Chapter 228: Magma, Blood Corpses, and a Transaction

Since the Fate Line cannot be perceived, those humanoid creatures encountered by the Demon Cultivators might not be living beings.

Perhaps they are just hallucinations produced by some kind of phenomenon.

Ruan Xing then let Xizui go down to find a rock to land on.

In this regard, Xizui still strictly adhered to his promise to obey all of Ruan Xing's instructions as he had said before.

As soon as he landed, the magma near where he stood began to bubble, gurgling just like boiling water.

This scene looked extremely incredible, because magma is naturally viscous and scorching as it flows slowly, and it should not produce such a violent reaction.

The orange-red light on it gradually deepened into blood-red, and a slender claw reached out from the bubbling magma, clawing onto the ground where Xizui had landed.

In an instant, countless small hands emerged, climbing toward Xizui, and their bodies were slowly revealed; the magma sticking to their bodies slowly flowed and dripped off, revealing dark red, withered skin underneath.

Their bodies were very slender, as if they were just a layer of skin wrapped around a skeleton, without a single bit of muscle, fat, or internal organs in between.

The head was like an irregular sphere in the shape of an inverted triangle, with pits and depressions on it, but it lacked functional organs like eyes or a mouth.

Setting other things aside, Ruan Xing decided to call these dark red creatures blood corpses for now.

Because they were all thin and withered, their bodies and limbs were like bamboo poles, and the whole was the color of dried blood, a dark red.

Then what were these things trying to do by climbing up?

They couldn't possibly want to eat Xizui... they didn't even have a place to eat food.

Damn it, influenced by Xie Feng, now her first reaction to seeing anything is to eat it.

Ruan Xing couldn't help but roll her eyes at Xie Feng.

Xizui's hands had already turned into sharp claws, and he began to attack the blood corpses getting closer and closer to him.

Unexpectedly, the bodies of the blood corpses were very fragile; as soon as Xizui lightly brushed past them, their bodies fell apart, landed in the magma, and quickly melted away, disappearing.

However, more blood corpses continued to surge up endlessly.

When a blood corpse was dismembered by Xizui, one of its fingers began to melt before it even hit the ground, falling directly onto the hem of Xizui's robe, instantly blooming into a dazzling spark that burned a large hole in Xizui's robe and continued to burn upward; Xizui was startled and directly took off his outer robe and threw it into the magma.

The clothes were instantly melted and burned to nothing by the magma.

Xizui stopped fighting with these blood corpses; the blood corpses seemed endless, and it was meaningless to consume his magic power here.

So he flew into mid-air and returned to Ruan Xing's side.

The blood corpses could not fly and seemed to have no brains; they crawled and groped on that small piece of land for a while on all fours, then quieted down and returned to the magma.

Xizui panted slightly and wiped the sweat and volcanic ash from his face, "That piece of clothing just now was an Upper Grade Dharma Garment refined by Demon Lord Cheng Huan. It could insulate against heat and avoid fire. After I learned about the environment inside the Secret Realm, I specifically wore that one. I didn't expect... the power of this magma to be so great."

An Upper Grade Dharma Garment capable of avoiding fire would be unscathed even if one wore it in and out of a sea of fire three times. Ordinary Earth Fire, such as the cluster of low-grade Earth Fire that Ruan Xing used for alchemy at the beginning, could not cause any damage to an Upper Grade Dharma Garment.

And things like volcanoes also exist in the world of Cultivation; many Earth Heart Fires used for alchemy and artifact refining are goods taken from the center of volcanoes deep underground.

Xizui had thought that since it was a volcano, this magma would at most have the quality of Upper Grade Earth Fire; he did not expect that the Upper Grade Magic Robe on his body would not have any effect at all.

It was fortunate that he discovered it early, otherwise, once he was contaminated by this strange magma fire and could not get rid of it, he would have to leave the Secret Realm early.

Xizui thought with lingering fear.

Ruan Xing pondered for a moment and said, "I cannot tell what the origin of these blood corpses is. Let's follow my previous idea and go see those active volcanoes that my Divine Sense cannot penetrate."

The blood corpses have no Fate Lines and seem to be entirely generated by magma, only to melt back into the magma afterward.

To be precise, every blood corpse is the same object.

If it truly has life, perhaps there is only one Fate Line, hidden somewhere in the magma.

"Good." Xizui nodded in agreement, and he accepted the name "blood corpse" that Ruan Xing had given them without any objection, "These blood corpses are not difficult to kill. Just now, I didn't find that they had any special attack methods; there were just too many of them."

He looked down at his hands; the originally rugged skin and sharp claws had returned to their original appearance, and there was not a single trace on his slightly aged hands with light lines.

"When I tore through their bodies, I didn't feel that their bodies were scorching hot, but after their bodies melted rapidly, they actually had such a temperature..."

Xizui was completely puzzled.

"Hmm, don't think about these for now. Let's find an opportunity to enter the center of the volcano to investigate later," Ruan Xing said.

She was actually very distressed and annoyed that these blood corpses had no Fate Lines.

Damn it... if they had Fate Lines, she could directly control the blood corpses and let them be her eyes to see what was underground.

But without Fate Lines, Ruan Xing had no way to control them.

It was even more impossible to catch the blood corpses and refine them into Puppets using the methods in the Nether Ghost Record, because they likely had no souls and would melt.

She did not know if the Fire Avoidance Talismans she had prepared would be of any use.

The three of them flew toward the nearest volcanic crater.

This active volcano was not in an erupting state at the moment, and the opening was pitch black, but one could feel a surge of heat waves as they approached.

Ruan Xing rummaged through her Storage Bag and took out a Puppet with some dissatisfaction.

It was the Puppet with the highest realm she currently had, named Oscar.

It was a pity that Oscar would have to be "killed off" in his first appearance.

Ruan Xing sighed, covered Oscar with Fire Avoidance Talismans, and let him enter the opening of the active volcano.

There was surprise and wariness in Xizui's eyes, and he asked, "This, is it a creation of Ghost Dao Magic Art?"

Oscar did not have the Illusion Technique she had applied on him. After all, Xizui had lived for thousands of years and had some knowledge, so he recognized it immediately.

This was the Magic Art of a Demon Cultivator; how could an Immortal Cultivator Envoy of the Fengling Yueying Sect know it? His gaze shifted slightly to Xie Feng.

But he still had doubts. He knew a little about Xie Feng's affairs; he was an old friend of the Saint Demon Lord and seemed to be from the same sect. He also appeared to be a Demon Cultivator of the Devouring Dao.

Perhaps after returning, he would have to report to the Saint Demon Lord that the Fengling Yueying Sect not only controlled one Demon Cultivator, but another Demon Cultivator suspected of being a Ghost Dao cultivator was also under their control.

Ruan Xing answered nonchalantly, "That's right. Let him go down to investigate; just treat him as my eyes. This strange magma fire is so powerful, we can't go down to investigate ourselves, can we?"

Xizui remained silent.

"I am not, I am not... Hidden Sect..."

Mo Cijun's chaotic consciousness regained a trace of clarity, and he opened his eyes with some difficulty.

The first thing that met his eyes was a black mask; Mo Cijun's heart skipped a beat, and he was startled.

Confirming that he was awake, Chuan Nu straightened up slightly, discarded the Pill bottle in his hand, and gestured for Mo Cijun to get up and follow him.

Mo Cijun felt out his own physical condition.

It was extremely poor, even worse than some low-level Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment or Golden Core stages.

But the situation was slightly better than it had been a few days ago.

At least this Demon Cultivator had been willing to feed him a Pill to make him wake up.

Because a few days ago, he had thought the Saint Demon Lord had already given up on interrogating him and was going to let him rot in this cage.

The vines that had pierced his body went 'pop' as they retracted, leaving only two bloody holes on his shoulders. Mo Cijun's face turned pale from the pain, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead, but he had no excess Spiritual Power to heal his wounds, so he could only take Chuan Nu's hand and stagger to his feet.

Chuan Nu then supported him, walking out of the cage step by step.

The cage was only a few cave openings away from Xie Yao's residence, a distance of no more than one or two li, yet it took Mo Cijun a full half-hour to walk it.

Every step he took pulled at his wounds.

Chuan Nu did not urge him, simply supporting him and waiting quietly for him to take the next step.

If he hadn't heard Chuan Nu speak before, he would have thought the other person was a mute.

"The Saint Demon Lord hasn't seen me for a long time. Does she still not believe that I am not a member of the Hidden Sect, and that I know nothing?" Mo Cijun gave a short laugh, then coughed up a mouthful of black blood.

Chuan Nu remained silent, waiting for him to finish spitting the blood, then took out a black kerchief to wipe the remaining bloodstains from his face.

Mo Cijun asked again: "This time, will I die?"

After waiting a long time, he finally received Chuan Nu's answer; beside a wall not covered by vines, Chuan Nu said in a gravelly, low voice: "No."

"Then I shall believe you." Mo Cijun said softly, "You are truly strange; you are the first Demon Cultivator I have ever met who does not lie."

Pushing aside the bead curtain, Chuan Nu delivered Mo Cijun before Xie Yao.

Several vines writhed, forming a seat behind the thin gauze.

"Please, sit," Xie Yao said indifferently.

Mo Cijun was somewhat flattered by Xie Yao's tone, but seeing the constantly trembling vines, he was also terrified.

"No need, I shall stand," Mo Cijun declined Xie Yao's kindness.

Chuan Nu loosened his supporting hand, and Mo Cijun, out of inertia, nearly fell forward, but was caught by the vines and pulled backward onto the seat.

Xie Yao raised her eyes slightly, and Chuan Nu immediately understood and retreated.

"You need not be nervous; this time I have good news to tell you," Xie Yao said indifferently, "I want to do business with you."

Mo Cijun said in surprise: "The Northern Territory Underground Palace has never done business with Wanbao Tower; has the Saint Demon Lord changed her mind?"

"Indeed. I wonder if you are aware that Wanbao Tower is now in name only across the Xianyuan Continent; the shops within the four provinces have all been closed for several months. If I do not let you go back, your identity will have no value at all," Xie Yao said.

Mo Cijun's expression changed slightly.

He had been imprisoned in the Northern Territory Underground Palace for nearly a year.

He had previously said that if he could not return, Wanbao Tower would be on the verge of collapse within three months.

Because the Building Master and the Second Floor Master did not really manage things, he was the only one who handled everything, and he was still young; he had not cultivated any successor for himself.

But Wanbao Tower was, after all, the Building Master's life's work.

How could the Building Master watch it disappear?

Even if it fell into a slump for a period of time, it would not lead to the abolition of Wanbao Tower.

The look in his eyes shifted for a moment, and he suddenly asked: "Then I wonder what business the Saint Demon Lord wishes to discuss with me?"

Xie Yao had forcibly detained and tortured him here; it was impossible to say he felt no resentment or hatred in his heart.

But the values he had been raised with and his own reason were both telling him.

First, one must be approachable when dealing with clients.

Second, only by returning alive would there be other possibilities.

So he waited for Xie Yao's answer with a smile on his face.

Xie Yao raised an eyebrow, and her eyes, swept clean of fatigue, shone with a sharp light: "I will let you go back. As payment, after you return, you must pass a message to the true person in charge of Wanbao Tower; tell him I want the Heavenly Dao Order."

Pass a message to the Building Master?

Although Mo Cijun did not know what the Heavenly Dao Order was, it must be something extremely precious, otherwise it would not attract someone like Xie Yao, who was already at the Return to Ruins Stage.

Passing a message was not a problem; she hadn't demanded he trade his life for the Heavenly Dao Order.

If she had demanded a trade, with Mo Cijun's business mind, he felt his meager, broken body was not worth such a trade.

He knew that even if he went back, he would not live much longer.

His Spirit Bone had been damaged to the point where it could not be repaired by any means.

"Is that all?"

Xie Yao's beautiful eyes swept over him, "Of course not; there is a second matter."

"An unexplored Secret Realm has been discovered near my territory. My people found a large amount of Spirit Mine inside, and I want to sell this Secret Realm to the Immortal Sect."

Mo Cijun thought for a moment and began to consider the possibility of what Xie Yao said.

Demon Cultivators did not like exploring Secret Realms and did not have that habit; it was understandable that Xie Yao wanted to sell the Secret Realm.

But the location of this Secret Realm was too awkward.

Who would be willing to enter a Secret Realm to mine Spirit Mine under the nose of a Demon Lord?

Seeing Mo Cijun's concerns, Xie Yao added more: "The basic estimated value of this Secret Realm is between four and five million. As long as you can sell it, the price can be negotiated. I also welcome the Immortal Sect to send people to inspect and estimate the value of the Secret Realm. I can even fence off that area separately, forbidding any Demon Cultivators from entering, and leave it only for the people of the Immortal Sect to visit."

This was equivalent to ceding this area to the Immortal Cultivators.

Originally, the living space for Demon Cultivators was already very narrow, with only the Northern Territory, where they were crowded together like insects in a jar.

Ceding another piece would make it even smaller.

But Xie Yao did not care; after ceding this piece of land, although the low-level Demon Cultivators would have complaints about her, no one would dare say a word to her.

The strong are respected, while the weak have no right to speak.

And in this way, when she invades the Central Province, more bottom-tier Demon Cultivators who cannot survive will be swept along with her.

It is even more favorable for her plan.

Xie Yao's sincerity sounded quite sufficient; Mo Cijun lowered his head to ponder for a moment, then said, "I will do my best, but I cannot guarantee anything."

"With the ability of Third Floor Master Mo San, I do not believe you cannot sell it; besides, I did not demand a price." Seeing Mo Cijun compromise, Xie Yao no longer used the title 'this seat' to pressure him with her aura, and she curled her lips slightly, "Third Floor Master Mo San, rest for a day or two to heal your injuries, and I will have Chuan Nu send you back."

Thus, Mo Cijun finally stayed in a room other than a prison cell.

Except for the lack of a vine net and an array that devours Spiritual Power, the stone table and stone stools were no different.

In any case, everyone lived inside the caves of the Underground Palace.

Chuan Nu came over to support him.

"Thank you for your trouble, and thank you for your care over these days," Mo Cijun smiled.

A trace of coldness flickered in his eyes.

Thanks to Qiu Dahua'er for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Book Friend 20231019183119642 for the monthly ticket~