Chapter 593: The Ninth-Rank Emerges, Message Sent to Seek Western Kunlun in the World

"You'd better not harbor any foolish ideas!"

Kun Kun Shaoyu looked down at Bai Lang, who lay strapped tightly to the seventh-generation sensory virtual brain-machine of Prism Group, his limbs bound by restraints.

Gazing down at him with contempt, as if he were an ant, he lifted his chin and pointed at him: "You're a Class-P tech employee of the company—you know this seventh-generation sensory brain-machine can detect neural electrical signals from your cerebral cortex. Whatever you think, you can't hide it from me. If you attempt to delete your account, we can sever the connection at any time…"

He leaned close to Bai Lang's ear and whispered: "When the time comes, the price won't be paid by you alone!"

Following the guidance of his virtual cultivator mentor, Bai Lang emptied his mind and forcibly calmed his anger.

Watching the erratic fluctuations on the neural signal curve, Kun Kun Shaoyu sneered: "Before us, you don't even have the right to be angry. If not for Western Kunlun's design of consciousness-force technology, your personal account wouldn't be permanently bound!"

He grabbed Bai Lang's hair and lifted his head, sneering: "You don't even deserve to see me!"

Nearby technicians adjusted the brain-machine interface; Bai Lang had fully controlled his anger. In the instant he logged into Western Kunlun, he seized the brief neural signal disruption caused by the interface's stimulation and reviewed his plan—

"Before Prism captured me, I'd already confirmed my parents' location using the Hundred Poisons Demon Wasp—they're still safe for now. The company chose to control me first, rather than move against my family in Kuala Lumpur's First District!"

"But he's right—now that my real name is exposed, I can no longer protect them in this world where surveillance is inescapable! The company only needs time to seize them!"

"Based on my knowledge of the Field Operations Division, to extract someone from a Zone controlled by GS Group without alerting them, they'd need at least six hours. That fool outside is probably doing personal work—they won't act within the next eight hours!"

"So, we must destroy Prism within eight hours!"

He recalled his mentor's words: "A drop of water hides the sea—that's the best way for a cultivator to protect himself. Once your true name is exposed, in this age where even the strongest cultivators are merely mortal flesh, it's equivalent to their downfall. Unless they're willing to join a major corporation… That's why many powerful cultivators ultimately become the very dragons they once slew…"

His consciousness logged into his Western Kunlun account: the Yan Shixiong Disciple of Baiman Mountain—Green Robe Wearing a Green Hat—came back online. Green Hat had barely glimpsed his surroundings when a few scattered figures startled him.

"When did such a remote cave get players?" Green Hat thought in surprise.

Someone spotted him and exclaimed: "Isn't that Yan Yan Shixiong? Holy shit, everyone outside's been searching for you! The Tianhe Guild offered ninety million to buy your ninth-rank collectible! He Jian Li Xiaoyao personally invited you to join! Even the guild sponsored by Baiman Mountain SGT is willing to hire you as management—apparently they're hiring real-world professionals!"

Another Baiman Mountain junior rushed up excitedly: "You're famous! Brother Green Hat, you're famous! Your legendary story's the top thread on the Western Kunlun forum—two million replies in four hours…"

"Years of humiliation beneath the Green Robe—enduring shame to finally avenge! The inspiring tale of Baiman Mountain's top senior disciple!"

"Brother, you've got the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword! Can't you spare me one of your extra flying swords?" A female player approached, Jiuchan him—Green Hat's Yixingjueyuan ID no longer worked!

"Yan Yan Shixiong, you've forged the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword! Awesome! When are you going to kill us all?"

Green Hat had no time to waste. He swept his sleeve, scattering golden specks; the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworms surged forward, turning the group into white light.

He wrapped himself in the swordlight of the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword and flew skyward.

Outside the hidden cave, Green Hat saw a dense storm of crimson and green swordlight, dark winds, malevolent qi, demonic flames, and occasionally flying, showy demonic mounts circling above Baiman Mountain—so lively it resembled the main gate of Emei, the most popular guild in the game.

Green Hat rode his sword toward the main peak of Baiman Mountain, where the Yin Wind Cave, once ruled by the Green Robe Patriarch, had become a lake of blood, upon which stood a palace complex of blood-red jade.

Using the current system-recognized authority of Baiman Mountain's top disciple, Green Hat stormed into the main hall.

The First Demon General, Xue He, sat within, displaying countless grotesque limbs—as if all life had fused into the purest blood, forming a divine demonic form.

His thousand arms spread behind him like a peacock's tail, each palm bearing an eye—some like ox eyes, bearing the Buddha's Dharma form; others with vertical snake pupils radiating strangeness and evil; still others with insect-like compound eyes, countless and chilling. As Green Hat entered, all thousand demonic eyes turned toward him.

"I haven't completed the third task…" Green Hat raised the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword. "Please, Demon General, reclaim this sword!"

Xue He's thousand eyes fixed on him, then slowly spoke: "You've come to negotiate."

"It seems the outside world is even worse than the Demon Lord imagined—human hearts are demons. It's destined that my path shall flourish…"

At that moment, Xue He's tone shifted abruptly. He opened the vertical eye on his forehead, and a light unlike the dense dark demonic aura emanating from his entire body emerged. Looking at Green Hat's alert expression, the vertical eye spoke: "You dare bargain with the Demon Lord—do you dare bargain with me?"

Green Hat looked up solemnly: "Who are you?"

"I am Lingzhu!"

"When the Demon Lord descended his demonic thought to subjugate Xue He, I seized the chance to send down a sliver of spiritual light, temporarily breaking free from the Demon Lord's control. To be honest, most of the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword was my design—specifically to let you carry it out." Brother Qian Chen's spiritual thread clung to Xue He and spoke to Green Hat.

"The demonic force I've suppressed has gone out of control—it may corrupt this world at any moment! Though I can still barely contain it, as demonic infection spreads, this demon will inevitably break free—and no one can stop it!"

"To subdue this demon, besides me, you may need the world's primordial source. But I've sensed this world and found no trace of its originator. You outsiders are strange—immortal, unkillable. Perhaps the world's primordial source no longer resides here, but in your world!"

"That's why I used you to forge the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword—to send it out and seek Western Kunlun's primordial source, to quell this demonic calamity…"

"I left a sliver of spiritual light within the sword. When it meets Western Kunlun's primordial source, it will manifest an omen. From your forged Hundred Poisons Demon Wasp, you can already see—those who know the secret of the two worlds aren't just you. Leave the hidden truths within the sword and send them. The Demon Lord still has only instinct. I'll teach you a method to block the demonic thought within the sword from reaching your world!"

Brother Qian Chen, half-truthfully, revealed his current state…

Then he transmitted to Green Hat a spell to control the Hundred Poisons Demon Wasp through the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword!

Leveraging the Hundred Poisons Demon Wasp's unique existence bridging the virtual network and Western Kunlun, one could even sense the external Hundred Poisons Demon Wasp virus from within Western Kunlun.

Green Hat forged the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword; a sliver of spiritual awareness instantly passed through the Demon Wasp's link, descending into the virtual network of Kuala Lumpur. Through surveillance, Green Hat watched Kun Kun Shaoyu standing before Bai Lang's real body—his emotions surged, and the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword trembled slightly.

He saw the main AI guarding Prism's virtual network—a golden-glowing magic mirror—floating within Prism's virtual network.

Even though Green Hat could launch an attack…

With only a ninth-rank Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword bound by restrictions and lacking a physical vessel, he couldn't easily breach the protection of the Candlelight Illuminating the Dark Mirror, and thus couldn't deliver a fatal strike against Kun Kun Shaoyu in reality.

"But once the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword's data begins downloading into the virtual network, Candlelight Illuminating the Dark Mirror must lower its defenses! Abandoning its greatest defensive advantage, the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword is both sword and Gu —inviting the poisonous Gu into your most vulnerable core is your death sentence!"

Bai Lang's resolve hardened. He turned to Brother Qian Chen: "Fine. I accept this deal."

At that moment, Bai Lang's interface alerted him to a real-world disturbance—a local video request appeared in his inbox. He opened it and saw Kun Kun Shaoyu standing before his real body, placing a high-frequency blade cybernetic implant against his neck—the threat was unmistakable.

Bai Lang smiled coldly and opened his personal interface…

In the fifth administrative district of Kuala Lumpur, Prism Group's M19th floor, Microphoton Main Server Room, Kun Kun Shaoyu paced anxiously before Bai Lang's body, cursing viciously: "This son of a bitch thinks he's clever—I'll send his whole family to hell!"

"Prepare to forcibly disconnect!" he ordered the tech team.

At that moment, the company's virtual cultivator suddenly looked up: "Signal connection detected! Bridge download channel preparing—requires main AI approval!"

"Candlelight, authorize the bridge connection!" Kun Kun Shaoyu snapped, his spirits lifting.

"Warning: High-risk behavior!"

"Ignore the warning! Connect it!" Kun Kun Shaoyu roared impatiently.

"Building bridge channel… Receiving data… Data ready for transmission!"

Bai Lang linked his consciousness-force to the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword, using his own mind as a bridge to construct a pathway between reality's virtual network and Western Kunlun.

In reality, Bai Lang visualized the form of the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword. His consciousness lay deep within the virtual network; as he visualized, a faint sword-shadow projected into the virtual network.

Kun Kun Shaoyu monitored the download process closely, pouring massive computational resources into it—even ordering the main AI Candlelight to assist Bai Lang's download.

The sword-shadow gradually solidified.

At the exact moment the download reached 100%, Bai Lang suddenly anchored the spiritual coordinates of the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword using the external Hundred Poisons Demon Wasp virus as a fixed point—and then, within Western Kunlun, he chose to delete his account!

Prism's tech team screamed in alarm. Kun Kun Shaoyu's eyes turned bloodshot as he bellowed: "What's he doing? Who does he think he is? Forcefully disconnect—"

"Wait—the download appears to have succeeded!" a virtual cultivator in the tech team cried out.

Kun Kun Shaoyu's heartbeat fluctuated wildly as he leaned forward—yes, the download progress was at 100%. "Then why delete the account? Doesn't matter! Now that we've got the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword, his life or death is irrelevant!"

Kun Kun Shaoyu hastily put on his helmet: "Send the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword to me!"

In Western Kunlun, Bai Lang's consciousness recalled Brother Qian Chen's method to block the Demon Lord's descent: "Western Kunlun's primordial source guards the two-worlds' passage—even a celestial demon cannot breach it. Thus, the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword contains no demonic essence of the Demon Lord! When its true spiritual light arrives in your world, Western Kunlun's primordial source will purify it—even if any demonic residue remains, it will be transformed. The Demon Lord's one fragment of demonic thought is actually hidden within you!"

"Within me?" Bai Lang asked in surprise.

"Yes. Only by hiding within your consciousness can the demonic thought escape this realm, anchor itself to your world, spread the Demon Wasp, and ultimately open a path from within to summon the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord split the artifact suitable for housing his thought and the thought itself into two parts—one is the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword, the other is the incomplete task you received!"

"That task is your karmic bond with the Demon Lord."

"If you send out the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword while exiting Western Kunlun, the Demon Lord's demonic thought will merge with the sword, becoming the Demon Lord's Exterminating Immortal Sword, gaining the Demon Lord's consciousness, preparing to summon him."

"To send out the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword while preventing the Demon Lord's descent, you must utterly sever all karmic ties between yourself and this realm after sending the sword."

After deleting his Western Kunlun account, Bai Lang saw a sliver of unnatural crimson light exposed within the white aura surrounding his consciousness—about to vanish silently under Western Kunlun's laws.

But at that moment, the crimson sliver used his consciousness to spread toward his virtual network account.

His virtual network personal interface flashed urgently—a line of crimson text was forming:

【Third Stage Task: Summon the Demon Lord's Descent】

【Task Content…

"Is this the Demon Lord's single thought?"

A deep fear surged in Bai Lang's heart—the Demon Lord had finally broken through Western Kunlun's restrictions and was about to descend into the virtual network. Only now did Bai Lang understand: the boundary between virtual and reality was meaningless; what truly protected him and all players was Western Kunlun's law!

Once this law was crossed, the Demon Lord could fully trigger brain-machine overload and neural death among players!

At this moment, Bai Lang understood why the first lesson for every virtual cultivator was to realize—"The mission of a virtual cultivator is to guard the boundary between reality and illusion!"

From the moment the first virtual cultivators were born, they understood the importance of the "wall" protecting everything between Western Kunlun and reality!

"Master… is it finally my turn to guard all this?"

Bai Lang sighed inwardly, then resolutely "broke his body" within the virtual network, uploading his consciousness into Western Kunlun.

As Bai Lang's consciousness rushed toward Western Kunlun, the crimson sliver upon it struggled violently, emitting screams as if countless souls were wailing.

"Demon Lord, come with me back to Western Kunlun!" Bai Lang's brainwaves flattened abruptly—his consciousness severed all connection to his body!

Brother Qian Chen's consciousness sank into the Dao Dust Pearl, viewing Bai Lang's decisive choice through the lens of the Supreme Heavenly Demon. He sighed softly: "Feels like I messed up again! I hope the message I sent to Elder Yan and the others reaches them soon!"

"The demonic force within the Dao Dust Pearl is terrifying—I'm losing control!"

Brother Qian Chen's tone was calm, showing no regret for having "messed up."

After all, the first one to suffer wouldn't be him. If the Supreme Heavenly Demon lost control, the demonic reincarnators would die first.

Then Western Kunlun, then the players' world. As for Brother Qian Chen himself—he had a final trick: using the Reincarnation Lord's escape method. One more demonic avatar? Who knows how many spacetime distances separate this world from the Immortal Realm? I'll deal with the demonic avatar when it shows up!

"So, let Elder Yan and the others search for clues in that world—I'll slowly maneuver with the demonic force here!"

Brother Qian Chen spoke with righteous grandeur, as if he'd made a great sacrifice.

…………

At this moment, in the fifth administrative district of Kuala Lumpur, Prism Group! As the Hundred Poisons Exterminating Immortal Sword fully descended, the Candlelight Illuminating the Dark Mirror was instantly parasitized, corrupted, and stripped of all permissions and data.

The central main AI flashed crimson frantically…

"Warning: High-risk virus detected!"

"Virus continuously mutating—Candlelight is self-diagnosing…"

At this moment, Kun Kun Shaoyu, drenched in sweat, stared at the main AI before him; all holographic projections flickered, crimson light spreading rapidly, soon infecting the entire fifth district.

Every screen, every holographic projection displayed a three-headed, eight-armed demon god standing atop bones forged into a throne!

Emitting an aura of utter annihilation…

Where the Hundred Poisons Slaying Immortal Sword lay, all nearby virtual networks were infected by a mysterious virus; though intangible, a circle spanning dozens of li, gradually expanding, formed around the sword's location.

All holographic projections and display devices were shrouded in bloodlight, revealing the projection of that divine demon.

On the streets, in the neighborhoods, at the Prism Corporation headquarters, every robot opened its arms and prostrated itself toward the Hundred Poisons Slaying Immortal Sword, its mechanical limbs forming a strange talisman resembling the Primordial Taiji, chanting an ancient and unfamiliar language, sitting cross-legged toward the direction of the people, continuously shaping different hand seals.

Some formed finger-swords, others stretched out talismans like unfurling scrolls.

Meanwhile, the rogue robots continued executing the last command of their former master: sealing off the Prism Corporation, attacking all marked targets, and beginning a bloodbath within the company.

Kun Kun Shaoyu saw his company's combat robots, their four arms spread wide, projecting grotesque, terrifying bone spines and skulls and wrathful visages across their entire bodies. Their blue-faced, fanged heads scanned everywhere, and when they spotted him, the laser vertical eye on their foreheads emitted an intensely dangerous crimson glow, then leapt forward toward him…