Malevolent Spirit Sect, on the peak of the back mountain far from Little Bamboo Peak, inside a stone cave, two old men were sitting cross-legged facing each other at this moment. One was tall, dressed in gray sackcloth, with hair as white as snow and a face like a baby's. The other was in a green robe, with a head of black hair, looking to be about fifty years old, with bright eyes and sword-like eyebrows, fair skin, and quite handsome.
"Senior Brother Da Cen, do you know about the matter of the three sects of the Ten-Pace Courtyard?" the green-robed man asked with a smile, looking at the sackcloth-clad old man.
"Mo Qing, did you come just for this matter? Peng Wuxing sent me a message about this three months ago. At that time, I thought we should observe for a while longer. I wanted to see how those old fellows from the secret realm would handle it. A few days ago, I received another message from Wuxing. I know the current situation. Could it be that something has changed now?" the sackcloth-clad old man called Da Cen said slowly, but his eyes glinted with a cold light.
"There's no change, it's still the same news. I just wanted to discuss the reactions of those from the secret realm with Senior Brother and see if there's any way to take advantage of it. Now we are in the same position as them.
"Hmph, but for the three sects to go to such great lengths to cut off even the Qi Condensation stage disciples of our sect's younger generation, I never thought those old fellows Fuyao, Beidao, and Liaoxing would become more and more regressive as they live on. Do they really think my Malevolent Spirit Sect has no temper?" The face of the man called Mo Qing was as calm as an ancient well, but his tone slowly became somewhat cold.
"Wuxing should have also notified Zhu Luan and Mo Gu about this. Actually, I had a rough idea about this matter back then. When those little dolls from the Supreme Mystery Teachings came to the entrance of our sect's secret realm, I had already noticed that their auras were not right. I just felt that it was fine for Wuxing and the others to handle it. I never thought the three sects would pay such a high price for this, planning for more than two hundred years, only to lose everything in this one battle," Da Cen said, narrowing his eyes.
"Heh heh, Senior Brother, you did nothing wrong. The affairs of the sect must be shouldered by Yan Longzi and the others. However, I heard that this time it was a little fellow who had been in the sect for only a few years who broke the other party's scheme. It doesn't seem to have much to do with Wuxing and the others. It seems we still need to knock some sense into them. It's not enough to just be cautious in everything; you also need to have backup plans. They were really a bit arrogant to go to the secret realm with just eight Golden Core cultivators. If a real fight had broken out then, without the demonic cultivators interfering, did they really think they could fight one against ten? Hmph!" a solemn expression appeared on Mo Qing's face.
Da Cen nodded. When had the Malevolent Spirit Sect ever been one to suffer a loss?
"Oh, I hear that little fellow who broke the scheme also has the Fragmented Poison Body?" Mo Qing said, pausing for a moment. Thinking of the result of the secret realm, a smile appeared on his face.
"You see, the three of you have always been like this about the affairs of the sect, yet you let me guard the sect. You all act as if you're not concerned with worldly affairs, yet you have the cheek to ask," Da Cen said with a look of displeasure upon hearing Mo Qing's question.
Hearing this, Mo Qing couldn't help but look embarrassed. It seemed the three of them had really wronged this senior brother.
"Senior Brother, don't be angry. Starting from next month, the three of us will take turns guarding the sect for three hundred years. Senior Brother can also have a period of focused cultivation."
Da Cen showed no expression at these words, just snorted lightly. But soon, as if remembering something, he said with a smile.
"However, I have seen that little fellow twice. He's a bit interesting. If I say he has miscellaneous spirit roots and is about to establish his foundation, would you believe me?"
"Oh? The one who broke the three sects' secret plot this time is really that person with the Fragmented Poison Body who entered the sect a few years ago? Yan Longzi did mention this matter briefly a few years ago. I hear that when this person entered the sect, both Zhu Luan and Mo Gu wanted to see him if they weren't in a death seclusion. But the two of them never came out, so the matter was delayed. Heh heh, me too, heh heh, I only came out of seclusion this year, so I had forgotten about this matter.
"What? He has miscellaneous spirit roots? How is that possible? One of our sect's three great poison bodies was obtained by a person with such inferior aptitude?" As Mo Qing listened, he couldn't help but be stunned. Although he knew that the one who broke the scheme this time was the one with the Fragmented Poison Body, he had never expected his cultivation aptitude to be so low.
"What? Can't someone with such spirit roots obtain a great fortune? Who made that rule? You? Or that damn old heaven?" When Da Cen heard this, his smiling face tightened, and a hint of displeasure appeared in an instant, like a child's.
Seeing Da Cen's face change in an instant, Mo Qing was first stunned, then smiled wryly. "Alright, alright, Senior Brother, don't be angry. Your junior brother apologizes to you. I seem to have forgotten, this child should be the disciple-in-name that Zhongran took in, right? So he should be your direct grand-disciple. I did overlook that. Your lineage is just like that. You can flip your face in an instant. Besides you, only that person can control Zhongran. Now it's good, this practice has been passed down to the third generation." Mo Qing gave a wry smile and repeatedly cupped his hands. He and the other two had a big headache with this senior brother, and by extension, with this entire Little Bamboo Peak lineage.
Seeing Mo Qing like this, Da Cen snorted lightly and finally let it go, his expression softening a bit.
Mo Qing shook his head, but still asked, "Senior Brother Da Cen, does this child really have miscellaneous spirit roots?" his face held a trace of solemnity.
Da Cen naturally knew what he meant. The power of the three great poison bodies, one could tell just by looking at Zhu Luan and Mo Gu. He was also very wary of the poison skills of these two junior brothers. What's more, Li Yan possessed the most bizarre of the three great poison bodies, the Fragmented Poison Body. Mo Qing's question meant he wanted to know how far Li Yan could go on the path of cultivation. Otherwise, it would be a great pity.
"He really does have miscellaneous spirit roots. Although I have only observed him from a distance twice, I can be sure of this. But it is also strange. Although he has miscellaneous spirit roots, the spirit power in his body is abnormally vigorous and thick, about two to three times that of a cultivator of the same level. I have also had Zhongran come and ask. He said that after personally probing with his spirit power, he is indeed a miscellaneous spirit root, and the five elements are mixed. He cultivates the Myriad Essence Art. We both know that this cultivation method is extremely ordinary. Its greatest feature is that it cultivates all five elements and embraces all things. To have this result now, I am also at a loss. I have carefully observed his cultivation with my Divine Sense, but there is nothing wrong. It is truly strange," Da Cen said thoughtfully.
If Li Yan had heard these words from Da Cen, he would have been horrified. He cultivated within the restriction of the bamboo courtyard, and was a thousand li away from this place, yet his cultivation was still easily penetrated by someone's Divine Sense.
Hearing this, Mo Qing just thought for a moment and then said, "Is it related to that Fragmented Poison Body, causing his body to mutate? Otherwise, it shouldn't be like this. Either he has cultivated an extremely heaven-defying cultivation method, or that's the reason."
"I have the same thought. But is there such a heaven-defying cultivation method that can turn miscellaneous spirit roots into the aptitude of a Heaven Spirit Root or a Saint Spirit Root? I have never heard of it. And when he cultivates, I have also observed that it is indeed the five elements' spirit power entering his body at the same time, which is the phenomenon of the Myriad Essence Art. But after these spirit qi enter his body, the performance is completely different from the Myriad Essence Art. I have always suspected that the Fragmented Poison Body has completely changed his meridians.
"What's more, this time in the secret realm, he actually resisted that bizarre and unpredictable black shadow that can destroy all things with his physical body without any damage. Is there really such a cultivation method? It should be a body mutation," Da Cen said, sharing his speculation after hearing Mo Qing's words.
"In that case, Senior Brother, why do you still let him cultivate that inferior 'Myriad Essence Art'? There are still some five-element cultivation methods in the sect, and they are all several times better than the 'Myriad Essence Art,' even several levels higher."
"I had this thought before, but now I feel that it's better to let everything follow its own immortal fate. Although the sect has other better five-element cultivation methods, I now see that the spirit power in his body is pure and not too mixed. It is like milk and water blending together, very smooth and satisfactory. If he were to start over and cultivate another cultivation method, he might not be able to achieve this effect at all. That would be a loss that outweighs the gain," Da Cen said, shaking his head.
After hearing this, Mo Qing thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement.
"Mo Qing, you came here because of the matter of one Nascent Soul Old Monster from each of the three sects of the Ten-Pace Courtyard going to the secret realm some time ago, right? According to the report from the secret realm, the two sides did not reach an agreement that time. I hear it was because the conditions offered by that fellow, the Copper-Ghost beast, were too high, which angered Fuyao of the Ten-Pace Courtyard so much that he almost drew his sword and turned hostile. Heh heh, what a good show. It's just that the secret realm was not considerate enough; without guests to observe the ceremony, how could it be lively?" As Da Cen spoke, a happy expression appeared on his face.
"Da Cen, I didn't come entirely for this matter this time. The matter of the secret realm probably won't get too out of hand in the end, but it's unavoidable that the three sects will have to bleed a lot. Heh heh, I wonder if Senior Brother knows that before Fuyao, Beidao, and Liaoxing came out of the secret realm, they requested to see the cultivators from the three sects who were left in the secret realm. Copper-Ghost and the others agreed immediately. But this one look was no small matter. Even people with the composure of Beidao and Liaoxing, after seeing the cultivators left as hostages, almost turned hostile and fought just like Fuyao," as he spoke, Mo Qing's eyes actually showed a look of schadenfreude.
"Oh? I didn't know about this. I've been refining a furnace of pills these days. When I came out, I only briefly looked at the report sent by Wuxing about the secret realm," Da Cen said, a trace of interest arising when he saw Mo Qing's expression.
"It's not something that harmed the three sects. Copper-Ghost and the others used a trick. After leaving the cultivators from the three sects as hostages, they treated them with good food and drink. But this good food and drink was a bit interesting. Copper-Ghost used his divine ability in the area where the cultivators from the three sects were, driving away all the spirit qi, not leaving even a trace. He also cast a spell on the cultivators from the three sects so that they couldn't muster even a bit of spirit power. This way, they couldn't open their storage pouches, nor could they take out spirit stones. They couldn't even absorb spirit power into their bodies. But Copper-Ghost also cast some illusion arts on them, so that besides sleeping, when they woke up, they were like hungry ghosts reincarnated, just knowing to eat and sleep non-stop. I hear that in just the short four or five days that Fuyao and the others had negotiated to enter the secret realm, those cultivators had grown several circles fatter, each one fair and tender, as watery and tender as a young lady. At this rate, after a while longer, their cultivation will also be damaged due to the long-term confinement. What's more fatal is that when they are taken back, they will be a group of fat, plump guys. Will they still have any face left? Heh heh heh." As Mo Qing spoke, he actually laughed out loud. It was a rare thing to see a Nascent Soul Old Monster so happy.
Da Cen was stunned at first, then he also couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't expected the demonic cultivators to have such "gentle" methods. Then he thought of Mo Qing's earlier words and asked.
"The matter of the secret realm still awaits a result. You said just now that you didn't come entirely for this matter. Is there another important matter?"
Mo Qing also stopped his light laughter, his expression turning serious. "It's like this. The cultivators guarding the Devil's Cliff Crevice sent a voice transmission to the sect. Starting from two days ago, the crevice has shown signs of widening. After a joint investigation by the stationed cultivators from our sect and the three sects of the Ten-Pace Courtyard, the Supreme Mystery Teachings, and the Pure Land Sect, as well as several demonic cultivators from the secret realm, we found that the number of yin devil heads in the crevice has increased by at least thirty percent compared to previous years, and there is even a tendency for it to continue to rise. I think their three sects and the secret realm should have also received the message about this. Wuxing couldn't find you a few days ago, and Zhu Luan and Mo Gu were also in seclusion, so he urgently sent a message to me. Knowing that you had come out of seclusion, I rushed here."
Hearing the words "Devil's Cliff Crevice," Da Cen's brows furrowed. And when he heard that there was an anomaly in the crevice, his face also turned grim. He directly asked, "How is the situation at the Devil's Cliff Crevice being handled?"
"Oh, it's fine for the time being. The stationed Golden Core cultivators from the four sects and the demonic cultivators from the secret realm have joined forces to reseal the crevice, and have added nearly a thousand layers of restrictions outside the seal. I think with the current level of anomaly, it shouldn't pose any threat."
Da Cen nodded after hearing this. "Has the cause of the anomaly been found?"
"I haven't heard anything about that. They investigated and found that more yin devil heads are constantly appearing within a thousand li of the crevice, but they didn't find anything else. They didn't dare to continue to probe deeper, so they reported it up," Mo Qing said, shaking his head.
"Oh, that is strange. Is there any news from the three sects of the Ten-Pace Courtyard?" Da Cen continued to press.
"This has been going on for two days, and there is still no news from their three sects. Perhaps there are not many old monsters who have not been in seclusion outside. It might be delayed because they are planning to enter the secret realm again," Mo Qing replied after some consideration.
"Hmph, they don't know what's important! Let's do this. I'll send a voice transmission to Fuyao and the others. Then, either you or I will have to make a trip to the Devil's Cliff Crevice. As for the demonic cultivators from the secret realm, they went there for some resources in the first place. If something really happens, they may not necessarily go all out. But it's still better to send a voice transmission and ask for their opinion," Da Cen snorted coldly.
"Mm, I have the same thought. Let's do this. Senior Brother should stay and guard the mountain gate. You send the voice transmissions to the three sects and the secret realm and wait for the results. I'll go over there," Mo Qing nodded, but then he thought for a moment and asked another question.
"Also, Senior Brother, do we need to notify him?"
After hearing this, Da Cen looked into the distance, as if his gaze could penetrate the cave and travel through space. "I think we should forget it. Let's get a clear picture of this matter first. Besides, he probably already knows."