Spirit Ruins Master, The Society's Backlash

The moment he finished speaking.

Xiang Sui's expression shifted slightly. He drew a one-way Sound Transmission Talisman from his sleeve. As it burned to ash, seeming to convey some news, his pupils suddenly contracted for an instant, and veins bulged on his arm.

Zhu Yu did not notice the subtle change in his expression. He shook his head slightly and replied, "No."

If not for the Starry Wood branches and leaves needed to cultivate Little Jade, Little Black, and the Fierce Tiger Corpse Seed, he would not have wanted to touch Divine Radiance, which could turn people into idiots.

"That's good."

Xiang Sui forced a smile onto his face and nodded. Then, through gritted teeth, he said, "That idiot from The Society was indeed not wrong, but there was some information even he didn't know."

Without waiting for them to ask, he said:

"Starry Wood and Divine Radiance, to be precise, were derived from the bloodline power of a minor Spirit Ruins Master."

"Such an existence had long since become one with the Spirit Ruins. So long as the Spirit Ruins remained indestructible, he would not die. That was why True Person Yin Underworld sealed him within the Yin-Underworld Spirit Ruins."

At this point, he gave Zhu Yu a deep look, as if offering a warning.

"Over the years, it was not as though no cultivators had refined Divine Radiance. But they either became idiots or turned into that being's incarnations, only to be suppressed and killed by the Demon-Slaying Guard!"

After speaking, Xiang Sui hesitated before taking two blank jade slips from his sleeve. He pressed them to his brow for several breaths, then waved his hand and tossed them before Zhu Yu and Liang Kuan.

"These contain some information about Spirit Ruins and the heavens beyond the domain. Junior Brothers, once you have read them, remember not to spread it."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Zhu Yu and Liang Kuan's eyes immediately lit up. They cupped their hands in thanks and accepted the jade slips.

"It's nothing."

Xiang Sui secretly sighed and waved it off as though it did not matter. The information was not all that important, but it was simply too shocking to be spread casually.

"I still have a furnace of pills to refine, so I'll be leaving first."

"Hm?"

Zhu Yu was taken aback. Normally, Xiang Sui would ask him a few questions about the Basic Visualization Diagram before leaving. Why was he in such a hurry today?

But he did not think much of it, and he and Liang Kuan escorted him downstairs.

They arrived on the street.

Xiang Sui glanced at the intersection not far ahead. A flash of embarrassment and anger surfaced in his eyes. He drew a deep breath, turned around, and gave Zhu Yu and Liang Kuan, who stood at the doorway, a deep bow. Bitterly, he said:

"This furnace of pills will probably take me over a month to refine. You two... hold Grand Lectures for another two days, then disband..."

"What?"

Zhu Yu and Liang Kuan both looked utterly stunned.

Why would he suddenly give up on the Grand Lectures? Because of pill refining? How could that be...

Coming back to his senses, Liang Kuan recalled the Sound Transmission Talisman Xiang Sui had received earlier and hurriedly asked, "Did something happen?"

Zhu Yu looked over as well.

Xiang Sui's expression was complicated. He nodded. "A cousin from my Lineage sent word that The Society's current president will return from the Qingping Spirit Ruins battlefield before long." Seeing their puzzled gazes, he gave a bitter smile. "His name is Lian Sheng. He constructed his Dao Foundation more than a decade ago. His trip to the Qingping Spirit Ruins allowed him to accumulate enough Spirit Ruins Origin..."

Seeing that they still did not understand, he sighed.

"In other words, Lian Sheng is about to prepare for a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, and such a breakthrough requires vast supplementary resources. The Society is the tool he uses to gather them."

"When that time comes, every teaching organization in the Yin-Underworld Grotto will face the blow of a cultivator with one foot already over the threshold of Foundation Establishment..."

"And even my Lineage would not be willing to make an enemy of a cultivator who might achieve Foundation Establishment."

"This... the Grand Lectures should be disbanded..."

Xiang Sui cupped his hands apologetically toward Zhu Yu and Liang Kuan. "If either of you needs spirit pills in the future, you can find me at the Alchemy Pavilion."

With that, he turned and left without hesitation.

"This..."

Zhu Yu and Liang Kuan looked at each other. They did not quite understand what Spirit Ruins Origin or imminent Foundation Establishment meant, but they heard that last sentence loud and clear.

The Grand Lectures that had only been running for a little over ten days were gone...

Silence reigned for several breaths.

Zhu Yu's expression darkened and brightened unpredictably.

Without teaching, where would he earn Spirit Stones to buy dharma artifacts? Rely on those three acres of worthless Corpse Taro?

"Lian Sheng..."

"Fuck!"

Beside him, Liang Kuan cursed furiously. Perhaps due to the influence of the Dharma Seed he had refined, something strange appeared on his face. Surging black vapor rose over his oily complexion, making him look terrifying.

"You dogshit bastard... Sooner or later, I'll tear every one of you apart alive..."

Suddenly.

A mocking voice rang out beside their ears.

"Who did you say you would tear apart alive?"

Liang Kuan did not even see the person's shadow. He only felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by a series of dense cracks as bones broke. His body flew backward and slammed viciously into a nearby wall.

Pfft...

Liang Kuan's chest caved inward. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of glossy Black Blood. His body clung to the wall like a hanging painting, unable to move.

The newcomer revealed himself.

He was a burly man with wild hair and beard, nearly ten feet tall, his entire body covered in dense black patterns. He examined Liang Kuan's exposed skin and the ink-like Black Blood he had spat out, then sneered disdainfully.

"I wondered what was so tough. Turns out it was that mid-grade Body Refining technique that burns itself to ashes upon encountering fire—the Wax Corpse..."

As he spoke, he lightly snapped his fingers. A tiny green flame appeared. He walked before Liang Kuan and raised his hand, pressing it onto him.

The instant they made contact.

Like a spark falling into dry grass, towering flames erupted.

"Ah!"

The excruciating pain twisted Liang Kuan's face beyond recognition. Miserable screams burst from his mouth as he writhed, trying to break free, but his body seemed glued to the wall, unable to escape.

As the flames burned, droplets of black grease seeped from his face and exposed skin, trickling to the ground with hissing sounds and eroding mottled Marks into the floor.

"Heh..."

The burly man gave a derisive laugh, then suddenly turned to Zhu Yu. He bared a mouthful of gleaming white teeth and took a step, appearing before him as though by Teleportation. Raising his arm, he pressed it down.

"Remember this: I am Mang Xiang of The Society!"

Zhu Yu's vision went black. Immediately afterward, he felt an immense pressure, like a mountain overturning and crushing down upon him. He could not move, and every bone in his body let out a groan of unbearable strain.

Just then.

"Stop!"

An angry shout came from the side. The next moment, a mass of blazing white flame hurtled toward the burly man—Mang Xiang.

Seemingly aware of the flame's power, Mang Xiang did not dare take it head-on. He leaped aside and retreated, glaring viciously at Xiang Sui as he ran over from the intersection.

"Xiang Sui, don't think I won't touch you just because you come from a Foundation Establishment Pill Clan!"

"Touch me? With just you?"

Xiang Sui shot him a disdainful glance, raised his hand to recall the spirit fire, then patted Zhu Yu on the shoulder and transmitted through Divine Sense, "Junior Brother, hurry back to the Underworld Grounds. Once you enter the Underworld Grounds, he won't dare act like this."

"What about Senior Brother Liang..."

"I'm here."

Xiang Sui waved him away, urging him to leave. Then he strode to the wooden hut, his expression changing slightly as he looked at Liang Kuan burning in the green flames. He hurriedly pressed a hand against Liang Kuan's body.

"Return!"

At once, the raging green flames flowed into his palm like water. Within a few breaths, they vanished.

Seeing this, Zhu Yu finally relaxed somewhat. He knew that staying here would only make him a burden. He gave Mang Xiang a deep look, then silently left at speed with Little Black.

The burly man glanced at him, his feet shifting slightly, but as if recalling something, he snorted coldly. He turned his gaze back to Xiang Sui and bared his teeth.

"Pill Master Xiang, are you going to become enemies with The Society?"

After leaving the Market.

Zhu Yu urged Little Black to race without stopping back to the Underworld Grounds. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, the air ahead twisted, and a familiar figure materialized.

"How about you and I make a deal?"