Chapter 125: Ink Treasures of the Deified Realm

In the days that followed, Song Yan’s life gradually returned to its normal rhythm. Aside from his daily patrol duties, he spent his time refining his qi and spiritual essence, steadily accumulating his spiritual power and cultivation.

Although disciples from the six major sects had collectively increased their patrol efforts, the workload for the original Jia Squad had not significantly grown. Moreover, with Cheng Yu’s death, no one was currently interfering with him. As a result, he actually found himself with considerably more leisure time.

Inside the Heavenly Mountain Five Demons’ bag, there were few useful items—genuine elixirs were scarce. However, they did possess a fair amount of spirit stones; the five of them combined had over three hundred spirit stones. They had also kept an illusion array formation plate, while selling off the remaining demonic cultivation tools in the market of Huangshan Workshop, netting over four hundred and sixty spirit stones in total—a respectable sum.

In truth, Song Yan had never anticipated this: stationed in Changping, there was no need to prepare excessive resources. There simply wasn’t enough time to convert resources into personal strength. For example, at present, Song Yan did not lack cultivation materials, but due to patrol duties, he could only maintain his basic daily training. Entering seclusion was an unattainable luxury.

For the past four months, Song Yan’s main patrol area had been Cheng Family Village. With the rotation of assignments, it was now his turn to patrol Shigu Ping.

Shigu Ping was known as the most dangerous village near Changping due to its proximity to the Bone Abyss. Sometimes Song Yan found it strange that so many ordinary people still lived near such a perilous place.

Later, it was Dai Rui who explained. On the one hand, although the Bone Abyss was dangerous, monks from Huadu Temple maintained a constant vigil there, so few demons dared to emerge openly and cause trouble. On the other hand, the vast lands surrounding the Bone Abyss were among the most fertile in the entire Changping Prefecture, making them ideal for farming.

Moreover, the demonic cultivators from the Bone Abyss showed little interest in ordinary humans. Only cultivators, whose bodies were nourished by spiritual energy, stood a chance of becoming prey for demons.

Looking back several decades, an unusual phenomenon had even appeared in Shigu Ping’s history: demonic cultivators tried to use the mortal residents as resources for cultivating demonic powers or forging evil treasures. The demons of the Bone Abyss turned this into a trap, luring these demonic cultivators and slaughtering them. Very few mortals died in the process—the majority of casualties were the ambushed demonic cultivators. This created a unique, if somewhat strange, ecological balance.

Thus, Shigu Ping ended up having more ordinary residents than its neighboring villages.

One day, Song Yan and Li Qingfeng were patrolling through Shigu Ping together.

“Old Song, if what you say is true, you’ll be able to return to the sect in four months?” Li Qingfeng asked, surprised.

Song Yan nodded. Li Qingfeng was astonished. “So soon?”

“Do you think slaying demonic cultivators is that easy?” Song Yan muttered, scratching the large black pot strapped to his back, eager for action.

The ordinary villagers in Shigu Ping were aware of the patrols by disciples from the six sects. After all, the six sects had jointly established their presence in Changping nearly a year ago. These mortals still treated the patrolling cultivators with great respect, though they no longer found their appearances so astonishing as before.

Song Yan’s thoughts shifted, and he glanced back subtly but saw nothing. Thanks to his powerful divine sense, he had sensed a strange presence these past few days, as if someone was constantly watching him from behind.

A demonic cultivator?

Unlikely.

Given the current patrol intensity, only a Foundation Establishment-level demonic cultivator might dare show up near Changping City. It wouldn’t make sense for such a cultivator to keep an eye on him.

That left the possibility that someone within the six sects had become suspicious of him.

No matter.

Song Yan had no intention of interacting with Gou Sheng again anyway.

“Ah!” A startled shout suddenly broke the silence.

An elderly farmer, pushing a cart, stumbled and bumped into the lost-in-thought Song Yan.

Song Yan was unharmed, of course. But the old man, snapping back to reality, looked at him with wide-eyed terror and dropped to his knees.

“Ah… Immortal, spare me! Immortal, spare me!” he pleaded.

“I wasn’t paying attention; I deserve to die!” he added, as if fearing immediate punishment should the immortal grow displeased.

Song Yan waved his hand casually. “It’s nothing.”

He lightly applied some spiritual energy to help the kowtowing old man to his feet.

Seeing the farmer’s cart laden with straw and dry grass had not toppled, Song Yan and Li Qingfeng continued on their way at a steady pace.

“Thank you, Immortal, thank you…” the old man repeated until the two had left, then resumed pushing his cart back toward his humble home.

Click.

The wooden door was bolted shut.

Inside the small house, a soundproofing spiritual array was activated.

The old man’s appearance gradually faded like a wisp of gray mist carried away by a gentle breeze, revealing the true form of Liu Ciming.

Expressionless, he slipped through a hidden passage concealed within the illusion array along the stable’s edge and descended into the cellar.

Without warning, a flickering candlelight appeared in his hand.

In the darkness of the cellar, a figure shifted slightly upon hearing footsteps.

“Brother Jin, I hope you’ve been well…” Liu Ciming’s spiritual power stirred, illuminating the cellar and revealing the face of Jin Tianya.

“Heh heh…” Jin Tianya’s voice was hoarse. “So, am I free to go now?”

“…” Liu Ciming said nothing, then lightened his tone. “Haha, not yet.”

“How long do you plan to keep me here?!” Jin Tianya’s instability was evident.

“Please calm down, Brother Jin…” Despite the growl from a Qi Refining cultivator, Liu Ciming remained composed.

“You took a huge risk smuggling out the copy of the ‘Hell Transformation Diagram.’ Once we return to the Demon Ruins, Master will surely favor you, and your rise within the sect will be swift and sure.”

“Enough of the useless talk… I just want to know when I can go back.”

Liu Ciming quickly reassured him. “At most three or five days. Then we’ll leave Changping and teleport back to the Demon Ruins.”

“But Jin, you have to tell me—what’s so special about this Hell Transformation Diagram?”

Jin Tianya seemed to calm somewhat after hearing Liu’s words. He snorted coldly and sat back down.

“If I told you and you killed me, wouldn’t you be able to keep the treasure all to yourself?”

Liu Ciming’s expression remained unchanged. “You jest, Brother Jin. If I killed you, how could I explain it to Master…”

Jin Tianya fell silent.

“Besides, who in the Outer Courtyard doesn’t know you returned alive from the Central Region? Do you think I’m afraid you’ll steal my credit?”

More silence.

The so-called rebellion in the Central Region ended in failure for the demons. Only Jin Tianya, because of his weakness, managed to escape with nothing but a painting, not some priceless treasure.

He seemed to have made a decision and spoke slowly.

“The Hell Transformation Diagram…”

“Is a masterpiece left behind in his youth by Wu Daoxuan, a grand cultivator of the Nascent Soul stage from the Central Region.”

Liu Ciming’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

What?!

Nascent Soul stage?!

Although it was created in Wu Daoxuan’s youth...

Liu’s heart began pounding uncontrollably. He wondered if he had misheard.

Heavens!

Jin Tianya seemed to have anticipated Liu Ciming’s reaction, sneering as he continued.

“The temple where the original painting was kept was destroyed many years ago.”

“All that remains is this copy, said to have been personally copied by Wu Daoxuan himself to dispel the malevolent aura of the original.”

Jin Tianya glanced aside. “Rumor has it that within this painting…”

“Lies a clue to Wu Daoxuan’s ancestral home.”

Some readers have mentioned that the update schedule is a bit odd—should it be changed to 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.? Thank you all for your support with monthly votes, subscriptions, and recommendations. Truly grateful!