Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 354 Soaring Through the Abyss - First Time [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

The place is the same old place, and the people are the same old acquaintances.

But this style... seems a little different now.

Zhou Jin would always greet Ji Yuan at the door whenever he came before, so when Ji Yuan didn't see him at the door this time, he realized that something was wrong.

But Ji Yuan didn't think much of it, feeling that it wouldn't be a big deal to do it once in a while.

But when he saw the young master of the Zhou family, with his arm around a beautiful woman and drinking fine wine, in this secret room, he knew that things were truly different.

"Come, sit down."

Zhou Jin was casual, not even getting up. She simply nodded and glanced at the seat opposite him, which was enough to start receiving guests.

However, this attitude, to put it bluntly, is already somewhat insulting.

Li Changgeng's character has never been one to tolerate such things, so Ji Yuan released a bit of the pressure of a Core Formation cultivator, which directly made these ragged Foundation Establishment female cultivators feel the pressure, and they even subconsciously stopped what they were doing.

For them, there are only four words.

The visitor is not good.

"Go out."

Ji Yuan had no intention of making things difficult for the female cultivators, so he spoke casually.

However, his act of taking the initiative made the young master of the Zhou family somewhat dissatisfied.

He, who had been leaning against the woman's chest, patted off the perfume clinging to his body, sat up slightly, and then said:

"What, Fellow Daoist Li, do you really think you're the master?"

Ji Yuan waved his sleeve and slowly sat down. He glanced at the other man with a sneer and said:

"Young Master Zhou's obsequious attitude at first and arrogant at the next moment is truly laughable."

"Your actions remind me of four words... 'A petty person becomes arrogant when they gain power!'"

"How dare you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jin's face immediately darkened. He slammed his hand heavily on the table, and with a burst of magical power, the table instantly turned into dust.

As for the female cultivators serving him, they knelt down under this oppressive aura.

"You can leave now."

With a gloomy expression, Zhou Jin waved her hand, and the female cultivators quickly bowed and took their leave, departing from the secret chamber.

With no outsiders around, Zhou Jin stopped trying to hide it.

His gloomy expression softened, and he stood up and slowly walked behind Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan did not turn back, nor did he turn around.

At such close range, if a fight were to break out, it wouldn't be him who would be worried, but Zhou Jin!

"Tiangong Valley, Li Changgeng."

Zhou Jin suddenly chuckled, "Does fellow Daoist perhaps think that our Zhou family truly has no connections whatsoever?"

As he spoke, he stretched, and with a surge of magical power, the smell of alcohol vanished, and he returned to his original seat.

"Speak, fellow Daoist, from which sect or school do you dare to provoke our Zhou family?"

"Indeed, our Zhou family has declined."

As Zhou Jin spoke, she leaned back in her chair, spreading her hands out, "But it's not like just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can come up here and kick me."

The Zhou family has seen through my identity?

That's impossible. At most, they contacted Tiangong Valley through other connections and learned that there was no one named me.

But if that's all there is to it, it probably isn't enough to justify Zhou Jin's arrogance.

Judging from his current state and performance, he should be free of pressure.

That is the biggest hidden danger to the Zhou family so far, namely the pressure from the Bone Nightmare Sect, which has been resolved.

In other words, it means that the Zhou family has found a new backer.

Otherwise, Zhou Jin wouldn't be able to act so recklessly.

It's a bit hard to guess who the Zhou family has found... Ji Yuan showed no worry or tension whatsoever.

With his current strength and barefoot status, the Zhou family is not enough to make him fear anything.

So he remained seated, his fingers even gently tapping his knees.

"So, from what I've heard from Young Master Zhou, you're saying this business deal is off, and it seems you'll want to settle accounts with me, is that right?"

"No, no, no."

Zhou Jin quickly shook his head, then crossed his arms, leaned forward to support himself on the table, and smiled slightly:

"Business will still be done, of course, but... our Zhou family wants to change our approach to it."

"Oh?"

"How do I change it?"

Ji Yuan asked casually.

"Simple."

Zhou Jin snapped his fingers in an extremely pretentious manner, then stood up. "All past transactions will be calculated at 10,000 per catty. You can make up for the spirit stones you owe the Zhou family."

"As for the subsequent transactions, how about ten catties of Void Stones for 120,000 spirit stones? That's not treating you unfairly, is it?"

As Zhou Jin spoke, she appeared to be extremely considerate of Ji Yuan.

After hearing what Young Master Zhou said, Ji Yuan couldn't help but laugh and ask, "Are you really stupid or just pretending?"

It was clear that Zhou Jin was about to get angry again.

Ji Yuan stood up, and a powerful aura of his peak Core Formation stage divine sense pressed down on Zhou Jin opposite him.

He leaned forward slightly and sneered, "Since I dared to do business with your Zhou family, do you really think you can intimidate me by using your Zhou family's name?"

"You, you, you..."

Zhou Jin was only at the early stage of Core Formation, and his Core Formation cultivation was built up by relying on a lot of cultivation resources, so his foundation was not that strong.

On the other hand, Ji Yuan's divine sense had already reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, and his years of hunting demons had also cultivated an extremely strong killing intent in him.

Under this double pressure, Zhou Jin was forced to remain seated.

"Fellow Daoist, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? Wasn't it your turn to demand spirit stones from me? Now that it's your turn, it's become a misunderstanding?"

As Ji Yuan spoke, his voice grew increasingly somber.

"Then, according to your opinion, what should be done?"

Zhou Jin forced a smile and asked.

"how?"

Ji Yuan scanned the surroundings with his divine sense and found that the material of this dark room could still block divine sense.

So in a split second, he made a decision.

Since his identity has already been exposed and the Zhou family has been offended, leaving this trouble behind... it's better to end it all.

I made up my mind.

Ji Yuan didn't hesitate any longer. He took a step forward and immediately came to Zhou Jin's side.

Before the latter could dodge, he had already reached out and grabbed the head of the Zhou family's young master.

Then a green ghostly flame appeared from his palm.

A set of bone chainmail immediately appeared on Zhou Jin's body. The Yin Corpse Demon Fire burned away, and for a moment it was actually blocked by the chainmail, unable to advance any further.

Zhou Jin thought he had a way out and was about to shout when he suddenly felt a tremendous force coming from above his head.

Before he could react, he seemed to hear the sound of his skull cracking, and the intense pain that followed made him lose consciousness almost instantly.

He never imagined that he, a young master from a prestigious Nascent Soul family, would die so miserably in this dark room without ever having used any of his tricks.

Losing consciousness, Zhou Jin's bone chainmail fell off on its own, and his body was devoured and burned by the Yin Corpse Demon Fire.

Ji Yuan, with lightning speed, snatched the storage bag from his waist, along with the bone armor that had been burned on the ground.

Without using any elaborate methods, he simply transferred the storage bag to the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain.

This is also a new method he has discovered in recent years for isolating one's aura.

It is hidden within the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, which in turn is hidden within one's own dantian.

With layers of isolation in place, ordinary tracking methods are completely useless.

After he took the storage bag, Zhou Jin was burned to ashes.

Ji Yuan originally did have the idea of ​​leaving the body intact before taking it to the mass grave.

However, since the murder occurred within the city of Winterfell, a mishandling of the situation could very well attract the pursuit of the Black and White Temples.

Therefore, killing should be done as quickly and safely as possible. We can't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of small gains. As for opportunities to kill Golden Core cultivators... once we have the strength, there will be plenty more in the future.

After killing the young master of the Zhou family, Ji Yuan first tore off the shape-changing talisman on his body. Before his original appearance could even be revealed, he had already attached another shape-changing talisman.

After the radiance faded, his appearance and aura were exactly the same as Zhou Jin's before.

He checked his body and took out the storage bag he had just put away, hanging it back on his waist.

Then he swaggered out the door without making any attempt to conceal himself.

As soon as he came out, he sensed another Core Formation stage aura, and it was even a mid-Core Formation stage aura!

Just as Ji Yuan sensed it, he found that the aura had come to him and transformed into an elderly man with graying temples. He had a thin appearance, wore a gray robe, and looked somewhat similar to Zhou Jin.

"How is it?!"

The gray-robed man asked in a deep voice.

Ji Yuan didn't know whether this person was Zhou Jin's father, his uncle, or something else, so he could only imitate him, grinning and revealing a contemptuous smile.

"He's dead."

"What?! How dare you!"

Upon hearing this, the gray-robed man pointed at Ji Yuan, seemingly somewhat annoyed, and exclaimed, "Oh dear!"

He flicked his sleeves and hurriedly pushed open the door to enter the house.

Apart from the lingering, intensely cold aura, there was nothing else in the room, since Ji Yuan had thoroughly disposed of the corpses and ashes.

"This person's identity is still unknown, and you're acting rashly. If something goes wrong and your father blames you, what will you do then!"

The man in the gray robe grew increasingly angry, but after his anger subsided, he felt somewhat helpless.

"Jin'er, you know our Zhou family's current situation. We finally managed to get the Black and White Temple to accept us. If we immediately cause trouble, we're afraid it will displease the higher-ups."

The man's voice echoed in Ji Yuan's mind.

...So he really did join the Black and White Temple. No wonder Zhou Jin stood up straight as soon as they met.

Moreover, since the person in front of us is neither Zhou Jin's father nor the head of the Zhou family, things are much easier.

The moment the thought flashed through Ji Yuan's mind, he immediately made a judgment.

"Hey, you really think I wouldn't dare to make a move without some confidence?"

Ji Yuan, mimicking Zhou Jin's manner, raised an eyebrow and said rather smugly.

"What makes you so sure? What have you discovered?"

"Don't worry, we're guaranteed to catch a big fish. I'll go find my dad first and report to him. Let's see how we get a big piece of meat out of this guy's back!"

Upon hearing this, the gray-robed man seemed somewhat skeptical.

But seeing Zhou Jin's beaming face, he ultimately chose to believe her.

"Okay, hurry back, I'll keep an eye on things here."

"Um."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan felt somewhat relieved.

Without further ado, he went out, transformed into a black beam of light, and flew straight north.

He didn't know where the Zhou family patriarch was, but since the Zhou family came from the Bone Nightmare Sect, which was located north of Winter City, flying north should be no problem, right?

But at that moment... Zhou Yan, who was inside the room, had some doubts upon seeing this.

"Didn't our elder brother go to Beijiang? Jin'er knows that, so why did he head north instead of east?"

However, Zhou Yan didn't think too much about it, assuming that Zhou Jin had other things to deal with.

But after returning to the house, Zhou Yan felt increasingly uneasy, as he couldn't shake the feeling that Zhou Jin had acted strangely earlier.

"Jin'er used to be most afraid of me, so why isn't he showing any fear today? Instead, he's acting rather frivolous. This isn't like him at all... And after seeing him for so long, he hasn't even called me 'Third Uncle' once."

"wrong!"

Zhou Yan spoke up subconsciously.

He hurried to the secret room on the second floor, first checking it inside and out, then making hand seals, causing gusts of cold wind to blow around him.

A cold wind swept around the ground, eventually bringing some powder that landed in his hand.

He rubbed his hands together, and a familiar aura immediately emanated from them.

"What?!"

Zhou Yan sensed the aura emanating from his hand and knew perfectly well that the person who had died was not Li Changgeng at all!

It was his own nephew, Zhou Jin!

The person who did the attack had just swaggered away from him.

The thought made Zhou Yan feel like his head was about to explode. "Are you asking for death?!"

Enraged, Zhou Yan instantly transformed into a streak of light, smashing through several doorways in succession before speeding northwards. Even so, he didn't forget to send a message to his acquaintances in the Black and White Temple.

It was said that someone had committed murder in Winter City and even killed Zhou Jin.

Although Zhou Yan was furious, he still had some reason to consider that Li Changgeng, who had made the move, had managed to kill Zhou Jin silently right under his nose.

What does this mean?

This shows that his strength should not be underestimated!

If he rashly chased after them, not only would he not be able to get revenge, but he might even lose his life there. So he waited for a while outside the North Gate, and only after the people from the Black and White Temple arrived did Zhou Yan go forward to greet them and explain the matter in detail.

The group from the Black and White Temple was a team of early-stage Core Formation cultivators, led by an early-stage Core Formation cultivator, with four other pseudo-Core Formation cultivators remaining.

After Zhou Yan explained the matter in detail and guaranteed with his life that it was true,

The Black and White Temple then dispatched additional personnel, and in no time, a total of five Core Formation cultivators, including Zhou Yan, marched north in a grand procession.

The one with the highest cultivation level even has the cultivation level of the late Core Formation stage!

Killing people in the four border cities of the East, West, South, and North is the biggest taboo of the Black and White Temple. If the Black and White Temple cannot even protect those who have entered the four border cities, what credibility will the Black and White Temple have in the future?

Therefore, those who violate this ban.

A fatal blow!

"..."

"I can't keep the fact that I killed Zhou Jin a secret for long. I'll head north a bit further, and when the time is right, I'll turn east and enter the city through the east gate. No one will know, no one will find out."

Upon arriving in this desolate northern desert, Ji Yuan first put away the storage bag at his waist, and then replaced it with a shape-changing talisman.

Just as he was about to change direction and head east, he discovered several powerful auras coming from behind him.

He scanned the area with his divine sense and was immediately startled.

The Temple of Black and White!

It was a late-stage Core Formation cultivator leading the team, and Zhou Yan was even among them.

Was everything exposed so quickly?!

While Ji Yuan was surprised, the distance between them was rapidly closing. Although he was strong, his cultivation level was still only at the early stage of Core Formation.

Without using electric current, relying solely on the speed of light escape is still somewhat slow.

"The Black and White Temple is on official business; fellow cultivators ahead, halt immediately!"

Before the people arrive, the sound comes first.

This is the imposing aura of the Black and White Temple.

Ji Yuan sensed the completely different aura and appearance on his body, so he stopped to the side with peace of mind until the group from the Black and White Temple came to him.

The late-stage Core Formation cultivator first turned to look at Zhou Yan, who then shook his head.

Reassured, he asked, "Did you see any other cultivators heading north?"

"Other cultivators?"

Ji Yuan pretended to recall for a moment before saying, "I met a fellow Daoist, but he was only at the early stage of Core Formation. However, his speed was incredibly fast, heading straight north..."

"Chase!"

Before Ji Yuan could finish speaking, the man decisively headed north.

The others quickly gave chase.

Seeing this, Ji Yuan breathed a slight sigh of relief, but just when he thought he had escaped a disaster, he heard the Zhou family member shout.

"Oh no, that person can change their aura and appearance!"

Upon hearing this, the streaks of light that had already vanished far away all stopped.

"Damn it!"

Ji Yuan cursed inwardly, but softly called out, "Chase Lightning."

"Whoosh—"

An aura emanated from his body, instantly transforming into a dark cloud that appeared beneath his feet. Then, he made a sword-finger gesture with his right hand, just as the distant streaks of light began to turn back.

The Thunderstrike Sword was drawn, and the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder struck the lightning-chasing dark clouds.

A soft "thump" sound.

When these Core Formation cultivators arrived, there was no trace of Ji Yuan left.

The place was empty, with only streaks of lightning remaining, forcing them to stay away.

"Damn it, it was him! He's the one who killed my Jin'er!"

Zhou Yan was furious.

However, the Core Formation cultivators from the Black and White Temple exchanged glances, each with a look of caution in their eyes.

"..."

"That's fucking fast!"

This was the first time Ji Yuan had ever fully activated the Lightning Chasing Cloud, and he also discovered that the Lightning Chasing Cloud activated by the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder was even faster!

"With this treasure, combined with the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning, I reckon no Core Formation cultivator could catch up to me!"

"As long as I don't provoke Nascent Soul stage monsters, wouldn't I be able to roam freely throughout this Abyss Continent?"

Just as Ji Yuan was about to leave, he remembered something else.

Hua Yaoyue mentioned the Three Immortal Islands, saying that if she encountered any problems, she could go there... Ji Yuan had already found out the location of the Three Immortal Islands.

It was in the far south, far from the far north where Ji Yuan was, a vast distance away.

In a short while, Zhu Dianyun had exhausted all its electricity, so Ji Yuan had to use Zixiao Divine Thunder to continue charging it. After exhausting the Zixiao Divine Thunder of both Canglan Swords in this way, Ji Yuan finally succeeded.

Having exchanged two Transformation Talismans, Ji Yuan finally swaggered back to Winter City from the south of the city.

Their appearances and auras were completely different.

Even if Zhou Yan appeared in front of Ji Yuan right now, he would dare to argue with him.

"Thank goodness for Zhu Dian, otherwise this escape would have taken at least several months. Now it's all settled, only a few days were lost."

"However, compared to the Void Stones in Zhou Jin's storage bag, these are all worthwhile."

Ji Yuan hadn't expected that Zhou Jin's storage bag contained so many Void Stones.

All the miscellaneous items added up to a whopping 80 pounds!

Based on the price at which it was traded previously, this is worth 80 mid-grade spirit stones.

Putting aside other magical treasures and such, just this Void Stone alone makes this trip incredibly profitable.

After returning to Winter City and regaining his original appearance, Ji Yuan flew straight to his cave in the east of the city.

However, he found that the defenses of Winter City were much stricter along the way.

There were armored soldiers on duty almost everywhere, and Ji Yuan even saw quite a few Core Formation cultivators.

"Damn it, could it be because I killed Zhou Jin that the security has been tightened so much?"

The idea was validated not long after it appeared in Ji Yuan's mind.

He saw a group of armored warriors from the Black and White Temple stopping a fight in the street, while the two monks who were fighting were now arguing back and forth.

"Sir, I really don't have any conflict with this brother. We were just arguing for fun."

"That's right, that's right. We're good buddies, we really didn't mean to fight. If you don't believe me, look, the two of us can still hug each other."

"..."

The Core Formation cultivator from the Black and White Temple looked around and sneered, "If I hadn't come, you would all have started fighting in the street. And you still haven't had a conflict?"

"No, we're from Liujiabao. That's just how it is there. The closer the relationship, the louder we talk."

Seeing that the two were going on and on with their exaggerated arguments, the Core Formation cultivator finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Alright, alright. If that young master Zhou hadn't actually died in this Winter City, do you think I'd bother with your petty squabbles? If you have no problems, get out of here. If I see you arguing again, I'll send you both straight to the Blood Prison!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators, who had been locked up, breathed a sigh of relief upon being released, and then bowed to the group of Black and White Temple cultivators to express their gratitude.

"Oh."

The latter sneered, then led his team onto the flying boat and continued flying forward.

Among the crowd, Ji Yuan, dressed in a blue robe, felt a little uneasy upon seeing this.

"It seems that killing someone within the city has had quite a significant impact... If I want to kill someone again in the future, I'll have to try to do it outside the city. There's no way around it this time."

He then walked and stopped frequently, and saw many people being captured by the Black and White Temple cultivators and taken towards the city center.

It seems there was some trouble in the city, and he was taken away to reflect on his actions.

In an instant, the entire city of Winterfell was filled with a tense atmosphere.

Even the most arrogant demonic cultivators became obedient and timid at this moment.

In some of the most serious cases, Ji Yuan even witnessed a Foundation Establishment cultivator accidentally bump into a Qi Refining cultivator, and the cultivator kept apologizing and even offering to pay compensation...

The power of the Black and White Temples is evident.

Ji Yuan leisurely returned to his cave. Along the way, he came into contact with quite a few cultivators from the Black and White Temple, but none of them recognized Ji Yuan's identity.

"call--"

After returning to his cave, Ji Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In short, it's time to keep a low profile for a while, and I can't kill people in the city anymore... The main reason is that Ji Yuan remembered what happened in Yun Yu Ze.

At that time, the Water Dragon Sect also strictly prohibited murder in Zengtou City, and the prohibition it issued was exactly the same as that of the Black and White Temple.

But Ji Yuan killed a lot of people in Zengtou City at that time, and after he did, the Water Dragon Sect did not react.

He assumed the Black and White Temple would be the same, but he never expected...

Ji Yuan shook his head.

In the end, I stopped thinking about it.

Just as he was preparing to go into seclusion in the meditation room for a while, and also to take stock of Young Master Zhou's storage bag.

He first sensed a presence heading straight for his cave.

Immediately, a communication talisman in his storage bag trembled slightly.

Ji Yuan subconsciously thought that his murder had been exposed. He took out the communication talisman and found that it was his old neighbor who had sent the message.

"Fellow Daoist Chang Geng, the Demon King from the Bone Nightmare Sect has arrived!"

Damn ghost? !

As Ji Yuan began to conjure up an image of a person, a voice came from outside his cave before he could think about it further.

"May I ask, is it Fellow Daoist Chang Geng in person?"

The sound is generally the same.

When Ji Yuan was still in Xijing City in his early years, at the trade fair in Juxianzhuang, besides meeting his fellow villager Meizhuang, he also met this Ma Gui.

But... how did he find his way here?

Ji Yuan's first thought was that there was something wrong with the two catties of Void Stone that Mei Zhuang had given him. But if that were the case, Ma Gui should have come knocking on his door long ago, instead of waiting until now.

"Fellow Daoist, do you perhaps look down on my Bone Nightmare Sect?"

A lazy voice came from outside the door.

After some deliberation, Ji Yuan realized that it was impossible not to show himself, so he had no choice but to transform into a beam of light and emerge from the cave.

When he saw the figure floating outside, his heart tightened, but he remained calm and cupped his hands in greeting.

"This old man greets Fellow Daoist Ma."

Ma Gui smiled when he saw the old man in front of him. "Fellow Daoist Chang Geng, you're too kind. What's wrong? A guest is a guest, why don't you invite me in for a seat?"

Ji Yuan's expression was somewhat unpleasant; for a moment, he seemed to be caught in a dilemma—whether to invite him or not.

"A late-stage Core Formation cultivator, and the direct disciple of the Nascent Soul Demon King—his status is even higher than mine. Moreover, he can represent the Bone Nightmare Sect on numerous occasions; his strength is definitely far beyond that of people like Zhou Jin."

Thinking of this, Ji Yuan laughed and said, "My cave dwelling is small. Why don't you invite Fellow Daoist Ma to the city for a chat?"

Ji Yuan was about to leave when he heard the ghost's voice transmission in his mind.

"Fellow Daoist Chang Geng, do not panic. I am here as a friend, not an enemy. You need not worry."

Ji Yuan paused, seemingly moving his body, but he did not leave the formation.

"Fellow Daoist Ma, please forgive me for not understanding."

Ji Yuan replied telepathically.

The demon outside the formation chuckled, paced back and forth in the air a few times, and then transmitted its voice again:

"If I truly harbored ill will towards you, fellow Daoist... I would have already reported your killing of Zhou Jin to the Black and White Temple, instead of coming here now to waste time talking nonsense with you."

If Ji Yuan hadn't thought anything of it before, after hearing these words...

He activated the formation.

Nobody's a fool. Since the other party has already put it this way, it would be too fake to continue pretending.

It's a waste of time; there's no need for it.

Upon seeing this, Ma Gui's face broke into a slight smile.

"It seems that you are indeed a smart person, fellow Daoist."

He swaggered in and entered Ji Yuan's cave without any pretense of decency.

On the other hand, Ji Yuan quietly activated the Inverted Big Dipper Formation, and in doing so, he also awakened the two ice dragons in the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain.

"May I ask what brings Fellow Daoist Ma here?"

After entering the cave, Ji Yuan went straight to the point and asked the question.

Ma Gui looked around, then turned back, raised an eyebrow, and said with some displeasure:

"What's wrong? I've come to your cave dwelling and you can't even offer me a cup of tea?"

Ji Yuan tucked his hands into his sleeves and smiled slightly, saying, "If we can reach an agreement, it's not too late to serve tea; if we can't, serving it will be pointless."

Ma Gui just stared straight at him.

Ji Yuan stared straight at it without fear, and only now did he realize that the demon's two eyes were different colors.

His left eye is black, just like a normal person's, while his right eye is dark blue.

The last time Ji Yuan saw those blue eyes was on Mu Xueyao.

"That's interesting."

Ma Gui turned his head away somewhat awkwardly, but at the very moment he turned, Ji Yuan keenly noticed a flash of resentment in his eyes.

"Alright, then I'll just say it."

Ma Gui sat down in the spot where Xing Shuang had sat last time. "Since you've done so many transactions with the Zhou family, you must understand the relationship between the Zhou family and our Bone Nightmare Sect."

"Indeed, our Bone Nightmare Sect has long disliked the Zhou family and wanted to get rid of them, but we never expected that they would make such a terrible mistake as to contact the Black and White Temple again."

Ma Gui crossed his legs and rubbed his temples.

"So you really did a good job killing that good-for-nothing Zhou Jin this time."

Ji Yuan didn't speak or sit down, but just stood opposite him, staring straight at Ma Gui, as if waiting for him to continue.

"Now that you've offended the Zhou family, I'll give you a chance."

As Ma Gui spoke, he snapped his fingers, and a token flew out from his waist and hovered between the two of them.

The token is inscribed with the words "Bone Nightmare".

"Join our Bone Nightmare Sect, and then follow my orders. Together we will wipe out the Zhou family."

"Join the Bone Nightmare Sect?"

Ji Yuan seemed to think he had misheard.

"Exactly."

Ma Gui nodded. "What's wrong? Our Bone Nightmare Sect is one of the Eight Sacred Lands, and it's currently at its peak. How could that be considered an insult to you?"

After listening, Ji Yuan couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Isn't it because Fellow Daoist Ma wanted to destroy the Zhou family, but was afraid of offending the Black and White Temple, so he needed someone to take the blame?"

Upon hearing this, a slight hint of embarrassment flashed across Ma Gui's face, but he quickly concealed it.

"So what if it is, and so what if it isn't?"

After finishing his sentence, Ma Gui spread his hands and said with a smile, "Does fellow Daoist perhaps think you still have the right to negotiate with our Bone Nightmare Sect?"

A direct disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator certainly has the right to be arrogant.

Ji Yuan glanced at him.

"It seems I have no choice."

"No, my Bone Nightmare Sect is not a sect established by some vicious and wicked people. How could we not even give you a choice?"

Ma Gui stood up and smiled, then suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "Fellow Daoist, you wouldn't want the Black and White Temple to know about your killing in Winter City, would you?"

Ji Yuan's expression froze.

He seemed startled by those words.

Looking at his stiff expression, Ma Gui seemed extremely satisfied and couldn't help but laugh loudly, "Don't worry, as long as you cooperate obediently with our Bone Nightmare Sect, we will not mistreat you."

Ji Yuan's face turned ashen.

Both hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

Ma Gui noticed his reaction, but wasn't afraid; instead, there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Ji Yuan hesitated, struggled for a long time, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "This matter is too great. Fellow Daoist Ma, could you allow me a few days to think about it before making a decision?"

"You think you can run away?"

Ma Gui saw through Ji Yuan's plan at a glance. "Fine, if you really have an idea... then try running away and see how you withstand the three-way attack from the Bone Nightmare Sect, the Black and White Temple, and the Zhou family."

Ma Gui laughed loudly and threw out a communication talisman.

"I will be in Winter City for the next few days. I'm giving you three days to think it over. If you still haven't contacted me after three days, I will assume that you are not going to cooperate with me."

After saying that, he transformed into a streak of black light and flew straight out of the cave.

As Ji Yuan watched his retreating figure, the thought of keeping him there arose several times in her mind.

But it eventually stopped.

Killing Zhou Jin was easy, but killing this late-stage Core Formation cultivator, who was also a disciple of the Nascent Soul Demon... Ji Yuan felt that unless he used all his methods and fought desperately, he might have a sliver of a chance.

Otherwise, it's all suicide.

Not to mention that we're still in Winter City right now.

Watching Ma Gui swagger away, Ji Yuan's first thought after deactivating the formation was... how did he know I killed Zhou Jin?!

There must be someone from the Bone Nightmare Sect in the Zhou family's herbal medicine shop!

They even left their mark on me, otherwise it would have been impossible for that damned devil to catch up with me so soon after I returned to Winterfell.

As Ji Yuan thought of this, he had already checked his body repeatedly with his divine sense.

But in the end, nothing was detected.

"Wow, their methods are incredibly sophisticated!"

Ji Yuan refused to believe in superstition. He recalled his various methods and first tried to circulate his blood and qi throughout his body, but he still couldn't find anything.

What about the Yin Corpse Demon Fire?

As the master of this Yin Corpse Demon Fire, Ji Yuan was naturally not afraid of being burned by this demon fire.

So he first let the demonic fire burn his entire body... and found it!

His eyes widened, and his divine sense instantly swept over the soles of his feet.

On the sole of his left foot, a green dot was clearly visible.

No matter how the Yin Corpse Demon Fire burned, the dot did not dissipate in the slightest.

On the contrary, it felt as if it was absorbing energy from the demonic fire, becoming increasingly clear.

A yin object?

Ji Yuan subconsciously summoned the Canglan Sword.

Purple lightning flashed during this time.

A few drops of divine lightning would make any evil spirit disappear, but just as Ji Yuan was about to act, he realized something.

"Once I destroy this tracking mark, Ma Gui will definitely notice it, and when he comes after me, that will be a real problem."

"So even if I'm going to destroy it, I'll wait until I'm ready to leave before I do it."

As Ji Yuan was pondering this, he noticed that the communication talisman inside his storage bag was vibrating again.

It was Xing Shuang again.

Ji Yuan took out a communication talisman, and a voice rang in his mind.

"Fellow Daoist Chang Geng, this Ma Gui is known for his treacherous nature; be extremely careful when dealing with him!"

...This Xing Shuang actually cares about me quite a bit.

Ji Yuan sighed inwardly and casually replied, "Alright, thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist Xing."

Xing Shuang replied quickly.

This time, however, she hesitated a bit before speaking, and even her tone of voice became somewhat uncertain.

She tentatively asked, "Fellow Daoist, could it be... that you've been targeted by the Bone Nightmare Sect?"

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan subconsciously frowned.

She asked, "Why is that?"

Could it be that she knows something too?

Just as Ji Yuan was wondering, Xing Shuang's message came again: "Fellow Daoist Chang Geng, there's no need to worry. My relationship with the Bone Nightmare Sect is also extremely bad, and I even have a grudge against this Ma Gui. That's why I didn't show myself when he came over earlier."

Ji Yuan stared at the communication talisman in his hand and pondered for a while.

He replied tentatively, "If Fellow Daoist Xing has any thoughts, please feel free to speak them."

"Well... then let me come over and say it in person now. Is it convenient for Fellow Daoist Chang Geng?"

Ji Yuan glanced around and replied telepathically, "I'd better come over here, fellow Daoist. My rascal just arrived, and I'm worried he might have some tricks up his sleeve."

"……good."

After a while, in a cave on the neighboring mountain.

This was Ji Yuan's first time visiting Xing Shuang's cave, and judging from her flustered demeanor, it seemed as if very few people had ever been there before.

Because of Xing Shuang's seemingly heroic and unrestrained appearance.

Its cave dwelling was surprisingly...girlish?

In short, the decorations everywhere are pink, which looks quite cute, and even the passageways of this cave are filled with small pink flowers.

Ji Yuan kept his eyes straight ahead.

After he was seated, Xing Shuang served him tea.

"I won't bother with formalities with you, fellow Daoist." Xing Shuang sat down opposite Ji Yuan.

"it is good."

Ji Yuan didn't drink the tea either, but turned slightly to the side, looking like he was listening attentively.

Xing Shuang pondered for a moment and said, "If you have truly offended Ma Gui, I do have a place here that can help you get rid of him."

"Oh?"

Ji Yuan looked down at the ripples in the tea on the table, paused for a moment, and then slowly said:

"Is that secret realm... really that difficult?"

In the phrase.

Xing Shuang's thoughts were directly exposed, so a slightly embarrassed look appeared on her face.

"As expected of Fellow Daoist Chang Geng, nothing can be hidden from you."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan thought to himself, "Just as I thought."

This truly proves the old saying: "Those who offer unsolicited kindness are either up to no good or are thieves."

Xing Shuang's enthusiasm towards him, though not that of a thief or a villain, certainly suggests she has ulterior motives.

Ji Yuan had already guessed while he was still in his cave that there was probably some troublesome formation in that secret realm.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to coax him into doing so.

"I recall that you've been away for two or three years now, so how come you're still trapped inside the formation?"

Ji Yuan asked curiously.

Now that things are out in the open, Xing Shuang has nothing to be embarrassed about.

She frowned and pondered for a while, then said, "With Brother Chang Geng's guidance last time, we did manage to pass through the Yellow Sand Formation smoothly and obtained some treasures. However, as we continued to go deeper, we encountered an even more troublesome illusion formation."

"What illusion array?"

"A maze that can stir up the deepest desires in people's hearts, a place where we have nowhere to hide..."

Xing Shuang's eyes dimmed slightly as she spoke.

"To be honest, Brother Chang Geng, one of our fellow Daoists is still trapped in that illusion and cannot get out. That's why I was thinking if you could come with me to break through the illusion and share the opportunity."

So, this is an invitation for me to explore a secret realm together?

Admittedly, in order to get rid of the Bone Nightmare Sect...

If we want to get rid of Ma Gui, then venturing into such a secret realm is indeed a good idea.

But... do we really have to go?

(End of this chapter)