Chapter 122: The Path of Black and White (Part II)

At the edge of the Bone Abyss, inside a certain cave.

“...”

In the prime of his life, Sheng Nian toyed with a communication talisman in his hand, his brow slightly furrowed as if pondering something.

Just then, Lü Qin returned from outside.

Sheng Nian quickly concealed the talisman.

Although his movements were swift, Lü Qin saw everything clearly.

“Junior brother, it’s no good for you to cultivate here. What are you doing?”

Sheng Nian maintained his usual arrogant demeanor and attitude. “Hmph, mind your own business.”

He stood up and strode out of the cave.

Whether it was from having grown accustomed to his junior brother’s attitude, or from deep restraint, Lü Qin’s face showed little displeasure.

He glanced sideways toward the direction Sheng Nian had left.

“That brat has been sneaky these past few days...”

After a moment of contemplation, a dim layer of spiritual power emanated from him, blending him into the night.

Sheng Nian walked along, occasionally casting wary glances around.

Upon reaching a fork in the path, he suddenly leapt toward the northeast.

The Mass Grave Mound.

Sheng Nian glanced sideways from time to time, then hurried into a pile of ruins and rubble, descending a set of gray stone steps.

A flash of light appeared in his hand as he slowly descended, disappearing at the bottom of the stairs.

The Mass Grave Mound was a desolate mountain of silence.

After a while, Lü Qin’s figure appeared like a shadow at the entrance of the steps.

His gaze did not look down the stairs but fixed on a broken stone beside him.

He reached out and brushed away dust and debris, revealing a very hidden symbol.

It resembled some kind of helmet ornament, or perhaps the horn of a demonic beast.

Faint and indistinct, it was hard to make out clearly.

Lü Qin’s pupils constricted slightly.

“Shura Path...”

His junior brother had contact with the Shura Path.

But Lü Qin had never heard that the Shura Path’s demonic cultivators were involved in this matter.

Before the two were sent to Changping, the hermit Xin Shan had spoken to him alone.

“If Sheng Nian acts oddly, do not intervene. Just observe quietly and report the truth afterward.”

As he pondered his next move, another noise came from the steps below.

Lü Qin quickly concealed himself, merging into the darkness.

Sheng Nian emerged from below, looked around, then left quickly.

“...”

A moment later, a shadow slowly descended the stairs.

There was a protective formation here.

“Heh heh...”

Lü Qin sneered. “Child’s play.”

His junior brother probably didn’t know that before becoming a disciple of the hermit Xin Shan, Lü Qin had mastered formations.

He formed a hand seal, and a flash of blood light flickered at his fingertips, tapping several formation points in succession.

Hum—

The array continued to operate, but when he stepped in, he was not stopped.

This was a secret chamber.

Besides the entrance here, there was a door on the opposite side, its destination unknown.

However, it was blocked by a pile of old incense sticks, joss paper, and an offering table, making passage difficult.

In the center of the chamber stood an altar.

On it lay a jade slip.

Within the cultivation world, most cultivators used sound transmission talismans for communication, but these could be intercepted.

So for more secretive content, information could be engraved on jade slips and exchanged face-to-face.

Lü Qin stepped forward slowly, carefully inspected the jade slip, and after confirming there were no special countermeasures, he took it and probed its contents with his divine sense.

“Jin Tianya!?”

He was startled.

The jade slip contained the exact location of Jin Tianya.

The Yellow Springs Sect planned to relocate Jin Tianya’s position in three days, at which time the Shura Path would move to seize him.

“So the Yellow Springs Sect has imprisoned Jin Tianya in Chengjia Village...”

Lü Qin murmured thoughtfully.

But this was not the main point that concerned him.

What truly alarmed him was how deeply the Shura Path was concealed.

The demonic cultivation world’s great sects were divided into five factions: the Shura Path, the Hehuan Sect, the Yellow Springs Sect, the Seed Demon Path, and the Evil Sword Sect.

In Chu Kingdom, only the Yellow Springs Sect and the Seed Demon Path had demonic cultivators.

As far as Lü Qin knew, the Shura Path only had a significant presence in the Central Region and Qi Kingdom.

However...

Changping lay on the border between Qi Kingdom and Chu Kingdom.

If any news was heard, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to intervene here.

The key was: what was the exact relationship between his junior brother and the Shura Path?

“In three days...”

Lü Qin took a jade slip from his spatial pouch.

He carved an identical copy of the message on the jade slip and placed it back on the altar untouched.

At that moment, his divine sense detected someone approaching.

He quickly melted into the shadows and left the chamber.

On the Mass Grave Mound, a figure in black robes approached.

Lü Qin did not use divine sense to probe, but the fierce killing intent the man exuded was unlike anything he had ever seen.

“Shura Path...?”

The black-robed man entered the chamber, but soon emerged and left.

“Heh heh...”

Lü Qin sneered coldly.

He thought to himself that this junior brother of his, whether in fate or talent, was indeed rare.

A pity...

He was a bit foolish.

“Sheng Nian, oh Sheng Nian...”

“Thinking that joining forces with the Shura Path would let you slip by unnoticed.”

Lü Qin was now almost certain that Sheng Nian had discovered Jin Tianya’s trail and sought to conspire with the Shura Path to share the spoils.

He contemplated.

If he could capture Jin Tianya himself, extract the secret of the Central Region’s treasure, and report back to the sect, it might be enough to replace Sheng Nian in the master’s favor.

“In three days, I’ll see what kind of show the Yellow Springs Sect and the Shura Path put on.”

“If they end up tearing each other apart...”

“I might just become the fisherman!”

Planning his moves, he melted into the night and left silently.

...

Outside the Bone Abyss.

Sheng Nian sat alone on a cliff, gazing toward Chengjia Village.

“Now, it depends on Old Song.”

He murmured under his breath.

Dark thoughts surged within him, and an ancient voice whispered softly: “With Lü Qin dead, there are almost no capable disciples left under the hermit Xin Shan.”

“You needn’t worry about him suspecting you anymore.”

Sheng Nian shook his head slightly: “It’s too early to say such things now. We’ll think about that once Lü Qin truly dies.”

The dark voice sneered: “He may be cunning, but Lü Qin is extremely arrogant, always thinking his wit surpasses others.”

“He believes only he can see through what others cannot.”

“I’ve seen too many such people.”

“Now he thinks you are brave but foolish, believing he can easily control you.”

On this point, Sheng Nian agreed with the old demon.

Regarding Jin Tianya, if he were told directly, Lü Qin would grow suspicious.

But if Lü Qin discovered “clues” and “flaws” bit by bit, piecing together the so-called secret himself, his arrogance in his wisdom would make him believe it unquestioningly.

Moreover, in this senior brother’s eyes, Sheng Nian was merely a somewhat fortunate but simple-minded and guileless fool.

“Three days remain...”

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