Chapter 14: Scheming Against Each Other? I Delivered Myself to Your Door!

Inside the abandoned drainage channel, the smell of mold and dampness permeated the air. Lin Xuan changed back into his blue cloth robes, sat cross-legged, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

The threat of the Nether Sect was like a sword hanging over his head, but he, Lin Xuan, was never one to sit and wait for death.

"Want to capture me as a sacrifice? Then let's see who the real hunter is!" He felt a ruthless resolve in his heart, and an extremely bold, even crazy, plan gradually became clear.

He submerged his consciousness into the System Shop. The large amount of 'slacking points' he had harvested earlier now had a use. He needed things that could save his life and support him in executing his plan.

First, an escape technique! While "Ghost Shadow Step" was good, it fell short for long-distance raids and extreme life-saving. He set his sights on a secret art called "Blood Escape Technique"; by burning a small amount of vital blood, he could instantly burst forth with several times his speed, making it his trump card for escaping. Exchange!

Second, concealment and disguise. His previous "Turtle Breath Technique" and "Thousand-Face Phantom" were only at the introductory level; he needed something stronger. "Shadow Concealment Art"—could merge into shadows, greatly reducing the probability of being detected by spiritual sense; "Hundred-Change Shape-Shifting"—a more profound art of disguise, capable of simulating another's aura (though the effect was weakened against high-level cultivators). Exchange!

Third, attack and crowd control. Facing a potential siege, he needed area-of-effect and control skills. "Binding Technique"—to urge vines to restrain enemies; "Soul-Bewildering Smoke" recipe—a low-level medicinal powder that could induce hallucinations, which would work even better when used in conjunction with his "lime powder." Exchange!

Finally, and most importantly—"Breath-Restraining Art (Enhanced Version)," which could perfectly simulate the illusion of "fading aura" and "severely damaged vitality"! This was the key to his plan!

After a round of exchanges, the tens of thousands of slacking points he had just acquired were almost completely depleted, but in return, his survival capabilities and his ability to execute his schemes were greatly enhanced!

He did not go out immediately, but instead began to practice these new spells right there in the drainage channel. With the system's infusion and the assistance of the Green Dew Pill, coupled with his foundation at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment (at the peak, about to break through to the eighth level), he mastered them extremely quickly.

Three days later.

In a relatively remote market in the southern district of Qingyun City, a "down-and-out cultivator" appeared with a pale face, unsteady footsteps, and a listless aura. He wore a set of old, washed-out robes and looked around nervously from time to time, as if he were hiding from something.

It was none other than Lin Xuan, after careful disguise!

His current state perfectly portrayed the image of someone "severely injured, forcibly suppressing it, yet forced to go out for some reason." This was exactly the effect he wanted—a bait that looked weak but was "alive and kicking."

He did not deliberately look for the gray-robed merchant, but instead "inadvertently" appeared a few times near tea stalls and pharmacies where there might be Nether Sect eyes or Zhao family scouts, and "accidentally" leaked a trace of weak, unstable spiritual power fluctuations that were of the same origin as his original aura.

After doing all this, he quickly hid in a "drifter's inn" full of all sorts of people near the market, like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow, asked for the cheapest room in the back, and stayed behind closed doors.

He knew the fish would take the bait soon.

Sure enough, that very night.

"Creak—"

The door was pushed open by an invisible force. Without a single footstep, three ghost-like figures appeared silently in the room, surrounding Lin Xuan, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, seemingly in the middle of circulating his energy to heal his wounds.

The leader was none other than the gray-robed merchant! Behind him followed two men with hollow eyes, cold auras, and black martial attire, clearly disciples of the Nether Sect.

"It really is you." The gray-robed merchant's hoarse voice carried a hint of satisfaction. "You certainly made us search for you."

Lin Xuan "suddenly" opened his eyes, his face showing "extreme terror." He struggled to get up, but "aggravated his injuries," coughing violently, and a trace of blood even "overflowed" from the corner of his mouth (forced out using an elixir and spiritual power).

"Who... who are you?! What do you want?" His voice was "weak" and "trembling."

The gaze under the gray-robed merchant's hood was like a viper's, carefully sizing up Lin Xuan, sensing his "fading" aura and "severely injured" state. The last shred of doubt in his heart dissipated. It seemed that the failure of the tracking compass and the disappearance of his aura earlier were indeed because he had used some secret art to hide, and the price of using that secret art was his current severe injury!

"Come with us, kid." The gray-robed merchant's tone was unquestionable. "The 'fortune' you carry is of great use to our sect. Cooperate obediently, and you might suffer less."

"Dream on!" Lin Xuan growled "with a fierce expression but a cowardly heart," his hands "panicked" as he formed seals, and several weak spiritual power arrows shot toward the three!

"Stubborn!" A black-clad disciple snorted, waved his hand, and a burst of black energy easily dispersed the spiritual power arrows. Another disciple stepped forward directly, a chain flickering with ghostly light appearing in his hand, which he cast toward Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan "struggled" to dodge, his figure staggering, appearing extremely wretched, but in the end, he was "unable to turn the tide" and was bound tightly by the ghostly chain. As the chain touched his body, a cold, sinister power instantly invaded his body, attempting to seal his spiritual power.

However, when this power came into contact with the pure Foundation Establishment spiritual power in Lin Xuan's dantian, it was deceived by the "collapse" illusion he had secretly simulated by circulating the "Breath-Restraining Art," and it failed to truly penetrate and seal him. On the surface, however, Lin Xuan cooperated by showing an expression of "despair" and the pain of having his "spiritual power sealed."

"Take him away!" The gray-robed merchant waved his hand.

One of the black-clad disciples picked up the "weak and helpless" Lin Xuan like a chick, and the three of them disappeared into the night as silently as they had come.

Lin Xuan was "obediently" carried along, but he sneered repeatedly in his heart.

Step one, success! He had infiltrated them!

He was taken out of Qingyun City to a desolate valley outside the city. The valley was filled with a faint black mist, and the air was thick with a cold, deathly aura. Deep in the valley, one could vaguely see the entrance to a temporarily excavated cave dwelling, with a simple concealment array at the entrance.

This must be the Nether Sect's temporary stronghold near Qingyun City.

Entering the cave, the interior was more spacious than imagined. Stones emitting a sickly green light were embedded in the walls, reflecting the entire space like a ghost realm. In the center of the cave, a complex and eerie blood-colored array was carved. At the core of the array, a blurry black statue emitting an ominous aura was enshrined—presumably the prototype or projection of the so-called "Holy Object."

Besides the gray-robed merchant (who appeared to be the person in charge here, referred to as Deacon You) and the two black-clad disciples, there were three other Nether Sect disciples on guard in the cave.

"Lord You Ying, the target has been brought." A disciple reported respectfully to Deacon You.

Deacon You (the gray-robed merchant) nodded, looking at the black statue with burning eyes, and said hoarsely: "Very good! The Holy Object has already sensed this fresh and unique fortune! Begin the ritual, sacrifice him, and help the Holy Object absorb the fortune to condense its avatar!"

The two disciples immediately dragged Lin Xuan to the edge of the blood-colored array, preparing to push him into it.

Now is the time!

A flash of brilliance shone in Lin Xuan's eyes, and the aura he had been suppressing erupted! The spiritual power of the seventh level of Foundation Establishment peak surged out like a tidal wave!

"What?!"

"He's not injured?!"

"Not good! It's a trap!"

The expressions of Deacon You and the disciples changed drastically!

"Only just realized? Too late!" Lin Xuan shouted, and the "Binding Technique" was instantly activated! Countless tough vines burst from the ground, winding toward the two closest disciples like spirit snakes!

At the same time, he threw both hands up, his left hand holding a "lime powder smoke bomb" and his right hand holding the newly prepared "Soul-Bewildering Smoke," smashing them directly into the faces of Deacon You and the others!

"Poof! Poof!"

White smoke and pink smoke with a strange fragrance instantly mixed and permeated, shrouding the entire cave!

"Hold your breath! Watch out for the smoke!" Deacon You reacted extremely quickly, his sleeves billowing as he tried to disperse the smoke, but both his vision and spiritual sense were severely interfered with.

"Ah! My eyes!"

"My head... so dizzy..."

The two disciples entangled by the vines were the first to be hit; their eyes burned painfully, and after inhaling the Soul-Bewildering Smoke, their minds became muddled and their movements sluggish.

This chaotic opportunity was exactly what Lin Xuan wanted! His figure moved like lightning as he lunged directly at the black statue! His goal, from the very beginning, was not to kill, but this so-called "Holy Object"!

He felt that the system within his body seemed to have developed some kind of intense... craving for this statue?

"Audacious!" Deacon You was both shocked and angry, and a condensed black ray of deathly energy shot toward Lin Xuan's back!

Lin Xuan did not dodge or evade, taking the blow head-on. He used the force to rush forward, simultaneously pushing the "Blood Escape Technique" to its limit, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and increasing his speed even further!

"Bang!"

He grabbed the cold black statue!

[Ding! Detected high-concentration alien energy source (damaged). Do you allow the system to absorb it?]

"Absorb! Absorb immediately!" Lin Xuan roared in his heart!

Hum—!

An invisible suction force erupted from Lin Xuan's body. The black statue trembled violently, and countless fine cracks appeared on its surface. The rich deathly aura and a certain strange energy contained within it poured into Lin Xuan's body like a bursting river, greedily devoured by the system!

"No!!!" Deacon You let out a shrill scream; he could feel the power of the Holy Object's projection draining away rapidly! "What have you done?! Stop it now!"

The array in the cave began to flicker unsteadily as it lost its energy core, on the verge of collapse.

Lin Xuan felt the "satisfaction" transmitted by the system, as well as the portion of pure spiritual power fed back to him from absorbing the energy (the system had filtered out the harmful deathly aura). His cultivation base instantly broke through the barrier, stepping into the eighth level of Foundation Establishment! And it was still steadily rising!

Holding the statue that was about to shatter, he looked back at Deacon You, whose eyes were splitting with rage, and gave a bright, mocking smile:

"Thanks for the 'gift'! It tastes pretty good!"

"Next time there's a good thing like this, remember to find me again!"

After speaking, he violently smashed the crumbling statue toward the lunging Deacon You, while simultaneously activating the "Blood Escape Technique" again. Transforming into a streak of blood-colored light, he rushed out of the cave entrance amidst the chaos of the collapsing array and falling rocks, disappearing into the vast night!

Leaving behind only the desperate roar of Deacon You and the ruined cave.

"Lin—Xuan—! My Nether Sect will never rest until you are dead!!!"

(End of Chapter 14)