Chapter 208: Heading to the Immortal Alliance

After leaving the vicinity of Bug Demon Mountain, Chen Luo flew east for half a day before descending from the sky.

He had arrived at the place where he had last encountered the mountain spirit turtle. Beyond this point lay the Pingshan Creek region.

“Vanished?”

Chen Luo specifically visited the previous valley, only to find that the courtyard was nowhere to be seen. The desolate valley appeared as if a courtyard had never existed within it. The ground was covered in withered leaves, and a gentle breeze swept through, lifting a flurry of leaves into the air.

After searching the area thoroughly, he found no traces of what had transpired.

Convinced there were no further leads, Chen Luo didn’t waste time at the valley and proceeded directly into the territory of Pingshan Creek.

Pingshan Creek’s environment differed from the densely forested Bug Demon Mountain. Here, vast stretches of rocky terrain dominated the landscape, with layers of ochre-colored rock and pitch-black water pools creating a unique scenery.

Chen Luo followed the mountainside for some time before quickly locating the place recorded in the messenger talismansword.

It was a cave dwelling situated above a first-rank spiritual vein. At the foot of the mountain lay the market where Ding Zhao and his group usually purchased spiritual materials. Below, another faction aligned with Pingshan Creek operated the market. Naturally, Chen Luo had no intention of approaching these vassals. Instead, he flew directly to the summit.

Before him stood a protruding platform, with a cave entrance some ten feet high at its center. The words “Yin Wind Cave” were inscribed above it. Standing there, Chen Luo could feel a chill emanating from the cracks of the door—a quintessential haunt for a supernatural creature’s lair.

Chen Luo restrained his spiritual energy and took two steps forward, intending to communicate telepathically. To his surprise, the two massive stone doors sensed his presence and swung open automatically.

“Greetings, esteemed sir. Welcome to our humble abode,” a voice echoed through the cavern.

Chen Luo finally noticed two childlike figures standing in the depths of the cave, adorned only in red undergarments reminiscent of traditional Chinese dolls. Their lips were a vibrant red, their skin a luminous fair, and they stood barefoot, their heads adorned with twin ponytails framing their faces—a striking resemblance to the “Fuwa” dolls found in traditional Chinese New Year paintings.

“I am Mountain Spring, and this is Mountain Wind; we are the Lord Yin Wind’s attendants,” they intoned.

Though they appeared to be mere five or six-year-olds, their aura betrayed their true nature—late-stage Qi Refining experts.

• these rat demons?* Chen Luo mused.

With his discerning eyes, he saw through their illusions in an instant. Their current forms were but a facade. In truth, these rat demons possessed snarled, beady-eyed faces, their bodies covered in a layer of grime-encrusted fur, and their sharp little claws caked in filth—a gruesome sight indeed.

“Your discerning eyes are impressive, esteemed sir,” one of the rat demons said.

The two creatures bowed their heads even lower. In the presence of a cultivation master like Chen Luo, they instinctively felt a sense of awe—the natural response of monster cultivators to such power.

“Please, follow me. Lord Yin Wind has been awaiting you for quite some time.” Mountain Spring stepped forward and gestured for Chen Luo to lead the way.

Under the guidance of the rat demons, Chen Luo entered the cave.

Beyond the entrance, the scene transformed dramatically. The space expanded infinitely, filled with an ever-changing cast of handsome men and beautiful women. In the center, veiled dancers moved gracefully, while spiritual mist swirled on the ground, creating an ethereal ambiance that resembled the abode of immortals—a truly captivating sight.

At the main table, behind the scene, sat a short middle-aged man. His face, with its pointed chin and sunken cheeks, was topped by a crooked hat. He wore a loose-fitting, light yellow Daoist robe, which he had tried vainly to adjust to look respectable. Despite his efforts, his attire rendered him more comical than threatening.

This man’s cultivation, however, was no laughing matter. Chen Luo probed with divine sense and found that he was already in the later stages of Foundation Establishment—a match for himself in terms of cultivation strength.

“Haha! I wondered who it could be. It’s a fellow from Gu Demon Mountain! This humble monk is Yin Wind. Greetings, fellow Daoist!”

Shangren Yinwind had also sensed Chen Luo’s aura. His initial look of astonishment quickly gave way to a genial smile as he rose to greet this unexpected guest.

“Daoist Yin Wind,” Chen Luo replied with a bow.

“I’d heard a rumor that someone had bested Khan Jiu and taken control of his spiritual meridians. I thought it was just talk, but I see now…” As he spoke, Yin Wind gestured for the songstresses to withdraw and led Chen Luo to the place of honor.

Regardless of what he might turn out to be, Chen Luo had come with a talisman sword from Gu Demon Mountain. That must be true.

“Old Brother Khan Jiu and I are close friends. Those outside rumors are pure nonsense,” Chen Luo interjected, cutting off Yin Wind’s prodding. He prevented Yin Wind the rest of his sentence. The reputation of Gu Demon Khan Jiu was still very useful. Chen Luo would use it as long as he could, only stepping out himself when he could maintain it no longer.

In terms of fame, there was still a significant gap between Chen Luo and Old Brother Khan Jiu.

“Unknown to Fellow Daoist Han,” Shangren Yinwind replied stiffly, finally mustering the composure to change the subject after a long moment. “My eldest brother recently experienced significant progress in his cultivation. He is currently in seclusion, striving for Core Formation. I’ve been handling matters on the mountain. If Fellow Daoist Yin Wind has any needs, he can entrust them to me for conveyance.”

The transition from ‘old brother’ to ‘eldest brother’ was sudden, Chen Luo noted. Shangren Yinwind’s face twitched slightly, but he didn’t point it out. After all, the occupation of Gu Demon Mountain had nothing to do with him, so why bother worrying about it?

“I’m pleased to meet you as well, Fellow Daoist,” Chen Luo continued. “Has your esteemed brother mentioned the ten-year pact to you?”

“No, he entered seclusion hastily, leaving many matters unexplained.”

Chen Luo had come primarily to discuss this matter. He also intended to use Shangren Yinwind to gather intelligence on the Foundation Establishment experts in the demon cultivation realm, hoping to obtain high-quality brains through their connections.

“The ten-year pact was an agreement made between Fellow Daoist Han and five other esteemed Daoists,” Shangren Yinwind explained patiently to Chen Luo.

As fellow Foundation Establishment experts, the relationship between Shangren Yinwind and Khan Jiu had yet to reach such intimacy. To Shangren Yinwind, whether it was Chen Luo or the Gu Demon Khan Jiu, they were merely transactional partners. As long as one could secure cooperation, he cared not who specifically it was.

While they conversed, a young woman quickly approached and offered them a fruit platter.

These women were all ordinary individuals; some had undergone martial training, but their skills made little difference compared to the two Foundation Establishment cultivators present.

“Every ten years, the five of us visit the Five Eyes Temple,” said Shangren Yinwind, appearing quite amenable. “We exchange items with the abbot related to our cultivation techniques. No need to elaborate further.”

“I invited you here, fellow Daoist, hoping to exchange for some gu insects from Gu Demon Mountain.”

“Gu insects?”

“Nothing particularly precious. In the past, these gu insects were managed by Fellow Daoist Han’s cultivation clan. Since you’ve taken over Gu Demon Mountain, our supply has been cut off.” The exchange among cultivators was interconnected; disrupting any link would have consequences.

After a simple explanation of the situation, Chen Luo grasped the issue at hand.

“I’ll take care of it when I return,” he assured Shangren Yinwind. “We can’t let handed-over money slip through our fingers.”

With the matter resolved, the relationship between the two warmed considerably, their conversation growing much more familiar.

As they chatted, the topic naturally turned to cultivation.

Though Shangren Yinwind appeared quite comical, he held unique and profound views on cultivation. The exchange proved immensely beneficial for Chen Luo. Many ‘memories’ from his past life resurfaced in his external brain, significantly expanding his repertoire of techniques.

“Have you heard of the Wangxian Alliance, Fellow Daoist Chen?” Shangren Yinwind suddenly asked mid-conversation.

“Wangxian Alliance?” Chen Luo shook his head, genuinely unfamiliar with the name.

“The Wangxian Alliance was founded by a group of enigmatic individuals,” explained Yinwind, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Rumor has it they possess the ability to travel between this world and the Immortal Realm, mastering the power of ‘Ascension’ itself.”

“I can’t confirm whether there’s a real celestial realm, but one thing is certain: the Wangxian Alliance holds legacies beyond those of our current cultivation world. Many powerful figures are seeking them out. If Fellow Chen has encountered any of these individuals, please exercise utmost caution.” At this point, he cast a meaningful glance at Chen Luoxiu’s Pouch of Holding. Then, he retrieved a stone from his own pouch.

A black triangular stone?

Chen Luo’s heart stirred as he recalled what he had found when saving Ding Zhao last time. In the room, he had discovered this very stone, but no matter how he tried, it remained unresponsive. He had initially thought it was some special material, but now it seemed it might have a different purpose.

Could it be related to ‘ascension’?

That certainly was a tantalizing prospect.

“This Wangxian Alliance…”

Midway through Chen Luo’s question, Shangren Yinwind interrupted, “Speaking of which, Fellow Chen, you haven’t met my disciple yet, have you?” He promptly put away the stone, clearly unwilling to discuss this topic further.

“Indeed, I haven’t had the pleasure.”

Chen Luo didn’t press the matter; some topics were best left untouched.

After a few more casual exchanges, their conversation turned to the Five Eyes Temple.

“The master of the Five Eyes Temple is a Foundation Establishment senior. He has been in the peak of that stage for two hundred years now. I’ve heard recently that he’s formed a Core Formation seed, and his path to enlightenment holds great promise.” As Shangren Yinwind spoke of the Core Formation seed, a glint of envy flashed in his eyes.

Though he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, revered by countless, he paled in comparison to those who had achieved Core Formation.

Who at this stage of cultivation wouldn’t yearn for Core Formation?

“The Five Eyes Temple’s Watchman is a remarkable individual,” Shangren Yinwind continued. “Every ten years, he hosts a Dharma discourse, sharing his insights and cultivation experiences. He’s highly regarded in the area, even among the great demons.”

“Discourse gathering?”

Chen Luo had come specifically to inquire about this. Meeting only High Priest Yinwind himself would be too limited; he might as well search the graves himself if that were the case.

“Something like that, but it’s primarily for fellow practitioners like us. There’s also an auction, you know,” Yinwind added.

“Don’t let the small gathering fool you; occasionally, some real treasures surface. Just last time, one person brought out the corpse of a Core Formation cultivator. It was an ancient cultivation master, but to a flesh-refining cultivator like me, such a find is invaluable, beyond measure.”

A Core Formation cultivator’s corpse! Chen Luo nearly rushed forward on the spot, desperate to reclaim it. He quickly decided: he would attend this gathering as a flesh-refining cultivator. That way, he could conveniently acquire brain. A corpses, his true objective.