Chapter 36

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Chapter 36: A New Body Found

Yu Qinghong doesn’t seem right to Wen Yun’s intuition.

Although she had never met Yu Qinghong before, she had heard of the dazzling Young Master Qing Hong.

It is said that the other party is a true gentleman, elegant and refined, unlike the disgusting man beside her now.

Yes, this man makes Wen Yun feel disgusted.

With no one around at the moment, he had already removed all his disguise and exuded a cold, sticky breath like a snake lurking in the dark night.

The truth of the matter had become clear now, as Wen Yun lay quietly on the icy ground pondering everything.

The demon cultivator who entered the Dark Heaven Secret Realm was probably the man in front of her, and the black pythons she encountered earlier were also summoned by him.

Maybe he has more friends coming in, because Jiang Si said the Dark Heaven Secret Realm opened half a month early this time, with several big families taking turns guarding the entrance.

It’s unlikely for Yu Qinghong to sneak someone in while the Yu family is on guard duty.

Wen Yun isn’t sure if the Jiang family is involved, so she pretends to be unconscious to listen carefully.

Yu Qinghong is beside her, surrounded by a cold aura that makes her feel uneasy.

"I found you interesting back at the Qianzhen Tower, daring to kill in front of so many people, quite bold indeed."

He glanced at Wen Yun, but she remained still, not responding.

Fortunately, Yu Qinghong quickly lost interest in her, tossing Wen Yun aside and focusing on the darkness with his eerie red eyes.

Wen Yun also focused her mental energy in that direction.

Suddenly, there was a strange sound, like scattered footsteps and hushed conversations.

"Friend Yu, this black mist can absorb spirit energy. I’m not sure what’s hidden inside it, so please don’t wander too far from me. Otherwise, I might not be able to protect you."

"Thank you, Brother Jiang. Don’t worry, we’re almost there."

The first voice was Jiang Si’s, and the other one was probably Yu Shijiu.

From their conversation, it seemed like Jiang Si hadn’t realized something was wrong yet. He was still earnestly protecting Yu Qinghong’s cronies.

The latter led him step by step to Yu Qinghong’s side. When Jiang Si saw the situation clearly, he was shocked and shouted, "Friend Yu? How did you get such a serious injury!"

While speaking, he swiftly ran towards them with a big sword in hand, ready to rescue them.

Meanwhile, Yu Qinghong lying on the ground was also playing his part, likely about to stage a scenario similar to what happened with Wen Yun just a moment ago. Another person was about to join the feigned death team.

Unaware, Jiang Si gritted his teeth and said, "Who trapped you here! Friend Yu, don’t panic. I’ll cut the chain to rescue you right away!"

Before he finished speaking, he grabbed his precious sword and, without relying on spiritual power, only using his own strength, unleashed the Jiang Family’s sword technique with a forceful slash, showing considerable power.

It seemed like they used all their strength to rescue Yu Qinghong!

Wen Yun sighed for the innocent boy, Jiang Si.

But in the next moment—

Jiang Si suddenly shouted angrily, "Release him!"

With his final shout, the dagger in his hand fiercely swung towards Yu Qinghong, aiming not for the iron chain around his waist, but his neck!

The sharp and dangerous attack of the dagger seemed to split mountains and seas, relentlessly heading towards Yu Qinghong’s head.

However, at the very moment the dagger approached, Yu Qinghong reacted swiftly, dodging the fatal blow as he coldly opened his eyes, sat up, and exuded a chilling aura from within.

Suddenly, several huge pythons silently emerged in the darkness, their tails swinging heavily towards Jiang Si.

Jiang Si ran backward with the dagger, gritting his teeth and angrily saying, "It’s indeed a fake!"

"Oh?"

Yu Qinghong lazily lifted his eyelids, controlling the black python chasing Jiang Si, and interestingly said, "You actually figured it out, doesn’t seem as foolish as you look on the surface."

Jiang Si had no intention of accepting the other’s praise at all. Without spiritual power, he was now having a hard time dealing with the black python. The other seemed to be playing with him like a cat playing with a mouse, not directly catching him.

He angrily cursed, using swear words he had learned from Bao Pilong earlier.

Yu Qinghong seemed to lose interest, with a slight movement of his hand, a giant python lurking in the darkness suddenly shot out and swiftly bound Jiang Si.

"Tell me, how did you figure it out?"

Jiang Si cursed again, ignoring him.

Yu Qinghong squinted his eyes and coldly said, "Keep cursing and I will cut out your tongue."

The python also lifted its head high and coldly stared at Jiang Si. The latter avoided the disgusting smell coming from the snake’s mouth, and angrily said, "You fake! Qing Hong would rather die than see his qin broken! Which cultivator would not regard their weapon as a precious treasure, yet you disregard the broken qin, clearly you are not a true cultivator!"

Yu Qinghong was a little surprised, then frowned, "Just this? What unique treasure is there, it’s just a broken lyre, nothing special. You guys from the mainstream path are really stingy and funny."

"This is not being stingy!"

Wen Yun, standing nearby, was amazed at Jiang Si’s sensitivity in this regard while also reflecting intensely.

She had used more than one wand in her hand, and every time she encountered new good materials, she would forget about the old ones. Such behavior didn’t seem like that of a proper mage.

Jiang Si turned his head, staring at a place behind Yu Qinghong, "And it’s not just the lyre that’s revealed, I saw Martial Sister Wen behind you when I came over! Young Master Qing Hong is known for cherishing beauty, especially beautiful women like Martial Sister Wen. If it were the real Yu Qinghong, he would definitely have rescued her first!"

Even though the situation was difficult at the moment, Wen Yun couldn’t help feeling a little happy inside.

Simply put, she really liked it when others praised her looks.

Indeed, Jiang Si was not as simple-minded as he seemed on the surface. He observed so attentively, yet the only regret was… he chose to confront Yu Qinghong directly, overestimating his own strength, and now he was at Yu Qinghong’s mercy.

Yu Qinghong slowly stood up and walked step by step towards Jiang Si. The iron chain wrapped around his waist seemed to be endlessly long, dragging along the ground as he moved.

His eyes were very cold and proud, as he forced out a smile without warmth and said, "You think I am not the real Yu Qinghong?"

Jiang Si spat and said, "Your disguise may be convincing, but you are still a fake. The true Taoist Friend Yu must be somewhere else in this secret realm!"

However, Yu Qinghong took out a jade ring from his pocket and waved it in his hand, saying softly, "Take a good look and tell me if I am real or fake."

The jade ring, shining white as snow, emitted a faint light even in the darkness—it was the token of the young master of the Yu family!

Jiang Si couldn’t believe it, feeling both shocked and angry. "Yu Qinghong, have you truly turned into a demon cultivator?"

Yu Qinghong slowly raised his hand and pressed down, causing a black python to bind Jiang Si and bring him before their master.

Those blood-red eyes stared at Jiang Si, silencing his voice, making his body tremble, his head tilt, and faint dead away.

Wen Yun had noticed earlier that Yu Qinghong’s eyes were strange; he seemed to be using his pupils for psychic attacks.

Jiang Si, lacking the strong mental power of Wen Yun, was defenseless against this method never seen among righteous cultivators, thus succumbing to it completely.

"Indeed, the righteous cultivators are used to fighting honorably, but they need to learn how to write the word ‘sneak attack’."

Wen Yun was completely focused on using her mental power to observe everything happening in front of her. Magic elements had quietly gathered at her fingertips, ready to stop any action Yu Qinghong might take to harm Jiang Si.

However, Yu Qinghong did not kill him, instead he kicked Jiang Si to her side like kicking a dead dog.

After a while, he spoke again, "I asked you to bring Jiang Si alone, but you brought this group with you?"

This was clearly directed at Yu Shijiu, who was already on the ground, trembling as he said, "I don’t know why this group of sword cultivators was with Jiang Si…"

"You have caused me to expend a lot of demonic energy. Cut off one of your hands as punishment, then go bring those two foolish sword cultivators here."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Shijiu without hesitation picked up Jiang Si’s knife and cut off his own left hand. Then, with a respectful expression, he bowed and worshipped Yu Qinghong before disappearing back into the black mist, presumably to find Zhu Erchong and Bao Pilong.

Wen Yun watched the bloody scene of Yu Shijiu cutting off his hand without blinking, showing no panic. She was a woman accustomed to witnessing grand scenes. She just sighed at how the behavior of demon cultivators was truly different from that of the righteous path.

While the righteous path may also do evil deeds, they would at least try to cover it up in various ways, perhaps due to concerns or fear of consequences. But demon cultivators are different. When they do evil deeds, it’s as if it’s the most normal thing to them. Taking lives is as casual as eating and drinking for them.

She vaguely understood a key point from Yu Qinghong’s words, could it be that the "demonic energy" he mentioned is the black mist that consumes spiritual power?

Wen Yun’s mental power had quietly filled every corner of the mist without anyone noticing, she knew the position of everyone in the mist.

Yu Shijiu, who went to find her two senior brothers, seemed to be very clear about their location, and soon led two sword cultivators over.

"This mist is strange, we should be careful, Bao Junior Brother, draw your sword quickly and be ready for battle at any time!"

"I understand, Senior Brother, you be careful too. Come, you watch the east, I’ll watch the west!"

Hearing these cautious words, Wen Yun breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the two senior brothers were not as reckless as they appeared on the surface. Jiang Si could sense something was wrong, so they wouldn’t easily be fooled either.

Just as she was thinking this, the next moment her face was hit with a burning pain.

"Ah, the person lying over there seems to be Taoist Friend Yu, we found him!"

"Taoist Friend Yu, you’re injured, don’t panic, we’ll come to help—"

Wen Yun watched as her two senior brothers rushed courageously towards Yu Qinghong, without Jiang Si’s ambush or her own excellent acting skills.

They simply ran up to Yu Qinghong, exchanged a glance, and then collapsed heavily to the ground.

Their faces even showed the surprise they had before passing out.

Yu Qinghong, prepared for the ambush, said…

Wen Yun, speechless, said…

Yu Qinghong frowned and disdainfully stared at the two sword cultivators on the ground, then kicked them away.

He lazily asked, "Just two left?"

Yu Shijiu respectfully replied, "Yes, just two inexperienced sword cultivators left."

"They’re not even worth being called direct disciples, it’s not worth my time to deal with them. I’ll finish up and take care of them later." Yu Qinghong announced casually, sparing Ye Shubai and Shen Xinghai, then clapped his hands in the darkness–

"Come out, your new body is ready."

The rustling noise grew louder, and Wen Yun stared intently at the source where she felt a repulsive presence.

The sound drew closer, and after a while, a disheveled man appeared, carrying another person on his back.

He slowly raised his head, a black aura surrounding his face, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Wen Yun gazed quietly at his face, then shifted her focus to the lifeless corpse he carried on his back.

"Xie Xun…"

"…Xie Mian!"