Mortals: Take Mo Juren at the start

Time flies, and seven days have passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Mo Juren finally opened his eyes, but when he came to his senses, he suddenly showed a look of surprise.

The surroundings were pitch black, and a fierce, howling wind filled the air, undoubtedly the chilling wind of the Mirage.

The problem is, wasn't I swallowed into my body by that mysterious beast? How did I end up outside? When did I get out? And how did I get out?
Even more strangely, there was a mountain range not far ahead, with five peaks standing in a circle.

This scene was all too familiar; wasn't it the same one I had seen inside that mysterious beast? Moreover, there seemed to be pools and floating manors in the valley as well.

Could it still be inside the beast's body?

wrong!

He suddenly realized that it seemed that in the Yin Wind Swamp outside, Ancestor Chi Yun had also sensed the same place, but he had been swallowed up before he could get close enough to observe it.

So what we see now should be the place outside, but the simultaneous appearance of two mountain ranges, both with pools and floating estates, is rather strange.

What is going on?

And where is the owner of the manor, the white-haired old woman, right now?
In an instant, countless questions arose in his mind, and then he looked directly at the nearby figure where the familiar figure of Ancestor Chi Yun was floating.

"No need to look anymore. Everything before us is an illusion, or rather, a projection. It's the work of that being, designed to lure cultivators of all races here..."

"An illusion? A projection? To attract cultivators from all races?" Mo Juren narrowed his eyes slightly, then continued,
"Could the jade slip containing the roadmap that I obtained have been part of a conspiracy from the very beginning?"

"That's about right. In order to lure more cultivators here, that being controls a large number of 'contract slaves' and will use various means to lure people here."

The Bewitching Lotus was one of the methods used, but unfortunately, although it was real, it resided within the cultivator's body. Any cultivator who came to this place met a terrible end.

"A slave?" Mo Juren frowned. He knew from the name that it was not a good thing.

"The so-called contract slaves are actually a different kind of puppets, but of a higher level, like the maids I saw in the manor before."

A 'soul contract' will be planted in the soul of the Qi Nu, making it impossible for them to betray him for the rest of their lives.

However, becoming a contracted slave will not affect one's cultivation in any way; in fact, one can receive a great deal of resources for cultivation, as well as guidance from the white-haired old woman.

This might not necessarily be a good thing for those with poor aptitude and scarce cultivation resources.

"Without freedom, with your life in the hands of others, what kind of good thing is that?" Mo Juren shook his head slightly, then suddenly seemed to remember something and quickly asked again.

"Then do we have..."

"Don't worry, neither of us has any 'soul contract' on us. In fact, this is a blessing in disguise for you," Ancestor Chi Yun comforted him with a smile.

"What do you mean by turning misfortune into a blessing in disguise?"

"Just like the 'Dew of Oblivion' before, wasn't that an opportunity? Moreover, with this experience, not only has your mind become more stable, but your soul has also been tempered, which will greatly benefit your future cultivation."

"That's true. The gains this time were indeed substantial, but the risks were also considerable. That 'Dew of Oblivion' was truly terrifying. If it weren't for my unwavering Dao heart, I might have run into serious trouble." Mo Juren sighed somewhat as he recalled his previous experience.
"What you say is true, senior. This is indeed an opportunity, but it is far too dangerous. However, I am curious, weren't we swallowed into the body of that strange beast before? How come we are out now? Did that being make things difficult for us? Also, how long were you unconscious, and what happened during that time?"

"Seven days have passed." Ancestor Chi Yun had clearly anticipated the other party's many questions, so he didn't hide anything and continued to explain in detail.
"As for why I came out, the reason is very simple. I made a deal with her and obtained her permission. Then I was sent out voluntarily."

"So it was a transaction." Mo Juren's expression immediately showed realization. He paused, then asked again.
"The other party is willing to let us leave, so the price you paid must have been considerable, right?"

"The price?" Patriarch Chi Yun suddenly fell silent, and after a long while, he let out a long sigh.
"I suppose so. I'm afraid I won't be able to stay by your side any longer in the future."

"What!" Upon hearing this, Mo Juren was immediately startled and instantly understood everything. His expression darkened.
"Is she trying to force the senior to stay?"

"This is already the best possible outcome." Patriarch Chi Yun nodded slightly, then offered further words of comfort.
"Actually, there's no need to worry too much. Although I'm staying, my life isn't in danger for the time being. If I'm lucky, I might even have a chance to be reborn."

"A phoenix rising from the ashes!" Mo Juren was shocked and asked in disbelief.
"Are you sure it's really possible, senior?"

"Of course, it's impossible to be 100% certain, but it's at least an opportunity, and it's worth the risk." Ancestor Chi Yun shook his head slightly, and as he spoke, he immediately took out a storage bag and handed it to the other party.

"I have prepared some things, including the Bewitching Lotus and the Life-Devouring Fruit that you are looking for on this trip. They are all inside. Please keep them safe, as you will need them in the future."

"This..." Looking at the storage bag in front of him, Mo Juren was deeply moved. Putting aside everything else, just the Bewitching Lotus and the Life-Devouring Fruit alone were obviously not easy to obtain if they already had owners.

At the same time, for some reason, he suddenly felt uneasy, as if something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Senior, are you sure you want to stay?" "This is not a decision I can make." Placing the storage bag in the other's hand, Patriarch Chi Yun sighed again.

"When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head! There's no need to dwell on this matter anymore. Pack your things and leave as soon as possible. If fate allows, we'll meet again in the future."

"..."

Now that things have come to this, Mo Juren has come to understand that regardless of whether the other party is willing or not, he has no choice in the matter.

The best outcome he could achieve was for the other party to stay in exchange for his departure; wanting more was simply wishful thinking.

Moreover, judging from the other party's tone, this matter cannot be delayed any longer, otherwise there is a possibility of unforeseen changes.

"Then senior... take care..." Having figured everything out, Mo Juren no longer hesitated. He immediately cupped his hands to the other party, then rode away in his escape light.

Watching the figure gradually disappear in front of him, Patriarch Chi Yun breathed a sigh of relief, but he did not leave immediately. Instead, he hovered in place, lost in thought.

A full quarter of an hour passed before he finally withdrew his gaze and then spoke in a deep voice into the void:

"Fellow Daoist Jiukong, you can let me in now."

As soon as he finished speaking, a passage suddenly opened up in the void ahead, revealing complete darkness inside.

Without hesitation, Ancestor Chi Yun immediately vanished into the passage, which disappeared without a trace...

……

Mo Juren flew away at high speed along the original route, but his expression was extremely gloomy.

Although the trip to the Yin Wind Swamp was quite fruitful, it paled in comparison to the enormous losses suffered.

Although the Chi Yun Ancestor is now just a remnant soul with little combat power, his value far surpasses that of a few spiritual herbs and fruits.

Furthermore, the remnant soul is only a temporary condition. With my help, the other party can completely embark on the path of ghost cultivation, at which time I can provide even greater assistance.

If he had known this would be the outcome, he would never have entered this Yin Wind Swamp.

Unfortunately, it's too late to say anything now. What's done is done, and even if you regret it, you can only accept reality.

He even thought of Madam Yuan Li. After all, she was the one who asked him for help and provided the so-called route map. Could there be some connection between them?
According to Ancestor Chi Yun, the white-haired old woman had controlled countless 'contract slaves' over the long years in order to lure more cultivators into her trap. Could the other party be one of them?

This is not impossible, after all, according to Ancestor Chi Yun, the so-called soul contract is extremely secretive, and even he could not sense it at all.

Who is Ancestor Chi Yun? He was once a being who stood at the pinnacle of this world. Even though only a remnant soul remains, his spiritual consciousness is still at least at the level of the Integration Realm.

This means that even if Lady Yuanli is indeed a slave, she can still act freely in Tianyuan City, and the possibility of being exposed is extremely low.

"I hope it's not her." Mo Juren suddenly sighed. The other party was a subordinate of Fairy Fengyu, and they had a very pleasant conversation before. If it really was her, it would be such a pity.

He would never let go of anyone who plotted against him, no matter the reason.

However, this matter is complicated. Firstly, the other party is not weak and has an extraordinary background. He is also the deputy hall master of Guanghua Hall, so it is impossible to easily take action against him.

Secondly, the old ancestor Chi Yun is still in the hands of that white-haired old woman, and his life and death are in her control. If he attacks Qi Nu, it is equivalent to offending her, and it is hard to guarantee that he will not implicate her.

In short, this matter cannot be rushed and requires careful consideration.

……

Several days later, Mo Juren returned to the shores of Blackwater Lake. Looking at the vast, boundless lake before him, he felt a sudden chill in his heart for some reason.

I didn't feel this way when I came here before, and besides, I had Ancestor Chi Yun by my side back then, so I was naturally more confident.

But at this moment, he was completely different. He could only rely on himself. Fortunately, he still had Zidian and many other trump cards, so he was not too powerless.

Having figured this out, he didn't delay and immediately flew away.

Just like when he arrived, the lake remained eerily still during the flight, but at least there was nothing unusual, which secretly relieved him.

However, after flying for half a day, as they approached the center of the lake, they suddenly sensed something. Their escape light abruptly stopped, and their gaze instinctively fell upon the lake surface ahead. Their expression changed drastically. (End of Chapter)