Chapter 1000: Life and Death! (3rd update! Please subscribe!)
At the same time, on the other side, overwhelming spells roared like a sudden downpour.
Li Lieyue, Fu Xuanxu, Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua were each using their methods to battle the Mad Demon.
At this moment, in addition to the Mad Demon summoned by Su Lijing, even more Fallen Devil were continuously arriving from afar.
Seeing the increasing number of encircling enemies, the five paid no heed to their Qi consumption and unleashed various trump cards.
Unless Su Lijing's Incarnation was eliminated, none of them would have a chance to survive!
In an instant, purple light flickered in Li Lieyue's eyes, and her entire eye sockets began to turn a dark purple. Her aura also grew increasingly cold, and her living essence dissipated, as if she had instantly transformed into a Soul.
At the same time, in the Void Realm behind her, a young girl in a night-black dress slowly materialized.
The girl's appearance was ninety percent similar to Li Lieyue's. Her long hair was tied high, and she wore a bone crown made of skulls, inlaid with an eye-like gem that emitted a strong crimson glow.
Her expression was icy cold, and a dark green, smoke-like aura churned around her. Thousands of ink-colored eyes appeared within it, and countless Soul Servants floated indistinctly and faintly towards the Mad Demon.
A Dharma Idol identical to his true self rose behind Fu Xuanxu. Immediately after, he released the Wooden Ruyi in his hand, and the Wooden Ruyi rapidly ascended and expanded. Soon, it fell into the hands of the Dharma Idol. By this time, the Wooden Ruyi had transformed into five continuous mountain peaks, majestic and grand, shrouded in clouds and mist, incredibly vast.
The Dharma Idol let out a long roar, extending its sky-covering giant palm, grasping this mountain, and sweeping it across the Fallen Devil!
The sound of swords rising sharply!
A brilliant sword light leaped from Ning Wuye's palm. As it soared into the air, it divided into two, then two into four, four into eight... In a short moment, it had transformed into countless Flying Swords, their edges menacing, pointing directly at the Fallen Devil.
Swish swish swish swish swish...
The next moment, countless Flying Swords slashed into the Fallen Devil.
Zhong Kui Yueji held a jade seal, his expression solemn, muttering incantations. Soon, a crown slowly appeared above his head.
Ancient, heavy, dilapidated...
Yet its aura was extremely terrifying!
Immediately after, a giant cauldron, as tall as a mountain, descended from the sky, smashing into the dense swarm of Fallen Devil.
A colossal phantom appeared behind Yan Minghua. Her Dharma Idol was a beautifully dressed woman, identical to her true self. Her robes and sashes fluttered, and her jade pendants jingled, like a Heavenly Immortal from the Nine Heavens. Her aura was completely opposite to Li Lieyue's Dharma Idol.
Countless umbrella shadows appeared across the sky, instantly blocking all attacks.
Immediately after, all the umbrella shadows flickered and transformed into identical but more powerful attacks, returning along their original path.
The five frantically slaughtered, but all the slain Fallen Devil, no matter how their corpses were treated, even if burned to ashes, would quickly grow eyes, arms, and mouths. Then they would merge with each other, their aura soaring, and in a short while, they would combine into a brand new Fallen Devil, rejoining the battlefield.
Thump... thump... thump...
The ground suddenly shook violently.
Accompanied by a muffled thunder-like sound, a figure as massive as a mountain slowly walked out.
It was that Returning Void Stage Fallen Devil!
The five saw it clearly and their expressions immediately changed.
The Fallen Devil completely ignored them and directly slapped a palm towards the Nether Sky Mist at the center of the battlefield.
Without time to think, Li Lieyue and the other four immediately unleashed their respective trump cards to confront the Fallen Devil...
Boom boom boom boom boom...
***
Within the Nether Sky Mist, the darkness was almost tangible, thick and heavy. Any means of detection were like a mud ox entering the sea, instantly dissipating and having no effect whatsoever.
Su Lijing's Incarnation's face was ashen. Although blood was still flowing, this level of injury was nothing to him.
Just a flesh wound!
What truly threatened him was the Curse that was eroding him through the wound, as well as the Nether Sky Mist that blocked Divine Thought and sight.
Realizing this, Su Lijing's Incarnation knew he could no longer hold back and immediately took out a heart.
The heart was extremely large. Even though it was completely shriveled and presented a bizarre purplish-black color, it was still as big as a house.
Within the heart, there was a terrifying power that seemed capable of easily destroying this world.
Su Lijing's Incarnation lifted the shriveled heart, but the next moment, he forgot what he was supposed to do next.
Moreover, this period of distraction was longer than before!
The Saber Qi that had just struck him, in addition to carrying the Curse, also contained a large amount of 'Dao'!
Swish!
His arm suddenly felt a sharp pain, and his entire right arm, which was holding the shriveled heart, snapped off, splattering blood!
Immediately after, the Curse intensified, and Su Lijing's Incarnation's Bloodline, Qi, and Origin further decayed and corrupted.
From the wound, a faint, foul smell even began to emanate...
However, at this moment, Su Lijing's Incarnation was like a Wooden Figure, standing still, unmoving.
He had forgotten even more memories and was completely unable to make any defense.
Swish swish swish swish swish...
Puff puff puff...
In the darkness, blood-colored Saber Light flickered like shadows, its momentum like rivers and waterfalls, wildly slashing at Su Lijing's Incarnation.
Pei Ling's eyes were icy cold, and he had already unleashed his full power, holding nothing back.
Behind him, the half-black, half-white Dharma Idol held a long saber, striking Su Lijing again and again.
Yin Xia Kong Ming Slash was cast repeatedly. Saber Light like the first ray of dawn, thousands of screeching, scattered Soul bodies, layer upon layer, endless, and huge nets, one after another, enveloped Su Lijing's Incarnation.
The nine blood-robed girls clamored and merged into one, roaring violently: "Those who oppose the Master have only one path: death!!"
"Kneeling and self-immolating is your blessing!"
"A Returning Void Stage human skin! I will peel it off and make a foot mat for the Master!"
"Kill kill kill kill kill kill kill! All who offend the Master must die!"
In the darkness, the sharp sound of Saber Light tearing through the air, the muffled thud of flesh and blood splattering, the roar of the Dao Spirit, the sound of blood dripping... intertwined into a cacophony of rustling.
A moment later, the Nether Sky Mist slowly dissipated.
Pei Ling held the Nine Soul Saber, panting heavily. His aura receded; the time for the Eternal Regret Curse had expired!
Not far in front of him, Su Lijing's Incarnation's head lay on the ground, his face utterly withered, like an autumn lotus leaf. Centered around this head, the surroundings were filled with blood and fragmented remains.
Dense Saber Intent and Curses, like invisible nails, firmly pinned every speck of flesh and every drop of blood to the ground, preventing them from fusing, recovering, or moving!
Su Lijing's Incarnation's gaze was fixed on Pei Ling. His power had been completely eroded by the Curse, and at this moment, only the last flicker of consciousness remained, like a final surge of life.
Yes, this was Returning Void Stage. Even with only a head remaining, even with Curses intertwined like a web, Su Lijing's Incarnation was still alive!
His lips moved, and he spoke hoarsely: "The 'Dao' of the Floating Life Realm..."
Chapter 1001: In this turbid world, I seek a secluded path. I cut through the night with a long sword and see the blue sky. (Fourth update! Please subscribe!)
He had been to The Floating Life Realm!
Pei Ling’s “Dao” reminded him of a similar encounter he had once experienced…
At this moment, he still had many methods he hadn't used! Many trump cards he hadn't revealed!
But now, he couldn't use any of them…
His two preemptive strikes must have made the Saint aware of his presence.
Therefore, from the moment he started dealing with the Mad Demon, the opponent deliberately concealed his strength.
Even when he officially began fighting him just now, the Saint did not unleash the true power of his Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity.
Only after provoking him did he erupt, unleashing an endless stream of methods, giving him no chance to breathe.
The moment he fell into a disadvantage, he immediately lost all ability to counterattack.
He lost!
At this moment, Pei Ling took a deep breath, quickly swallowed a Medicinal Pill, and his depleted magical power gradually began to recover.
“Su Sect Leader, I won!” he said, giving Su Lijing no chance whatsoever, gathering all his strength, and slashing at the opponent’s head with his saber.
The long saber cut through the air, its blade like snow, lightly sweeping past Su Lijing’s Incarnation’s eyes.
The bloody Saber Qi was like the first ray of light at dawn, starting faintly, but constantly expanding in Su Lijing’s Incarnation’s pupils, until finally, it covered everything, filling his entire vision…
Pfft!!
Su Lijing’s Incarnation’s head was split in two, the Saber Qi mighty and overbearing, like a fierce wind extinguishing a flickering candle, sweeping through, and the last bit of consciousness of this Incarnation instantly dissipated!
Pei Ling reached out, taking the dried heart and storage pouch that the opponent had just held, then turned to look at Li Lieyue and the other five.
In the distance, many Mad Demon were still rushing frantically, their spells like raging waves, their Divine Ability like a sudden storm, falling one after another.
Li Lieyue and Zhong Kui Yueji, one to the south and one to the north, blocked the numerous Mad Demon.
Her black dress fluttered in the wind, and warm blood continuously dripped from her arm; Li Lieyue’s face was completely devoid of color.
Zhong Kui Yueji’s crown was completely shattered, blood seeped from the corners of his mouth, his imperial robe was tattered, and the giant cauldron in front of him flickered constantly, seemingly about to disappear at any moment.
Meanwhile, Fu Xuanxu, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua were working together to deal with the Returning Void Stage Long Bo.
At this moment, all three of them had faces as pale as paper, blood slowly seeped from their seven orifices, their Qi was chaotic, and their blood flowed in reverse throughout their bodies.
The higher the Realm, the greater the difficulty of fighting beyond one’s level.
After all, those who could reach higher Realms, whether Human Race or other races, were once exceptionally talented Prodigies…
At this moment, the Long Bo punched towards Yan Minghua.
The punch wind was like a fierce gale, and before it fully landed, it had already caused Yan Minghua’s long hair to dance wildly and her skirt to fly.
Yan Minghua snorted coldly, just as she was about to raise her silk umbrella for defense, an incomparably sharp bloody Saber Qi suddenly slashed over.
Boom!!
The Saber Qi surged forward, directly cutting off half of the Long Bo’s enormous fist.
The Long Bo roared, just about to continue attacking, when countless bloody Saber Qi already swept over like a tidal wave.
Swish swish swish swish swish…
Boom boom boom…
The Saber Qi surged like an angry tide, fierce and powerful, forcing the Long Bo to retreat repeatedly, with one gruesome saber mark appearing after another on his body.
The other Mad Demon around were also split in half by the Saber Qi.
The five people who were in the midst of intense battle were momentarily stunned, and after realizing what happened, they immediately looked at Pei Ling.
They saw that the battle between Pei Ling and Su Lijing’s Incarnation had actually ended!
Pei Ling was standing, while Su Lijing’s Incarnation was reduced to two lifeless halves of a head.
Soul Transformation slaying Returning to Void!
And it wasn't an ordinary Returning to Void that was slain, but the Incarnation of the Chongming Sect Master, one of the Nine Great Sects!
And it only took such a short amount of time?
How was this possible?!
Including Li Lieyue, the five were incredibly shocked for a moment, even forgetting to continue attacking.
The next moment, Pei Ling reached out, and a huge, pale golden hand instantly grabbed the five from the battle and brought them to his side, then directly fled in the direction Li Lieyue had pointed.
The Mad Demon all let out furious roars and quickly gave chase.
As they surged, wherever they went, the Saber Intent and Curse gradually dissipated, and Su Lijing’s Incarnation’s corpse also began to distort, emitting a vast and powerful aura, with eyes opening one by one, slowly gathering together, and the aura becoming stronger and stronger…
※ ※ ※
Wan Hui Sea Market.
The harbor was filled with countless sails, and the market was bustling with people.
Amidst the bustling noise, Cultivator dressed in various styles came and went like a flowing stream.
On a main street in the market, wine flags fluttered and Tea houses stretched out.
Crowds of revelers flowed in and out, bringing all sorts of strange news from all directions.
In a Tea house nestled against a mountain and facing the sea, the shopkeeper stood behind the counter diligently calculating accounts with an abacus, while the waiter, with a white towel draped over his shoulder, bustled about.
On the top floor, which was specially sealed off, no one went to, and no outside guests were ever received, a flash of white light appeared, and six figures instantly materialized in a room.
Pei Ling quickly scanned the surroundings, seeing no more Mad Demon from the Eternal Night Desert, and his heart settled; they had escaped!
This breakthrough, marked by a Fallen Immortal, from the banks of the Ji River, to the Demonic Sect camp, with the Eternal Night’s erosion, like a shadow; the Mad Demon’s pursuit, like a bone-deep ulcer, traveling thousands of miles, never leaving his side; Su Lijing, as the Sect Master, personally sent an Incarnation to ambush him midway, wanting to eliminate him quickly…
But in the end, wherever the long saber pointed, it always moved forward without hesitation!
Indeed, at any time, strength is the most important!
At this moment, Li Lieyue’s magical power was completely exhausted, her face pale, her aura slightly chaotic; now that they had finally left the Ci Province battlefield, she couldn’t help but secretly sigh in relief, as a strong wave of fatigue and weakness washed over her, she leaned slightly against Pei Ling’s shoulder and whispered, “Junior Brother Pei, we can return to the Sect now…”
Pei Ling nodded slightly, embracing her waist, and said, “Alright!”
In the treacherous land, he was taught to contend for destiny,
Through a thousand lives and Myriad Tribulations, he gathered his true spirit.
In the turbulent world, he sought a hidden path;
With a long saber, he cut through the night, revealing the clear sky.
(End of Volume 3.)
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End of the book
It's time for another major volume summary.
First, I'd like to report the achievements to all Immortal Friends: as of 10:59 AM today, the average subscription has reached 11,294, with 6,927 monthly votes, ranking 35th overall and 8th in the Xianxia category.
Here, I once again thank all Immortal Friends for their support.
From its humble beginnings to its current status among the top ten thousand, this book owes everything to the efforts of all Immortal Friends; this is the result of our collective hard work!
Thank you very much!
Regarding the overdue chapters, there are currently 71 overdue chapters for Alliance Masters and 94 for average subscriptions, totaling 165 chapters.
To be honest, Tie has always kept track of the overdue chapters, and he really, really, really, really wants to repay them…
But how to put it… during this period, the climate temperature has been fluctuating, and my sleep quality has been very unstable. As Immortal Friends have seen, I can only consistently produce 2 chapters at noon now, and the third and fourth chapters can only be written at night.
Adding more chapters under these circumstances can easily lead to problems.
To ensure quality, I can only suppress my anxious feelings and prioritize normal updates.
Next, let's talk about the plot.
The third volume is different from the previous two volumes.
The first two volumes were the beginning of the story and the initial unfolding of the world, so the focus was entirely on the instances, with no crucial main storyline. As long as the instances were exciting, the plot was exciting.
However, this volume is a setting volume, and the plot seems much calmer compared to the previous two volumes. But within the entire outline, this volume connects the past and the future, set against the backdrop of the Battle Between the Righteous and the Demonic, interspersed with three instances: “Creek Noon Academy,” “Eternal Night Desert,” and “Due Abyss,” none of which can be omitted.
Many elements of the Battle Between the Righteous and the Demonic are setting the stage for the volume after next, which is the fifth volume.
The Creek Noon Academy is related to the main storyline and cannot be spoiled for now; this main storyline will be introduced at the end of the upcoming fourth volume.
And the Eternal Night Desert, as one of the Four Great Cursed Grounds, is a very important setting in this book.
The Due Abyss is a transition between the Righteous and the Demonic…
In short, the plot and instances of this volume mainly serve to gradually lay out the general situation of the Nine Great Sects and the composition and nature of the Four Great Cursed Grounds in a gentle manner.
It serves both to explain some earlier foreshadowing and to prepare for the subsequent plot and direction.
Furthermore, the protagonist's transformation from a chess piece to a chess player also requires a long process, and this volume marks the beginning of that process.
In the first and second volumes, the protagonist faced Curse Ghosts and anomalies, striving to barely protect himself.
But by this third volume, the protagonist himself also shows a strange side, beginning to reveal his formidable potential.
It wasn't until the end of the volume, when he slew the Sect Master’s Incarnation, that the protagonist's momentum reached its Peak, giving him the basic qualification to contend for the position of a chess player.
This book has a total of seven volumes.
The next volume, the fourth volume, is titled: You Su Tomb.
There's no need to introduce this volume; the title says it all.
You Su Tomb, the dwelling place of myriad ghosts.
A kingdom of the dead, forbidden to the living!
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Thanks to Shujian Piaoling 2020 for the Alliance Master reward!
PS: I just woke up. Today's noon update might be delayed. The time is uncertain. I apologize sincerely.
Chapter 1002: Borrowing New Clothes. (First update! Please subscribe!)
The windows and doors on the top floor of the Tea house were tightly shut, with dense sealing, concealment, and protection Talismans carved into their frames, allowing only a faint glimmer of natural light to enter, blocking all means of investigation such as Divine Thought and sight.
Fu Xuanxu and the other three also came back to their senses.
They quickly surveyed their surroundings and immediately confirmed that they were no longer within Jiuyi Mountain, having now completely escaped those Mad Demon.
Thinking of this, Fu Xuanxu and the other three immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the high-intensity battle just now didn't last long, they were all physically and mentally exhausted, and almost all their trump cards and methods had been depleted.
If the battle had continued, they certainly wouldn't have been able to hold on for much longer.
At this moment, Pei Ling, holding Li Lieyue, said to Fu Xuanxu and the other three, “Please make yourselves at home, I won't see you off.”
Hearing Pei Ling's voice, the relaxed mood of Fu Xuanxu and the other three immediately became alert again.
Unlike before, they had now escaped the siege of the Mad Demon and were temporarily safe, so there was no longer a need to continue working together.
If this Saint of Chongming Sect were to attack them now…
Even the Incarnation of the Chongming Sect Master had died by his hand; even if all four of them were at their Peak right now, they would never be his opponents.
What's more, their current condition was very poor!
Thinking of this, Fu Xuanxu had originally wanted to ask Pei Ling about the Evil Slaying Banner, but after weighing his options, he ultimately gave up on taking such a risk at this time.
After all, their current strength was far inferior to Pei Ling's, and even if they knew the full story of how he obtained the Evil Slaying Banner, it wouldn't change anything.
For them now, the most important thing was to quickly find a place to recover and report everything that had happened back to their Sect!
Thus, seeing that Pei Ling had no intention of attacking for the time being, Fu Xuanxu immediately cupped his hands and said, “Holy Son Pei, Holy Maiden Li, farewell!”
Before his words finished, he had already decisively led Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua downstairs.
Perhaps because this Tea house was built by the sea, the narrow stairs were cramped and damp, with a moist air mixed with the smell of mildewed wood permeating the nose, giving it a sense of dimness from disrepair.
Creak… Creak… Creak…
As the four descended the stairs, the treads groaned under the strain, and where they stepped was soft like a carpet, covered in thick moss.
Ning Wuye suddenly transmitted his voice, “This Pei Ling doesn't seem as bloodthirsty as the rumors claim.
I was prepared for a fight to the death just now, but I didn't expect him to let us leave directly.”
“We were, after all, fighting together against the enemy just now, entrusting our backs to each other,” Zhong Kui Yueji transmitted.
“Humans are not plants; how can one be heartless? However, there is still a distinction between the Righteous Path and the Demonic Dao.
He let us go this time, but if we meet again, we might still be mortal enemies, so don't let your guard down.”
Fu Xuanxu nodded slightly and transmitted, “Indeed!
This Pei Ling, who twice publicly ravished the Chongming Sect Master's wife, his formidable reputation is by no means undeserved.”
“A momentary act of kindness doesn't represent anything.”
“However, as those of the Righteous Path, we cannot repay kindness with enmity like the Demonic Sect.”
“If there's an opportunity in the future, we must repay this favor.”
The three of them nodded slightly.
Yan Minghua, who was walking at the very end, frowned slightly, feeling confused.
She had been in the midst of intense battle just now, with no time to be distracted, so she hadn't felt anything particular.
But now, having calmed down, she always felt that the aura of that Saint of Chongming Sect… no, not just his aura, but everything about him, held an extremely strong attraction for her!
It seemed as if, should he speak, she would wholeheartedly be willing to do anything for him… This was very wrong!
Thinking of this, Yan Minghua transmitted, “Do you feel that Pei Ling's aura is very strange?”
Fu Xuanxu, Ning Wuye, and Zhong Kui Yueji paused, transmitting back in confusion, “No.”
“What's strange?”
“Junior Sister Yan, what do you find strange?”
Hearing this, Yan Minghua's brows furrowed tighter.
Was she the only one who felt that way?
As she pondered, the four had already descended the stairs.
Before them was a long corridor facing the street, with glazed windows every few steps for light.
Outside the window, it was bustling, with people coming and going like weaving threads.
Under the eaves, an elderly Cultivator with white hair and a mixed aura sat on the ground, a beast skin spread before him.
On the beast skin were scattered a dozen items: incomplete Jade Slips, yellowed ancient books, medicinal herbs with sealing Talismans attached, and so on.
Two female Cultivators, who also looked quite old, were half-crouching and half-standing, picking up the medicinal herb and discussing it with gestures…
Outside the shop opposite, a brocade-robed youth idly chewed on a blade of grass, squinting his eyes, patiently waiting for the shop assistant to wrap up a portion of spiritual fruit preserves for him…
On the long street, a carriage passed by, the wind blowing the beaded curtain to reveal a charming and alluring face, holding a pipa, with two tall, fluffy, adorable ears on her head—it was a transformed cat-girl who intentionally retained her racial features…
Seeing this scene, Fu Xuanxu immediately said, “This is Wan Hui Sea Market.”
Looking at the Loose Cultivators outside the window, Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua also recognized where they were.
Zhong Kui Yueji transmitted, “My Cicada Tower has a branch nearby.
After we leave this Tea house, we should quickly go there to heal.”
Ning Wuye nodded: “Okay.”
Saying this, they had already turned two corners along the corridor, at the end of which was a wooden door.
The wooden door was simple in style, and the latch, due to excessive use, gleamed with the luster characteristic of patina.
Fu Xuanxu walked at the very front, unlatched the door, and reached out to pull the wooden door open.
The wooden door was incredibly cold; even with his cultivation, the moment his fingertips touched the door, he felt a bone-chilling cold.
He frowned, but didn't think much of it.
This was, after all, Chongming Sect territory, so a slightly heavier Yin Qi was normal.
Thus, he applied force, and the wooden door slowly opened inward.
Creak, creak, creak, creak, creak, creak, creak…
A piercing sound suddenly arose, like the shriek of a malevolent ghost, entering the ears of the four.
Beyond the wooden door, there was no one.
What met their eyes was a vast expanse of white mist, obscuring their vision and Divine Thought, with a biting cold pressing upon them.
This scene was completely different from the Wan Hui Sea Market that the four had just seen through the window!
The four looked stunned, momentarily unsure of what had happened.
At this moment, a gust of Yin wind suddenly blew past.
A faint, eerie light appeared within the white mist, then drifted towards them.
Soon, a human skin lantern, unheld, floated before the four.
The lantern was entirely pale and ghastly, with many loose and damaged wrinkles in the human skin.
Inside, a ghostly blue flame flickered erratically, emitting waves of icy coldness.
From within the lantern, a faint voice emerged, hoarse and rusty, as if it hadn't spoken for a very long time: “Long separated from my hometown, dust and wind have worn out my old clothes… Young people, could you lend this old one a new garment to cover myself?”
Chapter 1003 Human Skin Lantern. (Second update! Please subscribe!)
This room was solely for setting up the teleportation array. After stepping out, they found themselves in a spacious Main Hall, meticulously furnished and spotless.
Pei Ling and Li Lieyue, having no time to admire the surroundings, also headed downstairs.
The place they had been teleported to was on the top floor of the Tea house, while the teleportation array to Chongming Sect was located in the backyard.
Creak… creak… creak…
Amidst the soft creaking of the stairs, the hem of a black gauze dress swiftly brushed past the steps. Li Lieyue slowly began, “The matter between you and the Sect Master has been personally mediated by ‘Nether Blood’ Ancestor. Before the Ancestor that day, the Sect Master himself promised to let it go. Yet, this time, he still forcefully made a move, disregarding the Ancestor’s authority.”
“As soon as we return to the Sect, Su Lijing’s good days will be over!”
“Next, even if the Ancestor says nothing, my Li Clan will also fan the flames and get justice for you!”
“Daring to deceive the Ancestor, even if Su Lijing doesn’t die this time, he will definitely not be able to hold the position of Sect Master anymore.”
“However, our current Cultivation has not yet reached the Returning Void Stage.”
“So, the vacant Sect Master position will most likely be temporarily held by Si Hong Qingyan.”
“Although according to Sect rules, this position is already within our grasp and we will officially take it soon, it’s always better to seize the Sect’s power a moment earlier if possible.”
“I am currently only at the Late Stage Nascent Soul. In a short time, I hope to reach Soul Transformation, but it’s still too early to reach the Returning Void Stage.”
“After you return to the Sect, the Li Clan will handle the Sect Master matter for you, so you don’t need to worry. It’s best to focus on Cultivation from now on and strive to reach the Returning Void Stage as soon as possible. Only by reaching the Returning Void Stage can you enter the Tian Geng Palace and formally inherit the Sect Master position!”
Pei Ling listened intently. In truth, the Sect Master position falling into Si Hong Qingyan’s hands was almost the same as him personally sitting in that position…
Of course, this thought was only to be kept to himself and not spoken in front of Senior Sister Li.
Their feet touched solid ground, indicating they had finished descending the decaying, chilling staircase.
One side of the long corridor in front of them was lined with tightly closed doors, while the other side featured glazed windows facing the street.
The windows were impeccably clean, almost invisible, allowing the natural light to fully illuminate the corridor, making it very bright.
However, Pei Ling increasingly felt that this scene was very familiar.
At this moment, as they walked past the windows, the street outside was bustling with people, and across the way, a wine banner flew high. A waiter in a tooth-colored short shirt and black tied-leg trousers stood guard by a half-human-tall wine jar at the entrance, holding a bamboo wine ladle. He continuously scooped up wine from the jar to display it, while vigorously shouting out to passersby…
Looking at the blue-backed, gold-lettered signboard above the waiter’s head, and the shops nestled between the guardian trees on either side, Pei Ling’s expression suddenly changed.
He immediately asked, “Senior Sister, is this Wan Hui Sea?!”
Li Lieyue nodded and said, “That’s right, what’s wrong?”
No sooner had her voice fallen than a wailing Yin Qi blew into the building.
The bustling, noisy street scene outside the window, like a mirage, vanished in an instant.
Thick, almost solid, white mist surged in like a tide, instantly filling their entire field of vision.
A chilling sensation immediately rose in Pei Ling’s heart. The next moment…
Boom!!!
A dull thud suddenly came from not far away, and an icy aura, as if substantial, rushed towards them.
Li Lieyue’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, also realizing something was amiss. She quickly took a crystal-clear Medicinal Pill to adjust her state.
Pei Ling said gravely, “Senior Sister, conceal your life force. I’ll go check it out alone first!”
Li Lieyue immediately restrained her aura, then said, “I’ll go with you!”
Pei Ling nodded, put his arm around her waist, and directly used the Five Ghost Sky Net Escape to escape in the direction of the disturbance.
※ ※ ※
At the end of the long corridor.
White mist obscured everything, and Yin Qi permeated the air.
Fu Xuanxu held onto a wooden door, with Zhong Kui Yue Ji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua standing behind him, all looking gravely at the human-skin lantern floating in the white mist.
This lantern… was not an artifact, but a Ghost at the Returning Void Stage!
Why would a Ghost of this level suddenly appear in the Wan Hui Sea Market?
The lantern drew closer and closer. Fu Xuanxu immediately pressed against the wooden door, wanting to close it. However, while opening the wooden door earlier had been effortless, now, trying to close it, the two seemingly light ordinary wooden doors felt as if they were weighed down by a thousand mountains. No matter how much he pushed, they wouldn't budge an inch.
No!
With his Cultivation, even if it were truly a thousand mountains, he could move them.
These two doors were even heavier than a thousand mountains at this moment.
Fu Xuanxu hurriedly transmitted, “Push together, quickly close the door!”
The other three instantly reacted and stepped forward to help. As their hands touched the wooden door, they were all startled; the two doors were bone-chillingly cold, almost causing frost to instantly form on their eyelashes.
Their magic power circulated wildly, their Cultivation continuously burst forth, and with their combined efforts, the previously unmoving wooden doors finally began to be pushed little by little.
The human-skin lantern floated slowly, getting closer and closer to the door: ten feet, nine feet, eight feet…
Just one last foot…
Bang!
The wooden doors slammed shut!
Fu Xuanxu, quick as a flash, pushed the bolt into place.
The four of them collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The aura of that Returning to Void Ghost might not be as strong as Su Lijing’s Incarnation, but it was stronger than the Returning to Void Dragon they had faced not long ago.
Once the opponent entered the building, with their current state, they would surely face certain death!
Just as they were thinking, that hoarse, astringent, and faint voice directly echoed in their ears: “Long separated from my homeland, wind and dust have worn my old clothes… Young sirs, may this old one borrow a new garment to cover herself?”
The voice continued, a faint murmur, “Long separated from my homeland, wind and dust have worn my old clothes… Young sirs, may I borrow a new garment…”
The four of them instantly changed color and stiffly turned their heads, only to see that the human-skin lantern, which had just been outside the door, had appeared in the corridor at some unknown point!
The temperature of the entire corridor plummeted, and a thin layer of ice quickly appeared on the floor and walls.
The four of them suddenly showed struggling expressions, their hands and feet began to twitch, and their human skin seemed to want to break free from their Physical Body!
Fu Xuanxu snorted coldly. Among the four, he was the first to reach Soul Transformation, and his Cultivation and strength were currently the highest. He suddenly came to his senses and, without any hesitation, slammed a palm towards the human-skin lantern!
Boom!!
The palm strike solidly hit the human-skin lantern. The human-skin lantern floated in mid-air, unmoving, completely unharmed, but the repeated phrase “borrow new clothes” abruptly stopped.
The entire corridor became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Like the calm before a storm.
The next moment, a crack suddenly appeared on the surface of the human-skin lantern, like a grotesque smiling face, with dark red blood gurgling out.
Jie jie jie jie jie…
The crack widened, emitting a mournful sound, like crying or laughing, echoing eerily throughout the entire Tea house.
Fu Xuanxu, who had just made his move, suddenly stiffened. Immediately after, blood gushed from his body, accompanied by a scalp-prickling tearing sound. His human skin, like a robe, directly peeled off his body, seemingly gaining its own consciousness, and stumbled towards the lantern…
Remember to vote after reading!
I stayed up too late last night, so I’m not in good shape today.
I’m going to sleep now and then get up to write the third and fourth updates.
If you don’t see them by 23:30 tonight, just go to bed early and check again tomorrow. I’m not sure when I’ll wake up.
Chapter 1004 Arrived in time. (First update! Please subscribe!)
Fu Xuanxu was instantly shocked; he had no idea how he had been hit!
At this moment, his entire body was a bloody mess, muscles and Meridians completely exposed, and in many places, the faint color of bone could be seen, blood constantly dripping, forming a pool of blood at his feet in an instant, and his whole body was in extreme pain.
A cold wind arose, and as it blew, it felt like thousands of Saber Intent were flaying his body, increasing the pain.
Looking down under the eerie blue light emitted by the human skin lantern, it was both tragic and terrifying, like something horrifying that could only be seen in a nightmare.
However, Fu Xuanxu was a Soul Transformation Cultivator; a piece of human skin could not take his life!
He immediately endured the severe pain and was about to warn his three Junior Brothers and Junior Sister to be careful, but then he saw Ning Wuye suddenly say to his human skin, “Senior Brother Fu, be careful!”
Saying that, Ning Wuye immediately raised his hand and struck a Sword Qi towards Fu Xuanxu’s main body!
Whoosh!
The Sword Qi was chilling, cutting through the eerie wind and lamplight, and as it roared, its sharpness was fully revealed, aiming directly for Fu Xuanxu's chest.
Fu Xuanxu couldn't help but be startled, but with the Sword Qi upon him, there was no time to hesitate; he immediately pushed his right palm forward, and a giant mountain shadow appeared in front of him.
Clang!!!
The Sword Qi landed on the mountain shadow without reservation, and the entire Tea house seemed to tremble slightly.
In a moment, the Sword Qi dissipated, and a crack that almost completely ran through its mountain body appeared in the mountain shadow.
Fu Xuanxu hurriedly shouted, “Junior Brother Ning, don't let illusions deceive you! I am…”
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly stopped; his voice was not coming from his own mouth, but from his human skin's lips moving, articulating words!
His fate was within that human skin!
Not good!
Fu Xuanxu immediately realized something was wrong; losing a piece of human skin, for a Cultivator of his level, was merely suffering some flesh wounds.
As long as he had time, he would quickly recover, but his fate absolutely could not be lost!
At this moment, Fu Xuanxu's human skin continued to walk towards the human skin lantern, the cracks on the human skin lantern growing larger and larger, having already completely shed its old skin, leaving only a faint blue flame flickering slowly.
Black blood continuously flowed from the lantern's frame, like a trickling stream, emitting a rotten, foul odor.
Jie jie jie jie jie…
The entire Tea house was filled with crazed and joyful laughter; the human skin lantern was already preparing to put on Fu Xuanxu's new skin!
Fu Xuanxu suddenly had a strong intuition that once his human skin was taken by the human skin lantern, his main body would turn into a similar being.
To be precise, it would become a human skin lantern without human skin!
And then, like the other, it would spend its days searching for new human skin.
The situation was critical, and Fu Xuanxu immediately used a Escape (Dun Fa, evasion technique) to chase after his human skin.
The next moment, a jade seal rose into the air, and an incomparably heavy gravity pressed down on him; it was Zhong Kui Yueji who had also made a move.
“Senior Brother Fu’s condition is a bit off, protect Senior Brother Fu!” Zhong Kui Yueji said quickly while making his move.
Yan Minghua held her umbrella with her delicate hand and quickly said, “I will protect Senior Brother Fu alone; you two deal with this Ghost!”
As she spoke, she opened her silk umbrella, and immediately, layers of umbrella shadows appeared around her, like shallow pink flowers blooming gradually, instantly surrounding Fu Xuanxu's human skin.
Seeing this scene, the muscles on Fu Xuanxu’s skinless brow immediately furrowed tightly, and with this movement, blood gushed out, flowing down his entire face and continuously dripping from his chin.
He completely ignored the heart-wrenching pain; in a moment of life and death, he had no chance to explain to his Junior Brothers and Junior Sister, so he immediately cast a spell, holding his palms upwards, and layers of mountains slowly rose from his sides, the suspended jade seal was immediately propped open by the mountain shadows, and the sky full of umbrella shadows were also forcibly pushed aside as the mountains rose.
And at this moment, the human skin had already staggered to near the corner of the long corridor, just one last step away from the human skin lantern!
Fu Xuanxu had no time to think about anything else and immediately burst forth with his full speed, rushing towards his human skin.
But in a flash of lightning, a humming sound arose, and a Flying Sword, carrying an incomparably sharp momentum, slashed down at him; it was Ning Wuye!
Fu Xuanxu’s pupils constricted, and he hastily struck his palm towards the Flying Sword.
Boom!!
The Flying Sword was struck flying on the spot, and Fu Xuanxu was also shaken back a few steps.
At this moment, his human skin had already walked to the side of the lantern and began to stick to it.
Too late!
Fu Xuanxu’s heart sank; if the human skin lantern succeeded now, his death alone would be a minor matter, but if he truly turned into a similar being to this lantern, his three Junior Brothers and Junior Sister would certainly have no chance of survival.
All four of them would become new human skin lanterns!
Thinking of this, Fu Xuanxu immediately had no hesitation; the magical power around his body fluctuated violently, and his inner Aura began to rise steadily, clearly intending to self-destruct on the spot, preparing to perish together with the human skin lantern.
However, just then, a bloody Saber Qi cut through the eerie blue light, arriving in an instant.
Puff!!!
Several supports of the human skin lantern broke on the spot, the flow of blood inside paused, and the eerie blue lamplight also suddenly shrank, almost instantly extinguishing; after a violent shaking, although it struggled to continue burning, it was restrained by Saber Intent and Curse, unable to recover for a time.
The crazed, joyful laughter abruptly stopped.
Fu Xuanxu’s human skin suddenly lost all support, falling weakly to the ground like a soft leather garment.
Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua, who were originally about to continue attacking Fu Xuanxu, were all startled; wasn't it Senior Brother Fu they had been protecting just now?
Where was the real Senior Brother Fu?
Seeing the sky filled with bloody Saber Qi, brimming with tyrannical and domineering intent, Fu Xuanxu immediately knew that the Saint of Chongming Sect had arrived!
He hesitated slightly, but quickly dispersed the magical power he had gathered for self-destruction, then reached out and immediately drew his human skin into his hand.
The next moment, a tangible darkness enveloped the entire Tea house.
Within the darkness, countless rustling sounds arose, like silkworms gnawing on leaves, or myriad Gu moving at night, making one's hair stand on end involuntarily.
In a moment, the darkness slowly receded.
It was seen that Fu Xuanxu had already put on his human skin again, while Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua stood guard vigilantly around them; on the ground not far from them, lay a pile of withered, tattered human skins and the skeleton of the lantern.
Pei Ling, in his black robe and dark boots, holding a long saber, stood beside this pile of human skins and skeletons.
Behind him, Li Lieyue stood quietly, her black dress like the night, a blood-red crown on her head looking fresh and vibrant.
At this moment, seeing that Senior Brother Fu was fine, Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua all secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Fu Xuanxu cupped his hands towards Pei Ling and said solemnly, “Thank you.”
Pei Ling shook his head slightly and asked with a serious expression, “Where did this thing come from?”
Chapter 1005: The position of the clan leader. (Second update! Please subscribe!)
Jiuyi Mountain.
Ci Province.
Demonic Path stronghold.
Wild winds blew, bringing with them a mix of charred, bloody, putrid, and cloying scents that assailed the nose, making one nauseous.
The defensive Formation was riddled with cracks, seemingly on the verge of collapsing like a bubble at any moment.
The houses near the edge had already shattered completely, uniformly and neatly spread across the ground. Amidst the debris, traces of blood and limbs could occasionally be seen.
Outside the Formation, corpses lay strewn across the fields, and blood flowed like a river.
The entire ground had been forcibly scraped away by several layers.
On the scorched, glazed-like earth, several spots still burned with inextinguishable spiritual flames, emitting poisonous mist that even strong winds could not disperse.
Demonic Sect Disciples, forced to clear the battlefield, walked among them trembling, occasionally picking up bones, body parts, and storage bags from the ground that could still be used as Materials.
Above the sky, the great battle had just ceased, and the chaotic atmosphere had not yet settled.
Gale winds, snowy rain, and raging flames intertwined into a swirling mass, constantly transforming.
Grand F屠 Order, Heavenly Born Sect Master, and Su Lijing stood in the air, their brows deeply furrowed.
Just now, the Mad Demon from the Eternal Night Desert suddenly attacked the Formation, even joined by a group of Holy Path Seniors who had once been imprisoned in Due Abyss, and not long after, the Pseudo-Dao attacked!
In this battle, the low-level Disciples of the three Sects suffered extremely heavy losses.
Several Dao Integration Stage Grand Elders were also severely wounded!
The Eternal Night Desert is very far from Jiuyi Mountain. For the Mad Demon from there to descend upon this place, regardless of the reason, the very nature of this incident indicates that the one sleeping in the Eternal Night Desert is on the verge of awakening!
However, this matter is now being handled by the Ancestral Masters of the various Sects, so they, as juniors, do not need to worry about it.
Thinking of this, Su Lijing immediately said, “In this great battle, our Sect has suffered heavy losses. We need to tally them immediately. Please excuse me.”
With that, he departed directly.
Ji Mang, the Heavenly Born Sect Master, also said, “The Saint Sect has also suffered countless casualties, Grand F屠 Order, farewell.”
In the sky, the remaining Grand F屠 Order frowned, then also transformed into a streak of light and fled towards the Reincarnation Tower's camp.
Chongming Sect camp.
The temporary palace hung high in mid-air, its entire body faintly glowing with blood-red light, all defensive measures already self-activated.
Main Hall.
The patriarchs of the Pillow Stone Su Clan, Floating Light Si Hong Clan, and Nine A Li Clan stood with their hands tucked into their sleeves at the foot of the steps, all with solemn expressions.
At this moment, Su Lijing's figure suddenly appeared and sat on the throne at the head of the hall.
Seeing that the patriarchs of the three clans were all present, he directly ordered, “Leave the Jiuyi Mountain territory and return to the Sect immediately!”
Su Lijing currently had no time to truly tally any losses, nor did he have the heart to arrange for others to do so. In this battle, the greatest loss was his own!
One of his Incarnations had been severed, and Pei Ling had escaped his sight.
Now that the “Nether Blood” Ancestor had not yet entered seclusion, the Li Clan would certainly not let go of this opportunity.
He had to quickly return to the Sect to make arrangements and minimize his losses!
“Pei Ling can transmit the full story of this matter to the Li Clan without returning to the Sect.”
“This Sect Master position is definitely not salvageable.”
“But it also cannot fall into the Li Clan’s hands so quickly…”
“Before the Li Clan makes trouble, I will abdicate to the Si Hong Clan!”
“And, I will directly hand over the 【Maha Color Evolution Scroll】 to Si Hong Qingyan. With her cultivation, she will certainly find a way to break it. Perhaps even counter it.”
“At that time, if Pei Ling dares to attack Si Hong Qingyan again, he will surely die!”
Thinking of this, Su Lijing was about to leave when Li Wujiu suddenly said, “Sect Master, my daughter and Pei Ling have suddenly gone missing. Does the Sect Master know their whereabouts?”
Li Wujiu's gaze towards Su Lijing was full of coldness.
After the battle ended, he had searched the entire camp but could not find Pei Ling and Hunt Moon. Instead, in the direction they had left with his attendant, he found a large number of Fallen Devil corpses and traces of their actions. But all clues converged in a ruined quiet room in Jiu'a Palace.
After that, intermittent Qi seemed to point outside the Formation.
At present, he could not be sure what exactly had happened just now, but the one who most wanted to deal with Pei Ling right now was only Su Lijing!
Therefore, he suspected that during the recent battle, the Sect Master had taken advantage of the chaos to attack Pei Ling.
“I don’t know!” Su Lijing replied indifferently.
Li Wujiu pressed, “Does the Sect Master dare to make a Heart Demon oath?”
Upon hearing this, Su Lijing’s gaze slightly chilled, then he said grimly, “Li Wujiu, you must remember, no matter what this Sect Master has done, I am still the Chongming Sect Master right now!”
“From ordinary Disciples below to you, the patriarchs of the three clans above, the entire Saint Sect must obey this Sect Master!”
“Unless the Ancestral Master speaks, no one has the right to give this Sect Master orders!”
Upon hearing this, Li Wujiu's heart immediately sank.
Su Lijing's words were tantamount to admitting that he had attacked Pei Ling.
He took a deep breath and said coldly, “This matter, our Li Clan will definitely report to the ‘Nether Blood’ Ancestor!”
Su Lijing’s face remained unperturbed. Pei Ling had escaped, so this matter could not be concealed. But he was, after all, the Sect Master of a Sect. No matter how angry the Ancestral Master became, it was impossible for him to actually kill him!
And if he actively compensated with a sufficient amount of resources, it was not impossible for him to receive a lighter punishment…
Thinking of this, Su Lijing calmly said, “That will have to wait until the Ancestral Master returns from the Eternal Night Desert.”
With words spoken to this extent, both sides had already directly torn off their pretense. Li Wujiu said nothing more and turned to leave directly.
Su Lijing’s figure also immediately disappeared from the throne.
Su Qianya and Current Family Head Si Hong Zhen exchanged glances, then Current Family Head Si Hong Zhen smiled indifferently, as if it had nothing to do with him, and likewise floated away.
Su Qianya, however, frowned. Because of his biological son, Su Zhenhe, he had always disliked Pei Ling.
But now, Pei Ling’s wings were gradually growing, and not long ago he had been personally summoned by the “Nether Blood” Ancestor. He also did not want to get involved in this matter for the sake of that small past grievance.
So, Su Qianya also silently walked out of the temporary palace.
Rear hall of the temporary palace.
A hall decorated as a study.
Between the tall bookshelves, a set of tables and chairs made of spiritual wood was displayed.
Su Lijing’s figure suddenly appeared.
He pulled out a chair and sat down, then took out a light brown scroll from his storage bag. It was blank, with only countless tiny blood threads permeating and moving, slowly wriggling like living creatures.
This was Spirit Rhinoceros Paper. He and Si Hong Qingyan each held one copy, and their last contact was made using this item.
Compared to long-distance sound transmission talismans, this Spirit Rhinoceros Paper could ignore most Restrictions, making it much more reliable to use than sound transmission talismans.
At this moment, with a thought, the writing brushes, inkstone, inkstick, and paper on the table immediately flew up on their own, the spiritual ink actively leaping into the inkstone and beginning to grind.
In a moment, the ink gradually thickened. After the purple brush dipped into it in mid-air, it flew into his hand.
Su Lijing held the brush and wrote rapidly on the Spirit Rhinoceros Paper with flowing strokes: “Madam, this Sect Master now needs a large amount of resources, which can be exchanged for the position of Sect Master!”
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The third and fourth updates will be available tonight.
Chapter 1006 This Place, Yousu's Tomb! (Third update! Please subscribe!)
Wan Hui Sea Tea house.
Outside the glazed window, the bustling scene seemed like an illusion. Thick white mist, like spider silk, wrapped the entire small building layer upon layer.
The long corridor was like an ice cellar, bone-chillingly cold.
Dense Yin Qi permeated the air, making everything in sight appear shrouded in a dim color, looking hazy, eerie, and terrifying.
Pei Ling and Li Lieyue stood together. Deep in their eyes, dark purple firelight flickered faintly, and countless tiny runes ascended and intertwined. They looked at Fu Xuanxu and the other three, across the tattered human skin and withered bones on the ground.
Upon seeing Pei Ling again, Yan Minghua’s brows furrowed. The urgent desire in her heart to get close to him became even stronger!
She even began to fantasize about being harvested by him…
As soon as this thought arose, Yan Minghua suddenly woke up, immediately activated her Cultivation Technique, and forcefully suppressed her wild thoughts.
Pei Ling was the Saint of Chongming Sect, one of the Devil Dao Four Sects, and the Dao Companion of that demoness Li Lieyue. He had even publicly harvested the Sect Master’s wife of Chongming Sect. Such a deranged and evil fiend must not be allowed to get his way!
Just as she was thinking this, Fu Xuanxu, not far away, immediately explained, “It came in from outside the door. Now, outside the door, it’s all mist.”
Hearing this, Pei Ling frowned and said concisely, “I want to know the entire sequence of events.”
Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua also reacted at this moment. They had all been teleported here from Chongming Sect’s teleportation array. But now, even Chongming Sect’s Saint knew nothing about the situation just now, which clearly indicated that something major had gone wrong with this place!
Since they had already joined forces when facing the Mad Demon and Su Lijing’s Incarnation, and now encountered such a life-and-death matter again, there was already a certain tacit understanding between them, so no further explanation was needed.
Zhong Kui Yueji did not hesitate and immediately said, “When we went downstairs just now, everything was normal.”
“Outside the window, we could still see the Loose Cultivators in the Wan Hui Sea. People flowed like weaving threads, jostling shoulders, sweating like rain. All sorts of scenes, except for the sound being blocked by the Formation, were no different from when we came to Wan Hui Sea before.”
“The problem arose after opening the main door…”
“Outside the door was all mist, completely different from what we saw through the window lattice!”
“This human skin lantern floated over at that time.”
“Afterward, the four of us forcefully closed the door, but this human skin lantern still inexplicably appeared inside the Tea house.”
“Next, we attacked it, and then it was the scene you saw…”
Ning Wuye added, “When Senior Brother Fu opened the door, there was no problem. But when we closed the door, it required the combined efforts of all four of us to push the wooden door.”
“Moreover, the Yin Qi on the wooden door was very heavy.”
Hearing this, Yan Minghua nodded slightly in agreement. After thinking for a moment, she asked Fu Xuanxu, “Senior Brother Fu, what happened to you just now…?”
Fu Xuanxu slowly shook his head and simply replied, “The human skin lantern peeled off my human skin and fate out of thin air. What you saw of me just now was actually my human skin.”
Fate…
Pei Ling’s heart sank. There was no mistake!
When he first noticed the anomaly, he immediately rushed over with Senior Sister Li. In the 【Grievance Nightmare Divine Power】’s vision, the innate, overwhelming hatred for all living beings on Fu Xuanxu’s body was something no normal Cultivator could possess.
Even Su Lijing’s Incarnation, enraged by him at the time, did not have even a fraction of that hatred!
Yes, he, like Yan Minghua and the other two, had mistaken the human skin lantern for Fu Xuanxu, and the real Fu Xuanxu for the human skin lantern!
It was just that the so-called Fu Xuanxu’s hatred was truly terrifying, so he prioritized attacking him. Originally, his next target was the “human skin lantern,” which was the real Fu Xuanxu…
But after making his move, he immediately realized something was wrong.
The Fu Xuanxu he perceived with his eyes and Divine Thought was not the real Fu Xuanxu; the human skin lantern he saw was also not the real human skin lantern!
Coupled with Fu Xuanxu’s mention of fate… Pei Ling immediately understood that the current situation was the worst possible!
Thinking of this, he immediately exhaled a turbid breath. To leave this place alive now, he needed the help of the True Immortal Will.
However, as a “Immortal Friend” of the True Immortal Will, he could not appear too ignorant, as that would inevitably arouse Mo Li Lan’s suspicion and be counterproductive.
Many crucial questions had to be asked by others…
Just as he was thinking, Li Lieyue suddenly asked, “After you opened the door just now, did you not see anyone else besides that human skin lantern?”
Yan Minghua glanced at her and said indifferently, “No.”
Li Lieyue frowned and transmitted a message to Pei Ling: “This Tea house is a stronghold of my Nine A Li Clan in the Wan Hui Sea Market. There are always clansmen guarding it.”
“Moreover, in a residential house not far from here, there is also a hidden stronghold as a place to deal with unexpected changes.”
“If something happens here, someone will immediately come to observe and also notify the clan.”
“Now there is no one outside the door, and no one else has come. Either they have all met with misfortune, or… this is not the Wan Hui Sea Market at all!”
Pei Ling nodded slightly. He had already guessed what Senior Sister Li had thought of.
His thoughts raced. He swept his gaze over Fu Xuanxu and the other three, lingering on Yan Minghua for a moment, and then suddenly asked, “Do the four of you want to know why those Mad Demon were chasing us just now?”
Fu Xuanxu and the other three immediately looked at Pei Ling. They only knew that the Mad Demon’s target might be Pei Ling, but they knew nothing about the specific reason.
Moreover, they had already escaped from those Mad Demon. The most important issue now was to quickly figure out the current situation.
But they didn’t know what Pei Ling meant by suddenly bringing this up?
Thinking of this, Fu Xuanxu frowned and asked, “Does Saint know anything?”
Pei Ling nodded slightly, then said directly, “The one in the Eternal Night Desert is now targeting me.”
“That’s why he sent those Mad Demon to take my life.”
“All four of you were affected by me.”
“However, there’s no need to worry about the one in the Eternal Night Desert now.”
“Because this place is very special, the one in the Eternal Night Desert cannot reach here.”
Upon hearing that Pei Ling was targeted by the Fallen Immortal in the Eternal Night Desert, Fu Xuanxu and the other three all frowned. No wonder the Mad Demon at that time were almost endless, and every Mad Demon was immortal, constantly deforming and growing stronger during battle… So it was the Fallen Immortal Will of that one descending!
However, there are few places in the world where even the Fallen Immortal Will cannot reach.
Pei Ling’s later words clearly indicated that he already knew where this place was.
Realizing this, Zhong Kui Yueji quickly asked, “Then, where is this place?”
Pei Ling replied indifferently, “If nothing unexpected, this place should be You Su Tomb.”
You Su Tomb?!
Fu Xuanxu and the other three had already vaguely guessed, but hearing Pei Ling confirm it, their expressions still changed.
At the same time, Li Lieyue was also greatly surprised.
Before the five could react, Pei Ling continued, “You Su Tomb, the resting place of ten thousand ghosts, the kingdom of the dead, forbidden to the living!”
“Those below the Returning Void Stage who enter this dangerous place will surely die.”
“Here now, only my strength can contend with the Returning Void Stage.”
“If you all want to live, from now on, everything must obey my commands!”
Chapter 1007 This is Immortal Friend Mo. (Fourth update! Please subscribe!)
Upon hearing this, the four of them, Fu Xuanxu, immediately reacted, but before they could think further, Li Lie Yue continued, “This place is the property of my Nine A Li Clan. If the four of you are unwilling, then leave the Tea house.”
Ning Wuye snorted. He originally didn't want to follow the orders of a Devil Sect Disciple. Now, hearing Li Lie Yue’s threat, he didn’t hesitate at all and walked directly towards the door.
But the next moment, Fu Xuanxu immediately reached out and pressed his shoulder.
Ning Wuye frowned and said, “Senior Brother Fu…”
Fu Xuanxu waved his hand, signaling him to calm down, then looked at Pei Ling and calmly replied, “Alright! We can listen to the Saint, but what are the Saint's plans next?”
Pei Ling glanced at Yan Minghua again, then said, “I have a Senior here who definitely knows how to leave You Su Tomb.”
“Now I will go and invite this Senior out.”
“Later, no matter what you see, the four of you must not be surprised, and even more so, do not show any disrespect towards that Senior!”
Upon hearing these words, Fu Xuanxu did not hesitate and immediately nodded: “No problem.”
Pei Ling nodded slightly, then said no more. He put one arm around Li Lie Yue’s waist and used the Five Ghost Sky Net Escape, quickly fleeing upstairs.
As soon as he and Li Lie Yue left, Fu Xuanxu immediately sent a voice transmission: “Be prepared that this place really is You Su Tomb. This time, at least one of us four must return alive!”
“Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable.”
Zhong Kui Yueji nodded and sent a voice transmission: “Understood! That demoness Li Lie Yue cannot be trusted, but Pei Ling… with his strength, if he truly has some goal, he doesn't seem to need to beat around the bush with us.”
Ning Wuye frowned deeply and nodded, then asked via voice transmission: “If Pei Ling really wants us to do something next, do we listen, or not?”
Yan Minghua replied via voice transmission: “If it’s reasonable, we listen; if it’s unreasonable, we don’t!”
As she spoke, a strong thought arose in her heart again, as if any command given by Pei Ling was reasonable to her…
Yan Minghua immediately calmed herself and suppressed the surging distracting thoughts in her heart.
※※※
Upstairs in the Tea house.
In what was originally a guest room, the furniture and furnishings had all been pushed aside, revealing an empty space where Pei Ling sat cross-legged alone.
Li Lie Yue guarded him closely, not moving an inch, acting as his Protector.
Pei Ling’s eyes were tightly closed, and dark red patterns appeared all over his body. Soon, all the patterns surged towards his back, and a tangible mass of darkness emerged.
Immediately after, within the darkness, the figure of a delicate and beautiful female cultivator gradually appeared. When her body fully solidified, the darkness quickly transformed into a simple, wide black robe, which draped over her shoulders.
At the same time, Pei Ling’s aura dropped significantly.
The black robe moved slightly, and Mo Li Lan opened her pure white eyes, quickly scanning her surroundings, then said, “You Su Tomb?”
Pei Ling stood up and nodded slightly: “That’s right, there is the Law power you need here.”
Mo Li Lan nodded with satisfaction, then said, “With the Law power, I can regain control of the Nether Sky Great Dream.”
“However, I have already been consumed by the Chaos Will and lost a lot of power.”
“Moreover, You Su Tomb is not comparable to the artificial Law land from last time. I need you to help me obtain Law power.”
Pei Ling’s expression remained unchanged. His goal right now was not genuinely to help the other party obtain any Law power, but rather to seize the Opportunity to inquire about the details of You Su Tomb.
Next, if he could achieve Great Dao Returning to Void, that would naturally be best.
If not, he at least had to leave this place alive.
Thinking of this, Pei Ling calmly said, “No problem. But I have other things to do on this trip to You Su Tomb, which may take a long time.”
“If Immortal Friend Mo doesn’t mind, I can find a few more people for you.”
“This way, searching for Law power together will be much faster.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Li Lan was not surprised. She remembered Pei Ling saying that his Immortal body was sealed in You Su Tomb and Floating Life Realm, respectively.
The matter he had to do right now was most likely related to his Immortal body.
So, Mo Li Lan glanced at Li Lie Yue, who had been silent by her side, and then scanned downstairs, immediately saying, “Alright, then take me to meet these people.”
Pei Ling said, “Follow me.”
Soon, he led Li Lie Yue and Mo Li Lan back to the corridor downstairs.
By this time, a thin layer of ice had already condensed on the four walls, the floor, and even the ceiling of the corridor.
A chilling aura permeated the air. Frost flowers had appeared on the tattered human skins and dry bones at some unknown time. The white mist outside the window seemed to have become even thicker; it whistled and boiled, seemingly trying to find a way to penetrate this Tea house.
The four of them, Fu Xuanxu, were sitting cross-legged on the ground, seizing the time to recover their condition.
Noticing Pei Ling approaching, the four immediately opened their eyes and looked at him.
Fu Xuanxu, Zhong Kui Yueji, and Ning Wuye showed little change in expression when they saw Mo Li Lan, but Yan Minghua was immediately stunned: Junior Sister Mo Li Lan?!
What’s going on?
Isn’t Junior Sister Mo already…
Wait!
Something’s not right!
Junior Sister Mo doesn’t seem to recognize me?!
Just then, Pei Ling immediately said, “Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Immortal Friend Mo, from the Eternal Night Desert. Her true name cannot be spoken.”
Immortal Friend?
Eternal Night Desert?
True name cannot be spoken?
The four of them, Fu Xuanxu, were immediately stunned, and after realizing, their expressions all changed simultaneously!
This Pei Ling said he was going to invite a Senior over, but he invited an existence from the Eternal Night Desert?!
At the same time, Li Lie Yue was much calmer. After going upstairs earlier, Junior Brother Pei had specifically explained to her in secret that this Mo Li Lan was now both Junior Brother Pei’s Incarnation and a part of the will of that being in the Eternal Night Desert.
In fact, Junior Brother Pei was able to achieve Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity back then precisely because of this Immortal will.
At this point, Pei Ling then said to Mo Li Lan, “Immortal Friend Mo, there’s no need to remember the names of these Mortals. Anyway, they will all obey your commands from now on.”
“Their goal is very simple: they just need to leave You Su Tomb alive.”
As he spoke, he then said to the four of them, Fu Xuanxu, “You all can ask any questions you have now.”
“Whether it’s the Myriad Tribulations Soul Transformation Opportunity, the Great Dao Returning to Void Opportunity, or anything else in You Su Tomb, Immortal Friend Mo will tell you.”
The four of them, Fu Xuanxu, were stunned again. Myriad Tribulations Soul Transformation Opportunity? Great Dao Returning to Void Opportunity?
What do these have to do with their current situation?
However, before they could fully grasp the entire question, Li Lie Yue immediately followed Pei Ling’s earlier signal and was the first to ask, “Senior Mo, I wonder if there truly is an Opportunity for Myriad Tribulations Soul Transformation in this You Su Tomb?”
Upon hearing this, Mo Li Lan always felt that something was amiss.
But upon careful thought, these Mortals were not highly cultivated, and it would be extremely difficult for them to find Law power for her in You Su Tomb!
Their strength indeed needed to be improved!
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Chapter 1008: Three Methods of Eternal Tribulation. (First update! Please subscribe!)
After a brief thought, Mo Li Lan nodded and said, "There are three methods for Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity."
"The first is the Derivation of Yin and Yang; the second is the Transformation of Heaven and Earth; and the third is the Lament of Life and Death."
"With the Derivation of Yin and Yang, one can achieve Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity, but throughout their entire Lifespan, they will only have one Incarnation."
"If the main body is Yang, then the Incarnation will be Yin; if the main body is Yin, then the Incarnation will be Yang."
"The method Immortal Friend Pei used is the Derivation of Yin and Yang."
"As for the Transformation of Heaven and Earth, if my main body awakens, everyone in the world will be able to obtain this Opportunity!"
"For now, the only method you can attempt is the Lament of Life and Death."
"This method requires sacrificing one's closest and dearest, siblings, relatives, School, Family, Dao Companion, descendants, teachers, Personal Disciple… none can be missing!"
"This kind of Myriad Tribulations means walking the Dao alone, severing all emotions and love, having no Family, no friends, no teachers, no children…"
"Therefore, unless one has a firm Dao Heart, even if they know this method, they will not be able to pass the Lightning Tribulation and achieve Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity."
"Under heaven, only these three methods can achieve Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity. This has nothing to do with whether You Su Tomb has the Opportunity for Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity."
Hearing this, Fu Xuanxu and the other four also realized that this Senior Mo was the Fallen Immortal from the Eternal Night Desert!
No!
This should only be a wisp of the Fallen Immortal Will, and the reason Pei Ling was chased by the Fallen Immortal was most likely because he carried this wisp of Will.
Now, Pei Ling and Li Lieyue were taking the Opportunity to inquire about Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity. Although the four of them had already reached the Soul Transformation Stage and could no longer walk the path of Myriad Tribulations, it was naturally better to know as much as possible about such secrets involving the Dao!
Thinking of this, Fu Xuanxu immediately asked, "Why can't we use the Derivation of Yin and Yang?"
Of the three methods mentioned by this Fallen Immortal Will, the Transformation of Heaven and Earth was clearly an Opportunity that could only arise from a great change in the world. If such a situation truly occurred, it would undoubtedly be a catastrophe more severe than the Battle Between the Righteous and the Demonic…
As for the Lament of Life and Death, this method was simply against heavenly principles!
No Disciple of their Five Righteous Sects could use this method for Myriad Tribulations!
The only remaining choice was the path of the Derivation of Yin and Yang.
At this moment, Mo Li Lan said indifferently without even looking at him, "Your accumulation is insufficient, and your foundation is lacking. Even if you hadn't reached the Soul Transformation Stage yet, you wouldn't be able to derive the Yin and Yang Myriad Tribulations! Moreover, all four of you have already reached the Soul Transformation Stage."
As she spoke, she looked at Li Lieyue again and continued, "Although you haven't reached the Soul Transformation Stage yet, your foundation is also a bit lacking. Among these three methods, only the Lament of Life and Death is most suitable for you!"
Hearing this, everyone, including Pei Ling, was shocked.
Mo Li Lan's meaning was very clear: the path of the Lament of Life and Death was also effective for Cultivators who had already reached the Soul Transformation Stage?!
Li Lieyue immediately asked, "May I ask, Senior Mo, what would happen if only a part of the Lament of Life and Death were fulfilled, such as only siblings, relatives, and Personal Disciple?"
Mo Li Lan said calmly, "Above Nine Tribulations, below Myriad Tribulations."
Having said this, she no longer had the intention of continuing to explain Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity. She immediately said, "Time is limited, Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity ends here. Now, let's talk about what you need to do next."
Fu Xuanxu and the other four originally had many more questions to ask, but hearing this, they could only temporarily remain silent.
Then, Mo Li Lan used her finger as a brush, drawing an extremely intricate compass in mid-air. Immediately after, she closed her eyes, sensed carefully for a while, and then marked more than a dozen positions on the compass.
Afterward, she spoke, "Centered on this Tea house, these positions contain the power of Law that I need."
"You Su Tomb is a Forbidden Land for the living, but this Tea house should have just been swallowed by You Su Tomb and has not been completely assimilated by it. Otherwise, apart from Immortal Friend Pei, no one else here could survive, even if they didn't turn into Ghosts."
"However, the vitality in the building can only last for one more hour at most now."
"This amount of time is simply not enough for you to help me collect the power of Law."
"So I need to use your Lifespan to extend the vitality of this place."
"Currently, ten years of Lifespan can extend this place from being eroded by You Su Tomb for one day. The longer it goes on, the more Lifespan will be needed."
"I will first take a hundred years of Lifespan."
"It must be taken from one person only, not dispersed."
Hearing this, Fu Xuanxu did not hesitate at all and said, "Senior Mo, please take these hundred years of Lifespan from this Junior."
Mo Li Lan nodded, then said, "Do not resist."
As she spoke, she raised her hand and remotely grasped at Fu Xuanxu.
Fu Xuanxu made no defense. At this moment, he immediately felt a vigorous and pure vitality within his body being forcibly extracted by an indescribable power.
His originally clear and youthful face, like that of a twenty-year-old, gained a few traces of age and weariness, but soon, it returned to normal.
After all, as a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator, a hundred years of Lifespan was completely bearable for Fu Xuanxu.
At this moment, a clear, shimmering light was grasped into Mo Li Lan's palm. With her other hand, she cast a spell, and soon, the clear light merged into the entire Tea house.
The next moment, the gloomy and eerie feeling pervading the entire Tea house instantly receded.
Their vision seemed to clear up all at once.
And the thin ice and frost on the ground, ceiling, and four walls also began to quietly melt.
The Yin Qi and coldness both rapidly decreased.
Having temporarily resolved the vitality issue, Mo Li Lan then said, "Next, I will impart two spell arts to you."
"One is used to lock all vitality, so you can walk normally in You Su Tomb and not attract Ghosts to actively seek you out."
"The second is used to collect the power of Law."
As she spoke, she opened her hand, and five clusters of Nether Sky Mist appeared, then flew towards the five people excluding Pei Ling.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
Before the five could react, the Nether Sky Mist had already merged into their foreheads.
In an instant, two spell arts appeared in the minds of the five, and they had completely mastered the incantations and the methods of Qi circulation!
Mo Li Lan showed no intention of delay. She immediately pointed to the marked positions on the compass and said, "You can now go and retrieve the power of Law for me."
"Note, you must return within ten days."
"Otherwise, you will be assimilated by You Su Tomb and completely transformed into its Ghosts."
Fu Xuanxu and the other four exchanged glances, then Fu Xuanxu quickly asked, "As long as we find the power of Law, will Senior Mo take us out of You Su Tomb?"
Mo Li Lan said, "That's right!"
Zhong Kui Yueji frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "We currently know nothing about You Su Tomb. If we all act together, once something unexpected happens, it will be a complete annihilation."
"At that time, no one will be able to find the power of Law, which will certainly delay Senior Mo's important matter."
"It would be better if we act one by one. This way, if something unexpected arises, there will still be others who can continue to work for Senior Mo."
Chapter 1009: Codewords. (Second update! Please subscribe!)
Mo Li Lan calmly said, “Alright. But in that case, you all must be prepared to expend a large amount of Lifespan.”
Zhong Kui Yueji nodded, “No problem.”
Ning Wuye thought for a moment, then also asked, “With Senior’s strength, why not personally retrieve the Law power?”
“I am currently too weak, which is why I need you all to do it for me,” Mo Li Lan said indifferently. “Otherwise, why would I bother with such nonsense with you Mortals?”
Ning Wuye frowned, then said nothing more.
Yan Minghua had been staring at Mo Li Lan since the beginning.
She had long known that Senior Sister Mo Li Lan had perished. This Senior Mo in front of her should be a Fallen Immortal Will occupying her Junior Sister’s remains!
However, no matter how she looked now, the other party was full of vitality, with their Divine Soul and Physical Body perfectly integrated, clearly a living person, showing no trace of a borrowed corpse returning a soul.
If it weren't for the fact that this ‘Mo Li Lan’s’ demeanor, voice, and tone were completely different from Junior Sister Mo, she would have thought this was Junior Sister Mo returning from the dead!
Thinking of this, Yan Minghua also asked, “May I ask Senior Mo, after finding the Law power, can you return my Junior Sister’s remains to Su Zhen Heaven?”
Mo Li Lan looked at her in confusion, then immediately said, “You have to ask Immortal Friend Pei.”
Ask Pei Ling?
Before Yan Minghua could think further, Mo Li Lan immediately urged, “If there are no other questions, you all can depart.”
At this moment, Li Lie Yue quickly asked, “Senior Mo, I wonder if there is an Opportunity for Great Dao Returning to Void in this You Su Tomb?”
Mo Li Lan didn’t think much and replied directly, “You Su Tomb, life and death comprehended together, this place has the best Great Dao Returning to Void Opportunity in the entire world!”
“For example, the Law power I am looking for now is the most likely place to hide a Great Dao Returning to Void Opportunity.”
Pei Ling secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t dare to ask Mo Li Lan this question himself. He had intended to let Fu Xuanxu and the other three do it, but Fu Xuanxu and the other three were only concerned with inquiring about clues for escape. Fortunately, Senior Sister Li understood him…
Thinking of this, Pei Ling immediately looked at Fu Xuanxu and said, “Fellow Daoist Fu, I also have matters to leave the Tea house for. If you are departing to seek Law power for Immortal Friend Mo, why not together?”
Upon hearing this, Fu Xuanxu nodded, “Alright!”
At the same time, he quickly sent a message to Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua: “The situation is unclear right now; one person must go out and see.”
“I may not need ten days to return, but before I return, do not leave this place.”
The three looked solemn and quickly replied via message, “Understood!”
“Senior Brother Fu, rest assured.”
“Senior Brother, be careful!”
At this moment, Pei Ling was also sending a message to Mo Li Lan: “Immortal Friend Mo, these two female Cultivators are both my Dao Companion. Please protect them well for me, Immortal Friend.”
Mo Li Lan replied indifferently, “As long as they don’t leave the Tea house, they will be fine.”
Pei Ling nodded slightly, then sent a message to Li Lie Yue: “Senior Sister Li, before I return, no matter what happens, do not leave the Tea house.”
“And do not conflict with the Pseudo-Dao.”
“These few Pseudo-Dao members are still useful for now.”
Li Lie Yue replied via message, “Junior Brother, rest assured, I know what to do.”
Pei Ling nodded, immediately feeling relieved, then said to Fu Xuanxu, “Let’s go.”
Fu Xuanxu nodded.
The two walked to the wooden door. Pei Ling reached out to pull the door; the touch was bone-chillingly cold, and the Yin Qi was incredibly dense. He pulled the door open and then stepped out.
Fu Xuanxu followed closely behind.
As soon as the two stepped out of the doorway, Mo Li Lan flicked her sleeve, and a powerful surge of Qi burst forth.
Bang!
The wooden door closed tightly.
※※※
Seemingly endless white mist surged forth, instantly engulfing the two.
Even the Tea house, which was close behind them, immediately disappeared from view.
Looking around, it was a vast expanse of white, as if the entire world was empty, with only this viscous mist.
Having just crossed the threshold, Fu Xuanxu didn't bother to observe his surroundings. He immediately activated the Cultivation Technique that the Fallen Immortal Will had just taught him, sealing all his vitality and living Qi deep within his body.
But even so, when the white mist engulfed him, he still felt a strong discomfort; nothing about his body felt right.
It was as if a fish had been thrown into a bucket on the shore; though its life was temporarily safe, it felt uncomfortable even moving or turning around.
At this moment, Pei Ling also activated the 【Eclipse Sun Secret Record】, transforming into the appearance of the Village Chief of Sang Village from Tianwai Island.
Unlike Fu Xuanxu, the 【Eclipse Sun Secret Record】 he Cultivated was a Ghost Dao Cultivation Technique. The surging white mist around him, and the dense Yin Qi mixed within it, not only had no effect on Pei Ling but made him feel like a fish in water. Even his Cultivation Technique operated more smoothly than outside.
If he were to Cultivate in You Su Tomb, the progress of the 【Eclipse Sun Secret Record】 would certainly increase exponentially!
Seeing Pei Ling’s appearance and aura suddenly become incredibly unfamiliar, Fu Xuanxu frowned and immediately asked via message, “Holy Son Pei, where are you going now? Are we going the same way?”
Pei Ling immediately took out a compass and marked over a dozen spots on it, which were the locations of the Law power that Mo Li Lan had just indicated.
He pointed to the place closest to them and said, “Let’s go there together first. Our purpose in leaving the Tea house this time is mainly to explore the situation here and scout the path. If we encounter any danger, we will immediately return.”
“True Immortal Mo will provide us with a solution.”
Fu Xuanxu was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Is that Senior Mo… truly trustworthy?”
Upon hearing this, Pei Ling felt no surprise. Mo Li Lan had only told them to look for Law power but hadn't said how she would take them away.
It was normal for Fu Xuanxu to have doubts now.
So, Pei Ling calmly said, “Before she obtains the Law power, she is very trustworthy; but once she truly obtains enough Law power, it’s hard to say.”
“However, the most important thing for us now is to first do as she says.”
“Only by truly getting the Law power in hand will we have the qualifications to negotiate with her.”
After hearing this, Fu Xuanxu nodded slightly. His thoughts were similar to Pei Ling’s.
This was why he readily agreed when Pei Ling invited him out just now.
The previous question was mainly to confirm the true relationship between this Saint of Chongming Sect and that Senior Mo.
From the looks of it now, Pei Ling also maintained a considerable degree of caution towards that Senior Mo.
Thump, thump, thump…
As the two ventured deeper into the white mist, the surroundings became quieter and quieter, and the mist grew denser and denser. When they looked down, they could no longer clearly see the specific details of the ground.
Fu Xuanxu suddenly said again, “The Ghosts of You Su Tomb seem to be able to disguise our aura, appearance, and fate.”
“That human skin lantern just now tricked my Junior Brother and Junior Sister that way.”
“Therefore, it’s best if we set a secret code now to confirm each other’s identities.”
Pei Ling asked, “What secret code?”
Fu Xuanxu said, “My Immortal Cave in Jiuyi Mountain is called Hanxiao Hall. Let’s use ‘Hanxiao’ as the secret code.”
“Alright,” Pei Ling nodded. “My current residence in the Saint Sect is called Cui Lei Mountain, so let’s use ‘Cui Lei’ as the secret code.”
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Chapter 1010: In the Mist. (First update! Please subscribe!)
The viscous mist, like a sea of clouds, spread wantonly, obscuring their vision.
Occasionally, strangely shaped objects came into view, but upon closer inspection, they were withered branches, gnarled and sprawling, appearing like demons or Ghosts, emitting a dense Yin Qi.
Drip, drip, drip...
Whether it was dew condensed from water vapor or drops of water gathered from Yin Qi, they continuously dripped.
Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu walked through it in silence; the former held a compass, constantly discerning their direction, while the latter continuously cast spells, causing countless Talismans to float around him.
Both of them had their life force suppressed to the extreme; they hadn't walked far before a layer of white frost covered their eyes and brows, and their faces were ashen, making them look nothing like living people.
At this moment, the Talismans floating in front of them suddenly ignited without fire, burning fiercely.
Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu immediately stopped, then, without any hesitation, immediately retreated in the opposite direction.
Before long, a massive shadow, with light footsteps, passed by the spot where they had just been.
Due to the obstruction of the white mist, the two, who had already avoided it, could not clearly see its specific appearance; they could only see a faint, indistinct shadow, over ten feet tall, and as it moved, it stirred the white mist like flowing white clouds, creating a surging, tumultuous effect for quite some time.
A faint dark purple light flickered in Pei Ling's eyes; in his vision, this Ghost emitted a vast and boundless hatred, almost tangible, and even more ferocious than the human-skin lantern from before.
The two held their breath, and after a moment, the Ghost gradually moved away, completely unaware of their presence.
Seeing this, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then continued forward.
As Fu Xuanxu moved, clear light surged around him, and he formed a hand seal, quickly replenishing a clear, shimmering Talisman, which continued to float ahead.
“Crack.”
As they walked, a crisp sound suddenly came from underfoot; the two looked down and saw half a broken Human Race leg bone, its original stark white color already corrupted by time into a murky hue, and its texture as fragile as a wafer.
The part that was stepped on had already crumbled into dust.
The two bent down to examine it, found nothing unusual, and then continued on their way.
Next, more bones appeared on the ground.
Arm bones, humerus bones, ribs, finger joints, skulls... At first, there were scattered parts covering the ground, then relatively complete half-skeletons began to appear intermittently.
Before long, the first intact black skeleton appeared before them, its hollow eye sockets facing the direction they had come from, continuously emitting a dense Yin Qi.
At this moment, the Talismans floating in front, back, and to the left all began to burn.
The two frowned, then retreated to the only safe side, the right.
Soon, the outlines of three humanoid Ghosts emerged: the one from the front seemed to be a lantern-carrying maiden, slender and graceful in silhouette; though only an outline, it gave a delicate and lovely impression; the one from the back was a blade-wielding warrior, whose Evil Qi and killing intent could be felt even through the white mist; and the one from the left was a scholar-like figure with flowing robes, seemingly holding something in his hand, walking slowly.
All three Ghosts moved swiftly, passing by each other in a moment.
Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu waited patiently for a while, until the three Ghosts had moved far away, completely out of sight and hearing, before continuing their journey.
They then saw the second, third, fourth... intact Human Race skeletons.
These skeletons were of various shapes, some standing, some sitting, some lying, some prone; the only thing they had in common was that their eye sockets were all looking directly at the two.
The Yin Qi was dense and bone-chillingly cold; the ground and the bones were covered in frost.
In the dead silence, pairs of hollow eye sockets quietly gazed at Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu.
The two walked cautiously among them; subsequently, they encountered some Ghosts every so often, but thanks to the Talisman array Fu Xuanxu had set up in advance, they were always warned in time, allowing them to successfully avoid all the Ghosts.
The position on the compass grew closer and closer; Fu Xuanxu, while forming hand seals to replenish his Talismans, transmitted a message: “This is only the periphery of You Su Tomb. Although Ghosts frequently appear, as long as we are careful, we won’t encounter any immediate danger.”
Pei Ling nodded, then transmitted back: “Once we reach the location, if everything is still smooth, then we can try to collect the Law power.”
After all, True Immortal Will had just said that there was a high probability that the several Law locations he marked contained Opportunity for Great Dao Returning to Void.
If things went smoothly now, Pei Ling naturally wanted to give it a try.
If any situation arose, he could also ask Senior Sister Li or others to consult True Immortal Will for help.
The two continued to walk in the direction indicated by the compass.
At this point, the surrounding mist began to thin out.
The skeletons on the ground rapidly decreased, replaced by sparse, stunted shrubs.
These shrubs were very thin and had a peculiar appearance, clearly indicating growth in barren land; their leaves were narrow and small, slender and thorny, clustered in depressions, like assassins hidden in the shadows, exuding a sense of ill intent.
Without needing to remind each other, Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu tacitly slowed their pace; the closer they got to their destination, the more cautious they became.
A moment later, only a thin layer of mist remained, and their vision was no longer restricted; they immediately saw an open space ahead.
An earthen house stood in the open space.
This earthen house looked no different from those in the secular countryside, with walls made of piled earth and a thatched roof. Currently, both the roof and earthen walls showed many traces of moss, and in the corners, the silvery sheen of centipede trails was faintly visible. Behind the house, some melon seedlings seemed to be planted; one of them had climbed all the way to the roof, with vines hanging down, bearing several small fruits, only the size of a fingernail, seemingly loofahs.
The narrow small windows were covered with thick mulberry paper, and there were also some severely faded window flower patterns, vaguely discernible as auspicious designs like continuous gourds and children bringing spring.
On the simple wooden door, a large, inverted “Fu” (blessing, fortune) character was still very clear.
Under the thatched eaves, in places untouched by rain, hung strings of chili peppers, eggplants, garlic, and the like; against the wall were placed various farm tools such as rakes, shovels, and sickles, all very clean, indicating that the owner cherished these items.
The wooden door was not locked, merely ajar, as if the owner had only temporarily left and would return shortly.
The two immediately stopped. Dark purple flames flickered in Pei Ling’s eyes, and countless strange Talisman runes ascended and intertwined; in the vision of his Grievance Nightmare Divine Power, there was nothing wrong with this place.
And the Talismans around Fu Xuanxu showed no signs of burning whatsoever.
Seeing this, Pei Ling transmitted: “The first Law location is here.”
Chapter 1011 Earth House. (Second update! Please subscribe!)
Fu Xuanxu replied via telepathy, “We don’t know what’s inside yet, so it’s best not to approach directly.”
Pei Ling nodded, then cast the Ghost Manipulation Technique. Instantly, ten resentful souls slowly emerged. Under his control, they passed directly through the walls of the earthen house and entered it.
A moment later, all the resentful souls returned, with no abnormalities.
Pei Ling collected them all, then said, “The resentful souls are fine.”
Fu Xuanxu nodded, his body glowing with clear light. In an instant, an Incarnation identical to him, but with a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivation, walked out from his side. He then said, “I’ll send my Incarnation in to investigate further.”
“If there’s still nothing, I’ll go in to collect the Law power.”
With that, Fu Xuanxu’s Incarnation, at the behest of his main body, stepped forward and walked towards the earthen house.
The Incarnation quickly reached the earthen house. Everything was normal. He stretched out his hand and very easily pushed open the main door, then walked inside.
As the door opened, the interior was dim. There seemed to be some common farmhouse furnishings, but before Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu could see clearly, the wooden door of the earthen house automatically closed.
Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu waited quietly.
A moment later, with a “creak,” the wooden door was opened from the inside, and Fu Xuanxu’s Incarnation walked out.
The Divine Thought of both instantly locked onto the Incarnation, but after careful scrutiny, they didn’t detect any problems at all.
They immediately relaxed. Fu Xuanxu didn’t recall his Incarnation, but directly asked, “What’s the situation inside the house?”
The Incarnation replied, “There are three rooms in total inside the house. The central one is the main hall, the right side is the kitchen, and the left side is the bedroom.”
“It looks like an ordinary farmhouse.”
“There are no Ghosts; everything is very normal.”
Fu Xuanxu nodded slightly, then said to Pei Ling, “I’ll go in to collect the Law power. Please, Saint, guard outside.”
“If any Ghost approaches, remind me immediately.”
Pei Ling nodded: “I can directly deal with Ghosts below Returning to Void.”
“If you encounter a Ghost inside, you can also immediately notify me to come in.”
Fu Xuanxu said, “Good.”
He quickly thought to himself, although his Incarnation had already inspected the earthen house and confirmed that everything inside was normal, this place was You Su Tomb, and anything could happen. He still needed to be careful.
After all, the Divine Ability that the Fallen Immortal Will just gave required time to cast, and he had to guard against any possible accidents during this process.
Now, with Pei Ling as Protector outside, he would guard against Ghosts outside the house; and after entering the house, he would let his Incarnation be his Protector…
Thinking of this, he didn’t recall his Incarnation, but directly walked towards the earthen house with his Incarnation.
Fu Xuanxu pushed open the wooden door, then walked inside with his Incarnation.
“Bang.”
The wooden door automatically closed.
Outside the earthen house, Pei Ling extended his Divine Thought, fully alert to his surroundings.
※※※
Inside the earthen house, in the central main hall, a long table was placed at the very top, adorned with some fruits and other sacrificial offerings. To the left and right of the offerings, an oil lamp was lit, its dim yellow light making the entire room hazy.
Above the long table was a faded, blurry scroll painting.
Right next to the long table was the square table used for eating and chatting.
The square table had obviously been used for a long time, with traces of a polished patina.
And behind the wooden door, some baskets, carrying poles, and the like were placed, with straw cloaks, bamboo hats, fishing rods, and fish baskets hanging on the wall…
Fu Xuanxu’s Incarnation stood in front of the earthen wall, carefully examining a pair of straw sandals.
At this moment, the wooden door opened, and Fu Xuanxu and his Incarnation immediately walked in.
Before Fu Xuanxu could observe his surroundings, he immediately saw that there was also an Incarnation of himself in the room!
His expression suddenly changed drastically, and the Incarnation standing beside him also exclaimed, “Who are you?!”
The Incarnation in the room turned to look at Fu Xuanxu and his Incarnation, also immediately showing surprise, then frowned deeply and asked, “I am the main body’s Incarnation, who are you?!”
The Incarnation beside Fu Xuanxu’s face turned cold, and he immediately transmitted to his main body: “This Incarnation must be impersonated by a Ghost; the main body will know if he makes a move!”
Before Fu Xuanxu could react, the Incarnation in front of the earthen wall’s telepathic message also simultaneously sounded in his ear: “Main body, I am your true Incarnation! Just now, the main body sent me in to explore this house, and I am currently carrying out the main body’s mission!”
Fu Xuanxu’s gaze immediately became extremely solemn.
He carefully sensed his connection with his Incarnations, but quickly found that these two people in front of him both seemed to be his Incarnations?
Besides that, the Talismans he used to detect Ghosts also showed no change.
Just as Fu Xuanxu was about to continue using methods to verify the two Incarnations, the wooden door opened, and two figures walked in: one was still his Incarnation, and the other was him!
“Bang.”
The wooden door closed.
※※※
Outside the earthen house, the mist was thin. The chili peppers and other items under the eaves, along with the melon vines on the roof, complemented each other, presenting a pastoral scene.
Pei Ling, in his black robe with a saber on his back, waited quietly.
After a while, the wooden door suddenly opened, and Fu Xuanxu walked out from inside.
Noticing the movement, Pei Ling’s Divine Thought immediately locked onto Fu Xuanxu. At the same time, he also felt Fu Xuanxu’s Divine Thought locking onto him.
Both parties checked each other’s identities and quickly withdrew their Divine Thought.
At this moment, Pei Ling spoke: “Hanxiao.”
Fu Xuanxu immediately replied: “Cuilei.”
Seeing that Fu Xuanxu’s cultivation aura was normal and matched the secret code, Pei Ling then secretly cast the Grievance Nightmare Divine Power to confirm that his identity was fine. He immediately relaxed and asked, “Have you finished collecting the Law power?”
Fu Xuanxu nodded: “All collected.”
Pei Ling nodded. The matter had proceeded so smoothly; it seemed this Law area did not contain the Great Dao Returning to Void Opportunity he sought.
Thinking of this, he immediately said, “If we go back now, True Immortal Mo will definitely make us hand over the Law power.”
“And it’s not appropriate whether we hand it over or not.”
“Since it went so smoothly here, why not go to the next Law area?”
“If we encounter any trouble, it won’t be too late to go back then.”
After all, he hadn’t even seen a shadow of the Great Dao Returning to Void Opportunity yet.
Going back like this would be meaningless to him personally.
Moreover, the True Immortal Will asked them to return within ten days, but it was only the first day.
Upon hearing this, Fu Xuanxu had no intention of refusing and immediately replied, “Good.”
Pei Ling took out his compass, checked it, then pointed to the marked location closest to them and said, “Then let’s go here.”
Fu Xuanxu calmly replied, “No problem.”
Thus, Pei Ling stepped towards the marked direction.
Fu Xuanxu followed closely behind.
As the earthen house behind them gradually receded, the surrounding mist gradually changed from thin to thick.
Black skeletons appeared one after another, and thick, almost solid Yin Qi, accompanied by the color of frost and snow, paved the path for their advancement.
Not long after walking, Pei Ling suddenly saw astonishing hatred appear not far ahead!
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Chapter 1012 Who to save first? (3rd update! Please subscribe!)
Pei Ling frowned and immediately looked at Fu Xuanxu, only to see that the talisman array floating around him showed no reaction at all.
A Ghost that could evade the detection of Fu Xuanxu's talisman array?
Thinking of this, he quickly sent a voice transmission: "There's trouble ahead, retreat temporarily!"
Before he finished speaking, Pei Ling had already retreated to the side, and Fu Xuanxu immediately followed.
On the heavily Yin Qi-laden ground, bones of various colors were scattered from time to time, and withered branches and leaves quietly dotted the landscape, making it dim and desolate.
The two carefully avoided making any sound.
Soon, a tall figure appeared in the white mist.
It seemed to be a young man wearing a bamboo hat, his figure straight, almost rigid, walking slowly with mechanical steps.
However, this time the Ghost did not proceed along its original path, but headed directly towards the direction Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu had retreated to.
Seeing this, Pei Ling instinctively felt something was wrong and immediately changed direction again to withdraw.
Fu Xuanxu followed closely.
The white mist was thick, like boiling water, and the bones on the ground gradually decreased, replaced by an increasing amount of grayish lichen.
The lichen was mixed among dark green moss, not particularly noticeable, but it emitted a vast amount of Yin Qi, causing the entire ground to appear mottled with frost.
The frost was a dull gray, as if it were pure Yin Qi condensed, or as if bone ash had been scattered haphazardly on the ground, in piles here and there, unscattered by the wind.
The two quietly activated their escape techniques, leaving no trace on the frost.
But then, the Ghost also changed direction, following them, and the distance between them gradually closed.
Pei Ling changed direction again, simultaneously accelerating his retreat, and Fu Xuanxu also followed with all his might, and the Ghost, likewise, followed again!
Seeing this, Pei Ling's expression darkened; that Ghost had locked onto him!
As he was thinking, he suddenly turned his head to look behind him, only to see another surge of vast hatred rapidly approaching them.
Pei Ling glanced at the talisman array floating around Fu Xuanxu, but saw that the array remained calm and showed no reaction.
He took a deep breath and changed direction again.
Fu Xuanxu remained silent, calmly following behind.
This time, they quickly swept into a withered thicket.
Judging from the remnants, the trees in the thicket must have been enormous in life; the remaining forest floor was soft and moist, vaguely recalling its former lushness.
But now, their branches twisted, like demons or devils, as if they were stiff Ghosts, baring their fangs and claws at every living creature entering this place, seemingly ready to devour at any moment.
Drip, drip, drip...
From the branches and treetops, Yin Qi condensed into liquid continuously dripped.
Not long after entering the thicket, Pei Ling discovered that in the vision of his 【Grievance Nightmare Divine Power】, vast hatred was surging towards him from all directions.
He picked up the compass to check and found that his and Fu Xuanxu's current location had returned to the vicinity of the first Law area!
Pei Ling's expression turned cold, and his Divine Thought repeatedly swept over Fu Xuanxu, but he couldn't detect any problems.
Seeing the hatred closing in from all sides, he suddenly sent a voice transmission: "Fellow Daoist Fu, if your mother and your Dao Companion both fell into the Heavenly Born Sect, whom would you save first?"
Fu Xuanxu was startled, then quickly replied: "I don't have a Dao Companion, so this kind of thing is impossible."
This answer had no problem at all, but...
Swish!
Without any hesitation, Pei Ling directly launched a Saber Qi towards Fu Xuanxu!
***
Inside the earthen house.
On the offering table, two oil lamps flickered uneasily.
The flickering lamplight cast strange, distorted shadows of tables, chairs, and farm tools, which, as they swayed, resembled demons and Ghosts, seemingly sneering silently. Even the offered fruits seemed to be covered with a cold, eerie hue, completely devoid of the vitality and sense of harvest that fruits should possess, full of ill omens, as if beneath their peels, some malicious, filthy thing was brewing.
Fu Xuanxu stood at the entrance, looking at the other him and the third Incarnation who had just burst in, and his expression immediately changed.
There was more than one Ghost in this house!
Among the three Incarnations, at most only one was his true Incarnation, or perhaps, all three Incarnations were fake.
And this other him who had just entered the house must also be a Ghost in disguise.
Thinking of this, Fu Xuanxu's mind stirred, and he immediately took out the Wooden Ruyi, preparing for a major battle.
At this moment, the later arriving Fu Xuanxu and Incarnation also looked at the person inside with wary expressions.
Noticing that the earlier arriving Fu Xuanxu's Divine Thought had locked onto him, the later arriving Fu Xuanxu snorted coldly and likewise took out an identical Wooden Ruyi; there was no difference in their aura, expressions, or actions.
However, before Fu Xuanxu's two main bodies could act, the Incarnation standing in front of the mud wall, examining the straw shoes, frowned and asked: "Which of you is my main body?"
Upon hearing this, the Incarnation beside Fu Xuanxu immediately said coldly: "Stop pretending, I am the main body's Incarnation!"
The Incarnation who came in later immediately erupted with the aura of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator and said chillingly: "Both of you are fake! I am the true main body's Incarnation!"
As the three Incarnations were arguing, the wooden door opened again.
Another Fu Xuanxu entered the house with an Incarnation.
Seeing the scene inside the house, this third Fu Xuanxu and the fourth Incarnation simultaneously changed their expressions, exactly like Fu Xuanxu and the first three Incarnations.
Fu Xuanxu's heart sank, and the entire earthen house instantly fell into a dead silence.
All the main bodies and Incarnations showed grave expressions, eyeing each other with full vigilance.
Soon, the wooden door opened again, and the fourth Fu Xuanxu and the fifth Incarnation walked in.
“Creak.”
“Bang.”
“Creak…”
“Bang…”
Next, as the wooden door continuously opened and closed, more and more Fu Xuanxu and Incarnations appeared in the house.
At first, all of Fu Xuanxu's main bodies and Incarnations tried to use various methods to prove their identity, but gradually, all Fu Xuanxu stopped making any movements.
The number of Ghosts disguised as them was too large now; if they truly revealed their identity, it would probably be a dead end!
It seemed… all the Fu Xuanxu thought this way!
The oil lamps on the offering table swayed more and more violently, even almost extinguishing several times when the opening and closing of the wooden door created drafts, but after a violent tremor, they still held on.
The dim yellow lamplight illuminated faces filled with suspicion, wariness, surprise, contemplation…
The entire earthen house was now almost completely filled with people.
All the main bodies and Incarnations no longer argued; the entire house, except for the occasional sound of footsteps, was unusually quiet.
Looking at the increasing number of himself and Incarnations, Fu Xuanxu, standing in the corner, immediately frowned. There were too many Ghosts; there was no chance to collect the Law power that Senior Mo wanted!
Although Saint Peiling of Chongming Sect was still outside, he knew that given the bizarre situation here, once Pei Ling entered, the situation would probably be the same for him.
At that time, both of them would be in a desperate situation.
The safest approach now was to ignore his Incarnations for the time being, find an opportunity to leave the house directly, and go back to consult Senior Mo.
Senior Mo was a wisp of a Fallen Immortal's will; she would definitely know what was going on!
As long as he learned the method to break the situation, he could immediately return to rescue his Incarnations and collect the Law power.
Thinking of this, Fu Xuanxu was about to walk towards the door when a "creak" sounded.
The familiar sound of the door opening rang out.
The two simple wooden doors opened again from the outside…
Chapter 1013 Why Kill Me? (Fourth update! Please subscribe!)
Within the white mist, a flash of blood light burst forth!
A streak of crimson Saber light tore through the mist, incredibly sharp and revealing its full edge, carrying an indomitable and overbearing momentum as it slashed towards Fu Xuanxu.
Fu Xuanxu's expression changed, and he hastily formed hand seals. Instantly, the rune array surrounding him rapidly shifted, and the shadow of a majestic green mountain abruptly appeared, blocking in front of him.
Boom!!!
Where the Saber light fell, the enormous and towering mountain shadow shattered instantly. As the mountain body split into pieces, the Saber Qi continued to slash down with undiminished force.
The sharp blade pointed directly at Fu Xuanxu's head. A slight pain was felt, and the chilling Saber Qi seemed to have already cut through his skin. In the next moment, his flesh was about to be sliced open—just then, a gust of Yin wind rapidly blew, like thousands of sharp blades scraping, instantly dissolving the remaining Saber Qi.
“Hehehe…”
A sharp, chilling laugh suddenly echoed all around.
At the same time, within the white mist, beneath the gnarled and sprawling withered trees, the figure of a lantern-carrying maiden slowly emerged. She appeared slender, charming, graceful, and adorable. As she walked, her skirt fluttered, her figure as soft as green duckweed. With her graceful steps, it was as if a beautiful young woman was strolling alone on a spring day, inspiring endless thoughts.
However, under the vision of the 【Grievance Nightmare Divine Power】, the hatred around her body was almost substantial, astonishingly dense.
The moment she appeared, the vast Yin Qi surged like a colossal wave, instantly congealing into layers of frost and snow, rapidly spreading outwards from her as the center.
At this moment, Fu Xuanxu finally recovered. He abruptly turned his head, looked at Pei Ling, and angrily shouted, “Holy Son Pei! Do you intend to seize this opportunity to kill me?!”
Upon hearing this, Pei Ling did not hesitate at all and immediately used the 【Five Ghost Sky Net Escape】, directly fleeing into the distance.
Fu Xuanxu’s appearance, Aura, and secret code… all seemed perfectly fine!
However, the feeling the other party gave him was simply very wrong!
Now that the two of them were surrounded by Ghosts, this strong sense of unease had reached its Peak.
Therefore, Pei Ling had deliberately asked a very absurd question just now… Fu Xuanxu’s answer, in relation to the question itself, was a normal response.
But, in the current situation, Fu Xuanxu’s attention should not have been focused on the question itself, but on their desperate predicament at the time.
This was the other party’s only flaw!
Even the cultivation strength the other party displayed at this moment was exactly the same as the real Fu Xuanxu!
One after another, tall withered trees rapidly receded. The gray-black lichens on the ground began to decrease, while shattered bones continuously increased.
The Chongming Sect’s signature escape method, the 【Five Ghost Sky Net Escape】, was incredibly fast. Pei Ling transformed into an almost imperceptible streak of light and flew along, and the hatred that surrounded him gradually moved away.
But at this moment, a voice full of anger suddenly came from behind him: “Holy Son Pei! Why do you want to take this opportunity to kill me?!”
“Holy Son Pei! Why do you want to kill me?!”
“Why do you want to kill me?”
“Why kill me…”
The voice grew closer and closer; Fu Xuanxu had actually followed him!
In the vision of the 【Grievance Nightmare Divine Power】, the hatred that had just receded was also rapidly approaching him.
Pei Ling frowned deeply. After a brief thought, he coldly said, “You are not Fu Xuanxu!”
Upon hearing this, a vast hatred gradually emanated from Fu Xuanxu’s body. As soon as this hatred appeared, it instantly surged skyward as if it were substantial, even stronger than all the previous Ghosts.
Fu Xuanxu stared intently at Pei Ling and immediately said, “I am Fu Xuanxu! We just made an agreement. I used my Immortal Cave ‘Hanxiao’ in Jiuyi Mountain as the secret code; you used your Immortal Cave ‘Cuilei’ in Chongming Sect as the secret code.”
“Our purpose this time is to collect the Power of Law…”
Soon, Fu Xuanxu recounted everything that had just happened, in meticulous and exhaustive detail, showing no flaws whatsoever.
It seemed the other party genuinely believed that he was Fu Xuanxu!
However, Pei Ling’s heart sank. It was indeed a Ghost!
He couldn’t let the other party keep following him!
Thinking of this, he immediately used the 【Grievance Nightmare Divine Power】. The dark purple light in his eyes flared, and countless strange runes ascended and intertwined. In an instant, the vast and boundless hatred from Fu Xuanxu’s body surged into Pei Ling’s body like an overturned river from the heavens.
In a short while, most of his hatred was completely absorbed by Pei Ling. Pei Ling’s Aura instantly became incredibly powerful, like a drawn vicious Saber, surrounded by Evil Qi, and extremely ferocious.
Immediately after, Pei Ling quickly used the 【Eternal Regret Curse】. His Aura instantly surpassed the Peak of Soul Transformation, reaching the Returning Void Stage.
The Nine Soul Saber was raised, and a crimson arc bloomed in mid-air. A sharp Saber light slashed down directly at Fu Xuanxu!
Boom!!!
※※※
A moment later.
The towering withered trees nearby had all vanished. On the ground, powdered wood chips, lichens, moss… were evenly laid out in layer after layer.
The pockmarked ground was covered everywhere with traces of spirit fire, Saber slashes, spells, Divine Abilities, and so on.
Fu Xuanxu’s entire body was scattered into pieces, lying dispersed across an area of about an acre. His face was pale, and his Aura was withered, but no blood flowed from his wounds.
Ghosts emitting powerful Yin Qi constantly landed beside him, but after merely glancing at him, they directly left.
Not a single Ghost was interested in him.
Fu Xuanxu’s head rolled with difficulty on the ground, his eyes fixed on the direction Pei Ling had left. He was Fu Xuanxu! Why did Holy Son Pei suddenly want to kill him? Why did he just not believe him?! Why couldn’t he listen to his explanation properly?!
They came to You Su Tomb this time… Wait!
That’s not right!
How did they come to You Su Tomb?
Fu Xuanxu’s expression suddenly froze, and then his expression became increasingly terrified…
He remembered!
He remembered everything!!
He… had already died a long time ago!
Holy Son Pei was right, he was indeed not Fu Xuanxu!
He was…
As he thought, Fu Xuanxu’s face grew increasingly sinister, and the hatred around his body grew stronger and stronger. The scattered body parts nearby suddenly began to squirm.
A section of a calf and a foot quickly moved closer, then pieced together, rapidly healing.
Then came the thigh. Soon, a complete leg appeared, followed by the right foot and right calf, right thigh… waist and abdomen… chest… left arm… right arm…
Finally, a complete body was pieced together. After he moved his limbs, he strode forward, picked up the lonely head that had rolled nearby, and placed it onto his empty neck.
Flesh buds surged and grew, intertwining with each other, healing rapidly. In an instant, there were no traces left.
Soon, Fu Xuanxu raised his head, and his entire body showed no signs of injury whatsoever.
With a thought, a magic robe identical to the one he had just worn was already donned neatly.
He slowly turned his head, looked in the direction Pei Ling had left, and grinned ferociously. Then, without hesitation, he instantly vanished.
Chapter 1014: No Retreat. (First update! Please subscribe!)
Complete dark skeletons appeared around in various poses, their empty eye sockets, just like before, silently gazing at the living beings who stepped into this place.
The sticky white mist and dense Yin Qi gradually thinned as Pei Ling advanced.
Sparse, thin bushes increasingly replaced the skeletons, appearing frequently.
They huddled in clumps in the depressions on the ground, their concealment hinting at something sinister.
In a moment, the clouds and mist dispersed, and an ordinary, unremarkable earthen house, with low-hanging thatched eaves, stood silently.
Pei Ling walked out of the white mist expressionlessly, appearing in the open space in front of the earthen house.
The Fu Xuanxu from before was a Ghost in disguise; the real Fu Xuanxu was likely still inside this earthen house.
If Fu Xuanxu’s true body could be fake, then the Incarnation he initially sent out was very likely also problematic!
No, not only his Incarnation, but also the resentful souls he had just sent out!
Thinking of this, Pei Ling quickly opened his Soul Nurturing Bag and instantly burned all these resentful souls to ashes.
Having dealt with the resentful souls, Pei Ling walked directly towards the earthen house.
He now had two paths.
One was to return directly to the Tea house and ask the True Immortal Will how to handle this situation; the other was to enter the earthen house and investigate the true situation inside.
The former seemed safe, but fundamentally, it wouldn't solve any problems.
The True Immortal Will would continue to make him and Senior Sister Li search for the Law, and he himself also needed to find the Opportunity for Great Dao Returning to Void; no matter what, he couldn't avoid confronting powerful Ghosts.
Moreover, if he returned now, he would have too few clues. Without Fu Xuanxu to speak for him, any questions he asked would expose his true situation before the True Immortal Will. At that time, he would not only have to be careful of the dangers of You Su Tomb but also guard against the True Immortal Will…
In contrast, the latter was very risky and might very well encounter those truly powerful Ghosts.
But now, he was the strongest among the six people who entered You Su Tomb!
It was not like before. If his Cultivation was still only Foundation Establishment, he would definitely choose to leave directly and not risk it, knowing that the path ahead was very dangerous.
But his Cultivation was already at the Late Stage Soul Transformation, and he was the current Saint of Chongming Sect, one of the most watched Prodigies in the entire Pan Ya World!
This time entering You Su Tomb, putting aside Fu Xuanxu, Zhong Kui Yueji, and Ning Wuye for now, Li Lieyue and Yan Minghua were both his women.
If he did nothing now and just went back like this, he would be temporarily safe, but then, whether it was Senior Sister Li or Yan Minghua, they would definitely face even greater dangers!
In the past, he always had the protection of Senior Sister Li and could Cultivate steadily, but now, his Cultivation had already surpassed Senior Sister Li's by a lot, and he could no longer cower in fear at the first sign of danger as he used to!
This… was the life and death of six people!
He could not retreat now!
Thinking of this, Pei Ling had already reached the door of the earthen house.
Due to the battle just now, he had already recovered his original appearance.
The fake identity of Village Chief of Sang Village had already been exposed in front of the fake Fu Xuanxu, so there was no point in disguising himself as someone else now.
Pei Ling stretched out his hand and pushed open the simple wooden door in front of him.
Then, without any hesitation, he stepped inside.
“Creak.”
“Bang.”
As soon as he entered the earthen house, the wooden door automatically closed.
Under the thatched eaves, rakes, shovels, sickles… gleamed with a faint cold light.
Strings of chilies, eggplants, and garlic hung high like bead curtains, swaying slightly with the surging mist in the distance.
A faint breeze brushed over the roof, loofah vines gently swayed, and silence reigned all around.
In a moment, a figure suddenly appeared in front of the earthen house.
This figure, both in appearance and aura, was identical to the real Fu Xuanxu.
“Fu Xuanxu” waited silently at the door of the earthen house.
Dense white mist rolled in the distance, occasionally emitting heavy footsteps and the “drip-drop” sound of Yin Qi condensing into water droplets.
None of this had any effect on “Fu Xuanxu”.
After a while, with a “creak,” Pei Ling walked out of the earthen house.
The moment his figure appeared, “Fu Xuanxu’s” Divine Thought had already locked onto him. The next moment, Pei Ling’s Divine Thought also locked onto Fu Xuanxu.
After confirming that neither had problems, “Fu Xuanxu” spoke first: “Cui Lei.”
Pei Ling nodded: “Han Xiao.”
“Fu Xuanxu” then said, “I have already collected the Law of this place, we can go back.”
Pei Ling said, “I have also gained the Opportunity of Great Dao Returning to Void, I can also go back.”
The two nodded slightly and then fled back the way they came.
※ ※ ※
Inside the earthen house.
The oil lamp on the offering table flickered uneasily, and the shadows around became denser and stranger in shape.
At first glance, it seemed as if the place was packed with Ghosts, silently reveling.
Many Fu Xuanxu were all wary of each other.
Occasionally, a few Fu Xuanxu would move their feet and walk towards the door, but they would immediately be stared at by all the other Fu Xuanxu, and then those Fu Xuanxu would immediately stop, not daring to approach the door further.
Just then, the door, which had been silent for some time, suddenly opened with another “creak.”
A figure quickly walked into the house, but this time, it was no longer Fu Xuanxu, but a stern man in a black robe and black boots, with a long saber on his back.
A fierce Qi naturally flowed between his brows, and the Evil Qi around his body was almost tangible. It was precisely Pei Ling, who had previously agreed with Fu Xuanxu to guard outside!
At this moment, all the Fu Xuanxu looked at him.
Pei Ling immediately stopped. Although he had already guessed that something was wrong in the earthen house, he was still startled to suddenly see so many Fu Xuanxu.
However, seeing that none of these Fu Xuanxu intended to attack, and in the vision of the 【Grievance Nightmare Divine Power】, no hatred emerged from any Fu Xuanxu, Pei Ling quickly regained his composure.
He immediately asked tentatively, “Which of you is the real Fu Xuanxu?”
The next moment, countless voice transmissions simultaneously sounded in Pei Ling’s ears—
“Holy Son Pei, I am real, but I can’t tell which Incarnation is real now.”
“I am real, I have a secret code, Cui Lei!”
“I am an Incarnation of the true body, but I don’t know which one is my true body now…”
“Holy Son Pei can just say something that you and I both know, and you will know that I am the real one!”
“Holy Son Pei…”
The voice transmissions in his ears were constant, but Pei Ling’s expression did not change at all. At this moment, no matter which Fu Xuanxu was real or fake, as long as all the Fu Xuanxu were trying to prove themselves, the situation was not too bad.
He couldn't distinguish the real Fu Xuanxu from the fake, but it didn't matter!
Next, whichever Fu Xuanxu attacked him would definitely be fake.
Yes, now, he could openly inspect the situation in this room…
Just as he was thinking, “Creak.”
The door behind him suddenly opened again. Pei Ling immediately looked back, only to see a figure identical to himself also walking into the house.
The two frowned simultaneously upon seeing each other.
In an instant, all the voice transmissions in Pei Ling’s ears suddenly fell silent.
The entire earthen house quickly became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
All the Fu Xuanxu frowned, motionless, watching the two Pei Lings. Only the oil lamp on the offering table was still burning weakly.
Pei Ling quickly regained his composure. So that’s how it was!
No wonder there were so many Fu Xuanxu in this house.
The next moment, the door opened again, and another Pei Ling walked in.
“Creak.”
“Bang.”
“Creak.”
“Bang.”
The door kept opening and closing, and more and more Pei Lings appeared.
Chapter 1015: Flaw. (Second update! Please subscribe!)
Tea house.
In the long corridor, the congealed Yin Qi frost had already been dispelled.
Outside the glazed windows, the mist was thick and substantial, making it impossible to see anything, only feeling a chilling dead silence.
A chair, brought from upstairs, was casually placed in a corner.
Mo Li Lan sat upon it, eyes closed, resting.
Not far from her, Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, Yan Minghua, and Li Lieyue sat cross-legged on the ground, Cultivating while waiting for Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling to return.
These four were all inheritors of the Nine Great Sects, possessing abundant and comprehensive resources. After this period of Cultivation, their conditions had mostly recovered.
Suddenly, Mo Li Lan opened her pure white eyes and looked towards the direction of the main door.
A hint of surprise first flashed in her eyes, followed by a strong desire.
The next moment.
“Thump, thump, thump.”
A knocking sound echoed.
The four who were Cultivating simultaneously opened their eyes, vigilantly looking towards the main door, their Law power instinctively circulating, ready to act.
Mo Li Lan, however, did not hesitate. With a flick of her sleeve, a surge of Qi rushed out, directly opening the main door.
As the door opened, a chilling Aura immediately rushed into the Tea house along with the white mist.
Outside the door stood two young men: the one on the left had a relaxed brow and clear eyes, a pure Aura, and held a Wooden Ruyi; the one on the right wore a dark robe and black boots, had a stern face, was covered in Evil Qi, and carried a long saber on his back.
It was precisely Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling.
They stepped directly over the threshold and entered the Tea house.
Mo Li Lan flicked her sleeve again, and the Tea house’s main door immediately closed.
The Divine Thought of Zhong Kui Yueji and the other three instantly locked onto Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling. Following this, they each employed their methods to verify the identity of the newcomers.
Soon, all four showed expressions of doubt. Fu Xuanxu’s Aura had no issues, but Pei Ling… seemed to be not as strong as he was a while ago?
This Saint of Chongming Sect was a Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity, and his cultivation was at the Late Stage Soul Transformation. However, the Aura he had previously displayed was no different from a Returning Void Stage, and even stronger than an ordinary Returning Void Stage!
But now, this Holy Son Pei’s Aura was still the same, and his cultivation was still the same as before, but that oppressive feeling, which made it difficult to breathe and felt like a thorn in one’s back, had strangely disappeared.
Besides that…
Yan Minghua frowned tightly as she looked at Pei Ling. The Aura on him that constantly attracted her and made her want to get closer was also gone!
At this moment, seeing that everyone was silent, Fu Xuanxu immediately said, “I have already found the Law power. Junior Brother Zhong Kui, Junior Brother Ning, and Junior Sister Yan, you can come out with me and continue exploring.”
“This You Su Tomb is not as terrifying as imagined.”
“Aside from needing to be careful on the way and avoiding Ghosts of unknown origin, once we truly reached the place of Law, everything went smoothly, without any dangers or mishaps.”
Pei Ling also said, “Senior Sister Li, I found a very good treasure land, perfectly suitable for your Soul Transformation.”
Upon hearing this, all four showed expressions of suspicion.
If it were only Fu Xuanxu, they would not have detected any problems just now and would certainly not suspect anything at this moment.
But that Pei Ling…
Thinking of this, none of the four spoke, but instead looked towards Mo Li Lan.
Mo Li Lan’s lips curled slightly, revealing a smile of unclear meaning. Suddenly, a darkness as substantial as reality descended, and the entire Tea house was instantly enveloped by the Nether Sky Mist.
A moment later, the darkness dissipated. The corridor, wooden door, and glazed windows… reappeared in everyone’s sight.
However, Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling had already vanished, as if they had never returned at all.
Mo Li Lan said indifferently, “This bit of Law power is enough for me to recover some Origin Qi, but it’s still not enough to leave You Su Tomb.”
Only then did the four react. Zhong Kui Yueji immediately asked, “Senior Mo, were the Fu Senior Brother and Pei Ling just now fake?”
Mo Li Lan nodded. With the Law power actively delivering itself, Immortal Friend Pei did very well!
Thus, in a good mood, she replied, “That’s right.”
Seeing that the Fallen Immortal Will offered no further explanation, Ning Wuye frowned slightly, then followed up by asking, “Senior Mo, not only did the Ghost impersonate Senior Brother Fu and Pei Ling, but it also found this place. What is the current situation of the real Senior Brother Fu and Pei Ling?”
Mo Li Lan said uncaringly, “Immortal Friend Pei will definitely be fine. As for the other one, it depends on his fate.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua all frowned simultaneously. Yan Minghua immediately asked, “Senior, do you mean that Senior Brother Fu has already encountered danger?”
Mo Li Lan said in a calm tone, “This is You Su Tomb, not my Domain. How would I know what exactly happened?”
“But it is very normal for living people to enter You Su Tomb and become deceased.”
The expressions of Zhong Kui Yueji, Ning Wuye, and Yan Minghua all changed. They exchanged glances, and Ning Wuye quickly transmitted, “Just now, the Ghost disguised as Senior Brother Fu and Pei Ling. Pei Ling had a very big flaw, but Senior Mo said that Pei Ling would be fine. However, the Ghost disguised as Senior Brother Fu was identical to the real person, and we couldn’t detect any problems with him.”
“Thus, it seems that something must have happened to Senior Brother Fu!”
Zhong Kui Yueji nodded and transmitted, “Senior Mo was too urgent just now. When Senior Brother Fu went out, he hadn’t fully recovered yet.”
“If he encounters any unexpected situations, he might have difficulty coping.”
“We need to find a way to save Senior Brother Fu.”
“We can’t stay here any longer!”
Yan Minghua transmitted, “Then let’s go find Senior Brother Fu together!”
“However, this Senior Mo clearly doesn’t care much about Senior Brother Fu. We need to find a suitable excuse to ask for some means to save him, so that we have a greater chance of saving Senior Brother Fu.”
Zhong Kui Yueji nodded imperceptibly, but after glancing at Ning Wuye, he quickly transmitted back, “Three people going out together is too risky! Junior Brother Ning and I can go find Senior Brother Fu.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Wuye was slightly startled, then immediately realized something and also nodded, “That’s right, it’s enough for Brother Zhong Kui and me to go.”
“Junior Sister Yan, please stay here for now.”
“After all, Senior Brother Fu is the Jiuyi Mountain Dao, and if he manages to escape on his own and returns midway, he won’t venture out again because he can’t find us.”
Yan Minghua frowned, but since both Senior Brothers said so, she no longer argued and immediately transmitted back, “Alright.”
After the transmission, Zhong Kui Yueji immediately cupped his hands to Mo Li Lan and said, “Senior, I have now fully recovered. Instead of sitting idle here, I might as well help Senior find Law power first.”
Ning Wuye also spoke, “I’ll go too.”
“I just don’t know if Senior can bestow one or two more methods for saving people?”
“That way, if any accidents occur, the two of us can save each other in time, so as not to delay Senior’s recovery.”
Mo Li Lan nodded and said, “You may.”
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Check back on the third and fourth nights.
Chapter 1016 is reproduced. (The third update! Please subscribe!)
Saying that, Mo Li Lan pondered for a moment, then opened her right hand, and two clusters of Nether Sky Mist immediately appeared in her palm.
With a thought, the Nether Sky Mist soared into the air, flying towards Zhong Kui Yueji and Ning Wuye respectively.
Having experienced it once before, neither Zhong Kui Yueji nor Ning Wuye showed any hesitation this time, allowing the Nether Sky Mist to merge into their glabella.
Soon, a new spell appeared in each of their minds.
The spell Zhong Kui Yueji received was called 【Rebirth Fire】, which could transform the spiritual fire cultivated within his body into a large amount of vitality, rapidly replenishing it for himself or others.
The spell Ning Wuye received was called 【Sword Intent Longevity】, which could transform Sword Intent into a vast, sweet rain, healing injuries for the caster and nearby living beings.
After the two had more or less digested their new spells, Mo Li Lan immediately said, “The spells have been given. You may depart.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Kui Yueji and Ning Wuye immediately came back to their senses.
Zhong Kui Yueji immediately transmitted his voice, “Senior Mo, this Junior still has a matter to inquire about…”
At the same time, Ning Wuye also looked at Mo Li Lan, his lips moving slightly, but without a sound, as if he was also transmitting a question.
Mo Li Lan glanced at the two with a placid expression. The Mortals were asking the same thing via voice transmission, but she was too lazy to bother with the details. As long as they could collect Law power for her, that was enough.
Thinking of this, she immediately transmitted her voice to both of them simultaneously, “That’s simple…”
Soon, Zhong Kui Yueji and Ning Wuye simultaneously rose, bowing and saying, “This Junior will now go search for Law power for Senior.”
Mo Li Lan nodded slightly, then closed her eyes, continuing to rest.
Zhong Kui Yueji and Ning Wuye walked towards the wooden door. They reached out and pulled the door open, stepping out without any hesitation.
At this moment, Mo Li Lan’s wide sleeves stirred slightly.
“Bang.”
The wooden door instantly closed.
※ ※ ※
The white mist was viscous.
The dim ground was soft and damp, exuding the unique softness of a place that had been perpetually dark.
That softness carried an air of decay, like the sensation of something having rotted away.
Every step taken evoked an almost instinctive aversion and dread.
As soon as Zhong Kui Yueji and Ning Wuye stepped out of the Tea house, they immediately circulated their magical power, locking all their vitality within their bodies.
This was precisely one of the two spells Senior Mo had previously taught them, named 【Spell of Prohibited Breath】.
It allowed Cultivators below Soul Transformation to conceal their aura and preserve their vitality in a place like You Su Tomb, achieving the effect of being difficult for Ghosts to detect.
Besides this spell, the other was 【Technique to Load the Dao】, specifically used to collect Law power. It enabled them to forcibly extract Law power from an area using their Lifebound Treasure as a container.
Currently, both of them were fully circulating 【Spell of Prohibited Breath】, firmly locking their vitality within their bodies, but the cold aura from all around continuously surged in. Even with their cultivation, they still felt a strong discomfort.
“Drip, drip, drip…”
Strange-shaped withered trees appeared before them, and water droplets condensed from Yin Qi slowly dripped down.
At this moment, the Tea house behind them had completely disappeared. The two were silent for a while, their brows deeply furrowed as they walked, seemingly preoccupied with their own thoughts.
A moment later, Ning Wuye suddenly asked, “Where… should we look for Senior Brother Fu?”
Zhong Kui Yueji took out a compass and tapped it a few times, marking over a dozen locations. These were precisely the Law areas Mo Li Lan had previously indicated.
He focused on the compass and said, “Senior Brother Fu left the Tea house to search for Law power.”
“Given Senior Brother Fu’s personality, his first outing will undoubtedly be primarily for exploration. He definitely wouldn’t venture directly into the depths of You Su Tomb.”
“Therefore, he should have gone to the outermost Law area of You Su Tomb, not too far from here.”
Ning Wuye glanced at the compass and asked in confusion, “But we don’t even know where in You Su Tomb this is. How can we determine which side is the deep part of You Su Tomb and which side is the outer part?”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Kui Yueji shook his head slightly, then said, “The further north the compass points, the denser the Law areas are. This indicates that the north must be the deep part of You Su Tomb.”
Ning Wuye immediately understood his meaning, nodded, and said, “Then we’ll go to the Law areas in the south.”
Zhong Kui Yueji nodded, “Let’s go!”
The two immediately changed direction according to the compass’s indication and headed south.
※ ※ ※
Inside the earthen house.
The oil lamp flickered violently, and the fruits on the offering table became increasingly dim in color.
“Creak.”
“Bang.”
The crude wooden door kept opening, closing, opening, closing…
One Pei Ling after another walked in.
At this moment, the entire earthen house was already packed with Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling.
All the Fu Xuanxu were identical in appearance, aura, expression, and Magic Treasure.
However, not all the Pei Ling were the same.
Although their appearance and expression were identical, there were obvious differences in the strength of their auras. The first Pei Ling who entered was distinctly different from the others.
Seeing more and more of himself enter, Pei Ling was quickly squeezed into a corner of the room.
He had secretly cast 【Grievance Nightmare Divine Power】, but he couldn’t detect any hatred from the Ghosts.
Gradually, layer upon layer of coldness, like insects, slowly crept over his entire body.
A strong sense of dread told him that something was about to happen and he had to leave immediately!
Pei Ling forced himself to calm down. He couldn’t leave now!
Forcibly leaving would immediately draw the attention of all the Ghosts!
This house was a Law area marked by True Immortal Will, and from the current situation, the Law here was most likely to replicate all Cultivators who entered this place!
And these replicated entities were all Ghosts!
“Creak.”
“Bang.”
The door continued to open and close, and another Pei Ling entered. This time, the Pei Ling who entered had a significantly stronger aura than the previous ones.
Although he still wasn’t as strong as the true Pei Ling, he was already very close.
Pei Ling immediately frowned. The Pei Ling replicated by this house at first were only at the Nine Tribulation Transformation God stage. But the one who just entered was already above Nine Tribulation!
Realizing this, he suddenly thought of a very important point: so many Ghosts had gathered in this house, but they hadn’t attacked him. This was because the Law here wanted to replicate an identical version of him!
“Fu Xuanxu…”
Pei Ling immediately looked at the Fu Xuanxu in the room, but saw that all the Fu Xuanxu’s appearances, auras, and expressions were identical. He couldn’t tell the real from the fake at all.
This room had likely completed a perfect replication of Fu Xuanxu!
He had to act immediately; there was no time to continue gathering clues!
Thinking of this, Pei Ling immediately chanted in his mind, “System, I want to Cultivate. One-click Hosting 【Nether Sky Great Dream】!”
“Ding dong! Intelligent Cultivation System is dedicated to serving you! One-click Hosting, intelligent upgrade! Starting Hosting cultivation now. Friendly reminder: During cultivation, the host will lose control of their body. Please do not panic…”
“Ding dong! Detecting 【Nether Sky Great Dream】 requires…”
“Ding dong! Law power detected…”
“Ding dong! The System will provide you with Law power for free…”
Chapter 1017: All Taoist Companions. (Fourth update! Please subscribe!)
Tea house.
Outside the glazed window, white mist rolled like boiling water.
Among the hazy shadows, countless misty Ghosts seemed to bare their fangs and claws, racking their brains to rush into the building.
On the seat at the end of the long corridor, Mo Li Lan sat with her robes neatly arranged, her eyes closed in meditation.
Li Lieyue and Yan Minghua each occupied a corner, facing each other from a distance, concentrating on their Cultivation.
Time slowly passed, and after an unknown period, Mo Li Lan suddenly stiffened, becoming completely motionless.
Noticing the anomaly, Li Lieyue immediately stopped Cultivating and instantly looked towards her.
Although this Mo Li Lan had the Fallen Immortal Will hidden within her, she was also Junior Brother Pei's Incarnation. As long as she was fine, it would prove that Junior Brother Pei was safe and sound. Therefore, when the Ghost disguised as Junior Brother Pei and Fu Xuanxu entered the Tea house, the three Pseudo-Dao cultivators were very worried about Fu Xuanxu's life and death, but Li Lieyue was not worried about Junior Brother Pei's safety at all.
But at this moment...
"Senior?" Li Lieyue immediately asked tentatively. Mo Li Lan's state seemed off at the moment, and it was very likely that something had happened to Junior Brother Pei!
At this time, Yan Minghua also realized the problem, and likewise stopped Cultivating, looking towards Mo Li Lan. With a thought, she quickly asked, "Senior, are there Ghosts approaching the Tea house?"
She didn't know that Mo Li Lan was Pei Ling's Incarnation, and thought it was the Fallen Immortal Will sensing some change in the outside world.
Mo Li Lan gave no response, remaining completely motionless, as if she had suddenly turned into a statue.
Seeing that her situation was even worse than imagined, Li Lieyue's expression gradually changed.
Yan Minghua's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she also showed a look of suspicion. What happened to the Fallen Immortal Will?
Just as Li Lieyue "whooshed" to her feet, preparing to leave the Tea house to find Pei Ling, Mo Li Lan suddenly relaxed, instantly regaining control of her body.
However, her face, for a moment, was very unsightly.
Li Lieyue, who was about to turn around, immediately stopped and asked, "Senior Mo, did something happen to Junior Brother Pei?"
Mo Li Lan glanced at her, then said coldly, "He's fine."
Upon hearing this, Li Lieyue's mountain-like brows furrowed slightly. Mo Li Lan was Junior Brother Pei's Incarnation; her condition was clearly abnormal just now. Even if she had recovered now, Junior Brother Pei's main body...
Was he really fine?
With her thoughts rapidly turning, Li Lieyue immediately said, "I also want to go out to search for the Law of power. Please, Senior, impart a spell that can discern Ghost disguises."
Seeing Li Lieyue suddenly eager to go out, Yan Minghua's brows furrowed even tighter. For Li Lieyue to be so anxious, did something happen to Saint Peiling of Chongming Sect?
This is bad!
Pei Ling should be with Senior Brother Fu right now. Since even the Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity has had an accident, Senior Brother Fu's situation must be even more critical!
Thinking of this, Yan Minghua quickly followed up, saying, "Junior also wishes to go find the Law of power for Senior. Please, Senior, impart a defensive spell."
At this moment, Mo Li Lan's complexion had gradually recovered. Hearing their words, she immediately replied, "Immortal Friend Pei asked me to look after the two of you, but this is limited to within the Tea house."
"Once the two of you leave the Tea house, whether you live or die will be left to fate."
"Even if you are Immortal Friend Pei's Dao Companion, it is the same."
Upon hearing this, Li Lieyue and Yan Minghua both froze simultaneously.
Li Lieyue immediately looked at Yan Minghua, only to see Yan Minghua immediately say coldly, "Senior has misunderstood! Every Disciple of the Demonic Sect is evil, and this Pei Ling is even more wicked and infamous, even going so far as to not spare the Chongming Sect Master's wife."
"When did I, Yan Minghua, become the Dao Companion of such a Devil Head?"
Seeing Yan Minghua speak so disparagingly of Junior Brother Pei, Li Lieyue snorted coldly and immediately said, "Pseudo-Dao is Pseudo-Dao! If Junior Brother Pei hadn't intervened just now, you all would have died in the human skin lantern. Now that Junior Brother Pei isn't here, you slander him behind his back. Is the dignified Heavenly Maiden of Su Zhen Heaven such a two-faced, gossiping villain? You're even less straightforward than a common shrew!"
"Junior Brother Pei is the Saint of my Saint Sect, a peerless Prodigy of Myriad Tribulations Soul Transformation!"
"For him to favor you is your great fortune!"
"You should immediately kneel and give thanks, and offer your Master and Junior Sister as well!"
Yan Minghua was instantly enraged, glaring at Li Lieyue and shouting, "How dare a mere Nascent Soul demoness be so presumptuous?! Don't think I'm like you, eating anything! If that Devil Head Pei Ling dares to touch a single hair on me, I will definitely not let him off!"
Li Lieyue sneered, but she knew clearly in her heart.
This Yan Minghua was the Heavenly Maiden of Su Zhen Heaven, so it was impossible for her to be Junior Brother Pei's Dao Companion.
The current situation must be a mistake by the Fallen Immortal Will, but since the words had reached this point, it was absolutely impossible to weaken the prestige of the Holy Path!
Therefore, she continued, "Is that so? Then when Junior Brother Pei returns, I'll let Junior Brother Pei touch you all over, in front of Fu Xuanxu, Zhong Kui Yueji, and Ning Wuye."
Yan Minghua's expression turned cold, her Divine Thought firmly locked onto Li Lieyue, and killing intent gradually condensed in her eyes...
Just as the two were about to fight on the spot, Mo Li Lan said indifferently, "Stop arguing!"
Saying that, she looked at Yan Minghua and continued, "You have already been refined into a Cauldron by Immortal Friend Pei. I cannot be mistaken."
"But since Immortal Friend Pei says you are a Dao Companion, then you are a Dao Companion. There's nothing to argue about."
Upon hearing this, Yan Minghua became even more furious. She was Pei Ling's Cauldron??
Could it be that this Fallen Immortal Will... Wait!
Cauldron?!
Yan Minghua suddenly calmed down. Previously, in the "Eerie" Creek Noon Academy in Che Prefecture, she had indeed been cultivated by a demonic cultivator, but at that time, she only knew that the other party's alias was "Wang Gao," and afterward, she never found any trace of the other party...
Thinking of this, she suddenly realized something. Wang Gao was Pei Ling!
The strange feeling that had been growing in her heart since she met Pei Ling this time was because she was his Cauldron!
While Yan Minghua was silent, Li Lieyue was also surprised. Yan Minghua was Junior Brother Pei's Cauldron?
How could this be!
Most likely, the Fallen Immortal Will made a mistake. She had never heard Junior Brother Pei mention this matter!
Thinking of this, Li Lieyue's thoughts turned, and she immediately said, "The Heavenly Maiden of Su Zhen Heaven, one of the Nine Great Sects, is indeed qualified to be Junior Brother Pei's registered Cauldron."
"But whether you can truly establish your identity as a Cauldron depends on whether you serve him diligently in the future."
Yan Minghua immediately snapped back to reality, and instantly changed her tone, replying indifferently, "Whether Dao Companion or Cauldron, Fellow Daoist Pei and I are deeply in love and do not care about titles or status. This is a perfect match, a golden and jade bond."
"It's not like you, demoness, who are only with Pei Ling because of the demonic Sect's rules. Ultimately, it's for Family interests, Sect power..."
Li Lieyue's expression clearly froze. This Yan Minghua, just now she was vehemently reprimanding Junior Brother Pei, and now suddenly it's deep love and a golden and jade bond... Could it be that her head was caught in a door?
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Chapter 1018: False and True. (First update! Please subscribe!)
Earthen house.
The oil lamp flickered, casting the room in alternating dim yellow and deep gloom.
The fruits offered on the altar had lost their luster, exuding an old, decaying odor.
The lamplight cast various strange shapes on the four walls; the bamboo hat, straw cape, straw sandals, and half-braided hemp rope hanging on the wall all dragged out bizarre shadows.
The entire earthen house was now completely filled, with Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling standing everywhere.
As the System's notification sounded, Pei Ling immediately lost control of his body. The next moment, under the System's manipulation, he directly grabbed a nearby Incarnation of Fu Xuanxu. A burst of Saber Qi instantly severed its neck!
"Plop."
The head of Fu Xuanxu's Incarnation fell, but no blood flowed from the severed neck.
Pei Ling's heart stirred, and he immediately knew that this Incarnation of Fu Xuanxu was fake!
In an instant, all the Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling in the entire house looked towards him.
At the same time, the beheaded Incarnation of Fu Xuanxu showed no signs of immediate death. Its head, which had fallen to the ground, immediately let out a painful roar: "I am an Incarnation of Fu Xuanxu!!"
"I am a true Incarnation!"
"Holy Son Pei, you cannot kill me!!"
As the Incarnation roared furiously, its face began to twist and contort, and its torso gradually became suffused with monstrous hatred.
This hatred grew increasingly terrifying, gradually spreading throughout the entire earthen house.
Infected by this hatred, the other Fu Xuanxu and other Pei Ling also began to generate immense hatred around them.
Countless surges of hatred billowed, almost solidifying.
At this moment, they all spoke, angrily questioning: "Holy Son Pei, why did you attack my Incarnation?"
"No! That is my Incarnation!"
"I am the Incarnation of the main body!"
"We all are!"
"I am Pei Ling, you are fake!"
"That's right, you are fake, we are real!!"
The oil lamp on the offering table grew increasingly faint, as if the oil was about to run out. The room clearly darkened, and the strange shadows cast on the wall gradually began to still, as if the Ghosts had chosen their target and were preparing to hunt.
The expressions of all the Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling grew increasingly unsettling. They stared fixedly at Pei Ling, their gazes venomous and chilling.
A dense Yin Qi quietly diffused, and the temperature throughout the earthen house plummeted, instantly feeling like an ice cellar, so cold that one's breath could turn into ice.
Pei Ling's vigilance reached its peak, but his body was currently controlled by the System. As if nothing was amiss, he immediately extended five fingers, gripping the neck wound of the headless torso, and began to circulate his magic power, vigorously absorbing the power within it.
Soon, he felt a strange power, indescribable by words and incomprehensible by thought, gradually emerge within him. This was very similar to the Law power granted by the System when he Cultivated the Decree of Life and Death in Due Abyss last time!
However, compared to the Law power from Due Abyss, this current mysterious power was cold and eerie, like a nimble, hidden snake silently moving through his body.
The beheaded Incarnation of Fu Xuanxu gradually shriveled.
The room became extremely quiet for a moment.
The next moment, all the Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling looking at Pei Ling revealed expressions of intense hatred.
Almost all Divine Thoughts locked onto Pei Ling.
The oil lamp was like a bean, threatening to extinguish at any moment. The entire room was filled with dense shadows, as if countless evil spirits had quietly surrounded Pei Ling.
A chilling Aura raged, and the straw cape and bamboo hat on the walls were already tinged with frost and snow.
Pei Ling's face remained unperturbed as he formed various hand seals.
At this moment, black Qi gradually emanated from the ground, and the Nether Sky Mist began to spread.
All the Fu Xuanxu took out their Wooden Ruyi, their Aura surging with rising killing intent; all the Pei Ling also drew their Nine Soul Sabers from behind them, their bloody Saber Qi surging, and their violent Auras intertwined like an angry tide.
Seeing all the Ghosts about to act, Pei Ling's heart immediately sank. He had originally thought that this absorption of Law power would be like the last time in Due Abyss, where the System would proceed silently, at most forcibly controlling the Incarnation Mo Li Lan.
But he didn't expect that the System had no intention of summoning the Incarnation Mo Li Lan this time, but instead directly attacked the surrounding Ghosts!
This was bad...
However, at this moment, a towering silhouette of a green mountain suddenly appeared in the sky, smashing down towards all the Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling in the house!
Boom!!!
Mountain silhouettes appeared one after another, blood-colored Saber Qi slashed out one after another, and spells and Saber light burst forth, instantly shattering the mountain silhouettes.
All the Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling looked towards a Fu Xuanxu not far from Pei Ling.
At this moment, Pei Ling heard a voice transmission: "Holy Son Pei, I'll hold them off for a while!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Ling's heart stirred. The real Fu Xuanxu had acted.
However, with the opponent's strength, he probably wouldn't be able to hold on for long!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
The next moment, countless mountain silhouettes appeared out of thin air, overlapping like thousands of roaring mountains, and blood-colored Saber Qi roared like Dragons, dense as rain, falling upon Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling.
Fu Xuanxu did not hesitate, immediately taking out a scroll and throwing it into the air.
The scroll quickly unfurled, revealing layers of mountains and rivers, majestic landscapes. Amidst the ethereal mist, nine grand mountain peaks stood prominently, surrounded by countless perilous peaks, verdant waters, and clear streams.
The magnificent mountains and rivers floated out from the scroll, meeting all the attacks.
Boom boom boom!!
Immense shockwaves scattered, and bloody Saber Qi surged like a tangible substance. The entire room seemed to have a hurricane rise from flat ground, and the violent wind howled in all directions, pulling out sharp, piercing screams as it passed through various furnishings and objects.
Like the furious wails of Ghosts.
The earthen house seemed unremarkable, but such massive spell impacts and rampant Saber Qi failed to cause any damage to it.
Not even a speck of dust fell from the four earthen walls, and the numerous furnishings and farming tools hanging on the walls were not damaged in the slightest.
Fu Xuanxu was about to continue using his techniques when seven or eight Pei Ling vanished from their original spots like Ghosts, instantly appearing beside him. This was the Chongming Sect's Five Ghost Sky Net Escape!
These Pei Ling attacked simultaneously, their Nine Soul Saber Qi majestic and imbued with endless killing intent, all slashing towards Fu Xuanxu!
Fu Xuanxu's expression changed. These were Pei Ling impersonated by Ghosts. Although none of them had reached the Ten Thousand Tribulations Nascent Divinity stage, and their demonic sabers were merely props, their Late Stage Soul Transformation Cultivation was consistent with the real Pei Ling.
With so many Pei Ling attacking at once, a slight misstep could mean death!
Thinking of this, he was about to fight to the death when an Incarnation suddenly rushed out from the side, directly pouncing on those few Pei Ling.
The Incarnation's Aura surged as it pounced, and its entire body began to swell.
Boom!!!
With an earth-shattering roar, the Incarnation self-destructed!
Chapter 1019: Pier. (Second update! Please subscribe!)
Countless flesh and blood scattered, raining down with a crash.
With the real Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu at the center, all other Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu were blasted away!
The blood rain, halfway through its descent, reverted to its true form, transforming into green water droplets with the fresh scent of grass and trees.
These water droplets were crystal clear and lustrous, like pearls and jade. Upon landing, they quickly seeped into the ground, giving rise to clusters of emerald green spiritual plants.
The spiritual plants resembled common mountain flora, their branches and leaves like jadeite, crystal clear. In their centers, several flower stalks clustered, revealing rice-grain-sized buds of vibrant red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, soft and round like pom-poms.
A refreshing, subtle fragrance quietly diffused, invigorating the mind and body, and for a moment, it temporarily dispelled the Yin Qi and gloom in the room.
However, although those Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu were not their true bodies, their strength was still extremely formidable. The self-detonation of a Nascent Soul Stage Incarnation, besides causing them some minor injuries, did not result in a single death.
In just a moment, all the Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu stood up again, and the wounds on their bodies were recovering at a rapid pace, without a single drop of blood flowing out.
Seeing that his true Incarnation had self-detonated to save him, Fu Xuanxu took a deep breath, and the Wooden Ruyi in his hand slowly floated up.
The surrounding Pei Ling and Fu Xuanxu attacked again. Layers of mountain shadows and whistling Saber Qi burst forth, countless attacks like surging waves, mighty and turbulent, as if to engulf both Fu Xuanxu and Pei Ling!
Beholding this scene, like the end of the world, Fu Xuanxu immediately cast a spell. The Wooden Ruyi suspended above his head let out a mournful cry, instantly bursting forth with dazzling light…
At the same time, under the System's control, Pei Ling just completed the final spell for the Nether Sky Grand Dream!
※ ※ ※
Within the white mist.
“Drip, drip, drip…”
Water droplets condensed from Yin Qi continuously dripped, and besides that, there was a deathly silence.
Ning Wuye and Zhong Kui Yueji walked slowly. Around them, clusters of crimson spiritual flames hovered, encircling them. These spiritual flames were brightly colored, yet they could only illuminate a small area. Beyond two steps, nothing else could be perceived.
Now, all the flames suddenly tilted towards their backs.
The two immediately concealed all their auras and retreated backward.
After a moment, heavy footsteps came from the white mist ahead, and a massive silhouette lumbered past.
The Ghost was tall and immense, like a small hill. Its shape was bizarre, neither truly an object nor a non-object, neither truly an alien race nor a non-alien race… A vast amount of Yin Qi, with the Ghost's every step, rapidly encroached in all directions.
“Crack”… “Crack”…
Accompanied by crisp cracking sounds, thin ice spread all the way.
The sound of Yin Qi water droplets dripping instantly vanished, as they were frozen on the branches.
Feeling the Returning Void Stage aura of the Ghost, both of them looked solemn, holding their breath and hiding in the shadows, waiting motionless.
After a good while, the Ghost moved away, its figure completely disappearing into the mist. Only then did the two secretly let out a sigh of relief.
A Returning Void Stage Ghost was something they, with their current strength, could not possibly deal with.
Moreover, this was You Su Tomb.
Once detected by such a Ghost, they would have nowhere to escape!
After checking the surrounding spiritual flames again and confirming there was no immediate danger, the two continued their journey.
Zhong Kui Yueji transmitted, “The Spell of Prohibited Breath given by Senior Mo is truly formidable. Our cultivation has just entered the Soul Transformation Stage, yet by using this spell, we can remain undetected by a Returning Void Stage Ghost in a place like You Su Tomb, where myriad Ghosts reside.”
They had encountered many Ghosts on their way here.
But with the Zhong Kui Clan's secret art, Hearts of the People, they could always detect the approaching Ghosts a step ahead, while the Ghosts could not detect them.
Although the Hearts of the People, which refined the invisible and intangible popular support under the Imperial Dynasty's rule into crimson spiritual flames, could perceive all disasters, demons, Ghosts, miasma, and other things Mortals were unwilling to face, if not for this Spell of Prohibited Breath, the two would have died countless times over!
Upon hearing this, Ning Wuye transmitted, “She is a Fallen Immortal Will, possessing special means, so it's not surprising. I just don't know how Pei Ling managed to bring this wisp of Fallen Immortal Will out of the Eternal Night Desert.”
Zhong Kui Yueji transmitted, “Perhaps it's related to his Myriad Tribulations Nascent Divinity back then, but no matter what, the Spell of Prohibited Breath having such an effect is not a bad thing for us right now.”
Ning Wuye nodded slightly, but his heart still felt heavy.
While the Spell of Prohibited Breath was useful, in a dangerous place like You Su Tomb, their current cultivation and strength were far from enough. This time, he wondered how many of them would return alive…
Just then, the mist around them suddenly began to thin.
The originally thick, almost solid white mist gradually became as light as gauze, rapidly dissipating.
Looking at the Law land getting closer and closer on the compass, the two immediately composed themselves, becoming even more cautious as they walked.
Soon, their vision suddenly cleared, revealing a boundless expanse of ocean!
However, this place was clearly deep in the ocean. The vast sea surface was not the usual azure, nor even the blue-gray of an overcast day, but a strange, inky black.
The sea was very calm at the moment, with shimmering waves occasionally flashing within the inky blackness.
“Splash,” “splash,” “splash”…
Waves, one after another, crashed against the rocks on the shore.
The rocks were riddled with holes, and in countless large and small depressions, sand and pebbles were repeatedly washed and scoured exceptionally clean. However, there was no sign of any living creatures within them.
Above the rocks, there was a wooden pier, with several tall flagpoles standing along the coast. At their tops hung windproof lanterns, all lit with flames. The flames were bone-white and eerie, swaying freely with the sea breeze, yet showing no sign of extinguishing.
A long boardwalk extended all the way into the sea.
The pier was already very old. In many places, there were traces of heavy cartwheels, crisscrossing and difficult to erase. The railings, foundation stones, steps… and other areas were adorned with intricate patterns. A slight discernment revealed auspicious designs such as abundant harvests, favorable weather, prosperity every year, thriving livestock, and peace year after year.
It seemed to have once been a very lively and prosperous place.
However, now, under the dual erosion of sea wind and seawater, the original paint had long since peeled, and many areas had rotted and frayed, emitting a salty, putrid smell, making it appear extremely old and dilapidated.
At this moment, in the distance on the sea, an equally old fishing boat, with its sails billowing, was riding the wind and waves, rapidly approaching the pier.
※ ※ ※
Tea house.
The white mist outside the glazed window had temporarily ceased, drifting freely like smoke.
In the long corridor, Mo Li Lan gently swept her wide sleeves, and the wooden door slammed shut.
Immortal Friend Pei's two Dao Companions had also left the Tea house.
Mo Li Lan continued to rest with her eyes closed.
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