Someone is plotting

Night.

The mountain gate of the Yin Underworld Ghost Sect was bathed in starlight.

On Yellow Springs Peak, ten thousand miles away from Ghost Peak Mountain, a secret meeting targeting Lu Li was underway.

Inside the Gold Stone Cave Abode.

Li Jing sat in the seat of honor.

Two men and one woman sat on his left and right.

All of them possessed the cultivation of Foundation Establishment Perfection.

"Have you brought what I asked for?"

Li Jing, dressed in a golden robe, swept his cold, gloomy gaze across the three of them.

"Rest assured, it is ready."

The young man in green sitting at the upper left fanned himself with a jade fan, smiling as he produced a small die and placed it on the table.

The die appeared to be made of black iron, with all six sides marked with gold paint.

"What is this?"

Li Jing frowned as he asked.

"A hidden weapon."

The young man in green gave a wicked smile. "I specifically borrowed this from a disciple of the Demon God Hall. Once thrown, it erupts with thousands of poisonous needles. Each needle is harvested from the tail of a Golden-Winged Poison Bee; they are peerlessly sharp, indestructible, and incredibly toxic—lethal upon contact with blood. Its power is comparable to a low-grade spirit artifact. This hidden weapon even has a poetic name: Pear Blossom Bloom."

"Good!"

Hearing this, a fierce glint flashed in Li Jing's eyes. He reached out and snatched the black iron die.

He then shifted his gaze toward the young woman in red sitting below the young man in green.

The girl in red had her legs crossed, using a silver dagger to trim her toenails.

Sensing Li Jing's sharp gaze, she looked up, revealing a face split by different colors. She opened her mouth and spat out a long, blood-colored jade talisman.

A fierce tiger head was carved onto the talisman.

"The Soul-Absorbing Tiger Talisman. Once activated, the trace of a Golden Core tiger soul sealed within will pounce out, entering the enemy's sea of consciousness to stun their soul."

After speaking, the girl in red lowered her head and resumed trimming her toenails.

"Good!"

The fierce glint in Li Jing's eyes intensified. Without a hint of disgust, he flicked his sleeve and took the blood-colored tiger talisman.

He shifted his gaze once more, looking at the elderly man in yellow robes sitting at the upper right.

The elderly man was slightly plump, smiling kindly and affably, much like a grandfather from next door.

"Senior Brother Li, is it really necessary to go to such lengths to deal with a brat at the fourth level of Qi Refining?"

The old man stroked his goatee and asked with a chuckle.

"Hmph, blood must be paid for with blood! He killed my brother, so I naturally want his life! Old Ghost Lin, where is your item?"

Li Jing was brimming with murderous intent, growing impatient.

"Hehe, it's right here."

The old man gave his hand a light flick.

A pure silver pellet appeared out of thin air on the jade table beside him.

The pellet was perfectly round, about the size of a longan fruit, with a surface as smooth as glass and inlaid with tiny silver stars.

It was impossible to tell what it was.

"Hm? A Sword Pellet?"

Li Jing narrowed his eyes.

The young man in green and the girl in red also looked up instantly, staring at the silver pellet.

"Correct. It is indeed a Sword Pellet."

Old Ghost Lin smiled as he picked up his jade cup, took a sip of tea, and said unhurriedly, "I searched through Ten Thousand Demon City and stumbled upon this Sword Pellet. It likely originated from the Heavenly River Sword Sect."

The expressions of Li Jing and the others turned solemn.

The sword cultivators of the Heavenly River Sword Sect were peerless in the world.

Furthermore, within the Dao Alliance of the Central Plains, the Heavenly River Sword Sect was the most zealous in "eliminating demons and defending the Dao."

Whenever a sword cultivator from the Heavenly River Sword Sect spotted a disciple of the Demonic Sect, they would charge forward like a mad dog, fighting to the death.

Over the past hundred years, at least one hundred thousand Demonic Sect disciples had died under the blades of Heavenly River Sword Sect disciples.

There was, of course, a reason for this.

It seemed that several hundred years ago, the then-sect leader of the Heavenly River Sword Sect had been deceived in love by a woman from the Demonic Sect.

She had even swindled him out of his money.

It is rumored that he even swindled several supreme sword manuals out of the Heavenly River Sword Sect.

The most tragic part is that this sect leader of the Heavenly River Sword Sect apparently never even got to hold the hand of that demonic sect woman.

From then on, the Heavenly River Sword Sect added a sect rule: upon seeing anyone from the demonic sect, kill them without mercy.

"This sword pellet is a one-time use item. Once activated, it transforms into a streak of pure silver sword light with power comparable to a full-force strike from a mid-grade spiritual artifact wielded by a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator. It can cleave metal and shatter stone; nothing can withstand its edge. Anyone below the Foundation Establishment stage will surely die. Senior Brother Li, with this sword pellet, your great vengeance shall be satisfied!"

The yellow-robed old man said with a chuckle.

"Good!"

Li Jing, seemingly already envisioning the scene of Lu Li being sliced in two by the sword light, spat out the word through gritted teeth.

Then, with a sweep of his large hand, he snatched the sword pellet away.

Immediately following this, he flicked his sleeve, tossing out three black cloth bags that landed on the jade table beside the trio. "Everything you wanted is inside."

The green-clad young master, the red-clad young girl, and the yellow-robed old man immediately picked up the bags and opened them.

Satisfied expressions appeared on their faces.

"Senior Brother Li is truly generous!"

"How magnanimous!"

"Such opulence!"

The three put away the black bags and praised him in unison.

"That said, killing his personal disciple at Ghost Demon True Person's celebratory banquet tomorrow—wouldn't that be a bit too much of a slap in the face? Ghost Demon True Person will surely intervene to save him, right?"

The yellow-robed old man stroked his beard and asked in contemplation.

"Rest assured, my master, True Lord Yellow Spring, will step in to block him. Hmph, Ghost Demon True Person has only just ascended to the Nascent Soul stage, yet he wants to take control of the Penalty Prison Hall—he is far too greedy! Besides, one of his personal disciples, Bai Jinfei, is Green Lotus's person! Do you not all wish to sit in the position of chief disciple?"

Li Jing's cold, piercing gaze swept over the three.

At these words, the three fell into deep thought.

Subsequently, the green-clad young master twirled his jade fan and smiled wickedly: "That's right! Green Lotus has been the chief for so long; it is time it was our turn!"

"That woman is a fickle flirt, dallying with everyone she sees. Just looking at her makes me want to vomit."

The red-clad woman said coldly.

"Indeed, I have been gazing at that position until my eyes have grown weary." A glimmer of desire also appeared in the yellow-robed old man's eyes.

"Then it is settled! With the three of you giving your full support, I will certainly be able to replace Green Lotus and become the chief disciple. Ten years from now, I will pass the position of chief to the three of you! I swear it to our founder!"

Li Jing swore on the spot.

"Good!"

"Agreed."

"Then it is decided!"

"Come, let us drink!"

Immediately, the clinking of cups and dishes began, and the atmosphere grew lively.

Soon, the silver moon dipped below the horizon, the secret meeting of the four concluded, and they dispersed.

Once they had left, Li Jing's expression turned cold in an instant, and he scoffed, "Hmph, with your ugly, crooked faces, you want to be chief disciples? Walking out there would only tarnish the face and reputation of my Yin Underworld Ghost Sect!"

"Li Jing, you are mistaken. Those three know they have no chance of becoming chief; they only wanted to use this as leverage to extract more benefits from you and Green Lotus."

Just then, a calm voice rang out.

In the center of the hall, a figure suddenly materialized—a middle-aged man in green robes, carrying a white sword on his back, his eyes like stars, ethereal as an immortal.

"Greetings, Master!"

Li Jing's expression turned solemn as he stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

It turned out this person was True Lord Yellow Spring!

True Lord Yellow Spring raised a hand, lifting Li Jing up, and said indifferently, "Rest easy. You are the one This Seat values most; I will never let your brother's grudge become a heart demon barrier that hinders your breakthrough to the Golden Core stage. Tomorrow, someone will test that Lu Li's strength for you. When the time is right, have your people strike and kill that Lu Li directly."

"Disciple thanks Master!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jing bowed again in immense gratitude.

At the same time, a chilling murderous intent flashed through his heart.

This time, he would make Lu Li die without a burial ground! Not a single bone left! Only then would his brother's spirit in heaven be comforted!

The next day.

The horizon was just beginning to turn a pale, fish-belly white.

The first rays of sunlight pierced the darkness, shining down upon the Myriad Demon Mountains.

They also fell upon the Star Gazing Platform.

Lu Li woke up automatically.

Ding.

The system notification rang in his mind:

"The Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm has reached the Perfection realm and cannot be cultivated further, so it has decided to head out to seek an opportunity for a breakthrough."

"Before leaving, the Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation passed on a move, 'Flying Dragon in the Sky', to protect it."

"You have learned Flying Dragon in the Sky."

Lu Li sprang up with a kip-up, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

It was the Great Mercy and Great Compassion Palm's turn to head out this time?

Flying Dragon in the Sky?

He pulled up the system log to take a look:

Flying Dragon in the Sky: A secret divine move of the Great Might Heavenly Dragon Dharma Incantation. It condenses mana and blood energy to strike out a golden dragon qi blast toward the front, annihilating all directions.

This... this was like someone bringing a pillow just as he was getting sleepy, and even throwing in a lifelike inflatable doll to boot!

Lu Li's expression brightened with joy.

Better try it out first!

Without a moment's hesitation, Lu Li's figure drifted up, transforming into a ghostly silhouette. With a few flashes, he rushed into the second-floor martial arts arena.

Then, he circulated the Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art and struck a palm toward the empty space in front of him.

Roar.

Accompanied by a low dragon's hum, a semi-transparent golden dragon, as thick as an elephant's leg, roared silently from his palm. Mighty and ferocious, it lunged ten zhang in an instant and slammed into the Black Steel Stone.

It passed straight through!

Then.

Bang.

The three-foot-thick Black Steel Stone shattered on the spot, turning into a sky full of dust.