Yun Xian only felt a silver knife light coming towards her with great momentum. She rolled to the right nimbly, covered in dust from under the bed, and dodged.
Although she had expected this, seeing Yun Xian appear in her sight like this, Mei Yanliu was furious. "Saintess, there's a formation inside the cabin door. No one is allowed to enter, not even me and the Bull Demon!! How the hell did she get in?!!"
Although this was only a temporary base, the Saint's authority was inviolable. Anyone entering without her permission would be killed, not only humans, but even fellow demons. But Yun Xian appeared not only unharmed but also calm and composed—so where did this bloodstain come from?!
Jimo Shu still didn't speak.
Niu Baiye was behind him and asked, "Saintess, were you in contact with her privately?"
"If I had contacted her, would I have asked you two to come with me?" Jimo Shu turned, demonic energy flowing from her hand. The purple-black light flickered even more, and she immediately moved towards Yun Xian's neck. Yun Xian dodged to the side and said, "Yes! I came here of my own free will! It has nothing to do with the Saint Lady!"
Mei Yanliu angrily said, "Shut up! Did I ask you?!"
She thought about how Yun Xian had managed to get through the formation, and a chill ran down her spine. There were two possibilities: either she was incredibly skilled at breaking formations and dispelling illusions, but this person clearly had no knowledge of them; or, it was just as she imagined. If Yun Xian possessed Jimo Shu's original demonic essence, the formation would simply identify her as one of its kind, so how could it possibly attack her? But how could the Saint give away such a thing so easily?!
This is bad, another fight is about to start. What bad luck! Yun Xian pulled out Taiping, and just as Mei Yanliu was about to call for help, she saw the formation in this cabin slowly rising up, locking the three demons and one person inside tightly.
Rather than a formation, it was more like an illusion the demons specialized in. It seemed like they were still there, but no sound could be heard outside. The demons outside, looking into this cabin, would only see a quiet, closed door.
"..." Mei Yanliu couldn't help but stab: "The formation is useful at this time?!"
Niu Baiye glanced at the succubus nonchalantly, wondering why he was still saying such things. The Saint's desire to protect her was practically out in the open; now that the leader was gone, they could just pretend nothing had happened. Otherwise, if they were discovered, none of the three demons would escape punishment.
Besides, even if Yun Xian came, what would happen? Some things can't be prevented just by knowing in advance.
"Capture her." Jimo Shu's eyes were stern, and she said, "Don't show mercy."
Niu Baiye: “…Yes.”
The three demons pounced, and the small cabin was instantly filled with fierce energy. Yun Xian was hesitant and after a few moves, he realized something was wrong: "Taiping, what are you doing?"
Taiping's voice rang out: "I just woke up. What's going on... Ahhhhhhhh!! Why did you come to the Demon Cult headquarters?! Are you looking for death?!"
"No," Yun Xian said innocently, "I just came to see Jimo Shu. I even chose to come when her parents were not around. Who knew I'd be caught red-handed? What bad luck."
Taiping nearly collapsed from anger. The residual demonic energy here was too much of a stimulus for him. A red light flashed from the Kuishou sword, forcing Mei Yanliu and Niu Baiye back several steps. Jimo Shu brushed the two demons away and said coldly, "Back off! You're in the way!"
The place was small, and fumbling around was indeed a hindrance. Mei Yanliu retreated to a corner, but didn't leave. Instead, she stared at Yun Xian with a fierce look. Niu Baiye said, "Why bother?"
"Why bother?" Mei Yanliu said, "I've been wanting to say this for a long time. The leader is right. This person should be completely eradicated. I really don't know why they didn't send people to kill him earlier. If he stays, it will only shake the morale of the army and cause endless trouble."
"Where did the army come from? Isn't there only one?"
"The Saint Lady alone is equivalent to a million-strong army!"
Here, Yun Xian was still engaged in a fierce exchange of blows with Jimo Shu. However, with only fighting and no harsh words, the fight seemed rather dull and unkind to the audience. Yun Xian pushed aside her purple-black silk with a sword and whispered, "Is Sect Leader Li Er here? Why hasn't she made any movement?"
"How should I know?" Jimo Shu said cruelly, "She wants to die, and you can blame us!"
Yun Xian dodged again, defending without attacking. The demonic energy brushed past him, crushing the table and chairs into pieces. "No matter how many corpses there are in Nancheng, they are not enough for Lingxu Sect to waste. The Chengxian Powder can only circulate underground and is blocked everywhere. Its destruction is only a matter of time."
Jimo Shu sneered: "Do you really think Lingxu Sect is that important?"
Yun Xian frowned and continued, "What on earth do you want to do?! You are hiding yourselves and trying to hide your identity from everyone. I'm afraid you know that everyone hates demons so much that they will be killed on sight!"
"Quiet!" Jimo Shu stabbed her fingertips in front of Yun Xian's eyes. "How ridiculous! Do you really think these are the only tricks we have? Wait until that day and come barking again!"
The fight was tit for tat and extremely fierce, leaving no room for maneuver. Mei Yanliu saw it and her expression finally became less ugly.
"Do you think we can kill Chi You once, but not a second time?" Yun Xian did not give in. At the moment of the collision of metal and stone, he said coldly, "It was a dog that had lost its home when it fled that day!"
"Oh? Do you think it's the same now as it was in the past? Wait until your senior brother comes before you say that!" Jimo Shu seemed too lazy to talk to her anymore. She slapped Yun Xian's chest with one palm. Yun Xian couldn't dodge in time, and blood oozed from the corner of his lips. He flew backwards like a kite with a broken string. The spiritual energy suddenly collided, causing the formation to fluctuate. However, she did not fight back. Instead, she took this opportunity to tear open a small gap with Taiping. At this critical moment, she cried out, "Help!!!"
He screamed so heart-wrenchingly that his voice became hoarse and blood oozed out of his body as he screamed.
The sound barely traveled a few feet before being cut off. A sharp sword flashed from behind Yun Xian. Su Chi, wielding his sword, dodged behind her, then spun around at the waist. With incredible speed, he vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
Something unexpected happened, Mei Yanliu's expression changed drastically, she stood up and was about to chase after him: "Stop!!!"
"Since she's escaped, there's no need to chase her." Jimo Shu stopped her and said, "Now is not the time for us to show up. If we attract everyone's attention and our plan changes, can you bear the responsibility?"
Mei Yanliu said: "But, she..."
She's already been severely injured, if she doesn't chase him now, when will she?!
Jimo Shu raised her eyes: "Do you think you can catch up?"
"..." Mei Yanliu said bitterly, "Next time we see each other, I will tear her into pieces!"
Niu Baiye didn't say anything. His dark eyes under the mask stared at Jimo Shu. Jimo Shu avoided his gaze and turned to look at the still bright sun outside the pleasure boat.
The withered maple leaf tucked between the books was taken away by someone, and replaced by the spring peach blossoms of the south city, which were filled with spiritual energy, fresh and lively, as if they had just been plucked from the branches.
If you miss the winter in the north, you can exchange it for the spring in the south.
Even with such a heavy heart, Jimo Shu couldn't help but pursed her lips.
It's really... flashy, always doing these... completely, unnecessary things!
Yun Xian was being carried by Su Chi, whizzing out. She said, "Wait. Slow down, Big Brother!"
Su Chi said: "You are injured."
The tense chest behind him rose and fell faster. Yun Xian wiped the corner of his lips and said, "It's just a fatal injury, it's nothing. It just looks a little serious."
Jimo Shu used her strength skillfully. She originally wanted to spit out some blood, but she used it too skillfully and almost didn't spit out any blood. Fortunately, she had excellent acting skills and relied on her own strength to successfully perform an effect of being on the verge of death. The result was gratifying.
"..." Su Chi said, "Let's go to the clinic first."
Yun Xian: "For such a minor injury, even Brother Xue would only tell me to drink more hot water... That's all. I got a lot of information on this trip, so I might as well tell them about it."
"Information?" Su Chi was a little puzzled. "Did she send you a message?"
How to get information in a situation like that just now?
Yun Xian shook his finger and said, "Big Brother, you still don't understand what the hidden meaning is."
"'She's going to die, and it's not my fault' means that Sect Leader Li Er hasn't found the Demon Cult's pleasure boat, but has been staying at Lingxu Sect. The answer to 'Is Lingxu Sect important?' is a bit vague. Perhaps the supplier of the Immortal Powder is no longer Lingxu Sect. Besides, it's easy to get a corpse. As long as they kill people, there will be no more bodies."
"The last sentence, as is her habit, doesn't tell us to be quiet, only to shut up. 'I'll come barking again that day,' I think it means we should wait and see what happens. The only solution is to cut off the source. Now that the demon cult hasn't made its next move, it's better not to act rashly. Many previous events have taught us this truth."
"But the most important thing isn't these few words." Yun Xian said solemnly, "'Times are different now', 'Call your senior brother to talk later', you have to know that the Saint Lady doesn't like you. She said this not to praise you for nothing - I think she was telling me that this time is different from the last time. Last time, we killed Chi You's clone at the Body Refining Sect. This time, the one coming from the Southern Realm might be its true form, and the only key to harming it lies with you."
This information was indeed obtained at the cost of his life, and Chi You had no idea that he had been betrayed.
Of course, this was based on the premise that Jimo Shu was telling the truth, but Yun Xian had not considered other possibilities.
Su Chi's fingertips suddenly tightened.
"I..." He said coldly, "If I get close to it, I might be able to hurt it."
"Do you know what level of cultivation it has?" He said with certainty. Yun Xian asked this, but Su Chi replied, "I don't know. But I know I can do it."
All right. Since Su Chi said so, Yun Xian thought, the eldest brother has never told a lie.
However, Yun Xian was also concerned about the identity of the female voice whispering in his ear, asking to borrow his body. After all, after all this journey, she had come to understand Su Chi's character somewhat. He was truly "sword-like"... and that was the literal meaning. Even in human form, he still resembled a sword. When he was needed, he would unsheathe, and when he was not, he would remain silent, just as always.
To the extent that sometimes his presence is even lower than Feng Ye's... Feng Ye would at least say a few words to make himself feel more present, but Su Chi is still a taciturn person who can't get anything out of him.
The wind was still howling, and Yun Xian's face was covered with his own ponytail. He grumbled, "Big Brother, you're holding me a little too tight. I can't breathe."
"...Sorry." Su Chi woke up from his thoughts, loosened his fingertips, and said, "We're here."
The place they arrived at was the clinic closest to the riverside pleasure boat.
The clinic was still open for business, but there were few patients and the place was deserted. There was only a waiter with a fat face sitting in front of the medicine cabinet, bored and fiddling with an abacus.
There is no Miaoshou Sect sign at the entrance of this clinic, and it is not under the jurisdiction of Miaoshou Sect.
Yun Xian actually thought that this minor injury could be healed by drinking some hot water, but he couldn't resist Su Chi, so he had to walk in. The waiter didn't even raise his eyelids and said nonchalantly: "Registration is five taels, and a bed for one night is ten taels."
Yun Xian: "Why don't you ask me if I want to stop by or stay overnight?"
Waiter: “?”
Su Chi silently signed up for a number and then led the group into the back hall. Soon, an old man with a goatee and gleaming eyes came tremblingly over and, after examining the wound, said, "This injury..."
Yun Xian: "If you had come a little later, you would have recovered, right?"
"Not really." The old man shook his head and said, "Although it doesn't look serious, it has actually damaged my internal organs. If it's not treated properly, it will affect my whole life!"
Yun Xian was stunned. He fell into a trance and asked Taiping, "Is there such a thing? Has the Saint Lady learned to shoot the bull from a distance now?"
"That's not true." Taiping said sharply, "He just saw you guys as suckers and wanted to cheat you out of some money."
This turned out to be a shady shop with no professional ethics. But Yun Xian was the first time he'd been praised as "looking like a sucker," so he wasn't too angry. Instead, he wanted to see how much more this old man could fool people, so he said, "Then treat him."
The old man was playing tricks inside, and Su Chi was watching nearby, his eyes like lightning. The more he tried, the stiffer his hands became. Finally, he said, "This patient's Taoist companion, could you please step aside for a moment?"
Su Chi didn't move.
Old man: "This Taoist companion?"
Yun Xian remained silent. Su Chi said, "I'm not her Taoist partner, I'm her senior brother."
Old man: "Is this the main point?!...Ahem, never mind, I'll take care of it."
Amidst the rustling sounds, Yun Xian heard the footsteps of someone entering the medical hall. There was more than one person, and they all deliberately lowered their footsteps and voices.
The Miao Shou Sect's influence in the Southern Realm is so immense that it has a ripple effect not only on businesses but also on clinics. Clinics bearing the Miao Shou Sect logo are always reassuring. Other clinics, unable to compete, either join them or face significant competition. For example, this clinic, after Yun Xian arrived, saw no one else come for a long time.
But now, so many of them came at once.
"...I have to say, the back hall of the clinic is a great place to eavesdrop." Yun Xian said to Taiping, "I have a feeling we'll hear something useful again."
Taiping said in annoyance: "Are you talking to me because the others are not here? Can't you tell Su Chi that I don't want to pay attention to you."
"Okay." Yun Xian complained to Su Chi, "Big Brother, Taiping said it doesn't want to pay attention to me."
Su Chi turned to look at Taiping, who trembled violently and screamed in anger, "Yun Xian!! You are so annoying!!!"
The hearing of the out-of-body cultivator was amazing. The wall between them seemed to be nothing. The voice of the person on the other end who thought he was whispering was extremely clear:
"Do you still have that thing?"
"What do you want to ask? I don't know. I can only say that if Miaoshoumen doesn't have something, we definitely have it."
"Is that previous news true? Can you really cure it? Without any sequelae?"
"As long as you can control it within that limit and don't overdo it, it'll be fine. Don't believe what that Miaoshou Sect says; it has nothing to do with demonic seeds. All medicines are toxic, let alone such a miraculous medicine. If there were any unusual symptoms before, it only means you didn't take it properly, or took too much, too often. Think about it, wouldn't other spiritual medicines be fatal if taken without following a doctor's advice? The path to immortality is already full of thorns, and this opportunity is not easy to come by."
"...I've taken it five times before, and my cousin has taken even more. He's now locked himself up indoors and hasn't heard from me in a few days. I'm a little panicked."
"Don't worry, I have the right medicine. Take this and give it to him. It will cure him immediately. If it doesn't work, come back to me."
There was a rustling sound, and those people seemed to be taking the medicine pills and leaving.
The old man with the goat beard was still performing a ritual in front of Yun Xian, but Yun Xian didn't want to play along. He threw down ten taels of silver and said, "Big Brother, let's go."
Su Chi: “Yeah.”
"Hey, wait!" the old man trembled behind him and said, "I haven't even started the treatment yet! Why did he leave?!"
…
Yun Xian looked solemn as he followed the monks who had just brought the herbs all the way home.
As expected, the gate of the mansion they arrived at was tightly shut, as if they were not welcoming any guests. Yun Xian jumped onto the eaves with ease and tried to lift the tiles – but this time he couldn't, as there was a formation. The scene was a little awkward.
But she couldn't open it, so she could listen. She put her head close to the roof and listened attentively to the movements below.
Although until now, how many times to take, how much to take, and what level of cultivation one has to reach to become completely possessed are all unknown, but according to this person, my cousin has taken so much that it seems he should at least have symptoms of addiction now.
There was a faint sobbing sound below, like a child, and a woman's voice: "My husband hasn't been able to eat for several days. He keeps asking us to buy some kind of immortality powder... His cultivation has improved, but seeing him like this, how can I dare to go?!"
The voice of the man just now said: "Try this medicine pill."
Not long after the medicinal pill entered his mouth, the stranger's voice rang out, still hazy: "I...what happened just now?"
Now that things have come to this, there is no need to listen anymore.
Yun Xian jumped off the eaves and ran towards Miaoshou Gate with a gloomy face.
"This medicine can't cure the demon seed, it just pushes back the time of its outbreak." Su Chi said coldly, "The longer this period of time is suppressed, the more disadvantageous it will be for the Miaoshou Sect."
"South City cannot be closed forever. Business operations cannot be delayed. Every day it is closed is a huge loss to these chambers of commerce. Every extra day it is closed will increase the public's complaints by 10%. But Chi You is here now, so Miaoshou Sect has to close."
Yun Xian's speech was getting faster and faster. "No wonder Jimo Shu said that Lingxu Sect is no longer important. Even if Lingxu Sect's lair was destroyed by Sect Leader Li Er, there would still be a supply of Chengxian Powder circulating on the market. Once Chengxian Powder is used, it must be suppressed with this medicinal pill. Once it is suppressed, they think they have escaped a disaster and will use Chengxian Powder again... Unless there is a large-scale outbreak, bloodshed starts, and people really die, or unless we expose Chi You to the public, otherwise, these addicted people will not believe it!"
Even though the Miaoshou Sect had clearly explained the pros and cons, and even declared it a demonic species, revealing its true nature, people were still flocking to it privately. Having become addicted, they couldn't distinguish the pros and cons anymore, only using countless excuses to comfort themselves. "I'm determined. I've only used it a few times, gained the benefits, and avoided the drawbacks. What's the point of going crazy? It's definitely not my turn."
What a mess. No one would be afraid unless blood was paid, but what were the victims' guilt? They might not even know what Chengxian San is, so why should they be the "price" to warn the world?
"No." Yun Xian said, "Go back quickly."
Su Chi suddenly said, "There's a sound of fighting in the north."
Yun Xian turned his gaze and looked over there. The contrast between the village to the north and the bustling city center was stark, and the number of people living there was much smaller. At this time of year, most people had gone out to make a living, and the doors were closed, making the village seem even more empty and devoid of any life.
"That sound..." She flew away on her sword and said, "It doesn't sound like fighting."
It took only a moment for the two of them to make the discovery and arrive. Yun Xian's brows turned cold as he saw a cultivator holding a sharp blade with spiritual energy rising up, about to chop at a child!
The child was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, so why would he use a butcher knife to kill a chicken? With this blow, not only would he be injured, he might even be chopped in half alive. The child was so scared that his whole body was stiff and he couldn't move.
Yun Xian had no time to escape, and a sword energy pierced straight through the man's back. Blood spurted out instantly, and the man froze and slowly fell to the ground.
No breath left.
The child was almost crushed. He was so scared that his face turned pale and he couldn't even cry.
After landing, Su Chi flipped the man up and said, "Demonic energy has entered your body."
All the spiritual roots and spiritual energy in the body have been devoured, leaving no trace.
"..." Su Chi said, "Wait here for me. I'll go take a look around."
He disappeared after he finished speaking. Yun Xian picked up the frightened child and said, "It's okay, it's okay. He's dead. Don't be afraid. Where is your home?"
"Wuwuwu..." The child finally came to his senses, tears streaming down his face from fear: "Big sister, please, please put me down. My home is nearby... I want to go back to find my mother..."
Yun Xian drew up many sword talismans and stuffed them into his arms, saying, "Don't throw them away. Go back and give them to your family and other children, okay?"
The child walked away crying, probably because he was scared to death.
The village was still empty, and not a single person was seen for a long time.
Yun Xian suddenly said, "It's peaceful."
"What's the matter?" Taiping was still sulking, but he didn't dare ignore her. "If you have something to say, please say it quickly. I'm going to sleep."
"Just now, it seems like I killed the first person." Yun Xian said: "Although he was a demon with evil spirit in his body, he was still a human being after all. When a person is killed, he dies. I killed him, and he died."
Taiping didn't understand what she was talking about. It was just killing one person, wasn't it? But then he thought about it, Yun Xian had never killed anyone before... not even a demon.
"What I mean," Yun Xian frowned and said, "is that many people vomit or suffer psychological trauma after killing someone for the first time. I thought I would too. But now, I don't think anything happens. It's a bit strange."
Others may not know, but she is at least a modern soul. Now it seems that she has gradually become accustomed to the rules of this world of cultivation, and she is even surprised by herself.
Alas, sometimes I feel a little unfamiliar with my current self.
Yun Xian: "Peaceful?"
Taiping: "Why are you suddenly interviewing me about my own journey?"
Yun Xian: “…”
This broken sword is really not worth having.
Before Yun Xian could process her complicated emotions, she heard Taiping scream. Before she could react, the wind whistled behind her. She turned around quickly.
The man just now was not dead yet. He crawled up from the ground with his last breath and wanted to chop her. The black iron folding fan came whistling and broke the man's head directly. The black blood formed a small fountain.
"I'm talking to you." Xue Lingxiu stood there, next to Sect Leader Li Er. He looked helpless and said, "If you're going to kill, kill thoroughly."
"Yes." Li Jianye said nonchalantly, "We still have to listen to the medical practitioner's advice. To prevent future trouble, my suggestion is to chop off his head."
Yun Xian: “…………Hah!!!”
Thanks to these two people, her experience was finally complete.
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