Si State.
“Chi’er, take this Blood Demon Moon-Worshipping Finger technique your Uncle-Master has gifted you. Practice it diligently, and once you’ve mastered the basics, test its power on the Qitian Plains battlefield,” said Huo Wuji.
Li Chi immersed his divine sense into the jade slip containing the secret technique. His face lit up with excitement. “Thank you, Uncle Master!”
Having recently returned from the Demon-Sealing Array and emerged from seclusion, Huo Wuji now appeared vigorous, bolstered by the Tianxie Sect’s resources. Stroking his beard, he continued, “Go now and study well. The more you kill, the more potent this technique becomes. With enough practice, you might even slay Yuan Ying realm cultivators above your level.”
Li Chi expressed his gratitude profusely. As he was about to leave, he hesitated and asked, “These past few days, the demonic sects in Si State have been bustling about the opportunity you mentioned. That spot in the Ghost State…”
Sensing Li Chi’s interest, Huo Wuji replied, “While borrowing the power to ascend to the Transformation realm is indeed a shortcut, you’re a prodigy of our Si State. Even if you don’t become an emperor, you’re destined to rule a State. Advancing to the Transformation realm by borrowing another’s realm insights has its drawbacks.”
Li Chi nodded, “Uncle Master’s guidance is wise. But what about Senior Brother Yin?”
A flicker passed through the depths of Huo Wuji’s eyes. “His talent is mediocre. He’s spent years trapped in the Demon-Sealing Array for my sake. Though we of the demonic path don’t speak much of gratitude, I must repay this karmic debt to achieve peace of mind and challenge the first decline of the Celestial realm. However, you make a good point. When the time comes for the Ghost State expedition, let’s have Mian’er join as well.”
Hearing that his sister would have this opportunity, Li Chi’s expression brightened. He took the jade slip and departed.
As the doors to the Vice Sect Leader’s hall slowly closed, Huo Wuji rose from his seat in the dim candlelight. In the thick darkness, his eyes began to glow with an eerie, ghostly light.
Huo Wuji passed through the rear hall and entered a sealed chamber. He stood to one side like a puppet. Moments later, similar ghostly lights appeared in the darkness above, twinkling like infernal remnants.
After an indeterminate time, behind several dim candles in the center of the chamber, a figure let out a soft sigh. His expression seemed both exasperated and amused.
“Truly troublesome. I should have kept them on a tighter leash from the start.”
As his voice echoed, the surrounding ghostly candles faded, gradually transforming into a moonlight-like hue. This illuminated the figure in the chamber, who appeared to have just completed an extremely complex spell. A bead of sweat trickled down his smooth cheek, tracing his neck before disappearing into the perfect curve of his collarbone.
The hidden ghostly fires remained motionless. Suddenly, Huo Wuji spoke, “The Dao Yuan has been restored. As for the ghostly abilities… they will be perfected after the Ghost State expedition.”
Qi Yang didn’t respond. Instead, he stared at his incomplete right hand with a touch of fondness. After a moment, he curled his five fingers, and a golden core radiating pure, righteous energy appeared in his palm.
It looked exactly like something a perfect orthodox cultivator would possess.
Yet in the candlelight, Qi Yang’s shadow mimicked his movement precisely, but in its palm flickered ghostly fire with a black demonic flower blooming at its core.
Dao Yuan and ghost form – no one could have imagined he was cultivating both paths simultaneously.
“The three-month deadline has arrived. I’ll go to Long City to fetch her. I leave Si State’s arrangements to you all. If I’m not mistaken, we’ll need them after the Long City gathering.” With these words, his form gradually vanished.
In the chamber, the vacant-eyed Huo Wuji and the other entities hidden in the darkness slowly knelt.
“We, the undead, respectfully bid farewell to… the Lord of the Yellow Springs Hell.”
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Yin State, Nan Yan wore an expression of utter bewilderment.
After the thunder eagle’s attack and hearing the Leis’ panicked cries about a Yin Zhu, she extended her divine sense but saw no trace of it. Instead, she witnessed all the Foundation Establishment Lei clan members falling from the sky, their fates uncertain. The only one left standing, the Yuan Ying realm cultivator Eighth Uncle Lei, now bore a hint of ashen defeat on his face.
When Eighth Uncle Lei saw Nan Yan unharmed, lightning-attribute spiritual energy erupted within a hundred-zhang radius.
“My lifespan… my lifespan!” Eighth Uncle Lei, suddenly appearing decades older, lunged at her in a frenzy. “You demonic monk! How dare you summon a Yin Zhu to drain my life force! Return my hundred years of longevity!”
Nan Yan, seeing no Yin Zhu within her divine sense range, observed Eighth Uncle Lei. Though his aura remained formidable, his spiritual power had diminished significantly from earlier when she could barely breathe. It seemed the Yin Zhu had drained much of his power as well.
As she retreated, she said, “From what I see, Master Lei, with only twenty years of life left, you’re unlikely to reach the Transformation realm. Why not consider returning home to enjoy your remaining days with your children and grandchildren? That way, you’ll have no regrets when you pass on to the next life.”
Foundation Establishment cultivators lived for 100 years, Core Formation for 150, Yuan Ying for 300, and Transformation realm cultivators were said to have a thousand-year lifespan.
The Yuan Ying stage was particularly challenging. Many exhausted their 300 years stuck in early Yuan Ying. Some wealthy cultivators used life-extending pills and other rare treasures to increase their lifespan to 500 years, but without a breakthrough, they too would eventually return to dust.
Having lost a full hundred years of his already precious Yuan Ying lifespan to Yin Zhu, how could Eighth Uncle Lei not be furious?
“Die! I’ll extract your soul and refine your spirit, you demonic monk!” Eighth Uncle Lei roared, unleashing a storm of lightning to strike Nan Yan.
Just as the lightning net was about to descend, Nan Yan felt a tug at her collar. Someone threw her back towards the remaining Long City cultivators supporting their companions.
Simultaneously, a prairie fire erupted, consuming a portion of the sky.
From her safe position, Nan Yan shook her prayer beads and called out, “Big brother, you’re awake! Are you hungry? Want to fight first?”
Mu Zhanting emerged from his meditation, his pupils blazing with fiery intensity.
“Take Ah Yan and flee. I’ll handle this alone and face the consequences!”
The Long City cultivators were speechless.
Nan Yan, accustomed to this, turned to ask them, “Is my big brother always this reckless?”
A Long City cultivator replied, “The day after the Imperial Son reached Core Formation, he encountered a Yuan Ying early-stage cultivator on the battlefield and successfully escaped. Now, it seems the Imperial Son is on the verge of another breakthrough. He might have a chance to defeat a Yuan Ying cultivator despite the realm difference!”
As they spoke, Mu Zhanting’s flames had completely incinerated Eighth Uncle Lei’s lightning net. Fury blazed in the latter’s eyes as he drew a bone spear from his storage ring.
The spear tip dripped with blood, exuding a fierce, violent aura.
“A demonic cultivator’s spiritual treasure?”
Eighth Uncle Lei’s gaze turned icy. As he activated the bone spear, a massive demonic aura coalesced around it. “With this Blood Soul Bone Spear, I’ve slain mid-stage Yuan Ying cultivators before. Step aside, boy. While I won’t kill you, I can destroy your spiritual roots. Then Chen State won’t want a useless cripple participating in the Mountain and Sea Forbidden Sect!”
“Old fool, I’ll show you true ferocity… Ah Yan!”
“Yes, yes, coming.” Nan Yan, anticipating this moment, sighed softly. She channeled all her Buddhist power to materialize a chain of Buddhist sutras in her palm. Pale-faced from the effort, she tossed the chain to Mu Zhanting. “It’s a Yuan Ying-level demonic treasure. I did my best.”
“It’s enough,” Mu Zhanting caught the chain and addressed the supporting Long City cultivators without turning. “Leave now. Return to Chen State. I’ll join you after I behead this old fool.”
“Insolent brat!”
Amidst the chaotic sounds of battle, Nan Yan had no time to look back as the Long City cultivators ushered her into a teleportation array.
After using four consecutive arrays in the span of half a cup of tea, Nan Yan emerged to the sound of crashing waves. Three imposing ships, each thirty zhang tall, were docked at the shore. Three Yuan Ying auras emanated from the vessels.
Reassured by this sight, Nan Yan asked, “Are they here to pick up my big brother?”
A female Yuan Ying cultivator with a dragon scale pattern on her forehead descended from one ship. She fixed her gaze on Nan Yan and replied, “No, we’re here on the Dragon Lord’s orders to escort you.”
Nan Yan: “Huh?”
Five days later, Mu Zhanting returned to Chen State’s northern coast, travel-worn. He had battled the Yuan Ying cultivator until midnight, barely managing to behead Eighth Uncle Lei. Before leaving, he discovered a kill order in another pursuing cultivator’s storage ring.
The order, sealed by the Empress Dowager, promised a God Ascension Pill to anyone who killed the Buddhist cultivator Zhengyuan, regardless of their clan. It included Nan Yan’s portrait and warned she might disguise herself as Nanfang Zhu to confuse pursuers, authorizing a kill-first policy for anyone resembling Nanfang Zhu.
Enraged, Mu Zhanting used a secret technique to contact Qi Yang in Si State. After hearing the situation, Qi Yang told him to wait a day for something special.
What Mu Zhanting received was indeed special—a thousand Yin Zhu.
Initially terrified, Mu Zhanting repeatedly confirmed with Qi Yang that he hadn’t been possessed. After half a day of interaction, realizing the Yin Zhu wouldn’t harm him, he grew bolder. Masked and accompanied by the thousand Yin Zhu, he ambushed Yuan Ying cultivators pursuing the God Ascension Pill throughout Yin State.
In some regions, Yin Zhu were considered evil spirits. While Yuan Ying cultivators could escape them, even the slightest contact would reduce their lifespan.
Yuan Ying powerhouses across Yin State’s southern prefectures and cities fell victim to mysterious attacks. Some lost their storage rings; others wouldn’t live to see the next New Year.
Only after receiving an urgent message from Long City did Mu Zhanting return, laden with spoils.
On the ninth day of the ninth month, Mu Zhanting arrived in Long City, battered but alive.
Initially relieved to see the city gates, his unease grew as he noticed numerous angry carriages bearing Yin State emblems entering the imposing gates. Grabbing a passing cultivator, he asked, “What’s happening? Why are there so many Yin State carriages?”
The cultivator replied nervously, “It’s all because of our Imperial Son’s actions. They say he used underhanded methods to drain the lifespans of over thirty Yuan Ying masters from Yin State, cutting off their path to ascension. Yin State has come seeking justice.”
Mu Zhanting relaxed. “Oh, is that all? I thought it was something serious.”
“No, you don’t understand! The Dragon Lord had invited powerful figures from various States to celebrate the Imperial Son’s birthday. Now, with Yin State cultivators blocking the gates, he’s lost face and is furious!” As the cultivator finished speaking, a massive thunderclap echoed from Long City’s direction, causing him to pale. “Thunder on a clear day—the Dragon Lord must be enraged. I… I think I’ll stay in my cave dwelling outside the city today.”
Mu Zhanting stood at the city gates for a long while, watching cultivators flee en masse. After careful consideration, he donned every piece of protective armor from his storage ring before entering.
To his surprise, the streets inside were deserted.
In the center, just beyond the gates, sat a handsome man with a fierce expression. He lounged on a chair, holding a whip, his vertical pupils fixed menacingly on Mu Zhanting.
Mu Zhanting: “…”
Mu Zhanting: “Dragon Lord, aren’t you busy? Um… don’t you need to manage the war in Si State?”
The Ao Imperial Clan’s Dragon Lord of Chen State had personally come to confront him, abandoning all other matters.
The Dragon Lord stared at Mu Zhanting for a moment before sneering and standing up. He pointed his whip at the thousand-year-old plaque above the city gate. “Do you know how to read these two characters?”
Mu Zhanting looked up. “It says ‘Long City.'”
Suddenly, a whip lashed out, knocking Mu Zhanting to the ground.
The Dragon Lord, his expression terrifying, raised the whip again. “If you can’t read, I’ll teach you once more.”
“What?”
The Dragon Lord pointed at the characters with his whip.
“It reads ‘Protect! Your! Woman!’ Do you understand now?!”
Mu Zhanting: “…”
“You’re the Imperial Son of Chen State, yet you couldn’t protect one fragile girl? When he hit you, why didn’t you invoke my name? Why didn’t you threaten to have me destroy his entire clan if he dared touch you? You’re an absolute disgrace!”