Chapter 146: Fellow Cultivator, You Need Not Fear

Chapter 146: Fellow Cultivator, You Need Not Fear

After securing the Blood Piercing Pill, Xiao Chen found himself with considerably more free time.

At Mei Yong’s persistent urging, the sect reassigned another group of Lian Qi-stage disciples to Hezhou. Under Ye Fei’s leadership, they established a branch hall of the Chu Mo Hall in Hezhou, laying the foundation for Lihuo Sect’s intelligence network.

However, since these Lian Qi-stage disciples gathered scattered and disorganized information, the volume of reports Xiao Chen needed to process daily surged. He gradually developed the habit of reviewing Chu Mo Hall’s reports every evening while sitting in the garden pavilion.

This effort paid off—through the flood of intelligence, he quickly gained a comprehensive understanding of Hezhou. Geographically, Hezhou was roughly twice the size of Li Zhou, boasting abundant spirit veins and cultivation resources, with a cultivator population far exceeding Li Zhou’s.

Originally home to over ten major factions, smaller sects in Hezhou had either been absorbed or expelled, leaving only the Three Great Sects: Spirit Origin Sect in the north, Wan Hua Valley in the center, and Qing Xiao Sect in the south.

According to recent intelligence, the conflict had begun spreading toward Wan Hua Valley. Scores of demonic cultivators had infiltrated the valley, abducting female disciples for abuse or capturing them as furnace sacrifices. The situation was far graver than the earlier reports from Spirit Origin Sect had indicated. Strangely, Wan Hua Valley’s counterattacks remained surprisingly weak.

“Manager Xiao, urgent secret report from Hezhou!”

A Chu Mo Hall disciple rushed in, handing Xiao Chen a sealed letter bearing wax insignia.

“Ye Fei?”

Curious about the sender, Xiao Chen broke the seal and unfolded the concise message. It revealed that Ye Fei had learned through a special channel that the Divine Flame Cult had dispatched elite members to wreak havoc in Li Zhou.

Infiltrators in Li Zhou? The news immediately reminded Xiao Chen of the recent anomalies in Huang Que Valley. Ye Fei speculated that the operation was likely led by one of the Divine Flame Cult’s legendary Four Direction Envoys. He urged Xiao Chen to exercise caution and avoid solitary outings, as the enemy’s actions might target Lihuo Sect in retaliation for aiding Spirit Origin Sect.

“The Four Direction Envoys?”

Xiao Chen sought Mei Yong at the sect hall. “Senior Mei, have you heard of them?”

Though unfamiliar with the name himself, he decided to heed Ye Fei’s warning.

“Tsk, the Four Direction Envoys? This complicates things.” Mei Yong frowned deeply. “Where did this intelligence come from? Is it reliable?”

After confirming it was Ye Fei’s report, Mei Yong sighed before explaining, “You wouldn’t know them—they’re mentioned in records left by the previous patriarch. The Demon Cultivation Techniques prioritize quick gains, allowing many demonic cultivators to reach formidable stages like Foundation Building. However, most lack the potential to form Golden Cores.”

Xiao Chen nodded. He knew Demon Cultivation Techniques often consumed Vital Blood, sacrificing future advancement for power.

Mei Yong continued, “Before the Divine Flame Cult rose to prominence, they established the Four Direction Envoys to coordinate regional demonic cultivators and transmit intelligence.”

Xiao Chen blinked. “So they’re just four messengers?”

Mei Yong’s expression hardened. “Don’t underestimate them. Each has risen above ruthless peers. They’re peak Foundation Building cultivators with uniquely sinister techniques. Decades ago, they breached the formidable defenses of the Yue Immortal Sect before the Divine Flame Cult’s ascent. Since then, over sixty Foundation Building cultivators have fallen to them—averaging fifteen kills per envoy.”

Considering their ability to absorb Vital Blood for power, the Four Direction Envoys were indeed formidable. Yet Xiao Chen, now wielding the Lesser Trinity Sword Array, welcomed the challenge. Even without his Flying Sword, his top-grade magical artifacts gave him confidence against Foundation Building adversaries.

Still, Mei Yong took the threat seriously. Seven days later, as Xiao Chen organized archives at the Chu Mo Hall, he encountered Chen Zhixuan.

“Xiao Chen, we meet again!” Chen Zhixuan greeted warmly.

“Brother Zhixuan!” Xiao Chen exclaimed. “Aren’t you supposed to be cultivating medicinal herbs in Shi Dao Valley? What brings you back?”

Chen Zhixuan grinned, “Sect Leader Senior Brother worried you’d struggle alone, so he sent me to assist.”

Mei Yong viewed Xiao Chen as a mid-stage Foundation Builder, ill-equipped to face late-stage adversaries. He’d contacted numerous late-stage cultivators to reinforce Chu Mo Hall, but most refused to abandon their pursuits. Eventually, the Chen family, mindful of Xiao Chen’s safety, dispatched Chen Zhixuan.

Relieved to share his workload, Xiao Chen handed over the archives to Chen Zhixuan and retreated to Cuiwei Valley for cultivation.

Recent practice had brought him to the threshold of Foundation Building’s Seventh Floor. However, a minor bottleneck separated mid-stage from late-stage cultivation. Worse, his low-grade wood spirit root created an invisible barrier.

“Lucky I achieved Heavenly Path Foundation Building—no bottlenecks to hinder me,” Xiao Chen mused, completing a Grand Celestial Cycle and noting his incremental progress.

Yet on the fourth night of Chen Zhixuan’s arrival, tragedy struck.

Following a disciple’s urgent report, Xiao Chen arrived at Chu Mo Hall, hearing mournful cries outside. Two tearful children and consoling female disciples stood at the hall entrance. Inside, the Sun Family Leader sobbed bitterly, with Chen Zhixuan watching grimly nearby.

Xiao Chen recalled meeting the Sun leader during the Zhu Family raid in Yuanxiao Festival—he’d been the most cooperative. Now, his grief suggested disaster in Zhu County.

“They’re all dead… All dead! Blood rained from heaven and earth, no escape… A terrifying blood light shattered even the defensive formation!” The elder’s voice trembled with rage, sorrow, and terror.

“How did you survive?” Xiao Chen asked.

“Regarding your two grandsons, rest assured they’ll remain within the sect. I’ll personally inform Instructor Wu.”

“Once they break through to Core Formation Mid-Stage, they’ll join the second sub-academy. Whether they pursue pill forging or weapon forging will be entirely their choice.”

After settling the Sun family’s affairs, the next matter was the demonic cultivators in Zhu County. Unfortunately, the intelligence provided by the Sun family head was frustratingly vague—he hadn’t even confirmed how many enemies had arrived, only that there were “definitely more than one.”

Xiao Chen suggested, “Zhu County isn’t far. If we leave now, we might still save whoever’s left.”

Chen Zhixuan shook his head. “Unwise. The blood light covering the entire county suggests multiple Foundation Building cultivators. At night, vision is poor, and spiritual senses can be masked by secret techniques. Let’s wait until morning and bring more elders for support.”

The Sun family head interjected, “It’s already too late. When I left, only the ancestral halls of the remaining three families still had survivors. Rushing there now would be pointless.” Exhausted, he had no desire to return immediately.

Xiao Chen compromised, “Then I’ll scout from a distance. I might spot something useful. Tomorrow morning, you can bring reinforcements to back me up.”

Though he understood their reluctance, delaying risked losing critical clues. After Chen Zhixuan’s half-hearted objections, he handed Xiao Chen a Yunlian flying vessel. “Take this. If you encounter strong enemies, prioritize your safety.”

Xiao Chen secretly preferred his Zongdi Jinguang technique, but refused to take the vessel would mean Chen Zhixuan would block his departure. Mei Yong and Elder Chen’s warnings about “keeping him safe” left no room for argument. “Fine, I’ll take it.”

An hour and a half later, Xiao Chen reached Zhu County’s outskirts. He abandoned the flying vessel for stealth, using escape techniques to avoid detection. The scene was horrific—villages reduced to graveyards, the city eerily silent except for distant crackling flames. The demonic cultivators had drained every drop of blood, leaving not even livestock alive.

“Remarkable blood-draining technique,” Xiao Chen muttered. Previous encounters had always left blood splatter, but here—nothing. Even the foundation families’ resistance left no trace of blood. Their storage rooms were looted, spirit stones vanished. His star-gazing aura-reading technique revealed nothing until he reached the northern gate, where a message was carved into the wall: “Meet us at Wanyao Mountain on the eighth day of the tenth month.” Below it, a map marked the location of the Blood Plague Forbidden Realm.

“Just a clumsy distraction,” scoffed Chen Tianfeng. At dawn, the Chen family arrived—Chen Zhixuan, Steward Chen, Elder Chen, Chen Tianfeng, and Chen Tianyuan. Debating the message’s meaning, they grew uneasy. “If this is a fake lead, why leave it? And where’s Xiao Chen?”

Meanwhile, Xiao Chen reached the Blood Plague Forbidden Realm. Confirming the warning formations intact, he hid as footsteps echoed. A gaunt, nine-foot-tall old man entered, dressed in oversized robes. He knelt before the forbidden realm, lit a cauldron with spirit beast bones, and brewed a blood-infused concoction that seeped into the realm without triggering alarms.

“Fellow cultivator,” the old man called, not turning. “You’ve been watching long enough. No need to hide—I mean no harm.” He claimed to be “helping” Xiao Chen, blaming Lihuo Sect for hoarding resources. “We’re both chosen of the god king,” he smiled, bloodlust gleaming in his eyes.

Xiao Chen stiffened. The Blood Plague Demon’s follower? His hand drifted toward his storage bag, calculating the two thousand spirit stones worth of loot just feet away.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end