The Zongwu Mountain rarely sees clear days, especially during the overcast spring season. The three of them stood at the edge of Zongwu Mountain, not far from where the demonic mist rose straight to the sky, inseparable from the gloomy clouds.

At first glance, it seemed as if a corner of the sky had collapsed, burying the entire mountainous area under the fallen dark clouds.

Spring had arrived, and a hint of green could be seen beneath the withered grass. However, that sparse greenery was engulfed by the surrounding eeriness, making it appear listless and devoid of vitality.

The archer pressed a few acupoints, neatly stopping the bleeding. His gaze briefly swept over Yin Ci, still maintaining a lofty tone: "Interesting."

Just as Yin Ci's Hanging Shadow Sword was about to move, the man gave the two of them a meaningful smile. He took a few deep breaths, secured the longbow on his back, and then started running backwards—his behavior was truly bizarre, and he ran with such a righteous and imposing manner that it was difficult to discern whether he was fleeing or displaying some special martial arts technique.

The master and disciple of the Ku Mountain Sect stood on guard, watching as the archer rapidly retreated, until he plunged into the demonic mist with a thud.

Oh, so he was running away.

The Taiheng people were always known for their unwavering stance, and it was the first time the two had seen someone flee with the momentum of a counterattack.

Sect Leader Shi didn't have time to grab the flagpole, and his hand froze in midair, his movements and expression solidifying together. The wound on his head was still throbbing with a dull pain, and Shi Jingzhi suddenly felt that the arrow he had taken was unjustified.

He had been directly told to "scram", and in the end, he had spoken politely without even getting a chance to curse back. Shi Jingzhi pondered and pondered, but couldn't think of any Taiheng expert with such a temperament—even if this person was from Taiheng, he would definitely be the kind who was swept out the door and remained unknown.

Yin Ci was also puzzled. Subconscious reactions were difficult to fake, and the man had indeed used Taiheng footwork, with quite profound skill. However, the Fog Tomb Formation of Zongwu Mountain was specifically designed to defend against outsiders, especially those from orthodox sects, yet the archer had openly slipped inside.

How strange and bizarre.

Yin Ci had tried the "Fog Tomb Formation" before, and its effects were quite peculiar.

Entering the mist was like entering a tomb. When a living person entered the formation, their heartbeat and breathing remained normal, and they could still eat and drink. However, their flesh would start to rot like a newly deceased corpse, swelling and emitting a foul odor before long. If they didn't leave in time, let alone preserving their martial arts, just the rotting flesh alone would cause them to suffer for the rest of their lives.

Unfortunately, Yin Ci was a monster who could revive from even a few remaining scraps. The Fog Tomb Formation could rot the flesh but not the bones, so he had become a living skeleton in the formation for a while, his consciousness still intact, and had no choice but to give up.

Only the Ling Sect could create such a sinister formation. The Fog Tomb Formation was ever-changing, like a concocted poison. To remain unscathed, one would need to at least consume a "antidote" elixir specifically designed for this formation. Strictly speaking, even ordinary Ling Sect disciples didn't have such an honor.

What was the deal with that archer?

As if attracted by the commotion, several auras approached from not far away. Shi Jingzhi finally thawed from his frozen state, and he pulled Yin Ci, who was still pondering, as the two of them nimbly leaped to the nearby peak and silently held their breath in tacit understanding.

Those who arrived were not Taiheng disciples, but a few Ling Sect members.

The leader was not yet thirty, with delicate features, but had a look of indulgence in beauty. His hair was glossy, and his face was covered with a thick layer of powder, concealing the uneven red swelling. His originally decent features, when contrasted with the red pimples and white powder, not only lacked beauty but also had a few traces of an awkward ghostly aura.

However, his clothes were extremely luxurious, and the style was indeed that of the Ling Sect. He was actually an outer hall elder.

"Strange, there were a few auras here just now," the man said in a squeaky voice, his movements somewhat affectedly suave. As he spoke, his fingers flipped unnecessarily, as if trying to conjure up some immortal aura. "...Did they run away? I originally wanted to bring a gift for the Sect Master, what a pity."

Beside him followed a frail-looking white-clothed young man, who appeared to be quite young, with a face full of restrained numbness: "Brother Huo, this place is dangerous. It's best to first request the Sect Master to bestow the 'Fog-Avoiding Pill.'"

The young man's words were stiff and wooden as if he were reciting from a book. However, Elder Huo instantly became tender and affectionate, looking very pleased: "Xi'er is right. The wind is cold here, let's leave now... Ah, if it weren't for the Sect Master insisting that I come, we could have been boating and admiring flowers in Boshui City."

"Brother Huo has just been promoted to elder and received the Sect Master's summons, this is an auspicious sign of being entrusted with important responsibilities," the white-clothed young man continued to flatter him with a blank expression.

People from the Boshui Branch? Yin Ci raised his eyebrows.

Boshui was located in the southernmost part of Dayun, a tiny place. Even the powerful Red Hook Sect wouldn't assign anyone with some skill to Boshui. Not to mention that the Ling Sect was now in decline, and all the notable experts were at the main sect. This "Brother Huo" held the title of a branch elder, but his combat power was even inferior to Yan Qing.

However, this level was still more than enough to deal with ordinary Taiheng disciples.

Yin Ci withdrew his gaze, having made a judgment in his mind—it was just following a new lead, there was no need for Taiheng to send top experts to investigate Zongwu Mountain.

Those Ling Sect oddballs disdained dealing with minions, so they let these mediocre people come and risk their lives, which could be considered making use of the useless. This one seemed to be in an even more pitiful situation, still burning with the enthusiasm of a new official. Perhaps he was temporarily promoted by the previous elder and kicked out to be a scapegoat.

Yin Ci suddenly had a not-so-proper idea. He slowly turned his head and looked at Shi Jingzhi beside him, sensing the same mischievous intent from the other party.

"Yin Ci, why don't we..."

"Not bad."

As soon as the words fell, Shi Jingzhi flicked out a few pebbles. Elder Huo's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed on the spot. The other Ling Sect disciples also fell in disarray, only the white-clothed young man remained standing—he had no martial arts skills at all, and his demeanor lacked any coquettishness. He was either a newly recruited male consort or an abducted commoner.

The young man looked at Elder Huo, who was rolling his eyes, but instead of fear, he showed a look of relief. He hesitated for a long time, then tremblingly kicked Elder Huo, and then made a clumsy bow in all directions: "Are you heroes from Taiheng?"

Shi Jingzhi revealed himself, coughing and making his voice sound righteous and imposing: "Indeed."

The young man knelt on one knee, kowtowing with a loud thud, instantly adding many dirt spots to his white clothes: "I am originally a scholar from Boshui, and I don't know how I offended this scourge. This person has been bullying men and women in Boshui, acting tyrannically. My elder sister has already been killed by this beast, and my younger siblings at home are still young. Under the threat of the demonic sect's power, I..."

"Alright, it's fine now," Shi Jingzhi waved his hand, rudely interrupting the man's grievances. "When you came, did you see any other Ling Sect members?"

"No, we had just arrived at the border of Zongwu Mountain and hadn't had a chance to ascend the mountain yet. That fellow said he sensed a battle intent and wanted to bring back two Taiheng heads to make a grand entrance."

Shi Jingzhi: "..."

Elder Huo's face was shiny with grease; any more light and it could be taken to the palace for illumination.

He sighed in an exaggerated manner, "The demonic sect is too overbearing! This place is chaotic, and young master, your white clothes are too eye-catching. I'm afraid you'll easily get caught up in the conflicts. I still have some silver; it would be best for you to change into some coarse, old clothes and leave as soon as possible."

The man didn't suspect anything. He hurriedly changed into the tattered clothes of a servant and accepted the half-string of coins, thanking him profusely before leaving. Shi Jingzhi satisfactorily picked up the white garment and started to deal with Elder Huo's deliberately disheveled elder robes.

Elder Huo didn't carry much luggage. Apart from a dark wooden plaque with his name, proving his elder status, a long sword tied with a bright red silk ribbon, he only brought a small amount of silver.

It couldn't be more perfect.

After all, the Ku Mountain Sect wasn't considered a righteous sect. As soon as the young master left, Sect Leader Shi immediately skipped the step of reforming the demon - the two cleanly slaughtered Elder Huo and his confidants, burning them to ashes on the spot with Yang fire.

That night, the "Elder Huo Changying" of the Boshui Branch, as usual, had his arm around a white-robed young master, accompanied by two or three followers, and entered the gate with a grin.

Shi Jingzhi smiled on the outside but felt bitter inside.

Sect Leader Shi was very confident in his original plan. His talented disciple had been the Sect Master of the Red Hook Sect after all, and had more experience dealing with the demonic sect members. As for himself, he hadn't had much contact with frivolous people and wasn't confident in his acting, but pretending to be an innocent scholar was a piece of cake.

The Ling Sect had many experts, so disguising carried risks. Fortunately, Huo Changying was young and had a male companion, so their faces could be explained away.

Who knew that the Ku Mountain Sect's opinions were quite unified - the senior disciple was as pure as an immortal, while the sect master, whether in temperament or appearance, clearly resembled a sinister "demon". If they were assigned roles like this, it would likely arouse suspicion. For some reason, even Yin Ci didn't stand on his side, maintaining a suspicious silence.

Sect Leader Shi hemmed and hawed for a while, and finally had to put on Elder Huo's clothes. With one hand around Yin Ci's shoulder, he tried his best to play the role of a dissolute man. Shen Zhu applied some light makeup on the two, making their appearances more ordinary and less eye-catching.

The fog on Zongwu Mountain never dissipated. Even without the Fog Tomb Formation, the milky white mist would flow everywhere. The main altar of the Ling Sect was not hard to find. It stood ominously in a valley on Zongwu Mountain, with two dark red lanterns hanging at the entrance of the valley, as if afraid that others wouldn't discover it.

Shi Jingzhi maintained a stiff smile on his face, unable to suppress his uneasiness.

That Huo Changying's skills were really not that great. Even if Taiheng disdained killing and robbing to impersonate others, the Red Hook Sect would definitely do such things. He didn't believe the Ling Sect had no precautions at all.

It wasn't that they hadn't speculated; it was just that the shortcut was tempting. Now they could only deal with the situation as it unfolded and see how far they could go.

The decline of the Ling Sect could be seen from its exterior alone. The two red lanterns swayed unsteadily, with quite a few desolate holes. The stone steps in the valley were also filthy, as if they hadn't been cleaned for many years. The main altar of the Ling Sect should have been a vermilion wooden building, exuding a soaring aura. Now, the vermilion lacquer was mottled and dark, with cobwebs floating about, giving off an eerie atmosphere.

Along the way, the group didn't encounter a single fellow traveler. If it weren't for the lights still on in the building and the shadowy figures inside, Shi Jingzhi would have almost thought they had fallen for an empty city stratagem.

At the entrance of the main altar sat an old servant with a gloomy aura. Seeing the group approach, he lifelessly rolled his eyes and said in a singsong voice with many twists and turns, "You're here..."

The entrance to the Ghost Tomb was more lively than this place. Sect Leader Shi instantly got goosebumps all over. Yin Ci maintained his head-down posture, secretly frowning.

Something wasn't quite right with the state of the Ling Sect.

When Yan Budu was still around, the number of lunatics in the Ling Sect would only be more than now. However, Yan Budu had remarkable skills and kept the group of eccentrics in check - the vermilion building of the Ling Sect was imposing, and the stone steps were polished by the comings and goings of people.

The air was always permeated with a faint scent of blood. Even the most arrogant madmen had to lower their heads in front of those two red lanterns, climbing the steps one by one in an honest manner, politely asking someone to present their visiting card.

Otherwise, within five steps, they would see their own blood splatter on the spot.

Even if the Ling Sect was in decline, if the arrogance in their bones had not dissipated, it wouldn't be so casual. Compared to the former demonic sect, the current Ling Sect was more like a third-rate bandit stronghold. Although this analogy was a bit strange when applied to the demonic sect, a thought still flashed through Yin Ci's mind.

The spirit of the Ling Sect had scattered.

It hadn't scattered in a self-abandoning way, nor was it due to a lack of accomplishments. Yan Budu had only been dead for about a hundred years. A starving camel was still bigger than a horse. Destroying a sect's spirit was not the work of a moment - for it to scatter so beautifully, it must have been intentionally done by someone.

Let alone verifying identities, the old servant opened the door for them without even glancing at their identity plaques. He only looked at Shi Jingzhi's face that "didn't seem like a good thing", snorted through his nose, and let them in.

The first few floors of the vermilion building were in a mess, with food and drink scattered about, some already rotten. Corpse pieces and gold and silver were mixed together, jade stones stuck in white bones, and pearl strings soaked in corpse water. Corpse insects crawled everywhere, and flying insects buzzed around in chaos.

When they reached the top of the vermilion building, the scene was even more absurd - precious tables and chairs were toppled over, and wine was splashed everywhere. A group of strange people dressed in colorful clothes, barely wearing a Ling Sect uniform, were arguing like monkeys. A few elders sat in the upper seats, drinking and making merry with a calm demeanor, ignoring the mess in front of them.

In comparison, Shi Jingzhi, the fake dissolute man, appeared normal and harmless. No one looked at them, and no one questioned them. Rather than venting their unattainable hatred, Yin Ci felt that the people in front of him were more like taking advantage of the chaos to indulge.

Only four people from the Ku Mountain Sect came up - Shen Zhu was good at investigation but not very skilled in martial arts, so she stayed outside as backup. Yan Qing and Su Si did come. Su Si still retained some instincts from the Red Hook Sect and almost immediately gripped his flesh-picking knife in vigilance. Yan Qing slightly opened his eyes, looking at the broken place left by his ancestors, unable to hide the disdain on his face.

The master and disciple found an empty seat and sat down as casually as possible. Gazes from all around occasionally swept over them. Shi Jingzhi sat up straight, his claws seemingly sewn onto Yin Ci's shoulder, not daring to move.

If it were someone else, he would have just played along. Even if he wasn't skilled, with his abilities, it would be enough to deceive these villains.

But he was helpless when it came to Yin Ci - he had just gotten used to verbal intimacy, and he really couldn't bring himself to make a move in front of everyone. Let alone flirting, as soon as Shi Jingzhi's hand tried to slide down a little, the back of his neck turned completely red.

Yin Ci had no choice but to occasionally lean against Shi Jingzhi, so that the two of them wouldn't look like two monks meditating on the spot.

Demon Lord Yin sighed inwardly. If he had known that this man was so thin-skinned, letting him play the role of the scholar might have been less conspicuous. Sect Leader Shi sat so properly, just like a lay disciple of Jianchen Temple, and an elder had already looked over suspiciously.

What happened to the addiction and the abyss of desire?

Shi Jingzhi also realized that this would ruin things. He took a deep breath, plucked up his courage, and put his arm around Yin Ci's waist. He picked up a cup of wine, his expression twisted and a little fierce: "Come, fragr... fragrant..."

As a result, halfway through his words, Shi Jingzhi couldn't help but look at Yin Ci again, choking on his own saliva and almost coughing out loud.

If it weren't for the many eyes around, Yin Ci would have almost allowed himself to laugh out loud. He grabbed Shi Jingzhi's face with one hand: "Little mute, going mute again?"

This stepped right on Shi Jingzhi's tail. He poured the cup of wine into his own belly and grunted a few times: "A momentary mistake."

Yin Ci couldn't help but tease him softly: "I didn't think it through. If I had known earlier that Sect Leader Shi would blush even when kissing the corner of his mouth, I wouldn't have taken the role of the scholar."

Then he leaned close to Shi Jingzhi's ear and blew a breath: "Forget it, a child is a child. This time I'll teach you again, it's not that I can't--"

Before he could finish, the arm around his waist tightened. A pair of lips with the smell of alcohol pressed down, blocking the rest of Yin Ci's words. Shi Jingzhi's kiss was straightforward and powerful, but he only took a sip, full of cherishment.

"Not a 'child'." Shi Jingzhi's voice was much calmer. "This place is full of madmen and the stench of alcohol, it's not a place you should be in the first place. I don't want to take liberties with someone I cherish here, what's wrong with that?"

This sentence was extremely sincere. The teasing that Yin Ci was about to say got stuck in his mouth, and this time it was his turn to choke on his own words.

Fortunately, at this moment, the chaotic hall suddenly fell silent.

The Ling Sect members stared at the empty seat of honor - a young man walked out from the inner room, tidied his sleeves, and sat at the table. The man was quite handsome, with a face that bore a slight resemblance to Yan Qing. His scarlet eyes swept over the hall flooded with wine, showing no emotion.

Yan Qing, standing behind the master and disciple, straightened his back and pursed his lips.

That was Yan Zheng, the current leader of the Ling Sect.

This person was not very famous and rarely appeared in the jianghu. Yin Ci had only regarded him as a puppet manipulated by the Ling Sect elders, but now that he saw him, the puppet's strength was quite remarkable, and his demeanor showed no trace of cowardice.

It's just that his eyes were extremely dark, without a hint of vitality, looking a little familiar.

Yan Zheng looked at each person one by one, his gaze stopping on Shi Jingzhi, who was wearing an elder's robe. He looked Shi Jingzhi up and down for a while, then spoke bluntly--

"Who are you?"