Chapter 57 of 100

Chapter 57

15 min read3,799 words

Inside the Zhengyi Sect, it was eerily quiet. Lin Fan flew close to the main hall and roared, "Where is the Sect Leader?"

A bolt of golden lightning shot out from the main hall, knocking Lin Fan to the ground, smoke rising from his head. The Sect Leader poked his head out of a window: "You're not dead?" His tone was somewhat displeased, but his face showed surprise. "Spicy chicken threads," two months ago, Ximen Shuai came to report the news of his death. After calculating, he found that Lin Fan was still alive, but he was still somewhat uneasy. Now, seeing him alive, his mood naturally improved.

The Sect Leader didn't use the main door but floated out of the window, tilting his head to look at Wu'er behind Lin Fan: "Where did you pick her up? Your taste is terrible."

Wu'er lowered her head, looking at the hem of her clothes. Lin Fan said, "Wu'er, there's water over there. Go rest first, make yourself at home."

"Yes!" Wu'er bowed her head and landed by the well.

The Sect Leader moved closer to Lin Fan and looked at Wu'er: "Is she your wife?"

"..." Lin Fan ignored him and recounted the entire story.

"Jiu Wu?" The Sect Leader, San San Zhenren, thought for a long time but had no memory of this person. San San Zhenren said, "I can't make a decision on this. I'll talk to the Sect Leader and also discuss it with Zijuzhenren to see if Zizhulin will accept her. But... did you smell something on her?"

Lin Fan nodded: "Her whole body is covered in sores, some of which are infected. Although she washes every day, ... I thought leaving the Misty Swamp would help her skin recover, but it seems to be the same as it was in the Misty Swamp."

"Strange." San San Zhenren pondered, "Cultivators are immune to all diseases. From what you said, it's not caused by external forces... Wu'er, come here."

San San Zhenren and Lin Fan landed by a chess table. Wu'er stood in front of San San Zhenren, very uneasy. San San Zhenren said, "Take off the cloth on your face."

"..." Wu'er didn't move.

"My disciples have already seen you. Letting the Sect Leader see you won't take a piece of meat from you." San San Zhenren was quite impatient, what was she being so shy about?

Wu'er finally took off the rough cloth covering her face. San San Zhenren was mentally prepared, but he was still startled. Her face was indeed a bit ugly and somewhat disgusting. San San Zhenren leaned in, puzzled: "It seems like a poison, but it's not. Does it hurt?"

Wu'er shook her head.

"Does it itch?"

Wu'er shook her head again.

At this moment, a sore burst, and a stream of pus ran down her face. Wu'er felt it and hurriedly wiped it away, then covered her face with her hand, turning her side to San San Zhenren. San San Zhenren frowned and said, "Come with me to the main hall to see the Sect Leader... Lin Fan, go pay respects to Old Zhang."

"Yes!" Lin Fan sighed and, after San San Zhenren and Wu'er left, took incense and candles from his room and flew to the foot of Zhengyi Mountain, where Old Zhang's grave was. Lin Fan burned the incense: "I'm late... Cultivating immortality, what kind of immortality? Seeking longevity, yet death is inevitable. Laozi, bless Old Zhang in his next life, with a large family, no more lonely cultivation."

...

After talking at Old Zhang's grave, Lin Fan returned to the main hall. It was so close, he could visit whenever he had time. Half an hour later, San San Zhenren and Wu'er returned together. Wu'er's head was even lower, and San San Zhenren was furious. As soon as he saw Lin Fan, he roared, "Spicy chicken threads, giving that woman a bit of leeway, and she starts to act like a tyrant, lawless and unruly."

Lin Fan asked, "Which woman are you referring to?"

"Qian Yu, who else?"

"Sect Leader, that woman is the Sect Leader," Lin Fan reminded him.

"Big deal."

Lin Fan asked, "What happened?"

Wu'er spoke: "Qian Yu Zhenren said I have an unknown background. She greatly appreciated my rescue of the disciples, but Yunqing Mountain cannot take me in."

Lin Fan was furious: "That dead woman..."

San San Zhenren slapped the back of Lin Fan's head: "No respect... Actually, her concerns are reasonable. The Misty Swamp is within the Cangmang Wasteland, a place where evil people gather. Plus, the Demon Lord sent a message to the Sect Leader, saying that there might be strange occurrences in the Cangmang Wasteland in the next few decades. The Sect Leader is also helpless. Wu'er, you can stay at the Zhengyi Sect for now." This meant that the Sect Leader was worried that Wu'er might be a spy for the evil sects. What Lin Fan didn't know was that the Demon Lord's message to the Sect Leader included the content that the first evil sect in the Cangmang Wasteland, the Ten Thousand Evil Sect, planned to send spies to infiltrate the demon and righteous sects. Their goals were to sow discord between the righteous and the demons, transmit information, and understand the enemy.

The main reason the evil sects were so eager to invade the Twelve Continents was that the demon and righteous sects occupied the immortal mountains and blessed lands, while they were in poor and harsh environments. However, the evil sects were divided and suspicious of each other, making it difficult to form a united front. Now, the Ten Thousand Evil Sect's current Sect Leader had plans.

The Demon Lord was concerned that the Ten Thousand Evil Sect might ally with several sects to attack one of the continents. For example, if they attacked the Southern Continent, other continents' sects might not help due to selfishness, leaving the Southern Continent's Lei Mountain Sect and other sects to defend alone. Of course, due to the current alliance between the righteous and the demons, this situation wouldn't occur. For the evil sects to invade the Twelve Continents, they must first create internal strife between the righteous and the demons. Sending spies was a clever move. For example, the Purple Flute Hall in the Central Continent and the Green Peace Sect in the Northern Continent were lifelong enemies. Although they had been peaceful for centuries, if someone deliberately provoked them, they might fight. Especially with the current Purple Flute Hall Sect Leader being short-sighted and lacking the demeanor of a grandmaster, it would be easier for villains to take advantage.

Wu'er said, "Thank you, San San Zhenren, but Wu'er has a place to go and won't disturb you anymore."

"Stay if I tell you to stay. Why so much nonsense?" San San Zhenren was annoyed and said, "Lin Fan, take her to copy the sect rules ten times and bring them to me."

Wu'er cried: "Thank you, Zhenren."

"Copy twenty times, spicy chicken threads." San San Zhenren waved for Wu'er and Lin Fan to leave.

Wu'er followed Lin Fan: "Did I say something wrong?"

"Call the Sect Leader 'Sect Leader,' and outsiders call him 'Zhenren.'"

San San Zhenren watched the two enter the main hall, frowning in thought. In the main hall, because Wu'er was present, Qian Yu Zhenren used a secret method to tell San San Zhenren the real reason for not accepting Wu'er. The sores on Wu'er's face and body were not caused by illness but seemed to be the result of an evil spell. Qian Yu Zhenren, not only a powerful cultivator but also an expert in medicine, found something amiss with Wu'er. Cultivators don't get sick, but they can suffer from cultivation mishaps. Early detection can still be salvaged. Additionally, cultivation medicine can repair damaged true essence, treat severe injuries, and neutralize poisons and curses.

San San Zhenren couldn't expel Wu'er, not because of Wu'er but because of Lin Fan. It was clear that Lin Fan felt sympathy and gratitude for Wu'er. For this reason alone, he had to accept her. As for the spy issue... the Zhengyi Sect only had three people, and no one could visit without the Sect Leader's permission. The mountain protection array of the Zhengyi Sect was long neglected, making it worthless for a spy. San San Zhenren could see that Wu'er was inherently kind, but if she was under an evil spell, it didn't matter if she was kind or not. Was it a curse? Who was this Jiu Wu old woman? Even the Qingyuan Sect Leader, who knew a thousand years of history, didn't know.

Strange, according to Lin Fan, the Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord clearly knew the power of the Misty Swamp and didn't dare to chase into it. But why hadn't he heard of the Misty Swamp? The various evil sects didn't list the Misty Swamp as a forbidden place. Could it be that only someone of the Demon Lord's status knew the true power of the Misty Swamp?

---