Mortal: My name is Ma Liang, and I also possess a magic brush.

Ma Liang gazed in the direction Xiang Zhili had flown off to, thinking that this was the first character from the story he had encountered since his transmigration.

His thoughts drifted involuntarily to the protagonist, Han Li, and he finally began to ponder the crucial question: Where is the storyline now?

Ma Liang tried his best to dig out the fragmented memories in his mind, and suddenly a place name clearly emerged - Blood Forbidden Land!

In less than a month, this dangerous secret realm, which the seven factions are vying for, will be opened!

"It's like when it rains, it pours; everything just happens at once!" Ma Liang slapped his thigh hard.

He was a cultivator with only three spiritual roots, and his aptitude was mediocre. Advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage would be extremely difficult for him. Moreover, cultivators with three spiritual roots could not achieve Foundation Establishment without Foundation Establishment Pills.

But he had never even seen the true form of the Foundation Establishment Pill, let alone possessed it. No matter how divine the brush was, it couldn't draw it without ever touching it!

"The Foundation Establishment Pills that I could think of have long been firmly in the grasp of that cowardly king Han Li."

Remembering that guy's fiercely protective nature, Ma Liang couldn't help but complain, "Forget about lending him, even if he wanted to take a peek, he'd probably be on guard against me snatching it. There's no way he'd succeed!"

After much thought, it seemed that all the paths were blocked, and there was only one way to go.

"It seems I have no choice but to go to this Crimson Forbidden Land!"

He had to practice the Great Evolution Technique and venture into the Crimson Forbidden Land. The more Ma Liang thought about it, the more his head throbbed. He couldn't help but curse, "This transmigration isn't about cultivating immortality; it's clearly about suffering!"

As he sorted through the mortal plot in his mind, he pondered and suddenly an idea popped into his head.

"Damn it, I'll risk it!"

Without pausing for a moment, he activated his spiritual power and soared into the air, flying swiftly towards the direction where Xiang Zhili had disappeared.

Xiang Zhili returned to his residence and had just dismissed a few people who had inquired about the Crimson Forbidden Land when his divine sense detected another person flying towards him.

Another late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. He assumed the other party was still asking about the Crimson Forbidden Land, and was already getting impatient, but still had to maintain his senior brother image, so he had to put on a gentle demeanor.

Ma Liang landed a short distance from Xiang Zhili's residence, put away his flying artifact, and walked towards him.

Upon approaching, he cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Ma Liang greets Senior Brother Xiang."

Xiang Zhili nodded, his face still bearing a gentle smile.

"Junior brother, are you also here to inquire about matters related to the Crimson Forbidden Land?"

Ma Liang looked around and saw that there was no one else there.

"Senior Brother Huixiang, I did not come here for the Crimson Forbidden Zone. May I come inside for a chat?"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Zhili's eyes flashed with interest. Everyone who came today was there to inquire about the forbidden area, so this was an exception.

Curious about what his junior brother, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, wanted to see him about, he didn't hesitate and stepped aside, saying, "Junior brother, please."

The two entered the room, with Xiang Zhili taking the seat of honor and Ma Liang sitting opposite him.

Xiang Zhili raised his hand and waved it, and two cups of hot tea appeared out of thin air on the table.

"please."

Ma Liang didn't stand on ceremony and took a sip of tea.

Xiang Zhili also picked up the tea in front of him and took a small sip.

Ma Liang sipped his tea, then looked at Xiang Zhili with the teacup in his hand.

"The tea served by my senior is indeed exceptional."

Xiang Zhili paused for a moment, almost imperceptibly, just as he was about to sip his tea, then casually took a sip.

"Junior brother, you're too kind. Just call me senior brother; calling me 'senior' would make us sound too formal."

Ma Liang had no time for pleasantries and went straight to the point: "Senior, I've come here today to make a deal with you."

Xiang Zhili was unaware that his identity had been exposed. He assumed that Ma Liang called him "senior" to make the transaction go more smoothly and did not think much of it.

But the next sentence made him lose his composure.

"Senior, I know you have been searching for a reverse spirit passage to the spirit world."

"Snapped!"

The teacup in Xiang Zhili's hand shattered with a crack, and tea mixed with porcelain shards splashed out.

The next moment, an immense and unparalleled divine pressure suddenly erupted, heading straight for Ma Liang!

Before Ma Liang could make any move, he was pressed to the ground by that immense pressure, his chest heaving with blood and qi.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He endured the excruciating pain, as if his bones were shattering, and cried out through gritted teeth, "I know! I know where the Reverse Spirit Passage is!"

As soon as he said that, the oppressive force pressing down on Ma Liang suddenly intensified!

He lay on the ground, blood gushing from his mouth and nose, and with his last breath roared, "This Reverse Spirit Passage, only I in this world know of it! If you kill me today, you can only wait for your lifespan to run out and be trapped in this mortal realm forever!"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Zhili's oppressive aura suddenly subsided.

His eyes remained cold as he said in a deep voice, "Boy, how exactly did you know my identity?"

"Cough...cough cough!"

Ma Liang lay on the ground coughing violently, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood that flowed down his neck from the corner of his mouth.

He didn't care about appearances, got up, and wiped himself haphazardly with his sleeve, only to smear blood all over his face, making him look utterly disheveled.

Xiang Zhili's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

He raised his hand and waved it, and a stream of clear water appeared out of thin air, washing over Ma Liang's face and instantly cleaning away the bloodstains.

Immediately afterwards, a lustrous elixir flew out from his sleeve and was fed into Ma Liang's mouth.

Before Ma Liang could react, the pill slid down his throat and into his stomach.

The next moment, a gentle warmth spread throughout his body, and the intense pain quickly dissipated.

When Ma Liang stood up, he first bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Thank you, senior. It was my rudeness that I revealed your identity without any prior warning, and I have been very offensive."

Xiang Zhili chuckled lightly, and with a flick of his hand, a fresh cup of hot tea appeared on the table.

He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and thought to himself, "This kid is interesting. I have nothing else to do, so I might as well play along."

He said again, "You haven't answered my question yet."

Ma Liang sat down and took a sip of his tea. "Everyone has their own secrets. Your identity is a secret, as is my source of information. This matter is not within the scope of this transaction."

Xiang Zhili put down his teacup. "You've got guts, kid. Knowing my identity, you still dare to come to me. Aren't you afraid I won't do business with you and will just search your soul?"

Ma Liang subconsciously pressed his forehead. "It is precisely because I know your character, senior, that I dare to come here rashly and make this deal with you."

"Oh?" Xiang Zhili raised an eyebrow. "My character? I'd like to hear what you have to say about that."

Ma Liang lowered his hand. "I have long heard of you, senior. You are always gentle and kind, and you always leave room for maneuver in your dealings with others. You are by no means the kind of person who bullies the weak and acts unreasonably. More importantly, you have your own bottom line and sense of propriety in your actions. You would never do something as immoral and unbecoming as searching souls and stealing secrets."

Xiang Zhili chuckled softly.

"Virtue? Haha, that's something only mortals would bother with! We cultivators only seek clarity of mind. With the Great Dao before us, why should we be bound by such mundane things!"

"What you say is true, senior, but I believe that if cultivators and mortals exist, then there must be a reason for it."

"While good deeds may not directly aid one's path, they are still a bottom line for actions. Moreover, although I am of low strength, I am not entirely unprepared. If things really come to a desperate situation, even if you can get information from me, you will probably have to pay an unexpected price."