Translator: CinderTL
Night fell like ink, blanketing the world in darkness.
Song Wen used the Two-Faced Buddha to mask his aura. After finding a secluded spot, he quietly landed on Fangzhudao, evading the Demon Race patrols in the surrounding sea.
Releasing two Early Stage Third-Tier Shadow Gu to expand his sensory range, Song Wen stealthily navigated through the island's mountainous forests, soon reaching the outskirts of Fang City.
The once-thriving Fang City was now utterly transformed. The bustling streets, lined with shops and adorned with exquisite pavilions, had vanished without a trace, leaving only crumbling ruins.
Now a sacred ground for the Demon Race, Fang City teemed with all manner of flying and terrestrial beasts.
Song Wen retrieved Zhu Yin's Communication Jade Slip and sent a message:
[Zhu Yin, this is Ji Yin. I need to speak with you in person.]
He couldn't be certain Zhu Yin was still in Fang City, but given the vastness of Fangzhudao, it seemed the most likely place to find her.
As he expected, Zhu Yin quickly replied:
[Ji Yin! You've returned to the Chaotic Sea from the Tianyuan Continent?] she asked, her tone tinged with surprise.
[Yes, I've been back for several years,] Song Wen answered.
[You risked coming to Fangzhudao just to see me?] Zhu Yin inquired.
[Exactly!] Song Wen confirmed.
[Ji Yin...] Zhu Yin's voice carried a hint of melancholy. [I can't meet you.]
"Why?" Song Wen asked.
"The Demon Race doesn't trust me," Zhu Yin replied. "I'm constantly under surveillance by their spies. If I were to meet you outside, it would expose your location and put you in danger."
Song Wen fell silent, momentarily speechless. After a long pause, he sent another message:
"Did you betray the Human Race to the Demon Race solely to kill Yin Shuo and avenge your clan?"
"Indeed. Slaying Yin Shuo is the sole purpose of my existence," Zhu Yin confirmed.
"Perhaps I can help," Song Wen offered. "I'm currently disguised as a Golden Core Stage cultivator hiding within the Wu Ji Sect. When the human and demon races clash in open war, if the demons draw Yin Shuo's attention with a frontal assault, I'm ninety percent certain I can deliver a fatal blow."
Zhu Yin's tone brightened with surprise. "Really?"
"Absolutely. Not a word of it is false," Song Wen assured her.
Just as Song Wen expected Zhu Yin to be overjoyed, her voice turned somber, tinged with melancholy, as if she carried an unspeakable burden.
"But... if Yin Shuo were to die suddenly on the main battlefield between the human and demon races, it would catch the entire Human Race army off guard and send them into a chaotic rout. To jeopardize the entire Human Race for my personal vendetta... I..."
Zhu Yin's sudden invocation of "the greater good of humanity" left Song Wen speechless, unsure how to respond.
After a moment, Zhu Yin composed herself and changed the subject.
"What is your current cultivation level? How can you be so confident in your ability to kill Yin Shuo?"
Song Wen replied, "You needn't concern yourself with my cultivation. Rest assured, I possess sufficient strength."
Zhu Yin remained unconvinced. "I've already reached the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, yet I stand no chance against Yin Shuo."
"To advance from the early to mid-stage Nascent Soul in just over eighty years—your innate talent is truly extraordinary," Song Wen remarked, deliberately steering the conversation away from his own abilities.
Zhu Yin explained, "My rapid breakthrough wasn't due to diligent cultivation, but rather opportunistic shortcuts. I obtained an Essence Transformation Pill from Xing Wenyao. Consuming this pill dramatically accelerates cultivation, potentially shattering long-stagnant bottlenecks. However, it damages a cultivator's foundation and shortens their lifespan."
Song Wen frowned slightly as he read this message.
Damaged foundations? That would make future cultivation advancements infinitely more difficult.
And it comes at the cost of lifespan.
The price of the Essence Transformation Pill was undeniably steep.
"Why were you in such a hurry to achieve this? With your spirit root aptitude, you should have been able to overcome the early-stage Nascent Soul bottleneck without relying on external aids," Song Wen inquired.
Zhu Yin said, "I don't have time for gradual cultivation. Anyone familiar with the situation between the human and demon races knows that a decisive battle is inevitable within the next few years. This is my best chance for revenge. I must rapidly increase my strength if I hope to personally kill Yin Shuo."
Song Wen sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
"Yesterday, the Liangyi Sect attacked Fangzhudao from the east, but they were forced to retreat. What caused their defeat?"
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Song Wen finally asked the question that truly burned in his mind.
The three major human powers had mobilized their elite forces for this decisive campaign, implying they had carefully assessed the overall strength of the demon race and concluded that humanity stood a reasonable chance of success. Yet the Liangyi Sect's swift rout from the battlefield suggested an unexpected variable had disrupted their plans.
Zhu Yin explained, "The Essence Transformation Pill I mentioned earlier is also effective on mermen. The demons used this pill to forcibly elevate two Third-Tier Peak mermen to Fourth-Tier status. They then captured four mid-to-late-stage Fourth-Tier Ferocious Beasts and had the mermen control them. It was the sudden appearance of these four Fourth-Tier beasts that disrupted the Liangyi Sect's strategy, forcing them to withdraw. Furthermore, to conceal their true strength from the human race, the demons intentionally kept the existence of the two Fourth-Tier mermen hidden."
High above Fangzhudao, amidst swirling clouds and mist, five Human Race Nascent Soul cultivators floated in the air.
Before them hovered nine soul lamps, each representing a cultivator who had ventured into the island. Three of these lamps had already been extinguished, one from each of the three major sects.
Daoist Yun Xu stared at one of the three soul lamps belonging to Ye Hua's sect, a flicker of surprise and suspicion in his eyes. The soul fire within this lamp burned slightly differently from the other five, its deviation from the center more pronounced. Clearly, the lamp's owner had ventured deeper into Fangzhudao.
"Fellow Daoist Ye Hua," Daoist Yun Xu inquired, "it seems one of your sect's disciples has infiltrated the depths of Fangzhudao?"
Ye Hua nodded in agreement. "That is correct. The person connected to this soul lamp is named Gou Jun. He has indeed entered the island's interior."
Ye Hua deliberately withheld the fact that he could also confirm Gou Jun's deep penetration into Fangzhudao through a Spirit Sense imprint on a Third-Tier Peak Corpse Puppet. However, he couldn't pinpoint Gou Jun's exact location. To ascertain his precise whereabouts, they would need to personally follow the guidance of the soul lamp or the Spirit Sense imprint.
"Your sect's disciple certainly possesses remarkable courage," Daoist Yun Xu remarked with a hint of admiration. "But I wonder if he can draw out a Fourth-Tier member of the Demon Race?"
"That depends on whether he can escape Fangzhudao alive," Ye Hua replied. "If a Fourth-Tier Demonic Beast sets its sights on him, his death is almost certain."
At that moment, the soul fire flickered slightly, its position shifting by a fraction.
"Hmm! It appears he's heading in our direction. Let's hope a Fourth-Tier Demonic Beast is pursuing him."
Daoist Yun Xu's words immediately drew the attention of the other cultivators, who turned to observe Gou Jun's soul lamp.
(End of the Chapter)
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