Category: A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life

Chapter 104: What Did I Do to Deserve This?!

Nangong Mengxiang was straightforward and wouldn’t stand on ceremony with Luo Xue.

The reason she specifically asked Shangguan Yu for a Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill was to give it back to Luo Xue.

As for herself, she rarely used medicine.

Because every injury a body cultivator sustained was a part of their growth, and using medicine would only make them weaker.

“…”

Luo Xue also knew that when Nangong Mengxiang said she didn’t need it, she really didn’t need it, not just being polite.

She could only sigh and put away the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill.

“What do we do now?” Luo Xue asked. “Find a place to stay in the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory?”

There was still some time before Ghost Demon Pass opened, and with the recent conflict between the Medicine Gang and the Tianhai Gang, both Nangong Mengxiang and Luo Xue’s identities were awkward, so they couldn’t go back.

“Yes, but it smells bad here, we’ll have to endure it.”

Nangong Mengxiang frowned in dissatisfaction.

Luo Xue didn’t think it smelled bad. The smell of blood and decay was everywhere in the borderlands, just varying in intensity.

The territories of the Tianhai Gang and the Medicine Gang weren’t much better.

And staying in the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory actually made Luo Xue feel safer, perhaps because of the faint Yin Poison in the air.

“…Wait,” Luo Xue suddenly realized something and asked, “When you said it smells bad, you weren’t referring to the Yin Poison, were you?”

“Yes, I didn’t continue staying on Mount Fengyin because I hated that smell.” Nangong Mengxiang nodded.

No wonder… Nangong Mengxiang hadn’t made Mount Fengyin her base, even though it was her master’s former residence.

If not for this, Daoist Ziyang wouldn’t have had the chance to occupy it and turn it into his cauldron refining grounds.

And it was normal for Nangong Mengxiang to hate the smell of Yin Breath Poison, as she was a pure Yang body cultivator, naturally averse to Yin Poison.

“But it’s still bearable.”

Despite saying this, Nangong Mengxiang still looked unhappy.

Her emotions were always written on her face, never concealed.

“Anyway, let’s settle down for now.”

Luo Xue made up her mind and, led by Nangong Mengxiang, found a shop she had robbed before to stay in, waiting for Ghost Demon Pass to open.

…

Meanwhile, the friction between the Tianhai Gang and the Medicine Gang intensified, and a full-blown war was about to break out.

At this sensitive moment, the rebuilt Youxiang Restaurant received an unexpected guest.

—Yu Haoqiang, the Gang Leader of the Tianhai Gang.

He didn’t make a grand entrance, but walked into the restaurant like an ordinary customer.

After entering, Yu Haoqiang ordered a pot of wine and, ignoring the waitresses’ attempts to stop him, walked straight to the pavilion in the center of the restaurant and sat down in front of the Zither Witch.

The surrounding waitresses were terrified. Although they didn’t know the Zither Witch’s true identity, from the respectful attitude of the restaurant manager, they could tell that this woman who played the zither here every day was definitely an important figure.

“You can all leave.”

The Zither Witch still had her eyes closed, gently plucking the strings, the melodious music echoing.

“Yes, my lady…”

The waitresses, relieved, quickly bowed and retreated.

The restaurant manager also tactfully activated the restrictions, isolating Yu Haoqiang and the Zither Witch from the surroundings.

“It’s been hundreds of years, how have you been?”

The Zither Witch said faintly, as if greeting him, or perhaps just talking to herself.

“I’m fine,” Yu Haoqiang said, taking a swig of wine. “You knew all along that Fengyin’s disciple was here, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t know.”

The Zither Witch said.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Is she Fengyin’s daughter?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is Fengyin still alive?”

“She’s dead.”

Yu Haoqiang’s expression turned somber, and he seemed lost in thought.

“She… is really dead.”

There had been rumors for hundreds of years since her disappearance, but he hadn’t believed them.

Until today, hearing this unbelievable news from the Zither Witch, Yu Haoqiang finally accepted reality.

He had thought he would be devastated by True Person Fengyin’s death… but now, he only felt a sense of loss.

But the Zither Witch’s next words instantly enraged him.

“It’s said that her remains were refined into a magical treasure.” The Zither Witch continued, her tone indifferent. “Even her soul wasn’t spared.”

“What!” Yu Haoqiang’s eyes widened, and the wine cup in his hand shattered. “Who!”

“I don’t know,” the Zither Witch didn’t look up, the shattered fragments of the wine cup floating before her zither before falling. “But he has already been completely annihilated.”

The impact of the incident on Mount Fengyin was far greater than Luo Xue had imagined. The spreading Yin Breath Poison had permanently changed the surrounding environment.

The Temple of the Nether Spirit, located not far from Mount Fengyin, naturally sent out investigation teams, and even a Soul Transformation ancestor intervened, restoring the events that transpired on Mount Fengyin.

Besides the existence of Luo Xue and Su Yiyao, and the fact that the innermost courtyard had been completely erased by some force, the Temple of the Nether Spirit had deduced the general course of events.

The pitiful Daoist Ziyang, after his death, not only had his body and soul eroded by Yin Breath Poison, but they were also forcibly condensed and violently searched by a powerful being.

And the whereabouts of True Person Fengyin, who had disappeared hundreds of years ago, were finally revealed. She had died silently and unnoticed in this desolate corner, a truly regrettable end.

This news hadn’t reached the Immortal Domain yet, as it was basically unrelated to them. Currently, only the higher-ups of the Demon Abyss’ forbidden areas knew about it.

“How… could she…”

Yu Haoqiang’s mind was in turmoil.

To outsiders, he always seemed indifferent, even his position as the Gang Leader of the Tianhai Gang was just because of a mission from his sect.

Because his heart had died hundreds of years ago, only touched slightly by the Supreme Forgetfulness Scripture, which finally led him to take this step.

But the news he received…

Yu Haoqiang closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and finally calmed down.

Opening his eyes again, although his anger hadn’t subsided, he forced himself to regain his composure and said,

“Can you tell me what Fengyin has been doing all these years?”

Communication between the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss was extremely limited. Even with spies, it was difficult to obtain much information.

Moreover, True Person Fengyin was a rogue cultivator without a sect, and her hiding place, Mount Fengyin, had only been recently exposed.

“I don’t know.”

The Zither Witch said, her tone as flat and emotionless as ever.

“…Zither Witch, I’m willing to give half of the Tianhai Gang’s assets to the Ghost Demon Gang.” Yu Haoqiang said in a low voice. “And I promise not to attack the Ghost Demon Gang for three hundred years.”

“I… just ask you to tell me, even if it’s just some vague information.”

“I don’t know means I don’t know, even if you give me everything, I still don’t know.” The Zither Witch shook her head, her fingers stopping their movements. “Also, in a few days, the Ghost Demon Gang will be no more.”

“What!” Yu Haoqiang’s eyes widened slightly.

“As you wish, the Temple of the Nether Spirit is abandoning Ghost Demon Pass.” The Zither Witch said. “The reason I’ve been staying in Ghost Demon Pass is to give the Nascent Soul elder stationed here time to evacuate.”

“…”

Yu Haoqiang fell silent.

He realized the implications of the Temple of the Nether Spirit’s actions.

“Yes, the Immortal-Demon War is about to begin,” the Zither Witch guessed what Yu Haoqiang wanted to ask. “The Peerless Summit Sect stopped it hundreds of years ago, but they could only delay it. The inevitable war cannot be changed.”

“How much… time is left?”

“I don’t know.” The Zither Witch shook her head again. “Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in a hundred years. It depends on when the next great tribulation arrives.”

Yu Haoqiang was silent again for a long time.

He looked up slightly at the four private rooms above the Youxiang Restaurant.

The scene from a few days ago was still vivid in his mind. The figure of the woman cultivating the Supreme Forgetfulness Scripture as she leaped across the pavilion remained in his memory, just like the woman he remembered.

“If there’s a chance… please take care of her.”

“Fengyin’s disciple, someone will take care of her.”

The Zither Witch didn’t agree to Yu Haoqiang’s request, but she didn’t refuse either.

Yu Haoqiang sighed softly and stood up.

He looked deeply at the Zither Witch and said in a low voice,

“After today’s parting, when we meet again, we will be enemies.”

“…Teacher.”

The Zither Witch’s expression didn’t change at all.

“You’re not worthy.”

“Heh, indeed… I’m not worthy.”

Yu Haoqiang was speechless and chuckled self-deprecatingly.

He turned and walked towards the door.

The time he spent as a student, cultivating alongside Fengyin under the same master, was completely gone.

Back then, True Person Fengyin was still Nangong Fengyin, Yu Haoqiang was still a cultivator of joy, and the Zither Witch was still Zither Fairy.

But all of that was gone.

“One last thing.”

The Zither Witch opened her eyes slightly, a strange, sinister aura emanating from her pure white eyes.

Yu Haoqiang stopped.

“Inform the Peerless Summit Sect. Their disciple, ‘Luo Yan,’ is wanted in the Demon Abyss. The highest level bounty, issued personally by the Holy Maiden.”

“Hmm?”

Yu Haoqiang was stunned. He had naturally heard of the Holy Maiden’s reputation and was quite wary of her.

Once the Holy Maiden reached Core Formation, even he might not be her match.

After all, she wasn’t even half a jiazi old!

But Luo Xue… who was that?

He had never heard of her.

Was such an unknown disciple worthy of a personal bounty from the Holy Maiden?

“What’s… their relationship?”

“…I don’t know.”

…

Half a month passed quickly. The Tianhai Gang and the Medicine Gang finally went to war, the conflict escalating, and Foundation Establishment cultivators started dying.

But fortunately, the Sha sisters were lucky. Their small inn was outside the war zone and wasn’t affected.

Luo Xue was relieved when she learned that they were safe.

On the other hand, the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory, which she had thought would be dangerous, was… quite boring.

Luo Xue and Nangong Mengxiang’s daily routine was as follows:

In the morning, they would go to the more chaotic eastern area for some “shopping” (read: looting). At noon, they would eat in the relatively stable northern area. In the afternoon, they would go to the southern area, which resembled a flea market, to scavenge for treasures.

At night, they would return to the shop they had robbed to rest. Luo Xue would drink some Immortal’s Kowtow and go to sleep, while Nangong Mengxiang would guard her while sleepwalking and occasionally killing someone.

For Luo Xue, small doses of Immortal’s Kowtow worked quite well as a sleeping aid, and her cultivation would increase every time she woke up.

After half a month, Luo Xue had consolidated her mid-stage Spirit Condensation cultivation and was about to reach the late stage.

This was because Luo Xue deliberately suppressed her cultivation, worried that advancing too quickly would make it difficult to control her power and result in an unstable foundation.

Finally, the day arrived when Ghost Demon Pass opened, and Luo Xue and Nangong Mengxiang blended into the crowd, heading towards the city gate.

Just like when entering the city, there were guards at the gate.

But before, Luo Xue had encountered the Tianhai Gang’s guards, and now it was the Ghost Demon Gang’s. They all looked like they couldn’t wait to get off work.

“Did you hear? The Ghost Demon Gang is leaving! Ghost Demon Pass will have a new name soon!”

“Really? I don’t believe it.”

“Don’t believe it? Have you seen any Core Formation elders recently? Not even many Foundation Establishment cultivators…”

“The Ghost Demon Gang has been declining for years. They’re no match for the Tianhai Gang and the Medicine Gang. Being forced out is only a matter of time…”

The crowd chattered, and Luo Xue overheard quite a bit of gossip.

Besides the rumor of the Ghost Demon Gang completely withdrawing from Ghost Demon Pass, there didn’t seem to be anything noteworthy.

Just as Luo Xue was leaving Ghost Demon Pass with the crowd, a few whispers reached her ears, catching her attention.

Because…

They were talking about her.

“…Luo Xue… rich… Peerless Summit…”

“Hmm?”

Luo Xue paused slightly, intending to listen carefully, when she saw a familiar portrait on the city wall from the corner of her eye.

…Herself.

White hair, petite, a young girl.

It was her.

“Holy crap!”

Luo Xue was startled and quickly pulled Nangong Mengxiang closer.

However, because Luo Xue was too short, and the surrounding crowd was too dense, she couldn’t see the details of the portrait clearly.

So, Luo Xue had Nangong Mengxiang lift her onto her shoulders.

And then, Luo Xue heard the voices mentioning her, right near the portrait.

“100,000 Earth-rank Qi Condensation Pills! Holy moly, what a fortune! It would take me years to earn one or two…”

“It’s a wanted notice from the Temple, after all. Every one of them is a vicious criminal… Wait, Innate Realm? Really just Innate Realm?”

“Could it be a fake… If it’s just Innate Realm, is it worth this much…”

The more Luo Xue listened, the more confused she became. At this moment, Nangong Mengxiang had forcibly cleared a path through the crowd with her brute strength.

Of course, her reputation from robbing people these past few days had already spread, and people could only obediently make way for her.

“Let me see…”

Luo Xue looked closely and finally saw the details of the portrait on the city wall.

After reading it, Luo Xue could only say,

“What the hell did I do to deserve this?!”

Chapter 103: Resurrected Resentment, We Will Meet Again 

Shangguan Lengyan finally understood why Luo Xue had approached her while using her pupil technique.

She had assumed Luo Xue was from the Shangguan clan, specializing in pupil techniques, controlling ghosts with her eyes, and casting spells with her gaze.

After all, being able to use a pupil technique that separated the three souls and seven spirits, she wouldn’t believe that Luo Xue was just a novice in this field.

Therefore, Shangguan Lengyan focused all her attention on defending against Luo Xue’s pupil technique, failing to realize that it was just a feint.

Or rather, a means of control.

After successfully resisting “Soul Snatch,” Shangguan Lengyan didn’t have time to dodge Luo Xue’s attack.

In her vision, the petite, ghostly girl grew larger, the pestle in her hand drawing closer.

“Don’t tell me… she’s planning to hit me with the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle…”

This absurd thought flashed through Shangguan Lengyan’s mind, and the next moment, it became reality. Luo Xue raised the pestle and slammed it down on her.

This was a magical artifact! Used for casting techniques!

Shangguan Lengyan screamed inwardly, but she could only grit her teeth and forcibly release her ghosts to slow down Luo Xue’s attack.

However, after Luo Xue broke through to the Spirit Condensation Realm, her 100 strength points received a massive boost.

The ghosts Shangguan Lengyan hastily summoned couldn’t stop the blow, and coupled with the pestle’s soul-shattering effect, sharp, miserable ghostly wails filled the air.

Finally, after sacrificing several Spirit Condensation ghosts and one Foundation Establishment ghost, Shangguan Lengyan barely dodged the attack.

“Boom—”

With a loud bang, the solid ground cracked slightly.

Shangguan Lengyan looked at the cracks on the ground, her heart pounding, her chest heaving.

The ground of Ghost Demon Pass was soaked with the blood and flesh of countless cultivators, and reinforced by earth vein power, making it difficult for ordinary techniques to damage.

And yet, this cousin…

Had cracked the ground with her physical strength.

Judging by her strength alone, she was already close to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

“A body cultivator? No, I’ve never heard of anyone in the Shangguan clan cultivating body refinement techniques…”

After all, their innate talent for pupil techniques was their greatest advantage. There was no need to abandon it and cultivate body refinement, which took so much time and effort.

Moreover, her cousin’s pupil technique was terrifying; she couldn’t possibly be a body cultivator.

The bizarre illusion around them gradually dissipated. Shangguan Lengyan had only cast the illusion technique to prevent Luo Xue from escaping.

And now…

The illusion was no longer necessary.

“Tsk, what a pity.”

Luo Xue was a bit annoyed that her attack missed. Such an opportunity was rare and could only be used once.

Next time, Shangguan Lengyan wouldn’t let her get close so easily.

In a duel of pupil techniques, even with the “will” and her Double Pupils, Luo Xue was still at a disadvantage compared to Shangguan Lengyan.

After all, the Shangguan clan’s pupil techniques focused on controlling ghosts, and Luo Xue didn’t have any ghosts. Even if she copied the technique, she couldn’t use it…

Although most ghosts only retained a fraction of their former power, most Foundation Establishment ghosts could at most exert the strength of a Spirit Condensation cultivator, and they lacked intelligence and most of their former techniques and abilities.

But there was strength in numbers!

Shangguan Lengyan had hundreds of Foundation Establishment ghosts and thousands of Spirit Condensation ghosts.

Many ants could kill an elephant, and these ghosts weren’t weak to Luo Xue.

If not for yesterday’s incident at the Youxiang Restaurant, where she lost two-thirds of her ghosts, she would have even more. A clan prodigy wasn’t just a title.

“Next, I will hold nothing back.”

Shangguan Lengyan said faintly.

Having come this far, she knew she had to gamble everything.

Moreover, she had already sensed something strange about the pestle in Luo Xue’s hand.

She hadn’t expected Aunt Shangguan Yu to leave a trace of Nascent Soul “will” within the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, which could be merged with…

If she obtained it, besides evolving her “Mystic Dark Eyes,” she would also gain a powerful trump card.

Even just for this sliver of Nascent Soul will, it was worth betting all her ghosts!

“Pupil technique—Gate of Hell!”

Shangguan Lengyan’s eyes lit up slightly, and gates of hell slowly appeared around her.

The screams of evil ghosts echoed again, and countless evil spirits crawled out from the gates of hell.

They looked different, some in armor, some in ordinary clothes, but all with gruesome appearances.

Luo Xue’s expression turned serious as she looked at the surging ghosts.

She recognized them. Most of these ghosts were once people of the Immortal Domain, and there were even Senior Sisters from Falling Flower Peak among them.

Under Shangguan Lengyan’s pupil technique, they had returned to life in another form, their eyes burning with a cold fire, their resentment almost forming dark clouds.

From their appearance, most were souls from the Immortal-Demon War.

They roared and charged towards Luo Xue.

“Heh, let me see how your ghosts compare to the thousand-year foundation of my Shangguan clan…”

Shangguan Lengyan narrowed her eyes slightly, her face turning pale.

She had truly reached her limit.

“This pupil technique…”

Luo Xue did want to copy it. Her Double Pupils had already analyzed it.

But the problem was, she didn’t have any ghosts…

“Forget it, should I try?”

Luo Xue focused her mind and used the same pupil technique as Shangguan Lengyan.

“Pupil technique—Reincarnation of the Impure World!”

The surging ghost army charged towards Luo Xue, but her pupil technique, without any ghosts, seemed to have no effect.

“…”

No, it wasn’t completely ineffective.

The “will,” which had been fading, actually solidified slightly after Luo Xue used Reincarnation of the Impure World.

The next moment, Luo Xue’s Nascent Soul will instantly withered, but the illusory woman behind her slowly opened her eyes.

A galaxy seemed to swirl within her eyes, and an oppressive Nascent Soul aura slowly emanated.

The seductive figure moved slightly, glancing at the ghost army with amusement and mockery.

In an instant, the entire ghost army was annihilated.

“This… this is…” Shangguan Lengyan’s eyes widened. “Just a wisp of resentment, how could it be revived through Gate of Hell…”

Gate of Hell was indeed a pupil technique for summoning ghosts, but ghosts and resentful spirits were two different concepts!

Resentment was just… will, while ghosts had three souls and seven spirits.

Even incomplete ghosts were fundamentally different from resentment. Gate of Hell couldn’t be used on resentment.

This scene shattered Shangguan Lengyan’s decades-old worldview.

Inside the Treasure Pavilion, Shangguan Yu’s expression was also filled with shock.

It wasn’t because she, a living person, had been inexplicably summoned as a ghost by a junior, but because a wisp of resentment had been awakened like a ghost through a pupil technique. This also shattered her understanding.

“Double Pupils… so this is Double Pupils… the number one pupil technique talent in the world, bar none.”

There were very few records of Double Pupils. Shangguan Yu had initially thought that Double Pupils only enhanced the effects of pupil techniques, but she hadn’t expected it to qualitatively change their effects. The two were worlds apart.

Luo Xue, who had shattered the worldviews of two people, didn’t feel anything. She just felt that this divine ability was indeed powerful.

If she had to use the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle to smash those ghosts one by one, she didn’t know how long it would take.

But now, a single divine ability had solved everything.

At this point, Luo Xue’s Nascent Soul will had completely withered. It would take at least half a month to replenish it.

But… the exhausted Shangguan Lengyan wasn’t necessarily Luo Xue’s match now.

Her pupil technique was unusable, and her ghosts were gone.

With only her peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, she couldn’t compete with Luo Xue in close combat.

Even without considering spiritual power, Luo Xue’s physical strength was at the peak of Spirit Condensation, and she could also use spiritual power.

“Phew…”

Luo Xue approached Shangguan Lengyan step by step, pestle in hand.

Shangguan Lengyan struggled to stay standing, her body visibly weak, leaning against the rubble for support.

“Sigh…”

Just then, Shangguan Yu’s sigh echoed in Luo Xue’s ear.

“Spare her life, consider it returning a favor… After all, she’s also a junior of the Shangguan clan.”

Luo Xue stopped, looking at Shangguan Lengyan indifferently.

“Since Senior has spoken, I… have no objections.”

Luo Xue put away the pestle, her terrifying eyes returning to normal. She couldn’t maintain this state any longer.

Using pupil techniques required “will,” similar to soul power, not spiritual power. Luo Xue hadn’t specifically cultivated her will and was relying on the pestle to maintain the “Mystic Dark Eyes.”

Meanwhile, the other battle was also nearing its end.

Nangong Mengxiang was stronger, and Sima Ye was retreating, his possessing ghosts dissipating.

Sima Ye’s ghosts were different from Shangguan Lengyan’s.

He used ghost possession, and his ghosts were all top-notch, prodigies from various eras, collected by the Sima clan. Losing even one was a great loss.

Two of the three ghosts possessing Sima Ye had been dispelled by Nangong Mengxiang, and his soul attack was ineffective against her.

Sima Ye was starting to doubt himself. Two monsters immune to his soul attacks in two days? Was he still a prodigy?

He didn’t connect Nangong Mengxiang with the woman in the childish dress he met yesterday. Their auras and companions were different.

After Luo Xue’s victory, Sima Ye knew there was no hope of winning.

He immediately abandoned the fight and went to Shangguan Lengyan’s side.

“Let’s go!”

Sima Ye whispered, taking out a pile of talismans—all Foundation Establishment level, even more than what Luo Xue had.

Luo Xue thought he was planning a big move, but the talismans formed a small formation, just big enough for two people.

“Is this… a teleportation formation?”

Luo Xue sensed spatial fluctuations. Due to the restrictions in Ghost Demon Pass, Sima Ye needed a lot of talismans.

“Hey, don’t run!”

Nangong Mengxiang, still eager to fight, charged forward with her mace.

Sima Ye looked at Nangong Mengxiang with some fear. Body cultivators were all crazy.

He hoped never to meet another one…

As the formation activated, Shangguan Lengyan opened her eyes, looked at Luo Xue, and said faintly,

“Cousin, we will… meet again.”

“We’ll see.”

Luo Xue smiled faintly, thinking that next time, she might not even look the same.

The teleportation formation’s light enveloped them, and they vanished before Nangong Mengxiang’s mace could reach them.

“Boom—”

The mace struck the ground, causing an even greater tremor, collapsing the nearby rubble.

“I missed…”

Nangong Mengxiang looked disappointed, but she still put away her mace.

She looked at Luo Xue with concern.

“Little Martial Aunt, are you injured?”

“I’m fine.”

Luo Xue shook her head.

She had the Nascent Soul will’s help, and Shangguan Lengyan wasn’t at her best, which was how Luo Xue, at the Spirit Condensation Realm, could defeat a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Without the Nascent Soul will, or if Shangguan Lengyan had been at her peak, Luo Xue wouldn’t have been able to win.

The Double Pupils were powerful, but they required sufficient cultivation to support them.

This battle was Luo Xue’s first experience with the true power of divine abilities. There was a reason why body cultivation wasn’t mainstream.

Not only was it difficult to cultivate, but the methods were also too limited.

“By the way, should we go back and find…”

Luo Xue wanted to talk to Shangguan Yu, but the Treasure Pavilion was gone.

“Eh, Sister Shangguan is gone again.”

Nangong Mengxiang wasn’t surprised.

“Uh… what’s going on?” Luo Xue asked.

“I don’t know much. The ‘Treasure Pavilion’ seems to be a powerful hidden force, and Sister Shangguan just works there—that’s what she said.”

Nangong Mengxiang told Luo Xue everything she knew.

“Every once in a while, she moves the entire building to a different location. It just happened to be in Ghost Demon Pass this time.”

“There’s even such a thing…”

Luo Xue twitched her lips.

But thinking about it, Shangguan Yu was a Nascent Soul old monster. How could she be content staying in a barren place like Ghost Demon Pass?

“Fortunately, we robbed quite a bit, it should be enough to find a place to stay.” Nangong Mengxiang rummaged through her bag, took out a Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill, and handed it to Luo Xue. “Here, this is for you.”

“…No need to return it, I still have some.” Luo Xue shook her head, not taking the pill. “Keep it for yourself, just in case.”

“I don’t need it.” Nangong Mengxiang ignored her and stuffed the pill into Luo Xue’s hand. “I’m a body cultivator! Little Martial Aunt, you underestimate body cultivators too much!”

Chapter 102: The Might of Double Pupils, A Close-Combat Pupil Master

When the ghostly girl and her guard-like companion appeared before Shangguan Lengyan and Sima Ye, they were dumbfounded.

Especially Shangguan Lengyan.

Because Luo Xue’s current aura, and the sinister, ghostly “will” surrounding her, were characteristic of a Demonic Ghost City cultivator.

Her ghostly aura was even purer and more evil than Shangguan Lengyan’s.

Just facing her directly was suffocating.

“Is this… your younger sister?”

Sima Ye twitched his lips. He could sense that the ghostly girl’s aura was somewhat similar to Shangguan Lengyan’s and should be from the Shangguan clan.

“I don’t remember having such a younger sister…”

Shangguan Lengyan finally recovered and exhaled.

She had already seen through Luo Xue’s cultivation level.

Just peak Innate Realm, about to enter Spirit Condensation.

Even an injured Foundation Establishment cultivator was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator, a world apart from the Innate Realm. A peak Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily crush countless Innate Realm cultivators with a single breath.

Even injured, capturing her would be a piece of cake.

But…

The appearance of this girl, who seemed to be from their clan, shattered all of Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan’s previous speculations.

Wasn’t it the Temple of the Nether Spirit who was involved in this conspiracy?

Or… had someone from their clan betrayed the Demonic Ghost City and joined the Temple of the Nether Spirit?

But this speculation didn’t make sense. The Temple of the Nether Spirit and the Demonic Ghost City weren’t connected, neither allies nor enemies.

However, there was no time for Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan to ponder this.

When they saw Luo Xue and Nangong Mengxiang, Luo Xue also saw these two prodigies of the Demonic Ghost City.

Instantly, both sides understood, this battle was unavoidable.

Without even a greeting, Sima Ye attacked first. Several ghostly hands extended from behind him, and a few ghosts instantly possessed him.

The Evil Ghost lineage was skilled in controlling ghosts, and the Sima clan’s ghost control techniques all used the physical body as a vessel.

Sima Ye consumed a secret medicine and directly merged with three ghosts.

A Sword Ghost from the Peerless Summit Sect, a Medicine Ghost from the Everspring Pavilion, and a Ferocious Ghost from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect.

A sharp sword intent, carrying a monstrous aura, mixed with a hint of poisonous power, surged towards Luo Xue.

Forcibly merging with the ghosts made Sima Ye’s face as ferocious as a demon’s. His dark purple skin was covered with bulging black veins, and his attack was a killing blow.

However, the ghost sword condensed by Sima Ye couldn’t reach Luo Xue. A tall, alluring figure intercepted him, catching the ghost sword with her bare hands.

“Girly man, your opponent… is me!”

Nangong Mengxiang shouted, her hand tightening, crushing the ghost sword.

Her nightwalker suit fell away, and a simple, unadorned fist smashed towards Sima Ye.

“A body cultivator!”

Sima Ye was shocked and quickly used his ghostly hand to block Nangong Mengxiang’s fierce attack.

Body cultivators were known as the nemesis of ghost cultivators. Unless a ghost cultivator was extremely powerful and had completely abandoned their physical body, encountering a body cultivator was like tying their own hands.

Although soul-targeting attacks were effective against body cultivators, unless they instantly destroyed the soul, these lunatics, who cultivated even their brains into muscles, wouldn’t even care.

Sima Ye did have a powerful technique, but it took time to prepare.

And this time… Nangong Mengxiang wouldn’t give him.

Every punch and kick carried earth-shattering power. Nangong Mengxiang relentlessly pressed forward, the aftershocks of the battle flattening the surrounding dilapidated buildings, even cracking the ground.

Sima Ye was completely entangled by Nangong Mengxiang, unable to free himself.

Shangguan Lengyan’s expression was indifferent. She didn’t pay attention to the battle between Sima Ye and Nangong Mengxiang, her gaze fixed on Luo Xue.

And the pestle in Luo Xue’s hand.

“Which lineage are you from? Why are you here?”

Shangguan Lengyan’s voice was cold, her expression carrying a hint of arrogance.

“…Are you asking me?”

Luo Xue pointed at herself, blinking innocently.

Shangguan Lengyan didn’t speak, her gaze turning colder.

Wasn’t it obvious? You’re the one standing opposite me.

“I’m actually…”

Luo Xue was about to answer, but stopped.

She realized why Shangguan Lengyan had asked this.

She had mistaken her for a member of the Shangguan clan…

It made sense. The face Li Guijiao had created did have the aura of the Shangguan clan, and coupled with the change in aura brought about by the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, she definitely looked like an “Shangguan.”

“Perhaps, I should call you Big Sister.” A sweet smile appeared on Luo Xue’s pale face, but it carried a chilling undertone. “My name is Shangguan Xue, and my mother is… Shangguan Yu.”

“Cough, cough, cough…”

A violent coughing sound came from within the Treasure Pavilion.

At the same time, somewhere in the Demon Abyss, a drunken woman fell from her flying sword.

“Aunt’s daughter!” Shangguan Lengyan’s cold expression instantly melted, replaced by disbelief. “Impossible! This is absolutely impossible! Aunt can’t have any children!”

“She’s clearly…”

Shangguan Lengyan couldn’t believe it.

“…Is it really that shocking?”

Luo Xue was a bit puzzled. Why was Shangguan Lengyan’s reaction so big? Could it be that there was something she didn’t know about Shangguan Yu?

Besides, with her shouting like that, the person in the Treasure Pavilion could definitely hear…

Luo Xue suddenly wanted to see Shangguan Yu’s expression now.

However, she shouldn’t take the joke too far.

Luo Xue smiled faintly, just as she was about to say that she had made it up, Shangguan Lengyan’s expression changed drastically again.

After a moment of uncertainty, Shangguan Lengyan whispered,

“No, it seems… this is the only possibility…”

Otherwise, there was no way to explain why, after triggering Shangguan Yu’s remnant soul, this girl could walk out unscathed, holding the completely corrupted pestle.

What if this ghostly girl was really her aunt’s daughter, her cousin?

And another question that had been lingering in Shangguan Lengyan’s mind since before they came to Ghost Demon Pass.

Why did the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, which had been lost for a thousand years, suddenly reappear, and in Ghost Demon Pass, thousands of miles away from the original battlefield?

If all of this was to let this “Shangguan Xue” obtain her mother’s legacy… suddenly, it all made sense.

As for who did this… it could only be Master Wumu.

Master Wumu, the manipulator of fate.

If Luo Xue knew what Shangguan Lengyan was thinking, even she would feel wronged for Master Wumu. Just because he liked to go against fate, they couldn’t blame him for everything, could they?

However, Luo Xue didn’t know what was going on in Shangguan Lengyan’s mind. In an instant, her attitude did a complete 180.

“Little Sister—perhaps I should call you that. Perhaps the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle is your mother’s legacy, perhaps you want to keep it,” a sinister, blood-red light flickered in Shangguan Lengyan’s pupils, “but no matter what, I have to take what’s in your hands.”

Having come this far, how could she give up?

Moreover, in the Demon Abyss, clan members and relatives weren’t necessarily allies, they might even be mortal enemies.

Shangguan Yu and Shangguan Ling, biological sisters, were the best example.

The “Mystic Dark Eyes” ignited at this moment, and Luo Xue felt that the surrounding scenery suddenly became bizarre and distorted, separated from reality.

—The pupil technique, “Mystic Boundary.”

Even though her opponent was only at the peak of the Innate Realm, Shangguan Lengyan still went all out.

“If that’s the case…”

Luo Xue gripped the pestle, and with a thought, the “will” entwined within it gradually merged with her aura.

Luo Xue’s eyes instantly turned into a deep darkness, only her pupils a shocking crimson.

At the same time, a seductive, illusory figure appeared behind Luo Xue, like a guardian spirit.

The combination of the “Double Pupils” talent and the “Mystic Dark Eyes” brought back Luo Xue’s blood-mist vision.

In this vision, Shangguan Lengyan’s entire body was laid bare before Luo Xue’s eyes, as if dissected by a scalpel.

Not only her injured soul, but also the circulation of her spiritual energy, the paths of her meridians, and the state of her injuries, all clearly visible.

The next moment, Shangguan Lengyan moved.

But in Luo Xue’s eyes, her movements were slowed down thousands of times, slow and stiff.

Luo Xue easily grasped her pupil technique, and the corresponding countermeasures appeared in her mind.

This wasn’t something Luo Xue could do on her own. The sliver of Nascent Soul “will” enveloped her, enhancing all her pupil techniques, bringing them to an unimaginable level.

Luo Xue reveled in the sensory experience brought about by this state, as if she was seeing another world.

“Soul Snatch!”

A cold, faint light emanated from Shangguan Lengyan’s eyes, enveloping Luo Xue, trying to pull out her soul.

Once separated from the body, the soul would become extremely fragile, and all soul-targeting attacks would be amplified thousands of times.

Shangguan Lengyan wanted to catch her off guard. She was confident that even if Luo Xue’s soul was separated from her body for just half a breath, she could severely injure, or even kill her.

Unfortunately, Shangguan Lengyan’s attempt at surprise was a joke in Luo Xue’s eyes.

Through the “will,” Luo Xue learned Shangguan Lengyan’s pupil technique and imitated it.

“Let me… snatch your soul!”

A cold light, tinged with blood-red, shot towards Shangguan Lengyan.

The clash between pupil techniques was instantaneous. Shangguan Lengyan was shocked to find that her pupil technique couldn’t affect Luo Xue’s soul—because Luo Xue had already set up defenses in advance, making it extremely difficult to extract her soul.

Moreover, Luo Xue counterattacked. Shangguan Lengyan felt a buzzing in her head, and when she came back to her senses, she was watching her own body slowly fall through her own eyes.

“What!”

Shangguan Lengyan was shocked, but the next moment, something even more terrifying happened.

Her soul… was separated.

Her three souls and seven spirits… were all separated.

Through her soul’s vision, she could see seven Shangguan Lengyans floating in mid-air, and a body falling backward on the ground.

“Soul Snatch,” enhanced by “Double Pupils,” could not only extract souls but also scatter the three souls and seven spirits.

“So useful?”

Luo Xue hadn’t expected her first attempt at using a pupil technique to be so effective, although it was with the help of the Nascent Soul will.

However…

Unfortunately, Luo Xue didn’t have any soul-targeting techniques—Shangguan Lengyan hadn’t used any yet, so she hadn’t had the chance to copy them.

Therefore, after half a breath, the three souls and seven spirits returned to her body, and Shangguan Lengyan, still shaken, steadied herself.

“You… are definitely not at the Innate Realm!”

Shangguan Lengyan murmured.

How could an Innate Realm cultivator possess such a terrifying pupil technique…

“Ah, I’m indeed not at the Innate Realm anymore.”

Luo Xue looked within and found that after merging with the “will,” with the understanding gained from the Nascent Soul will, she had naturally crossed the chasm between mortals and immortals.

A Spirit Condensation aperture formed in her sea of consciousness, and she reached the Spirit Condensation Realm.

And because of her previous accumulation, she directly reached the peak of the early stage, about to enter the mid-stage.

At the same time, Luo Xue noticed that the Nascent Soul will was gradually fading, reaching its limit.

Shangguan Yu had put in a lot of effort to make it possible for even an Innate Realm cultivator to merge with it, but the duration was still inevitably short.

Of course, it wasn’t a one-time use item. After a cooldown period, it could be used again.

“Let’s end this quickly.”

Luo Xue composed herself and, while Shangguan Lengyan was still recovering, charged forward, holding the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.

At the same time, a cold light emanated from her captivating eyes.

“You—”

Shangguan Lengyan was startled and uncertain. She bit her lip and cast a protective pupil technique on her soul.

Although she didn’t know why this unfamiliar cousin was using a pupil technique at such close range, she could only try her best to resist.

As a skilled user of pupil techniques, Shangguan Lengyan knew how terrifying a technique that could separate the three souls and seven spirits was.

Unlike ordinary soul separation, the state of having one’s three souls and seven spirits scattered was a cultivator’s most vulnerable moment.

So vulnerable that even a strong wind could scatter their soul…

Shangguan Lengyan never wanted to experience this terror again.

As expected, after Luo Xue used her only learned pupil technique, “Soul Snatch,” Shangguan Lengyan once again felt the instinctive fear of her soul being separated from her body.

She focused all her attention on resisting the pupil technique, desperately holding onto her soul.

It was because she was unprepared before that Luo Xue had succeeded so easily. This time… she wouldn’t make the same mistake!

Finally, after a long but brief clash in the world of consciousness, Shangguan Lengyan protected her soul, preventing it from being extracted again.

When her consciousness returned to reality, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she had escaped the danger.

But unexpectedly…

The ghostly girl had already appeared above her, raising the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle high, a sinister smile on her pale face, her crimson pupils terrifying like a demon’s.

“—Take this!”

Chapter 101: The True Power of Double Pupils, The Final Boss Appears

A distant, soft whisper echoed, stirring a deep, bloodline resonance only those of the Shangguan clan could hear.

In the silent whisper, the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle in Luo Xue’s hand twitched, and the living bead eyeballs, which had calmed down, began to roll restlessly again.

The illusory figure of the seductive woman Luo Xue had seen before reappeared, but this time, she was no longer alluring, but crazed and ferocious.

“Die… all of you must die…”

The illusory woman relentlessly attacked the weakening seal, her terrifying aura threatening to tear everything apart.

The pestle began to glow with a golden light, trying to suppress the illusory woman, who had become an evil spirit.

However, the seal had been in place for far too long, and the golden light seemed to have little effect. The woman’s terrifying aura washed over Luo Xue.

This was the resentment of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Even Core Formation cultivators would struggle to resist it, let alone Luo Xue, who was barely about to enter Spirit Condensation.

“Tsk, how unsightly.”

Shangguan Yu frowned slightly, a look of displeasure on her beautiful face. “I didn’t expect myself back then to be so ugly, letting you juniors see such an embarrassing past.”

She waved her hand dismissively, and the illusory woman’s roars gradually subsided, her appearance returning to its seductive form, winking at Luo Xue, tempting her to break the seal.

“…”

Luo Xue was incredibly embarrassed. The real Shangguan Yu was right in front of her, yet her remnant soul was acting up again.

Shangguan Yu also coughed lightly, the blush on her cheeks fading.

“It’s just a mindless remnant soul, you… don’t take it seriously.”

“Of course, of course…”

Luo Xue nodded repeatedly and discreetly put away the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.

She had already seen Shangguan Yu’s embarrassing past. If she angered her further, what if she changed her mind and took back the pestle?

Luo Xue no longer considered it a hot potato. The real Shangguan Yu had given it to her, and it contained a divine ability perfectly suited for her “Double Pupils.” It was a very handy artifact.

“The juniors in my clan are truly persistent, actually chasing me all the way here.”

Shangguan Yu also came back to her senses. Her divine sense swept over the surroundings, and she quickly found Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan.

They were waiting for the triggered resentment to erupt.

“The juniors in your clan… do you know them?” Luo Xue asked curiously.

“How could I know them?”

Shangguan Yu crossed her arms, leaned against the counter, and said matter-of-factly, “I haven’t been to the Demonic Ghost City for a thousand years. How would I know which stinky men those little bitches in my clan have hooked up with?”

Was it really okay to talk about her own clan like this?

Luo Xue complained inwardly, but every family had its own problems. Who knew what Shangguan Yu, the former Clan Leader, had gone through to leave her clan for a thousand years without returning.

“Then… Senior, could you tell those outside that you gave the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle to an unknown little girl?” Luo Xue hesitated and asked. “It’s causing a lot of trouble.”

“No, no, it won’t be any trouble.” Shangguan Yu said with a smile. “I’m not going to do that.”

“Ahem…”

“Why do you think I haven’t returned to the Demonic Ghost City for a thousand years, staying in the borderlands all this time?”

Shangguan Yu pouted. “Those little bitches in my clan are all hoping for my death. It’s much more relaxing here. I don’t have to listen to the old geezers nagging, and there’s not so much trouble.”

“As for those juniors outside, you can deal with them yourself. Besides, it wasn’t me who gave you the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle. For after-sales service, go find Master Wumu.”

Easier said than done…

Luo Xue smiled wryly. Those two outside were peak Foundation Establishment prodigies; she couldn’t handle them.

Even with Nangong Mengxiang’s help, they would only have the combat power of one peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, still one short.

At this critical moment, it had to be her good Great Niece, Nangong Mengxiang.

She looked at Shangguan Yu and pleaded in a flat tone,

“Sister Shangguan, please help your Little Martial Aunt!”

“…Mengxiang, this is the one thing I can’t do.”

Shangguan Yu looked deeply at Nangong Mengxiang, her playful expression turning serious.

She shook her head and said, “I’m already ‘dead.’ I worked hard to ‘die’.”

“But… Master said before she left that I could ask you for help if anything happened…” A deeply conflicted expression appeared on Nangong Mengxiang’s face. “She said you would definitely help me.”

Hearing this, a rare look of complexity appeared on Shangguan Yu’s beautiful face.

After a moment, as if giving up, she sighed softly and said,

“I really don’t know what I owe you master and disciple… Always like this. Forget it, forget it.”

Shangguan Yu looked at Luo Xue. “I can’t intervene directly, but… I can help you indirectly.”

“What do you mean, Senior?”

Luo Xue asked.

“Take out the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.” Shangguan Yu said directly.

Luo Xue immediately took out the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle and placed it on the counter.

Shangguan Yu looked at the pestle, pondered for a moment, and directly injected her spiritual power into it.

Instantly, the seal that had been in place for a thousand years was broken, and the crazed and ferocious illusory woman reappeared.

Actually, Shangguan Yu had already retrieved all the artifacts that sealed her techniques and divine abilities, but she hadn’t unsealed them.

At the same time, the two living beads, filled with demonic energy, immediately emitted a condensed purplish-black light, almost completely corroding the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.

The original golden light was suppressed to a mere sliver, its sacred aura completely gone, no longer resembling a Buddhist artifact. The Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle had completely transformed into an evil artifact.

But in the next moment, the illusory woman let out a sharp scream and instantly vanished.

This trace of resentment, carrying Shangguan Yu’s painful past, disappeared from the world.

Only the two terrifying eyeballs remained, completely alive, their sinister aura twisting and influencing everyone around them.

However, because of Nangong Mengxiang’s special technique, she was almost immune to this soul-targeting effect.

As for Shangguan Yu and Luo Xue…

A faint light emanated from Luo Xue’s overlapping pupils, absorbing all the fluctuations of the pupil technique.

“Could this be… Double Pupils?!” Seeing this, Shangguan Yu’s pupils constricted, her expression filled with shock. “The number one pupil technique talent in the world. In tens of thousands of years of the Shangguan clan’s inheritance, there has only been one…”

“Heh, I didn’t expect to see it in my lifetime, and on a Peerless Summit Sect disciple, no less…”

Shangguan Yu hid her shock deep within her expression. She didn’t say it out loud.

Because Luo Xue seemed completely unaware of the power of Double Pupils, and Shangguan Yu, who already disliked the Peerless Summit Sect, didn’t see the need to pay much attention to Luo Xue.

Even if she was the inheritor chosen by Fengyin.

The Double Pupils talent alone wasn’t that strong. Although its basic effect of “seeing fast as slow” gave one a great advantage in close combat, it wasn’t enough to be called the number one pupil technique talent.

The most terrifying aspect of Double Pupils was its growth potential.

Under normal circumstances, a cultivator could only master up to three pupil techniques. Even someone as talented as Shangguan Yu could only master eight.

But those with Double Pupils… had no limit.

They could perfectly master any number of pupil techniques without any backlash.

Furthermore, pupil techniques used through Double Pupils not only had their effects greatly enhanced but also gained another, strengthened ability.

The specific ability depended on the pupil technique used.

But one thing was certain: the more pupil techniques they learned, the stronger the Double Pupils user became.

With dozens of pupil techniques, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could kill a Core Formation cultivator.

Soon, the surrounding fluctuations of the pupil technique disappeared, and the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle had completely changed.

The two living beads seemed to have been drained dry, instantly withering and turning into black ash.

And the originally golden Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle was now a dark purplish-black, emitting a bone-chilling coldness.

Perhaps, it should no longer be called the “Subduing Pestle.”

“Done.”

Shangguan Yu exhaled and clapped her hands. “All traces of my remnant soul within the artifact have been removed. What remains is the purest ‘will.’ By merging with it, you can briefly control a sliver of Nascent Soul power.”

“As for the pupil technique inside… heh, that depends on your own comprehension.”

Shangguan Yu handed the processed pestle to Luo Xue, a playful glint in her eyes.

She wanted to see the reaction of this self-proclaimed righteous disciple of the Peerless Summit Sect upon receiving such a sinister artifact.

Would she hesitate, struggle, before finally accepting it?

Unfortunately, Shangguan Yu’s expectations were dashed.

Luo Xue accepted the pestle without any hesitation, her expression even showing a hint of excitement.

“Thank you, Senior.”

“…Are you really a disciple of the Peerless Summit Sect?”

Shangguan Yu couldn’t help but ask.

Had the world changed so much in the thousand years she had been away?

Had the sword fanatics of the Peerless Summit Sect changed their nature, now associating with demonic and evil cultivators?

“Of course, I’m from Falling Flower Peak.”

Luo Xue played with the pestle, the pure “will” swirling around her.

She could feel that with just a thought, she could merge with this “will” and control a sliver of Nascent Soul power.

Even if it was just a sliver, it was still Nascent Soul power!

And it had been processed by Shangguan Yu, meaning Luo Xue could use this “will” to experience Nascent Soul power in advance.

Not only could it resolve her current predicament, but it would also be greatly beneficial to her future cultivation. This was a rare opportunity!

“Falling Flower Peak… the Bai family’s place…”

Thinking of the Bai family, Shangguan Yu suddenly winced and said impatiently,

“Fine, fine, go ahead, go and deal with those juniors. I’m just fulfilling my duty as an elder. If they’re not capable enough to obtain it, then they’re not capable enough. What does it have to do with me!”

Having failed several times to provoke Luo Xue by going against the Peerless Summit Sect’s principles, Shangguan Yu had lost her patience and just wanted to be rid of her.

“Thank you again, Senior.” Luo Xue bowed politely. “If there’s a chance in the future, I will definitely repay you. Consider it a favor I owe you.”

She knew that the things she had were nothing to a Nascent Soul cultivator, especially since Shangguan Yu also possessed the astonishing treasure vault that was the Treasure Pavilion, so she didn’t take anything out to embarrass herself.

“What use is a favor from a junior like you?” Shangguan Yu sneered, then looked at the eager Nangong Mengxiang, a complicated look flashing through her eyes. “Mengxiang, are you still going back to the Demon Abyss?”

“Yes,” Nangong Mengxiang nodded. “I still have to accompany Little Martial Aunt to find Master! Little Martial Aunt said she has information about Master.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Yu fell silent.

She looked at Luo Xue, seemingly wanting to say something.

“I… know.”

Luo Xue slightly averted her gaze.

It seemed that Shangguan Yu knew about True Person Fengyin’s death, but hadn’t told Nangong Mengxiang.

“That’s good.”

Shangguan Yu turned around and waved her hand impatiently.

“Get out, get out, don’t disturb my business!”

Seeing this, Luo Xue picked up the pestle, performed a sword salute to Shangguan Yu, and then turned to leave.

“Sister Shangguan, we’re leaving!”

Nangong Mengxiang said cheerfully.

Shangguan Yu didn’t speak, just turned her head and looked at Nangong Mengxiang with a complicated expression.

Nangong Mengxiang followed Luo Xue, leaving behind only a tall and agile figure.

“Heh… It seems I can’t hide it any longer.” Shangguan Yu murmured softly. “It’s fine, I couldn’t hide it for much longer anyway.”

“Nangong Fengyin, Nangong Fengyin… You little girl, even after your death, you still cause me so much trouble.”

…

“The remnant soul has awakened.”

Shangguan Lengyan said softly.

Sima Ye didn’t speak. The powerful aura of the awakened remnant soul was something he could sense even without his “Mystic Dark Eyes.”

The Ghost Demon Gang’s territory was desolate. Although a few gazes had been following Shangguan Lengyan and Sima Ye, hoping to find a chance to take advantage of these two glamorous prodigies, after the eruption of the remnant soul’s aura, these hidden gazes instantly disappeared, fleeing in terror.

The remnant soul carried the aura of a Nascent Soul old monster, a realm they couldn’t afford to touch.

However…

After a brief eruption, the remnant soul’s aura was suppressed.

But Shangguan Lengyan and Sima Ye weren’t worried. They knew the thousand-year-old seal was still in effect; it should struggle for a while longer.

But what they didn’t expect was that the next moment, an even stronger aura of resentment erupted, even carrying a trace of true Nascent Soul power.

Shangguan Lengyan was instantly shocked.

“Could it be… that the remnant soul still retains a sliver of my aunt’s soul?”

If so, this was the worst-case scenario.

A remnant soul couldn’t be compared to a wisp of resentment. If it was a remnant soul, the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle would be completely destroyed, and it might even create a vengeful ghost that had accumulated resentment for a thousand years.

The ghost of Shangguan Yu…

Just as Shangguan Lengyan was hesitating whether to retreat, Sima Ye suddenly said in a deep voice,

“Wait, they… are coming out.”

Accompanied by a monstrous evil aura, two figures, one tall and one petite, slowly walked out, facing Shangguan Lengyan and Sima Ye.

“Speaking of which, we look a bit like final bosses now.”

“What’s a final boss?”

“Ah, never mind…”

Chapter 100: Reincarnated Cultivator, Evil Ghost Shangguan Yu 

Within the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory.

Compared to the territories of the Medicine Gang and the Tianhai Gang, the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory was much more desolate.

The streets were lined with dilapidated buildings, and the few inns with flickering candlelight all emitted a faint smell of blood.

Countless greedy eyes lurked in the shadows, and the gusts of wind carried a nauseating stench.

Compared to the territories of the sects affiliated with the Immortal Domain, the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory was truly lawless. The Tianhai Gang’s chaos still had some semblance of order, but within the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory, the only law was the survival of the fittest.

As soon as Luo Xue and Nangong Mengxiang stepped into the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory, they sensed many malicious gazes directed at them.

However, after Nangong Mengxiang skillfully released a bit of her peak Foundation Establishment aura, these gazes immediately retreated, as if they had never existed.

Although a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn’t exactly walk sideways in Ghost Demon Pass, they were still existences that ordinary cultivators wouldn’t dare to provoke.

There were only a few Core Formation cultivators, and besides them, peak Foundation Establishment cultivators were the strongest.

“Nangong, have you been here before?”

Luo Xue asked curiously.

Since entering the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory, Nangong Mengxiang had become very familiar with the area, leading Luo Xue through the dilapidated buildings.

“Ah, yes, I used to come here every day.” Nangong Mengxiang replied. “Whenever I ran out of money, I would come here to rob people. I just had to shout, and someone would hand over their money.”

“…Rob?”

Luo Xue’s eyelids twitched, recalling some unpleasant memories.

The first time she met Nangong Mengxiang, she was robbing people…

“Yeah, it seems like only here can you rob people without any consequences.” Nangong Mengxiang said matter-of-factly. “Last time I went to another place to rob someone, I ran into a Core Formation cultivator. Tsk, how unlucky.”

“…”

Luo Xue remained silent.

No wonder it was like this…

It seemed that the original Ghost Demon Pass was like the current Ghost Demon Gang’s territory. It was only after the Immortal Domain intervened that two relatively orderly territories were established.

Under normal circumstances, order promoted development, which was why the Medicine Gang and the Tianhai Gang gradually grew stronger, eventually surpassing the Ghost Demon Gang.

In this chaotic and disorderly environment, the Ghost Demon Gang would only be gradually consumed, both in territory and resources.

What was worse, the Ghost Demon Gang couldn’t change this situation. Once they tried to establish order, it would trigger a backlash from the original chaos.

No wonder, in the conflict between the Medicine Gang and the Tianhai Gang, they didn’t even consider the Ghost Demon Gang…

“But isn’t the Ghost Demon Gang backed by the Temple of the Nether Spirit? Why don’t they seem to care…”

Luo Xue pondered for a moment, then decided that it had nothing to do with her and shook her head, discarding these random thoughts.

“But Nangong, why did you stay at the Medicine Gang’s inn?” Luo Xue asked, looking around.

Although the environment was harsh, Luo Xue didn’t feel uncomfortable. In the post-apocalyptic world, when natural disasters struck, the environment was hundreds of times worse than this.

“It smells bad here, I can’t sleep.” Nangong Mengxiang gave a seemingly normal explanation, then stopped and pointed ahead. “Look, it’s here.”

“This is…”

Luo Xue followed Nangong Mengxiang’s finger and saw a magnificent golden building, three stories tall, with an equally dazzling signboard: “Treasure Pavilion.”

The entire building of the Treasure Pavilion was made of gold, giving off a nouveau riche vibe.

In the mortal world, just the building itself would be worth a fortune.

Unfortunately, this was the cultivation world, where mortal gold and silver were just decorations.

“Wait, you brought me here to…”

Luo Xue realized something, but it was too late.

Nangong Mengxiang walked straight into the Treasure Pavilion, took out her mace, and shouted,

“Robbery!”

“…”

Luo Xue facepalmed.

Big Sister… no, Great Niece… you’re already with a little rich lady, why are you still robbing people?

However, to Luo Xue’s surprise, there was no commotion inside the Treasure Pavilion.

“Hmm? Could something have happened?” Luo Xue frowned slightly.

She quickly followed and entered the Treasure Pavilion.

Upon entering, the dazzling array of treasures almost blinded Luo Xue. Both sides of the spacious shop were filled with magical and spiritual artifacts.

Although most were low-level, the sheer quantity was impressive.

Further inside were precious medicinal pills. Luo Xue even saw Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pills, the same kind she had.

This was completely different from the alchemy shop Nangong Mengxiang had robbed. To be able to open such a shop in this chaotic territory of the Ghost Demon Gang, the owner must be quite powerful.

Core Formation… might not even be enough.

Could it be…

Great Niece, why are you so reckless…

“Hmm? A rare customer?”

Just then, a soft and seductive voice rang out beside Luo Xue’s ear. She turned and saw a charming woman looking at her from behind the counter, her phoenix eyes full of allure.

And beside the woman, Nangong Mengxiang was filling a sack with items.

“By the way, can I rob a Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill? I need to repay Little Martial Aunt.” Nangong Mengxiang asked.

“Your Little Martial Aunt? Ah, is she Fengyin’s Junior Sister? She finally found a successor?” The charming woman’s expression turned to surprise. “Then rob a few more. You can use them too.”

“No, thanks.” Nangong Mengxiang shook her head. “Injuries are part of body cultivation. Using too much medicine will only hinder my progress.”

“Alright, wait a moment.” The charming woman nodded, then looked at Luo Xue with an apologetic smile. “Little customer, please wait a moment. I’ll serve you after she’s done robbing us.”

Seeing this strange yet harmonious scene, Luo Xue opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

“She’s not a customer, she’s my Little Martial Aunt.” Nangong Mengxiang looked up and said.

“Hmm?”

The charming woman paused, her expression turning serious.

She looked at Luo Xue carefully for a long time, then suddenly chuckled.

“No way, Fengyin searched for a successor for hundreds of years, and it turned out to be a cultivator from the Immortal Domain… and from the Peerless Summit Sect, no less.”

Luo Xue: “…”

Could they please show some respect for her Thousand Faces Cultivation Art? Why did it feel like her disguise was useless? Except for the Sha sisters, everyone could tell she was from the Peerless Summit Sect.

“What are you…”

Luo Xue asked, puzzled.

“Oh, we’re robbing them.”

Nangong Mengxiang said seriously.

“…It’s hard to imagine you robbing someone of this level.”

Luo Xue wanted to facepalm. No matter how she looked at it, this charming woman had to be at least at the Core Formation Realm.

Or perhaps, even a Nascent Soul old monster…

Luo Xue wasn’t unfamiliar with Nascent Soul cultivators. She interacted with them every day at the Peerless Summit Sect.

She was already used to the faint pressure they emanated.

“We really are robbing them,” the charming woman covered her lips and chuckled. “If we weren’t robbing them, we would have to pay for these things.”

“Huh?”

Luo Xue blinked, not quite understanding what the charming woman meant.

“Sister Shangguan said before that this shop isn’t hers. If we didn’t rob her, the accounts wouldn’t balance.” Nangong Mengxiang added. “But if I hadn’t already robbed almost every other shop, and I couldn’t rob the shops outside, I wouldn’t want to trouble Sister Shangguan.”

“I see…” Luo Xue nodded thoughtfully, then paused. “Wait, what did you just call her?”

“Sister Shangguan,” Nangong Mengxiang replied, then clapped her hands. “Oh right, I finally remembered! Hey, Sister Shangguan, you also have the surname Shangguan!”

“…Nangong, sometimes I really wonder if your brain wasn’t working properly even before you lost part of your soul.”

A helpless expression flashed across the charming woman’s face, then she turned serious and looked at Luo Xue.

“It seems that this Peerless Summit Sect disciple knows something about the surname ‘Shangguan’.”

“Evil Ghost lineage of the Demonic Ghost City?”

Luo Xue said in a deep voice.

“Are you planning to slay demons and eliminate evil?”

The charming woman’s expression turned disdainful. She didn’t have a good impression of Peerless Summit Sect disciples.

After all, during the Immortal-Demon War, the Peerless Summit Sect was known for its crazy fanatics, all of them straightforward sword cultivators.

When encountering Demon Abyss cultivators, they would just charge forward with their swords, without any of the schemes or strategies of other sects.

“No… I meant this.”

Luo Xue took out the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle and placed it on the counter.

“Hmm? Why do you have this?” Seeing the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, the charming woman’s expression turned to surprise. “I don’t think the auction has started yet, has it?”

“I obtained it through some… means.”

Luo Xue said vaguely, not revealing Master Wumu.

“Then do you know who entrusted the auction house with this artifact?”

A meaningful smile appeared on the charming woman’s face.

“Could it be…”

“Yes, it’s me.” The charming woman crossed her arms, her dark red eyes scrutinizing Luo Xue. “You stole my things.”

Luo Xue awkwardly averted her gaze, wanting to dig a hole and bury herself.

Holding stolen goods in front of the owner…

This was truly embarrassing.

“Little Martial Aunt didn’t steal it! A bald donkey with hair gave it to her!”

Nangong Mengxiang immediately spoke up for Luo Xue, having finished packing the things the charming woman had given her.

“Master Wumu? Is he stirring up trouble again?” A complicated expression flashed across the charming woman’s face, and she shook her head. “Well, if it’s him… forget it.”

Hearing this, Luo Xue was curious and asked,

“Isn’t Master Wumu of the peak Foundation Establishment generation? Why would he trouble Senior…”

“If your sect knew you called me Senior, they would probably expel you.”

The charming woman seemed to have a deep grudge against the Peerless Summit Sect. After taking a jab at Luo Xue, she explained,

“He’s a reincarnated cultivator. Before the last great tribulation, he was a powerful figure close to the Ascension Realm… Oh, you shouldn’t know about these things yet, no need to ask.”

Reincarnated cultivator?

Great tribulation?

Luo Xue’s eyes flickered. She seemed to have heard something extraordinary.

“I was originally planning to return the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle to the Shangguan clan and deliberately leaked the information to the younger generation.” The charming woman sighed, a troubled expression on her beautiful face. “I didn’t expect it to end up back in my hands… Forget it, let it be.”

She looked at Luo Xue. Although she still disliked her connection to the Peerless Summit Sect, she said,

“If you are the successor Fengyin was looking for, you probably won’t be able to stay in the Peerless Summit Sect. They won’t tolerate a demonic cultivator as a disciple. Take my advice and leave the Peerless Summit Sect as soon as possible.”

Luo Xue, thinking that she had already left, still nodded, indicating that she understood.

Seeing that Luo Xue was quite obedient, unlike the sword fanatics in her impression, the charming woman’s expression softened, and she pushed the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle back to Luo Xue.

“Since Master Wumu gave this artifact to you, then keep it. It originally belonged to the Silent Temple. I was just holding onto it temporarily.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Senior.”

Luo Xue secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle was indeed quite useful to her.

After putting it away, she bowed respectfully to the charming woman.

“Thank you very much, I can’t express my gratitude… But, may I ask for your name, Senior?”

A pleasant smile appeared on the charming woman’s face, and she said faintly,

“Shangguan Yu.”

“What!”

Luo Xue abruptly looked up, her eyes wide with the shock that the charming woman had expected.

…

“The aura of the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle… is very close, just ahead.” Shangguan Lengyan said softly. “And they seem to have taken it out…”

“Ahead?”

Sima Ye looked over and saw the Treasure Pavilion in the distance.

He wasn’t familiar with Ghost Demon Pass and didn’t know what the Treasure Pavilion was, assuming it was just some kind of base.

If that was the case…

“We can’t get any closer.”

Sima Ye said in a deep voice.

“Yes, this distance is about right.” Shangguan Lengyan took a deep breath. “Any closer, and we might be accidentally injured by my aunt’s remnant soul…”

She took out a bright red gem that resembled an eyeball and slowly injected spiritual power into it.

The blood-soaked gem, already like a living creature, twitched slightly. Catalyzed by the spiritual power, it instantly emitted a surge of blood-red light, filling the surroundings.

A strange pulse, originating from within her bloodline, spread out through the gem, enveloping the area.

The Treasure Pavilion naturally fell within its range.

“Just wait… My aunt’s remnant soul will tear them to shreds!”

A cruel glint flashed through Shangguan Lengyan’s eyes.

…

Meanwhile, inside the Treasure Pavilion.

Shangguan Yu was smiling pleasantly, enjoying Luo Xue’s shocked expression.

But the next moment, her smile faded slightly.

“Hmm? Who’s calling me?”

Chapter 99: Demon Abyss Wanted – Luo Xue

“Little Junior Sister, Little Junior Sister…”

Who was calling her?

This voice… so familiar…

In a daze, Luo Xue reached out towards the source of the sound.

The distorted light and shadows before her shifted constantly, and the figure of a tall woman in an ancient dress flickered in and out of view.

“It’s Senior Sister… why is Senior Sister here…”

Luo Xue wanted to approach her. She stumbled to her feet and struggled towards the light and shadow.

But after a few steps, she collapsed.

The light and shadow shifted again, forming a sly smile.

“Such a cute little thing, come, come, let Mother give you a hug…”

It had become her convenient mother…

No, no, this was a dream.

Luo Xue tried to break free from this dark dream, calling out to her lost consciousness.

But just then, she heard a soft call from the depths of her soul, and her body instantly froze.

“Ah Chou…”

Xiao Yao’s voice…

Was it Xiao Yao…

Luo Xue looked towards the light and shadow, which had gradually solidified, forming a beautiful, petite figure.

It was Su Yiyao, the Xiao Yao she had never been able to let go of.

“Xiao Yao… are you okay?”

Luo Xue’s hand trembled as she reached out to touch Su Yiyao’s face.

But as her hand extended, Xiao Yao’s image instantly dissipated, and the surroundings were plunged into darkness.

Was the dream… over?

But why at this moment…

“Little Martial Aunt, Little Martial Aunt, wake up…”

Ah, it was Nangong Mengxiang’s voice. Was the dream still continuing…

“Why can’t she wake up? Did Little Martial Aunt commit suicide…”

“Innkeeper, bring me two buckets of water! Quickly!”

It seemed it wasn’t a dream.

Luo Xue weakly opened her eyes and whispered,

“No need, I’m awake…”

“Oh my god, Little Martial Aunt, you’re finally awake.” Nangong Mengxiang patted her chest repeatedly, relieved. “I thought yesterday’s battle was too intense, and you had some hidden injuries that flared up and killed you.”

“Sister Nangong, it’s not auspicious to talk about death all the time…”

Sha Keke said softly.

“It’s fine, it’s not like I haven’t died before.” Luo Xue sat up, supporting herself. “What happened to me…”

After exploring the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle yesterday, she had drunk some cola… no, Immortal’s Kowtow, and then passed out.

She hadn’t died, but was this thing really useful to her?

Why was she so exhausted…

“Lady Luo Xue should be fine.” Sha Yiyi entered from outside, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup. “I just checked your condition. It’s just a conflict of spiritual energy. You can recover with some adjustments.”

“This medicinal soup can help you regulate your meridians. Drink some.”

Luo Xue pondered for a moment.

A conflict of spiritual energy…

Could it be that after drinking the Immortal’s Kowtow, her cultivation increased greatly, but because she passed out directly without any adjustments, this happened?

It seemed… she had to be prepared next time.

Otherwise, even with the Calamity Poison Body, she might still die from poisoning herself.

However, Sha Yiyi was indeed a former disciple of the Everspring Pavilion, and her understanding of medicine and alchemy was much better than Luo Xue’s, who was self-taught.

Luo Xue only knew how to treat wounds, but for real treatment, she had to rely on Sha Yiyi.

“It’s good that Little Martial Aunt is fine.”

Nangong Mengxiang’s expression relaxed. She had been very worried seeing Luo Xue’s critical condition.

“Not only is she fine, but Lady Luo Xue seems to have broken through…”

Sha Keke said. She found that she could no longer sense Luo Xue’s aura, which meant that Luo Xue’s cultivation had surpassed hers.

And just yesterday, Lady Luo Xue was only at the early stage of the Innate Realm, a level lower than her.

“A breakthrough?” Sha Yiyi was stunned. She sensed Luo Xue’s aura and was shocked. “You’ve already reached the peak of the Innate Realm?”

To cross several realms overnight was unimaginable.

Was this the level of a top prodigy from a top sect…

“Hmm… it seems so.”

Luo Xue opened the panel and checked, also slightly surprised.

[Current Cultivation: Spirit Refining Stage of Innate Realm (Next Realm: Early Stage of Spirit Condensation Realm)]

And it wasn’t just an ordinary peak of the Innate Realm, but a state where she could step into the Spirit Condensation Realm at any time.

If not for the fact that every major realm breakthrough was a qualitative change, requiring guidance from a cultivator, with the amount of Immortal’s Kowtow Luo Xue drank yesterday, she would have already reached the peak of the early stage of Spirit Condensation.

The reason Luo Xue had fallen into a deep coma was partly because she hadn’t adjusted her spiritual energy, and partly because she had been greedy…

It was also thanks to her body, strengthened by the True Phoenix blood essence, that she could withstand such a burst of spiritual power.

If it were an ordinary Calamity Poison Body, she would have started to turn into a corpse the next day.

“A breakthrough during a crisis, as expected of Little Martial Aunt!”

Nangong Mengxiang gave Luo Xue a thumbs-up, praising her loudly.

Seeing this, Sha Keke also timidly gave a thumbs-up.

Sha Yiyi, seeing this, also gave Luo Xue a thumbs-up to fit in.

Luo Xue: “…”

Your synchronized movements make it seem more like you’re targeting me…

It’s quite scary.

“Stop it, Nangong. Pack up, we have to leave this place.” Luo Xue calmed down and said in a deep voice.

With the Tianhai Gang and the Medicine Gang on the verge of war, staying in the Medicine Gang’s territory was no longer safe.

And since the path from Ghost Demon Pass to the Demon Abyss was within the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory, there was no need for Luo Xue and Nangong Mengxiang to stay at the inn.

Nangong Mengxiang nodded slightly and immediately started packing.

After Nangong Mengxiang left, Luo Xue turned to the Sha sisters, her tone turning serious.

“Sha Yiyi, Sha Keke, you two stay here. I’ll contact you later.”

The Sha sisters nodded. They knew that their cultivation was weak, and following Lady Luo Xue would only be a burden.

It was better to stay in Ghost Demon Pass and act as Lady Luo Xue’s intelligence network.

Luo Xue hesitated for a moment, then took out another jade bottle.

“This is for your activities. If it’s not enough, contact me.”

“Is it Immortal’s Kowtow again?”

Sha Yiyi took the jade bottle and asked.

“No, it’s immortal wine.” Luo Xue said. “Something my mother left me. It seems to be quite popular, you can try selling it.”

Knowing that Immortal’s Kowtow was very beneficial to her cultivation, Luo Xue was reluctant to use it as currency.

Just one cup had such an effect, and she still had at least a hundred cups in her gourd.

As long as she refined it properly, reaching Foundation Establishment was just around the corner!

“Your mother?” Sha Yiyi asked with confusion. “A powerful figure from the Peerless Summit Sect…”

But she had never heard of any expert in the Peerless Summit Sect who was skilled in brewing.

Top-grade immortal wine, whether in the Immortal Domain or the Demon Abyss, was always in high demand.

Because there were very few sects and rogue cultivators capable of brewing immortal wine, top-grade immortal wine was extremely rare, and the Peerless Summit Sect, which focused solely on swordsmanship, wasn’t one of them.

“She’s… a bit complicated. She’s not really from the Peerless Summit Sect.” Luo Xue scratched the back of her head. “I don’t know if you know her. Her name is Luo Huaxin.”

Hearing this name, Sha Yiyi and Sha Keke’s expressions turned to shock.

“Wine Immortal!”

“What?”

“Wine Immortal Luo Huaxin, considered the best brewer of immortal wine in the world, but she rarely sells her own brews. Most of what circulates on the market are her ‘failed’ products. But even so, they are still top-grade immortal wines, incredibly rare.”

Sha Yiyi immediately revealed the information about Luo Huaxin. For her, who aspired to be an all-knowing information broker, this was common knowledge.

“It’s a pity that hundreds of years ago, Wine Immortal suddenly disappeared, and even her failed products stopped appearing. Only a few factions still have some in stock, and they’re extremely expensive.”

After saying that, Sha Yiyi looked at Luo Xue with bright eyes, like she was looking at a money tree.

“But you said she’s your mother…”

“Sort of.”

Luo Xue touched her nose.

A convenient mother also counted.

“So, this…”

Sha Yiyi looked at the jade bottle in her hand, trembling slightly.

Could it be… something that had never appeared on the market before…

“Ah, she shouldn’t have given me her failed products, right?” Luo Xue said uncertainly. “Anyway, I’ve given it all to you. If it’s not enough, just ask me for more.”

“It’s enough, enough… Although it’s not as valuable as Immortal’s Kowtow, it’s still worth a lot, even if it’s a failed product.”

Sha Yiyi nodded repeatedly, afraid that Luo Xue would take out something even more shocking.

These things might be nothing to Luo Xue, but they were extremely precious treasures.

Handling them required some skill to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

Sha Yiyi considered herself quite skilled in this aspect. She had been able to survive in Ghost Demon Pass with her meager cultivation precisely because of these miscellaneous skills.

But if the quantity was too large, it would still arouse suspicion.

Meanwhile, Nangong Mengxiang had also changed back into her repaired nightwalker suit, no longer wearing Senior Sister’s girly dress.

This nightwalker suit was actually also a treasure, at least its protective properties were better than the dress, which was why Nangong Mengxiang had worn it even during the daytime robbery.

Finally, Nangong Mengxiang put on her mask, completely different from her appearance at the Youxiang Restaurant earlier.

Luo Xue changed out of her simple cloth clothes and put on a plain white dress. Combined with her pale complexion and slightly mournful expression, she looked like a ghost.

This duo was hard to associate with the goofy woman and the cauldron slave from before. They looked more like a young mistress and her bodyguard.

“It’s time to go.”

Luo Xue looked at the first light of dawn appearing on the horizon and said in a deep voice.

She glanced in a certain direction. Since touching the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, she had a faint feeling.

In that direction, someone was watching her.

And… more than one person.

“Okay.”

Nangong Mengxiang followed Luo Xue with ghostly steps.

In the faint morning light, the two silently left the small, secluded inn.

And several imperceptible gazes followed them closely.

…

“The person with the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle is on the move,” Shangguan Lengyan opened her eyes weakly, “Their destination seems to be… the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory.”

She had been monitoring for a long time. Although Sima Ye had given her many soul-nourishing pills, soul injuries weren’t so easily healed.

Moreover, Sima Ye’s own injuries weren’t light either.

“What is Master Wumu planning?” Sima Ye frowned deeply. “If he wants to leave Ghost Demon Pass and return to the Immortal Domain, he should be heading towards the Tianhai Gang’s territory…”

Shangguan Lengyan was silent for a moment, then said,

“Is it possible… that it’s not Master Wumu?”

“Hmm?”

Sima Ye was slightly taken aback.

“It’s two people… and judging from their souls, they’re both female.”

Shangguan Lengyan slowly closed her eyes. She needed to rest.

To prepare for awakening Shangguan Yu’s remnant soul, Shangguan Lengyan had released a large amount of blood to use a family heirloom.

As long as she got close to the remnant soul, it would resonate and awaken.

But the price was that Shangguan Lengyan had almost completely lost her combat ability.

She had been using the “Mystic Dark Eyes” at the lowest level to monitor their movements and avoid losing the target while preparing.

“If that’s the case, this matter must be related to the Temple of the Nether Spirit.” Sima Ye said in a deep voice, but he was still puzzled. “But why would the Temple of the Nether Spirit want this artifact? And why would Master Wumu collude with them…”

“I have a guess.”

Shangguan Lengyan said softly.

“Hmm?”

“Perhaps… it’s someone from my clan.” Shangguan Lengyan said weakly. “In any case, we have to intercept them before they leave Ghost Demon Pass.”

“They shouldn’t be very strong. Even my weakened ‘Mystic Dark Eyes’ couldn’t detect them.”

“Don’t use your innate technique for now. We’ll end this quickly and return to the Demonic Ghost City as soon as possible.”

Sima Ye exhaled, his gaze sharpening.

He would settle the score with the Medicine Gang and the Tianhai Gang when the Immortal-Demon War restarted…

Locking onto the fading aura, two figures gave chase in the dim light of dawn.

…

“Holy Maiden, are you sure you want to do this?”

“Sister Qin, I’ve made up my mind.” Su Yiyao said softly. “Just do as I say. I… trust Ah Chou.”

“If this is your final decision, I will carry it out with all my might.” The Zither Witch nodded slightly.

At the same time, part of her attention was still on Luo Xue and Nangong Mengxiang, who were heading towards the Ghost Demon Gang’s territory.

“Thank you, Sister Qin.”

A bright smile appeared on Su Yiyao’s lips, stunning the Zither Witch. She had never seen the Holy Maiden like this before.

After the light screen closed, the Zither Witch murmured,

“Just who is she, to make the Holy Maiden smile like that…”

The Zither Witch looked at the order she had received and fell silent.

—A wanted notice from the Demon Abyss.

Target: Luo Xue, disciple of Falling Flower Peak, Peerless Summit Sect.

Mission: Capture alive, unharmed.

Reward: One eighth-grade magical artifact, one sixth-grade spiritual artifact, 100,000 Earth-rank Qi Condensation Pills.

Chapter 98: Shangguan Yu’s Remnant Soul, A Cup of Cola

Inside the small inn.

Nangong Mengxiang had gone to bed early. She was carefree, and today’s thrilling events didn’t affect her sleep at all. Luo Xue, in the next room, could even hear her soft snores.

The Sha sisters, however, were worried. They had never experienced anything like this. Luo Xue could hear them tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep.

As for Luo Xue, her soul had experienced countless life-and-death situations, and today’s events weren’t as hopeless as when she faced Daoist Ziyang.

However, she still had many questions.

First, the Zither Witch’s intervention.

Luo Xue was certain that she had never met this protector of the Temple of the Nether Spirit before.

As for the Temple of the Nether Spirit, she had only crossed paths with a few disciples of the Blood Lord lineage. They were neither enemies nor allies.

Luo Xue wanted to ask, but she was afraid she wouldn’t survive after asking…

The tempers of these Nascent Soul old monsters were always unpredictable. Not to mention the Zither Witch, her convenient mother, Luo Huaxin, was a prime example.

Second, Master Wumu’s parting gift.

Luo Xue took out the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle. Under the dim candlelight, the arm-length pestle still emitted a faint, sacred glow.

But the only odd thing was the living beads at both ends.

“These two living beads should be the sealed Dao technique and divine ability.”

Luo Xue carefully sensed the two beads, which were currently closed, looking like ordinary black beads.

“Evil Ghost lineage of the Demonic Ghost City. I remember the prodigy from the Demon Abyss who wanted to capture me was also from there.” Luo Xue pondered. “And Shangguan… that woman had this surname. Wait!”

Luo Xue finally realized the most unusual, or rather, coincidental, thing.

These events weren’t entirely unrelated.

“According to Master Wumu, this thing contains a sealed technique of the Shangguan clan, so it should be what that Shangguan woman from the Demon Abyss wanted.”

“And she and that Sima guy were always wary of Master Wumu, as if they were afraid he would do something.”

“But now…”

Master Wumu had indeed done something. He stole the thing the Evil Ghost lineage prodigy wanted and gave it to Luo Xue.

And this artifact must be very important to the Evil Ghost lineage prodigy. They, like Luo Xue, had avoided all eyes and ears to sneak into Ghost Demon Pass, just to obtain the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.

So, the troublesome part of this thing wasn’t just that it was stolen goods, but that it would also attract the attention of the Evil Ghost lineage prodigy.

Luo Xue’s grip on the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle tightened, and she hesitated.

Since this thing was so troublesome, should she just return it to them…

As Luo Xue was pondering, a drop of her blood was suddenly drawn from her hand, which was holding the pestle, and absorbed into it.

“Ah!”

Luo Xue immediately let go, but it was too late. The Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle activated on its own.

Instantly, the living beads opened, their blood-red pupils staring directly at Luo Xue, as if countless secrets were swirling within, carrying a terrifying aura.

“How… how did it activate? Did it recognize me as its master?”

Luo Xue panicked, trying to stop the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.

But before she could do anything, the auras of the two living beads emanated, condensing into the illusory figure of a beautiful and seductive woman.

Her eyes were half-closed, and her slightly curved lips seemed to whisper countless secrets of the world.

The woman’s eyes opened slightly, filled with an irresistible charm, enough to captivate any man’s soul and make him offer her everything.

It was a pity that Luo Xue was a girl.

“…”

Luo Xue and the illusory woman stared at each other.

“Are you… Shangguan Yu?”

Luo Xue asked tentatively.

But the illusory woman clearly wasn’t sentient. It was just a trace of the sealed pupil technique’s aura, driven by instinct, trying to manipulate others into breaking the seal.

Unfortunately, this charm had little effect on Luo Xue. Firstly, because they were both girls, and secondly, Luo Xue’s soul strength was already maxed out.

More importantly…

Luo Xue’s pupils had a slight double image, as if two pupils were superimposed.

The divine ability talent—”Double Pupils”—had a natural suppressive effect on all pupil techniques. The effect of almost all pupil techniques on someone with Double Pupils would be greatly weakened.

Although these two “Mystic Dark Eyes” came from a Nascent Soul expert, their power had been greatly reduced after being sealed, and after being further weakened by the Double Pupils, they were almost ineffective, unable to even penetrate Luo Xue’s soul defenses.

Thus, this strange scene unfolded.

After staring for a while, seeing that nothing happened, Luo Xue mustered her courage and picked up the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle again.

Instantly, Luo Xue felt a soreness in her eyes, a thunderous roar echoed in her mind, followed by a bewitching melody.

When Luo Xue endured all of this and opened her eyes again, her vision had changed.

Everything around her was filled with a blood-red mist, faintly reflecting the surroundings.

And she could somehow see through this mist, “seeing” others from a different perspective.

Nangong Mengxiang sleeping soundly next door, and the Sha sisters tossing and turning downstairs.

Not only that, but Luo Xue saw even more, her mind filled with understanding, as if something had been poured into it.

“Nangong’s soul is incomplete, yet strangely harmonious… The Sha sisters actually share three souls and seven spirits!”

No wonder the Evil Ghost lineage prodigy couldn’t see through the man in the bamboo hat’s true identity. In their eyes, he was indeed just one person.

“So this is the Shangguan clan’s pupil technique…”

Luo Xue looked at the nearby bronze mirror. Her reflection was that of a ghostly girl—the appearance Li Guijiao had used during the sparring matches on Falling Flower Peak.

And at this moment, the ghostly girl’s eyes were filled with a sinister darkness, only her pupils were a shocking crimson, carrying a captivating charm.

—The secret inherited technique of the Shangguan clan of the Evil Ghost lineage, the “Mystic Dark Eyes.”

Luo Xue quickly let go of the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, and everything dissipated, leaving only a pale, thin girl in the mirror.

At the same time, the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle also calmed down, but the two living beads didn’t close again. They floated within the hollow lanterns at both ends, their scarlet pupils twitching restlessly.

The evil ghost within the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle had been awakened by Luo Xue.

“That was scary.”

Luo Xue breathed a sigh of relief and quickly checked her condition.

There didn’t seem to be anything unusual, and she hadn’t learned the pupil technique.

Her Double Pupils still only had their original ability, “seeing fast as slow.”

“However, with the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, I have more options.”

Luo Xue composed herself and carefully put the pestle into her storage ring.

Although there were no further unusual occurrences upon touching the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle this time, Luo Xue felt a faint pulse from it, as if it had come alive.

—This was absolutely impossible. The Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle was just a magical artifact, not a spiritual artifact. The only possibility was that the remnant soul of Shangguan Yu within the two living beads hadn’t given up struggling, which was very dangerous.

Finally, Luo Xue took out a gourd.

It was the “Immortal’s Kowtow” given to her by Luo Huaxin for increasing her cultivation.

Having heard the story of the previous Calamity Poison Body, Luo Xue had been wary of using poison to enhance her cultivation, fearing that something might go wrong and affect her mind.

But after learning the truth about the Calamity Poison Body from the Sha sisters, Luo Xue felt more at ease.

Thinking about it, her convenient mother wouldn’t harm her. She should have already understood this aspect but just hadn’t explained it clearly.

…Right?

For some reason, whenever she thought of her convenient mother, Luo Xue felt a sense of unreliability…

Luo Xue opened the gourd, picked up a cup, and poured out the poison.

As the toxic residue of the essence of the sun and moon absorbed by the immortal herb, Immortal’s Kowtow was a dark, inky black, and bubbles were constantly rising to the surface.

Luo Xue’s pouring was a bit too forceful, and the bubbles instantly accumulated, forming a grayish foam that rapidly expanded.

Startled, Luo Xue quickly stopped and waited for the foam to dissipate before pouring again.

“Pouring this thing gives me a strange sense of déjà vu…”

Luo Xue muttered to herself, then lifted the cup and slowly drank it, her brow slightly furrowed.

It felt like drinking carbonated water…

“Strange, I thought it would be bitter, but it’s actually sweet… Wait, this texture, this taste…”

Luo Xue put down the cup, a look of disbelief in her eyes. “Isn’t this just cola?”

Of course, there were still differences, just similarities.

The bubbles in Immortal’s Kowtow were highly concentrated spiritual energy from heaven and earth, and the sweetness came from the essence of the immortal herb itself.

But soon, Luo Xue felt the effects of Immortal’s Kowtow.

After entering her body, the poison quickly integrated into her circulation, corroding her spiritual power.

If it were an ordinary cultivator, allowing the poison to reach this stage would be fatal. Even Nascent Soul experts would have to abandon their physical bodies.

But Luo Xue’s Calamity Poison Body was even more domineering. The toxicity within her spiritual power and blood quickly counterattacked, devouring the Immortal’s Kowtow poison.

However, this process was quite intense.

Shortly after drinking it, Luo Xue felt her circulation surging, and an unbearable pain shot through her entire body.

“Ugh…”

A buzzing sound rang in her head, and her consciousness gradually faded as the intense pain numbed her senses.

She closed her eyes heavily, but the pain continued relentlessly.

However, Luo Xue was already used to enduring.

In the quiet night, all of this happened silently.

…

“…Master Wumu must have deliberately triggered the seal on the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle just now. The aura is very clear, and I have its exact location.”

Shangguan Lengyan opened her eyes, exhaustion in her expression.

She had been using her “Mystic Dark Eyes” continuously for several hours to search for the aura, and she was exhausted.

Because Luo Xue had kept the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle in her storage ring before, Shangguan Lengyan could only get a vague location, so she had to constantly change positions to pinpoint it.

When Luo Xue took it out and activated it, Shangguan Lengyan instantly got the exact location.

But they didn’t act rashly.

Because now, Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan only had one chance to strike.

If they failed, they would lose the chance to obtain the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle forever.

“He’s luring us into a trap,” Sima Ye’s expression was serious, his eyes flickering slightly. “With our injuries after using the secret techniques… even if we join forces, it will be difficult to defeat Master Wumu.”

The price of using secret techniques was unimaginable. Besides being unable to advance their cultivation for ten years, their combat power had also greatly decreased.

Previously, Shangguan Lengyan could use her “Mystic Dark Eyes” to investigate effortlessly for dozens of hours.

Master Wumu was a prodigy on the same level as Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan. His methods were mysterious and unpredictable, making him a difficult opponent.

“What should we do…”

Sima Ye pondered.

“Actually… there’s another way.”

“What way?”

“…Awaken my aunt’s remnant soul.” Shangguan Lengyan said in a low voice. “During the Immortal-Demon War, all of my aunt’s techniques and divine abilities were sealed by the Silent Temple using ten different artifacts. In the end, she died on the battlefield, filled with resentment.”

“All the artifacts that sealed her techniques contain a trace of her resentful remnant soul. If we awaken it, we can definitely defeat Master Wumu.”

Nascent Soul cultivators were extremely difficult to kill. To kill Shangguan Yu, the Silent Temple had used nine seventh-grade artifacts and one eighth-grade artifact, and even a Nascent Soul expert was severely injured. The price was unimaginable.

“So that’s how it is…” Sima Ye was hearing this secret of the Shangguan clan for the first time. He was shocked, but also puzzled. “But why didn’t you use this method directly?”

“Because…”

Shangguan Lengyan hesitated.

But after a moment, she sighed and said,

“Because compared to the Silent Temple, my aunt’s resentment is more directed towards the Shangguan clan…”

Sima Ye was shocked.

“Back then, after all of Aunt Shangguan Yu’s techniques and divine abilities were sealed, her younger sister… the current Clan Leader, Aunt Shangguan Ling, abandoned her and chose to retreat.”

“Even within the Shangguan clan, not many people know about this…”

Sima Ye was silent for a moment.

The Demon Abyss was such a cruel place. Once one showed weakness, they would be abandoned, their possessions plundered. Even between sisters, even between… Dao companions.

Shangguan Yu’s death wasn’t unavoidable, but the price of saving her was too high, and she would have been crippled even if she survived.

On the other hand, her younger sister, Shangguan Ling, finally having the chance to become the Clan Leader, abandoned her older sister, leaving Shangguan Yu to die on the battlefield.

“But this is our last resort, isn’t it?” Sima Ye said. “Let’s do it, don’t hesitate.”

“…Understood.” Shangguan Lengyan nodded. “I need to make some preparations. We’ll act after dawn.”

Chapter 97: Delivering a Gift, The Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle and the “Mystic Dark Eyes”

“This is…” Luo Xue paused slightly. “Your Buddhist artifact?”

Although it looked a bit strange, it seemed to carry a demonic aura.

“Sort of.”

Master Wumu nodded.

“I’m not a Buddhist cultivator, what use do I have for this artifact?” Luo Xue said helplessly. “This kind of artifact, without special techniques or cultivation methods, can’t be used, right?”

“It was like that before, but some changes occurred later, and this artifact has transformed. Now you can use it too.”

Master Wumu held out the Vajra Pestle to Luo Xue. “Take it. Perhaps it can be of some help on your journey.”

“This…”

Luo Xue hesitated. She didn’t dare to casually accept an unknown object offered to her.

Just then, Sha Yiyi came over, saw the artifact in Master Wumu’s hand, and exclaimed,

“Ah, it’s the ‘Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle’! Isn’t it on the auction list… Ah, sorry, sorry.”

Seeing Master Wumu “look” at her, Sha Yiyi shrank back.

The people of the Silent Temple hated it when others changed the names of their artifacts, especially by adding ominous prefixes.

In the Immortal-Demon War, many Buddhist artifacts were tainted with evil and degraded, not just the “Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.”

“This artifact is called the ‘Vajra Subduing Pestle’,” Master Wumu corrected. “It’s just that my master, with his great power, sealed the Dao technique of a powerful demonic cultivator from the Demonic Ghost City within the pestle, which is why it carries a demonic aura.”

Sha Yiyi muttered inwardly, clearly, the rumors said it was contaminated by a powerful demonic cultivator…

But she wasn’t stupid enough to say that in front of Master Wumu.

“What?” Luo Xue blinked. “So, what’s the deal with this artifact?”

“This Miss Sha seems to know quite a bit, let her explain it to you.”

Master Wumu nodded slightly at Sha Yiyi and said softly.

“Me? I do know a little…”

Facing Master Wumu, a renowned prodigy, Sha Yiyi was a bit timid, but she still explained the situation of the “Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle” to Luo Xue.

Although she mentioned the contamination, with Master Wumu present, she repeatedly explained that it was just a rumor.

However, the fact that many Silent Temple artifacts were contaminated was widely acknowledged.

Almost everyone believed that the Silent Temple’s claim of sealing demonic power within their artifacts was just a pretense.

“So, it was originally a seventh-grade spiritual artifact, now only fourth-grade, but it can still exert the power of a fifth-grade artifact…”

The more Luo Xue listened, the more confused she became. This was clearly a treasure.

But such a treasure, Master Wumu was just giving it to her?

What kind of friendship was this…

“It’s not a spiritual artifact, but a magical artifact—spiritual artifacts can give birth to artifact spirits and are a level higher than magical artifacts. This Evil… Vajra Subduing Pestle is not one of them.” Sha Yiyi corrected.

“Of course, Miss Luo Xue, I’m not without ulterior motives.”

Master Wumu said with a faint smile. “This artifact contains ‘demonic power’ and cannot fall into the hands of demons. I’m just asking Miss Luo Xue to handle this troublesome artifact for me.”

“Is that so…”

Luo Xue took the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle and examined it carefully.

Suddenly, she saw the living beads at both ends of the pestle start to spin.

Then, like eyeballs, they abruptly opened, their blood-red pupils staring directly at Luo Xue, as if trying to devour her.

Luo Xue felt a sharp pain and dizziness in her head, as if her soul was about to fall into an endless abyss.

But with a faint, inaudible phoenix cry, Luo Xue’s consciousness returned to clarity, and when she recovered, the living beads had already closed again.

“What… is this thing?”

Luo Xue was shaken and almost threw the pestle away.

“As expected, Miss Luo Xue is someone worthy of trust.”

Master Wumu bowed respectfully. “This is a responsibility, and also a gift—perhaps, you can use it to change your fate. I hope to see that day come.”

“This is too sinister,” Luo Xue said with a bitter face. “Can I exchange it for something else?”

“I’m a poor monk, I have nothing else.”

Master Wumu replied.

Just then, Sha Yiyi popped up and said,

“That’s not right, Master. This item hasn’t been auctioned yet, has it? I remember it’s going to be at the auction in a few days… And if Master doesn’t have any money, you shouldn’t be able to afford it, right?”

“Buy?” Master Wumu asked with confusion. “Why would I buy it?”

“Why… wouldn’t you buy it?”

Sha Yiyi was dumbfounded.

“The Vajra Subduing Pestle originally belongs to our Silent Temple. I can just take it, there’s no need to buy it.” Master Wumu explained seriously.

“You mean… steal?”

Sha Yiyi’s eyes widened.

“No, no, taking it doesn’t count as stealing.”

“Then did you tell the people at the auction house, Master?”

Sha Keke asked.

“To avoid involving too many people in this matter, I decided to keep it as quiet as possible.” Master Wumu said faintly. “Therefore, I didn’t inform anyone, and I didn’t cause any commotion.”

“…”

Luo Xue was speechless.

This not-yet-bald bald donkey was so full of righteous nonsense.

In the end, he still snuck in and took it. This also counted as stealing, okay!

“I’ll return it to you…”

Luo Xue immediately wanted to give the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle back to Master Wumu, but he had already teleported ten feet away.

“Miss Luo Xue, farewell. Until we meet again.”

Master Wumu bowed, then paused and added,

“By the way, sealed within the ‘Vajra Subduing Pestle’ is the pupil technique of Shangguan Yu, the clan leader of the Evil Ghost lineage of the Demonic Ghost City, the ‘Mystic Dark Eyes’. Perhaps it will be useful to you.”

As his voice fell, the gray-robed figure vanished.

Luo Xue held the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle for a long time, then sighed and put it away.

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone so eager to give away something…”

Luo Xue’s expression was helpless.

“Master Wumu is like that,” Sha Yiyi came over and looked at the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle in Luo Xue’s hand. “He’s a weirdo in the Silent Temple. Other Silent Temple disciples are aloof and indifferent, but he likes to meddle in everything.”

“Oh?” Luo Xue’s ears perked up. It seemed there was more gossip to be heard. “Tell me more.”

“How should I put it… The Silent Temple, as the name suggests, doesn’t like to talk much. Although most of their disciples are skilled in divination, regardless of the results, they don’t like to reveal them, nor do they try to interfere with fate.”

“Most of the time, Silent Temple disciples are just observers. They only intervene when ‘divination’ and ‘fate’ involve their own existence.”

“But Master Wumu is different. He’s very different from other Silent Temple disciples. He’s happy to tell others his divinations and actively helps others change their fate—it’s said that this is Master Wumu’s Dao.”

“Because it goes against the Silent Temple’s principles, Master Wumu is still just a lay disciple, not qualified to call himself a ‘monk,’ nor does he address others as ‘patron’.”

“…I see, no wonder he’s different from the Buddhist cultivators in my impression.”

Luo Xue scratched the back of her head, looking at the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle in her hand, still feeling a bit troubled.

Master Wumu’s last words had indeed moved her.

After upgrading her divine ability aptitude, Luo Xue had gained the new talent “Double Pupils,” which doubled her cultivation speed for pupil-type divine abilities and enhanced their effects. She did lack a powerful pupil technique.

Now, the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, which had been offered to her, contained a powerful pupil technique. She just didn’t know why Master Wumu wasn’t worried about her cultivating a demonic technique…

It was a pity it was stolen goods.

“Forget it, I’ll keep it for now.” Luo Xue composed herself and put the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle into her storage ring. “It’s not like I stole it. If there’s a problem, they can go find Master Wumu.”

At this moment, Nangong Mengxiang, who was beside them, scratched her head, pondering.

“Speaking of which, Shangguan something… I think I’ve heard that name somewhere before…”

…

In a remote corner of Ghost Demon Pass.

Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan, having finally escaped, hid in the shadows, their auras concealed by a technique.

“I didn’t expect Master Wumu to set up such a grand scheme to retrieve the Evil Ghost… Vajra Subduing Pestle… even involving the Zither Witch, the protector of the Temple!”

Sima Ye was still shaken. Even as the young master of the Sima clan of the Evil Ghost lineage, he didn’t have a protector of the Zither Witch’s level.

After all, the Zither Witch served the Holy Maiden directly, while Sima Ye was just the young master of one of the two clans within the Evil Ghost lineage of the Demonic Ghost City. His status was far inferior to that of the Holy Maiden in the Temple of the Nether Spirit.

However, status and strength were two different things. His cultivation was the same as the Holy Maiden’s, both at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Sima Ye also had decades more experience and had been suppressing his realm to successfully form a Heaven-grade pill in the Heavenly Cluster Sword Tomb.

“I’m sorry…”

Shangguan Lengyan said in a low voice.

Sima Ye wanted to obtain the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle for her.

Because the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle wasn’t just a powerful artifact; it also contained the secret inherited technique of the previous Shangguan Clan Leader.

If she could obtain the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, her “Mystic Dark Eyes” could also reach a higher level.

The Shangguan and Sima clans had intermarried for generations. Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan were childhood sweethearts betrothed since birth, and Sima Ye’s status within the clan was even higher than Shangguan Lengyan’s.

“No, you don’t have to apologize. We advance and retreat together. This was my oversight.” Sima Ye took a deep breath. “After we return, I will ask Old Ancestor to open the Evil Ghost Secret Realm for us, to help us replenish our ghostly Qi.”

“As for the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle… we can’t stay in Ghost Demon Pass for much longer. We probably won’t be able to wait for the auction to begin.”

Sima Ye could afford the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, no matter the price, but now they had become targets in Ghost Demon Pass. Whether they could even leave safely after obtaining it was a question.

Not to mention Master Wumu’s presence. He definitely wouldn’t let Sima Ye take away the Silent Temple’s artifact so easily.

“…Are we giving up?”

A hint of disappointment flashed through Shangguan Lengyan’s usually indifferent eyes.

Her talent within the clan wasn’t outstanding, and she couldn’t compare to Sima Ye.

Without the “Mystic Dark Eyes” sealed within the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle, after reaching Core Formation, the gap between her and Sima Ye would only widen.

“No, there’s still a way, but it’s risky.” Sima Ye calmed down. “We’ll steal the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle. As far as I know, the Medicine Gang and the Tianhai Gang have been at odds recently, especially after today’s incident.”

“The security at the Tianhai Auction House, where the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle is being kept, must be lax. This is our last chance.”

Shangguan Lengyan was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Alright, I can use a secret technique to sense the location of the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle. After we obtain it, we’ll use our previous method to forcibly break through Ghost Demon Pass and return to the Demon Abyss.”

Shangguan Lengyan wasn’t indecisive. Since Sima Ye had made up his mind, she wouldn’t waver.

She wanted to replace her own eyes with the sealed “Mystic Dark Eyes” because she knew she couldn’t reach the same level as the previous Clan Leader, her distant aunt, Shangguan Yu.

Even if she reached Nascent Soul, she wouldn’t be able to advance much further, nowhere near the level of her brilliant aunt.

The other prodigies of the Shangguan clan disdained using Shangguan Yu’s pupil technique, so they wouldn’t compete with her for it, but they also wouldn’t help her.

Therefore, this was Shangguan Lengyan’s only chance, her only chance to break through her bottleneck.

“And, before we act… we need to add one final spark to this powder keg that is about to explode in Ghost Demon Pass.”

Sima Ye narrowed his eyes slightly. Although his injuries hadn’t fully healed, his usual shrewdness returned.

“Snatching chestnuts from the fire… is also an option.”

Shangguan Lengyan nodded slightly and immediately used a divine ability to sense the aura of the “Mystic Dark Eyes.”

A moment later, she opened her eyes, her face filled with shock.

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing Shangguan Lengyan’s expression, Sima Ye quickly asked.

“It’s not there…”

Shangguan Lengyan looked towards the Tianhai Auction House. Her perception in that direction was empty, with no trace of the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.

“How is that possible,” Sima Ye frowned slightly. “I already inquired about it before. The Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle is in the auction house.”

“Besides us and Master Wumu, no one else would be interested in such a special artifact.”

The Vajra Pestle was originally a Buddhist artifact, only usable by Buddhist cultivators. In the hands of others, it was just a heavy weapon, unable to exert its true power.

But after Shangguan Yu’s divine ability was sealed within it, it was tainted with the aura of the Evil Ghost lineage, allowing them to wield its power as well.

“Right, Master Wumu, it must be Master Wumu!”

Shangguan Lengyan sensed carefully again and finally found the aura of the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle in an inconspicuous direction. Her breathing quickened. “Could it be that he stole the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle? But he… how could he do such a thing…”

Sima Ye was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

“He’s definitely capable of doing such a thing. Master Wumu is completely different from ordinary Buddhist cultivators, that’s what makes him so troublesome…”

But no matter what, they had to retrieve the Evil Ghost Subduing Pestle.

Chapter 96: Ah Chou…

The Zither Witch had only played a few notes. If she had truly intervened… it would have caused even more trouble.

However…

Recalling what happened today, a complicated expression appeared on the Zither Witch’s face.

She took out the withered, gray strand of hair again, sensed the aura within, compared it to the fleeting glimpse she had caught earlier, and sighed.

“This Peerless Summit Sect disciple… what is her connection to the Holy Maiden’s inheritance, the Lunar Phoenix Descent Scripture…”

Very similar, yet very different.

No matter what, she should inform the Holy Maiden first.

The Zither Witch calmed herself, set up a barrier around her, blocking all prying eyes from the outside.

With her strength, even the Mystic Dark Eyes of the Shangguan clan couldn’t penetrate it, unless their cultivation reached Nascent Soul or above.

Finally, the Zither Witch took out a broken dagger—this was the Holy Maiden’s token. She didn’t know why the Holy Maiden had chosen such a strange object as a token.

After injecting spiritual power, a screen of light appeared on the broken dagger.

A moment later, a beautiful, petite figure appeared on the screen, her face cold and indifferent, like ice that couldn’t melt even after ten thousand years.

This was the current Holy Maiden of the Temple of the Nether Spirit, second only to the Holy Master, the first successor to the throne.

—Su Yiyao.

“What is it, Sister Qin?”

Su Yiyao asked faintly, her expression as indifferent as ever, her cold eyes devoid of any emotion.

Just like when the Zither Witch first met her.

This Holy Maiden didn’t seem to have any emotions…

No one could tell what she liked, what she disliked, what she wanted, what she didn’t want.

She seemed to have no desires, yet she had an inexplicable obsession.

Because of this, no one knew how to please her, and the unpredictable Holy Maiden was gradually rumored to be a cruel and ruthless girl.

For example, the massacre of the Holy Son lineage. In reality, Su Yiyao had only killed a few who had plotted against her, including the Holy Son.

The rest of the Holy Son lineage were killed by the Holy Son’s enemies in her name.

The Zither Witch, who knew all of this, understood that the Holy Maiden was completely different from the rumors. She had simply chosen to close off her heart.

The Zither Witch sighed inwardly, took out the gray hair, and said,

“Holy Maiden, the person you asked me to find before…”

“You found her?”

Before the Zither Witch could finish, the Holy Maiden’s urgent voice came from the screen.

The Zither Witch looked up at the screen, her expression stunned.

Heavens, what did she see…

The usually cold and indifferent Holy Maiden, who always had an impassive expression no matter what, was now showing anxiety after hearing only half of the news.

The ten-thousand-year-old profound ice seemed to be melting, a faint light flickering in her eyes.

“Well… sort of,” the Zither Witch hesitated. “It’s a disciple of the Peerless Summit Sect, her cultivation around the Innate Realm.”

“She still carries the aura of the Peerless Summit Sect, so she should have left not long ago—You should have seen her at the Peerless Summit Sect a few days ago, right?”

“An Innate Realm disciple? I… I don’t think I saw her, did I miss her…”

Su Yiyao’s anxious expression was like an ant on a hot pan. She finally showed some emotion that matched her appearance. This was a side of the Holy Maiden that the Zither Witch had never seen before.

It seemed that this person was truly important to the Holy Maiden…

The Zither Witch’s heart sank.

She finally understood what the seemingly desireless Holy Maiden was obsessed with.

This was good.

But… it was also bad.

Once there was desire, there was a weakness to be exploited. For some, this was a good thing.

But for the Holy Maiden, it was a bad thing.

The Zither Witch hesitated, but she rarely hesitated like this.

“Where is she now?”

Su Yiyao asked urgently.

Looking at the light flickering in Su Yiyao’s eyes, the Zither Witch felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

“Holy Maiden, please calm down.” The Zither Witch said, “She… has already left, probably towards the Demon Abyss. I don’t know where she went.”

She couldn’t say, at least not now.

Revealing the girl’s existence now wouldn’t be good for the Holy Maiden, for the girl, or even for the Temple of the Nether Spirit.

“I’m going to find her.”

Su Yiyao said, then was about to close the light screen.

“Wait a moment, Holy Maiden,” the Zither Witch said in a low voice, “What do you think you can do after you find her?”

“Be with her. I came out to find her.”

Su Yiyao’s eyes were filled with determination.

Everything she had done was to find Ah Chou, whether it was leaving the Blood Sea or joining the Temple of the Nether Spirit and becoming the Holy Maiden, it was all to find Ah Chou.

Even though everyone told her that it was impossible to find this person.

But…

Ah Chou’s last smile before the swamp was forever etched in her heart, unforgettable.

Su Yiyao couldn’t imagine a life without Ah Chou. Every day she spent in the Blood Sea felt like a lifetime.

The endless torment she suffered finally made Phoenix Venerable decide to let her go.

Now… there was finally a sliver of hope, even if it was faint, even if it was just a possibility.

“But doing so, Holy Maiden, might harm her.” The Zither Witch said faintly.

Su Yiyao’s expression froze.

“Why…”

“Although I don’t know what the person you’re looking for means to you,” the Zither Witch continued, “but she must be very important, important enough for you to be willing to give your life for her.”

Su Yiyao’s expression gradually softened, and she nodded slowly, her face grave.

The Zither Witch’s words made Su Yiyao understand… why her protector was stopping her from searching for Ah Chou.

She was the Holy Maiden of the Temple of the Nether Spirit, and countless people were watching her, wanting to control her.

But no one knew what she wanted. A person without desires was the most terrifying because they couldn’t be used by anyone.

If Ah Chou’s existence was exposed, and everyone knew how important this girl was to the Holy Maiden, even more important than her life, what would happen?

—Controlling this girl would be equivalent to controlling the Holy Maiden, who was second only to the Holy Master.

Using Ah Chou’s life to threaten her, or persuading Ah Chou to join a certain faction, forcing the Holy Maiden to make a choice… etc.

There would be many methods.

All of these would undoubtedly harm Ah Chou.

Su Yiyao didn’t care about herself, but she cared about Ah Chou.

“I hope the Holy Maiden will think carefully. No matter what, do not reveal her existence.” Seeing Su Yiyao’s silence, the Zither Witch lowered her head and said, “If you have any decisions, just instruct me.”

“Okay, thank you, Sister Qin.”

Su Yiyao nodded, the urgency on her face finally disappearing, replaced by an indifferent mask.

But the difference was that there was finally some color in her eyes, no longer dull and lifeless.

…

After closing the light screen, the surrounding restrictions also dissipated.

With Su Yiyao’s current cultivation, she couldn’t create restrictions that could block a Nascent Soul cultivator, so these restrictions were transmitted by the Zither Witch through the token.

After ending the conversation with her protector, Su Yiyao’s heart couldn’t calm down.

She looked at herself in the mirror and suddenly felt a little nervous.

“Could Ah Chou have reincarnated? I wonder if she still recognizes me…”

She stared at her beautiful face in the mirror and frowned slightly.

“No, that’s not right. The Ah Chou I knew wouldn’t have seen me like this…”

She looked around, but couldn’t find what she was looking for, so she casually picked up a spirit stone and gently squeezed it.

The high-grade spirit stone, worth at least two Mystic-rank Qi Condensation Pills, instantly turned to dust, releasing a rich spiritual energy.

But Su Yiyao ignored the dissipating spiritual energy and carefully gathered the remaining dust and debris.

Then, she lowered her head and rubbed her face in the dust.

When she looked up again, the little face in the mirror was covered in dust.

Just like back then.

Su Yiyao suddenly giggled, then tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Ah Chou…”

“This time, don’t lie to me…”

“Okay?”

She lowered her head and closed her eyes.

She wanted to see the current Ah Chou so much, but she couldn’t…

She couldn’t put Ah Chou in danger.

Wait!

As if realizing something, Su Yiyao looked up.

Sister Qin seemed to have said that Ah Chou had just left the Peerless Summit Sect not long ago and was a disciple at the Innate Realm, but she hadn’t sensed her at the time.

Su Yiyao was certain that she was very sensitive to Ah Chou’s aura. Even the slightest similarity wouldn’t escape her notice.

Therefore…

There were two possibilities.

First, the news Sister Qin brought might be a mistake.

Second, she had missed Ah Chou among the Peerless Summit Sect disciples.

Su Yiyao desperately wanted to go back in time, to that day, and carefully search for Ah Chou’s traces.

Unfortunately… she couldn’t.

No, there was still a way!

Su Yiyao suddenly remembered that she seemed to have taken a recording stone from the maids that day. They hadn’t dared to ask for it back, so she had kept it.

Thinking of this, Su Yiyao immediately got up and walked towards her coffin. She kept all her belongings in the coffin, including the recording stone.

Opening the coffin lid, Su Yiyao saw the sculpture of Ah Chou again, but this time, her expression wasn’t filled with sorrow, but with a hint of hope.

“This is that recording stone…”

Su Yiyao picked up the recording stone, her heart suddenly filled with anxiety.

As long as she activated the recording stone, she might be able to see the current Ah Chou.

But what if she couldn’t?

Wouldn’t that mean that Sister Qin… had found the wrong person?

But the hesitation didn’t last long. The desire to see Ah Chou overcame her anxiety, and Su Yiyao immediately activated the recording stone.

As scene after scene flashed by, Su Yiyao stared intently at every frame, at every Peerless Summit Sect disciple in the image, but she still couldn’t find her Ah Chou.

Just as the recording was nearing its end, and Su Yiyao’s eyes were dimming with disappointment, a figure suddenly appeared.

A silver-haired girl, resolute and alone.

“Luo Xue, disciple of Falling Flower Peak, Peerless Summit Sect,” the girl’s voice was still childish. “Body Forging stage of the Innate Realm, I seek a challenge!”

“Ah Chou…”

Tears streamed down Su Yiyao’s face.

…

In Ghost Demon Pass.

When Luo Xue and the others returned to the small inn in the remote area of the Medicine Gang’s territory, they were surprised to find the inn’s door half-open.

“Someone’s here!”

Luo Xue’s pupils constricted, and the Sha sisters beside her became nervous again.

Nangong Mengxiang, however, didn’t seem to notice. She walked straight over and pushed the door open.

She looked back at Luo Xue and the others with confusion and asked,

“Why aren’t you coming in?”

“Inside…”

Luo Xue opened her mouth, but before she could finish, a familiar, gentle voice rang out.

“Ladies, I have been waiting here for a long time.”

“Who?”

Nangong Mengxiang immediately tensed up, looking warily into the room.

As a body cultivator, Nangong Mengxiang’s spiritual sense was weak. She was only sensitive to killing intent.

As long as the person inside didn’t have any killing intent, she wouldn’t be able to detect them in advance.

And the person in the inn now was…

Dressed in familiar gray robes, with a simple bag on his shoulder, it was Master Wumu, the prodigy of the Silent Temple.

Master Wumu put his palms together and bowed to Luo Xue and the others.

“Miss Luo Xue, I’ve caused some trouble and had to seek refuge here, while waiting for your return.”

“You know him?”

Nangong Mengxiang turned and asked.

“I know him, but…”

Luo Xue’s expression was a bit complicated.

Logically, her recent troubles were caused by Master Wumu, but he had only helped her at the city gate and hadn’t done anything else, not even revealing her true identity after seeing through her disguise.

It was all those two prodigies of the Demonic Ghost City overthinking things.

“Oh.”

Nangong Mengxiang nodded and didn’t ask further, entering the room directly.

The Sha sisters, having heard of Master Wumu’s reputation, were also relieved.

At least, according to the rumors, Master Wumu was kind and rarely resorted to violence.

Luo Xue also entered, sat down at the table beside Master Wumu, and asked,

“Why did you specifically seek me out, Master? It shouldn’t be to collect the entrance fee from the city gate, right?”

“Having caused Miss Luo Xue so much trouble, how could I ask for the entrance fee?” Master Wumu’s face wore a constant, benevolent smile. “I should be the one apologizing.”

Luo Xue was silent for a moment, then said,

“Did you know these things would happen?”

She recalled Master Wumu’s voice transmission at the city gate.

An inescapable disaster, irreversible…

“I didn’t know.” Master Wumu shook his head. “These unexpected troubles were all caused by me. It is my fault.”

Master Wumu paused, then continued,

“Therefore, to apologize to Miss Luo Xue, I went through some trouble to obtain an artifact for you, as a token of my apology.”

With that, Master Wumu took out a magical treasure and handed it to Luo Xue with both hands.

It was a golden weapon, both ends shaped like hollow lanterns, emitting a dignified aura.

However, within the hollow lanterns at both ends, there was a living bead that resembled an eyeball, rolling around, maliciously peering at the world.

Chapter 95: New Talent – “Double Pupils,” A New Use for the Calamity Poison Body

Finally, it was time to improve her divine ability aptitude. Otherwise, Luo Xue’s current methods of dealing with enemies were too limited.

[Improving Divine Ability Aptitude: -100]
[Divine Ability Aptitude Improved: Almost None -> Barely There]
[Hidden Condition Met (Soul >= 100), Activated Special Divine Ability Talent: Double Pupils]
[Double Pupils: Vision becomes faster, cultivation speed and effectiveness of pupil-type divine abilities are increased.]

Double Pupils?

A special aptitude like the Calamity Poison Body…

The description seemed rather ordinary, weaker than the Calamity Poison Body.

Luo Xue blinked, trying to see if she had an extra pupil in each eye, but unfortunately, there was no mirror.

However, besides the newly acquired Double Pupils, after improving her divine ability aptitude, Luo Xue felt that her understanding of the Thousand Faces Cultivation Art had deepened, as if inspiration had suddenly surged, and she was not far from reaching the “Form Change” level.

And the divine abilities that were difficult to understand before gradually became clearer in her mind.

However, just like after changing her cultivation aptitude, the improvement in talent didn’t immediately increase her combat power.

Instead, after strengthening her soul attribute, not only had the strength of her soul reached another level, but a mysterious feeling also arose in Luo Xue’s heart. Her soul had reached the level where she could cultivate soul-related secret techniques.

However, the Peerless Summit Sect didn’t have such techniques, and neither did Luo Xue.

The prodigies of the Demonic Ghost City did, but she couldn’t steal them…

“Ugh…”

Sha Yiyi let out a soft moan and slowly opened her eyes.

She sat up unconsciously and rubbed her eyes.

As if out of habit, she raised her hand and slapped the still-unconscious Sha Keke in the face.

A crisp sound echoed, and Sha Yiyi yawned.

“Morning…”

Sha Keke rubbed her reddened cheek and replied lazily,

“Morning, Big Sis…”

Luo Xue and Nangong Mengxiang watched this scene in silence.

The way these sisters interacted was truly… harmonious.

After the initial confusion of waking up, the Sha sisters finally remembered what had happened before they fainted, and their expressions immediately turned tense.

This wasn’t their usual peaceful morning!

“It’s okay, we’ve escaped.” Luo Xue comforted the nervous Sha sisters. “Everyone’s fine. Nangong saved us.”

“Really?” The Sha sisters’ eyes widened in disbelief. “My lady, you actually managed to hold on against a peak Foundation Establishment prodigy until Nangong arrived with just your early Innate Realm cultivation…”

“Ahem… it’s nothing.”

Luo Xue touched her nose. Speaking of peak Foundation Establishment, she had killed one when she was still at the Post-Heaven Realm…

“Actually, two Core Formation cultivators came later, they seemed to be from the Tianhai Gang, I don’t know who they were looking for.”

Nangong Mengxiang added. She still didn’t know that Wu Hai was after her.

Missing one soul and three spirits definitely had an effect on her. This was the reason why Nangong Mengxiang was always a bit clueless; she was missing more than just a few screws.

Sha Yiyi was shocked again, then as if realizing something, her expression relaxed slightly.

“My lady, Nangong is joking, right?”

Luo Xue hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes… it’s a joke.”

Actually, three Core Formation elders had arrived later, but after the situation developed to that point, it didn’t have much to do with them anymore.

So Luo Xue thought for a moment and decided not to mention it.

“But it’s still amazing. To be able to hold on for so long against a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the Innate Realm, that’s the level of an immortal sect prodigy.”

Sha Keke said, her eyes filled with admiration.

“Prodigy” wasn’t a self-proclaimed title. Only those who reached Foundation Establishment within half a jiazi were qualified to be called prodigies.

Only those who met the basic requirements of a prodigy had the potential to reach Nascent Soul in the future. After all, if they reached Foundation Establishment too late, they might not even have enough lifespan to accumulate the necessary foundation for Nascent Soul.

The Everspring Pavilion had many Nascent Soul cultivators because their cultivation technique extended their lifespans, and many reached Nascent Soul through the accumulation of time, but their combat power wasn’t that strong.

The Sha sisters were already over a jiazi of age, yet they hadn’t even reached the Spirit Condensation Realm, so naturally, they couldn’t hope for the title of prodigy.

Their future was likely to barely reach Spirit Condensation, then sit and wait for their lifespan to run out.

The world of cultivation was always like this.

“Are we going back now?” Sha Yiyi asked. “It’s getting late. I’m afraid there might be guests at the inn…”

“No rush, I’m worried that the Medicine Gang might be searching for us. Let’s stay here for a while longer.” Luo Xue shook her head, then added, “Besides, I’m already your patron now, what’s the point of running an inn?”

Sha Yiyi paused, touched the Immortal’s Kowtow in her storage pouch, and nodded repeatedly.

“Right, right, I almost forgot. After selling this bottle of Immortal’s Kowtow, it’s enough for us sisters to live for hundreds of years!”

“This thing is so valuable… And it’s only the ninth most potent poison. I wonder what the value of the Calamity Poison Body’s blood, the sixth most potent poison, is…”

Luo Xue couldn’t help but mutter. She was even considering selling some of her blood. After all, losing a bit of blood wouldn’t be a big deal.

“The blood of the Calamity Poison Body isn’t valuable.” Sha Yiyi said. “More accurately, it’s the ‘expired’ blood of the Calamity Poison Body that’s not valuable.”

Sha Yiyi emphasized the word “expired.”

“What does that mean?”

Luo Xue quickly asked. She suddenly remembered that Sha Yiyi was from the Everspring Pavilion, the sect that specialized in the study of poisons and medicines.

“The blood of the Calamity Poison Body gradually loses its potency three hours after leaving the body, eventually becoming no different from ordinary blood. It can’t be stored, so naturally, it’s not valuable.”

Sha Yiyi patiently explained, “If one could obtain Calamity Poison Body blood that retains its long-term potency, its value would depend on the cultivator’s level.”

Although she had left the Everspring Pavilion at a young age, Sha Yiyi had memorized many of the sect’s records, as it was a basic skill for every Everspring Pavilion disciple.

Luo Xue: “…”

Wait…

“So, what I gave Senior Sister Li… is actually just a bottle of ordinary blood…”

Luo Xue murmured softly.

If Senior Sister Li used her blood to fight an enemy in a moment of crisis, wouldn’t that be sending her to her death?

This was due to Luo Xue’s lack of understanding of the Calamity Poison Body. Although she possessed this physique, she had never systematically studied it.

Most of the records about the Calamity Poison Body within the Peerless Summit Sect focused on its harmfulness. Even Senior Sister believed that the Calamity Poison Body was essentially a disaster.

Only her convenient mother, Luo Huaxin, knew a bit more, but not much.

“My lady, what did you say?”

Sha Yiyi asked curiously.

“Nothing.”

Luo Xue shook her head and sighed.

She hoped Senior Sister Li wouldn’t use that bottle of blood.

However, Luo Xue overlooked one point. Even if her blood lost the potency of the Calamity Poison Body, it wouldn’t be ordinary blood.

As her cultivation increased, the drop of True Phoenix blood essence gradually integrated into her body.

In other words, it might be even more valuable…

“By the way, Sha Yiyi, how much do you know about the Calamity Poison Body?” Luo Xue asked.

She had realized that her lack of understanding of her own physique might cause trouble in the future.

She should learn more about it while she had the chance.

“Not much. Even within the Everspring Pavilion, there isn’t much research on the Calamity Poison Body, after all, there are very few samples, only that great demon from thousands of years ago.”

Sha Yiyi shook her head and said, “Besides its toxicity, the most well-known characteristic of the Calamity Poison Body is that poisonous substances affecting spiritual power can directly increase the cultivator’s cultivation without any side effects.”

“So powerful? No side effects?”

Luo Xue was startled.

She had heard Luo Huaxin mention this before, but she hadn’t mentioned anything about side effects.

According to Senior Sister, the previous Calamity Poison Body died from the backlash of their own power, which was why Luo Xue had hesitated to use poison to increase her cultivation.

“That’s right, the previous Calamity Poison Body who appeared in the world massacred mortals on a large scale to use their resentment to refine the second most potent poison, ‘Plague’.”

Sha Yiyi said, “Although he ultimately died from the backlash, it was actually because of the karmic burden formed from refining the ‘Plague,’ not from consuming poison to increase his cultivation.”

Then, Sha Yiyi slapped her forehead and said,

“By the way, ‘Immortal’s Kowtow’ was originally a poison discovered by that Calamity Poison Body, and he used it extensively to increase his cultivation. It’s a pity that ‘Immortal’s Kowtow’ is too rare and precious, and it couldn’t help him advance quickly.”

“There’s even such a backstory…”

Luo Xue murmured.

So, the gourd of poison Luo Huaxin stole for her was actually an elixir?

And an elixir without side effects?

…It seemed that when she had free time, she would have to drink some and see if she could quickly break through to Spirit Condensation.

The Innate Realm was still a bit too weak.

“But my lady, why are you suddenly interested in the Calamity Poison Body?”

Sha Keke popped up and asked.

“Because… I’m interested.”

Luo Xue still didn’t reveal her secret. She knew that revealing this physique, which had already caused her so much trouble, might bring unnecessary risks, so it was better to keep it hidden for now.

“I thought you were one, I was so scared.” Sha Keke patted her chest. “The Calamity Poison Body is so terrifying. It’s said that just a touch of their blood can instantly turn someone into bones!”

Luo Xue’s eyelids twitched. It wasn’t that exaggerated.

“It’s getting late, we should head back to the inn.”

Nangong Mengxiang had been vigilant, in case of any unexpected incidents like before.

It seemed that the Tianhai Gang and the Medicine Gang had stopped their pursuit. At least, from Nangong Mengxiang’s perception, there were no groups of cultivators patrolling, and everything had returned to normal.

However, to avoid being recognized, Luo Xue still used the Thousand Faces Cultivation Art to change her appearance, becoming a black-haired girl, using the same ghostly appearance that Li Guijiao had used.

Luo Xue thought this appearance was quite good. Li Guijiao’s disguise skills were quite impressive. She would use this appearance in the Demon Abyss from now on.

She wondered what Senior Sister Li would think if she came to the Demon Abyss and found that someone was already using her “skin”…

Sha Yiyi and Sha Keke just needed to use their talent again to change their appearance. Nangong Mengxiang was a bit more troublesome, so she simply put on a black cloak. After all, there were quite a few people dressed like this in Ghost Demon Pass.

…

Night fell, and the stars and moon hung high in the sky.

After the afternoon’s commotion, the Youxiang Restaurant had become a pile of rubble.

Almost half of the restaurant had been destroyed by the aftershocks of the Core Formation battle, many rooms were in ruins, but strangely, the pavilion in the center remained unscathed.

However, for cultivators, rebuilding the entire restaurant would only take two or three days.

Besides, this was the borderlands, and such conflicts were not uncommon.

As long as both sides were willing to compensate for the losses during this period, including the cost of rebuilding the restaurant and the lost business revenue, it would be fine.

The Youxiang Restaurant even had a dedicated accountant to calculate such amounts, making everything clear and transparent.

If they refused to compensate…

The Youxiang Restaurant also had its own ways of getting the money back.

Needless to say, the Medicine Gang and the Tianhai Gang each sent people to deliver compensation. They had already made preparations before the meeting.

Although this entire incident had been unexpected, the result… seemed to be not much different from what they had anticipated. The Tianhai Gang and the Medicine Gang had clashed, and the grudge between them couldn’t be resolved so easily.

Of course, this had nothing to do with the Youxiang Restaurant.

“Master Qin, this subordinate is deeply sorry for disturbing your peace.”

The manager bowed his head and apologized to the Zither Witch, but his expression didn’t show any remorse, only confusion.

“Manager, you’re a veteran of the Temple. You know these minor disturbances are nothing.” The Zither Witch said faintly. “If they were truly disturbances, they wouldn’t be able to leave.”

“Naturally.” The manager quickly replied. “But today, you…”

“Because of my intervention?”

The Zither Witch opened her eyes slightly, revealing a hint of terrifying white.

The manager remained silent.

“My actions require no explanation to others,” the Zither Witch closed her eyes and said in a deep voice, “Or, if the Sha Master lineage no longer wants to manage this restaurant, that’s also fine.”

“It was this subordinate’s presumption, but this matter is of great importance,” the manager said in a low voice. “You represent the Holy Maiden, intervening at this time…”

Before the manager could finish, the Zither Witch opened her eyes, her pure white gaze fixated on him.

In that instant, the manager felt like the sky was falling.

Panic finally appeared on his face, his heart almost stopping, only recovering after the Zither Witch closed her eyes again.

The manager quickly lowered his head again and retreated respectfully, saying,

“This subordinate knows his mistake. I will apologize to you another day, please forgive me…”

With that, the manager hurriedly left the room.

The Zither Witch remained silent for a long time, then sighed softly.

“Troublesome.”