Chapter 614: Changing Heaven and Earth?

Even if there is netherworld qi, so what? Don't you also have netherworld qi on you, Fellow Daoist Yan?

My netherworld qi comes from the Accumulation Device and medicinal pills I refine; my own magical power doesn't have this smell." Yan Buji looked at the other party.

He Caifei chuckled: "But you don't want to get involved in our affairs, Fellow Daoist Yan, right?"

"I probably don't have that qualification either." Yan Buji waved his hand: "So just don't stare at me."

He Caifei shook his head: "That won't do; Yao Wen is keeping an eye on you now, and since I work for him, I inevitably have to interact with you."

Yan Buji furrowed his brow: "Fellow Daoist, what do you need from me?"

"There are two matters. First, this is a letter Yao Wen wants me to give you."

Yan Buji took the letter and opened it.

"So that's how it is." Yan Buji nodded, looking at him: "Anything else?"

"Second." He Caifei held up two fingers: "Give me that pendant you're wearing; its origin is extraordinary—I'm sure you know that."

"Sure." Yan Buji tossed the pendant over, asking: "May I ask what secret this thing actually holds?"

"Hmm... Fellow Daoist Yan isn't exactly an outsider, so I'll tell you. Five hundred thousand years ago, during the Martial Cultivation era, Magical Cultivators discovered a method to cultivate using netherworld qi, but the Martial Cultivators deemed it an unlawful practice that disrupts the yin-yang cycle, so they suppressed it."

Hmm?

Yan Buji wore a strange expression: "Could the Martial Cultivators really have such good intentions?"

"If the Martial Cultivators truly took it upon themselves to uphold the righteous Dao of heaven and earth, how could they still invade Youming Jie and cause yin-yang imbalance?"

He Caifei, although he noticed Yan Buji's doubt, didn't elaborate further, merely continuing: "Back then, there was a heaven‑gifted genius who entered the Dao through the Five Elements, reversed yin and yang, could break the limits of life and death, and transformed his fleshly body into an existence akin to the undead of Youming Jie."

"Heavenly Corpse King?" Yan Buji questioned doubtfully.

"Not bad; that Heavenly Corpse King, by reversing life and death in his fleshly body, forged a great path, after which the world saw the emergence of zombies—those half‑dead, half‑alive undead."

"Wait a moment." Yan Buji frowned: "You mean that before this figure appeared, the Nine Heavens and Five Domains had no undead like zombies?"

"Yes."

"Why is that?"

"That involves the workings of the great Dao of heaven and earth—something we lowly cultivators couldn't possibly grasp. Anyway, that's just what I know." He Caifei laughed.

Yan Buji fell into contemplation.

"Like how the Heavenly Demon King created the Dragon People?"

"But there are also differences; at least judging from He Caifei's account, zombies are not a race but merely a phenomenon."

"Can a powerful cultivator who forges his own path alter the laws of heaven and earth to some extent?"

"Is this what 'changing heaven and earth' means?"

"Any other questions, Fellow Daoist Yan?"

"Is this pendant that of the first‑generation Heavenly Corpse King?"

"That could be said; actually, we don't know where that first‑generation Heavenly Corpse King is, and this thing is something he left for his later disciples."

"Hmm?"

Yan Buji looked strange, also unable to understand.

But he also knew that if he kept asking, He Caifei wouldn't say anything more.

"In that case, I have no further questions."

"Actually, I have a question I'd like to ask Fellow Daoist Yan." He Caifei laughed.

"Please go ahead."

He Caifei walked over, stared straight at Yan Buji, and asked: "What is your purpose in coming to Paolong Sacred Land?"

"Of course, it's to rely on the big mountain for better cultivation." Yan Buji said directly.

He Caifei looked surprised at Yan Buji, but seeing that he wasn't lying, he couldn't help but feel strange: "That's odd—this pendant is said to be very evil and to subdue its master, yet I see you've had it for so long, Fellow Daoist Yan, and nothing serious seems to have happened."

"Subdue the master?" Yan Buji looked puzzled: "Even if it does subdue the master, what does that have to do with my coming here to cultivate?"

"No, it's nothing. You don't need to worry about Mo Dengqing; she won't know my identity either. But since Fellow Daoist Yan doesn't want to get involved, it's best not to say anything at all."

"Of course I know."

Having said that, the two turned and left.

Yan Buji kept thinking along the way: judging from He Caifei's words, that pendant is probably related to something connected with the first‑generation Heavenly Corpse King, or perhaps it is the first‑generation Heavenly Corpse King's descendant.

But looking at He Caifei's demeanor, Mo Dengqing and he don't seem to be on the same side, yet their goals ought to be the same.

"But since Mo Dengqing didn't come to me for the pendant, that shows it isn't important, or at least not important in her view. In other words, it can't be a key to some mechanism; it can only serve as an auxiliary item."

Yan Buji had long studied that pendant and found no special mechanism; otherwise, how could he have just taken it out so casually?

"But since they've all gathered in Paolong Sacred Land, that means the thing they're seeking is right here. Hmm, it's not really related to me, so there's no need to get involved."

Yan Buji had gone through a lot of superficial effort to get into Paolong Sacred Land; even if he were dragged into the struggle between the two major figures of the Outer Gate, as long as he could secure his own position, it wouldn't be a loss for him.

However, Yao Wen seems to be more sincere.

Yan Buji returned to Lian Dan Tang, and Mo Dengqing appeared to have been waiting for a long time.

"How is it?"

"Nothing much; he gave me this letter."

Yan Buji passed the letter over, and Mo Dengqing opened it.

"Huh?!"

"What do they mean by this?"

"It's nothing more than an attempt to drive a wedge between me and Elder Feng; how could I not trust Elder Feng?" Yan Buji laughed.

Mo Dengqing looked at him dubiously: "Do you really think that?"

"Then what do you think I should think?"

"Even if what's written here is false, but when you look inside, do you truly have not a shred of doubt?"

"What use is that?" Yan Buji looked at her: "Miss Mo also knows I currently have no status; although I've taken the seat of Hall Master of Lian Dan Tang, these past few days no one has acknowledged me, so why would I bring trouble upon myself?"

Mo Dengqing felt that this old guy probably wasn't thinking that way, but the other party being able to deliver the letter to her likely also meant they wanted Feng Yue to quickly declare his stance.

Now Yao Wen's side has set its sights on his temporary position as Hall Master of Lian Dan Tang; they did not, as they had imagined, use this opportunity to cause trouble for Feng Yue, but instead deliberately approached Yan Buji—what is the purpose?

Mo Dengqing thought for a moment, then suddenly understood.

"So they realize that even targeting Yan Buji wouldn't have much effect on Feng Yue, so they switched to winning him over, hoping to make him defect?"

Mo Dengqing felt his guess was correct, but he still returned the letter to Yan Buji.

"I will inform Elder Feng of this matter."

"Then I'll trouble you to do that, but I also want to ask Elder Feng: since they have contacted me, they surely intend to do something to Elder Feng through me; I don't know what Elder Feng plans to do." Yan Buji said.

"Alright, I'll ask."