SIGH!

Yang Wudi looked at the iron cage bars that shone with Immortal Light around him, and at the group of menacing Immortal Soldiers outside, his expression full of bitterness.

I'm done for.

How should he explain this to the Sect Master? That he was captured by mistake by the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion due to carelessness?

It was possible. After all, only a handful of people at the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion knew of his role as an inside agent, and they were all high-ranking officials.

But the entire process of his capture was a complete mess!

Even in the worst-case scenario, the Sect Master wouldn't possibly mistake him for a double agent working for the Ten Evils Hall, right?

Since when do two battling forces openly stuff spies into each other's ranks?

The lightest punishment for a fiend from the Ten Evils Hall falling into the hands of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion was temporary detention to observe subsequent events; most, however, were killed on the spot.

Of course, the reason I was captured by the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion was actually...

SIGH!

Yang Wudi sighed, wishing he could slap himself a few times.

I truly hadn't expected the Ten Evils Hall to have its own internal factions! Those fellows controlled by the Evil God's blood weren't pure at heart at all!

Because he had performed too outstandingly in the mission to assassinate the young master of the Ji Family, the higher-ups in the Ten Evils Hall had already spread the word that they intended to heavily utilize Yang Wudi, this rising star.

I'd just been received by the Chief Elder of the Fourth Main Hall, and as soon as I left, I was sold out by jealous fiends from the Ten Evils Hall!

The moment I'd arrived at that 'hideout,' Immortal Soldiers from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion were already storming the place!

As an honest and straightforward practitioner of Body Cultivation, why should I have to face so much deceit and conspiracy!

SIGH!

Yang Wudi stroked his bald head, his face etched with distress.

Feeling the Immortal Soldiers beginning to descend with the cage, Yang Wudi looked down to see several grand halls standing atop the mountain.

This must be a branch pavilion of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

Yang Wudi was in no mood to take in the surrounding scenery. He hugged his head and curled up inside the iron cage, like a frostbitten eggplant.

He was taken directly to a grand hall where, from a distance, he saw Wu Wang sitting behind a desk in the center.

Sect...

No, I mustn't call out right now.

Yang Wudi immediately became alert. Seeing Wu Wang simply looking down at some documents and completely ignoring him made him truly anxious.

Eventually, Wu Wang spoke, "Bring in all the fiends captured with him."

"Yes!"

An Immortal Soldier acknowledged the order and soon dragged over a dozen fiends into the grand hall.

Wu Wang put down the documents and slowly walked up to Yang Wudi and the others, looking down at a fiend kneeling before him.

Wu Wang asked, "You. Have you killed mortals?"

The fiend trembled all over, shaking his head hastily as he cried out, "My lord, spare my life! I've never killed an innocent person!"

Immediately, an Immortal Soldier brought over a tray holding a Crystal Ball.

Wu Wang glanced at the Crystal Ball and said coldly, "Your blood energy is contained, and resentment clings to you. Yet you still claim you haven't killed innocent people?"

"My lord, my lord! I...!"

BANG!

Wu Wang's right foot swung in a graceful arc.

The shouting fiend was flung thirty feet away, tumbled several times on the ground, and passed out.

Wu Wang said, "I detest liars the most. Take him out and let him bake in the sun."

A group of Immortal Soldiers quickly rushed over and carried the fiend away.

The Grand Elder and Xiao Jian Daoist appeared at the entrance of the grand hall, standing like door guardians as they activated two layers of Transcendent Barriers.

Wu Wang casually walked to the second fiend, looking down at him.

"You..."

"I have! I have killed innocent people!"

BANG!

Wu Wang's left foot moved in slow motion. The man flew over Yang Wudi's head, his jaw clearly dislocated, as he spat blood from his mouth.

"To be so brazen about wantonly killing innocents. When you bake him in the sun, put a brazier beneath him."

More Immortal Soldiers dashed forward, taking that fiend away.

Wu Wang, hands behind his back, calmly walked forward two steps, naturally bypassing Yang Wudi to stand in front of the third person.

"And you?"

GULP—

The man's Adam's apple quivered several times as he looked up at Wu Wang and shouted, "Actually, I was forced by those villains! I originally just wanted to be a minor cultivator!"

"SWOOSH. SNAP."

Wu Wang made two light sounds with his mouth.

The fiend before him seemed somewhat perplexed. He looked up, wanting to know what kind of leg technique this was and what was so special about it.

The swift and nimble Immortal Soldier holding the tray leaped up and kicked the man, sending him flying directly!

Without Wu Wang needing to say more, this fiend was also carried out to be baked in the sun.

Just like that, Wu Wang went around and knocked out more than ten fiends with kicks, having each one dragged out to bake in the sun.

At last, it was Yang Wudi's turn.

Wu Wang stood in front of this bald, sturdy man. Watching Yang Wudi tremble slightly, Wu Wang said coldly, "You. Have you ever killed an innocent person?"

Yang Wudi's voice trembled, "No, I haven't killed any! Not even half a person!"

Wu Wang kicked him, but without using much force.

Yang Wudi flew sideways with the momentum, rolling twice on the ground, his tongue lolling out as he pretended to be unconscious.

Wu Wang said coldly, "Hmph! You can't even kill people. You're incompetent at something as simple as being a villain. I, the Hall Master, despise those who do not take their work seriously the most."

Immediately, an Immortal Soldier came forward, intending to carry Yang Wudi away.

"All of you, step back. Leave this brawny one here; I haven't had enough fun beating him yet."

The Immortal Soldiers looked at each other, quickly bowed, and trotted out of the hall with their heads down.

As they left, they could still hear the sound of CRACKLING whips from inside. Each of them shuddered, sensing the cruel and cold nature of the Punishment Hall Master.

In reality, Wu Wang had only symbolically kicked Yang Wudi a few times, not leaving even a minor injury.

"Get up. The Barrier set by the Grand Elder won't be spied upon."

Wu Wang cursed unhappily,

"You, acting as an inside agent, could actually be captured by the Immortal Soldiers of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion!

"Don't go around saying you were trained by me! Isn't that embarrassing? Huh? Isn't it shameful?"

"Hehe."

Yang Wudi looked up at Wu Wang. Seeing the Sect Master's face was only cold and not thunderous with anger, he immediately decided to seize the opportunity to curry favor.

He flipped to his feet, rubbed his large hands, twisted his neck, and leaned forward slightly, his face expressing simple honesty.

"Sect Master, you don't know, the Ten Evils Hall is truly too vicious!

"I missed you, Sect Master, and I was terrified of actually dying there. That's why I deliberately exposed a flaw and let myself be captured by the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion..."

"Is that so?"

Wu Wang returned to his seat behind the long desk and chuckled disdainfully,

"I feel like you've made some great achievements there at the Ten Evils Hall, but because of an unstable foundation and a lack of understanding of the internal factions within the Ten Evils Hall, you were betrayed by someone with an agenda."

"This..."

Yang Wudi shuddered twice. My little tricks are no match for the Sect Master, he sighed inwardly.

He put on an extremely aggrieved expression, muttering, "You already knew and still mock me."

Wu Wang also laughed and threw a few Jade Talismans over.

These contained the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion's investigations into the matter, as well as the testimonies of those dozen or so fiends.

After looking them over for a while, Yang Wudi cursed, "The Ten Evils Hall still thinks about growing and expanding? Just look at how devout they were when worshiping the Evil God! Disgusting!"

Wu Wang asked, "Is there still no information on the location of the Fourth Main Hall?"

"Sect Master, they are very cautious. My time inside was too short."

Yang Wudi said,

"Every time they summoned me to the main hall, they would seal my six senses first. Only when I arrived would they allow me to regain perception of the outside world.

"The perimeter of the main hall is covered with two-way Formations, blocking external Immortal Consciousness from investigating.

"And it must have involved a Teleportation Array; each time I regained my senses, I would feel an aching sensation from being squeezed by Heaven and Earth.

"This makes it very hard to determine the location of the Fourth Main Hall."

"Indeed. Since the Second Main Hall was dismantled, they've certainly become more cautious."

Wu Wang pondered briefly and then said with a smile,

"It doesn't matter. Since you've come back, I will secretly send you to the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to cultivate for a while. After the Ten Evils Hall is annihilated, you can return to the Annihilation Sect openly and with great fanfare.

"Thank you for your hard work during this period."

Yang Wudi quickly said, "Hehehe, Sect Master, you're being too formal with me."

Wu Wang asked, "While at the Ten Evils Hall, did you gain any benefits?"

"What benefits could there be? It's all bitter hardship."

Yang Wudi's face filled with emotion, his bald head seemingly etched with the words 'poor' and 'bitter.' He sighed,

"The Ten Evils Hall itself is very poor, relying on the Blood Pool to control people's hearts. Not to mention offerings, they can't even supply enough Spirit Stones for the normal cultivation needs of the Cultivators.

"Speaking of which, those who were captured and taken there really are pitiful.

"They genuinely didn't do anything, yet they were forced to become fiends."

"You don't have to worry about that."

Wu Wang said, "If the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion captures these fiends, I will find a way to strip the Evil God's blood from their bodies."

Yang Wudi pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Sect Master, I... I still want to go back."

"Oh?" Wu Wang's gaze held a hint of mischief. "Do you have a sweetheart you're worried about leaving behind?"

"I do have a few sweethearts..."

"Hmm?"

"But that was all for the sake of being a good inside agent for you, Sect Master! Merely part of the act!"

Yang Wudi proclaimed loudly with an air of righteousness,

"I am willing to resolve the troubles of the Ten Evils Hall for the Sect Master! I'll lead the charge and will not shirk my duty!"

"There's no need," Wu Wang waved his hand dismissively. "The Ten Evils Hall is only a minor problem. Using inside agents to defeat them is really bullying them too much.

"Our real enemies are the parents of the Ten Evils Hall."

Yang Wudi raised his eyebrows.

That must be sarcasm! The Sect Master is definitely being sarcastic!

If I agree to that now, the Sect Master's next words will surely be:

'Wudi, why have you gotten fatter recently? I'm fining you three thousand years of your stipend. Considering you might not live another three thousand years, this portion of the punishment should be paid in advance.'

That's definitely how it'll be!

"Sect Master!"

Yang Wudi knelt on one knee, cupped his fist, and declared loudly,

"I wish to try once more. Perhaps I can spare the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion considerable loss!

"I am a son of the Annihilation Sect, your trusted general. Now that the upper echelons of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion know that I serve as their inside agent, returning without accomplishments would reflect poorly on you!

"Moreover, the fiends from the Ten Evils Hall deserve nothing less than death!

"I am first a member of the Human Domain, then your subordinate, and only after that, an inside agent for the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion infiltrating the Ten Evils Hall!"

"Wudi..."

Wu Wang's eyes narrowed as he looked at Yang Wudi, a trace of inexplicable emotion welling up within him.

Perhaps this is the flame that burns in the heart of everyone in the Human Domain.

It's rare for Wudi to have such aspirations. As his Sect Master, I shouldn't stand in his way.

Wu Wang said warmly, "Alright, I'll support you fully and arrange the most reasonable way for you to extricate yourself, allowing you to return safely to the Ten Evils Hall and continue to serve as an inside agent!"

"Thank you, Sect Master!"

Yang Wudi bowed his head to receive the command, truly relieved in his heart.

I really didn't guess wrong!

Outside the hall, Xiao Jian Daoist looked toward the Grand Elder and said via voice transmission with a smile, "Though the Annihilation Sect may be small in scale, it truly is a den of crouching tigers and hidden dragons."

The Grand Elder smiled and stroked his beard, standing even more upright.

...

What time is it now?

In the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, Ling Xiaolan's place of seclusion, the cocoon of light gradually dissipated, revealing a charming figure sitting cross-legged in midair.

Her crystalline toes pointed downward, suspended half an inch from the ground on a cushion of Immortal Light, while her gossamer-like skirt gently fell around her, displaying her impressive figure, though no one was there to see.

Subsequently, she used Immortal Light to bind her form, making her appearance seem more 'even,' thus appearing somewhat more ordinary.

Before becoming an Immortal, Fairy Ling considered all visible things to be filthy.

After becoming an Immortal, this obsession with cleanliness seemed to have intensified. She was not very fond of others gazing upon her; except when alone with Wu Wang, she always had a layer of concealing Immortal Light around her.

Fragments of scripture and constant insights emerged in her heart. Her cultivation realm had reached the mid-Yuanxian Realm and was even on the cusp of another breakthrough...

Ling Xiaolan closed her eyes. What always emerged in her heart was the image of Wu Wang sitting among stone slabs, seeking answers in desperation, looking almost mad.

Brother Wuwang is truly a...

She couldn't find a suitable adjective. She felt that even after reading scriptures and books for so many years, her vocabulary was still somewhat insufficient.

An Immortal woman arrived on a cloud, landing outside the secluded hall. She performed a Daoist salute to Ling Xiaolan, saying,

"Saintess, I, by order of the Vice Pavilion Master, have come to inform you.

"Because of the upheaval caused by the Ten Evils Hall, Brother Ji suffered a sneak attack and was gravely injured. Wuwang Palace Lord has already led a force to settle scores with the Ten Evils Hall. At this moment, he is not in the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

"If you wish to find Wuwang Palace Lord, I will immediately arrange for transportation and send you to the northeast."

Ling Xiaolan's brows furrowed lightly as she asked, "When did Brother Wuwang leave? Is Brother Ji's injury very serious?"

"Alas," the Immortal woman sighed, "Brother Ji's cultivation foundation has been partially destroyed. I'm afraid his future achievements will be limited to the True Immortal Realm. The Ji Family is furious about this and has pressured our Benevolent Emperor Pavilion several times."

Ling Xiaolan let out a small sigh of relief and said,

"It's good that he's alive, and a cultivation foundation can be restored.

"There's no need to trouble the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion; I have some Sect Elders waiting for me outside as well."

Hearing this, the attendant from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion did not insist any further.

Ling Xiaolan first went to Wu Wang's residence to take a look. She cleaned the room she had stayed in until it was spotless, then left with peace of mind to meet up with several experts from the Xuan Nu Sect.

She didn't head directly to the branch pavilion where Wu Wang was; instead, she first returned to her Sect.

The Xuan Nu Sect possessed Cultivation Techniques to mend a cultivator's damaged foundation.

Of course, it was a Cultivation Technique for women, which then had effects when applied to men.

This technique required the permission of the Sect before it could be passed on to a designated woman. Ling Xiaolan was returning to her Sect to request permission to transfer such a technique to Le Yao.

When it came to dual cultivation techniques, since the Hehuan Sect's downfall, the Xuan Nu Sect stood as the sole standard-bearer.

The two sects' techniques were vastly different; the Xuan Nu Sect's technique was more 'pure,' while the Hehuan Sect's technique focused on integrating enjoyment with instruction, making cultivation full of pleasure.

Unfortunately, because the Hehuan Sect treated cultivators outside their sect as nourishment, it was ultimately annihilated by a coalition.

Ling Xiaolan made a brief stop at the Xuan Nu Sect and, under the protection of several experts, hurried towards that branch pavilion.

They were seated upon a lotus flower, traversing high above thousands of mountains and rivers.

When they were just over a thousand miles away from the branch pavilion, an Xuan Nu Sect expert suddenly woke the meditating Ling Xiaolan and whispered,

"Saintess, there's something unusual ahead."

"Unusual in what way?"

"Saintess, please look."

The elderly woman exhaled, and a cloud slowly condensed, revealing a starry night sky.

A silver-gray shuttle was gliding slowly through the night.

The old woman's finger touched the cloud, and the image flickered briefly, revealing people inside the shuttle engaged in a Duel. Several black-robed 'prisoners,' shackled at their hands and feet, were struggling frantically, colliding violently with a group of Immortal Soldiers.

Among these 'prisoners,' the bald body cultivator was the most ferocious. For some reason, the restraints on him had shattered, and he erupted with formidable strength, directly overturning several Immortal Soldiers and blasting a hole in the shuttle.

A few clever 'prisoners' followed the muscular bald man and leaped into the night sky.

Inside the shuttle, half of the Immortal Soldiers rushed to capture them; Immortal Light flared up in various parts of the sky as hundreds of Immortal Soldiers converged on the location.

The old woman asked, "Saintess, shall we intervene and capture them?"

Ling Xiaolan's expression was somewhat strange.

She recognized the muscular bald man as Wu Wang's guard, having seen him once or twice before. She was also unsure whether this was an act or a genuine escape.

Ling Xiaolan asked, "Can you pull the Cloud Mirror back a bit?"

The old woman complied.

Ling Xiaolan, pondering the deployment of the surrounding Immortal Soldiers, soon said, "It's none of our concern. Leave them be."

"Yes," replied the old woman. With that, the Lotus Platform, shining with Immortal Light, drifted far away.

In the dense forest below, Yang Wudi was hiding in a muddy patch. He heaved a long sigh of relief when he saw the Lotus Platform drifting away.

It would be too unjust if I were slapped to death by some passing expert.

Yang Wudi introspected his Primordial Spirit and inwardly lamented.

There floated a small clump of grey cloud. This cloud was extraordinarily good at concealment and had many other wonderful uses, for example...

"Sect Master," called out Yang Wudi's Primordial Spirit softly, "someone from the Xuan Nu Sect has come."

The grey mist coalesced into the shadowy figure of an old man, but the voice that emerged was Wu Wang's, "Mind your own business! Why bother with them?"

"Ah, hehe."

Yang Wudi rubbed his nose, found his direction, crawled out of the earth, and stealthily fled into the distance.

The real challenge of his escape was just beginning.

He not only had to 'escape' himself but also had to take those few fiends from the Ten Evils Hall with him, enduring immense hardships and overcoming countless difficulties before finally escaping to safety.

Only then could he gain the trust of the Ten Evils Hall.

In the great hall Wu Wang had requisitioned within the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion's branch pavilion, Wu Wang sat cross-legged in meditation, his concentration focused on maintaining a state of unity, his powerful Divine Thought enveloping the grey aura at his Spirit Platform.

The small clump of grey aura in Yang Wudi's Primordial Spirit had separated from this larger aura.

That aura had an extraordinary origin. It was during the Human Emperor's banquet that Shen Nong, the esteemed senior, had lightly tapped Wu Wang, leaving within him the Divine Skill to transform his Primordial Spirit into the senior's Artifact Spirit at will.

In short: Transformation Qi.

Wu Wang had yet to find an occasion to transform into the Artifact Spirit. However, yesterday, while pondering how to help Yang Wudi return to the Ten Evils Hall, he accidentally discovered many wonderful uses of this aura.

For instance, by separating a part of this aura and placing it within another person's Primordial Spirit, they could communicate in real-time over long distances without any barriers.

Thus, as long as Yang Wudi could enter the main hall, Wu Wang would be able to roughly sense the hall's location and, incidentally, get a glimpse of the internal workings of the Ten Evils Hall.

After fleeing for half the night, Yang Wudi, with the help of the four fiends, dove into a river, temporarily 'eluding' their pursuers.

With a cold expression, the muscular bald man responded superficially to the gratitude and praise from the four fiends, all the while groaning internally.

"Sect Master... that..."

Wu Wang's voice responded, "What's the matter? Just speak up."

"If your subordinate ends up doing something absurd inside the Ten Evils Hall, you must understand! It's because I'm forced to, driven to desperation, merely playing a part!"

"I know, I know."

Wu Wang laughed, "Focus on dealing with the next challenge. I have guests over here, so I'll stop chatting for now."

"Sect Master, you attend to your business, please do."

Yang Wudi inwardly chuckled a few times and sighed deeply.

Returning undercover to the Ten Evils Hall, and being constantly monitored by the Sect Master, will definitely restrict my performance. I certainly won't dare to badmouth the Sect Master or the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion just to show loyalty anymore...

It's a tough world to muddle through.

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