Take Wang Ping, for example. Even without any so-called Secret Techniques, if he ever faced a crisis where death was certain, he knew of a dozen ways to scramble his own memories.

"Let’s start with Wulang. Tell me everything, in detail."

Wang Ping watched Old Yang and took out the Five Elements Stone he had just bought, idly toying with it. Seeing that Old Yang was about to speak, he added, "Get up. I don’t like people kneeling before me when they talk."

"Thank you, Daoist!"

Old Yang rose with a deep bow. Even though Wang Ping hadn’t promised to spare him, he began to speak of Wulang. "Wulang and I met two hundred years ago. At the time, he needed a Magical Artifact with sufficient spiritual nature, apparently to open an Array at some Ancient Ruins."

"He gave me a piece of Gold brimming with spiritual nature. The moment I saw it, I knew it had been created by the ’First Day’ through the sacrifice of life essence."

"I used his Gold to forge a cauldron that could easily absorb Spiritual Qi. I even secretly kept a little of the material, which I still have. If you let me live, I can offer all my treasures to you!"

Old Yang proceeded to recount, in great detail, everything from how he met Wulang to how they became well-acquainted. Hu Qianqian took out the bamboo slips she carried and recorded every word he spoke.

「Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye...」

"About seventy or eighty years ago—I don’t remember the exact date—Wulang came to me. He said he’d already bribed the Mountain Monarch of Crescent Mountain and wanted my help refining the Blood Pill within the mountain. I thought it was just a simple commission, but when I followed him to Crescent Mountain, I discovered he’d already killed the Mountain God."

"Sigh... he really dragged me through the mud. After that, both the ’First Day’ and the Taiyin Evil Cultivators started coming to me, either to have me perform Alchemy or to help with Artifact Refining."

"So you’re the Alchemist from the Crescent Mountain incident? That’s been an unsolved mystery. So it was you!" Yu Lian flipped over, hanging from the eaves that led to the Celestial Platform. Her vertical pupils studied Old Yang intently, as if she might devour him whole at any moment.

"How did you escape?" Yu Lian asked.

"Perhaps they thought I was still useful, so they let me leave after the Blood Pill was refined. Oh, right. At the time, they were planning to launch a counterattack, but then they received word that a Great Demon was closely monitoring Crescent Mountain, so they abandoned the idea."

At this, Wang Ping’s brow twitched. A flash of lingering fear passed through him, and he silently congratulated himself for choosing to share information with Zi Luan back then.

"Keep talking..." Yu Lian was now intrigued and stopped urging Wang Ping to hurry back to Qianmu Mountain.

"Later, the ’First Day’ came to me and had me forge two sets of Magical Artifacts for Entry-level Artifact Cultivators. I had no choice but to comply. Those two sets of artifacts must have been special; both had the Taiyin Attribute. When activated, they could absorb massive amounts of life energy. If used continuously for more than three days, the very earth would turn to desert!"

Hearing this, Wang Ping recalled the case Zuo Xuan had helped him with along the coast of Nanlin Road. ’Back then, someone had used a special sacrificial ritual to absorb life energy, causing massive numbers of fish and shrimp to die.’

Old Yang swallowed hard. "When I delivered the goods, I was taken to a place with the loud sound of flowing water. In a daze, I heard someone call out ’Lord He Feng.’ I believe part of my memory was erased."

"Are you sure they said ’He Feng’?" Wang Ping’s expression shifted.

He Feng. A legendary figure. He had his own dedicated file in the Daoist Scripture Hall. He was one of the few active Fourth Realm Cultivators in the ’First Day’ and typically remained with the East Continent Business Alliance. His only recorded appearance in Zhongzhou was before the founding of the Xia Dynasty, when he clashed with the True Yang Sect in the Northwest Region.

"I’m certain that’s what my memory recorded. His name left such a powerful impression that I couldn’t forget it even if I wanted to. Sometimes, just thinking of him, I find myself involuntarily drawn to the doctrines of the ’First Day.’ But it’s also possible they deliberately altered my memory."

Old Yang replied earnestly.

Wang Ping then recalled Yu Lian’s observation about the faint, yet extreme, aura of benevolence she’d sensed from Old Yang. It matched his story perfectly.

"Go on..."

Yu Lian prompted when Old Yang fell silent.

"Yes!"

Old Yang paused, glancing at Niu Qi and Wang Ben on either side of him.

The two demons had been scared stiff just hearing the name ’He Feng.’ Sensing Old Yang’s gaze, they quickly said in unison, "We’ll take our leave now."

With that, they leaped down from the upper floor.

Old Yang quickly collected his thoughts and continued, "Before Wulang Daoist went into hiding, he was busy helping his master find a secluded location. I suspect it was for a cultivation breakthrough."

This topic brought Wang Ping’s wandering thoughts back to the present. Since Xiu Yu also cultivated the *Taiyan Talisman*, his breakthrough was highly relevant to Wang Ping.

"Are you sure the place Wulang was searching for is related to Xiu Yu Daoist’s breakthrough?" Yu Lian asked the question for Wang Ping.

"I’m certain. And he was searching for more than one location. I managed to deduce two of them from their casual conversations. One is an island somewhere in the Southern Sea Region, which seems to be connected to a Great Cultivator. That location is also linked to two other Cultivators Wulang was in contact with..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Old Yang paused here, perhaps afraid Wang Ping wouldn’t believe him, and added, "While you were tracking Wulang, he used some of the Little Demons under my command to make contact with people in order to avoid detection. Although he killed them after every job to silence them, he didn’t realize this method actually made it easier to trace his activities."

"I had my people track the locations where those Little Demons died and then make inquiries in the villages and markets in those areas. It only took three such instances for me to pick up his trail."

Old Yang paused, habitually building suspense before realizing this wasn’t the time or place for it. He quickly continued, "The first person I traced was a Wood Cultivator named Yang Liming. The man seems half-mad. He has killed many Little Demons in the Ningzhou Road area and is particularly fond of using poison."

"He’s extremely well-connected. He deals with lunatics from the ’First Day,’ Taiyin Evil Cultivators, and even those who practice Demon Cultivation Techniques. He also runs a trafficking business in Ningzhou Road, often capturing Little Demons to sell to the noble masters in Shangjing City."

Hearing this, Hu Qianqian immediately reported, "Yang Liming is well-known in Ningzhou Road. He’s considered one of the heads of the underground black market."

"Right!"

Old Yang quickly agreed. "Exactly! So, by following him, I soon found the person behind him—a Daoist known as ’Guanmao.’ He’s also a Wood Cultivator, and his appearance is utterly revolting. He looks just like one of those human medicinal catalysts mentioned in Alchemy."

He formed a hand seal for a Spell and asked Wang Ping for permission, "May I?"

He wanted to use his demonic energy to conjure an image of the man.

Wang Ping gestured for him to proceed.

The next moment, an ink-wash-style portrait formed from demonic energy appeared before Old Yang. It depicted a man in a Daoist robe. He was emaciated with a severe hunchback. His hair was thin and wispy, and his topknot was a tangled mess. His face was covered in dry wrinkles, and within their folds were the crystalline residues of Spirit Veins.

"He carries the strong scent of Spirit Medicine, almost the same aura as the medicinal catalysts I cultivate for Alchemy..."

Old Yang released the Spell, tugged at his tattered clothes, and said with his head lowered, "However, his aura leaned more toward deadly poison. Later, while chatting idly with Wulang, I managed to learn more about him. His name is Guanmao, and he is the senior disciple of Wu Ma Daoist. I’m sure you must have heard of Wu Ma Daoist!"

"Wulang would tell you such a secret?" Hu Qianqian’s voice was sharp with reprimand.

Old Yang’s body trembled slightly. He buried his head even lower and said in a small voice, "Wulang is the kind of person who..."

He paused. "His style is more like one of the Green Forest Heroes of the mountains than a Cultivator. I personally admire him a great deal. He values loyalty and keeps his word. However, most of the people who follow him aren’t nearly as honorable; they’re only there because they’re intimidated by Xiu Yu Daoist’s reputation."

Yu Lian flicked her forked tongue out, staring at Old Yang. "And you were one of them, I take it?" she sneered.