Urban Invincible Overlord

"Heh, you’ve already fallen to the level of a prisoner waiting for execution, death is at your doorstep, and you’re still this arrogant. I really don’t know whether it’s because this Zhou Wanqing you mentioned is famous enough, or because you’re too stupid, that you still dare to utter threats."

Qin Yanyang snorted coldly. With a lift of her hand, a streak of razor-sharp Sword Qi sliced off Gongyang Shan’s other arm.

Gongyang Shan howled in agony. Terror and boundless rage surged in him as he glared at Qin Yanyang with sky-high resentment and said, "You dare... dare kill me, my Master will definitely tear you into ten thousand pieces. No matter if you flee to the ends of the earth, there will only be one road for you—death."

"Noisy."

A flash of killing intent flickered in Qin Yanyang’s eyes. Her powerful Divine Sense blasted forth, directly shattering Gongyang Shan’s Divine Sense. At the same time, Sword Qi swept across the air and cleanly severed his head.

Watching Gongyang Shan’s head roll away and his soul completely scattered, Qin Yanyang said mildly, "I really can’t understand it. He’d already fallen into our hands, so where did he get the courage to still act so crazed with his words? Is he really not afraid of death?"

Tong Yunshu said, "The vast majority of people in this world fear death; of course this person does too. It’s just that, judging from his tone, that Master of his called Zhou Wanqing is very formidable. He expected that once we heard this name, we’d feel apprehensive and wouldn’t dare lay a hand on him."

"Even if that Master of his were the King of Heaven himself, I’d still kill him all the same," Qin Yanyang said.

Tong Yunshu slowly nodded. "This person has committed all manner of evil and indeed deserves to die. But his tone was so overbearing just now, I’m afraid that killing him will bring us trouble as well. This place is no longer safe for us to stay."

Qin Yanyang’s expression dimmed. "Yes. In fact, living here in Nanmu Village has been quite good. The villagers are simple and sincere; we’ve already gotten used to life here. Now that we have to leave, I actually feel a bit reluctant."

Tong Yunshu said, "As do I. But this Wushen sect is notorious throughout the Southern Domain, with influence everywhere. Since we’ve made enemies of people from the Wushen sect, we have no choice but to stay on guard."

Qin Yanyang nodded slightly.

With a light wave of her fair hand, a gray storage bag that Gongyang Shan carried with him fell into her palm.

Her Divine Sense probed inside. The inner space was not large, but the items within all carried a sense of evil and chaos.

Dozens of Jade Bottles were lined up inside, mostly filled with Elixirs that nourished blood and qi and aided Cultivation, but several of them exuded a chilling aura, clearly meant to be used together with Gu Techniques or Evil Skills.

Off to one side lay piles of various talismans. In addition to common Fireball Talismans and Icicle Talismans, there were also a few talismans with turbid auras, faintly emanating the power of curses and filth—likely unique to the Wushen sect. There were also Beast Taming Rings and Soul Control Bells engraved with strange runes, as well as several unknown Materials and Treasures brimming with dense Yin Sha Qi.

The most eye-catching item was an oddly shaped object in a corner of the storage bag.

It was neither quite metal nor wood, dark purple all over, shaped like a twisted piece of dead branch, yet faintly flowing with an indescribable ancient luster. The moment Qin and Tong’s hands touched it, a trace of unease and vigilance rose simultaneously in the depths of their minds.

"This thing is somewhat strange." Tong Yunshu’s delicate brows knitted slightly as she carefully examined this Magic Treasure. "Its aura is restrained and profound, not like a mundane item, yet I can’t sense its specific use or any threat."

Qin Yanyang nodded in agreement. "The Wushen sect has after all existed for a long time. It’s not surprising they have some bizarre Magic Artifacts. This thing may look extraordinary, but we can’t see through its mysteries for now. Let’s put it away and study it slowly. If we really can’t figure it out in the future, we can take it to a workshop somewhere and sell it off; it might fetch a good price."

Tong Yunshu hurriedly said, "We mustn’t. Since this thing is mysterious and no common item, it’s very likely the signature Magic Treasure of that Evil Cultivator. If we take it to a workshop to sell, we might leave a trail and end up being targeted by other people from the Wushen sect."

A chill shot through Qin Yanyang’s heart as she was startled.

That’s right. She and Tong Yunshu were now traveling across the Southern Domain Cultivation World, and they had just killed an Evil Cultivator of the Wushen sect. They did indeed have to be cautious in all things—any small matter warranted vigilance and attention, lest carelessness invite disaster.

"Then should we destroy this thing directly?" Qin Yanyang asked.

Tong Yunshu looked at that Magic Treasure, thought of the several powerful Magic Treasures on Yang Fei, and said, "No need. Perhaps this really is a very awesome Magic Treasure. Let’s keep it with us for now. Once we figure out its purpose and effects later, we can then decide whether to keep it or discard it."

Qin Yanyang thought so too and handed it to Tong Yunshu. "You keep it?"

Tong Yunshu shook her head. "You killed the man, and you’re the one who looted the stuff. You keep it."

Qin Yanyang didn’t stand on ceremony and put it away.

The two of them had no idea that this so-called "treasure" they had seemingly obtained by chance was called the "Soul Erosion Guide." It appeared mysterious and bizarre, as if it were some ancient, awesome top-grade treasure, but in truth it possessed no offensive or defensive power. Its core function was Tracking and marking.

Once Gongyang Shan died and this item fell into another’s hands, as long as it was not immediately destroyed, a wisp of special soul-mark contained within would quietly attach itself to the bearer.

Whether the item was kept on one’s person or traded away, Zhou Wanqing, far away in the Wushen sect’s main altar, would be able to roughly sense its location through a Secret Technique, thereby locking onto the enemies who killed his disciple.

It was precisely this special method that allowed Zhou Wanqing, whenever his various disciples and underlings were slain in the past, to immediately lock onto his enemies, then secretly tail and investigate them. Once he confirmed they posed no threat, he would seek them out and kill them, and in doing so gradually established this lofty image of an Evil Cultivator who cherishes his disciples and always avenges them, earning himself tremendous notoriety throughout the Southern Domain Cultivation World.

Qin Yanyang and Tong Yunshu naturally knew nothing of this, and by keeping this bizarre artifact, they unknowingly planted a great calamity for the future.

Tong Yunshu flicked out a strand of True Fire, reducing Gongyang Shan’s corpse to ashes and thoroughly cleaning up the scene.

She looked at Qin Yanyang. "We can’t stay here. From what that man said before he died, his Master Zhou Wanqing seems to be an extremely difficult character to deal with. Even if we don’t fear him, we still have to guard against the possibility that it won’t just be Zhou Wanqing alone coming to avenge him."

Qin Yanyang was in full agreement. "Exactly. The Wushen sect is powerful, and besides, he just said his Master is a Nascent Soul Stage old freak. If Zhou Wanqing really personally comes to investigate the cause of his death, we are no match for him at all."

The two acted decisively and efficiently. That very night they quietly left the riverside wooden house where they had lived for many years, without alarming any of the villagers. Their figures blended into the vast night, disappearing without a trace.

At the same time, deep within the Southern Domain, amidst the Ten-Thousand-Great-Mountain range shrouded in miasma and poisonous fog—

The mountains here were perilously steep, ancient trees towered to the heavens, and venomous insects and fierce beasts ran rampant. This was the site of one of the Wushen sect’s branch altars.

Inside a shadowy palace built against the mountain, eerie green flames danced along the surrounding walls, casting flickering light over numerous ferocious statues of gods and demons.

An old man wearing a black robe, his face gaunt and withered yet his eyes sharp like a hawk’s, was seated cross-legged at the center of a complex Array. Suddenly, his heart stirred; he snapped his eyes open, a trace of savagery and pain flashing within them.

This was precisely Gongyang Shan’s Master, the infamous Nascent Soul Stage old monster of the Wushen sect—Zhou Wanqing!