As Ye Anping brought Feng Yu Die out of the Donghuang dungeon, the sun had already risen to its zenith. Ye Anping couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered, recalling their kiss in the prison cell, but this was hardly the time for such thoughts.
Now that the disciples from the Tian Mo Sect had arrived to collect their people, his disguise as Kong Huayuan would likely be exposed. After taking a deep breath to calm himself, Ye Anping stepped onto his flying sword and headed towards Ask Heaven Platform, located north of Donghuang city.
Every immortal city was built upon a spiritual脉, and Donghuang’s脉点 was at the Ask Heaven Platform. In other words, if the Ghost Spirit Sect were to set up a large formation, the main formation eye would undoubtedly be at the Ask Heaven Platform.
Riding the flying sword with Feng Yu Die, they arrived above the Ask Heaven Platform in moments. It looked no different from the Xuan Xing Sect’s Star Observation Platform: a spacious celestial altar perched at the highest point, surrounded by a thousand steps that ascended gradually, constructed in accordance with Bagua feng shui. This was originally a creation left behind by the Xing Tian Division. After the Ghost Spirit Sect took over Donghuang, they seemed to have made modifications rather than completely rebuilding it.
After a quick scan from above, Ye Anping and Feng Yu Die descended directly on their swords, landing in the center of the celestial altar. A man in a Ghost Spirit Sect uniform, who had been meditating in front, slowly opened his eyes upon their landing, revealing a pair of chilling insect-like eyes.
“Young Master Kong, what brings you to me?”
— Elder “Luo Yi” of the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Gui Tang, a Gu Cultivator, mid-Deity Transformation.
Ye Anping recognized him immediately and put on a show of being a prodigal son, smiling. “Junior greets Elder Luo. My father asked me to come and study the Nine Phases Ghost Array. Have I interrupted you?”
“Study the formation?” Luo Yi narrowed his eyes and sneered. “It’s rare to see Young Master Kong so studious. Whenever Elder Kong asks me to teach you formations, you’re either off playing with women in the brothel or inviting me to join you. Have you changed your ways?”
“… …”
Ye Anping was silent for a moment. He glanced at Feng Yu Die, who was behind him, and after some thought, he simply pulled her into his arms. Feng Yu Die stiffened, feeling a little nervous, but soon relaxed and leaned into Ye Anping, murmuring, “Mmm…”
Ye Anping looked at her, remained silent for a moment, and then, with a roguish smile, said, “Isn’t that why I brought this girl along? I can learn from Elder Luo while I play with women.”
Luo Yi’s eyes showed a flicker of annoyance, but he was used to it; he knew Kong Huayuan well. “Fine… Since you want to learn, I’ll teach. Come here.”
“Thank you, Elder Luo.” Ye Anping smiled and took out some wine from his storage bag, asking, “Would Elder Luo like some wine? Top-grade insect wine…”
“I’m a Gu Cultivator…”
“Oh, right. My apologies…”
Ye Anping smiled apologetically and, embracing Feng Yu Die, walked over to Luo Yi and sat beside him, letting Feng Yu Die rest in his arms. Luo Yi glanced at Feng Yu Die, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Immortal cultivator?”
“Elder Luo has excellent eyesight. A female cultivator with a full body of immortal spiritual energy, a disciple of the Xuan Nu Sect. I bought her from Elder Liang of the Tian Mo Sect; it cost quite a few spirit stones…”
“Heh…” Luo Yi sneered and waved his hand, taking out a blueprint from his storage bag and spreading it on the ground. “The Nine Phases Ghost Array is a formation created by Old Ancestor Gui himself, using ghost spirits…”
At this point, Luo Yi glanced at Ye Anping again and saw him caressing the immortal cultivator’s waist, showing no intention of listening. A surge of anger rose within him. If this were any other disciple, he would have sent them to the insect room as nourishment. But Kong Huayuan was cultivated with great effort by Elder Kong, and sending him to feed the insects would surely enrage Elder Kong.
“Are you listening or not?”
“Huh?” Ye Anping feigned ignorance and quickly nodded. “I’m listening. The Ghost Array uses ghost spirits for cultivation… Please continue, Elder Luo. Don’t mind me.”
“… …”
Luo Yi gritted his teeth slightly but said nothing, continuing on his own. “Ghost spirits need to be refined from a hundred-year-old, pure infant, along with demonic treasures like Longevity Whisker. The formation can be set up at a spiritual脉 location. Once this formation is activated, even if the old woman from the Xuan Xing Sect herself came, it would take her at least a month or two to… Kong Huayuan, are you even listening? If you want to play with your useless cauldron, take her back home. Don’t do it in front of me…”
“I’m listening, I’m listening~” Ye Anping looked at Feng Yu Die, who was obediently letting him rub her waist, and moved her to his side. He sat down and smiled. “Elder Luo, please continue…”
…
Meanwhile, at the Donghuang dungeon.
The dark corridor was damp and filled with a faint, unpleasant stench. The light from the Ghost Spirit Sect guard’s lantern illuminated the prison cells separated by iron bars, revealing rows of emaciated faces with deathly pale skin. He Jifeng, followed by several Core Formation Stage disciples from the Tian Mo Sect, looked with interest at the miserable cultivators in the cells. He recalled Kong Xiangmo mentioning that Gu Mingxin had been tormented for three days and nights by his son after her capture, but he hadn’t truly grasped it until now.
Seeing the wretched state of the cultivators in the cells, he couldn’t help but imagine. Could Gu Mingxin have ended up like this? Gu Mingxin, once arrogant and always sporting a scowl, who had almost killed He Jiming in front of all the Tian Mo Sect elders, disregarding her father’s reputation. Now, she was a prisoner like these people?
Honestly, He Jifeng couldn’t picture it, yet he couldn’t stop himself from imagining. How did Gu Mingxin beg for mercy after being tormented for three days and nights by Elder Kong’s son? What a pathetic state was she in now? If his third younger brother were still alive and had come with him, what joy would he have shown upon seeing Gu Mingxin? Alas, his third brother’s remains hadn’t even been found since the Ghost Spirit Sect’s attack on Donghuang.
“Heh heh…”
After descending from the stairs at the end of the corridor to the second underground level, the Ghost Spirit Sect guard led He Jifeng and his group to a solitary, sealed prison cell at the very end. He nodded and said, “Gu Mingxin is imprisoned in this cell. Young Master Kong personally brought her here earlier.”
“Mm.” He Jifeng nodded, placed his hand on the iron gate, and stepped over the threshold into the prison. He glanced around and immediately spotted the woman in the room, her hands bound to a cross-shaped wooden frame, her hair disheveled. Gu Mingxin’s eyes were devoid of light, her head hanging listlessly, as if only an empty shell remained.
Seeing her, He Jifeng took a moment to reconcile this with his memory of Gu Mingxin. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Heh heh… Young Master Gu, Young Master Gu. I thought Elder Kong had captured the wrong person, but I didn’t expect you to actually fall into the hands of the Kong family’s young master.”
Gu Mingxin’s dull, crimson eyes flickered slightly and slowly turned towards him. She spoke in an extremely weak voice, “He… Jifeng…”
That weak voice only fueled He Jifeng’s mockery. He signaled the Tian Mo Sect disciples who had followed him to stay guard at the entrance and walked towards Gu Mingxin, his hands behind his back. “Young Master Gu, why? Why would you betray the Great Elder Yu Yan’s well-intentioned efforts, betray the Tian Mo Sect, and betray all demonic cultivators? You had everything you wanted in the Tian Mo Sect. Why are you so foolish?”
He Jifeng raised his right hand, reaching for Gu Mingxin’s chin, seemingly to lift her face towards him. However, the instant his right hand rose, those dull crimson eyes widened slightly, revealing a chilling hint of joy.
*Whoosh—*
A blood-red line appeared on He Jifeng’s right shoulder. He Jifeng froze for a moment, his gaze involuntarily drifting to the sword with a bloody spiritual light in his peripheral vision. His mind went blank, and he took a slight step back, his lips moving slightly.
“You…” But he only managed to utter one word before another sword light flashed across his left arm. A torrent of blood erupted, as if a blood rain had started indoors, and was then cleaved apart by the sword light. In less than a breath, before his severed right arm had even hit the ground, he was reduced to a “human stick.”
The Tian Mo Sect disciples who had accompanied He Jifeng finally reacted. They immediately drew spirit swords from their storage bags and rushed forward. But as Gu Mingxin looked at them, her smile grew more sinister. She didn’t even glance at them, her gaze shifting to the side, and she whispered, “Don’t kill him… Hehehe.”
The unseen Blood E E was already forming hand seals, ready. After glancing at the completely defenseless He Jifeng, she coldly commanded, “A’Mang, devour everyone else here.”
The spirit swords in the hands of the Tian Mo Sect disciples arrived before Gu Mingxin. However, she made no move to defend herself. Simultaneously, countless cracks spread like a spiderweb across the meticulously laid paving stones on the prison floor, then crumbled and plummeted downwards, revealing a corner of a gigantic python’s gaping maw.
*Roar—*
The walls shattered, and the entire prison collapsed in an instant.
…
“My… my son… son… SONNNNNN!!!!”
Seeing the blood relative whose head had rolled to his feet, Kong Xiangmo, despite being a demon for thousands of years, felt his heart tremble. Uncontrolled demonic aura surged outwards from within him. Since Kong Huayuan, Kong Xiangmo had not had any other gifted offspring. Although he constantly found Kong Huayuan’s profligate and undisciplined behavior unbearable, he cherished his son. He had even refined several of Kong Huayuan’s brothers into blood pills to mend Kong Huayuan’s spiritual脉, spending two hundred years to finally help Kong Huayuan reach the Nascent Soul mid-stage. And now, all the efforts he had invested in Kong Huayuan over the past two centuries were in vain.
“Ha… ha…” His breaths were like that of an ox, and waves of ghost spirit energy leaked from Kong Xiangmo’s body. He clenched his fists, and another name appeared in his mind. “Liang Liu… Liang Liu!!!!”
*Bang—!*
As if a secret passage had opened, as if the right incantation had been spoken. The moment Kong Xiangmo uttered “Liang Liu,” a golden spiritual light burst from Kong Huayuan’s body. The powerful spiritual energy condensed into streaks of golden lightning, tearing the body apart.
*Boom—!*
Golden lightning surged from all the windows of the sleeping quarters. The entire hall collapsed in an instant. But the next moment, a figure shrouded in blood shot out from the ruins and landed in the courtyard. Clad in his son’s internal organs and flesh, Kong Xiangmo, holding his son’s only intact, skinless head, glared furiously at his surroundings. Liang Liu had not only killed Kong Huayuan but had also stripped his face and buried high-grade thunder talismans within his corpse. From the spiritual energy detected earlier, it was definitely an immortal cultivator. But why would an immortal family cultivator resort to such cruel methods? Who exactly was this Liang Liu?!
“Ha—ha—”
Vast blood energy corroded everything in the courtyard. Kong Xiangmo gritted his teeth, trying his best to remain calm and think. But how could he remain calm?!
“Aaaargh—!!! Liang Liu!!!”
His roar echoed through half of Donghuang city.
*Roaring—*
The entire Donghuang Immortal City began to tremble after Kong Xiangmo’s roar. A muffled rumbling sound from the west shook and toppled several walls within the courtyard.
? Kong Xiangmo suddenly froze. At this moment, his mind was muddled, and he thought he had merely roared to the point of causing an earthquake. The next moment, a thousand-foot-long black python leaped into the sky from the direction of the dungeon.
*Roar—!!*
Accompanied by a roar like a dragon’s cry, the clear sky, which had been cloudless for miles, was instantly covered by dark clouds. Donghuang Immortal City was plunged into shadow. Kong Xiangmo, holding his son’s head, looked up at the black python in a daze. Then, he transformed into a streak of blood-red light and shot into the sky, carving a sharp acute angle at a height of a thousand zhang, with intense demonic aura, charging towards the black python.
…
Meanwhile, at the Ask Heaven Platform.
Ye Anping, sitting beside Luo Yi, feigned drowsiness, yawned, and then looked hazily at the formation diagram Luo Yi was pointing at, nodding. “Elder Luo, is this formation so complicated? Nine Phases, what is it…”
“This is a formation specifically prepared by Old Ancestor Gui for the old woman Dan Yue of the Xuan Xing Sect in the Western Regions. He originally intended to trap her and then kill her, but that old woman is a coward. Ever since the Sword Ancestor Yun Jian of the immortal family perished, she hasn’t stepped foot in the Western Regions again…”
“If it’s never been used, how do you know it works? What if it doesn’t work on her?”
“Kong Huayuan, I will pretend I didn’t hear that. With your limited understanding, how dare you presume to criticize Old Ancestor Gui’s formations?”
“Mm…”
Just as Ye Anping said this, the world suddenly shook, followed by a fierce gale. A tremendous noise erupted from within Donghuang city.
*Boom—*
A black python, resembling a nine-coiled intestine, emerged from underground and surged upwards, summoning vast swathes of dark clouds that obscured the miles of clear sky. Luo Yi’s insect-like eyes narrowed slightly. He turned his head 180 degrees to look in the direction of the black python, a look of confusion on his face. But then, he was startled by Ye Anping’s exclamation beside him.
“Aiyoo?!”
“… …”
“Elder Luo, what is that python? Why is it so big…”
Luo Yi felt disgusted by Kong Huayuan’s startled demeanor but understood that something had likely gone wrong at the dungeon. He also recognized the black python as Xue Sha’s imperial beast. Ye Anping, looking surprised, asked him, “Elder Luo, should we go over there?”
After a moment of hesitation, Luo Yi stood up and said, “You stay here. I’ll go take a look.”
“Hey! Take me with you…”
As Ye Anping reached out, Luo Yi transformed into a black mist and floated directly towards the black python. Ye Anping quickly stood up and added, “Elder Luo! Don’t go…”
After Luo Yi had flown a thousand zhang away, Ye Anping wiped away his feigned expression and sneered, “If you leave, who will guard this formation… Hehehe—”
Ye Anping chuckled and scanned the Ghost Spirit Sect disciples standing guard around the Ask Heaven Platform with their spears in hand. But just as he was about to release his spiritual sense, Xiao Tian, who was perched on Feng Yu Die’s head, quickly said, “Anping, I’ve already checked… The highest cultivation among these Ghost Spirit Sect disciples is only late Core Formation Stage. Although there are many of them, Feather Die can handle them alone.”
“… …”
It was rare for Xiao Tian to answer before he even asked. Ye Anping paused, closed his eyes, and sighed. Then, he made a sword finger gesture and took out the Nine Dragon Heavenly Seal from his storage bag, letting it float above his palm. “Senior Sister Feng, do not let those people disturb me for the time it takes an incense stick to burn…”
Feng Yu Die was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up, took her spirit sword from her storage bag, and held it in her right hand. At the same time, Ye Anping formed hand seals with both hands, channeling his spiritual energy into the Nine Dragon Heavenly Seal, instantly enveloping him in golden spiritual energy.
The Ghost Spirit Sect disciples standing guard a short distance away had their attention drawn by Gu Mingxin’s black python. However, upon seeing the spiritual aura surrounding Ye Anping, they became suspicious and quickly shouted, “Hey!!! You…”
*Whoosh—*
Before he could finish speaking, Feng Yu Die, standing beside Ye Anping, transformed into a white blur. A flash of her sword across the Ghost Spirit Sect disciple’s neck. Blood spurted seven feet, and Feng Yu Die flicked the blood from her spirit sword to the side, adjusting her mask and brushing aside her silver hair.
“Hmph!”
…
