Chapter 68: As Expected, Trouble Brewing

Chapter 68: As Expected, Trouble Brewing

Outside the dungeon, Zhao Han paced back and forth near the door, growing impatient.

"What's taking Wang Wei so long to deliver food? What's there to see about a few scrawny little foxes?" he grumbled to himself, suspicion creeping into his thoughts.

Could it be… does that guy have some perverse interest? Could he actually be into those young ones?

The thought sent a shiver down Zhao Han's spine, and he instinctively shrugged it off.

"Forget it. They're just a few little foxes. Let him do whatever he wants," he muttered.

Just as he was thinking this, Chen Yin emerged from the dungeon, carrying an empty sack.

"Ah, finally done?" Zhao Han greeted him with a grin. "So, how are those little foxes? Are they to your liking, brother?"

"Of course," Chen Yin replied with a smile. "But there’s something else that’s not quite to my liking."

"Oh? And what’s that?"

"...You."

Before Zhao Han could react, a sharp dagger was pressed against his throat.

"If you want to die, try moving," a cold female voice commanded from behind.

Zhao Han froze in shock. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, he realized his meridians, vocal cords, and even ears had been sealed. He could only widen his eyes, staring at Chen Yin.

"Relax, I won’t kill you," Chen Yin said with a calm smile. "I promised someone they’d have the honor of dealing with you themselves."

Unable to speak, Zhao Han could only glare helplessly as a fox-eared girl appeared behind him.

Then a second.

And a third.

One by one, the fox girls emerged from the dungeon. Once they were all free, Qing Ying spoke softly.

"What’s next?"

"Zhao Han has a duty shift at the gate every day," Chen Yin explained. "During that time, aside from us, there won’t be much security."

"You and Luo Luo can take the others and escape while he’s on duty."

"But who’s going to take Zhao Han’s place?"

"I will," Chen Yin said simply.

As he spoke, his face began to shift. In just moments, Zhao Han watched in disbelief as Chen Yin’s appearance morphed into a perfect imitation of himself, down to his voice and build.

"I’ll cover for you at the gate. Get everyone out safely," Chen Yin instructed.

"Got it."

<+>

At the gate, during shift change

A young faction member stood idly by the demonic faction headquarter’s entrance, yawning in boredom.

Moments later, he heard a voice.

"Thanks for your hard work. I’m here to take over."

The faction member looked up to see "Zhao Han" approaching, and couldn’t help but comment, "Old Zhao, what’s with the enthusiasm today? You usually drag your feet until the last minute."

"Ah, just thought I’d switch it up for once. Don’t make it sound like I’m always slacking off," Chen Yin replied in Zhao Han’s voice, chuckling.

"Yeah, right. Slacking off is your specialty," the faction member joked.

"Well, I’m off, then."

"Take care."

Chen Yin waved him off with a smile, but as soon as the faction member was out of sight, his expression grew serious. He made a subtle hand gesture.

At the signal, several figures swiftly slipped through the gate and disappeared into the night.

Once he was sure they hadn’t been noticed, Chen Yin turned to Luo Luo and said, "Find a safe place to hide. There are plenty of wandering demonic cultivators in Xianyun Prefecture—be careful not to expose yourselves."

"And what about you, young master?" Luo Luo asked anxiously.

"I’ll handle things here and come find you once I’m done," Chen Yin reassured her, gently ruffling her hair.

"Alright," Luo Luo murmured. "But young master, please be careful."

Chen Yin nodded, watching as Luo Luo, Qing Ying, and the others silently slipped away. Only when they were out of sight did he stretch and let out a sigh of relief.

"Ah, it’s refreshing to be on my own again," he muttered. "Now I don’t have to hold back."

He began humming a tune, lazily pacing near the gate. But just as he started to relax, a group of demonic faction members rushed past, their expressions tense.

Huh?

Chen Yin grabbed one of them and asked, "What’s going on? Why all the commotion?"

"Someone said they spotted an outsider near the headquarters last night. Everyone’s out searching now," the faction member replied.

Chen Yin’s eyes narrowed slightly.

—That’s odd. Could we have been discovered already?

"Did they see what the person looked like?"

"Not clearly… but they mentioned blue clothing."

Blue clothing? That rules out Qing Ying and Luo Luo.

But an uneasy feeling crept into Chen Yin’s mind.

—No way. It can’t be.

<+>

Meanwhile, in the grand hall at the heart of the demonic faction

The hall was vast and shadowy, its grandeur muted by an air of desolation. On the throne sat a lone figure.

The man wore a flamboyant black fur coat, his gaunt, sharp features resembling a sculpture carved from stone. His aura was cold and solitary, yet it roiled like a sea of blood, oppressive and overwhelming.

He sat motionless, his head resting on one hand, as if frozen in time.

After a long while, a subordinate entered the hall and knelt before the throne.

"Master. We couldn’t locate the intruder."

The man’s eyes narrowed slightly before closing again.

"Leave," he ordered in a raspy voice.

The subordinate hesitated. "Should we continue the search?"

"There’s no need," the man replied indifferently, waving a hand. "If a bug has crawled in, it’s likely for tomorrow’s Nether Sacrifice."

He let out a low chuckle. "When they deliver themselves to the trap, we’ll deal with them then."

"Understood," the subordinate said, bowing deeply before retreating.

The man drummed his fingers rhythmically on the armrest of his throne, lost in thought.

After a long pause, he spoke again.

"Bring the Saintess to see me."

Soon, a woman in plain robes entered the hall. She stopped before the throne and gave a slight bow. "Master."

Though her words were respectful, her tone carried no trace of reverence.

"Is everything ready for tomorrow’s Nether Sacrifice?" the man asked.

"What’s there to prepare?" the woman scoffed. "I just sit and watch, don’t I?"

The man showed no anger, his voice calm and even. "You are the Saintess of the demonic faction. Such a dismissive attitude—what will the members think?"

He paused. "The Nether Sacrifice is a grand event that occurs once every century. As the Saintess, you should set an example for the faction."

The woman snorted but said nothing, turning her head away in silent defiance.

After a moment of contemplation, the man asked, “Have you encountered any bottlenecks in your cultivation lately?”

“No need to concern yourself. My progress is smooth,” she replied curtly, her tone distant, making it difficult to continue the conversation.

“That’s good,” the man said calmly.

He slowly stood, clasping his hands behind his back, and walked to the edge of the dais. His voice rang out, steady and firm:

“I allowed you to become the Saintess of the demonic faction, granting you unrestricted access to resources and power, without infringing upon your freedom.”

“All I seek is the hope of revitalizing the demonic faction that I see in you.”

“If you can master the Refined Nether Arts to its fullest, then in time, no one in the vast cultivation world will be able to rival you.”

“As long as you agree to revive the glory of our demonic faction as the Demonic Overlord, everything else is yours to decide.”

“...These terms—do not forget them,” the man said flatly.

Yu Xiang turned her face away, expressionless, and replied stiffly, “Rest assured. You’ve repeated this so often I’m sick of hearing it. Naturally, I won’t forget.”

The man nodded slowly, his gaze sweeping over the hall, which had already been prepared for the ritual. Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on his face.

“What are you laughing at?” Yu Xiang asked, looking at him suspiciously.

“Do you know who this Nether Sacrifice is meant to honor?”

Yu Xiang shook her head. Matters of the demonic faction didn’t interest her, so she had never bothered to learn.

“It’s the first Demonic Overlord,” the man said slowly.

“He once divided the cultivation world equally with the Ancient Celestial Sovereign, bringing the demonic faction to its zenith.”

“But in the end, even he met a tragic and lonely demise. Truly lamentable.”

Yu Xiang’s brows furrowed. She couldn’t discern what he was getting at.

“...Forget it,” the man waved dismissively. “Get some rest. Tomorrow morning, you mustn’t miss the Nether Sacrifice.”

“Understood,” Yu Xiang replied tersely before turning to leave the hall.

As she exited, the grand hall returned to its dim and eerie silence. The man resumed his seat on the throne, his expression remaining calm and composed.

—I wonder if that little insect will bring some entertainment to tomorrow’s ritual.

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

<+>

Disguised as Zhao Han, Chen Yin joined the other demonic cultivators in searching for several hours before receiving the order to cease and return to their rooms.

Back in his quarters, Chen Yin couldn’t shake the feeling that the intruder wasn’t him or Luo Luo and Qing Ying.

“...Let’s hope it’s not what I think. Otherwise, this is going to get messy again,” he thought.

With that, he lay back and fell into a deep sleep.

<+>

Chen Yin was jolted awake early the next morning by the clamor outside.

“What’s with all the noise?” he grumbled, rubbing his eyes as he stepped out of his room.

To his astonishment, the usually quiet passageways of the headquarters were bustling with people, all marching in an orderly procession.

They wore strange, eye-catching ceremonial robes reminiscent of some ancient and sinister ritual. Their faces were obscured by intimidating masks, and they carried torches, drums, and peculiar totems.

As they marched, they chanted in an unfamiliar language, reciting what sounded like prayers.

Chen Yin froze for a moment, overwhelmed by the spectacle.

—So this is the Nether Sacrifice?

It was far grander and livelier than he had imagined.

Deciding to blend in, he casually joined the procession, letting the crowd carry him forward.

But as he glanced to the side, his heart nearly stopped.

Standing not far from him in the crowd was someone he recognized immediately.

—Senior Sister?!

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