Chapter 94.2: One Piece of Good News, One Piece of Bad News

In the following days, Qi Yuan entered the game from time to time. However, to his frustration, he remained trapped inside the Demonic Egg. He couldn't actually play.

It was embarrassing. He was caught by an NPC before even starting the game.

Still, he learned a lot.

Time flowed differently here. One day in the Canglan World equaled nearly ten years in the Flowing Wind World. From Ning Tao, he pieced together the world's background.

When the cultivators of Flowing Wind World died of old age, they would

t

ransform into demon spawns. It was eerily similar to the alien demons Qi Yuan had once encountered.

Perhaps those alien demons originated from this very world. If that was true, maybe he could find which they used to reach the Moonwatch Continent and travel there himself.

Currently, the Flowing Wind Realm was split in two. The North and South. The South, the Exorcists, decreed that cultivators had to die before their natural lifespan ended to prevent the birth of demons. Whenever they encountered demon spawns, they would kill them. On the other hand, the North allowed natural deaths in spite of the repercussions.

These conflicting laws tore the world apart.

In the South, ordinary mortals lived relatively well, though many cultivators fled north every year to escape their forced deaths. In the North, ordinary mortals were mere slaves to cultivators.

The two sides were locked in a struggle of life and death.

A century ago, the North South Pact was signed. Both sides would begin a final war to decide the world’s fate.

The Central Plains built 108,000 cities, each manned by Exorcists from South’s sects and nations. They would face the North's Seventeen Demon Kings and their united demon army.

If the 108,000 cities fell, the South would be annihilated. If the Seventeen Demon Kings fell, the North would be reclaimed, and both sides would unite against the demonic catastrophe.

The war had already raged for over twenty years, and the South was losing badly.

Qi Yuan sighed, "In a world where ordinary people are just fuel, the North will always prevail over the South."

It was simply human nature. Like the alien demon had once said,

"I shed blood for my clan. Why shouldn't I enjoy peace in my old age?"

During these days, Ning Tao repeatedly tried to seal his memories, but it never worked.

Qi Yuan was trapped and not truly a player, yet he didn't hate her. Without her, he couldn't have entered the game early or learned its lore. He had no desire to repeat the Moonwatch Continent's mistake, clearing every dungeon before understanding the story.

Besides, she's just an NPC...

***

A white crane landed outside his cabin, calling softly, "Senior Brother Qi Yuan, the sect master requests your presence."

"The sect master?" Qi Yuan murmured thoughtfully.

Ever since returning from the Celestial Dragon Realm, he had often felt faint, unseen gazes upon him, likely from the sect master himself.

"I'll be right there," Qi Yuan replied, glancing at Little Bride behind him. "Come on, Little Bride."

The little being shimmered into a streak of light and merged into his chest.

Qi Yuan followed the white crane to a lakeside within the Divine Radiance Sect, where Lord Withered Tree awaited.

"I have a great opportunity for you," the old man said slowly. "But before I give it, you must pass my trial."

Before, Qi Yuan would have refused, thinking it would be too troublesome. With the Hundred-Cities War and the Bright Palace's threat looming like a sword above his head, he couldn't afford to. He had to form a Metal Core, perhaps even an Immortal-class Nascent Soul.

Qi Yuan agreed, "Sect Master, please advise me."

"Come with me."

Lord Withered Tree raised his hand, a current of spiritual wind lifting Qi Yuan as they streaked across the skies.

During the flight, he tossed Qi Yuan a mask. "Put this on. Don't reveal your identity."

Qi Yuan obeyed. Once he wore it, even his physique was obscured.

After a while, another streak of light joined them. A masked woman landed gracefully beside Lord Withered Tree, leaning against him like a bird seeking warmth.

"Dear husband," she whispered.

Qi Yuan could only stare speechlessly. He already knew who she was. The queen of the Great Shang, a Nascent Soul powerhouse.

Three hours later, the three landed in a secluded valley.

Qi Yuan immediately sensed nine immense auras. They were all Nascent Soul cultivators.

As Lord Withered Tree brought him down, someone said in an old, hoarse, "All nine Nascent Souls are present?"

It came from an elderly man leaning on a cane.

A hunched old woman with a sharp voice cackled. "How amusing. Two Rogue Monks and nine Nascent Souls. I thought there were ten!"

Instantly, two barefoot Nascent Souls glared at each other.

"I'm the real Rogue Monk!"

"Who the heck are you?

I'm

the real one!"

Qi Yuan glanced at the two, then at the others, his eyes finally landing on the hunched over old woman.

[He is a common cultivator. Prefers walking barefoot. So many people impersonate him that he sometimes impersonates himself.]

Qi Yuan sighed inwardly. He was dumbfounded.

Besides the nine Nascent Souls, there were over a dozen Core Formation cultivators present.

The old man with the cane looked at Qi Yuan. "If I'm not mistaken, he's merely a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator. You're really letting him join this mission?"

Lord Withered Tree nodded. "

Mhm

."

The old man said no more, though the others, especially the Core Formation ones, stared at Qi Yuan with obvious curiosity. Even Nascent Souls could die in this operation. What business did a Foundation Establishment cultivator have here?

The old man finally said again, "One hundred li from here lies the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge. I have already located the lair of the Black Rooster Demon."