able to break through. But Li Yuechan just gave a bitter smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s not demons, it¡¯s evil spirits...¡± ¡°The exit of the mine is packed with evil spirits. That area is not within the range of the Soul Refining Formation. After crawling out, the spirits have all crowded there, blocking our way out.¡± ¡°The number is too great, so we simply can¡¯t push through.¡± If a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm fell into a group of evil spirits, they would likely die instantly. Li Muyang took the Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman handed over by his little sister and personally went to take a look at the entrance. ¨CThe evil spirits filled his entire field of vision, almost obscuring the tunnel entrance. Just then, a cold and indifferent female voice suddenly echoed through the windy underground tunnels. ¡°...All Demonic Sect disciples, come to me immediately. I will shrink the formation¡¯s range and first kill the traitorous demons causing chaos!¡± Elder Yan, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke again. Her tone was still indifferent, but it was filled with a murderous intent! As she spoke, the purple light that was everywhere in the underground tunnels suddenly intensified. The Soul Refining Formation, which had been without its core for a long time, was finally activated again, operating at full strength! Seeing this, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. Elder Yan is not dead...¡± In this desperate situation, this was the best news possible. ¡°Hurry and help Elder Yan!¡± If they were too late, when the range of the Soul Refining Formation reduced, the resentful spirits underground would crawl out, and everyone still at the original place would die! Li Muyang, carrying the unconscious Ning Wan¡¯er, ran at the forefront. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 106 In the underground tunnel shrouded in blood mist, cold winds howled. Every inch of land in sight was filled with writhing evil spirits. They crowded on the walls, the ground, the ceiling, screaming and desperately trying to crawl out. But the purple light of the Soul Refining Formation filled the tunnels, forming a barrier that prevented the underground evil spirits from entering. Li Muyang and the other two ran through the tunnel with the hideous faces of evil spirits just centimeters under their feet. The visual experience of running through a ¡°pipe¡± crowded with evil spirits was intense to the max. Soon, Li Muyang and the others saw other Demonic Sect disciples. Although almost all the inner disciples in the core area of the formation had perished, the numerous outer disciples scattered in other areas had not been attacked by demons. They were just like Li Muyang and the others before, unaware of the changing situation, so they foolishly stayed in place to guard the formation flags. Now that Elder Yan¡¯s voice had spread throughout the mine, all the surviving outer disciples were running towards the core of the formation. As Li Muyang and the others ran through the underground tunnels, more and more figures joined them. In the end, outer disciples emerging from the dark depths of the tunnels formed a surging stream of people. At least sixty or seventy people ran underground, passing by corpses and bloodstains along the way, finally reaching the core area of the Soul Refining Formation. This was an open space within the bloodstone mine, also serving as a transfer station for the mine. The area was so large it was like a small underground plaza. Seven huge demon corpses lay in the open space, the largest one resembling a small hill, exuding a sense of oppression. From the massive bodies of the demons, foul-smelling, crimson blood continuously flowed out, forming a dark red lake. Eleven inner disciples in white robes stood in this pool of blood, the foul-smelling liquid reaching their ankles. In the void above, Elder Yan in a purple robe looked indifferent, holding a formation flag, and activating the power of the Soul Refining Formation. Purple light radiated from the altar beneath her feet, continuously spilling out towards the tunnel entrances on the surrounding walls. After many outer disciples appeared, the eleven white-robed inner disciples were the first to react. Cheng Feiyang, a young man with a blurred and injured right shoulder, was responsible for managing this group of outer disciples. Seeing everyone appear, the cold-faced Cheng Feiyang was the first to speak. ¡°Everyone, step into the blood pool and do not move around randomly.¡± ¡°The demons of Centipede Ridge have rebelled and attacked Elder Yan but have been repelled.¡± That would truly be like a fish leaping through the dragon gate! The outer disciples were filled with envy. However, the eleven white-robed inner disciples below remained calm, showing no envy. The three direct disciples standing beside Li Muyang completely ignored him, clearly an outer disciple was not worth their attention. Above on the altar, the purple light shone brightly. Elder Yan held the formation flag with a cold gaze, continuously driving the power of the great formation. No more outer disciples emerged from the darkness of the underground tunnels. Almost all the surviving outer disciples were here. Elder Yan, clad in a purple robe, snorted coldly and waved the formation flag fiercely. ¡°Imperial Command¡ªthree souls forever bound, six spirits never to return!¡± As Elder Yan¡¯s incantation sounded, the Soul Refining Formation that filled the entire underground tunnel suddenly changed its pattern. Strands of purple brilliance began to retract inward, and without the suppression of the formation, a continuous stream of evil spirits squeezed into the tunnel from below. Only one direction of purple light did not retract but instead grew stronger. That was clearly the location where the demons were now. Elder Yan¡¯s gaze was cold as she continued to direct the formation¡¯s brilliance toward that location, slaughtering the demons. Deep within the underground tunnel, there were piercing roars and the sounds of explosions. Clearly, the demons were fiercely resisting the formation. They had ambushed Elder Yan and turned against her at the critical moment, successfully putting her in a dangerous situation. But now that Elder Yan had repelled the demons and regained control of the formation, the demons hiding deep in the tunnel had become fish in a barrel. Elder Yan only needed to keep driving the power of the formation to eliminate the demons hiding deep in the tunnel one by one. Feeling the situation easing, Li Muyang also let out a sigh of relief. Now Elder Yan was like a stabilizing needle for the sea for this group of outer disciples. As long as she stabilized the situation, everyone would be safe. At this moment, Li Muyang had the leisure to observe the situation on the scene. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 107 The cold and gloomy wind in the underground tunnel howled with the aura of blood and evil. Elder Yan stood on the altar holding the formation flag, dressed in a purple robe, her expression indifferent, her gaze cold. Li Muyang stood beside her with his head bowed, quietly observing his surroundings. Li Muyang had always kept a respectful distance from the stunningly beautiful Elder Yan, not daring to look at her too much. He was afraid she would notice his hidden strength and single him out from the crowd and expose his many secrets. Today, however, he was so close to her, but the good news was that Elder Yan didn¡¯t care about Li Muyang. After all, he was just an outer disciple, no different from an ant in the eyes of such a high-ranking demonic elder. It was already an immense favor for Elder Yan to glance at Li Muyang because of Ning Wan¡¯er. How could she pay him more attention? Even the other three direct disciples on the altar showed no interest in Li Muyang. This kind of lofty disregard and contempt actually relieved Li Muyang. Being ignored was good... With so many secrets on him, he couldn¡¯t let others discover them easily. The lower the profile, the less presence, the better. Li Muyang supported the unconscious Ning Wan¡¯er, standing quietly behind the crowd, trying to reduce his own presence as much as possible. Meanwhile, the purple light of the Soul Refining Formation continued to strike towards the tunnels where the demons were hiding. The tremors in the depths of the tunnel grew stronger, and even the howls of the demons could be heard. Sensing the demons¡¯ desperate struggles, Elder Yan had a cold look in her eyes. Seeing the situation ease, her three direct disciples began to sneer in conversation. ¡°Thinking they could ambush our master? These demons from Centipede Ridge are absolutely insane. Do they even know who our master is? Are they a match for her?¡± ¡°But this rebellion of the Centipede Ridge demons... it¡¯s a bit strange. Even if they could succeed, how could they withstand the sect¡¯s retaliation afterward? What are they plotting?¡± r? ¡°Hmm... Senior Sister, now that you mention it, what exactly are these demons plotting by turning against us at this moment?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t possibly have something to do with that legend, can it?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the ancient demon sword? Could it be that the Centipede Ridge demons have grasped clues about the whereabouts of the demon sword? Do they want to control Demon Sword City and then search for the demon sword?¡± ¡°This should be the first time the demons have been invited into Demon Sword City...¡± ¡°Hiss... If that¡¯s true, wouldn¡¯t our master be picking up a huge merit for nothing? These demons have already been cornered by our master. As long as we capture them and interrogate them for clues about the demon sword, it would be an enormous contribution!¡± The three direct disciples whispered among themselves, seemingly in good relations on the surface. Elder Yan, whom they praised, however, had a cold expression and spoke indifferently. ¡°The ancient demon sword may not be a good thing. That sword slaughtered countless lives in Demon Sword City back in the day, the sword¡¯s killing aura is too heavy.¡± Li Muyang suddenly panicked. Because the demonic sword sleeping in the underground tunnel seemed to be awakening! Seeing that Elder Yan made no mention of him as if she had forgotten him, and with the departure of the outer disciples nearly complete, Li Muyang could no longer hold back. ¡°Um... Elder Yan, may I first help Senior Sister Ning to leave and tend to her injuries?¡± Li Muyang spoke up, but Elder Yan remained silent, not even glancing at Li Muyang. Instead, one of the direct disciples glared at Li Muyang and said, ¡°You are so troublesome. Junior Sister Ning is a direct disciple of our master. How can she leave so casually?¡± ¡°Now that the demons are cornered, we are just one step away from exterminating them.¡± ¡°If you take Junior Sister Ning away now, what if there are still demons hiding in the tunnel and they appear to take her hostage? How will you be responsible?¡± ¡°Staying by the side of our master is the safest!¡± The direct disciple expressed disdain for Li Muyang¡¯s foolishness. However, just as the direct disciple finished speaking, a loud and clear sword cry suddenly came from deep within the underground tunnel. This time, the sword¡¯s cry was piercingly sharp, and nearly everyone present heard it. ¡°The... the demonic sword?!¡± The three direct disciples on the altar were shocked, speculating about the source of the sword¡¯s cry. But in the next second, before they could sense it carefully, the tunnel depths were filled with the painful and mournful wails of the demons as well as the sound of sword qi cutting through them. The demons, cornered by Elder Yan but still stubbornly resisting, had their life forces extinguished within a few breaths. Everyone who sensed this commotion was taken aback. And Li Muyang, standing behind the crowd, was dumbfounded. He clearly felt a pure and extreme aura of immortal spirit rising from the ground. And this aura was exactly the same as when he first obtained the Startling Swan Immortal Sword in the game, without a trace of demonic energy. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword... returned to normal? And it killed all the demons underground? The next second, a dazzlingly brilliant sword qi of the immortal path shattered the darkness, slashing directly towards Elder Yan on the altar. The immortal sword had a spirit, and after being awakened thousands of years later, it had indeed shed its demonic energy. And it was slaughtering the demons! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 108 On the altar formed by converging purple light, Li Muyang¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword from the game had actually appeared in reality. However, after awakening, the immortal sword first killed the Centipede Ridge demons that had awakened it. Then, with sword qi sweeping through, the immortal sword directly shattered the void, targeting the strongest demon cultivator in the underground tunnel¡ªDemon Refining Sect¡¯s Elder Yan. In the instant when the cold light shattered the darkness, Yan Xiaoru immediately reversed the formation flags, retracting the spiritual power of the formation into transparent barriers that spanned in front of her. In the next instant, the sword qi came sweeping through, and the Startling Swan Immortal Sword pierced through seven barriers before being stopped, hovering in the void. Inside the underground tunnel, there was a sudden silence, as if the air had solidified. In the tunnel where the chilly wind howled, all the crowded resentful spirits had fled. The moment the Startling Swan Immortal Sword awakened in the present world, these fierce and ferocious resentful spirits fled in panic and hide deep underground as if seeing their nemesis. Clearly, the ¡®demonic sword¡¯ that had slaughtered them thousands of years ago had reappeared, triggering the fear of these residual souls. On the altar formed by converging purple light, Yan Xiaoru held the formation flag, her expression as still as water. However, her hands gripping the flag were faintly trembling. She had barely managed to resist the might of this sword. Her three direct disciples behind her were terrified by this sword. Now, seeing the immortal sword blocked by their master, the three spoke with uncertainty. ¡°This demonic sword... why does it not have a trace of demonic energy?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it an ancient demonic sword... how could it be an immortal sword?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with shock, unable to comprehend the situation. And Li Muyang, seeing the Startling Swan Immortal Sword being stopped, quietly breathed a sigh of relief. After shedding its demonic energy, the immortal sword became even more dangerous. Everyone present was a demon cultivator, and with the immortal sword having a spirit, it instinctively wanted to attack this group of demon cultivators. r? Fortunately, Elder Yan was powerful and managed to stop the immortal sword in time. Elder Yan, clutching the formation flag, looked at the immortal sword before her, her eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°This sword is indeed powerful. Even without a wielder, it possesses such might... It is very likely one of the legendary immortal-grade weapons.¡± Elder Yan stared at the immortal sword in the darkness and said, ¡°You all go out immediately and notify the sect. Ask the sect master to gather the elders. If we can subdue this immortal sword, our Demon Refining Sect will gain a top leve combat power!¡± Elder Yan attempted to stay behind to restrain the immortal sword while simultaneously calling for reinforcements from the sect. This was a good plan. With no master to wield the Immortal Sword, its power was greatly diminished, and she alone could keep it at bay. As long as the disciples sought help from the sect and brought reinforcements, subduing the Immortal Sword was only a matter of time. Yan Xiaoru waved the formation flag, and five beams of light landed on her four direct disciples and Li Muyang, preparing to send them away from the mine. However, at that moment, a deeply resentful growl came from the depths of the pitch-black tunnel. ¡°Want to leave? It¡¯s not that easy!¡± She was clearly ready to go down fighting. Elder Yan on the altar, however, had a cold gaze and was fully powering the formation. ¡°Think we¡¯ll die together? Ridiculous.¡± ¡°Today, I will obliterate you and leave you with no place to be buried!¡± Brilliant purple light swirled around the altar. Under the immense compression of spiritual power, a low-level cultivator like Li Muyang felt terrified, as if standing atop a volcano on the verge of eruption. The altar was gathering the full power of the Soul Refining Formation, its aura immense and penetrating. In the next instant, the pitch-black fog came crashing down, colliding fiercely with the purple altar. Boom! In the deafening roar, endless shockwaves surged through the mine tunnel. Li Muyang, although protected by the power of the Soul Refining Formation, was not killed, but the relentless shockwaves sent him flying in all directions. Dizzy and disoriented, Li Muyang felt like he was in a tumbling washing machine. Under the intense nausea and dizziness, Li Muyang soon passed out. In a hazy state, he didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when he felt himself stop spinning. He then fell into some cold river, seemingly drifting along. After an unknown period of drifting in a daze, Li Muyang suspected he might continue to drift like this indefinitely... ...until a hand grabbed him. Then Li Muyang felt himself being dragged out of the water and thrown heavily onto the ground. ¡°...Damn demons...¡± A woman¡¯s irritated muttering sounded in his ear. The voice was somewhat familiar, but before Li Muyang could ponder who it belonged to, his consciousness plunged into darkness again. This time, he slept for a long time. When Li Muyang opened his eyes again, he felt sore all over and extremely hungry as if he hadn¡¯t eaten for a month or two. The moment he regained consciousness, Li Muyang sat up abruptly and looked around. However, the sight he saw left him dumbfounded. In his field of vision, the winding mountains in the distance, the river flowing beneath his feet, and the bamboo forest beside him, as well as the two graves outside the bamboo forest... Wasn¡¯t this scene the resting place of Fairy Yu from the game ¡®Legend of Sword and Fairy¡¯? The familiar scenery left Li Muyang stunned. ¨CHave I crossed into the game? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 109 Li Muyang stood dumbfounded, doubting everything he saw. The scene before him was identical to the resting place of Fairy Yu in the game ¡®Legend of Sword and Fairy¡¯ Those two graves were unmistakably the tombs of Fairy Yu and her husband. The previously terrifying Startling Swan Immortal Sword, which had been slashing with sword qi, was now quietly inserted in front of Fairy Yu¡¯s grave, serving as a tombstone. But when Li Muyang looked down, he saw himself wearing the green robe of an outer disciple of the Demon Refining Sect, and his body was his own. Moreover, there was no hunger or pain in the game. But now, Li Muyang was not only sore all over but also seriously hungry. Although a Qi Refining Realm cultivator wouldn¡¯t starve to death without food for a few days, the current Li Muyang was experiencing gnawing hunger pain, not knowing how many days he had been starving. He looked around somewhat blankly, unsure of what was happening. Wasn¡¯t I in the underground mine? How did I end up at Fairy Yu¡¯s burial site? At that moment, footsteps sounded from the bamboo forest. A woman in tattered clothes looking somewhat weary walked out. She was dressed in a purple robe, the attire of an elder of the Demon Refining Sect. But the once imposing and fearsome purple robe was now full of holes, hanging on her like a beggar¡¯s rags. The dress beneath the purple robe was equally tattered and full of tears. Through the tears, one could see the woman¡¯s shocking wounds. Some wounds were deep, some shallow. On an ordinary person, they would have been fatal many times over, yet she moved with ease. In her arms, she held a bunch of bamboo shoots. Seeing Li Muyang awake, the purple-robed woman who emerged from the bamboo forest raised an eyebrow, her pale face showing indifference. ¡°...Awake?¡± Saying this, Yan Xiaoru tossed what was in her arms in front of Li Muyang, instructing as if it were the most natural thing to do: ¡°Cook these.¡± Li Muyang looked down at the pile of bamboo shoots before him, then at Elder Yan in front of him, hesitating slightly. ¡°Uh Li Muyang scratched his head, cautiously asking: ¡°Elder Yan, where are we now?¡± For some reason, Elder Yan no longer exuded the intimidating aura that once made Li Muyang tremble with unease. Her expression was weary, her breathing slow. She seemed just an ordinary injured woman. Beneath the tattered purple robe, the torn dress outlined an exquisitely curvaceous figure. The plunging neckline revealed a stunningly deep and white cleavage. The former Yan Xiaoru was fearsome, and Li Muyang kept his distance, fearing that the Demonic Sect elder would take notice of him. Li Muyang had too many secrets. Only by keeping a low profile could he make a fortune quietly. It was only today that he realized Elder Yan was so powerful. Li Muyang called out for a while, but the unconscious Yan Xiaoru remained motionless with her eyes wide open. Meanwhile, the wounds on her body began to bleed, looking very tragic. For a powerhouse of this level, even with severe injuries, it would be impossible for blood to flow so freely. Their control over their own flesh was already so precise that it reached the cellular level. Now that the wounds were bleeding, it was clear that Elder Yan had been gravely injured and had fallen unconscious, completely losing control over her body. As the wounds bled, Elder Yan¡¯s breath grew weaker and weaker. Li Muyang felt that if he just stood by and did nothing, Elder Yan might just die... ¡°Uh... Elder Yan?¡± Li Muyang hesitated for a moment, but eventually went over to her side and took off the Qiankun Ring she wore on her left hand. As a Demonic Sect elder, she was bound to have a spatial treasure. Li Muyang directly opened the Qiankun Ring and started rummaging through it. ¡°Uh... undergarments? Candied hawthorn sticks? And osmanthus cakes...¡± Li Muyang rummaged through the Qiankun Ring and was a bit surprised. What kind of random stuff was this aloof and domineering Demonic Sect elder carrying around? Are you a three-year-old child? After searching through the assortment of snacks, pastries, and pretty clothes, he finally found the spiritual items and medicines used for cultivation and healing. He poured out all the spiritual medicines from the Qiankun Ring and arranged the rest beside the unconscious woman. Li Muyang began to study how to use these spiritual medicines.¡±Is this... uh... Bone-Connecting Ointment? For mending bones?¡± ¡°Soul Refining Powder... this is for killing people, right?¡± ¡°Devouring Heart... Gu? Uhh... this definitely can¡¯t be used for healing, right?¡± The purple-clad woman was becoming increasingly faint, and Li Muyang was frantically searching through a pile of spiritual medicines with a headache. Finally, he found a healing spiritual medicine he recognized. ¡°Great Restoration Pill! This can heal injuries!¡± Li Muyang immediately poured out a Great Restoration Pill and stuffed it into the mouth of the purple-clad woman. Yan Xiaoru¡¯s spiritual medicines were all top-notch, and Li Muyang, a minor character, had hardly heard of them. There were no instructions. If it weren¡¯t for the time his little sister Li Yuechan was critically injured and near death, and he had done some research, he probably wouldn¡¯t even recognize the Great Restoration Pill. After carefully placing the Great Restoration Pill into Yan Xiaoru¡¯s mouth, Li Muyang nervously stepped back to watch. This Elder Yan... she shouldn¡¯t die, right? With such strenght, it would be a pity to die. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 110 The critically injured Elder Yan quickly regained consciousness after swallowing the Great Restoration Pill. The spiritual medicines carried by this demonic path elder were extraordinary, with potent effects. Just one Great Restoration Pill had roused her from her grievous state. Upon awakening, she frowned and glanced at Li Muyang beside her but didn¡¯t say much. Elder Yan took out a white jade bottle from her Qiankun Ring and tossed it to Li Muyang, then closed her eyes to recuperate and heal. Clearly, the white jade bottle was a reward for Li Muyang. Li Muyang caught the white jade bottle and found it filled with a light green spiritual liquid that emitted a refreshing fragrance. Is this... Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir? Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir was indeed a treasure, and even though it was just one bottle, it was extremely top-tier. Elder Yan was really generous. Holding the Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir, Li Muyang walked aside, but he didn¡¯t immediately consume the spiritual liquid. Instead, he began to wander around this secret realm. This place of Fairy Yu¡¯s burial was exactly like in the game. But in the game, the Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s head guided Li Muyang, while in reality, that head was absent. After wandering around the secret realm, Li Muyang realized he couldn¡¯t leave. Elder Yan apparently couldn¡¯t leave either, and for the time being, the two were trapped in this secret realm. The only good news was that the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, planted in front of Fairy Yu¡¯s grave, no longer attacked demonic cultivators, so she and Li Muyang were temporarily safe. But considering Elder Yan¡¯s warning, Li Muyang still cautiously kept his distance from Fairy Yu¡¯s grave. After walking into the bamboo forest with the Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir, Li Muyang found a secluded spot to start consuming the spiritual liquid, preparing to refine the spiritual energy within his body. He was starving, and consuming the spiritual liquid would not only enhance his cultivation but also satisfy his hunger, killing two birds with one stone. However, as Li Muyang sat down and took a sip of the Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir, feeling the spiritual liquid transform into abundant spiritual energy within him, his eyes suddenly widened. ¡°...I can¡¯t cultivate?!¡± Or rather, he was unable to mobilize the spiritual energy within his body! At this moment, Li Muyang felt an invisible force blocking his control over his internal spiritual energy. He couldn¡¯t mobilize the spiritual energy in his dantian, nor could he cultivate. Although the spiritual energy in his body hadn¡¯t disappeared, he had become a complete mortal, no longer possessing the might of a cultivator. ¡°This secret realm seal cultivation levels?¡± At this moment, Li Muyang realized why there was no battle when Jiang Xiaoyu took the sword in the game. It turned out that the secret realm of Fairy Yu¡¯s burial could seal cultivation levels. Since Elder Yan had also been stripped of her cultivation, he was no longer anxious. Although Elder Yan¡¯s loss of cultivation meant that Li Muyang didn¡¯t need to be too restrained, it wasn¡¯t as if he harbored any malicious thoughts. He could now play his game in peace. He ran deep into the bamboo forest, found a secluded and comfortable spot, sat down, and entered the game interface. Game With the Fairies, start! But this time, Li Muyang didn¡¯t load the save file from the final level. Instead, he loaded the one that entered the secret realm. Carrying the head of the Shape-Shifter Master, he followed the guidance of the head into the secret realm and saw the grave of Fairy Yu and her husband, as well as the Startling Swan Immortal Sword in front of the grave. Li Muyang opened his character interface and, sure enough, his cultivation was sealed. Below his character portrait, there was a continuous BUFF. ¡¾Resting Place¡¿(Reduces cultivation by 100%) Li Muyang spoke up, ¡°Shape-Shifter Master, does this secret realm reduce cultivation?¡± ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: ???¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Why are you suddenly asking this? Hurry up and get the sword.¡¿ At this point in the story, Li Muyang should have immediately gone to take the sword. However, he stood still and asked curiously, ¡°Can¡¯t I be curious? How can the power that seals cultivation within this secret realm be lifted?¡± ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Leaving the secret realm will lift it. Hurry up and take the sword. Once you have the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, you can leave the secret realm.¡¿ The Shape-Shifter Master urged Li Muyang to continue with the plot. Li Muyang shook his head and asked again, ¡°What if I go over there and get killed by the Startling Swan Immortal Sword? How can you guarantee that the immortal sword will obediently let me take it?¡± When Elder Yan approached within thirty steps of Fairy Yu¡¯s grave, that immortal sword started to stir. Why did Jiang Xiaoyu manage to go straight to the sword without being attacked? Faced with Li Muyang¡¯s doubts, the Shape-Shifter Master was somewhat speechless. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: ...With me accompanying you, how could the Startling Swan Immortal Sword possibly harm you? After all, I¡¯ve been a good friend of Fairy Yu for many years. The sword has a spirit and will give me some face.¡¿ The Shape-Shifter Master was full of confidence. But Li Muyang asked again, ¡°What if I came here alone, without your company? How could I safely take the immortal sword then?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s questions kept coming, one after another, without moving to take the sword. The head of the Shape-Shifter Master was at a loss for words. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: You bastard...Do you still want the immortal sword or not? The immortal sword is right in front of you, why all this pointless talk!¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 111 The Shape-Shifter Master was clearly a bit irritated. From its perspective, Li Muyang should have simply gone forward to take the sword and then quickly return to find the half-demon General Luo Feng. But just when Li Muyang was about to do it, he suddenly started to talk nonsense... Wasn¡¯t this just causing trouble for no reason? The Shape-Shifter Master was at a loss for words. Li Muyang, however, chuckled and said, ¡°Senior, don¡¯t be in such a hurry. Can¡¯t I be curious?¡± ¡°Suppose I came here alone, how could I safely take away the Startling Swan Immortal Sword?¡± This was very important to Li Muyang at the moment. If he could take away the Startling Swan Immortal Sword by himself, then he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being trapped in the secret realm and could leave at any time. Although Yan Xiaoru said that once the sect¡¯s reinforcements arrived, they could open the secret realm with cooperation from inside and outside and rescue the two of them, Li Muyang never liked to pin his hopes on others. Fairy Yu¡¯s resting place was so hidden, how could it be easily discovered? It was possible that if the people outside couldn¡¯t find their bodies, they would treat him and Yan Xiaoru as martyrs who died in glory. It was best to find a way to subdue the Startling Swan Immortal Sword and possess this immortal sword. Finding a way to break the situation on his own was the safest. Li Muyang refused to take the sword and instead kept asking a bunch of questions, which made the Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s head grow impatient. But it still explained patiently. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: The immortal sword has a spirit. It won¡¯t be so easy for you to take it away. If you come here alone, you won¡¯t even be able to pull out the sword.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: But with me by your side, the immortal sword will give some face and obediently let you take it away.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: As for the agreement you made with Luo Feng, I won¡¯t forget. Once it¡¯s done, I will teach you the heart mantra to control the immortal sword, at least allowing you to control the immortal sword and unleash about seventy percent of its power.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Don¡¯t think seventy percent is too little. Seventy percent of its power is already very strong. And since the immortal sword has a spirit, if you have the ability to gain its approval, it won¡¯t be difficult to unleash all of its power in the future.¡¿ The Shape-Shifter Master began to entice Li Muyang with grand promises. Li Muyang, however, looked skeptical: ¡°Do you know the heart mantra to control the Startling Swan Immortal Sword?¡± That Startling Swan Immortal Sword was clearly Fairy Yu¡¯s sword! ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: ...You ignorant brat! I watched Fairy Yu grow up! Of course, I know her sword control heart mantra.¡¿ ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Would I lie to a little brat like you?¡¿ This Shape-Shifter Master clearly had a very old background. Li Muyang: ¡°Then, senior, can you teach me the mantra now? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, I just want to broaden my knowledge...¡± Li Muyang smiled broadly. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: Impossible! What if I teach you the mantra now and you run away with the immortal sword? You must bring the sword back to find Luo Feng, then I will teach you the mantra.¡¿ I haven¡¯t learned it yet! He hadn¡¯t even completely memorized the content of the mantra. Who has a photographic memory to remember everything after hearing it just once? Li Muyang had no choice but to reload the game and listen carefully again to the sword control heart mantra recited by the Shape-Shifter Master before he began teaching. After repeatedly reloading and reciting, Li Muyang struggled for an entire day. It wasn¡¯t until the evening in the secret realm, with the moon high in the sky and Li Muyang in the bamboo forest, that he finally opened his eyes, having memorized all the content of the heart mantra. ¡°Why don¡¯t I have a special bloodline...¡± Li Muyang sighed, envious of Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s incredible talent to learn skills after hearing them just once. But fortunately, he had the power to reload, and although his memory was average, he finally memorized it. After closing the game, Li Muyang took another look outside. He was in a high position, hiding in the bamboo forest, which just so happened to overlook the green grassland outside the forest. At this moment, Elder Yan in a purple robe was sitting ten steps in front of Fairy Yu¡¯s grave. With her head bowed in silence, the woman¡¯s dejected appearance indicated that she had made little progress. From Li Muyang¡¯s position, he could look down on Yan Xiaoru, but Yan Xiaoru couldn¡¯t see Li Muyang hidden among the bamboo. Seeing that Yan Xiaoru was still standing in the same place, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. He picked up a dry twig from the ground, stared at it, and began to recite the mantra under his breath. Although her cultivation was sealed, Fairy Yu¡¯s ¡®Startling Swan Sword Mantra¡¯ focused more on the spirit and mind, allowing it to be used even with the seal in place. However, Li Muyang¡¯s aptitude was indeed quite average. He stared at the withered branches in front of him for half the night but still couldn¡¯t manage to execute the complex and obscure Startling Swan Sword Mantra. It was far from the intuitive understanding of Jiang Xiaoyu in the game, who could grasp things upon hearing them just once. ¡°The ancient times¡¯ evil lineage is indeed powerful...¡± Li Muyang sighed, feeling tired after a whole night of struggle. Facing the rising morning sun, he curled up and found a comfortable spot where the sunlight just nicely warmed him and fell asleep. He planned to sleep for a while and then continue practicing after waking up. If you¡¯re bad at something, practice makes perfect! Li Muyang didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t learn the ¡®Startling Swan Sword Mantra.¡¯ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 112 In the game ¡®Legend of Sword and Fairy¡¯, Li Muyang had almost reached the final plot stage, just one step away from clearing it. But at this moment, Li Muyang was not in a hurry to push forward. Mastering the Startling Swan Immortal Sword and the heart mantra was more important to him now. The game¡¯s completion reward was tempting for Li Muyang, but mastering the Startling Swan Sword Mantra was the priority. If he cleared the game now and claimed the reward, Li Muyang would no longer be able to enter the game. ¡ªWhere would he find a master like Shape-Shifter Master to teach him cultivation then? Li Muyang: ¡°...So when executing the third move, I should use concentrated intent to form a spiral and draw out the sword intent?¡± On the battlefield of Nanjiang City, Li Muyang, holding the head of Shape-Shifter Master, struck at the demons within the city with heavy blows. Using the Startling Swan Sword Mantra¡¯s Sword Control Technique, he wielded his Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, enhancing its power. Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s head, held in his hand, stared wide-eyed as Li Muyang performed the sword control technique. ¡¾Shape-Shifter Master: ...You¡¯re doing it all wrong! A miss is as good as a mile! You should...¡¿ Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s head was incessantly chattering, pointing out Li Muyang¡¯s mistakes. In the distance, within Nanjiang City, a half-demon general was on a killing spree, unstoppable by anyone. Li Muyang had declined Granny Gu¡¯s invitation to stop Luo Feng from wreaking havoc in Nanjiang City, nor did he release the Ink Fairy from beneath the Soul Drowning Lake. He carried Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s head around the city, killing isolated demons and using them to test his cultivation progress. The ¡®Startling Swan Sword Mantra¡¯ was difficult and obscure, and with his level of comprehension, learning it was extremely challenging. Fortunately, in the game, he had the head of Shape-Shifter Master for one-on-one guidance. As soon as he entered the combat phase, Li Muyang would immerse himself in the game, and this immersive one-on-one teaching greatly accelerated his understanding of the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. Although it was far from Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s ability to grasp 70% of it after hearing it once, it was still much better than Li Muyang practicing on his own. In this way, he kept reloading the game, using Shape-Shifter Master¡¯s guidance to identify weaknesses and diligently practice the Startling Swan Sword Mantra in each of Nanjiang City¡¯s doomed endings. With the ability to save and reload, he wasn¡¯t afraid of failing multiple times. He could always push the plot forward after learning the sword technique. Li Muyang opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Another day of gaming had ended, and his cultivation-sealed body felt incredibly tired. Li Muyang stretched and stood up, went to the bamboo forest to dig up some bamboo shoots, washed them in the river water, skewered them on bamboo sticks, and lined them up by the fire to prepare dinner. In this secret realm where Fairy Yu rested, he and Elder Yan had been trapped for two months. Although he had a professor-level Shape-Shifter Master by his side to teach him the formulas, it was still very hard for Li Muyang. But no matter how hard it was, Li Muyang persevered and refused to give up. And indeed, his hard work was paying off. Although his low cultivation made progress slow, after two months, Li Muyang had roughly mastered about 60% of it. He was making continuous progress and could see hope. On the other hand, Elder Yan, who sat outside in the bamboo forest on the grass, became more haggard day by day, visibly losing hope. She couldn¡¯t subdue the Startling Swan Immortal Sword and was unable to wait for reinforcements, completely trapped in a dead end. Occasionally, when Li Muyang secretly spied on her, he even saw that Elder Yan¡¯s eyes were devoid of any light, as empty as those of a dead person. She sat there like a dead statue. ...... Days passed like this. On the day when Li Muyang and the others had been trapped in this secret realm for three full months, Yan Xiaoru, who had been sitting motionless on the grass for three months, suddenly stood up. She stood up and walked to the nearby riverbank, washed her haggard face with the clear water, and tidied her disheveled long hair. After finishing her grooming, Yan Xiaoru returned to the grassy field, took out a long sword from her Qiankun Ring, and dug a deep pit in the ground. Then, as if it were the most natural thing to do, she lay down in it. ¡°???¡± From within the bamboo forest, Li Muyang, who had been watching this scene from a distance, was somewhat dumbfounded. What¡¯s with this woman? Has she given up on recovery? She¡¯s actually digging a grave for herself... While Li Muyang was still hesitating, he saw two hands emerge from the pit, beginning to scrape the dirt from the edges of the hole. This woman, she really intended to bury herself. ¡°F*ck, that¡¯s something you don¡¯t see every day...¡± A high-ranking elder of the Demonic Sect actually gave up and tried to bury herself. Outrageous! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 113 In the dim moonlight of the bamboo forest, a gentle breeze was blowing. Tiny snowflakes were falling from the sky. The weather in this secret realm was completely in sync with the outside world. It must be the dead of winter outside, with snow falling. Therefore, snowflakes were also falling within the secret realm. Li Muyang sat beside a fire, roasting bamboo shoot skewers, waiting for tonight¡¯s dinner to be ready. Across from him, a woman wrapped in a brand-new robe sat curled up in her new clothes, silently staring blankly at the burning bonfire. It wasn¡¯t that she was cold. It was just an awkward atmosphere. After witnessing the woman burying herself in the ground, Li Muyang hesitated but eventually went over and dug her out. The Yan Xiaoru who was unearthed had become the person she was now. She was dragged into the bamboo forest by Li Muyang like a puppet, offering no resistance, but also remaining silent. It wasn¡¯t until snow began to fall from the sky that the woman took out a set of new robes from her Qiankun Ring and wrapped herself in them. Li Muyang didn¡¯t speak, and neither did she. This silence continued until Li Muyang finished roasting the bamboo shoots and began to eat them heartily. Only then did the woman¡¯s eyes flicker. ¡°...Why did you save me?¡± The first words spoken by Yan Xiaoru after a long silence were nonsense. Li Muyang, who was eating bamboo shoots, looked up at her and sighed, ¡°If the sect leader and the others break into the secret realm and find that only I am alive and you, Elder Yan, are dead... how would I explain that?¡± ¡°If they suspect that I harmed you, wouldn¡¯t they grind my bones to dust?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s reasoning made sense. However, Yan Xiaoru frowned at him, ¡°Do you still think there¡¯s hope of getting out at this point?¡± She looked at Li Muyang as if he were a naive fool. The two of them had been trapped in the secret realm for three months. If the people of the Demonic Sect had found the secret realm and could save them, they would have broken in and rescued them by now. But so far, there had been no movement in the secret realm. Clearly, the Demonic Sect must have assumed that both Li Muyang and Yan Xiaoru had died underground, their bones turned to dust. It was an obvious conclusion. After Yan Xiaoru pointed this out, Li Muyang nonchalantly shook his head, ¡°Even so, one should not die so easily... Even ants cling to life. Elder Yan, you¡¯ve worked hard to reach the Divine Travel Realm, a powerful figure capable of dominating a region. Wouldn¡¯t it be a pity to die here in the secret realm?¡± Yan Xiaoru, who was in the Divine Travel realm, was almost at the pinnacle of cultivation in this world. Above that was the Purple Mansion Realm. But the powerful beings of the Purple Mansion realm were all regional overlords and masters of the current age. ¡°If you dare to stop me again, I will kill you!¡± Yan Xiaoru, an elder of the Demonic Sect, made such a harsh statement. Clearly, Li Muyang¡¯s persuasion was ineffective. In such a situation, the woman¡¯s dry threat carried little lethal power. Li Muyang looked at her helplessly, spreading his hands: ¡°If the sect leader and the others break through the secret realm and find out that I didn¡¯t save Elder Yan... they will kill me too.¡± Yan Xiaoru: ¡°...¡± ¡°So Elder Yan, let¡¯s hold on for a few more days. If you really can¡¯t hold on, I promise I¡¯ll give you a quick end and won¡¯t let you suffer.¡± Li Muyang was very sincere. His Startling Swan Sword Mantra was almost perfected, and he had to keep Yan Xiaoru alive at all costs. He couldn¡¯t let her die here. This time, faced with Li Muyang¡¯s sincere persuasion, Yan Xiaoru did not respond. She curled up, wrapped tightly in her robe, and fell into a silent expressionless state. It seemed like a silent agreement. After all, Li Muyang¡¯s reasoning was strong, and at this point, it was difficult for her to ignore his opinion. Seeing Yan Xiaoru quiet down, Li Muyang also breathed a sigh of relief and then passed her the roasted bamboo shoots he had prepared. The fragrant bamboo shoots were brought to her face, and Yan Xiaoru paused for a moment, frowning at Li Muyang. But she saw Li Muyang¡¯s face beaming with a smile: ¡°I¡¯ve calculated the days, and tonight is New Year¡¯s Eve... Elder Yan, would you like to try some?¡± ¡°The bamboo shoots in this secret realm also contain spiritual energy, and they taste very good. Let¡¯s consider it a New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.¡± It was the first New Year he would spend in this world, and it was in the midst of a secret realm. Li Muyang handed over the bamboo shoots as a gesture of goodwill. He remembered that Elder Yan was a foodie, with her Qiankun Ring filled with all sorts of snacks. And indeed, the bamboo shoots from this secret realm were delicious, even simply roasted without any seasoning, they smells good. As expected, upon smelling the scent of the bamboo shoots, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s nose twitched. After a brief silence, she quietly reached out and took the roasted bamboo shoots. By the fire, the sound of the woman nibbling bit by bit could be heard. After a while, her voice finally broke the silence. ¡°Give me two more...¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 114 Fine snowflakes fell upon the streets and alleys of Demon Sword City. One after another, inner disciples in white robes walked through the streets, their expressions cold. In the houses, outer disciples in green robes gathered around the fire to keep warm. Cultivators needed to reach at least the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm to have a certain ability to withstand the cold and heat. By the Foundation Establishment stage, they could be impervious to the extremes of weather. But these outer disciples, in the current freezing weather, huddled together for warmth. Of course, the most important thing was to chat and gossip to pass the time. With inner disciples patrolling everywhere in Demon Sword City, these Outer Sect weaklings no longer had the privilege to leave their homes, and they were extremely bored. The outer disciples were not fully aware of the situation. They only saw the demon rebellion and were unaware of the emergence of the immortal sword. So when the sect¡¯s army arrived, they were surprised to find that the consequences of the Centipede Ridge demon rebellion were more severe than imagined. The high-ranking elders of the entire Demon Refining Sect mobilized, and over ninety percent of the inner disciples came to Demon Sword City. Those Inner Sect disciples, usually aloof and mysterious, were now visible everywhere in Demon Sword City. The vast Demon Sword City was completely sealed off, with no entry or exit allowed. And Guan Xiaoshun and the other outer disciples, who had luckily survived the underground tunnels, were confined to the house and not allowed to step out. Moreover, after the arrival of the sect¡¯s army, the elders personally interrogated all the surviving outer disciples, inquiring about their experiences in the underground tunnels. These confused outer disciples had no idea that their names had flashed several times in the Book of the King of Hell. If the sect found out that someone had witnessed the emergence of the immortal sword, they would be silenced immediately. Fortunately, these outer disciples had left quickly and had not encountered the emergence of the immortal sword. They only knew about the rebellion of the Centipede Ridge demons. Therefore, after the interrogation, none of these Outer Sect disciples died or were silenced. The sect¡¯s decision was to temporarily confine them and forbade them from going out. At the same time, the Demon Refining Sect mobilized all Inner Sect disciples to search for the whereabouts of the immortal sword in the city. If they could find the legendary immortal sword and subdue it, the Demon Refining Sect would gain a top-level combat power. Even if they couldn¡¯t subdue it, they had to seal it to prevent it from falling into the hands of righteous path cultivators. It wasn¡¯t that she was unwilling to accept reality. It was that her brother was indeed still alive. The girl took out a small sachet from her bosom. This sachet seemed ordinary, but it contained some of her brother¡¯s hair inside. Li Yuechan had collected these strands one by one while doing Li Muyang¡¯s laundry. The hairs inside were of varying lengths and could be used to perform a technique that connected to Li Muyang. Initially, it was an act done without much thought, but now it proved to be useful. According to senior¡¯s divination using these hairs, her brother was still alive and even within Demon Sword City. ¡°...his presence is elusive, sometimes distant, sometimes near, which is quite peculiar,¡± the mysterious woman¡¯s voice whispered in Li Yuechan¡¯s ear. ¡°I suspect there is a secret realm within Demon Sword City, and your brother is currently inside it.¡± Unfortunately, the senior¡¯s power was now weakened, and she couldn¡¯t accurately trace the entrance to that secret realm. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a batch of inner disciples to leave Demon Sword City,¡± the mysterious woman¡¯s voice echoed again in Li Yuechan¡¯s ear. ¡°The city is currently swarming with inner disciples and the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s elders. Any slight movement will attract their attention, so we must not act rashly.¡± ¡°But these elders won¡¯t stay here forever. In time, when the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s elders have mostly withdrawn, and a batch of the Demonic Sect¡¯s inner disciples have also left, that¡¯s when we¡¯ll make our move. We¡¯ll kill a few inner disciples, drain their blood and essence to restore some of my strength, and then I can help you find your brother.¡± Li Yuechan nodded slowly upon hearing senior¡¯s voice. This senior had taken great care of her, and the two had long since developed a relationship akin to both mentor and friend. After Li Yuechan was seriously injured in Yunxiao City during a demon cultivator hunt, the senior abandoned the plan for Li Yuechan to continue hunting and focused on her recovery instead. Such conspicuous actions were too dangerous for Li Yuechan at the moment. But now that her brother was in danger, Li Yuechan had no choice but to bring up the matter again. The girl in the midst of the snowstorm had a determined look in her eyes. Her brother had saved her life and taken great care of her. Now that he was in peril, she couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 115 In Demon Sword City, snowflakes fluttered down. The inner disciples wandering around in white robes were unaware that the mysterious killer who had once caused a bloodbath in Yunxiao City was now targeting them. (TLN: Chapter 35) Meanwhile, in the secret realm, Li Muyang, who everyone believed to be dead, had just finished eating roasted bamboo shoots and lay down. ¡°Goodnight, Elder Yan,¡± he said, settling in for sleep after a satisfying meal. This was his temporary dwelling in the bamboo forest, with a large rock above his head that provided shelter from the wind and rain. The fire crackled, emitting a warm aura. Although Li Muyang¡¯s physique, even at the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, meant he wouldn¡¯t freeze to death in the snow even if his cultivation was stripped away, having a fire to warm himself was still very pleasant. Across from Li Muyang, the woman who had also enjoyed the roasted bamboo shoots but seemed to want more furrowed her brows. Yan Xiaoru looked at the outer disciple who was so carefree and unrestrained in front of her, seemingly wanting to say something. But in the end, she just put down the bamboo skewer and gave a light, expressionless ¡°hmm.¡± Their first normal conversation in the secret realm ended in such a manner. Li Muyang¡¯s life returned to its regular routine: playing games every day, practicing the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, eating bamboo shoots, playing more games, and then sleeping. There wasn¡¯t much food in the secret realm, but the bamboo shoots from the forest tasted the best. Li Muyang¡¯s main food was mostly roasted bamboo shoots. It was a pity there were no animals in the secret realm. Otherwise, with such a large bamboo forest, catching a few bamboo rats for some meat would have been great. After her failed suicide attempt on New Year¡¯s Eve, Yan Xiaoru hadn¡¯t tried to take her life again. She returned to the grassy area outside the bamboo forest, sitting ten steps away from Fairy Yu¡¯s grave every day, attempting to tame the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, although such attempts were destined to be fruitless. However, whenever smoke rose from the bamboo forest at mealtime, Yan Xiaoru would come uninvited, unabashedly helping herself to the roasted bamboo shoots. These bamboo shoots nourished by spiritual energy indeed tasted good. Li Muyang noticed that aside from eating these bamboo shoots, Yan Xiaoru didn¡¯t eat anything else. Apparently, she had finished all the snacks and pastries in her Qiankun Ring... Tsk... Could it be that this woman decided to commit suicide only after finishing all her snacks? Li Muyang found the thought quite funny. Who would have thought that Elder Yan of the Demon Refining Sect, so cold and aloof on the outside, was actually a complete foodie in private? Fortunately, the bamboo shoots in the forest were plentiful, and Li Muyang roasted a large amount every day to feed Yan Xiaoru, hoping that this woman wouldn¡¯t be in a hurry to die. If this continued, she might really die in the secret realm. Li Muyang became even more eager to practice the Sword Control Heart Mantra in the game, relentlessly slaying monsters while carrying the head of the Shape-Shifter Master. His aptitude was too ordinary; to master a top heart-controlling technique like the Sword Control Heart Mantra, even with the help of the system, he had to work extremely hard. At this time, Li Muyang dared not slack off in the slightest. He poured all his time into the game, even reducing the time he spent eating and sleeping to try and accelerate his cultivation progress. As Li Muyang cut down on meal times and rest, his conversations and interactions with Yan Xiaoru also became increasingly scarce. This wasn¡¯t a problem, after all, although the two were in the same secret realm, the gap in their status was too great. One was an elder of the Demonic Sect, the other an Outer Sect nobody. Although they could converse due to the crisis, a nobody is still a nobody and shouldn¡¯t get carried away. Li Muyang always had a clear understanding of his own status. He didn¡¯t want to get too arrogant now and face Yan Xiaoru¡¯s reckoning later. However, this neglect seemed to make the woman, whose life was hanging by a thread, grow more and more despondent. Finally, one night, as usual, Li Muyang quickly finished his portion of roasted bamboo shoots and lay down, pretending to sleep. It was then that the woman, who had been silent for a long time by the fire, suddenly spoke up. ¡°Li Muyang...¡± Her voice was weak, but her tone was as cold as ever. Yet, she unusually called Li Muyang by his name, her gaze quietly fixed on him. Seeing Li Muyang open his eyes and sit up, the woman looked into his eyes and asked seriously, word by word, ¡°Have you grown tired of me?¡± Her voice was feeble and powerless, but she asked very earnestly. Li Muyang was stunned for a moment, blinking and saying, ¡°Huh?¡± What the heck... Where did this come from? Li Muyang was completely dumbfounded. But the woman by the fire looked at him, quietly and deliberately saying, ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t waste words. I want to impart to you the ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯ that I have cultivated. Are you willing to learn it?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 116 By the fire, the weakened Yan Xiaoru made a shocking offer. The ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯ was an ancient inheritance that Yan Xiaoru had obtained by chance, and it was the foundation of her standing. Even her direct disciples had only received part of the inheritance. Her mysterious ancient demon technique inheritance was instrumental in her becoming an elder of the Demonic Sect at the age of 29. Now, facing Li Muyang, Elder Yan unexpectedly took the initiative to offer the entire ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯ to him. Li Muyang was taken aback, almost doubting what he had heard. ¡°Uh... Elder Yan...¡± Li Muyang hesitated, speaking cautiously, ¡°Are you tired? Do you need to rest for a while?¡± Not only was his expression cautious, but his tone was also much gentler. He suspected that Elder Yan¡¯s mind had been affected by the fever, causing her to speak nonsense. However, Yan Xiaoru looked at him with a cold expression. Her breath weak but her tone very firm, ¡°...You only need to answer whether you are willing or not.¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s expression was indifferent, her gaze steady, clearly lucid and not speaking nonsense. Li Muyang now believed that Elder Yan was truly intending to pass on the demon technique to him. But... ¡°Elder Yan, we are currently in a secret realm with our cultivation suppressed. Even if you pass on the devil technique to me, I can¡¯t cultivate it,¡± Li Muyang spread his hands, making a reasonable point. ¡°As for memorizing the content you recite... I have confidence in my comprehension and memory, but without more than two months, I can¡¯t memorize an entire book.¡± The feasibility of Yan Xiaoru¡¯s offer to impart the technique was nonexistent at the moment. Not to mention, if he were to follow her and memorize the content of the devil technique, it would greatly delay the time he had to practice the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. This woman was dying, and Li Muyang¡¯s time was running out! Li Muyang was somewhat anxious, wishing he could return to the game immediately to continue practicing his sword mantra. However, considering that Yan Xiaoru seemed to have some mental issues and worried that she might attempt suicide prematurely, Li Muyang had to put the game aside and first attend to the neglected ¡¯empty-nest elder.¡¯ ? He had a brief conversation with Yan Xiaoru, trying to find out why she suddenly wanted to pass on the demon technique to him. Was she worried about the technique being lost? Tiny snowflakes were falling through the bamboo, but Yan Xiaoru¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. After adding some dry wood to the fire, Li Muyang got up curiously. Usually, at mealtime, the foodie Yan Xiaoru would take the initiative to call him to roast bamboo shoots. Li Muyang, who was used to being reminded, had been so engrossed in the game that he only opened his eyes when dusk fell, only to realize that mealtime had long passed. Rubbing his growling stomach, he got up in confusion. Outside the bamboo forest, the snow was falling much heavier. Amidst the falling snow, Fairy Yu and her husband¡¯s graves lay quietly nestled in the snowy ground. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword stood silently in front of the graves, guarding the divine couple. Ten steps in front of the graves, in the vast expanse of white snow, lay a still figure. It was Yan Xiaoru. She lay face-up in the snow, motionless. The falling snowflakes kept landing on her, nearly burying her. Li Muyang, shocked by this scene, hurriedly ran through the snow to her. Although the woman lying in the snow had her eyes open and her breath was steady, as if she was conscious, Li Muyang, who knew Yan Xiaoru well, understood that she was unconscious! A faint purplish aura could be seen on her face, indicating that toxins were rampant in her body. When he touched her, he felt an icy chill. Not only was she unconscious, but she had also been lying in the snow for who knows how long. Her body, which should have been impervious to the cold, was now as cold as ice. The dual assault of poison and cold had successfully breached her defenses for the first time, causing her to faint. Li Muyang hastily picked her up and carried her into the bamboo forest, placing her next to the fire to warm her up. At the same time, he called out anxiously, ¡°Elder Yan? Elder Yan? Wake up!¡± ¡°Elder Yan? Yan Xiaoru!¡± Li Muyang¡¯s urgent calls echoed through the bamboo forest. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 117 In a hazy daze, she seemed to hear someone calling her. Across the misty river, she saw many familiar figures. There were smiling faces happily welcoming her, and there were also many fierce faces filled with hatred as if they couldn¡¯t wait to come over and kill her. The latter were the most numerous. Those fierce faces appeared and disappeared in the mist, eerily unsettling. They were all waiting for her to come over, but Yan Xiaoru stood on the riverbank, her expression calm, without a trace of panic. She silently stood there, looking at the fierce figures on the opposite bank and the calling smiles, slowly shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s not time yet...¡± Behind Yan Xiaoru, the man¡¯s calls grew clearer and clearer. ...Yan Xiaoru! Yan Xiaoru, wake up! For the first time, that man called out her real name. Hearing this voice, Yan Xiaoru softly said, ¡°I promised him, it¡¯s not my time to die yet...¡± Since she had promised, she would keep it. In the bamboo forest, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s eyes, which had been open but devoid of spirit, began to move, and then they regained their luster. She saw the white snow falling from the night sky and the flames burning fiercely beside her. And the man sitting next to her, rubbing her skin with his large hands. Yan Xiaoru turned her head to look at Li Muyang. Li Muyang also looked at her. Their gazes met, and the air seemed to freeze. Yan Xiaoru lowered her head, looking at the man¡¯s hands holding her right hand. The warmth from his broad palm was transferring into her skin. ¡°...What are you doing?¡± Yan Xiaoru asked as she sat up with an expressionless face. Li Muyang instinctively withdrew his hands. ¡°Uhh... you were so cold, I was helping you warm up,¡± Li Muyang said cautiously while carefully observing the woman in front of him. He was afraid she would fly into a rage on the spot, accusing him of taking advantage of her while she was unconscious. But Yan Xiaoru did not blame him. She just glanced at Li Muyang¡¯s broad palm and then looked towards the burning fire. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± The woman who had just returned from the brink of death spoke such a jarringly nonchalant sentence. Even Li Muyang, who prided himself on his active mind, was stunned by her words. ¡°Ah? Oh... right, right, right, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Li Muyang immediately got up to prepare the bamboo shoots for tonight¡¯s meal while sneaking a glance at Yan Xiaoru. This woman... does she really lack emotion? She nearly died, and upon waking up, she doesn¡¯t care about life or death or that Li Muyang touched her, but instead cares about dinner? Although he knew she was a foodie, this trait seemed excessively strong. Li Muyang busied himself with preparing the roasted bamboo shoots, all the while observing the woman by the fire. Yan Xiaoru still held no hope of leaving the secret realm. Li Muyang was curious: ¡°Elder Yan, uh...¡± As soon as Li Muyang began to speak, he saw the woman by the fire looking at him coldly. That cold stare seemed as if it could kill. Li Muyang quickly corrected himself. ¡°...Yan Xiaoru, why don¡¯t you want to die as a Demonic Sect elder? Do you have a grievance against the Demon Refining Sect?¡± For a Demonic Sect elder, it should be an honor, right? Yan Xiaoru looked at him indifferently and said, ¡°Want to know why?¡± Li Muyang obediently nodded: ¡°Well, I am a bit curious...¡± Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s honest answer, the woman by the fire scoffed. ¡°If you want to know, marry me. Whoever marries me, I¡¯ll tell him the reason.¡± She seemed to be joking, but her gaze remained cold. Li Muyang was choked by her words. Yan Xiaoru dared to make this kind of joke, but he definitely didn¡¯t dare to take it! He vaguely sensed that as her death approached, this woman¡¯s mentality seemed to be falling into some twisted, frenzied edge to the point where her words and actions were becoming unhinged. It wasn¡¯t surprising. After all, anyone in her situation, with death drawing closer day by day, would go mad. Sometimes, the process of waiting for death is far more terrifying than death itself. When faced with death, emotions and thoughts can change drastically. After Yan Xiaoru¡¯s untimely cold joke, the area around the fire once again fell into silence. Li Muyang scratched his head and finally managed to awkwardly change the subject. ¡°...Speaking of which, when my sister came to the sect last time, she brought me some fruits from Baihe Ridge. They were yellow and orange, looked strange, but tasted quite good.¡± Li Muyang brought up the topic of food, and the woman by the fire calmly nodded. ¡°The yellow potato fruit from Baihe Ridge, they do taste very good.¡± ¡°But the best batch is in Old Baihe¡¯s garden, rarely seen by ordinary people...¡± Yan Xiaoru indeed had an extensive knowledge of food, speaking of it as if she knew it like the back of her hand, true to the nature of a foodie. Li Muyang saw that the topic had successfully shifted and the atmosphere had relaxed a lot, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Now, he was sweating profusely, just hoping to leave the secret realm before Yan Xiaoru completely lost her mind. If he were to witness this Demonic Sect elder¡¯s frenzied breakdown, once he left the secret realm, Yan Xiaoru would probably silence him! Fortunately, it was almost time. In less than twenty days, maybe even ten if he was quick. In ten days, this Elder Yan probably wouldn¡¯t do anything too extreme... right? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 118 The effects of the Profound Poison Heartbreaking Pill were indeed very powerful. Ever since Yan Xiaoru began taking this life-prolonging medicine, her mental state had stabilized quite a bit. Her breath no longer weakened, and her thoughts remained clear. However, this medicine was extremely toxic, using poison to forcibly activate life¡¯s potential, keeping one in a state of a last burst of vitality. The side effects after stopping the medication were severe, requiring a lot of energy and time to fully recover health. Moreover, during the medication period, she would enter a state of suspended animation for two hours each day. In this state of suspended animation, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s breathing would completely stop, with only her heart beating slowly, appearing no different from death on the surface. She told Li Muyang that during this post-medication sleep, she would lose all reaction to the outside world, and even if a wild beast carried away her body, she wouldn¡¯t wake up. Li Muyang wasn¡¯t sure if it was his imagination, but he always felt that Yan Xiaoru¡¯s gaze was very subtle when she said this... ...This woman, she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m a pervert, does she? The last time I said I would never desecrate her body, what exactly did she think of? Li Muyang was somewhat speechless, but fortunately, there were no wild beasts in the secret realm. After Yan Xiaoru fell into a coma in front of him, aside from him, there would be no other danger. And Li Muyang, about to leave the secret realm, naturally wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to seek his own death. He and Yan Xiaoru were at peace with each other. In fact, Yan Xiaoru was even busier than him, and the two hardly spoke anymore. All of her lucid time was spent writing. She took out paper and pen from her Qiankun Ring, sitting by the fire every day, spreading the paper on her knees, writing word by word. At first, Li Muyang thought she was writing a will, settling her final affairs, but he later realized that wasn¡¯t the case. What kind of will would take several days to write? ¡°...This is the general outline and the entire content of the ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯.¡± One evening after dinner, Yan Xiaoru noticed the curiosity in Li Muyang¡¯s eyes and explained indifferently. ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t memorize it and wouldn¡¯t be able to learn it in a short time, right? So, I¡¯m writing it down for you to read.¡± ¡°Twenty-seven days should be enough for me to write the whole ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯ for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re different from me. You¡¯re not poisoned and have an endless supply of food. As long as you¡¯re willing, you can survive in this secret realm for a long time.¡± ¡°After I die, with the ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯ I¡¯ve written by hand, you can slowly recite and memorize all of its contents.¡± ¡°If you get the chance to leave here in the future, you might be able to make a name for yourself in the cultivation world with this demon technique.¡± ¡°Or you could directly hand it over to the Demon Refining Sect and exchange it for wealth and status.¡± ¡°Anyway, how you use it is entirely up to you.¡± After explaining with a detached expression, Yan Xiaoru continued to write the content of the ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯ on paper. After leaving the bamboo forest, he headed straight for the two graves outside. In the midst of the wind and snow, the two graves stood silently in the secret realm. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword was inconspicuous in this secret realm. But Li Muyang went straight for this sword, stopping ten steps in front of the graves, then took a deep breath. ¡°Rise...¡± Li Muyang murmured softly, using his mind as a guide to activate the sword heart mantra. This was the technique Fairy Yu created to wield the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Even without the sword¡¯s recognition, using this heart mantra could barely control the immortal sword. However, its full power could not be unleashed. But Li Muyang didn¡¯t plan to use the immortal sword to kill enemies. He just needed the immortal sword to open the exit of the secret realm. In the wind and snow, Li Muyang stood in front of the graves, staring intently at the immortal sword before him. He continuously activated the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. Although he had no spiritual power and his cultivation was stripped away, he had his mind as a guide. Soon, the silent immortal sword in front of the graves began to tremble. Li Muyang¡¯s mental strength was extremely weak, but with his constant hard practice in the game, he had already mastered the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. The immortal sword in front of the graves trembled slightly, trying to break free from Li Muyang¡¯s control. However, every attempt at resistance by the Startling Swan Immortal Sword was easily dissolved by Li Muyang¡¯s sword heart mantra. His proficiency in the Sword Heart Technique from days of practice in the game was frighteningly high. Eventually, the ancient immortal sword, flew up reluctantly and with a faint chirp. It gently landed in Li Muyang¡¯s hand. ¡¾You have obtained an untamed ancient immortal sword¡¿ The moment he got the immortal sword, this message suddenly popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. He was slightly startled. Huh? The system actually reacted? Immediately after, another system prompt popped up. ¡¾The current immortal sword is untamed. Would you like to refine it?¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 119 Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate to choose to refine. Immediately, a progress bar popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾Refining untamed immortal sword...1.3%¡¿ The numbers on the progress bar kept increasing, and the immortal sword in Li Muyang¡¯s hands seemed to sense something, attempting to break free and escape. However, Li Muyang continuously urged the Sword Heart spell, firmly suppressing the immortal sword, preventing it from flying away. At last, the progress bar in his vision completed loading successfully. ¡¾Untamed immortal sword successfully refined¡¿ ¡¾Acquired¨CUntamed Startling Swan Immortal SwordX1¡¿ ¡¾Startling Swan Immortal Sword: An ancient immortal sword forged by Fairy Yu from the copper of Yang Mountain, the jade of Yin Sea, the essence of Beiming, and the moonlight of the waxing moon among seventy-two other heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Its power is astonishingly powerful, having slain a million demons and taken a million lives¡¿ The moment the system successfully refined the sword, the immortal sword in Li Muyang¡¯s hands suddenly calmed down, no longer struggling. The immortal sword lay quietly in Li Muyang¡¯s hand, seemingly unchanged. But on the system interface, the detailed information of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword was displayed. This kind of information interface made it seem as if the Startling Swan Immortal Sword had become a system item similar to the endless spiritual rice jar previously provided by the system. ¡°...Can you do something like this?¡± Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected the system to actually refine the immortal sword into a system item. When he held the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, a new BUFF appeared next to his character avatar. ¡¾Startling Swan Immortal Sword¡¿ ¡¾Spiritual Power +30%¡¿ ¡¾Speed +30%¡¿ ¡¾Physique +30%¡¿ ¡¾Illusion Resistance +30%¡¿ ¡¾Curse Resistance +30%¡¿ ¡¾Thought Speed +30%¡¿ A long string of enhancement numbers made Li Muyang¡¯s eyes nearly pop out. This BUFF is too strong! It provided a nearly all-around 30% enhancement. Is this the so-called legendary immortal weapon? Not only is it immensely powerful, but it also grants bonuses to the wielder. And beneath this BUFF, there was also a skill icon. ¡¾Untamed Startling Swan Immortal Sword: 00:00¡¿ ¡¾Insufficient spiritual power detected in the host, unable to activate the immortal sword¡¯s power. Feed the immortal sword with spiritual items to unleash its power¡¿ ¡¾Note: Every ten jin of high-grade spiritual rice, or spiritual items with an equivalent amount of spiritual energy, can unleash the immortal sword¡¯s power for 60 seconds¡¿ ¡°...the immortal sword has disappeared? A mysterious crack has appeared?¡± Her brain was still processing this abrupt news, but her body had already grabbed Li Muyang¡¯s shoulders, using his strength to stand up, and quickly walked out of the bamboo forest. ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out!¡± Yan Xiaoru said with a serious look. After the two ran out of the bamboo forest, they indeed saw that in front of the graves outside the bamboo forest, it was empty, and the mysterious ancient immortal sword was nowhere to be seen. Near the original location of the ancient immortal sword, a faint space crack was emerging. Seeing this space crack, a flicker of excitement passed through Yan Xiaoru¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s indeed the way out to the outside world. I can smell the scent of the human realm...¡± She grabbed Li Muyang and ran straight towards the spatial rift ahead. ¡°We must get out now,¡± Yan Xiaoru said urgently. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know the specifics, we can¡¯t miss this opportunity. This rift could close and disappear at any moment!¡± ¡°If we miss this chance, who knows if we¡¯ll ever get another!¡± Holding onto Li Muyang¡¯s hand, she dragged him as she ran across the grass, and finally, both of them jumped into the rift. The sensation of their bodies spinning rapidly overwhelmed them. Soon, their feet touched solid ground again. Looking around, they realized their surroundings had changed dramatically. Gone was the mystical realm filled with immortal energy, replaced by the snowy, desolate Demon Sword City. The cold moonlight shone down on them, reflecting off the surrounding snow and casting a chilling atmosphere. The moment Yan Xiaoru returned to reality, a powerful and majestic aura immediately rose around her. Her Divine Travel cultivation, suppressed for four months, was now fully restored! Li Muyang, sensing the woman¡¯s restored cultivation, wisely stepped back to maintain a distance. He had to return to the status of an outer disciple and couldn¡¯t afford to be too close to this elder of the Demonic Sect. However, as he stepped back, Yan Xiaoru grabbed his arm with a serious look in her eyes. ¡°Later, if anyone asks, you must not reveal anything about the immortal sword and the secret realm!¡± ¡°All questions should be left to me to answer. You must keep silent!¡± Yan Xiaoru whispered sternly, instructing Li Muyang. As her words fell, the night sky above Demon Sword City suddenly lit up with numerous dazzling streak of lights. Seventeen majestic and vast presences swiftly cut through the night sky, descending before Li Muyang and her. The sect master of the Demon Refining Sect looked gravely at Yan Xiaoru in the snow. Under the moonlight, the deep voice of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s master echoed. ¡°...Elder Yan, where have you been these past four months?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 120 The demonic sect¡¯s master spoke in a deep voice, without a tone of accusation or interrogation. However, as soon as he spoke, everyone present felt a sudden tightness in their chests, sensing immense pressure. Li Muyang, with the lowest cultivation level, was most affected, sweating profusely and tensing up almost instantly. Even though the terrifying aura of this high-ranking powerhouse wasn¡¯t directed at him, it still left him in shock. Noticing Li Muyang¡¯s discomfort, Yan Xiaoru frowned slightly. She subtly shifted her position to shield Li Muyang from the overwhelming aura of the strong. This allowed Li Muyang to relax a bit. Facing the Demonic Sect master¡¯s presence alone, Yan Xiaoru, despite looking haggard and the toxins surging in her body, maintained her usual cold and indifferent demeanor. ¡°...In the battle four months ago, I was gravely injured. The poison from the female centipede at Centipede Ridge nearly took my life.¡± ¡°Before dying, she detonated the Sun and Moon Pot, which severely damaged my soul.¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been lucky enough to fall into an ancient secret realm that day, my soul would have been crushed by the explosion of the Sun and Moon Pot.¡± ¡°Even though I escaped death, I was still not out of danger.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been struggling on the brink of death for these four months.¡± ¡°Only today did I finally catch a break and manage to escape from the secret realm...¡± Yan Xiaoru looked coldly at the people around her, finally turning her cold gaze to the sect master of the Demon Refining Sect, and said, ¡°In these four months, you¡¯ve searched the entire city. Have you not discovered that there is an ancient secret realm hidden within Demon Sword City? Why didn¡¯t you open the secret realm to save me?¡± ¡°Also, Centipede Ridge was summoned to Demon Sword City to assist us on someone¡¯s orders. Why did these centipedes suddenly betray us?¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t persisted and fought for a way out, I would have died a thousand times over!¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s eyes were cold, and her tone was unfriendly. The seventeen elders present were all taken aback, then exchanged glances, looking at each other in bewilderment. Finally, all eyes fell on Gong Yanghong, the sect master of the Demonic Sect. The person who had ordered the centipede demons from Centipede Ridge to assist was none other than this Demonic Sect master. Although no one expected the centipede demons to suddenly turn traitor at the time, now under the scrutiny of everyone, especially the cold questioning gaze of the young Elder Yan, Gong Yanghong¡¯s eyebrows involuntarily twitched. He had initially questioned his subordinate out of reflex, as the ancient immortal sword was of great importance. After her mysterious disappearance for four months and sudden reappearance, it was necessary to inquire carefully. However, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s righteous and cold questioning had suppressed his momentum. Gong Yanghong was silent for a few seconds before slowly saying, ¡°So there is an ancient secret realm within this city...¡± Yan Xiaoru spoke indifferently, briefly explaining the situation. After all, she hadn¡¯t seen the immortal sword, nor did she know its whereabouts. Hearing her response, the elders were somewhat disappointed. But they weren¡¯t surprised. With Yan Xiaoru¡¯s strength at the Divine Travel realm, she might have been able to trap an unclaimed immortal sword when undisturbed. But under the self-destructive attack of the Centipede Ridge demon king, no one could neutralize the demon king¡¯s assault and still stop the departing immortal sword. Even Gong Yanghong, the leader of the Demonic Sect, could only ensure that his injuries were lighter than Yan Xiaoru¡¯s. Yan Xiaoru¡¯s account of witnessing the disappearance of the immortal sword without knowing its whereabouts was consistent with everyone¡¯s speculation. Because if the immortal sword had remained, it would not have allowed the severely injured and dying Yan Xiaoru to survive until now. Although the loss of the ancient times immortal sword was a great pity, what Yan Xiaoru said was all logical and matched what the others had anticipated. The Demonic Sect leader sighed and said, ¡°First, help Elder Yan to go back and recover... Elder Yan, you should quickly return to heal, and leave the rest to us.¡± ¡°From this moment on, expand the search area to beyond Demon Sword City.¡± ¡°Order all disciples to go out, scour the mountain ranges outside the city, and leave no stone unturned.¡± ¡°Perhaps the ancient times immortal sword has fled into the mountains outside Demon Sword City.¡± Gong Yanghong instructed as such. And the seriously injured Yan Xiaoru was helped away by Li Muyang. After receiving the news from Yan Xiaoru, the elders lost interest and turned to leave. They had been searching for four months and had already given up. The news brought by Yan Xiaoru¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t offer any progress. As for the outer disciple accompanying Yan Xiaoru... the Demonic Sect elders present didn¡¯t care much for an outer disciple. As Li Muyang assisted Yan Xiaoru in leaving, almost no one paid him any attention. An outer disciple in such a setting was as insignificant as an ant. Li Muyang¡¯s presence was practically nonexistent. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 121 Li Muyang, supporting Yan Xiaoru as they left, didn¡¯t relax his tense body until they were far away. He let out a long sigh of relief. The feeling of being surrounded and scrutinized 360 degrees by all the elders of the Demon Refining Sect was immensely pressuring for him. Even without being directly targeted by those experts, their presence alone was enough to shake him to his core. At the same time, he marveled at Yan Xiaoru¡¯s wisdom. Although she was cold and emotionless, her mind was sharp. The first thing she did upon returning to reality was to instruct Li Muyang not to mention the immortal sword, which was undoubtedly the smartest choice. Li Muyang hadn¡¯t even thought of that initially. If they mentioned the Startling Swan Immortal Sword being in the secret realm, no matter how they explained its mysterious disappearance, it would lead to unnecessary speculation by others. Therefore, Yan Xiaoru directly concealed the fact that the immortal sword was in the secret realm, claiming it had been lost from the start, avoiding the possibility of suspicion and completely extricating herself. To become an elder of the Demonic Sect at such a young age, Elder Yan was not only skilled in cultivation but also had a delicate mind. Indeed, those who could become elders of the Demonic Sect were all cunning. Li Muyang, supporting Yan Xiaoru, walked under the moonlight in Demon Sword City. Silhouettes of Inner Sect disciples in white robes wandered through the city. But soon, they received orders from the sect leader of the Demonic Sect, and the group of inner disciples left Demon Sword City to search for the whereabouts of the ancient immortal sword in the mountains outside the city. The Demonic Sect elders began to search for the entrance to the secret realm within Demon Sword City. However, Li Muyang was skeptical about their chances of finding the entrance. Yan Xiaoru¡¯s entry into the secret realm was most likely due to the Startling Swan Immortal Sword actively opening the realm for its return, and she just happened to follow it in. Now, without the Startling Swan Immortal Sword opening the realm and no one to guide them, these people had no way of entering the secret realm. As he walked down the street supporting Yan Xiaoru, Li Muyang¡¯s tense body gradually relaxed. Yan Xiaoru didn¡¯t talk much, weakly allowing Li Muyang to support her. She almost put her entire weight on Li Muyang, and his right arm, which was supporting her, could clearly feel the weight pressing firmly against his arm. ? Elder Yan indeed had substantial strength... Li Muyang¡¯s breathing became slightly rapid, but he dared not show any wavering in his expression. He vaguely felt the woman beside him looking at his face and if he showed any inappropriate lecherous expression or thoughts... Yan Xiaoru, in her current state, could kill him as easily as crushing an ant. Li Muyang tried hard to calm his emotions, trying to ignore the numbing sensation pressing against his arm. Soon, they arrived at the courtyard where Yan Xiaoru had been staying. The courtyard was brightly lit, with several Inner Sect disciples in white robes delivering medicinal herbs for healing injuries and extracting demonic poison. She instinctively wanted to speak well of Li Muyang, her fellow townsman. For someone of her Master¡¯s stature, a single word of dislike could determine Li Muyang¡¯s future. But before Ning Wan¡¯er could finish her sentence, Yan Xiaoru coldly interrupted her. ¡°He¡¯s not lacking in cleverness...¡± Pushing open the door and entering the house with an expressionless face, Yan Xiaoru said coldly. ¡°That kid is too cunning.¡± Such cunning at such a young age. Really... Yan Xiaoru exhaled softly, pushed away Ning Wan¡¯er who was supporting her, and walked into the house. ¡°I will be in seclusion to heal my injuries. I¡¯ll refuse all visitors during this time.¡± ¡°Also, keep an eye on Li Muyang. Monitor all his movements, and if anyone goes to trouble him, you must come back and inform me immediately.¡± Yan Xiaoru, stepping into the house, had a stable aura and walked as usual, showing no signs of the weakness that required support just moments ago. She closed the door and began her seclusion to heal her injuries. Ning Wan¡¯er, who was left outside the door, was somewhat shocked. Master¡¯s injuries... weren¡¯t as serious as they seemed? Then why did Master insist on having Li Muyang support her all the way here? When she saw Master at that time, she was completely slumped over Li Muyang, as if she had lost the ability to move. But it turned out Master could actually walk on her own? Uhh... could it be that Master was feigning weakness to deceive other elders? Ning Wan¡¯er slightly furrowed her brow, not quite understanding the situation, but she still took her Master¡¯s instructions to heart. For her, her Master was her entire support within the Demon Refining Sect. Now that her Master had safely returned, it was the best possible outcome. Not only had she regained her status and position as a direct disciple, but because the other three Senior Sisters had left to follow another Master, she was now the only disciple under her Master, which meant she would receive even more resources! In any case, now that Master had returned, everything was starting to look up. A long absent smile appeared on Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s face. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 122 Li Muyang walked alone on the road back to his house, the cold moonlight casting a long shadow behind him. His left hand gently caressed the spot on his right arm. It was somewhat unforgettable... Li Muyang smacked his lips. Bigger really is better! Bigger means stronger! Not to mention that in this world, there are no thick padded bras, no underwires, and no padding maniacs. He had almost unimpededly felt that wonderful sensation, and looking back on it now, Li Muyang was amazed at his own self-control. Facing such a great temptation, he was still able to maintain a calm demeanor. The potential of humans is indeed boundless. He had never realized before how good he was at pretending. And now, his secret journey with Elder Yan Xiaoru had finally come to a safe conclusion. Seeing how sensible and obedient he was, it was unlikely that Elder Yan would silence him. ¨CIf she wanted to silence him, she could have done it earlier. There was no need to let Li Muyang leave. As for whether Yan Xiaoru would change her mind in the future, it was completely irrelevant. By the time Yan Xiaoru finished her seclusion and healed her injuries, Li Muyang would have long returned to his home at the Demon Refining Sect, having fed the Startling Swan Immortal Sword plenty of high-grade spiritual rice. The fully unleashed power of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword would make even a Divine Travel Realm cultivator like Yan Xiaoru have to keep a respectful distance. Now, Li Muyang had the ability to protect himself and no longer needed to be as skittish as a startled bird. Returning in a good mood, Li Muyang saw the white-robed youth Cheng Feiyang at the entrance of the alley. This haughty little Senior Brother Cheng still had a cold and arrogant expression, standing in the cold wind like a statue. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. ¡°Senior Brother Cheng?¡± Aren¡¯t all the inner disciples searching for the whereabouts of the immortal sword? Why didn¡¯t Cheng Feiyang go? Cheng Feiyang sized up Li Muyang and said, ¡°Good to see you¡¯re still alive, go on in. Your sister and Guan Xiaoshun are waiting for you inside.¡± He obviously had received the news and was not surprised to see Li Muyang alive and well. After speaking, the haughty white-robed youth no longer looked at Li Muyang and closed his eyes, sitting cross-legged in the snow. He entered into meditation just like that. ¡°Brother Li, you¡¯ve finally come back.¡± The ghost-fearing boy from the border town grabbed Li Muyang¡¯s hand, his face full of bitter memories. ¡°During the days you were gone, I didn¡¯t dare to go out to pee at night, holding it in until dawn every day.¡± ¡°The wind outside howls like the wailing of ghosts...¡± In these past four months, Guan Xiaoshun clearly hasn¡¯t been at ease. After all, Demon Sword City was already haunted, and a bunch of outer disciples from the Demonic Sect had died in the mines. Sleeping alone in the empty courtyard, he had countless nightmares while huddling every night under the cold blankets because he was too scared to poke his head out. Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s tearful complaints made Li Muyang both want to laugh and cry. After sending away the irrelevant people, the three close friends could finally talk about their experiences. Li Muyang briefly mentioned what happened in the secret realm, of course, the story he told wasn¡¯t entirely consistent with his real experiences, to say they were unrelated wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. Following Yan Xiaoru¡¯s narrative, Li Muyang added a bit of embellishment and considered it explained. Some things, even to his own sister, he couldn¡¯t reveal. Then Li Muyang inquired about the recent situation inside Demon Sword City, trying to understand the current predicament. Having been away for four months, he was completely clueless about the movements and dynamics within Demon Sword City. Li Yuechan and Guan Xiaoshun were the best sources of information. ¡°Elder Yan¡¯s three direct disciples have all switched to other elders, taking other elders as their masters...¡± ¡°Only Senior Sister Ning hasn¡¯t switched to another.¡± ¡°We, a group of outer disciples, have been confined to this place, forbidden to go out...¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that the sect has mobilized ninety percent of its manpower, sending Inner Sect Senior Brothers and Sisters to scour Demon Sword City, but from the looks of their search, it doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re trying to rescue Elder Yan...¡± ¡°Starting this month, a ¡®mysterious demonic cultivator¡¯ appeared in Demon Sword City, specifically targeting and killing inner disciples of the Demonic Sect, with seventeen inner disciples already fallen victim...¡± ¡°It¡¯s rumored that the Sect Leader is furious, vowing to dig three feet into the ground of Demon Sword City to find the murderer who¡¯s killing our disciples...¡± The information provided by Guan Xiaoshun and Li Yuechan wasn¡¯t very accurate, making it hard to discern the truth. After all, both were just outer disciples without access to the core secrets of the Demon Refining Sect. Although Ning Wan¡¯er was a direct disciple, with Yan Xiaoru¡¯s fate unknown, she had been marginalized over these four months and naturally couldn¡¯t provide Li Yuechan with any useful information. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 123 Having roughly understood the situation from his little sister and Guan Xiaoshun, Li Muyang slowly nodded. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll continue to stay here. If we¡¯re not allowed out, then we won¡¯t go out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so dangerous outside, it¡¯s quite nice for us to stay here.¡± A mysterious and unpredictable demonic cultivator in Demon Sword City? Only killing inner disciples above the Foundation Establishment stage? The scope of this murderer¡¯s killings felt somewhat familiar. It couldn¡¯t be the same mysterious demonic cultivator who had been killing people in Yunxiao City, now following them to Demon Sword City... Although the personnel movements of the Demon Refining Sect were very secretive, the sight of mobilizing ninety percent of inner disciples at once was hard to keep completely silent, even for the Demonic Sect. That mysterious murderer had gone on a killing spree in Yunxiao City and then disappeared without a trace, thought to have left. Now, following the Demonic Sect¡¯s main force to Demon Sword City and killing seventeen inner disciples... could this person have been lurking near the Demonic Sect all along? Although unfamiliar, Li Muyang had to give this mysterious demonic cultivator a thumbs up. What audacity! On the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory, with all the elders and even the Sect Leader out in full force, this mysterious cultivator dared to kill within the city... He had seen people courting death, but never to this extent. Indeed, the demonic path is full of ruthless individuals. Li Muyang marveled at the audacity of the mysterious demonic cultivator and inquired about the details of the killings. Indeed, it was similar to the one in Yunxiao City, only targeting cultivators of the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Golden Core stage. The group of outer disciples in the city speculated that the sect wasn¡¯t searching for the missing Yan Xiaoru but something more important. After all, for just one Yan Xiaoru, it was impossible to mobilize such a large force and stay in Demon Sword City for four long months. This was obvious to any discerning person. Ninety percent of the Demonic Sect¡¯s inner disciples, all elders out in full force... Even if the Sect Leader of the Demon Refining Sect died, there wouldn¡¯t be such a grand mobilization. R? As for what they were searching for, these outer disciples weren¡¯t high-ranking enough to know. As for the mysterious demonic cultivator coming to Demon Sword City and killing seventeen people, it was probably to interrogate and find out what the Demonic Sect was really looking for. Whether they found out or not... Guan Xiaoshun sighed softly about this matter, curious. Li Muyang clicked his tongue, smiled, and said nothing. He knew that the Demonic Sect elders were looking for the immortal sword, but regardless of whether the mysterious demonic cultivator had interrogated anyone about the immortal sword, the others in the city were doomed not to find the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Even if someone was incredibly lucky and stumbled upon the entrance to the secret realm and successfully entered Fairy Yu¡¯s resting place, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find the Startling Swan Immortal Sword buried beneath the secret realm. It wasn¡¯t an act. It was simply the natural behavior of those important figures. This world was different from his previous life. In his past life, even the most illustrious figures were mere flesh and blood, and even kings and generals, when faced with the fury of a common man, could be slain where they stood. But here in the world of cultivation, the difference between top demon cultivators and ordinary people was greater than that between humans and ants. Those high and mighty demon cultivators, who could burn mountains and boil seas with a flick of their wrist, naturally ignored a Qi Refining Realm nobody like Li Muyang. Those elders wouldn¡¯t even remember Li Muyang¡¯s name. Understanding this, Li Muyang let out a sigh of relief. ¡°This is probably just scaring myself, a battle of wits with the air...¡± He had thought that upon his return, he would be bombarded with various inquiries, probing questions, and troubles, so he had waited nervously for several days. But in the end, he realized that no one cared about a small fry like Li Muyang. Fully grasping this, Li Muyang felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He stood in the courtyard, laughing heartily three times, then carefreely opened the door to his house and went back to sleep. Game With the Fairies, start! The long-stalled game progress was resumed. System, start! Li Muyang opened his eyes and stepped into the murderous Nanjiang City. The mountainous demon-transformed half-demon general Luo Feng was on a killing spree within the city walls. Fierce demons and half-demons, as well as the human cultivators in the city, were embroiled in chaos. Powerless commoners scurried for cover, wailing in terror. Amidst the chaos, Li Muyang¡¯s figure dashed through, heading straight for the Soul Drowning Lake in the city. Ten minutes later, the waters of Soul Drowning Lake rose, and the Ink Fairy broke free from its seal. The underwater BOSS Green-Haired Behemoth, which had killed Li Muyang countless times before, was easily slain by him. He aimed for a speedrun. Cultivation secrets, here I come!!! Li Muyang¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. After so much back and forth, it was time he got his own cultivation manual! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 124 ¡°...You¡¯re saying this was given to me by Senior Sister Ning?¡± Li Muyang, who had been called out of his house, looked at his little sister in front of him with some surprise. His little sister Li Yuechan was holding a box in her hands, a sealed and enchanted box that Li Muyang opened to find a Qiankun Ring lying quietly inside. As a rare spatial storage treasure in the world of cultivation, Qiankun Rings were extremely valuable. Even direct disciples of the Demonic Sect might not all have access to a Qiankun Ring. Most people would be considered impressive if they had a storage bag. Li Yuechan was also shocked to see the Qiankun Ring, but she explained, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Senior Sister Ning. It was Elder Yan.¡± Li Yuechan corrected her brother, saying, ¡°Senior Sister Ning said that Elder Yan gave her this Qiankun Ring to deliver to you as a reward for you.¡± With a smile on her face, she looked at the Qiankun Ring in the box, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re rich now!¡± A Qiankun Ring, if sold, could fetch a value sufficient to boost Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation to the Golden Core Realm. Elder Yan was actually willing to bestow such a precious treasure on her brother... It seemed that the four months her brother served Elder Yan had left the elder quite satisfied. Li Yuechan was happy for her brother. Li Muyang, surprised, took the Qiankun Ring and suddenly realized that it looked familiar. This Qiankun Ring... wasn¡¯t it the same one Yan Xiaoru used before? Uh... Li Muyang couldn¡¯t quite grasp Yan Xiaoru¡¯s intentions. The reward was too generous, making him somewhat uncomfortable. ¡°Did Elder Yan say why she was giving me such a valuable treasure?¡± Li Muyang asked. Li Yuechan shrugged and shook her head, ¡°No... maybe it¡¯s because Elder Yan was in a good mood?¡± ¡°According to Senior Sister Ning, the sect leader has recently sent many treasures and spiritual medicines to Elder Yan to commend her contributions to the sect.¡± ¡°Elder Yan must be in a good mood, which is why she was so generous with her rewards.¡± ¡°Not only did you get a Qiankun Ring, but Senior Sister Ning also received one!¡± Li Yuechan cheerfully explained the situation. Hearing this, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. From what his little sister said, it seemed like Yan Xiaoru, in a good mood, had casually rewarded Li Muyang. After all, Yan Xiaoru received even more rewards from the sect. This was reassuring. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll accept this ring,¡± Li Muyang scratched his head. ¡°Later, ask Senior Sister Ning if I should go thank Elder Yan for her reward.¡± According to the rules, when a person of high status gives a reward, the recipient should go and express their gratitude. Li Muyang was somewhat stunned. Looking at the pile of ¡°bonus items¡± in front of him, their value seemed to be no less than that of the Qiankun Ring itself! Not to mention that among these bonus items, there was also a thick ancient book. On the title page of this ancient tome were four powerful chinese characters¡ª¡ªNetherworld Demon Manual. F*ck! Could it be that Yan Xiaoru really sent over her cultivation manual, the Netherworld Demon Technique? Li Muyang looked at the demon manual in front of him with a mix of shock and hesitation, and it took him a while before he dared to open it. Upon opening the first page of the manual, he saw a piece of white paper tucked inside. On the paper was written a sentence in delicate handwriting, a cold message. ¨CI promised you this. ¡°...¡± Sister, you¡¯re really giving it to me? Although in the secret realm, Yan Xiaoru, with the mindset of ¡®a dying person¡¯s words are kind,¡¯ had said she would pass on the Netherworld Demon Technique to Li Muyang, Li Muyang didn¡¯t take it seriously at all. Such an important top-tier demonic technique, once Yan Xiaoru returned to reality, she would surely regret it and wouldn¡¯t possibly pass it on to Li Muyang. But unexpectedly, five days later, the first time Yan Xiaoru emerged from her seclusion, she sent her disciple to deliver the Qiankun Ring, which included this demonic technique! Yan Xiaoru¡¯s generosity stunned Li Muyang. With Yan Xiaoru¡¯s status, she could have easily killed Li Muyang to silence him with almost no consequences. But instead, she chose to reward him with so many things to seal his lips... Something¡¯s not right! A thousand things are not right! What on earth is this woman thinking!? When things are out of the ordinary, there must be schemes at play. Why is Yan Xiaoru being so generous? What¡¯s her angle? Does she think Li Muyang is a small fry? Does she think Li Muyang didn¡¯t bathe in the secret realm? It couldn¡¯t possibly be that she¡¯s developed feelings for Li Muyang, an Outer Sect small fry, due to the suspension bridge effect, and wants Li Muyang to become a key player, right? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 125 ¡°Jiang Xiaoyu! How dare you obstruct me!¡± Within Nanjiang City, where the aura of bloodshed reached the sky, rivers of blood had already formed. The tragic deaths of hundreds of thousands of living beings filled the city with an almost tangible aura of blood and evil. The demonically transformed half-demon general Luo Feng, with his ferocious appearance, was now driven into a corner by Li Muyang and Ink Fairy. His half-demon subordinates had been almost entirely slain by Li Muyang, leaving him without any minions. Together with Ink Fairy¡¯s suppression, Luo Feng¡¯s demonic sword was greatly weakened. Now, as Li Muyang had cut down all his minions, the transformed half-demon general Luo Feng roared in anger. But Li Muyang remained calm, completely ignoring the roars of this massive BOSS. His attention was entirely focused on the boss¡¯s health bar. The half-demon general Luo Feng¡¯s health bar was down to ten percent. Driven into a corner, the transformed half-demon general Luo Feng entered a berserk mode. His body underwent continuous mutations, becoming more and more demonically transformed. Finally, he turned into a gigantic demonic hound with fangs several zhang long. It howled to the sky, holding a massive demonic sword in its mouth, and with a shake of its canine head, a swath of pitch-black sword qi came crashing down, instantly flooding the street where Li Muyang was. But Li Muyang was well-prepared. The moment the sword qi surged, he had already dodged in time. Then he activated the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, unleashing a killing move on the giant monster ahead. The Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, powered by the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, was even more potent. A brilliant azure light flashed in the air, and a critical hit number appeared above the boss¡¯s head. ¡¾-3321¡¿ The berserk giant demonic hound, although with increased skill range, had its defenses lowered. Ink Fairy laughed happily, flying around the giant demonic hound, continuously drawing its attention. Li Muyang took advantage of the boss¡¯s distraction with Ink Fairy to keep dealing damage. Finally, with a painful whimper, the mountainous giant demonic hound burst apart, turning into a cloud of black mist that dissipated. The half-demon general Luo Feng, reverted to human form, lay broken on the ground. ¡¾You have defeated the transformed half-demon general Luo Feng¡¿ This notification popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s view, and then he was engulfed by darkness, returning to a third-person perspective. In the game screen, Jiang Xiaoyu approached the transformed half-demon general Luo Feng. ¡¾Ink Fairy: It¡¯s just that I have a worse temper than Fairy Yu and am not as easy to talk to. Whether it¡¯s the demons and ghosts in this city or the human cultivators, if anyone dares to cross me... hehe... I¡¯ll slaughter them to vent my anger!¡¿ Dressed in red, Ink Fairy chuckled and raised an eyebrow at Granny Gu. Her words were less a discussion and more a declaration, leaving no room for refusal. Granny Gu was silent for a moment before nodding reluctantly. ¡¾Granny Gu: ...Do I really have a choice in the matter?¡¿ Ink Fairy laughed heartily, her hands crossed over her chest in delight. ¡¾Ink Fairy: Great! From now on, Nanjiang City is my domain!¡¿ ¡¾Ink Fairy: Jiang Xiaoyu, you¡¯ve made a great contribution this time. I could give you Luo Feng¡¯s position... What do you think? Interested?¡¿ ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: No, thank you. I¡¯m just a passerby in the rivers and lakes. Now that the matter here is settled, I should leave Nanjiang City. I¡¯ll visit you again if I happen to pass by in the future¡¿ Jiang Xiaoyu spoke and left with an air of nonchalance. Even though the battle had just ended, he had already turned to leave. Ink Fairy didn¡¯t try to keep him. ¡¾Ink Fairy: It¡¯s better for you to leave. In today¡¯s world, Nanjiang City is no safe haven and staying might not lead to a good outcome¡¿ ¡¾Ink Fairy: But kid, if you pass by Nanjiang City again and I¡¯m not dead yet, remember to come find me. I still owe you a favor!¡¿ Ink Fairy¡¯s laughter was hearty, and she made no attempt to retain Jiang Xiaoyu. Without looking back, Jiang Xiaoyu waved his hand and disappeared into the blood-red sunset. The game screen froze at this scene. ¡¾Game¨CLegend of Sword and Fairy completed¡¿ As Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s figure vanished into the blood-red sunset, a completion prompt popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. Seeing the completion summary, Li Muyang sat up straight, invigorated. After all this effort, he had finally completed the game. ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· was definitely the game he had spent the most time on so far. And it was much more difficult than other games. Now that he had successfully completed it, what reward would he receive? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 126 ¡¾Game¨CLegend of Sword and Fairy completed¡¿ ¡¾Ink Fairy: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Demonic half-demon general Luo Feng: Defeated¡¿ ¡¾Startling Swan Sword Mantra: Comprehended¡¿ ¡¾With your tenacious willpower, keen sense of danger, and courage that fears not death, you have successfully rescued Ink Fairy from Soul Drowning Lake and quelled the turmoil in the city. Although hundreds of thousands have perished, those fortunate enough to survive should now realize the importance of peace and safety, as well as Fairy Yu¡¯s protection... Your deeds are immeasurable in virtue¡¿ ¡¾Completion Rating: Red-Clad Beauty (you have earned Ink Fairy¡¯s friendship)¡¿ ¡¾Unlocked Achievement Badge: Startling Swan Sword Intent (you have gained the favor of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, with a +30% increase in friendliness towards you)¡¿ Li Muyang blinked as he read the completion summary that popped up. ¡°This summary... is different from the previous ones?¡± Previously, the completion summary would give a score, and the higher the score, the better the reward. But this time, there was no score for his completion, just the friendship of Ink Fairy. ¡ªWhat use is that? Ink Fairy was a figure from thousands of years ago, probably long dead in the dark turmoil of those times. Ink Fairy¡¯s friendship was of no use to him. Li Muyang continued to read, and the system¡¯s summary interface scrolled down. Finally, it came to the completion reward that Li Muyang was looking forward to. ¡¾Completion rewards available for collection, would you like to claim your completion reward?¡¿ ¡¾Current selectable rewards (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾¡¶Celestial Wind Cloud Body Technique¡· (Incomplete)¡¿ ¡¾Taiyi Dividing Light TalismanX10¡¿ ¡¾Item Advancement TalismanX1¡¿ ¡¾Host, please note that after claiming the reward, the game entry will close, and you will not be able to enter again¡¿ The game rewards that popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision made him breathe a sigh of relief. Good, there was finally a secret manual. But it¡¯s incomplete? Li Muyang hesitated for a moment, then entered the details interface to carefully examine the three rewards. ¡¾¡¶Celestial Wind Cloud Body Technique¡· (Incomplete): A cultivation technique created by Fairy Yu and Ink Fairy, ethereal and otherworldly, with extremely high requirements for comprehension. The complete scripture contains thirty-six chapters, with approximately twenty-one chapters in the fragment. Despite significant content loss, it remains an excellent cultivation method.¡¿ ? ¡¾Taiyi Dividing Light Talisman (low-grade spiritual talisman): Instantly conjures 68,000 illusory Sword Qi shadows, among which 6,800 are real sword qi, capable of killing those at the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡¿ ¡¾Item Advancement Talisman: Can increase the grade of a system item by +1¡¿ (Current items that can be upgraded: Flesh and Bone Green Garment, Dharma-Annihilation Wheel) Warm spring was just around the corner. Li Muyang stood at the entrance of the courtyard, stretching lazily in the refreshing breeze. As low-ranking outer disciples, they were naturally the last to be evacuated and return to the sect. It was said that Elder Yan had finished her closed-door cultivation yesterday, and in a couple of days, everyone would follow Elder Yan back to the sect. When they arrived, the lively group of over a hundred people had almost filled the entire place. Now, it was empty and had lost more than half of its people. To be honest, it felt a bit lonely. But that¡¯s how the Demonic Sect is, and Li Muyang had long understood the dangers of the demonic path, which is why he thought of leaving the sect to become a free and unbound person. However, after being trapped in the secret realm for four months, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t leave just yet. Because on the third day after Yan Xiaoru finished her closed-door cultivation, everyone in this place received news. The siblings from the Li Family of Jiuyuan City, as well as the young man Guan Xiaoshun from a remote town, had all been specially chosen by Elder Yan and were exceptionally promoted to inner disciples. ¡°Congratulations, congratulations!¡± People coming to offer their congratulations nearly wore out the threshold of the courtyard where Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun stayed. The arrival of this news made Li Muyang sigh softly. He had to admit that although Yan Xiaoru was an elder of the demonic path, she still had a sense of humanity. He had saved Yan Xiaoru¡¯s life in the secret realm, and after returning to reality, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s actions were sending a signal to Li Muyang. ¨CYour life-saving grace will be repaid by this elder. Dealing with an outer disciple, Yan Xiaoru didn¡¯t need to be so attentive, but she still gave Li Muyang many exceptional favors. This reticent and aloof elder of the Demonic Sect wasn¡¯t as fierce as she appeared on the surface. Having been exceptionally promoted, Li Muyang finally confirmed Elder Yan¡¯s goodwill. He confidently took out the¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡· from his Qiankun Ring and began to cultivate it. At the same time, he claimed the game reward from¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· and upgraded the grade of his Dharma-Annihilation Wheel to that of a medium-grade spiritual weapon. At this moment, Li Muyang, with his cultivation technique and the magical treasure in hand, was nearly ahead of all the direct disciples of the Demonic Sect. The only thing he lacked was cultivation level. Having been in this world for nearly a year, the always cautious and low-profile Li Muyang was finally able to hold his head high, no longer an ignored rat in the gutter. He stood at the entrance of the courtyard, taking a deep breath. The spring breeze has arrived. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 127 ¡°Finally, we can return to the sect.¡± ¡°I wonder how the two spiritual fields I planted are doing.¡± ¡°Hey... the steward will arrange for someone to take care of it for you, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Having been away for five months, Sister must be missing me to death...¡± ¡°Get lost with your lovesick brain! We don¡¯t welcome that here.¡± In the queue of outer disciples, the whispers of the crowd kept spreading. Although being sent out on a mission was a good thing, as it allowed them to leave the prison-like closed sect and relax outside, after arriving in Demon Sword City, aside from the initial period, they had been confined to the same place for over four months without permission to leave. This long-term imprisonment had made these outer disciples complain endlessly, and now that they could return to the sect, everyone was quite happy. Although many of their companions had died, everyone was just an acquaintance, and no one really cared about those who had died. The atmosphere in the group was cheerful, and everyone was happy. Li Muyang and Guan Xiaoshun walked at the very end of the group. Although they had not yet officially donned the white robes, they were already enjoying the treatment of inner disciples and did not have to queue up with the others. Senior Brother Cheng instructed the two to bring up the rear, and Li Muyang was more than happy to enjoy the leisure, chatting quietly with Guan Xiaoshun to pass the dull time. The residents of Demon Sword City looked at the departing disciples of the Demonic Sect with eyes full of reverence and fear, not daring to offend them. Li Muyang was conversing intermittently with Guan Xiaoshun, but his brain was racing, continuously recalling the contents of the ¡®Netherworld Demon Manual¡¯ Although the ¡®Netherworld Demon Technique¡¯ was a top-level demonic skill, it was somewhat difficult for Li Muyang to learn it without any guidance. He knew he had to spend more time practicing this demonic skill. At that moment, a surprised voice came from the front of the group. ¡°Hey? Look, there are words on the ground!¡± ¡°Indeed, these words weren¡¯t here before...¡± ¡°I remember, there definitely weren¡¯t any words here before... Such a sentence with a heavy killing intent, which demonic hero carved it here?¡± Whispers suddenly arose from the front of the group, drawing Li Muyang¡¯s attention. He looked up in surprise, following the direction pointed out by the crowd, and saw a row of fierce and powerful characters carved on a bluestone slab by the roadside. ¨CHeaven nurtures all creatures for the benefit of man, yet man still blames Heaven for its cruelty (Chapter 92) ¡°...¡± The moment Li Muyang saw this inscription, he was stunned. Demon Sword City was cursed, and everything within it had remained as it was thousands of years ago when it was destroyed. Even the most powerful beings would find it difficult to destroy a single plant or tree within the city. But Granny Gu said that the real Xiao Yecao died shortly after entering the village. And the game character Jiang Xiaoyu even died earlier than Xiao Yecao. In ¡®history¡¯, the two never met. So, the game ¡°Deadly Weed¡±... ¡°If I successfully raise Xiao Yecao and let her grow up safely and healthily, does it mean I will rewrite history?¡± Li Muyang swallowed hard, realizing the true nature of this nurturing game. Xiao Yecao, looking puzzled, said to him, ¡°Elder Brother, what are you talking about? What do you mean by rewriting history?¡± Li Muyang came back to his senses and looked at the little girl in front of him. An orphan who should have died was saved by him in the game and raised healthily to the age of fourteen. If the game concludes successfully, this little girl, who should have died thousands of years ago, might even become an immortal... ¡°Little girl, do you want to become an immortal?¡± After understanding the essence of the game, Li Muyang suddenly felt relieved. He laughed heartily, looking at the girl who should have died tragically but was raised by him in the game. He wasn¡¯t experiencing history through the identity of Jiang Xiaoyu. Instead, the system allowed him to go back thousands of years to rewrite history. The real Jiang Xiaoyu had long died, and the current Jiang Xiaoyu was merely a projection of Li Muyang in Black Cloud Village. It was an extension of his true will. Even if Xiao Yecao were raised to become an immortal, she might not survive the subsequent dark turmoil when immortals disappeared. Still, at least she could grow up happily and live the life she wished for. There were still several hundred years before the downfall of Black Cloud Village and the turmoil in Nanjiang City. This little girl had at least a few hundred years of good days ahead, rather than dying miserably shortly after being sold into Black Cloud Village. Playing the game not only allowed him to receive rewards but also to save a lively and adorable life... ¡°I¡¯ve decided, I will raise you well and let you become an immortal revered by everyone!¡± Li Muyang smiled happily, gently patting the girl¡¯s head, his smile relaxed. Even if this act of kind salvation would ultimately end in death, if she could live a happy life, then this act of kindness would not have been in vain. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 128 ¡°This world is heading towards destruction...¡± ¡°The spiritual essence is depleted, and everything is beyond salvation...¡± In the pitch-black void, a huge shadow lurking in the darkness muttered in a low voice, its deep and penetrating breath echoing in the darkness. In the void, six other dark shadows lurked. They whispered among themselves, their fragmented voices intertwining and echoing, merging into a kind of eerie murmur, like a nightmare. Li Muyang stood in this bizarre and gloomy void, subconsciously pinching his thigh. There was no sensation of pain... Was this a dream? His eyes widened in astonishment. He had just successfully achieved Foundation Establishment and hadn¡¯t even had the chance to celebrate when suddenly he found himself in such a strange nightmare? Li Muyang, in the dark void, slightly furrowed his brows, trying to awaken his consciousness. He remembered that he was still on the flying boat returning to his sect, almost reaching the Demonic Sect¡¯s headquarters. During the journey, he played games, attempting to complete ¡®Deadly Weed¡¯, while cultivating with the Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir from his Qiankun Ring. He was only a step away from the Foundation Establishment Realm, and now with ample cultivation resources, he easily achieved Foundation Establishment. He was also fairly familiar with the spiritual energy circulation diagram of the Netherworld Demon Manual. The spiritual energy circulation route within his body had completely transformed into the Netherworld Demon Technique. After discarding the inferior introductory technique, his cultivation speed and efficiency greatly improved. Everything was moving in a positive direction. But why did he have such a bizarre and outrageous nightmare right after successfully achieving Foundation Establishment? In the dark void, Li Muyang slightly furrowed his brows. He looked at the six dark shadows in front of him, instinctively wanting to retreat. Although it was a nightmare, he instinctively didn¡¯t want to disturb these six terrifying dark shadows. At that moment, one of the shadows caught his attention. ¡°...The awakened Blue Star III from Demon Sword City is still unable to communicate.¡± The shadow that spoke was shrouded in a black robe, its face and gender indiscernible. However, its fingers under the robe were pale and slender, one adorned with a red gemstone ring engraved with the character ¡¾VI¡¿. And between its fingers, it held another ring that Li Muyang found oddly familiar. A ring with a blue gemstone and the character ¡¾III¡¿. Li Muyang instinctively stared at the ring with the blue gemstone, motionless. ¡°...Unable to communicate?¡± The largest shadow in the darkness let out a low, cold snort. ¡°Is it a failed descent of a deity? Or a revival of a true immortal? How come it has been so long and still unable to communicate?¡± He rolled out of bed, ready to leave. He had played games too late last night and didn¡¯t know when he had fallen asleep, only to have such a strange nightmare afterward. It must have been the sinister and eerie atmosphere of Black Cloud Village that caused Li Muyang to have a nightmare. After musing about the gloomy atmosphere of Black Cloud Village, Li Muyang got up and stretched. But the next second, Li Muyang froze. Next to his pillow, there lay a ring and an immortal sword. That immortal sword was the Startling Swan Immortal Sword that he had stored in his dantian qi sea. Without his active summoning, the sword should not have appeared. Yet there it was, lying quietly by the bed, and next to it was a ring. On the inlaid deep blue gemstone, the character ¡¾III¡¿ was clearly visible. Was this... the ring from the dream? Li Muyang was stunned for a moment, then quickly activated the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, recalling the immortal sword back into his dantian. He then picked up the ring that had mysteriously appeared from the ground, and a strange thought suddenly flashed through his mind. ¨CWas last night¡¯s nightmare actually real? Were there a group of bizarre and strange shadows that forcibly gave him a ring representing ¡¾Blue Star III¡¿? F*ck? The bunch in the nightmare, all of them had an eerie presence, clearly up to no good. They might be one of those evil organizations destined to be cannon fodder for the protagonist. Did I somehow get entangled with an evil organization for no reason? Li Muyang picked up the sapphire ring, widened his eyes, and examined it closely. Suddenly, a system prompt popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾Special treasure detected¨CRing of Blue Star III¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to refine this treasure?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ ¡°Huh? This thing can trigger the system too?¡± Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. Up to now, the only treasure that could trigger the system function was the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. But the Startling Swan Immortal Sword is an immortal weapon! This ring can trigger the system... could it be that the ring is also an immortal weapon? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 129 After some hesitation, Li Muyang chose to refine it. An immortal weapon level... anyway, with the system backing me up, let¡¯s refine! The Startling Swan Immortal Sword, an immortal weapon level, had been refined into a system tool, so Li Muyang didn¡¯t believe this ring could cause any upheaval by itself. A loading progress bar appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s vision, but the loading speed was much faster than that of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Clearly, the grade of this ring couldn¡¯t compare to the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Realizing this, Li Muyang felt a bit disappointed. He thought he had stumbled upon an immortal weapon for free... However, after the system successfully refined it, a new interface popped up in his vision. An interface... similar to a chat group. There were six other people in the group, and their IDs were all names of stars. Names like ¡¾Dangerous Star I¡¿, ¡¾Heart Star VI¡¿, ¡¾Ghost Star VII¡¿, and so on. There were six people, but Li Muyang¡¯s ¡¾Blue Star III¡¿ was conspicuously absent. Li Muyang saw that the six people in the group were chatting enthusiastically. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: ...The turmoil in Demon Sword City, the news blockade by the Demon Refining Sect is too tight, it¡¯s impossible to know who got the Startling Swan Immortal Sword¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Perhaps we could try infiltrating the Demon Refining Sect to probe. The people from the Demon Refining Sect have all withdrawn, maybe Gong Yanghong got the Startling Swan Immortal Sword¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: I also suspect that Gong Yanghong got the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. He¡¯s too suspicious¡¿ These six people were discussing the blockade of Demon Sword City and the whereabouts of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Then they started discussing ¡¾Blue Star III¡¿. In their minds, ¡¾Blue Star III¡¿ was the person who got the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, and they suspected that this person was the master of the Demonic Sect, Gong Yanghong. Li Muyang, extremely curious, watched these people chat and felt it was a bit strange. Clearly, he was in the group, yet these people seemed oblivious to him. Tentatively, Li Muyang sent out a message. ¡¾Blue Star III: I am not Gong Yanghong¡¿ The moment this message was sent, the entire chat group fell silent. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: ...?!¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: ...?!¡¿ ¡¾Big Dipper Star IX: ...?!¡¿ (TLN: Now that there is number 9 here, I become unsure whether the number at the end of their name is only for numbering. Might change this later if there is an explanation in the novel.) ? In the dark void, six shadows instantly stiffened. They looked at each other, at a loss. The shadow holding the ring with the character ¡¾I¡¿ murmured, ¡°Did I just hear Blue Star III speaking?¡± ....... Li Muyang was greatly surprised by the myriad of bounty tasks in the chat group. Although nearly all of these tasks were issued by Ghost Star VII, other members of the group had also posted their own bounties. These guys are indeed evil forces lurking in the shadows. They¡¯re not only targeting the righteous Sword God Pavilion and Jade River, but they¡¯re also not sparing the demonic Lion Demon Ridge and Black Lotus Sect. There was even a bounty for someone Li Muyang found somewhat familiar¡ªMaster Qingye¡¯s head. Uh... could this Master Qingye be the same one from the Heavenly Origin Dynasty? Li Muyang was surprised. He had previously searched through maps and books of this world but couldn¡¯t find any mention of Master Qingye or the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. Yet now, he discovered in the chat group that someone was offering a bounty for Master Qingye¡¯s head, with rewards related to the Blood Demon Sect... Could it be that the Heavenly Origin Dynasty really exists in this world? Is this Heart Star VI from there? It¡¯s a pity that private messaging isn¡¯t allowed in this group, and all the members are offline, otherwise, Li Muyang would have liked to chat with Heart Star VI about the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. Now, looking at the empty chat group and the dimmed avatars of the group members, Li Muyang clicked his tongue in disappointment. If only he had known these guys were so faint-hearted, he wouldn¡¯t have scared them. But then again, Li Muyang hadn¡¯t intentionally tried to scare them. It was purely because these guys were too timid. Li Muyang had only said a few words before they all ran off. Li Muyang shook his head and temporarily closed the chat group. He was curious to see when these mysterious and timid group members would come back online. Surely they wouldn¡¯t stay offline forever just because of him... After quickly finishing his meal and exchanging a few laughs with the other inner disciples at the dining table, Li Muyang hurried towards his residence. ¡°I¡¯m off to cultivate.¡± To everyone else, Li Muyang was diligent and reclusive, spending all his time locked in his room except for meals. But once inside his room, locking the door, Li Muyang immediately closed his eyes. Game With the Fairies, start! ....... On the moonlit, eerie mountain path, Li Muyang held Xiao Yecao¡¯s hand and grinned at Steward Wu in front of him. ¡°Steward Wu, here¡¯s the thing...¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 130 In the third stage of ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·, the main task is to kill Steward Wu. However, Jiang Xiaoyu in the third stage has no combat ability, and since it¡¯s an interactive puzzle game, the combat stages are skipped, leaving Li Muyang unable to fight manually. Initially, he relied on solving puzzles and discovered the clue of a strange bloody scent in the mountains, avoiding certain death. He then continued to search for a way to kill Steward Wu. Since Jiang Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t defeat Steward Wu, he had to use someone else¡¯s power to do it. Once he had this idea, Li Muyang started running around Black Cloud Village and the caves in the back mountain, interacting with all the NPCs, until he found a demonic cultivator NPC who bore a grudge against Steward Wu. The leader of these foreign demonic cultivators was the mysterious Temple Seal Lord, under whom were three cave masters and eighteen stewards. One of the stewards, named ¡¾Wei Sandao¡¿, had a grudge against Steward Wu. This Wei Sandao usually hid deep in the cave, never stepping out, and was almost invisible. Li Muyang had stumbled upon this NPC by chance and was killed by him on their first meeting. ¡¾Wei Sandao¡¿ discovered that Li Muyang was Steward Wu¡¯s man and chopped Li Muyang up as soon as they met. After reloading, Li Muyang immediately said he hated Steward Wu, which prevented him from being killed by ¡¾Wei Sandao¡¿. ¡°You say you hate Steward Wu, how can you prove it?¡± Wei Sandao questioned. Li Muyang responded directly: ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve always been oppressed by Steward Wu and have long wanted to kill him. If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll definitely kill Steward Wu.¡± This was the perfect answer Li Muyang discovered after dying over sixty times. Sure enough, after he finished speaking, Wei Sandao sneered. ¡°Want to kill Steward Wu? That¡¯s perfect. I have a way to do just that, but I wonder if you dare to try it.¡± Wei Sandao offered a method, and Li Muyang nodded repeatedly. ¡°Good! Please, senior, enlighten me!¡± ....... So Li Muyang listened to Wei Sandao¡¯s plan and made the necessary preparations as instructed. Finally, at midnight, he lured Steward Wu out alone. In the moonlit, eerie forest, Steward Wu, clad in a black robe, frowned. ¡°In the dead of night... is what you said earlier true?¡± The smell grew stronger, suggesting they were getting closer to their destination. Eventually, Li Muyang and the others arrived at the entrance of a gloomy cave. Pointing to the pitch-black cave entrance, Li Muyang cautiously said, ¡°It¡¯s inside here. I hid outside and saw him enter and stay for a long time. There were also sounds of digging. Wei Sandao must have buried that thing inside the cave.¡± The stench of blood was particularly strong at the cave¡¯s mouth, clearly indicating the source was nearby. Steward Wu took a deep breath and snorted coldly, ¡°You two wait outside for me; I¡¯ll go in and have a look.¡± With that, Steward Wu stepped directly into the dark cave. Seeing Steward Wu enter the cave, Li Muyang immediately pulled Xiao Yecao back to retreat. Inside the pitch-dark cave, Steward Wu¡¯s excited laughter soon echoed, ¡°It¡¯s really here... hahaha... hahaha! I¡¯ve found it!¡± ¡°Damn you, Wei Sandao! Did you think you could hide it, and I wouldn¡¯t find it? Hahaha...¡± Steward Wu laughed heartily. The usually gloomy and reticent Steward Wu was excited and thrilled for the first time. But in the next second, a flash of cold light shone inside the cave. This was followed by Steward Wu¡¯s roar, filled with shock and rage, ¡°Wei Sandao? You despicable wretch! How dare you ambush me...¡± Wei Sandao¡¯s sinister laughter resonated within the cave, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect this? After all your scheming, you¡¯ll still die by my hand. Meet your end!¡± Inside the cave, flashes of light and sounds of explosions continued, indicating an extremely fierce battle. However, Li Muyang had already taken Xiao Yecao to hide far away, and in the end, they could only see the cave collapse amidst the roaring sounds. The battle beneath the earth continued. Tremors spread outward, causing a minor earthquake in the area. It was about ten minutes before the earthquake finally stopped and subsided. Then, a figure burst through the soil from the collapsed underground. Under the moonlight, the silhouette¡¯s head bore the blood bar labeled ¡¾Wei Sandao¡¿. ¡°Hehe... kid, that Steward Wu really trusted you, huh? He actually let you lead him here,¡± Wei Sandao said, covered in blood and chuckling. In his hand, he held a pulsating heart. With a forceful throw, Wei Sandao tossed the heart across the forest, and Li Muyang caught it. ¡°I promised you, if I won, I¡¯d dig out this wretch¡¯s heart for you.¡± ¡°Now that you have the heart, you can go.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 131 Wei Sandao sat in the forest, exhaling a long breath of black malevolent air as the wounds on his body continuously cracked open and then healed. Although he had won by a surprise attack, it was clear that Wei Sandao was also seriously injured after killing Steward Wu. The long knife hanging by his side dripped with a ghastly greenish filth. The blood of both Steward Wu and Wei Sandao was a dreadful green color. The strange bloody scent in the air seemed to grow even more intense. But Li Muyang dared not ask too many questions, and left clutching the still-beating heart of Steward Wu. Behind him, Wei Sandao¡¯s sneering laughter could be heard. ¡°Kid, you¡¯re quite bold and interesting.¡± ¡°If you ever need anything in the future, you can come to me.¡± Wei Sandao was in a good mood and took the initiative to show goodwill towards Li Muyang. Li Muyang quickly thanked him and then ran as far away as he could. He and Xiao Yecao ran through the forest, swiftly weaving through the trees, and finally sneaked back to the village through the secret path of Black Cloud Village, which was tightly closed. Li Muyang first saved his progress and then took Xiao Yecao to the ancestral temple. At the top of the stone steps in Black Cloud Village, the mysterious Granny Gu sat under the moonlight, smoking a water pipe, her head wrapped in a black cloth that looked like a black halo. The cold moonlight shone on her, and the old woman¡¯s wrinkled face seemed eerily sinister when she smiled. ¡°Little Fish, you¡¯ve got Steward Wu¡¯s heart...¡± Granny Gu was very pleased to see Li Muyang holding the heart. She chuckled, sizing up Li Muyang. ¡°You¡¯re a fine seedling. I only gave you a little clue, and you managed to deduce so much useful information and find the only way to kill Steward Wu.¡± ¡°Your luck and wits are top-notch.¡± ¡°I never expected that someone as good as you would come from Black Cloud Village... good, very good.¡± Li Muyang returned with Steward Wu¡¯s heart, and Granny Gu was very satisfied. However, her words of praise left Li Muyang speechless inside. Damnit, just a little clue... So this old witch also knew that killing Steward Wu was difficult and he could only rely on Wei Sandao? But what clue did you actually give? Other than assigning me a mission to kill someone, where were the clues? I found all these clues through saving and reloading over and over! The mysterious and unfathomable Granny Gu seemed as if she had never been there from the start. If it weren¡¯t for the small bag of ashes in his hand, Li Muyang would have almost thought he had seen an illusion. ...... ¡°That damn old woman is getting weirder and creepier...¡± Inside the flying boat, in the single-person room reserved for inner disciples, Li Muyang opened his eyes. He muttered to himself somewhat speechlessly. As the story progressed, Granny Gu from Black Cloud Village became more and more sinister and creepy. In the previous two stages, as well as in the game ¡®Legend of Sword and Fairy¡¯, Granny Gu had always been portrayed with a kind and gentle face, her disguise as a kind old lady was very convincing. But as the plot of Black Cloud Village entered the third stage, this old witch became increasingly eerie and creepy, dropping all pretense in front of Li Muyang. The changes in Granny Gu, coupled with her sudden desire to kill Steward Wu, and the reaction of the group of foreign demonic cultivators after Steward Wu¡¯s death... the atmosphere in Black Cloud Village seemed to be racing towards collapse and distortion. It felt like the game ¡®Deadly Weed¡¯ would pull off some major event in the later stages. Fortunately, the game was set thousands of years ago, so even if something major happened, it wouldn¡¯t affect Li Muyang thousands of years later. Li Muyang took a deep breath, got up, opened the door, and left the small room. Guan Xiaoshun from the neighboring room also happened to come out and smiled upon seeing Li Muyang. ¡°Brother Li, good afternoon.¡± Li Muyang nonchalantly nodded and walked outside with Guan Xiaoshun. At that moment, a voice calling everyone together echoed across the deck. The massive flying boat glided between the mountains, with clouds and mist swirling around them. The ferry port of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s main headquarters gradually came into view. Seeing the familiar gates of the Demonic Sect, Guan Xiaoshun said happily, ¡°We¡¯re finally back.¡± Li Muyang also let out a sigh of relief and slowly nodded, ¡°Yes, finally back.¡± The trip to Demon Sword City took a full five months, and with the time spent on the journey back and forth, a whole half year had passed. Upon returning to the sect, Li Muyang would face the treatment that all outer disciples envied. ¨CDraped in a white robe and promoted to the Inner Sect. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 132 The process of being promoted to the Inner Sect was not complicated. After all, the promotion of Li Muyang and the other two to the Inner Sect was personally appointed by Elder Yan, so no one dared to cause any trouble. After returning to the Demon Refining Sect, the three of them quickly packed their belongings, handed over their duties in the Outer Sect to the steward, and the next day someone came to escort them up the mountain. ¡°Brother Li, what¡¯s the Inner Sect like...¡± Guan Xiaoshun looked around nervously. At this moment, the three of them stood on a giant leaf that emitted a faint green light as it soared into the sky, carrying them towards the mountain. The winding mountain range undulated beneath their feet, and the white-robed disciple controlling the leaf smiled and said, ¡°The Inner Sect is different from the Outer Sect. There aren¡¯t many chores to do on a daily basis.¡± ¡°Although there are responsibilities, the main focus is on cultivation.¡± ¡°You three needn¡¯t be nervous. After entering the Inner Sect, life will be much more relaxed.¡± This inner disciple leading the way had a warm smile and a friendly attitude. He appeared to be in his thirties but was still at the Foundation Establishment Realm, with talent and cultivation that were considered ordinary in the Inner Sect. To the three newcomers who were young and had just been promoted to the Inner Sect, this guide was very kind. Li Muyang and the others did not encounter any mistreatment from the older generation suppressing the newcomers. They rode the leaf emitting a quiet green light high into the sky, crossed the sea of clouds, and finally saw several floating islands above the clouds. Waterfalls scattered above the sea of clouds, creating a spray of water, and a flock of white cranes flew past, crying out. Palaces and pavilions, stone steps, and courtyards adorned these suspended islands. Even Li Muyang, who had seen many CG scenes in his previous life, was amazed by the spectacular sight before him, not to mention Guan Xiaoshun and little sister Li Yuechan. ¡°Is this the main headquarters of the Demonic Sect...¡± Li Yuechan murmured softly. The magnificent scene deeply shocked all three of them. Then, led by their guide, Li Muyang and the others arrived at one of the more secluded floating islands and, according to the rules, received their identity tokens and white robes. The white robes of the Inner Sect were made of heavenly silkworm silk, barely qualifying as low-grade spiritual artifacts, impervious to water and fire. Everything went smoothly. It was only when the inner disciple responsible for registration tested their cultivation that there was a bit of a surprise. ¡°Li Muyang cultivation... Foundation Establishment Realm?!¡± After testing, the inner disciple responsible for registration exclaimed in surprise, attracting the attention of the others. Li Yuechan and Guan Xiaoshun were both full of astonishment. More rules and order meant fewer lunatics. The last thing you want when mixing in the demonic paths is to deal with lunatics. If everyone follows the rules, Li Muyang can comfortably hide and sneakily grow. After receiving his identity token and keys, Li Muyang began cleaning his new room. His assigned room was a bamboo house, located behind a bamboo forest, not far from the edge of the floating island. A clear stream flowed from the mountain, meandering through the bamboo forest behind Li Muyang¡¯s door, eventually cascading over the edge of the floating island at the end of the forest. As an inner disciple, the living environment and treatment had improved a lot. It¡¯s just that the house seemed to have been unoccupied for a long time, with a lot of dust inside and the yard overgrown with weeds. Li Muyang spent the afternoon cleaning up. It wasn¡¯t until dusk that he finished tidying up. His little sister Li Yuechan, with a beaming smile, appeared under the setting sun, carrying a food container. ¡°Tonight, we have an extra meal to celebrate our promotion to the Inner Sect.¡± Guan Xiaoshun also ran over happily to join the meal, and the three of them enjoyed a lively and sumptuous dinner under the sunset. At the dinner table, their laughter was incessant. Being promoted to the Inner Sect of the Demonic Sect was a happy occasion for everyone. Guan Xiaoshun was both crying and laughing, finally making a name for himself, now able to bring fortune to his grandparents back home. The boy from the border town had never imagined that he could really join the Inner Sect and become an inner disciple. Li Yuechan sat at the table, propping her cheek with one hand and quietly watching Li Muyang in the candlelight, her lips slightly curved in a gentle tender smile. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s find some time to go home. Once the news gets back, uncle and aunt will be so happy they won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± Laughter rose from the dinner table from time to time. Even Li Muyang, who was accustomed to being alone, couldn¡¯t help but smile at the lively scene on the table, feeling a warm sensation in his heart. After all, humans are social animals. Although it¡¯s comfortable to be alone, such a relaxed atmosphere also made Li Muyang feel warm. Unknowingly, it had been almost a year since he arrived in this world. From the initial loneliness and caution to the warm scene now. The solitary transmigrator Li Muyang finally had his own friends and family... We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 133 ¡°Your brother is acting very strangely...¡± In the bamboo forest dimly lit by lantern light, the girl walked towards her dwelling. She carried the food container while humming a cheerful tune, seemingly still immersed in the warmth of the dinner they had just shared. But the voice of the mysterious woman echoed in her ears, interrupting the girl¡¯s humming. Li Yuechan¡¯s steps paused slightly in the bamboo forest before continuing forward. ¡°Senior, have you discovered something?¡± the girl asked curiously. The mysterious woman¡¯s voice came again, ethereal in her ear. ¡°His cultivation progress is too fast. In the barren resources of the Outer Sect, it¡¯s impossible for him to have reached the Foundation Establishment Realm so quickly. Even if Yan Xiaoru had bestowed upon him many spiritual items, he couldn¡¯t have established his foundation so rapidly.¡± The words of the senior made Li Yuechan chuckle softly. ¡°Haven¡¯t we discussed this before? My brother must have some kind of secret.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s true that he was no longer at the Qi Refining Realm Third Layer a long time ago. The reward from Elder Yan merely accelerated his Foundation Establishment process.¡± Saying this, the girl glanced at the dark bamboo forest around her and laughed softly, ¡°Besides, reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm isn¡¯t that outrageous, am I not at the Foundation Establishment Realm myself?¡± ¡°Even faster than my brother, I¡¯m almost at the Golden Core...¡± Although during the registration, under the senior¡¯s concealment, Li Yuechan¡¯s cultivation was tested to be at the Qi Refining Realm Second Layer, but in reality, the girl¡¯s cultivation had long reached the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, not far from the Golden Core. With the senior¡¯s help, she had been hunting demonic beasts and demons in the mountains in secret, and later in Demon Sword City, she killed more than a dozen Foundation Establishment and Golden Core inner disciples. Through violent plundering and devouring, Li Yuechan¡¯s cultivation had long surpassed that of an ordinary inner disciple. Compared to her, Li Muyang¡¯s Foundation Establishment Realm was not at all outrageous. However, the mysterious woman¡¯s voice said, ¡°Your cultivation was gained through plundering and devouring, with an unstable foundation and superficial spiritual power. After reaching the Golden Core, you must take time to refine and consolidate your foundation.¡± ¡°But your brother is different. His aura is pure and enduring, his spiritual power is stable when he casts spells, and his foundation is deep. It¡¯s definitely not something that can be compared to the crooked path of plundering and devouring, but rather the result of solid cultivation.¡± ¡°Given his condition, unless he can afford to eat high-grade spiritual rice every meal, it¡¯s impossible for him to have such rapid cultivation progress...¡± The mysterious woman hesitated for a moment, recalling the movement technique Li Muyang had used in the bloodstone mine. The movement technique Li Muyang had displayed was clearly seen by her, and it was definitely the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique, a practice exclusively from the ancient times¡¯ evil lineage! The demonic technique of the Black Cloud Village, which had been extinct for thousands of years, had reappeared in Li Muyang. The mysterious woman was somewhat worried. The evil lineages from ancient times were unpredictable and once one accepted their inheritance, they would be corrupted by darkness and gradually lose their humanity. The evil lineages from ancient times were the most cunning and dangerous anomalies in the world. But after much hesitation, she chose to remain silent. It was said that once the inheritance of the ancient times¡¯ evil lineage began, it could not be reversed. Since Li Muyang knew the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique, he must have accepted the evil lineage¡¯s inheritance. Even if she spoke out now, it wouldn¡¯t save him, and it would only make Li Yuechan heartbroken. Rather than making her sad and troubled, it was better to keep it from her for now, and reveal the truth when Li Muyang went mad in the future. A progress bar appeared in his vision and began to grow steadily. Li Muyang quickly ran to the window to pick up a mirror. ¨CThis was bought from a traveling merchant a few years ago, and Xiao Yecao liked it very much. But at this moment, Li Muyang was nervously examining his own reflection in the mirror. However, even after the Ancient Evil Lineage was fully activated and an ¡¾Ancient Evil Lineage¡¿ BUFF appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s vision, there was no change in his appearance in the mirror. The activation of the Ancient Evil Lineage had no effect on Jiang Xiaoyu. Xiao Yecao, on the other hand, was astonished. ¡°Elder Brother, why are you suddenly looking in the mirror?¡± Li Muyang put down the mirror and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just suddenly wanted to see my handsome face.¡± Consuming ashes can activate the Ancient Evil Lineage? But it seems to be useless... Li Muyang chose to sleep, and time in the game sped by quickly. Soon, it was morning, and Li Muyang opened his eyes, rubbing his temples. ¡¾I feel so tired... Did I have a nightmare?¡¿ ¡¾My head is so heavy... What did I dream of last night?¡¿ Two dialogue boxes popped up in his vision, and Li Muyang casually selected one. Then he froze. He clearly saw that the room was filled with pale blue transparent tentacles, and he seemed to be able to control their movements. However, Xiao Yecao, who passed by, was completely unaware of the tentacles in the room and stepped right over a cluster of them. Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened as he subconsciously made one of the tentacles wriggle. The next second, the girl screamed. ¡°Ah!¡± Her face flushed red, she looked at Li Muyang in utter shock, a shy blush quickly spreading over her body. ¡°Elder Brother, you... you...¡± The shocked girl instinctively covered her skirt and clenched her legs, looking at Li Muyang in disbelief. For a moment, she had distinctly felt a hand touching her thigh. And in this room, there were only the two of them. ¡°...¡± Li Muyang gave an awkward smile: ¡°Well... if I say it wasn¡¯t me who touched you, would you believe me?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 134 What¡¯s the saying about not being able to clear your name even if you jump into the Yellow River? Li Muyang felt somewhat wronged, but upon reflection, not entirely so. Although he hadn¡¯t touched her with his own hands, the sensation of the tentacle¡¯s touch was transmitted to his mind. Tsk tsk... Is this the power of the Ancient Evil Lineage? Controlling ethereal tentacles? Li Muyang realized that from this moment on, the game ¡®Deadly Weed¡¯ might have a combat mode. Xiao Yecao, whose thigh had been touched, blushed and glared at him for a long time. But in the end, the girl just snorted and ran off in a huff without saying anything. Watching the girl¡¯s retreating back, Li Muyang smacked his lips, still savoring the sensation. ¨COf course it¡¯s referring to the feeling of controlling the tentacles. (/s) With a thought, the tentacles in the room began to move about. At first, the control was a bit clumsy, but he quickly became proficient. The tentacles in the room moved flexibly with Li Muyang¡¯s thoughts, lifting and setting down various objects. These tentacles could move through space, even floating in the air. Li Muyang counted them. There were seventy-three tentacles in total. Each tentacle, when exerting its full strength, could smash rocks and twist iron plates, with a force beyond imagination. Although Jiang Xiaoyu was still a weakling without any cultivation, with these tentacles, his combat power was not to be underestimated. After getting used to controlling the tentacles, Li Muyang went out to find Xiao Yecao. Then he took Xiao Yecao to the ancestral temple to see Granny Gu. Under the morning sunlight, the old lady sat on the steps, smoking a water pipe, looking kind and amiable. However, the blue tentacles moving around Li Muyang withered, shrank, and finally vanished without a trace as soon as they came within two zhang of Granny Gu. This mysterious Granny Gu was still so creepy... She apparently could see those nonexistent tentacles, her gaze circled around Li Muyang before finally resting on him. ¡°Very good, Little Fish, the bloodline of the ancestors has awakened in you.¡± Granny Gu¡¯s smile was kind: ¡°Now, you can do some real work for this granny.¡± ¡°Last night, when Wei Sandao killed Steward Wu, he used something to lure Steward Wu out. You go and get that thing for this granny.¡± ¡°Can you do that? Little Fish?¡± Granny Gu¡¯s smile was kind, and her tone was gentle, seemingly giving Li Muyang a choice. Two dialogue boxes popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s vision. Xiao Yecao once again proposed the idea of fleeing. However, Li Muyang sighed and shook his head: ¡°You can run for a moment, but not for a lifetime.¡± In Li Muyang¡¯s previous attempts to flee, every save file ended with the demon cultivators finding and killing him. ¡°Unless all these demon cultivators die and no one chases us, we could run to the ends of the earth and still be hunted down and killed.¡± After saying this, a sudden thought struck Li Muyang: ¡°All the demon cultivators dead...¡± Looking at the path leading to the cave, then back at Black Cloud Village, Li Muyang stroked his chin. ¡°There might be something to this.¡± Originally, Black Cloud Village and these foreign demon cultivators coexisted peacefully, but for some reason, Granny Gu suddenly wanted to kill Steward Wu. Now she wanted to steal something from Wei Sandao. Granny Gu¡¯s obviously overstepping actions would inevitably provoke resistance from the demon cultivators. So, if Li Muyang could stir the pot and let the foreign demon cultivators in the cave confront Granny Gu, then he could sit back and watch the fight unfold, killing two birds with one stone. But before that, he needed to ensure his own safety. His awakened power of the evil veins was strong but controlled by Granny Gu. Li Muyang had to discover a new source of power to rely on, so that if he ever fought Granny Gu, he wouldn¡¯t depend on the power of the evil veins. Thinking this, Li Muyang turned to Xiao Yecao with a smile on his face. ¡°Little girl, haven¡¯t you always wanted to cultivate? Now I¡¯ll teach you the methods of cultivation.¡± Li Muyang wasn¡¯t sure about others, but Xiao Yecao was a character marked by the system as having the stature of an immortal. What Xiao Yecao lacked now was just the method of cultivation. Conveniently, Li Muyang had recently obtained the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Technique¡·, a top-notch cultivation method. Passing the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Technique¡· directly to Xiao Yecao, this system-designated girl with the stature of an immortal would surely not disappoint Li Muyang, right? With a smile on his face, Li Muyang was in no hurry to find Wei Sandao in the cave anymore. He led Xiao Yecao into the forest and found a secluded spot, then said to her. ¡°Now I will teach you the methods of cultivation!¡± * TLN: Maybe the reason Elder Yan got that Netherworld technique is because she got Xiao Yecao¡¯s inheritance? Then what is the actual origin of that technique? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 135 The contents of the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡· were abstruse and profound, and even Li Muyang himself didn¡¯t fully understand them. In addition to the cultivation techniques, there were many spells and supernatural cultivation methods. Li Muyang didn¡¯t plan to teach Xiao Yecao the demonic spells, but rather started with the simplest cultivation techniques. Then, he quickly witnessed what was meant by ¡®the stature of an immortal¡¯. Xiao Yecao, who had never been exposed to the path of cultivation, merely listened to Li Muyang reciting the original text of the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡·, and even before Li Muyang could explain the content, the little girl had already closed her eyes and entered a state of sensing qi. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth surrounded her, and Xiao Yecao quickly entered a state of cultivation. Li Muyang was dumbfounded. ¡°Is she that monstrous?¡± For ordinary people, the first step in cultivation was to sense qi, which, even with guidance, would take a day or two to learn how to draw qi into the body. However, Xiao Yecao, without any guidance, simply listened to Li Muyang reciting the original text of the demonic manual and began to draw qi into her body, attempting to cultivate. And she did so while cultivating and opening her eyes to ask questions. ¡°Ah? Elder Brother, why did you stop?¡± The little girl asked curiously: ¡°Keep going, what comes after ¡®the netherworld awakens instantly, and the splendid light shines brightly¡¯?¡± The complex and difficult ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡·, even with Yan Xiaoru¡¯s handwritten notes and explanations, was very challenging for Li Muyang to cultivate. But Xiao Yecao, experiencing cultivation for the first time, easily grasped its essence. Li Muyang was speechless and choked up, fully understanding the difference between a genius and a mortal. Comparing goods can lead to discarding them, but comparing oneself to others can led you to be miserable. Not to mention, Xiao Yecao was not just any genius. She was the stature of an immortal! Li Muyang finally felt the weight of these four words. He didn¡¯t delay any further, continuing to recite the original text of the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡·, with no need to worry about explaining or teaching, as this girl, who had never been exposed to cultivation, could learn on her own. The spiritual energy around her body was dense, and a mass of spiritual energy quickly formed in her dantian, the sea of qi. Li Muyang stood by her side, reciting the cultivation techniques of the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡· from start to finish. Starting with the cultivation techniques of the Qi Refining Realm, Li Muyang recited the methods for Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Cave Profound, Divine Travel, Purple Mansion... He finished reciting the cultivation techniques for each major realm from the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡· in one breath. Two hours had passed at this point. In the wilderness, Xiao Yecao felt the spiritual energy around her body suddenly contract, and the vortex of spiritual energy within her dantian rapidly expanded throughout her body, merging into her flesh. R The little girl opened her eyes, and a glint of divine light flashed through them. Her smile was one of delighted surprise. ¡°Elder Brother, I¡¯ve reached the First Layer of the Qi Refining Realm!¡± Xiao Yecao was overjoyed. ¡°The cultivation technique you taught is so powerful, I reached the First Layer of the Qi Refining Realm so quickly.¡± He had thought Wei Sandao and Steward Wu were weak due to the small commotion they caused during their fight. He hadn¡¯t expected that within the small Black Cloud Village, there were so many powerful and monstrous experts. Li Muyang urged Xiao Yecao to continue cultivating while observing the movements of the demonic cultivators and the villagers of Black Cloud Village. On the twentieth day of the game¡¯s progress, Xiao Yecao successfully entered the Golden Core stage. But at the same time, Wei Sandao took the initiative to seek Li Muyang out. While Li Muyang was taking Xiao Yecao to the cave to draw blood, Wei Sandao, who usually hid deep in the cave and rarely went out, suddenly appeared on the mountain path and stopped Li Muyang. ¡°Kid, I need your help with something.¡± Wei Sandao looked at Li Muyang with a gloomy expression and said, ¡°I have something that I need you to deliver to Granny Gu.¡± ¡°Although you¡¯re one of us, you¡¯re also a villager of Black Cloud Village. She will accept it if you deliver it.¡± With that, Wei Sandao took out a red wooden box. The air was immediately filled with a strong smell of blood. Li Muyang was taken aback by the scent of blood¡ªwasn¡¯t this the treasure Granny Gu asked me to steal? Now you¡¯re giving it to me directly? To deliver to Granny Gu? Li Muyang¡¯s face turned strange, but he didn¡¯t say much. He habitually saved the game and then took the red wooden box. Under Wei Sandao¡¯s instructions, he chose a dark and windy night to deliver the box to Granny Gu. In the eerie late night, Granny Gu sat on the stone steps in front of the ancestral temple, seemingly having anticipated Li Muyang¡¯s arrival. When she saw Li Muyang take out the red wooden box, Granny Gu snorted coldly. ¡°Wei Sandao took the initiative to have you deliver this to me? It seems this brute is scared.¡± After saying that, Granny Gu glanced at Li Muyang and said, ¡°Little Fish, aren¡¯t you curious about what¡¯s inside the box? Don¡¯t you want to open it and see?¡± Li Muyang chuckled awkwardly and said, ¡°How would I dare to peek at something Granny wants...¡± In fact, he had already looked¡ªlooked after saving the game. Upon opening the box, he died instantly. Inside was a human head. Whoever opened the box would see their own face on the head, and then the person who opened the box would be immediately beheaded. It was so f*cking sinister. Both Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao tried it. As soon as the box was opened, they died without a sound. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 136 After receiving the sinister box, Granny Gu smiled kindly. ¡°Little Fish, you¡¯ve completed another task I gave you. Although it took a long time this time, there¡¯s a reward for completing the task.¡± ¡°Here, take this back and boil it into a soup.¡± Granny Gu pulled out a bloody bone from the shadows and handed it to Li Muyang. The bone was very fresh, and even the flesh on it was still warm. ¡¾You have obtained Spirit Medium¡¯s Leg Bone¡¿ Li Muyang obediently took it and then received the advanced task from Granny Gu. ¡°Now that the item has been obtained, Little Fish, help me to the end.¡± ¡°Wei Sandao handed this thing over to me, but those guys in the cave definitely won¡¯t let him off the hook.¡± ¡°According to the rules, I have to ensure Wei Sandao¡¯s safe departure.¡± ¡°Now, Granny only trusts you.¡± ¡°Go back, boil that bone into soup, and drink it. Tomorrow night, you should escort Wei Sandao out of the mountains.¡± ¡°As long as you safely escort Wei Sandao out of these Myriad Great Mountains, you can take your Xiao Yecao and go wherever you want.¡± The mysterious Granny Gu, with a gentle smile, said, ¡°Granny will help you erase your tracks so that those guys in the cave can¡¯t find you.¡± ¡¾Main Quest: Escort Wei Sandao out of the Myriad Great Mountains¡¿ The system information in his field of vision kept flickering. Li Muyang¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing Granny Gu¡¯s words. Does this mean that after escorting Wei Sandao, he wouldn¡¯t need to return to Black Cloud Village? This must be the ultimate task of the third stage. Escorting Wei Sandao out of the Myriad Great Mountains would allow him to enter the next stage. Li Muyang, holding the blood-stained leg bone, returned to his stilt house. Without minding the deep night, he immediately started a fire to boil the bone soup. This ¡¾Spirit Medium¡¯s Leg Bone¡¿ was clearly something to enhance the power of his evil veins. After consuming it, it would strengthen Li Muyang¡¯s evil vein power, giving him the ability to escort Wei Sandao out of the mountains. But leaving the Myriad Great Mountains didn¡¯t seem difficult, did it? Li Muyang had tried to take Xiao Yecao out before, and it was a breeze. Why did Wei Sandao¡¯s departure require Li Muyang¡¯s personal escort? Li Muyang was curious but obediently boiled the soup. Xiao Yecao, who was cultivating, smelled the fragrance of the meat soup and immediately floated up from her room. She sat cross-legged in mid-air, absorbing spiritual energy while curiously floating over to the kitchen, her mouth watering. ¡°Elder Brother, are we having meat soup tonight?¡± In the originally dark and quiet forest, several eerie figures appeared. They wore tattered divine robes and broken divine crowns, their bodies swaying in the darkness as if they couldn¡¯t walk properly. A cold wind, accompanied by these strange figures, began to howl through the forest. Even further ahead in the depths of the forest, there were the shrill sounds of gongs and drums and the loud noise of firecrackers, as if celebrating a festival. However, there was no festive atmosphere, only a creepy and chilling wind. Li Muyang¡¯s body stiffened, an unpknown sense of horror rising from his back and spreading through his body. ¨CThe sudden appearance of these eerie figures in the forest felt more terrifying than any demon or ghost. They were like monsters from a nightmare. The only thing that could compare to them was the equally sinister Flesh and Bone Green Garment... Li Muyang¡¯s eyes were filled with shock: ¡°What are those things?¡± Are there such things outside Black Cloud Village? How come I never noticed before? The next second, those eerie figures all laughed sinisterly, surrounding Li Muyang and the others from all directions, trapping them in the center. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ....... ¡°What the f*ck? Died just like that?¡± Li Muyang opened his eyes in the bamboo house, somewhat surprised. Although he knew the escort mission would be difficult, he didn¡¯t expect new elements to be added. Those things that looked similar to the Flesh and Bone Green Garment were utterly sinister. Even more so than the Flesh and Bone Green Garment. Were those things targeting Wei Sandao? Li Muyang reloaded the game and re-entered. This time, after meeting Wei Sandao, Li Muyang started to inquire. ¡°Steward Wei, if you were to leave Black Cloud Village, would any evil creatures try to stop you?¡± Li Muyang got straight to the point. Wei Sandao hesitated for a moment before nodding: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When we followed the Temple Seal Lord to Black Cloud Village, we made a blood oath.¡± ¡°If anyone breaks the oath and tries to escape, they will be killed by the ancient evil spirits of Black Cloud Village, never to be reborn.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 137 Wei Sandao revealed the mission information. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised: ¡°The ancient evil spirits of Black Cloud Village? What are those?¡± But as soon as he asked, Wei Sandao¡¯s eyes took on a strange expression. ¡°You are of the ancient evil lineage, a villager of Black Cloud Village, and you¡¯re asking me?¡± Wei Sandao glared at Li Muyang: ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± Li Muyang scratched his head, looking innocent: ¡°Steward Wei, you¡¯ve misunderstood me, I really don¡¯t know. Granny Gu didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± ¡°Other than giving me a bone to make soup and sending me to escort you, she didn¡¯t say anything else.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyes were sincere. Steward Wei glared at Li Muyang for a while before finally believing that Li Muyang truly didn¡¯t know anything. He snorted coldly: ¡°You know nothing and you come here... Hmph! You people of Black Cloud Village used to feed on evil spirits in ancient times.¡± ¡°But after consuming too many evil spirits, you gradually became influenced by them.¡± ¡°Many of your Black Cloud Village ancestors ate so many evil spirits that they themselves turned into evil creatures.¡± ¡°There are also some that your Black Cloud Village specifically kept and bred, all of them underneath Black Cloud Village.¡± ¡°The blood oath we made was in front of the ancestral temple of Black Cloud Village, in the presence of Granny Gu. If I leave, those underground evil creatures will come out to find me.¡± After explaining, Wei Sandao looked at Li Muyang with suspicion. ¡°Are you reliable? How can you escort me out if you know nothing?¡± After Wei Sandao finished speaking, the three of them walked out of the cave. In the dark forest, the piercing sound of gongs and drums could be heard, and a cold wind howled, engulfing Li Muyang and the others in ghastly white ghostly shadows. ¡°...Dead again?¡± Li Muyang scratched his head speechlessly, having just heard the story when those evil creatures emerged. How exactly should he deal with these beings? Li Muyang reloaded the game and entered again. ¡°Steward Wei, how should we deal with those evil creatures?¡± This time, Li Muyang asked directly. Wei Sandao was taken aback: ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The ones underground, those evil creatures that come to kill us, how should we respond?¡± Li Muyang was concise and didn¡¯t care if Wei Sandao could understand. Skipping the communication part, he went straight to the core of the problem. Wei Sandao looked at Li Muyang silently, somewhat confused, but at least he understood the question. But he just glared and shook his head: ¡°You¡¯re the villager, why are you asking me? Are you playing with me?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Sandao drew his sword and struck, and Li Muyang¡¯s head flew into the air. ¡°This brute, killing a teammate without a second thought?¡± Li Muyang, speechless, reloaded the game again, this time without asking Wei Sandao. Li Muyang rubbed his hands and sat up in the bamboo house. He didn¡¯t rush back into the game but started to ponder. As soon as Wei Sandao took off, a ceaseless stream of evil creatures began to surge out from the mountain forests. These creatures seemed to be getting stronger and fiercer. Not to mention anyone else, but at the very least, that ¡¾Living God¡¿ with a skull health bar on its head was definitely not something Li Muyang could afford to provoke. ? Li Muyang even suspected that Granny Gu would have to flee upon encountering this Living God. Moreover, being killed by this Living God didn¡¯t prompt a system message of death but rather ¡¾Ascension¡¿. It seems that dying at the hands of different levels of evil creatures results in different ways of dying. Li Muyang reloaded his save once again, this time running in a different direction. However, after a certain distance, the pursuing evil creatures began to disappear, and that eerie Living God sitting in a vermilion palanquin once again blocked his path. Clearly, no matter where Li Muyang ran, he would encounter this Living God. Just as Li Muyang was preparing to meet his end, he noticed that the sky was overcast, with no moonlight falling upon them. He wasn¡¯t instantly killed, and the vermilion palanquin continued to float closer. Amid the grating sound of gongs and drums, Li Muyang realized that his tentacles were actually being ignored by the creatures, as they simply walked right over them. When Li Muyang had previously discovered that his tentacles couldn¡¯t attack these creatures, he had given up. But noticing this scene, a sudden idea struck him. He immediately controlled the remaining tentacles to fly towards himself, wrapping him up inside and out. The next second, moonlight fell upon Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao. The two instantly stiffened, freezing to death in the wilderness. ¡¾Xiao Yecao has died. Game over¡¿ ¡°...So these tentacles aren¡¯t for fighting, but for playing hide and seek?¡± Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. He reloaded his save once more. This time he wrapped himself, Xiao Yecao, and Wei Sandao with the tentacles. Sure enough, once wrapped by the tentacles, the group of evil creatures immediately lost their target. However, being wrapped by the tentacles, Li Muyang¡¯s character interface displayed a debuff. ¡¾Whispering State¡¿ This debuff continuously drained health, but the three of them could safely traverse the mountain forest, avoiding all the evil creatures they encountered along the way, until the first ray of dawn fell upon them. Wei Sandao stopped. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s dawn now, those evil creatures won¡¯t come out anymore.¡± Wei Sandao immediately sat down, gasping for breath: ¡°Damn, that¡¯s tiring! What the hell did you do? Why do I feel like I¡¯ve been drained?¡± Li Muyang glanced at his health bar. His health bar had hardly changed, although the debuff from ¡¾Whispering State¡¿ continuously drained health, but when the tentacles wrapped around Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao, they would constantly draw from their health bars, feeding it back to Li Muyang. Therefore, Li Muyang wasn¡¯t hurt at all, but Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao were both pale as if they were about to be drained dry. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 138 ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, I feel tired, so tired, I need to rest for a while.¡± After dawn, Wei Sandao, seeing the sunlight and the dispersal of the evil creatures, immediately lay down on the ground and fell asleep. The debuff from Whispering State continuously drained health, and it was obviously very uncomfortable for Wei Sandao. A magic cultivator of at least the Divine Travel Realm now appeared as weak as someone with tuberculosis. After Wei Sandao lay down, he stretched his legs and immediately began to snore. Xiao Yecao, exhausted, leaned on Li Muyang¡¯s shoulder and pitifully said, ¡°Elder Brother, I¡¯m so...¡± Before she could finish saying ¡®tired,¡¯ the little girl also fell asleep on Li Muyang¡¯s shoulder. Seeing the two of them sleeping so soundly, Li Muyang didn¡¯t urge them to continue on their journey. He removed all the tentacles from their bodies, adjusted his sitting position to make Xiao Yecao more comfortable in his arms, and began to wait. The passage of time in the game sped up, with clouds flying swiftly across the sky. In three seconds, the sun rose and set, then the moonlight was like water, and the stars filled the sky. Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao, who had slept for an entire day, gradually opened their eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go, continue on our way.¡± Wei Sandao stretched lazily and yawned, ¡°Kid, can you drain less vitality with that evil technique you used to help me avoid the evil creatures? You¡¯re almost turning me into a dried-up husk.¡± Wei Sandao was somewhat dissatisfied. But the brute just complained and the three continued on their way. Xiao Yecao, still groggy, clung to Li Muyang¡¯s hand, almost hanging on him. ¡°Elder Brother, why don¡¯t we just fly out of here...¡± Xiao Yecao asked, puzzled: ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be quick to fly out?¡± The primitive jungle outside Black Cloud Village was extremely dense, with only a winding mountain path leading to the outside world. The nearest town was a hundred li away. And to walk out of the Myriad Great Mountains, one would have to travel five hundred li north. For ordinary people, this was a long distance. But for a demonic cultivator like Wei Sandao, this distance was short. Li Muyang looked up at the night sky and said, ¡°It¡¯s better to walk slowly.¡± The night sky was filled with stars, but the starry sky over the Myriad Great Mountains was different from the outside. In a previous save, he had tried to fly out. But as soon as the three of them took off, the star-filled night sky suddenly split open, revealing a gigantic eye. Under the gaze of that blood-red eyeball, Li Muyang and the others instantly turned to ash. The entire Black Cloud Village and the surrounding land were steeped in evil. But ordinary people couldn¡¯t trigger those evil creatures. If it weren¡¯t for this time escorting Wei Sandao away, Li Muyang wouldn¡¯t have discovered how strange this land was. Not long after the three set out in the night, the grating sound of gongs and drums echoed in the dark forest. Soon after, a vermilion, eerie palanquin appeared in the wilderness. The Living God appeared again. Thanks to the experience gained from those seven deaths, Li Muyang successfully led Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao through the mountains filled with creatures and once again saw the rising sun. ¡°Damn, that was exhausting!¡± Seeing the sun appear, Wei Sandao, who had turned pale again, collapsed straight down, and immediately began snoring. Xiao Yecao also weakly fell into Li Muyang¡¯s arms, stiff and motionless in her sleep. If it weren¡¯t for their breathing, Li Muyang would almost suspect he had drained them dry. ¡°At this rate, getting out of here is going to be difficult.¡± Li Muyang looked up at the sky and sighed. During the day, the two needed to rest and recuperate, regaining their strength, while at night they faced the pursuit of creatures and couldn¡¯t run too fast. Last night there was one Mourning Widow, what about tonight? As time in the game passed quickly, Li Muyang, after waiting three seconds, watched the sun rapidly complete a circuit in the sky. Finally, the moon rose, and the stars filled the sky. The chilly wind came in gusts, and Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao were forced to get up from the ground and start moving. ¡°Damnnit. Another one today?¡± Wei Sandao looked ahead at the forest with a mix of surprise and doubt, feeling the chill wind was even more penetrating than last night. This was clearly a sign that the number of creatures had increased. Li Muyang, who could see all the creatures, swallowed hard, ¡°Not just one, there are two more...¡± The two new creatures that appeared tonight, like the living god, were invisible to Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao. But Li Muyang could see them clearly. One was draped in a tattered opera robe, its pale face covered in cheap makeup cracked all over, and its crimson lips split to the roots of its ears, smiling brilliantly¡ªLady Bai Li. The other creature was a head as large as a house, with a ferocious face, exaggerated features, green face and fangs, wearing a black hat¡ªLord Wu. Four bosses, each with a red skull health bar, chased the shadows of Li Muyang and the others through the forest, and the chilly wind grew even colder. Li Muyang sighed, ¡°More and more creatures are appearing, and the difficulty is going to get higher.¡± He had thought this level wasn¡¯t too difficult after dying only seven times to get through one night. Now he realized it wasn¡¯t that it wasn¡¯t difficult, but that the real challenge was yet to come. With this trend, as more creatures appear, the difficulty naturally escalates exponentially. This level was going to be a real challenge. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 139 In the dark forest, the chilly wind blew in gusts, chilling to the bone. Li Muyang looked ahead and felt a tingling on his scalp. ¡°This should be the last level, right?¡± After ten days of relentless grinding, Li Muyang, through a cycle of loading, dying, loading, and dying, accumulated experience and became familiar with the attack patterns of these creatures. Finally, he led Xiao Yecao and Wei Sandao to the edge of the Myriad Great Mountains. According to Wei Sandao, they would be out of the Myriad Great Mountains and no longer pursued by creatures if they went another twenty or so li ahead. But at this moment, in Li Muyang¡¯s view, under the brilliant stars, the forest was almost filled with creatures. These creatures, with their bizarre shapes and twisted faces, were more abstract than the ghosts in horror movies. According to Wei Sandao, these were evil spirits from ancient times that once dominated this land. In the oldest times, the creatures of the world had to worship these evil spirits just to survive. This group of ancient evil gods once ruled this world. But now they were trapped in the land where Black Cloud Village was located and could no longer venture out. Without the blood oath sensing, these creatures couldn¡¯t harm the living even if they came out. Even as they wandered through the forest, apart from Li Muyang and his companions, the creatures of the mountains could pass through the creatures¡¯ bodies without any harm. According to Wei Sandao, what was coming out now were just projections of the creatures, not their true bodies, so they could only harm Li Muyang and the other two. Under the moonlight, Wei Sandao patted Li Muyang¡¯s shoulder while gasping for breath. ¡°You... what... what did you see?¡± The originally robust and majestic Wei Sandao was now emaciated, his cheeks hollow, looking like a ghost who had been starving for years, his legs trembling as he walked. His once strong and sturdy legs were now as thin as sticks, the dry skin clinging to the bones, making one wonder if a strong wind could break him. Under the continuous draining of the tentacles and the prolonged state of whispers, Wei Sandao had indeed been drained to a husk. His chest was now just a layer of skin clinging to his ribs, and no one could imagine that this gaunt ghost was the same burly and robust man from before. r? Wei Sandao¡¯s hands trembled as he looked at Li Muyang with uncertainty and asked, ¡°Why are you making that face? Kid, did something scare you?¡± Li Muyang gazed at the spectacular scene before him and sighed. ¡°It is a bit terrifying...¡± The star-filled sky was splitting open in the middle. A huge blood-red eyeball loomed in the sky, rotating around as if searching for Wei Sandao¡¯s figure. Li Muyang, with Wei Sandao in tow, moved forward. The next second, the sound of chains rang out as countless black snakes from the chest cavity of the Black Year God began to utter strange whispers. Immediately after, the ground under Li Muyang¡¯s feet twisted violently, and he and Wei Sandao¡¯s bodies suddenly stiffened. Then, eerie black snakes crawled out of their mouths, and their figures turned into miniature versions of the Black Year God, crying, laughing, and screaming as they ran into the wilderness. ¡¾You have ascended. Game over¡¿ Li Muyang had become numb to the game over notification that popped up in his field of vision. Although many days had passed in the game, in reality, he frequently faced game overs. Now, seeing the failure notification had become routine, and even the variety of ways he died each time no longer surprised him. After all, each evil god¡¯s method of killing was incredibly strange, so it can be said that he dies in different ways every time. ¡°...But is the spirit medium also one of the evil gods?¡± Li Muyang murmured to himself. Among that group of malevolent spirits, he saw a strange evil creature with a blood bar labeled ¡¾Spirit Medium¡¿ above its head. However, the creature was very abstract, resembling a weeping head with legs growing all over it, looking like a flesh spider crawling on the ground, incredibly unsettling. This spirit medium was the only evil god that did not harm Li Muyang and Wei Sandao. It seemed unable to find them. Even the other evil gods seemed to ignore the spirit medium. It appeared that only Li Muyang could sense its presence. He then realized the purpose of Granny Gu telling him to boil that leg bone into a soup. The ability to hide his form with tentacles was clearly related to the spirit medium. ¡°It¡¯s a good ability, but with so many evil gods, it¡¯s still difficult.¡± Li Muyang closed his eyes and re-entered the game by loading a previous save. After grinding for ten days, almost without sleep or food, it was time to reap the results. Let¡¯s pass the final level of the third stage! Li Muyang entered the game, leading Wei Sandao towards the group of terrifying evil gods. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 140 ¡°Phew... Kid, we finally made it out.¡± The morning sun shone on Li Muyang, and Wei Sandao, who had finally escaped the Myriad Great Mountains, collapsed on the ground, instantly bleeding from a head wound. A demon cultivator of at least the Divine Travel Realm was injured by a roadside stone, showing how weak Wei Sandao was at that moment. But even with a bleeding head, he did not tend to his wound. Instead, he lay exhausted on the ground, closed his eyes, and greedily absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him, soon starting to snore. This brute, who had escaped death, was now in a deep sleep, his body instinctively absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Li Muyang, on the other hand, took a deep breath, looked back at the undulating mountain range, and clicked his tongue. ¡°Black Cloud Village turned out to be such a sinister place.¡± The usually inconspicuous village had so many terrifying things beneath its ancestral temple. The experience of this third-stage cultivation game was simply incredible. If those ancient evil gods underground were to lose control one day, wouldn¡¯t the world be thrown into chaos? Uh... wait a minute? Li Muyang suddenly remembered something. ¡°The Black Cloud Village in ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡· had long been destroyed, and the wilderness outside Nanjiang City was fraught with danger, forcing humans and demons to coexist.¡± ¡°Could it be...¡± Li Muyang looked at the Myriad Great Mountains before him and murmured, ¡°Could it be that after the destruction of Black Cloud Village, those ancient evil gods poured into the world, leading to the end of the mythological era? Is that why the immortals vanished and the gods perished?¡± The dark turmoil of thousands of years ago was shrouded in mystery. That turmoil affected the entire world. From true immortals and gods to wild demons... all extraordinary creatures were wiped out. There were no extraordinary beings on this land for a long time after the dark turmoil. There were no cultivators, no demons, not even evil spirits, and the history of the cultivation world was a blank slate. The various sects of the current cultivation world were all created by once ordinary people who, by various chances, picked up ancient inheritances and gradually founded their own forces and sects. They are all new powers. ? For example, the Demon Refining Sect, which now holds considerable power in the demonic path, was established only a thousand years ago and has only three generations of inheritance. Regarding how the ancient dark turmoil happened, how the immortals and gods disappeared, and the reasons for the turmoil... people could only speculate and guess based on clues. Now, through the game, Li Muyang seemed to have glimpsed a perilous aspect of the ancient times. If, after the destruction of Black Cloud Village, all those ancient evil gods from beneath the ancestral temple entered the world, it would indeed be a great disaster. But upon further thought, could these ancient evil gods alone destroy an era? However, after sitting in place for a while and with game time still flying by, the system rewards were nowhere to be seen. Li Muyang then slapped his forehead after remembering this game¡¯s essence. ¡°This is a nurturing game, dammit!¡± The goal of each stage was to increase Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability. The previous two times he completed the game, he received system rewards only after raising Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability. This time was clearly the same. After sitting in place for quite a while and ten days passing in the game, the unconscious Xiao Yecao finally murmured and woke up in Li Muyang¡¯s arms. ¡°E... Elder Brother?¡± Xiao Yecao opened her eyes somewhat confusedly and instinctively looked around. During the second half of the escape from the Myriad Great Mountains, Xiao Yecao was completely unconscious, relying entirely on Li Muyang¡¯s support, completely unaware of what was happening. Now, as she opened her eyes, she saw the vast plains unfolding before her, with the mountain range rising and falling in the distance. Xiao Yecao hurriedly sat up, shyly lowered her head, and smiled a little embarrassedly. ¡°I¡¯ve been a drag...¡± Perhaps due to weakness, the girl¡¯s voice was slightly sweet and tender, with a hint of coquettishness. Li Muyang glanced at the favorability bar in the upper right corner. ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 59¡¿ This little girl¡¯s favorability had been stuck on this number for a long time, and even teaching her cultivation methods didn¡¯t increase it. Xiao Yecao looked around and, after Wei Sandao had long gone, hesitated slightly. Then she spoke up. ¡°So... Elder Brother, where shall we go next?¡± Options popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾Of course, we go back to the village. Don¡¯t you want to return?¡¿ ¡¾Granny said that after sending Wei Sandao away, we don¡¯t have to go back... I want to leave Black Cloud Village and see the outside world. Would you like to come with me?¡¿ ¡¾Note: This choice will have a significant impact on the subsequent storyline! Please choose carefully!¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 141 Options popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾Of course, we go back to the village. Don¡¯t you want to return?¡¿ ¡¾Granny said that after sending Wei Sandao away, we don¡¯t have to go back... I want to leave Black Cloud Village and see the outside world. Would you like to come with me?¡¿ ¡¾Note: This choice will have a significant impact on the subsequent storyline! Please choose carefully!¡¿ The options that popped up in his field of vision invigorated Li Muyang. Great! It¡¯s finally here! This option was clearly the ultimate choice for the third stage. One choice was to return to Black Cloud Village, and the other was to take Xiao Yecao and leave Black Cloud Village for good, where the vast sea allows fish to leap and the sky is the limit for birds to fly. It was obvious which one to choose, even without thinking too hard. However, Li Muyang, being cautious, saved his progress before selecting the second option. Under the morning light, Li Muyang looked at the young girl in front of him and smiled warmly. ¡°Before we leave the village this time, Granny Gu has allowed me not to return to Black Cloud Village after sending Wei Sandao away.¡± ¡°So I want to go out and see the world and wander with you.¡± ¡°Would you like to leave with me?¡± Li Muyang looked at the girl with sincere eyes. Under the warm morning sun, seeing Elder Brother¡¯s gentle gaze, the girl was stunned. Mist appeared in her eyes. ¡°Mhm!¡± The girl sniffled hard, then nodded vigorously. ¡°I want to go with Elder Brother. Wherever Elder Brother goes, I¡¯ll go! We will never be apart!¡± The girl hugged Li Muyang tightly, pressing her face against his chest, and said with unwavering eyes, ¡°Even if Elder Brother tells me to leave, I will never go!¡± The girl¡¯s excitement and joy were conveyed to Li Muyang through her gently trembling shoulders. Seeing the happy little girl in front of him, Li Muyang also breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s walk the road ahead together.¡± ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 61¡¿ ¡¾Xiao Yecao¡¯s favorability has broken through 60 for the first time, nurturing progress has entered the fourth stage (out of five stages)¡¿ ¡¾Third stage development reward available for collection¡¿ ¡¾Please select your third stage reward (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾Cultivation +2 (From early Foundation Establishment Realm to late Foundation Establishment Realm)¡¿ ¡¾Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir x8¡¿ ¡¾Item Advancement Talisman x1¡¿ The settlement rewards that popped up in his field of vision slightly surprised Li Muyang. ¡°The rewards are so generous this time?¡± A group of cranes with a misty aura flew past him. However, upon closer inspection, Li Muyang saw that the cranes all had dull eyes and stiff movements. Far from being ethereal, they were simply puppets controlled by some sort of evil magic. ¡°... Is this an enhanced version of the ¡®Golden Gaze Fiery Eyes¡¯?¡± Li Muyang suddenly understood. He had not noticed anything odd about the group of cranes before, but now he realized that they were likely puppets refined by a high-ranking person from the Demonic Sect. The cranes flying and roaming around the floating islands, with their dull and blood-red eyes coldly watching all living beings on the islands, were clearly a pair of ¡®surveillance¡¯ eyes. Li Muyang was somewhat shocked, but he didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it. After using Spiritual Vision Eye for a while, he withdrew his gaze. Although the cranes were eerie, this was the style that a demonic path should have. Even if the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Inner Sect appeared ethereal and otherworldly, at the end of the day, it was still a demonic sect. Li Muyang stretched lazily in the sunlight and didn¡¯t bother with the group of ethereal cranes anymore. He turned around and walked back into the bamboo house to continue playing his game. However, after Li Muyang shifted his gaze away, the group of cranes he had been continuously observing with his Spirit Vision Eye flew a distance before they suddenly started to tremble awkwardly. Eventually, the last row of cranes stiffened and fell down, disappearing into the sea of clouds below. ....... In the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Artifact Refining Hall, Elder Ge Hongshan, who was reading a book, suddenly felt a jolt in his heart. ¡°My Corpse Cranes have been broken?!¡± Ge Hongshan was somewhat stunned and quickly got up to run to his artifact refining room. On one of the shelves in the refining room, there were rows of miniature white cranes, numbering in the hundreds, each only the size of a grasshopper. At this moment, among this group of white cranes, a dozen or so had cracked open, mysteriously damaged, with dim demonic energy continuously leaking from the cracks. Ge Hongshan hurriedly grabbed these cracked cranes and, frowning, began to sense and review the images transmitted by these cranes before they were damaged. Then... Ge Hongshan was bewildered. ¡°How were these Corpse Cranes broken?¡± It was just a routine patrol, and no one had attacked the group of Corpse Cranes, but shortly after they flew over the island above the Hall of Enforcement, they all cracked open. It was as if they had cracked on their own. This was simply bizarre! No one attacked, and they self-destructed? Was there a problem with my artifact refining? Ge Hongshan¡¯s eyes glazed over as he began to doubt his life. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 142 The news of Elder Ge of the Artifact Refining Hall¡¯s puppet Corpse Cranes malfunctioning spread quickly within the sect. Originally, this was hardly known, but after those dozen or so puppet Corpse Cranes fell, they were coincidentally discovered by a disciple of Elder Pei from the Medicine Refining Hall. Elder Pei Lianshan of the Medicine Refining Hall had an old grudge with Elder Ge Hongshan of the Artifact Refining Hall. Elder Ge Hongshan specialized in talismans and the art of artifact refining, self-proclaimed as the number one Artifact Refining Grandmaster of the Demonic Path. His personally refined magical puppet artifacts were powerful, far surpassing those of other artifact refiners, and he took great pride in this. But now, the Corpse Cranes refined by Ge Hongshan were mysteriously broken, malfunctioning out of nowhere. After Elder Pei learned of this, he let his disciples spread the word and mocked Elder Ge for his lack of skill and production of inferior puppets. It was a minor issue. Which artifact refiner could guarantee they would never make a mistake? However, Elder Pei¡¯s disciples fanned the flames, openly and secretly ridiculing Elder Ge. Elder Ge Hongshan was furious when he heard the news. The two elders already had old grievances, and now a small matter had suddenly sparked a conflict between them. The direct disciples of Elder Ge and those of Elder Pei had several confrontations, with the most severe one resulting in four direct disciples being seriously injured and thirteen Inner Sect white-robed disciples dead. After the situation escalated to this point, other elders of the Demonic Sect began to intervene and persuade, and only then was the matter barely glossed over. This was the hottest event in the Demon Refining Sect recently, spreading throughout the entire sect, and even the outer disciples at the foot of the mountain had heard about it. When Li Muyang in the Hall of Enforcement heard this news, he immediately became worried. He had secretly experimented twice and found that Elder Ge¡¯s Corpse Cranes were actually driven by some kind of illusion technique, which happened to be restrained by the Spiritual Vision Eye. ¡°This Spiritual Vision Eye is even more fierce than I thought...¡± The so-called seeing through illusions actually meant literally ¡®breaking¡¯ the illusion? He had thought it was like the penetrating vision of the mythical Sun Wukong. Realizing he was the culprit, Li Muyang immediately became cautious, fearing that Ge Hongshan would discover him and come looking for trouble. Li Muyang even planned his escape route. Fortunately, Ge Hongshan did not find him, the real culprit, and was busy contending with his old enemy, Elder Pei. ....... As the incident finally settled down, Li Muyang also breathed a sigh of relief. Life in the Inner Sect of the Demon Refining Sect was much more leisurely than in the Outer Sect. As disciples of the Hall of Enforcement, Li Muyang and his peers¡¯ main duty was patrolling. Xiao Yecao¡¯s actions truly shocked Li Muyang. ¨CThis little girl actually changed the Netherworld Demon Technique on her own? And succeeded? The heck? Are there no rules and justice in this world? She, a little fox without any sect heritage or master¡¯s guidance, managed to change a top-tier demonic technique just by blindly thinking and practicing? Li Muyang was greatly surprised and very curious about the cultivation method Xiao Yecao modified after her changes. However, after Xiao Yecao babbled on for a while, Li Muyang was left completely clueless. He didn¡¯t understand a thing. The cultivation method that the little girl had modified was so obscure and profound that ordinary people would find it headache-inducing, and the phrases and vocabulary were only comprehensible to Xiao Yecao herself. Perhaps this is what it means to have the bearing of an immortal. To casually create one¡¯s own cultivation methods... Li Muyang sighed, deciding not to concern himself with Xiao Yecao¡¯s cultivation any longer. At this point, Xiao Yecao had reached the Golden Core realm, surpassing Li Muyang in cultivation level, insight, and talent. Although it was Li Muyang who had introduced her to the path of cultivation, facing the genius Xiao Yecao now, he felt like a father with only an elementary school diploma, looking at his daughter who had been admitted to a prestigious university, not understanding even the topics she talked about. On the path of cultivation, Li Muyang could no longer be of help to Xiao Yecao. All he could do was accompany her as they traversed the lands of this mythological era, appreciating the landscapes and the customs of the times. When they saw steep and beautiful mountains, they would climb them on foot. Upon encountering strange and wonderful rivers, they would sail upon them. They admired the morning glow and enjoyed the evening red like blood. They drank in the moonlight and watched the mist rise after the rain. They measured the land with their feet like ordinary mortals, walking step by step between mountains, rivers, and towns. They listened to storytellers sing outside taverns, watched dynasties change from atop city walls, tasted fine wines in the marketplace, and even laughed uproariously as they overturned tables in gambling dens. When they passed through villages troubled by demons, Xiao Yecao would exorcise them. When they saw heartless people causing harm, Li Muyang would let vengeful spirits take their revenge. Together, they journeyed, leaving their footprints across the lands they traversed. And so, they spent ten years in such a carefree manner, playing in the human world, until they finally arrived at a simple little city. This was Xiao Yecao¡¯s true hometown, the land where her ancestors had lived for generations. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 143 Peace City. On the not-so-tall city gate tower hung the sign for Peace City. The open city gates saw few people coming and going. As Xiao Yecao stepped into the city once more, she instinctively tightened her grip on Li Muyang¡¯s hand. Now, Xiao Yecao had grown into a full-fledged young woman. Even dressed in plain clothes, her natural beauty was hard to conceal. The most radiant and captivating features of a young girl were already fixed upon her face, impervious to the ravages of time. Her bright eyes seemed to hold a nebula, dazzling and luminous. Li Muyang had no idea what realm of cultivation Xiao Yecao had reached, and even the girl herself couldn¡¯t really explain it. The cultivation method she practiced had been so altered by her that it bore no resemblance to the conventional methods of the world. There was no Golden Core, no Primordial Spirit, no Purple Mansion. Within her, there was only the misty aura of an immortal spirit. On the surface, the girl seemed to merge with the world around her, posing no threat and lacking the imposing presence of gods or cultivation grandmasters. But not long ago, Xiao Yecao had effortlessly slain a demigod, her display of power deeply moving Li Muyang. Yet now, this little girl stood outside the gates of her hometown, nervously clutching Li Muyang¡¯s hand. ¡°Brother...¡± Xiao Yecao glanced nervously around and whispered, ¡°Shall we not go in? It¡¯s been so many years. Maybe my parents are no longer there...¡± Li Muyang, however, looked at Xiao Yecao¡¯s nervous and evasive gaze and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve come all this way, why not just take a casual stroll inside?¡± He patted the girl¡¯s hand reassuringly, saying, ¡°As the old saying goes, since we¡¯re here...¡± Li Muyang laughed heartily, half-dragging the girl into the small city with its mottled city walls. The suggestion to visit Peace City had been made casually by Li Muyang. But after he proposed the idea, the girl¡¯s shrinking and evasive reaction only strengthened Li Muyang¡¯s resolve to bring her here. The path of cultivation fears inner demons the most, and the girl had been saying her progress had stalled, hitting some sort of bottleneck. Li Muyang guessed that she might be unable to let go of her childhood experiences. Being abandoned by her mother at a young age must have left a deep shadow in the girl¡¯s heart. In order to unravel the knot in her heart, perhaps it was necessary to bring her back to her hometown, to revisit the old place, and to see her parents again. ? Li Muyang laughed heartily, forcibly dragging the girl into the city gate. Although Xiao Yecao could crush Li Muyang with a mere lift of her hand at this point, in his hands, the girl was as docile as a kitten. However, after they entered the city, Li Muyang did not immediately take Xiao Yecao to find her parents. He led her around the city, casually inquiring about interesting things, as if they were just ordinary tourists. After wandering around for a while and listening to a storyteller¡¯s tales in a teahouse, Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao checked into an inn in the city as night fell. ¡°But when I actually saw her, I realized everything was very simple.¡± ¡°There were no difficulties, and there is nothing to explain. She¡¯s just that kind of person.¡± ¡°And I, her daughter, born of her, naturally am just as cold-blooded and heartless. Seeing her, I felt no longing. Instead, the more I looked at her, the more I detested her, even wishing I could kill her.¡± Saying this, the girl glanced back at the dark firewood shed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, brother, this place is boring.¡± ¡°Staying any longer is a waste of time.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were cold, her expression one of disgust. Li Muyang reached out to her with a smile and said, ¡°Whatever the fairy says.¡± Under the moonlight, the two left hand in hand, without disturbing anyone, as if they had never been there. Only the curious muttering of the girl echoed in the darkness, fading away. ¡°By the way... Brother, you seem to have no interest in that kind of thing, it¡¯s so strange...¡± The girl seemed puzzled. In the darkness, the man¡¯s helpless voice of defense could be heard. ¡°Who says? I¡¯m very interested, okay?¡± ¡°But you never... even last time with that dragon maiden...¡± ¡°You still have the nerve to mention that! You got drunk and caused trouble, almost getting me caught by the Dragon King to be wed to his daughter. Dare to casually take the Dragon King¡¯s daughter? She could swallow me in one bite... I don¡¯t like fierce women...¡± ¡°Tsk... then what kind of woman do you like, brother?¡± ¡°The kind I like.¡± ¡°Ugh...That¡¯s not saying anything! Brother, you¡¯re already thirty, an old man, and still so picky... Only I am willing to stay by your side.¡± ¡°Heh...¡± The laughter of the girl and the man disappeared into the night wind. Inside the mansion under the moonlight, there was chaos. But it had nothing to do with them anymore. They were leaving Peace City to go to the next place, continuing their journey. And Peace City was just a minor episode in their travels. Not worth mentioning anymore. The girl looked at the moonlight and whispered softly. ¡°...The only relative I have in this world is Elder Brother.¡± She had come to understand that. In this world, aside from Elder Brother, no one was her relative. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 144 ¡¾Xiao Yecao: 72¡¿ The favorability displayed on the system interface twitched as Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao left Peace City. It went from 71 to 72. But... ¡°That¡¯s all it increased?¡± Li Muyang opened his eyes inside the dwelling, somewhat surprised. He had thought that after taking Xiao Yecao back to her hometown and resolving her emotional issues, the affection meter would surge. But it only increased by 1 point. The affection needed for the fourth stage was indeed difficult to raise. In the game, Li Muyang accompanied Xiao Yecao through mountains and waters, together for a full ten years. In reality, five months had passed. But they were still far from the 80-point affection needed for the game¡¯s reward. Li Muyang, exiting the game, rolled off the bamboo bed and scratched his head out of habit. ¡°It seems like the fourth stage, just like the second stage, requires time to pass to clear.¡± The second stage of the game took Li Muyang several months, and the fourth stage was taking even longer. However, considering the rewards became more generous in the later stages, Li Muyang accepted the higher difficulty of the fourth stage. Good things come to those who wait. The bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish. Considering the increasingly generous rewards, spending more time was acceptable. Li Muyang began to pack his bags. Outside the bamboo house, the voice of his little sister Li Yuechan could be heard. ¡°Brother! Let¡¯s go! Aren¡¯t you packed yet?¡± Li Muyang stepped out the door and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been ready for a while, let¡¯s go.¡± Under the midday sun, Li Yuechan, dressed in a white robe and carrying a red-gold longsword and a bundle of belongings, stood in Li Muyang¡¯s yard. As disciples of the Hall of Enforcement, they were arranged to accompany Elder Yan Xiaoru on a mission down the mountain. Compared to his little sister Li Yuechan, who was carrying a lot, Li Muyang was much more relaxed. He wore the Qiankun Ring given to him by Yan Xiaoru, into which he had thrown all his personal belongings, including the Endless Spirit Rice Jar. ¡°Speaking of which, this is our first mission outside since we joined the Inner Sect.¡± Li Yuechan said cheerfully, ¡°Tianjiao City is not far from Jiuyuan City, so if we have time, we can go back and visit uncle and aunt.¡± Li Yuechan was very happy. Cheng Feiyang¡¯s voice had become hoarse and unpleasant as he was going through his voice change. But it still didn¡¯t affect his cool and aloof demeanor. The young man stood in front of the enforcement hall in a white robe, expressionless, like a statue. The other inner disciples who had arrived were already accustomed to Senior Brother Cheng¡¯s posturing. Everyone tacitly gathered in front of the hall¡¯s steps to wait until everyone had arrived, and only then did the always eyes-closed, posturing Senior Brother Cheng open his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± With a brief and concise command, Cheng Feiyang directly soared into the sky on a beam of light. Immediately behind him, beams of light rose one after another, with all the inner disciples on this trip following closely behind. A group of twenty people flew neatly behind Cheng Feiyang. Li Yuechan, who was still in the Qi Refining Realm and unable to fly, simply grabbed her brother¡¯s hand and was carried by Li Muyang as they flew. Outside the floating island where the Hall of Enforcement was located, a huge flying boat hovered quietly. The servants and maids on the deck had already finished their preparations, and as Li Muyang and the group of inner disciples landed on the deck, the attendants hurried forward to guide them respectfully to their respective rooms. Then the flying boat ascended and headed towards the Outer Sect¡¯s flying boat dock to pick up the outer disciples who were waiting there. Li Muyang, who had already experienced this process once, was familiar with it. After boarding the flying boat, he went straight to his assigned cozy little room, closed the door, and prepared to play games. Tianjiao City was far away, and this trip would take a long time. During the long and boring journey, the preferred way to pass the time was naturally to play games. But when Li Muyang entered the game system, he saw a prompt pop up in his field of vision. ¡¾A new Game template detected, would you like to load it?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ ¡°Oh? A new game?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s spirits lifted at the sight of this prompt. Although playing with Xiao Yecao in the ancient times wasn¡¯t boring, it was still too mundane and peaceful. If he could switch it up with an exciting and tense new game, that would be great. Li Muyang eagerly clicked to confirm. ¡¾Limited-time game ¡®The Call of the Mountains¡¯ confirmed for loading!¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 145 ¡°Limited-time game?¡± This loading prompt surprised Li Muyang a bit. The last limited-time game was ¡®Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡¯. Not long after completing that game, a real Dragon Deity Fairy awakened over the Sea of Mist in reality, commanding many ancient spirits. Could it be that this game is also a similar situation? Is he about to enter a game instance that is related to reality? Li Muyang entered the system with curiosity. As the game¡¯s loading progress bar numbers jumped, finally reaching 100%, a new game appeared in the game list. ¡¶Beginner Tutorial ¨C The Mystery of Loushan City¡·(Closed) ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·(4/5) ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡·(Closed) ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡·(Closed) ¡¶The Call of the Mountains¡·(New) Next to the brand-new entry ¡°The Call of the Mountains¡± in the game list was a flashing prompt. Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate to enter ¡°The Call of the Mountains.¡± Xiao Yecao, I won¡¯t be playing with you today. Elder Brother is going to try something thrilling and exciting! Li Muyang closed his eyes in anticipation. The game scroll in his vision flowed like an ink painting, and finally, a scene that seemed familiar emerged within the scroll. In the mountains under the cloak of night, a strange black shadow roamed. Torches flickered among the woods and figures dashed through the darkness, seemingly in search of something. Then, a dazzling sword light tore through the heavens and earth. A figure of ethereal beauty, shrouded in immortal aura, rode the sword light across the sky, landing amidst the mountains. The scene froze on the profile of a fairy. Bold, dark characters emerged on the screen. ¡¾In the final years of the dynasty, the world is in turmoil, with disaster and famine sweeping the land¡¿ ¡¾Amidst the calamity, rebels rise up, swiftly overtaking thirteen provinces in the southeast, the situation deteriorating rapidly¡¿ ¡¾But as the big figures in the capital fret over the disasters and rebels, a well-respected general mysteriously disappears in the unnoticed southwestern mountains¡¿ R?? ¡¾Hearing the news, you decide to search for this missing general¡¿ ¡¾Your keen intuition alerts you to the eerie atmosphere lurking behind this incident..¡¿ ¡¾Limited-time game¡¶The Call of the Mountains¡·has finished loading. Would you like to enter the game?¡¿ ¡°...The rebels have taken Dongpo City, cutting straight into the heart of the thirteen southeastern provinces, and have truly gained momentum.¡± ¡°Alas... It¡¯s said that General Guo of the Ever-Victorious Army fought to the death outside Dongpo City, and the rebels beheaded him and displayed his body publicly, a truly tragic end.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the rebels haven¡¯t come this way to the southwest, or else our business would be ruined.¡± ¡°With the war raging, who knows when the court will suppress the rebels? If the rebels grow stronger and come this way, our business will suffer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, General Zhong of the Ever-Victorious Army is stationed in the southwest. With him around, the rebels wouldn¡¯t dare to invade easily.¡± The merchants talked loudly about the situation, admiring General Zhong. But just then, an untimely voice suddenly rang out. ¡°That General Zhong is said to have recently disappeared...¡± This voice immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention. People looked in the direction of the voice and saw a barbarian youth sitting in a corner of the pavilion. He had disheveled hair and wore a leopard skin coat, bare-chested, with a muscular chest and abs tanned to a dark hue. Someone recognized the youth¡¯s attire. ¡°He¡¯s from the Five Streams Barbarian...¡± ¡°Hmph... can a barbarian from the mountains understand the affairs of the world?¡± ¡°General Zhong¡¯s disappearance is nothing but a rumor spread by rebel spies to disturb the hearts of our southwestern people.¡± ¡°The little barbarian is talking nonsense, it¡¯s so ridiculous.¡± The crowd mocked the youth, who blushed with anger. He slammed the table and stood up: ¡°Who says I¡¯m talking nonsense? I... I...¡± The youth glared fiercely at the group, but seeing the many against him, he ultimately didn¡¯t dare to provoke them and had to leave amidst their laughter. Li Muyang, seeing this, followed quietly. A prompt appeared in his view. ¡¾Main Quest: Escort the barbarian youth Aguye back to his village¡¿ This youth turned out to be his quest target. The two of them left the tea stall one after the other, heading towards the nearby woods. But just as Li Muyang was about to follow the youth into the forest, a figure suddenly appeared from the breeze. Fairy Liuli, dressed in green, appeared out of thin air like a wisp of wind, blocking Li Muyang¡¯s path. ¡°Lord Wuming?¡± Fairy Liuli frowned and whispered, recognizing this constable Wuming. Under the bright sunlight, Chu Qingxue, carrying the immortal sword, was as stunningly ethereal as ever. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 146 A familiar figure appeared in his field of vision, and Li Muyang immediately halted his steps. The Five Streams Barbarian youth, Aguye, glanced back, saw that it had nothing to do with him, and continued to move forward. Li Muyang stopped in his tracks when he saw Fairy Liuli blocking his path. ¡°Fairy, we meet again,¡± Li Muyang said with a warm smile. Fairy Liuli, however, frowned at Li Muyang and asked, ¡°Why is Lord Wuming in this place?¡± Chu Qingxue¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion. The reunion after a long separation did not bring the joy of meeting an old friend in a foreign land. Instead, Fairy Liuli was full of vigilance towards Li Muyang. Li Muyang noticed that the health bar above the beautiful fairy¡¯s head was red. Goodness, was Fairy Liuli an enemy target this time? Impossible... The Five Streams Barbarian youth was about to disappear into the forest, and Li Muyang could not act rashly. The red health bar... the warning from the system was clear enough. Li Muyang¡¯s mind raced, and he got straight to the point, asking, ¡°Fairy seems to be hostile towards me? Did I inadvertently offend you back in Loushan City?¡± He put the question out in the open with a direct inquiry. Hearing Li Muyang mention Loushan City, Fairy Liuli¡¯s gaze seemed to soften a bit. But her health bar remained blood red. The fairy with the cold features quietly watched Li Muyang and spoke. ¡°Lord Wuming, since you mentioned Loushan City, let me speak frankly.¡± ¡°Go ahead, fairy, please speak.¡± ¡°When you appeared in Loushan City, you were in the guise of an official envoy. But afterward, I checked, and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s envoy at that time was not you, Lord Wuming,¡± said Chu Qingxue. ? ¡°Moreover, I searched through the entire roster of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and could not find the name of Lord Wuming.¡± After speaking, Chu Qingxue looked at Li Muyang: ¡°Does Lord Wuming have any explanation for this?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Li Muyang was momentarily stunned after hearing this. The system had given him a fake identity? F*ck! This system is too unreliable sometimes. His mind whirred for a second, and Li Muyang spread his hands, admitting to it. ¡°Alright, I indeed impersonated an envoy at that time,¡± Li Muyang said helplessly and honestly. ¡°Does Lord Wuming know the real reason behind General Zhong¡¯s disappearance?¡± Chu Qingxue quietly looked at Li Muyang¡¯s profile. Li Muyang continued on the path, replying, ¡°I know a little, but not much. Perhaps you, fairy, know more than I do.¡± ¡°However, following this barbarian youth ahead might lead to some discoveries.¡± Li Muyang walked along the mountain trail, not too fast, keeping a safe distance behind the barbarian youth, ensuring he remained within sight. He did not immediately approach so as not to startle the barbarian youth. But as the three of them fully entered the forest, an inexplicable cold chill suddenly spread over Li Muyang¡¯s entire body. ¡¾You have entered combat phase¡¿ The sudden red alert from the system warned Li Muyang that danger was imminent. In the next instant, a dark night sky unexpectedly engulfed the forest without warning. The blue sky and white clouds were instantly replaced by a sky full of stars and a pitch-black night. The cold moonlight shone down on the forest, and the barbarian youth walking in the dark forest seemed completely unaware. However, Li Muyang¡¯s and Fairy Liuli¡¯s expressions changed simultaneously. ¡°A magical formation barrier?¡± Fairy Liuli immediately looked around vigilantly. Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s not a magical formation barrier.¡± This nightfall only targeted Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli. While the two of them were in darkness, everything else in the world, including the barbarian youth ahead, remained under the sunlight. ¡°We¡¯ve been pulled into an illusion,¡± Li Muyang realized as the skill icon for ¡¾Spirit Vision Eye¡¿ in his field of view began to pulsate wildly. The system-released skills and items, such as Flesh and Bone Green Garment, Spirit Vision Eye, and Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, could all be used within the game. At this moment, the frantic pulsing of the ¡¾Spirit Vision Eye¡¿ skill icon signaled an attack by an illusion. Li Muyang immediately activated Spirit Vision Eye to look ahead. Where his gaze landed, the night shattered, and the earth cracked as if the whole world was disintegrating. However, as the dark night world kept breaking apart, it also kept repairing itself. Two massive forces clashed continuously, neither able to overcome the other. Li Muyang¡¯s Spirit Vision Eye could see through the illusion, but the power of this dark night was relentless, constantly repairing itself. Amidst this tug-of-war, a pale woman¡¯s arm suddenly burst out from Li Muyang¡¯s chest. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 147 ¡°A sneak attack from behind?¡± Li Muyang, forced to exit the game after failing, opened his eyes, surprised by the manner of his death. He had thought it was a battle of illusions, but who would have thought that thing could actually physically attack him? Without any hesitation, Li Muyang immediately loaded his saved game and returned to the game world. The familiar tea stall, the familiar Five Streams Barbarian, followed by the appearance of Fairy Liuli blocking the way. But this time, Li Muyang, knowing the ropes, quickly dispelled Fairy Liuli¡¯s hostility with a few simple words. Maintaining their distance, they followed the young Five Streams Barbarian through the mountains and forests. Then, before the nightfall appeared, Li Muyang saved the game. As the familiar night engulfed everything, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli were shrouded in darkness. ¡°A mag...¡± Fairy Liuli had just begun to speak when Li Muyang interrupted her. ¡°It¡¯s not a magical formation or barrier. It¡¯s an illusion.¡± Saying this, Li Muyang quickly moved forward, starting to run through the mountain forest. However, the situation was exactly as he had anticipated. No matter how fast or slow he ran, the distance between him and the young Five Streams Barbarian ahead remained constant. Combining this with the system¡¯s escort mission, Li Muyang immediately guessed what was happening. ¡°Something wants to harm Aguye, but it fears us, so it¡¯s targeting you and me first.¡± Li Muyang looked around and continued to activate Spirit Vision Eye to break the illusion. ¡°Fairy, please protect me. There may be assailants lurking in the shadows.¡± Fairy Liuli drew her immortal sword with a clang, standing guard beside Li Muyang. This time, that thing did not attack Li Muyang again. A cold chill spread through the air, and Li Muyang faintly felt that thing seemed to be roaming nearby. Two minutes later, the night faded, and the warm sunlight once again fell upon them. Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli continued to walk through the mountains and forests, following the barbarian youth Aguye. But as Aguye entered a forest, the illusions before Li Muyang¡¯s eyes suddenly changed dramatically. A blanket of wind and snow rushed towards them, and the piercing cold wind howled like ghosts and wolves. Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli seemed to have stepped into a deep valley in a snowstorm. The violent wind and snow pelted their faces and bodies. Fairy Liuli was greatly surprised: ¡°Such a realistic illusion.¡± Li Muyang rubbed his arms, also feeling the chill, and was about to speak when, in the next second, a pale woman¡¯s arm burst out from his chest. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± Li Muyang, forced out of the game, was somewhat annoyed. An ambush as soon as he entered the illusion? Without any preparation? Alright, alright! so this is how we¡¯re playing? Under the brilliant fireworks, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli stood in a bustling city, surrounded by passersby. The streets were festooned with lights and decorations, full of festivity, and everyone was dressed in new clothes, exchanging blessings. ¡°New Year¡¯s?¡± Li Muyang looked at the crowd beside him and said, ¡°This thing¡¯s illusions are quite fancy.¡± In terms of proficiency with illusions, this Nine-Armed Bodhisattva was definitely formidable. The city illusion was exquisitely lifelike. Too bad it was countered by Li Muyang¡¯s Spiritual Vision Eye. Even without the Spiritual Vision Eye, with the combination of time stop and save points, it would only be a matter of time before this creature would be killed. ? Li Muyang activated his Spiritual Vision Eye and began to dismantle the illusion before him. The cityscape shattered and reformed. But in the view of Li Muyang¡¯s Spiritual Vision Eye, the real mountain forest and the city almost overlapped. Although the illusion was blurring the truth with falsehood, it couldn¡¯t deceive Li Muyang¡¯s eyes. Just as he was waiting for the hidden evil creature to strike, Li Muyang suddenly saw a huge transparent shadow drifting through the real-world forest. The figure was at least ten thousand zhang tall, unimaginably massive. A sharp candlestick was fiercely stabbed into its chest. Pale shrouds fluttered between heaven and earth like a canopy. ¡°What the hell...¡± The moment Li Muyang saw this evil shadow, his eyes nearly popped out. On the head of the evil shadow, dense black bloodlines grew in a manner that made one¡¯s scalp tingle. ¡¾Candle Bone God¡¿ This... wasn¡¯t this the evil god from the Black Cloud Village underground from thousands of years ago? Why would it appear in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty? Li Muyang was shocked. In the moment of his astonishment, a pale woman¡¯s arm burst out from his chest. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ Li Muyang¡¯s momentary lapse allowed the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva to successfully ambush him. But this time, Li Muyang was no longer concerned about the attack from this rural wild god. The scene he had witnessed with his Spiritual Vision Eye had completely shocked him. A terrifying evil god from before the mythical era is wandering in the real world in the southwestern mountains of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty? F*ck? Those evil gods haven¡¯t been completely wiped out? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 148 Back in the real world, Li Muyang opened his eyes and sat silently in the cabin of the flying boat. His brows were tightly furrowed, shocked by the scene he had seen in the game. According to his speculation, the time dimension of the time-limited game was almost parallel to the real world. Various clues indicated that a real Heavenly Origin Dynasty existed, likely just across the sea of mist. After all, in that chat group, someone had offered a bounty for Master Qingye¡¯s head, and the bounty issuer, Heart Star VI, was very likely to be in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty and related to the Blood Demon Sect. Li Muyang guessed that there were continents on both sides of the sea of mist, but due to the barrier of the sea, contact between the two continents was lost. This meant that Master Qingye and Fairy Liuli of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty might very well exist in the same era as Li Muyang. But now, in the world of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, the southwestern mountains had seen the emergence of an ancient evil god... This was somewhat explosive. Could the place called Lijiang County in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty be the Myriad Great Mountains from thousands of years ago? Li Muyang had personally experienced how strange and terrifying the ancient evil gods of the Black Cloud Village were in the game. He even suspected that the end of the mythological era and the turmoil of the dark age were all related to this group of ancient evil gods. But now, thousands of years after the dark turmoil, the ancient evil gods hadn¡¯t died out? They still existed in the world? This is unscientific! If such terrifying ancient evil gods were wandering in reality, not to mention anything else, the entire Lijiang County would not possibly have any living people! Li Muyang pondered for a moment and then re-entered the game. This time he was more cautious. Even without entering the illusion, Li Muyang kept his Spiritual Vision Eye active. But until the city illusion attacked and Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli were pulled into the illusion, he saw no sign of any ancient evil gods. However, after waiting for several minutes inside the illusion, at the same time he had seen the Candle Bone God before, he successfully used his Spiritual Vision Eye to glimpse outside the illusion. In the mountain forest, a towering evil shadow slowly drifts by. The at least ten-thousand-zhang-tall terrifying shadow was like a curtain stretched across the land. Even though it was just drifting by from afar, the immense pressure of looking directly at its figure nearly suffocated Li Muyang. ¡°There¡¯s no mistake...¡± Li Muyang murmured to himself. In a moment of distraction, he was ambushed by the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva again, and a pale woman¡¯s arm burst out from his chest. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ The bloody system failure popup appeared in his field of vision. Li Muyang, forcibly ejected from the game and back in the cabin, opened his eyes, but this time he didn¡¯t immediately re-enter the game for revenge. The Nine-Armed Bodhisattva, this rural wild god, was no longer so important at the moment. Compared to the terrifying ancient gods of those ancient times, the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva, a local deity from the countryside, is just a small shrimp, not worth mentioning. ¡ª¡ªThat evil being, it came through from the void. Li Muyang decisively strikes. ¡°Hit!¡± Another dazzling blue light streaks across, and the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel easily severs the arm that emerged from the air. ¡¾Nine-Armed Bodhisattva¡¯s Arm -1¡¿ Amidst the wailing of resentment and pain, the illusion around Li Muyang collapses, and he and Fairy Liuli return to reality once more. Seeing this, Fairy Liuli is surprised again. ¡°Lord Wuming, you...¡± Does this Lord Wuming really have the ability to foresee danger? Every time, he predicts the danger that comes just right... Fairy Liuli frowns and says, ¡°This Nine-Armed Bodhisattva appears and disappears unpredictably, and I don¡¯t know how to capture it.¡± Fairy Liuli, who has been traveling with him, now can¡¯t even find a target to attack. This feeling of having nowhere to start obviously makes her uncomfortable. Li Muyang smiles and reassures her, ¡°Fairy, don¡¯t worry, there will be plenty of chances for you to take action later.¡± Saying this, he glances at the immortal sword behind Fairy Liuli. The last time in Loushan City, his knowledge was shallow, and he could not see the extraordinariness of this immortal sword. But having seen a real immortal weapon, Li Muyang is now different from before. Therefore, he recognizes at a glance that this Liuli immortal sword is no less than the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Moreover, this immortal sword fully recognizes Chu Qingxue as its master, with both the person and the sword in perfect harmony, their hearts and intentions clear as the sword itself. Once unleashed, the full power of the immortal sword in Chu Qingxue¡¯s hands is not to be underestimated. This is probably why the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva keeps attacking Li Muyang but does not dare to approach Fairy Liuli. ¡ª¡ªFor such evil spirits, the oppressive feeling brought by an immortal sword that automatically senses and kills enemies is too strong. Li Muyang is slightly envious. Tsk... He wonders when he will be able to tame the Startling Swan Immortal Sword and make it obediently acknowledge him as its master. Although he has the immortal sword in hand, he cannot fully unleash its true power. Even if he can forcibly control part of its power with the immortal sword, it¡¯s like a melon that is picked by force. It quenches thirst, but it¡¯s not sweet! Li Muyang still wants both thirst-quenching and sweetness. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 149 ¡°Why... why have you been following me all this way?¡± In the deep mountains and old forests, completely devoid of people, the barbarian youth who has been unable to shake off the two people following him finally stops. He looks helplessly at the two followers and says, ¡°Go away! Don¡¯t follow me.¡± ¡°No matter why you¡¯ve come, don¡¯t keep following me. It¡¯s very dangerous to be around me!¡± Aguye says this with a hint of nervousness, looking around as if on guard. Seeing the barbarian youth¡¯s panicked state, Li Muyang laughs heartily. ¡°Little brother, the danger you¡¯re talking about... is it this thing?¡± Li Muyang says, tossing out a ferocious and terrifying human head. The head is badly mutilated, with disheveled hair and ugly colored patterns smeared on the face, looking extremely creepy. The barbarian youth is shocked to see the head. ¡°Where... where did you get this?¡± Aguye is frightened. In Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision, a mission prompt popped up. ¡¾Main Quest: Escort Aguye back to the village¨CCompleted¡¿ ¡¾New Task¨CDeliver the head of the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva back to Purple Immortal Village¡¿ To kill that thing, Li Muyang had put in a lot of effort, reloading his save more than a dozen times. It was only by relying on the dual cheats of time stop and reloading that he was able to drag out the incredibly slippery Nine-Armed Bodhisattva and kill it. Now, seeing the shocked expression on the young man¡¯s face, Li Muyang laughed heartily and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been following you all the way, and that thing has been pestering us all the way, but luckily I was one step ahead, and it¡¯s the one that ended up dead.¡± ¡°Brother, I think we have a fate together, how about we travel together from here on out?¡± Li Muyang extended an olive branch with a smile. The barbarian youth, however, was hesitant, ¡°You... you want to go back to the village with me? Are you here because of General Zhong¡¯s disappearance?¡± The young barbarian, naive to the wickedness of human hearts, spilled all the beans as soon as he opened his mouth. Li Muyang looked at him with a chuckle and nodded, ¡°Indeed, I am here because of General Zhong¡¯s disappearance. But little brother, how did you figure that out?¡± The barbarian youth scrutinized the man and woman before him. Under the sunlight, the woman appeared ethereal and untainted, like a fairy from the clouds. The man was handsome and extraordinary, carefree and unrestrained, with a smile as gentle as a gentleman. They seemed perfectly matched, like a pair of celestial beings. Such a scene made the roughly dressed barbarian youth feel ashamed, and he explained in a low voice, ¡°Grandfather, the priest, said that in this world, there are people from the Central Plains whom one need not fear upon meeting¡ªthose like you, with an immortal-like bearing and the aura of a sage.¡± ¡°Grandfather said that you all are esteemed disciples of Master Qingye, the finest of good people in the world, who would not do evil.¡± ¡°So I guessed that you were here to look for the missing old general.¡± Here, cultivation still adhered to the ancient traditions of immortal cultivation, relying on insight and opportunity with a very high threshold. The advantage was that those who entered cultivation were all outstanding individuals. Once they had an epiphany, they would break through as easily as eating and drinking. For example, Fairy Liuli, who was seen in Loushan City last time, was hard-pressed by a few demon cultivators at most of the Golden Core realm. Now, she was not much weaker than the Divine Travel Realm and seemed ready to break through at any moment. Tsk... such a cultivation speed, even if it was cheating, was a bit outrageous. You must also be of an immortal¡¯s stature, right? Li Muyang marveled at Fairy Liuli¡¯s rapid progress and casually asked another question. ¡°Speaking of which... since there are so few cultivators, what about the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?¡± Li Muyang curiously asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t those Demon-Suppressing Masters cultivators?¡± Asking such a foundational question was bound to cause trouble. But Li Muyang had his save and load, so he had no concerns. Sure enough, as soon as he asked this question, Fairy Liuli¡¯s look at him changed. The health bar above her head silently turned blood red. However, the barbarian youth, without any guard, said, ¡°The priest grandfather said that those Demon-Suppressing Masters are not cultivators. They are bloodline sorcerers, relying on some ancient evil art and inheriting an Ancient Evil Lineage to gain power.¡± The barbarian youth¡¯s words left Li Muyang quite astonished. Bloodline sorcerers, evil arts, ancient evil lineage to gain power... That sounded eerily familiar! After the destruction of Black Cloud Village, what exactly had been left behind in this land? Why did it seem like the Heavenly Origin Dynasty was a complete mess, with demons running amok and chaos about to ensue? Compared to the continent on the other side of the Sea of Mist, the world where Li Muyang lives, even though demon cultivators are everywhere and even rule the land, the people living under the Demon Refining Sect are considered to be living in peace and contentment, especially when compared to the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. ¡°Those ancient evil gods from Black Cloud Village, whoever gets involved with them is truly unlucky...¡± Seeing Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes filled with hostility and vigilance, Li Muyang smiled. Load save file! He had gathered almost enough information about this instance, so it was time to push forward without the need to die again and waste time. As Li Muyang loaded the save file, he found himself back at the start, traveling with the barbarian youth. This time, Li Muyang was terse and cautious, hardly asking anything, and remained aloof. The three of them traveled through the mountains and soon arrived at the gate of a barbarian village. The sacred land of the Five Streams Barbarian, Purple Immortal Village, had been reached! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 150 Under the glow of the setting sun, Li Muyang and his companions stepped through the gates of Purple Immortal Village. Contrary to what one might expect from a barbarian village, there were no burly warriors or heavily guarded atmosphere. In the sunset, children in split pants ran and shouted in the village, followed by a few skinny yellow dogs barking. Strong barbarian women sat in groups by the roadside, picking through a kind of black fruit. They peeled the cracked skin, leaving the dry insides, their thick fingers stained with the black juice of the fruit peels. The young men of the village were gathered in a small square behind the gate, passing around drinks and drinking heartily. Li Muyang and his companions entered the village without any hindrance. There weren¡¯t even guards at the village gate as one might have expected. Upon seeing Li Muyang and his companions enter, the Five Streams Barbarian in the village looked at them with curiosity. A barbarian youth called out. ¡°Hey! Isn¡¯t that Aguye from the Southern Mountain Village? What brings you to our Purple Immortal Village?¡± Someone recognized the head that Aguye was carrying and exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Is that... the head of the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva? Aguye, have you harmed a land god?¡± Amidst the surprised whispers of the Five Streams Barbarian, the barbarian youth Aguye walked forward with the head of the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva and said. ¡°Uncles, is the priest grandfather here? I need to see him.¡± Without explaining anything, someone quickly pointed him in the right direction. ¡°The old priest is in the ancestral temple! If you go now, you can still catch dinner, hahaha...¡± The Five Streams Barbarian of Lijiang County were warm and friendly, very hospitable. Although they looked at Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli with curiosity, it was just that¡ªcuriosity. The barbarian youth Aguye led Li Muyang and the other through the village unobstructed and climbed to the highest point of the village. A low two-story building was surrounded by a half-human-high fence made of yellow mud. This simple structure was the ancestral temple of the Five Streams Barbarian. When Li Muyang and his companions arrived outside the ancestral temple, a system prompt appeared in their field of vision. ¡¾Main Quest: Deliver the head of the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva back to Purple Immortal Village¨CCompleted¡¿ ¡¾New Task¨CInquire with the old priest to obtain clues about the disappearance of the Ever-Victorious Army¡¯s veteran general¡¿ Li Muyang surveyed the small building in front of him. From the low two-story building, smoke wafted out, indicating cooking was underway. A kind old man sat on the threshold, wearing dirty barbarian clothes, looking inconspicuous. However, above his head, there was a light green health bar. ¡¾Barbarian Priest Sangmuge¡¿ The old priest, however, looked at Li Muyang with a smile and said, ¡°Do not be hasty. This matter is of great importance. Come tomorrow, you will understand why I need to prepare for a night.¡± The old man remained silent, insisting on making preparations. Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli exchanged glances once more, then had no choice but to bid farewell and leave. Not long after the two had left, the barbarian youth Aguye suddenly followed them from behind. ¡°Lord Wuming, Fairy, please wait.¡± The enthusiastic barbarian youth said, ¡°The priest grandfather has asked me to arrange accommodations for you.¡± Li Muyang looked towards Fairy Liuli. The aloof fairy slightly furrowed her brows in thought, then shook her head: ¡°Thank you for the kindness, but I am accustomed to braving the wind and sleeping under the stars. I can stay the night outside. There¡¯s no need to arrange accommodations for me.¡± After speaking, the fairy in green clothes drifted away. Li Muyang laughed heartily and said, ¡°Thank you for the kindness, but I am the same. Aguye, see you tomorrow.¡± With that, Li Muyang followed Fairy Liuli¡¯s figure. The two walked side by side, quickly leaving the Purple Immortal Village. Fairy Liuli glanced at Li Muyang but didn¡¯t ask why he had followed her. She walked to a spot not far from the Purple Immortal Village where the view was unobstructed and stood quietly at the edge of the cliff, gazing at the mountains in the distance. The mist and water vapor in the mountains swirled around the woman. A traditional cultivator fairy, unlike the new generation of practitioners like Li Muyang who relied on resources to cultivate. This Fairy Liuli, with every move, exuded an ethereal and otherworldly aura, truly resembling an immortal who was above the mundane world. Li Muyang, on the other hand, sat not far away, waiting for the scene to pass. Night fell quickly, and time within the game sped by. In a few seconds, it was the middle of the night. Li Muyang, by the campfire, suddenly opened his eyes. A pitch-black eerie shadow silently emerged at the edge of the fire. That thing, hidden in the shadows, was quietly approaching Fairy Liuli at the edge of the cliff. Li Muyang abruptly opened his Spiritual Vision Eye, intending to discern the true form of the shadow. But a chilling coldness suddenly spread throughout his body. Countless pale ghostly hands stretched out from the darkness and instantly dragged Li Muyang into the shadows. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 151 Inside the cabin of the flying boat, Li Muyang, who was forcibly ejected from the game, opened his eyes. ¡°Died so abruptly?¡± Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. He had been using Spiritual Vision Eye throughout the game, so when that eerie shadow approached Fairy Liuli, Li Muyang sensed the danger and opened his eyes in time. Unexpectedly, the shadow was a decoy, and the real deadly attack was behind Li Muyang. ¡°That evil creature even knows how to cooperate? That¡¯s a bit outrageous.¡± Li Muyang accessed his saved game and re-entered the game. It was still the campfire under the night sky, with Fairy Liuli standing at the edge of the cliff, gazing at the mountains under the night veil. The misty water vapor was swirling around her as the fairy entered a state of meditation, continuing her cultivation. But the shadow emerged from the edge of the firelight, approaching Fairy Liuli silently. And Li Muyang, sitting beside the campfire, pretended as if nothing had happened. Only when he felt a chill did Li Muyang activate his time-stopping ability. ¡°Za Warudo!¡± After time came to a standstill, Li Muyang immediately leaped up and turned to look behind him. In the darkness behind him, it seemed as if a crack had opened in the void, and numerous pale ghostly hands stretched out, attempting to drag Li Muyang into the darkness. Li Muyang roughly estimated that there were at least dozens of these ghostly hands. ¨CIs this thing related to the Nine-Armed Bodhisattva? Why so many hands? Li Muyang summoned the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel and released a dazzling blue light, slashing at those ghostly hands. However, the moment the time stop ended, the ghostly hands also vanished into the darkness of the crack. Li Muyang¡¯s Dharma-Annihilation Wheel only managed to sever three arms. And as these three arms fell to the ground, they immediately turned into foul-smelling pus and blood, dissolving into the soil. The commotion by the campfire woke Fairy Liuli, who immediately turned around to look at Li Muyang. She just saw Li Muyang cutting off the ghostly hands and the crack in the darkness disappearing. Fairy Liuli frowned: ¡°Another evil creature attacking?¡± Why were there so many evil creatures in the forests of Lijiang County? Li Muyang looked towards the distant village and sighed: ¡°It might not be that the evil creatures are attacking us, but that we have accidentally intruded into their lair.¡± Li Muyang, not minding the filth, picked up an iron bracelet from the ground covered in the foul blood. This bracelet was engraved with ancient characters but was very crudely made. There, one could vaguely see an old man sitting under the moonlight, overlooking everything in the village. In his view, the system¡¯s mission target remained unchanged. ¡¾Main Quest: Inquire with the old priest to obtain clues about the disappearance of the veteran general of the Ever-Victorious Army¡¿ ¡°...Fairy, you go first, I¡¯ll cover your retreat.¡± Li Muyang stared at the village ahead while squinting his eyes, ready to try breaking through on his own. This Purple Immortal Village was clearly an important checkpoint. He had to get through this village to obtain the subsequent key clues. Upon hearing his words, Fairy Liuli was extremely astonished. ¡°Lord Wuming, you...¡± Before Chu Qingxue could finish speaking, Li Muyang had already turned into a shadow, rushing towards the evil dogs ahead. The Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, driven by the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, released a brilliant blue light, instantly annihilating the five evil dogs by the roadside. However, after the evil dogs were killed, a horrifying scene unfolded. Upon losing the suppression of the dogs, the children who had been bitten and torn by the evil dogs suddenly opened their mouths and let out sharp, piercing laughter. Subsequently, all the children¡¯s flesh swelled and burst open. In the blink of an eye, six flesh orbs rose within the village, catching Li Muyang completely off guard and engulfing him. ¡¾You died. Game over¡¿ ...... ¡°...What the hell!¡± Inside the cabin of the flying ship, Li Muyang opened his eyes, speechless. He had suspected from the start that there was something wrong with that group of dead children, so while he was killing the evil dogs, he also launched an attack on those children. Unexpectedly, his attack on the children, who rapidly swelled and grew larger, actually catalyzed their explosion. The six demon-possessed children burst, and Li Muyang was directly caught in the explosion, dying a clean death. ¡°Let¡¯s go again!¡± Li Muyang, having failed, re-entered the game. The killing methods of these demonic beings amused him. These creatures were not very skilled, but their methods of killing were quite innovative! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 152 ¡°This is a farewell letter, stating the reasons why I must leave...¡± In the dawn¡¯s early light, Li Muyang hummed a tune softly, his hands resting on the railing of the flying ship, overlooking the vast city that appeared on the plains ahead. His mood was good. Behind him, the outer disciples lined up in serious demeanor, waiting for the flying ship to land. However, Li Muyang, now clad in a white robe, was much more casual. He stood at the front of the ship, gazing at the vast city in the distance that was drawing closer, filled with emotion. Tianjiao City is such a metropolis that is completely different from the last city he visited, Demon Sword City. Demon Sword City was an ancient town with curses, sparse population, and its residents were almost all miners and their families, leaving the whole city desolate and bleak. But Tianjiao City was different. It was a super metropolis under the rule of the Demon Refining Sect. The city was large, adjacent to the sea, with a bustling port and thriving economy, serving as the economic hub of the south. Streaks of lights flew across the sky from time to time, and occasionally, flying ships of various sizes and banners appeared. On the distant coastline, boats came and went. On the flat land, carriages and ox carts laden with goods moved along the crisscrossing official roads. The bustling crowds and prosperous scenes were infectious, even from the high vantage point. Li Yuechan, his little sister, came up from behind and asked curiously, ¡°Brother, what are you humming? I¡¯ve never heard this tune before, but it sounds quite nice.¡± Li Muyang chuckled and casually brushed it off, ¡°Just humming to myself, don¡¯t mind it.¡± Glancing at the vast city ahead, Li Muyang said, ¡°This Tianjiao City is said to be not much smaller than Yunxiao City and ranks high in the territories governed by the Demonic Sect.¡± ¡°The lord of Tianjiao City is a Divine Travel Realm expert of the Demonic Sect. Although not an elder, his official rank is on par with one.¡± ¡°We can have a good look around this time in Tianjiao City.¡± As his cultivation improved and his understanding of the world deepened, Li Muyang finally felt less pressure to survive. He no longer had to hide away in his room every day, and occasionally he could go out to relax and unwind. Even the most reclusive person wants to go out and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air when the weather is nice. Li Muyang tried to divert the topic. Li Yuechan nodded eagerly, ¡°Sure! That tune is so strange. I¡¯ve never heard such an odd song before.¡± The girl obviously noticed her brother was changing the subject, but she didn¡¯t call him out. Instead, she happily continued the conversation. She liked that strange tune. Although the lyrics were very blunt and not refined, the mountain songs from Jiuyuan City were even more straightforward, so she didn¡¯t find it odd. The siblings began to hum softly together, taking turns with the verses. But they had only just started, and Li Muyang had only taught her the lines ¡®You¡¯re hot and cold with me, am I a lover or just a friend, should I not take my love for you too seriously¡¯, when Yan Xiaoru¡¯s icy voice suddenly rang out on the deck. ¡°All inner disciples come in. I have something to explain!¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s tone was cold as if she was in a bad mood. Li Yuechan shrank back and whispered, ¡°Brother, Elder Yan seems to be in a bad mood today...¡± Li Muyang gave her a look, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± With Yan Xiaoru¡¯s cultivation level, who knew if she could hear the siblings¡¯ conversation on the deck? The consequences could be dire if they spoke carelessly and offended her. The two siblings left the deck and joined the other inner disciples in the cabin to meet the expressionless Yan Xiaoru. In the empty rest hall, Yan Xiaoru sat expressionless at the head, flanked by her personal maidservant and her only direct disciple, Ning Wan¡¯er. Twenty inner disciples filed in, standing respectfully before her to listen to instructions. For some reason, when Li Muyang entered, he felt Yan Xiaoru give him a strange look. But when he looked again the next second, Yan Xiaoru was no longer looking at him, as if the earlier stare had been an illusion. ¡°...This trip to Tianjiao City is ostensibly for inspecting governance and dealing with the incident of the young valley master of Chaotic Soul Valley recklessly killing people in the city, but in reality, we have another important task!¡± Yan Xiaoru looked at the white-robed disciples before her and said without expression, ¡°Not long ago, the sect received a secret report that an immortal-grade treasure from ancient times will appear in Tianjiao City. However, Tianjiao City is crowded and close to the border. To prevent the immortals from acting desperately, this operation must be covert and no information must leak.¡± ¡°The sect leader has asked me to select twenty reliable disciples to accompany me, ostensibly to deal with the murder case caused by the young valley master of Chaotic Soul Valley, but in reality, to investigate the whereabouts of the ancient immortal treasure in the city.¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 153 ¡°All of you are clear and trusted disciples of my Hall of Enforcement. I trust you, which is why I have chosen you to accompany me. I hope you will not disappoint my expectations.¡± Yan Xiaoru glanced at the many inner disciples before her and said, ¡°Wan¡¯er, distribute the blood oath to them.¡± ¡°As you command, Master.¡± After Yan Xiaoru spoke, Ning Wan¡¯er approached everyone with a tray, which held twenty blood oath talismans. Each inner disciple received one, then swore loyalty and secrecy to Yan Xiaoru, ignited the talisman, and made a blood oath to keep the secret. Yan Xiaoru looked at everyone and said, ¡°Your cultivation levels vary, but this operation does not rely on you to fight or risk your lives. Remember to protect yourselves and avoid causing too much commotion.¡± ¡°Tianjiao City is an important town in the southern part of our Demon Refining Sect. You just need to patrol and visit to find clues about the whereabouts of the ancient immortal treasure. The rest will not require your intervention.¡± ¡°The sect leader has said that whoever finds the ancient immortal treasure will be promoted to direct disciple, may choose any elder to be their master, and will be rewarded with the sect¡¯s secret manual ¡¶Demon Refining Catalogue¡·.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t find the treasure, you will still be rewarded by the sect for participating in this operation.¡± Yan Xiaoru narrowed her eyes at everyone and said, ¡°This is an opportunity, I hope you all grasp it well.¡± Then, Yan Xiaoru had Ning Wan¡¯er distribute booklets. This small booklet, filled with various targets for the mission and matters to pay attention to, was closely examined by everyone. The rest hall fell into dead silence for a moment until the first inner disciple who finished reading the booklet was surprised to find it spontaneously combusting in his hands. Soon after, the booklets in the hands of the remaining inner disciples also began to burn one by one. In the end, all the booklets were burned to ashes, leaving not even a speck of dust behind. ¡°The contents of this booklet will be accurately imprinted in your minds for three months.¡± ¡°After three months, the contents will automatically disappear, which also signifies the end of the mission.¡± ¡°During these three months, you can move freely within Tianjiao City with your identity tokens. But remember, do not act rashly and absolutely do not leak any information!¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s gaze was cold as she said, ¡°If anyone oversteps and ruins the operation, I will be the first to kill them!¡± The inner disciples quickly bowed their heads in agreement. Afterward, Li Muyang and the others were given both the stick and the carrot by Yan Xiaoru before being let go. Stepping out of the rest hall and back onto the deck, Li Yuechan stuck out her tongue, still somewhat uncertain and surprised. ¡°Brother, this is such a big deal...¡± The siblings¡¯ conversation was brief and not too explicit. After all, having taken the blood oath, any leak of information, whether intentional or unintentional, would result in their souls being scattered. Li Muyang squinted his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then said, ¡°We should prioritize staying safe. Our cultivation levels are too low, and it¡¯s unlikely that we¡¯ll benefit from this operation. If something happens, don¡¯t rush in too quickly.¡± R Li Muyang was worried that his little sister, seeing such generous rewards, would not be able to hold back, which could spell disaster. Unexpectedly, after so much time, he suddenly came online. Shortly after Everlasting North Star came online, the avatars of the others also lit up. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Everlasting North Star, you need to run! You can¡¯t stay here!¡¿ After Dangerous Star I spoke, its avatar immediately dimmed. ¡¾Heart Star VI: Blue Star III¡¯s abilities are very strange. Until we find a way to shield against or expel it, we will not be in contact!¡¿ After Heart Star VI spoke, her avatar also dimmed. Everlasting North Star seemed a bit confused. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: What are you guys talking about? I¡¯ve only been in seclusion for half a year, why have you all become so strange? And who is Blue Star III?¡¿ Li Muyang glanced at the group member list but still couldn¡¯t see himself. Scratching his head, he typed a message. ¡¾Blue Star III: Uh... Blue Star III is me, pleased to meet the big boss¡¿ After Li Muyang sent this message, the group suddenly fell silent. No one knew what was up with Everlasting North Star. After a long while, he finally replied. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: ...This is indeed a bit odd¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Blue Star III, my intuition tells me you¡¯re not a bad person¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Compared to Heart Star who kills without blinking, and the demon dragon in human form Dangerous Star, you¡¯re definitely a good person. Why are they so afraid of you?¡¿ Everlasting North Star, who had been in seclusion for half a year, seemed a bit naive, exposing the identities of the group members right off the bat. The avatars of the other five members immediately lit up. ¡¾Big Dipper Star IX: F*ck! I knew Everlasting North Star would spill the beans once he showed up!¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: The thing we were most worried about has happened...¡¿ Li Muyang, watching the chat group suddenly become lively, suddenly felt like he was back in his past life, bantering with silly group members in front of a computer. The familiar chat interface and online communication brought a smile to his face. ¡¾Blue Star III: Hello, esteemed seniors. I¡¯m a newbie. Can someone explain what this group is for? Are you all masters of immortal weapons? I¡¯m still completely in the dark here.¡¿ We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 154 Li Muyang honestly played the role of a newbie, asking the big shots for information about the group. He was curious if all the members of the group were masters of immortal weapons. Then counting the numbers... F*ck! Are there already seven immortal weapons that have appeared and recognized their masters? In an unnoticed corner, these masters of immortal weapons had quietly formed a chat group, planning to do something big? What are you up to? Do you also want to capture Tailed Beasts and make the world feel pain? (TLN: Naruto) Li Muyang, having inadvertently stumbled into this dark organization filled with big shots, felt like a Husky that had wandered into a pack of wolves. He was different from these big shots. The Startling Swan Immortal Sword hadn¡¯t recognized him as its master yet, and it was only subdued by the system¡¯s force. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t even qualify to join the group. And these big shots in the group, each holding an ancient immortal weapon, were powerful and likely the legendary Purple Mansion cultivator. Yan Xiaoru of the Divine Travel Realm couldn¡¯t subdue the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, so the strength of these people in the group... just thinking about it was terrifying. But after Li Muyang asked, the group fell silent again. All these Purple Mansion big shots had shut up. It wasn¡¯t until Everlasting North Star spoke again. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: My original question still hasn¡¯t been answered. Is anyone under the control of the Demon Refining Sect, or nearby? I need help¡¿ After Everlasting North Star said this, someone finally responded. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: For safety¡¯s sake, let¡¯s not meet for now, and the original plan is postponed. Everlasting North Star, you should also stop contacting Blue Star III¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: I¡¯m currently refining a magical artifact that can seal the soul and resist corruption. Once the artifact is ready, we can meet again¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Or when Blue Star III is willing to show himself and meet us honestly¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Until then, it¡¯s best to be cautious and protect oneself¡¿ Dangerous Star I made a suggestion, and the others agreed. ¡¾Heart Star VI: Seconded¡¿ ¡¾Big Dipper Star IX: Seconded¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Seconded¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Hey! Is no one going to answer my question?¡¿ However, after Everlasting North Star sent this message, everyone else¡¯s avatars turned gray. The once lively chat group was suddenly left with only Everlasting North Star. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: ...Is this necessary? Although Blue Star III is a bit odd, he¡¯s definitely a good person. Why are you all reacting so strongly?¡¿ Li Muyang was also somewhat helpless. A group of Purple Mansion big shots, scared off by him, a mere Foundation Establishment Realm small fry... it was unbelievable. At the same time, a faint and elegant fragrance wafted past Li Muyang. Yan Xiaoru, expressionless, appeared with her disciples. Seeing this inner disciple who was about to reach his destination but was standing with his eyes closed and slacking off, Yan Xiaoru snorted coldly, her gaze somewhat unfriendly. Li Muyang quickly straightened up and corrected his posture. Only then did Yan Xiaoru withdraw her gaze and continue forward. At the ferry port ahead, the sound of celebratory drums and cheers suddenly erupted. After the flying boat docked, what appeared before Li Muyang and the others was a welcome ceremony prepared by the local officials of Tianjiao City. The city lord of Tianjiao City, a man of high authority, walked at the forefront with a smiling face, approaching Yan Xiaoru and the others. What followed was the usual exchange of pleasantries among officials. Li Muyang had no interest in these superficial words of the fame and fortune scene. He and his little sister stood among the crowd, curiously looking around at Tianjiao City and the local officials who had come to greet them. In ordinary cities, Inner Sect disciples in white robes could walk around unimpeded. But in a place like Tianjiao City, even a direct disciple like Ning Wan¡¯er had to restrain herself. After all, many of the officials in the city were not inferior to direct disciples in terms of rank and cultivation. After the customary pleasantries, a guide came to lead the outer disciples from the headquarters to their lodgings for rest. As for Li Muyang, who was now an Inner Sect disciple in a white robe, he was eligible to participate in the welcome banquet. Amidst the lively and festive atmosphere, the group arrived at a grand and luxurious courtyard mansion in Tianjiao City to begin the feast. Yan Xiaoru, Ning Wan¡¯er, and other distinguished figures naturally mingled in the main hall of the banquet. Li Muyang and the other Inner Sect white-robed disciples were arranged in a side hall, accompanied by the second-tier officials of Tianjiao City. ...... Meanwhile, in a dark and secluded place on this continent. In a pitch-black swamp emitting a faint stench of decay, a man with his eyes open in the muck exhaled a long breath of turbid air. His decaying and incomplete body leaned against the carcass of a massive River Dragon. The River Dragon, at least ten thousand zhang long, was now curled up in this dark swamp, its scales on the surface already tainted black by the filth. The man lay back in the muck, protected in the center by the curled-up River Dragon carcass. Blood clouds lingered in the sky, occasionally splitting to release a bolt of lightning. Yet, a faint smile appeared on the pale face of the man. ¡°Mother, it won¡¯t be long now.¡± He looked at the dark swamp and whispered softly, ¡°I will fulfill your last wish and exterminate the entire Demon Refining Sect...¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 155 The welcome banquet in Tianjiao City was undeniably grand. Li Muyang, a country bumpkin attending such a high-profile banquet for the first time, keenly felt the disparities in life. Spirit wine, worth enough for an ordinary person to live on for a year, was freely available here. The dishes served by the maids were all delicacies from the mountains and seas. A table of such food, if converted to Earth¡¯s currency from his previous life, would be equivalent to drinking bottles of famous wines worth tens of thousands each, with a table full of high-end ingredients like Australian lobster, Wagyu beef, bird¡¯s nest, and shark fin. The taste might not be amazing, but the ingredients were definitely high-end. And this was just the side hall for receiving Inner Sect white-robed disciples. Li Muyang couldn¡¯t even imagine the level of extravagance in the main hall where Yan Xiaoru and the others dined. ¡°Brother, they¡¯re so rich here...¡± Li Yuechan sat in a corner and whispered in amazement at the luxury of the banquet. The two siblings sat in the corner, their chopsticks hardly stopping, not talking much, but definitely eating a lot. Li Muyang nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of kinship. ¡°The richest person in Jiuyuan City would be considered just a country rich people here.¡± The two siblings quietly exchanged their thoughts, completely astonished by the wealth and extravagance of Tianjiao City. The banquet went on for a long time, with a continuous supply of rare and exquisitely cooked dishes, and the siblings enjoyed themselves immensely. As for the topics of conversation at the banquet, they hardly participated, acting purely as onlookers. The banquet lasted until midnight before people gradually left. The lodgings for Li Muyang and the other inner disciples were arranged within this mansion. The disciples rested nearby, each with their own room, and each room was attended by two maids. ¡°Life for the rich is really corrupt and luxurious...¡± Li Muyang remarked with emotion. Although such treatment was not unusual for an inner disciple, it was still a novel experience for Li Muyang, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel moved. When two young and beautiful maids offered to wash his feet with shy and expectant hints that they could serve him in bed, Li Muyang pretended not to understand the innuendo and sent the maids away after washing his feet. He had no interest in women who were after money and fame. He¡¯d rather play games. After locking the door, Li Muyang lay on the bed and opened the system. Game With the Fairies, start! The level in Purple Immortal Village was quite challenging. The villagers in the stronghold had all turned evil, with endless and bizarre methods of killing. Their methods were not overt but rather sneaky. One might just drop dead while walking without any apparent reason, giving off the vibe of a creepy urban legend. As evening approached, Li Muyang prepared to return to his lodging to sleep and continue playing games. Tianjiao City was indeed bustling and lively, and a day¡¯s stroll had been quite enlightening. It was time to go back and continue gaming. Under the night sky, Li Muyang hummed a light-hearted tune. ¡°Unfathomable gaze, my heart like a needle at the bottom of the sea~¡± ¡°Just guessing, my appetite is thin~¡± The cool moonlight shone down on Li Muyang. The crowded streets had somehow become deserted. Ahead of Li Muyang, the spacious avenue was eerily empty, not a soul in sight. Seeing this, Li Muyang instinctively stopped in his tracks. ¡°Hmm?¡± Li Muyang furrowed his brows and immediately became alert. Such a lively Tianjiao City should still be bustling even at night. But the street before him was devoid of people... Li Muyang slowly turned his head and discovered that the street behind him was also completely empty. He didn¡¯t know when he had entered such a silent and deserted avenue. It was obvious that something was amiss. Li Muyang stood stiffly in place, not immediately running away. Whoever had led him silently into this secluded street must have a cultivation level far surpassing his own. Li Muyang slowly said, ¡°Which senior is here? Why not show yourself?¡± I¡¯ve just arrived in Tianjiao City. I couldn¡¯t have offended any experts! Could it be Qin Haie¡¯s family? (TLN: The one he killed using the Flesh and Bone Green Garment.) But Qin Haie¡¯s family couldn¡¯t possibly know that it was Li Muyang who was causing trouble behind the scenes... Li Muyang¡¯s thoughts raced as he scanned his surroundings with a frown. A shadowy figure silently emerged in the dim street. She stood there quietly, her face concealed by a mask. Only her disguised voice could be heard under the moonlight. ¡°Are you Li Muyang from the Demon Refining Sect?¡± We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 156 Under the cold moonlight, the silent shadow stood in the middle of the street, as if she had been there from the beginning. She was cloaked in a black robe, wearing an ice sculpture-like mask, with a voice clearly altered, not her true tone. The loose black robe draped over her, but when the cold night wind blew, it clung tightly to her body, outlining her full curves and slender waist. This scene, strangely provocative, was even more enticing than wearing tight clothing. ...The inventor of wind is truly a genius! Li Muyang blinked, almost doubting what he saw. After realizing the danger, he kept his Spiritual Vision Eye open to prevent being attacked by illusions. However, under the Spiritual Vision Eye, which could see through illusions, the black-robed woman¡¯s familiar features were slightly furrowed. The strange ice sculpture-like mask seemed to have been enchanted with a spell that could conceal one¡¯s aura and shape, a powerful magical item indeed. But now, with the added illusion spell, it was precisely countered by the Spiritual Vision Eye. Through the ice sculpture mask, Li Muyang¡¯s Spiritual Vision Eye clearly saw the woman¡¯s face beneath. Isn¡¯t this... Yan Xiaoru? F*ck! What is this woman playing at? Why suddenly jump out and scare people? Li Muyang looked at the woman in front of him in astonishment, unable to grasp her intentions and not daring to reveal Yan Xiaoru¡¯s identity. He hesitated, playing along with her role. ¡°Uh... I am Li Muyang. Senior, do you need me for something?¡± If it was just to silence him, there was no need for such trouble... The woman under the moonlight looked at him with feigned seriousness and said, ¡°Good, since you are Li Muyang, then follow me.¡± ¡°I knew your ancestors, and I owe them a favor. I have come to find you to repay that favor from years past.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± With that, Yan Xiaoru turned and walked away. After taking a few steps, she turned back to glance at Li Muyang. Seeing that Li Muyang obediently followed, the woman beneath the ice sculpture mask breathed a sigh of relief. The two of them walked one after the other through the streets and alleys, eventually arriving at a secluded and desolate courtyard. Yan Xiaoru took out a key, opened the gate of the courtyard filled with dust and weeds, and walked in. Li Muyang also obediently followed her in without showing any fear. As they entered the courtyard, the gate closed behind them. Yan Xiaoru, who had been silent the whole way, finally turned around, frowned, and sized up Li Muyang. Beneath the ice sculpture mask, Yan Xiaoru hesitated slightly. She bit her lip in thought, her eyes rolling around. Finally, she said, ¡°I have been in seclusion for many years, and my name is no longer known in the cultivation world. But in the past, people called me the Netherworld Old Demon.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s Netherworld Senior. Junior Li Muyang pays his respects.¡± After Yan Xiaoru announced her name, Li Muyang immediately seized the opportunity to show his respect with a formal bow. Yan Xiaoru looked on with satisfaction at his proper demeanor and said, ¡°Good. You are very clever, I like that.¡± ¡°As a gift for our first meeting, I¡¯ll give you a flask of Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir.¡± ¡°Drink it here and meditate to refine it, and I will protect you while you do so.¡± As she spoke, Yan Xiaoru lightly flipped her right hand and took out a small white porcelain bottle from her Qiankun Ring, tossing it to Li Muyang. Li Muyang obediently caught it, without suspicion, immediately uncorked and drank it, then sat down to cultivate. A vast amount of spiritual energy roamed within his body, and under Li Muyang¡¯s refinement, it gradually merged into the sea of qi within his dantian, forming tiny, shining stars within the vortex of qi. While Li Muyang was cultivating, Yan Xiaoru placed her hand on his shoulder to sense the route of his energy circulation. Only after Li Muyang had finished his cultivation did Yan Xiaoru speak seriously. ¡°Your cultivation technique is not of low grade. It is indeed a superior method.¡± ¡°But you have been without guidance, haven¡¯t you? There are many friction and errors when the spiritual energy circulates within you, clearly indicating that you have been practicing incorrectly.¡± Yan Xiaoru immediately pointed out the problems in Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation of the Netherworld Manual and supervised him on the spot as she corrected them. Not until Li Muyang had circulated the spiritual energy through its route without any mistakes did Yan Xiaoru let go of him. ¡°Very good! Although your comprehension is average, you can still understand when taught.¡± ¡°From now on, come to this courtyard every night after dark, and I will personally instruct you in cultivation.¡± ¡°To possess such a superior technique and yet have no one to guide you, practicing blindly on your own, is simply a waste!¡± Yan Xiaoru spoke seriously, and after finishing her speech, she stared intently at Li Muyang, waiting for his reaction. Li Muyang looked surprised. ¡°Uh...¡± So after all this fuss... your purpose is to instruct me in cultivation? Couldn¡¯t you have just called me over directly? Why go through such a big roundabout? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re a thief, making everything so secretive. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 157 ¡°Brother? Where were you last night?¡± Under the morning sunlight, Li Yuechan approached Li Muyang, who had just appeared in the dining hall. As she drew near, the girl sniffed at Li Muyang, trying to catch his scent. While sniffing, she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see you all night, and the maidservant in your room said you didn¡¯t come back last night.¡± Li Yuechan sniffed for a while but didn¡¯t detect any fragrance of cosmetics, and her expression turned from disappointment to satisfaction as she shook her head. ¡°I thought you finally couldn¡¯t resist and were dazzled by the glamorous world of Tianjiao City, running off to spend the night in a brothel, but you didn¡¯t?¡± Li Yuechan looked at Li Muyang with a skeptical gaze and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the courtesans of Tianjiao City are quite formidable!¡± ¡°Some of them are even cultivators, with unparalleled skills in enchanting men, and their fame is widespread.¡± ¡°But brother, you stay out all night in Tianjiao City... and you don¡¯t even visit the brothel?¡± Li Yuechan seemed to be questioning Li Muyang¡¯s sexual orientation. After speaking, the girl glanced outside the door. Several inner disciples with bright expressions and beaming smiles were coming over together. These guys reeked of perfume, clearly having lost control and spent the night in a brothel. Li Muyang was somewhat amused and exasperated. Looking at his little sister¡¯s disappointed yet satisfied complex expression, he said, ¡°So do you actually want me to spend the night in a brothel or not?¡± Li Muyang sat down to eat breakfast. After the inner disciples arrived in Tianjiao City, their once-a-day spiritual rice meal had been upgraded from medium-grade spiritual rice to high-grade spiritual rice. This was definitely good stuff. Even those who had spent the night in the brothel couldn¡¯t miss this breakfast. Last night, in that secluded little courtyard, he had been tormented by Yan Xiaoru all night, and now having a warm bowl of spiritual rice was more than welcome. Li Yuechan watched Li Muyang eating with relish and sighed. ¡°Of course, I hope my brother would keep himself pure. However, you¡¯re not young anymore, yet you are always isolating yourself and busy with cultivation.¡± ¡°While cultivation is important, you can¡¯t ignore the big matter of marriage.¡± ¡°Uncle and aunt have written several times, saying they want to find you a nice girl.¡± ¡°They even said that I should help you look around in the Demonic Sect, and if there¡¯s a suitable female disciple from the sect, you could marry her. The family fully supports you.¡± ? Li Yuechan rambled on, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re eighteen this year, almost nineteen.¡± ¡°In our Jiuyuan City, many people your age are already fathers.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel any urgency at all?¡± Li Yuechan rambled on, and at this moment, she seemed to be possessed by her uncle and aunt from back home, entering into matchmaker mode. Li Muyang looked at her helplessly and with amusement, saying, ¡°You little girl, why are you in a hurry when I¡¯m not?¡± Li Muyang pushed open the courtyard door, and as he stepped into the courtyard, an unhappy female voice rang out from under the corridor. ¡°I don¡¯t like lateness.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Looking at the woman in front of him, Li Muyang scratched his head and said, ¡°Sorry, I got a little held up on the way.¡± Mainly because he was too engrossed in the game and almost forgot he had to come for cultivation tonight. Li Muyang sincerely took out a small food box, saying, ¡°I bought this on the way here, it¡¯s said to be a specialty of Tianjiao City and tastes pretty good. Please enjoy it, senior.¡± Yan Xiaoru waved her hand, and the food box immediately flew into her grasp. After opening the food box, she saw ten skewers of candied haws lying quietly inside. The red sugar coating reflected a bright luster under the moonlight, crystal clear. This was indeed a specialty of Tianjiao City, the Red Jade candied haws. Under the mask, Yan Xiaoru unconsciously licked her lips, then coldly hummed. ¡°You¡¯re quite thoughtful.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t an expensive food, Yan Xiaoru liked the taste of these candied haws very much, having eaten them a few times before and remembered them well. Looking at the crystal-clear candied haws in the box, Yan Xiaoru nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s continue the cultivation.¡± Saying this, Yan Xiaoru flipped her wrist and took out a small bottle of Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir from her Qiankun Ring, tossing it to Li Muyang. ¡°Take it, then cultivate.¡± After giving simple instructions, Yan Xiaoru disappeared down the corridor. Clearly, she was off to enjoy the candied haws Li Muyang had brought her. Under the moonlight, Li Muyang watched Yan Xiaoru¡¯s figure disappear and smiled. This foodie Elder Yan was really easy to understand. He sat cross-legged under the eaves, opened the lid of the small porcelain bottle, downed the Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir, and began his cultivation for the night. Even a mosquito¡¯s meat is still meat, let alone Jade Marrow Spiritual Elixir was not mosquito meat. Such a precious spiritual substance was not something even direct disciples could drink every day. Yan Xiaoru, however, gave him a bottle every day on top of the previous Qiankun Ring and the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡·... The benefits she provided were becoming more and more substantial. Under the moonlight, Li Muyang let out a deep sigh. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 158 Throughout the entire night, Yan Xiaoru, who self-proclaimed himself the ¡®Netherworld Old Demon¡¯, guided Li Muyang in his cultivation and strictly corrected his mistakes. The ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡·, a top-tier demonic technique, was too obscure and difficult to comprehend. For someone like Li Muyang, who had no foundation, even the simplest entry-level practice was extremely challenging. Previously, he had been practicing blindly on his own, managing to achieve some semblance of form. But now, with Yan Xiaoru pointing out his mistakes, Li Muyang realized he had made many small errors. Although these mistakes were not serious, they accumulated and hindered his cultivation, preventing him from unleashing the true power of the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡·. By day, he hid in his inn¡¯s room playing games, and by night, he went to meet Yan Xiaoru for cultivation guidance. Li Muyang¡¯s life suddenly became full and busy. The vacation plans he had originally set were forced to be put on hold. Li Yuechan, his little sister, had tried several times to invite Li Muyang to go to the temple outside the city for an outing, mentioning that Ning Wan¡¯er would join them, but Li Muyang declined every time. Playing games and cultivating every day had already drained all of Li Muyang¡¯s energy. He had no mood to bother with anything else. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he could go without sleep after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, an ordinary person really couldn¡¯t withstand such non-stop round-the-clock activity. Besides gaming and cultivating, Li Muyang also had to find ways to get delicious snacks for Yan Xiaoru. Bringing some tasty treats to Wuliuxiang every night when meeting Yan Xiaoru had almost become an unspoken agreement between the two. The foodie Yan Xiaoru never refused the snacks Li Muyang brought her. Li Muyang was diligent, always buying different varieties and always able to present a new delicacy. Tianjiao City was large and bustling enough to support a wide variety of snacks and delicacies due to the demands of its vibrant market. Li Muyang, varying his preparations, had unknowingly bought twenty different kinds of gourmet foods. He had almost made a complete round of the famous snacks and pastries in Tianjiao City. During these twenty days, Li Muyang finally figured out the killing pattern of the evil creatures in the Purple Immortal Village. The most recent time, he was just one step away from meeting that high priest. The breakthrough of the Purple Immortal Village was right in front of him. And in reality, Li Muyang finally received Yan Xiaoru¡¯s approval. ¡°Your technique is now flawlessly executed without any mistakes.¡± Under the moonlight, the woman in a black robe, wearing an ice sculpture mask, sat on the veranda, speaking with satisfaction: ¡°Although your comprehension is a bit slow, you¡¯re diligent and focused in your cultivation. Perhaps you could become a significant figure in the future.¡± Yan Xiaoru was in a good mood, giving Li Muyang a favorable evaluation. The Golden Core realm was already extremely rare in the cultivation world, with all its members being core figures of major sects. Above the Golden Core, the Cave Profound realm was often the realm of the sect leaders in many smaller sects. Those in the Cave Profound realm were considered significant figures even in a major demonic sect like the Demon Refining Sect. As long as Li Yuechan steps into the Cave¡¯s Profound realm, she will have enough confidence to help her senior find that lost treasure. This was also one of the initial agreements between her and her senior. Under the sunlight, on the bustling streets of Tianjiao City, Li Yuechan, dressed in ordinary clothes, walked among the crowd and quickly disappeared. ...... Meanwhile, in the guest room, Li Muyang, with his eyes half-closed, stood at the pinnacle of the Purple Immortal Village. Through his journey of slaughter, he had preemptively known and understood all the evil creatures¡¯ methods of attack and ways of killing, and he had countered them accordingly. From the gates of the Purple Immortal Village to the presence of the old priest, it took Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli less than ten minutes without any pause. All the evil creatures that appeared along the way were smoothly dealt with by Li Muyang. Not a single one could get within half a meter of Li Muyang. The old priest in front of the ancestral temple was slightly surprised by the ease and confidence with which Li Muyang moved. ¡°You... you have the gift of foresight?!¡± The old priest looked at Li Muyang in amazement. If it wasn¡¯t for foresight, there was no way to explain everything Li Muyang had just accomplished. The strange and mysterious Purple Immortal Village seemed fragile and easily defeated before him. Only someone with foresight an all-knowing being could achieve all this. Li Muyang looked at the old priest calmly and smiled, ¡°Elder Sangmuge, can you now tell us the whereabouts of General Zhong?¡± ¡°You promised that after tonight, once you¡¯re ready, you would provide us with the clues.¡± ¡°Are you ready now?¡± Li Muyang, with a gentle smile on his face, stood confidently amidst the sinister Purple Immortal Village. His smile, like the sun bursting forth, instantly dispelled the cold and eerie atmosphere of the Purple Immortal Village. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 159 Fairy Liuli stood beside Li Muyang, calmly watching the old priest. She was ready to strike if the old man made any sudden moves. However, faced with the pressing questions from Li Muyang and herself, the old priest did not transform into a demonic boss to start a battle. Instead, a smile appeared on his face. ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± After speaking, the old priest raised his right hand and fiercely plunged his index and middle fingers into his own eye sockets. Amidst the spray of blood, the old priest, now with two dark hollows where his eyes had been, said with a grin, ¡°Take my eyes to the mountain. They will guide you on your path.¡± The old priest handed over two bloody eyeballs to Li Muyang. ¡¾Inquire with the old priest to obtain clues about the disappearance of the veteran general of the Ever-Victorious Army¨CCompleted¡¿ ¡¾New Task: Carry the blood pupils into the Ancient Grudge Well¡¿ The old man, with blood still streaming from his eyes, seemed to feel no pain, still smiling cheerfully. ¡°These blood pupils will lead you into the Ancient Grudge Well. The old general is inside. Fairy Chu should know about the Ancient Grudge Well.¡± The old man, with his dark eye sockets, sat down on the spot, smiling as if he had no intention of leaving. Li Muyang looked at the old priest with hesitation and then turned to Fairy Liuli, who had a serious expression on her face. ¡°The Ancient Grudge Well... Does it really exist in this world?¡± But the old priest said no more. He sat there, smiling, motionless, as if even his breathing had completely ceased. Fairy Liuli took a deep look at the old man before turning to Li Muyang. ¡°Lord Wuming, we must descend the mountain immediately and report this to the authorities. The Ancient Grudge Well is a matter of great importance. Just the two of us are certainly not enough to handle it. We must call upon the Demon-Suppressing Masters from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau!¡± Fairy Liuli¡¯s expression was grave. Throughout their journey, she had always followed Li Muyang¡¯s lead. But this time, Chu Qingxue was unusually resolute. Li Muyang thought for a moment and decided to follow the plot. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll go down the mountain to find the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.¡± Li Muyang was curious about the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and what they were really like. Could they truly be related to Black Cloud Village? This was an opportunity to interact with these Demon-Suppressing Masters. He had only heard of their fierce reputation but had never seen a real Demon-Suppressing Master. Once they agreed, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli turned to descend the mountain. Fairy Liuli took to the sky on her sword, transforming into a beam of light that flew into the distance. Li Muyang accompanied her, enveloped in the sword¡¯s light. Although it took a long time to arrive, Fairy Liuli¡¯s sword light was incredibly fast. ¡°They are expected to arrive around the third watch tonight. Please rest for now, and once the four Demon-Suppressing Masters arrive, we will ask you to lead the way.¡± The situation was extremely urgent, and the reaction of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was more intense and rapid than Li Muyang had imagined. Throughout the process, Li Muyang observed the white-robed sorcerer. It wasn¡¯t until after the other party had finished acting out the scene that Li Muyang saved the game. Then, he launched an attack on the white-robed sorcerer. On the surface, this sorcerer appeared no different from an ordinary person, showing no signs of abnormality. However, as Li Muyang activated the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, a long, ghastly face suddenly emerged behind the white-robed sorcerer. The sharp, pale face seemed to be crying. The moment it appeared, it blocked Li Muyang¡¯s surprise attack. The sound of mournful crying echoed. The attacked white-robed sorcerer, as well as Fairy Liuli at his side, were both greatly surprised. They had not anticipated Li Muyang¡¯s sudden attack. In contrast, the sharp, pale face wailed crazily at Li Muyang, ¡°It¡¯s a relative! You¡¯re from Black Cloud Village!¡± The next second, the ghastly face with its long neck rose from behind the white-robed sorcerer¡¯s head and lunged at Li Muyang, agitated and frenzied. Li Muyang¡¯s scalp tingled, and in an instant, he was struck by the ghastly face. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...What the hell.¡± Inside the inn, Li Muyang opened his eyes, still shaken. Although he had suspected the white-robed sorcerer was not normal, he hadn¡¯t expected such a bizarre entity. The face that rose from behind Bai Feiran, the white-robed sorcerer, was one Li Muyang recognized. In ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·, the face belonged to a low-level demon cultivator from Black Cloud Village who practiced with the Temple Seal Lord and others in the cave. Damn it! What on earth are the Temple Seal Lord and his gang researching? Why did that thing recognize me? I¡¯m not using Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s character card! We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 160 Li Muyang was still somewhat shaken. The appearance of the pale face was too eerie, and in his moment of shock, he was instantly killed. This really startled Li Muyang. Something wasn¡¯t right! In ¡¶The Call of the Mountains¡·, Li Muyang was using the character card ¡¾Constable Wuming¡¿, which had no connection to Jiang Xiaoyu. How did that ghostly thing recognize Li Muyang as a relative? And it specifically added ¡®from Black Cloud Village¡¯... It was so strange! Li Muyang reloaded the save and entered the game again. He had a hunch that something was amiss, so this time he didn¡¯t attack but instead persuaded Fairy Liuli to attack the white-robed sorcerer before he returned. Fairy Liuli frowned at Li Muyang¡¯s request and was reluctant to attack the white-robed sorcerer. But the innocent fairy ultimately couldn¡¯t resist Li Muyang¡¯s smooth talk and was half-coaxed, half-deceived into launching an attack. Fairy Liuli¡¯s attack was just as sudden but not as ruthless as Li Muyang¡¯s, leaving some leeway. Even so, the face behind the white-robed sorcerer reacted promptly. ¡°It¡¯s a relative! You¡¯re from Black Cloud Village!¡± The crying face shouted excitedly and lunged at Fairy Liuli. Seeing this, Li Muyang confirmed his suspicion. It wasn¡¯t that the entity recognized his connection to Jiang Xiaoyu. Rather, it called anyone it saw as a relative from Black Cloud Village. Damn it! This thing was definitely related to the Temple Seal Lord and his demon cultivators. After all, the villagers who followed the Temple Seal Lord to practice demon cultivation were later expelled from the village by Granny Gu and were no longer allowed to return. Now, it had appeared inside the body of a sorcerer from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, which was somewhat sinister and frightening. Li Muyang had thought that the Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was only related to Black Cloud Village, but he hadn¡¯t expected this additional discovery. Li Muyang exited the game and reloaded the save. In ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·, the Temple Seal Lord and his foreign demon cultivators were hiding in the cave behind Black Cloud Village, busy with some unknown activities. Li Muyang had been curious about how the evil lineage of Black Cloud Village could be possessed by anyone other than the descendants of Black Cloud Village. Now it seemed likely that the Temple Seal Lord and his group had developed some technique that allowed ordinary people to acquire the power of the evil lineage. During the wait, Fairy Liuli told Li Muyang about the origins of those strange and evil entities. However, to Li Muyang, an ¡°experiencer¡± himself, her words stirred complex emotions. Black Cloud Village... a forbidden zone for life? Harboring great horrors? Although Black Cloud Village was indeed a bit eerie, the terms she added seemed a bit off the mark. The nearest mortal town to Black Cloud Village was only fifty li away. Country peddlers would often come to Black Cloud Village to sell their wares, attracting a crowd of mischievous kids each time. When Xiao Yecao was young, Li Muyang had often spent money at those country peddlers¡¯ stalls. If it weren¡¯t for the many evil spirits suppressed under the ancestral temple and the scheming demon cultivators like the Temple Seal Lord, Black Cloud Village would seem like a peaceful haven, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world. But as with any legend, the stories tend to become more exaggerated as they spread. Not to mention there was a period of blankness in human history after the dark ages. Even Master Qingye, with his high cultivation, could only speculate about the conditions during ancient times based on clues from ancient texts. Li Muyang did not correct Fairy Liuli¡¯s mistakes but quietly listened to the fairy¡¯s narration. ¡°...The Ancient Grudge Well is said to be the source of all evil spirits. It is rumored that the well is located near the once Black Cloud Village and all the evil spirits in the world have crawled out from it.¡± ¡°If the Ancient Grudge Well could be sealed, perhaps it would cleanse the world of evil spirits, protect the myriad living beings, and prevent them from being disturbed by evil entities.¡± Under the moonlight, Fairy Liuli spoke softly of such matters. In her eyes, a bright light flickered. To strive for such a noble mission and to have the opportunity to fulfill such a grand aspiration filled Fairy Liuli with joy and anticipation, yet she was also uneasy. Li Muyang glanced at her and asked, ¡°If the Ancient Grudge Well is of such great importance, why not invite your master, Master Qingye, to come in person?¡± ¡°With his presence, it would surely be more secure, right?¡± The path to true immortality for cultivators was severed after the dark ages. Even the exalted ones of the Purple Mansion could hardly live beyond five hundred years. That¡¯s why this era is called a desperate age of the Dharma¡¯s decline. Yet Master Qingye has lived for over a thousand years... Li Muyang was curious, could it be that beyond the sea of mist, in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, a true immortal of the mortal world had emerged? We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 161 The path to immortality is severed, and the Dharma-ending catastrophe is common knowledge among cultivators. After the dark ages, the gods perished, and immortals vanished, leaving no one able to cultivate beyond the Purple Mansion realm. Eternal life has become a legend. However, in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, there emerged a Master Qingye who has lived for over a thousand years... Li Muyang was very eager to meet this Master Qingye to see if he had truly attained immortality. Living for more than a thousand years without dying is like a myth in this Dharma-ending era. Anyone would be curious¡ªcould it be that the path to immortality in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty has not been cut off? But when Li Muyang asked, Fairy Liuli sighed and shook her head gently. ¡°Master said that evil spirits restrain cultivators, they are the bane of our kind.¡± ¡°The higher the cultivation, the stronger the restraint.¡± ¡°If he were to come to Lijiang in person, I¡¯m afraid all the evil gods within the Ancient Grudge Well would riot.¡± ¡°At that time, if the situation gets out of control and the evil gods invade the human world, it would be a disaster.¡± ¡°Therefore, for this operation, we can only rely on the Demon-Suppressing Master from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.¡± ¡°Lord Wuming...¡± Fairy Liuli spoke softly, looking at Li Muyang: ¡°For the upcoming operation, we should remain as observers and not get too involved in the battle.¡± ¡°The Ancient Grudge Well is unpredictable and dangerous; legend has it that it is another world of evil beings, with many ancient evil gods lying dormant.¡± ¡°Our goal is to seal the Ancient Grudge Well, preventing the evil beings within from continuing to emerge and harm the world.¡± Fairy Liuli reminded him, seemingly worried that Li Muyang would act recklessly and get harmed by the evil beings. Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°Understood, thank you for the reminder, fairy.¡± Just hanging back and observing to clear the level? This is a high-difficulty system game. Where in the world is there such a good thing? He was definitely going to take action himself this time. But of course, there was no need to explain this to Fairy Liuli. He and Fairy Liuli stood and sat on the rooftop of the Lijiang County government office, waiting for the arrival of a first-class sorcerer. Soon, under the night sky, four streaks of light flew towards them. The four beams of light, trailing long tails, streaked across the night sky like shooting stars, quickly descending into the courtyard of the Lijiang County government office. The so-called four sorcerers of Ma Wang Chen Min appeared before Li Muyang. Three men and one woman, all exuding an unsettling and awe-inspiring aura. Li Muyang subconsciously frowned. ¡¾Ma Zhongyao¡¿, ¡¾Wang Zifu¡¿, ¡¾Chen Tai¡¯a¡¿, ¡¾Ming Yuanjing¡¿. The four Demon-Suppressing Masters landed in the courtyard, wearing the white divine robes of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, with extraordinary auras and stern expressions. Li Muyang still led the way with the blood pupils, with the other five protecting him from behind. The six descended to the bottom of the sinkhole and walked towards the pitch-black cavern ahead. It was a natural cave, about a zhang high at the entrance, with a cold aura emanating from within. Upon entering the cave, the ground was slippery and muddy, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling constantly dripping water. The entire cave was mired in mud. Fortunately, everyone was capable of flight, directly levitating and heading towards the depths of the cavern. At first, the interior of the cave was vast and deep. However, the further in they went, the narrower the path became. There were even several places where they had to fly to enter the higher cave openings. Flying to the end, the cavern where the six of them were became narrower and narrower. Until they could no longer fly and had to squat on the ground, squeezing their way forward without regard for appearances. The Blood Pupil in Li Muyang¡¯s hand was still spinning, indicating the direction ahead. The path was so difficult that even Li Muyang began to doubt whether they had found the right place, when suddenly a faint mist surged through the narrow tunnel. ¡¾You have entered the Ancient Grudge Well¡¿ ¡¾Carry the blood pupils into the Ancient Grudge Well¨CCompleted¡¿ ¡¾New Task¨CPlease find the General in the Ancient Grudge Well¡¿ The system notifications that popped up in his field of vision surprised Li Muyang. Had they actually found the right place? Why was the entrance to the Ancient Grudge Well so peculiar? He quickly turned around, intending to speak to the people following him. However, when he turned around, Li Muyang was stunned. The tunnel behind him was empty; Fairy Liuli and the other four Demon-Suppressing Masters were nowhere to be seen. The six of them had been squeezing through the same narrow tunnel, but now only Li Muyang was left. ¡°Could it be that the Blood Pupil can only bring one person in?¡± Li Muyang wondered to himself. Could it be that he had to start playing solo again? Li Muyang walked on for a while, and suddenly the space in the tunnel expanded, and he no longer had to squat. At the same time, the mist in the air dissipated, and Li Muyang saw that he was standing amidst crisscrossing ridges. In the distance, houses stood in an orderly fashion, intersected by paths, clearly a quiet little village. We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome! Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw Chapter 162 The afterglow of the setting sun fell on Li Muyang. He stood between the ridges, watching the tranquil little mountain village, and subconsciously activated his Spiritual Vision Eye. An illusion? Or something else? Why did he see a small mountain village instead of ancient gods or terrifying creatures after entering the Ancient Grudge Well? However, after activating the Spiritual Vision Eye, the scene before him did not change at all. It was still the quiet little mountain village, still the idyllic paradise with orderly houses and paths. Li Muyang was somewhat baffled¡ªhad he accidentally stumbled into a hidden utopia? Where were the promised evil spirits? As Li Muyang was surprised, a figure in green clothes silently appeared behind him. Chu Qingxue, carrying an immortal sword made of glaze, appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡°Lord Wuming?¡± At the moment of their encounter, Chu Qingxue breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°I thought you had disappeared too.¡± Fairy Liuli¡¯s words stirred something in Li Muyang, reminding him of the scene in the tunnel just before. Could it be that Fairy Liuli, too, had been left alone while walking? After exchanging information, they indeed found that their experiences were consistent. After the mist appeared, they suddenly found themselves alone in the tunnel, losing track of the others. Fortunately, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli were reunited after leaving the tunnel. However, they waited in place for a long time but did not see the four Demon-Suppressing Masters from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau appear. ¡°...Could it be that the four Demon-Suppressing Masters saw something was wrong and exited directly?¡± Li Muyang murmured in surprise. Fairy Liuli bit her lip: ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have. The four first-rank Demon-Suppressing Masters are all heroes who are not afraid of hardship and never give up; they wouldn¡¯t retreat.¡± ? But even as she said this, Fairy Liuli clearly lacked confidence. After waiting a bit longer, Li Muyang suggested, ¡°Shall we go into the village to look for the General?¡± Li Muyang opened his palm, and the two Blood Pupils in his hand had already calmed down, no longer spinning. Having brought Li Muyang and his companion to their destination, the Blood Pupils had lost their power. Li Muyang put away the Blood Pupils and walked towards the village ahead. Fairy Liuli hesitated for a moment but followed. ¡°If this place really is the Ancient Grudge Well, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s full of evil creatures...¡± The two of them cautiously approached the small mountain village, alert to any possible attacks. After entering the village, they saw roosters crowing and yellow dogs running around, a scene of harmony and tranquility. The villagers were astonished to see the two of them approaching. ¡°From where do the two immortals come?¡± All the villagers had pale yellow neutral health bars, and for a moment, Li Muyang¡¯s vision was filled with yellow¡ª¡ªordinary mortals wouldn¡¯t have health bars. Surprised to find that all these villagers had health bars, Li Muyang kept his composure. Fortunately, aside from not being able to fly, their cultivation powers were not sealed. Li Muyang tried and confirmed that he indeed couldn¡¯t fly using light escape, but his cultivation was still intact. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to walk to Red Ridge Mountain.¡± According to the distance given by the old village chief, it wouldn¡¯t take long for them to reach Red Ridge Mountain on foot. As the last ray of sunset fell from the horizon in the distance, the land was plunged into complete darkness. There were no clouds in the night sky, yet the two of them still couldn¡¯t see any stars or the moon. There was no starry sky here, only an endless pitch-black darkness. Li Muyang and his companion ran through the darkness at an extreme speed. However, suddenly, a long red blood bar appeared in their field of vision. ¡¾Spirit Medium¡¿ This blood bar appeared abruptly in the darkness, and before Li Muyang and his companion could react, they collided with it. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...Huh?¡± Li Muyang, whose vision had suddenly gone black, was confused. He didn¡¯t even see what happened before he died. But the blood bar he saw before dying was definitely that of a Spirit Medium. That thing must be one of the evil gods under Black Cloud Village, right? What happened to there being no evil spirits in this world? Old village chief, you¡¯ve tricked me! Li Muyang reloaded the save and once again entered the dark land. He and Fairy Liuli ran through the darkness, with Li Muyang activating the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, causing the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel to release a dazzling blue light that followed them like a giant glowing ball. Under the radiant blue light, the darkness within a ten-zhang radius turned into a shimmering blue. This time, Li Muyang could finally see clearly. In the void ahead, a sinister and silent shadow emerged. ¡¾Spirit Medium¡¿ The grotesque head, covered in arms and legs, appeared crying from the darkness. The moment their six eyes met, Li Muyang fell silent. It really was a Spirit Medium... Damn it! Was this truly a land inhabited by evil gods? It wasn¡¯t the projection seen in the third stage of Black Cloud Village, nor the void incarnation seen in Lijiang County, but the genuine Spirit Medium! A real ancient times evil god! In this dark land, ancient times evil gods were active! Chapter 163 In the darkness, there was a moment of silence. After the huge head covered in arms and legs emerged from the darkness, Li Muyang immediately grabbed Fairy Liuli, warning her not to approach. The creature before them was eerie and terrifying, with a crying head covered in disordered arms and legs, resembling an ugly and disgusting human spider. Just the sight of it was enough to make one feel physically ill. Fairy Liuli instinctively wanted to draw her sword. However, when the immortal sword¡¯s light swept out, it passed straight through the strange Spirit Medium without causing any harm. Instead, the crying head began to wail and shake violently. The next second, the surrounding darkness engulfed Li Muyang and his companion, and the blue light from the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel was instantly extinguished. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ The moment the blue light disappeared, Li Muyang saw with his own eyes the bizarre arms and legs on the Spirit Medium¡¯s head suddenly stretch out, sweeping towards him like a storm. ¡°...Is the Spirit Medium really that strong?¡± Li Muyang muttered to himself in surprise as he was forcibly returned to reality. Previously, in the third stage of ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·, the Spirit Medium had always avoided him. Among the group of bizarre and strange evil gods, the Spirit Medium wasn¡¯t noticeable, and Granny Gu had even chopped off one of its legs. Li Muyang had thought this creature was weak. Who would have thought it would be so formidable? Even Fairy Liuli¡¯s strike with the immortal sword couldn¡¯t harm it in the slightest. Such a strange ability was truly terrifying. Li Muyang pondered for a moment and then re-entered the game. In ¡¶The Call of the Mountains¡·, Li Muyang hadn¡¯t used Jiang Xiaoyu¡¯s character card, and Constable Wuming hadn¡¯t eaten the Spirit Medium¡¯s Leg Bone. Therefore, facing Constable Wuming, the Spirit Medium struck with full force. Considering the opponent¡¯s strange abilities, Li Muyang decided to avoid this creature. After reloading the save, he and Fairy Liuli ran through the darkness for a while, and after estimating the time, Li Muyang led Fairy Liuli to take a detour, trying to bypass the area where the Spirit Medium was known to lurk. However, after detouring for at least twenty li, they were already in a different direction. This time, it wasn¡¯t the Spirit Medium that appeared. At the moment when the evil spirits descended in the darkness, a blood-red health bar emerged from the shadows. ¡¾Living God¡¿ A blood-red sedan chair flashed and disappeared into the darkness. The eerie crimson tide, like a sea of blood, overwhelmed everything. Li Muyang and Chu Qingxue tried to resist, but the sword light and spinning wheels they released only shone for an instant in the darkness before being engulfed by the sea of blood. After all, when the evil gods corrupted and poisoned living beings, they didn¡¯t care whether you were of the immortal or demonic path. Thinking about the purpose of these Purple Mansion big shots forming the group, which seemed to be related to the impending destruction of the world, they appeared to be trying to save themselves... Hmm... This seemed promising. Li Muyang sat on the couch and pondered for a while. Instead of continuing the game, he opened the chat group. ¡¾Blue Star III: Does anyone know the legend of the Ancient Grudge Well?¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: I have personally ventured into the Ancient Grudge Well and witnessed the terrifying sights within. Isn¡¯t anyone curious about what lies beneath it?¡¿ Li Muyang sent these two messages repeatedly in the group. He knew that although all the big shots had logged off, they could sense the activity in the group. The last time Ziwei Heng logged on and spoke with Li Muyang for a while, the commotion had alerted everyone else. Sure enough, after Li Muyang sent the messages six times, the avatars of the group members lit up. ¡¾Blue Star III: I have personally ventured into the Ancient Grudge Well. Isn¡¯t anyone curious about what lies beneath it?¡¿ After Li Muyang sent this message again, there was an immediate response in the chat group. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: ???¡¿ ¡¾Big Dipper Star IX: ???¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: ???¡¿ A series of question marks appeared in the chat group. Then came Heart Star VI. ¡¾Heart Star VI: The Ancient Grudge Well is nothing but baseless talk. Blue Star III, you make a fool of yourself by trying to deceive us with such tales.¡¿ Li Muyang chuckled. ¡¾Blue Star III: Don¡¯t believe it? I¡¯ll show you some evidence.¡¿ With that, Li Muyang opened the game and loaded the save file. This time, at the moment when Fairy Liuli encountered the evil god, Li Muyang activated the game¡¯s screenshot mode and took a picture. He then exported the image from the system and sent it to the chat group. ¨CIt¡¯s all a game system, so having a screenshot feature makes sense. It¡¯s just that Li Muyang had never used it before, being too busy with clearing levels. It¡¯s not a game for pulling out CGs, so why collect them? This was Li Muyang¡¯s first time using the game¡¯s screenshot feature. However, after this image was sent to the chat group, the group exploded. A string of question marks appeared behind everyone¡¯s avatars. Chapter 164 ¡¾Fighter Star VII: Blue Star III, how did you do this? What is this thing!¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Is this your painting? Why does it feel so realistic?¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: ...Is this a divine power of Blue Star III? Projecting the scenes seen by your eyes into a painting for us to see?¡¿ In the dark space, everyone looked at the image floating above them, all with expressions of shock. The scene in the painting was a dark land. In this dark land, a blood-red sedan chair floated out of the darkness. The four evil beings carrying the sedan had sharp, sinister smiles, and the evil god inside the sedan was even more terrifying and unpredictable. Even though it was just a projected image, everyone who saw the evil god in the sedan felt a terrifying aura pulling at them. It was as if their souls were about to be tainted. The most eccentric Ghost Star VII immediately got ruffled. ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Get rid of this horrifying thing quickly! You¡¯re going to get us all corrupted!¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: This is a true ancient evil deity! You! How dare you project its image? Take it down, take it down immediately!¡¿ As a big shot of Purple Mansion, Ghost Star VII was startled at this moment. Only after Li Muyang withdrew the image did the emotions of this group of Purple Mansion powerhouses calm down a bit. ¡¾Heart Star VI: Blue Star III, are you... are you dead now? Corrupted by the evil deity?¡¿ ¡¾Big Dipper Star IX: Heart Star, what nonsense are you talking about? If he were corrupted by the evil deity and dead, could he still talk to us? He would have already come over and dragged us down with him¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: I¡¯ve said it before, Blue Star III is up to no good, right? We should find him and take him out early to prevent him from endangering us¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: ...¡¿ Li Muyang was somewhat speechless as he watched the conversation in the chat group. It¡¯s just a game screenshot, why are you all overreacting? I faced the Living God in the game myself and didn¡¯t have any strange reactions. You all are acting like it¡¯s the end of the world... It¡¯s quite unbecoming for you Purple Mansion big shots! Li Muyang said helplessly. ¡¾Blue Star III: Esteemed lords, would I use such a lowly method if I wanted to harm you?¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: I simply wanted to show you the evidence, weren¡¯t you questioning the existence of the Ancient Grudge Well?¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: Now, not only have I found the Ancient Grudge Well, but I have also personally entered it. Do you have any questions?¡¿ Even though they were just projections, the strange and terrifying aura was still clearly conveyed to everyone¡¯s perception. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: ...Blue Star III, what are you doing?¡¿ Cold sweat dripped from the foreheads of each Purple Mansion powerhouse. Even Dangerous Star I, who had always been hostile towards Li Muyang, softened his tone subconsciously. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Let¡¯s discuss this calmly, no need to be agitated¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: ...Can you withdraw these projections of the evil deities first?¡¿ In the dark space, everyone tensed up, uncertain and wary. Surrounded by the seven projections of the evil deities floating in the darkness, no one dared to move. They faintly felt the pull of their vital energies, a trait only high-level beings possess. The beings in these seven projected images were all ancient evil deities... Although the mere pull of vital energies wouldn¡¯t result in corruption by the evil deities, but there were too many of these deity projections! No one had ever faced so many projections of evil deities at once, and no one knew what the consequences might be, so everyone was cautious and stiff. Seeing the reaction of the Purple Mansion powerhouses, Li Muyang obediently withdrew all the game screenshots. After all, his goal was just to show them a glimpse and prove his words were true. Now that everyone had seen them, his objective was achieved. ¡¾Blue Star III: I was just afraid that you wouldn¡¯t believe me, so I showed you some evidence¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: I casually walked around inside and saw so many ancient evil deities, and these aren¡¯t even the strongest ones¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: If you still don¡¯t believe me, I can show you something even more powerful¡¿ As soon as Li Muyang said this, a series of persuasive messages popped up in the chat group. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: That won¡¯t be necessary!¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: Enough, enough! We¡¯ve seen plenty! We believe you!¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Blue Star III, please stop showing off your powers! Throwing out so many terrifying projections is too much for our hearts to handle¡¿ ¡¾Big Dipper Star VII: It¡¯s a pity that North Star didn¡¯t see this thrilling scene. It would have been very interesting¡¿ Seeing that everyone in the chat group finally believed him, a smile appeared on Li Muyang¡¯s face. For some reason, seeing these Purple Mansion big shots scared and reacting so intensely, he suddenly felt the pressure lift. Indeed, bad news should be shared with everyone. Hahaha... Chapter 165 Watching the replies in the chat group and confirming that everyone believed him, Li Muyang continued to speak. ¡¾Blue Star III: So, are any lords interested in coming to the Ancient Grudge Well to slay the evil deities?¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: If these evil deities continue to be left unchecked, they will inevitably bring disaster and suffering to the world¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: Perhaps after their return to the mortal realm, they might reenact the terrifying disaster of the gods¡¯ extinction and the severance of the path of cultivation that occurred in ancient times.¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: Why not strike first while they have not yet become a calamity? We could infiltrate the Ancient Grudge Well and defeat these evil deities one by one. It would be a great merit that benefits future generations!¡¿ Li Muyang spoke these inspiring words. However, after he finished speaking, the group fell into silence. It took a while before someone spoke up. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: ...I just remembered that my magical instrument is still being refined, and I can¡¯t leave it for too long. Friends, let¡¯s part for today and reconvene another time.¡¿ After saying this, the avatar of Dangerous Star I turned gray. ¡¾Heart Star VI: I must go to assassinate Master Qingye. This assassination is fraught with peril, with nine deaths and one life. If I¡¯m lucky enough to survive, I¡¯ll discuss the important matters with you all again.¡¿ The avatar of Heart Star also dimmed. Then, the remaining people in the group all logged off, leaving only Li Muyang. Seeing how decisively the Purple Mansion bigshots had run, Li Muyang clicked his tongue. ¡°...Even the Purple Mansion bigshots are chickening out huh.¡± But it wasn¡¯t surprising. The evil deities of ancient times were legendary for their unpredictable and bizarre nature, so it was not strange that the Purple Mansion bigshots were wary. Not to mention that Li Muyang, the provider of the information, had yet to earn the trust of these bigshots. They were guarded against Li Muyang. Now that Li Muyang had revealed the whereabouts of the ancient times evil deities, these Purple Mansion bigshots were probably even more nervous about him. But for the time being, it didn¡¯t matter. Li Muyang was certain that once the news about the Ancient Grudge Well was confirmed by everyone, these Purple Mansion bigshots definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep tonight. That is if they even needed sleep. Haha... Li Muyang chuckled twice, shook his head, and closed the system. Indeed, after sharing the bad news, the pressure didn¡¯t feel as heavy. Even if those evil deities really did escape, with the Purple Mansion bigshots in front, Li Muyang was sure he wouldn¡¯t be the first to die. Now, he felt relaxed and his anxiety had dissipated. ¡°So we¡¯re here... not just going through the motions?¡± Li Yuechan nodded and whispered, ¡°Not very clear, but it¡¯s definitely not just for show. The team is led by Senior Brother Cheng...¡± Li Yuechan gestured with her eyes toward the aloof young man ahead. Li Muyang immediately understood; ¡°Got it.¡± Senior Brother Cheng loved to show off, was aloof, and took his work seriously. If it were just for show, there would be no need for him to make an appearance. Tonight, it seemed that the young master was in for a tough time. Li Muyang followed at the end of the line as the group arrived at the prison in Tianjiao City and presented their identity tokens. They were then welcomed by the prison guards and led into the depths of the dark jail, where they saw the young master of Chaotic Souls Valley. ¡°Hehe... The white-robed pups of the Demon Refining Sect have come. Are you from the Demonic Sect¡¯s main gate?¡± In the darkness, the disheveled woman sneered coldly at Li Muyang and the others, ¡°Are you here to release me from prison?¡± Seeing the disheveled woman, Li Muyang was taken aback. The young master of Chaotic Souls Valley... was a woman? She seemed a bit mad. ...... And that night, indeed, the young master had a rough time. Senior Brother Cheng, with eyes colder than hers, ordered her to be dragged from the cell into the torture chamber without asking a single question, and then they began to torture her for an hour. At first, the woman cursed loudly, but even cultivators could hardly bear the cruel torture of the Demonic Sect. In the end, with a bloodied face, she glared at everyone with anger and resentment, cursing them.¡±What the hell do you want to ask? Just f*cking ask!¡± The woman was furious. But Cheng Feiyang, dressed in white, looked at her emotionlessly and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to ask you anything.¡± After speaking, Cheng Feiyang gestured to Li Muyang. ¡°Continue the torture.¡± At that moment, the air in the dungeon seemed to freeze. The woman on the torture rack had a frozen look in her eyes. Then came another round of piercing screams and curses filled with resentment... Chapter 166 ¡°Senior Brother Cheng is really ruthless...¡± At dawn, the sky began to lighten with the pale color of fish bellies. The inner disciples, all dressed in white, started to leave the prison one by one. Li Muyang, breathing in the fresh air to dispel the stench of blood, clicked his tongue in amazement. The young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley had been tortured all night long. Senior Brother Cheng clearly came prepared. He brought many torture instruments from the Hall of Enforcement specifically designed for cultivators. These instruments from the sect¡¯s headquarters were much more professional than those found in Tianjiao City. At first, the young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley could still curse and swear viciously. But as the night wore on, the curses of this madwoman became much quieter, and her eyes changed. Gone was her initial defiance. She seemed unable to understand why the Demon Refining Sect would send disciples in white to torment her. Shouldn¡¯t they be preparing to release her by now? Even if the negotiations were not yet settled, there was no need to specifically torture her... Truth be told, not only was she unable to understand, but Li Muyang also found it strange. Walking at the end of the group, Li Muyang conversed with his little sister through a secret voice transmission. ¡°...Senior Brother Cheng is really ruthless, a man of few words indeed.¡± Thinking back to the tortures applied last night, Li Muyang still felt his scalp tingle. Li Yuechan glanced ahead and whispered back through voice transmission. ¡°It¡¯s said that there have been signs of Blood Lotus Sect activities in the city recently, which might be related to Chaotic Souls Valley. Before the valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley came to Tianjiao City, he had met with people from the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± ¡°It was initially thought to be a trivial matter, but the sect¡¯s reaction has been strong. It looks like this young valley master won¡¯t be leaving anytime soon.¡± Li Yuechan whispered, ¡°I suspect that last night¡¯s torture was a warning signal specifically for Chaotic Souls Valley, telling them to stay away from the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± As expected, little sister was well-informed and immediately provided Li Muyang with new intelligence. Li Muyang blinked, ¡°Blood Lotus Sect?¡± He had heard of these madmen, a group of rabid dogs that everyone in the cultivation world wanted to eliminate. Whether it was the righteous path or the demonic path, all cultivators kept their distance from the madmen of the Blood Lotus Sect. The core doctrine of the Blood Lotus Sect was to cleanse the world and eradicate all cultivators. Their doctrine believed that the reason for disasters, wars, pain, and death in the world was that cultivators defied the heavens, angering the gods, and thus the gods sent down calamities to punish humanity. If all cultivators were eliminated, pleasing the heavens, then the gods would not send down calamities, and there would be no more disasters, wars, aging, sickness, and death. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to show off. It was just that the system¡¯s skill was indeed irrational and inexplicable. So Li Muyang played it mysterious, leading Fairy Liuli to continue rushing through the darkness. Fortunately, Fairy Liuli was not the type to pry, and seeing that Li Muyang did not intend to explain, she kept quiet. Li Muyang¡¯s Hidden Sword in the Belly flying sword skill had a 100% hit rate and a 50% chance of instant death. It had not shown its power in the Loushan City instance since there were only minor monsters there. But in the Ancient Grudge Well, filled with evil gods, the terror of Hidden Sword in the Belly became evident. All the beings here were evil god bosses, each capable of instantly killing Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli. But with the overpowered skill of Hidden Sword in the Belly, Li Muyang could also kill evil gods¡ªalthough the instant kill chance was only 50%.But at last, there was a way to fight against these evil gods. After Li Muyang successfully defeated the Living God, he saved the game and continued forward with Fairy Liuli. Soon, another terrifying health bar emerged from the darkness. ¡¾Dreamweaver¡¿ The moment Li Muyang saw the health bar, he didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately spat out a flying sword. But a dense web of spider silk came at him from all directions, and this time the flying sword didn¡¯t trigger instant death, only inflicting a -11 damage number above the evil god¡¯s head. The next second, Li Muyang¡¯s vision went dark, and he was forcibly ejected from the game. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...well, it didn¡¯t trigger this time.¡± Li Muyang shook his head, reloaded the save, and re-entered the game. Facing the Dreamweaver again, Li Muyang still launched the flying sword. However, the chance of instant death still did not occur, and he was killed instantly by the evil god. Li Muyang, refusing to believe in bad luck, reloaded the save and entered the game for the third time, only to be instantly killed by the Dreamweaver again. ¡°Three consecutive failures to trigger instant death, with a fifty percent chance... am I really that unlucky?¡± Li Muyang, speechless, once again unleashed the flying sword skill and attacked the Dreamweaver. This time, instant death finally triggered. The Dreamweaver fell down and turned into sludge in the darkness. But it took four attempts with the flying sword to trigger instant death, a rate that still made Li Muyang complain. ¡°I get it, this flying sword is meant for those with incredible luck.¡± Li Muyang covered his face in dismay and muttered to himself, ¡°No justice for the unlucky ones, huh.¡± Chapter 167 In the inn¡¯s room, Li Muyang kept entering the game, only to be ejected over and over. The number of failures had almost numbed him. Now, the speed at which he exited and re-entered the game was astonishingly fast. But the Red Ridge Mountain is still far away. In the dark land, countless evil gods roamed. As Li Muyang moved forward, he would encounter a strange evil god. These evil gods weren¡¯t deliberately blocking Li Muyang. They were just wandering in the darkness and happened to run into him. Li Muyang gained a deeper understanding of the dangers of this dark land. The frequency of the evil gods¡¯ appearances was outrageous. No wonder the system recommended using Wuming¡¯s character card. Who else would have the ability to instantly kill evil gods? Li Muyang continued to move forward in the darkness, his flying sword tearing through the dark and slaying evil gods. However, the problem was that each evil god could also easily kill Li Muyang. But Li Muyang¡¯s flying sword had a 50% chance of failing to insta-kill. And it was a 50% chance each time he used the flying sword, with no guaranteed success. If he was unlucky, he might fail to trigger it several times in a row. If the instant death didn¡¯t trigger, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli would be instantly killed by the evil god. And even if instant death did trigger, sometimes the evil god¡¯s abilities were so terrifying that they could take Li Muyang down with them before dying. There were even evil gods that the instant death flying sword couldn¡¯t affect, such as those with multiple lives or the ability to resurrect after death. Li Muyang could only avoid them. This cycle of dying, reloading, dying, and reloading went on for an entire day. He struggled through the darkness, relying on saving the game to finally ¡°kill¡± twenty-seven evil gods. It was a remarkable feat. However, there was still a long way to go to reach the Red Ridge Mountains. When Li Muyang had slain more than thirty evil gods, a cold wind suddenly swept across the dark land. Then the dark sky violently split open, and a blood-red light spread across the land. Everyone standing on this land looked up to see the darkness above split in two, revealing a huge blood-red eyeball writhing and watching Li Muyang. Li Muyang whispered to Fairy Liuli, sharing his discovery. The old village chief¡¯s advice to stay overnight and not to travel at night was like a guiding light! As long as one doesn¡¯t leave the town at night, there¡¯s no danger at all. Fairy Liuli also realized that the town was a safe zone, and the evil gods roaming the wilderness didn¡¯t come near these townsfolk. There was a hint of confusion in her eyes. ¡°But why don¡¯t the evil gods approach these villages and towns? Could these villagers have some kind of miraculous power?¡± This was a question that both of them couldn¡¯t figure out. Why are there so many evil deities wandering in the wilderness, but they specifically avoid places where the living congregate? Are the living beings in this Ancient Grudge Well truly alive? Li Muyang, testing the waters, cast Dharma-Annihilation Wheel on a sleeping couple. A flash of blue light disappeared into the darkness, but this time the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel failed to instantly kill the couple. As the Wheel approached, the couple who had been sleeping peacefully on the bed suddenly leaped up, their bodies transforming into two grotesque and ferocious evil beings. They roared and shrieked, launching an attack on Li Muyang. The health bars above their heads changed from the pale yellow of neutral creatures to a threatening blood red. With a single sword strike, Fairy Liuli¡¯s Sword Qi, several meters wide, turned both evil beings and the house into ash. In the darkness, the two exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is this entire town filled with evil beings?¡± Fairy Liuli was somewhat shocked, yet it felt somewhat expected. After all, what else could the creatures living in the same world as the evil gods be if not evil beings? Li Muyang was shocked by something else¡ªduring the day, he had tested the villagers and the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel had easily killed them without any transformation. But why did these villagers turn into evil beings when attacked at night? Or was it that the previous village had normal people, and this town was entirely evil beings? While Li Muyang was still pondering, the quiet town suddenly became restless. The commotion from their fight with the evil beings seemed to have awakened the entire town¡¯s populace. One after another, terrifying figures leaped out from the darkness; all the townsfolk who had been sleeping quietly were now roaring as they pounced toward Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli. Under the faint blue glow of the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, a sea of blood-red health bars surged over, quickly drowning out all the light in the darkness. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ Chapter 168 Facing the villagers turned evil beings, Li Muyang unsurprisingly died again. Although the evil beings that the villagers had become were weak, there were too many of them. They surged like a tidal wave, and he and Fairy Liuli were quickly overwhelmed. ¡°Indeed, there can¡¯t be any real living people in this Ancient Grudge Well!¡± Li Muyang sighed softly, reloading the game once more. This time, he did not attack the sleeping villagers of the town but stood quietly with Fairy Liuli, waiting. In the quiet town, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli seemed to merge with the darkness, making no sound at all. Until the first ray of sunlight pierced the darkness, the quiet town came back to life with activity. The villagers, carrying pale yellow health bars, gradually appeared on the streets of the town. They smiled simply and talked in gentle tones. Seeing Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli, the outsiders, the townsfolk only gave them a few curious glances without paying too much attention. The residents of the town, after all, were more worldly than the villagers and did not surround the two visitors. Fairy Liuli frowned, watching the villagers without letting her guard down. Li Muyang, on the other hand, released his flying sword, attacking the couple still sleeping in the nearby house. Yet, the same couple that had transformed into grotesque evil beings when attacked the previous night now lay on the bed, unaware as they were ground to pieces by the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel under the sunlight. ¡°...I see. They are living people during the day, but at night they turn into evil beings.¡± At that moment, Li Muyang finally grasped the nature of this world. ¡°But if they are killed during the day, will the corpses still turn into evil beings at night?¡± Under Fairy Liuli¡¯s astonished gaze, Li Muyang took her and fled the town, avoiding the denunciation and pursuit of the villagers. Later, wandering in the wilderness, they waited for nightfall before returning to the town. Outside the courtyard of the couple, the townsfolk had dispersed, leaving only two bodies covered with white cloths lying quietly in the courtyard. A yellow dog tied next to the bodies didn¡¯t dare to make any noise as Li Muyang, a stranger, approached. All the livestock in the town became deathly silent at night, even the noisiest chickens and ducks maintained their silence. Li Muyang stood in the shadows, watching the sunset on the horizon gradually fade until darkness completely engulfed the world. Suddenly, a cold breeze swept through, and the two bodies covered with white cloths in the courtyard slowly stood up. But now, they had turned into grotesque evil beings, no longer resembling living people. Under the astonished gaze of Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli, these two evil beings, with stiff movements, walked towards the wilderness outside the town and disappeared into the darkness. During the day, they are ordinary people living peaceful and good lives. Yet at night, they mutate into malevolent beings, attacking any living person who comes near. These malevolent beings have no idea that they are such. They still think they are alive, and when they see their friends and family killed and their bodies disappearing, they even think of reporting it to the authorities. All these things, how different are they from the mortals of the outside world? To Li Muyang at this moment, a group of malevolent beings unaware of their own nature seemed to evoke a sense of black terror and inexplicable horror. Upon hearing Li Muyang¡¯s explanation, Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes trembled slightly: ¡°Is this world... so terrifying?!¡± Having fought side by side with Li Muyang on multiple occasions and witnessed his seemingly prophetic abilities time and again, Fairy Liuli clearly had no doubt about Li Muyang¡¯s words. Even without any evidence from Li Muyang, she already believed him. ¡°This Ancient Grudge Well is indeed the source of evil spirits and the nest of calamity...¡± Fairy Liuli looked back at the small town, her eyes reflecting a profound complexity. A group of beings who are malevolent yet consider themselves ordinary people, living life like everyone else, such a world is too eerie and unsettling. Fairy Liuli murmured to herself: ¡°Why would General Zhong hide in such a world? Could it be that the corruption of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty¡¯s court is so severe that he would rather hide in such an evil world than stay?¡± Li Muyang narrowed his eyes, looking at the mountains ahead, and said: ¡°Perhaps all this will only become clear after we meet General Zhong.¡± He was now curious about what the game ¡®The Call of the Mountains¡¯ was really about. And how did General Zhong manage to enter the Ancient Grudge Well? Li Muyang had the guidance of his blood pupils, but what about General Zhong? How did he get in? The games provided by the system so far have been quite similar in essence. To save or to prevent some impending disaster. Previous games had been like this. The mystery of Loushan City to save Fairy Liuli, to stop the Blood Demon Sect from causing harm, Deadly Weed to save Xiao Yecao, Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record to save the Dragon Deity Fairy... so what does The Call of the Mountains aim to save or prevent? It surely can¡¯t be about saving the suffering beings in the darkness... It¡¯s not that Li Muyang doubts the system¡¯s capabilities, but so far, the system doesn¡¯t seem to have the ability to massively interfere with and rewrite reality. The system¡¯s interference with reality all relies on Li Muyang as a medium. What Li Muyang can¡¯t do, the system can¡¯t do either. And Li Muyang¡¯s game character card, Constable Wuming, may be good at killing evil gods, but saving beings? ...Let¡¯s stick to discussing killing evil gods. Chapter 169 Walking through the eerie world beneath the Ancient Grudge Well, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli slowed down their pace and no longer rushed on their way. Normally, it would take them no more than two days to reach Red Ridge Mountain at their speed. But after slowing down, they took much longer. During the day, they walked through the mountains and wandered through the towns, observing the local customs and interacting with every villager they encountered, inquiring about the various details of this world. Then they meticulously recorded everything they saw and heard on paper, amassing a thick stack of documents. This was Li Muyang¡¯s suggestion. Li Muyang was well aware that the main storyline of this game was to find General Zhong. Once General Zhong was found, it would probably be the final chapter of the game. Once the game was over, he would no longer be able to enter this game and experience everything in the Ancient Grudge Well. When the game ends, he and Fairy Liuli will most likely return to the real world. Before the game ends, the only thing Li Muyang can do is record everything he sees and hears so that Fairy Liuli can take it out in the future. Through this investigative report, the veil of the Ancient Grudge Well would be lifted to the world, revealing the truth within. As long as the truth of the Ancient Grudge Well was known, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Master, as well as Master Qingye, would at least be prepared for future actions against the Ancient Grudge Well. Li Muyang¡¯s proposal clearly took Fairy Liuli by surprise. She had originally planned to hurry to Red Ridge Mountain to find General Zhong and then flee this eerie world to report back to her master about the Ancient Grudge Well. ¡°Lord Wuming has such meticulous thoughts...¡± Under the midday sun, after Fairy Liuli finished writing down what Li Muyang had dictated, she said softly: ¡°If it were just Qingxue alone, she would never have thought to do all this.¡± Along the way, they stopped and went, conversing with the commoners and nobles of this world, learning a lot of things. The mysterious and unfathomable Ancient Grudge Well was gradually unveiling itself to them through these inquiries and conversations. Now, looking at the thick stack of documents in her hands, Chu Qingxue softly sighed. At this moment, she clearly understood the weight of these documents. The thin sheets of paper felt as heavy as mountains in her hands. The papers recorded not only the local customs of the world beneath the Ancient Grudge Well but also some of the titles and divine powers of the evil gods wandering in the darkness. Li Muyang scratched his head. He understood the implicit meaning in Fairy Liuli¡¯s words. She was clearly worried about his safety. But this high and cold fairy was always expressionless, her eyes showing neither joy nor anger as if all the mundane matters of the world could not shake her spirit. Throughout their journey, no matter how terrible the dangers they faced, even in those archives where they met with tragic deaths, Fairy Liuli remained calm even in the face of death. Fairy Liuli, who showed no emotional fluctuations even in the face of death... It was the first time he saw a look of worry and tension on her face. Li Muyang, surprised, scratched his head and asked, ¡°Fairy, are you worried about my safety?¡± Li Muyang blurted out the question. His rblunt behavior startled Fairy Liuli, and her eyes trembled. Chu Qingxue¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted, and she was stunned. She had not expected Li Muyang to be so blunt. At such a time, shouldn¡¯t he have understood her meaning and kept silent? Why ask directly... Fairy Liuli was stunned, her eyes vacant, as if she had lost her soul, and for a moment, she didn¡¯t know how to respond. But Li Muyang, seeing her react so intensely, couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Fairy Liuli seemed somewhat adorable with that shocked and dazed expression... ¡°Why such a big reaction, fairy?¡± Li Muyang said with amusement, ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s something shameful.¡± ¡°Is it really that hard for you to express your concern for my safety?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not strangers. After all, we¡¯ve been through life and death together for so long. Worrying about each other¡¯s safety is a very normal thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Just like how I worry about fairy¡¯s safety and can¡¯t bear to see you in danger.¡± Li Muyang said with a chuckle. After hearing his words, Fairy Liuli paused: ¡°It seems that way...¡± She came back to her senses. Indeed, worrying about the safety of a companion or friend was nothing to be ashamed of. But why did she suddenly feel shy about it when facing Lord Wuming... Fairy Liuli pondered the reason. Gradually, a blush crept silently onto the girl¡¯s cheeks. She suddenly lowered her head, not daring to look at the figure in front of her anymore. She seemed to understand something... Chapter 170 ¡°Phew... Finally, we¡¯ve arrived at Red Ridge Mountain.¡± Standing in front of the endless red mountain range, Li Muyang let out a long sigh of relief. They had traveled for many days, over a month in the game, and it had taken Li Muyang twenty days in reality. They stopped and went, observing the local customs of this world during the day, and at night, Li Muyang relied on the method of reading files to probe the supernatural methods of the evil gods. Now, having come all this way, the records in Fairy Liuli¡¯s Qiankun Ring were already a thick stack. Li Muyang suspected there were at least five or six hundred thousand words. With such a large amount of information, it should at least prepare that Master Qingye from the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, right? This Master Qingye was currently the strongest person Li Muyang knew of in this era. Having lived for over a thousand years, his cultivation dominated his era, and it was said that he had even slain an awakened ancient deity... Although cultivation flourished in Li Muyang¡¯s continent, no one had achieved such feats. Now standing in front of Red Ridge Mountain, Li Muyang took a deep breath. The game had reached this step, and what followed was the search for the old general. As for Fairy Liuli, she was no longer so concerned about finding the old general. What she cared more about was the thick stack of documents written along the way. These documents must be delivered to the outside world! Carefully placing these documents into the Qiankun Ring, Fairy Liuli looked at Li Muyang beside her and suddenly spoke. ¡°Lord Wuming, what should we name this document?¡± Fairy Liuli asked seriously, ¡°This document will surely be presented to the court and circulated throughout the world.¡± ¡°It needs a suitable name, and it also needs Lord Wuming¡¯s signature.¡± All these words were gathered by Li Muyang¡¯s investigation and inquiries, narrated by him, and written by Fairy Liuli. Fairy Liuli believed that Lord Wuming¡¯s real name should be signed on it for the world to admire. This document was definitely going to make history, a great deed that would benefit all beings. That¡¯s why she hoped that Lord Wuming would sign his real name on it. Li Muyang, however, looked at the mountains ahead and casually said, ¡°Just call it ¡®Evil Gods Inspection Report,¡¯ simple and clear.¡± ¡°As for the signature, sign fairy¡¯s name. As for my name... I¡¯m just Wuming.¡± Li Muyang spoke offhandedly. Fairy Liuli looked at him seriously and said, ¡°Lord Wuming, your name must be a fake name, right?¡± Li Muyang clicked his tongue and turned to look at the serious-faced, high and cold fairy in front of him. ¡°Fairy Chu, how long have you been in this well world?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been thirty-seven days, General Zhong.¡± Fairy Liuli glanced at Li Muyang beside her and said, ¡°Lord Wuming and I have been wandering this land for thirty-seven days since we entered the Ancient Grudge Well.¡± ¡°We are already aware of the dangers you mentioned.¡± ¡°Now that we have met you, we intend to take you back to the human world, away from this peril.¡± ¡°We also want to inform the world about the situation here so that my master and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau are aware of the true state of the Ancient Grudge Well.¡± Fairy Liuli spoke seriously, informing him of the situation. General Zhong, however, was taken aback and then sighed bitterly. ¡°Did you come looking for me? I appreciate your kindness, but unfortunately, I can no longer return to the human world.¡± ¡°This well world is strange, but it is my final resting place. Apart from this place, I have nowhere else to go.¡± ¡°You should leave quickly. Do not linger here.¡± ¡°At dusk, when day and night intersect, find any lake or river, immerse yourself in the water, and silently think of a place in the human world, and you will be able to return. Do not stay here!¡± General Zhong spoke, trying to persuade them, but Fairy Liuli frowned slightly. ¡°What do you mean, old general? Why can¡¯t you go anywhere else?¡± The old man with the hoe was about to speak when suddenly a sharp, thin laugh came from behind him. ¡°Oh my... isn¡¯t that the Fairy Chu from the Mystic Sword Sect?¡± From the mud beneath the old man¡¯s feet, a dull, hoarse growl sounded. ¡°The high and mighty fairy of the Mystic Sword Sect dares to set foot in the Ancient Grudge Well? The disciples of Master Qingye are truly persistent spirits!¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyelids twitched violently, and a blood-red system prompt popped up in his vision. ¡¾You have entered combat phase¡¿ Damn it... even in the daytime, there are evil beings in this Ancient Grudge Well? He immediately grabbed Chu Qingxue¡¯s wrist and pulled the Fairy Liuli back forcefully, distancing themselves from the old man. Under the midday sun, the old man holding the hoe seemed to faint, his head drooping weakly, standing there with a vacant and dull gaze. But the voice on his back was sharp and laughing, emitting a spine-chilling, nauseating laugh. ¡°The fairy of the Mystic Sword Sect, eh... such tender skin and flesh, I really want to taste what it¡¯s like.¡± Chapter 171 The situation suddenly turned eerie and unsettling. Just a second ago, the old general was chatting and reminiscing, but in the next moment, he seemed to become an empty shell, standing rigidly in place with a vacant look in his eyes. Strange noises emanated from behind him and beneath his feet. A strong malice drifted over with the mountain wind. The scene was incredibly horrifying. But Li Muyang, looking at the old man in front of him, just spat disdainfully, showing no fear. ¡°A pair of evil spirits playing tricks, why are you pretending to be the big bad wolf?¡± ¡°Come out if you dare, let me see your true ghostly nature!¡± ¡°Are you afraid to show yourselves in the sunlight?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s words were provocative, and he was ready to unleash his skills at any moment. Wuming¡¯s character card came from tutorial, and his skill set was almost like cheating. He wasn¡¯t afraid of enemies. He was afraid they wouldn¡¯t show themselves! As long as you have a health bar, I¡¯ll show you the wrath of the evil gods! Under the sunlight, Li Muyang stared intently at the old man in front of him. But from the grass beside the road, the crying of another child could be heard. ¡°Mystic Sword Sect... I hate the Mystic Sword Sect...¡± Not far away, on a roadside fir tree, the canopy shook, and the tired coughing of an old man could be heard. ¡°This kid isn¡¯t from the Mystic Sword Sect... but the scent on him is even more detestable...¡± Following that, the laughter of a young woman, the curses of an old woman, the provocations of a reckless strong man, and the sighs of a calm monk... More and more voices appeared around Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli. It seemed as if the wilderness they were in had been silently surrounded by an endless stream of people. Fairy Liuli was full of doubt and confusion, while Li Muyang¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. The voices became more numerous, but there were no health bars in sight. The only thing that changed was the old general standing rigidly in place, who had become like an empty husk. The health bar above his head had turned a hostile blood-red. And the length of the health bar had suddenly increased by several tens of times. Seeing this, Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate and launched his skill directly at the old general. Hidden Sword in the Belly! A cold light was spat out by Li Muyang, piercing through the void and striking the old man. The old man¡¯s body trembled, but no damage numbers floated above his head. This was a sign of an instant death trigger. However, the surroundings didn¡¯t quiet down. Those voices still persisted. Only the clamoring and crying voice of a child suddenly disappeared. At the same time, the red health bar above the old man¡¯s head seemed to shorten a bit. Li Muyang blinked as if he understood something. ¡°Are there dozens or even hundreds of evil creatures parasitizing inside the old general?¡± In the next second, the world on the desolate mountain path twisted. In the sunlight, Li Muyang was holding Fairy Liuli¡¯s hand and running at full speed. Fairy Liuli hadn¡¯t even reacted before the two of them started to flee. The noisy voices behind them were getting closer and closer, but Fairy Liuli was still somewhat dazed. ¡°Lord Wuming, we...¡± What are we running from? Li Muyang, without looking back, said, ¡°Run! We must hurry back to the mortal world!¡± ¡°General Zhong said he left notes in a secret compartment in his study and told us to find them!¡± As Li Muyang spoke, he ran even faster. Chu Qingxue subconsciously quickened her pace, following behind Li Muyang, her eyes still somewhat confused. ¡°Ah? General Zhong said that?¡± When did that happen? How come I didn¡¯t hear it? Fairy Liuli was a bit bewildered. Meanwhile, the noisy voices behind them kept chasing, drawing nearer. In a daze, she seemed to hear General Zhong¡¯s faint voice amidst the shrill howls of those evil creatures. Although it wasn¡¯t very clear, it did seem like they were being told to find something... ...... The setting sun¡¯s afterglow spilled over the streets and alleys of Tianjiao City. Back in the inn room, after yet another game failure, Li Muyang was bounced back to reality, somewhat speechless. ¡°Dead again.¡± These evil creatures are like sticky candy, impossible to shake off. He and Fairy Liuli were already running as fast as they could, but they would always be caught by those evil creatures using some strange methods. Once caught, it would end in instant death. A perfectly good cultivation game turned into a temple run at the final stage. All Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli needed to do was run, just keep running forward. After failing over a dozen times, Li Muyang was quite frustrated. With nightfall approaching, he quit the game in annoyance and left the inn. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the prison to interrogate that young valley master.¡± Li Muyang clicked his tongue in displeasure. That young valley master from Chaotic Souls Valley had been tormented by them for many days. Regardless of the case, they sent a few inner disciples every night to interrogate and torture her, and tonight was Li Muyang¡¯s turn to be on duty. That crazy woman from Chaotic Souls Valley, without saying anything else, turned out to be quite tough. After being tortured for so many days, she was still able to curse people every day, her mouth venomous and cunning, not showing any weakness. The last time Li Muyang tortured her, this crazy woman was spewing filth nonstop, threatening to kill Li Muyang¡¯s entire family, to sell the women of Li Muyang¡¯s family to brothels and so on. Although she was just barkinh, Li Muyang still felt disgusted after hearing such vile words. He had borrowed a set of the latest torture devices from Ning Wan¡¯er. Tonight was the perfect opportunity to test the strength of this crazy woman¡¯s mouth. Chapter 172 The air was filled with a faint smell of urine. The pale yellow liquid splattered on the ground, forming a winding stream. The woman, limp and with a vacant gaze, lay on the torture rack, her limbs still twitching slightly. Her eyes were empty as if her soul had been drained, with only her dirty prison clothes continuing to drip with urine... Li Muyang, looking at the scene before him, frowned and subconsciously covered his nose. This young valley master from Chaotic Souls Valley, no matter how much torture was inflicted on her before, had always been defiant and cursing incessantly. However, tonight she was completely stupefied, no longer showing her previous ferocity. The torture device given by Ning Wan¡¯er was perhaps too powerful... Li Muyang, holding his nose, said, ¡°It¡¯s about time. Drag this woman back to the prison and let her continue to reflect.¡± The jailers standing by hurriedly responded respectfully, carefully unlocking the woman from the torture rack, dragging her by her hands, and hauling the still-twitching woman away like a sack. Li Muyang, as the chief interrogator of the night, followed behind and personally saw the young valley master being locked in the deepest cell of the prison before preparing to leave. Before leaving, he leaned over to the bars for one last look inside. In the dark and gloomy cell, the limp woman lay on the ground without any support, as if her bones had been removed. The jailers dragged her roughly, yet she showed no reaction. This stupefied and foolish appearance was nothing like her previous arrogance. The jailers around all had smiles on their faces, praising Li Muyang for his ruthless methods, having managed to subdue the young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley. Her stubbornness and strength had been witnessed by the jailers over the past days. Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°As long as she¡¯s not dead, that¡¯s fine. Keep an eye on her, and as long as she¡¯s breathing, there¡¯s no need to intervene.¡± He had also come to understand over these days. Although he didn¡¯t know what Demon Refining Sect and Chaotic Souls Valley were negotiating, the negotiations were clearly at a deadlock, so Yan Xiaoru had sent Li Muyang and the other inner disciples to severely deal with the young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley, yet not to take her life. They wanted to use this method to pressure Chaotic Souls Valley and force the old valley master to submit¡ªyour daughter will be tortured every day until you relent otherwise. It must be said this kind of tyrannical and cruel pressure tactic was indeed very demonic. Fortunately, this young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley was not a good person either, even more evil than the Demon Refining Sect. Li Muyang had no psychological pressure in dealing with her harshly. But he found the dining hall nearly empty, with almost everyone gone, except for his little sister Li Yuechan. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re late today.¡± Li Yuechan looked curiously at her brother and asked, ¡°Did something hold you up?¡± Li Muyang, without fail, was always the first to arrive on time for meals. It was the first time she had seen him arrive after everyone else had left. As Li Muyang called for the maids to inform the kitchen to serve the dishes, he casually mentioned the incident in the prison. Li Yuechan nodded in understanding after hearing it. ¡°...It seems that young valley master is really tough, needing to be tortured twice before she learned to keep her mouth shut.¡± Li Muyang sat cross-legged at the small table, watching the maids respectfully serve his meal, and started eating with his chopsticks. ¡°She probably hasn¡¯t given in yet. She just didn¡¯t have the energy to speak after being tortured the second time.¡± ¡°When I left, her eyes were fixed on me with hatred. She probably still resents me.¡± Li Muyang took out the torture instruments from his Qiankun Ring and said to Li Yuechan, ¡°Who¡¯s going for the interrogation tonight? Later, you take this set of instruments over.¡± ¡°Since these instruments are so effective, let everyone use them.¡± ¡°All twenty of us should give her a set each time we go for interrogation to truly show the enthusiasm of our Demonic Sect.¡± Li Muyang was neither a bad person nor a particularly good one. The young valley master was so stubborn that Li Muyang was annoyed. What on earth was the old valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley doing? His daughter had been suffering for so many days and still hadn¡¯t given in, making Li Muyang and the others have to run to the prison every night. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, this was a pure waste of time. With¡¶The Call of the Mountains¡·close to being cleared, Li Muyang wished he could spend every day holed up in the inn playing the game. Lately, Yan Xiaoru had rarely come to see him, only notifying him to meet once every few days. Li Muyang had plenty of time and wanted to focus on playing the game and clearing¡¶The Call of the Mountains¡·. He was very serious about this game, which was related to the truth of the Ancient Grudge Well. But once all the maids and servants had left and the dining hall was empty, little sister Li Yuechan leaned in close and whispered, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve got the latest information...¡± Chapter 173 The warm breath of the young girl gently brushed Li Muyang¡¯s ear. He immediately turned his head away, annoyed as he scratched his itchy ear. ¡°Why are you getting so close if you¡¯re using a voice transmission?¡± Li Muyang said exasperatedly, ¡°Being all secretive... What big news have you heard? Don¡¯t tell me you know the whereabouts of an immortal weapon?¡± Don¡¯t you know about keeping a distance between men and women? And it¡¯s ticklish! Li Muyang was somewhat speechless. But the girl blinked, unconcerned with Li Muyang¡¯s disdain, and instead said with a grin, ¡°As expected of brother! You guessed right! It¡¯s about the location of an immortal weapon!¡± Pride shone in Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes. Her proud little expression was just short of wagging a tail behind her, waiting for Li Muyang to praise her. Li Muyang, who was cleaning his ears, was stunned for a moment, instinctively disbelieving the news. ¡°Ah? Really?¡± He looked skeptically at his little sister, doubting that she was just fooling him. Was an inner disciple like his little sister qualified to know about an immortal weapon? Even Ning Wan¡¯er, a direct disciple, might not get the news right away, right? Li Yuechan hummed proudly and transmitted her voice, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Wan¡¯er sister said that we should get the exact news in a few days.¡± ¡°That immortal weapon is likely related to the demons from the Blood Lotus Sect. Maybe we can complete the mission in a couple of days.¡± Li Yuechan cheerfully shared the latest news with her brother. Li Muyang rolled his eyes and said, ¡°After all that, you still haven¡¯t heard the exact location of the immortal weapon, have you?¡± Is this newly emerged immortal weapon related to the Blood Lotus Sect?No?v(el)B\\jnn Could it be that the chat group will have another madman from the Blood Lotus Sect? Tsk... Thinking about the teachings of the Blood Lotus Sect, suddenly it seems that scene would be quite amusing. Li Muyang wasn¡¯t interested in the Blood Lotus Sect or the immortal weapon. After all, he already had an immortal weapon in his possession, though he dared not flaunt it at the moment. After finishing his dinner for the day, Li Muyang went back to the inn as usual and started playing the game. He had no interest in the intrigue and deception of Tianjiao City. As Li Muyang closed his eyes, darkness engulfed his surroundings. Soon, Li Muyang arrived at the wilderness in front of Red Ridge Mountain, where he met the old general who looked like a farmer with a hoe, along with Fairy Liuli. r? Li Muyang skillfully went through the plot, then took Fairy Liuli and started to flee. He became very proficient in this temple run game mode. The routes and methods of the evil creatures chasing them from behind had become deeply ingrained in his mind after dying time and again. Li Muyang, pulling Fairy Liuli, ran wildly through the wilderness, constantly avoiding the pursuit of the evil creatures behind them. ¡°We¡¯re finally back!¡± He had been fully focused the entire time, running non-stop with Fairy Liuli, accurately predicting every attack from the evil creatures. Focusing so intensely for nearly ten hours without a moment¡¯s relaxation! In the past, fighting a boss when playing soul-type games required at most half an hour of concentration. This time, having expended so much effort and nearly reaching the end, a failure would have been incredibly frustrating. Fortunately, they had successfully returned to the human world. Li Muyang let out a sigh of relief, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction after overcoming a challenging level. He chuckled, ¡°Mr. Bai, long time no see.¡± Li Muyang instinctively began to walk forward but suddenly felt something holding him back. Only then did he realize he was still holding Fairy Liuli¡¯s hand. He had been so focused on the pursuit of the evil creatures that he nearly forgot he was still dragging a fairy along. Li Muyang quickly let go of Fairy Liuli¡¯s hand, laughing awkwardly. ¡°Haha...¡± At that moment, Li Muyang understood why the white-robed sorcerer was giving him that strange look. In front of so many people, he was intimately holding Fairy Liuli¡¯s hand... Would the fairy be embarrassed and angry? Li Muyang sneakily glanced at Fairy Liuli. Yet under the scrutiny of the crowd, the aloof fairy remained indifferent. She calmly withdrew her hand and said to the white-robed sorcerer, ¡°Mr. Guan and I have already met with the old general...¡± It seemed that Fairy Liuli was completely unconcerned about being seen holding hands with Li Muyang in front of everyone. Seeing her so composed, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief and admired her. This was the composure and calmness of an aloof fairy. If this were one of those idol dramas he had seen in his previous life, this would have been the moment for a slap in the face. Indeed, she was the fairy he admired. Although Fairy Liuli was aloof, she was not haughty or overbearing, and her demeanor was endearing. Li Muyang cheerfully looked towards the Lijiang County government office and said, ¡°Please lead the way, Mr. Bai, and take us to the old general¡¯s study.¡± Back in the human world, it was time to retrieve the old general¡¯s notes and complete the system task. After so many days of hard work, he had finally cleared another game. Now, Li Muyang was looking forward to the reward for this game. Would there be an Item Advancement Talisman? Even if there wasn¡¯t an Item Advancement Talisman, a reward in cultivation would suffice. With the reward from this time, he should be able to reach the Golden Core realm, right? Chapter 174 After coming out of the Ancient Grudge Well, finding the old general¡¯s notes was not difficult. The white-robed sorcerer led Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli to the old general¡¯s study, and they quickly found his notes. The notes detailed the entire process of the old general being tainted, eroded, and eventually parasitized by evil beings. It turned out that ten years ago, the old general had already been contaminated by evil spirits. But at that time, he could still suppress the evil spirits with his own martial arts cultivation¡ªindeed, there were martial artists in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty besides cultivators. Although they could not fly or teleport, powerful martial artists also possessed formidable strength. Li Muyang was learning of this matter for the first time, as the profession of a martial cultivator did not exist in his world. The veteran general of the Ever-Victorious Army was a powerful martial artist. With a strong spirit and a resilient mind, he did not lose his sanity after being corrupted by evil spirits. Instead, he enslaved the evil spirits and harnessed their power. During this process, the supervisor of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau provided the old general with much assistance. Therefore, although the general was tainted by evil spirits, he had lived in peace for many years. However, after the corruption, he often heard strange calls and occasionally had bizarre nightmares at night, seeing strange evil shadows. In the past few years, he even began to sleepwalk, waking up in odd places. The eerie calls grew clearer and closer to his ears. Until a few months ago, the old general started having vivid nightmares. He dreamt that he was overwhelmed by hundreds of evil creatures that took control of his body and went on a killing spree in Lijiang City, causing rivers of blood. Every night, he would repeat this nightmare. He could also clearly feel that in the dead of night, dark shadows would wander outside his house. Countless whispers arose from the corners and shadows around him. Unbeknownst to him, he had been targeted and surrounded by many strange entities. These beings lurked in the shadows, attempting to invade and corrupt the old general¡¯s body. The increasingly severe situation deeply worried the old general. He decided to venture into the deep mountains to seek help from the old priest of Purple Immortal Village. The old priest possessed mysterious powers passed down from ancient times, which might be able to help him... And the system had specifically marked it as (Rare Refresh)... Was it an SSR because the game clearance rating was so high? Li Muyang curiously clicked to view the detailed attributes of the Martial God Tyrant Body. ¡¾Martial God Tyrant Body: A legendary rare physique. Cultivators with the Martial God Tyrant Body grow stronger as their cultivation increases, with physical strength comparable to magical treasures. At the peak, one can shatter immortal artifacts with their fists, be invincible at the same level, and even without using their own spiritual energy, they can match cultivators with their physical strength alone.¡¿ The straightforward system description nearly made Li Muyang¡¯s eyes pop out. Invincible at the same level? Physical strength comparable to magical treasures? What kind of monstrous physique was this? His own talent for cultivation was quite ordinary, just average. When practicing on a regular basis, Li Muyang could feel that his absorption and refinement rate of high-grade spiritual rice was very low, with much of the spiritual energy being wasted during the process, unable to be absorbed by his body. If it weren¡¯t for the abundant supply of high-grade spiritual rice and the system directly providing cultivation levels, with Li Muyang¡¯s talent, it would normally take him ten to twenty years just to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. Golden Core would be out of reach. Now the system had produced a rare physique, offering him a complete transformation. Was there any need for hesitation? Li Muyang immediately chose ¡¾Martial God Tyrant Body¡¿ As Li Muyang selected ¡¾Martial God Tyrant Body¡¿, he immediately felt an extremely warm breath flowing within his body. This breath rose from his dantian, spinning with the vortex of spiritual energy there and eventually spreading throughout Li Muyang¡¯s body along the path of the spiritual energy circulation. The warm feeling gradually spread to his limbs and bones, causing Li Muyang¡¯s body to stiffen and twitch violently. He felt his body and bones undergoing a drastic metamorphosis. It seemed as though countless marvelous substances surged from within his flesh, wildly transforming his body. His entire body felt as if it was about to explode and tear apart, with an intense churning sensation. Every bone in his flesh crackled, and every inch of muscle trembled and writhed. The transformation was so intense that Li Muyang momentarily lost control of his body. In the past, it was always received quickly when receiving system rewards, even when directly increasing his cultivation level. However, this time, Li Muyang lay stiff on his bed for a full hour before the earth-shattering sensation in his body disappeared. Chapter 175 ¡°...Is this considered successful?¡± After the intense surging feeling inside him disappeared, Li Muyang slowly sat up from the bed, instinctively holding onto the edge of the bed. However, the solid wood bed collapsed like tofu under his hands, instantly crushed by him. Li Muyang was startled and quickly stood up. Yet, his movement was too vigorous, and the wooden floor beneath him cracked, his feet sinking into it. Fortunately, there was no one living beneath his room, and the room itself was empty, which prevented anyone from being disturbed. Even so, Li Muyang was startled. ¡°The strength of my physical body... could it be too high?¡± He carefully lifted his foot, pulling it out of the hole he had created in the ground. A single step had made a hole, and without trying, even the bed could be crushed. The power of his physical body now far exceeded what it had been before. Li Muyang took out the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel and lightly drew it across his arm. The Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, a low-grade spiritual weapon, was considered mainstream in the cultivation world, and most cultivators who have spiritual weapons used weapons of this grade. However, as it slid across his arm, it failed to leave even the slightest mark on Li Muyang¡¯s skin. The skin that appeared soft was surprisingly tough. Seeing that a light stroke had no effect, Li Muyang gripped the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel tighter, trying to increase the force. Yet, the soft and resilient skin allowed the wheel to cut as much as it wanted without being pierced. Finally, Li Muyang activated his energy, unleashing the true power of the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel. But even as bright sparks flew from his arm and the wheel spun wildly, it still couldn¡¯t cut through Li Muyang¡¯s skin. This scene filled Li Muyang with joy. ¡°...A low-grade spiritual weapon can¡¯t breach my defense?¡± He was only at the later stages of the Foundation Establishment period, yet the strength of his physical body was stronger than a low-grade spiritual weapon. It seemed the system hadn¡¯t deceived him. Once this Martial God Tyrant Body was cultivated to its peak, it could indeed shatter immortal weapons with the physical body alone. ? With this invincible body, he could ignore most magical attacks in fights against peers of the same level. And with his strong physique... Li Muyang, in high spirits, walked out of the inn room. He tossed two taels of silver to the innkeeper as compensation for the damage, then headed to the courtyard where he usually met with Yan Xiaoru. In the quiet alley, Li Muyang lightly leaped and jumped into the courtyard. Normally, it would take Li Muyang at least two or three nights to master a common technique like the Nightmare Suppression Technique. After some thought, Yan Xiaoru said, ¡°I¡¯ll pass on another technique to you, Soul Chasing Trace!¡± This was a technique for tracking enemies, effective in pursuit and much more difficult than the Nightmare Suppression Technique. It was also a different kind of demonic art. As Yan Xiaoru recited the incantation, Li Muyang silently memorized it. Then, under her guidance, he began to perform it. This time it took longer, and only when dawn was breaking did Li Muyang clumsily complete his first attempt. Even so, it was enough to astonish Yan Xiaoru. ¡°...Have you really become enlightened?¡± Yan Xiaoru looked at Li Muyang in surprise. ¡°Have you encountered some kind of fortuitous opportunity recently? How have you suddenly become so much more enlightened?¡± This improvement in comprehension had elevated him from an average person to the level of a genius. Li Muyang also noticed the change in himself. The intricacies of techniques that were difficult to understand before now seemed clear. He hadn¡¯t expected that the Martial God Tyrant Body would not only enhance his physique but also change his cultivation aptitude and improve his comprehension... It was a complete transformation! ...... ¡°Brother, why are you leering at me?¡± In the dining room in the morning, Li Yuechan, who was eating, shifted uncomfortably and frowned at her brother across the table. Li Muyang had been smiling all morning since he entered the room, his face beaming with joy like a groom who had just spent his wedding night. This silly, happy smile made Li Yuechan very curious. Li Muyang then reined in the smile at the corner of his mouth and coughed. ¡°Can¡¯t I simply be happy?¡± ¡°I heard that the Demonic Sect caught a spy from the Blood Lotus Sect in the city, and I¡¯m happy about that.¡± Li Muyang casually brushed off the matter, not wanting to reveal anything about the Martial God Tyrant Body. That could definitely become his trump card. Besides, explaining the change in his physique was too troublesome, so keeping it a secret was the best option. Chapter 176 After receiving the Martial God¡¯s Overbearing Body system reward, Li Muyang once again began to tackle the fourth stage of ¡®Deadly Weed.¡¯ He could no longer enter ¡®The Call of the Mountains.¡¯ Now, Li Muyang suddenly found himself with some free time. ¡®Deadly Weed¡¯ is an unlimited-time game, and the cultivation process of the fourth stage is extremely long, so there¡¯s no need to rush. After all, rushing wouldn¡¯t make it happen any faster. With the perfect completion of ¡®The Call of the Mountains¡¯, Li Muyang finally didn¡¯t have to hole up in the inn playing games every day. He had accepted his little sister¡¯s invitation to travel out of the city. In the following days, he, Li Yuechan, and Ning Wan¡¯er traveled around the ancient temples and famous mountains near Tianjiao City, enjoying the scenery, tasting local delicacies, and experiencing the local customs and culture of Tianjiao City. During this time, Li Muyang and his sister learned about the latest developments of the mission from Ning Wan¡¯er. Under the relentless pressure of the Demonic Sect, the old valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley finally couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure and was forced to compromise, handing over three cities under his control to the Demon Refining Sect. This originally small demonic force suddenly became a bare commander, with only the Chaotic Souls Valley left as its territory. After the Blood Lotus Sect spy was caught, they were interrogated under severe torture for several days but nothing was revealed. In the end, Yan Xiaoru personally took action, using soul-searching techniques. While the Blood Lotus Sect spy turned into an idiot, the Demon Refining Sect finally learned the whereabouts of the immortal weapon. It turned out that the soon-to-emerge immortal weapon was currently in the hands of the Blood Lotus Sect. But the immortal weapon was still in slumber, not yet awakened, and now it needed a catalyst, which was the divine horn in Tianjiao City. It was said that the broken horn of the divine spirit was needed to awaken the sleeping immortal weapon. ¨CThe name of Tianjiao (Heavenly Horn) City comes from the divine horn within the city. Though the horn is broken and damaged, it holds mysterious and mighty power. Now, this broken horn stands erect in the city, tightly sealed off by the Demon Refining Sect, a forbidden area in the city. The Blood Lotus Sect wanted the divine horn, but they had already alarmed the Demon Refining Sect. Subsequently, several skirmishes broke out within Tianjiao City. The most severe one even disturbed Yan Xiaoru, who personally took action. Li Muyang¡¯s ¡®vacation¡¯ with the two of them was forcibly ended, and they began to join the search teams in the city, looking for the Blood Lotus Sect demons hidden within. However, those Blood Lotus Sect demons could disguise themselves as ordinary people without any cultivation, and once they blended into the crowd, it was difficult to find them. In the vast Tianjiao City, with a population of over a million, it was incredibly difficult to find the Blood Lotus Sect cultivators hidden within. As the days of searching went by, time flew by quickly. Unknowingly, Li Muyang had already been in Tianjiao City for three months. ...... A smile appeared on the old face of the head. ¡°...You haven¡¯t been to this observatory for decades, Master Qingye.¡± Master Qingye, dressed in white, stood with his hands behind his back, not turning to look at the head with a face full of wrinkles. ¡°You should have read the ¡®Evil God Inspection Report.''¡± Ignoring the old head¡¯s teasing, Master Qingye, with black hair and starry eyebrows, stood like an immortal from a painting, with his long beard fluttering and an air of detachment. His tone was so calm that no emotion could be detected. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Under the starry sky, the observatory fell silent for a long while. The old head seemed to be stumped by the question and did not answer for a long time. After a while, the old man¡¯s ambiguous sigh was heard. ¡°...It¡¯s terrifying.¡± The old man murmured softly. Master Qingye¡¯s face remained expressionless. ¡°You are the current director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and you feel fear? Your status is not inferior to the ancient evil deities in the Ancient Grudge Well... Why should you be afraid?¡± But the old man sighed softly, shaking his head: ¡°Senior Qingye misunderstands, it¡¯s not the evil deities I fear.¡± ¡°Although the evil deities in the Ancient Grudge Well are terrifying, they are trapped beneath the well, unable to return to the human world, and cannot cause calamity in the short term.¡± ¡°What truly frightens me is that mysterious Lord Wuming...¡± The director murmured with a complex tone. Master Qingye fell silent for a moment: ¡°...With your mastery of the celestial arts, can you observe the stars and calculate the origins of this person?¡± The director shook his head again: ¡°I cannot calculate him... This person¡¯s past, present, and future seem to be obscured by a layer of fog. Even with my skills, I cannot calculate any trace of him.¡± ¡°He seems like a piece of driftwood in this world, appearing with the wind and vanishing just as quickly, mysterious and unpredictable.¡± ¡°This person might be a great practitioner beyond our imagination, who has concealed the heavenly secrets with supreme divine power, allowing him to deceive the heavens and accomplish astonishing feats.¡± ¡°Or perhaps he is someone who survived the ancient catastrophe...¡± The director spoke softly, his eyes and brows lowered. Master Qingye lapsed into silence. ¡°A deity from ancient times who survived the calamity...¡± He had once slain an ancient deity but was also aware of the terror of the ancient deities. If this Wuming truly was an ancient deity, his divine power and status would definitely far surpass the false deity he had slain... Chapter 177 Under the star-filled sky, silence fell upon the observatory. Compared to the director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, Master Qingye knew more details. His disciple had witnessed everything in the Ancient Grudge Well, accompanying the mysterious Wuming through the well, and experiencing everything. Thinking of the terrifying deeds recounted by his disciple... Under the stars, Master Qingye sighed and said, ¡°Perhaps it really is an ancient deity resurrected...¡± That mysterious Wuming was able to emerge unscathed from the wilderness where evil deities roamed, see through the true names of evil deities and even their divine powers. He even possessed a flying sword that could kill them with a single strike... According to his disciple¡¯s account, once that flying sword was unleashed, even ancient evil deities would perish. It possesses an extraordinary power beyond comprehension. It seemed that under that flying sword, all would perish no matter the level of cultivation or strength of status. Such power was beyond imagination. He had never heard of anyone who could kill an evil deity of such status with a single strike... Master Qingye shared everything that had happened in the Ancient Grudge Well with the old man before him. Although the old man had received a copy of the ¡°Ancient Grudge Well Evil Gods Inspection Report,¡± he was still unaware of the events that had transpired within the well. Master Qingye had come to inform him of this matter. Listening to Master Qingye¡¯s account, the director¡¯s originally calm and smiling expression gradually became serious. His eyes filled with shock and uncertainty. ¡°He slew twenty-nine ancient evil deities in the Ancient Grudge Well?¡± ¡°All with a single sword strike?¡± Such terrifying events were not mentioned in the ¡°Evil Gods Inspection Report¡±! A person of mysterious origin who emerged from the Ancient Grudge Well unharmed, uncovering many truths about the evil deities. And a formidable being capable of slaying twenty-nine ancient evil deities with a single sword strike...No?v(el)B\\jnn The level of terror between the two was worlds apart! If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the person recounting these events was the peerless Master Qingye, who had dominated an era and was invincible in the current world, the director would not have believed it, even if it were his own late master. Master Qingye looked at the director: ¡°And these past few days, I have already faintly sensed changes in the heavens and earth. It seems the era is about to change again.¡± ¡°Perhaps there really is an ancient deity awakening in this gradually reviving world...¡± These words from Master Qingye caused the director¡¯s eyebrows to twitch slightly. Master Qingye, who had lived for over a thousand years in this era where the path to immortality was severed, was already at the pinnacle of this age. His cultivation might not compare to the true immortals of ancient times, but it wasn¡¯t because he was weak. It was because the highest realm achievable in this broken world was now only as high as Master Qingye¡¯s current state. Yet Master Qingye spoke of the world reviving...The director looked at Master Qingye in surprise and said, ¡°Your cultivation has broken through again?!¡± The advancement of Master Qingye¡¯s cultivation meant that the upper limit of this world had been raised again, signifying that the entire world was moving towards a revival of the ancient times era. For the creatures of this world, this was bad news. The director¡¯s expression turned serious: ¡°Senior Qingye, how much has your cultivation improved?¡± If the improvement was not significant, perhaps it would still be manageable... But Master Qingye slowly said, ¡°I am now approaching the realm of the legendary immortals.¡± The director¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened. ¡°Has the situation deteriorated to such an extent...¡± The reason why the evil gods of the Ancient Grudge Well could not enter the mortal world to wreak havoc was that this broken world could not bear their divine presence. However, if this world continues to revive, returning to the state of abundant spiritual energy and vastness like in the ancient times, the evil gods from the Ancient Grudge Well could return to the mortal realm. And not just the evil gods. During the dark turmoil of ancient times, countless gods and true immortals used their great divine powers to fake death and avoid disaster, waiting for the day to awaken. All these powerhouses from the ancient times era had been corrupted by evil spirits, and if they were to awaken in this era, regardless of good or evil, they would bring disaster to this world. ¡°Could this mysterious Wuming have come to warn us?!¡± The director immediately thought of this possibility. Before the situation suddenly deteriorated, the mysterious person Wuming appeared out of nowhere, bringing the hidden Ancient Grudge Well to the forefront and awakening the people. He even wrote such a detailed compendium of evil gods, fearing that the people would be completely unaware of the ancient times evil gods returning to the mortal realm from the Ancient Grudge Well. No matter how you looked at it, this was a warning. Chapter 178 The director¡¯s expression was grave. His perception of this world was naturally far inferior to Master Qingye¡¯s. After all, in the broken era of the Dharma¡¯s decline, only Master Qingye truly stood at the pinnacle of the era. Master Qingye¡¯s narration made the director realize the rotten state of affairs. Looking at the myriad lights in the Tianyuan Imperial Capital under the night sky and the bustling situation in the distant imperial city, the director¡¯s gaze was complex. ¡°The situation of the world has deteriorated to this point, yet the imperial court is still engaged in intrigue and power struggles...¡± Master Qingye shook his head: ¡°There¡¯s no hope from the imperial court. If they can stop the fiends of the Blood Demon Sect and prevent the situation in the southeast from deteriorating further, that would already be a relief.¡± ¡°We can only save ourselves. Perhaps that is the only chance for survival.¡± Master Qingye¡¯s words took the director by surprise. ¡°Senior Qingye, you...¡± This old monster had lived for over a thousand years, dominating an era with his tyranny and strength, and now he was speaking such pessimistic words? The director instinctively took a step back and said, ¡°Senior, please speak frankly. Although the Imperial Astronomical Bureau is isolated and weak, we will do our utmost to help.¡± Hearing the director say this, a slight smile finally appeared on Master Qingye¡¯s stern face. ¡°In the face of great calamity, this is indeed the right attitude. With the full support of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, perhaps we really can seize that glimmer of hope...¡± The director discreetly took two steps back: ¡°So, what kind of help do you need, senior?¡± On the observatory, the celestial Master Qingye, with his dignified demeanor, became serious again.No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°The Mystic Sword Sect is dwindling in numbers, with few left to pursue the path of cultivation.¡± ¡°The Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Master is infamous throughout the world, but there are few talents that can be utilized.¡± ¡°Facing such chaos, our combined strength is insufficient to turn the tide.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we must seek reinforcements elsewhere!¡± Master Qingye stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance. His eyes seemed to pierce through the barriers of time and space, seeing the coastal frontiers of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty and the ceaselessly churning Sea of Mist. ¡°I will set sail alone, seeking the help of the Dragon Deity Fairy who commands the ancient times¡¯ resentful spirits in the sea.¡± ¡°If we can find the Dragon Deity Fairy¡¯s assistance, we will have the strength to fight the evil gods of the Ancient Grudge Well.¡± Master Qingye spoke with a grave tone, declaring his intention to venture into the Sea of Mist that devoured all living beings. This was tantamount to suicide. Li Muyang, who doesn¡¯t strike a smiling face, was somewhat annoyed by these obsequious and flattering smiles, yet he felt helpless. Eventually, he found an excuse to leave his seat temporarily and hid outside the banquet hall. The cool night breeze caressed his face as Li Muyang leaned on the railing by the lake, gazing at the stars reflected in the water and sighed. After stepping out of the noisy and bustling banquet hall, he felt somewhat out of place in the quiet lakeside setting. Li Muyang looked around, preparing to find a spot to slack off in secret. However, from the shadows, suddenly came a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Does Master Li not hold his liquor well? Everyone is so eager to please and flatter you, yet you choose to leave and hide? How very strange.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was devoid of emotion, her tone as if she was reciting a textbook. Li Muyang turned in surprise. ¡°Who are you...¡± The figure that emerged from the shadows was a woman dressed in men¡¯s clothing, looking strikingly handsome to the point where even women might be moved. Yet, there was a slight bulge at her chest, not insignificant in size. There was a natural heroism in her eyes and brows. Li Muyang felt she looked familiar as if he had seen her somewhere before. He saw the woman in men¡¯s clothing curve her lips in a cold, humorless smile. ¡°Master Li has a short memory. Didn¡¯t we meet several times last month in the dungeon of Tianjiao City?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Li Muyang was taken aback for a moment, but finally recognized the person in front of him, the valiant and dashing woman in men¡¯s attire. ¡°F*ck! You¡¯re the young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley?!¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened as he took a discreet step back. When he had seen this woman in the dungeon, she was covered in blood, haggard, and filthy, so Li Muyang hadn¡¯t paid much attention to her appearance. As a result, he didn¡¯t recognize her immediately upon meeting her again. Li Muyang frowned and said, ¡°What? You¡¯re not satisfied? You really want to seek revenge?¡± How did this madwoman get invited to the banquet? And not only did she get invited, but instead of avoiding him, she actually approached him to provoke a confrontation? How bold! Under the moonlight, Li Muyang suddenly felt that something was amiss... Chapter 179 In the dimly lit lakeside courtyard, the air fell silent for a moment. Li Muyang looked at the spirited woman in men¡¯s clothing before him, his brow slightly furrowed. He had been busy dealing with the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect and had almost forgotten about the Chaotic Souls Valley. After all, before the crackdown on the Blood Lotus Sect, the old valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley had already surrendered and had his daughter released from prison. Since being released, the young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley and her father had been quiet and well-behaved, with zero presence. As a mid-level member of the Demonic Sect, Li Muyang didn¡¯t have the chance to interact with them and had nearly forgotten about her. But now, at this victory banquet, they met again, and she even took the initiative to strike up a conversation. Li Muyang felt that something was off. After hearing Li Muyang¡¯s questioning, the woman let out a cold laugh. She sized up Li Muyang as if examining a corpse. ¡°Master Li, I¡¯ve said that I will remember you. I¡¯m grateful for your attentive care during my time in the dungeon. If there¡¯s a chance in the future, I will certainly repay the favor and not let down Master Li,¡± she said, then left with a cold laugh. Her strange attitude left Li Muyang stunned. What¡¯s going on with this madwoman? So bold to just pop up and threaten him like that... What does she want? Something¡¯s not right! Absolutely not right! This madwoman¡¯s confidence was definitely not due to a fit of madness¡ªmadness still has to follow some basic principles! After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang left the courtyard and headed towards the inner court. The banquet had already reached its latter half, with guests and hosts enjoying themselves amidst the clinking of glasses in the front hall. Ning Wan¡¯er and her little sister Li Yuechan were in the inner court, where Ning Wan¡¯er had gathered some female disciples and the wives of Tianjiao City¡¯s high officials. The girls were now enjoying tea and chatting about interesting topics. While the front hall was lively and noisy, the inner court was filled with laughter and chatter. Li Muyang¡¯s sudden arrival disrupted the cheerful atmosphere. Although not very famous, Li Muyang, clad in a white robe, was recognized by Xiaodie, Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s personal maid, who was standing at the entrance. Knowing the status of Li Muyang and his sister, she did not dare to neglect him. Even if the Demonic Sect bullies you, what can you do? Does Chaotic Souls Valley dare to rebel? If Chaotic Souls Valley were to rebel, the Demonic Sect might be even happier. After all, the flesh, bones, and even souls of demonic cultivators are all high-quality materials for cultivation! Destroying a Chaotic Souls Valley, who knows how many benefits the sect could reap. In theory, Chaotic Souls Valley wouldn¡¯t dare to rebel. But that¡¯s just in theory. Hearing Li Yuechan¡¯s reminder, Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s gaze suddenly sharpened. ¡°Would Chaotic Souls Valley dare to be so bold?¡± The old valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley is merely at the Divine Travel Realm and doesn¡¯t have any top demonic techniques. He simply doesn¡¯t have the qualifications or ability to rebel! Li Muyang, however, slowly said, ¡°I remember Chaotic Souls Valley had contact with the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect before...¡± ¡°And this time, the conspiracy of the Blood Lotus Sect was thwarted too easily...¡± Li Muyang had felt something strange before. The Blood Lotus Sect, a notorious force in this world, stirred up trouble on the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory and even brought out an ancient immortal weapon. Yet the Demon Refining Sect, relying only on Yan Xiaoru and the city lord of Tianjiao City, two Divine Travel Realm cultivators, managed to thwart the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s conspiracy and successfully seized the ancient immortal weapon. ¨CIf the Blood Lotus Sect was so weak, how could it be such a headache for the various forces of both the righteous and demonic paths? That¡¯s an ancient immortal weapon. Even the Demon Refining Sect would have to deploy all its elders, fearing any mishaps. But the Blood Lotus Sect only sent one Divine Travel Realm master to oversee the affairs in Tianjiao City... Now that Ning Wan¡¯er thought about it, something didn¡¯t seem right. Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s complexion changed slightly: ¡°Could it be that the Blood Lotus Sect and Chaotic Souls Valley have colluded, and the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s easy defeat is part of a conspiracy?¡± The specifics of the conspiracy were unclear, but the situation was indeed strange. Putting everything together, Ning Wan¡¯er couldn¡¯t help feeling anxious. ¡°I¡¯ll go see my master and inform her of this matter!¡± Although the likelihood of Chaotic Souls Valley and the Blood Lotus Sect really colluding and setting a trap was low, it couldn¡¯t be ignored. Chapter 180 Ning Wan¡¯er, accompanied by the Li siblings, quickly passed through the corridor, crossed the courtyard, and finally arrived outside the main banquet hall. The main banquet hall was filled with important figures from Tianjiao City, including high officials, powerful cultivators, and prominent figures like the valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley. Even Ning Wan¡¯er, a direct disciple of Elder Yan, didn¡¯t have the qualifications to participate in the main hall¡¯s banquet at the moment. Ning Wan¡¯er brought the Li siblings outside and had someone inside pass on the request to see her master. Soon, Yan Xiaoru, accompanied by her personal maidservant, arrived in front of Ning Wan¡¯er and the others. Looking at the young man and woman before her, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± In front of others, this law enforcement elder was always so aloof and indifferent. Even when facing her direct disciple, her tone was far from gentle. To those unaware of the situation, it might seem as if Yan Xiaoru was angry. But Ning Wan¡¯er, having followed her master for so long, naturally understood her master¡¯s temperament. She quickly communicated through a voice transmission, recounting everything that had happened, including her and the Li siblings¡¯ speculations and worries. When Yan Xiaoru heard that Li Muyang had been threatened by the young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley, a cold light flashed in her eyes. ¡°...so Nangong Ting really say that?¡± Yan Xiaoru asked Li Muyang coldly. The young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley, Nangong Ting, was a cultivator at the Cave Profound Realm and was considered a renowned expert among the younger generation. Compared to her father, Nangong Xuan, who had been stuck in the Divine Travel Realm for many years, Nangong Ting¡¯s cultivation talent was obviously much stronger. It was foreseeable that Nangong Ting would eventually become a great power in the Purple Mansion, and under her leadership, Chaotic Souls Valley would rise to new heights. This was why Chaotic Souls Valley was determined to rescue their young valley master, Nangong Ting, at all costs. With a Purple Mansion powerhouse in the future, Chaotic Souls Valley¡¯s strength would surely rise with the tide. ¨CEven for a top demonic sect like the Demon Refining Sect, not all elders were at the Purple Mansion Realm. The deterrent power of the Purple Mansion Realm was evident. But no matter how promising Nangong Ting¡¯s future was, at this moment, she was still just a Cave Profound Realm demonic cultivator, and Chaotic Souls Valley was just a medium-sized force under the Demonic Sect, with no qualifications to challenge the Demonic Sect. ? Nangong Ting¡¯s provocative actions were odd and suspicious. After Yan Xiaoru carefully inquired about the situation and pondered for a moment, she looked at the young man and woman before her, her gaze lingering on Li Muyang for a brief moment before moving away silently. ¡°Wan¡¯er, take them to stay in the guest courtyard tonight.¡± ¡°Although Nangong Ting¡¯s actions are strange, the sect master and the elders will arrive in Tianjiao City tomorrow.¡± ¡°Before the sect master and the elders arrive, you three should not go out and wait for their arrival to discuss further!¡± That night, the three of them stayed in the courtyard, quietly waiting for dawn. The most dangerous time was now. If the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s conspiracy came to light before the arrival of the sect master and the elders, Li Muyang and the others might indeed fall into crisis. But the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect probably wouldn¡¯t expect Yan Xiaoru to act so swiftly, nor the Demonic Sect¡¯s reinforcements to arrive so quickly. Throughout the night, Li Muyang and the others safely endured. They sat in the courtyard, alert to any disturbances in the city, ready to immediately meet up with Yan Xiaoru and gather the Demonic Sect disciples in the city if anything happened. But until the morning sunlight pierced the sky, Tianjiao City remained silent and still. There was no movement in the prison holding the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect either. Those demons of the Blood Lotus Sect were cultivators with considerable skill. Now that they had been captured and imprisoned, they would be sent back to the Demonic Sect headquarters to have their bones extracted, skin peeled, and blood squeezed out. Their flesh and even souls would become resources for the Demonic Sect¡¯s cultivation. By noon, a dozen streaks of light cut through the sky, rapidly arriving at Tianjiao City. They finally landed in front of the city lord¡¯s mansion, revealing their identities. The sect master of the Demon Refining Sect, Gong Yanghong, led the Demonic Sect¡¯s elders, a total of twelve people, arriving simultaneously in Tianjiao City! Although it wasn¡¯t as intimidating as the full assembly of elders from Demon Sword City, the arrival of eleven elders was still a grand event. Li Muyang, who saw this scene from afar in the welcoming crowd, finally breathed a sigh of relief. The heart that had been hanging was finally put to rest at this moment. With the arrival of the Demonic Sect¡¯s big shots in Tianjiao City, let¡¯s see what waves the Blood Lotus Sect can still stir up! Li Muyang took a deep breath and was just about to speak to his sister beside him with a smile. But the next second, his gaze sharpened. In the distant welcoming crowd, the father and daughter of Chaotic Souls Valley were precisely in line. Facing the grand scene of the Demonic Sect¡¯s big shots arriving at the same time, the young master of Chaotic Souls Valley, Nangong Ting, had a fierce and handsome face that unexpectedly revealed a sinister smile. It seemed that all of this was what she had been looking forward to. Li Muyang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, sensing something was amiss. Could it be that the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s conspiracy was to wipe out the entire top combat power of the Demon Refining Sect in one fell swoop? Impossible! Could the Blood Lotus Sect be that fierce?! Chapter 181 Under the midday sun, Li Muyang in the crowd suddenly felt a chill. The arrival of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Sect Master with his elders to Tianjiao City was incredibly abrupt. Just a few days ago, they had annihilated the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect, and today, the Demonic Sect¡¯s Sect Master led the elders to descend upon the city, a rapid development that caught everyone off guard. It wasn¡¯t until streaks of light tore through the sky, alarming the people of Tianjiao City, that the city lord hastily summoned the officials and major families to welcome them. However, this welcome was too rushed. Not everyone had arrived when the twelve streaks of light landed in Tianjiao City. Li Muyang, standing among the crowd, participated in this welcome. Seeing the Demonic Sect¡¯s Sect Master leading eleven elders, he initially breathed a sigh of relief. With the current strength of the Demonic Sect in Tianjiao City, even if the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect had any remaining schemes, they couldn¡¯t possibly turn the tide. Yan Xiaoru¡¯s planning was impeccable. But when Li Muyang saw the cold, smug smile on the face of Nangong Ting, the young valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley, a bizarre suspicion arose in his heart. ¨CCould it be that the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s conspiracy was aimed at the elders of the Demonic Sect? Otherwise, why would this mad woman be so pleased with so many elders of the Demonic Sect here? Li Muyang instinctively grabbed the hand of his little sister, Li Yuechan, and whispered, ¡°Yuechan... something¡¯s not right...¡± Li Muyang looked around uncertainly, observing the crowd gathered for the welcome. However, everything in the crowd seemed normal. Faced with the sudden arrival of the Demonic Sect¡¯s Sect Master and the elders, the officials and noble families of Tianjiao City were all surprised and reverent, not daring to make any strange moves. Even the old valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley stood quietly among the crowd, almost invisible. Only his daughter, Nangong Ting, wore a cold and smug smile. Li Muyang, holding Li Yuechan¡¯s hand, silently retreated through the crowd. Logically, with so many experts from the Demon Refining Sect present, chaos should be impossible. But Li Muyang¡¯s intuition was frantically warning him. At the same time, a mysterious woman¡¯s voice filled with surprise reached Li Yuechan¡¯s ears. ¡°...A familiar aura...¡± The sudden statement from the mysterious woman startled Li Yuechan. But before she had the chance to ask in detail, the voice in her ear became urgent. It seemed the senior had discovered something. ¡°...Yuechan, quickly take your brother and leave Tianjiao City!¡± A chill ran through Li Muyang¡¯s heart as his ominous premonition became a reality at this moment. The demons of the Blood Lotus Sect indeed had a backup plan! And it was definitely not just the blood mist! Li Muyang quickly turned his head to scan his surroundings, but he could no longer see clearly through the blood mist. However, from within the depths of the blood mist, there suddenly came piercing screams and the sound of blood splattering, along with the low, angry voices of hundreds, perhaps thousands. ¡°Rebirth through blood! Salvation to all sentient beings!¡± These voices rose from all directions, accompanied by the piercing screams and the dull thuds of bodies falling heavily. ¡°It¡¯s the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect!¡± Li Muyang¡¯s face darkened. As soon as he spoke, a warrior dressed in red with a red cloth tied around his head suddenly appeared in the blood mist in front of him. This warrior was clearly a commoner with no cultivation, merely possessing some vitality from physical training. In a world where cultivators existed, warriors didn¡¯t even qualify to be noticed by cultivators. But in the blood mist that stripped everyone of their cultivation, the sudden appearance of this warrior was like encountering a tiger in the mountains or a dragon in the sea! Faced with Li Muyang and his sister, both dressed in white robes, the warrior¡¯s face showed a ferocious smile as he swung his steel blade down. The blade was swift, and any cultivator who had lost their cultivation was sure to die. However, the smile on the warrior¡¯s face froze in the next moment. The Demonic Sect disciple in white robes, who had been stripped of all cultivation by the blood mist, suddenly burst into action. In an instant, Li Muyang turned into a blur, crashing heavily into the arms of the warrior. The violent force of the impact came crashing down, and the warrior wielding a steel blade screamed in agony, immediately sent flying into the blood mist, disappearing from sight. To his dying breath, the warrior couldn¡¯t understand how a Demonic Sect disciple, whose cultivation had been stripped away, could possess such terrifying strength! Within the blood mist, Li Muyang had eliminated this threat, but as he turned around, he saw another burly and robust warrior from the Blood Lotus Sect emerging behind his sister, Li Yuechan. His eyes widened in shock. ¡°Yuechan!¡± Li Muyang spun around, unleashing the full force of his blood energy as he dashed towards his sister. But then, something strange happened. Facing the Blood Lotus Sect warrior who had emerged from the blood mist, Li Yuechan, whose cultivation was supposed to be completely stripped away, suddenly displayed a layer of shimmering pale green flames around her body. In the next second, with a casual wave of her hand, Li Yuechan¡¯s sharp flame blade cleaved the warrior in two. Chapter 182 Li Muyang was stunned. The speed of Li Yuechan¡¯s reaction and the flame blade she wielded exceeded all his expectations. What was going on? Wasn¡¯t her cultivation supposed to be gone? Where did his little sister get such magical powers? Li Muyang was dumbfounded. Li Yuechan, cloaked in pale green flames, quickly approached him, grabbing Li Muyang¡¯s hand with an anxious expression. ¡°Brother! We need to leave! Right now!¡± Li Yuechan anxiously looked around and said, ¡°This blood mist is still spreading. We must leave the area it covers quickly.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t maintain this state for long! Only for a quarter of an hour!¡± This was the power lent to her by her senior, which she could only sustain for a quarter of an hour. They had to escape quickly. In the blood mist, where their cultivation was lost, and with the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s demons causing chaos, the situation was extremely dangerous. But seeing Li Yuechan in her fiery state, Li Muyang suddenly turned and ran deeper into the blood mist. ¡°You go first! I have to go in and save someone!¡± Now that his sister had the strength to protect herself, Li Muyang no longer needed to worry. He possessed the Martial God Tyrant Body, and even without his cultivation, he was not afraid of these warriors. But Yan Xiaoru didn¡¯t have the Martial God Tyrant Body! If she were to encounter these ruthless warriors in the blood mist... Li Muyang¡¯s pace quickened. If possible, he would save both Yan Xiaoru and her disciple! Screams of agony, pleas for mercy, and the triumphant laughter of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s demons echoed continuously within the blood mist. The scene that was once set for welcoming the Demonic Sect¡¯s Sect Master and elders had now turned into a living hell. The once high and mighty Demonic Sect cultivators and the noble families of Tianjiao City were now fleeing in a sorry state, crying and begging for mercy, being slaughtered one after another by those ordinary warriors who had suddenly appeared. Li Muyang ran frantically through the blood mist, trying to find Yan Xiaoru. Behind him, Li Yuechan, cloaked in pale green flames, was stunned to see her brother disappear into the blood mist in an instant. ¡°Brother!¡± She stamped her foot in urgency. Didn¡¯t you always say you no longer liked Sister Ning? Why, when disaster strikes, are you so fearless in wanting to rush in to save her? She had long thought that Li Muyang no longer liked her. But now... Ning Wan¡¯er said anxiously, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him! Let¡¯s go find him quickly!¡± The Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s sudden chaos had completely bewildered the cultivators of the Demon Refining Sect. The blood mist that surged out of that eerie bronze cauldron exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. There existed such a malevolent and terrifying thing in the world that could strip away the cultivation of all people! But as soon as Ning Wan¡¯er finished speaking, Li Yuechan¡¯s face suddenly stiffened. ¡°It¡¯s not good...¡± The urging warning of her senior was already ringing in her ears. It had been half a quarter of an hour, and they could no longer stay within the blood mist. However, thinking of the strong physique her brother had displayed earlier... Although she didn¡¯t know when her brother had cultivated his body, it was clear that her brother, with his strong vitality and blood, was a bit safer than her. Li Yuechan¡¯s mind was in turmoil, the worry for her brother and the senior¡¯s urging in her ear all intertwined. Finally, the girl abruptly grabbed Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s hand: ¡°Sister Ning, let¡¯s get out of here first!¡± As soon as the girl finished speaking, she transformed into a streak of light, taking the astonished Ning Wan¡¯er with her, soaring into the sky and fleeing at full speed towards the outside of the blood mist. At the same time, the girl¡¯s voice, amplified by her magic, echoed throughout Tianjiao City. ¡°Brother! I¡¯ve found Sister Ning! We¡¯ll wait for you outside!¡± The girl¡¯s voice reverberated through the city shrouded in blood mist, and everyone instinctively looked up, but they couldn¡¯t see clearly what was happening inside the blood mist. Li Muyang, within the blood mist, paused in his steps, slightly surprised upon hearing this voice. His little sister had actually gone to rescue Ning Wan¡¯er? But it was good that she was saved. It saved him some trouble. Li Muyang, who took a deep breath to clear his lungs, walked directly out of the streets roiling with blood mist and headed towards the area where the fighting was most intense. There, the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect were locked in battle with the warriors of the Demon Refining Sect. The Demon Refining Sect was, after all, a dominant power, and many warriors in Tianjiao City held positions in the army and government offices. Now that the blood mist had surged and the cultivators had lost their cultivation, these warriors, who had been on the fringes in the army and government offices, had become the mainstay. Under the command of the lord of Tianjiao City, over a hundred warriors surrounded the elders of the Demon Refining Sect, fighting and retreating. Blood and the sounds of battle shook the heavens. And Yan Xiaoru, whom Li Muyang was looking for, was right there among the elders being protected by the warriors. Chapter 183 Seeing Yan Xiaoru¡¯s figure, Li Muyang finally let out a sigh of relief. What he feared most was that during the chaos of the disaster, Yan Xiaoru had already been unlucky enough to die under the knife of the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect. But now, seeing the scene where the officers and soldiers were protecting the elders and retreating while fighting, Li Muyang realized that he had underestimated the powerhouses of the Demonic Sect. Those who could become powerhouses were all tough characters. Even facing such a drastic change and losing their cultivation, these big figures of the Demonic Sect were not the least bit panicked. They gathered all the nearby officers and soldiers, calmly issuing commands, instructing the officers and soldiers to form battle formations, and firmly blocking the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect who were taking advantage of the chaos to attack. The warriors of this continent were not very powerful, far less so than the martial artists of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, because on this continent, anyone with a bit of talent for cultivation would go on to cultivate. Although the warriors of the Blood Lotus Sect were strong in blood and far surpassed ordinary people in physical strength, they were unable to break through the military formation faced with the fearless and loyal officers and soldiers of the Demonic Sect. Once everyone¡¯s cultivation was stripped away, the big figures of the Demonic Sect indeed could no longer influence the battle. But the massive number of soldiers and officers within Tianjiao City became the central force at this moment. Countless officers and patrol soldiers, hearing the commotion, rushed over from all directions. Perhaps their strength was inferior to the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect, but their numbers far exceeded them. After all, this was the home ground of the Demon Refining Sect. Among the crowd, the sect master of the Demon Refining Sect, Gong Yanghong, had an indifferent expression. Looking at those wearing red headbands and chanting mantras, Gong Yanghong said, ¡°The Blood Lotus Sect really has a big appetite. Thinking they could capture all of us in one fell swoop? They¡¯re really underestimating my Demon Refining Sect!¡± The Demon Refining Sect, as a major demonic sect with a notorious reputation, intimidated all around. But the mere Blood Lotus Sect wanted to wipe out all the elders and even the sect master of the Demon Refining Sect in one go... This was the most serious provocation the Demon Refining Sect had faced since its establishment. ¡°Ziyu, immediately mobilize the city patrol camp to come here.¡± ¡°Today, not a single one of the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect involved in the turmoil shall escape!¡± Gong Yanghong issued the order with an icy gaze. Now, in Tianjiao City, it was natural to take Tianjiao City¡¯s lord, Ou Ziyu, as the chief official. After all, the officers and soldiers in Tianjiao City might not recognize the sect master of the Demonic Sect, but they definitely recognized the city lord, Ou Ziyu. Li Muyang¡¯s white robe of an inner disciple was, at this moment, proof of no threat. Although cultivators would temper their bodies and expand their meridians and blood strength in the Qi Refining Realm, it was only to lay the foundation for future cultivation. The essence of cultivation was to refine spiritual energy and seek the path to immortality. In terms of physique, cultivators were far inferior to these warriors who had toughened their muscles and bones and tempered their blood. Three warriors with steel knives came at Li Muyang, and in the distance, the battle was fierce with flesh and blood flying and roars shaking the heavens. After everyone¡¯s cultivation was stripped away, the battle in Tianjiao City degenerated into the most primitive and bloody slaughterhouse. Seeing such a scene, Li Muyang stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath. Facing the three warriors ahead, he clenched his fists. In the next instant, he moved like a fierce tiger. Li Muyang¡¯s figure sprinted wildly along the street, leaving behind a blurred afterimage. He crossed the distance of several zhang in one stride, charging directly towards the nearest warrior. One punch, flesh splattered, bones shattered. The unprepared warrior was sent flying heavily, his jaw smashed by the immense force, his entire face twisted and mangled. He didn¡¯t even have time to scream before his body stiffened in mid-air, leaving behind a mess of broken flesh and bones on the ground. The remaining two warriors were stunned, their brains not yet catching up as their bodies instinctively swung their swords at Li Muyang. But Li Muyang, like a mad demon, grabbed the wrist of the warrior to his left, pulling his steel sword to directly strike the warrior on the right. With the added force, the sharp steel sword sliced into the right warrior¡¯s shoulder and then effortlessly cut through his entire torso, emerging viciously between his legs. Amidst the rush of blood, the warrior screamed and fell to the ground, one to the left and one to the right. Li Muyang then swung the wrist in his hand, forcefully bringing the steel sword around to decapitate the terrified warrior beside him. Only then did Li Muyang look ahead. Through the mist of blood, the battle had moved beyond his field of vision. Although the blood mist was not dense, the scene ten zhang away was already obscured. The powerhouses of the Demon Refining Sect seemed to realize the danger and did not relax despite the situation stabilizing, still retreating continuously, trying to escape this bloody battle. In the short ten seconds that Li Muyang was entangled with the three warriors, the combatants had already moved a dozen zhang away. Chapter 184 Seeing only a hazy mist of blood ahead, with the constant roar of fighting echoing, Li Muyang lifted his foot and continued forward, trying to catch up with the main force. At the very least, he needed to meet up with Yan Xiaoru and ensure her safety as they left. In Tianjiao City, where everyone¡¯s cultivation had been stripped away, Li Muyang, who possessed the Martial God Tyrant Body, definitely had the strength to protect Yan Xiaoru. The physical toughness of the Martial God Tyrant Body was akin to that of a humanoid tyrannosaur. But just as Li Muyang charged into the blood mist again and saw the fighting sides, an anomaly occurred. Dang¨C A piercing metallic clang suddenly rang out within the blood mist, echoing throughout Tianjiao City. This sound was long and profound, as if it possessed some strange magic power, causing both sides in the blood mist to subconsciously stop. Dang¨C Another crisp sound echoed through the city. This sound was like a bell but murkier and more majestic. Upon hearing this sound, Li Muyang suddenly felt a calmness around him, as if even the dust in the air had stopped floating. This sound... was it coming from the direction of that bronze cauldron? Li Muyang¡¯s expression changed slightly, knowing that it must be a contingency from the Blood Lotus Sect. But who was striking the bronze cauldron? What was the significance of doing so? Li Muyang quickly turned his head to look in the direction of the bronze cauldron. Dang¨C Another grand and murky strike resounded throughout Tianjiao City. The group of Blood Lotus Sect followers within the mist suddenly dropped their steel knives, no longer pursuing to slash and kill. Instead, they raised their hands high and shouted to the sky. ¡°Rebirth through blood! Salvation to all sentient beings!¡± ¡°Rebirth through blood! Salvation to all sentient beings!¡± Shouts echoed along the streets, spreading further and further. From various directions in Tianjiao City, similar chants began to emerge, responding to each other in a chorus. ¡°Rebirth through blood! Salvation to all sentient beings!¡± The roaring chants of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s demons rose from all directions within the city. Li Muyang, caught in the midst of it, realized that there seemed to be Blood Lotus Sect demons everywhere, and their numbers were terrifying. How could Tianjiao City, originally a major southern city of the Demon Refining Sect, have so many Blood Lotus Sect demons?! At this moment, Li Muyang suddenly realized the strategic error they had made before. When the Demon Refining Sect was pursuing the Blood Lotus Sect demons in the city, they were only focused on the cultivators, completely overlooking the massive number of ordinary people in the city. The blood mist continued to descend in her field of vision, while she, riding on the escaping light, chased after the descending mist, falling continuously. Ning Wan¡¯er, who was protected within the escaping light, was somewhat surprised. ¡°Yuechan, you...¡± Today¡¯s Li Yuechan had given her too many surprises. Originally thought to be only at the Qi Refining Realm in cultivation, Li Yuechan had rescued her in a critical moment and displayed the cultivation of at least the Golden Core Realm. But as the two flew further and further, having already left Tianjiao City by hundreds of li, they still hadn¡¯t flown out of the range of the blood mist. Now, Li Yuechan was actually beginning to descend? Before she could ask, the blood mist that had covered the entire land had already completely settled into the ground. Between heaven and earth, not a trace of blood mist remained, and everything returned to normal. The azure sky was clear, and sunlight sprinkled down upon the land. And at the moment the blood mist disappeared, Li Yuechan and Ning Wan¡¯er in mid-air clearly felt the spiritual energy within their bodies being blocked, their cultivation and magical powers gone. The escaping light around them dissipated, and they fell heavily to the ground. ¡°Ouch...¡± Amidst the girls¡¯ cries of pain, the two struggled to get up from the bushes. They were beside a main road, in a thicket of trees, not far from a small town. The two had fallen into the bushes, seeing stars and covered in twigs and leaves, but fortunately, they were already at a low altitude when the blood mist dissipated, so they were not injured. Li Yuechan looked worriedly in the direction of Tianjiao City with a flicker of concern in her eyes. ¡°Brother...¡± The demon from the Blood Lotus Sect actually had the means to seal off spiritual energy over such a large area. Now, with Tianjiao City at the center, an area of a hundred li or even more had become a forbidden zone for cultivators. Anyone stepping into this area would lose their cultivation. And her brother, who was in Tianjiao City, could he still come out... Li Yuechan bit her lip and asked in a low voice. ¡°Senior?¡± She tried to ask the senior for advice to see if there was a way to solve the current predicament. However, after speaking, Li Yuechan received no response. The senior, who had almost always been by her side, had fallen silent after all spiritual energy was completely sealed off. Li Yuechan suddenly felt a bit panicked. The sealing of spiritual energy had also severed her connection with the senior?! Chapter 185 ¡°Yuechan...¡± In the thicket beside the main road, Ning Wan¡¯er came to Li Yuechan¡¯s side. Her hair was covered with several dry leaves, and her dress had been torn in several places by the bushes, her appearance somewhat disheveled. But Ning Wan¡¯er was not concerned with her disheveled appearance; she was surprised to come to Li Yuechan¡¯s side. ¡°Do you understand this blood mist?¡± As soon as the blood mist began to settle, Li Yuechan hurriedly descended, avoiding the tragedy of the two falling from tens of thousands of zhang. Clearly, Li Yuechan knew something about this eerie blood mist. But faced with Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s confusion, Li Yuechan could only sigh bitterly. She recalled the story told by the senior, saying, ¡°I only came across a mention of it in an ancient text, I never expected it to be real.¡± ¡°In ancient times, during a period of darkness and turmoil, there was a blood mist that caused havoc in the world.¡± ¡°Land that was submerged and contaminated by the blood mist would seal off spiritual energy, and even true immortals and divine spirits who stepped into it would be stripped of their cultivation, reduced to mortals.¡± ¡°This bizarre blood mist caused great disasters in ancient times.¡± ¡°I never imagined that the demon from the Blood Lotus Sect could summon such a blood mist, sealing off such a vast expanse of land...¡± The two had flown from Tianjiao City for hundreds of liu. But it was only when the blood mist began to settle that they could vaguely see the edge of the mist at the end of their vision. The area covered by this blood mist was at least a thousand li in radius! Such a vast expanse of land being contaminated, coupled with the chaos caused by the demon from the Blood Lotus Sect in the city... the situation in Tianjiao City was probably dire. Li Yuechan shared her general understanding of the blood mist, and Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s expression became grave. ¡°...We must escape immediately and seek reinforcements!¡± ¡°We have to inform the other elders of the Demonic Sect about what has happened here and call for the mortal warriors from various places to come to our aid!¡± Inside Tianjiao City, Sect Leader Gong Yanghong and the twelve elders were all trapped. If this group of top combatants from the Demon Refining Sect were to fall, it would be a huge blow to the overall strength of the Demon Refining Sect! Ning Wan¡¯er immediately sensed the breath of crisis: ¡°There are fifty thousand soldiers in the Tianjiao City patrol camp; the demon from the Blood Lotus Sect may have the upper hand for a moment, but it would be difficult to harm the elders in a short time.¡± ¡°As long as the elders hold their ground and gather all the soldiers and servants, quelling the unrest in the city is just a matter of time.¡± ¡°But...¡± Ning Wan¡¯er looked in the direction of Tianjiao City, her expression solemn. Tianjiao City was the territory of the Demon Refining Sect, and Ning Wan¡¯er believed that even if the demon from the Blood Lotus Sect had infiltrated the city, it couldn¡¯t have been too many. The entire Tianjiao City had a population of only a few hundred thousand; how could the Blood Lotus Sect infiltrate tens of thousands without being discovered? The sea of red figures almost filled the entire field of vision of the city guards. The thunderous roars and shouts echoed between heaven and earth. ¡°Rebirth through blood! Salvation to all sentient beings!¡± ¡°Rebirth through blood! Salvation to all sentient beings!¡± The unified shouts of tens of thousands of people formed a wave of sound that reverberated through the city like thunder. Li Muyang stood on the street where the blood mist had dissipated, his body rigid. The moment the blood mist cleared, he distinctly felt many eyes and gazes fall upon him. The combatants in front, the warriors of the Blood Lotus Sect, and the elders of the Demon Refining Sect, all stopped their movements and looked towards Li Muyang in the center of the street. At Li Muyang¡¯s feet lay three corpses with tragic deaths. But the corpses were not the focus. Behind Li Muyang, on the roof of a three-story building, stood a woman dressed as a man, Nangong Ting, with her hands behind her back, overlooking the situation below. Six burly Blood Lotus Sect warriors guarded her, and below were hundreds of Blood Lotus Sect disciples waiting for orders. The moment the blood mist dissipated, Li Muyang, who was between Nangong Ting and the Demon Refining Sect elders, suddenly became the focal point of everyone¡¯s attention. Nangong Ting, looking down from her high position, saw this scene, her heroic eyebrows slightly raised, and a cold smile appeared on her face. ¡°I thought you had gotten lost, Lord Li!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you again.¡± Nangong Ting laughed heartily. From within the crowd, Yan Xiaoru spoke coldly. ¡°Li Muyang! What are you still standing there for? Come over here!¡± Under the watchful eyes of all, Li Muyang in his white robe sighed deeply and slowly lowered his head. ¡°Nangong Ting...¡± Li Muyang turned to look behind him at the three-story building and the heroic woman standing on the rooftop, as well as the hundreds of Blood Lotus Sect warriors waiting for orders, his expression calm. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to truly be a demon of the Blood Lotus Sect...¡± Caught in a dangerous situation, Li Muyang, to everyone¡¯s surprise, showed no trace of fear on his face. Standing alone in front of the dense crowd filling the street, Li Muyang¡¯s arms hung by his sides, his eyes downcast. He showed no intention of retreating. What people heard was Li Muyang¡¯s calm and indifferent voice. ¡°...Perhaps I should have killed you when you¡¯re in the prison.¡± Chapter 186 Under the intense sunlight, Li Muyang, standing alone in the middle of the street, became the focus of the moment. Almost everyone¡¯s gaze rested on Li Muyang. In response to Li Muyang¡¯s provocative words, Nangong Ting on the rooftop grinned, revealing a radiant smile. ¡°It¡¯s not too late to do it now,¡± said Nangong Ting. As her voice fell, the hundreds of Blood Lotus Sect warriors below her chanted their sacred mantra in unison. ¡°Rebirth through blood! Salvation to all sentient beings!¡± The warriors moved in unison toward Li Muyang, their strong aura and killing intent overflowing on the street. The warriors of the Blood Lotus Sect were not only physically strong but also well-disciplined. In this world where cultivators almost decided everything, such a well-trained army of warriors was a rarity. In the current Tianjiao City, where everyone had been stripped of their cultivation, these hundreds of well-trained warriors were like sharp blades, capable of cutting through anything! Seeing the warriors form up and advance, the people behind Li Muyang from the Demonic Sect reacted swiftly. The officials and soldiers of Tianjiao City had been under pressure from the warriors of the Blood Lotus Sect and were barely holding on due to their numerical advantage. Now, seeing such a formidable force emerge on the side of the Blood Lotus Sect, the situation became completely unbalanced, and the Demonic Sect elders immediately made the wisest decision¡ªto flee! In an instant, the eleven Demonic Sect elders, along with the sect leader Gong Yanghong, all turned to run away without hesitation, abandoning the soldiers and officials who had escorted them all the way. The only ones left in the crowd were the city lord of Tianjiao City, Ou Ziyu, and the law-enforcing elder Yan Xiaoru. Seeing the elders and sect leader fleeing, Ou Ziyu clenched his teeth. ¡°The sect leader and the others have gone to get reinforcements! Everyone, form up and block the demon people of the Blood Lotus Sect! Buy time for the sect leader and the others!¡± ¡°Those who die in battle today will receive triple the compensation! Survivors will be promoted one rank and rewarded with ten gold pieces each!¡± In an instant, seeing his own forces become unsettled due to the escape of the sect leader and the elders, the city lord of Tianjiao City immediately responded. He announced a high reward, and with his past prestige, he managed to calm the soldiers. Meanwhile, the Demonic Sect elders had already vanished from everyone¡¯s sight. Nangong Ting, from her high vantage point, saw this scene, her eyebrows slightly raised, but she did not send anyone to pursue. Instead, she gave her orders with composure. ¡°Kill all the Demonic Sect cultivators and capture that white-robed disciple.¡± After Nangong Ting finished speaking, she did not look at Li Muyang again but instead watched the battle unfolding. Now before him, there was nothing between him and the woman on the three-story building. Under the intense midday sun, the woman dressed as a man on the rooftop looked down at this scene, a flicker of astonishment in her eyes. This ferocious and bizarre scene was beyond everyone¡¯s imagination! How could someone, with their cultivation sealed, single-handedly break through the formation of a hundred warriors? Impossible! Nangong Ting instinctively stepped back, hiding behind the martial warriors beside her. But the blood-soaked, demon-like figure on the street was already charging towards her. ¡°Nangong Ting!¡± His cold, angry roar echoed through the alleyways. Li Muyang, dragging a shadow behind him, had nearly exhausted all the strength his body could muster. With one step on the street, the immense force of his landing blasted the pavement apart. Amidst the flying debris and dust, Li Muyang soared into the air, heading straight for the three-story building. Seeing this, the six martial warriors guarding Nangong Ting on the rooftop immediately surrounded him. Their eyes were cold, their physiques robust, and they were much stronger than the warriors below. Even with Li Muyang¡¯s ferocious momentum, these six showed no fear. They all moved to block Li Muyang, their six uniquely shaped exotic weapons striking at him with extreme speed. However, Li Muyang did not dodge or evade, instead raising his steel saber high and chopping down with force. Boom! A huge explosion occurred on the rooftop, and the encircling formation of the six was instantly shattered by Li Muyang¡¯s impact. When their sharp weapons struck Li Muyang, sparks flew off his flesh as if they had hit a cultivated artifact rather than a body of flesh and blood! The six showed astonishment, and in the next second, Li Muyang forcefully knocked them away, sending six figures flying in all directions. The moment their formation was broken, Nangong Ting turned to flee in shock. But as she turned, a large hand brutally grasped her neck from behind, viciously pinning her to the ground. ¡°I¡¯ve come to kill you!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Chapter 187 The fighting on the street abruptly ceased. The combatants on both sides instinctively stopped fighting, looking in bewilderment toward the three-story building. On the rooftop of that building, a valiant woman dressed as a man was pinned down by the back of her neck, lying in disarray on the ground. And the man holding her neck was covered in blood, looking like a mad demon. Almost everyone who witnessed this scene was dumbfounded. An image beyond people¡¯s understanding had emerged so unreasonably. In Tianjiao City, where everyone¡¯s cultivation had been stripped away, leaving them to rely solely on physical strength, how could someone break through the formation of a hundred martial warriors alone and reach that place unharmed? It was impossible! Without cultivation, who could possess such terrifying combat power? Under the silent, scorching sun, Li Muyang¡¯s eyes swept coldly across the surroundings. The battle on the street had come to an end, and both sides had momentarily stopped. But the six martial warriors he had sent flying with brute force were now angrily closing in. ¡°Release our Incense Master Nangong!¡± The strength of these six martial warriors was clearly extraordinary. Their vitality was robust, their physiques strong, far more formidable than the usual warriors on this continent. Although they were not as powerful as the martial artists from the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, Li Muyang had confirmed in their brief encounter that these six warriors had the combat power to match early-stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. With mere physical strength, they could match the Foundation Establishment Realm... These six were definitely high-level experts within the Blood Lotus Sect. And their cries of shock and anger were an unexpected delight. ¡°So you¡¯re actually the Incense Master?¡± Li Muyang looked down at the woman he was holding, raising an eyebrow: ¡°Legend has it that the Blood Lotus Sect has seven branches and four fragrance halls.¡± ¡°You¡¯re actually one of the Incense Masters... No wonder your Chaotic Souls Valley and Blood Lotus Sect are in cahoots. To you, the Blood Lotus Sect is your home!¡± Li Muyang finally understood why Chaotic Souls Valley dared to betray the Demon Refining Sect. The four Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect hold exalted positions within the sect, second only to the Sect Leader. Nangong Ting, despite her young age, is already an Incense Master, and it¡¯s very likely she will become the Sect Leader in the future. Compared to the immense power of leading a sect, the benefits of being a lackey for the Demon Refining Sect are insignificant. Upon hearing Li Muyang¡¯s words, the woman he pinned against the eaves let out a cold laugh. Even under Li Muyang¡¯s control, Nangong Ting showed no fear. She spoke indifferently, ¡°Even if you kill me, it won¡¯t make any difference!¡± ¡°Right now, outside these city walls, my Blood Lotus Sect has already assembled an army of two hundred thousand, and even more followers are converging on this place.¡± R?A?N??E?¡ì ¡°Your Tianjiao City defense force totals only fifty thousand. It will be a matter of time before we break through this city.¡± ¡°The day the city falls will be the day your Demonic Sect disciples are annihilated!¡± As Nangong Ting spoke, she closed her eyes, ¡°This Incense Master will wait for you underground!¡± Li Muyang continued to retreat with Nangong Ting in tow while the six warriors followed, encircling him. They dared not get too close, fearing further injury to the Incense Master, yet they were unwilling to let Li Muyang go so easily. Li Muyang jumped down from the eaves and returned to the street. From the corner of his eye, he saw followers of the Blood Lotus Sect quietly leaving the crowd, seemingly to call for reinforcements elsewhere in the city. ¨CThe turmoil in the city was not confined to this place alone. Li Muyang, holding Nangong Ting¡¯s neck, forcefully dragged her through the crowd, expressionless as he spoke. ¡°The life of your Incense Master is in my hands.¡± ¡°Whoever dares to step forward, I will chop off Nangong Ting¡¯s head!¡± Li Muyang continued to retreat, and the warriors with red bands on their heads subconsciously cleared a path, not daring to provoke Li Muyang. They feared he would truly sever the Incense Master¡¯s head. Only the six strongest warriors continued to follow without backing down, their eyes filled with rage as they pursued Li Muyang. ¡°Release the Incense Master!¡± ¡°If you release the Incense Master, we guarantee your safe exit from the city!¡± ¡°You white-robed brat from the Demonic Sect, this is your only chance to live!¡± The six warriors glared at Li Muyang with fury, wishing they could tear him apart. But Li Muyang just looked at them coldly without replying. He took Nangong Ting as a hostage, brazenly walking through the crowd of Blood Lotus Sect followers on the street, and finally entered the battle formation formed by the soldiers of Tianjiao City, arriving next to Yan Xiaoru. ¡°Elder Yan...¡± Li Muyang¡¯s demeanor softened when facing Yan Xiaoru. In front of everyone, Li Muyang showed the respect that a white-robed disciple ought to have. Yan Xiaoru looked him up and down expressionlessly, her thoughts inscrutable. However, the Tianjiao City Lord, excited, came up to him with a look of amazement and laughed. ¡°I remember, you¡¯re also a disciple of the Hall of Enforcement, named Li Muyang... right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have cultivated your physical body to such a formidable level. In today¡¯s Tianjiao City, you are one of our top combat forces!¡± ¡°The opportunity to make a name for yourself is right now!¡± As a high-ranking official, almost on par with an elder, the Tianjiao City Lord was patting Li Muyang¡¯s shoulder joyfully, a treatment unprecedented for an inner disciple. It signified a promising future. Yet Yan Xiaoru simply looked at Li Muyang with indifference and said, ¡°If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯d leave on your own.¡± Given the formidable strength Li Muyang had shown, if he wanted to escape alone, almost no one could stop him. But faced with Elder Yan¡¯s words, Li Muyang just grinned, revealing a hearty smile. ¡°With Elder Yan here, I can¡¯t be smart... I came with Elder Yan, so I should leave with you too.¡± Under the sunlight, Li Muyang¡¯s smile was incredibly bright. Chapter 188 On the long street, the situation had temporarily reached a stalemate. Li Muyang, holding a hostage, stood within the battle formation of the Demonic Sect. Meanwhile, the group of martial artists from the Blood Lotus Sect, all wearing red headbands, glared at him with eyes full of rage yet hesitated to advance, fearing they might hurt the hostage. Nangong Ting, whose half tongue had been cut off, had since fallen silent. She allowed Li Muyang to hold her hostage with an indifferent expression, no longer making any sound or attempting to struggle. Li Muyang, with the hostage in tow, slowly retreated under the cover of Tianjiao City soldiers. The martial artists from the Blood Lotus Sect, armed with steel knives and red headbands, tried to pursue, but the sound of patrolling soldiers rushing to reinforce from afar echoed through the streets. Hearing this commotion, the six flag-bearers of the Blood Lotus Sect glared fiercely at Li Muyang. ¡°Li! If you dare harm our Incense Master, you won¡¯t make it out of Tianjiao City alive!¡± After issuing their threat, the martial artists from the Blood Lotus Sect turned and left. They marched away in unison, quickly disappearing around the corner of the street. Seeing the departure of these fierce martial artists, all the soldiers on the street breathed a sigh of relief. Their clashes with these martial artists had been deadly, and if they could survive, who would wish to die? Now that the enemy had been driven away, the soldiers on the street cheered as if they had been spared from a great disaster. The lord of Tianjiao City didn¡¯t order his soldiers to pursue, letting the martial artists from the Blood Lotus Sect leave, fully aware of the gap in strength between his ordinary soldiers and those from the Blood Lotus Sect. Even with a numerical advantage, his side had been forced into a retreat, suffering heavy casualties and deaths. Under such circumstances, there was simply no capacity to pursue. Now, having managed to stabilize the situation and drive away the demonic people from the Blood Lotus Sect, it was already a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Ou Ziyu stood in the middle of the long street, not leaving but instead quickly dispatching soldiers and officials to contact the patrolling soldiers nearby for support. Soon, messages arrived like snowflakes fluttering down. Only then did the situation in Tianjiao City begin to unfold before everyone¡¯s eyes. A strange blood mist had appeared abruptly, covering the entire Tianjiao City in an instant, even the wilderness outside the city. It was estimated that the blood mist covered a hundred miles in all directions. During the chaos, six groups of demonic people from the Blood Lotus Sect appeared in the city, slaughtering monks and breaking into government offices. He kept issuing orders, directing the patrolling soldiers to assemble while also confirming the whereabouts of the powerful figures of the Demonic Sect. Now that the situation was stable, it was time to summon the elders back. By gathering the elders and having the sect leader come forward, relying on the long-standing authority of the Demonic Sect, they might be able to rally the people¡¯s hearts and defend the city with the soldiers inside. Not to mention, there were hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens in the city who could be mobilized to defend the walls in a critical moment. Although there were many demonic people from the Blood Lotus Sect outside, this was still the Demonic Sect¡¯s territory. As long as the message was sent out, it wouldn¡¯t take long for reinforcements to arrive, and then they could defeat the demonic people from the Blood Lotus Sect causing chaos here, turning danger into safety. ¨CThat was the plan of the lord of Tianjiao City. But the subsequent news directly thwarted his plan. ¡°...Report! The sect leader has mysteriously disappeared, and we have lost track of him. We do not know where the sect leader is now, only a decree from him remains!¡± ¡°Report! Elder Sun broke into the alchemy furnace and concocted a batch of pills. After consuming them, he turned into a hawk and flew away!¡± ¡°Report! Elder Wu was swallowed by an underwater monster at Shimen Bridge. Now that monster, with Elder Wu inside, has escaped along the river!¡± ¡°Report! Elder Qi ran to the east gate and took away eight thousand patrolling cavalry. A quarter of an hour ago, Elder Qi led the cavalry out of the city gate, broke through the formation of the demonic people from the Blood Lotus Sect outside, and headed east!¡± ¡°Report...¡± One urgent piece of information after another was relayed. Each piece of news made the lord of Tianjiao City¡¯s eyelids twitch. In such a critical moment, the elders of the Demon Refining Sect were each showing off their powers and trying every means of escape. But with a hundred thousand Blood Lotus Sect demonic people outside, can you really escape? It would have been fine if they had just escaped, but that damned Elder Qi even took away his eight thousand cavalry? The eight thousand cavalry of that patrol camp were insignificant in the past, merely used to suppress local petty thieves and equipped with so many horses for ease of movement. But under the current circumstances, these eight thousand cavalry have become the strongest force in Tianjiao City! Yet Elder Qi took them all away... Ou Ziyu rubbed his temples forcefully, his face bitter. ¡°My life is over...¡± Chapter 189 The elders of the Demon Refining Sect are indeed formidable. Even with their cultivation stripped away, they managed to show their powers and escape in their own ways. Some relied on their alchemy skills to concoct transformative pills, others used their beast-taming abilities to command monsters to carry them away, and there were even those who directly used their elder privileges to take away eight thousand cavalry... When the lord of Tianjiao City received one report after another, he visibly despaired. Now with the sect leader gone and various Great Elders fleeing, such news spreading will deal a huge blow to the morale of the soldiers in Tianjiao City. ¨CIf the elders and the sect leader have run away, what are we, the common soldiers, fighting for? Such thoughts would surely arise in the hearts of every soldier. Once the situation collapses, the soldiers in the city will definitely defect. By then... The lord of Tianjiao City sighed bitterly, turning to Yan Xiaoru. ¡°Things have come to this... Elder Yan, do you have any good plans?¡± The situation with the sect leader and the elders fleeing disrupted all of Ou Ziyu¡¯s plans. Although such behavior fits the style of the demonic path, as someone left behind, Ou Ziyu still felt heavy-hearted. However, after the lord of Tianjiao City finished speaking, Yan Xiaoru did not respond but instead looked indifferently at Li Muyang: ¡°You say.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Li Muyang, who had been watching for a long time, was taken aback and a bit confused. At this moment, Nangong Ting had already been tied up and dragged to the next courtyard, under strict supervision. This incense master of the Blood Lotus Sect would be the most valuable hostage in Li Muyang and their hands. But Li Muyang, as a small fry, had always been standing aside as an observer; such high-level decisions were certainly not his to make. Yet unexpectedly, Yan Xiaoru suddenly asked him... Li Muyang hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Should we also escape?¡± If they couldn¡¯t hold out, perhaps fleeing was the only option. With his strong body, Li Muyang felt that breaking through the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s battle formation shouldn¡¯t be difficult. The only issue was protecting Yan Xiaoru from harm when breaking out... which was a bit more challenging. Li Muyang was just speaking off the cuff. But to his surprise, after hearing his words, Yan Xiaoru nodded directly: ¡°Good! I¡¯ll listen to you, let¡¯s escape.¡± ¡°Elder Qi is a Purple Mansion powerhouse and has taken eight thousand cavalry. He will definitely attract a lot of pursuers for us.¡± After Yan Xiaoru finished speaking, the lord of Tianjiao City was silent and hesitant. Eventually, he gave a bitter smile and bowed: ¡°I will heed Elder Yan¡¯s command.¡± Although the two were of equal rank, Yan Xiaoru was an elder, and the authority of an elder far exceeded that of a city lord. Once Yan Xiaoru made the decision, Ou Ziyu could only obediently accept the order and leave. Soon, in the small courtyard of this temporary command post, only Li Muyang and Yan Xiaoru were left. As the courtyard quieted down, the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat delicate. Yan Xiaoru, who had always been aloof and proud, looked coldly at Li Muyang: ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Faced with the accusing Yan Xiaoru, Li Muyang scratched his head and cautiously asked, ¡°What should I say?¡± ...... The courtyard fell silent once again. Faced with such an innocently clueless Li Muyang, Yan Xiaoru seemed at a loss for words. The two looked at each other, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s gaze cold, Li Muyang¡¯s face innocent and sincere. After a prolonged standoff, Yan Xiaoru was the first to look away. She gazed into the distance, her profile facing Li Muyang, and spoke without any expression, ¡°Tonight, you will lead the charge. It will be up to you to spearhead the attack and break through the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s battle formation.¡± ¡°But after breaking through, the escape route that follows will be even more perilous.¡± ¡°There are no defensible positions in the wilderness, and the Blood Lotus Sect will surely pursue us relentlessly. In times of dire crisis, you may flee alone and seek external reinforcements.¡± ¡°I will lead the rest to hold our ground here, waiting for backup to arrive and draw their fire.¡± Yan Xiaoru continued dispassionately, ¡°If you can escape alone and quickly bring back reinforcements, the chaos in Tianjiao City might be resolved.¡± ¡°You could also earn great merit by rescuing countless disciples of our sect.¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s suggestion was very sensible. However, Li Muyang simply shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the lives of others, nor do I want any merit.¡± Looking earnestly and calmly at Yan Xiaoru, Li Muyang said, ¡°Elder Yan, I just want you to leave with me.¡± Chapter 190 Under the cover of night, clusters of flickering campfires cast long shadows across the wilderness. Outside Tianjiao City, the sprawling tents and campfires merged into a vast expanse of crimson. Followers of the Blood Lotus Sect, with red headbands and lotus emblems, stood out distinctly in the darkness. Tianjiao City, without a moat or even walls high enough to be considered formidable, relied on the combat prowess of cultivators. In all the historical turmoil and strife, mortal armies hardly had the chance to enter the fray. Their sole value lay in serving the cultivators as shepherds to their flock. Thus, even though Tianjiao City was one of the larger cities under the rule of the Demon Refining Sect, its walls were merely a few zhang high, hardly a formidable fortress. A slightly stronger martial artist could easily scale these walls with bare hands. To the tens of thousands of Blood Lotus Sect followers outside, the low walls were no different from a mere dirt mound. Yet, so far, the Blood Lotus Sect had not launched a full-scale assault. Tens of thousands of followers, clad in red armor and wielding steel weapons, simply encamped and surrounded Tianjiao City without attacking. A massive banner stood outside the western gate of Tianjiao City, bearing the words ¡¾By the True Lord Imperial Decree, Vanquish Demons and Exterminate Immortals¡¿. Even in the darkness, the characters were clearly visible. This was the banner of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s leader, representing absolute power outside Tianjiao City at this moment. Underneath the banner, several figures hurried into the tent. Liu Hucheng, one of the four great Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect, lifted the tent flap and entered anxiously. ¡°Master, why haven¡¯t we launched the full assault yet?¡± Liu Hucheng had come from within Tianjiao City, where he was the first Incense Master to appear, acting as bait and orchestrating everything. He and Nangong Ting operated within Tianjiao City, one overt and the other covert, one still and the other active, working together to stage this grand spectacle. Eventually, they successfully trapped the Sect Master of the Demon Refining Sect and twelve Elders within Tianjiao City. After Nangong Ting initiated her attack amidst the chaos, Liu Hucheng, who had been imprisoned, was released. But as Liu Hucheng and his followers wreaked havoc in the city, breaking through several government offices and slaughtering many Demonic Sect cultivators, he received unexpected and terrible news. ¨CNangong Ting, who had been acting with him in the city, had been captured by the Demon Refining Sect! Upon learning this, Liu Hucheng did not linger. ¡°Right now, there are only fifty to sixty thousand soldiers in Tianjiao City with wavering morale, no match for our sect¡¯s army of one hundred and sixty thousand.¡± ¡°If we launch a full assault, taking Tianjiao City would be a matter of moments!¡± ¡°Now that Incense Master Nangong has unfortunately been captured, we must break through Tianjiao City as quickly as possible to rescue her!¡± ¡°Moreover, several of those Demonic Sect Elders are still hiding in the city! If we don¡¯t quickly take the city and find them, they might find a chance to escape too!¡± Liu Hucheng was extremely eager. Taking Tianjiao City and slaying the Demonic Sect Elders within was the most crucial objective of this operation. It was already troublesome that several Demonic Sect Elders had displayed their powers and escaped during the day. Now, the whereabouts of the other Demonic Sect Elders hiding in the city were unknown, and they must not be allowed to escape! However, facing Liu Hucheng¡¯s urgency, the pale-faced girl still shook her head. She exhaled a breath of cold air, seemingly chilled, and warmed her hands over the brazier in front of her. The girl then spoke, ¡°We no longer have one hundred and sixty thousand.¡± She shook her head, continuing to speak under Liu Hucheng¡¯s astonished gaze. ¡°Now, there are only ninety thousand followers outside the city. It seems like more because I¡¯ve used a deception technique.¡± ¡°I had the soldiers leave the camp through one gate, circle the city, return to the camp, then change their armor and banners before exiting through another gate to circle the city again.¡± ¡°This cycle repeats, pretending that we still have tens of thousands outside the city.¡± ¡°In reality, it¡¯s just to intimidate the soldiers inside the city, a mere show of force.¡± ¡°The strongest battalions of our sect have already been taken by the leader and the others.¡± ¡°They have now left Tianjiao City to pursue and kill those fleeing elders. It is imperative to stop these escapees in the wilderness.¡± ¡°And two hours ago, our spies stationed outside relayed intelligence.¡± Shen Yan looked at the astonished Liu Hucheng and slowly said, ¡°During this upheaval, one of Yan Xiaoru¡¯s direct disciples actually managed to escape.¡± ¡°And in just a few short hours, she escaped the area covered by the blood mist.¡± ¡°Two hours ago, she arrived at Bishui City, two thousand li away, with a white-robed female disciple and publicly revealed her identity.¡± ¡°By now, the entire Demonic Sect should be aware of the unrest that has occurred within Tianjiao City...¡± Chapter 191 As Shen Yan finished speaking, the tent fell abruptly silent. Liu Hucheng, who had been anxious and impatient, was stunned. ¡°Yan Xiaoru¡¯s direct disciple has run away?¡± How could that be possible? The range of the blood fog had stripped all cultivation within a radius of fifteen hundred li. Without their cultivation, how did that direct disciple manage to escape from Tianjiao City and arrive at Bishui City, two thousand li away, in such a short time? Liu Hucheng instinctively suspected that this was false information. However, seeing the girl¡¯s pale bloodless face before him, the words of doubt he had choked back in his throat. Miss Shen¡¯s words had never been wrong. Seeing Liu Hucheng¡¯s silence, Shen Yan sighed and said, ¡°How Yan Xiaoru¡¯s direct disciple managed to escape is currently unclear. But her ability to leave Tianjiao City and reach Bishui City means that the Demonic Sect will soon learn of the turmoil here and will dispatch military forces to come to the rescue.¡± ¡°This will disrupt our plans.¡± ¡°Although all the cities around Tianjiao City have now been taken down by our sect, the Demonic Sect will learn of this too quickly, and a large army will come to attack in a day or two.¡± ¡°Therefore, the sect leader made a decisive decision to find and kill all the Demonic Sect elders who have fled into the wilderness before the Demonic Sect¡¯s army arrives.¡± Shen Yan continued, ¡°Whether it¡¯s the one who used a demonic beast to escape or the one who took medicine to transform into a hawk and flew away, under the condition of sealed cultivation, their control over demonic beasts and the pills they¡¯ve refined cannot last long.¡± ¡°Finding their hiding places in the wilderness as soon as possible and killing them is the most important thing right now.¡± ¡°The more Demonic Sect elders we can kill, the better. As for Tianjiao City...¡± The girl looked in the direction of Tianjiao City and shook her head, ¡°We just need to guard this place and ensure that no one escapes from the city.¡± ¡°With our current strength, attacking the city would be difficult, costly in lives, and would reveal our lack of manpower.¡± ¡°However, by surrounding the city without attacking and making a show of force, the people inside will feel pressured.¡± ¡°Under the pressure of life and death, they may choose to break out and fight for a way to survive.¡± ¡°At that moment, when they abandon the city¡¯s defenses and come into the open, the Demonic Sect cultivators will lose all their advantages, and that will be the time for us to launch a full-scale attack.¡± The girl spoke earnestly about this matter. In contrast, the city¡¯s soldiers suffered heavy casualties. After chasing the Blood Lotus Sect rebels for a whole day, their own side had already lost over a thousand. Such a stark difference in strength made the already uncertain soldiers even more hesitant. Li Muyang said helplessly, ¡°These guys might as well have ¡®surrender as soon as we leave the city¡¯ written on their faces.¡± Ou Ziyu looked at Yan Xiaoru and hesitated, ¡°Elder Yan, should we still proceed with the original plan?¡± The original plan was to break out of Tianjiao City under the cover of night, leading an army of sixty thousand to break through the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s camp and fight for a way to survive. But now, the difficulty of realizing this plan seemed high. The morale of the ordinary soldiers in the city had already plummeted due to successive blows. If they couldn¡¯t achieve a quick victory after leaving the city and rapidly break through the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s military formation, these guys might just kneel down and surrender on the spot. Although the Demonic Sect cultivators inside the city, whose cultivation had been stripped away, were still eager to fight, at this point, the total number of Demonic Sect cultivators, which was less than a thousand, could no longer influence the outcome of the battle. The cultivators, who were once high above, now had to rely on the ordinary people they used to look down upon. After a moment of silence, Yan Xiaoru looked at Li Muyang. Li Muyang also looked at her, their eyes meeting. Finally, Yan Xiaoru said softly, ¡°Proceed with the original plan.¡± She spoke expressionlessly, ¡°Let everyone eat and drink well, rest properly, and then we will break out from the west gate. We cannot stay in Tianjiao City any longer. If we delay further, the Blood Lotus Sect followers outside the city will gather more people, and our chances of breaking out will become even slimmer.¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s words relieved Li Muyang. Although she had not responded to what he had said before, at this moment, Yan Xiaoru was still determined to leave the city. Clearly, she had taken Li Muyang¡¯s words to heart. Knowing that the army¡¯s morale was unreliable, she still wanted to carry out the original plan. Obviously, she did not plan to share life and death with the sixty thousand-strong army and had decided to abandon the Demonic Sect disciples if necessary. If it were impossible, Li Muyang could have easily charged out of the chaos with her and escaped alone. After being silent for a day, the aloof and arrogant Elder Yan finally responded to Li Muyang with her actions at this moment. ¨CIf you want me to go with you, then I¡¯ll go! Chapter 192 The flickering flames on the city walls cast a changing light on Li Muyang¡¯s face. Yan Xiaoru stood atop the city wall, gazing indifferently at the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s camp outside the city. The endless tents spread out into the darkness, reaching far into its depths. Followers of the Blood Lotus Sect, clad in armor and red headbands, patrolled outside the tents with swords and spears in hand. The flags representing the various Helmsmen and Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect fluttered in the darkness. Seven Helmsmen, four Incense Masters, each with six Banner Masters under them... For this upheaval in Tianjiao City, the Blood Lotus Sect had practically brought out all its forces. Silently, they had ambushed over a hundred thousand mortal followers outside Tianjiao City. Looking at such a formation, the lord of Tianjiao City sighed softly. ¡°After this, no matter how much the Demonic Sect loses, the Blood Lotus Sect will gain great fame.¡± To start an uprising in Tianjiao City, where the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s power is extremely strong, and to force the Demonic Sect¡¯s sect master and twelve elders to flee in disarray¡ªeven if not a single elder or powerful figure of the Demonic Sect dies, such news would be enough to shock the world. Moreover, given the current situation, it seems difficult for the elders of the Demonic Sect to escape from Tianjiao City unscathed. Yan Xiaoru glanced coldly over her shoulder at the city below. At the city gate tower, the streets of Tianjiao City were now filled with torches, gathering all the Demonic Sect cultivators and patrolling soldiers within the city. Further out were the casual cultivators who were staying in Tianjiao City, as well as practitioners from other sects. There were over a thousand of these practitioners, and because the blood mist had come so abruptly, they had been forced to stay in Tianjiao City. Now, hearing that the Blood Lotus Sect was about to breach the city, all the practitioners within the city had rushed over, ready to fight their way out of the city alongside the Demonic Sect cultivators. For the practitioners in the city, tonight¡¯s surprise attack was their only chance of survival. Once the Blood Lotus Sect demons broke into the city, all the practitioners still inside would be executed without exception. Watching the shadows under the night sky, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s gaze was cold. She knew that the leftover fleeing Demonic Sect elders were hiding among the crowd. They had changed their appearance and disguised themselves to blend in with the crowd leaving the city, trying to avoid being targeted by the Blood Lotus Sect. As long as they were not specifically targeted by the Blood Lotus Sect, these powerful figures of the Demonic Sect would have ways to escape from the chaos. Although not every Demonic Sect elder could command demonic beasts or refine transformation pills, anyone who could become an elder of the Demonic Sect had their own trump cards. Even if their cultivation was reduced, they were not to be underestimated. Faced with such a Yan Xiaoru, Li Muyang gave a wry smile, somewhat helpless. He knew that the strength of his Martial God Tyrant Body had made this Demonic Sect elder wary of him. This was the reason Yan Xiaoru had been avoiding Li Muyang all day. After all, Yan Xiaoru knew Li Muyang better than anyone in the Demon Refining Sect. Over the past three months, the two often met in the dead of night in Wuliuxiang, with Yan Xiaoru teaching Li Muyang cultivation. When Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation was not going well at first, Yan Xiaoru even personally guided him many times. At that time, Li Muyang did not have the Martial God Tyrant Body. In Yan Xiaoru¡¯s view, Li Muyang¡¯s strong physique was suddenly obtained and just happened to come into play when the Blood Lotus Sect attacked the city... If Li Muyang hadn¡¯t been determined to help Yan Xiaoru, first breaking the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s martial fighters and then capturing the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s Incense Master Nangong Ting, Li Muyang would probably have been labeled a spy for the Blood Lotus Sect by now. Looking at Yan Xiaoru¡¯s cold and distant eyes, Li Muyang sighed and said, ¡°Elder Yan, there¡¯s no one behind me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a lucky person who happened to come across some opportunities. I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s spy, nor am I anyone¡¯s puppet.¡± ¡°I came back to find you of my own will.¡± ¡°Elder Yan has been kind to me, imparting techniques, promoting me to the Inner Sect, giving me a ring, and bestowing me with spiritual items.¡± ¡°Both morally and rationally, I cannot abandon Elder Yan and leave in this time of crisis.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s gaze was sincere. In the world of cultivation, it was not impossible for lucky individuals to occasionally obtain ancient inheritances or opportunities. After all, the ancient times of chaos left countless inheritances and opportunities in the world. The founders of today¡¯s major sects in the cultivation world were all ordinary people who had luckily obtained ancient inheritances. Even Yan Xiaoru was fortunate to have obtained the ¡°Netherworld Demon Manual,¡± which allowed her to become a Demonic Sect elder at a young age and intimidate all sides. After hearing Li Muyang¡¯s words, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s expression remained cold. But Li Muyang, who knew her well, could already see that the woman¡¯s emotions had eased. The city wall fell silent. Just when Li Muyang thought he had safely passed the test, Yan Xiaoru suddenly spoke up. ¡°What am I to you?¡± Chapter 193 Yan Xiaoru¡¯s indifferent question left Li Muyang dumbfounded. ¡°Ah?¡± He almost doubted his own hearing, feeling that such a strange question shouldn¡¯t be coming from Yan Xiaoru¡¯s mouth. But under the dim yellow light cast by the lanterns hanging from the city gate tower, Yan Xiaoru, dressed in a purple robe, looked at him indifferently, standing straight with a cold gaze, as if she were interrogating him, yet also as if she were asking herself. ¡°What am I to you?¡± Yan Xiaoru repeated the question. This time, Li Muyang heard it clearly. Very clearly. He hesitated subconsciously: ¡°Uh... Elder Yan?¡± Li Muyang instinctively wanted to ask¡ªWhat on earth are you trying to say? Can¡¯t you speak more clearly? Why is this woman suddenly speaking in riddles? But just as he opened his mouth, before he could get the words out, Yan Xiaoru had already nodded expressionlessly. ¡°Good! You¡¯re a smart person!¡± She nodded in approval at Li Muyang and said, ¡°If we can survive this calamity, I will take you as my direct disciple and teach you profound techniques!¡± After speaking, Yan Xiaoru turned and left. Under the dim light, the woman¡¯s silhouette visibly relaxed, as if she had let out a sigh of relief. Li Muyang was left with a face full of astonishment. This woman¡ªyou are so impatient! I haven¡¯t finished speaking, alright! Li Muyang instinctively followed her, wanting to speak: ¡°Elder Yan...¡± But when he caught up, Yan Xiaoru no longer looked at him and instead walked directly to the edge of the city wall, calling down below. ¡°Cheng Feiyang, are the troops assembled?¡± Below the city wall, with Senior Brother Cheng at the lead, the white-robed disciples lined up in front, followed by all the outer disciples of the Demonic Sect who had come along. Behind the outer disciples were the Demonic Sect cultivators from within Tianjiao City. Further back were the soldiers from the Tianjiao City patrol camp. Under the night sky, torches burned fiercely, illuminating the faces of the crowd. Although the cultivators had their cultivation base stripped, their bodies, tempered by the Qi Refining Realm, were still stronger than ordinary people, even stronger than common warriors. ¡°All ordinary soldiers who surrender on the spot should be escorted back to camp, and after their identities are verified, they can be released without harming their lives.¡± ¡°Those cultivators who flee into the wilderness should be pursued with all our might, not letting a single one escape.¡± The pale fingers of the white-clothed girl gently landed on the map, clenching into a fist: ¡°Among them must be lurking the great elders and powerful figures of the Demon Refining Sect!¡± ¡°By the end of tonight, we will have achieved a complete victory!¡± ...... The earth-shaking battle cries vibrated the wilderness outside Tianjiao City. On this vast plain, almost endless rice fields and mounds stretched out. One would have to flee at least thirty li to find mountains and woods suitable for hiding. The only way out for the cultivators who had fought their way out of Tianjiao City was to cross this boundless wilderness and escape into the mountains and forests thirty li away. Liu Hucheng, leading his troops on the roads within these thirty li, looked into the distance with a cold gaze. Reports came in one after another, but Liu Hucheng did not make any move. He led his most elite warriors, seemingly indifferent, unconcerned about the battles happening in the east, south, and west directions. It wasn¡¯t until he received the latest news about Incense Master Nangong that Liu Hucheng snorted coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He mounted the beast he had tamed for many years and led hundreds of subordinates, also riding beasts, towards the distance. In this situation where cultivation was stripped away and everyone had fallen to the level of ordinary people, the physically strong beasts were undoubtedly top-tier mounts. And their Blood Lotus Sect had long been taming beasts for many years. Hundreds of demonic beast cavalry charged out, tearing through the army that had been rampaging unopposed outside Tianjiao City in an instant. One by one, the armored patrol camp soldiers, upon witnessing the ferocious onslaught of the demonic beast cavalry, were so terrified that they knelt and kowtowed, begging desperately for mercy. However, these demonic beast cavalrymen simply ignored the mortal soldiers. They plowed straight through the crowd, ruthlessly attacking the forefront of the troop. ¡°Li Muyang!!!¡± The roar of the demonic beast cavalrymen echoed through the night. The man, wielding a steel blade and covered in blood, turned his head only to see an endless cloud of dust sweeping toward him. Li Muyang¡¯s eyes, clouded by blood, narrowed into slits. The next second, he leaped into the air, soaring ten zhang high. A furious force crashed down, and in an instant, the battlefield was filled with the piercing howls of demonic beasts and the man¡¯s cold voice. Chapter 194 thick dark clouds shrouded the vast land. inside the military camp outside tianjiao city, the atmosphere was slightly somber. cold rain continuously pelted the land, soaking everything on it without discrimination. in the blood lotus sect camp, the ¡¾by the true lord imperial decree, vanquish demons and exterminate immortals¡¿ sect leader¡¯s flag, which had been fluttering proudly the day before, now hung limply in the pouring rain. inside the sect leader¡¯s tent beneath the flag, the entrance was now wide open. a pale, frail-looking girl sat quietly on top of a map, her gaze fixed on the various passes and intersections. messengers came and went, constantly relaying the latest updates from the battlefield. ¡°...the sect leader has led the demonic beast cavalry to capture demonic sect elder qi rui and is currently escorting qi rui back for support.¡± ¡°...helmsman liu has slain the demonic beast of demonic sect elder wu xingtian and has forced wu xingtian to hide in cuiliu mountain. helmsman liu is currently pursuing him in the mountains and may capture wu xingtian before tonight.¡± ¡°tianjiao city¡¯s lord ou ziyu has broken through the defenses outside tunxi city and is now fleeing southeast...¡± ¡°among the soldiers who surrendered last night, a total of two hundred and thirty-seven cultivators were identified, but none of them were demonic sect elders...¡± ¡°...incense master liu and incense master nangong were taken to pingyang hill by li muyang. helmsman dugu has led his men to attack seven times without success. that li muyang is impervious to swords and spears and has a strong physique. helmsman dugu is asking the young lady for a way to deal with this man.¡± ¡°...report! the poisonous creatures that were suddenly released last night have all been driven away and dealt with!¡± ...... one after another, reports from all directions came in, presenting all the events occurring on this land before the girl¡¯s eyes. listening to the reports, shen yan rubbed her temples with a bitter expression and sighed. ¡°the demon refining sect truly lives up to its reputation as a major sect of the demonic path...¡± each of these demonic sect elders was not an easy opponent. even with their cultivation reduced, these demonic sect elders still displayed terrifying abilities while fleeing. her plans had been perfect: using overwhelming force and cunning tactics, she had successfully forced the cultivators within tianjiao city to come out and swiftly subdued the mortal soldiers. the seawater flooding and the torrential deluge washed away thousands of blood lotus sect followers, with over two thousand still missing... looking at these military reports, shen yan¡¯s temples throbbed even more painfully. now, the helmsmen and the remaining two incense masters were spreading a net across the thousand li of wilderness outside tianjiao city, searching inch by inch for all the demonic sect elders who had fled into the wilderness. but compared to the demonic sect elders lurking in the shadows, the one in plain sight was the most troublesome. her gaze lingered on the position of ¡¾pingyang hill¡¿ on the map, and shen yan sighed softly. ¡°an invulnerable physique and a strong blood qi that can break through thousands of troops... why is this li muyang a disciple of the demon refining sect?¡± her expression was somewhat troubled. last night, liu hucheng led the demonic beast cavalry to attack the fleeing team of law enforcement elder yan xiaoru, trying to rescue the captured incense master nangong. however, the outcome of the battle was that more than half of the two hundred plus demonic beast cavalry were killed or injured, and incense master liu hucheng not only failed to rescue nangong ting but also fell into the chaos and was captured by that demonic sect disciple named li muyang. now, law enforcement elder yan xiaoru has retreated to pingyang hill, two hundred li away, relying on the terrain and li muyang¡¯s strong physique, plus two incense masters as hostages, they have repelled multiple attacks by the blood lotus sect. helmsman dugu led his men to attack fiercely many times but could never breach that hill. this was the point of greatest concern for shen yan. even with their cultivation stripped away, to be able to rely on their flesh and blood to fight against thousands... shen yan murmured to herself, ¡°if only this li muyang were a follower of my sect...¡± pondering, the girl seemed to have made a decision. she suddenly stood up, looked at the messenger waiting outside the tent, and instructed. ¡°go back and tell helmsman dugu to surround pingyang hill and not let li muyang escape.¡± ¡°after i deal with the matters here, i will personally go to pingyang hill to persuade li muyang to surrender.¡± ¡°he is just a white-robed disciple of the demon refining sect. what the demonic sect can give him, my blood lotus sect can give as well!¡± Chapter 195 the continuous rain pattered against the low shrubs on pingyang hill. in the biting cold, li muyang sat inside the tent, grimacing in pain. a wound on his shoulder was so deep that the bone was visible, the flesh around it torn and ragged. cheng feiyang, a young man with half his body stained in blood, sat on a stool, carefully applying medicine to li muyang¡¯s wounds. even in such a desperate situation, this aloof young man who loved to show off maintained his cold and proud demeanor. his white robe had turned blood-red due to the excessive staining. once handsome, his face now bore three crisscrossing shallow scars, making him appear somewhat terrifying. two days ago, during a fierce battle, li muyang found himself surrounded by enemies and was attacked by two helmsmen from the blood lotus sect wielding high-grade swords, pushing him to the brink. at that moment, cheng feiyang led a charge and managed to rescue li muyang with great difficulty. but cheng feiyang, the senior brother who led the charge, had his face torn into three parts. if not for the robust physique of a cultivator and the sacred healing medicine of the demonic sect, this senior brother cheng would likely have died. although their cultivation was sealed in this place, the refined spiritual medicine still exerted its powerful effects. it was precisely because of these potent medicines that the demonic sect disciples were able to survive severe injuries, allowing the few hundred of them to withstand ten days of relentless attacks by the tens of thousands of blood lotus sect¡¯s army. even cheng feiyang¡¯s grievous facial wounds were reduced to mere scars after just two days. as li muyang felt the spiritual medicine seep into his body, the flesh around the wound began to twitch and grow, causing an unbearable itching sensation, and he couldn¡¯t help but twist his mouth. ¡°ouch... so itchy...¡± li muyang lifted his intact right hand and scratched at the air above his left shoulder as if this could somehow alleviate the itching from the new flesh growing. cheng feiyang glanced at li muyang and said, ¡°your injury is not serious. it will scab over in half an hour and heal in three.¡± having said that, the show-off jumped off the stool, packed up his small medicine box, and left. the cold wind blew into the tent from the outside, bringing with it the equally cold yan xiaoru. ¡°they¡¯re shouting from the foot of the mountain again.¡± yan xiaoru sat opposite li muyang, quietly watching him, and said, ¡°miss shen from the blood lotus sect has raised the stakes again.¡± ¡°if you descend the mountain, surrender, and join them, they will grant you the position of helmsman, bestow upon you body-refining immortal medicine, and share a petal of the blood lotus that the blood lotus sect has passed down for years to aid your cultivation.¡± ¡°it is said that this ancient blood lotus is a fairy-grade spiritual item. after consuming it, the abundant spiritual energy is enough for one to cultivate to the purple mansion.¡± if high-grade spiritual weapons were used, injuring li muyang¡¯s flesh was as easy as slicing tofu. in the first few days, li muyang had tried to lead a breakout from the encirclement, fighting like a trapped beast. however, after several failed attempts, the most severe one nearly resulted in dugu yifang chopping off both his arms. although li muyang was rescued by yan xiaoru and cheng feiyang at a critical moment, he still lost his left arm. now, the left hand that li muyang had was newly grown in the past two days, for which yan xiaoru had used a bottle of high-grade spiritual medicine meant for saving lives. li muyang suspected that after the blood lotus sect¡¯s demons picked up his lost arm, they discovered that his physical body was the martial god tyrant body. since the loss of that arm, the offers from the blood lotus sect at the foot of the mountain had increased day by day. and their attacks had become more and more ferocious in the past two days. originally, the blood lotus sect¡¯s demons focused on harassment, but in the past two days, they would fight to the death with the demonic sect cultivators as soon as they charged up the hill. only after leaving behind hundreds of corpses would these blood lotus sect demons slowly retreat. then the voices urging surrender would rise from the mountain¡¯s base. this pattern had occurred thirteen times in the past two days. even li muyang, with his robust martial god tyrant body and vigorous blood qi, was finding it hard to withstand these repeated fierce attacks. if the situation continued like this, li muyang and his group were undoubtedly entering a dead end. the remaining two hundred and thirty people on pingyang hill could only hold out for three more days at most before their defenses completely collapsed. by then, all the cultivators on the mountain would die... looking at the system interface in his field of vision, li muyang was expressionless. at this moment, he really wanted to take out the startling swan immortal sword and go on a killing spree. he was confident that with the startling swan immortal sword, he could sweep away everything. but revealing an immortal weapon in front of so many people would have severe consequences, and he might be hunted by the entire world... inside the tent, li muyang bowed his head, quietly listening to the voices of persuasion coming from the mountain¡¯s base, lost in thought. yan xiaoru, who had been silent in front of him for a long time, suddenly spoke up. ¡°go down the mountain...¡± Chapter 196 yan xiaoru¡¯s sudden words broke the dead silence in the tent. li muyang lifted his head, looking at her in astonishment. but the woman looked back at him calmly and said, ¡°go down the mountain.¡± she repeated the phrase once again. on the face of this woman, who was always aloof and arrogant, li muyang saw such a peaceful expression for the first time. for yan xiaoru, who was known for her expressionless ¡®three-no¡¯ face¡ªno joy, no anger, no expression¡ªthis peaceful demeanor was already incredibly gentle. she quietly looked at li muyang, her eyes no longer indifferent. her tone was also calm and detached. ¡°everyone on pingyang hill is doomed. the blood lotus sect will not let them go. but you are different, you still have a way out.¡± ¡°you¡¯ve done enough over the past ten days, but there¡¯s really no way out. the number of blood lotus sect followers surrounding us at the foot of the mountain is growing. instead of waiting to die, it¡¯s better to go down the mountain and surrender.¡± as yan xiaoru spoke, she took off the qiankun ring from her hand and handed it to li muyang. ¡°this is my qiankun ring. rather than letting it fall into the hands of the blood lotus sect demons after my death, i¡¯d rather give it to you.¡± ¡°you will have a brighter future in the blood lotus sect than in the demon refining sect.¡± between yan xiaoru¡¯s fair fingers, the light green ring looked like a grass loop. but against her pale fingers, this simple light green ring inexplicably looked beautiful. looking at the ring being offered to him and listening to yan xiaoru¡¯s words, li muyang scratched his head and then gave a wry smile: ¡°it¡¯s not that bad yet...¡± he still had his last trump card, the ancient times immortal weapon startling swan immortal sword, obtained from the secret realm of demon sword city. even though his cultivation was sealed and li muyang couldn¡¯t activate his spiritual energy, reducing the power of the startling swan immortal sword, it was still an immortal weapon of immortal rank. the strange blood fog that sealed everyone¡¯s cultivation was only a treasure of the same rank as the immortal sword. the startling swan immortal sword¡¯s power was indeed limited in this region, but it was still easy to sweep through a group of blood lotus sect demons who also had their cultivation stripped away. however, the repercussions of exposing the immortal sword were too great. with li muyang¡¯s current cultivation level and reputation, once the world knew he possessed an ancient times immortal sword, the entire cultivation world would go mad. an ancient times immortal sword in the hands of a mere golden core realm cultivator? it would be a disgrace to the heavens if the powerhouses of the cultivation world didn¡¯t come to snatch that immortal sword! moreover, they hadn¡¯t reached the point of desperation where they needed to risk their lives. li muyang sighed and said, ¡°elder yan, why lose heart? we have been trapped here for ten days, and the number of people surrounding us at the foot of the mountain is increasing. this is actually a good sign.¡± the once fearsome enforcer elder, whose voice of angry questioning was now so low, as if afraid of being heard by people outside. she stared intently at li muyang, her aloof face showing anger for the first time. as an elder of the demonic sect and the head of the hall of enforcement, she should be angry at being so rudely offended by an inner disciple... yan xiaoru was supposed to be angry. but this expression of anger, combined with her subdued voice, seemed so lacking in confidence, so guilty. seeing yan xiaoru step back in anger, li muyang did not persist. he stood in place, facing the woman with the icy gaze, and helplessly spread his hands. ¡°ten days ago, on the night in tianjiao city, on top of the city walls, elder yan, you asked me a question.¡± ¡°at the time, i was slow to respond and failed to express my true feelings, which i regretted.¡± ¡°over the past ten days, i have been pondering this question, thinking about how to answer elder yan.¡± ¡°now i think i have thought it through... elder yan, could you ask me again?¡± ¡°this time, i will tell you what i truly think.¡± li muyang¡¯s gaze was earnest and serious. yan xiaoru stared at him intently, trying to see through whatever was hidden beneath that young and handsome face. she stared at li muyang for a long while before finally saying, expressionless and word by word. ¡°i can pretend i didn¡¯t hear what you just said.¡± ¡°you are just a disciple of the demon refining sect, no matter what inappropriate thoughts you have in your mind, i hope you will completely extinguish them!¡± with that, yan xiaoru turned and left with an icy gaze. that chilling, cold profile was enough to terrify everyone in the demon refining sect¡ªelder yan was truly angry. however, as she turned, the man¡¯s warm and large palm reached out and grabbed her again. ¡°elder yan...¡± slap¡ª a crisp slap echoed in the tent. the two who were pulled together fell silent in an instant. yan xiaoru silently looked at li muyang, then at her own hand that she had unconsciously swung out, and at the man in front of her who, despite having been slapped by her, still firmly grasped her wrist... the originally furious elder yan¡¯s momentum suddenly weakened. ¡°...you¡¯re not allowed to hit me!¡± Chapter 197 ¡°...you¡¯re not allowed to hit me!¡± yan xiaoru, as if possessed, blurted out such a sentence. after speaking without thinking, she wanted to shrink back. however, the moment she spoke, she realized the gap in status and identity between the two of them. ¨Cwhy should li muyang be allowed to hit her? and why should she be afraid? the previously weakened yan xiaoru suddenly regained her confidence. she looked up at li muyang and said, ¡°you dare to hit me!¡± her emphasized statement was still blurted out without thinking. however, after speaking, yan xiaoru realized that it might not have been appropriate to say such a thing. she was, after all, a venerable elder of the demonic sect. how could she speak in such a tone to an inner disciple? realizing this, yan xiaoru¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at li muyang, trying to exude the cold and intimidating air of the past to regain some ground. however, even with her eyes wide open, she didn¡¯t look the least bit intimidating. her effortful glare, stubborn and indignant, resembled that of a petulant child. seeing yan xiaoru¡¯s funny effortful glare, li muyang, who had been somewhat stunned by the slap, suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°haha...¡± li muyang¡¯s laughter wasn¡¯t loud. but to yan xiaoru¡¯s ears, it was incredibly grating. her body trembling, she stared fiercely at li muyang as if trying to kill him with her gaze. a thin layer of mist began to form in her eyes. ¡°you... you...¡± the normally cold and expressionless elder yan now couldn¡¯t even utter a complete sentence. her body trembled, and she stared at li muyang, seeming very angry but appearing more aggrieved. ¡°what are you laughing at!¡± elder yan¡¯s voice trembled, even carrying a hint of a sob: ¡°do you find what i said funny?!¡± seeing yan xiaoru¡¯s trembling body and the quivering snowy ravine at her chest, li muyang composed himself, suppressing his smile to show a serious and earnest expression. ¡°elder yan...¡± li muyang began to speak but then hesitated. the cold elder yan seemed to regain the aura of the law-enforcing elder. however, her demeanor only made li muyang feel more troubled. ¡°why do you always avoid my questions?¡± li muyang held the woman¡¯s hand, looking helplessly into her eyes, ¡°every time i try to have a serious talk, you deliberately change the subject... what are you so afraid of?¡± ¡°am i going to eat you?¡± li muyang was weary. yan xiaoru, however, tried to pull away from li muyang¡¯s grip, glaring at him: ¡°who¡¯s afraid of you? let go!¡± yan xiaoru struggled, even reaching out with her other hand to pry li muyang¡¯s fingers apart. but as she extended her hand, li muyang¡¯s free hand also reached out, grasping hers. standing face to face, their hands intertwined, time seemed to stand still. with her arms spread and firmly held by li muyang, yan xiaoru was suddenly left wide open. facing the man before her, yan xiaoru suddenly found herself without any defenses. her gaze trembled, and she took a step back uneasily, ¡°...what do you want to do?¡± but li muyang had already lost his patience with her continuous evasive maneuvers. he glared at yan xiaoru irritably, dragged her over forcefully, and pulled her in front of himself. ¡°can you just listen to me?¡± li muyang pulled the woman trying to escape in front of him, then, amidst her horrified gaze, he wrapped his arms around her waist and forcibly seated her on a nearby stool. the moment yan xiaoru was lifted up, her body stiffened as if frozen, daring not to move at all. only after li muyang had placed her on the stool did she dare to breathe. looking uncertainly at li muyang, who had stepped back, yan xiaoru crossed her hands over her abdomen uneasily. ¡°you... what do you want to say?¡± she felt as if she was about to hear some terrifying, outrageous statement and instinctively wanted to flee. but considering the man¡¯s robust figure and recalling his recent actions... yan xiaoru dared not make any sudden moves. ¡°just say what you want to say,¡± yan xiaoru tried to maintain the dignity of her position as an enforcement elder. however, li muyang¡¯s casual remark once again shattered her authority. ¡°yan xiaoru, you like me... right?¡± with that casual remark, yan xiaoru¡¯s face instantly flushed red. ¡°you¡¯re slandering me!¡± Chapter 198 the always aloof and indifferent enforcement elder yan xiaoru now had a face flushed bright red. she stared at li muyang with extreme alarm, the blush spreading to her ears. ¡°you¡¯re slandering me!¡± elder yan angrily retorted, ¡°who likes you? li muyang, have you lost your mind?¡± li muyang, however, ignored elder yan¡¯s rage and continued to speak on his own. ¡°actually, i had a vague feeling from the beginning, but i couldn¡¯t be sure.¡± ¡°i read about a psychological phenomenon called the ¡®misattribution of arousal¡¯ in a book. it basically suggests that when people are in a crisis or facing death, their heartbeat speeds up. if a man and a woman are together in such a situation, they might mistake this accelerated heartbeat for love and start liking each other.¡± (tln: suspension bridge effect.) ¡°i had a faint suspicion back in the demon sword city secret realm, but i didn¡¯t dare to think too deeply about it.¡± ¡°after all, i was just a lowly outer disciple at that time, with a status in the demon refining sect comparable to a dog.¡± ¡°and you were a high-ranking enforcement elder, not from my world.¡± ¡°plus, the false love produced by the misattribution of arousal might fade over time.¡± ¡°so i¡¯ve been avoiding it and observing.¡± ¡°the various events that have happened over the past six months, especially what happened in tianjiao city, have confirmed it for me.¡± li muyang spoke softly, looking sincerely into yan xiaoru¡¯s eyes, ¡°yan xiaoru, you like me.¡± ¡°although you won¡¯t admit it, and even though you¡¯re avoiding it, you do indeed like me.¡± ¡°this isn¡¯t a false love from the misattribution of arousal, but a feeling that has not only not disappeared after half a year but has become even more intense.¡± ¡°it¡¯s only after confirming this that i dare to be honest with you now.¡± li muyang said, ¡°now, in this tent, it¡¯s just the two of us, with no one else around. what we say here won¡¯t be heard by others.¡± ¡°in that case, why do you still need to hide and cover it up?¡± ¡°where is the decisive killing intent of an enforcement elder? why be so coy and evasive, like a childish kid?¡± li muyang¡¯s words left yan xiaoru staring in disbelief. but she was no longer angry. instead, she gradually calmed down. ¡°you say you¡¯re sure i like you... fine! then tell me, how did you confirm that i like you? where¡¯s your evidence?¡± ¡°is it because of the qiankun ring you received from me? or because i promoted you to an inner disciple? or because i brought you to tianjiao city?¡± yan xiaoru¡¯s face was cold, her subtext clearly suggesting that none of these meant anything, and li muyang was deluding himself. faced with her stubborn defiance, li muyang¡¯s lips curled into a helpless smile.no?v(el)b\\jnn ¡°because back in the demon sword city secret realm, i told you i liked snacks...¡± wuu... yan xiaoru covered her face, feeling like she was about to die. the feeling of extreme embarrassment spread throughout her body. she felt her whole body burning up. wuu wuu wuuu... how could i be so stupid! he brought snacks over every night, how could i not see such an obvious sign? what normal person would bring snacks for a mysterious senior who is imparting skills? wuu wuu wuuu... at this moment, yan xiaoru wished she could travel back in time and slap her past self, who thought she was so clever. she was too ashamed to face anyone. this time, she really couldn¡¯t face anyone! yan xiaoru¡¯s ears turned red with shame as if she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. li muyang¡¯s killer move had pierced through all the psychological defenses the woman had been holding up, making it impossible for her to maintain the aloof demeanor of an elder. looking at her in this state, li muyang sighed, ¡°so elder yan, now that it¡¯s come to this, can we have an open and honest talk?¡± after li muyang finished speaking, yan xiaoru, who had her head buried, suddenly looked up, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she glared at him. ¡°don¡¯t call me elder yan!¡± yan xiaoru was both embarrassed and angry, her eyes filled with misty tears: ¡°how dare you treat me like this? do you still see me as an elder of the demonic sect?!¡± as she spoke, tears began to flow down her cheeks. seeing this, li muyang was stunned. ¡°uh... elder yan?¡± he had not expected the demonic sect elder to actually cry in front of him. li muyang instinctively took a step forward but then immediately stopped, unsure if he should do something at this moment or if it would upset yan xiaoru. but the woman looked at him stubbornly, directly grabbing his hand and pulling it to her face, angrily saying, ¡°i¡¯m crying! aren¡¯t you going to wipe my tears?¡± time seemed to stand still at that moment. the woman looking up in anger, the man surprised and raising his hand, the pouring rain outside the tent... this scene would forever be etched in li muyang¡¯s memory. Chapter 199 li muyang had never expected that this always cold and indifferent enforcement elder would cry in front of him. his hand gently brushed across her cheek, tenderly wiping away her tears. his careful movements were as if he were touching a delicate and fragile piece of art. the woman held the back of his hand, stubborn and angry, looking up at him without averting her gaze. their eyes locked, and large tears continued to slide down yan xiaoru¡¯s face. the more li muyang wiped, the more her tears flowed. eventually, his fingers were completely soaked, but the woman refused to look away. with tears streaming down her face, she looked at li muyang, appearing so vulnerable yet stubbornly unyielding. li muyang, looking at her like this, sighed softly. ¡°elder yan...¡± li muyang gently called out, his eyes sincere as he said, ¡°whether you believe it or not, i truly didn¡¯t mean to insult you or take advantage of you.¡± ¡°after all, you are an elder of the demonic sect, a divine travel realm cultivator. although we are in a difficult situation now, we can¡¯t stay here forever, and we will eventually leave.¡± ¡°once we step out of this land where cultivation is suppressed, you could take my life in the blink of an eye.¡± ¡°so how could it be considered taking advantage of you...¡± li muyang sighed, ¡°my life is always in your hands.¡± ¡°you are the one in control of everything, the deity high above.¡± ¡°i am like a rat in the gutter, cautiously hiding, not daring to look directly at your brilliance until this opportunity arose for me to speak.¡± ¡°and what i¡¯ve said is not to ask for anything or to scheme for anything.¡± ¡°i simply wanted to confirm your feelings and confirm your heart.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t want to look back many years from now and realize that i missed out on a very sincere love.¡± li muyang spoke earnestly, ¡°now that i have confirmed these feelings, that is enough for me.¡± ¡°i don¡¯t expect you, elder yan, to respond to me. after today, you will still be an elder of the demonic sect, and i will still be an inner disciple of the hall of enforcement. our relationship will not change.¡± ¡°i will not tell anyone about this, and i will keep it as my final secret until i take it to the grave.¡± ¡°of course, elder yan, you can also choose to silence me by killing me.¡± li muyang said this with a bitter smile, shaking his head, ¡°but if you come to kill me, i will resist, i will run away, i won¡¯t just submit to death.¡± ¡°but even if you want to kill me, i promise not to speak of today¡¯s events. i will not tarnish your reputation, elder yan.¡± ¡°but i can¡¯t bring myself to do it, nor do i want to. that¡¯s not how yan xiaoru operates.¡± yan xiaoru continued with an emotionless tone, ¡°you can just stay in the hall of enforcement. if you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation or face any problems, you can come to me for help.¡± ¡°within my capabilities, i will try my best to assist you. after all, you have saved my life, and i enjoy your company and teaching you how to cultivate.¡± ¡°but our affair must remain a secret.¡± ¡°if you truly mean what you say, you should know how to truly care for me without causing harm.¡± at this moment, yan xiaoru seemed to let go of all her burdens and worries, choosing to believe in li muyang¡¯s words. her message was clear: she would still be elder yan, and li muyang would remain a disciple of the demonic sect. there could be nothing between them. yet she acknowledged her fondness for li muyang and the life-saving grace she had received from him, promising to look after him as much as she could in the future. seeing yan xiaoru like this, li muyang smiled. seeing her no longer crying and reverting to her usual aloof and indifferent demeanor, he felt somewhat happy. ¡°alright!¡± li muyang had no intentions of scheming anything, and since yan xiaoru had spoken thus, he simply nodded in agreement. ¡°i won¡¯t cause any trouble for elder yan.¡± saying this, li muyang took a couple of steps toward yan xiaoru, and finally, under her wary and suspicious gaze, he stood before her. their eyes met, and yan xiaoru¡¯s hands clenched subconsciously. ¡°what... what do you want to do?¡± yan xiaoru asked, staring at li muyang. even as a high-ranking elder of the demonic sect, she felt a bit guilty in front of this sunny and handsome young man. li muyang opened his arms, sincere and innocent, and said, ¡°i want a hug from you, elder yan.¡± ¡°what?!¡± yan xiaoru was stunned. the request was so unexpected that she even doubted her own hearing. but the next second, li muyang¡¯s arms tightened, and they embraced each other closely. in the tent, li muyang¡¯s soft whisper could be heard, ¡°didn¡¯t elder yan say it? as long as it¡¯s within your power, you would help me... i¡¯m so tired right now. i want to rest in elder yan¡¯s embrace for a while to heal my weary soul.¡± as li muyang¡¯s words fell, yan xiaoru felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. ¡°you... rascal!¡± she scolded, utterly embarrassed. she had not anticipated that this seemingly warm and sunny young man would be so bold. after a few seconds of tension, the tent filled with the reluctant murmur of a woman, ¡°just... just a hug...¡± what followed was the sound of li muyang¡¯s happy, low chuckle. ¡°hehe...¡± Chapter 200 the cold rain drizzled down, washing over everything between heaven and earth. inside the tent on pingyang hill, as li muyang finally embraced the beauty in his arms, the military formation of the blood lotus sect below the ridge was filled with a murderous aura. the burly and massive demonic beasts sneezed restlessly in the rain, loathing the cold water. inside the tent with the curtains open to the rain, shen yan, wrapped in a thick fur cloak and sitting by the charcoal fire, gently exhaled a breath of cold air. her attire was out of place compared to everyone else in the tent. dugu yifang, the leader of the qingfeng hall, sat bare-chested by the entrance of the tent, wiping the blade in his hands, allowing the cold droplets from outside to fall on his robust abs. in the midst of the storm, a messenger rushed in to report the latest intelligence to shen yan. the blood lotus sect had prepared for this uprising for years, training over forty thousand demonic beasts. on land where cultivation was sealed, these demonic beast cavalry were nearly invincible and met little resistance. over the past ten days, the demon refining sect had continuously mobilized mortal troops and launched several probing attacks, but all of the demon refining sect¡¯s offensives were scattered and broken by the blood lotus sect¡¯s demonic beast cavalry. all the passes and cities within a radius of fifteen hundred li from tianjiao city had been captured by the blood lotus sect and were under their control. now, the demon refining sect had stopped probing and was amassing troops on the edge of the cultivation-forbidden area. centered around tianjiao city, the demon refining sect had gathered six armies from six different directions, intending to break through with sheer numbers and overwhelm the blood lotus sect¡¯s demonic beast cavalry. the demon refining sect, after all, was a major faction of the demonic path. once mobilized, an endless stream of mortal warriors was transferred here from various cities, a vast number that was daunting to behold. of the twelve demonic sect elders who were initially trapped in tianjiao city, only three were captured by the blood lotus sect, with the rest successfully escaping the area. gong yanghong, the sect master of the demonic sect who had been missing from the start, appeared in public on the third day. however, capturing three demonic sect elders was already a dazzling achievement. below pingyang hill, shen yan listened to the latest battle reports and said softly, ¡°next, we must fight a few decisive battles...¡± the demon refining sect, caught unprepared, would not let this go easily. after losing three elders, gong yanghong would certainly seek retribution. the blood lotus sect was about to face wave after wave of counterattacks from the demon refining sect. although it was a bit absurd for a diehard to emerge from a demon path sect that prioritized interests, by now, everyone had to accept that the person on pingyang hill was unwaveringly loyal to the demon refining sect. if he wasn¡¯t fiercely loyal, would a mere inner sect disciple in a white robe face such a perilous situation and remain unmoved by the vast opportunities that surrendering would bring? dugu yifang shook his head, ¡°two days¡¯ time, i¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be enough to break through that defense line.¡± dugu yifang was not optimistic about shen yan¡¯s decision. but shen yan sighed and said, ¡°these two days are my last attempt and also that person¡¯s last chance...¡± looking at the small hill in the storm, shen yan whispered, ¡°martial god tyrant body... if such a physique could be used by us, it would become a powerful force for the blood lotus sect, and i want to try my best to win it over.¡± ¡°if he surrenders, there is still hope to rescue the two captured incense masters.¡± ¡°but if he insists on not surrendering...¡± shen yan sighed, ¡°xie shanhai, the head of the branch, is just sixty li away. if i return to tianjiao city in two days, i will ask xie shanhai to launch a fierce attack on this place.¡± ¡°if the martial god tyrant body cannot be used by us, it must not fall into the hands of others!¡± hearing shen yan¡¯s words, dugu yifang¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. ¡°xie shanhai, huh...¡± if that mad dog is called over, then the person on the hill is doomed. dugu yifang grinned and laughed, ¡°suddenly, i hope that guy on the hill is stubborn to the end. if that mad dog xie shanhai comes over and clashes with him in two days, i wonder whose teeth will get knocked out... haha...¡± dugu yifang¡¯s laughter spread far in the pouring rain as the blood lotus sect followers below pingyang hill wiped their blades and began to assemble their troops. surrounded by a continuous military camp, pingyang hill was filled with a deathly stillness. the demonic sect cultivators hid in their hastily constructed rough tents to avoid the rain, applying medicinal ointments to each other and resting to recover their strength. every demonic sect cultivator¡¯s face bore a gray and wooden weariness. the continuous fighting had pushed the nerves of these two hundred or so people to the limit. no one could say when that string would snap. but until death came, the cultivators on the hill had no choice but to keep going, with no one daring to relax or give up. the instinct to survive is fundamental to all living beings. Chapter 201 torrential rain washed over pingyang hill, and within the dilapidated and simple tents, the cultivators of the demon refining sect took shelter from the storm and nursed their wounds. when the dull sound of attack drums rose once again from the foot of the mountain, the group of demonic sect cultivators cursed in anger and exhaustion. ¡°damn blood lotus sect! won¡¯t you let people rest?¡± ¡°just lost a hundred men, and here they come again... are these lunatics not afraid of death?¡± ¡°if my cultivation hadn¡¯t been suppressed, i alone could flatten these mortals!¡± the irritated cursing continued, but the demon cultivators had no choice but to grumble as they stood up. one by one, the injured demonic sect cultivators stood up, forced to face the enemy. the towering figure leading them, with an injured left shoulder and wearing a tattered, bloodstained white robe, was merely a low-ranking inner disciple. in terms of status and cultivation, there were many among the demon cultivators present who were stronger than him. but at this moment, this inner disciple had become the hope of all the demonic sect cultivators on pingyang hill. when he emerged from the elder¡¯s tent, appearing spirited in front of everyone, cheers suddenly erupted on the hillside. ¡°li muyang!¡± ¡°li muyang!¡± ¡°li muyang!¡± it was unclear who started the chant, but soon, this cry echoed across pingyang hill, with all the demonic sect cultivators shouting and roaring this name. it seemed that this name alone could bring them courage. watching this scene from behind the crowd, yan xiaoru was slightly surprised. ¡°this kid...¡± has he already gained such prestige? after ten days of hard fighting, li muyang, who was once just a minor inner disciple, had already gained such significance in the hearts of these demonic sect cultivators. watching the cheering and shouting on the hillside, yan xiaoru sighed softly, her expression complex. standing in the rain, she watched the scene of him moving forward surrounded by the crowd, and for some reason, yan xiaoru¡¯s vision suddenly blurred. at this moment, she seemed to be taken back to that snowy night many years ago. the bird wove through the rain, and on the broad trade routes, only the hurried sound of hooves could be heard as groups of fierce and burly beasts ridden by people with red headbands sped across the wilderness. the bird continued forward, and the atmosphere in the cities that came into view was grim; doors were tightly shut, and red lotus flags stood on the city walls. flying further, several continuous military camps spread across the vast land. figures with red headbands and armored walked among the mushroom-like camps. in the camps, large and burly beasts roared and prowled. the bird carefully avoided these camps and continued on its way. finally, it flew out of the land washed by the storm and returned to the sunlight. ahead, the sound of commands and footsteps thundered on the vast land. countless figures filled the earth, and the dark black banner of the ¡¾demon refining sect¡¿ fluttered in the black tide, stretching to the horizon. in the sky, huge flying ships passed by. bright lights darted through the heavens and earth. white-robed disciples flew under the scorching sun, commanding their respective mortal armies. facing the endless army ahead, the dark green bird did not evade this time but flew toward the sea of people that spread to the horizon. it weaved through the dazzling lights. at last, the dark green bird crossed the moving crowd on the ground and landed on a massive floating ship, as large as a mountain. on the huge floating ship, only a few dozen figures were scattered about, giving it a somewhat deserted feel. the bird landed directly on the deck, shaking its feathers and transforming into a bronze statue. after becoming a statue, its eyes emitted a brilliant green light. these lights converged above the deck, eventually forming a three-zhang-high screen of light, within which images flickered endlessly¡ªall the scenes the bird had seen before. the elders of the demon refining sect, as well as the allies and city lords who had heeded the call to support, all stood in front of this giant screen, looking up at the changing scenes on the screen. on the screen, they saw the forbidden area where all cultivation and magical powers were sealed, and the scene of the blood lotus sect amassing a well-organized army. they also saw the grim cities that had fallen into the hands of the blood lotus sect. at the same time, they saw the small pingyang hill, where a terrifying youth on the mountain, like a madman, single-handedly repelled an army of tens of thousands. amidst the crowd, a surprised cry could be heard. ¡°...that white-robed disciple of the demonic sect... so brave?¡± Chapter 202 ¡°...that white-robed disciple of the demonic sect... so brave?¡± the speaker was an ally of the demon refining sect, the demon king of yan mountain lake. these demons, who usually lurked in the mountains and rarely descended, had formed an alliance with the demonic sect. each party got what they needed, and the demons no longer had to personally enter the world to harm people. this time, it was the first time the demon king of yan mountain lake had set foot in the human world in his transformed form, participating in such a grand sect battle. after seeing the scene of the bloodstained, ferocious young man in white robes on the screen, the demon king¡¯s eyes shone with admiration. ¡°what a brave and resolute young man, i like this kid.¡± among the crowd, some recognized the situation on the small pingyang hill. ¡°is that... elder yan?¡± ¡°indeed, it¡¯s the law-enforcing elder yan xiaoru...¡± ¡°wasn¡¯t it said that she had gone missing? she¡¯s still not dead?¡± when the demon king and the demonic cultivators recognized yan xiaoru¡¯s identity, the atmosphere suddenly heated up. even the always silent sect leader of the demonic sect frowned at this moment. in the past, this group of blood lotus sect¡¯s gutter rats could only survive in dark corners, avoiding the major cultivation sects. but now, these gutter rats had caused trouble on the demon refining sect¡¯s territory, trapping the sect leader of the demonic sect and twelve elders and even capturing three elders of the demonic sect. this was an absolute disgrace, and if word got out, it would be a laughingstock for both the righteous and demonic paths. now, seeing that another elder of the demonic sect was still alive and had not been captured by the blood lotus sect, gong yanghong immediately made a decision. ¡°mobilize troops to rescue elder yan!¡± the demon refining sect could not afford to have any more elders fall into the hands of the blood lotus sect! even the three fallen elders had to be rescued somehow. gong yanghong¡¯s orders were quickly passed down. how to rescue elder yan suddenly became the most pressing matter for the demon refining sect before launching a full-scale attack, and one after another, the bigwigs of the demonic sect offered their opinions. above the flying boats, the escaping lights were dazzling. on the densely populated land, more and more mortal warriors were being mobilized from the various cities under the demonic sect¡¯s control. when this assembly was completed, it would be the moment to launch the total assault. at that time, the millions of mortal troops mobilized by the demonic sect would attack from six directions into the land where cultivation was sealed, relying on the overwhelming advantage of numbers to crush the demon followers of the blood lotus sect. however, such an assembly would still take a few more days... ¡°you can¡¯t bear to lose me?¡± yan xiaoru¡¯s hand, which was applying the ointment, stiffened slightly, then she forcefully pressed down on li muyang¡¯s wound, roughly filling it with ointment. the pain of the torn wound made li muyang gasp sharply. ¡°ouch... it hurts, it hurts! i¡¯m going to die, i¡¯m going to die! elder yan, please be gentle.¡± li muyang pleaded softly. yan xiaoru then glared at him and her hands became gentle again. ¡°times change. there was no hope two days ago, and descending the mountain to surrender was a way out.¡± ¡°but now it¡¯s different. two days ago, i saw elder ge¡¯s refined corpse puppet qing bird flying over pingyang hill, circling and lingering for a long time.¡± ¡°the situation on pingyang hill must already be known to the sect leader and the others.¡± yan xiaoru said expressionlessly, ¡°knowing my understanding of the sect leader, he will definitely spare no expense to rescue me after seeing that i am not dead.¡± ¡°one less demonic sect elder captured by the blood lotus sect means the sect leader can save more face.¡± ¡°we just need to hold on for a few more days, and the sect leader¡¯s rescue will arrive. there¡¯s no need to surrender at this time.¡± yan xiaoru finished speaking calmly and rationally and, at the same time, finished treating the wounds on li muyang¡¯s body. the man¡¯s body began to visibly heal and scab over. li muyang felt the itchy sensation of new flesh growing in his wounds and couldn¡¯t help but twist his body uncomfortably. he gritted his teeth and raised his eyebrows at yan xiaoru: ¡°is it just because of these reasons?¡± yan xiaoru expressionless: ¡°i also can¡¯t bear to lose you... does this additional reason work for you?¡± only then did li muyang stretch out his arms with satisfaction and embrace the woman before him. the two nestled close together, with li muyang resting his chin on yan xiaoru¡¯s shoulder, gently inhaling the faint fragrance of the woman¡¯s body, and said, ¡°xiaoru, you¡¯re becoming more and more straightforward.¡± hearing his praise, yan xiaoru fell silent for several seconds. feeling the man¡¯s embrace, as well as those hands that were mischievously wandering around her waist... yan xiaoru, an elder of the demonic sect, simply let out a soft sigh at this moment without any attempt to dodge or resist. even her weary body relaxed, quietly leaning into the man¡¯s arms. in the tent, the woman¡¯s murmuring whispers could be heard. ¡°i should have killed you on the spot when i first came out of the secret realm of demon sword city...¡± amidst the stormy weather and the sky filled with the aura of blood and evil on pingyang hill, in this almost hopeless situation, the two quietly leaned on each other. at this moment, they became each other¡¯s only source of warmth. Chapter 203 In the tranquility of the tent, the air was still. The two gently embraced each other, with Li Muyang¡¯s hands playfully moving around the woman¡¯s waist, teasing her heartstrings. But seeing that the woman did not dodge or resist as usual and hearing the soft sigh from her embrace, Li Muyang¡¯s hands suddenly stilled. He sensed something and no longer continued his teasing. Instead, he embraced the woman in his arms, quietly feeling her warm heartbeat without making a sound. The two held each other gently, breathing in each other¡¯s scent, falling into a brief moment of tenderness. Until the sound of hurried footsteps outside the tent broke the gentle quietude within. ¡°Elder Yan! Something¡¯s happened!¡± The footsteps of the young Cheng Feiyang approached rapidly, his tone unusually agitated. Hearing these footsteps, Yan Xiaoru instinctively broke free from the embrace and sat up straight. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± She emotionlessly adjusted her dress and hair while looking outside. The tent flap at the entrance hung down, blocking the view inside and out. The gloomy daylight cast Cheng Feiyang¡¯s silhouette on the fabric. Yet without Yan Xiaoru¡¯s permission to enter, this thin curtain seemed like an insurmountable barrier, with Cheng Feiyang¡¯s figure remaining outside the tent. He respectfully called into the tent, ¡°The group of Blood Lotus Sect demons at the foot of the hill has started to break camp and leave.¡± ¡°But another group of Blood Lotus Sect demons has arrived from the west, and these new followers of the Blood Lotus Sect...¡± Cheng Feiyang hesitated for a moment, seemingly considering how to phrase his words. After two seconds of silence, he still couldn¡¯t provide an appropriate description, only saying, ¡°...these new followers of the Blood Lotus Sect are somewhat strange.¡± Hearing Cheng Feiyang¡¯s report, the two inside the tent furrowed their brows. ¡°Oh? Strange?¡± Yan Xiaoru looked at Li Muyang, their eyes meeting as they both stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± Yan Xiaoru was the first to walk out of the tent, with Li Muyang respectfully following half a step behind her, humble and steady. In the eyes of others, he showed no signs of arrogance from his recent achievements, always treating Yan Xiaoru with utmost respect. Led by Cheng Feiyang, Yan Xiaoru and Li Muyang came to the edge of the hill. Standing on the steep cliff, they looked down at the military camp at the foot of the hill. The Blood Lotus Sect demons, who had besieged them for twelve days, were indeed packing up and preparing to leave. Those demonic cultivators of the Blood Demon Sect would, as their cultivation deepened, continuously replace their organs with those of demonic beasts, using this extreme and heretical method to rapidly increase their combat power. The stronger the cultivation, the more body parts were replaced and the less human they looked. In the mystery of the Loushan City beginner¡¯s tutorial, Li Muyang and Fairy Liuli encountered a group of Blood Demon Sect demons that were all deformed. Li Muyang had not expected that there would also be people practicing the same method as the Blood Demon Sect on the continent opposite the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. Could it be... Li Muyang immediately exited the system interface¡¯s chat group and began to send messages. He was certain that the Heavenly Origin Dynasty and this continent were not connected. If there had to be any connection between them, it would only be this chat group. Someone in the chat group, suspected to be from the Heavenly Origin Dynasty and a high-ranking member of the Blood Demon Sect, had even offered a bounty for Master Qingye¡¯s head in the group¡ªusing the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s cultivation method. Li Muyang began to flood the chat group with messages. ¡¾Blue Star III: Heart Star VI, are you a high-ranking member of the Blood Demon Sect in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty?¡¿ Li Muyang repeatedly sent this message in the chat group. Soon, the chat group began to buzz. The avatar of Heart Star VI lit up. ¡¾Heart Star VI: ???¡¿ Heart Star VI was clearly shocked. ¡¾Heart Star VI: Blue Star III... you¡¯ve been investigating me in secret?¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: We had no grudges in the past and no conflicts recently. With so many people in the organization... why target me?¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: Could it be that you are a disciple of the Mystic Sword Sect?¡¿ On the southeastern plains of the Heavenly Origin Continent, a woman resting in a military camp suddenly woke up with cold sweat dripping from her forehead. The speculation that arose in her mind startled her. That enigmatic Blue Star III... could he possibly be a disciple of the Mystic Sword Sect? Otherwise, how would he know I am a high-ranking member of the Blood Demon Sect? Damn it! The previously content Heart Star VI, who had been taking a nap, was now thrown into a panic. Chapter 204 In the chat group, the messages from Heart Star VI surprised Li Muyang. Is this guy so faint-hearted? He had been stirring up trouble in the group before, very active, but now Li Muyang had scared her with just a few bluffing words. She even suspected Li Muyang was a disciple of the Mystic Sword Sect. Such an intense reaction... Is this Heart Star so afraid of being tracked down in real life? Li Muyang pondered how to continue bluffing Heart Star when Ghost Star VII¡¯s chat box appeared. ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Heart Star, are you stupid? There are only two ancient immortal artifacts on the Heavenly Origin Continent, one in your hands and the other with a female disciple of the Mystic Sword Sect, sealed by Master Qingye¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Blue Star III is the master of the immortal sword of Demon Sword City, and Demon Sword City is on my continent, separated from you by an entire Sea of Mist. How could he possibly be a disciple of the Mystic Sword Sect?¡¿ The pop-up from Ghost Star VII, along with his words, clearly gave the panicked Heart Star VI a much-needed shot of courage. The previously panicked Heart Star VI finally calmed down and began to question. ¡¾Heart Star VI: ...Blue Star III, how do you know about the Blood Demon Sect and the Heavenly Origin Dynasty from across the Sea of Mist?¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: We never mentioned the Heavenly Origin Dynasty to you, did we?¡¿ Ghost Star VII was also curious to ask. ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Yeah, Blue Star III, how do you know about the Heavenly Origin Dynasty and the Blood Demon Sect?¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: The Sea of Mist divides the world, and the continents on either side are unaware of each other. How did you come to know... don¡¯t tell me you can cross the Sea of Mist!??¡¿ Li Muyang¡¯s words had now stirred up everyone in the group. All the avatars lit up, including the long-offline Everlasting North Star and the always lurking, silent Well Wood Prison. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Blue Star III, you haven¡¯t spoken in a while, have you encountered any trouble recently?¡¿ Usually, when Li Muyang was bored, he would chat in the group every couple of days to draw attention from the group members. But recently, being busy on the run, Li Muyang hadn¡¯t been active in the group for over ten days. After half a month of silence, Li Muyang¡¯s sudden activity immediately sparked curiosity among the others. The most friendly to Li Muyang in the group was this Everlasting North Star. Li Muyang looked down at the Blood Lotus Sect demons lining up in formation, about to launch an attack, knowing that time was of the essence. But his wording in the group was very calm, never revealing his own situation. And his explanation silenced the others in the group. ¡¾Heart Star VI: ...Everlasting North Star, haven¡¯t you said too much?¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: I suddenly feel like following the old practice and expelling Everlasting North Star as well...¡¿ There was considerable opinion against Everlasting North Star¡¯s blunt disclosure. But Everlasting North Star didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: I¡¯ve always trusted my instincts, and Blue Star III is a good person¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: He is different from the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¿ Everlasting North Star defended himself. And so the group became noisy. This was the first time Li Muyang had seen this group of mysterious friends so active. But at that moment, he had no time to watch the drama unfold as the demons of the Blood Lotus Sect at the foot of the mountain began their attack. Li Muyang hastily left a message before going offline. ¡¾Blue Star III: No more talk for now, I¡¯m going to probe the depths of the Blood Lotus Sect. If I discover anything new, I¡¯ll share with everyone later.¡¿ After speaking, Li Muyang closed the chat group interface, took a deep breath, and looked down the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, a group of grotesque and ugly half-human, half-demon creatures were howling, screaming at the demon cultivators on the mountain. Then, the sound of drums began, and the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect at the base of the mountain started their attack. Li Muyang took out the high-grade spiritual weapon given to him by Yan Xiaoru and headed straight for the defensive line halfway up the mountain. Knowing that the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect was not in the group, Li Muyang felt relieved. His biggest concern after seeing the group of monsters practicing the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s techniques at the foot of the mountain was that the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect might also be in the chat group and had invited other masters of immortal weapons to join in this uprising. Everyone in the chat group wielded immortal weapons and possessed great strength. If the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect had invited these people to help, it would have been a disaster. Fortunately, the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect had fallen out with this group and was not in the chat, so Li Muyang could put his mind at ease. Now, apart from the mysterious Four Directions Cauldron, within a radius of fifteen hundred li outside Tianjiao City, only Li Muyang held an immortal weapon and could unleash its power. This would be his strongest trump card. Chapter 205 On Pingyang Hill, the slaughter resumed. Amidst the flying blood and limbs, the demon cultivators of the Demon Refining Sect clashed once again with the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect. The brutal killing was even worse than in the previous days. In the dark space, several black shadows hovered. Sensing the departure of Blue Star III¡¯s voice, everyone frowned slightly. Dangerous Star I, seated at the head, murmured softly, ¡°That guy... Could it be that Blue Star III is heading to that forbidden zone where cultivation is sealed?¡± Although the uprising of the Blood Lotus Sect had only been for a dozen days, the news had already spread throughout the cultivation world. Now, both the righteous and demonic paths, as well as the major sects, were all paying attention to the strife outside Tianjiao City. The Demon Refining Sect was a major sect of the demonic path, yet the Blood Lotus Sect chose to rise up on their territory and even designated a fifteen hundred-li radius as a forbidden zone for cultivators... This was a terrifying tale for the entire cultivation world. No one wanted their own land to suddenly become a forbidden zone where cultivation was sealed. This was something no cultivator could tolerate¡ªneither righteous nor demonic. Therefore, the powerful figures of both the righteous and demonic paths were watching, waiting to see how the Demon Refining Sect would counterattack and how the Blood Lotus Sect would respond. The most important thing was... the power of the Blood Lotus Sect that turned the land into a forbidden zone. Where did it come from? And could it be replicated on other lands? In such a situation, the mysterious and unpredictable Blue Star III suddenly said he was going to venture into that forbidden zone... Logically, such a statement was not credible. For cultivators, stepping into that land that stripped away everyone¡¯s cultivation was a great risk. Walking in such a forbidden zone, even a powerful being from the Purple Mansion could die at the hands of a mortal. Smart people would not get involved in such muddy waters; the risk was too great. This was also why the major sects were nervous and only observed. Everyone dared not act rashly, wanting the Demon Refining Sect to wade through this muddy water. But now, the one who said he would take the risk was not someone else but the mysterious and unpredictable Blue Star III. Everyone still remembered the last time Blue Star III projected the terrifying image of an ancient evil god in this place... Heart Star, wearing a dark red robe, spoke softly, ¡°This Blue Star III... could he be a madman keen on seeking death? Just a few months ago, he went to seek out the ancient evil god, and now he¡¯s wading into the muddy waters of the Blood Lotus Sect...¡± Ghost Star VII sighed, ¡°This guy¡¯s actions are too unfathomable... What benefit does he gain by risking his life to do these things? It¡¯s incomprehensible!¡± Finally, in the empty darkness, no one remained. ...... ¡°...we can¡¯t hold on much longer.¡± The firelight was bright, illuminating half of the night sky on Pingyang Hill, where Yan Xiaoru sat in the tent, quietly looking at Li Muyang in front of her. Outside the camp, a raging fire had been lit. The medicinal powder refined by the Demonic Sect, combined with the corpses dragged from the battlefield, burned together, creating a blindingly bright sun. This dazzling flame, after burning, would form a strange toxin that would drift downwind, blocking the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect from attacking at the foot of the mountain. Previously, when Li Muyang and the others could not hold on, they would use this method to repel the enemy, buying time to rest and heal. The only flaw was that the corpses were consumed quickly, and those dragged back from the battlefield halfway up the mountain would soon be burned to ashes. Wiping the bloodstains from her face, Yan Xiaoru said solemnly to Li Muyang, ¡°Perhaps we won¡¯t be able to wait for rescue from our sect.¡± The group of demons from the Blood Lotus Sect that besieged Pingyang Hill today were far more formidable and terrifying than the previous followers of the Blood Lotus Sect. Those followers who had transplanted the flesh and blood of demons into their bodies could unleash bizarre powers far beyond that of ordinary people. In this land where cultivation was sealed, their strange method of cultivation through flesh modification was surprisingly not greatly restricted. Each of those grotesque followers of the Blood Lotus Sect could be considered humanoid monsters. In just one afternoon of fighting, more than forty cultivators on Pingyang Hill had perished. Now, only a hundred cultivators from the Demonic Sect remained on Pingyang Hill. At this rate, by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, Pingyang Hill, which had withstood sieges for more than ten days, would fall to the onslaught of the Blood Lotus Sect demons. Yan Xiaoru looked at Li Muyang and said, ¡°Things have come to this point. You have only one last way out.¡± The jeers of the Blood Lotus Sect could once again be heard from the foot of the hill. ¡°That Demonic Sect brat named Li Muyang!¡± ¡°Our Helmsmen said the Helmsmen might spare your life if you surrender obediently!¡± ¡°The benefits Miss Shen promised you before are still valid!¡± ¡°This is your last chance! Don¡¯t be ungrateful, boy!¡± The followers of the Blood Lotus Sect shouted loudly, their voices echoing through the wilderness. Unexpectedly, during the lull in the fighting, that group of Blood Lotus Sect demons had started their persuasion to surrender again. Listening to the voices persuading surrender from below the hill, Li Muyang sighed and said, ¡°Actually, I might consider it if the Blood Lotus Sect wasn¡¯t so stubborn and would allow me to surrender with everyone.¡± Chapter 206 Li Muyang had no strong sense of belonging to the Demon Refining Sect. In his view, serving the Demon Refining Sect or the Blood Lotus Sect made no difference. He just didn¡¯t want to survive alone; at the very least, he wanted to leave alive with Yan Xiaoru. But upon hearing his words, Yan Xiaoru slowly shook her head. ¡°Even if the Blood Lotus Sect allowed you to take me with you in surrender, I wouldn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Leaving the Demon Refining Sect and losing the status of an enforcement elder is no different from death to me.¡± ¡°I cannot lose the status of an elder.¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s calm yet serious words took Li Muyang aback. He didn¡¯t think Yan Xiaoru was someone who coveted power. Therefore, there must be other reasons why Yan Xiaoru valued her status as an elder of the Demonic Sect so much. Li Muyang looked puzzled and hesitated before asking cautiously, ¡°Can you tell me the reason?¡± Yan Xiaoru was perhaps being overly cautious with him. Honestly, with Yan Xiaoru¡¯s status as an elder, keeping a pretty-faced man as a concubine wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all. At worst, her reputation might suffer a bit. Of course, Li Muyang also didn¡¯t want to appear before others as Elder Yan¡¯s concubine. Keeping this a secret was a consensus between the two. But Li Muyang was still curious about why Yan Xiaoru wanted to keep it a secret and why she valued her status as an elder of the Demonic Sect so much... Looking at Li Muyang¡¯s confused expression, Yan Xiaoru opened her mouth as if she wanted to explain. But in the end, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just some personal matters of mine, no need to tell you.¡± ¡°Knowing about it would only add to your troubles, and we might be separated by life and death tomorrow. I don¡¯t want you to be troubled by my personal matters for the rest of your life.¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s tone was cold. Her words clearly meant that she believed Li Muyang could survive. She didn¡¯t want to burden Li Muyang, and in her eyes, she felt that it wasn¡¯t something Li Muyang could resolve, and telling him might trouble him for a lifetime... Li Muyang smiled helplessly and wrapped his arms around the woman¡¯s waist. ¡°You have so much faith that I¡¯ll run around for your sake after your death? Be troubled for the rest of my life... I hadn¡¯t realized I was seen as such a devoted lover in your eyes.¡± Yan Xiaoru stood expressionless, allowing Li Muyang to hold her tight. Their chests pressed closely together, and the man¡¯s hands began to wander restlessly around her waist. ¡°Did the sect leader send you?¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s indifferent tone seemed to show no concern that her secret had been discovered. Seeing that Elder Yan was not angry, the inner disciple who had emerged from the ground secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then he respectfully said, ¡°Reporting to Elder Yan, the sect leader knew you were trapped here and sent me to deliver this treasure to help Elder Yan escape!¡± After speaking, the disciple in white took out a light blue transparent jade shuttle. The jade shuttle was crystal clear, with a light blue nebula silently drifting inside, breathtakingly beautiful, clearly a precious treasure. Seeing the jade shuttle, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. ¡°The Flying Moon Shuttle crafted by Elder Ge... With this treasure, indeed, I can leave this place.¡± Yan Xiaoru stepped forward, took the respectfully offered jade shuttle from the disciple in white, and asked, ¡°What about you? Did the sect leader give you any instructions?¡± The disciple in white respectfully said, ¡°The Earth Escape Talisman that brought me here can only be used once, so the sect leader ordered me to stay and face the situation together with the other Senior Brothers here. By noon tomorrow at the latest, the sect¡¯s reinforcements will arrive to rescue all the Demonic Sect disciples on the hill!¡± The disciple in white answered respectfully. However, the moment he finished speaking, Yan Xiaoru took a long knife from her Qiankun Ring and casually beheaded him. Amidst the sound of blood splattering, Yan Xiaoru said expressionlessly, ¡°There are no reinforcements. Gong Yanghong sending you, an inner disciple, on this mission is already the limit.¡± ¡°In a forbidden area where all cultivation is sealed, the Earth Escape Talisman that allowed you to travel underground for thousands of li was refined by the sect at great cost. How could they have any energy left to care about your life and death?¡± ¡°The combined value of all the sect disciples on Pingyang Hill is probably not as high as that of this Earth Escape Talisman.¡± ¡°The Flying Moon Shuttle can only take one person away. Simply put, all the Demonic Sect disciples on Pingyang Hill have been abandoned by the sect.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so obvious that this is a suicide mission... no wonder Gong Yanghong chose you...¡± At this point, Yan Xiaoru looked at Li Muyang. Her gaze softened, but her tone became resolute. ¡°This time, you can go down the mountain and surrender.¡± ¡°The sect leader chose the simplest and most trouble-free rescue method, saving only me.¡± ¡°The Flying Moon Shuttle can only take one person, but you can surrender to the Blood Lotus Sect and become one of their Helmsmen.¡± ¡°After I return, I will ensure your family is hidden away. Once the situation calms down, they will be sent to reunite with you, and they will not be harmed by the sect.¡± Yan Xiaoru said this and let out a gentle sigh, falling silent. Chapter 207 After a while, under Li Muyang¡¯s silent gaze, she coldly said, ¡°Our brief relationship of convenience ends here...¡± ¡°You have your path to walk, and I have my obsessions to fulfill.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a chance in the future, we can continue where we left off...¡± After Yan Xiaoru finished speaking, she indifferently shifted her gaze away from Li Muyang, no longer looking at him. The air inside the tent suddenly became somewhat stiff. What was warm and romantic moments ago had turned cold in an instant. Everything was happening too quickly. Whether it was the Demonic Sect disciple who suddenly emerged from the ground or Yan Xiaoru¡¯s decision, everything came too fast. It wasn¡¯t until Yan Xiaoru finished her last sentence, which sounded like she was placating a child, that Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance in the future... You¡¯re treating me like a kid.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s expression was hesitant as if he had something to say. But Yan Xiaoru didn¡¯t give him a chance to speak. She clenched the Flying Moon Shuttle in her hand and did something. The next second, the semi-transparent light blue Flying Moon Shuttle emitted a dazzling blue light. Seeing this, Li Muyang was startled and hurriedly spoke out. ¡°Yan Xiaoru!¡± Listen to me, damn it! I still have a trump card! But Yan Xiaoru just looked at him coldly as the dazzling blue light of the Flying Moon Shuttle enveloped her body. The next second, a dazzling blue light pierced through the tent and shot into the night sky, disappearing into the dark night in the blink of an eye. Everyone on Pingyang Hill looked up curiously, astonished by the scene, unsure of what had happened. Only Li Muyang stood in the tent with a pained expression, grinding his teeth and angrily saying, ¡°Damn Yan Xiaoru!¡±@@@@ Would it kill you to listen to me for a moment!? You¡¯re so quick to dump me... F*ck! Can¡¯t you wait for me to finish speaking? This immature brat who doesn¡¯t listen to others, once I fight my way out, I¡¯m definitely going to hit your behind later! Li Muyang was indignant. I don¡¯t want to join the Blood Lotus Sect! I don¡¯t want to give up everything I have! Why should I surrender just because the Blood Lotus Sect comes to kill and demands it? I¡¯ve been here for over a year since I crossed over, finally making a friend, mischievously cunning relatives, and even a childish elder with curves... Why should I have to give that up!? Li Muyang clenched his teeth, growing more and more furious. The scene of the blue light shooting into the night sky instantly alerted the Demonic Sect cultivators on Pingyang Hill. However, as the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect began to form ranks, preparing to continue their assault up the hill, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the mountainside. ¡°Kill!¡± The next second, the ground shook violently. Hundreds of demon cultivators from the Demon Refining Sect roared fiercely, charging down the hill without regard for their own lives. And leading the charge at the forefront were the two Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect. Nangong Ting and Liu Hucheng! ...... The battle on Pingyang Hill lasted the entire night. Until the sunrise pierced the darkness, Shen Yan in Tianjiao City received a strange battle report. ¡°The demon cultivators on Pingyang Hill suddenly fought like trapped beasts, charging down the hill and breaking through Helmsman Xie¡¯s military formation?¡± Upon seeing this peculiar battle report, Shen Yan was momentarily speechless. ¡°Helmsman Xie underestimated the enemy again...¡± But underestimating them was of no consequence. Even if they broke through the military formation for a moment, the mere hundred people on the hill couldn¡¯t escape far. Shen Yan continued to read the battle report. ¡°A Demonic Sect disciple named Li Muyang, dragging two Incense Masters, used their lives to threaten and delay, buying time for his companions to escape?¡± ¡°A hundred demon cultivators from the Demon Refining Sect scattered and fled into the wilderness, now only thirty have been captured...¡± Reading this, Shen Yan was somewhat surprised and also a bit admiring. ¡°This Li Muyang, he¡¯s brave and strategic, unafraid of death, sacrificing himself to buy time for his companions to escape. He¡¯s truly a talent in the making.¡± Shen Yan sighed and continued reading. ¡°Both Incense Masters Nangong and Liu were safely rescued, and the Demonic Sect disciple Li Muyang... surrendered after resisting for an hour?¡± This was not unexpected, as even the Martial God Tyrant Body couldn¡¯t withstand Helmsman Xie¡¯s half-demon army. But the following part of the battle report suddenly became unsettling. ¡°After capturing Li Muyang, Helmsman Xie dispatched three hundred men to escort Li Muyang to Tianjiao City, but on the way... three hundred men mysteriously disappeared? Li Muyang vanished without a trace?¡± Staring at the content of this battle report, Shen Yan froze for a moment, almost doubting her own eyes. In the surroundings of Tianjiao City, which was completely controlled by the Blood Lotus Sect, three hundred people disappeared without a trace... The usually composed Shen Yan showed a rare look of astonishment. ¡°Am I having a nightmare?¡± How could such an absurd thing happen!? Who could erase three hundred people in one go on a land where everyone¡¯s cultivation was stripped away? Chapter 208 After being carefully verified and confirmed as true by Shen Yan, this peculiar battle report quickly made its way to the desk of the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect. Within the heartland fully controlled and cleansed of all Demonic Sect forces by the Blood Lotus Sect, the mysterious disappearance of three hundred followers caused frowns. Among the upper echelons of the Blood Lotus Sect, the spread of this battle report sparked a ripple of unease. Some attempted to dispatch forces to uncover the truth behind this incident. The name Li Muyang, along with this peculiar battle report, appeared in the sight of the high-ranking members of the Blood Lotus Sect. Some also recognized the significance of the Martial God Tyrant Body. If this trend continued, Li Muyang, who had fled into the deep mountains, would face relentless pursuit by the Blood Lotus Sect until he had nowhere to hide. But just as the troops preparing to join the hunt were about to set out, the long-planned total assault by the Demon Refining Sect reached this land. Millions of mortal soldiers, driven by the powers of the Demonic Sect, poured into this land, divided into six routes to enter this forbidden zone for cultivators. The vast land, bathed in sunlight, was submerged by a dark tide of people. The endless banners and figures crisscrossed, stretching to the horizon. The overwhelming numerical advantage brought great pressure to the uprising Blood Lotus Sect. The followers of the Blood Lotus Sect, who had been searching the mountains to hunt down Demonic Sect cultivators, gradually withdrew. The wilderness and forests that had hidden dozens of Demonic Sect disciples suddenly became empty and silent, no longer roamed by humans with red headbands and weapons in search. In the continuous drizzle over this land, Li Muyang lay silently on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the dark forests below. Half a day earlier, a ragged Demonic Sect disciple had fled into this area and entered his line of sight. But Li Muyang did not reveal himself. Instead, he lay in wait in the shadows, silently watching the other leave. He had been hiding in these forests for five days, and the search and pursuit by the Blood Lotus Sect initially caused him some trouble. But as those followers of the Blood Lotus Sect gradually left, the forest became quiet once again. Li Muyang estimated the days and the counterattack from the Demonic Sect to be about due. He vaguely guessed the reason why the pursuers from the Blood Lotus Sect had withdrawn, but without concrete information, Li Muyang remained cautious and did not rashly show himself. He lay in hiding within the mountain forest for two days. During this time, he saw several Demonic Sect cultivators crossing the forest and fleeing eastward, but Li Muyang did not move. On the cliff where he was hiding, there was a narrow and concealed cave. The place was extremely steep, so steep that even warriors who had tempered their bodies would find it difficult to climb. Moreover, it offered a wide view, allowing one to see several li away to the official road. If the Blood Lotus Sect made any new moves, Li Muyang, lying in wait here, would be able to detect them very quickly. In this vast forest with incessant rain, insects chirped, birds flew, and wild beasts roamed. But this time, there was no familiar opening CG or narrative text. After entering the game, the system directly jumped to the character selection interface. However, this time the character selection was different from usual. What appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s vision were three animals of different shapes. ¡¾Emerald Blade Mantis: An elegant hunter in the forest, an expert at catching flying insects, its emerald-green blade-like arms can slice through formidable enemies, and its light body can fly for short distances¡¿(Evolution Potential 120%) ¡¾Ghost-Faced Mandrill: A legendary spirit-eating demon that wanders the forest alone, robust and strong, its howling seems to bewilder the mind, and it is known to eat humans¡¿(Evolution Potential 70%) ¡¾Lord of Mount Wu: A fierce beast that roams the wilderness, known in legends as the king of all beasts, has lived for a certain number of years, possesses divine powers, can command ghosts, and eats humans¡¿(Evolution Potential 30%) The three animals in the field of vision, on the far left was an emerald blade mantis standing on a leaf, looking incredibly agile. In the middle was a ghost-faced mandrill sheltering from the rain on a tree, its robust and strong figure almost as tall as an adult¡¯s chest. Its face, smeared with oil paint-like patterns, made one¡¯s brows furrow. On the far right was a fierce and intimidating spotted tiger. Looking at the three animals in his field of vision, Li Muyang pondered for a moment and chose the first one, the emerald blade mantis. This game was called Endless Evolution, and the three animals had different evolutionary potentials... Was it the type of game where you devour things to level up? Evolving from an egg into a kun? Like those crappy browser game ads from his previous life? Li Muyang found it somewhat interesting, so he chose the emerald blade mantis with the highest evolutionary potential. Then, the image of the emerald blade mantis zoomed in quickly in his field of vision, and the other two beasts disappeared. Li Muyang, from a third-person perspective, looked down at the mantis on the leaf and began to control the mantis to leap. Attack, jump, and even fly short distances. After Li Muyang got familiar with the controls, a devouring target popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾Please kill the winged moth to obtain Evolution Points¡¿ Seeing the target indicator that appeared in his field of vision, Li Muyang realized. ¡°So it really is an evolution game.¡± He controlled the mantis to fly out and quickly found the moth designated by the system in a dry tree hollow. After a simple battle, Li Muyang defeated the moth, and the emerald blade mantis gained 3% Evolution Points. Chapter 209 ¡°Well, that was easy.¡±@@@@ Li Muyang, having easily defeated the winged moth, controlled the emerald blade mantis to wander among the grass leaves, attacking the insects and mosquitoes he saw in his field of vision. Every creature killed and devoured allowed the emerald blade mantis to gain evolution points. However, devouring the same species multiple times yielded fewer and fewer evolution points. The higher the difficulty of the target defeated, the more evolution points gained. Li Muyang controlled the emerald blade mantis to roam the forest, quickly getting the hang of the game mode. And the emerald blade mantis had accumulated enough points for its first evolution, beginning to evolve. As Li Muyang selected the evolve button, the emerald blade mantis in his field of vision suddenly began to dig into the ground, burrowing into a small hole it had dug. Then, strands of light wrapped around the mantis¡¯s body like fine threads, eventually forming a small cocoon that enveloped the Emerald Blade Mantis. ¡¾Evolving...¡¿ ¡¾1%...¡¿ ¡¾5%...¡¿ ¡¾7%...¡¿ Watching the emerald blade mantis cocooning to evolve, Li Muyang began to wait. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if it will change species after evolving.¡± This process is exactly the same as the trashy web games from his previous life. The only difference is that the graphics of this interesting mini game provided by the system are extremely realistic, almost indistinguishable from a real jungle. As the Emerald Blade Mantis finished evolving, the cocoon underground was completely absorbed by the mantis, and the emerged Emerald Blade Mantis had doubled in size. The mantis, which was originally only five centimeters long, was now longer than an adult¡¯s palm. Upon proportional enlargement, its previously frail and slender body suddenly seemed somewhat intimidating. ¡°This game has pretty solid positive feedback.¡± Even the beginner¡¯s level mystery of Loushan City wasn¡¯t as simple as this interesting mini game. Almost without thinking or any real gameplay, just by controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis to rush forward, slash, kill, and devour, it could evolve and level up. Li Muyang, chuckling, made the Emerald Blade Mantis leap up and head towards a distant devouring target. It was a young mountain rat, not very big, but to the original Emerald Blade Mantis, it was an intimidating giant not to be trifled with. Yet now, the mantis, doubled in size, was actually fighting with the young mountain rat. Although it didn¡¯t manage to kill and devour it, the sharp blade-like arms of the mantis left several shallow cuts on the mountain rat. ¡°Just one evolution and it¡¯s this powerful. The future looks promising.¡± ¡°Died so casually...¡± But it wasn¡¯t surprising. The Emerald Blade Mantis, though evolved once, was still weak and could only capture small animals in the forest. To think that such a fragile mantis could take on a troop of Blood Lotus Sect soldiers was like using an egg trying to break a stone. Looking at the failure notification in his field of vision, Li Muyang returned to the main game interface, ready to load a saved game and start over. But at the moment of loading the game, he suddenly thought of something. So, Li Muyang exited the loading screen and re-entered the game. The familiar character selection interface was there, with three different animals waiting for Li Muyang¡¯s choice. This time, Li Muyang directly selected the ¡¾Lord of Mount Wu¡¿, the tiger with the lowest evolutionary potential but also the strongest. As Li Muyang selected the tiger, the scene in his field of vision quickly changed to a third-person perspective inside a cave. Continuous rain pattered outside the cave in the mountain forest, and the burly tiger lay beside the cave, indifferently watching everything in the forest. Its regal presence as the king of beasts chills to the bone. Li Muyang controlled the tiger to rise, ready to attack and devour other animals in the forest. But just as he entered the game, he found that the option for a random time-limited level had popped up again in his field of vision. ¡¾A random time-limited level has opened¨CEnter?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ Seeing the time-limited level pop up immediately, Li Muyang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it... Is this task to attack the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s convoy happening in real-time?¡± At that moment, he guessed the nature of this time-limited level. He chose ¡¾Yes¡¿ without hesitation. Then, the game interface in his field of vision changed, and the tiger appeared on that dark official road lit by torches. Faced with the sudden appearance of the big tiger, the Blood Lotus Sect soldiers could no longer ignore it, reacting violently. ¡°A tiger! It¡¯s a tiger!¡± ¡°A white-foreheaded tiger!¡± The Blood Lotus Sect soldiers panicked the moment they saw the blocking tiger. And Li Muyang, controlling the tiger, charged forward. A few leaps, and he had killed all the mortal soldiers, with blood blossoming on the official road. The grain and supplies they were escorting now belonged to Li Muyang. Chapter 210 On the blood-stained official road, Li Muyang¡¯s controlled tiger, the Lord of Mount Wu, stood under the moonlight and roared. Of the dozens of soldiers escorting the supplies, the Lord of Mount Wu had killed half, and the rest had fled. Lord of Mount Wu¡¯s combat power was too strong. He easily tormented those ordinary soldiers. However, after killing more than twenty mortals, Li Muyang realized that the Lord of Mount Wu¡¯s evolution method was different from that of the Emerald Blade Mantis. This fierce tiger could only gain evolutionary value by consuming humans. The Emerald Blade Mantis could attack any animal to gain evolutionary value, but the Lord of Mount Wu could only gain it by attacking living humans. Moreover, the evolutionary value gained from killing a living person was very low. He had killed more than twenty people and only gained 3.7% evolutionary value. ¡°This tiger¡¯s evolutionary potential really can¡¯t compare to the Emerald Blade Mantis.¡± Not to mention, the fact that the Lord of Mount Wu could only devour humans as targets put him at a significant disadvantage compared to the Emerald Blade Mantis. The Emerald Blade Mantis, with its 120% evolutionary potential, could devour any living moving creature to evolve. However, using the Lord of Mount Wu to kill the soldiers of the Blood Lotus Sect and loot their food and supplies was convenient. Li Muyang directed the Lord of Mount Wu towards the carts of military provisions, and the splendid tiger, carrying a torch, set all the provisions ablaze. Afterward, it swallowed the spiritual medicine from the convoy and disappeared into the darkness. ¡¾You have devoured a copy of the spiritual object, evolutionary value +13%, Blood Lotus Sect hostility +3%. Would you like to claim your current reward?¡¿ ¡¾Note: After the reward is claimed, this copy of the level will be permanently closed.¡¿ Just like a time-limited game, once you clear this time-limited level and claim the reward, you can no longer enter this copy. Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate and chose to claim the reward immediately. The evolutionary value of Lord of Mount Wu in his field of vision increased by 13%. But the distance to the next stage of evolution was still far off. As for the +3% hostility from the Blood Lotus Sect... Li Muyang didn¡¯t care. After directing the splendid tiger back into the jungle, Li Muyang logged out. The efficiency of evolving only by killing was too low. He didn¡¯t plan to properly train the Lord of Mount Wu character. Although this tiger was very powerful from the start, its upper limit was too low, and leveling up was too slow. Its only use was to farm minions and burn the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s provisions. Now that he had successfully destroyed the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s supplies, Li Muyang reloaded the game and returned to the perspective of the Emerald Blade Mantis. However, amidst the flickering of the torches, a large and imposing shadow vaguely appeared on the road ahead. The shadow stood firmly on the road like a massive boulder. The soldiers escorting the provisions were stunned for a moment and instinctively stopped in their tracks. Just then, the moonlight fell on the road, revealing the formidable and terrifying striped tiger shadow. A fierce and ominous aura seemed to resonate in the air. The Blood Lotus Sect soldiers immediately let out cries of extreme terror. ¡°A tiger! It¡¯s a tiger!¡± ¡°A white-foreheaded tiger!¡± ...... In Tianjiao City, reports of a man-eating tiger coming down from the mountains quickly reached the former city lord¡¯s mansion. What used to symbolize the authority of the Demonic Sect and the status of the city lord had now become a temporary office for Miss Shen of the Blood Lotus Sect to handle military affairs and battle reports. The relentless offensive from the Demon Refining Sect put tremendous pressure on everyone in the Blood Lotus Sect. Even with the support of the ancient immortal artifact, the Four Directions Cauldron, the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect were still struggling to resist. After all, this war was fought with less than two hundred thousand troops hard-pressed against a total assault from over a million troops on six fronts. The report of the man-eating tiger destroying the supply carts, although delivered to the city lord¡¯s mansion, was naturally not significant enough to reach Miss Shen¡¯s desk. After a simple review by Banner Master Qu Shihong under Miss Shen, the incident of the man-eating tiger was glossed over. With the current urgency of the war, the front lines were holding against the six-front total assault of the Demon Refining Sect, and the Blood Lotus Sect had almost mobilized all their combat strength. They had no spare force to clear out a tiger that occasionally came down from the mountains. The report of the man-eating tiger was thus lightly dismissed, and no one paid it any mind. That is until similar incidents of the tiger attacking people occurred over and over again in the following month. After seventeen instances of supply carts being destroyed and over four hundred casualties among the Blood Lotus Sect, they finally realized something was amiss. ¡°This mountain tiger... is it specifically robbing our sect¡¯s supply carts?¡± *** TLN: Millions of soldiers taking some time to defeat around 200 thousand people might seem weird, but as far as I remember (been a while since I read it), the power of the Four Directions Cauldron is somewhat op for an army. (Will be explained later) Chapter 211 Inside Tianjiao City, Qu Shihong once again reviewed a report about a ferocious tiger descending from the mountains to devour humans and attack grain transport carts. After glancing at the report for a few seconds, he habitually approved it and tossed it aside. He picked up the next report and began to review it. However, just as he opened the next one, Qu Shihong paused, his brows furrowing slightly. ¡°A ferocious tiger devouring humans? Attacking grain transport carts?¡± He vaguely remembered seeing similar reports several times over the past month. But each time, he didn¡¯t pay much attention and simply approved them before moving on. Now, thinking back... wasn¡¯t the frequency of these tiger attacks a bit too high? And every time, it was the grain transport carts that were targeted? Qu Shihong hurriedly retrieved the discarded report and read it again. The content was straightforward: a white-foreheaded tiger had descended from the mountains and attacked a grain transport convoy, killing over thirty people, burning the grain and swallowing the spiritual medicine. Although somewhat strange, this wasn¡¯t unheard of. After living for a certain number of years, tigers in the mountains gradually developed some intelligence and even acquired some magical powers, becoming fierce creatures akin to demons and terrorizing the local area. It was normal to overlook a single tiger when there were more pressing matters to attend to. However, this tiger specifically targeted grain transport carts every time, and the number of attacks was excessively high... Qu Shihong looked up and ordered, ¡°Gather all the reports on the tiger attacks and bring them to me.¡± After giving the command to his clerks, someone immediately set out to handle the task. When his subordinate presented all sixteen related reports, piling them up on the desk, Qu Shihong realized something was amiss upon seeing the thick stack of seventeen reports. ¡°A mountain tiger suddenly preying on humans? Attacking grain transport carts seventeen times in a month?¡± Qu Shihong stacked the seventeen reports together and instructed his subordinate, ¡°Take these seventeen reports to the young lady and let her decide.¡± Tianjiao City, which had been busy dealing with frontline affairs, finally realized something was wrong with that tiger. ...... Meanwhile, in the same drizzly weather, Li Muyang, lying in wait on a cliff, was slightly puzzled. ¡°...Did I remember it wrong?¡± He closed his eyes, immersed in the game. At that moment, he was in a time-limited level, having just broken through the enemy lines. Over the past month, Li Muyang had cleared the time-limited level seventeen times using Lord of Mount Wu and was now very familiar with the task of attacking transport carts. But this time, as he controlled Lord of Mount Wu to emerge from the darkness and kill half of the Blood Lotus Sect disciples on the official road, scaring the rest away, Li Muyang, about to burn the carts with a torch, suddenly had his attention drawn elsewhere. Next to the cart lay a corpse, flung away by a slap from Lord of Mount Wu, its chest a bloody mess, a gruesome death. However, on the face of this Blood Lotus Sect follower was a very noticeable green birthmark, even sporting disgusting mole hair. Li Muyang generally didn¡¯t criticize others¡¯ appearances, as looks are innate, but such a unique appearance still made him take a second glance. He vaguely remembered that in an attack mission three days ago, there was also a Blood Lotus Sect follower with the same birthmark and mole hair.@@@@ ...... On the cliff, Li Muyang collected his rewards for completing the level and returned to reality. He prepared to eat some spiritual rice for a meal and then continue playing the game. But the chat group, which had been quiet for a long time, suddenly started to buzz. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Is Blue Star III still alive?¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: You said last month that you were going to investigate the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s secrets... What were the results?¡¿ The group members, who usually avoided Li Muyang like the plague, were now actively seeking conversation with him. Li Muyang became curious. ¡¾Blue Star III: Number I, you¡¯re not afraid of me anymore?¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: ...Talk about serious matters!¡¿ Li Muyang pondered for a moment and decided to share his discovery in the group to bluff his group members and see their reactions. These group members knew far more about the Blood Lotus Sect than he did. ¡¾Blue Star III: I¡¯ve discovered an interesting little thing and was planning to share it with everyone¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: On the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s turf, I killed a person... twice!¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: What do you say, isn¡¯t that eerie?¡¿ Li Muyang deliberately made his statement vague, leaving those who were unaware of the details completely baffled. However, after he finished speaking, everyone in the group fell silent. It was clear that everyone¡¯s avatars were active except for Everlasting North Star¡¯s. Yet, they all collectively lapsed into silence. Just when Li Muyang thought these folks were about to log off en masse, Well Wood Prison, who rarely spoke, chimed in. ¡¾Well Wood Prison: The sinister power of the Four Directions Cauldron has been fully unleashed...¡¿ Clearly, these people knew the reason behind it, and they knew it very well. As Li Muyang was pondering how to continue deceiving these people, Dangerous Star I suddenly made a remark. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Blue Star III, are you interested in destroying the Four Directions Cauldron? If you can destroy it, all of us are willing to owe you a favor and do something within our power for you!¡¿ Dangerous Star I¡¯s abrupt statement took Li Muyang by surprise. Three question marks appeared over his head. A group of mysterious Purple Mansion powerhouses, all promising to do him a favor... what kind of hellish task could possibly warrant such a reward? Such wealth and honor wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration, right? Li Muyang instantly became more cautious. ¡¾Blue Star III: What? You want to trick me into a suicide mission?¡¿ Chapter 212 ¡¾Blue Star III: What? You want to trick me into a suicide mission?¡¿ There was an immediate chill after Li Muyang sent this message to the group. Obviously, it was a difficult comment to respond to. After a while, Dangerous Star I continued. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: The Four Directions Cauldron can reverse life and death, reviving the dead. That¡¯s why you killed the same person twice in Tianjiao City¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: But this eerie power of the Four Directions Cauldron is driven by drawing on the earth¡¯s vein power¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: If not stopped, the Four Directions Cauldron will continue to extract the earth¡¯s vein power, causing irreversible damage to the world¡¯s origin¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: If left unchecked, it will bring disaster to the region¡¿ Dangerous Star I¡¯s explanation was concise and to the point. Li Muyang also frowned slightly upon hearing this. The Blood Lotus Sect had such means? To let their followers die and be resurrected... wouldn¡¯t that mean the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s followers could never be completely eradicated? Li Muyang realized the gravity of the situation. If the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s followers couldn¡¯t be killed off, then no matter how many mortal armies the Demonic Sect gathered, they would struggle to break through the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s defenses.@@@@ Not to mention reclaiming Tianjiao City and driving out the Blood Lotus Sect demons. ¡¾Blue Star III: How can it be stopped?¡¿ Li Muyang inquired about a solution. As a cultivator, he naturally stood opposed to the Blood Lotus Sect. Moreover, there was no small amount of enmity between them. Li Muyang¡¯s originally peaceful life had been turned upside down by these people. He was more than willing to get back at the Blood Lotus Sect. But what Dangerous Star I said next silenced Li Muyang. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Once the Four Directions Cauldron takes root in a place, drawing power from the earth¡¯s veins and poisoning the region, that¡¯s the main reason why the area around Tianjiao City has become a forbidden zone for cultivators¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: But once the Four Directions Cauldron has rooted itself in the earth¡¯s veins, it cannot be moved¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: You, with the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, could sneak into Tianjiao City. The power of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword is enough to break through the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s defensive forces and get close to the Four Directions Cauldron¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: With your Purple Mansion realm perception, you could precisely sever the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: At that time, the power sealing the cultivation around Tianjiao City will vanish, and the mighty forces of the Demon Refining Sect will flood into the area. The Blood Lotus Sect will suffer heavy casualties, and it might even be possible to eradicate them in one fell swoop¡¿ R?a??oBE?S Nowadays, those who remain in Tianjiao City are followers with weaker combat abilities, mainly responsible for escorting supplies and logistics work. Most of these followers in charge of logistics are ordinary mortals, not martial warriors, and they do not possess great strength. Whether it¡¯s the Lord of Mount Wu or Li Muyang, both are powerful enough to charge into battle and fight peerlessly. If the Lord of Mount Wu is sent out to attract the attention of the Blood Lotus Sect, and Li Muyang retreats in secret, he should be able to escape this forbidden area and return to the Demon Refining Sect. What needs to be ascertained now is the location of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s army in this direction. As long as the main encampment of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s forces is identified, they can be avoided during the escape. Li Muyang entered the game, this time switching to the perspective of the Ghost-Faced Mandrill. In the continuous rainy forest, the Ghost-Faced Mandrill was running towards the east. The three beasts in ¡¶Endless Evolution¡· are all located on the land controlled by the Blood Lotus Sect. But apart from the Emerald Blade Mantis, the other two beasts were used by Li Muyang for other purposes. The Ghost-Faced Mandrill is good at climbing and moves agilely, so Li Muyang controlled it to run through the forest, using it as his scout to find out the movements of the Blood Lotus Sect. While Li Muyang was focused on controlling the Ghost-Faced Mandrill in the game, running through the forest, the soil in the forest below the cliff he was on suddenly underwent some kind of change. The next second, the soil writhed and spat out a disheveled figure covered in mud. Li Muyang, who was in the game, sensed the disturbance from the outside world and was startled, immediately exiting the game to return to reality. Looking down at the forest beneath his feet, he saw a disciple wearing an Inner Sect white robe standing sneakily at the edge of the cliff below him, looking around uncertainly. ¡°Senior Brother Li... Senior Brother Li Muyang?¡± This unfamiliar white-robed disciple stood under the cliff, cautiously calling out in a soft voice, continuously searching for Li Muyang¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°I am here by the sect leader¡¯s command to find you, please come out!¡± ¡°The sect leader has an important task for you!¡± The familiar earth escape technique, the familiar white-robed disciple... Seeing this scene, Li Muyang was taken aback. Isn¡¯t this the same tactic used by the Demon Refining Sect to rescue Yan Xiaoru before? Why is it happening again? Yan Xiaoru had said before that these earth escape talismans, which ignore cultivation restrictions, are very expensive to make. To use such a talisman to find him? Is he, Li Muyang, just an inner disciple, worth so much attention from the Demon Refining Sect? Chapter 213 In the forest, Li Muyang¡¯s figure quietly climbed down from the cliff, moving as nimbly as a monkey without making a sound. When he suddenly landed next to the white-robed disciple, he gave the person quite a fright. ¡°Whoaa... Li! Senior Brother Li?!¡± The white-robed disciple, startled by the sudden appearance of Li Muyang, almost jumped out of his skin. Only after clearly seeing Li Muyang¡¯s face did he breathe a sigh of relief. He hurriedly said, ¡°Senior Brother Li, my name is Zhou Jing. I have been sent by the sect leader to find you...¡± Li Muyang looked at the inner disciple in front of him, who was treating him with great respect, feeling somewhat puzzled. ¡°Find me for what?¡± The inner disciple who called himself Zhou Jing carefully took out a ring and said to Li Muyang. ¡°It¡¯s a secret matter, I don¡¯t know the details.¡± ¡°The sect leader only said to hand this ring to Senior Brother. Inside, there is a personal letter from the sect leader and Elder Yan. You¡¯ll understand once you read it.¡± Hearing this, Li Muyang took the ring with a composed expression, showing no surprise at the mention of a personal letter from ¡°Elder Yan.¡± Holding the low-quality Qiankun Ring, he looked at the white-robed disciple in front of him. ¡°Did the sect leader have any other instructions? Are you sent by the sect leader to help me?¡± Li Muyang didn¡¯t expect that the Demon Refining Sect could find his exact location and even use the same kind of earth escape talisman that was used to rescue Yan Xiaoru. The Demonic Sect is sparing no expense... It seems this mission will be quite difficult. But he didn¡¯t immediately read the letter. Instead, he first probed the person in front of him. Zhou Jing gave a sheepish smile and said, ¡°The sect leader said that the mission for Senior Brother Li is fraught with peril, and only you can complete it. He told me to find Senior Brother Li and then go into hiding.¡± ¡°Once the Demonic Sect defeats the heretics of the Blood Lotus Sect, I can return to the sect.¡± Very well, this guy is just another disposable pawn. The Demonic Sect doesn¡¯t care if he can make it back alive or not. Li Muyang nodded, indicating he understood. ¡°Then you go hide, there are many places to conceal yourself in this wilderness. If you¡¯re cautious enough, you won¡¯t be caught by the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± Li Muyang gave this pitiful pawn a bit of experienced advice. If Zhou Jing is careful enough, he should be able to hide for a long time. After watching this disposable pawn disappear into the forest, Li Muyang finally took out the contents of the Qiankun Ring. Two letters, a talisman, and a small wooden box. These were all the things that the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s leader had sent to Li Muyang. As expected, when Li Muyang opened the envelope, he saw the graceful handwriting filling the page, all from the perspective of the sect¡¯s interests, comforting and encouraging Li Muyang, hoping he would accept this challenging mission and make a contribution to the sect. This was very much in line with Yan Xiaoru¡¯s identity. In such a situation, she could only write such a... Before Li Muyang could finish his thought, the letter in his hand suddenly ignited with a faint blue flame. These tiny blue flames danced on the paper, burning off the words one by one. In the end, on the now blank piece of paper, only twelve scattered words remained unburned. These twelve words formed two simple and straightforward sentences. ¡¾I was wrong, come back soon¡¿ ¡¾I can protect you¡¿ Seeing these words, Li Muyang was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected that the handwritten letter from Yan Xiaoru would contain such a trick. Clearly, these last words were Yan Xiaoru¡¯s true thoughts. ¡ªShe didn¡¯t want Li Muyang to take risks. She even wanted Li Muyang to refuse the sect leader¡¯s orders, promising to protect him if he disobeyed. Seeing the remaining words on the letter, a smile appeared on Li Muyang¡¯s face, and a warm current surged in his heart. ¡°...This foolish woman.¡± Finally realized your mistake, huh? You ran off so quickly back then, arranging everything for me without asking for my opinion. Now you realize your mistake? It¡¯s too late! I¡¯m now in a predicament, unable to advance or retreat, all because of you! Foolish woman! Don¡¯t think I will forgive you just because you¡¯ve apologized. Next time we meet, I said I would hit and make your bottom swell, and I will keep my word! Li Muyang let out a sigh and lit the two letters in his hand. After a brief tidy up, Li Muyang turned and walked down the mountain. Blood Lotus Sect, you¡¯ve always wanted to force me to join you, right? Fine, I¡¯m coming now! This time, I will satisfy you thoroughly so as not to waste your efforts in disturbing my peaceful life! Chapter 214 Inside Tianjiao City, Shen Yan heard an extremely strange piece of news. ¡°Report! Miss, we¡¯ve spotted the whereabouts of Demonic Sect disciple Li Muyang in the wilderness.¡±@@@@ ¡°He voluntarily approached the outskirts of Sishui City, claiming he wants to join our sect!¡± Inside the city lord¡¯s mansion, while Shen Yan was troubled by how to mediate the conflict between the two Helmsmen, she suddenly heard such news. The young girl behind the desk lifted her head, her brows slightly furrowed. ¡°...Li Muyang?¡± Shen Yan¡¯s puzzled expression seemed to doubt whether she had heard correctly. The Li Muyang who had been missing for over a month had suddenly reappeared? And not only did he show up, but he also came to surrender, wanting to join our sect? ¡°Say that again?¡± Shen Yan wondered if she was hallucinating due to recent fatigue. That Martial God Tyrant Body who had fled into the deep mountains and wilderness had vanished without a trace. As long as he was cautious enough, the Blood Lotus Sect could not find him. Facing the relentless assaults from the Demon Refining Sect, the Blood Lotus Sect currently couldn¡¯t spare the manpower to search for him. The man had hidden for over a month; why would he suddenly come down from the mountain to surrender? And the subordinate¡¯s repeated report confirmed that this news was not a hallucination. The Martial God Tyrant Body, who had escaped into the mountains and been missing for a month, had indeed voluntarily come down from the mountain to surrender. This news made Shen Yan¡¯s brows instantly knit together. After pondering for a few seconds, she said, ¡°Go and ask Banner Master Qu to come here and handle today¡¯s affairs for me. I want to go to Sishui City myself to meet this Li Muyang.¡± Soon, Shen Yan left Tianjiao City under the escort of four hundred demon beast cavalry, heading straight for Sishui City three hundred li away. Banner Master Ruan Mei, who accompanied her, was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Miss, why do you want to go to Sishui City yourself?¡± Ruan Mei¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion: ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be enough to have Huang Chengtao from Sishui City bring the person over?¡± Tianjiao City was currently overwhelmed with affairs, many of which required Shen Yan¡¯s personal decision. Yet Shen Yan had left so many sect matters unattended to personally make a trip three hundred li away... Such behavior was puzzling. Even though that Martial God Tyrant Body was indeed somewhat special, it didn¡¯t seem to warrant such attention, did it? Faced with Ruan Mei¡¯s confusion, Shen Yan in the carriage wrapped herself tightly in her thick cloak and exhaled a breath of cold air. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m tired too...¡± Shen Yan watched the mountains on both sides of the official road rapidly recede from view, rubbing her temples with a bitter smile and whispered. ¡°Miss!¡± She tried to stop her. The Demonic Sect youth before them was full of vigor, with a physique terrifying like a demon, capable of charging through an army of thousands. And here was their young lady, walking straight up to him. If he were to attack, it would be extremely dangerous! But Shen Yan was resolute. ¡°Aunt Mei, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yan said softly, looking at the young man on the ridge: ¡°There¡¯s no danger.¡± Saying this, Shen Yan stubbornly pushed past Ruan Mei, who was blocking the way and made her way through the crowd to the empty ridge. She stood by the roadside, bathed in sunlight, looking at the young man in white sitting on the ridge. The distance between them was now less than ten steps. Ruan Mei and Huang Chengtao hurriedly followed, guarding Shen Yan on either side. Shen Yan, however, was looking at the young man on the ridge, smiling. ¡°Li Muyang, we meet for the first time... I heard that you want to come to our Blood Lotus Sect to be an undercover agent?¡± The girl spoke a terrifyingly direct statement. The young man on the ridge was stunned, looking at her in surprise and asking, ¡°Who are you?¡± Where did this woman come from? She just blurted out my purpose as soon as she opened her mouth. With such a weak physique, she couldn¡¯t possibly be one of the seven Helmsmen of the Blood Lotus Sect. But her entourage seemed no less significant than that of a Helmsman. Li Muyang was curious. But he saw Shen Yan quietly looking at him, smiling and saying, ¡°You don¡¯t know me, but you should have heard my name.¡± ¡°My name is Shen Yan, and the order to besiege you at the foot of Pingyang Hill was given by me.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly: ¡°It was you?¡± So this girl, with no trace of cultivation and a murky aura like a mortal, was the one who had besieged him for more than ten days at the foot of Pingyang Hill. This time, Li Muyang finally met the person responsible. But she was not quite what he had imagined. A woman who could control the Helmsmen of the Blood Lotus Sect, even offering a hefty price, with high prestige within the sect... turned out to be such a frail young girl? Chapter 215 Li Muyang was skeptical. But seeing the genuine nervousness and unease of the two people closely guarding Shen Yan, it didn¡¯t seem feigned. Everyone present was deeply concerned for the well-being of Miss Shen before them. Indeed, her prestige within the Blood Lotus Sect was high. After a brief contemplation, Li Muyang asked, ¡°You say I¡¯ve come to the Blood Lotus Sect to be an undercover agent... does that mean you¡¯re not willing to accept my surrender?¡± Up until now, Li Muyang¡¯s reaction had been calm. Even surrounded and with his true purpose revealed by Shen Yan, Li Muyang did not panic. There was no guilt of having his plot exposed. Seeing Li Muyang so composed, Shen Yan gently shook her head and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re willing to surrender, I will certainly accept you.¡± ¡°You are a promising seedling, and it would be a waste for you to fall into the Demon Refining Sect.¡± ¡°If you could join the Blood Lotus Sect and serve our cause, your future would be much broader.¡± Saying this, Shen Yan turned to the others and said, ¡°You all step back. Let me have a word with him alone.¡± Shen Yan¡¯s command made Ruan Mei instinctively object: ¡°Miss!¡± But ultimately, at Shen Yan¡¯s insistence, the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect on the official road retreated to a distance of thirty feet. Only Shen Yan and Li Muyang were left on the roadside ridge. The young man in a white robe sat on the ridge, quietly looking at the girl. Shen Yan still stood on the road, and only after everyone had stepped back did she speak softly. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t fully believe you came to be an undercover agent.¡± After everyone had left, Shen Yan surprisingly contradicted her own accusation. ¡°The risk of you being an undercover agent is too great, and the benefits the Demon Refining Sect can offer you couldn¡¯t possibly exceed those of our sect.¡± ¡°Purely from the perspective of self-interest, it would make more sense for you to come down the mountain and join our sect.¡± ¡°But I still have doubts, why didn¡¯t you surrender back on Pingyang Hill?¡± ¡°As an ordinary disciple of the Demonic Sect, you shouldn¡¯t be so loyal, right? Do you have any family in the Demonic Sect that you¡¯re concerned about?¡± RA??o?E?s?? Shen Yan looked at Li Muyang¡¯s profile, waiting for the young man¡¯s answer.@@@@ After pondering the question, the young man on the ridge said, ¡°Yan Xiaoru, the elder of the Hall of Enforcement in the Demon Refining Sect, is my wife. It was for her that I held my ground and refused to surrender on Pingyang Hill.¡± Li Muyang spoke the plain truth. Li Muyang was silent for a while before he slowly spoke: ¡°You¡¯re busy with the war, right? With your army of tens of thousands facing the endless attacks of the Demonic Sect, it¡¯s strange enough that you can hold on... Do you still have the manpower to fetch my family?¡± Shen Yan shook her head lightly: ¡°The power of our sect is not just what you see on the surface. In the shadows, we also have agents and spies.¡± ¡°For this uprising, our sect has been preparing for years, and the power lurking in the dark is beyond your imagination.¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s difficult to bring your family through the war zone to Tianjiao City for a reunion, it should be no problem to quietly take them out of Jiuyuan City.¡± Shen Yan was very confident. But looking at Shen Yan¡¯s serious expression, Li Muyang fell silent again. After a long while, he finally spoke slowly: ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but your information is outdated.¡± Li Muyang rubbed his temples and said, ¡°Last night, as I crossed the war zone, I encountered a friend of mine outside the Demonic Sect¡¯s camp. From my friend, I received some news.¡± ¡°Due to your high-priced recruitment of me and my absence for a month, the Demon Refining Sect has determined that I have secretly joined the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± ¡°To make an example, my parents in Jiuyuan City have been executed.¡± ¡°My sister managed to escape with the help of a friend and is currently missing.¡± ¡°If you take the trouble to check, you should be able to find this information.¡± Since the Demon Refining Sect had arranged for Li Muyang to be an undercover agent, they naturally put on a full performance. These details were clearly explained in the letters from the leader of the Demonic Sect. A youth whose family was mistakenly killed, harboring hatred, and thus defecting to join the Blood Lotus Sect... What a plausible storyline! Shen Yan, who initially thought she held all the cards, was taken aback by this news, which was clearly unexpected to her. She immediately turned around, found Banner Master Ruan Mei, and quickly gave a few instructions. Soon, a white spirit bird flapped its wings and flew into the sky, disappearing into the horizon. Half an hour later, when the spirit bird returned, it brought the latest news that Shen Yan had requested to be verified. The Li Family of Jiuyuan City had been executed by the Demon Refining Sect. The charge was that the only son of the Li Family, Li Muyang, had sought wealth and betrayed his sect to join the Blood Lotus Sect... Shen Yan, holding the latest intelligence report, returned to the side of the ridge and looked at the youth on the ridge. ¡°We¡¯ve also found out about your sister¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Shen Yan said after a few seconds of silence: ¡°Our intelligence shows that after escaping for a day and a night, your sister was caught up with by the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s enforcers this morning and was executed with the Demonic Sect¡¯s most severe punishment, leaving no remains...¡± Chapter 216 Li Muyang thus entered Tianjiao City and joined the Blood Lotus Sect. It went very smoothly, so smoothly that it seemed entirely reasonable. His initiation ceremony into the Blood Lotus Sect was very simple. Shen Yan set up an altar in the city lord¡¯s mansion and personally presided over the ceremony. To Li Muyang, this kind of initiation ceremony was quite similar to many scenes he had seen in movies in his previous life. Incense wafted in the dimly lit room, where candles and red lanterns burned. He then knelt and kowtowed three times in front of the altar, made offerings to the Blood Lotus, burned joss paper, beheaded a chicken, and then dripped blood into a bowl to swear an oath. After the process was completed, Li Muyang officially joined the sect, becoming a disciple of the Blood Lotus Sect and receiving two sets of lotus robes. This robe symbolized a very high status within the Blood Lotus Sect, and only those above the rank of Banner Master were qualified to wear it. However, Li Muyang currently held no official position. After joining the Blood Lotus Sect, he was given a courtyard in the city lord¡¯s mansion to live in, and four maids were assigned to serve him. Li Muyang¡¯s daily task was to soak in a wooden tub prepared by the Blood Lotus Sect for medicinal baths. The tub, filled with various medicinal herbs and water, was placed over a fire that burned continuously, causing the water temperature to rise steadily until it boiled. Sitting in the boiling water, Li Muyang felt his body slowly absorbing the essence of the medicinal bath, his physical body growing stronger bit by bit. Shen Yan said his Martial God Tyrant Body had not yet reached Minor Achievement and needed further tempering and cultivation. Although it looked more like he was being cooked like pork ribs, this medicinal bath was an excellent way to temper Li Muyang¡¯s physical body. Shen Yan did not allow him to go to the front lines, and after Li Muyang¡¯s feigned requests to join the battle were rejected several times, he settled down to enjoy his baths in the courtyard. After all, Li Muyang had already figured out the core intelligence that the Demonic Sect wanted.@@@@ He just needed to find an opportunity to secretly transmit it. He soaked in the bath for seven hours a day, from early morning until night. The rest of the time was for rest. After soaking in the medicinal bath for a long time, his whole body felt as if it was being pricked with needles. So every time he climbed out of the tub, all Li Muyang wanted to do was lie down and rest, rarely moving. The only benefit of this medicinal bath was that Li Muyang could close his eyes and play games while lying in the tub. Li Muyang discovered that the conflicts and differences between the different branches and incense halls of the Blood Lotus Sect were more severe than he had imagined. At a time when they should be uniting against the pressing threat of the Demonic Sect¡¯s armies, these Incense Masters and Banner Masters could always find some strange reasons to argue. On Li Muyang¡¯s third day in Tianjiao City, Helmsman Xie Shanhai from the Liehai Hall nearly came to blows with Helmsman Liu Churen from the Yubo Hall. To mediate this dispute, Shen Yan was forced to leave all matters in Tianjiao City and lead four hundred beast cavalry along with Li Muyang to a military camp over a thousand li away to resolve the conflict between the two sides. Although the dispute was eventually settled, Li Muyang could see fatigue on Shen Yan¡¯s face on the return journey. However, as a newcomer, Li Muyang didn¡¯t say much. He maintained his calm and restraint, quietly observing this chaotic and fervent sect. He didn¡¯t deliberately probe for information, but he would ask a few more questions and take a few more glances in his daily life. The details of the Blood Lotus Sect that Li Muyang saw, heard, and observed were written into letters and sent out through a small wooden box. This wooden box, which could send Li Muyang¡¯s letters every three days, was his only means of communication with the outside world. Without any contacts or instructions, Li Muyang was completely on his own, lying low within the Blood Lotus Sect. Although he was already aware of the ultimate secret of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s relentless killing, Li Muyang did not immediately inform the Demon Refining Sect of this. Instead, he wrote about his daily observations in his reports, gradually revealing more depth. Even these simple and superficial reports were enough to excite the bigwigs of the Demon Refining Sect. The mysterious veil of the Blood Lotus Sect, which had always been impenetrable, was finally lifted before the Demon Refining Sect with the arrival of Li Muyang¡¯s letters. ...... The elders passed around the letter in the grand flying ship¡¯s elder meeting. Their expressions varied, but overall, they were satisfied. Li Muyang, the spy they had successfully planted inside the Blood Lotus Sect, was the best news they had received in the past month. However, the elders¡¯ joy was their own. Yan Xiaoru, the elder of the Hall of Enforcement, remained as indifferent as ever, showing no joy or excitement for the remarkable achievement of her subordinate. Even when other elders congratulated her, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s response was ice cold. Chapter 217 ¡°Elder Yan! Hahaha! Your Hall of Enforcement has achieved a remarkable feat this time!¡±@@@@ ¡°Perhaps in this suppression of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s unrest, the Hall of Enforcement will be credited with the leading role.¡± As the meeting adjourned, some elders came up to offer their congratulations with a laugh. Yan Xiaoru, however, merely gave them a cold glance and a curt ¡°Hmm¡± before leaving directly. Such a cold and arrogant attitude was very much in Yan Xiaoru¡¯s style. The other elders didn¡¯t take it to heart. With the intelligence provided by Li Muyang and the recent battles, the Demonic Sect¡¯s elders were quite busy. Everyone had their own matters to attend to and soon left one after another. After the meeting, Yan Xiaoru, expressionless, rose into the air and flew away from the largest flying ship in the night sky. She moved gracefully through the void, stepping on ripples in the air, and with each step, she traveled a hundred zhang. Soon, Yan Xiaoru returned to her own flying ship. The maids stood respectfully on the deck, but Yan Xiaoru walked straight into the cabin without acknowledging anyone. Upon entering the cabin, she was greeted by a lake with pavilions and towers on a small island in the distance, like a world within a cave. Once inside this mini sanctuary, Yan Xiaoru was out of sight. Her cold and arrogant demeanor vanished. Under the dim light of the lanterns floating in the sanctuary, the woman bit her lip, and her right hand, hanging by her side, clenched into a fist. With force, she punched and shattered the railing by the lake. ¡°That damn guy!¡± Yan Xiaoru murmured with her lips tightly pressed, ¡°I told you to come back, and I could protect you. Are you deliberately defying me?¡± Her voice was filled with deep resentment. However, amidst the breeze by the lake, there was a long silence. The bold young man she complained about couldn¡¯t hear her voice. Everything was set in stone, and even with her regrets and grievances, she couldn¡¯t change anything. By the lake, a woman¡¯s mournful cry echoed. ¡°...You must not have anything happen to you.¡± Within the secret realm of the flying ship, Yan Xiaoru looked wistful and anxious. ...... After thinking for a moment, Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°I won¡¯t comment on the ultimate teachings of the sect.¡± ¡°But in my view, the conflict between the Helmsman of the Liehai Hall and the Helmsman of the Yubo Hall has nothing to do with beliefs or doctrines.¡± ¡°They simply don¡¯t like each other, that¡¯s all.¡± Li Muyang bluntly pointed out the truth. The two Helmsmen clearly couldn¡¯t stand each other, and their mutual grievances had led to the conflict. Such a gangster-like brawl being attributed to grand beliefs? Li Muyang¡¯s merciless exposure made the usually calm and graceful young girl somewhat embarrassed. She smiled awkwardly, unconsciously brushing her fringe, and said, ¡°The two Helmsmen indeed had some misunderstandings in the past and occasionally had conflicts.¡± ¡°But apart from that, they are both loyal and brave individuals who fight for the sect¡¯s beliefs without second thoughts.¡± ¡°The belief of the Blood Lotus Sect to cleanse the world of cultivators and save all beings is something everyone in the sect strives for.¡± As she spoke of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s doctrine, the young girl¡¯s expression became serious again. Li Muyang, however, looked at her in silence. His silence made Shen Yan feel inexplicably uneasy. After a while, the young girl on the terrace took the initiative to speak, ¡°Muyang, don¡¯t you believe it?¡± The young man in white under the moonlight, handsome and youthful, not yet twenty years old, did not look at Shen Yan with the eyes of a naive youth. For a moment, Shen Yan seemed to see a mature soul sitting opposite her. After a long pause, Li Muyang under the moonlight nodded earnestly, pointed to his chest, and said, ¡°I believe it.¡± His words were decisive and filled with sincerity. A quarter of an hour later, Li Muyang left the terrace to rest in his courtyard. From the shadows, Banner Master Ruan Mei, who had been quietly guarding for a long time, stepped out. She saw her young lady gazing pensively at the departing figure of Li Muyang. Ruan Mei was puzzled, ¡°Miss?¡± Could it be that her lady was seeing this young man in a new light? But then she heard the young girl on the terrace sigh and lower her head. ¡°Not only does the Martial God Tyrant Body possess a strong physique, but his insight is also far beyond ordinary people...¡± ¡°He¡¯s only been in Tianjiao City for three days, yet he¡¯s already identified the greatest calamity facing our sect.¡± Chapter 218 ¡°He¡¯s only been in Tianjiao City for three days, yet he¡¯s already identified the greatest calamity facing our sect.¡± Shen Yan¡¯s bitter, soft lament left Ruan Mei puzzled. ¡°Is the miss referring to the fact that this young man noticed the discord among our sect¡¯s Helmsmen?¡± Isn¡¯t that something anyone with eyes could see? Ruan Mei didn¡¯t understand why her mistress held this young man in such high regard. But she saw the young girl under the moonlight shake her head bitterly, ¡°It¡¯s not that. The discord among the Helmsmen is just an overt conflict.¡± ¡°What Muyang said earlier was a veiled criticism of our sect¡¯s noble doctrines, suggesting that even the Helmsmen don¡¯t believe in them.¡± ¡°He was referring to our sect when he talked about a loosely united group based on interests...¡± Shen Yan said softly, ¡°Our sect¡¯s doctrine is Salvation to all sentient beings, to save all beings.¡± ¡°But in reality, among the Helmsmen and Banner Masters, very few truly believe in this doctrine.¡± ¡°Everyone is here for their own interests, and they fight for those interests.¡± ¡°Once faced with a major setback, it will all fall apart...¡± Shen Yan spoke softly. Ruan Mei, however, was incredulous, ¡°Does that young man really mean that? Could it be that the miss is overthinking?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe that a young man from a remote small town could have such insight. Shen Yan sighed, closed her eyes, and recalled the earlier conversation, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not overthinking. Muyang indeed meant that.¡±@@@@ Especially his last gesture of pointing to his chest and saying ¡°I believe it,¡± which was almost a clear indication. The chest is where blood oaths are sworn. The young man¡¯s words clearly meant¡ªif the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s doctrines were truly noble and revered by all, why would there be a need to bind the followers with blood oaths? Blood oaths are a means by which the Blood Lotus Sect ensures unity and prevents traitors. But it was precisely because of this brutal blood oath that the various Helmsmen and Banner Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect became so disloyal and disunited. Shen Yan sighed softly, ¡°The hidden dangers of the blood oath were discussed with me by my father when he was alive.¡± ¡°My father¡¯s view is almost identical to Mu Yang¡¯s. Loyalty gathered through a blood oath is nothing but false loyalty.¡± ¡°The moment our sect chose to use a blood oath to unite people¡¯s hearts, we may have forever lost the true loyalty of our followers.¡± ¡°Because the existence of the blood oath constantly reminds everyone¡ªyou are being forced to be loyal.¡± ¡°Perhaps this is why the various Helmsmen and Banner Masters seem loyal to the sect yet always have different thoughts and schemes.¡± Shen Yan spoke softly, ¡°And the fact that the Helmsmen and Banner Masters each have their own agendas, unable to unite, is the greatest calamity our sect currently faces...¡± But Li Muyang no longer provided resources for the Lord of Mount Wu¡¯s evolution. Before the Lord of Mount Wu tackled the time-limited stages, he would scout the terrain and then control the Emerald Blade Mantis to lurk nearby. After controlling the Lord of Mount Wu to clear the time-limited stages, Li Muyang would make the Emerald Blade Mantis appear, devouring the spiritual medicines that the tiger had seized. The tiger, Lord of Mount Wu, was already known to the Blood Lotus Sect, but Li Muyang kept his strongest trump card, the Emerald Blade Mantis, tightly concealed. Even if the Blood Lotus Sect planned a siege in the future, they would only target the Lord of Mount Wu and not notice the terrifying mantis lurking in the forest. In this way, relying on the third-tier Lord of Mount Wu to continuously fight and seize resources from the Blood Lotus Sect, the Emerald Blade Mantis, which could originally only hunt leopards and other fierce beasts in the mountains, quickly accumulated enough Evolution Points and once again cocooned itself to sleep, beginning its evolution towards the sixth tier. In reality, Li Muyang had been in Tianjiao City for a month. Writing a letter back every three days, Li Muyang, who simply reported his observations and intelligence, finally included the ultimate secret that the Demon Refining Sect was most concerned about¡ªthe source of the Blood Lotus Sect followers¡¯ unending resurrection¡ªin his letter. And after this letter was sent back, it immediately caused a huge stir among the elders of the Demon Refining Sect. ...... ¡°The Four Directions Cauldron draws on the earth¡¯s energy, allowing Blood Lotus Sect followers to resurrect after death?¡± ¡°Severing the earth¡¯s energy might disperse the power that seals cultivators¡¯ abilities outside Tianjiao City?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s information was ambiguous and vague. But the powerhouses of the Demonic Sect, being at the pinnacle of the cultivation world, quickly understood the implications with just a hint of information from Li Muyang. ¡°To sever the connection between an ancient immortal artifact and the earth¡¯s energy, at least a Purple Mansion realm cultivator with perception is needed...¡± ¡°And a top-tier high-grade spiritual weapon is required...¡± ¡°Moreover, this top-tier high-grade spiritual weapon is likely to be damaged...¡± The elders looked at each other. This meant that to completely quell the unrest of the Blood Lotus Sect, at least one Purple Mansion powerhouse would have to risk going to Tianjiao City... Who would be willing to do that? ¡°Let¡¯s stick to a steady approach and try to defeat the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s army first, driving them away...¡± After a night of heated debate, the elders returned to their original plan. Relying on the endless supply of mortal troops to overwhelm the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s army to death. Although over the past two months, more than a million mortal troops had been mobilized, costing the Demonic Sect a large amount of silver and causing significant losses. But compared to the risk of a Purple Mansion powerhouse venturing into Tianjiao City... The powerhouses of the Demonic Sect decided to burn some more silver and give it another try. Perhaps by mobilizing more mortal troops, they could break through the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s teetering defenses? Chapter 219 ¡¾Evolution Complete¡¿ ¡¾Emerald Blade Mantis Has Awakened¡¿ ¡¾Emerald Blade Mantis Tier 5 ¡ú Emerald Blade Mantis Tier 6¡¿ ¡¾Awakened Special Talent¨CDemonization¡¿ The system notification popped up in his field of vision. Li Muyang saw the light cocoon underground break open, and a five-zhang-long giant mantis emerged, eating the shattered cocoon and crawling out from the ground. He exhaled a sigh of relief while soaking in the wooden tub, closed his eyes pretending to sleep, and controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to crawl out. The Emerald Blade Mantis now evolved to the sixth tier, was as large as the Lord of Mount Wu. It stood quietly in the wilderness, with a faint glow circulating on its body. Its emerald green body looked like a huge piece of jade. The slender, streamlined body was elegant and exquisite. It didn¡¯t resemble a beast but more like a piece of art. Controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis in the forest, it leaped lightly, and the five-zhang-long mantis unfolded a pair of narrow, transparent wings from its abdomen. A gust of wind arose in the forest, and the giant mantis took to the sky, flying towards a massive mountain ahead. With a gentle swing in the air, the emerald-like massive mantis arm cleaved through the atmosphere, and a cold gleam flashed by, splitting a ten-zhang-tall cliff face cleanly in two, leaving an incredibly smooth break. Witnessing such power made Li Muyang¡¯s heart skip a beat. ¡°Such a strong blade light...¡± At tier 5, this Emerald Blade Mantis was still a notch below the Lord of Mount Wu. But now, having evolved to tier 6, it had undergone some kind of qualitative change. From its size to its strength, everything had grown explosively. The tier 6 Emerald Blade Mantis now had a combat power that was no less than that of the Lord of Mount Wu. Especially its powerful mantis arm that could cleave mountains, which was much more ferocious than the Lord of Mount Wu at tier 3. Li Muyang opened the data page and found that the Emerald Blade Mantis¡¯s health bar, defense, and other values were all behind the Lord of Mount Wu. However, the Emerald Blade Mantis¡¯s staggering 737 attack power blew the Lord of Mount Wu¡¯s 236 attack power to smithereens. The Lord of Mount Wu was a hexagonal warrior with a very balanced distribution of points. In contrast, the Emerald Blade Mantis was an elegant Assassin, stacking most of its Evolution Points on attack power. Though its health bar was thin, its attack power was astonishingly strong. Devouring so many people could indeed evolve to tier 7. Not to mention, Tianjiao City was the main warehouse base of the Blood Lotus Sect, where all their resources were stockpiled and distributed. The warehouse stocked with spiritual medicines contained a massive amount of them. If the Emerald Blade Mantis were to raid the city, plunder the spiritual medicine warehouse, and kill all the Blood Lotus Sect disciples in the city, it wouldn¡¯t just evolve to tier 7; evolving to tier 8 was also possible. But... ¡°Is it doable?¡± Li Muyang harbored deep doubts. Although the Emerald Blade Mantis¡¯s 737 attack power was invincible in this land, its health bar was too fragile, and its defense was too low. Once it entered the city and was surrounded by the Blood Lotus Sect, facing all sorts of attacks from all directions, if the Emerald Blade Mantis could only last less than ten minutes, Li Muyang would consider it a loss. Having lurked in this city for a month and a half, Li Muyang had gradually figured out the details of these Blood Lotus Sect disciples. Most of the Blood Lotus Sect disciples had undergone rigorous military training and were experienced in combat. They were fearless in death, as they could be resurrected from the Four Directions Cauldron anyway. The mid-to-high-ranking members of the Blood Lotus Sect were average martial cultivators... and they were comparable to those from the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. It was clear that in addition to obtaining the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s cultivation techniques from the chat group, the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect had also acquired martial cultivation secrets from the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. Facing such a talent-rich Blood Lotus Sect, the tier 6 Emerald Blade Mantis was obviously not a match. Li Muyang closed his eyes and returned to the perspective of the Emerald Blade Mantis. Atop the mountain ridge, the completely emerald-colored Emerald Blade Mantis retracted its transparent wings under its abdomen and gracefully headed down the mountain. In the field of vision, the system¡¯s prompt was below the mountain. Li Muyang confirmed again and found that the system¡¯s arrow was not pointing toward the city but toward the plains outside the city. However, with the naked eye, there was nothing on the plains over there. Li Muyang was somewhat puzzled. What was there below the mountain? Trusting the system, Li Muyang controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to stealthily move through the mountains and forests, heading towards the plains below. Moonlight shone on the surface of the Emerald Blade Mantis, and a faint green glow subtly emerged on the body of this more than five-zhang-long emerald mantis. ¡¾Demonization¡¿ This was the special talent awakened by the Emerald Blade Mantis after evolving to level 6, which was now automatically activated. While Li Muyang was still in shock, the five-zhang-long Emerald Blade Mantis, with a faint green light, charged down the mountain ridge and plunged headfirst into the plains below. It vanished instantly into the pitch-black ground. Chapter 221 The shattered realm of the netherworld became Li Muyang¡¯s private secret, one he didn¡¯t share with anyone. However, this secret wasn¡¯t particularly valuable for others. That broken world was too dangerous and desolate. It was fine for the Emerald Blade Mantis to go in for leveling up, but not for Li Muyang himself. The day after the Emerald Blade Mantis entered the netherworld, Li Muyang left Tianjiao City to conduct a field inspection outside the city, studying the piece of land where the Emerald Blade Mantis had entered the netherworld. Whether it was due to the Emerald Blade Mantis or the system, when Li Muyang stood on that piece of land, he could faintly sense a cold and alien presence lurking underground, as if there was indeed an entrance to the netherworld there, but it was sealed at the moment. Li Muyang took note of the location of this land. But that was all. He had no interest in the broken netherworld for the time being, nor did he have any intention of entering it. After returning to the city lord¡¯s mansion, Li Muyang continued to soak in his wooden tub while controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis to stealthily move through the underworld¡¯s ghostly fog. Following the system¡¯s guiding arrows, he hunted down the ghosts in the netherworld one by one. Watching the Evolution Points of the Emerald Blade Mantis slowly climb, Li Muyang also noticed that the ghosts lingering in the netherworld were all dull and numb. They were like the huge divine corpses wandering the underworld, reduced to empty shells and residual instincts, not even souls, devoid of any self-awareness. Li Muyang carefully avoided the powerful remnants and harvested the weaker ones as days passed. The intelligence he sent to the Demon Refining Sect became increasingly sparse. After all, the core intelligence had already been sent, but so far, the Demon Refining Sect had made no move. The Demonic Sect had not dispatched a Purple Mansion powerhouse to sever the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the ley lines as Li Muyang had speculated. The only change was that the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s offensive against the Blood Lotus Sect became even fiercer. Reports of battles flew in like snowflakes, and the frequency of transporting materials out of Tianjiao City doubled compared to before. At the same time, Li Muyang also saw followers of the Blood Lotus Sect emerging from the area where the Four Directions Cauldron was located, donning their respective sect¡¯s battle robes, and after assembling outside the city, they rushed to the frontline. All of them were Blood Lotus Sect followers who had been resurrected through the Four Directions Cauldron. The frontline continuously saw deaths, and Tianjiao City saw an unending stream of soldiers resurrected from the dead. These soldiers were supposed to rest for about three days to adapt to their new bodies before rejoining the battlefield. However, as the Demonic Sect¡¯s offensive grew more intense, many resurrected soldiers were only given a day or even half a day of rest before being hastily assembled and sent to the frontline. The supply warehouses within Tianjiao City were rapidly depleting. According to Shen Yan, the Blood Lotus Sect had accumulated supplies for twenty years for the uprising, and in just the past two months, nearly seventy percent had been consumed. Yet the Demonic Sect¡¯s offensive remained fierce, giving the Blood Lotus Sect no room to breathe. Shen Yan, who became busy, had almost no time to chat with Li Muyang. But the girl was very happy in such a situation. ¡°It¡¯s almost over...¡± Feeling the increasingly fierce offensive of the Demonic Sect, Shen Yan made an optimistic judgment. ¡°As long as we withstand this last wave of attacks from the Demonic Sect, our sect¡¯s great cause will be accomplished.¡± Shen Yan was very optimistic. Once the Blood Lotus Sect fully assimilated this land and converted all the mortals into followers, the Demon Refining Sect would no longer be able to invade. However, Li Muyang became vigilant. He quietly moved the Lord of Mount Wu, a tiger that had been dormant for a long time and no longer descended the mountain to eat people close to Tianjiao City, ready to respond at any moment. At the same time, Li Muyang was also observing the military deployment within Tianjiao City, silently calculating escape routes. Under the almost insane offensive of the Demonic Sect, it was clear that the bigwigs of the Demonic Sect were uneasy. Such a frantic offensive could be described as a desperate last resort. As the Blood Lotus Sect grew stronger in this war of mortals, the bigwigs of the Demonic Sect were ready to use their ultimate means at any moment. If a Purple Mansion powerhouse was willing to take the risk and sever the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the ley lines, eliminating the power that sealed cultivation on this land, then the current formation of the Blood Lotus Sect would be nothing but a wisp of smoke under the joint slaughter of the Demonic Sect¡¯s powerhouses and elders. The Four Directions Cauldron was the fatal weakness of the Blood Lotus Sect. Once the land no longer sealed cultivation, no matter how many mortals there were, they would just be numbers for the Purple Mansion powerhouses to slaughter. Chapter 222 Li Muyang waited vigilantly in the city, waiting for the Purple Mansion powerhouse of the Demon Refining Sect to come looking for him.@@@@ In his view, allowing the Blood Lotus Sect to take over and assimilate this land with a radius of fifteen hundred li was an unacceptable loss for the Demon Refining Sect. It was also a stain on the reputation that sect leader Gong Yanghong, who cared greatly about face, could not tolerate. Once the Demonic Sect made up their mind, he would fully cooperate. Sever the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins, then find a way to retreat in one piece and return to the Hall of Enforcement. However, he had waited for a long time and still had not seen the arrival of the great powers from the Purple Mansion of the Demonic Sect. After ten days of fierce attacks, the Demonic Sect¡¯s offensive began to weaken, just as Shen Yan had predicted, and then came the negotiations. The Demonic Sect sent elders to negotiate with the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect at the front lines. In the end, both sides made an oath: the Demon Refining Sect would disband its mortal armies and cease attacking the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect. The leader of the Blood Lotus Sect also promised not to expand into other territories of the sect. This grand war, which had resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of thousands, ended anticlimactically. When the news reached Tianjiao City, Li Muyang even felt it was absurd and doubted the veracity of the message. The always face-conscious leader of the Demonic Sect, Gong Yanghong, was actually negotiating peace with the Blood Lotus Sect? This was tantamount to giving up the land surrounding Tianjiao City, conceding it to the Blood Lotus Sect. After this battle, the Demon Refining Sect would likely become the laughingstock of both the righteous and demonic paths, and who knows how many would mock Gong Yanghong behind his back. Could Gong Yanghong accept such a stain? Li Muyang felt it was even more preposterous, but the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s army at the front lines began to withdraw. The Helmsmen and Banner Masters who had been leading the defense at the front lines also returned to Tianjiao City one after another. Tianjiao City, once the economic center under the Demonic Sect, was bustling once again. The city was decorated with lights and banners, celebrating the victory of the Blood Lotus Sect. Amidst the laughter, Shen Yan made a special visit to Li Muyang, sincerely apologizing to him. ¡°...This peace is only temporary. We currently do not have the strength to fight the Demonic Sect to the end. This brief peace is to accumulate strength for the future.¡± R??A?No???§¦?S In the eyes of the Blood Lotus Sect, Li Muyang, a disciple of the Demonic Sect who joined them bearing a deep grudge, was here for revenge. As the war ended, Tianjiao City became the political center of the Blood Lotus Sect. Nearly all Helmsmen and Incense Masters returned to Tianjiao City, began to divide up mansions, and handled their respective affairs. The grand residences once occupied by cultivators and noble families of the Demonic Sect were now inhabited by the Helmsmen of the Blood Lotus Sect. Li Muyang occasionally heard of conflicts erupting in the streets, with the confidants of one Helmsman clashing with the subordinates of another. Even with Shen Yan mediating, conflicts between the various branches within the city continued to erupt. Li Muyang declined all invitations to banquets and barely met with Shen Yan. He completely secluded himself in his courtyard, rarely venturing out. This seemed like a sign of disillusionment and distress to outsiders over the recent peace agreement. In reality, Li Muyang simply wanted to avoid trouble. During the war, he had seriously offended two Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect. Nangong Ting and Liu Hucheng, the two Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect, had been held hostage by Li Muyang for many days, and animosity had long since formed between them. When descending from Pingyang Hill, Li Muyang held the two as hostages while retreating and fighting, even attempting to kill them. They should have been waiting for resurrection if not for the Blood Lotus Sect leader¡¯s use of two petals of the Ancient Blood Lotus to save them. ¨CThe higher one¡¯s cultivation, the longer the resurrection time required in the Four Directions Cauldron. The two Incense Masters who had nearly died at Li Muyang¡¯s hands were mortal enemies to him. During the days when Li Muyang kept his doors closed, there were often idle people loitering outside his door. Clearly, they were Li Muyang¡¯s enemies. But Li Muyang was content to stay indoors and play his game, never venturing out to invite trouble. He controlled the tier 9 Emerald Blade Mantis, stealthily moving through the ghostly fog. However, this time, he was not hunting remnants but silently made his way to a shadowy hollow in the mountains. Ahead, within the ghostly fog, a massive city could be vaguely seen. Inside the broken walls, there seemed to be bustling activity and lively voices, as if many people were conversing. Out of place in the desolate and silent netherworld, this noisy black city stood out starkly. Chapter 223 This city was discovered by Li Muyang when the Emerald Blade Mantis was at tier 7. But at that time, the Emerald Blade Mantis was still weak, and Li Muyang didn¡¯t dare to approach, keeping his distance from it. Now that the Emerald Blade Mantis has evolved to the 9th tier, Li Muyang dares to stealthily approach and observe the city shrouded in mist from afar. A bustling city in the dilapidated and decaying underworld? The scene seemed incredibly bizarre. In the past, Li Muyang had seen several cities in this broken and desolate underworld. But those cities were all in ruins, many reduced to mere remnants of walls, and even the lingering souls were scarce. The remnants of souls in the underworld mostly wandered the wilderness or lay dormant in one place. Li Muyang had never seen a scene as lively as this city before. He instinctively sensed something was amiss and controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to stealthily move closer and silently observe. The tier 9 Emerald Blade Mantis had awakened a talent for sensing danger. When encountering powerful enemies or stepping into dangerous areas, a crisis value would appear below the health bar of the Emerald Blade Mantis to alert Li Muyang. A crisis value over 90 was red, indicating the need for immediate retreat. The corpses of deities wandering the wilderness all posed this level of danger. As Li Muyang approached the ghost city, the crisis value of the Emerald Blade Mantis slowly fluctuated but eventually settled at 40, green. This number represented a general danger.@@@@ Only slightly more dangerous than the enemies the Emerald Blade Mantis needed to hunt. Seeing this crisis value, Li Muyang quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to get even closer and finally saw the wandering soul shadows on the city walls. These weak and transparent souls posed no threat at all, looking fragile and ordinary. They were simply the souls of mortals. However, their attire left Li Muyang dumbfounded. All the ghostly figures walking on the city walls wore red headbands and lotus flower armor robes. These ghostly figures... looked exactly like the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect? Li Muyang controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to stealthily move beneath a collapsed section of the city wall. The collapsed wall offered a glimpse inside the city. From a distance, Li Muyang saw a massive shadow standing like a mountain in the center of the city, obscured by mist, with only its rough shape visible. ????aN?BE?s? She spoke to herself, then suddenly thought of something and frowned. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right! Although you made a blood oath, you don¡¯t have a soul shard in the Four Directions Cauldron, and there¡¯s some strange force blocking the effect of your blood oath.¡± ¡°Even if you died, you couldn¡¯t possibly enter the Four Directions Cauldron...¡± The girl continued, puzzled, then jumped down from the city wall towards the huge Emerald Blade Mantis. ¡°What exactly...¡± Bang! The girl who jumped down from the city wall hit an invisible barrier the moment she left the city wall¡¯s confines and was bounced back. The girl, rubbing her face as she stood up from the city wall, looked at the huge mantis in shock and said, ¡°You¡¯re not inside the Four Directions Cauldron? You¡¯re outside the Four Directions Cauldron?¡± The girl had a look of disbelief on her face. Li Muyang, watching this scene through the Emerald Blade Mantis, remained silent. Could this ghost city actually be the Four Directions Cauldron? And the girl in front of him... Li Muyang hesitated for a moment, then controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to write a line of text on the ground. ¡¾Who are you?¡¿ ¡°Me? My name is Shen Miao, Shen Yan¡¯s younger sister,¡± the white-robed girl introduced herself without hesitation. ¡°When I was born, my father killed me and offered me as a blood sacrifice to the Four Directions Cauldron. Since then, I¡¯ve always been here, growing up inside the Four Directions Cauldron.¡± The girl in white spoke of her past nonchalantly, then curiously examined the giant mantis before her. ¡°People say that the souls that entered the Four Directions Cauldron were all muddle-headed, ignorant, and unaware. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen someone as lucid as you.¡± ¡°Hey! Li Muyang, how did you get in here? Why have you turned into a giant mantis?¡± The girl looked at Li Muyang with curiosity, her bright eyes filled with anticipation: ¡°What¡¯s it like outside the Four Directions Cauldron? Is it the human world?¡± ¡°Can you bring me some tasty food from outside the Four Directions Cauldron?¡± ¡°Like candied hawthorns, pastries, snacks, and the like. I¡¯ve seen my sister eat them since I was little, but I¡¯ve never tasted them myself. I don¡¯t even know what they taste like.¡± As the girl in white spoke, her saliva unceremoniously dribbled down. She wiped the corner of her mouth and looked at Li Muyang with great anticipation. ¡°Can you bring me some delicious food from outside the Four Directions Cauldron?¡± ¡°I really want to know what the food outside tastes like!¡± Chapter 224 On the collapsed city wall, the girl in white drooled with anticipation as she looked at Li Muyang. The giant mantis in the ghostly fog, however, remained silent. Born and immediately blood sacrificed by her father, her soul trapped in the Four Directions Cauldron, the girl who grew up in the cauldron... Could this little girl be the spirit of the Four Directions Cauldron? Yet she could see what was happening outside, at least she could see what was happening around her twin sister Shen Yan. She watched her sister enjoy various delicacies from a young age, loved by their parents, and revered as the young lady of the Blood Lotus Sect. While she grew up alone in this ghost city, never having tasted the flavors of the human world... it¡¯s quite pitiful. But Li Muyang dared not show pity easily. This little girl could see through the Emerald Blade Mantis to the controlling Li Muyang behind it, which was too dangerous. What if she told the others in the Blood Lotus Sect about this? How would Li Muyang explain? Li Muyang remained silent, controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis to write words on the ground. ¡¾Can¡¯t the sect leader or your sister bring you the delicious food? If you ask, they wouldn¡¯t refuse, right?¡¿ Li Muyang cautiously wrote these probing words.@@@@ But the girl on the city wall pouted unhappily upon reading the words. ¡°I can see what my sister and the sect leader are doing, but I can¡¯t talk to them. They can¡¯t hear me either, otherwise, I would have asked them to bring me something tasty long ago.¡± ¡°Every time they throw something into the cauldron, it¡¯s some fierce and annoying cultivator. They want me to eat those cultivators... yuck! They have no taste at all! I don¡¯t want to eat them!¡± The little girl spoke innocently of terrible things. Li Muyang felt a chill run down his spine. Eat cultivators... Was this little girl really the spirit of the Four Directions Cauldron? But then again, she said she refused to eat those cultivators... Li Muyang looked at the wandering spirits of the Blood Lotus Sect followers in the city and realized that although they were making noisy sounds, they were just repeating obsessive phrases without any conscious awareness. The city¡¯s ghosts lacked conscious awareness, and the girl couldn¡¯t communicate with the outside world. Didn¡¯t that mean she was alone here, able to see everything in the outside world, yet completely isolated? Although this meant Li Muyang didn¡¯t have to worry about being exposed, he still felt somewhat sorry for her. He sighed and controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to write another line on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see that scary creature. It¡¯s so ugly! It¡¯s just lying in the cauldron, fast asleep!¡± ¡°No one inside the cauldron has ever been able to talk to me. You¡¯re the first!¡± The girl was extremely happy. Her joy was so radiant that she seemed almost ready to fly, her whole being seemingly shining with light. But this cheerful joy, contrasted with her life growing up confined in the Four Directions Cauldron, seemed all the more tragic. Li Muyang felt a mix of emotions and curiosity. ¡¾You don¡¯t seem to hate your father or the people of the Blood Lotus Sect at all?¡¿ This girl grew up alone in the Four Directions Cauldron, unable to communicate with the outside world yet able to see everything that happened outside. Under such circumstances, she should have become a vengeful person twisted by hatred, wishing to destroy the Blood Lotus Sect. But the girl was optimistic and cheerful, without a trace of hatred, and even diligently worked for the Blood Lotus Sect... It was very illogical. Seeing Li Muyang¡¯s confusion, the girl tilted her head in thought and said, ¡°Actually, I also feel like I should hate them. Logically speaking, it would be right for me to hate them.¡± ¡°But I just can¡¯t bring myself to hate them.¡± The girl looked at Li Muyang innocently and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of something my father did to me when he blood sacrificed me.¡± ¡°I grew up in the cauldron since I was little, but I don¡¯t harbor any resentment. Instead, I¡¯m happy every day. Even though it¡¯s boring and lonely in here, I¡¯m just happy.¡± ¡°So I think, since I¡¯m happy every day, there¡¯s no need to overthink things.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m happy.¡± The girl said this with a giggly smile as she looked towards Emerald Blade Mantis and said, ¡°Speaking of which... Li Muyang, you¡¯ve asked me so many questions. Are you concerned about me, do you feel sorry for me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really nice, much nicer than when you¡¯re with my sister.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re with her, I can tell you¡¯re just going through the motions. Hehe...¡± The girl was joyful and happy because of this small difference in treatment. At this moment, her eyes were smiling so much that they were almost closed like a little fox that had stolen a chicken. Chapter 225 Through the perspective of Emerald Blade Mantis, Li Muyang saw the girl¡¯s happy smile and fell silent once more. The girl¡¯s smile was pure and adorable, innocent and guileless. But the happier and cuter she appeared, the more tragic it seemed when combined with her life circumstances. Even Li Muyang, who ¡®considered himself¡¯ to have a heart of stone and lacking in sympathy, couldn¡¯t help but feel a stir of emotion at the sight of the girl¡¯s cheerful smile at this moment.@@@@ Li Muyang inside the barrel sighed softly. The Emerald Blade Mantis in the game wrote a line on the ground. ¡¾If I throw food into the Four Directions Cauldron, will you be able to receive it?¡¿ ¡°Yeah, yeah, just sneak it into the cauldron!¡± The girl became happy upon seeing Li Muyang¡¯s question: ¡°Are you going to bring me food?¡± Hope filled the girl¡¯s eyes. Li Muyang¡¯s response, however, was somewhat indifferent. ¡¾I¡¯ll do it if I have the chance later¡¿ After controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis to write this message, Li Muyang made the giant mantis turn around and walk towards the depths of the ghostly fog. The girl¡¯s life was somewhat pitiful, but there wasn¡¯t much Li Muyang could do to help. Having ascertained the reality of the place, Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to waste time and continued to hunt and evolve in the fog. But the girl¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t. Just come and talk to me when you have time.¡± ¡°Li Muyang, will you come again tomorrow?¡± The girl¡¯s voice was full of hope and a touch of nervousness. The giant mantis in the mist fell silent for a moment, then lifted its jade-green giant scythe-like arms and waved gently, as a response. Then, the ten-zhang-long giant mantis disappeared into the mist. Only the girl named Shen Miao remained standing on the city wall, watching its figure leave with envy. ¡°So amazing...¡± ¡°To go wherever one wishes.¡± The girl sighed with envy and suddenly remembered something, shouting loudly into the mist outside. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you tomorrow!¡± And so, Li Muyang¡¯s evolution hunting game suddenly included a new daily task. The person who delivered the invitation was none other than Shen Yan, who was usually busy. ¡°The leader has high hopes for you and wants to meet and talk with you again,¡± Shen Yan said with a smile as she handed over the invitation. Despite the blazing summer, her pale fingers were somewhat cold. On the night of the victory banquet in Tianjiao City, Li Muyang had met the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect and exchanged a few words under Shen Yan¡¯s introduction. But there were many people at the banquet, and soon Li Muyang was taken away by Shen Yan. Tonight¡¯s invitation, however, was for a somewhat family dinner. The Blood Lotus Sect leader was actually inviting Li Muyang to his home for a meal. Such high regard would have made anyone else grateful and overwhelmed. Li Muyang also cooperated by pretending to be very touched. After bathing and changing clothes, he left with Shen Yan. The two stepped onto Shen Yan¡¯s exquisite and sturdy carriage, escorted by a dozen beast knights, they passed through the city¡¯s market streets, heading towards the residence of the sect leader. At this time, Tianjiao City had regained its former prosperity. Although it was already night, the streets were bustling with people, and the lights were bright. Shen Yan leaned by the window, chatting softly with Li Muyang, talking about some interesting anecdotes. The sound of the woman¡¯s light laughter, mixed with the noise from the streets outside the carriage window, created a picture of peaceful times. Li Muyang, being in the midst of it all, calmed his mind and stopped thinking about matters related to the game. But just then, the carriage suddenly stopped. The bustling noise from the streets outside the window had disappeared without notice. The air, now eerily silent, was tinged with a somber pressure. From outside the carriage¡¯s curtain, the deep voice of Banner Master Ruan Mei could be heard. ¡°...Miss, it¡¯s Du Qi.¡± As soon as Ruan Mei¡¯s voice fell, a man¡¯s carefree laughter echoed from ahead. ¡°The guy inside the carriage, you¡¯re called Li Muyang, right?¡± ¡°Du Qi, a Banner Master of the Yubo Hall, has long heard of your fame. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re strong and broke through the tens of thousands of half-demon army of the Lihai Hall alone on Pingyang Hill.¡± ¡°Do you dare to come out and spar with me for a couple of rounds?!¡± The man¡¯s arrogant laughter rang out, and inside the carriage, Shen Yan rubbed her temples with a troubled expression. ¡°This person...¡± Shen Yan looked at Li Muyang and said, ¡°This person has been pursuing Nangong Ting for two years now.¡± Chapter 226 Shen Yan¡¯s explanation made Li Muyang raise an eyebrow slightly. ¡°Oh? He¡¯s been pursuing Nangong Ting for two years...¡± That crazy woman who likes to dress in men¡¯s clothes actually has suitors? Although in terms of appearance, Nangong Ting really wasn¡¯t bad. She had a heroic air about her and a certain unique charm. But hearing now that a suitor of Nangong Ting had come knocking on their door, stopping them in the streets of Tianjiao City to trouble Li Muyang, he still found it somewhat absurd. He shook his head: ¡°It seems your prestige isn¡¯t always effective...¡± Shen Yan had quite a bit of authority among those Helmsmen and hall masters.@@@@ However, many of the Banner Masters below had ambiguous attitudes towards this daughter of the former sect leader. There were those who respected Shen Yan, but there were also many Banner Masters who scorned her. After all, Shen Yan was neither a cultivator nor versed in martial arts, just a mere mortal and even more frail than an average person. Such a woman, although strategic, indeed found it difficult to command complete loyalty. Faced with Li Muyang¡¯s teasing, Shen Yan sighed helplessly. ¡°Du Qi is different from ordinary people. He joined our sect only two years ago, and although he is under Liu Churen, he joined the sect for Nangong Ting.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much faith in the teachings and beliefs of the sect.¡± ¡°Before joining the sect, he was just a casual cultivator without a master, who stumbled upon a half-complete cultivation manual in the mountains and managed to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Realm, nothing extraordinary.¡± ¡°Later, under Nangong Ting¡¯s recommendation, he joined the Yubo Hall and followed Liu Churen.¡± ¡°Although Du Qi¡¯s talent in cultivation is mediocre, his aptitude for martial arts is exceptional. After joining the sect and being taught martial arts by the sect leader, he quickly cultivated to the Aerial Realm in martial arts... equivalent to the Golden Core Realm for cultivators.¡± ¡°In terms of martial arts cultivation, he is the number one expert in our sect.¡± ¡°He followed the sect leader in battles outside during the uprising; otherwise, you might have encountered him back then.¡± As Shen Yan softly explained the background of this Du Qi, she gave a headache-filled instruction: ¡°Aunt Mei, you deal with this madman Du Qi. Muyang and I will leave first.¡± The carriage quickly turned around and headed in another direction. Banner Master Ruan Mei stayed behind to block Du Qi. From the street behind them, Du Qi¡¯s cursing could be heard. ¡°Li Muyang, you¡¯re hiding in the carriage and letting a woman stand up for you, what kind of skill is that? Have the guts to come out and face me!¡± ¡°Cowardly turtle Li Muyang!¡± As the most prominent figure in the Blood Lotus Sect, Fang Yingtian was not like the demonic cult leaders one might imagine. He had a gentle smile and a scholarly demeanor, more like an ordinary middle-aged schoolteacher than a cult leader. Despite being the leader of a sect, his home was quite frugal, and the family banquet was also quite ordinary, without any exotic delicacies. At the dinner table, besides Li Muyang and Shen Yan, there were also Qinfeng Hall Helmsman Dugu Yifang and Banner Master Ruan Mei, who arrived later. It was a simple family banquet, and there wasn¡¯t much talk about the affairs of the sect. Fang Yingtian didn¡¯t act as Li Muyang had anticipated; he didn¡¯t try to intimidate him or bestow favors upon him. Instead, he amiably chatted with him about many trivial matters. The banquet didn¡¯t feel like a gathering of cult leaders but more like a middle-aged, rural schoolteacher showing concern for his juniors. When the banquet ended, Fang Yingtian even personally saw Li Muyang and the others out, patting Li Muyang¡¯s hand with a smile and telling him to stay at ease and to help Shen Yan more in the future. For some reason, at that moment, Li Muyang suddenly felt like he was visiting his girlfriend¡¯s family and being entrusted with responsibilities by her elders. This inexplicable sense of deja vu made him somewhat embarrassed, making the atmosphere in the carriage on the way back a bit strange. It wasn¡¯t until they both returned to their respective rooms at the City Lord¡¯s mansion that the odd atmosphere completely dissipated. ...... In the game world, atop the fog-enshrouded city walls, a girl dressed in plain white robes naturally said to Li Muyang, ¡°Uncle Fang must think my sister likes you.¡± ¡°In all these years, my sister has never looked at someone of her own age with such regard.¡± ¡°Besides you, there hasn¡¯t been a second person that my sister has valued so much, coming to chat with you so often and always caring about your daily life.¡± Shen Miao, with her hands on her hips, said to the giant mantis in front of the city wall, ¡°And I saw your family banquet. I was watching the whole time.¡± ¡°My sister was nervous there, while Uncle Fang was smiling at you the whole time.¡± ¡°By the way, after you left, he even told Dugu Yifang that you are very outstanding, a sincere child worth entrusting responsibilities to and that my sister has not misjudged you...¡± The girl, who had the perspectives of both Fang Yingtian and Shen Yan, confirmed Li Muyang¡¯s guess. She asked Li Muyang, ¡°What about you? Do you like my sister?¡± ¡°If you marry my sister, you might become the next leader of the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± ¡°With my sister¡¯s help and Uncle Fang¡¯s support, plus your Martial God Tyrant Body and your strange giant mantis form... Wow! I can¡¯t even think of anyone in the Blood Lotus Sect who could compete with you!¡± Shen Miao became more and more excited as she spoke, ¡°When you become the sect leader, you can throw delicious food into the Four Directions Cauldron every day... Wouldn¡¯t I be able to eat whatever I want then?¡± Shen Miao looked at Li Muyang with great joy and asked, ¡°Brother-in-law, when are you going to marry my sister?¡± Chapter 227 On the city wall, the girl in plain white robes looked at Li Muyang with eager anticipation, as if she couldn¡¯t wait for him to become the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect right then and there. Li Muyang, on the other hand, was speechless. ¡°Who said I¡¯m going to marry your sister...¡± This was utterly absurd. Both Li Muyang and Shen Yan, the parties involved, had not expected the family banquet to have this purpose. Otherwise, Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t have been so uncomfortable in the latter half of the event. It was Li Muyang¡¯s first time seeing Shen Yan, who always seemed to have everything under control and was a master strategist, show such an embarrassed and awkward demeanor. Like Li Muyang, she probably thought the banquet was Fang Yingtian¡¯s way of showing favor and winning people over. But no one expected the situation to take such a strange turn... Li Muyang shook his head in denial and casually wrote on the ground, ¡°It¡¯s impossible between your sister and me.¡± ¡°One¡¯s AM, the other¡¯s FM; we¡¯re on completely different frequencies, how could it be possible?¡± He was about to return to the Demon Refining Sect soon, and the situation in the Blood Lotus Sect was becoming more and more complicated. Li Muyang felt that the time was ripe to ask Shen Yan for some tasks to do. As long as he had tasks, he could leave Tianjiao City openly and legitimately. This evil cult was visibly doomed. Although the Blood Lotus Sect had successfully risen up this time, taking over a vast territory of 1,500 li around Tianjiao City and winning the hearts of nearly a million believers, Li Muyang saw that the sect¡¯s ship was destined not to sail far and would eventually capsize in the torrents of the era. He didn¡¯t want to tie himself to the sinking ship of the Blood Lotus Sect just for Shen Yan, with whom he had no emotional foundation.@@@@ The role of the Blood Lotus Sect leader, an enemy of the entire world, was too thrilling for Li Muyang. He gave Shen Miao a few perfunctory responses and then controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to turn around and leave, heading back into the fog to continue leveling up, ignoring the girl¡¯s questions behind him. ¡°What¡¯s AM, what¡¯s FM?¡± ¡°Brother-in-law! What do you mean by ¡®different frequencies¡¯?¡± ¡°Brother-in-law! Explain it to me!¡± The girl¡¯s coquettish voice came through, but the Emerald Blade Mantis in the fog seemed not to hear and ran even faster. ...... The next day, Li Muyang found Shen Yan and expressed his desire to find some tasks to do, not wanting to stay cooped up in the yard taking baths every day. R?A???¦Â§¦?S?? Li Muyang, armed with his appointment letter, found Ruan Mei and soon arrived at the yamen that had just put up the ¡°Hall of Enforcement¡± signboard. Among the four Banner Masters of Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow, Li Muyang didn¡¯t recognize the other three. He was also unfamiliar with the followers and subordinates of the Hall of Enforcement. However, their gazes towards Li Muyang were filled with curiosity. After all, within the Blood Lotus Sect, Martial God Tyrant Body Li Muyang had already become somewhat of a minor celebrity. The work that followed was somewhat complicated. Li Muyang suddenly became busy as the newly established Hall of Enforcement was overwhelmed with countless intricate affairs. Li Muyang, who had originally planned to find an opportunity to slip away quietly, was suddenly tied down by Ruan Mei, who forbade him from running off. While the other three Banner Masters could leave Tianjiao City for official duties, only Li Muyang was required to stay in Tianjiao City at all times. Not only did he not find a chance to escape, but even his daytime gaming time was occupied, leaving him to play alone under the covers at night. Amidst Li Muyang¡¯s busyness, he also heard rumors spreading throughout Tianjiao City, becoming more and more widespread. There were whispers that he had no real abilities and that it was only due to the young lady Shen Yan¡¯s secret favor that he had ascended to the position of Banner Master and so on. Various sensational rumors spread, becoming more detailed by the day, even to the point where there were claims that Li Muyang and Shen Yan were secretly engaged and would soon be married... At the center of the whirlpool, Li Muyang felt somewhat exhausted. But he was too lazy to bother with these trivial rumors. He had a good guess about who was spreading these slanders against him, but it didn¡¯t matter. After all, Li Muyang had already made up his mind to leave. Once the initial busy period of the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s establishment was over and he had satisfied Ruan Mei, Li Muyang could use the excuse of dodging rumors to leave Tianjiao City and find refuge elsewhere. By then, the city¡¯s rumors would have nothing to do with him. Li Muyang had a clear plan in mind, even preparing several schemes for how to escape back to the Demonic Sect after leaving Tianjiao City. However, these plans were soon disrupted by an unexpected incident. ...... As dusk fell, Li Muyang, sitting alone in a private room of a tavern, stretched lazily and saw a maid respectfully entering with a tray of dishes. Yet this unfamiliar-faced maid, upon approaching Li Muyang, used a voice he knew all too well¡ªthe giggling voice of his little sister Li Yuechan. ¡°Brother, I heard you¡¯re getting married...¡± ¡°Is it true?¡± Chapter 228 In the private room of the tavern, Li Muyang nearly had a heart attack when he heard Li Yuechan¡¯s voice. After finishing the miscellaneous work of the Hall of Enforcement, he would come to the tavern next to the city lord¡¯s mansion to rest alone, drink a couple of small drinks, and enjoy himself. In this world, there was no such thing as ¡°happy water (TLN: Cola?)¡± for neet, but there were drinks of varying strengths and flavors. Low-alcohol drinks served as this world¡¯s beverage. Li Muyang often visited this tavern, nestled alone in a private room, sipping on a little drink, nibbling on some snacks, and then lying on a couch to space out for a while. This was his rare moment of peace after a day of tiresome and troublesome work. But Li Muyang never expected that the maid serving dishes today would approach him with such an explosive statement. Moreover, her voice was identical to that of his little sister Li Yuechan! Li Muyang¡¯s body stiffened subconsciously, and then he scanned his surroundings. The private room was secluded and quiet, with only one window facing the pond outside. The powerful physique of Martial God Tyrant Body also enhanced his perception. After carefully listening and confirming that there was no breathing outside the quiet room, Li Muyang lowered his voice in surprise and asked, ¡°...How did you get here?¡± He knew his sister had some strange and mystical abilities, which she had shown before. But he didn¡¯t expect her to be so bold and daring to sneak into Tianjiao City alone... The maid winked at him and whispered with a giggle, ¡°How about that? Brother, isn¡¯t it a pleasant surprise?¡± Li Muyang rolled his eyes, ¡°More like a fright.¡± Li Muyang got up, closed the window, and locked the door before returning to his original seat. The maid squatted obediently beside him, appearing to be serving Li Muyang dishes without any inappropriate behavior. But with a smile in her eyes, she spoke in a very low voice, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve made quite a name for yourself in the Blood Lotus Sect. The whole city is buzzing with your fame in just two months.¡± ¡°Now everyone is saying that you¡¯re going to marry that mysterious young lady Shen Yan of the Blood Lotus Sect!¡± ¡°How is Sister Shen Yan? Is she beautiful?¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes were full of gossipy curiosity. Li Muyang, however, frowned and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s all nonsense rumors. My relationship with Shen Yan is just average. We can¡¯t even be considered close friends.¡± ?a?Nob?S?? ¡°What brings you to Tianjiao City? Besides you, who else has come?¡± Li Muyang knew that the Demonic Sect wouldn¡¯t just take a loss lying down and would definitely have a backup plan after the negotiations. Indeed, the Demonic Sect had sent disciples to infiltrate Tianjiao City, clearly planning some action. Li Muyang had calculated many possibilities, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated that Yan Xiaoru would break through to the Purple Mansion realm. Logically, after he infiltrated as a spy and leaked information, the Demonic Sect would send a Purple Mansion powerhouse to take the risk, but it was unlikely they would choose Yan Xiaoru. Unexpectedly, Yan Xiaoru made a breakthrough right before the battle and took on the mission herself. This was beyond Li Muyang¡¯s expectations. He saw his little sister shake her head and say, ¡°Only I am a disciple of the Demonic Sect in this tavern. The others are ordinary people.¡± ¡°The Blood Lotus Sect seems to have relaxed its vigilance on the surface, but in reality, they are on high alert. It¡¯s extremely difficult for us to sneak in with altered appearances, so we had to enter separately using different false identities.¡± ¡°Now Elder Yan is stationed outside the city, and other disciples of the Hall of Enforcement are scattered throughout the city. We use special methods to make contact and coordinate.¡± ¡°Elder Yan sent me to find you, saying that we should establish contact with you first before taking any action.¡± After Li Yuechan finished speaking, she looked at her brother with a playful twinkle in her eye and said, ¡°Oh, by the way, brother, when I was coming here, Elder Yan asked me to pass on a message to you.¡± Li Muyang was curious, ¡°What message?¡± Yan Xiaoru wouldn¡¯t reveal her special relationship with Li Muyang in public, would she? So he didn¡¯t expect any kind words. But he saw the maid-disguised Li Yuechan flash a mischievous smile and say, ¡°Elder Yan said¨CLi Muyang, congratulations on your marriage! If I get a chance, I will definitely come into the city to attend your wedding feast.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s face darkened instantly, and he rolled his eyes. ¡°Nonsense.¡± He looked at his little sister, who was grinning mischievously, with disbelief, ¡°How could Elder Yan say such a thing.¡± But Li Yuechan nodded with a grin, ¡°Alright, I guess I can¡¯t fool my brother.¡± ¡°Elder Yan actually said to be careful of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s leader. That Fang Yingtian is very cunning.¡± That sounded more like something Yan Xiaoru would say. Li Muyang nodded in understanding, ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Although the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect appeared to be a kind and honest elder, Li Muyang never let down his guard. This guy had played the Purple Mansion powerhouses in the chat group for fools, nearly killing Dangerous Star I and Well Wood Prison. His honesty and integrity were probably just a facade. Even the favoritism he showed towards Shen Yan, Li Muyang suspected, was part of some tricky scheme. Chapter 229 The situation within the Blood Lotus Sect is chaotic. At such a critical juncture, Fang Yingtian, under the guise of caring for his niece, has recklessly promoted Li Muyang. Such blatant favoritism will surely provoke those within the Blood Lotus Sect who are dissatisfied with Shen Yan, as well as agitate Li Muyang¡¯s enemies. ¡°I¡¯m likely the bait that Fang Yingtian has deliberately thrown out to attract troublemakers¡¯ attention.¡± Li Muyang sighed, ¡°Those people wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke Fang Yingtian, and they might not dare to touch Shen Yan. But they would probably have the guts to come after me, and quite a lot of it.¡± ¡°Once those people make a move against me, if they break the new rules of the Blood Lotus Sect, Fang Yingtian will have a justified reason to act against these troublemakers.¡± Now that the rules of the Hall of Enforcement are established, the private fighting in Tianjiao City has been somewhat curbed. At such a time, Li Muyang, as the Banner Master of the Hall of Enforcement, holds a special position. If he were attacked, the situation could be blown out of proportion. In the end, Fang Yingtian can take the moral high ground whether he chooses to kill or suppress the troublemakers. Li Muyang had a vague idea of this cunning demon¡¯s plan, which was clearly to set him up as a live target, luring the snake out of its hole, and find an excuse to reorganize the sect¡¯s affairs. Seeing Li Muyang¡¯s clear understanding, Li Yuechan playfully blinked her eyes. ¡°Wow! So there¡¯s such a deep meaning... Brother, your adult world is so dirty and sinister,¡± the girl exclaimed in surprise. Li Muyang rolled his eyes at his little sister and glared at her, but he was too lazy to expose this mischievously cute act, ¡°You go back and tell Elder Yan that I¡¯m well aware and won¡¯t take it lightly.¡± ¡°As for when to act... Did Elder Yan mention anything?¡± Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to stay in this evil cult for another day. The sooner they could act, the better. But Li Yuechan shook her head, ¡°Elder Yan hasn¡¯t mentioned the specific time for action yet.¡± ¡°Anyway, my current mission is to lie low here, keep an eye on the city lord¡¯s mansion next door, and keep in touch with you.¡± Li Yuechan said, and with a light flip of her palm, a dark red pill appeared in her hand. ¡°This is a high-grade spiritual medicine obtained by Elder Yan, which can greatly enhance one¡¯s blood energy and physique after consumption.¡± ¡°Brother, if you encounter danger, take this pill, and no one in the city should be able to kill you.¡± Li Muyang took the spiritual medicine and carefully stored the pill. The maid-dressed Li Yuechan, whose face was also disguised as someone else, stood up straight and said with a playful smile, ¡°Master Li, your dishes are all served. If there¡¯s nothing else you need, this servant will take her leave.¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes were flirtatious and playful, and even her tone was an impeccable imitation of a common maid flattering a superior. This was very suspicious. Others might not know this, but Li Yuechan had witnessed it with her own eyes. Plus, Li Muyang¡¯s actions on Pingyang Hill after that, and Yan Xiaoru¡¯s various reactions since he became an undercover agent, were almost all clear indications to Li Yuechan that there was some special relationship between Yan Xiaoru and her brother. Even if Yan Xiaoru had hidden it well, she might have deceived others, but it would have been difficult to fool the clever little devil Li Yuechan. ¡°If you don¡¯t want others to know, don¡¯t do it in the first place.¡± Li Muyang sighed and muttered to himself, ¡°This matter can¡¯t be kept secret forever.¡± The teasing by the little sister reminded Li Muyang. He must gain enough power before his romance with Yan Xiaoru becomes public. If he were a Purple Mansion powerhouse, would Yan Xiaoru still need to worry about keeping it a secret? No matter what obsession Yan Xiaoru wanted to fulfill, the situation would be different if Li Muyang became a Purple Mansion powerhouse. By then, as a Purple Mansion powerhouse wielding the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, even the Demonic Sect leader would have to nod in agreement to this relationship. Li Muyang closed his eyes and lay down on the couch, exhaling a breath of turbid air. Game With the Fairies, start! Distracted by the little sister, he suddenly lost the mood to eat. He just wanted to continue grinding in the game. The Evolution Point of the Emerald Blade Mantis was now at 97%. After killing one or two more remnant souls, it could evolve again, stepping towards the 10th tier. A tier 10 Emerald Blade Mantis, with the power of a single strike, would probably make even those in the Divine Travel Realm step back. It could almost walk sideways in this Tianjiao City where everyone¡¯s cultivation was suppressed. If Yan Xiaoru¡¯s operation faced setbacks, Li Muyang would release the Emerald Blade Mantis to cause a huge commotion in Tianjiao City. As long as the Emerald Blade Mantis evolved to the 10th tier, Li Muyang was confident that he could still retreat unscathed after causing a commotion in Tianjiao City. This damn Blood Lotus Sect, Li Muyang was determined to erase it. If it weren¡¯t for these demons suddenly causing trouble, Li Muyang should be in the Demonic Sect, idly eating and waiting for death, peacefully playing games. Nangong Ting, Liu Hucheng, and the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s leader Fang Yingtian... Li Muyang closed his eyes and had already put these people on his hit list. Chapter 230 ¡°It¡¯s said that the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect can be resurrected through the Four Directions Cauldron after death.¡± ¡°So, having been established for so many years, the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect should be increasing, right? Why were there only about a hundred thousand people before the uprising?¡± Under the city walls shrouded in ghostly fog, Li Muyang curiously controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to write: ¡°What happened to the previous followers of the Blood Lotus Sect? And the previous Helmsmen and leaders?¡± ¡°After taking the blood oath, they should have become immortal, right? Why haven¡¯t I seen them?¡± Li Muyang was very curious about this. Because so far, no one in the Blood Lotus Sect had ever discussed the details of this miraculous resurrection with him. Now, the only one who could answer his question was the young girl in front of him. But he saw Shen Miao, dressed in a plain white robe on the city wall, tilt her head in surprise after seeing Li Muyang¡¯s question. ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t I tell you before?¡± Shen Miao tilted her head and thought: ¡°It seems I really didn¡¯t...¡± The girl murmured to herself, then without hesitation, she revealed the secret to Li Muyang. ¡°The Blood Lotus Sect obtained the Four Directions Cauldron a long time ago, but it had always been dormant.¡± ¡°The power of the Four Directions Cauldron could only be used after my father became the leader.¡± ¡°He sacrificed my blood to the Four Directions Cauldron, and with my soul leading in the Four Directions Cauldron, replacing the dormant spirit within, it then had the power to resurrect the dead.¡± After explaining, Shen Miao saw the giant mantis raise its blade arm again to write something. She quickly spoke up: ¡°You want to ask where my father went... right?¡± Communicating by writing on the ground with the giant mantis was too troublesome, so Shen Miao kindly saved Li Muyang the effort. The giant mantis then retracted its blade arm and nodded. Shen Miao cheerfully said, ¡°My father¡¯s soul has dissipated, so you won¡¯t see him.¡± Seeing Li Muyang seemingly puzzled, Shen Miao explained. ¡°The resurrection power of the Four Directions Cauldron is not without a cost.¡± ¡°Besides consuming spiritual power to reshape the body, each resurrection also consumes the soul power of the resurrected... that is, their lifespan.¡± ¡°And the higher the cultivation of the person, the more lifespan is consumed for resurrection.¡± ¡°A common person resurrected once will lose half a year of lifespan.¡± ¡°A Qi Refining Realm practitioner resurrected once will lose one year of lifespan.¡± ¡°Foundation Establishment Realm is three years, Golden Core Realm is ten years, Cave Profound Realm is thirty years, and Divine Travel Realm is seventy years.¡± ¡°And for the Purple Mansion Realm, it¡¯s the most severe. One resurrection in the Purple Mansion Realm requires two hundred years of lifespan.¡± This number could be reached by hunting two more remnant souls tonight. Half an hour later, the Emerald Blade Mantis crossed the vast wilderness, carefully avoiding powerful wandering spirits, and finally arrived at a ruined ruin under the guidance of the system arrow. A pale ghostly figure wandered within the ruins, and as the Emerald Blade Mantis stepped into this territory, the danger value under its health bar rose to 40. A general danger. Li Muyang controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to charge forward... ...... ¡°Banner Master, we¡¯ve caught a madman!¡± Inside the Hall of Enforcement, Li Muyang, who was sitting in the courtyard drinking tea, looked up upon hearing the commotion and saw several followers of the Yellow Banner dragging a bloodied man inside. The lotus robe on the man, with three petals, was the most common rank in the Blood Lotus Sect, a third-rank lotus member, usually in charge of fifty people. But he was beaten and bloodied, dragged in by the followers of the Hall of Enforcement like a dead dog, looking miserable. Li Muyang, who had just finished signing official documents and was planning to rest, was slightly surprised to see his subordinates dragging such a person in. ¡°What crime has this man committed?¡± Usually, captured criminals, though resentful, did not dare to resist the disciples of the Hall of Enforcement in public. The miserable state of this man, beaten to a pulp and bloodied, clearly indicated he was a stubborn head who resisted arrest and was violently subdued by the disciples of the Hall of Enforcement. Li Muyang looked curious, while his subordinates reported the man¡¯s offenses. ¡°Reporting to the Banner Master, this man is a third-rank lotus member of the Liehai Hall named Dai Shan. Last night, he entered the Sin Alley and spent the night there...¡± The report made Li Muyang frown. ¡°Sin Alley again...¡± Sin Alley was an area marked out by the Blood Lotus Sect leader Fang Yingtian in the city, where the womenfolk and cultivators of the former noble families of Tianjiao City were confined. According to the rules of the Blood Lotus Sect, these noble families that had relied on the Demon Refining Sect to survive were inherently guilty. The cultivators who were detained in the city, as well as their families and relatives, were all locked up in various Sin Alleys. These people would eventually be sacrificed in blood to the Four Directions Cauldron and become the spiritual power of the Four Directions Cauldron. Ordinary people were not allowed to enter Sin Alley to prevent the cultivators and their families from escaping. But in reality, this prohibition was in name only. In Li Muyang¡¯s eyes, the alleys in Sin Alley that specifically detained women and female cultivators had become places of ill repute. Leaders of the Blood Lotus Sect, and even Banner Masters, would often enter Sin Alley and stay overnight. Even the once high and mighty Demon Sect enchantresses and noble daughters, now stripped of their cultivation, were no different from ordinary people and utterly unable to resist the strongmen of the Blood Lotus Sect. Chapter 231 The mortal warriors and low-level cultivators of the Blood Lotus Sect seemed to harbor deep obsessions with the once high and mighty young ladies of noble families and female cultivators. Whenever they found an opportunity and the right connections, they would not hesitate to enter the Sin Alley and viciously vent their hatred and hostility on those ladies and female cultivators. Even though the Sect Leader of the Blood Lotus Sect had issued a ban and the Hall of Enforcement was constantly arresting people, it couldn¡¯t stop these middle and lower-ranking leaders from seeking pleasure in Sin Alley. Over the past days, the Hall of Enforcement hadn¡¯t caught many people outside Sin Alley, but almost all of them were figures with rank and status within the Blood Lotus Sect. Li Muyang, feeling irritable, rubbed his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Who did he sleep with? Daring to stay overnight there, he¡¯s really audacious.¡± Normally, middle and lower-ranking leaders who entered Sin Alley privately would stay for just an hour or two before leaving after venting. But this Dai Shan had not only entered Sin Alley privately, he even dared to spend the night there? This was a blatant disregard for the new laws of the Blood Lotus Sect. But then he heard his subordinate report back, ¡°Replying to Banner Master, he slept with two sisters from the Qin family. The elder sister is called Qin Haiyue, 17 years old, and the younger sister is Qin Haidie, 15 years old...¡±@@@@ After listening to his subordinate¡¯s account, Li Muyang, with an expressionless face, picked up a brush and paper and wrote swiftly. ¡°For entering Sin Alley privately and defiling two women, according to the laws of our sect, the sentence is four hundred lashes and one year of imprisonment.¡± Li Muyang finished writing the judgment document with an impassive face, stamped it with his Banner Master seal, and then handed it to a subordinate. ¡°Take him away.¡± Dealing with such crimes was routine for Li Muyang. After all, he had passed judgment many times before. But after he delivered the sentence, Dai Shan, who had been pressed to the ground like a dead dog, suddenly raised his head. His face, covered in blood, was filled with anger. ¡°You dare to lock me up for a year? I don¡¯t accept this! I can pay a ransom to redeem myself! I don¡¯t have to go to prison! On what grounds are you imprisoning me for a year?¡± Four hundred lashes wouldn¡¯t kill this warrior, but it would beat him half to death. For these fearless disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect, being tortured to near death might be even more terrifying than being killed outright. Facing Dai Shan¡¯s questioning roar, Li Muyang remained cold and indifferent. ¡°Whether a ransom can be paid is for this Banner Master to decide. And I have judged that you cannot redeem yourself. You must serve the full sentence!¡± ¡°Take him away.¡± Li Muyang couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste words on such scum and waved his hand for his subordinates to clear the area. But this bloodied third-rank lotus member became enraged, roaring furiously and struggling desperately. ¡°You decide? Who the hell are you!? What are you!? On what grounds do you decide?¡± However, Li Yuechan, disguised as a serving girl, couldn¡¯t stay long and soon left with a giggly smile. Li Muyang lay alone on the couch, closing his eyes and entering the ¡°Deadly Weed¡± game. The Emerald Blade Mantis had evolved again last night, forming a light cocoon underground in the netherworld and falling into a deep sleep. With nothing else to do, Li Muyang continued to brush up on Xiao Yecao¡¯s daily routine, accompanying her in the mountains and fields. However, Xiao Yecao in the game sensed that Li Muyang was in a bad mood and became curious. ¡°Elder Brother, why are you suddenly unhappy? Is something bothering you?¡± Xiao Yecao, now a beautiful fairy, blinked her bright eyes curiously at Li Muyang. The once scrawny little girl had grown into a Mysterious Fairy who could drink with dragons and debate with gods. Her ethereal aura, like that of a legendary immortal, seemed as if she could ascend at any moment. That transcendent quality made Li Muyang wonder if the girl had already reached the realm of immortals. Faced with Xiao Yecao¡¯s curiosity, Li Muyang sighed, about to speak, when at that moment, a knock on the door echoed in the reality of the tavern¡¯s private room. ¡°...Muyang, are you there?¡± Shen Yan¡¯s voice sounded, and Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. He turned off the game and returned to reality. ¡°Come in.¡± Li Muyang sat up straight as Shen Yan, wrapped in a thick cloak, entered the room. Seeing Li Muyang drinking alone, Shen Yan smiled, ¡°I hope I¡¯m not disturbing your peace.¡± Li Muyang shook his head, gesturing for her to sit: ¡°Please, take a seat.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been so busy lately. You must have something on your mind coming to see me, right?¡± Lately, Shen Yan had been even busier than Li Muyang, and it had been a long time since she had sought him out. Her sudden visit today must mean something important. Li Muyang was curious. Shen Yan, clad in a plush fur overcoat, fell silent for a moment before sighing. ¡°...Muyang, do you know about the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s spies infiltrating Tianjiao City?¡± Chapter 232 ¡°Muyang, do you know about the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s spies infiltrating Tianjiao City?¡± Inside the private room of the tavern, Shen Yan¡¯s soft inquiry caused Li Muyang¡¯s chopsticks, which were picking up food, to pause slightly. His heart skipped a beat. ¨CHas Yuechan been discovered by the Blood Lotus Sect?! This was Li Muyang¡¯s first reaction upon hearing these words. Shen Yan chose this moment to come in; had she already captured Yuechan outside? Li Muyang¡¯s thoughts raced, but his expression remained calm. ¡°The Demonic Sect has spies in Tianjiao City?¡±@@@@ Li Muyang asked with a frown: ¡°When did this happen?¡± Judging solely by his reaction, Li Muyang was impeccable, showing no flaws. However, the woman in front of him was not here to confront him. In response to Li Muyang¡¯s question, Shen Yan tiredly shook her head: ¡°This morning, Yubo Hall discovered a suspicious cultivator at the south gate. After capturing and interrogating him, it turned out he was a spy from the Demon Refining Sect.¡± ¡°We still don¡¯t know the spy¡¯s purpose or his accomplices.¡± ¡°But the sect leader has already ordered a thorough investigation throughout the city.¡± Shen Yan briefly recounted the incident that had occurred at the south gate that morning. Li Muyang listened, his demeanor calm, showing no emotional fluctuations. As long as it wasn¡¯t his little sister who had been caught, he didn¡¯t care about other Demonic Sect disciples being exposed and captured. Li Muyang was more concerned about another matter. ¡°A thorough investigation throughout the city? Will the sect leader¡¯s planned trip still go ahead?¡± According to the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s upcoming plans, once the situation in Tianjiao City stabilized, the sect leader Fang Yingtian would personally travel, touring all the towns within a 1,500-li radius of Tianjiao City to spread the righteousness of the Blood Lotus Sect and demonstrate the sect¡¯s miraculous resurrection from death. Resurrection from death was an irresistible miracle for mortals. As long as they believed in the Blood Lotus Sect, they would gain an immortal body, which could attract more mortals to join the sect. But now that a spy from the Demon Refining Sect had appeared in the city, and the Demonic Sect might have some kind of scheme unfolding in the shadows, would Fang Yingtian still leave? r?a?o?¦ÂE?S? Shen Yan nodded, saying, ¡°The sect leader¡¯s preaching will continue as planned, but we will conduct a strict search for spies in the city.¡± ¡°While the sect leader is away, I will be in charge of the sect affairs in Tianjiao City...¡± Shen Yan¡¯s sincere advice was heard by Li Muyang with an open mind, but he quickly forgot it. He closed his eyes, planning to rest for a while in the private room of the tavern, play some games, and then go to sleep. But not long after Li Muyang started the game, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the private room. Followed by the anxious voice of one of his subordinates. ¡°Not good! Banner Master! There¡¯s trouble!¡± ¡°Shi Maocai from Lihai Hall has taken people to the Sin Alley! He says he¡¯s going to avenge his sworn brother Dai Shan!¡± The anxious voice from outside made Li Muyang frown slightly. He closed the game and stood up. ¡°Shi Maocai?¡± Li Muyang didn¡¯t know this person. After opening the door, standing outside the private room was his subordinate from the Hall of Enforcement, Bu Hongsheng, 19 years old, a fourth-grade lotus member. This young man was honest and also detested evil, so Li Muyang had promoted him twice and found him very reliable. Now, with an anxious look on his face, Bu Hongsheng saw that Li Muyang did not recognize Shi Maocai and quickly explained. ¡°Shi Maocai is a sixth-grade lotus member from Lihai Hall. He made great achievements in the recent battle with the Demonic Sect, and the sect leader highly appreciates him.¡± ¡°He is Dai Shan¡¯s sworn brother. When he heard that Dai Shan had been captured by us and put in prison, he gathered dozens of Lihai Hall believers and headed towards Sin Alley, saying he was going to avenge his brother!¡± ¡°Banner Master! This is bad!¡± Bu Hongsheng was extremely anxious: ¡°Although Shi Maocai is only a sixth-grade lotus member, his elder brother is Shi Maosen, the Banner Master of Lihai Hall!¡± ¡°Now Liu Fu has already taken our brothers from the Yellow Banner to Sin Alley, but that Shi Maocai is too arrogant and domineering. I¡¯m afraid only you, Banner Master, can suppress him.¡± Bu Hongsheng quickly briefed the situation with an urgent tone: ¡°This Shi Maocai is lawless! Last time he injured someone on the street, and when our brothers from the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s Heavenly Banner argued with him, he brutally beat them up, and he wasn¡¯t punished afterward.¡± ¡°This time he¡¯s suddenly gone mad. I¡¯m afraid today¡¯s incident may not end well.¡± Bu Hongsheng finished speaking and looked towards Li Muyang: ¡°Banner Master, do we need to ask for help from Helmsmen Ruan? What if Banner Master Shi Maosen from Lihai Hall...¡± Bu Hongsheng¡¯s eyes were filled with worry. But Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°Do we need to disturb Helmsmen Ruan for such a trivial matter?¡± Li Muyang said, ¡°Quickly take me to Sin Alley, I must see for myself today just how lawless this Shi Maosen really is!¡± Chapter 233 Outside the alley, the area was crowded with people. Clad in dark robes, disciples of the Hall of Enforcement drew their swords in anger, blocking the entrance to the alley and glaring at the group inside. That group of half-demons from Lihai Hall, all bearing demonic marks, appeared quite ferocious in broad daylight. Even the citizens of the city who had a favorable impression of the Blood Lotus Sect couldn¡¯t help but feel scared when they saw these grotesque half-demons, and they kept their distance. Surrounded by these fearsome half-demons, a half-demon wearing a robe adorned with a six-petaled lotus was the center of attention, with laughter constantly surrounding him. Outside the alley, over a hundred black-robed disciples of the Hall of Enforcement glared angrily. The leader, dressed in willow attire with an indifferent face, was only 23 years old, but under Li Muyang¡¯s promotion, he had already become a fourth-rank lotus member. Now, with his hand on his sword, he led the group blocking the entrance to the alley and coldly said to the laughing half-demons inside. ¡°Shi Maosen, you trespassed into Sin Alley. According to the sect rules, you should receive twenty lashes.¡± ¡°Take advantage of the fact that you haven¡¯t made a big mistake yet, let go of those two girls, come out obediently to accept your punishment, and we¡¯ll put an end to today¡¯s matter.¡± ¡°If you continue to act recklessly, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences!¡± The willow-clad leader¡¯s face was cold, and his voice was devoid of any emotional fluctuation, just an indifferent ultimatum. However, his words only made the half-demons in the alley laugh even harder. ¡°Can¡¯t bear the consequences? Hahaha! You, a mere fourth-rank lotus member, talk so big? One would think you¡¯re the Helmsmen of the Hall of Enforcement.¡± ¡°Are all you black dogs of the Hall of Enforcement this ridiculous?¡± ¡°You, a little fourth-rank lotus member, dare to make noise here?¡± ¡°Looking so effeminate, you don¡¯t have any manliness at all. When your grandfathers were killing enemies on the battlefield, were you hiding behind and selling your ass?¡± ¡°Hahahaha... you ass-selling sissy!¡± The half-demons roared with laughter, not afraid of the Hall of Enforcement disciples outside at all. And Shi Maosen, who was surrounded by the half-demons, sneered. ¡°I¡¯m just going to sit here today and not come out. Let¡¯s see what consequences there can be!¡± He sat boldly at the entrance of the alley with a girl sitting on each of his thighs. The younger girl had a childish face and some bruises could be faintly seen. Now, she curled up in fear while trembling. The older girl, trying to remain calm, pursed her lips and managed to sit up straight, but her eyes were also filled with fear. The two young misses from the Qin family of Tianjiao City, who were usually high and mighty from a cultivator family, were now being held hostage by the half-demons and didn¡¯t even dare to cry out. r??aNo?B¦¥? In the past, they had already been abused many times by the leaders and Banner Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect. Clearly, this group of resentful Lihai Hall half-demons had not been gentle with the two girls. Li Muyang said coldly, ¡°I heard you were going to stand up for your sworn brother Dai Shan, and I thought you were going to come to the Hall of Enforcement to find me, so I waited especially for you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your idea of standing up for someone was to bring a bunch of demons and monsters to Sin Alley to bully these women.¡± ¡°Is this really how you Lihai Hall stand up for someone? In a fit of anger, draw your sword against those even weaker?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s tone was cold, without any mockery or ridicule, just a cold reading. Yet it was this lifeless cold tone that infuriated the half-demons in the alley. ¡°Damn Demonic Sect mongrel!¡± ¡°Shut your damn mouth!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bully your mother!¡± The half-demons cursed angrily. But Shi Maosen, sitting in the grand chair, was not as angry, instead sneering. ¡°What¡¯s the point of looking for you at the Hall of Enforcement? Anyway, you Demonic Sect mongrel, you¡¯ll obediently follow my lead.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who claims to uphold justice and enforce the teachings?¡± ¡°My brother Dai Shan merely slept with two lowly cultivators from the Demonic Sect, and for that, you pulled out his tongue, lashed him four hundred times, and shattered all the bones in his body.¡± ¡°The scum from this Sin Alley of the Demonic Sect, they¡¯re all going to be killed sooner or later. What¡¯s wrong with sleeping with them? It¡¯s their honor to be slept with!¡± ¡°Today, not only will I sleep with these two Demonic Sect mongrels, but I will also do it in front of you, another Demonic Sect mongrel! After I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll let my brothers have their turn!¡± ¡°I, Shi Maocai, don¡¯t believe it. The Blood Lotus Sect that we fought for with our swords and spears can be overshadowed by you Demonic Sect mongrels!¡± After Shi Maocai finished speaking, he directly placed his hand on the shoulder of the girl in his arms. The surrounding crowd gasped at this scene. The enforcement disciples behind Li Muyang were even more furious, drawing their swords. But Li Muyang, who was in front of everyone, didn¡¯t move an inch, not even showing a hint of shock or anger. He continued to look indifferently at the half-demon seated in the grandmaster¡¯s chair, his cold gaze as if looking at a corpse. Amidst everyone¡¯s stares, Li Muyang, dressed in his usual attire, stood with his hands behind his back without the slightest intention to intervene. He simply issued a cold ultimatum. ¡°Provoking the teachings and resisting the law. According to our sect¡¯s regulations, you will be dismembered three times.¡± ¡°If you dare to lay a finger on these two sinners¡¯ daughters in front of this Banner Master, none of the half-demons you brought to Sin Alley today will live to see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise.¡± ¡°You can try me.¡± Chapter 234 Li Muyang¡¯s tone remained indifferent. However, his unquestionable tone silenced the onlookers. Even the hundreds of Hall of Enforcement disciples following Li Muyang were somewhat uncertain. To sentence over fifty Lihai Hall half-demons to such a severe punishment as dismemberment three times... Although the teachings allowed for it, the Hall of Enforcement had never imposed such a harsh sentence until now. Let alone on over fifty people at once... Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s words, Shi Maocai, who was seated in the grandmaster¡¯s chair, was stunned for a moment, then burst into loud laughter. ¡°Hahaha... Sentencing our fifty-three people to dismemberment three times?¡± ¡°Who do you think you are? The sect leader? Do you have that much power?¡± Shi Maocai laughed wildly, and after he finished, he threw the two girls he was holding to the side. The half-demons crowding around him immediately cheered and reached out to catch the two young girls. Shi Maocai laughed loudly: ¡°Brothers, enjoy yourselves first.¡± ¡°Today, we¡¯ll wait here and see how this Demonic Sect cur is going to sentence us to dismemberment!¡± Amidst the sound of dresses being torn, the two girls were dragged into a corner by the half-demons, letting out cries of despair. But the next second, a cold light flashed through the crowd. Two steel knives shot out like arrows, striking the two half-demons who were in the midst of removing their trousers. The sharp blades, driven by ferocious strength, pierced through the bodies of the two half-demons, leaving terrifying blood holes in their chests. With a splatter¡ª¡ªBlood burst forth like a fountain, and the two half-demons, in disbelief, clutched their chests and turned around in shock. Li Muyang, dressed in his usual attire, stood indifferently in place, but the knives of the two enforcement disciples beside him had flown out of their hands. The half-demons were robust, and even with severe injuries like pierced chests, their lives were not immediately taken. The two half-demons, clutching their chests and with eyes about to split, howled in rage. ¡°Li Muyang!¡± ¡°Y-You bastard!¡± The two half-demons roared furiously, not expecting Li Muyang to actually dare to strike them in public so ruthlessly. They screamed and roared, and finally, they fell amidst the splashing blood. The other half-demons hurriedly supported them, glaring angrily at Li Muyang. ¡°Li Muyang!¡± ¡°You are courting death!¡± But the next second, a cold light exploded in the crowd, and blood splattered in the setting sun. Those half-demons at the forefront were all engulfed in wails as the exploding light of the blade swallowed them whole. The sharp steel blade swung down, and the strong flesh of the half-demons was like clay, easily cut and shattered. Limbs and severed arms danced in the setting sun, and six or seven fierce heads with eyes wide open in death rolled out simultaneously while trailing blood. More half-demons continued to charge at Li Muyang, but his steps walking in the sunset did not falter in the slightest. He moved slowly, yet calmly, step by step forward. With each step he took, the swinging blade light would sever an arm or send a head flying. In the short twenty steps to the entrance of Sin Alley, Li Muyang left behind a ground soaked in blood and scattered limbs. The thick, pungent smell of blood followed in his footsteps. When he stood at the entrance of Sin Alley, no more half-demons came at him. The remaining dozen or so half-demons, all shocked and fearful, retreated into Sin Alley. Shi Maocai, who had been at the forefront, was no longer arrogant. His left arm was cleanly severed at the shoulder, and a deep, bone-deep wound on his shoulder oozed blood and flesh. Now, he was desperately clutching the older sister of the Qin sisters, using the girl as a shield as he retreated in a frenzy while roaring incessantly. ¡°Li, have you lost your mind!?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve killed so many of us, our Helmsman Xie won¡¯t let you off!¡± Helmsman Xie Shanhai of Lihai Hall, notorious in the Blood Lotus Sect, was among the most formidable of the Incense Master Helmsmen. In the past, no one dared to confront Lihai Hall like this! But Li Muyang, as if deaf to the half-demons¡¯ roars, stood coldly at the entrance of Sin Alley with his blade curling from use, not pursuing them further. He just stood there, not chasing after them. Yet his indifferent figure, dripping with blood and holding a steel blade, brought an even deeper fear to the half-demons in the alley. This Demonic Sect brat seemed to have no emotions, killing indifferently as if slaughtering chickens and pigs, cutting down their brothers one by one. It was as if he wasn¡¯t killing people but clearing weeds by the roadside. This indifference to life sent a bone-chilling shiver through the remaining half-demons. ¡°...I¡¯ll give you one last chance.¡± At the entrance of Sin Alley, Li Muyang, with a cold expression, discarded the curled blade in his hand and spoke to the dozen or so half-demons in the alley. ¡°Come out obediently and accept your punishment, and this Banner Master will only sentence you to three dismemberments, sparing you one death.¡± Chapter 235 Li Muyang issued his ultimatum with a cold tone. The steel blade, now curled from his chopping, was discarded without a second thought. Standing amidst the limbs and severed arms, even covered in the blood of the half-demons, Li Muyang showed no discomfort. In contrast, the crowd of onlookers at a distance, witnessing such a bloody scene, all turned pale and retreated. Many even vomited on the street, unable to withstand the shock of such a gory sight. The half-demons holding the Qin sisters now retreated into Sin Alley, and they were no longer arrogant. Faced with Li Muyang¡¯s final ultimatum, they didn¡¯t dare to provoke further. But just then, the sound of urgent, rapid footsteps suddenly came, and the ground seemed to tremble. Soon after, more half-demons from Lihai Hall appeared on the streets surrounding Sin Alley. They swarmed in, dispersing the onlookers, and in a moment, the entire Sin Alley was encircled. Seeing this, the hundreds of Hall of Enforcement disciples outside the alley immediately huddled together, looking uncertainly at the group of half-demons that had suddenly emerged. Under the setting sun, every visible street was filled with the figures of half-demons. A rough estimate put their numbers at six or seven hundred... The disciples of the Hall of Enforcement cautiously retreated, and a rough voice rose among the half-demons. ¡°Three dismemberments? Why be so ruthless?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all brothers of the Blood Lotus Sect, and they¡¯ve fought valiantly on the battlefield, earning great merit.¡± ¡°Banner Master Li, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too harsh on them? Hahaha...¡± Amidst the coarse laughter, a short, plump figure stepped forward. Helmsman of Lihai Hall, True Person of the Caged Dragon, Xie Shanhai. His broad fat body stood there like a mountain of flesh. Seeing Xie Shanhai appear, the dozen or so half-demons in Sin Alley suddenly became excited. ¡°Helmsman!¡± ¡°Helmsman, save us!¡± ¡°This dog of the Demon Refining Sect is too lawless, picking on our Lihai Hall!¡± Seeing Xie Shanhai¡¯s arrival, the previously skittish half-demons suddenly regained their confidence, straightening their backs and glaring angrily at Li Muyang at the entrance of the alley. R?¦¡?N§°¦¢E?? Li Muyang, his clothes soaked in blood, slowly closed his eyes upon seeing this scene and sighed. He stood alone in front of the crowd, facing the mountainous Helmsman Xie. ¡°But what my brother here has said also happens to reflect my own thoughts.¡± The sunset vanished from the sky, and the twilight gradually dimmed. At this time, many sources of light had already been lit in Tianjiao City. The night was silently sweeping over the land. Standing in the shadows, Xie Shanhai¡¯s smile remained bright. ¡°It seems the rumors are true. Our Hall of Enforcement¡¯s Li Banner Master is indeed arrogant, unruly, and beyond control.¡± ¡°But unfortunately for you, even if Shen Yan himself were here, I would still take my people away today!¡± ¡°Let me teach you a lesson today... Young man, don¡¯t be too arrogant!¡± Xie Shanhai gestured to his followers, saying, ¡°Maosen, go bring your brother out. With so many eyes of Lihai Hall watching, if anyone dares to stop us, we¡¯ll swarm them and take care of it.¡± ¡°This Tianjiao City was fought for and won by the brothers of our Blood Lotus Sect, not for the brats of the Demonic Sect to strut around.¡± Xie Shanhai spoke casually, showing no regard for the Hall of Enforcement disciples in front of him. Shi Maosen bowed to take the order and immediately led people towards the group of Hall of Enforcement disciples. This time, without needing Li Muyang¡¯s command, the hundreds of law enforcement disciples drew their steel blades in anger. The clanging sound of blades being unsheathed rang out in unison. ¡°Who dares to step forward!¡± ¡°Those who defy the law and resist orders shall die!¡± Even though they were surrounded by the half-demons of Lihai Hall, the one hundred Hall of Enforcement disciples still drew their swords and glared angrily, not retreating half a step. Under the night sky, a cold female voice suddenly echoed from afar. ¡°Xie Shanhai and Li Muyang, are you trying to rebel?¡± Footsteps sounded, and Ruan Mei, the Helmsman of the Hall of Enforcement, appeared in everyone¡¯s sight. Surrounded by three Banner Masters, her expression ice cold. She walked straight through the crowd of Lihai Hall half-demons and entered the scene. Frowning at the mountainous Xie Shanhai and then at Li Muyang, who had already taken up a steel blade, Ruan Mei said coldly, ¡°The sect leader recently issued a strict order forbidding private fights within the city.¡± ¡°Xie Shanhai, you¡¯ve brought so many half-demons here... Are you planning a rebellion?¡± Chapter 236 Ruan Mei, dressed in a black robe, was solemn and stern. The atmosphere outside Sin Alley was already tense, with a fight about to break out. However, when Ruan Mei coldly walked through everyone to the center, even the half-demons of Lihai Hall instinctively lowered their claws. The imminent bloody conflict and the tense atmosphere were temporarily eased. The Lihai Hall Helmsman Xie Shanhai, who had been boasting that ¡°not even Shen Yan would be of any use,¡± now looked coldly at Ruan Mei¡¯s arrival, his face unsightly. But as Ruan Mei approached, Xie Shanhai managed to squeeze out a smile on his chubby face. ¡°Sister Mei, you didn¡¯t accompany the sect leader on his preaching tour?¡± Helmsman Ruan Mei of the Hall of Enforcement should have been on the list to accompany the sect leader on his preaching tour... Yet, she was now in Tianjiao City. Faced with Xie Shanhai¡¯s smile, Ruan Mei remained as cold as ever. She looked coldly at Xie Shanhai and then glanced at Li Muyang. Finally, she said, ¡°Thinking that I¡¯m not in the city, you two planned to rebel... huh?¡± Ruan Mei¡¯s tone was stern, but Li Muyang¡¯s expression was calm as if he was not the one being scolded. Xie Shanhai, on the other hand, spread his hands and said, ¡°Sister Mei, it¡¯s not fun for you to say that. In the Blood Lotus Sect, within Tianjiao City, everyone knows how loyal our Lihai Hall is. Every time there¡¯s a battle, our Lihai Hall is at the forefront, and we¡¯re the last to leave.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about which branch is the most loyal, our Lihai Hall is second to none.¡± ¡°Today, my brothers gathered here not to rebel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that my brothers have long been resentful of the overbearing actions of this Banner Master Li.¡± ¡°He relies on the support of the young lady and acts arrogantly in the city to oppress the people. Countless brothers have fallen into his hands and been tortured by him.¡± ¡°After fighting bravely on the battlefield, they should be enjoying peace, but this young man keeps finding fault and humiliating them.¡± ¡°Of the four flags of the Hall of Enforcement, only his Yellow Flag is the most severe in punishment and the cruelest in methods.¡± ¡°Everyone says it¡¯s not that the Hall of Enforcement is bad, nor that the sect leader or the young lady are wrong, but that the young lady has been deceived by this Demonic Sect scoundrel.¡± ¡°Today, when we heard that this Demonic Sect scoundrel was bullying people in Sin Alley again, the brothers of Lihai Hall rushed over. The brothers from our four great halls and seven branches fought desperately to take Tianjiao City, so why should we let a traitor from the Demonic Sect be arrogant here?¡± As Xie Shanhai spoke, he became indignant: ¡°You didn¡¯t see the pomp of this young man just now. The brothers in Sin Alley hadn¡¯t done anything yet, and he wanted to cut them three times. At the slightest disagreement, he killed more than thirty people.¡± ra????o?bE?? While speaking, Xie Shanhai squatted down and picked up a bloody severed arm, outraged: ¡°Look! This is the arm of a brother from my Lihai Hall!¡± As he finished speaking, the air outside the alley seemed to freeze. Everyone was astonished; even the fat-faced Xie Shanhai looked at him in disbelief as if he had seen a ghost. As the Banner Master of the Hall of Enforcement, facing the questioning of his direct superior, Li Muyang¡¯s response was so defiant, showing no sign of submission or cowardice. ¨CRuan Mei was no ordinary person. She was the closest confidant of Shen Yan who had helped her rise to power! This Li Muyang... he didn¡¯t even give face to Ruan Mei? This situation left the half-demons outside alley exchanging glances. The silence was broken only when Xie Shanhai¡¯s loud laughter erupted, ¡°Hahaha! What courage! Hahaha...¡± ¡°Sister Mei, it seems you¡¯ve raised a white-eyed wolf! He doesn¡¯t even listen to you. This kid¡¯s arrogance has truly reached the sky!¡± Xie Shanhai laughed wildly, his body fat trembling with his laughter. His tone was full of sarcasm, mocking Ruan Mei without restraint. However, Ruan Mei¡¯s next response left him stunned. ¡°...Is there a problem with what Banner Master Li said?¡± Ruan Mei¡¯s face was cold as she spoke: ¡°Breaking into the Sin Alley, challenging the laws, resisting and not complying. As the Banner Master of the Hall of Enforcement, he has the right to sentence them to death by a thousand cuts!¡± ¡°This is a rule personally written by the sect leader. If you have any objections, you can go and discuss them with the sect leader.¡± ¡°These thirty-something people, their deaths are just the beginning. Once they are resurrected, I will have them thrown into prison to undergo the punishment of death by a thousand cuts three times.¡± ¡°Not one less!¡± Ruan Mei¡¯s tone was cold and firm, leaving no room for negotiation. The previously smug Xie Shanhai¡¯s smile froze on his face. His expression darkened, and the group of Lihai Hall half-demons behind him also became restless. Under the night sky, Xie Shanhai¡¯s sinister whisper could be heard. ¡°Sister Mei, oh Sister Mei, you really intend to keep this white-eyed wolf to the end...¡± Xie Shanhai¡¯s face was sinister, his fat cheeks parting to reveal sharp, fang-like teeth resembling a demon. And behind him, hundreds of half-demons looked ferocious and intimidating, with thousands of blood-red eyes glaring in the darkness. Chapter 237 Outside the Sin Alley, a cold murderous intent mingled with the furious and restless demonic aura, as if a battlefield of Asuras had descended. Yet, facing the agitated group of half-demons, Ruan Mei showed no fear. She looked coldly at Xie Shanhai and the dense red sea in the darkness, her voice cold. ¡°I said, the Hall of Enforcement acts according to the law.¡± ¡°If you have any objections, you can go and see the sect leader in person.¡± ¡°As for these Lihai Hall disciples who broke into the Sin Alley and resisted the law...¡± Ruan Mei glanced behind her at Sin Alley and said: ¡°Those who are still alive, considering they haven¡¯t made a mistake yet, you can take them away and discipline them strictly.¡± ¡°As long as your Lihai Hall does not violate the sect¡¯s rules, we in the Hall of Enforcement will not create trouble out of nothing.¡± Faced with a situation that was on the verge of chaos, Ruan Mei¡¯s stance remained unyielding. This attitude not only made Xie Shanhai¡¯s face grow darker. Li Muyang in the crowd also fell silent. Ruan Mei¡¯s reaction was beyond his expectations. In such a situation, Ruan Mei should have chosen to calm things down, reprimand Li Muyang, and appease the Lihai Hall half-demons, giving each side a metaphorical slap on the wrist to gloss over the incident. As a Helmsman of the Hall of Enforcement, that¡¯s what she should do. It was impossible to really lead hundreds of law enforcement disciples to fight with the Lihai Hall half-demons in Tianjiao City, right? If such a riot occurred, Xie Shanhai wouldn¡¯t get off easily afterward, and Ruan Mei, along with the entire Hall of Enforcement, would surely be punished by the sect leader. Li Muyang had already prepared himself to be scolded by Ruan Mei in front of everyone and lose face. Lihai Hall brought so many people today; wasn¡¯t it just to make Li Muyang lose face? But Li Muyang didn¡¯t expect that Ruan Mei would stand so firmly on his side and support him to the end, even at the risk of full-scale war with Lihai Hall. ?ANO??E?s? At this moment, Li Muyang sighed and closed his eyes. This Aunt Mei and Shen Yan... he really had nothing to say about them... Outside the Sin Alley, Li Muyang remained silent. Although Xie Shanhai¡¯s face underwent a series of changes, he did not actually lead the half-demons to charge forward. Instead, he bared his teeth and sneered: ¡°Good! Very good! Sister Mei, you¡¯re so tough! So confident! Worthy of being the favorite of the young miss.¡± ¡°Lihai Hall admits defeat today!¡± Xie Shanhai spoke with a ferocious look, glancing at the dozen or so half-demons in Sin Alley. All the half-demons, including Shi Maocai, were injured and looked miserable, but at least they were not killed. Xie Shanhai¡¯s expression was cold as he said: ¡°I can take my brothers back for discipline.¡± ¡°But they are too injured to walk.¡± ¡°Let Banner Master Li help them out.¡± ¡°Since Banner Master Li injured them, now let Li Muyang help them out... that¡¯s not too much to ask, right?¡± ¡°As long as Li Muyang helps them out, I will immediately take my brothers and leave! I won¡¯t make it difficult for you, Sister Mei!¡± Xie Shanhai¡¯s sinister gaze was fixed on Li Muyang. Even if he couldn¡¯t kill this Demonic Sect whelp today, he would make him lose all reputation! Ruan Mei¡¯s gaze was silent, about to speak. But Li Muyang behind her suddenly nodded: ¡°Okay.¡± Li Muyang, who had been unyielding from the start, even when Ruan Mei came out to question him, not retreating half a step, now suddenly agreed to soften. In this situation, the group of Lihai Hall half-demons burst into laughter. ¡°They¡¯re so loyal to you; I¡¯ll be sure to repay them properly.¡± In front of the mountainous Xie Haishan, Shi Maocai looked triumphantly at Li Muyang as he let go of him, unresponsive to his provocations along the way. He sneered, ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to visit them often to see if their bones are as soft as yours!¡± After Shi Maocai finished speaking, he seemed to already envision the gratifying scene, laughing smugly. His brother, Shi Maosen, came up with a chuckle, patting his shoulder. ¡°Little brother, what are you saying in front of Master Li?¡± Shi Maosen, with a smile, put his arm around his brother¡¯s shoulder and said to Li Muyang with a beaming face. ¡°My brother spoke nonsense, just joking with Master Li. Please don¡¯t take it to heart... hahahaha...¡± Triumphant laughter rose outside Sin Alley, forming a sea of joy. At this moment, they finally achieved a victory, thoroughly trampling the face of the Hall of Enforcement and Li Muyang, the dog of the Demonic Sect, into the mud and stomping on it ten thousand times. After tomorrow, the whole Tianjiao City would be abuzz with this event. All the disciples of the sect would give them a thumbs up for Lihai Hall. And the name of Shi Maocai would become that of a hero admired by all. Amidst the laughter, Shi Maocai, with his brother¡¯s arm around his shoulder, walked towards their own brothers, the laughter thunderous. At this point, everything was over. The brash and arrogant pup of the Demonic Sect would have no more capital to be arrogant after tonight. ¨CIt should have been so. Amidst the laughter of the Lihai Hall half-demons and the proud laughter of the Shi brothers, suddenly, Li Muyang¡¯s cold whisper broke through the night. ¡°Shi Maocai...¡± Li Muyang¡¯s voice rose above the sea of laughter, not loud but clearly reaching the ears of the Shi brothers. The Shi brothers, who were already leaving, were taken aback. At this point, did this dog of the Demonic Sect still want to throw out some harsh words to save face? The two brothers exchanged a smile, both thinking of further humiliating this fool. They turned around together. ¡°Li...¡± However, Shi Maocai¡¯s smug laughter had just begun when it froze. Like a ribbon under the moonlight, a dazzling and cold blade light suddenly engulfed the smiling Shi Maocai. This hero of Lihai Hall, full of pride and satisfaction, didn¡¯t even lose his smile before his head flew into the air. Violent blood gushed from the headless neck like a fountain, spraying into the night sky. Like a flock of ducks suddenly choked, the continuous laughter outside Sin Alley came to an abrupt halt. In an instant, the entire street fell from a joyous sea of laughter to a silent shock. Countless pairs of bloodshot, furious eyes fell on the blood-soaked Li Muyang. The murderous rage in the air seemed to solidify at that moment. But facing these frenzied and terrifying half-demons, Li Muyang under the moonlight simply nonchalantly flicked the blood off his blade, shook the edge, and said indifferently. ¡°I don¡¯t like jokes.¡± The cold blade slowly lifted, aiming at all the half-demons in front. Under the moonlight, the man stood alone with his sword, facing hundreds of frenzied, angry beastly eyes, and calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t like them either.¡± Chapter 238 ¡°Ahhh! Li Muyang! I¡¯ll kill your entire family!¡± The furious and violent howls came from Shi Maosen¡¯s mouth. This half-demon Banner Master, who had just watched his brother die before his eyes, was now completely enraged. His body swelled in an instant, transforming into a ten-zhang-tall monstrous demon. His expanding scaly body tore through his robes. With blood-red eyes, he charged at Li Muyang, his sharp claws carrying all the hatred in his chest, aiming to strangle Li Muyang. ¡°I¡¯ll kill your mother!¡± Shi Maosen¡¯s angry howls vented his grief and indignation. However, the seemingly frail and thin Li Muyang did not retreat a single step when faced with such a ferocious onslaught. His steel knife slightly raised, and with one step, Li Muyang moved forward. The cold and pale light of the blade shone again under the moonlight. Blood and sparks flew from the body of the charging Shi Maosen. His supposedly impenetrable scales were actually shattered by the steel knife before him? In pain, Shi Maosen grew even more enraged. He roared and continued his assault on Li Muyang. But this time, before Li Muyang could strike again, a piercing sound of something tearing through the air suddenly rang out. A bone-white arrow, wailing like a banshee, tore through the air and in the blink of an eye, pierced through Shi Maosen¡¯s chest. This half-demon Banner Master, who had transplanted the flesh and blood of a River Dragon and had many achievements to his name, was now sent flying backward by the eerie bone arrow, screaming in agony. Blood continuously poured from Shi Maosen¡¯s chest, and with disbelief in his eyes, he looked towards the entrance of Sin Alley not far away. There, with a gloomy expression, stood the Hall of Enforcement Helmsman Ruan Mei, holding a bone-white bow. Another arrow was nocked and ready on her strange and terrifying bone bow. As the eerie bone-white arrow pointed out, the half-demons in the crowd suddenly became restless. But Xie Shanhai, who was closest to the Shi brothers and even had blood splattered on his face, laughed upon seeing this scene. ¡°Haha... do you have to be so dramatic...¡± Xie Shanhai wiped the blood from his face, his small eyes gleaming with a cruel and violent light: ¡°Sister Mei, you even brought out the God Corpse Bone Bow... you say, isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡± ?¦Á??O??§¦? Many details and aspects of the turmoil became the talk of the town. The Hall of Enforcement had been arresting and executing people everywhere for some time, and there had been much resentment within the Blood Lotus Sect. The conflict outside Sin Alley had severely damaged the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s face, and for many disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect, hearing this news felt like a breath of fresh air had been released. Especially the details of the injured Lihai Hall half-demons being helped out one by one by the infamous Li Muyang, which brought a knowing smile to the face of every Blood Lotus Sect disciple who heard it. That arrogant and presumptuous Demonic Sect brat finally had his day! But while they laughed, these Blood Lotus Sect disciples only dared to snicker in private, not daring to show off. Even when discussing it, they had to be careful to see if there were any Hall of Enforcement disciples lurking around. While it was gratifying to see Li Muyang forced to help the Lihai Hall half-demons out of the alley, his act of beheading Shi Maosen in front of the Lihai Hall Helmsmen and hundreds of half-demons... in the eyes of most people, it was nothing short of madness. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of being torn to pieces by the furious and venomous Lihai Hall half-demons? After the incident in Sin Alley, the notorious name of Li Muyang was shrouded in an even darker hue of blood and madness. A madman with the power of law enforcement, acting wildly and fearlessly of consequences... it was like a ghost story. The disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect became even more fearful of the name Li Muyang. Rumors about Li Muyang even began to circulate. Many swore that Li Muyang¡¯s favorite food was the hearts and livers of humans, and that he needed to cut out the hearts and livers of criminals to accompany his wine every day. Various sinister and vicious tales were woven around Li Muyang, and the trend was only getting worse each day. ¡°...brother, if this continues, you¡¯re going to become the number one demon of the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± In the private room of the restaurant, Li Yuechan whispered her complaints: ¡°Not only are those people from the Blood Lotus Sect spreading rumors about you behind your back, but even the common folk in the city are spreading all sorts of nonsensical stories about you.¡± ¡°Our shopkeeper starts trembling in his calves every time he sees you coming in.¡± ¡°Even Elder Yan has heard about your rumors outside the city...¡± Li Muyang¡¯s heart stirred slightly upon hearing his little sister¡¯s complaints. ¡°Oh? Elder Yan...¡± Li Muyang fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Has Elder Yan given any new instructions?¡± After the disturbance in Sin Alley, the Blood Lotus Sect had captured five Demonic Sect spies in the city, all disciples of the Demonic Sect¡¯s Hall of Enforcement, but there had been no word from Yan Xiaoru. This puzzled Li Muyang. Chapter 240 Countless beings lay buried in the chaotic burial mounds. New graves were hastily erected under the moonlight, many without even a tombstone. Pale paper money drifted in the night wind, and the mournful wails spread through the shadows, filled with inexplicable sorrow. Li Muyang sat on a dirty, torn bamboo mat, using the moonlight to clearly see his own body. Beneath the bloodless pale skin were stiff limbs. Li Muyang struggled to stand up. Such a simple actionow seemed difficult. Even the joints of this body were rigid. ¡°Am I a zombie?¡± Li Muyang whispered to himself. The game interface appeared in his vision similar to that of a typical RPG online game, with the character health bar in the upper left corner showing ¡¾Wuming Clan LV3¡¿. The main quest in his field of vision was updating. ¡¾Main Quest: Rescue Fairy Liuli from the enemy camp¡¿ ¡¾Preliminary Task: Head to the heart of Sanhe and find Mystic Sword Sect disciple Wei Xuan¡¿ With the appearance of this preliminary quest, a guiding arrow emerged in Li Muyang¡¯s vision, directing him. Mystic Sword Sect... Li Muyang remembered that this was the sect founded by Master Qingye in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. All the disciples of the sect were Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue¡¯s Senior Brothers and Sisters. According to previous conversations with Fairy Liuli in several instances, although the Mystic Sword Sect had few members, they were all geniuses with an exceptional talent for cultivation. This Wei Xuan... seemed to have been mentioned by Chu Qingxue. But he had forgotten the specifics. Now that Fairy Liuli was trapped in the enemy camp, this Senior Brother of Fairy Liuli had become a key figure? Li Muyang, with his stiff body, headed in the direction indicated by the system arrow. Within the chaotic burial mounds, the wailing of the woman holding the grave in the distance kept drifting over. Upon hearing this cry, Li Muyang¡¯s body instinctively became restless, and his vision tinged slightly with blood red. ¡¾Detection of life essence available for consumption¡¿ The system prompt that popped up in his vision confirmed it. This body was indeed that of a zombie. The next second, under the moonlight, the tree transformed, morphing into a pale-faced, burly middle-aged man in the blink of an eye. ¡°Wuming?¡± The middle-aged man with the health bar labeled ¡¾Wei Xuan¡¿ above his head frowned as he looked towards Li Muyang, clutching his chest, ¡°Are you Junior Sister Chu¡¯s mysterious friend?¡± He sized up Li Muyang, his frown deepening, ¡°Why are you a zombie?¡± Li Muyang explained, ¡°It was an emergency. After learning that Fairy Chu was in grave danger, I couldn¡¯t make it in time to rescue her, so I had to cast a spell and take over a nearby dead body to move.¡± ¡°Brother Wei, what happened to you? Why are you so severely injured?¡± Wei Xuan appeared unharmed at first glance, with no visible wounds, but his health bar was nearly three-quarters empty, leaving only a quarter remaining. One could say his life was hanging by a thread. Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s question, the burly middle-aged man fell silent for a moment. His dark complexion made him look more like a simple and honest farmer than a cultivator. As he pondered Li Muyang¡¯s question, the reticent Wei Xuan replied, ¡°The governor of Sanhe County rebelled. He poisoned us at a banquet and ambushed me and Qingxue. I was lucky to escape but got separated from Junior Sister Chu.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Chu is trapped in the city. Although she has the Immortal Sword to protect her, her life is still hanging by a moment. I¡¯ve tried several times to enter the city and rescue her, but I¡¯m no match for those demon cultivators from the Blood Demon Sect...¡± Wei Xuan clenched his teeth in anger as he spoke. ¡°That despicable governor of Sanhe County! He was of royal lineage, and his father was a close friend of Junior Sister Chu¡¯s father. During these times of chaos in the world, he colluded with the demons from the Blood Demon Sect and plotted against us... despicable!¡± The tongue-tied honest man¡¯s curses lacked venom. But from Wei Xuan¡¯s accusations, Li Muyang had learned the course of events. It turned out that a governor of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty had defected to the Blood Demon Sect. The objective was clear now. Break into Sanhe City and rescue Chu Qingxue. Li Muyang looked at Wei Xuan, ¡°Brother Wei, do you have any plans? Can we ask for help from other disciples of the Mystic Sword Sect?¡± If they could call for help from other disciples of the Mystic Sword Sect or summon Master Qingye, rescuing Chu Qingxue should be a breeze, right? But obviously, the system wouldn¡¯t make it that easy for Li Muyang. Wei Xuan said anxiously, ¡°There¡¯s no time. The Immortal Sword has a seal from our master. If Junior Sister Chu forcibly uses the immortal sword to protect herself, it will consume her soul¡¯s essence.¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t rescue her before dawn, her soul will be completely drained by the immortal sword, and she¡¯ll die an untimely death. We simply don¡¯t have enough time to notify others for help.¡± ¡°We can only rely on ourselves!¡± Chapter 241 Wei Xuan¡¯s tone was slightly anxious. After listening, Li Muyang fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Brother Wei, do you have any ideas?¡± Wei Xuan fell silent. After a long pause, he slowly began to speak, ¡°I had planned to rest and recuperate overnight and then make another trip to Sanhe City before dawn. If I can¡¯t rescue Junior Sister Chu, I had resolved not to cling to life. But since Daoist Wuming has arrived, there might be a turning point...¡± As he spoke, Wei Xuan took out a jade pendant made of emerald and handed it to Li Muyang. ¡°This is the Qingming Jade Disc left by my master before he left. It is the token of the Mystic Sword Sect¡¯s sect master. Take this disc into the city and find Shan Xiaolian, a first-grade sorcerer of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.¡± ¡°Nowadays, the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau are just watching from the sidelines. As long as it¡¯s not the work of evil spirits, even if the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s demons reach the city walls, they won¡¯t lift a finger.¡± ¡°But the Qingming Jade Disc represents the sect master of the Mystic Sword Sect. If you take it to find Shan Xiaolian and tell her that as long as she is willing to help, my Mystic Sword Sect will allow her to enter the Hundred Zhang Abyss for three days.¡± ¡°This reward should be enough to persuade her to make an exception and help.¡± As Wei Xuan explained, the system interface in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision also changed. ¡¾Preliminary Task: Head to the heart of Sanhe and find Mystic Sword Sect disciple Wei Xuan¨CCompleted¡¿ ¡¾New Task: Bring the Qingming Jade Disc into Sanhe City and persuade Shan Xiaolian to help¡¿ With the task bar updated by the system, Li Muyang took the jade disc and said, ¡°Good! Leave it to me.¡± But he was still somewhat puzzled. Wei Xuan explained, ¡°The Hundred Zhang Abyss is a secret realm opened by my master. If one can stay there for three days, it would be of infinite benefit to a Demon-Suppressing Master, at the very least extending their life by three years.¡± ¡°The Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, after all, have short lifespans...¡± Wei Xuan¡¯s explanation made things clear to Li Muyang. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make a trip to the city right away.¡± Li Muyang carefully stored the Qingming Jade Disc and turned to leave. As he visited the Heavenly Origin Dynasty more often, Li Muyang realized that the social structure here was completely different from what he had imagined. He had thought that the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was a government office under the imperial court, especially given his previous experiences where the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was an important arm of the government, notorious for its ferocity. But this time he discovered that the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was actually ignoring the rebels causing chaos in the city? This special office, dedicated to dealing with evil spirits and calamities, seemed a bit odd in its existence, only dealing with evil spirits. The Blood Demon Sect¡¯s rebels were causing chaos right under their noses, and to ask the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to take action, one still had to offer them benefits... Tsk... This prince obviously had a bad reputation in the city, and seeing him in trouble, the entire city¡¯s population was excited, wishing they could rush forward and devour his flesh. Li Muyang stood in the crowd, watching from a distance. While everyone was busy denouncing the corrupt official, he stole a hooded cloak in an unguarded corner to cover his body. Although the night was deep and the city lights were dim, if someone got close enough, they could still notice the strangeness of his zombie body. Wrapped in the cloak, Li Muyang walked through the city, and after finding out the direction to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, he headed straight for its office. Along the way, he encountered several prisoner escort teams. The Blood Demon Sect had invaded the city and seemed intent on executing all the rich but heartless officials and royal nobles who had oppressed the people, all in one night. Among the prisoners were two princes, as well as their sons and daughters, all in a sorry state, with the more cowardly already scared to tears by the spectacle, continuously wailing and begging for mercy. But the more pitifully these sons and daughters cried, the angrier the surrounding crowd became. Various shouts of anger and denunciation formed a noisy sea in the city. Amidst this chaos, Li Muyang made his way through the disorderly city and finally arrived outside the wide-open gates of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Under the cover of night, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was eerily silent, a stark contrast to the noisy and bustling city. Li Muyang frowned slightly, saved his progress, and then walked in. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± After he stepped into the office of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and looked around, he saw no sign of any Demon-Suppressing Master. There was a deathly silence inside the Imperial Astronomical Bureau office. Li Muyang took a few more steps forward, but his body suddenly froze. A cold light flashed silently, and Li Muyang saw his own head fall off, quickly separating from his body. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ The familiar failure screen popped up, and Li Muyang opened his eyes back in the private room of the tavern. He scratched his head. ¡°...died just like that?¡± Although Li Muyang knew there was definitely danger in this government office, dying so directly still caught him off guard. He didn¡¯t even see clearly how he died. Chapter 242 ¡°Phew... let¡¯s try this again.¡± Li Muyang closed his eyes and re-entered the game. He loaded the save file and found himself back outside the eerily quiet, open gates of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. The dark night shrouded the street. On a night when the rest of Sanhe City was bustling and lively, the street outside the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was silent and deserted, with no one in sight and not a single light. The night sky was covered with clouds, hiding the moonlight. Even the lanterns hanging on the gates of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau were extinguished, leaving the entire office engulfed in darkness. Relying on the zombie¡¯s night vision, Li Muyang stepped into the open gates of the office. The empty courtyard was strangely devoid of people. Where were the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau? Where had they gone? Who was the person who killed him last time? Li Muyang entered the office and called out. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Everything proceeded just as before. Even the steps he took were an attempt to replicate the previous save file. Finally, when Li Muyang reached the area where he had died last time, a flash of cold light streaked by, and Li Muyang¡¯s head flew off. The same way of dying as before. But this time he was prepared. The moment the cold light appeared, Li Muyang locked onto the direction it came from. Under the empty eaves, a silent, dark red health bar appeared. ¡¾Demonic Sorcerer¡¿ The moment he saw the dark red health bar, a failure message popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...Demonic Sorcerer? Someone from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?¡± Li Muyang frowned slightly, sensing something was amiss. In his last glimpse before death, he clearly saw the person wearing the sorcerer¡¯s robe of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, yet there was no name, and the health bar ID looked like the kind of generic soldier found in games. Had some kind of evil god¡¯s disaster occurred in this Imperial Astronomical Bureau office? Had the Demon-Suppressing Masters fallen victim? According to Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue¡¯s story, contamination disasters often occurred on the lands of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, and creatures would be corrupted by evil spirits, turning into strange and wicked beings. But the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau were experts in dealing with such strange disasters. Could their stronghold have been contaminated? After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang loaded the save file again and re-entered the game. He stepped directly into the empty office. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Following the same process and rhythm as before, Li Muyang perfectly replicated his previous actions. And the Demonic Sorcerer hidden in the darkness attacked at the same time, the red health bar suddenly appearing in the darkness, followed by the cold light striking at Li Muyang. But this time, Li Muyang was prepared. The moment the cold light appeared, he evaded it as if he had foreseen it. At the same time, the zombie¡¯s body leaped fiercely, roaring as it pounced toward the Demonic Sorcerer in the darkness. In the pitch-black office, where no light penetrated, the zombie¡¯s night vision allowed it to clearly see the warm flesh on the Demonic Sorcerer¡¯s body and even hear the beating of the heart beneath that flesh. Li Muyang pounced three zhang, tackling the unsuspecting Demonic Sorcerer to the ground. A skill bar popped up in his field of vision, displaying ¡¾Devour!¡¿, and Li Muyang immediately activated it. ¡°Roar!¡± A frenzied roar echoed through the empty Imperial Astronomical Bureau office as the immensely strong zombie tackled the Demonic Sorcerer, its blood-red eyes tearing into the sorcerer¡¯s throat. With the sound of blood splattering, the zombie frantically tore at the sorcerer¡¯s body. Each bite tore away a chunk of dripping flesh. The ghastly Demon-Suppressing Master initially struggled but soon went limp and motionless. The mad zombie roared, its sharp nails furiously digging into the sorcerer¡¯s chest, biting off the faintly beating heart and chewing it before swallowing. ¡¾Blood Energy +30%¡¿ It wasn¡¯t until the zombie had swallowed the entire heart that Li Muyang regained control of his body. Once the ¡¾Devour!¡¿ skill was activated, the zombie entered a berserk mode, easily killing the Demonic Sorcerer. Now looking down at the corpse on the ground, Li Muyang subconsciously wiped the corner of his mouth and muttered, ¡°So this devour skill is actually awesome...¡± This time, the zombie had only one skill: devour. But this skill could only be activated when close to a living creature. It was Li Muyang¡¯s first time using it, and he didn¡¯t expect it to be so powerful, instantly killing the Demonic Sorcerer. Getting up from the sorcerer¡¯s body, Li Muyang walked deeper into the office. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± With the divine power of loading save files to protect him, Li Muyang was fearless, not worried about other Demonic Sorcerers jumping out at him. However, after touring the entire Imperial Astronomical Bureau office and checking every room, he didn¡¯t see a single Demon-Suppressing Master. No living ones, no dead ones. It seemed that only the first Demonic Sorcerer was left in the office; everyone else had gone. After walking around the office, Li Muyang returned to the corpse of the first Demonic Sorcerer, slightly surprised. ¡°The office is empty?¡± This was really strange. With the current chaos in Sanhe City, where could the Demon-Suppressing Masters from the office have gone if they were not involved in quelling the rebellion? Li Muyang leaped forcefully, landing directly on the eaves, and from there, he hopped to the highest point of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau office, overlooking the entire place. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Li Muyang stood at the highest point of the office and shouted arrogantly, ¡°Is Dan Xiaolian here? I need to speak with you!¡± Li Muyang was practically courting death, not holding back at all. However, after his brazen shout, the empty Imperial Astronomical Bureau office remained silent, with no response. Instead, a piercing whistling sound suddenly came from the dark night sky. The next second, a dark red health bar abruptly appeared above Li Muyang¡¯s head. ¡¾Demonic Sorcerer¡¿ It¡¯s the same health bar, but this time, the demonic sorcerer that leaped from the night sky had a pair of bat-like wings where its arms should be. Its face was adorned with three semicircular fang-like mouthparts, and with a ghastly roar, it pounced towards Li Muyang, its eyes a cruel and eerie green. Li Muyang was startled by the creature¡¯s appearance. Mainly because this kind of sudden, ghostly ambush was the kind of entrance Li Muyang hated the most. Annoyed, he leaped up, not bothering to dodge the monster, and instead frantically activated the ¡¾Devour!¡¿ skill. The moment the creature swooped over Li Muyang¡¯s head, his ¡¾Devour!¡¿ skill was also triggered. Under the night sky, the terrifying howl of a zombie echoed. The leaping zombie bit precisely into the throat of the Demonic Sorcerer, its rigid hands with sharp nails plunging into the monster¡¯s chest like two swords. Blood burst above the zombie¡¯s head. The creature was torn into three pieces by the rampaging zombie, warm blood splattering all over it. Chapter 243 ¡¾Blood Energy +30%¡¿ As the zombie roared and chewed up the creature¡¯s heart, a prompt also popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. At the same time, he regained control over the zombie¡¯s body. Smelling the strong, pungent scent of blood in the air, Li Muyang sighed. The zombie¡¯s skills were all well and good, but the attack mode in a berserk state was too bloody, always leaving a bloody mess. However, two Demon-Suppressing Masters from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had turned into demons? Or had all the missing Demon-Suppressing Masters become demonized? Li Muyang looked up at the night sky and shouted again. ¡°Shan Xiaolian! Are you dead? If not, make a sound!¡± In the pitch-black sky above, it was unknown if there were other Demonic Sorcerers. But after Li Muyang shouted a few times, there was no movement in the sky. Instead, sounds came from the streets not far away. Li Muyang immediately turned his head to look at the alley on the left. It was several hundred zhang away from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, where many people had been watching the procession of prisoners being paraded through the streets. Li Muyang had come from that direction earlier. He remembered it was very lively, with a crowd full of indignation. However, when Li Muyang looked over now, he found that although the street was brightly lit, just as before, there was not a single person in sight, eerily silent and empty. The people who had been crowded on the street, shouting in anger, had all disappeared without a trace, as if they had evaporated. On the empty street, only two dark red health bars were wriggling under the dim light of the lanterns. ¡¾Demonic Sorcerer¡¿ ¡¾Demonic Sorcerer¡¿ Seeing the sinister shadows emerging under the distant lanterns, Li Muyang¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he suddenly noticed something was off. ¨CThe city of Sanhe had become quiet without notice. The previously noisy and bustling Sanhe was now silent, especially the street outside the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. But now, standing at the highest point of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, Li Muyang looked out over the city and found that although the city was still brightly lit, with many streets decorated with lights, the angry shouts of the citizens and the wailing pleas of the nobility were gone. Under the dark night sky, Sanhe was brilliantly lit yet deathly silent. This quiet scene under the dark night was somewhat eerie. Li Muyang suddenly felt a chill. ¡°...Where did everyone go?¡± Where were all those people? Why had they disappeared? This strange and inexplicable situation sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. However, the two sinister creatures that had wriggled into view under the distant lantern light didn¡¯t give Li Muyang time to think. After the two creatures appeared, they suddenly opened their mouths wide to a horrifying extent like pythons. Balls of dim yellow flame were spat out by the two creatures. A series of fireballs flew towards Li Muyang, who immediately dodged. However, in the moment he dodged the fireballs, Li Muyang felt a chill in his heart as a claw pierced through his chest from behind. ¨CThose two creatures had somehow crossed the distance of several hundred zhang and appeared behind him! ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ Li Muyang, who opened his eyes in the private room of the tavern, whispered in astonishment. ¡°These two creatures can perform Instantaneous Teleportation?!¡± Just a second ago, they were hundreds of zhang away, but in the blink of an eye, they appeared silently behind him. Li Muyang didn¡¯t even have time to use his skills before he was sneak attacked and killed. He frowned slightly, feeling the situation was tricky. The entire city of Sanhe had become eerie and sinister, with no sign of where the citizens had gone, as if they had vanished in the blink of an eye. And the demonized warlocks that emerged in the city were getting stronger and more unpredictable. This game, which was supposed to be completed in three days, seemed simple at first. But the opening instance had given Li Muyang a big job. ¡°What happened to rescuing Fairy Liuli? Why did I run into evil spirits again...¡± Li Muyang was somewhat irritated. Although he knew that encountering strange and eerie things was part of the local flavor of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, where even the imperial palace could experience strange disasters, compared to that, it was not surprising for strange disasters to occur at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. But with time pressing, could these damned evil spirits stop making their presence felt at such a critical moment? Once entangled with evil spirits, would it really be possible to complete the game in three days and rescue Fairy Liuli? Li Muyang closed his eyes and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Start!¡± He entered the game again, but this time, Li Muyang didn¡¯t make a fuss after entering the game. He leaped to the highest point of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and looked down from above. The situation inside the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was extremely strange, and now the city of Sanhe also looked gloomy and foreboding. However bizarre the situation, as long as it¡¯s related to evil spirits, it seems to make sense. The ancient gods from beneath the Ancient Grudge Well cannot descend to the present world, but their power continues to corrupt and poison this land. Li Muyang, overlooking the silent, deserted city, becomes more certain with each observation that indeed there is not a soul to be found. No living people and no dead bodies in sight. Only in the shadows of the city, it¡¯s unknown how many ¡¾Demonic Sorcerers¡¿ are lurking in hiding. The mission in the system bar remains unchanged. Li Muyang trusts the system. Since it directed him to find Shan Xiaolian, then Shan Xiaolian must be alive. But in this silent and lifeless Sanhe City, how should he go about finding Shan Xiaolian? Li Muyang frowns slightly, continuously scanning the city in front of him, trying to pick up any clues. He doesn¡¯t make a sound to alert the evil creatures, so he stands on the rooftop for a long time without being attacked. But Li Muyang¡¯s quiet doesn¡¯t last too long. He had only been on the highest point of the government office for less than five minutes when suddenly a dull and terrifying thud resonated from the night sky above. Boom! The dull sound, like a giant drum being struck in the heavens. The drumming echoes throughout Sanhe City, and Li Muyang instinctively covers his chest, feeling dizzy and breathless even though he¡¯s clearly a zombie. Li Muyang¡¯s heart chills as he guesses there might be some terrifying existence in the night sky above! Just the sound of the drum is making him feel so uncomfortable! He stiffly clutches his chest, standing still, and it takes a full thirty seconds for the dizzy, suffocating feeling to dissipate. However, as his vision clears, Li Muyang is stunned. Four silent shadows have appeared on the rooftop of the government office where he stands. These four shadows no longer resemble humans, with their long robes and pale faces with sagging, dry skin hanging down to their chests. They are scattered around Li Muyang, encircling him. As Li Muyang regains his sight and sees them clearly, the four eerie shadows let out a chilling, synchronized laugh. The next second, the four shadows with sagging skin on their faces fly directly at him. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...¡± Back in the private room of the tavern, Li Muyang opens his eyes and sits up after a moment of silence. ¡°The things from the Heavenly Origin Dynasty are getting more and more sinister...¡± Li Muyang mutters to himself. He can clearly feel that as time goes by, the pollution from the ancient gods of the Ancient Grudge Well is becoming more terrifying, and the things on the land of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty are getting more and more sinister. Although it¡¯s just in the game, he¡¯s still shocked by those underworld things. ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t transmigrate to the Heavenly Origin Dynasty...¡± He can¡¯t imagine the mental state of the people living on that land. Chapter 244 ¡°Today, this Banner Master is resting. All affairs should be discussed and handled by Liu Fu and Bu Hongsheng.¡± In the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s office, after Li Muyang finishes roll call, he tosses the Banner Master¡¯s seal onto the table and tells his subordinates. ¡°Don¡¯t bother me with anything unimportant.¡± Yawning, Li Muyang finishes his instructions and turns to walk into the back hall, lying down on the recliner under the eaves, and promptly closes his eyes to sleep. His sudden abandonment of duties leaves everyone looking at each other in confusion. Bu Hongsheng and Liu Fu exchange a glance, saying, ¡°Why has the Banner Master become negligent today...¡± Although Li Muyang is usually quite lax, leaving almost everything to others and only responsible for signing execution documents, this kind of behavior, tossing out the seal and acting like a hands-off manager, is unprecedented. Liu Fu ponders for a moment and whispers, ¡°Perhaps it has to do with the recent rumors.¡± ¡°Lately, there have been rumors in the city claiming that the Banner Master is a spy sent by the Demon Refining Sect.¡± ¡°The story of the Banner Master¡¯s family being harmed is said to be a play staged by the Demon Refining Sect, all to allow the Banner Master to infiltrate our sect and become a spy.¡± ¡°Some also say that the Demonic Sect spies recently captured in the city are under the Banner Master¡¯s command, following his orders.¡± As Liu Fu speaks, he sighs softly, ¡°The Banner Master has offended too many people, and who knows how many are weaving rumors to slander him in the shadows.¡± ¡°The saying goes, ¡®when all point fingers, one meets their end without illness,¡¯ and the Banner Master probably feels the pressure and is troubled.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take on some of the Banner Master¡¯s pressure these next few days...¡± Liu Fu sighs quietly. The rest are indignant. ¡°Those spies thrown into prison were interrogated and tortured by our Hall of Enforcement.¡± ¡°If there really was a confession that the Banner Master is their leader, how could we possibly not know!¡± ¡°Those damn insects in the city! Just because the Banner Master didn¡¯t indulge their crimes, they slander him... it¡¯s truly hateful!¡± ¡°If I find out who is spreading rumors about the Banner Master, I¡¯ll definitely bring them to the government office for a good cleanup!¡± ¡°How can we achieve a harmonious world with these vermin!¡± Everyone is furious, angered by the persecution Li Muyang is facing. Meanwhile, Li Muyang, resting in the back hall, has already closed his eyes and returned to the game. He spent the entire night in the new game ¡¶The Fall of the Fairy¡·, dying over a hundred times, and thoroughly explored the empty Sanhe City. Not only did he get a good grasp of the general information about the evil creatures wandering the city, but he also confirmed the existence of Sanhe City. The empty Sanhe City is like a phantom, a void mirror world. Everything in this Sanhe City is consistent with the real Sanhe City, a complete mirror image. When the lights go out in the real Sanhe City, they also go out in the mirror world. In the empty mirror world, prison carts move on their own, bowls of rice float in the air in the tavern¡¯s hall, chopsticks continuously pick up dishes without anyone sitting there to eat. On the city¡¯s waterways, boats move along the river, their rudders swaying in the night wind, but with no one aboard. This mirror world, completely in step with reality, is a world without living creatures. Yet, the trajectory of everything in the city is exactly the same as in the real Sanhe City. Such a scene seems quite eerie. Li Muyang, being in the midst of it, watches the unmanned sedan chairs floating by on the pitch-black streets and quickly discerns his direction. Once again, he leaps out from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s office and heads southwest of Sanhe City. In the southwest of Sanhe City, there is a mansion with a vast expanse of land. Within its high walls and large courtyard, pavilions, towers, rockeries, and water features are adorned with the light of lanterns, looking like works of art. And in a dark room within this mansion, an oil lamp floats. Beneath the light of an oil lamp, an immortal sword hovered in the void, emitting a chilling and cold sword qi. This scene was identical to the opening CG. The cold sword qi transformed into a sword domain, turning the area within a ten-zhang radius into a forbidden zone that no one could approach. The only difference from the opening CG was that in the animation, there was the figure of Fairy Liuli. However, in the mirror world, Fairy Liuli was absent. When Li Muyang appeared outside the gloomy hut, he saw a figure outside, stiff and motionless. ¡¾Shan Xiaolian¡¿ Above the woman¡¯s head was a pale yellow health bar. She was dressed in the robe of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, looking somewhat disheveled. A bizarre arm covered in red hair was growing out of her chest, trying to strangle her. The woman stood rigidly in place, her hands tightly grasping the strange red-haired ghost hand, as frosty cold qi continuously emanated from her body. Seeing Li Muyang appear suddenly, the first-rank sorcerer of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was slightly shocked. ¡°Who are you?!¡± she exclaimed, looking at Li Muyang in surprise. But Li Muyang had already met her before. In last night¡¯s game instance, Li Muyang had died twenty-three times here and was already familiar with the plot progression. Without any intention of explaining to Shan Xiaolian, Li Muyang, who had leaped into the courtyard, charged straight at her. However, as soon as Li Muyang stepped into the courtyard, a bizarre red-haired ghost hand suddenly grew from the ground and swiftly reached for Li Muyang¡¯s right foot. The speed of the red-haired ghost hand was so fast that it almost instantly sprouted from the ground. Yet, as if he had foreseen it, Li Muyang leaped ahead of time, narrowly avoiding the ghost hand and jumping three zhang away. The cold night wind howled past Li Muyang¡¯s ears. The moment he landed, two more red-haired ghost hands grew from the ground. But Li Muyang¡¯s stiff body spun sharply, landing precisely between the two ghost hands, and he immediately bounced up again, flying toward Shan Xiaolian in the courtyard. But upon seeing Li Muyang flying towards her, Shan Xiaolian immediately shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t come over!¡± It was already too late. Li Muyang landed stiffly beside her, and suddenly, the red-haired ghost hand growing out of Shan Xiaolian¡¯s chest sprouted numerous twisted and thin arms, also covered in red hair. These ghost hands crazily reached for Li Muyang, covering the sky and sealing off all his avenues of escape in an instant. However, Li Muyang, engulfed by the red-haired ghost hands, was not panicked at all. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } His left hand, with sharp fingernails, came together and slashed horizontally like a razor. A burst of fresh blood and cold light exploded from the sea of countless ghost hands engulfing Li Muyang. His left arm shattered the obstructing red-haired ghost hands, and he tumbled out from among them. This series of actions was as swift and decisive as a hawk swooping down on its prey, leaving Shan Xiaolian, who stood petrified in the courtyard, astonished. Chapter 245 The arms growing from the red-haired ghost hand proliferated like living things, quickly flooding the entire courtyard and relentlessly pursuing Li Muyang. Facing this endless onslaught of evil ghost arms, the stiff-bodied Li Muyang displayed an eerie agility. His body leaped rapidly through the courtyard, dodging and weaving. Each step was perfectly timed to avoid the chase of the red-haired ghost hands, and every slash of his hand was able to predict the ghost hands¡¯ surprise attacks. In the courtyard completely swamped by the red-haired ghost hands, there was almost no space for Li Muyang to maneuver. Yet, he managed to dance through the crowded space like a nimble bird, effortlessly avoiding all the ghost hands¡¯ attacks. Finally, Li Muyang reached Shan Xiaolian. His hollow and dim eyes turned blood-red as he approached Shan Xiaolian, and his aura became incredibly violent. ¡¾Devour!¡¿ The moment Li Muyang closed the distance, he successfully activated the Devour skill. The frenzied zombie roared and bit into the red-haired ghost hand on Shan Xiaolian¡¯s chest. Then, the bizarre and terrifying red-haired ghost hand was directly torn off by the frenzied zombie. Blood spurted continuously, the ghost hand tried to resist but was quickly bitten off, chewed up, and swallowed by the frenzied zombie. ¡¾Blood Energy +130%¡¿ Seeing the system prompt pop up in his field of vision, Li Muyang regained control of his body. After swallowing the strange red-haired ghost hand, Shan Xiaolian, dressed in the sorcerer¡¯s robe, was finally freed. The frosty white vapor condensed on her body quickly dissipated, and her expression returned to normal. Only her eyes, still with a hint of surprise, looked towards Li Muyang. When Li Muyang chewed and swallowed the red-haired ghost hand, the other ghost hands that had filled the entire courtyard also silently disappeared. The courtyard returned to its original calm, leaving only Li Muyang and Shan Xiaolian. Shan Xiaolian frowned and scrutinized Li Muyang, uncertain, ¡°Are you... Wuming?!¡± The person before her, with his preternatural agility, reminded her of a recent legend. The mysterious individual who brought back precious intelligence from the Ancient Grudge Well. But the zombie before her was different from the person in the legend, leaving Shan Xiaolian unable to confirm. Li Muyang, however, nodded as if it were a matter of course, saying, ¡°I am indeed Wuming.¡± A person¡¯s reputation precedes them. Having experienced the Ancient Grudge Well instance, Li Muyang was no longer an unknown entity in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty; his name could command respect from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Masters. Such self-introductions had become second nature to him after more than twenty deaths. Even the attack patterns and methods of the bizarre ghost hands were something Li Muyang had deduced through repeated deaths. In the mirror world of Sanhe City, all the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had turned demonic, leaving only Shan Xiaolian struggling to hold on. And the culprit behind all this was that bizarre red-haired arm. Shan Xiaolian sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of your name, but I didn¡¯t expect that seeing you in person would be even more terrifying than the legends.¡± The strange red-haired ghost hand appeared silently, poisoning and contaminating the entire Imperial Astronomical Bureau, turning all the Demon-Suppressing Masters into fiends. If it weren¡¯t for her hurriedly dragging everyone into the mirror world, once those demonized Demon-Suppressing Masters flooded into the outside world, the entire Sanhe City would likely become a hell on earth. But maintaining the existence of this mirror world had exhausted a great deal of her energy, so much so that when the bizarre red-haired arm found her, she was almost driven to a desperate situation. But in the nick of time, the person before her appeared, perfectly timing his rescue... Shan Xiaolian said, ¡°Did you come to Sanhe City to save Fairy Liuli?¡± The legend of Wuming mentioned that this person might possess some sort of precognitive ability. And the fact that he appeared just in time to save her during her crisis was definitely not out of sheer benevolence. This person has almost no connection with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. The one he cares about should be the Mystic Sword Sect female disciple trapped in the city. Sure enough, Li Muyang nodded and admitted frankly. ¡°I need your help to rescue the trapped Fairy Liuli.¡± Li Muyang took out the sect master token of Master Qingye, the Qingming Jade Disc, and said, ¡°This is the sect master token of the Mystic Sword Sect. Wei Xuan has promised that if you help us rescue Fairy Liuli, you will be allowed to enter the Hundred Zhang Abyss for three days.¡± Li Muyang laid all his cards on the table. From past interactions, he knew that Shan Xiaolian was the type who spoke and acted straightforwardly. Haggling with her might backfire. After Li Muyang had put all his cards on the table, Shan Xiaolian nodded directly after a brief silence. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll help you!¡± Shan Xiaolian said, ¡°Not to mention the favor of you saving me once, just the reward of three days in the Hundred Zhang Abyss is enough to tempt any Demon-Suppressing Master.¡± ¡°I have no reason to refuse.¡± Shan Xiaolian then looked at Li Muyang and asked, ¡°How do you want me to help you?¡± At the moment Shan Xiaolian finished speaking, a new message popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s task bar. ¡¾Task: Bring the Qingming Jade Disc into Sanhe City and persuade Shan Xiaolian to help¨CCompleted¡¿ ¡¾New Task: Enter the city lord¡¯s mansion with Shan Xiaolian, find Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue¡¿ Li Muyang said to Shan Xiaolian, ¡°I need you to help me enter the city lord¡¯s mansion, I want to see Fairy Liuli.¡± Shan Xiaolian frowned slightly, ¡°Do you want me to accompany you in a fight?¡± The Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau has strange methods, specialized in dealing with evil spirits. But when it comes to ordinary people and cultivators, a Demon-Suppressing Master is much weaker. Now in Sanhe City, there is only one Demon-Suppressing Master left in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and their strength has greatly diminished. Although Shan Xiaolian is a first-grade Demon-Suppressing Master, she might not be able to overcome the guards from the Blood Demon Sect in the city. Li Muyang explained, ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight our way in, we just need to find a way to get in and see Fairy Liuli.¡± The system task only mentioned meeting Chu Qingxue but did not specify rescuing her. Clearly, the real method of rescue would only be revealed after meeting Fairy Liuli. Li Muyang was also aware that with the combat power of a first-grade sorcerer, relying solely on Shan Xiaolian, it would be impossible to enter the city lord¡¯s mansion and come out unscathed. Going to see Chu Qingxue was obviously a prerequisite task for progressing. As an experienced gamer, he understood this. After hearing Li Muyang¡¯s words, Shan Xiaolian pondered for a moment. With her strength alone, accompanying the mysterious Wuming into the city lord¡¯s mansion to seek a way to rescue Chu Qingxue seemed akin to courting death. But after a brief consideration, Shan Xiaolian nodded without hesitation. ¡°Good! Let¡¯s set off immediately, I¡¯ll take you to the city lord¡¯s mansion to find Chu Qingxue!¡± .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Shan Xiaolian¡¯s words allowed the real Li Muyang to breathe a sigh of relief and clench his fists in excitement. After a night of effort, he finally cleared the first difficult hurdle. Next, as long as he entered the city lord¡¯s mansion and met Chu Qingxue, he could unlock the next stage of the challenge. Following this pace, perhaps he really could rescue Chu Qingxue within the three-day limit! Chapter 246 Under the cover of night, Sanhe City was shrouded in darkness, the night sky obscured by clouds, with no stars or moon in sight. Shan Xiaolian brought Li Muyang back to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s office. ¡°This is the only entrance and exit to the mirror world.¡± Shan Xiaolian glanced at the empty city behind her, her eyes complex: ¡°All of my colleagues and subordinates have been corrupted.¡± Shan Xiaolian looked at Li Muyang: ¡°Wuming, you seem to know a lot about evil gods. Do you know if there¡¯s a way to save Demon-Suppressing Masters after they¡¯ve been corrupted?¡± After a moment of thought, Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°Perhaps there is, but I¡¯m not sure.¡± The Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau likely originated from the techniques developed by the demon cultivators led by the Temple Seal Lord in the back mountain of Black Cloud Village. The existence of Demon-Suppressing Masters stemmed from the Ancient Evil Lineage of Black Cloud Village. But Black Cloud Village had long been destroyed, and the demon cultivators like the Temple Seal Lord had long perished. In the game ¡°Deadly Weed,¡± Li Muyang had already left Black Cloud Village and had not had deep interactions with those demon cultivators. Even if there was a way to save those corrupted Demon-Suppressing Masters, Li Muyang was unaware. Hearing his response, Shan Xiaolian sighed in disappointment. ¡°I¡¯m just grasping at straws...¡± Looking at the dark and empty mirror world, Shan Xiaolian appeared melancholic: ¡°A strange red-haired ghost hand suddenly appeared and contaminated everyone into evil spirits.¡± ¡°The influence of those evil beings on this world is getting stronger.¡± Sighing, Shan Xiaolian led Li Muyang out of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s office gate. This time, as the two walked out of the office, the noisy sounds of Sanhe City suddenly surged into Li Muyang¡¯s perception. In the distant streets of the city, the clamor was deafening. Shan Xiaolian said, ¡°My divine power is to open a mirror world, but now that the mirror world has trapped evil beings, I can no longer use my divine power.¡± Shan Xiaolian looked at Li Muyang: ¡°So the help I can offer you from now on is limited.¡± But Li Muyang didn¡¯t mind: ¡°Please take me to the prefectural governor¡¯s mansion, just to see Fairy Liuli.¡± The two set off for the prefectural governor¡¯s mansion. Along the way, they passed through bustling markets and crowded streets. The nobles of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty had oppressed and exploited the common people of this land in the past days. Now that the rebels had entered the city, they began to settle scores with the former royal family, and nearly the entire city¡¯s populace was caught up in a frenzy. Everyone was denouncing and cursing those unkind and wealthy members of the royal family. As a sorcerer of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and part of the court, Shan Xiaolian walked among these frenzied crowds, indifferent to the sight of a hereditary prince being hanged and flayed alive on the main street. She didn¡¯t care about these court upheavals, but seeing the tumultuous crowd, she felt somewhat contemplative. ¡°...Sometimes it¡¯s good to be an ignorant commoner. At least they can live carefree.¡± Saying this, Shan Xiaolian looked at Li Muyang: ¡°Wuming, the world we live in is gradually heading towards collapse.¡± ¡°Do you think we can stop the catastrophe from coming?¡± Because of the corruption of her colleagues and subordinates, this first-grade sorcerer, who suddenly became a commander without an army, was clearly pessimistic. But Li Muyang didn¡¯t share her complex emotions. He just shook his head: ¡°The collapse of the world is not what we need to worry about now. Let¡¯s go to the prefectural governor¡¯s mansion first.¡± Everyone was saying the world was collapsing. The group in the chat from Purple Mansion said so, the Blood Lotus Sect claimed the same, and now the Heavenly Origin Dynasty side was also saying the world was collapsing. But such a matter that involves the whole world is too far removed from little characters like Li Muyang. He seldom worries about things beyond his control. With his current level of cultivation and strength, worrying about the collapse of the world would be like a groundless fear. Li Muyang ended the topic. Seeing that Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, Shan Xiaolian didn¡¯t press on. She led Li Muyang through the bustling streets, and the two arrived outside the Governor¡¯s Mansion of Sanhe City. After Shan Xiaolian revealed her identity, the steward of the Governor¡¯s Mansion didn¡¯t dare to neglect them and hurriedly welcomed them in. After a short wait in the side hall, the Governor of Sanhe hurried over. ¡°Lady Shan, what brings you here?¡± The Governor of Sanhe was a middle-aged Confucian scholar with an elegant demeanor, dressed in splendid garments, with a jade ring around his waist and a long beard under his chin, exuding dignity and solemnity. At first glance, he looked like the loyal and upright officials from storybooks. But at this moment, the good-looking Governor appeared somewhat uneasy. The Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau didn¡¯t concern themselves with mundane affairs. Even with significant events like the rebellion and surrender of the Sanhe City army, the Bureau had no reaction. The reason that could have alarmed a first-rank sorcerer to visit in person... Indeed, Shan Xiaolian spoke calmly, ¡°Governor Gu, there¡¯s an evil spirit causing trouble in the city. All the Demon-Suppressing Masters in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau have perished and turned into evil beings. I¡¯ve managed to suppress them, but some have escaped and hidden inside the Governor¡¯s Mansion. I¡¯ve come tonight hoping that Governor Gu will allow me to inspect the mansion. I need to find the hiding evil spirit and completely eradicate it!¡± Upon hearing this, the Governor¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°An evil spirit has escaped into the Governor¡¯s Mansion?¡± The methods of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Masters were notoriously harsh. Once they discovered evil spirits causing trouble, to completely eliminate future problems, they might even kill all the living beings in the city. If there really was an evil spirit that had escaped into the Governor¡¯s Mansion... Shan Xiaolian said calmly, ¡°Governor Gu, there¡¯s no need to panic. The escaped evil spirit is a Demon-Suppressing Master who has been corrupted by evil forces. It still retains some humanity and hasn¡¯t fully transformed, so it doesn¡¯t have the ability to corrupt other beings yet. If we eradicate it before it causes harm, we can settle this disaster without affecting your family.¡± These words eased the Governor¡¯s worries. ¡°I see...¡± He said, ¡°Then please, Lady Shan, find the evil spirit as quickly as possible.¡± The Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau wielded terrifying power within the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. Especially when a first-rank sorcerer personally claimed that there was an evil spirit in the mansion, almost no one dared to stop them. This was both the pressure brought by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and the fear of those sinister evil spirits. After the Governor gave his permission, Shan Xiaolian immediately stood up. Shan Xiaolian looked at Li Muyang; ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two left the side hall and headed into the mansion. Shan Xiaolian took out a compass to detect evil spirits, seemingly in pursuit of the evil being. The Governor followed from a distance, his expression filled with worry. This Governor of Sanhe, who had just sided with the rebels, had never expected an evil spirit to suddenly appear and strike at his own home. It was an unwarranted disaster. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Meanwhile, Li Muyang followed behind Shan Xiaolian, quietly observing the surroundings. He could faintly feel that in the shadows, several pairs of eyes were fixed on him. Those prying gazes might belong to the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s demonic cultivators hidden among the rebels. While Shan Xiaolian pretended to search, she led Li Muyang to the outside of a courtyard sealed off by soldiers. Inside was where Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue was trapped. Chapter 247 ¡°Uh... Lady Shan, there shouldn¡¯t be any evil spirits inside this courtyard.¡± Seeing that Li Muyang and Shan Xiaolian were about to enter, the Governor, who had followed them all the way, hurried forward to persuade them. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the next place instead.¡± Faced with the Governor¡¯s sudden obstruction, Shan Xiaolian gave him a cold glance and said, ¡°Fairy Liuli of the Mystic Sword Sect is trapped inside here... right?¡± Although separated by the courtyard wall, the chilling sword qi from behind it still clearly transmitted out, intimidating to those who felt it. Shan Xiaolian, without any hint of guilt, said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your affairs, but even if Fairy Liuli and the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s demonic cultivators are inside, it doesn¡¯t mean the evil spirit wouldn¡¯t dare to enter. I must inspect every inch of this mansion and will not overlook any possibility!¡± Shan Xiaolian¡¯s expression was cold. Indeed, a Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had the confidence to speak in such a manner. They rarely interfered with worldly matters. Faced with Shan Xiaolian¡¯s resolute attitude, the Governor hesitated. But soon, the steward hurried over with quick steps, whispering something into the Governor¡¯s ear. Although the steward spoke very softly, both Li Muyang and Shan Xiaolian could hear what was said. ¡°... My lord, the Holy Maiden says to let them in.¡± The Holy Maiden... A thought flickered in Li Muyang¡¯s mind. The Holy Maiden? The Holy Maiden of the Blood Demon Sect was actually in this Governor¡¯s Mansion? It seemed they had deployed a significant force to encircle and kill Fairy Liuli, with who knows how many demonic cultivators from the Blood Demon Sect hidden in the darkness. Li Muyang felt the pressure. The Blood Demon Sect had even sent out their Holy Maiden, and although he didn¡¯t know how strong this Holy Maiden was, being a Holy Maiden, she must be extraordinary and likely accompanied by many powerful individuals, right? And currently, on their side, there was only him, a zombie, a first-rank sorcerer whose powers were temporarily unusable, and Fairy Liuli, who was trapped and unable to move... In such a situation, could they really turn the tables after meeting Fairy Liuli? Li Muyang suddenly felt less confident. But the soldiers guarding the courtyard gate had already stepped aside, allowing Li Muyang and Shan Xiaolian to enter. Shan Xiaolian walked in front, and the Governor stayed behind, unable to help but caution them. ¡°Lady Shan, the sword domain of that Fairy Liuli inside is truly terrifying. Remember not to get too close. It would be best to just take a glance from the doorway and come back.¡± The Governor, with a worried reminder, watched as Shan Xiaolian and Li Muyang stepped into the courtyard. The old butler behind him whispered, ¡°Master, if this Lady Shan dies inside... then who will deal with the evil being hiding in the mansion? Can the Holy Maiden handle it?¡± The Governor stroked his long beard under his chin and sighed but did not speak. At this moment, Shan Xiaolian and Li Muyang had already entered the courtyard, filled with a chilling sword qi. In the mirror world, they had already seen the scenery of this courtyard. However, the mirror world is ultimately false, with a great difference from reality. In the mirror world, the sword qi surged only within the banquet hall where Fairy Liuli was sitting cross-legged. But now, as the two stepped into the courtyard, they could already feel the sharp and chilling sword intent in the air even though they were still ten steps away from that room. Shan Xiaolian walked in front, discreetly resolving the sword intent that filled the air for Li Muyang. These Sword Qi were just the remnants leaking from the sword domain inside the room, not very powerful. However, the moment the two entered the courtyard, their presence seemed to alert Fairy Liuli inside the room, and the cold sword domain became sharply penetrating for an instant. But upon realizing that the newcomers were not Blood Demon Sect sorcerers but a Demon-Suppressing Master from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, the sword domain quieted down again. Shan Xiaolian spoke loudly, ¡°I have come here in pursuit of an evil being in hiding and will leave once Fairy Chu Qingxue, there¡¯s no need for alarm.¡± After speaking, Shan Xiaolian frowned and continued walking inside with Li Muyang, remaining vigilant of Fairy Liuli within the room. However, within the sword qi-concentrated sword domain, Fairy Liuli in white simply stood there quietly, her gaze fixed on the two in the courtyard, silent and unresponsive. Yet Li Muyang could clearly feel that since he had entered the courtyard, Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes seemed to be locked on him. Had Fairy Liuli recognized him? A thought flickered through Li Muyang¡¯s mind. At this moment, the system taskbar in his field of vision has been updated. ¡¾Enter the city lord¡¯s mansion with Shan Xiaolian, find Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue¨CCompleted¡¿ ¡¾New Task: Awaken the sleeping Fairy Liuli¡¿ Li Muyang was momentarily stunned by the New Task that popped up. Awaken the sleeping Fairy Liuli? She¡¯s sleeping? Then who is this person with the piercing gaze fixed on him? Li Muyang looked up in astonishment towards the banquet hall ahead. Within the cold sword domain, Chu Qingxue in white stood quietly, her cold and sharp gaze on Li Muyang. As their eyes met, a cold light suddenly flashed in Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Li Muyang heard Fairy Liuli¡¯s voice by his ear. But the tone of this voice was filled with cold indifference, not at all like the Chu Qingxue he knew. The next second, before he could react, two cold white lights flew out from Chu Qingxue¡¯s eyes, striking Li Muyang directly. In an instant, Li Muyang felt the world spin; everything in his vision turned upside down. That familiar feeling of changing maps in a game emerged around him. ¡¾You have entered the Liuli Sword Domain¡¿ In Li Muyang¡¯s vision, such system text appeared, and his surroundings changed drastically. It was no longer the governor¡¯s mansion in Sanhe City but an ancient battlefield filled with chilling sword qi. Broken swords and blades were embedded in the hills of this land. Chu Qingxue, in a snow-white robe, floated quietly in front of Li Muyang and said, ¡°You are Wuming, the man who caused Chu Qingxue¡¯s heart to flutter for the first time.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was cold and indifferent, without any emotional fluctuation. Li Muyang looked at her in astonishment and said, ¡°You...¡± Aren¡¯t you Chu Qingxue? ¡°No, I am not Chu Qingxue.¡± Although the woman floating in the void was identical to Fairy Liuli, her cold and wooden expression was completely different. She looked at Li Muyang and said, ¡°I am the Sword Spirit.¡± ¡°The real Chu Qingxue is sleeping deep within this sword domain, her soul trapped in its depths. If you want to save her, you must enter the deepest part of this sword domain and awaken her.¡± The Sword Spirit looked at Li Muyang indifferently and said, ¡°But in doing so, you might die... Do you dare to go?¡± .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } The text in the system taskbar in Li Muyang¡¯s vision was still flashing. He sighed and said, ¡°What do you think I came here for?¡± Without any hesitation, Li Muyang stepped forward. ¡°I came here to save her!¡± Chapter 248 Inside the Liuli Sword Domain, the sword qi was chilling, and the hills were filled with broken divine weapons and various treasures. Except for the absence of corpses, this place was like an ancient battlefield forgotten by the world. Li Muyang, standing amidst it all, looked around only to see a pure white figure emerge out of thin air in the void. She was dressed in a simple white robe, standing three zhang above the ground, her clothes and skirt fluttering silently as if in water. Her face and features were identical to Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue¡¯s. However, her gaze was cold and indifferent, so devoid of emotion that she seemed not like a living person but more like a machine. ¨CSword Spirit, that was her self-proclaimed title. Watching Li Muyang before her, the woman who looked exactly like Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue said, ¡°Chu Qingxue¡¯s consciousness is sleeping deep within this sword domain. You must pass through this sword domain to awaken her.¡± Li Muyang, now in the sword domain, could no longer see Shan Xiaolian who had come with him. Clearly, this was a solo instance exclusive to him. Li Muyang did not hesitate and immediately stepped forward to pass through the sword domain. However, the moment he took a step, several broken swords on the hill in front of him suddenly trembled violently. The next second, three broken swords and two broken blades flew up at once. Each of these damaged weapons manifested a vague shadow. These eerie shadows roared, wielding their broken blades and charging at Li Muyang, with red health bars appearing above their heads. Seeing this scene, Li Muyang raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Is this the danger within the sword domain?¡± The divine weapons on this hillside can conjure up the phantoms of their users from when they were alive? A fierce killing intent rushed towards him, and Li Muyang countered it with a move. However, the moment he struck out, he realized that his body was no longer stiff, and the body standing on this hill was no longer that of a zombie. ¡°This place is the Liuli Sword Domain. It is a trial for the soul.¡± The sword spirit beside him seemed to sense Li Muyang¡¯s surprise and explained indifferently: ¡°Here, you wield an incarnation of your own soul. The trial opponents you face are phantoms from ancient times that match the level of your soul¡¯s cultivation.¡± After speaking, the sword spirit added another sentence: ¡°If you die here, your soul will also be severely damaged.¡± On the hill, five dark shadows wielding deadly weapons charged at him. The five shadows, equal in cultivation to Li Muyang, used techniques he had never seen before. Faced with such an aggressive scene, the sword spirit said: ¡°If you regret it, you can call me at any time, and I will take your soul out of the sword domain.¡± Li Muyang smiled: ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± But there¡¯s no need. He turned to face the five dark shadows charging at him from the hill, and with a thought, a false long sword condensed in his hand. The Startling Swan Sword Mantra, a technique inherited from the ancient times and Fairy Yu, shone for the first time in front of others. In an instant, a dazzling sword intent burst forth on the hill. The five dark shadows, wielding deadly weapons, were enveloped by the cold light of the sword intent. Amidst the crisscrossing sword light and blade shadows, there were also the low howls of the shadows, which lasted for a full ten seconds. After ten seconds, the sword light dissipated, and five broken weapons fell to the dust, reinserting themselves into the ground. The sword spirit, who had witnessed everything, seemed somewhat surprised. ¡°Such a familiar aura...¡± She looked Li Muyang up and down with astonishment and said: ¡°What sword technique is this? It seems I have seen it a long time ago...¡± The Startling Swan Sword Mantra was a technique that Li Muyang had struggled to achieve minor proficiency in after being trapped in the Demon Sword City secret realm, with the help of the system and NPCs in the game. This sword technique, used by Fairy Yu to control the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, was powerful and undoubtedly the most advanced secret technique Li Muyang currently possessed. He did not answer the sword spirit¡¯s question but instead stepped forward, walking towards the hill ahead. After taking ten steps, the densely packed divine weapons on the hill reacted. Two dark shadows emerged on the hill, each pulling out their respective treasures used in life. One held a drum with a broken handle, and the other a bizarre black flag, torn and only half remaining. The two dark shadows roared and charged at Li Muyang with their magical instruments. Although there were fewer shadows this time, the pressure they put on Li Muyang was even greater than the previous five. The deeper one went in this sword domain, the stronger the enemies one would encounter. After the broken drum was struck, its sound waves turned into transparent evil beasts that pounced on Li Muyang. The torn black flag trembled, and streams of black mist flew out from the flag, their wailing disturbing Li Muyang¡¯s mind. The two shadows, one attacking and the other defending, worked together seamlessly with strange and peculiar methods. But Li Muyang was not afraid. No matter how strong or peculiar the enemy¡¯s methods were, he only used one move. On the hill, Li Muyang pointed his fingers like a sword, activating the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. His sword swept out invisible sword qi phantoms, dozens of sword beams sweeping out like agile starlight, repelling those strange sound wave beasts. Amidst the whistling of the Sword Qi cutting through the air, Li Muyang flicked the blade with his fingers. Ding¨C The clear sound of the sword chime, like the deep bell in an ancient temple, spread through the sword domain with a soul-soothing power. The shadow wielding the black flag on the hill seemed to be affected, letting out a pained grunt. Subsequently, the magic of the black flag was broken, and it dissipated first, with the torn flag falling back onto the hill. The remaining shadow, now isolated and helpless, was engulfed by the dazzling starlight-like sword intent torrent, riddled with holes in the blink of an eye. Li Muyang took another ten steps forward. From the hill, a dull beast roar could be heard. A massive pitch-black beast shadow emerged on the hill. Atop the shadow¡¯s head was a sharp, solid horn covered with the marks of time. This horned beast roared as it charged at Li Muyang. In an instant, the sword domain shook. A wild and turbulent demonic aura rushed towards him! ¡°...Could those shadows in the sword domain be the soul projections of those who died under the Liuli Immortal Sword?¡± Inside Tianjiao City, in the back hall of the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s yellow banner, Li Muyang, who had slept in a rocking chair overnight, stretched in the sunlight and sat up. He recalled the shadows he had slain in the secret realm; each shadow had unique powers and was formidable. These shadows were likely the souls of those who had died under the Liuli Immortal Sword, leaving behind their unique aura in the sword. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } ¡°In a sense, that sword is quite terrifying.¡± It¡¯s bad enough to be killed by it, but it also remembers your techniques and powers, projecting your shadow in the sword domain to repeatedly whip the corpse. How is this different from accidentally being killed by a streamer in a game and having the footage posted online for people¡¯s enjoyment!? You can beat the streamer many times, but if you lose once, you¡¯ll be made into a video! Chapter 249 ¡°Brother, you seem to be in a good mood today.¡± In the private room of the restaurant, the serving girl quietly said, her eyes filled with curiosity: ¡°What happy event happened? Did you ¡®eat¡¯ Shen Yan?¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes were full of gossipy curiosity. In Tianjiao City, where rumors were rampant, Li Muyang, at the very center of the storm, should be feeling agitated. But today¡¯s Li Muyang was clearly in a good mood. In front of his little sister, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t be bothered to put on the cold face he showed outside, and he was very relaxed. Hearing his little sister¡¯s curiosity, Li Muyang rolled his eyes: ¡°Eat your uncle.¡± ¡°That Shen Yan has no romantic interest in me. All the chaos started because of the Blood Lotus Sect Leader¡¯s random matchmaking.¡± Thinking back on the Blood Lotus Sect Leader¡¯s matchmaking, it always felt strange. Was this old schemer doing this out of good intentions, or was there a deeper meaning... Li Muyang stretched and said: ¡°Is there still no news from Elder Yan? How much longer do we have to gather?¡± Wasn¡¯t it agreed that once we have enough people, we would take action? So many days have passed, and Li Muyang has become a notorious enforcer in the Blood Lotus Sect, with who knows how many people cursing him behind his back. Why haven¡¯t we started yet! Because of the previous turmoil, Li Muyang¡¯s business under his command was growing more and more. The entire Hall of Enforcement knows that Li Muyang isn¡¯t even afraid of the Liehai Hall Helmsmen. In the Blood Lotus Sect, regardless of status or wealth, anyone who commits an offense will be punished by Li Muyang, who spares no one. Although the number of people cursing him is increasing, as Li Muyang deals with more and more sect members, surprisingly, the number of people speaking well of him is also gradually increasing. Even Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but express her admiration during a meeting, praising Li Muyang for being truly devoted to the sect¡¯s beliefs and willing to endure fire and water for them. In reality, he was simply acting recklessly, not planning to stay in the Blood Lotus Sect, thus stirring up trouble and incidentally achieving enlightenment for himself. But Li Muyang felt that if Yan Xiaoru didn¡¯t wrap things up soon, with the current trend, he might actually gain a group of admirers within the Blood Lotus Sect... After watching his little sister leave the private room, Li Muyang let out a sigh. After a simple meal, he closed his eyes and lay down on the bed. He decided not to bother with the troublesome matters of Tianjiao City for now. Li Muyang was now focusing all his energy on this time-limited three-day game. One day had already passed, but fortunately, Li Muyang was making quick progress. In the Liuli Sword Domain filled with fragments of divine weapons, Li Muyang had already taken two hundred steps and defeated various strange shadows. The shadows in this trial sword domain were indeed powerful beings with formidable abilities. In life, they were all cultivators not weaker than Li Muyang. However, in the trial secret realm, the strength of the shadows was on par with Li Muyang¡¯s soul state. Yet, their magical abilities were no match for Fairy Yu¡¯s Startling Swan Sword Mantra. No matter how tricky or powerful the enemy¡¯s abilities were, with the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, Li Muyang could cut through all obstacles and repel all powerful foes. Even if he slipped up once or twice, it didn¡¯t matter; if he failed, he could just reload and try again. When he left the government office in the afternoon, Li Muyang had climbed a hill in the game and vaguely saw the figure of a woman deep within the secret realm. He was one step closer to clearing the game. Now back in the game, Li Muyang looked to his side. A sword spirit dressed in plain white robes floated above the hill, looking at him indifferently. ¡°Your ancient sword technique is indeed extraordinarily powerful.¡± ¡°But what you will face next are the strongest remnants in this sword realm.¡± ¡°Each enemy you encounter from now on was once a powerhouse of their time...¡± As always, this cold and ruthless sword spirit spoke words meant to intimidate Li Muyang. But Li Muyang simply ignored her. He knew that the enemies he was about to face would be very strong. After all, he had already died twice at their hands in the government office. But it didn¡¯t matter; he would reload and then clear the game sooner or later! Li Muyang exhaled a breath and stepped forward. After ten steps, a brush flew out on the hill. The handle of the brush was made of pale green jade, and the bristles seemed to be from some exotic beast, emitting a hazy light. Despite being full of cracks, the brush still appeared extraordinary. A graceful and gentle shadow stood quietly on the hill. Holding the green jade brush, she wrote elegant characters in the void. As these characters appeared, they seemed to alter the laws of the land. The scenery in Li Muyang¡¯s vision kept changing with these elegant characters. Sometimes it was mountains and rivers, sometimes a great river flooding, or stars pouring down from the night sky, and even a roc spreading its wings and soaring ninety thousand li, shattering the clouds... Ten minutes later. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ After failing seventeen times in a row, Li Muyang opened his eyes in the private room. This enemy was a bit tricky. The Artistic Conception emanating from those characters would create illusions that confused Li Muyang¡¯s perception. And the real lethal moves were hidden within these illusions. If trapped in the secret realm, unable to escape, Li Muyang would die silently. Their cultivation levels were equal, but the enemy didn¡¯t fight head-on and instead used illusions, which was very troublesome. This profound method was a complete domination by realm. Li Muyang wasn¡¯t afraid of straightforward fights. After all, he could keep reloading and trying again. However, the layers of illusions cast by the mysterious woman were unrelated to the cultivation level. They were her understanding of the universe from her lifetime. This understanding was far beyond Li Muyang¡¯s reach. He couldn¡¯t see through it and was completely trapped by the illusions, unable to break free. It could be said that this was the first time Li Muyang faced such a strong enemy in terms of realm understanding. ¡°Even though our cultivation levels are the same, the gap in realm is too big...¡± Li Muyang felt that this trial was somewhat absurd. Even if they had the same attributes, could the consciousness of a king be the same as that of someone in bronze? If it weren¡¯t for the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, a true immortal-level secret technique, he probably wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. But now, it seemed he had no choice but to call for help. Li Muyang sighed and entered the system again. But this time, he didn¡¯t enter ¡°The Fall of the Fairy¡±; instead, he went into another game that had been neglected for several days. ¡¶Deadly Weed¡· In the fourth stage of ¡°Deadly Weed,¡± Xiao Yecao, who was sitting on a small boat floating through the valley, tilted her head in surprise and said, ¡°Elder Brother?¡± Facing Xiao Yecao on the small boat, Li Muyang looked at her and said, ¡°I have a question for you.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm and encounter an illusion that only someone above the Purple Mansion realm can see through... how would you break it?¡± A battle of realm understanding, huh? Although my realm is only at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, I have an existence close to a true immortal here! I can¡¯t solve this problem, but I can ask for help! Chapter 250 - Xiao Yecaos Contemporaries Chapter 250: Xiao Yecao¡¯s Contemporaries On the small boat, Xiao Yecao was taken aback by Li Muyang¡¯s question. ¡°An illusion that only the Purple Mansion realm can see through?¡± She looked at Li Muyang in surprise and asked, ¡°Elder Brother, why are you suddenly asking this?¡± Li Muyang sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the reason later, just tell me how to solve it.¡± ¡°Without involving a battle of cultivation levels, how would a late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator break an illusion set by a Purple Mansion powerhouse?¡± Xiao Yecao was definitely the highest in cultivation realm among the people Li Muyang had met. Even Yan Xiaoru, who had advanced to the Purple Mansion realm, was still far behind Xiao Yecao. After all, Xiao Yecao is someone who can play chess with gods and has been invited to a banquet in the Dragon Palace. Although she denies having become an immortal, Li Muyang speculates that even if this girl hasn¡¯t achieved immortality, she¡¯s not far from the realm of immortals. When faced with a dilemma beyond his understanding, Li Muyang naturally seeks out someone with a higher level of awareness. After listening to Li Muyang¡¯s rough breakdown of the situation and his ¡°hypothesis,¡± Xiao Yecao laughed. ¡°The situation you¡¯re talking about, Elder Brother... isn¡¯t that about the divine power of the Fairy Yubi (Jade Brush Fairy) from the Desolate Mountain?¡± ¡°To write with a brush, to rewrite space, to condense illusions, both real and unreal... that Fairy Yubi is not just of the Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is about her, this fairy from the Desolate Hills is beyond the realm of Purple Mansion, in the Primordial Realm.¡± ¡°She¡¯s only a step away from becoming a true immortal,¡± Xiao Yecao said softly. Li Muyang was slightly taken aback: ¡°Fairy Yubi? Primordial Realm?¡± Could it be someone from the same era as Xiao Yecao? Xiao Yecao nodded: ¡°Yes, the Primordial Realm. Fairy Yubi was also present at the Dragon King¡¯s night banquet. However, at that time, Elder Brother, you were entangled with the Dragon Maiden... hehe... so you missed Fairy Yubi.¡± Xiao Yecao said with a grin: ¡°Elder Brother, since you don¡¯t know Fairy Yubi, where did you learn about her divine power?¡± Xiao Yecao looked at Li Muyang curiously, blinking her eyes. Li Muyang was somewhat at a loss for words. After the great changes in the world following the ancient times, it¡¯s common knowledge that the Purple Mansion realm is the pinnacle of the cultivation world. He wasn¡¯t surprised that there were realms above the Purple Mansion. What surprised him was that Fairy Yubi, who died under the Liuli Immortal Sword, was actually a contemporary of Xiao Yecao? Even in the game, he had attended the Dragon King¡¯s banquet with the Fairy Yubi. But indeed, he did not recognize the Fairy Yubi. In the fourth stage of ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·, amidst the long and tedious daily interactions, many plotlines were quickly skipped and ended, making it difficult for Li Muyang to experience every daily detail. After all, in the fourth stage, he had already spent more than twenty years traveling and enjoying leisure time with Xiao Yecao. If he were to experience every moment wholeheartedly, reaching the end of the game would still be far off. Now, hearing that Xiao Yecao was aware of the existence of Fairy Yubi, Li Muyang asked, ¡°Then do you know how to break her illusionary divine power?¡± Xiao Yecao¡¯s question went unanswered, but she wasn¡¯t angry. The woman pondered with her chin in hand: ¡°Hmm... well...¡± ¡°Based on my understanding of Fairy Yubi, if she uses the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Realm to support the illusion of the Primordial Realm, the burden would be too great, and the power of the divine power would be greatly reduced.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, her illusion cannot last very long, and it can only confuse people, but it cannot truly harm people or truly rewrite reality.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trapped by such an illusion, you just need to persist in the illusion without being eroded by the hallucinations, and within a quarter of an hour, the energy supporting the illusion will be exhausted, and the illusion will break on its own.¡± Xiao Yecao, being close to a true immortal, quickly provided the best solution. She smiled at Li Muyang and said, ¡°And to persist for a quarter of an hour in the illusion is not difficult. Elder Brother, I¡¯ll teach you a little trick to seal the six senses and isolate the divine consciousness.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look, you don¡¯t listen, you don¡¯t need to see or hear, you just need to persist for a quarter of an hour, and the illusion will naturally be broken...¡± ...... Back in the game, on a hill filled with the remnants of divine weapons, Li Muyang returned to the game. The sword spirit in plain white robes floated nearby, reminding him coldly. ¡°Your ancient sword technique is indeed extraordinarily powerful.¡± ¡°But what you will face next are the strongest remnants in this sword realm.¡± ¡°Each enemy you encounter from now on was once a powerhouse of their time...¡± Li Muyang ignored the sword spirit¡¯s reminder and stepped forward. The illusion of Fairy Yubi appeared on the hill. As the woman¡¯s illusion held the jade brush and wrote ancient characters in the air, Li Muyang¡¯s vision was immediately filled with a beautiful sea of flowers that spread to the horizon. However, the moment the sea of flowers appeared in his vision, Li Muyang silently recited the mantra and closed his eyes. His perception of the outside world was quickly cut off. In the darkness, Li Muyang felt like a bodiless wandering soul devoid of all senses. The pitch black, oppressive, deathly silent, and enclosed state weighed heavily on his heart. But Li Muyang gritted his teeth and persisted. A quarter of an hour later, the state of his sealed consciousness automatically lifted. He opened his eyes to find himself standing on the hill. He felt like a building eroded by wind and sand, his body full of gaps. But as a spiritual body, Li Muyang quickly healed the wounds on his body and looked forward. The broken jade brush had fallen back to the ground, and the illusion of Fairy Yubi had vanished without a trace. The sword spirit beside him was somewhat surprised. ¡°...What kind of secret technique is this? You broke the illusion so easily.¡± The sword spirit frowned and said, ¡°Chu Qingxue thinks you have the ability to foresee the future... could it be true?¡± ¡°Why did you seem to know so much about this illusion the first time you saw it and instantly come up with a way to break it?¡± Clearly, the method Li Muyang used to break the illusion was so unusual and specific that it surprised the sword spirit. To this, Li Muyang just smiled and said nothing. He continued to walk forward, taking ten steps on the rugged hill. With ten steps taken, a broken sword on the hill flew up. A carefree and unrestrained black shadow appeared on the hill. Even though it was pitch black and had no facial features, the shadow still gave off a feeling of being free and easy. The shadow held the broken sword and swung it, attacking Li Muyang. It wasn¡¯t the usual battle between cultivators. This shadow was more like a swordsman from a storybook, personally wielding a broken sword and stepping forward. In an instant, space shortened under his feet. With one step, the shadow reached Li Muyang, who was dozens of zhang away. The fierce sword intent unfolded in the secret realm. Li Muyang was shocked and immediately wielded his sword to defend but quickly fell into a disadvantage. After a few breaths of exchange, Li Muyang¡¯s Startling Swan Sword Mantra was broken, and the broken sword struck his chest. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...Outrageous!¡± This time, Li Muyang didn¡¯t even need to ask Xiao Yecao; he had already recognized who the shadow was. It was the lone swordsman, Bai Muchen, who had accompanied Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao for half a year during the fourth stage of ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·! Chapter 251 - The Man with Deep Sins Chapter 251: The Man with Deep Sins ¡°Did Bai Muchen really die under the Liuli Immortal Sword?¡± Inside a private room of a tavern, Li Muyang opened his eyes and realized this fact. At this moment, he was slightly stunned. The long daily tasks were somewhat monotonous in the fourth stage of ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·. And many of the daily storylines were quickly skipped over, unable to experience the details within. But there were still some characters or some events that Li Muyang vividly remembered in the game. Such as the extremely luxurious Dragon King¡¯s birthday feast, the woodcutter in the mountains who furiously slew a god, and the carefree and unrestrained swordsman Bai Muchen who roamed the ends of the earth with his sword... This lone swordsman, Bai Muchen, traveled the world with nothing but his sword, loved wine, was carefree, and lived a life of freedom, seeking only the Way of the Sword. He had traveled with Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao for half a year in the game. Once, under the moon, he drank with Li Muyang and laughed, saying his wish in life was to die under the blade of an unparalleled immortal sword so his pursuit of the sword would not be in vain. In the end, under a lone pine tree, he bid farewell to Li Muyang and Xiao Yecao, saying he was going to the North Sea to search for the legendary roc. After that farewell, they never met again. Xiao Yecao commented on this man. ¡°Although he is a mortal with no cultivation, he was able to enter the Dao through the sword, transcending the mundane. Perhaps in the future, he could truly become a unique Sword Immortal in this world...¡± But unexpectedly, this guy did not become a Sword Immortal. Instead, he achieved his long-held wish and died under the blade of an immortal sword... Recalling the past moments in the game, Li Muyang sighed without words, not knowing whether to feel sad for this man or to be relieved for him. Two minutes later, Li Muyang composed himself and re-entered the game. He arrived in front of Xiao Yecao. As the small boat drifted down the canyon, Li Muyang said, ¡°That white-clothed swordsman Bai Muchen you mentioned had a fatal weakness in his swordsmanship.¡± ¡°What was that weakness again?¡± Li Muyang asked. Xiao Yecao blinked in surprise, ¡°Elder Brother, why are you suddenly interested in such strange things recently...¡± Li Muyang sighed, ¡°Just tell me the weakness of that white-clothed swordsman.¡± Time was pressing, and Li Muyang didn¡¯t plan to waste time reloading the game to familiarize himself with the white-clothed swordsman¡¯s sword moves. He came directly to Xiao Yecao for the answers. After all, Xiao Yecao happened to know the white-clothed swordsman¡¯s weakness... On the boat, the girl holding her cheek with one hand looked at Li Muyang with a smile and shook her head. ¡°Elder Brother, you¡¯re acting really strange today...¡± As she spoke, she casually took down the hairpin from her head and began to gesture lightly in front of Li Muyang. ¡°Bai Muchen¡¯s swordsmanship is natural and unrestrained, not confined to specific sword techniques or moves. That¡¯s his strongest point, but it¡¯s also his biggest weakness.¡± ¡°He has not yet achieved the Dao, and although his swordsmanship is natural, it still has patterns that can be traced. His sword moves can be easily deciphered if he encounters an enemy with a higher realm.¡± ¡°If I were to fight him, I could even accurately predict all the moves he would make with his sword...¡± Xiao Yecao smiled, holding two wooden hairpins, and began to demonstrate in front of Li Muyang. ¡°If you attack him like this, he will definitely swing his sword like this to defend, and in his defense, his sword edge will shave to the left, using offense as defense...¡± On the hill where the sword spirit floated, Li Muyang reloaded the game. The broken sword in front flew up, and the carefree shadow materialized. However, this time Li Muyang approached with relaxed and calm steps. He strode forward and thrust his sword directly. Three minutes later, the shadow was pierced through the chest by Li Muyang and dissipated within the sword domain. The sword spirit murmured with a frown on the hill filled with the remnants of divine weapons. ¡°What kind of technique is this?¡± They were merely some simple moves without any particular finesse or uniqueness. But the moment Li Muyang made his move, the swordsman¡¯s shadow in front seemed to be hexed, every move blocked, and each sword strike dissolved into nothingness. In the end, Li Muyang¡¯s sword effortlessly pierced the shadow through the chest. The sword spirit was very puzzled, ¡°These few sword techniques of yours seem tailor-made to counter this man... but you clearly have never seen this person¡¯s phantom before.¡± To be able to execute sword techniques that perfectly counter someone you¡¯ve never met... Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I have the ability to foresee the future? Maybe I really do have such a skill?¡± The sword spirit fell silent for a moment, then finally said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you should go directly to the final trial. There¡¯s no need to waste any more time.¡± As the sword spirit finished speaking, a figure emerged from the depths of the sword domain. He had a handsome face with sharp, resolute features that instinctively made people feel amiable. He held no weapons or magical treasures, but the moment this figure stepped out, Li Muyang was startled. Isn¡¯t this... me? Li Muyang looked at the figure in front of him, identical to himself, and said in astonishment, ¡°The final trial is myself? Isn¡¯t this Fairy Liuli¡¯s inner world?¡± Why would the last boss in Fairy Liuli¡¯s inner world be him? Li Muyang was bewildered. The sword spirit spoke with a cold expression, ¡°Correct, this is Chu Qingxue¡¯s world of heart images, and indeed, it is you who has trapped her soul.¡± ¡°Her cultivation technique should lead to supreme detachment, devoid of seven emotions and six desires, but because of you, she experienced the awakening of love, leading to the assault of inner demons. Furthermore, she forcefully activated the power of the immortal sword, causing her spirit to sink and be completely trapped by the inner demons.¡± ¡°Now, if you want to awaken her soul, you must personally defeat this phantom of the inner demon.¡± The sword spirit explained. Li Muyang looked at the handsome and cool guy in front of him, who was identical to himself, somewhat speechless ¡°Inner demons... supreme detachment...¡± Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue was a cold and indifferent person with no expression, and he knew that from their first meeting. He never expected that this was due to her cultivation technique. As for the so-called Chu Qingxue liking him and experiencing the awakening of love because of him... to be honest, Li Muyang really hadn¡¯t noticed. That fairy had always been very cold towards him, and her attitude could only be considered friendly. And yet, without making a sound, she had developed inner demons because of him? Tsk tsk... I¡¯m a man with deep sins. Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°So I just need to defeat this phantom of the inner demon?¡± Li Muyang raised the sword in his hand and activated the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. However, a strange situation occurred; the inner demon phantom on the hill also activated the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. A broken sword on the hill flew up, executing the same moves as Li Muyang. A question mark appeared above Li Muyang¡¯s head. He looked toward the Sword Spirit beside him: ¡°Does this inner demon understand my Sword Control Technique?¡± Isn¡¯t this Chu Qingxue¡¯s inner world? It¡¯s not his inner demon, so how could it possibly know his Startling Swan Sword Mantra? Li Muyang was full of question marks in his head. The Sword Spirit, with an expressionless face, explained: ¡°Its current form is a complete projection of your existence. Whatever you know, it knows; what you don¡¯t, it doesn¡¯t either.¡± ¡°Or rather, it¡¯s precisely because of your arrival that you¡¯ve perfected the abilities of this inner demon, making it more concrete and real, thus providing the opportunity to draw it out and slay it.¡± ¡°Before you came, this inner demon was formless and insubstantial, its shape pale and empty, and it was difficult to dispel with external forces.¡± ¡°Now, because of your arrival, it has become fleshed out, its form fuller. But as a result, it has also become your inner demon.¡± ¡°You are qualified to eliminate it, but it will be extremely difficult.¡± The Sword Spirit explained the situation indifferently: ¡°This is Chu Qingxue¡¯s last chance at life. Perhaps you really had a premonition to arrive at such a critical moment to save the day.¡± ¡°In any case, if you can defeat the inner demon, she will live.¡± ¡°If not, she will be completely lost in the world of her heart until the immortal sword drains all her magical power, leading to her demise.¡± Chapter 252 - The Shame of Punishment Chapter 252: The Shame of Punishment Listening to the Sword Spirit¡¯s explanation, Li Muyang sighed. ¡°So it¡¯s all because of me... anyway, I¡¯ll just defeat the inner demon...¡± With a thought from Li Muyang, the flying sword suspended beside him immediately transformed into dozens of sword qi streaking across the sky. As the sword intents of both sides collided in the void, the air rippled with continuous waves, and suddenly the surrounding scene changed dramatically. The desolate hill, a battlefield filled with the remnants of divine weapons, suddenly turned into a thatched cottage in the woods, with a clear stream flowing like a jade ribbon in front of the door. Dressed in plain white, Fairy Liuli stood in front of the cottage with a happy smile on her face. ¡°Husband, go come back early.¡± It was the first time Li Muyang had seen such a happy and tender smile on the face of the aloof and emotionless Fairy Liuli. He was somewhat stunned for a moment. The Sword Spirit, still expressionless, explained. ¡°This is the deepest part of Chu Qingxue¡¯s heart, the true scenery within her inner world.¡± ¡°Your struggle with the inner demon will continuously traverse these false illusions until you reach the deepest part of her heart and see her slumbering soul.¡± Sensing something off about Li Muyang¡¯s expression, the Sword Spirit said coldly: ¡°These are just some false illusions, don¡¯t mind them.¡± ¡°These are nothing more than Chu Qingxue¡¯s wishful fantasies.¡± As the Sword Spirit explained coldly, the inner demon once again attacked with its sword. The flying sword, driven by the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, slashed out a massive sword qi. Li Muyang also mobilized his flying sword to defend himself, but his expression was somewhat odd. Don¡¯t mind it... Don¡¯t mind my foot! Who the hell could remain unmoved by such a scene? Not far away on the mountain path, there was a man identical to Li Muyang, carrying a bamboo basket with a gentle smile, unmistakably the husband called by Fairy Liuli in front of the cottage. ¡°Xue¡¯er, wait for me,¡± the man, looking just like Li Muyang, waved to his wife with a smile, full of tenderness. Hearing this voice and seeing this scene, Li Muyang, the real deal, suddenly panicked, and the sword qi he was channeling became disordered. Damn it! Xue¡¯er!? Such a damn mushy nickname! How could I ever say something so cheesy! Even though this is Chu Qingxue¡¯s inner world illusion, hearing his own voice utter such mushy words, Li Muyang was inevitably affected. A feeling of blood rushing to his cheeks made Li Muyang¡¯s face burn with an inexplicable sense of shame. This Chu fairy is so cold and emotionless on normal days, yet what the hell is she thinking about in her heart!? Such cheesy interactions... you have the guts to imagine them, but I don¡¯t have the guts to listen! This is just the first illusion, and it¡¯s already so cheesy with the husband calling. What will the next illusions look like, how much more explicit will they be... They can¡¯t be indescribable, can they... Li Muyang¡¯s mind was in turmoil, and his Sword Control Technique showed flaws, immediately being exploited by the inner demon, forcing him to retreat repeatedly. After a dozen breaths, Li Muyang, who was at a loss, was pierced through the chest by a sword and died on the spot. ¡¾You have died, game over¡¿ ¡°...¡± In the private room of the tavern, Li Muyang, who opened his eyes, speechlessly covered his forehead. Chu Qingxue¡¯s inner demon had truly captured his essence. Taking advantage of his reaction to take his life, this kind of fighting instinct to kick someone when they¡¯re down was simply too much. It seized a flaw in Li Muyang and launched a relentless attack, quickly expanding its advantage and breaking through Li Muyang¡¯s defenses. For the first time, Li Muyang realized how fierce ¡®he¡¯ could be. The difficulty of the inner demon was one thing, but what really troubled Li Muyang were the illusions within the world of the inner demon. It was clearly Chu Qingxue¡¯s inner demon, but why did Li Muyang, who was in the midst of it, hearing that familiar voice of his own, saying those cheesy words, feel like he was the one being shamefully punished? The sense of immersion was inexplicably strong. This Chu fairy was something else. Such a cold and emotionless fairy, one would think she was the type devoted to the Dao, indifferent to the love between men and women. Yet her inner world turned out to be so girly? Cheesy and sweet... That girly figure in the illusion seemed absurdly out of character to Li Muyang. He found it hard to believe that the coquettish girl in the illusion could be the same person as the cold fairy who remained indifferent even in the face of life and death. This fairy, her inner drama was rich indeed! Li Muyang sat in the private room of the tavern, rubbing his face hard, and it took him a good while to calm down and prepare himself mentally, taking a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, that¡¯s not me, that¡¯s not me, no matter how cheesy and embarrassing, it has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with me...¡± With his mental preparation in place, Li Muyang re-entered the game, facing Chu Qingxue¡¯s inner demon. The phantom of the inner demon, driven by the Startling Swan Sword Mantra, wielded its flying sword and attacked Li Muyang. As the two clashed, the space-time where the inner demon and Li Muyang were located once again transformed into Fairy Liuli¡¯s inner world. The woman in front of the cottage spoke with a gentle voice, embracing her husband. She softly pressed her face against her husband¡¯s chest, uttering sweet and cheesy love words. Li Muyang¡¯s face was taut as he tried hard to ignore those cheesy words, continuously fending off the inner demon¡¯s attacks. He thought he had prepared himself mentally, but the sweet and cheesy love words spoken by Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue next to him were like a devil¡¯s whisper, incessantly drilling into his ears. Even though he knew it was just an illusion and not real. But those sounds kept coming, and Li Muyang felt as if he was truly in the moment, inexplicably experiencing a strong sense of immersion. It was as though he was really embracing a fairy in his arms. He could even feel the warmth and touch of Chu Qingxue, and he could faintly smell a delicate fragrance... The sword spirit beside him noticed Li Muyang¡¯s abnormal state and immediately spoke up to remind him. ¡°Guard your mind! Ignore those disturbances! That¡¯s not the real you! Everything you¡¯re feeling is an illusion!¡± But she spoke too lightly. When the illusion of Chu Qingxue sweetly hugged Li Muyang, burying her face in the nape of his neck, Li Muyang could distinctly feel the warm breath of the woman gently blowing on his collarbone. A tingling sensation spread from his collarbone throughout his body. Li Muyang¡¯s swordplay became disordered once again. ¡¾You died. Game Over¡¿ ¡°...¡± The game over notification popped up again, and Li Muyang opened his eyes in the private room of the tavern. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned...¡± Li Muyang sat up straight and subconsciously touched his collarbone. Although it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say, it was... somewhat addictive! Even though he was no longer the naive boy who had never touched a girl before, having even boldly bullied Yan Xiaoru, freely pinching and molding her, but Elder Yan always sat there passively and stiffly, letting Li Muyang bully her without any reaction. However, in the illusion, it was as if he was intimately snuggling with the aloof Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue and that feeling... ¡°This inner demon is too terrifying!¡± Chapter 253 - Im Carrying Your Child Chapter 253: I¡¯m Carrying Your Child ¡°This inner demon is terrifying!¡± Li Muyang commented with lingering fear about this inner demon of Chu Qingxue. He hadn¡¯t expected that every touch and physical sensation generated between Chu Qingxue and the husband in the illusion would be projected so realistically onto him. No wonder the sense of immersion was so strong. It was one thing for the two to whisper sweet nothings and be affectionate, but to have physical contact as well... Who could ignore such perfectly transmitted tactile sensations? Fighting in such a condition was like Li Muyang trying to battle inner demons while snuggling and being affectionate with Chu Qingxue. ...What kind of egg-tingling reading is this? Li Muyang finally felt the pressure. This was just the beginning. Chu Qingxue had just made some skin-to-skin contact with him, and he was already distracted. If more explosive and intimate scenes were to come, wouldn¡¯t he... Hiss... No! He mustn¡¯t think too much! Li Muyang abruptly lifted his head, afraid that his nose would bleed. Just imagining those scenes was thrilling, let alone experiencing them firsthand. In the private room of the tavern, Li Muyang looked up at the ceiling and murmured to himself. ¡°I think I¡¯ve really become a zombie.¡± He could clearly feel a certain part of his body becoming stiff. ¡°This is definitely the ¡®hardest¡¯ level I¡¯ve faced in all the games I¡¯ve played so far!¡± Li Muyang made such a comment. Who could remain calm and fight with a clear mind while being intimately close to a beauty, whispering sweet nothings and caressing each other! Was this game meant to train one¡¯s resolve? Under normal circumstances, he might not even win a one-on-one battle with an inner demon. And now there was Chu Qingxue¡¯s distraction... Alas... Li Muyang sighed, already anticipating dying dozens or even hundreds of times in the game. But he wasn¡¯t afraid! He took a deep breath, his eyes determined. ¨CLet the storm come more violently! Li Muyang quickly loaded the game, returning to it once again. As the battle with the inner demon began, the scenery in the world of the heart changed. The white-clothed fairy in front of the thatched cottage smiled tenderly, and the husband carrying a bamboo basket embraced her, and the two were affectionate once again. Li Muyang¡¯s collarbone and ears once again felt that tingling, wonderful sensation. But this time he was mentally prepared, and his will did not falter. Although his swordplay showed slight fluctuations, he did not reveal any weaknesses. The inner demon continued to attack with a sword, and Li Muyang resisted with his own, while observing the illusion beside him. Chu Qingxue, dressed in white, had a bright smile and eyes as gentle as water, no longer the ethereal fairy detached from worldly affairs, but clearly a simple girl with budding emotions. This version of her, in stark contrast to her previous aloofness, brought an immense charm in an intangible way. In her imagined world, she and Li Muyang lived together in a hut, sharing meals and drinks. The couple played music together, sometimes traveling through the mountains and playing in the water, sometimes drinking under the moon, and even holding hands at lantern festivals, living sweetly and happily. When they were alone, she would curl up shyly in Li Muyang¡¯s arms, allowing him to be affectionate with her, their lips and teeth meeting. The once aloof fairy, now fallen to the mortal world, had eyes full of intense passion after becoming emotional. Her coquettish and alluring demeanor, appearing to be both rejecting and inviting, made Li Muyang¡¯s heart surge even more like a zombie. But the large-scale scenes that Li Muyang was... cough... dreading never appeared. The most intimate actions between them stopped at whispering sweet nothings and passionate kisses. Most of the time, the couple was respectful to each other. Li Muyang died several times, and after gradually getting used to this level of tactile sensation, he suddenly felt disappointed. ¡°Is this all there is to the sweet married life in this Fairy Liuli¡¯s illusion?¡± Li Muyang suddenly felt speechless. Or was it that Fairy Liulo strongly resisted that kind of thing? Considering her previous cold indifference and the divine couple-like married life in her fantasy, it wasn¡¯t surprising. Perhaps this fairy¡¯s tastes and preferences were more pure and elegant, detached from the base interests and desires of mortals. Understandable. But although understandable, being with such a charming and beautiful woman without being able to... How is that any different from being in prison!? Once he realized this, Li Muyang looked at the charming fairy in the illusion and suddenly became calm. When he entered the game again, his heart was no longer in turmoil, his sword was steady, and he was almost unaffected by the illusion. Even the sword spirit was surprised by his iron-willed heart. ¡°...Such a resolute spirit and will; completely indifferent to such disturbances?¡± Li Muyang smiled and charged directly at the heart demon in front of him. He ignored the sword spirit¡¯s astonishment. As for the illusions beside him, he no longer paid them any attention, only wishing to quickly defeat the heart demon and clear the game. In the world of illusions, Chu Qingxue and her husband Li Muyang were sweetly in love, a harmonious couple. They sometimes traveled together, sometimes walked side by side, discussing Tao on the mountains or meditating in the clouds. Until one sunny afternoon, as the white-clad fairy danced with her sword alongside her husband, her sword suddenly trembled and fell to the ground. The fairy frowned slightly, clutching her stomach. Her husband rushed over anxiously: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± At that moment, the bright sunshine fell on the fairy¡¯s face. She shyly lowered her head, her cheeks blushing red. ¡°I...¡± The fairy shyly glanced at her husband, and as their eyes met, she quickly looked away like a startled little bird. In the world of illusions, the fairy¡¯s bashful whisper could be heard. ¡°Who told you to keep kissing me...¡± ¡°I¡¯m pregnant with your child now.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± The moment Fairy Liuli¡¯s shy words rang out, Li Muyang, who was not far away, couldn¡¯t hold back, and his swordplay revealed a huge flaw like never before. The heart demon struck with a sword, and Li Muyang opened his eyes in the private room of the tavern. ¡°There¡¯s no way... Haha... Hahaha...¡± ¡°Hahahahaha...¡± Having failed the game and bounced back to reality, Li Muyang didn¡¯t even have time to review the battle that had just occurred. The first thing he did upon opening his eyes was to hold his stomach and burst into thunderous laughter. He was nearly in stitches from laughing so hard. ¡°Hahaha... getting pregnant from a kiss...¡± This is just too much! At this moment, he finally understood. No wonder there were no more explicit illusions. It turned out that in the eyes of the aloof fairy, a kiss was already the most intimate interaction that could result in pregnancy. He had thought of many possibilities, but he had never guessed this one. This aloof and emotionless Fairy Liuli, with her innately simple and naive character, was even more amusing and adorable than he had imagined. Li Muyang laughed until tears came out, finally managing to sit up after a long while, his expression still a mix of laughter and disbelief. The image of the aloof and emotionless fairy completely collapsed in his heart. This wasn¡¯t an aloof fairy at all but a silly girl who never touched worldly affairs! Too funny. Chapter 254 Inside the private room of the tavern, Li Muyang, who had laughed for a while, stood up. Seeing that it was already late, he didn¡¯t linger and walked straight out of the tavern, leaving under the fearful and wary gaze of the tavern keeper, and entered the nearby city lord¡¯s mansion. The city lord¡¯s mansion had now become the official office of the Blood Lotus Sect. Many of the sect¡¯s affairs were handled here. However, with the end of the war, the Blood Lotus Sect no longer had as many affairs to deal with. The members of the Blood Lotus Sect within the city lord¡¯s mansion were mostly relaxed and idle. Everyone Li Muyang encountered along the way hurriedly paid their respects. Li Muyang of the Hall of Enforcement was now infamous within the Blood Lotus Sect. It was unclear what the sect members said behind his back, but on the surface, they were all trembling with fear, not daring to act out of line in front of Li Muyang, for fear of attracting the attention of this Living King Yama. Li Muyang went straight back to his residence and instructed the maids to prepare a medicinal bath. Then, lying in the warm medicinal bath, he let out a comfortable sigh and closed his eyes. Game With the Fairies, start! Li Muyang reloaded the game and entered once more. This time, facing Chu Qingxue¡¯s heart demon, Li Muyang was even more at ease. The kind of explicit scenes he was most worried about did not appear in the world of illusions. This meant that the most disturbance Li Muyang would face was just a kiss or a hug. Now accustomed to this level of intimacy, Li Muyang was almost unaffected. Facing the heart demon¡¯s attacks, he fought back effortlessly, constantly landing heavy blows on the heart demon. Although this heart demon, modeled after him, was indeed tough and had a keen sense of battle, making it a headache for him, Li Muyang had an advantage that the heart demon incarnation did not: the ability to reload saves. Through trial and error with repeated saves, Li Muyang kept inflicting damage on the heart demon. After each hit, he decisively saved his progress. With this method of infinite saves, Li Muyang gradually whittled down the heart demon¡¯s health bar. Eventually, two-thirds of the heart demon¡¯s health bar was depleted, leaving only one-third remaining. When the heart demon¡¯s health bar reached a critical value, the heart demon, which had been relentlessly attacking Li Muyang, finally retreated. It stood in the void with its flying sword, looking at Li Muyang with a fierce gaze, and roared. ¡°I admit, you are stronger now!¡± The next second, the heart demon howled in rage and entered the second phase. But it did not transform into a terrifying monster, nor did it use more powerful divine abilities. This boss exploded with a howl, turning into countless wisps of black smoke that dissipated within the world of heart images. Li Muyang was stunned by this scene. The expressionless sword spirit explained: ¡°You have breached the heart demon¡¯s outermost defenses and successfully entered the deepest part of Chu Qingxue¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°The heart demon has become extremely weak and dares not confront you directly anymore.¡± ¡°The final test is coming. The heart demon will disguise itself as anything or anyone within this world of heart images and will attempt to ambush you when you are off guard...¡± After the sword spirit finished explaining, Li Muyang suddenly felt a fragrant breeze hit his face. Then, he was firmly embraced by a slender and graceful female figure. ¡°Husband~~¡± A sweet, cooing call rang in my ears. This time, it wasn¡¯t a matter of how strong the immersion was. It was that in Li Muyang¡¯s arms, there truly was another person¡ª¡ªChu Qingxue, clad in flowing white robes. She joyfully pressed her face against Li Muyang¡¯s chest, coquettishly nuzzling him like a little animal. Li Muyang looked down to find that his own clothes had changed. He had actually entered a world of illusion, replacing the husband that Chu Qingxue had conjured up in her fantasies, and was now truly embracing this delicate fairy. Outside the thatched cottage ahead, a little boy waving a wooden sword ran towards him with joy. ¡°Daddy,¡± the little boy ran happily. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Li Muyang was momentarily stunned by this warm scene. An inexplicable feeling surged in his heart. It seemed that at this moment, he was truly married to Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue, had lived in seclusion for many years, and even had children. Looking at the little boy running happily in the sunset, a wave of affection washed over him. The Sword Spirit reminded him from the side: ¡°Be careful of the inner demons!¡± ¡°Besides Chu Qingxue, anyone in this world of inner demons could be a disguise!¡± As soon as the Sword Spirit finished speaking, the happy face of the little boy running towards Li Muyang twisted into a sinister smile. ¡°Daddy!¡± The wooden sword in the little boy¡¯s hand suddenly transformed into a sharp, venomous spike, viciously thrusting towards Li Muyang. Li Muyang was startled by this sudden turn of events. One second it was a scene of fatherly love, the next it turned into a patricide plot? He hurriedly dodged, taking Chu Qingxue with him to avoid the sharp spike, but just as he was about to counterattack, the little boy holding the spike had already vanished from sight. The inner demon disappeared immediately after a missed strike, not giving Li Muyang a chance to retaliate. ¡°Alright, alright, so it¡¯s the Way of Oblivion, huh?¡± Li Muyang said, understanding the attacker¡¯s pattern after seeing the inner demon disappear in an instant. Disguising as someone else to approach and attack was indeed a tricky and hard-to-defend tactic. But Li Muyang was not afraid. He simply reloaded the scene and returned to the plot. ¡°Daddy!¡± The little boy waving the wooden sword ran happily towards him again. Li Muyang, holding Chu Qingxue in his arms, faced the little boy with tender eyes and a smile. He beckoned to the little boy as if he hadn¡¯t noticed any danger, his demeanor gentle. But the moment the happy little boy reached him, before the boy could show any murderous intent, Li Muyang swiftly drew the immortal sword from the back of his wife in his arms and slashed down. Thud¡ª¡ª The sound of a head hitting the ground echoed in front of the cottage. The smiling little boy¡¯s head rolled to the side, and his headless body, still carrying momentum, took a couple more steps before collapsing in front of Li Muyang and his wife. Chu Qingxue in Li Muyang¡¯s arms was stunned by this scene, her eyes widening in horror. But before she could speak, the little boy¡¯s corpse on the ground suddenly emitted a cloud of black smoke. The smoke screamed and howled before burrowing into the ground and disappearing. The moment the black smoke vanished, Li Muyang saw that the inner demon¡¯s health bar had decreased. Chu Qingxue, bewildered by all this, looked up at Li Muyang: ¡°Husband?¡± Confusion filled her eyes. Li Muyang sighed and looking into her eyes, said, ¡°Fairy Chu, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡± ¡°This is your world of inner demons! It¡¯s all an illusion, not real!¡± Li Muyang tried to awaken the fairy trapped by the inner demon with his words. But to Chu Qingxue, his words seemed to convey a different message. ¡°A world in chaos due to evil demons?¡± Chu Qingxue, surprised, grabbed Li Muyang¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Husband, do not panic! Even if the world is in chaos due to evil demons, with my master, Master Qingye, we have nothing to fear.¡± ¡°I will take you back to Mystic Sword Sect and ask my master to slay the evil demons!¡± Chapter 260 The Blood Lotus Sect was able to grow and strengthen thanks to the miracle of the Four Directions Cauldron, which could resurrect its followers from death. This was the core competitive advantage of the Blood Lotus Sect. However, the resurrection of the followers by the Four Directions Cauldron depended on the infant spirit Shen Miao trapped within. This little girl was sacrificed by her father to the Four Directions Cauldron right after birth, trapped inside, cut off from the world. She was even subjected to some kind of spell that made her forever optimistic and happy, serving the Blood Lotus Sect without regret. But now, as a spiritual energy storm sweeps through the world, Shen Miao inside the Four Directions Cauldron has begun to show signs of life. She even actively sought help from Li Muyang. If he could take this little girl out of the Four Directions Cauldron, then the spiritless Four Directions Cauldron would no longer be able to activate its power, and the miracle of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s followers being resurrected from death would no longer be displayed. The strongest reliance of the Blood Lotus Sect would completely disappear! Thinking of this, Li Muyang no longer hesitated and directly accepted Shen Miao¡¯s commission. The next second, a system loading bar popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾Commission from the infant spirit accepted¡¿ ¡¾Fun game ¡°Endless Evolution¡± is upgrading...¡¿ ¡¾1%¡ª¡ª3.7%¡ª¡ª6.2%¡¿ The progress bar in his field of vision loaded rapidly. This was the fastest Li Muyang had ever loaded a new game. In less than three minutes, the new game was successfully loaded. The moment the progress bar finished loading, Li Muyang¡¯s vision went dark as he was forcibly ejected from the game ¡°Endless Evolution¡± and returned to the system¡¯s main interface. A vast scroll unfolded in his vision, with the list of system games in the upper left corner. ¡¶Beginner Tutorial¨CMystery of Loushan City¡·(Closed) ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·(4/5) ¡¶Three Kingdoms: Demon Subduing Record¡·(Closed) ¡¶Legend of Sword and Fairy¡·(Closed) ¡¶The Call of the Mountains¡·(Closed) ¡¶Endless Evolution¡·(Closed) ¡¶The Fall of the Fairy¡·(Closed) ¡¶The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡·(New) The original fun game ¡°Endless Evolution¡± was closed and replaced by the new game ¡°The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning.¡± Li Muyang selected the new game and entered ¡°The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning.¡± The familiar scroll unfolded in his vision, with endless ink flowing across it. But this time, as the ink flowed on the scroll, there was the clear sound of splashing water. Finally, amidst the sound of water, the ink converged into the image of a crying baby in a red swaddle. The baby¡¯s cries echoed through the scroll. Mixed with the cries was a man¡¯s deep voiceover. ¡°...Born as twins, yin and yang together, my lady, this is a gift from the heavens to our sect.¡± The next second, the ink on the scroll shifted. The baby in the red swaddle was surrounded by flames, burning, and against the black and white background, the red swaddle and the fiercely dancing flames were strikingly vivid. The baby cried out in pain as the flames licked her greedily and madly. The man¡¯s deep voiceover continued. ¡°...Sacrifice my blood, offer my lineage.¡± ¡°May my daughter enjoy eternal joy, free from pain in this life!¡± The flames suddenly exploded, burning everything on the scroll to ashes. The black and white ink flowed on the blank scroll, and the blood-stained infant lay confused and alone in the deserted city, her chubby little hands instinctively crawling forward. ¡°Wah! Wah! Wah!¡± (Crying sfx) The child¡¯s cries echoed in the silent, deserted ghost city. No response came from the fog-enshrouded ghost city. The ink on the scroll continued to flow, and the baby in the ghost city grew rapidly. She learned to walk, to speak, to see the scenes of the mortal world. ¡°Sister!¡± ¡°Father!¡± The happy infant spirit clapped her hands and called out to the two people in her vision, but the two people she saw were completely unaware. The ink kept flowing, and the blood-stained infant spirit grew taller, her smile becoming more and more joyful. She spun around the city and flew through the shadows alone. Until she heard some noise outside the city and leaped onto the city wall, she was surprised to see a huge, ferocious creature emerging from the sinister fog outside. The jade-like slender body appeared like a mountain in the sinister fog. The thick fog surged, even disturbed by the massive creature. The giant mantis head, larger than the city towers, loomed in and out of the fog. The creature looked down from above at the girl on the city wall, who seemed incredibly small in contrast. But on the girl¡¯s face was a happy smile. ¡°Brother-in-law!¡± She looked up happily, staring straight at the terrifying giant creature. Behind the huge and fierce mantis, in the void, one could vaguely see a rugged face appearing in the sky, its eyes half-closed, as if a god from beyond was looking down upon this broken land. The opening CG scene froze at this moment. The face in the sky with half-closed eyes, and next to it, clear black and white subtitles emerged. ¡¾The holy fire rages, consuming all things¡¿ ¡¾Blood Sacrifice of My Blood, Yin and Yang Born Together¡¿ ¡¾Twin sisters born into the world, bound by a special bloodline, were seen as a gift from heaven by their father¡¿ ¡¾As soon as they were born, they were separated for eternity¡¿ ¡¾One¡¯s blood sacrifice within the cauldron can awaken the divine might of the immortal artifact¡¿ ¡¾The other, born alongside the world, can eternally solidify the spirit and soul of the infant spirit¡¿ ¡¾The bond of blood kinship, yet it becomes the most terrifying shackle¡¿ ¡¾However, at a certain moment, the infant spirit suddenly felt alive¡¿ ¡¾She grew tired of this enslaved, monotonous, and lonely life; she wanted to leave this cage, to escape to the outside world¡¿ ¡¾Even if the outside world was a dangerous and broken realm of ghosts and monsters, she was willing to risk it...¡¿ The opening CG that emerged in the field of view, along with the revealed information, left Li Muyang slightly stunned. This opening CG... is getting cooler and cooler! Last time, there was only background music, but this time, they even produced a CG animation explaining the backstory. Although he could roughly imagine her life from Shen Miao¡¯s narration, the moment this lonely and desperate life experience turned into an opening CG and appeared before his eyes, Li Muyang was deeply shocked. Especially that scene in the empty ghost city, where a baby was crying out for its parents while crawling through the fog... Li Muyang admitted he was shaken. ¨CThis is... kind of tragic! Shen Miao¡¯s father is simply a damn scumbag! The overly cool opening CG brought a huge emotional impact. Li Muyang slumped in the lounge chair, taking a while to recover from the shock of the opening CG. But he couldn¡¯t help cursing. ¡°Damn, what a scumbag!¡± He took a deep breath and entered the game. The next second, the immense ghost city appeared in his field of vision. The colossal Emerald Blade Mantis stood like a mountain outside the ghost city, with a girl on the city walls looking up at him. The new game ¡¶The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡· officially begins! Chapter 255 - The Deeply Ashamed Chu Fairy Chapter 255: The Deeply Ashamed Chu Fairy Fairy Liuli held onto Li Muyang¡¯s arm, speaking earnestly. ¡°My master, Master Qingye, is invincible in this world. Even if the evil demons descend, he can slay them!¡± She pulled Li Muyang, intending to return to her sect. Li Muyang was somewhat speechless. Chu Qingxue, trapped by the inner demon, automatically filtered out the key information that Li Muyang was saying. This cut off the possibility of communication between them. Realizing this, Li Muyang no longer resisted. He followed Chu Qingxue on their journey, the couple taking their son and daughter with them, and then they all flew towards the direction of the Mystic Sword Sect¡¯s gate. The pace of the plot in the illusionary world was faster than any game Li Muyang had played. He had just taken off with Fairy Liuli on the sword, and in the next second, they had already crossed the vast land and landed in a mountain full of spiritual energy. This was where the gate of the Mystic Sword Sect was located. Chu Qingxue hurriedly led him and their children through the gate, seeking an audience with her master. However, Chu Qingxue¡¯s senior brothers said that the master had gone down the mountain to wander and had not returned for two years. Li Muyang, playing the role of Fairy Chu¡¯s husband, stood by nonchalantly, admiring the scenery of the Mystic Sword Sect¡¯s gate and the disciples of the Mystic Sword Sect. Indeed, as Chu Qingxue said, Master Qingye¡¯s disciples were all talented cultivators with extraordinary gifts. Although there were only a few dozen people in the Mystic Sword Sect, the average person was at the Purple Mansion level, with only two or three at the Divine Travel Realm. It was hard to imagine that a sect could have so many powerful experts at the same time. On the continent where Li Muyang was from, even the Demon Refining Sect, the strongest in terms of demonic power, did not have Purple Mansion elders in every position. If the Mystic Sword Sect of this continent were to come out in full force, they could definitely sweep any sect on the opposite continent. Li Muyang toured the Mystic Sword Sect¡¯s gate like a tourist, meeting each of these Mystic Sword Sect disciples. During these encounters, he faced several inner demon attacks. However, with the power of reloading, Li Muyang was able to easily repel each sneak attack by the inner demon. The cunning and elusive inner demon attacked Li Muyang time and again, only to be effortlessly defeated each time, its health bar depleting with every blow. During the struggle against the inner demon, the bond between Chu Qingxue and Li Muyang seemed to grow stronger. Amidst the chaos of the demonic world, Chu fairy would often curl up in Li Muyang¡¯s arms, engaging in quiet conversation with him. Ultimately, Li Muyang didn¡¯t wait for the return of the invincible Master Qingye to the sect. Relying on his ability to reset the game, he thwarted all the sneak attacks of the inner demon. No matter how cunningly the traps were laid out or how ingeniously the ambushes were designed, they were all rendered ineffective in the face of Li Muyang, who possessed the ability to reset. When Li Muyang finally defeated the inner demon, emptying its health bar, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh of relief. He wasn¡¯t tired; it was just that there was too much wasted time. He had spent the entire night battling the inner demon in the game. It wasn¡¯t until the first light of dawn fell upon Tianjiao City that Li Muyang successfully vanquished the inner demon. Inside the world of the heart, as the inner demon was defeated and dissipated into countless wisps of black smoke with agonizing screams, Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue, who had been curled up in Li Muyang¡¯s embrace, was taken aback. The demise of the inner demon finally brought her back to her senses. Chu Qingxue looked around at the crumbling landscape of the heart and then at Li Muyang, who was holding her, quickly understanding her situation. Upon seeing the intimate embrace she shared with Li Muyang, Fairy Liuli¡¯s face turned red in an instant. ¡°L... Lord Wuming?!¡± she asked with a trembling voice as she looked at the man¡¯s profile close to her. Li Muyang, seeing Fairy Liuli awake, coughed and politely let go of her. ¡°Uh... it¡¯s me,¡± he said earnestly. ¡°The things that happen in the world of the inner demon should not be taken seriously. Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s intention was to give Chu fairy a way out, so she wouldn¡¯t overthink it. However, Chu Qingxue covered her face after he finished speaking, trembling with embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t... don¡¯t say anymore...¡± Chu Qingxue felt her face burning hotly. Her heart pounded as if it were about to explode, as if trying to leap out and escape. All the scenes from the world of the inner demon surged in her mind. She and Lord Wuming were in love, sweet and clingy, acting like a shy little woman, sharing sweet moments with Lord Wuming, even conceiving children, having a son and a daughter... The memories of the inner demon¡¯s world were as sweet as they were embarrassing now that she was awake. Why would she fantasize and look forward to those things? And it was bad enough that she shamelessly fantasized about them, but now Lord Wuming had seen and knew about these delusions... Ahhh, the embarrassment was too much for Chu Qingxue to bear at this moment. Her entire body trembled, and her skin flushed with a rosy hue. She was so mortified she wanted to faint or even die on the spot. What was the difference between being saved like this and being dead? How could she ever face Lord Wuming again? Inside the governor¡¯s mansion in Sanhe City, as the inner demon perished and the world of the heart shattered, Fairy Liuli, who was cold and in the midst of a sword domain, shuddered. The next instant, Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue¡¯s spirit returned to its rightful place. She regained control of her body and saw the two people in the courtyard: a zombie and a first-rank sorcerer from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau... Seeing this scene, Chu Qingxue blinked. Her gaze fell on the zombie. ¡°...Lord Wuming?¡± she asked with a trembling voice. A faint blush silently appeared on her cool cheeks. Beneath her white fairy clothes, the sound of her heartbeat became intense. Li Muyang, controlling the zombie¡¯s body, saw that the instance had ended and he had returned to the governor¡¯s mansion. He coughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s me. I sensed that Chu fairy was in danger and came to rescue you. But due to the urgency, I could only send a wisp of my spirit and borrowed a nearby corpse to move around, unable to use any divine powers. Once this matter is settled, this corpse and the wisp of my spirit will dissipate and won¡¯t be able to return to my main body.¡± ¡°Fairy, you need not worry. Whatever happened here, my main body will not know.¡± Li Muyang was spouting nonsense. Demon-Suppressing Master Shan Xiaolian looked at him strangely, not understanding why Li Muyang suddenly said this. But after Li Muyang finished speaking, Chu Qingxue in the house showed a hint of joy. ¡°Really? Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true,¡± Li Muyang¡¯s gaze was as firm as if he were about to swear an oath. He looked at Chu Qingxue and said, ¡°Since fairy you have escaped the torment of the inner demon, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. This temporary body I borrowed has exhausted all its strength...¡± Li Muyang continued to ramble on. In his field of vision, the game completion options appeared. ¡¾Limited-time game ¡¶The Fall of the Fairy¡· has been cleared. Would you like to claim your settlement reward?¡¿ Chapter 256 - Ascension to Immortality Chapter 256: Ascension to Immortality ¡¾Limited-time game ¨C The Fall of the Fairy has been cleared¡¿ ¡¾Fairy Liuli: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Inner Demon: Defeated¡¿ ¡¾Demonic Sorcerer: Not Eliminated¡¿ ¡¾A special three-day game with dangerous situations and a strange inner demon, yet you managed to overcome all dangers. You successfully navigated through peril using a zombie¡¯s body, constantly trying and failing, until you finally rescued Fairy Liuli trapped in dire straits, at least saving her body... Although the hidden dangers in the city-those demonic sorcerers-have not been eliminated, it is believed that with the wisdom of Shan Xiaolian from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, she will find a way to cleanse these evil spirits.¡¿ ¡¾Completion Rating: Passable¡¿ ¡¾Please claim your reward (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾Cultivation +1 (Foundation Establishment Late Stage ¡ú Golden Core Early Stage)¡¿ ¡¾Golden Cicada Pill x3 (Can slightly develop the potential of the Martial God Tyrant Body)¡¿ ¡¾Magical Orb x1 (Can obtain a random system item)¡¿ Seeing the settlement rewards that appeared in his field of vision, Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°I knew it, if those demonized sorcerers aren¡¯t dealt with completely, there will be consequences...¡± The rating for this game clearance was quite average, failing to achieve the perfect ending. If one desires the perfect ending, then in the mirror world of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, Li Muyang should have joined forces with Shan Xiaolian to clear out the demonized sorcerers within the mirror world and eliminate the group of Demon-Suppressing Masters tainted by evil entities. Only after exterminating the demonized sorcerers and then rescuing Chu Qingxue can one achieve the perfect ending. However, after careful consideration, Li Muyang gave up on this attempt. Firstly, there wasn¡¯t enough time left, with just over a day remaining. And his body was too weak this time. Although zombies could gain berserk time by devouring blood energy to enhance their attack power, but there were too many demonized sorcerers in the mirror world, and Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue had to be rescued before dawn. For a perfect ending, Li Muyang had to clear all the Demon-Suppressing Masters in one night and defeat the inner demons to rescue Fairy Liuli. The difficulty was too great, and with the remaining time, it was nearly impossible. If he had a month or two, Li Muyang might have given it a try, but not now. Since Fairy Liuli had already been rescued, Li Muyang chose to trust the Demon-Suppressing Masters of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to deal with the remaining demonized sorcerers. If all else failed, there were also the demonic cultivators from the Blood Demon Sect in Sanhe City. With the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s holy maiden in Sanhe City, he believed that the group of demonized sorcerers wouldn¡¯t be able to turn the tide. In the game, after Fairy Liuli regained her senses with the help of the sword spirit, she broke through the encirclement and escaped from Sanhe City, and Li Muyang ended the game. This sword spirit was a contingency plan set by Master Qingye, capable of awakening in critical moments to assist Chu Qingxue in unleashing the true power of the immortal sword. However, the first time Chu Qingxue activated the power of the immortal sword, she was disturbed by inner demons, causing her mind to fall into the illusion of the inner demons. Now that Li Muyang had helped her eliminate the inner demons, she regained consciousness, and with the assistance of the sword spirit, the people from the Blood Demon Sect would find it difficult to stop Chu Qingxue. Once Chu Qingxue safely escaped from Sanhe City, Li Muyang¡¯s game also came to a complete end. Looking at the rewards in front of him, he took a long breath and chose to claim them. This time, Li Muyang received cultivation. Compared to the reward of increasing his realm by +1, the other two rewards were passable. As Li Muyang claimed the cultivation, he opened his eyes in reality. The morning sunlight fell on him, and faint cries for mercy from prisoners could be heard from deep within the Hall of Enforcement. But the back hall where Li Muyang was located was silent. In this quietness, he clearly felt the changes in his body. A massive surge of spiritual power rose from within his dantian, continuously merging into the dazzling nebula spinning within Li Muyang¡¯s dantian. With his cultivation at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, the nebula in Li Muyang¡¯s dantian shone brightly, condensing many tiny star fragments. Now, as the spiritual power from the system reward poured in, the rotation speed of the nebula within the dantian suddenly accelerated. The twinkling star fragments in the nebula were constantly colliding and recombining. As the rotation speed of the nebula grew faster and faster, the star fragments collided and fused at high speed. Finally, the rotation speed of the nebula reached almost its limit, and countless sparks ignited from the collisions of the star fragments. These flames burned the impurities of the star fragments, refining the purest spiritual power. A vast amount of spiritual power converged within the nebula, absorbing all the stardust fragments, eventually forming a huge azure star that twinkled with a deep blue luster. The moment this azure star emerged, an immense and profound aura rose within Li Muyang, spreading throughout his body in the blink of an eye. In a daze, Li Muyang seemed to see the mountains and rivers, the grass and insects, and even the gods and ethereal palaces in the sky. These dreamlike scenes flickered rapidly before his eyes. He sat under the eaves, his soul seemingly drifting tens of thousands of li into space, overlooking the emerald planet suspended in the dark cosmos. Mists vast and boundless spread over the ocean, and the vast continent was shrouded in fog, isolated from all sides. Among the mists above the sea, one could vaguely see countless immortal mountains, heavenly palaces, and temples. Li Muyang¡¯s heart pounded violently. Is this... ascension? In legends, a cultivation genius with the stature of an immortal had a certain chance to ascend at the moment of reaching the Golden Core. After entering the state of ascension, the cultivator¡¯s soul would briefly transcend above all things, able to look down upon the world from beyond the heavens. I¡¯ve actually ascended at the moment of reaching the Golden Core, does this mean... I could become an immortal in the future? Even during the ancient times, the cultivators who achieved ascension were few and far between, a rare and immense blessing that would enhance the cultivator¡¯s understanding of the universe. I¡¯ve actually ascended... is it because of the Martial God Tyrant Body? The original Li Muyang was only an average figure on the path of cultivation. Yet, after changing to the Martial God Tyrant Body, he unexpectedly had the stature of an immortal and even triggered the fortune of ascension at the moment of reaching the Golden Core... Li Muyang was immersed in joy, standing in the void, looking down upon this world, feeling this special state of being detached from worldly affairs, his soul continuously nourished by the essence of the world, deepening his understanding of this universe. At this moment, a system prompt suddenly popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾Detection of an ascender¡¯s birth, world seal -1... Please return to your original body as soon as possible to deal with the upcoming spiritual energy storm¡¿ ¡¾Warning! World seal -1, a spiritual energy storm is forming!¡¿ The system¡¯s warning kept flashing in his vision, and Li Muyang took a moment to look down at the earth beneath his feet. Only then did he notice that this planet suspended in the dark cosmos was faintly enveloped by layers upon layers of light purple transparent membranes. These membranes, layer upon layer, seemed to seal the entire planet like seals. But now, with Li Muyang¡¯s soul ascending, it seemed he had broken through one of these membranes. On the land beneath his feet, the tangible vast spiritual energy was converging in the void, colliding, as if a huge storm was brewing... Chapter 257 - Next, I’m going to annihilate the Demon Refining Sect Chapter 257 Next, I¡¯m going to annihilate the Demon Refining Sect Master Qingye, who was sailing alone on a white jade boat through the misty Sea of Mist, suddenly looked up as if sensing something. ¡°An ascender?!¡± Master Qingye looked up in surprise, trying to peer through the layers of mist that obscured the sky, as if he wanted to see beyond the haze. ¡°In this broken world, there¡¯s still an ascender being born?!¡± Although the Sea of Mist was covered in fog, the turbulence in the world at the moment of the ascender¡¯s birth could not be concealed from a great cultivator like him. Feeling the gradually rising spiritual energy of heaven and earth after the birth of the ascender, Master Qingye sighed. ¡°The arrival of an ascender in this perilous end of days... I wonder if it¡¯s a blessing or a curse...¡± At this moment, Master Qingye clearly felt that the cultivation realm that had shackled him for a long time had broken. On the Sea of Mist, Master Qingye¡¯s expression was complex. But the vast spiritual energy swirled around him, circling. When he closed his eyes and reopened them, he had broken through to the Purple Mansion realm. Master Qingye, in this instant, stepped into the realm above the legendary Purple Mansion, the Eternal Heaven realm! His aura soared rapidly, and the vast spiritual energy poured into his body like a flood entering the ocean, unceasingly. The scale of the spiritual energy¡¯s movement was so vast that it even disturbed the mist for thousands of li around. A blank expanse spanning thousands of li briefly appeared above the Sea of Mist, shrouded in clouds. When the mist surged back into this empty region, Master Qingye on the white jade solitary boat had his breath restored to normal. However, when he opened his eyes, there seemed to be a profound and mysterious change in his gaze. In a moment, he broke through the Purple Mansion realm, reached the Eternal Heaven realm, and in an extremely short time, once again arrived at the pinnacle of cultivation in this world. He vaguely saw the last realm just below that of the immortals¡ªthe Primordial Realm. Unfortunately, the shackles of the world tightly restricted him, preventing him from advancing even half a step further. Similar breakthroughs in cultivation were continuously unfolding in every corner of this world. Many powerful beings, once constrained by the Purple Mansion realm, felt the opportunity for a breakthrough. Although they could not break through instantly like Master Qingye, the chance for cultivation breakthroughs still excited these top cultivators of the current era. A vast spiritual energy storm surged toward this world like a raging tide, reaching every corner of the world in an extremely short time. ...... Inside the Ancient Grudge Well, the wandering ancient gods slightly tilted their heads in a uniform motion, looking towards the direction from which the spiritual energy storm was sweeping. ...... In the shattered underworld palace, the buried emerald mantis seemed to shiver. Its newly evolved, jade-like exoskeleton appeared to have been enhanced. Atop the netherworld, within the ghost city of the Four Directions Cauldron, the beast spirit sleeping in the phantom of the great cauldron at the center of the ghost city sneezed subconsciously upon smelling the surge of spiritual energy in the air, then turned over in its sleep. ...... In Tianjiao City, the moment Li Muyang¡¯s soul returned to his body, he felt the violent spiritual energy sweeping across the world like a flood. The vast and majestic tide of spiritual energy washed over everything in the world. Even on the land of the Blood Lotus Sect, where spiritual energy was sealed, the tide of spiritual energy was unaffected, and the power of the Four Directions Cauldron to seal spiritual energy temporarily disappeared. Li Muyang clearly felt his lost cultivation returning! Moreover, the violent spiritual energy continued to pour into his body without end. Inside his Golden Core¡¯s Qi Sea Dantian, the nebula spun wildly, generating a tremendous suction force, constantly absorbing the vast spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The azure star burning within his dantian grew brighter and brighter as more and more spiritual energy flowed in! The flood of spiritual energy lasted for a full quarter of an hour. Li Muyang, who was in Tianjiao City, freely absorbed the surging spiritual energy of the world. The star spinning in his dantian was covered in dazzling blue flames. He had successfully ignited the entire star, a sign of the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. Li Muyang had just broken through to the Golden Core realm and now, thanks to the revival of the spiritual energy in this world, he had successfully advanced to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm! Feeling the burning blue flames of the star within him and the refined spiritual power flowing into his limbs, Li Muyang took a deep breath, his expression one of surprise. ¡°...Could it be that an ascender could break the world¡¯s seal?¡± There seemed to be layer upon layer of strange seals on this planet. Clearly, it was these seals that shackled the cultivators of this world, depriving them of eternal life. Li Muyang shook his head regretfully as he recalled the scene he witnessed during his ascension. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the arrival of the spiritual energy storm that allowed me to return early, perhaps I could have seen what was happening on the side of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty.¡± Li Muyang was curious about what the state of the ancient gods hiding in the Ancient Grudge Well would be like if he had observed the Heavenly Origin Dynasty while in an ascended state. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, the ancient gods of the Ancient Grudge Well were the most dangerous things in this world. To live a peaceful life, he would have to find a way to eliminate that group of ancient gods. As he pondered this, the system suddenly sent a prompt. The long-silent chat group had someone speaking. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: An ascender has been born! He has broken through a layer of the seal, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth has revived!¡¿ Seeing the message from Dangerous Star I, Li Muyang raised an eyebrow. The Purple Mansion powerhouses in the chat group had something to say. They actually knew what had happened. If he weren¡¯t the person involved, he would never have guessed the reason for the revival of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. After Dangerous Star I spoke, others also chimed in. ¡¾Heart Star VI: I can feel that my cultivation has improved a little... Unfortunately, not by much, perhaps my aptitude is still too poor.¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: The stronger the physique and talent, the greater the benefits from this revival of spiritual energy. We are all at the Purple Mansion stage, so it¡¯s very difficult to continue advancing.¡¿ ¡¾Big Dipper Star IX: After this spiritual energy storm, there will be even more cultivators in this world.¡¿ ¡¾Well Wood Prison: Among the demons, many ancient bloodlines that have been dormant for years may also awaken.¡¿ ¡¾Dangerous Star I: The past constraints of heaven and earth were too strong, and those ancient bloodlines were tightly restricted. This loosening of the seal finally gives those ancient bloodlines a chance to breathe and emerge.¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Hehe... Maybe in the future, we can see a genuine True Dragon bloodline, not those impostor flood dragons pretending to be True Dragons.¡¿ The members of the chat group were chatting enthusiastically. This sudden revival of spiritual energy had truly shocked everyone in this world. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Speaking of which, where¡¯s Everlasting North Star? Why isn¡¯t he here?¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: That guy is probably in seclusion again... Always in seclusion to heal, who knows if he¡¯s still alive.¡¿ At this moment in the chat group, only Li Muyang and Everlasting North Star were lurking. But just after Ghost Star VII finished speaking, Everlasting North Star¡¯s avatar lit up. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: I¡¯ve broken through to the Eternal Heaven Realm.¡¿ As soon as he came online, Everlasting North Star dropped a bombshell. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Next, I¡¯m going to annihilate the Demon Refining Sect... Anyone want to join me?¡¿ Chapter 258 - The Thing Inside the Demon Refining Sect’s Mountain Gate Chapter 258: The Thing Inside the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Mountain Gate ¡¾Everlasting North Star: I¡¯ve broken through to the Eternal Heaven Realm.¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Next, I¡¯m going to annihilate the Demon Refining Sect... Anyone want to join me?¡¿ The bombshell dropped by Everlasting North Star upon logging in left Li Muyang, who was lurking, completely dumbfounded. A breakthrough to the Eternal Heaven Realm? So quickly? Although the seals of heaven and earth had loosened, it wasn¡¯t common for someone to break through so fast. Even at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm, after sensing the opportunity to break through due to the loosening of the seals, it would take at least ten days to half a month of preparation, and it wasn¡¯t guaranteed to be successful, right? Yet Everlasting North Star had reached the Eternal Heaven Realm in the blink of an eye... Outrageous. Moreover, what does your breakthrough to the Eternal Heaven Realm have to do with wanting to annihilate the Demonic Sect? What grudge or grievance is there? Li Muyang was somewhat confused and also a bit panicked. An Eternal Heaven Realm cultivator! Apart from the invincible Master Qingye, it was very likely that the only other living Eternal Heaven Realm cultivator on this planet was this mysterious and unpredictable Everlasting North Star. For the Demon Refining Sect, when almost everyone else was still trapped in the Purple Mansion realm, an Eternal Heaven Realm cultivator showing up at their door would be an absolute disaster. Although Everlasting North Star had previously mentioned wanting to kill Gong Yanghong and had a grudge against the Demonic Sect¡¯s sect leader, he had only talked about killing Gong Yanghong. Li Muyang hesitated before tentatively asking a question. ¡¾Blue Star III: Boss North Star, are you planning to annihilate the entire Demon Refining Sect? How confident are you?¡¿ The Demon Refining Sect, after all, is the overlord of the demonic path, and with Yan Xiaoru¡¯s ascension to the Purple Mansion, the sect now boasts as many as ten Purple Mansion experts. In addition to the sect¡¯s years of heritage, various high-grade spiritual weapons, high-grade talismans, and a large number of Golden Core and Cave Profound disciples. Taking on the Demon Refining Sect single-handedly and aiming to annihilate them... this difficulty is not on the same level as killing the Demonic Sect¡¯s leader, Gong Yanghong. Li Muyang was trying to draw out the bottom line of this Everlasting North Star. After Li Muyang spoke up, the others in the group were surprised. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Oh? Blue Star III? You¡¯re still alive?¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Blue Star III, you said last time you were going to scout the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s territory... hehe... how did it go? We thought you were dead since you¡¯ve been silent for so long¡¿ ¡¾Well Wood Prison: Blue Star III, are you still near Tianjiao City? Our promise still stands. If you can sever the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins, and severely damage the Four Directions Cauldron with the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, we all owe you a favor¡¿ The members of the chat group had once made such a deal. As long as Li Muyang was willing to risk himself to break the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins and use the Startling Swan Immortal Sword to severely damage the Four Directions Cauldron, they would owe him a favor. But after much consideration, Li Muyang gave up. To do such a thing, at least one must have a cultivation level at the Purple Mansion. Li Muyang did not have such cultivation and was unwilling to expose his true identity. Now that the matter was brought up again, Li Muyang brushed it off. ¡¾Blue Star III: Let¡¯s discuss this matter another time¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: Boss North Star, about the matter of annihilating the entire Demonic Sect... do you have any plans or strategies?¡¿ Li Muyang showed great interest in this matter. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Oh? Boss Blue Star, are you interested? If you are willing to lend me a hand, whether successful or not, I can promise you one favor that does not go against morality¡¿ Everlasting North Star was always friendly towards Li Muyang, the mysterious newcomer. He even mimicked Li Muyang¡¯s way of speaking. Seeing such generous terms, Li Muyang raised his eyebrows slightly. This Everlasting North Star... was very determined to eliminate the Demon Refining Sect. At least very determined to kill Gong Yanghong. ¡¾Blue Star III: I¡¯m curious, didn¡¯t you only want to kill Gong Yanghong before? Why have you now decided to annihilate the entire Demonic Sect?¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: The difficulty of annihilating the entire Demonic Sect is much higher than just killing a Demonic Sect leader¡¿ After Li Muyang finished speaking, before Everlasting North Star could respond, that overly familiar Ghost Star VII started chuckling. ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Hehe... Blue Star III, this guy, never does business without assurance¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: We entrusted him to destroy the Four Directions Cauldron, but he didn¡¯t go because he wasn¡¯t sure. Now Everlasting North Star invites him to join, and he¡¯s also making excuses... this kid is not reliable!¡¿ Li Muyang rolled his eyes at Ghost Star VII¡¯s words. This Ghost Star VII was too subjective in his judgment. Could online chat groups and offline interactions be the same? However, this misjudgment by Ghost Star VII served well to hide Li Muyang¡¯s identity. It made it even less likely for the group to consider the possibility that he, Blue Star III, was actually a disciple of the Demonic Sect. After Ghost Star VII spoke, Everlasting North Star, clearly wanting to gain Li Muyang¡¯s support, immediately said. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Indeed, as Blue Star Boss said, the difficulty of annihilating the entire Demonic Sect is great¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: But now that the heavenly seal has broken, allowing me to break through to the Eternal Heaven Realm so quickly, this is an excellent opportunity¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: As long as Blue Star Boss is willing to assist me, plus our two immortal weapons, the probability of success is at least seventy percent!¡¿ Everlasting North Star was full of confidence. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: I have been preparing for this for many years, and I am fully prepared! It¡¯s not a spur-of-the-moment decision.¡¿ He was still trying to gain Li Muyang¡¯s support. But Li Muyang keenly noticed the key point in these words. ¡¾Blue Star III: We... the two of us?¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: What about the others? Aren¡¯t they helping?¡¿ Li Muyang was somewhat puzzled. Wasn¡¯t this chat group a mysterious organization that helped each other? Why, when Everlasting North Star was about to embark on such an important mission of revenge, were the others unwilling to help? After Li Muyang spoke, the chat group fell silent for a while. His question led to an awkward silence in the chat group. After a long pause, the usually reticent Well Wood Prison broke the silence. ¡¾Well Wood Prison: Everlasting North Star has suffered severe injuries and is trapped in seclusion, unable to move. If he leaves his place of seclusion to seek revenge on the Demon Refining Sect, he will have to burn his soul every moment he is outside to maintain his existence¡¿ ¡¾Well Wood Prison: Even if he succeeds in his revenge, he will perish¡¿ ¡¾Well Wood Prison: That¡¯s why none of us will help him, and even if you do, the success rate is not as high as he claims¡¿ ¡¾Well Wood Prison: There is that thing within the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gates, and even if Everlasting North Star has truly reached the Eternal Heaven Realm, the success rate of you two working together would not exceed thirty percent¡¿ Well Wood Prison succinctly explained the reasons. Li Muyang instantly understood. The reason these mysterious Purple Mansion experts did not agree to Everlasting North Star¡¯s invitation was a form of protective discouragement. As long as everyone was unwilling to help, Everlasting North Star would not be able to enter the world to seek revenge and thus would not perish. It was a protective form of dissuasion. If Li Muyang agreed to help Everlasting North Star here and joined him in seeking revenge... tsk... Although he could gain the friendship of Everlasting North Star, he would also offend the others. ¡¾Blue Star III: It seems I cannot help either. North Star Boss, why don¡¯t you wait a bit longer, heal your injuries first before considering it¡¿ Chapter 259 - Brother-in-law, I’m Very Angry Chapter 259: Brother-in-law, I¡¯m Very Angry Well Wood Prison¡¯s words, besides explaining the reasons, also subtly warned Li Muyang not to help Everlasting North Star. Well Wood Prison¡¯s so-called success rate of less than thirty percent might not be accurate. But the other people in the chat group definitely did not want Li Muyang to help Everlasting North Star. Fortunately, Li Muyang had no intention of helping in the first place. He was just fishing for information. Now that he knew Everlasting North Star did not have the strength to annihilate the entire Demon Refining Sect, Li Muyang was relieved. He tactfully declined Everlasting North Star¡¯s invitation for revenge and wisely aligned himself with the others in the chat group. After Li Muyang¡¯s refusal was voiced, the atmosphere in the chat group noticeably relaxed. Others began to speak up. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Everlasting North Star, just wait a bit longer, don¡¯t be so hasty¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: Exactly, Everlasting North Star, you¡¯ve waited so many years, a few more days won¡¯t matter¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Although Blue Star III is slippery and unreliable, what he said makes sense. You should focus on healing before thinking about revenge¡¿ The group tried to persuade Everlasting North Star. Faced with their advice, Everlasting North Star was silent for a while before finally sighing. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Sigh... I appreciate your kindness, but my time is running short, I can¡¯t wait any longer¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Let¡¯s end it here for today, I¡¯m going back to recuperate¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: If Blue Star Boss changes their mind, just call out to me, I¡¯ll be waiting¡¿ After saying this, Everlasting North Star went offline, and their avatar immediately turned gray. Clearly, the group¡¯s well-intentioned refusal had left him feeling somewhat disheartened. With Everlasting North Star offline, the mood in the chat group instantly became a bit desolate and stiff. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: Let¡¯s end it here for today, farewell everyone¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star VI: I¡¯m still busy surrounding and killing disciples of the Mystic Sword Sect... I¡¯m off as well¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Sigh... Everlasting North Star is too obsessed¡¿ ¡¾Big Dipper Star IX: I¡¯m out, every time we talk about this, it never ends well¡¿ One by one, the avatars of the group members turned gray, and everyone logged off. Li Muyang noticed the words Heart Star VI said before leaving and his gaze sharpened slightly. Surrounding and killing disciples of the Mystic Sword Sect... F*ck! He calculated the time and the information he had. Could it be that this Heart Star VI is the Holy Maiden of the Blood Demon Sect? She is deeply involved with the Blood Demon Sect on the side of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, now busy surrounding and killing disciples of the Mystic Sword Sect and seems to be female. In the city of Sanhe, the leading demon of the Blood Demon Sect is the Holy Maiden... Upon realizing this, Li Muyang felt a sense of ¡°damn it¡± mixed with a feeling of ¡°as expected.¡± He had suspected that Heart Star VI was involved with the Blood Demon Sect, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to be the Holy Maiden. But... wait... something¡¯s not right! If Heart Star VI is the Holy Maiden of the Blood Demon Sect, it means she also possesses an ancient immortal weapon, and there¡¯s a high chance she¡¯s a Purple Mansion realm cultivator. Then, for her to take down Wei Xuan, a Purple Mansion realm cultivator, and Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue, a Cave Profound realm cultivator, should be easy. In the game, why has this Holy Maiden of the Blood Demon Sect never made a move, allowing Chu Qingxue to escape? Strange... Li Muyang almost confirmed Heart Star VI¡¯s identity but was also puzzled by it. This chat session brought Li Muyang a lot of important information. But it also brought deeper doubts. Besides the oddity of the Blood Demon Sect¡¯s Holy Maiden, there was also the thing mentioned by Well Wood Prison¡ª¡ªinside the mountain gate of the Demon Refining Sect. Although Well Wood Prison only mentioned it briefly, that thing was clearly formidable, making these Purple Mansion powerhouses with immortal weapons wary. This piqued Li Muyang¡¯s curiosity. He had never heard of any powerful treasure in the Demon Refining Sect that could deter all sides. Normally, if a sect had a powerful weapon, shouldn¡¯t they make it widely known to deter others? Why keep it hidden? It seems the Demon Refining Sect is deeper than imagined. Li Muyang wanted to ask, but Well Wood Prison¡¯s avatar had already turned gray, and he was the only one left in the chat group. Seeing this, Li Muyang shook his head and gave up on asking further. Now wasn¡¯t a good time to ask about it. He pressed down on his doubts and exited the system, returning to reality. He planned to ask Yan Xiaoru the next time he saw her. Others might not know the secrets of the Demon Refining Sect, but surely Yan Xiaoru would, right? On the eaves behind the government office, Li Muyang took a deep breath and lay back down on the comfortable bamboo rocking chair, closing his eyes again. Too much had happened today: game completion, breakthrough in cultivation, ascension, breaking through the world¡¯s seal, followed by the chat group members coming online and revealing many shocking secrets. A flood of information poured into his mind, giving Li Muyang a feeling of brain overload. He lay on the rocking chair, leisurely pondering for a long time before he sorted out all the information. Only then did he realize he had another game to complete. ¡ª¡ªThe evolution game he had been playing before, ¡¶Endless Evolution¡·. He had already evolved the Emerald Blade Mantis to tier 10 and was ready to continue evolving. But the time-limited game ¡¶The Fall of the Fairy¡· suddenly appeared, and Li Muyang hadn¡¯t returned to ¡¶Endless Evolution¡· for several days. Adding the time the Emerald Blade Mantis spent evolving in sleep, it had been a month since he last visited his ¡°little aunt¡± Shen Miao in the Four Directions Cauldron. Sure enough, when Li Muyang entered the game and controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to arrive outside the mysterious ghost city, the girl who had been waiting on the city gate tower for a long time pouted unhappily. ¡°Brother-in-law! Where have you been?¡± The girl was unusually unhappy: ¡°You haven¡¯t come to see me for thirty-one days and nine hours! Why? Do you dislike me?¡± The giant Emerald Blade Mantis stood outside the city wall, looking at the pouting girl on the wall, and Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. ¡¾Are you angry?¡¿ The giant Emerald Blade Mantis wrote such a message on the ground. Wasn¡¯t the girl in front of him under some kind of spell that would keep her forever happy and never angry? Li Muyang¡¯s question diverted the girl¡¯s attention. The previously upset girl saw the question and immediately became happy again, nodding repeatedly. ¡°Yes, yes! I can get angry now!¡± The girl on the city wall, jumping with joy, said to the giant mantis: ¡°Brother-in-law, there was a powerful surge of spiritual energy that swept through the world, affecting even the Four Directions Cauldron.¡± ¡°I feel like some kind of shackles inside me have loosened... Brother-in-law, I can get angry now!¡± The lonely girl who had been trapped in the Four Directions Cauldron since birth, isolated from the world, spoke with joy and excitement. ¡°And not only can I get angry, but I can also have other thoughts.¡± The girl looked at Li Muyang with anticipation and said, ¡°Brother-in-law, I want to leave the Four Directions Cauldron. I don¡¯t want to stay in here anymore. Can you help me get out?¡± As soon as Shen Miao¡¯s words fell, Li Muyang¡¯s surprised expression had just appeared when a system prompt suddenly popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾Special commission detected¡ª¡ªThe Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡¿ ¡¾Do you accept this commission?¡¿ ¡¾Note: After accepting the commission, the fun game ¡¶Endless Evolution¡· will be upgraded to the unlimited-time game ¡¶The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡·, with system rewards available upon completion.¡¿ Li Muyang was momentarily stunned by the prompt that popped up in his field of vision. A special commission? F*ck! Could it be that the whole point of this fun game ¡°Endless Evolution¡± was for this moment? To evolve a beast with potential to the extreme and then come to rescue Shen Miao, who is trapped inside the Four Directions Cauldron? Now, the Four Directions Cauldron relies entirely on Shen Miao to activate its power. If Shen Miao¡¯s soul leaves the Four Directions Cauldron, wouldn¡¯t that mean... A light suddenly dawned on Li Muyang. Chapter 261 - Can I Ride? Chapter 261: Can I Ride? ¡°Brother-in-law, come quickly, let¡¯s destroy the four main formations in the city, and then I can leave the Four Directions Cauldron.¡± The girl on the city wall called out to Li Muyang, looking up at him. As soon as Li Muyang agreed to help her, the girl became impatient. She waved her hands excitedly, guiding Li Muyang in the right direction. Following the direction the girl pointed towards the four different areas of the city, four blood-red coordinates appeared within the ghostly city. These coordinates were located in the four regions of the city, representing the most common Four Symbols Formation. Destroying this formation and defeating the mythical beasts that emerge from it would break the shackles set by Shen Miao¡¯s father years ago and rescue the poor girl trapped in the cauldron for many years. Li Muyang¡¯s Emerald Blade Mantis stepped into the city, cutting through the mist. At that moment, he faintly felt some kind of invisible barrier. But the girl on the wall spread her arms wide and pulled hard at something in the air as if she was tugging at something. Soon, the invisible barrier around the ghost city disappeared, and Li Muyang easily stepped inside the city walls. The girl on the wall let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Good, although you¡¯re quite big, brother-in-law, you still managed to get in. I thought it would take a lot of effort to bring someone as big as you inside...¡± The girl said, lifting her head and flashing a cute and charming smile at Li Muyang. Li Muyang¡¯s Emerald Blade Mantis looked down to see the girl¡¯s hands trembling by her side. Although she spoke lightly, it was clear that it was not easy to bring an external demon like the Emerald Blade Mantis into the Four Directions Cauldron. The Emerald Blade Mantis controlled by Li Muyang shook its head and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll break the Four Symbols Formation set by your father.¡± The girl on the wall giggled and jumped directly onto the head of the Emerald Blade Mantis, casually riding on top of it. ¡°Brother-in-law, you don¡¯t mind me riding on you like this, do you?¡± The girl happily stroked the huge mantis head beneath her. The giant mantis was as green and translucent as jade. The girl sitting on the mantis¡¯s head felt the smoothness under her palms as if she was really touching jade. Back in reality, Li Muyang¡¯s face was full of black lines. The immersion in this game was a bit too intense. Even in the game, he could actually feel the sensation of a girl sitting on his head. This little girl really had no inhibitions. Li Muyang sighed and said, ¡°You should ask your sister if she minds.¡± Without intending to shoo the girl away, he controlled the giant mantis, carrying the girl on his head, and walked towards the city ahead. The girl sitting on the mantis¡¯s head giggled, ¡°Brother-in-law, are you finally admitting that you¡¯re my brother-in-law?¡± Li Muyang rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Your sister doesn¡¯t even know she has a little sister like you...¡± Inside the ghostly city, one could vaguely see a huge Four Directions Cauldron phantom in the center of the city, which was the core area of the Four Directions Cauldron and where the spirit of the cauldron slept. However, Li Muyang¡¯s mission to save someone did not require disturbing the spirit of the cauldron. The four corners of the formation were set up around the phantom of the giant cauldron and would not disturb the spirit. Li Muyang controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis, passing through the eerie and empty city. Since the battles had ceased, there were not many Blood Lotus Sect souls inside the ghost city at this time. The giant Emerald Blade Mantis occasionally crushed a few Blood Lotus Sect souls by accident as it passed through the city, but Shen Miao did not care. After all, these souls would not die even if they were crushed inside the Four Directions Cauldron; they would reassemble not far away. Amidst the confused souls wandering the city, Li Muyang stepped on the group of bewildered ghosts and arrived at the eastern part of the Four Symbols Formation. There stood a giant flag, with the image of a soaring Azure Dragon painted on it. ¡°Brother-in-law, this is the Azure Dragon flag,¡± the girl sitting on the mantis¡¯s head said excitedly, patting the green jade head under her butt. ¡°Charge at it, let¡¯s knock it down together!¡± Li Muyang, as usual, saved the game first, then controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to charge towards the soaring Azure Dragon flag. The space around him suddenly changed as he stepped within a li of the Azure Dragon flag. The giant Emerald Blade Mantis found itself amidst a range of rolling mountains shrouded in immortal mist. An Azure Dragon roared angrily at the Emerald Blade Mantis on the mountain top within these misty mountains. ¡°Who dares to intrude upon the Four Symbols Formation?¡± the Azure Dragon bellowed. Shen Miao, dressed in plain white robes, jumped up excitedly, ¡°Brother-in-law! Let¡¯s go!¡± Without waiting for Li Muyang to make a move, the girl soared into the air and charged towards the Azure Dragon in the mountains. However, as the Azure Dragon roared, countless golden lightning bolts fell from the sky. Seeing the danger, Li Muyang hurriedly went to help. But it was already too late. Although Shen Miao was agile, dodging through the air and occasionally striking the Azure Dragon with a blood sword, the Azure Dragon¡¯s roaring and flying caused countless thunderbolts to shoot out, quickly causing both Li Muyang and Shen Miao to be electrocuted until they smoked. These thunderbolts seemed to have little killing power, but with each strike, a BUFF bar would appear on the Emerald Blade Mantis¡¯s health bar. ¡¾Thunder (39%)¡¿ Each time they were struck by thunder, the reading on this BUFF bar would increase. When the BUFF bar reached 100%, Li Muyang and Shen Miao screamed as they were knocked back to their original positions. They returned to the misty ghost city, flying out awkwardly and landing several li away. The Azure Dragon flag in front of them still stood proudly, unaffected... After being expelled from the battle realm, the girl with disheveled hair and scorched body looked tiredly at Li Muyang and said, ¡°Brother-in-law, you¡¯re not up to par!¡± ¡°You¡¯re disappointing me by failing so quickly.¡± She said, looking unhappy. Li Muyang almost spat blood. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t charged in so recklessly, would we have lost so quickly?¡± Li Muyang looked at the BUFF bar in his field of vision. ¡¾Thunder (99.8%)¡¿ Great, he roughly understood the battle mode now. The Azure Dragon¡¯s killing power was average, and it couldn¡¯t even kill the Emerald Blade Mantis. However, once the thunder exceeded the critical value, they would be deemed defeated and forcibly ejected from the battle phase. Li Muyang closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while and drain the thunder from our bodies first.¡± ¡°Next time we challenge again, don¡¯t rush in so fast. Let¡¯s coordinate our moves,¡± Li Muyang said. ...... Shen Miao¡¯s Blood Sword dealt high damage with every strike, shaving off a small portion of the Azure Dragon¡¯s health bar. Although Li Muyang¡¯s Emerald Blade Mantis had high output, it needed to get very close to deal damage. Once hit by the Emerald Blade Mantis, the Azure Dragon would roar and fly away, unleashing more thunderbolts. The Emerald Blade Mantis had trouble with the slippery Azure Dragon, mainly because the dragon¡¯s health bar was so thick that it required a slow grind, which was problematic for the assassin mantis that preferred to kill in one strike. This game was a rare mode that required the cooperation of two players to clear. Moreover, it seemed that it would take some time for the two players to develop a tacit understanding. Li Muyang exited the game and switched to ¡¶Deadly Weed¡· to take advantage of the Emerald Blade Mantis¡¯ rest time and grind Xiao Yecao¡¯s daily tasks. Chapter 262 - Are You Crazy? Chapter 262: Are You Crazy? Between the two mountains, a jade-like green river meandered through the gorge. Many monkeys climbed and swung around on the steep cliffs on both sides of the river, emitting long cries. A small boat drifted downstream with a fairy in green sitting on it, smiling at Li Muyang who had just entered the game. ¡°Elder Brother, are you in a good mood?¡± Li Muyang, who had just entered the game, raised an eyebrow at Xiao Yecao¡¯s question. ¡°Oh? You can tell?¡± The fairy in green smiled lightly and nodded: ¡°Elder Brother, you never hide your feelings on your face. It¡¯s clear you¡¯re happy.¡± Li Muyang thought for a moment and said, ¡°Happy might not be the word, but indeed, I¡¯m in a good mood.¡± Although their first attempt at clearing the level had failed, and it was visibly clear that he and Shen Miao were not coordinated, probably leading to many failures before they could defeat the Azure Dragon. But Li Muyang was still happy. At least he saw a way to save the pitiful spirit and, by saving Shen Miao, he could also sever the strongest miracle of the Blood Lotus Sect, killing two birds with one stone! Furthermore, his cultivation breaks through one after another, leaping from the late Foundation Establishment Realm to the mid-Golden Core stage and even triggering ascension. A series of coincidences filled Li Muyang¡¯s day with joy. Since the turmoil in Tianjiao City, it had been a long time since he had encountered so many happy events. After grinding daily tasks with Xiao Yecao in the game, visiting ancient sites along the river, and taking in the view from high places, Li Muyang ended his day of gaming and stretched lazily, ready to clock out. But as soon as Li Muyang got up and walked out of the back hall, he heard cheers erupting from the office. Soon after, Bu Hongsheng and Liu Fu, Li Muyang¡¯s most reliable left and right hands, hurried over. ¡°Banner Master! The Sect Leader is coming back tonight!¡± Li Muyang¡¯s two young subordinates were deeply loyal to the sect and the Sect Leader, earnestly believing in and practicing the teachings of the Blood Lotus Sect. In their eyes, the image of the Sect Leader, Fang Yingtian, was radiant and majestic. The two came rushing, excited to share the good news. ¡°The latest news is that the Sect Leader has ended his tour and is returning tonight!¡± ¡°All Lotus Members of the third rank and above are to go to the city gate to welcome the Sect Leader!¡± ¡°Banner Master! When the Sect Leader returns, we must ask him to preside over justice for our Hall of Enforcement!¡± The two young disciples were thrilled. In their view, the Hall of Enforcement was dedicated to enforcing the new rules set by the Sect Leader, working hard to clear the sect of its chronic maladies. However, many conservative forces within the sect maliciously slandered them, spreading rumors throughout the city. Now, not only had Li Muyang become a reviled harsh official in everyone¡¯s eyes, but even his subordinates had become seen as henchmen and lapdogs. Moreover, due to the recent actions of the Hall of Enforcement, there were rumors that someone in the sect was planning to make a move against Li Muyang. With the situation becoming more and more turbulent and the city in a state of unease, the news of the Sect Leader¡¯s return brought excitement even to the usually composed Liu Fu. Everyone believed that once the Sect Leader returned, he would vindicate the Hall of Enforcement and sweep away those in the sect with ulterior motives! Under the setting sun, Li Muyang glanced indifferently at the excited crowd in the office. ¡°The Sect Leader is coming back?¡± Li Muyang tilted his head and thought, ¡°He¡¯s returning earlier than scheduled, isn¡¯t he?¡± Could it be because of the spiritual energy storm sweeping across the world? It surely couldn¡¯t be that this cunning old man sensed that Shen Miao was about to escape... According to Shen Miao, although Fang Yingtian knew there was a spirit in the Four Directions Cauldron, he couldn¡¯t communicate with it or control the situation inside. Pondering the reason for Fang Yingtian¡¯s early return, Li Muyang said, ¡°Since the Sect Leader is coming back, let¡¯s get the Yellow Banner in order, gather the brothers who are qualified to welcome the Sect Leader, and go to the city gate together.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s reaction was very indifferent. After speaking, he left the office directly. ¡°We¡¯ll meet at the city gate later.¡± Without looking back, Li Muyang waved his hand and walked away nonchalantly. Seeing Li Muyang leave so casually, the previously excited crowd was taken aback and then looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Banner Master... why doesn¡¯t he seem happy at all?¡± ¡°Maybe Banner Master is happy inside but doesn¡¯t show it? Isn¡¯t it said that those in high positions should be... what¡¯s the word?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s that... uh... impassive? Deep and inscrutable? I remember the storyteller saying that the big shots in those plays are all like that.¡± The disciples discussed among themselves. However, Liu Fu and Bu Hongsheng, the two fourth-rank Lotus Members who had followed Li Muyang the most and had the most contact with him, exchanged glances. They walked into the back hall, closed the door, and spoke in low voices. ¡°Banner Master¡¯s reaction is a bit off...¡± ¡°It seems that Banner Master doesn¡¯t have much expectation for the Sect Leader...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange...¡± The two young men conversed quietly in a place where they were alone. Logically, the Hall of Enforcement was the Sect Leader¡¯s staunch supporter, having always done the dirty work for Fang Yingtian since its establishment. And it was said that Banner Master Li Muyang, who was favored by the Sect Leader for his upcoming marriage to the young miss, was Fang Yingtian¡¯s most trusted sharp blade, which was why Li Muyang could act with impunity in the city, unafraid of offending anyone, and work hard to implement the Sect Leader¡¯s new rules. ¨CThis was the consensus of everyone in the city. Even the disciples of the Hall of Enforcement believed this to be the closest to the truth. But Li Muyang¡¯s reaction just now made Liu Fu and Bu Hongsheng hesitate. They realized that Banner Master, whom everyone saw as the Sect Leader¡¯s staunch ally, was actually so indifferent to the news of the Sect Leader¡¯s return, showing no joy whatsoever. ¡°If Banner Master is not the Sect Leader¡¯s staunch supporter, then why would he work so hard to uphold justice and implement the rules at the risk of offending everyone?¡± Bu Hongsheng scratched his head and asked. Liu Fu squinted his eyes in thought, seemingly recalling Li Muyang¡¯s past actions. After a while, Liu Fu said, ¡°It seems that Banner Master has very little contact with the young miss as well...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not at all like the close relationship between them that¡¯s touted by the outside world...¡± The two disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect who had the most contact with Li Muyang suddenly realized that their own Banner Master seemed to be a complete loner within the Blood Lotus Sect. He didn¡¯t have the dazzling aura that outsiders perceived. He was neither close to the sect leader nor particularly intimate with the young miss. Thinking back on how Li Muyang had unhesitatingly offended the powerful figures within the sect to bring all lawbreakers to justice with his iron-fisted methods, and considering the increasingly intense turmoil in the city recently... Bu Hongsheng suddenly felt a bit panicked. ¡°The sect leader is coming back this time, he wouldn¡¯t calm the public¡¯s anger by throwing Banner Master out to be executed, would he...¡± Liu Fu narrowed his eyes: ¡°If the sect leader does that, then he doesn¡¯t deserve to be the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect!¡± Bu Hongsheng was startled and quickly covered Liu Fu¡¯s mouth. ¡°Are you crazy!¡± Bu Hongsheng¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. Liu Fu, however, remained indifferent: ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts...¡± Chapter 263 - Elder Yan Enters the City Chapter 263: Elder Yan Enters the City Inside the Hall of Enforcement, two young subordinates under Li Muyang were worried sick because of him. But Li Muyang himself didn¡¯t care as he walked out of the Hall of Enforcement and headed alone towards the tavern outside the city lord¡¯s mansion. Although rumors of people wanting to harm or assassinate him were escalating in the city, and Li Muyang could often feel the murderous gazes hidden in the shadows when he walked on the streets, he was not afraid at all. On this land where cultivation was banned, his Martial God Tyrant Body was more than enough to walk unchallenged. This was also why those rumors had been circulating for months but remained just rumors. Li Muyang had turned down all banquet invitations and all attempts by others to get close to him, spending his days either playing games at the office or in the small courtyard inside the city lord¡¯s mansion. His monotonous routine of going back and forth didn¡¯t give anyone the chance to plot against him. And this very monotony in his daily life gave those with ill intentions no opportunity to strike. No one dared to attack Li Muyang on the streets. They neither had the strength to do so nor the means to attack Li Muyang in public and escape unscathed. Li Muyang leisurely arrived at the tavern outside the city lord¡¯s mansion and, as usual, ordered a few teas and settled into a private room. Soon after, his little sister Li Yuechan came in with a tray of dishes. ¡°...Brother, the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect has returned.¡± The girl whispered as she knelt beside him to serve the food. Li Muyang nodded: ¡°I have to go welcome him tonight. All sect members of the third rank Lotus Member and above have to go to the outskirts of the city to meet him.¡± As he spoke, Li Muyang looked at his little sister: ¡°Now that Fang Yingtian has returned, shouldn¡¯t Elder Yan¡¯s plan start?¡± ¡°Previously, when Fang Yingtian was not in the city and took many of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s experts with him, it was the best opportunity to strike...¡± Now that Fang Yingtian had unexpectedly returned early, this gave Li Muyang a bit of a headache. Yan Xiaoru, who had been biding her time, wouldn¡¯t delay things further, would she? But he saw his little sister shaking her head with a mischievous smile: ¡°Brother, are you in a hurry? Don¡¯t worry, Elder Yan said her plan is progressing steadily.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still in the preparation stage. Fang Yingtian¡¯s early return doesn¡¯t affect the execution of our plan.¡± ¡°In fact, Fang Yingtian¡¯s return is actually part of our plan.¡± ¡°This time, we¡¯re not only going to sever the link between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins, but we also plan to gather the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s high-ranking members and catch them all in one fell swoop!¡± ¡°So Fang Yingtian¡¯s return is actually a good thing.¡± ¡°Elder Yan is currently planning everything, so you don¡¯t need to be anxious.¡± ¡°I met with Elder Yan last night, and she told me a lot, asking me to tell you not to be hasty. Everything is proceeding steadily.¡± The girl said, smiling playfully: ¡°It¡¯s a pity the timing isn¡¯t right. Otherwise, it would be nice if Elder Yan could talk to you in person.¡± ¡°After being apart for so long, Elder Yan must miss you.¡± Li Yuechan teased her brother with a giggling smile. Li Muyang, however, was startled: ¡°Yan Xiaoru has entered the city?¡± Damn... Previously, Yan Xiaoru had always been outside the city, but now she had risked coming in... Li Muyang frowned and asked: ¡°What is she doing in the city? If we¡¯re not taking action, why take the risk?¡± Li Yuechan blinked innocently: ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I¡¯m too lowly to dare to ask too much...¡± After speaking, the girl cheerfully got up to leave, bowing and saying loudly: ¡°Banner Master Li, I shall take my leave.¡± Li Muyang waved his hand dismissively: ¡°Go on, get out.¡± This little girl, deliberately leaving her words hanging, was making him itch with curiosity. The news of Yan Xiaoru entering the city made Li Muyang, who had been content playing games, restless. If this damn woman had come to the city and even met with Yuechan, why didn¡¯t she take the opportunity to meet with him? How infuriating! Inside the private room, Li Muyang let out a frustrated sigh. ...... Three hours later, outside Tianjiao City. Under the dark night sky blanketed by stars, the official road outside Tianjiao City was lit up with many large lotus lanterns. Figures in Blood Lotus Sect robes lined up in front of the road, waiting in formation. Various demonic beasts patrolled the surroundings, maintaining order. The welcoming ceremony for the return of the Blood Lotus Sect leader to the city was indeed grand. Standing at the forefront were the various Helmsmen and Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect. Following them were the Banner Masters of the various branches and incense halls. Li Muyang stood among the team from the Hall of Enforcement, alongside the other three Banner Masters, with the head of the Hall of Enforcement, Ruan Mei, in front of him. Wrapped in a thick cloak, Shen Yan was not standing in the lineup. A small tent was pitched in an open space beside the official road, where Shen Yan sat on a soft couch, wrapped in a thick cloak, with a hot charcoal brazier in front of her. Despite the summer night¡¯s heat being almost uncomfortable for ordinary people, Shen Yan still couldn¡¯t do without her charcoal brazier. Li Muyang guessed that this might be because Shen Yan¡¯s twin sister, Shen Miao, was trapped in the Four Directions Cauldron, and the two sisters shared some kind of symbiotic and strange state. Perhaps once Shen Miao was rescued from the Four Directions Cauldron, Shen Yan could be free from this frail and cold-sensitive condition. As Li Muyang pondered, he suddenly felt a hostile gaze upon him. Although he had made countless enemies within the Blood Lotus Sect, there weren¡¯t many who would dare to show hostility towards him in such a setting. Li Muyang turned his head and saw a woman in a scholar¡¯s robe not far away looking at him provocatively. Seeing Li Muyang looking over, the beautiful woman dressed in men¡¯s clothing revealed a cold smile and raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Li Muyang, you still dare to show your face around here... I thought you had already hidden away, playing the turtle with its head drawn in.¡± Nangong Ting, the former junior valley master of Chaotic Souls Valley and one of the four Incense Masters of the Blood Lotus Sect, had not met with Li Muyang since the turmoil in Tianjiao City. Now that they had finally met again, this woman who had once been tortured to the point of begging for death by Li Muyang in prison was filled with a cold murderous intent in her eyes. Faced with the hostility of his old enemy, Li Muyang remained incredibly calm. ¡°Incense Master Nangong, could it be that you still hold a grudge over past events?¡± Nangong Ting cracked a smile, her expression cold: ¡°Hold a grudge? I am not a person of narrow-mindedness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve heard the rumors in the city lately that you, Banner Master Li, have been arrogant and overbearing, making countless enemies. Many wise people wish to take your head.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite concerned about this. How about you come to my residence tomorrow for a visit, and we can discuss this matter in detail?¡± Nangong Ting said with a smile: ¡°My father also has a fresh memory of you, Banner Master Li, and would very much like to see you again.¡± Nangong Ting¡¯s smile was radiant. Li Muyang, however, glanced at the other Helmsmen and Banner Masters lined up in front of him and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m busy tomorrow, some other day...¡± Go to the house of this twisted freak for a hongmen banquet? (Hongmen Banquet=Last Supper) I¡¯m not crazy; how could I possibly go to such a setup? Rather than wasting time with you, a woman who likes to dress in men¡¯s clothes, I¡¯d be better off going home to play games. Wait until I release the infant spirit from the Four Directions Cauldron, then we¡¯ll see how rampant the Blood Lotus Sect can be! Chapter 264 - Hatred Chapter 264: Hatred There were no disturbances at Fang Yingtian¡¯s welcome ceremony. Those who harbored ill intentions towards Li Muyang didn¡¯t even pay much attention to him, let alone provoke him. Only Nangong Ting, who displayed her hostility in front of everyone, threatened Li Muyang with a few words before leaving. In front of the Blood Lotus Sect leader Fang Yingtian, these people¡¯s hostility was quite restrained. Li Muyang didn¡¯t pay much attention to these undercurrents either¡ªwho would bother to argue with the dead? Following the crowd, Li Muyang chanted the slogan ¡°Rebirth through blood, Salvation to all sentient beings¡± a few times. Then the grand welcome ceremony soon came to an end. After that was the banquet, but nothing happened at the banquet either. As a Banner Master, Li Muyang was fortunate to be seated in the main hall of the banquet, but he was placed at the very end. Throughout the banquet hall, the dignitaries chatted and drank merrily, enjoying themselves. Li Muyang, amidst them, was inconspicuous. The Blood Lotus Sect leader Fang Yingtian, who had previously favored him, did not speak to Li Muyang that night, as if Li Muyang was just an ordinary Banner Master. After the banquet, the way other members of the Blood Lotus Sect looked at Li Muyang was somewhat strange. However, Shen Yan made a special effort to catch up with him after the banquet ended and publicly invited Li Muyang to share her carriage. Inside the carriage, Shen Yan sighed and said, ¡°These days, various rumors about you have been rampant, and the sect leader has to be concerned about the impact...¡± Shen Yan wanted to say a few good words for the sect leader to smooth over Fang Yingtian¡¯s indifference that night. But Li Muyang didn¡¯t really care that much about it. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do those things to vie for merit or favor. I just couldn¡¯t stand some of the scum in the sect committing evil.¡± Li Muyang spoke the truth. Shen Yan chuckled lightly at his words and nodded, then they chatted about the Hall of Enforcement and some internal matters of the sect. According to Shen Yan, the sect leader¡¯s recent tour to spread miracles and preach had been very effective. Not only had hundreds of thousands of civilians joined the Blood Lotus Sect in the lands they controlled, but many commoners from the Demonic Sect¡¯s territories had also secretly come over, wanting to join the Blood Lotus Sect that promised eternal life. The development of the Blood Lotus Sect was booming, and its power was growing steadily. Shen Yan said that after some time, the sect would be ready to expand outward. As to where and how they would expand, Shen Yan did not elaborate. But the determination in her eyes was filled with optimism for the future. After dealing with the conversation, Li Muyang returned to his small courtyard in the city lord¡¯s mansion, routinely asking the maids to prepare a medicinal bath and began to soak. And while bathing, he entered the game. ¡°...Brother-in-law, your dharma body is so fierce!¡± Shen Miao, dressed in plain white robes, stood not far away, complaining to Li Muyang. ¡°After your spirit left the body, this mantis became very aggressive, and it would attack even when I approached it.¡± In the misty ghost city, several hundred-zhang-long trenches had appeared in the streets and houses around the Emerald Blade Mantis, clearly the work of the mantis. When Li Muyang exited the game, the Emerald Blade Mantis would enter alert mode, automatically attacking any living being that approached. Shen Miao, the little girl, had obviously suffered a setback. Li Muyang controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis and said, ¡°Just don¡¯t get close to it, let¡¯s continue to hunt the Azure Dragon.¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s entry into Tianjiao City was a signal. It was very likely that Yan Xiaoru was about to take action, and Li Muyang hoped to rescue Shen Miao, the infant spirit, and to disable the Four Directions Cauldron¡¯s ability to resurrect followers before Yan Xiaoru¡¯s actions began. If he could do that, even without Yan Xiaoru¡¯s action, it might suffice. The Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s ability to repel the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s repeated attacks relied on the miracle of the sect¡¯s followers being killed and resurrected. Once this miracle disappeared, it would be too easy to crush the Blood Lotus Sect with the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s size. In the misty ghost city, the Emerald Blade Mantis controlled by Li Muyang took flight, carrying Shen Miao on its back towards the Azure Dragon flag ahead. The next second, familiar seas of clouds and mountains appeared in the view. The Azure Dragon wielding thunder soared, unleashing several bolts of lightning... ...... ¡°Banner Master, something big has happened!¡± In the morning, when Li Muyang leisurely stepped into the Hall of Enforcement, his two loyal subordinates came up to meet him. Bu Hongsheng looked anxious and said, ¡°Half an hour ago, many half-demons from Liehai Hall knelt in front of the sect leader¡¯s mansion, crying out for justice, asking the sect leader to uphold it for them.¡± ¡°That group of half-demons claims that you have retaliated against them, Banner Master.¡± After Bu Hongsheng finished speaking, Liu Fu added from the side: ¡°After the news spread, disciples from various branches and incense halls also joined the ranks of those crying out for justice, each proclaiming to have been persecuted by the Hall of Enforcement.¡± ¡°Now the front of the sect leader¡¯s mansion is filled with people, and the momentum is huge. Bu Hongsheng and I took a look from a distance, and there seem to be six or seven hundred people, almost all of whom have been punished by us.¡± Liu Fu was much calmer, his demeanor and gaze as lifeless as ever. But the scene he described was somewhat frightening. In the past days, most of the criminals Li Muyang and his team had punished were small leaders with some status within the Blood Lotus Sect. Although there were only a few hundred people kneeling and crying out for justice at the moment, these people occupied a high proportion among the mid and lower-level leaders of the Blood Lotus Sect. Six or seven hundred leaders kneeling and crying out for justice at the same time was such a grand scale that even the sect leader would have to respond cautiously. Liu Fu¡¯s gaze was heavy with seriousness, while Bo Hongsheng¡¯s face was etched with urgency. However, upon hearing the news, Li Muyang burst into laughter. ¡°Six to seven hundred people...¡± He shook his head, still laughing, under the bewildered stares of his subordinates. ¡°In the past, I was only focused on cleaning up the scum and never bothered to count the numbers. I never imagined that there were so many criminals I had dealt with.¡± ¡°In the vast Blood Lotus Sect, the number of lotus members leaders who can command more than ten people is actually quite limited.¡± ¡°Yet, we have captured and punished as many as six to seven hundred people.¡± Most of these individuals were bullies who oppressed men and women and acted without restraint, which is why Li Muyang had captured them for severe punishment. The new rules set by Fang Ying Tian were mostly added to maintain stability and uphold justice and good customs. They were generally lax. As long as one did not commit evil acts, one did not trigger the sect¡¯s rules. Although Li Muyang was rigid and ruthless when capturing people, to the point of not recognizing kin, the number of people he had dealt with was still astonishing... Upon hearing this number, Li Muyang was filled with emotion. ¡°In the past, everyone cursed the cultivators for enslaving mortals and oppressing all beings, which is why they banded together to overthrow the oppression of the cultivators.¡± ¡°But once they gained power, everyone scrambled to become the oppressor, doubling down on the oppression they had once suffered onto the mortals under their rule.¡± Li Muyang laughed and said to his two loyal subordinates, ¡°These guys, how are they any different from the cultivators who oppressed them back then?¡± ¡°What they truly hated was not the cultivators¡¯ oppression of all beings, but that they themselves were not the oppressors.¡± Chapter 265 - Chongzhen? Chapter 265: Chongzhen? From the beginning, Li Muyang harbored doubts about the so-called doctrines of the Blood Lotus Sect. In a world filled with cultivators, proclaiming the extermination of all monks and using such doctrines to brainwash mortals into fighting to the death... In a world where cultivators existed, such doctrines were almost no different from a cult. After gaining power, the phenomena within the Blood Lotus Sect were not much different from those of peasant uprisings in ancient times. There was no core program, no clear goals or plans, and while their slogans were loud, their actual behavior was driven by the pursuit of money, influence, and prestige. Now that they had just stabilized their footing, they had already begun to fight internally for power and profit. Li Muyang shook his head and said to his subordinates, ¡°Continue to observe, and inform me if there¡¯s any new information.¡± After speaking, Li Muyang walked straight into the back hall and closed his eyes to play games, as always, no longer concerning himself with the matters of punishment. Li Muyang¡¯s reaction left Bo Hongsheng and Liu Fu in a moment of silence. The two exchanged glances and whispered, ¡°Has the Banner Master become disheartened...¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t dealt with sect affairs for several days now...¡± While his subordinates whispered among themselves, Li Muyang paid no mind. He closed his eyes and entered the game. Shen Miao, dressed in white, saw the Emerald Blade Mantis stir and immediately flew over, full of enthusiasm, ¡°I¡¯ve figured out how to deal with that Azure Dragon!¡± ¡°As long as we coordinate well this time, we can definitely succeed in slaying the Azure Dragon!¡± Shen Miao was brimming with excitement. The two had failed three times the night before, but through continuous failures, their coordination had gradually become more in sync. Now, as they entered the Azure Dragon¡¯s secret realm again, facing the Azure Dragon that controlled the heavenly thunder, Emerald Blade Mantis and Shen Miao worked together, one in close combat and the other at range, managing to reduce the Azure Dragon¡¯s health by half. However, when the Azure Dragon¡¯s health was halved and it entered the second phase, the two were once again defeated by the Azure Dragon¡¯s burst of power and were ejected from its secret realm. In the misty ghost city, Shen Miao sat dejectedly on top of the mantis, disheartened, ¡°Why did we still fail...¡± Li Muyang said, ¡°You rest for a bit, I¡¯ll come back later.¡± After each failure, they had to first expel the heavenly thunder from their bodies before attempting the challenge again. Li Muyang took this time to go to the fourth stage of ¡°Deadly Weed¡± to grind the daily tasks for Xiao Yecao. He didn¡¯t know how long this fourth stage would take to clear. So far, twenty years had passed in the timeline of the fourth stage. Li Muyang had been accompanying Xiao Yecao on her wanderings, but the opportunity to clear the stage had yet to appear. Xiao Yecao was close to becoming an immortal. Surely they wouldn¡¯t have to wait until she actually became one to clear the fourth stage? Li Muyang switched games and entered ¡°Deadly Weed¡± to start his daily grind. In the bamboo forest drenched by a downpour, Xiao Yecao and Li Muyang sat under a tree to shelter from the rain, laughing as they lit a charcoal fire and roasted two unlucky bamboo rats they had caught. ¡°Speaking of bamboo rats, I suddenly remember an old acquaintance...¡± Li Muyang, watching the poor-skinned bamboo rats on the fire, suddenly laughed and found the scene strangely familiar. In his previous life, he had seen similar scenes in videos. The rain and cold wind blew through the bamboo forest, rustling the falling leaves with a shushing sound. At that moment, Bo Hongsheng¡¯s anxious voice called out in reality. ¡°Banner Master! Something terrible has happened!¡± Bo Hongsheng¡¯s shout surprised Li Muyang. He exited the game and opened his eyes on the wicker chair. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Li Muyang was curious, ¡°What¡¯s happened now?¡± Could it be that those bugs¡¯ complaints had actually had an effect? Impossible... Although Li Muyang had no fondness for Fang Ying Tian, the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect, he didn¡¯t believe that such an ambitious and capable figure would be a fool who would pass the buck to his subordinates under public pressure. After all, Li Muyang had been doing the dirty work for Fang Ying Tian, and he had been doing it with great effort. If Fang Ying Tian couldn¡¯t withstand this kind of public pressure and easily dealt with Li Muyang, then who would dare to work hard for him as the sect leader in the future? Li Muyang didn¡¯t trust Fang Ying Tian¡¯s character, but he believed in the man¡¯s ambition and ability. Bo Hongsheng then anxiously explained, ¡°The sect leader has sent someone to temporarily take back your seal, Banner Master...¡± Bo Hongsheng¡¯s explanation left Li Muyang somewhat surprised. Fang Ying Tian was sending someone to take back Li Muyang¡¯s seal, to seal the documents in the office, and to have Li Muyang take a few days off. The plan was to let Li Muyang return to his post after checking whether there had been any wrongful judgments during this period. ¡°A very moderate way of handling things.¡± Li Muyang shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s just a break for a few days, no big deal.¡± Li Muyang was quite relaxed about it. This kind of punishment was just a routine way of dealing with the situation, given the loud public outcry and fierce public opinion, by having Li Muyang take a temporary leave to avoid the limelight. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, at such times, it would be better to firmly deal with those hundreds of complainers first. Any punishment should start with dealing with those fools who were staging a coup. Otherwise, if the mighty leader of a sect could be easily pressured by others... what dignity would be left? However, Fang Ying Tian chose a moderate approach, and Li Muyang obediently stepped down and went home. He was actually quite happy to have some leisure time. The sect leader¡¯s envoy who came to retrieve his seal was friendly towards Li Muyang, who in turn handed over the seal without fuss and then went home to rest. After he returned to the courtyard of the city lord¡¯s mansion, he instructed the maids to prepare a medicinal bath. These spirit medicines were provided by the Blood Lotus Sect and could unlock the potential of the Martial God Tyrant Body. Although their effects were becoming weaker, mosquito meat is still meat. Li Muyang stayed comfortably in the courtyard, not even stepping out of the gate, engrossed in playing games and soaking in baths. Finally, on the third day after he was relieved of his duties, Li Muyang successfully killed the Azure Dragon, and together with the elated Shen Miao, they pulled down the Azure Dragon flag. At that moment, it seemed as if some shattering sound echoed through the misty ghost city. Shen Miao, having broken through a layer of shackles, was overjoyed. ¡°Brother-in-law! I knew we could do it!¡± The young girl happily pounced over, hugging the huge mantis head and biting down hard. Li Muyang¡¯s face was full of black lines, feeling his head being gnawed with a crunching sound. This little girl... are you trying to kiss me or eat me? Biting so hard, are you starved? Li Muyang, with the girl on his head, walked towards the next array corner. But at this moment, a group of people barged into his small courtyard, rudely bursting through the door and into Li Muyang¡¯s bathhouse. Li Muyang, soaking in the medicinal pool, opened his eyes in surprise at the group of fully armed people before him. The leader, with an indifferent face, took out a judgment document personally signed by Fang Yingtian and said, ¡°Li Muyang, you have been found guilty of abusing punishment and persecuting the followers with conclusive evidence! ¡°Please come with us! If you dare to resist, you will be killed without mercy!¡± Li Muyang, in the medicinal pool, was stunned upon hearing this news. ¡°Conclusive evidence?¡± Looking at the group of the sect leader¡¯s trusted followers before him, Li Muyang was stunned for a while before suddenly letting out a relieved laugh. What the hell... I met Emperor Chongzhen. (TLN: Idk the reference.) Chapter 266 - Brother-in-law, You Won’t Die, Right? Chapter 266: Brother-in-law, You Won¡¯t Die, Right? In the pitch-black prison, there was dead silence. Li Muyang, with his eyes slightly closed, sat in the corner of the cell on a pile of straw, entering the game. ¡°...Brother-in-law, are you okay?¡± In the misty ghost city, Shen Miao, dressed in white, sat on the head of the Emerald Blade Mantis, asking with some concern. The girl couldn¡¯t see Li Muyang in the prison, but she could see the perspectives of her sister Shen Yan and the sect leader Fang Yingtian. In the half-hour since Li Muyang was captured and imprisoned, both Shen Yan and Fang Yingtian had reacted. Shen Miao, who could see everything clearly, naturally knew Li Muyang¡¯s situation. The girl, who was originally immersed in the joy of pulling out the Azure Dragon flag, was now suddenly filled with dismay and worry. She cautiously crawled on top of the mantis head, opened her arms, and hugged the huge mantis skull beneath her. ¡°I see my sister is very angry, I¡¯ve never seen her this angry before...¡± ¡°Brother-in-law, you won¡¯t die, right?¡± Shen Miao looked worried. In the Blood Lotus Sect, the death penalty was a light punishment. After all, followers of the Blood Lotus Sect could be resurrected after death, so the death penalty was only a form of discipline for them. But Li Muyang was different. His soul had not entered the Four Directions Cauldron, and the blood oath he had taken was blocked by a talisman given by the Demon Refining Sect. If Li Muyang died, he could not be reborn in the Four Directions Cauldron. Others might not be aware of this, but Shen Miao was acutely aware, as she was the current controller of the Four Directions Cauldron. The girl was obviously worried about Li Muyang being sentenced to death. Li Muyang in the prison felt the girl¡¯s concern but shook his head indifferently. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± Facing the people sent by the Blood Lotus Sect leader to capture him, Li Muyang did not resist and was captured without a fight. He believed that he would not die so easily. It¡¯s the same old saying. He didn¡¯t trust Fang Yingtian¡¯s character, but he believed that the man was not a fool. The Emperor Chongzhen of his previous life would push out his ministers to take the blame whenever there was trouble, not wanting to bear any responsibility himself. After many such scapegoats, no ministers were willing to work to the death, and everyone started shirking responsibilities and protecting themselves until the rebel army entered the city... Fang Yingtian could be a hero or a villain, but he could not be possessed by Emperor Chongzhen. If he were like Emperor Chongzhen, he would not have been able to establish the foundation of the Blood Lotus Sect. There must be another purpose for capturing Li Muyang this time. Even if Fang Yingtian wanted to kill him, the ¡°confidant¡± who did the dirty work, to appease the public¡¯s anger, Li Muyang could still run. With the powerful physique of the Martial God Tyrant Body, escaping from Tianjiao City would not be a problem if he really ran for his life. Li Muyang was not worried about his life at all. He was content to play games in the prison. Before long, Shen Yan appeared outside the cell. The woman, dressed in a thick cloak, pale-faced, holding a lamp, came to the outside of the cell. She did not bring any attendants and came alone. Seeing Li Muyang in the cell, Shen Yan gave a bitter smile and said, ¡°Muyang, are you okay?¡± Li Muyang opened his eyes and stood up from the corner, appearing in Shen Yan¡¯s field of vision. ¡°I¡¯m intact,¡± Li Muyang said calmly. ¡°So, what does the sect leader intend to do with me this time? Add punishment, execute me once? Or several times?¡± Fang Yingtian¡¯s act of sending people to capture him was too strange. Strange enough that Li Muyang couldn¡¯t quite understand it. He was eager to know what the Blood Lotus Sect leader was up to this time. Shen Yan sighed and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t gone to see the sect leader yet. When I heard you were captured and imprisoned, I came to see you first.¡± ¡°Seeing that you are all well, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Holding the lamp, Shen Yan continued, ¡°From what I know of the sect leader, he would not capture you just because of the malicious slander of those petty people.¡± ¡°There must be other reasons for today¡¯s events.¡± On this point, Shen Yan and Li Muyang¡¯s judgments were the same. Looking at Li Muyang in the cell, who appeared calm, Shen Yan spoke comfortingly, ¡°I will go to see the sect leader shortly to inquire about the truth. Before that, Muyang, stay calm and don¡¯t panic.¡± ¡°Although those petty people have maliciously slandered you, the sect leader is discerning and will not be swayed by their deceitful words.¡± Shen Yan had great confidence in sect leader. After checking on Li Muyang¡¯s condition, she asked in detail about the events before and after Li Muyang¡¯s capture, as well as his experiences in recent days. Finally, Shen Yan nodded, indicating that she understood. ¡°You rest here for now, Muyang. I will go see the sect leader immediately.¡± After comforting Li Muyang, Shen Yan hurriedly left. Li Muyang watched Shen Yan¡¯s departing figure, shook his head, and returned to his original spot, sitting in the haystack and closing his eyes. Game With the Fairies, start! Within the misty ghost city, Li Muyang¡¯s controlled Emerald Blade Mantis carried Shen Miao to the southern corner of the Four Symbols Formation. A giant Vermilion Bird flag stood tall in the midst of the city, emitting a scorching aura. Just as Li Muyang was about to enter with Shen Miao, the girl lying on the mantis¡¯s head hastily called out. ¡°Wait a moment! Brother-in-law, wait!¡± The girl hurriedly called for Li Muyang to hold off on entering. She lay on top of Li Muyang¡¯s head, her eyes wide open as if she was observing something. She spoke, ¡°My sister is meeting with Uncle Fang, let me see what they¡¯re talking about first.¡± Shen Miao was very concerned about the safety of Li Muyang, her ¡°brother-in-law.¡± Li Muyang also stopped, controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis to stand still, waiting for the girl above him. Shen Miao lay on the mantis¡¯s head, her eyes wide as she watched the scenes unfolding in the human world, relaying the situation to Li Muyang below. ¡°Sister is asking Uncle Fang why he suddenly decided to arrest you today...¡± ¡°Um... Uncle Fang says that someone has brought in a lot of evidence of your crimes...¡± Shen Miao kept her eyes wide as she watched the events in the human world and continuously relayed them to Li Muyang. Since ¡°Endless Evolution¡± had upgraded from a fun game to a game with an end goal, the Emerald Blade Mantis controlled by Li Muyang finally had the ability to speak. His conversations with Shen Miao no longer required writing. They could communicate seamlessly. Listening to Shen Miao¡¯s continuous relay of the situation, Li Muyang sighed while holding his forehead. ¡°Great, there¡¯s indeed a reason...¡± As Shen Miao kept relaying information, Li Muyang also learned the reason behind his arrest. Inside the Blood Lotus Sect, someone had submitted many pieces of evidence to Fang Yingtian, accusing Li Muyang of abusing punishment and even coercing confessions. Faced with such overwhelming evidence, Fang Yingtian had no choice but to imprison Li Muyang. After understanding the whole story, Li Muyang sighed softly, realizing that those who hated him had methods beyond just spreading rumors. He had underestimated them. Inside the Hall of Enforcement, some people had been bribed. The bribed disciples provided a lot of false intelligence and evidence, and after Li Muyang led the arrests, the innocent sect members didn¡¯t argue but instead confessed fake guilt. This continued until the return of the Blood Lotus Sect leader Fang Yingtian, when these ¡°innocent¡± people who had been punished immediately recanted their confessions, claiming they had been coerced by Li Muyang. Together with the pre-prepared evidence of their innocence, the multitude of evidence quickly painted Li Muyang as a villain who abused his power and persecuted sect members. This framing and entrapment caught Li Muyang off guard. Chapter 267 - The Dirty Adult World Chapter 267: The Dirty Adult World ¡°...These are the sect documents I¡¯ve gathered. Take a look at them.¡± In the dim prison cell, Shen Yan held up an oil lamp and spoke softly. Li Muyang took the thick stack of ¡°evidence¡± she handed over, raising an eyebrow: ¡°These are my crimes? Is it appropriate for you to show me these documents?¡± Shen Yan sighed, ¡°If you were to be convicted, you would have to see these anyway.¡± ¡°They record 72 pieces of evidence that you coerced innocent people and persecuted sect members, as well as abused torture.¡± ¡°Go through them and inform me of the details, and I¡¯ll try to help clear your name.¡± As Shen Yan spoke, Li Muyang flipped through the evidence by the light of the oil lamp. But the more he looked, the more he shook his head. ¡°The evidence is detailed and as solid as iron...¡± After quickly going through the evidence, Li Muyang looked at Shen Yan and said, ¡°I have nothing to argue. Based solely on this evidence, I indeed appear to have violated the sect¡¯s rules and persecuted our members.¡± The group within the Blood Lotus Sect that set Li Muyang up had obviously prepared thoroughly. All the evidence was detailed and substantiated. Li Muyang couldn¡¯t find any flaws. Each judgment document was personally signed by Li Muyang. Although Li Muyang hadn¡¯t coerced confessions or deliberately persecuted the innocent, the evidence alone made it seem as if he had. Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s response, Shen Yan fell silent for a moment. This intelligent woman quickly understood the situation. ¡°...Someone in the Hall of Enforcement has been bought off.¡± Shen Yan narrowed her eyes in thought, looking at Li Muyang: ¡°Think back to the disciples involved in these cases from the Hall of Enforcement. Who were they?¡± To clear Li Muyang¡¯s name now, they had to find the people behind the scenes who framed him. But Li Muyang just smiled and shook his head, saying, ¡°You haven¡¯t said, if my crimes are proven true, how will the sect leader deal with me?¡± Shen Yan pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°According to the sect rules, you won¡¯t be executed. For members above the rank of Banner Master, physical punishment comes first.¡± The higher the cultivation of a sect member, the more costly it is to resurrect them after death. Therefore, the higher-ups in the Blood Lotus Sect are mainly subject to physical punishment. Fang Yingtian would not fail to see that this was a setup and would not easily sentence Li Muyang to death. But physical punishment is also terrifying. Shen Yan added, ¡°The sect leader said he won¡¯t deal with you. He asked me to clear up this matter, to catch all those stirring trouble in the shadows, and then...¡± Shen Yan¡¯s eyes turned slightly cold: ¡°Expel all these people from the sect and erase them from the world!¡± The usually gentle Shen Yan rarely showed such a cold demeanor. Li Muyang smiled and nodded in agreement: ¡°These people are not only targeting me but also the sect leader.¡± Fang Yingtian¡¯s reaction was consistent with Li Muyang¡¯s understanding of the Blood Lotus Sect leader. Cunning and deceitful, and also has a ruthless hand. He is by no means an idiot who is easily led around. Li Muyang being hated and framed by so many was not due to personal vendettas. Those people hated Li Muyang as well as Fang Yingtian, who implemented new sect rules. In the past, the Blood Lotus Sect was scattered, with each branch fighting on its own, and the Helmsmen and Incense Masters were the bosses of their own territories, living comfortably. Now, under Fang Yingtian¡¯s unification, they had to follow Fang Yingtian and Shen Yan¡¯s orders, and the new sect rules and the newly established Hall of Enforcement made them uneasy. The Helmsmen who couldn¡¯t adapt, along with their Banner Masters and confidants, had long held grievances. Framing Li Muyang was also a protest against Fang Yingtian. But Fang Yingtian was so tough that he intended to eliminate all these dissenters in one fell swoop... The Blood Lotus Sect leader had the power to expel the souls of the sect members from the Four Directions Cauldron, depriving them of the ability to resurrect after death. This time, to erase the dissenters... honestly, Fang Yingtian, the Blood Lotus Sect leader, really uses a strong hand. This framing of Li Muyang and the action against the Hall of Enforcement involved many Helmsmen and Banner Masters. If all these people were to be dealt with and erased, it could shake the foundation of the sect. But Shen Yan¡¯s gaze was ice cold. ¡°The sect leader said, ¡®To secure the outside, we must first stabilize the inside.¡¯ Now that our sect¡¯s endeavors are just beginning, these people have become unruly and are trying to oppose us. If we don¡¯t eliminate them all, they will only cause greater disasters in the future.¡± ¡°If you want to establish an enduring group, you must first clear away the internal dregs!¡± Li Muyang nodded as he listened to the words relayed by Shen Yan. Good, the Blood Lotus Sect is about to descend into chaos. Fang Yingtian, who believed he had secured his footing, began to centralize power. He intended to take action against those Helmsmen and Incense Masters who had been acting like tyrants, accustomed to being local Emperors. It was uncertain how many of these Helmsmen and Incense Masters would perish this time. Li Muyang didn¡¯t harbor much resentment towards those who had framed him, but if the Blood Lotus Sect were to fall into chaos, it would be beneficial for both him and Yan Xiaoru¡¯s actions. After careful consideration, Li Muyang gave several names to Shen Yan, who then left with the documents. She would use these names provided by Li Muyang to investigate the framing and entrapment against him. In the dark prison cell, with Shen Yan¡¯s departure, only Li Muyang remained. Leisurely, Li Muyang returned to the corner, sat down, and closed his eyes. ¡°The Blood Lotus Sect is about to descend into chaos...¡± With Fang Yingtian¡¯s approach, those rats would definitely not sit by idly. The Sect Leader of the Blood Lotus Sect and his Helmsmen and Incense Masters were too preoccupied with their internal strife to guard against threats. This gave Yan Xiaoru of the Demon Refining Sect the opportunity to sever the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins, allowing the Demonic Sect to counterattack... What a pleasant thought. The more chaotic the Blood Lotus Sect became, the happier Li Muyang was. He cheerfully entered the game and saw Shen Miao, dressed in white, sitting on the eaves in the distance, her eyes wide open as she stared into the void, obviously using her special vision to observe the events unfolding in the world. It took a couple of calls from Li Muyang before Shen Miao snapped back to reality. ¡°Wow! Brother-in-law, the schemes and plots of these people are so complicated!¡± Through the perspectives of Fang Yingtian and Shen Yan, Shen Miao must have known that this incident was more than just framing Li Muyang. There was a deeper power struggle behind it. For a simple and optimistic young girl, the power struggles of these important figures were too complex and dangerous. Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s how the dirty adult world is.¡± Compared to that, playing games is simpler. At least in the game, monsters don¡¯t scheme and plot against you. If you can beat them, you win; if you can¡¯t, you lose. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we will continue challenging the Vermilion Bird.¡± The giant Emerald Blade Mantis waved its sharp blade arms, beckoning the girl to come over. Now that he had received reliable information that the Sect Leader of the Blood Lotus Sect would not deal with him, Li Muyang was content to stay in the prison and play games. As for the turmoil outside, it had nothing to do with him. He detested this kind of power struggle and preferred to stay as far away from it as possible. In the misty ghost city, the giant Emerald Blade Mantis leaped forward with Shen Miao, crashing into the Vermilion Bird¡¯s secret realm. In the maple forest ablaze with flames, a giant Vermilion Bird cried out, its wings covering the sky, as fire instantly rained down like rain... Chapter 268 - The Idealist Chapter 268: The Idealist The news of Hall of Enforcement Banner Master Li Muyang¡¯s arrest and imprisonment unsurprisingly caused a huge stir in Tianjiao City. Many people cheered, and some even went out to the streets to set off firecrackers in celebration. Many taverns and shops in Tianjiao City even hang red clothes and offer discounts to celebrate the event. The entire city was filled with joy, as if Li Muyang¡¯s arrest, a cruel and evil official, was a cause for universal celebration. Shen Miao relayed the outside situation to Li Muyang through her sister¡¯s perspective. The girl was quite angry. ¡°These brainless fools! My brother-in-law is not a bad person!¡± As the seals loosened, the girl¡¯s emotions became more realistic. The shackles her father had placed on her were gradually losing their effect. Now, Shen Miao was no longer limited to just feeling happy and joyful. She felt both angry and wronged by the scenes outside. Li Muyang, however, just shook his head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just a false image created by those rats, bribing a few tavern and shop owners to hold celebratory activities and spreading rumors to guide others to follow suit, creating the illusion that I am a great evil with boiling public resentment.¡± This kind of manipulation of public opinion was something he had seen countless times on the internet in his previous life. Most people in the world are conformist and blind. The fact that so many people in the city celebrated Li Muyang¡¯s imprisonment didn¡¯t mean they truly hated him. It¡¯s like that classic saying among adults, the common people don¡¯t care who gets beheaded. They¡¯re happy no matter who it is. Li Muyang was unconcerned about these reports. In fact, the bigger the commotion outside, the more he liked it. After Shen Yan left that day, she had been investigating and running around the city, trying to trace the clues behind the scenes and uncover those who had framed Li Muyang. Now, Li Muyang¡¯s imprisonment was a minor matter within the Blood Lotus Sect. The aftermath triggered by Li Muyang¡¯s imprisonment would turn into a massive torrent sweeping through the entire Blood Lotus Sect. Li Muyang, already imprisoned, sat back and watched the drama unfold quietly. He played games in the prison, working with Shen Miao to try to crack the corners of the Four Symbols Formation, completely ignoring the storm outside. The Vermilion Bird in the South, which controlled the heavenly fire, was more troublesome than the Azure Dragon¡¯s heavenly thunder. Li Muyang and Shen Miao had been trying for three days but kept failing, not even reaching the second phase of the Vermilion Bird. In the same combat system as the Azure Dragon, once the energy bar of ¡¾Heavenly Fire¡¿ was full, Li Muyang and Shen Miao would be forcibly expelled from the secret realm, resulting in failure. In the game, Li Muyang kept failing and trying again, and while attempting to conquer the game, he continued to enjoy leisurely activities with Xiao Yecao. Meanwhile, in Tianjiao City, the turmoil caused by Li Muyang¡¯s imprisonment gradually came to the forefront with Shen Yan¡¯s actions. After Li Muyang¡¯s imprisonment, the disciples of the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s Yellow Banner were also successively imprisoned and subjected to scrutiny. Li Muyang¡¯s loyal followers, led by Bu Hongsheng and Liu Fu, were interrogated for a long time in prison. It wasn¡¯t until Shen Yan intervened that these imprisoned disciples of the Hall of Enforcement were gradually rescued. Following the names given by Li Muyang, Shen Yan not only rescued these law enforcement disciples but also investigated the traitors among them. However, after identifying the traitors within the Hall of Enforcement, it became difficult to continue tracing the clues downward. The number of big figures involved in the Blood Lotus Sect at this time was more than expected. It was uncertain whether Xie Shanhai¡¯s Liehai Hall and Nangong Ting¡¯s Shenyan Hall were involved, and Liu Churen of Yubo Hall and Liu Hucheng of Lianxin Hall were also suspected of involvement, and these were only the ones currently discovered... Nearly half of the Helmsmen and Incense Masters from the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s four major halls and seven sub-branches were involved in this matter. Li Muyang was astounded when he heard this news. It seemed that Fang Yingtian¡¯s assertiveness had indeed caused dissatisfaction among those Helmsmen and Incense Masters who were used to acting like local Emperors. When Shen Yan came to see Li Muyang again and told him about the current situation and the progress of the investigation, Li Muyang smiled and advised her. ¡°Why not just let it go? If you continue to investigate, I¡¯m really afraid you¡¯ll be assassinated...¡± Although Shen Yan had high prestige in the sect, half of it came from her father, and the other half from her past ability to plan everything and anticipate the enemy¡¯s moves. With the support of Sect Leader Fang Yingtian and other factors, Shen Yan held an extraordinary position within the Blood Lotus Sect. However, despite her high status, she did not have a substantial identity. In the past, nobody dared to touch her, nor was there any need to. They were even willing to listen to her. But now, things are different. Shen Yan wants to root out those defiant thorns and execute them. Both sides now stand opposed, and who knows what that pack of rat-like scum will do. Li Muyang, with a smile, tried to persuade her, but Shen Yan shook her head. ¡°If we show fear and retreat here, how can our sect¡¯s teachings be spread far and wide?¡± ¡°The leader is absolutely right. The more these dregs overflow, the more we must cut them down. If we let them run rampant, even if the Blood Lotus Sect dominates one day, it will be nothing more than another Demon Refining Sect.¡± Shen Yan¡¯s eyes were resolute. Within the Blood Lotus Sect, there are many who truly believe in its cause, and Shen Yan is one of them. She is genuinely striving for her belief in exterminating all cultivators in the world and returning it to ordinariness. Seeing that persuasion was futile, Li Muyang stopped trying. He is not an idealist, but he still respects the sight of Shen Yan, who has a pure belief and fights for it. However, Li Muyang, imprisoned as he is, can¡¯t really help Shen Yan. The only thing he can do is to use Shen Miao¡¯s third-person perspective to inquire and observe Shen Yan¡¯s situation during his gaming breaks, to understand the current state of this female Zhuge Liang, lending his support through his gaze. ...... Under Shen Yan¡¯s planning and investigation, the people who framed Li Muyang gradually surfaced. Apart from Lotus Members, Shen Yan also obtained ironclad evidence of several Banner Masters¡¯ involvement in the matter. These investigations and confrontations inevitably led to strife and slaughter. With Li Muyang¡¯s imprisonment, the Hall of Enforcement quieted down, and although Tianjiao City seemed calm on the surface, a series of fierce fights erupted in the shadows. The souls in the Four Directions Cauldron increased by dozens. Though few in number, they were all core forces of the Blood Lotus Sect, showing just how bloody the internal strife was. Shen Miao looked at her sister¡¯s struggles outside and felt anxious, ¡°Brother-in-law, are you really unable to help? I feel like my sister is in great danger...¡± Li Muyang, however, was unconcerned, ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? At worst, s dies. The disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect aren¡¯t afraid of death. They can be easily resurrected after dying.¡± The disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect, accustomed to dying and being resurrected, were fearless in death, which brought great trouble to Shen Yan¡¯s investigation. Correspondingly, even if Shen Yan died a few times, it would not matter. If those crazed people thought of killing Shen Yan, not only would it be futile, but it would also provide evidence against them and completely enrage Fang Yingtian. Perhaps Fang Yingtian was just waiting for these scum to kill his niece so he could take advantage of the situation. Chapter 269 - Yan Xiaoru Sends a Message Chapter 269: Yan Xiaoru Sends a Message Under the gloomy sky, torrential rain continued. The cold rain pattered against the land. With the arrival of the rainy season, the water levels in the rivers of Tianjiao City rose, and the air became more humid. In such heavy rain, the blood from fights in the streets and alleys would quickly be washed away. But these had nothing to do with the ordinary people of the city. Despite the ongoing secret killings, Tianjiao City was bustling and prosperous on the surface. With the stabilization of the situation, the Blood Lotus Sect began to protect commercial trade, and Tianjiao City regained its former business prosperity. Ships filled with goods entered the city¡¯s port, and caravans from afar arrived loaded with merchandise. As long as they could continue doing business, most ordinary people would return to Tianjiao City and resume their usual commercial activities. The struggles of the cultivation world had nothing to do with them. In such a bustling commercial city, the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect, Fang Yingtian, often preached in the streets, leading the city¡¯s residents in prayer. They leveled houses in the center of Tianjiao City to build a huge square. Countless disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect came to the square to pray every day, and whenever the sky cleared, the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect would also come here to preach the doctrine and spread the faith. The leader of the Blood Lotus Sect performed miracles on the square, not only resurrecting the dead but also healing diseases, expelling evil spirits, and even enlightening disciples... These miracles greatly enhanced Fang Yingtian¡¯s prestige, and more and more people chose to join the Blood Lotus Sect. Tianjiao City had now completely fallen into the hands of the Blood Lotus Sect as countless citizens believed in the teachings of the Blood Lotus Sect and joined it. Under the city¡¯s fervent religious atmosphere, Shen Yan¡¯s investigation of the perpetrators became increasingly strict. Battles took place one after another in the veil of rain. These cold and solemn fights were out of place with the city¡¯s fervent atmosphere. Shen Yan had already captured three Banner Master-level figures and obtained evidence of their crimes. But this was just the beginning. The three Banner Masters belonged to the Liehai Hall, Lianxin Hall, and Yubo Hall. Two major sub-halls and one major incense hall were involved, with Liehai Hall Helmsman Xie Shanhai, Yubo Hall Helmsman Liu Churen, and Lianxin Hall Incense Master Liu Hucheng all in turmoil over the matter. The day Shen Yan imprisoned the third Banner Master, the three Helmsmen even stormed into Shen Yan¡¯s city lord¡¯s mansion, roaring for the release of their people. However, Shen Yan stood firm, and both sides parted on bad terms. As the storm once again swept over Tianjiao City, Shen Yan stood under the eaves of the city lord¡¯s mansion, quietly watching the rain outside, her expression melancholic lost in thought. At that moment, hurried footsteps approached. Someone came with alarming news in a panic. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s terrible! Helmsman Ruan Mei has been attacked and harmed!¡± Hearing this news, Shen Yan was stunned, her face showing a look of astonishment. In the dark prison, Li Muyang, who had successfully defeated the Vermilion Bird illusion and taken down the Vermilion Bird flag, was discussing the attack patterns of the White Tiger of the West with Shen Miao. The White Tiger beast manifested by the western corner of the Four Symbols Formation was even more powerful than the previous two beasts. As the formation was continuously broken, the remaining power would become increasingly terrifying, and the further they went, the more difficult it would be. At that moment, Shen Miao suddenly startled and informed Li Muyang of the news her sister had heard in reality. After hearing it, Li Muyang fell silent. ¡°...So it¡¯s Ruan Mei who was attacked?¡± He had thought that those rats would attack Shen Yan first. But he didn¡¯t expect that they would go after Ruan Mei first. They didn¡¯t kill Ruan Mei but instead poisoned her with a potent toxin. This toxin put Ruan Mei into a vegetative state, unaware and unresponsive, and it was uncertain how long it would take to remove the poison. Given Ruan Mei¡¯s high cultivation level, if she died once, it would cost at least a third of her lifespan... Listening to the news from the outside world, Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°Madness, complete madness.¡± Ruan Mei was Shen Yan¡¯s right-hand woman and the strongest support in her investigation. She was also a Helmsman of the Hall of Enforcement, representing the authority of the Blood Lotus Sect leader, Fang Yingtian. Attacking Ruan Mei was, in some ways, more serious than attacking Shen Yan. After all, Shen Yan was just a mortal, and the cost of resurrection was low. She could die many times, but Ruan Mei is a precious high-level combatant of the Blood Lotus Sect! ¡°It seems I¡¯ve underestimated the madness of these people,¡± Li Muyang lamented. Attacking Ruan Mei is no different from slapping Fang Ying Tian in the face in public. If Fang Ying Tian swallows this insult, then he can forget about consolidating power in the future. But if he doesn¡¯t swallow it, he¡¯ll have to go to war with everyone in the Blood Lotus Sect who doesn¡¯t submit to him... ¡°Tsk... there¡¯s going to be a bloodbath soon.¡± Li Muyang made such a judgment. Shen Miao was completely confused: ¡°What do you mean by ¡®a bloodbath¡¯?¡± Li Muyang sighed and explained the situation to the young girl. ¡°With the Sect Leader Fang¡¯s tactics and dominance, this time he¡¯s completely at odds with the troublemakers.¡± ¡°Those guys dared to attack Ruan Mei, and they succeeded... then will they dare to attack the Sect Leader in the future?¡± Ruan Mei is no pushover, yet she was still successfully attacked. Fang Ying Tian, no matter what, could not ignore this matter any longer. Indeed, when the news of Ruan Mei¡¯s attack spread, Fang Ying Tian was furious. Originally acting as a hands-off manager and leaving the investigation of the mastermind to Shen Yan and only preaching in the city, Fang Ying Tian personally ordered martial law in the city and sent his trusted aides to thoroughly investigate the matter. Although they haven¡¯t completely torn their faces and even Banner Master-level figures haven¡¯t been mobilized, in the following days, the killings and struggles in the city continued unabated, with more and more Lotus Members dying tragically. Hundreds more souls were added to the Four Directions Cauldron, all middle-level leaders of the Blood Lotus Sect. In such turmoil, Li Muyang in the prison received an unexpected visitor. ¨CCheng Feiyang, the Senior Brother he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. Currently disguised, Senior Brother Cheng is now a jailer in the prison. He stooped, appearing old and weathered, a warrior who had seen much of life. But after the routine delivery of the daily meals, this old jailer spoke in a low voice. ¡°Muyang, Elder Yan has sent me to deliver a message to you...¡± Hearing this familiar voice, Li Muyang was astonished. He later learned that Yan Xiaoru had placed Cheng Feiyang in the prison on the day he was incarcerated. It was only after Li Muyang was no longer in mortal danger that Cheng Feiyang continued to hide and did not reveal his identity. Now, however, with the city in the midst of a fierce killing spree and intense struggle, Senior Brother Cheng, who had been undercover for many days, revealed his identity. ¡°Elder Yan says, with the fierce struggle in the city and the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s high ranks killing each other, you are the source of this turmoil.¡± ¡°In the chaos, it¡¯s very likely that someone will vent their anger on you, taking the opportunity to come to the prison to take your life...¡± Cheng Feiyang spoke softly, ¡°Considering your safety, someone will disguise themselves as a Blood Lotus Sect disciple to break into the prison at midnight tomorrow. When that happens, don¡¯t resist and follow them out.¡± Chapter 270 - Seeing Xiaoru Again Chapter 270: Seeing Xiaoru Again Cheng Feiyang quietly outlined the rescue plan. Now with continuous killings and escalating struggles in the city, the situation seemed to be spiraling out of control. Yan Xiaoru, concerned about Li Muyang¡¯s safety, decided to rescue him from the dungeon first. Hearing this plan, Li Muyang felt a warmth in his heart. But after thinking it over, Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°Go back and tell Elder Yan, there¡¯s no need to rescue me. Even if someone comes to break into the prison tomorrow night, I won¡¯t go with them.¡± The situation in Tianjiao City is chaotic, and both sides are almost blinded by rage. At such a time, the undercover agents of the Demon Refining Sect have almost been forgotten, with few people still concerned about this matter. If Yan Xiaoru rashly attempts a prison break, it¡¯s fine if she succeeds, but what if she fails? If the Blood Lotus Sect discovers that there is a large-scale infiltration of Demonic Sect agents in the city, the two fiercely fighting sides might calm down due to this external enemy of the Demon Refining Sect, which would be counterproductive. This reckless prison break might even expose the long-hidden plans of the Demon Refining Sect. Yan Xiaoru has been avoiding him, clearly entering the city but unwilling to meet with Li Muyang, seemingly calm and restrained. Yet at such a time, she makes a foolish move... Li Muyang sighed. Although he felt warmth in his heart, he still refused the rescue plan. ¡°You must tell Elder Yan, definitely do not come to rescue me. I won¡¯t have any trouble in prison.¡± ¡°Shen Yan has sent many people to protect me in secret. Now that both sides are blinded by rage, they basically won¡¯t waste their energy on me.¡± The grudges between the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s scum and Li Muyang are personal. However, their struggle with the Sect Leader of the Blood Lotus Sect relates to the entire sect and even their own futures. During this intense stage of fighting and struggle, it¡¯s unlikely that they would waste manpower and resources on Li Muyang. After all, trying to attack Li Muyang, the Martial God Tyrant Body, in the heavenly prison is even more difficult than attacking Ruan Mei. And Li Muyang¡¯s refusal left Cheng Feiyang somewhat at a loss. He clearly didn¡¯t expect the usually cautious Li Muyang to dare defy Elder Yan¡¯s orders. ¨CIsn¡¯t this kid afraid of Elder Yan¡¯s punishment later? After several unsuccessful attempts to persuade him, Cheng Feiyang could only leave dejectedly. He was just a jailer who came to deliver food and couldn¡¯t stay too long. After Cheng Feiyang left, Li Muyang sat in the dark prison cell and pondered for a long time, finally sighing and shaking his head. ¡°Yan Xiaoru...¡± Since their last parting on Pingyang Hill, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for almost half a year. Li Muyang was usually busy playing games and judging prisoners and didn¡¯t feel much. Now, hearing about Yan Xiaoru in a rush, he realized that she had been silently looking after him all this time... At this moment, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but miss her. He remembered the girl who pretended to be a mysterious senior, outwardly cold and arrogant, but in reality, could be happy for a long time because of the snacks he gave her... ¡°... half a year has passed,¡± Li Muyang said softly, his expression somewhat wistful. Originally, his life was stable and solid, blending in with the Demon Refining Sect, playing games, and interacting with the cute and naive elder. But the turmoil of the Blood Lotus Sect completely messed up his life. ¡°Blood Lotus Sect, oh Blood Lotus Sect...¡± Li Muyang murmured softly, and it took him a while to stabilize his emotions before closing his eyes to enter the game. He had already broken two corners of the Four Symbols Formation. Next, he just needed to break the remaining two corners to rescue Shen Miao. By then, the turmoil of the Blood Lotus Sect would probably have settled, and he could return to the Demon Refining Sect. For the first time, Li Muyang realized that he actually felt a sense of belonging to this annoying demonic sect. For some people in this sect, he felt an emotion of not wanting to part... ...... Time passed quickly. While Li Muyang was engrossed in his gaming, switching back and forth between two games, the torrential rain in the real world continued unabated, and the evening had gradually given way to the pitch-black of night. Under the shroud of darkness, the rain in Tianjiao City seemed to become more piercing. The sound of raindrops pattering against walls and roof tiles reached even the depths of the dungeon where Li Muyang was held, faint but discernible. The prison guards became sparse in the latter half of the night, leaving the place eerily quiet. The cell where Li Muyang was confined was so silent that even the sound of breathing was clearly audible. Yet, in the midst of this deathly stillness, Li Muyang, within the game, suddenly sensed something. He abruptly exited the game and opened his eyes. Boom¡ª¡ª The jarring sound of thunder echoed between heaven and earth. The thunderous roars mingled with the gloomy echoes in the dark prison corridors. No lightning was visible, nor the curtain of rain outside. But just beyond the darkness of the dungeon, a shadow stood quietly in the gloom. She seemed to have been there for a long time or perhaps had just arrived. Without any light, the powerful vision of the Martial God Tyrant Body allowed Li Muyang to clearly see her face. The familiar cold indifference, the familiar icy detachment. Yan Xiaoru, an elder of the Demonic Sect, stood undisguised in the depths of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s dungeon, quietly observing Li Muyang within his cell. At the moment their gazes intersected, Li Muyang sprang up as if electrified and hurriedly approached the sturdy steel bars of his cell. ¡°You... how did you get here?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyes were filled with shock, and he glanced around in a slight panic, fearing that at any second, followers of the Blood Lotus Sect would flood in and discover a Demonic Sect elder hiding there. Faced with Li Muyang¡¯s panic, Yan Xiaoru was briefly silent. Then she said, ¡°Cheng Feiyang mentioned you refused to leave prison, so I came to see you myself.¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s voice was as indifferent as ever, that lifeless tone suggesting nothing in the world mattered to her. Seeing Yan Xiaoru like this and hearing her familiar way of speaking, Li Muyang relaxed. He sat back lazily in his cell and raised an eyebrow at Yan Xiaoru. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to care about me. You¡¯ve been in the city for so long and didn¡¯t come to see me. I thought you had forgotten about me...¡± Li Muyang¡¯s words carried a hint of resentment. To this, Yan Xiaoru remained silently still. Faced with Li Muyang¡¯s frivolous words tinged with complaint, she did not get angry, nor did she show her usual passive indifference or that lifeless, stiff reaction. ¡°Are you... throwing a tantrum because of me?¡± Although her tone was somewhat stiff, her gaze softened, and her tone was gentler than Li Muyang had ever heard. Clearly, gentleness was a stretch for Yan Xiaoru. Still, Li Muyang was taken aback by her rigid gentleness. ¡°Uh... this...¡± Originally intending to provoke her with the frivolous tone Yan Xiaoru disliked, Li Muyang was now utterly confused by her gentle response. He scratched his head, at a loss for words. But then he saw Yan Xiaoru, who usually seemed forced and as if she was being bullied by him, now speaking softly with a gentle tone. ¡°If you¡¯re throwing a tantrum because of me, then I apologize. On Pingyang Hill, I shouldn¡¯t have left you on your own...¡± At that moment, Li Muyang was truly stunned. He looked at Yan Xiaoru in astonishment and surprise, at this woman whose attitude had completely changed, who was no longer the slightest bit reluctant but instead sincere and gentle¡ªLi Muyang wondered if he was dreaming. Was this still the awkward and childish Yan Xiaoru? Back on Pingyang Hill, although he had managed to open her heart, she had always been stiff and reluctant towards him due to some emotional barrier. But now, she seemed like a different person. Her tender apology, along with her sincere remorseful demeanor, was pitifully endearing. It was as beautiful as a dream. Chapter 271 - Don’t Die Chapter 271: Don¡¯t Die Inside the dark prison, a brief silence fell. Li Muyang stared at the woman in front of him, who was speaking softly and trying hard to sound gentle, and for a moment he was stunned. Although Yan Xiaoru¡¯s tone was very stiff¡ªclearly, she had never attempted such a tender demeanor before, and it looked somewhat awkward¡ªLi Muyang couldn¡¯t help but feel a warm current rise in his heart upon seeing her like this. Many of the issues that had troubled him seemed to dissipate in that moment. After thinking for a bit, Li Muyang said, ¡°...Although it may seem like I¡¯m being angry, I¡¯m really not.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s expression became sincere. His gaze softened as he tried to convey his honesty: ¡°I¡¯m not an ignorant three-year-old child. How could I possibly be petty about life-and-death matters with you?¡± ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t want you to come rescue me is that it¡¯s truly unnecessary. The risk is too great.¡± Li Muyang laid out the risks and consequences of rescuing him, then added, ¡°Plus, Shen Yan has been sending people to guard near the prison, and with my Martial God Tyrant Body at Minor Achievement, the cost for anyone who wants to trouble a prisoner like me is too high.¡± ¡°Those guys are now busy fighting for power and profit. Compared to the power they¡¯re vying for, my personal feud with them is really insignificant.¡± The current struggle within the Blood Lotus Sect could be likened to the struggles between regional warlords and the Emperor in a previous life. What both sides were fighting for was the order and the right to speak for the Blood Lotus Sect in the future, which related to the order and future of both parties and the entire sect. At such a time, Li Muyang, the so-called ¡°culprit,¡± became irrelevant. It made no sense to expend manpower to take revenge on him. After Li Muyang finished speaking, Yan Xiaoru in the darkness fell silent. ¡°Is that so...¡± Yan Xiaoru pondered, seemingly choosing her words carefully, and then said, ¡°I¡¯m also aware of what you¡¯ve said, but a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. The city is in constant turmoil, and this is a good opportunity to rescue you.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t take the risk if I wasn¡¯t sure... Since I¡¯ve come to save you, I have a full assurance...¡± Yan Xiaoru still hoped to rescue Li Muyang. Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m glad you care so much about my safety, but it¡¯s really not necessary.¡± ¡°Instead of wasting manpower and taking risks to save me, it¡¯s better to leave me be for now. Yuechan said your plans are nearly complete, so I won¡¯t be in this prison for many more days.¡± ¡°Besides, I have important things to do in the prison, and it would be inconvenient after I leave.¡± Saying this, Li Muyang glanced at the dark entrance of the cell, alert to any movement outside. Yan Xiaoru¡¯s presence deep in the prison was extremely dangerous. The consequences would be unimaginable if discovered by the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s guards. Sensing Li Muyang¡¯s nervousness, Yan Xiaoru spoke softly, ¡°I can stay here for another quarter of an hour. Cheng Feiyang has arranged everything. You can speak freely for now. No one will come for a while.¡± Her words reassured Li Muyang, who nodded. A quarter of an hour was a bit rushed and not enough time to explain in detail, and it wasn¡¯t easy to explain. Li Muyang could only try to be as concise as possible. ¡°I¡¯ve figured out a way in the prison to nullify the power of the Four Directions Cauldron that allows the sect members to resurrect, all without anyone noticing.¡± ¡°If I can successfully nullify this power, the threat of the Blood Lotus Sect will be greatly reduced...¡± Li Muyang spoke as if reciting a scripture. It was hard for a normal person to believe that a prisoner like him could achieve such a feat on land stripped of cultivation. That was an ancient immortal artifact! Its power was not something a mere Demonic Sect disciple could nullify just by saying so. But after a few seconds of silence, Yan Xiaoru said seriously, ¡°Really?¡± Li Muyang nodded: ¡°Really, but I hope you¡¯ll keep this a secret. Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Yan Xiaoru agreed, ¡°Okay! Since you¡¯ve said it, I¡¯ll believe you.¡± She didn¡¯t ask how Li Muyang could do it. She simply believed him. ¡°If you can nullify the troublesome divine power of resurrection of the Blood Lotus Sect, then this cult will no longer pose a threat.¡± Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°So you don¡¯t need to worry about me. Focus on your plans outside. Everything is fine with me in prison. You work on cutting off the link between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins, and I¡¯ll quietly disrupt the cauldron¡¯s power of resurrection.¡± ¡°Our concerted efforts will completely quell the turmoil of the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± Li Muyang spoke earnestly. Yan Xiaoru continued to nod: ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll do as you say. I¡¯ll have Cheng Feiyang look after you in secret. If your plan succeeds, that would be great, but even if it doesn¡¯t, don¡¯t force it.¡± ¡°As long as the connection between the Four Directions Cauldron and the earth¡¯s veins is severed, the turmoil here can be settled.¡± Yan Xiaoru accepted all of Li Muyang¡¯s requests obediently to the point of astonishment. Li Muyang even suspected that if he asked her to do something ¡°difficult,¡± she wouldn¡¯t refuse. But seeing that time was almost up, Li Muyang didn¡¯t say much more. He smiled and whispered, ¡°You should go now. Don¡¯t stay in the prison too long, and don¡¯t come to see me personally in the future... It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Li Muyang urged Yan Xiaoru to leave with sincere words. However, Yan Xiaoru in the darkness just quietly looked at him, not moving. She stepped forward two steps, came to the bars, and quietly looked at Li Muyang separated by the bars, saying, ¡°There¡¯s still time...¡± Li Muyang blinked, thinking the woman had something else to say. But suddenly, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s hand reached through the bars to cup Li Muyang¡¯s face, gently pulling him closer. Then, Yan Xiaoru outside the cell gently tiptoed and leaned in. A faint and elegant fragrance wafted towards him, and Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He felt Yan Xiaoru¡¯s warm breath and her soft, tender lips close to his. Their breaths, lips, and heartbeats intertwined chaotically at that moment. A dreamy intoxication surged forth. At that moment, Li Muyang felt as if he were drinking divine nectar, instinctively savoring the sweet bliss between their lips, his eyes becoming slightly hazy. After a while, the two, with slightly disheveled hair and clothes, parted in the darkness. She stepped back two steps, looking at Li Muyang inside the bars, the Demonic Sect elder as cold as an iceberg as always. But in her eyes, a layer of misty haze appeared. Two blushes also quietly stained her cheeks. She quietly looked at Li Muyang in the cell and softly said, ¡°...Don¡¯t die.¡± After that, the cold woman turned around and left, quickly disappearing into the dark entrance. She seemed to have no reluctance, leaving so decisively. Even the last words she left behind were extremely brief. But Li Muyang in the dark cell pursed his lips and smiled very happily. Chapter 272 - Are You Flirting with Another Woman? Chapter 272: Are You Flirting with Another Woman? ¡°...Brother-in-law, why are you smiling so lewdly?¡± In the misty ghost city, Shen Miao, dressed in plain white robes, rubbed her arms, looking somewhat uneasy and wary at the giant mantis in front of her. ¡°And you¡¯re looking at me while you¡¯re smiling lewdly... What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re not planning on making a move on me, are you?¡± The girl who had never left the Four Directions Cauldron stared at Li Muyang with great vigilance. Li Muyang, still immersed in the blissful daze of a moment ago, came back to his senses and looked down at the girl at his feet. ¡°You can see my expression? Uh...¡± After Li Muyang spoke, he realized he had asked a pointless question. If Shen Miao could see his face through the Emerald Blade Mantis, naturally, she could also see his expression and smile. Realizing this, Li Muyang coughed dryly, forcibly straightened his face, and reined in his smile. ¡°What do you mean, smiling lewdly... You¡¯re talking nonsense, you little girl.¡± Li Muyang stubbornly denied it: ¡°I just thought of something happy, that¡¯s all, so I smiled. You, young lady, have such a messy mind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention about you, I¡¯m not even interested in your sister.¡± ¡°And how many times have I told you? I am not your brother-in-law, it¡¯s all your sect leader¡¯s random matchmaking.¡± After Li Muyang finished his stubborn denial, he immediately changed the subject seamlessly. ¡°Speaking of which, this Western White Tiger is so troublesome, do you have any good ideas?¡± Li Muyang forcefully shifted the topic. Shen Miao, dressed as a mage, looked at him speechlessly and hummed softly. ¡°Western White Tiger... Hmph...¡± The young girl clearly noticed that Li Muyang¡¯s mind was elsewhere. But she couldn¡¯t figure out why. After all, Li Muyang was locked in a pitch-black prison with no contact with the outside world. Her sister Shen Yan hadn¡¯t visited the prison for two days. Shen Miao speculated and said, ¡°Brother-in-law, you... you haven¡¯t been fooling around with another woman behind my sister¡¯s back, have you?¡± ¡°That smile of yours just now was clearly because you were thinking of a woman!¡± Shen Miao tried to get to the bottom of it, but Li Muyang didn¡¯t give her the chance to press further. ¡°Thinking of what? I¡¯m locked up in this dark prison, I can hardly even see a living person, let alone think of women.¡± Li Muyang righteously denied the young girl¡¯s suspicion, controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to move forward, and soon entered the White Tiger secret realm. The enormous Western White Tiger roared as it appeared in the secret realm. Endless divine weapons and blades, swords, spears, and halberds flew around in this realm. It was like a huge smelting factory, or a broken ancient battlefield. The divine beast White Tiger, standing in the center of the realm, wielded the power of metal, and in an instant, countless flying swords shot towards the Emerald Blade Mantis. The reason Li Muyang stayed in prison and didn¡¯t deceive Yan Xiaoru was indeed to conquer this game. But if Yan Xiaoru rescued him and he disappeared from the prison, Shen Miao would discover his identity as an undercover agent of the Demonic Sect... Li Muyang wasn¡¯t sure if this young girl would still be willing to help him break the Four Symbols Great Array after knowing this. Although Shen Miao should hate the Blood Lotus Sect, and even Fang Yingtian, she cared a lot about her sister Shen Yan. Everything Li Muyang was about to do was a betrayal of Shen Yan, who knew how Shen Miao would react after finding out? So, to be safe, it was better to continue playing the game in prison and not to disrupt the current situation. Li Muyang denied the young girl¡¯s guess and took her into the White Tiger secret realm. As the divine beast White Tiger charged at them, Shen Miao had no time to ask further questions and immediately counterattacked. The infant spirit girl trapped in the Four Directions Cauldron was even slightly stronger than the Emerald Blade Mantis at this time. In their joint battle, she took the lead. The two had been stuck at the White Tiger secret realm checkpoint for several days. ...... After Yan Xiaoru left, Li Muyang¡¯s prison life returned to its peaceful state. No more uninvited guests came to disturb him. Even Shen Yan, who often came to discuss the city¡¯s situation with him, was too busy with the escalating conflict and hadn¡¯t visited the prison for several days. While strategizing the game, Li Muyang listened to Shen Miao¡¯s explanations of the outside world and deduced the current situation in the city. For the Blood Lotus Sect, this turmoil could shake its foundation. But if they didn¡¯t rein in their power this time and allowed the Helmsmen and Incense Masters below to grow too powerful, the Blood Lotus Sect would eventually face a split. By then, there would likely be even more casualties. Ultimately, the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s past model was to fight independently, each to their own. Now, Fang Yingtian wanted to change the sect¡¯s model to centralize power, making this turmoil inevitable. Both sides were still trying to restrain themselves and had not completely fallen out. Fang Yingtian held the Four Directions Cauldron, which could strip cult members of their membership and make them lose the ability to resurrect after death. Those unwilling Helmsmen and Incense Masters, who had operated their own branches for years with loyal subordinates, could start a rebellion with a single command. Neither side wanted to take the final step unless absolutely necessary, but with the situation so intense, neither was willing to back down easily... In Li Muyang¡¯s view, Tianjiao City was like a pot of boiling hot oil. Anything that fell into it would cause the oil to bubble furiously. In the process of waiting, he finally, with some stumbling, broke through the White Tiger secret realm with Shen Miao and pulled out the White Tiger flag. Now, only the North Black Tortoise flag remained in the Four Symbols Great Array. Li Muyang, with the happy Shen Miao, headed towards the location of the Black Tortoise flag. As long as they pulled out this last flag, they could save Shen Miao and clear the game. But just at that moment, the arrival of terrible news panicked the previously elated Shen Miao. She suddenly jumped down from the top of the Emerald Blade Mantis, extremely flustered, and said to Li Muyang. ¡°It¡¯s bad, brother-in-law, my sister has been attacked!¡± The girl who was just excited and happy was now pale and anxious. ¡°Just now, I saw from my sister¡¯s perspective that she was ambushed and attacked! She¡¯s already fainted!¡± ¡°You have to go back and see how she is, don¡¯t let her be like Aunt Mei!¡± Shen Miao was extremely anxious. Hearing this news, Li Muyang was stunned and surprised. ¡°Shen Yan... was attacked?¡± Upon hearing this news, a trace of concern arose in Li Muyang¡¯s heart. He didn¡¯t have much dislike for Shen Yan, the enchantress of the Blood Lotus Sect. In fact, Shen Yan had taken good care of him. But thinking of the consequences of Shen Yan¡¯s attack, Li Muyang swallowed hard and murmured, ¡°It¡¯s going to blow up, this is going to completely blow up...¡± With Shen Yan¡¯s attack, the boiling hot oil of Tianjiao City was bound to explode! What followed would either be Fang Yingtian wiping out the opposition or those dissatisfied Helmsmen and Incense Masters successfully staging a coup! And at this moment of complete loss of control, it was also the opportunity Yan Xiaoru had been waiting for to make her move. Li Muyang felt a chill in his heart, realizing the pressure he was under. Once Yan Xiaoru made her move, he would have to respond. If they were to act, they had to succeed in completely quelling the unrest within the Blood Lotus Sect in one go! Chapter 273 - Trustworthy? Chapter 273: Trustworthy? In the pitch-black prison, Li Muyang logged out of the game and stood up. He walked slowly around the cell, constantly listening for any sounds from outside. The prison door was no obstacle to him. He could break out at any moment if he wished. If Yan Xiaoru were to take action, Senior Brother Cheng, disguised as a jailer, would relay the message. While waiting, Li Muyang pondered the situation Shen Miao had described. From the account of the infant spirit girl, it seemed inevitable that Shen Yan would be attacked. After the Hall of Enforcement Helmsman Ruan Mei was attacked, Shen Yan¡¯s methods became harsh and intense. She pursued the clues with calm and sharp determination, securing evidence and ultimately identifying all Blood Lotus Sect disciples involved in the attack on Ruan Mei. Nine Banner Masters were implicated, spanning four branches and three incense halls¡ªthese were the current forces opposing Fang Yingtian. More than half of the high-ranking members of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s four incense halls and seven branches were not abiding by Fang Yingtian¡¯s rules. Having secured solid evidence against these individuals, Shen Yan went to find Fang Yingtian. But by then, the group had directly attacked Shen Yan. Li Muyang guessed that the attack on Shen Yan was just the beginning. Both sides had been restraining themselves, but now, with the desperate attack on Shen Yan, Fang Yingtian must be ready to act, right? However, Li Muyang had waited a long time in the prison without hearing any signs of an uprising outside. Confused, he returned to the game, wanting to see the situation from Shen Miao¡¯s perspective. But upon entering the game, Li Muyang saw a strange scene. ¡ª¡ªShen Miao, dressed in plain white robes, was happily hugging Shen Yan¡¯s dazed and bewildered soul, nuzzling against her like a spoiled child. ¡°Ah! Sister! I finally see you!¡± The infant spirit girl, who had been trapped in the Four Directions Cauldron and had never been to the human world, was now joyfully embracing her sister Shen Yan¡¯s soul. Shen Yan¡¯s soul stood dazed and bewildered in the ghost city shrouded in mist, allowing the infant spirit girl to fondle her. Seeing this, Li Muyang immediately understood the situation. ¡°It looks like the fight won¡¯t happen...¡± Shen Yan had no cultivation, unlike Ruan Mei. If she was attacked and harmed, she could simply be killed and revived. After all, the cost of reviving Shen Yan as a mortal was very low. Fang Yingtian¡¯s choice made Li Muyang narrow his eyes. ¡°It seems with the ability to resurrect from death, it¡¯s hard to get the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s guys to really fight...¡± Even though both sides were on the brink of conflict, as long as the miracle of resurrection remained, there was still room for reversal. But with both Ruan Mei and Shen Yan being attacked one after the other, Fang Yingtian¡¯s reputation had taken a hit, yet he still remained behind the scenes without taking action... What was this old schemer thinking? By allowing his confidants to be bullied without intervention, his authority as the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect would surely be affected, right? Li Muyang watched Shen Miao happily cuddling with her sister and shook his head wordlessly. ¡°Let her go quickly, she loses life span every time she dies, don¡¯t delay her resurrection.¡± Li Muyang had Shen Miao release Shen Yan¡¯s soul, then sent Shen Yan¡¯s bewildered soul into the huge shadow of the Four Directions Cauldron in the ghost city. There, Shen Yan¡¯s shadow would use the power of the Four Directions Cauldron to reconstruct her body in the human world. This process would take a day or two, and after the body was reconstructed, it would take another day or two to recover fully. Li Muyang watched Shen Yan¡¯s soul enter the Four Directions Cauldron, his eyes slightly narrowed. He was somewhat puzzled by Fang Yingtian¡¯s behavior. Logically, the Blood Lotus Sect leader, who was determined to centralize power, should not have ignored his niece¡¯s attack. If he didn¡¯t have the courage to flip the table, he shouldn¡¯t have set such a high tone from the start. Now that the other side was desperate, he backed down... Such a blow to his prestige was absolutely devastating. Li Muyang narrowed his eyes, feeling something was amiss. Fang Yingtian¡¯s strange behavior was incomprehensible. Even with Shen Miao¡¯s third-person perspective for surveillance, he couldn¡¯t find any anomalies. Fang Yingtian was indeed furious about Shen Yan¡¯s attack. But that was all. His response was the same as when Ruan Mei was attacked¡ªordering and searching for the assailant who attacked Shen Yan. But beyond that, there was nothing more. He still left the matter to Shen Yan to handle after her revival. And the evidence Shen Yan had previously collected was destroyed due to her attack, so now even though they knew who the opponents were, there was no evidence to accuse them. Everything had to start over. Through Shen Miao¡¯s account, Li Muyang, aware of Shen Yan¡¯s situation, narrowed his eyes. He turned to Shen Miao and suddenly asked a question. ¡°...This Uncle Fang of yours, is he really trustworthy?¡± Up to this point, Shen Yan had been loyally serving Fang Yingtian, handling the affairs of the sect. Yet she and Ruan Mei were attacked one after the other, and Fang Yingtian still acted like a hands-off manager, not caring about anything, not even holding the attackers accountable... This was obviously problematic! The infant spirit girl in plain white robes blinked and said, ¡°Uncle Fang? What did he do?¡± Although the girl was clever, she was far from her sister¡¯s level. After all, being isolated from the world, it was normal for her to be a bit naive and innocent. Li Muyang shook his head and said no more. But that afternoon, a visitor came to his prison. Shen Yan, who hadn¡¯t visited the prison for several days, came straight to Li Muyang¡¯s cell after her revival. In the prison corridor lit by the dim oil lamp, the girl in a thick cloak seemed even paler. Dying once, along with the chaotic situation in the city, visibly wore down the mortal girl. She still came alone to visit Li Muyang. But this time, the first thing Shen Yan said after they met took Li Muyang by surprise. ¡°...Muyang,¡± Shen Yan said softly, holding the oil lamp. ¡°If you had someone very close to you who wanted to use you, or even harm you... what would you do?¡± Shen Yan¡¯s question made Li Muyang¡¯s heart skip a beat. As an undercover agent, his instinct made him subconsciously think he had been discovered. But after a brief moment of thought, Li Muyang guessed that she wasn¡¯t referring to him. He believed that he hadn¡¯t shown any flaws. Narrowing his eyes in contemplation, he asked, ¡°Miss, who are you talking about?¡± At this point, it should be quite clear who Shen Yan was referring to. This woman, who was much more intelligent than her sweet and naive sister, would surely have noticed if someone was plotting against her. However, when faced with Li Muyang¡¯s question, Shen Yan, holding a lamp, had half of her face obscured by darkness. After a few seconds of silence, she shook her head and smiled, saying, ¡°Maybe I was mistaken...¡± ¡°Anyway, are you alright? I¡¯ve been busy and haven¡¯t come to see you for a long time. This time, I¡¯ve come to get you out of prison.¡± Shen Yan looked at Li Muyang quietly and smiled, ¡°The Sect Leader has finally agreed to pardon you.¡± Chapter 274 - The Resilient Tortoise Chapter 274: The Resilient Tortoise After being released from the black prison, Li Muyang did not return to his former position. Once a Banner Master, Li Muyang once again became an idle person without rank in the Blood Lotus Sect. This was somewhat strange. According to Li Muyang¡¯s guess, Shen Yan had pulled him out of the big prison probably to utilize the powerful combat strength of his Martial God Tyrant Body to deal with those troublemakers. However, Shen Yan only assigned him a leisurely task¡ªprotecting the poisoned and comatose Ruan Mei. Although Ruan Mei was important and had taken care of Shen Yan after her father¡¯s death and was a senior who had watched Shen Yan grow up, assigning Li Muyang, with his formidable combat power, to protect Ruan Mei felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The people assigned to protect Ruan Mei, besides Li Muyang, were the young disciples he had promoted in the Hall of Enforcement. After Li Muyang was arrested and imprisoned, his law enforcement disciples were also jailed and subjected to investigation. After Shen Yan pulled Bu Hongsheng and Liu Fu out, they were continuously tasked with protecting Ruan Mei. Now that they saw Li Muyang released from prison, everyone was extremely excited. Only Liu Fu and Bu Hongsheng, after experiencing this incident, no longer had their former ambition and seemed somewhat downcast. It was clear that their enthusiasm had been greatly damaged by their loyalty to the Blood Lotus Sect, which had resulted in imprisonment and demotion. However, Li Muyang was indifferent to this. After his release, he was arranged to live next to Ruan Mei. In the room next door, Ruan Mei was in a comatose and poisoned state, like a vegetative person. Two physicians skilled in the art of poison treated her daily, detoxifying her three times a day in a slow and meticulous manner to save this attacked Helmsman. Li Muyang and the others stood guard inside and outside the courtyard to ensure Ruan Mei¡¯s safety. Thus, Li Muyang¡¯s main daily task was to sit in a wicker chair at the door of Ruan Mei¡¯s room to prevent the entry of unrelated people. But every time he closed his eyes, Li Muyang would play games. The situation in the Blood Lotus Sect had not spiraled out of control, even though people from both sides had died. Both factions were trying to restrain themselves. According to what Li Muyang learned after his release, not only Ruan Mei and Shen Yan had been attacked, but several Banner Masters on the opposing side had also died. Now, the only thing left before an all-out conflict was for the Sect Leader and several Helmsmen to personally step in. But this final step had yet to be taken by anyone. The root cause of all this was the existence of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s blood oath. The blood oath allowed these disciples to be resurrected after death and also prevented them from defecting, making it impossible for them to easily leave with their forces even in a life-and-death struggle. Both sides were at a stalemate, waiting for the other to give in. After understanding the situation, Li Muyang became even more focused on his game. With the situation so tense, these people would definitely fight once Li Muyang completed the game and caused the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s blood oath and the miracle of resurrection to fail. Even if they didn¡¯t fight, the Helmsmen and Incense Masters who didn¡¯t want to endure Fang Yingtian¡¯s humiliation would leave with their forces. At that time, the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s ¡¯empire¡¯ would crumble, and the Demon Refining Sect would be perfectly positioned to defeat them one by one. In the misty ghost city, the giant Emerald Blade Mantis carried Shen Miao towards the final Black Tortoise flag. The huge Black Tortoise flag stood in the north of the Ghost City, and as soon as Li Muyang entered the range of the Black Tortoise flag, he immediately entered a secret realm. On the vast ocean, a mountainous Black Tortoise divine beast floated on the sea like an island. Its colossal body stirred the entire ocean into a frenzy, with endless water and storm surges slapping towards the Emerald Blade Mantis. Li Muyang controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to swing its blade arms, continuously shattering the water currents flying towards him. The girl Shen Miao, standing on top of the Emerald Blade Mantis, shouted as she threw dark red blood arrows. Each blood arrow that hit the giant Black Tortoise divine beast took a small chunk off its health bar. However, this mountainous Black Tortoise divine beast not only had a huge body, but its health bar was also frighteningly long. The health bars of the three divine beasts they had previously defeated combined were not as thick as this Black Tortoise¡¯s. As a result, although the Black Tortoise¡¯s attacks were not fierce, its huge health bar posed a significant challenge. Li Muyang, controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis, carried Shen Miao through the stormy currents, and even after hitting the Black Tortoise dozens of times, they could only reduce its health by five or six percent. If the Black Tortoise¡¯s attack hit them once, the ¡¾Water¡¿ bar in their field of vision would increase by ten percent. If hit by the Black Tortoise ten times, once their bodies were filled with water vapor, they would be forcibly expelled from the secret realm and would have to wait for the water vapor to dissipate before they could continue the challenge. Continuous failures made Shen Miao somewhat discouraged. ¡°This big tortoise is too tough!¡± the girl said in utter frustration. ¡°Brother-in-law, this guy is too hard, can we really defeat it?¡± The colossal health bar of the Black Tortoise divine beast made Shen Miao despair. Li Muyang, however, was completely calm: ¡°After failing a few times, you¡¯ll get used to its attack frequency.¡± He had taken down many high-health bosses in online games in his previous life. It was all about reaction and stamina. This little girl was just too impatient and couldn¡¯t keep her composure. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, although the Black Tortoise had a lot of health, it was actually easier to handle. Once he got used to the Black Tortoise¡¯s attack pattern and developed muscle memory, defeating the Black Tortoise would be a matter of course. He sat outside Ruan Mei¡¯s room every day, playing his game peacefully, completely unconcerned about the turmoil outside. Although Liu Fu and Bu Hongsheng would often tell him about the current situation, such as another branch dying or someone causing a ruckus in front of the Sect Leader, Li Muyang showed little interest in these gossip news and was indifferent. He even suggested that the two young men pay less attention to external affairs and avoid getting involved. Li Muyang had already vaguely realized that the power struggle within the Blood Lotus Sect was more complicated than he had imagined. The Sect Leader Fang Yingtian seemed to want to eliminate more than just the thorns who did not submit to him... In such a chaotic situation, it¡¯s best for small fry without any backing like Liu Fu and Bu Hongsheng to keep a low profile. ...... As days passed, Li Muyang stayed comfortably in the courtyard without venturing out, showing no concern for the outside world. He spent his days avidly playing video games, teaming up with Shen Miao to conquer the final divine beast, Black Tortoise, continuously familiarizing themselves with its attack patterns. Finally, through trial and error, they took a crucial step forward¡ªthey managed to deplete half of Black Tortoise¡¯s health bar, entering the second phase! This was definitely a milestone. When the divine beast Black Tortoise began to roar and transform, swelling up in the sea, Shen Miao, who had been tensely battling for over an hour, couldn¡¯t help but jump up in joy. ¡°We did it! We finally made it!¡± Although it was just the beginning of the second phase, such progress was still heartening. Chapter 275 - Blood Lotus Ancestor Chapter 275: Blood Lotus Ancestor Above the vast and boundless sea, the enormous divine beast Black Tortoise roared, its form swelling ever larger. Li Muyang, controlling the Emerald Blade Mantis, carried Shen Miao through the air, waiting for the second phase to begin. But when the swelling divine beast Black Tortoise reached its limit, it didn¡¯t transform into a more terrifying form. Instead, it burst open, turning into endless blood that surged in all directions. In an instant, the sea beneath Li Muyang and Shen Miao turned blood red. The crimson sea water, as if provoked, rose rapidly, quickly submerging them. The giant Emerald Blade Mantis struggled in the water, but the sea kept spreading, rapidly filling the secret realm. No matter how high Li Muyang and Shen Miao flew, they were always engulfed by the blood-red waters. ¡°This is bad, brother-in-law, it¡¯s the final backlash of the Four Symbols Formation! All the remaining energy of the formation is coming at us now!¡± the infant spirit girl shouted in warning. As she issued her warning, four enormous shadows suddenly emerged from the dark waters. The Azure Dragon from the east, the Vermilion Bird from the south, the White Tiger from the west, and the Black Tortoise from the north¡ªall four divine beasts they had defeated now appeared in the water, surrounding Li Muyang and Shen Miao in the center. The giant Emerald Blade Mantis quickly joined forces with Shen Miao, warily watching these four emerging shadows. However, these shadows of the divine beasts had no health bars. After they appeared, they roared and wailed, and then, attracted by an invisible force, the four divine beasts flew above Li Muyang¡¯s head and began to merge in the darkness. Seeing this, the infant spirit girl on top of the Emerald Blade Mantis became nervous: ¡°This is bad, brother-in-law, the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s ancestor is manifesting... My father actually buried the ancestor¡¯s phantom in the Four Symbols Formation.¡± ¡°Now that the ancestor has manifested, we might not be able to defeat it!¡± The infant spirit girl grew anxious. The four divine beasts continued to merge in the blood water, eventually forming a fierce and terrifying demonic shadow. Atop the shadow¡¯s head, an extremely blood-red health bar radiated a terrifying deterrent force. Seeing the emergence of this demonic shadow, Shen Miao almost cried. ¡°It¡¯s really the Blood Lotus Ancestor... Brother-in-law! We¡¯re doomed! The Blood Lotus Ancestor was said to be a true immortal during the ancient times.¡± ¡°Even just a phantom, we can¡¯t defeat it!¡± As the daughter of the Blood Lotus Sect leader, Shen Miao was deeply influenced by the sect. The moment she saw the demonic shadow, she almost knelt down. But when Li Muyang saw the fierce demonic shadow known as the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s ancestor, he froze, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity as if he had seen it somewhere before. The fierce shadow was shrouded in blood-red demonic energy, appearing to be a woman. Her arms were wrapped in blood-red chains, and a strange demonic sword protruded from her back. The sharp blade replaced her spine, intertwined with her flesh. It looked creepy and bizarre. And atop its head, the health bar bore a name that felt familiar. ¡¾Ink Fairy¡¿ At the sight of this health bar, Li Muyang was utterly dumbfounded. Ah? Ink Fairy? Li Muyang was bewildered. But the clear sound of chains clashing rang out, and the fierce demonic shadow roared as it charged at Li Muyang, giving him no time to think. The giant Emerald Blade Mantis swung its blade arms to defend, but the light of the blades seemed to pass right through the shadow as if it had no physical form. The huge chains it dragged lashed out fiercely, and the moment the Emerald Blade Mantis was struck, it was sent flying, a massive surge of malevolent energy emerging from its body. ¡¾Demonic Malevolence¡ª¡ª30%¡¿ A new energy bar appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s vision. With just one strike, the demonic shadow severely wounded the Emerald Blade Mantis. Li Muyang swung his blade again in resistance. However, the sharp and unparalleled blade arms slashed out, effortlessly cutting through the mountains behind the shadow. But the shadow once again passed through the light of the blades, unharmed, and the blood-red chains swung out from the darkness once more. ¡¾Demonic Malevolence¡ª¡ª67%¡¿ After the strike, the Emerald Blade Mantis controlled by Li Muyang was repelled again, its body rising with countless blood-red malevolent energies. The infant spirit girl Shen Miao hastily tried to help, but her blood arrows could not harm the shadow either. Instead, the shadow flickered endlessly in the darkness, continuously swinging its chains. Two minutes later, Li Muyang and Shen Miao were both wrapped in malevolent energy and forcibly ejected from the secret realm, returning to the misty ghost city. The infant spirit girl, disappointed by their failed challenge, said, ¡°Brother-in-law, the ancestor is indeed powerful. We can¡¯t beat her! We simply can¡¯t.¡± The terrifying strength of this Ink Fairy shocked Shen Miao. She and Li Muyang had joined forces to resist but were easily defeated and expelled from the secret realm. Moreover, given the reputation of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s ancestor, the infant spirit girl¡¯s confidence plummeted to rock bottom. Li Muyang, however, remained silent, squinting his eyes and recalling everything he had just seen. Ink Fairy... Back in the game ¡°Legend of Sword and Fairy,¡± he had released Ink Fairy in the ancient times within Nanjiang City and, with Ink Fairy¡¯s assistance, defeated the demonized half-demon general, clearing the game and obtaining the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. According to the game¡¯s storyline, Ink Fairy later took charge of Nanjiang City, replacing the Startling Fairy to protect the city. But now, the phantom of Ink Fairy appeared in the Four Symbols Formation set up by Shen Miao¡¯s father, becoming the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s ancestor... F*ck! The Blood Lotus Sect was actually a lineage of Ink Fairy? Li Muyang found it hard to accept. After clearing the ¡°Legend of Sword and Fairy¡± game, he had guessed that even if Ink Fairy took over Nanjiang City, she wouldn¡¯t be able to change the fate of the ancient city¡¯s destruction. After all, the darkness and chaos and the absence of immortals was an unchangeable reality. But guessing was one thing; personally witnessing the demonic shadow of Ink Fairy was another. He couldn¡¯t imagine that the valiant, witty, and humorous Ink Fairy would later become demonized, even becoming the ancestor of the evil Blood Lotus Sect, leaving behind a toxic legacy. What exactly happened during the dark chaos of the ancient times that turned a good person into a demon... Thinking of the fierce demonic shadow in the secret realm and recalling the valiant and witty fairy from ¡°Legend of Sword and Fairy,¡± Li Muyang felt a sense of melancholy. Shen Miao noticed his low spirits and asked curiously, ¡°Brother-in-law, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Li Muyang then sighed and said with emotion, ¡°So that¡¯s what the ancestor of your Blood Lotus Sect looks like...¡± Despite the interactions within the game suggesting that Ink Fairy couldn¡¯t possibly belong to the demonic path, she indeed founded the Blood Lotus Sect... At this moment, Li Muyang felt a sense of loss, as if seeing a friend stray down the wrong path. He even wanted to return to the game ¡°Legend of Sword and Fairy¡± to meet the witty and humorous Ink Fairy. But once the game was cleared, it was no longer accessible. All Li Muyang could do was gaze at the greyed-out ¡°Legend of Sword and Fairy¡± (Closed) entry on the system list and sigh softly. Chapter 276 - I’m Not a Fool Chapter 276 I¡¯m Not a Fool After exiting the game, Li Muyang had Bu Hongsheng fetch some Blood Lotus Sect scriptures for him to peruse. Li Muyang had briefly looked at the teachings of the Blood Lotus Sect before, but he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the founder of the sect. After all, the idol worship within the Blood Lotus Sect wasn¡¯t directed at the founder who passed down the teachings but at the Ancient Blood Lotus that had been passed down from ancient times. It was the blood lotus that was worshipped and offered sacrifices, not the founder. The presence of this founder within the Blood Lotus Sect was minimal. So much so that Li Muyang had never realized that the founder of the Blood Lotus Sect was actually Ink Fairy. ¨COf course, even if Ink Fairy were the one being worshipped, Li Muyang would find it hard to associate the terrifying and evil shadow with the Ink Fairy from Nanjiang City. In any case, the new discovery that Ink Fairy was the founder of the Blood Lotus Sect took Li Muyang by surprise. He had some books related to the founder brought over, but after carefully examining these Blood Lotus Sect scriptures, Li Muyang shook his head in disappointment. The records about the founder in these scriptures were chaotic and full of inconsistencies. It was clear that the successive leaders of the Blood Lotus Sect knew very little about the founder. Much of the recorded descriptions were fabricated. The only certain truths were that the Ancient Blood Lotus and the Four Directions Cauldron were left behind by Ink Fairy, and the core doctrine of the Blood Lotus Sect to kill all cultivators and return the world to ordinariness was also initiated by Ink Fairy. Beyond that, Ink Fairy left nothing for future generations. Even the first leader of the Blood Lotus Sect had stolen someone else¡¯s techniques and only rose to the Purple Mansion by relying on the powerful effects of the Ancient Blood Lotus. As he flipped through these records, Li Muyang sighed. ¡°Familiar ancient inheritances...¡± The first leader of the Blood Lotus Sect was also someone who had fortuitously received an ancient inheritance. With the Ancient Blood Lotus, this person established the foundation of the Blood Lotus Sect and passed it down through generations. But Li Muyang didn¡¯t care about the development history of the Blood Lotus Sect. He only wanted to understand the experiences of Ink Fairy after she turned demonic and to know more about what exactly happened during the dark turmoil of ancient times. Unfortunately, there was no record of this in the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s scriptures. Although they revered Ink Fairy as the founder, they knew very little about her. Li Muyang shook his head as he read. After returning to the game, Li Muyang directed his Emerald Blade Mantis towards the secret realm. Having failed the exploration, Li Muyang didn¡¯t dwell on it. He and Shen Miao challenged the secret realm once again. But this time, Shen Miao lacked confidence. ¡°Is it disrespectful to our founder if we attack her illusion...¡± Shen Miao murmured to herself, uneasy and nervous. Li Muyang looked at her with amusement and said, ¡°Your father is the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect, but you¡¯re not a follower of the sect.¡± ¡°You died shortly after you were born and never joined the Blood Lotus Sect. Even if the blood lotus founder stood before you, killing her wouldn¡¯t be considered disrespectful to the founder.¡± Li Muyang comforted the young girl. In the moral view of this world, disrespecting one¡¯s master or ancestor was a serious offense. Even among cultivators, many were superstitious about this, believing that such disrespect could lead to a lack of fortune and attract calamities. Li Muyang, being from Earth, naturally didn¡¯t have such psychological burdens. He reassured the infant spirit girl and stepped into the secret realm with her. They saw an endless sea of blood engulfing everything, and within this blood-red ocean, the illusions of the four divine beasts appeared once again. The Azure Dragon of the East, the White Tiger of the West, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the Black Tortoise of the North... The four symbols manifested in the ocean and quickly merged, about to transform into the founder of the Blood Lotus Sect. Watching the terrifying scene in the sea of blood ahead, the infant spirit girl nodded slightly, seemingly convinced by Li Muyang¡¯s comforting words. ¡°It seems so...¡± The girl stared anxiously ahead and murmured, ¡°I didn¡¯t go through the initiation ceremony, so I¡¯m not a follower.¡± ¡°My brother-in-law is a Demonic Sect undercover agent, not a follower, so this doesn¡¯t count as disrespecting the founder...¡± The girl comforted herself in a light tone. However, her casual words sounded like thunder in Li Muyang¡¯s ears. He was ready to face the boss¡¯s appearance, but upon hearing the key phrase ¡°Demonic Sect undercover agent,¡± he was completely stunned. He looked at the infant spirit girl beside him in astonishment. ¡°...What did you just say?!¡± Demonic Sect undercover agent? F*ck!? Did this little girl know I¡¯m an undercover agent of the Demonic Sect? How did she find out? Did she hear it from Shen Miao¡¯s perspective or from Fang Yingtian? Amidst the blood-red waters, countless thoughts flashed through Li Muyang¡¯s mind. Having his undercover identity exposed was an absolute disaster for him. If the Blood Lotus Sect found out he was an undercover agent of the Demonic Sect, what about Yan Xiaoru, Yue Chan, and Cheng Feiyang... Were their undercover identities still safe? Li Muyang¡¯s expression shifted, staring intently at the infant spirit girl beside him. But the girl panicked and said, ¡°The founder is coming at us! Brother-in-law, what are you spacing out for?!¡± The infant spirit girl tried to assist. In the few seconds Li Muyang was distracted, the demonic boss had already materialized from the sea. The shadow wielding chains with the blood-red ¡¾Ink Fairy¡¿ health bar swung at the massive body of the Emerald Blade Mantis, and the blood-red demonic aura instantly rose on the surface of the Emerald Blade Mantis. ¡¾Demonic Malevolence¡ª¡ª36%¡¿ Li Muyang¡¯s view immediately popped up with a status bar. He then snapped back to reality and hurriedly defended. However, being momentarily distracted, he had already lost the initiative. The demonic boss kept charging and attacking, forcing Li Muyang to retreat step by step, giving him no time to catch his breath. Three minutes later, the game was lost. Both the Emerald Blade Mantis and Shen Miao were ejected from the secret realm, returning to the foggy ghost city. The moment the two returned to the city, the infant spirit girl jumped over with a dissatisfied face and glared at Li Muyang. ¡°Brother-in-law, what were you spacing out for just now? At such a critical moment, you were distracted?¡± The infant spirit girl was very unhappy. Li Muyang, however, looked at her, falling into hesitation. ¡°Uh...¡± After pondering for a few seconds, Li Muyang decided to have an honest talk. What was most important now was how Shen Miao knew he was an undercover agent! And beside him, how many others had been exposed? Li Muyang asked, ¡°You just mentioned that I am an undercover agent for the Demonic Sect... Who told you this?¡± Li Muyang observed the girl¡¯s reaction. But the girl had no intention of hiding anything. She looked at Li Muyang nonchalantly and said, ¡°Does someone else need to tell me that?¡± ¡°I may not have been to the human world and have not interacted with people, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a fool, okay.¡± ¡°Brother-in-law, you joined the Blood Lotus Sect on your own initiative, yet you found some way to avoid the blood oath, allowing you to betray the sect at any time... Isn¡¯t that the mark of an undercover spy? You must have come with a mission, right?¡± After Shen Miao finished speaking, she came to a realization and glared at Li Muyang in front of her. ¡°Hey! Brother-in-law, what did you mean by that? Who else needs to say something to me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m a fool who can¡¯t see such an obvious thing, do you?!¡± Chapter 277 - I Have No Conscience Chapter 277: I Have No Conscience ¡°I may be inexperienced, but I¡¯m not a fool!¡± The girl widened her eyes, glaring at Li Muyang with great dissatisfaction as if she had been insulted. Faced with the infant spirit girl¡¯s discontent, Li Muyang chuckled dryly, but he sighed with relief in his heart. ¡°...So you¡¯re saying this is your own speculation and not something your sister or Sect Leader Fang told you?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know about this?¡± Li Muyang asked. Shen Miao naturally nodded, ¡°Of course, you made a blood oath in front of them. The blood oath of the Blood Lotus Sect cannot be violated.¡± ¡°Once one betrays the sect or harbors a double heart, they will surely die a terrible death.¡± ¡°They are not me; only I know that your blood oath did not enter the Four Directions Cauldron...¡± After saying this, Shen Miao told Li Muyang, ¡°Alright, brother-in-law, don¡¯t be nervous. This matter is known only to heaven, you, and me. My sister and the others don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Rest for a while, and let¡¯s try again. This time, don¡¯t get distracted.¡± Li Muyang looked at her, somewhat surprised, ¡°So you know I¡¯m an undercover agent for the Demonic Sect, and yet you¡¯re still so friendly to me...¡± Shen Miao replied, ¡°Previously, I was bound by my father¡¯s demon magic, and even if you had humiliated my body, I would have been happy, let alone you being just an undercover agent for the Demonic Sect.¡± ¡°The girl spoke very boldly of terrible things. ¡°After the Four Symbols Formation was continuously broken, my emotions gradually enriched, so I would like you even more.¡± ¡°Compared to my greedy, inhuman scumbag of a father, brother-in-law, you are much more pleasing to the eye.¡± ¡°I wish you would lead the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s people to storm into Tianjiao City tomorrow and kill all the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s people.¡± The young girl continued to speak her outrageous opinions. Li Muyang was left speechless by the infant spirit girl¡¯s straightforwardness. ¡°Then aren¡¯t you worried about your sister¡¯s safety...¡± The infant spirit girl shook her head, ¡°Worried about what? My sister is as cunning as a ghost.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by her appearance as a pushover being used by Fang Yingtian.¡± ¡°But in reality, she¡¯s already preparing a way out. If something really happens, she won¡¯t die. She¡¯ll probably run faster than anyone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that after my sister leaves and finds out you¡¯re an undercover agent for the Demonic Sect...¡± At this point, the infant spirit girl looked at Li Muyang with a gleeful expression, smiling happily, ¡°That will be very interesting.¡± ¡°My sister has been so good to you, and yet you betray her, brother-in-law. I wonder if your conscience will hurt.¡± Li Muyang replied indifferently, ¡°I have no conscience.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your sister stirring up trouble, I would still be comfortably living as a disciple of the Demonic Sect. I don¡¯t even know how comfortable my life would be...¡± In the misty ghost city, the infant spirit girl hummed softly, ¡°A man who talks tough. I¡¯m just waiting to see the drama unfold between you and my sister.¡± ...... Under the pouring rain and gloomy sky, Li Muyang opened his eyes under the eaves. The words spoken by Shen Miao completely shocked him. He hadn¡¯t expected that this girl had guessed from the beginning that he was an undercover agent for the Demonic Sect. She appeared harmless and innocent on the surface, but in reality, she was quite scheming. Li Muyang pondered, still thinking about Shen Yan¡¯s preparation for an exit when a Blood Lotus Sect follower arrived during the downpour. This person was Shen Yan¡¯s personal maid, who had Shen Yan¡¯s trust. She hurried through the rain, wearing a raincoat, to deliver a new order to Li Muyang and the others in the courtyard. ¡°...Secretly escort Helmsman Ruan out of Tianjiao City?¡± The recipients of this order were all somewhat puzzled. Shen Yan¡¯s order was for Li Muyang and the others to take advantage of the heavy rain to secretly transport the unconscious Ruan Mei out of Tianjiao City. It was said that a Purple Mansion expert skilled in toxicology had been found to save Ruan Mei, but that expert was unwilling to enter this land where cultivation was sealed, so Li Muyang and the others were to secretly transport Ruan Mei out of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s sphere of influence. This order was somewhat odd. In Tianjiao City, where the struggle was becoming increasingly intense, to secretly take Ruan Mei out of the city and into the wilderness outside was too risky. The consequences would be severe if information leaked during the transfer and enemies pursued. Even if Ruan Mei were to recover from the poison and wake up, it seemed to have little benefit to the situation. Yet Shen Yan still took such a big risk. Everyone else thought it unwise. But Li Muyang¡¯s heart tightened, thinking of what the infant spirit girl Shen Miao had said, that her sister was preparing an exit... F*ck! Could Shen Yan be planning to flee? After a brief contemplation, Li Muyang, amidst the puzzled murmurs of the others, spoke seriously, ¡°Hurry and prepare, carry out the young lady¡¯s orders.¡± Li Muyang executed Shen Yan¡¯s order without any objections. Soon, they entered a tunnel secretly excavated within the mansion, and under the guidance of the maid sent by Shen Yan, they passed through the tunnel to another courtyard, where they changed their appearance and disguised themselves as a common merchant caravan. Finally, in the pouring rain, Li Muyang and the others, disguised as a merchant caravan, set off. Li Muyang sat in the carriage, sharing the space with the unconscious Ruan Mei, silently observing the streets outside through the gaps in the curtains. Tianjiao City was bustling with trade, and while there weren¡¯t many caravans braving the rain like them, there were some. The caravan braved the heavy rain and left the city gates, heading in the predetermined direction. Bu Hongsheng, Liu Fu, and other law enforcement disciples almost all followed close by Li Muyang¡¯s side. ¡°Banner Master, are we really going on this trip to treat Helmsmen Ruan¡¯s illness?¡± In the wilderness, Liu Fu rode alongside the carriage, asking in a low voice. Liu Fu, among Li Muyang¡¯s law enforcement disciples, had the most acute sense of smell. He too had noticed something unusual about this journey. Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t engage in something so risky with little reward, and being a person who valued relationships, she certainly wouldn¡¯t gamble with the life of a close relative. But by now, Li Muyang had seen things clearly. Probably since her resurrection, Shen Yan had been planning her escape. That¡¯s why she specifically arranged for Li Muyang, her strongest fighter, to protect Ruan Mei, all for today. Having Li Muyang protect the unconscious Ruan Mei during the transfer was the safest option. Thinking this, Li Muyang smiled and shook his head: ¡°Why bother with so many questions? Just follow orders.¡± Shen Yan¡¯s escape actually pleased Li Muyang. Fang Yingtian¡¯s Blood Lotus Sect had made a bold move, but its strongest strategist was disheartened and left. Though to be fair, this seemed like no loss to Fang Yingtian, perhaps it was what he wanted. Shen Yan¡¯s immense prestige within the sect was an obstacle to Fang Yingtian¡¯s consolidation of power. By driving Shen Yan away and forcefully subduing other troublemakers, as long as Fang Yingtian still held the miracle of resurrection with the Four Directions Cauldron and the power to strip disciples of their sect membership, his Blood Lotus Sect could still flourish. Unfortunately for Fang Yingtian, he didn¡¯t anticipate that the two fundamental pillars of his Blood Lotus Sect¡ªthe ability of the Four Directions Cauldron to resurrect disciples and its power to strip cultivation from this land¡ªwere already on the brink of collapse in the shadows. Li Muyang closed his eyes, no longer responding to Liu Fu¡¯s question. He entered the game, taking the well-rested infant spirit girl back into the secret realm to confront the demonic shadow in the sea of blood. By completing this game and freeing the infant spirit girl, the Blood Lotus Sect would lose one of its most important foundation! Chapter 278 - I Want to Wander the World Chapter 278: I Want to Wander the World ¡¾Limited Time Game¡ª¡ª¡¶The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡·has been cleared¡¿ ¡¾Infant Spirit: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Emerald Blade Mantis: Survived¡¿ ¡¾Ink Fairy (Demonic): Defeated¡¿ ¡¾The lonely infant spirit, controlled by evil magic, wandered helplessly over the gloomy and ghostly land, doomed to eternal solitude. But your arrival successfully rescued a soul that suffered greatly, granting her freedom... You have earned the gratitude of the infant spirit¡¿ ¡¾Completion Rating: Breaking the Shackles¡¿ ¡¾Please claim your reward (choose one of three)¡¿ ¡¾Cultivation +1 (Golden Core Stage Mid-term ¡ú Golden Core Stage Late-term)¡¿ ¡¾Golden Cicada Pill x3 (can develop a small amount of Martial God Tyrant Body potential)¡¿ ¡¾Talisman Sphere (receive random talismans x5)¡¿ The system rewards that appeared in his vision allowed Li Muyang to breathe a sigh of relief. Finally... he had cleared the game! Although the game was short and not very difficult, it had taken him quite some time. Now that he had successfully cleared it, he didn¡¯t rush to settle the game. Looking at the joyful girl hopping around in his field of vision and feeling her happiness, he asked, ¡°Do you want to go out and find your sister?¡± Freed from the constraints of the Four Directions Cauldron, the infant spirit girl¡¯s joy was visibly palpable. She kept jumping in and out of the city gate, enjoying the freedom of no longer being trapped by the Four Directions Cauldron. Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s question, the girl, grinning from ear to ear, shook her head and said, ¡°Why look for her? My sister is so rigid and boring, always obsessed with some grand ideal.¡± ¡°If she knew about my existence, she¡¯d probably force me to cultivate and study every day... I don¡¯t want to live a life like imprisonment!¡± The girl spoke with conviction: ¡°Once I¡¯m out, I want to wander the world, travel everywhere, and witness everything this world has to offer!¡± ¡°I can already feel the direction of the exit. I¡¯ll follow the exit of the Four Directions Cauldron back to the human world and start my brand new life.¡± After saying this, the girl looked at Li Muyang with wide eyes, warning him, ¡°Brother-in-law, you¡¯re not going to tell my sister about me, are you? Let me make it clear, you better not tell my sister about me, or else I¡¯ll reveal that you¡¯re an undercover agent, and we¡¯ll both be in trouble!¡± Shen Miao didn¡¯t know about Li Muyang¡¯s undercover plan and wasn¡¯t aware that he was about to leave. Listening to the girl¡¯s threat, Li Muyang just smiled and said, ¡°Since you already have a plan for your life, I won¡¯t say much. We part here, and I will keep your secret.¡± ¡°If you ever run into trouble, you can come to the Demon Refining Sect to find me. If it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll help you.¡± The girl had no physical body. She was an infant spirit. Even after escaping the Four Directions Cauldron¡¯s constraints, she could only wander the world alone like a lost ghost. Although the world outside the Four Directions Cauldron was a shattered realm of ghosts, the underworld authorities no longer existed. This bodiless girl wanted to wander the world and travel everywhere, but there would be many inconveniences. However, since she decided to wander, it¡¯s not Li Muyang¡¯s place to be concerned about her. He chose to settle the game and claim his reward. ¡¾Would you like to claim your current reward?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ ¡¾Note: After game settlement, the current game will close¡¿ The familiar interface popped up, and Li Muyang didn¡¯t hesitate to choose to claim his reward. In the last moment before the game ended, the girl in the ghost city waved goodbye to Li Muyang with joy. ¡°Goodbye, brother-in-law!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bully my sister~~¡± The girl¡¯s laughter gradually faded away. Li Muyang opened his eyes and felt the star in his dantian spinning rapidly. The vast and majestic spiritual energy continuously flowed into his dantian. The burning star absorbed the pure qi pouring into the dantian, and its flames rose fiercely, turning into dazzling, burning coronas. Seeing this, Li Muyang took a long breath. The Golden Core star was completely ignited, a sign of reaching the late stage of the Golden Core realm! After clearing the game, he chose the most direct benefit of cultivation +1. Now, his cultivation had jumped from the mid-stage to the late stage of the Golden Core realm. However, the increase in cultivation didn¡¯t bring about a very tangible change. In the rain-drenched wilderness, their disguised caravan continued to travel on land where cultivation was sealed. Although Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation had surged, he still couldn¡¯t mobilize his spiritual power. But he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked into the distance. Under the gloomy sky, the earth was battered by rain as it pelted the mountains and forests. It had been three days since they left Tianjiao City, and Li Muyang¡¯s caravan was about to leave the land where cultivation was sealed. But at this moment, Li Muyang ordered the caravan to halt. He dismounted the carriage and stood in the pouring rain, gazing in the direction of Tianjiao City. When the game was cleared, all the followers of the Blood Lotus Sect who believed in its doctrines and swore oaths of blood during the initiation ceremony felt a strange sense of emptiness and loss. It was as if they had lost something extremely precious at that moment. The enforcers around Li Muyang were all panic-stricken, listless as headless flies. The disappearance of the blood oath negatively impacted the minds of these believers, visibly weakening them. ¡°...What happened?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s not right! I feel like I¡¯ve lost something important!¡± ¡°Me too! I¡¯m inexplicably anxious!¡± ¡°My head is spinning, I can barely stand.¡± Amidst the disciples¡¯ panic, Li Muyang remained calm, simply gazing in the direction of Tianjiao City from afar. He hadn¡¯t expected that the vanishing of the blood oath would unexpectedly weaken all the Blood Lotus Sect disciples. This was an excellent opportunity. Yan Xiaoru, who was now lying low in Tianjiao City, would certainly not miss this chance... Indeed, Li Muyang didn¡¯t have to wait long. While the Blood Lotus Sect disciples beside him had yet to recover from their weakened and anxious state, a dull sound suddenly erupted from the direction of Tianjiao City. The ground trembled shortly after. An invisible wave of energy, like a raging flood, swept across from the distant Tianjiao City, rapidly spreading in all directions. Eventually, this invisible wave passed through the mountains, over Li Muyang and his companions, and continued to the very edge of the land. Standing in the torrential rain, Li Muyang clearly felt the shackles on him dissolve. The cultivation power within him, which had been sealed and stagnant, was now rapidly circulating. At this moment, his sensitivity to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and his powerful perception of this world were all restored. Li Muyang looked up to see countless brilliant streaks of light cutting across the sky, coming from the distant mountains. The figures of demon cultivators within those streaks of light were all surging with murderous aura, flooding towards the direction of Tianjiao City. The spectacular sight of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s cultivators emerging en masse was like countless dazzling meteors rising beneath the dark clouds. These long-tailed streaks of light would eventually descend upon Tianjiao City, where the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s followers were scattered. They would capture all these heretics in one fell swoop! Chapter 279 - I’m Going Home Chapter 279: I¡¯m Going Home ¡°Banner... Banner Master!¡± Under the dark sky, countless brilliant streaks of light cut across the sky, heading towards Tianjiao City. The enforcers disguised as a merchant caravan were panicked at this sight. They gathered around Li Muyang in a headless flurry, instinctively seeking help from their Banner Master, who had led them for so long. However, in the midst of the storm, an invisible barrier rose around Li Muyang. The torrential rain fell all around, yet it could not wet his clothes. He calmly looked at his subordinates who had followed him for many days, smiled, and said, ¡°This is a good thing. There¡¯s no need to panic.¡± With his hands behind his back, quietly watching the countless streaks of light in the sky, Li Muyang said, ¡°The power that sealed the cultivation of this land has disappeared, and the demon cultivators of the Demon Refining Sect have emerged from their nest, determined to eradicate the enemies within Tianjiao City.¡± ¡°For you, this is actually a good thing.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s rebellious words stunned the group of enforcers who had followed him for a long time. Everyone was filled with inexplicable terror as if they doubted their own Banner Master had gone mad. Only Bu Hongsheng and Liu Fu exchanged a glance, remaining silent. Facing everyone¡¯s astonished and bewildered expressions, Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°At this point, do you still have expectations for that greedy Fang Yingtian?¡± Li Muyang shook his head and continued, ¡°I thought that after this series of events, you might see Fang Yingtian¡¯s true colors to some extent.¡± ¡°A greedy tyrant, he desires grand ambitions and supreme power to dominate the land.¡± ¡°To him, whether it¡¯s the doctrines of the Blood Lotus Sect or its followers, they are merely tools to achieve his ambitions.¡± ¡°You are all disposable chamber pots to him, and even Miss Shen is no exception. You are all expendable.¡± ¡°Now that the demon cultivators of the Demon Refining Sect have come out in force to destroy his foundation and eradicate him, it is actually a good thing.¡± ¡°The current Blood Lotus Sect, filled with greedy individuals, has no need to exist in this world. They are nothing more than another Demon Refining Sect with slightly louder slogans.¡± Li Muyang said, smiling, ¡°But the good news is, while the doctrines you have been following may be false, there is at least one true idealist within the Blood Lotus Sect who upholds ideals and justice.¡± ¡°Perhaps after the destruction of the Blood Lotus Sect, Miss Shen Yan can lead you on a new path.¡± Li Muyang looked into the distance: ¡°I can feel it. Miss Shen is not far from here.¡± ¡°It seems that before the incident, she too embarked on a journey to leave, utterly disappointed with the Blood Lotus Sect.¡± ¡°The destruction of the Blood Lotus Sect may be her rebirth, as well as yours.¡± ¡°Although I have always been skeptical of the path you have taken, at least we have been upholding justice and righteousness over the past few months.¡± ¡°I hope that in the future, as you continue to follow Miss Shen Yan, you will also continue to uphold justice...¡± After Li Muyang briefly finished speaking, sensing Shen Yan¡¯s presence getting closer, he did not delay any further. Amidst the panicked cries of the crowd, Li Muyang smiled, bowed to everyone, and bid farewell. ¡°That¡¯s it for now... my friends, until we meet again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± The disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect, standing in the pouring rain, watched their Banner Master speak a series of terrifyingly rebellious words and then transform into a streak of light flying into the distance, becoming frantic. ¡°Banner Master!¡± ¡°Banner Master, where are you going!¡± ¡°Banner Master, don¡¯t abandon us!¡± The crowd shouted in panic, trying to retain him, and some even chased after Li Muyang in a state of shock, seemingly wanting to catch up with their Banner Master. However, Li Muyang¡¯s streak of light quickly vanished into the gloomy sky. Bu Hongsheng and Liu Fu finally managed to calm everyone down and brought back those who had chased after him. In the midst of the storm, several figures emerged from the forest. They did not brazenly travel by streaks of light but instead concealed their presence, appearing very stealthily. Dugu Yifang, the Helmsman of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s Liehai Hall, along with his most loyal Banner Masters, were escorting Shen Yan through the rain. Seeing the chaotic caravan by the roadside, Shen Yan was slightly startled and immediately stepped forward to inquire about the situation. Upon learning the words Li Muyang said before he left, as well as the whole story, the female strategist who had always been in control was stunned. After understanding the situation, she quickly grasped the cause and effect, realizing many things. ¡°Is Muyang... a spy from the Demonic Sect?¡± In the cold curtain of rain, Shen Yan, wrapped in a thick cloak, gazed faintly in the direction of Li Muyang¡¯s departure, murmuring softly to herself. She was somewhat shocked, yet also felt a sense of inevitable disappointment. The young lady, who had always been adept at strategizing, fell silent for a long time after figuring everything out. It wasn¡¯t until a good while later that she let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. ¡°This detestable Demonic Sect spy, not only did he deceive everyone, but he also had the audacity to mock me before leaving. Saying things like I¡¯m an idealist who staunchly upholds justice and fairness...¡± ¡°This hateful guy, I must take his head the next time we meet!¡± Shen Yan said faintly. At this moment, Dugu Yifang, who had gone to check on Ruan Mei¡¯s condition, returned. This low-key and indifferent Liehai Hall Helmsman was the only one who followed Shen Yan when she left the Blood Lotus Sect. He approached Shen Yan and said, ¡°Sister Mei is fine. That kid didn¡¯t take the opportunity to harm her.¡± After speaking, Dugu Yifang clicked his tongue, showing his displeasure. ¡°This little thief, he actually played all of us...¡± ¡°What a waste of your and Sister Mei¡¯s sincere efforts!¡± Dugu Yifang was slightly annoyed. Shen Yan sighed but said nothing. She just looked at the disguised merchant convoy in the storm and the law enforcement disciples who were unable to accept Li Muyang¡¯s departure and had fallen into bewildered pain and softly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time for us to leave as well.¡± ¡°Perhaps what he said was right, the downfall of the Blood Lotus Sect is also our rebirth.¡± The Demon Refining Sect was so well-prepared, emerging in full force, and the Blood Lotus Sect had lost the power of the Four Directions Cauldron... With such a decline on one side and rise on the other, the disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect in Tianjiao City were at a dead end. All the high-ranking members of the Blood Lotus Sect, including the sect leader Fang Yingtian, stood no chance in a direct confrontation against the joint attack of more than a dozen elders from the Demon Refining Sect. The Blood Lotus Sect, which had once been awe-inspiring and intimidated both the immortal and demonic paths, was likely to be destroyed less than half a year after its rise. In the pouring rain, Shen Yan took one last look at Tianjiao City behind her and then turned away without any lingering attachment. ¡°We¡¯re heading south to find the cave dwelling opened by our ancestor.¡± Shen Yan said softly, ¡°I want to see the true relics of our founder and confirm whether the teachings of our sect are genuine.¡± ¡°Can killing all the cultivators in the world truly save it...¡± In the storm, Shen Yan and her followers drifted away. Not many demonic cultivators noticed this group of merchants. And behind her, Tianjiao City had already become a river of blood, with heads rolling everywhere. The grand formation set up by the seventeen elders of the Demon Refining Sect enveloped the entire Tianjiao City. Dark demonic flames rose within the city, frantically burning every follower who believed in the teachings of the Blood Lotus Sect. Inside the central mansion of the city, the sect leader of the Blood Lotus Sect gathered the power of all the Helmsmen in an attempt to break through the blood path. However, with the disappearance of the power that sealed others¡¯ cultivation, the overall strength of the Blood Lotus Sect was too weak to resist the Demon Refining Sect. Amidst Fang Yingtian¡¯s angry and unwilling roars, dark demonic flames rose from his body. This grand formation of demonic flames, created by the powerful beings of the Demon Refining Sect specifically targeting the disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect, even the Purple Mansion realm sect leader Fang Yingtian could not escape! The dark demonic flames covered the entire city, and one by one, the disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect turned to ash amidst screams of agony. Only the mortals who did not believe in the Blood Lotus Sect survived, trembling with fear. The Blood Lotus Sect, which had dominated more than a thousand li around Tianjiao City and intimidated both the immortal and demonic paths, causing even the demonic overlord Demon Refining Sect to begrudgingly negotiate and cede territory, came to an abrupt halt less than half a year after its rise, and its teachings were completely extinguished by the Demon Refining Sect. All the high-ranking members of the Blood Lotus Sect, led by the sect leader Fang Yingtian, perished. Their rise was sudden, and so was their fall. They were soon completely forgotten by the world. The only thing that remained in people¡¯s memories was the unchallenged status of the Demon Refining Sect as the overlord of the demonic path. *** Author Notes: The first volume of the story, ¡®Disciple of the Demonic Sect¡¯, comes to an end. Chapter 280 - Dragonkin Awakening Chapter 280: Dragonkin Awakening A massive flying boat sliced through the clouds, soaring into the sky like the legendary Kunpeng beast. The vast sea of clouds surged in front of the flying boat, with the bright and dazzling sunlight spilling down from beyond the heavens. Li Muyang stood on the deck, squinting his eyes in pleasure as he faced the fierce winds at a high altitude. I¡¯m back... At this moment, he had changed back into the white robe uniform of the Demon Refining Sect, reclaiming his identity as a disciple of the Demonic Sect, and stepped onto the flying boat returning to the sect. He walked to the edge of the deck, looking down at the land below from a high vantage point. Tianjiao City, at the horizon¡¯s end, had already disappeared from view. The grand formation set up by the seventeen elders of the Demon Refining Sect had captured all the disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect within Tianjiao City. The black demonic flames, specifically targeting the disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect, burned everything, turning all the followers in the city to ash, regardless of their cultivation strength. Only Dugu Yifang, the Hall Master of Qinfeng, and the special identity of the demonic sect¡¯s young lady Shen Yan mysteriously disappeared, their whereabouts unknown. But by then, the Blood Lotus Sect had been completely destroyed, and even the two treasures that had upheld the sect, the Ancient Blood Lotus and the Four Directions Cauldron, had fallen into the hands of the Demon Refining Sect. Without these two treasures, the Blood Lotus Sect had no chance of rising again. The fleeing Dugu Yifang and young lady Shen Yan were of no value, and the Demon Refining Sect didn¡¯t even bother to send pursuers after them. The spoils of capturing the Ancient Blood Lotus and the Four Directions Cauldron were so rich that the Demon Refining Sect chose to focus all its military power on escorting these two treasures back to the sect, not allowing any mishaps. At this moment, not far behind Li Muyang¡¯s flying boat, the largest flying boat of the Demon Refining Sect flew above the sea of clouds like a gigantic island. This island-sized flying boat was surrounded by a dozen other flying boats of various sizes. Li Muyang¡¯s flying boat was positioned on the right front edge. The seventeen elders of the Demonic Sect, including Yan Xiaoru, were now gathered on that largest flying boat, guarding the flying boat and its spoils of war with an invisible grand formation. The immortal-grade spirit herb Ancient Blood Lotus and the ancient times immortal artifact Four Directions Cauldron. The importance of these two treasures was enough to tempt all the sects of the immortal and demonic paths on this continent to take risks. ¨CThe Four Directions Cauldron was currently the only ancient times immortal artifact that had appeared in public. The news of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s destruction had not yet spread, and the Demon Refining Sect acted very swiftly. Even if the Demon Refining Sect managed to block the information, the news of the complete annihilation of the Blood Lotus Sect in Tianjiao City would eventually be known by other cultivation sects. And the journey from Tianjiao City back to the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s mountain gate was quite long. On this journey, it was unknown whether they would encounter any attacks. Therefore, although the Demon Refining Sect had successfully destroyed the Blood Lotus Sect, they still dared not let their guard down. Dozens of flying boats formed a special formation as they flew above the sea of clouds, guarding each other against surprise attacks. Li Muyang and his little sister Li Yuechan settled into the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s flying boat, just like on their way there. Now that Yan Xiaoru was absent, the flying boat was led by her only direct disciple, Ning Wan¡¯er, with the inner disciple Cheng Feiyang as her deputy. This Senior Brother Cheng indeed possessed exceptional talent. At the moment when the spiritual energy surged and covered heaven and earth, he too rode the wave of the spiritual energy revival and broke through to the early Golden Core realm. Now, he was already at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. Li Muyang, on the other hand, had leveled up by exploiting loopholes, and had only managed to reach the late Golden Core realm. But Senior Brother Cheng had genuinely cultivated to this realm on his own merit. As a result, although his cultivation level wasn¡¯t the highest in the Hall of Enforcement, he had firmly secured the position of the top disciple. ¡°...By the way, brother, with such a great achievement this time, will Elder Yan take you as a direct disciple?¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s footsteps quietly approached on the deck. Amidst the biting wind high in the sky, the girl¡¯s whisper could be heard: ¡°If you become a direct disciple, our aunt and uncle will really hit the jackpot!¡± Once someone becomes a direct disciple, both their personal treatment and the preferential treatment their family receives are beyond imagination. However, Li Muyang simply shook his head and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Even if I don¡¯t become a direct disciple, there will still be generous rewards.¡± He truly wasn¡¯t interested in this matter. As his cultivation improved, the system¡¯s effects became increasingly powerful. Now, Li Muyang held the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, the Endless Spirit Rice Jar, and the top-tier technique ¡¶Netherworld Demon Technique¡·. To be honest, the rewards from the Demonic Sect were hardly enough to excite him anymore. What Li Muyang cared more about were the rewards from the game. After clearing the game ¡¶The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡·, Li Muyang was now grinding the daily tasks of the fourth stage of ¡¶Deadly Weed¡· every day. This was the only game he could currently access. As for the Emerald Blade Mantis, after clearing ¡¶The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡·, the mantis that had evolved to tier 10 vanished without a trace. Li Muyang felt that without his control, this tier 10 mantis would likely die quickly in the Netherworld. After all, the Netherworld was roamed by countless ancient souls and divine corpses. A mantis beast without spiritual intelligence, possessing only basic defensive capabilities, would probably die soon. Li Muyang felt a bit of regret. But the Emerald Blade Mantis had completed its mission, having rescued the sealed infant spirit girl Shen Miao, and thus had fulfilled its purpose. After chatting with his little sister on the deck for a while, Li Muyang suddenly felt a stirring in his mind. A system prompt popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾New Game¨C¡¶Dragonkin Awakening¡·loading complete¡¿ This new game template loading appeared the day after Li Muyang cleared ¡¶The Infant Spirit¡¯s Yearning¡·. But this time, it took a long while to load, and only after several days had passed did it finally finish loading. Seeing the prompt that the game had finished loading, Li Muyang immediately felt excited. What was this new game about? Dragonkin Awakening... related to True Dragons? Li Muyang thought of the content discussed by the mysterious powerhouses in the chat group earlier. With the breaking of one layer of the heavenly seal, many ancient bloodlines would also awaken. Could it be that this game was related to the True Dragon bloodline? After giving Li Yuechan a brief reply, Li Muyang, who had been chatting happily just a second ago, suddenly made an excuse to leave in a hurry. His sister¡¯s grumbling complaint followed behind him. ¡°Suddenly running into the room alone, saying he needs to cultivate...¡± ¡°Is he really going to cultivate?¡± ¡°Stinky brother, you¡¯re acting so weird.¡± Li Yuechan didn¡¯t know what to think, feeling somewhat resentful. Li Muyang, however, ignored his little sister¡¯s suspicions. After leaving the deck, he returned to his cabin and quickly entered his private room. He closed the door, locked it, and sat down on the soft couch used for cultivation, closing his eyes and eagerly entering the game. When he opened the game list and selected the new game to enter, a terrifyingly powerful dragon¡¯s roar exploded in his ears. The immense sound wave and the supremely majestic aura made Li Muyang, who was already at the late Golden Core realm, feel a chill in his spirit and a sense of insignificance. It was as if he had truly seen a True Dragon. Chapter 281 - The Moon-Biting Dragon Chapter 281: The Moon-Biting Dragon ¡¾Blood and fire, death and sorrow, have submerged this land like a black tide¡¿ ¡¾The glory and honor of the ancestors, forgotten by the world as time passes¡¿ ¡¾Even this supreme lineage has long since fallen silent within the bodies of the descendants, disappearing without a trace¡¿ ¡¾Until that day began, the arrival of the Ascender, piercing the darkness like a ray of sunlight, tearing a crack in the endless night¡¿ ¡¾The power of the ancestors¡¯ bloodline finally awakens within you¡¿ ¡¾In your dreams, you see terrifying visions of rivers overturning and the world being upended¡¿ ¡¾And that, perhaps, is the future you are destined to wield...¡¿ Dark, bold characters emerge within the CG scroll. A transparent True Dragon, thousands of zhang in length, roars in the sky. Endless thunder and flames rise around it, continuously bombarding the eerie black shadows on the ground. This opening CG, with its full realism and sound effects maxed out. Even the transparent, gigantic dragon feels immensely majestic and terrifying. It seems that what Li Muyang sees is truly a True Dragon that commands storms and wields lightning and fire, not just an illusion of CG. Upon seeing this opening CG, Li Muyang softly exclaims, ¡°...The sense of realism is indeed getting stronger.¡± As his cultivation level increases, so does the realism of this system game. Li Muyang watches the CG and its content, waits a moment, and realizes that this CG is just a dynamic scene. It perpetually maintains the state of the gigantic dragon wielding thunder, striking down the strange black shadows. Li Muyang, seeing this, doesn¡¯t delay any further and chooses to enter the game. The familiar character selection interface appears before Li Muyang¡¯s eyes. ¡¾Please select your character¡¿ ¡¾Constable Wuming: The elusive shadow, a mysterious figure¡¿(Unavailable) ¡¾Mysterious Immortal: Unfathomable, the Great Dao is simplicity itself¡¿(Unavailable) ¡¾Moon-Biting Dragon: Minor wilderness demon, True Dragon lineage¡¿(Recommended) (TLN: Long chinese dragon.) Faced with the familiar choice of three, Li Muyang shakes his head speechlessly. ¡°What do you mean ¡®please select your character¡¯? Isn¡¯t there only one choice here?¡± Three character cards, Constable Wuming and Mysterious Immortal are both grayed out and unselectable. The only selectable one is a pure white Flood Dragon. This game really does seem to be related to the ancient mythical beast lineages. Li Muyang selects the Moon-Biting Dragon and enters the game. Instantly, Li Muyang¡¯s vision goes dark. Then, in the pitch-black field of view, a white line suddenly appears, cutting across the entire screen. The white line splits in two, top and bottom, forming a scene like that of a movie. In the center of this cinematic scene, a pure white Flood Dragon appears. The Flood Dragon roars as it swims downstream, rushing towards a fish in the water. The carp desperately tries to escape but is caught in the jaws of the Flood Dragon, and a mist of blood disperses in the water. Li Muyang watches with wide eyes. This Flood Dragon... is so damn small! Does this even qualify as a Flood Dragon? Compared to the other fish in the water, this Flood Dragon seems to be just over a zhang long. Any random python from the mountains could overpower it. Li Muyang watches in astonishment. The next second, an unexpected change occurs. A sharp fish spear suddenly pierces through the blood-misted water. The spear strikes the Moon-Biting Dragon with precision and ruthlessness, and the just-successful hunter immediately struggles frantically. But the spear has pierced through its body, flinging it out of the water. As the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon flies out of the water, Li Muyang sees some fishermen on the riverboat above, exclaiming in surprise. ¡°...What kind of snake is this? It has legs?¡± The group of fishermen is utterly shocked. Then, the Moon-Biting Dragon is thrown onto the deck while struggling fiercely. But the experienced and strong fishermen easily toss the struggling Flood Dragon into a bucket. The fishermen are amazed, crowding around the bucket and discussing fervently. ¡°Such a strange creature, never seen it before.¡± ¡°Is this a water snake? Why would a water snake have legs?¡± ¡°It looks a bit like the legendary Flood Dragon... but since when have Flood Dragons been this small?¡± ¡°Tsk... such a mystical creature, pure white, looks like jade, bringing this back will definitely fetch a good price!¡± The fishermen are full of wonder. And as the camera zooms in, the Flood Dragon in the bucket surrounded by the fishermen, with three bloody holes from the fish spear, convulses a few times in the water... and then goes still. The next second, Li Muyang feels a tremendous suction pulling at him. He feels as if he¡¯s falling into a vortex, the world spinning around him. As the spinning sensation gradually fades, he faintly hears muffled voices of discussion. At first, the voices seem distant, but they gradually grow closer. ¡°...It¡¯s not dead, is it?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s dead, it won¡¯t sell for a good price...¡± ¡°Hey! It moved, it moved! The thing¡¯s tail moved!¡± Among these familiar exclamations and discussions, Li Muyang feels somewhat groggy as he opens his eyes. What comes into view is a wooden bucket stained with much filth. He is curled up in this bucket, feeling the cold water engulfing his body. A weak and weary body, with a faint sensation of pain coming through. The sensation of pain... This is the first time Li Muyang has felt pain in a game. Although the realism was maxed out before, dying multiple times wouldn¡¯t cause any pain. But now, there was a slight sensation of pain, along with a very strong feeling of weakness. Li Muyang struggled to lift his head and saw several faces looking down at him from above, like looking down a well. They were the very fishermen from the opening CG. ¨CF*ck! I¡¯ve transmigrated as this Moon-Biting Dragon! Li Muyang instantly understood his predicament. This time, the game was no different from an actual transmigration. The strong sense of realism and weakness was something he had never experienced in previous games, as if Li Muyang had truly transmigrated into the body of a Flood Dragon. The only difference was the familiar game interface in his field of vision, reminding him that this was indeed a game. ¡¾Initial Task: Escape the Barrel¡¿ Seeing this task, Li Muyang began to ponder. Escape the barrel? Hmm... He tried to get used to the body. The body of the Moon-Biting Dragon was a bit difficult to control. Even though he issued the command to move, the body¡¯s response was half a beat slow. This feeling was like lagging in a game in his previous life. The Moon-Biting Dragon was critically injured and on the brink of death, its physical condition was terrible. ¡°How am I supposed to escape in such a miserable state... I feel like I might die just by moving.¡± Li Muyang thought about it and didn¡¯t rush to escape. Instead, he familiarized himself with the rules of the game. He skillfully opened the save interface and saw that he could save his progress, which made him breathe a sigh of relief. Good, the save function was still there. As long as he had the power of save and reload, everything would be manageable. Li Muyang continued to check the status bar and found a skill below it. ¡¾True Dragon Bloodline LV1: Awakened True Dragon bloodline, capable of controlling the flow of water¡¿ Chapter 282 - Hardcore Gaming Chapter 282: Hardcore Gaming ¡°True Dragon Bloodline? Control the flow of water?¡± Seeing this skill description, Li Muyang¡¯s heart stirred slightly. This was the only skill he currently possessed. As Li Muyang used the skill, he seemed to enter a mysterious state in an instant, faintly sensing the water in the barrel pulsating. The water in the barrel seemed to become part of his body. With a thought from Li Muyang, a column of water shot out violently from the barrel. Amidst the sound of splashing water, the three fishermen surrounding the barrel were startled. ¡°What fell in there?¡± ¡°Why did water suddenly shoot up?¡± The fishermen hurriedly looked down, thinking something had fallen into the barrel. But after the water in the barrel calmed down, they saw no foreign objects, only the half-dead Flood Dragon. The three fishermen looked surprised. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Could it be that water snake did it?¡± ¡°Shh... what water snake? This is the legendary Flood Dragon!¡± ¡°Right, right, right, it¡¯s the Flood Dragon. We can make a fortune selling it in town.¡± ¡°But will this Flood Dragon last until we get back? It looks like it¡¯s about to die.¡± Amidst the fishermen¡¯s discussion, the Flood Dragon in the barrel suddenly flipped over, belly up, and floated motionless on the water¡¯s surface, completely still. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing this, the fishermen were all stunned. The other two glared at the last one who spoke: ¡°Wy do you jinx it!¡± ¡°How come it dies just as you say it will?¡± ¡°We could have sold it for more if it was alive!¡± The reproached fisherman looked aggrieved: ¡°It wanted to die on its own, what does that have to do with me?¡± The fishermen circled the barrel for a while longer and, seeing that the pure white Flood Dragon indeed showed no signs of life, not even moving its eyes. One of them who was braver poked it with a stick. ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s really dead.¡± ¡°Shh... be careful, it might bite you if it¡¯s not completely dead.¡± ¡°This thing might be highly poisonous...¡± All three stepped back cautiously until the brave fisherman lifted the Flood Dragon out of the water with the stick. The Flood Dragon hung limply on the stick, clearly lifeless. The other fishermen poked at the Flood Dragon¡¯s body with their sticks, but it showed no reaction. After a long period of testing, all three were disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s really dead...¡± ¡°Ah... it would have been better if I poked it off-center, that looks like its vital spot.¡± ¡°Flood Dragons have a vital spot?¡± ¡°I heard Flood Dragons evolved from snakes, they must have a vital spot.¡± The three men tossed the dead Flood Dragon back into the barrel, disheartened, and dispersed. ¡°Let¡¯s pack up and head back. We need to sell this thing quickly. We might all make a good sum of money.¡± The fishermen began to collect their nets, preparing to return to shore. The unexpectedly captured Flood Dragon was dead, and they needed to sell it quickly in town before it started to stink and lost its value. While the fishermen were busy with their gear, the dead Flood Dragon was carelessly thrown into the barrel, no longer of concern to them. On the fishing boat, the three men got busy. But shortly after they all turned their backs, the water in the not-so-large barrel began to silently climb up one side of the barrel wall. Eventually, all the water in the barrel and the Flood Dragon inside defied all logic and clung to one side of the barrel. The imbalance of weight caused the barrel to topple over with a crash, and the water surged out with great force. And the Flood Dragon, which was supposed to be dead, now rushed towards the deck side with the surging water. The nearest fisherman saw this and was shocked. ¡°That beast isn¡¯t dead!¡± The fisherman hastily reached for the harpoon. But the current from the barrel was too swift. Just as the fisherman picked up the harpoon nearby, the Flood Dragon had already been swept into the river below by the force of the water. The splash as it hit the water was piercingly loud, and all three fishermen on the boat panicked. ¡°This damn beast is playing dead!¡± ¡°Cast the net! Hurry, cast the net and haul it back in!¡± ¡°Second brother, I¡¯ll jump in and catch it!¡± The boldest of the fishermen, fuming with anger, stripped off his shirt. But the one called second brother quickly stopped him: ¡°Don¡¯t be rash! If that thing bites you, you won¡¯t be able to handle it!¡± The three kept casting their nets, trying to fish the Flood Dragon out of the river. Unfortunately, the river was too turbulent, and the Flood Dragon disappeared without a trace, never to be caught by the fishermen again. Meanwhile, in the chilly rushing river water, Li Muyang was swimming through the riverbed non-stop. The fishing nets scattered in the water above him, but he swam vigorously, leaving the nets far behind. After swimming a good distance away, and not until the system prompt ¡¾Task Complete¡¿ popped up in his field of vision, did Li Muyang finally breathe a sigh of relief. He hid among the riverbed¡¯s aquatic plants, feeling his weak and exhausted body, and shook his head. ¡°This start is just too miserable.¡± The realism in this game was cranked to the max. Not only was there a sensation of pain but there was also a stamina bar. After opening the character interface, in addition to the usual game parameters like strength and agility, there were many other complex parameters. Hunger level, endurance, hydration, injuries... The complex parameters dazzled Li Muyang. This game is too hardcore. With such intricate game values, there was much more to consider. Even within the hunting option, there were many categories of food, with different foods providing different nutrients. Li Muyang lay among the aquatic plants and rested for a while before he saw the stamina bar, which had been depleted during his escape, slowly refill. However, the blood bar of the Moon-Biting Dragon had a small segment missing, and there was a ¡¾Wound¡¿ DEBUFF continuously draining blood. Opening the character card, he could see that the neck area of the Moon-Biting Dragon on the character interface was red, indicating a wound. But there was also a BUFF ¡¾Digesting...¡¿ on the character interface. This BUFF was slowly healing Li Muyang. Although the healing was slow, it barely balanced out the blood loss from the ¡¾Wound¡¿ DEBUFF, slowing down the rate at which the blood bar decreased. ¡°Looks like I need to eat and digest more?¡± Li Muyang opened the character interface and began to look through the various prey cards in the hunting options. Among these prey cards, there were fish from the river as well as small animals from the mountains, with different prey even divided into different grades. The lowest grade was the white card, which included common animals. Next were the blue cards, which were rarer. Only a few animals were blue cards, all rare creatures from the mountains and waters. It seemed that rarity was valued in this hunting menu? Moreover, the nutrition and system values provided by mountain animals were higher than those of aquatic animals of the same level. However, considering his current weakened state and the special divine power of the True Dragon bloodline to control water, Li Muyang gave up on hunting on land. He started swimming along the aquatic plants, silently searching for schools of fish in the river. He had a big advantage in water combat, so there was no need to go ashore specifically. Chapter 283 - Ascension Chapter 283: Ascension The river was turbulent and very wide, about two li in width. In the vast river, the surging sediment brought many rich nutrients. Schools of fish of various sizes swam in the river, along with the dense aquatic plants and the occasional shrimp and crab. The river was as lively as an aquarium. Li Muyang lay motionless among the aquatic plants, his eyes fixed on a school of fish swimming by, but he did not attack. Ordinary small fish and shrimp did not interest him. They provided too little nutrition, so Li Muyang was waiting for something bigger. In such a wide river, there were no shortage of big creatures. Li Muyang even saw a several-zhang-long pitch-black catfish swim by, its fat body emitting a fishy smell that instinctively set off alarms in the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon. At less than two zhang, the Moon-Biting Dragon was not particularly strong in this river. The only remarkable thing was the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s ability to control water. He had tested it carefully. He could control the water around him within a radius of about one zhang. The longest he could maintain control was ten minutes before depleting his mana bar. The newly awakened True Dragon bloodline of the Moon-Biting Dragon seemed somewhat weak. But Li Muyang was very patient and not in a hurry at all. He lay in ambush among the aquatic plants, and when a suitable target appeared in his field of vision, Li Muyang¡¯s body, hidden among the plants, shot out like an arrow. His ability to control water allowed him to use the currents to drag his body at high speed. The catfish passing by did not even have time to react before Li Muyang bit into its eye, and his slippery, pitch-black body was tightly entangled. Caught off guard, the catfish thrashed wildly trying to break free from Li Muyang. However, as Li Muyang entangled it, he also activated his water control ability, causing the water within a one-zhang radius to compress fiercely against the catfish¡¯s body. The combination of bodily entanglement and the pressure of the water flow quickly caused the catfish to stiffen up, and the sound of bones being crushed could be heard from within. Soon, the catfish stopped moving. Li Muyang then clung to the catfish¡¯s body and began to chew on its flesh in small bites in the water. Whether it was scales, flesh, or bones, Li Muyang¡¯s strong teeth could easily crush and swallow them. Before long, a nearly one-zhang-long catfish was eaten by Li Muyang, leaving only its skeleton. A huge amount of fish flesh entered Li Muyang¡¯s stomach, but the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon did not show any significant swelling. Only the BUFF ¡¾Fatigue¡¿ appeared on the character¡¯s blood bar. Li Muyang moved his body and hid under a rock stirred by the aquatic plants, beginning to digest. At this time, the ¡¾Wound¡¿ debuff was still continuously draining blood, but as Li Muyang continued to hunt and eat, his blood bar gradually filled back up. Now, Li Muyang¡¯s blood bar was almost full, and the newly digested catfish provided a large amount of nutrients and experience points. Li Muyang lay among the aquatic plants digesting, watching the blood bar continuously ¡¾+1¡¿, and the prompt ¡¾Experience Points +1¡¿ popping up, feeling somewhat expectant. According to his estimate, he should level up after eating this catfish. Will the ability to control water increase after leveling up? While pondering, the ¡¾Experience +1¡¿ prompt that kept popping up above Li Muyang¡¯s head soon came to a halt. The next second, Li Muyang felt a jolt in his body, and for a fleeting moment, he experienced a sensation as if his soul had ascended, looking down upon all living beings. This feeling lasted only an instant. When his consciousness returned to the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon, he saw that its size had increased somewhat. The Moon-Biting Dragon, originally just over a zhang long, was now about two zhang in length, clearly having grown quite a bit. Moreover, in the character card, there was an additional skill. ¡¾Toxin¡¿. Having leveled up to LV2, the Moon-Biting Dragon had evolved a poisonous attack. ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t this process of devouring and evolving the same as with the Emerald Blade Mantis?¡± Li Muyang was somewhat curious. He felt that this game must be more than just simple devouring and evolving. While still contemplating, a system prompt suddenly popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾Act One¡ª¡ª¡¶The Dying Dragonkin¡· has been cleared¡¿ ¡¾You may claim your settlement reward¡¿ ¡¾Time remaining until the opening of Act Two¡ª23:59:57¡¿ The system¡¯s prompt made Li Muyang pause for a moment. ¡°Is it a periodic settlement? And I have to wait a day for the next act?¡± This remaining countdown was clearly a clock. Li Muyang was encountering a game with periodic settlements and this intermittent style of play for the first time. Even in ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·, one could enter different stages of the game content at any time. This was his first encounter with a game that required waiting for the opening time. Curious, Li Muyang chose to claim the settlement and saw the settlement rewards appear in his field of vision. ¡¾Cultivation +10%¡¿ The next second, Li Muyang felt a surge of spiritual energy suddenly emerge within the sea of qi in his dantian. This extremely pure spiritual energy continuously flowed into the burning golden core star within the dantian, making the star burn even more vigorously. ¡¾Golden Core Stage Late Stage (11%)¡¿ Li Muyang opened his eyes, opened the character card, and saw his cultivation experience bar. Without giving him a choice, it directly added 10% to his cultivation. Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°This game is indeed different from the previous ones.¡± Whether it was the content of the game or the method of rewards, it was unique. It¡¯s just unknown whether this game, like other games, will also have an impact on reality. After pondering for a while, Li Muyang closed his eyes and entered ¡¶Deadly Weed¡· to spend time with Xiao Yecao, enjoying the scenery and playing daily tasks in the game. Outside the room, on the flying boat, there was silence. Most of the Hall of Enforcement disciples were cultivating, with only a few chatting on the deck. The blazing sun shone through the clouds, casting brilliant and intense sunlight upon the dozens of flying boats. The massive formation brought an immense sense of oppression, and all the birds encountered along the way kept their distance, not daring to approach the formidable fleet of flying boats. ...... Nightfall, accompanied by the rising sun, swiftly retreated across the land. As the continent where Li Muyang was located gradually fell into the darkness of night, far away at the other end of the Sea of Mist, in the north of the Heavenly Origin Continent, a small fishing boat carrying three fishermen entered the rapid and vast river channel. And further away in the foothills, a pure white Moon-Biting Dragon, chasing a wild rabbit, leaped into the river. She strangled the rabbit in the water and joyfully gnawed at its flesh. But at that moment, a half-zhang-long fish suddenly swam past her. Seeing this fish, the Moon-Biting Dragon, who had just digested her food and was about to rest, immediately pounced. She chased after the fish, trying to bite it to death. However, during the chase, the water suddenly burst, and a fishing spear ruthlessly pierced the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon. She felt an unbearable pain, her vision went dark, and she was lifted out of the water by the steel fork and roughly thrown into a wooden barrel. Feeling her life force ebbing away, the young and naive Moon-Biting Dragon was filled with panic! She had only just begun to develop some intelligence and understand a few things, but this also made her understand fear. Was she going to die just like this... The Moon-Biting Dragon was in utter despair. But at that moment, she seemed to hear a man¡¯s voice. ¡°...start!¡± The next second, before the Moon-Biting Dragon could react, she felt a severe pain. It seemed as if something very large was forcibly stuffed into her body. Immediately after, she was shocked to find that she had lost control of her body. A man¡¯s voice resounded within her. ¡°This Flood Dragon... is so damn small!¡± ¡°Does this even qualify as a Flood Dragon?¡± For some reason, at the moment she heard these words, she felt an urge to hide. Shame... was this shame? The Moon-Biting Dragon, who had only developed intelligence a few days ago, was somewhat bewildered and at a loss at this moment... Chapter 284 - You must repay the favor Chapter 284: You must repay the favor In the midst of the turbulent water flow, the pure white Moon-Biting Dragon stretched out her body, appearing and disappearing among the water plants. Feeling the tremendous changes in her body, she blinked in the water, and a thought emerged in her mind. ¨CWhat a strange man. She could vaguely sense that someone who had forcibly entered her body and taken control was a male human. Now that the male had left her body, she once again had control over it. But the things that happened during the time she lost control of her body seemed magical and bizarre to her. She couldn¡¯t help but move her body, feeling the two-zhang length of her form and the two new poison fangs that had grown in her mouth, and began to swim in the water. Who was that male... and why was he able to enter her body? She was very curious. That male had forcefully taken her body and escaped from those humans, then hid among the water plants to attack the passing fish. With every fish she devoured, her body underwent some subtle changes. After that transformation had accumulated to its limit, she suddenly grew from just over a zhang to two zhang in length, even sprouting venomous fangs. The Moon-Biting Dragon swam through the currents, suddenly clamping down on a small fish that darted out from the weeds, continuously injecting venom from its fangs into the fish. In the blink of an eye, the half-zhang-long fish turned belly-up and lifeless. The Moon-Biting Dragon happily tore into the fish scales, gnawing on the tender flesh, discovering for the first time that hunting was actually this simple. These venomous fangs are really powerful! The Moon-Biting Dragon thought happily, and at that moment, she remembered that mysterious male. He had taken over her body, made her stronger, and then suddenly disappeared. Where had he gone? Would they meet again in the future? The Moon-Biting Dragon, who had just awakened her spiritual intelligence, understood many things instinctively due to the innate abilities that had awakened in her bloodline. However, having never encountered the human world, the Moon-Biting Dragon remained naive and simple. She felt a bit disappointed at the thought that she might never see that male again. She wanted to talk to him, to ask where he came from and why he helped her. Also, his hunting skills were impressive, far superior to hers, as he was always successful in the hunt. He had helped her grow such formidable venomous fangs. According to the knowledge that had suddenly appeared in her mind, she should be grateful for the help, right? It was a pity that the male had left too quickly, and she didn¡¯t even know where his home was. If it wasn¡¯t too far away, she would swim over to see him. Thinking this, the Moon-Biting Dragon happily ate the fish she had just caught. However, as she gnawed on the fish flesh, she was puzzled to find that the mysterious energy she gained from eating the fish was far less than the mysterious energy she had obtained while being controlled by that mysterious male. Was it because the fish she hunted were too small? Or could she only gain that mysterious energy when he controlled her? The Moon-Biting Dragon pondered, her white body undulating as she swam through the swift river currents. She was considering how to find him if she never saw that mysterious male again. That male had saved her life, so she definitely had to repay him. ...... On the frigid flying boat, Li Muyang heard his little sister Li Yuechan¡¯s voice outside the cabin and immediately opened his eyes. ¡°Brother! It¡¯s time to eat!¡± At mealtime, as always, the girl ran to call her brother, who was engrossed in his cultivation. Hearing this familiar call, Li Muyang, sitting on the soft couch, was momentarily stunned, feeling as if it were a lifetime ago. ¨CThe last time his sister called him for a meal was several months ago. The turmoil within the Blood Lotus Sect had completely disrupted his daily life. Hiding among those Blood Lotus Sect demons, Li Muyang had almost forgotten what it felt like to have family and friends around. With this thought, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but smile and stand up. ¡°Coming, I¡¯m on my way.¡± Responding to his sister, Li Muyang turned off the game and walked out of his room. Although he was a cultivator, the monks on this continent were too worldly. Resources were of utmost importance. The spiritual rice meals provided daily by the sect to inner disciples were a benefit not to be missed. However, due to his great achievements, although Li Muyang had not been immediately promoted to direct disciple, he was already enjoying the same treatment as Ning Wan¡¯er, a direct disciple. The two siblings didn¡¯t go to the dining hall where the inner disciples ate but walked through the corridor to a quiet and elegant little house. The space here was no smaller than the dining hall outside, but the environment was much better. Despite being a flying boat in the sky, there was a small pond inside the house with lotus flowers and misty vapor floating on the water, each lotus covered with dewdrops. The maids at the door respectfully opened the door for Li Muyang and his sister, and as the siblings stepped inside, they saw direct disciple Ning Wan¡¯er sitting alone. In the luxurious banquet hall-like room, there was only Ning Wan¡¯er. She smiled at Li Muyang and his sister, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve always been alone in this room, quite lonely. Now that Muyang is here, we¡¯ll have each other¡¯s company.¡± Seeing Ning Wan¡¯er in front of him, Li Muyang¡¯s mouth twitched, and he felt somewhat awkward for a moment. Ning Wan¡¯er also participated in the undercover operation in Tianjiao City and was placed by Yan Xiaoru to stay close to Li Muyang. She secretly killed one of Li Muyang¡¯s personal maids and used a disguise technique to take her place, serving Li Muyang for two months. However, she never revealed her identity to Li Muyang until after the operation ended and the Blood Lotus Sect was destroyed, and Li Muyang returned to the sect. Thinking back to the past two months, every time he took a bath or soaked in medicinal baths, this little green tea was bustling around and even smilingly watching Li Muyang bathe... It was a good thing he had never taken advantage of those maids. Otherwise, it would have been too awkward to meet now. After the three of them sat down, Ning Wan¡¯er called the maids to serve the dishes and started chatting with the siblings. Ning Wan¡¯er made no mention of her two-month experience serving Li Muyang in Tianjiao City. The three of them enjoyed the sumptuous dinner provided by the sect while chatting about recent events. ¡°...The recent surge of spiritual energy seems to have changed the rules of heaven and earth.¡± ¡°I heard that our sect leader has felt the loosening of the bottleneck in his realm. Maybe after this return, he could enter seclusion and break through to above the Purple Mansion realm...¡± Ning Wan¡¯er murmured softly. Li Muyang had little interest in these gossips. He was busy eating, while little sister Li Yuechan and Ning Wan¡¯er were chatting excitedly. The two girls were as close as best friends and once they started talking, there was no stopping them. Seeing the two girls chatting happily, Li Muyang had planned to return to his room to refine spiritual energy after eating, but at that moment, he suddenly heard Ning Wan¡¯er mention something. ¡°...I heard that many ancient bloodlines have awakened.¡± ¡°There seems to be a trace of a phoenix appearing in the jungles of the south...¡± Chapter 285 - Wanting to Talk to Him Chapter 285: Wanting to Talk to Him Ancient bloodlines? Awakening? Li Muyang¡¯s mind stirred, and he began to listen intently. He had just encountered a Flood Dragon with Ancient True Dragon bloodline in the game, and now he was eager to know where that Flood Dragon was. Is there really such a Flood Dragon in reality? But Ning Wan¡¯er mentioned many pieces of news, all of which were vague rumors without any solid evidence. Things like a phoenix appearing in the south, a mysterious bird crying over the sea, and a Kunpeng appearing in the north, and so on... Li Muyang listened to a lot and shook his head inwardly. Even if ancient bloodlines were truly appearing in the world, it was unlikely that top-tier divine beasts would emerge so quickly. Most ancient bloodlines had just awakened. The Moon-Biting Dragon, with its True Dragon bloodline, was so miserable that it almost died under the steel fork of a mortal fisherman. Other divine beast bloodlines awakening would not be full-level right from the start. After finishing his meal, Li Muyang listened to two girls idly chatting about a bunch of things. He discovered that their conversation topics had shifted from the awakening of mythical beast bloodlines to which sect of the Righteous and Demon paths had the most handsome young men and which favored son of the heavens was currently the most talked about, along with other such gossipy tidbits. After that, Li Muyang got up to take his leave. He returned to his room, no longer wasting time, and began to meditate to refine spiritual energy. As a direct disciple, he consumed high-grade spiritual rice and various other equivalent spiritual herbs and medicinal meals for cooking, which could be described as a generous treatment. Li Muyang felt the vigorous and abundant spiritual energy surge into his body, continuously guiding the spiritual energy into his dantian qi sea, converging into the dazzling and burning star within. Soon, the spiritual energy was completely refined. The powerful spiritual energy refining speed of the Netherworld Demon Technique, coupled with the strong dan fire of the Golden Core realm, made the refining of spiritual energy extremely fast. Li Muyang closed his eyes and entered the game. ¡¶Dragonkin Awakening¡· was still counting down, so he could only enter ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·. Once in the game, he resumed the monotonous daily routine of wandering the world and enjoying the scenery with Xiao Yecao, waiting for the moment when the second phase of ¡¶Dragonkin Awakening¡· would be unlocked. ¡¾¡¶Dragonkin Awakening¡· Act Two is now open, would you like to enter?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ When this system prompt popped up in his field of vision, Li Muyang immediately switched games and entered ¡¶Dragonkin Awakening¡·. It was the familiar CG interface main screen, with the True Dragon roaring in the sky, wielding thunder and heavenly fire, and annihilating the vast ghostly shadows on the ground. Upon entering the game, that familiar sensation of weightlessness immediately struck him. When he opened his eyes, he found himself back in the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon. However, this time, the Moon-Biting Dragon was not in the same place where he had logged off last time. The pure white Flood Dragon was lying motionless in the shadow of water plants in a small river channel. This channel connected to the vast river outside, but it was shallow, only one zhang deep, and although there were dense water plants, there were no fish or shrimp to be seen. The two-zhang-long Moon-Biting Dragon hiding here was somewhat difficult. It had almost completely concealed its body within the water plants, looking somewhat awkward. After realizing his situation, Li Muyang was immediately surprised. ¡°Why am I here? Was I washed over by the current?¡± The Emerald Blade Mantis would remain motionless when he logged off, waiting for him to log back on. Therefore, every time Li Muyang logged off, he would have the Emerald Blade Mantis dig a hole to hide underground. Since the Moon-Biting Dragon didn¡¯t have the claws of the Emerald Blade Mantis, Li Muyang had chosen to hide in a dark and hidden crevice in the rocks to log off. He hadn¡¯t expected that 24 hours later, when he logged back on, his body would end up in such a bizarre place. While Li Muyang was pondering, a chorus of reading voices came from above his head. It was from a private school by the small river channel, where the children inside were holding books and reciting loudly along with their teacher. The crisp and pleasant voices of the children reading penetrated the water surface and became muffled and weak underwater. However, with the powerful hearing of the Moon-Biting Dragon, he could barely make out the words. Li Muyang chuckled and swam away from the spot. The orderly and clear reading voices were actually quite pleasant to the ear, reminding him of the days when he was a young student reading books. He didn¡¯t dislike these reading voices. However, it was not appropriate to stay here for long. Li Muyang swam quietly along the one-zhang-deep river channel, keeping a low profile to avoid attracting the attention of people on the shore. If someone discovered a Flood Dragon in the small river channel, it would cause too much commotion. It might even attract the common people from the city to catch the Flood Dragon, as a two-zhang-long Flood Dragon was something even mortals could handle and would be considered a rare commodity. The game had just started, and Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to make things more difficult for himself. Fortunately, this small river channel was somewhat secluded, with almost no pedestrians on the riverbank. Li Muyang swam stealthily through the channel and soon entered a canal within the city. The canal was bustling with boats and lively with people¡¯s voices on the banks. But this time the river was deep, and Li Muyang swam along the riverbed without worrying about being discovered. Opening the character interface, he saw that the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s hunger value was nearly at its peak, and Li Muyang shook his head. If he didn¡¯t log on soon, the Flood Dragon wouldn¡¯t starve to death, but the ¡¾Wound¡¿debuff would continue to deduct health, and without hunting for food to replenish nutrition, this Flood Dragon might be dragged to death by its injuries. Li Muyang swam along the river channel into the vast river outside the city, targeting the large, nutrient-rich prey in the river to launch his attacks. At two zhang in length and having evolved toxins, Li Muyang¡¯s hunting range had suddenly expanded. He continuously attacked prey, strangling the aquatic creatures swimming in the river, accumulating experience points. Although the game content was monotonous, this way of hunting underwater was quite novel. Li Muyang played for a long time until a prompt popped up in his field of vision, which made him stop in surprise. ¡¾¡¶Dragonkin Awakening¡· playtime has ended, you will now exit the game¡¿ ¡¾Time remaining until the next opening: 23:59:59¡¿ ¡°Ah? Logging off again?¡± After sensing that he was being forcibly kicked out of the game, Li Muyang opened his eyes inside the flying boat with a bit of speechlessness. ¡°This time the game has an anti-addiction system? After playing for a certain amount of time, it forces you to log off?¡± Having such a setting in a system game was somewhat absurd¡ªafter all, I¡¯m not a minor, what¡¯s with the anti-addiction nonsense! Li Muyang sighed without words, and just at that moment, he heard his sister Li Yuechan¡¯s voice outside the room. ¡°Brother! It¡¯s time to eat!¡± Another mealtime had arrived, and Li Muyang had unknowingly played in the game for a whole day and night. He temporarily put aside the game and got up to eat. ...... Meanwhile, in the river channels of the northern part of the Heavenly Origin Continent, the Moon-Biting Dragon, which had just finished eating a large soft-shelled turtle, suddenly trembled. Immediately afterward, the Moon-Biting Dragon hurriedly turned its head, looking in all directions. It tried to find the figure of the person who had left. But just as the person had arrived without a sound, they had also left without a trace and any sign. Unable to find the person¡¯s tracks, the Moon-Biting Dragon in the river felt a sudden sense of loss. She had thought that this time when she saw him, she could speak with him. But he still did not pay any attention to her... Why was that? Was it because she couldn¡¯t speak the language of humans? Was that why she was shunned? Thinking of the private school by the small river channel, the Moon-Biting Dragon pondered for a moment and then immediately turned around, swimming back towards the direction of the school. She was determined to learn the human language and have a conversation with that person! Chapter 286 Li Muyang opened his eyes in the small river channel filled with light green water plants and once again found himself hiding in this familiar spot. Above his head, through the water¡¯s surface, came the clear and rhythmic reading voices of the children from the private school. Hearing those crisp and pleasant voices of the children, Li Muyang paused for a moment. ¡°Back here again?¡± Why am I respawning in the same familiar place after logging in? Could this spot be a respawn point? He clearly remembered that when he logged off, he had already moved far from this location. Li Muyang swam along the current out of the small river channel, joining the larger river outside, then retraced his path, entering the turbulent river outside the city. He had nearly eaten all the larger fish and shrimp in the vicinity, so Li Muyang, with his two-zhang-long body, swam downstream to carve out new hunting grounds. A two-zhang-long Flood Dragon was already a force to be reckoned with in the river, but there were still creatures in the deep waterways that matched his size. Li Muyang launched attacks on these similarly large fish and shrimp, his ability to control water and his potent toxins making him almost invincible. Almost every time he found a hunting target, he was successful in the kill. But even so, Li Muyang remained cautious. He had noticed something after entering the second act: the game had somehow removed the save function. No saving and loading... had it become real-time processing? Li Muyang speculated about the nature of the game while carefully selecting his hunting targets, trying not to provoke those that were too powerful. In this river, it was like a hidden dragon lying in wait, not only were there large fish, shrimp, and old turtles, but also some eerie and peculiar creatures. There was a creature covered in green fur, swimming through the water like a monkey, emanating a sinister and ominous aura. The moment Li Muyang spotted this creature, a new monster was unlocked in his hunting compendium. With a blue card face, the name in the system¡¯s bestiary was ¡¾Water Monkey¡¿. Despite its small size, it was not something Li Muyang dared to provoke lightly. There was also a strange creature with long hair trailing behind it as it swam, resembling the legendary flying head monster. But the human face was a disguise; its real mouthparts were located at the back of its head. It too had a blue card face, and its name in the system¡¯s illustration was ¡¾Gui Fish¡¿. He encountered these two bizarre creatures in the turbulent river, somewhat away from human towns. Li Muyang gained a profound understanding of the diversity of species in this river. ¡°Such an abstract appearance, definitely not something good.¡± He lay in ambush among the river weeds in a bend of the river, watching as the Gui Fish with a human-like head entangled and killed an old turtle. The Gui Fish¡¯s hair-like appendages could freely move in the water, wriggling and entwining like tentacles, so much so that even after the turtle retracted its head into its shell, it was still pierced like a hedgehog by the Gui Fish¡¯s sharp hair. Li Muyang had planned to watch the Gui Fish leave. It was too bizzare in appearance and quite repulsive to look at. However, after killing the turtle, the Gui Fish dragged the corpse toward the patch of river weeds where Li Muyang was hiding. It dropped the turtle¡¯s body on the riverbed, and its sharp mouthparts emerged from the ¡°back of its head,¡± viciously piercing the turtle¡¯s body and beginning to suck its flesh and blood. Li Muyang, hiding in the weeds, was less than five zhang away. Seeing this, Li Muyang immediately held his breath. He didn¡¯t plan to kill, but if the creature came to him, that was a different matter. At such a close distance, combined with the Flood Dragon¡¯s deadly poison, he had enough to kill the creature before him. But even with the perfect position, Li Muyang, lying in wait in the weeds, didn¡¯t rush to attack. Instead, he patiently waited for the Gui Fish to feed. According to Li Muyang¡¯s limited biological knowledge, animals slow down after a heavy meal as a lot of blood is diverted to their stomachs, causing their bodily reactions to slow and their brains to become dull. That would be the best moment to strike. He wasn¡¯t sure if the creature before him followed this biological principle, but he still lay in wait patiently, waiting for the Gui Fish to feed. The longer it ate, the more relaxed its guard would become. The river flowed, and the old turtle visibly shriveled as the Gui Fish sucked it dry. The Gui Fish¡¯s pale mouthparts, like those of an insect, had tremendous suction power, making the sight of its feeding somewhat unsettling. When the Gui Fish had eaten about eighty percent of the turtle, Li Muyang lying in wait in the weeds suddenly sprang into action. The cold water surged out like a sharp sword, turning into several ropes that ensnared the Gui Fish five zhang away. At the same time, Li Muyang shot out from the weeds like an arrow released from a bow, reaching the Gui Fish in an instant. The sharp venomous fangs of the Moon-Biting Dragon found a weak spot on the Gui Fish¡¯s body. Li Muyang had observed the creature feeding for a long time and had already identified where the flesh was most abundant. The moment his fangs pierced the Gui Fish, Li Muyang furiously injected his venom into its body. The ugly Gui Fish was suddenly attacked and let out a piercing scream underwater. It thrashed wildly, its hair-like strands aiming for Li Muyang. But Li Muyang struck true and did not linger in battle. The moment he finished injecting the venom, he immediately moved his body, using the current to escape, not giving the Gui Fish¡¯s hair a chance to pierce him. In the blink of an eye, Li Muyang retreated to a safe distance of over ten zhang. In the swift current, he looked back at the ugly Gui Fish. It was howling pitifully, frantically chasing after him as if determined to fight to the death. ¨CThis creature has quite the temper! Li Muyang swam agilely in the water, watching the Gui Fish¡¯s frantic pursuit. But as it chased, the Gui Fish¡¯s movements became stiffer and its swimming speed slowed. Two minutes later, the Gui Fish with the long hair stopped moving and began to float to the surface, buoyed by the water. Li Muyang cautiously observed for a while, controlling the water to test a few times, and after confirming that the creature was indeed dead, he swam over to its side. He discovered that despite the creature¡¯s long black hair, the flesh underneath was white and translucent, emitting an enticing fragrance. Li Muyang bit into it and began to feed. ¡¾Experience +10¡¿ ¡¾Experience +10¡¿ ¡¾Experience +10¡¿ The continuous system notifications popping up in his field of vision surprised Li Muyang. ¡°This thing is so rich in nutrients!¡± The experience gained from killing one Gui Fish was more than from killing ten fish or shrimp of the same size. No wonder it was a blue card monster in the hunting compendium. Realizing the generous experience it provided, Li Muyang¡¯s gaze towards the river teeming with strange creatures changed. Although those creatures were abstract, they were worth a lot of experience points! Quickly chewing on the Gui Fish in the water, Li Muyang moved his body and left the area, searching for his next hunting target. Chapter 288 In the cold river water, the Moon-Biting Dragon carried the water monkey as it swam. The struggling water monkey, though small and slender, was tenaciously alive. Even though its body had been bitten through, it still tried to break free, desperately flailing its limbs. Feeling the dying struggles of the water monkey in her mouth, she made no extra movements and did not waste her venom on this creature. Although the water monkey was malevolent, it couldn¡¯t even break through the scales on her body. The only trouble was that the water monkey was extremely agile in the water, making it very difficult to catch. This time, taking advantage of the water monkey¡¯s attack on the humans at the shore, she acted promptly and easily bit the creature. The moment the evil being was bitten by her, its fate was sealed. After bringing the water monkey back to the riverbed, she happily chewed on it. With the sound of bones cracking, the water monkey was easily crushed in her jaws, no longer able to struggle. Soon, she swallowed the entire water monkey. Compared to her five-zhang-long body, the water monkey was too small. The sweet and delicious monkey meat transformed into a mysterious energy, which slowly merged into her body, and she could vaguely sense the changes within herself. These malevolent creatures were ugly, but they provided a lot of mysterious energy. After digesting the water monkey, she did not leave immediately but lay on the riverbed and waited for a while. But that person did not return. Just like before, he came abruptly and violently and left without a trace, without any warning. But this time, she felt quite at ease. The last time that person left, he returned after the sun had set and risen again. She roughly understood that the person would come back at intervals. Each time, he used her body to hunt and helped her grow. A few days ago, she was just a pitiful creature nearly killed by humans, but now, she had become a massive being in this river, and it was difficult for humans to harm her. Even when she appeared in front of humans, the group was so frightened that they dared not move. Remembering the terrified expressions of those people on the shore just now, she wriggled her body happily, feeling an inexplicable sense of achievement. Previously in the mountains, she instinctively hid from the hunters. After gaining intelligence, she still dared not approach humans. But now, she no longer needed to fear humans. However, she had no desire to prey on humans. That person had helped her, and she could vaguely sense that he was a male human. It would not be good to offend him by preying on his kind. The Moon-Biting Dragon moved her body and began to swim underwater. Imitating the posture, movements, and behavior of that person, she started to search the river for the strange and malevolent creatures lurking within. Although she wanted to learn human language, she could no longer return to that small stream. She felt a bit lost. But she thought that by continuing to hunt the evil creatures in the river and becoming stronger, she might be able to find a human specifically to teach her to speak and read. Yes, find a human, and a very beautiful one at that. The humans she saw when she bit the water monkey were all ugly. She did not like them. She liked the pretty and good-looking ones. ...... ¡°Huh? Why has the place changed again?¡± The morning sun shone on the turbulent river. Li Muyang opened his eyes and found himself lying in a gentle bend of the river. This place was far from where he had last logged off, and everything in his field of vision was very unfamiliar. The river had also become wider, and the current was somewhat gentler than before, seeming to have entered a more downstream area. Li Muyang opened his character panel and found that his experience points had inexplicably increased. When he logged off yesterday, his experience was at LV3 (17%). But now, the experience bar on the character panel showed LV3 (29%). During the time he was logged off, had this Flood Dragon body gone hunting by itself? Li Muyang was quite surprised by this discovery. ¡°...Is this actually an idle game?¡± In his previous life, he had seen many advertisements for trashy web games that claimed you could level up with one-click idling, but he had never played them. He never expected that after transmigrating, he would actually play a real idle game. You could level up even without managing it. In one day, his experience points had increased so much. Although it was not as fast as when he was actively playing, it was not slow either. Li Muyang controlled the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s body to swim out of the river bend and headed towards the river ahead. Soon, he found a Gui Fish sleeping in the water grass in a dark river trench. Many of the malevolent creatures in the river were active at night. Li Muyang had roughly figured out the patterns of these creatures. He approached quietly and suddenly launched an attack. The Gui Fish was hiding in the crevices of the water grass and stones, almost blending in with the water grass. Thin strands of black lines floated in the water, almost invisible to the naked eye. These were the ¡°hairs¡± of the Gui fish, which drifted with the current while the fish slept, sensing the water¡¯s movement around them. If a large object approached, disturbing the water, the sleeping Gui fish would wake up instantly. However, Li Muyang was able to move through the water without disturbing any currents. It wasn¡¯t until he came within three zhang of the Gui fish that his body brushed against one of the delicate black ¡°hairs,¡± startling the fish awake¡ªbut it was already too late. The five-zhang-long Flood Dragon thrashed violently, biting precisely at the weakest part of the Gui fish¡¯s rolling body. Venom crazily injected into the fish¡¯s body, and as a level 3 creature that had grown in size, the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s venom was even more potent. The Gui fish, taken by surprise, panicked and tried to escape, but after swimming only ten zhang, its body stiffened and it floated to the surface. Li Muyang moved his body, crushing the Gui fish with his tail to eliminate any chance of it playing dead and launching a sneak attack. Then he bit into the fish¡¯s body, chewing the tender and sweet white flesh as he drifted downstream, digesting the Gui fish to gain experience points while searching for other prey. It was strange how this river, bordered by many villages and cities with incessant boat traffic, harbored a multitude of evil creatures. Didn¡¯t the people on the banks fear them? Why didn¡¯t they call upon cultivators to slay these beings? Or could it be... Hmm... A thought suddenly struck Li Muyang. ¡°With so many evil creatures lurking and no cultivators to slay them... could this be the Heavenly Origin Dynasty?¡± On his own continent, under the rule of both immortals and demons, it would be impossible for so many evil creatures to coexist with humans. Evil creatures harmed ordinary people, which in turn affected the interests and tax revenues of the cultivation sects. How could they be tolerated? If this was indeed the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, everything would make sense. As Li Muyang continued downstream, occasionally approaching the large boats to eavesdrop on conversations in an attempt to determine his whereabouts, he overheard two young men on the deck discussing recent events. Chapter 289 ¡°The turmoil in the south is getting worse...¡± ¡°They say the rebel army is almost at the capital.¡± ¡°The Blood Demon Sect¡¯s demons are causing chaos everywhere. Wherever they go, they slaughter living beings. I wonder if the court can hold them back.¡± ¡°I heard that the Emperor is critically ill and that the government is controlled by the great teacher Pang...¡± ¡°Ah, Teacher Pang...¡± The two young men shook their heads in mockery when mentioning Teacher Pang, but they dared not say more. Beneath the seemingly calm surface of the river, a pale white giant shadow silently followed the boat. Li Muyang, with his powerful senses as a Moon-Biting Dragon, clearly heard the conversation. His heart stirred, confirming that this was indeed the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. The Blood Demon Sect, the southern turmoil, the rebel army causing chaos¡ªthese were all classic elements of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. It made sense for so many evil creatures to exist in this river. The Heavenly Origin Dynasty was known for its scarcity of cultivators. Now, in the last years of the dynasty, with the world in turmoil and the people suffering, the resentment of living beings would breed evil spirits. Moreover, the Heavenly Origin continent had an Ancient Grudge Well, which greatly influenced the land. Just in the river where Li Muyang was, there were so many evil creatures, let alone the rest of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty¡¯s lands, where countless evil spirits must have been born, influenced by the ancient evil gods within the Ancient Grudge Well. Li Muyang narrowed his eyes, a hint of concern crossing his mind. It seemed that if things continued this way, the Heavenly Origin Dynasty would become a breeding ground for evil spirits. With so many evil creatures born and roaming the land, could there really be no problems? As Li Muyang pondered, ready to leave in search of new prey, the conversation of the two young men on the boat above caught his attention again. ¡°...I heard that Fairy Liuli from the Mystic Sword Sect is coming to the north.¡± ¡°Oh? Fairy Liuli is coming to the north? I¡¯ve vaguely heard of this fairy. She¡¯s said to be the close disciple of Master Qingye.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her. People say she¡¯s coming to our north to subdue demons and vanquish evil spirits, to eradicate those that have taken root in the mountains and rivers.¡± ¡°Sigh... The north is a harsh and cold place, always overlooked. Beyond the borders, there are wandering immortals that are said to be unfriendly to cultivators. In these times, only the exalted ones from the Mystic Sword Sect would come to our north.¡± ¡°I hope Fairy Liuli can clear the evil spirits breeding in the mountains and rivers when she arrives in the north.¡± ¡°The north is a bitter and dangerous place. Even the Demon-Suppressing Masters from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau are reluctant to come close. If Fairy Liuli from the Mystic Sword Sect is willing to come and exorcise demons, she truly is a noble and virtuous person of the immortal path...¡± ¡°After all, she¡¯s a disciple of Master Qingye...¡± Li Muyang was slightly surprised to hear about Fairy Liuli. Fairy Liuli... coming here? F*ck! An old acquaintance! If Fairy Liuli came to this place to subdue demons, it would be perfect to team up with her. After the turmoil in Sanhe City, having overcome her inner demons, Fairy Liuli¡¯s strength had greatly increased. Teaming up with her, Li Muyang could challenge stronger demons and level up faster. The more he understood this world, the more urgent Li Muyang felt about cultivating and leveling up. The existence of the Ancient Grudge Well was a sword hanging over everyone¡¯s head in this world. Although this sword might not fall on Li Muyang¡¯s head first, it was better to be prepared, and the stronger his cultivation, the better. Li Muyang listened a bit more, only to find that the two young men had stopped discussing Fairy Liuli and were now talking about which brothel to visit and which girl to favor after arriving in Baizhou City that night. Listening to the two young men excitedly discuss the merits and skills of the brothel girls, Li Muyang shook his head speechlessly and moved on. He dived back into the river to continue his hunt for evil creatures and level up. The only difference now was that Li Muyang deliberately stayed close to the large boats, eavesdropping on the conversations of the people on board. ...... ¡°He¡¯s started to take an interest in the people on the river?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon swimming in the river pondered, somewhat puzzled. Today, she noticed that his behavior had changed again. Now, he began to listen to the conversations of the people on the river, but it didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to eat them. He was just listening. ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s also learning to speak like humans?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon tilted her head in thought but couldn¡¯t come to a conclusion. However, she felt that it didn¡¯t matter if she couldn¡¯t understand. All she needed to do was follow along. Ever since that person came into her body, every action had been beneficial to her. She might not understand at the moment, but as long as she followed along, she would surely understand in the future. That person must be much smarter than her. After all, she had only recently gained spiritual intelligence, and considering the days before her enlightenment, she had been in this world for less than a year. For things she didn¡¯t understand, she just needed to learn by following. So, while hunting in the water, she also began to imitate that person¡¯s behavior, occasionally sticking close to the riverboats to listen to the conversations above. At first, she didn¡¯t understand much, but as she listened more and more, she gradually began to comprehend what those people were saying. As she continued to hunt and level up day by day, that person would still come into her body at regular times, hunt with her, and then leave at a set time. And after that person left, she would hunt on her own and listen to the conversations of the people on the boats. Finally, when her size grew again, from five zhang to ten zhang long, she understood the voices of the people on the boats. Although she didn¡¯t understand many of the words, she could at least grasp what they were talking about. During this process, she occasionally saw some people fall off the boats and into the water. Most were human children, and some were adults who couldn¡¯t swim. Each time this happened, she would actively swim over and lift the people who had fallen into the water back onto the boats. At first, those people would scream in terror upon seeing her. But after a while, when she rescued people, no one screamed in fear anymore. Instead, they would kneel on the boat and kowtow fervently. ¡°Thank you, River God, for saving our lives!¡± Those people said some incomprehensible words, and she roughly understood they were thanking her. But why call her River God? She didn¡¯t have a name, and River God wasn¡¯t her name. These people had given her an unpleasant name all on their own, which she found amusing. Sometimes, she would hear strange words when she lay beneath the boats and followed the current. ¡°...I hope the River God blesses our journey with smooth sailing.¡± ¡°I hope the River God allows me to return home alive to see my parents.¡± ¡°I hope the River God blesses that my husband dies at home...¡± Those people said all sorts of nonsensical things to her, asking her to do this and that. But she didn¡¯t want to do any of it. She also didn¡¯t understand why these people were speaking to her as if she could do anything. And you¡¯re not ¡®that¡¯ person. I don¡¯t listen to what you say. She thought proudly, I¡¯m not some maid to be ordered around! Chapter 290 Li Muyang realized something seemed amiss. These days, as he traveled down the river hunting evil creatures, he often heard people on the river praying to a River God. But this so-called River God had never been mentioned before and seemed to have appeared only recently. Li Muyang grew curious, wondering if some demon had emerged in the Yushui River. From the conversations of the boatmen and fishermen, it seemed this River God had shown miracles in front of people, which was why they worshipped it. But as Li Muyang roamed the Yushui River, he had become familiar with the river¡¯s ecological environment. On his furthest journey, he even reached the river¡¯s estuary and saw the vast ocean and the endless white mist that shrouded the sea surface. The Sea of Mist covered all the seas on this planet, and as a Flood Dragon, when Li Muyang swam into the sea, he faintly felt his divine consciousness being disturbed. The Moon-Biting Dragon had an extremely strong sense of direction and could vaguely sense the position of the stars in the sky even underwater. However, when he swam into the area covered by the mist, his senses were limited, and he lost his sense of direction. This bizarre and chaotic state made Li Muyang dare not stay long, and he didn¡¯t dare to stray too far from land. He immediately returned to the Yushui River, fearing he would get lost in the Sea of Mist. This game was real-time, with no chance to save and restart. The game would be over if the Moon-Biting Dragon got lost in the Sea of Mist. He returned to the Yushui River and continued to search for evil creatures, avoiding the temptation to test the boundaries of the Sea of Mist. The Yushui River basin was vast, with several tributaries and three large lakes. It was an important waterway in the northern territory of the Heavenly Origin Continent. Along the banks of the Yushui River, countless boat families and fishermen relied on the river for their livelihood. But the dense population also bred a vast number of evil creatures. Apart from the smaller evil creatures that Li Muyang mainly hunted, there were three dens of evil creatures in the river basin. Li Muyang had observed from a distance that among the evil creatures emerging from those dens, there were many powerful demons. At level 4, Moon-Biting Dragon was only ten zhang long and was not yet qualified to provoke those demon lairs. So, although Li Muyang roamed and patrolled the river, his overall behavior was still low-key, hunting only the weaker evil creatures, emphasizing a cautious approach of bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Suddenly hearing about a new evil deity emerging in the Yushui River, Li Muyang was curious but didn¡¯t pay too much attention. He just assumed that a new evil creature had appeared in the river. In the northern territory of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, it seemed that because of a group of special beings called ¡°Wandering Immortal¡± beyond the frontier, no cultivators roamed this land, and even the Demon-Suppressing Masters from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau would not come to the north. The new River God of the Yushui River could be a newly born evil deity or perhaps a demon that had escaped from the south. Li Muyang had no intention of getting involved, but he heard someone say that outside Baizhou City, a wealthy merchant had built a temple to the River God after the deity saved his only son from drowning. The merchant had funded the construction of the temple to thank the River God. Li Muyang immediately went to Baizhou City out of curiosity. He wanted to see what this new River God looked like so he could avoid it in the future. But when Li Muyang took advantage of the night to reach the shore of Baizhou City and silently slipped into the small riverside temple outside the city, he saw a statue of a Flood Dragon enshrined within. The completely white Flood Dragon seemed to be made of beautiful jade, with two delicate horns on its forehead. Although the clay statue looked rough in detail, this River God looked exactly like... myself? Li Muyang crouched in the shadow of the River God temple, utterly astonished. The River God enshrined in the temple turned out to be me? Li Muyang immediately sensed something unusual. The moment he stepped into the River God temple, a system prompt suddenly popped up in his vision. ¡¾Incense Offering Path Unlocked¡¿ ¡¾Current Incense Power: 13¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to light this statue?¡¿ Li Muyang discovered a new interface within the system¡ª¡ª¡¾Incense Divine Path¡¿ Upon entering, he was immediately greeted by the statue of the Moon-Biting Dragon. The system indicated that the statue could be lit. ¡¾Note: After lighting the statue, you can listen to the prayers of believers through it. By consuming incense power, you can remotely control the statue to act, and the puppet statue possesses 1/10th of the original body¡¯s magical power¡¿ ¡°...So this really is my temple.¡± Li Muyang was astonished by this development. After pondering for a moment, he chose to light the statue. It was clearly an evolutionary path of the system. It was highly likely that when he was offline, the system controlled the Moon-Biting Dragon to save people and manifest itself before them. Otherwise, the mortals on both banks of the Yushui River would have no way of knowing about the Flood Dragon beneath the riverbed. As Li Muyang lit the statue, the clay sculpture of the Flood Dragon enshrined on the altar suddenly glowed with a warm white light. The previously rough and somewhat ugly clay statue became delicate and beautiful after the light infused into it. Aside from being smaller in size, the clay statue now looked exactly like the Moon-Biting Dragon itself. Even the scales that appeared out of thin air on its body seemed to flicker with a faint, colorful aura. The rough details of the statue were transformed in an instant, turning decay into a miraculous lifelike figure. Li Muyang stood in the dark temple for a while before turning and heading back to the river not far from the entrance. His visit to the river god temple tonight had brought an unexpected joy. He had unlocked a new skill tree. But wasn¡¯t this AFK system a bit too intelligent? Not only did it hunt evil creatures for experience points, but it also saved people... Li Muyang submerged into the river, taking advantage of the cover of night. The night was when those evil creatures were active, and it was also the stage for the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s hunt. By the time dawn broke and the familiar anti-addiction system came online, Li Muyang had already killed more than a dozen evil creatures and was about to level up to LV5. He opened his eyes inside the flying boat, and after being kicked out of the game by the system, he immediately got up. Right on time, his sister¡¯s voice sounded from outside the door. ¡°Brother! It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Li Muyang went out to eat, and everything was just right. ...... Meanwhile, in the Yushui River, the Moon-Biting Dragon, regaining control of its body, curiously widened its eyes. ¡°What did that person do...¡± It had watched the person enter the river god temple last night and saw the statue enshrined on the altar. It hadn¡¯t expected that those humans not only gave it a strange and ugly name but also made a fake Flood Dragon that resembled it for worship. That fake Flood Dragon was so ugly that it couldn¡¯t help but want to destroy such an eyesore¡ªthe real thing wasn¡¯t that ugly! But that person did something, and after a flash of white light, the ugly fake Flood Dragon suddenly became beautiful. And vaguely, it felt a certain connection between itself and the fake Flood Dragon. Inside its body, there seemed to be an addition of a faint and scarce mystical energy. This energy was different from what it gained from consuming evil creatures. It was very hot, as if it could burn itself if it wasn¡¯t careful. Chapter 291 ¡°Last night, when he spoke, it seemed like he called this thing ¡®incense offering¡¯?¡± Moon-Biting Dragon tilted her head, pondering, not quite understanding what incense offering was. But since it was obtained for her by that person, it must be something good. She could feel that this mysterious energy called incense offering had a very powerful force. If used for hunting, it might be very effective. It¡¯s just that there¡¯s too little of the incense offering right now. She thought regretfully. However, at this moment, the Moon-Biting Dragon at the bottom of the river suddenly shivered, hearing a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°...I pray to the River God, please ensure my husband returns safely.¡± ¡°If my husband can return home safely, I, your devotee, am willing to offer incense and candles every day and sacrifice a sheep to fulfill my vow.¡± The woman¡¯s voice appeared very abruptly as if it came from afar. But she was clearly underwater. How could someone be talking to her? Moon-Biting Dragon looked around in panic but found only the quiet flow of the river water wtih no woman in sight. Yet the woman¡¯s voice continued to rise, now with a hint of sobbing. ¡°...I beg the River God to have mercy, my husband has always been honest and upright. He went on a long journey to collect debts for his employer but encountered a storm on the way and fell into the river, his whereabouts unknown.¡± ¡°I beg the River God to be compassionate and ensure my husband returns safely.¡± ¡°My husband¡¯s name is Ji Bochang, a resident of Tianwan Village in Baizhou Prefecture...¡± The woman¡¯s low sobbing kept resounding, and Moon-Biting Dragon finally realized where the voice was coming from. It was coming from the distant River God Temple. When she focused her senses, her soul seemed to return to the River God Temple, standing on the temple¡¯s table, she saw the kneeling woman below. As the woman cried in sorrow, Moon-Biting Dragon felt as if she had formed some profound connection with the river she was in. At that moment, her body seemed to merge with the waters of the Yushui River, feeling the river¡¯s currents ebb and flow within her senses. In this mysterious sensation, she vaguely felt the location of the man named Ji Bochang. He was near a river bend far downstream of the Yushui River. ¡°...Another mortal who wants to treat me like a maid.¡± She listened to the woman¡¯s plea, instinctively feeling some aversion. She was not someone to be ordered around by just anyone! But as the woman continued to speak, crying more sorrowfully, Moon-Biting Dragon couldn¡¯t help but become irritated. ¡°Do all mortal females cry so much? It¡¯s so annoying!¡± With a thought, she forcibly blocked out the woman¡¯s crying. In an instant, the sounds from the River God Temple could no longer enter her mind. This subconscious blocking was almost an instinctive action, as natural as eating or drinking, something she knew how to do without being taught. With the noise gone, she immediately dove back into the water to continue hunting evil creatures, no longer paying attention to the woman¡¯s crying. But after attacking two water monkeys, she let the prey escape both times. She should have easily hunted such small creatures now that she had grown in size. There was no way she should have missed. The hunting-failed Moon-Biting Dragon was somewhat angry. She inexplicably thought of the woman¡¯s crying again... ¡°Ah, so annoying!¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon at the bottom of the river suddenly thrashed her body and swam towards the downstream river bend. She could faintly sense that the mortal named Ji Bochang was nearby. This mysterious sensation was profound, and Moon-Biting Dragon swam with the current for a long time before reaching that river bend. The place was secluded with dense forests, without even a path, completely wild. Moon-Biting Dragon climbed onto the shore, following that mysterious sensation to the reeds by the riverbank, where she saw a man with a pale face lying motionless in the reeds, with only a faint breath remaining. ¡°Is this the husband of that mortal female?¡± Moon-Biting Dragon leaned over Ji Bochang, looked at him carefully, then tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Right, what exactly is a husband...¡± She didn¡¯t quite understand, but it must be someone important. Otherwise, the mortal wouldn¡¯t be crying so sadly. Moon-Biting Dragon stretched out her claw, grabbed the unconscious man, and dragged him like a little chick back into the river. The ten-zhang-long Flood Dragon moved swiftly in the water, the currents around her claws parting, preventing the unconscious man in her grasp from drowning. In this way, she swam upstream against the current, reaching the River God Temple outside Baizhou City. At this time, outside the River God Temple, a crowd of onlookers had gathered. ¡°I heard that after last night, the clay statue of the god in the temple changed!¡± ¡°Yes! I just went in and saw it. The River God has shown its divine presence!¡± ¡°The statue now looks lifelike, as if the River God himself has descended!¡± ¡°Tsk... it seems that Lu Yuanwai¡¯s piety has moved the River God.¡± This newly built River God Temple was just a small temple by the river. There were no walls, no courtyards, just a solitary little house with a statue of the River God inside. Now, because of the tale of the River God¡¯s divine presence spreading, many curious people from the city rushed to see it. The small River God Temple was surrounded by people, inside and out. Everyone took turns entering to admire the lifelike and magnificent statue of the River God. Each person who came out was amazed, which made the onlookers outside even more curious and eager to see for themselves. But at that moment, the water of the nearby Yushui River suddenly churned. Following that, a figure floated up from the water, carried by the current towards the shore. This miraculous and bizarre scene immediately caught the attention of the spectators outside the River God Temple. ¡°Hey! Wait! Look! Someone¡¯s coming up from the river!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a dead body? It¡¯s not moving...¡± When the unconscious man was carried by the current to the shore, the crowd immediately gathered around. After realizing the man was still breathing, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not a corpse, it¡¯s alive.¡± ¡°But who is this? How did he float up from the water?¡± People were filled with curiosity. Yet amidst the crowd, suddenly there came a cry of extreme joy from a woman. ¡°My husband! It¡¯s my husband!¡± The woman, staggering, pushed through the crowd and knelt beside the unconscious man. After frantically checking that her husband was not dead, she immediately turned around and knelt joyfully towards the temple of the river god, knocking her head on the ground in gratitude. ¡°Thank you, River God, for your mercy! Thank you, River God!¡± ¡°From now on, I will offer daily worship to you!¡± The woman¡¯s cries of joy left the onlookers exchanging puzzled glances. But soon, someone recognized the unconscious man as Ji Bochang, the man from Tianwan Village who had gone missing in a storm. ¡°Is it really Ji Bochang who was lost at sea? He¡¯s actually alive?¡± The overjoyed woman happily shared with the people around her that she had prayed in the temple that morning, and in the afternoon, her husband had floated down the river to her. It was a miracle from the River God! Instantly, the crowd dispersed, all rushing to buy incense. ¡°The River God has really shown a miracle! I want to ask the River God for its blessing!¡± ¡°I want to ask the River God for its blessing too!¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon, having long since left the waters of Baizhou City, was lurking at the bottom of the river, preparing to ambush a water monkey ahead. Suddenly, a surge of intense, mysterious energy flooded into her body. This energy, known as the power of incense offerings, poured into her incessantly, crazily accumulating inside her. And in her ears, suddenly there were many noisy and chaotic voices of mortals. ¡°May the River God bless my success in the school exams...¡± ¡°May the River God bless my mother-in-law to drop dead tonight...¡± ¡°May the River God...¡± The sudden influx of a massive amount of incense offering power, along with those noisy and irritating mortal voices, completely bewildered the Moon-Biting Dragon. She stayed stunned in the water, momentarily forgetting about the water monkey not far away. ¡°What... what is going on?¡± Chapter 292 The massive amount of incense offering power that surged into her body carried an extremely hot aura. All those desires and pleas transformed into the most fervent and scorching energy that came her way. The Moon-Biting Dragon, lying at the bottom of the river, was dumbfounded. She felt the increasing power of incense offerings within her and listened to those excited, pleading voices. Although the chaotic and noisy voices were very distant, they still annoyed her to no end. ¡°...What madness has gotten into these mortals?¡± So many voices suddenly flooding her ears made her feel like her head was about to explode. With a thought, she seemed to return to that humble temple of the River God, standing on the table inside the temple, looking down at the group of people kneeling below. She saw that the temple was filled with thick blue smoke, with many burning incense sticks placed in front of the shrine. And below the shrine, people were kneeling and praying. All of them whispered, none speaking loudly. Yet so many soft prayers still made it frustratingly noisy. Not only was the temple filled with people, but when she looked outside, she saw that the temple entrance was also crowded with people holding incense sticks, anxiously waiting to enter. The dense crowd made her feel dizzy. ¡°Have these mortals truly gone mad?¡± She hurriedly returned to her own body, away from the temple filled with kneeling people. Recalling the spectacular scene she had just witnessed, she was filled with bewilderment. She hadn¡¯t done anything, yet these mortals were frantically knocking their heads on the ground, begging her for help. It was all too strange. And the requests in their prayers were so boring and odd. Wishing for her mother-in-law to drop dead, for success in next year¡¯s school exams, for the birth of a son... she didn¡¯t have such powers. The Moon-Biting Dragon swam through the water, shaking her head speechlessly. In her view, the actions of these mad mortals were simply incomprehensible. Maybe she should destroy that River God temple later to spare herself from the constant nagging of these mortals. ¨CSuch a thought crossed her mind. But then she remembered that the statue in the temple was enlightened by that person, and the power of incense offerings was also obtained with that person¡¯s help. This current situation... could it be what that person had hoped for? Hoping that she would receive a lot of incense offering power? Thinking of this, the Moon-Biting Dragon felt deflated. Right, this incense offering power seems quite powerful. Can it be used for hunting? At the cold river bottom, the pondering Moon-Biting Dragon suddenly tilted her head, and a ball of fire appeared out of nowhere beside her. This crimson fireball burned fiercely in the water, yet it had no temperature, and the flowing water passed through the fireball as if it were a mere illusion, not affecting the surrounding river water at all. But the moment she saw this fireball, the Moon-Biting Dragon was slightly startled. She sensed an extremely dangerous aura. This strange fire... is terrifying! With a thought, the crimson fireball immediately flew out, heading straight for the water monkey swimming among the aquatic plants. The agile water monkey in the water seemed to sense something and turned its head sharply... but it was too late. The crimson fireball, dragging a long tail of flames, flew tens of zhang in an instant, directly hitting the water monkey hiding in the aquatic plants. The green-haired water monkey let out a tragic scream as the crimson flames ignited on its body. It struggled desperately, howling, but only lasted three breaths before it fell down stiffly. At the same time, the flames went out. When the Moon-Biting Dragon swam over, she saw the water monkey¡¯s body floating up, limp and with a vacant stare in its eyes. There was no sign of burns on its body, not even the green fur had changed. But the burning crimson flames seemed to have incinerated something inside it, turning it into an empty shell. The Moon-Biting Dragon bit into the water monkey and found that it was still breathing, not dead. Yet it was completely motionless. As she chewed and digested the body of the water monkey, the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Such powerful incense offering power!¡± She only split off a wisp of incense and prayer power, yet she unleashed such a formidable fireball. This was far more powerful than her toxins. It wouldn¡¯t cause any harm to the prey, but it could eliminate them. ¡°No wonder he helped me obtain the power of incense and prayer. This stuff is indeed very powerful.¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon happily digested the body of the water monkey. After discovering the strength of the incense and prayer power, she suddenly found those mortals less annoying. Although the clamoring and demanding voices of the mortals were noisy and unpleasant, she tolerated them because the power of incense and prayer was so potent. Tilting her head and lying at the bottom of the river, she listened for a while longer, and she seemed to get used to the voices of these mortals, which no longer sounded uncomfortable to her. Those voices that seemed to be muttering from a far-off place weren¡¯t piercing to the ear. They were just boring nonsense. But amidst this nonsense, she suddenly noticed a plea that piqued her interest. ¡°...I pray to the River God to bestow divine powers and subdue the evil spirit in the bamboo forest outside our village.¡± ¡°That evil spirit often appears at dusk, abducting children from our village.¡± ¡°Our village has already lost five children, found with their bellies cut open, their hearts, livers, spleens, lungs, and kidneys all eaten...¡± An elderly and sorrowful voice rose, inconspicuous among the multitude of mutterings. But she heard this speech clearly and immediately focused her attention, looking over. Indistinctly, she saw an old man with white hair and beard kneeling in front of the shrine at the River God¡¯s temple. Several younger mortals were kneeling beside the old man, also praying for the same thing. An evil spirit that lurked outside their village, preying on children... The eyes of the Moon-Biting Dragon suddenly lit up. Evil spirits! So there were evil spirits on the shore as well? The small evil creatures that roamed the Yushui River had been almost entirely eradicated, leaving only the last three demon dens, which she felt were dangerous. That person had also observed those three demon dens from a distance but only observed. He thought it was very dangerous and that he would only eradicate them later. But now, in the Yushui River, small evil creatures like the Gui Fish and water monkeys had almost all been eaten, and she had to swim for a long time to find prey. She hadn¡¯t expected that there were also evil spirits on the shore. In the river, the Moon-Biting Dragon tilted her head and listened carefully. As she concentrated, she vaguely saw through the praying mortals to the village behind them and the dense bamboo forest outside their village. That bamboo forest was also within the territory of the Yushui River, less than three li from the riverbank. An evil creature that only dared to attack children couldn¡¯t be very strong. The Moon-Biting Dragon immediately became happy, wiggling her body and swimming towards the bamboo forest she sensed. It was just dusk now, and the sun was about to set. She moved directly towards the bamboo forest where the evil creature was said to appear. It was a good thing that there were also evil creatures on the shore! And these mortals would provide her with the location and whereabouts of the evil creatures. Suddenly, the mortals seemed more pleasing to her eyes. Chapter 293 At dusk, the setting sun hung low in the sky. In Shitang Village, the adults who had been busy in the fields all day gradually returned home. The first thing all the adults did when they got home was to call their children back. ¡°Han Liuhua! Come back!¡± ¡°San Yazi! Come home for dinner!¡± At the entrance of the village in the sunset, six or seven kids squatted by the ditch, playing with mud. They used the sludge to build a dam, blocking the stream, then dug a hole to let the water out, and laughed heartily as they watched the small pond they had created. The adults gradually arrived at the entrance of the village to take their children home, leaving only two half-grown boys. Their parents had gone to the city to buy things today and had not returned home yet. The younger brother, looking at the setting sun, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go home. The adults say there¡¯s an evil spirit in the bamboo forest, and it comes out to eat children after dark. We shouldn¡¯t be outside when it gets dark.¡± The older brother, about ten years old and with dirty hands holding a lump of carefully crafted mud, said, ¡°It¡¯s not dark yet, we¡¯ll go home when it gets dark.¡± But at that moment, their neighbor, Aunt Wang, came running over furiously, scolding as she approached. ¡°You two little rascals, not coming home when it¡¯s getting dark!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents tell you before they left not to stay outside after the sun sets?¡± The fierce Aunt Wang, shaking her body like a water bucket, came running over, and grabbed the ears of the two children with one hand each, causing them to cry out in pain. As she scolded, she dragged the two children towards home. ¡°Your parents even asked me to help keep an eye on you two little rascals, have you had enough of living?¡± ¡°Five children in the village have already died, do you not want to live?¡± ¡°Who knows how many evil spirits are hiding in the bamboo forest outside, even the dogs in the village don¡¯t dare to get close!¡± ¡°You wait at home, see if your parents don¡¯t beat you to death when they get back.¡± Aunt Wang scolded and threatened, but she didn¡¯t dare to stop her steps. She pulled the ears of the two children and hurried them towards the village, occasionally looking back at the outskirts of the village. Behind and to the side of the village lay a vast bamboo forest. Originally, the villagers relied on the bamboo forest for their basket weaving craftsmanship, and the craftsmanship of their village was well-known within ten li. But recently, something strange had happened in that bamboo forest; people had seen terrifying shadows moving within it. Children from the village had mysteriously disappeared, and their bodies were found deep in the bamboo forest, their organs all eaten. The dogs, cattle, and sheep of the village also dared not approach the bamboo forest. Even the fiercest dogs dragged into the bamboo forest were frightened into immobility, lying on the ground shivering. The villagers all said that an evil spirit had emerged in the bamboo forest. Everyone was on edge, and no one dared to approach the bamboo forest anymore. As soon as it got dark, every household locked their doors and stayed inside, not daring to wander. Although Aunt Wang was fierce, she didn¡¯t dare to provoke the evil spirit. She pulled the ears of the two children, dragging them towards the village. In the distance, behind the rolling mountains, the sun had completely set. Even the afterglow of the sunset was gradually fading from the sky. The cold night wind blew, and a layer of misty grey enveloped the land. But at that moment, the two children being dragged along by Aunt Wang suddenly screamed out loud. ¡°Monster! The monster is out!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not a monster, it¡¯s a dragon! A dragon!¡± Two little kids looked towards the edge of the village in utter shock. In the woods outside the village, the trees began to tremble. Soon after, the ground seemed to tremble slightly as well. Aunt Wang, already on edge, was so frightened by the commotion that she shuddered and almost jumped up. Following the direction the children were pointing, her eyes widened in disbelief. There, not far from the village in the mountains, burst forth a serpent as white as jade, with two small horns on its head... or should it be called a dragon? Aunt Wang stared, dumbfounded, unable to believe as the massive beast bulldozed its way out of the forest, plowing fiercely through the fields, flattening all the bushes and straw in its path. Where there had been lush green rice fields, a long serpentine trail now appeared. In the blink of an eye, the enormous and terrifying creature slid past just a few zhang from Aunt Wang and the two children, charging directly into the bamboo forest behind the village. ¡°...a...a demon?!¡± Aunt Wang, terrified by the horrific scene, had her mind go blank. Instinctively, she picked up the two children and ran towards the village, wailing for her parents. ¡°The demon has come out! The demon has come out!¡± ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s a giant snake!¡± Aunt Wang cried and screamed, so scared that she stumbled and fell, even losing her shoes. The two little kids squeezed tightly in her arms, struggled desperately and rolled on the ground several times. The other villagers quickly heard the commotion and all rushed out with pitchforks, kitchen knives, and hoes in hand. But they only saw Aunt Wang dragging the two children, crying and screaming as she ran. Everyone was stunned: ¡°Where did this demon come from?¡± They instinctively looked towards the bamboo forest behind the village but saw no sign of the demon. Back among the crowd, Aunt Wang, as if having survived a catastrophe, let go of the two children and collapsed on the ground, pale-faced, pointing towards the bamboo forest. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes, the demon ran into the bamboo forest!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a giant snake! It could be twenty or thirty zhang long, or maybe even fifty or sixty zhang! So long and terrifying!¡± ¡°And it had two horns on its head!¡± Aunt Wang vividly described the terror of the demon. However, the two little kids loudly protested: ¡°It¡¯s not a snake! It¡¯s a dragon! It has four legs, like the dragons in the plays!¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s a dragon! I saw it, each of its feet had three claws, it¡¯s a three-clawed dragon! Not a snake!¡± The conflicting accounts from the two children and Aunt Wang left the villagers looking at each other in confusion. But at least they were certain that some kind of terrifying thing had come to their small mountain village. The creature had run into the bamboo forest, and it might really be the demon that hid there, eating children. The villagers hesitated, discussing whether to go check the bamboo forest. But at that moment, a piercing scream came from the bamboo forest. Soon after, the ground shook violently. It seemed that a terrible battle was taking place within the bamboo. The villagers hurried to the earthen wall on the outskirts of the village, staring fixedly at the bamboo forest behind. They saw the bamboo leaves trembling wildly, and the shaking was moving towards the outside of the village. Then, two pitch-black creatures with slender, flat limbs and bodies ran out of the bamboo forest. They howled as they ran, their piercing screams making people¡¯s scalps tingle. Some villagers immediately recognized the two creatures. ¡°...Yes! That¡¯s them! The ghostly figures I saw in the woods before, those are the things!¡± The villagers finally saw the true form of the demon. One woman even saw her child¡¯s amulet hanging from the neck of one of the demons. ¡°The demons! It¡¯s these two demons that ate the insides of my Hu¡¯er!¡± The sudden appearance of the demons from the bamboo forest startled the villagers. They finally saw with their own eyes what the creatures that had been lurking in the bamboo forest and had taken the lives of five village children looked like. But everything happened too quickly. The villagers were still shocked by the appearance of the two demons when an even more astonishing scene unfolded. Behind the two howling, fleeing demons, the bamboo in the forest was being flattened. A huge white shadow burst out from the bamboo. A ten-zhang-long body, which in the eyes of ordinary people was as massive as a behemoth. The terrifying momentum of its charge was enough to make all the villagers¡¯ legs shake, nearly bringing them to their knees. But the terrifying beast that emerged from the forest paid no attention to the villagers nearby. Under the horrified and shocked gaze of the villagers, it charged past them and caught up with one of the demons on the road outside the village. Then, the Flood Dragon roared, and red flames from the sky descended directly onto the demon. The pitch-black, slender demon moved quickly, but in the blink of an eye, it was engulfed by the heavenly fire, rolling on the ground, screaming in agony. Seeing this, the other demon screamed shrilly, frantically charging at the giant beast. However, with a cold look in its eyes, the Flood Dragon summoned another ball of heavenly fire from the sky, striking the demon directly. The two demons instantly turned into fireballs, rolling on the ground and howling in pain. But after just a few breaths, the two demons stopped moving and lay limp on the ground. Seeing this, the massive beast walked forward contentedly, opened its huge maw, and directly ate the two demons. Crunch¡ªcrunch¡ª The loud crunching sounds of the beast chewing were piercingly loud in the silent wilderness. The villagers watched the terrifying creature with a mix of respect and fear, afraid that the beast might charge at them next. But the beast, contentedly chewing on the two demons, left without even glancing at the people in the village. It wasn¡¯t until the beast¡¯s figure disappeared into the forest and was gone for a long time that the villagers began to speak, trembling. ¡°Is it... gone?¡± ¡°Such a terrifying beast...¡± ¡°A dragon... it really was a dragon! It had legs and horns!¡± The villagers murmured in fear. Among the crowd, some people began to remember. ¡°This dragon... could it be the River God of Yushui? I¡¯ve heard people say that there¡¯s a white dragon in the Yushui River that often saves people...¡± ¡°The Yushui River¡¯s white dragon god? I¡¯ve heard about it too...¡± ¡°Is it really the River God?¡± The villagers looked at each other, and upon realizing that it was the life-saving River God, they immediately breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So it was the River God, no wonder it ate two evil demons and then left.¡± ¡°It must be the River God showing its divine presence, coming here to subdue the monsters!¡± ¡°That damned demon even hung my Hu¡¯er¡¯s longevity lock around its neck... oh... my poor Hu¡¯er!¡± ¡°Cough... If it¡¯s really the River God showing its divine presence and helping us subdue the demon, then our Shitang Village won¡¯t have to worry about evil demons anymore?¡± ¡°Can we also enter the bamboo forest?¡± The villagers exchanged glances, looking at each other. Soon, a cheer erupted under the night sky. ¡°The River God has shown its divine presence!¡± ¡°Thank you, River God!¡± Chapter 294 The tale of the River God¡¯s divine appearance in Shitang Village quickly spread throughout Baizhou Prefecture. The northern counties have always been cold and desolate, with few immortals visiting, and even the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Master would not come here. It seemed to be a forgotten corner. Fortunately, the North rarely saw the emergence of powerful and terrifying evil demons causing havoc. Although there were occasional hauntings, they were just minor spirits and ghosts, and the common folk could live safely by being vigilant. Occasionally, some villages knew there were evil demons lurking nearby harming people, but they could only be more cautious, not travel alone, hoping that over time the demon would leave on its own. If a demon was truly powerful and terrifying, making it impossible for the villagers to live, only then would they grit their teeth and request the fearsome wandering immortals from beyond the borders to come and exorcise the demons. But inviting the terrifying wandering immortals from beyond the borders came at an extremely high cost. Unless absolutely necessary, no one dared to venture beyond the borders. However, once the story of the River God¡¯s divine appearance in Shitang Village spread, it was undoubtedly a ray of light piercing through the darkness for the suffering villagers of the North. Everyone who heard the news was astounded. Especially since the village chief of Shitang Village had just taken the villagers to the newly built River God temple to pray in the afternoon, and by dusk, the River God had come to Shitang Village to expel demons... This River God was truly responsive to prayers! The news of the Yushui River God¡¯s divine appearance and demon expulsion spread rapidly within Baizhou Prefecture. The incident was not only sensational but there were also many witnesses. Shitang Village was three li away from the closest point of the Yushui River. When the River God came ashore, heading straight for Shitang Village, it charged through fields, rice paddies, and forests, and even brazenly crossed the official road. With such a large number of witnesses, combined with the legendary nature of the Shitang Village demon-slaying story, the tale of the River God¡¯s demon subjugation spread beyond Baizhou City at an unimaginable speed. The Yushui River was an important waterway in the North, bustling with river trade and commerce. The story of the Yushui River God¡¯s divine appearance thus spread swiftly along the river with each sailboat, reaching other prefectures upstream and downstream. ....... When Li Muyang returned to the game, he was stunned the moment he opened his character panel. ¡¾Incense and Prayer Power: 17399¡¿ When he logged off yesterday, the Incense and Prayer Power was only 13, very scarce. But now, logging back on, the Incense and Prayer Power had skyrocketed to seventeen thousand? And even this number was still slowly increasing. Such a huge amount of Incense and Prayer Power left Li Muyang dumbfounded for a while, almost thinking he had seen it wrong. ¡°...What did the system do while I was away?¡± How could the Incense and Prayer Power have surged so much in just one day and night? Li Muyang was puzzled. He opened the Incense and Prayer Power interface and found that the increase in Incense and Prayer Power had also granted him a new skill. ¡¾Heavenly Fire: Consumes 50 points of Incense, summons a fire of divine punishment to chastise evil demons. Heavenly Fire burns the soul, causing 200% extra damage to evil creatures and demons.¡¿ Not only had the amount of Incense and Prayer Power surged, but he also gained a new skill. Li Muyang was astonished. He checked the experience bar and found that it had not increased much. When he logged off yesterday, it was LV4 (91%). Now, upon logging in, it was only LV4 (95%). This one day and night of being away, the experience had increased very little. The only change was the explosive increase in Incense and Prayer Power... What had happened in the meantime? Li Muyang suddenly heard many noisy and chaotic voices. With a thought, he seemed to be transported to the River God temple outside Baizhou City, standing on the shrine with the perspective of the deity statue, looking down at the kneeling, prostrating villagers. He saw these mortals all devout and respectful, continuously kowtowing, offering incense, and making wishes for blessings. The noisy murmurs rang in his ears, making him frown. How had so many believers come in just one day and night, and why were they so devout towards him? Could it be that the body of this Flood Dragon had once again manifested itself before the people, and had it produced a very good effect? Li Muyang opened the Incense and Prayer Power interface and found that with the murmurs of the outside world ringing in his ears, a special entry had been added to the interface. Clicking on it, a list of the mortal believers¡¯ prayers and wishes appeared before his eyes in a dazzling array. Prayers for someone¡¯s sudden death, hopes for academic success in the coming year, and wishes to have a son, among others. These numerous wish texts formed a dense table, which was painful for Li Muyang¡¯s eyes to see. Fortunately, each wish was accompanied by a categorized entry that was neatly organized. Among them, a red entry for wishes caught Li Muyang¡¯s attention. ¡¾Evil Demon¡¿ This was the information extracted by the red entry. With a thought from Li Muyang, the wishes related to the ¡¾Evil Demon¡¿ entry immediately lined up neatly before his eyes. ¡¾Praying for the River God to manifest and eliminate the water ghost in our manor¡¯s well...¡¿ ¡¾Praying for the River God to manifest and slay the painted-skin demon hiding in our town...¡¿ ¡¾Praying for the River God to manifest and kill the yellow-skinned ghost in the forest outside our village...¡¿ Li Muyang was slightly taken aback by the list of red wish entries. Whenever he focused on any entry, he could faintly hear the voice of the mortal who made the wish and could vaguely sense their location, as well as the location of the mentioned demon. The closer these wishing mortals and their mentioned demons were to the Yushui River, the clearer his senses were. The further away from the Yushui River, the more vague the sense became. For a water ghost in a manor by the Yushui River, the well¡¯s water vein was connected to the river. When Li Muyang saw this wish, through the faint sensing of the river water, he could even accurately sense the lurking water ghost in the underground river beneath the well, and he could vaguely see its hideous appearance... ¡°So the Incense system has this wonderful use?¡± Li Muyang was greatly surprised and laughed. The emergence of the power of incense and prayers unlocked new abilities for the Flood Dragon, giving rise to new divine powers. At this moment, the Moon-Biting Dragon seemed to have merged with the flowing Yushui River, able to faintly observe the outside world through the river¡¯s currents. Li Muyang paid no mind to the mundane and boring wishes of the mortals. However, wishes related to demons and monsters were of great importance. Originally, Li Muyang was troubled that the small demons in the Yushui River were almost all devoured, slowing down his leveling speed. But now, with the guidance of mortals from various places, he suddenly had a rough understanding of the demons on the riverbanks. With this thought, Li Muyang¡¯s figure in the river moved, and he swam directly towards a village called Liangjiazhuang. The manor was located thirty li outside of Baizhou City, adjacent to the Yushui River. It only took Li Muyang a quarter of an hour to reach the outskirts of Liangjiazhuang. He followed the river¡¯s senses and swam directly into the underground river. When this cold and narrow underground river surged into the Flood Dragon, the waters seemed to become even more sinister. A quarter of an hour later, from the well in Liangjiazhuang that had been sealed with a huge stone by the villagers, suddenly came the ghastly wails of ghosts and the deep, thunderous roar of a dragon... Chapter 295 ¡¾Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s level has been raised¡¿ ¡¾LV4¡úLV5¡¿ ¡¾The horizontal bone has been refined, and the Moon-Biting Dragon has acquired the ability to speak¡¿ The level-up notification that appeared in his field of vision brought great pleasure to Li Muyang¡¯s mind. Another level up, huh? With the wishes and prayers of those mortal villagers, Li Muyang accurately located the lurking demons on the shore. He charged along the way, devouring three evil creatures and successfully leveled up. Now, the Moon-Biting Dragon had grown from a body length of ten zhang to twenty zhang. The body of the Flood Dragon was already more bloated than that of snakes, and with a ten-zhang-long Moon-Biting Dragon, its body was already thick enough to be intimidating. Now that its body length had doubled, the Moon-Biting Dragon had completely evolved into a colossal creature. Its huge head was comparable to the low thatched cottages in the countryside, and its sharp fangs were a zhang long. Ordinary mortals could really only be considered as something to get stuck in the teeth of such a giant creature. Li Muyang felt the strength of his body and was in high spirits. ¡°The demons on the shore are stronger than those in the water.¡± Although there were many evil creatures in the Yushui River, most of them were Gui Fish and Water Monkeys, the kind that relied on sneak attacks and deceiving people. In terms of quality, they were no match for the demons on the shore that slaughtered and ravaged near mortals. Scrolling through the red wish entries in his field of vision, Li Muyang narrowed his eyes. ¡°It seems that I need to spread this faith to more places.¡± Although there were an astonishing 39 wishes related to demons in just Baizhou Prefecture, the Moon-Biting Dragon had only just refined its bone, and it was still far from regaining the glory of the Ancient True Dragon. 39 demons were not enough to satisfy its hunger. Li Muyang needed more demons to hunt. And when he leveled up to LV5, a mission notification popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾Main Quest Unlocked¡¿ ¡¾Mission: Eliminate three demon lairs in the Yushui River and establish the Dragon Lord¡¯s Water Mansion¡¿ ¡¾Reward: Current cultivation level +30%¡¿ This was clearly the ultimate mission of the second act. Completing this mission would allow him to clear the second act. Li Muyang was eager to kill more demons to level up and needed more people to make wishes to him. However, looking at the rapidly increasing incense power value on the incense and prayers interface, Li Muyang shook his head. He felt that he didn¡¯t need to do anything extra. As long as he continued to hunt the demons mentioned in the villagers¡¯ wishes and slay the evil creatures, his legendary deeds would naturally spread further, and more and more people would take the initiative to build temples and erect statues for him. With this thought, Li Muyang moved his body and shot out from the Yushui River. He swaggered onto the shore, ignoring the shocked and astonished gazes of the mortals on both banks and charged towards a small town at the foot of a distant mountain. According to his senses, there was a painted-skin demon in the town that was adept at hiding and changing its appearance. After eating a person, this painted-skin demon would change into the victim¡¯s appearance and live in the town until it found an opportunity to eat the next person. It had already eaten nine people in this town and seemed to plan to settle here permanently, causing panic among the people. Through the sensing of the water veins, the Moon-Biting Dragon could vaguely feel the location of the demon mentioned in the wish entries. The Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s strong perception could also accurately smell the scent of the demon among the crowd. In broad daylight, amidst the terrified and piercing screams of the townspeople, the pale and huge Flood Dragon charged into the town, knocking down Widow Wang¡¯s house with a sweep of its tail. As the dragon¡¯s roar sounded, under the extremely shocked gaze of countless onlookers, the gigantic Flood Dragon summoned heavenly fire, burning the still charming Widow Wang who struggled desperately, eventually revealing the ugly true form of the painted-skin demon. The painted-skin demon, stripped of its human skin, was a bloody and hideous creature. It was burning with red heavenly fire, and after jumping out of the human skin, it howled miserably, trying to escape. But after only a few steps, the ugly painted-skin demon lay motionless on the dusty road. The huge Flood Dragon walked straight over and bit into this terrifying painted-skin demon. Amidst the crunching sounds of chewing, the gigantic Flood Dragon drifted away. All the mortals who witnessed this terrifying scene stood dumbfounded, watching the back of the Flood Dragon as it left, falling into silence. After a few seconds, someone shouted first. Under the sunlight, a large group of people in the town knelt down. Everyone excitedly bowed their heads towards the back of the departing Flood Dragon. ¡°Merciful River God!¡± ...... For a day and a night, Li Muyang rampaged through Baizhou Prefecture, following the list of wish entries, one by one, killing the demons mentioned in the wishes. After killing one demon, he would rush to the next, traveling while digesting. After twelve hours, he had devoured a total of thirteen demons. His current experience value was LV5 (19%). The demons on the shore indeed provided more experience than those in the water. At this rate, killing all the demons in Baizhou Prefecture would be enough for him to level up to LV6. The River God¡¯s ceaseless efforts in slaying thirteen demons, along with the exaggerated descriptions of the onlookers, spread rapidly. After all, this was a twenty-zhang-long Flood Dragon roaming on land, not harming a single mortal but only slaughtering the rampaging demons. For this land forgotten by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, the emergence of the River God was undoubtedly the only glimmer of hope for the mortals. As more and more witnesses spread the word of the River God¡¯s deeds, the talk of his accomplishments flew through the prefecture of Baizhou. Even as night fell, when the darkness was deep and evil demons were known to roam, many villagers from a few li around still knelt outside the River God¡¯s temple, waiting in devout reverence to enter and pray for blessings and wishes. When Li Muyang logged off, he saw that the incense and prayer power in the column had surged to 39,879, leaving him thoroughly satisfied. ¡°Good, if things keep going this way, my second and third temples will soon be built.¡± Not only had the incense and prayer power skyrocketed, but there were also 17 new red wish entries related to demons. More and more villagers, having heard of the river god¡¯s demon-slaying exploits, rushed to the river god¡¯s temple outside Baizhou City to pray for his divine intervention. The mortals of this land, long tormented by evil beings, now clung to this lifesaver as if their lives depended on it. As long as temples to the river god continued to be built along the upstream and downstream of the Yushui River, the mortals living on this land would act as Li Muyang¡¯s informants, providing him with information on the whereabouts of evil creatures, ensuring he would never lack experience points for leveling up. Even as the experience required for each level increased, he was not worried. The Yushui River, stretching eight thousand li and passing through many cities and towns, is the mother river of the northern counties. The demons that ravaged this vast region would all become fodder for Li Muyang¡¯s leveling needs. Feeling the situation improving, Li Muyang opened his eyes contentedly, allowing the system to forcibly log him off. ¡°Brother! Dinner¡¯s ready!¡± His little sister¡¯s voice rang out on time outside the door, and Li Muyang got up with a smile to have dinner. Chapter 296 ¡°...It is said that the Yushui River god is a True Dragon from the celestial realm, descended to the mortal world to eradicate all demons.¡± ¡°Its thunderous methods and compassionate heart have shaken the world of demons and restored order to the mortal realm!¡± ¡°A poem in his praise goes:¡± ¡°White jade and crystal sculpt its divine bones, heavenly fire and thunder forge its soul.¡± ¡°Vanquishing demons and eradicating evil, for eternity it remains the one True Dragon!¡± A new temple to the river god was festively decorated and erected on a high platform by the banks of the Yushui River. After the opera troupe¡¯s performance ended, amidst the sound of gongs and drums, the host invited the recently popular storyteller Li Bingjun to take the stage. This man, once a down-and-out scholar who made a living telling stories in teahouses, had recently become famous because of his River God¡¯s demon-slaying tales, and his reputation had gradually spread. His stories of the River God¡¯s battles were thrilling and captivating, and all listeners were full of praise. Now that a new temple to the River God had been built outside Pingyao City, the host had spared no expense to have this man perform the finale. As Li Bingjun struck the wooden block and began his tale of the River God¡¯s legendary demon-slaying, the crowd outside the temple erupted in thunderous cheers. ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Good!¡± The villagers of Pingyao City had long heard many stories of the river god¡¯s demon-slaying. But the embellished tales they shared in casual conversation paled in comparison to the exciting and thrilling narratives of a professional storyteller. As Li Bingjun spoke passionately on the platform, the crowd below responded with continuous applause and cheers. On the edge of the crowd by the Yushui River, a stunning figure stood quietly among the people. Dressed in a green long dress that outlined her graceful curves, the light pink tassels of her skirt fluttered in the wind, and her flawless skin seemed almost breakable to the touch. She stood silently among the crowd, not far behind her was the Yushui River, surrounded by many mortals, yet within a zhang of her, there was no one. It seemed as if all the mortals were subconsciously avoiding her. Not a single mortal seemed to notice this beautiful figure, who looked like a fairy from the heavens. She stood among the crowd, watching the performance on the distant platform with great interest. ¡°...This storyteller tells a really good story,¡± commented the Moon-Biting Dragon, the actual River God, with glee. ¡°It¡¯s a pity he¡¯s not here to listen to it himself.¡± Such an interesting story, although completely fabricated, was much more entertaining than the real demon-slaying experience. Since the establishment of the first River God Temple in Baizhou Prefecture, thirty days and nights had passed. Now, many towns along the Yushui River had built temples to the river god. Every day, she listened to the prayers of the mortals, seeking out mentions of demon infestations, and then went to hunt and devour those evil beings. At this time, she possessed a vast amount of incense and prayer power. Her cultivation had grown stronger, and she had finally taken human form, with her true body reaching an astonishing length of fifty zhang. And as her strength increased, her mysterious connection with the Yushui River also grew stronger. Standing in the Yushui River basin, she had many miraculous and mystical powers. For example, like today, she could stand among the crowd without being noticed by the world. She could now boldly enter human towns, curiously observing people talking, writing, arguing... without causing any chaos. However, most of the time, she was still on the road, hunting down the demons mentioned in the wishes of the villagers and mortals. Although she was curious about the human world and wanted to wander and play, whenever that person controlled her body, he always rushed around as if there would be serious problems if the demon-slaying was slow. His diligence in hunting demons made her feel embarrassed to be lazy. Tonight, she had come to consecrate the statue at the newly built temple outside Pingyao City. But she hadn¡¯t expected the sacrificial performance outside Pingyao City to be so captivating that she was mesmerized. Whether it was the previous opera, acrobatics, or the current storyteller... the exciting variety of performances had brought her great joy. Busy with slaying demons, she had never realized that there were so many interesting things among humans. It was just a pity that he wasn¡¯t here to see it with her. Sigh... The Moon-Biting Dragon, standing in the crowd, suddenly let out a sigh of disappointment. According to the usual routine, he should have come this morning, but now the moon was high, and he still hadn¡¯t arrived. Had something happened to him? Or had he run into some trouble? She had grown accustomed to him entering her body every other day, and now his absence made her feel uneasy. From a distance, she watched the storyteller on the platform weave his tale, and behind him in the temple, the newly built statue of the Dragon Goddess shone with a sacred glow in the dim candlelight. ¨CThe day she took human form, all the statues she had consecrated also transformed from Flood Dragons into human figures. Once this miracle spread, everyone realize that their Yushui River god was actually a Dragon Goddess. In the temples built subsequently, the clay statues on the altars were all modeled after her human form. However, no matter how exquisite the craftsmanship of those mortal artisans, they could hardly capture her divine essence. Now, looking at the statue of the Dragon Goddess in the temple from afar, she shook her head in disappointment. ¡°It seems tonight¡¯s performance will last a while...¡± She couldn¡¯t possibly walk into the temple to animate the statue under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, could she? There had been performances when the River God Temple was newly built. But an event as sensational as this one was unprecedented. The Dragon Maiden in the crowd turned around, ready to leave. She no longer wanted to wait and planned to come back the next night to animate the new statue. There were too many people tonight. However, just as she was about to leave, she caught a whiff of a sinister and cold aura in the faint moisture of the air. This scent had drifted from a faraway place, but the moment she smelled it, it made the scales and hairs on her body stand on end. As a Flood Dragon Deity, she felt a chill down her spine at that moment. She abruptly looked up, her vigilant gaze searching through the crowd. What was this thing? Its aura was even more bizarre and peculiar than the evil creatures she hunted? Using the moonlight in the night sky and the torches and candles burning on the riverbank, the Dragon Maiden quickly spotted two gaunt figures, one tall and one short, moving through the crowd outside the River God Temple. Their pale faces and emaciated figures resembled moving skeletons. They were cloaked in black robes, their thin hands tucked into their sleeves, walking side by side with gloomy expressions, passing through the crowd. The crowded masses instinctively parted for them, yet no one seemed to notice these two eerie figures. Following the moist air, she faintly heard their somber whispers, ¡°...With the new temple completed, that Dragon Maiden should come here to reveal her spirit and animate it, right?¡± Chapter 297 Standing within the waters of the Yushui River, her senses were greatly enhanced. Through the moist air, she could even hear the low, ominous whispers of the two men. Although their words were extremely vague and intermittent, the single sentence she caught made her heart jump... Were they coming for her? The tall and short figures were so strange, giving her a sense of extreme danger and horror. They looked like humans, but as they moved through the crowd, they seemed like lost souls wandering outside the world. ¡°What kind of evil creatures are these?¡± The Dragon Maiden frowned slightly, inconspicuously observing the two figures in the distant crowd. This was the first time she had encountered such odd beings. So far, they hadn¡¯t noticed her presence, but she dared not approach them carelessly. These two had ill intentions; they were not to be trifled with... The Dragon Maiden¡¯s right hand hung down, and a drop of water fell from her fingertip, turning into a small fish that slipped into the grass by the riverbank. The nimble fish weaved through the crowd silently, entering the nearby river water and swimming towards the two strange figures in the distance. Soon, as the little fish drew closer with its movements, the Dragon Maiden could hear the conversation of the two eerie figures more clearly, ¡°...The aura of the Yushui River¡¯s water vein has become incredibly abundant, indeed a Flood Dragon has taken residence.¡± ¡°...Pity that the water palace has not been established; we can¡¯t find the main host...¡± ¡°...Without the water palace, the cultivation is insufficient...¡± ¡°...Let¡¯s extract the dragon¡¯s tendons before leaving...¡± ¡°...That would be good to report back...¡± ...... The fish in the river moved quietly, daring not to get too close, always maintaining a cautious distance, quietly listening to the conversation of the two figures walking among the crowd. The Dragon Maiden in the distant crowd, her eyes turned ice cold. ¡°They really are here to harm me...¡± She stared intently at the two sinister figures, memorizing their appearances and auras. Then, the Dragon Maiden quietly left, vanishing silently into the Yushui River behind her. A huge shadow quietly departed from the riverbed of the Yushui River. Meanwhile, the two figures on the riverbank continued to search the crowd, seemingly trying to find the Dragon Maiden¡¯s trail. Facing this threat that had come knocking, she did not act rashly. She had a vague feeling that she was close to the next stage of evolution. Every time she evolved and became stronger, her strength and size would surge. She planned to hunt a few evil creatures to enhance her own power before coming back to deal with these two evil beings. They dared to come after her, so they must have something to rely on. Perhaps she should discuss it with that person? Hmm... speaking of which, she still didn¡¯t know how to communicate with him. Every time that guy entered her body, he never paid any attention to her. There seemed to be a thick barrier between them. She wanted to leave a few words for him to see when he returned, but she was frustrated by her inability to write. She had intended to slowly learn the human script and then communicate with him through writing. But now it seemed she couldn¡¯t wait and needed to find someone to help her write. On the banks of the Yushui River, sensing danger, the Moon-Biting Dragon quietly left to hunt the evil creatures mentioned in the humans¡¯ wishes. At the same time, she was looking for someone who could help her write. ...... Meanwhile, on the vast flying boat beyond the Sea of Mist, it was early morning, and the sun was high in the sky. The huge fleet of flying boats flew across the sky, with the vast sea of clouds stretching below. Li Muyang stood on the deck of the flying boat, gazing into the distance towards the direction of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gate, and let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°Finally back...¡± This trip had taken over half a year. Now, seeing the floating islands of the Demon Refining Sect suspended at the end of the horizon across the sea of clouds, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of familiarity, like returning home. No matter what, this demonic sect was his first base after crossing into this world. Squinting at the person beside him, Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°Now that we¡¯re safely back at the sect, the various rewards promised by the sect leader should be fulfilled, right?¡± The sect leader Gong Yanghong had promised Li Muyang many generous rewards, and Li Muyang believed that the Demon Refining Sect would keep its word. However, after the turmoil in Tianjiao City was settled, the elders of the Demonic Sect were busy guarding the ancient immortal artifacts, the Four Directions Cauldron and the Ancient Blood Lotus, and none of the elders left the largest flying boat on their own. There were even rumors that on the way back, sect leader Gong Yanghong sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough and was now nurturing his spirit, waiting to return to the sect and immediately retreat to attempt to reach the Eternal Heaven Realm. But no matter what, they were about to return to the sect now. This final day and night¡¯s journey is the most critical and urgent. If someone were to take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, now would be their last chance. Once the ancient times immortal artifact and the Ancient Blood Lotus are transported back to the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gates, it will be very difficult for outsiders to lay their hands on these divine items again. Therefore, all the disciples on the flying boat were called out to be on guard. Even Li Muyang, a master at slacking off, was forced to stand watch on the deck, ready for any potential attacks. I wonder if the Moon-Biting Dragon will continue to level up by staying offline now that the time has come... I never expected that after the Flood Dragon transformed, it would turn out to be such a beauty. A dragon girl... not to mention anything else, the two small pinkish-white horns on her head after transforming do give off a rather cute and charming vibe. Thinking about the transformed appearance of his own Flood Dragon in the game, Li Muyang clicked his tongue. Li Yuechan, his little sister, said to him with a giggle, ¡°Brother, which sister-in-law are you thinking about? You¡¯re smiling so lewdly...¡± Li Muyang rolled his eyes at her: ¡°We¡¯re about to return to the sect, and at a time like this, you¡¯re not vigilant against attacks, but instead, you¡¯re focused on my lewd smile... You little girl, are you slacking off?¡± Li Muyang bantered with his sister. The gates of the Demon Refining Sect loomed closer and closer in sight, and the risk of enemy attacks could already be ruled out. At this time, everyone¡¯s mood began to relax. But just as Li Yuechan continued to tease Li Muyang with a smile, Li Muyang, who was standing on the deck with a smile, suddenly changed his expression. The giant flying boat sailed above the sky, with the sea of clouds spreading out in the field of vision, everything so peaceful as usual. However, when he entered the vicinity of about a hundred thousand zhang from the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gates, that profound sensation of the soul soaring and ascending to immortality that he experienced when he broke through to the Golden Core realm suddenly appeared. But this time, Li Muyang didn¡¯t ascend beyond the nine heavens to overlook the planet. His soul merely soared above the sea of clouds, with an extremely broad perspective, directly looking at the gates of the Demon Refining Sect. ¡¾Spiritual Vision Eye has been triggered¡¿ The system skill he had awakened before quietly activated in the state of ascension. The Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gates floating above the sea of clouds suddenly changed in Li Muyang¡¯s eyes. Huge floating islands under the blazing sun quietly transformed, turning into pieces and segments of bloody corpses. It seemed as if a colossal deity had fallen there, its body dismembered into seventy-two pieces. Each piece of the corpse had turned into a floating island. The disciples of the Demon Refining Sect walked, lived, and cultivated on these bloody, rotting stones, completely unaware... And the largest piece of the corpse was unmistakably the core of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gates, the Taxue Peak. That towering island was actually the head of a deity with a ferocious expression, eyes wide open, refusing to close in death! The hollow eye sockets of that enormous head stared fixedly at Li Muyang in his ascended state. Li Muyang, in a daze, felt an incredibly chilling dread. The gates of the Demon Refining Sect¨Cwere actually the corpse of a demon god?! At this moment, he suddenly thought of the words spoken by the powers of the Purple Mansion in the chat group. ¡°...that thing within the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gates...¡± ¡°...it¡¯s very dangerous...¡± Chapter 298 - Heavenly Secrets Chapter 298: Heavenly Secrets ¡°...Could this be the danger mentioned by the people in the chat group?¡± Li Muyang, in his ascended state, watched incredulously at everything before him, at the reality of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gates. On each of the rotting pieces of corpse, there were houses and palaces built. Every inner disciple of the Demonic Sect lived on these pieces of corpse, their feet stepping on the rotting flesh and blood. The streams flowing on the floating islands were the blood vessels and tendons of the demon god. The huge waterfall cascading down from the main peak of the Demonic Sect, Taxue Peak, turned out to be the blood-stained purple hair of the demon god. The scenes visible in his field of vision were shocking and terrifying. Li Muyang stared blankly at all this, the profound and mysterious state of ascension quietly ended, and he returned to his physical body. Standing stiffly and dazedly on the deck of the flying boat, Li Muyang looked forward again, and the gates of the Demon Refining Sect approaching in his field of vision had returned to their usual appearance. On each of the floating islands, streams meandered, waterfalls hung, pavilions and palaces were scattered among them, and flocks of white cranes flew through the air, a scene that seemed like the abode of immortals. Even if Li Muyang activated the Spiritual Vision Eye, the floating islands in his field of vision no longer changed. It seemed that the eerie and creepy scenes could only be seen clearly in the state of ¡¾Ascension¡¿. But how to trigger this extremely profound state of ¡¾Ascension¡¿, Li Muyang was still unclear. He simply etched everything he had seen into his memory, planning to ask Yan Xiaoru later. There really were explosive secrets hidden within the Demon Refining Sect. But Li Muyang showed no signs of anything unusual, quickly stabilizing his emotions. He talked and laughed with his little sister as if nothing had happened. However, while Li Muyang appeared normal, Li Yuechan beside him was somewhat distracted. After chatting for a few moments, the girl suddenly made an excuse, saying she needed to go back and look for something, and hurriedly left. Watching his sister suddenly leave, Li Muyang stood on the deck and took a deep breath. Everything he had seen in the ascended state was deeply imprinted in his mind. ...... And behind him, the girl Li Yuechan quickly left the deck and walked into the cabin. The smile on her face suddenly vanished. Her expression was filled with disbelief. ¡°...senior, did you say my brother is an Ascender?!¡± The words her senior had said on the deck had shocked her. The voice of the mysterious woman quietly sounded in her ear. The mysterious woman was also filled with surprise at this special discovery. ¡°Yes, your brother is an Ascender... The one who caused the disturbance of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is your elder brother, Li Muyang.¡± The mysterious woman¡¯s tone was somewhat complex as she confirmed this. ¡°I never expected the Ascender we were looking for to be right beside you.¡± Ascenders overlook all beings and gaze directly at the origin of the world, and during ascension, they are touched by the essence of the world¡¯s origin, which greatly aids their future cultivation and path to enlightenment. This is an opportunity to become an immortal, and nearly every Ascender can become a true immortal. If one could find an Ascender and devour him, they could steal this thread of heavenly secrets. The technique that the mysterious woman taught Li Yuechan happened to have such a devouring method. When the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was in turmoil before, the mysterious woman had guessed the birth of an Ascender. She had intended for Li Yuechan to find the Ascender and seize his heavenly secrets, but she never expected the Ascender to be so close... But as soon as she finished speaking, Li Yuechan shook her head vehemently, immediately refusing. ¡°No! I can¡¯t devour my own brother!¡± The girl said firmly, ¡°He is my brother. I cannot harm him.¡± ¡°Senior, we don¡¯t want this thread of ascension to immortality!¡± The girl resolutely refused, her attitude unwavering. The mysterious woman fell silent for a moment, then expressed her regret. ¡°That was an opportunity to become an immortal... After the age of dharma decline, there were no true immortals left in this world.¡± The mysterious woman did not persist in persuading her, only lamenting with regret. The chance to become an immortal... It was enough to drive the common people mad with desire. But Li Yuechan just smiled and shook her head. ¡°They say when one attains the Tao, even the chickens and dogs in their family ascend to heaven. If my brother truly becomes an immortal, it¡¯s no different from me becoming one.¡± ¡°He would surely look after me if he became an immortal.¡± ¡°Moreover, even without that opportunity, relying on myself alone, it¡¯s not impossible for me to become an immortal.¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s words were filled with strong confidence. Back when she entered the Inner Sect, Li Yuechan had already reached the Golden Core realm. Taking advantage of the chaos within the Blood Lotus Sect, the girl had quietly devoured many cultivators from the Blood Lotus Sect and the Demon Refining Sect. Furthermore, with the recent surge in spiritual energy, her cultivation had skyrocketed, and Li Yuechan was now in the late stages of the Cave Profound realm, not far from the Divine Travel Realm. If she were to go to the outside world, she could even become an elder in a medium or small sect. Even in a major demonic sect like the Demon Refining Sect, she could be revered as a sect offering. Being so young and yet possessing such cultivation, she was full of confidence in herself. Feeling the girl¡¯s confidence, the mysterious woman smiled and sighed, ¡°You girl...¡± ...... Inside the cabin, Li Yuechan and the mysterious woman were conversing. On the deck, Li Muyang looked up as the gates of the Demon Refining Sect approached rapidly, but the flying boat did not enter directly, instead hovering outside the gates. Only the largest flying boat, carrying the ancient immortal artifact, the Four Directions Cauldron, and the Ancient Blood Lotus, entered the Taxue Peak under the escort of the Demonic Sect elders. The other escort flying boats remained outside the gates, waiting for everything to settle before special personnel would guide the Demonic Sect disciples and allies on the boats to leave. In this campaign to eradicate the Blood Lotus Sect, not only Demonic Sect disciples were involved, but also many demon caves under the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s rule, bringing many powerful demons. These powerful demons were invited into the gates of the Demon Refining Sect and arranged to stay on the floating islands designated for honored guests. Meanwhile, Li Muyang and the other inner disciples returned to their homes, quietly awaiting their rewards. Normally, upon returning to the sect, a celebration feast would immediately commence to reward the Demonic Sect disciples who had distinguished themselves. But the rumors heard earlier turned out to be true. On the way back, the Demonic Sect sect leader, Gong Yanghong, sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough and reached a critical juncture. Therefore, the first thing the elders did after escorting the ancient immortal artifact into Taxue Peak was to protect the Demonic Sect sect leader during his closed-door breakthrough. Now everyone was waiting, waiting for the sect leader to successfully break through. Li Muyang returned to his home in the Hall of Enforcement. After arriving, he didn¡¯t wander around but directly closed his door to ¡°cultivate,¡± sitting cross-legged with closed eyes. He entered the game. As Li Muyang logged into the game, he once again found himself in the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon. That familiar feeling of being engulfed by darkness lasted for a few seconds. When the darkness around Li Muyang receded, he found himself standing under a sky full of stars. Ahead was a dark cave, emitting a faint demonic aura. Chapter 299 - Visiting the Immortal’s Home Chapter 299: Visiting the Immortal¡¯s Home ¡°Oh? Demonic aura?¡± Li Muyang was slightly surprised to sense the demonic aura coming from the cave. In the northern regions, evil beings were the most numerous. However, mountain spirits and wild monsters were much less common. Not only were there no cultivators in this land, but even the spirits and monsters in the mountains seemed to have vanished. Sensing the faint demonic aura in the cave, Li Muyang opened the system¡¯s incense offering interface, looking for related red entries. He quickly found the relevant information. A weasel demon hiding in the mountains often descended to the villages to prey on children. Li Muyang walked directly into the dark cave while checking his character¡¯s experience bar. Moon-Biting Dragon LV6 (98%). The light purple experience bar was almost full, just a small section away from completion. Based on Li Muyang¡¯s experience, devouring the weasel would likely level him up to LV7. At LV6, the Moon-Biting Dragon unlocked the ability to transform into a human. So what new ability would be unlocked at LV7? Li Muyang followed the dim demonic aura and stepped into the cave. However, the monster inside the cave was extremely alert. The moment Li Muyang entered, the creature inside the cave started moving rapidly. Li Muyang quickly gave chase, surprised in his heart. ¡°This monster is indeed smarter than the evil demons...¡± Most evil demons were cruel and bloodthirsty, but they lacked a strong survival instinct. Even if Li Muyang came to kill them, they would still engage in a fight or two, only to flee when they realized they were outmatched. Compared to the evil demons, the weasel in the cave was much smarter. Unfortunately for it, though it was clever, its aura had already been locked onto by Li Muyang. Li Muyang ran swiftly through the darkness, following the monster¡¯s aura through the dark cave. The belly of the mountain had been hollowed out by the monster, creating a labyrinth of narrow, winding paths that would take a long time for ordinary people to navigate. But such tricks couldn¡¯t deceive Li Muyang. Following the direction of the aura, Li Muyang tracked closer and closer to the monster. Finally, in the pitch-black belly of the mountain, he found a giant weasel nearly two zhang long. Upon seeing Li Muyang, the weasel¡¯s fur stood on end, utterly terrified. ¡°Dragon Goddess!¡± The monster let out a shrill cry, evidently a creature with some cultivation that had refined its throat bone. Li Muyang emerged from the darkness, and upon seeing the two orbs of red heavenly fire floating beside him, the weasel did not hesitate and immediately knelt down. It kowtowed frantically. ¡°Please, Dragon Goddess, have mercy! This little demon was framed by others! Don¡¯t kill me!¡± The weasel wailed and kowtowed desperately. Seeing this scene, Li Muyang paused, not immediately slaying the creature. He curiously observed the giant weasel and asked, ¡°You say you were framed by others? Who framed you? And why did they frame you?¡± The weasel continued to kowtow and cry, ¡°To inform the Dragon Goddess, this little demon was originally cultivating peacefully in Tutou Mountain beyond the frontier, never descending to harm the lives of mortals.¡± ¡°At most... at most I would deceive mortals to offer me some chickens, ducks, and fish.¡± ¡°But not long ago, two wandering immortals came to Tutou Mountain. They said a Dragon Goddess had appeared in the central lands, disrupting the rules of the North, but they couldn¡¯t find your whereabouts. So they captured me and forced me to harm people in this area in order to lure you here.¡± ¡°Once you came, they would immediately come to kill you.¡± ¡°This little demon was completely coerced and has never harmed a human life!¡± The giant weasel was desperately kowtowing, ¡°The children who were abducted from the village at the foot of the mountain, none of the little demons dared to eat them. They are all locked up in the depths of this burrow, well-fed and well-cared for.¡± ¡°Dragon Goddess, please take those children and leave quickly. As soon as you enter this cave, those two wandering immortals will come to kill you!¡± The weasel wailed continuously, begging for mercy. Li Muyang, upon hearing this, had a slight chill in his eyes. ¡°Immortals from beyond the border... want to kill me?¡± He had vaguely heard from mortals that beyond the border, there exists a mysterious presence known as wandering immortals. If one encounters powerful demons or evil spirits in the northern lands, one can request the wandering immortals from beyond the border to come and exorcise them, but the price is extremely cruel. Unless driven to desperation, the mortals of this land are unwilling to seek the help of these wandering immortals. But he had not expected that these so-called wandering immortals would come over the border to kill him... Was it because his actions of hunting evil spirits in the northern counties had angered these folks? Li Muyang took another look at the weasel in front of him. Although it was a demon with a strong demonic aura, it lacked the aura of bloodthirstiness, indicating it rarely, if ever, killed people. Li Muyang said, ¡°Where are those children you mentioned? Take me to them quickly.¡± The weasel hurriedly led the way, running through the dark cave. Li Muyang followed behind it and soon arrived at a dark, warm cavern. In the cavern, covered with dry grass, lay seven little children, side by side. They were all unharmed and sleeping soundly. Seeing this, Li Muyang let out a sigh of relief. This weasel actually hadn¡¯t harmed anyone... quite a clever creature. Looking at the humble and frightened demon before him, Li Muyang felt a bit more favorable towards it. ¡°As you said, from the moment I stepped into the cave, those two wandering immortals have been on their way to kill me?¡± The weasel nodded desperately, ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Dragon Goddess, you should hurry and take these children away!¡± ¡°If those two immortals catch you in the mountains, you¡¯ll surely die!¡± Mentioning the two immortals, fear filled the weasel¡¯s eyes. Li Muyang glanced at it and said, ¡°You will come with me.¡± After speaking, Li Muyang spat out a stream of water. The surging water, as if conscious, gently wrapped around the seven sleeping children and headed out of the cave. Witnessing this miraculous scene, the weasel was on the verge of tears. ¡°Dragon... Dragon Goddess, if those two immortals come back and see I¡¯m not here, I¡¯m dead for sure...¡± Li Muyang, however, had no interest in wasting words. He grabbed the demon¡¯s tail and dragged it out of the cave. But the moment Li Muyang dragged the weasel out of the cave, the cold moonlight fell upon the mountains. In the wilderness outside the cave, two thin shadows stood silently. One tall, one short, they stood under the moonlight, yet seemed almost nonexistent, nearly imperceptible. But the moment Li Muyang saw these two shadows, he felt a chill in his heart. Wandering immortals... He immediately understood the identity of these two evil beings. The scent that drifted through the air was foul, rotten, and pungent. They were the most evil beings Li Muyang had encountered so far. Even more malevolent and ferocious than the evil spirits that ravaged the northern lands. In the cold night wind, the two thin shadows let out a low chuckle. ¡°The Dragon Goddess of Yushui River... is that right?¡± Chapter 300 - Heavenly Thunder Chapter 300: Heavenly Thunder The moment he saw the two thin shadows, one tall and one short, the weasel that Li Muyang was dragging by the tail went limp, collapsing in extreme terror and trembling on the ground. Faced with these two evil beings, the weasel didn¡¯t even have the courage to resist. Li Muyang, on the other hand, released the weasel¡¯s tail and squinted at the evil beings ahead. This game had no health bar, so he couldn¡¯t identify the other party¡¯s identity. But judging from the aura... they were strong. Li Muyang smiled, ¡°Do you two have any advice for me?¡± The tall wandering immortal smiled broadly, ¡°We heard that a Dragon Goddess has emerged within the border, and we brothers have come to pay a visit...¡± The short wandering immortal¡¯s expression was grim, ¡°...To kill you.¡± The tall wandering immortal continued with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that the Dragon Goddess is gathering incense offerings in the northern lands for the benefit of the people, but unfortunately, you¡¯ve broken the rules.¡± The short wandering immortal¡¯s eyes were cold, ¡°If you kneel and submit as a slave, your life may be spared.¡± The tall wandering immortal shook his head with a smile, ¡°Our master enjoys making friends and would like to invite the Dragon Goddess out for a chat.¡± The short wandering immortal said coldly, ¡°Our master is in need of a mount, and you can live as a slave!¡± The two thin shadows, one tall and one short, finished their conversation turn by turn, and the foul, rotten, evil aura came at Li Muyang like a tsunami. The weasel behind Li Muyang collapsed on the ground, emitting a pungent smell of fear, having been scared to the point of urinating. But Li Muyang, who was facing this terrifying momentum head-on, only frowned slightly. The power of incense and prayers within him rose up, shielding him from this strange aura. Looking at the two wandering immortals in front of him, Li Muyang sighed, ¡°I would like to ask you two, exactly which rule did I break by gathering incense offerings in the northern counties?¡± The short wandering immortal snorted coldly, ¡°The entire land north of the Yin Mountains is my master¡¯s pasture. My master has decreed that in the northern counties, from north of the Yin Mountains to south of the frontier, no living being is allowed to cultivate!¡± ¡°Your cultivation in the northern counties is a violation of the rules!¡± The Yin Mountains are a sprawling mountain range to the North of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. North of the Yin Mountains lies the northern counties of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. And this rule mentioned by the short wandering immortal was something Li Muyang was hearing for the first time. Was this the reason why there were no cultivators in the northern counties, and even the Imperial Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Master never came to the northern counties? Li Muyang asked, ¡°May I know the name of your esteemed master...¡± On this side of the Heavenly Origin Continent, there actually exists such a domineering and powerful person? What about the invincible Master Qingye? Why would there be such a domineering presence under your watch? Li Muyang was curious and puzzled. The short wandering immortal, however, snorted coldly, ¡°You are not worthy to know the name of my master.¡± The tall wandering immortal said with a smile, ¡°Dragon Goddess, just follow us out of the border, no need to ask too much. My master¡¯s name must not be spoken lightly, must not be called directly, and must not be disrespected.¡± The short wandering immortal stepped forward, his voice cold, ¡°Kneel and submit immediately, or I will extinguish your soul, extract your dragon tendons, and ensure you never recover!¡± The two wandering immortals pressed forward step by step, not giving Li Muyang a chance to ask further questions. Seeing this situation, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He hadn¡¯t expected that there was such a hidden huge pitfall behind the absence of demons and cultivators in the northern regions. Cultivating here would attract wandering immortals from beyond the border? Why were these wandering immortals prohibiting cultivation in the northern regions? Li Muyang said with a smile and a sigh, ¡°Actually, I would also like to venture beyond the border with the two of you to broaden my horizons, but unfortunately, I have an appointment with Fairy Liuli of the Mystic Sword Sect. She will be coming to the North to meet me in a few days.¡± ¡°If I were to leave with you two now, I would be breaking my promise.¡± Looking sincerely at the two wandering immortals, one tall and one short, Li Muyang bluffed with all the sincerity he could muster. ¡°How about you two wait with me for a couple of days? Once I¡¯ve met Fairy Liuli and kept my appointment, we can then venture beyond the border together?¡± The Mystic Sword Sect, founded by Master Qingye, held immense deterrent power on the Heavenly Origin Continent. After all, Master Qingye was truly capable of decimating the demonic path across the world, single-handedly eradicating the demonic cultivation lineage of the Heavenly Origin Continent. Li Muyang had not yet met Chu Qingxue, but that didn¡¯t stop him from invoking the name of the Mystic Sword Sect to bluff his way through. However, the two wandering immortals reacted coldly to his words. The taller spirit shook his head with a smile, ¡°Dragon Goddess, don¡¯t joke with us. No cultivator is allowed to set foot in the northern regions. This Fairy Liuli you speak of, it¡¯s impossible for her to come here.¡± The shorter spirit snorted coldly, ¡°You have a relationship with the Mystic Sword Sect? Humph! Even if you were acquainted with a disciple of Master Qingye, or even if you were Master Qingye¡¯s own disciple, if you came here to cultivate and gather incense power, my brother and I would still kill you!¡± The invincible name of Master Qingye was rendered ineffective in the northern regions. The two wandering immortals from beyond the border disregarded the prestige of the Mystic Sword Sect and Master Qingye. They advanced towards Li Muyang. The steps of the wandering immortals were not fast, but with each step they took, Li Muyang felt the stench in the air grow thicker, and at the same time, an invisible shackle-like pressure increased upon him. As the wandering immortals moved closer, the pressure of the shackles on Li Muyang also increased bit by bit. Under the cold moonlight, he revealed his true form, a fifty-zhang-long Flood Dragon. The colossal Moon-Biting Dragon appeared in the wilderness, issuing a dragon¡¯s roar that shook the wilds. However, even after revealing his Flood Dragon true form, the shackle-like pressure on him did not lessen. Such a vast and powerful Flood Dragon true form was immobilized by the invisible shackles. At this moment, Li Muyang clearly felt the terror of these two wandering immortals. He sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m not an ordinary Flood Dragon...¡± If he were an ordinary Flood Dragon, he would have likely met his downfall today. But he had a system! Li Muyang immediately opened the interface for incense power and spent one hundred thousand points of incense power to light up a skill he had been reluctant to use until now. ¡¾Heavenly Thunder¡¿ In the incense power interface, there was a powerful skill that required one hundred thousand incense points to learn the skill and one thousand incense points to unleash a single Heavenly Thunder. Li Muyang had saved up for a month, with seven cities building River God temples for him and devotees praying day and night, amassing a total of three hundred and ninety thousand incense points. Previously, the Heavenly Fire skill had been sufficient, and he had been reluctant to learn the ¡¾Heavenly Thunder¡¿ skill. But now he had no choice but to learn it. As the ¡¾Heavenly Thunder¡¿ skill icon lit up on the incense power interface, the next second, Li Muyang activated the skill. Boom! Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap echoed between heaven and earth. The two wandering immortals looked up to find that sinister clouds of calamity had appeared in the night sky at some unknown time. The clouds, emanating the aura of heavenly might and thunderous wrath, were the bane of all living beings. Even the two wandering immortals couldn¡¯t help but change their expressions. ¡°...Calamity clouds?!¡± Disbelief was written all over their faces. Why were there calamity clouds? The next second, the thunderclap sounded. There was no time for the wandering immortals to think. Two golden bolts of Heavenly Thunder streaked across the sky, striking directly in the midst of the forest. The terrifying aura of thunderous wrath rolled through the air, and the two wandering immortals were struck into ashes, leaving only four dark footprints where they once stood. Chapter 301 - Finally Meeting You Chapter 301: Finally Meeting You Watching the two wandering immortals turn to ash, Li Muyang smacked his lips. ¡°Such powerful heavenly lightning...¡± No wonder it costs 100,000 to learn and 1000 incense points to use once. But after instantly killing these two wandering immortals, there¡¯s no experience points added? After realizing this, Li Muyang felt somewhat disappointed. It seems that only when the Moon-Biting Dragon consumes the evil demons in its belly does it provide experience points. Direct annihilation leaving no remains like this doesn¡¯t grant any experience points. Having dealt with the crisis of the wandering immortals, Li Muyang turned to look behind him. The seven children were still lying in the waves, sound asleep, sleeping very sweetly. Such a commotion in the outside world, and yet it didn¡¯t wake them up, probably because the weasel had cast some sort of hypnotic spell on them. And that weasel, at this moment, was so scared that it was trembling, lying on the ground in fear. Seeing Li Muyang looking over, the weasel nearly fainted from fright. But Li Muyang didn¡¯t bother with it, instead, he said indifferently, ¡°Go, take these children you¡¯ve captured back to where they belong. I won¡¯t harm your life.¡± Li Muyang first gave the weasel a reassurance pill. Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s command, the weasel hurriedly got up. It cautiously followed behind Li Muyang, stealthily observing the Dragon Maiden beside him. After a long while, it mustered the courage to ask. ¡°Dragon Goddess, was that heavenly lightning summoned by you?¡± Heavenly punishment and thunderbolts are rarely seen in this world. Yet the Dragon Maiden before it could summon heavenly lightning... What terrifying divine might! The weasel, with its low cultivation, saw both the Dragon Maiden and the Wandering Immortals as unimaginably powerful beings. Li Muyang, however, couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain and instead inquired about the news of the wandering immortals beyond the border, as well as their so-called master. Someone who could claim that everything north of Yin Mountain was their pasture... Such a being was terrifying. Especially when there was a Master Qingye on the same continent, who had been invincible for a thousand years, purging the world of demonic paths, yet tolerating this mysterious lord. Even the Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau avoided this lord¡¯s presence... This mysterious lord was somewhat frightening. Li Muyang asked for information about the lord. But the weasel shook its head: ¡°This little demon has never seen those two wandering immortals, only knows they are wandering immortals, but does not know who their master is.¡± The weasel said that in the snowy wilderness beyond the border, many wandering immortals roamed the world. There were also many mountain spirits and monsters. But all the spirits and monsters dared not enter the border because the wandering immortals had rules; whoever dared to enter would die. This rule had existed for a long time, but no one could say why. It was also forced by those two wandering immortals to enter the border this time. The weasel usually didn¡¯t dare to provoke the wandering immortals and always avoided them from afar, so naturally, it knew very little about them. Hearing this explanation, Li Muyang shook his head in disappointment. This weasel knew too little, obviously having only recently gained spiritual intelligence and rarely coming into contact with the outside world hence the information was sealed off. However, the weasel could confirm one thing: that killing these two wandering immortals would not solve the crisis. The weasel cautiously said, ¡°You should flee to the south, cross Yin Mountain, and escape to the lands south of Yin Mountain. Those two wandering immortals should not come looking for trouble with you then.¡± The weasel was urging Li Muyang to flee for his life. But Li Muyang, looking at the main quest on the system interface, was tasked with establishing a water palace in the Yushui River. If he fled to the south to avoid the wandering immortals, he might survive, but the south had been peaceful for a long time, with Master Qingye having killed all the demonic beings in the south, and the occasional evil spirits that emerged were monitored and slain by the Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Going to the south, Li Muyang would find it difficult to continue leveling up, lacking sufficient materials for leveling. The common people in the south would also not worship him, an unknown dragon... ¡°Huh?!¡± While pondering, Li Muyang suddenly frowned, realizing a key piece of information in the weasel¡¯s words. ¡°...Those two wandering immortals won¡¯t come looking for trouble with me again?¡± Li Muyang repeated the sentence, looking confusedly at the weasel: ¡°Weren¡¯t they already killed by me?¡± Under the cold moonlight, the two-zhang-long weasel cracked a stiff and bitter smile, saying, ¡°Dragon Goddess, don¡¯t you know? Wandering immortals... can¡¯t be killed.¡± ¡°No matter what divine powers or spells you use, even if you turn them to dust, it won¡¯t be long before they come knocking on your door again, continuing to try to kill you.¡± ¡°If a wandering immortal has set their sights on you, it¡¯s a relentless pursuit. Other than fleeing to the south, there¡¯s no second way out.¡± ¡°This is what I heard from an old turtle in the mountains...¡± The weasel brought another explosive piece of news. Li Muyang¡¯s brows furrowed deeply: ¡°How can this be?¡± Even turning them to dust doesn¡¯t kill them... What kind of bizarre beings are these? Are you also game players with infinite respawns? The Heavenly Origin Continent is truly a place of weird customs, first with the ancient gods of the Ancient Grudge Well and now a bunch of undying wandering immortals. Is there something wrong with the feng shui of this land? Why do all these bizarre things keep popping up? Having delivered the seven sleeping children back to the village at the foot of the mountain, Li Muyang didn¡¯t delay and headed towards the nearest evil spirit. Although those two wandering immortals were strange, Li Muyang didn¡¯t want to run away so quickly. He had heard that Fairy Liuli of the Mystic Sword Sect was already on her way north and would soon arrive in the northern counties. Li Muyang wanted to meet Chu Qingxue to inquire about the details of the wandering immortals beyond the border. If others didn¡¯t know the details of the wandering immortals beyond the border, the Mystic Sword Sect couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware, right? In any case, he had to determine the details of this group of bizarre beings before considering how to deal with them. The weasel followed behind Li Muyang, earnestly persuading, ¡°Dragon Goddess, you should really run to the south...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, this little demon won¡¯t survive either.¡± This weasel feared that the two wandering immortals would come back to trouble it and didn¡¯t dare to leave Li Muyang¡¯s side. The weasel had already regarded this Dragon Goddess as its only lifeline, wanting to flee to the south with Li Muyang. At this moment, it felt bitter inside, blaming its bad luck for being inexplicably involved in such a situation. Li Muyang, however, ignored its advice and transformed into human form, heading towards a hill a hundred lis away. In the wilderness, a malevolent creature lurked, attacking lone travelers who passed by. When Li Muyang found the creature, guided by his intuition, he greeted it with two orbs of heavenly fire. The crimson flames descended from the sky, instantly incinerating the creature¡¯s soul, leaving behind only an empty shell of flesh. Then, Li Muyang revealed his true form as a Flood Dragon and devoured the creature in one bite. The terrifying sight of this feeding frightened the weasel that had finally caught up, causing it to shut its mouth and dare not speak again. While Li Muyang digested the creature within him, he felt his experience points growing and continued towards the location of the next demon. Every time he played the game, he was either slaying demons or on his way to slay them. Even if he encountered strange wandering immortals, nothing could stop his demon-slaying march. However, this time, Li Muyang stopped halfway. The Dragon Maiden in the wilderness stiffened, her face showing a look of astonishment. ¡¾LV6¡úLV7¡¿ ¡¾Flood Dragon¡¯s spirit has condensed¡¿ As the system prompt appeared, Li Muyang hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to check his new abilities when a woman¡¯s happy voice rang in his ears. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you...¡± ¡°Hello! You¡¯ve been the kind person who led the way for me.¡± Chapter 302 - Is your friend prettier than me? Chapter 302: Is your friend prettier than me? The voice that rang in his ears was filled with happiness and joy. The moment the voice sounded, Li Muyang also noticed the changes after leveling up. Upon reaching LV7, a dim and tiny dragon pearl had condensed inside the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s body, which was the Flood Dragon¡¯s spirit. With the appearance of the dragon pearl, Li Muyang could finally look inside. But the moment Li Muyang introspected inside, he saw a woman with two small horns on her head within his body. She was crammed into the Flood Dragon¡¯s flesh with him, their spirits closely intertwined. This sudden change startled Li Muyang. It was like walking alone at night and suddenly discovering a woman clinging to your back... Li Muyang was shocked¡ªwhere did this woman come from? Was she a ghost? Why was she squeezed into the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s body with him? He saw the horned woman looking at him with joy, happily twisting her spirit. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you!¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon was overjoyed at the sight of the male spirit. After a few seconds of silence, Li Muyang quickly figured out the woman¡¯s identity. The clues were too obvious¡ªthe two small horns on the woman¡¯s head were identical to the human form of the Moon-Biting Dragon. Plus, her words about Li Muyang always led her way... Damn it! The protagonist of this game wasn¡¯t some empty shell like the Emerald Blade Mantis but had her own consciousness? Did that mean every time Li Muyang entered the game, he was forcibly possessing her? After a few seconds of silence, Li Muyang said, ¡°You seem to bear no hostility towards me.¡± If someone forcibly possessed his body and messed around with it periodically... Li Muyang would definitely be annoyed. The feeling of having one¡¯s life controlled by another would breed a sense of crisis and hostility. But the Moon-Biting Dragon showed no such feelings. Instead, she was full of curiosity and asked, ¡°Why should I be hostile towards you? You¡¯ve been helping me.¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion and innocence, brimming with sincerity. Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°Good, since you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s continue on our way.¡± Under the watchful eye of the cautious weasel, Li Muyang, who had suddenly frozen in place, said nothing and continued walking forward. The flowing water gathered beneath their feet, seemingly conscious as it carried Li Muyang and the weasel towards the next demon¡¯s location. Although Li Muyang was still in control of the body, he quickly calmed down after sensing another soul within him. The voice that rang in his ears was like someone whispering intimately close to him, making his ears feel oddly ticklish. ¡°...Um, are you heading to Yangshan Village? It seems like this is the direction to Yangshan Village,¡± the Dragon Maiden asked curiously as Li Muyang started moving again. Li Muyang nodded, ¡°Yes, to hunt the evil creature in Yangshan Village.¡± The fact that there was a soul inside the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s body meant that when he logged off the game and the system automatically leveled up, it wasn¡¯t the system leveling him up. Instead, after he logged off, the Moon-Biting Dragon, mimicking his actions, hunted other evil creatures. Moreover, while roaming alone, she had incidentally saved many mortals on the Yushui River, earning the initial reputation of the Yushui River God. After clarifying these points, many of Li Muyang¡¯s previous confusions were suddenly resolved. Although the Flood Dragon was a monster, it was inherently good, not evil, and was simple and kind, having saved countless people. Despite her appearance as a stunningly beautiful fairy-like older sister, she was lively and enthusiastic, more like a little girl curious about everything. Or rather, she was indeed a little girl. According to the system interface, this Flood Dragon was only seven months old. Before her bloodline awakening, she was just a young snake in the mountains, born only half a year ago. But due to the awakening of the True Dragon bloodline, she grew in size and even sprouted four claws. The actual Moon-Biting Dragon was just an innocent and ignorant young snake. Without the bloodline awakening, she would still be too young among her kind at seven months old. Based on Li Muyang¡¯s shallow knowledge of snakes from watching animal documentaries in his previous life, adult snakes only fully develop after two or three years. The Moon-Biting Dragon, if translated into human age, would be about a seven or eight-year-old girl. Yet, due to the awakening of the True Dragon bloodline and the growth of her cultivation, she had rapidly matured in just over a month and now, after transforming, appeared as a mature older sister. With these thoughts in mind, Li Muyang exhaled a breath of relief. It was good that the little Flood Dragon didn¡¯t view him with hostility. Since the little girl was a blank slate and naive about everything, Li Muyang could guide her towards goodness. In the future, she could become the Yushui River God Dragon, truly protecting the people. It would not be in vain that he had traveled through the northern counties. While Li Muyang pondered future plans, the Moon-Biting Dragon did not have so many strange thoughts. Seeing that Li Muyang remained silent, she spoke again out of curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s your name? All humans have names, can you tell me yours?¡± The eyes of the Moon-Biting Dragon were filled with sincerity. Li Muyang pondered for a few seconds, and facing the Dragon Maiden¡¯s genuinely sincere gaze, he abandoned the idea of giving a false name and said, ¡°My name is Li Muyang.¡± Li Muyang revealed his real name. In the state where their souls were close to each other, they could even faintly sense each other¡¯s emotions. If he lied, it would be easy to be seen through. Li Muyang did not want to lose the trust of this little Flood Dragon. Upon learning Li Muyang¡¯s real name, the Moon-Biting Dragon was overjoyed. ¡°Alright, Li Muyang!¡± She happily called out Li Muyang¡¯s name, her delighted expression as if she had found an ancient treasure. After calling his name, she eagerly continued, ¡°By the way, Li Muyang, what were those wandering immortals earlier? Why did they come to kill me?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon recounted the incident that had occurred outside Pingyao City. Only then did Li Muyang realize that this little Flood Dragon had sensed the threat of the wandering immortals even before he had. This little Flood Dragon was quite vigilant. Li Muyang thought for a moment and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not clear about the details of the wandering immortals, but my friend will soon arrive in the North, and perhaps my friend can help us understand.¡± ¡°Before that, let¡¯s continue hunting evil beings. Although those two wandering immortals were strange, they lacked the divine power to pursue us, making it hard for them to pinpoint our location.¡± ¡°When I¡¯m not around, be careful and don¡¯t stay in one place for too long.¡± Li Muyang instructed the Dragon Maiden to be cautious for her safety. The Moon-Biting Dragon was very curious, ¡°Your friend, is she the Fairy Liuli you mentioned?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of her before... from the southern cultivators? Very beautiful and very powerful?¡± ¡°Will she help us deal with the wandering immortals?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon asked incessantly like a curious child. Li Muyang smiled and nodded, ¡°If possible, she will help.¡± Given his relationship with Chu Qingxue, if he asked for help, she would not stand idly by. However, the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s next question left Li Muyang silent. ¡°Is your friend prettier than me?¡± Chapter 303 - The Legendary Fairy Liuli Chapter 303: The Legendary Fairy Liuli ¡°Is your friend prettier than me?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon asked with a curious face, blinking innocently and sincerely. At this moment, Li Muyang¡¯s brain froze for a second, falling into silence. He, who was usually eloquent, suddenly did not know how to answer this question. After hesitating for a few seconds, he said, ¡°Her cultivation level is higher than both of ours, and her magical power is much stronger... she¡¯s very formidable.¡± Li Muyang dodged the question. Fortunately, the Moon-Biting Dragon didn¡¯t seem to care too much about it. She nodded happily, ¡°Then with her being so powerful, we definitely don¡¯t have to be afraid of those two wandering immortals.¡± After speaking, the Moon-Biting Dragon added, ¡°But we didn¡¯t have to be afraid of those two wandering immortals in the first place. They were no match for us. Your divine power to summon heavenly thunder is too amazing!¡± ¡°I never realized before that I could use the power of incense and prayers to summon heavenly thunder!¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s just that summoning heavenly thunder requires too much incense power, heavenly fire is more convenient to use.¡± Li Muyang shook his head, ¡°Those two wandering immortals are just minor nuisances, not worth mentioning. What we need to be wary of is their master behind the scenes...¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon blinked in surprise, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®minor nuisances¡¯? And what does ¡®not worth mentioning¡¯ mean?¡± Li Muyang, speechless, held his forehead and sighed. This little Flood Dragon was illiterate. He had to simply explain the meaning of these idioms. The Moon-Biting Dragon immediately nodded seriously, ¡°Oh, I see! That¡¯s what it means... I¡¯ll remember that.¡± She looked at Li Muyang happily and said with a grin, ¡°Li Muyang, you know so much.¡± Li Muyang, despite being praised, felt no joy. He just sighed helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s that you know too little...¡± Soon, Li Muyang arrived outside Yangshan Village and, following an instinctual sense, quickly found the evil being within the village. Two balls of heavenly fire descended, burning the evil being to a husk, and Li Muyang swallowed it in his original form. After consuming this evil being, Li Muyang continued towards the next one. The weasel followed behind, unable to understand this Dragon Goddess. Even with powerful and strange wandering immortals coming to their doorstep, she did not flee or avoid disaster. Instead, she busied herself with hunting evil beings. In the eyes of this Dragon Goddess, was slaying demons for the sake of mortals really that important... Soon, the night passed, and daylight broke. Li Muyang had traveled all night, hunting down four evil beings. As daylight dawned, he opened the system interface to check his experience points. Moon-Biting Dragon LV7 (8%). After leveling up to LV7, the experience needed for the next level was even higher. Four evil beings had only provided 8% of the experience points, indicating that leveling up further would be difficult. Li Muyang pondered and remembered the three evil being nests in the Yushui River. Now, he had unlocked the heavenly thunder skill and his strength had greatly increased. A LV7 Moon-Biting Dragon, in its original form, was nearly eighty zhang long and with the skills of heavenly fire and thunder. Such a colossal beast, in his past life, could have made a cameo in an Ultraman episode. If he could eradicate those three evil being nests and further enhance his strength, establishing the Dragon King¡¯s Water Palace, perhaps he could rely on the power of the Yushui River to match the wandering immortals beyond the border? After establishing the Water Palace, a Flood Dragon could gain at least a 30% increase in strength within its water domain, a powerful BUFF. The Yushui River basin was vast, and the power of its water veins was abundant, so this strength increase could be even higher. However, before that, he needed to meet Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue and consult her opinion. With that thought, Li Muyang communicated a few words to the Dragon Maiden¡¯s spirit within him, cautioning her to be careful. Then, Li Muyang logged off. He opened his eyes, waking up in his own bamboo house. Outside, the night was deepening, just the beginning of the evening. But this time, there was no little sister running to call him for dinner. At this moment, Li Muyang, who had grown accustomed to his sister calling him for dinner at this time, suddenly felt a sense of loss. He stood up and walked outside, blowing in the crisp night air for quite a while before letting out a wry smile. ¡°Sigh...¡± What happened to living as a loner? Yet, without realizing it, he had formed a close bond with this little sister who wasn¡¯t related to him by blood. Li Muyang sighed, stretched his limbs in the courtyard, and then began to take his medicine and cultivate. Consuming the spiritual medicine from the Qiankun Ring and refining its power was much faster than eating spiritual rice. Life in the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s Inner Sect wasn¡¯t dull. Inner disciples had the freedom to come and go, and recently, many demon allies had arrived at the sect. It was said that among them were many beautiful demonesses who had the inner disciples head over heels, making the area below the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s mountain exceptionally lively. But that liveliness belonged to others. Li Muyang only found it noisy. Seductive vixens, cold-skinned ghostly women¡ªhe had no interest in them at all. He firmly closed his courtyard door, declined all visits and disturbances, and quietly cultivated in his secluded little bamboo house for a day and a night. Only when the night deepened once again did he open the system and re-enter the game. Familiar darkness engulfed him, and Li Muyang lost all his senses. As the darkness receded like a tide, and he found his footing once more, he realized he was standing amidst a crowd. He was surrounded by a crowd of people. It seemed to be the entrance of a small town, where a large pagoda tree hung a bell, and several elder-like figures stood on a yellow earth platform below it, continuously offering apologetic smiles. The entire town seemed to have gathered here. People were desperately standing on tiptoe, stretching their necks to get a clearer view of the situation on the high platform. In the center of that yellow earth platform stood a young woman. She was dressed in a gorgeous robe, carrying a strange black sword on her back, holding talismans in her hand, with a gentle smile. But her pitch-black lips and the sinister gleam in her eyes added an unsettling aura of malevolence. In front of her knelt a woman holding her daughter, crying and begging the immortal to save her child. But to Li Muyang, the girl in the woman¡¯s arms was clearly a corpse, already devoid of life. Yet, with a slight smile, the sinister woman ignited the talisman in her hand and chanted a few low incantations. A chill immediately permeated the air. In the next second, the girl¡¯s corpse in the woman¡¯s arms, which had been dead for a long time and even showed signs of decay, suddenly stood up straight and opened her eyes. ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°My poor child! Quickly thank the great and compassionate immortal! Immortal, we mother and daughter bow to you!¡± On the yellow earth platform, the image of the mother and daughter embracing and crying was incredibly touching. The mortals below were all stirred up, their voices exploding like thunder, everyone shocked by the miracle of raising the dead. Only Li Muyang stared at the ¡°resurrected¡± daughter, feeling a cold chill. ¡ªThis wasn¡¯t resurrection at all! The girl who stood up straight hadn¡¯t come back to life. Instead, she had become some kind of sinister entity he had never seen before! Li Muyang, seeing such a creature for the first time, felt a chill in his heart. What the heck is this situation? Why another bizarre thing? Li Muyang asked incredulously, ¡°Where is this? Why are you here?¡± How did Moon-Biting Dragon find this sinister woman? But then, the voice of Moon-Biting Dragon inside him expressed surprise. ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t you recognize her?¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was utterly puzzled and said, ¡°That woman up there is your friend Fairy Liuli!¡± ¡°I heard people say she was here, so I came over...¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was confused by Li Muyang¡¯s reaction. But before Li Muyang could reply, the sinister woman on the platform suddenly looked over, her gaze instantly locking onto Li Muyang in the crowd. It was as if in that moment, she heard the conversation between Li Muyang and the spirit within him... Chapter 304 - A strand of hair to form a good bond with all of you Chapter 304: A strand of hair to form a good bond with all of you The woman¡¯s gaze pierced through the noisy, excited crowd, directly locking onto Li Muyang. The moment their eyes met, Li Muyang felt a shiver in his heart. In the woman¡¯s eyes, he saw a trace of wild joy. ...Wild joy? Joy at seeing me? Li Muyang immediately sensed danger. Could this woman also be a wandering spirit coming for me? But her aura was clearly human, without the strong, pungent stench of decay that wandering immortals had. With the situation unclear, Li Muyang didn¡¯t act rashly but stood in the crowd, coldly observing the sinister woman on the platform. And the sinister woman, after just one glance at him, made no other move. She continued to smile and display affinity and miracles among the fervent shouts of the mortals. Besides ¡°reviving¡± the dead daughter of that woman, the sinister woman demonstrated several miracles among the villagers. Curing diseases with talisman water, enlightening fools¡ªeverything was so routine, fitting perfectly with the mortals¡¯ imagination of a celestial being. The voice of Moon-Biting Dragon rang in Li Muyang¡¯s ear. ¡°Li Muyang, isn¡¯t this person your friend? Why does she seem not to recognize you?¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was extremely curious. Listening to the voice in his ear, Li Muyang fell silent for a moment, not answering her question but instead carefully inquired about her reason for being here. Moon-Biting Dragon was confused but obediently recounted everything she had done during the day and night after Li Muyang had left. After Li Muyang left yesterday morning, she continued to hunt the evil creatures mentioned in the desires of mortals. She completely mimicked Li Muyang¡¯s actions, not bothering with the weasel that followed her. The weasel also followed her cautiously, not daring to say a word. Everything was so simple until, on her way to hunt evil creatures, she heard that a fairy from the south had arrived nearby. People said that the fairy possessed unfathomable powers, the renowned Fairy Liuli of the Mystic Sword Sect, Master Qingye¡¯s disciple, who had come to the north to save the world and subdue demons. Hearing of Fairy Liuli¡¯s whereabouts, Moon-Biting Dragon immediately rushed over with joy and thus encountered this black-sword-carrying, miracle-showing sinister woman... After hearing Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s story, Li Muyang fell into a silent contemplation. On the platform, the sinister woman performed miracles before the people, each display of power making the surrounding mortals even more fervent, their cheers growing louder and more piercing. But Li Muyang paid no attention to the frenzy of these mortals. His eyes were fixed on the girl on the stage who had been ¡°resurrected.¡± The girl, who previously showed no signs of life, now stood upright beside her mother, her face beaming with a bright smile, indistinguishable from a living person. However, her aura was bizarre and peculiar. Logically, even if she were a zombie, there should be a remnant soul or obsession within her to animate the corpse. But this girl was completely hollow. There was no trace of a soul¡¯s aura on her. She was neither a zombie nor a malevolent spirit possessing a corpse. In Li Muyang¡¯s perception, the girl¡¯s body was utterly empty, filled only with ¡°nothingness.¡± Yet, from the inside out, she exuded a strange aura that made the living uncomfortable. This was a kind of malevolent existence that Li Muyang had never encountered before. Standing among the crowd, Li Muyang¡¯s gaze was cold. He quietly watched the performance of the sinister girl on the stage, confirming that she was not Chu Qingxue. The Fairy Liuli turned out to be a fake... A wave of disappointment washed over Li Muyang. He had hoped to ask for help after meeting Chu Qingxue. But considering the corrupt state of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, as well as the rebellion of the Ancient Grudge Well and the Blood Demon Sect in the south, it seemed that Chu Qingxue truly had no time to wander in the north. ¡°Ah... I should have realized this earlier.¡± Li Muyang sighed softly as he witnessed the sinister girl brainwash the entire town, earning the fervent worship of these mortals. In the end, the sinister girl declined the mortals¡¯ offerings of gold and silver with a smile. ¡°I only need a strand of your hair, that will suffice.¡± The sinister girl, with a black sword on her back and holding talismans in her hand, said cheerfully to the mortals on the stage: ¡°A strand of hair to form a good bond with all of you.¡± To the mortals, such a request was far too simple. She didn¡¯t want gold or silver, just a strand of their hair. The mortals became excited, raising their hands and tearing off their hair, with some zealots even pulling out a handful, eagerly handing it up to the ¡°Fairy Liuli¡± on the stage. The sinister girl on the stage accepted everything without refusal. Whether the mortals gave her a single strand or a handful, she collected it all into a plain white sachet. The sachet was the size of a palm, but it seemed to have endless space inside. The hair of the entire town was stuffed into it, yet it remained unchanged. At this moment, even the naive Moon-Biting Dragon sensed something was wrong. ¡°...Li Muyang, your friend doesn¡¯t seem like a good person.¡± A cautious voice whispered in his ear: ¡°Have you been deceived?¡± Li Muyang, however, coldly watched the sinister girl on the stage, saying, ¡°She is not Chu Qingxue, just an imposter.¡± ¡°Ah? An imposter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± Li Muyang watched indifferently as the sinister girl took away the hair of the crowd. As those strands of hair were collected into the sachet, wisps of warm aura rose from the bodies of these mortals and entered the sachet in the hands of the sinister girl. And these mortals were completely unaware of it. Moon-Biting Dragon was startled: ¡°Something has been taken from these mortals!¡± Li Muyang¡¯s gaze was cold as he observed the group of mortals who willingly gave up their hair. ¡°It¡¯s their lifespan... These mortals have voluntarily given their lifespans to that woman.¡± Some lost months, others a year or two... The vitality of these mortals visibly declined as their lifespans were plundered. The act of submitting their hair was entirely a kind of malevolent ritual. It allowed the sinister girl to plunder the mortals¡¯ lifespans in broad daylight! Although the lifespan lost by each individual was not much, the sheer number... Li Muyang left the crowd and walked towards the outskirts of the town. He no longer paid attention to the fanatical mortals but was looking for a suitable place to fight. Sure enough, not long after he left, the sinister girl who had harvested the lifespans of the entire town¡¯s people blocked his path with a smile. After taking the townspeople¡¯s lifespans, she quickly caught up with Li Muyang. Now, as the two stood on a secluded and shadowy mountain path facing each other, Li Muyang raised an eyebrow. ¡°...fairy, are you looking for me?¡± But he saw the sinister girl holding the plain white sachet in her left hand and gripping the strange black sword in her right. Facing Li Muyang in the morning light, the sinister girl¡¯s eyes were filled with frenzied greed. ¡°Ascender!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter an Ascender in the north!¡± ¡°Little girl, you must be the Yushui River Flood Dragon that has recently risen to power... right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be an Ascender... hahaha! Fortune really favors me!¡± Chapter 305 - Mother Buddha Temple Chapter 305: Mother Buddha Temple The sinister girl was extremely excited and agitated. Li Muyang, however, was slightly taken aback. This sinister girl could see that he was an Ascender? How did she manage that? Li Muyang had spent so much time in the Demon Refining Sect, and even the elders there hadn¡¯t noticed he was an Ascender. In the game, he even encountered wandering gods from beyond the borders, and they also didn¡¯t recognize him as an Ascender. But this mysterious sinister girl in front of him could see that he was an Ascender? Li Muyang frowned and asked, ¡°How do you know I¡¯m an Ascender?¡± But as soon as Li Muyang finished speaking, the sinister girl excitedly shouted. ¡°I can ascend to immortality after eating an Ascender!¡± The next second, the woman swung her eerie black sword and charged at him. They were originally ten paces apart. But the moment she stepped forward, she instantly closed the distance, ignoring the space between them, and appeared right in front of Li Muyang. The eerie black sword pierced Li Muyang¡¯s body without warning. Had it not been for Li Muyang¡¯s instinctive dodge in the nick of time, his heart would have been pierced! Even though he avoided a fatal blow, Li Muyang, with a sword through his chest, was still stiff and in intense pain. It seemed as if countless sharp spikes had grown within the flesh pierced by the black sword, causing his flesh to tremble violently in pain. Without hesitation, Li Muyang summoned heavenly thunder. Dark clouds of calamity obscured the light of the sky as the dense and gloomy aura of thunderous evil surged between heaven and earth. The next second, a golden thunderbolt streaked across the sky, its dazzling golden light dimming the world around it. In Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision, the sinister woman screamed as she was struck by the heavenly thunder, struggling in agony before turning to ash. Her black sword seemed to be one with her. As she disintegrated into ashes, the collapse of her body and soul spread to the black sword in her hand, which also crumbled to dust. Only the plain white sachet fell to the ground, not turning to ash with the woman. The forest fell silent once again. The bewildered Moon-Biting Dragon stared dumbfounded at the scene, still somewhat lost. ¡°What... what happened?¡± Everything had happened too fast. She hadn¡¯t even seen what was going on when the heavenly thunder struck. Li Muyang, clutching the wound on his chest, took a deep breath, ¡°That woman had some really bizarre tricks!¡± He had intended to exchange a few words with her, but she didn¡¯t play by the rules and launched a powerful attack right away. Fortunately, his reaction was quick. Otherwise, he would have been the one to die. Li Muyang picked up the white sachet from the ground and carefully inspected it, only to discover that it contained a strange, soft, and tender white substance. As he was curious, a system prompt popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾White Bone Tai Sui: A strange object born from the remains of a demon god, it feeds on the lifespan of living beings¡¿ The system directly identified the strange sachet. Li Muyang opened the system¡¯s illustration and found that the existence of the White Bone Tai Sui had been added to the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s hunting manual, and it was classified as a myth-quality food! Li Muyang was slightly surprised. After pondering for a few seconds, he directly popped the White Bone Tai Sui into his mouth. A cool sensation flowed into Li Muyang¡¯s belly, and in an instant, system prompts of ¡¾Experience Points +10¡¿ kept popping up in his vision. In just half a minute, the digested White Bone Tai Sui had provided Li Muyang with 19% experience points. This amount of experience would normally require the slaying of more than a dozen evil creatures. Li Muyang was amazed by the miraculous nature of the White Bone Tai Sui, but unfortunately, there was only one piece. He went back to the town to deal with the ¡°resurrected¡± eerie girl. But as he approached the outskirts of the town, he saw the ¡°resurrected¡± eerie girl running towards him with a cheerful laugh, shouting as she ran. ¡°Ascender! Ascender! If I eat the Ascender, I can ascend and become an immortal!¡± The girl seemed to have gone mad, laughing and jumping as she ran towards Li Muyang. As she neared him, her body twisted violently. In just an instant, the girl turned into a puddle of pus and disappeared from Li Muyang¡¯s sight. A peculiar stench drifted with the wind through the forest. It was the smell of the girl after she had turned into pus, and Li Muyang frowned and stepped back. The girl had died along with the death of the sinister woman. Moon-Biting Dragon was frightened by the horrifying scene before her. ¡°Li Muyang! What on earth is the background of these people? Why are they so scary?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon, who had previously been unafraid even in the presence of a wandering immortal¡¯s family, was now starting to feel fear. Just as Li Muyang was about to explain, he saw two figures, one tall and one short, emerge on the mountain path. The two emaciated figures appeared under the morning sun. The taller one had a bright smile, while the shorter one had a gloomy face. They dragged behind them a lifeless yellow weasel, as if dragging a dead dog, and appeared before Li Muyang. ¡°Dragon Maiden...¡± The tall figure with a smile suddenly raised his hand and threw the yellow weasel¡¯s corpse he had been dragging: ¡°Your friend¡¯s body.¡± The short figure spoke coldly: ¡°This two-faced weasel is your fate.¡± The tall figure shook his head with a smile: ¡°It was really hard to find you. When we saw this yellow-skinned creature, it even wanted to help you cover up... It seems that you is indeed a good person. In just two or three days, you made this yellow-skinned creature utterly devoted to you.¡± The short figure spoke coldly: ¡°But you¡¯re both going to die!¡± However, the tall figure seemed to sense something. He sniffed with his nose and looked towards the puddle of pus not far away. Smelling the peculiar stench in the air, the tall figure exclaimed in surprise: ¡°Mother Buddha Temple?¡± The short figure also sharply turned to look at the puddle of pus, then back at Li Muyang. This cold and sinister short figure let out an icy sneer. ¡°You really are good at causing trouble, to have even provoked the Mother Buddha Temple...¡± The tall figure said with a smile: ¡°Come with us to the lands beyond the border, and you will know everything.¡± After the two divine spirits finished speaking, they vanished into the shadows. They disappeared in an instant from Li Muyang¡¯s sight. However, their presence came crashing down like a storm, intent on killing Li Muyang. Clearly, having been instantly killed by heavenly thunder before, the two divine spirits were prepared this time. When they came again, they immediately changed their attack method, trying to avoid Li Muyang¡¯s heavenly thunder. But unfortunately, if heavenly thunder were so easy to dodge, it wouldn¡¯t be heavenly thunder. Li Muyang narrowed his eyes and activated his skill. Heavenly Thunder! Boom! Amidst the thunderous roar, two golden bolts of lightning tore through the sky, accurately targeting the evil creatures hidden in the shadows... Chapter 306 - Star Moon Lake Chapter 306: Star Moon Lake ¡°There¡¯s more than just wandering immortals beyond the border...¡± Witnessing the demise of two wandering immortals once again, Li Muyang didn¡¯t show much reaction. He simply walked over to the corpse of the weasel, gazing at the two-zhang-long body with a complex look in his eyes. This weasel, even in its dying moments, thought to cover for him... ¡°You and I are but strangers who met by chance, with no deep connection. Why bother to cover for me...¡± Li Muyang sighed softly and said, ¡°You could have just revealed my location, perhaps then you might have had a chance to live.¡± Although he didn¡¯t care much for the weasel, hearing that it tried to help him before dying made him feel somewhat melancholic. Li Muyang dug a simple grave in the mountains and buried the two-zhang-long weasel¡¯s body. The voice of Moon-Biting Dragon echoed in his ears. ¡°Li Muyang, what exactly is this place beyond the border... Not only are there wandering immortals, but there¡¯s also this so-called Mother Buddha Temple. It feels both scary and chaotic...¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was afraid. After all, the border was too close to the northern counties, and the section of the Yushui River where she resided even touched the edge of the northern lands, less than a hundred paces from the border territory. Having so many dreadful creatures near home was truly frightening. The wind from the mountains blew in his face as Li Muyang stood in front of the weasel¡¯s small grave, looking towards the north, and shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s probably a den of filth and evil, a place where demons run rampant.¡± From what he had learned so far, the land beyond the border was indeed sinister. Not only were there bizarre creatures like the wandering immortals, but there was also the so-called Mother Buddha Temple, which was clearly another strange and malevolent force. Li Muyang said, ¡°It seems that after we eliminate the three demon lairs in the Yushui River, we should venture beyond the border.¡± The evil creatures of the northern counties were mere trifles, and as Li Muyang¡¯s level increased, the experience points they provided were no longer sufficient for him to level up. After destroying the three demon lairs in the Yushui River, he would have to head north if Li Muyang wanted to continue leveling up. However, as soon as Li Muyang finished speaking, a chilling wind drifted through the mountains. Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s surprised voice rang in his ears. ¡°Li Muyang! Look quickly!¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was incredibly shocked as if she had seen something extraordinary. Li Muyang frowned slightly. At the moment Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s voice sounded, his special skill ¡¾Spiritual Vision Eye¡¿ was unexpectedly triggered. From the small grave beneath his feet, a wisp of strange blue smoke began to rise. This smoke was invisible to the naked eye and even to the spiritual eyes of ordinary cultivators. Moon-Biting Dragon, equivalent to a human Golden Core cultivator with considerable magical power, could only see this blue smoke with the help of Li Muyang¡¯s innate ¡¾Spiritual Vision Eye¡¿. The blue smoke drifted up into the sky and silently transformed into a two-zhang-long weasel phantom. The phantom of the weasel appeared dazed but, driven by some instinct, floated toward the northeast. The harsh sunlight shone down on the weasel¡¯s phantom, which seemed to be in discomfort. The nearly transparent phantom under the sunlight began to ripple and undulate as if it was about to be dissolved by the heat. Li Muyang, moved by a thought, exhaled a cloud of mist to shield the weasel¡¯s phantom from the sunlight. The transparent, floating weasel then seemed to be more at ease. However, it continued to drift instinctively and dazedly toward the northeast, unresponsive to Li Muyang below. Li Muyang quickly followed the phantom through the mountain forest, eager to see where it was heading. Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s puzzled voice emerged. ¡°Li Muyang, is this what they call an evil ghost in the legends?¡± Moon-Biting Dragon asked curiously, ¡°Is it going to seek revenge on those two wandering immortals?¡± In this world, there were no legends of an underworld or afterlife, and the souls of the dead naturally dissipated. Even in folk tales, there was no mention of an underworld or reincarnation. As understood by the people, ghosts were malevolent entities transformed by hatred and obsession, no different from demons. Thus, seeing the weasel¡¯s soul emerge, Moon-Biting Dragon instinctively thought of the vengeful ghosts from mortal stories. Li Muyang, however, looking at the soul above, shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not an evil ghost.¡± The soul of this weasel was clean and pure, not one twisted by hatred and obsession into an evil ghost, but more akin to the primordial spirit of a top cultivator. Yet the weasel was far from reaching the realm where it could transform and develop a primordial spirit, as it hadn¡¯t even achieved shape-shifting. This was the first time Li Muyang had seen a dead creature¡¯s soul emerge, so he was curious. He followed the weasel¡¯s soul across the vast wilderness until, after traversing hundreds of li, he arrived at the shore of a vast lake. The lake was so expansive that one couldn¡¯t see the other side from the shore, almost mistaking it for the sea. Standing by the lake, Li Muyang felt a strong evil aura emanating from the depths. He immediately recognized the lake as the Star Moon Lake, the largest in the Yushui River basin and the location of one of the three demon lairs. The intense and rich evil aura spilled out from the bottom of the lake. Inside the three dark caverns in the lake, extremely powerful evil creatures lurked. Previously, Li Muyang had only dared to observe from a distance and not approach. Strangely, although there were three demon lairs in the lake, there were no common evil creatures like water monkeys or Gui fish in the water. Instead, it appeared calm and tranquil, like a blessed land. Consequently, mortals lived happily on the lakeshore, with three large cities built by the lake, facing each other across the water. Li Muyang stood by the lake, watching as the weasel¡¯s phantom soul drifted towards the center. Its destination was precisely one of the demon lairs in the lake. Seeing this, Moon-Biting Dragon became anxious. ¡°Oh no! There are terrifying creatures inside!¡± She naturally remembered the three demon lairs in Star Moon Lake. Moon-Biting Dragon immediately became worried as the weasel¡¯s soul floated toward the lake. Li Muyang, witnessing this scene, no longer just watched. He formed a seal with one hand and chanted a demonic scripture. A wisp of black qi flew out from his sleeve, soared above the lakeshore, and swept away the dazed and confused weasel¡¯s soul, pulling it into his sleeve. The¡¶Netherworld Demon Technique¡·taught to him by Yan Xiaoru was a demonic cultivation method, which included techniques for devouring souls and refining ghosts. Now, using a demonic method, he forcibly captured the weasel¡¯s ghost into his sleeve. Moon-Biting Dragon, seeing this, breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to save it...¡± As for the evil technique Li Muyang used, she didn¡¯t care at all. This simple Dragon Maiden had no concept of good and evil. Li Muyang, feeling the weasel¡¯s soul within his sleeve, noticed that even when subdued, it still tried to break free, longing to drift toward the lake. It seems there¡¯s something in the lake that¡¯s attracting it. Standing on the shore, Li Muyang pondered for a few seconds and said, ¡°Since I¡¯m already here, why not seize the day?¡± With that, he leaped into the lake and waded towards the direction of the evil lair amidst the astonished cries of Moon-Biting Dragon. ¡°H-h-hey! Li Muyang! What are you doing?¡± Chapter 307 - I’d Win Chapter 307: I¡¯d Win Dragon Maiden was startled by Li Muyang¡¯s bold move. The cold lake water parted around him, and as Li Muyang stepped into the lake, he immediately sensed the power of the Yushui River¡¯s water veins, which slightly enhanced his own magical power. This Star Moon Lake was connected to the Yushui River, where the power of the water veins was incredibly rich. If Li Muyang could remove the three evil lairs at the bottom of the lake, the lake could serve as the Dragon Palace for his water mansion. Hearing Dragon Maiden¡¯s exclamations beside him, Li Muyang remained calm. ¡°With our current level of cultivation and strength, we can now challenge the three evil lairs at the bottom of the lake.¡± ¡°Removing these three lairs might even elevate our cultivation by one level.¡± The current Moon-Biting Dragon was still too weak. It was only because of the special nature of the True Dragon bloodline that it had formed a spirit that only Divine Travel Realm cultivators possessed. But that spirit was extremely weak, barely able to leave the body, and the dragon pearl inside was so dim it was almost shapeless, more like a misty light. Now that he was being targeted by wandering immortals, Li Muyang¡¯s pace of leveling up had to accelerate. He could no longer afford to level up slowly and methodically. Monsters cannot refine magical treasures or fly with objects, which meant he had to travel on foot every time, which was unbearably slow. The speed of travel was the biggest obstacle to his leveling up by hunting evil creatures. Moon-Biting Dragon needed to advance at least one more realm before it could fly. Once it could fly, the speed of slaying evil creatures would increase. If he could quickly clear the northern counties of all sizes of evil creatures, he might be able to advance another realm. By then, facing the two wandering immortals that came knocking, he might not need to use heavenly thunder. Spending 1000 incense points to kill two undying monsters was painful for Li Muyang. He moved swiftly through the water, the currents speeding him along. As the lair of the evil creature drew nearer, Li Muyang narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Besides, the source of this evil lair has piqued my curiosity.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what exactly is attracting the souls of the weasel down there?¡± Upon hearing Li Muyang¡¯s words, Dragon Maiden nodded without hesitation. ¡°I want to know.¡± But then, with uncertainty, Dragon Maiden asked, ¡°But... can we win?¡± When they discovered the three evil lairs, Moon-Biting Dragon was still weak. The overwhelming evil aura from the lairs had given her a profound shock and psychological shadow. Even though she knew she had grown stronger, she still lacked confidence. In the cold lake water, Li Muyang waded through and jumped directly into the nearest lair of evil aura. His eyes were indifferent and composed. ¡°I¡¯d win!¡± Li Muyang was full of confidence. He plunged into the lair filled with dense evil energy. The pitch-black lair underwater, shrouded in dark evil energy, had no aquatic plants or fish within a mile radius; it was a complete dead zone for life. After Li Muyang entered the lair, the sinister and bone-chilling evil energy seemed to awaken, furiously burrowing into his body. Under the intense stimulation, Li Muyang had no choice but to reveal his true form, transforming into a hundred-zhang-long colossal Flood Dragon. The enormous white Flood Dragon swam through the lair, and the pitch-black evil energy frantically rubbed against the dragon¡¯s scales, sparking and sizzling upon contact. The powerful scales of the Flood Dragon struggled to fend off these strange evil energies. Moon-Biting Dragon was astounded. ¡°These evil energies seem to have a life of their own...¡± The black energy in the lair was so dense it almost became tangible, like maggots on bones, desperately burrowing into the Flood Dragon¡¯s body. If not for the extraordinary dragon scales of Moon-Biting Dragon, derived from the awakening of the True Dragon bloodline, which seemed to have some restraining effect on these evil energies, ordinary cultivators would find it difficult to withstand them upon entering the lair. Moreover, as the evil energies boiled and raged, the weasel souls he had collected in his dragon whiskers became restless, seemingly desperate to break free and contact the dark evil energies. Was it these evil energies that were attracting the weasel souls? Li Muyang was taken aback. He rapidly swayed his body, struggling to move forward through the entanglement of evil energies, and finally passed through the somewhat narrow lair, entering deep into the underground. In the depths of the lair shrouded in dark evil energy, there was an incredibly vast underwater lake. A lake within a lake, vast and boundless. The moment he emerged from the lair, he left behind those dense and frenzied black evil energies, which seemed to only gather within the lair. The vast underwater world below the lair was more like a giant underground cavern. In the cold and silent lake water, there was not the slightest ripple. There were no aquatic plants, fish, or even plankton in the water. It was a completely lifeless dead zone. Yet in this cold dead water, transparent souls drifted. In the center of their brows, a dense black evil energy hovered. They wandered aimlessly in the cold lake water, circling a light orb emitting a faint cold glow as if on a pilgrimage. The faint greenish cold light, passing through the cold lake water and falling on the Flood Dragon, immediately made the weasel soul in Li Muyang¡¯s whiskers restless again. And this time, their restlessness was even more intense than before. Moon-Biting Dragon exclaimed in surprise, ¡°There are so many evil spirits here...¡± She was shocked by the dense mass of souls floating under the lake. At a glance, there seemed to be thousands! Li Muyang, however, narrowed his eyes and noticed that all the floating ghosts were those of various monsters and cultivators. Not a single one was a mortal. And these souls, floating aimlessly, circled around the greenish light orb. It seemed as if they were part of a huge whole, engaged in some strange life activity. Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°The mystery has been unveiled, but not completely.¡± The truth beneath the evil lair finally unfolded before his eyes. But he personally had to lift the final veil. The ghastly green orb floating among thousands of ghostly souls was the true malevolence within this den of evil! Li Muyang summoned the heavenly fire directly, a crimson fireball emerged in the icy dead water and flew towards the listless ghosts circling the orb. The next second, the heavenly fire struck two of the ghosts, vaporizing them on the spot. However, the ghosts that had been idly circling the orb suddenly awoke, emitting sharp and terrifying screams, and in an instant, they charged towards the hundred-zhang-long colossal Flood Dragon. The eerie green orb also began to quiver rapidly. It seemed like a giant hand had formed among the thousands of wailing ghosts. And within the palm of this giant hand was the ghastly green orb. Li Muyang caught a glimpse of a pale, stiff corpse suspended within the green orb... Chapter 308 - Paper Figures Chapter 308: Paper Figures The first ray of dawn pierced through the dark canopy of the sky. Moisture carried by the breeze, mingling with the milky white mist, drifted over Star Moon Lake. The boatman steered his small boat out of the mist, singing loudly the songs of the waters, rowing at the stern. As the boat rippled the water, it moved forward with the current. Dawn was breaking, the night was just lifting, and in other places of the northern lands, it was a time when one would not dare to enter the lake. At such moments, it was all too easy to encounter malevolent beings by the water. But Star Moon Lake was different. The lake was rich in aquatic resources, yet there were no tales of malevolent beings harming people. Boatman Hu Laosan sang his boisterous song, laughing as he said to his passengers, ¡°Gentlemen, no need to be anxious, my boat is swift. In less than half an hour, I¡¯ll have you across to Pingyao City on the other side of the lake.¡± The two merchants from the south smiled somewhat reluctantly. Although the boatman boasted loudly, claiming there were no malevolent beings in Star Moon Lake, they were well aware of the dangers lurking within. And yet, this recklessly bold boatman continued to brag about the speed of his boat and the safety of Star Moon Lake. ¡°...I¡¯ve heard people say that the Dragon Goddess of our Yushui River has her Dragon Palace built right here in Star Moon Lake!¡± The boatman said loudly, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because the Dragon Goddess presides at the bottom of the lake that no malevolent beings dare to come here.¡± While the boatman shared hearsay tales of rivers and lakes, the two merchants paid him no mind. They sat quietly at the edge of the boat, silently observing the misty lake surface, anxiously and nervously watching the water below as if worried about something emerging from the lake. Seeing their uneasy demeanor, Hu Laosan shook his head and reassured them, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. As I¡¯ve said, there¡¯s no danger on Star Moon Lake! Otherwise, I, Hu Laosan, wouldn¡¯t dare to take on this job!¡± Hu Laosan shouted loudly. However, no sooner had his words fallen than the lake around the boat began to shake violently. The previously calm waters now churned and tossed as if caught in a storm. Yet there was only a slight cool breeze above the lake, so what could be causing such fierce waves? Hu Laosan was startled and quickly grabbed the oar, exclaiming, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The sudden anomaly frightened the boatman, who couldn¡¯t make sense of it. In his mind, there should be no malevolent beings on Star Moon Lake! However, the two merchants, who had been fearful and tense, now seemed unafraid upon witnessing the violent shaking of the lake¡¯s surface. They exchanged a glance, both showing a hint of surprise. To the naked eye of the boatman, they appeared ordinary, but they were different. They could clearly sense a powerful surge of evil energy exploding from within the lake, followed by its abrupt disappearance. The thick malevolence that had shrouded Star Moon Lake also faded considerably with the vanishing of this source of evil energy. The ¡°two merchants from the south¡± were about to speak when suddenly, a white shadow emerged from beneath the water. The next second, Hu Laosan at the stern widened his eyes in fear and surprise, and knelt down, frantically kowtowing on the boat. ¡°The Dragon Goddess! It¡¯s really the Dragon Goddess!¡± Hu Laosan was excited and overjoyed, his head knocking against the deck with a thud. The huge shadow that had been swimming below had already moved on. But the commotion of Hu Laosan¡¯s fervent kowtowing seemed to have caught Its attention. The colossal shadow in the water surged upwards, and the massive white dragon body burst through the surface, causing countless splashes. Amidst the flying lake water, the enormous dragon head coldly looked down upon the three people on the boat. The pale dragon scales, glistening with a hint of rainbow under the sunlight, bore many fine, sharp wounds from which trickles of fresh blood continuously seeped. Hu Laosan, who was fervently kowtowing on the boat, did not see this scene, but the two merchants behind him saw everything clearly. They were shocked as they looked at the Flood Dragon before them. Faced with the huge dragon head and its cold gaze, both were trembling and unable to utter a word. Fortunately, the Flood Dragon merely glanced at them before indifferently turning and diving back into the water. Watching the grand sight of the Flood Dragon submerging and leaving, boatman Hu Laosan was thrilled and overjoyed. ¡°The Dragon Goddess! Star Moon Lake is indeed the palace of the Dragon Goddess!¡± For someone like him, who made a living on Star Moon Lake, this was the best news possible. With the Dragon Goddess here, what petty evil dared to cause trouble? He excitedly got up and said to the two passengers behind him, ¡°Gentlemen, I told you...¡± However, Hu Laosan¡¯s excited boasting was abruptly cut short. He turned around and witnessed a horrifying scene. The two men who spoke with a southern accent had rapidly withered away in the mist, eventually turning into two thin paper figures. In the terrified gaze of Hu Laosan, the two paper figures shook and, carried by the wind, began to drift towards the direction of the Dragon Goddess, quickly disappearing into the mist. Hu Laosan, frightened to the point of weakness in his legs, fell to the ground, his face as pale as death. After a moment, he suddenly realized what had happened and quickly got up, frantically kowtowing in the direction where the Dragon Goddess had departed. ¡°Thank you, Dragon Goddess, for saving my life! Thank you, Dragon Goddess, for saving my life!¡± The two paper figures had followed him all the way, but upon seeing the Dragon Goddess, they revealed their true form and were taken away by the Dragon Goddess... It was clear that the Dragon Goddess had saved him! Hu Laosan was overwhelmed with gratitude, kowtowing desperately. Meanwhile, in the depths of the misty Star Moon Lake, the hundred-zhang-long colossal Flood Dragon moved through the water. He paid no attention to the commotion behind him. But the voice of the Moon-Biting Dragon resonated in his ears. ¡°Li Muyang...¡± The voice of the Dragon Maiden was hesitant, ¡°Those two people on the boat... they don¡¯t seem to be alive?¡± Li Muyang moved through the water, nodding in response, ¡°Correct, they are not alive. But there¡¯s no need to concern ourselves with them. They carry no blood-evil energy, haven¡¯t harmed anyone, and are not malevolent beings.¡± As Li Muyang spoke, he bared his teeth in the water. He had battled thousands of evil spirits in the sinister cave beneath the lake all night long. Relying on the power of heavenly fire and the toughness of dragon scales, he gradually devoured those thousands of evil spirits. In the end, he brutally annihilated all of them and swallowed the eerie corpse that emitted a dismal green glow. Now, his experience points were soaring rapidly. The experience provided by that eerie corpse was beyond imagination. But Li Muyang was also severely injured due to the night-long battle and now needed to find a secluded place on land to heal. Moreover, his game time was almost up, and he would soon be logging off. Therefore, although he sensed something odd about the two people on the boat, he had no intention of paying them any attention. For him, the most pressing matters were to prey on evil creatures to level up and find a way to eliminate the threat of the wandering immortals. However, after Li Muyang swam far away, he suddenly sensed two cold presences following him from a distance. The Moon-Biting Dragon was somewhat surprised. ¡°Those two things have followed me!¡± Chapter 309 - You Also Have a Wife Chapter 309: You Also Have a Wife The massive Flood Dragon swam through the water, but the two frail paper figures floated with the wind, following the traces of the Flood Dragon¡¯s movements. Li Muyang noticed the presence chasing after him and slightly furrowed his brows. ¡°...Are they coming for me?¡± Li Muyang stopped swimming and emerged from the water. The huge dragon body resurfaced. Amidst the scattering spray, the enormous dragon head coldly watched the two paper figures floating towards it. ¡°Do you seek death?¡± The Flood Dragon spoke with a cold female voice. The two paper figures panicked. They floated in the air, riding the wind as if flying, and actually knelt down in midair. ¡°We beg for mercy from the Dragon Goddess!¡± The two paper figures pleaded in unison. The massive Flood Dragon watched them indifferently and said, ¡°If you fear death, why pursue me?¡± The two paper figures carefully observed the Flood Dragon¡¯s expression, trying to gauge the thoughts of this white dragon. But the gaze of the huge dragon head was cold, and its golden vertical pupils revealed no joy or sorrow, making it impossible to guess its thoughts. After hesitating for a moment, the two paper figures decided to tell the truth. ¡°Reporting to the Dragon Goddess, my brother and I come from beyond the border, entrusted by a powerful individual, to seek the Dragon Goddess within the pass.¡± ¡°We have heard that the Goddess has purged evil spirits within the pass, slain demons, and protected the peace of this region.¡± ¡°That individual has sent us into the pass to request the Dragon Goddess to venture beyond the border.¡± ¡°The person said that there is a True Dragon¡¯s treasure beyond the border, long sealed away. Now that the Dragon Goddess has appeared, you may retrieve this treasure and by doing so, quell the evil spirits beyond the border, securing peace forever!¡± The two paper figures spoke with fear and trepidation, revealing their purpose. As the massive Flood Dragon watched them coldly, it spoke with a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°What powerful individual? What is their name? And what is this treasure? Why have they sent for me?¡± A terrifying aura accompanied the Flood Dragon¡¯s questioning, nearly blowing the two paper figures away with its intensity. They hastily replied, ¡°To the Goddess, that individual is a great sorcerer from beyond the border, known to the world as Lord Shanyang. It is said that he has lived for nineteen hundred years, can summon wind and rain, and change into anything.¡± ¡°He has sent us to request the Goddess¡¯s assistance, as a great calamity is about to befall the border and he wishes for the Goddess¡¯s help.¡± ¡°As for the True Dragon¡¯s treasure, it is called the Dragon Spine Sword, said to be a magical weapon forged from the bones of a True Dragon during ancient times.¡± ¡°Lord Shanyang said that if the Goddess obtains this treasure, perhaps you could shed your mortal blood and transform into a True Dragon!¡± The two paper figures spilled everything they knew like pouring beans from a bamboo tube. As they finished speaking, a system prompt suddenly popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾Special Mission: True Dragon Spine has been triggered¡¿ ¡¾Mission Content: Travel beyond the border, seize the Dragon Spine Sword, and refine it¡¿ Seeing this mission prompt, Li Muyang narrowed his eyes. The system had been triggered? It seemed there was another reason to venture beyond the border. After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang said to the two paper figures. ¡°Return and tell Lord Shanyang that I will venture beyond the border soon, and we will discuss this matter then.¡± Having said that, Li Muyang flicked his body and disappeared into the lake, riding the water. He then said to the Moon-Biting Dragon, ¡°I¡¯m leaving first, you heal in peace. Tomorrow, we will explore the second den of evil to see what we find!¡± ¡°As for these two paper figures, don¡¯t bother with them for now.¡± Although curious about the so-called Dragon Spine Sword, Li Muyang was not planning to rush beyond the border. He must first purge all the evil creatures within the pass, consume all the ¡®evolution materials¡¯ without leaving any behind, and then face the demons and ghosts beyond the border. After a brief conversation with the Moon-Biting Dragon, Li Muyang was forcibly logged out of the game. The familiar anti-addiction system came online once again. He opened his eyes to see his small bamboo house. After getting up and stepping outside, he saw his little sister Li Yuechan sitting in the courtyard writing a letter. The sunset had completely disappeared, and as the light in the courtyard gradually dimmed, the girl bit her pen, pondering over the words to write in the letter. Seeing Li Muyang come out, Li Yuechan immediately jumped up with a cheerful smile. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re here!¡± Li Muyang looked at her speechlessly and said, ¡°This is my courtyard! What do you mean ¡®you¡¯re here¡¯?¡± He glanced at the words on the letter and shook his head indifferently. ¡°Why are you running here to write a letter?¡± The girl laughed heartily without a care, sticking out her tongue playfully and acting cute, ¡°I just couldn¡¯t think of what to say to our uncle and aunt, so I came here to change my mood.¡± Seeing that Li Muyang didn¡¯t react much to her words, she blinked innocently and asked, ¡°Brother, could you help me write it?¡± Li Muyang glared at her and said, ¡°Write your head. Scram.¡± Li Muyang still had no contact with his biological parents and had no intention of returning home to visit. Li Yuechan¡¯s mischievously cute expression might be adorable, but it had no effect on him. Li Muyang walked outside and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to gather everyone tonight? Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t dawdle here.¡± The leader of the Demonic Sect, Gong Yanghong, was still in seclusion making a breakthrough, and the elders were protecting him. But the details of the rewards and punishments for the recent quelling of the Blood Lotus Sect¡¯s rebellion had already been announced. After all, with so many eyes from the sect watching this time¡¯s rewards and with many allies of the Demonic Sect around, it¡¯s not possible to let those demons stay in the sect every day, eating and drinking for free, right? Therefore, although the elders have not yet emerged from sect leader¡¯s seclusion, the details of the rewards and punishments have already been decided upon in their discussions. Now, it is up to each major direct disciple to convey the message on behalf of their masters. In any case, the first step is to distribute the deserved rewards and at least send off that group of demonic allies. These big demons staying in the sect every day, eating and drinking for free, consume a significant amount of spiritual materials and medicines. Walking under the cover of night, Li Muyang and Li Yuechan arrived at the central square of the Hall of Enforcement, where all the inner disciples of the Hall of Enforcement had gathered. Because the event was so grand, even some of the enforcers within the Hall of Enforcement came out to join in the excitement. Those enforcers at the Cave Profound and Divine Travel Realms, curious, either sat or stood at a distance, watching the distribution of rewards from afar. And as Yan Xiaoru¡¯s only direct disciple, Ning Wan¡¯er took charge of distributing the rewards this time. The Hall of Enforcement, as the main force in quelling the chaos and having followed Yan Xiaoru into Tianjiao City for a long undercover mission, almost everyone received a generous reward. But the grand finale, naturally, was Li Muyang. Without a doubt, Li Muyang became a direct disciple and received all the spiritual materials previously promised to him by Gong Yanghong. The large amount of top-tier spiritual materials awarded made everyone below envious. However, what Li Muyang was concerned about was a strange additional item in the pile of rewards. ¡°...Home leave?¡± Stepping down from the high platform, Li Muyang looked at his little sister Li Yuechan with some suspicion. This home leave was granted to him, Li Yuechan, and Ning Wan¡¯er. The Demonic Sect allowed them to take half a year off to return home for a family visit. To outsiders, Li Muyang¡¯s return would be a glorious homecoming, a cause for envy. But Li Muyang had no interest in returning home. He suspected that his little sister was just messing around. However, Li Yuechan looked at him innocently and said, ¡°This wasn¡¯t my doing. Elder Yan is showing us compassion, and it just so happens to be a good time for the three of us to go home together.¡± ¡°The timing is just right.¡± Li Yuechan looked at Li Muyang innocently and said, ¡°No matter what... brother, you have to go home and break off that marriage, right? Don¡¯t forget, uncle mentioned a marriage arrangement for you before... Even though you ran away, you should at least go back and formally break off the engagement, right?¡± ¡°The Miss from the Du family hasn¡¯t even crossed your threshold yet, and you ran away, which is already quite irresponsible.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become a direct disciple, although Miss Du can¡¯t reach your high branch, you should at least go back and end this marriage gracefully, right?¡± ¡°Otherwise, how is Miss Du supposed to face others in Jiuyuan City in the future!¡± Chapter 310 - As if They Could Turn the Sky Chapter 310: As if They Could Turn the Sky Li Yuechan¡¯s teasing left Li Muyang in a daze. He frowned and thought for a while, then after recalling the original host¡¯s memories, he remembered that there indeed had been such an incident. At that time, the original host was desperate to become Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s licking dog, which led to a fallout with his parents. Li Damu thought that Li Muyang was confused by a Miss Ning from the Ning family because he wasn¡¯t married yet. So, Li Damu arranged a marriage for the original host, matching him with a young woman from the Du family. He wanted to put an end to the original host¡¯s pursuit of Ning Wan¡¯er. The Miss from the Du family seemed to have a good appearance, and the original host was initially dead set against it, but after meeting her, he wavered. With his parents¡¯ coaxing and persuasion, and the high threshold of the Ning family that made the Li Family despair, the original host reluctantly accepted the marriage arrangement. ¨CMarrying Ning Wan¡¯er was too difficult with the Li Family¡¯s wealth and power. The original host, being young and under pressure, ultimately chose to give up. Everything was going well, with all the pre-wedding ceremonies completed, just waiting for the auspicious day to welcome the bride. But then something outrageous happened. Before the wedding, the original host happened to meet Ning Wan¡¯er and had a brief conversation. When Ning Wan¡¯er left, she smiled and congratulated him on his marriage, wishing him happiness. The original host asked Ning Wan¡¯er, ¡°When will you get married?¡± Ning Wan¡¯er smiled with a complex expression and shook her head, ¡°I probably won¡¯t marry...¡± Ning Wan¡¯er, this little green tea, was very indifferent to marriage and used her suitors in a detached manner. It was normal for her not to plan on marrying. Her ambitions were too strong. In Li Muyang¡¯s view, Ning Wan¡¯er would never easily tie herself to a man. He saw through this little green tea¡¯s nature very clearly. But the original host wasn¡¯t so smart. Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s words directly led the original host to misunderstand, thinking that Ning Wan¡¯er had him in her heart and was hurt by his engagement, which is why she decided not to marry in this life. The original host¡¯s bizarre thinking led him to imagine all sorts of scenarios. Maybe she has feelings for me but can¡¯t say it openly? My marriage has hurt her? She even decided not to marry in this life, just wanting to watch me from afar? These complex and peculiar thoughts excited the original host, who went home to find his parents, wanting to break off the engagement. He had to propose to the Ning family at all costs. Even if it meant spending all his family¡¯s wealth, he had to come up with the silver money required by Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s father to marry her. But such reckless behavior infuriated Li Damu. Li Damu, a martial man, was so angry that his blood surged and he slapped the original host twice, almost knocking him unconscious. The original host, failing to break off the engagement and propose, also became so angry that his blood surged, and he stormed out of the house, shouting the shocking and unconventional phrase ¡°Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west¡± in front of the neighbors... He believed that it was his lack of wealth and power that caused Wan¡¯er¡¯s heartache. As long as he didn¡¯t marry Miss Du and made a name for himself outside, Wan¡¯er would surely be happy to marry him when he returned home in glory. With such ambitions, the original host stepped into the gates of the Demon Refining Sect. Listening to his little sister¡¯s teasing, Li Muyang also silently reviewed the memories of the past. He had run away, but the marriage had already been arranged with all the formalities, just short of the final step. According to custom, that Miss Du was almost considered a new daughter-in-law of the Li Family. If this marriage arrangement wasn¡¯t canceled, Miss Du wouldn¡¯t be able to marry anyone else in the future. After all, who would dare to snatch the wife of a Demonic Sect direct disciple... Having thought through all this, Li Muyang let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll write a letter home, asking my family to cancel this marriage arrangement.¡± Li Muyang really didn¡¯t want to go back to Jiuyuan City to face the original host¡¯s parents. Li Yuechan blinked innocently and said, ¡°Although that¡¯s possible, it¡¯s a bit too bullying...¡± Li Yuechan continued, ¡°When the marriage was arranged, you personally wrote the marriage letter, and the ceremony was completed in the presence of friends and relatives.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become a direct disciple, you¡¯re going to let your family cancel the marriage arrangement with just a light letter... Tsk tsk...¡± Li Yuechan shook her head and said, ¡°But that Du family is insignificant. Even if they suffer this humiliation, they can only bear it quietly, now that our family has a direct disciple and an Inner Sect member.¡± ¡°As if the Du family could turn the sky, this grievance can only be borne by them! If anyone were to blame, it¡¯s only because Miss Du was unlucky!¡± Li Yuechan stood with her hands on her hips, her tone extremely arrogant, the very image of a third-rate villain. Li Muyang¡¯s face was covered in black lines as he listened. ¡°Forget it, let me go back and think about it.¡± Li Muyang turned to leave, saying, ¡°Before we set off, I will give you a definite answer.¡± Li Yuechan immediately beamed with joy, ¡°Great, brother! Sister Ning and I have agreed to depart for Jiuyuan City in five days and take Elder Yan¡¯s small flying boat. We¡¯ll wait for you then~¡± The sound of his little sister¡¯s laughter followed him, but Li Muyang didn¡¯t look back as he left. Having been promoted to a direct disciple, his living quarters had changed. He no longer resided in the small bamboo house. Cheng Senior Brother had brought two young and pretty maids to take care of Li Muyang¡¯s daily life. They obediently followed Li Muyang back to the small bamboo house, packed up his clothes and luggage, and then moved to Li Muyang¡¯s new residence. A separate small courtyard with an elegant environment, complete with rockeries, a pond, and a small bamboo forest. Directly opposite the courtyard gate was the residence of another direct disciple, Ning Wan¡¯er. And not far away was the palace where Elder Yan Xiaoru of the Hall of Enforcement lived. This was definitely the core area of the Hall of Enforcement, where the two maids served Li Muyang with smiles and utmost obedience. Having experienced the turmoil in Tianjiao City, Li Muyang gradually got used to this kind of life being waited on by others. However, after returning to his new residence, Li Muyang simply took a brief look at the environment in front of and behind the courtyard, got to know the directions, and then once again shut himself away in his room alone. To cultivate in seclusion. This time it was for real... The anti-addiction system had not yet been lifted, and although he could go to ¡¶Deadly Weed¡· to have fun with Xiao Yecao, at this moment, Li Muyang was more eager to see just how effective the high-grade spiritual medicine bestowed by the Demonic Sect really was. This was top-tier cultivation medicine that would make even a Purple Mansion powerhouse covetous. He had given up the high-grade spiritual weapon awarded by the sect and chosen twenty high-grade spiritual medicines instead. For him, the cost-performance ratio of high-grade spiritual weapons was too low. With his current cultivation and mana, using a high-grade spiritual weapon would consume a lot of energy, so it was better to exchange them for spiritual medicines to enhance his cultivation. After all, he was not lacking in magical weapons. Li Muyang sat cross-legged on the bed and directly took out a dark red pill. As soon as he took out the pill, a faint fragrance wafted through the room. Just by smelling this aroma, Li Muyang felt much lighter. High-grade spiritual pills indeed had extraordinary effects! Li Muyang took a deep breath, swallowed the pill in one gulp, and began to refine it. As someone in the later stages of the Golden Core realm, if he could quickly increase his cultivation and ascend another level, he would enter the Cave Profound realm! Getting closer and closer to the Purple Mansion realm, Li Muyang was very eager to see what expression Yan Xiaoru would have on the day he ascended into the Purple Mansion. Chapter 311 - Li Muyang, I Feel So Unwell Chapter 311: Li Muyang, I Feel So Unwell The morning sunlight scattered across the Yushui River by the Star Moon Lake, creating a shimmering ripple effect on the water¡¯s surface. Large ships sailed back and forth on the expansive river. In the Yushui River, the resting Flood Dragon opened its eyes. Li Muyang, entering the game once again, opened his character¡¯s status panel. The Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s injury status had been 98% repaired and was about to fully heal. The joyful voice of the Dragon Maiden rang in Li Muyang¡¯s ears. ¡°Li Muyang, you¡¯re back.¡± Seeing Li Muyang again, the Dragon Maiden¡¯s happiness seemed genuine. Li Muyang could feel the exuberant pulsing of the soul within him. He glanced at the experience bar: Moon-Biting Dragon LV7 (63%). The moment he saw the experience value, Li Muyang was slightly startled... had it really increased by so much? When he had logged off previously, the experience was only at 17%, and he had still been digesting the evil creatures from the first evil lair. He hadn¡¯t expected such a significant increase upon logging back in. A single evil lair had boosted his experience by forty percent? Li Muyang asked, ¡°Did you hunt other evil creatures after I left?¡± The Dragon Maiden¡¯s voice responded, ¡°I ate three evil creatures and then rested in the water to heal.¡± Excellent, this surge in experience value was almost entirely provided by the evil creatures from that lair. Li Muyang let out a long sigh of relief. There were two more lairs like that one, and the auras of the latter two were stronger than the first, promising even higher experience values. Eliminating those two lairs, along with the scattered evil creatures in the northern counties, would be enough for him to reach LV9. Li Muyang narrowed his eyes and swam directly towards Star Moon Lake. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We continue to hunt evil creatures!¡± With the experience from the first time, Li Muyang was now adept at this. He maneuvered his massive Flood Dragon body through the water, heading straight for the second lair. The three lairs varied in strength, and naturally, Li Muyang tackled them from weakest to strongest. Soon, he reached the center of Star Moon Lake and found another lifeless dead zone devoid of any vitality. At the bottom of this desolate lakebed was a pitch-black aura, within which was a cave whose destination was unknown. Li Muyang swam straight in, ignoring the harsh friction of the evil aura against his dragon scales, and followed the dark cave to its depths. In the same underwater dead lake, the cold water was filled with floating dazed souls. A dark red light quietly hovered in the center of the dead lake. Li Muyang summoned heavenly fire and launched an attack on the large group of ghostly souls ahead... ....... ¡°Brother, how does the taste of a high-grade spiritual medicine compare?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s little sister, Li Yuechan, who had invited herself over, sat happily under the eaves, tasting the pastries served by the maids, and spoke to Li Muyang beside her. ¡°Sister Ning said that even she only got one high-grade spiritual medicine! It was a reward from Elder Yan when she returned from Demon Sword City.¡± High-grade spiritual medicines were indeed rare treasures. Even for a direct disciple like Ning Wan¡¯er, they were a distant dream. Yet, among the rewards Li Muyang received last night, there was a high-grade spiritual medicine. Although only one was announced publicly, Li Yuechan, being close to Ning Wan¡¯er, knew that the actual number of high-grade spiritual pills that reached Li Muyang¡¯s hands was a full twenty! Seeing her little sister¡¯s envious look, Li Muyang glanced at the two maids who had already stepped back and casually tossed a spiritual medicine to her. ¡°Try it for yourself, and you¡¯ll know.¡± The appearance of the dark red high-grade spiritual medicine made Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes widen. She hurriedly caught the pill and hid it in her sleeve. Then, after a vigilant glance around to confirm that the two maids had left and hadn¡¯t seen this, the girl resentfully glared at Li Muyang. ¡°Brother! How can you carelessly take out a spiritual medicine like that! What if someone finds out you have more than one high-grade carelessly take out a spiritual medicine on you... Aren¡¯t you afraid of being robbed and killed?¡± Li Muyang nodded, ¡°You make a good point. So, for safety, I won¡¯t return to Jiuyuan City with you all. It¡¯s to prevent being targeted for murder and theft.¡± Li Yuechan stared at him speechlessly, ¡°You¡¯d be safer with us! Elder Yan has assigned Aunt Su to protect sister Ning on her trip home. If you stay alone in the sect... there might indeed be those with ill intentions watching you.¡± Aunt Su, mentioned by Li Yuechan, was a maid who had followed Yan Xiaoru for many years and was said to have high cultivation and trusted greatly by Yan Xiaoru. It was unexpected that this time, for Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s return home, Aunt Su would accompany her. Li Muyang waved his hand, ¡°We¡¯ll see. It¡¯s not time to leave yet, is it? Let me think about it for a couple more days. You should go back and taste that high-grade spiritual medicine, don¡¯t waste it.¡± Li Muyang, with twenty high-grade spiritual medicines in his possession, was feeling quite lavish. Li Yuechan giggled, ¡°You¡¯re so generous, brother! If I can¡¯t get married in the future, I¡¯ll just marry you and be your concubine. I¡¯ll make sure to serve you and your wife well.¡± Li Yuechan, delighted with her unexpected gain, left with a bright smile. The girl didn¡¯t stand on ceremony with Li Muyang and accepted the pill openly, leaving happily. Li Muyang watched the girl¡¯s departing figure and shook his head. At last, he had managed to send this annoying little sister away. To persuade him to go home with her, this little sister was quite persistent, coming to bother him early in the morning. Fortunately, the high-grade spiritual medicine should keep her quiet for a few days. After calling the maids waiting outside to clean up, Li Muyang returned to his room to begin a closed-door cultivation. He had yet to fully refine the high-grade spiritual medicine he had taken the day before. He felt that after refining this pill, his cultivation could increase by at least 30%! After a day and night of refining the pill, Li Muyang waited a while after the game reopened before logging in again and returning to the game world. ...... In the bustling town, the human-formed Moon-Biting Dragon leaned weakly on the second floor of a teahouse, listening to the storyteller¡¯s spirited and exciting tale. Li Muyang, observing the surroundings, was somewhat surprised. Did the Flood Dragon actually enjoy listening to storytelling? Hadn¡¯t it gone to the bottom of the lake to heal this time? He opened the character interface and found that the injury had only recovered by 65%. Although he had successfully killed the evil creatures in the second lair, the injury this time was quite severe. When Li Muyang logged off, he had already felt significantly weak, which was why he didn¡¯t rush to log in but continued to refine the power of the elixir. Unexpectedly, after several hours had passed and he logged in again, he was still far from fully recovered. Feeling Li Muyang¡¯s arrival, the Dragon Maiden weakly said, ¡°Li Muyang, I feel so unwell...¡± This time, the injury was not only physical. The Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s soul seemed to have been damaged as well. Feeling the weakness and fatigue of his soul within, Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°Then you continue to rest. Today is a day off. Rest for another day, and we¡¯ll go destroy the third evil lair the day after tomorrow.¡± But just as Li Muyang finished speaking, the figures of two wandering immortals, one tall and one short, suddenly appeared in his field of vision. They were moving through the crowd, searching for something, and had not noticed the Dragon Maiden in the upstairs teahouse. However, the moment Li Muyang saw these two evil creatures, an idea suddenly struck him. He suddenly had a plan. Chapter 312 - The Technique of Blood Nightmare Chapter 312: The Technique of Blood Nightmare These two wandering immortals, one tall and one short, were an extremely strange existence. They seemed to be able to resurrect infinitely as if they could never be completely killed. The current cultivation strength of the Moon-Biting Dragon was too weak to fight them head-on. A direct confrontation would be a losing battle, but using heavenly thunder would be too wasteful. Heavenly thunder, which cost 1,000 incense fire values per use, was immensely powerful and using it to kill two wandering immortals was like using a cannon to kill mosquitoes. Aside from heavenly thunder, the Moon-Biting Dragon had no other means to deal with the two wandering immortals for the time being. Thus, the two wandering immortals were endlessly chasing and annoying people. But now, looking at the two wandering immortals walking down the street below, Li Muyang had a sudden inspiration and came up with a plan. ¨CSince the Moon-Biting Dragon couldn¡¯t defeat them, why shouldn¡¯t I take them on myself? These two wandering immortals truly existed in the world, in the same dimension and timeline as the Demon Refining Sect where Li Muyang was. It was only that the Heavenly Origin Continent was separated by the Sea of Mist. However, some of the sinister techniques in the demonic path could remotely curse and kill powerful enemies. Li Muyang¡¯s previous Flesh and Bone Green Garment was of this nature. But the Flesh and Bone Green Garment was of too low a grade to deal with wandering immortals. However, in the ¡¶Netherworld Demon Manual¡· taught by Yan Xiaoru, there was a malevolent technique for remotely cursing and killing enemies. Thinking of this, Li Muyang said to the injured Moon-Biting Dragon, ¡°You rest and heal. Avoid those two wandering immortals. For now, I¡¯ll temporarily leave. I¡¯ve thought of a way to deal with them.¡± After speaking, Li Muyang hurriedly logged off. He opened his eyes and returned to his new residence. After getting up from the quiet room where he was cultivating, Li Muyang went outside and, holding a freshly written note, instructed the maid in the courtyard, ¡°Take this note and my identity token to the medicine furnace to fetch a jin of high-grade spirit-level demon blood.¡± Watching the maid respectfully take the order and leave, Li Muyang let out a long sigh of relief. This was the benefit of becoming a direct disciple. He could already utilize the sect¡¯s resources to a certain extent. The resources of the sect that Li Muyang, a direct disciple who enjoyed elder-level treatment, could call upon each month were so generous that they made others envious. He directly requested a jin of high-grade spirit-level demon blood to use the top-grade demon blood to perform the ¡¶Blood Nightmare Technique¡· from the Netherworld Demon Manual to remotely curse and kill the two wandering immortals on the Heavenly Origin Continent. The ¡¶Blood Nightmare Technique¡· in the Netherworld Demon Manual involved using demon blood to condense an evil soul to pursue the target. The higher the grade of the demon blood used, the stronger the evil soul that was condensed. Although Li Muyang¡¯s cultivation was average, with his late-stage Golden Core realm and high-grade spirit-level demon blood, cursing and killing two wandering immortals would be sufficient. When the maid returned from the medicine furnace with the demon blood Li Muyang needed, he had already completed the preparatory work in the quiet room. He set up a simple altar and used the technique of shadow imprinting to make two portraits of the wandering immortals. Then he took out the demon blood, which emitted a strong bloodthirsty aura, and placed half a bowl of it on the altar. In front of the altar, two portraits of the wandering immortals were hung, one on the left and one on the right. The air was filled with a thick bloodthirsty aura, and as Li Muyang chanted the strange incantations, the half bowl of demon blood on the altar began to tremble violently, gradually diminishing. A sinister and terrifying blood-red phantom faintly formed in the air. The transparent blood phantom disappeared in a flash within the quiet room, emitting a piercing and eerie laugh... ...... Meanwhile, in the northern part of the Heavenly Origin Continent. Outside Pingyao City, two figures, one tall and one short, walked through the wilderness. ¡°Where has that Dragon Maiden gone? Why can¡¯t we find her aura?¡± The short wandering immortal searched coldly, but the wilderness seemed to be filled with the Dragon Maiden¡¯s aura everywhere, and they had lost their way for a moment. The tall wandering immortal looked towards the direction of Star Moon Lake and said, ¡°Two of the black nests in Star Moon Lake have perished, possibly by the hand of that Flood Dragon.¡± They pursued into Pingyao City and faintly sensed the Dragon Maiden¡¯s aura, but after leaving the city, they lost direction. In the wilderness in all directions, it seemed to be the aura of that Flood Dragon. Being in the Yushui River basin, that Flood Dragon had too much of an advantage and could call upon the power of the water veins at any time. The two wandering immortals continued forward, but at that moment, they sensed something and stopped their movements in unison. The tall and short wandering immortals both looked towards the southwest. ¡°Is it an illusion?¡± ¡°Why do I feel like something is calling...¡± The two wandering immortals were still exchanging opinions, but in the next second, something unexpected happened. At what was supposed to be midday, with the sun shining brightly, a chilling wind blew from nowhere. In the next second, dark clouds covered the wilderness, and the light in this part of the world suddenly dimmed to darkness as if it had fallen into the night. The two wandering immortals turned their heads at the same time, their gaze locking onto the southwest. In that direction, a blood-red figure faintly appeared and disappeared in the air. The two wandering immortals immediately reacted. ¡°Where did this kin come from!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not kin! It¡¯s something we¡¯ve never seen before!¡± (TLN: ¡°kin¡± here refers to beings of the same or similar nature) The blood-red figure appeared and disappeared in the dark and sinister shadows, and in an instant, it appeared in front of the two wandering immortals. The short wandering immortal¡¯s eyes narrowed, and it immediately dodged. However, the blood-red figure had already passed through its body with a sinister laugh. Blood sprayed as the short wandering immortal¡¯s arm flew up and burst into a mist of blood in mid-air. ¡°It¡¯s a demonic curse technique!¡± The tall wandering immortal immediately made a judgment. Its thin and tall body swelled in an instant, and countless slender limbs surged out from within its body, connecting one after another, and in an instant, it spanned a distance of ten zhang and pierced the side of the blood phantom that had appeared. A wound appeared on the chest of the blood phantom. But the injured transparent blood phantom became even more excited, howling shrilly, and violently shaking its body, disappearing into the air once more. At the same time, in Li Muyang¡¯s quiet room, a portion of the demon blood on the altar vanished into thin air. When the Blood Shadow reappeared in the wilderness of the Heavenly Origin Continent, the wound on its chest had vanished without a trace. It screeched excitedly, its form flickering as it pierced through the body of a tall wandering immortal. Countless dark limbs burst out from the wandering immortal¡¯s body in an instant, revealing a hideous half-spider. The half-spider screamed and exploded in the air, turning into a ghastly green plasma. The tall wandering immortal immediately looked dispirited, as if he had suffered a severe injury. Amidst the clouds, the Moon-Biting Dragon, who had been watching the battle from afar, looked on in astonishment. At that moment, the familiar sensation of her body being invaded returned. Once again, she lost control of her body. ¡°Li Muyang?¡± the Dragon Maiden exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Is that red shadow below someone you summoned?¡± The Blood Shadow was relentless in its killing, possessing a true immortal body and flickering ceaselessly with bizarre and terrifying methods, even more sinister than the two wandering immortals. This reminded the Dragon Maiden of something Li Muyang had said not long ago. Back in the game, Li Muyang, looking down from above at the battle in the forest below, nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Yes, it was my doing.¡± Watching the two wandering immortals being driven into a corner by the even more sinister and terrifying Blood Nightmare Technique, Li Muyang chuckled. ¡°You are fiends, but I am the devil. When it comes to evil and wicked techniques, who¡¯s afraid of whom?¡± Chapter 313 - My Junior Sister Will Have a Hard Time Chapter 313: My Junior Sister Will Have a Hard Time Having witnessed the Blood Nightmare Technique easily crush the two wandering immortals, Li Muyang was quite pleased. Activating the Blood Nightmare Technique once consumed about one or two taels of high-grade demon blood. The jin of demon blood he had called upon from the sect was enough to kill these two wandering immortals ten times over. In the future, every time they resurrected, Li Muyang would remotely curse them to death, saving the trouble of these persistent spirits harassing the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s leveling. After confirming the two wandering immortals were indeed dead, Li Muyang prepared to log off again. ¡°You should heal first. Once you¡¯re recovered, we¡¯ll head to the last den of evil.¡± Having digested the massive experience from the first two dens, the Moon-Biting Dragon had leveled up to LV8. Upon reaching LV8, the Moon-Biting Dragon, as Li Muyang had guessed, awakened the supernatural ability of the race to ride the clouds. However, the Flood Dragon rode not on demon winds but on a cloud of condensed vapor. This cloud could even conceal the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s aura, allowing it to easily evade the pursuit of the two wandering immortals. ¡°Or you can continue to hunt the evil creatures of the northern counties. Sooner or later, we have to clear out these creatures.¡± After giving his simple instructions, Li Muyang was about to log off. But just then, a figure suddenly appeared in the forest below. The figure emerged out of thin air without warning, and even Li Muyang, floating in the sky, couldn¡¯t see how the person had appeared. Then he saw a flash of sword light in the forest; the Blood Shadow that had just killed the two wandering immortals was easily cut down. Li Muyang faintly heard the sound of an explosion from the altar in the quiet room. He hurriedly exited the game and saw that the altar in the center of the quiet room had indeed exploded. The burning incense and the half-bowl of demon blood placed on the altar had all exploded. A sharp and chilling sword mark had shattered the entire altar. Seeing this, Li Muyang almost exploded with frustration. ¡°Damn it...¡± That half-bowl of demon blood could have been used a couple more times! Where did this guy come from? A single sword strike broke my Blood Nightmare Technique? Li Muyang re-entered the game, returning to the body of the Moon-Biting Dragon. Hiding deeper within the clouds, he peered down at the figure below. A carefree young man in a white robe with a bamboo hat on his head, a bit of stubble on his face, and a straw in his mouth stood casually in the forest, his ugly sword slung over his shoulder. The man looked around and called out, ¡°Hey! There¡¯s someone watching, right? I can feel you looking at me.¡± The man asked with interest, ¡°I am Shentu Jing from the Mystic Sword Sect. You don¡¯t seem to be an evil creature... Won¡¯t you come out and meet me?¡± Li Muyang was slightly startled at the man¡¯s words. Mystic Sword Sect¡¯s Shentu Jing... He had heard Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue mention this Senior Brother. But weren¡¯t cultivators forbidden from setting foot in the north? Li Muyang, without revealing himself, vibrated the water essence in the air to produce a muffled voice. ¡°...Mystic Sword Sect¡¯s Shentu Jing? I¡¯ve heard of you from Fairy Chu, but aren¡¯t your sect¡¯s cultivators never supposed to set foot in the north? Why have you dared to come here?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s words surprised the man in the wilderness. ¡°Oh? You know Junior Sister Chu?¡± He looked around curiously and said, ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re in the north yet you know Junior Sister Chu, and you¡¯re all secretive... Uh...¡± Shentu Jing suddenly seemed to remember something, his expression turning as uncomfortable as if he had eaten something foul. ¡°You bastard, you¡¯re not that Wuming who impersonates a constable, are you?¡± Shentu Jing, holding his sword, began to search around, his glaring expression as if he wanted to find and slaughter Li Muyang. Seeing the man¡¯s reaction, Li Muyang was somewhat speechless. It was a good thing he hadn¡¯t revealed himself right away. This Shentu Jing was indeed as unreliable as Chu Qingxue had said. Hiding even deeper in the clouds, Li Muyang responded, ¡°Brother Jing seems to have some hostility towards me... What have I done wrong?¡± Shentu Jing searched for a while but still couldn¡¯t find Li Muyang. He finally gave up irritably and said to the surrounding forest, ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. I just simply find you annoying.¡± Shentu Jing cursed resentfully a couple of times before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re not showing yourself. Just keep hiding. If you dare show up in front of me, I¡¯ll definitely chop you up.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, Junior Sister wouldn¡¯t have to... Hmm...¡± Shentu Jing stopped mid-sentence as if he almost let something slip. After a long silence, he said irritably, ¡°Anyway, what are you doing in the north? After Sanhe City, you just disappeared. Junior Sister has been looking for you everywhere!¡± ¡°You stole her heart but didn¡¯t take responsibility, planning to play missing, huh?¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like her, just tell her directly, let her give up! What do you mean by leaving her hanging?¡± Shentu Jing was seething with resentment. Li Muyang, amidst the clouds and mist, fell silent once more, recalling the inner demon trial in Sanhe City. Back then, the metaphorical paper window between him and Fairy Liuli, Chu Qingxue, was directly punctured. He had never imagined that this seemingly cold and aloof fairy would harbor such wild fantasies about him. But after that, there was no more contact. He didn¡¯t expect that Chu Qingxue had been searching for him... After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang said, ¡°Please convey to Fairy Chu that once I¡¯ve handled the affairs in the north, I will travel south to see her.¡± ¡°Some things naturally need to be said in person.¡± Now was a critical time for the Moon-Biting Dragon to level up, and he couldn¡¯t leave just yet. However, Shentu Jing added, ¡°You can go south, but that Flood Dragon with you better not follow.¡± Sniffing the air, Shentu Jing said, ¡°Such a strong scent of Flood Dragon... You¡¯re quite familiar with the Flood Dragon from Yushui River? Is that dragon nearby?¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you, before my master left, he set up a grand formation south of Yin Mountain. Any demon cultivators or evil spirits from the north that cross Yin Mountain will meet a violent death.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. When the time comes, you should head south alone and not bring harm to your Flood Dragon companion.¡± ¡°She has been slaying evil spirits in the north, which is a benefit to the region. Don¡¯t let her die in vain.¡± Shentu Jing issued his warning, causing Li Muyang to be taken aback. ¡°Master Qingye... left? Where did Master Qingye go?¡± Shentu Jing was surprised, ¡°You don¡¯t know? My master has gone out to sea, and it¡¯s been over half a year now.¡± ¡°Otherwise, do you think those creatures from beyond the border would dare to invade?¡± ¡°Not only have wandering immortals come in, but some even dared to impersonate my Junior Sister Chu¡¯s name to swindle in the north. I¡¯ve killed three on my way here!¡± After grumbling, Shentu Jing continued, clearly annoyed. ¡°Just set a time and place, and I¡¯ll tell Junior Sister Chu to come north to find you.¡± ¡°The south is in chaos right now. You better not head south. The Blood Demon Sect is after you, the Court wants you dead, and even the Demon-Suppressing Master from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau has ill intentions towards you... If you go south at this time, it will be very difficult for my Junior Sister.¡± Chapter 314 - She Wants You? Chapter 314: She Wants You? Li Muyang was slightly surprised by Shentu Jing¡¯s words. The Blood Demon Sect was after him, the Court wanted him dead, and even the Imperial Astronomical Bureau harbored ill intentions towards him? And Master Qingye had gone out to sea? Aren¡¯t the oceans on this world shrouded by the mist, causing those who venture out to lose their way? What was Master Qingye doing at sea? And there was more than one impostor using Fairy Liuli¡¯s name? Besides the one Li Muyang had killed, there were three others? Suddenly bombarded with a massive amount of information, Li Muyang was filled with questions. Unfortunately, Shentu Jing¡¯s patience was limited. Li Muyang had barely started to ask when Shentu Jing interrupted him, clearly annoyed. ¡°If you want to know what happened after you left, go ask Junior Sister Chu yourself. I¡¯m heading south now to inform Junior Sister Chu of your whereabouts, so she can come north to meet you. Let¡¯s set the meeting at the nearby Pingyao City, and you can discuss it face to face.¡± ¡°I get annoyed just hearing your voice, and I don¡¯t want to waste words with you!¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s best you don¡¯t cross south of Yin Mountain for the time being... Ah, right, staying in the north isn¡¯t safe for you either.¡± Shentu Jing snorted coldly, ¡°Your Flood Dragon friend must be being hunted by wandering immortals from beyond the border, right? You want to help her?¡± ¡°But I advise you to keep your distance from her. Even though she has awakened ancient bloodlines with boundless potential, she¡¯s facing numerous difficulties in the north trying to seize the immortal fate.¡± ¡°Yet this region is a land of despair that even my master has given up on; there¡¯s no hope. Those evil creatures from beyond the border won¡¯t sit idly by as your Flood Dragon friend tries to seize the immortal fate.¡± ¡°The immortal fate buried north of Yin Mountain is enough to drive the creatures from beyond the border mad. Anyone who covets it will face an onslaught!¡± ¡°The wandering immortal entangling your friend is just the beginning!¡± After dropping another bombshell of information, Shentu Jing turned and vanished, disappearing into thin air without a trace. Such an extraordinary escape technique left Li Muyang in slight awe. But what shocked him even more were Shentu Jing¡¯s final words. The immortal fate of the north? What did that mean? Suddenly, a system prompt popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s field of vision. ¡¾Key information unlocked¨CThe immortal fate of the northern counties¡¿ ¡¾Note: Current prerequisite mission incomplete, unable to unlock more information¡¿ ¡¾Note: Please establish the Dragon King¡¯s Water Palace¡¿ ¡°...¡± The system prompt that popped up left Li Muyang in a brief silence. Immortal fate... Although he didn¡¯t fully understand what this immortal fate was, from the name, it seemed to be some kind of opportunity for becoming an immortal? Did the evolution path of the Moon-Biting Dragon require obtaining this immortal fate? But since he hadn¡¯t established the Dragon Lord¡¯s Water Palace yet, he couldn¡¯t unlock more information. The ultimate task of the second phase, to establish the Dragon King Water Palace, seemed to need to be prioritized. Li Muyang watched Shentu Jing disappear, sighing softly in the mist. The Moon-Biting Dragon, confused and curious, asked, ¡°Li Muyang, who was that person? He said a lot of strange things, why did he call you Wuming?¡± ¡°And isn¡¯t Fairy Liuli your friend? How did she come to like you?¡± The naive and innocent Moon-Biting Dragon asked, ¡°Does she want to mate with you?¡± Li Muyang, who was about to answer, nearly choked at the Dragon Maiden¡¯s last question. This Moon-Biting Dragon... what kind of bizarre questions were these? With a face full of disbelief, Li Muyang said, ¡°Mate... who taught you to use that word?¡± What have you been listening to in those human storytelling sessions? But Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s voice remained innocent, ¡°Ah? Isn¡¯t it about mating? According to what you humans say, if she likes you, it means she wants to mate with you and then bear your children, right?¡± ¡°In the stories I¡¯ve heard, that¡¯s what the scholars and beauties, and the heroes and beauties do¡ªthey like each other and then get married and mate.¡± ¡°...¡± Li Muyang was utterly defeated by the Dragon Maiden¡¯s simplicity. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to say. He sighed and said, ¡°For now, just focus on healing and resting. When you have time, you can hunt the evil creatures in the northern counties.¡± ¡°Now that you can fly on clouds, you¡¯ll move much faster.¡± ¡°I have to go now, but I¡¯ll come back the day after tomorrow to find you, and then we¡¯ll go and destroy the last evil lair at the bottom of Star Moon Lake.¡± After hastily dropping a few words, Li Muyang chose to log off. Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s injuries were quite severe and it would need a day or two of rest to fully recover. The last demon lair was even stronger, and although Moon-Biting Dragon had leveled up, it was best to adjust its condition before attempting the dungeon again for safety¡¯s sake. As for the tedious task of hunting stray demons in the northern lands, Li Muyang decided not to handle it personally and left it to Moon-Biting Dragon to do on its own. Encountering Shentu Jing unexpectedly, Li Muyang learned a ton of information and now needed some time alone to ponder his next moves. The situation in the northern provinces was rather serious. He had thought that if he couldn¡¯t beat them, he could always flee south, but Master Qingye had set up a grand formation at Yin Mountain, which would kill any demons or evil spirits from the north attempting to cross over. This undoubtedly cut off Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s escape route to the south. If Moon-Biting Dragon was to continue being played, it would have to face off against the horde of demons beyond the northern border until the end. It seems that the ultimate storyline of this game is to help Moon-Biting Dragon obtain the hidden immortal fate of the north. With the revival of the True Dragon bloodline and the immortal fate, perhaps Moon-Biting Dragon could really become the first True Dragon in the post-apocalyptic era and step into the realm of the immortals and gods. But before that, Li Muyang had to clean up the current mess in his quiet room. Opening his eyes and looking at the disarray in the quiet room, Li Muyang sighed speechlessly. He hadn¡¯t expected the altar he had meticulously prepared to be destroyed by a single sword strike from Chu Qingxue¡¯s Senior Brother. Fairy Liuli was right. All her Senior Brothers were powerful cultivators. Shentu Jing¡¯s cultivation level was probably at the Purple Mansion realm, no less than that of a Demonic Sect elder. After cleaning up the remnants of the altar in the quiet room, he let two maids in to clean up. Once everything was tidy, Li Muyang set up a new altar, hung portraits of two wandering immortals, and placed a bowl full of demon blood on it. The Blood Nightmare Technique was activated once again. As long as those two wandering immortals were resurrected, the Blood Nightmare Technique would automatically seek them out and slay them. This way, there was no need to worry about those wandering immortals chasing after Moon-Biting Dragon, as they would be too preoccupied with their own troubles. And Li Muyang could use this rest period to further enhance his combat abilities. The¡¶Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡·he had obtained from Black Cloud Village was a powerful demonic technique. Using demon blood to refine his body, he could achieve extremely fast movement speeds, and the side effects were exempted by the system. Previously, using low-grade demon blood for body refining had already shown outstanding effects. It had been a great help in Demon Sword City. Now that Li Muyang had obtained high-grade demon blood, he naturally wanted to refine his body with it again to enhance his agility. With his current cultivation level plus high-grade demon blood body refining, the¡¶Remnant Clouds Movement Technique¡·would reach speeds unimaginable to ordinary people. This was also the quickest way to enhance his combat abilities. Chapter 315 - Dragon Maiden’s Unexpected Gain Chapter 315: Dragon Maiden¡¯s Unexpected Gain Inside the quiet room, a thick aura of blood fiends lingered. In a wooden tub soaked with high-grade demon blood, Li Muyang sat naked, his body submerged in the demon blood. As he circulated his cultivation technique, strands of the rich high-grade demon blood infused with blood fiend energy seeped into his body, faintly forming sinister demonic patterns on his skin. He had the maids take his identity plaque and a slip to fetch two more jin of high-grade demon blood. Only someone with elder-level privileges could enjoy such resources. But refining high-grade demon blood was more difficult than he had imagined. When he had refined low-grade demon blood, it had only taken him one night. However, now that he was using high-grade demon blood for body refining, the overwhelming blood energy surged into his body, almost bursting his meridians. His flesh and skin undulated continuously as if there were worms wriggling beneath the surface, which looked slightly unsettling. The intense pain persisted, but Li Muyang clenched his teeth and persevered. This body refining session lasted for three whole days. When Li Muyang, looking pale and slightly exhausted, pushed open the door of the quiet room and stepped out, his little sister Li Yuechan was already waiting outside. ¡°Wow! Brother, what have you been doing alone in the room?¡± Li Yuechan looked at her brother¡¯s drained appearance with surprise and immense curiosity, jokingly asking, ¡°Did you keep some kind of painted ghost or marrow-eating female demon in the quiet room? Have you been playing with it for three days?¡± Li Yuechan teased with curiosity. Li Muyang, pale and somewhat depleted, glared at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± ¡°Do I need to keep such things?¡± ¡°With my looks, status, and cultivation level, here in the Demon Refining Sect, if I just wave my hand, countless beauties would be waiting to climb into my bed!¡± Li Yuechan giggled and was about to tease her brother further. But Li Muyang forcefully shut her up, ¡°If you keep spouting nonsense, I won¡¯t go home with you.¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes widened with surprise, ¡°Eh? Brother, you¡¯ve agreed to go with us?¡± Li Muyang glared at her irritably and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you came to find me, to ask me to join you?¡± After instructing the two maids waiting outside, Li Muyang said, ¡°Have you packed everything I asked you to? Alright, then let¡¯s set off.¡± These two maids were assigned by the sect to serve Li Muyang and naturally had to follow him closely. Li Muyang was going home to visit his family, and they would accompany him, able to help with various chores. From now on, Li Muyang would truly only need to cultivate, play games, and live a life where clothes come to hand and food comes to mouth. As he left with his little sister, Li Muyang saw that the door to the courtyard across from them was also open, and Ning Wan¡¯er, dressed in a light yellow dress, was also coming out with her personal maid. They were all set to ride on Yan Xiaoru¡¯s small flying boat, under the protection of Yan Xiaoru¡¯s personal maid, Aunt Su, back to Jiuyuan City. However, there was an unexpected person joining them on this trip. ¨CGuan Xiaoshun, the country boy they hadn¡¯t seen for a long time, stood shyly and awkwardly at the port, greeting the trio. ¡°Greetings to Senior Sister Ning and Senior Brother Li...¡± Guan Xiaoshun, who had been promoted from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect with Li Muyang, still had that honest and straightforward demeanor. Now, seeing Li Muyang, who had become a direct disciple, Guan Xiaoshun was somewhat nervous and stuttering. Li Muyang, however, was quite pleased and cheerfully stepped forward to clap the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You get leave and visit home too?¡± Guan Xiaoshun scratched his head and smiled, saying, ¡°Two months. Senior Sister Ning and Senior Sister Yuechan asked me to accompany them, saying they could give me a lift... so I came.¡± Li Muyang heartily patted the young man¡¯s shoulder while sensing the spiritual energy circulating within his body. The jar of high-grade spiritual rice he had given him before, along with the various resources available to a Demonic Sect inner disciple, had allowed Guan Xiaoshun to quietly reach the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Although he couldn¡¯t compare to Li Muyang¡¯s cheat-like progression, he was no longer just a small fry at the Qi Refining Realm. And so, Guan Xiaoshun hitched a ride with the trio and boarded the flying boat. Li Muyang actually liked this simple and honest young man who had once helped him in a time of need. Guan Xiaoshun was one of the few friends he had in the Demon Refining Sect. The day after being promoted to direct disciple, Li Muyang had the maids deliver some spiritual medicine and spiritual rice to Guan Xiaoshun to aid his cultivation. With the treatment of an elder, he¡¯s ridiculously wealthy. Even the smallest good thing that slips through the cracks of his fingernails would be enough for Guan Xiaoshun to enjoy for a long time. He had planned to find Guan Xiaoshun for a chat after he got busy with this period, but he didn¡¯t expect to be traveling together this time. With Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s company, Li Muyang felt much more at ease. After all, on Yan Xiaoru¡¯s flying boat, there were almost all women, and he was the only male. Little sister Li Yuechan liked to tease him, and Ning Wan¡¯er was the ¡°moonlight goddess¡± his former self had pursued for a long time; being in such an environment alone, Li Muyang could only feel awkward. Li Yuechan, in front of Guan Xiaoshun, couldn¡¯t be too unrestrained in making jokes about Li Muyang. Now that he had Guan Xiaoshun to talk to, the atmosphere was much more relaxed. Yan Xiaoru¡¯s flying boat was much more delicate and exquisite than the sect flying boat he had taken before, and its flying speed was also much faster. Inside the cabin, there was even a small secret realm, a world of its own, with lakes and scenery. However, Li Muyang had no interest in enjoying these. After boarding the flying boat, he briefly dealt with a few words, then plunged into his room and started the game. Game With the Fairies, start! The body refining this time took three days, so he wondered how Moon-Biting Dragon was doing. He had planned to log back into the game after she had recovered from her injuries, but now the progress had to be postponed due to the demonic blood body refining. I hope she¡¯s alright... Familiar darkness surged like a tide, and when it receded, Li Muyang opened his eyes to find himself sitting in a teahouse in Pingyao City. The storyteller downstairs, holding a wooden clapper, was loudly calling out from the high platform. ¡°...speaking of the Dragon Goddess! What a compassionate true deity!¡± ¡°After witnessing the tragic state of Luo Sanniang and her daughter, she immediately abandoned the evil spirits causing trouble in the mountains and forests, and with a breath of sweet dew, healed Luo Sanniang and her daughter.¡± ¡°Then, the goddess, in a rage, summoned endless heavenly fire.¡± ¡°The punitive fire descended from the sky, instantly burning the evil spirits to ashes.¡± ¡°The evil spirit, engulfed by the heavenly fire and turned into a fireball, still tried to contend with the Dragon Goddess! Truly ignorant of life and death!¡± ¡°The Dragon Goddess stood high above the clouds, and with a cold snort, the evil spirit within the fireball wailed miserably and was swallowed by the Dragon Goddess, vanishing from existence!¡± Listening to the exaggerated description of the storyteller downstairs and the excited cheers and applause of the audience, Li Muyang was somewhat speechless. This Moon-Biting Dragon... has she come to listen to the opera again? But then, the excited voice of Dragon Maiden rang in his ears. ¡°Li Muyang! You¡¯re finally back!¡± Dragon Maiden said joyfully, ¡°You broke the appointment last time. I thought you stood me up and I would have to go alone!¡± Dragon Maiden excitedly said, ¡°The last evil lair in Star Moon Lake has been destroyed by me!¡± ¡°Not only did I eat the evil creatures inside, but I also found a strange thing!¡± ¡°Li Muyang, take a look, what is this? It seems very sinister!¡± Dragon Maiden happily claimed credit. With a thought, Li Muyang took out a pale white bone from his sleeve. A chilling coldness immediately spread from the pale bone to his limbs and bones. Li Muyang was slightly astonished. The moment the bone appeared, the system was triggered. ¡¾Obtained the brow bone of Temple Seal Lord¡¿ ¡°Ah?¡± Li Muyang, seeing this system prompt, paused for a moment. The brow bone of the Temple Seal Lord? Chapter 316 - The Foundation Stone of the Dragon Palace Chapter 316: The Foundation Stone of the Dragon Palace Temple Seal Lord... Looking at the brow bone in his hand, Li Muyang was momentarily stunned. The Temple Seal Lord was an old acquaintance. Although Li Muyang had never seen this person¡¯s true face, the Temple Seal Lord was the leader of the demonic cultivators in Black Cloud Village. The evil techniques he developed even led to the creation of the Demon-Suppressing Master in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau thousands of years later. Unexpectedly, this powerful and sinister figure from ancient times had left a brow bone at the bottom of Star Moon Lake. Li Muyang was slightly surprised. ¨CCould it be that the evil spirits in the north are also related to Black Cloud Village? What kind of source of all evil is this Black Cloud Village! Many of the evil spirits encountered so far are somewhat related to Black Cloud Village. Li Muyang opened the system entry and saw the item description provided by the system. ¡¾Brow bone of Temple Seal Lord: The brow bone of the ancient demonic cultivator Temple Seal Lord, containing immense evil energy, was lost in Star Moon Lake, forming three evil dens and contaminating the power of the Yushui River. However, to the extreme of evil, the brow bone unexpectedly nurtured a faintly sacred light, which can serve as the foundation stone for establishing the Dragon King¡¯s Water Palace¡¿ ¡¾Special Item: The foundation stone of the Dragon Palace has been obtained¡¿ ¡¾Please choose a suitable water vein location to build your Dragon Palace¡¿ The system gave a series of prompts. Li Muyang, looking at the brow bone in his hand, sighed softly. ¡°...You¡¯re quite impressive.¡± He complimented Moon-Biting Dragon with a sense of admiration. He had been refining his body for three days, which delayed his time to log into the game. But he didn¡¯t expect that Moon-Biting Dragon would solo the last evil den and even obtain the key quest item. The feeling of leveling up and grinding monsters automatically while being AFK was honestly quite exhilarating. However, without logging in, Moon-Biting Dragon couldn¡¯t trigger the system and wouldn¡¯t be able to detect the key use of this brow bone. Holding the brow bone, Li Muyang stood up, ignoring the enthusiastic audience beside him. Li Muyang got up and went to the window, looking out at the blazing sun, and called for a cup of tea. ¡°Guest, your tea~¡± The waiter called out respectfully, approaching the lady of extraordinary demeanor and beautiful appearance, clearly someone of wealth and status. Li Muyang then picked up the cup of hot tea, gently shaking it between his fingers. The steaming hot tea instantly turned ice cold. Moon-Biting Dragon, witnessing all this, was somewhat curious. ¡°Hmm? Li Muyang, what are you going to do?¡± Dragon Maiden didn¡¯t quite understand Li Muyang¡¯s actions. Li Muyang looked out at the blazing sun and said, ¡°The evil lair of Star Moon Lake has been eradicated, it¡¯s time for us to regulate the water veins and build the Dragon Palace.¡± ¡°The first step in building the Dragon Palace is to enrich this place with moisture, drawing the power of the water veins from the Yushui River to this location.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s vision was filled with system instructions. ¡¾Summon Rain¡¿ Following this instruction, a new skill page appeared for the Moon-Biting Dragon. ¡¾Rainfall¡¿ After entering this interface, one could see a rough map of the entire Yushui River basin and the strength of the water veins in various locations. Li Muyang selected Star Moon Lake outside of Pingyao City and clicked on Rainfall. The next second, standing by the window on the second floor of the teahouse, Li Muyang sprinkled the cool tea from his hand into the sky outside. The icy tea splashed towards the scorching sun, and suddenly, dark clouds appeared above the previously clear sky. In just a dozen breaths, a torrential downpour accompanied by thunder crashed down. Boom! The moment the thunder exploded in the sky, many ordinary people in Pingyao City looked up in surprise, unable to believe the sky above them had turned from clear to a downpour in the blink of an eye! The sound of the rain echoed through Pingyao City, and Li Muyang, standing by the window of the teahouse, felt the power of the water veins in the air becoming more abundant and opened the ¡¾Rainfall¡¿ interface again. At this point on the Yushui River map, the area around Pingyao City showed clouds and heavy rain. This sudden downpour activated the power of the local water veins. But this was just the beginning. As Li Muyang continued to activate regions on the map, clouds covered one area after another in the Yushui River basin. The rain spread rapidly across the entire Yushui River basin. Before long, the Yushui River map in Li Muyang¡¯s system interface was completely covered in clouds and rain. And in reality, the Yushui River was being pelted with heavy rain. The cold rain fell on the land, and countless people stepped out of their homes, astonished by the sudden downpour. In a dark forest, two bedraggled figures of wandering immortals crawled out of the mud. They twisted their bodies, shedding the skin of bullfrogs, and their forms swelled and grew larger. Finally, from two bullfrogs in the mud, they completely transformed into the figures of a tall and a short wandering immortal. But the moment the two wandering immortals appeared, they sensed the abundant moisture in the air and the sudden rainfall. The taller wandering immortal smiled and clapped his hands: ¡°Such abundant moisture! The Dragon Goddess of the Yushui River is going to build her water palace...¡± The shorter wandering immortal wiped the rain from his face with a cold look in his eyes: ¡°Daring to build a Dragon Palace in the northern lands... courting death!¡± The taller wandering immortal shook his head with a smile: ¡°What does it matter if it¡¯s courting death? Can my brother and I really do anything to her? If she¡¯s building her water palace, she must have settled the three dark nests at the bottom of Star Moon Lake. Now, if we confront her directly, we might no longer be her match.¡± The shorter wandering immortal grunted and stood up from the mud: ¡°Let¡¯s go back beyond the border and seek an audience with our lord! This Flood Dragon knows not what she does. We can¡¯t let her continue unchecked!¡± The taller wandering immortal sighed and looked towards the dark forest: ¡°The journey back won¡¯t be so easy...¡± In that dark forest, as the rain poured down, the cold rain continuously struck the leaves and branches of the trees. Within this dense curtain of rain, a blood-red transparent figure cackled eerily and suddenly appeared in the air. The moment the red phantom appeared, the two wandering immortals leaped out of the mud and fled. Repeated defeats had made them acutely aware of the terror of this evil magic. Rather than fight, which would yield no results, they chose to flee, delaying the magic¡¯s duration. Activating such powerful and strange magic must consume a great amount of precious spiritual items. The longer they delayed, the greater the cost for the person behind the magic! In the forest, the two wandering immortals disappeared into the woods, evading the pursuit of the blood shadow. Far away, outside of Pingyao City, Li Muyang was already walking on the lake water, moving directly to the center of Star Moon Lake. The lakebed here was flat, with lush aquatic plants and fish and shrimp swimming about, an excellent foundation. Li Muyang chose this place and said, ¡°This is the spot.¡± He clicked on ¡¾Start Construction¡¿ in the system interface. Instantly, the vast power of the water veins in the Yushui River basin began to converge towards this core. Above the lake surface, a misty fog began to rise. Faintly, the sound of a dragon¡¯s chant could be heard from the lake... Chapter 317 - A Name for a Lifetime Chapter 317: A Name for a Lifetime At the bottom of Star Moon Lake, a huge Dragon Palace water mansion materialized out of nothingness. But this Dragon Palace was only a transparent phantom. However, as the power of the water veins continued to converge here, all the aquatic creatures of Star Moon Lake¡ªfish, shrimp, turtles, and soft-shelled turtles¡ªbecame excited. Carrying, holding, or bearing stones, they converged towards this place. It seemed as if all the aquatic creatures of the Yushui River basin had been summoned, continuously flocking towards Star Moon Lake. Dense schools of fish shuttled underwater, old turtles and clams dragged stones over. Mud clumps, pebbles, and even disordered aquatic plants were brought by these creatures of the Yushui River to the phantom of the Dragon Palace, where they automatically formed solid walls, sturdy floors, and brightly colored wall paint... A phantom Dragon Palace was thus gradually filled by the busy work of the fish and shrimp. Finally, it transformed into a resplendent and magnificent real Dragon Palace. And those creatures that had worked the hardest and were most sincere in building the Dragon Palace, upon its completion, stood dumbfounded in the water. From the newly built Dragon Palace, colorful rays of light spread out, entering their bodies. These once simple and muddled aquatic creatures suddenly gained intelligence, as if they understood many things. Some of the already powerful creatures even transformed into half-human half-demon forms. They all knelt excitedly and joyfully outside the Dragon Palace, bowing in worship to the Flood Dragon in the water. ¡°Greetings, Dragon King!¡± Looking at the newly built Dragon Palace and the shrimp soldiers and crab generals kneeling before him, Moon-Biting Dragon was very happy. ¡°Wow! Li Muyang, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Dragon Maiden exclaimed in surprise: ¡°How did you do it? You built such a huge Dragon Palace in no time, who taught you?¡± Dragon Maiden was very curious: ¡°Are you also a dragon? Have you built your own Dragon Palace before? Otherwise, how could you be so skilled?¡± Li Muyang thought to himself¡ª I¡¯ve been following the system¡¯s instructions, operating it like a fool, how could I not be skilled? Building a Dragon Palace is an instinct engraved in the bloodline of dragons. Even without Li Muyang¡¯s intervention, Moon-Biting Dragon would have figured it out eventually and built it on her own. Li Muyang simply sped up the process. In less than a day, a Dragon Palace was built from scratch. Now, seeing the completion of the Dragon Palace, Li Muyang was also fully satisfied to discover an additional BUFF in the character interface. ¡¾Yushui Dragon King¡¿ ¡¾Cultivation +170%¡¿ The system entry was a very simple BUFF, but its potency was incredibly astonishing. +170% cultivation... this is way more powerful than I imagined! No wonder it¡¯s the largest river in the north, the river basin is even larger than the Yangtze River from my previous life, and the power of the water veins is immense. At this point, the Moon-Biting Dragon had annihilated three evil lairs and had already reached the strength of LV9. With the addition of this ¡¾Yushui Dragon King¡¿ entry, it was simply invincible. Now, if he encounters those two wandering immortals again, he won¡¯t need to use ¡¾Heavenly Thunder¡¿. He could annihilate those two wandering immortals with the cultivation strength of the Moon-Biting Dragon. Thinking of this, Li Muyang took out the slumbering weasel spirit from his sleeve. Since the three evil lairs in Star Moon Lake were destroyed, this weasel spirit had entered a state of stupor and confusion. It had already begun to fade and become transparent. However, after Li Muyang used the Temple Seal Lord¡¯s brow bone to build the Dragon Palace, he found that the weasel spirit was floating in the Dragon Palace, and the process of its spirit body dissipating had actually stopped. Could this Dragon Palace, built on the foundation of the Temple Seal Lord¡¯s brow bone, also nourish spirits? Li Muyang was quite surprised and, after some thought, placed the confused weasel spirit in the Dragon Palace, allowing it to move freely. Then Li Muyang went outside the grand hall of the Dragon Palace and said to the shrimp soldiers and crab generals who stood respectfully below, ¡°I have established this water palace, and next I will eradicate all the evil spirits and monsters in the northern counties.¡± ¡°You have received my grace and serve in the Dragon Palace, I will send you out into the mortal world to capture all those evil beings that do harm.¡± Li Muyang hadn¡¯t expected that establishing the Dragon Palace would also come with a large number of shrimp soldiers and crab generals. These half-demons, although not very strong, were numerous. Sending them to capture the scattered evil beings in the northern counties was just right, as their strength matched, and it would save Li Muyang a great deal of effort. Li Muyang waved his hand, and commands turned into light and entered the minds of the group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals. They would follow Li Muyang¡¯s guidance and orders to capture the evil beings that plagued the northern counties. Of course, the hunting range of the shrimp soldiers and crab generals was mainly within the Yushui River basin. These shrimp soldiers and crab generals also had a strength-enhancing BUFF within the Yushui River basin. The lands outside the Yushui River basin would be personally visited by the Moon-Biting Dragon. Before leaving the pass and heading to the frontier, he intended to sweep clean all the upgrade materials in the northern counties. Not a single evil being in the northern counties would be left! ¡¾Act Two¨C¡¶Dragon King¡¯s Water Palace¡· has been cleared¡¿ ¡¾You may claim your settlement reward¡¿ ¡¾Time remaining until Act Three opens¡ª23:59:57¡¿ Looking at the system prompt that popped up in his field of vision, Li Muyang took a long breath. His expression was exhilarated. This time it took a long time, and the game content was richer than imagined. Act Two involved too many things. But in the end, it was a smooth landing, and the clearance was settled. Li Muyang clicked to receive the reward with great interest. Immediately, a system prompt appeared in his field of vision. ¡¾Cultivation +50%¡¿ A vast amount of spiritual energy surged into Li Muyang¡¯s dantian. This extremely pure spiritual energy flowed into the burning golden core star in the dantian, and the surface of the star was already covered with a faint blue flame. The fiercely burning flame seemed too intense, so much so that faint cracks seemed to appear on the surface of the star. Was this golden core star... about to crack?! Li Muyang opened the character experience bar and saw his current experience value. ¡¾Golden Core Late Stage (83%)¡¿ The first act gave 10% experience value, Li Muyang had been cultivating hard for many days, plus the high-grade spirit pills bestowed by the sect had increased his cultivation by another 23%. Now, with the system¡¯s reward, it shot up to 83%, just a step away from a breakthrough in cultivation. Once stepping into the Cave Profound realm and condensing the primordial spirit, Li Muyang would truly transform and join the ranks of the high-level cultivators. However, the joy of the cultivation increase only lasted a moment, as Li Muyang, who opened his eyes in the quiet room, fell into a dilemma. Before logging off this time, Moon-Biting Dragon posed a difficult question to him. ¡°...Li Muyang, everyone has a name, but I don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve even opened up a Dragon Palace water mansion, it¡¯s impossible to still not have a name, right?¡± The innocent and cute voice of the Dragon Maiden seemed to ring in his ears again. ¡°You give me a name, and I want it to be nice. Tell me next time we meet.¡± ¡°Remember, it has to be nice!¡± ¡°If you brush me off and do it casually, I¡¯ll be very sad!¡± ¡°This is the name I¡¯ll use for the rest of my life!¡± The serious and innocent voice of the Dragon Maiden seemed to echo in his ears, and Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but rub his brow, letting out a frustrated groan. ¡°I¡¯m terrible at naming things!¡± If I could easily come up with a cool name, I wouldn¡¯t have used the lame fake name ¡¾Wuming (Nameless)¡¿ when I first met Fairy Liuli. Now Moon-Biting Dragon wants me to help with naming... isn¡¯t this asking the blind for directions? Li Muyang rubbed his brow with a troubled expression, extremely conflicted. What should I name it? Maybe I should ask Yuechan for suggestions... Chapter 318 - Black Mud Swamp Chapter 318: Black Mud Swamp ¡°Senior Brother Li, Sister Yuechan, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± The flying boat hovered above the sea of clouds, below was a remote small city, where the hometown of the border city youth Guan Xiaoshun was located. And the mountain village where Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s family lived was even more secluded and difficult to access in the deep mountains. Originally, Li Muyang and Ning Wan¡¯er discussed and decided to personally send Guan Xiaoshun to the doorstep of his village using the flying boat to return him home under the watchful eyes of the villagers and fellow countrymen. Under the rule of the Demon Refining Sect, even the rural villagers in the mountains were deeply aware of the Demonic Sect¡¯s fame. Two direct disciples, using a rare artifact like the flying boat to send Guan Xiaoshun home, such treatment was definitely a triumphant return, making quite the impression. Li Muyang doesn¡¯t like to stand out; he¡¯s more of an introvert. However, he doesn¡¯t mind helping a friend make a big splash and bring glory to their family. Even though Guan Xiaoshun was grateful for this kindness, the young man still declined. ¡°It¡¯s too grand; I¡¯m afraid it might scare them.¡± Guan Xiaoshun said, scratching his head sheepishly, insisting there¡¯s no need for a special trip to send him back to the village. He suggested they could just drop him off near his village when they pass through the nearby county town, and he would make his way back on his own. Since the young man refused, Li Muyang didn¡¯t insist further. So, when they arrived at the remote Black Marsh City, the flying boat paused briefly. After Guan Xiaoshun sincerely bid farewell to everyone, he hopped on his light and flew downwards. Even without the honor of a direct disciple escorting him back home, with Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation, his return to the village was still a matter of great pride. Moreover, Guan Xiaoshun had always been frugal and had a sharp mind for business, having saved up a considerable sum of money. One could imagine that his return home would be a splendid and joyous occasion for his entire family. Watching Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s happy departure, Li Muyang sighed with a mix of emotions. While others returned home with joy, he had no home to return to. His little sister, Li Yuechan, approached with a giggle, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Brother, do you miss Xiaoshun already?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy with Ning sister and me, two charming and beautiful ladies, keeping you company?¡± Li Muyang glanced sideways at his little sister and said, ¡°Beautiful, yes.¡± But as for being charming... looking at their figure, let¡¯s just say, she¡¯s still young, and there¡¯s potential for the future. After seeing off Guan Xiaoshun, Li Muyang and the others resumed their journey on the flying boat. This private flying boat, belonging exclusively to Yan Xiaoru, was incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, the flying boat tore through the sky and disappeared into the clouds, leaving the simple border town youth far behind. ...... Guan Xiaoshun, who landed using his light, didn¡¯t enter the city but instead walked along a familiar mountain path towards his village. His small mountain village was extremely secluded, hidden within the vast, fog-shrouded mountains. The villagers were all strong and sturdy, hunters who lived amongst wild beasts. Wearing the white robe of the Demon Refining Sect and riding his light through the forests, Guan Xiaoshun quickly returned to his village, causing quite a stir. Almost everyone in the village came out, excited and happy to surround the fortunate youth who had been selected for the Demonic Sect¡¯s Outer Sect. ¡°Xiaoshun! What do the big shots in the Demonic Sect look like? I heard they can summon clouds and mist and boil seas with fire!¡± ¡°Xiaoshun! How long can you stay this time?¡± ¡°Brother Xiaoshun! Come to my house for dinner later!¡± The familiar villagers joyfully surrounded the young man, who was the only one from the village to step out of the mountains and be selected for the Demonic Sect. His return even stirred the old village chief. Guan Xiaoshun cheerfully shared his life in the Demonic Sect over the past two years, answering everyone¡¯s questions one by one. That day, Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s home was bustling with activity. The young man had brought many things with him, but seeing his luggage so plentiful, Li Muyang gave him a Qiankun Ring. When the young man took out items from thin air, the villagers gathered at Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s doorstep were once again amazed. Guan Xiaoshun happily distributed the gifts he had brought to his fellow villagers. When he had left home to participate in the Demonic Sect disciple selection in the county town outside, the travel expenses had been pooled by the villagers. The young man remembered all these kindnesses. Now that he had returned to the village, he brought many gifts. They might not be expensive, but they were certainly what the villagers needed most. Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s parents sat smilingly to the side, watching their son with pride and joy. The commotion lasted until late into the night before the villagers gradually dispersed. Guan Xiaoshun lay on his small wooden bed, inhaling the familiar scent in the air and listening to his parents¡¯ happy conversation in the next room, which continued until after midnight. Then, the simple border town youth quietly got up. He silently pushed open the door and stepped outside, using the cover of the dark night to enter the wild and deep mountains behind the village. Following a strange river in the mountains, filled with sludge and black water, Guan Xiaoshun continued deeper into the mountain range. He didn¡¯t ride his light but instead walked through the river, stepping on the mud and advancing into the mountains. After more than an hour, the young man finally saw the familiar black lake. The dark surface of the lake was shrouded in a faint white mist. The villagers said that there were terrifying demons in the black lake, not to be approached, for one could lose their mind. But Guan Xiaoshun was not afraid. He rubbed his hands together by the desolate and silent lake and called out into the misty depths. ¡°Senior! Are you still there? It¡¯s Guan Xiaoshun, I¡¯m back!¡± Guan Xiaoshun stood by the lake and called out for a while. However, the pitch-black water of the lake remained undisturbed, and the mist on the surface seemed to freeze, motionless. The young man felt a bit disappointed: ¡°Has senior already left?¡± The reason he had mustered the courage to participate in the Demonic Sect disciple selection outside the mountains was that the mysterious senior in the black lake had told him he had a bit of cultivation talent, albeit poor. But having cultivation talent, no matter how meager, was enough for the young man. He didn¡¯t aspire to become a big shot. Being a disciple of the Demonic Sect, even just an outer disciple, was enough for him. It could be said that it was senior¡¯s casual comment that changed his life. If he hadn¡¯t firmly decided to participate in the Demonic Sect disciple selection, he wouldn¡¯t have achieved his current cultivation level. Guan Xiaoshun stood by the lake, disappointed, and waited for a long time without any response, so he turned to leave. But as he turned around, he saw a pale-faced man standing there, who had appeared at some unknown time. The man had a terrifying wound on his chest, deep enough to see the bone, and one could even vaguely see his beating heart. As their gazes met, Guan Xiaoshun was overjoyed. ¡°Senior! You didn¡¯t leave!¡± The joy of regaining what was lost made the young man smile brightly. He happily bounced over and said, ¡°I called you for so long without a response, I thought you had left...¡± The young man excitedly shared his feelings. The man, however, looked at Guan Xiaoshun in surprise, sensing the aura of a cultivator on him. He said, ¡°You kid... really went to the Demon Refining Sect?¡± ¡°And you became a white-robed disciple?¡± Chapter 319 - Compensating You Chapter 319: Compensating You The mysterious man looked astonished. Guan Xiaoshun happily recounted his experiences over the past two years to the senior. After hearing from senior that he had cultivation talent, he had resolved to participate in the selection for the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s outer disciples. Later, he was fortunate enough to rise to the Inner Sect. The young man rambled on while taking out a dark red pill. He carefully handed the pill to the mysterious man and said, ¡°Senior, this is a healing elixir I found in the sect. Please try it and see if it can help with your injuries.¡± The wound on the man¡¯s chest was too ghastly. After receiving the pill, the mysterious man raised an eyebrow slightly: ¡°Oh? A Gathering Spirit Pill? Where did you get this, kid?¡± Although the Gathering Spirit Pill was a medium-grade elixir, its effect on healing flesh wounds was comparable to some high-grade elixirs. It was also quite famous in the cultivation world. Considering Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s white robe, getting his hands on a Gathering Spirit Pill... to be honest, was still quite difficult. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say it could bankrupt a family. Guan Xiaoshun chuckled and said, ¡°I saved up and bought it. I¡¯ve been saving money since I entered the sect. I saved a lot! Senior, please try the pill and see if it works.¡± The mysterious man looked at him deeply but didn¡¯t say much. Instead, he simply swallowed the Gathering Spirit Pill. The next second, the huge wound on the mysterious man¡¯s chest began to move, sprouting many tiny flesh buds. These buds wriggled and entwined, seemingly trying to heal the wound. However, as the flesh buds continued to grow, dark impurities kept emerging from the wound, corroding the new flesh. Gradually, the growth of the flesh buds ceased, and the wound on the man¡¯s chest remained unchanged, showing no signs of improvement. Guan Xiaoshun felt somewhat disappointed: ¡°Even the Gathering Spirit Pill can¡¯t heal senior¡¯s injuries?¡± The mysterious man, however, was not surprised by this outcome. He shook his head indifferently, a faint smile appearing on his pale and handsome face. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your experiences these past days instead. I didn¡¯t expect you to actually join the Demon Refining Sect...¡± The man shook his head, feeling somewhat helpless. When it came to recounting his experiences in the sect over the past two years, Guan Xiaoshun became excited. He happily shared his experiences with the senior, including how he met Senior Brother Li who took good care of him, encountered a mysterious senior who gave him high-grade spiritual rice, followed Senior Brother Li to join the Inner Sect, and later participated in suppressing the turmoil in Tianjiao City caused by the Blood Lotus Sect... Guan Xiaoshun enthusiastically shared these experiences with the senior. The mysterious man, however, just shook his head and laughed. ¡°What mysterious senior... If I¡¯m not mistaken, the one who gave you the high-grade spiritual rice was your Senior Brother Li.¡± ¡°This person is reserved and stable and has encountered some sort of opportunity, which has led to his rapid rise... Such stories are not uncommon in the cultivation world.¡± ¡°As for you, kid, you¡¯ve been with him for so long, haven¡¯t you ever doubted him? Why would an unknown person give you high-grade spiritual rice for no reason?¡± ¡°The only person around you with the motive and ability to give you so much high-grade spiritual rice is this Senior Brother Li, no one else.¡± The mysterious man laughed and shook his head. Guan Xiaoshun widened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Ah? It was Senior Brother Li? But at that time, he was just an outer disciple, how could he have so much high-grade spiritual rice...¡± The mysterious man shook his head again. ¡°There¡¯s a ninety percent chance it was him. He must have something extraordinary about him to improve his cultivation so quickly. But you don¡¯t need to bring this up, just remember it quietly.¡± ¡°After all, the favors and care he has given you are not limited to this. You, my boy, are a fool blessed with good fortune...¡± The mysterious man sighed softly, then looked at the Demonic Sect¡¯s white robe on the boy and sighed silently. This kid had actually become a disciple of the Demonic Sect... We had agreed to completely destroy the Demon Refining Sect... But if I were to destroy the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s lineage, wouldn¡¯t this kid become a homeless stray dog? Sigh... Thinking of this, the mysterious man sighed deeply and suddenly said, ¡°Kid, I¡¯ll teach you something as compensation.¡± Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s eyes widened in surprise: ¡°Compensation?¡± The mysterious man patted his forehead and said, ¡°You¡¯ll understand in the future...¡± As the man¡¯s voice fell, a huge shadow of a dragon moved vaguely under the water in the swampy black lake behind him. ..... Heavenly Origin Dynasty, Northern Spruce Ridge. There was a ferry here that could cross the Yushui River to the other side. Dressed in green, Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue, carrying an immortal sword, appeared quietly at this place. ¡°Excuse me, shopkeeper, how far is Pingyao City from here?¡± Chu Qingxue stood on the steep mountain path of Spruce Ridge and asked the shopkeeper in a roadside tea stall. The shopkeeper was about to speak when suddenly, from afar, a roaring and piercing noise came. Cheers erupted from the direction of the ferry. The shopkeeper glanced at it and then ran out excitedly, shouting, ¡°The Dragon Goddess is wise and just!¡± Not just the shopkeeper, but all the boatmen, shopkeepers, and nearly everyone in sight at the Spruce Ridge ferry rushed excitedly towards the port. It seemed that something big had happened. Chu Qingxue, slightly puzzled, followed the crowd. When she arrived at the ferry, she witnessed an astonishing scene. In broad daylight, a group of half-human half-demon creatures rose from the Yushui River. They were clad in armor, wielding weapons, and brazenly appeared before the eyes of mortals. Instead of being afraid, the mortals at the Spruce Ridge ferry knelt down respectfully. Chu Qingxue, the only person standing in the crowd, immediately stood out. However, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals that emerged from the river glanced at this woman but said nothing. The crab general leading them waved its large pincers and said to the kneeling mortals at the ferry. ¡°By the decree of the Dragon Goddess! I am here to capture the evil creatures causing trouble outside Spruce Ridge!¡± ¡°Stand aside, do not block the way!¡± The shrimp soldiers and crab generals rose from the water and headed straight for a dense forest outside the Spruce Ridge ferry. Among this group, three evil creatures were bound by fishing nets, struggling incessantly, obviously already captured. The onlookers dispersed, making way for them. Fairy Liuli, seeing such a scene, frowned slightly. ¡°The Dragon Goddess...¡± She immediately thought of what Senior Brother Shen had said, that Lord Wuming was traveling with the Flood Dragon of the northern Yushui River. But she hadn¡¯t expected that the Flood Dragon had already established a Dragon Palace and even transformed so many shrimp soldiers and crab generals to hunt down evil creatures. Although hunting evil spirits was a good deed that benefited mortals, to act so ostentatiously in the northern counties... Chu Qingxue became anxious. ¡°Does Lord Wuming really not know the dangers of the northern counties?¡± After quickly inquiring about the direction to Pingyao City, she hurried towards it. Even so, Fairy Liuli did not dare to fly with her sword. Instead, she submerged into the Yushui River and followed the river downstream. Keeping a low profile, she concealed the fact that she was a cultivator. Chapter 320 - Fairy Chu’s Discomposure Chapter 320: Fairy Chu¡¯s Discomposure ¡°Hey! Li Muyang, haven¡¯t you thought of a name for me yet?¡± In a wilderness far from the Yushui River, the voice of Dragon Maiden filled with complaint rang out. Li Muyang, who had just logged on not long ago, felt somewhat helpless upon hearing this. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, didn¡¯t I come up with two names for you just now? But you said they didn¡¯t sound nice...¡± Dragon Maiden immediately retorted with irritation: ¡°They really didn¡¯t sound nice! How could you come up with such unpleasant names for me!¡± Dragon Maiden, who was usually simple and cheerful, was rarely unhappy. Clearly, the two names Li Muyang had come up with were indeed unpleasant. Li Muyang was also at a loss: ¡°Then let me go back and think about it some more, flip through a few more books, and see what name would sound nice and also meet your expectations.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to come up with one in just one day.¡± He didn¡¯t have the talent for instant literary creation, and he had always lacked a gift for literature. The task of naming Dragon Maiden was a Herculean one for him. But Dragon Maiden didn¡¯t continue to complain. After hearing Li Muyang¡¯s response, she cheerfully said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go continue our hunt.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve caught so many evil beings these past few days, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals that were enlightened when the Dragon Palace was established are really powerful!¡± Dragon Maiden was very happy about this. After all, most of the evil beings in the northern counties were weak and scattered across various places. For her to catch them one by one would be too troublesome and tiring. Now that she had a group of obedient subordinates to help her, she was able to save a lot of effort. And the faith in the Dragon Goddess spread throughout the entire northern counties in a very short time. Even in county towns and villages outside the Yushui River basin, the villagers built temples to the Dragon Goddess and offered incense, just in case. Therefore, Li Muyang and Dragon Maiden were now almost familiar with the entire northern counties, mastering the whereabouts of all the evil beings that appeared. The shrimp soldiers and crab generals hunted evil beings along the Yushui River basin, while Li Muyang and Moon-Biting Dragon went to the counties and wilds outside the river basin to eradicate demons. This was the final wrap-up work before leaving the border, and to be honest, it was somewhat dull and boring. With Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s current cultivation and strength, eradicating the evil beings that ravaged the north was a complete sweep. If it weren¡¯t for the concern that Fairy Liuli might come north to meet him, Li Muyang would have wanted to completely go offline and leave the hunting of evil beings entirely to Moon-Biting Dragon. After swallowing an evil being in the wilderness, the three-hundred-zhang-long colossal Flood Dragon soared into the sky, riding the clouds towards the distance. But this time, halfway through the journey, Li Muyang sensed that the shrimp soldiers and crab generals were calling him from within the Dragon Palace. ¡°Goddess! The Fairy Chu you mentioned has already arrived at Pingyao City and is waiting inside...¡± Before setting out, Li Muyang had arranged for a shrimp soldier to stay outside Pingyao City to monitor the movements within. If they discovered Chu Qingxue¡¯s whereabouts, they were to report to him immediately. Unexpectedly, in just a few days, Chu Qingxue had arrived. Fairy Liuli¡¯s speed was indeed fast. The voice of Moon-Biting Dragon suddenly rang in his ears. ¡°Here she comes, here she comes!¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was extremely excited: ¡°Your friend is here! Let¡¯s hurry back to meet her!¡± Moon-Biting Dragon showed strong curiosity and interest in Chu Qingxue, a person who only existed in legends. Now that she heard Chu Qingxue had arrived, she was even more excited and happy than Li Muyang. Li Muyang, while moving his body towards Pingyao City, was curious. ¡°Why are you so excited?¡± Li Muyang was puzzled: ¡°This Fairy Chu has nothing to do with you.¡± Dragon Maiden, full of enthusiasm, said: ¡°But she has something to do with you! If she¡¯s related to you, then she¡¯s related to me.¡± ¡°Hurry, hurry, if we go late and she leaves...¡± Dragon Maiden was so anxious she could hardly wait, as if she wanted to take over Li Muyang and fly herself. Feeling the urgency of Dragon Maiden¡¯s soul within him, Li Muyang shook his head speechlessly, but said nothing more, and he moved his body to speed up the flight. Fortunately, they were not far from Pingyao City, and it seemed that Dragon Maiden had intentionally maintained a distance from the city, not wanting to stray too far. Now that he had heard the news of Chu Qingxue¡¯s arrival in Pingyao City, Li Muyang rode the clouds in the sky, and in just an hour, he arrived above Star Moon Lake, seeing Pingyao City by the lakeshore from afar. Pingyao City was located at the mouth of Star Moon Lake, which was also where the waters of the Yushui River flowed into the lake. Therefore, merchant ships were constantly coming and going, and trade was flourishing. In a quiet place outside Pingyao City, there was a pavilion for travelers to rest. At this moment, Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue was sitting upright inside the pavilion, with several shrimp soldiers and crab generals from the Dragon Palace carefully standing by, pouring tea and water. When the clouds drifted from the sky, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals immediately became excited. ¡°The Goddess has arrived!¡± They hurriedly reported to Chu Qingxue, who had been waiting in the pavilion for a long time. ¡°Reporting to Fairy Chu, our Goddess has arrived.¡± Hearing this news, Fairy Liuli was slightly puzzled. ¡°Your Goddess...¡± She looked towards the rapidly approaching cloud in the sky, and her heart suddenly tightened. This meeting was supposed to be an arranged encounter with Lord Wuming, a follow-up to their previous meeting in Sanhe City. According to her Senior Brother, she must resolve things with Lord Wuming during this meeting. If she continued to be restless, she would eventually fall into demonic ways again. After the incident in Sanhe City, she had been in turmoil. Shame, discomfort, and a complex emotion of loss tormented her constantly, preventing her from calming down to cultivate. The scenes from that world of heart demons, witnessed by Lord Wuming... Every time she thought of the images she fantasized about in her world of heart demons, her face would burn with embarrassment. She had been so shameless, indulging in the world of heart demons, even marrying and having children with Lord Wuming. And all of this had been witnessed by Lord Wuming himself... Ahhh!!! Every time she thought about it, she felt so ashamed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into. At first, she was afraid that Lord Wuming would come to her to see her again. She didn¡¯t know how she would face Lord Wuming if they met again. However, as time passed day by day, not only did Lord Wuming not come to find her, but he also vanished without a trace, and she could no longer find him... As time went on, Chu Qingxue became increasingly panicked. She suddenly feared that Lord Wuming would disappear from the world like this, never to see her again. Up to this point, she didn¡¯t even know Lord Wuming¡¯s real name or face. Every time Lord Wuming came to see her, it was through some form of projected avatar. If Lord Wuming had truly decided to disappear and live incognito, she might never have seen him again in this lifetime... Realizing this, Chu Qingxue suddenly panicked. Could it be that I scared Lord Wuming away? Such a mix of emotions¡ªworry, panic, embarrassment¡ªtumbled through Fairy Liuli¡¯s mind every day. So much so that when Senior Brother Shen brought news of Lord Wuming¡¯s whereabouts in the North, she didn¡¯t hesitate to head here. But now, hearing the shrimp soldiers and crab generals say that the Dragon Goddess of Yushui River had also arrived, Chu Qingxue was momentarily stunned. It was supposed to be a private meeting between her and Lord Wuming, so why would the Dragon Goddess of Yushui River want to come along? Lord Wuming alone would have been enough! Or could it be... She recalled what Senior Brother Shen had said before, ¡°Wuming and the Flood Dragon of Yushui River are very close.¡± At this moment, Chu Qingxue¡¯s hand, holding the teacup, trembled slightly. A guess surfaced in her mind. Could it be... that the Dragon Goddess of Yushui River is Lord Wuming¡¯s... wife? Does Lord Wuming actually already have a family? Chapter 321 - You’re Actually a Woman?! Chapter 321: You¡¯re Actually a Woman?! In the pavilion, a hint of panic suddenly appeared in Fairy Liuli¡¯s eyes. She, who was always cool and indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about worldly matters, was now unusually flustered. As she saw the clouds in the sky rapidly approaching and heard the joyful shouts of the shrimp soldiers and crab generals beside her, Chu Qingxue suddenly felt an urge to turn and flee. If she ran away, she might never witness the scene of Lord Wuming and his wife arriving together... If she ran away... Chu Qingxue tried to stand up, but she was frozen in place and unable to move as if under a spell. It wasn¡¯t until the cloud cluster floated above the pavilion that the Dragon Goddess finally arrived. At that moment, Chu Qingxue found that she could move again. She looked at the dissipating fog in the sky with a sense of loss, no longer wanting to escape. Instead, she sat quietly like a prisoner awaiting execution, falling into a state of indifference as if she had seen through life and death. In the next second, the clouds in the sky dispersed, and a white figure descended from the mist. The enormous pale Flood Dragon transformed in the blink of an eye into an ethereal and stunning figure standing outside the pavilion. Adorned with a light white robe embellished with colorful tassels, she looked noble and majestic. Her flawless face, breathtakingly beautiful, could make the women of the world feel inferior. Chu Qingxue stared at the Dragon Goddess in silence, taken aback. She looked up at the sky again, where the cloud had already vanished, leaving only one figure¡ªthe Dragon Goddess before her. But where was Lord Wuming? Fairy Liuli stood up, hesitant and confused. ¡°May I ask the Goddess...¡± After a moment of hesitation, she still asked proactively, ¡°Isn¡¯t Lord Wuming with you?¡± The next second, the Dragon Goddess, dressed in a magnificent robe and radiant with beauty, revealed an embarrassed smile on her face. Although it was a woman¡¯s voice, the tone was strangely familiar to Chu Qingxue. ¡°Uh... well... fairy chu, I am Wuming.¡± The moment Dragon Maiden uttered these words, the air in the pavilion seemed to freeze. A desolate cold wind swept through the pavilion silently. Chu Qingxue stood there, stunned, staring at the Dragon Maiden, her eyes wide and pupils dilated, even her lips parted in shock. ¡°You... you... you...¡± Chu Qingxue stammered three times, her pupils quaking as if she had a thousand words to say. But despite opening her mouth three times, she said nothing. Her quivering shock made one worry she might faint the next second. But in the end, she did not faint. Instead, with a mix of shock, bitterness, despair, and sorrow, she uttered the unbelievable words. ¡°You¡¯re actually a woman?!¡± At that moment, Chu Qingxue felt everything go dark. The overwhelming truth nearly made her pass out. Li Muyang was astonished by Chu Qingxue¡¯s intense reaction. He hesitated for a moment, about to speak, when he heard the excited voice of Dragon Maiden. ¡°Look, look! I told you! This Chu fairy wants to mate with you, to bear your children!¡± ¡°Hearing you¡¯re a female and can¡¯t mate or have offspring, she¡¯s about to break down!¡± Dragon Maiden¡¯s excited voice was filled with schadenfreude and the joy of watching the fun. Li Muyang¡¯s face darkened at her interruption, and he forgot what he was going to say. By the time he recovered, Chu Qingxue had already spoken those words of shock and despair. Seeing Chu Qingxue¡¯s dramatic reaction, Li Muyang truly suspected she might faint the next second. So he quickly corrected her misconception. ¡°No! I¡¯m a man. This is the body of the Yushui River Dragon King, which I¡¯m temporarily using!¡± Li Muyang didn¡¯t have time to phrase it delicately. The main thing was to clarify his identity and not continue to shock fairy chu. He didn¡¯t expect the usually cold and indifferent Chu Qingxue to react so intensely to his appearance. This fairy chu... does she really like me? To be honest, up to this point, Li Muyang still found it miraculous. His relationship with Chu Qingxue was nothing more than a gentlemanly friendship, as calm as water. Their encounters and support for each other were just normal interactions between friends. Although the instances they faced together were dangerous, Li Muyang relied on his ability to ¡®reload¡¯ saves, and they had mostly managed to get through without any real peril, never falling into a desperate life-or-death situation. There was no chance to trigger the so-called ¡®suspension bridge effect.¡¯ So how did Chu fairy come to like him? Li Muyang was curious, feeling as if he were in a dream. He controlled the body of Dragon Maiden to walk into the pavilion. After finishing his explanation, Fairy Liuli visibly relaxed. ¡°...Is that so?¡± She murmured softly to herself, and after her emotions settled, Fairy Liuli returned to her usual silent and aloof demeanor, seemingly indifferent to everything in the world, a stark contrast to her earlier agitation. This version of Chu Qingxue felt much more familiar and comforting to Li Muyang. He invited Chu Qingxue to sit down in the pavilion and gently tapped the stone table. A drop of water rose from the teacup, turning into a mist that spread outwards. In the blink of an eye, the mist had spread in all directions. The thick fog obscured the view within a ten-li radius, making it impossible to see anything beyond a few zhang. After doing all this, Li Muyang waved his hand to dismiss the shrimp soldiers and crab generals standing by. Thus, in the pavilion shrouded by the dense fog by the lakeside, only Chu Qingxue and Li Muyang remained. The fog concealed everything, preventing any outsiders from approaching. In the quiet mist, Chu Qingxue watched the rising fog and sighed softly. After several months apart, the Liuli Immortal Sword on her back seemed even sharper. The Liuli Immortal Sword, once its seal was broken, was a true immortal weapon, extraordinary in power. However, Li Muyang only glanced at the immortal sword before shifting his gaze away. He looked at Fairy Liuli seriously and thoughtfully, choosing his words carefully. ¡°...When I met Brother Jing earlier, he mentioned that you were looking for me.¡± Li Muyang pondered for a moment and then decided to be straightforward. ¡°Fairy, are you looking for me because you have something to tell me?¡± Li Muyang earnestly looked at her and said, ¡°This place is shrouded in thick fog, preventing idle people from approaching. Those shrimp soldiers and crab generals have also left. The words spoken today in the pavilion, once they leave fairy¡¯s mouth and enter my ears, will not be divulged to others.¡± Li Muyang continued, ¡°If the fairy has something to say, please speak freely; I am all ears.¡± Li Muyang was sincere, getting straight to the point. At this juncture, he didn¡¯t want to evade the issue. Chu Qingxue¡¯s feelings had come somewhat inexplicably, but since they had arisen, he would face them. Hemming and hawing was not in Li Muyang¡¯s nature. Chapter 322 - The Living Earth Chapter 322: The Living Earth Within the mist-enshrouded pavilion, the air was thick with moisture. Li Muyang laid his cards on the table with utmost honesty, waiting for Fairy Liuli¡¯s response. Procrastination was never his style. However, after he finished speaking, Fairy Liuli in front of him fell silent. She tilted her head in thought for a moment and then said, ¡°This time, my journey northward to find Lord Wuming is primarily to issue a warning. I heard from Senior Brother Shen that Lord Wuming may not be fully aware of the situation north of Yin Mountain...¡± Chu Qingxue looked towards Star Moon Lake outside the pavilion, her gaze seemingly piercing through the dense fog to the Dragon Palace at the bottom of the lake. She spoke softly, ¡°To slay evil beings and pacify demons in the northern counties is indeed a great merit that benefits all living beings. But establishing the Water Palace and flaunting one¡¯s presence... such actions are too provocative and will invite disaster.¡± After pondering, Fairy Liuli spoke not of matters related to affection but instead brought up a serious issue unrelated to feelings. At Li Muyang¡¯s ear, the voice of the disappointed Dragon Maiden echoed. ¡°Ah? Is this what she wanted to say...¡± Not seeing the drama of lovelorn men and women, the Dragon Maiden was quite disappointed. Li Muyang was also slightly taken aback, looking at Chu Qingxue in front of him with surprise, unable to grasp the fairy¡¯s thoughts. Did she consider this matter the most important and therefore brought it up first? Or was it... that the fairy was avoiding something else? Li Muyang couldn¡¯t quite figure out Chu Qingxue¡¯s intentions, so for the time being, he could only follow her lead in the conversation. After all, this topic was also of concern to him. ¡°Invite disaster...¡± Li Muyang thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Please enlighten me, fairy, what disaster are you referring to? Are you talking about the evil beings beyond the northern border?¡± Fairy Liuli nodded and then immediately shook her head. ¡°Yes, but not only that. Your actions with the Dragon Goddess of Yushui River will indeed attract the enmity of those foreign beings beyond the border. But the crisis is not limited to those evil beings; it also includes the land north of Yin Mountain.¡± Fairy Liuli said, ¡°My master once mentioned that the land north of Yin Mountain hides a strand of immortal fate, but within that opportunity lies danger... This land devours people.¡± Chu Qingxue¡¯s last addition left Li Muyang slightly stunned. The Dragon Maiden, who was enjoying the spectacle, was also very surprised. ¡°The land devours people? What does that mean?¡± The statement sounded rather ominous. Li Muyang frowned and asked, ¡°Please explain, fairy, what do you mean by the land devouring people?¡± Fairy Liuli said, ¡°It means exactly what it sounds like... This land will swallow living beings.¡± ¡°Living and cultivating on this land, one is always at risk of being devoured by it.¡± ¡°The higher one¡¯s cultivation, the stronger one¡¯s aura, the more likely it is to be targeted by this land and swallowed.¡± Chu Qingxue looked at Li Muyang, her tone utterly calm as she spoke these terrifying words. ¡°This land... is alive.¡± ¡°???¡± Chu Qingxue¡¯s statement left Li Muyang completely dumbfounded. The land is alive? And it eats people? What the... At this moment, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation. The land north of Yin Mountain devours people? The higher the cultivation, the more likely to be devoured? So, is this the reason why there are no cultivators or demons in the land north of Yin Mountain, and even the Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau is reluctant to set foot there? Li Muyang looked at the ground beneath his feet in astonishment. The ordinary soil seemed no different from any other land he had trodden on. He could not feel the pulse of life or sense any danger. But he did not doubt Chu Qingxue¡¯s words. Fairy Liuli had no reason to come all this way to deceive him. Li Muyang furrowed his brow and said, ¡°So, there are no cultivators or demons in the north because the land devours people? Even those evil beings beyond the border are reluctant to step inside the barrier... because the land inside devours people?!¡± Fairy Liuli shook her head, ¡°To correct you, it¡¯s not that the land inside the barrier devours people. It¡¯s the entire land north of Yin Mountain that does so.¡± Fairy Liuli continued, ¡°And the further north you go, the greater the risk of being devoured by this land.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that those foreign beings beyond the border have somehow found a way to avoid being devoured.¡± ¡°However, their method of evasion seems to only work beyond the border. Once they enter the barrier, it no longer works.¡± Fairy Liuli revealed another piece of crucial information. After hearing all this, Li Muyang finally felt a sense of enlightenment. So this was the power structure of the land north of Yin Mountain? The land devours people, and even those foreign beings beyond the border can only avoid it with some kind of strange technique? No wonder the northern counties had become a forgotten corner by both sides, with only a group of evil beings wandering around. And these beings often vanished into thin air. Before Li Muyang arrived, the villagers in the north would either seek help from wandering immortals outside the border or wait for the rampaging evil beings nearby to leave on their own. Now it seemed that those beings might not have left but were likely devoured by this land. This... Li Muyang let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°The Heavenly Origin Dynasty truly is a place of outstanding people and remarkable land!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but exclaim once again. Truly, this continent exudes a sinister nature, always coming up with new tricks. Li Muyang thought that after experiencing the Ancient Grudge Well in the south, the Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and the roaming evil creatures beyond the border, it would be hard to shock him anymore. But to his surprise, the very ground beneath his feet turned out to be alive! Li Muyang curiously asked, ¡°Did Master Qingye ever mention why this land is alive?¡± A land that devours people, this really opened his eyes. Fairy Liuli, however, shook her head and said, ¡°The master never spoke of it, perhaps he doesn¡¯t know much either.¡± ¡°But this land devours people, hence it has been forgotten by the world.¡± ¡°Lord Wuming, you and the Dragon Goddess of the Yushui River practice here, even brazenly establishing the Water Palace Dragon Palace, with your cultivation growing day by day...¡± Fairy Liuli looked at Li Muyang with concern and said, ¡°I¡¯m very worried that you might be swallowed by this land at any moment.¡± ¡°...¡± Hearing Chu Qingxue¡¯s concerns, Li Muyang fell into a silent contemplation. After thinking for a moment, he asked, ¡°If I keep flying in the sky and don¡¯t land, won¡¯t I avoid being eaten?¡± The instinct of a gamer made him want to exploit a bug. But Fairy Liuli shook her head: ¡°No, the land and the sky are one and the same.¡± ¡°As long as you are within this realm, unless you can fly above the nine heavens where all things cease to exist, you will be devoured by the land.¡± Fairy Liuli¡¯s description made the land seem even more terrifying. According to her, one would have to fly into the vacuum of space to avoid being devoured? With that said, this land is too frightening, and the range of its consumption too vast. The Dragon Maiden was starting to get scared. ¡°Li Muyang, can we go with your friend to the south? This place is just too sinister!¡± Chapter 323 - Here it comes, finally here Chapter 323: Here it comes, finally here Even though she had just established the Water Dragon Palace and officially became the Dragon King of the Yushui River, the straightforward Dragon Maiden, without any beating around the bush, wanted to flee upon feeling scared. Li Muyang, however, could only give a wry smile. ¡°Before Master Qingye went out to sea, he set up a great heaven and earth formation at Yin Mountain. Any demonic cultivator or strange being coming from the north would perish upon crossing Yin Mountain.¡± ¡°This Yushui Dragon King, being born here, knows the dangers but cannot escape to the south.¡± Li Muyang explained. Chu Qingxue nodded slightly and said, ¡°Indeed, the Dragon Goddess cannot go to the south. Only Lord Wuming...¡± Chu Qingxue¡¯s probing gaze turned to Li Muyang: ¡°Lord Wuming, is your true body in the north?¡± This was something Chu Qingxue was very concerned about. Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°My true body is not in the north, so don¡¯t worry about me being eaten.¡± ¡°Even if this flesh is consumed by the land, I can still retreat unscathed.¡± Li Muyang simply clarified the situation to ease Chu Qingxue¡¯s worries. But as Chu Qingxue¡¯s concerns were alleviated, the Moon-Biting Dragon soul within him became anxious. ¡°Hey! Li Muyang! You¡¯re not planning to abandon me, are you?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon suddenly panicked: ¡°Aren¡¯t we sworn friends, sharing life and death, advancing and retreating together?¡± ¡°If you run away and leave me to die here... Ahhh! Won¡¯t your conscience hurt for the rest of your life?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon tried to awaken Li Muyang¡¯s conscience. Li Muyang, however, had to suppress a laugh: ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have a conscience.¡± Chu Qingxue was taken aback and somewhat puzzled by Li Muyang¡¯s sudden statement: ¡°Lord Wuming, what do you mean by that?¡± Chu Qingxue pondered for a moment, looking suspiciously at the beautiful figure of the Dragon Maiden before her: ¡°Are you talking to the real Dragon Goddess?¡± Chu Qingxue had seen through it, and Li Muyang did not hide it. He nodded and said, ¡°Yes, there is indeed a Dragon Goddess of the Yushui River. This incarnation is different from the previous ones. She coexists with me in this body.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s previous game avatars had no consciousness or intelligence. But this time, the Moon-Biting Dragon was indeed different. However, Chu Qingxue was not surprised by this. She seemed to have guessed it already. She looked at the Dragon Maiden before her and said softly, ¡°In any case, the land north of Yin Mountain is dangerous.¡± ¡°Even someone as flamboyant as Senior Brother Shen, when he reached the north, did not dare to fly with his sword but walked on foot instead.¡± If Chu Qingxue hadn¡¯t been in a hurry to warn Li Muyang, she would have walked on the ground like a mortal. This time, she used the water-avoidance technique to travel swiftly from the Yushui River to Pingyao City. After seeing Li Muyang and delivering the most important warning, Chu Qingxue also breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°In any case, this land is extremely dangerous. If Lord Wuming doesn¡¯t want the Dragon Goddess to die inexplicably, you must find a way to avoid being devoured by the land as soon as possible.¡± Chu Qingxue concluded with this statement. And at that moment, a system prompt appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s vision. ¡¾Main Quest: Travel beyond the border to unravel the secret of the netherworld and avoid the risk of being devoured¡¿ ¡¾Time until devoured: 7:21:43¡¿ ¡°???¡± The sudden system prompt startled Li Muyang. Goodness! Another surprise from the system? There¡¯s actually a countdown to this land devouring people? With only 7 days and 21 hours left? WDNMD! (TLN: wo diao ni ma de, I f*ck your mom) If Fairy Liuli hadn¡¯t come to warn him and unlock this important information, would the system have remained silent? And then, without any explanation, he would be deleted in seven days? Li Muyang was somewhat speechless but also relieved. Fortunately, Fairy Liuli came in time to remind him, or else he would have really been caught off guard. With that in mind, Li Muyang sighed and said to the fairy before him, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to make a trip beyond the border to seek a solution from those evil creatures, to avoid the deadly threat of this land.¡± Beyond the border, not only were there materials for him to level up, but it was also key to whether his game account could continue to exist. This time, he had no choice but to go. After a moment of silence, Chu Qingxue said, ¡°That might be a way...¡± But Chu Qingxue added, ¡°However, there¡¯s something I need to correct.¡± She looked at Li Muyang and said, ¡°Those beyond the border... they are not evil creatures.¡± She whispered, ¡°Master said that although they are not demon cultivators or spirits, they are not the evil entities from the Ancient Grudge Well either.¡± ¡°Those beings beyond the border are another kind of peculiar anomaly.¡± ¡°However, even Master finds it difficult to understand the origins of these anomalies. The only certainty is that they are one of the most unique groups in the world, possibly related to the evil lineages of ancient times.¡± Ancient Evil Lineage... Li Muyang¡¯s mind stirred: ¡°Is it the Black Cloud Village from ancient times?¡± Chu Qingxue looked at Li Muyang with surprise and asked, ¡°Does Lord Wuming know of Black Cloud Village?¡± Li Muyang smiled wryly, thinking to himself, I know Black Cloud Village all too well. I even have an alternate game character there. Unfortunately, Chu Qingxue only knew that these anomalies might be related to the Ancient Evil Lineage, but she had no further clues. It seemed that her master was also unaware of this matter, hence he had not discussed it with his disciples. Following this train of thought, Li Muyang suddenly remembered the two wandering immortals he had encountered before. Thinking carefully about the strange state of those wandering immortals... It seemed quite similar to his ¡¾Flesh and Bone Green Garment¡¿, didn¡¯t it? Uh... could it really be the same kind as the Flesh and Bone Green Garment? Li Muyang narrowed his eyes. He remembered that the Flesh and Bone Green Garment had an upgrade function. Aside from the Item Advancement Talisman given by the system, the Flesh and Bone Green Garment itself would accumulate upgrade materials after a successful hunt. Could he hunt these wandering immortals with the Flesh and Bone Green Garment? Uhh... but the two wandering immortals he had encountered before seemed to be beyond what the Flesh and Bone Green Garment could handle. Li Muyang decided to keep this matter in mind and look for an opportunity to try it later. He didn¡¯t believe there weren¡¯t weaker wandering immortals beyond the border. Li Muyang then asked Chu Qingxue in detail about the types and strengths of the anomalous forces beyond the frontier. However, Chu Qingxue didn¡¯t know much about those anomalies and couldn¡¯t provide much useful information. At least, her account allowed Li Muyang to quickly sketch out the division of powers beyond the frontier and gain some insight into those entities. He expressed his gratitude to Fairy Chu, thanking her for the information, which was indeed very important. And the initial emotional issue seemed to have been tacitly set aside by the two of them. Li Muyang thought Fairy Chu was avoiding the topic, so he didn¡¯t bring it up again. However, after all the discussions were over, the indifferent Fairy Chu suddenly spoke up again, bringing up the matter. ¡°Lord Wuming, you must have seen everything that Qingxue felt in her heart in the world of inner demons, right?¡± After discussing serious matters, Fairy Chu unexpectedly started this topic again. She quietly looked at Li Muyang and asked, ¡°What were you thinking at that time, Lord Wuming?¡± Li Muyang, who thought the conversation had ended, was completely unprepared and was stunned by Chu Qingxue¡¯s sudden attack. He hesitated for a moment, looking at Chu Qingxue in front of him, and said, ¡°Uh... Fairy, what are you referring to?¡± The question was so broad and sudden that Li Muyang was at a loss for an answer. But Chu Qingxue was not in a hurry. She quietly watched Li Muyang, still with that familiar indifference, as if they were discussing something as trivial as what to drink later. However, the words she uttered caused the Dragon Maiden to let out an excited and sharp cry. ¡°Ah, ah, ah, here it comes! Finally! Let¡¯s go!!!¡± In the midst of Dragon Maiden¡¯s excited shouts, Li Muyang heard Chu Qingxue¡¯s soft whisper. ¡°I mean... Lord Wuming, do you despise me? What do you think of Qingxue?¡± ¡°Qingxue¡¯s sudden affection for you... has it caused you any trouble?¡± In the midst of Fairy Chu¡¯s soft murmur, accompanied by Dragon Maiden¡¯s excited shouting. ¡°Quickly say you like her! Li Muyang! She¡¯s so beautiful! Just say you like her!¡± Chapter 324 - Her love is for Lord Wuming, what does it have to do with me? Chapter 324: Her love is for Lord Wuming, what does it have to do with me? As a bystander, Dragon Maiden was even more excited about Li Muyang¡¯s feelings than Li Muyang himself. When Chu Qingxue suddenly spoke up and brought up the matter again, her excited and sharp cries made Li Muyang worry that she might faint from the excitement. Now, the voice of Dragon Maiden echoed in his ears. This face-loving Moon-Biting Dragon was crazily urging Li Muyang to say he liked Chu Qingxue. Li Muyang was somewhat speechless. He looked at Fairy Chu, who was calmly waiting for his response, and after pondering for a while, he finally spoke. ¡°There¡¯s certainly no trouble.¡± Li Muyang looked at Chu Qingxue honestly and said, ¡°To be favored by the fairy, to be honest, I am flattered.¡± ¡°I believe any man in this world would be moved by the fairy.¡± Li Muyang smiled and continued, ¡°I am a man, albeit a mundane one. Appreciating beauty is human nature.¡± ¡°But the kind of life you expected in the world of inner demons... I may not be able to provide.¡± Li Muyang pointed outside the pavilion to the thick fog and said, ¡°This fog is conjured by my magic to obscure the view.¡± ¡°But beyond this continent, over the sea, there is a white mist that even cultivators cannot cross.¡± ¡°And I live on another continent beyond that Sea of Mist.¡± Li Muyang did not hide anything and was straightforward. ¡°The Sea of Mist blocks everything, and even I cannot cross it. I can only use special methods to descend and incarnate in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty.¡± ¡°But this method of incarnation has great limitations. It¡¯s not something I can do whenever I wish.¡± Li Muyang sighed and added, ¡°So even if I wanted to reciprocate the fairy¡¯s affection, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do so, let alone live with you as you hoped in the world of inner demons.¡± ¡°Moreover, our every encounter in the past has been a hasty visitation in my incarnate form, a brief meeting followed by a hasty departure.¡± ¡°To be honest, fairy, you still lack understanding of the real me.¡± ¡°The ¡®real Wuming¡¯ might shatter your illusions...¡± Li Muyang was utterly honest, not trying to aggrandize himself. The Sea of Mist was indeed the greatest barrier. With this fog in between, he could not reciprocate Fairy Liuli¡¯s affection. But apart from the Sea of Mist, the scarcity of their interactions was also fatal. In Chu Qingxue¡¯s view, Li Muyang was a mysterious hero with noble aspirations and fearless in the face of death. But for Li Muyang, he didn¡¯t see himself as any sort of heroic figure. He was just an ordinary man. With some quirks, a bit of a wicked sense of humor, occasionally lazy, and not particularly ambitious. The real him was entirely different from the Wuming that Chu Qingxue imagined. Although he could easily take advantage of Fairy Chu¡¯s fondness for him and have his way with Fairy Liuli, only to part ways after being exposed...But Li Muyang disdained to do such things. He wasn¡¯t a good person, but neither was he a scoundrel. In matters of the heart, he even had a bit of a purity complex. Otherwise, back in Tianjiao City, Li Muyang would have long since shared his bed with those beautiful maidservants who served him. Li Muyang smiled as he bluntly revealed his stance, then waited for Chu Qingxue¡¯s response. Unexpectedly, after hearing Li Muyang¡¯s answer, Chu Qingxue didn¡¯t react too strongly. Her expression remained indifferent, as if Li Muyang¡¯s response came as no surprise to her. In fact, upon hearing Li Muyang¡¯s frank answer, Chu Qingxue¡¯s brows gently relaxed. She quietly looked at Li Muyang, their gazes meeting, and this cold and indifferent fairy actually revealed a slight smile. ¡°...Your response is pretty much what I expected.¡± Chu Qingxue smiled and said, ¡°Lord Wuming, you¡¯re really easy to understand.¡± ¡°Always so sincere, kind, completely disdainful of lying and deceiving.¡± ¡°Still, the existence of another continent beyond the Sea of Mist is indeed surprising...¡± Chu Qingxue murmured softly, then after a moment of silence, said, ¡°Actually, my thoughts are similar to Lord Wuming¡¯s.¡± She quietly watched Li Muyang and said, ¡°I truly admire Lord Wuming, although I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve fallen for a false image. But as Lord Wuming said, I can¡¯t fully express my feelings until I see Lord Wuming¡¯s true form.¡± ¡°I originally wanted to see Lord Wuming¡¯s true appearance, to shamelessly seek an audience and spend some time with Lord Wuming.¡± ¡°But unfortunately, the Sea of Mist blocks everything, and Lord Wuming is actually beyond the sea...¡± Chu Qingxue sighed softly and said, ¡°But I won¡¯t give up. I will find a way to cross the Sea of Mist, to the other side of the sea, to see the real Lord Wuming.¡± ¡°When that time comes, I¡¯ll earnestly convey my feelings to Lord Wuming.¡± Chu Qingxue spoke up, ¡°Lord Wuming, would you welcome me over?¡± ¡°Uh... this...¡± Li Muyang, upon hearing Chu Qingxue¡¯s indifferent yet straightforward answer, subconsciously fell silent. Although reason and common sense told him that the Sea of Mist was impassable and Chu Qingxue would never have the chance to see his true form in her lifetime, for some reason, when Chu Qingxue uttered those words, he suddenly had a strong intuition¡ªif he agreed now, Chu Qingxue really would cross the Sea of Mist to see him! Li Muyang hesitated for a moment. Chu Qingxue, however, asked with surprise, ¡°Um... is it inconvenient?¡± She curiously looked at Li Muyang, guessing, ¡°Does Lord Wuming have a family on that side? A jealous wife?¡± ¡°Uh... cough cough... not exactly a family,¡± Li Muyang nearly choked on his saliva. This fairy Chu, was she so perceptive? Li Muyang thought of Yan Xiaoru and sighed, ¡°But indeed, there is a woman I like, and she probably likes me too. Although for various reasons, our relationship is somewhat strained right now.¡± Li Muyang found it difficult to explain. But after hearing his answer, Chu Qingxue unexpectedly reacted with indifference. Upon hearing that the man she liked already had someone in his heart, Chu Qingxue was not at all agitated. She nodded and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then Lord Wuming is welcoming me.¡± ¡°She and Lord Wuming are in love, but that has nothing to do with me.¡± Fairy Liuli looked seriously at Li Muyang and said, ¡°The one I like is Lord Wuming, not her.¡± ¡°As long as Lord Wuming welcomes me, I will cross the Sea of Mist to meet Lord Wuming.¡± Fairy Liuli¡¯s earnest nonsense instantly fried Li Muyang¡¯s CPU. (Brain) This fairy¡¯s thought process... was it so unconventional? But before Li Muyang could speak, Chu Qingxue said softly again, ¡°Even if Lord Wuming doesn¡¯t welcome Qingxue, I will still cross the Sea of Mist to meet Lord Wuming.¡± ¡°No matter what, I must see Lord Wuming at least once in this lifetime.¡± Chapter 325 - Mutual Feelings Chapter 325: Mutual Feelings ¡°No matter what, I must see Lord Wuming at least once in this lifetime.¡± Inside the pavilion, Chu Qingxue¡¯s tone was indifferent and calm yet resolute. Her words were so calm yet so firm. So much so that Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but be stunned when he heard them. He looked at Chu Qingxue in astonishment. This cold and indifferent Fairy Liuli... this fairy left him no room for choice! In Li Muyang¡¯s ears, the excited roar of Moon-Biting Dragon resounded. ¡°Ohhhhh!!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all out in the open now!¡± ¡°Li Muyang! This Fairy Chu is so cool! So awesome! I really like her!¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was uncontrollably excited. Li Muyang, listening to the excited roars in his ears, was somewhat speechless. But looking at the unexpectedly assertive fairy Chu in front of him, he didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment. After thinking it over, Li Muyang said with a helpless smile, ¡°You¡¯ve really left me no choice to refuse...¡± Li Muyang said, ¡°Also, my real name is Li Muyang.¡± Li Muyang finally told Chu Qingxue his real name. Then Li Muyang became curious, ¡°But since you¡¯re so determined and have made up your mind, why... um... why did I hear from your Senior Brother that you¡¯ve been anxious and restless?¡± Previously, Shentu Jing said that Chu Qingxue was often anxious and restless, and it was very likely that she would fall into madness again. But the Chu Qingxue he saw now was resolute and unmoved by external things, not at all like the common fretful demeanor of a young woman. Li Muyang was curious. But he saw Chu Qingxue in the mist fall silent for a few seconds, and then this determined fairy Chu sighed softly. For the first time, she showed a hint of vulnerability and hesitation. ¡°...I was worried that after the incident in Sanhe City, you... uh... Muyang, would not want to see me again and would disappear from the world.¡± She spoke softly, ¡°In any case, there has to be an ending to this matter.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s a good ending or a bad one.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want my first love in this life to end without sickness or death...¡± In Chu Qingxue¡¯s serene tone, there was a touch of melancholy. Clearly, the time when she couldn¡¯t find Li Muyang had indeed made her anxious. And inside Li Muyang, the Moon-Biting Dragon was now confused. ¡°Huh? What does she mean by that?¡± For the simple Moon-Biting Dragon, Chu Qingxue¡¯s words were a bit profound. But Li Muyang understood very well. ¡°Yeah, even a bad ending is better than no conclusion at all.¡± In his previous life, he surfed the internet, played games, and read web novels, not knowing how many times he had been let down by unfinished stories. So he felt a certain kinship with Chu Qingxue¡¯s words. Inside the pavilion, the two fell into silence for a moment. All that needed to be said had been said. Her attitudes were clear, and her intentions were understood. Chu Qingxue had decided to cross the Sea of Mist to search for Li Muyang on the other side of the sea. And Li Muyang, seeing that Chu fairy had resolved her inner conflicts and would no longer be troubled by her inner demons, also let go of his worries. As for what to do if Chu Qingxue really found him on the other side of the Sea of Mist in the future? It didn¡¯t matter! This is a feudal society, after all! Having three wives and four concubines is perfectly normal, isn¡¯t it!? What did you say? What if Yan Xiaoru doesn¡¯t agree? Uhh... Li Muyang tilted his head and pondered for a moment. Considering Yan Xiaoru¡¯s cultivation level and temperament, plus Chu Qingxue¡¯s soft exterior and stubborn interior... uh... they probably wouldn¡¯t fight, right? After dispersing the white mist that had spread around the pavilion, Li Muyang looked up at the sky clearing again and summoned a giant turtle from the water to carry Chu Qingxue back south. The north was too dangerous, and since everything that needed to be said had been said, it was time for Chu Qingxue to return. The giant turtle would take Chu Qingxue by water, which would not only speed up the journey and save time but also prevent Chu Qingxue from using magic and being consumed by the land. As for Li Muyang, after sending Chu Qingxue off, he needed to accelerate his pace and finish cleaning up the scattered evil creatures in the north. Then he would leave the border and complete the main task of the third stage. There were only seven days left before being consumed by this living land. He had to find a solution within seven days... honestly, it was a bit difficult. But he had to try. The Moon-Biting Dragon account had not been easy to level up to this point; he couldn¡¯t just give up so easily. Watching Chu Qingxue¡¯s departing figure, Li Muyang waved goodbye, then transformed into a Flood Dragon and flew towards the mountains and fields amidst the clouds. In his ears, the disappointed voice of Moon-Biting Dragon rang out. ¡°Tsk... just like that, she¡¯s gone? I thought there would be more exciting developments.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to end like this... boring.¡± ¡°Agree to talk more when we meet again in the future? When will that be? Will I even get to see that day?¡± Moon-Biting Dragon was very disappointed. Li Muyang chuckled and said, ¡°What are you thinking about every day!¡± ¡°Now that a great disaster is upon us, if we don¡¯t find a way to break the land¡¯s curse of consuming people, you¡¯ll be on the brink of death.¡± ¡°At such a critical moment, you¡¯re still thinking about watching the excitement?¡± Li Muyang shook his head, defeated by the carefree Moon-Biting Dragon. But then he heard Dragon Maiden¡¯s voice chuckle, ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re here for... with you around, I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t die. Li Muyang is the best!¡± Dragon Maiden cooed. Li Muyang, flying swiftly through the clouds towards the distance, said, ¡°I¡¯m not the best. If this land wants to consume people, I¡¯ll be the first to run!¡± It seemed that Dragon Maiden, influenced by him, had become a bit too laid-back. Although Li Muyang himself was quite laid-back, he didn¡¯t expect the Dragon Maiden he had personally taught to be even more so. He needed to put some pressure on this Dragon Maiden. ¡°I can already feel it. You have only seven days left before this land consumes you.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t find a solution within seven days, you¡¯re done for!¡± Moon-Biting Dragon couldn¡¯t see the system panel, so Li Muyang spelled it out for her. Sure enough, upon hearing this exact number, Dragon Maiden immediately panicked. ¡°Ah? Seven days? Only seven days left?¡± She exclaimed in shock, ¡°In seven days we have to eradicate the evil creatures of the north, cross the border to face those strange beings, and then find a solution?¡± Li Muyang nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, seven days! We only have seven days left, and we have so much to do in seven days. If we can¡¯t, we¡¯re done for.¡± As soon as Li Muyang said this, the originally carefree Dragon Maiden also became anxious. ¡°Then fly faster! What are you waiting for! Why are you flying so slowly? Hurry up and fly! Let¡¯s get moving!¡± Dragon Maiden began to complain about Li Muyang¡¯s slow flying speed. Li Muyang chuckled, calculated the time and said, ¡°Then you do it yourself, I¡¯m going back. You take care of eradicating the evil creatures of the north, I¡¯ll be busy with other things.¡± Without giving Dragon Maiden time to ask questions, Li Muyang logged off. After putting enough pressure on this Flood Dragon, he no longer had to worry about her slacking off. Erasing evil creatures was such a boring task, and Li Muyang was not interested in it. He could just let Moon-Biting Dragon handle it while he was away. Inside the rapidly flying flying boat, Li Muyang, who had ended the game, opened his eyes. He pondered for a moment and took out the system item ¡¾Flesh and Bone Green Garment¡¿ that he hadn¡¯t used for a long time. Looking at the sinister doll in his hand, Li Muyang chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± He might as well since he had nothing else to do, and the Flesh and Bone Green Garment could be manually controlled. He decided to use the Flesh and Bone Green Garment to try and kill the two wandering immortals. Chapter 326 - Master Chapter 326: Master In the quiet little cabin, Li Muyang took out the Flesh and Bone Green Garment that he hadn¡¯t used for a long time. This sinister system item, a reward from the ¡¶Deadly Weed¡· instance, possessed extremely strange powers. Even Granny Gu of Black Cloud Village had said that this thing was evil. Li Muyang had even used it to curse and kill Qin Haie, the direct disciple who had seriously injured his little sister Li Yuechan. Now, taking out the Flesh and Bone Green Garment again, Li Muyang also brought out the wandering immortal portraits he had used for the previous ritual. The Flesh and Bone Green Garment could only kill one target at a time, so after some thought, Li Muyang attached the portrait of the shorter wandering immortal to the back of the Flesh and Bone Green Garment. He wanted to test it on the shorter wandering immortal. But after attaching the portrait, Li Muyang looked around the room and couldn¡¯t find any soil. The Flesh and Bone Green Garment must be buried in the ground to be activated. But now, the flying boat is soaring high in the sky, where there¡¯s no soil to be found. Li Muyang was feeling regretful when the voice of his little sister, Li Yuechan, sounded from outside the door. ¡°Brother! We¡¯re almost at Jiuyuan City!¡± Yan Xiaoru¡¯s private flying boat, truly befitting of an elder-level magical artifact, was much faster than the sect¡¯s standard models. If the sect¡¯s ordinary flying boat was a tractor, then Yan Xiaoru¡¯s private flying boat was a Ferrari. It had been less than ten days since they left the sect, and they were already nearing Jiuyuan City. Hearing the news of reaching his hometown, Li Muyang¡¯s heart stirred. Have we... returned? Holding the Flesh and Bone Green Garment, he remained silent in the room for a while before speaking. ¡°I know, I¡¯ll get ready and come out.¡± After responding to his little sister, Li Muyang looked at the Flesh and Bone Green Garment in his hand and sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯ll activate you later.¡± Li Muyang placed the Flesh and Bone Green Garment back into his Qiankun Ring and then quickly got ready before stepping out of the room. The deck of the flying boat was covered with soft grass, just like a real lawn, and even had little flowers blooming. Peach blossoms that bloomed in all seasons were planted in various places on the deck. The biting cold wind high in the sky couldn¡¯t penetrate this luxurious little flying boat. When Li Muyang came out, Li Yuechan and Ning Wan¡¯er were already dressed up and waiting. Li Yuechan was wearing the most lavish robe of the sect disciples, meant for grand ceremonies and important occasions, yet the young girl had taken it out for this event. Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s attire was simpler, but upon closer inspection, one could see that her light purple dress was made of heavenly silk, both luxurious and valuable. Returning home in wealth and splendor was a natural human sentiment. Moreover, both of them were representing their families¡¯ honor on this return. The news of their rapid rise within the Demon Refining Sect had long since reached their hometown. Now, returning home under the watchful eyes of many, they couldn¡¯t afford to be ordinary; they had to be perfect both in appearance and substance. In contrast, Li Muyang, in his ordinary robe, seemed much more low-key. Li Yuechan clicked her tongue and said, ¡°Brother, you still refuse to forgive uncle and auntie...¡± Li Yuechan thought that Li Muyang was deliberately opposing his parents. However, Li Muyang shook his head, having his own peculiar logic. ¡°As a direct disciple, even if I return home in tattered clothes, everyone in Jiuyuan City would praise me for my character.¡± ¡°But if I were just an outer disciple, then even if I stole the sect leader¡¯s robe to wear home, the villagers would only laugh at me for putting on airs.¡± Li Muyang habitually bickered with his sister, but in reality, he was just too lazy to change clothes. ¡°How others see you doesn¡¯t depend on how fancy your clothes are, but on your status.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er blinked and chuckled, ¡°Muyang, since leaving home to join the sect, you have become more composed and restrained.¡± ¡°On this journey, you have been practicing every day... No wonder Muyang was able to reach the Golden Core realm so quickly.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er was full of admiration. The news of Li Muyang reaching the Golden Core realm had spread as soon as he returned to the sect. He was about to be promoted to a direct disciple, and to avoid unnecessary trouble, Li Muyang had publicly revealed his Golden Core realm cultivation. If he had still been at the Foundation Establishment Realm and yet been promoted to a direct disciple and enjoying elder-level treatment... it¡¯s likely that some would have harbored ill intentions towards him. In the Demonic Path where the strong prey on the weak, a late-stage Golden Core realm cultivation was enough to deter those with malicious intent. Such rapid advancement in cultivation had shocked the entire sect. Li Muyang had only been on the path of cultivation for a little over a year, yet he had already reached the Golden Core. Such a speed of cultivation was truly shocking. The news of a once-in-a-generation genius emerging from the Demon Refining Sect had even begun to spread in the Demonic Path. And this was with Li Muyang intentionally concealing his progress, only admitting to having just entered the Golden Core realm, not that he was in the late stage of the Golden Core realm. The three chatted casually, and soon the flying boat landed at the Shili Pavilion outside Jiuyuan City. This small pavilion by the roadside was now decked out in red and green, crowded with people. Almost all the gentry of Jiuyuan City had come, led by Hu Lie, the city lord of Jiuyuan City and the immediate superior of Li Muyang¡¯s father. But this Foundation Establishment Realm Hu Lie was now all smiles and obsequious, treating the three of them with the utmost deference. In terms of seniority, Hu Lie was just an ordinary inner disciple in the Demon Refining Sect, one of the least talented who had only been promoted to the Inner Sect with time. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been assigned to a remote small city like Jiuyuan City. In terms of cultivation, Hu Lie, at the Foundation Establishment Realm, was nothing compared to Li Muyang, who had already reached the Golden Core. The news of Li Muyang¡¯s Golden Core had already spread throughout the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory. A genius who reached the Golden Core realm in one year, although not comparable to the sages of ancient times, was enough to look down upon the righteous and demonic paths with boundless prospects for the future. Standing at the forefront with Jiuyuan City¡¯s lord Hu Lie were Li Muyang¡¯s parents and Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s parents. The declining Ning family and the upstart Li Family were certainly making a splash this time. Two direct disciples! The crowd was filled with continuous congratulations, and everyone¡¯s faces bore sycophantic smiles. Even Li Muyang¡¯s parents were somewhat nervous and awkward in his presence. Li Damu, who was born as a martial artist, was rude and brutal. Li Muyang had worried that it would be difficult to get along with his parents upon returning home. He couldn¡¯t act the part of a filial son with two strangers. But when he actually met them, he found that his biological father, Li Damu, was so nervous in his presence that his hands were trembling. Faced with his son, who had left home for a year and was now a direct disciple of the Demonic Sect, Li Damu almost misspoke when greeting him. ¡°Si... uh... Muyang...¡± Li Damu even wanted to flatteringly address his own son as ¡°Sir.¡± This short-sighted, crude martial artist instinctively feared the bigwigs of the Demonic Sect, even if the person was his son. If it weren¡¯t for his wife quietly tugging at his sleeve, this martial artist might have made the joke of calling his own son ¡°master¡± in public. Surrounded by the crowd, with constant laughter, Li Damu and his wife were all smiles, extremely happy. But seeing his parents so cautious and careful, Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but fall silent. He sighed quietly in his heart. These two still don¡¯t know that the son they cherish and care about has long been dead... Chapter 327 - Seeing the Little Aunt Again Chapter 327: Seeing the Little Aunt Again In the Li family estate, Li Muyang sat under the eaves, quietly watching the lotus flowers in the pond in the pavilion. The Li Family originally had just a small, standalone courtyard, barely maintaining a bit of property in Jiuyuan City thanks to Li Damu¡¯s official position, nothing noteworthy. However, as Li Muyang rose to prominence in the Demon Refining Sect, the life of the Li family in Jiuyuan City, including his parents, improved significantly. This manor was a gift from the Qin family of Tianjiao City. Tianjiao City is not far from Jiuyuan City, and when there was unrest in Tianjiao City, it almost affected Jiuyuan City. The Qin family within Tianjiao City is a true noble clan with considerable influence within the Demon Refining Sect. Although the Qin family was impacted during the turmoil of the Blood Lotus Sect, they only suffered a flesh wound. With the fall of the Blood Lotus Sect, the Qin family of Tianjiao City quickly regained their power. The first thing they did was to send people to Jiuyuan City, two thousand li away, to deliver the manor. This was not only to curry favor with Li Muyang, who was already confirmed to be promoted to a direct disciple but also to thank him for his care during his undercover period in the Blood Lotus Sect. Although Li Muyang did not intentionally save the Qin family members, his ferocious deed of confronting and killing people on the street outside Sin Alley in a standoff with the half-demons of Liehai Hall certainly intimidated many disciples within the Blood Lotus Sect. As a result, after that confrontation, the days of the female cultivators imprisoned in Sin Alley improved significantly, and almost no one dared to bully them in Sin Alley anymore. Therefore, after the chaos of the Blood Lotus Sect ended, many noble families from within Tianjiao City came to Jiuyuan City to offer money and land. The once ordinary Li Family became the wealthiest family in Jiuyuan City overnight. And Li Muyang, at this moment, was sitting in his new manor, staring blankly at the lotus pond in the courtyard. The Flesh and Bone Green Garment had already been placed underground by him, and now he was waiting for its effects to activate. To be honest, this trip home was easier than he had imagined. His parents were extremely polite and cautious around him, not daring to utter a single word of nagging. The situation Li Muyang had worried about did not occur. Since that was the case, Li Muyang was happy to enjoy his leisure. After the banquet yesterday, he secluded himself in a separate courtyard, declining all visits from relatives and friends. Worldly affairs? Li Muyang didn¡¯t care. After all, with his little sister Li Yuechan, who was adept at socializing and had high emotional intelligence, accompanying his parents and dealing with relatives outside, that was enough. But at this moment, a cold and sinister breeze suddenly swept through the courtyard. Li Muyang, who had been sitting under the eaves daydreaming, frowned slightly. It was early autumn, and it was normal for the mornings to be a bit cold. But that chilly breeze just now... something was off. Li Muyang frowned and looked around. However, in the quiet courtyard, no one was to be seen. Only the koi in the lotus pond were swimming, moving their bodies. ¡°Hmm?¡± Li Muyang expressionlessly summoned the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel, not letting his guard down in the slightest. He was all too familiar with cold and sinister things. That chilly breeze was definitely not normal. Since the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel was effective against such sinister things, Li Muyang was about to activate it to find out the origin of that breeze. But then, in the air not far away, a semi-transparent figure of a young girl suddenly appeared, waving her hands frantically at him. ¡°Eh, eh, eh! It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me! Brother-in-law, don¡¯t get excited!¡± The panicked ghostly girl watched nervously as the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel floated beside Li Muyang, seemingly very afraid. When Li Muyang heard this address and saw the familiar figure in front of him, he fell silent. This... Shen Miao? What the hell! Shen Yan¡¯s twin sister from the Blood Lotus Sect was released by Li Muyang from the Four Directions Cauldron and became a wandering ghost, roaming the world. Before she left, she said she wanted to travel every inch of the world and witness its wonderful beauty with her own eyes. But now she appeared at the Li residence? Li Muyang immediately put away the Dharma-Annihilation Wheel and subconsciously observed his surroundings to make sure no one was eavesdropping outside the courtyard before he suspiciously stared at the ghostly girl in front of him. ¡°...What are you doing at my house? Weren¡¯t you traveling the world?¡± Li Muyang had a look of seeing a ghost. The appearance of someone from the Blood Lotus Sect near his home was not a good sign. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this little girl already knew he was an undercover agent for the Demonic Sect, Li Muyang would have suspected that the wandering soul in front of him was here to avenge the Blood Lotus Sect. The ghostly girl breathed a sigh of relief and said to Li Muyang, ¡°Brother-in-law, you really keep your cards close to your chest. You even have such a sinister artifact hidden away.¡± ¡°That wheel of yours seems to specifically suppress me. When I saw it, I felt an inexplicable fear, as if I had seen my nemesis...¡± After the ghostly girl expressed her feelings, she then answered Li Muyang¡¯s question. ¡°As for why I¡¯m here, of course, it¡¯s to find you, brother-in-law.¡± The girl sighed and said, ¡°I was indeed traveling around the world. This world is full of wonders and interesting things.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t have a physical body and can¡¯t experience many joys, because I don¡¯t have a physical body, I can sneak into many places that living people can¡¯t get close to and observe.¡± ¡°And because of this, I stumbled upon a conspiracy specifically targeting you.¡± The ghostly girl¡¯s expression suddenly became exaggerated and sinister, as if she were telling a horror story. She vividly described, ¡°It was a dark and windy night, and I was resting and sleeping in a place where the earth¡¯s veins were full of yin and evil when I suddenly saw several dark figures gathering in haste.¡± ¡°Those figures were all weird and sinister and incredibly powerful!¡± ¡°They were discussing in secret, planning to take advantage of the opportunity when you, brother-in-law, a genius of the Demon Refining Sect, returned home to visit to come to Jiuyuan City and harm you!¡± The ghostly girl¡¯s tone was incredibly exaggerated. Li Muyang knew there was a lot of exaggeration in her words. If they were really that powerful, how could you, a wandering soul, stay by and eavesdrop? He looked at the girl¡¯s performance with a calm face and said, ¡°So you specifically ran here to warn me, to remind me to be aware of the danger...?¡± ¡°Hehe... you saw through me, brother-in-law,¡± the girl said sheepishly, scratching her head and laughing. ¡°You¡¯re really smart, brother-in-law.¡± Li Muyang rolled his eyes and asked, ¡°So what exactly are those people? What sect or faction do they belong to?¡± The ghostly girl blinked and shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°When are they coming?¡± The girl shook her head again, looking innocent, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then what do you know?¡± ¡°I know they¡¯re coming to kill you.¡± ¡°You...¡± Li Muyang was speechless. This ghostly girl was as unreliable as ever. After a lot of nonsense, the most critical information was unknown. But just as Li Muyang was speechless, the ghostly girl blurted out an important piece of information. ¡°I only know that those people said they would kill you to see what you have on you.¡± ¡°They seem to be looking for the soul of an ancient times Corpse-Resolving Immortal, saying that the soul might be harbored within someone from the Demon Refining Sect, and there have been signs of that Corpse-Resolving Immortal¡¯s activities near the Demon Refining Sect.¡± ¡°And brother-in-law, you seem to fit the bill for being possessed by the Corpse-Resolving Immortal.¡± Chapter 328 - The Old Man of Withered Leaves Chapter 328: The Old Man of Withered Leaves ¡°Ancient times Corpse-Resolving Immortal?¡± Li Muyang, upon hearing this unfamiliar term, felt a slight stir in his heart. ¡°What is an ancient times Corpse-Resolving Immortal?¡± Just the name alone was out of the ordinary. He couldn¡¯t help but be curious. Why would that group of people with strange origins think that he was possessed by an ancient times Corpse-Resolving Immortal? But then he heard the ghost girl say, ¡°Those guys said that your cultivation has progressed so quickly, reaching the Golden Core realm in just one year, which is very much like the cultivation evil methods of the ancient times Corpse-Resolving Immortal.¡± ¡°So they want to find you, saying that many people with strange deaths have occurred near the Demon Refining Sect, which is very much like the evil arts of that Corpse-Resolving Immortal, and you might have obtained the inheritance of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal.¡± The ghost girl didn¡¯t know much more and couldn¡¯t provide any more useful information. Li Muyang, however, was deep in thought and somewhat troubled. ¡°What the hell is this Corpse-Resolving Immortal... This is purely an undeserved disaster!¡± My one-year Golden Core and rapid progress in my cultivation are all due to my own efforts, day after day of hard work playing games. How could I be randomly labeled as a Corpse-Resolving Immortal? The key point is that these guys know he has the cultivation of the Golden Core realm and still dare to come and try to kill him... Their strength must be extraordinary, definitely not weak. And here in Jiuyuan City, this place is a remote countryside, the strongest local person is Yan Xiaoru¡¯s personal maid, Aunt Su. Besides her, the others are all weak. It¡¯s not like you can expect the enemy to come over and for Hu Lie, the Lord of Jiuyuan City at the Foundation Establishment Realm, to suddenly display divine might and repel the powerful enemy, right? Li Muyang looked at the ghost girl and asked, ¡°When are those guys coming? When do they plan to make their move... Have you heard anything about this?¡± The ghost girl Shen Miao shook her head innocently, ¡°I don¡¯t know, they talk very little.¡± ¡°After staying in that Yin Sha ley line area, they basically stopped talking.¡± ¡°But they probably haven¡¯t arrived yet because when I heard their plan, they said they were waiting for one more person.¡± ¡°That person is called the Old Man of Withered Leaves, and he seems very powerful. They plan to come to Jiuyuan City to find you after this Old Man of Withered Leaves arrives.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I immediately ran to inform you after hearing the news, so those guys probably haven¡¯t arrived yet. Brother-in-law, there¡¯s still time for you to run.¡± Li Muyang frowned slightly, ¡°The Old Man of Withered Leaves?¡± This name sounded somewhat familiar as if he had heard it somewhere. But he was usually immersed in cultivation and playing games, paying little attention to news from the outside world, so he didn¡¯t know much about the big figures in the world of immortals and demons. Fortunately, within the Demon Refining Sect, there was a special ¡°internal reference¡± issued to the various direct disciples and powerful inner disciples to keep them informed about the prominent figures in the world of immortals and demons. This ¡°internal reference¡± was updated irregularly, recording many big figures and the latest events in the world of immortals and demons. Li Muyang¡¯s thoughts moved, and he took out a small booklet that he had just received not long ago from his Qiankun Ring and began to flip through it. On the first page was the number one person in the current righteous path, the mysterious and powerful Fairy Qinglian. The illustration on the page was very well drawn, even animated, with a quality that could easily outdo many second-rate mobile games from his previous life. The fairy in green clothes stood alone above the clouds, with an indifferent expression and an endless sword domain shimmering behind her. But Li Muyang wasn¡¯t looking for titillating images to indulge in. After a brief glance, he quickly flipped past the page of the Fairy Qinglian, continuing to look further. The seemingly thin booklet seemed to have endless pages. Li Muyang flipped through more than a hundred pages before he found the information he was looking for. ¡¾The Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¿ On page 139, there was an illustration of the Old Man of Withered Leaves. An old man with silver hair, holding a bamboo staff and a gentle smile, he didn¡¯t look like someone from the demonic path, but more like a kind and amiable old doctor. However, the dense text beside the illustration simply explained this person¡¯s identity and his bloody achievements. ¡¾The Old Man of Withered Leaves is affiliated with the Qingyang Association, a Divine Travel Realm cultivator, practicing the demonic skill ¡°Green Snake Scipture,¡± adept in using poison, curses, and talismanic arts. Disciples of the sect who encounter him should flee immediately, as he is invincible to anyone below the Divine Travel Realm¡¿ Below this text were some of the Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¯ bloody achievements. Slaying Divine Travel Realm cultivators and even an unfortunate Purple Mansion cultivator died under his poisonous talismans and curses. Such formidable achievements made Li Muyang¡¯s heart turn cold. This old monster¡¯s evil arts could actually kill across levels, even taking down a Purple Mansion? This was outright cheating! He, with his system full of cheats, now in the late Golden Core realm, didn¡¯t dare to guarantee that he could kill across levels against a Cave Profound realm cultivator. But this Old Man of Withered Leaves had accomplished the feat of killing across levels, and the victim was a Purple Mansion. Li Muyang looked at the booklet in his hand, feeling a chill. Beside him, the ghost girl also widened her eyes and said, ¡°Brother-in-law, this... this Old Man of Withered Leaves is so fierce! You¡¯re not going to die this time, are you?¡± The group that was with the Old Man of Withered Leaves was likely to be Divine Travel Realm demonic cultivators on the same level as him. Even if they were weaker, they probably weren¡¯t much weaker. He had somehow attracted the attention of so many demonic madmen all at once? This is... how is one supposed to live? He originally thought that Aunt Su, Yan Xiaoru¡¯s personal maid who was a Divine Travel Realm cultivator, would be able to ensure their safety on this trip. But now it seems that if it really is the Old Man of Withered Leaves leading the demonic madmen to their doorstep, even Yan Xiaoru herself might not be sure of victory. Shen Miao looked worried, ¡°Brother-in-law, what should we do? The enemy is too strong.¡± Li Muyang snorted, put away the booklet, and said coldly, ¡°If I can¡¯t beat them, can¡¯t I still run away?¡± The best plan is to flee when facing insurmountable odds. Now that the enemy hadn¡¯t arrived yet, Li Muyang naturally planned to escape first. It would be foolish to confront them head-on when the odds are so uneven and the chance of winning is zero. However, he needed to plan his escape carefully. Li Muyang immediately stepped out of his house and instructed the maidservant to invite Li Yuechan and Ning Wan¡¯er from the Ning residence. The two girls had made plans to go out of the city for an outing today and were currently enjoying the limelight surrounded by their young friends. Li Muyang had no interest in such limelight, so he had declined to accompany them. Soon, Ning Wan¡¯er and Li Yuechan, having received the message, hurried back, both with puzzled expressions. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s happened? You said it was extremely urgent?¡± Li Yuechan asked curiously as she entered. In their eyes, Li Muyang was always steady and reserved, never hasty. Something urgent enough to make him speak out must be a significant matter. Under the curious gaze of Ning Wan¡¯er and Li Yuechan, Li Muyang dismissed all the maidservants, leaving only the Divine Travel Realm¡¯s Aunt Su. ¡°It¡¯s like this, I¡¯ve received reliable information that the Old Man of Withered Leaves from the Qingyang Association is coming to Jiuyuan City to kill me.¡± Facing the puzzled looks of the three, Li Muyang got straight to the point and quickly explained, ¡°They suspect that I am a descendant of some ancient Corpse-Resolving Immortal, saying that my cultivation has improved so quickly that I might have received the inheritance of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal.¡± ¡°So they want to come and kill me, and they might already be on their way.¡± Chapter 329 After Li Muyang finished speaking, all three people in the room were taken aback. Aunt Su frowned slightly in surprise. ¡°The Qingyang Association? The Old Man of Withered Leaves?¡± Compared to Li Muyang¡¯s complete lack of knowledge, Aunt Su obviously knew much more about the demonic path. As soon as Li Muyang mentioned this name, she clearly felt the pressure. Apart from Aunt Su, Li Yuechan and Ning Wan¡¯er were also familiar with the Old Man of Withered Leaves. It seems that everyone except Li Muyang had carefully read the sect¡¯s pamphlet. Ning Wan¡¯er asked in surprise, ¡°What is this ancient Corpse-Resolving Immortal? Why would those people be convinced that Muyang is a descendant of the ancient corpse-resolving immortal?¡± Aunt Su also looked at Li Muyang, waiting for an answer. Li Muyang gave a wry smile, spread his hands, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either. My friend only overheard their conversation from a distance and didn¡¯t dare to get closer.¡± ¡°Those people only said that near the Demon Refining Sect, there might be an inheritance of the ancient Corpse-Resolving Immortal that has appeared in the world, and someone may have obtained the immortal¡¯s nefarious cultivation method.¡± ¡°And since my cultivation has progressed extremely fast, reaching Golden Core in one year, I am the most suspicious, so they want to come and kill me to see if I am indeed the descendant of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal.¡± After Li Muyang finished speaking, Ning Wan¡¯er blinked with a smile and teased, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth about Muyang?¡± This little green tea, half-joking and half-serious, was probing blatantly. Li Muyang shook his head with a wry smile, ¡°I really am not...¡± ¡°Actually, Wan¡¯er, you must have noticed too, right? The technique I cultivate is Elder Yan¡¯s Netherworld Demon Technique. Our methods share the same origin.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Elder Yan¡¯s enlightenment and teaching before, how could I have reached Golden Core so quickly?¡± Without any hesitation, Li Muyang credited his rapid cultivation progress to Yan Xiaoru. After all, he was cultivating the Netherworld Demon Technique, which he couldn¡¯t hide from Ning Wan¡¯er, who shared the same source. Aunt Su frowned and said, ¡°If it¡¯s really the Old Man of Withered Leaves and the Qingyang Association coming, then this journey will be dangerous.¡± ¡°The Old Man of Withered Leaves is sinister and powerful, and the Qingyang Association is an extremely mysterious and strange organization in the demonic path. To this day, our sect has not been able to figure out the purpose of its establishment.¡± ¡°The only thing that can be confirmed is that the Qingyang Association has very few members, but all of them are prominent figures in the demonic path, not to be underestimated.¡± Aunt Su obviously knew more about the Old Man of Withered Leaves and the Qingyang Association. She looked at Li Muyang and the others and said, ¡°Since the Old Man of Withered Leaves is coming to Jiuyuan City, we can only flee, and escaping back to the sect as soon as possible is the only way to avoid this calamity.¡± Li Muyang nodded, ¡°What Aunt Su said is the same as what I was thinking. The reason I urgently called everyone back is to discuss how to escape.¡± The Old Man of Withered Leaves could arrive at any time and might already be on the road. From here back to the sect, Li Muyang and the others could be overtaken by the Old Man of Withered Leaves at any moment. If they were caught in the wilderness by the Old Man of Withered Leaves, with their current weak combat strength, they would undoubtedly die. Li Muyang said, ¡°My idea is to spread false information. Didn¡¯t the noble families of Tianjiao City give us a lot of money and land deeds?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll spread false information, claiming that we are going to Tianjiao City to return the favor and visit those noble families.¡± ¡°There are many powerful families in Tianjiao City, and after the recent turmoil of the Blood Lotus Sect, they are now on high alert. I suspect that even the Old Man of Withered Leaves wouldn¡¯t dare to kill openly in the city.¡± ¡°While the Old Man of Withered Leaves takes people to Tianjiao City to secretly search for our whereabouts, we will escape towards the sect.¡± ¡°If the Old Man of Withered Leaves is delayed in Tianjiao City for a day or two, it will be very difficult for him to catch up with us.¡± Li Muyang gave his suggestion, ¡°And on the way of our escape, we can also send a message to the sect in advance, asking them to send people to support and meet us on the road.¡± ¡°With this combination of false and true moves, we should be able to resolve this crisis.¡± Running away also requires brains. After Li Muyang finished speaking, Ning Wan¡¯er and Aunt Su thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement, indicating that it was indeed a good idea. However, Li Yuechan, who is usually talkative, was unusually silent today. Li Muyang looked at Yuechan in surprise and asked, ¡°Yuechan? Do you have a different opinion? Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Li Yuechan, who Li Muyang questioned, was slightly startled, as if she had been lost in thought. Now facing her brother¡¯s curious gaze, the girl was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly, ¡°I was thinking, we can run away. But after we flee, what about the relatives we leave behind in Jiuyuan City? Won¡¯t they be slaughtered by the Old Man of Withered Leaves to vent his anger...¡± Her words instantly silenced the atmosphere in the room. Li Muyang was also at a loss for words. His plan was indeed perfect, but the relatives left in Jiuyuan City could indeed be harmed. The Li Family was somewhat better off, with only the couple Li Damu, and almost no distant relatives. At worst, they could take Li Damu and his wife with them on the run. But the Ning family was different. Even though they had fallen from grace, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. As the once number one family in Jiuyuan City, the Ning family had a large family and business with many relatives. However, considering close relatives within the five degrees of kinship, it would be enough to overcrowd their small flying boat. During the silent moment, Ning Wan¡¯er spoke indifferently. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about this matter. When we flee, we only need to take our parents and close attendants from both families.¡± ¡°As for the other family relatives, let them go to Tianjiao City. Officially, it¡¯s the Ning family relocating to Tianjiao City, but in reality, let them scatter and flee separately.¡± ¡°The Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¯ target is only Muyang. If he can¡¯t find Muyang, he will be too busy chasing Muyang to bother with a bunch of ordinary people.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er was quite calm. This little green tea clearly didn¡¯t have much attachment to her family relatives. To put it bluntly, she was letting them fend for themselves, each to their own fate... But since Ning Wan¡¯er had said so, Li Muyang and his sister didn¡¯t say anything more. With the plan set, the three immediately went to arrange for creating the illusion that both families were going to Tianjiao City to visit the noble families. And within an hour, they needed to get everything in order and flee Jiuyuan City. After dispersing, Li Yuechan quickly walked towards the house. But her expression was somewhat melancholic. ¡°...senior.¡± She called out softly. The mysterious woman beside her gave a wry smile, ¡°This is why I always told you to keep a low profile and hide your true cultivation. My techniques are too obvious, although not many people in the world know about them. But once they are revealed, they will quickly attract powerful enemies.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect that your brother attracted all the attention while you hid well.¡± ¡°His cultivation speed of reaching Golden Core in one year, plus the things we did near the Demon Refining Sect... the suspicion is too great!¡± Li Yuechan looked back at her brother, who had inadvertently attracted unwarranted disaster yet remained calm and composed, standing at the courtyard gate, smiling and waving at her, signaling her to hurry. Her brother was as optimistic as ever, not tense or afraid even in the face of disaster. But seeing her brother like this, Li Yuechan felt even more uneasy. ¡°...I¡¯ve dragged my brother down.¡± The girl sighed softly, murmuring, ¡°I owe him again...¡± Chapter 330 The girl¡¯s complex emotions were unknown to Li Muyang for the time being. But even if he knew that the unwarranted disaster had been brought upon him by his little sister, his choice would remain unchanged. Whether the trouble came for him or for his little sister made no significant difference to him. After all, when a formidable enemy approaches, one couldn¡¯t possibly sell out a sister who has been known for a long time and with whom one has shared life and death experiences, right? After quickly finalizing the plan, Li Muyang and several others acted separately. However, his tasks were few, mainly packing up his belongings to prepare for the journey home. As for the main purpose of this trip, to break off the engagement with the Du family, Li Muyang had already accomplished it the night before. Last night, he and the couple Li Damu visited the Du family in person, ending the marriage gracefully. The main mission for this return to Jiuyuan City had already been completed. The wandering ghost girl, Shen Miao, curiously watched as Li Muyang unearthed the Flesh and Bone Green Garment from the ground, somewhat astonished. ¡°...What is this thing? Why is it so sinister?¡± Shen Miao widened her eyes at Li Muyang and said, ¡°Brother-in-law, who exactly are you? A disciple of the Demonic Sect, how come you have so many bizarre things on you?¡± Although the Flesh and Bone Green Garment was just a puppet, its eerie and strange aura was unsettling and chilling. Even though she had become a wandering ghost, Shen Miao still felt fear towards the puppet dressed as a green-robed actress. Li Muyang, on the other hand, was not surprised at all. Such evil objects like the Flesh and Bone Green Garment were the natural enemies of all creatures in the world during ancient times, feeding on the creatures of the world. The fear passed down through generations was already engraved in their genes. Just like a house cat or dog that has never seen a tiger, even the sight of a tiger¡¯s picture could make them bristle and tremble. After methodically packing away the puppet, Li Muyang said to the wandering ghost girl beside him, ¡°You should worry about yourself. Weren¡¯t you going to travel the world? You can leave now.¡± Li Muyang said, ¡°I heard your sister fled to the north. If you really have nowhere to go, you might head north to find her. As twins, you should have some kind of faint connection, right?¡± Shen Miao, who claimed she wanted to travel the world, had been lingering near Tianjiao City long after the chaos of the Blood Lotus Sect had ended. Li Muyang felt that this naive and innocent girl didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to travel the world; rather, she resembled a fledgling bird reluctant to leave the nest and unable to find direction for the future. However, after Li Muyang finished speaking, the girl pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not the north, my sister went south.¡± Facing Li Muyang, who had personally destroyed the Blood Lotus Sect and was an undercover agent of the Demonic Sect, the wandering ghost girl openly revealed her sister¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°My sister is going south to find the cave abode of the Blood Lotus Ancestor. The north was just a false lead she released.¡± After the girl finished speaking, Li Muyang was somewhat surprised, ¡°The Blood Lotus Ancestor¡¯s cave abode is in the south?¡± The one revered as the ancestor by the Blood Lotus Sect was the Ink Fairy from the ancient times of Demon Sword City. Did the Ink Fairy not die in the north at Demon Sword City but instead perished in the south? But this matter seemed to have little to do with him, and after pondering for a moment, Li Muyang didn¡¯t pay it much mind. What was most important now was to flee for his life. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s disperse. I¡¯m leaving, and you can¡¯t possibly follow me back to the Demonic Sect, can you?¡± Li Muyang said, ¡°Aunt Su by my side is no ordinary person. If you follow me into the Demonic Sect and someone discovers you were once the spirit of the Four Directions Cauldron... hehe...¡± Now that the Four Directions Cauldron had been taken back to the sect by the Demon Refining Sect, the elders were studying the wondrous uses of this ancient immortal artifact. If Shen Miao appeared in the eyes of the Demonic Sect elders, she might be captured again to become the spirit of the artifact. As soon as Li Muyang mentioned this, the wandering ghost girl, who had been reluctant to leave and seemed to really want to accompany Li Muyang, immediately turned and left. ¡°Then I¡¯m off. Take care, brother-in-law, and good luck to you.¡± The wandering ghost girl said and turned to leave. But not far after drifting away, she returned, worried, and stared at Li Muyang. ¡°You better not tell anyone about me! If you dare betray me, I won¡¯t let you off even as a ghost!¡± The already ghostly wandering girl threatened without much confidence and then hurried away. Clearly, the prospect of being locked in the Four Directions Cauldron to become a spirit again was intimidating for the girl who had only recently gained her freedom. Watching the wandering ghost girl leave, Li Muyang also breathed a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that Shen Miao had come to report in time. Otherwise, if the Old Man of Withered Leaves and the Qingyang Association had come knocking at his door, he feared he would have been in trouble. The outside world was still too dangerous. Compared to that, the Demon Refining Sect, surrounded by masters and many powerful figures of the Purple Mansion, felt safer. At least within the sect, as long as one followed the rules and focused on cultivation, there was generally no danger, especially with Yan Xiaoru covering for him. Li Muyang decided that once he returned to the sect this time, he would not venture out again until he reached the Divine Travel Realm or higher, and then he would consider traveling again. Soon, all the preparations were complete. Li Muyang¡¯s parents, along with Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s parents and a few close maids and servants, gathered at the Li family estate. Then, a small flying boat rose into the sky above Jiuyuan City, heading towards Tianjiao City under the watchful eyes of many. With the spread of rumors by those with vested interests, it wasn¡¯t long before everyone in Jiuyuan City knew that the Ning and Li families were going to Tianjiao City to express their gratitude and visit those high-ranking noble families. For a time, the city was abuzz with envious discussions about how these two families were truly on the rise. Two direct disciples were enough for them to gain a foothold in a major city like Tianjiao City. A small city like Jiuyuan City, remote and rural, could not contain two direct disciples. The joint departure of the Ning and Li families to visit the noble families in Tianjiao City seemed like a signal¡ªthat these two rising families were going to Tianjiao City to start new family businesses together. However, after the small flying boat left Jiuyuan City, it quickly ascended into the clouds and disappeared into the sea of clouds. Soon after, the flying boat changed direction and headed straight for the defensive lines of the Demon Refining Sect. At the same time, a letter of plea for help was rapidly sent to the sect, carried by a spiritual beast. On the deck of the flying boat, Li Muyang looked down at the rising sea of clouds and sighed softly. He had done everything he could and should do. Now, he could only hope that the mysterious and strange Old Man of Withered Leaves would be fooled by the false signal they released and truly head to Tianjiao City. Li Muyang glanced at the sky and said to everyone. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room to cultivate. Call me if there¡¯s any trouble.¡± On the flying boat, Li Damu and his wife, as well as Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s parents, looked tense, knowing the situation. Li Yuechan and Ning Wan¡¯er were softly comforting their relatives. Li Muyang seemed to have no role here. After all, there were too many women on this flying boat. A bunch of women sitting there chatting, and Li Damu and Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s father, both middle-aged men, also had topics to discuss. Li Muyang suddenly felt superfluous. He chose to go back to his room, opened the game, and once again entered ¡¶Dragonkin Awakening¡·. Chapter 331 As Li Muyang re-entered the game, the familiar sensation quickly returned. He regained control of the Flood Dragon¡¯s body, soaring above the clouds. Sensing his return, Moon-Biting Dragon was overjoyed. ¡°Li Muyang! You¡¯re back!¡± Dragon Maiden¡¯s voice was brimming with delighted chirpiness. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised: ¡°Why so happy? Did you find some treasure?¡± He habitually opened the character interface and saw that Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s physical condition was normal except for the fatigue meter being maxed out. At this moment, Li Muyang could clearly feel a strong sense of fatigue spreading through the meridians and flesh of the Flood Dragon¡¯s body. It was like a mortal who had sprinted two thousand zhang in one go, feeling a burning sensation in the lungs. It was the first time Li Muyang had seen Moon-Biting Dragon so exhausted. He curiously asked: ¡°What did you do to tire yourself out like this?¡± But he heard Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s voice, giggly and excited: ¡°I went to hunt the evil creatures in the northern lands! In just one day and night, I cleared all the evil creatures from the northern counties.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been running wildly all the way... How about that? I¡¯m fast, right?¡± Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s voice was filled with exhaustion and an eagerness that couldn¡¯t wait. It seemed she was happily waiting for Li Muyang to praise her, just like a childish little kid. However, when Li Muyang opened the quest tab, he saw that the evil creatures far from the Yushui River basin had indeed been cleared by her. Even the evil creatures in the Yushui River basin had been significantly reduced by her efforts. Clearly, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals of the Dragon Palace couldn¡¯t keep up with this Dragon Goddess, so she personally took the field to clear the evil spirits with the fastest speed. Seeing Dragon Maiden¡¯s hard work, Li Muyang didn¡¯t skimp on his praise, sincerely remarking: ¡°You really are amazing.¡± There were 6 days and 17 hours left before Moon-Biting Dragon would be consumed by this land. But Moon-Biting Dragon had already cleared all the evil creatures in the northern counties, and now her experience bar had risen to LV9 (73%). Inside the Dragon Palace, there was still a pile of evil creatures captured by the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, waiting for Li Muyang to return and devour them. However, even after consuming those evil creatures in the Dragon Palace, it probably wouldn¡¯t be enough to level up to LV10. Li Muyang felt a bit regretful, thinking that his strength could have advanced further. But a cultivation level of LV9 should be sufficient. If not, he could perform another ritual and use the Blood Nightmare Technique for remote support. Li Muyang rode the clouds swiftly towards Star Moon Lake and soon plunged into its waters. Within the vast Star Moon Lake, the waters surged with abundant vitality. With the three evil dens in the lake cleared and the Dragon Palace established at the bottom, the vitality of the water veins here became even stronger, and the creatures in the lake visibly thrived and multiplied. In the bustling Dragon Palace beneath the Yushui River, Li Muyang transformed into human form and entered the grand hall of the Dragon Palace. He saw the hall filled with iron cages, each containing an evil creature trapped within the Dragon Palace¡¯s iron confines. Under the suppression of the abundant water vein¡¯s power, these evil creatures were all languishing, half-dead. The shrimp soldiers and crab generals saluted Li Muyang, but he transformed back into his original form and let out a roar. The iron cages in the grand hall opened one by one, and the evil creatures, shrouded in malevolent qi, were dragged by the turbulent water towards the gaping maw of the pure white giant dragon. One after another, the evil creatures were devoured by Li Muyang. After all the creatures in the cages were consumed, Li Muyang transformed back into human form and frowned as he looked forward. Among the cages for the evil creatures, there was a human woman lying unconscious. She was dressed in light black plain clothes, somewhat resembling a Taoist robe, with a strange black sword on her back. Clearly human, yet she was imprisoned by the shrimp soldiers and crab generals alongside the evil creatures. This scene was somewhat odd. Li Muyang turned to the crab general beside him and asked, ¡°Who is this person? Why was she captured?¡± Li Muyang had the power of life and death over these shrimp soldiers and crab generals, and they dared not defy his command to not bully mortals, so they certainly wouldn¡¯t dare to randomly capture human women. The woman in the cage definitely had something strange about her. The crab general bowed and replied, ¡°Reporting to the Dragon King, this person is not an ordinary woman but a practitioner of some kind of evil art.¡± ¡°On our way to capture the evil creatures, we encountered this woman impersonating the name of Fairy Liuli, deceiving people in the towns.¡± ¡°She collected the hair of mortals and then fed it to a strange cloth bag, which seemed to contain an evil creature. We did not dare to open it rashly.¡± After speaking, the crab general carefully took out a sachet sealed in a box. Seeing this familiar sachet and hearing the crab general¡¯s account, Li Muyang immediately understood the origins of the woman in the cage. ¡°Another person from the Mother Buddha Temple...¡± Li Muyang slightly furrowed his brow, puzzled as to why the women of the Mother Buddha Temple all impersonated Fairy Liuli. Previously, Fairy Liuli¡¯s Senior Brother Shentu Jing also mentioned that he had killed several evil creatures in the north who had impersonated Fairy Liuli. These women from the Mother Buddha Temple, impersonating Fairy Liuli, swindled the lifespans of mortals to feed the ¡¾White Bone Tai Sui¡¿ in the sachet. Looking at the woman in the cage, who was completely unconscious and seemingly unaware, Li Muyang grew curious. ¡°How did you capture this woman?¡± The last time he encountered a woman from the Mother Buddha Temple, she was powerful and madly eccentric, forcing Li Muyang to greet her with heavenly thunder. The evil woman before him was much weaker but still difficult to capture. How did these shrimp soldiers and crab generals manage to bring her back intact? Li Muyang was very curious. The crab general naively said: ¡°Reporting to the Dragon King, we chased her and fought, and she resisted desperately like a madwoman. But we kept on her, chasing and fighting for half an hour.¡± ¡°After half an hour, the woman suddenly lost her strength and passed out.¡± ¡°After we captured her, she slept for about five hours, then suddenly went berserk in the cage. But she couldn¡¯t break the cage, and after thrashing and howling for half an hour, she passed out again.¡± The crab general¡¯s narration left Li Muyang astonished. Were these evil women like rechargeable robots? After overloading and depleting their power, they just collapsed? Waiting to be recharged before recovering? But then the crab general added: ¡°It has been five hours since this woman last passed out. She may be about to wake up again.¡± As soon as the crab general spoke, the woman in the cage seemed to hear the call. The previously lying and sleeping evil woman suddenly leaped up as if electrified. ¡°Let me out! Let me out!¡± The evil woman roared angrily, drawing the black sword on her back and frantically hacking, trying to break open the prison of the Dragon Palace. With her frenzied screams and sinister aura drifting through the Dragon Palace, it was quickly purified and suppressed by the abundant power of the water veins here. Li Muyang looked at the demonic woman in astonishment, only to see that she also suddenly turned her gaze towards him. The moment their eyes met, the woman in the cage became wildly ecstatic. ¡°Ascender! It¡¯s an Ascender!¡± Chapter 332 ¡°You¡¯re an Ascender! If I eat you, I can become immortal!¡± ¡°Hahaha! If I eat you, I can become immortal!¡± Upon seeing Li Muyang, the demonic woman in the cage became even more frenzied. She frantically slashed, pounded, and rammed against the iron cage, trying to escape from her prison. Her mad and demonic behavior was identical to another demonic woman from the Mother Buddha Temple that Li Muyang had previously slain. Li Muyang watched the demonic woman speechlessly and asked, ¡°Who exactly are you? Why do you misuse the name of Fairy Liuli?¡± Fairy Liuli was a disciple of Master Qingye, but she was not the most famous. There were many disciples of the Mystic Sword Sect that the evil spirits from beyond the border could impersonate, so why always choose to impersonate Chu Qingxue? Li Muyang always felt there was a problem with this. However, no matter how he questioned her, the woman in the cage remained wildly agitated and incoherent, making it impossible to communicate with her. After thrashing around in the cage for a while, she seemed to have exhausted her energy and suddenly collapsed, motionless as if dead. When the demonic woman slept, there was no sign of life, almost as if she were dead. As Li Muyang looked at this strange demonic woman, he heard the curious voice of the Moon-Biting Dragon. ¡°...these people from the Mother Buddha Temple are so strange, are they all mad?¡± ¡°And Li Muyang, what is an Ascender? Eating you can make one immortal? Is your flesh that powerful?¡± The Dragon Maiden seemed tempted, her words filled with curiosity: ¡°How much do you have to eat to become immortal? Besides flesh, can saliva, nails, hair, and even dandruff make one immortal if eaten?¡± In an instant, the Dragon Maiden thought of a whole array of ¡¾Edible¡¿ options. Li Muyang had a face full of black lines. ¡°She was raving about your body, okay?¡± ¡°If eating could make one immortal, it would be by eating your flesh.¡± ¡°But you haven¡¯t become immortal yourself, so how can eating your flesh make one immortal? It¡¯s a paradox!¡± It¡¯s a cliche, but this Dragon Maiden was simply big-breasted and brainless, amusingly naive. Seeing that the demonic woman was beyond communication, Li Muyang didn¡¯t bother to waste words. He simply ordered General Crab to slay her. Li Muyang didn¡¯t plan to eat such a strange thing. He always felt that the demonic women from the Mother Buddha Temple were not clean and feared it would upset his stomach. However, the White Bone Tai Sui that the demonic woman carried with her was swallowed by Li Muyang in one gulp. Since the demonic woman was not strong, the White Bone Tai Sui she carried was only a small clump, and swallowing it did not increase his cultivation by much. Li Muyang watched as the ¡¾Experience +10¡¿ kept flickering and moving in his field of vision. ¡°I¡¯m going to venture beyond the border. You all will guard the Dragon Palace. If any evil spirits appear in the Yushui River region, you are to confidently go and capture them.¡± ¡°If you encounter an evil creature that you cannot defeat, do not engage it. Wait for my return.¡± After giving a brief instruction to the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, Li Muyang prepared to leave the border. He was aiming for a fast pace. He had barely been in the Dragon Palace for fifteen minutes, had finished eating all the evil creatures, and hadn¡¯t even warmed his seat before he was ready to leave the border. The shrimp soldiers and crab generals bowed and escorted Li Muyang out of the Dragon Palace. But as he was about to leave, Li Muyang was surprised to see a familiar figure among the demon soldiers. A semi-transparent weasel ghost, dazed and confused, followed behind Li Muyang, intending to accompany him on his journey. This weasel¡¯s soul had always been dazed and confused, staying motionless within the Dragon Palace. However, the abundant power of the water veins here seemed to nourish its soul. Moreover, the foundation stone of the Dragon Palace was the miraculous Temple Seal Lord¡¯s brow bone, which allowed the weasel¡¯s soul within the Dragon Palace to visibly solidify quite a bit. Although still dazed and confused, it was no longer as transparent as before. Li Muyang was surprised to see the weasel¡¯s soul follow him, but at that moment, a system prompt popped up. ¡¾Side Quest: The Last Wish of Returning Home¡¿ ¡¾Quest Content: Send the lost soul home, let the fallen leaves return to their roots¡¿ ¡¾Quest Reward: None¡¿ This weasel¡¯s soul had actually triggered a system prompt, popping up a side quest. However, this side quest had no rewards. But looking at the dazed and confused weasel in front of him, Li Muyang sighed. ¡°Do you want to go home...¡± This unfortunate weasel was originally dragged out of the border by a wandering immortal, a purely unlucky creature. Later, it inexplicably tried to protect Li Muyang and ended up dying at the hands of the wandering immortal, becoming a ghost. Seeing its dazed and foolish appearance now, Li Muyang felt a mix of emotions. He sighed and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you home.¡± With a wave of his sleeve, Li Muyang directly collected the dazed weasel¡¯s soul into his sleeve. It didn¡¯t matter that there were no rewards; he would just complete this task along the way. He left the Dragon Palace and headed out of the border. ........ There was a special land in the northern part of the Heavenly Origin Continent. It was known as the region beyond the border, even more remote and wild than the northern counties. Although the northern counties did not have the Demon-Suppressing Master of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, they were at least under the rule of the court, with soldiers, constables, and officials in each state and county. However, the land beyond the border was a place completely abandoned by the Heavenly Origin Dynasty, a land forgotten by the world. Few creatures from beyond the border entered the region, and few people from within the border were willing to venture out. Two lands, two worlds, existed so distinctly yet rarely intersected. Following the Yushui River downstream to its lower reaches, one would arrive at the border. There stood a majestic pass, towering between the mountains. However, the pass was almost abandoned, with only some old, weak, and disabled soldiers idling around. There was almost no communication between the inside and outside of the pass, and these soldiers had little to do, living in the dilapidated old town below the pass. After flying over this pass on a cloud, Li Muyang stepped onto the land beyond the border. He landed directly on the ground, not flying ostentatiously. According to Chu Qingxue¡¯s account, the beings beyond the border were different from any other creatures in the world, seemingly from another origin. Compared to these beings, the evil creatures from the Ancient Grudge Well were closer to humans. Nowadays, on the lands beyond the Great Wall, many sinister beings have taken root. Even her master, Master Qingye, dislikes and is reluctant to visit this place. Li Muyang, upon his first arrival, naturally did not flaunt his presence. He ventured beyond the Great Wall with the soul of a weasel, intending to first send the weasel¡¯s ghost back to its homeland, to the place where this unfortunate creature had lived. But not long after setting foot on the ground, Li Muyang saw two figures as thin as paper standing on either side of the main road ahead¡ªone on the left and one on the right¡ªor rather, they were made of paper. The two paper figures stood respectfully by the roadside, their faces painted with eerie rouge. Compared to the two fearful and timid paper figures he had seen before, these two dressed-up paper figures had brilliant smiles, their brightly painted mouths stretched wide. In the face of Li Muyang, they showed no fear. Instead, they greeted him with a cheerful bow. ¡°By the command of Lord Shanyang, we have been waiting here to welcome the Yushui Dragon King.¡± ¡°Dragon King, are you venturing beyond the Great Wall to meet with Lord Shanyang as per an appointment?¡± The two paper figures smiled radiantly, but a chilling wind blew with their arrival. The green grass on either side of the road visibly withered and turned yellow. Li Muyang¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°How does Lord Shanyang know I would come?¡± Does this mysterious and unpredictable old monster possess the ability to divine the unknown?! Chapter 333 A cold wind brushed through the forest path, causing Li Muyang to frown slightly. The ability to predict and divine was something that existed only in legends. In this age of decline, even the Purple Mansion realm was the pinnacle of the cultivation world, and immortals had completely vanished. He did not believe that Lord Shanyang had the ability to foresee the future. But if it wasn¡¯t divination, could it be that the other party had sent someone to monitor his movements? Is that how they managed to intercept him here? The two paper figures continued to smile splendidly, saying, ¡°Replying to the Dragon King, we have been waiting here for many days for the Dragon King.¡± ¡°Lord Shanyang said that the Dragon King would eventually come out, so he instructed us to wait here.¡± The answer from the two paper figures resolved the confusion. Li Muyang fell silent without a word. This response left him somewhat speechless. That Lord Shanyang actually had two paper figures waiting here all this time? Paper figures aren¡¯t human, so they can be exploited at will? After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°I still have matters to attend to. Once I finish what I need to do, I will visit Lord Shanyang.¡± Although he could have agreed directly, Li Muyang wanted to see how the two paper figures would react to his refusal. The paper figures on both sides of the road smiled brilliantly and bowed. ¡°Then we will report back to Lord Shanyang truthfully. Lord Shanyang resides atop Yangshou Mountain, waiting for the Dragon King to grace us with her presence.¡± After speaking, the two sinister paper figures drifted away with a cheerful demeanor. They left so decisively that Li Muyang¡¯s refusal did not provoke any attack from the paper figures. Watching the backs of the two departing paper figures, the voice of the Dragon Maiden echoed in his ears. ¡°...Li Muyang, this Lord Shanyang doesn¡¯t seem like a good person...¡± These two eerie paper figures exuded malevolence, causing a visceral discomfort. Even Lord Shanyang, who controlled the paper figures, was disliked by the Dragon Maiden. But Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°We¡¯ll have to meet it sooner or later. Lord Shanyang has clues about the Dragon Spine Sword, and we need the Dragon Spine Sword.¡± The immortal sword forged from the spine of an Ancient True Dragon would undoubtedly be powerful. Moreover, it was a special task from the system, and refining it would surely be beneficial. This Dragon Spine Sword must be an extremely important system item in this game. But for Li Muyang, the most important thing now was to resolve the crisis of life and death. He didn¡¯t want to seek out Lord Shanyang just yet. During a conversation with Chu Qingxue in a lakeside pavilion earlier, he had learned about some situations beyond the Great Wall and had a general understanding of the forces there. This Lord Shanyang seemed to have lived for many years. He was the second immortal being in the current world, aside from Master Qingye. Who knows what this fellow is all about? It would be better to meet him later. After declining the invitation from the two paper figures, Li Muyang continued along the road ahead with the weasel¡¯s soul. The mountain where the unfortunate weasel had lived and cultivated was not far from the pass. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have had the misfortune of being chosen by two wandering immortals and forced to enter the pass. Li Muyang asked for directions and quickly found the mountain the weasel had mentioned. It was a small mountain covered with pine trees and dense needles. The mountain air was slightly tainted with miasma and demon qi, similar to that of the weasel. At the foot of the mountain, there was even a temple dedicated to the weasel, a dilapidated little temple where the unlucky weasel was worshipped. Li Muyang arrived outside the temple and released the weasel¡¯s soul, which floated in the air for a while, seemingly regaining some of its senses. It joyfully floated around for a while and then knelt before Li Muyang, bowing several times like a human. ¡°Thank you, Dragon King, for sending this little demon¡¯s soul back home...¡± The weasel smiled happily and then cried, ¡°There won¡¯t be another deity as kind as the Dragon King in this northern land.¡± The weeping weasel¡¯s spirit dissipated into a wisp of smoke in its temple, seemingly merging with the land. As the weasel¡¯s soul vanished, the clay statue of the weasel in the dilapidated temple also cracked open with a loud noise. Watching this scene, Li Muyang felt a sense of melancholy. The weasel¡¯s reverence for him stemmed from his slaying of evil spirits. It was a pity that Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help the weasel any further. After sighing a few times outside the ruined temple, Li Muyang turned and left. He was on his way to find the Mother Buddha Temple. For Li Muyang, the Mother Buddha Temple was an essential stop on his journey beyond the Great Wall. The evil women sent by the Mother Buddha Temple into the pass each carried a White Bone Tai Sui, consuming which could greatly increase experience points. So, could there be more White Bone Tai Sui inside the gates of the Mother Buddha Temple? At this moment, Li Muyang¡¯s temples were spread throughout the northern counties beyond the pass, with an astonishing number of over 1.8 million incense offerings. The heavenly thunder that could be summoned with 1,000 incense power was enough to decimate the entire Mother Buddha Temple. Leaving the temple of the weasel, Li Muyang headed towards the Mother Buddha Temple. According to Chu Qingxue, the Mother Buddha Temple was a strange temple located on Black Stone Mountain. The Mother Buddha Temple rarely appears in front of people and is shrouded in mystery. The most active and renowned outside the passes are those wandering immortals. Li Muyang traveled along the main road with ease, not by riding the clouds or controlling the fog, but by moving alone through the mountains and forests at an extreme speed. Occasionally, he could sense the presence of demons and strange creatures in the mountains, but Li Muyang did not engage with them. These creatures only emerged from their lairs in confusion, watching as Li Muyang¡¯s figure swiftly departed. Some, deep in slumber or with weak senses, didn¡¯t even notice someone passing through their territory. After running wildly through the forests for an afternoon, it wasn¡¯t until the night deepened and the moon shone brightly that Li Muyang caught sight of the silhouette of Black Stone Mountain. Black Stone Mountain is a peculiar stone mountain, almost devoid of soil, composed of a massive block of pitch-black rock. This colossal rock, hundreds of zhang tall, stretches across the horizon alongside the surrounding mountains. But due to its unique appearance, Black Stone Mountain is incredibly conspicuous and can be seen from afar. Even someone like Li Muyang, visiting for the first time, could not miss it. However, upon reaching the base of Black Stone Mountain, Li Muyang did not hurry to ascend. He stood in the forest, gazing at the scene atop the mountain from a distance. The mountain, full of rugged rocks and with pine trees growing in the crevices, somewhat resembled Mount Huang in his previous life. But this mountain, home to the Mother Buddha Temple, was filled with a strong, chilling aura. This presence, contrary to that of evil spirits and monsters, made Li Muyang feel bone-chillingly cold, unfamiliar, and yet vaguely familiar. It seemed he had encountered something similar somewhere before. And this aura was of the same origin as that of the two imposters who had used Chu Qingxue¡¯s name inside the passes. However, the aura on Black Stone Mountain was much stronger and more intense. It was as if thousands of evil women were seated within this dark stone mountain... Dragon Maiden, uncertain, said, ¡°Li Muyang, Black Stone Mountain is so terrifying, why would there be mortals living at its foot?¡± Chapter 334 At the foot of the eerie and sinister Black Stone Mountain under the moonlight, there was a brightly lit bustling mortal town. The town walls were low and made of rammed earth, which was hardly impressive in terms of defense. In the lawless lands beyond the Great Wall, such walls were considered formidable, enough to fend off the wild bandits and highwaymen. Behind the low walls, almost every household in the town had lights on. As Li Muyang approached the walls, he could even hear the noise coming from inside the town. It seemed as if the town was celebrating a festival. Dragon Maiden was astonished, and Li Muyang was also surprised. Beneath the watchful eyes of those eerie and terrifying evil women, there was such a thriving human town. He silently climbed over the town wall and stepped inside. Indeed, the town was in the midst of a celebration. Every household was decorated with lanterns and streamers, and people with brightly painted faces and dressed in red ceremonial robes were shouting strange phrases, beating drums and sticks as they paraded through the streets. Onlookers on both sides of the road cheered and shouted along. Li Muyang stood among the crowd for a while, his face showing astonishment. Because the people in red ceremonial robes, painted with strange colors, were shouting and carrying a lifelike statue of a deity through the town. Everyone was shouting the deity¡¯s revered name, and under the bright lights, the lifelike statue¡¯s profile was clearly visible¡ªit was a stunningly beautiful and aloof fairy. Dragon Maiden¡¯s astonished voice rang in his ear. ¡°Li Muyang! Isn¡¯t that Chu Qingxue?!¡± Dragon Maiden was incredibly shocked. Li Muyang was also dumbfounded when he saw the statue. The entire town was chanting the fairy¡¯s name. ¡°Fairy Liuli, may you be blessed with peace and prosperity!¡± ¡°Fairy Liuli, may you enjoy everlasting fortune!¡± The entire town was celebrating and praying to the stunningly beautiful and aloof fairy. Dragon Maiden was scared by the fervor of the crowd. ¡°Your Fairy Chu couldn¡¯t be the mastermind behind this...¡± Li Muyang squinted at the town¡¯s celebration and shook his head: ¡°Impossible! Qingxue couldn¡¯t possibly be an evil creature!¡± The scene before him was clearly of the same nature as the evil women from the Mother Buddha Temple who had used the name Fairy Liuli to carry out their actions inside the passes. It was just another case of using Chu Qingxue¡¯s name. But Li Muyang didn¡¯t understand why the Mother Buddha Temple would use Fairy Liuli¡¯s name for their deeds. He followed the crowd for a long time until the parade ended and the lifelike statue was respectfully brought into the Liuli Temple in the town and returned to its altar. Li Muyang, who had witnessed the entire celebration, was somewhat disappointed. He had followed the whole event, hoping to find a few evil women and possibly extract some information from them. However, the town was full of mortals, and even the Liuli Temple that enshrined the Fairy Liuli statue was staffed by mortals, with no evil women in sight. The unique aura of the evil women from the Mother Buddha Temple was too easy to recognize. If Li Muyang had seen them, he would not have failed to recognize them. Having wasted more than an hour, Li Muyang could only look up at the tall stone mountain ahead. The pitch-black Black Stone Mountain stood silently like a ghostly and sinister deity beside the shadow of the town. On this stone mountain, devoid of soil and weeds, one could clearly see a temple-like structure at the top. Li Muyang sighed and said, ¡°I should have gone straight up the mountain.¡± He left the bustling town, still in the midst of celebration, with light steps and headed towards Black Stone Mountain. However, not long after entering Black Stone Mountain, Li Muyang encountered the evil women he couldn¡¯t find in the town. ¨CTwo women in black clothes, carrying black swords, stood waiting quietly on the mountain path. ¡°Are you the Dragon Goddess of Yushui River? The Mother Buddha is waiting for you on the mountain.¡± The two evil women bowed respectfully to Li Muyang. Unlike the frenzied evil women he had seen before, they did not shout ¡°Ascender¡± excitedly upon seeing Li Muyang. Their respectful demeanor was almost indistinguishable from ordinary people. If it weren¡¯t for the unmistakably chilling aura they emitted, it would be almost impossible to associate them with evil women. Li Muyang fell silent for a moment, then nodded: ¡°Lead the way.¡± Having come to their doorstep, Li Muyang had no intention of hiding his presence. If he reaches the foot of the mountain and still hasn¡¯t discovered the Mother Buddha Temple, then this group of wicked women might as well not bother trying to establish a foothold beyond the Great Wall. Li Muyang followed the two wicked women as they climbed. The path up Black Stone Mountain was a series of steps carved into the rock, many of which were virtually vertical. Such a perilous stone stairway was something only cultivators would dare to ascend. Li Muyang followed closely behind the two women, walking as if on flat ground on the nearly vertical stone path. Soon, he encountered more wicked women. Scattered across the almost soil-less, smooth stone mountain were figures of women, each dressed differently but invariably carrying a black sword on their back. As Li Muyang followed the two women up the stone path, all the wicked women they passed looked at him with curiosity and astonishment. Yet these women, just like ordinary women, showed no signs of madness in their demeanor or conduct. Li Muyang silently observed the expressions and attire of these wicked women, feeling somewhat disappointed in his heart. So far, he had seen dozens of them. But not a single one wore a sachet. Don¡¯t any of the wicked women on this mountain carry the White Bone Tai Sui... Following the steps of the two women, Li Muyang finally arrived at the summit of Black Stone Mountain. There was a vast platform on the mountain, with a temple built on the summit that emitted a strong, sinister aura under the moonlight. The Dragon Maiden couldn¡¯t bear it just by seeing this temple and feeling the aura within. ¡°Stop, stop, stop! Don¡¯t go in! Don¡¯t go in!¡± The aura emanating from these evil women made both Li Muyang and the Moon-Biting Dragon instinctively loathe it. Now, seeing such a strong sinister aura in the temple, the Dragon Maiden became anxious. ¡°Going in there is no different from stepping into a cesspit!¡± However, Li Muyang ignored the Dragon Maiden¡¯s shouts. Enduring the discomfort in his body, he furrowed his brows and stepped into the Mother Buddha Temple. Inside the gloomy and dark Mother Buddha Temple, only one hall was lit. And the destination Li Muyang was brought to was this hall, illuminated by a solitary, dim lamp. In the empty hall, a grand statue ten zhang tall was enshrined on the altar. It was the cold and stunning Fairy Liuli, carrying an immortal sword, the same deity worshipped by the common folk below the mountain. And in front of this giant statue, in the desolate hall, sat a figure quietly. Beside her, a lone lamp burned. The dim light cast upon the woman made her face appear unsettled. However, the moment the Dragon Maiden saw the woman¡¯s face, she was shocked. ¡°Chu Qingxue?¡± She called out in horror: ¡°Li Muyang! Your old flame is indeed the mastermind behind the scenes!¡± ¨CThe woman seated in the hall bore an exact resemblance to Chu Qingxue! Li Muyang¡¯s expression also froze for a moment, revealing a look of astonishment. Under the solitary lamp, the woman with the same face as Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue clasped her hands together and smiled faintly. ¡°We finally meet.¡± ¡°Lord Wuming...¡± ¡°I have been waiting for this day for a long time.¡± Chapter 335 In the dimly lit hall, the night breeze gently stirred, causing the faint light to flicker incessantly. Li Muyang¡¯s emotions were also trembling incessantly. He looked at the woman before him in astonishment and surprise, her face, voice, and even her aura almost identical to Chu Qingxue¡¯s. The only difference was that she was draped in a pitch-black Buddhist Sect¡¯s kasaya. In the wicked women¡¯s temple filled with sinister and evil aura, this woman, who seemed like the head of the temple, had an aura that was righteous and peaceful, belonging to the righteous path, without a trace of sinister or evil energy. She sat there quietly, completely out of place in the Mother Buddha Temple. Yet the words she spoke were shockingly inexplicable. Li Muyang stared intently at her and asked, ¡°Do you know me?¡± The woman who looked exactly like Chu Qingxue and called him Wuming upon meeting... How did she know? The woman in the black kasaya clasped her hands together and sighed with a smile. ¡°Lod Wuming... ah, my apologies, I should call you Muyang.¡± The woman smiled apologetically and said, ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t frightened you?¡± The woman called out Li Muyang¡¯s real name, and at that moment, Li Muyang¡¯s alarm bells rang even louder. ¨CThis woman not only knew he was Wuming but also knew his real name? Li Muyang stared at her expressionlessly and asked, ¡°What is your relationship with Fairy Chu?¡± In the Heavenly Origin Continent, the only person who knew that the Moon-Biting Dragon was Li Muyang was the real Fairy Liuli. But Fairy Liuli would not have informed anyone else. So what exactly was the relationship between this woman and Chu Qingxue? Under the dim light of the solitary lamp, the woman sighed and smiled, ¡°You may call me Mother Buddha. Qingxue is my daughter, and she is my most beloved offspring.¡± ¡°Everything you¡¯ve experienced before, I have seen clearly from thousands of li away.¡± ¡°Loushan City, Ancient Grudge Well, Sanhe City, the World of Heart Demons... My unworthy daughter has caused you much trouble, Muyang.¡± The woman spoke softly, her eyes twinkling with kindness. Despite appearing as a young girl with the same face as Fairy Liuli Chu Qingxue, the woman in the kasaya exuded a motherly tenderness and gentleness. Being gazed upon by her gentle eyes, Li Muyang subconsciously wanted to pour out his grievances and sufferings to her. But the next second, Li Muyang¡¯s heart chilled, and he forcefully pulled himself out of that strange state. He frowned at the Mother Buddha before him, on guard: ¡°You are Fairy Chu¡¯s mother? Qingxue is your daughter?¡± This is... Meeting the mother-in-law? But Chu Qingxue was Master Qingye¡¯s disciple, how could she possibly be the daughter of the Mother Buddha before him!? This Mother Buddha Temple was a den of filth and heresy. And the woman who called herself ¡°Mother Buddha¡± was from head to toe steeped in heresy. Chu Qingxue was her daughter? What a joke! Li Muyang simply couldn¡¯t believe it. The Buddha Mother in the black kasaya could only smile helplessly and said, ¡°Muyang, it¡¯s normal for you not to believe me. After all, Qingxue was abducted many years ago and has long forgotten her bloodline and origin.¡± ¡°But I happen to have a piece of evidence. You will understand once you see it.¡± As the Buddha Mother spoke, she gently coughed twice. Then, suddenly, two ghastly pale figures emerged from the shadows of the great hall. They seemed to be women, with the delicate yet curvaceous figures of women, but they were entirely pale, without clothes or facial features, and they slowly rose from the shadows on the floor. In the hands of the two ghastly figures, they respectfully held a sword scabbard. The scabbard was simple and unadorned, emitting an aura familiar to Li Muyang. The moment he saw the scabbard, Li Muyang almost instinctively thought of the Liuli Immortal Sword that Chu Qingxue carried with her¡ªthis scabbard clearly shared the same origin as the Liuli Immortal Sword! The Buddha Mother sighed with a smile and said, ¡°This is the scabbard of the Liuli Immortal Sword. When Qingxue was abducted, I lacked the strength to do anything but save this scabbard.¡± ¡°The sword body of the Liuli Immortal Sword, along with Qingxue, was taken by that powerful being.¡± ¡°The scabbard and the immortal sword are one and the same. Qingxue, possessing only the sword body of the immortal sword, is unable to unleash the true power of the immortal sword.¡± ¡°I hope that one day Qingxue can return to my side, and the immortal sword that has been missing its scabbard for many years can be reunited, allowing the Liuli Immortal Sword to reveal its power to the world once more.¡± The Buddha Mother spoke softly, recounting the story of the past. Li Muyang, however, was silently staring at the scabbard. The moment the Buddha Mother produced the scabbard, whether her story was true or false, it proved her strength. If the scabbard of the Liuli Immortal Sword had been seized by ordinary evil spirits, the invincible Master Qingye would have reclaimed it long ago. Yet this Buddha Mother before him had possessed the scabbard for many years... Li Muyang began to ponder whether the power of the heavenly thunder could instantly kill the Buddha Mother before him. Perhaps this Buddha Mother was the most powerful BOSS he had encountered so far... Seeing that she was amiable and quite friendly towards him, whether her friendliness was genuine or not, Li Muyang decided to hold his forces back. He watched the Buddha Mother before him and asked, ¡°Since senior is Qingxue¡¯s birth mother, do you want me to go south and inform Qingxue of this matter?¡± But the Buddha Mother just smiled slightly and shook her head, ¡°This matter is not urgent. When you see Qingxue in the future, Muyang, you can tell her or not. After all, Qingxue will eventually learn of this.¡± ¡°Moreover, for you, Muyang, going north beyond the border this time, there must be more important matters to attend to, right?¡± The Buddha Mother actually brought up the subject on her own. Li Muyang¡¯s heart stirred slightly, and he continued the conversation, ¡°Would senior be willing to help me solve the crisis of the land consuming people?¡± Going north beyond the border, besides slaying evil spirits and leveling up, the most important thing was to find a way to avoid being swallowed by the land. He saw the woman in the black kasaya smile and nod, kind and amiable. ¡°Of course, you are Qingxue¡¯s beloved. It is only right for me to help you.¡± The Buddha Mother said, and then gently coughed twice again. The two pale figures holding the scabbard received some kind of command, and they quietly sank down, their figures gradually disappearing into the shadows. But before long, the two ghastly figures rose again. They carefully held a long box and respectfully walked up to Li Muyang, handing the box over to him. Li Muyang looked at the box and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°For me?¡± Seeing the Buddha Mother nod with a smile, he took the wooden box and opened the lid. A unique fragrance immediately spread throughout the Buddha hall. Inside the narrow wooden box, a long White Bone Tai Sui was wriggling. This White Bone Tai Sui, about half a zhang long, moved gently in the box like a worm. This was definitely the largest White Bone Tai Sui Li Muyang had ever seen. His purpose in coming to the Mother Buddha Temple was to kill the evil women and snatch the White Bone Tai Sui from the Mother Buddha Temple. But unexpectedly, this eerie Buddha Mother directly offered it to him... Chapter 336 Looking at the White Bone Tai Sui in his hand and then at the smiling Buddha Mother in front of him, Li Muyang frowned slightly. ¡°Senior gives me this item... Can it solve the disaster of the land consuming people?¡± What does this Buddha Mother mean? Such a precious thing given away upon meeting? The gift was too generous, and alarm bells rang in Li Muyang¡¯s mind. He firmly believed there was no such thing as a free lunch. This eerie Buddha Mother was so generous. She must have an ulterior motive. But he saw the Buddha Mother in the black laugh and shake her head, saying, ¡°The White Bone Tai Sui cannot solve the disaster of the land consuming people, but it can serve as an excellent bait.¡± ¡°Underneath this land, there are some peculiar creatures.¡± ¡°And this White Bone Tai Sui is an excellent bait for them.¡± ¡°Take the White Bone Tai Sui and walk two hundred li west, and you will come across a mountain covered with maple trees. In the mountain, there is a sinkhole that leads to the underground.¡± ¡°Enter the cave, go down ten thousand zhang, and you will see a gray sea of clouds.¡± ¡°Within that sea of clouds, many peculiar creatures wander. On the surface of these creatures, a strange insect called the ¡®Heart-Eating Worm¡¯ resides.¡± The Buddha Mother smiled and said, ¡°I need you, Muyang, to catch some Heart-Eating Worms for me.¡± ¡°The Heart-Eating Worms cluster together and can spit out blue flames that scorch the soul.¡± ¡°However, the flames of the Heart-Eating Worms are restrained by dragon scales.¡± ¡°For every fifty Heart-Eating Worms you catch, you can come here to exchange for a Seven Marrow Pill.¡± ¡°The Seven Marrow Pill I refine can alter one¡¯s own aura, avoiding being swallowed by the land.¡± ¡°One Seven Marrow Pill can protect you for a month.¡± ¡°And the flesh of this White Bone Tai Sui is a bait I give to you. Cut a piece of Tai Sui flesh and place it inside the sea of clouds, and the fragrance of the Tai Sui flesh will lure out those peculiar underground creatures.¡± As the Buddha Mother finished speaking, a system prompt popped up in Li Muyang¡¯s vision. ¡¾Quest: Mother Buddha Temple¡¯s Commission¡ªTriggered¡¿ ¡¾Do you accept this quest?¡¿ ¡¾Yes/No¡¿ ¡¾Quest Content: Accept the commission from the Mother Buddha Temple, go to the underground world to capture Heart-Eating Worms, and exchange for Seven Marrow Pills¡¿ ¡¾Note: Seven Marrow Pills can temporarily delay the risk of being consumed by the earth¡¿ Inside the Buddha hall, Li Muyang raised his eyebrows slightly. Seven Marrow Pills... Could the pills mentioned by this eerie Buddha Mother actually be real and not a deception? After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang nodded, ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll take a trip to that underground place.¡± Only a few days left until the Moon-Biting Dragon was swallowed by the earth. The Mother Buddha in front of him was bizarre and inexplicable, but the conditions she offered had at least been recognized by the system. Although this method was only a temporary solution and not a cure, obtaining one or two Seven Marrow Pills would give Li Muyang more time. With more time, he could slowly look for a permanent solution. Li Muyang promptly accepted the task and saw two pale white shadows respectfully hand him a gourd. The Mother Buddha, dressed in a black robe, smiled and said, ¡°The Heart-Eating Worms you catch can be stored in this gourd.¡± ¡°Your avatar, Li Muyang, has grown dragon scales and is a natural enemy of the Heart-Eating Worms.¡± ¡°You are the best hunter for those creatures and will face almost no danger.¡± Despite the sinister aura of her residence, the Mother Buddha appeared gentle and compassionate, instinctively endearing her to others. Even her words seemed to be constantly concerned about Li Muyang. The voice of the Moon-Biting Dragon, filled with emotion, rang in his ears. ¡°I¡¯ve read in heroic tales that the more a mother-in-law looks at her son-in-law, the more she likes him... Li Muyang, this old monster seems to really like you!¡± Li Muyang smiled ambiguously but didn¡¯t pick up on Dragon Maiden¡¯s cue. He took the gourd and the flesh of Tai Sui and looked towards the Mother Buddha. Before leaving, Li Muyang asked, ¡°May I ask, senior, besides consuming the pills, is there another way to avoid the danger of being swallowed by the earth?¡± In this Mother Buddha Temple, where evil women were everywhere, consuming a pill could only delay the inevitable for a month. If everyone relied on this method to avoid danger, the temple¡¯s pill furnaces would need to become assembly line machines, burning non-stop from dawn to dusk, and even then, they might not meet the demand. As expected, the Mother Buddha smiled and said, ¡°The Seven Marrow Pill is just a foolish temporary solution. The method I use is not something you can employ, nor is it appropriate to discuss with you.¡± After saying this, the Mother Buddha added with a smile, ¡°If you can catch more than a thousand Heart-Eating Worms, I can guide you to where you can find the true solution.¡± Good, you don¡¯t release the hawk until you¡¯ve seen the hare. (TLN: Similar to ¡®look before you leap¡¯ proverb) No matter how compassionately this bizarre Mother Buddha pretended to be, her last sentence revealed her true intentions. Pretending to be friendly with Li Muyang was a sham. Using him to catch Heart-Eating Worms was the goal. Those soul-burning Heart-Eating Worms were definitely not as easy to catch as the Mother Buddha claimed. Li Muyang sneered inwardly but kept a calm expression on his face, showing no unusual emotion. He asked again, ¡°May I ask, senior, about the Yangshou Mountain beyond the borders, where it is said that Lord Shanyang, who has lived for more than seventeen hundred years, can summon wind and rain, transform myriad things, and possesses unfathomable power. Since you reside beyond the borders, do you know the details about this Lord Shanyang?¡± Li Muyang inquired. The Mother Buddha seated in the hall was slightly surprised, ¡°Oh? Lord Shanyang? Have you heard of this person, Li Muyang?¡± The black-robed Mother Buddha pondered for a moment as if choosing her words carefully. After a thought, she said, ¡°Lord Shanyang has indeed lived for more than seventeen hundred years and is the most mysterious and powerful human beyond the borders.¡± ¡°But he is even more ferocious and terrifying than the strong man who took Qingxue away back then. If it¡¯s not necessary, Li Muyang, you¡¯d better stay away from Yangshou Mountain and avoid this person.¡± The black-robed Mother Buddha advised earnestly, like a compassionate elder, ¡°That Yangshou Mountain is an extremely dangerous forbidden area beyond the borders.¡± Li Muyang took her words to heart and then nodded in agreement. ¡°Thank you for the guidance, senior. I will go catch the Heart-Eating Worms now.¡± After speaking, Li Muyang didn¡¯t delay any further, taking the gourd and the flesh of Tai Sui and heading west. After leaving the temple, where the aura of gloom was extremely dense, he transformed into his true Flood Dragon form. A bright white lightning bolt streaked across the sky, and Li Muyang quickly disappeared into the clouds. Unlike his cautious approach earlier, the departing Li Muyang was flamboyant and ostentatious. After Li Muyang left, the Mother Buddha Temple immediately fell silent. In the only lit hall of the pitch-black Mother Buddha Temple, the Mother Buddha seated in front of the giant statue coughed softly. Under her dark robe, a low, fragmented discussion suddenly arose. ¡°...Mother, why not consume this Ascender?¡± ¡°Yes, mother, he¡¯s an Ascender. Eating him could make us an immortal!¡± ¡°Mother, can he really catch the Heart-Eating Worms?¡± Under the dark robe, the voices of women were noisy and seemed to be many women crowded under the thin robe. Chapter 337 The noisy voices continued unabated in the hall. The Mother Buddha, who looked exactly like Chu Qingxue, sat in front of the statue with her hands clasped together, shaking her head indifferently. ¡°This Ascender is not easy to consume.¡± She looked in the direction where Li Muyang had left, expressionless. ¡°When your two sisters died at his hands, they encountered a terrifying kind of lightning...¡± As she spoke, the originally indifferent Mother Buddha¡¯s face showed a gentle smile again. Although she had the face of a young girl, she now appeared as kind as an elderly woman. ¡°Let mother wait a little longer and see if there¡¯s an opportunity.¡± ¡°But even if we can¡¯t consume the Ascender, if he can help us catch the Heart-Eating Worms, that would be very good... hehe...¡± The Mother Buddha smiled and slowly closed her eyes. As she did so, the oil lamp beside her gradually extinguished. The entire Mother Buddha Temple was plunged into complete darkness, devoid of any light. And after the light went out, the woman sitting in the hall also became lifeless, sitting stiffly as if she had become a dead body. After a long silence, the voices of excited women suddenly came from under the Mother Buddha¡¯s dark robe. ¡°Mother has fallen asleep...¡± ¡°Great! Mother has fallen asleep again!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go out and play!¡± Amidst the excited and joyful noise, the still robe in front of the statue began to rustle. In the darkness, it seemed as if countless tentacles were crawling on the floor. Soon, those fine rustling sounds left the dark hall and spread out like a plague, escaping in all directions... ...... The bright white Flood Dragon flew swiftly through the night sky. Dragon Maiden was very curious. ¡°Li Muyang, are we just going to run errands for your mother-in-law? Aren¡¯t you going to snatch the White Bone Tai Sui anymore?¡± Dragon Maiden was puzzled by Li Muyang¡¯s abrupt departure. She didn¡¯t believe Li Muyang would really treat that sinister old woman as his own mother-in-law. Li Muyang left so decisively, which was not his usual style of doing things. Flood Dragon swiftly flew through the night sky, enveloped in clouds and mist, while Li Muyang, bathed in the cold moonlight of the night sky, shook his head indifferently. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to snatch...¡± Seeing the Dragon Maiden¡¯s confusion, he briefly explained Master Qingye¡¯s strength and cultivation level. Master Qingye was definitely the pinnacle of combat power in this world. But even Master Qingye could only snatch away the body of the Liuli Immortal Sword. The scabbard remained at the Mother Buddha Temple... After Li Muyang explained this, the Dragon Maiden was shocked. ¡°Ah? That gloomy old woman is that terrifying? Can¡¯t even the heavenly thunder do anything to her?¡± The evil enemies they had encountered in the past were not very strong, and those who were a bit stronger could be instantly killed by heavenly thunder. But Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°Although heavenly thunder is strong, it¡¯s not certain that it can kill this Mother Buddha.¡± Looking at the mountain covered in maple leaves now within sight, Li Muyang quickly descended from the clouds and transformed into human form at the foot of the mountain. ¡°Let¡¯s first catch some Heart-Eating Worms to exchange for Seven Marrow Pills to prolong our life.¡± ¡°After all, both White Bone Tai Sui and Mother Buddha Temple are there. There¡¯s still time to snatch them later.¡± Li Muyang suspected that the evil beings in the Mother Buddha Temple went mad at the sight of him, an Ascender, perhaps because they feared his heavenly thunder. That Mother Buddha could see everything that happened to Chu Qingxue thousands of li away clearly. She couldn¡¯t have missed the death of the two evil women she sent at Li Muyang¡¯s hands. The power of heavenly thunder was mysterious. It killed enemies with a single strike regardless of their strength or weakness. But Li Muyang was also unsure of the upper limit of the heavenly thunder¡¯s power and whether it could kill a big boss like the Mother Buddha. And the Mother Buddha, perhaps also wary of Li Muyang¡¯s heavenly thunder, had brought out the White Bone Tai Sui to coax Li Muyang into doing her bidding. This was both a probe and a way to keep the peace, akin to paying protection money to a thug who comes knocking. The existence of heavenly thunder maintained a fragile peace between Li Muyang and the Mother Buddha Temple. Considering that the other party had Seven Marrow Pills that could prolong life, Li Muyang was not planning to break this balance for the time being. If a real fight broke out and the heavenly thunder was useful, that would be fine... but what if the heavenly thunder couldn¡¯t harm the Mother Buddha? In any case, first catch the Heart-Eating Worms to exchange for Seven Marrow Pills to prolong life! Benefits that can be obtained are the real deal. Li Muyang searched the mountain covered with maple trees for a while and soon found the underground pit described by the Mother Buddha. At a position halfway up the mountain, there was a huge pit with smooth, vertical rock walls that seemed to lead straight to the netherworld, pitch-black and bottomless. Li Muyang stood by the pit, looking down into the dark hole, feeling a cold chill constantly seeping out. Dragon Maiden, filled with trepidation, said, ¡°...What does this lead to? It feels so terrifying, like the gaping maw of a monster. We won¡¯t get eaten if we go in, will we?¡± Li Muyang kicked a huge rock down the pit. The rock plunged into the darkness of the pit and quickly disappeared into the shadows. However, after the rock fell, there was no sound of it hitting the bottom for a long time. Dragon Maiden was astonished: ¡°Was the stone really eaten?¡± Li Muyang took a deep breath and leapt directly into the dark pit. ¡°Perhaps this pit is deeper than we imagined.¡± For some reason, as he stood at the edge of the pit, inhaling the cold air, he felt a sense of familiarity and comfort. It was as if... he had come home? How strange. Why did such a peculiar pit give him a sense of familiarity and comfort? Li Muyang plunged into the pit, his body continuously falling. His vision quickly turned pitch black, unable to see anything around him. But Flood Dragon¡¯s powerful vision still allowed him to see in the darkness. This huge underground pit was incredibly deep. The moonlight at the top was initially a circular exit, but as he fell further and further, the light from the opening became smaller and smaller. Eventually, the light from the entrance shrank to the size of a grain of rice, almost invisible. And Li Muyang finally saw the grey mist mentioned by the Mother Buddha. In this dark underground world, there floated a grey mist. This mist seemed to have some buoyancy, and Li Muyang, within it, could move up and down as if he were in water. Here, the sense of familiarity and comfort was even stronger. The air was filled with a familiar cold and evil aura. This aura was very similar to the Flesh and Bone Green Garment and Granny Gu from the Black Cloud Village. Li Muyang was quite surprised¡ªcould this be a branch of the Black Cloud Village? At that moment, the grey mist surged, and a violent and strong evil aura appeared in Li Muyang¡¯s perception. It seemed to be a massive creature moving through the grey mist. As it approached, Li Muyang vaguely heard sharp and piercing wails. It was as if countless resentful spirits were wailing mournfully. When the grey mist dispersed, a ten-zhang-tall giant shadow emerged from it. Its body was covered with many giant blue-haired caterpillars, which looked incredibly creepy. But even more terrifying was the appearance of the shadow. It wore the old black-grey robes of the Black Cloud Village. Its face was pale and expressionless, and its eye sockets were sunken, leaving only two dark holes. A huge red health bar floated above its head. ¡¾Mad Ancient Evil Cultivator¡¿ ¡ªLi Muyang actually recognized this ten-zhang-tall giant shadow! Chapter 338 Zhuo Ali was the name of the shadow before him. In ¡¶Deadly Weed¡·, Li Muyang had seen the person before him. He was a villager of the Black Cloud Village but also practiced evil cultivation with the Temple Seal Lord and other demonic cultivators in the back mountain. But he never expected to encounter Zhuo Ali in this eerie grey mist underground. His body had swollen to ten zhang tall, and the Black Cloud Village grey robes he wore had also expanded. But the surface of this huge shadow was crawling with creepy blue worms. These blue worms had long, thin, sharp hairs, like giant wriggling caterpillars. Each of these thin hairs shimmered with a cold azure light, adding an icy and terrifying creepiness to it. As they moved in the darkness, the blue spots on their bodies also writhed like ugly eyeballs. Just the sight of this creature made Dragon Maiden scream. ¡°Ah! So scary!¡± ¡°Li Muyang! What is this thing?¡± Just the sight of the heart-eating worms made Dragon Maiden feel physically ill. Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but shiver, his skin breaking out in goosebumps. These eerie blue caterpillars were indeed terrifying and repulsive, instinctively disliked by anyone who saw them. But as Li Muyang faced this ferocious and terrifying creature, he finally understood where that familiar feeling of returning home came from. ¨CThe atmosphere of this underground world of grey mist was exactly the same as Black Cloud Village! Looking at Zhuo Ali, who had the health bar of a ¡¾Mad Ancient Evil Cultivator¡¿, Li Muyang¡¯s mind raced with speculation. Could it be that this place was the last stronghold of the Temple Seal Lord and his fellow cultists when they perished in ancient times? Li Muyang¡¯s thoughts were rapid, but the creature before him showed no joy at seeing a fellow villager. Upon seeing the woman in the black mist, it instinctively roared and charged at Li Muyang. The blue heart-eating worms writhing on its body glowed even brighter, emitting a sinister blue flame. Li Muyang immediately dodged and released Heavenly Fire at the monstrous creature. The Heavenly Fire fell upon the giant Zhuo Ali, causing it to howl miserably and retreat continuously. However, the blue worms on its body seemed unaffected. The Heavenly Fire blazed fiercely, and the blue light released by the heart-eating worms quickly merged into one. Finally, a blue flame shot through the Heavenly Fire summoned by Li Muyang, striking him directly. ¨CCan this blue flame penetrate Heavenly Fire? Li Muyang was astounded. It was the first time he had encountered something that Heavenly Fire could not burn. The blue flame released by the heart-eating worms seemed to exist in its own right, impervious to interference or obstruction. In an instant, Li Muyang¡¯s body was engulfed in blue light. The burning blue flames scorched his skin, causing him to twist in pain, and a layer of fine white jade scales appeared on his delicate skin. These jade-like dragon scales sizzled under the searing blue flames, the intense heat scorching Li Muyang¡¯s soul, leaving him somewhat dazed. The true master of the Flood Dragon¡¯s body, Dragon Maiden, screamed in agony. ¡°Ah, it hurts so much!¡± ¡°Li Muyang! It¡¯s killing me!¡± ¡°Is this the ¡®no danger¡¯ your mother-in-law spoke of? It hurts me to death!¡± Dragon Maiden cried out in pain. Fortunately, it seemed that the dragon scales truly resisted the blue flames. Despite the scorching pain, Li Muyang felt no damage to his soul. Seeing this, the creature in the mist roared and turned to flee. The Heavenly Fire continued to burn its body, leaving it covered in wounds. But the flames it released could not harm Li Muyang. This mad cultivator was now afraid. However, Li Muyang did not give it a chance to escape. This was the first minor monster he had encountered down here, and he couldn¡¯t let it go so easily. Enduring the pain of the blue flames, Li Muyang chased after the thirty-zhang-tall cultist in the mist, continuously bombarding it with Heavenly Fire. As the health bar of the blood-red creature rapidly decreased, the giant monster soon let out a wail and fell motionless into the mist like a soulless husk. The eerie heart-eating worms attached to its body scattered with a bang at the moment the creature fell, trying to escape into the mist. But Li Muyang brought out the gourd given to him by the Buddha Mother, and a great suction force emerged, sucking all the heart-eating worms into the gourd. Finally, looking at the floating corpse of the monster in the mist, Li Muyang reflected for a moment before reverting to his original form and swallowing the creature whole. The Moon-Biting Dragon, now three hundred zhang long, consumed the thirty-zhang-tall monster as if it were a small snack. As the mad ancient times cultist was devoured by Li Muyang, system notifications quickly popped up in his field of vision. ¡¾Experience Points +30¡¿ ¡¾Experience Points +30¡¿ The body of this ancient times cultist actually gave experience points when eaten? And the amount was not insignificant. Seeing this, Li Muyang¡¯s eyes lit up. He had set out on this journey to find evil creatures to slay and level up. Now that eating the monsters in this underground world of grey mist could increase experience points... wasn¡¯t this the perfect leveling dungeon? Li Muyang¡¯s mood instantly brightened. The Moon-Biting Dragon also sensed the change in its body and was overjoyed. ¡°Eating this monster can actually improve my cultivation? Li Muyang, you guessed it all along, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No wonder you agreed so readily to the Buddha Mother.¡± Discovering that eating the evil creatures in the mist could lead to leveling up, Dragon Maiden also became happy. Li Muyang then counted the Heart-Eating Worms in the gourd, feeling somewhat disappointed. ¡°Only 17...¡± These Heart-Eating Worms were large and seemed numerous, but only 17 were caught in the end. It seemed he would need to kill more monsters in the mist to collect enough Heart-Eating Worms to exchange for the Seven Marrow Pills. Li Muyang rested in the mist to digest for a while before taking out the White Bone Tai Sui given to him by the Buddha Mother. He carefully cut off a small piece of the Tai Sui flesh and tossed it into the mist. As the Tai Sui flesh drifted in the mist, a faint fragrance also spread through the mist. Li Muyang floated to the side, waiting for his prey to take the bait. But this time, he waited for a full half hour before there was any movement in the mist. A long, slender shadow swam out of the mist, revealing a giant snake with dry, scaly skin, looking like a walking corpse. This giant snake was twenty zhang long, its body covered with blue worms. It roared as it approached the piece of White Bone Tai Sui flesh. But it quickly noticed Li Muyang, motionless in the mist. In the hollow dark eye sockets of the giant snake, a blue light suddenly appeared. An ugly Heart-Eating Worm crawled out of its eye socket, angrily howling at Li Muyang in the mist. The next second, the Heart-Eating Worms on the snake¡¯s body shone brightly, and a dazzling blue fireball was hurled directly at Li Muyang in the mist. But accompanying it was the fiery red Heavenly Fire, which appeared out of nowhere in the mist and slammed fiercely onto the giant snake... Chapter 339 In the quiet room, Li Muyang opened his eyes. The familiar anti-addiction system came online again, abruptly kicking him out of the game. Breathing in the faint fragrance in the air, Li Muyang let out a gentle sigh. ¡°...I thought there was no anti-addiction mechanism in the third stage.¡± But as always, the anti-addiction system was punctual, never late. When the time came, it forcefully logged him out. Recalling the situation in the fog, Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°I hope she can hold on.¡± As the Buddha Mother said, dragon scales counter the blue flames of the Heart-Eating Worms. The Flood Dragon was indeed the natural predator of these bizarre giant worms. When a Moon-Biting Dragon encounters a Heart-Eating Worm, aside from the unbearable pain caused by the blue fire, it would hardly suffer any other damage. However, the pain from being scorched by the blue fire was extremely uncomfortable. Li Muyang, who considered himself to have a good tolerance for pain, had to rest for a while after each battle with the monsters, mentally preparing himself before he had the courage to lure and trap the next one. He could only hope that the Dragon Maiden would be strong enough to not fear the pain. Over the past night, Li Muyang had wandered in the fog for several hours, using slices of White Bone Tai Sui meat as bait to lure and kill six monsters. During this process, he discovered that the strength of the monsters that appeared was related to the thickness of the Tai Sui meat he cut. The thicker the slice of Tai Sui meat, the stronger the monster it attracted. And the stronger the monster, the thicker its health bar, the more Heart-Eating Worms wriggling on its body, the greater the power of the blue fire, and the more intense the pain of being scorched. Now that he had been logged out, a day and a night had passed, and it was uncertain how many monsters the Moon-Biting Dragon could defeat... Pondering over the situation in the game, Li Muyang got up and walked out of the house. He had been toiling in the game for a day and a night, and the same amount of time had passed in reality. Outside, the sky was filled with stars, marking the time of nightfall. The flying boat, covered with flowers and plants, sped through the pale moonlight, continuously flying towards the direction of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gate. On this flying boat, there was a small secret realm that could evolve various landscapes. Li Muyang¡¯s parents, as well as Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s parents, were currently residing in the small secret realm. This secret realm had a certain defensive capability, making it relatively safe to live in and preventing them from being taken hostage by pursuers like the Old Man of Withered Leaves and other demonic cultivators. Although with the power and cultivation of the Old Man of Withered Leaves and others, if they were to catch up, they probably wouldn¡¯t need hostages... Li Muyang stepped out of the house and saw a figure standing quietly on the deck. It was Yan Xiaoru¡¯s personal maid, Aunt Su, currently the strongest cultivator on this flying boat. Aunt Su stood under the moonlight, quietly watching the night landscape around her, vigilant against possible attacks. Little sister Li Yuechan and little green tea Ning Wan¡¯er were chatting with Aunt Su. Seeing Li Muyang come out from the house, Ning Wan¡¯er spoke up. ¡°Muyang, the latest news is that there have been suspected activities of Qingyang Association¡¯s demonic cultivators in Tianjiao City...¡± Although they hadn¡¯t seen the Old Man of Withered Leaves, the activities of the Qingyang Association already revealed some information. That Old Man of Withered Leaves had indeed come after them and had been misled by the false information released by Li Muyang and the others, heading to Tianjiao City. Hearing this news, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°If the Old Man of Withered Leaves went to Tianjiao City, it would be very difficult for him to catch up with us.¡± Although celebrating with champagne at halftime wasn¡¯t wise, theoretically, this news indeed meant they were safe. They had fled in advance and had confused the Old Man of Withered Leaves with false information, leading him in the wrong direction. Now, even if the Old Man of Withered Leaves guessed the direction of Li Muyang and the others¡¯ escape and pursued them along the way, it would be very difficult for him to catch up with this flying boat. He stood on the deck, listening to Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s account, and they chatted for a while longer. Later, as they were dispersing, Li Muyang was about to return to his room to rest when little sister Li Yuechan caught up with him, calling him aside. ¡°Brother, wait a moment, there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about...¡± Under the moonlight, the girl hesitated, seemingly facing a difficult problem. Li Muyang looked at her curiously but didn¡¯t refuse, nodding instead. ¡°Shall we talk here?¡± ¡°Uh... let¡¯s go to my room,¡± Li Yuechan led Li Muyang inside the flying boat to the small room assigned to her. The room was somewhat cramped, originally meant for maids and servants. But Li Yuechan had given up her spacious room to the accompanying Li Damu couple, so she moved into this small room. After stepping into the room, Li Muyang looked around the small space with interest. Li Yuechan, on the other hand, nervously rubbed her hands together, seemingly struggling to speak. Li Muyang curiously watched her and said, ¡°What¡¯s so hot that you can¡¯t spit it out? Beating around the bush isn¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re the so-called descendant of the ancient Corpse-Resolving Immortal...¡± Li Muyang knew that his little sister was somewhat unusual. He had also suspected that his little sister might be the descendant of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal. But remembering how Li Yuechan had been affected by the aftermath of a fight with a mere direct disciple Qin Haie when she first entered the Outer Sect and nearly losing her life... Li Muyang dismissed the suspicion. Although he didn¡¯t know who the Corpse-Resolving Immortal was, the title itself was quite intimidating. If Li Yuechan really were the descendant of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal, how could she be driven to the brink of death by a direct disciple? If it weren¡¯t for him spending all his wealth and with the strong support of his friend Guan Xiaoshun, this little sister might have died. ¡ªCould the descendant of the mighty Corpse-Resolving Immortal be so hopeless? Li Muyang didn¡¯t believe his little sister was the descendant of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal, but that didn¡¯t stop him from teasing her. And his teasing tone made the girl smile bitterly. Finally regaining her usual quirky spirit, she shook her head and said, ¡°If I were the descendant of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal, I wouldn¡¯t stay in the Demon Refining Sect. I would have run off to enjoy my freedom outside long ago.¡± After speaking, she looked at Li Muyang again. Their eyes met, and the girl couldn¡¯t help but sigh again, expressing her headache and helplessness. ¡°Brother, this time our uncle and aunt fled with us... Have you thought about how to settle them?¡± ¡°Our family has been targeted by the Qingyang Association. Uncle and aunt won¡¯t be able to return to Jiuyuan City in the future, right?¡± As the girl spoke, she carefully observed Li Muyang¡¯s expression. Clearly, the topic of parents was a sensitive area for Li Muyang. Ever since he had stormed out of the house, Li Muyang¡¯s attitude towards his parents had been cold, and even during this visit home, that coldness hadn¡¯t changed much. So much so that when Li Damu and his wife saw their son, they were almost too afraid to speak too much. Li Yuechan was nervous about bringing up the topic, but Li Muyang, after hearing the question, simply raised his eyebrows slightly, showing no anger. After pondering for a moment, he didn¡¯t answer but instead threw the question back to his little sister. ¡°Do you have any thoughts, Yuechan?¡± Chapter 340 ¡°Do you have any thoughts, Yuechan?¡± Li Muyang¡¯s stable emotions and indifferent tone gave his sister courage. The young girl took a deep breath and said, ¡°This escape, the Ning family¡¯s situation is different from ours.¡± ¡°The Ning family is not on the Qingyang Association¡¯s hit list. Once the flying boat arrives at the sect, Sister Wan¡¯er can take Uncle Ning and the others away. For the Ning residence, this matter would be considered over.¡± ¡°But our family is different. Brother, you¡¯ve already been targeted by the demon cultivators of the Qingyang Association. Even if they can¡¯t find you this time, they will continue to harass us in the future...¡± Worry filled Li Yuechan¡¯s eyes. After speaking, she saw that her brother remained calm and not angry. Hesitating for a moment, she then gritted her teeth and voiced her own idea. ¡°So I was thinking, why don¡¯t we send our second uncle and aunt to the World¡¯s End Ark? It¡¯s a place far from all strife, where neither the grudges of immortals nor demons can reach.¡± ¡°If we can send the second uncle and aunt to the World¡¯s End Ark, at least their safety can be ensured...¡± Li Yuechan mustered her courage to finish speaking, then carefully looked at Li Muyang. To her surprise, Li Muyang nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea indeed. The World¡¯s End Ark is a great place. But with such a good idea... why the hesitation?¡± The World¡¯s End Ark is a special place in this land. It¡¯s absolutely neutral, unaffected by the conflicts between immortals and demons, and an excellent refuge. Even Li Muyang had heard of the reputation of the World¡¯s End Ark. Although there are many strict rules within the World¡¯s End Ark, which many cultivators accustomed to freedom are reluctant to accept, for the mortal couple Li Damu and his wife, it indeed represents an excellent refuge where they can live out their days in peace, without facing the kind of crisis they did today. Curious, Li Muyang looked at his little sister and asked, ¡°Is there a problem with this plan?¡± Sure enough, a bitter smile appeared on his little sister¡¯s face. ¡°The World¡¯s End Ark is indeed wonderful, but it has always been averse to the demonic path. For a person from the demonic path to be accepted into the World¡¯s End Ark, a great price must be paid... well, that means a lot of silver.¡± The girl said softly, ¡°Although I¡¯ve saved up many spiritual items and silver, it might not be enough...¡± Li Muyang shook his head: ¡°You, as an inner disciple, of course, can¡¯t come up with that much silver.¡± Not everyone is a business genius like Guan Xiaoshun, able to amass a fortune. Li Muyang generously said, ¡°Just go ahead and handle this matter. Whatever silver and spiritual items you need, come to me for them.¡± ¡°If we can settle them in the World¡¯s End Ark, I will not be stingy.¡± He had complex feelings towards Li Damu and his wife, and Li Muyang couldn¡¯t bring himself to call them ¡°mom and dad,¡± nor could he truly treat them as his own parents. But when it came to spending money on them, Li Muyang was quite willing. Seeing her brother so generous and bearing no grudge against their parents, a smile immediately appeared on Li Yuechan¡¯s face. ¡°Hehe... Brother, you¡¯re really nice.¡± The girl happily pounced on Li Muyang and hugged him tightly. This seventeen-year-old girl, at this moment, didn¡¯t care about the proprieties between men and women... although in this world, there really wasn¡¯t much concern for such proprieties, given Confucian thought. The girl happily hugged Li Muyang, pressing her face against his chest, and said with joy, ¡°I love big brother the most.¡± Her mischievously cute words made Li Muyang roll his eyes. ¡°This is what I should do anyway.¡± Such a trivial matter, yet this little girl hesitated so much. She couldn¡¯t really think that the original owner was so petty that he wouldn¡¯t spend money even when his own parents were in danger... tsk tsk... Reflecting on the original owner¡¯s image in his little sister¡¯s heart, Li Muyang chatted with his sister for a while longer, confirming the plan to send their parents to the World¡¯s End Ark for refuge before leaving her little house. Standing at the door, he straightened the clothes Yuechan had ruffled, then turned and left. Inside the house, Li Yuechan, who had seen off her brother, hummed a tune happily, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart, and her entire being seemed joyful and bright. The voice of the mysterious woman sounded in her ear, somewhat surprised. ¡°...Your uncle and aunt, they are your brother¡¯s biological parents. It¡¯s only right and proper for him to spend money when his own parents are in trouble and seeking refuge, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s not a small amount, it shouldn¡¯t have made you so hesitant for so long, right?¡± ¡°They are his parents, not yours.¡± The mysterious woman was somewhat puzzled. Hearing her teacher¡¯s voice, Li Yuechan blinked and said with a giggle, ¡°As long as big brother agrees, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Hehehe...¡± The girl continued to hum happily, taking out the booklet given to her by Senior Su and began to study the matter of sending her second uncle and aunt to the World¡¯s End Ark. At the same time, Li Muyang returned to his own room. The anti-addiction system prevented him from entering ¡°Dragonkin Awakening,¡± so with nothing else to do, he could only open ¡°Deadly Weed¡± and continue to roam the mountains and waters with Xiao Yecao. In the snowy forest, Li Muyang and the fairy-like Xiao Yecao huddled in a drafty carriage, feeling the howling cold wind outside. Xiao Yecao laughed and said, ¡°Elder Brother, you¡¯re not getting any younger. Why not agree to the Snow Mountain Weaver Girl¡¯s proposal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been almost twenty years since we left Black Cloud Village, right? Other men your age would already have children around their knees.¡± ¡°Elder Brother, you¡¯ve repeatedly refused marriage proposals, which is really puzzling.¡± In the midst of the snowstorm, Li Muyang curled up in the corner of the carriage, coughed and opened the system interface. It clearly displayed the character information. ¡¾Jiang Xiaoyu: 37 years old¡¿ And the current scene¡¯s daily log. Looking at the prompt on the system interface, Li Muyang shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know about twenty years, I only remember 7,139 days.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s unique response made the fairy-like beautiful woman opposite him pause. Then she burst into laughter: ¡°Elder Brother, you remember so clearly, you¡¯re not actually counting the days on your fingers every day, are you?¡± Li Muyang chuckled and said, ¡°When you become an immortal, then I¡¯ll consider the matter of marriage.¡± ¡°The reason I¡¯ve been unable to marry is all because of you holding me back!¡± Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years since we left Black Cloud Village, and every year you say you see the opportunity to become an immortal, but every year you don¡¯t... what exactly are you waiting for?¡± Li Muyang was half-joking, half-curious. Xiao Yecao¡¯s fourth stage of the storyline in the game had been going on for nearly twenty years. The once youthful and vigorous young man, Jiang Xiaoyu, had now turned into a weathered middle-aged man. Yet Xiao Yecao still hadn¡¯t become an immortal, and the fourth stage of the story had yet to end. Li Muyang began to suspect that this fourth stage wouldn¡¯t end until Xiao Yecao became an immortal. Chapter 341 The wind and snow howled outside the carriage. On the rugged road, the dilapidated carriage¡¯s shaft creaked unpleasantly. Li Muyang, wrapped in a blanket, curled up in a corner, looked at the stunningly beautiful fairy-like Xiao Yecao, who smiled and said, ¡°...It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t rest easy about you, Elder Brother. What if I attain enlightenment and ascend to immortality, leaving you alone in this mundane world? Without my care, what would you do?¡± ¡°Elder Brother, as a mere mortal, might get eaten by a demon beast the moment you step outside.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I could become an immortal at any time if I wished.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you, Elder Brother.¡± Xiao Yecao blinked innocently, acting cute towards Li Muyang. But Li Muyang knew that this girl was just talking nonsense. In the long-running daily plot, this girl had several breakdowns due to her failures in ascending to immortality. Each time, Li Muyang had to patiently comfort her, accompany her in fun and games, and cheer her up. Occasionally, he even had to play the role of a life coach, spouting some motivational gibberish to lift the spirits of the disheartened Xiao Yecao. Becoming an immortal, even for this girl with the bearing of an immortal, was extremely difficult. It was nowhere near as simple as she claimed. Li Muyang shook his head, about to expose Xiao Yecao¡¯s lies. But then he saw the fairy in front of him giggling as she moved closer, casually sitting in front of Li Muyang, batting her eyelids and saying, ¡°If it really comes down to it, I¡¯ll marry Elder Brother.¡± ¡°Before becoming an immortal, I¡¯ll bear a few children for you, Elder Brother, then accompany you in old age and be by your side until the end of your brief life.¡± ¡°Perhaps after Elder Brother passes away, I¡¯ll be able to let go of my obsessions, no longer have worldly concerns, and then I could become an immortal.¡± Xiao Yecao was as irreverent as ever. She giggled and said, ¡°I know Elder Brother likes women with big chests. Every time you see a beauty with a large bust, you always sneak peeks at them for a good while.¡± ¡°The ones Elder Brother rejected before must have been because their chests were too small, not to Elder Brother¡¯s liking.¡± Xiao Yecao said, exaggerating her movements as she puffed out her chest. ¡°But I¡¯m different. I¡¯m quite confident. Elder Brother surely won¡¯t reject me, right?¡± Even though she was a transcendent fairy just a step away from immortality, Xiao Yecao still made her silly jokes. Li Muyang, already immune to this, rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t pin the blame on me... Your failure to become an immortal has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°The Purple Sun Immortal we met before was also troubled by the mundane world before becoming an immortal, but he still achieved enlightenment, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°You just can¡¯t find the right path because you¡¯re not skilled enough.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re unskilled, just practice more, and stop blaming others all the time.¡± Li Muyang shook his head and said, ¡°As for marrying you? Forget it, the karma of marrying you would be too great for a mortal like me to bear.¡± This was a future fairy with the appearance of an immortal, and she was destined to die amidst dark turmoil. Although Li Muyang admired and liked Xiao Yecao¡¯s personality, he always restrained his emotions, never investing too much affection in her. Otherwise, when the game ended and Xiao Yecao died, would he be in love with a woman who had died thousands of years ago? Sheesh... He had no desire to experience such a tragic romance of life and death. Moreover, although Xiao Yecao appeared to be open-minded and carefree, she was actually very strong-willed. If they started dating and she placed some sort of curse on Li Muyang, like never being able to change his heart in this lifetime, it could affect him thousands of years later after the game ended... Tsk... Xiao Yecao was definitely capable of such extreme possessiveness. Jiang Xiaoyu was of the Ancient Evil Lineage, destined to be unable to cultivate and live no more than a hundred years as a mortal. But Li Muyang was different. He was about to reach the Cave Profound realm, with the system by his side and a vast future ahead. He didn¡¯t want to be widowed by a fairy from a thousand years ago. Continuing to humor Xiao Yecao with a smile, Li Muyang kept her company in their leisurely excursions, maintaining his daily routine as usual. Twenty years had passed in the game¡¯s progression, and even if he really waited until Jiang Xiaoyu died of old age, it wouldn¡¯t have much impact on him in the real world. After all, the Ancient Evil Lineage couldn¡¯t step onto the path of cultivation, and this Jiang Xiaoyu wouldn¡¯t live long. It was just unclear how the Temple Seal Lord and those demon cultivators managed to transform the Ancient Evil Lineage of Black Cloud Village, allowing those villagers who followed them in cultivation to obtain the special divine powers of cultivators... ...... In the underground world shrouded in gray mist, Li Muyang summoned heavenly fire, bravely withstanding the scorching of the blue flames, and knocked down a twenty-zhang-tall monster. The monster, with a health bar labeled ¡¾Mad Ancient Evil Cultivator¡¿, was a well-known villager from Black Cloud Village. Li Muyang was already well-acquainted with these ¡°fellow villagers.¡± In the world of gray mist, there were not only the villagers of Black Cloud Village but also many peculiar creatures. However, all these creatures were possessed by Heart-Eating Worms, which had taken over their bodies and controlled their souls. Every time, Li Muyang had to slay these monsters¡¯ bodies and souls, rendering them powerless, causing the parasitic Heart-Eating Worms to lose their strength and scatter like headless flies. After another successful login, Li Muyang skillfully defeated the monster and collected many Heart-Eating Worms into a gourd. Standing in the midst of the gray mist, although the blue flames on his body had subsided, Li Muyang still grimaced in pain. The pain from the blue fire was so intense that he still felt phantom pain even after the flames had dissipated. However, seeing the number of Heart-Eating Worms in the gourd, Li Muyang immediately felt happy. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Li Muyang was quite surprised as he praised, ¡°In just one day and night, you¡¯ve caught so many Heart-Eating Worms, even more impressive than me.¡± There were at least two hundred Heart-Eating Worms in the gourd. During the day and night he was offline due to the anti-addiction system, Dragon Maiden hadn¡¯t been lazy. She had diligently captured Heart-Eating Worms and killed evil creatures. At this moment, the experience bar had also reached LV9 (99%), not far from leveling up. This naive and simple Dragon Maiden was more reliable than he had imagined. Hearing Li Muyang¡¯s praise, Dragon Maiden was very happy. She giggled shyly, ¡°Then shall we continue to capture Heart-Eating Worms? The monsters here seem endless. We could catch them for a long time.¡± The increase in strength made her joyful and eager to stay in this underground gray mist world, devouring all the evil creatures before leaving. Li Muyang, however, glanced at the system interface and shook his head. ¡°No, let¡¯s go back and exchange for Seven Marrow Pills.¡± There were only a few days left before being swallowed by the earth. Even if he wanted to level up in the underground gray mist world, he needed to postpone his death first. Li Muyang took a deep breath, swallowed the corpse of the monster, and as the prompt ¡¾Experience +10¡¿ kept popping up in his field of vision, he soared up in the gray mist world, flying towards the outside. He was going to take these two hundred plus Heart-Eating Worms to the Mother Buddha Temple to exchange for Seven Marrow Pills. And on the way there, the newly digested evil creature would be enough for him to level up to LV10. Riding the clouds, Li Muyang quickly ascended ten thousand zhang, flying out of the dark and profound underground pit and returning to the outside world. After discerning the direction in the sky, Li Muyang headed straight for the Mother Buddha Temple. Two hundred li away, the Mother Buddha Temple was quickly reached by Li Muyang, who rode upon a cloud-wreathed Flood Dragon. However, upon landing at the gates of the Mother Buddha Temple, he found it eerily silent and deserted, with no sign of any living soul. Even the evil women who previously swarmed the mountain were nowhere to be seen. An odd and ominous aura drifted within the Mother Buddha Temple. The Dragon Maiden, with a look of shock and uncertainty, said, ¡°The foul stench inside the Mother Buddha Temple has faded a lot!¡± The previously pervasive and loathsome aura of Yin and evil that enveloped the Mother Buddha Temple, which both Li Muyang and the Dragon Maiden found extremely repulsive, had indeed diminished significantly and was no longer intense. Li Muyang, gazing at the desolate Mother Buddha Temple before him, felt a sudden pang of foreboding in his heart... Could something have happened to the Mother Buddha Temple? With this realization, the joy he had felt from leveling up to LV10 on the road instantly dissipated. Li Muyang, wary of the temple before him, halted his steps and did not rashly enter. The Mother Buddha who presided over the temple was no ordinary character. If something had indeed gone wrong with the Mother Buddha Temple, then the enemy who had attacked must be formidable! Chapter 342 The bright morning sun shone down on the Mother Buddha Temple. The Black Stone Mountain, made entirely of giant rocks, was silent and still. The town at the foot of the mountain seemed normal, unaffected by the strange events on the mountain, and the ordinary people below remained unaware. Li Muyang, with a furrowed brow, surveyed the Mother Buddha Temple, on guard for any potential enemies. If someone could defeat the Mother Buddha, they would certainly be a tough opponent, and they might still be lurking nearby. He had to remain vigilant. At that moment, a pale white figure slowly emerged from the shadows. This slender, curvaceous silhouette had no facial features or clothing, nor any gender characteristics. It was like a pale cutout, without even a mouth, standing respectfully and gesturing for Li Muyang to enter. Li Muyang, observing the white figure, frowned slightly. He had seen such figures before, commanded by the Mother Buddha. However, given the uncertain situation in the Mother Buddha Temple, he remained cautious. It was only when a weak and weary voice came from deep within the temple that Li Muyang momentarily let down his guard. ¡°...Since Muyang has arrived, why not come in?¡± The Mother Buddha¡¯s voice was quite weak, clearly not in good condition, but at least it was calm. If she had indeed faced an enemy, it seemed likely that she had repelled them. Li Muyang then stepped into the Mother Buddha Temple, following the pale figure to the previously visited spacious hall. Inside the temple, where a ten-zhang-tall statue of Chu Qingxue was enshrined, it was dark and gloomy, as if it were night. Despite the bright sunshine outside, the vast hall was shrouded in darkness. The Mother Buddha, draped in a dark robe, sat in front of the statue, hunched over, with an odd bronze oil lamp burning beside her. The dim light of the lamp cast a weak glow on her, revealing her visible frailty. Her stooped figure resembled that of an old woman. Li Muyang stepped into the hall, scanning his surroundings with a frown. The abnormality of the Mother Buddha Temple was blatantly obvious, even to the blind. On the stone path in front of the temple, there were many dark red footprints. These were not human footprints but three-toed tracks of some beast, suggesting that a ferocious creature had been running through the courtyard not long ago. The air was tinged with a faint smell of sulfur and the heat of burned flames. The black-robed Mother Buddha coughed lightly, seemingly noticing Li Muyang¡¯s curiosity, and took the initiative to explain, ¡°It¡¯s nothing too serious, just an old nemesis who came knocking.¡± ¡°We had a quarrel and a bit of a dispute, but it has already left.¡± The Mother Buddha said, looking up at Li Muyang with a kind smile, ¡°Compared to that old thing, Muyang, have you caught the Heart-Eating Worm on your trip back?¡± Li Muyang promptly took out a gourd and tossed it towards the Mother Buddha. The Mother Buddha joyfully received the gourd, removed the stopper to count the number inside, and was very satisfied. ¡°247... let¡¯s round it up to 250 for you, Muyang.¡± After saying this, she coughed again, and two pale figures rose slowly from the shadows of the hall. In their hands, they held a small medicinal gourd. The Mother Buddha said, ¡°Inside this are five Seven Marrow Pills. Take them for now, Muyang.¡± The two figures respectfully presented the small medicinal gourd, and as Li Muyang took it, a system notification popped up. ¡¾You have obtained Seven Marrow Pill x5¡¿ Having successfully obtained the Seven Marrow Pills, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. He had been somewhat afraid that the old witch would go back on her word after seeing the Heart-Eating Worm, but it turned out that although she was a strange creature, she kept her promises. Now that he had the Seven Marrow Pills he needed, Li Muyang did not intend to stay any longer. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going back now, continuing to hunt for Heart-Eating Worms in the underground mist for senior.¡± As for the anomalies that had occurred in the Mother Buddha Temple, Li Muyang did not want to meddle in other people¡¯s affairs and did not even wish to ask further questions. However, as Li Muyang was about to leave, the Mother Buddha, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Chu Qingxue, stopped him. She smiled and said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Muyang want to ask who my old nemesis is? And why they came to cause trouble in my little temple?¡± Li Muyang shook his head, ¡°That is senior¡¯s business, and I should not inquire.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s entire demeanor expressed resistance; he did not want to wade into murky waters. Seeing his attitude, the Mother Buddha chuckled and shook her head. ¡°You may not want to get involved, but that old monster may not be willing to let you go.¡± ¡°It was driven away by me, but it certainly hasn¡¯t gone far. It might be hiding in the nearby wilderness and have seen you fly into this place.¡± ¡°If you leave alone now, you might be intercepted by that old thing in the wilderness.¡± ¡°Qingxue has given her heart to you, and as her mother, I certainly don¡¯t want my daughter to become a widow...¡± The Mother Buddha laughed mischievously. Then, she reached under her dark robe with her slender, onion-like fingers, fumbling for a while before producing a sachet. She tossed the sachet to Li Muyang and said, ¡°If you encounter that old monster when you leave, squeeze this sachet. It can temporarily scare off the old monster.¡± Li Muyang took the sachet, slightly surprised. The texture he felt was soft and squishy. Could it be that the sachet contained flesh from a Tai Sui? Yet there was a subtle difference... After pondering for a moment, Li Muyang asked, ¡°May I ask senior, who is the person that came to the Mother Buddha Temple to cause trouble?¡± Since he might be targeted, he can no longer entertain the idea of only looking out for himself. The black-robed Mother Buddha inside the temple coughed softly several times before she began to speak. ¡°That old thing, known as Bai Erye (White Second Master), is the leader of some spirits and monsters beyond the Great Wall.¡± ¡°The spirits and monsters beyond the Great Wall mainly consist of five types that are most likely to become powerful: foxes, willows, yellow, white, and gray.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve consumed the Seven Marrow Pill, and your body has more or less been tainted with the aura of our Mother Buddha Temple. If you encounter any of these five types of demons in the future, stay away from them.¡± Mother Buddha continued to speak while coughing. Her coughing grew louder and more painful, to the point where one might worry she would cough out her lungs. Li Muyang, holding a sachet in his hand, tentatively squeezed it. The next second, a burst of golden light exploded from the sachet in Li Muyang¡¯s hand. Bathed in the golden light, Li Muyang felt a sense of comfort and smooth breathing, as if he were bathed in the sacred light of the righteous path. He looked at the Mother Buddha in astonishment, only to find that at the moment the golden light appeared, two white shadows fearfully and slowly retreated into the shadows behind the Mother Buddha. Inside the temple, only the Mother Buddha, with her gentle and compassionate smile, remained unaffected by the golden light. ¡°...Inside this is the seven-colored glazed heart of an immortal,¡± she said to Li Muyang with a smile. ¡°When a creature like White Second Master sees this sacred light of the immortal path, it will instinctively want to hide, just like insects in the crevices flee from the blazing sun.¡± ¡°Carry this heart of an immortal with you when you leave, and even if White Second Master blocks your path outside the mountain, you should be safe.¡± Chapter 343 A pale Flood Dragon, riding the clouds, flew over Black Stone Mountain toward the west. Dragon Maiden¡¯s voice, filled with surprise and uncertainty, rang in Li Muyang¡¯s ears. ¡°The heart of an immortal... Li Muyang, your mother-in-law is terrifying! Where did she get the heart of an immortal?!¡± In an era where true immortals are dead and gods have vanished, the Mother Buddha casually took out the heart of an immortal and gave it to Li Muyang for protection. Such an act would shock the world. This is the heart of an immortal! Even Li Muyang, who usually had a strong heart, felt a tingling in his scalp as he held the sachet in his hand. The heart of an immortal... He looked back at Black Stone Mountain and felt an even deeper wariness of the mysterious Mother Buddha. If she could casually lend him something as divine as the heart of an immortal, how terrifying must the cards she held in her hand be? Similarly, White Second Master, who contended with the Mother Buddha, Lord Shanyang of Yangshou Mountain, and the so-called supreme beings of the wandering immortals... These beings, each commanding their own forces in the lands beyond the Great Wall, were far more terrifying than he had imagined. Li Muyang realized that he had underestimated the strength of these old monsters beyond the Great Wall. Although there were no ancient evil gods wandering this land, the danger might not be much less than that of the Ancient Grudge Well. With the power to produce something as terrifying as the heart of an immortal, the strength of the Mother Buddha and these other top beings beyond the Great Wall could only be described as unfathomable! At this point, the Moon-Biting Dragon had advanced to LV10 and, in its true form, was nearly six hundred zhang long. With such size and strength, it could be considered a demon king in its own right. Even if it were placed on the continent where Li Muyang lived, it could stand its ground in the demonic path. However, a LV10 Moon-Biting Dragon placed in the treacherous and mysterious lands beyond the Great Wall was clearly still much weaker. The evil beings that secretly controlled this land from behind the shadows were all top-tier existences in the world. The Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s leveling speed was already fast, but it was still not enough. Li Muyang exhaled softly and said, ¡°Improving our cultivation and slaying more evil creatures is the top priority.¡± He sped up and flew westward, saying, ¡°These five Seven Marrow Pills can be exchanged for five months of hunting time.¡± ¡°We must quickly improve our cultivation in that underground world of gray mist!¡± If he could collect a thousand Heart-Eating Worms, he could also go to the Mother Buddha to exchange for a real method of salvation. No matter what, leveling up and enhancing one¡¯s own strength was the fundamental goal. Li Muyang flew swiftly through the sky on his cloud and soon saw the mountain covered with maple trees. But at that moment, Dragon Maiden¡¯s voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Li Muyang...¡± Dragon Maiden warned in a low voice. Without looking back, Li Muyang replied, ¡°I know.¡± He had felt it a quarter of an hour ago. Something was following him from a distance, relentlessly pursuing him through the mountains and forests below. That thing was clearly the so-called White Second Master or one of his subordinates. Feeling the subtle gaze of surveillance from behind, Li Muyang continued to fly forward as if unaware, but he was already holding the sachet from the Mother Buddha Temple in his hand. If White Second Master really showed up to cause trouble, he would immediately squeeze the sachet in his hand. However, even after Li Muyang flew through the sky and directly descended into the maple-covered forest below, the pursuing creature never made a move. Instead, as soon as Li Muyang landed in the forest, the feeling of being watched and chased disappeared. It seemed that the pursuer was very wary of the pit that led to the underground world of gray mist. After witnessing Li Muyang¡¯s descent, the pursuer left and did not dare to follow. The flame of the Heart-Eating Worm was indeed troublesome. This kind of flame that specifically burns the soul is hard to defend against and is similar to the heavenly fire power of Li Muyang. Unless it was the dragon scales brought by the True Dragon bloodline, it would indeed be difficult to deal with. Sensing the disappearance of the tracker, Li Muyang directly descended into the pit below. After the familiar sensation of falling for a long time, Li Muyang once again entered the mysterious world of gray mist. In this mist, strange and elusive creatures roamed. Li Muyang cut off a small piece of Taishang meat and began his journey of luring. But this time, he didn¡¯t take the lead. Instead, he handed over control of his body to the Moon-Biting Dragon. ¡°I¡¯m heading back first. I¡¯ve got some troubles to deal with on my side. I might come less frequently in the coming days. Since you¡¯re already skilled at hunting and devouring, I¡¯ll trust you with this task.¡± For the next while, the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s main task was to kill monsters and level up. Li Muyang didn¡¯t really want to take part in this mechanical routine of grinding. Mainly because the sensation of being burned by the blue fire was too uncomfortable, and indeed, he had troubles in reality. Since he could leave it to the Moon-Biting Dragon, Li Muyang chose to be lazy. After a brief chat with the Moon-Biting Dragon and some simple instructions, Li Muyang logged off early and opened his eyes in the room. When he logged off, it was approaching noon in the Heavenly Origin Dynasty. But when he opened his eyes in reality, he saw that the moon was full outside, and it was nearing midnight. Without rushing into another game to complete daily tasks with Xiao Yecao, Li Muyang chose to push the door open and stepped onto the deck. In the game, he faintly heard noises from reality and guessed that something might have happened. That¡¯s why he hurriedly logged off and handed over the task of grinding levels to the Dragon Maiden script. As Li Muyang set foot on the deck, the cold moonlight shone down on the swiftly flying boat. Under the peach tree standing at the front of the flying boat, Aunt Su¡¯s face was grave as she argued with Ning Wan¡¯er about something, while Li Yuechan stood by with a worried expression, not uttering a word. Li Muyang approached with a frown and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Just a few hours ago, everything seemed to be going well. They had discovered traces of Qingyang Association¡¯s demonic cultivators¡¯ activities in Tianjiao City, and it seemed that Old Man of Withered Leaves and other demonic cultivators had been lured to Tianjiao City, delaying their pursuit of Li Muyang. Why were Ning Wan¡¯er and Aunt Su suddenly arguing? At this time, the only thing that could cause such a dispute between the two must be related to the pursuit by Old Man of Withered Leaves, right? As Li Muyang drew closer, he immediately learned the bad news from Aunt Su. With a serious face, Aunt Su told Li Muyang, ¡°...A quarter of an hour ago, I vaguely sensed a powerful demonic cultivator¡¯s light chasing us from behind the clouds.¡± ¡°Even though the pursuer immediately suppressed their light and concealed their aura after catching up, I still felt it. It must be at least at the Divine Travel Realm!¡± The Divine Travel Realm represented a formidable existence in this world. It was rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. One couldn¡¯t just randomly encounter such a being while traveling through the wilderness. Encountering a Divine Travel Realm demonic cultivator in pursuit during such a moment of flight and the fact that the pursuer immediately concealed their aura upon catching up... the implications of these pieces of information were quite clear. Li Muyang¡¯s mood instantly soured. ¡°Old Man of Withered Leaves has caught up?!¡± Wasn¡¯t it said that Old Man of Withered Leaves had gone to Tianjiao City? How could he have caught up so quickly? Could it be that this old monster never went to Tianjiao City at all and instead had been chasing them in the direction of the Demon Refining Sect after leaving Jiuyuan City? Chapter 344 The news from Aunt Su was indeed dreadful. No wonder her face was so grave. With the strength of Li Muyang and his companions, if they were truly caught by Old Man of Withered Leaves and other Qingyang Association demonic cultivators in the wilderness, their chances of survival were slim. Ning Wan¡¯er looked at Li Muyang and said, ¡°Given the situation, I suggest we scatter and flee.¡± ¡°The demonic cultivators of Qingyang Association have not all caught up yet. They might be tracking us separately, searching for our traces.¡± ¡°Now that they have found the exact location of the flying boat, they will need time to regroup.¡± ¡°And this time they take to regroup is our last chance.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er took a deep breath and said with a serious face, ¡°We should take this opportunity to escape separately. There might be a glimmer of hope.¡± ¡°Aunt Su can pilot the flying boat, pretending we are still on it, and continue to flee towards the sect¡¯s gate, creating a false impression.¡± ¡°The rest of us will escape in different directions towards the nearest large city, trying to hide and wait for the sect¡¯s reinforcements and protection.¡± ¡°Aunt Su has profound cultivation. Even if she is entangled by Old Man of Withered Leaves and the others, she should be able to fend them off and protect herself. Moreover, Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¯s target is not Aunt Su, so they won¡¯t engage in a prolonged battle.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er put forward a very viable suggestion. The goal of Old Man of Withered Leaves and other demonic cultivators was to hunt down Li Muyang, seeking the successor of the ancient Corpse-Resolving Immortal. Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s family, and even Li Muyang¡¯s family, were just innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. If everyone scattered and fled, the demonic cultivators would not be able to find their target immediately and would have to split their forces to search. In the vast wilderness, the group of Qingyang Association demonic cultivators would inevitably take more time to pursue. Those who scattered might be able to hold out until the sect¡¯s reinforcements arrived. But just as Ning Wan¡¯er finished speaking, Aunt Su frowned and shook her head, expressing a different opinion. ¡°Scattering to flee might lead to complete annihilation.¡± ¡°If you stay with me on this flying boat, relying on the boat¡¯s defenses, even if we are caught up by the Qingyang Association demonic cultivators, we can resist for a long time.¡± ¡°But if you scatter and flee, with your levels of cultivation, being alone in the wilderness, you would have no chance against the Qingyang Association demonic cultivators.¡± Aunt Su shook her head and said, ¡°Old Man of Withered Leaves and his group of Qingyang Association demonic cultivators have sinister methods.¡± ¡°Since they have come knocking, they will not easily let go of Muyang and you. Perhaps they have some sort of tracking technique that allowed them to catch up so quickly, not being fooled by the false information in Jiuyuan City.¡± ¡°Scattering to flee is like seeking your own death.¡± Aunt Su disagreed with the idea of everyone scattering to flee. She was sent by Yan Xiaoru to protect the two direct disciples. For her, neither Ning Wan¡¯er nor Li Muyang could be easily abandoned. Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s idea of scattering to flee might maximize the chances of survival for others, but it was extremely dangerous for Li Muyang. ¨CWhat if the Qingyang Association could track Li Muyang¡¯s location? Wouldn¡¯t Li Muyang be seeking his own death by leaving the flying boat alone? This was the source of the dispute between Aunt Su and Ning Wan¡¯er. After understanding the situation, Li Muyang pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°I agree with Wan¡¯er¡¯s idea. We should scatter and flee.¡± ¡°The Qingyang Association is after me. There¡¯s no need to drag everyone down.¡± Li Muyang said, ¡°Aunt Su and I will stay on the flying boat to lure the enemy, buying time for everyone else to create an opportunity to escape.¡± ¡°If those demonic cultivators catch up, seeing me on the flying boat, they won¡¯t disperse their efforts to hunt you down.¡± ¡°And Wan¡¯er, you and Yuechan take the chance to escape, each taking families and leaving for the nearest large city to hide, waiting for the sect¡¯s reinforcements.¡± Faced with a life-and-death crisis, Li Muyang remained calm, easily placing himself in danger. His choice to stay on the flying boat to lure the enemy clearly showed his willingness to risk his own life to create an escape opportunity for the others. This left everyone at a loss. Ning Wan¡¯er, who had initially suggested the idea with her own ulterior motives, now looked at Li Muyang in astonishment. Her shocked gaze seemed as if she was seeing Li Muyang for the first time. Li Yuechan, who had been silent all along, instinctively spoke out against it with a vehement attitude, ¡°No! That¡¯s too dangerous! If you¡¯re staying, then we¡¯ll stay together as siblings!¡± Li Yuechan, agitated, grabbed Li Muyang¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I can¡¯t leave my brother on the flying boat as bait!¡± Aunt Su looked at Li Muyang in surprise and said, ¡°Muyang, what are you...¡± She didn¡¯t understand Li Muyang¡¯s behavior. Letting everyone leave while he stayed behind was like seeking death. If the Qingyang Association caught up, she, being a Divine Travel Realm cultivator, would most likely be able to escape unscathed. But Li Muyang, a mere Golden Core realm cultivator, would surely die in such a deadly situation... The direct disciple that the miss highly valued was actually a person willing to sacrifice himself for others? How could such a person have survived until today in a demonic path where the strong prey on the weak? Aunt Su narrowed her eyes and took a deep look at Li Muyang, then fell silent. She didn¡¯t believe that the person the miss valued could be a naive fool. Facing his little sister Li Yuechan¡¯s emotional outburst, Li Muyang simply shook his head and said to Yuechan, ¡°Why stay? To add to the chaos?¡± ¡°You, as an inner disciple with the lowest cultivation in the entire place, should not stay here and cause trouble.¡± ¡°I will stay on the flying boat with Aunt Su, relying on the flying boat¡¯s defenses. We might not necessarily die.¡± The Startling Swan Immortal Sword secretly kept by Li Muyang is his greatest reliance. However, the fewer people who know about the existence of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, the better. In a truly life-threatening situation, he could completely take out the Startling Swan Immortal Sword and give it to Aunt Su to use. With Aunt Su, who is at the Divine Travel Realm, wielding the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, an ancient immortal weapon, she would be more than capable of wiping out all demonic cultivators below the Purple Mansion realm. For him, staying by Aunt Su¡¯s side increases his chances of survival. He has a trump card that should not be revealed unless absolutely necessary, but once revealed, it could turn the tide of battle. Yet he remained calm, while the expressions of the few who heard his words varied. Especially Li Yuechan, who had been silent throughout, found it impossible to calm her agitated emotions. She was determined to stay and live or die with her brother, refusing to leave. The intense argument between the siblings made Ning Wan¡¯er, who originally wanted to flee with her parents, suddenly feel awkward standing by. Although doing things like this is a basic quality in the path of demonic cultivation... The deep affection between the siblings made her seem cold and heartless. If you¡¯re not a bit selfish, you¡¯d be embarrassed to mix in the demonic paths. Yet, under such circumstances, Ning Wan¡¯er inevitably felt uncomfortable. She saw her true self under the moonlight when she first entered the Demon Refining Sect. She was a bad woman who would stop at nothing to climb higher, yet she cherished her reputation and did not want to dirty her hands, looking down on those cold and heartless ones in the demonic paths, blinded by their interests. She was greedier than those blinded by desire, wanting both benefits and a good reputation, extremely greedy. She thought that she could have it all by stepping into the Inner Sect and becoming a direct disciple of an elder. But now, faced with a crisis and seeing the deep bond between the siblings, Ning Wan¡¯er bitterly realized that she had to give up something. Chapter 345 To choose dignity and affection, she would have to stay like Li Yuechan, choosing to live and die with Li Muyang, whom she had befriended. To abandon dignity and affection, she could escape with her parents and survive this life-and-death crisis. But whether the Li siblings lived or died, she would forever lose two close friends... Ning Wan¡¯er silently watched the arguing Li siblings and said nothing. After a while, she silently turned away and returned to her room. She knew her old habit of indecision and cherishing her reputation was flaring up again. From any perspective, she should not be standing under the crumbling wall at this moment. She should escape in time and abandon the Li siblings. She had a bright future and great ambitions. She should not die here. But... In the quiet room, Ning Wan¡¯er lay on the rattan chair, gazing at the ceiling, lost in thought. In the treacherous world of demonic cultivation, two friends with whom one could share their heart were so cheap yet so precious. Ning Wan¡¯er sighed softly and said with a bitter smile, ¡°The Li siblings are indeed good people.¡± In the selfish land of demonic cultivation, these siblings faced a crisis together, unwilling to abandon each other. Such siblings were indeed worth befriending. It¡¯s a pity that this time, she had to give up this friendship. If she abandoned them in this crisis, perhaps the Li siblings would not blame her, but in their hearts, they would never again fully consider her a trustworthy friend. Ning Wan¡¯er exhaled a breath of turbid air and muttered through gritted teeth. ¡°...But I cannot die here!¡± Her ambitions were not yet realized. She was far from obtaining the prestige and title of a Purple Mansion powerhouse. She could not die here. Even if it meant tarnishing her own dignity, making her thoughts impure, or even abandoning her parents here, she had to survive alone! Life and death were Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s ultimate bottom line! No one could make her sacrifice her life, not even her own parents! Ning Wan¡¯er finally made up her mind. But at that moment, there was a knock on the door, and Li Muyang¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°...Wan¡¯er, are you there?¡± Ning Wan¡¯er, deep in thought, immediately sat up, frowning at the closed door, unsure of what Li Muyang had come to say. But seeing the waiting gaze of her maid, Ning Wan¡¯er nodded, signaling the maid to open the door. She also rose from the rattan chair and walked out of the inner room to the outer room. The cold moonlight streamed through the windows of the outer room, casting light inside. With candles lit, the room was bright. Li Muyang and Ning Wan¡¯er sat facing each other like ordinary guests. Ning Wan¡¯er did not speak first. She wanted to know what Li Muyang had come to say. But Li Muyang did not keep her in suspense. After sitting down, Li Muyang smiled warmly and said, ¡°Aunt Su and I discussed it again, and she agreed with your suggestion.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s escape separately. Wan¡¯er, you take your family and leave the flying boat. The nearest large city to us is Yanshan City, eight thousand li to the west.¡± ¡°Yanshan City is also a stronghold under the control of the Demonic Sect, and the city lord is at the Divine Travel Realm. Moreover, unlike Tianjiao City, which has been weakened by turmoil, Yanshan City has not.¡± ¡°With the strong power of the Demonic Sect in Yanshan City, even the Old Man of Withered Leaves would not fare well if he attacked.¡± ¡°If you take your family and flee to Yanshan City, once you enter the city, you will be absolutely safe.¡± Li Muyang took the initiative to come and suggest that Ning Wan¡¯er leave. He earnestly said, ¡°Take advantage of the fact that the Old Man of Withered Leaves has not caught up yet. You should leave as soon as possible; the earlier, the better, do not delay.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s expression was sincere, as if he was genuinely concerned about Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s safety, urging her to leave. In such a life-and-death situation, he was instead concerned about Ning Wan¡¯er, giving her a way out to leave... The maid on the side looked at Li Muyang with amazement as if she had seen a ghost. Ning Wan¡¯er also frowned and said, ¡°You...¡± She frowned and stared at Li Muyang¡¯s face as if trying to see through the true thoughts behind his sincere facade. But as their eyes met, she could not find any trace of insincerity. This Li Muyang was truly concerned about her. Ning Wan¡¯er smiled and said, ¡°You... are you really a disciple of the Demonic Sect? You¡¯re so considerate, you don¡¯t fit in with the demonic paths.¡± She had already made up her mind, and Li Muyang had also persuaded Aunt Su. With that, Ning Wan¡¯er had nothing to hesitate about. She immediately stood up, instructing her maid to pack her bags, and at the same time, she went to inform her parents to prepare for departure. Soon, Ning Wan¡¯er and her family were ready and arrived on the deck. Aunt Su took out four talismans and handed them to Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s parents. ¡°These four flying talismans can carry both of you away.¡± At this moment, Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s parents were nervous and fearful, knowing that once the demonic cultivators from the Divine Travel Realm caught up, they would be in great panic. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Li Muyang was also a direct disciple, Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s parents would have probably already cursed him out loud for dragging them into this mess. Ning Wan¡¯er, accompanied by her maid, prepared to leave. Before departing, she looked deeply at Li Muyang and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m leaving you behind this time. You won¡¯t blame me, will you?¡± Li Muyang shook his head with a smile, ¡°Why would I blame you when this situation arose because of me? If you stayed and something happened because of this, even if I survived, I would feel guilty.¡± Li Muyang spoke very sincerely. However, such kind-hearted thinking was extremely rare in the path of demonic cultivation and difficult to convince other demonic cultivators. In the way of the demonic path, it has always been about taking advantage or suffering a loss. Ning Wan¡¯er looked deeply at Li Muyang once more and smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t blame me, but I feel uneasy in my heart.¡± ¡°I consider us good friends, yet when danger arises, I have to abandon you...¡± Ning Wan¡¯er let out a gentle sigh, speaking earnestly to Li Muyang. ¡°No matter whether you survive this time or not, I will do one thing for you in the future.¡± ¡°If you die, your relatives and friends can come to me, and I will do one thing for them as well.¡± Ning Wan¡¯er made her solemn promise and then directly soared away without waiting for Li Muyang¡¯s response. On the deck of the flying boat, Li Muyang watched the Ning family escape, shaking his head. ¡°This little girl...¡± Too dramatic. As for Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s departure, he didn¡¯t have many thoughts about it. After all, his relationship with Ning Wan¡¯er was indeed average. He had no intention of inheriting the original host¡¯s messed-up boot-licking relationship with Ning Wan¡¯er. However, his little sister Li Yuechan, watching Ning Wan¡¯er leave, looked somewhat disappointed. ¡°Brother...¡± The girl sighed softly, ¡°I thought Sister Ning would stay.¡± In this world, it seems there are no more good people like my brother. At least in the Demon Refining Sect, only my brother can be truly trusted. Watching her friend leave decisively, Li Yuechan sighed deeply. It was expected and natural, yet she couldn¡¯t help feeling lost. Chapter 346 Ning Wan¡¯er¡¯s departure didn¡¯t affect Li Muyang much. In his view, Ning Wan¡¯er was innocently involved in the disaster and should have left earlier. However, his little sister Li Yuechan seemed a bit downcast. The girl said with a bitter smile, ¡°Although I know it¡¯s right for Sister Ning to leave, and I agree with her departure, seeing her leave so decisively still makes me feel a bit sad.¡± Li Muyang couldn¡¯t understand the girl¡¯s delicate thoughts. Looking at the gloomy night sky, Li Muyang said, ¡°We need to be fully prepared.¡± The small flying boat was equipped with defensive formations, which was why it could fly so swiftly without wind on the deck. Seeing the imminent threat, Li Muyang and the others began to check the flying boat¡¯s formations, replacing the driving spiritual objects of the formations to enhance the protective power as much as possible. Aunt Su conducted a thorough inspection of the entire flying boat. She wanted to operate the flying boat at maximum power to bring out its limit performance. Such extreme flying for a long duration would place a great burden on the flying boat and cause wear and tear. But in a critical moment, they couldn¡¯t care less. Although the small flying boat was expensive, it was not more valuable than human lives. After Aunt Su began inspecting the flying boat, Li Muyang took his little sister Li Yuechan back to their room. The two accompanying maids had already prepared everything needed. Seeing Li Muyang bring his sister inside, the two maids smiled, bowed, and left. Li Yuechan was curious, ¡°Brother, why did you bring me here?¡± After replacing the foundation spiritual objects of the protective formation as instructed by Aunt Su, Li Muyang brought her here mysteriously. Now, he had also dismissed the maids. In the room, which faintly smelled of blood, only Li Muyang and his sister Li Yuechan remained. Li Muyang looked at his little sister and sighed. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you since Tianjiao City. But there was no need before, so I didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Now, under this life-and-death situation, I think we, as siblings, should be honest with each other.¡± Li Muyang¡¯s expression was serious, and his words were meaningful. Li Yuechan was slightly startled, and she immediately understood. During the chaos in Tianjiao City, she had shown her extraordinary abilities. Both Sister Ning and her brother knew about it. But afterwards, both Sister Ning and her brother tacitly ¡°forgot¡± about it and never mentioned it. Now, at this critical moment, her brother brought it up... Li Yuechan was silent for a moment and then nodded lightly, ¡°What do you want to know, brother?¡± At that moment, she hesitated whether to tell her brother that she was a disciple of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal. But when Li Muyang spoke, he didn¡¯t ask about her heritage. He only inquired about her cultivation level, ¡°Yuechan, what is your current cultivation level? If the demonic cultivators from the Qingyang Association really come to kill us, how confident are you that you can escape?¡± This was what Li Muyang was concerned about. Facing her brother¡¯s solemn and serious gaze, Li Yuechan opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to answer. But then, the voice of the mysterious woman echoed in her ears. ¡°...Early stage of Golden Core! You can only show the cultivation level of the early stage of Golden Core!¡± The mysterious woman¡¯s instructions were extremely serious. ¡°The fact that you are my disciple must not be revealed to anyone!¡± ¡°Not even your brother!¡± the mysterious woman said sternly. ¡°Anyone in the world who learns of my legacy will be driven mad with desire. You carry all of this woman¡¯s hopes. You cannot take this risk!¡± ¡°I know your brother is a good person, but you can¡¯t gamble on human nature! Human nature cannot withstand such a test!¡± Sensing Li Yuechan¡¯s hesitation, the mysterious woman became unusually anxious and serious, fearing that her disciple would reveal her true cultivation level at this moment. If Li Yuechan were to disclose her true cultivation level of the Cave Profound realm, Li Muyang in front of her would immediately confirm that she is the successor of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal. Advancing to the late stages of the Cave Profound realm in just over a year... this was something that could not be explained by mere genius! Only her successor could have such a terrifying speed of cultivation! Listening to her senior¡¯s anxious advice and looking into her brother¡¯s sincere and serious eyes, Li Yuechan hesitated slightly. In the end, she slowly nodded and said, ¡°My current cultivation level is at the early stage of the Golden Core realm...¡± Her sister¡¯s response made Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Early stage of the Golden Core realm!?¡± Li Muyang was stunned. Although he knew his sister was exceptional, he didn¡¯t expect her to be on par with him. He had been lucky to obtain the Martial God Tyrant Body through a system cheat, received special training from Yan Xiaoru, benefited from the numerous resources of the Blood Lotus Sect, and encountered a chance to ascend, which all contributed to his advancement to the late stage of the Golden Core realm. But his sister didn¡¯t have all these opportunities. She had only received some mysterious legacy and had advanced from an average talent to the early stage of the Golden Core realm in just a year... Li Muyang was incredibly amazed. ¡°Well done, you little girl... you¡¯ve kept it well hidden.¡± Li Muyang was full of emotion. ¡°If word of your cultivation gets out, even the Qingyang Association might take notice... That¡¯s a big suspicion!¡± He had thought that at most, his sister would be at the Foundation Establishment Realm. He didn¡¯t expect her to have progressed so fiercely. Hearing that Li Yuechan had reached the Golden Core realm, Li Muyang breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Very good, the Golden Core realm is an important threshold.¡± ¡°With the cultivation of the Golden Core realm, you can practice many techniques.¡± For example, Li Muyang¡¯s exclusive Remnant Clouds Movement Technique is a powerful and quickly mastered evil technique inherited from the system¡¯s Black Cloud Village. Although Yuechan didn¡¯t have a system to exempt her from the consequences of the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique, such a costly demonic technique could still save her life in a life-or-death situation. However, Li Muyang didn¡¯t immediately pass on the technique to Yuechan but was curious to first ask about her current escape technique, wanting to see if the mysterious legacy she had obtained included a sufficiently fast escape technique. In response to Li Muyang¡¯s curious inquiry, Li Yuechan let out a light sigh of relief. She couldn¡¯t reveal her cultivation level and techniques, but her escape technique was not a concern. The escape technique she practiced was taught by her senior, an incomplete method created by an immortal from ancient times. Although incomplete, it was not inferior to the high-grade secret techniques of the current cultivation world. However, when Li Yuechan confidently displayed her escape technique, she saw a hint of disappointment flash in her brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not very fast...¡± He had thought that with such a mysterious inherintance, his little sister would have an escape technique that was no less than the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique. Li Muyang shook his head, lifted the curtain to the inner chamber, and said, ¡°Come in, I¡¯ll teach you a demonic escape technique that you can master quickly.¡± Inside Li Muyang¡¯s chamber, there was a huge bathtub. But now, the bathtub was filled not with hot water but with blood that emitted a strong and pungent smell. Li Muyang pointed to the giant bathtub and said, ¡°Take off your clothes and soak in it, I¡¯ll help you with your cultivation.¡± Chapter 347 The air was thick with the smell of blood. The moment Li Yuechan carefully soaked into the tub of demonic blood, she felt a strong stinging sensation. It seemed as if countless needles were pricking her skin from within the pungent demonic blood. The girl instantly realized the potency of the demonic blood. The voice beside her ear then expressed surprise. ¡°...high-grade demonic blood?¡± ¡°Your brother is going to use high-grade demonic blood to help you cultivate?¡± Even the well-informed mysterious woman was somewhat astonished and confused. Even for someone at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, there was no need for high-grade demonic blood for cultivation, right? The domineering power of high-grade demonic blood was something that cultivators at the Golden Core realm would find difficult to endure. But compared to her senior¡¯s surprise at the technique, Li Yuechan, who was soaking in the tub, was enduring the needle-like pain in her body, gritting her teeth and forcing herself to sit down in the blood. Almost her entire body was submerged in the blood, with only her head above her chin exposed. When her brother told her to undress and get in, the girl was shocked. Although she had soaked in, the sight of her brother¡¯s figure outside the curtain made her feel uneasy. The girl, who was usually cunning and sharp-tongued, seemed like a different person at this moment, appearing shy and timid. Her lips moved several times before she finally mustered the courage to call out to the outside. ¡°Brother... I¡¯m... I¡¯m ready!¡± The moment the girl finished speaking, she resignedly closed her eyes, no longer looking at her brother in the outer chamber. And as expected, after her call, the sound of a man¡¯s footsteps came from outside. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m coming in.¡± The man¡¯s steady and calm voice approached, along with the sound of his footsteps. Those footsteps gradually neared the girl in the tub, each step seeming to land on the girl¡¯s heart. Soaking in the tub, she felt her heart pounding with each step her brother took closer. Finally, when her brother¡¯s footsteps stopped beside her tub, the room fell silent. But her heart inside her chest was beating even more fiercely. The pounding was so intense that her cheeks flushed, her ears turned red, and she feared the next second her heart might jump out of her throat. At this moment, she was sitting naked in the wooden tub. And her brother was standing right beside the tub! The demonic blood soaking her concealed everything, so her brother couldn¡¯t see anything. But sitting bare in the tub, in the same room as an adult man... this was an experience she had never had before! This adult man was also her nominal brother, whom she had called ¡®brother¡¯ for a long time... At this moment, the girl suddenly felt an uncontrollable panic. What if...What if, when my elder brother comes over later, the blood in this bucket suddenly becomes transparent? Or what if, during cultivation, this wooden bucket suddenly springs a leak and all the blood inside spills out... Ahhh! The more she thought about it, the more panicked the girl became. The pounding of her heart shook her chest, causing it to rise and fall, and her tightly closed eyes squeezed shut even harder. She was terrified that upon opening her eyes, she would see those terrible scenes from her hallucinations. But at that moment, a man¡¯s curious voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Why are you closing your eyes? Does the aura of this demonic blood irritate your eyes?¡± As the man spoke, his breath was almost at her face. In a daze, Li Yuechan even felt his warm breath on her face. The girl, soaked in demonic blood, couldn¡¯t help but shiver. The moment she felt the man¡¯s breath touch her skin, an indescribable chill spread throughout her body. Her feet, submerged in the demonic blood, suddenly went weak. Fortunately, she was already sitting in the bucket, so she didn¡¯t make an embarrassing misstep due to her weak legs. Nevertheless, her face turned even redder. Her cheeks, as red as ripe apples, seemed to blend with the color of the demonic blood in the bucket at that moment. Li Muyang was somewhat surprised. ¡°Why is your face so red... Is the demonic blood too hot?¡± Li Muyang looked down, puzzled, at the steaming demonic blood in the bucket and shook his head. ¡°Bear with it, this is something you have to endure.¡± ¡°The escape technique I¡¯m teaching you is a quick method, but it¡¯s quite uncomfortable during cultivation, so you¡¯ll have to tough it out.¡± Looking at the girl in the blood, who was extremely uncomfortable, her face flushed red, and her body seemed to be in pain, twisting faintly in the blood, Li Muyang sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s begin, I will impart to you the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique.¡± ¡°Listen to my incantation, and follow it to circulate the spiritual power within your body...¡± Li Muyang, who had cultivated the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique as a high-grade demonic cultivator, didn¡¯t find the initial immersion too uncomfortable. But considering he had a Martial God Tyrant Body and Yuechan was just an ordinary cultivator, perhaps high-grade was indeed that hard to endure for an ordinary cultivator? With this thought, Li Muyang sighed again. Looking at the girl in the bucket with her eyes tightly closed, her expression tense and slightly fearful, Li Muyang felt a twinge of pity. This was just the beginning, and it was already so hard... Li Muyang took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re starting! Guard your spiritual platform! Listen to my incantation!¡± As Li Muyang recited the incantation, he simultaneously extended his hands, placing them on top of the bathing tub. He activated his own spiritual power, guiding the demonic blood in the bucket to continuously seep towards the girl¡¯s body. As the demonic blood in the bucket began to swirl, the girl soaking in it suddenly let out a startled cry. ¡°Ah!¡± She instinctively opened her eyes and only relaxed after realizing that the bucket hadn¡¯t really leaked. Then she saw her elder brother sitting at the end of the bucket with his eyes closed, seriously and earnestly circulating his technique, driving the demonic cultivation in the bucket for her. At that moment, seeing her brother¡¯s serious and earnest face, the girl, who had been lost in wild thoughts and anxiety, suddenly blushed. ¨CHer brother was so earnest in helping her cultivate, yet her mind was filled with what? Li Yuechan, oh Li Yuechan, you really are a little dirty-minded girl beyond redemption! Feeling shy, the girl, even though still uncomfortable and uneasy in the bucket, forced herself to stabilize her mind and listen to her brother¡¯s recited incantation. She tried hard to cooperate with the swirling demonic blood in the bucket, attempting to activate her spiritual power and circulate the unfamiliar escape technique. The girl¡¯s breath in the bucket gradually stabilized, and her complexion no longer flushed, returning to normal. However, as the technique circulated, the demonic blood continued to scrub her body, and the girl soaking in the blood couldn¡¯t help but let out low gasps and faint cries of pain. ¡°Brother... Ah... Brother...¡± In the blood-scented inner chamber, the girl cried out in unbearable pain, ¡°It hurts so much...¡± And the mysterious woman who felt the changes in the disciple¡¯s body was utterly shocked. This escape technique... Remnant Clouds Movement Technique? Could Yuechan¡¯s brother¡¯s inheritance truly be the Ancient Evil Lineage of Black Cloud Village?! Chapter 349 The cold moonlight shone upon the flying boat. Aunt Su stood at the end of the flying boat, her expression grave. Although everyone had guessed that the demonic cultivators from the Qingyang Association might catch up, the fact that they had done so this quickly, catching up to the flying boat in just one day, was a cruel reality that brought despair. It also shattered any last hopes of good fortune. Li Muyang stood at the end of the flying boat, watching the eight trails of light chase through the clouds behind them, but noticed that these lights always maintained a distance and didn¡¯t immediately rush forward. Li Muyang was puzzled. ¡°Why don¡¯t they come up immediately?¡± This was Demonic Sect territory, and these demonic cultivators were bold enough to ambush a direct disciple of the Demonic Sect in the wilderness. Shouldn¡¯t they want to finish this quickly? Why delay? Aren¡¯t they afraid of unexpected complications arising with the delay? Li Muyang couldn¡¯t understand. Aunt Su, under the moonlight with a somber expression, exhaled a breath and said, ¡°They are waiting for the Old Man of Withered Leaves.¡± Aunt Su watched the eight trails of light, her eyes slightly narrowed. ¡°Although they try to appear menacing, I can still see that these insects are strong on the outside but weak on the inside.¡± Aunt Su continued, ¡°The Old Man of Withered Leaves is not among these eight trails of light. He must still be on his way here.¡± ¡°Without the Old Man of Withered Leaves, these insects dare not rashly attack the flying boat.¡± ¡°Miss¡¯s flying boat is a high-grade magical instrument equipped with its own offensive and defensive formations. Even if those eight people forcefully charge at the flying boat, they will suffer heavy casualties if they manage to break through,¡± Aunt Su said, then turned to Li Muyang. ¡°Since the pursuers have caught up, we have no choice but to resort to our last option. I will personally operate the flying boat to push its speed to the limit. During this process, I cannot be distracted and must concentrate fully. The defense of the flying boat will be left to you and Yuechan. You two will protect me.¡± Aunt Su narrowed her eyes and continued, ¡°If we can shake off these pursuers, we might still be able to buy some time. If that group of pursuers tries to entangle us, you siblings will face the enemy with the formation!¡± This flying boat is a high-grade spiritual instrument that is very costly to construct. In times of crisis, one can refine the flying boat to unleash its maximum speed. Although this will cause great wear and tear to the flying boat itself, and the subsequent repair costs will be high, in a life-or-death situation, there¡¯s no room to worry about that. After giving her instructions, Aunt Su left the deck to Li Muyang and his sister. She then sat down in place, crossed her legs, and closed her eyes. As Aunt Su began to stimulate her spiritual power, her body immediately levitated, and dark purple light emanated from her, merging into the flying boat¡¯s deck below. The flying boat, soaring rapidly through the high skies, suddenly burst into dazzling purple light as if awakening and began to tremble slightly. The next instant, the purple light in the night sky turned into a brilliant meteor streaking across the sky at an incredibly fast speed, flying off into the distance. The eight chasing lights were quickly left far behind. The eight demonic cultivators pursuing through the clouds were shocked and enraged upon seeing this. ¡°Can this damn flying boat go even faster?¡± ¡°Catch up immediately, we cannot lose them!¡± The eight lights accelerated once again, trying to catch up to the flying boat that had swiftly moved away. However, as the purple light flew farther and farther away in the night sky, its speed, surpassing ordinary escape techniques and the flying boat¡¯s limit, quickly left three of the lights far behind. Only the remaining five lights continued the desperate chase. ¡°Damn it! Is that Yan Xiaoru¡¯s flying boat? How rich is she to be able to afford such a thing?¡± High above, a demonic cultivator chased with a flushed face, his blood boiling and his pores desperately jetting out air¡ªa side effect of his demonic power being pushed to the extreme. He was in pain and burning up, cursing non-stop, furious at the speed of the flying boat. Amid the biting winds high in the sky, a demonic cultivator¡¯s low voice transmitted through the air. ¡°The flying boat is just a flying boat after all, not Yan Xiaoru herself. This burst of speed from the flying boat won¡¯t last long.¡± The demonic cultivators gritted their teeth and continued the chase, not daring to lose sight of the purple light. ¡°As long as we intercept this flying boat before the Demonic Sect¡¯s experts come to the rescue, that¡¯s all that matters!¡± The purple flying boat streaked across the night sky at high speed, with five lights chasing far behind. The demonic cultivators found the pursuit extremely difficult but refused to give up. Meanwhile, on the deck of the flying boat, Aunt Su, who was fully powering the flying boat, sat cross-legged in the void, her body emitting wisps of purple mist. The rising purple mist carried intense heat, distorting the air around it. Li Muyang was surprised to find that the direction of the flying boat had changed. Originally, the flying boat was heading straight for their sect, but now it was veering away. Confused and alarmed, Li Muyang said, ¡°Aunt Su? The direction of the flying boat...¡± He hurriedly tried to remind her, thinking she had made a mistake in the direction. But Aunt Su, sitting cross-legged in the void, replied without opening her eyes or turning her head, ¡°It¡¯s this direction.¡± She spoke slowly, ¡°Since Old Man of Withered Leaves has caught up, our original plan must be abandoned.¡± ¡°Even if Elder Yan is fast, she can¡¯t possibly reach us before Old Man of Withered Leaves. Continuing on the original route means certain death.¡± Aunt Su continued to focus on operating the flying boat, explaining the situation to Li Muyang with difficulty and slowly. ¡°So we¡¯re fleeing towards Yunyan Lake. This direction leads to Yunyan Lake. The demons in that lake might be able to help us.¡± Demonic cultivators of the Divine Travel Realm are hard for ordinary people to withstand. Even if Li Muyang hid in a large city, his survival wasn¡¯t guaranteed. Even in major cities like Tianjiao City and Yanshan City, where Divine Travel Realm cultivators are stationed, in a world where interests are paramount, the strong prey on the weak, and the demonic path is known for bullying the weak and fearing the strong... Why would a Divine Travel Realm cultivator, who rules over a region with high authority, take a huge risk to protect Li Muyang, a direct disciple, against the notoriously wicked Old Man of Withered Leaves? Even if they didn¡¯t turn Li Muyang away, those city lords wouldn¡¯t go all out to protect him if Old Man of Withered Leaves really came knocking. Seeking refuge in a big city would only waste time escaping and might lead to a quicker death. That¡¯s why Li Muyang and the others initially planned to flee to their sect, hoping for Yan Xiaoru to come to their rescue rather than escaping to the nearest large city. But now, only two days into their escape, they had been caught up to. Even if Yan Xiaoru grew wings, she couldn¡¯t teleport to their rescue. Stranded in the wilderness, Li Muyang and his companions had to seek other ways to survive, such as the very special forces within the Demonic Sect¡¯s territory¡ªthe demonic allies. Aunt Su, sitting cross-legged in the void, said expressionlessly, ¡°The demons in Yunyan Lake, although greedy and brutal, have the geographical advantage of the lake. Perhaps they can withstand Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¯ attack for a few days.¡± ¡°As long as we delay long enough for the elder to arrive, we will have a chance at survival.¡± Chapter 350 As Aunt Su slowly explained, the flying boat, radiating brilliant purple light, sped through the night sky. The immense speed caused the exquisitely delicate flying boat to tremble continuously. On the surface and deck of the flying boat, many small cracks had appeared. This was damage caused by the excessively violent use of the magical instrument. Even though he was not the owner of the flying boat, Li Muyang felt a pang of distress seeing such damage. But upon hearing the name ¡°Yunyan Lake,¡± Li Muyang felt it was familiar and subconsciously took out the sect¡¯s booklet he carried with him to look it up. His sister Li Yuechan, seeing her brother flipping through the book, quickly spoke up with the details about Yunyan Lake. ¡°Yunyan Lake is a major ally of the Demonic Sect.¡± ¡°A group of fox demons, greedy and brutal, yet powerful, squat in the lake.¡± ¡°The strongest of these fox demons is said to be on the verge of ascending to the Purple Mansion realm.¡± Li Yuechan rapidly recited the information from the booklet, explaining the details of Yunyan Lake to her elder brother. ¡°However, the most unique feature of Yunyan Lake is the mist above the water.¡± ¡°It is said that the lake is shrouded in a strange fog that can conceal one¡¯s aura and block divine consciousness. This fog is similar to the mist over the Sea of Mist, yet even more terrifying.¡± ¡°Because being in the fog of Yunyan Lake will corrode one¡¯s soul. Over time, it can even lead to the dreadful consequence of a decline in one¡¯s cultivation realm.¡± ¡°After that group of fox demons occupied this place years ago, they relied on the geographical advantage of Yunyan Lake to become a major local scourge.¡± ¡°In order to form an alliance with the fox demons, the offerings of blood food and spiritual items sent by the sect to Yunyan Lake each year are also outstanding among the many demonic allies.¡± ¡°Yet even so, the foxes often go out to hunt mortals, swaggering through the Demonic Sect territory, preying on living beings.¡± Li Yuechan spoke softly, sighing deeply: ¡°The fox demons of Yunyan Lake are notorious within the sect for their cruelty, brutality, and greed.¡± ¡°Even among mortals, there are widespread tales of the ferocity of the fox demons of Yunyan Lake.¡± ¡°If we head to Yunyan Lake, perhaps there really is a glimmer of hope...¡± Li Yuechan sighed deeply, ¡°But the price of asking the fox demons to take action will be very high.¡± Although Li Muyang and the others were in the territory of the Demonic Sect, they couldn¡¯t find a suitable shelter for the time being, facing the pursuit of Old Man of Withered Leaves and many other Qingyang Association demon cultivators. After all, the force led by Old Man of Withered Leaves was too strong. Several Divine Travel Realm demon cultivators, plus the demon Old Man of Withered Leaves, were powerful enough to run amok in any sect of the immortal and demonic paths without someone from the Purple Mansion intervening. Only the demons of Yunyan Lake might be able to use the terrain to buy time. But as Li Yuechan said, the price of asking this group of fox demons to take action would be very high. Li Muyang remained silent, but Aunt Su suddenly opened her eyes, gave Li Muyang a deep look, and said, ¡°Young lady said that you must not come to harm, absolutely not.¡± In the interest-first world of the demonic path, even a direct disciple couldn¡¯t expect such favorable treatment. The price of asking the fox demons of Yunyan Lake to take action had already exceeded the value of a direct disciple. If it were the direct disciples previously taken in by the young lady, she definitely wouldn¡¯t take them to Yunyan Lake but would escape alone when Old Man of Withered Leaves caught up. However, before this trip, the young lady had seriously instructed her to ensure Li Muyang¡¯s safety at all costs. In case of a dangerous accident, she must protect Li Muyang¡¯s safety at any price. This special attention made Aunt Su puzzled. She couldn¡¯t understand why the young lady valued this Li Muyang so highly. It even seemed to be beyond common sense... After giving the handsome young man a deep look, Aunt Su suddenly had an absurd guess in her heart. But the next second, she buried that guess deep within. She knew her young lady well. The young lady couldn¡¯t possibly be so concerned about a green young man... Heh... Aunt Su exhaled softly and pushed the flying boat even harder, heading towards Yunyan Lake. In any case, no matter the reason, she must bring Li Muyang back to the sect safely! The flying boat, emitting brilliant purple light, turned into a dazzling meteor in the night sky. The rapidly flashing purple light formed a fleeting thin line. The five lights doggedly pursuing the flying boat were getting farther and farther away in the field of vision. The escape techniques of cultivators were ultimately not as enduring as the flying boat artifact. But the flying boat, at such extreme speeds, began to show many fine cracks on its surface, looking battered and scarred. The dense spiritual energy inside the flying boat was also leaking through the surface cracks due to the rapid flight. This loss of spiritual substance caused the flying boat to rapidly lose its luster, gradually falling from a spiritual item to a mundane object. Yet Aunt Su still did not reduce the speed. Even after shaking off all the pursuers, she continued to drive the flying boat to its limits. The extraordinary flight lasted for three hours. When the flying boat, covered in cracks and crevices, with a long purple tail flame, rushed towards the ground below, the sky had already welcomed the sunrise, and the night had dissipated. The bright sunlight rose at the end of the earth, and in front of the vast plain, a huge and dense fog loomed like a mountain range. The flying boat, without any hesitation, plunged directly into the massive fog. In an instant, all the cultivators on the flying boat felt a suffocating illusion. This eerie fog obscured the senses and divine consciousness of the cultivators. Being in the fog, one could even vaguely feel a burning sensation in the veins of the limbs. That was the corrosion caused by the fog to the cultivators. The purple light on the flying boat slowly dissipated in the fog. Aunt Su, sitting cross-legged in the void, opened her tired eyes and weakly landed on the deck of the flying boat. ¡°Let¡¯s wait...¡± Aunt Su looked around at the dense and strange fog, exhaustedly uttering, ¡°The fox demons will find us.¡± Li Muyang and his sister looked around vigilantly. The fog was fierce and strange, yet it was mixed with an extremely strong demonic aura. Compared to the demonic aura they felt when meeting demons in Demon Sword City, it was as tame as a free-range chick. Just as Li Muyang was about to speak, the fog in front of them suddenly surged. In the midst of the fog, a woman¡¯s sinister laugh echoed. ¡°Oh my, what a rare guest.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the flying boat of Elder Yan Xiaoru?¡± ¡°Has Elder Yan graced our Yunyan Lake with her presence?¡± The sinister laugh echoed in the mist as if reverberating throughout the space. Li Muyang and Li Yuechan, standing stiffly on the deck, both felt a chill down their spines. It was as if two insignificant mortals were standing under the paw of a mountainous beast... At this moment, the siblings both had a terrifying illusion of being targeted by a primordial giant beast. Chapter 351 Li Muyang¡¯s body suddenly stiffened. An intense chill spread throughout his body. For a moment, he thought he saw a pair of enormous eyes lurking behind the fog watching him. Those slightly curved mischievously smiling gigantic eyes... But at that moment, Aunt Su¡¯s indifferent voice suddenly rang out, awakening the shocked siblings. She looked coldly at the smoke ahead and said, ¡°Why scare the younger generation?¡± Aunt Su¡¯s voice was cool and not loud, yet it carried an incredibly strong penetrating power. Li Muyang regained his composure and realized that all he could see was the pale smoke. There was no mountainous demon fox beast. Everything just now had been an illusion. A chill went through Li Muyang¡¯s heart. The fox in Cloud Smoke (Yunyan) Lake was at most at the Purple Mansion realm, or perhaps even just at the peak of the Divine Travel Realm. Compared to his own cultivation at the late Golden Core realm, there was only a difference of two major realms. Yet, these two realms seemed as vast as the gap between gods and ants, an insurmountable chasm of power that left him unable to resist. He stood silently behind Aunt Su, vigilantly watching the front. From within the smoke, a woman¡¯s sinister chuckle echoed. ¡°Just a little joke... hehe... this young man is quite handsome.¡± ¡°Judging by his attire, is he a new disciple taken in by Elder Yan Xiaoru? Or perhaps a male courtesan?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s a courtesan, how about giving him to me? I haven¡¯t tasted this type of handsome young man before.¡± The woman¡¯s giggling voice, filled with a strange allure, rose from the smoke. Merely hearing this voice made Li Muyang feel an unbearable itch in his heart. Aunt Su¡¯s indifferent voice rose in the smoke. ¡°This is Li Muyang, the direct disciple of the Hall of Enforcement. I am acting on the orders of the Hall of Enforcement Elder to escort him back to the sect.¡± ¡°Unexpectedly, we encountered an assassination attempt by the Old Man of Withered Leaves from the Qingyang Association on the way, and now the pursuers are on our trail. We have come to Cloud Smoke Lake for refuge.¡± Aunt Su stood straight, facing the eerie smoke without any sign of inferiority, and said, ¡°I hope Madam San will lend us a hand in consideration of past relations. Just hold off the Qingyang Association¡¯s attack until the Elder arrives, and my Hall of Enforcement will surely reward you generously.¡± Aunt Su succinctly explained the situation. There was no need to beat around the bush with the old fox of Cloud Smoke Lake. The woman¡¯s voice from within the smoke sounded quite surprised. ¡°Eh? Li Muyang? Is this young man the recently famous genius of the Demonic Sect?¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk... Not only is his cultivation talent exceptional and his physical body strong, but his face is also quite handsome.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was filled with envy, ¡°Elder Yan Xiaoru has taken in a good disciple, what enviable fortune, it makes this old woman jealous.¡± Faced with the fox demon¡¯s teasing, Aunt Su remained silent for a moment. Then she spoke, ¡°If Madam San is willing to help, afterward my Hall of Enforcement is willing to send ten handsome men, whose looks and stature are not inferior to Mu Yang, to Cloud Smoke Lake for your amusement.¡± Aunt Su¡¯s response made the fox demon laugh again from within the smoke. ¡°Ten handsome men? Hehe... That is indeed tempting.¡± ¡°But besides these ten handsome men, what other benefits can the Hall of Enforcement offer?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Old Man of Withered Leaves from the Qingyang Association is quite ferocious... I don¡¯t want to provoke such a demon for no reason...¡± The fox demon¡¯s laughter was sly. Aunt Su, aboard the flying boat, spoke with a serious expression, ¡°Three high-grade spirit gourds, one high-grade magical artifact, and the incomplete volume of the ¡®Heavenly Demon Catalogue¡¯ from the Hall of Enforcement¡¯s collection, available for Madam San¡¯s perusal... With such sincerity, may I ask if Madam San is willing to take action?¡± On the way here, Aunt Su had clearly thought about the price of asking the fox demon for help. Thus, she offered a generous bargaining chip without hesitation. Such a generous offer immediately caused a series of exclamations and commotion within the depths of the smoke. The whispering voices of women, slightly chaotic, kept rising. The smoke was filled with fox demons. It wasn¡¯t until a low shout from the old fox demon came from within the mist, ¡°Silence!¡± The whispering voices in the smoke abruptly ceased. Then, the old fox demon¡¯s voice rang out, filled with laughter. ¡°You¡¯re even willing to part with the incomplete volume of the ¡®Heavenly Demon Catalogue¡¯... Your sincerity is indeed ample.¡± ¡°But you, a mere servant, can your words represent Yan Xiaoru?¡± Aunt Su¡¯s expression was cold as she replied, ¡°I cannot represent her, but the young master behind me can. He is Elder Yan¡¯s most trusted direct disciple, and his words can represent the Hall of Enforcement Elder.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Aunt Su coldly continued, ¡°Although the Old Man of Withered Leaves is ferocious, he cannot stop me if I wish to escape.¡± Aunt Su¡¯s meaning was clear. She would have fled alone long ago if not for Li Muyang¡¯s special identity. Li Muyang, as a direct disciple, held a significant place in the heart of the Hall of Enforcement Elder Yan Xiaoru. In the smoke, the old fox demon chuckled upon hearing this. ¡°So it is... then please come in, let this old body consider for a while.¡± ¡°The offer is indeed generous, but whether to accept it, I still need to think about it.¡± ¡°Daughters, go and entertain our guests.¡± As the old fox¡¯s laughter faded, it seemed to vanish into the smoke. At the same moment, the smoke in front of Li Muyang and the others¡¯ flying boat dispersed with a bang. The flying boat, which had been motionless in the smoke, had unknowingly arrived on an island. As the smoke cleared, pavilions, towers, and palaces appeared before the flying boat. A group of enchanting young women, smiling sweetly, stood on the grass in front of the flying boat. They bowed in unison and extended an invitation to those aboard. ¡°Please, esteemed guests, come ashore...¡± The women¡¯s voices, seductive to the extreme, rose together, causing Li Muyang to involuntarily step back, once again feeling that unbearable itch in his heart. ¨CThese fox demons are indeed a bit unsettling. Li Yuechan, his sister, was astonished by the scene before her, more concerned about the condition of the flying boat. ¡°When did we get here?¡± The flying boat hadn¡¯t moved at all! Aunt Su frowned as she looked at the group of alluring women ahead and called out, ¡°Madam San, please give your answer quickly!¡± However, after Aunt Su finished speaking, there was no response from the island. The old fox demon known as Madam San seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Seeing this situation, Aunt Su¡¯s expression darkened slightly. ¡°Do not disembark from the flying boat,¡± Aunt Su said coldly, looking at the group of flirtatious women on the island. ¡°Be prepared. If something is amiss, we¡¯ll flee immediately.¡± The demons in Cloud Smoke Lake, although allies of the Demon Refining Sect, were always cunning and unpredictable, and thus untrustworthy. Aunt Su could not trust this group of fox demons. And naturally, Li Muyang and his sister were not foolish enough to leave the boat. The situation suddenly became a standoff. Li Muyang and the others stayed on the flying boat, unwilling to set foot on the island. The group of charming and seductive female fox demons gathered outside the flying boat, beckoning and posturing, but they did not dare to approach the cloud chariot flying boat. Chapter 352 The standoff lasted for a full half-hour. The passing time visibly increased Aunt Su¡¯s anxiety. She had managed to shake off their pursuers at the cost of depleting the cloud chariot flying boat¡¯s energy. Now, half an hour had been wasted in Cloud Smoke Lake, and if the old fox demon was unwilling to help, all their efforts would have been in vain! Anxious, Aunt Su stood up, ready to urge them on. But the old fox demon on the island seemed to know that Aunt Su¡¯s patience had reached its limit. The old fox demon¡¯s voice came at just the right moment. She chuckled, ¡°Sorry to keep our distinguished guests waiting.¡± ¡°I had to project my spirit far away to test the demon, which cost me an external incarnation... But the good news is, I can finally make a decision.¡± The voice of the old fox demon echoed over the island, and the three people on the flying boat became solemn. This old fox demon had already sent an external incarnation to clash with the Old Man of Withered Leaves... Li Muyang heard the old fox demon¡¯s voice echoing through the mist. ¡°My decision is... I cannot keep you all in Cloud Smoke Lake, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The old fox demon¡¯s voice was filled with rich emotion. At that moment, Li Muyang seemed to see her sincere and apologetic expression. ¡°With the geographical advantage of Cloud Smoke Lake, we could stop those demon cultivators for a while, but my daughters would surely suffer heavy casualties.¡± ¡°So, I cannot keep our distinguished guests in Cloud Smoke Lake... I¡¯m sorry.¡± The old fox demon¡¯s apologetic dismissal, even in the face of the temptation of the incomplete ¡°Heavenly Demon Catalogue,¡± ultimately led to her giving up. Li Muyang¡¯s heart was immediately filled with disappointment. But this outcome was not unexpected. The demon path, which prioritizes self-interest, is just like that. In times of crisis, the fact that these demons did not kick them while they were down was already a courtesy extended for the sake of the Demonic Sect. To expect them to lend a hand for great profit was very difficult. Just as the cloud chariot flying boat was about to emit a brilliant purple glow and Aunt Su was about to lead everyone away, the old fox demon¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Although I cannot keep you distinguished guests, I am willing to intervene and block the Qingyang Association¡¯s demon cultivators, buying at least one day¡¯s time for you.¡± ¡°This is about the limit of what Cloud Smoke Lake can do...¡± As the old fox demon¡¯s voice sounded, Aunt Su on the flying boat let out a deep sigh. Delaying for one day was still not enough for them. This amount of time would not be enough for the young lady to come to their rescue. But if they could delay even a little bit longer, then they would... Aunt Su sighed and said, ¡°Thank you, Madam San, for your assistance. Once this matter is resolved, you may send someone to the Hall of Enforcement. The promise of three high-grade spirit pills and one high-grade magical artifact still stands.¡± Although the outcome was passable, Aunt Su could only accept it and offered the corresponding reward. The old fox demon in Cloud Smoke Lake immediately laughed. ¡°Good! Then please, distinguished guests, be on your way. Leave the rest to me!¡± As the old fox demon¡¯s laughter rang out, Li Muyang and the others were once again obscured by the mist. The pavilion, tower, and beautiful island, like a picturesque painting, disappeared into the mist in an instant. And the cloud chariot flying boat they were on returned to the state of being engulfed by the mist. But this state only lasted for a moment. Although Li Muyang felt the flying boat had not moved, the mist in front of them suddenly cleared. The cloud chariot flying boat, glowing with purple light, flew out of the mist, heading towards the vast land ahead. Looking back, Li Muyang and the others saw that the strange mist covering Cloud Smoke Lake suddenly expanded, with the range of the mist continuing to grow. In an instant, the mist formed a huge canopy, stretching behind Li Muyang and the others. The old fox demon in Cloud Smoke Lake was going to use the strange mist to stop the pursuit of the Qingyang Association. But she was unwilling to risk her life, and at most, she could only delay for one day. Li Muyang turned to Aunt Su and asked, ¡°What should we do next? Return to the sect?¡± Aunt Su did not speak, but the cloud chariot flying boat emitted a brilliant purple glow, flying directly towards the direction of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gate. Her actions answered Li Muyang¡¯s question. This time, Aunt Su still pushed the cloud chariot flying boat to its maximum speed. The flying boat, enveloped in a brilliant purple glow, streaked across the sky at high speed. However, the cracks and crevices on the surface of the flying boat were visibly increasing. Such high-load flying inflicted great damage on the cloud chariot flying boat. At this rate, perhaps even the flying boat they were on would disintegrate before the Old Man of Withered Leaves caught up. Inside the flying boat cabin, Li Yuechan, who had left to explain the latest situation to her aunt and uncle, immediately asked anxiously after leaving Li Muyang and Aunt Su¡¯s sight, ¡°Senior, do you have any way to resolve this crisis?¡± At this critical juncture, she once again sought help from her senior. But the mysterious woman¡¯s voice was full of helplessness. ¡°I told you before not to stay and die with your brother, but you wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°I am but a remnant soul. What means do I have to save you?¡± ¡°You really should have listened to your brother and fled separately with Ning Wan¡¯er.¡± ¡°By now, you would have been safe and sound.¡± The mysterious woman was both irritated and helpless. She was angry with her disciple¡¯s choice, but this disciple, so full of loyalty, was the one she had chosen herself. When she first chose this young girl as her disciple, it was because she saw that she had loyalty and compassion and would not betray her in the future. But she never expected that the disciple she painstakingly nurtured would be on the verge of death at the hands of a group of little Divine Travel Realm demonic cultivators. The mysterious woman said helplessly, ¡°You can only pray that your brother can pull out a stronger trump card when it¡¯s critical.¡± The inheritance of the Ancient Evil Lineage is absolutely ferocious and terrifying. When Li Muyang taught the Remnant Clouds Movement Technique to Li Yuechan, the mysterious woman was convinced that this young man was a descendant of the evil lineage. Though, it¡¯s a fool¡¯s dream for someone at the Golden Core stage to contend with the Divine Travel Realm... Inside the cabin, Li Damu and his wife, who were mere mortals, were completely at a loss. After hearing Li Yuechan describe the situation, the couple immediately became frantic. ¡°Are we doomed? What are we going to do now!¡± Madam Liu, Li Damu¡¯s wife, stood up in a panic and began pacing around the room. The simple-minded Li Damu scratched his head vigorously, unable to utter a word. Seeing her husband like this, Madam Liu became even more agitated and started hitting Li Damu. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! You insisted on having Yang¡¯er come home!¡± ¡°Now look! Yang¡¯er is going to be killed because of you!¡± Madam Liu said, tears streaming down her face. She pinched Li Damu while wiping her tears, crying until she became a tearful mess. ¡°I told you before, it was fine for Yang¡¯er to stay in the sect as a direct disciple, to be happy there, and not to call him back.¡± ¡°But you insisted on calling him back, talking about returning home in glory... It¡¯s clear that you, you fool, just wanted to show off!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯ve shown off enough, but you¡¯re going to get my Yang¡¯er killed! Wuu wuu...¡± The woman cried, pinching Li Damu hard and sobbing uncontrollably. In her eyes, there was a mix of grief, despair, and regret. It seemed she regretted not stopping her husband¡¯s foolishness from the beginning. Chapter 353 Inside the cabin, the woman was crying so hard that she could barely stand. Seeing this, Li Yuechan hurriedly went to support her aunt, wiping her tears and trying to comfort her. Li Damu, who was being blamed and beaten, shrank into a corner like a quail. This burly warrior didn¡¯t dare to talk back to his wife. Faced with his wife¡¯s wailing, he just shrank his neck awkwardly and stammered. ¡°I... I didn¡¯t know it would be like this...¡± ¡°If I had known someone wanted to harm Yang¡¯er, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have called him back.¡± Li Damu hesitated, then turned to Li Yuechan and asked, ¡°Yuechan, you also practice in the Demonic Sect, you know more about the path of cultivation.¡± ¡°Does your Demonic Sect have any techniques to change one¡¯s appearance or to create a substitute?¡± ¡°In the stories, there are always plots where someone uses a disguise to take on someone else¡¯s identity and live their life, and no one around them can tell...¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I disguise myself as your brother, pretend to be him and escape with that Aunt Su on the flying boat.¡± ¡°And you can take your her and Muyang and flee.¡± ¡°As long as those demons come after me, you all will be safe.¡± The simple-minded Li Damu, with his limited knowledge, thought of a way to die in place of his son. But Li Yuechan shook her head helplessly, saying, ¡°Uncle, disguises won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Those demons can track us so persistently, they must have some kind of evil method to follow my brother.¡± ¡°Even if you disguise yourself as my brother, they will still chase after him. Wherever he is, that¡¯s where they¡¯ll go.¡± Li Yuechan¡¯s heart was also filled with regret at this moment. She regretted not having her uncle and aunt leave with her. She had originally thought that when her senior said there was no way, it was because the senior didn¡¯t want to make a move to save her brother. After all, she had always felt that her senior was inexplicably wary and vigilant towards her brother. Or rather, after her senior was betrayed and killed by the person she trusted most, she became distrustful of everyone. The reason she was chosen was that the senior had watched her grow up through the family heirloom jade and knew her very well. But even so, her senior had always observed her from a distance as she grew from an infant to the present, until last year when she turned sixteen and decided to enter the Demonic Sect to find her brother, then the senior appeared and decided to teach her the ways of cultivation. If it weren¡¯t for her grateful nature and her caring character towards her family, the senior in the family heirloom jade would have remained silent as she had for thousands of years, not disturbing anyone. The senior had observed her for a long time, even more so for her ¡°changed his temperament drastically¡± brother. Li Yuechan guessed that the senior had a way to break the situation but didn¡¯t want to waste energy on her brother. After all, the senior was once an immortal, and even though only a wisp of her soul remained, she must have extraordinary methods. Previously in Tianjiao City, the senior had shown her extraordinary power. But the senior was unwilling to save others. She did not want to see her brother die tragically, nor did she want to see the grief of her uncle and aunt sending off their white-haired person to the black-haired one. But pleading with the senior was rejected. In utter despair, Li Yuechan could only put herself in danger, hoping that in a critical moment, her senior would make a move to save everyone¡¯s lives. But now that the situation had deteriorated to this point, the senior still said there was no way. Li Yuechan then understood that the senior had not lied to her. Even if she could recreate the miracle of Tianjiao City and bestow her power upon her, the senior¡¯s power probably couldn¡¯t solve the current deadlock. After all, those who came to kill them were all notorious demons in the demonic path, not to be underestimated. Their family was probably doomed. With these thoughts, Li Yuechan¡¯s mind was in turmoil. After she gently comforted her uncle and aunt and stopped her aunt¡¯s crying, she took a deep breath, stood up, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and discuss with my brother.¡± Since staying on the flying boat meant certain death, Li Yuechan thought of letting her uncle and aunt leave alone. The demonic cultivators were after her brother. They probably wouldn¡¯t bother to chase two mortals, right? But just as Li Yuechan was about to open the door and leave, she found her brother standing around the corner. In the quiet corridor, the siblings looked at each other, and the air fell into silence. Behind them, in the room, the low sobs of Madam Liu and cries could be heard again. Li Muyang, dressed in a robe, stood outside the room, seemingly having stood there for a long time, listening for a long time. But he had not entered, nor had he made a sound. It seemed that within the house ahead, where his biological parents lived, there was immense terror. At this moment, the brother and sister faced each other, and Li Muyang¡¯s face showed a trace of embarrassment. He instinctively wanted to wave to his sister to show his composure. He had been outside the house for a long time. But hearing the lamenting cries of ¡°mother¡± and the desperate ideas of ¡°father¡± wanting to die in his place, the usually calm Li Muyang didn¡¯t dare to enter. Facing such a scene, he didn¡¯t know how to face the two closest relatives inside, nor did he know what emotions to use to face these ¡°parents¡± who were willing to die for him. He had long resisted the presence of these two relatives, and now he found it difficult to accept this heavy love with a clear conscience. So much so that when his sister came out of the door, Li Muyang didn¡¯t even react. Now, as the siblings looked at each other, Li Muyang instinctively waved his hand, trying to break the deadlock. But the girl reacted even faster. She suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Li Muyang¡¯s hand. Before he could react, she forcefully dragged him away. The two quickly left the house and arrived at the exit of the cabin. The bright daylight shone on them, and Li Yuechan sighed softly, ¡°Big brother, there¡¯s no need for you to go in. Let uncle and auntie stay there for a while.¡± ¡°You going in now would only make things awkward.¡± The cunning and clever little sister was as intelligent as ever. Seeing this, Li Muyang also breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much lighter¡ªhe really didn¡¯t dare to meet his parents in such an atmosphere. Now, as the siblings stood at the exit of the cabin, watching the clouds whizzing by outside, Li Yuechan suddenly spoke. ¡°Big brother, I want to send uncle and auntie away on their own.¡± ¡°Even if they leave, they might still be found by the Qingyang Association¡¯s demonic cultivators.¡± ¡°But after all, uncle and auntie are just two ordinary people. The Qingyang Association wouldn¡¯t resort to using hostages to chase us.¡± ¡°If uncle and auntie go into hiding, they might still have a chance at survival...¡± Li Yuechan shared her thoughts with Li Muyang. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have the maids escort them away.¡± The fewer witnesses to Li Muyang¡¯s final trump card, the better. If possible, he even wished his little sister wasn¡¯t on the boat. Although from the moment Li Yuechan decided to stay and face life and death with him, Li Muyang had let down his guard towards his sister somewhat. However, he was a cautious person, unwilling to test human nature. The temptation of ancient times¡¯ immortal weapons could corrupt anyone¡¯s heart. Chapter 354 Time was of the essence, and since Li Muyang and his sister had reached a consensus, the plan for Li Damu and his wife to escape was immediately put into action. Li Muyang had two maids accompanying him on this journey, both outer disciples of the Demonic Sect. Because of their good looks and cleverness, they were promoted to serve the inner sect¡¯s direct disciples. One maid was at the Seventh Layer of the Qi Refining Realm, and the other at the Fifth Layer. Their cultivation and talents were average, but at least they could manipulate magical instruments, barely qualifying as cultivators. Li Muyang had his sister go into the cabin to call their parents to prepare to leave while he went to instruct the maids. Considering that wealth could tempt people, and to prevent a story like Cao Song¡¯s journey to Xuzhou, Li Muyang didn¡¯t give his parents and the maids any money to take with them. Although both he and Yuechan had treasures hidden in their Qiankun Rings, Li Muyang didn¡¯t give them anything, letting Li Damu and his wife leave the flying boat with nothing but the clothes on their backs, accompanied by the two maids to hide in the nearest forest. Meanwhile, they continued on the flying boat towards the sect¡¯s mountain gate. The purple light cut through the sky, and the cracks on the cloud chariot flying boat had spread across the entire hull. Almost the entire outer body of the flying boat was covered in cracks. This high-grade magical instrument, crafted with a large amount of spiritual materials, was on the verge of disintegration. Li Yuechan gazed at the light outside with a sigh, ¡°Senior, I¡¯m sorry...¡± At the last moment, the girl apologized softly. She carried her senior¡¯s expectations and trust, yet at such a moment, she acted recklessly, trying to coerce her senior into helping by threatening to die. As a disciple, she was not up to standard. But the mysterious woman¡¯s voice was very calm. ¡°Being compassionate and loyal is the reason I chose you.¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t like this, I wouldn¡¯t have chosen you in the first place.¡± The mysterious woman said softly, ¡°It¡¯s alright, this is all my own doing.¡± The mysterious woman consoled her disciple with a smile, but in her heart, she sighed softly. You silly girl, your senior can¡¯t save your brother, but how could I let you die... If it really came to the last moment, she would definitely take this girl away forcefully. As for the mysterious and unpredictable heir of the Ancient Evil Lineage... The mysterious woman looked towards Li Muyang, who was not far away, but she could never see through this guy. He was shrouded in a strange and chaotic aura that obscured everything, even preventing her, an ancient times Corpse-Resolving Immortal, from seeing through him. He was clearly only at the Golden Core stage, yet... Such an abnormal and eerie situation deepened the mysterious woman¡¯s wariness. And after the cloud chariot flying boat continued to race for two more hours, it finally disintegrated in the afternoon. The disintegration of the flying boat started with the outer body of the deck. But as one of the cracks widened, the countless other cracks that extended across the surface of the hull also began to tear and expand. In just the span of ten breaths, the exquisitely crafted flying boat lost all its light and disintegrated in mid-air. Countless pieces of the hull fell, plummeting towards the ground below. However, the prepared Aunt Su immediately took out a Qiankun Ring and caught all the falling pieces of the hull, storing them in the ring. The three of them landed in the wilderness, and at that moment, they were completely without a flying magical instrument. Aunt Su, with her usual composure, said, ¡°Let¡¯s continue forward, the elder will meet us up ahead.¡± At this point, the only way left was to escape downwards. As for Yan Xiaoru waiting ahead... obviously, compared to Yan Xiaoru, it was more likely that the Old Man of Withered Leaves and his group of demon cultivators would arrive first. Li Muyang sighed, glancing at his little sister beside him. He wanted to deceive Yuechan into leaving. This little girl, usually so cunning and clever, was acting so irrationally at a critical moment of life and death. He couldn¡¯t understand what she intended to do by staying. Did she have an ace up her sleeve? But no matter what tricks she had, they were probably useless now. After sending Li Muyang¡¯s parents away, this little girl had been in a very downcast state, visibly falling apart mentally. She was nothing like her initially spirited self. Li Muyang guessed that his little sister might have secretly tried her trump card, but to no avail, hence her despair. He thought that now was a good opportunity to persuade Yuechan to leave. But just then, a streak of light flew out from the nearby mountains. The aura within that light was incredibly familiar. Li Muyang was slightly taken aback and quickly looked around. ¡°This place...¡± Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened. The wilderness around them seemed vaguely familiar. Li Yuechan, shocked, looked towards the streak of light and then at the distant ancient forest shrouded in miasma, immediately recognizing the place. ¡°Brother, this is the territory of Black Marsh City, it¡¯s Xiaoshun¡¯s hometown!¡± On this trip home to visit relatives, Li Muyang had brought along his good friend Guan Xiaoshun and had dropped him off at the territory of Black Marsh City. However, after circling around Cloud Smoke Lake, they had unexpectedly returned to Black Marsh City. Seeing Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s light flying towards them from a distance, the young man anxiously landed in front of everyone, and Li Muyang said helplessly, ¡°Xiaoshun? Why are you here?¡± This kid was quick on his feet! But Guan Xiaoshun looked anxious, and after landing, he immediately asked, ¡°Senior Brother Li, Senior Sister Yuechan, have you run into trouble?¡± ¡°Uh... and Senior Aunt Su...¡± After hastily greeting Aunt Su, Guan Xiaoshun then turned to the three disheveled and travel-worn figures, his expression puzzled. ¡°I just saw a flying boat break apart in the sky and hurried over.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t Senior Sister Ning here? And where are the others?¡± Guan Xiaoshun was extremely agitated and somewhat confused, ¡°Senior Brother Li, did you encounter an accident and get chased?¡± ¡°Why did the flying boat disintegrate, and why was it flying so fast?¡± The young man was naive but smart. Based on the scene and the state of the three, he had vaguely guessed the situation. To this, Li Muyang could only smile wryly and shake his head, ¡°Indeed, we¡¯ve run into some trouble, but we¡¯re still okay.¡± ¡°Senior Sister Ning is not dead. She just got separated from us while we were fleeing.¡± ¡°We¡¯re being relentlessly pursued by the Old Man of Withered Leaves from the Qingyang Association with a group of demon cultivators. To shake them off, we overworked the flying boat, causing it to disintegrate.¡± Li Muyang briefly explained the situation and then said to the young man, ¡°Xiaoshun, you should go back to the mountains. Those demon cultivators are terrifyingly powerful, with several at the Divine Travel Realm.¡± ¡°We need to continue fleeing. They are after me, and you must not get involved.¡± Saying this, Li Muyang took his sister and immediately took off to escape. Aunt Su followed closely behind. Time was precious for escape. There was no time to catch up here. However, just as Li Muyang took off with his light, Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s anxious figure also rose up, blocking the three of them directly. ¡°Senior Brother Li, wait, don¡¯t go yet. To evade the pursuit, even your flying boat has disintegrated.¡± ¡°Without the flying boat, won¡¯t you be caught up to soon?¡± ¡°I know about the Old Man of Withered Leaves and the Qingyang Association. The sect¡¯s handbook mentions them, and they¡¯re very terrifying!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to escape like this!¡± Guan Xiaoshun said this with hesitation in his expression. But in the end, the young man gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I know a senior who happens to be passing by Black Marsh City these days. He once promised to do me a favor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go ask for his help right away. His divine power is vast, and if he¡¯s willing to make a move, he may stop the Old Man of Withered Leaves!¡± The straightforward border town youth rashly stood in front, wanting Li Muyang and the others to stop. Upon hearing this, Li Muyang and the others exchanged glances. The senior Guan Xiaoshun knew... aware of the Old Man of Withered Leaves and the Qingyang Association, and confident enough to stop them... Could it be a powerful being from the Purple Mansion?! Chapter 355 In the marsh filled with a faint mist, other odors of fishiness and decay permeated. The man sleeping in the mud, leaning against the body of a massive Flood Dragon in the marsh, was sleeping with his head tilted back. The beating of his heart could be faintly seen within his torn chest. Such a severe injury should have been fatal. But his breathing still existed, albeit very weak. At a certain moment, the sleeping man seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes in the mud. ¡°Uh... is someone calling me?¡± The man narrowed his eyes and listened for a while before saying, ¡°Mother, please lend me your senses...¡± After speaking, the mysterious man gently rose from the mud, with countless dark mud sliding off his body. The mud seemed to have become one with him. Ignoring everything, he stretched out his hand and gently pressed it on the massive Flood Dragon corpse beside him. The nearly ten-thousand-zhang-long Flood Dragon carcass curled up in the depths of the blood-clouded black marsh, looked like a deformed black island. As the man¡¯s palm touched the Flood Dragon carcass, a glint of divine light suddenly flashed through his hollow eyes. The next second, the man¡¯s figure disappeared. He stepped out and stood at the edge of the black marsh. Near the marsh, the familiar naive young man was kowtowing forcefully, shouting loudly. ¡°Senior, please save us! Senior, please save us!¡± The young man was kowtowing very hard, his forehead already red. He kowtowed with such force that if he weren¡¯t a cultivator, his head would have been bloody. The man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, curiously observing the scene of the young man kowtowing. After watching for a while, he finally revealed himself from the mist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His eyes were filled with puzzled curiosity. He couldn¡¯t understand why the simple and honest youth was acting like this. He had just recently promised to teach him the profound techniques of cultivation and had even initiated him into the practice. Yet, after the youth went home to ponder over the cultivation for a few days and returned, he behaved in such a strange manner. The man was baffled. But he saw the youth, frantic and anxious, saying, ¡°Senior! I no longer wish to learn your mystical skills.¡± ¡°I only ask that you help save my fellow disciple, Senior Brother Li.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who got along with me and gave me high-grade spiritual rice.¡± ¡°On his way home this time, he was targeted by the Qingyang Association¡¯s Old Man of Withered Leaves, who, along with a group of demonic cultivators, is chasing him to kill.¡± ¡°Now Senior Brother Li has been driven into a desperate situation, his life hanging by a thread.¡± ¡°I beg you, Senior, to intervene and stop Old Man of Withered Leaves and save Senior Brother Li. I am willing to give up the opportunity to follow you in cultivation!¡± As the youth spoke, he kowtowed forcefully again. A quarter of an hour earlier, after hearing the general situation from Li Muyang, he had hurried back to the mountains to seek the help of the mysterious senior in the Black Marsh. Now that he had seen the senior, he immediately spilled everything out like pouring beans from a bamboo tube. However, due to the urgency, Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s explanation was quite brief. The mysterious man listened with some confusion. ¡°Qingyang Association... Senior Brother Li... Hmm...¡± The mysterious man narrowed his eyes in thought and said, ¡°Why would the Qingyang Association trouble your Senior Brother Li for no good reason?¡± ¡°Could it be that your Senior Brother Li is somehow related to the ancient Corpse-Resolving Immortal?¡± The mysterious man was quite puzzled. Guan Xiaoshun was slightly taken aback. ¡°Ancient Corpse-Resolving Immortal?¡± After a moment of hesitation, the youth said, ¡°I think I heard Senior Brother Li say that the people from the Qingyang Association suspect he is the descendant of some ancient great power, which is why they are chasing him... But Senior Brother Li spoke in a hurry, and I didn¡¯t listen carefully.¡± The youth looked hesitant: ¡°Senior, if you take action, that Old Man of Withered Leaves from the Qingyang Association surely won¡¯t be a match for you, right?¡± Previously, when the mysterious man had offered to teach him mystical skills, he had claimed to be the first cultivator in this world to surpass the Purple Mansion and reach the Eternal Heaven Realm. The Eternal Heaven Realm is two major realms above the Divine Travel Realm. If the mysterious senior truly is at the Eternal Heaven Realm, then crushing Old Man of Withered Leaves would be as easy as crushing an ant. However, faced with Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s cautious flattery, the mysterious man just smiled and shook his head. Ignoring the youth¡¯s flattery, he was more interested in another matter the youth mentioned. ¡°A suspected descendant of an ancient great power? Then there¡¯s no mistake.¡± ¡°Since its establishment, the Qingyang Association has been pursuing the traces of the Corpse-Resolving Immortal.¡± ¡°Perhaps your Senior Brother Li¡¯s cultivation has improved too quickly, attracting the suspicion of the Qingyang Association?¡± The mysterious man shook his head with a smile and said, ¡°Indeed, Old Man of Withered Leaves is no match for me, but unfortunately, I cannot help you.¡± ¡°I cannot leave this marsh for the time being.¡± The day he leaves the marsh will be the day he storms into the gates of the Demon Refining Sect. But now, the time is not yet ripe. Seeing the youth¡¯s anxious and panicked expression, the mysterious man sighed softly and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll ask around for you...¡± After speaking, the mysterious man closed his eyes slightly and stood stiffly as if he had lost all breath. ...... At the same time, Li Muyang, who was waiting outside the mountain for news from Guan Xiaoshun, suddenly felt something. The three of them had been stopped by Guan Xiaoshun and were waiting for his news. Unexpectedly, this simple youth from the border town also had a fortuitous encounter and met a powerful and mysterious senior. If they could persuade the senior to take action and repel Old Man of Withered Leaves, it would save them a lot of trouble. But as they waited, Li Muyang suddenly heard the beep-beep-beep notification sound of the chat group. The long-silent chat group was bubbling with activity. Li Muyang instinctively clicked to look and saw that Everlasting North Star, the one who was most friendly to him, had sent a message. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Is anyone near Black Marsh City under the jurisdiction of the Demon Refining Sect?¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Urgent matter, need help!¡¿ Everlasting North Star sent these two sentences several times, effectively spamming the chat. The chat group¡¯s notifications kept ringing non-stop. Soon, others also came online. Seeing that it was Everlasting North Star who was speaking, the members of the chat group began to respond. ¡¾Dangerous Star I: What¡¯s the urgent matter?¡¿ ¡¾Ghost Star VII: Everlasting North Star, you¡¯ve ventured into Demon Refining Sect territory? Are you really planning to attack the Demon Refining Sect?!¡¿ ¡¾Heart Star: Everlasting North Star, don¡¯t be rash...¡¿ Everyone started to persuade, thinking that Everlasting North Star was planning to attack the Demon Refining Sect. But Everlasting North Star¡¯s reply denied everyone¡¯s speculation. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: No, it¡¯s just that a young friend of mine is in trouble on the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory, a very minor trouble¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Is there a fellow Daoist near Black Marsh City? Please lend me a hand¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: The enemy is just Old Man of Withered Leaves from the Qingyang Association, merely at the Divine Travel Realm, easily suppressible with a flip of the hand¡¿ Everlasting North Star¡¯s calm tone was filled with strong confidence and dominance. But Li Muyang¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Damn... At this time, with these words from Everlasting North Star... Could it be that the mysterious senior Guan Xiaoshun encountered was Everlasting North Star? Crazy... Was Everlasting North Star really planning to annihilate the Demon Refining Sect? Had he already quietly made his way onto the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory? Chapter 356 The moment Li Muyang realized Everlasting North Star¡¯s identity, a sense of pressure emerged in his heart. This Everlasting North Star was not someone to be taken lightly. As the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was reviving, this guy casually broke through his boundaries and ascended to the Eternal Heaven Realm. His cultivation speed was simply monstrous. Most importantly, he bore a grudge against the Demon Refining Sect and was dedicated to annihilating them, actively seeking support for this cause. Guan Xiaoshun actually encountered this Everlasting North Star, and what¡¯s more outrageous is that Guan Xiaoshun seemed to have persuaded the Everlasting North Star? Although the Everlasting North Star was unwilling to take action personally, he was willing to ask for help in the chat group... What exactly is the relationship between Guan Xiaoshun and this Everlasting North Star? Li Muyang¡¯s mind was flooded with countless thoughts in an instant. Meanwhile, in the chat group, everyone was expressing that they were too far from Black Marsh City to lend a hand. Seeing everyone¡¯s refusal, the disappointment in Everlasting North Star was palpable. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Is there really no one near Black Marsh City?¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: My young friend says he can only hold on for one more day. If someone can reach Black Marsh City within a day, my young friend can be saved.¡¿ Everlasting North Star continued to plead for help from the group members. With the strength of these mysterious powerhouses in the group, one day was enough time to travel a great distance. Unfortunately, everyone reiterated that no one was under the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory, and it was too far to make it in time. This time, Li Muyang unusually remained silent, quietly observing the chat records. Everlasting North Star was as sincere as ever, which made him even more curious about the relationship between Guan Xiaoshun and Everlasting North Star. If Guan Xiaoshun and Everlasting North Star were allies, then why would he sincerely help a disciple of the Demonic Sect? Just then, Everlasting North Star suddenly spoke up, mentioning Li Muyang. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Is Blue Star Boss here? You should be watching, right?¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Why are you silent this time?¡¿ Usually, Li Muyang would immediately show up whenever there was activity in the chat group. But this time, Li Muyang didn¡¯t speak up, which caught Everlasting North Star¡¯s attention. As Li Muyang was about to reply after a moment of thought, Everlasting North Star made his own judgment. ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Blue Star Boss, you must still be under the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s rule, right? Given your temperament, you seem to be the kind of person who enjoys the pleasures of the mortal world.¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: You stayed in Tianjiao City for several months during the previous Blood Lotus Sect upheaval, so you must not have gone far, right?¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: Can Blue Star Boss reach Black Marsh City within a day?¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: If Blue Star Boss is willing to lend a hand, I will make sure you do not return empty-handed!¡¿ Everlasting North Star was as sincere as ever, not beating around the bush, and directly enticing with benefits. Seeing this, Li Muyang¡¯s heart stirred, and he finally spoke up in the group. ¡¾Blue Star III: North Star Boss, you are too kind. If I may ask, what would you offer if I were to save your young friend?¡¿ ¡¾Everlasting North Star: What does Blue Star Boss need? If I don¡¯t have it, I will do my best to find it!¡¿ Everlasting North Star¡¯s words were decisive and full of sincerity, leaving no doubt about his earnestness. After a brief consideration, Li Muyang replied in the group. ¡¾Blue Star III: I would like to ask North Star Boss to let go of your obsession and not seek revenge against the Demon Refining Sect... Can you do that?¡¿ As soon as Li Muyang¡¯s words were out, the chat group fell into a dead silence. Not only did the Everlasting North Star not respond, but the other members of the group also fell silent. In the dark space, everyone looked at each other, and all eyes eventually turned to Everlasting North Star, anxiously waiting for a response. No one expected the mysterious and enigmatic Blue Star III to make such a request. Could this guy actually be a worldly sage who enjoys the mortal life? Faced with the promise of an Eternal Heaven Realm expert, he did not seek personal gain but instead took the opportunity to advise, hoping to persuade Everlasting North Star to let go of his obsession and hatred... Had everyone misunderstood Blue Star III before? Was he actually a good person? In the dark space, the shadows looked at each other in silence. After a long silence, Everlasting North Star let out a bitter laugh. He helplessly shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Blue Star Boss. The hatred for my mother¡¯s murder and the vengeance for the annihilation of my clan... Everlasting North Star cannot let go. The only reason this broken body still lingers in this world is to slay Gong Yanghong and destroy the Demon Refining Sect. Please, Blue Star Boss, make another request...¡± Li Muyang, standing in the wilderness outside Black Marsh City, squinted as he read the reply in the chat group. A new clue. Everlasting North Star had once again revealed himself! He had a hatred for the murder of his mother and the annihilation of his clan with Gong Yanghong! Given Everlasting North Star¡¯s level of cultivation, there could only be a few clans involved in such a significant matter with Gong Yanghong. By looking through the Demonic Sect¡¯s records, he might be able to find out Everlasting North Star¡¯s true identity. As a disciple of the Demonic Sect, being targeted by a terrifying cultivator of the Eternal Heaven Realm who could come to annihilate his sect at any moment... honestly, Li Muyang was quite anxious. He wanted to prevent Everlasting North Star from seeking revenge against the Demon Refining Sect, at least to be prepared in advance. Especially since Everlasting North Star had already quietly arrived on the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s territory. This increased Li Muyang¡¯s pressure. Now, looking at the words in the chat group, Li Muyang squinted, pondering, unsure of how to reply. He wanted to continue fishing for information. But continuing the conversation would hardly yield anything new. He couldn¡¯t really agree to help Everlasting North Star. In the end, Li Muyang left an ambiguous response. ¡¾Blue Star III: I will now head towards the vicinity of Black Marsh City to look for the Old Man of Withered Leaves.¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: But I am far away and may not make it in time. I will just do my duty, so North Star Boss, you should not have any expectations of me.¡¿ ¡¾Blue Star III: If the situation is urgent, you should still look for another way to be rescued.¡¿ After sending this message, Li Muyang fell silent. The other people in the chat group, with a few words of persuasion, all advised Everlasting North Star not to seek revenge against the Demon Refining Sect. But obviously, Everlasting North Star was not listening. His avatar quickly dimmed. Li Muyang stood in the wilderness for another ten minutes before he saw Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s flying light rushing from the mist-covered ancient forest and landing in front of the three of them. ¡°Senior Brother Li, I¡¯m sorry...¡± Guan Xiaoshun¡¯s face was filled with guilt and discomfort. ¡°The senior said he can¡¯t lend a hand to help.¡± The news brought by the young man was within Li Muyang¡¯s expectations. The dead silence in the chat group represented the outcome of the matter. Everlasting North Star¡¯s failed request for help meant that he obviously couldn¡¯t take action himself. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have asked for help in the group. As for why Everlasting North Star couldn¡¯t take action, that reason was unclear. Perhaps he didn¡¯t want to reveal his presence in the Demonic Sect¡¯s territory too soon? Many thoughts flashed through his mind, but Li Muyang¡¯s smile remained warm and gentle. He patted the young man¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I appreciate your intention.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m lucky enough to survive this time, I¡¯ll treat you to a drink when we get back to the sect.¡± Having said that, Li Muyang directly took to the sky with his flying light. They had been delayed in this vicinity for over twenty minutes. It was time to continue on their way. However, this twenty-minute stop was not without its gains. In fact, it was a significant discovery. He had inadvertently found a possible location and important clues about the identity of the mysterious Everlasting North Star from the chat group, who had always talked about annihilating the Demonic Sect! Taking to the sky with his flying light, Li Muyang and the other two continued to flee towards the direction of the Demon Refining Sect¡¯s gate. The fog-enshrouded, wild, and primitive forest behind them was deeply etched in Li Muyang¡¯s memory. This place was suspected to be Everlasting North Star¡¯s base! Chapter 357 ¡°Brother, who is this mysterious senior that Xiaoshun knows?¡± High above where the flying light traveled, the wind was piercingly cold. Li Muyang¡¯s ears picked up the confused telepathic message from his little sister, Li Yuechan. Li Muyang glanced at his sister and said, ¡°In the wilderness, there are mysterious experts who travel incognito. A fortunate youth encounters one by chance, and they hit it off, becoming friends despite the age difference... Such classic encounters are not uncommon.¡± This world was inherently filled with adventures and opportunities. After all, today¡¯s cultivation world was built upon the ruins of a once flourishing era of cultivators. Jumping off a cliff in the deep mountains and forests could lead one into an immortal¡¯s secret realm. After parting ways with Guan Xiaoshun, the three of them continued their escape, flying with their light across the wilderness. However, their speed of flight was naturally no match for a cloud chariot flying boat. Mainly because Li Muyang and Li Yuechan were too slow. They flew from day to night and from night to dawn. When the eastern sky showed the first light of day, Li Yuechan was utterly exhausted. The young girl descended to rest in the wilderness. Li Muyang was also extremely fatigued, with his spiritual power nearly depleted. Aunt Su looked at the two, exhausted, and sighed. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before the Old Man of Withered Leaves catches up...¡± Aunt Su¡¯s expression was solemn, and her tone unusually downcast. She had done her best to escort the siblings this far. It was almost her limit. Looking at Li Yuechan in front of her, Aunt Su softly said, ¡°Yuechan, you should leave on your own.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll continue to flee with your brother. If I carry him, perhaps we can fly further.¡± A Divine Travel Realm cultivator¡¯s magical power was naturally much deeper than that of Li Muyang and the others. The hesitant young girl looked at her brother. Her lips moved slightly as if she wanted to say something. But Li Muyang, who had been sitting behind her all along, suddenly lashed out, striking the top of the girl¡¯s head with his palm. Caught off guard, the young girl¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but before she could say anything, she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. She trusted her brother too much and didn¡¯t expect Li Muyang to attack her suddenly. Holding his unconscious little sister, Li Muyang sighed, ¡°This stubborn girl, I had to exhaust her completely to find an opportunity to act.¡± After knocking out the girl, Li Muyang took out a stack of thick talisman papers from his Qiankun Ring. As Li Muyang recited scriptures, the thick stack of talisman papers in his hand immediately took flight, swirling in the wilderness and stirring up a small tornado. Amidst the swirling winds, countless sand and stones flew towards the center of the wind, eventually forming a two-zhang-tall clay giant. The surface of the clay giant was covered with yellow talisman papers. It bowed respectfully, kneeling before Li Muyang. Seeing this, Aunt Su raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡°Earth Strength Talisman?¡± Li Muyang nodded: ¡°It was awarded to me by the sect when I was promoted to direct disciple.¡± High-level spiritual talismans were definitely powerful strategic weapons. But when Li Muyang was promoted to direct disciple, he received many high-level spiritual talismans, including the medium-grade Earth Strength Talisman. Li Muyang tapped the two-zhang-tall Earth Strength Giant, and the giant¡¯s head split open, allowing Li Muyang to place the unconscious Li Yuechan inside the hollow head. He instructed the giant, ¡°Escort her away from here, find a safe place to hide, and do not let her leave for half a step until I send you a command or the talisman¡¯s spiritual power dissipates.¡± Li Muyang had been planning to send his little sister away for a while, and now he finally seized the opportunity to do so. The Earth Strength Giant had no consciousness but would absolutely follow his orders, and it possessed extraordinary strength. Watching the Earth Strength Giant run off into the wilderness, quickly heading into the distance, Li Muyang turned to Aunt Su. ¡°Aunt Su, we won¡¯t go any further.¡± This area was carefully chosen by Li Muyang as the battleground. It was desolate and remote, with the nearest city being eight hundred li away. In such a desolate and secluded place, even if he used the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, there would be no witnesses. Li Muyang sat down on the spot and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Elder Yan here.¡± ¡°As for the Old Man of Withered Leaves...¡± Li Muyang exhaled a breath of turbid air lightly and said, ¡°When they catch up, I have my own way to deal with them.¡± He had fully mastered the Startling Swan Sword Mantra. All he lacked was magical power. But with Aunt Su¡¯s Divine Travel Realm cultivation, if she lent her power to him unconditionally, it would be enough for him to unleash the power of the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Seeing the young man so confident as the morning light fell on Li Muyang, Aunt Su fell silent for a moment before nodding in agreement. ¡°Okay!¡± She had long suspected that the young man before her might have some kind of trump card, which is why he remained calm throughout their escape. Now, Li Muyang¡¯s reaction confirmed her speculation. She was also curious how this young man, merely at the Golden Core realm, had a way to contend with a demon cultivator of the Divine Travel Realm... The lady indeed had her reasons for seeing him in a different light. The morning light grew brighter on the eastern horizon. Li Muyang sat in the dawn light, regulating his breathing and restoring the spiritual power within his body, waiting for the enemy to come knocking. He hadn¡¯t made any preparations in advance. For him, all it would take was the Startling Swan Immortal Sword to make a move, and everything would be easily resolved. The only trouble would be cleaning up the aftermath, erasing the residual sword qi of the immortal sword, and leaving no trace behind... Lost in thought, Li Muyang closed his eyes. During the dull wait, he finally had some free time to log into the game and check on the progress of the Moon-Biting Dragon. This simple and adorable Dragon Maiden had been left to play for so many days. He wondered how many Heart-Eating Worms she had caught. Li Muyang was very curious. As he logged into the game, the familiar darkness engulfed him like a tide. The sensation of his body gradually faded, and when he felt his limbs again, he was no longer in a man¡¯s body. Through the swirling mist, the voice of the Moon-Biting Dragon was filled with surprise. ¡°Li Muyang! You¡¯re back!¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon was overjoyed. Li Muyang smiled and said, ¡°How¡¯s your harvest...¡± Just as Li Muyang was about to check the number of Heart-Eating Worms, he froze. The gourd he carried was empty, the number of Heart-Eating Worms shockingly low, almost no different from when he had left. This discovery left Li Muyang dumbfounded. ¡°...You didn¡¯t catch Heart-Eating Worms?¡± So many days had passed, and the number of Heart-Eating Worms hadn¡¯t increased? What on earth had this silly Dragon Maiden been doing!? At this moment, Li Muyang felt the same sense of collapse a parent might feel upon returning home to find their child hadn¡¯t touched their winter vacation homework. But the Moon-Biting Dragon completely ignored Li Muyang¡¯s astonishment and excitedly said, ¡°Look, look! That thing has come out!¡± ¡°Li Muyang, look ahead, I¡¯ve been chasing this thing for many days.¡± ¡°I always feel it¡¯s so familiar like I¡¯ve seen it somewhere before... Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have any Heart-Eating Worms on it!¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon was thrilled. In front of her, the mist churned incessantly, revealing the form of a huge and eerie creature. The slender, blade-like arms, the jade-like body, sinister yet strangely captivating. The creature that appeared in the mist was... ¡°Emerald Blade Mantis?!¡± Chapter 358 Li Muyang¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He stared dumbfounded at the behemoth that had appeared in the mist, doubting his own eyes. The Emerald Blade Mantis, which had been lost in the netherworld after the game¡¶Endless Evolution¡· was completed, had vanished without a trace. He wondered how the creature had been faring in the netherworld. Without control, the Emerald Blade Mantis would become confused and sluggish, perhaps finding someplace to dig a hole and hide. Just like when Li Muyang used to play ¡¶Endless Evolution¡·, every time he logged off, the Emerald Blade Mantis would dig a hole to hide, waiting for Li Muyang to log back in. But now, this towering and eerie behemoth had abruptly appeared in the misty world ten thousand zhang underground. Although it still seemed confused and sluggish, it was at least able to move on its own. The massive Emerald Blade Mantis moved forward through the mist. Its cold blade-like arms closed, emitting a chilling aura. The excited voice of the Moon-Biting Dragon then sounded, ¡°Eh? You know this thing?¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon said happily, ¡°That¡¯s great, Li Muyang! Please tell me about this guy¡¯s background, it feels so familiar to me!¡± ¡°These past days, I¡¯ve been tracking it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very fierce. It cuts down the monsters in the misty world, eating dozens of Heart-Eating Worms at a time.¡± ¡°But it strangely doesn¡¯t attack me, although it also ignores me, like it has no brain. No matter how I call out, it doesn¡¯t respond.¡± The Moon-Biting Dragon quickly recounted the events of the past few days to Li Muyang. After listening, Li Muyang fell silent. He hadn¡¯t expected the Moon-Biting Dragon to encounter the Emerald Blade Mantis in the misty world and that it wouldn¡¯t attack her, only that it wouldn¡¯t respond to her either. But the Moon-Biting Dragon vaguely sensed a very familiar and intimate aura from the Emerald Blade Mantis. So she had been tracking the Emerald Blade Mantis all this time and not thinking about hunting Heart-Eating Worms, as the Emerald Blade Mantis kept moving further away in the mist, leaving her no time to hunt. After hearing the Moon-Biting Dragon¡¯s story, Li Muyang sighed. He looked at the Emerald Blade Mantis ahead and said, ¡°How could it not feel familiar... that creature is the former you.¡± ¡°I used its body to devour and evolve all the way to become the behemoth you see now.¡± ¡°Its body still retains my aura, so it¡¯s normal for you to feel an affinity.¡± Li Muyang watched the Emerald Blade Mantis in the mist from a distance, only to see the massive creature suddenly swing its blade-like arms. A sharp, cold light flashed through the mist. At that moment, it seemed as if even space itself was cleaved open. The surging mist split apart, creating a narrow void in the misty world. Within this void, a monster covered in Heart-Eating Worms was split in two, blood spraying wildly. The Heart-Eating Worms on the surface of the monster scattered in panic, but the Emerald Blade Mantis charged forward. In the blink of an eye, those Heart-Eating Worms, radiating azure flames, were devoured one by one by the Emerald Blade Mantis. The jade-like, delicate, and smooth surface of the mantis shimmered silently with a passing luster. The Moon-Biting Dragon was extremely excited. ¡°Has it been helped by you too? Then isn¡¯t it on our side?¡± ¡°Can we ask it for help? It¡¯s really powerful!¡± The scythe-like arms of the Emerald Blade Mantis were indeed ferocious. This was a giant demon that followed the ancient times¡¯ route, forsaking spiritual intelligence, transformation, magical powers, and all other fancy stuff, focusing all its attributes on its demonic body. It was the ultimate path of demon evolution. Those two scythe arms were so sharp that they could probably make even high-grade magical instruments look dull in comparison. But as Li Muyang looked at the Emerald Blade Mantis in front of him, he shook his head without saying a word. ¡°It might not be possible to ask for its help...¡± After completing ¡¶Endless Evolution¡·, he could no longer enter the game and naturally lost control over the Emerald Blade Mantis. Although he was now seeing it in reality, the fact that the Emerald Blade Mantis did not attack him was already an unexpected joy. To control the Emerald Blade Mantis again... that was probably impossible. However, the words of the Moon-Biting Dragon still stirred Li Muyang¡¯s emotions. He looked at the Emerald Blade Mantis in front of him, devouring Heart-Eating Worms amidst the fog, and saw its dull and stupefied appearance, which for some reason made him feel inexplicably heartbroken. It was like seeing a long-lost pet that he had raised for a long time suddenly reappearing on the streets. Li Muyang couldn¡¯t help but float forward, coming beside the massive body of the Emerald Blade Mantis, and gently touched its smooth head. ¡°You, this guy... sigh...¡± The Emerald Blade Mantis, unlike the Moon-Biting Dragon, lacked spiritual intelligence. Now without Li Muyang¡¯s control, it acted solely on instinct, moving about in a daze. Seeing its stupefied and confused appearance was heart-wrenching. But the moment Li Muyang¡¯s hand touched the Emerald Blade Mantis, the creature that had shown no reaction to Li Muyang and had not attacked suddenly shuddered. It seemed to sense something and abruptly turned its head to look at the ¡°woman¡± beside it. Their eyes met, and a surge of emotion welled up in Li Muyang¡¯s heart. ¡¾Special Easter Egg Triggered: The Weary Bird Returns to Its Nest¡¿ ¡¾With the completion of ¡¶Endless Evolution¡·, the aimlessly wandering Emerald Blade Mantis lost its pillar of support. In its long confused wandering, it remembered only one master, a kind and unforgettable master¡¿ ¡¾Now, it has finally found its master, longing to return to its nest¡¿ ¡¾Special Ability: The Behemoth of the Netherworld (Unlocked)¡¿ ¡¾The Behemoth of the Netherworld: The Emerald Blade Mantis, wandering in the netherworld, yearns for its master¡¯s call, eager to fight alongside its master once more. Activating this ability allows for the remote summoning of the Emerald Blade Mantis from the netherworld to the mortal realm, with the summoning time proportional to the distance between them¡¿ ¡¾Warning: After the Emerald Blade Mantis arrives in the mortal realm, the host must expend spiritual energy to sustain it. Once the host¡¯s spiritual energy is exhausted, the Emerald Blade Mantis will return to the netherworld¡¿ ¡¾(With the host¡¯s current cultivation level, the Emerald Blade Mantis can stay for 30 minutes)¡¿ The system notification that appeared in his field of vision surprised Li Muyang. An Easter egg? Summoning the Emerald Blade Mantis? F*ck! This was another powerful weapon! And this weapon had fewer side effects than the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. At least against the demonic cultivators of the Qingyang Association, the Emerald Blade Mantis should be enough! Li Muyang opened his eyes in excitement, only to see nine streaks of light rapidly approaching from the distant sky with a menacing momentum. The resting Aunt Su beside him also suddenly stood up, her expression serious. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Aunt Su warned Li Muyang. But at this critical moment, Li Muyang closed his eyes instead. He opened the system and activated the newly acquired skill¡ª¡ª¡¾The Behemoth of the Netherworld¡¿. In an instant, he faintly sensed the presence of the Emerald Blade Mantis, which was extremely far away as if at the other end of the world. But as Li Muyang called out, the distant Emerald Blade Mantis suddenly sprang into action. It rushed towards Li Muyang¡¯s direction, seemingly turning into light underground. In Li Muyang¡¯s vision, the skill bar for ¡¾The Behemoth of the Netherworld¡¿ appeared. ¡¾Summoning: 03:29¡¿ This indicated the time required for the summoning. Three and a half minutes... Li Muyang looked at the nine streaks of light rapidly approaching in the distance, his expression grave. ¡°Aunt Su! Please hold off the enemy for me!¡± ¡°Reinforcements will arrive soon!¡± Chapter 359 High in the sky, the streaks of light cut through the heavens. Old Man of Withered Leaves, holding a bamboo staff, squinted as he gazed at the enemy in the wilderness far away. ¡°They didn¡¯t run away but stayed in the same place waiting for us?¡± The scene before him was quite strange. The enemy, who had been fleeing for days and nights without stopping, was now sitting quietly in the wilderness, seemingly waiting for their arrival. The most bizarre part was that Li Muyang, the Demonic Sect¡¯s direct disciple and their target, was not panicking in the face of the approaching enemy. He sat on the mountain peak, cross-legged with closed eyes, as if waiting for something. This strange sight gave Old Man of Withered Leaves an ominous premonition. ¡°Is it an ambush?¡± ¡°Or perhaps...¡± Old Man of Withered Leaves suddenly slowed down his flying speed, vigilantly watching the land ahead as he flew. However, upon opening his magical eye and scanning the wilderness, it appeared ordinary and common, with no signs of an ambush. Not even a defensive formation had been set up. The two people stood on the mountain peak, one standing and one sitting, as if they had given up on escaping and were waiting for the group to approach. The other demonic cultivators also sensed the strangeness of this scene. Someone snorted coldly, saying, ¡°Playing tricks!¡± They didn¡¯t believe these two could set up any ambush. A pitch-black skull emitted a sharp howl, launching an attack towards the two on the mountain peak. Mysterious Bone True Monarch was the one with cultivation, second only to the Old Man of Withered Leaves among the crowd. His pitch-black skull, trailing a long black tail flame and carrying a surge of demonic energy, charged forward, one strike powerful enough to shatter mountain peaks. Faced with such a ferocious enemy, the woman on the mountain peak suddenly stood up, and a deep blue longsword flew out from behind her. The sword, flickering with a faint blue light, soared into the sky and transformed into a dazzling sword light that slashed towards the pitch-black skull. The collision of black and blue brilliance caused a violent shockwave to spread out in mid-air, lifting countless dust and dead leaves from the forest below, which were swept away by the expanding shockwave. Mysterious Bone True Monarch laughed heartily as he stepped forward, the pitch-black skull screeching as it flew into his hand and spun rapidly in his palm. ¡°Wen Susu, seeing so many of us and still not running, are you planning to die alongside that boy?¡± Old Man of Withered Leaves stepped forward with a bamboo staff in hand, his face expressionless as he said, ¡°If you step aside now, in consideration of Yan Xiaoru, we can let you leave freely.¡± As Old Man of Withered Leaves spoke, his escape light flickered. The other demonic cultivators surged forward, instantly surrounding Li Muyang and Aunt Su at the mountain peak. Aunt Su, standing atop the mountain, swept a cold gaze over the demonic cultivators. ¡°This boy is not an ordinary direct disciple. He is the chosen successor of my young lady. If you dare to harm his life, my young lady and your Qingyang Association will be at odds until death!¡± At this critical moment of life and death, Aunt Su could only try to invoke her young lady¡¯s name, but it was clearly ineffective. The demonic cultivators present all burst into laughter, and Mysterious Bone True Monarch sneered, ¡°Yan Xiaoru is indeed formidable, reaching the Purple Mansion realm at a young age. But if the Qingyang Association were afraid of her, we wouldn¡¯t be here today.¡± Old Man of Withered Leaves, with an indifferent face, raised his bamboo staff and gently tapped it in the void, and a ghastly green mist immediately spread in the air. ¡°Since you won¡¯t leave, then stay and be buried here.¡± The demonic cultivators present were all madmen of the demonic path. How could they be easily scared off? Aunt Su, seeing the green mist spreading in the air, knew it was Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¯ poison technique. She immediately retreated to Li Muyang¡¯s side. The deep blue longsword, hovering around her, pointed coldly forward. Outnumbered, Aunt Su did not rashly attack in the face of the enemy¡¯s encirclement. Behind her, Li Muyang sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his brows furrowed, obviously activating some powerful technique. Aunt Su exhaled a breath of turbid air and said, ¡°Then come on, let this lady clean up you lot. Although you have three Divine Travel Realm cultivators, if I really get tough, dragging one or two of you down with me won¡¯t be a problem.¡± A flash of brilliance in her hand, and a stack of talismans appeared in her palm. With her cultivation, it was completely impossible to repel this group of demonic cultivators. But delaying them for a while was not difficult. Seeing the ghastly green mist in the sky drawing closer, Aunt Su sneered, ¡°None of you dare to come close? Afraid this lady will fight to the death?¡± Mysterious Bone True Monarch, with the skull spinning rapidly in his hand, laughed sinisterly, ¡°Your bone-corroding technique is a bit troublesome, but mainly because we can slowly kill you off, why take the risk?¡± ¡°Everyone! Let¡¯s attack together, bombard this woman from a distance, and be careful of her bone-corroding technique!¡± All of them were well-known cultivators in the demonic path, familiar with each other¡¯s signature techniques. Wen Susu¡¯s bone-corroding technique from the Demon Refining Sect was tricky and dangerous, and no one wanted to take the risk. Mysterious Bone True Monarch¡¯s words immediately received everyone¡¯s response. In an instant, the sky lit up with brilliance. Nine Qingyang Association demonic cultivators simultaneously raised their magical instruments, transforming into nine beams of light of different colors, bombarding the woman on the mountain peak. Aunt Su, holding the talismans, activated her spiritual power, and the talismans in her hand burned one by one in the wind. She kept neutralizing the enemy¡¯s long-range attacks, barely holding on. But there were too many enemies, and nine beams of light came from different directions. She stood rigidly in place, unable to dodge, like a live target, forced to take the hits head-on. Each time she took a hit, her body trembled violently. In just two minutes, blood spilled from the corner of Aunt Su¡¯s mouth, visibly unable to hold on for much longer. But that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. The ghastly green poison mist in the sky had now transformed into a giant scorpion. This was Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¯ powerful poison technique, using the poison mist he had refined for years to conjure an ancient beast, displaying part of the beast¡¯s power. Seeing the giant scorpion, as large as a mountain, swinging its pincers towards the mountain peak, Aunt Su couldn¡¯t help but shout angrily, ¡°Li Muyang! How much longer do you need?¡± She rose to resist, and the deep blue longsword soared into the sky, slashing towards the giant poisonous scorpion. However, the scorpion, formed from the poison mist, had a solid body. Its huge pincers struck the blue sword, and although it was repelled several feet, the blue sword was also shaken with some cracks. Mysterious Bone True Monarch cackled maniacally, ¡°You¡¯re going to die, Wen Susu!¡± The skull in his hand burst forth, dragging a long black demonic flame towards the mountain peak. He aimed to severely wound the woman in the moment she revealed a flaw. However, as the black skull charged towards the mountain peak, a cold and icy light suddenly cleaved through the void. The next second, the skull, enveloped in demonic energy, split in two in mid-air, disintegrating on the spot with a smooth cut. Mysterious Bone True Monarch, connected to the artifact with his mind and spirit, let out a miserable howl as a mouthful of filthy blood spewed out. He looked forward incredulously to see a massive creature, as large as a mountain and no smaller than the poison mist scorpion, suddenly emerge from the ground. The cold light that had split the void was the slash of the mantis¡¯s blade arm! Chapter 360 The wilderness suddenly fell into dead silence. The nine demonic cultivators who were besieging Li Muyang were all shocked and astonished at the sight of the huge beast that had appeared out of nowhere from the ground. The scene was incredibly terrifying. A creature as tall as a mountain rose from the earth and in an instant reached above the mountain peak, standing behind Li Muyang. Its slender emerald-green body, as exquisite as a piece of art, carried an intensely fierce demonic aura. The demonic cultivators had never seen a demon with such a violent demonic aura. A flicker of shock passed through Old Man of Withered Leaves¡¯ eyes. ¡°Since when did the Demon Refining Sect have the means to command beasts?¡± The Demon Refining Sect was proficient in the way of souls but had made no achievements in the way of beast control. The elder in the sect who practiced beast control was only average in the demonic path. But the massive beast before them was definitely a terrifying demon that ordinary people could not imagine. Old Man of Withered Leaves immediately urged the poison mist scorpion to attack forward. ¡°Be careful of its blade arms! They cannot be blocked!¡± At the very least, they, the group of Divine Travel Realm demonic cultivators, could not withstand it. The might of that praying mantis was so formidable that it could even sever high-grade magical instruments! However, the Old Man of Withered Leaves, who had refined poisons for many years and was also deeply versed in the art of beast control, immediately recognized the terrifying aspects of the beast before him, as well as its weaknesses. ¡°This giant monster¡¯s blade arms are the most terrifying, but its other qualities are ordinary! Dodge its slashes and attack its waist!¡± The Old Man of Withered Leaves quickly made a decision and called for everyone to strike. In an instant, dazzling radiance burst forth in the sky. The nine demonic cultivators, upon seeing such a fearsome beast appear, did not flee but instead attacked even more ruthlessly. Their ferocity and brutality were evident. However, Li Muyang, who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed on the mountain peak, sneered at the sight of the demonic cultivators fighting desperately. The Emerald Blade Mantis was a top-tier monster that had helped him pass through levels, capable of breaking the top formations within the Four Directions Cauldron. These demonic cultivators were nothing in comparison. Although the Old Man of Withered Leaves had a sharp eye and spotted the weakness of the Emerald Blade Mantis at a glance, their cultivation was too weak, and seeing the weakness was of no use. Indeed, the Emerald Blade Mantis was an ultimate specialized Assassin. With each level up, it poured all attribute points into attack power, resulting in average health, defense, and other attributes. But this was in comparison to the powerful wandering souls in the netherworld, not these demonic cultivators whose strongest was only at the Divine Travel Realm. Facing the demonic cultivators¡¯ desperate attacks, Li Muyang directly controlled the Emerald Blade Mantis to leap up. The huge beast had transparent wings vibrating behind it, and facing the bombardment of the demonic cultivators, the Emerald Blade Mantis swung its blade arms to slash out. Two beams of blade light shattered the void, and two of the demonic cultivators in mid-air screamed as blood spurted from their mouths. Their magical instruments were instantly destroyed, and the Emerald Blade Mantis, with its wings vibrating, charged over with extreme ferocity. The rustling sound of the transparent wings flapping was like a death knell in the ears of the demonic cultivators. In a flash, Li Muyang¡¯s controlled Emerald Blade Mantis reached the two injured demonic cultivators. Its emerald blade arms swept across, and the two demonic cultivators screamed as they were cut in half, blood spraying wildly. But being cut in half was just the beginning. The two demonic cultivators screamed and tried to drag their mutilated bodies to flee into the distance. However, the giant mantis opened its mouth wide and swallowed them into its mouth. The sound of bones being crushed as the giant mantis chewed them was utterly terrifying. Seeing such a scene, the Old Man of Withered Leaves didn¡¯t say a word and turned to leave. He threw away the bamboo staff in his hand, and the huge scorpion condensed from the poisonous fog in the air roared towards the mantis. The Old Man of Withered Leaves, however, rode a light beam and fled into the distance. He realized the vast gap in strength between them. This terrifying mantis beast was not something that someone at the Divine Travel Realm could contend with! Once the Old Man of Withered Leaves fled, the other demonic cultivators also scattered. In the demonic path, it¡¯s wise to protect oneself, and the skill to slip away must not be neglected. In the blink of an eye, the remaining seven demonic cultivators turned into seven beams of light, fleeing in seven different directions with great tacit understanding. Yet again, the rustling sound of the wings vibrated, and the Emerald Blade Mantis turned into a green flash, chasing after the nearest demonic cultivator. After a dozen breaths, the Emerald Blade Mantis caught up with the demonic cultivator. This time, it didn¡¯t even need to use its blade. The huge monster simply opened its mouth and sucked the screaming demonic cultivator inside. At the same time, the mantis changed direction and chased after another fleeing light beam in the distance, clearly intending to hunt to the end. Atop the mountain peak, Aunt Su, who had not yet recovered from the shock, stared at the distant sky. The huge mantis beast turned into an emerald radiance, flashing swiftly through the wilderness, pursuing the fleeing demonic cultivators in different directions. It had hunted down five demonic cultivators in less than a quarter of an hour. This included the Divine Travel Realm¡¯s Mysterious Bone True Monarch and the Wild Boar Daoist. The demonic cultivators of the Divine Travel Realm, who were once notorious and terrifying on the demonic path, appeared as fragile as infants in front of this huge monster. In the end, only the Old Man of Withered Leaves was still fleeing, but the Emerald Blade Mantis was already chasing in the direction of his fleeing light. It was foreseeable that it wouldn¡¯t be long before it caught up with this demon head of the Qingyang Association and killed him. Aunt Su turned around and quietly watched the young man sitting cross-legged on the mountain peak, silent. The young man¡¯s handsome profile seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. At this moment, Aunt Su suddenly understood why her young lady saw this person in a different light. This young man could actually control such a powerful monster, which would definitely shock the world. With such formidable combat power, perhaps he could help her young lady... While Aunt Su was still observing, the young man who had been sitting quietly suddenly opened his eyes. The moment their eyes met, Aunt Su caught a fleeting glimpse of an emerald divine light in the young man¡¯s eyes. The next second, the young man stood up and asked in surprise, ¡°Aunt Su, why are you staring at me like that?¡± Aunt Su was astonished by his speed. ¡°Have you already killed the Old Man of Withered Leaves?¡± The Old Man of Withered Leaves, a notorious figure in both the immortal and demonic paths, had died so easily. Faced with Aunt Su¡¯s shock, Li Muyang nodded lightly. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± He looked down at the time. There were still 13:27 minutes left on the summoning timer. This battle had taken quite a bit of time. Mainly because chasing down the demonic cultivators took too long. Fortunately, the Emerald Blade Mantis was a natural hunter. Once it remembered a scent, it could accurately pursue its target even if they were out of sight. The Old Man of Withered Leaves had fled the farthest but was still caught and devoured by the Emerald Blade Mantis. Now that Li Muyang had canceled the summoning skill, the Emerald Blade Mantis disappeared underground, seemingly returning to the netherworld. After the skill was canceled, a cooldown timer appeared in the skill slot for ¡¾The Behemoth of the Netherworld¡¿. ¡¾Time remaining until next summon: 47:59¡¿ Is the cooldown time for a single summon two days and two nights? Li Muyang smiled at Aunt Su and said, ¡°We¡¯ve finally resolved the crisis... Aunt Su, let¡¯s go pick up my family.¡± This escape journey had finally come to an end. But Li Muyang¡¯s mind had marked the location of Black Marsh City. Everlasting North Star was in seclusion there. Although the trouble of being hunted by the Qingyang Association¡¯s demonic cultivators had been resolved, Li Muyang had discovered an even more severe crisis. Squinting his eyes, he looked in the direction of the Demonic Sect¡¯s gate and said, ¡°After meeting with Elder Yan, I must have a good talk with her.¡± This conversation should have started a long time ago. But Yan Xiaoru has been avoiding it. Now, Yan Xiaoru is on her way here to meet up. Once we meet and are on our way back to the sect together, this childish ghost surely can¡¯t keep running away, right? This time, I must get to the bottom of it and get a clear answer from her! The matter concerning the Everlasting North Star must also be investigated as soon as possible.