52: Chapter 52 The Conspiracy That Surfaces

Just as Yun Ming was still trying to figure out what was going on.

A burst of cold laughter came from behind him. Turning his head, he saw a small, hunchbacked old man with a bald head and a face covered in oozing pus.

Yun Ming was startled by this appearance, and before he could recover his senses, someone else tapped him on the back.

Turning around again, a graceful figure met his eyes, but as his gaze moved upward, he saw a rugged face comparable to Li Kui.

Yun Ming's skin crawled with goosebumps, and he thought to himself that he had still seen too little of the world.

Besides these two, three more people emerged in quick succession, each with a unique appearance.

However, although these people looked strange and grotesque, they were all at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The dozen or so demonic Cultivators from before had all been killed by them.

Yun Ming swallowed hard. "Are you all here to kill me too?"

The little old man didn't want to waste words; he raised his hand, and a hideous ghost head rushed toward Yun Ming.

Before Yun Ming could react, the woman with the full beard had already blocked it for him. "Little brat, it's not your turn to act here!"

Then the two of them actually left Yun Ming alone and started fighting each other.

"Demonic Cultivators really don't follow any logic."

Before Yun Ming could finish his lament, he suddenly felt his feet leave the ground; he was being dragged into the air by someone.

Before he could see who was pulling him, he was intercepted again, and a group of Foundation Establishment demonic Cultivators began to brawl.

"This is way too chaotic," Yun Ming lamented.

Before these five demonic Cultivators could determine a victor.

An even more powerful and overbearing Divine Sense swept over everyone.

These demonic Cultivators stopped instantly; no one dared to move a muscle.

The reason was simple: a Golden Core Immortal Master had appeared.

This person was no stranger; it was Zhao Zheng, the Prince of Great Qian who had escaped after being hunted by Lu Ming.

At this moment, he was already at the Early Golden Core Stage, and his hands were stained with an unknown amount of blood.

Initially, he had thought about seizing the throne of the Great Qian Emperor, but after feeling his powerful strength, he became completely obsessed. His gaze was no longer limited to the mundane throne, but to a higher and stronger Realm.

However, having practiced a Demonic Technique, the Early Golden Core Stage was his limit. No matter how many people he killed or how many Divine Souls he refined, there was no more improvement.

Just when he was in despair, hope came again. This Demonic Technique actually had a nascent soul chapter; the Early Golden Core Stage was not the limit.

However, obtaining the nascent soul chapter came with one requirement: kill a Qi Refining Cultivator.

He didn't understand why the Heavenly Demon Hall wanted to target a tiny Qi Refining Cultivator, but since he couldn't figure it out, he stopped thinking about it. In his eyes, there was only a stronger version of himself.

Seeing the several trembling Foundation Establishment demonic Cultivators, Zhao Zheng gave a cold snort. The five demonic Cultivators instantly shuddered, then exploded into a mist of blood and died.

The blood mist converged into a trickling stream and was sucked into Zhao Zheng's mouth to be refined.

Yun Ming's eyelids twitched at the sight.

"Are you Yun Ming?" Zhao Zheng asked.

"That's me!" Yun Ming thought that since he was going to die anyway, he might as well be tough. "Damned demonic Cultivator, are you here to kill me too?"

"My name is Zhao Zheng. Come with me."

"Hmph, if you want to kill me, just do it. Huh? What? Where are we going?"

Zhao Zheng felt the auras of over a dozen Early Golden Core Stage Cultivators rushing toward them. His brow twitched as well, surprised that there were so many in the Golden Core Realm.

Without waiting for Yun Ming to refuse, he grabbed him and disappeared into the horizon.

A dozen or so Golden Core True Persons arrived at the scene shortly after. Finding that Yun Ming was not there, they exchanged cautious glances and scattered to search everywhere.

What these Golden Core True Persons didn't expect was that two more people were following behind them.

They were Daoist Danxia, at the Late Golden Core Stage, and Daoist Fuxia, at the Golden Core Great Perfection.

As for why these two were here, it all started from when Yun Ming proposed delivering spirit cuisine to the front lines.

The several Elders had realized long ago that the Demon Suppression Order had deviated from its original intent, and its overall direction even leaned toward the Heavenly Demon Hall's side. This was not what the Sunset Glow Sect wanted to see.

What the Sunset Glow Sect wanted to do was not just kill the ringleaders, but also completely eradicate the influence of Demonic Techniques.

But these people who practiced Demonic Techniques were like rats in a gutter; they wouldn't show themselves easily.

Was there any way to lure them all out once and for all?

It was simple: a more powerful Cultivation Technique.

Thus, the Sunset Glow Sect, in the name of the Heavenly Demon Hall, spread the word that the nascent soul chapter of the Wanling Guixu Scroll still existed.

However, this nascent soul chapter was not so easy to obtain; one had to kill a Sunset Glow Sect Disciple.

Why did it have to be Yun Ming?

It was because these six Elders felt something was wrong with Yun Ming, but they couldn't put their finger on it. Since keeping him was an unknown risk, it was better to kill him and be done with it.

At this time, while the Disciples at the front were fighting with all their might, it would be unjustifiable for the Sect Elders to suddenly execute a Disciple who had committed no fault, and it might even affect morale.

Precisely at this moment, Yun Ming proposed the absurd reason of delivering spirit cuisine to the front lines.

Everything became logical.

Whether Yun Ming died or not, it would serve to boost morale, and it could also help the Sunset Glow Sect lure out a large number of people practicing Demonic Techniques.

The longer he lived, the more helpful he was to the Sunset Glow Sect.

But if he died, it didn't matter.

Daoist Danxia looked at the mess on the ground, stroking his beard lightly, and lamented, "I didn't expect so many people had practiced Demonic Techniques, and how many lives have been lost."

Daoist Fuxia threw out several talismans. Sure enough, some people were faking death among them; they let out hideous, agonized screams before turning to ash.

"There are always those who fail to grasp the true essence of the Great Dao. What we must do now is bring these people to justice as quickly as possible."

After dealing with these people, the two Sunset Glow Sect Immortal Masters concealed their auras again and quietly followed those dozen or so Golden Core demonic Cultivators.

...

Yun Ming was held by Zhao Zheng as they sped through the sky, silently admiring the scenery of heaven and earth.

"You don't seem afraid at all," Zhao Zheng said, glancing sideways at him.

"Afraid of what?" Yun Ming asked back casually.

"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" Zhao Zheng arched an eyebrow.

"If I'm afraid, will you stop?" Yun Ming shrugged.

"Of course I'll kill you," Zhao Zheng tightened his grip, his tone flat.

"Then what is there to be afraid of?" Yun Ming chuckled.

Zhao Zheng's interest was piqued, and he asked again, "You also have a Five Elements Mixed Spiritual Root. How did you break through to Qi Refining Level 5?"

Yun Ming tilted his head and smiled. "Would you believe me if I said I also practiced a Demonic Technique?"

"I would!" Zhao Zheng said decisively. "You must have practiced a Demonic Technique; otherwise, no one with a Five Elements Spiritual Root could break through Qi Refining Level 4."

"Aren't you ignorant," Yun Ming shook his head. "I haven't practiced any Demonic Technique. It was all through my own hard work and serious cultivation."

Zhao Zheng suddenly lowered his voice. "Did you steal the nascent soul chapter of the Heavenly Demon Hall's Demonic Technique?"

Yun Ming's face was lined with frustration. "Which part of our conversation led you to that conclusion? Is the logic of you demonic Cultivators always this jumpy?"

Zhao Zheng said with a half-smile, "You are very interesting."

Yun Ming said solemnly, "Sorry, I don't like men."

Zhao Zheng was choked into silence by Yun Ming's sudden remark. After a moment, he said, "Your way of thinking is also quite like a demonic Cultivator's."

"Where exactly are you taking me?" Yun Ming couldn't help but ask.

"Wanzhou City. Isn't that your destination?"