Chapter 101: The Inevitable Trend and the Calculations Laid Bare
…
“Uh…”
Following the route provided by Xiao Yan, Cao Chengyu navigated the winding tunnels and finally entered a vast underground chamber.
Here lay countless zombies and ghostly creatures controlled by Xiao Yan.
This force was likely harnessed through the unique properties of the Mountain Demon’s ghost fire.
The strongest among the zombies and ghosts appeared to have nearly reached the pinnacle of the Dao Body realm, numbering more than ten—quite an impressive development.
At this moment, they saw before them a jade platform behind Xiao Yan, on which rested a young girl of about fifteen or sixteen, a budding beauty by all appearances.
Seeing Cao Chengyu approach, Xiao Yan frowned and asked directly,
“Why did you lure me into investigating this matter in the first place?”
“Lure?”
Cao Chengyu shook his head.
“I remember when I first shared this story with you, I treated it as a curious anecdote, and I specifically warned you not to approach carelessly without formidable strength.”
“You actually listened?”
“…”
Xiao Yan scratched his head awkwardly, having forgotten that detail. He only remembered that since the information came from Cao Chengyu, someone needed to take the blame when trouble arose.
He was the typical survivor.
Blessed with the Treasure-Seeker’s Eye and harboring no fondness for Dayue, he figured there was surely some treasure guarded by formation, and he managed to steal the sacrificial artifact smoothly using the guidance of the Treasure-Seeker’s Eye.
Now that he was targeted, what did Cao Chengyu have to do with it?
Seeing that Xiao Yan was at a loss for words, Cao Chengyu continued,
“This matter was originally just something I told you casually. I didn’t expect you to cause such a stir. I heard you stole the sacrificial artifact—can I see it?”
Xiao Yan pondered for a moment. Since this was his territory and he wasn’t afraid Cao Chengyu would run off with it, he decided to take it out as a gesture, hoping to glean more information from him.
With a flick of his right hand, an object flew out from his dantian.
It looked like a scroll from the Imperial Edict List.
On its back was inscribed a jet-black true dragon.
“I call this the Mysterious Yin Dragon List (the full name is a bit complicated, as mentioned before).”
“So far, it’s only known to benefit cultivation. Those who possess this list advance as if divinely aided, especially when cultivating Yin attribute techniques and arts, progressing more than tenfold faster.”
“Oh? Such miraculous effects.”
Cao Chengyu took the Dragon List and carefully examined it, but could discern nothing.
Helpless, he handed it back to Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan’s rapid advancement from the early to the peak Dao Body realm within a year was entirely thanks to such a divine artifact.
Originally forged as a unipolar heavy water spiritual body, it had been transformed by the influence of this item into a Mysterious Yin Ghost Dragon Dao Body. Initially reluctant, Xiao Yan first acquired a Yin attribute Nascent Soul technique called the Moon Worship Scripture from the Dragon List.
He then refined the demonic fire of the Mountain Demon ghost fire on Tianlang Mountain.
The combination was explosive—his cultivation soared as if fueled by a magical fertilizer.
The demonic fire could also be used for alchemy and forging, giving him every reason to abandon the watery path and take the grand path to transcendence.
The Mysterious Yin Ghost Dragon Dao Body also enhanced his constitution somewhat. Though not as specialized as cultivators like Cao Chengyu who focused solely on body refining, it far surpassed others at the same level.
It made him stronger by more than one tier compared to his former self.
The treasures found by the Treasure-Seeker’s Eye truly suited him.
Therefore, there was no way he would hand over the Mysterious Yin Dragon List.
Unaware of all this, Cao Chengyu, who wanted to foil Chi Jiuxiao’s plan, naturally disapproved of returning the artifact.
“Did you see anything?”
“No.”
Xiao Yan seemed a little disappointed but went on,
“I’m in the open, and you’re in the shadows. No need to hide what you know—we’re in the same boat.”
That was indeed the truth.
Cao Chengyu shared some information, including the matter of the Thousand-Eyed Demon Centipede, but withheld his suspicions about Chi Jiuxiao.
He himself hadn’t fully grasped that person’s schemes and figured it was better not to add unnecessary worry by speaking out.
After a long while, having heard Cao Chengyu’s intelligence, Xiao Yan sighed,
“So there’s so much going on behind the scenes—monsters coming from the Outer Realm…”
“By the way, do you have any information I don’t know? And what’s your relationship with Master Miaodan?”
“That old wild-haired man.”
The moment he mentioned him, Xiao Yan’s mood soured.
“When I was at the Monitoring Tower, he had his eyes on a treasure I possessed that was very useful to him. But he didn’t dare seize it by force, fearing I would destroy it out of desperation.”
“So I struck a deal with him.”
Cao Chengyu nodded but didn’t ask details. He could guess that being targeted in such a way from early on probably had something to do with Xiao Yan’s golden finger.
“Besides that, I also know about the Yin Realm.”
“Yin Realm?”
“Yes.”
“After hearing you say so much, I finally understand what those three Golden Core elders at the Monitoring Tower and the high-ups of the Five Elements Sect were after.”
Xiao Yan stood and manifested a map of Dayue with his cultivation power.
He marked all the Yin-Yang Reverse Growth arrays, forming an immense Yin-Yang Reverse Growth Formation.
“The effect of this formation is to convert Yang into Yin, creating an absolute Yin territory. It transforms Dayue into the Yin Realm, allowing cultivators to become ghost immortals ruling the land.”
“Yet, all things born from Yin will give rise to Yang. The most extraordinary aspect of the Yin-Yang Reverse Growth Formation is its ability to convert Yin into Yang, resurrecting the dead. The side effects are unknown, but theoretically, it can do this.”
“I know a secret even a Golden Core cultivator would know.”
“Those resurrected have their essence refined into a legendary Nine Turns Reincarnation Pill!”
“One turn equals one reincarnation. It allows a Golden Core cultivator to retain memories to overcome the mysteries of the womb and begin anew.”
“This effect lasts for nine lifetimes, meaning that by taking this pill, a Golden Core cultivator gains nine chances for reincarnation and retraining!”
“Of course, this rebirth is entirely random. One could be reborn into a body without cultivation talent. But once talent exists, good or bad, the memory of past lives brings clear advantages.”
“…”
“So the high-ups of the Five Elements Sect and the Golden Core cultivators at the Monitoring Tower are waiting for Chi Jiuxiao to resurrect someone dead?!”
Cao Chengyu’s expression turned strange.
After all these twists and turns, it turned out the Thousand-Eyed Demon Centipede had been kept in the dark. That fellow, perched so high, truly believed he was aligned with Chi Jiuxiao.
The Five Elements Sect did not intervene because they were waiting for Chi Jiuxiao to complete his plan, all for the sake of the Nine Turns Reincarnation Pill, watching passively as all mortals in Dayue were sacrificed in blood rituals.
Could one say this was the true nature of cultivators? He had once thought such tales in books were fiction, but reality was far more brutal.
The bloody facts stood before him, undeniable proof that the saying “a general’s success costs countless bones” was no mere phrase.
He now understood why the head of the Monitoring Tower willingly served as enforcer—it was for the chance of reincarnation and retraining.
Be it the tower’s master or a nearly end-of-life cultivator like Master Wanxiang, all coveted the opportunity to be reborn and start anew.
This widely known, almost open secret among the high-ups—was it truly what Chi Jiuxiao sought?!
He did not believe it!
Yet what could he do?
When everyone hopes for his success, he inevitably will succeed. This is the great tide, the unstoppable trend of fate!