"At this point, Fellow Daoist Nan, are you still going to feign ignorance? Your divine soul aura is ethereal and lofty, like the bright moon. If I am not mistaken, you are cultivating the 'Moonlight Technique,' one of the three major sect techniques of the Bright Moon Palace? The Bright Moon Palace is extremely protective of its internal heritage and never allows it to be passed on. Otherwise, they will pursue the offender relentlessly. If your cultivation of the 'Moonlight Technique' were to be discovered, the Daluo Sect might not withstand the wrath of the Bright Moon Palace," Yuan Ming said coldly, speaking slowly.

His 'Moonlight Technique' only had the first seven layers. After reaching the Dongji Sea, he had been paying close attention to matters regarding the Bright Moon Palace and the 'Moonlight Technique,' gathering a lot of information over the years.

Like the Wu Yue Sect, the Bright Moon Palace has strict regulations, and disciples are divided into different classes. It is the most conservative sect among the Three Giant Sects, and their protection of the sect's heritage borders on obsession.

Because of this, countless sects have been exterminated, which has resulted in the Bright Moon Palace having a bad reputation. Many people secretly refer to it as the Evil Moon Palace.

"Fellow Daoist Wan, you indeed see through everything, but regarding this matter, your guess is wrong. My 'Moonlight Technique' was not learned through theft, so I am not afraid of being known by the Bright Moon Palace. As for hiding my identity as a soul cultivator, there are other reasons for that," Nan Shangfeng smiled and said.

"Oh, is that so?" Yuan Ming's eyes flickered slightly.

"Just as Fellow Daoist Wan can sense my soul cultivation method, I can also sense yours. Your divine soul aura is similar to mine, and your soul cultivation method is also the 'Moonlight Technique,' right? Aren't you afraid I will spread this information?" Nan Shangfeng's tone suddenly changed, saying.

"The origin of my 'Moonlight Technique' is equally legitimate, Fellow Daoist Nan. Feel free to do as you please," Yuan Ming replied with a calm expression.

"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Wan has shown kindness to me; how could I repay kindness with enmity? That was just a joke," Nan Shangfeng laughed heartily.

Yuan Ming didn't respond, raising his head to look at the sky.

"I asked Fellow Daoist Wan for protection but hid many things, which was wrong of me. I solemnly apologize. However, not telling you these things was also for your own good. Getting involved in my matters would bring you significant trouble, possibly even ten times worse than being hunted by Hei Lian!" Nan Shangfeng said, bowing solemnly to Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming scrutinized Nan Shangfeng for a few moments and nodded.

"Since I have now disclosed everything, could I ask Fellow Daoist Wan to escort me to the Central Continent? The reward of the Innate Bitter Bamboo Leaf remains unchanged, and the pursuit by Hei Lian should have nothing to do with my identity as a soul cultivator, meaning we won't encounter any other formidable enemies," Nan Shangfeng further inquired.

"Alright, but I have an additional request," Yuan Ming said after a brief pause.

"Please, speak, Fellow Daoist Wan," Nan Shangfeng responded promptly.

"Due to certain reasons, I wish to visit the Bright Moon Palace in the future. Unfortunately, the Bright Moon Palace is extremely strict with their rules, seldom seeing outsiders, especially a loose cultivator like myself. Fellow Daoist Nan must have some connections with the Bright Moon Palace. Could you please introduce me in the future?" Yuan Ming said.

"A trivial matter, no problem," Nan Shangfeng readily agreed.

Yuan Ming maintained a calm demeanor but was secretly delighted.

The Bright Moon Palace is known for its ruthless methods, yet rarely do its disciples roam outside, making encounters difficult. With Nan Shangfeng's assistance, meeting someone from the Bright Moon Palace would be much easier.

His only objective in agreeing to protect Nan Shangfeng was to establish a connection with the Bright Moon Palace.

As long as Yuan Ming could get acquainted with one or two cultivators from the Bright Moon Palace, he could follow the trail, using the Black Incense Possession ability of the Stealing Heaven Tripod to find the subsequent layers of the 'Moonlight Technique.'

This approach was not exactly legitimate, but the Bright Moon Palace would never pass the 'Moonlight Technique' to an outsider like him. Therefore, after pondering over it, this was his only resort. He hadn't expected the other party to agree so readily, suggesting that Nan Shangfeng's background was even more complex than he had anticipated, and his identity was probably not simple either.

After the two reached an agreement, Lei Yu continued on its journey, only altering its course to head straight for the Central Continent.

Nan Shangfeng seemed to have let go of some burden, in good spirits, and began to chat and laugh with Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming wanted to glean some information about the Bright Moon Palace and struck up a casual conversation.

Thereupon, they chatted from strange stories from various places to insights on cultivation, covering topics as diverse as heaven and earth.

For Yuan Ming, it was indeed a rare time for relaxation.

However, just as they were engrossed in conversation, something unexpected happened!

Nan Shangfeng was halfway through a sentence when his face suddenly contorted, his eyes filled with thick black mist, and his blood vessels bulged eminently, turning black-purple.

"Fellow Daoist Nan?" Yuan Ming's expression changed.

Nan Shangfeng looked towards Yuan Ming, seemingly wanting to say something, but couldn't utter a word.

"Ah..." he screamed, unable to control his body, falling off Lei Yu's back and plummeting toward the ground.

Yuan Ming couldn't afford to ponder too much and immediately darted out to catch the falling Nan Shangfeng.

At this moment, Nan Shangfeng was emitting a rotting corpse-like stench, and his body was swollen as if bloated with pus, resembling a corpse that had been dead for some time.

Yuan Ming hurriedly used his divine sense to investigate, but found Nan Shangfeng's mana was exceedingly chaotic, his aura rapidly declining, resembling poisoning. Yet, within, there was not a hint of any poison to be found.

He intensified his divine sense, but was still unable to detect the cause.

"Looking like this is useless; channel the Desire Power of the Stealing Heaven Tripod into your eyes," Kong's voice suddenly rang out.

Yuan Ming's expression flickered, then, following Kong's instructions, melded the Desire Power into his eyes. His vision changed instantly, revealing what was previously unseen.

Several strands of filthy Black Qi rampaged through the meridians within Nan Shangfeng's body, the Nascent Soul at the Dantian was heavily shrouded and entangled by Black Qi. Only at the neck was there a faint spirit light encircling, desperately resisting the Black Qi, preventing it from invading the Nascent Soul's head.

But the Black Qi was powerful, and this spirit light was continuously being consumed, on the verge of dissipating.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Ming immediately infused the demonic power of the Undying Tree into Nan Shangfeng's body, simultaneously healing Nan Shangfeng's bodily injuries while trying to dispel the Black Qi around the Nascent Soul.

After being baptized by the Power of Ten Thousand Wood Origin, the healing effects of the Undying Tree Demon Power were even stronger, and Nan Shangfeng's body rapidly recovered.

However, the Black Qi in his body was much more troublesome. No matter how he drove the demonic power to attack, the Black Qi remained tenaciously cohesive and couldn't be dispersed.

Thus, he quickly changed his approach, injecting demonic power into Nan Shangfeng's Nascent Soul, attempting to bolster its power to resist the corrosion of the Black Qi.

This attempt yielded some results.

With the help of Yuan Ming's demonic power, the spirit light on the surface of Nan Shangfeng's Nascent Soul brightened, and the spirit light at the neck finally stabilized, just barely holding its own against the Black Qi.

As a result, Nan Shangfeng's consciousness also slightly recovered, a flicker of light returned to his eyes as he gratefully glanced at Yuan Ming.

"Senior Kong, what kind of Divine Skill is this Black Qi? Its power is so astonishing, I didn't notice it at all before!" Yuan Ming spread his Divine Sense, searching for the enemy's traces, while communicating with Kong through voice transmission.

"Can't you recognize this? You shouldn't be unfamiliar with this kind of power." Kong replied coldly, with a tone returning to its usual sarcasm.

Yuan Ming paused, carefully sensing the Black Qi, an eerie and ferocious power transmitted over, like a beast tearing and slaughtering.

"It's the power from that Evil Curse Altar!" He resisted the Black Qi's corrosion, suddenly realizing.

"Not entirely stupid, this is the Curse Power, no need to look nearby, the enemy launched the attack from a distance." Kong said.

Hearing this, Yuan Ming withdrew his Divine Sense, focusing on assisting Nan Shangfeng in resisting the Curse Black Qi, while asking: "Senior Kong, can you break this curse?"

"Can't solve such a small issue, how can I rely on you in the future? Figure it out yourself." Kong left a sentence, and the sound fell silent.

Yuan Ming knew the other's temperament, smiled wryly with helplessness, and could only do his best to help Nan Shangfeng suppress the curse, plotting a countermeasure.

"Fellow Daoist Wan... this... is a curse... go to Black Tiger City in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range... find Wu Yu..." Nan Shangfeng's condition improved, although he couldn't fully recover, he could speak with difficulty.

"Wu Yu? Who is this person? Can they lift the curse?" Yuan Ming's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked.

"Wu Yu is a Prophet in Black Tiger City, I heard that they once helped someone remove a curse..." Nan Shangfeng's speech gradually became fluent.

"If that's the case, I'll take you there." Yuan Ming nodded.

Hearing this, Nan Shangfeng's eyes slightly relaxed, then he closed his eyes, relying on the demonic power Yuan Ming injected into him and his own Mana, to fully resist the Black Qi's erosion.

Yuan Ming shook his head, continued to infuse the Undying Tree Demon Power, and patted Lei Yu, urging it to speed up.

Lei Yu nodded and fully unleashed the Wind and Thunder Power, rushing towards the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range.

...

Over the sea, the sky gradually darkened, a setting sun half-sunk into the sea level, staining the sea surface with a blood-red hue.

Yuan Ming sat cross-legged on Lei Yu's back, using the Undying Tree Demon Power to sustain Nan Shangfeng's life.

With Kong's guidance, he had mostly figured out the Curse Power's attack method, using the Curse Runes on the Soul Destroying Sword, along with the Undying Tree Demon Power, he slowly suppressed the Curse Power in Nan Shangfeng's body.

But these Curse Powers clung stubbornly to Nan Shangfeng and couldn't be expelled.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wan." Nan Shangfeng's condition improved significantly, able to sit up, expressing gratitude.

Yuan Ming shook his head without speaking.

Just then, his ear twitched, seemingly hearing a sharp yet indistinct call of a beast.

Yuan Ming's eyes immediately focused, his Divine Power spreading instantly.

In the next instant, his expression changed dramatically, immediately raising his hand to release a round Array Plate, pointing at it with two fingers.

The Array Plate shone, a series of golden Light Pillars erupted, crossing in mid-air to form a circular golden formation, enclosing Nan Shangfeng within.

"Master, there's a powerful demonic power approaching below." Lei Yu also noticed the abnormality, transmitting to Yuan Ming.

As the words left its mouth, a thunderous roar suddenly came from the seabed below, the sound magnified a hundredfold suddenly, resembling both a bull's roar and a tiger's howl!

Ahead on the sea surface "splash," as a large octopus-like sea beast, its tentacles wrapped around water tornadoes, perched in the void like a giant spider, directly blocking Lei Yu's path.

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