Before the eight corridors, in the mountain cavity cave.

The last red light had been extinguished for quite some time, meaning there was no one in any of the eight corridors now, but…

Everyone’s gaze fell on the corner nearby.

Young Master Ruhua and the red butterfly stood facing each other: one wearing a robe embroidered with countless flowers, his features carrying an androgynous beauty that made him more delicate than flowers; the other in a red dress with silver butterflies flying all over it, possessing her own graceful charm and ethereal quality—the demon more enchanting than butterflies.

One person and one demon stood quite close to each other.

When Young Master Ruhua said something, the red butterfly would laugh until she trembled like a flower in the wind, and they would look at each other’s clothing while talking.

“…When will they finish chatting…”

Zuoliu was tired of waiting, slumped on the ground with a feeling of collapse.

Xiao Jin held his watermelon, hadn’t taken a bite for ages, staring blankly at Young Master Ruhua over there, murmuring in amazement: “Are these two suddenly kindred spirits, planning to talk until the end of time?”

Lu Xiangleng also smiled bitterly upon hearing this.

She looked toward the corridor Jian Chou had taken, which was now completely silent.

Glancing at Xia Houshe, who was also frowning, she thought for a moment, then finally stepped forward to address Young Master Ruhua: “Fellow Daoist Ruhua, those Shanyin Sect people and Fellow Daoist Jian Chou have all emerged from the corridors. It’s time for us to set out.”

“So your silver thread… hmm?”

Halfway through speaking, Young Master Ruhua heard Lu Xiangleng’s voice and stopped, turning to look.

Xiao Jin and Zuoliu sat on the ground looking their way; Xia Houshe wore an expressionless cold demeanor, clearly also tired of waiting; Lu Xiangleng stood at the front of the group, calm and refined, neither humble nor arrogant.

“Are we ready?”

Young Master Ruhua was somewhat surprised.

Looking back, he discovered that the several red spirit lights had already disappeared. He quickly snapped his paper fan, with some embarrassment, and laughed: “Oh my, this young master forgot the time while chatting and nearly delayed important matters.”

The red butterfly also looked back.

Young Master Ruhua then cupped his hands to her: “If there’s an opportunity in the future, I’ll definitely invite Fairy Red Butterfly to tour the Central Domain and view the scenery of the Nineteen Continents. Right now we have pressing matters, so I’m afraid we must take our leave first.”

From these words, it was clear that he and the red butterfly had done more than just chat pleasantly.

Everyone couldn’t help but be curious.

The red butterfly’s eyes showed some regret as she smiled slightly: “Very well, it’s rare to meet someone to chat with so enjoyably even in the Hidden Realm. I wish you all success in your endeavor.”

After speaking, she made way.

Young Master Ruhua smiled elegantly and looked at his companions behind him: “Fellow Daoists, let’s go.”

Lu Xiangleng had a cold personality, Xia Houshe was always unapproachable, and Zuoliu and Xiao Jin were both unreliable fellows. Now, though five people remained, the one truly suitable for making decisions had become Young Master Ruhua, this oddity.

When he spoke, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they could set out. They hurried forward to select their respective paths and headed into the corridors.

Seeing everyone about to leave, the red butterfly’s eyes showed some strange loneliness.

Young Master Ruhua looked back at her and said softly: “Until we meet again.”

“Until we meet again.”

The red butterfly nodded and watched him enter.

Xiao Jin had originally walked to the second corridor on the left, holding his watermelon, and couldn’t help but look back, just in time to see the red butterfly watching them leave.

Her figure was slender, her red dress bore exquisite patterns, and she looked quite lonely after all.

How much had Young Master Ruhua told her, and what had he learned from her?

His brow furrowed slightly, something flickered quickly in his eyes, and he finally threw himself directly into the darkness, disappearing from sight.

The entire mountain cavity cave returned to silence.

Dust floated in the air, gently drifting in the pale daylight from outside.

A sigh suddenly sounded.

“Are you also weary and want to go out and see the world?”

The red butterfly looked up at the void, at the patch of daylight outside, her voice thin and lacking her previous seductive energy, carrying only fatigue: “They say when one person attains the Dao, even chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Why does the Master still keep us in this Hidden Realm? Lijun, trapped in this small world, waiting for spiritual energy to be exhausted—are you truly resigned to this?”

“…”

That voice in the void remained silent for a long time and finally said nothing.

It seemed a ray of light departed, or perhaps it had never appeared at all.

The red butterfly slowly lowered her head. Her originally gorgeous features suddenly showed wrinkles of gray and white, and her entire being seemed to reveal age after illusions faded.

She looked again at those eight corridors, her gaze lingering on the second corridor on the left for a while, revealing an enigmatic smile before transforming back into a red butterfly.

With a flutter of wings, she flew lightly outside, disappearing into that patch of daylight.

The southeastern wilderness, located in the eastern part of the Southern Domain.

The southeastern coast had several high mountain ranges, behind which lay a narrow desert. Continuing southwest were rainforests and grasslands, and finally a vast, barely explored mountain range.

This place had special terrain, dense with miasma, seemingly unsuitable for ordinary people to live in, but beloved by various cultivators who practiced evil techniques.

Over time, the southeastern wilderness became the only gathering place for demonic cultivators in the Nineteen Continents.

Demonic forces changed frequently with constant fluctuations—today’s news often didn’t match tomorrow’s.

Under long-term slaughter and bloody baptism, the forces that could establish themselves in the wilderness all possessed deep foundations and powerful martial strength. Shanyin Sect, Puppet Sect, and Heroes’ Tomb were three such sects.

Shanyin Sect had been first for hundreds of years, with a massive sect.

Puppet Sect was always mysterious, with extremely strange behavior, rarely appearing in crowded places, keeping very low profiles.

As for Heroes’ Tomb, the last of the three paths, there was much to say about it.

Heroes’ Tomb was located in the mountain ridges near Mingri Star Sea in the northwest. That vast mountain range was called “Gentle Township” by outsiders.

On the eastern side of the mountain range stood a peak shaped like half a giant axe, which no demonic cultivator could pass over.

Looking carefully from below, one would see the mountain’s base was a mass grave with countless burial mounds. Many caves were carved into the mountain rock, often containing sitting bones of deceased cultivators, and the cliff walls held many hanging coffins.

This was the “Heroes’ Tomb” that demonic cultivators spoke of with relish.

From outside it looked gloomy and terrifying, but inside was paved with gold and jade, lined with bright pearls, with silver-inlaid carved windows and gold-plated painted corridors.

Those walking the paths were all handsome men and beautiful women, as if in a human immortal realm.

The hall was lit by deep-sea shark tears that couldn’t be bought with a thousand spirit stones, the corridors hung with soul-stirring thirty-six-layered clear sound bells, and even the wood made into tables and chairs was cut from three trees in the great fierce Xuanri Abyss of the wilderness…

Outside the ornate building, a man in a gold-woven black robe walked along the corridor, followed by two beautiful female cultivators.

The serving girls stopped at the door, bowing to the man: “The Young Sect Leader is speaking with Fragrance Master Zou inside. He says it’s fine for Senior to enter.”

After speaking, they carefully retreated six feet back and stood guard outside the door.

Qu Zhengfeng stood outside the building, looking around once, immediately knowing that what he saw was more extravagant and luxurious than all of Xue Wujiu’s furnishings in Wangjiang Tower.

Yong Zhou…

He thought the name once, said no more, and entered the room.

The floor was covered with expensive carpets, with a row of armchairs on both sides and large incense burners emitting blue smoke.

In the hall was a raised table with a hanging painting of Guanyin holding a pure vase. The brushwork was exquisite and delicate, the colors pale and elegant, emanating a transcendent quality. Below sat a small brocade box and an ancient bronze incense burner.

A peaceful man in white robes stood before the table, holding three incense sticks with both hands, slowly inserting them into the burner, then clasping his hands together and bowing three times to the painting, murmuring something.

The Seventeenth Fragrance Master Zou Lanyan, standing beside him, listened carefully to the murmuring. Seeing him finish bowing, she spoke somewhat urgently: “Young Sect Leader, that Song Lin has already gone to the Hidden Realm. Should we send people to ambush him on the road? If they obtain news of the ‘Nine Bends River Map,’ we must have him die on the way!”

“Enough…”

Casually raising his hand, the man turned around, stopping him from continuing.

“One good thought dyes the heart, ten thousand kalpas imperishable. A hundred lamps illuminate far, a thousand li shine bright. I’ve long told you all to be kind-hearted—good deeds have good rewards…”

“…”

Zou Lanyan was nearly choked to death by his “be kind-hearted” catchphrase.

His face twitched, and after a long time he finally gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge to roar: Kind-hearted my ass! We’re the demonic path, the demonic path! Young Sect Leader’s soft-hearted feminine behavior—how was he chosen by the old sect leader?! I can’t take it anymore!

Unfortunately, even if he couldn’t take it, he had to endure it.

Who told him he was just a fragrance master?

The man before him had truly ordinary features, somewhat out of place among the many handsome cultivators in Heroes’ Tomb, completely peaceful as if about to emit immortal energy.

Zou Lanyan knew in his heart that anyone who didn’t know the inside story would hardly dare believe: this was the most famous figure in the demonic path over the past ten years, from Heroes’ Tomb, who had even overshadowed Song Lin of Shanyin Sect.

First on the Third Heaven Tablet, Yong Zhou!

Yong Zhou turned around, seeing Qu Zhengfeng entering from outside, and his smile immediately became more genuine.

“Brother Qu has come from afar—Yong Zhou failed to welcome you properly.”

“Young Sect Leader Yong is too polite.”

Qu Zhengfeng walked to the center of the hall, just glancing once at the Guanyin painting hanging in the hall, his gaze also sweeping over the brocade box. Without opening it, he knew it probably contained the bone ash of some famous demonic cultivator.

This person Yong Zhou hadn’t been cultivating for long, but was someone in the demonic path who made people both cry and laugh whenever mentioned.

However, he was a ruthless character.

Waving his hand, Yong Zhou gestured for Qu Zhengfeng to sit: “When I saw Brother Qu years ago, Yong Zhou was still just an unknown nobody in Heroes’ Tomb who hadn’t been chosen by my master. Seeing you again today, Brother Qu’s cultivation has advanced further and you’re famous throughout the Nineteen Continents. Congratulations are in order.”

Stuck at the Nascent Soul stage for so long, then breaking through just like that—it probably wasn’t as simple as coincidence.

Yong Zhou knew there were suspicious points but didn’t ask at all.

Qu Zhengfeng took his seat, and immediately a cup of tea was brought up.

Yong Zhou sat across from him, his voice carrying some emotion: “When I received Brother Qu’s message recently, I arranged for the news to be leaked to Young Sect Leader Song. He led people to Qingfeng Nunnery’s Hidden Realm. But among those he brought is a Protector Yang Lie in late Core Formation stage, quite troublesome. Can this matter truly succeed?”

Those going from the Central Domain were all top figures from this generation’s small gathering.

Late Core Formation stage?

Qu Zhengfeng lifted his tea cup and took a sip, his eyes showing no emotional flaws, only smiling elegantly: “Among cultivators from the First Platform, how many are inferior to Song Lin? Moreover, Yashan and Kunwu each sent their most talented disciples. Whether it’s Jian Chou, Xie Buchen, or Song Lin who dies, it’s not a bad thing for you.”

“That makes sense.”

He was just more concerned about Song Lin’s life or death, after all, the Tongguan Station Situ Competition was coming soon.

Yong Zhou blew on the tea in his cup, glanced at Qu Zhengfeng, and wondered inwardly: Even though he’s from Yashan, after betraying them, when mentioning Yashan’s eldest senior sister Jian Chou, he shows no reaction at all…

“Pop.”

A subtle sound.

Qu Zhengfeng had already set down his tea cup and took out a one-foot-long ancient scroll from his sleeve, placing it on the table: “This is the ‘Nine Bends River Map’ you wanted to borrow and examine.”

Wh-what?!

In that instant, Zou Lanyan, who had been standing nearby listening to their conversation, felt as if lightning had struck, making him dizzy and disoriented.

Had he misheard something?

Once his gaze fell on that scroll, he couldn’t look away, his heartbeat suddenly accelerating.

A one-foot-long scroll, quite old, even with some frayed edges and damage, seemingly having passed through the hands of countless cultivators over the years, losing its original luster. But that deep, condensed brown color seemed to record one bloody storm after another surrounding it.

Too ordinary, it really looked too ordinary.

So ordinary that when Qu Zhengfeng produced it, Yong Zhou couldn’t believe this was the “Nine Bends River Map.”

Qu Zhengfeng’s hand had already left the scroll, sitting there calmly.

Yong Zhou’s eyes flashed with several rays of light. He picked up the scroll and slowly began to open it. After unrolling just two inches, he found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t open the scroll further.

“This…”

His thoughts stirred, then he sighed: “Truly worthy of being the River Map.”

Qu Zhengfeng seemed to have known this would happen and wasn’t very concerned.

The “Nine Bends River Map” was something that even great cultivators would covet. Though Yong Zhou was now at Core Formation peak and could enter Nascent Soul stage whenever he wanted, he was still several realms away from great cultivators—how could he easily open the River Map?

Countless people had died for the River Map, but they probably didn’t know that even with his current Spirit Severing cultivation, he couldn’t open this River Map.

So many people had died in vain.

Yong Zhou probably thought of this too, just setting down the River Map, his eyes showing compassion of unknown authenticity as he clasped his hands together and shook his head with a sigh: “How pitiful…”

“…”

The surrounding serving girls and Zou Lanyan immediately got goosebumps.

Qu Zhengfeng still sat there calmly, only asking: “Not looking anymore?”

“I’m someone of dull talent, taking thirty years to reach my current realm. Brother Qu, this ‘Nine Bends River Map’ is too much for me to handle—even touching it makes me worry whether this head on my shoulders will still be there tomorrow. Life is short, I won’t look anymore.”

Yong Zhou wore an expression of cherishing his life, continuing to shake his head and sitting farther from the “Nine Bends River Map.”

Zou Lanyan felt like he was about to faint.

The “Nine Bends River Map”! That was the “Nine Bends River Map”!

Even looking at it once more would be worthwhile!

He wished he could just rush forward and snatch the River Map, from then on commanding the entire southeastern wilderness, immediately becoming omnipotent…

But glancing at the unremarkable Qu Zhengfeng, Zou Lanyan’s burning enthusiasm immediately cooled: this was a newly emerged human demon from the Central Domain who killed like cutting grass…

Qu Zhengfeng had already reached out to put away the Nine Bends River Map.

He laughed once: “I thought you’d want to study it for several days. Seems it’s unnecessary.”

After speaking, he stood up.

Yong Zhou was somewhat surprised: “Brother Qu is leaving?”

Qu Zhengfeng nodded.

Yong Zhou frowned: “Brother Qu has betrayed Yashan, so the Central Domain probably can’t accommodate you. But with the vastness of the Nineteen Continents, where can’t you go without Yashan? My southeastern wilderness…”

“I’m going to Mingri Star Sea.”

Before Yong Zhou could finish, Qu Zhengfeng had already directly stated his next destination.

In that instant, Yong Zhou’s expression changed slightly—some surprise, some astonishment, and finally an expression of “so that’s how it is”: “Mingri Star Sea is quite chaotic now…”

That Qu Zhengfeng might possess the “Nine Bends River Map” was probably no secret in the Nineteen Continents.

Mingri Star Sea was chaotic and lawless, with killing dramas constantly playing out. Even with Qu Zhengfeng’s Spirit Severing cultivation, he wasn’t outstanding among the numerous rogue cultivators in Mingri Star Sea, with countless old monsters who could match him.

Choosing to go to Mingri Star Sea was both wise and risky.

Originally, Yong Zhou had wanted to use this opportunity to keep Qu Zhengfeng at Heroes’ Tomb.

Now it seemed that cultivators from Yashan, even those who betrayed Yashan, were still full of ambition. Heroes’ Tomb wasn’t small, but it couldn’t contain such a demon-turned Qu Zhengfeng.

Sighing deeply, Yong Zhou felt somewhat regretful: “If fate allows, I’ll meet Brother Qu in the Star Sea someday.”

“Hahaha…”

Qu Zhengfeng rarely laughed.

Standing by the window in this room, he looked toward the true north of Heroes’ Tomb, where Mingri Star Sea lay.

Perhaps, tomorrow would be his world.

With wind and clouds surging in his eyes, he raised his hand and pointed remotely in that direction, laughing: “Mingri Star Sea will be where I crown myself the new Sword Emperor. Young Sect Leader Yong, do you believe it or not?”

“New” Sword Emperor…

Yong Zhou suddenly drew in a sharp breath, looking at this “close friend” and “senior” with some horror, his heart already stirring with shock, almost doubting he had heard wrong.

Qingfeng Nunnery’s Hidden Realm.

Before the maze diagram.

Some frowned, some examined, some scratched their heads… they’d been at it for ages without getting anywhere.

Jian Chou had also been pretending to look for a while.

In this time, she had already compared the four dao seals she’d obtained from the Hidden Realm gate with the diagrams at the four corners of the maze multiple times, confirming every line matched before feeling relieved.

“Have you figured out anything?”

Seeing time gradually passing, Yang Lie was becoming increasingly impatient.

He looked back and saw no one speaking, couldn’t help but get angry: “The young sect leader received definite information before coming to the Hidden Realm. Old Monster Hengxu must have instructed them, knowing that though the ‘Nine Bends River Map’ is gone, there are more direct dao seals related to the River Map. As long as we get the dao seals, we can completely suppress the other two paths. I brought you here expecting you to do something—why are you all mute now?!”

“Zhou Yin” was always taciturn, barely producing a word in ages, so Yang Lie glanced at him and directly ignored him; Feng Qi’s head was full of tofu dregs—what insights could he offer? Yang Lie thought that wouldn’t be insights but hallucinations.

So finally, Yang Lie turned to look at “Wei Xin”: “Elder Liu said you have some research in formations and talismans. Have you thought of any methods now?”

Xie Buchen, who originally didn’t plan to speak, hadn’t expected Yang Lie to question him like this.

His mind raced, remembering that his qiankun bag did contain some formation discs and talismans, but they were all simple. Presumably, claims of “some research” were just everyday boasting, and this “Wei Xin” person, aside from decent cultivation, was useless in everything else.

The Shanyin Sect people had clearly mentioned “dao seals related to the River Map.” This information was known only to him and Real Person Hengxu.

This journey to Qingfeng Nunnery’s Hidden Realm was for this very thing.

He wondered where the Shanyin Sect people had gotten their information.

With doubts flashing through his mind, Xie Buchen showed no abnormality on his face. Wearing “Wei Xin’s” appearance, he stepped forward and casually pointed at the four corners: “If I’m not mistaken, these four diagrams are the ‘keys’ to open this high wall gate. The upper left one should be placed in this groove as the first key, followed by lower left, lower right, and upper right. But we don’t have the keys, so I’m afraid it won’t work. I wonder if the young sect leader…”

He deliberately left half the sentence unfinished.

Xie Buchen intentionally held back, after all, he didn’t know whether this so-called Young Sect Leader Song Lin held any key items, preparing to extract information from Yang Lie.

Jian Chou immediately sensed something abnormal upon hearing this.

She pondered the sequence of the several keys this “Wei Xin” had mentioned, unsure whether it was feasible or not, while turning her gaze to him.

Wei Xin stood with one hand behind his back, pointing down at those seal marks with the other.

Yang Lie was somewhat confused: “How can you tell?”

“These four diagrams follow the arrangement of celestial stars, also mentioned in formations, making them easy to identify. As for why the upper left is the first…”

His voice paused as he stood beneath the high wall’s groove, lightly touching it with his hand.

“The star point here has a deeper groove. When people draw dao seals, they usually press hard at the beginning, leaving traces. Compare them and you’ll know it’s the one above.”

As he spoke, his fingertip had already traced from the front of that groove to the back, pausing slightly before withdrawing.

In that instant, Jian Chou’s gaze fixed on his finger, freezing—

A familiar scene emerged from the depths of her memory.

She sat before a dressing mirror, holding a comb.

He leaned down in front of her, carefully studying her unpainted brows, lightly touching the brow tip with his finger, then slowly drawing toward the brow tail, with a faint smile on his lips: “Willow-leaf brows, naturally dark without painting. If I were to support you in the future, I could probably save quite a bit on rouge and powder…”

…

A touch, then a backward stroke.

Nearly identical.

After Jian Chou’s momentary daze, she almost burst into laughter.

A leopard can’t change its spots!

Someone as cautious as Xie Buchen would definitely have thorough considerations when impersonating someone. Habits he noticed would surely be hidden with remarkable self-control.

But…

What about habits he hadn’t noticed?

What he didn’t even notice, naturally couldn’t be controlled!

In this world, the one who understood Xie Buchen best wasn’t Xie Buchen himself, but her—

His former pillow companion!

How ridiculous, how ironic!

Rolling waves of killing intent flowed like a great river.

Jian Chou glanced at the high wall standing before them, then slowly looked at Yang Lie and Feng Qi, who hadn’t discovered anything unusual yet. In a flash of thought, a small scheme was already set.

Seeing “Wei Xin” had ignored Yang Lie’s ugly expression and walked over unhurriedly.

Jian Chou looked over without avoidance, and in that instant, their gazes met.

Seeing this taciturn “Zhou Yin” suddenly looking at him, Xie Buchen didn’t understand why. His brow furrowed, and just as a thought flashed through his mind, realizing something was wrong, he saw Zhou Yin draw his sword without hesitation, pointing directly at him.

A cold shout arose from nowhere: “You’re not Wei Xin!”

“What?!”

Feng Qi was still pondering whether what Wei Xin had said earlier made sense when he suddenly heard “Zhou Yin’s” sharp shout, nearly jumping in fright.

Even Yang Lie was surprised seeing “Zhou Yin” pointing his sword like this: “Zhou Yin, what are you doing?!”

“Zhou Yin” held his sword steadily, his pale face bearing some rigidity, his cold gaze hiding a touch of wickedness as he laughed coldly with stiff pronunciation: “What am I doing? You should ask Kunwu’s Xie Buchen, Fellow Daoist Xie, what he’s trying to do by going to great lengths to kill Wei Xin and disguise himself as our Shanyin Sect cultivator!”

Killed Wei Xin?

Yang Lie suddenly froze, his gaze sharply falling on “Wei Xin.”

In that instant, the four people in the plaza were at drawn swords!

“Wei Xin’s” expression was extremely ugly. His cold gaze swept over “Zhou Yin,” and with his mind racing, he couldn’t figure out where he’d revealed a flaw.

Moreover, it was discovered by this taciturn Zhou Yin.

His gaze swept from the other’s head to feet. Xie Buchen pressed his lips tightly, gripping the paired child-mother swords—these were Wei Xin’s swords.

Word by word, as if grinding the sentence through his teeth: “Zhou Yin, your master has long disliked me. Now you want to inherit your master’s legacy by slandering me?!”

“Slandering?”

Jian Chou laughed coldly, opening her clenched left hand: “Look at this—what is it!”

A green jade tablet appeared in Jian Chou’s palm.

It bore the two characters “Wei Xin,” with a red line through the middle that had cracked into several broken lines!

“A life tablet!”

Feng Qi, who had been hesitating, recognized it almost instantly, scared out of his wits. He drew his sword and immediately pointed it at “Wei Xin”!

Yang Lie was suddenly confused: A life tablet, where did the life tablet come from?

But before he could react, “Wei Xin,” who had been standing opposite “Zhou Yin,” had already struck with his sword, slashing directly at the nearest “Zhou Yin”!

“Your grandmother!”

Now there was no need to worry about the life tablet—once they started fighting, how could it be fake?!

This “Wei Xin” was definitely a real impostor!

“Swish!”

The child-mother sword qi appeared in black and white, reaching Jian Chou’s face in an instant.

Jian Chou was prepared, guarding against Xie Buchen’s desperate move. She immediately struck out with the Xishan Demon Sword, producing demonic qi that soared to the sky, accompanied by dark shadows—using the demonic path techniques she’d recently learned. The imposing manner was fully displayed; who could tell she was from Yashan?

Xie Buchen still had old injuries that hadn’t fully healed, while Jian Chou was someone who had drunk a pot of fine wine in Yi Zhizhu. When it came to killing, she truly had endless energy.

“Bang!”

The two sword qi clashed and collided.

The black and white child-mother sword qi was instantly shattered to pieces.

Xie Buchen was also shaken by the demonic Xishan Demon Sword qi and retreated.

At the same time, all his disguises melted away, and his face indeed changed back to Xie Buchen’s face.

Yang Lie’s expression instantly darkened. His hand reached behind his back and gripped a heavy hammer, instantly reaching Xie Buchen’s side and smashing down heavily!

“Boom!”

The ground immediately scattered with flying stones, leaving a terrifying crater!

“Hahaha…”

Jian Chou burst into laughter, casually throwing away the “life tablet” in her other hand.

“Mere Kunwu is nothing special! This life tablet was just me deceiving you!”

Zhou Yin and Wei Xin didn’t have a good relationship—how could Wei Xin’s life tablet be in “Zhou Yin’s” possession?

However, since Xie Buchen’s identity was already exposed, if he tried to verify the tablet’s authenticity, it would be too late to act. One careless move could cost him his life here, so immediately fighting was a good choice.

However, Jian Chou’s scheme had completely succeeded.

Seeing Yang Lie already fighting directly with Xie Buchen, Jian Chou’s eyes flashed with light as she seized the opportunity to add a couple of sword strikes.

Yang Lie wasn’t particularly talented; reaching late Core Formation stage was due to two hundred years of diligent study and practice, his foundation so solid and stable that ordinary cultivators couldn’t imagine it.

Even just a clumsy heavy hammer, when wielded by him, was majestic and overflowing with demonic qi!

“Clang clang clang!”

The child-mother swords striking the heavy hammer only left white marks.

Hearing “Zhou Yin’s” words nearby, Xie Buchen suddenly had a thought.

Is it her?!

The thought came without warning, but in that instant, he couldn’t control it.

As he touched the ground with his toes and retreated, he finally couldn’t restrain himself and laughed loudly: “I wondered who had such superior wit—turns out it’s my wife! Fellow Daoist Jian Chou from Yashan, with great enemies before us, when will you stand with me to repel the enemy if not now?!”

“What…”

Feng Qi was just about to raise his sword and charge at Xie Buchen, with Jian Chou behind him, when he heard this laugh and felt his scalp explode, completely stunned: Damn, what are you talking about?!

His small eyes widened as he stood there stupidly.

Never mind him—even Yang Lie was momentarily dazed.

Before these two unlucky Shanyin Sect cultivators could react, Jian Chou responded with a sinister laugh: “Stand together to repel the enemy? Don’t worry, Fellow Daoist Xie from Kunwu, I’ll lend you a hand right now!”

After speaking, she actually raised the Xishan Demon Sword high, with all her spiritual power madly flowing into the sword!

Yang Lie was greatly alarmed, standing there without time to move, watching that terrifying sword qi from the Xishan Demon Sword strike directly in his direction!

In that instant, Yang Lie was scared out of his wits!

Two of the four people had actually been replaced?

But wasn’t something wrong?

His thoughts flashed wildly, but before he could think of an answer, that sword qi had already crashed down toward—

Kunwu’s Xie Buchen!

“Boom!”

The sword qi instantly struck Xie Buchen, who was fighting Yang Lie. The terrifying power, combined with the surprise attack, almost instantly sent Xie Buchen flying!

“Holy shit!”

Feng Qi with his sword immediately understood!

This was called “lending you a hand”? More like helping you to death!

“What a sinister and vicious Kunwu cultivator, still trying to slander our Fellow Daoist Zhou Yin at the end?! Yashan, your grandmother! If he were from Yashan, could he try to kill you?! Damn, even I can’t stand watching this! Beat him up!!!”

Saying this, Feng Qi immediately charged forward!

His words actually made sense.

Even Yang Lie, after seeing such merciless action, almost completely dismissed the suspicion raised by Xie Buchen’s words: Ridiculous, Kunwu and Yashan were two giants standing shoulder to shoulder in the Central Domain, and their disciples would never be so ruthless, taking lives! Zhou Yin was clearly still the Zhou Yin they knew, with vicious methods!

Yang Lie raised his heavy hammer again, his gaze turning fierce as he charged toward where Xie Buchen had fallen, pressing his advantage!

Behind them, Jian Chou wore a smile, twisting her neck with an eerie “crack” sound.

Even with all your schemes, how can you match my complete understanding of you!

Right hand holding the Xishan Demon Sword, left hand the Deer-Cutting Blade, she raised them and lightly blew on the blade tip, producing a clear blade song that soared to the heavens!

“Today, I’ll use you to test my new blade!”

As her words ended, she directly joined Feng Qi and Yang Lie in their attack.

In the surging spiritual energy, Xie Buchen raised his head, no longer concealing the killing intent in his eyes. Even his gaze carried a bloody aura as he looked at Jian Chou approaching closer and closer…

She understood him, but he didn’t completely understand her—this was his greatest disadvantage.

That expression on her face, as if she controlled everything and had it all in hand, how familiar it was!

She was now what he had been in the past!

Three people surrounded and attacked, reaching him in an instant!

No escape!

Jian Chou held the two-foot curved Deer-Cutting Blade, slashing at his neck without hesitation, drawing a smooth line.

Xie Buchen ignored the other two, directly raising his sword to block!

“Ding!”

With just a light sound, the pure white “mother sword” of the child-mother swords was cleanly cut in half the moment it touched the Deer-Cutting Blade!

And the Deer-Cutting Blade itself was completely unaffected, its sharp edge still coming toward his neck!