txolops Chapter 157 The Rogue Cultivator Gains Fame, the Prodigy Makes His Move
Chapter 157 The Rogue Cultivator Gains Fame, the Prodigy Makes His Move
Outside the Meteor Abyss, at the edge of the Black Mud Swamp.
Patches of grayish-brown reeds lay fallen in the muddy water, emitting a foul, rotting stench.
Several fist-sized greenbottle flies hovered above the puddle, buzzing incessantly.
Qi Da lay sprawled in the stinking mud, panting heavily.
His once faded Taoist robe was now completely stained black with mud, and he clutched a broken, low-grade flying sword tightly in his hand.
Beside him, Sun San, with his shifty eyes, coughed violently, spitting out mouthfuls of black mud with each cough.
Just now, the two experienced a life-or-death escape.
A Tier 2 peak armored crocodile burst out of the swamp and nearly devoured the two of them alive.
If Qi Da hadn't run fast and kicked a passing sect disciple into the crocodile's mouth to buy them some time, they would all be a pile of excrement by now.
"Brother, this Meteor Abyss is no place for humans. We rogue cultivators come here only to be stepping stones for others."
Sun San wiped the mud off his face, his voice trembling with tears.
Qi Da spat out the mud and sand in his mouth and cursed angrily, "Shut up! Don't you understand that fortune favors the bold? As long as we can pick up some magic treasures, we won't have to worry about resources for years to come. It's just that Mo Lao Er was unlucky; he ran in the wrong direction just now, and by now, even his bones have probably been burned to ashes by those sect disciples."
Sun San sighed when Mo Lao Er was mentioned.
The three of them were sworn brothers who spent years struggling in the lower echelons of the cultivation world in Dongzhou, engaging in petty theft, murder, and robbery.
Mo Lao Er was the one with the worst cultivation, the worst mind, and the slowest to run when in danger.
"My second brother always liked to steal the spotlight, but he was a really honest person. It's a pity that he died without anyone to even collect his body."
As Sun San muttered to himself, he took the Meteorite Token from his waist, wanting to see his current ranking.
The surface of the meteorite token was covered in grime. Sun San wiped it on his clothes and casually scanned it with his divine sense.
The next moment, Sun San's eyes widened suddenly, his eyeballs almost bulging out of their sockets.
His whole body trembled violently as if he had a seizure, and the jade pendant in his hand almost fell into the mud.
"Big brother...big brother, look at the list!"
Sun San's voice was shrill.
"What are you looking at? Those geniuses from major sects kill without hesitation. Looking at their points is just asking for trouble."
Qi Da replied irritably, but unable to resist Sun San's pulling, he extended his divine sense to scan his Meteor Token.
In the gloomy mud, Qi's mouth slowly opened, big enough to fit a fist.
He rubbed his eyes, withdrew his consciousness, and then probed back in, repeating this process three times.
On the golden leaderboard, the tenth position was marked with a line of text.
[10th place, rogue cultivator, Mo Lao Er, 11,600 points.]
"This...it's a case of someone having the same name, isn't it?"
Qi Da swallowed hard, his voice trembling.
"Brother, in the entire Eastern Continent's cultivation world, which respectable cultivator would have such a lousy name as Mo Lao Er? And look at the prefix: rogue cultivator. A rogue cultivator indeed!"
Sun San was so anxious that he kept slapping his thigh.
Qi Da was stunned.
The image of Mo Lao Er's sallow face and his stingy manner as he haggled with black market merchants for a few low-grade spirit stones flashed through his mind.
Just half a month ago, Mo Lao Er was chased for two miles by villagers with manure scoops for peeping at a widow taking a bath.
Now, this name is ranked tenth on the Meteor Abyss Ranking, putting countless high-ranking sect prodigies under its feet.
A complex mix of emotions welled up in Qi Da and Sun San's hearts.
If Mo Lao Er were to die, they would grieve for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and then happily divide his share of the inheritance.
But now, not only is Mo Lao Er not dead, he has suddenly become an unparalleled powerhouse standing on the clouds.
This is worse than killing them.
They weren't afraid of their brothers suffering; they ate meager meals together at the bottom of society, and when danger struck, they would shift blame and take each other down with them—this was the norm in the underworld.
But what they fear is that the brother who usually begs for food with them might suddenly transform into a big shot driving a luxurious spirit boat and embracing beautiful women.
"11,600 points... My god, a single star fragment is only worth 10 points, how many people would that require killing and acquiring countless valuable items?"
Qi Da's breathing became heavy, his eyes were bloodshot, and the flames of jealousy were about to burn his reason to ashes.
Sun San leaned closer and whispered his analysis, "Big brother, second brother has definitely encountered an incredible stroke of luck. Maybe he stumbled into the cave of some ancient powerful being and directly received their inheritance. Or maybe he picked up a heaven-defying treasure for killing. Don't we know his cultivation level? Give him a celestial sword and he couldn't even wield it."
"Yes. They must have gotten incredibly lucky."
Qi Da slapped his thigh, splashing mud and water everywhere.
He gritted his teeth, his expression constantly shifting, finally settling into a ruthless greed.
"Third brother, let's stop looking for the star fragments. Let's go find Second Brother Mo."
Qi Da stood up, his eyes filled with madness.
Sun San was taken aback: "Brother, why are we looking for him? He's a killing machine now. What if he doesn't acknowledge us?"
"Bullshit. Once brothers, always brothers. Now that Mo Lao Er has made his fortune, does he think he can just abandon us brothers who've been through thick and thin with him? We don't need him to take a big share; just a little bit from between his fingers is enough for us brothers to live a life of luxury."
Qi Dali said confidently, as if those points were rightfully his.
"But...where are we going to find it?"
"Look at the leaderboard. His points haven't moved for half an hour, which means he's either resting or traveling. Let's head deeper into the Meteor Abyss. Whenever we encounter a large area with many dead bodies, just follow that path."
Qi Da was completely blinded by greed. Dragging his exhausted body, he led the way out of the mud.
……
Above a broken bronze altar in the middle layer of Meteorite Abyss.
A fierce wind howled, whipping up clouds of yellow sand.
A handsome young man dressed in a star-patterned Taoist robe stood on the corpse of a giant two-headed snake demon, holding a spotless longsword with no blood on its blade.
This person is none other than Tuoba Ye, the top prodigy of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, ranked third on the points leaderboard.
Around him, a dozen elite disciples from the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain were quickly cleaning up the battlefield and collecting star fragments dug out from the two-headed serpent demon's lair.
"Senior Brother Tuo, there have been changes to the rankings."
A disciple responsible for delivering intelligence quickly walked to the foot of the bronze altar and respectfully clasped his hands in a fist salute to report.
Tuoba Ye raised his eyelids, his expression indifferent: "Has Zhou Tianqi of the Guixu Sect killed someone again?"
"Reporting to Senior Brother, Zhou Tianqi's points have not increased. It's... a rogue cultivator named Mo Lao Er."
The intelligence disciple swallowed hard, his tone filled with undisguised disbelief.
"In just two hours, this person's points skyrocketed from zero to 11,600, directly breaking into the top ten. Now, people from all the major sects are inquiring about his whereabouts."
A ripple finally appeared in Tuoba Ye's originally calm eyes.
He took the Meteorite Token from his waist and probed it with his divine sense.
Upon seeing that glaring name, he couldn't help but frown.
"Mo Lao Er...when did Dongzhou produce such a person?"
Tuoba Ye sneered, and the longsword in his hand emitted a crisp hum.
"To be able to acquire tens of thousands of points in such a short time, either he has taken down a medium-sized sect's organized team, or he has discovered a giant ruin filled with star fragments."
Regardless of the possibility, for Tuoba Ye, this was a piece of delicious, fatty meat.
"A mere rogue cultivator dares to be ranked alongside us in the top ten? His virtue is not commensurate with his position, and disaster is sure to follow."
Tuoba Ye sheathed his longsword and gracefully landed on the corpse of the two-headed snake demon, his white robes spotless.
He looked at his disciples behind him, his voice cold and domineering: "Pass down the order: all those under the jurisdiction of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, immediately spread your divine senses. If you encounter this rogue cultivator named Mo Lao Er, do not act rashly. Send a signal immediately. I want those ten thousand points he has."
"Yes."
The disciples responded in unison, transforming into more than a dozen streaks of light that shot into the sky.
Tuoba Ye looked at the gray sky, a proud smile curving his lips.
This hunting game is finally getting interesting.
……
Dark red malevolent energy flowed slowly in mid-air, and beside the rivers formed by dried bloodstains lay the cracked earth.
There wasn't a single living plant on the land; only the enormous skeletons of countless monsters lay half-buried in the yellow sand, emitting mournful howls when the wind blew.
Qi Da and Sun San walked on the gray-brown Gobi Desert.
The two men's Taoist robes were tattered, with mud and dried blood clinging to their skin, emitting a pungent, sour stench.
They had been blindly searching for two hours in this desolate wasteland.
Sun San's strength gradually gave out. He swallowed a mouthful of dry saliva and glanced at Qi Da, who was walking ahead and panting heavily like a bull.
"Big brother, let's take a break. This Meteor Abyss is too big. We don't even know which direction Second Brother ran off to. If we keep searching like this, we'll probably die of exhaustion on the way."
Sun San sat down on the ground, his voice hoarse.
Qi Da turned around abruptly, his eyes bloodshot, burning with a mad flame of jealousy.
He walked a few steps to Sun San, grabbed Sun San's collar, and forcibly pulled him up from the ground.
"Rest? You still have the mind to rest? Do you know where your second brother is right now, eating and drinking like a king? Over ten thousand points. Over ten thousand points! If you exchange that for low-grade spirit stones, it could bury us alive."
Qi Da spat on Sun San's face, severely distorting his features.
His mind was now filled with the image of Mo Lao Er's usual cowardly demeanor.
In the market, to save two spirit stones, Mo Lao Er couldn't even bear to buy the lowest grade Bigu Pill, and could only pick up the unwanted meat and bones of spirit beasts from the sect disciples to make soup.
Every time they went to Chunfeng Tower, Mo Lao Er could only squat outside and keep watch for them; he didn't even have the money to go in and touch a teapot.
Why? Why is this piece of trash they used to trample on now able to look down on all the geniuses from a high place?
"Even if Mo Lao Er has inherited the legacy of a celestial being, he's still a penniless wretch at heart who only cares about money. That tattered storage bag he carries was one I gave him after discarding it years ago."
Qi Da gritted his teeth, as if Mo Lao Er's points had been stolen from his pocket.
"Third brother, remember this: when we find him, we don't need to beg him. We'll just act like his older brother. He's slow-witted and timid. So what if he has high cultivation? The cultivation world is too deep for him to handle. We're going to help him and share the burden of those hot resources."
Qi Da found himself a plausible reason, forcibly squeezed out the spiritual power in his body, and continued to move forward.
"Let's go. Mo Lao Er has a quirk: when he gets nervous, he likes to go to dark and damp places. There's a rocky forest nearby; let's try our luck there."
Seeing Qi Da lost in his trance, Sun San dared not argue and could only drag his heavy steps to keep up.
The torment of being envious of one's brother's wealth while fearing that the brother would disown them was like hundreds of ants gnawing at their internal organs.
……
at the same time.
Deep within the Meteorite Abyss, inside a Taoist temple that had been abandoned for many years.
Huge blue stone steps stretch from the foot of the mountain all the way to the mountaintop that disappears into the clouds, with countless rusty giant swords stuck upside down on both sides of the steps.
Each greatsword exudes an ancient and weathered sword intent, and even after thousands of years of wind and frost, it still makes people feel heavy-hearted.
The Guixu Sect's troops were stationed in a plaza halfway up the mountain.
Unlike the wild and brutal nature of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, the disciples of the Guixu Sect were well-mannered and their defenses were impeccable.
Several array masters were repairing the concealment array that isolated the aura on the outer perimeter, while the other disciples were taking the time to meditate and recover.
In the center of the square, a young man dressed in a traditional Chinese ink-wash robe stood with a handsome face, sharp eyebrows, and a gentle and refined demeanor.
The young man was carefully bandaging the wound of an outer disciple who had lost his left arm with a clean white silk handkerchief.
His movements were very gentle, with soft water-based spiritual energy flowing from his fingertips, easing the disciple's pain.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Despite being drenched in sweat from the pain, the outer disciples' eyes were still filled with fervent reverence.
"Rest well and protect your heart meridian. Once you leave the secret realm, the sect will bestow upon you a Bone-Regenerating Pill."
The young man patted him on the shoulder, his voice low and gentle.
"Senior Brother Tianqi."
A true disciple strode over, looking anxious, clutching a meteorite token tightly in his hand.
Zhou Tianqi stood up, casually burned the blood-stained handkerchief, and calmly looked at the newcomer.
"What's the matter?"
The true disciple took a deep breath and handed over the Meteor Token.
"Senior brother, something strange has happened on the leaderboard. A rogue cultivator named Mo Lao Er has suddenly broken into the top ten in just a few hours. He now has 12,000 points and is getting close to Li Qingge, who is in second place."
Upon hearing this, several core disciples who were meditating nearby opened their eyes, their faces showing disbelief.
"How could a rogue cultivator possibly be one?"
"Could it be that he discovered an unexplored star vein?"
"Senior brother, this rogue cultivator is definitely a fat sheep. We currently have 15,000 points. If we can find this Mo Lao Er and kill him, our first place will be secure, and even the Cangxuan Sect won't be able to catch up with us."
A sword cultivator disciple's eyes gleamed, and he loudly proposed.
The crowd echoed the sentiment, eager to join in.
In their view, independent cultivators are like rootless duckweed.
Even if you have a high score, it's just good luck. If you encounter elites from prestigious sects like them, you'll only be left to be slaughtered.
Zhou Tianqi remained silent.
He took the Meteorite Token, his gaze falling on those three utterly vulgar words, and his brows furrowed.
The surrounding noise gradually subsided, and everyone looked at their senior brother, waiting for his decision.
Zhou Tianqi raised his head and looked around at everyone.
He did not issue the order to pursue and kill, but instead his tone became extremely serious.
"Pass on my order: all disciples of the Guixu Sect must immediately retreat if they encounter this person, and must not provoke him in the slightest."
Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked.
"Senior brother, why is that? He's just a rogue cultivator."
The sword cultivator disciple asked defiantly.
Zhou Tianqi shook his head, walked to the edge of the square, and looked down at the gray abyss below, a deep sense of dread flashing in his eyes.
"You only saw his 12,000 points, but you didn't see what's behind those points."
Zhou Tianqi turned around, his voice not loud, but each word struck a chord in everyone's hearts.
"The star fragments on the outskirts of the Meteor Abyss are extremely scattered. Even if he had incredible luck and discovered a ruin, he would only get a few thousand points at most. The only explanation for his points skyrocketing to 12,000 in just a few hours is that he was killing people, killing a large number of people."
"Think about it, the elites from all the major sects who came in are all in formation. Even I, if I wanted to kill hundreds of elite cultivators silently in such a short time, without leaving a single survivor, I admit that I could not do it."
Zhou Tianqi's eyes turned incredibly cold.
"This Mo Lao Er is not some lucky rogue cultivator at all. He is most likely an old monster who suppressed his cultivation to sneak in, or someone who controls some kind of terrifying technique that we don't know about. Going to kill him? That's not hunting, that's going to your death."
Upon hearing this analysis, the disciples of the Guixu Sect were instantly terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.
They then realized how foolish their previous thoughts had been.
Zhou Tianqi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the sky.
"The competition has only just begun; the real battle is yet to come. There's no need for us to risk everything for an unknown variable. Let's hold our ground and search for the fragments. As for this Mo Lao Er, those arrogant fools will naturally test his strength for us."
After saying this, Zhou Tianqi closed his eyes and said no more.
……
Compared to the steady and methodical approach of the Guixu Sect, the three female cultivators of the Liuyun Sect appeared extremely disheveled.
In a withered forest overgrown with black thorns.
With a single sword strike, Nangong Yue severed an armored corpse worm the size of a washbasin, leaving a deep scorch mark on the withered wood with her purplish-gold sword energy.
She was breathing heavily, and a few drops of foul-smelling insect blood stained her fair cheeks.
The once magnificent purple-gold Taoist robe was now covered in mottled mud and bloodstains, and had long lost its former lofty composure.
"The poisonous insects and monsters in this Meteor Abyss are truly disgusting."
Su Hongxiu kicked the insect corpse on the ground away and angrily wiped the sweat from her face.
They wandered around this withered forest for half a day, but found very few star fragments. Instead, they were besieged by a group of second-tier armored corpse worms, which consumed a lot of their spiritual energy.
Shen Youwei silently walked to Nangong Yue's side and handed her a Rejuvenation Pill.
Nangong Yue didn't stand on ceremony and swallowed the pill, which made her complexion look better.
"Just now, our Flowing Cloud Sect's ranking dropped again, falling to eighty-fifth place."
Nangong Yue took out the Meteorite Token, her voice as cold as ice shards.
Su Hongxiu leaned over for a look, and her already irritable mood became even more frustrated.
"That rogue cultivator named Mo Lao Er has gained points again! Is he some kind of biological son of Meteor Abyss, with star fragments lining up to get into his pockets?"
Shen Youwei looked at the rankings, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.
She always felt that this Mo Lao Er, who appeared out of nowhere, had an indescribable eeriness about him.
Along the way, she clearly sensed a powerful demonic aura lingering nearby several times, and once, she even caught a glimpse of the back of the Blood Swordsman, the God of Slaughter, out of the corner of her eye.
But the other party did not attack them; instead, they seemed to be deliberately avoiding them and left directly.
This is completely illogical.
"Forget about that Mo Lao Er, let's take a break and continue deeper in half an hour."
Nangong Yue put away the jade pendant, forcibly suppressing the sense of defeat in her heart.
Without Gu Changsheng, that burden, they absolutely cannot fail to even make it into the top fifty.
Suddenly, a series of chaotic and heavy footsteps sounded.
What followed was heavy breathing and undisguised screams of terror.
People have arrived, and more than one.
Nangong Yue suddenly opened her eyes, casually threw away the spirit stone waste that had turned into powder in her hand, grabbed the long sword on her lap, and stood up like a taut cheetah.
Su Hongxiu dodged back to Nangong Yue's side, her long sword igniting with dark red flames.
Shen Youwei's snow-white longsword was also drawn, its tip pointing diagonally at the ground, exuding a chilling aura.
The three of them stared intently in the direction from which the footsteps were coming, as if facing a formidable enemy.
A dozen or so breaths later, the black thorn bushes in front were violently smashed aside.
Seven or eight cultivators, covered in blood, stumbled in.
Their Taoist robes were tattered, and the insignia that marked their sect identities were torn and barely recognizable.
The leader of the group had his left arm severed at the root. No blood flowed from the wound; instead, it appeared eerily withered, as if something had forcibly drained his life force.
These are disciples of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion.
Nangong Yue recognized their remaining clothing and frowned.
Tianyin Pavilion is one of the top twenty sects in Dongzhou. This team originally had about twenty people, but now only a few deranged soldiers remain.
"stop."
Nangong Yue let out a cold shout, and the purple-gold sword energy carved a deep trench in front of her.
"The Flowing Cloud Sect's territory lies ahead. If you dare take another step forward, you will be killed without mercy."
Normally, when these disciples of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion encountered obstruction from the Flowing Cloud Sect, they would stop and exchange pleasantries, and might even fight each other over territory.
But now, it's as if they haven't seen Nangong Yue's sharp sword aura at all.
The leader, a one-armed cultivator, didn't even glance at Nangong Yue before collapsing headfirst into the ravine and crawling forward on all fours.
His eyes were bloodshot, his pupils were unfocused, and he was uttering irrational babbling.
"A ghost, it's a ghost. It has no face, it's white mist, and its bones have all turned to dust. Help, save me!"
The one-armed monk roared, his face smeared with tears, snot, and blood.
The disciples behind him had the same expression; some were screaming while clutching their heads, while others were convulsing on the ground, as if they had just experienced a terrifying nightmare that could devour even the soul.
"What exactly happened to you?"
Shen Youwei stepped forward, her voice carrying a hint of reassurance.
The one-armed cultivator suddenly raised his head, staring intently at Shen Youwei's white dress. Then, as if greatly stimulated, he let out a shrill scream.
"White clothes! Don't kill me. Mo Lao Er isn't human, he's a man-eating demon. The clouds are full of knives, even Senior Brother's Golden Core has been corrupted."
He screamed in agony as he desperately tried to shrink back, as if Shen Youwei's white dress was a death warrant.
Nangong Yue and Su Hongxiu exchanged a glance, both seeing deep shock in each other's eyes.
Mo Lao Er.
It's that name again.
Moreover, according to these people's descriptions, this Mo Lao Er didn't use any earth-shattering magic weapons to kill; he only used a cloud of white mist to instantly kill the Golden Core stage senior brother leading the Tianyin Pavilion team.
Is such skill truly something a rogue cultivator could possess?
"boom."
Just then, a muffled, loud noise suddenly came from the distant horizon.
Immediately afterwards, an extremely pure yet deadly aura of holiness swept in like a tsunami from the horizon.
The aura, though seemingly righteous and righteous, appeared extremely strange and distorted in a place like Meteor Abyss, a place filled with slaughter.
Even though they were dozens of miles apart, Nangong Yue and the other two felt a tightness in their chests, and the flow of spiritual energy within their bodies momentarily stagnated.
Several of the Tianyin Pavilion disciples on the ground fainted from fright upon sensing this aura.
Shen Youwei's palms, which were gripping the sword, were sweating.
She had only ever felt that kind of aura when the sect leader unleashed his full power.
"Walk."
Nangong Yue made a decisive decision without any hesitation.
"We shouldn't linger here; there's definitely something terrifying in that direction. Let's go around there and head north."
The three women from the Flowing Cloud Sect didn't even bother to loot the storage bags on the bodies of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion disciples on the ground. They transformed into three streaks of light and quickly disappeared at the other end of the thorny forest.
When faced with a true life-or-death crisis, even the most arrogant genius will put aside their pitiful pride.
Because in this lawless wasteland, those who survive are often the ones who best know how to assess the situation.
……
The middle layer of Meteorite Abyss is a forest of chaotic rocks.
Countless towering black stone pillars are arranged in a staggered pattern, forming a natural maze.
The wind that never dissipates blows through the gaps between the stone pillars, producing a wailing sound similar to the howling of a demon.
The sand and gravel on the ground were dark red and felt sticky when stepped on.
Qi Da and Sun San supported each other as they trudged into the eerie stone forest.
The two were exhausted to the limit, but the greedy flame in their eyes sustained their bodies that could collapse at any moment.
"Big brother, this place is too eerie. There isn't even a single living demon beast. Can we really find second brother here?"
Sun San gripped the broken half of the flying sword tightly in his hand, his teeth chattering incessantly in his mouth.
Qi Da swallowed hard, then, trying to appear calm, pointed to a huge stone pillar in front of him.
"Look at that. Bloodstains. Fresh bloodstains. And look closely at the footprints on the ground. The unevenness of the steps is exactly how your second brother usually walks with a limp. There's no mistake, he's definitely hiding around here counting spirit stones."
Qi Da, like a vulture that has smelled blood, released Sun San and quickly walked towards the back of the stone pillar.
As soon as he rounded the stone pillar, the sight before him made Qi Da gasp in shock.
On a vacant lot several dozen feet in circumference, more than a dozen corpses lay scattered about.
The corpses died in a horrific manner; their flesh was instantly dissolved by some kind of deadly poison, leaving only blackened skeletons wrapped in tattered clothes.
Several broken flying swords and a few storage bags covered in black mud were scattered on the ground.
"Who did this?"
Sun San followed behind, looked up, and was so frightened that his legs went weak and he fell to the ground.
Qi Da stared intently at the several storage bags scattered on the ground.
He swallowed hard; greed overcame fear.
"Who cares who did it? Third brother, we're rich! Just a little bit of stuff poured out of the storage bags of these disciples from major sects is enough for us to eat for a lifetime. Hurry up and pick it up."
Qi Da rushed forward, his hands trembling as he reached for the gold-embroidered storage bag on the ground.
Just as his fingers were about to touch the storage bag.
A chilling gust of wind blew out from the depths of the stone forest.
There was no sand or dust in the wind, only an intense, overwhelming sense of despair and demonic energy.
Qi Da felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss; his movements were stiff, and even his blood seemed to have stopped flowing.
He mechanically raised his head and looked in the direction from which the cold wind was blowing.
In the very center of the black skeletons scattered on the ground, a figure had appeared out of nowhere.
The man was wearing a large black robe, the hem of which fluttered in the wind.
He wore a hood, which hid his entire face in shadow.
As he slowly raised his head, Qi Da discovered that there were no facial features under the hood.
Instead, it was a smooth, pale face, as if made of paper.
The faceless man in black robes stood there silently, surrounded by inky black mist.
That cold, deathly, and decaying atmosphere was the culprit that turned the corpses scattered all over the ground into white bones.
"Don't kill me...no..."
Qi Da was so frightened that he sat down on the ground with a thud, using his hands to push himself back as fast as he could. His crotch was already soaked and smelled foul.
Sun San was so frightened that he couldn't even speak, and could only make a clattering sound as his teeth chattered.
The faceless man in black robes didn't speak, but simply raised his pale hand and pointed at Qi Da on the ground.
At the fingertips, a wisp of black mist began to swirl and condense.
In just a breath, this wisp of black mist will penetrate Qi Da's brow, turning him and his soul into the black water on the ground.
As Qi Da looked at the wisp of black mist, an absurd thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
He recalled the name that had broken into the top ten on the list, his purpose for coming here, and the corpses scattered all over the ground before him, along with the incomprehensible and terrifying methods employed.
When people are caught between extreme fear and extreme greed, they often make the most irrational judgments.
"Second brother. You're Mo the Second, aren't you?"
Qi Da, as if grasping at the last straw, howled shrilly in his hoarse voice.
"I'm your eldest brother, Qi Da. This is your third brother, Sun San. We're sworn brothers. Second brother, you've had such a great opportunity that even your face has changed, but you can't disown your brother."
Qi Da knelt on the ground, ignoring the stench, and began to kowtow repeatedly.
"Second brother, second brother, spare us! We've come to seek refuge with you!"
Upon seeing this, Sun San also tumbled and crawled to his knees on the ground, crying with snot and tears streaming down his face.
The black mist at the fingertips of the faceless man in black robes paused for a moment.
His featureless face tilted to the side, as if scrutinizing the two rogue cultivators sprawled on the ground like rag dolls.
Qi Da and Sun Sanlian didn't dare to breathe, cold sweat dripping from their chins onto the black soil.
……
On the flat-topped boulder of an underground cave.
Gu Yan held his purple clay teacup and, through the black-robed paper sword attendant's perspective, looked at the two extremely lively characters on the ground who were kowtowing like pounding garlic.
A strange expression appeared on that pale, handsome face.
"There are actually oddballs in this world who rush to become brothers with paper figures."
Gu Yan was both amused and exasperated.
He had just been controlling his black-robed paper sword servant to wipe out a patrol team from the Cangxuan Sect and was preparing to clean up the battlefield when these two reckless rogue cultivators barged in.
With just a thought, the Paper Sword Servant could crush those two eyesores into ashes.
but.
Gu Yan took a sip of tea and gently placed the teacup on the stone surface.
A cunning and mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
Killing them would yield little benefit other than a few low-grade spirit stones that are of little use.
But what if we keep them?
These two greedy, boastful rogue cultivators are perfect mouthpieces and scapegoats.
The name "Mo Lao Er" has now attracted the attention of the geniuses of various sects, and Zhou Tianqi of the Guixu Sect is a clever man who is not easy to deal with.
Instead of making those people search everywhere for the elusive Mo Lao Er, it's better to just send them two living people and divert their attention.
He stirred up the water so he could catch fish.
"Since you're so eager to be Mo Lao Er's brothers, then I'll grant your wish."
Gu Yan's lips curled into a cunning smile.
He closed his eyes, and his divine sense, connected through the array, descended directly upon the black-robed paper sword servant.
……
In a forest of scattered rocks.
The black mist at the fingertips of the black-robed paper swordsman slowly dissipated.
He lowered his hand, and a hoarse, extremely unpleasant sound, like two pieces of dry tree bark rubbing together, came from the mouthless paper face.
"Eldest brother, third brother, it's been a long time."
The sound reached Qi Da and Sun San's ears like celestial music.
Qi Da suddenly raised his head, his face full of ecstasy, completely forgetting his fear of the black-robed man's terrifying appearance.
"Second brother. It really is you, second brother. Oh, I knew it! We brothers are of one heart, how could you forget your older brother?"
Qi Da stood up excitedly, wanting to go forward and pat the paper sword servant on the shoulder.
Qi Da suddenly raised his head, his face full of ecstasy, completely forgetting his fear of the black-robed man's terrifying appearance.
"Second brother. It really is you, second brother. Oh, I knew it! We brothers are of one heart, how could you forget your older brother?"
Qi Da stood up excitedly, wanting to go forward and pat the paper sword servant on the shoulder.
But when he saw the black mist swirling around the paper sword servant, he abruptly stopped and awkwardly rubbed his hands together.
"Second brother, you look really impressive in that outfit. You slaughtered all the disciples from those major sects, leaving none alive. From now on, we brothers will be able to roam freely in Dongzhou."
Sun San also started flattering him.
The black-robed paper swordsman ignored their flattery.
With a wave of his sleeve.
The storage bags filled with the wealth of disciples from major sects landed steadily at Qi Da and Sun San's feet.
Not only that, the Paper Sword Servant flipped his wrist and threw over two meteorite tokens that were shimmering with light.
"Here are two thousand low-grade spirit stones and a few top-grade magic artifacts. Take them."
The hoarse voice rang out again.
"Brother, I've now mastered my skills, but there are still a few tough guys in this secret realm causing me trouble. It's not convenient for me to show myself right now. Take these things and go to the vicinity of the Panlong Pillar in the central area of the Meteor Abyss."
Qi Da and Sun San looked at the storage bag at their feet, their mouths practically watering.
Upon hearing Paper Sword Servant's words, Qi Da patted his chest without hesitation and made a promise.
"Don't worry, Second Brother, your business is my business. Just tell us what you need us to do at the Dragon Pillar."
"Go there and spread a message."
The black-robed paper swordsman's voice carried a chilling undertone.
"Tell me, Mo Lao Er, that I discovered the complete ruins of the Taixu Demon-Suppressing Tower underground in the desolate wasteland. Not only are there fragments of stars, but also unparalleled immortal techniques. I'm currently breaking the formation inside, and I'm about to succeed."
Qi Da was stunned for a moment. Although he was greedy, he wasn't stupid.
"Second brother, wouldn't it be better to keep this huge secret to ourselves and make a fortune? Why spread it around? What if the geniuses from those major sects come and try to take it from you?"
"madness."
The black-robed paper sword attendant snorted coldly, and a faint wisp of demonic energy swept across Qi Da's cheek, causing him a sharp pain.
"There's an ancient killing formation outside those ruins. I can't break it by myself. Only by luring them all there and filling the formation with their lives can I get what's inside. Just go and deliver the message, and I'll guarantee you each a Nascent Soul Pill after it's done."
Ningying Dan (凝婴丹).
Upon hearing those three words, Qi Da and Sun San's minds went blank, and their rationality was completely wiped out.
This is a treasure that would drive any Golden Core cultivator crazy.
"Okay. Don't worry, Second Brother, we'll go right away. We'll make sure to lure everyone in the entire secret realm there for you."
Qi Da stuffed the storage bag and meteorite token on the ground into his arms, grabbed Sun San, and scrambled towards the center of the meteorite abyss.
They ran extremely fast, fearing that the paper sword servant might change his mind.
The black-robed paper swordsman stood quietly, watching the two disappear into the gray mist.
Then, the paper sword servant transformed into a thin piece of black paper, which was pasted on the shady side of a rock, concealing its presence.
……
Inside an underground cave.
Gu Yan opened his eyes, stretched lazily, and his bones made a series of crisp popping sounds.
He extinguished the fire in the stove and put the purple clay teaware back into his storage ring.
"The message has been sent out; now it's just a matter of letting the fish follow the scent and swim over."
Gu Yan stood up and patted the dust off his black Taoist robe.
If those two cheap brothers were to take out the magical artifacts from their storage bags and parade them around, coupled with the false information they deliberately spread, it would definitely cause all the geniuses of the major sects to pursue them madly.
Neither the proud Tuoba Ye nor the composed Zhou Tianqi could remain calm in the face of the dual temptations of "the complete ruins of the Taixu Demon Suppression Tower" and "the lone Mo Lao Er".
And they could never have imagined it.
The monster Mo Lao Er, who turned the entire secret realm upside down, is not underground in the Barren Wasteland at all.
Gu Yan took out his Meteorite Token and gently touched its edge.
He raised his head, his gaze piercing through hundreds of feet of rock, looking towards the very core of the Meteorite Abyss.
"Everyone is rushing towards the fake historical sites on the outskirts."
Gu Yan's lips curled into a cold and confident smile.
"Then this place, located in the very center of the secret realm and truly containing the fragments of the Great Void, is now at my disposal, Gu Changsheng, to search and plunder at my leisure."
Gu Yan's figure transformed into a streak of dark light, skimming along the turbulent currents of the underground river, and sped towards the source of the massive fluctuations at the deepest part of the Meteor Abyss with an extremely stealthy and rapid pace.