The group followed the map and ventured deeper into the Azurerain realm. The verdant trees grew increasingly lush, and towering peaks on both sides of the path reached into the clouds, resembling colossal giants piercing the heavens.
They encountered a variety of strange and exotic yao beasts along the way. Fortunately, none had achieved intelligence. With the high cultivation levels of the team members, they managed to handle these beasts with ease.
That day, they entered a dense and flourishing forest. The air carried a strong stench of decay, mixed with a pungent, bloody odor. It was overwhelmingly foul.
Li Lanxiu, wearing a mask, felt nauseous from the smell. He squinted as he looked into the distance. Deep within the forest stood a small white hill, its peak swarming with massive black hives that appeared to be in constant motion.
The others reacted differently to the stench. The smell of decaying human corpses was unmistakable and distinct from other odors. Such a heavy stench suggested at least dozens of deaths.
Only cultivators from various sects could enter the Azurerain realm. Even if they were not from Conundrum Sect, they were still fellow members of the Daoist path. Such a scene inevitably evoked sympathy.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the small white hill became clearer. It turned out to be a mountain of corpses, piled with disciples in white robes.
At the bottom, some bodies had been gnawed to bare, chewed-up bones. The next layer was a mess of mangled flesh, as if it had been consumed by some ruminating animal, regurgitated and left behind. At the top were those who had died recently, their bodies surrounded by countless buzzing flies.
Li Lanxiu formed a spell with his fingers and waved it forward. The swarm of flies scattered instantly. "Even in death," he said softly, "let people retain some semblance of dignity."
Chu Yue stepped closer, bent down, and pulled out an arm. The white robes on the corpse were of a style different from those of Conundrum Sect. The cuffs were edged with purple, and the hem was embroidered with a silver symbol of the Big Dipper.
Their swords were uniform in design, with narrow blades. The hilts also bore the emblem of the Big Dipper.
Jiang Jiusi let out a heavy sigh. "They were all disciples of the Loftcloud Sect."
Lian-shixiong’s expression turned somber. "Why would Loftcloud Sect disciples have died here?"
To be admitted into the so-called number one sect under heaven, these disciples would all have had to been exceptional talents with peerless spiritual roots, chosen from among tens of thousands. Now, they lay dead in this desolate place, an end that stirred profound regret.
Chu Yue drew a sword and flicked the blade with his finger. "There’s no blood on the sword. They didn’t even have time to draw their weapons before they died." He paused. "In the Azurerain realm, only the black jiao lord has such power."
Hearing that title, Li Lanxiu glanced at the mountain of corpses. His eyes narrowed slightly. The pile was too neat, almost deliberate, unlike the scattered remains of a casual feast.
Jiang Jiusi and Lian-shixiong’s expressions grew heavy. The two of them had the highest cultivation levels in the group and carried the sect’s hopes of slaying the black jiao lord. Yet, seeing the corpses of Loftcloud Sect disciples, they realized how terrifying their foe must be.
The prodigious young talents of the so-called number one sect didn’t even have the chance to draw their swords. They were annihilated in an instant. How could the two of them, with their strength, possibly defeat the black jiao lord?
The idea of defeating the black jiao lord alone now seemed almost impossible. Only the demon-slaying formation of the sect could subdue such a foe.
As each of them silently pondered their own concerns, a faint groan suddenly broke the silence.
"Ugh… help me…"
Li Lanxiu turned to look. From within the mountain of corpses, a pale hand reached out and grabbed Chu Yue’s arm, which was closest.
Chu Yue’s brow furrowed. He grabbed the hand in return and forcefully pulled, dragging a half-buried figure from the pile. It was a young man with an unremarkable face, his pale skin stained with blood. Half of his shoulder had been gnawed away, exposing white bone.
Chuxuan stepped forward to assist, working with Chu Yue to pull the young man fully free from the corpse mountain. Other than the gruesome wound on his shoulder, the young man bore no other visible injuries.
Leaning against Chuxuan for support, the boy’s bloodless face trembled uncontrollably. His voice broke with a sob as he asked, "Are you from Conundrum Sect?”
Lian-shixiong quickly steadied the boy’s arm and asked with concern, "We are disciples of Conundrum Sect. Are you from Loftcloud Sword Sect? Did you encounter the black jiao lord?"
"Black jiao lord?" The youth gritted his teeth and said bitterly, "That old demon is nothing but a man-eating beast. It doesn’t deserve the title of lord!"
Jiang Jiusi stroked his chin thoughtfully and asked, "Which peak of Loftcloud Sword Sect are you from? I don’t mean to doubt you, but the Azurerain realm is full of strange and deceptive occurrences. I hope you can understand."
The youth let out a bitter laugh and raised a trembling hand to point at the mountain of corpses. "We were all disciples of Master Zhou of Greenridge Peak. These… these are my shixiong and shidi…"
Jiang Jiusi approached Li Lanxiu and spoke in a soft voice. "I’ve met Master Zhou of Greenridge Peak. He does exist. What do you think, Li-shidi?"
Li Lanxiu’s gaze swept over the youth, who was staring at him. The youth’s nose twitched slightly, as if struggling to resist smelling something, or perhaps he was on the verge of tears.
His eyes fixed on Li Lanxiu’s mask, then shifted to his neck, chest and waist, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
A light chuckle escaped from Li Lanxiu’s throat. He stepped closer to the youth and extended a hand to steady his arm. "Don’t you remember me?"
Chu Yue’s expression shifted slightly. His hand moved to his back, gripping the hilt of his blade, ready to act.
The youth immediately leaned against Li Lanxiu, his eyes fixed intently on him. His nose twitched more violently, and his throat bobbed as if swallowing saliva. "Hmm? Of course I remember you."
At that moment, this scene was projected onto the giant mirror in the Questioning Dao Plaza. The spectators outside held their breath, watching every frame displayed within the mirror.
The disciples saw how pitiful the Loftcloud Sect youth appeared and felt a mix of anger and fear.
"How tragic! His shixiong and shidi are all dead, yet Li Lanxiu isn’t even healing him, just bombarding him with questions."
"He’s got an incredible will to survive. To endure this and live—he must have some great fortune waiting for him."
"Sigh... I think Li Lanxiu is so captivating. Even though we can’t see his face, staring at him for too long makes my heart race!"
The disciple who said this flushed crimson, prompting the person beside them to retort unhappily. "It’s because you can’t see his face that your heart races. If you saw it, you’d probably be scared out of your wits!"
"Exactly! He always wears that mask. Odds are he’s hideously ugly."
"You can’t say that. True beauty lies in one’s demeanor, not appearance. With his bearing and poise, there’s no way he could be ugly."
"Should we place bets? I bet he’s hideously ugly!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the disciples around grew excited. They eagerly took out spirit stones to join the wager. The table was soon surrounded, leaving no room to squeeze in. Hearing about this amusing gamble, disciples from other peaks flew over to join the fun.
Bai Zhenchuan extended their divine sense across the plaza, capturing their words without missing a single one. They sat alone on a jeweled couch, their demeanor as cold as frost.
The elders and peak masters, filled with reverence, dared not approach lightly.
Bai Zhenchuan showed no interest in the other disciples of Conundrum Sect. Their gaze remained fixed on one figure within the giant mirror. When the youth appeared, Bai Zhenchuan furrowed their brows and murmured something under their breath.
Elder Shen, standing a few steps away, cautiously asked, "Bai Zhenchuan, do you have any instructions?"
Bai Zhenchuan stared at the youth leaning against Li Lanxiu. They spoke slowly and deliberately. "He is the black jiao lord."
Elder Shen gasped in shock and exclaimed, "This person is actually the black jiao lord!"
Bai Zhenchuan curled their lips into a cold smile and replied indifferently. "That snake stench of his will linger even in ash. It’s unmistakable."
Elder Shen’s exclamation quickly spread throughout the Dao-Questioning Plaza. The crowd erupted into an uproar, their eyes all turning to the scene within the giant mirror.
"He’s actually the black jiao lord!"
"Why would he disguise himself like this? Is he trying to infiltrate the group for some ulterior motive?"
Bai Zhenchuan’s gaze returned to Li Lanxiu, watching his every move. A slight frown crossed their face, as if facing a dilemma beyond their reach.
Inside the mirror, Li Lanxiu reached out and patted the youth gently on the back. He spoke in a soft, comforting tone. "A few years ago, when you and your shixiong went out on a training mission, we met once in Wei City. I didn’t expect to see you again today."
The youth leaned so that his nose was closer to Li Lanxiu's neck. The tree yao had told him Li Lanxiu was beautiful, but never mentioned he smelled so good. He had never encountered anyone so fragrant before, and could barely suppress the urge to pin him down and indulge in his scent to his heart’s content.
But he couldn’t. The human skin he wore forbade him from acting that way. He feigned innocence and said, "Can you help me find my fellow disciples? My master will surely reward you handsomely."
Li Lanxiu’s hand, which had been patting the youth’s back, slowly slid to the back of his neck and pulled him into an embrace. He felt the trembling body in his arms. To others, the youth appeared frightened, but he knew it was excitement—uncontrollable excitement. "I remember that day we met in the tavern. We got along so well and drank a few jars of fine wine together. Do you still recall?"
"Three jars?" The youth looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Li Lanxiu tightened his hold on the youth’s neck. He glanced toward Chu Yue and gave a faint nod.
In a flash of cold light, the pitch-black blade stabbed into the youth’s chest.
The youth’s pupils contracted as he violently jerked. Black smoke poured out from his body and quickly dissipated into the air, leaving behind an empty human skin that slid from Li Lanxiu’s embrace and fell to the ground.
Laughter erupted from all directions, filled with mockery and derision.
"What a ruthless beauty!" The black jiao lord’s voice echoed through the dense forest. "I have no grudge against you and only came to see you, yet you seek my death?"
Li Lanxiu pulled out a handkerchief and meticulously wiped his hands, cleaning them of any contact with the human skin. He spoke with casual indifference. "You deserve death."
The black jiao lord’s laughter softened, carrying a playful and teasing tone. "Anyone who dares insult me, I devour them. But you…"
"Forget it."
thank you for the chapter, it's always fun to see li lanxiu, the poisonous beauty, and how he manages to ensnare the other characters with his charm LOL ... your translations are always so evocative and clear, excited to see what happens next!
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