novelraw Chapter 188 : “Overseas Loose Cultivator—Old Demon Ji!”
Chapter 188 : “Overseas Loose Cultivator—Old Demon Ji!”
Chapter 188: “Overseas Loose Cultivator—Old Demon Ji!”
Indeed, when Deng Pinghai heard the man before him introduce himself, he was somewhat shocked.
When traveling outside, he still dared to go by his real name without changing it?
And from the looks of it, it wasn’t even a fake name—it was his actual name… Most importantly, he even dared to call himself a demonic cultivator!
Were early Foundation Establishment cultivators nowadays really so unafraid of death?!
Deng Pinghai considered himself a mid-Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, yet even he wouldn’t be so brazen! Especially here in righteous territory, where demonic cultivators had to tuck their tails between their legs when going out.
“Fellow Daoist… quite the courage!”
Deng Pinghai looked at the bearded man before him and said very seriously, “I am a loose cultivator from Great Love City, Deng Pinghai.”
Ji Yuan sneered on the surface, but in his heart he was calculating what this demonic cultivator was planning. If a fight broke out later, could he kill him in an instant?
Mid-Foundation Establishment—would be a bit difficult.
“In that case, seems like we have a bit of fate between us. Sitting together makes two seas.”
Ji Yuan swung his large sleeve and sat down nearby.
Although he was only at early Foundation Establishment, he appeared even more imposing than the mid-Foundation Establishment before him.
Deng Pinghai followed over to sit as well, then waved his hand, prompting Wu Yunbo to hurry and bring wine and dishes.
“In my opinion, Fellow Daoist Qiu isn’t heading to the Ghost-Seeking Pit, but rather seeking a faction for protection.” Deng Pinghai chuckled.
Not wanting to be led by the nose, Ji Yuan countered, “Which faction does Fellow Daoist Deng belong to?”
Deng Pinghai was slightly taken aback and fell silent.
It wasn’t until Wu Yunbo returned from the kitchen with wine and dishes… Ji Yuan pointed at him and said, “Come, tell your leader Deng here who I am.”
“If we can talk, we’ll talk. If not, we’ll part ways.”
“Damn it, I’m a Foundation Establishment loose cultivator, not afraid of being unwanted!”
As he spoke, Ji Yuan put one foot on the chair, picked up the spiritual wine on the table and sniffed it, his face full of disdain. “What is this? Smells like horse piss.”
After saying that, he took out a jar of spiritual wine enhanced by the Wine Cellar from his storage pouch.
As he patted off the sealing mud, a rich wine fragrance spread instantly.
Deng Pinghai sniffed it, his eyes lighting up.
Meanwhile, Wu Yunbo quickly introduced Ji Yuan’s identity to him, saying he was introduced by his close friend, and that his identity was definitely fine, and so on.
After listening, Deng Pinghai pondered for a moment, as if weighing something.
Finally, after careful thought, he removed the ghost mask from his face, revealing his true appearance. “Given the current situation, I’m sure Fellow Daoist Qiu understands—we have no choice but to be cautious. I hope you won’t mind.”
With that, he even stood up and cupped his hands toward Ji Yuan, his posture extremely proper.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan returned the courtesy, taking his foot off the chair and casually cupping his hands in return.
“Situation? What situation? All I see is our demonic path about to head east out of Shang Mountain and unify the entire Cangluo Continent!”
“When that time comes, those so-called righteous cultivators will have to tuck their tails and act like dogs when they see us!”
Hearing Ji Yuan’s words, Deng Pinghai’s breathing quickened slightly, but he quickly calmed down and sat back down.
“Seems Fellow Daoist Qiu knows quite a bit.”
“If I knew little, I wouldn’t have come seeking you.”
Ji Yuan tossed the wine jar in his hand toward him. The latter instinctively caught it, hesitated, but still poured himself a bowl.
To dare drink wine offered upon first meeting—that was some degree of trust.
Whether or not he had taken a Detox Pill beforehand was unknown.
Deng Pinghai downed the wine in one gulp, then wiped his mouth.
Ji Yuan, who had been watching him all along, judged from this simple action that Deng Pinghai was likely the type of Foundation Establishment cultivator who had risen from humble beginnings. Otherwise, he wouldn’t drink like that.
If that was the case, then he needed to be even more careful… Those who rose from the bottom were never simple.
“To be frank, Brother Qiu, we’re not from the Ghost-Seeking Pit. We’re from Great Love City.”
“Great Love City?”
Ji Yuan was slightly surprised, then immediately guessed something. “The loose cultivators of Great Love City… have gathered together?”
“Exactly.”
Deng Pinghai smiled and nodded. “So, since Brother Qiu is thinking of finding a faction, I think it would be most suitable to join our Great Love Sect.”
Ji Yuan didn’t rush to reply. He rubbed his wine bowl, then lifted the jar to pour himself another bowl—but he didn’t drink it… because Deng Pinghai had touched that jar.
“Join your Great Love Sect… and wait to be hunted by Joy Palace?”
Ji Yuan spoke slowly.
Hearing this, the smile on Deng Pinghai’s face vanished instantly.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan knew he had guessed eight or nine parts correctly.
A group of Foundation Establishment loose cultivators in Great Love City had formed a faction called the Great Love Sect, right under Joy Palace’s nose. Could Joy Palace tolerate that?
So being hunted down was almost certain.
“That’s just temporary. And it’s not really being hunted down. Forget it, I’ll be frank— we’re about to infiltrate the Ghost-Seeking Pit. If you want a share of the pie, then come. If not, then forget it.”
Deng Pinghai spread his hands and spoke in an open manner.
Ji Yuan frowned, feeling this wasn’t so simple.
The Great Love Sect wanted to infiltrate the Ghost-Seeking Pit—were they going to annihilate one of the existing factions inside, or directly seize new territory and make it five factions inside the Pit?
And when he said the hunting by Joy Palace was temporary, his tone suggested he didn’t care at all.
Could it be that Joy Palace’s “pursuit” of the Great Love Sect was actually fake?
Ji Yuan couldn’t figure it out, so he didn’t speak immediately.
Deng Pinghai smiled, tossing over a Messaging Talisman… a white one.
“How about this—since Brother Qiu doesn’t seem in a hurry to leave our Great Love City, take some time to think it over. But as for joining the Ghost-Seeking Pit… I advise you to be cautious.”
“Don’t end up on the wrong side.”
As he spoke, Deng Pinghai formed a hand seal, and his figure instantly turned into a cloud of black smoke, leaving from his seat.
That technique was rather flashy… Ji Yuan was somewhat tempted, thinking his Second Senior Brother Yun Qianzai might like it.
After all, those who could vanish on the spot like that were mostly Golden Core cultivators, using their Golden Core escape light to come and go without a trace.
Once Deng Pinghai left, only Ji Yuan and Wu Yunbo remained in the tavern.
Naturally, Ji Yuan’s gaze fell on this “informer.”
Wu Yunbo was equally straightforward—his legs gave out, and he immediately knelt before Ji Yuan.
“Senior, Senior Qiu, I truly had no choice. Ever since Bai Piao left those years ago, I’ve been living in poverty!”
He spoke with a bitter face:
“If not for joining the Great Love Sect and Brother Deng helping me, my tavern would have gone under long ago, let alone me breaking through in cultivation.”
Ji Yuan said nothing but spread his divine sense, instantly enveloping the entire street.
Deng Pinghai… had indeed left.
And there were no other Foundation Establishment cultivators nearby.
When he first stepped into this tavern, Wu Yunbo had already used a Messaging Talisman.
Ji Yuan had sensed that clearly but hadn’t stopped it—he also wanted to know who the Foundation Establishment cultivator behind Wu Yunbo was. He had thought it would be someone from the Ghost-Seeking Pit.
Unexpectedly, it was a loose cultivator from within Great Love City.
“Get up. Tell me about your Great Love Sect first.”
Ji Yuan had no intention of killing Wu Yunbo—not only was he Bai Piao’s friend, but killing him would be pointless and meaningless.
“Yes, yes.”
Seeing that Ji Yuan hadn’t killed him immediately, Wu Yunbo knew he was safe, quickly standing up. After a brief pause, he began:
“Senior Qiu, perhaps you don’t know this, but Great Love City originally belonged to our Great Love Sect. It was only later forcibly taken by Joy Palace that it became what it is now.”
“Oh?”
Ji Yuan really hadn’t known that.
“Great Love City was originally the city of the loose cultivator Real Person Great Love, and also a gathering place for many loose cultivators. At first, everything was fine—until… Real Person Great Love went to Overseas Fuxian Island with a friend to seize a treasure, but unexpectedly died there.”
Wu Yunbo explained:
“Later, Joy Palace took the opportunity to seize it, and our Great Love Sect dispersed—until, until we welcomed the legitimate son of Real Person Great Love, our current Sect Master, Mourning Taoist.”
“Your sect master has formed a Golden Core?”
Ji Yuan asked,
“This… seems not yet,” Wu Yunbo said, somewhat embarrassed.
“So it’s not yet. How many Foundation Establishments do you have in total? Don’t tell me it’s just the five Foundation Establishment loose cultivators in this city.”
“Of course not. These five seniors are only our forces in the open. Secretly, we also have three more Foundation Establishment cultivators.” Wu Yunbo spoke of this matter with some pride.
His words clearly implied that Ji Yuan should quickly join them.
Of course, it was only because Ji Yuan’s background made him feel at ease that he dared say this much. If he didn’t know his background…
He would have been far less polite.
“Eight Foundation Establishment cultivators—barely enough. Just now Deng Pinghai said you were going to attack the Ghost-Seeking Pit?”
“Who are you planning to target? Divine Vulture Palace is too strong for you to swallow. Skyfire Cave and Red Dragon Gang are about the same as your Great Love Sect. The weakest left is Blood Prison Helm—could it be them?”
Ji Yuan asked in a deep voice.
Wu Yunbo’s face showed an awkward look. “This junior really doesn’t know. If there’s a move to be made, it will be those Foundation Establishment cultivators who go. We Qi Refining cultivators can’t take part in such things.”
While he spoke, Ji Yuan’s divine sense remained locked onto him.
It didn’t seem like he was lying.
For this kind of matter, a Qi Refining cultivator truly wouldn’t know. If he could name the target outright, that would be suspicious.
Seeing Ji Yuan silent, Wu Yunbo quickly added,
“But it’s certain that one of the factions inside will be taken down and replaced. That way our Great Love Sect’s prestige will grow, and more heroes will be attracted to come.”
“Not afraid of attracting Joy Palace?”
Ji Yuan sneered, making Wu Yunbo very embarrassed.
“Forget it, I’ll think about it when I go back. This matter… is not urgent.”
After speaking, Ji Yuan swung his large sleeve and stood up.
Wu Yunbo quickly cupped his hands again. “This junior has heard that this battle may start in no more than two or three months. If senior has the intention, it would be best to decide early. If not… then it’s better to leave soon.”
These words were sincere advice.
Especially the part urging Ji Yuan to leave quickly.
“Understood.”
Ji Yuan waved his hand and pushed the door open to leave.
One day later.
After wandering around for some time and using another Shapeshifting Talisman, Ji Yuan finally returned to his lodging.
When traveling outside, caution was the top priority.
Back in his place, he was still pondering the matter.
From Deng Pinghai’s words, it seemed that the Great Love Sect’s plan to attack the Ghost-Seeking Pit was already an open matter. It was only because he had just arrived that he didn’t know.
Otherwise, Deng Pinghai wouldn’t have mentioned it upon first meeting.
Since that was the case, the current question was whether or not to get involved in this war.
As for the Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust, in the past few days while wandering Great Love City, he had asked in many shops, big and small.
The result was always the same—none had it.
It truly confirmed what Bai Piao had said at the time.
“Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust is far too rare.”
So, to get this item, he would still have to deal with Foundation Establishment cultivators on either side.
Ji Yuan’s original plan was to head to the Ghost-Seeking Pit and blend into one of the factions there. That way, he could secure his demonic cultivator identity while also trading with them for the Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust.
But now, it seemed plans could not keep up with changes.
“Perhaps I should wait until they’ve finished fighting before going in to trade?”
That wasn’t a bad idea either. When one side won, he could side with them.
After all, identity was secondary—Ji Yuan’s main goal in coming this time was the Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust.
…
In a certain residence in Great Love City.
Deng Pinghai and four other cultivators had gathered here, including the sect master of the Great Love Sect, Mourning Sanren.
After Deng Pinghai recounted today’s encounter, a white-robed cultivator fanning himself with a feather fan chuckled, “From what Pinghai said, if we can confirm this man is an outsider, then it’s easy.”
“If we can capture him, our Great Love Sect will gain a bit more strength.”
“If we can’t, that’s fine too—so long as he doesn’t head to the Ghost-Seeking Pit.”
A shirtless, bald, burly man bared his teeth. “Just an early Foundation Establishment—so what if he joins the Ghost-Seeking Pit? I can crush him to death with one punch!”
“…”
“Does he have anything he might be lacking?”
Seated in the main seat, with a thin frame and hair and beard both white, Mourning Sanren spoke in a hoarse voice.
Once he spoke, the others fell silent immediately.
Deng Pinghai thought for a moment before answering, “He didn’t say, but for a loose cultivator—what could he not lack? He surely lacks spirit stones.”
“Think on it again. If you can find him, we’ll just spend more spirit stones to bring him over.”
Mourning Sanren’s cloudy eyes swept over the other four present. “At a critical moment, having one more person on our side is naturally better, especially an early Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator.”
“If he does come… Laosan.”
The bald man who had spoken earlier stood up. “Yes, big brother.”
“You have a hot temper, and Qiu Qianhai’s temper is also hot. Make sure you don’t get into a dispute with him.”
“Yes.”
The bald man had no choice but to agree.
Deng Pinghai, seeing this, thought for a moment and said, “Big brother, from my interaction with this Qiu Qianhai, he’s bold but cautious, and will likely guess our Great Love Sect’s current situation.”
“If he fears Joy Palace and won’t join us, what should we do then?”
Mourning Sanren didn’t speak, because he didn’t know either.
Sitting beside him, Qian Xin chuckled, “Fools are easy to deal with. Smart people are also easy to deal with. What’s troublesome are those who are neither smart nor foolish—those people tend to be stubborn.”
“Please advise me, Fellow Daoist Qian Xin.”
Deng Pinghai cupped his hands toward him.
Qian Xin lightly shook his feather fan. “Since this Qiu Qianhai fears Joy Palace yet is a clever man, why not let him believe that we are people from Joy Palace?”
Then Qian Xin sent him a few instructions via voice transmission.
After listening, Deng Pinghai suddenly understood, cupped his hands, and returned to his seat.
Afterward, the group discussed the matter of besieging the Ghost-Seeking Pit for a while. When the discussion was nearly over, Mourning Sanren said, “Alright, there’s nothing else. You all may leave—Qian Xin, you stay.”
Deng Pinghai, along with the other two, left, leaving only the white-robed man with the feather fan.
In the hall, Mourning Sanren stroked his beard and said, “Tell me, will the Ghost-Seeking Pit truly become the place of revival for our Great Love Sect?”
Qian Xin’s face seemed to always carry a faint smile. “That depends on whether the Sect Master wishes to hear the truth or the good words.”
“Let’s hear the good words first.”
Mourning Sanren lowered his eyelids and said.
“Our Great Love Sect now has more demonic cultivators, and the Ghost-Seeking Pit is a famous gathering place for demonic cultivators. With the world’s current upheaval, we can hide in the Ghost-Seeking Pit and await the right time—this is the first point.”
Qian Xin continued unhurriedly: “The Sect Master calls himself Mourning Sanren, and the Ghost-Seeking Pit has the word ‘Ghost’—this subtly aligns with heaven’s will. That is the second point.”
“As for the third point, the Black Fiend Demon Lord in the Ghost-Seeking Pit once had ties with Real Person Great Love. Moreover, Joy Palace is willing to give him some face. Entering the Ghost-Seeking Pit with your status will naturally bring more stability.”
After speaking these three points, Qian Xin closed his mouth.
Mourning Sanren slowly nodded. “And what is the truth?”
“The truth is that Joy Palace is hunting us closely right now. Since they’re willing to leave us a way out… we have nowhere to go except the Ghost-Seeking Pit.”
Even as he said this, Qian Xin himself felt a bit bitter.
Mourning Sanren picked up the crutch beside him. In an instant, a wave of yin energy spread from his body, and faintly, the entire hall seemed to echo with the wails of ghosts and howls of wolves.
“Pawns! Joy Palace clearly wants us to be the vanguard pawns of the Ghost-Seeking Pit!”
Mourning Sanren gritted his teeth.
Qian Xin did not rush to speak but instead remained silent for a long while before saying leisurely:
“Pawns… so what?”
“Once we enter the Great Love Sect into the Ghost-Seeking Pit, we will be pawns that have crossed the river. Once a pawn crosses the river, there should be nothing it cannot do.”
Hearing this, Mourning Sanren suddenly laughed. Leaning on his crutch, he said with a smile:
“That’s right. Fellow Daoist Qian Xin speaks reason.”
“Great Love relies on strategy—lying low in the mountains and fields, moving only when the time is right.”
“… …”
At the same time—
Overseas, on Heartless Island.
Qiu Qianhai, draped in black robes, looked at the hundreds of cultivators under his command and said in a deep voice, “Since you’ve gathered here today, you will obey my—Ji Yuan’s—orders!”
“They of the Heaven Execution Hall have gone too far in bullying us. I, Ji Yuan, have only one demand this time!”
“That is—once we storm into Heaven Execution Hall, we will follow one principle, and that is…”
“Kill them all! Rob them all! Burn it all!”
Qiu Qianhai raised his arm high, and the many cultivators beneath him all echoed loudly.
“Kill them all! Rob them all! Burn it all!!”
“… …”
After this rallying speech, these cultivators, full of excitement, charged out of the valley, shouting as they headed for the Heaven Execution Hall’s base.
When only Qiu Qianhai remained on the high platform, he spoke in his mind:
“Master, how was my momentum?!”
In his mind instantly came a sinister voice.
“Mere ants fighting. Back in my day, I commanded three to five Nascent Soul cultivators, dozens of Golden Core cultivators, and thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators. Qi Refining cultivators were beyond count. And you have… hehe.”
Qiu Qianhai was not discouraged. Instead, he mocked:
“Exactly, exactly—hence why you’ve fallen to bragging alongside me here.”
“You!!”
That voice roared in anger, but soon calmed, sneering, “You were slept by a woman.”
Qiu Qianhai flew into a rage. “And you were killed by your disciple!”
“You were slept by a woman.”
Qiu Qianhai refused to reply further, instead riding a blood sword that broke through the sky.
After a while—
Within the Heaven Execution Hall’s base, a maniacal laugh rang out. “Remember! The one who killed you is I—Overseas Loose Cultivator, Ji Yuan!!!”
“Damn your mother, you Old Demon Ji!”