It would have been fine if they hadn't been caught. Once they were caught, many of the people who had just been incited in the crowd looked very foolish. But these people were just like that. They never played against the wind and immediately turned to Rufengdao:
"There really is a conspiracy! The Miaoshou Sect has been practicing medicine and helping the world for so many years. Even if they have no merit, they have worked hard. Can anyone question their deeds now?"
"Tear off their masks! Who knows what's hiding underneath!"
"Haha, I already discovered it a long time ago. I just followed the monk's lead and helped catch these people with ulterior motives, haha."
Everyone was so angry that even Lin Xi was stunned.
Even those who hold the sway over the Buddhist sect, despite their lack of ambition for fame and fortune, still have a host of nicknames among their disciples. For example, there's Baldy Donkey, Stubborn Root, not to mention the meticulous and fussy Miaoshou Sect. They're often called "grubbers" and "scallion snatchers," but their reputation has never been so good as it is now.
Seeing that their plan was exposed, the three men turned around and fled. The crowd was outnumbered and was about to grab them by the collars, but unexpectedly a black light flashed and blood appeared, frightening them so much that they subconsciously dodged to the sides.
Just to watch the fun, who would want to take the lead and get a few bloody holes on their body!
"No need to chase them." Xue Lingxiu sent a voice message to Qi Zhiye, "They are just a few minions of the Demon Cult."
Qi Zhiye said solemnly, "No. One of them is a human."
The scene was chaotic for a moment, but eventually calmed down. But the crowd hadn't left yet. Having apprehended the instigators, it seemed they were finally able to talk things over. Someone stepped forward and asked, "Miss Lin, you just said this man's madness stemmed from the same cause as the family massacre in Xiaoshi Town in the northern realm. But everyone knows it was the wandering cultivator's weak will that allowed the demon to exploit his weakness and become possessed. There's no information that he's taken similar drugs before."
"And then there's this guy on the ground." Someone else said, "That guy just now didn't recognize him, but I do know him. Some time ago, he was causing trouble outside and had several of his spiritual veins severed. His cultivation couldn't improve, and ever since then, he's been wandering the streets, drinking and causing trouble. He doesn't seem very normal to begin with. Using him alone to prove something is a bit far-fetched, isn't it?"
Lin Xi was about to answer when he thought of what Li Jianye had told him before.
"This is a matter of great importance. The waterways to the south city are now closed. It's best not to let the public know that the demon cult is lurking and causing chaos, lest they become confused and panic. Just inform them of the seriousness of the situation."
She thought secretly, forget about not letting them know, the Demon Cult was responsible for all these things thanks to the Lingxu Sect, so even if she told them now, few people would believe it.
Lin Xi calmed his mind and said loudly, "No one has ever come forward to admit that only a weak will can lead to demonic possession. The ones we can see are all those who have been deeply disturbed by demons. Such a frenzied state naturally makes them look weak-willed. But didn't Senior Mingren of the Buddhist sect, such a genius, make a mistake at the first step and still fall into the trap? Do you think that everyone here has a willpower several times stronger than Senior Mingren?"
Who dares to admit this?
"But I've never heard of taking a tonic that could lead to demonic possession. Do you have evidence to prove this is related to demons?" Someone else said proudly, "Mingren has been possessed by a demon, wreaking havoc on the world and harming people. But my cultivation has improved, and I have it in my own hands. If I see a demonic cultivator, won't I just go up and pierce him?"
He spoke with great pride, and there was no shortage of voices of agreement around him: "In all these years in the Southern Realm, we've only seen a few demons. It's strange that something like this suddenly appeared!"
"I still think this is a business struggle within the Miaoshou Sect. Look, Young Master Xue over there doesn't even dare to take out the official seal on his belt. When gods fight, the little ghosts suffer. What does this have to do with us?"
Xue Lingxiu almost crushed the fan bone: "..."
When has he ever hung the official seal on his belt?! Very tasteless!
"Everyone..." Lin Xi really didn't know how to make them believe him. Was he going to have to capture a demon on the spot? "The leader has said countless times that there's no way to improve your foundation! Do you think that plundering and transplanting things like this will really make it yours? See for yourself what you've consumed!"
She followed the same pattern, removing all the fragrant wood that had been used to mask the scent. Suddenly, only the foul-smelling, dew-like substance remained in her palm, mixed with some green and black mold. It looked truly disgusting. The crowd's faces turned a dazzling array of colors, and some people almost vomited on the spot: "What the hell is that smell?!"
Yun Xian dreaded situations like these where he had to reason with others. After watching for a while, he began to tire of their feelings. While no one in this world was obligated to be responsible for anyone, and all those "I'm doing this for your own good!" expressions were a bit self-satisfied, it still inevitably aroused a sense of indignation. He wanted to take Qi Zhiye's words seriously and just let them do whatever they wanted.
But Qi Zhiye was just talking, and she was just thinking about it. After all, if she really didn't want to care, she wouldn't have to run around like a dog.
Feng Ye has always been very good at reading people's expressions: "Looking at this expression, many people have used it."
"I just thought someone must have a crooked butt," Qiao Lingshan said angrily. "Once I realized something might be wrong, I started trying to drag them down with me."
After all, there are still many people in this world who don’t live well themselves and don’t want others to live well.
“…That’s all.”
Xue Lingxiu looked at Lin Xi who was still trying to explain herself and sighed, "Those who can listen naturally won't use it. Those who can't listen will find excuses no matter how you talk. Let's see what the news is from Second Sister."
“…”
In a remote thatched cottage, Qinghe was boiling medicine on a stove. A few children her age hurried past the door and said, "Qinghe! Do you want to go see what's going on? I heard there's a lot of people gathered in the city center. I wonder what's going on!"
Qing He peeked outside and said, "No, I'm not going. I'm helping my mother boil some medicine."
The small longevity lock on the neck was gone, probably taken off and put away. The small room was filled with a strong smell of medicine, which had been collected year after year and seeped into every corner.
Beicun is the most well-known poor neighborhood in South City, and this house is so incredibly dilapidated that a passerby wouldn't think anyone lived there if they didn't look carefully. Even if the Miaoshou Sect knocked on every door, they wouldn't even take a step here. After all, the people here don't aspire to become immortals, they just want to be human.
"Qinghe." The frail woman raised her head slightly from the bed and asked, "What happened?"
Qing He said, "It's okay. Mom, take the medicine."
The woman lowered her head and drank the medicine obediently. Less than halfway through, she began to wheeze and cough uncontrollably. The bowl of medicine rocked, spilling the pitch-black liquid. Qinghe quickly held the bowl steady, her lips pursed, and she said nothing. She simply stared at the liquid spilling onto the ground, a look of heartache in her distinctly black and white eyes.
These were all earned by my mother weaving bamboo baskets.
The woman said, "You don't have to worry about me. Go out and have fun."
Qing He shook his head: "It's nothing fun. The entrance examination is coming soon, I need to practice more."
The woman touched her head and sighed slightly.
It had been five years since her husband's death. Her congenital illness had only worsened, and she could only survive with medication. Qinghe had lived with her mother all these years. Although she was only twelve years old, she looked as frail as seven or eight. It wasn't that she didn't want to leave, but Qinghe was too young. How pitiful would it be for a child left in the world without a mother?
Fortunately, Qing He was a hardworking person with spiritual roots and a talent for medicine. If she could enter the Miaoshou Sect, the lives of mother and daughter would definitely be better.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Qing He asked in confusion, "Mom?"
"I'm fine, mother." A smile appeared on the woman's haggard face. She said, "It just so happens that the day before the entrance exam is your twelfth birthday. I'll have something nice to give you then."
Qing He also laughed: "Yeah!"
I don’t know whether they believed in the existence of demonic species or were disgusted by the true appearance of that thing, but for several days, everything was calm.
The immortality powder destroyed by Miaoshou Sect had piled up into a mountain, and the stench lingered for a long time. Jiangshan, who lived nearby, was so annoyed that he was about to lose his hair.
"Still no news from the Second Sect Leader?" Yun Xian said solemnly, "Logically speaking, it's just the Lingxu Sect, and they look so clueless, so it shouldn't take much effort to find them. Unless the Second Sect Leader is full of energy and goes all the way to the Demon Sect's headquarters—I guess Chi You's clone must be here."
Xue Lingxiu said: "The soul lamp is still on, so he must not have seen it."
Although Yun Xian always said that Chi You was not smart to boost his courage, at least Chi You's skills were unfathomable. If Li Batu really encountered him alone, it would be unlikely for him to escape unscathed.
"If it really doesn't work." Yun Xian said suddenly: "I'll go to Lingxu Sect to check it out too."
"..." Qi Zhiye glanced at her and directly exposed her thoughts: "I think you want to go find Jimo Shu!"
Yun Xian was not embarrassed at all: "What's wrong? Can't I find her? If she didn't have that intention, she wouldn't have given me the magic stone in the first place. Jiangshan, don't you think so?"
Jiang Shan: "Get off my belly. It's so hot!"
"No. It's too dangerous now." Xue Lingxiu said without hesitation: "Of course, I know you won't listen to others. If you must go, take your senior brother with you."
Su Chi had been missing for a while, but upon returning, he'd advanced again. However, from what he'd said, advancing from this point forward was practically impossible. Most cultivators would be heartbroken and unable to eat upon hearing such a sentence that ended their future, but he handled it with aplomb, as if it were "I ate some baba tangerines today," his expression unwavering, his mental fortitude as steady as a rock.
Yun Xian even went to ask him how he managed to advance.
Su Chi said, "Just find a place to stick yourself in."
Yun Xian: “…”
So how do you insert it, head down or feet down? Coach, this is really hard to learn.
"I really don't know if you have any special fetishes." Qi Zhiye frowned at her excited face and said, "Or do you just like people who are rude to you? Jimo Shu is like that, Jiang Shan is like that too. The worse their attitude is, the more you stick to them. I really don't understand what you're thinking."
Feng Ye said weakly: "That's wrong. She has never been close to you."
"..." Qiao Lingshan covered his mouth with her hand: "How dare you say that? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
"I don't understand what you're thinking." Yun Xian said solemnly, "Why on earth do you harbor such strong malice towards a ferro-eating beast?"
Jiangshan kicked her in the stomach. Yun Xian felt dizzy and rolled over several times before being caught by Su Chi.
"Are you going?" Su Chi asked, "Now, or tomorrow?"
Yun Xian: "Brother, where were you peeping at the screen just now? Why didn't you say anything... Forget it, let's wait until dark. It will be more hidden then."
"Are you sure?" Xue Lingxiu frowned and said, "Whether it's the Lingxu Sect or the Demon Sect, it looks like..."
He didn't finish, but Yun Xian understood what he meant. They all seemed quite dark.
She made a quick decision and said, "Then let's go in the afternoon! When the sun is at its brightest!"
When he left the sect, Sect Master Li was still in the main hall handling affairs. South City might seem calm now, but the situation might not be any better. Yun Xian based his judgment on Li Jianye's expression: her brows were furrowed, and she looked unhappy.
As the leader of a sect, she was indeed quite terrifying when she had a gloomy face. Even Grandma Li Zu didn't dare to say anything more, and only whispered: "Li Da, what's going on now...?"
"Within South City, reports of vicious murders have suddenly increased by over a dozen," Li Jianye said. "Most of those who can be persuaded are kind-hearted and relatively indecisive. They've simply gone underground, and this is just the beginning. As long as the source isn't eliminated, this matter won't stop."
Li Pei said, "The waterway leading out of South City won't be closed for much longer. It's only been a few days, and the merchants there are already complaining. Someone even forced their way through yesterday. After all... we have no reason to stop them."
After all, the Miaoshou Sect is a major sect in the Southern Realm, but it is not an army, let alone a political power. It can provide protection, but it is probably impossible to suppress it by force.
Li Yuan didn't come in. The little blind girl was still practicing her needlework outside. The disciples of the Miaoshou Sect had been off school for a few days, and she hadn't been able to interrupt them. She only had a vague idea of what was going on outside, and wondered what her fellow disciples had been doing.
Yun Xian didn't let the others notice him, but said to Su Chi briefly, "Let's go."
Sect Leader Li Er had previously said he was going to Lingxu Sect, but there had been no news since. This trip was also to find her. Yun Xian and Su Chi were walking down the street when Su Chi suddenly said calmly, "During the days when I was in a daze, someone was talking in my ear."
"..." Yun Xian said silently: "Big Brother, you either keep silent or say things like this, it's really scary. Do you know who was the last person who had someone speak in your ear?"
Su Chi said, "I know. Ji Xiaoshi."
"It's Ji Rongxue. You should at least get two words right!" Never mind. Yun Xian said, "Do you know who the last one was?"
Su Chi said, "Senior Mingren."
"Yeah. You have a good memory." Yun Xian stopped and looked into his eyes, "Tell me the truth. Was it a female voice or a male voice? What did it say? To be honest, I'm also very curious, because senior brother, you don't look like you have any inner demons at all..." If being too handsome is a kind of trouble, then it might barely count as one.
"Female voice." Su Chi gave an unexpected answer. It wasn't Chi You. His mountain-like brows knitted slightly, as if he was puzzled. "She said that if necessary, she would let me borrow her body."
So polite, yet so rude. Yun Xian was silent. Su Chi asked, "What do you think?"
"What do I feel?" Yun Xian said, "No, I won't lend it to you. I politely decline."
Su Chi: "The voice sounded familiar. After he finished speaking, he didn't wait for my response."
Seeing that he still looked like he wanted to negotiate, Yun Xian frowned, "Why are you willing to lend it just because it's a female voice? Who knows what she'll do with your body? Only if you have to return it, it won't be difficult to borrow it again. You're being so unclear, I won't lend it to you."
"...Okay. Don't be angry. But, I don't understand what the point of borrowing my body is." Su Chi hesitated and said, "We'll talk about it later."
As Yun Xian used the magic stone left by Jimo Shu to narrow the area, she thought to herself, "That's right, it's still very useful." If she had borrowed Su Chi's body, she would definitely take a bath in front of the mirror first.
Su Chi: "Junior sister, what are you thinking about?"
"No!" Yun Xian asked Jiang Shan with concern, "Jiang Shan, I rode you out here because I wanted you to help check if Chi You is here. Although I know the streets are full of demonic energy and it stinks, you can just help check if there's any strong demonic energy at our destination."
Jiangshan: “Hmm!”
Chi You's magic power was too strong, and the magic stone and Taiping given by Jimo Shu were all ineffective, but Jiangshan could sense it when he was close because of his bloodline.
Finally, when the two people and the panda had almost walked through the entire South City, they came to a bright riverside where there were many pleasure boats, and the magic stone finally made faint movements.
It was noon, and it was not yet time for the pleasure boats to light up. The wooden boat was quietly parked on the shore, with the sunlight shining down, looking somewhat silent and lonely.
Yun Xian got off the bear and asked Jiang Shan, "He's not here, right?"
Jiang Shan said: "The giant poop is not there. But there are a lot of small poops in it."
What this means is that Chi You is not there, but there are many little demons inside.
Yun Xian patted his head and said, "Good Jiangshan, go back then. Remember to ask Brother Xue to buy you some candied haws. He's going to build a big garden for you later."
Jiangshan left, chewing on Yunxian's promise. Yunxian looked up at the strange, towering pleasure boat and sighed. Another stealth mission. What a shame Feng Ye wasn't here.
"Big Brother, wait for me over here." Yun Xian said to him, "If anything happens, follow my lead."
"..." Su Chi said, "How can I hear your voice? Have you put on your socks?"
"I've put it on. But, Brother, it's torn again. Please buy me another pair." Yun Xian flashed in and disappeared suddenly: "I will scream to the sky for help. Don't worry, everyone in South City can hear me."
Su Chi said: "Be careful!"
Yun Xian suddenly disappeared into the darkness. In the dark ship's side, only her gradually calming breathing could be heard.
Above, there were hurried footsteps coming and going, and a few little demons were talking bad about their boss behind his back:
"I finally understand why that bull is now the military advisor. He went to the human world for further training. He didn't learn anything else, but he spoke freely. Something about the Demon Cult's first three-month plan, flattening the southern realm, and recruiting him as a subordinate... It sounds so real, I almost believed it."
"That's not unreasonable. Humans have always been like this, sparing no effort to cheat their own people. Haha, Lingxu Sect is out of stock, yet so many humans are still willing to come and buy it with money! You have exquisite skills, but you don't use them, and then sell them to others at a high price. You are really ashamed of yourself. Even demons would be scared when they see you."
"What should we do next? Did Military Advisor Niu say anything?"
"The military advisor didn't say it, but the other demons all said that even if those onions wanted to intervene now, they wouldn't be able to do anything about it later. Even if they didn't want to use it, they would be forced to do it. Once they use it, there's no turning back. If there's no turning back, why not come to my demon sect... Hahahaha!"
Yun Xian ignored all the gossip and continued to move towards his goal in silence.
The magic stone against her chest was growing warm. She leaped over the side of the boat and, by sheer luck, bumped into two demons heading their way. Before she could even lay her hand on her sword, she saw the demon on her left glance around guiltily, then suddenly open its mouth and gnaw off the defenseless head of the demon on the right. As it chewed, it absorbed the demonic energy, a delighted smile on its face.
Yun Xian: “…………”
It's really easy for you demons to be on the job, why do you cheat on your colleagues at work?
It was best not to have a conflict, so she dodged and hid in a nearby cabin, holding her breath, waiting for the demon to leave.
This demon was still picking his teeth after eating his colleague. Yun Xian was bored and looked inside the cabin, and was stunned for a moment.
On the square table, there was an old storybook with the name "Xue Chang".
From the heavens to the underworld, I am with you
Yun Xian: “?!”
She felt like she'd been hit on the head with a club. Suddenly, her premonition returned, and everything seemed to connect. Without giving it much thought, she ran over, flipped open the first page of the storybook, and immediately saw two names:
Jimo Shu and Zhong Changyao.
...This is Jimo Shu's boat room, and this is the storybook that belongs to her.
Long ago, during the Four-Way War, Yun Xian had wondered if Jimo Shu's drastic change in attitude towards Zhong Changyao was due to her own possession of a copy. Later, she appeared in Tangling Kingdom even though she shouldn't have been there, so... she must have followed them.
Yun Xian pursed his lips and paused.
There seems to be something hidden in this story.
She turned the page and found a dry maple leaf lying in the center of the page.
That day, the two parted ways from the Buddhist sect. Jimo Shu pushed her away, and she fell heavily into a pile of maple leaves. The fiery red maple leaves fell all over the sky. When Jimo Shu left, she took nothing with her but a maple leaf from the Buddhist sect.
Demonic energy is not spiritual energy. It can only destroy, not protect. She can take countless lives, but she cannot protect this maple leaf. She can only use clumsy methods to clamp it into the book.
I can only watch it turn yellow, shrink, weather and break day by day.
Familiar footsteps were heard outside the cabin, and the magic stone began to heat up. Yun Xian was about to turn around when his ears pricked up.
wrong!
There are three!!
No, get out of the way first! But Modu was already at the door, so Yun Xian gritted his teeth and crawled under the bed with a snap.
Jimo Shu's purple sequined shoes appeared in sight, followed by Mei Yanliu and Niu Yao, judging by their styles.
From this angle, she couldn't see anything.
"No." The Bull Demon sniffed and said frankly, "There's a human smell."
"What?!" Mei Yanliu reacted strongly. She asked, "Someone sneaked in?!"
Jimo Shu: "...Maybe someone has been here."
"Which bastard dared to sneak into the Saint's room?!" Mei Yanliu said, "Sure enough, looking at the furnishings in the room, someone has moved them! The stools have been moved a bit, and the books have been opened! Is this person still here?!"
Yun Xian's scalp tightened, but Jimo Shu took two steps forward and stopped directly in front of her, accidentally blocking the blind spot.
It's over. Yun Xian thought, the Saint Lady is actually wearing flat shoes, which means she is really taller than me... No, this is not the point!
"I'm tired." Jimo Shu said, "You guys go down."
"What?! Saint, this is a critical moment. Do you know how serious this is?" Mei Yanliu said, "This person came to your room and rummaged through your things. Although I don't know his motives, he is worthy of death!"
Jimo Shu said, "Maybe the puppy is lost, so come and look for it."
"You're kidding!" Mei Yanliu said, "How could you find a dog and make it to the boat?! And the scattered bloodstains on the ground...does finding a dog require blood?!"
Yun Xian: “!”
When she slipped in just now, the demon blood that had been eaten was splattered everywhere, and she might have accidentally got some of it on the corner of her clothes.
Jimo Shu said, "Maybe they found the puppy, and suddenly someone came to snatch it away, so they fought, and that's why some blood was shed. It's not a big deal, go down."
Mei Yanliu: "..."
Bull Demon: “…”
In the air that was so silent that it was almost suffocating, Mei Yanliu suddenly attacked, drew her scimitar, and rushed straight under the bed!
"You've been standing there motionless since just now." She didn't even need to look at who it was, who else could it be! Mei Yanliu was furious and said, "Yun Xian!! Get out!!!"
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