Thank you so much to all the ko-fi supporters! Here's an extra chapter this week for all of you.

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As soon as Old Man Chen spoke, the whole room fell silent.

At this critical moment, everyone's true character was revealed. Shi Zhongyu gritted her teeth, her face full of anger. Yan Qing, being young and inexperienced, tightly gripped the hilt of his sword, looking lost.

Yin Ci, on the other hand, remained calm and calculated. If he were to reveal his indestructible body here, even if he had to destroy the Secret Book in the process, he could do it.

There would be no problem with covering up afterwards, as he could force Chen Qianfan to erase everyone's memories.

However, destroying the Secret Book would only add fuel to the fire between the Ku Mountain Sect and Mi Mountain Sect. Even if he succeeded, he alone could not stop the massive horde of demons. The others would still have to escape.

Rather than adding to the mess, it would be better to simply run away with Old Man Chen.

...But would their attempt to break the prohibition just end here? Yin Ci didn't know whether to feel glad or regretful.

A few steps away, Shi Jingzhi didn't show any confusion, he only asked two questions.

"To make a disaster-blocking talisman for Miss Shi, and to break my prohibition, do you really need to use a human corpse as material? Can't you use another powerful demon instead after escaping from here?"

"Can burning tree branches do the job of burning coal?" Chen Qianfan rolled his eyes.

Shi Jingzhi let out a low sigh of regret.

The Mi Mountain Sect members were always elusive and isolated from the world. With this matter exposed, there would be even fewer people willing to help. With less than a year left to live and still needing to find the Shi Rou, he didn't have time to search for someone to break the prohibition's formation.

As the saying goes, 'One drum can be beaten with energy, two drums weaken, and three drums exhaust.' Shi Jingzhi instinctively resisted breaking the prohibition, but now he suddenly encountered a disaster, and the courage he had accumulated for several days was released all at once.

It was as if heaven wanted him to choose "removing memories."

A crazy sense of loss of control was stirring inside Shi Jingzhi, but he silently recited the "Dustless Words" several times to keep calm.

He still had something more important to confirm--

"Senior, if there is only this one choice, you should have gone to make a spell weapon long ago. Why are you still talking to us... Do you have any other way?"

Chen Qianfan laughed loudly: "Not bad, you have good vision despite your age. But you may not like my method."

"Senior, please speak."

"The formation outside the house can probably last for three or four days. During this period, I will use some heavy-handed methods to break your prohibition."

Yin Ci: "..."

Wait a minute, this old man doesn't seem like the type to rush to do good deeds?

Indeed, Chen Qianfan had a look on his face like a weasel paying New Year's greetings to the chicken and said with faux kindness, "Once your prohibition is broken, I only need to make a slight modification to the remaining formation, and I can turn it into a Living Puppet Curse."

Shi Jingzhi's smile froze.

The words "Living Puppet Curse" sounded like something sinister, and this old man seemed oddly pleased to be talking about it.

Chen Qianfan noticed the tension in Shi Jingzhi and added considerately, "You have amazing inner strength but lack technique. As for me, I have technique but my inner strength and physical ability can't keep up. I'll use you as a living puppet and, with the help of your disciple, we might be able to dismantle the Secret Book entirely."

"The most difficult part of the Living Puppet Curse is implanting the technique into one's consciousness, which cannot be done in a short time. But you are different. You happen to have a ready-made prohibition in your head. Let's break it first and make some modifications to make it work. Don't worry, as the practitioner, I can easily remove any remaining formations after you defeat the Secret Book."

Yan Qing suddenly realized, "So the difficulty of the Living Puppet Curse lies in creating a hole in a living person's brain, but the Sect Leader already has a hole in his brain, so it can be easily used. Is that what you mean?"

Shi Jingzhi almost lost his temper with his own servant. No wonder the Compassion Stone Sword chose this brat. It turns out that this person has a keen understanding of the general insensitive bluntness of the Jianchen Temple.

But the most important thing now is not to maintain the integrity of the sect. Shi Jingzhi struggled to swallow his saliva and said, "But you said the success rate of breaking the formation is fifty-fifty. What if I die?"

Chen Qianfan stroked his beard and smiled even more kindly: "If you die, you die. Then I'll have some good material. You're obviously a demon human, much more useful than those two corpse hands. We can escape faster like this."

Yin Ci and Shi Jingzhi: "..."

It seemed like this old man never suffered any losses.

"The preparation for breaking the formation is just finished. This is your last chance to break the prohibition. " Chen Qianfan continued to promote, "Real combat is the best teacher. If I control you a little, you can also learn a lot."

He tactfully omitted the part where he would burn him as fuel after failing.

Yin Ci said, "To break the formation, we need three ancient corpses, but we only have one pair of hands now."

Chen Qianfan said, "We just need to slowly wear them down. The Secret Book is outside, right? Keep hacking away, even if we can only chop off a finger, it will add up. There's already a barrier outside, so using dirty tactics won't be a problem."

His words made it seem like it was a simple field of leeks guarding them outside, not the Secret Book of the Mi Lan Empress.

Everyone in the group couldn't maintain their temper.

Even if they tried to escape, the pair of corpse hands would also used up. For Shi Zhongyu, the only way to save her sect leader was to stay behind. But the one risking his life was Shi Jingzhi, so she kept her lips tightly pressed together and didn't plead for help.

Taiheng was still the same unyielding Taiheng.

Yin Ci was not as calm as before.

He was willing to accept fate and make the necessary preparations for breaking the formation. But now, everything had to be rushed and improvised. The ancient corpses that would have taken ten days to prepare were now being used on the spot as they were harvested. How absurd.

Even these basic materials for breaking the formation might not be available in time. No matter how he looked at it, the risks were too great.

...Wait a minute, ancient corpses?

Yin Ci slowly lowered his head and looked at his own hands.

Was he considered a "demon human" like Chen Qianfan had said? If so, did that mean he...

Thump, thump.

As this thought flashed through his mind, something rang in his ear. The sound was completely different from his heartbeat, and a sudden, inexplicable pain shot through his neck.

In the dim light, a vague impression suddenly emerged from the depths of Yin Ci's mind, forcibly interrupting his thoughts.

With a loud thump, a person's head fell to the ground. Blood dripped and flowed, leaving a hot and slippery mess. His body was uncontrollable, sometimes light and sometimes heavy. Occasionally, he would struggle with all his might to prop himself up, only for another loud thump to emerge.

It was unclear how much time had passed before he stopped struggling.

Unfortunately, whether he moved or not, whether he knelt or lay on the ground, the sharp blade would always strike at the right moment. Yin Ci could even discern the process of the blade becoming dull.

Someone repeatedly chopped off his head, and the cold despair mixed with the pain in his neck almost drove him insane.

At that moment, he was delirious. His eyelids felt heavy as if weighed down by a thousand pounds, and he couldn't even open his mouth. All he could do was listen to the sound of the blade falling and silently scream in his mind.

He heard a familiar voice amidst the sound of his head rolling on the ground. The voice was intermittent, sometimes distant and sometimes close.

[Save more...at least three thousand...it's useful...]

His memories were too chaotic, and Yin Ci originally thought it was an irrational nightmare.

But now he knew that "demonic talents are the best spellcasting materials," and the dream didn't seem so absurd anymore.

However, upon further reflection, Yin Ci's head was filled with a crazy idea. He instinctively looked at Shi Jingzhi, hoping to dispel the coldness with the man's fiery temperament.

Coincidentally, Shi Jingzhi also looked at Yin Ci inquiringly, "I still want to break the prohibition."

Shi Jingzhi thought Yin Ci would say something, but to his surprise, Yin Ci had no expression on his face and just stared straight at him without saying a word.

Without hesitation, Shi Jingzhi took a deep breath and said, "Senior, I choose to break the prohibition and take the risk."

He was afraid that if he waited any longer, he would lose his nerve and run away like a coward.

Old Man Chen was pleased with his response. "Good, that's settled then. The three of you will go out..."

"Yan Qing, Miss Shi, I leave the defense outside to you. I will stay here to protect my master." Yin Ci interrupted Chen Qianfan.

"Senior Yin, if you don't go, we..."

Yan Qing started to say, but was cut off by Shi Zhongyu who grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out.

"Junior Brother Yin won't harm Sect Leader Shi, he has his own ideas. Let's go first."

Even though he had left Taiheng, Shi Zhongyu's influence still lingered. With just one scolding from an elder, Yan Qing immediately shrank back and swallowed the rest of his words.

Yin Ci remained silent.

Shi Jingzhi was unsure of Yin Ci's thoughts and asked, "Ah Ci?"

"I have some knowledge of formations. I'll at least wait until the formation starts before I leave," Yin Ci said lightly. "What, does Shizun want to face life and death alone?"

This hit a sore spot for Shi Jingzhi, who grunted, "Hmm, that's true. You can leave after I faint then."

Chen Qianfan looked at Yin Ci meaningfully and said, "You're being overly dramatic. You could stay if you wanted."

He threw the corpse hand into the formation's eye, where an invisible force twisted and crushed it into a ball of bone-studded fragments.

The ball of flesh floated above the formation's eye, emitting a crackling sound like burning. The grand formation in the hall slowly emitted a faint light.

Granny Wei seemed to be used to this kind of thing, as she continued to embroider her flowers not far away. The scene was indescribably strange, with countless demons and evil spirits outside the door and a mysterious formation inside.

Shi Jingzhi took off his shoes and slowly made his way through the strokes of the formation, occasionally glancing at the pile of corpses.

Old Man Chen couldn't stand it anymore: "Hurry up, don't waste time!"

In the center of the formation was a wooden platform. It seemed to be ignited by the formation, slowly emitting smoke and flickering green sparks. To put it nicely, it looked like a spiritual platform, but to be blunt, it looked like a barbecue grill.

Shi Jingzhi stopped one step away from the wooden platform: "Should I leave a will first..."

At this solemn moment of life and death, with the Secret Book involved, it felt more like a chaotic marketplace than a farewell. Even Sect Leader Shi couldn't conjure up any emotions of separation and death.

If he really died this time, it would be too unfair.

Chen Qianfan had accurately calculated his thoughts and used the corpse meat in advance, making him not dare to hesitate for long.

"Um... I also need to pass on the arrangements of the Ku Mountain Sect..." Shi Jingzhi stood numbly in place, frozen at the threshold of fate, not even knowing what he was saying.

As he expected, this task needed to be completed with a strong and decisive effort. When the time came, he only hesitated briefly before the instinctive fear and panic grew stronger, almost devouring his rationality.

What did it matter if he didn't unlock the prohibition and just forgot his memories?

So what if he was being manipulated? He was still alive and well, wasn't he?

He didn't want to die, not at all.

Shi Jingzhi tried his best to stay in place, and his brain even began to plan an escape route on its own.

"Go on."

A hand gently pushed him from behind.

"Since you've made up your mind, go on. I said before, I will protect you."

At that moment, the warmth of the hand almost burned him. Shi Jingzhi's eyes welled up with tears, but he didn't dare turn around.

"Ah Ci, can I talk to you for a few more minutes?" he pleaded.

"After you break the prohibition," Yin Ci replied, his attitude unchanged.

"...Mm."

Fighting his instincts was much harder than he had imagined. It was like suffocating himself without any external help. His "Object Addiction" deliberately amplified the pain and fear, forcing him to give up everything.

The remaining warmth on his back was almost Shi Jingzhi's last hope.

In the end, he took that step forward.

After lying down on the wooden platform, he listened to the crackling and burning sound beneath him, unable to take his eyes off of Yin Ci.

The flickering shadows of the lamp filled the air with the smell of flesh and dust. Yin Ci's breath was like a thread, the only thing keeping him calm.

He hoped this wouldn't be the last time he saw him.

However, Yin Ci was even more cruel than he had imagined. Crossing the faint light of the formation, he covered his eyes with one hand.

"Sleep, nothing will happen."

Chen Qianfan saw that the time had come and didn't give Shi Jingzhi any more time to say goodbye. He sat down in front of the wooden platform and began to manipulate a series of formations, heading straight for the prohibition.

Shi Jingzhi immediately fell into a deep sleep, his eyebrows still furrowed in pain.

"Alright, enough of the lovey-dovey stuff, you can leave now," Chen Qianfan said to Yin Ci without even looking up.

Yin Ci ignored him and said, "Granny Wei, could you help me sew two peace silk pouches? It's a bit brighter inside."

Granny Wei was taken aback, realizing that he had something to say, so she obediently went to the inner room.

"Sure enough, you have something to say, don't hold back. If you have something to say, just say it. Don't wait too long, I can't divide my attention for too long."

"I am also one of the 'demon humans' mentioned by Senior."

"Indeed you are. So, what? Do you want to sacrifice yourself to save your teacher? Unfortunately, with your physique, you can't replace three ancient corpses."

"I have a solution," Yin Ci said calmly. "Senior, you have amazing courage, I believe you can handle it."

"Why are you still beating around the bush? Do you want to protect your teacher or kill him?"

Yin Ci took off his coat, picked up the Hanging Shadow Sword, and smiled at Chen Qianfan.

"I said I would protect him and let him live a hundred years."

Without hesitation, Yin Ci swung his sword and blood splattered everywhere.

If it weren't for Chen Qianfan's vast experience, he would have been trembling with fear at the sight of this.

Yin Ci's sword was sharp and merciless as he cut off his own neck, causing blood to spray all over the ground. His body fell into a pool of blood, his limbs separated, but his face still wore a smile.

In the next moment, numerous blood-red tendrils sprouted from beneath his head. They quickly formed the outline of a human body, gathering together to create new flesh, bones, and organs, emitting a chilling rustling sound.

The headless body lay quietly to one side, with more blood-red tendrils sprouting from the severed neck, but no new head grew.

Yin Ci's skin had not yet fully healed, but he sat up and grabbed the Hanging Shadow Sword. With each swing of the sword, blood flowed freely, his movements both numb and skilled, sending shivers down one's spine.

One swing, two swings, three swings, four swings.

In less than half a cup of tea's time, four headless bodies appeared on the ground.

Yin Ci finally put on his coat, which was now soaked in blood and clinging tightly to his newly regenerated body. He looked like a painting, with his hair as black as ink. However, Chen Qianfan had no energy to digest the scene before him.

As the sword energy swept through, the four bodies were swept away from the formation. Like the pair of corpse hands, they were instantly twisted into a bloody mess. This time, the formation on the ground no longer flickered with a faint light, but shone brightly, almost blindingly so.

"Is that enough?"

Yin Ci's voice carried a hint of amusement as the blood-stained Hanging Shadow Sword pointed at Chen Qianfan's throat.

"If it's enough, then forget about what just happened and focus on saving Shi Jingzhi."

Chen Qianfan still looked a bit dazed.

"You...you're the one with the indestructible body? No wonder you don't even call him Shizun. Who are you..."

"Forget about it, save him now. You don't need to look for your book, I'll dictate it to you."

With a little extra force on the tip of his sword, a drop of blood oozed from the wrinkled throat of Chen Qianfan.

"Don't worry, if you can break the prohibition and forget it properly, I can leave you a corpse for your research," said Yin Ci.

Chen Qianfan looked deeply at Yin Ci, his voice hoarse.

"With these powering the formation, it's enough. Who would have thought that I could have a day without any effort... I promise you this."

A white light flashed and everything returned to calm.

Chen Qianfan turned around woodenly and seriously focused on breaking the prohibition of Shi Jingzhi.

Shi Jingzhi was still unconscious, unaware of everything outside.

Unlike what he had previously imagined, he did not pass out directly. After regaining consciousness, Shi Jingzhi subconsciously stomped his foot and found himself stepping on soft red leaves.

It was deep autumn, and the surroundings were bathed in a golden red hue. The sunlight shone down, bringing with it a subtle warmth.

This was a scene he had seen countless times in his fragmented memories. But now, as he looked upon it, it was complete and real, and the nagging headache that had plagued him was nowhere to be found.

Was this the key memory that had been sealed away?

As he tried to move forward, he found himself unable to take a step. Just as he was beginning to wonder why, the answer appeared right before his eyes -

A little boy walked straight through him, struggling to move forward.

The child's face was dirty, as if he had just been crying, and he was still sniffling. He wore the typical clothes of a mountain villager, with patches all over his dusty and worn-out clothes, blending in perfectly with the fallen leaves on the ground.

He walked through the fallen leaves, one step at a time, towards the depths of the forest. Shi Jingzhi felt like a kite being dragged along, invisible to the eye.

The little rascal's features had not yet matured, with a face full of childish innocence. But when Shi Jingzhi saw those amber eyes, he knew without a doubt...

It was him as a child.