Netherworld Painted Skin Scroll

Chapter 406 Bullying the few with more
He used Zhao Kui's immortal remains before!
At that time, Zhao Kui's own abilities were mediocre; he had only obtained a bit of the true spirit of the True Lord of Fate—no, that's counting backwards. If we count backwards, only the first time, then what Zhao Kui obtained was merely a false, empty position, a divine position. But even that little bit was enough for him to leave behind a dark golden immortal's remains after death, which helped him withstand the Golden Core Tribulation on the coffin mountain.

The one Zhou Xiang took out now, Li Wuxiang only needed to glance at it to know that the power it contained was far greater than that of Zhao Kui's immortal remains. He could hardly find any reference point to compare it with.

He had met quite a few powerful figures, the most formidable being Li Ye. However, Li Ye was simply too powerful to fathom; Li Wuxiang couldn't even begin to estimate his strength. Second only to Li Ye was the True Lord of Fate, followed by the Descended True Spirit, but even that paled in comparison to the Yang God of the Sword Sect.

As a Yang Shen of the Sword Sect, he had witnessed the power of Jiang Jie and Mei Qiulu. In his opinion, if all of Jiang Jie and Mei Qiulu's cultivation were compressed into a ball of spiritual energy, then what Zhou Xiang was holding might be stronger than Mei Qiulu, but it certainly wouldn't be weaker!
Li Wuxiang felt that if he were a native of this world—no, the original owner of this body was—then the smoke from his ancestral graves would be billowing out right now!
He thought he had just stumbled upon a Celestial Dragon who had escaped from the parish by some strange twist of fate, but now this Celestial Dragon Zhou Xiang was carrying something like this—the Six Departments of the Mysterious Sect first sent Xu Zhen to deliver the cultivation technique to the Blood God Sect, but failed. Now this person must be the Six Departments of the Mysterious Sect personally taking action... He is very likely to send this immortal's remains to the Blood God Sect to refine corpses!

If this thing is successfully refined, it will be heaven-defying, even more outrageous than Mei Qiulu right now!
"Huh?" The old Taoist priest was stunned for a moment when he saw this thing.

Zhou Xiang said in a low voice, "This is the remains of an immortal. You may not have seen it, but you must have heard of it. It is a treasure of my clan."

The old Taoist priest didn't recognize the thing, but he was still a half-step low-level beggar version of a rogue cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage. Just like Li Wuxiang, he immediately felt the spiritual energy within it, and his knees buckled. He was about to kneel down and call for his master. Fortunately, Zhou Xiang seemed to have expected this. He helped him up with his empty hands and smiled faintly: "I don't accept disciples, and you don't need to worship me."

Li Wuxiang breathed a sigh of relief. If the old Taoist had really knelt, he would have been in trouble. It wasn't a matter of whether he wanted to kneel or not—in this momentous situation, he could pretend to kneel; he had knelt before Zhao Qi. He just didn't know if Zhou Xiang, with his True Immortal status, could withstand such a kneeling. He needed to keep Zhou Xiang around to investigate thoroughly!

"I showed this to you to tell you not to fight. If you don't fight, then don't have any second thoughts afterward. I like the unruly nature of you wandering martial arts practitioners, but just don't use that nature on me."

Li Wuxiang immediately nodded: "Senior, my feelings for you have never changed."

The old Taoist nodded vigorously: "Senior, I swear to Emperor Taiyi, what I thought just now is still what I think now!"

Zhou Xiang was satisfied with their statements. With a flick of his wrist, the immortal remains disappeared into his sleeve: "I am here to establish a sect, but I will not accept disciples. What I can teach you does not depend on your previous aptitude or cultivation level. This is fate, immortal fate. Today, I have come to this blessed land, which means your immortal fate has arrived."

He thought for a moment and then said, "I will stay here for two or three days, and then I will leave. After I leave, Dao Shiye, please gather some fellow martial artists like you who have your own difficulties and keep them in this cave to wait for my return."

The old Taoist priest nodded: "That goes without saying! But senior, what title should I use to recruit people?"

“Mountain Sect,” Zhou Xiang said. “The sect I’m going to establish will be called the Mountain Sect. There’s no need to mention anything else. Those who want to come are destined to come. Those who don’t want to come, there’s no need to force them.”

This guy is most likely a member of the Five Mountains True Form Sect!

Li Wuxiang quickly asked, "Senior, can I still travel with you?"

Zhou Xiang thought for a moment and said, "Okay."

He then turned and left, looking incredibly dashing.

Li Wuxiang and the old Taoist stood on the stone platform, exchanging a glance only after seeing his figure disappear into the cave. Li Wuxiang knew from the old Taoist's expression that everything was in the bag.

Zhou Xiang probably sensed that the wandering cultivators in the martial world were getting a little wild, so he took out the remains of an immortal to try and calm things down.

But he didn't realize that his cleverness had backfired.

Li Wuxiang understood this kind of person very well. He was like a businessman—in fact, what he was doing now was indeed a legitimate business in this world—if he could make hundreds of thousands in one go, he would definitely take the risk. This was similar to how he used to swindle and kill fellow martial arts practitioners who passed by.

If he could make millions from a single heist, but it would offend some extremely powerful figure, he definitely wouldn't do it. It's similar to how he knew Zhou Xiang was a member of the Six Departments of the Mysterious Sect.

He could make tens of millions from one heist, but if he could latch onto another powerful figure, he would have to take the risk again. This was exactly what Li Wuxiang had advised him before: killing Zhou Xiang would allow him to seek refuge with Mei Qiulu.

Now that Zhou Xiang has taken out the immortal's remains, the old Taoist not only has the potential to earn tens of millions, but he might also become a powerful figure in the Taoist's fold—which would make his devotion to the Tao even more unwavering!

The old Taoist priest spat out the words through gritted teeth: "Wouldn't that one he took be considered a material for elixirs or magical artifacts?"

Li Wuxiang immediately shook his head: "I don't do that. You haven't seen me since I finished this job, so I'm leaving right away."

The old Taoist's eyes turned slightly cold: "If you're thinking of running away—"

Now it was his turn to worry about whether he would back down. Li Wuxiang gritted his teeth: "Don't worry!"

The old Taoist priest nodded: "Let's go in."

He stood still, waiting for Li Wuxiang to take a step before following behind, as if worried that he would run away. He watched Li Wuxiang sit down next to his own bundle in the hall before looking away.

As soon as Li Wuxiang sat down, he sat cross-legged in meditation, closed his eyes, and his Yin spirit left his body, directly entering the Myriad Transformations Formation.

It's night outside, and night inside Wanhuafang too. The rogue disciples from Fenghua Valley have all moved in and are scattered throughout the empty rooms in Jinshui Town. They're probably still cultivating, as lights are lit in their rooms.

Li Wuxiang appeared at the entrance of the Chen family compound and went straight into the main hall. Xue Baoping and Zhao Qi were both inside. Upon seeing Li Wuxiang enter, Zhao Qi immediately said, "Li Wuxiang, it's good you're back. We were just discussing something. Do you think our Sword Sect members should cultivate to the Golden Core stage before going to the Illusionary Realm for training, or is it enough to just cultivate to the Qi Refining stage? I think Qi Refining is about right. Qi Refining cultivators are easier to deal with than other Qi Refining cultivators, but Golden Core cultivators are more troublesome—"

Li Wuxiang raised his hand: "Let's not talk about this now. You two go find someone, I need to have a meeting, I need to discuss something important!"

Seeing his serious expression, Xue Baoping and Zhao Qi were both stunned. Zhao Qi asked cautiously, "Is it good news or bad news?"

He was terrified of any disturbance. He hadn't had a moment's peace since his death. Li Wuxiang had taken him through the illusion eight times, refining the souls of three villains from his own past. For nearly a month, he hadn't been disturbed by his past self in the Crimson Heaven, and he felt finally at peace. But now, hearing Li Wuxiang's words, he was starting to panic again.

"That's a good thing."

Zhao Qi breathed a sigh of relief: "Who else should we look for? Li Guichen is out, aren't all the high-ranking members of our sect here?" "Bring those seven sword attendants over."

Zhao Qi was stunned: "Why are you looking for them? Are you going to look for those seven who have neither ability nor knowledge?"

"Go find them. I don't need their knowledge of cultivation; I need their knowledge of the martial world. More heads mean more ideas. Go now!"

"It's over, this is definitely not good news, we're doomed." Zhao Qi sighed repeatedly, but still ran out the door.

Xue Baoping then said, "I've been thinking about this again these past two days. If we were to go to the west and create a town—"

Li Wuxiang interrupted her: "Let's put this matter aside for now. We might have to go directly to the Blood God Sect. I'll tell you in a bit."

Less than fifteen minutes later, Zhao Qi returned with seven people.

These past few days, the seven men's status as stewards has been officially confirmed, and they have all become "Sword Attendants," handling all the important and minor matters for the "Sword Disciples." They have also met Li Wuxiang, the sect leader, many times. Upon entering the room, they first bowed to Li Wuxiang in unison, and then said, "Greetings, Sect Leader."

Li Wuxiang, sitting in his chair, waved his hand and said, "Let's start the meeting now. Time is tight, so listen to me first."

“I met someone outside these past two days. This person should be from the parish.” He quickly recounted what had happened after meeting Zhou Xiang. “That’s how it is now. This person is very likely to be entrusted with an important mission from the Six Ministries, to deliver the immortal’s remains to the Blood God Sect. I called you all to this meeting today to discuss this matter.”

The seven sword attendants—Chang Buqing, Xie Qiufeng, Zhang San, She Mu, Tu Nan, Yu Wuyi, and Zhang Jingzhong—were all stunned upon hearing this. Firstly, because this matter was truly enormous, far beyond what they had ever imagined they could possibly be involved in. Secondly, they couldn't understand why their sect leader would tell them such a thing.

Li Wuxiang continued, "I've been thinking about it. When the Six Ministries made a pact with the Taiyi Sect, it was witnessed by the Six Ministries Emperors. Their people wouldn't break their oath and come to our territory. There must be something going on. You seven are all people from the martial arts world. Have you heard anything about it?"

He didn't ask specifically, but Zhao Qi and Xue Baoping both understood. While these seven might not be as skilled in cultivation, their knowledge and experience were unmatched—Xue Baoping used to be a country bumpkin, Li Wuxiang was practically one, and Zhao Qi was a typical hermit from Ranshan—they couldn't compare to these seven. This was truly a case of pooling wisdom from all sides.

Zhang San blurted out, "Sect Master, arrest him and torture him!"

Upon hearing this, Chang Buqing and Xie Qiufeng smiled slightly almost simultaneously, about to speak. But when they exchanged a glance, they both said at the same time, "Junior brother/Junior brother, please speak—"

"The sect leader is playing the long game. Right now, we need to find out this person's identity, background, why he's so foolish, and why he was entrusted with such an important task and dared to break his oath to come outside the sect! The sect leader is making a well-thought-out move!" Yu Wuyi said.

Tu Nan clapped his hands: "Because they came via our Eastern Continent! People from the Eastern Continent don't leave the diocese! This person is most likely a illegitimate disciple of the Xuan Sect, who was ostracized, just like me back then, I—"

She Mu tugged at her arm: "Senior Sister, we've already joined our sect. You believe in our Lord Taiyi and the Great Calamity True Lord, so don't keep bringing up your past. Besides, when the sect leader swore an oath to the Xuanjiao, he said that those within the sect's territory couldn't leave, even if they passed through the Eastern Continent. Cultivators hold the Great Emperor in awe. Although the Six Departments of Xuanjiao have different paths from ours, they still have faith, so it's not like they'd openly break the taboo. Senior Brother, don't you agree?"

She glanced at Zhang Jingzhong.

"Huh?" Zhang Jingzhong said blankly, "Ah...yes."

He's not well yet. To be precise, his soul hasn't adapted to the body that was drawn, and his mind hasn't been clear for the past month.

At this moment, Chang Buqing smiled slightly: "Sect Master, you said this person is named Zhou Xiang? Then I have a clue. Speaking of the surname Zhou, it actually has quite a history. The largest Zhou surname in the world—"

“It’s Zhou Er, the Great Emperor of the Five Mountains True Form Sect. His branch is surnamed Zhou,” Xie Qiufeng said. “Almost everyone in the world with the surname Zhou is in the Five Mountains True Form Sect, and they can all be considered as Zhou Er’s collateral bloodline. Since this person calls himself Zhou Xiang, the sect leader should be right, he must be a high-ranking member of the Five Mountains True Form Sect.”

Chang Buqing quickly chimed in, "What Junior Brother Jie said is exactly what I wanted to say. However, there are many people with the surname Zhou in the True Form Sect. To find out this person's background, we need to start with why he was able to come outside the sect."

He smiled again: "I've been traveling the world for many years and have many friends, some of whom used to do business in the parish before starting their spiritual practice. According to these people—"

“The entire parish isn’t entirely the territory of the Five Mountains True Form Sect,” Xie Qiufeng continued. “This matter has been rumored in the martial arts world for a long time. It must have been spread by people who went to the parish to do business in the past. Now that you ask, Sect Master, I immediately remembered it.”

"Yes, what Junior Brother Xie said is exactly what I wanted to say. When I first heard about this, I also thought it was just gossip and completely unbelievable. At that time, I already had the title of 'Silent Light Wondrous Use Impermanence Not Lightly Free Sword,' and I was arrogant, so I found this matter very interesting, and that year I—"

Jie Qiufeng continued, "Rumor has it that because there is a direct descendant of Zhou Er within the sect, and because this bloodline is not good, he was relegated to a subordinate position under the main sect leader. Therefore, he separated into a separate sect. This sect appears to be the Five Mountains True Form Sect, but in reality, it is an independent institution, passed down through generations by a single lineage—"

"So, the Zhou Xiang you encountered, Sect Master, might be a direct descendant of the Great Emperor Zhou Er, who ruled independently with a single heir for generations." Chang Buqing finished speaking in one breath, glaring at Xie Qiufeng. Xie Qiufeng smiled slightly at him: "Junior Brother Chang is right."

Is there such a thing?
After a moment's thought, Li Wuxiang immediately said, "You all wait here."

He got up and went out of the house. He walked into the courtyard and sketched a few lines in mid-air. A crow appeared and landed on his arm.

Li Wuxiang stuck a feather into the raven's wing, flicked his arm, and a talisman floated in the air. He pointed his fingers repeatedly, and when the talisman landed in his palm, it had gained a line of text and an abstract face that was somewhat human-shaped—"I intercepted this person, who calls himself Zhou Xiang. He carries the remains of an immortal and may be a direct blood relative of Zhou Er, heading to the Blood God Sect. What is this person's character like?"

He put the talisman into the crow's beak, and the large bird took flight and disappeared into the night sky.

Lou He and Zeng Jianqiu are the people who know the situation in the parish best, so you can't go wrong asking them!

Li Wuxiang felt his heart pounding wildly. At first he thought it was a small fish, then he realized it was a big fish, and now he understood it might be a giant Kun!
Finally, a favorable situation has arrived where I have many enemies and they are few, and I am in the dark while they are in the light!

He strode back into the house, then clapped his hands: "Alright, let's assume he is this person now—Chang Buqing, don't be long-winded, Xie Qiufeng, don't fight him, Tu Nan and Zhang Jingzhong, you two go and rest over there. The rest of you, we only have a quarter of an hour tonight, let's think together how to best use this person!"

(End of this chapter)