After Escaping From Death, He Went Even Crazier By Criticizing Black Lotus Chapter 7
byChapter 7: Disaster in the Secret Realm, Traces of the Demon Race Discovered
The treacherous mist arrived fiercely and venomously. Fortunately, Nangong Yi timely erected a barrier, keeping it at bay and carving out a safe zone.
Nangong Yi had the highest cultivation, thus his reaction was the quickest. He sensed the hidden, surging danger in the woods even before the mist fully enveloped the area.
The golden barrier enclosed a clean space less than ten meters wide. In the center, Nangong Yi’s Eight-Sided Silver Square Sword was plunged into the ground. Looking east from the sword hilt, Yue Jiusi was leaning against a tree, his left leg dangling casually. Below the tree, Nangong Yi sat cross-legged, holding his sword. Looking west, Su Huan sat on the ground, holding his sword and meditating. The two sides were clearly separated.
Yue Jiusi stroked his chin, pondering, “Using mist to trap and kill people suggests this is a thousand-year-old Great Mist Demon. Since it’s a Mist Demon, let’s form a formation, summon the South Star True Fire, and burn it!”
Nangong Yi shook his head. “Guess again.”
A look of confusion appeared on Yue Jiusi’s face. Could he be wrong? Was it not a Mist Demon?
Su Huan remained silent, but inwardly he mused that it was no wonder the rumors always spoke of the deep relationship between the two Sword Clarity Twin Jades of the Xuanji Sect, inseparable day and night. If not for this, Fellow Daoist Yue would probably be sold off and still happily counting the money.
Seeing that Yue Jiusi couldn’t figure it out, Nangong Yi prompted him, “If it were an ordinary Mist Demon, why would the mist be poisonous?”
Yue Jiusi finally realized, “Oh, right! Ordinary Mist Demons only devour living creatures; they don’t carry poison!”
He pondered further, “However, if this is a Mist Demon that accidentally ingested a poisonous substance and mutated, that might also make sense…”
Su Huan couldn’t help but interject, “The one that carries poison is a Miasma Demon.” He thought to himself that this person’s studies were truly lacking.
As expected, a hint of confusion flashed in Yue Jiusi’s eyes, clearly having forgotten the detailed Hundred Demon Compendium taught in the elder’s class. Nangong Yi shook his head helplessly and said, “While that is true, the one outside is not a Miasma Demon.”
Yue Jiusi looked even more bewildered. “If it’s neither a Mist Demon nor a Miasma Demon, then what kind of demon is it?”
The mist outside grew thicker, constantly eroding the faintly golden barrier. The silver-white ceremonial square sword stuck in the ground emitted a ringing sword hum.
Su Huan couldn’t help but glance at Nangong Yi, noticing his clear and indifferent eyes. When their gazes met, a gentle, spring-like smile spilled forth.
Suddenly feeling relieved, Su Huan spoke, clarifying the situation: “It is a demon.”
The scene outside the barrier was filled with dead things.
If it were a Mist Demon, it would be like a swarm of locusts passing through, leaving nothing alive, only vast stretches of yellow sand. If it were a Miasma Demon, it would be even easier to identify; where the miasma spread, all living things except coexisting green wood would be corroded and die. But in the mist outside the barrier now, there was no sign of life in the flora; all that met the eye were white bones.
The two clever individuals quickly connected this to the evil creatures that also loved to absorb the vitality of living beings—the Demon Race.
A member of the Demon Race had infiltrated the trial of the Immortal Sect Grand Assembly.
Or rather, a demon had managed to cross the Sea of No Delusion and silently infiltrate the Xuanji Sect, located deep within the Huayao Continent.
The three unlucky souls had the worst possible luck, running straight into the demon’s scheme the moment they entered.
Su Huan’s expression grew serious. He secretly wondered if this demon extermination mission would earn them extra points.
Yue Jiusi was extremely surprised, but contrary to the expected solemnity, he burst into laughter, jumped down from the tree, drew his jade sword, executed a beautiful sword flourish, and scoffed at Su Huan, “So it’s the defeated subordinate that the Immortal Venerable drove out back then!”
“Look at how cowardly you are, what are you afraid of? Since Immortal Venerable Fengqing could drive these notorious scoundrels to the Barren Realm ten thousand years ago, today I will ensure this one never returns!”
He looked at Nangong Yi, his eyes bright, like a large white dog that had scented prey, suppressing his excitement as he called out, with a hint of familiar anticipation, “Young Sect Master, let me go!”
He was just waiting for the Young Sect Master’s command before rushing out to slaughter everything.
As if provoked by his words, the white mist outside the barrier surged even more fiercely, constantly clashing with the sturdy barrier. The resulting golden light and dark ripples reflected in the small enclosed space, like the glow of a bonfire, igniting the slowly rising battle intent in his eyes.
Nangong Yi’s gaze softened slightly. He seemed reluctant to extinguish that passionate flame, but his words were a refusal: “No, it is too dangerous.”
He explained, “All disciples participating in the Immortal Sect Grand Assembly trial are newly promoted Golden Core disciples from various immortal sects over the past decade. However, a demon capable of crossing the Sea of No Delusion is far beyond what a mere Golden Core cultivator can handle.”
When sects usually encounter trespassing demons, they typically dispatch a Soul Transformation stage True Lord to lead the encirclement, perhaps bringing a few Golden Core disciples along for experience, but they would never send only Golden Core disciples to exterminate a demon.
Yue Jiusi was very obedient to Nangong Yi’s words. After hearing them, although his eyes still held a desire to try, he deflated and lowered his banner.
Su Huan, however, was stunned. He had initially thought that with Nangong Yi’s strength, he would choose the method of the three of them working together to kill the demon.
Nangong Yi noticed his thoughts, frowning slightly. Seemingly chastising Yue Jiusi, he was actually addressing both of them: “We cannot treat our lives as a joke.”
Upon hearing this, Su Huan glanced regretfully at the rolling white mist outside the barrier.
He could not kill the demon alone, and he absolutely could not lose his life here.
He then saw Nangong Yi hand him and Yue Jiusi each a teleportation talisman of at least Earth-grade. Nangong Yi then took out the crystalline teleportation water bead—issued to all participating disciples for life-saving purposes before the trial—and said, “This matter is of great importance. What we should do now is notify the True Lords as quickly as possible. After I leave, you two must immediately teleport out and inform the other disciples. Do not linger.”
As he spoke, he crushed the crystalline water bead at his waist without hesitation.
Su Huan was astonished, somewhat surprised that he would give up the chance to win the top spot and choose to forfeit… He could have let someone else go first.
—Yet nothing happened.
A hint of surprise flashed in Nangong Yi’s clear eyes. He quickly called out, “Jiusi.”
Yue Jiusi, seeing no teleportation formation appear, widened his eyes in disbelief. Hearing the Young Sect Master’s call, he immediately responded, crushing his own teleportation water bead. Still, nothing happened.
Su Huan collected his expression, a sense of gravity rising in his heart.
In the trial secret realm, restrictions were naturally placed on disciples using communication spells to prevent cheating.
The failure of the teleportation water beads meant that all disciples were trapped in the secret realm.
Or perhaps, someone wanted them dead.
This person must undoubtedly be a demon. But if it were only a demon, given the strict security of the Xuanji Sect, they would never find an opportunity to secretly alter the teleportation formation. The greatest possibility was that there was an insider within the immortal sects.
With a few rapid thoughts, Su Huan understood the key point but could not guess who the insider was.
Since he couldn’t guess, he wouldn’t dwell on it.
Su Huan gripped his sword and leaped up, looking at the turbulent, treacherous mist outside the barrier. Drawing his sword, he said, “Since this is the case, rather than waiting for death, we should find a way to save ourselves.”
Nangong Yi did not voice any further opposition. He simply nodded slightly and asked, “How do you plan to proceed?”
Su Huan calmly uttered two words: “Slay the demon.”
Yue Jiusi’s eyes lit up. “Good spirit, I like it!”
Su Huan glanced at him but said nothing.
Nangong Yi smiled faintly, pulling the Silver Square Sword from the ground. “Then we shall slay the demon.”
But where was the demon?
Su Huan didn’t know.
He could sense that the original form of this white mist might have been just ordinary morning fog, only becoming capable of eroding vitality like a demonic entity because it was tainted with a trace of demonic energy. It was not a true demon creature.
He had once read an ancient text in the library called The Chronicle of All Things, which recorded that true demon creatures were objects born alongside the Demon Race, accumulating over time. The stronger the demon, the stronger the accompanying demon creature, with the most exaggerated ones comparable to Nascent Soul stage Great Demons.
In the woods beneath their feet, their divine sense could not detect the presence of any demon or demon creature. The enemy had long since gone elsewhere.
Yue Jiusi was somewhat impatient. Before the barrier completely dissipated, he nearly stepped out into the broken golden light like a headless fly. Fortunately, Nangong Yi stopped him in time and pulled out an ancient, worn compass.
Nangong Yi said, “This object might be able to locate that demon.”
Su Huan formed a sword energy shield with his fingers before looking at the compass in Nangong Yi’s hand. As spiritual energy was slowly infused, the somewhat dull brass spoon handle shook wildly before slowly pointing in one direction—south.
Su Huan followed behind the two from the Xuanji Sect, pondering what he should do if they couldn’t defeat the demon later, when someone suddenly approached him.
“Hey, do you know the origin of my Young Sect Master’s Silver Square Sword?” Yue Jiusi leaned close and asked him in a low voice with a smile.
They had been walking south for most of the day, unable to find any trace of demonic energy. It was as if the demon had vanished into thin air after they left the Dense Forest.
Yue Jiusi was bored along the way, so he came to chat aimlessly with Su Huan. His eyes darted around and spotted the silver-glowing square sword in the Young Sect Master’s hand, so he casually started a conversation.
Before Su Huan could respond, he started talking on his own, his pride impossible to hide in his tone: “This is a peerless divine weapon personally forged by my Sword Clarity Sect Master, a unique immortal sword across the Seven Continents and Four Seas!”
Su Huan raised an eyebrow, cooperating with an exaggerated look of surprise. “Is that so? This sword is that powerful? It’s actually an immortal sword?”
Yue Jiusi’s desire to show off was satisfied. His face was beaming, and he stood tall and proud, as if the immortal sword belonged to him.
Thus, Su Huan was forced to learn that the materials alone for the Silver Square Sword had exhausted the heavenly treasures of the Seven Continents and Four Seas: Moon Frost Essence from Zhaoyue Continent, Immortal Mortal Bone from Huayao Continent, Buried Immortal Fruit from Yixian Continent, Star Devouring Iron from Liujin Continent, Merman Pearl from Penglai Continent, Dark Flame Mud from Tingmeng Continent, Ten Thousand Year Wood from Cangxuan Continent, the forbidden seawater from the Sea of No Delusion, the rarely found spiritual coral reef from the Boundless Sea, the fire within fire from the endless blaze of the Sea of No Extinction, and the unique light source jellyfish from the silent darkness of the Sea of No Light—all priceless spiritual materials.
He was also forced to learn that the sword in Yue Jiusi’s own hand was an Earth-grade spiritual sword forged by the Nangong Family Head using the South Star True Fire to smelt the best crimson gold jade from Liujin Continent for ten full years.
On the day Yue Jiusi’s parents formally presented the sword to him, they sighed, only hoping that he would always think thrice before acting when traveling. Once in the morning, once at noon, and once at dusk. Three times three equals nine, hence the name “Jiusi” (Nine Thoughts).
“But I always forget,” Yue Jiusi shrugged carelessly. “However, my father told me that the Young Sect Master is smarter than me, and since listening to the Young Sect Master is easier to understand than reflecting by myself, I just listen to the Young Sect Master.”
Nangong Yi sighed helplessly, “Jiusi, you cannot rely only on me. You must learn to think for yourself more.”
Yue Jiusi immediately jumped to his side, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him. “But I don’t like using my brain. I just want to keep listening to the Young Sect Master!”
Nangong Yi chuckled. “You really are something. What about Junior Sister Bai? You won’t be able to pursue her if you keep following me.”
Yue Jiusi froze, his pale face instantly flushing red. He stammered, “How did the Young Sect Master know I like Junior Sister…”
Dusk was approaching. The two from the Xuanji Sect flew low over the treetops. Su Huan trailed behind, neither too close nor too far, watching the intimately close pair, a hint of envy rising in his eyes.
Once upon a time, he too had been this close with someone, like the best friend in the world.
Unfortunately, that person was a moody lunatic.
Su Huan unconsciously touched the scabbard at his waist, and the ripples in his eyes completely receded.
He chose to break ties with that person five years ago and had never regretted it since.
Yet, as if by telepathy, the divine sense Su Huan had released suddenly swept over a small, extremely familiar object dropped in the grass.
Su Huan’s expression instantly tightened. “Wait, there’s something below.”
Nangong Yi and Yue Jiusi stopped and landed with him.
As soon as Su Huan landed, he saw that the lush green grass before him was messy, as if someone had rolled over it, the tips of the blades bent into indentations, looking somewhat wilted.
Suddenly, a Three-Tailed Fox Demon rushed out from the dense greenery, baring its sharp fangs at him, clutching a bead in its mouth—the small object Su Huan had sensed moments ago.
It was a light blue sphere, emitting a rich and pure spiritual energy, which was why it had attracted the beast’s covetousness.
The crystal-clear surface was covered in the demon beast’s sticky saliva, but he could clearly see the cracks on it, with traces of blood seeping inside.
The moment Su Huan saw it clearly, his light brown pupils contracted sharply.
This was Xiao Jianming’s Water Spirit Pearl.