Chapter 88: Pure Yang Furnace, Meeting Qingzhu Again

Ning Xuan’s Yang Soul lingered, weaving and winding before entering the depths of the Shanmo Sect’s dwellings. Descending the steps into a dark space, it drilled into a cage, into the body of a newly deceased person. Then, its five fingers moved, breaking the shackles, tearing open the cage, and walking out.

The Yang Soul could not last long, thus it needed to possess a body.

It was a man who looked like a caravan guard. Perhaps he hadn’t believed in the Shanmo Sect like the others, so he was deemed a heretic and locked in the underground prison. There were tight ligature marks on his neck, and in a corner not far away lay a broken necklace.

After possessing the body, Ning Xuan took the necklace and, along with the filthy clothes, threw them into the oasis lake to wash them clean.

The man was very young.

The necklace held a palm-sized portrait.

The portrait was of a woman, smiling happily.

Painters who created such portraits were common on the streets of the prefectural city, not rare.

However, he had not fused with the man’s memories, so he didn’t know who this woman was.

After bathing, he shook his body. With a thought from his Yang Soul, steam rose from his entire being. With a pinch of his fingers, the broken necklace was re-fused. He carefully put it around his neck.

Ning Xuan, wearing tattered but clean linen clothes, turned his head to look at the old woman with her back to him not far away, and said, “It’s done.”

Han Yin, or rather, Hantan Laolao, was naturally no longer a young girl.

But upon hearing the voice, she turned her head. Her aged eyes looked at the young man walking out, and then she revealed a youthful smile.

A person who had walked through nearly two hundred years of time always had a special feeling for someone who had also experienced the vicissitudes of life.

In the young man’s eyes, she saw ancientness… loneliness… and love.

Besides, in this day and age, the martial path of sects had long been replaced by “devouring demon pills.” This was even more proof, proof that the man with the “twelve golden patterns” just now was a mythical expert from the Five Poisons Sect’s past.

After all, although the man had twelve golden patterns, Han Yin had sensed the five powers belonging to the Five Poisons Sect on him.

“I didn’t expect that our sect still has a senior alive.”

Han Yin smiled. She took a few steps forward and bowed again.

She remembered bowing just like this when she first entered the Five Poisons Sect’s mountain gate.

She suddenly realized that the prosperity of the ancient times might not have truly ended.

Wasn’t this senior still here?

Ning Xuan looked at this radical faction’s village chief. He understood her misunderstanding but didn’t explain. Instead, he smiled self-deprecatingly, “My memories are all lost, and my body has fallen to such a state.”

Han Yin said, “Han Yin, the nineteenth-generation disciple of the Five Poisons Sect, greets Senior. I wonder if Senior still remembers your name?”

Ning Xuan said, “I come from ancient times. Here there is a desert and an oasis, so I shall be called Gu Mozhou.”

He said it with great ease.

A name was just for addressing, just so one wouldn’t have to say “that one, that one” when calling someone. As for what it was called, what did it matter?

He was free and easy, and so was Han Yin.

This old lady particularly liked this kind of ease.

In this ease, she saw a kind of逍遥 (xiāoyáo – carefree, unrestrained) freedom of the ancient sects.

“Senior Gu.”

She bowed and then said, “My lifespan is almost at its end. Is there anything else I can do for Senior Gu?”

Ning Xuan said, “Help me recover.”

Han Yin said cheerfully, “Alright! I still have a Poison Yuan Human Shedding in my hand, from my former master’s master. It’s just right for you to use. However, that human shedding is in the hands of my disciple, A Sui. He has been gone for a long time. We need to find him first.”

Ning Xuan said, “No rush. I have forgotten many things, many powers. I have even forgotten where I came from and where I am going. I don’t even know what kind of world this is now.”

As he spoke, he paused, bowed deeply to Han Yin without any airs, and said, “I ask Miss Han to not be stingy with her teachings.”

Han Yin was stunned for a moment, looking strangely at this mysterious expert.

Although this expert’s Yang Soul Body was only at the early stage of the fourth grade, it was indeed the Yang Soul Body praised as the “Nine-Five Supreme, Supreme True Yang.”

Han Yin became even more certain in her heart: this was some old monster, who had probably been in a deep sleep through some secret technique until now, his realm greatly fallen, and his memories all gone.

“For this junior to meet Senior at the end of my life is truly a great fortune. This junior will definitely tell you everything I know. I wonder where Senior Gu would like to start?”

“First, teach me the power you used to seal the Taiyin Ghost just now.”

“That power was actually likely created by someone like Senior. It’s called the ‘Pure Yang Furnace.’ It gathers the yang of the whole body into one, turning it into a furnace to contain yin qi, then annihilates it, returning it to heaven and earth. The Taiyin Ghost will then return to its original state of formation.”

As Ning Xuan listened, a thought suddenly moved in his heart, and he asked, “This furnace, can it refine treasures?”

“Treasures? Heh… for us martial artists, the body itself is the ultimate treasure. Where is the need for external treasures?” Han Yin was extremely proud.

Ning Xuan looked at her with a calm expression.

Under the senior’s gaze, Han Yin lowered her head and said, “Actually, it’s because our world doesn’t have good metals. Even if we refined them, it would be useless, so no one refines them anymore…

Later, the Incense Fire World connected, and we discovered that the demon Bodhisattvas there had taken another path.

They use treasures but are not good at cultivation techniques.

Because there are many treasures, even an ordinary small demon, as long as it holds a powerful magic treasure, can harm our experts.

So… we lost.

Now, the Divine Armament Camp in the imperial capital also has a passage connecting to the Incense Fire World. Through that passage, one can go to a special mineral vein in the Incense Fire World and collect some special metals that can be used to refine magic treasures.

The Divine Armament Camp will of course take risks to collect some special metals, and they are already able to refine simple treasures to supply to outside martial artists.

However, it’s a martial artist tradition, no one refines treasures…

But if one must say, no matter how fierce an ordinary fire is, how can it compare to the furnace of one’s own pure yang qi?

Perhaps we are too rigid. We should also accept new things.”

Han Yin dared not mislead such a great senior.

Ning Xuan said, “I ask Teacher Han to teach me the Pure Yang Furnace.”

Han Yin smiled, “Senior Gu, no need to be polite. Please listen to me slowly.”

—

“Did the young master not catch any fish today either?” Matron Qin smiled.

“Who says?” the Yin Soul Ning Xuan said, skillfully buying a big fat fish from the fish market and throwing it into the fish basket.

Old Man Lan Yu carried the fish basket and followed beside Ning Xuan, heading towards the Ning Mansion together.

When they were in a place with no one around, Old Man Lan Yu said, “The young master must have encountered a bottleneck, right?”

The Yin Soul Ning Xuan remained silent.

Old Man Lan Yu said, “Absorbing yang qi to seek completeness is no better than one’s own body’s yang qi. An anomaly like the young master is truly hard to find in a thousand years. The young master must not give up, must not be anxious.”

This speech seemed like the earnest guidance of an elder concerned for a junior, but in reality, it was filled with intense malice.

If Ning Xuan really listened to him and did as he said, he would soon find himself on the verge of exhaustion and have to stop cultivating. Then his body would be weak, his realm breakthrough would be shelved, and he would be in a dilemma, stuck before the fourth-grade Life-Establishing Realm.

As for the problem?

He was already an anomaly hard to find in a thousand years. Why would he still fail?

Perhaps his efforts were not enough, perhaps he was anxious, perhaps his talent was not good enough.

In short, Old Man Lan Yu could say anything.

At that time, not only would his realm be unable to break through, but even his state of mind would collapse.

There was no greater way to obstruct the path and execute the heart.

But Ning Xuan had known this long ago.

Not only did he know, but he had also found the opportunity for his Yin Soul to break through to the fourth grade through continuous trial and error in the nightmare world. It could be said… if he wanted to, he could enter the fourth grade right away.

Matron Qin nudged Old Man Lan Yu and whispered, “Don’t say any more. Can’t you see the young master is in a bad mood?”

She seemed to be comforting, but was actually fanning the flames, branding a feeling of “breakthrough failure, cultivation failure, and melancholy” in Ning Xuan’s heart.

“Does the young master drink?” Old Man Lan Yu suddenly asked.

Then, he laughed heartily, “This old man also likes to drink. When I was single-handedly holding back the demon tide, wasn’t I carrying a big wine gourd? Sometimes, a single drink can dispel a thousand sorrows. Free and unrestrained, what worries are there in the world?”

Ning Xuan paused his steps.

He was a little curious why these Taiyin Ghosts insisted on obstructing his cultivation.

“How about it, young master?” Old Man Lan Yu asked.

Ning Xuan sighed lightly, “Forget it. Xuanxue is still young and can’t stand the smell of alcohol. I won’t drink.”

He appeared extremely melancholic.

Old Man Lan Yu and Matron Qin were very satisfied.

—

“Taiyin Ghosts are born from resentment and yin qi. They are born malicious and extreme. Even if they wear clothes and follow the appearance of the clothes’ previous life, gaining a bit of humanity, that humanity is not theirs.”

“Taiyin Ghosts cannot be killed, but they can be returned to their original state of formation by the Pure Yang Furnace. However, their yin qi is too abundant, and the yang qi required to use the Pure Yang Furnace is too much. Once activated, it often ends in mutual destruction.

A hundred years ago…

Many of my fellow disciples perished together with Taiyin Ghosts in this way.

Unfortunately, while my fellow disciples fell and died, the Taiyin Ghosts, after recovering, crawled back from the Taiyin Ghost Realm, changed into new clothes, and began a new cultivation.

The ghost Senior saw just now was a Corpse-Sewing Ghost.

Senior, don’t look at it as just being at the early stage of the fourth grade now. A hundred years ago, it had reached the late stage of the fourth grade.”

Han Yin and Ning Xuan walked together.

Han Yin talked eloquently.

She had consumed a great deal just now. If she originally had eight or nine years of life left, after that ordeal, she had at most a few months left.

However, she was still very happy.

After telling Ning Xuan the method of the “Pure Yang Furnace,” she began to talk about realms.

Ning Xuan asked, “Is the late stage of the fourth grade a remarkable realm?”

“It is.” Han Yin showed a look of reminiscence, then said, “Cultivation is actually not that mysterious.

If the fourth-grade Life-Establishing is the divide between immortal and mortal.

Then the fifth-grade Foundation-Building is where all paths converge, standing at the foot of the Great Dao mountain, climbing along the same path.

Before the fifth grade, demons, ghosts, and monsters all have their own characteristics, their own cultivation methods. But once they reach the fifth grade, everyone steps onto the same cultivation path.

Therefore, for a better foundation, the late stage of the fourth-grade Life-Establishing has become a particularly important stage.

This stage is especially important for Taiyin Ghosts.”

Ning Xuan asked, “Why?”

Han Yin said, “Because once they cross this realm, Taiyin Ghosts will have a lifespan and will no longer be ghosts. Therefore, they will definitely make very thorough preparations for a better foundation.

Taiyin Ghosts have a long lifespan. They can easily spend decades, or even hundreds of years, for this preparation.”

Ning Xuan said, “Then what if a Taiyin Ghost falls after reaching the fifth grade?”

Han Yin said, “Then they will, like humans, be reincarnated and go through the cycle of rebirth. However, I know very little about that realm.”

With that, Han Yin added, “In today’s world, it is actually the Taiyin Ghosts who are in power. They want to turn the entire world into a greenhouse for them to harvest resources.

Zixia Temple is just a part of the Zixia Sacred Sect. This temple should be specifically for Taiyin Ghosts to use to break through to the fifth grade.”

“I see.”

Ning Xuan nodded slightly, “Miss Han is very knowledgeable. You have really opened my eyes.”

Han Yin was stunned and quickly waved her hand, “You have only forgotten these things. It is I who have been showing off my meager skills in front of Senior.”

As Ning Xuan listened, for some reason, he suddenly thought of that mysterious mother-in-law.

The mother-in-law’s behavioral logic was very consistent with the standard of “spending decades to reach the fifth grade.”

Han Yin continued to talk eloquently, “Although Senior is only at the early stage of the fourth-grade Life-Establishing now, you have the foundation of the Supreme True Yang. With this foundation, cultivation will be ten times more effective with half the effort, a thousand li in a day.

The yang qi in the Poison Yuan Human Shedding is enough to provide Senior with a small portion of yang qi.

But if Senior is compatible, then it might be a large portion, or even all the yang qi needed to step into the middle stage of Life-Establishing.”

Ning Xuan asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Han Yin said, “There is a problem with the Poison Yuan Human Shedding. That is, a wisp of the human shedding senior’s remnant soul may still exist in its core. That remnant soul is not enough to possess a body, but it is enough to merge with a human soul.

But that remnant soul will not easily merge with others, unless the one absorbing the Poison Yuan Human Shedding is extremely compatible with this human shedding senior in terms of personality and character, that is, soul compatibility. Only then will the remnant soul actively come out and merge with the user’s body with all its power.

If it can be completely fused, then the power in this Poison Yuan Human Shedding is enough to take Senior from the early stage of the fourth-grade Life-Establishing all the way to the middle stage, and make the yang qi required for the middle stage completely perfect. All that’s left is a Life-Establishing wondrous object to break through to the late stage of the fourth-grade Life-Establishing, and then begin preparations for breaking through to the fifth grade.

Our Five Poisons Sect has survived to this day, with only one sect left, and only two Poison Yuan Human Sheddings.

The one in my hand is from my former master’s master. My master’s master was a person of integrity and righteousness, with a great spirit of sacrifice, able to bear humiliation for the sect. I thought I could be compatible with my master’s master, but I failed.

There is another one, in the hands of the traitor of our sect, Lan Yu. Its whereabouts are unknown.

His… is from an anomalous master of our sect.

That master was known as the Five Poisons Demoness in her youth, a femme fatale. She seemed pure and innocent, but in reality… in short, that master once caused the geniuses of several major sects to fight over her with jealousy. So that human shedding can only provide some yang qi for stable replenishment. No one can inherit it.”

The two talked and chatted.

From time to time, Han Yin also gave pointers on the use of the “Pure Yang Furnace.”

This “Pure Yang Furnace” was not a cultivation technique, but just a secret art, the kind that you know once you understand it.

But not every fourth-grade martial artist could use the “Pure Yang Furnace.”

The so-called five yangs make one furnace.

Five Yang patterns were needed to manifest one “Pure Yang Furnace.”

As for Ning Xuan.

Nine-five, in theory, could manifest “nine suns in the sky,” nine Pure Yang Furnaces, which was the limit of this art.

The sun gradually set.

Along the way, Han Yin had also given Ning Xuan many pointers, at least letting him see the path ahead and know the general cultivation methods for the future.

As for the inheritance, Han Yin had stayed behind to die. How could she carry it with her?

“That boy A Sui runs fast,” Han Yin smiled with relief. “If he were born in our era, he could at least be an inner sect disciple.”

The evening wind blew gently. The temperature in the desert began to drop sharply, from scorching heat to cold.

But neither Han Yin nor Ning Xuan intended to stop. They strode across the desert, running.

From time to time, Han Yin would look at the man beside her. She was a little excited in her heart, but unfortunately… she could not accompany this senior any further on this journey.

Just then, without any warning, the sky lit up.

An incomparably dazzling golden light lit up the moonlit sky, illuminating the snow-like desert in a golden yellow.

A familiar light, a familiar pressure, descended upon the long sky.

Ning Xuan looked up.

He saw a sky-covering, golden, glittering palm above his head.

And above that palm stood a purple-robed beautiful woman.

The woman looked very familiar, with a seven-tenths resemblance to his own wife.

Ning Xuan had never thought he would meet his mother-in-law again here.

But the difference was, last time his mother-in-law had come to save him. This time… it was to kill him, or rather, to kill Han Yin.

“Heh, so there’s a great expert at the bottom of the deck.”

“A middle-stage fourth-grade Heavenly Master’s clothing, a Ghost Mother half a step away from the fifth grade…”

Han Yin’s level was clearly much higher than Lan Yu’s. With just one look, she saw the foundation. Then she looked at the man beside her and only said, “Goodbye, Senior Gu.”

She knew Senior Gu would definitely leave.

A martial artist should not waste their life in a meaningless place.

Sometimes… leaving requires more courage than staying.

After saying this, she opened her arms.

Her figure began to expand again, one zhang, two zhang, three zhang…

Her skin became smooth and round again, like that of a virgin…

Her old face regained its youth, turning into the pretty face of a young girl with flushed cheeks, filled with the excitement of first entering the mountain gate, her eyes full of hope and longing for the future…

She straightened her back, held her head high, raised her hands high, and blocked the sky-covering giant hand. A sneer appeared on her lips, a sneer that was clearly defeated, clearly should have been like a stray dog, clearly about to die, yet still disdainful and contemptuous.

“This old lady is not of Lan Yu’s ilk. This time, I will definitely make you return empty-handed!!”

*Bang!*

*Bang!*

Two hands raised high, crashing against the giant hand falling from the sky.

This was the last scene Ning Xuan saw.

After this scene, he returned to the place where his Yin Soul was through the Twin Life Curse’s soul return.

—

Fragrant fish soup floated with finely chopped green onions, the rising steam blurring one’s vision.

Sister-in-law Yun Yi smiled, “Uncle, are you about to fish all the big fish in that lake dry?”

Ning Xuan smiled, “Tianhu and Xuanxue should be able to start trying fish soup, right?”

Lu Xuezhi held the soundly sleeping baby girl in her arms, “If she deigns to wake up, she should be able to drink it.”

Ning Xuan glanced at the empty seat beside him.

He seemed completely unaffected by the shocking scene just now.

He seamlessly switched back to daily life.

After all, he wasn’t really some senior from an ancient sect.

Even if he saw a truly hot-blooded martial artist generously go to their death, he wouldn’t feel a thing.

“Is Big Brother still busy?”

“Yes.”

Yun Yi was clearly sad in her heart, but she pretended to be indifferent, “He said the Demon Slaying Division is escorting a demon through the territory. He needs to send people to assist and keep watch all the way, in case something happens to the escorted demon. Because this time it’s a third-grade great demon, so he has to go and watch it himself.”

“Big Brother is really busy, unlike me… I’m free now.”

Ning Xuan ladled fish soup, soaked his rice, and started eating.

As he ate, the oil droplets on the fish soup rice suddenly dispersed. A large patch of oil on top was like the sky-covering hand, and the swirling underneath was like the young girl raising her hand to block the falling sky.

His movements paused. He closed his eyes, then quickly started eating again.

A middle-stage fourth-grade Heavenly Master’s clothing, a Ghost Mother half a step away from the fifth grade…

So, he wasn’t that far from his mother-in-law.

—

A month later.

At the border of Leizhou and the Western Regions was a majestic pass—Quehai Pass.

As its name suggested, every spring, a large number of birds would rest here. But this was not the birds’ final destination; they still needed to continue north.

It was spring now.

There were many birds at Quehai Pass.

One by one they flew in, and one by one they either perched on branches, or stood on the city walls, or… some carrion-eating birds would even flap their wings and pounce on the center of the city wall to gnaw on a corpse that was already full of holes.

The corpse was hard to gnaw. Even a sharp-beaked bird needed to peck for a long time to get a shred of meat.

The corpse was not severely decomposed; one could clearly identify the human form.

It was an old woman.

The old woman was covered in blood. Her corpse had been hanging here for a full month.

No one knew who this old woman was, what great crime she had committed, or why she was hung in such a place.

But the order from above was that the carrion-eating birds were not to be disturbed.

A traveler leading a camel walked through Quehai Pass. He went to the city guard official and began to process his travel document.

The official took the travel document.

The traveler adjusted his bamboo hat and straw raincoat, his chubby face wearing a silly smile.

The land of Leizhou was never not wet. Even if it stopped for a while, a downpour would soon follow.

“Cheng Liangzhi, merchant, going to the Western Regions to sell some small trinkets,” the official read, his gaze then sweeping over a large cloth bag on the camel. He walked over, roughly opened it, and glanced inside. It was all tea and silk.

The traveler smiled apologetically, “A small business.”

The official was about to find fault when he suddenly felt a cold touch in his hand.

He felt it, looked at it. It was silver.

He weighed it again. It was enough.

“The Western Regions are not peaceful. Once you’re out of this pass, take care of yourself!” The official went back to his seat, sat down with a plop, stamped the travel document, and handed it to the lone merchant without looking. Then he waved his hand impatiently, “Go quickly.”

The traveler left the pass and mounted his camel.

As he passed through the gate, he looked up at the hanging corpse like an ordinary passerby, then gasped in fear and quickly rode away…

He sat between the camel’s humps, suddenly looked back, and with the wind, spat out a red cloud. The red cloud floated over and soon reached the old woman’s corpse, setting it on fire.

A clamor arose in Quehai Pass.

“Put out the fire, put out the fire quickly! This is a criminal. She must be hung for three full months, or until she becomes a skeleton, before it can stop.”

“Quick, put out the fire!”

But, no matter how much water was poured, the fire would not go out.

The old woman’s body also slowly turned to ashes in the flames…

Someone seemed to have noticed something unusual. A cavalry unit quickly left the pass and pursued into the distance, but the merchant on the camel had already disappeared without a trace.

—

The Yang Soul Ning Xuan had walked a long way.

When he saw Han Yin’s corpse, he knew his mother-in-law had failed.

Han Yin had not been made into clothing. She had died, her lifespan exhausted, and had disappeared completely from this world.

The corpse was hung there to vent anger, and also to fish…

After all, the ancient sects still had people, not just the Five Poisons Sect.

When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves. Other sects would surely have people who recognized Han Yin.

Seeing Han Yin’s fate, they would surely take some action.

However, since he could escape at any time using the Twin Life Curse, then… he also wanted to do some fishing.

He wanted to meet some more people from the ancient sects, partly to find opportunities to become stronger, and partly to see if those people had any plans…

After all, along the way, he had also come to understand.

A world dominated by humans would be a little better.

So, he burned Han Yin’s corpse and then quickly headed west.

He walked for three days and three nights.

When he felt tired, he saw a small wooden house in the dusk.

The wooden house was very new, as if just built.

A middle-aged man with a bushy beard and a dignified appearance was sitting on top of the wooden house, playing a flute.

He held his head high, facing the setting sun, his back straight.

Ning Xuan took a few more steps forward and smelled the aroma of meat.

The aroma of beef, with many spices added, yet it did not overpower the original taste of the beef, but only enhanced it.

He walked to the front of the small wooden house and saw at a glance a large cauldron in the courtyard, filled with beef. Under the cauldron, the firewood had not yet burned out.

Beside the cauldron were jars of fine wine.

After seeing him arrive, the dignified middle-aged man put down his flute. A strange look of gratitude appeared in his eyes, and then he said, “The meat is just cooked. Do you dare to eat it?”

Ning Xuan smiled and shook his head.

The dignified middle-aged man was stunned for a moment, then leaped down, reached into the boiling soup of the large cauldron, and scooped out a piece of beef bone. He feasted on the meat and bone, quickly eating it clean, then patted his belly and asked, “How about now?”

Ning Xuan glanced at the desert outside the wooden house, “People who dare to eat things randomly here are probably already under the sand.”

The dignified middle-aged man laughed heartily and slapped his thigh, “Damn it, so cautious. Are you really Senior Sister Han’s disciple?”

With that, he said, “Come, come, your method of Yang Soul possession is also rare. Come out of the skin and let me have a look, see what level you’re at.”

Ning Xuan said, “I think you should reveal your identity first. You know what I did, and you specially set up a banquet here to wait for me. Who are you?”

The dignified middle-aged man said, “When I was still in the Five Poisons Sect, I was Senior Sister Han’s follower. Later, my methods were despicable and my personality extreme, so I went to seek another path.”

He closed his eyes slightly, “Originally, I was going to have my martial arts crippled and be expelled from the sect. It was Senior Sister Han who protected me, she vouched for me. She, that person, is always so easily empathetic with others, saying things like she believes in me.”

Ning Xuan said, “Then you didn’t know about the Shanmo Sect? Didn’t know your Senior Sister Han was trapped for a year?”

The dignified middle-aged man said, “But that was fishing. Whoever went would be finished. Living to this age, it’s not that I cherish my life, but that it’s meaningless.

And, actually, if it weren’t for an accident, Senior Sister Han’s branch would not have had any trouble at all…”

Ning Xuan said, “The day your Senior Sister Han had her accident, you were nearby?”

The dignified middle-aged man said, “I didn’t get close.”

“So you were there?”

“I was.”

“Why didn’t you get close?”

“Because I suddenly discovered that a friend of mine from the past was just a piece of clothing.” The dignified middle-aged man laughed hoarsely, “A person of such peerless elegance, was actually just a piece of clothing…”

“Ruan Qingzhu?” Ning Xuan’s brow twitched.

The dignified middle-aged man was silent for a moment, “Yes.”

Immediately, he said, “I knew Senior Sister Han would have an accident, and I knew only she would have an accident. The time of her accident was when the Poison Yuan Human Shedding was unsealed, and the departure of the Shanmo Sect gave her the opportunity to unseal the human shedding.

So, I had already made arrangements. I came, I planned to save Senior Sister Han.

But I was careless, I misjudged, I guessed wrong.

This time, Zixia Temple’s actions were very unusual. They sent many people. These people not only wanted to capture Senior Sister Han, but also the other two rising stars of the Five Poisons Sect who had just entered the fourth grade.

This was too unusual.

Ruan Qingzhu was just there to hold the line. Her level among the Taiyin Ghosts should be very high, but she actually came to hold the line personally.”

“A Sui and Han Yao were both captured?”

“They were captured. The rest are fine.”

“So, who are you?” Ning Xuan asked.

The dignified middle-aged man looked at him quietly. In an instant, he opened his mouth and spat out a red spider whose lower body was completely wrapped in a blood mist. The red spider only had its head exposed, which was very unusual. Amidst the swirling blood mist, five white-gold Yang patterns could be vaguely seen.

Clearly, this was the dignified middle-aged man’s Yang Soul Body.

Five Yang patterns meant he had cultivated six powers.

The five powers of the Five Poisons were successfully linked. He had sought another path and obtained another power, and this power had actually linked up with the previous five.

It had to be said, this was truly brilliant and outstanding.

The dignified middle-aged man was also quite pleased.

The red spider’s Yang Soul Body carried a calm confidence as it said in a deep voice, “Use your Yang Soul Body to prove your identity. Let’s be honest with each other.

As long as your Yang Soul Body comes out, then even if there is still a Yin Soul hidden, it can be seen clearly and no longer be blurry.

You see, my body is empty. I am not a Taiyin Ghost, and I have no incense fire aura. I am not a demon believer either.”

With that, he said, “Your turn.”

Ning Xuan closed his eyes. A fiery red figure walked out from the body of the fake merchant.

A tender Red Lotus Child, with twelve Yang patterns on its brow, just like a blazing twelve-petaled red lotus.

The Red Lotus Child asked, “Is this enough proof?”

His question was not met with a response, because the red spider was already stunned.

As long as one still practiced martial arts, no one would not be stunned.

The red spider stared fixedly at the twelve Yang patterns on the Red Lotus Child’s brow, as if counting.

He counted again and again.

Finally, he returned to his body and said, “Shi Tianqing, the Great General of Qingzhou Dao.

You are not Senior Sister Han’s disciple. Senior Sister Han could not teach such a prodigy.

You are more like a myth, a legend from the most prosperous time of the sect, recorded in the annals of history.

Who are you?”

“Gu Mozhou,” Ning Xuan said. “As for the story between me and Miss Han, please listen to me slowly.”

When communicating with Han Yin, this identity might still be subject to scrutiny.

But now, with the endorsement of the “deceased Han Yin,” it was… basically guaranteed to be authentic.

—

*Author’s Note: I really couldn’t manage the explosive update yesterday. My apologies.*