Chapter 638: Confronting the Five Poisons Sect Master!

The Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons lies a million miles east of the Jin Kingdom. It’s a desolate forbidden zone, with barren spiritual veins and scarcely a soul in sight.

Few come here, except perhaps for cultivators with nowhere else to turn.

After all, exploring ancient ruins for hidden opportunities requires some sense—not a death wish.

On this day, a heroic man standing on a golden-winged roc and a delicate young girl arrived at the outskirts of the Abyss.

Despite the name, the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons looked more like a wasteland, dead and desolate.

“So, this is the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons?”

Lu Changsheng scanned the gray, eerie landscape. Broken walls littered the land, the sky dim and lifeless, as if this place existed in isolation from the world.

“Fellow Daoist Yangming, this is indeed the Abyss. The spiritual energy here is tainted and scarce, even the veins are corrupted. You should recover your strength first.”

The Five Poisons Sect Master glanced at Lu Changsheng, offering a kind reminder.

“Thank you for the warning, Sect Master.”

Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes slightly and tossed a bottle of Spirit Pills from his storage ring to the Golden-Winged Roc.

The journey hadn’t taken much out of him.

After the roc rested for two days, shrinking down to a few feet in size, it perched on Lu Changsheng’s shoulder, eyes gleaming as they ventured deeper into the Abyss with the Sect Master.

The moment they entered, a thick black mist swirled around them, the oppressive clouds hanging low, making it hard to breathe.

The wind whistled through the air, forming fleeting faces like restless spirits, their mournful wails echoing across the land like the cries of the damned.

Lu Changsheng glanced up at the sky. The dim sun hung overhead, but instead of warmth and light, it cast only gloom and shadow, shrouding the land in a suffocating haze.

“Caw, caw, caw—”

As they ventured deeper, the dead silence of the Abyss was broken by the occasional howl of demonic beasts and the eerie flapping of black-feathered birds, enough to make one’s skin crawl.

But the two of them, one a top-tier Core Formation cultivator and the other a Nascent Soul True Lord, were unfazed. Wherever they went, evil spirits and demonic beasts disintegrated into ash.

“According to the sect’s records, our lost treasure might be in one of three places. These are our main search areas.”

The Five Poisons Sect Master, her bare feet stepping lightly on the air, carried a five-colored banner taller than herself. Any approaching danger was instantly obliterated by its eerie glow.

“Lead the way, Sect Master.”

Lu Changsheng’s expression remained unreadable as he gestured for the Sect Master to take the lead.

Though the Sect Master seemed sincere in her desire to find the treasure, he remained on guard, not letting his vigilance slip for a second.

He activated his Taiyi Spirit and heightened his senses, instructing the Golden-Winged Roc and the Peach Blossom Gu to stay alert.

The moment any danger or strange aura appeared, they would immediately warn him.

Thus, the two continued their journey, encountering numerous demonic beasts—or rather, beasts tainted by the Abyss’ corruption.

These corrupted beasts, even at the second or third stage, had little intelligence. Upon spotting any living being, they would charge with wild abandon, roaring and snarling.

After slaying several of them, Lu Changsheng noticed their flesh and cores were also tainted.

Though, feeding small amounts to spirit beasts shouldn’t cause any harm.

“These corrupted beasts may lack intelligence, but their vitality is far stronger than that of ordinary demonic beasts.”

Lu Changsheng had gained a deeper understanding of these creatures.

Though hunting them could yield various cores and demonic materials,

their value was relatively lower compared to regular demonic beasts. Moreover, the Abyss was filled with demonic energy, killing intent, and impurity. Even Core Formation cultivators couldn’t survive here for long.

Prolonged exposure would contaminate one’s magic and soul.

Fortunately, Lu Changsheng possessed a near-fourth-tier physique, and his Chaos Body, fused with the Kunpeng Demon Body, gave him high resistance to the demonic energy, killing intent, and every kind of toxin in the Abyss.

Throughout the journey, Lu Changsheng noticed the Sect Master would occasionally glance at him.

In response, he made sure to appear slightly strained, as if the journey wasn’t entirely effortless.

Time passed slowly.

Unknowingly, they had been in the Abyss for half a month.

At first, they moved quickly through the air, but as they ventured deeper, the dangers increased, and areas where flight or magic were restricted appeared. Even they didn’t dare lower their guard.

However, during this time, Lu Changsheng had gained a clearer understanding of the Sect Master’s abilities.

“Ribbit!”

As they passed a swamp, a deafening croak echoed through the air.

A massive toad, the size of a small mountain, emerged from the mud, its gaping maw like a bottomless abyss ready to swallow them whole.

This was a fourth-tier corrupted beast, terrifying in its power. Even Lu Changsheng and the Sect Master chose to avoid a direct confrontation.

Not because they couldn’t fight it.

A beast like this, lacking intelligence, was much like the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, long ago influenced by the Dreamless couple.

If Lu Changsheng and the Sect Master went all out, they could surely slay it.

But there was no need.

Killing the toad would drain too much of their strength, and they’d risk injury, hindering their further exploration.

Neither of them wanted to expend such effort here.

After a long journey, they finally arrived at one of their destinations: Ten Thousand Demons City.

The ancient city, though once grand, was now in ruins—dust-covered rubble, a bleak and desolate sight.

“Hoooo…”

The ghostly wails of the wind echoed through the ruins, making the already somber city feel like a graveyard.

“An ancient battlefield… the site of a war between righteousness and demons.”

Lu Changsheng found it hard to imagine what kind of battle had taken place here to leave the land in such a state.

Based on his experience during the war to reclaim the land, where Qingluan Zhenren and True Lord Xuanjian had besieged the twin-headed flood dragon, even Nascent Soul-level battles couldn’t leave such devastation.

His golden eyes flickered with suspicion. This couldn’t have been a simple battle; someone must have used forbidden techniques, perhaps a fourth-tier forbidden formation. He paid close attention to see if any remnants of formations remained.

“Caw, caw, caw—”

As they cautiously entered the city, flocks of black birds let out shrill cries, their screeches forming terrifying sound waves that shook the soul.

The scattered plants and trees in the ruins were eerily twisted, most of the land barren, leaving behind only a dry, blood-red desolation.

By now, Lu Changsheng had grown accustomed to the Abyss’s unsettling atmosphere. The moment any vines, birds, or poisonous insects approached, he would casually strike them down.

“Caw, caw, caw—”

Suddenly, a sharp, ear-piercing screech echoed, like the grinding of tiles, rippling through the layers of space.

Any ordinary cultivator who heard this sound would have their mind torn apart, descending into madness.

Lu Changsheng’s Taiyi Spirit glowed brilliantly between his brows, suppressing his sea of consciousness.

He looked up and saw a massive, pitch-black, three-headed bird, over a hundred feet long, soaring from the city. Its overwhelming presence was terrifying.

This was a fourth-tier corrupted beast.

“Fellow Daoist Yangming, hold it off for a moment while I search the city.”

The Five Poisons Sect Master’s pupils glowed with five-colored light as her gaze fell on the monstrous bird, and she spoke to Lu Changsheng.

They had agreed beforehand that under critical circumstances, they would aid each other.

“I’m no match for such a beast. I can hold it off for half a quarter of an hour at most. Any longer, and you’ll have to deal with it yourself.”

Lu Changsheng’s expression grew grim.

Though the beasts of the Abyss lacked intelligence, their strength was no joke.

Even if he could hold his own for a while, he wasn’t about to take unnecessary risks.

“Half a quarter of an hour. That’s enough.”

The Sect Master nodded, gripping her five-colored banner tightly.

Lu Changsheng wasted no time. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed the Yin-Yang Qi Great Capture, striking at the three-headed bird while retreating.

Since his goal was to stall, he wouldn’t waste his energy in direct combat.

“Screech—”

The bird let out a piercing cry, its sound waves like sharp blades. Two of its heads opened wide, spitting out blood-red flames and pitch-black liquid, both deadly and fearsome.

The Sect Master vanished into the city, leaving Lu Changsheng to deal with the bird.

He had considered testing the power of his Great King Ming Light against the bird’s flames and poison, but with the Sect Master likely watching him, he opted to act carefully. He unleashed a wave of Yin-Yang Divine Light to block the attacks.

However, the bird was a fourth-tier beast, and its immense power quickly burned through Lu Changsheng’s defense, continuing its assault.

“Ten Thousand Feather Slash!”

The Golden-Winged Roc on Lu Changsheng’s shoulder shot into the sky, its golden feathers gleaming brightly as countless blades of light rained down, easing the pressure on Lu Changsheng.

“It seems he really hasn’t reached the Nascent Soul stage.”

The Sect Master observed from within the city, analyzing the battle.

She had hoped to recruit Yangming Zhenren, but she remained cautious.

When Yangming Zhenren arrived at the Five Poisons Sect, she had suspected he had already broken through to Nascent Soul.

If he had, she would’ve had to change her strategy, shifting from recruitment to forming an alliance.

But after these days of observation, and now seeing his magical aura during the fight, she was sure he hadn’t reached Nascent Soul.

In fact, his energy made her feel like he wasn’t even at the full Core Formation stage yet.

For now, the Sect Master decided not to act, focusing on her search for the lost treasure instead.

Her claim that she was here to recover a lost treasure of her sect wasn’t just a pretext.

That treasure might truly be within the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons, but its exact location was still uncertain. Her expectations weren’t too high.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”

The Sect Master’s five-colored banner trembled, releasing streams of energy that transformed into snakes, scorpions, spiders, toads, and centipedes, shooting off in all directions.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng and the Golden-Winged Roc continued their fierce battle with the three-headed bird, struggling to keep up.

“It seems that when he faced Yan Wujiang, it was thanks to a spiritual enhancement technique that he temporarily displayed Nascent Soul-level power. His normal strength is only that of a top-tier Core Formation cultivator.”

The Sect Master continued to monitor Lu Changsheng’s battle, assessing his true strength.

After quickly searching the city and finding no sign of the treasure, she exited the ruins. Her Nascent Soul aura spread out, signaling for Lu Changsheng to retreat.

After some time, they finally managed to shake off the bird.

“Let me recover for a moment.”

Lu Changsheng’s Yin-Yang Glass Wall dissipated as he exhaled a breath of turbid air. He retrieved a bottle of pills from his storage ring for the Golden-Winged Roc, while holding two high-grade spirit stones to restore his magic.

Though the battle hadn’t drained him too much, thanks to the Heavenly Yuan Emperor Lotus serving as his second dantian,

his Taiyi Spirit had sensed that the Sect Master was still watching him during the fight.

Under such scrutiny, Lu Changsheng couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

After resting for a day, the two, accompanied by the roc, resumed their journey.

About half a month later, they reached a valley, their second destination.

“Roar, roar, roar—”

A sound like the wailing of ghosts echoed through the valley, making even Lu Changsheng and the Sect Master feel a chill run down their spines.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

Suddenly, a massive shadow shot toward them, unleashing a wave of violent energy.

It was a demonic ape, barely two meters tall, but its entire body was covered in cold, black-scaled armor, and its blood-red eyes radiated terrifying killing intent.

“Fellow Daoist Yangming!”

The Sect Master waved her five-colored banner, signaling Lu Changsheng to hold off the beast for half a quarter of an hour while she searched the valley.

“Half a quarter of an hour, no more.”

Lu Changsheng responded, his body radiating a sharp, domineering aura as a golden suit of armor adorned with dragon and tiger motifs appeared around him. He struck at the ape with the Yin-Yang Qi Great Capture.

This ape was even more terrifying than the three-headed bird. Its speed was incredible, tearing through layers of space. Even the Yin-Yang hand seal couldn’t hold it back as it charged straight at Lu Changsheng.

Realizing the threat, Lu Changsheng didn’t dare underestimate it. He activated the ‘Speed’ ability of his Nine Treasures Dao Bone, enhancing his agility to evade its attacks.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

The battle between Lu Changsheng, the Golden-Winged Roc, and the demonic ape was intense. The ape’s speed was ghostly, its movements tearing through space itself.

“Bang!”

An Yin-Yang Diagram appeared above Lu Changsheng, spinning overhead and releasing black-and-white divine light. Despite this, he was barely able to hold his ground against the ape’s relentless assault.

At last, half a quarter of an hour passed, and the Sect Master, clad in her crimson robes, emerged from the valley, signaling for Lu Changsheng to retreat.

“Fellow Daoist Yangming, we’re leaving!”

But just as her five-colored banner flashed with light, sending waves of energy toward the ape, the attack shifted, turning toward Lu Changsheng.

At the same time, a jade-green spirit snake shot toward him, breaking through the air.

“You treacherous wench, so this was your plan all along!”

Lu Changsheng, who had been holding back, suddenly unleashed his full power. His eyes turned cold as a golden ‘卍’ symbol appeared in his pupils, radiating both Buddha’s mercy and the aura of destruction.

A ring of golden light appeared behind his head, majestic and imposing, as if he had transformed into the wrathful King Ming! This was the Great King Ming Light Aspect of the True Saint Skill of Brahma and Demons!

The five-colored energy clashed against Lu Changsheng’s light, creating terrifying waves of power.

At that moment, the demonic ape charged forward, crashing into Lu Changsheng’s light and almost shattering it.

“Did you really think I’d let you get away with this?”

Lu Changsheng’s Great King Ming Light spun wildly, bathing him in golden light, making him appear like a divine being.

“Clang!”

The Da Luo Sword Embryo appeared in his hand.

At the same time, his Nine Treasures Dao Bone flared with dazzling light, raising his power to the peak of Core Formation.

“Slash!”

A brilliant sword light pierced the heavens, cutting through the oppressive energy of the Abyss, and slicing a deep black gash across the ape’s chest, sending its blood flying.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”

Suddenly, the Peach Blossom Gu in Lu Changsheng’s brow trembled violently, as if sensing an overwhelming danger, releasing its own powerful will.

A pink peach blossom mark bloomed on Lu Changsheng’s forehead, illuminating a five-colored scorpion-like insect that was merging with the void.

“A Gu worm!”

Thanks to his past experiences with Meng Xiaochan and Nangong Mili, Lu Changsheng was highly alert to such things. He instantly recognized this as a Gu worm similar to a love Gu.

“Boom, boom, boom—”

Lu Changsheng’s Great King Ming Light spun at full power, manifesting multiple layers of protection. His energy and spirit surged to new heights, boosted by the Nine Treasures Dao Bone.

His Taiyi Spirit shone like a golden deity, focusing its divine light on the Gu worm.

A fourth-tier Gu worm!

Through the connection with the Peach Blossom Gu, Lu Changsheng immediately realized that this was a fourth-tier Gu worm! “Kill!”

Such a Gu worm was incredibly dangerous. Even with his Great King Ming Light, Lu Changsheng could feel its strange aura affecting him.

If not for the Peach Blossom Gu, his Taiyi Spirit, and his Nascent Soul-level soul, a normal Core Formation cultivator would have fallen to its influence.

But beyond these, Lu Changsheng had one more trump card—his Lu Family Register! This register ensured his soul would remain intact even if someone tried to possess or enslave him.

“How is this possible!?”

Not far away, the Sect Master’s face paled as she watched the scene unfold.

Although she had anticipated Yangming Zhenren having a hidden card, this was far beyond her expectations.

Not only did he have a Nascent Soul-level soul and a body comparable to a fourth-tier cultivator, but he had also repelled a fourth-tier demonic ape with a single strike and possessed a top-tier third-tier Gu worm!

Seeing Lu Changsheng bathed in both divine Buddha light and sinister demonic energy, the Sect Master was filled with dread.

“Thousand-Spider Venomous Hand!”

“Five Poisons Soul-Devouring Curse!”

But as a Nascent Soul True Lord, she knew that once she had made her move, there could be no hesitation. She immediately unleashed her most powerful techniques, aiming to suppress Lu Changsheng and use the Seven Absolute Gu to enslave him.

Her five-colored banner whipped through the air, summoning a massive purple spider that transformed into a giant web-like hand, crashing down on Lu Changsheng.

At the same time, her body was surrounded by venomous energy as snakes, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, and toads coiled around her, their killing intent filling the air.

“Roc’s Dragon-Breaking Strike! Ten Thousand Feather Slash!”

Not far away, the Golden-Winged Roc unleashed its killing intent, its body ablaze with golden light. A phantom of a true dragon appeared above its head as its wings flapped, releasing a torrent of golden feathers.

“Slash!”

With a flick of his Da Luo Sword Embryo, Lu Changsheng aimed to destroy the Seven Absolute Gu.

But the Gu worm instantly faded into the void, evading his strike with ease.

“So this is a fourth-tier Gu worm…”

Lu Changsheng didn’t hesitate. Activating his Brahma Demon True Form, a three-headed, six-armed figure appeared behind him, radiating both golden light and demonic energy—compassion and destruction intertwined!

The Da Luo Sword Embryo fell into one of the six hands of his Brahma Demon True Form.

With a tap on his dantian, the Inconceivable Treasure Wheel appeared, spinning like a blazing sun in his mind and resonating with his Great King Ming Light.

“Slash!”

The Brahma Demon True Form’s six muscular arms, each glowing with a different light, swung the Da Luo Sword Embryo in unison. The brilliant sword light pierced the heavens, driving the demonic ape back.

Lu Changsheng remembered Hong Lian’s advice: against a Gu Master like the Five Poisons Sect Master, speed was key. The battle had to be swift and decisive, giving her no chance to act.

“Spear of the Demon God!”

He raised his hand, gathering endless magic and blood energy into a pitch-black spear, wreathed in demonic flames, and hurled it at the Sect Master.

Though they had signed a spiritual contract and sworn oaths, if one side broke the agreement, the other was no longer bound by the terms.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”

The spear tore through the Sect Master’s venomous web, creating a vortex of infernal energy that roared like the wails of ten thousand demons, assaulting the soul with its terrifying sound waves.

“How can this be? A Dharma Body!?”

The Sect Master was in disbelief. How could Lu Changsheng’s technique be both Buddha-like and demonic, and even manifest a Dharma Body, something only Nascent Soul cultivators could form?

She quickly formed a hand seal, summoning a massive golden toad from her five-colored banner. The toad roared, opening its mouth wide to swallow the incoming spear. A wave of terrifying magic energy exploded from the clash.

“Get lost!”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes shone with divine, demonic, and monstrous power as he roared at the demonic ape. His Brahma Demon True Form’s blurred head turned toward the beast, locking onto it.

Though lacking intelligence, the ape’s blood-red eyes, filled with killing intent, still showed a trace of fear as it gazed at the Brahma Demon True Form and the Da Luo Sword Embryo. It let out a low growl before retreating, unwilling to interfere further.

“Sect Master! I’ve come here in good faith, seeking cooperation to resolve our grievances, yet you resort to such treachery! How do you intend to explain this!?”

With the ape retreating, Lu Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief and broke through the layers of space, charging at the Sect Master.

With his near-fourth-tier body, Great King Ming Light Aspect, and Yin-Yang Diagram, he feared nothing in a close-quarters battle, even against a Nascent Soul True Lord!

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

The Sect Master’s five-colored venomous energy surged toward Lu Changsheng, as the spectral forms of the Five Poisons roared at him.

But Lu Changsheng’s Chaos Body had fully activated, his blood energy and magic surging like a tidal wave. His Brahma Demon True Form wielded the Da Luo Sword Embryo, shining brightly as it cut through the endless barrage.

Simultaneously, the Inconceivable Treasure Wheel in his mind spun wildly, creating over ten illusory ‘Lu Changshengs’ that charged at the Sect Master.

Though the Sect Master wasn’t skilled in direct combat, she was still a Nascent Soul True Lord.

Her five-colored banner whipped through the air, unleashing countless rays of poisonous light toward Lu Changsheng.

She formed another hand seal, summoning a scorpion-tail-like spiritual treasure that tore through the air, aiming directly at Lu Changsheng’s brow, hoping to assist the Seven Absolute Gu in controlling him.

“Buzz!!!”

Lu Changsheng’s Great King Ming Light dimmed significantly, cracks forming under the assault of the Nascent Soul-level spiritual treasure.

Even with his divine powers, it was difficult to withstand the full force of such an attack.

But the Brahma Demon True Form remained cold and merciless, slashing out with a heaven-shattering and earth-destroying strike.

The sword light radiated brilliantly, illuminating the world with its terrifying splendor.

Even the Sect Master, a Nascent Soul True Lord, was shaken to her core by the sight of such a powerful strike. Her face paled as she realized that during the war to reclaim the land, Lu Changsheng had been holding back.

In that instant, she understood—though he hadn’t broken through to Nascent Soul, he now possessed Nascent Soul-level power!

“Spear of the Demon God, kill!”

Lu Changsheng’s blood energy and magic seemed endless, his kidneys like eternal furnaces burning with power. Another spear of demonic energy appeared in his hand as he hurled it at the Sect Master.

At the same time, a butterfly-shaped like a peach blossom bloomed on his brow, clashing with the Seven Absolute Gu that had merged with the void.

Normally, the third-tier Peach Blossom Gu wouldn’t stand a chance against the Seven Absolute Gu.

But Lu Changsheng’s Taiyi Spirit was as strong as the Sect Master’s, so he sent the Peach Blossom Gu forward, knowing that if he could injure her severely, the Seven Absolute Gu would fall to the Peach Blossom Gu.

“Clang!”

The demonic spear and the scorpion-tail spiritual treasure clashed, sending shockwaves through the air, tearing the void apart.

In Lu Changsheng’s mind, the Inconceivable Treasure Wheel spun wildly, creating an illusion and sending the Three Treasures Incarnation Pearl to sneak into the fray.

Even if the Sect Master could see through the illusion, she wouldn’t expect the surprise attack of the Three Treasures Incarnation Pearl!

“Screech!”

Nearby, the Golden-Winged Roc burned with brilliant golden light as it charged toward the Sect Master.

The Sect Master’s delicate face grew more and more grim as she realized she had underestimated him.

But it wasn’t entirely her fault.

After all, who could have predicted that a Core Formation cultivator, without breaking through to Nascent Soul, could push his power to such heights and go from barely contending with a Nascent Soul to truly wielding Nascent Soul-level strength?

“No matter how strong you are, you’re still only in the Core Formation stage. Let’s see how long your magic lasts!”

Her face cold and expressionless, the Sect Master tossed out a spirit insect pouch, releasing an endless swarm of venomous creatures, their colors bright and deadly.

If one looked closely, they would see that the insects formed a strange field around her, increasing her power and disrupting the energies of others.

“Hiss, hiss, hiss—”

“Caw, caw, caw—”

At the same time, massive spectral forms of the Five Poisons emerged from her five-colored banner, merging with her domain, ready to wear down Lu Changsheng in a battle of attrition.

She admitted that Yangming Zhenren was truly terrifying, his strength on par with a Nascent Soul True Lord.

But in her eyes, his strength relied too heavily on that sword embryo!

Such treasures consumed massive amounts of energy and blood. There was no way he could sustain this level of power for long!