The Entire Sect is Full of Villains, Yet the Junior Sister Conquers All

Chapter 111 : Spirit Root Transplant

Although Lingqing Sect couldn't be considered a major sect now, it was at least a small sect with some reputation in this region. The common people in the nearby areas would often seek the sect's protection.

A few days ago, the sect received a letter seeking help.

A nearby village seemed to have encountered evil cultivators. Several children had been in a coma and were now barely breathing. They earnestly requested the immortal masters to save them.

As soon as Chu Sang and the others received the rescue letter, they went down the mountain to investigate Fanpan Village.

Just as they entered the village, they encountered Mo Baizhou, whom they hadn't seen for a long time.

"Fourth Senior Brother, why are you here too?" Chu Sang was a bit surprised.

Although Mo Baizhou was a human-demon hybrid, he clearly mainly cultivated demon techniques. After all, he was born from a chance encounter between the old Demon Sovereign and an ordinary human woman whose name wasn't even known. The demonic energy in his body naturally dominated.

Not to mention that as a child, he was left among humans and suffered bullying, even becoming a beggar on the streets... He despised the demon race but disliked humans even more.

Usually, cultivators can only choose one type of cultivation technique to practice. Mo Baizhou, in his youth, happened to meet an old demon who taught him, so naturally, he cultivated demon techniques that suited him better.

Don't ask why Chu Sang could have both spiritual energy and demonic energy coexisting in her body.

The answer is, she doesn't know either.

Mo Baizhou was basically considered a member of the demon race.

And in the Sect Competition, other races were absolutely not allowed to participate. Once his demonic energy leaked, he would be directly killed by the heaven-grade formation set up at the Sect Competition. So Mo Baizhou and Ling Yu had no chance to participate in the Sect Competition, and Immortal Chanyu didn't force them to go into seclusion either.

As such, given Mo Baizhou's personality, he wouldn't stay in the sect and was often nowhere to be seen.

Unexpectedly encountering him in this unknown small village was quite surprising to Chu Sang.

"This place... has demonic energy," he said slowly, his voice still cold and calm, like a dead pool of water that could hardly ripple.

"Demonic energy??" Tantai Ming was shocked. The young man's lips tightened as he said harshly, "The children in the village are in a coma. Could it be the demon race's doing again?"

These detestable demons were truly like lingering ghosts, popping up from time to time like cockroaches, purely to disgust people.

The group didn't linger and went into the village to find the village head to inquire about the general situation.

There were eight children in the village who had fallen into a coma, all under the age of ten.

Most of the children were around five or six years old.

Chu Sang hadn't heard that the demon race had a special fondness for human children. Could it be... for practicing some evil technique?

Some evil techniques indeed required children as bait, but these children currently seemed to be simply in a coma, without any other injuries. This was somewhat at odds with the demon race's typically brutal and murderous behavior.

Chu Sang asked a few more questions and finally discovered the root of the problem. All the children who had fallen into a coma had spirit roots.

The major sects in the cultivation world would recruit disciples every ten years, three years, or even annually, sending envoys to various mortal cities and villages to seek children with spirit roots and immortal affinity.

Among these children born in the mortal world, a small portion would be lucky enough to be tested as having spirit roots.

Usually, those with four spirit roots or above could enter sects for cultivation.

A few days ago, envoys from immortal sects had come to the village to test the children's spirit roots using spirit stones.

This village had good fortune, with several children testing positive for spirit roots. There were even two children with quite good aptitude, possessing three spirit roots. They might even qualify as inner disciples in the Eight Great Immortal Sects.

After inquiring with the village head, Chu Sang visited the homes of each of these children in turn. The parents were all extremely grieved. They had finally hoped for their children to have a connection with the immortal path, which should have been a joyous occasion. Unexpectedly, after just a few days, such terrible news came.

Chu Sang was not only good at talking but also quite skilled at comforting people. After soothing the parents of these children, she had them leave with peace of mind.

They would investigate and protect these children.

Chu Sang sat by the bedside. "Sixth Senior Brother, have you noticed anything?"

Mu Chihuai frowned as he took the pulse, the smile usually on his face disappearing, replaced by a somewhat cold expression. He paused for a moment, then looked up at her. "...Little Junior Sister, do you remember when we first met?"

Chu Sang blinked. "Of course I do."

She had been tricked into joining the sect by that fool Tantai Ming. The second person she met after arriving at the sect was Mu Chihuai.

It was also through Sixth Senior Brother that she learned the truth about her damaged spirit root... Wait, spirit root? Could it be—

Mu Chihuai sighed, withdrawing his hand and saying in a deep voice, "As you've guessed, these children's spirit roots have all been dug out."

Those demon cultivators were truly ruthless to the extreme.

However, what surprised Chu Sang, besides being shocked, was: what were these demon race people thinking, digging out spirit roots?

Demon cultivators couldn't even use spirit roots.

This matter was strange in every aspect.

"There's another thing. Why are all the targets for these demon cultivators' spirit root extractions children?"

Was it simply because children were weaker and easier to handle?

This was just a remote mortal village. Although several children with spirit roots had been discovered this year, including two promising ones with three spirit roots, in the grand scheme of the cultivation world, children with three spirit roots weren't that rare and didn't have much value.

Let's not even discuss what these demon cultivators wanted to do with these spirit roots. Even if they really wanted to dig out spirit roots, there were plenty of disciples with good spirit roots in various sects, big and small. Why would they come to a small village to dig out the spirit roots of a few children?

"Little Junior Sister, I don't know if you've heard about something..." He paused, then said in a low voice, "I've heard that many years ago, a forbidden technique emerged that could transplant spirit roots?"

Mu Chihuai had actually wanted to tell her about this for a long time, but he wasn't sure before, so he didn't dare speak carelessly.

The wounds on Chu Sang's spirit root two years ago, and the spirit roots of these children, were clearly dug out directly by someone with ill intentions.

Those people wouldn't dig out spirit roots for no reason; they must have had some other use for them.

Among these, the biggest use Mu Chihuai could think of was spirit root transplantation.

Transplanting one person's spirit root onto another person's body.

Although such an evil forbidden technique had been banned many years ago, there were bound to be some evil cultivators who would secretly revive old tricks, surely keeping some sole copies.

"Generally speaking, the younger the age, the younger the root age, the weaker the connection between the spirit root and the physical body. The earlier the spirit root is dug out and transplanted to another person, the easier the spirit root transplantation technique becomes."

Mu Chihuai pondered for a moment before continuing, "Under normal circumstances, except for some large families that have the resources to test their children's spirit roots shortly after birth, ordinary children are usually tested for spirit roots at the earliest around five years old. Children around five or six years old are the favorite targets of these evil cultivators, especially in such mortal villages. The parents of these children are just ordinary mortals, posing no threat to them, and they don't have to worry about investigations and pursuit from families..."

Chu Sang turned her head to look at the village head. "How many children in the village tested positive for spirit roots?"

The village head said, "Fifty-four children in the village participated in the test, and eleven children were found to have spirit roots."

"Eight children have been harmed by demon cultivators, which means there are still three children who are temporarily safe... Seventh Senior Brother, go find those three children and protect them. Those demon cultivators should still be nearby and haven't gone far."

"Alright."

Tantai Ming brought the people over shortly. They brought the eight children in comas and the three children to the same room. Chu Sang set up defensive formations inside and outside the room, which could resist intrusion from demon cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage.

After ensuring these children were safe, they launched a search operation that night.

Chu Sang released Xiao Bai.

These demons were very cautious. They must have discovered their arrival and used some kind of demonic energy that could shield their aura. Even the Xiao Bai navigation system malfunctioned.

"Tsk, these demons are hiding really deep."

As the saying goes, for every foot the demon rises, the Dao rises ten.

Guard day and night, but it's hard to guard against thieves in the family.

Who knows demons best?

Naturally, themselves.

"Release Fourth Senior Brother!"

Mo Baizhou was leaning against the doorframe when he was unexpectedly called upon. "Hm?"

He could indeed sense that those few demons were nearby, but why should he help them?

He was very detached, not wanting to help either the demon race or the human race.

He was just purely curious and came to take a look.

Chu Sang cleared her throat and said in a leisurely tone, "That inheritance..."

Mo Baizhou straightened up. "I understand."

He turned and walked out.

"Let's go, follow Fourth Senior Brother," Chu Sang called to the others to follow.

When they arrived at a hidden forest nearby, they found a pile of nearly burned-out bonfires. The embers had just gone out, still emanating residual warmth, clearly indicating that those few demons had just fled.

Strange, they had all applied concealment talismans. These demons were quite sensitive.

"Second Senior Sister, what a coincidence. I didn't expect to see you all again."

A gentle voice drifted over from afar.

Hearing this familiar voice, Chu Sang narrowed her eyes and turned to look behind her.

Qin Xixue had also arrived, with several Tianyan Sect disciples behind her.

"A few days ago, our sect's envoys came to this place to test these children's spirit roots and unexpectedly discovered several children with good spirit roots. We had planned to send immortal envoys to bring them to the sect for entrance trials in a few days. Unexpectedly, after just two days, we received a rescue letter from Fanpan Village saying they encountered evil cultivators," Lou Qing said coldly.

"As personal disciples of the Eight Great Immortal Sects, it is our duty to eliminate demons and exorcise evil," Qin Xixue also smiled gently at the group. Her gaze swept over the senior brothers before finally landing on Chu Sang, her eyes tinged with undisguised surprise. "...I didn't expect Second Senior Sister to come as well. You... also received the village's rescue letter?"

Those with bigger hearts might think Qin Xixue's words were just ordinary greetings, but Chu Sang knew the true nature of this former Junior Sister all too well. The implication was that eliminating demons and exorcising evil was the business of their Eight Great Immortal Sects. How could these unorthodox minor sects take on such a great responsibility?

She couldn't help but think this way; the female protagonist definitely meant this.

Chu Sang thought to herself that during those years in Tianyan Sect, how did she not notice that this former Junior Sister was so good at speaking in a sarcastic and cutting manner? It must be the debuff of the original story's plot that made cannon fodder lose their intelligence.

She stared at her for a moment, then grinned, "Oh, Little Junior Sister's half-year confinement is over? I wonder if you've gained any insights or experiences?"

The gentle smile on Qin Xixue's face suddenly stiffened. Several muffled laughs came from behind her.

Lou Qing and the other two disciples had almost been harmed by Qin Xixue in the secret realm last time. They were already very dissatisfied with her punishment of only half a year's confinement. If it weren't for the sect assigning this mission, the three of them wouldn't have wanted to go down the mountain with Qin Xixue.

Seeing her being retorted against, they felt inexplicably pleased.

"Have you investigated and found any information?" Lou Qing looked towards Chu Sang and the others.

Although the people opposite were from another sect, compared to teaming up with Qin Xixue, Lou Qing and the others clearly preferred to work with Chu Sang.

Chu Sang's outrageous actions in the secret realm were quite intimidating.

"It was done by demon cultivators. We're investigating now. We just found traces of the demon cultivators earlier, but we were a step too late, and they escaped," Chu Sang said.

Chu Sang had a fairly good impression of the other Tianyan Sect disciples. Although Chang Yu and Qin Xixue had negative favorability in her eyes, Tianyan Sect was after all one of the Eight Great Immortal Sects, mostly composed of straightforward sword cultivators with righteous qi. Dealing with these sword cultivators didn't require much cunning or roundabout methods.

The two groups chatted very harmoniously, subconsciously excluding Qin Xixue.

Qin Xixue sensed her own incongruity in this atmosphere, and her face immediately became even more unsightly.

"I have a way to lure them out, but I need your help," Qin Xixue cleared her throat and said softly.

Her gentle, beautiful eyes then looked towards Mo Baizhou and the others, seeming to contain thousands of words.

Tantai Ming frowned. "Is there something wrong with your eyes?"

Mu Chihuai said, "How pitiful. But I have medicine here to treat eye twitching. Want a bottle? One thousand spirit stones per bottle, no deception to young or old."

Qin Xixue, who had wanted to display her charm, was left speechless. "..." Are these people blind? What kind of taste do they have?

Her carefully arranged signature smile stiffened.

Chu Sang smiled and said, "Sixth Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Brother, don't interrupt. Let's see what treasures the personal disciple of the Eight Great Immortal Sects can bring out to lend us a hand."

Qin Xixue lowered her eyes to conceal the gloom in them and reluctantly took out a mirror.

This mirror looked different from ordinary mirrors, clearly a high-grade spiritual tool. Both sides of the mirror were polished to be transparent and exquisite, able to reflect people.

Chu Sang looked at it a bit more closely. The images in the mirror didn't seem to be directly projected from the real world but rather appeared as if there was a separate world within the mirror, quite mysterious.

"This is the Nightmare Mirror," Qin Xixue said. "Those children are in a coma, right? We can use this mirror to enter their dreams or sea of consciousness and search their memories."

"Since their spirit roots were dug out by those demon cultivators, there must be clues or appearances of those demon cultivators in their memories. If we search based on these clues, we can naturally find them."

It sounded reasonable and without problems.

"However..." Chu Sang suddenly looked up at Qin Xixue, her smile somewhat meaningful. "How did you know those children had their spirit roots dug out?"

She had only told them earlier that the children were harmed by demon cultivators, but hadn't revealed anything about spirit roots, right?