Chapter 108: News About Long Chen

  “Evil Cultivator?!” Xu Mo reacted, and his sympathy for the fallen sect members grew. Evil Cultivators were known to be complete psychopaths, brutal to the extreme.

  They were called Evil Cultivators—a name spat from the mouths of righteous sects like venom, yet whispered with reverence in the shadowed corners of the world.

  To the common folk, they were monsters in human form. To the sects, they were threats to order. To each other, they were wolves circling the same carcass.

  But the truth, like all truths in the cultivation world, was far more complex.

  Evil cultivators were not bound by taboo, nor restrained by the dogmas of orthodoxy. Where the righteous sought harmony, they pursued domination. Where others kneeled before Heaven’s will, they tried to twist it. And where most sought immortality as an ascension of spirit, Evil Cultivators treated it as conquest—a war waged against time itself.

  Some practiced blood refinement, using the life force of others to shorten their own path. Others devoured the souls of beasts and men alike, seeking to replace what Heaven denied them with stolen strength. There were those who walked the Corpse Path, raising armies of the dead to serve their will. Some tread the Shadow Vein, cultivating emotionless slaughter as an art form. Others whispered pacts with ancient spirits, bartering sanity and flesh for the secrets of forbidden realms.

  But not all Evil Cultivators began wicked. Many were born within righteous sects—disciples overlooked, betrayed, or broken. Their descent was not always a fall. Sometimes, it was a choice. Sometimes… it was the only path left.

  It was said that the deeper one walked into darkness, the clearer one could see the hypocrisy of light.

  Even so, to cultivate by evil means was to court destruction. One did not merely defy the heavens—they dared them. Tribulation came swifter, deadlier. Allies were scarce. Enemies were many. And betrayal was the only constant companion.

  Yet, it was among their ranks that legends were whispered. The man who conquered a realm with a single cursed flute. The woman who stitched her broken Dao with seven thousand souls and forced the sky to acknowledge her. And countless more, whose names were erased from history by those who feared their truths more than their power.

  “Any clues about Long Chen, the core disciple? Because you said no ‘remains’ of him were found. That means he could, and might still be, alive.” Xu Mo’s tone was steady, but his thoughts ran deeper. I don’t believe someone like him could die so easily.

  “Well, if he really was alive, he should have come back to the sect by now,” Wei Rong replied, his logic sound.

  “Did they find out who was behind this?”

  Wei Rong shook his head, and Xu Mo could only click his tongue in frustration.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Soon, the convoy of dead bodies passed by.

  “How was your meeting with Mei Xueyin? Did you manage to make any progress?” Xu Mo nudged Wei Rong’s arm playfully. He didn’t use the word “sister” when it was just the two of them. As long as he considered Mei Xueyin his sister-in-law or his brother’s woman in his heart, that was what truly mattered. Otherwise, merely acknowledging her with words while having crooked thoughts about his brother’s woman was no different from betrayal.

  “Don’t even begin to ask.” Wei Rong covered his face with his palm and let out a sigh, as if releasing pent-up stress. “After you left, the atmosphere became slightly awkward. We both didn’t know what to say. I offered to order some food—it was getting late, and I thought maybe we could dissipate the awkwardness while eating. But she stood up and said there was no future between us... and then she walked away.”

  Wei Rong clenched his fists in frustration. Xu Mo, too, had little experience in such complex relationships. Whatever he knew came from stories and folklore. If someone asked him anything beyond the scope of those tales, he could only shake his head and remain silent.

  Wei Rong thought for a moment and shook his head again.

  “I think it’s best that you guys clear your misunderstanding as friends. It’s better than becoming complete strangers. And who knows? She might develop feelings for you while we’re inside the secret realm.” Xu Mo’s words reignited the dimmed spark in Wei Rong’s heart, and his expression visibly brightened.

  Xu Mo, however, didn’t immediately tell him that he wouldn’t be able to join their team. He would most likely be sorted with Jin Meiyu—the saintess.

  By noon, Xu Mo was busy in the shopping district, looking to buy a few items he thought might be necessary inside the secret realm.

  His first stop was a store that sold fake storage rings—items worn just to flex, as if their owners could afford real ones. In reality, they were just ordinary rings. Why did he buy one, you might ask? Because he needed a cover for his system’s inventory. If his suspicions about the secret realm being alive—and possibly still having a master—were correct, then it was possible such an existence could notice the mysterious disappearance of loot into thin air. For that reason, he needed at least a basic cover. Something that would make any lurking entity in the shadows believe he had a normal storage ring, and nothing more.

  Next, he looked for weapons in a blacksmith shop. The enthusiastic old blacksmith showed him one weapon after another, leaving Xu Mo confused about what would best secure his survival. In the end, he let the creator decide. Judging by the blacksmith’s age, he must have had a ton of experience dealing with all sorts of customers. When the old man grinned, revealing shiny white teeth upon hearing Xu Mo wanted him to choose the weapon, Xu Mo knew he had asked the right person.

  After that, he visited a high-end, ready-made formation talisman shop. Though a little expensive, he bought two life-saving talismans. According to the salesman, each could block a full-powered strike from a Peak Foundation Building cultivator.

  Xu Mo picked up a bunch of other supplies—some Qi recovery potions, pills for healing severe injuries, and a few lower-grade artifacts that covered his body’s vital parts. Though he had saved up a lot of money, just one shopping trip had already made his purse slim again.

  He also heard that an auction would soon be held in the shopping district. It was specifically targeting the young people heading into the secret realm. Rumors swirled that even inner sect disciples would participate, as a powerful cursed weapon was supposedly up for sale. Whoever managed to get their hands on it could carve their way through the competition and emerge as the biggest winner inside the secret realm.

  Xu Mo was almost certain it wasn’t a rumor, but a calculated move. After all, there was no smoke without fire. The auction house was likely behind the whispers themselves, creating hype for the item and driving up its price. With many rich individuals expected to attend, Xu Mo decided it was best to stay far away from it.

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