Chapter 723

Chapter 723: Information on the Immortals and Demons

"Just as its name suggests, that weapon from the Celestial-Demon battlefield could summon Thundering Lightning with a flap of its wings, shattering the heavens and splitting the earth. Even the Ancestor couldn’t fathom how such a vicious creature survived," Ye Yun muttered, aware that charging recklessly would only lead to his death.

"The cocoon feels peculiar—the Heavenly Immortal rules within it are unnaturally dense," Ye Yun added, noting the lingering regret in the Ancestor of the Sword Path’s gaze.

"Enough. The Ancestor was merely contemplating the Slaying Immortal Butterfly’s cocoon. Even if you knew its secrets, nothing unexpected would occur," the Ancestor retorted, seeing through Ye Yun’s probing tone. He sighed. "If an ordinary Earth Immortal of the Seventh Level entered that cocoon, their ascension to the Heavenly Immortal realm would proceed without mishap. Understood?"

"How…?" Ye Yun’s breath hitched. Though he trusted the Ancestor’s words, the idea of effortlessly breaking through to the Heavenly Immortal realm seemed absurd.

"True, it holds no value for Heavenly Immortals. But for those in the Earth Immortal realm, its benefits rival rebuilding one’s cultivation foundation," the Ancestor continued, abandoning his earlier contemplation. While tempted by such a treasure, provoking the Slaying Immortal Butterfly’s spirit would be disastrous.

"Still, this trip hasn’t been fruitless." The Ancestor shifted focus to distant dark shadows—most emitting weak auras of Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Their misfortune, then," Ye Yun said, pushing thoughts of the butterfly aside. What they needed now was information about the Celestial-Demon battlefield.

"Lingling, feeling better?" Shui Yingying approached her sister, voice soft. "We’ve escaped. No need to dwell on it now."

"Just thinking how to handle these folks," Shui Lingling replied, grinning. Starlight flickered in her eyes as her true qi surged. Shui Yingying glanced up, noticing several figures hovering nearby, their presence chilling the air.

The group’s leader spotted Ye Yun’s trio and waved amiably. "Friends ahead, we mean no harm! Let’s avoid conflict!"

"Ah, the non-resistant type," Shui Lingling drawled after sensing their auras—eight Nascent Soul cultivators, none surpassing the Seventh Level. "Line up before Ling’er. Answer properly, and maybe you’ll walk away."

"Senior brother, they’re hostile," a disciple warned, eyeing Shui Lingling warily as he edged closer to the leader.

"Relax. The strongest here is that girl at the First Level of the Earth Immortal realm. Even if we struggle against her, the rest are weak—a Seventh Level and Fourth Level Nascent Soul. We’ll overwhelm them together," the leader whispered, smirking as if awaiting Shui Lingling’s next move.

"Could you direct us to the Three Celestial Heavens? We’d repay your kindness," Shui Yingying asked politely, bowing slightly.

"We… don’t know of such a place. We’re merely scavengers, hoping to stumble upon Heavenly Immortal inheritance," the leader answered with a strained smile.

"See? They’ll lie through their teeth," Shui Lingling huffed, shooting Shui Yingying a disapproving look.

"We speak truth. Let us pass," a cold-faced Seventh Level Nascent Soul cultivator snapped.

"Forgive my junior brother’s haste. The chaos in the Broken Space has us all on edge," the leader interjected, shielding the scowling disciple.

"Your moods mean nothing. Just answer Ling’er’s questions—though I expect only lies." Shui Lingling’s eyes narrowed. A starry expanse bloomed behind her, a azure river swirling within its three zhang span.

"This aura… it’s reached the second layer of the Earth Immortal realm!" the leader paled. He’d anticipated tricks, but her sudden power surge eroded his confidence.

Worse yet was the Ancient City-like artifact materializing in her palm—a supreme Immortal artifact anchoring a Deceptive Array. Its rippling energy suggested multiple supreme-grade artifacts combined, far beyond anything his minor sect could oppose.

"Enough chatter. Fight me first. If you win, bother the others." Golden light flashed in Shui Lingling’s eyes. With a flick of her wrist, the snowy Deceptive Array floated above the leader, its hypnotic glow emptying the cultivators’ minds.

"Lucky for you, Ling’er used hypnosis instead of the soul searching technique." She exhaled, drained from controlling so many Nascent Souls. After replenishing her energy with a mid-grade Immortal Spirit Stone, she nudged Shui Yingying and Ye Yun forward.

"Expected you to kill them. Hypnosis seems… gentle," Ye Yun remarked, watching her recover. With that supreme artifact, slaughtering them would’ve been trivial.

Shui Lingling’s choice foiled his plan to intervene if violence erupted, leaving him mildly chagrined.

"Where are you all headed?" Shui Yingying demanded.

"The Demon Abyss. Our master promised opportunities there. We carried his jade tablet, but… met you three instead," the leader droned, entranced.

"Stop meddling, Lingling," Shui Yingying sighed, noticing the man’s sudden deference.

"‘Senior’ sounds nice! No one’s ever called me that before!" Shui Lingling giggled, twirling gleefully.

"Where is the jade tablet you mentioned? Just hand it over to us," Shui Yingying said after pondering for a moment upon hearing about the Demon Abyss. She decided their group should visit there first to seek potential benefits.

"Please safeguard this carefully. It’s our sect’s most precious jade tablet. Any mishap would…" The man produced a yellow-glowing jade tablet from his robe, his voice trailing off.

"How tedious. Clearly a minor sect. Calling this mediocre jade tablet their most precious treasure? They should feel ashamed." Having replenished her true qi, Shui Lingling glared impatiently. "Answer me – what would you have done if we’d attacked earlier?"

"Our initial plan was for me and second junior brother to restrain Senior Shui Lingling while our sect brothers killed the Seventh Level Nascent Soul cultivator and the weakling. But sensing Senior’s Second Layer Earth Immortal realm aura made us reconsider," the man confessed truthfully under mental compulsion.

"Foolish strategy. Ling’er could’ve slaughtered you all with ease." Shui Lingling’s gaze turned dangerous, radiating faint killing intent.

"We didn’t know Senior possessed a supreme Immortal artifact! Else we’d never have considered such folly!" The man’s voice quickened as he sensed her murderous intent.

"Even under the Deceptive Array’s control, primal fears remain." Ye Yun glanced dismissively at the interrogated man. With the jade tablet obtained, the man’s fate concerned him little.

"The Demon Abyss lies reasonably close." Shui Yingying injected spirit perception into the yellowish tablet, then patted her contemplative companion. "Enough games, Lingling. Letting them die in your Starry Snow Array would damage its purity."

"Since Yingying insists, I’ll spare these worms." The celestial scenery behind Shui Lingling vanished as she recalled the hovering Ancient City into her Storage Treasure, its hypnotic glow fading.

As the snowy structure disappeared, the man’s eyes regained focus. He startled upon seeing Shui Lingling’s casual stance, then noticed the jade tablet in Shui Yingying’s hand. "Our gratitude for sparing us. We deserve this humiliation for our weakness. But tread carefully in the Demon Abyss – its inheritance holds dangers."

"Planning to ambush us during the inheritance ritual?" Shui Lingling’s brow furrowed. A shockwave slammed the man to his knees as she raised a lethal hand.

"Stop! My elder brother merely warned of demonic creatures there! Can’t you recognize goodwill?" A young disciple threw himself protectively before the prone man.

Shui Lingling blinked at the youth’s defiant glare. "Are fools lining up to die nowadays?"

"Explain this." Ye Yun dissolved the pressure with a thought, flicking Shui Lingling’s forehead. "Wrongly accusing people again? Release them."

"Not Ling’er’s fault! His vague words sounded threatening!" She pouted at Ye Yun, eyes shimmering with fake tears.

Meeting her theatrical glare, Ye Yun sighed and turned to the man. "My sister’s temperamental. Please overlook this."

"The fault is mine," the man said bitterly, bowing. "Weakness invites contempt – such is our reality."

Ye Yun’s smile turned playful. "Elaborate on these dangers."

"Our sect leader warned the Demon Abyss contains deadly entities. Tread carefully, honorable brothers." The man clasped fists and fled opposite the abyss’ direction without glancing back.

"I expected you to strike." Shui Yingying noted the fading Sword Energy around Ye Yun’s hand. "Hesitation is unlike you."

"No enmity exists. Killing would’ve been petty." Ye Yun dispersed the energy, eyeing the jade tablet. "Have you deciphered it fully?"

"Most danger zones are marked, but sections are missing – likely sect precautions against outsiders." Shui Yingying sighed. "Their paranoia diminishes the tablet’s value."

"Typical sect behavior. Our destination remains clear." Ye Yun shrugged. "Remember these tablets self-destruct without proper sect true qi. Some explode with Earth Immortal-level force – absurd design for mere information storage."

"The journey takes two days nonstop with true qi, five with rest."

"No! No rest would torture Ling’er! Five days is better, right Yingying?" Shui Lingling clung to her companion, exaggeratedly whining.

"Very well. But no wandering this time." Shui Yingying tapped the pouting girl’s nose. "Another encounter with that horror would test even Ye Yun’s luck."

"Giggle! I don’t wander much anyway! Just occasional boredom!" Shui Lingling skipped cheerfully. "Now we’ll guard Ye Yun’s cultivation! He’s protected us enough!"

She secretly preened at being called Ye Yun’s sister earlier, noting her sister’s tacit approval of their growing closeness.

"Ho! Captured one already?" The Ancestor of the Sword Path’s voice echoed in Ye Yun’s mind.

"Must you focus on such matters, old man?" Ye Yun mentally retorted.

"Appreciate your fortune! That innate spiritual body could reach Earth Immortal’s Seventh Level, possibly Heavenly Immortal with time!"

Ye Yun shrugged internally while examining the crumbling jade tablet. As it disintegrated into golden motes, anticipation lit his eyes – the Demon Abyss promised worthy challenges.