The Mastermind Behind the Scenes is Too Fragrant

Xu Ying's scalp tingled. Seventeen Nuo Immortals had gone into seclusion in their Hidden Scenery and Sublimation grounds, aspiring to become immortals in the human world, but not a single one had survived!

Did the cultivation path of a Nu Master still hold any meaning or value?

"They experienced great terror in their lives. When I examined their corpses, they were often like this Ghost Nuo Immortal, only a skin sac remaining."

Zhou Qiyun meticulously inspected the White-robed Nuo Immortal's human skin, unwilling to miss any detail. "Some Nuo Immortals' corpses were relatively intact, but parts were missing. For example, a Nuo Immortal who cultivated the Ni Wan Secret Treasury was missing their brain, the Ni Wan Palace. A Nuo Immortal who cultivated the Jiang Gong Secret Treasury had their heart dug out. Others had their feet cut off, their heads removed, and so on."

Xu Ying and Yuan Qi couldn't help but shiver.

According to their deductions, the person who killed these Nuo Immortals was the one who taught them their cultivation methods – their master!

However, based on Zhou Qiyun's description, they were more like livestock being raised for food. A picky gourmand would choose the most delicious parts to savor; some had tasty Ni Wans, others had tasty hearts, so they only ate those parts.

Yuan Qi couldn't help but say, "I've read in books that some people ascend by shedding their golden cicada shells, their physical bodies like cicada molts, mere skin sacs, burdens in the mortal world. Only by shedding the skin sac can one ascend. So, is it possible that those Nuo Immortals who were left as mere skin sacs actually ascended?"

Zhou Qiyun looked surprised. "You've read quite a few books."

Yuan Qi proudly tilted his head up, his tone slightly humble. "My Old Niu Family is a scholarly household with many books. I've read some in my spare time."

He remembered that his home was gone now, and most of those books were probably buried at the bottom of the water. The glory of three generations of his Old Niu Family had all turned to dust. A wave of sorrow washed over him.

Upon hearing the words "Old Niu Family," Zhou Qiyun couldn't help but frown. He didn't know why this family bore the surname Niu. He was unaware that it was the trouble caused by the scroll of Elephant Strength Bull Demon Fist he had inadvertently left behind back then.

"I am aware of such a saying. There's also the saying of 'feathered ascension,' where they transform into butterflies, shedding their original shells to change into another form we cannot comprehend."

Zhou Qiyun continued, "But I have carefully studied the skin sacs left behind by these so-called ascenders, and I found that they were actually eaten. There was no ascension whatsoever."

Yuan Qi said, "There's another method of ascension called 'tribulation fire ascension.' It's when a Nuo Immortal enters samadhi, and tribulation fire ignites their body, leaving only ashes. However, their true souls have already ascended to the immortal realm."

Zhou Qiyun couldn't help but look at him a couple more times and praised, "You really read a lot. Do you know another saying, 'soldier's release ascension'?"

Yuan Qi nodded. "I do. Legend has it that when a Nuo Immortal dies, or is killed and buried in a coffin, upon opening the coffin, there's no corpse, only clothes, fingernails, and other items. It's rumored to be soldier's release ascension or corpse release ascension. They leave behind fingernails and clothes to deceive the eyes and ears, so as not to shock the world."

Xu Ying had been unable to interject, only listening to their discussion. He thought, Reading does have its uses. I can't discuss these things.

Zhou Qiyun said, "What if all of that is false? What if these Nuo Immortals didn't ascend, but were eaten until only their clothes and fingernails remained?"

Yuan Qi's face darkened, and he said angrily, "Are the books all lies?"

Zhou Qiyun chuckled. "It depends on who wrote the book. If I were to write a book, I would expose these deceptions and write down the bloody truth, so that future generations wouldn't go astray!"

He dropped the human skin of the White-robed Nuo Immortal and strode out of the great temple. "These seventeen Nuo Immortals, their teacher is the culprit! The purpose of these old fellows passing down their techniques is not to inherit their own traditions, but to harvest leeks!"

He sneered, "They treat the heroes of the world as leeks, harvesting them generation after generation! But I refuse to be a leek! I will turn against them!"

Xu Ying followed him and saw that the area outside the great temple was filled with people, dense and dark.

These people exuded extremely powerful auras. The chaotic sea behind them churned, and bright Cave Heavens pierced through space-time, plunging into the sea to absorb energy.

The dazzling light emanating from the Cave Heavens even caused the sun in the temple's world to lose its brilliance!

"The experts of the Zhou Family are as numerous as the stars in the sky!" Xu Ying couldn't help but exclaim.

What a massive noble family, what a colossal force!

Zhou Qiyun stood at the entrance of the temple, his voice echoing through the mountains. "Zhou clan disciples, students, heed my command. Tear down the doors of every temple, rip off the tiles of every house. We will even pry out every single coffin nail. Empty this place of Hidden Scenery and Sublimation!"

A crowd of Zhou Family experts bowed in unison. "Yes!"

They fanned out in all directions, dismantling and taking away anything useful. Even the Hidden Scenery left by the White-robed Nuo Immortal was refined by powerful Nu Masters and stored in peculiar vessels.

Xu Ying also saw the human skin of the White-robed Nuo Immortal being rolled up.

Some even went to the Five Sacred Mountains and cut the flesh and blood into pieces, placing them in vessels to cultivate, though their purpose was unknown.

As for the deities that had already turned to stone, they were also carried away, not a single one left.

Judging by their orderly actions, this was likely not their first time doing such a thing; they had probably done it many times before.

Zhou Qiyun continued to walk ahead. Xu Ying and Yuan Qi, with clouds spontaneously forming beneath their feet, stood on the clouds and involuntarily followed him.

"Senior Zhou, in the past eighty years, have you found so many Nuo Immortals, and not a single one survived?" Xu Ying inquired.

Zhou Qiyun stopped and pondered for a moment. "I found seventeen dead Nuo Immortals, but there are also some Hidden Scenery and Sublimation grounds that are completely empty. There are neither the corpses of Nuo Immortals nor ashes. I cannot be certain if they are alive, but the hope is slim."

Xu Ying understood his meaning.

The Nuo Immortals who entered the Hidden Scenery and Sublimation grounds were basically at the end of their lifespans. Even if they saw through the trap and escaped, they probably wouldn't live for many more years.

"After I discovered the trap in the cultivation techniques, I searched the Five Sacred Mountains and found these Nuo Immortals who died in their own Hidden Scenery and Sublimation grounds. Although I was disappointed, it wasn't without reward."

Zhou Qiyun walked towards the entrance of the broken temple world, continuing their previous topic. "Those who can become Nuo Immortals are not mediocre talents. They also, more or less, realized the problems in the Nu Master cultivation techniques. Some Nuo Immortals have even gone very far, trying to find solutions from older cultivation systems. I found some Demonic Arts among their遗物 (personal belongings/relics)."

Yuan Qi opened his mouth to speak, but he held back his guess about the ancient civilization of the Demon Race. He thought, Zhou is human after all. If I expose the human's scheme, it will only alert them. It's better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Xu Ying said, "The so-called Demonic Arts are actually the cultivation techniques of ancient Qi Refiners, but for some reason, they were lost and became the cultivation techniques of demonic beings. Did they remind Senior Zhou by focusing on this aspect?"

Zhou Qiyun said leisurely, "Although they failed, their experience is very valuable."

Xu Ying's eyes flickered, and he probed, "And your trip to the new territory of Yongzhou is to find me, so I can help you decipher the Qi Refiner techniques and solve the traps in your cultivation methods?"

Zhou Qiyun laughed heartily and shook his head. "The traps in my cultivation methods were resolved long ago. Otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to break through and open the ninth layer of the Secret Treasury 170 years ago."

His words carried strong conviction and arrogance. "I have come to the new territory for three things! The first, and the smallest, is to kill the Master of Ni Wan Palace, to eliminate future trouble!"

Xu Ying's heart trembled. He looked at Zhou Qiyun's retreating back.

Zhou Qiyun was by no means a benevolent person, but for some reason, he possessed great charisma.

Kinoe clasped his hands behind his back and looked up at the sky, his eyes bright. "Although he was my benefactor, he intends to devour me, and I cannot simply wait for death. In the past, I didn't have the confidence to eliminate him, but now I do. The battle at Mount Wu Wang was my first encounter with him. I had to guard against someone else, which allowed him to escape. But he will definitely come again."

He said calmly and leisurely, "Next time, I won't give him any chance."

Xu Ying asked, "What about the second matter?"

Kinoe smiled slightly and said, "The second matter is that I want to emulate Emperor Mingxiao of Zhidao and personally go to the Underworld to have a talk with the Son of Heaven of the Underworld Court. I don't want anyone stabbing me in the back when I'm going all out."

Xu Ying looked at him in disbelief. To go to the Underworld Court and negotiate with the Son of Heaven of the Underworld Court, did Kinoe already possess the combat power of Emperor Mingxiao of Zhidao?

Kinoe smiled slightly, "The third matter is the most crucial. I'm just paving the way for the third matter by doing the first two."

Xu Ying steadied himself and asked, "Then, what is the third matter?"

Kinoe chuckled, "I'll tell you after I've killed the Master of Ni Wan Palace. It's still too early. Xu Ying, stay by my side and help me decipher the Tuo Yu Immortal Scripture."

"Tuo Yu Immortal Scripture?" Xu Ying was confused.

"My Zhou family obtained a scroll from an ancient Cave Heaven on Duqiao Mountain. It's extremely profound and difficult to understand. The owner of the Cave Heaven was named Tuo Yu, hence it's called the Tuo Yu Immortal Scripture."

Kinoe continued, "Many talents in my Zhou family have been deciphering the immortal scripture and have uncovered quite a bit of useful content. Xu Ying, you have the talent to decipher the immortal scripture, and my Zhou family will not treat you unfairly."

Xu Ying's eyelids twitched. "Senior Zhou's invitation is very kind, and you are my elder. I naturally won't refuse. It's just that I've killed Zhou Yang and Zhou Yihang, so I'm afraid there might be some misunderstandings when I arrive at the Zhou family."

Kinoe shook his head. "They wouldn't dare to treat you too harshly."

"Senior misunderstands,"

Xu Ying said calmly, "What I mean is, I will fight back."

Kinoe looked at him deeply and chuckled, "Those who dare to slay gods are indeed lawless. You can fight back as much as you want."

They walked out of the broken temple world and returned to Shuikou Temple, only to find people inside. The young man at the forefront, with delicate features and dressed in white with green accents, was Yuan Weiyang. Behind him was the old servant in green, Uncle Xiao.

The two had been near Shuikou Temple and had clashed with Rain Granny while trying to rescue Xu Ying. They had escaped and pursued for a long time but couldn't find Xu Ying or Rain Granny.

Coincidentally, Kinoe had forcefully torn away Shuikou Temple's disguise, revealing the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain. The two then rushed to Shuikou Temple, only to encounter Xu Ying and his group.

Yuan Weiyang's gaze fell on Kinoe, and his brow furrowed. He then looked at Xu Ying.

Uncle Xiao followed behind him and looked at Kinoe, failing to recognize him as the ancestor of the Zhou family.

Kinoe had achieved fame over two hundred years ago and had lived in seclusion ever since, rarely showing himself. Therefore, Uncle Xiao had never met him.

Just as Yuan Weiyang was about to speak, Xu Ying suddenly laughed heartily, "Weiyang, you're here too? Long time no see!"

He walked forward, took Yuan Weiyang's hand, squeezed it subtly, and chuckled, "Senior Zhou, this is an old friend from my Lingling City. Weiyang, this is Senior Zhou from the Zhou family, a top figure in the Zhou family."

He squeezed Yuan Weiyang's hand again, wondering, His hands are so soft? His skin is much more delicate than mine, so smooth. The boys in the city really take good care of themselves, unlike us rough country folk.

Uncle Xiao stared at his hand, his eyes nearly spitting fire.

Xu Ying squeezed again, confirming it was smooth.

Yuan Weiyang calmly withdrew his hand and said softly, "Since it's inconvenient for you, I'll take my leave first."

He turned and left. Uncle Xiao glared fiercely at Xu Ying twice before quickly following him.

Just then, Kinoe's voice rang out, "Your surname is Yuan? Yuan Wuji of your Yuan family is quite capable. I've fought him before, and he narrowly lost to me by one move."

Yuan Weiyang stopped. Uncle Xiao's expression changed drastically. Only then did he realize Xu Ying had been trying to help.

Yuan Wuji was the ancestor of the Yuan family, with unfathomable cultivation that reached the heavens, already a legend of the Yuan family!

And this white-browed young man claimed that Yuan Wuji had narrowly lost to him, which meant this person could only be the ancestor of the Zhou family!

Kinoe's tone was irrefutable, "Deciphering the Tuo Yu Immortal Scripture requires someone with extremely high talent. Your Yuan family members are all very talented. You should stay."

Uncle Xiao was about to get angry, but Yuan Weiyang raised his hand to stop him. Yuan Weiyang bowed and said, "How dare I disobey?"

He walked to Xu Ying's side and stood there quietly, saying nothing, as if his own situation had nothing to do with him.

Yuan Qi suddenly noticed that Xu Ying kept sniffing his right hand and asked in a strange tone, "A Ying, what's wrong with your hand?"

Xu Ying sniffed his fingertips again and whispered, "Strange, I just squeezed Brother Yuan's hand, and now my hand smells of perfume. Smell it!"

Yuan Qi sniffed and said disdainfully, "This guy is so effeminate, his hands smell so fragrant!"