Chapter 69: Encounter with Wanfa Immortal Sect Cultivators

The surrounding crowd—small-time cultivators and merchants too timid to brave the Nine Nether Lands alone—were terrified.

Used to facing mere demon beasts, they’d never seen demonic cultivators cloaked in green mist. Most scattered, fleeing in panic. But within a few steps, their faces turned ashen, collapsing as if poisoned. Some, still dazed, realized escape was futile and dropped to their knees, begging.

They pleaded for mercy outwardly, but inwardly knew these ruthless demonic cultivators rarely spared lives. The crowd prayed for a true immortal to pass by and save them.

A middle-aged merchant, unable to hold it together, soiled himself, warm liquid trickling down his leg, unnoticed as he kowtowed.

“Great Immortal, please spare me! I have elderly parents and young children! Let me go like a fart! I’ll serve you like an ox or horse!”

They’d just witnessed gray-robed demonic cultivators emerge from the forest, casting eerie spells that toppled men and horses. Their bizarre, unheard-of methods—known only in folk tales—overwhelmed even the chamber’s Foundation Establishment guards, who fell lifeless under a wave of toxic green mist.

Recognizing such cruel tactics, a few knowledgeable ones linked them to the Youming Sect, notorious for using humans to breed gu and concoct poisons.

A sleazy-looking cultivator crawled forward, his face a twisted mix of tears and flattery.

“I… I’m just a worthless thief! I’m no use to you! Spare me! I swear, I’ll find ten—no, thirty—strong men for you! Guaranteed satisfaction!”

To survive, he’d promise anything, no matter how vile.

A scholar in fine robes, carrying books, had never seen such horror. Before the gray-robed cultivators acted further, he crawled forward, banging his forehead on the purple ground.

“Immortal masters! Please see clearly!”

His trembling hand pointed back.

“That woman in the blue dress is my betrothed. Take her instead, please spare me!”

The woman, hearing this, gaped in disbelief.

“Zhou… my love? Didn’t you swear to roam the world with me when I helped you escape the brothel? How… how could you…”

The air reeked of blood and decay, a tangible despair pressing on everyone’s chests.

Just dozens of meters away, the scene shifted abruptly. One side was steeped in blood and terror; the other, carefree as a picnic.

A pink-haired, pink-eyed female cultivator in an orange dress, her jade feet in white tights and cloud boots, clung affectionately to a man’s arm, feeding him peeled lychees.

“Master, open wide, ah~”

Beside her, a man in a black dao robe, a radiant sword at his waist, watched the drama unfold.

“Hm, what a classic plot twist.”

The pink-haired girl nodded, chiming in.

“That scholar’s despicable—way worse than Master!”

A white nine-tailed fox with a red forehead mark nestled in the man’s arms, nodding and licking her paws.

“Yup, like a novel’s plot gone to ruin. Next, that woman gets turned into a demonic puppet…”

Before she finished, the man cut her off.

“Wait, Bai Li, what book is this? Hand it over when we’re back—it’s confiscated!”

“Meow…”

It was Chu Huaizhou, Xia Baiqian, and Bai Li.

Leaving Tianyuan Sword Sect without Leng Qingqiu, who knew spatial arts, they lacked teleportation and relied on Xia Baiqian’s gu insect for travel. The gu worked tirelessly, swapped when exhausted, crossing countless landscapes day and night. From high altitudes, they saw diverse terrains below.

If the cultivation world had no schemes or mortal danger, such views would be pure bliss.

After ten days, their faces weathered, they reached the Nine Nether Lands.

As one of the Five Demonic Sects, the Youming Sect’s location was closely guarded. But this didn’t faze Chu Huaizhou. In his first game playthrough, he’d pinpointed its location here.

Yet a new issue arose: the Youming Sect had an early Great Vehicle cultivator and ancient defenses. Its protective array, at full strength, couldn’t be breached quickly, even by early Great Vehicle cultivators.

Neither Bai Li nor Xia Baiqian’s gu were suited for breaking arrays. Storming it and failing would be laughable.

After discussion, Chu Huaizhou opted for infiltration: track Youming Sect cultivators outside, then sneak into their base.

Now, it seemed the demonic cultivators planned to abduct people for unknown purposes. Perhaps we can blend in and infiltrate.

But just then, two of the kneeling figures stood, casting off their cloaks.

The leader revealed a gold-threaded dao robe with a taiji fish emblem, mid-Golden Core cultivation flaring. Pinching several talismans, a copper coin sword at her waist, she roared in a clear voice:

“Wanfa Immortal Sect cultivators here, investigating Ping County’s disappearances!”

Another cultivator, also in a taiji fish robe, wielded a talisman whip, late Foundation Establishment cultivation evident. Smirking smugly, she added,

“My uncle’s a Wanfa Immortal Sect elder. Kneel and beg, or my master will waste her breath!”

Like announcing a title, the female cultivator tossed her talismans, her wristband shooting golden streaks through the air. The demonic cultivators staggered back, avoiding the innocent crowd.

The talismans transformed into golden threads, weaving together and expanding. Caught off guard, the lead gray-robed cultivator’s ankle was ensnared, his pale skin sizzling with a wretched hiss.

“Argh! Damn it! Wanfa Immortal Sect’s Demon-Binding Golden Thread Talisman!”