Heading to the Provincial City

The night was as dark as ink. In the courtyard of the mortuary, Uncle Nine stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the starry sky.

The aura emanating from him was completely different from half a month ago. It was no longer the restrained sharpness of a Qi Refining stage cultivator, but a rounded depth that blended seamlessly with his surroundings, like a bottomless lake. This was the change brought about by reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, the realm of an "Earth Master."

However, there was no hint of joy on his brow from the breakthrough. Instead, a deep, unshakeable worry was etched upon it.

Mo Yuan silently appeared in the courtyard, standing half a step behind Uncle Nine. He could clearly feel the heavy, earth-like pressure emanating from his master, but he also keenly sensed the underlying worry.

"Master," Mo Yuan said softly.

Uncle Nine didn't turn around. His voice, low but clear, reached Mo Yuan's ears. "In the Foundation Establishment realm, spirit and qi merge, sensing heaven and earth, one realizes their own insignificance and feels even more the undercurrents surging in this world. The matter of the Black Fiend Sect is far more complicated than we imagined."

He slowly turned, his gaze sharp as lightning, falling on Mo Yuan. "The dossiers you brought back, combined with what I've perceived with my divine sense after reaching Foundation Establishment, indicate that the Black Fiend Sect's arrangements in the provincial capital are not merely to awaken a single Corpse King.

They are using evil arts to steal the yin energy from the earth's veins and secret techniques to gather the resentment of living souls. Their goal is likely to forge a supreme evil artifact capable of disrupting yin and yang."

"A supreme evil artifact?" Mo Yuan's heart tightened. Artifacts were divided into four grades: low, mid, high, and supreme. Low-grade ones were common, mid-grade were considered precious, and high-grade were on the level of sect-preserving treasures.

Supreme-grade artifacts often possessed the nascent power to move mountains and overturn seas, or even interfere with rules. Once forged, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Indeed," Uncle Nine nodded. "Moreover, the provincial capital is a deep and murky place, a mix of all sorts. Besides the Black Fiend Sect, other cultivation forces are entrenched, and there are even special departments in the government that manage supernatural affairs. We must proceed with extreme caution."

He paused and looked at Mo Yuan. "Your cultivation has now reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, and you possess a rare treasure, making your combat strength considerable.

But remember, the provincial capital is not Ren Family Town. Talented individuals abound. Never be arrogant. Always plan before you act. Your Soul Cleansing Banner, having been promoted to high-grade, possesses extraordinary merit in purifying souls. It might be of great use on this journey."

"Disciple understands," Mo Yuan nodded solemnly. He knew that as his cultivation increased and the level of his involvement rose, the challenges he faced would be entirely different.

The next day, Uncle Nine called Wen Cai and Qiu Sheng to his side and carefully instructed them to guard the mortuary well. If they encountered anything they couldn't handle, they could seek help from the town's security captain, Awei (although Uncle Nine doubted Awei's capabilities, he was still an official force).

Afterward, Uncle Nine and Mo Yuan traveled light, embarking on their journey to the provincial capital.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, Uncle Nine could now fly at low altitudes for short periods, far faster than a horse. However, to accommodate Mo Yuan and avoid drawing too much attention, they chose to travel by carriage, albeit at a much faster pace than usual.

Several days later, a city far grander and more prosperous than Ren Family Town appeared before them. Towering city walls, bustling crowds, endless traffic, and a cacophony of noise.

Amidst the rich atmosphere of worldly life, Mo Yuan keenly sensed that beneath this prosperous facade lay several hidden auras of cultivators of varying strengths, as well as some faint, sinister energies.

Uncle Nine clearly sensed it too. He said in a low voice, "Conceal your aura. Let's find a place to stay first."

They didn't choose a lively inn. Instead, they rented an old house with a small courtyard in a relatively quiet alley on the west side of the city.

After settling in, Uncle Nine took out his compass and closed his eyes to sense. His Foundation Establishment stage divine sense spread like liquid mercury, silently covering more than half the city.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and pointed towards the north of the city. "The yin and malevolent energy is strongest over there, and there are fluctuations of formations. It should be an important stronghold of the Black Fiend Sect.

To the east of the city, there are several righteous energy signatures, likely from local cultivation families or sects. To the south... the energy is mixed, with a governmental scent."

"Master, what's our next move?" Mo Yuan asked.

Uncle Nine pondered. "The Black Fiend Sect has been operating for a long time. Their strongholds must be heavily guarded. A frontal assault is not the best course of action. We need to first understand their specific plans and the progress of the evil artifact's refinement.

Tomorrow, I will visit an old friend who lives in seclusion here. He is well-informed and might provide some clues. You can cautiously explore the city alone, paying special attention to any recent large-scale disappearances or bizarre deaths within the city. This is likely related to the Black Fiend Sect's collection of living souls.

Remember, safety first. Do not act recklessly when encountering trouble."

"Yes, Master."

The next day, Uncle Nine left to visit his friend. Mo Yuan, on the other hand, changed into ordinary blue cloth clothes and suppressed his cultivation to the third or fourth level of Qi Refining, blending into the provincial capital's crowds.

He first went to places known for their information flow, like teahouses and wine shops, and listened quietly. Indeed, he heard fragmented rumors, such as the old mining area to the north of the city being restless lately with strange noises at night; black mist occasionally shrouding the mass grave outside the city; and several cases of wealthy merchants' family members falling into inexplicable comas.

Afterward, Mo Yuan casually strolled to places with heavier yin energy, such as the City God Temple and mortuaries, sensing secretly. Outside an old, sparsely visited mortuary in the west of the city, he stopped.

The Soul Cleansing Banner in his sea of consciousness vibrated slightly, transmitting a clear sensation—there was a strong aura of resentful souls within, and more than one. They seemed to be trapped by some power.

Mo Yuan's gaze narrowed. This was likely a temporary soul-capturing point for the Black Fiend Sect. He didn't alert them, silently noting the location, planning to investigate again at night.

In the evening, Uncle Nine returned to their lodging, his expression grave.

"The situation is not good," Uncle Nine said in a deep voice. "According to my old friend, the Black Fiend Sect is indeed refining an evil artifact called the 'Ten Thousand Souls Banner.' It requires the collection of ten thousand living souls and refinement using extremely yin earth veins.

Most of the souls have been collected, and the refining location is highly likely to be deep within the abandoned Profound Yin Mine to the north of the city. It was once an ancient battlefield where yin veins converge, making it an ideal place for refining such an evil artifact."

"Ten Thousand Souls Banner..." Mo Yuan gasped. If this banner were successfully refined, it would undoubtedly be a supreme evil artifact, leading to widespread suffering.

"What's more troublesome," Uncle Nine continued, "is that the cultivation families in this area, led by the 'Li Family,' seem to have some sort of tacit understanding with the Black Fiend Sect, turning a blind eye.

The governmental 'Special Affairs Investigation Department' is plagued by internal strife, making it difficult to form an effective force. If we are to stop this, we will likely have to rely primarily on ourselves."

Mo Yuan informed Uncle Nine of his findings from the day, especially the anomaly at the old mortuary.

A glint flashed in Uncle Nine's eyes. "Good! Tonight, we will investigate that mortuary. If we can rescue the trapped souls, we will not only disrupt the Black Fiend Sect's plan and accumulate merit but also obtain more intelligence."

At a quarter to thirteen o'clock, the moonlight was obscured by thin clouds. Mo Yuan and Uncle Nine moved like two ghosts, silently arriving outside the abandoned old mortuary.

Simple illusion arrays and alert talismans were set up around the mortuary, but for Uncle Nine, now an Earth Master, and Mo Yuan, possessing Primordial Comprehension, they were as effective as nothing. The two easily infiltrated the premises.

The interior of the mortuary was chillingly cold. In the center of the main hall, a blood-red formation was etched. Seven or eight blurry living souls struggled and wailed within the formation, their Soul Power being slowly siphoned away by the array, flowing into a small black flag at the formation's core. Two figures in black robes stood guard beside the array.

Uncle Nine made a gesture, and Mo Yuan understood. He quietly took out the Soul Cleansing Banner, which was already a high-grade artifact. Without needing to wave it, he merely moved his mind, and a clear radiance naturally flowed from the banner, spreading like liquid mercury and instantly enveloping the entire hall!

The Pure Law Domain unfolded!

The two figures in black robes felt an irresistible, benevolent force pressing down. Their evil techniques were rendered difficult to operate, and a sense of inexplicable peace arose in their hearts, almost extinguishing any thought of resistance. The living souls within the formation, however, felt unprecedented warmth and liberation.

"Who is it?!" the black-robed figures managed to exclaim.

The answer was Uncle Nine's ghost-like speed and a Binding Talisman. Almost simultaneously, Mo Yuan controlled the Soul Cleansing Banner, its pure light like flowing silk, directly severing the connection between the blood-red formation and the living souls, and gently drawing the weakened souls into the banner's space for nurturing.

The entire process was clean and swift, done in the span of a few breaths.

Uncle Nine subdued the black-robed man and was about to interrogate him when his expression suddenly changed: "Not good! This formation has a self-destruct mechanism connected to the main array! We've been discovered!"

As soon as he spoke, a muffled explosion suddenly erupted from the direction of the Profound Yin Mine to the north of the city, and a powerful surge of evil energy shot up into the sky!

Uncle Nine made a decisive move, knocking out the black-robed man with a palm strike. He said to Mo Yuan, "The plan has changed. The Black Fiend Sect's main array has been alerted! We must immediately rush to the Profound Yin Mine and destroy the Ten Thousand Souls Banner before it's completely refined!"

Master and disciple exchanged a look, seeing the determination in each other's eyes. The next moment, their figures shot up, transforming into two streams of light, heading straight for the place where the Yin energy was thickest to the north of the city.