Chapter 77: Abandoning a Woman? I Can’t Do That

Chu Huaizhou’s scalp tingled.
What was the Youming Sect planning? Were they trying to refine the “Ten Thousand Blood Elixir” to boost their cultivation?
“Insane, utterly insane!”
He muttered, demonic cultivators were truly deranged.

At the Great Vehicle stage, cultivation wasn’t just about refining oneself but comprehending one’s own Dao. The Ten Thousand Blood Elixir’s boost was negligible—committing such atrocities for so little gain?

Chu wondered when the Youming Sect began kidnapping across dynasties and sects. Were they all complicit? Did they not fear divine retribution?

From his game knowledge, this world’s Heavenly Dao had a basic moral compass. Demonic cultivators often bore ugly features, hunched forms, and short lives, their lairs festering in harsh environments—shunned by the Heavenly Dao. This was the game’s balance for their rapid growth and strength.

But Chu, with his plot foresight and system cheats, had suppressed them, becoming a thunderbolt over their heads.
Yet, the Heavenly Dao seemed more active than in the game. Shouldn’t it suppress the demonic sects harsher? Why did their flaws seem milder than described?

Lost in thought, he barely noticed the demonic cultivators’ actions.
“Aaah! I don’t want to stay here—kill me!”
A Qi Refining cultivator, overwhelmed by the horrific scene and oppressive aura, broke down, charging at a guiding demonic cultivator.
He was kicked into a pit.
“Go down. We won’t kill you—your life… has greater use, jie jie jie.”

Chu’s drifting thoughts snapped back, following the cultivator’s fall.
In the pit, many were emaciated, their eyes vacant. Even when someone crashed into them, they didn’t react, like lifeless puppets.

“What’re you looking at? Oh, right, the Ancestor ordered your group to Pit One.”
“Come on, don’t make us drag you, jie jie jie.”
The demonic cultivators’ cold gazes, amused by their plight, treated them like livestock.

Chu couldn’t fathom how such people evaded Heavenly punishment, or why the demons never mentioned it.

Helpless, Chu’s group, along with merchants and minor cultivators, jumped into the five-meter-deep pit. For cultivators, the depth was trivial, but merchants were “kindly” dragged down by the demons.

In the pit, Chu felt the oppressive despair radiating from everyone. His gaze hardened, convinced he’d come to the right place. If the Youming Sect succeeded, the continent would face catastrophe.

Xia Baiqian, equally shocked, noted the captives’ bronze-like auras, suggesting years of imprisonment.
Is that old Youming Sect fool insane?
She recalled debating him, their paths similar, their strengths equal. With Bai Li, she was unbeatable, even in his domain, ensuring escape.
This was why Leng Qingqiu allowed Chu’s mission—minimal risk.

But if the old man had long-brewing plans, and with Xia Baiqian’s cultivation self-sealed at its peak, she wasn’t confident in protecting Chu unscathed.
“Master, wait here. I’ll prepare some gu insects for what’s coming.”

For safety, Xia drew on past encounters with the Youming elder, planning specialized gu. After informing Chu, she tapped her waist flask, releasing a gu that lowered her presence, then sat cross-legged, crafting her secret recipe.

Focused on her gu, she didn’t notice Cheng Qingning edging closer to Chu.
No… what is this place?
Still reeling from the Green-Eyed Ancestor’s pressure, Cheng Qingning was horrified by the scene, forced into the pit. The loss of control and inability to sense her spiritual energy intertwined, overwhelming her sheltered upbringing.

Her legs trembled, tears streaming. This scale, this defense, dwarfed any Wanfa Immortal Sect branch she’d seen. She was certain—this was the Youming Sect’s true stronghold. What kind of monster is this?!

Despair set in. Without a miracle, they were doomed. It was her fault—her insistence on investigating led to their capture.

She glanced at Chu, half a head taller, his silhouette a faint anchor.
“Ye Feng…”

Under the influence of Xia Baiqian’s presence-lowering gu, she forgot Xia’s existence, despite its Great Vehicle-level potency affecting even her peak state.
Boldly, Cheng Qingning stepped close, clutching Chu’s sleeve, trembling as she asked, “I have a question…”

Chu, watching Xia Baiqian craft gu, gently retracted his hand.
“Go ahead. What’s wrong?”

Cheng Qingning: “That Void-Breaking Talisman… once activated, even the Green-Eyed Ancestor couldn’t stop it. If you’d used it, you could’ve escaped with my junior brother. Why didn’t you?”

Chu paused, considering responses. He could say he’d never used a talisman or was too scared, but those didn’t fit his persona. After mulling, a cheesy but fitting line came to mind.

Patting nonexistent dust from his robe, he flashed a warm, sunny smile.
“Abandoning a helpless girl and fleeing danger? I can’t do that, and I never will!”