196: Chapter 194: Strange things happening in the city, souls being replaced!

“Understood!”

The group responded, each setting off, and soon disappeared into the streets and alleys.

Lin Chen, however, walked up to Zhou Qiluo and Li Mengran, smiling, “Junior Sisters, then let us depart as well.”

The two exchanged glances and smiled at Lin Chen.

Seeing their reaction, Lin Chen took out two Spirit Treasures: “Junior Sisters, this place is dangerous. These are two Advanced defensive Spirit Treasures that can protect you. Please accept them.”

Zhou Qiluo and Li Mengran looked at the Spirit Treasures he offered and both shook their heads.

In their ears, Gu Shengge’s voice seemed to echo again, telling them not to accept Lin Chen’s gifts.

After a moment of contemplation, both of them shook their heads.

“Saint, we cannot accept a reward without earning it, and we already have defensive Spirit Treasures on us. We cannot accept these Spirit Treasures,” Zhou Qiluo said.

Li Mengran had a similar thought and refused Lin Chen.

This annoyed Lin Chen, and his Divine Thought conversed with the System.

“System, what’s going on? How can they refuse this Saint?” Lin Chen asked in surprise.

【Host, it might be because they already have defensive Spirit Treasures, so they don't care much. Let them encounter more dangers. Once their defensive Spirit Treasures are destroyed and they fall into a predicament, they might realize your kindness!】

Lin Chen deeply agreed with the System’s idea: “System, quickly arrange some dangerous areas for me. This Saint will make them regret refusing this Saint!”

...Meanwhile, Gu Shengge and Jun Mengqing arrived at a tavern-style building. Upon entering, they found traces of Cultivators having lived there, though they seemed to be recent Cultivators, as everything was new.

The two walked into the tavern, looked around, and found it spotless, as if it were regularly cleaned.

After walking for a while, they were about to rest and sat down at a clean table nearby.

Once they sat down, several bowls, dishes, and wine jars suddenly floated towards them, placing themselves on the table, as if a shopkeeper was serving them.

This left them astonished. Gu Shengge’s Heavy Pupils opened, wanting to investigate the secret behind this bizarre scene.

However, his Heavy Pupils saw through the tableware and wine jars but found nothing. It was not some demon or Divine Soul causing trouble, which was surprising.

After a moment of hesitation, Gu Shengge opened a wine jar. A rich aroma of wine wafted out, and it seemed as if someone was serving them. He immediately lifted the wine jar and poured a bowl of wine for both Gu Shengge and Jun Mengqing.

Jun Mengqing watched in astonishment: “There’s no spiritual energy fluctuation, so why is this happening? What exactly is going on?”

As the two were in doubt, divine light flickered in Gu Shengge’s eyes. A faint golden halo emanated from his golden pupils, and a spatial barrier appeared around them. The next moment, they arrived in an independent spatial area.

After arriving in this spatial area, the two felt a dizzying darkness, and the scene before them shifted.

After a few breaths, the two opened their eyes and looked out from the spatial barrier. The originally clean and tidy tavern was now covered in filth, the interior decor was dilapidated, and several corpses lay strewn across the floor.

“What’s going on? Were we caught in some illusion just now?” Jun Mengqing exclaimed.

“It wasn’t an illusion; illusions cannot escape the Heavy Pupils. Perhaps it was the Law energy within the building that affected our Divine Thoughts and judgment, causing us to have a false perception of the outside world! This method is more Advanced than an illusion!” Gu Shengge analyzed.

Jun Mengqing’s eyes flickered, and her expression grew solemn: “So that’s it. Then it’s highly likely that we were already affected when we approached this city, because all Cultivators saw a clean and tidy scene when they looked inside from the outside!”

Their expressions instantly became serious. Fortunately, Gu Shengge could use his Heavy Pupils to create a spatial interstice. By walking within the spatial interstice, they didn’t have to worry about being affected by that Law again.

After walking some distance in the interstice, they suddenly felt a violent energy fluctuation. They quickly rushed to the source of the energy fluctuation and saw two male Disciples fighting a female Disciple with weapons. Jun Mengqing recognized one of them; she was one of the three women she had asked Gu Shengge to warn about Lin Chen.

Jun Mengqing exclaimed, “Nie Ling!”

But the spatial interstice was isolated from the outside, so she couldn’t hear anything.

Jun Mengqing quickly activated her cultivation and applied a Seal to her body: “Benefactor, let me out!”

Gu Shengge raised his hand, and the space rippled, allowing her to leave.

Jun Mengqing walked out of the spatial interstice, stepping through the dark, dirty alley, and ran to Nie Ling’s side: “Nie Ling, what’s going on? Why are they attacking you?!”

Nie Ling saw Jun Mengqing, her eyes momentarily bewildered, but she quickly returned to normal and exclaimed in surprise: “Saintess!”

In her excitement, she quickly explained: “They found a jar of good wine in the tavern, drank a few sips, and then suddenly lost their minds, chasing after me to kill me!”

As she spoke, her eyes suddenly widened. “Saintess, be careful!”

As she was about to act, a figure suddenly appeared in front. Spatial Laws flickered, a flash of light passed, and the two were decapitated, dying tragically.

Nie Ling instantly rushed forward in agitation, about to attack Gu Shengge. Jun Mengqing quickly pulled her back. With Jun Mengqing’s personality, anyone who slandered him without distinguishing right from wrong would likely meet the same end as these two deranged individuals, dying tragically!

Nie Ling angrily said, “Why did you kill them?! They might have been able to regain their sanity! Why did you kill them?!”

“Regain sanity? Their Divine Souls have already been replaced. How can they regain sanity?”

Nie Ling and Jun Mengqing were both puzzled. Nie Ling said coldly, “What do you mean?”

Gu Shengge sneered, “You’ll know if you examine their residual soul light!”

The two quickly investigated and suddenly widened their eyes. The residual soul light within the two was ancient and decaying, even emitting a foul odor that made people not want to approach it. It simply couldn’t be their Divine Souls.

“Then… then where did they go?” Nie Ling asked in alarm.

“How would this Venerable One know? If you provoke this Venerable One again, don’t blame this Venerable One for being merciless!” Gu Shengge said coldly.

Nie Ling inexplicably felt a chilling killing intent that made her entire body cold, and she stared at Gu Shengge in terror.

Jun Mengqing, beside her, asked Nie Ling what the city she saw now looked like. Her answer was not surprising: it was clean and tidy.

But the real scene was dirty and chaotic, filled with decaying deadwood everywhere. Clearly, Nie Ling had also been affected.

~

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