171: The chess piece enters the game unaware of the danger.

Soul Severing Gorge, the evil mist was as red as blood.

A pitch-black sword light tore through the sky with a sickening corrosive sound, precisely slicing across the neck of a Wan Sha Hall Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Puchi.

A head soared into the sky. Before the headless corpse could even fall, it was instantly enveloped by a blurry black shadow following closely behind the sword light.

Like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey, the black shadow let out a bone-chilling chewing sound.

In less than two breaths, the corpse shriveled up, turning into a withered skeleton that fell into the rocky beach below.

Gu Changfeng stood with his sword retracted, his green robes as a Taiqing Sect True Disciple spotless. Only his eyes, which were originally clear and bright, now flickered with a strange, dark red glow.

“Senior Brother Gu is mighty!”

“This ‘Shadow Fiend Light-Splitting’ strike is so powerful that even the top Disciples of Qingsong Daoist Academy would likely have to avoid its edge!”

Behind him, over a dozen Taiqing Sect Qi Refining Disciples looked on with faces full of admiration. Several female cultivators even had their eyes wandering, wishing they could lean closer to him.

The corners of Gu Changfeng's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a gentle and humble smile.

“Junior Brothers, you praise me too much. Eliminating demons and upholding the Dao is simply our duty.”

He casually performed a sword flourish, sheathing the black Flying Sword named 'spirit swallower' into his sleeve with an incredibly elegant motion.

The moment he turned around and faced away from the crowd, his humility vanished instantly, replaced by an extreme sense of arrogance and madness.

This was power.

This was the feeling of being looked up to.

Once upon a time, he was just that 'cousin' who followed behind Gu Changsheng, not even worthy of having his name remembered.

But now, he was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the 'Black Fiend Sword' who made demonic cultivators tremble on the battlefield, and a rising star of the Taiqing Sect.

As for that Gu Changsheng?

He heard he was still in secluded cultivation in some unknown corner?

Heh, how could a flower in a greenhouse compare to a powerhouse like him who had fought his way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood?

“Ugh...”

Gu Changfeng suddenly let out a muffled groan, and his right hand, hidden in his sleeve, spasmed violently.

That feeling was like countless red-hot steel needles were frantically drilling through his fingertips and into his bone marrow.

His expression changed slightly, and he quickly used his left hand to grip his right arm tightly. His spiritual power surged frantically, attempting to suppress that sudden sense of losing control.

It was happening again.

In the past half month, the frequency of this loss of control had been increasing.

“It must be because the Substitute Incarnation Sutra is about to break through, and my Physical Body can't quite keep up with the growth of my Divine Soul.”

Gu Changfeng comforted himself in his heart, forcibly ignoring that faint, lingering sense of unease.

Just then.

The Storage Pouch hidden close to his chest suddenly emitted a burst of searing heat.

It was that 'Strange Stone'.

An obscure yet tempting Divine Thought exploded in his mind without warning.

“Southwest... three hundred miles...”

“Blood Fiend Catacombs... Pure Yin Demonic Marrow...”

“Devour it... Purple Mansion is within reach...”

The voice was intermittent, yet it was like an invisible giant hand tightly clutching Gu Changfeng's heart.

Purple Mansion!

These two words were like a curse, instantly shattering his remaining rationality.

Although he was currently in the spotlight, he was only showing off at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.

If he could form a Purple Mansion... then he would be a true Old Ancestor-level figure. He could truly trample that so-called 'Genius' cousin under his feet and make him kneel before him and call him 'Old Ancestor'!

“Senior Brother Gu, there seems to be a demonic cultivator ambush ahead. Should we retreat?” a Disciple stepped forward to ask for instructions.

Gu Changfeng took a deep breath, suppressing the crimson glow in his eyes.

“You guys retreat first and escort the wounded back to camp.”

He turned around, his gaze fixed on the dead land to the northwest that was shrouded in thick Evil Qi. His voice was so calm that not a single ripple could be heard.

“I sense a killing intent directed at our Sect's Disciples over there. I'll be right back.”

“Senior Brother, you mustn't! That area is deep behind enemy lines...”

“No matter.”

Gu Changfeng interrupted the other's persuasion. With a tap of his foot, his figure turned into a streak of light, charging resolutely into that unknown darkness.

Wealth is sought amidst danger.

Since the heavens have brought the meal to my mouth, why shouldn't I eat it?

...Corpse Yin Sect, Qingming Hall.

Chen Mu sat cross-legged on a bone throne, with a massive map of the Eastern Wastelands floating before him.

On the map, light points representing various factions were intertwined.

In the northwest corner of Soul Severing Gorge, a crimson light point was moving at an alarming speed, breaking away from the main group and plunging into a dangerous area marked in red.

“Fool.”

Chen Mu picked up a teacup and gently blew away the foam.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the golden system panel scrolled down like a waterfall.

【Intelligence Update】

【Target: Gu Changfeng (Early Foundation Establishment Stage)】

【Status: Under deep induction by the Dao Seed ‘wood chess game,’ rationality value has dropped by 40%.】

【Movement: Heading to the ‘Blood Fiend Catacombs.’ In reality, this catacomb is the fall site of a Demonic Lord from thousands of years ago, containing ‘Blood Transformation Demonic Flame,’ a top-tier auxiliary material for refining the skeleton of an ‘External Incarnation.’】

【Analysis: A True Person's scheme, borrowing a hen to lay an egg. That Dao Seed is attempting to use Gu Changfeng's Physical Body to retrieve that demonic flame, which even it dares not touch easily. Once successful, Gu Changfeng's Divine Soul will be instantly obliterated, and his Physical Body will completely become a Puppet.】

“A good calculation.”

Chen Mu put down the teacup and lightly tapped the table with his fingertips.

That unknown True Person certainly had a clever plan.

Unfortunately, a bystander who didn't play by the rules had slipped into this game of chess.

“The Physical Body has been nurtured enough, and with this ‘Blood Transformation Demonic Flame’ delivered to my door...”

A glint of sharp light flashed in Chen Mu's eyes.

This isn't a cousin; this is clearly a generous boy delivering gifts from a thousand miles away.

If that Dao Seed succeeds, this perfect ‘Clone material’ will be ruined.

I must intercept it.

“Someone, come in.”

Chen Mu spoke flatly toward the empty hall.

The hall doors swung open with a boom.

A youth dressed in gray robes walked in quickly and knelt on the ground with a thud, his forehead pressed firmly against the cold bluestone floor.

“Disciple Chen Mu, pays respects to the Old Ancestor!”

Having not seen him for half a month, the aura on Chen Mu was even colder, and he had become noticeably thinner, save for his eyes, which were frighteningly bright.

On his exposed forearms, several blue-purple blood vessels could be seen bulging, winding like tree roots.

That was a sign that the parasitic seed was frantically draining his life force.

Chen Mu's gaze swept over him, and he nodded in satisfaction.

This ‘pig’ was also almost ready for slaughter.

The Death Qi and Evil Qi on the battlefield were the best fertilizers to ripen this seed.

Instead of letting it grow slowly in the Sect, it was better to take it out for a spin.

“Rise.”

Chen Mu waved his sleeve, and a gentle force lifted Chen Mu up.

“I intend to make a trip to Soul Severing Gorge to refine a ‘Ten Thousand Poison Corpse Puppet’ using the battlefield's Evil Qi.”

“Although you have only recently joined, your Heart-Nature is resilient. This time, you shall accompany me to gain some experience.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu's body trembled violently.

Soul Severing Gorge!

That was a meat-grinder of a battlefield, where it was said even Foundation Establishment Cultivators fell like weeds.

But he felt no fear; instead, a surge of fanatical gratitude welled up within him.

The Old Ancestor was nurturing him!

He was being trained as a Personal Disciple!

“This Disciple obeys your command!”

Chen Mu responded loudly, his voice somewhat hoarse with excitement. “I will not fail the Old Ancestor's high expectations. Even if my body is ground to dust, I will protect the Old Ancestor's safety!”

Gu Changsheng looked at the youth's appearance of wanting to give his all, his heart completely unmoved.

Protect my safety?

With your meager cultivation, you're not even qualified to block a blade for me.

Taking you along is merely to use your life to fill whatever pit might appear.

“Let's go.”

Gu Changsheng didn't say much more and stood up to leave.

With one step forward.

The taiyin submerging spirit jade quietly activated.

Hum.

The air distorted slightly.

The aura around Gu Changsheng's body was instantly retracted to the extreme.

Let alone a Purple Mansion True Person, even if a Golden Core were right in front of him, they wouldn't be able to detect his presence without using a special ocular technique.

He was like a drop of water merging into the ocean, a leaf falling into the forest.

Grabbing Chen Mu's shoulder, they instantly disappeared from within Qingming Hall.

Outside the Corpse Yin Sect.

The light screen of the Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation rippled slightly and then returned to calm.

The Disciples guarding the mountain only felt a gust of cold wind pass by and couldn't help but shiver. They looked up at the sky, but only saw dark clouds pressing down, noticing nothing unusual... Three thousand feet above Soul Severing Gorge.

The gale howled, cutting like a knife.

Gu Changsheng stood atop the clouds, hands behind his back, his feet resting on a seemingly ordinary flying boat.

Chen Mu huddled in the corner of the flying boat, his face pale as paper, clutching the side of the boat tightly as he looked down at the purgatory-like scene below.

The earth was dyed a dark red with blood.

Countless flashes of Spells exploded on the ground. Every time a flame was extinguished, it represented the end of a life.

Severed limbs and broken arms could be seen everywhere. The thick blood-red Evil Qi soared into the sky, condensing into thick red clouds that blocked out the sun.

“This is the Cultivation World.”

Gu Changsheng spoke calmly, his voice piercing through the gale and clearly reaching Chen Mu's ears.

“Whether you cultivate the Righteous Path or the Demonic Path, in the end, you are nothing more than a piece of rotten meat in this meat grinder.”

“If you want to survive, you must...”

He paused, his gaze piercing through the layers of mist to lock onto the small black dot moving rapidly in the northwest.

“You must turn others into rotten meat.”

Chen Mu nodded as if he understood, watching the cruel slaughter below. The bit of youthful innocence he had left completely shattered, replaced by a nearly pathological desire for power.

“System, locate.”

Gu Changsheng thought to himself.

【Target locked.】

【Gu Changfeng has entered the outskirts of the Blood Fiend Catacombs.】

【Warning: There is a natural ‘Soul-Confusing Fiend Formation’ at the catacomb entrance. If one forces their way in, it is very easy to alert that Blood Transformation Demonic Flame.】

“Soul-Confusing Fiend Formation?”

The corner of Gu Changsheng's mouth curled into a playful arc.

This kind of Formation might be effective against others.

But since that Dao Seed dared to let Gu Changfeng go to his death, it must have a way to break the Formation.

He only needed to follow behind and be the most patient oriole.

“Sit tight.”

Gu Changsheng tapped his foot lightly.

The flying boat didn't speed up; instead, it began to descend slowly, like a falling leaf, silently floating toward that most perilous dead land.

“Old Ancestor, are we... not going to the front lines?”

Seeing the flying boat deviate from the main battle zone, Chen Mu couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

“Front lines?”

Gu Changsheng glanced at him, his eyes revealing a coldness that saw through the world.

“Only fools go to the front lines to risk their lives.”

“Smart people stay in the back and scavenge corpses.”

As they spoke, the flying boat had already passed over layers of mountains.

Ahead, a massive valley shaped like a skull came into view.

At the entrance of the valley, thick black mist rolled incessantly, and the sounds of ghosts wailing and wolves howling could be faintly heard.

And at the edge of that black mist.

A green figure was holding a black Flying Sword, walking step by step into the abyss.

His back was stiff and mechanical. With every step he took, the aura on his body surged, as if he were burning something.

“Cousin, long time no see.”

Gu Changsheng stood high in the sky, looking down at that once-arrogant back, whispering to himself.

He was in no hurry to act.

He was waiting.

Waiting for that pawn to completely enter the game, and for that True Person behind the scenes to reveal a flaw.

“Chen Mu.”

Gu Changsheng suddenly spoke.

“This Disciple is here.”

“Do you see that mist-shrouded cave entrance below?”

Gu Changsheng pointed to the catacomb below that looked like the mouth of a giant beast.

“Go, guard the entrance.”

“If anyone comes out, kill them without mercy.”

“If... something tries to run out, stop it no matter what method you use.”

Chen Mu was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth and nodded.

“This Disciple obeys!”

He didn't know why the Old Ancestor wanted him to do such a suicidal task.

But he knew he had no choice.

Moreover, the flower inside him actually transmitted an extremely excited emotion as it approached this catacomb, as if there were something inside that had a fatal attraction to it.

Gu Changsheng waved his sleeve and sent Chen Mu down.

Watching the youth charge resolutely toward the catacomb entrance, the expression on his face was as cold as ice.

The bait had been set.

Next, it remained to be seen how this play would unfold.