179: Why don't you spend some time with my poor junior brother?

"The Biluo Yellow Springs Secret Realm?"

On the other side, inside the Qingming Hall, Gu Changsheng sat atop a throne of white bones and let out a cold laugh.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the golden system panel had already laid bare the secrets of this so-called Secret Realm.

[Target Location: Broken Dragon Valley]

[Attribute: Trapping Formation Hub]

[Intelligence: Li Xuanji spent three thousand Spirit Stones to purchase a set of "Four Symbols Spirit-Locking Formation" Formation Flags and has already buried them at the bottom of the valley. This Formation specifically counters wood-attribute Cultivation Techniques; once inside, spiritual power circulation is slowed by fifty percent.]

"He's certainly willing to pay a high price."

Gu Changsheng rose from the throne, clasped his hands behind his back, and paced to the hall's entrance, gazing at the churning black clouds outside.

Li Xuanji wanted to be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware that his every move had long been under Gu Changsheng's watch.

Since the stage had been set, wouldn't it be a waste of such kind intentions not to send over a performer?

"Chen Mu."

Gu Changsheng spoke indifferently to the Void Realm.

The wind whistled.

A figure radiating a chilling aura emerged like a ghost from the shadows outside the hall and knelt on the stone steps with a thud.

"Your Disciple is here."

Chen Mu kept his head low, his voice hoarse.

After not being seen for half a month, the blood-evil aura on him had grown even denser. On his exposed skin, bluish-purple roots could be seen faintly moving; he looked like a poisonous plant draped in human skin.

Gu Changsheng looked down from above at this blade that was being ground sharper and sharper.

"Do you remember how your Revered Master fell into a slumber?"

Chen Mu's body jolted.

He snapped his head up, and in those bloodshot eyes, a fire of frenzied hatred instantly ignited.

"This Disciple dares not forget! If it weren't to save me, Revered Master would never have exhausted his Soul Power!"

"Very good."

Gu Changsheng flicked his sleeve, and a pitch-black, cone-shaped Magical Artifact landed before Chen Mu with a clang.

It was a "Formation-Breaking Awl," a malicious tool specifically designed to pierce through Formation nodes.

"I have just deduced the heavenly secrets and discovered a certain Karma."

Gu Changsheng's tone was flat, yet every word was like a knife, accurately piercing Chen Mu's weakest psychological defense.

"In the Righteous Path's Taiqing Sect, there is a True Disciple named Li Xuanji."

"This person's ancestor was one of the culprits who ambushed your Revered Master back then, causing his Physical Body to be destroyed and leaving only a remnant soul."

Boom!

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in Chen Mu's mind.

The descendant of his enemy!

The descendant of the enemy who forced his Revered Master to inhabit plants and flowers, and even forced him into a slumber just to save him!

"Kill him..."

A beast-like low growl escaped Chen Mu's throat. He clawed his hands deep into the hard stone cracks, his nails snapping and blood dripping.

"I beg the Old Ancestor to grant me this!"

He kowtowed frantically, the dull thuds of his forehead hitting the ground echoing in front of the empty hall.

Gu Changsheng watched this scene without a ripple of emotion on his face.

Hatred is the most useful whip in this world.

As long as it is wielded properly, even a gentle sheep can turn into a vicious wolf that devours people.

"Go."

Gu Changsheng tapped his finger lightly, and a beam of spiritual light entered Chen Mu's brow—it was a detailed map of Broken Dragon Valley and the method to break the Formation.

"I have already ordered Ge Hong to assign three Foundation Establishment Elders to accompany you."

"Remember, do not let him die too quickly."

"Reclaim the suffering your Revered Master endured a thousandfold, ten-thousandfold."

Chen Mu grabbed the Formation-Breaking Awl from the ground and kowtowed heavily.

"This Disciple obeys your command!"

He turned and rushed into the curtain of rain, his back resolute, like a mad dog released from its cage, ready to tear apart any living thing in his path.

Gu Changsheng watched the boy's receding figure, sat back on his throne, and picked up a teacup.

"Li Xuanji, oh Li Xuanji."

"Targeted by a madman at the Qi Refining Stage... I hope you enjoy this surprise."

...Three hundred miles west of the Soul Severing Gorge.

Broken Dragon Valley.

This place was named for the cliffs on both sides that resembled a broken dragon's spine; it was shrouded in mist year-round and bone-chillingly cold.

Li Xuanji stood on a hidden rocky beach at the bottom of the valley, holding a green Formation Plate, with an irrepressible look of smugness on his face.

"Senior Brother, the Formation is complete."

A trusted Disciple stepped forward quickly with a fawning look. "As long as Gu Changfeng takes half a step into the valley entrance, the Four Symbols Spirit-Locking Formation will activate instantly. No matter what 'black fiend sword' he has, he'll be like a turtle in a jar!"

Li Xuanji nodded in satisfaction, his gaze sweeping over the meticulously arranged disguises.

The originally desolate valley floor had been hidden by illusions to look like a Secret Realm entrance brimming with Spiritual Qi, even featuring forged phantoms of several rare Spiritual Plants.

Greed is the original sin.

He didn't believe Gu Changfeng wouldn't take the bait.

"Everyone, stay sharp."

Li Xuanji straightened his collar, which wasn't even messy, and lowered his voice. "When we strike later, leave no survivors. If this Gu Changfeng makes it back alive..."

"Don't worry, Senior Brother, we know what's at stake!"

Several confidants exchanged glances, drew their Magical Artifacts, and vanished into the Formation nodes.

Time passed minute by minute.

The rain grew heavier.

Li Xuanji's heart rate gradually accelerated.

Calculating the time, Gu Changfeng should be arriving soon.

Just then.

Rumble!

A loud explosion erupted at the valley entrance without warning.

It wasn't the sound of Gu Changfeng entering the Formation, but rather some extremely violent force forcibly piercing through the Formation's defensive barrier from the outside.

"What's going on?!"

Li Xuanji's expression changed drastically. The Formation Plate in his hand trembled violently, and the rune representing the Gate of Life instantly dimmed.

Before he could react.

Swish, swish, swish!

Several pitch-black Yin Thunder beads, carrying a nauseating corpse Qi, smashed into the valley floor like hailstones.

"Enemy attack!"

"It's the Corpse Yin Sect's 'Yin-Evil Thunder'! Retreat, quickly!"

Explosions rang out one after another.

The meticulously arranged illusion Formation was instantly torn to shreds; soil flew and stones shot out.

Several Taiqing Sect Disciples who couldn't dodge in time were blown into a bloody mess, their screams drowned out by the thunder.

Before the dust could settle.

A small, thin figure, carrying a chipped iron sword, charged out from the swirling dust.

"Li Xuanji!"

"Give me your life!"

Chen Mu was covered in blood, his eyes crimson. Ignoring the aftershocks of the exploding Spells around him, he locked onto the figure in the moon-white Daoist robe in the center of the crowd.

"Who are you?!"

Li Xuanji was both shocked and enraged. He hastily summoned his Flying Sword, which turned into a beam of green light and slashed toward the newcomer.

He didn't understand.

This was clearly a top-secret operation; besides him and Gu Changfeng, no one should have known!

Why were there people from the Corpse Yin Sect lying in ambush here?!

Could it be... Gu Changfeng betrayed the Sect?!

Clang!

The iron sword collided with the Flying Sword.

The webbing of Chen Mu's thumb and index finger split, and he was sent flying back by the massive recoil.

But while in mid-air, he used that force to forcibly twist his waist and hurled the Formation-Breaking Awl with all his might.

Pfft.

A Taiqing Sect Disciple who was about to launch a sneak attack was pierced through the chest by the Formation-Breaking Awl and pinned to the rock wall.

"Madman!"

Li Xuanji watched the boy who rolled once upon landing and got back up to continue his charge as if nothing had happened, his scalp tingling with fear.

The Ninth Level of Qi Condensation?

How could an ant at the Qi Refining Stage dare to swing a sword at a Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him?!

"Kill him! Kill him for me!"

Li Xuanji roared sharply.

However, the response he received was several even more shrill screams.

From the direction of the valley entrance, three powerful Foundation Establishment auras erupted.

Those were the three Corpse Yin Sect Elders assigned by Gu Changsheng.

These three were originally "tumors" on Gu Changsheng's purge list; now, to redeem themselves before the Old Ancestor, their strikes were extremely ruthless.

"Little brats of the Taiqing Sect, your grandpa is here to 'love' you!"

An Elder holding a white bone banner gave a strange laugh, and black mist swept out, instantly engulfing Li Xuanji's remaining confidants.

The situation reversed in an instant.

The original hunters had become lambs for the slaughter.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

Li Xuanji panicked.

While summoning a protective spiritual shield, he retreated frantically, trying to find an opportunity to break through.

But Chen Mu gave him no such chance.

This boy was like a piece of sticky candy that couldn't be shaken off; even though his body was cut and bloodied by Sword Qi, he still clung to him relentlessly.

"I want your life!"

Chen Mu roared, completely abandoning his defense.

He allowed one of Li Xuanji's wind blades to slash his shoulder, cutting deep enough to see the bone.

Taking advantage of the gap while the other was casting a Spell, he closed in and slammed into Li Xuanji's chest.

"Get off!"

Li Xuanji was terrified. His Flying Sword returned to defend, stabbing fiercely into Chen Mu's lower abdomen.

Pfft.

The sharp blade pierced through his body.

This single strike was enough to kill any Qi Refining Cultivator.

A look of distorted pleasure appeared on Li Xuanji's face.

"In your next life, remember to keep your eyes open..."

Before he could finish.

The smile on his face froze.

Because he saw that the boy who had been stabbed through the stomach not only didn't fall but instead gave him an extremely eerie smile.

That smile was full of mockery and madness.

At Chen Mu's lower abdomen, the wound was not bleeding.

Countless bluish-purple roots poked out from his flesh, tightly coiling around the Flying Sword and even spreading up the blade to instantly lock onto Li Xuanji's wrist.

Parasitic Seed: Withered Wood Meets Spring.

This body was no longer a mortal one.

"Got you."

Chen Mu whispered softly.

He let go of the iron sword in his hand and clamped his hands like iron pincers around Li Xuanji's throat.

"You... what kind of monster are you..."

Li Xuanji struggled desperately, his protective spiritual light flashing wildly as he tried to shake off this madman.

But inside Chen Mu, the Parasitic Flower that had devoured countless amounts of blood-evil aura suddenly bloomed.

An extremely overbearing suction force erupted.

Li Xuanji felt the spiritual power in his body like a bursting flood, being frantically drained through his throat by the other.

"No... I am a Taiqing True Disciple... I cannot die..."

Fear finally overwhelmed his reason.

The luster in Li Xuanji's eyes quickly dimmed, and his once-full skin began to shrivel.

Crack.

A crisp sound.

Chen Mu applied force with his hands, snapping the throat bone of this favored son of the Taiqing Sect.

The corpse slumped to the ground.

Chen Mu panted heavily, pulled out the Flying Sword stuck in his stomach, and tossed it aside.

At the wound, granulation tissue wriggled, healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He bent down, grabbed Li Xuanji's head—its eyes still wide in death—and held it high.

The rain washed the blood from his body, but it could not wash away that sky-piercing malevolence.

"Revered Master..."

"The enemy is dead."

"Did you see?"

The boy let out a long, shrill cry to the heavens, echoing through the empty valley floor.

Not far away.

The three Corpse Yin Sect Elders, having just finished off the small fry, turned to see this scene and felt a chill in their hearts.

This kid... such heavy Evil Qi.

He's simply a natural-born seed for demonic cultivation.

"Mission accomplished."

Chen Mu stifled his cry, carried the head, and turned toward the valley entrance.

There, a figure in cyan was holding an oil-paper umbrella, standing quietly in the rain.

Gu Changfeng.

Or rather, Gu Changsheng's Clone.

He arrived at just the right time.

So coincidentally that he missed all the fighting and only arrived for the messy aftermath.

Chen Mu stepped forward quickly and presented the head.

"I have fortunately fulfilled the mission."

He didn't call him Old Ancestor or Senior Brother, but simply reported back with a nearly devout posture.

Gu Changfeng lowered his eyes slightly, looking at Li Xuanji's distorted face, a very faint trace of mockery flashing in his eyes.

He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly brushing the rainwater on the head.

"Junior Brother Li, oh Junior Brother Li."

"Tell me, why did you have to set a trap instead of properly exploring the Secret Realm?"

"Now look at you."

"You haven't even left behind a complete corpse."

Gu Changfeng sighed, his tone carrying a hair-raising sense of pity.

He looked up at the three Corpse Yin Sect Elders, who were as quiet as cicadas in winter, and a gentle smile played on his lips.

"The three Elders have worked hard."

"The feng shui of Broken Dragon Valley is quite good. Why don't... the three of you stay behind as well, to keep my poor Junior Brother company?"

Before he had even finished speaking.

His gentle and refined aura suddenly shifted.

A terrifying pressure, interwoven with the power of Wither and Flourish, erupted in the rainy night.

Is that... the Purple Mansion stage?!

The pupils of the three Elders shrank; they didn't even have time to beg for mercy before a pitch-black sword light, like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, slashed through the rain.

Pfft, pfft, pfft.

Three fine heads flew into the air.

Blood mingled with rainwater, staining the stream beneath their feet red.

Gu Changfeng sheathed his sword and wiped non-existent blood from his pale palm using Li Xuanji's Daoist robe.

"Only the dead can truly keep a secret."

He turned and left with his umbrella.

Leaving Chen Mu still kneeling on the spot, looking at the corpses strewn across the ground, the fire of madness in his eyes burning even brighter.