txolops Chapter 181 Unraveling the Secrets, Holding the Chess in the Imperial Capital
Chapter 181 Unraveling the Secrets, Holding the Chess in the Imperial Capital
The night sky was covered with thick clouds, obscuring the stars and moon.
The loess soil was soaked by the rain and turned into a sticky, muddy mess.
In the distance, several bare, crooked trees swayed in the wind, their branches pointing like withered ghost claws towards the gray sky.
The Blood Swordsman's scarlet eyes, devoid of any whites, silently watched Hua Moyang kneeling in the mud, his forehead a bloody mess.
This mortal girl possessed nothing more than an ordinary mixed spiritual root of the five elements.
In any reputable orthodox sect, this would be nothing more than a menial servant who could only sweep the floor.
But in the eyes of the Blood Swordsman, her intense desire for revenge was an extremely rare quality.
Looking into those black and white eyes filled with hatred and determination, the Blood Swordsman felt a rare touch of emotion, a stirring within the very humanity that belonged to Gu Yan himself.
However, he quickly put those emotions behind him.
Because demonic cultivators need no pity, nor do they need any burdens.
"Cultivating demonic arts is a dead end. I don't accept disciples, nor do I need useless people."
The Blood Swordsman's voice was hoarse and grating, exuding an undeniable indifference.
Having said that, he turned around, his wide, dark red robe sleeves billowing in the wind, carrying a heavy, bloody scent, as if he were about to break through the air and leave again.
"Immortal, please wait!"
Hua Moyang suddenly straightened up, ignoring the blood still flowing from her forehead, and gripped the muddy water on the ground with both hands.
"I possess a top-secret information about the Great Yan royal family! I'm offering this secret as a condition for becoming your disciple; I only ask that you grant me the art of killing!"
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The Blood Swordsman stopped and turned his head, his crimson eyes glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.
"The secrets of mortals are like waste paper to me. Even if those secrets are truly valuable, I can simply extract your soul and refine it. With a forced soul search, you will have no secrets left to me."
A chilling killing intent enveloped the entire mass grave, and the puddles on the ground condensed into a thin layer of red frost under this murderous aura.
However, faced with such overwhelming pressure that would terrify even a Golden Core cultivator, Hua Moyang did not back down an inch.
She tilted her head back, letting the cold rain wash away the bloodstains on her cheeks, her gaze meeting the Blood Swordsman's terrifying eyes.
You won't do that.
Hua Moyang's tone was unusually firm, even carrying a strange calmness.
"Although you kill without hesitation, you are different from those evil cultivators who regard mortals as worthless. Just now, when you were fighting those villains in the city lord's mansion, your sword energy could easily shatter a ten-zhang-high artificial mountain and cut through the bluestone slabs of an entire long street. But every time you swung your sword, you deliberately avoided the cellars where mortals were hidden, as well as the few still alive people at the corner of the street."
Hua Moyang took a deep breath, her fingernails digging deeply into her palm.
"A truly powerful person who cares about protecting innocent mortals from the aftermath of a battle would never resort to such a vicious method as soul-searching against a defenseless mortal just for a piece of information."
The gale suddenly stopped over the mass grave.
The Blood Swordsman fell silent.
Even Gu Yan himself, thousands of miles away, was slightly shaken upon hearing these words through divine sense sharing.
His clone, the Blood Swordsman, wreaked havoc on the demonic path of Dongzhou, acting ruthlessly and mercilessly.
But deep down, he still has a bottom line when it comes to being a human being. When faced with innocent mortals who pose no threat to him, he subconsciously lets them go.
Unexpectedly, this instinctive restraint during the fierce battle was keenly observed by a mortal girl hiding in the shadows.
This keen observation, this ability to maintain absolute composure even in life-or-death situations—he really has the makings of a demonic cultivator.
The Blood Swordsman slowly turned around and looked directly at Hua Moyang.
"You are very smart. But in the world of cultivation, those who are too smart often die the fastest."
The Blood Swordsman raised his pale, slender right hand and lightly traced a line in the air with the pad of his index finger.
A drop of dark red to black blood seeped from his fingertip.
This is a drop of primordial demonic blood extracted from his newly formed crimson nascent soul.
Only by forcibly cleansing and transforming the marrow of this mortal without spiritual roots with the most domineering demonic essence can she embark on the path of cultivation.
Open your mouth.
Two cold words fell.
Without any hesitation, Hua Moyang suddenly opened her chapped lips.
The blood swordsman flicked his finger.
The drop of demonic blood transformed into a red light and instantly disappeared into Hua Moyang's mouth.
With a muffled thud, Hua Moyang's body felt as if all the bones had been removed, and she crashed heavily into the mud.
Before the piercing scream could escape its throat, it was choked back down.
The moment that drop of demonic blood entered her body, it was like a ball of boiling magma pouring directly into her eight extraordinary meridians.
Her fragile mortal meridians were shattered inch by inch under the impact of the demonic blood, but miraculously reassembled under the vitality generated by the Everlasting Green and Withered Technique.
This process of tearing apart and rebirth is no less than being subjected to slow slicing.
A large amount of black grime seeped from her skin, followed by countless fine beads of blood gushing from her pores, turning her entire body into a blood-soaked mess.
She wanted to scream, but bit her lower lip so hard that it bled profusely, and she didn't let out another cry.
The Blood Swordsman stood with his hands behind his back, observing coldly.
"If you can endure it, you'll be the knife in my hand. If you can't, you'll rot in this mud."
A full incense stick's time had passed.
Hua Moyang's spasms gradually stopped.
The black scab covering her body began to crack inch by inch, and a pale, slender arm emerged from the cracked scab.
She gasped for breath and staggered as she stood up from the mud.
The withered yellow hair had turned into an eerie dark red, and a strikingly beautiful blood-red lotus flower mark had appeared between the eyebrows.
A single drop of true blood, diluted thousands of times, elevated her to the ninth level of Qi Refining.
Hua Moyang knelt down again, this time with her back straight and her tone solemn: "Thank you, Master, for bestowing upon me the Dharma."
The Blood Swordsman took out a blood-red jade slip from his sleeve and casually tossed it in front of her.
"This jade slip contains a bloodline cultivation technique that leads directly to the Golden Core stage. Now, tell me your secret."
Hua Moyang picked up the jade slip from the ground, held it in her palms, and her expression became extremely solemn.
"Beneath the Great Yan Imperial City lies an underground river connected to the ley lines of the Eastern Continent. The source of that river is the ancestral temple where the Great Yan emperors offered sacrifices to Heaven. Before my mother was poisoned to death, she sewed a fragment of a map into my undergarment. The reason those demonic cultivators from the Central Continent collect blood imbued with dragon energy is because the seal on that underground river requires the bloodline of the royal family to be opened. Once the seal is broken, there will be no more obstacles between the Central Continent and the Eastern Continent."
Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in the Blood Swordsman's eyes.
He took out a jade slip from Ji Wuyue's storage ring and quickly scanned it with his divine sense.
Sure enough, the top-secret dossier left by Ji Wuyue contained a record of a cross-dimensional array called "Stealing the Sky and Changing the Sun".
The core of the great formation is the underground ancestral hall in the capital of the Great Yan Kingdom.
The Central Plains Holy Sect plans to use the blood and qi of millions of mortals, combined with the imperial dragon energy, to corrode the ancient barrier that blocks the two states, allowing the Central Plains army to advance unimpeded.
The Blood Swordsman put away the jade slip and looked at Hua Moyang with a cold gaze.
"From today onward, you will remain in this dead city. Cultivate using the corpse energy and resentment of the city's 100,000 inhabitants. Then, take your incomplete map and head to the capital of the Great Yan Kingdom, where you will lie in wait within the imperial city. Without my orders, you are not to act rashly."
"Your disciple obeys."
Hua Moyang kowtowed repeatedly.
The Blood Swordsman said no more, his figure transforming into a streak of blood-red light, piercing through the night and disappearing into the vast sky.
Only Hua Moyang was left standing alone on the mass grave filled with corpses.
That tattered hempen robe fluttered in the wind, much like a poisonous lotus quietly blooming amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
……
On the edge of the cultivation world in Dongzhou, there is the Liuyun Sect.
As night faded, the first rays of dawn pierced the clouds.
A thin mist enveloped the lush green bamboo forests covering the mountains and plains.
The glistening dewdrops slid slowly down the slender bamboo leaves, landing on the bluestone slab with a crisp, delicate dripping sound.
A faint scent of sandalwood wafted through Gu Yan's solitary bamboo house.
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Gu Yan, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, slowly opened his eyes.
A flash of dark red light appeared briefly in the depths of his eyes before they quickly returned to their clear, dark color.
The memories, cultivation techniques, and the immense blood and energy replenished by the clone from devouring a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator were perfectly synchronized with the main body at this moment.
Gu Yan let out a long breath.
This turbid air condensed into a sword-like aura in the air, directly shattering a wooden carved vase three zhang away.
Before the wood chips could even land, they were compressed into fine powder by that terrifying spiritual power.
Now, having absorbed a vast amount of spiritual energy, he has reached the perfect Golden Core stage.
If Gu Yan is willing, he can trigger a heavenly tribulation at any time to shatter his core and become a Nascent Soul.
But after a moment's hesitation, he suppressed the impulse.
Because the preparations were not yet sufficient, despite having the Nascent Soul Pills obtained by the top ten in the previous Eastern Continent Grand Competition, breaking through was not a problem.
However, his Divine Demon Golden Core is too heaven-defying. Once it forms a nascent soul here with the main body, the resulting celestial phenomena will surely be earth-shattering, just like when he broke through to the Golden Core last time, attracting countless eyes to watch.
At that time, his carefully cultivated persona of a proud and noble genius will collapse instantly, and he will face endless pursuit.
"What's missing is a perfect cover. A place that can conceal the truth, make everyone think I'm just recuperating normally, and a place that's chaotic enough."
Gu Yan secretly made a plan in his mind.
The capital of the Great Yan Kingdom.
That place, which was about to become the meat grinder of the two-state battlefield, was undoubtedly the best choice.
Just as I was pondering this, I heard light and respectful footsteps outside the bamboo building.
"Brother Gu, are you awake? Tianqi has brewed some invigorating and blood-nourishing medicine and come to visit you."
Outside the door came the gentle and concerned voice of Zhou Tianqi, the young sect leader of Guixu Sect.
It came at the perfect time; I was just about to go to sleep when someone brought me a pillow.
He immediately activated the concealment technique from the "Concealing Breath Turtle and Snake Technique," suppressing his surging spiritual energy fluctuations to the extreme. His face turned as pale as paper, and his breathing became barely perceptible.
Gu Yan leaned weakly against the soft pillows on the bed, covered his mouth with a handkerchief, and coughed lightly twice.
"Brother Zhou, please come in. Ahem... I'm unwell and cannot greet you from afar."
The bamboo door was gently pushed open.
Zhou Tianqi, dressed in an elegant blue robe, walked in carrying a white jade tray.
On the tray was a purple clay bowl that exuded a strong medicinal fragrance.
This once arrogant and proud prodigy of the Guixu Sect now treats Gu Yan with the utmost respect, like a junior.
He placed the tray on the table, walked quickly to the bedside, and looked at Gu Yan's pale face with eyes full of guilt and respect.
"Brother Gu, lie down quickly. This is a thousand-year-old sea cucumber and lotus seed soup that I sent through a spy from the Guixu Sect. It has a nourishing effect on repairing damaged Dao foundations."
Zhou Tianqi said cautiously.
Gu Yan forced a smile and gently shook his head.
"Brother Zhou, you've gone to great lengths. Changsheng's injuries are deep and fundamental, and cannot be cured by ordinary spiritual medicines. It is because of Changsheng that Brother Zhou, the young sect leader, is forced to live in this remote place of the Liuyun Sect. Changsheng is truly at ease."
"Brother Gu, what are you saying?"
Zhou Tianqi sat down directly on the round stool next to the bed, his tone extremely firm.
"If it weren't for Brother Gu risking his life to vouch for me in front of the two major sects and turning the tide, Tianqi would probably still be locked up in the Cangxuan Death Prison and suffering humiliation, and Dongzhou would already be a river of blood. This kindness is so great that even if I had to suffer for a few days, I would gladly serve as Brother Gu's protector here for ten years."
Gu Yan sighed at the opportune moment, his brows furrowing slightly, revealing a look of concern for the country and its people.
"Brother Zhou is very righteous. However, although Changsheng has been unconscious for the past two days, he has managed to divine a very ominous sign through the secret method of divination left by his master."
Upon hearing Gu Yan mention that mysterious Nascent Soul Master, Zhou Tianqi's expression immediately became extremely solemn.
The secret techniques passed down by the powerful cultivators who have reached the Nascent Soul stage are absolutely extraordinary.
"What did Brother Gu divine? Could it be that the Central Plains demonic cultivator who's been lurking in the shadows, plotting against our two sects, has other plans in store?"
Zhou Tianqi asked in a low voice.
Gu Yan looked at Zhou Tianqi with clear eyes, her voice extremely low.
"Brother Zhou, how much do you know about the Great Yan Kingdom in the mortal realm?"
Zhou Tianqi pondered for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.
"The Great Yan Kingdom is the largest kingdom in the mortal realm, occupying hundreds of thousands of miles of territory on the edge of the Eastern Continent. However, the spiritual energy there is depleted, and it is mostly used by us cultivators to refine our hearts in the mortal world. Brother Gu, why did you suddenly mention this place?"
Gu Yan's eyes slowly turned compassionate.
"The divination indicates that the key to this great calamity in Dongzhou is not in the cultivation world, but in the mortal capital of the Great Yan Kingdom."
Seeing Zhou Tianqi's increasingly shocked expression, Gu Yan continued to administer strong medication.
"The Central Plains Demonic Sect is full of cunning schemes. They instigated the bloody war between Cangxuan and Guixu in order to attract the attention of everyone in the cultivation world. In the dark, they are attempting to use the royal dragon vein of the Great Yan Kingdom and the blood and qi of millions of mortals to set up an ancient and ferocious formation called the Dragon Transformation Blood Weeping Formation."
Gu Yan paused, then raised his voice.
"Once this formation is activated, it will forcibly sever the barrier between the two states. At that time, the demonic army of the Central State will directly descend upon the mortal realm, advancing straight in from the Great Yan Kingdom. The cultivation world of the Eastern State will be attacked from both sides and will surely be doomed."
Zhou Tianqi suddenly stood up, and because of the sudden movement, he almost overturned the jade tray on the table.
If Gu Changsheng's words are true, then the Central Plains Demonic Sect's intentions are absolutely vicious.
There is very little communication between the cultivation world and the mortal world, so who would have thought that the demonic sect would target the mortal realm?
Once the formation is complete, a large number of powerful figures from the Central Continent will descend. What will the Eastern Continent use to resist them?
"Brother Gu, this matter is of utmost importance. If that's the case, we must act immediately."
Zhou Tianqi's back was soaked with cold sweat.
Gu Yan gave a helpless bitter smile and pointed to his broken body.
"Chang Sheng is now practically a cripple, and my master has traveled far into the void and has not yet returned. To break this deadlock with the meager strength of the Liuyun Sect is like an ant trying to shake a tree."
As Gu Yan spoke, he took out the Taiji Token given to him by the Grand Elder of Cangxuan Sect and the Overturning Sea Token given to him by Mo Tianwen from under his pillow.
Two tokens, representing the highest power in Dongzhou, lay quietly in Gu Yan's pale hand.
"Brother Zhou."
Gu Yan looked directly into Zhou Tianqi's eyes.
"Chang Sheng can only entrust the safety of the people of Dongzhou to you now. Take these two tokens. Immediately send a message to the higher-ups of the Guixu Sect and the Cangxuan Sect, instructing them to secretly dispatch elite troops to infiltrate and investigate the capital of the Great Yan Kingdom. Remember, the operation must be carried out in secrecy. Once any trace of the Demonic Sect's grand formation is discovered, destroy it immediately."
Zhou Tianqi's hands trembled as he looked at the two powerful tokens.
Instead of accepting the token, he suddenly knelt down and bowed deeply to Gu Yan, his eyes red-rimmed.
"Brother Gu, with the world in your heart, despite your serious injuries, you still care about the survival of Dongzhou. Tianqi has learned a lot. Brother Gu, rest assured, please keep the token safe. It is safest for me to deliver the message now. I will go to see Elders Song and Chen now and, through the top-secret channels of my Guixu Sect, spare no effort to send the two sects' spearheads straight to the capital of the Great Yan Kingdom, and never let those Central Plains demons succeed."
Zhou Tianqi stood up, his blood boiling, and strode out of the bamboo building.
Until the bamboo door closed again.
Gu Yancai slowly composed himself, his expression of compassion faded. He leaned back on the bed, took out a folding fan from a hidden compartment by the headboard, and leisurely fanned himself in front of his chest.
The Central Plains Demonic Sect's schemes and the crisis facing the Great Yan Kingdom were all top-secret intelligence he obtained through the Blood Swordsman's clone.
But he absolutely could not go to the capital of the Great Yan Kingdom by himself and confront those spies from the Central Plains who had gone into hiding.
Since the Cangxuan Sect and the Guixu Sect are bottling up their anger and have nowhere to vent it, I will show them the way.
Let the two most powerful forces in Dongzhou fight each other, one in the mortal capital and the other in the Central Plains.
When they fought so fiercely that the chaos created a gap that could obscure the secrets of heaven, and when countless corpses of fallen cultivators and fragments of magical artifacts were scattered, they fought until the world was turned upside down.
He could maintain the image of a sage who was strategizing and planning, while secretly using the Golden Elixir of Gods and Demons to steadily form his Nascent Soul and frantically reap the endless resources brought about by this catastrophe.
This is where dreams begin, and where dreams come true.