Chapter 550: Jiuyou Trial

The shop was abnormal.

The pedestrians on the street mostly looked cold, wary, or had flickering eyes full of calculation.

There were Jiuyou Sect disciples wrapped in black robes, exuding a chilling aura.

There were ruthless lone cultivators with fierce faces and entangled deathly aura.

There were alluring women dressed provocatively, their gazes enchanting and soul-stealing.

There were also mysterious merchants hurrying along, concealing their faces.

The air was thick with invisible tension and malice, as if a clash could erupt at any moment.

Chen Mu ignored it all.

He suppressed his aura, appearing like an ordinary low-level martial cultivator come seeking opportunity or to trade, walking silently through the shadowed streets.

His spiritual sense spread like invisible tentacles, quietly extending to capture every piece of information, conversation, and even earth vein fluctuations within the city.

Chen Mu did not go directly to inquire about the "Sword Soul" or Jiuyou Sect's core inheritance.

He needed first to understand this city, to learn how the Jiuyou Sect operated here, and to find possible breakthroughs or clues.

"Did you hear? A few days ago, the 'Blood King Cavern' had another incident—apparently, a few scavenging lone cultivators went in and triggered the forbidden array; they were all drained of their blood and turned into mummies…"

"Heh, normal. The Blood King Cavern is an abandoned mine from long ago, where underground yin veins converge, breeding plenty of evil things—only those who value money over life dare go there."

"Lately the city's atmosphere has been tense—the Jiuyou Guard patrols seem to have increased significantly. Is something big happening in the sect?"

"Who knows? Maybe they're preparing for other factions to stir up trouble. I heard the imperial court and the Ten Thousand Poison Cult have been clashing constantly at the border—don't let the war spread here."

"Who cares? If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. But the Black Market has a new batch of 'merchandise' arriving tonight—I heard there are a few with decent talent, hehe…"

"Get real. That kind of stuff? Do you think it's for us? Long ago snatched up by the inner sect masters. Still, tonight the Black Market is auctioning a broken spiritual weapon dug up from an ancient tomb—sounds interesting, might be worth checking out."

All kinds of scattered information flooded into Chen Mu's ears.

He paid special attention to rumors about Jiuyou Sect's internal movements, unusual events, and anything possibly tied to ancient inheritances or hidden locations.

"Blood King Cavern… abandoned mine… convergence of underground yin veins…"

Chen Mu's heart stirred slightly.

The exact nature of the Sword Soul left by Duan Tianhe was unknown; Chen Mu could not guess, and wild speculation would be too vague.

"I heard the Jiuyou Sect is about to open the 'Jiuyou Trial'—apparently the rewards are generous; the top few will even gain the right to enter the outer reaches of the 'Mingyuan Secret Realm' for enlightenment…"

"Mingyuan Secret Realm? That's a sect forbidden zone—only true disciples and elders who've rendered great service ever get in. This trial must be serious."

"Jiuyou Trial… Mingyuan Secret Realm?" Chen Mu caught these two keywords.

The Jiuyou Trial was a vital path for the Jiuyou Sect to select and cultivate core disciples—perhaps it could grant access to some internal information.

And the "Mingyuan Secret Realm" sounded like a crucial hidden location controlled by the Jiuyou Sect—could it be connected to the "Sword Soul"?

Chen Mu wandered the city seemingly at random for several days, visiting several taverns and teahouses with relatively reliable information and complex backgrounds.

He also went to places like the Shadowless Tower and purchased rough intelligence on the geography of the Nether Mountains, the Jiuyou Sect's peripheral power distribution, and recent anomalies.

He spent little, but gained mostly common knowledge—yet it was enough to piece together a rough outline.

Overall, the Jiuyou Sect's internal operations seemed indeed active, with strengthened surveillance over its periphery.

And the so-called "Jiuyou Trial" appeared to be held soon.

As for the "Mingyuan Secret Realm," it was one of the Jiuyou Sect's most core forbidden zones, perpetually sealed, accessible only during special periods or to those who had rendered great service to the sect, for brief cultivation or trial completion.

Outside knowledge of the realm's interior was scarce; all that was known was that its yin and deathly energy was extreme, suspected to connect to some ancient underground netherworld, greatly beneficial for cultivating Jiuyou arts but perilous beyond measure.

Without a Jiuyou Sect-specific token and a guide, entering meant death.

Of course, even with a token and a guide, the death rate remained high.

"Mingyuan Secret Realm… underground netherworld… convergence of yin deathly energy…" Chen Mu mused.

This environment sounded quite suitable for a special entity like the "Sword Soul" to hide.

Moreover, given Duan Tianhe's power in his prime, if he truly had old ties with the Jiuyou Sect, hiding the "Sword Soul" within their core forbidden zone seemed plausible.

But how to enter the "Mingyuan Secret Realm"?

Participate in the "Jiuyou Trial" and rank among the top few?

Too time-consuming, and too likely to expose his identity.

Force entry?

Facing a Jiuyou Sect guarded by a myriad-forms elder ancestor was tantamount to suicide.

Just as Chen Mu was staying at a secluded inn called Ghost Shadow Lodge, pondering his next move, his spiritual sense caught a conversation within a hidden underground chamber in the inn's backyard—a conversation blocked by a forbidden array, yet still faintly detectable by him.

"... Is the stuff ready? 'Over there' is pressing hard—this time it must be flawless."

"Relax. Three 'Rotting Heart Pills,' ten 'Yin Thunder Bombs,' and the 'Nether Soil' and 'Soul-Guiding Incense' you wanted—all accounted for. But the price..."

"Price is no problem. As long as the goods work and help me pass the 'Black Death Cave' trial to enter the inner sect, money isn't an issue."

"Heh, good. But brother, I'll warn you—the 'Black Death Cave' isn't easy to penetrate. Every year, many die inside—or emerge half-dead, half-monster. Are you really willing to risk so much for an inner sect disciple slot?"

"Hmph, what do you know? Once inside the inner sect, I can access deeper arts and more resources! I might even be chosen for the 'Mingyuan Guard'! That's the true path to heaven! A little risk? What's that?"

"Mingyuan Guard? Those are the elite core guards of the 'Mingyuan Secret Realm'! I heard their benefits are extraordinary, and they can enter the realm regularly to cultivate! Brother, you've got big ambitions! Admirable, admirable!"

"Mingyuan Guard… guarding the Mingyuan Secret Realm…" Chen Mu's heart stirred.

This was a potential entry point.

If he could somehow replace or control a Jiuyou Sect disciple about to join the "Mingyuan Guard," perhaps he could enter the vicinity of the realm legitimately—or even infiltrate it?

Of course, that wouldn't be easy either.

The Jiuyou Sect's selection for the "Mingyuan Guard" must be strict, and identity verification methods would surely be numerous.

But compared to other methods, it seemed more feasible.

Just as Chen Mu was weighing this, the transaction in the chamber appeared complete; one of the men slipped away quietly with a faint sound.

Chen Mu paused briefly, then rose silently, moving like a ghost to tail him…