92: Chapter 92 Corpse Fiend Sect

"Gulp!"

The demonic cultivator's Adam's apple bobbed violently as he swallowed hard. Seeing Chen Qingyuan approaching step by step, his legs went weak!

With a "thump," he actually collapsed to his knees, his voice laced with a sob!

"Sen... Senior, spare me! This Junior was blind and failed to recognize a superior; I have offended you. This Junior is willing to be a beast of burden for you, I only beg Senior to spare my life!"

Chen Qingyuan stopped a few paces in front of him, his cold gaze scanning the demonic cultivator, who was kowtowing like a pestle pounding garlic.

Such a cowardly, spineless person was truly rare among the fierce and perverse demonic cultivators.

"You want to live?"

"Yes! Yes! This Junior wants to live!" the demonic cultivator replied hastily, kowtowing incessantly.

"Very well. I ask, you answer. If there is a single lie..."

Chen Qingyuan spoke plainly, but to the demonic cultivator's ears, it made him tremble all over, his forehead pressed tightly against the ground!

"This Junior would never dare to deceive Senior! I will tell you everything I know, hiding nothing!"

"Good. First question: Who are you, and where do you come from?"

"Re... Reporting to Senior, this Junior is an Outer Sect Disciple of the Corpse Fiend Sect. Originally, I was just a Loose Cultivator in the Fenfeng Plain area, but later I was recruited into the Sect. A few months ago, there was a sudden secret order for us to assemble here."

"Corpse Fiend Sect?"

Chen Qingyuan frowned slightly. The name alone reeked of an evil aura. In all his years traveling the Immortal Realm, he had never heard of such a Sect existing in the surrounding territories.

"How strong is your Sect?"

"This... this Junior really doesn't know!"

Seeing Chen Qingyuan's gaze turn cold, the demonic cultivator hurriedly explained!

"Senior, please see clearly! You know the situation of people like us; we used to be scattered and cultivating in seclusion, never daring to gather openly. Except for the deacons in charge of regional affairs, ordinary Disciples like this Junior cannot access the core secrets of the Sect!"

Chen Qingyuan remained noncommittal and instead asked, "Why are you hunting that young woman? And what is this 'Mysterious Yin Physique' about?"

"This..."

"I will not hide it from Senior. Since being summoned to the Lifeng Plain months ago, we have been arranged to continuously attack several small forces in the northern part of the plain. This young woman is a survivor from one of those places."

"Originally, we were supposed to silence her, but the leader discovered she possessed a 'Mysterious Yin Physique' and said it could help the Old Ancestor achieve a Breakthrough to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, so he wanted to capture her alive and offer her to the Blood Corpse Elder as a Cauldron."

"And who is the Blood Corpse Elder?"

"This Junior has never met him either. It is said he is a Sect Elder with a cultivation level of the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. He is currently in charge of all the Corpse Fiend Sect's operations in the north of the Lifeng Plain."

This time, without Chen Qingyuan having to press further, the man spilled everything all at once!

"As far as this Junior knows, the Sect has gathered three Foundation Establishment Cultivators and nearly a hundred Qi Refining Disciples this time. The one with the highest cultivation level among them is this Blood Corpse Elder!"

"Good. Last question: Where is your stronghold?"

This fellow seemed very cooperative and blurted it out without any hesitation.

"This Junior only knows it is in a hidden valley north of the Lifeng Plain, near the Fenfeng Plain. As for the specific location... with my status, I really have no way of knowing..."

"North of the Lifeng Plain? The Liu Family's sphere of influence?"

Chen Qingyuan's expression suddenly turned strange. Logically speaking, with demonic cultivators destroying families and clans and acting so rampantly, the Liu Family should have noticed long ago!

Why, until now, had not a whisper of news reached the outside world?

The Corpse Fiend Sect, the Blood Corpse Elder, the Liu Family's abnormal silence, the Red Sand Gang's inaction...

These fragmented pieces of information were pieced together rapidly in his mind, gradually outlining an unsettling picture.

"As expected, things are far more complex than I imagined..."

Just at the moment he was deep in thought—

"Senior, look out!"

Lu Yao, whose injuries had slightly recovered and who now had a bit of strength, warned sharply.

It turned out that the demonic cultivator knew in his heart that Chen Qingyuan would never spare his life regardless.

So, taking advantage of the moment when Chen Qingyuan was lost in thought and his attention was divided, he suddenly crushed a yellow earthen talisman!

Earth Escape Talisman!

His figure flickered, the earth and stone beneath his feet surged, and he was about to sink into the ground to escape!

"Pfft!"

At this critical moment—

Chen Qingyuan seemed to have anticipated this, and with a soft sound of a Sharp Weapon piercing flesh.

The yin bone needle arrived first despite being launched later, piercing into his back at the very moment he was about to fully escape underground!

The demonic cultivator's downward escape came to an abrupt halt!

Within a few breaths, the corpse was expelled by the earth-attribute spiritual power, and it lay still, lifeless.

The entire process was clean and efficient.

Beneath the sparse forest, a cool breeze blew, and Chen Qingyuan's green robes fluttered.

The dust settled, and the forest returned to silence. His expression remained as calm as ever, as if no tempestuous storm could stir even the slightest ripple in him.

It was just as the morning light was beginning to break through; a ray of golden radiance passed through the gaps in the trees, landing squarely on his refined and handsome profile, plating him in a layer of pale golden halo.

For a moment, he actually possessed an otherworldly charm.

Lu Yao stood frozen in place, watching foolishly, forgetting to breathe.

When he turned to look, the instant their eyes met, she was startled back to her senses. A flush of red suddenly flew onto her pale cheeks, and she hurriedly stood up and bowed.

Even the voice with which she offered her thanks trembled slightly.

"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life! This kindness and virtue, Lu Yao will never forget as long as I live. It is truly... truly impossible to repay..."

Her tone was sincere, and she was just about to say some polite phrases like "I will repay you in my next life," but unexpectedly, Chen Qingyuan did not just wave his hand and say "It is nothing" as she had imagined.

Instead, the corners of his lips curled up slightly, with a hint of playfulness and a touch of craftiness.

"Repay?"

He chuckled, his voice clear and bright. He paced two steps closer, his gaze scanning her with great interest:

"The grace of saving a life is heavier than a mountain; naturally, it must be repaid."

"However,"

His tone shifted, and his eyes glinted with mischief. "Looking at your empty-handed appearance, have you thought about how you will repay me?"

This blatant attitude of demanding repayment for a favor left Lu Yao speechless, not knowing how to answer.

Chen Qingyuan was not in a hurry. While bending down to clean up the battlefield and collecting the spoils one by one into his pouch, he asked with great interest,

"You said your name is Lu Yao? Do you know someone named Ma Li?"

"Ah?"

"I... don't know him!"

Lu Yao completely started to babble incoherently!

"Looking at your silly expression, you probably don't know him either."

Chen Qingyuan straightened up, piled up the useless demonic cultivator items with great disdain, and cast a fire talisman!

"Poof!!"

Flames surged up!

Only then did he turn back to look at Lu Yao.

"As for the repayment, I do have an idea. I wonder if you are willing to accept it."

"Senior, please speak."

"I see your skills are not bad, and your swordsmanship has structure. I have a nephew who is still young and has a pure nature. How about you become his personal bodyguard for ten years?"

As he spoke, he secretly calculated in his heart!

"Hmm... ten years should be enough for me to reach Foundation Establishment!"

Seeing that the young girl hadn't reacted yet, he continued,

"Of course, I will not treat you unfairly regarding compensation. Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pills will be supplied monthly according to your needs; there will be absolutely no shortage!"

At the same time, his expression suddenly turned stern as he pointed at the burning remains of the demonic cultivator,

"And... who knows, I might even be able to help you avenge your blood feud."