Withered leaves lay scattered on the ground, piled up where they fell. The market, which should have been bustling, was eerily quiet.

The entire city felt like a ghost town.

A faint, lingering scent of blood filled the air, suggesting a brutal slaughter had taken place not long before.

Or perhaps...

A massacre!

Zhu Ju frowned at the scene before him. His ears twitched, and in a flash, he appeared in a nearby alley.

"Sirs, this grain is to save my son’s life! He hasn’t had anything to eat for two days and two nights!"

"Please, I’m begging you, don’t take my grain."

"THUD!"

"Get lost!"

"We’re already being merciful just taking the grain and not your life. Don’t push your luck."

In the alley, two thugs were beating a man. They snatched a cloth sack full of rice and hoisted it onto one of their shoulders.

"AHH!"

"I’ll kill you!"

Seeing his grain stolen, the beaten man scrambled to his feet with a cry and lunged viciously at the two thugs.

"You’re asking to die!"

A vicious look on his face, one of the thugs sidestepped and delivered a kick that sent the man flying.

The thug clearly knew some Martial Skills. He had tempered his Tendon and Bone and was much stronger than an ordinary person.

"Hmph!"

"I was going to let you live, but since you’re asking to die..."

Cracking their wrists, the two thugs closed in on him. Just as they were about to strike a vicious blow...

"WHOOSH!"

A strange gust of wind swept through the alley.

The two thugs abruptly vanished, leaving only the sack of rice to drop to the ground.

Huh?

The trembling man stared blankly. He looked at the sack of rice before him and hurriedly clutched it to his chest.

Then, he fell to his knees and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Thank you, Great Immortal! Thank you, Great Immortal!"

After expressing his gratitude, he clutched the sack of rice and scurried off.

A short distance away.

Zhu Ju stared at the two thugs. A faint, eerie light glowed in his eyes, and his voice was as ethereal as if it had drifted from the Netherworld.

"Tell me, what happened in this city?"

Soul Capturing Technique!

With Zhu Ju’s current Divine Soul Power, controlling and interrogating mere mortals for information couldn’t be easier.

"Half a month ago, the Blood Flood Dragon Bandits breached the city walls. They slaughtered the inhabitants for a day before leaving in a hurry, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation."

One of the thugs stared blankly and said in a monotone voice:

"The Blood Flood Dragon Bandits took all the city’s food reserves, causing prices to skyrocket. Grain, in particular, became as valuable as Gold. My brother and I have been scrounging for grain to trade for gold and silver, hoping to strike it rich."

"Mm," Zhu Ju said, his expression unchanging. "Are there any Martial World factions in the city?"

"Yes," the thug nodded. "The Qingzhu Gang, the Hongye Association, a branch of the San Fen Hall..."

"San Fen Hall?" Zhu Ju’s eyes flickered. "San Fen Hall has a branch here? Do you know where its headquarters is? Do you know anyone from the branch?"

"We do," the thug said.

"We’re members of San Fen Hall."

?

Zhu Ju was taken aback.

’So they’re my own people.’

* * *

The San Fen Hall Branch.

Wang Jin, the man in charge here, put away the message that had arrived by carrier pigeon. His brow furrowed, he paced toward the courtyard.

"Wang Jin?"

An unfamiliar voice spoke from nearby.

"Who’s there?"

Wang Jin’s face hardened, and his body tensed in an instant. His right hand shot to the hilt of the sword at his waist, ready to draw at a moment’s notice.

This was a restricted area of the branch; no one was allowed inside without his permission.

Not only had this person entered, but he hadn’t even noticed their approach. This had to be a master.

"Relax."

Zhu Ju stepped out from the shadows.

"I’m with San Fen Hall, in a manner of speaking. I need to ask you something."

"Oh?" Seeing the stranger’s face, Wang Jin’s expression remained neutral. He stayed on guard as he spoke slowly, "What is it?"

"My brother-in-law is Luu Pu. You must know him," said Zhu Ju.

"Elder Luu." Wang Jin repeated, stunned. "Of course I do. And you...?"

"Are you Zhu Ju... Immortal Master Zhu?"

"Hm?" Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow. "You know of me?"

"I’ve heard things," Wang Jin said, his expression relaxing into a friendly, almost fawning smile. "I’ve long heard that Elder Luu’s brother-in-law reached the Innate realm at a young age and even joined an Immortal Sect to practice Immortal Techniques."

"I never imagined..."

"That I would be so fortunate as to witness your immortal presence today!"

Innate!

A disciple of an Immortal Sect!

For him, a figure of this caliber was like having the Hall Master of San Fen Hall appear in person. The shock was overwhelming.

He wouldn’t dare show any more hostility.

"Immortal Techniques?" Zhu Ju shook his head gently. "I rushed here from my Sect, only to find this area has become a battlefield. What is the situation over in Hejian Prefecture?"

"Not good at all," Wang Jin replied, composing himself. "The Blood Flood Dragon Bandits are running rampant. The Prefecture City has sent troops to suppress them multiple times to no avail. In fact, the more they fight, the stronger the bandits get."

"It’s said that if the Blood Flood Dragon Bandits really wanted to, not even Hejian Prefecture could hold out against them. The only reason they haven’t taken it is because they’re trying to bait a bigger fish."

"What about Luu Pu?" Zhu Ju asked, his expression grave. "How are my sister and the others?"

"Don’t worry, Immortal Master Zhu," Wang Jin said. "Elder Luu has also entered an Immortal Sect. Over a month ago, he took his family and followed the Sect to the Ten Thousand Mountains."

"As for San Fen Hall..."

"All the important figures in the hall left long ago. There’s no one from San Fen Hall left in Hejian Prefecture anymore."

’Over a month ago?’

’If their journey was smooth, Luu Pu, Zhu Shuang, and the others should have already passed the Ancient Northern Pass.’

’If I hadn’t left the Sect...’

’I would have definitely received my sister’s letter.’

’What a mess!’

’Doesn’t that mean I made this trip for nothing?’

Zhu Ju was left speechless. Still, learning that his sister, Zhu Shuang, had already left brought him a sense of relief.

"Are you certain they’ve left Hejian Prefecture?"

"Positive," Wang Jin affirmed with a firm nod. "In fact, I just received a message myself. The Hall Master has ordered me to take our branch members and head to the Ancient Northern Pass. Someone from San Fen Hall will meet us there."

"But, as you know, Immortal Master Zhu, given the situation outside the city... setting out rashly is a life-or-death gamble."

He looked up at Zhu Ju, his face filled with hopeful expectation.

Zhu Ju, of course, knew what he was thinking. He stroked his chin and said, "Cultivators don’t usually attack Mortals. As long as you avoid the Blood Flood Dragon Bandits, the journey shouldn’t be too dangerous."

"Yes, yes," Wang Jin nodded eagerly. "Especially if Immortal Master Zhu were to accompany us. Then it certainly wouldn’t be dangerous."

"Very well," Zhu Ju said after a moment’s thought. "I have to head back as well, so we’ll travel together. But remember: not a word about me to anyone."

’He had to return anyway.’

’With so many Cultivators in the area, flying over the mountains might not be safe; he could easily attract the attention of a Dao Foundation Cultivator.’

’Hiding among Mortals, on the other hand, would give him options even if they ran into trouble.’

"Of course," Wang Jin replied, overjoyed. "My lips are sealed."

"There is one more thing."

He wrung his hands, looking a bit sheepish.

"When the Blood Flood Dragon Bandits sacked the city, they took all the food. I’m afraid our men won’t have enough provisions for the journey."

"However, the Qingzhu Gang has a secret granary. If we could get our hands on it, we wouldn’t have to worry."

"The Qingzhu Gang?" Zhu Ju stared at him. "You want to use me to eliminate the Qingzhu Gang?"

"I wouldn’t dare," Wang Jin said, his expression freezing for a moment. He lowered his voice. "Please hear me out, Immortal Master. The Qingzhu Gang has been a plague on this city for years, committing every evil imaginable. Their leader, Nong’an, is a monster in human guise. Killing him would not only provide us with enough food, it would also be an act of justice."

"Heh..." Zhu Ju let out a soft chuckle. "A plague on the city?"

"And your San Fen Hall members are any better? You’re just trying to use me to do your dirty work."

Wang Jin’s expression changed.

"Never mind," Zhu Ju said, waving his hand dismissively. "What does the Gang Leader of the Qingzhu Gang look like?"

’He had spent time in the Mortal World himself; he knew exactly what city gangs were like. You could kill nine out of ten of them and not hit an innocent man. He wasn’t bothered by the man’s petty scheming.’

"Immortal Master," Wang Jin said in a low, uneasy voice. "Nong’an is a big, burly man with a pockmarked face. His Weapon is a Nine-Ring Saber, and he has a particular fondness for drinking."

"He insists on having women with him when he drinks, and he always has his chest bared. It’s a vulgar sight."

"Mm." Zhu Ju closed his eyes, seeming to let his consciousness drift away. Suddenly, he spoke. "Does he also have a black mole on his forehead and a crooked mouth? And does he curse in every other sentence?"

"Yes!" Wang Jin nodded. "That’s him exactly."

"Then this is simple," Zhu Ju said, lightly tapping the storage pouch at his waist. He casually retrieved a Flying Sword and tossed it into the air.

’His Five-Pointed Flying Sword had been destroyed.’

’But he had plenty of spoils of war. Even a Low Grade Flying Sword was more than enough to deal with a mere Mortal.’

"WHOOSH!"

The Flying Sword spun in mid-air and shot off to the north.

「A short time later.」

The Flying Sword flew back, reversed its course, and dropped a severed head before Wang Jin.

"Is this the man?"

"..." Staring at the head before him, its eyes wide in death, Wang Jin’s expression was complicated. He paused for a long moment before slowly nodding. "Yes."

"This is indeed the Gang Leader of the Qingzhu Gang, Nong’an."

’The two of them had known each other for decades. Their hatred for one another ran deep, and they had both tried countless times to put the other in his grave.’

’And yet...’

’After decades of conflict, neither had ever managed to gain the upper hand.’

’And now...’

’In the time it took to have this conversation, Immortal Master Zhu hadn’t even "lifted a finger," yet he had retrieved the man’s head from afar.’

’It was all so effortless, so casual—as easy as reaching into a sack to grab something.’

’Satisfaction?’

’Elation?’

’A sense of injustice for his fallen rival?’

’Looking at the head of his "arch-nemesis," Wang Jin’s expression shifted through a flurry of emotions, a cocktail of feelings churning within him.’

"The Gang Leader of the Qingzhu Gang is dead. I’ll leave the rest to you," Zhu Ju said. "How soon can we be on our way?"

"..." Wang Jin snapped back to reality. "Dealing with the remaining Qingzhu Gang members and finalizing the list of who’s coming... it should take about seven or eight days."

"Mm," Zhu Ju nodded. "Arrange a room for me. See that I’m not disturbed."

"Yes, sir."

Wang Jin agreed respectfully.

*

*

*

The Magic World.

The situation in Tianzui City was in constant flux.

First, the Wuk Family launched a sudden, unstoppable assault, conquering the major strongholds of the Demon Exorcism Hall. Victory seemed within their grasp.

Then, just as suddenly...

The Hall Master of the Demon Exorcism Hall, the Divine Eagle King, Iron Madman, unleashed his formidable power, single-handedly turning the tables and defeating the Wuk Family.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

But then the Demon Exorcism Hall, not knowing when to quit, provoked the Sword Sect. This brought down a peerless master who slaughtered all of the Demon Exorcism Hall’s experts, including Iron Madman himself.

It was the kind of story one would expect to find in a work of fiction, yet it had played out in reality.

The Wuk Family’s Ancestral Home.

"Hall Master Xiaoo."

Wuk Fu’an, the Wuk Family’s surviving Second Decline True Man, spoke slowly:

"Sect Leader Zhu still hasn’t returned?"

"No," Xiaoo Meng shook her head. "The Sect Leader often enters secluded cultivation. I imagine this time is no different."

"Could he be injured?" Wuk Fu’an asked. "Iron Madman was quite powerful, and he had other Second Decline True Men with him. Even if Sect Leader Zhu is exceptionally strong..."

"I misspoke."

He gave a small smile and took several books from beside him, placing them on the table.

"These are some things we recovered from the Demon Exorcism Hall. For centuries, the Demon Exorcism Hall has been trying to break free from the constraints of the Visualization Technique, to forge their own new path that no one has walked before. That’s what led to the pair of Curved Sabers Iron Madman wielded."

"This technique is still incomplete, but if it could be perfected..."

Wuk Fu’an’s expression grew solemn.

"The Sword Sect might just be able to reclaim the glory of ancient times!"

Hm?

Xiaoo Meng slowly sat up straighter.