Having been given a second chance at life, I choose to join the Demonic Sect!

"Shishi, dinner's ready!"

Cao Meng knew that Shi Shi must not have been full after devouring those three Void Refinement stage cultivators.

On the way from Yangshan to Longyun Valley, Shishi did not eat.

Now that we've arrived at our destination, it's time for Shishi to have dinner.

As for Longyun Valley being an affiliated force of Pojun Mansion, what does that have to do with Cao Meng?
Since the Po Jun Mansion is prepared to interfere in the affairs of the Liu Yun Dynasty, Cao Meng shouldn't be so impolite.

Today, let's start by slaughtering one of the Dragon Cloud Valley members to teach the Broken Army Mansion a lesson and serve as a warning.

"Ok!"

Upon hearing that dinner was served, Shishi immediately became full of energy and began to refine the entire Dragon Cloud Valley with her blood.

As soon as Shishi made her move, the Nascent Soul stage cultivators of Longyun Valley immediately sensed it.

"I wonder which esteemed senior has graced my Dragon Cloud Valley with their presence, and how my Dragon Cloud Valley has offended you in any way?"

Three Nascent Soul stage cultivators from Dragon Cloud Valley flew out and bowed to Shi Shi.

Although they couldn't discern Shi Shi's true strength, the terrifying and overwhelming power she unleashed was enough for the three of them to understand that they were no match for her.

"Are you seniors powerful figures from the Hehuan Sect? Are you Cao Meng's personal disciple?"

Some of them guessed Cao Meng's identity and tentatively inquired about it.

"Cao Meng personally instructed us that our Dragon Cloud Valley is an affiliated force of the Broken Army Mansion, not an affiliated force of the Profound Heaven Sect!"

The Valley Master of Longyun Valley quickly explained, introducing himself to avoid being mistakenly harmed.

The Hehuan Sect attacked a subordinate force of the Xuantian Sect, which has nothing to do with Longyun Valley!

"You didn't have to die, but the attitude of the Po Jun Mansion has made me very unhappy!"

As soon as Cao Meng finished speaking, Shi Shi struck out with her palm, turning the three of them into a bloody mist, which she then absorbed into her body.

As time passed, in less than half a day, not a single person survived in Dragon Cloud Valley.

According to the map, the place where the Xuan Tian Sect cultivator at the Integration Stage secluded himself for cultivation was deep within a spiritual vein in Longyun Valley.

After arriving at the land of spiritual veins, Cao Meng looked around and couldn't help but sigh:
"With mountains and water, what a wonderful place! This guy probably knew he had no hope of breaking through to a higher realm, so he found himself a geomantically auspicious spot!"

In fact, those who attempt to break through to a higher realm through seclusion are basically facing certain death, wanting to fight to the death.

Under normal circumstances, when someone says they've entered a life-or-death retreat to break through a higher realm, it's already an implicit assumption that they're already dead!
"Show me the map!"

Hongqi ran to Cao Meng's side and looked at the map. She couldn't wait to dig out the treasures here.

After Cao Meng finished looking at the map, he tossed it to Hong Qi.

After looking at the map, Hongqi took out a shovel, raised it, and shouted:

"set off!"

As soon as Hongqi finished speaking, she picked up a shovel and ran ahead.

Cao Meng took out the Myriad Souls Snow Banner and released the Snow Maiden, then gave instructions to Jin Ning'er:
"Jin Ning'er, you stay here and take the Snow Maiden to empty this spiritual vein!"

Since there was a spiritual vein, Cao Meng naturally didn't intend to let it go.

Jin Ning'er didn't protest. It's just digging out a spiritual vein, isn't it?
She dug, and just enough to pocket some spirit stones.

Soon, Hongqi, Cao Meng, and Shishi arrived at the depths of the spiritual vein.

"Formation restriction!"

Cao Meng and the other two stopped in their tracks when they saw the array and restrictions in front of them.

Looking at the restrictive formation, Cao Meng was now certain that there was something inside.

Even if it's not a place where cultivators in the Integration Stage are in seclusion to cultivate to the death, it's still a place where treasures are hidden.

After all, no one would be so bored as to create an empty restriction just to play a trick on future generations, right?

Cao Meng carefully examined the formation and estimated that it was a sixth-grade top-quality formation, capable of blocking ordinary half-step Nascent Soul cultivators!
Damn it, that woman! She even set up a formation during her seclusion, how afraid she is of being robbed!

If you're afraid of being robbed, just explode before you die!

Cao Meng felt that the Blood Cloud Ancestor was also a fraud, as the map he gave him didn't mention any formations at all.

"Pink-furred fox, do you have any way to break this formation?"

Cao Meng knew that Hong Qi had many good things, so he thought of giving her a chance to show them off.

"Cao Meng, beg me!"

Hongqi does indeed have a way to break the formation, but she cannot easily help Cao Meng; she needs to elevate her status within the family.

Cao Meng retaliated by slapping Hong Qi with a candied chestnut, and scolded her irritably:
"Pink-furred fox, do you really think I'm helpless? I gave you a chance to show off, and you didn't even seize it!"

Cao Meng took out his long-unused Netherworld Compass and began to study the formation.

After studying the formation for a long time, just as Hong Qi was preparing to see Cao Meng suffer a setback, Cao Meng finally identified the weak point of the formation.

Cao Meng took out the Netherworld Shovel and began working on the weak points of the formation.

Cao Meng dug for several days until he finally broke through the passage and entered the secret realm.

Cao Meng was furious. Was it really necessary for this woman to take all these defensive measures during her life-or-death seclusion?
I was sweating profusely just trying to get into the secret realm.

If this woman isn't good-looking, I'll sell her to the Corpse Yin Sect.

If it looks decent, I'll refine it into a fierce corpse for my own use!
After Cao Meng entered the secret realm, several low-grade sixth-order mechanisms were immediately activated and attacked him simultaneously.

Shishi, wielding the Azure Rain Divine Sword, swiftly and decisively annihilated the mechanical puppets.

"This woman was not only a formation master, but also a puppeteer in her lifetime!"

Based on the previous formations and the current mechanical puppets, Cao Meng deduced some of the situation.

"This woman is disloyal! Not only does she not want to leave her property to future generations, but she also sets up formations and mechanical puppets. She clearly intends to kill future generations. She is truly despicable!"

Cao Meng angrily denounced the tomb owner's disloyal behavior, saying that he had kindly come to see her, and this was how she treated her guests.
Tomb owner: Cao Cao, did you come in to see me? You're clearly here to rob my tomb and use my corpse to wreak havoc on the area!
Later, Cao Meng and his group encountered some traps, which could kill some cultivators in the Void Refinement stage.

The tomb owner had long anticipated that anyone who could break her formation would be at least at the Void Refinement stage, so the mechanisms and methods she set up to guard the tomb were all aimed at those at the Void Refinement stage.

After overcoming numerous hardships, Cao Meng and his party finally arrived at the main chamber—no, the main burial chamber.

Cao Meng looked at the jade coffin in front of him and became a little nervous. He wasn't afraid of anything now, except that it was empty inside.

After all, based on the previous restrictions and mechanisms, Cao Meng was already certain that the tomb owner was not a good person.

If the other party destroys their own body before they perish, then this trip will have been in vain.

"Cao Meng, this princess has a feeling that something is wrong; this coffin must not be opened!"

Just as Cao Meng was about to pry open the coffin, Hong Qi stopped him. Her intuition told her that there seemed to be a pair of eyes watching them!

"Shishi, why don't you do it!"

After Hongqi's reminder, Cao Meng became a little scared and planned to have Shishi pry open the coffin.

The main reason was that Cao Meng was traumatized by the incident of Shishi's resurrection in the secret realm of the Longevity Sword Sect.

What if the coffin is pried open and the corpse comes back to life?
This is a Nascent Soul stage cultivator from tens of thousands of years ago, buried within a spiritual vein; the probability of it coming back to life is rather high!
"Ok!"

Shishi nodded and hummed in agreement, then continued:

"Cao Meng, hide behind me, Shishi will protect you!"

As soon as Shishi spoke, Cao Meng and Hong Qi quickly hid behind her.

"Shishi, if there's any problem, use your Azure Rain Divine Sword to kill the opponent immediately."

Just as Shishi was about to pry open the coffin, Cao Meng gave her a word of advice, then hid behind her with Hongqi. Cao Meng believed in Shishi's strength and the power of the Azure Rain Divine Sword.

In fact, Shishi herself is a living corpse, and she has a certain sensitivity to her own kind.

Even without opening the coffin, she knew the corpse inside hadn't turned into a zombie.

But she just wouldn't say anything, hoping to scare Cao Meng.

With a single sword stroke, Shi Shi ripped open the coffin, showing no respect whatsoever to the tomb's occupant.

Seeing that there was no sign of Shishi coming back to life, Cao Meng and Hong Qi immediately jumped out from behind her.

"Pink-furred fox, it's all your fault for playing tricks!"

When Cao Meng thought about how timid he had been before, all because of Hong Qi, he retaliated by giving her a candied chestnut.

If this vixen hadn't said those nonsense earlier, would I have been scared?

This vixen is cowardly enough, but she also made herself lose face. She deserves to be beaten!

"You traitor Cao, you're clearly just scared, yet you blame me and even hit me! Today I'll fight you to the death!"

Although Cao Meng's roasted chestnuts only caused Hong Qi a little pain, Hong Qi felt that her dignity had been damaged.

Today she is going to fight for her dignity and let Cao Cao know that she is not so easy to bully.

Shishi watched as Hongqi and Cao Meng started playing around and was speechless.

Just a moment ago, the human and the fox were terrified, but now they're playing around again.

What left Shishi speechless the most was Hongqi.

This vixen has rebelled so many times, but when has she ever succeeded?
Isn't this just asking for a beating?

"Shishi, save me!"

Just as Shishi had predicted, within a few rounds, Hongqi was pinned to the ground by Cao Meng and cried out for help.

"Cao Meng, Hong Qi is a bit unruly, but don't take it to heart!"

Shishi pleaded for Hongqi on her behalf, mainly because the other party was still of use to her.

His grand plan had not yet succeeded, and he still needed Hong Qi, this vixen strategist, to advise him.

"Pink-furred fox, I'll let you off the hook today for Shishi's sake!"

"A fine of four million mid-grade spirit stones, and the four million mid-grade spirit stones I owed you before, are all wiped clean!"

Cao Meng never really intended to kill Hong Qi. After all, if he wanted to kill her, he would have turned her into a fox fur coat long ago, instead of pinning her to the ground.

"Humph!"

After being released, Hongqi snorted coldly, still unconvinced.

That despicable Cao Cao! If he didn't want to pay back the debt, he should have just said so. Why come up with a fine to offset the debt? Isn't this just disgusting?

That damned Cao traitor! If I ever lend you spirit stones again, I'll be a dog!

Cao Meng had no time to pay attention to Hong Qi. Instead, he went to the coffin to check on the condition of the tomb owner's body and whether it was still usable.

You absolutely must use it! After all, this information was obtained by exchanging spirit stones!
When Cao Meng saw the appearance of the tomb's occupant, he was immediately shocked.

Although the other party had been dead for over ten thousand years, there was no sign of decay on their body; they were like a sleeping fairy.

The bold Cao Meng reached out and pinched the other person's face, only to be startled once again!
Soft!

And there's still warmth!

Could it be that it's not quite dead?

"Cao Meng, she died long ago. However, her coffin is extraordinary, and she was in the Integration Stage when she was alive, so it's normal that her body hasn't decayed even after hundreds of thousands of years!"

Shishi noticed Cao Meng's confusion and explained.

Blood Cloud Ancestor: Boy, I wasn't just making things up when I said this corpse could be used at night!
After Shishi said that, Cao Meng felt relieved.

Just as Cao Meng was about to take away the corpse, a strange change occurred. The yin energy in the tomb surged, and a yin spirit emerged from a dark room.

"Young man, lay down my corpse and I may spare your life!"

The spirit rebuked Cao Meng in a stern voice, and its appearance was exactly the same as that of the tomb's owner!
"A ghost?"

Cao Meng also saw through the other party's true nature and couldn't help but sneer.

Cao Meng originally thought that he would only get a corpse of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator this time, but unexpectedly it was a buy-one-get-one-free deal, with an extra bonus: a Yin spirit.

"So that's why I always felt like someone was spying on me from the shadows! It's you, you evil spirit!"

Hongqi was wondering why her intuition was wrong, but now she was certain that it wasn't her intuition that was wrong, but rather that the evil spirit was hiding in the shadows and dared not show itself.

This spirit, also known as the tomb owner, was named Wen Jing, an ancestor of the Xuan Tian Sect who had been in the Integration Stage for tens of thousands of years.

Wenjing fought against the enemy back then, and although she severely damaged and repelled the enemy, she was also seriously injured herself.

So Wenjing chose to go into seclusion to cultivate her life force, hoping to break through her cultivation level and heal her injuries.

However, Wen Jing dared not enter a life-or-death seclusion on Xuan Tian Sect's territory. She feared that if she failed to break through the barrier and died, her unfilial disciples would dig up her body and sell it to the Corpse Yin Sect.

So he left the Xuantian Sect and came here alone to build a cave and seclude himself for life-and-death cultivation.

Undoubtedly, his injuries were too severe, and he ultimately failed to break through to a higher realm.

Before her death, Wen Jing gritted her teeth and dispersed her primordial spirit and true spiritual cultivation, her soul transforming into a yin spirit.

I'm preparing to one day reunite my body and soul and live another life!
Wenjing had been a spirit for tens of thousands of years, but in order to maintain her sanity, she did not absorb blood energy, evil energy, or resentment.

However, evil spirits, fierce corpses, and other malevolent entities rely on blood and evil energy to increase their strength, while Wen Jing does not absorb these, hence her strength increases extremely slowly.

Even now, his combat strength has not reached its peak; it is only at the Void Refinement stage.

"Junior, put down my corpse and get out of my secluded cultivation place immediately. I can pretend this never happened."

Wen Jing rebuked sharply. She had not yet recovered to her peak strength, and her intuition told her that Shi Shi was in danger, so she did not really want to fight Cao Meng's group.

"Hey you, are you going to surrender on your own, or will I come and arrest you myself?"

Cao Meng looked at Wen Jing without any fear; she was just a little evil spirit!
You should know that my True Sun Fire is specifically designed to suppress evil spirits and demons.

Moreover, even if my True Sun Fire can't defeat this Yin Spirit, I still have treasures that can restrain Yin Spirits.

"Young man, which sect are you from? How dare you be so arrogant!"

Wen Jing was furious. This little Nascent Soul Stage 6 was already so arrogant and disrespectful. What would happen if he became a Void Refining Stage or Body Integration Stage in the future?

"Young Master Cao Meng, a direct disciple of Biyun Peak of the Xuantian Sect!"

Cao Meng revealed his identity, which was his identity from his previous life. It wouldn't be unreasonable for him to use it in this life, would it?
Wen Jing had some doubts about Cao Meng's status as a direct disciple of the Xuan Tian Sect; her intuition told her that this kid was a bit sinister.

Moreover, as a direct disciple of the Xuantian Sect, how could he possibly associate with evil beings?

To say that the transformed demon beast was a pet would be understandable.

But how do we explain Shishi, that ominous creature?
"Evil spirit, take this 'Spring Breeze and Rain' strike!"

Cao Meng drew his Liuhong sword and unleashed a powerful strike that brought forth the gentle spring rain.

Cao Meng's move had been unused for so long that he had become somewhat rusty.

After Wen Jing used her Yin energy to block Cao Meng's "Spring Breeze and Rain" technique, her eyes lit up with joy, and she quickly scolded him:

"Boy, you are a direct disciple of Biyun Peak of the Xuantian Sect, yet you dare to lay a hand on me, your ancestor? How did you learn to respect your master?"

Wen Jing had already come to believe Cao Meng's identity, simply because Cao Meng possessed the Liuhong Sword and could perform the Spring Breeze and Rain Technique! (End of Chapter)