Chapter 437: Chapter 396: Jiuchuan Arrives

Lu Nanzhi still didn’t know about Xie Jingshan’s mastery of the Supreme Sword Bone, while Jiang Yuebai recalled the techniques used by the bone-faced man earlier—one wind, one fire, though they carried Yin Evil Qi, they truly resembled Xie Jingshan’s style.

"Perhaps I saw it wrong; given Xie Jingshan’s unique identity, Tian Nanxing would not dare to go too far with him."

Jiang Yuebai comforted Lu Nanzhi, but internally, she felt uneasy and anxious.

"Who knows what happened to Senior Sister Miaoyin." Lu Nanzhi glanced around worriedly, seeing no trace of Miaoyin.

Jiang Yuebai frowned, "She knows this place better than us, and... we’ve already been exposed; let’s quickly head to the Blood Prison and find Xie Jingshan as soon as possible."

Lu Nanzhi took a deep breath; for now, they could only look for Xie Jingshan first, and then figure out a way to find Miaoyin.

The two continued deeper, and after a quarter of an hour, they passed through a stone gate, where the smell of blood assaulted their nostrils. The Blood Prison was pitch black, with thick blackened blood stains everywhere, and the cells around them were full of rotting corpses and scattered bones.

Torture instruments in the corners emitted a ghostly cold glow, making one’s scalp tingle.

The Blood Prison was vast; the cells contained only dead bodies and bones, with no sign of any living being.

Jiang Yuebai and Lu Nanzhi concealed their presence using the Divine Concealment Talisman and Turtle Breath Talisman, cautiously exploring.

Squeak, squeak...

The sound of rats came from the darkness, and Jiang Yuebai lifted her eyelids, "Jixiang?"

She quickly signaled Lu Nanzhi to follow, feeling her way toward the sound. At the deepest and most heavily barricaded cell, they saw a person leaning against the wall.

The person tilted their head, revealing half a pale face under messy hair, their tattered black clothes filthy, and they were as thin as a skeleton.

The equally skinny Jixiang was squatting on that person’s shoulder, diligently calling out.

"Xie Jingshan!"

Seeing Xie Jingshan here, Jiang Yuebai and Lu Nanzhi exchanged a glance and both sighed in partial relief.

"I’ll go first."

Jiang Yuebai took out the Dragon Scale Dagger and carefully broke the array and seal on the cell, while Lu Nanzhi kept watch around.

The cell door opened, and only after Jiang Yuebai confirmed everything was safe did she enter.

Squeak!

Jixiang excitedly cried out upon seeing Jiang Yuebai. She squatted in front of Xie Jingshan, finding that he was still breathing, but very weakly.

Seeing his body covered in wounds, Jiang Yuebai was utterly furious, deciding she would have her master tear Tian Nanxing apart and leave just enough life for Xie Jingshan to slowly torture him to relieve her anger!

"Xie Jingshan? Xie Jingshan, wake up!"

Jiang Yuebai gently shook Xie Jingshan, but he wouldn’t wake up.

Jiang Yuebai leaned closer, directing her fingers towards Xie Jingshan’s forehead.

Slap!

Xie Jingshan suddenly raised his hand, grasping Jiang Yuebai’s wrist, his tilted head jerking upright, eyes full of malicious Qi staring at Jiang Yuebai, while his other hand directly clutched her neck.

"Little Bai!"

"Don’t come in!"

Jiang Yuebai had no time to stop Lu Nanzhi from stepping into the cell, at which point Xie Jingshan exploded, transforming into vines filled with strange orchids that filled the entire cell, engulfing Lu Nanzhi and Jiang Yuebai completely.

Jiang Yuebai then realized that Jixiang was tethered to ’Xie Jingshan’ and had been parasitized by the orchids.

The pollen spread, shrouding visibility, and the array’s glowing beams shot upwards amidst a thunderous fall of giant rocks, sealing the entire Blood Prison, not just the cell Xie Jingshan was in.

Layer by layer of traps, Jiang Yuebai’s real body hidden outside was also trapped, with surging blood water swiftly flooding up to Jiang Yuebai’s ankles.

This blood water was entirely composed of Blood Evil Qi; they had fallen into Tian Nanxing’s trap after all!

*

At the highest point of Blood River City, a man and a woman stood atop a black marble tower, gazing out at the sea of blood where fierce ghosts floated.

The woman, still so pitiful and captivating, had eyes now lacking clarity, her red lips vivid, lazily leaning against the window, propping her head with her hand, peering with interest at the man draped in dark green robes before her, whose essence was akin to an orchid.

"Nanxing, you’re always resourceful, trapping them so quickly."

Tian Nanxing furrowed his brows, "Jiang Yuebai and Lu Nanzhi’s bodies are both good. Have you decided which one you want yet? I’ll prepare immediately. Once you successfully possess, we’ll leave for the Upper Realm at once."

’Miaoyin’ straightened her body with a graceful stride, walking to Tian Nanxing, her exposed gaze causing his Adam’s apple to bob.

’Miaoyin’ tapped Tian Nanxing’s chest, "Go to the Upper Realm? Are you willing to let go of the Demon Clan and your unfinished business?"

Tian Nanxing held ’Miaoyin’s hand, his eyes complex.

Demons are born heartless, unfamiliar with mortal love—that’s the greatest difference between demons and humans.

But throughout history, stories of enigmatic demons weren’t all created randomly; sometimes demons truly struggled with love, and Tian Nanxing had never thought he would fall in such a predicament.

Who would have thought he’d find himself ’moved’?

Years ago, he left the Demon Clan and unexpectedly met Qing Nangzi, who caught and refined him into medicine, taking him to the Asura Domain, where he met her.

She spared his life because he was an orchid, and she was the Blood Orchid, one of the nine battle generals of the Ghost Clan.

In a lazy mouse-and-cat manner, he eventually... fell under her spell.

"Some things can be done just as well in the Upper Realm. This time we’ve provoked Heavenly Interence Sect and Mountain and Sea Building; there’s no longer a place for us here."

The Blood Orchid withdrew her hand and turned around, massaging her temples with frustration, "Yet I’m still plagued with latent troubles; recently, her obsession grows stronger, constantly foiling my plans. If not for your timely intervention, they would have sneaked in to ruin our plans. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to suppress her, and at this point, the risk of possession is too significant."

Ghosts cannot traverse the Sea Sealing Great Array to the Asura Domain or beyond, nor can they withstand the void storms of the Boundary River without a suitable body.

For hundreds of years, the Asura Domain hadn’t seen a living soul due to the Sea Sealing Great Array’s strength; traversing it bore great costs. She had waited centuries just for a Lu Nanzhi to come along, yet almost lost her soul thanks to Miaoyin’s desperate protection, hence resolving Miaoyin needed to come before the possession attempt.

Additionally, from Xie Jingshan’s memories, the Blood Orchid learned much about Jiang Yuebai, suddenly wanting to experience being a righteous disciple, imagining the prospect amusing?

Choosing between Lu Nanzhi and Jiang Yuebai truly troubled her; such a unique possession opportunity must be well considered.

Tian Nanxing exclaimed, "But truly, we have no time left! Lii Jiuchuan, Ling Guanghan—they’ve already reached the Asura Domain, while Ding Lanzhi from Mountain and Sea Building has brought folks from Feiyan Pavilion to Wentian Island!"

The Blood Orchid’s eyes glimmered, a smile beginning to curl on her lips.

"I have a way to eliminate latent troubles, adhering to the plan; obediently await my return."

The Blood Orchid’s hand caressed Tian Nanxing’s face, then she leapt off the high tower, transforming into a billowing ghostly smoke heading westward.

*

At the outskirts of the Asura Domain.

Three beams of Tunneling Light landed by the shore, where True Monarch Cang Huo, red-haired, short, and rotund, fretfully scratched his belly.

"That little brat, I said wait but he didn’t listen; now what, huh? Such a vast Asura Domain, where are we to find him? Jiuchuan, didn’t you leave a trace of Divine Thought on that brat? Where is he?"

Lii Jiuchuan, dressed in azure, his brows furrowed in deep concentration, couldn’t erase the worried cloud on his face.

"It seems something is blocking it; I’ve yet to sense anything."

True Monarch Cang Huo was getting exasperated, "What’s the use of having you as a master! Tell me, what’s the use!!"

While chiding Lii Jiuchuan, Cang Huo noticed Ling Guanghan’s expression was somewhat off, and immediately felt humbled and hesitated.

Outside the Asura Domain, Cang Huo could brazenly haunt Ling Guanghan daily, keeping him too busy to dwell on past sorrows, but once here, Cang Huo became more cowardly and refrained from provoking Ling Guanghan.

If not for his disciple Xie Jingshan, Ling Guanghan might never have set foot in the Asura Domain again.

Ling Guanghan’s fingers by his side were slightly tense, suppressing the memories bubbling to the surface of his mind, he spoke in a low voice, "First go to the Five-Layer Ghost Market to investigate."

With that, Ling Guanghan drove his sword light forward, while Cang Huo rushed to join Lii Jiuchuan, sticking close.

Following behind, Lii Jiuchuan couldn’t hold back the question to Cang Huo, "What exactly happened back then?"

Cang Huo let out a heavy sigh, "Truly, it’s my fault. Although back then I first noticed Miaoyin because she was beautiful, kind-hearted, and spoke softly and sweetly— it wasn’t real romantic affection."

"Later, when she took to Ling Guanghan, I realized I didn’t really have feelings for her either, seeing them— one a block of wood, the other a crybaby— exchanging affection and banter was quite amusing. During the Netherworld Sea Ghost Tide, having witnessed many life and death moments, they promised to couple as soon as the tide ended, never parting again, but who knew..."