Scourge Messenger

Chapter 170 The Chaotic Bewitching Array
As the five stepped into the secret realm, the twilight glow and distant clamor were completely left behind. What greeted their eyes was the darkness of the Corpse Forest. There wasn't a single star in the sky, and the withered branches blocked out the sun, forming a cage that covered the earth.

Yan Qing wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that there were more fallen leaves on the ground, the trees were even balder, and even the light from the two white lamps at the manor gate was a little dimmer. But after crossing the threshold, the brazier inside was so intense that it seemed to burn a hole in the night, and the entire manor was so bright that it looked like it was about to burn.

Passing through the empty front hall, you come to the courtyard, which has been untouched for nearly a century. The ground is spotless, and the flowers, plants, and trees in the courtyard are still intact. Time seems to have stood still when Si Wuxie arranged it, without a single change.

"If I didn't have children, I would still follow Si Wuxie's example," Yaoshi Yuan suddenly sighed. "Choose a secret realm to set up the inheritance. Just thinking about how countless heroes and outstanding individuals will do their best for my inheritance in the next few hundred years makes me feel that my life has not been in vain."

"At least a Foundation Establishment Messenger would be qualified," Bei You laughed. "A Third-Rank Messenger couldn't possibly seal off a secret realm for nearly a hundred years."

"What do other messengers of the demonic path do with their legacy when they die?" Bunny Girl asked curiously.

"Generally speaking, demonic messengers don't have the opportunity to handle their inheritance; most of them die in battle," Prajna said. "Only a few have the chance to leave the demonic path, go to other places to live in anonymity, start a family, and leave their inheritance to their descendants or disciples. Only someone like Si Wuxie, who has no relatives and friends and lives to a ripe old age, would consider making arrangements for his inheritance."

"Speaking of which, I remember Zhong Ji mentioning that you have a son, Uncle? He even bid against me for a sword manual." The Bunny Girl looked at Blood Mirror: "So your inheritance will also go to your son?"

Bloodlust's forehead veins bulged, and he gave Bunny Girl a cold glance: "None of your business."

"It might not even be a son." Bei You suddenly dropped a bombshell: "Zhong Ji keeps saying he has a nephew, who sounds like he's old enough to practice martial arts, but no one in the stronghold has ever seen him. It's very likely a deception. Maybe he's a daughter who's changed her name and is living with a wealthy family. She might also be—"

Suddenly, a sonic boom erupted, and Xue Xiang was back in his original spot. Bei You's raised right hand, used to block, had his sleeve torn open, leaving three gruesome claw marks. Bei You acted as if he had taken a blood-replenishing pill, and the claw marks on his arm healed quickly. He shrugged and said, "Xue Xiang, you just can't take a joke."

"Is it funny?" Blood Prime Minister said coldly.

"It's quite funny that you're reacting so strongly, as if you love your child so much. But have you visited him in all these years? I bet you didn't even dare to see him." Bei You's tone suddenly became calm: "After all, if you could accidentally strangle your second brother, you could easily crush your child too."

"The reason we've been able to live together peacefully for so many years isn't because we have a particularly good relationship, but simply because we can't kill each other. People like us, with our deeply ingrained demonic nature, can only look after ourselves in this lifetime."

The bunny girl glanced at Bei You, then at Xue Xiang, took out a candied hawthorn from the warehouse and ate it, looking like she was saying, "You can continue talking, I won't bother you," just like a child who had accidentally wandered into an adult argument, full of curiosity and confusion.

"We've arrived," Prajna interrupted the good show.

Five demons roamed in the courtyard, fewer than in the front hall, but this was not good news: the fewer the demons, the stronger they were.

Four of the five demons were corpses draped in white robes, while the last one was the corpse of an elite figure draped in red robes. Their faces were covered by veils, and their names were "Wrongfully Killed Maid" and "Wrongfully Killed Noblewoman." Given that the central courtyard was probably a place where women liked to stay, it was clear that they were killed by Fu Xiang here.

"Like the Skull Tower, the red-clad demon also has a golden scar. If we attack it with Buddhist relics, it will cause all five demons to go berserk, greatly increasing their attack and movement speed," Prajna said. "If that were all, we could still find a way to deal with it, but... have you seen this circular formation?"

"Of course we saw it, we're not blind."

In the courtyard where demons roamed, a huge circular array appeared, completely out of place with its surroundings. The faint blue light it emitted almost encompassed half of the courtyard, and even the demons were tinged with blue, with no one able to escape its influence.

This place, untouched for nearly a century, is home not only to immortal demons but also to methods left behind by Foundation Establishment Messengers.

"This great formation will stop attacks," Ban Ruan said crisply, stating all the information they knew: "Once you step into the formation, anyone's attack will be distorted—thought, senses, muscles, direction. If you try to attack anything else, you will almost certainly miss."

"Even as messengers challenging the secret realm, we cannot avoid it?" the Pharmacist asked.

"Don't even mention a messenger, you wouldn't even be able to hit anyone if you threw a pile of dog shit." Blood Prime's tone was nasty. "But it's not all bad news. The good news is that this circular formation is also effective against demons, just not as effectively as it is against us. They can probably hit us twice out of five times." Prajna said.

"And what about you?"

Prajna gave a wry smile: "Beiyou and I can barely hit anything, only Xuexiang can hit us once from all directions."

The Pharmacist's pupils dilated in shock. After fighting side by side last night, she was very clear about Prajna and Beiyou's combat strength; even in a military town, they were top-tier, third-level cultivators. Although the righteous path and the demonic path cannot be directly compared, since killing people and killing demons are completely different directions, if they were fully equipped with their tokens, they should be on par with Helan Que in conquering secret realms.

But even they were as weak as ants under the authority of the Foundation Establishment Messenger, not even qualified to throw a punch at the enemy!
"He controls all things in heaven and earth, and manipulates the cause and effect of all living beings." The Medicine Master sighed, "Even a Foundation Establishment True Person who has been dead for many years is an insurmountable mountain for a Third-Rank Messenger."

The three guardians nodded slightly. Although they aspired to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, this was their first time personally experiencing its power. It wasn't that there weren't Foundation Establishment messengers wandering the outside world; for example, Ying Le, a Foundation Establishment cultivator in Qi, sat on the throne every day, but who would dare to approach her and say, 'Could you demonstrate what Foundation Establishment techniques are?'
Those who have personally experienced the Foundation Establishment process have basically all been reincarnated in the underworld. Therefore, most people have only a vague understanding of Foundation Establishment messengers, even royalty like Yaoshi Yuan. They only know that Foundation Establishment is very powerful, but they can't imagine exactly how powerful it is.

Now, they have finally seen just the tip of the iceberg of the Foundation Establishment Messenger.

However, hearing more is not as good as experiencing it for yourself. The pharmacist offered to enter the formation to experience it. The three guardians did not object, but they all said that they would not go in.

"You'll soon understand how we feel," Prajna said with a wry smile.

As expected, after the Medicine Master attacked the nearest white-clad demon four or five times, she decisively left the circular formation. After she left the area, the demons did not pursue her; they seemed to only operate in this area, saving them the trouble of resetting their aggro as they fled the secret realm.

The pharmacist rested for a while, clutching the Soul-Severing Spear. Even with her face covered, it was clear from her eyes that she was still shaken. After a long while, she finally gave an accurate assessment: "Out of control."

"Once I attack within the formation, everything goes out of control. My brain tells me to raise my arm, my arm muscles suddenly become weak and limp, my eyes deceive me into the correct direction. Even if I close my eyes and don't want to stab anything, I will find my body turning unconsciously when I open my eyes."

"I lost control of myself, becoming a puppet at the mercy of others." She gripped the Soul-Severing Spear tightly, her eyes filled with both fear and longing: "Foundation Establishment... to this extent!"

The three guardians understood Yaoshi Yuan's shock and disarray, for they had experienced the same thing that day. Shock, fear, despair, longing, helplessness—a series of emotions surged through them, finally coalescing into an iron will: they must obtain Si Wuxie's inheritance, even if it meant cooperating with them!

Having witnessed such miraculous Foundation Establishment techniques, who could be content to remain a third-stage cultivator for life? Even the strongest among the third-stage cultivators are no different from ordinary mortals in the face of Foundation Establishment!
"You brat, are you scared?" Blood Prime noticed that the Bunny Girl hadn't spoken since she arrived and couldn't help but mock her, "You don't even have the courage to go in? You really are a brat who hasn't been weaned yet."

Bunny Girl turned and glanced at him: "None of your business."

Regardless of Xue Xiang's furious outburst, Yan Qing stared at the azure array on the screen, scratching his head, unsure of what to say.

"Primordial Chaos Bewitching Array"

Source: Primordial Qi Sword

"Time Limit: Permanent, until repositioned"

"Effect: Reduces the hit rate of all targets within the formation by 15%~50%. The lower the target's strength, the stronger the effect."

(End of this chapter)