CHAPTER 126: CHAPTER 124: YIN PUPPET SECT (ADDITIONAL CHAPTER FOR THE GODDESS BOOK FRIEND "COME INTO THE BOWL")

Red Tiger Mountain Oasis.

As Zhouyang put away the "Small Five Elements Maze Array" used to hide his tracks and soared into the sky with sword control, the three Golden Core Stage cultivators in the sky quickly spotted him and swiftly rode the clouds towards him.

"Which clan’s Foundation Establishment cultivator are you? Do you know what exactly has happened at Red Tiger Mountain?"

The three Golden Core Stage cultivators rode the clouds and flew to the front of Zhouyang. Before Zhouyang could even salute and pay his respects, Cao Wenjin had already urgently asked about the situation.

As for why he knew that Zhouyang wasn’t a cultivator from the Yellow Sand Sect, it was simple. As a Golden Core Stage cultivator of the Yellow Sand Sect, he had seen all the Foundation Establishment cultivators within the sect. With the memory capacity of a Golden Core Stage cultivator, it was impossible for him to fail to recognize someone he had met.

And Zhouyang, although he hadn’t met Cao Wenjin nor visited the Ancestor Hall of the Yellow Sand Sect, as the clan leader of a vassal cultivation clan under the Yellow Sand Sect, he surely wouldn’t have not seen the portrait of Cao Wenjin, the current guardian of the Yellow Sand Sect.

Thus, upon hearing Cao Wenjin’s question, he quickly saluted and said, "Reporting to the Ancestor, the specific situation is not entirely clear to this junior. Just earlier, when this junior was healing in the distance waiting for rescue, I suddenly sensed a massive wave of demonic qi emanating from the direction of Red Tiger Mountain. This junior was intimidated by its might and dared not rashly approach to investigate!"

"Demonic qi wave? Then it seems there’s no mistake, it really was the Blood Nether demon who made a move. That demon typically likes to bully the small with the big and ambush and injure people. Fellow Daoist Jiang was most likely killed by his ambush!"

"Cyan Yang Daoist" nodded slightly and immediately expressed his view.

Upon saying this, he raised his hand and directly took out the bronze oil lamp. At this moment, the silver flame on the lamp was still shining brightly, clearly indicating that Blood Nether hadn’t had the chance to escape the detection range of this magical artifact.

"This old Daoist shall now employ the technique to search for the whereabouts of that demon. No matter where that demon flees to this time, this old Daoist will ensure he is scattered into nothingness!"

As he spoke, the elderly daoist in blue immediately unleashed a magical power onto the bronze oil lamp and activated the magical artifact to search for the whereabouts of Blood Nether.

With the urging of the "Soul-guiding Lamp" by the elderly daoist in blue, the silver flame on the lamp immediately wavered slightly, then the flame inclined against the wind towards the west.

"Found him, that demon is moving eastward!"

The elderly daoist in blue showed a hint of joy on his face, shouted, and then with a sweep of his large sleeve released a shimmering cyan flying ship. With a quick movement, he landed onto the ship and then beckoned to Cao Wenjin and the others, saying, "Fellow Daoists, please board this flying ship first. Otherwise, you might not be able to keep up with this old Daoist’s speed!"

"Then I’ll trouble Fellow Daoist Qingyang."

Cao Wenjin and the "Golden Light Ascendant" exchanged a glance and then gracefully joined the flying ship.

Below, Zhouyang, who was suspended in mid-air with sword control, saw this and originally thought it had nothing to do with him. He was about to utter some farewell words.

Unexpectedly, the "Cyan Yang Daoist" on the flying ship suddenly had a gleam in his eyes, looked at him, and said, "Little friend, you should come up too. Perhaps, there may be a need for you."

Saying this, he didn’t even wait for Zhouyang’s response and directly summoned a magical force to forcibly bring Zhouyang onto the flying ship, then instantly drove the ship to transform into a streak of cyan light heading west away from Red Tiger Mountain Oasis.

"Fellow Daoist Qingyang, what is the reason for this? Not to mention this lad is currently injured, even his cultivation level is merely at the second layer of Foundation Establishment. Blood Nether could kill him with just a breath!"

On the cyan flying ship, Cao Wenjin glanced at Zhouyang, who looked pale and pitifully at him, and finally couldn’t help but mentally communicate with the "Cyan Yang Daoist" in inquiry.

It wasn’t that he was genuinely moved by Zhouyang’s pitiful gaze and felt compassion, but he indeed couldn’t understand why "Cyan Yang Daoist" insisted on bringing along such a minor second-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator. He really wanted to know the intention behind it.

"This matter is something this old Daoist cannot explain to you now, Fellow Daoist Cao. Perhaps I’m overthinking, but to ensure all precautions, I believe bringing along this young friend is quite necessary!"

The elderly daoist in blue shook his head with a mysterious expression, unwilling to reveal why he brought Zhouyang along.

Seeing this, although Cao Wenjin was exceedingly curious, he knew it wasn’t appropriate to question further.

However, he did not entirely stay idle. Seeing him gently point with the white jade ruyi in his hand, a blue spiritual light fell upon Zhouyang, and then he calmly said to Zhouyang:

"This old man’s [Cyan Splendor Profound Spirit Spell] can help you recover from your internal injuries, and here is also a [Three Treasures Divine Pill] to aid you in restoring your lost essence blood and primordial qi."

"You don’t need to worry too much; given your minor cultivation, Fellow Daoist Qingyang wouldn’t truly involve you in the demon-extermination battle!"

"Moreover, even if you are unfortunate enough to sacrifice yourself in the demon-extermination battle, this old man will fulfill the promise to provide your clan with a Foundation Establishment Pill, ensuring your clan won’t decline because of it."

He said this as he tossed the so-called "Three Treasures Divine Pill" to Zhouyang before closing his eyes to rest, just like the "Golden Light Ascendant" beside him.

Upon hearing these words, Zhouyang was so infuriated that he felt like cursing.

Having barely escaped with his life from the claws of two "Golden-winged Thunder Eagles," he hadn’t expected to fall from the tiger’s den into the wolf’s lair so soon. His luck was truly one of a kind.

Cao Wenjin’s words sounded nice now, but considering he hadn’t even bothered to ask for his name from the start to the end, Zhouyang knew just how credible those words actually were.

The cyan flying ship sped at thousands of miles per hour, so fast that ordinary people looking up from the ground could only see a fleeting streak of cyan light.

Zhouyang aboard the flying ship wore a face full of despair, like a prisoner heading to the execution ground.

When others reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, being able to sit and chat with Golden Core Stage cultivators even for a few words is something they can boast about for life.

But his life, most likely, is going to end prematurely. Could he have a good demeanor?

The gap between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core is not just two realms of cultivation but an entirely different status, as different as heaven and earth.

Back when Xiao Bufan wanted to keep him serving at Red Tiger Mountain, he needed to lay out facts, reason with him, and use threats and intimidation.

However, when "Cyan Yang Daoist" and Cao Wenjin, these Golden Core Stage cultivators, wanted to requisition him, they were too lazy to even come up with the simplest excuse.

Whether Zhouyang agreed or opposed, he couldn’t shake or change any of their decisions.

What is tyranny?

This is tyranny!

Golden Core Stage cultivators have a lifespan of a thousand years, and their status in the cultivation realm is akin to princes and princesses in the mortal realm, whereas Foundation Establishment cultivators are merely small officials who have just been ranked.

Both parties may seem to be within the same system, but in reality, their status gap is as vast as heaven and earth.

Can a mere small official defy the orders of a prince or princess? Dare to defy them?

Hence, even though Zhouyang’s heart was filled with anger and grievance, he could only bow his head and bite his tongue, not daring to curse out loud.

Cursing someone may be satisfying at the moment, but the consequences might be as severe as being slapped like a fly, ending up with no remains.

He still had a long life to live, not wanting to jeopardize his life for a moment of satisfaction.

After biting his tongue and holding his breath for a long while, he finally suppressed the anger within, opened the pill bottle given by Cao Wenjin, and swallowed the spirit pill.

The "Three Treasures Divine Pill," crafted by Cao Wenjin, a Golden Core Stage cultivator, is, of course, not an ordinary spirit pill; it is a Tier Three High-Grade Spirit Pill.

The three treasures correspond to essence, qi, and spirit. This "Three Treasures Divine Pill" not only replenishes blood and qi but also heals injuries to the divine soul.

After Zhouyang consumed the spirit pill, he replenished about seventy to eighty percent of the essence blood consumed by using the "Blood Boiling Technique," and all internal and external injuries healed completely.

The efficacy of this single elixir was more effective than all the healing elixirs he had taken before.

While he was refining the elixir and recovering from his injuries, the cyan flying ship had already traversed countless miles, stopping outside a desolate oasis in the vast desert sea.

"Hmm, is this place..."

On the flying ship, "Golden Light Ascendant" had a peculiar expression as he looked at Cao Wenjin, who appeared troubled beside him, wanting to speak but hesitating.

"Cyan Yang Ascendant," seeing this scene, couldn’t help but frown, and asked the two, "What’s happening? Is there something amiss with this place?"

"Fellow Daoist Qingyang is not from our Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, so it’s normal not to know this place."

Cao Wenjin glanced at "Golden Light Ascendant," who had a peculiar expression, then looked complexly at the desolate oasis ahead, saying in a deep voice, "Seventeen hundred years ago, this place was also the mountain gate of a cultivation sect. Later, our Yellow Sand Sect had a conflict with that sect, and our predecessors went on a full expedition here, narrowly emerging victorious and annihilating them!"

"The spiritual vein of the oasis here was completely destroyed in that battle, resulting in the death of millions of mortals and thousands of cultivators from both sides. After that battle, this place became a rarely seen land of resentful spirits in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, long since designated as a forbidden area by our Yellow Sand Sect, forbidding other cultivators from knowing or approaching!"

Upon hearing Cao Wenjin’s words, not only did "Cyan Yang Daoist" have his brows tightly knitted, but even Zhouyang, hearing this for the first time, was greatly shocked.

"More than seventeen hundred years ago? Could this place be the former Yin Puppet Sect mountain gate that nearly led to Yellow Sand Sect’s destruction?"

Recalling the ancient texts he had once read, his heart stirred, and he immediately understood which sect Cao Wenjin was referring to.

It is said that the puppet beast refining method he is currently learning was a unique magical artifact of the "Yin Puppet Sect."

"Land of resentful spirits? No wonder the demon Blood Nether chose to flee here!"

"Cyan Yang Daoist" furrowed his brows tightly and murmured, his thoughts unknown, as his expression suddenly became serious.

He then examined the oasis ahead with a heavy gaze for a while, and suddenly said to Zhouyang, "Stay outside and don’t wander around. Otherwise, if something happens, don’t blame the old Taoist for not warning you."

After saying this, he nodded towards Cao Wenjin and "Golden Light Ascendant," saying, "Fellow Daoists, demon extermination and Dao protection shall be today. As long as Blood Nether is killed, I have generous gifts ready for you!"