After Faking Death, the Crazy Black Lotus Became Even Crazier chapter 7

Chapter 7: Crisis in the Secret Realm — Discovering Traces of the Demon Race

The treacherous mist arrived with fierce toxicity. Fortunately, Nangong Yi erected a barrier just in time, blocking it out and carving a small sanctuary of safety.

With the highest cultivation base, Nangong Yi reacted the fastest, sensing the surging crisis hidden within the woods even before the mist began to spread.

The golden barrier preserved a clean clearing less than ten meters wide. In the center stood Nangong Yi’s eight-sided silver square sword. Looking east from the hilt, Yue Jiusi leaned against a tree, his left leg dangling nonchalantly. Beneath the tree, Nangong Yi sat cross-legged, embracing his sword. To the west, Su Huan sat on the ground, hugging his own sword and resting his eyes. The divide between the parties was clear.

Yue Jiusi rubbed his chin, pondering, “Using mist to trap and kill people implies this is a thousand-year-old Mist Demon. Since it’s a Mist Demon, let’s form a formation and summon the Nanming Li Fire to burn it!”

Nangong Yi shook his head. “Guess again.”

A look of confusion appeared on Yue Jiusi’s face. Could he have been wrong? Was it not a Mist Demon?

Su Huan remained silent, though he secretly criticized in his heart: No wonder rumors say the ‘Twin Jades of Sword Cleansing’ share a profound bond and are inseparable. If they weren’t, Fellow Daoist Yue would probably be sold off by someone and still happily count the money for them.

Seeing he didn’t get it, Nangong Yi hinted, “If it were an ordinary Mist Demon, why would the mist be poisonous?”

Yue Jiusi suddenly realized, “Right! Ordinary Mist Demons only devour living things; they really aren’t poisonous!”

He pondered again, “Though, if it were a Mist Demon that accidentally ate something poisonous and mutated, that would seem to make sense…”

Su Huan couldn’t help but speak up. “The ones that carry poison are Miasma Demons.” This guy’s coursework is truly terrible, he thought.

Sure enough, a trace of confusion floated in Yue Jiusi’s eyes; he had evidently forgotten the “Hundred Demon Registry” detailed in the elders’ lectures. Nangong Yi shook his head helplessly. “Be that as it may, the thing outside isn’t a Miasma Demon either.”

Yue Jiusi looked even more confused. “Neither a Mist Demon nor a Miasma Demon… then what sort of demon is it?”

The mist outside grew increasingly dense, constantly eroding the barrier that emitted a faint golden glow. The silver ceremonial square sword planted in the ground emitted a resonant hum.

Su Huan couldn’t help but glance at Nangong Yi. Upon meeting his gaze, Nangong Yi’s cool, indifferent eyes spilled over with a warm smile, gentle as a spring breeze.

Suddenly feeling at ease, Su Huan spoke up to clarify: “It is the Demon Race.”

The scene outside the barrier was one of utter death.

If it were a Mist Demon, it would be like a plague of locusts passing through—not a blade of grass would grow, leaving only endless yellow sand. If it were a Miasma Demon, it would be even easier to identify; where miasma spreads, all living things corrode and die except for symbiotic green wood. Yet within the mist outside right now, there was no vitality of grass or trees to be seen, only white bones filling the view.

With just a little thought, the two intelligent individuals connected this to the evil entities that also delighted in devouring the vitality of living beings—the Demon Race.

The Immortal Alliance Conference trial had actually been infiltrated by the Demon Race.

Sponsored

Or rather, members of the Demon Race had actually crossed the Wuwang Sea and silently infiltrated the Xuanji Sect, located in the heartland of the Huayao Continent.

The luck of these three unfortunate souls was truly abysmal; the moment they entered, they had dead-on collided with the enemy causing trouble.

A look of caution appeared on Su Huan’s face, while he secretly wondered: I don’t know if eliminating demons adds extra points to the score.

Yue Jiusi was astonished upon hearing this, but contrary to the expected solemnity, he laughed loudly three times and jumped down from the tree. He flourished his jade sword with a beautiful maneuver and scoffed at Su Huan, “So it’s just the defeated underlings driven out by the Immortal Venerable back then!”

“Look at your cowardly state—what are you afraid of? Since the Feng Qing Immortal Venerable could drive this group of notorious wretches to the Barren Lands thousands of years ago, today I will ensure they have no return!”

He looked toward Nangong Yi, his eyes shining bright like a large white dog that had caught the scent of prey. Suppressing his excitement, he shouted with a hint of familiar pleading, “Young Sect Master, let me go!”

Awaiting only a single command from the Young Sect Master, he was ready to go out and slaughter everything in all directions.

Seemingly provoked by his words, the white mist outside the barrier surged even more violently. It clashed with the sturdy barrier, the ebb and flow creating ripples of golden light that reflected in the small sanctuary like bonfire light, igniting the rising battle intent in his eyes.

Nangong Yi’s gaze rippled slightly, seeming unbearable to extinguish that blazing fire, yet his words were a refusal: “No, it is too dangerous.”

He continued, “All trial disciples participating in the Immortal Alliance Conference are newly advanced Golden Core disciples from the various sects within the last ten years. However, a Demon that can cross the Wuwang Sea is by no means something a mere Golden Core can compare to.”

Whenever sects usually encounter demons that have smuggled themselves in, they almost always send a Divinity Transformation stage expert to preside over the encirclement. At most, they bring a few Golden Core disciples along to broaden their horizons; they would never let Golden Core disciples go to eliminate demons alone.

Yue Jiusi was very obedient to Nangong Yi. After listening, although his eyes still held an eagerness to try, he listlessly struck his colors and ceased the drumbeat.

Su Huan paused. He had assumed that with Nangong Yi’s strength, he would choose the option of the three of them combining forces to kill the demon.

Nangong Yi saw through his thoughts. His brow furrowed slightly; though he seemed to be admonishing Yue Jiusi, he was actually admonishing both of them: “We cannot treat our lives as a joke.”

Hearing this, Su Huan looked with slight regret at the rolling white mist outside the barrier.

He couldn’t slay the demon alone, and he absolutely could not lose his life here.

Then, he saw Nangong Yi hand him and Yue Jiusi each a teleportation talisman of at least Earth rank. He then took the lead in pulling out the teleportation water bead given to each contestant for life-saving purposes. “This matter is of grave importance. What we must do now is notify the various Masters as soon as possible. After I leave, you must immediately teleport out to notify the other disciples. Do not linger.”

As he spoke, he unhesitatingly crushed the crystal-clear water bead at his waist.

Su Huan was astonished, somewhat surprised that he would give up the chance to seize the top spot so easily, choosing to forfeit… he clearly could have had someone else go.

—However, nothing happened.

Sponsored

A trace of astonishment surfaced in those cool eyes, and he quickly called out, “Jiusi.”

Seeing no teleportation array appear, Yue Jiusi’s eyes went wide with disbelief. Hearing the Young Sect Master’s call, he immediately responded and crushed his own teleportation water bead. Yet, still, nothing happened.

Su Huan withdrew the expression in his eyes, a sense of gravity rising in his heart.

Within the trial Secret Realm, to prevent cheating, restrictions were naturally placed on the disciples’ use of communication spells.

Now that the teleportation water beads had lost their function, it meant all disciples were trapped within the Secret Realm.

In other words, someone wanted them dead.

This person was undoubtedly from the Demon Race. But if it were only demons, given how heavily guarded the Xuanji Sect was, they would never find the opportunity to secretly alter the teleportation arrays. The greatest possibility was that there was a mole within the Immortal Sects.

In a flash of thought, Su Huan figured out the key points, though he couldn’t guess who the mole was.

Since he couldn’t guess, he wouldn’t dwell on it.

Su Huan gripped his sword and leapt up. Looking at the turbulent, treacherous mist outside the barrier, he unsheathed his blade and said, “In that case, rather than sitting and waiting for death, it is better to find a way to save ourselves.”

Nangong Yi voiced no further objections. He simply nodded lightly and asked him, “What do you plan to do?”

Su Huan indifferently spat out two words: “Slay the demon.”

Yue Jiusi’s eyes lit up. “Such mettle! I like it!”

Su Huan glanced at him but said nothing.

Nangong Yi smiled brightly and pulled the silver square sword from the ground. “Then let us slay the demon.”

But where was the demon?

Su Huan didn’t know.

He could sense that the original form of this white mist was perhaps just ordinary morning mist. It was only because it had been tainted with some demonic energy that it had become like a demonic entity capable of eroding vitality, but it was not a true demonic entity.

He had once read an ancient text in the library titled Chronicles of All Living Things. It recorded that true demonic entities were companion items born closely with the Demon Race, formed over accumulated time. The stronger the Demon, the stronger the companion demonic entity produced—the most exaggerated ones were comparable to great Nascent Soul stage demons.

In the woods beneath their feet, his extended spiritual sense could not detect the presence of any Demon Race members or demonic entities; the opponent had long since gone elsewhere.

Sponsored

Yue Jiusi was a bit impetuous. Before the barrier had completely dissipated, he nearly stepped onto the shattered golden light like a headless green fly. Fortunately, Nangong Yi stopped him in time and took out an ancient, worn compass.

Nangong Yi said, “This item may be able to locate that member of the Demon Race.”

Su Huan formed a sword finger to summon sword energy to protect his body, then looked at the compass in the other’s hand. As spiritual energy was slowly infused, the brass spoon handle, worn somewhat dull, shook chaotically before finally slowly pointing in a direction—South.

Su Huan followed behind the two from the Sword Cleansing Sect, wondering in his heart what to do if they couldn’t win the fight later, when suddenly someone leaned over.

“Hey, do you know the origin of my Young Sect Master’s silver square sword?” Yue Jiusi leaned close to him, asking in a low voice with a beaming smile.

They had walked south for a good half of the day without finding a trace of demonic energy, as if the opponent had vanished into thin air after leaving that dense forest.

Yue Jiusi was bored to death along the way, so he sought out Su Huan for idle chatter. His eyes rolled, spotting the gleaming silver square sword in the Young Sect Master’s hand, and he casually started a topic.

Before Su Huan could respond, he started talking on his own, unable to hide the pride in his tone. “This is a peerless divine weapon personally crafted by the Sword Cleansing Sect Master, a unique Immortal Sword in the Seven Continents and Four Seas!”

Su Huan raised an eyebrow, cooperating with exaggerated surprise: “Really? This sword is so powerful, it’s actually an Immortal Sword?”

Yue Jiusi’s desire to show off was satisfied. His face overflowed with smiles, head held high and chest puffed out, as if he were the owner of the Immortal Sword.

Thus, Su Huan was forced to learn that the materials alone for that silver square sword exhausted the heavenly treasures of the Seven Continents and Four Seas: Moon Frost from Zhaoyue Continent and Immortal Bones from Huayao Continent; Immortal Burial Fruit from Yixian Continent and Star-Swallowing Iron from Liujin Continent; Merfolk Pearls from Penglai Continent and Dark Flame Mud from Tingmeng Continent; Ten-Thousand-Year Wood from Cangxuan Continent and seawater full of forbidden power from the Wuwang Sea; Spirit Reef Stone hard to find in ten thousand miles of the Wuliang Sea; the Fire-within-Fire from the boundless flames of the Wujin Sea; and the luminous jellyfish, the only light source in the silent darkness of the Wuming Sea. All were spiritual materials that had a price but no market supply.

He was also forced to learn that the sword in Yue Jiusi’s hand was an Earth-level spirit sword forged by the Nangong Family Head using Nanming Li Fire to smelt the finest red-gold jade of Liujin Continent for a full ten years.

On the day Yue Jiusi’s parents formally presented the sword to him, they sighed and groaned, hoping only that he would think thrice before acting in his future travels—thinking thrice in the morning, thrice at noon, and thrice again at sunset. Three times three makes nine, hence the name “Jiusi” (Nine Thoughts).

“But I always forget.” Yue Jiusi shrugged indifferently. “But my dad told me the Young Sect Master is smarter than me. Plus, listening to the Young Sect Master is easier to understand than reflecting by myself, so I just listen to the Young Sect Master.”

Nangong Yi was helpless. “Jiusi, you cannot just rely on me; you must learn to think for yourself more.”

Yue Jiusi immediately hopped to his side, walking shoulder to shoulder with him. “But I don’t like using my brain. I just want to listen to the Young Sect Master forever!”

Nangong Yi laughed despite himself. “You really are… what about Junior Sister Bai then? You can’t woo her if you follow me all the time.”

Yue Jiusi froze, his white face instantly dyed red. He said coyly, “How did the Young Sect Master know I fancy Little Junior Sister…”

Twilight was approaching. The two from the Sword Cleansing Sect flew low over the treetops. Su Huan trailed at a moderate distance behind them, looking at the two who shared such a close relationship, a trace of envy rising in his eyes.

Once upon a time, he too had been this close with someone, like the best bosom friends under the heavens.

Sponsored

Alas, the other party was a moody lunatic.

Su Huan unconsciously touched the scabbard at his waist, all the ripples in his eyes receding.

He chose to break ties with that person five years ago, and to this day, he did not regret it.

Yet, as if by some telepathic connection, Su Huan’s extended spiritual sense suddenly swept over a very familiar small object dropped in the grass.

The expression on Su Huan’s face suddenly tightened. “Wait, there’s something down there.”

Nangong Yi and Yue Jiusi stopped and landed with him.

As soon as Su Huan landed, he saw the lush, drippingly green grass before him was incredibly messy, as if someone had rolled over it. The tips of the grass were bent with pressure marks and looked somewhat wilted.

Suddenly, a Three-Tailed Demon Fox rushed out from the thick greenery, baring its sharp beastly fangs at him. In its mouth, it held a bead—the very small object Su Huan had just sensed.

It was a small, light blue ball emitting thick and pure spiritual energy, which was what had attracted the demon beast’s covetousness.

The crystal-clear surface was covered in the demon beast’s sticky saliva, yet the cracks upon it were clearly visible, with traces of bloody water seeping inside.

The instant Su Huan saw it clearly, his light brown pupils contracted abruptly.

That was Xiao Jianming’s Water Spirit Pearl.

Author’s Note:

Supplementary Settings:

World Map: The world is set with Seven Continents and Four Seas.
- Seven Continents: Liujin, Penglai, Tingmeng, Yixian, Cangxuan, Zhaoyue, and Huayao.
- Powers: There are four Great Immortal Sects and many prominent noble families. Except for Tingmeng and Penglai, all other regions have separatist forces.
- Four Seas: Wuwang (No Falsehood), Wujin (No Ember), Wunian (No Thought), and Wuming (No Light).
Cultivation:
- Levels: The cultivation system for Immortals, Demons (Race), Demon Beasts (Yao), and Demon Beasts (Mo) ranks from low to high: Qi Refining -> Foundation Establishment -> Golden Core -> Nascent Soul -> Divinity Transformation -> Body Integration -> Great Vehicle (Mahayana) -> Ascension.
- Items: Weapons, Pills, Talismans, and Spirit Grasses are ranked from high to low: God -> Immortal -> Heaven -> Earth -> Black (Xuan) -> Yellow.