Chapter 99

Chapter 99

"It's you!" Sheng Yunshen was surprised. He asked with an unexpected expression, "What are you doing here?"

The handsome face, the flamboyant demeanor, and the aura of fiery dominance - it was none other than Duan Haoyan, who had left Tai Zecheng not long ago.

Duan Haoyan, restrained by the two, looked at them expressionlessly without saying a word.

The two didn't mind. After discovering that he wasn't a demon cultivator, there was no need to seal his spirit acupoints anymore. Wen Qiao asked, "When did you come here? Have you made any discoveries?"

Duan Haoyan slowly sat up. His gaze first swept over the demon rabbit that had effortlessly taken him down, then paused on Wen Qiao's face before he said emotionlessly, "I've only been here for a short while. There's a marsh here, where the demon cultivators cultivate the Bloodthirsty Demon Lotus."

"The Bloodthirsty Demon Lotus?" The two were very surprised.

Duan Haoyan grunted in confirmation, turning his head away from them to avoid losing control again.

Sheng Yunshen watched him in amazement. He found that the beating he'd received had indeed been effective. Look how this disciple of the Duan family, whose temper was rumored to be fiercer than fire, was now calm and composed, no longer lashing out at every little thing. He seemed much more gentle and kind, and when speaking to him, there was no longer any barrier to communication.

Sheng Yunshen was naturally pleased with this change and enthusiastically pulled him along. "Come, come, let's exchange information."

Duan Haoyan withdrew his hand. A vein pulsed on his forehead as he endured and said, "Two grown men shouldn't be touching each other like this." Who wanted to exchange information with them anyway, if not for...

He glanced at Wen Qiao, but Duan Haoyan managed not to lose his temper.

Sheng Yunshen didn't think anything of it. Not pulling was fine too; they should quickly share the information they knew.

Thus, the three of them found a relatively secluded spot, set up an array around them, and squatted down to exchange the information they knew.

Given the temperament of the Duan family's disciples, they would often resort to fighting at the slightest disagreement, rarely sitting down calmly to talk and exchange information with others. "Calmness" was something that never appeared in the Duan family's disciples.

Duan Haoyan was one of the few Duan family disciples who had learned to be "calm."

"Mr. Duan, tell us your story. How did you find this place?" Sheng Yunshen asked with great interest, finding this person quite impressive to have single-handedly found this location.

Duan Haoyan turned to look at Wen Qiao. It was hard to change his explosive temper, but he couldn't help humming and said, "Didn't she tell me not to lose my temper randomly and to think more when faced with situations? That's why I found this place."

Sheng Yunshen: "..." There was nothing wrong with that logic.

After being taught a lesson by Wen Qiao, Duan Haoyan had reined in his temper significantly. Before leaving, he said he wanted to find Shuilinyin to restore justice to Tai Zecheng, and he had indeed been serious about it.

His arrival here was also due to Wen Qiao telling him when she beat him up that the Chixiao Sect's disciples had headed east of Tai Zecheng in search of Shuilinyin, so he came here as well. During these days, he had been active in the woods and didn't expect to luckily discover the hiding place of the demon cultivators.

"Well, what you're saying is that Shuilinyin might be here?" Sheng Yunshen quickly grasped the key point.

"It's possible," Duan Haoyan said, suppressing his temper. "The last place Fairy Shui appeared was in Tai Zecheng. After leaving Tai Zecheng, she disappeared, indicating that she likely vanished somewhere in this area."

Then he continued, "There's a large-scale natural isolation formation here. It's difficult for ordinary people to detect any abnormalities here. I only got in using a Tier Earth Formation-Breaking Talisman."

At this point, Duan Haoyan felt a pang of pain.

A Formation-Breaking Talisman, as its name suggested, could break formations. It was a rankless talisman, but extremely difficult to refine. A Tier Earth Formation-Breaking Talisman was worth a fortune.

Sheng Yunshen consoled him, "Think about your Fairy Shui. For her sake, what's a Tier Earth Formation-Breaking Talisman?"

Duan Haoyan suddenly didn't want to speak to him. Couldn't this guy stop stabbing him?

Wen Qiao looked enlightened. "So that's why we couldn't find the entrance to the isolation formation. It was a Tier Earth formation."

"How did you get in, then?" Duan Haoyan asked curiously.

"We just walked in," Wen Qiao said.

Duan Haoyan knew this wasn't the truth, but he really didn't want to face her, so he changed the subject. "Why are you here too?"

As far as he knew, shouldn't they be treating the mad cultivators in Tai Zecheng?

Sheng Yunshen immediately told him about their coming here. When he heard about Little Tangtuan's disappearance, Duan Haoyan wore a cold expression.

He didn't have a good impression of those Tangtuans who had been secretly watching him get beaten up by Wen Qiao outside the door. Naturally, he couldn't help gloating when he heard about his disappearance.

Duan Haoyan said, "I only arrived a few days earlier than you. I've only discovered that this is where the demon cultivators cultivate the demon lotuses. I haven't figured out the rest yet. There are quite a number of demon cultivators here, and they are very alert. I didn't dare to get too close, so I don't know if Fairy Shui and the fellow Daoists from the Chixiao Sect are here."

It was estimated that the disciples of the Chixiao Sect had also found this place. As for why they hadn't been heard from since, it was likely because they had come to this place and met with misfortune.

Sheng Yunshen and Wen Qiao exchanged glances.

"They were probably discovered by the demon cultivators and captured here," Sheng Yunshen said solemnly.

Wen Qiao looked around the environment and nodded. "The demonic aura is everywhere. It's disadvantageous for spirit cultivators to fight here."

If this was where the demon cultivators cultivated the Bloodthirsty Demon Lotus, it was no wonder the surrounding spirit plants were nearly being transformed into demonic plants. One could only wonder how long the demon cultivators had been active here. Surely, it must have been a considerable amount of time.

After exchanging the information they knew, the three discussed what to do next.

Duan Haoyan was actually impatient with the constant chatter and discussion. The Duan family's disciples always followed the principle of taking action upon encountering a problem. They would fight first and then solve everything after winning.

Of course, although their tempers were explosive, they weren't truly stupid. If they encountered someone they couldn't defeat, they would bide their time and seek another method.

But now, with Wen Qiao present, Duan Haoyan could only suppress his temper and continue to chat with Sheng Yunshen.

Fortunately, Wen Qiao wasn't one who liked to chatter either. She suggested, "How about we capture a demon cultivator to clarify the situation here before making further plans?"

"Agreed," Duan Haoyan enthusiastically agreed. "In the past two days, I've already scouted the surrounding terrain and the frequency of the demon cultivators' patrols. Let's find one who's alone."

Wen Qiao looked at him and said somewhat cheerfully, "Good. You've finally learned to use your brain to think."

Duan Haoyan: "............"

Sheng Yunshen cleared his throat. "Then let's act quickly." This way, Duan Haoyan wouldn't really explode from anger thanks to his junior sister's provocation, leading to another fight.

Now there were only the three of them, and it was uncertain when the others would find their way over. It wasn't wise to directly confront the demonic cultivators, so it was better to keep a low profile until they could figure out the situation here.

The trio quickly sprang into action, with Duan Haoyan leading the way.

Although his temper wasn't great and his mind had its issues, his strength was commendable. On their journey, they didn't encounter a single demonic cultivator head-on. He led them to hide behind a large tree covered in dense vines.

Duan Haoyan slapped a breath-concealing talisman on himself, then glanced at the other two. Seeing that they too had applied similar talismans, he noted that their grade seemed higher than his own.

With an expressionless face, Duan Haoyan retracted his gaze. As long as they didn't hold him back, everything was fine.

They waited for nearly half an hour before spotting a demonic cultivator in the distance.

The cultivator appeared somewhat anxious, pacing around and looking around. As he passed by where the trio was hiding, Wen Tutu, who was perched on Wen Qiao's shoulder like a ball of fur, made her move.

Duan Haoyan finally understood how he had been taken down by a demon rabbit earlier.

The mutated demon rabbit once again used her "ball of fur" attack, knocking the demonic cultivator to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Wen Qiao rushed forward, restraining the cultivator. She sealed his spirit orifices to prevent him from making any noise and promptly gagged him.

The demonic cultivator stared at them with wide eyes, shock evident on his face.

Wen Qiao dragged him away, and she and Duan Haoyan quickly retreated.

Once again, Duan Haoyan led the way, guiding them to a safe location. They set up layers of formations around them to avoid detection by other demonic cultivators.

Then, the three of them surrounded the immobile demonic cultivator.

Wen Qiao casually pulled out what she had stuffed in his mouth and tossed it aside. The demonic cultivator spat and angrily demanded, "Who are you? Release me immediately! This place is full of demonic cultivators. If you're discovered, you won't be spared... Ow!"

Wen Qiao landed a punch, effectively silencing him.

She said, "Starting now, you're not allowed to speak unless I ask you a question. If you say anything meaningless, I'll give you one punch for every word. Understood?"

The demonic cultivator: "…………"

Sheng Yunsen and Duan Haoyan: "…………"

Wen Qiao asked, "How many demonic cultivators are here? What is their strength?"

The demonic cultivator glared at them, gritting his teeth, determined not to reveal anything.

Seeing this, Duan Haoyan and Sheng Yunsen admired his resolve, wondering if he could maintain it.

When dealing with stubborn individuals, Wen Qiao was the most experienced. She dragged the demonic cultivator aside and began beating him.

At first, he could withstand it, but soon, cries of pain filled the air.

Duan Haoyan and Sheng Yunsen, both grown men, turned their heads away, unable to bear the sight. Especially Duan Haoyan, hearing the sound of fists hitting flesh, felt his bones ache all over. Memories of his experience in Tai Zecheng's city lord's mansion flooded back – memories he wished to forget.

Even someone as tough as a disciple of the Duan family couldn't withstand such treatment, let alone a treacherous and selfish demonic cultivator. Before long, the cultivator couldn't hold out anymore and confessed everything.

There were nearly thirty demonic cultivators in total, including one at the Primordial Ancestor realm. The blood-devouring demonic lotus was cultivated by this Primordial Ancestor realm cultivator. There were also two at the Primordial Spirit realm, acting as his right-hand men, responsible for tending to the blood-devouring demonic lotus. The rest were at the Primordial Vein realm, serving as mere underlings.

Upon hearing this, the trio's moods sank.

To think there was a Primordial Ancestor realm demonic cultivator present. No wonder the disciples of Crimson Heaven Sect lost contact after tracking them here.

From the mouth of this demonic cultivator, they learned that over a hundred years ago, the Primordial Ancestor realm cultivator happened upon this place and discovered a seed of a blood-devouring demonic lotus. Overjoyed, he decided to turn this area into a cultivation ground for the demonic lotus.

As the blood-devouring demonic lotus required a massive amount of flesh and blood to grow, the demonic cultivators targeted righteous cultivators – a typical tactic employed by the dark side.

Now that the demonic lotus had been meticulously tended to for over a century, it was on the verge of blooming and bearing fruit. Its aura could no longer be contained by the surrounding isolation formations. Not only did the beasts in the forest become aware, but even Shuilinyin, who happened to pass by, noticed something amiss and decided to investigate.

Little did she know, her investigation would lead to her disappearance.

Shuilinyin's vanishing act caught the attention of various cultivators, prompting even Crimson Heaven Sect to send people to search for her.

Wen Qiao remarked, "So that's why I smelled that scent earlier; it must have been the blood-devouring demonic lotus."

Hearing this, Sheng Yunsen felt a pang of embarrassment. At the time, he thought his little junior sister's nose could actually detect the scent of demonic energy. Now he realized it wasn't the case; she had merely picked up on the scent of the blood-devouring demonic lotus.

Still, it was impressive. At least he hadn't been able to smell it.

Duan Haoyan couldn't help but glance at her, suddenly remembering that he still didn't know how these two had managed to enter. Had they also used formation-breaking talismans?

"What about Shuilinyin and the Crimson Heaven Sect disciples? How are they faring?" Wen Qiao continued her questioning.

Sheng Yunsen and Duan Haoyan watched him nervously, worried that the ruthless demonic cultivators might have already killed them after such a long time.

The demonic cultivator replied, "I don't know. After they were captured, they were locked up somewhere else." Fear crept onto his face, fearing that Wen Qiao would be unsatisfied and unleash another round of punches.

Wen Qiao didn't make things difficult for him. Instead, she asked, "Earlier, your fellow demonic cultivators took someone away. What happened to that person?"

The demonic cultivator hesitated, his eyes flickering.

"Speak!" Wen Qiao raised her fist threateningly.

The demonic cultivator hastily replied, "The blood-devouring demonic lotus is about to bloom and bear fruit, and it will require a large amount of fresh flesh and blood. When that time comes, he will meet the same fate as those who are currently imprisoned, becoming nourishment for the demonic lotus."

Upon hearing this, Sheng Yunsen and Duan Haoyan erupted in rage, almost impulsively charging out to battle the demonic cultivators.

Wen Qiao whipped them back, saying, "Calm down, both of you."

As they were whipped back, they stared at her clenched fist, feeling that they were perfectly calm right now, so she should refrain from swinging her fists.

After finishing their interrogation, they left the demonic cultivator aside, guarded by Wen Tutu, and gathered together to reassess their plan.

"The good news is that Shuilinyin and our fellow Crimson Heaven Sect disciples are probably still alive," Wen Qiao analyzed rationally. "The bad news is that once the blood-devouring demonic lotus blooms, they will become its fertilizer. So we need to speed things up."

Duan Haoyan humbly sought her advice, "Mistress Min, what should we do?"

"We can't save them on our own," Wen Qiao said, "After all, there's a Yuanzong realm expert here holding the fort. We still need Lord Xu to make his move."

Duan Haoyan and Sheng Yunshen both nodded in agreement; it made sense for the Yuanzong realm to handle another of the same level.

"Senior Brother Sheng, you go back and relay the message, have Lord Xu hurry over; Prince Duan, help keep an eye on the Bloodthirsty Demon Lotus, if you can destroy it as soon as it blooms, that would be best; as for me, I'll see if I can rescue them…"

Sheng Yunshen vehemently opposed, "No way, it's too dangerous, Junior Sister, you're not allowed to go."

"I'm just going to check, I didn't say I'd definitely go," Wen Qiao said, "Senior Brother Sheng, time is running out, you should quickly find reinforcements."

"You go find help, I'll stay with Duan Haoyan," Sheng Yunshen suggested.

"No way, you're too weak."

Sheng Yunshen: "…Nonsense, my cultivation is one small realm higher than yours." He was at the late stage of the Yuanshuai realm, while his junior sister was only at the middle stage.

"But you can't beat me."

Sheng Yunshen: "…………"

In the end, Sheng Yunshen was sent back to gather reinforcements, he could only console himself that at least Little Junior Sister had Bunbun with her, so she should… be alright, right?

After sending Sheng Yunshen out of the isolation formation, Wen Qiao returned to look for Duan Haoyan.

Duan Haoyan watched over the bound demonic cultivator, obediently waiting for her without acting rashly, which pleased Wen Qiao greatly.

"Are you really going to save them?" Duan Haoyan asked.

Wen Qiao rummaged through her storage bag, not answering.

"If you encounter Fairy Shui, would you help save her?" Duan Haoyan said.

Wen Qiao looked up at him, staring until he felt uncomfortable, then said, "So you have such deep affection for Fairy Shui, love makes people blind, no wonder you did such foolish things for her before."

Several veins popped out on Duan Haoyan's forehead as he patiently explained, "It's not like that between Fairy Shui and me."

Wen Qiao didn't believe him; if it wasn't love, why would he do so many stupid things? She understood.

Duan Haoyan was so frustrated, couldn't this woman listen?

If only he could beat her…

Duan Haoyan ignored her, slapping a breath-concealing talisman on himself, saying, "Then I'll go take a look around the swamp area, be careful yourself." He awkwardly added a word of caution.

Wen Qiao thanked him, also slapping a breath-concealing talisman on herself, and set off with Bunbun.