**Chapter 182: Disgust for the Demon Race’s Depravity**

After leaving the Illusion Realm, the disciples were assigned to their quarters to rest. In a few days, they would head to the next Illusion Realm.

According to tradition, disciples from all sects were supposed to stay at Crimson Sky Sect for half a month. However, just a day after the Illusion Realm ended, word spread that Azure Profound Sect had brought a group to confront the Crimson Sky Sect’s Sect Master, claiming there had been a problem with the Illusion Realm and demanding an explanation.

The Sect Master of Crimson Sky Sect was no pushover. He flat-out refused to admit any fault on their side, insisting the issue wasn’t with the Illusion Realm. If anyone wanted to investigate, he proposed making public the Heart Realm Trial recordings of Azure Profound Sect’s chief team, inviting the Four Great Sects to witness it together.

Naturally, Azure Profound Sect refused. Releasing those recordings would be tantamount to exposing the weaknesses of their chief team. With neither side backing down, the matter was quietly dropped, and the relationship between the two sects fell into an awkward stalemate.

When Lian Mu heard about this, she was trying to find a way to sneak into the Azure Profound Sect disciples’ quarters—she wanted to see Ying You.

Ever since Ying You had been taken away that day, she hadn’t seen him again.

Not that his condition really mattered to her—after all, with Azure Profound Sect watching over him, there was no way they’d let him die.

She was just curious why the Sword Contract still hadn’t been broken.

Since returning, Lian Mu had been trying to resonate more deeply with Wealth Bringer, but the results were the same as always—Wealth Bringer continued to reject her.

That barrier between them kept her from fully unleashing its power, and it was starting to get on her nerves.

“You’ve had that scowl on your face ever since you came back from Penglai Island. Why?”

In the dark misty void, Xuan Che sat cross-legged in midair, toying with a fruit in his hand as he asked.

Lian Mu tucked away the note Xu Xianxing’s people had sent her, crumpled it up, and tossed it to the Red Fire Green Phoenix. The phoenix pecked at it curiously, only for the paper ball to burst into flames and turn to ash, startling it into a squawk.

This space within the tower had become something of a retreat for her. It was spacious, so Lian Mu had moved all her alchemy ingredients and forging spirit materials here for easier access, rather than constantly digging through her spatial pouch.

Xuan Che had silently approved of her using the space and even started playing with the things she brought in.

“I want to see someone,” Lian Mu said. “He has… something of mine.”

Xuan Che took a bite of the fruit, found it disgusting, and tossed it to the sleeping Green Bean nearby. He wiped his hands and said, “You want to see someone? Easy. Sneak in at night and drag him out.”

Lian Mu replied, “There are people guarding him.”

Xuan Che: “Kill them.”

Lian Mu: “…Can you not give such reckless advice?”

“Then what do you plan to do? You walk around with that sour face all day—it’s irritating just to look at,” Xuan Che said flatly. “Hurry up and settle your business.”

“I want to, but the guy’s status is too troublesome. I nearly beat him half to death, and now his sect’s Venerable Elder definitely won’t let me near him.”

“If you can’t see him, then make him come see you,” Xuan Che said. “It’s not a big deal.”

Lian Mu: “…”

Of course someone like him, who could fully resonate with his sword, wouldn’t understand her obsession.

“I’ll figure it out myself,” Lian Mu muttered. She was convinced Xuan Che wasn’t a normal person, so his logic naturally wasn’t normal either.

“By the way, there’s something else I want to ask you.”

Xuan Che: “Speak.”

Lian Mu recalled what she had seen in Ying You’s memories and asked, “What kind of illness does Demonic Qi Invasion cause?”

Xuan Che fell silent for a moment. His body turned into a swirl of black mist and circled her twice, deep in thought. “Someone’s targeting you?”

Didn’t seem like it.

A rare flicker of confusion crossed Xuan Che’s face.

“It’s not me. It’s a friend,” Lian Mu said after a pause. Not just Fengyun Yi’s father—Ji Mingyue’s family had the same illness. That made it her friends’ problem, too.

Xuan Che: “Oh.”

“People of the demon race are all depraved,” Xuan Che said, completely unaware he was insulting himself. “Injecting their Demonic Qi into an enemy’s body is one of their most common tactics. After Demonic Qi Invasion, there are two paths: either be assimilated and become part of the demon race, or have the qi stagnate in the body until it corrodes the mind and leads to sudden death.”

“But becoming a demon has conditions. If someone’s spiritual energy is too pure and clashes with the Demonic Qi, they usually only have one path—wait to die.”

Lian Mu: “You said usually. So there are other ways?”

“If the Demonic Qi has lingered too long, the only way to eliminate it is to kill the one who planted it. If it hasn’t been long, just… suck it out.”

Lian Mu: “Suck… with what?”

He said it so casually, like it was nothing—which meant he definitely knew a way to dispel Demonic Qi.

Even Azure Profound Sect couldn’t find a cure. That meant the method had to be related to something from the demon race.

Xuan Che said, “This Venerable One once had a Rainbow Spring Stone in my palace in the Shifang Nether Soil. Drop it in water, use that water to make pills, and taking them can dispel Demonic Qi.”

Lian Mu: “???”

Lian Mu: “You have a palace in the Shifang Nether Soil?”

“Where else would I live?” Xuan Che seemed genuinely puzzled by the question.

Lian Mu: “…”

She really wanted to fight these rich bastards.

“That was a thousand years ago. The Immortal Sects may have already taken it over,” Xuan Che said. “If you have time, go check the Shifang Nether Soil. If it’s still there, you can take the Rainbow Spring Stone.”

As it happened, the next Illusion Realm would be in the Shifang Nether Soil.

“Thanks,” Lian Mu said. “What does your house look like? I should take note.”

If she got there and couldn’t recognize it, she might miss her chance.

“No need to remember it. Once you step into the Shifang Nether Soil, just look up—you’ll see it,” Xuan Che said.

“Drawing water for pill refining—do you have the recipe?”

Xuan Che replied, “I’m not an alchemy cultivator. No idea.”

“Alright then.” Looks like she’d have to find the recipe herself. But now that she had the key ingredient, it shouldn’t be too hard.

Lian Mu said, “Thanks. Next time I come in, I’ll bring you more food.”

Xuan Che was easy to please. He never asked for anything—except food from the outside. It wasn’t that he loved eating; he just liked the feeling of being full.

Just as she finished speaking, Lian Mu suddenly remembered something. She pulled out a Jiao Pearl from her sleeve. “The Spirit-Slaying Sword Array you taught me came in handy. I brought this back from Penglai Island, but I don’t have anywhere to keep it. Can you take care of it for me?”

He kept four Spirit Beasts under his care—he definitely had more experience than she did.

Xuan Che glanced over. “What is it? Let me see.”

Lian Mu took out a Spirit Summoning Talisman and released the Black Flood Dragon sealed within. The moment it emerged, a wave of icy cold air spread through the room.

Xuan Che’s pupils shrank. His brows furrowed, and without hesitation, he punched the Black Flood Dragon square in the belly, forcibly slamming it back into the talisman.

Lian Mu: “?”

Lian Mu: “Didn’t you just tell me to let it out?”

Xuan Che couldn’t help it—his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “…It’s long and gross. This Venerable One won’t keep it.”

Lian Mu looked at his twisted expression, like he was about to gag. “You’re afraid of snakes? This one has claws and horns.”

“Claws and horns or not, it’s still long. This Venerable One isn’t scared—just disgusted.” Xuan Che was stubborn to the end. “Don’t leave it here. This Venerable One might not be able to resist smashing it.”

Lian Mu sighed. “Alright.”

She’d have to carry it herself, then. Hopefully Green Bean wouldn’t try to bite the Jiao Pearl.

“Raising a Spirit Beast doesn’t take much. Just keep it breathing and it’ll survive. Every two or three years, find a spot overrun with demonic beasts and let it loose to hunt for snacks.”

Lian Mu nodded. “Got it.”

If she couldn’t leave it here, she probably wouldn’t summon it in front of others either—unless no one knew who she was.

The Venerable Elders of the Four Great Sects probably still didn’t know she’d brought a Black Flood Dragon out. She’d reviewed the Illusion Realm recordings over the past couple of days, and several segments involving her were missing—specifically the parts where she killed the black serpent and discovered the Black Flood Dragon.

No wonder the Azure Profound Sect had come to the Crimson Sky Sect demanding answers. The chaos stirred up by the Illusion Realm had been far too much.

“I’m heading out. I’ll come find you if anything comes up.”

Lian Mu stood and brushed the feathers off her clothes. The Red Fire Green Phoenix squatted beside her, shedding feathers all over the floor. Thankfully, she had a fire Spiritual Root, or she might’ve gone up in flames on the spot.

Xuan Che raised a brow. “Come find me if anything comes up? You sure don’t see yourself as an outsider.”

“If it’s something related to the demon race, you’re the only one I can go to,” Lian Mu said. “For everything else, I won’t bother you.”

She turned to leave, but Xuan Che suddenly reached out, grabbed a lock of her hair, and gave it a tug.

Lian Mu: “…Why are you pulling my hair?”

Xuan Che looked down at the black mist on his hand. Before she could turn around, he quickly withdrew his hand and crushed the mist into nothing.

His expression didn’t change. “It’s nothing. Go on.”

Lian Mu was puzzled. She hesitated for a moment but didn’t ask anything in the end.

As she stepped out of the tower’s void, she heard Xuan Che call out from behind her, “You’d best avoid strange people for now. Keep that ugly thing with you—don’t seal it away.”

“Ugly thing” was what he always called Green Bean.

Lian Mu frowned slightly. Even though she didn’t understand, she still nodded. “Alright.”