Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 483 Evil
The golden palace was magnificent, with its doors wide open.

The dark red and yellowish embers in front of the hall burned slowly, spreading in all directions. Inside the hall, however, was a deep and profound darkness, with only a single ember glowing faintly, like a moving eye.

Behind it was a continuous wall of radiant earth, blocking many of the Purple Mansions from entering, and this Golden Palace was located at the place closest to the core of the cave heaven.

A brilliant beam of magnetic light emerged from outside the hall, like a star falling to earth. From within this light emerged a strange fish with a bull's head and silver scales, upon which sat two people, which descended to the front of the hall.

Xiang Mang was not seriously injured and his aura was at its peak, but Guang Ji was in much worse condition. His half-body was covered with white flames and black lightning, as well as hundreds of fine sword wounds, and inside was a chilling sword intent.

The blood from the Kan Shui Zi Fu flowed incessantly, falling beside him and transforming into winged black carp that floated in the air before being re-refined into his body.

His supernatural powers activated, and fine, glossy white hair began to sprout from his face and limbs, making him resemble a monkey. Xiang Mang, standing beside him, declared righteously:

"Fellow Daoist, hold on! I'm flying at full speed and have now reached Fuchen's camp."

Upon hearing this, Guangji's body trembled for a moment, and the lightning and fire on it surged again, barely suppressed by [Huaishui Mian].

'As expected of cultivators from overseas, they have no shame whatsoever.'

The main reason he was injured earlier was that this Master Xiang Mang was timid and unwilling to exert his full strength. Now that the other party is pretending to care about him, his mood is getting worse.

However, he quickly dismissed the thought. If he were in Xiang Mang's position, he would have acted the same way: better to sacrifice a fellow Daoist than himself.

He is currently doing his best to suppress his injuries and has taken several spiritual pills, but the effect is not very good. If he had not cultivated the Body Divine Power, he would not even be able to maintain the integrity of his physical body.

A sudden burst of eerie fire outside the golden hall blocked the two people's way, and a voice came from the darkness behind the door.

"Fellow Daoist, you failed?"

One of them stepped out, dressed in a crimson robe. Although his face was handsome, the sinister aura between his brows grew increasingly heavy.

His pupils turned dark red, his temperament was cold and stern, and the aura of the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm was faintly revealed, which made Xiang Mang feel a strange pressure.

An Xianhui's voice was calm, as if he had expected it. Xiang Mang simply cupped his hands in greeting, and there was a hint of embarrassment on the young man's face. The lightning on his silver lock spirit armor had not yet dissipated.

"That Taoist's magic is also formidable. I don't know where he obtained a solar magic spell from, which forced us to retreat."

Guangji's voice was deep and resonant, seemingly tinged with anger. He stared at the person before him. If Fuchen's information hadn't been inaccurate, he wouldn't be suffering such severe injuries.

But when Ding Huo Zifu glanced at him, his dark red eyes brightened slightly, and he exuded an unquestionable aura, forcing Guangji to look away.

"Shangshandao has worked tirelessly for our sect for many years. Now that you are injured, we will make amends in due time."

An Xianhui casually took out a Water Transformation Pill that was as clear as white jade and handed it to Guangji.

"You can take this [Life-Saving and Health-Preserving Pill] first. It can suppress your injuries. Let's return to Jiandi first."

Guangji is now severely injured and has no desire to fight. Although there are many opportunities in the cave, now is not the time to compete for them. Fuchen will naturally give him some compensation.

His expression turned solemn as he looked at the other person and asked:
"The Guiliu Path failed? This immortal path belongs to the area near Yanjiang. Did Mu Wushan not contribute anything?"

Upon hearing this, An Xianhui's gaze darkened slightly as she looked at Guangji, her tone gradually turning cold.

"Mu Wushan didn't even send anyone to this grotto-heaven, so why would he help Guiliu Dao? This matter has nothing to do with your Shangshan Dao."

"What, you think you still have designs on Kanshui?"

His words carried an undisguised contempt, but Guangji remained calm and ignored him, riding a stream of clear and turbid water straight towards the outside of the cave.

Xiang Mang, standing to the side, seemed oblivious. Seeing Guangji leave, he smiled slightly and simply said:

"I have no interest in this grotto. Now that I have repaid your father's favor, it is time for me to leave."

An Xianhui turned his gaze to this Yuan Ci Zifu, his expression showing some dissatisfaction. He saw that this Xiang Mang Zhenren had no injuries, so he must not have exerted any effort.

"I wonder, fellow Daoist, have you sensed the Yuan Magnetic Purple Mansion of that Shu Yi?"

He suppressed his dissatisfaction and only inquired about this matter, but Xiang Mang only shook his head and sighed:
"Now that it has fallen to the heavens, the geomagnetic field is disordered, and many imperial descendants who cultivated the Earth element have perished, making the earth's veins change. How can we sense it? Besides, the one you mentioned is a descendant of a noble family in the Shu Kingdom and entered the cave heaven early on. He is determined to hide, so how can we find his trace?"

What this master of Yuan Magnetic Dao said was true. For him to sense someone in this vast cave world was like finding a needle in a haystack. Even if they were both cultivating Yuan Magnetic Dao, it would be difficult.

Seeing the other person's expression grow increasingly gloomy, he had a slight thought and said:
"I still have matters to attend to, so I won't interfere much in the disputes between the immortal sects. But... what do you plan to do with the Eternal Light artifact in Bijie's possession?"

"They can't escape my grasp."

An Xianhui's expression turned slightly cold, but he was full of confidence. The yin fire aura around him was scorching, and an ancient and mysterious aura emanated from him, making Xiang Mang, who was standing next to him, feel a sense of danger.

Xiang Mang repeatedly agreed, knowing that this Yin Hui Zhenren was a strange person with a peculiar temperament, and moreover, he was unwilling to provoke him. He then took his leave and rode away on his magnetic light.
-

The immortal peaks stand tall and majestic, buffeted by fierce winds.

The peak is covered with black and gray barren rocks with few trees. Many altars can be vaguely seen, all left behind for sacrifices. The mountain path, paved with white jade and bronze, extends upwards and ends at a treasure pool that covers a vast area and has nine chambers.

This pool is entirely carved from black stone, and its interior is filled with a deep, dark, and malevolent aura that swallows up the light of day. Beside it is a stele carved from white jade, inscribed with the two characters "Wang Hou".

A fierce wind swept through, and a Taoist priest in a gray robe descended on the wind, his aura chilling. He activated his extremely refined evil energy, causing the immortal peak to shake violently.

Wen E arrived here alone. Looking at this immortal peak, his expression grew complicated, and he sighed:

"Lingfeng, the ancestral home of Zhao Ting".

Although he cultivates evil qi and is the orthodox successor of the Black Fiend Demonic Path, his attitude towards the Zhao Kingdom is somewhat complicated. According to the lineage, he should call Qi Changsheng "senior brother," but their relationship is neither good nor bad.

When that evil Qi Emperor ascended the throne, he caused many disasters, chaos in the Dao, and the deaths of many cultivators. Blood stained the grotto heavens, and only then did Zhao Ting come to be.

"The place where the Heavenly Evil Emperor cultivated in his youth flowed into Kunwei." Wen E came here precisely to reclaim the Black Fiend Demonic Path's artifacts. Although he and Qi Changsheng had differences, they were both successors of the Black Fiend Path, so they could naturally reach an agreement on important matters.

Ancient demonic paths were dominated by blood qi, deadly qi, and evil qi, and were considered the most orthodox. As for the paths that came into being later, they were mostly later arrivals and could not be called ancient demonic paths.

As he slowly walked to the edge of this precious pool, the malevolent energy within began to surge and change, layers of dark light rippled, and a fierce aura rose from within.

At this moment, Wen'e took out a dark black round stone, which immediately triggered a response from the immortal peak. Countless evil energies, like giant snakes, surged out from the earth's veins and rushed towards the summit.

At this moment, the magical artifact truly revealed its true form amidst the malevolent light. It was flat and round, entirely dark, with numerous mysterious patterns etched on its surface, including those of a ferocious beast, a sun crow, and a ringed snake, all of which were fierce and divine.

[Heavy Evil Stone]!
The most renowned spiritual treasure of the Black Fiend Daoist lineage was a piece of fiendish energy that fell into the mortal world when a True Lord ascended to the throne. It was then refined and crafted into an artifact by high-ranking Daoist practitioners over the generations. Before ascending to the throne, each generation of high-ranking Daoist masters would worship this stone.

When Zhao Ting unified the north, he performed the Fengshan ceremony and offered sacrifices to Heaven. This spiritual treasure was presented as a token of the Black Fiend Demonic Path at the Temple of Heaven. After the Emperor's death, the stone flew out of the palace on its own, carrying away a golden essence, and returned to the grotto-heaven.

Among the magical artifacts of the Great Li Dynasty, this item is definitely among the top ten, comparable to Tai Zhen's [Golden Scale], Fu Chen's [Heavenly Decline Yin Candle], and Shi Yi's [Heavenly Rain Stone].

If the metal element within it were still present, it would be worthy of being ranked among the top three spiritual artifacts in the Great Li Dynasty. Even though it is now empty inside, it should not be underestimated.

With this stone in his hand, Wen E, at the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm, could fight against a Grand True Person. Ordinary late-stage Purple Mansion cultivators would suffer losses when they saw him. And under his full power, even someone with a powerful physical body like Zhe Du would find it difficult to escape the evil refinement.

He then offered up this magical treasure and placed it into the pool. The evil energy gradually separated like boiling water, revealing a phantom image of a ferocious beast within.

This beast resembles a tiger or wolf, with black fur and a red mane, a single horn spiraling around its head, a mouth as large as a basin, and a tail like a round fan. Its ferocious nature is evident, inspiring fear in those who behold it.

At this moment, Wen'e activated his supernatural powers, channeling his blood energy into the illusory figure. The evil beast's form gradually solidified, eventually becoming as if it had come to life, and leaped into the Heavy Evil Stone.

Emperor Zhao once raised his beasts on this peak. Several ferocious beasts once sat and died in this evil pool. Now, the remaining life force in it is gradually being taken away by the heavy evil stone, and the evil pool is gradually drying up.

The light of Fuming descended in an instant. Wang E seemed to have anticipated this. He watched as the Grand Preceptor appeared. The Grand Preceptor was dressed in a black lotus-patterned robe, holding a Ruyi scepter. A dark gold spirit scorpion had appeared on his shoulder at some point, emanating a golden poisonous aura, its needles filled with lead and mercury.

"The Filthy Scorpion is in your hands, the Crimson Centipede has run off to that Thunder Cultivator, and where is the last [Netherworld Toad]?"

Wang E's tone was cold and harsh, but Hu Ji, standing to the side, didn't seem to care and simply replied calmly:

"He headed towards Yongzhou and fell into the hands of the Changsun family, where his young master picked him up. Zhe Du has now completely perished, and it's difficult to gather all the poisonous insects he transformed into. The Yuan Poison Sect has no chance of flourishing again."

His tone was cold, but Wang E, standing to the side, was somewhat puzzled and only said in a deep voice:

"Why didn't you get rid of him sooner? Why wait until now? If you found him an eyesore, wouldn't it have been easier to kill this poisonous sorcerer earlier?"

Huji picked up the golden scorpion from his shoulder, then held it in his hand and stared at the insect.

"We kept him around before because of the Heavenly Poison True Lord. The celestial beings wanted to use him to observe the profound energy. Now that the matter has been settled, there is no need for this poisonous insect to exist in the world anymore."

“Yuan Du should not have existed in the world. Emperor Fu used his great power to manifest this lineage and entrust it to Tian Du. Now that Xuan Qi has disappeared, this lineage should also dissipate to avoid hindering fortune and misfortune.”

The Grand Preceptor's tone was chilling, carrying an undisguised killing intent. Upon hearing that there had been a change in the heavens, Wang E's expression gradually darkened.

When are you going to seek gold?

He inquired about this matter, but it seemed somewhat sensitive. Hu Ji's demeanor changed, and the auspicious light around him shifted, with clouds of good fortune appearing. He only solemnly said:
“Those who seek a position must first seek a favorable atmosphere. I have already achieved this by opening this grotto for all cultivators and bringing blessings to the world. I only seek a position with some certainty.”

"As for the evil energy, you probably won't have time for it in this life. Everyone is asking for Earth element, and the timing is not favorable for the evil energy. Once this life is complete, you can prepare for reincarnation."

Wang E's expression was not very good, but he had no words to refute it. The situation was now clearly laid out before him, so what could he do? When Emperor Taiheng killed Tian E back then, even though it was done with the combined efforts of all parties, it also made the Wu Earth extremely suppress the Sha Qi.

The subsequent situation will inevitably favor the Earth element (戊土), therefore suppressing evil spirits is the common wish of all cultivators. However, Wang E only said in a deep voice:
“I don’t need to reincarnate. That golden essence was left by the Emperor and should rightfully belong to the Qi family. It should be left to the Emperor’s bloodline.”

"Emperor's blood?"

Hu Ji's tone was slightly cold, and Fu Guang, who was beside him, was full of radiance. He said solemnly:

“Where can one find imperial blood capable of cultivating evil now? Moreover, the true lineage of Black Evil is still in your branch. When our ancestor ascended the throne and became emperor, he violated a taboo in the Dao. It was only with Geng Wu's support that he was able to do so.”

“When the immortals left their positions, the leaders of my Dao also did not support the Qi family, and watched helplessly as the Buddhist monks entered the capital.”

Upon hearing this, Wang E's heart sank slightly. He came from the main lineage of the Black Fiend Demonic Path, a path where immortals once held power and demon lords followed them, even cultivating many Golden Core cultivators from other paths.

Later, as the evil energy gradually weakened, Geng Wu emerged as the master of the Black Fiend. He instructed his disciples to verify the evil energy, and although there was some controversy, most disciples in the Daoist tradition supported him. However, this Heavenly Evil True Lord received guidance from a paper doll and developed a desire to enter the world, establishing an imperial dynasty and unifying the north. This violated the taboo of the Daoist tradition, causing the evil energy to manifest imperial characteristics, which harmed the ancient demon's intentions.

This incident caused the Daoist sect to split into two factions. Several conservative Golden Core cultivators ascended to heaven, while Tian'e took charge of the human world, relying on his immortal background to suppress the cultivators in the north. He had the ambition to unify the world and at this time he was almost suppressing all the countries.

Until Geng Wu abdicated, Qing Yu perished, and the Heavenly Official was executed, this headstrong emperor had no one to help him and ultimately met a tragic end, bringing misfortune upon Lady Qi as well.

He naturally couldn't say this directly to Qi Changsheng, whose talent was extraordinary, even surpassing his own. If he were to cultivate evil spirits, he would surely achieve great things. However, due to the actions of the Shu Emperor, the Qi family's path to cultivating evil spirits was completely cut off.

Hu Ji walked up to this pool of evil spirits, his expression solemn and thoughtful.

"The ancient Shu destroyed Zhao and enjoyed a glorious period, but in the end it still ended up like this. Who can know what is happening in the netherworld? Among the three lineages of the underworld, who knows how many Golden Core cultivators are lurking in the shadows, manipulating the situation in the dark."

Wang E turned his head and looked at this cavern, which was completely devoid of human presence. Only the Purple Mansion had left some traces of human habitation. He spoke with apprehension in his voice:

“At least there must be a powerful figure in Wenyou. Back when Bai Ze led the demons to attack Shu, tens of thousands of people in Shu fled to caves to avoid disaster, but they all died silently. Isn’t that Wenyou’s doing?”

A ghostly wind began to blow, and the sound of ghostly wails rose from the ground. Hu Ji activated his auspicious light, and the surroundings returned to normal. At this moment, a strange smile appeared on his face.

"I need to be in control of the situation from above; you are in charge of what happens inside the cave."

The imperial advisor vanished in an instant, turning into a radiant light. Although Wang E was somewhat resentful, he still complied and gazed at the distant Wuguang Great Wall.

(End of this chapter)