A new message from the Workshop Master immediately filled Yang An with a sense of unease.

'What should I do?'

'It's finally come to this.'

The Workshop Master's true purpose for founding the Scripture Defector Association was unknown. But, without exception, all its members had the constitution of an Innate Flesh Mushroom. For someone with that constitution, breaking through the limits of death to advance to the Corpse Transformation stage was an unavoidable path.

'But I can't possibly confess that I'm not an Innate Flesh Mushroom. That would expose my greatest secret. It's absolutely out of the question!'

'What if I say I've already broken through to the Corpse Transformation stage, but I don't know how I did it safely? I could shift the blame to the Golden Thread Pavilion, to my new master, Elder Zhuan Yu?'

'That probably won't work either!'

He couldn't predict the Workshop Master's true strength. Besides, it seemed the Workshop Master was very knowledgeable about the Outer Continent. If they had connections with the powers there, his story could be easily verified.

'If they really dig into it and find out my breakthrough has nothing to do with the Golden Thread Pavilion, I'll be exposed all the same.'

'Then my only choice is to keep hiding it... But once the Workshop Master's plan succeeds and they can really help the Scripture Defector Association members break through to the Corpse Transformation stage, I'll have to face this eventually...'

'Wait!'

As the thoughts raced through his mind, Yang An's eyes suddenly lit up.

He suddenly thought of his own Concealment Seal.

Before he was sent out of the Golden Thread Pavilion, Elder Zhuan Yu had placed a Concealment Seal on him, suppressing his Cultivation Level to the Middle Stage of Fake Food.

'I can totally use this Concealment Seal to bluff my way through!'

'What's more, I also have my Purification Ability. If the Workshop Master's method for Innate Flesh Mushrooms can be negated by Purification, then my chances of bluffing my way through with Purification and the Concealment Seal will be much higher.'

'This plan could work!'

After thinking it over, this was the most viable plan Yang An could come up with.

'Ability plus opportunity... I really am a genius!'

Yang An's heart filled with joy, and the weight of anxiety that had just settled in his chest instantly lifted.

Within the Tree of Flesh and Blood, after receiving the Workshop Master's message, everyone sent back replies.

To Yang An's surprise, after more than half a year of lying low, nearly every member of the Scripture Defector Association had reached the Late Stage of the Visceral Stone realm.

Among them, Broken Hand, White Bird, and Sheep Horn were already at Late Stage Visceral Stone Perfection, just one step away from Corpse Transformation.

Broken Hand was the first to step up. After reporting his Cultivation Level, he volunteered to be the guinea pig.

"My Cultivation Level is currently at the Late Stage of Visceral Stone. It'll still be some time before I reach Perfection."

Yang An sent his message, stating his Cultivation Level was at the Late Stage of Visceral Stone, not yet having reached Perfection.

This would give him enough time to watch from the sidelines. It would also make it easier to gradually release his Concealment Seal after entering the Great Virtue Temple, revealing a higher Cultivation Level.

Of course, this required perfect timing and no slip-ups. When it was his turn to become the Workshop Master's test subject, he would have to reveal his Cultivation Level at precisely Late Stage Visceral Stone Perfection.

Then, he could smoothly release the Concealment Seal, reveal his Corpse Transformation Cultivation Level, and pass it all off as a success.

Yang An's reply didn't arouse anyone's suspicion, and the Workshop Master agreed to Broken Hand's offer to volunteer.

"Then Broken Hand will be the first!

If you can all safely break the restriction and reach the Corpse Transformation stage, it's best to leave your current locations at once and enter the Outer Continent. The lands outside the continent are becoming increasingly unsafe and are no place to linger."

The Workshop Master sent another new message, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

Among the members of the Scripture Defector Association, only White Bird and Yang An were currently on the Outer Continent. Yang An was in the Treasure Temple Domain, White Bird's location was still unknown, and the rest were all in various corners of the lands outside the continent.

"What's happening outside the continent?"

White Bird sent a message, asking the very question Yang An had been wondering.

"In the lands outside the continent bordering the Celestial Dragon Domain, some State Territories have already disappeared. Rumor has it they were devoured by some kind of unknown, terrifying entity!"

It wasn't the Workshop Master who replied, but another member of the Scripture Defector Association: Broken Hand.

The Outer Continent is divided into Four Domains: the Celestial Dragon Domain in the east, the Treasure Temple Domain in the west, the Fusheng Domain in the south, and the Senluo Domain in the north.

Judging from Broken Hand's reply, he was likely located in the lands outside the continent bordering the Celestial Dragon Domain. No wonder he was the first to step up, hoping to break through to Corpse Transformation with the Workshop Master's help.

"There's more. A new situation has also emerged in the lands outside the continent bordering the Fusheng Domain.

A State Territory called Dingzhou has undergone a mutation, and the epicenter is near a small Sect called Sansong Mountain.

If any members are in Dingzhou or its neighboring State Territories, leave as soon as possible. Do not enter Dingzhou!"

This message was from the Workshop Master, and their tone made it clear the situation was extremely serious.

They then sent another message, warning everyone:

"In short, the lands outside the continent are growing more and more dangerous. Get into the Outer Continent as soon as you can. Don't delay. With your current strength, you cannot access secrets of a higher level. There are some matters that even I cannot get involved in to understand. That's all I can say."

At that moment, as his consciousness stood before the Tree of Flesh and Blood, listening to the exchange between the Scripture Defector Association members and the Workshop Master, Yang An's heart was seized with terror.

'State Territories bordering the Celestial Dragon Domain were devoured by some terrifying entity?'

'What kind of terrifying entity could devour entire State Territories?'

'Those are State Territories! A single one spans hundreds, if not thousands of miles!'

'And a mutation occurred in Dingzhou?'

Dingzhou was the State Territory where Jiunan Town—his predecessor's hometown and the first place he'd arrived in this world—was located.

'And... Sansong Mountain?'

'Isn't that the Sect where Pan Shi and Pan Yu were?!'

'What in the world happened there?'

He never thought that just over half a year after entering the Outer Continent, such a major event would occur in a place he once knew.

This news filled Yang An with a faint sense of unease, as if some unknown danger was silently drawing near.

"Broken Hand, prepare yourself. I'll need at least three days. I will notify you when the time comes. In the meantime, try not to use any Mana!"

"Alright!"

The Workshop Master sent this message to Broken Hand. After that, no new messages appeared on the Tree of Flesh and Blood. Everyone had evidently dispersed.

Yang An mulled over the news. The sheer volume of information was staggering, and it took him a moment to come back to his senses. Realizing the meeting had ended, he withdrew from the Tree of Flesh and Blood and returned to the real world.

He had just withdrawn from the Tree of Flesh and Blood and was still lost in a premonition of danger when a sudden, miserable scream from a nearby courtyard jolted him back to reality.

It was a woman's scream. Judging by the sound, it wasn't far—it seemed to be coming from the courtyard right next door.

'What's happening?'

Yang An frowned slightly, then cautiously extended his senses.

His perception spread silently through the surrounding space like the air itself, quickly reaching the source of the scream.

He immediately detected the presence of two cultivators in the Jia Family's courtyard.

Two cultivators!

They were monks from the Great Virtue Temple!

The two men were dressed in gray Monk's Robes and were clean-shaven. One of them held a girl of about seventeen or eighteen in a one-handed grip.

The girl was forced to her knees, her hands held tightly behind her back by the monk. She struggled, letting out hoarse cries.

Meanwhile, the monk's other hand was gently patting the top of her head as he softly chanted a scripture.

Another monk stood to the side, chanting as well, though the words sounded different from the first monk's.

Nearby, Jia Fugui and a woman beside him watched in a daze, their faces etched with anxiety. A group of servants stood further back, too terrified to approach.

Recalling the servant's message to Jia Fugui when he first arrived, Yang An realized the girl being held by the monk must be Jia Fugui's daughter.

In that case, what was happening in the courtyard was most likely the result of Jia Fugui inviting monks from the Great Virtue Temple to treat his daughter's illness.

Yang An instantly understood the situation. A flicker of curiosity arose in him; he wanted to see just how these people from the Great Virtue Temple saved someone.

He knew that cultivators had countless ways to kill, but he had seen very few ways they could save someone. This was a perfect opportunity to observe.

He remained discreetly in his room, observing them with his senses. With the two monks' Cultivation Level, there was no way they could detect his presence.

In the courtyard, the girl knelt on the ground, struggling constantly, trying to break free from the monk's control, but it was all in vain.

The roars coming from her mouth were like the low growls of a wild beast, utterly frenzied.

Her long hair obscured half her face. The visible side was ashen, her expression savage, with veins bulging and throbbing at her forehead and temples.

The woman beside Jia Fugui was in tears. He held her hand tightly, afraid she would rush over in her agitation. Jia Fugui's own face was haggard; he clearly hadn't rested properly since returning from his trip.

The two monks finished chanting the scripture and exchanged a look.

One monk formed several Secret Seals with his hand and abruptly touched the girl's forehead.

As his other hand clutched his Buddhist Beads, a torrent of obscure, incomprehensible scripture flowed from his lips, the entire passage recited in less than a second.

The moment the Secret Seal touched her forehead, the girl's frantic struggles ceased. She became completely still, as if turned to wood.

The monk holding her hands let go. The girl remained utterly unresponsive.

His partner continuously patted the top of the girl's head, also chanting an obscure scripture. After about two breaths, he abruptly raised his hand, curled his middle and index fingers, and sharply rapped the crown of her head.

CRACK—

A sickening crack echoed from the top of the girl's skull. Blood instantly spewed from the wound, streaming down through her hair.

Everyone who witnessed this was completely stunned. The woman Jia Fugui was holding was so terrified that her eyes went vacant before she fainted on the spot.