Chapter 196: The Demonic Mother and the Perilous Moon Swallow
“Poison Venerable!” Red Scorpion reported, “It’s Sha Lingshan of the Evil Lotus Sect and that ‘Hidden Dragon’ Shi Chongyun. I don’t know what their relationship is…”
“Silence!” the man called Poison Venerable suddenly said.
Red Scorpion quickly obeyed.
Poison Venerable sneered, “Come out. You can’t hide.”
Shi Hao’s heart sank. He’s discovered me?
Since his failure to track Jiao Han at the Leopard Palace, he had refined his tracking skills.
He had suppressed his energy flow, relying solely on his Primordial Energy and the Soul Chasing Locking Steps, moving stealthily, even using the Nine Yin Demonic Transformations for added concealment.
Yet, he had still been discovered?
This man was clearly the Crimson Rainbow Poison Venerable, one of the two elders of the Poisonous Sunflower Sect.
The man sneered again, “It’s useless to hide. I know you’re there.”
The sound of approaching footsteps.
Shi Hao, resisting the urge to flee, used the Nine Yin Demonic Transformations to shrink his body and hide in a small, concealed space within a collapsed stone hut, holding his breath, forcing himself to remain perfectly still.
The footsteps grew louder, then stopped, and then retreated.
Red Scorpion asked, “Poison Venerable?”
Poison Venerable’s voice was low and serious, “You mentioned the Evil Lotus Sect. They have a secret technique that allows them to track people from a distance by sensing their energy flow. I was testing to see if Sha Lingshan was following you. It seems I was mistaken.”
Red Scorpion said, “You’re always so cautious, Poison Venerable.”
“Continue,” Poison Venerable said.
Red Scorpion said, “I led Li Zhen, the Thunder King, one of the Shen Ting Sect’s Four Divine Kings, to them. He believes they’re the ones responsible for the plague. But although the Shen Ting Sect has many men, that place is difficult to attack directly.
“And Sha Lingshan only recently reached the fourth rank. Li Zhen is stronger than her. She’s at a disadvantage.”
Poison Venerable said, “Not necessarily. Li Zhen cultivates Shen Ting Sect techniques; his strength is natural. But with the Evil Lotus Sect reunited, and their scriptures restored, the outcome is uncertain. The Night Charm Demonic scriptures are incredibly powerful, containing many strange and unpredictable techniques.
“And being underground, they won’t be able to use their full power, for fear of collapsing the cavern. In that situation, Sha Lingshan, with her demonic techniques, might have an advantage.”
Red Scorpion said, “You’re right, Poison Venerable. It would be best if they both suffered heavy losses.”
Poison Venerable said thoughtfully, “It’s strange. Why is Sha Lingshan here? Does the Evil Lotus Sect know about what the Demon Empress did here three hundred years ago?”
Red Scorpion said, “Poison Venerable, that Shi Chongyun clearly has the Plague Dispelling Talisman. He’s been interfering with our plans. What should we do?”
Poison Venerable snorted, “The Evil Venerable and I have already discussed this. We’ll use the Crimson Rainbow Poison Miasma I developed earlier. It was our backup plan.”
Red Scorpion said, “But they might still have the Sui Marquis Pearl. We didn’t get it, or the Demonic Qilin Blood Poison, at Lifting Heaven Peak. And we lost the Plague Dispelling Talisman.”
Poison Venerable said calmly, “It doesn’t matter. The Plague Harmonia Envoy’s power is specifically designed to counter the Plague Stars, and its range is greater than theirs. And the Sui Marquis Pearl can only neutralize poison through direct contact.
“I doubt they’ll help the Shen Ting Sect. The Crimson Rainbow Poison Miasma, however, is not as subtle as the Southern and Northern Plague Stars. Although our inside man can use it to cause chaos within the Shen Ting Sect, its effectiveness is uncertain.”
“Go and meet with the Evil Venerable. I’ll make the necessary preparations.”
Red Scorpion said, “Yes, Poison Venerable.”
Shi Hao, hidden in the shadows, sensed Red Scorpion leaving, while Poison Venerable waited, not moving until she was far away, then he also left, heading in a different direction.
Shi Hao emerged from his hiding place, went to the spot where they had been talking, and looked around.
This Poison Venerable was incredibly cautious. Although he had checked for tails, he had still waited to be certain before leaving.
He was a fourth-rank expert, and his vigilance made him a difficult target to follow.
Shi Hao decided to follow Red Scorpion instead.
However, the tunnels here were a labyrinth, connecting various caverns. He didn’t know which way she had gone.
“Little Emerald?” he whispered.
Little Emerald materialized on his shoulder, “Young Master!” She hadn’t dared to follow Poison Venerable either, his senses too sharp.
Shi Hao asked, “That Poison Venerable mentioned ‘what the Demon Empress did here three hundred years ago.’ Has Master been here before?”
Little Emerald said, “Young Master, I am just the Keeper of the Canon. My duty is to preserve the sect’s legacy, remaining hidden. I don’t know much about Master’s past or her… activities in the mortal world.”
Shi Hao sighed… Why is she always bringing up Master/Wife?
It seemed that although his two “wives” from the Primordial Grotto Heaven remained hidden, their legends were everywhere in the jianghu.
Having lost track of Red Scorpion, he could only search blindly.
Fortunately, this area was relatively secluded. The Shen Ting Sect warriors hadn’t reached it yet.
As he passed through a cavern, he saw a faint light from above.
He looked up and saw a beam of moonlight filtering through a crack in the ceiling.
It was a passage leading to the surface.
He leaped upwards, channeling his energy, his body rising, and floated through the opening.
Along the way, he touched the side of the passage, and loose earth and rocks crumbled. The passage had clearly been created recently.
He emerged onto the mountainside.
To his left was the shattered Scripture Bestowal Platform, and beyond it, the towering peak of Flying Phoenix Peak.
He was on a relatively low hill.
Looking north, he saw the river and, on the opposite bank, high above, the silhouette of Goddess Peak, bathed in moonlight.
The moon in the night sky was full and bright.
Tomorrow night was the full moon.
It should be the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions, but he was here, in the jianghu, surrounded by danger.
Since entering the martial world, he hadn’t had a moment’s peace.
He looked down at the ground below, crisscrossed by a network of white, electrical sparks, the trees charred black, the grass burned away, a desolate, otherworldly landscape.
He suddenly sensed something and turned around.
A young girl, her feet seemingly touching the air itself, descended gracefully, landing before him.
Her skin was fair, her features delicate, her appearance pristine. She wore a light blue robe under a yellow pleated skirt, her feet clad in embroidered shoes, a small, yellow mark on her forehead.
Bathed in moonlight, she seemed to be walking on air, her movements ethereal and otherworldly.
She stopped a few feet above the ground, her pink embroidered shoes hovering, her gaze fixed on him.
Shi Hao was stunned. Even Sha Lingshan, a fourth-rank expert, couldn’t achieve such effortless levitation.
“May I ask your name, Miss?” he asked respectfully, bowing.
“I am Ming Yueshu,” she said, her voice cold and aloof.
Shi Hao’s mind went blank… Ming Yueshu?
The “Divine Infant,” number three on the Blacklist?
He hadn’t expected to encounter such a powerful figure here.
And he finally understood why Yuejiao, Hou Bomin, and Xiang Gu were following her.
Those on the Blacklist were all renowned and formidable figures.
The name “Divine Infant” alone was enough.
Shi Hao bowed deeply, “Shi Chongyun greets Senior.”
The girl, looking down at him, nodded slightly, “I’ve heard of you.”
Shi Hao asked, “From Yuejiao and the others? Where are they?”
The girl said, “I’ll take you to them…”
“Young Master, she’s not the Divine Infant!” Little Emerald, appearing on his shoulder, suddenly shouted.
A slender hand, like a flash of lightning, struck Shi Hao’s forehead.
He didn’t even have time to react, his body thrown backwards, crashing into a charred tree, which exploded.
He rolled on the ground, coughing up blood, marveling at her strength, yet also relieved… she wasn’t Ming Yueshu.
That palm strike had been incredibly powerful, at least fourth-rank… but not high-rank.
The girl, hovering in mid-air, was slightly surprised… Although her disguise had been exposed, she had been channeling her energy, and that attack, so swift and powerful, should have been enough to break his arms, even shatter his skull.
But he seemed to possess two opposing internal energies, their combined defense, although broken by her palm strike, had protected him from serious injury.
“Young Master!” Little Emerald flew to his side.
The girl landed gracefully, her demonic aura swirling around her, her eyes gleaming, and she snorted.
She looked at the doll hovering beside him, “The Emerald Beauty, the Keeper of the Canon, with you… it seems the rumors are true. The Evil Lotus Sect has been reunited… and you’re their chosen inheritor.”
Shi Hao, leaning on his sword, struggled to his feet, “Who… who are you?”
“Be careful, Young Master!” Little Emerald whispered, “That’s Yan Lengyue, the ‘Cold Moon Demonic Mother’ of the Flower Butterfly Sect. She was quite famous fifty years ago, then disappeared. She must have used the ‘Blood Bath’ ritual. And that levitation technique… it’s clearly the Perilous Moon Swallow divine crystal.”
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