Chapter 35: Clues of the Ghost Shadow Insect

Chapter 35: Clues to the Ghost Shadow Insect

"Reward One: Seven Luminaries Killing Sword Technique. Note: Heaven-grade supreme, focused on the power of slaughter."
"Reward Two: Three 'Good Person' cards."
"Reward Three: One Divine Void Realm experience card."

Seeing that he had been rewarded with a Heaven-grade sword technique, Chen Ping'an felt a sudden surge of joy. The Azure Cloud Sect was founded on swordsmanship and specialized in the blade; back when he was at the sect, Chen Ping'an had been their peerless prodigy of the sword. Later, when the Coffin of Longevity stripped him of his cultivation, turning him into a mere mortal, he had lost all interest in the way of the sword. Now, having been reborn and starting his cultivation anew, his obsession with the sword had been reignited. He had already mastered the true essence of the Azure Cloud Sword Technique, but to be fair, it was only a low-tier Heaven-grade technique with limited power and little capacity for true slaughter. Even so, in the entire Northern Province, such a technique was considered of the highest quality.

"These 'Good Person' cards must not be wasted." As Chen Ping'an saw the system grant him three more, his mind shifted, and his expression dimmed. In that moment, he was possessed by the spirit of an Oscar-winning actor.

"Xiao Die, after I was reborn, I didn't seek you out, which led to you wandering alone, being bullied by the young master of the Poisonous Dragon, and nearly becoming someone else's trophy wife..." Chen Ping'an sighed heavily. "I truly am a wicked man beyond redemption!"

"Brother Chong, how could you be a bad person? You are a good man!" Xiao Die hurriedly reached out and gently covered his mouth.

"Ding! 'Good Person' card activated. Host's cultivation has increased by one minor realm!"

He was now at the fifth level of the Golden Body Realm! Chen Ping'an felt a thrill; in the mere day he had been in You Province, he had advanced three minor realms—this was faster than riding a rocket. However, he felt he might not have such opportunities in the future, as his ex-girlfriends in You Province seemed to have already appeared.

"System, can I reuse a 'Good Person' card on the same ex-girlfriend?" Chen Ping'an asked.

System: "No. All ex-girlfriend quests are one-time events, including identity verification rewards, purity value rewards, and so on..."

Chen Ping'an felt a slight sense of disappointment. If he wanted to continue receiving rewards, he would need a steady stream of new ex-girlfriends. Fortunately, over the past ten thousand years, he had had enough romances; his vast base of ex-girlfriends would be enough to support his cultivation until the day he ascended to immortality. In truth, Chen Ping'an understood that with his Innate Saint Body Dao Seed and his Immortal-grade technique, the Nine-Turn Immortal Demon Art, his own potential was immensely high. Given enough time, he would achieve immortality regardless of system rewards. As an immortal, he possessed a lifespan of ten thousand years, but most of his former lovers could not live so long, and the vast majority had already perished. Even for those who had reincarnated, their memories of a past life were gone; to gain the forgiveness of such ex-girlfriends would be as difficult as reaching the heavens.

In this moment, Chen Ping'an pondered much. The more he thought, the calmer he became, his mind composed and clear about his future trajectory. He no longer obsessed over the system's rewards.

"Xiao Die," Chen Ping'an said, his expression turning serious as he returned to the matter at hand. "Over these years, has anyone ever taken blood from you?"

"Yes!" Xiao Die’s expression turned somber as she recalled. "Just after I broke through to the Divine Void Realm, a powerhouse of the Void Spirit Realm infiltrated the Five Poisons Sect and forcibly took blood from me!"

"Do you have any clues about this person?" Chen Ping'an raised an eyebrow. So, one-seventh of the Seven-Star Soul-Breaking Poison truly did come from Xiao Die’s blood.

"The person wore a bronze mask; I couldn't identify their origin," Xiao Die sighed. She had only been at the first level of the Divine Void Realm back then; what chance did she have to resist a Void Spirit expert? To survive, she had no choice but to let them take the blood.

"The mastermind behind this is hidden very deep..." Chen Ping'an frowned. Blue Phoenix and Fu Hongying were both poisoned, yet neither knew the medium through which they were infected, nor who intended to harm them.

"Brother Chong, are you looking for the blood of these seven poisonous insects?" Xiao Die asked. She was, of course, aware that Blue Phoenix had been poisoned.

Chen Ping'an nodded.

*Swish!* Xiao Die waved her hand, slicing her fingertip and letting her emerald-green blood flow into a small white vial.

"Brother Chong, I have a lead on the Ghost Shadow Insect," Xiao Die said, handing him the vial and volunteering, "I have met him once before. Leave the blood of the Ghost Shadow Insect to me."

"Where is this Ghost Shadow Insect hiding?" Chen Ping'an asked.

"In the Kunxu Mountains of Muyun Province," Xiao Die replied.

"Very well, then, thank you for your hard work, Xiao Die." Chen Ping'an nodded.

Just as Xiao Die turned to leave, she paused. "Brother Chong, will you be staying in You Province, or going elsewhere?"

"When you return, come find me at the Azure Cloud Sect in the Northern Province," Chen Ping'an revealed his base. Xiao Die agreed and vanished into the sky.

Chen Ping'an identified his direction and flew toward Moonfall City. Upon arrival, he met Red Cloud and Xia Xiaoliang at the inn. He told Red Cloud that the Ghost Butterfly was safe and had reunited with him, and was now heading to Muyun Province to help him find the Ghost Shadow Insect. As for him and Xia Xiaoliang, they would be returning to the Azure Cloud Sect. Red Cloud tried to persuade him to stay, but was refused. She understood that some things could not be rushed, especially with a man as exceptional as Brother Chong, who had seen enough of the world not to give promises to a woman easily. Gracefully, she bid him farewell and returned to the Five Poisons Sect alone.

Chen Ping'an steered his immortal ship out of Moonfall City. By the time they cleared the desert, only six hours had passed for the Divine Void Realm experience card.

"Ancestor, I really didn't expect the Vice Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect to call me cousin..." Xia Xiaoliang chuckled while eating a bun.

"You could tell Ning Yao that and see if she gets angry," Chen Ping'an laughed.

"That madwoman Ning Yao wouldn't get angry. She's too arrogant; her heart is filled only with the sword. She wouldn't look twice at a Vice Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect!" Xia Xiaoliang shook her head dismissively.

Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. That was indeed Ning Yao’s temperament; Xia Xiaoliang had defined her perfectly. As a peerless sword cultivator, she could not be tainted by worldly matters.

"Wait, that's not right?" Xia Xiaoliang squinted at the direction and exclaimed, "Ancestor, the Azure Cloud Province is to the southwest. Why are you heading northeast?"

"We're making a stop at the Fu family," Chen Ping'an said with a gentle smile.

The Fu family was located in the Qiyun Mountains, northeast of Moonfall City. Once out of the desert, it would only be a half-hour flight. Since he was near Moonfall City, he naturally wanted to see Fu Hongying. Among his many ex-girlfriends, Fu Hongying had left a deep impression—not merely because of her stunning beauty, but because of her passionate, resolute, innocent, and simple nature. She was like a fusion of ice and fire, which deeply fascinated him.

Deep within the Qiyun Mountains, at the Fu family estate, inside a hidden underground palace, Fu Hongying hung her head in a comatose state, bound firmly to a bronze pillar.