Chapter 178: Vengeance is Justice

As soon as they stepped into the Wind Listening Pavilion, Bi Jie, who seemed quite familiar with the place, spoke directly:

“One Xuan-grade room.”

No sooner had he spoken than a servant appeared and led Lu Yan and Bi Jie up to the third floor.

Bi Jie and the attendant remained at the door, while Lu Yan stepped into a pitch-black secret chamber.

Inside, a figure cloaked head to toe in a black robe sat behind the counter. Its voice was slippery and indistinct as it asked:

“What information does sir wish to inquire about?”

With his Profound Union True Intent, Lu Yan could clearly perceive that neither the black-robed figure nor the surrounding darkness was real. The being he was conversing with wasn’t human at all—but a colossal squid covered in writhing tentacles.

It had secreted ink to cast the room in darkness, making it impossible to discern the truth with ordinary means. The figure before him was merely a puppet controlled by one of its tentacles, while the creature’s massive body lay hidden at the heart of the Wind Listening Pavilion, orchestrating everything.

A flicker of interest passed through Lu Yan’s eyes as he calmly stated:

“Li Family. Netherworld Envoy.”

Inside the Wind Listening Pavilion, the giant squid smiled, its slippery voice responding:

“Information regarding the Netherworld Envoy doesn’t come cheap.”

Lu Yan said nothing. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a chunk of bloodstained gold and tossed it to the black-robed puppet.

“Bloodgold of the Demons!”

The squid hissed with surprise, then its eyes gleamed with greed.

Bloodgold was gold long exposed to demonic blood. When held for extended periods, it would deepen one’s corruption and help Mortal-Shedding cultivators discard their mundane bodies.

According to what Bi Jie had said, just ten taels of bloodgold were enough to purchase a bottom-tier true technique limited to under a thousand practitioners. While low-grade, the fact that the technique was limited in practitioners meant it had potential to touch the True Intent of the Dao—an invaluable asset.

What Lu Yan had thrown was part of the gold left behind from the Urban Version, now soaked in demon blood—fifty taels in total.

“Not enough!” the squid said greedily. “The Netherworld is a mythical power, and its lord is suspected to be a Dao-Realm existence. Fifty taels of bloodgold isn’t enough to buy intel on one of their envoys.”

Lu Yan remained unfazed. He chuckled coldly:

“True, fifty taels won’t buy real intel on a Netherworld envoy—but the one in the Li Family is just a fake.”

The squid’s aura instantly froze. Its expression darkened.

“If you already knew, why bother coming to Wind Listening Pavilion?”

“Just verifying a few things. And testing if your Pavilion lives up to its name.”

After a brief pause, the squid rolled up a scroll with one of its tentacles and tossed it to Lu Yan.

He caught it and examined the contents.

In this Demon Version, the Li Family was markedly different from the Immortal and Urban variants. In those, Li Hao reigned supreme, suppressing his entire clan. But here, the family had three branches.

The main branch was indeed led by Li Hao, who was at peak Demonic Lord stage—the strongest in the family.

However, the second branch had two Demonic Lords, and even the third branch had one newly advanced expert.

Despite his strength, Li Hao couldn’t fully suppress the other two branches.

Half a year ago, during the Netherworld Turmoil, Li Hao had been the first to swear allegiance to the Netherworld gods, gaining fame and boosting the Li Family’s status to new heights—completely suppressing the second and third branches.

Yet this time, the incident regarding the so-called Netherworld Envoy originated not from Li Hao but from the second and third branches.

At the time, Li Hao was away in the imperial capital, presenting his family’s case. By the time he returned, the rumor had spread across the entire human realm.

Li Hao flew into a rage and scolded the other branches. It was said that a confrontation broke out at the Li Family estate. The details were unknown, but after that event, the family was thoroughly divided.

The Pavilion speculated that this Netherworld Envoy was likely a fake. The supposed banquet to honor the Netherworld’s might was nothing more than a joke arising from family infighting.

Even so, the thousand-year-old clans responded seriously. Even if Li Hao knew the envoy was fake, he had no choice but to play along for now.

After reading the scroll, Lu Yan exhaled in relief.

What he feared most was Li Hao conspiring with outside powers and staging a fake envoy to test the real Netherworld.

But if this was just internal power struggle, a few fools using a fake envoy to seize control, that was far more reassuring.

Although there were still uncertainties in the information, nothing suggested Li Hao had betrayed the Netherworld.

Lu Yan summoned a flame in his palm and burned the scroll to ash.

The squid, displeased, asked, “Anything else the esteemed guest desires?”

“Li Hao’s recent movements.”

The squid paused in thought, then said, “Ten taels of bloodgold.”

Without a word, Lu Yan threw another ten taels and received another scroll.

Just as he was about to leave, the squid suddenly said:

“Might the esteemed guest be interested in selling a spatial treasure? Wind Listening Pavilion offers premium rates.”

Lu Yan frowned and coldly replied, “No.”

As he strode toward the exit, the squid’s sticky voice echoed:

“Our Pavilion is a place of legitimate business. If you choose not to trade, we won’t force it.

“But should others come asking about the Li Family… your inquiries today might become part of our information stock.”

Lu Yan halted, turning back to glare at the disguised puppet.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Perish the thought,” the squid chuckled. “We only deal in fair trade. It’s just part of our business.”

Lu Yan’s gaze pierced through the building, locking onto the squid’s massive body.

The creature was at peak Foundation Establishment—not strong. If Lu Yan unleashed the Mystic Womb Gate with full force, he could obliterate it instantly.

But this was Luocheng. Countless factions lurked here. Though he couldn’t be sure whether Elder Abyssal Realm experts were present, there were definitely over a dozen Demonic Lords roaming the city.

If he struck here, it would draw far too much attention.

The squid had no idea Lu Yan was entertaining murder. In its view, Lu Yan, though wealthy, was nothing more than a minor player who hadn’t even comprehended True Intent.

If not for city laws, it would’ve long since killed him for treasure.

After a long silence, Lu Yan took out a low-grade grey storage pouch and tossed it to the puppet.

The squid cackled, voice thick with pleasure.

“A wise choice! Wind Listening Pavilion will seal all records of your visit today. No one will know what you inquired about.”

Lu Yan didn’t believe a word. He pushed open the now-visible door and left without looking back.

Inside the chamber, the squid fondled the pouch with its tentacles, murmuring:

“It’s not made from a demon’s spatial flesh… more like some kind of fabric?

“What a treasure! Truly a rare find!”

“If he gave this up so easily, maybe he has more…”

Outside, Lu Yan and Bi Jie melted into the bustling crowd.

Night fell.

Forbidden Ground, Mount Beimang.

The Li Family had long sealed off this area, especially the ruins at its core. Outsiders were strictly forbidden.

And there, at the heart of the ruins, stood an old man.

He wore a tattered Daoist robe, his face wrinkled with age but eyes black as the abyss. His beard flowed like mist, and a crimson cane twined with writhing vines rested in his hand. Wherever he walked, green ripples spread, and his shadow twisted with eerie energy.

He was none other than Li Hao, the Li Family Patriarch—peak Demonic Lord and Luocheng’s foremost expert.

Since the anomaly months ago, he had visited this site daily.

Every time, he hoped to glimpse signs of the Netherworld—but each time, he returned disappointed.

Half a year ago, when Mount Beimang’s forbidden ground emerged, it brought chaos and ghostly armies through Luocheng. As the leader of the city’s top clan, Li Hao had led the charge into the site.

There, he saw the legendary Netherworld Gods.

Craving opportunity, he willingly became the Blood God’s hound—and was granted the right to explore the Great Tomb of Beimang.

Every expedition ended in massacre. The gods of Beimang gave up their return, and a divine war broke out between ghost deities.

The clash was catastrophic, drawing even Heaven’s intervention.

In the end, the Netherworld Lord descended, erased Heaven’s interference, and departed with both ghost gods—leaving only legend behind.

Though the Netherworld left, the forbidden zone had treasures.

At first, with the Blood God’s name, the Li Family dominated its division—none dared contest.

But with the Netherworld silent, greedy clans began to stir, offering “alliances” Li Hao rejected.

Eventually, they incited Li Family’s other branches into rebellion, claiming the true Netherworld legacy lay with them—and forged a fake envoy.

This plunged Li Hao into a deadly bind.

Admit the envoy was fake? That would be blasphemy against the Netherworld. If they returned, he’d be executed.

Deny it? His clan’s prestige would shatter, and noble houses would attack.

“You claim divine backing—yet can’t even recognize an envoy? Traitors!”

With the real gods gone, and no way to prove the truth, Li Hao was cornered.

In just one month, everything fell apart.

“Three days until the banquet…” Li Hao’s eyes darkened.

As the mastermind behind the Li Family’s rise, how could he give up now?

He no longer hoped for Netherworld aid.

He had bet everything on this banquet. If the nobles forced him using this fake envoy, he would unleash his hidden card—consume them all—and attempt a breakthrough to the Abyssal Realm.

If he succeeded, even royal dynasties would be forced to acknowledge him.

If he failed—so be it.

“It’s a shame…” he muttered. “We could’ve soared on the gods’ wings…”

“But relying on others… was always too fragile.”

Suddenly, Li Hao turned, divine light bursting from his eyes toward a specific point in the forbidden zone.

“Who’s there?”

Layers of mist parted, revealing a man in a black robe—Lu Yan.

Using Profound Union True Intent, he’d bypassed every seal and arrived.

Now, he walked boldly toward Luocheng’s strongest man, face calm and fearless.

Seeing the black robe—woven from soul-calculating power—Li Hao’s eyes shrank, and his aura wavered.

He bowed low.

“May I ask who you are?”

Lu Yan said nothing. He simply studied the man before him.

After a pause, he smiled.

“The Blood God said he once tamed an old dog in the human world… and asked me to check up on it.”

Li Hao dropped to his knees.

“Li Hao, the old dog, greets the honored envoy!”

Lu Yan chuckled.

“You’re not afraid of mistaking me for someone else?”

“I had the honor of witnessing the divine battle. Your aura is identical to the Blood God’s. I would never forget it!”

“Excellent!” Lu Yan clapped.

“But to prove loyalty… barking twice won’t suffice.”

Li Hao instantly understood.

“I await your command, my lord!”

Lu Yan smiled coldly.

“Nothing major. Just a little thief who’s been eyeing my belongings.”

Half a moment later, thunder echoed across Luocheng.

“The Wind Listening Pavilion harbors demons—its crimes are unforgivable!”

A colossal hand descended from the sky, enveloping the entire pavilion.

The void twisted as wailing souls screamed, their cries woven into the palm.

The copper bells of the pavilion trembled, preparing to summon a demonic spirit—but in mere seconds, they shattered. The nine-story building collapsed in a roar.

Inside, the squid demon barely had time to wail before being obliterated beneath Demonic Lord might.

(End of Chapter)